《The Beauty CEO's Personal Expert》


 Chapter 1: Sending a Clock

    <h4>Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Sending a Clock</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "This damn sun, I swear I¡¯m gonna turn into an African soon."


    Ling Chen was riding an electric tricycle at a snail¡¯s pace on a spacious street in East Sea City, grumbling from time to time.


    There were four big characters adhered to the back of the tricycle: Dongcheng Express.


    If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that next month¡¯s rent was still up in the air, Ling Chen would have really liked to quit this job. How nice would it be to stay home in this scorching heat, enjoying the fan and sipping on ice-cold beer.


    "Wealthy Manor, here we are."


    Looking at the address, Ling Chen signaled to changenes.


    Beep! Beep beep!


    Suddenly, a series of rapid car horns sounded. Ling Chen nced from the corner of his eye, as a white Maserati zoomed past hisne at high speed, nearly skimming past the front of his tricycle and causing him to break out in a cold sweat. Lucky for his quick reaction, he braked in time. Otherwise, it would have been a fatal crash.


    Watching the Maserati leave a trail of exhaust behind as it sped into the manor, Ling Chen was filled with rage. His life almost ended and not even an apology was offered.


    "Dammit, think you¡¯re so great just because you¡¯re rich!" He cursed resentfully, wishing that the driver would give birth to a son without an asshole.


    "Wealthy Manor, 118... Yes, that¡¯s the ce."


    Ling Chen checked the number on the vi¡¯s gate, stopped the electric tricycle, and carried a meter-long cardboard box out of the trunk, walking straight towards the vi.


    Passing by the entrance, he saw several million-dor luxury cars parked outside, among which a white Maserati was particrly conspicuous.


    "Isn¡¯t this the car that almost hit me just now?"


    Ling Chen recognized the license te of that Maserati immediately. Talk about a narrow escape, he was determined to have a good talk with the ownerter.


    "Ding dong!"


    The doorbell rang, and the vi¡¯s door was opened by a man in his fifties.


    "What is it?" The man¡¯s face was tight, his tone not very pleasant, as if someone owed him money.


    "Does Nanrong Yong live here? There¡¯s a delivery that needs to be signed for."


    Nanrong is a rarepound surname.


    "Give me the item."


    "Are you Nanrong Yong?"


    "I am Mr. Nanrong¡¯s butler."


    Ling Chen shook his head, "That won¡¯t do, the client specifically instructed that this is a valuable item and it must be opened in the presence of the addressee himself."


    The middle-aged man hesitated a bit, then stepped aside, "Thene in."


    Once inside the door, Ling Chen saw that the living room was filled with people, both men and women, gathered in groups discussing animatedly, all wearing grim expressions.


    "Uncle Liu, who is this person?"


    A pleasant voice came through. Ling Chen turned to look at the approachingdy, his eyes lighting up instantly.


    The woman had a melon-seed shaped face, fair and smooth skin, ck shiny hair, wearing a white blouse that faintly revealed the ck bra underneath, paired with a denim miniskirt, highlighting a pair of long shapely legs.


    Those legs could be hailed as the golden ratio, crystal clear and fair, perhaps even surpassing top leg models.


    Tsk tsk, a real beauty!


    Feeling Ling Chen¡¯s scrutinizing gaze, the long-legged beauty¡¯s face immediately turned cold, her eyes showing disdain. She hated it when people stared at her with such lecherous eyes.


    "Miss Nanrong, he says he has an important delivery that must be opened in person by the old master," the butler replied.


    The long-legged beauty discontentedly said, "You know well enough about grandpa¡¯s condition, how can he see outsiders now?" Having said this, she looked towards Ling Chen. "Everyone here is my grandpa¡¯s family; just open it."


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t mind; after all, they were all Nangong Yong¡¯s family members, and he figured that his client wouldn¡¯t have any objections. With that thought, he tore off the tape on the cardboard box and took out the item inside.


    After removing the stic wrapping, an ancient clock immediately presented itself to everyone¡¯s eyes.


    Ling Chen was momentarily stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected this thing to be inside.


    To give a clock... it hints at the end of life!


    This is despicable, isn¡¯t it cursing someone to die?


    Regaining hisposure, Ling Chen nced around. As expected, the faces of the people in the room darkened with fury, seething with rage.


    "Which bastard sent this?" A crew-cut youth red furiously at Ling Chen.


    "How would I know? I¡¯m just responsible for the delivery," Ling Chen said innocently.


    Right then, a doctor in a white coat hurried down from the stairs and said in a grave tone, "The old master¡¯s condition has worsened again."


    The expressions of everyone present abruptly changed.


    "It¡¯s all your fault, you bastard," the crew-cut youth cursed loudly, swinging his fist to smash it into Ling Chen¡¯s face, directing all his anger onto him.


    "What the hell?" Ling Chen was speechless. This thing wasn¡¯t even sent by him.


    As the fist came hurtling towards him, he sidestepped and deftly grabbed the youth¡¯s wrist. With a gentle pull, the crew-cut youth lost his bnce and tumbled onto the sofa.


    "You dare to hit someone?" The surrounding people red furiously.


    "He¡¯s the one who started it. This matter has nothing to do with me; why take it out on me?"


    "You¡¯re to me, you SOB! Come on, beat him to death," the crew-cut youth, having picked himself up, bellowed furiously.


    Instantly, seven or eight burly bodyguards charged out from the inner room.


    Ling Chen really wanted to turn around and leave, but this package was cash on delivery, and he hadn¡¯t received the money yet. If he went back empty-handed, his boss would definitely deduct it from his wages.


    Why should he take a loss over something unrted to him? Besides, Ling Chen was never one to suffer losses.


    Seeing several bodyguards approach menacingly, Ling Chen touched his nose, not taking any of them seriously.


    "Beat him!"


    Two bodyguards cooperated and reached out to grab Ling Chen¡¯s arms from both sides, aiming to make him unable to resist.


    Without even looking, Ling Chen simply kicked out. He moved so fast that the bodyguards couldn¡¯t even react in time.


    "Ow!"


    Apanied by a cry of pain, the bodyguard immediately clutched his stomach and knelt on the ground, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.


    "Let¡¯s all go at once."


    After witnessing Ling Chen¡¯s prowess, the bodyguards didn¡¯t dare to be careless and immediately joined forces to attack.


    Ling Chen shrugged; these men were too weak, hardly inciting him to get hands-on.


    In just a moment, all the bodyguards wereid out on the ground.


    The others in the living room found it hard to believe; eight against one and they had lost.


    "Anyone else?" Ling Chen looked at the dazed crowd, took out a delivery note nonchntly, and said, "If there¡¯s no one else, please sign here, and pay the delivery fee. It¡¯s a total of one hundred and sixty yuan... huh?"


    Before he could finish speaking, his eyebrows raised as he suddenly felt a gust of winding at him. With a sidelong nce, he saw the butler who had opened the door for him earlier stretching out five fingers and swiftly reaching towards him.


    As the wind brushed his face, Ling Chen didn¡¯t utter another word. He threw a punch in response. Suddenly, a powerful surge of inner strength welled up through his fist, forcing him back two steps.

 Chapter 2 The Peerless Beauty

    <h4>Chapter 2: Chapter 2 The Peerless Beauty</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    The middle-aged butler chastised coldly, "Young man, there¡¯s always someone better out there, don¡¯t think you can run wild just because you¡¯ve learned a bit of martial arts."


    Twisting his wrist, Ling Chen sized up his opponent, feeling quite surprised in his heart, not expecting there to be such a hidden expert here.


    "Want to try again?" he provocatively said.


    It had been a long time since he¡¯de across someone capable of exchanging a few moves with him. If it weren¡¯t for his carelessness just now, and the opponent¡¯s surprise attack, he would not have let him take advantage.


    "Uncle Liu, teach him a good lesson, let this kid remember this," the crew-cut young man eximed excitedly.


    Everyone present was fully aware that Uncle Liu was not only Nanrong Yong¡¯s butler but also responsible for his safety, having practiced martial arts for decades, possessing impressive skills.


    Seeing Ling Chen taking the initiative to ask for a fight, everyone thought this young man was out of his depth. However, they were indeed eager to see him make a fool of himself.


    Daring to be presumptuous in the Nanrong Family¡¯s presence, truly foolhardy.


    The middle-aged butler snorted softly, sank into a horse stance, and his right arm swung out, his fingers turning into a tiger w, bearing down with imposing momentum towards Ling Chen¡¯s head.


    Watching his opponent¡¯s move, a smile curled on Ling Chen¡¯s lips. Standing his ground, his sharp gaze locked onto the other¡¯s actions. Suddenly, he leaned forward, tilting his head to the right, adeptly dodging the middle-aged man¡¯s tiger w, then taking advantage of the situation to close in, his iron fist thundering out.


    The middle-aged butler reacted extremely quickly, sensing danger and immediately turning to evade, attempting to dodge Ling Chen¡¯s punch. But he quickly realized that as he stepped back, Ling Chen¡¯s fist advanced, unable to shake it off.


    After retreating several steps, the middle-aged butler suddenly felt blocked by a hard object¡ªthere was a wall behind him. With no way back, the only option was to attack. Thereupon, he clenched his tiger w and struck towards Ling Chen¡¯s fist.


    Having practiced martial arts for decades, the middle-aged butler had a lot of confidence in himself.


    As their fists collided, the middle-aged butler¡¯s face suddenly darkened, a hint of shock shing in his eyes. His opponent was standing firm, not taking a single step back.


    "Is this all you¡¯ve got?"


    Ling Chen sneered, his umted punch power suddenly erupting.


    In an instant, the middle-aged butler felt a fierce dark force assail him, his entire arm throbbing painfully, dangling limply.


    Although neither had moved, it was clear to everyone that Uncle Liu was at a disadvantage against the young man.


    "Still want to teach me a lesson, are you worthy?"


    The sound of Ling Chen¡¯s voice reached them, and the middle-aged butler¡¯s face shifted between shades of purple and red, utterly humiliated.


    "Uncle Liu, what are you daydreaming about, keep hitting him!" a group of people egged him on from the side, with the crew-cut young man shouting the loudest.


    "That¡¯s enough."


    Just then, a young woman in a wheelchair was carried down from upstairs.


    As soon as the young woman appeared, everyone in the living room promptly behaved, all standing up straight and not daring to speak.


    Ling Chen took in the sight of the young woman, his expression suddenly startled, feeling almost breathless, his eyes filled with admiration.


    The woman looked to be in her twenties, her skin slightly pale, dressed in a simple and clean gown, her figure graceful.


    Above the gown was a breathtakingly beautiful face; skin more radiant than snow, smooth and silky, a pair of cool and lunar-like eyes, slender eyebrows, and thin lips, pale as jade, with a hint of fragile delicacy due to illness.


    Beautiful, stunningly beautiful.


    The tall beauty he had just seen was already exceptional, but the woman before him was even more so. It was not about appearance, but an indescribable aura.


    Tsk tsk, this world indeed holds such unearthly beauties.


    Ling Chen¡¯s heart delighted silently, feeling that seeing such a beauty was worth it even if he didn¡¯t make any money from this trip.


    "Cousin, why did youe down?" The long-legged beauty hurriedly walked over to the young woman¡¯s side, taking over the wheelchair handles.


    "How could I note down with all themotion going on below?" After speaking, the woman nced at the antique clock ced in the living room, her beautiful eyes suddenly hardened, and she said icily: "Nanrong Hao, what¡¯s the meaning of this?"


    "Sister, it¡¯s like this..." Nanrong Hao, the crew-cut youth, quickly recounted what had just happened.


    "Why are you picking on someone who¡¯s just responsible for delivering goods?"


    "I..." Nanrong Hao was at a loss for words.


    The woman said coldly: "Apologize."


    "Yes, Sister." Nanrong Hao seemed to be very afraid of this sister. Although he was reluctant, he obediently walked over to Ling Chen and whispered an apology.


    "It¡¯s no big deal." Ling Chen said in a lecturing tone: "Young people are impulsive. I understand, just be more careful in the future."


    Nanrong Hao felt so infuriated inside. Who the hell are you to lecture me! But just the thought of the big sister behind him made him dete immediately, and he backed away feeling depressed.


    "Uncle Liu?"


    The middle-aged housekeeper saw the eldest daughter speak up and promptly gave a fist and palm salute: "I am Liu Kun, young man. I¡¯m sorry for any offense caused earlier, please don¡¯t take it to heart."


    "No problem, no problem." Ling Chen¡¯s gaze shifted, looking at the woman in the wheelchair and said: "Since you¡¯re the one in charge here, please sign here and settle the delivery fee."


    The woman nodded lightly, reaching out to take the delivery note from Ling Chen and signed her name.


    "Nanrong Wanqing." Ling Chen nced at the elegant handwriting on the delivery note, silently reading it in his mind.


    After collecting the delivery fee, under everyone¡¯s gaze, Ling Chen turned around to lift up the antique clock, grinning and saying: "You guys probably wouldn¡¯t want to keep this thing, let me take care of it for you."


    "Thank you." Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s lips parted lightly.


    "You¡¯re wee."


    At the doorway, Ling Chen seemed to remember something, turned back and asked, "Whose Maserati is that outside?"


    "Mine." The long-legged beauty said.


    "You?" Ling Chen said irritably: "Do you realize you almost hit me with your car earlier? If I hadn¡¯t reacted quickly, I¡¯d be lying in the mortuary right now."


    "Su Lin, what¡¯s going on?"


    Upon hearing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s question, Su Lin pouted, feeling aggrieved: "I heard grandpa¡¯s condition was critical, so I rushed over, which is why I was driving a bit fast."


    "Over a hundred miles per hour is ¡¯a bit¡¯ fast?"


    Su Lin retorted unhappily: "I didn¡¯t hit you, what¡¯s with all theints?"


    "From what you¡¯re saying, do I have to get hit by you before I¡¯m entitled to speak up? What kind of logic is that, did you not graduate from elementary school?" Ling Chen said displeased.


    This woman was too unreasonable.


    Nanrong Wanqing slightly furrowed her brows: "Su Lin, you¡¯re in the wrong here. Won¡¯t you hurry and apologize?"


    "I won¡¯t." Su Lin pursed her lips slightly and turned her head away.


    "Tch, with that attitude, I might not even ept your apology if you offered it," Ling Chen sneered: "A good man doesn¡¯t argue with women, I won¡¯t stoop to your level. Beware, with your unyielding demeanor, you might end up with a son whocks manners. I¡¯m leaving; no need to see me off."


    Hearing hisst remark, Su Lin felt her anger welling up, outraged by his curse.


    "Wanqing, did you hear that, this jerk actually..."

 Chapter 3 The Girl Next Door

    <h4>Chapter 3: Chapter 3 The Girl Next Door</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "Alright." Nanrong Wanqing gently massaged her temples and said, "He¡¯s just a coarse person, no need to bicker with him over every little thing. Right now, the most important thing is Grandpa¡¯s health."


    "Hmph!"


    Watching Ling Chen swagger away, Su Lin was so angry she gritted her teeth and cursed under her breath: "You just wait."


    Back at the courierpany, Ling Chen finished handing over the payment for the goods and then carried the ancient clock straight to a nearby pawnshop, trading it for five hundred yuan.


    He made less than two thousand yuan a month, so this five hundred yuan was a considerable gain for him.


    With money in his pocket, Ling Chen generously bought a case of ice-cold beer and some marinated snacks, and headed straight home.


    He lived in the Old City of East Sea City, which was full of buildings that were forty or fifty years old. Because the environment was average, the rent was rtively cheap - three hundred yuan a month.


    Upon entering his home, the room was stifling hot, and these cheap rental houses didn¡¯t have air conditioning, just an old fan.


    Ling Chen took off his sweaty shirt, sitting shirtless on the balcony, enjoying the cool evening breeze while drinking ice-cold beer and eating marinated snacks, his face showing utter contentment.


    After a few bottles of beer, Ling Chen sat with his legs crossed and, on a whim, he began to hum a popr tune from years ago.


    "You are the wind..."


    "I am the sand, entwined intensely... to the ends of the earth."


    At that moment, a sweet voice like spring water picked up the lyrics.


    Ling Chen turned his head and saw a pretty young girl walk out onto the neighboring balcony. She was seventeen or eighteen years old, like a white lotus fresh from water, elegant and delicate.


    Seeing the young beauty, Ling Chen immediately broke into a grin.


    She was Tang Shiyun, his neighbor¡¯s daughter, a pretty cute girl who was very likable.


    When he had just moved in, he happened toe across Tang Shiyun being harassed by a few thugs on the street, so he had helped her out. Since then, they had be acquainted, and he always liked to tease the girl whenever he had nothing better to do.


    "Girl, if you were to get all entwined with me, your mom would probably die of anger."


    Tang Shiyun blushed with a shy smile, leaning against the railing with her hands propping up her cheeks, giggling, "Ling, you¡¯re always so unserious. Anyone who doesn¡¯t know you would think you¡¯re not a good person."


    Ling Chen red at her: "What do you know, little girl? I call this being witty."


    "Who¡¯s little." Tang Shiyun retorted, not convinced: "I¡¯m already eighteen."


    Ling Chen looked at her and said with some emotion, "Eighteen, yeah, indeed not young anymore."


    "Ling, you¡¯re not getting any younger either. Howe you still haven¡¯t got a girlfriend?"


    "You think I don¡¯t want to? Look, to get married you need three key things: a house, a car, and a bankbook. I haven¡¯t met any of those requirements; which woman would blindly set her sights on me?" Ling Chen blew out a breath of beer air, looking helpless.


    "But you are handsome." said Tang Shiyun innocently.


    "Can handsomeness be used as food? Alright, don¡¯t worry about me, girl. Come on, sing a little tune to cheer me up."


    "Okay!"


    Tang Shiyun cleared her throat, her sweet voice unfolding once more.


    On the road of life, there¡¯s sweetness and bitterness, joy and sorrow.


    I¡¯m willing to share all with you.


    It¡¯s inevitable to sometimes fall and wait,


    You must be brave and look up.


    Who wants to always hide in a sheltered harbor.


    Rather have...the tempestuous freedom.


    Wishing to be the lighthouse in your heart.


    To guide you through the fog...


    Ling Chen shook the beer bottle in his hand, listening to the tune, watching the afterglow of the sunset, feeling content and satisfied.


    This - this is what I call life.


    Compared to those bloody days of living on the edge, this was like heaven and earth.


    "Daughter, it¡¯s time to eat."


    Just then, a middle-aged woman came out from behind Tang Shiyun.


    Seeing her precious daughter chatting with Ling Chen, the woman¡¯s face immediately fell, and she scolded Tang Shiyun while twisting her ear: "You naughty girl, how many times have I told you not to associate with these riffraff? Why won¡¯t you listen? Get inside now." She was speaking very loudly, seemingly making sure Ling Chen would hear.


    "Got it, Mom, go easy," said Tang Shiyun, sticking her tongue out at Ling Chen apologetically before obediently following her mother inside.


    Ling Chen simply smiled, unaffected. He knew that Tang Shiyun¡¯s mother had a deep prejudice against him, always treating him like a thug, but he couldn¡¯t me her considering he often hung around with the local hoodlums of the Old City.


    "Chen, hurry up and open the door."


    As he was pondering, a frantic knocking came from outside the door.


    "Coming."


    Ling Chen got up to open the door and saw a burly young man standing outside in a tight tank top, his face full of urgency and a bruise swelling on his forehead.


    "Jiang Hao, what happened to you?"


    The young man, named Jiang Hao, was a local hoodlum from the Old City. He was the one who had bullied Tang Shiyunst time and got a beating from Ling Chen for it. He sought revenge by bringing people over, but ended up with his gang knocked out by Ling Chen.


    Since then, Jiang Hao was extremely respectful to him, often bringing a group ofckeys to hang around, treating him with the best of cigarettes and alcohol, all to learn a thing or two about fighting.


    Which is why Tang Shiyun¡¯s mother mistook him for another thug and forbade her daughter from seeing him.


    "Chen, you have to help me this time," Jiang Hao said with a mournful face.


    "Make it clear, what¡¯s the matter?"


    "Zhao Zhengxiong, that bastard, took over my turf and even captured my guys. He¡¯s asking for ransom. I¡¯ve never asked you for anything before, Chen, but you must help me this time."


    Ling Chen hesitated. Although he had dealings with Jiang Hao, he never got involved in their squabbles. He saw all these street thugs as just engaging in petty skirmishes, not worth his time.


    He had heard of Zhao Zhengxiong, another thug from the Old City, an old hand who had been on the scene a few years before Jiang Hao¡¯s bunch.


    The Old City was full of migrants, a mixed bag of characters, with all sorts of factions, a murky pond with many small fish like Jiang Hao.


    Seeing the earnest look on Jiang Hao¡¯s face, Ling Chen casually took out a toothpick and put it in his mouth, nodding, "Let¡¯s go, I¡¯lle with you to get your guys."


    Having epted many offerings from Jiang Hao, it would be too inconsiderate to refuse, which was not Ling Chen¡¯s style. Moreover, he had known Jiang Hao for a while and knew the man wasn¡¯t evil at heart, so helping him wouldn¡¯t hurt.


    Led by Jiang Hao, Ling Chen quickly arrived outside an abandoned warehouse.


    Several tattooed youths were standing outside the warehouse, cigarettes in hand, exchanging various jokes, all with mischievous grins.


    "Jiang Hao, you finally made it, we¡¯ve been standing here for half a day," said one of them, flicking away his cigarette butt. He nced at Ling Chen in his flip-flops and chewing on a toothpick, and said, pointing to the warehouse, "Xiong is inside, you guys go in yourself."

 Chapter 4 Civilized People

    <h4>Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Civilized People</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Following Jiang Hao into the warehouse, Ling Chen immediately saw a man in his thirties, with a scarred face, sitting beside a makeshift table, greasily devouring histe-night snack.


    "Chen, that¡¯s Zhao Zhengxiong," whispered Jiang Hao.


    Ling Chen nodded, then shifted his gaze to see Jiang Hao¡¯s brothers kneeling on the ground, their hands on their heads, all bearing wounds, with a dozen burly men holding iron rods, menacingly watching over them.


    At that moment, Zhao Zhengxiong lifted his head, nced at Jiang Hao, and directly ignoring Ling Chen beside him, asked, "Did you bring the money?"


    "Xiong..." Jiang Hao initially wanted to address him respectfully as Xiong, but with Ling Chen beside him, his courage swelled, and he retorted boldly, "Zhao Zhengxiong, release my brothers immediately, and take your men out of my territory."


    Laughter erupted from those around at these words.


    "Jiang, has your brain been damaged? To dare speak to Xiong like that."


    "I think this kid is itching for a beating."


    Zhao Zhengxiong wiped the grease from his mouth and pointing to the ground by his feet, said, "Kneel down and kowtow three times, call me Grandpa, then I might pretend I didn¡¯t hear what you just said."


    "Chen..."


    "Leave it to me."


    Chewing on a toothpick, Ling Chen, with his hands behind his back, walked straight to the table and sat down, opening a beer for himself.


    "Xiong, right? Jiang Hao is my buddy, we all live in the Old City, and bump into each other often. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to resolve this amiably rather than unpleasantly?"


    "Is this kid your backup?" Zhao Zhengxiong sneered, shifting his gaze from Jiang Hao to Ling Chen, disdainfully saying, "Kid, I don¡¯t care who you are, disappear from in front of me now, or don¡¯t me my men if their rods aren¡¯t gentle."


    "Xiong, let¡¯s discuss this civilly. We¡¯re all civilized people here, why use violence? It harms the atmosphere."


    "Wow, fes, did you hear that? This kid¡¯s trying to talk reason with us. Fine, you want to talk reason? Here¡¯s your chance. Chao,e here," Zhao Zhengxiong gestured for someone, saying, "Teach him how we talk reason."


    "Boss, talking reason is my specialty," Chao said with a sly grin, gripping an iron rod as he walked over. The others around wore gleeful expressions, eagerly anticipating the show.


    Raising an eyebrow, Ling Chen spoke, "Brother..."


    "Who the hell is your brother?" Chao cursed, swinging his iron rod towards Ling Chen¡¯s head.


    Bang!


    A crisp sound followed.


    Before anyone could react, Chao¡¯s iron rod dropped to the floor; he clutched his head, blood mixed with beer foam dripping through his fingers.


    Beside the table, Ling Chen, holding the broken beer bottle, smirked and said, "Forgot to mention, I excel at discussing things your way. Anyone else want to try?"


    Stunned, Zhao Zhengxiong abruptly stood up and roared, "Brothers, teach this kid a proper lesson!"


    In an instant, more than a dozen men charged toward him, swinging their iron rods all aiming at Ling Chen.


    With an uplifted corner of his mouth, Ling Chen¡¯s body moved swiftly like a cheetah, breaking through the encirclement in a blink, charging directly towards Zhao Zhengxiong.


    The strategy was clear¡ªcapture the leader first; he had no time to y with these fellows.


    "You¡¯re courting death, kid!"


    Zhao Zhengxiong cursed,unching a kick towards him.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen reached out his right hand swiftly and urately, grabbing the opponent¡¯s ankle, then twisted gently; a faint sound of bone cracking immediately followed.


    "Ow~~"


    Zhao Zhengxiong¡¯s facial features instantly twisted out of shape, pain causing tears to stream down his face.


    "Let go of my boss."


    A bunch of underlings, furious and shocked, hurried over.


    Ling Chen spat out the toothpick and said calmly, "Whoever dares take another step forward, I¡¯ll make sure they spend the rest of their life in a wheelchair."


    "Scram, all of you scram."


    Zhao Zhengxiong, fearing Ling Chen might get serious, ignored the pain in his leg and quickly stopped his men.


    "Bro... brother, let¡¯s talk this through. Let go of me first."


    Ling Chen curled his lips and said, "Howe you¡¯re like this? I wanted to talk nicely with you just now, but you insisted on being reasonable. Now I¡¯m being reasonable with you, and you want to talk nicely again. What exactly do you want?"


    "It¡¯s my fault, brother, my fault." Zhao Zhengxiong hastily begged for mercy.


    "Good that you know it¡¯s wrong. Now tell me, how are we going to settle today¡¯s issue?"


    "I promise I won¡¯t cause trouble on Hao¡¯s turf ever again," Zhao Zhengxiong said with cold sweat from the pain. "And for Hao and their medical expenses, I... I¡¯ll cover them all."


    Ling Chen nodded, that seemed reasonable. Just as he was about to ept the conditions, Jiang Hao cut in, "And Five Miles Street, from now on, it belongs to me. Xiong, you don¡¯t mind, right?"


    "This... this..." Zhao Zhengxiong hesitated.


    "Do you still want this leg?" Ling Chen timely reminded.


    "No, no, I don¡¯t want Five Miles Street anymore, alright?" Zhao Zhengxiong gritted his teeth, not only in pain from his foot but also his heart, as Five Miles Street was a prime territory he had struggled hard to snatch.


    "Very good."


    Ling Chen released his grip, and Zhao Zhengxiong copsed to the ground with another cry of pain.


    "Remember, if you dare to trouble us again, it¡¯s not just your leg, haha. Jiang Hao, let¡¯s go!"


    "Yes yes, I remember." Facing such a fierce man, where could Zhao Zhengxiong dare to talk back, he hurriedly agreed.


    "Boss, what do we do now?"


    "What do you mean what do we do? Rush me to the hospital already!" Zhao Zhengxiong cursed out loud.


    Watching Ling Chen and his group leaving, he gritted his teeth inwardly. Damn, he would reim this debt a hundredfold someday.


    "Chen, you¡¯ve worked hard."


    On the way back, Jiang Hao said happily, "Let¡¯s go to the street food stall and have a feast to celebrate."


    "Another day, your brothers are injured. Let¡¯s get them to a hospital first, don¡¯t leave any internal injuries."


    "Alright, we¡¯ll make it another day." Jiang Hao now greatly admired Ling Chen. Without Ling Chen¡¯s intervention, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to rescue his brothers so effortlessly, plus he even gained the control over Five Miles Street.


    "Jiang Hao." Ling Chen dropped his usual lighthearted tone and said seriously, "I consider you a friend, so I¡¯m giving you a piece of advice. No matter what you do, it¡¯s best to have a bottom line. Being a gangster isn¡¯t shameful, but it¡¯s about how you walk this path. If you can achieve not making people fear you, but respect you, that¡¯s when you¡¯re truly sessful."


    Jiang Hao, puzzled, scratching his head, said, "Chen, I don¡¯t quite understand what you¡¯re saying."


    Ling Chen waved his hand and said, "Think it over yourself, I¡¯m leaving."

 Chapter 5: Su Lin the Little Girl

    <h4>Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Su Lin the Little Girl</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Before the blink of an eye, a week had passed.


    Ling Chen was exactly the same as always, going to work every day, then back home for beer and braised snacks, never changing. Until one morning, a phone call startled him awake from his sleep.


    "Boss, I¡¯m taking the day off today, I won¡¯t being to work, you..."


    "You better roll over here right now. If you don¡¯t show up, my store¡¯s about to get torn apart."


    Hearing his boss speak so urgently, Ling Chen didn¡¯t dare to dy; his livelihood was at stake. He rushed to wash his face without even brushing his teeth and headed straight to thepany.


    The courierpany he worked for was located in the Old City area, not far from where he lived. It was just a ten-minute walk away.


    Arriving at thepany¡¯s entrance, Ling Chen was stunned before he even got inside. He saw more than thirty men in suits surrounding the ce, each with a stern face and an imposing air.


    "Where did all these bodyguardse from?" he muttered to himself, his gaze darting around. Suddenly, his eyes fixed on a white Maserati parked on the roadside.


    "So it¡¯s her!"


    Ling Chen immediately understood that the leggyss hade here to cause trouble. She was really persistent... no, more like bearing a grudge.


    Women are indeed creatures that hold grudges.


    "You¡¯ve finally shown up."


    Hearing that voice, grinding her teeth, Ling Chen didn¡¯t need to think twice to know who it was. He turned his head to see Su Lin emerging from thepany, and he greeted her with a smile: "Isn¡¯t this Miss Su."


    As he finished speaking, he sized up the young man with a crew cut standing next to Su Lin and said, "If I remember correctly, you¡¯re called Nanrong Hao."


    "You have a good memory." Su Lin said coldly: "Then you should also remember what you said to me that day."


    Ling Chen pretended to be contemtive: "I said many things that day; I don¡¯t know which one you¡¯re referring to. Why don¡¯t you remind me?"


    Nanrong Hao blurted out: "You said my cousin won¡¯t have..."


    "Shut up!" Su Lin red viciously at Nanrong Hao. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he was her cousin, she would¡¯ve pped him; what a fool he was.


    Feeling his cousin¡¯s murderous gaze, Nanrong Hao shrank his shoulders and quickly looked away. Whether it¡¯s a Sister or a cousin, both were people he couldn¡¯t afford to provoke.


    "Miss Su, you¡¯re being too narrow-minded. It was just a remark; there¡¯s no need to take it so seriously. Besides, you were the one in the wrong at the start, and now you¡¯reing to trouble me; where am I supposed to reason with this?"


    "You dare say I¡¯m narrow-minded?" Su Lin fumed, obviously this scoundrel¡¯s words were too malicious, daring to curse her. No one had ever dared to say such things to her from childhood until now.


    Ling Chen stared lustfully at her full chest, and said deadpan: "Your chest isn¡¯t narrow, but whether your heart is, I wouldn¡¯t know. Only by taking it off will I find out."


    This guy... Nanrong Hao¡¯s mouth fell open as he watched Ling Chen daring to openly tease his own cousin. With her fiery temper, she¡¯s probably going to lose it.


    "You..." Su Lin pointed at Ling Chen, her cheeks flushed with anger, struggling to even speak coherently.


    Catching her breath, she gritted her teeth and dered: "Ling Chen, you thug, you think you¡¯re so tough. I brought so many people today, if you¡¯re capable, knock them all down."


    Ling Chen shrugged; it¡¯s not surprising that she could find him here following the courier¡¯s delivery slip and know his name.


    Looking at the dozens of bodyguards closing in on him, he felt rather helpless. He really didn¡¯t want to fight with these people, it was time-consuming and exhausting.


    "Gentlemen, we are all civilized people, let¡¯s talk this over," he tried to force out a smile as amiable as possible.


    "Cut the crap!" Su Lin coldly said: "Today, either you go down, or they go down, you don¡¯t have a choice."


    "You all gang up on me alone, isn¡¯t that a bit unfair?"


    "I¡¯m going to bully the few with the many, what¡¯s it to you? Got a problem with that?" Su Lin thought Ling Chen was scared and immediately felt smug.


    Nanrong Hao was secretly snickering, watching Ling Chen with an ¡¯you¡¯re dead meat¡¯ expression.


    Dare to flirt with his cousin, that¡¯s digging your own grave, courting death!


    "What a bustling morning, what¡¯s everyone crowding around for? Eh, Brother Chen, what are you doing here?"


    Ling Chen turned his head, only to see Jiang Hao walking over with a few underlings through the crowd.


    "What are you doing here?"


    Jiang Haoughed: "Brother Chen, did you forget? This street is now under my control."


    Ling Chen pped his forehead, almost forgetting about it. Last time, Jiang Hao took over Five Miles Street from Zhao Zhengxiong, wasn¡¯t it this very street?


    No wonder he hadn¡¯t seen anyone around these past few days, they were busy here.


    "Brother Chen, what are these people here for?" Jiang Hao couldn¡¯t help asking when he saw the bodyguards, one after another, with a menacing and ill-intentioned look.


    Ling Chen said with a wronged face: "These guys are here to cause me trouble, and they even want to gang up on me."


    "Ganging up?" Jiang Hao¡¯s mouth curled up smirkingly, looking at those thirty-something bodyguards, he coldlyughed: "You¡¯ve got some nerve, daring to trouble my Brother Chen. You want to gang up? Fine, I¡¯ll let you see what¡¯s called ganging up. Brothers,e out!"


    At themand, dozens of people immediately surged out from the nearby pool hall and game rooms, plus the ones Jiang Hao brought along, totaling seventy or eighty people. Those with weapons grabbed their weapons, and those without grabbed bricks, surrounding the group of bodyguards.


    Su Lin and Nanrong Hao were stunned on the spot.


    This... plot reversal was too sudden.


    Nanrong Hao wanted to cry without tears, had he known it would turn out like this, he really shouldn¡¯t have followed his cousin to join in the excitement.


    "What¡¯s there to be afraid of?" Su Lin angrily said: "You¡¯re all professionals that I¡¯ve hired with good money, are you telling me you can¡¯t even handle these punks?"


    The bodyguards were speechless. With their bare hands against those who had the numerical advantage and were armed with weapons and bricks, they knew they would be at a disadvantage if a fight really broke out.


    "Miss Su, we¡¯re all civilized people here, let¡¯s sit down and talk things over, let¡¯s not start a needless conflict, that¡¯s no good for anyone." Ling Chen said with a smiling face.


    Hearing his words, a few of Jiang Hao¡¯s men snickered endlessly.


    Having followed Ling Chen for a while, they understood his character rather well; despite always talking about being civilized, when it actuallyes to fighting, he¡¯s more ruthless than anyone else.


    Seeing her own hired bodyguards looking cowardly, Su Lin knew she wouldn¡¯t gain any advantage today and could only walk away disgruntled.


    "Ling Chen, don¡¯t get too happy just yet, I¡¯ll make you pay sooner orter." She dropped a harsh line, holding back her anger, she turned and walked toward her car.


    Nanrong Hao quickly said: "Cousin, don¡¯t leave me here."


    "Take a taxi back yourself." Su Lin squeezed out a few words through clenched teeth, mmed the car door shut, leaving a bewildered Nanrong Hao behind as she drove off.


    "Poor thing, your sister just abandoned you like that." Ling Chen walked over to him, shaking his head and sighing.


    Nanrong Hao anxiously said: "What... what do you want to do? I¡¯m warning you, if you dare touch a hair on me, my Sister will never let you go."

 Chapter 6 Fired from the Job

    <h4>Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Fired from the Job</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Hearing him mention his sister, the image of that cold woman in a wheelchair immediately popped up in Ling Chen¡¯s mind.


    Nanrong Wanqing!


    Unfortunately, this kind of woman can only be admired from a distance, not toyed with.


    Brushing aside distractions, he smiled and patted Nanrong Hao on the shoulder, saying, "Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t beat you up. I¡¯ll treat you to a mealter, will you grace us with your presence?"


    "I..."


    Beside them, Jiang Hao frowned and said, "Chen is giving you face by inviting you to dinner. Do you dare not go?"


    "Going, going, definitely going." Nanrong Hao wore a mournful expression, crying inside. Cousin, you¡¯re too harsh.


    "Jiang Hao, you go ahead and find a restaurant with him. I¡¯ll stop by the office and thene over." With that, Ling Chen headed straight to the office.


    Entering the office, he saw a slightly overweight middle-aged man, covering his swollen cheek, picking up items scattered on the floor.


    "Boss."


    As the chubby boss looked up and saw Ling Chen at the door, he instantly flew into a rage, cursing loudly, "Ling, you¡¯ve got some nerve showing your face here."


    Ling Chen hurriedly said, "Boss, calm down, please listen to me exin."


    "I don¡¯t want to hear any exnations." The chubby boss shouted angrily, "Just get lost, don¡¯t bothering to work tomorrow. My small ce can¡¯t afford someone as big as you."


    "Boss, it¡¯s not my fault this time. Someone else came looking for trouble," Ling Chen pleaded with a pained expression. With no degree and no connections, it had been difficult to find this job. If he were to be fired, he would have no choice but to work on a construction site.


    "Enough talk!" The chubby boss pointed at his swollen cheek, furious, "This is all because of you. If you don¡¯t leave now, believe me, I¡¯ll have someone throw you out."


    Ling Chen felt helpless; the boss was seriously upset, and it looked like he couldn¡¯t keep this job after all.


    It was all Su Lin¡¯s fault. If she hadn¡¯te making trouble, he wouldn¡¯t have ended up in this situation.


    With resentment, Ling Chen turned and left thepany. Before leaving, he didn¡¯t forget to settle his sry with the boss. Originally over eighteen hundred yuan, he begrudgingly watched as the boss deducted several hundred for damage costs, which pained him greatly.


    Fuman Building.


    When Ling Chen arrived at the restaurant, Jiang Hao had already found a private room with Nanrong Hao. The dishes hadn¡¯t been served yet, and everyone was there boasting and chatting.


    "Brother Chen." Everyone stood up in unison to greet Ling Chen¡¯s arrival.


    Seeing Nanrong Hao sitting there unmoving, Jiang Hao waved his hand and smacked him on the back of his head, scolding, "Hurry up and stand up."


    Nanrong Hao dared not disobey, feeling like he was in a den of wolves, afraid of offending these fellows. His delicate skin couldn¡¯t withstand their punches.


    Seeing how these ruffians respected Ling Chen so reverently, he was particrly curious about what this guy¡¯s background was. Could he really just be a courier?


    Ling Chen walked up to the main seat Jiang Hao had reserved for him and grinned, "Everyone, take a seat. We¡¯re all friends here, no need for formalities." Then, pointing at Nanrong Hao, he tapped the seat next to him and said, "Mr. Nanrong,e, sit next to me."


    Nanrong Hao, having learned his lesson, didn¡¯t hesitate and quickly moved to sit beside Ling Chen, squeezing out a smile uglier than crying on his handsome face, "Ling... Mr. Ling, it¡¯s my cousin who wants to cause trouble for you, not me at all, really. If you want revenge, go find her, please don¡¯te after me."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I invited you here just for a simple meal, don¡¯t overthink it," Ling Chen said with a smile, patting his shoulder to reassure him.


    "Mr. Nanrong, let me ask you something," he shifted the conversation, "What does your sister do?" Knowing yourself and knowing your enemy. That Su Lin wants to trouble me, I must figure out her background."


    Nanrong Hao honestly replied, "My sister is still in college, she¡¯s a senior this year."


    Student?


    Ling Chen tsked a few times; students these days really are well-developed. Thinking of Tang Shiyun, only eighteen this year and already showing a promising figure, definitely a future beauty.


    After asking a few questions, he had a rough understanding of Su Lin¡¯s background: a rich family, parents runningpanies abroad, typical rich kid, no wonder she¡¯s spoiled.


    "And your older sister?" Ling Chen blurted out. For some reason, he couldn¡¯t forget that Nanrong Wanqing.


    "My older sister? Why are you asking about her?" Nanrong Hao looked at him suspiciously.


    Ling Chen awkwardly smiled, "Oh, nothing, just asking casually."


    He really was just asking casually; that kind of woman was too far beyond his reach, he was merely satisfying his own curiosity, nothing inappropriate.


    "My older sister is the Chairman of Hongyu Group." Mentioning his big sister, Nanrong Hao seemed very proud, almost brimming with excitement, "Not bragging but, nationally, there aren¡¯t many who can stand shoulder to shoulder with my sister. She started participating in managing the family business at fifteen and officially took over at eighteen, bing the youngest chairman. In everyone¡¯s eyes, my sister is absolutely a genius."


    "Your sister is the chairman of Hongyu Group?" Jiang Hao eximed in disbelief. "For real? You¡¯re not making this up, are you?"


    "Who¡¯s making things up, you can check online if you don¡¯t believe me."


    Seeing Jiang Hao¡¯s shocked face, Ling Chen asked, "You¡¯ve heard of Hongyu Group?"


    "Chen, do you not know? It¡¯s like the most powerful enterprise in our East Sea City. I heard the government issued the paperwork, and our Old City area is set for redevelopment. All the old buildings are going to be demolished and reced with gardenplexes. This redevelopment project is led by the government, but funded by the Hongyu Group. Think about it, such a massive area in Old City, the renovation will cost billions, probably only Hongyu Group in our East Sea City has that kind of financial strength."


    "Is that so." Ling Chen nced at Nanrong Hao with a smirk, "Never would have guessed Mr. Nanrong¡¯s family was that rich."


    Feeling his ominous gaze, Nanrong Hao thought to himself this was bad; this guy must be eyeing their family wealth for extortion.


    While he was caught up in his worrying thoughts, Ling Chen already looked away, impatiently saying, "It¡¯s been so long, why hasn¡¯t the food been served yet?"


    "I¡¯ll have someone hurry them along." Saying so, Jiang Hao delegated ackey to go find the restaurant owner.


    "Jiang Hao, you¡¯re quite something, just a few days not seen and you¡¯ve already gathered so many underlings."


    Jiang Hao grinned, "All thanks to brother Chen¡¯s help. Five Miles Street, known as the golden street ¡ª restaurants, tea houses, arcades, hotels, all the businesses cram onto this street, the protection money alone every month is tens of thousands. Hearing that I took over here, many rogues from Old City area came to join me."


    "Do well, try to keep the illegal activities to a minimum," Ling Chen advised.


    People who mix in the underworld can hardly avoid illegal activities; the key is controlling the extent. That¡¯s why he reminded Jiang Hao, whatever you do, stay within limits, don¡¯t go overboard.

 Chapter 7 A Glimpse of Skill

    <h4>Chapter 7: Chapter 7 A Glimpse of Skill</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "Chen, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got this under control."


    "Hao, Chen, we¡¯ve got trouble!"


    At this moment, ackey hastily ran into the private room, urgently saying, "Zhao Zhengxiong is here, and he¡¯s brought a few guests with him to dine in the lobby downstairs."


    Jiang Hao frowned and said, "That guy must have the audacity of a bear and the guts of a leopard to daree to my turf. Chen, you sit tight, I¡¯ll take the boys and have a look."


    "Be careful. If they¡¯re just here to eat, there¡¯s no need to make a big deal out of it."


    "I know. Brothers, follow me."


    Bang!


    tter!


    In less than a few minutes, a series of chaotic noises came from outside the private room, as though something was smashed to the ground.


    Ling Chen raised his eyebrows, put down the teacup in his hand, nced at Nanrong Hao who was sitting upright beside him, and said with a slight smile, "Young Master Nanrong, would you be interested in joining me to take a look?"


    "Sure." Nanrong Hao dared not refuse and nodded hastily.


    Upon leaving the private room, Ling Chen, leading Nanrong Hao, walked straight to the lobby. Immediately they saw several people lying on the smooth floor of the lobby, all of Jiang Hao¡¯sckeys, each one holding their injured parts, faces twisting in pain.


    Beside them, Jiang Hao was kneeling on one leg on the ground, holding a beer bottle in his left hand, and his right arm seeming dislocated, dangling weakly, with cold sweat streaming down his forehead.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen approached and helped him up, then gently twisted his right arm. With a ¡¯crack,¡¯ Jiang Hao¡¯s mouth opened wide, almost crying out in pain.


    "Chen..."


    "You go and rest for a bit; leave this to me." Having said this, Ling Chen turned his gaze toward the round table in the middle of the lobby.


    Around the table sat seven or eight people, leading them was Zhao Zhengxiong. There was a cane next to him, it seemed that his injured leg had not fully healed. What attracted Ling Chen¡¯s attention were two of the men: one tall and skinny, with a pointed mouth and monkey cheeks, with white and slender hands. The other of ordinary build, in his thirties, wearing traditional Chinese clothing, with his temples slightly bulging.


    "Interesting."


    Ling Chen casually took a toothpick from the table and put it in his mouth; Zhao Zhengxiong had actually invited two martial artists, no wonder he dared to bring his men back to Five Miles Street to act recklessly.


    "Both of you, it¡¯s this kid."


    Zhao Zhengxiong stared coldly at Ling Chen, a silent resentment in his heart. Having seen Ling Chen¡¯s abilities at the warehousest time, and knowing how formidable he was, he specially spent a lot of money to hire two experts to help him regain face.


    The man with monkey cheeks looked disdainfully at Ling Chen and said in a sharp voice, "Boss Zhao, do you want this kid¡¯s legs crippled or his hands?"


    Zhao Zhengxiong seemed to think of something and said with a cold look, "Just two legs is too few, help me cripple his third leg too."


    The pointy-faced man was startled, then showed a knowing smirk, "No problem."


    Hearing their conversation that discounted his presence, Ling Chen shrugged helplessly. He always wanted to be a civilized man, but unfortunately, these guys didn¡¯t give him the chance.


    At this point, the sharp-mouthed man got up and approached him, looking down at him with an arrogant attitude and said, "Kid, my name is Gao Wei. Remember it, so you¡¯ll know who defeated you."


    As soon as his words fell, he suddenly raised his hands, like two venomous snakes, swiftly striking before Ling Chen had a chance to speak.


    With two gusts of winding at him, Ling Chen¡¯s body leaned slightly backward, his right hand swinging instinctively to fend off the other¡¯s hands. But the opponent¡¯s movements were quick and agile, easily breaking through his block and closing in on him, aiming straight for his eyes.


    Ling Chen¡¯s heart sank, a sh of cold light crossing Mo Che¡¯s pupils.


    The man was striking hard, going for the vitals. He¡¯d intended to deal with these two individuals easily, but their actions fueled his silent anger.


    Fighting, too, must have its rules.


    As Gao Wei¡¯s fingertips quickly approached, Ling Chen twisted his toes, swiftly altering his body position, avoiding the attacker¡¯s assault. Then, he stretched out both hands, entwining Gao Wei¡¯s, and steadily advanced.


    "Hm?"


    Gao Wei was first taken aback, then overwhelmed with shock. He discovered that his hands seemed to be glued by Ling Chen¡¯s pushing hands, unable to break free no matter what.


    While he was horrified, a bone-piercing pain suddenly hit him, as if all of his fingers were broken, limp and unable to be lifted.


    "You... You dare to break my fingers!" Gao Wei¡¯s face turned pale. His martial arts relied on his two hands; with broken fingers, his martial arts would be ruined.


    Ling Chen spoke indifferently, "It¡¯s better to not learn this Snake-Shaped Hand to avoid harming others and oneself."


    "What impressive martial arts, my friend."


    At this moment, the man in the Chinese tunic suit who had been sitting at the table stood up, his face somber as he gazed at Ling Chen.


    "Who is your master? Didn¡¯t he teach you that crippling someone¡¯s martial arts is a taboo?"


    Ling Chen, biting a toothpick, retorted, "One should learn morality before martial arts. Equally taboo is striking with the intent to harm others. Hasn¡¯t your master taught you that?"


    "Sharp-tongued, I see. I would like to witness for myself if your skills are as formidable as your mouth."


    As the man in the tunic approached, Ling Chen spat out the toothpick stick with a ¡¯ptui¡¯, which flew straight toward the man¡¯s face.


    Without a word, the tunic-d man swung his hand in an attempt to deflect the toothpick. But in that moment, Ling Chen¡¯s legs powered up, and he suddenly charged at his opponent, reaching him in the blink of an eye.


    Seeing Ling Chenunch an unexpected attack, the man in the tunic eximed angrily, "You..."


    "What ¡¯you¡¯? Scram!"


    Ling Chen cut him off, throwing a punch that was both rapid and ruthless, mming heavily into the man¡¯s abdomen.


    Before the tunic-d man could fully react, he felt a burst of intense pain, stumbling backwards, his internal organs feeling as if they had been disced, unbearably ufortable.


    "You... you don¡¯t follow the rules," the man groaned through clenched teeth, enduring the pain.


    Ling Chen curled his lip.


    When it came to fighting, rules mattered, but that depended on the opponent. Against guys like these, he never cared for ying by the rules.


    "I¡¯ll count to three, if you don¡¯t disappear from my sight, then you can forget about leaving, stay and I¡¯ll take good care of you."


    The man in the tunic turned an iron blue, "Fine. I, Song Yi, will remember today¡¯s offense, and I will pay it back a hundredfold. Junior Brother, let¡¯s go!"


    "Don¡¯t... Mr. Song, Mr. Gao, what about me if you leave?" Zhao Zhengxiong was desperate, and quickly called out, would have followed if not hindered by his sluggish movements.


    Song Yi didn¡¯t even turn his head, coldly responding, "I can¡¯t sort this out for you. You better ask someone else."


    "But you already took the money..." Zhao Zhengxiong grumbled reluctantly.


    Song Yi ignored him and directly exited the restaurant.


    "Xiong."


    After Song Yi and Gao Wei left, Ling Chen, smiling, walked over and sat next to Zhao Zhengxiong, casually draping an arm over his shoulder.


    "Do you still remember what I told youst time?"


    "I..." Zhao Zhengxiong opened his mouth, streaming with cold sweat and stammering, "Lin... no, Chen, you are magnanimous, please give me another chance, I swear I won¡¯t dare again."

 Chapter 8: Head of the Nanrong Family

    <h4>Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Head of the Nanrong Family</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "You had a first time, there can be a second. Why should I trust you? I warned you before, if you dare retaliate, I¡¯ll cripple your other leg. In front of all these brothers, if I break my word, who would take Ling Chen¡¯s words seriously?" Saying that, Ling Chen cast a cold nce at him.


    Feeling the icy stare, Zhao Zhengxiong shivered and hurriedly begged for mercy: "Chen, I really wouldn¡¯t dare anymore. If there¡¯s a next time, may lightning strike me. Just let me go, I... I..."


    "What would you do?" Ling Chen said teasingly.


    "I¡¯ll agree to any conditions," Zhao Zhengxiong clenched his teeth, scared of facing such a ruthless man.


    "You said that, I didn¡¯t force you." Ling Chen grinned and said: "Alright, you can go back now. Jiang Hao will discuss future matters with you."


    Seeing that he was let off, Zhao Zhengxiong didn¡¯t dare to stay longer, quickly leading his few followers to slink away.


    "Chen, we¡¯re just going to let him go like that?" Jiang Hao said reluctantly.


    "Not let him go? What, really cripple him?" Ling Chen gave him a look: "I¡¯m civilized, all this fighting and killing isn¡¯t good. Besides, he brought the stick to your door for you to beat him with; you better seize such a good opportunity."


    After that, he nced at Nanrong Hao next to him and smiled: "Mr. Nanrong, sorry to have kept you so long. Let¡¯s continue our meal."


    Back in the private room, originally having over a dozen people, now only Ling Chen, Nanrong Hao and Jiang Hao remained. Those underlings had all been injured earlier and were sent by Jiang Hao to see doctors. As for Jiang Hao himself, merely having a dislocated joint, was of no big issue with Ling Chen¡¯s help.


    The trio had barely sat down when the food and drinks were served one after another.


    "Mr. Nanrong,e on, have some dishes, don¡¯t be shy." Ling Chen enthusiastically invited him, pouring himself a ss of cold beer. Taking a sip, it was refreshingly satisfying.


    A few drinks in, Nanrong Hao didn¡¯t seem as frightened of Ling Chen as before. And he could tell that Ling Chen was genuinely courteous, not faking it. As the young master of the Nanrong Family, he still had that bit of judgment.


    "Mr. Ling..."


    "Don¡¯t call me ¡¯Mr.¡¯, I¡¯m not used to it, just call me by my name."


    "Then... then I¡¯ll call you Chen." Nanrong Hao¡¯s face flushed with drink, "Chen, your martial arts are so good, you must have been taught by a famous teacher, can you tell me about it?"


    Jiang Hao pricked up his ears, seemingly equally interested in the question.


    "Famous teacher? I only know some basic moves, all self-taught," Ling Chen dismissed the question and casually asked, "Does Mr. Nanrong also want to learn martial arts?"


    Nanrong Hao made a sour face and said, "I want to, but Uncle Liu said I don¡¯t have the talent, not cut out for it."


    "Psh, what ¡¯talent¡¯? That¡¯s just an excuse. The ¡¯Uncle Liu¡¯ you¡¯re talking about must be that steward Liu Kun, right? He probably doesn¡¯t want to teach you because he finds it a hassle. Think about it, he¡¯s a steward and you¡¯re the young master. He can¡¯t hit you or scold you; I wouldn¡¯t want to teach you either if I were him."


    "Exactly, exactly," Nanrong Hao eagerly nodded, "Chen, you¡¯re so right. I always knew it. My sister is a genius; my talents can¡¯t be that bad." After saying that, he looked at Ling Chen with an eager gaze, "Chen, you¡¯re so good at martial arts, why don¡¯t you teach me?"


    Ling Chen was taken aback, pointing to his own nose: "Me, teach you? Mr. Nanrong, don¡¯t drink so much you forget who your parents are. Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m currently your sister¡¯s enemy, if you dare to get mixed up with me, she¡¯ll beat you to death."


    Hearing him mention Su Lin, Nanrong Hao shuddered as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him from head to toe, instantly dousing his enthusiasm.


    Ling Chen saw his gloomy face and chuckled, patting his shoulder, "It¡¯s okay. As long as the misunderstanding between me and your sister is resolved, everything else will be easy to discuss."


    "How could that possibly be."


    Nanrong Hao muttered to himself. Daring to openly flirt with his cousin, with her personality, she would definitely not let it go easily.


    At that moment, in vi number 118 at Wealthy Manor, Su Lin stormed into the house, grumbling non-stop, "Damn Ling Chen, stinking Ling Chen, how dare you bully grandma, just wait and see how I¡¯ll deal with you."


    "Su Lin, what happened, who¡¯s made you angry again?"


    Su Lin turned her head to see Nanrong Wanqing in a simple and elegant white dress,ing down the hallway in a wheelchair.


    "It¡¯s that brat Nanrong Hao. I really want to smack him," Su Lin said irritably.


    She didn¡¯t dare to mention Ling Chen¡¯s affair, she had brought so many people to cause trouble, not only did she fail, but she was also bullied by that thug. If this got out, where would she put her face?


    "When will you two ever grow up." Nanrong Wanqing shook her head and, with both hands pushing the wheelchair, said, "Let¡¯s go. Grandpa just woke up,e with me to see him."


    Upon going upstairs and pushing open the bedroom door, a strong scent of traditional Chinese medicine immediately filled their noses.


    Lying on a bed in the southern part of the bedroom was an elderly man in his seventies or eighties. The man had a head full of white hair, a thin face with a sickly pallor, and skin full of wrinkles and age spots.


    This elderly man was the pir of the Nanrong Family, the founder of Hongyu Group, Nanrong Yong.


    Next to the bed, as the butler, Liu Kun took the empty bowl for the medicine and ced it on the table, standing silently by the side.


    "Grandpa."


    "Grandpa."


    Seeing his granddaughter and granddaughter-inw enter, Nanrong Yong¡¯s weak face immediately showed a hint of a smile. However, looking at the wheelchair beneath Nanrong Wanqing, his eyes filled with a mix of tenderness, anger, and helplessness.


    "Grandpa, you really scared us this time, you must take care of your health from now on," Su Lin said caringly, leaning close to the bed.


    "It¡¯s nothing," Nanrong Yongughed heartily, "Your grandpa has fought through tough times for most of my life, what kind of storms haven¡¯t I seen? A little sickness, a little pain thinks to take me down, not that easy. It¡¯s good that you two girls came, stay and apany me for a walkter. I¡¯ve nearly gone mad lying in bed thesest few days."


    Nanrong Wanqing spoke lightly, "Grandpa, the doctor said that even though you¡¯ve passed the critical period, you need to rest well and it¡¯s best not to get out of bed within a month."


    Nanrong Yong dissatisfiedly said, "Those doctors all talk nonsense. With my constitution, what need for a month? One day is enough."


    "If the doctor says a month, then it¡¯s a month. Not a day less. Uncle Liu, you keep a good eye on Grandpa for me. If he even puts half a foot out of bed, you¡¯ll have to answer to me," Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s tone was very stern, brooking no refusal.


    Liu Kun responded with a wry smile, "Yes, Miss."


    After chatting with Nanrong Yong for a while about family matters, Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin left to avoid disturbing the elder¡¯s rest.


    Seeing the door shut, Nanrong Yong¡¯s gently smiling face instantly became serious, exuding an aura of authority that required no anger to impress.

 Chapter 9: Stolen Kiss

    <h4>Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Stolen Kiss</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "Liu Kun, my time is running out."


    "Master, the doctors have said that you..."


    "Those doctors are all paid by me. They say what I want them to say." Nanrong Yong nced at Liu Kun, his voice grave. "You are the person I trust the most; I might as well tell you the truth. The doctors predict I have less than two years to live. The reason I don¡¯t tell Wanqing is that I don¡¯t want them to worry. Wanqing has only taken over thepany for a few years, and the foundation isn¡¯t stable. If those at home find out about my health condition, who knows what they might do. In families like ours, interests are more tangible than kinship."


    "Master, rest assured, I will not tell anyone else about this."


    Nanrong Yong nodded, then changed the subject. "I¡¯ve heard someone sent a clock while I¡¯ve been ill?"


    "Yes... we still haven¡¯t found out who it was."


    "Hmph! No need to search, I can guess who. They dare to send me a clock so openly¡ªit seems they can¡¯t wait to make their move. Liu Kun, stay by Wanqing¡¯s side from now on and protect her. I don¡¯t want the tragedy ofst time to repeat itself."


    Liu Kun knew the ¡¯tragedy¡¯ Nanrong Yong was referring to. A few years ago, Nanrong Wanqing was in a car ident on the way to work. The driver fled the scene, and no one has found them yet.


    That car ident caused Nanrong Wanqing to be paraplegic, destined to spend her life in a wheelchair. The Nanrong Family unanimously believed that the ident was plotted by their adversaries.


    "Master, it is my unshirkable duty to protect the young miss, but if I stay by the young miss¡¯s side, given her intelligence, she might soon guess something."


    "You have a point." Nanrong Yong frowned slightly. "But in the Nanrong Family, aside from you, no one else is capable of protecting the young miss."


    Liu Kun¡¯s eyes darted around, and he suggested, "Master, since there¡¯s no one suitable in the family, we could hire from outside. I have a good candidate in mind. Thest time I sparred with him, I lost. If we can employ him, the young miss¡¯s safety should be guaranteed without fail."


    "Oh?" Nanrong Yong said with interest, "Even you¡¯re not his match. What¡¯s his background?"


    "I checked, his name is Ling Chen."


    Then, Liu Kun recounted what had happened that day.


    "Being able to defeat you at such a young age, he really has some skills. However, capability is one thing, reliability is key."


    "How about I test him?"


    After some thought, Nanrong Yong nodded. "That sounds good. If he¡¯s as capable as you say, it¡¯s worth a try."


    ...


    After a satisfying meal, Ling Chen patted his full belly as he walked out of the restaurant, picking his teeth with a toothpick, his face flushed with contentment, "Haozi, I won¡¯t see you off. You can go back on your own."


    Over the course of the meal, their rtionship had improved significantly, shifting directly from Mr. Nanrong to Haozi.


    "Chen, Brother Hao, then I¡¯ll head back first. Let¡¯s meet again when we have the time."


    "Sure thing."


    After seeing off Nanrong Hao, Ling Chen and Jiang Hao strolled down Five Miles Street, casually chatting as they went along.


    "Chen..." Jiang Hao opened his mouth, hesitated, then stopped.


    "Speak your mind."


    "During the meal, you mentioned you got fired by your boss. What are you nning to do now?"


    "Why ask me this?"


    Jiang Hao hesitated, "Chen, you¡¯re so skilled. Why not join us..."


    "Forget it, I¡¯m not interested." Ling Chen knew what he was getting at and rejected the idea outright.


    He had only just left behind a world of fighting and killing, a life he was already tired of. Besides, hanging out with a bunch of small-time thugs for scraps wasn¡¯t ssy at all.


    "Chen, I was just saying. I won¡¯t force you, but... I hope you can teach us."


    Jiang Hao said earnestly, "Though I¡¯ve got quite a few underlings, they¡¯re just swaggerers at best, only good enough to make up numbers. When troublees, they¡¯re useless, as spineless as reeds. Strength is what matters in this world, and while I¡¯ve got a foundation, it¡¯s not solid. I¡¯d like to ask for your help in training a core force. That way, we can take care of things ourselves in the future and won¡¯t need to bother you again."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen looked at him in a new light. The kid wasn¡¯t bad, ambitious and thoughtful.


    No matter what you do, you can¡¯t do without a good brain; it¡¯s the same in the underworld.


    Jiang Hao¡¯s well-structured request showed he had thought things through.


    Everyone likes an ambitious person, and Ling Chen was no exception. Friends help when they can, and he was also curious to see how far Jiang Hao could go.


    With that in mind, he nodded, "Alright, I¡¯ll help you one more time."


    "Really?"


    Jiang Hao had expected Ling Chen to refuse since his previous requests had all been turned down. So, Ling Chen agreeing was like an unexpected surprise.


    "Chen, thank you."


    "Don¡¯t mention it. Alright, I¡¯m heading back, we¡¯ll get in touchter."


    When he got home, Ling Chen was about to unlock his door when he saw Tang Shiyun running down the corridor towards him, her face alight with excitement.


    "Ling Brother."


    "Hey..."


    Before he could finish, Tang Shiyun suddenly stretched out her arms, wrapped them around his neck, and nted a kiss on his face.


    Ling Chen was taken aback, staring nkly at Tang Shiyun.


    What madness had this girl caught, to be so tant even if she liked him?


    He hurriedly pried off Tang Shiyun¡¯s hands, chastising, "You girl, if you want a kiss go inside the house. It wouldn¡¯t look good to do this out here where people can see."


    Flushing, Tang Shiyun realized her action was a bit excessive and exined, "Who wants to kiss you; I was just happy."


    "Happy to see me?"


    "As if I would be happy to see you." Tang Shiyun said with a grin, "I have great news for you, my university entrance exam results are out, I got into East Sea University."


    "Oh." Ling Chen responded indifferently, a bit disappointed.


    He thought the girl had taken a fancy to him, but it turned out to be just a false rm.


    "Hey, what kind of reaction is that?" Tang Shiyunined, "East Sea University is a well-known key university in the country, with less than a hundred admission slots each year. Aren¡¯t you happy for me?"


    Fearful of upsetting the young girl, Ling Chen quickly responded, "Happy, of course, I¡¯m happy. You getting into a key university makes me, your brother, proud too."


    "Since your sister has added glory to your face, how do you n to repay me?"


    Ling Chen joked, "You know your brother Ling is poor, the most valuable thing I have is myself. How about I devote myself to you?"


    Tang Shiyun pouted, "I don¡¯t want that."


    "Then what do you want?"


    Tang Shiyun¡¯s eyes spun, andtching onto his arm she cooed, "Brother Ling, why don¡¯t you take me out to have fun? Mom always says it¡¯s not safe at night and refuses to let me go out."


    "In your mom¡¯s eyes, I¡¯m even more unsafe."


    (New book seeking support, if you have money give a little reward, if not leave a message and rmend.)

 Chapter 10 Unexplained Unease

    <h4>Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Unexined Unease</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "It¡¯s okay, I just won¡¯t let her know. I¡¯ll make the excuse of going to a ssmate¡¯s house, and you can wait for me outside. That¡¯s settled then."


    After saying this, without giving Ling Chen a chance to refuse, Tang Shiyun bounded back home, jumping with joy.


    Ling Chen felt the freshly earned thousand-plus yuan in his pocket, thinking that he was going to bleed money tonight.


    But as long as Tang Shiyun was happy, he didn¡¯t mind the issue of money.


    Being admitted to university, getting one¡¯s name inscribed on the gold list, lifees only once, of course, he wanted to celebrate properly for her.


    At 7:30 in the evening, night had just fallen.


    Tang Shiyun appeared on time under the building.


    Seeing Tang Shiyun running over, Ling Chen was dazzled.


    The girl seldom went out to y, and she even dressed up a bit. She was wearing a white and blue checkered dress, with her hair tied at the back, her lovely face blooming with a floral smile, and she was wearing a delicate letter chain on her wrist, exuding a youthful and lively aura all over.


    "Ling."


    "Tell me, where do you want to go for fun?"


    "How am I supposed to know? Ling, you have a rich nightlife normally, you pick a ce."


    Ling Chen scratched his head. Aside from barbeque skewers and beer, his nightlife was nothing special.


    "How about KTV?"


    "No, that¡¯s too unoriginal."


    "Then..."


    "Ling, can we go to a bar?" Tang Shiyun suggested. "I often hear ssmates say bars are fun, but I¡¯ve never been."


    "That ce is too chaotic, I¡¯m worried it¡¯s not safe."


    "What¡¯s there to fear when you¡¯re around. Please, Ling, just apany me, please." Tang Shiyun cooed while shaking his arm.


    Ling Chen¡¯s heart softened, damn it, he could never resist this move.


    "Alright, fine, isn¡¯t that okay?"


    Tang Shiyun made a ¡¯yeah¡¯ gesture, happily saying, "I knew Ling was the best."


    Originally, Ling Chen wanted to take Tang Shiyun to a bar on Five Miles Street, but remembering that Tang Shiyun had been bullied by Jiang Hao before, he gave up on the idea.


    Although Tang Shiyun knew about her associations with Jiang Hao, she didn¡¯t have a good impression of him, to be precise, she didn¡¯t like any hooligans at all. There were too many hooligans who knew him on Five Miles Street, and they would inevitably have to greet each other if they went; he didn¡¯t want Tang Shiyun to interact too much with these people.


    So, it was best to find a bar where nobody knew them.


    After thinking, he took Tang Shiyun to the street, raised his hand to hail a taxi, and said to the driver, "To a bar, excluding those on Five Miles Street."


    "No problem."


    After more than ten minutes, Ling Chen and Tang Shiyun arrived at a bar called Qing Song.


    This Qing Song bar had arge space, over two floors, totaling more than two hundred square meters, finely decorated and probably one of the more upscale bars in the Old City.


    At this moment, with the lights just beginning to glow, the outside of the bar was crowded with people.


    "Ling, hurry up," Tang Shiyun pulled Ling Chen¡¯s hand, running quickly to the outside of the bar to line up.


    At that moment, the two saw a poster on the exterior wall of the bar. The poster featured a sexily dressed woman with attractive looks, holding a guitar in her arms, with ¡¯Lu Yao Solo Performance¡¯ written beside her.


    "Oh my, it¡¯s actually Lu Yao," Tang Shiyun¡¯s face lit up with excitement.


    "Who is Lu Yao? A famous star?"


    "Stars would note to a bar for solo performances. She is a niche singer who used to perform in bars exclusively. Later, she released an album and gained some fame in our city. I really like her songs. Ling, our luck today is just too good."


    "It¡¯s your luck that¡¯s good, I¡¯m not really interested in her."


    After waiting outside the bar for over ten minutes, it was finally their turn. To Ling Chen¡¯s dismay, the ticket price was a hefty one hundred eighty each; buying two tickets immediately reduced the money in his pocket by a third.


    Once inside the bar, it was already packed to the rafters. Even though Lu Yao was a niche singer, she still had a surprisinglyrge number of fans. Moreover, to amodate more audience, the organizers had removed all the chairs and tables, so everyone had to stand to watch the performance.


    Unable to resist Tang Shiyun¡¯s enthusiasm, Ling Chen squeezed through the crowd, taking her to the very front of the stage to give her the chance for a close contact with Lu Yao.


    Before long, the lights in the bar suddenly dimmed. After about ten seconds, a soft light beamed from the top and focused on a woman in her twenties in the middle of the stage.


    The woman had dark golden curly hair, a charming face, lips red as fire, wore a purple cinched-waist low-cut dress with the hem ending at her upper thighs, revealing snow-white skin, entuating her slender figure.


    Seeing the main attraction Lu Yao appear, the entire audience erupted in excitement, shouting out loud.


    "Goddess!"


    "Goddess!"


    ...


    Ling Chen curled his lips; he was never interested in these sorts of things. Moreover, from her attire, she seemed less like she was here to sing and more like she was here to ¡¯sell her flesh¡¯.


    Rather than spending money here listening to songs, he would prefer to find a food stall to satisfy his hunger.


    Boredom setting in, his eyes started wandering around. Suddenly, his gaze was captured by the ss window on the second floor.


    The bar¡¯s second floor was all private rooms, and the ss windows were covered with a film that allowed people inside to see out, but not vice versa.


    Ling Chen scrutinized the filmy ss, a slight frown appearing on his forehead. For some reason, he felt an inexplicable unease in his heart.


    Having navigated the edge of life and death for many years, he had developed a keen sense of danger, almost like an instinct.


    Inside a second-floor private room.


    A man around thirty stood in front of the ss, looking down at the performance, his eyes slightly narrowed, his expression as cold as ice, like a wild beast lurking in the shadows, exuding a chilling aura.


    The man had an average face, holding a ss of red wine in his hand, gently swirling it.


    After a sip of wine, a striking tattoo unveiled on his neck, a green snake with its forked tongue flickering, adding a ferocious touch to his already frosty demeanor.


    "Snake King, are you sure you want to work with that guy?"


    A voice rang out. The speaker was a young man sitting on a sofa, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. Though not old, he was quite overweight, with a height of 1.8 meters and weighing nearly two hundred kilograms. Even as he spoke, he did not stop munching on the snacks provided by the bar.


    The man addressed as Snake King slowly turned around, his face expressionless, "I¡¯m seeking him out because he¡¯s of use to me. As for working together... he¡¯s not yet qualified."


    The fat man spat out a jujube pit, saying, "Whatever you do is your business, but let me remind you to be careful with those unprofessional folks, don¡¯t let them trick you."


    "You don¡¯t need to worry about that. You just make sure you do your job."


    "My part has been taken care of long ago." The fat man pulled out a document from his carried satchel and threw it on the table: "This is the intel you wanted, the target¡¯s recent itinerary is all herein. I spent quite a bit of money on this information, make sure you reimburse me."

 Chapter 11: The Sound of Heaven

    <h4>Chapter 11: Chapter 11: The Sound of Heaven</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Snake King nodded and said, "After the mission ispleted, I will give you a ten percentmission."


    "Great, working with you is straightforward," the chubby man grinned and said, "The equipment you requested is already on its way. Customs have been strict recently, so there might be a dy of a day or two."


    "No rush, I¡¯m just here to scout the area this time. The actual action will take ceter."


    "Alright then, I¡¯m going to leave now. I¡¯ll inform you when the equipment arrives," the chubby man said, standing up ready to leave.


    "Wait."


    "Anything else?"


    "You specialize in trading information, and you have the most reliable sources. I want to confirm something with you."


    "Go ahead."


    Snake King spoke gravely, "Is Blood Wolf really dead?"


    The chubby man smiled and held up a finger, "That information will cost you a million."


    "Okay." Snake King did not hesitate.


    "He¡¯s dead. This conclusion has been confirmed by the tworgest intelligence organizations in the world; there¡¯s no mistake." Earning a million just from one sentence made the chubby man¡¯s eyes nearly squint into a slit.


    "What a pity."


    "Indeed, it¡¯s a pity. A legendary figure was killed by a bomb ced secretly in a hotel. s, who told him to offend so many people. Snake King, although Blood Wolf¡¯s death is regrettable, it is a good thing for you guys. Previously, he monopolized all the big deals in the mercenary and assassin worlds, leaving everyone else starving. Now that he¡¯s dead, it means more work for people like you, isn¡¯t that a good thing?"


    Snake King nodded and turned back to continue looking out the ss window.


    Seeing that he was silent, the chubby man tactfully pushed the door open and walked out.


    In the hall, as Lu Yao finished singing a few songs, the audience¡¯s atmosphere was pushed to a climax.


    "Brother Ling, do you think she sings well?"


    "It¡¯s mediocre, not as good as you."


    He was telling the truth; Tang Shiyun¡¯s sweet voice was much better than the one on stage.


    "I¡¯m not as good as you say, others are much more professional than me."


    Tang Shiyun said modestly, but the joy was evident on her radiant face; anyone would be pleased to beplimented.


    "I¡¯m stating the facts. Rather than paying 180 to listen to her sing, I¡¯d prefer listening to you."


    "Pfft!"


    Just then, a dissatisfied voice chimed in, "Bro, there¡¯s no need to put down my goddess just to please your girlfriend. My Lu Yao sings so well, keep your judgments to yourself if you can¡¯t appreciate it."


    Ling Chen nced at the man with a pockmarked face.


    "She¡¯s your goddess, not mine. Don¡¯t tell me what to say."


    "Why are you being so unreasonable?"


    "Did I ask for your reasoning? I said what I said; you are the one who poked your nose into it unnecessarily."


    Pockface got agitated, rolled up his sleeves, and pointing at Ling Chen, shouted, "Are you asking for a beating?"


    "I..."


    "Ling, let¡¯s drop it," Tang Shiyun interceded, tugging his sleeve.


    Seeing the pleading look in Tang Shiyun¡¯s eyes, Ling Chen shook his head helplessly.


    Forget it, no point in arguing with this guy.


    Seeing him shut up, instead of backing down, Pockface smugly said, "You¡¯re not even fully matured and you¡¯re trying topete with me, hmph! This youngdy must be blind to fall for a low-quality guy like you."


    Hearing this, rage surged in Ling Chen, and he grabbed Pockface by the cor, raising an eyebrow, "What low quality, and who are you to interfere? What did you just say about someone being blind? Say it again if you dare."


    Daring to insult Tang Shiyun was something he, as a man, could not tolerate.


    You could insult him... but not Tang Shiyun.


    "Both of you, please give way to each other a bit. Don¡¯t cause unnecessary trouble, so as not to affect other audience members."


    The voice came from the speakers, and all eyes suddenly focused on Ling Chen and the pockmarked faced guy.


    Ling Chen turned his head, only to see Lu Yao looking in this direction on stage.


    "Ling, stop making a scene."


    Being watched by so many people, Ling Chen didn¡¯t really mind, but Tang Shiyun felt somewhat embarrassed and her face was flushed.


    This guy got off cheap.


    Ling Chen unhappily let go of his hand and released the pockmarked face.


    "Kid, for the sake of my goddess, I won¡¯t hold this against you for now."


    The pockmarked face left a harshment, which Ling Chen ignored altogether.


    Seeing that their dispute had ceased, Lu Yao turned her attention to the audience and sweetly said: "Thank you all for being here today. For the next song, I would like to invite a fan toe up and sing with me. Who would like to join me?"


    Instantly, arge group from the audience raised their hands, including Tang Shiyun.


    "Goddess, pick her. This guy just now arrogantly said that she sings better than you, let her try."


    The pockmarked face pointed at Tang Shiyun and called out loudly, immediately attracting the attention of the surrounding audience.


    "I¡¯ve seen people who care about their image, but I¡¯ve never seen someone so shameless as to darepare themselves to our goddess."


    "That¡¯s right, she really doesn¡¯t know her own limits."


    "Why not let her sing one, maybe she really has the talent."


    "Come on, youngdy, go up and sing one."


    Hearing those cheering from the audience, Tang Shiyun bit her lip, her cheeks burning, tightly holding on to Ling Chen¡¯s hand.


    "Ling, maybe... maybe we should just leave."


    "What are you talking about leaving? Since they want to hear you sing, then sing a few lines for them. Besides, weren¡¯t you the one who wanted to go on stage just now?"


    "I... I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t sing well."


    Tang Shiyun was nervous. She initially wanted to go on stage because no one cared whether she sang well or not, but it¡¯s different now¡ª if she doesn¡¯t sing well, she¡¯d definitely be ridiculed, and she didn¡¯t want to embarrass Ling.


    Ling Chen patted her hand, encouraging her: "Go ahead, don¡¯t be afraid, I believe in you."


    "Little sister, everyone is cheering for you, don¡¯t let everyone down."


    Seeing Lu Yao¡¯s gaze upon her, Tang Shiyun calmed her nervous heart and mustered up the courage to walk onto the stage.


    Taking the microphone, she stood in the center of the stage, lowering her head, not daring to look at the audience, only ncing at Ling Chen from the corner of her eye.


    Seeing Ling¡¯s encouraging smile, her nervousness gradually eased.


    At this moment, Lu Yao cradled the guitar, her delicate fingers gently strumming the strings. Immediately, a beautiful melody slowly flowed from the speakers.


    Listening to the apanying music flowing beside her ears, Tang Shiyun closed her eyes slightly, as if her whole being was immersed in the music.


    Her teeth gently parted, her sweet voice like a clear spring, flowing into the audience¡¯s ears.


    The wind blows, leaving no trace.


    Our love, like a gust of wind, blew away.


    The wind blows, free from worries.


    You left, I left, henceforth we are strangers.


    ...


    The heaven-like sweet song quietly flowed through the hall, as if a breeze from nature gently brushed over the hearts of the audience, bringing a hint of coolness in the summer.


    Ling Chen watched the amazed expressions of the audience, and couldn¡¯t help but smile with satisfaction.


    His taste was definitely not off; some people practice singing for more than a decade and still can¡¯t match those naturally endowed with a sweet voice. Tang Shiyun was one of thetter.

 Chapter 12 Silver Star Entertainment Producer

    <h4>Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Silver Star Entertainment Producer</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Seeing the audience¡¯s enraptured expressions below the stage, Lu Yao¡¯s face turned slightly unpleasant. This was her solo performance, yet someone else had stolen the limelight. Anyone in her ce would have felt the same difort. What was more infuriating was that she had invited someone to join her in a duet, only for Tang Shiyun to sing all her lines, turning it into a solo performance.


    Moreover, looking at the audience¡¯s reaction, it seemed as if she was merely the apanist and Tang Shiyun the lead.


    It wouldn¡¯t have been a big deal on any other day, but not today. Today, there was a very important person in attendance, with her future at stake.


    With that thought, her fingers strumming the strings slipped slightly, and the smooth apaniment was immediately marred by several discordant sounds, waking the audience from their reverie.


    "What¡¯s going on?" The audience¡¯s mood turned somewhat dissatisfied.


    Lu Yao quickly apologized: "I¡¯m sorry, I yed the wrong note just now."


    "Actually, I hadn¡¯t had enough just now. Youngdy, could you start over and sing it again?"


    Lu Yao felt quite ufortable. If she allowed the girl to keep singing, what would she do? With that, she directed her gaze towards the suit-d man behind the stage.


    The host, who caught her hint, quickly took to the stage with a smile: "Ladies and gentlemen, the program has a set order, and the duet segment has ended. Little sister, thank you for your wonderful singing."


    Tang Shiyun, with a blushing face, handed over the microphone and then ran swiftly to Ling Chen¡¯s side, asking nervously and expectantly, "Ling, how was my singing?"


    "Just listen to everyone¡¯s response to know."


    At that moment, thunderous apuse erupted, not ceasing for a long time.


    Even the man with a pockmarked face couldn¡¯t help but give a thumbs up and praised, "Youngdy, you sang really well, I¡¯m about to be your fan."


    Tang Shiyun smiled shyly, wrapping her arms tightly around Ling Chen¡¯s arm in an affectionate manner.


    The man with the pockmarked face said enviously, "Brother, you¡¯re really blessed to have such a great girlfriend."


    "That¡¯s right." Ling Chen¡¯s heart burst with joy and his goodwill towards the pockmarked man skyrocketed.


    With Tang Shiyun setting such a remarkable precedent, Lu Yao¡¯s following performances were merely met with tepid responses. Fortunately, the fans were quite supportive, staying until the end before leaving.


    Leaving the bar, Ling Chen checked the time; it was almost ten o¡¯clock. If they didn¡¯t head back soon, Tang Shiyun¡¯s mother would start worrying.


    Just as the two were about to hail a taxi home, a distinguished-looking middle-aged man hurried up from behind.


    "Excuse me, may I have a moment of your time?"


    Ling Chen nced at the man.


    "Who might you be?"


    The middle-aged man handed over a business card, introducing himself, "Hello, my name is Zhu Yansong, a producer from Silver Star Entertainment."


    "Speak inly, we¡¯re in a hurry to get home."


    "Well, I was at the bar and heard this youngdy¡¯s singing. I think her vocal talent is exceptional, and with proper training, her future achievements would be boundless." Saying that, Zhu Yansong looked at Tang Shiyun eagerly.


    "Youngdy, you have an outstanding talent. I hope you¡¯ll take advantage of it and not let it go to waste."


    "I..."


    "Mr. Zhu."


    At that moment, Lu Yao rushed out from the bar, heading straight towards Zhu Yansong, trotting over in her high heels.


    "Mr. Zhu, I¡¯ve been looking for you everywhere. So here you are."


    While speaking, she noticed Ling Chen and Tang Shiyun beside her, and her face turned sour, feeling uneasy inside.


    Zhu Yansong was a top producer in the entertainment industry. If she had his backing, bing a star and soaring high was just a matter of time.


    The effort and price she paid to invite Zhu Yansong here were unimaginable.


    After her performance ended, Zhu Yansong had not sought her out but instead went straight to this young girl. This was hard to swallow.


    She had given up so much, and after all her efforts to bring him here, why should others reap the rewards so effortlessly? The more she thought about it, the more irritated she became, her eyes filled with envy as she looked at Tang Shiyun.


    Facing Lu Yao, Zhu Yansong¡¯s demeanor was not as friendly as it was towards Tang Shiyun, but rather cold and even slightly disgusted.


    With his status, he didn¡¯t need to demean himself by watching Lu Yao¡¯s performance. But since thepany boss had given the word, he couldn¡¯t refuse. And as for what Lu Yao did to win his boss¡¯s favor, one could only imagine.


    "Miss Lu, you should head back first. We¡¯ll discuss your matter another day."


    "Mr. Zhu..."


    "Was I not clear enough?"


    Zhu Yansong appeared very impatient.


    Afraid of upsetting him, Lu Yao quickly said, "Sorry for the disturbance then." With that, she turned and walked back towards the bar.


    After not going far, she couldn¡¯t help but look back. She saw Zhu Yansong smiling affably at Tang Shiyun, and this difference in treatment fueled her jealousy even more.


    "Isn¡¯t this Miss Lu?"


    Back in the bar, several men approached her, with a middle-aged man leading them and waving at Lu Yao.


    Seeing who it was, Lu Yao squeezed out a sweet smile and leaned forward proactively, cooing, "Sheng, when did you get here? I didn¡¯t see you."


    The middle-aged man was Yang Sheng, the local heavyweight and the bar¡¯s owner. She used to perform regrly in the bar before her debut and had fostered a good rtionship with Yang Sheng. He had contributed significantly to her current sess.


    "I¡¯ve been here for a while, I was in a private room doing business."


    Yang Sheng wrapped his arm around Lu Yao, his eyes flickering with desire, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly, "Miss Lu, you¡¯ve be even more radiant since west met."


    A smile yed on Lu Yao¡¯s face, allowing him to be handsy without taking offense.


    "Sheng, could you do me a favor?"


    "Sure thing. Anything for the beautiful Miss Lu is a matter for Yang Sheng too. Just say the word, as long as I can do it."


    Meanwhile, outside the bar, Zhu Yansong was still earnestly persuading Tang Shiyun.


    "Sorry, Mr. Zhu, I¡¯m a student right now, I¡¯m not considering this at the moment."


    Zhu Yansong was insistent, "Youngdy, this isn¡¯t an issue, I assure you it won¡¯t affect your studies."


    "Mr. Zhu, this decision affects her future. You can¡¯t expect her to make it so quickly. If you ask me, give her some time to talk it over with her family first."


    "Yes, yes, I¡¯m too eager. Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do then, my contact number andpany address are on the business card. If you decide, feel free to call me anytime."

 Chapter 13 A Minor Punishment

    <h4>Chapter 13: Chapter 13 A Minor Punishment</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "Okay."


    After sending Zhu Yansong away, Ling Chen joked: "Girl, get me a hundred or so autographs tomorrow. When you be famous, I¡¯ll depend on selling your autographs to make a living."


    Tang Shiyun burst intoughter.


    "Ling, if that day reallyes, you won¡¯t have to do anything; I¡¯ll support you."


    "Girl, you really have good taste, a handsome guy like me is perfect for being a kept man."


    "Buddy, being a kept man is not that easy. Looking at your frail body, I guess you can¡¯t satisfy her. Maybe let us brothers take over."


    A few young men came over, their faces filled with sinister smiles.


    "Big brother, this chick is so pretty, we brothers are in for a treat tonight."


    "Exactly, encountering such a top-quality chick isn¡¯t something you can just stumble upon, hehe."


    Listening to their vulgar words, Tang Shiyun¡¯s face turned red and green, filled with shame and anger.


    Ling Chen looked at these few hooligans, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, and a cold light flickered in his eyes.


    "Gentlemen, I love jokes, but I hate it when others joke about the women by my side. You¡¯ve touched my taboo, and generally, those who touch my taboos don¡¯t end up well."


    "Ha! Kid, you¡¯ve got quite the tone. It¡¯s been a few days since we brothers had any practice, why don¡¯t youe and try?"


    The group of hooligans provocatively said.


    Without another word, Ling Chen strode over.


    "Brothers, let¡¯s teach this kid a lesson."


    The hooligans swarmed up and surrounded Ling Chen, swinging their fists at him.


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t even look, his feet slipped and in a blink, he was in front of one of the hooligans. He raised his knee and thrust it forward.


    "Aow~"


    Only a scream like that of a ughtered pig was heard; the hooligan clutched his crotch, his face pale, grimacing and shouting: "Crushed... Crushed..."


    Seeing this, the otherpanions¡¯ faces changed drastically, they angrily eximed: "Kid, how dare you cripple our brother."


    "Not just his, but yours too."


    As he spoke, Ling Chen rushed forward, using both fists and feet, and in just a moment, the ground was filled with pained howls.


    Ling Chen shook his head; these guys were too weak, he hadn¡¯t even exerted much force. Are today¡¯s hooligans really this low quality?


    "Speak, why are you troubling us."


    "I didn¡¯t..."


    Ling Chen looked at them yfully.


    "Do you think having your ¡¯eggs¡¯ crushed wasn¡¯t enough, or should I cripple your family jewels altogether?"


    Hearing this, the faces of the hooligans all showed fear.


    "No, no, I¡¯ll speak, it was Sheng who sent us."


    "Sheng? Which Sheng."


    "Yang Sheng."


    "I have no grudges with him, why is he troubling me?"


    "I don¡¯t know much, I only know Miss Lu enlisted Sheng¡¯s help."


    So it was Lu Yao.


    Ling Chen nodded inwardly, that woman truly wasn¡¯t anything good. Probably because Zhu Yansong took an interest in Tang Shiyun, ignoring her, so she took out her anger on Shiyun.


    A woman¡¯s jealousy is indeed terrifying.


    "Go back and tell Yang Sheng and Lu Yao, I¡¯ll remember this debt. If there¡¯s a next time, I¡¯ll make sure they spend the rest of their lives unable to care for themselves. Girl, let¡¯s go!"


    By the time they returned to their residence, it was already 10:30 PM.


    Ling Chen looked at the dimly lit staircase, and stopped in his tracks.


    "Girl, you go up first. If your mom sees using back together, she might die of anger."


    "Okay. Ling, thank you for keeping mepany tonight."


    "No need to be polite, being with my girlfriend is what I should do."


    Tang Shiyun shyly said, "Who is your girlfriend? Don¡¯t talk nonsense."


    "Just now at the bar, people said you were my girlfriend, and you didn¡¯t refuse. That means you admitted it."


    Ling Chen had a mischievous smile.


    Tang Shiyun snorted lightly and said, "You just like to take advantage of me. I didn¡¯t want to make you lose face. Imagine, such a grown man and still without a girlfriend, it would be so embarrassing to say out loud."


    "Ah! You dare to diss me, girl. Let¡¯s see how I deal with you."


    Saying that, he raised his hand and pretended to smack Tang Shiyun¡¯s little bottom.


    Smack!


    The palmnded exactly on Tang Shiyun¡¯s pert rear.


    Both of them froze.


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t move his hand very fast, thinking Tang Shiyun would dodge, but she didn¡¯t move at all.


    Tang Shiyun was only wearing a thin dress, so Ling Chen immediately felt her smooth, delicate skin. The excellent touch made his right hand somewhat uncontroble as he pinched, causing Tang Shiyun¡¯s cheeks to turn even redder, like a freshly blossomed flower, charming and stunning.


    "Stop it!"


    Tang Shiyun, blushing, pped Ling Chen¡¯s hand away and hurriedly ran up the stairs, disappearing in a blink.


    "This girl..."


    Recalling Tang Shiyun¡¯s shy look just now, Ling Chen felt privately amused, having a beautiful girl around to spice up life was really nice.


    A few minutester, guessing that Tang Shiyun had arrived home, he started humming a tune and went upstairs alone.


    Meanwhile, a pair of eyes that had been peeping from the fourth-floor balcony withdrew.


    For the next two days, Ling Chen was busy looking for a job.


    Now, with only a little over a thousand dors to his name, he could onlyst till the end of the month. If he couldn¡¯t find a source of ie, he might end up sleeping on the streets next month.


    The next day, after a night of heavy rain, East Sea City was sunny and bright.


    The sun was already hot, and Ling Chen was still lying in bed deeply asleep, drooling, with a magazine of sexy women he had bought from a street stall under his head.


    Knock knock knock!


    Hearing the knocking at the door, Ling Chen, rubbing his sleepy eyes, got up and cursed, "Who is it?"


    "Chen, it¡¯s me."


    Ling Chen opened the door and saw Jiang Hao standing at the door, annoyed, he said, "What do you want, kid? Don¡¯t you know..." He hadn¡¯t finished his sentence when he noticed someone else standing beside Jiang Hao.


    "Is that you? Jiang Hao, why are you with him?"


    "I just bumped into him downstairs. He asked if I knew you and said he was looking for you for something, so I brought him over."


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s unhappy expression, Jiang Hao whispered, "Chen, is this guy here to cause trouble? Do you want me to call some people?"


    "No need, you go back first. This has nothing to do with you."


    After Jiang Hao left, Ling Chen looked at the visitor and said, "Housekeeper Liu, what do you need?"


    This person was indeed Liu Kun, the housekeeper of Nanrong Family.


    "Mr. Ling, the visitor is a guest, won¡¯t you invite me in to sit?"


    "No, let¡¯s make things clear first. If you¡¯re here to take revenge for that girl, you can leave now. I¡¯m not interested in hosting you."


    "Revenge? What do you mean?"


    "You don¡¯t know?"


    "Mr. Ling, there might be some misunderstanding here, but I¡¯m not here to trouble you, I¡¯m actually here to offer you a job."


    "Really?" He had thought Liu Kun was here on behalf of Su Lin.


    "Mr. Ling, perhaps it¡¯s better we talk inside."

 Chapter 14 Hongyu Group

    <h4>Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Hongyu Group</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Entering the room, Liu Kun went straight to the point: "Mr. Ling, I¡¯ll be frank, I saw your skillsst time at the Nanrong family¡¯s ce and I was quite impressed. Ourpany is currently in need of this kind of talent, so I would like to invite you to join us."


    Ha!


    Ling Chen secretly rejoiced, he was just worrying about not having a job, and unexpectedly someone handed him an opportunity so soon.


    Last time he was drinking with Nanrong Hao, he remembered him mentioning that Hongyu Group, managed by the Nanrong Family, was a well-known enterprise in East Sea City, and the benefits of joining would definitely be more generous than before.


    "Housekeeper Liu, what is this job you¡¯re talking about?"


    "Security."


    "Security?" Ling Chen was slightly taken aback, then he shook his head: "No way."


    It wasn¡¯t that he despised anything else, mainly the security uniform was just too ugly.


    "Monthly sry of thirteen thousand, meals included but no amodation, and there¡¯s a bonus every month if you perform well."


    "Pfft! Only thirteen tho... Huh?" Ling Chen thought he had misheard, so he quickly asked, "What did you just say the sry was, thirteen hundred or..."


    "Thirteen thousand."


    "When can I start?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s attitude made aplete 180-degree turn.


    You¡¯re joking, a monthly sry of thirteen thousand, who cares about wearing a security uniform, he¡¯d work without clothes if necessary.


    Thirteen thousand though!


    Thinking about living a petty bourgeoisie life like that, he felt like his mouth was about to split with joy.


    "Mr. Ling, if it¡¯s convenient for you, I can take you to thepany now to handle your employment procedures."


    "Okay."


    Ling Chen quickly changed into a set of clothes and followed Liu Kun out of the house.


    After half an hour¡¯s drive, the two finally arrived at the headquarters of Hongyu Group.


    Looking at the sixty-story building in front of him, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes shined, and his mouth stayed wide open in awe.


    "Mr. Ling, please follow me."


    Walking into the lobby, Liu Kun led Ling Chen to the HR department and handled his onboarding procedures. With Liu Kun present, the normally cumbersome procedures were simplified and expedited. In just a few minutes, Ling Chen had signed the employment contract and officially became a part of Hongyu Group.


    "Mr. Ling, I¡¯ll first take you to the security department to meet the other colleagues, and you¡¯ll officially start work tomorrow."


    "Thank you, Housekeeper Liu."


    The security department was on the first floor. Ling Chen followed Liu Kun to the office door, just about to push it open, when a man in a security uniform with an e-scarred face came out.


    Seeing Liu Kun, the e-faced man quickly stood straight and said: "Mr. Liu."


    Liu Kun nodded, pointing to Ling Chen behind him: "Wei Jun, let me introduce you to your new colleague, Ling Chen."


    Their eyes met, and both Ling Chen and Wei Jun were startled, eximing simultaneously: "It¡¯s you?"


    "You know each other?"


    "Met once." Ling Chen grinned.


    This Wei Jun was the e-faced man he had an argument withst time at the bar; unexpectedly, he also worked at Hongyu and had now be his colleague.


    "Since you two know each other, that¡¯s great. Mr. Ling, Wei Jun is the deputy team leader of the security department, let him show you aroundter. I have other matters to attend to, so I¡¯ll leave first."


    After sending Liu Kun off, Ling Chen warmly pped Wei Jun on the shoulder.


    "Brother Wei, we really are fated to meet here again. Don¡¯t take the bar incident to heart."


    Now that he was working under someone else, naturally, he needed to build a good rtionship to avoid making things difficult for himselfter.


    As they say, don¡¯t p a smiling face. With Ling admitting his mistake proactively, Wei Jun had no good reason to pursue the matter further. Moreover, this guy was personally brought in by Liu Kun, likely someone with considerable backing, so Wei didn¡¯t dare offend him too much.


    "That day, I was also at fault. Let¡¯s not dwell on the past. Ling,e on, let me show you around and get you familiar with the ce."


    The job of a security guard is simple, mainly patrolling and standing guard, but what¡¯s important is a sense of responsibility.


    Under Wei Jun¡¯s guidance, it took less than half an hour for Ling Chen to get a general understanding of the building.


    "Ling, it¡¯s twelve o¡¯clock. Let¡¯s go to the cafeteria for lunch."


    "Okay."


    Hongyu Building has a dedicated staff cafeteria that offers free meals. Ling Chen and Wei Jun went to the cafeteria, got their meals, and found a seat to sit down, chatting while eating.


    "Wei, how long have you been working at Hongyu Group?"


    "Over two years."


    "The pay must be really good, right?"


    Considering I earn thirteen thousand, Wei Jun, as a deputy, must earn more.


    "It¡¯s okay, I take home over three thousand a month."


    Ling Chen was shocked. Just over three thousand? That¡¯s a huge difference.


    But then again, Liu Kun personally hired him and offered such a high sry, probably because he valued his skills. Thinking this, he felt relieved.


    At this moment, all the employees in the cafeteria stopped what they were doing with their chopsticks and looked towards the entrance.


    Curious, Ling followed Wei¡¯s gaze and his eyes immediately fixed on a tall, long-legged beauty pushing a wheelchair into the cafeteria.


    Nanrong Wanqing!


    Seeing the woman in the wheelchair, even though Ling had only seen her once, he was still struck by her stunning appearance.


    While admiring her, a cold gaze suddenly shot his way, catching his attention. He looked up and found himself staring into the fiery eyes of the tall beauty.


    This girl has sharp eyes; she caught me.


    Ling Chen grinned and winked at Su Lin.


    Seeing his action, Su Lin was inwardly furious. What is this jerk doing here, delivering packages?


    Immediately, she whispered something into Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s ear and then let go of the wheelchair, striding quickly to Ling Chen, her presence intimidating as she asked, "Ling, what are you doing here?"


    Ling waved his hand in front of her andughed, "Miss Su, do you have a problem with your eyes? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m eating here?"


    "This is an internal staff cafeteria at Hongyu; you, an outsider, have no right to eat here. Get out now."


    Wei Jun quickly intervened, "Miss Su, he is now an employee of ourpany."


    "What?"


    Su Lin looked incredulous.


    "Miss Su, if your eyesight is bad, you should still be able to hear, did you clearly hear what Wei said?"


    "You... I don¡¯t care who hired you, I¡¯m firing you right now."


    "Wei, does Miss Su hold any position in thepany that gives her the authority to fire me?"


    Wei Jun was just about to speak when a nce from Su Lin shut him up, making him dare not utter a word.


    "Ling, let me tell you, this is my turf. Even if I hold no position, I can still fire you."


    Ling Chen shrugged nonchntly.


    "I¡¯ve heard that Hongyu Group is a well-known enterprise in East Sea City, with strict policies. I didn¡¯t expect it to be sox, a non-employee relying on connections to lord over inside thepany, showing no respect for employees. Everyone, you¡¯ve seen it. Be careful in the future; if you encounter Miss Su, it¡¯s better to take a detour. Don¡¯t get targeted by her, or you won¡¯t even know how you died."

 Chapter 15 Fire Him

    <h4>Chapter 15: Chapter 15 Fire Him</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Su Lin, fuming, snapped, "That Ling, you..."


    "Lin, that¡¯s enough. It¡¯s time to go."


    Hearing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s voice, Su Lin gave Ling Chen a fierce re, stamped her foot, and said, "Remember this, you¡¯ll pay for itter." After speaking, she angrily returned to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s side and pushed the wheelchair away.


    "Ling, you¡¯re really something, daring to talk to Miss Su like that. Everyone in thepany knows about Miss Su¡¯s fiery temper, no one dares to provoke her, you¡¯re the first."


    Ling Chen just smiled indifferently.


    Just a woman, what¡¯s there to be afraid of.


    At that moment, inside the executive private room, Su Lin pouted andined, "Wanqing, you saw it all. That jerk was horrible, I can¡¯t swallow this indignation."


    "What do you want to do?"


    "Fire him. He must be fired. We can¡¯t keep such a thug in thepany."


    "A thug?"


    Nanrong Wanqing nced at her and asked, "How do you know he¡¯s a thug?"


    "I... just by looking at those shifty eyes of his, you can tell he¡¯s no good. If he¡¯s not a thug, then what is he?"


    Hearing her strained exnation, Nanrong Wanqing slightly shook her head.


    "Don¡¯t be upset, I¡¯ll ask HR in a bit, see who hired him into thepany."


    Half an hourter.


    In an office at the top of Hongyu Building, Nanrong Wanqing sat in her wheelchair facing Liu Kun.


    "Uncle Liu, did you arrange for Ling Chen to be hired?"


    "Yes."


    "Why didn¡¯t you inform me?"


    "Miss, it¡¯s a minor matter, no need to disturb you."


    Su Lin, annoyed, said, "Uncle Liu, how could we casually hire such a jerk. I don¡¯t care, he can¡¯t stay in thepany."


    "What¡¯s Miss¡¯s opinion?"


    Nanrong Wanqing calmly said, "The security department isn¡¯t short of people right now."


    "Miss, we can¡¯t fire Ling Chen for now, not unless hemits a serious vition."


    "Why?"


    "It¡¯s the master¡¯s orders."


    Hearing this, Su Lin suddenly deted, not expecting it to be her grandfather¡¯s arrangement.


    Nanrong Wanqing pondered for a moment, then nodded thoughtfully, "I understand. Uncle Liu, you may go now."


    "Yes, miss."


    Seeing Liu Kun leave the office, Su Lin made a sour face, "Wanqing, what should we do now?"


    "This is Grandfather¡¯s arrangement, I¡¯m also helpless."


    "Wanqing, you¡¯re so smart, you must have a solution."


    Worried that she might refuse, Su Lin, holding her hand, pleaded sweetly, "We are close sisters, please help me."


    Nanrong Wanqing shook her head helplessly. Ever since her car ident, Su Lin had always been by her side, and they shared a deep bond. She generally didn¡¯t refuse requests from Su Lin.


    "Alright, I¡¯ll try."


    "Yay! That¡¯s great. Wanqing, with your wit, you¡¯ll definitely sort him out in no time."


    As Su Lin fantasized about Ling Chen suffering, Ling Chen was sitting in Wei Jun¡¯s office, legs crossed, with a toothpick in his mouth, hands behind his head, enjoying the cool air conditioning.


    "Wei, when will you take me to meet the captain of the security department?"


    "He¡¯s probably too busy to see you right now."


    "Why?"


    "He... Oh right, almost forgot to ask you, which team were you assigned to?"


    "What team? No one has mentioned this to me."


    "Let me fill you in then. Our security department has two teams, Team One and Team Two. Team One is led by the team leader, specifically responsible for the security of the Miss. Team Two, which I manage, is in charge of the building¡¯s order. Team One¡¯s members are made up of former soldiers, all of very high caliber, and they earn a five-figure sry each month, several times more than us." Wei Jun said this with a look of envy.


    Ling Chen was momentarily stunned, and by his sry standard, he was definitely assigned to Team One.


    Thinking about this, he couldn¡¯t help but grin, thinking that now he would have more opportunities to see Nanrong Wanqing.


    After returning home in the afternoon, Ling Chen saw there was still time, so he made a call to Jiang Hao. Last time he had promised to help Jiang Hao cultivate a group of key members, and as several days had passed, he couldn¡¯t just leave him hanging.


    After agreeing on a location, he made a bowl of instant noodles, finished it in a few bites, and then left the house with a toothpick in mouth. Although his current sry was thirteen thousand, it hadn¡¯t been paid yet, so he still had to live a frugal life.


    In a short while, he arrived at an abandoned warehouse, precisely where he had negotiated with Zhao Zhengxiongst time.


    When he arrived, there were already twenty or thirty people in the warehouse, all of whom were the earliest followers of Jiang Hao, but Jiang Hao himself was missing.


    "Chen."


    "Chen."


    "..."


    Everyone greeted him one after another.


    Ling Chen casually found a ce to sit.


    "Where¡¯s Jiang Hao?"


    "Chen, Brother Hao and Haozi are on their way, almost here."


    "Haozi?"


    Ling Chen looked puzzled; he hadn¡¯t seen him for a few days, and suddenly a ¡¯Haozi¡¯ pops up.


    "Chen!"


    As the voice fell, Jiang Hao quickly walked in from outside, and beside him was someone else, actually Nanrong Hao.


    So the Haozi mentioned by the followers was referring to Nanrong Hao.


    "When did you two start hanging out together?"


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t understand; one was the young master of the Nanrong family, and the other a gangster from the Old City. How could two such different people findmon ground?


    Nanrong Hao scratched his head and started tough awkwardly.


    "Chen, here¡¯s the thing..." Jiang Hao whispered a few words into Ling Chen¡¯s ear.


    Ling Chen burst outughing.


    A few days ago, Jiang Hao went to a salon for some special service and happened to meet Nanrong Hao, who had just finished his business there.


    The two fellows of the same feather flocking together was not unusual.


    "Haozi, you¡¯re the young master of the Nanrong family, why run to the Old City for fun? Isn¡¯t that a bit beneath you?"


    Nanrong Hao said awkwardly, "Chen, I... my sister is very strict, I dare not go to high-ss ces for fear she would find out. It¡¯s safer here in the Old City, so..."


    Ling Chen nodded in understanding as it¡¯s normal for young men to have such biological needs, but he couldn¡¯t help reprimanding, "You young man should strive to learn good things, and lessen your visits to such ces. If you really think about women, go find a girlfriend; with your conditions, kind of girlfriend can¡¯t you find?"


    "I would if I could, but my sister won¡¯t allow it. She¡¯s ruled that I can¡¯t have a girlfriend until I¡¯m twenty-two."


    "Is that so?"


    Ling Chen felt some sympathy for Nanrong Hao, being so strictly controlled by his sister must be tough.


    "Chen, let¡¯s get down to business."


    Jiang Hao was somewhat impatient.


    "What¡¯s the rush, someone causing trouble for you?"


    "Not yet, but I¡¯m guessing it will be soon. Have you heard of Yang Sheng from the Old City? He¡¯s been quite active recently, recruiting followers everywhere and even reaching into my territory. A few days ago, he sent people to negotiate with me, wanted me to submit to him, which I refused. I reckon he won¡¯t let this go easily."

 Chapter 16 Difficult Family

    <h4>Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Difficult Family</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Yang Sheng?


    Ling Chen immediately remembered, wasn¡¯t it Yang Sheng¡¯sckeys who came to cause trouble that night?


    "Is that Yang Sheng¡¯s influence big?"


    "He has been in the Old City the longest, his influence is the greatest. Now he¡¯s started to learn to do business, operating bars and restaurants, trying to go legit."


    "No matter how big his influence is, they are just a bunch of street thugs. I¡¯ll teach you a few moves in a bit, guaranteed to make them cry for their mommas."


    Ling Chen said this with enough confidence, although it was just a few simple moves, they were the essence condensed from his personal experience.


    These few moves were simple and easy to learn. In less than half an hour, everyone almost got the hang of it, even Nanrong Hao could mimic them decently.


    "Jiang Hao, you guys remember, street fighting is all about three words: fierce, ruthless, fast. As long as you are more fierce, strike more ruthlessly, and react faster than others, no one can beat you."


    After listening to Ling Chen¡¯s earnest instructions, everyone memorized it firmly.


    Just then, the ringtone of Jiang Hao¡¯s phone went off. He answered the call and after a few words, his face darkened.


    "Damn it, that bastard Yang Sheng really dares." He cursed fiercely.


    "Chen, Yang Sheng¡¯s people have already arrived at Five Miles Street, they¡¯ve smashed several shops."


    Ling Chen grinned and said: "Perfect, I¡¯ve only taught you theory; only through realbat can you truly master the essence. Since some people havee for you to practice, don¡¯t be polite."


    "Chen¡¯s right. Brothers, let¡¯s go, **** them up."


    A group of people charged furiously to Five Miles Street, where more than thirty thugs were wielding iron rods, smashing game centers and pool halls, which were Jiang Hao¡¯s territories.


    Without saying a word, Jiang Hao picked up a brick and charged forward, followed closely by the others.


    Ling Chen crossed his arms and watched with interest from the side, offering pointers now and then.


    "Hey, what are you daydreaming about, kick his lower body."


    "Right, that punch was good, just the angle was a bit off."


    "You... yes, you, what are you using those legs for, won¡¯t you kick him?"


    As the young master, Nanrong Hao had never seen a real street brawl, his eyes shone brightly, his blood boiling, eager to join in.


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but say: "If you want to fight, just fight, what are you hesitating for like a woman."


    Seeing him speak up, Nanrong Hao hesitated a little, then rushed into the melee.


    Bang!


    A punch was thrown, and a thug¡¯s nose started bleeding immediately.


    In no time, with the help of others, Nanrong Hao had taken down several thugs.


    Ling Chen was quite surprised. He didn¡¯t expect this guy to be so fierce; even some of the thugs couldn¡¯t match his ruthlessness. Moreover, Nanrong Hao had good potential, he had already mastered the few moves Ling Chen taught him, and could apply them well in realbat.


    With everyone¡¯s concerted efforts, it didn¡¯t take long to drive away that group of thugs.


    "Haozi, you are really awesome."


    "If it hadn¡¯t been for Haozi¡¯s help, we alone probably couldn¡¯t have managed."


    Jiang Hao put his arm around Nanrong Hao¡¯s shoulder andughed: "Haozi, I always thought you were a sissy, but you¡¯re so brave when ites to fighting. In my opinion, you might as well follow me and forget about being some useless young master."


    "If that¡¯s the case, my sister would probably kill me." Nanrong Hao smiled bitterly.


    "Chen, how did we do just now?"


    Everyone eagerly watched Ling Chen, hoping to receive his approval.


    "eptable, keep working hard, I¡¯m heading back first."


    Taking a few steps away, Ling Chen turned back and said, "Haozi."


    Nanrong Hao scurried over to him and asked, "Chen, is there anything else?"


    "Do you really want to learn kung fu?"


    "Of course, is that even a question. Chen, are you..."


    "Less talk, follow me."


    Leaving Five Miles Street, the two arrived at an empty lot where no one was present.


    Standing in the center of the field, Ling Chen nced at Nanrong Hao.


    "Watch carefully, I will do it three times."


    With that said, his fists moved rhythmically, generating a fierce force; his movements shifting between quick and slow, powerful when fast and gentle as flowing water when slow. He performed the set of moves three times continuously without any pause, all in one go.


    Nanrong Hao didn¡¯t dare to even blink, fearing he might miss any detail.


    "Did you see it clearly?"


    Nanrong Hao nodded and then shook his head, somewhat confused.


    "Come find me at this time tomorrow, and we¡¯ll see how much you¡¯ve grasped."


    Leaving Nanrong Hao alone, Ling Chen went straight home.


    Judging from Nanrong Hao¡¯s prior performance, his aptitude wasn¡¯t bad. Although he started a bitte, it didn¡¯t matter. What Ling Chen wanted to know now was the degree of Nanrong Hao¡¯s aptitude before considering whether to teach him further.


    The reason he was willing to teach Nanrong Hao was primarily because he thought Nanrong Hao was a decent person, without the airs of a wealthy family. Moreover, his willingness to lower himself and make friends with Jiang Hao and the others showed he was someone who could be considered a friend.


    Arriving home, Ling Chen carried a chair out to the balcony, nning to enjoy the cool breeze and finish off the two bottles of beer he had at home.


    Upon getting to the balcony, he saw Tang Shiyun standing on the neighboring balcony, her hands supporting her cheeks, her eyes red as if she had just been crying.


    "Girl, what¡¯s the matter? Who bullied you?"


    Tang Shiyun, seemingly not noticing his arrival until his sudden words startled her, quickly turned away to wipe her tears.


    "Girl, tell me what¡¯s wrong."


    Tang Shiyun bit her lip, and thinking of some distressing matter, tears involuntarily started flowing from her eyes again.


    Ling Chen, who hated to see women cry, urgently said, "Tell me, who bullied you? I¡¯ll go beat them up."


    "Nobody bullied me."


    "Then why are you crying?"


    "I..."


    After much questioning, it took Ling Chen a while to understand what had happened.


    Tang Shiyun¡¯s family was of average means, her parents were from another ce, and their hometown was impoverished, which is why they came to work in East Sea City, struggling to earn money to finance Tang Shiyun¡¯s education.


    A few days ago, Tang Shiyun received an admission letter from East Sea University, which should have been a happy asion. However, unforeseen circumstances plunged their family into difficulty.


    Tang Shiyun¡¯s father, due to overwork, was not in good health and had been neglecting to visit the hospital to save money for his child¡¯s education. Yesterday, while working, he copsed on the construction site due to cumtive fatigue and was fortunately rescued in time at the hospital. ording to the doctors, his treatment would cost at least tens of thousands of yuan.


    For a financially-struggling family, tens of thousands of yuan was not a small amount. Initially, Tang Shiyun¡¯s parents had saved some money for her university fees, but now it had all gone to the hospital and they had also incurred more than twenty thousand yuan in debt.


    With just over a month until school started, and with tuition fees amounting to more than ten thousand, this situation was truly adding insult to injury for their family.

 Chapter 17: A Display of Authority

    <h4>Chapter 17: Chapter 17: A Disy of Authority</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "Ling, I... I¡¯m nning to go out and work with my mom, to earn money for my dad¡¯s treatment."


    Tang Shiyun spoke softly of her decision.


    "No way, you¡¯ve finally made it into university after so much difficulty, how can you give up so easily? If you miss this opportunity, do you want to end up like me, with nothing to show for it?"


    "But I..."


    "Enough, don¡¯t say anymore. It¡¯s just money, right? I¡¯ll figure something out for you."


    Ling Chen promptly took on the responsibility. Having been alone since he was young, he ced great value on his friends. As long as he considered someone a friend, he would never stand by idly no matter what happened.


    Especially since his current sry was over ten thousand, which was just enough to cover Tang Shiyun¡¯s tuition fees.


    "Ling, don¡¯t worry about it, I don¡¯t want you to do anything illegal."


    Tang Shiyun looked at him worriedly; she knew Ling Chen¡¯s situation wasn¡¯t much better than hers, and she feared he might resort to illegal activities in order to pay for her tuition.


    Ling Chen was speechless, but it wasn¡¯t surprising; Tang Shiyun only knew that he was fired from the courierpany and wasn¡¯t aware that he had found a job.


    "Rx, I just found a job today, the sry is over ten thousand a month."


    "Really?" Tang Shiyun was half in doubt.


    Ling Chen nodded.


    "Girl, just focus on your studies and don¡¯t worry about the rest. If you truly encounter something you can¡¯t solve,e find me. Ling will definitely help you."


    "Okay. Thank you, Ling, I will surely pay you back double once I earn money."


    The next day.


    Ling Chen got up early, dressed in the security uniform he had just received yesterday, and took the bus directly to the Hongyu Group headquarters.


    Once in the office, it was empty, Wei Jun was probably out on patrol.


    "Are you Ling Chen?"


    Ling Chen turned around and saw a middle-aged man with a stern face walking in through the door. The man was in his thirties, with wheat-colored skin, sharp facial features, prating eyes, and a very sturdy physique.


    Just one nce told Ling Chen everything about the man¡¯s background. This person wasn¡¯t just a soldier; he was also a hardened elite from the military, the kind that had seen battle.


    "Yes, I am. And you are?"


    "Zhong Wei."


    "So, you¡¯re Captain Zhong, hello."


    He had learned from Wei Jun that the captain of the security department was named Zhong Wei.


    Captain Zhong scrutinized Ling Chen with a evaluating gaze.


    "Housekeeper Liu said you¡¯re quite the fighter."


    "I¡¯m alright," Ling Chen said with a modest smile.


    "Come with me."


    Dropping that line, Captain Zhong walked out of the office.


    Before long, the two of them arrived at the gym on the first floor. This training room was exclusively for Team One members, equipped with all kinds of training gear.


    When Ling Chen walked in, he saw seven or eight team members training vigorously, each robust and powerful. Compared to these men, his figure seemed somewhat slight.


    Soon, his arrival caught everyone¡¯s attention.


    "Captain Zhong, is this the Ling Chen who got in through the back door?"


    Back door?


    Ling Chen felt somewhat displeased; after all, he was personally invited.


    "Members who join Team One must go through strict tests, but since you¡¯re rmended by Housekeeper Liu, you don¡¯t need to go through them."


    Hearing Captain Zhong¡¯s exnation, Ling Chen finally understood why those guys used him of taking shortcuts.


    "However..."


    Zhong Wei¡¯s tone shifted, "Although you¡¯ve been spared the test, you can¡¯t be exempt from the internal assessment. If your abilities don¡¯t meet our minimum requirements, I will suggest to the chairman to move you to Team Two."


    "What sort of test?"


    Zhong Wei gave a look, and a well-built young man immediately walked onto the training ground, beckoning Ling Chen with a finger and with a provocative expression.


    "As long as you canst two minutes under my hands, you¡¯ll qualify to stay in Team One."


    Ling Chen¡¯s lips curled slightly, these guys obviously wanted to give him a tough initiation.


    "Captain Zhong, look at my small frame, you should at least choose an opponent of a simr size to me, otherwise, it¡¯s too unfair."


    Hearing this, the crowd looked at him with a bit more scorn.


    Zhong Wei said coldly, "If you don¡¯t even have that much courage, then you might as well go to Team Two. We don¡¯t need cowards in Team One."


    "Kid, at worst, I¡¯ll only use one hand."


    "That¡¯s better."


    Ling Chen smiled slyly and swiftly moved to the center of the ground.


    "Liang Zhao Hui, be careful with your hands."


    Captain Zhong reminded him. After all, he was someone rmended by Liu Kun, it wouldn¡¯t be good if he was injured too severely.


    "Don¡¯t worry, boss, I¡¯ll just y around with him, won¡¯t hurt him. Come on, kid, bring it on, let me see what you¡¯ve got."


    "Here Ie."


    "Bring it on."


    Ling Chen stepped forward two paces, his hands nervously rubbing together.


    "I¡¯m reallying now."


    Liang Zhao Hui impatiently said, "What¡¯s with all the nonsense, get on with it... Huh?"


    Before he could finish his sentence, his pupils shrank as he saw a legsh out at a ferocious speed. Before he could react, he felt a fierce pain in his abdomen, and his body was alreadyying on the ground.


    Hiss!


    The onlookers drew in a breath of cold air.


    This kid was too shameless.


    He clearly had such good skills but pretended to be so timid, deceiving them all.


    Ling Chen walked over to Liang Zhao Hui and said with a grin, "Friend, you must remember, never underestimate any opponent. If I were the enemy, you¡¯d be dead now."


    Everyone was speechless, it was supposed to be a lesson for him, but instead, he turned around and gave them a lecture.


    "Ling Chen is right. Never underestimate your opponent at any time, or the price could very well be your life. Liang Zhao Hui, you¡¯re penalized with two hundred push-ups, I hope you remember this lesson. Ling Chen,e with me to the office."


    "Yes, Captain Zhong."


    Back in the office.


    "Captain Zhong, did I pass the examination?"


    "Ling Chen, it¡¯s your first day on the job, and I have two things to remind you. First, no matter how strong your ability is, you must follow my orders. Without rules, there is no circle. We are a team; we don¡¯t need members who try to be heroes on their own. Second, only I am allowed to discipline my team members, you have no right to do so. Considering it¡¯s your first offense, I¡¯ll let it go this time, but I hope it doesn¡¯t happen again."


    "Yes, yes, I¡¯ll remember all that."


    "First, go back to the gym and get to know everyone, andter I¡¯ll assign you a task."


    Returning to the gym, Ling Chen greeted everyone individually. However, the attitudes were somewhat cold. They were all ex-military, and the rtionship between soldiers is very special. Suddenly having a neer made them ufortable.


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t mind, as he knew that it would take time to integrate into a team.


    Seeing Liang Zhao Hui still doing push-ups, he walked straight over.


    "Brother, sorry about earlier, don¡¯t take it to heart."


    Liang Zhao Hui kept his eyes straight, as if he hadn¡¯t heard him.


    Seeing that the other party refused to respond, Ling Chen didn¡¯t want to bother further and simply sat down to y on his phone.


    "ying with your phone during work hours, a fine of one thousand."

 Chapter 18 You Arrived Just in Time

    <h4>Chapter 18: Chapter 18 You Arrived Just in Time</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Ling Chen was momentarily stunned as he saw Zhong Weiing in from outside and said in a hurry, "Captain Zhong, I..."


    "I don¡¯t want to hear your exnations, the fine will be directly deducted from your sry."


    Upon hearing this, the other members of the gym looked at Zhong Wei with puzzled expressions, as there had never been such a rule before.


    Zhong Wei nced at the crowd, aware of what they were thinking, but he couldn¡¯t exin. While he had been on the phone consulting with the chairman about work, he had mentioned Ling Chen in passing, which led to the president giving him a baffling order.


    As an employee, even though he found it strange, he would not question the boss¡¯s orders but rather obey.


    Ling Chen felt wronged; nobody had told him he couldn¡¯t y with his phone at work. Besides, wasn¡¯t a fine of a thousand too much?


    "Ling Chen, your work has been arranged,e with me."


    Ling Chen shrugged his shoulders. Well, he thought, consider that thousand yuan a lesson learned and be more careful in the future.


    Taking the elevator to the underground parking lot, Zhong Wei pointed at a Rolls Royce and two Land Rovers and said: "Clean these three cars before lunch; there will be other tasks for you this afternoon."


    "Captain Zhong, there are specialized car wash shops outside. I am here to be a security guard, not a car washer."


    "Do car washers get a sry of thirteen thousand? Ling Chen, don¡¯t forget what I said earlier. The only thing you should do while working under me is follow orders. Are you trying to defy my orders now?"


    "I... Yes."


    Zhong Wei¡¯s expression turned cold.


    "No, Captain Zhong, you misunderstood. I meant to say I¡¯ll follow your orders."


    "You have two hours until lunchtime. You¡¯d better hurry, and if you fail toplete the task within the stipted time, I¡¯ll fine you a thousand yuan."


    Watching Zhong Wei leave, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but curse.


    This is downright bullying, he thought, as fines of a thousand were unheard of. With so many members in the team, why was he the only one ordered to wash cars?


    Suddenly, he had a thought and suspected to himself that it might be Su Lin using this as an opportunity to take revenge on him.


    "Achoo!"


    Lying on the sofa and resting her eyes, Su Lin sneezed, rubbed her nose, turned her head towards the diligently working Nanrong Wanqing at the desk, and stood up. "Wanqing, how¡¯s that bastard doing now?"


    "I¡¯ve spoken to Zhong Wei; he knows what to do."


    Nanrong Wanqing replied indifferently, without lifting her head.


    "What are you busy with?"


    "The first phase of the renovation project in the Old City is set to start in a few days; there are still some procedures to handle."


    "Are you going then?"


    "The government is leading this time, and there will be a signing ceremony for the renovation project on site. Though it¡¯s just a formality, I need to be there as an investor."


    "Don¡¯t overwork yourself. Take more rest. If it gets too much, ask Nanrong Hao to share some of the burden; he¡¯s after all the eldest son of the Nanrong family."


    Nanrong Wanqing shook her head with a hint of disappointment in her eyes when the topic turned to Nanrong Hao. She too wanted to cultivate her younger brother as a sessor, but Nanrong Hao was too yful and never cared for thepany affairs. Having him in thepany wouldn¡¯t relieve her stress but instead, she¡¯d have to prevent him from causing trouble.


    At this moment, Nanrong Hao was driving into the underground parking lot of the Hongyu Building.


    After parking the car, Nanrong Hao saw someone cleaning inside a Land Rover and shouted, "Hey, car washer, wash this car for me too."


    "Who are you calling a car washer?" Ling Chen poked his head out, clearly annoyed.


    "Chen?"


    Nanrong Hao was startled, immediately disying a surprised and joyful expression.


    "Chen, why are you here? Hey, isn¡¯t that ourpany¡¯s security uniform? Chen, when did you start working as a security guard for ourpany?"


    "Why ask so many questions."


    Ling Chen casually tossed a rag over.


    "You¡¯re just in time, help me wash these cars."


    "Ah?"


    Nanrong Hao was instantly dumbfounded.


    "What are you ¡¯ah¡¯-ing for, hurry up and don¡¯t waste time."


    Ling Chen sat down on the ground with a huff, damn it, you bully me, I¡¯ll bully your little brother, let¡¯s see who¡¯s tougher.


    Nanrong Hao felt like crying but had no tears, he had onlye to visit Sister, never expecting to end up in such a situation. As the eldest young master of the Nanrong Family, when had he ever done such a thing?


    He was busy until noon at twelve o¡¯clock, and Nanrong Hao was almost exhausted to death by the time he cleaned three cars.


    Ling Chen, with his hands behind his back, inspected back and forth several times, expressing high appreciation for Nanrong Hao¡¯s work.


    "Alright, you can scram now, kid. Don¡¯t forget toe to find me in the evening."


    Nanrong Hao felt as if a great burden had been lifted, he quickly ran into the elevator, fearing that Ling Chen would make him do more work.


    As soon as Nanrong Hao left, Zhong Wei arrived not long after. Seeing that Ling Chen hadpleted his task within the allotted time, he couldn¡¯t find an excuse and had to say, "Go have your meal first, there are other tasks arranged for the afternoon."


    In the afternoon, just as Ling Chen expected, Zhong Wei really was trying to torment him in all sorts of ways, having him clean the entire office building¡¯s floors.


    Even if it killed him, it was impossible to finish in half a day; Zhong Wei was clearly looking for an excuse to dock his wages.


    At this rate, his 13,000 yuan sry would sooner orter bepletely deducted. By the end of the month, he might even have to pay out of pocket.


    He was here to earn money, not to suffer. Su Lin, that girl, was really too cruel.


    After thinking it over, Ling Chen simply asked Wei Jun for Liu Kun¡¯s number, and directly made a phone call.


    "Housekeeper Liu, if you want me to continue staying here, I reckon a sry of 13,000 yuan won¡¯t be enough."


    "What happened?"


    "Today is my first day at work, and Captain Zhong has already deducted 2,000 yuan from my sry."


    "Mr. Ling, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle this matter right away."


    After hanging up the phone, in less than ten minutes, Zhong Wei appeared in front of him again.


    "Go and take a break, I¡¯ll arrange if there¡¯s anything."


    Ling Chen¡¯s lips curled up slightly, it seems like Housekeeper Liu does have some ability, to have settled it so quickly.


    Little did he know that after Liu Kun received his call, he immediately reported to Nanrong Yong. It was Nanrong Yong who personally called Nanrong Wanqing, and then Nanrong Wanqing revoked the previous order against him.


    Just as Ling Chen was happily hanging out in the first-floor office, Nanrong Wanqing at the top floor was very unhappy.


    Naturally, the reason for her unhappiness was Ling Chen.


    Ever since she took over thepany, Nanrong Yong hadn¡¯t interfered even once, entrusting everything to her management. In thepany, she had absolute control.


    She liked this feeling, everything was under her control.


    However, Ling Chen was the exception.


    Grandpa actually forced this Ling Chen on her, not even giving her the right to refuse.


    Especially in the phone call just now, Nanrong Yong made it clear that unless Ling Chen resigns on his own, no one else can drive him away.


    Furthermore, in the future within thepany, besides security work, Ling Chen could refuse any other job arrangement, even she couldn¡¯t force him.


    With her intelligence, she of course guessed Grandpa¡¯s intention. Only, she really didn¡¯t like this arrangement, because Ling Chen was out of her control. More importantly, she didn¡¯t like Ling Chen.


    After pondering for a while, she dialed the inte.


    "Lan, call up Ling Chen from the security department."

 Chapter 19 You Will Like Me

    <h4>Chapter 19: Chapter 19 You Will Like Me</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    It took just a few minutes before Ling Chen pushed open the door to the chairman¡¯s office and appeared before her.


    Although they had met twice before, this was the first time Ling Chen has had the opportunity to appreciate Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s beauty up close, as if no one else was around.


    Appreciating a beautiful woman is always a delightful experience.


    By contrast, Nanrong Wanqing was rather cold, as if she didn¡¯t notice his brazen gaze.


    "Did Uncle Liu call you?"


    "Yes."


    Liu Kun had just called him, and his words had filled Ling Chen with inward glee. With such privilege, who would dare to force him in thepany now? Probably Su Lin is going to cry.


    "I don¡¯t know why my grandfather sees something in you, and I¡¯m not interested in finding out. I just want to tell you that I don¡¯t like you and I don¡¯t wee you staying in thepany, even if you were rmended by my grandfather. Do you understand what I mean?"


    Ling Chen grinned and said, "Chairman, you don¡¯t like me because you don¡¯t know me. As we get to know each other better, I believe you will like me."


    Any clear-headed person could tell that their understanding of "like" was not the same.


    Ling Chen was grateful to be from Huaxia, able to grasp such profound and extensivenguage.


    As smart as Nanrong Wanqing was, she could also tell that Ling Chen was taking advantage of the situation. However, her inner calm was like still water, without a single ripple.


    In her eyes, a person like Ling Chen isn¡¯t worth stirring her emotions.


    "I think I begin to understand why Lin dislikes you now. No one has ever dared to speak to me like this in this building."


    Ling Chen shrugged. He was invited here, not someone who came on his own ord; why act overly courteous? Besides, that¡¯s not his style.


    Noticing his indifferent expression, Nanrong Wanqing suddenly lost the desire to continue the conversation and handed him a piece of paper that was already prepared.


    "Go to the finance department to receive three months¡¯ sry aspensation for your voluntary resignation. You do not need toe to work starting from tomorrow."


    Ling Chen looked at it but didn¡¯t reach out to take it.


    Seeing his indifference, a trace of annoyance crossed Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s eyes.


    "Do you think it¡¯s too little?"


    "No."


    Three months¡¯ sry amounted to close to forty thousand, a considerable sum for Ling Chen. But he had principles; he would never take money he hadn¡¯t worked for.


    "What will it take for you to resign voluntarily?"


    "I don¡¯t have that intention for now. Chairman, whether you like me or not, my job is just to ensure your safety. As long as there¡¯s no danger, I promise I won¡¯t appear before you. Over time, you will naturally forget about me."


    Nanrong Wanqing said expressionlessly: "In thispany, no one dares to refuse me. Since you chose to stay, you better watch yourself. Now, you can disappear from my sight."


    After leaving the office, Ling Chen felt a bit helpless. If not for Tang Shiyun¡¯s tuition, he really didn¡¯t want to stay. On his very first day, he was already being disliked by the chairman. How could there be good days ahead?


    In his office, he yed with his phone all afternoon until five o¡¯clock, when his work officially began.


    Inside the gym, everyone lined up to listen to Zhong Wei¡¯s arrangements.


    "Apart from Ling Chen, everyone¡¯s assignments remain unchanged. Ling Chen,ter you¡¯ll be responsible for one car, following behind the convoy. If anything happens, I will notify you. Alright, everyone check your equipment and prepare to set off."


    Ling Chen¡¯s equipment was simple, a bulletproof vest and a walkie-talkie, nothing else. He looked at the others and noticed that both Zhong Wei¡¯s and Liang ZhaoHui¡¯s waists were bulging, clearly carrying guns.


    For a big corporation like Hongyu Group, it¡¯s not difficult to get two or three gun licenses from the government.


    Descending to the parking lot, Ling Chen saw his vehicle, an old peeling Volkswagen Santana, a model from ten years ago, as rustic as it gets.


    Fortunately, he was mentally prepared. since Nanrong Wanqing clearly didn¡¯t like him, she would definitely find ways to make things difficult for him.


    Getting into the car, there was a pungent, odd smell inside, indicating it hadn¡¯t been driven for a long time.


    Starting the engine, ck smoke immediately spewed from the exhaust pipe, the car trembled violently, and there was a squeaky noise.


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t mind; having a car was better than none at all.


    After a while, apanied by Zhong Wei and Liang ZhaoHui, Nanrong Wanqing took the elevator to the underground parking garage. All other team members stood outside the elevator in greeting, except Ling Chen, who sat inside the car.


    He hadn¡¯t forgotten what he said; unless there was danger, he would never appear before Nanrong Wanqing.


    Exiting the parking lot, a Land Rover was in front, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s Rolls-Royce in the middle, with another Land Rover behind, a standard escort formation. As for Ling Chen, he followed far behind.


    It¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t want to go faster, but the old clunker just wasn¡¯t up to it. Pressing the gas pedal, ck smoke belched out, and the car shuddered even more violently, as if it might fall apart at any moment.


    Watching the Land Rovers pull further ahead, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help scratching his head. He cared no more and directly floored the gas pedal.


    Squeak!


    Suddenly, the old car made an abrupt stop while driving, nearly causing Ling Chen¡¯s head to hit the steering wheel.


    Seeing therge amount of white smokeing from under the hood made it clear that it had broken down.


    "Ling Chen, where are you?"


    Zhong Wei¡¯s voice came through the walkie-talkie.


    "Captain Zhong, my car broke down on the road, send someone to pick me up."


    "You figure it out yourself. We are almost there. You don¡¯t need to follow, just gather at Wealthy Manor number 118 before 7 AM tomorrow."


    Turning off the walkie-talkie, Ling Chen directly called Nanrong Hao.


    Within twenty minutes, Nanrong Hao arrived in his Audi A8.


    "Chen, what happened again?"


    "Take me back, and get someone to fix this car while you¡¯re at it."


    Ling Chen wasn¡¯t polite.


    Nanrong Hao looked at the old Volkswagen with a schadenfreude smile.


    "Chen, is this the special car my sister arranged for you?"


    "You know?"


    "I heard it from my grandfather. How is it, tough to serve my sister, right? Chen, you have to be careful, anyone my sister doesn¡¯t like ends up in a bad way."


    "Enough with that, your sister, no matter how formidable, is just a woman. I¡¯m not afraid of her."


    Ling Chen pointed at the old car.


    "Don¡¯t me me for taking advantage, this car is Nanrong family¡¯s property, and as the eldest son of the Nanrong family, you have the duty to help me fix it."


    "No problem, I know a few friends who modify cars, they¡¯ll fix it for sure."


    Returning to Old City, Ling Chen, apanied by Nanrong Hao, arrived at the vacant lot they were at yesterday.


    "Show me the set of punches I taught you yesterday."


    Nanrong Hao touched his head and said, "I only remember half of it."


    ncing at Nanrong Hao, Ling Chen said, "Doesn¡¯t matter, show whatever you remember, hurry up."

 Chapter 20 The Classic Car Shows Its Power

    <h4>Chapter 20: Chapter 20 The ssic Car Shows Its Power</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Nanrong Hao didn¡¯t dare to dawdle, obediently walking to the center of the open space and practicing the boxing technique he had learned from Ling Chen the day before.


    Ling Chen crossed his arms, intently observing Nanrong Hao¡¯s movements without saying a word.


    Nanrong Hao had never practiced martial arts before, his movements somewhat uncoordinated and clumsy-looking. However, this was not what Ling Chen was concerned about; he cared about something else.


    After finishing the set of boxing techniques, Nanrong Hao wiped the sweat from his forehead and turned to look at the thoughtful Ling Chen, feeling somewhat uneasy in his heart.


    "Chen, do... do you think I¡¯m doing okay?"


    "Starting tomorrow,e find me here at five in the morning."


    Hearing this, Nanrong Hao said excitedly, "Chen, are you going to take me as your disciple?"


    "No need for a disciple, but teaching you a few moves is no problem."


    Ling Chen had just watched Nanrong Hao practice the set of punches and realized that the kid had some real talent. The set of punches he taught seemed simple but each move had its intricacies. If Nanrong Hao could only copy the form without grasping its essence, then Ling Chen wouldn¡¯t waste time on him.


    Practicing martial arts is not just about hard training; one must also learn to think. Only through reflection can oneprehend the essence and integrate it thoroughly. Nanrong Hao happened to possess this element.


    "I¡¯ll head back now. Oh, and don¡¯t forget my car; it better be fixed before tomorrow morning."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got it covered."


    Upon returning home, as he passed by Tang Shiyun¡¯s house, he saw that the gate was tightly locked, probably because she went to the hospital to apany her father.


    He had intended to visit Tang Shiyun¡¯s father in the hospital, but since her mother didn¡¯t like him and he would just be driven away, he decided to dismiss the thought.


    Early the next morning.


    Nanrong Hao arrived punctually in his vintage Volkswagen beneath Ling Chen¡¯s building.


    Seeing Ling Chene out, Nanrong Hao immediately greeted him with freshly bought steamed buns.


    "Chen, the car is fixed."


    Ling Chen grinned, pleased; the kid was on the ball and even thought to buy breakfast for him.


    It was just five in the morning and barely light. "The n of a day lies in the morning," it was the perfect time for practice.


    Nanrong Hao had never practiced martial arts, so naturally, he had to start with the most basic training.


    The two of them were busy until six-thirty. Ling Chen nced at the time; it was time to get moving or he¡¯d bete. He now had to try to avoid giving Nanrong Wanqing any excuse to trouble him.


    "Haozi, do you want to go back to Wealthy Manor with me?"


    "I¡¯ll rest for a bit; I¡¯ll go back on my ownter."


    Nanrong Haoy exhausted on the ground, breathing heavily, his clothes soaked through with sweat. He, who was usually pampered, had never suffered through the rigors of training before. After an hour and a half, he felt his muscles sore and swollen, his legs numb as if they didn¡¯t belong to him, devoid of any sensation.


    "Then I¡¯m off. Oh, one more thing I forgot to tell you, those who practice martial arts must not have depleted energy, so you¡¯d better steer clear of women for the next six months."


    After saying that, Ling Chen waved his hand, leaving a stunned Nanrong Hao behind, got into his car, started it, and drove away.


    At six fifty.


    Ling Chen reached Wealthy Manor on time; by then, all the other team members had already arrived.


    Since Wealthy Manor had its own security personnel, team one of the security department was only responsible for Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s safety when she was out; the rest of the time, they worked normal shifts, unless there were unexpected tasks.


    Not long after sitting in the car, Su Lin came out of the vi pushing Nanrong Wanqing.


    Seeing Su Ling¡¯s gaze towards this side, Ling Chen greeted her with a smiling face, only to receive a roll of her eyes in response.


    The fleet drove out of Wealthy Manor, and the three cars in front suddenly elerated, quickly putting some distance between them and Ling Chen.


    Trying to shake me off?


    The corners of Ling Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly as his right hand swiftly shifted gears, and he pressed the elerator down hard.


    Suddenly, the old Volkswagen car, which had been sputtering along, shot out like an arrow, catching up to the rear of the Range Rover in just a few seconds. This car, having been repaired, clearly had much improved performance.


    After passing a few streets, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes suddenly narrowed as he looked at a white Buick sedan in the rearview mirror.


    From the time they had left Wealthy Manor, he had noticed that Buick, which had been following them at a steady pace for so long. He couldn¡¯t deny that the car might simply be on the same route as them, but years of experience told him not to dismiss any suspicions without being one hundred percent sure.


    With that in mind, he eased off the elerator, allowing the Buick to pass and take the lead.


    Captain Zhong and the others were driving Range Rovers and Rolls-Royces, which drew a lot of attention, while no one would take special notice of his old Volkswagen, least of all suspect that it carried a security guard from Hongyu Group.


    Because the other car¡¯s windows were tinted, it was difficult to see the driver clearly, but he could tell it was a man.


    "Ling Chen, where are you?"


    "Captain Zhong, I¡¯ve spotted a car with suspicious movements."


    "What¡¯s the license te number?"


    Ling Chen nced at it and reported the number. After a while, he heard Captain Zhong speak through the walkie-talkie, "It¡¯s been checked, no issues. Catch up with the convoy immediately, don¡¯t fall behind on your own."


    "Got it."


    Ling Chen switchednes, preparing to overtake from the side. Soon, the Volkswagen Santana caught up with the Buick, aligning his car¡¯s front with the other vehicle.


    Taking this opportunity, he nced through the car window at the driver¡¯s seat of the Buick. Simultaneously, the Buick¡¯s driver also seemed to have noticed him, casting a look towards his Santana.


    Although both drivers could not see each other clearly, for some reason, a strong sense of unease welled up in Ling Chen¡¯s heart, simr to the feeling he hadst time in the bar.


    Relying on years of intuition, he was certain there was something off about the driver in the Buick!


    At this moment, inside the Buick, the driver withdrew his gaze, looking straight ahead. His right hand touched his neck out of habit, and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly with a chilling smile.


    "I didn¡¯t expect to encounter a peer in East Sea City."


    He murmured to himself, pressing the elerator to the floor, and the Buick let out a roaring sound as it surged forward.


    "Trying to leave?"


    Without another word, Ling Chen shifted gears and elerated, sticking close behind the other car.


    It was past seven in the morning, during rush hour, and the roads were filled with heavy traffic. Driving the Santana, Ling Chen pursued the Buick, constantly changingnes and weaving through vehicles.


    In no time, both cars reached a speed of a hundred miles per hour, leaving the Rolls-Royce carrying Nanrong Wanqing far behind.


    "Ling Chen, what are you doing? Get back here right now."


    Upon hearing Captain Zhong¡¯s roar on the walkie-talkie, Ling Chen turned the device off to avoid any distractions.


    "Ling Chen! Ling Chen! Chairman, he might have turned off the walkie-talkie."


    "Defying the leaders and refusing to follow orders on his second day at work, that jerk is too unrestrained. Wanqing, we definitely need to think of a way to get rid of him."


    Nanrong Wanqing nced at Captain Zhong and said coldly, "He¡¯s from your department, I will only hold you responsible for any issues. I don¡¯t care about the rest."


    "I¡¯m sorry, Chairman, I will make sure he¡¯s strictly disciplined."

 Chapter 21 Disobedience to Orders

    <h4>Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Disobedience to Orders</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    On the wide main road, two cars chased each other at breakneck speeds.


    Boom! Boom!


    Boom boom boom!


    After the Santana reached a speed of one hundred yards, the vehicle immediately started making rumbling noises. Not only that, white smoke began to billow from under the hood.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen cursed under his breath.


    This junk car was already at its limit; continuing the chase like this could lead to it falling apart. Considering the danger of car crashes and casualties, he reluctantly reduced his speed and watched helplessly as the Buick disappeared from sight.


    Returning to thepany, it was already past eight o¡¯clock.


    As soon as he entered the gym, Zhong Wei immediately came over, his face dark with anger, and said, "Where did you go just now?"


    "Captain Zhong, I went after a suspect."


    "A suspect? Where is the suspect?"


    "He got away. Captain Zhong, can I request a better car? That one is too broken down, I..."


    "Enough!"


    Zhong Wei interrupted him, his voice icy, "I ordered you to return to the team; why didn¡¯t you obey? I told you there was nothing wrong with that car. Why didn¡¯t you listen to me? Do you think my words are just hot air?"


    "Captain Zhong, I was just doing my duty. Besides, I feel that the person in that Buick is very dangerous. He was secretly following the chairman, and I suspect he may have malicious intentions towards the chairman. It would be best to remind everyone to be vignt."


    "I don¡¯t trust feelings; I only trust professionalism. Liang Zhao Hui has a background in special reconnaissance, and he will detect any danger himself. I don¡¯t need an amateur to give me suggestions. The chairman is a celebrity of East Sea City; it is normal for paparazzi to follow and covertly photograph him, simr incidents have happened before. Ling Chen, don¡¯t think just because Liu Kun hired you, you have the right to tell me what to do. If you make the same mistake again and disobey orders, then you can just leave yourself, I won¡¯t keep a rule-breaker like you. Do you understand?"


    Ling Chen touched his nose.


    "Captain Zhong, I respect soldiers, but someone like you... forget it, if you won¡¯t believe me, there¡¯s nothing I can do. Just don¡¯t me me if something happens and I didn¡¯t warn you."


    Ignoring Zhong Wei¡¯s menacing gaze, Ling Chen walked straight out of the gym.


    He could understand Zhong Wei; soldiers tend to be rigid and only know how to follow orders. Moreover, a soldier with Zhong Wei¡¯s background carries a certain pride that does not allow others to contradict him. Unfortunately, his personality was destined not to meet Zhong Wei¡¯s expectations.


    Having adjusted to his job, Ling Chen spent the following week and a half ratherfortably.


    The members of team one were still resistant to him, but it didn¡¯t bother him; in fact, he got along well with Wei Jun from team two, often visiting Wei Jun¡¯s office whenever he had time. As a result, their rtionship grew stronger.


    At Hongyu Group, security guards got one day off per week, and today happened to be Ling Chen¡¯s day off.


    ustomed to waking up so early, it was rare for Ling Chen to have a good sleep at home. Unfortunately, someone just wouldn¡¯t let him enjoy hiszy morning rest.


    Looking at Jiang Hao standing at the door, Ling Chen really wanted to kick him a couple of times; it was always this guy who disrupted his sleep.


    "Chen."


    "What now? I¡¯m not free today. Whether you have something or not, don¡¯te to me."


    "Chen, today it¡¯s not me asking you for a favor, but someone else."


    "Who?"


    "You know him, Zhao Zhengxiong."


    "He¡¯sing to ask for my help? Ask him if his brain is fried; he actually dares toe looking for me." Ling Chen grumbled unhappily.


    "Chen, his brain is indeed fried. Could you help him out for my sake?"


    Ling Chen said incredulously, "Jiang Hao, his brain¡¯s fried and yours too? Didn¡¯t you have a grudge against him? Howe you¡¯re now acting as his lobbyist? Spit it out, how much did he pay you?"


    Jiang Hao chuckled, "There¡¯s a benefit, but I can only get it with your help."


    "It seems like a significant benefit for you to plead on his behalf."


    "That¡¯s not it, besides the benefit, it¡¯s also out of a sense of justice."


    "Oh, you and your sense of justice. Enough bullshit, get to the point."


    Jiang Hao had been talking for a few minutes with all sorts of hand gestures before Ling Chen finally understood why Zhao Zhengxiong hade to seek his help, and it turned out to be because of him.


    Last time, Zhao Zhengxiong brought in two martial artists to trouble him and ended up defeated. Those two were introduced to Zhao Zhengxiong through a friend, and it cost a lot to hire them. The job wasn¡¯t done, so themission had to be refunded¡ªat least half of it.


    However, when Zhao Zhengxiong came to ask for his money back, the guys not only refused to return the money but also told him to get lost. Outraged, Zhao Zhengxiong took his brothers to reason with them, only to have his other leg broken and to be stripped of his clothes and thrown onto the street.


    This was an utter humiliation.


    Zhao Zhengxiong¡¯s resentment was so deep that he hated those two even more than he hated Ling Chen. But with their excellent martial arts skills and their significant influence, it was impossible for Zhao alone to seek revenge. So he changed his strategy, targeting Ling Chen.


    Since Ling Chen was capable of dealing with those two, he could take this opportunity to avenge him. Hence, he approached Jiang Hao with a proposal. If Ling Chen was willing to step in, Zhao Zhengxiong was ready to merge his territory with Jiang Hao¡¯s. In the future, Jiang Hao would take the lead, and he would follow, working together.


    "A viin eventually meets a worse viin; Zhao Zhengxiong really had a hard time."


    Ling Chen remarked. Zhao Zhengxiong offering such a deal meant he truly detested those two.


    "Chen, I think Zhao Zhengxiong is quite pitiful. Why don¡¯t we help him out?" Jiang Hao took the chance to urge him.


    Ling Chen pped his head irritably, swearing, "You¡¯re not seeing him as pitiful; you¡¯re eyeing his turf."


    Jiang Hao touched his head, grinning and not daring to refute.


    "We better stay out of these vendettas."


    "Chen..."


    "The grudge has been formed, it¡¯s toote to talk about this now."


    A voice came from outside the door; Zhao Zhengxiong entered, supporting himself on two crutches, assisted by a younger brother.


    "Chen, I know you don¡¯t want to act because of the previous incident, but this time, it¡¯s not just helping me, it¡¯s also helping you."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Chen, you crippled Gao Wei¡¯s ten fingers and wounded Song Yi; those two have long been wanting to take revenge on you. The day I went to ask for money, they broke my leg and even interrogated me about you. From their tone, it seemed like they were nning to take action. Even if you don¡¯t help me today, they¡¯lle for you sooner orter; the oue would be the same."


    Ling Chen¡¯s smile was somewhat tormented: "From your words, I have no choice but to take action, right?"


    Zhao Zhengxiong threw his crutches aside, and his body immediately lost support, copsing to the ground with a thud. His leg injury had not yet healed, and the heavy fall made him break out in a cold sweat from the pain.

 Chapter 22 Qingyun Martial Arts Hall (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Qingyun Martial Arts Hall (Part 1)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "Xiong, what are you..." Jiang Hao and that kid were taken aback, not expecting Zhao Zhengxiong to make such a move.


    Ling Chen put away the joke on his face and frowned slightly, "What are you doing? Don¡¯t you know a man¡¯s knees are gold?"


    "A man lives by his face, just like a tree lives by its bark. If the face is lost, who cares about this bit of gold. Chen, I admit I was wrong before, I shouldn¡¯t have offended you. Just help me get my revenge, and I¡¯m willing to do anything for you."


    "Help him up."


    Ling Chen paused for a moment, then dropped a sentence.


    Zhao Zhengxiong hurriedly said, "Chen..."


    "Enough, no need to say more. You said they want to retaliate against me, right? I want to see how they n to do that."


    Hearing this, Zhao Zhengxiong was stunned for a moment, then quickly understood and excitedly said, "Thank you, Chen, thank you."


    "No time to lose, I happen to have a day off today, let¡¯s get this done quickly."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll call for a car right away."


    Leaving the Old City, led by Zhao Zhengxiong, the group drove to the entrance of a Siheyuan in the East District.


    This Siheyuan was an ancient building with some years on it, its walls bearing the traces of time, and two stone lions stood majestically guard at the door. Ancient pines surrounded the ce, lush and providing shady nooks.


    Unexpectedly, in the bustling city, there was such a tranquil ce.


    Standing at the entrance, Ling Chen looked up and saw a que hanging atop the bright red door, inscribed with the two characters ¡¯Qingyun¡¯. The calligraphy was powerful and vigorous, with strokes as dynamic as a swimming dragon, catching the eye.


    Below and to the right of the que, on the wall, hung a poem.


    Heroes emerge in turbulent times; once in the Martial Arts World, years fly by.


    Discussing grand ambitions casually among friends; s, life¡¯s deeds be an enduring sin.


    Sword in hand, riding through the demon rain; white bones pile high as birds take flight in fear.


    The affairs of the world surge like the tide, and the people are like water; onlymenting how few return from the Martial Arts World.


    Looking at the characters, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but inwardly marvel; even though it was a copy, the calligraphy and poemplemented each other perfectly, vividly encapsting the meaning of the verse.


    Even with great ambition and courage, one cannot escape the harsh realities.


    With the name ¡¯Qingyun¡¯ and the inscriptions outside, it was clear that the owner of this Siheyuan was no ordinary person.


    "Xiong, are you saying Song Yi and Gao Wei live here?"


    Ling Chen found it hard to believe, as the nature of those two did not match the elegance of this ce.


    "Chen, I¡¯ve been here twice before, I couldn¡¯t possibly be mistaken."


    "Jiang Hao, go knock on the door."


    Without a word, Jiang Hao immediately walked up to the bright red door and knocked hard.


    After a short while, a ¡¯creak¡¯ was heard as a little girl around seven or eight years old, cute as a button, poked her head out, curiously looking at the strangers outside.


    "Who are you looking for?"


    "Little one, don¡¯t you recognize me?" Zhao Zhengxiong stepped forward.


    "It¡¯s you again! Weren¡¯t you taught enough of a lessonst time that you daree here again?"


    "Cut the nonsense, quickly call Song Yi and Gao Wei out."


    The little girl mmed the door shut, and in less than two minutes, the vermilion gate was opened again, revealing Gao Wei striding out from within.


    But when he saw Ling Chen outside the door, his expression changed drastically. The foot he had already stepped out with immediately retracted, and he backed into the doorway.


    "Mr. Gao, long time no see. Has your finger healed?" Ling Chen greeted with a smile and a wave of his hand.


    "Ling, you actually dared toe to my doorstep."


    "I heard you were looking for me to seek revenge, so I took the initiative toe to you. What, aren¡¯t you weing your foe?"


    Gao Wei seemed somewhat apprehensive and said coldly, "Ling Chen, I don¡¯t have time for you today. Another day I will personally make a visit."


    "Why bother with such trouble? Let¡¯s settle everything today while I¡¯m free."


    "You..."


    Gao Wei was about to speak when the little girl ran over again and whispered a few words into his ear. Whatever the little girl said, Gao Wei¡¯s face turned sour instantly.


    "Come in."


    Walking into the Siheyuan, Ling Chen saw a spacious courtyard filled with many wooden dummies, as well as a variety of practice equipment and weapons.


    It turned out to be a Martial Arts Academy.


    Arriving at the center of the courtyard, more than a dozen people emerged from the main hall, led by an elderly man in his sixties, dressed in a white Tang suit, with a full head of silver hair and a slightly gaunt face. He walked with a steady gait and exuded an air of refined elegance.


    Even before he came close, one could feel a subtle aura about him.


    This old man... is no ordinary person!


    Ling Chen took a few more looks at the old man, then shifted his gaze to his sides.


    To the old man¡¯s left was Song Yi, and to his right was a middle-aged man in his forties, with an average appearance, a sturdy build, and an energetic spirit. Of all the people, only he was wearing a neatly tailored suit.


    "Chen, I didn¡¯t see those two people thest time I came here," said Zhao Zhengxiong, referring to the old man and the man in the suit.


    Ling Chen nodded inwardly. Earlier, Gao Wei was reluctant to let them in, probably due to the presence of these two.


    "Master, it¡¯s him."


    At this moment, Song Yi pointed a finger at Ling Chen and said through gritted teeth, "Last time Gao and I were sparring with him, who knew he would inflict such vicious harm, crippling Gao¡¯s ten fingers and not ying by the rules with a sneak attack on me. Master, you must teach this scoundrel a lesson."


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes widened. This guy was shameless, casting me before anyone else could.


    "This young friend, my name is He Ziyun, the Martial Arts Hall Master here, known as Mr. Qingyun. Song Yi is my disciple. It ismon for martial artists to spar, but injuring someone is where you were wrong. Today, not only do you show no remorse, you even bring people here to provoke us. Young friend, martial arts is merely a technique for strengthening the body. Besides, there are always stronger people out there, you..."


    "Are you done talking?"


    Ling Chen was getting impatient. This old man spoke so quaintly; it was truly not to his taste.


    "I admit it was I who hit them, they deserved it. If you want to seek justice, you should first understand the reason. Since they are your disciples, I have to take issue with you. One should teach morality before martial arts. You haven¡¯t even figured out what kind of character your own disciples possess and you carelessly pass on your skills. Be careful, lest they harm others and ruin your reputation."


    "You..."


    "Ling, you¡¯re insolent! Daring to lecture my master so brazenly, let¡¯s see how I deal with you."


    Song Yi roared in anger, cutting off He Ziyun¡¯s words, and charged straight at Ling Chen.


    As the punch came flying, Ling Chen slightly sidestepped, dodging Song Yi¡¯s attack, and casually swung out a fist right toward his opponent¡¯s face.


    Bang!


    A muffled thump.


    Ling Chen¡¯s fistnded solidly on Song Yi¡¯s face; thetter immediately stumbled and fell to the ground, clutching his cheek and crying out in pain, blood streaming through his fingers.

 Chapter 23 Qingyun Martial Arts Hall (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Qingyun Martial Arts Hall (Part 2)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Ling Chen was speechless.


    This guy is wasting his talent not being an actor, his punch hadn¡¯t used any real strength, and with Song Yi¡¯s ability, he shouldn¡¯t have been able to dodge it; clearly, the other party wanted to use this as an opportunity to incite anger.


    "How dare you hurt my Senior Brother Song."


    "To hit someone in front of Master and bully us at Qingyun Martial Arts Hall?"


    "Everyone, let¡¯s go together and avenge Senior Brother Song."


    The disciples of the Martial Arts Academy were immediately filled with anger, everyone gearing up to fight, some even carrying Guan Gong¡¯s Great Saber.


    "Stop it all!"


    Ling Chen turned to look and saw that the one who spoke was not He Ziyun, but the middle-aged man in a suit next to him.


    The man walked up, cupped his hands towards Ling Chen, and said, "Young man, my name is Ye Liangyong, and I am the eldest disciple under Mr. He."


    Ling Chen nced at him and said indifferently, "I suppose your Junior Brother has already told you who I am. Are you here to stand up for him?"


    Shaking his head, He Ziyun smiled and said, "You are mistaken. I am not standing up for him; I am standing up for our Martial Arts Academy."


    Ling Chen shrugged, not wanting to waste more words, and simply made a ¡¯please¡¯ gesture. He had already mentally prepared for a fight beforeing.


    "Senior Brother Ye, teach this kid a good lesson, let him know there are always people better than him."


    "Master Ye, beat him."


    The disciples of the Martial Arts Academy cheered from the side.


    Gao Wei supported Song Yi to the side, both of their faces wearing a sinister smile. With Ye Liangyong stepping in, Ling Chen was in trouble.


    "Please!"


    "Please!"


    After exchanging courtesies, Ye Liangyong moved his right foot forward a small step, forming a stable stance, and lifted one hand towards the sky.


    Seeing the stance that the opponent posed, Ling Chen suddenly narrowed his eyes.


    Ye Liangyong¡¯s movements seemed casual but were perfectly natural, like a towering mountain peak, steady everywhere without a single w.


    A true master!


    The thought shed through his mind, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly; it had been long since he¡¯d encountered such an interesting opponent.


    "Take this."


    As soon as he finished speaking, Ling Chen leaped forward, advancing quickly in just a few steps right in front of Ye Liangyong.


    His fingers clenched tightly, throwing a steel punch that whistled through the air with immense power.


    Ye Liangyong twisted his waist, his burly figure surprisingly agile, easily shifting to Ling Chen¡¯s side, his right hand chopping down towards Ling Chen¡¯s neck with great speed.


    Ling Chen tilted his body, ignoring the attack overhead, and directly rammed his left shoulder towards his opponent. This was a self-sacrificing move, and if the opponent did not retreat, both would be hit.


    Sure enough, Ye Liangyong chose not to sh directly and immediately pulled back, widening the distance to avoid Ling Chen¡¯s charge.


    "Again!"


    Ling Chen pressed forward, his fists flying faster with each strike, the onlookers only seeing his shoulders quivering incessantly, unable to keep up with the rhythm of his punches.


    However, no matter how fast Ling Chen was, he couldn¡¯t break through Ye Liangyong¡¯s impervious defense.


    Suddenly, Ling Chen¡¯s fists halted abruptly, only to see Ye Liangyong¡¯s hands tightly gripping his wrists, rendering him immobile.


    "Well done!"


    "Indeed, Master Ye is formidable; thatd is no match for him."


    Seeing Ye Liangyong sessfully subdue Ling Chen, the disciples of the Martial Arts Academy immediately rejoiced.


    Gao Wei said darkly, "Ye, that boy crippled my ten fingers, now please cripple his hands for me too."


    "Young man, do you wish to continue?"


    Facing Ye Liangyong¡¯s gaze, Ling Chen grinned.


    "Why not? You have already used your full strength, but I have not."


    Ye Liangyong sensed trouble, but before he could react, he saw Ling Chen twist his arms, his power suddenly bursting forth, instantly breaking free from his grasp and striking with his fist.


    His expression changed, and he quickly retreated. However, in that moment, his eyes unintentionally met Ling Chen¡¯s, and his expression froze, causing his movements to slow down.


    In Ling Chen¡¯s clear pupils, there was now a piercing coldness, as if one were amidst heaps of bones and skulls.


    Seeing that cold gaze, an inexplicable chill rose from his feet, his whole body feeling as if plunged into an ice cave.


    "Mr. Ye, I appreciate your leniency."


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s voice, Ye Liangyong finally snapped out of it. Seeing the fist stopped in front of him, he gave a wry smile, stepped back, and cupped his fists, "It is I who was inferior in skills."


    "Defeated?"


    The onlooking disciples couldn¡¯t believe it. Ye Liangyong had been in the lead, yet within seconds, Ling Chen had reversed the situation, which they found hard to ept.


    "Old man, would you like toe down and y?"


    Ling Chen looked at He Ziyun, full of fighting spirit.


    It had been a long time since he had faced a true master, and intuitively, he believed this old man was very strong. Ye Liangyong had sparked his interest, and he was eager for a spirited battle.


    "Young friend, I¡¯m too old and frail, not fit to endure your challenging, please spare me."


    Ling Chen curled his lip; clearly, the old man was refusing him. Well then, since there¡¯s no fight to be had, it¡¯s time to handle business.


    "You two,e here." He pointed at Gao Wei and Song Yi.


    "Xiong, repeat what happened, so everyone knows the truth."


    As soon as Zhao Zhengxiong finished, Gao Wei startedining, "Master, it wasn¡¯t like that at all, it was he who struck mercilessly first, I and Senior Brother Song..."


    "Silence!"


    Ye Liangyong shouted, "You use him ofcking Martial Arts Ethics, yet when he sparred with me, he halted at touching. Conversely, you often threaten to maim with little provocation, is this the ethics a martial artist should have? Master was in Beijing a while ago, but the other Senior Brothers were at the Martial Arts Academy, maybe someone from them knows your actions, should I call them to testify?"


    "Ye, the innocent need no defense, feel free to summon the Senior Brothers to testify," Song Yi responded.


    "Good, as your Senior Brother, I hope you are innocent."


    Ye Liangyong scanned the other disciples.


    "Anyone who knows the truth, speak up."


    The disciples looked at each other, none making a sound.


    Song Yi smugly said, "Ye, I told you, I am innocent, it¡¯s them who nder me."


    "I...I can testify."


    Suddenly, the little girl who had let Ling Chen in earlier timidly peeked out from behind He Ziyun, on the verge of tears, "That day, I saw Senior Brother Song distributing money to other Senior Brothers, and he also bought me two lollipops, telling me not to tell anyone. Master, Little Hua knows she was wrong, please don¡¯t punish me."


    As she spoke, the little girl wiped her tears, looking pitiful.


    He Ziyun lovingly picked her up, cooing, "Very well, as long as you behave from now on, Master promises not to punish you."


    "Hmph!"


    Ye Liangyong looked at the pale-faced Gao Wei and Song Yi, and the other disciples, his face as grim as water.

 Chapter 24: The North Has a Peerless Beauty

    <h4>Chapter 24: Chapter 24: The North Has a Peerless Beauty</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "Good, very good, these are the talents nurtured by our Qingyun Martial Arts Hall. You have indeed not let me and the Master down. Even a seven-year-old girl knows to distinguish right from wrong, and to admit her mistakes proactively, yet you are not even as good as a little girl. What is the use of keeping you here? Hand over the money and return it to the people. From now on, find your own path, Qingyun Martial Arts Hall will no longer keep you."


    Hearing this, the disciples were shocked and immediately knelt down.


    "Senior Brother, we all realize our mistake, please forgive us this time."


    "Master, please don¡¯t expel us from the school."


    He Ziyun sighed softly.


    "There¡¯s no need to plead with me. This trip to Beijing, I¡¯ve already passed the position of Martial Arts Hall Master to your Senior Brother. Originally, I wanted to tell you today, but I didn¡¯t expect... How to handle this matter is now fully entrusted to your Senior Brother."


    "Senior Brother..."


    There was another chorus of pleas.


    At this moment, Ling Chen, who was observing, noticed that Ye Liangyong was casting a pleading nce at him. Smart as he was, he immediately understood. Ye Liangyong didn¡¯t really want to drive these disciples away, but instead wanted to use this opportunity to establish his own authority. The time was almost ripe; it was about time for him to provide a way out.


    Thinking this, Ling Chen cleared his throat and said, "Mr. Ye, to know one¡¯s mistake and to correct it is the greatest virtue. Everyone makes mistakes, and they should not be defined by one fault. My suggestion is to give them another chance and judge them based on their future performance."


    Feigning contemtion, Ye Liangyong then nodded and said, "Alright, this time I¡¯m sparing you for Mr. Ling¡¯s sake. If anyone dares to do it again, I will show no mercy. As for you two..."


    He looked coldly at Gao Wei and Song Yi.


    "Pack up and get out of Qingyun Martial Arts Hall right away. I won¡¯t keep shameless scum."


    Gao Wei and Song Yi, with heads bowed, dared not even fart, and scuttled away dejectedly.


    "Get up and leave, do you want to kneel here and be aughing stock?"


    Once all the disciples had left, Ye Liangyong approached Ling Chen, cupped his fists, and said, "Young brother, I¡¯m really sorry, it¡¯s unfortunate for our school to have such unruly disciples."


    "It¡¯s ok. Mr. Ye, if there¡¯s nothing else, we¡¯ll take our leave now."


    "Please wait, Ling."


    Seeing He Ziyuning towards him, Ling Chen said, "Mr. He, do you have something else?"


    "Ling, perhaps have your friends leave first, and we can chat afterward."


    "No problem."


    After sending Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong away, Ling Chen followed He Ziyun to the main hall of the Siheyuan.


    After the three of them sat down, a little girl named Little Hua politely brought over a cup of tea and handed it to Ling Chen.


    "Ling, who did you learn your martial arts from? I just noticed that your technique seems quite diverse, not like it¡¯s from any orthodox school."


    "I figured it out step by step on my own."


    Ling Chen wasn¡¯t lying; he had self-taught his skills through a lost manual. Later, during his fugitive life, after numerous bloodied experiences, his martial arts gradually transformed, discarding unnecessary flourishes, focusing on the fastest way to kill an enemy. Therefore, his punches and kicks were all about wide swings and lethal strikes.


    "I see Ling is indeed a martial arts prodigy."


    "Young brother, your skills are formidable, but I sense too much killing intent. You should be mindful of that in the future."


    "I¡¯m aware."


    "Little Hua, it¡¯s time for your medicine."


    Just then, a woman walked in from outside.


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t tear his eyes away from the neer, and his gaze was firmly captivated.


    The woman was about his age, dressed in a simple dress, with long hair over her shoulders, and a delicate figure.


    To describe the woman¡¯s appearance and demeanor, Ling Chen could only think of one word: soft.


    If Nanrong Wanqing was a snow lotus atop an icy peak, then this woman would be the gentle water of Bibo Lake, soft and beautiful everywhere. One nce was enough to soothe a turbulent heart, as if caressed by a slender jade hand, immediately bringing tranquility.


    Apparently feeling Ling Chen¡¯s intense gaze, the woman turned her head, gave him a look, and said embarrassedly, "Sorry, I wasn¡¯t aware we had guests."


    Tsk tsk, even her voice was so gentle. Ling Chen inwardly marveled.


    He had always believed that Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s beauty and temperament were unsurpassable, only to find there existed another ethereal and gentle woman in this world.


    "Xiaozhu, let me introduce you, this is Ling Chen. Young brother, this is Zhu Xiaozhu, she¡¯s a doctor."


    "Miss Zhu, I¡¯m pleased to meet you."


    As soon as Mr. Ye finished speaking, Ling Chen took the initiative to reach out his hand, and the scent of a maiden immediately assailed his senses, swaying his mind.


    Confronted with his courtesy, Zhu Xiaozhu couldn¡¯t refuse, and lightly grasped his hand before quickly letting go. However, in that brief moment, Ling Chen had already felt the softness and smoothness of her skin.


    Top-notch!


    He could get away without washing his hands today.


    "Little Hua, it¡¯s time,e back with me."


    "Coming, Xiaozhu sister."


    Little Hua took Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s hand and skipped out of the room.


    "Mr. He, is Miss Zhu also your disciple?"


    Encountering such a beauty, he naturally wanted to inquire further.


    "If only I had such good fortune."


    He Ziyun chuckled and said, "Xiaozhu¡¯s master and I have been friends for many years; she¡¯s just staying with me temporarily."


    "She¡¯s not a local?"


    Ye Liangyong added, "Her family lives in Beijing. Young brother, you seem quite interested in Xiaozhu, could it be you fancy her?"


    Ling Chen, hearing the teasing tone in Ye Liangyong¡¯s voice, cracked a smile and said, "A gentleman covets a gracefuldy; who doesn¡¯t like a beauty?"


    "Ha ha, young brother has good taste; it¡¯s said that in the east there¡¯s Nanrong, in the north there¡¯s Xiaozhu, they¡¯re both recognized as stunning beauties by everyone. Unfortunately, she¡¯s been quite busy these few days, otherwise, I would have introduced you two."


    "No, no, no."


    Ling Chen hurriedly said, "Mr. He, it¡¯s just a joke, please don¡¯t take it seriously."


    He still had a sense of self-awareness; some women could only be admired from a distance, not to be approached lightly, such as Nanrong Wanqing and the just-met Zhu Xiaozhu.


    After sitting for not much longer, Ling Chen stood up and proposed to leave.


    Ye Liangyong saw Ling Chen out and said, "Young brother, I have to ask a favor of you ¨C I hope you can visit us here more often when you have time, to chat with my master. My master often stays at home alone, and usually only has those disciples around, seldom interacting with outsiders. With your excellent martial arts, you would have many topics inmon with my master."


    "Mr. Ye, don¡¯t you apany him?"


    "Young brother might not be aware, but I usually don¡¯t stay in East Sea City, spending most of my time in Beijing because I have apany to manage, so I don¡¯te back here often."


    "So Mr. Ye is in business. Alright, I¡¯ll definitelye to visit Mr. He when I get the chance."


    "That would be much appreciated."


    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 25 Lady Su’s Boyfriend

    <h4>Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Lady Su¡¯s Boyfriend</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    A day¡¯s vacation passed, and Ling Chen¡¯s life was back on track.


    This morning, after finishing work, Ling Chen went to Wei Jun¡¯s office as usual, brewed a cup of tea, propped his feet up on the desk, and enjoyed the air conditioning.


    Before he could enjoy it for long, someone walked in from the door.


    "Wei..."


    Ling Chen was about to speak, but when he saw who it was, he immediately swallowed his words and said with a smile: "Isn¡¯t this Miss Su? What brings Miss Su to my ce today? Could it be that you¡¯re itching for a verbal sparring match?"


    Su Lin, unlike her usual fiery temper, snorted coldly: "I wouldn¡¯t stoop so low as to argue with a brute like you." She paused, then changed the subject: "I¡¯m going out, and you¡¯re apanying me."


    "Me?"


    Ling Chen was taken aback. Was this girl feverish, asking him to go out with her? Was she plotting something against him again?


    "It¡¯s you. Stop the chatter ande with me, we¡¯re running out of time."


    "Miss Su, let me make it clear to you, I am a security staff of thepany, not an escort. I refuse your request."


    "You..."


    Su Lin was furious, but thinking about her own schemes, she immediately suppressed her anger and said: "Ling, I¡¯m asking you toe with me to ensure my safety, which doesn¡¯t go against the nature of your job. You have no right to refuse. And for your information, Wanqing has already approved it. Go ask her if you don¡¯t believe me."


    "Really?"


    Ling Chen looked at her skeptically, wondering what trick she was pulling. Given her rtionship with Nanrong Wanqing, asking would be pointless; the matter was undoubtedly true.


    Su Lin urged him impatiently: "Hurry up, I¡¯m pressed for time."


    "Fine, since the chairman has spoken, I¡¯ll make the trip with you."


    Once outside thepany, Su Lin tossed the Maserati car keys into his hand: "You drive."


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t refuse; it was a rare opportunity to enjoy a luxury car.


    "Miss Su, where to?"


    "The airport."


    "OK, buckle up."


    With a press of the elerator and a roaring sound, the Maserati shot onto the road like a bolt of lightning.


    Ten minutester, the car was on the spacious airport boulevard. Su Lin immediately regretted letting Ling Chen drive when the maniac sped up to nearly two hundred miles per hour.


    "Slow down... slow down."


    Feeling the airne-like speed, Su Lin¡¯s heart thumped wildly, and she trembled as she spoke.


    "No worries, aren¡¯t you in a hurry?" Ling Chen tantly ignored Su Lin¡¯s request and sped up even more.


    "Ling, slow down now!" Su Lin¡¯s temper red up again, and she reached out to grab him.


    "Miss Su, you¡¯d better not touch me. If something happens, don¡¯t me me."


    Hearing this, Su Lin immediately backed off, not daring to disturb Ling Chen and risk an ident. But although she couldn¡¯t vocalize it, she cursed Ling Chen a hundred times over in her heart.


    In no time, Ling Chen covered the tens of kilometers to the airport in less than ten minutes. Stepping out of the car, Su Lin felt her legs go weak, barely able to stand steadily, her face pale with fright.


    "Miss Su, do you need me to help you?"


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s smug expression, Su Lin felt an urge to pounce on him and bite him; this guy was too darn annoying.


    Apanying Su Lin at the airport exit, Ling Chen, out of boredom, casually asked, "Miss Su, who are you here to pick up?"


    "Why should I tell you?"


    "If you don¡¯t tell me, I can still guess."


    "Like hell I¡¯d believe you."


    "The fact that you¡¯re personallying to pick someone up at the airport shows that person is very important to you; it¡¯s very likely a family member."


    Hearing this, Su Lin opened her mouth wanting to tell him he guessed wrong and to take the opportunity to take him down a notch, but then she heard him continue, "However, you made a special effort to dress up before going out today. With your looks, even without makeup you¡¯re a great beauty, but you still put on light makeup, which indicates you really care about that person¡¯s opinion of you."


    Ling Chen said with a smile, "Miss Su, did youe today to see your boyfriend?"


    Su Lin¡¯s pretty face blushed slightly, and she snorted softly without engaging in his conversation.


    After a while, arge crowd of passengers poured out from the airport¡¯s exit channel.


    Su Lin stood on her tiptoes, looking around. A few minutester, a young man dressed in casual clothes appeared in her line of sight. She smiled brightly and waved her hand, calling out, "Qin Yang, I¡¯m here!"


    Hearing her call, the young man named Qin Yang immediately put on a brilliant smile and hurried over, arms open wide wanting to give her a hug, but Su Lin blocked him with her hand, opting instead to just hold his hand firmly.


    Qin Yang seemed ustomed to her response and smiled nonchntly, "Linlin, I¡¯ve missed you so much. Without you by my side, every single day abroad has been torture for me."


    Su Lin replied shyly, "Me too."


    Ling Chen, standing nearby, couldn¡¯t help but shiver; it was too sweet for him to handle. Seeing that their sweet nothings weren¡¯t over yet, Ling Chen took the chance to size up Qin Yang. Not too old, just over twenty, fair and clean-looking, tall and well-built ¨C a typical handsome guy. And considering the pricey branded clothes he wore, his family background must be decent; no wonder he caught Su Lin¡¯s eye.


    "Are we ready to go now?"


    It wasn¡¯t until Ling Chen spoke up that Qin Yang noticed him.


    "Linlin, who is this?"


    "He¡¯s a security guard and driver I borrowed from Wanqing."


    "Oh, I see, a driver; I thought he was your friend." Qin Yang chuckled, casually tossing his luggage bag into Ling Chen¡¯s hands with amanding tone, "Put the bag in the car for me."


    Ling Chen touched his nose; this guy was actually treating him like a servant. After hesitating for a moment, heplied and carried the bag to the car. No matter what, Qin Yang was Su Lin¡¯s boyfriend, and he couldn¡¯t let Su Lin lose face, or let their rtionship be affected because of him. There are some things he could do, and some he couldn¡¯t; he still had some basic principles.


    Once in the car, Ling Chen asked, "Miss Su, where to?"


    "Go to Delin Western Restaurant on East Shun Street."


    "Not going back?"


    "It¡¯s almost eleven o¡¯clock; Qin Yang must be hungry after such a long flight, let¡¯s go eat first."


    Ling Chen was somewhat surprised; he didn¡¯t expect this fiery-tempered girl to be so considerate of others.


    With a guest in tow, Ling Chen didn¡¯t drive too fast on the way back, obeying all the rules and smoothly made it to Delin Western Restaurant.


    "You scound... Ling Chen, why don¡¯t you join us? I¡¯ll reserve a separate seat for you, and you can drive us back after we finish eating."


    Su Lin was so used to calling him a bastard that it slipped out naturally, but she was quick to react and changed her words, remembering her boyfriend was with her, and her tone became gentle.


    She wasn¡¯t used to it, and neither was Ling Chen. Having always seen her fiery temper, thisdylike demeanor was new to him.


    Truly, the power of love was great. He silently reflected.

 Chapter 26 Paying Your Own Bill (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Paying Your Own Bill (Part 1)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Upon entering the second-floor of Delin Western Restaurant, Ling Chen found that Su Lin had already reserved seats. Although Su Lin mentioned she would arrange a separate seat for him, the spot was right next to her Qin Yang, with only a meter¡¯s distance.


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t understand, "You two being all lovey-dovey, why put me so close? What am I, a third wheel?"


    The Delin Western Restaurant was of high ss, with luxurious decoration primarily in European style. In the center of the hall, there was a white piano, with a blonde, blue-eyed man in a tailcoat gently touching with both hands, ying a beautiful melody¡ªvery romantic.


    Not long after sitting down, a female waiter quickly came over, politely handing over the menu.


    "Sir, what would you like?"


    Looking at the exquisite menu, Ling Chen replied, "Do you have fried rice with egg, therge portion?"


    The waitress paused, then exined, "Sir, I¡¯m sorry, but this is a Western restaurant."


    "Linlin, where did you find this driver? Hees to a Western restaurant and orders fried rice with egg. Others will think it¡¯s a country bumpkin¡¯s first time in the city. Waitress, arrange a different seat for him, don¡¯t let him stay here and embarrass me."


    Qin Yang had an expression of displeasure and disdain, as if being associated with Ling Chen was beneath him.


    "I¡¯m very sorry, sir, but we¡¯re fully booked."


    "Qin Yang, he¡¯s obviously a rough man; why bother arguing with him about these things."


    After Su Lin¡¯s words, Qin Yang chose to stay quiet and carelessly ordered a couple of items.


    Looking at the menu, Ling Chen had no appetite. During those years abroad, he had Western food every day and now he was tired of it. Plus, the portions were too small, and being a practical man, all he cared about was whether he could get full or not.


    How good fried rice with egg is, economical and satisfying. One bowl and you¡¯re not hungry for half a day.


    "Then get me two portions of filet mignon steaks."


    "Do you need any wine, sir?¡¯


    "Bring a bottle of Bnte¡¯s red dry wine."


    "Alright, it¡¯ll be right up."


    After the waitress left, Su Lin looked at Ling Chen in surprise; this country bumpkin actually knows to pair steak with red wine, wonder where he picked up this kind of sophistication.


    Before long, a steak and a ss of red wine were served.


    Watching Ling Chen devouring his food, Qin Yang withdrew his gaze in disgust. Country bumpkin is a country bumpkin; nobody eats steak like that. Western dining is all about being graceful, a disy of one¡¯s temperament. This guy sticks out like a sore thumb in this environment, Su Lin really must have her reasons to keep such a person around.


    "Qin Yang, was it tough being abroad for the past month?"


    Su Lin seemed to forget Ling Chen¡¯s presence, casually chatting with Qin Yang.


    "Of course, it was tough. I went there to push myself, I have to face some hardships."


    "Nowadays, fewer and fewer people have ambition like you. Not like some people, who know nothing but brute force, not willing to learn at a young age, only fit to be a security guard."


    The more Ling Chen listened, the more it tasted off, that ¡¯some people¡¯ seemed to refer to him. Although he knew Su Lin was talking about him, since the other party didn¡¯t name names, there was no need for him to join the conversation uninvited, pretending he heard nothing, and continued eating his steak.


    Seeing Ling Chen not picking up the conversation, Su Lin couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit disappointed. She had nned to use this opportunity to strike at him. But since Ling Chen didn¡¯t y along, she had no way to proceed, so she reluctantly swallowed the words she had been brewing.


    "Qin Yang, what activities were included in the amateur military training expansion you did abroad?"


    "There were a mix of activities. Apart from the daily specified basic training, we also had to survive in the wilderness, eat raw snake meat and insects. The first few days had me vomiting so much that my stomach acid came up. Fortunately, I have a strong adaptability. Out of all the members who participated in the wilderness survival training, I was the only one who persisted to the end."


    "I knew you were the best." Su Lin looked smugly at Ling Chen, as if to tell him, see, my boyfriend is no worse than you.


    Ling Chen just shrugged his shoulders, pretending not to notice the look she gave him.


    "Linlin, the scenery on that ind is so beautiful, especially the sunsets there. You would definitely fall in love with the ce if you saw it. Every evening I would watch the sunset, thinking about our future. If we get married in the future, I will definitely build a vi there, spend every day watching the tidee and go, the setting sun, and grow old together."


    Qin Yang spoke with passion and emotion, and Su Lin was intoxicated by the beautiful scenery he described, her face beaming with happiness.


    Ling Chen sipped his red wine and sighed to himself, another woman dazed by love.


    Ideals are plump, reality is skinny; sooner orter they will learn this firsthand. But on second thought, considering the backgrounds of Su Lin and Qin Yang, they indeed have the means to turn their ideals into reality.


    "Linlin, when I was doing diving training over there, I found a shell with a pearl inside. It¡¯s not something precious, but it was something I salvaged from the ocean floor with my own hands. I n to make it into a pendant for you, to represent our pure rtionship, and I hope you will like it."


    Su Lin said sweetly, "As long as it¡¯s from you, I¡¯ll like it."


    Listening to the two exchanging sweet nothings, Ling Chen was getting restless. It¡¯s just dinner; was there a need to unt their affection in front of me? At the very least, they should consider the feelings of a single guy like me.


    "Miss Su, I have finished eating. I¡¯ll go back to the car first."


    "Go ahead, just don¡¯t forget to pay the bill."


    "Pay the bill?"


    Ling Chen was stunned and pointed at his nose, saying, "Miss Su, are you kidding me? You¡¯re asking me to pay?"


    "Is there a problem? Of course, you should pay for what you ate. Why should I pay for you? I said I would help you reserve a spot, but I never offered to pay for you."


    "Miss Su, I am currently working for you, arranging a meal for me is only natural. How could you have me pay for it?"


    Ling Chen tried to reason with this youngdy.


    "You¡¯re not an employee I hired; you¡¯re just someone I¡¯m temporarily using. If you want reimbursement for the meal, you can go to Wanqing. Don¡¯te to me."


    At this point, it was clear to any observer that Su Lin was deliberately making things difficult for Ling Chen.


    Though Qin Yang did not know where Ling Chen had offended Su Lin, he would not miss this opportunity to showcase himself. He proactively called over the waiter and pointed at Ling Chen: "Settle this gentleman¡¯s bill."


    "Sir, your total consumption is three thousand eight hundred yuan; would you like to pay by card or cash?"


    "Three thousand eight?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes widened. He had assumed that Su Lin would cover the cost, so he hadn¡¯t paid attention to the price; little did he know the meal was outrageously expensive. He only had a few hundred yuan in his pocket, nowhere near enough to cover the bill.


    "Sir, two steaks for one thousand three hundred yuan, one bottle of red wine for two thousand five hundred yuan, a total of three thousand eight hundred yuan, there¡¯s no mistake with the amount."


    Ling Chen was speechless. He could pay three hundred eighty, but three thousand eight hundred... Even if stripped bare, he wouldn¡¯t have that much money. This youngdy was ruthless, using such a mean trick against him.

 Chapter 27 Paying the Bill Oneself (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Paying the Bill Oneself (Part 2)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "Sir, would you like to pay with card or cash?"


    Ling Chen spread his hands.


    "I don¡¯t have that much money, ask her for it."


    The waiter nced at Su Lin, who tly retorted, "I don¡¯t know him."


    Qin Yang sneered, "There really are all sorts of people nowadays, not having money and still daring to dine here." He deliberately raised his voice, attracting the attention of the surrounding customers.


    "Three thousand eight, right?"


    Qin Yang pulled out a bank card and threw it on the table, then stretched his legs out from under the table, looking at Ling Chen with a smile that was not quite a smile.


    "Wipe these shoes clean for me, and I¡¯ll cover your meal."


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, appearing to smile on the surface, but those who knew him were aware that when he squinted his eyes, it meant he was really displeased.


    Thinking he could be humiliated in public, as if he, Ling Chen, would take such a loss.


    Seeing her boyfriend stand up for her, Su Lin was overjoyed, finally getting a chance to properly teach this thug a lesson.


    "Ling Chen, thirty-eight hundred for a pair of shoes, that¡¯s not a deal youe across every day. Only my dear Qin Yang would be so generous, what are you spacing out for?" she gloated.


    Ling Chen remained silent, merely giving her a faint nce, but that look made Su Lin quite ufortable.


    From his gaze, Su Lin actually felt a kind of pity and mockery, as though she was a pathetic woman.


    She couldn¡¯t understand where she appeared pitiful. Clearly, it was him who was embarrassed.


    Ignoring Su Lin¡¯s dissatisfied look, Ling Chen casually sat down, taking out his phone and said to the waiter, "I¡¯ll call a friend to bring money over, we¡¯ll pay the billter."


    "Sir, I apologize, but could you please vacate the seat? We have other customers waiting in line."


    "I¡¯m not refusing to pay, why should I give up my seat?"


    Qin Yang scoffed, "Youe to eat without money and you still think you¡¯re right. The fact that they haven¡¯t kicked you out is already giving you enough face. Mr. Ling, keep some dignity for yourself and don¡¯t lose it all here."


    "What¡¯s my dignity got to do with you? Stop your useless babbling. Shut your mouth and eat your food."


    "You dare talk to me like that?"


    Qin Yang¡¯s face turned dark immediately.


    "What, you have a problem with that?"


    "Mr. Ling, I advise you to be more observant and not to provoke anyone carelessly, or you¡¯ll suffer consequences you can¡¯t handle."


    "In my eyes, there is no one who can¡¯t be provoked, especially someone like you. One p and you¡¯ll all turn into sobbing bears. If you don¡¯t believe me, try it, but don¡¯t me meter for bullying you."


    "You..."


    Qin Yang made a move to stand up, but Su Lin hurriedly held him back. She knew Ling Chen¡¯s capabilities; although her boyfriend was excellent, Ling Chen was, after all, someone who had genuinely practiced martial arts.


    "Qin Yang, there¡¯s no need to stoop to his level and waste energy on him."


    Qin Yang snorted coldly.


    "Mr. Ling, out of respect for Linlin, I¡¯ll overlook this. Waiter, hurry up and kick him out, and don¡¯t let this bumpkin ruin my mood."


    "What¡¯s going on?"


    At this moment, a middle-aged man dressed in a suit approached.


    "Manager..."


    "Luo Quan, long time no see."


    Before the waiter could finish, Qin Yang took over the conversation, greeting him proactively.


    "Isn¡¯t this Mr. Qin? What brings you here today?"


    Recognizing the visitor, Luo Quan¡¯s attitude changed instantly, bowing slightly while speaking respectfully, his face full of smiles.


    "Luo Quan, you¡¯ve arrived just in time. This person not only ate for free but also spoiled the mood for me and my girlfriend. As the manager, shouldn¡¯t you take care of this?"


    "Rest assured, Mr. Qin. I¡¯ll handle it right away."


    While speaking, the waiter whispered a few words into Luo Quan¡¯s ear. Luo Quan nodded in response, then turned his attention to Ling Chen.


    "Mr. Ling, I believe the waiter exined the situation clearly. Please move and let another customer have your seat. As for yourck of funds, we can discuss thatter."


    Ling Chen toyed with the wine ss in his hand, displeased, "Manager, you should be more generous. I¡¯m not refusing to pay; isn¡¯t it a bit unreasonable to ask me to move? Is hospitality in your restaurant based on social status?"


    Luo Quan¡¯s expression turned cold, hands behind his back.


    "Sir, if you continue to make a fuss, don¡¯t me me for being impolite."


    "Luo Quan, some people are too shameless to take a hint. Why bother talking nonsense with him? This ungrateful sort won¡¯t learn their lesson without a firm hand."


    "Yes, Mr. Qin. Come here!"


    As he said this, several tall security guards quickly arrived from the entrance, taking a formidable stance beside Ling Chen.


    "Mr. Ling, I have asked nicely. Don¡¯t be ungrateful."


    "Young man, step back and you¡¯ll find boundless prospects. Why make life difficult for yourself?"


    A customer nearby said.


    Ling Chen shrugged his shoulders. Why should he back down? As someone who never got the short end of the stick, that was not in his nature.


    Seeing him remain unmoved, the surrounding customers shook their heads, another case of a person so concerned with face that he was willing to suffer for it.


    "Throw him out!"


    Luo Quan motioned with a wave of his hand.


    The security guards immediately moved in, about to grab Ling Chen¡¯s clothes and drag him off the chair.


    Qin Yang curled his lip, a cold smile on his face, watching Ling Chen with contempt.


    Trying to fight me? Watch how I crush you.


    "Stop!"


    Just as the security guards were about to make their move, a voice suddenly rang out.


    Everyone turned to look, and saw a dignified middle-aged man apanied by several others walking towards them.


    Upon seeing the neer, the expressions of everyone present changed, their eyes filled with shock.


    "That¡¯s Mr. Ye from Beijing."


    "What¡¯s he doing here?"


    "Mr. Ye."


    Luo Quan was slightly surprised and quickly ran forward to greet him. First, he respectfully greeted Mr. Ye, and then, to the man behind Mr. Ye, he said, "Boss, you¡¯re here too."


    "Luo Quan, what¡¯s going on?"


    "Boss..."


    Luo Quan was about to exin, but then he saw Mr. Ye walk past him, go directly to Ling Chen¡¯s table, and with a smile, said, "Young man, we meet again."


    Ling Chen grinned, "Mr. Ye, what a coincidence to meet you here."


    The Mr. Ye here was none other than Ye Liangyong, whom he¡¯d met at Qingyun Martial Arts Hall. Initially, Ye Liangyong had only mentioned that he was a businessman, but looking at the entourage surrounding him, he was evidently not just a simple businessman.


    Ye Liangyong nced at the nearby security and inquired, "Are these guys giving you trouble?"


    "Can¡¯t help it, a gentle person is easy to bully, and an honest person like me gets picked on wherever I go."


    "Zhong Hao."


    "Mr. Ye, do you have any instructions?"


    The man called Zhong Hao was the owner of this Western restaurant.

 Chapter 28 Exposure

    <h4>Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Exposure</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Ye Liangyong pointed at Ling Chen.


    "This young man is my friend. You¡¯d better give me a reasonable exnation."


    Hearing this, Luo Quan behind him changed his expression instantly, cursing his luck inwardly, and quickly said, "Mr. Ye, Mr. Ling didn¡¯t bring money to pay for his meal. I asked him to give up his seat for other customers."


    "I did not bring money, but I did not say I would dine and dash. I told you I would have my friend send money over. Manager Luo, you can¡¯t just say whatever you want. It was clearly under his direction that you tried to kick me out."


    Saying this, Ling Chen pointed his finger at Qin Yang.


    Zhong Hao nced at Qin Yang and frowned, saying, "Luo Quan, did he tell you to do this?"


    "Nonsense."


    It was Su Lin who spoke up, seeing Ling Chen aiming the usation at her boyfriend, she hurriedly said, "Ling Chen, don¡¯t sling mud. This has nothing to do with Qin Yang."


    As the daughter of a wealthy family, she knew all too well who Ye Liangyong was. He was definitely not someone Qin Yang could afford to offend. She couldn¡¯t understand how that bastard Ling Chen could have any dealings with Ye Liangyong, considering the vast disparity between their statuses.


    "Miss Su, I understand you want to protect your boyfriend, but I just think it¡¯s sad that your boyfriend has betrayed you and yet you¡¯re still on his side wholeheartedly. I don¡¯t know whether to call you foolish or na?ve."


    Qin Yang was getting restless and angrily retorted, "Ling Chen, you can eat whatever you want, but you can¡¯t just say anything. Which eye of yours saw me betraying Linlin?"


    "Mr. Qin, you should be more careful in the future. Didn¡¯t you know that when you check in luggage, there¡¯s a flight tag attached to it? You gave me your luggage previously, and the flight information on the tag showed you flew back to East Sea City from the Gambling City. Mr. Qin, there¡¯s a wealth of beauties in Gambling City, must have been lots of fun, huh?"


    Qin Yang¡¯s face changed, and his eyes flickered nervously.


    "Is what he¡¯s saying true?"


    "Linlin, don¡¯t listen to his nonsense, I was just transiting through Gambling City, I didn¡¯t stay there at all."


    "Is that so? Mr. Qin, you said you were doing a survival training on an ind, then why is your skin so fair, not a trace of sunburn anywhere."


    Without waiting for Qin Yang to respond, Ling Chen continued, "Let alone that, didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯re very skilled at wilderness survival training? Manager Luo, bring Mr. Qin a raw steak."


    Luo Quan hesitated a moment, but after a nce from Zhong Hao, he quickly ran into the kitchen. Soon after, a raw steak was brought to Qin Yang¡¯s table.


    "Mr. Qin, the taste of this raw steak is much better than raw snake meat and insects. You dared to eat insects, so I trust this is also no challenge for you. Come, let¡¯s all witness Mr. Qin¡¯s wilderness survival skills."


    "Qin Yang..."


    Su Lin looked on with a blend of nervousness and anticipation.


    Qin Yang, looking at the bloody raw steak, suddenly felt nauseous. After hesitating for a moment, he still picked up the steak. But before it even reached his mouth, the strong smell of blood assaulted his nostrils.


    Just the scent of blood made him feel his stomach churning, and he started to retch violently, almost throwing up what he had eaten earlier.


    After hesitating repeatedly, he put down the steak and, not daring to look at Su Lin opposite him, he lowered his head and said, "I... I can¡¯t do it."


    "You... it turns out..."


    Su Lin¡¯s face turned pale as tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks, forming two clear streams that traced her face.


    "So, everything you said was a lie. And to think I trusted you so much. Qin, you bastard!"


    In desperation, she grabbed the red wine ss from the table and sshed it directly onto Qin Yang¡¯s face. The red wine immediately sttered all over Qin Yang, leaving him in a sorry state.


    It seemed that wasn¡¯t enough to satisfy her, as Su Lin then smashed the wine ss towards his head. Instantly, Qin Yang¡¯s forehead was shed open, and blood gushed forth.


    Being treated this way by a woman in public, Qin Yang felt an overwhelming sense of humiliation and cursed angrily, "Have you had enough, you crazy woman? Sure, I went to Sin City to mess around with women, so what? It was all because of you. We¡¯ve been together for over a year, and besides holding hands, you wouldn¡¯t let me do anything else. I¡¯m a man with normal needs; anyone would go crazy dealing with a woman like you."


    "You... Ling Chen, kill this bastard for me."


    With a shrug, Ling Chen said, "Miss Su, murder is a crime. You should do this kind of thing yourself. Look, there¡¯s a knife on the table. Stab him with it, and it¡¯ll all be over."


    Seeing Su Lin actually casting her gaze towards the knife on the table, Qin Yang was startled, fearing that the mad woman might actually go through with it. He quickly left his seat and ran towards the exit of the restaurant.


    Watching Qin Yang leave, Su Lin slumped into her chair and began to sob, covering her face. After a while, she dried the tears from the corners of her eyes, stood up, dropped a card, and made her way towards the exit.


    After walking a few steps, she turned back and pointed at Ling Chen with eyes red from crying, her voice cold as ice: "I¡¯ve also paid for his bill."


    "Miss Su, Miss Su."


    Ling Chen called out twice, but Su Lin ignored him and walked straight out the door.


    Seeing this, he felt a sense of foreboding. This girl might have been too shocked and might do something foolish.


    "Young man, better chase after her quickly. A woman who¡¯s been through a breakup is the most terrifying creature," Ye Liangyong reminded him.


    "Mr. Ye, I have to go now. We¡¯ll talk some other time."


    Chasing out of the restaurant, Ling Chen was still a step toote. He only saw the lingering exhaust from the Maserati as it sped away, quickly disappearing from his sight.


    Damn!


    Ling Chen cursed inwardly, realizing something was wrong. The keys to the Maserati were with him; who knew that Su Lin had brought a spare set. He hade out with Su Lin, and if something happened to her, he would be to me, and his conscience couldn¡¯t take it.


    With that thought, he hastily hailed a taxi to follow.


    However, the Maserati was too fast. By the time Ling Chen followed along the road, Su Lin was nowhere in sight. He then used his phone to call Nanrong Hao and got Su Lin¡¯s number. But when he dialed it, her phone was already switched off and unreachable.


    Having no other choice, he contacted Zhong Wei and reported the situation. It would be very difficult for him alone to find Su Lin in the vast East Sea City; it would be better to ask for assistance from thepany since there was strength in numbers.


    Before long, Zhong Wei called him back, ordering him to return to thepany and report to the chairman immediately.


    Back at the Hongyu Company headquarters building, Ling Chen went straight to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s office.


    Upon entering, he was met with Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s icy expression, and a chill enveloped him.


    "Chairman."


    "What happened to Linlin? Why is her phone turned off?"


    "The thing is..."


    Ling Chen told the entire story about Qin Yang.


    Nanrong Wanqing said coldly, "You went out with Linlin, and her safety was your responsibility. Now that she is missing, it only shows that you have not done your job properly. If something happens to her, can you bear the responsibility?"


    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 29 The Meddling Beauty

    <h4>Chapter 29: Chapter 29 The Meddling Beauty</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "Chairman, I..."


    "I¡¯m not in the mood to listen to your exnations, I¡¯m giving you twelve hours to find Lin. You better pray nothing happens to her, otherwise, you¡¯ll bear the consequences. Get out!"


    Leaving the office, Ling Chen mutteredints under his breath. Twelve hours was hardly enough; it all came down to luck now.


    As he reached the ground floor, he saw Zhong Wei gathering team members, even some from Team Two had been called in, amounting to over twenty people.


    "Captain Zhong."


    Seeing Ling Chen approaching, Zhong Wei¡¯s expression immediately soured.


    "Ling Chen, after you find Miss Su, you should resign on your own. I don¡¯t need irresponsible team members."


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t say anything; it was indeed his oversight this time.


    Leaving thepany, he drove the Santana slowly onto the road, starting the search for Su Lin.


    Time slowly ticked away, and before long, it was already evening.


    More than six hours had passed, and Ling Chen still hadn¡¯t found Su Lin. He thought about contacting Captain Zhong to see how the search was going on his end, but remembering Zhong Wei wasn¡¯t fond of him, he gave up on the idea. Instead, he phoned Wei Jun to have him poke around for some information.


    Shortly after, Wei Jun returned his call. Captain Zhong had no leads either, and Nanrong Wanqing had reported it to the police, asking for their assistance.


    After searching the streets for another couple of hours and seeing that it was nearly nine o¡¯clock, Ling Chen patted his grumbling belly. He parked the car and found a roadside stall, ordering arge serving of scrambled egg rice to fill up before continuing his search.


    In less than a few minutes, therge bowl of rice was empty.


    Patting his full belly and wiping the grease from his mouth, Ling Chen stood up contently.


    Right then, a white Maserati parked by the roadside caught his eye.


    Looking at the license te, Ling Chen¡¯s spirits lifted. There ¨C Su Lin had been here all along. What luck, finding her without even trying.


    He rushed excitedly to the Maserati, saw that there was no one inside, and turned his attention to the surroundings. Soon, a nearby bar drew his attention.


    Stepping inside the bar, it was filled with throbbing DJ music, and many young people engulfed in smoke, making for a chaotic environment.


    Ling Chen quickly scanned the area and found Su Lin, swaying unsteadily on a high bar stool, one hand propping her cheek, her eyes zed and her face flushed red, with a newly poured drink sitting in front of her.


    Seeing Su Lin about to down the drink in one gulp, he hurried over, grabbed her wrist, and snatched the ss from her hand.


    "Miss Su, stop drinking. Let¡¯s go home."


    "Who are you to me, why should you meddle? Get lost."


    Su Lin pushed at Ling Chen, reaching for her drink, but not sitting steadily; she ended up falling towards Ling Chen, tumbling into his arms, with her bright red lips pressing against his neck, leaving a faint lipstick mark.


    "Ling Chen, you bastard, men are all no good."


    Hearing Su Lin muttering curses to herself, Ling Chen smiled wryly, put one arm around her shoulders, and prepared to forcibly take her out of the bar.


    "Let go of me, you jerk."


    Su Lin struggled frantically, her hands beating hard on Ling Chen¡¯s body, trying to break free; but her strength was too little to make any difference, and her struggle only messed up her clothes.


    Right then, a fragrant breeze blew through, and suddenly, a person appeared in front of Ling Chen.


    "Let her go."


    Ling Chen was taken aback by the sudden appearance of the woman.


    Her figure was nearly perfect, arguably the most alluring he had ever seen in his life. Moreover, this woman¡¯s beauty was no less than Su Lin¡¯s; she was definitely a great beauty.


    He found it somewhat difficult to avert his gaze from that eye-catching spot and said to the other party: "Beautifuldy, what did you say?"


    "Let her go."


    "Do you know her?"


    "I don¡¯t, but I know what kind of person you are. Men like you love to prey on women who drown their heartbreaks in alcohol. Too bad you¡¯ve run into me today. You¡¯re out of luck."


    While speaking, the woman gazed at Su Lin in Ling Chen¡¯s arms, with a sh of astonishment and admiration in her eyes.


    Ling Chen was no ordinary person; his keen eyes immediately caught the unusual look in the woman¡¯s eyes, stirring a sense of oddness within him.


    The way this woman looked at Su Lin was not quite right; it felt like... like the way a man looks at a woman. This realization made his eyes pop open.


    Could this woman be...?


    Seeing that Ling Chen was not letting go, the woman furrowed her brows.


    "I told you to let her go, did you hear me?"


    "Beautifuldy, I think you¡¯ve misunderstood. She¡¯s my friend, and I¡¯m about to take her home."


    "Really?"


    The woman looked at Ling Chen half-believingly, then turned to ask Su Lin, "Do you know him?"


    "I don¡¯t know him, I don¡¯t know this bastard, let me go."


    Ling Chen hurriedly said: "She¡¯s drunk, don¡¯t listen to her nonsense."


    "I think you¡¯re the one talking nonsense. Let her go right now, or don¡¯t me me for being impolite."


    Ling Chen was speechless; he had only heard of heroes saving beauties, and now he was witnessing a beauty saving another beauty. It was indeed an eye-opener for him.


    Annoyed by the woman¡¯s pestering, he was in no mood to stick around as he needed to report back promptly, without any time to waste here.


    Immediately, he embraced Su Lin and strode towards the exit.


    Seeing him ignore her, the woman snorted coldly, and with a high side kick, aimed straight at the back of Ling Chen¡¯s head.


    Feeling the strong winding from behind, Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate to turn around swiftly. His movements were lightning-fast and precise as he caught the woman¡¯s ankle and gently pushed forward, causing her to stagger back several steps.


    "Youngdy, I don¡¯t like hitting women, especially beautiful women like you. You¡¯d better stop while you¡¯re ahead and not force my hand."


    "Afraid of you? Hardly."


    The woman lunged forward, ready to take another swing.


    But at this moment, arge group of people burst in from outside the bar, led by Zhong Wei. Not just Zhong Wei, Nanrong Wanqing had also arrived.


    "Captain Zhong, over here." Ling Chen waved towards the people at the doorway.


    Zhong Wei strode over, and upon seeing the drunken Su Lin, he immediately rxed.


    With Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s arrival, the noisy bar suddenly quieted down, and all eyes were fixated on her, unable to look away for a long time.


    "Chairwoman, Miss Su is safe, you can rest assured."


    Seeing Su Lin¡¯s disheveled clothes, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s expression turned slightly cold, then she nced at Ling Chen beside her. When she noticed the lipstick mark on Ling Chen¡¯s neck, her gaze instantly sharpened, and a chill emanated from her.


    "Liang Zhao Hui, you all take Miss Su back first."


    "Yes, Chairwoman."


    "Stop right there!"

 Chapter 30 Beautiful Policewoman (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Beautiful Policewoman (Part 1)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    The woman who had just confronted Ling Chen snapped back to reality from Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s stunning beauty and quickly stepped to block Liang Zhao Hui¡¯s way. Then, she pulled out a badge from her pocket and held it high for everyone to see.


    "Police. Who are all of you?"


    Ling Chen was shocked, not expecting the woman to be a police officer. He nced at the badge in her hand, Xia Mutong, a rather unisex name.


    "We are members of Hongyu Group¡¯s security department, this is our chairman Nanrong Wanqing, Miss Su is the chairman¡¯s sister, we are here to take her back. Also, we have reported to the police, you can check if you don¡¯t believe it."


    "She is Nanrong Wanqing?"


    Xia Mutong was secretly astonished, no wonder she had such outstanding looks and aura, she indeed was the golden flower of East Sea City that everyone talked about, and her attitude became slightly more polite.


    Regaining her wits, she immediately took out her phone to call the reception desk and after confirming everyone¡¯s identity, she let them pass.


    However, the disappointment in her eyes as she watched Su Lin being taken away was unmistakable.


    After leaving the bar, Nanrong Wanqing stopped Ling Chen, who was about to get into the car.


    "Chairman, is there anything else?"


    "Come over."


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t understand what she wanted, but still obediently walked over.


    As he approached, Nanrong Wanqing suddenly raised her arm, and a p flew toward Ling Chen¡¯s cheek.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen immediately stepped back and reached out to grab Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s delicate wrist. He was already frowning with anger rising in his heart, but when he grasped her bone-soft hand, it seemed to have a kind of magic, causing a jolt in his heart as if he had been electrocuted, and for a moment, he found himself unable to speak.


    Feeling the strangeness in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face turned red for no reason, and she quickly pulled her hand back.


    "Cough, um, Chairman, what are you doing?" Ling Chen said awkwardly.


    "You know very well what you¡¯ve done."


    "Chairman, please speak inly, I don¡¯t understand what you mean."


    "Ling Chen, I didn¡¯t misjudge you, it was my grandfather who was wrong about you. You are not trustworthy at all, do not show up in front of me again, I don¡¯t want to see you anymore."


    Having said that, Nanrong Wanqing was pushed in her wheelchair by her subordinates onto the Rolls-Royce.


    "Chairman..."


    "Enough."


    Zhong Wei interrupted him, coldly saying, "You should leave now, don¡¯t follow us anymore. You can go to thepany andplete the resignation procedures on your own tomorrow."


    "Captain Zhong, what exactly did I do wrong?"


    Ling Chen really couldn¡¯t understand why Nanrong Wanqing hated him so much. He had brought Su Lin back, she shouldn¡¯t be treating him this way.


    "Don¡¯t you know what you did? Go take a good look at yourself in the mirror."


    Watching the slowly departing motorcade, Ling Chen returned to his car alone, and carefully looked at himself in the mirror. Soon enough, he saw a lipstick mark on his neck.


    At that moment, he figured it out.


    Earlier, in the scuffle with Su Lin, her clothes got disheveled, and there was a lipstick mark on his neck. Anyone would have thought the worst. Nanrong Wanqing must have thought he took advantage of Su Lin while she was drunk.


    Having realized this, he couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly.


    He was too wronged, not even knowing when that lipstick mark got there.


    Well, the misunderstanding had been made. Considering Su Lin¡¯s attitude towards him, she would definitely not step forward to exin. He wasn¡¯t a man out of his senses. Since she hated him to such an extent, why should he continue to stay at thepany and make people ufortable? It was only unfortunate to lose such a generous sry, he was originally counting on that money to pay for Tang Shiyun¡¯s tuition.


    At this time, across the street, a white Buick was parked by the roadside.


    Watching the Santana merge into the traffic, the driver in the Buick took out his phone and dialed a number.


    "The information you gave me was inurate, and there is still the identity of one security personnel that hasn¡¯t been rified. That person is no ordinary individual ¨C feels like he¡¯s in the same line of work as me. You better check this out thoroughly. We¡¯re taking action tomorrow, so make sure you find out tonight."


    The next morning.


    Ling Chen leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, a de of grass dangling from his mouth, watching Nanrong Hao practice his boxing on the empty lot with a casual eye.


    After finishing a set of moves, Nanrong Hao, wiping the sweat from his forehead, ran up to Ling Chen, full of enthusiasm.


    "Chen, how was it? I¡¯ve made some pretty good progress, haven¡¯t I?"


    "Not bad, but you need to work harder, especially since your foundation is still weak." Ling Chen chuckled.


    Ling Chen checked the time; it was almost eight o¡¯clock, time to go to thepany to handle his resignation.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s downcast expression, Nanrong Hao couldn¡¯t help but say, "Chen, is everything okay? Did you suffer any setbacks at work? Tell me, I¡¯ll take care of it for you."


    "You¡¯re that capable?"


    "Of course, except for my Sister and cousin, who in thepany dares not to give me face."


    "Then you¡¯re talking nonsense."


    "Eh... Chen, the one who troubled you, it wasn¡¯t my Sister, was it? If that¡¯s the case, you¡¯re on your own; I can¡¯t help you."


    "You really are disloyal."


    Amidst their conversation, the two arrived at the parking area.


    Ling Chen was about to get into his car when suddenly his gaze was drawn to a Buick in front of him. The sight of the familiar license te made his eyes narrow instantly.


    It was the same Buick that had escapedst time.


    At that moment, the driver of the Buick gently pressed on the elerator, lurching the car forward and stopping again as if taunting.


    "Haozi."


    "Chen, what¡¯s up?"


    "Give me your car keys; you take mine and go back to thepany."


    "Okay."


    Nanrong Hao didn¡¯t ask for the reason and simply tossed the keys to Ling Chen.


    Getting into the car, Ling Chen started the engine and pushed down on the elerator. Simultaneously, the Buick shot out like an arrow.


    Soon, both cars joined the traffic on the road.


    Eight in the morning is the peak of rush hour; traffic was congested, but Ling Chen¡¯s Audi A8 and the Buick sped away furiously, quickly reaching a hundred miles per hour.


    Woo woo!


    Woo woo woo woo!


    "Please pull over immediately for an inspection, the two cars ahead."


    Amidst the crowded traffic, Ling Chen nced at the rearview mirror; a police car was catching up fast from behind. Without thinking, he floored the elerator, clinging to the other car¡¯s tail to keep it from getting away.


    After chasing for several kilometers at breakneck speed, not caring how many red lights they ran through, the number of police cars in pursuit kept growing. Suddenly, Ling Chen saw that the traffic two hundred meters ahead was jammed, impossible to get through.


    "Perfect chance, let¡¯s see where you can run now."


    No sooner had the thought urred than the Buick in front made a sharp brake, its tail swinging quickly, drifting into an alley on the side of the road.


    Without a word, Ling Chen pulled the handbrake, and the tail of the car immediately swung left. As the car¡¯s nose was about to align with the alley entrance, he coordinated his hand and foot movements ¨C shift gears, elerate, release handbrake ¨C in one smooth motion.


    The alley was narrow, just wide enough for one car, posing a serious challenge to driving skills.

 Chapter 31 Beautiful Policewoman (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Beautiful Policewoman (Part 2)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Woo woo woo woo!


    Hearing the police sirening from behind, Ling Chen was quite surprised, as the driver of the police car was skilled, managing to catch up even in such a ce.


    At that moment, the Buick in front suddenly came to an abrupt stop, then shifted into reverse, gaining speed rapidly.


    Think you can scare me?


    Ling Chen raised his eyebrows, driving the Audi straight into it.


    Bang!


    With a loud noise, the front of the Audi collided fiercely with the rear of the Buick, instantly deforming.


    Ling Chen touched his somewhat dizzy head, moved his hand to push aside the airbag, preparing to get out and pull out the driver of the Buick. However, he quickly realized that the door of the Audi was jammed shut due to the severe deformation from the collision.


    What a piece of junk.


    He cursed under his breath, then swung his fist at the front window. The already cracked window shattered into ss fragments with one punch.


    However, before he could even think about getting out of the driver¡¯s seat, he saw a person crawling out of the Buick¡¯s sunroof. Taking advantage of the height of the car, the person leaped with their legs, grabbed the surrounding wall of the alley with both hands, and with a swift movement, vanished from his sight.


    Fearing that the other party might get too far away, Ling Chen hurriedly got out of the driver¡¯s seat, fingers grasping the protruding stones on the wall, ready to climb over.


    "Don¡¯t move! Get down."


    Ling Chen nced from the corner of his eye and froze, seeing Xia Mutong with a gun in hand, her face as frosty as ever, staring at him.


    With the dark muzzle pointed at him, he inwardly cursed his luck, no longer able to focus on the fleeing target.


    "It¡¯s you?"


    At this time, Xia Mutong also recognized Ling Chen.


    "Officer Xia, the driver of the Buick has escaped, aren¡¯t you going to chase?"


    "If he escaped, it¡¯s his luck. Let¡¯s see if you have the same fortune."


    Ling Chen had no choice but to give up the great opportunity in front of him.


    Well, at worst, he¡¯d just get a speeding ticket, a few hundred yuan in fines, but it was a pity the driver of the Buick got away.


    Having witnessed the other¡¯s skills, he was even more certain that the person¡¯s identity was no simple matter. If not a professional killer, then a professional mercenary, and even a top one in the field.


    In his mind, the world¡¯s top ten mercenaries operated in teams, rarely acting alone. Moreover, mercenaries wouldn¡¯t brazenly make such provocative moves; they tend to be low-key in their operations. Considering these experiences, he could rule out the possibility of the other party being a mercenary.


    Since it wasn¡¯t a professional mercenary, it was very likely that the person was a professional assassin.


    Assassins favor calm over action, making thorough preparations and then seeking an opportunity to deliver a fatal strike out of the shadows.


    Additionally, before taking action, assassins track and investigate their targets ¡ª these characteristics all suggest that the Buick driver was an assassin.


    "Could it be him?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly.


    He knew the world¡¯s top ten assassins. Although he rarely came into contact with them, he understood their modus operandi.


    It was inevitability¡ªhis job nature required him to have this information.


    He couldn¡¯t understand what kind of grievance forced someone to hire a top assassin to put Nanrong Wanqing to death.


    After pondering for a while, the backup that Xia Mutong had called for had arrived. Leaving some colleagues at the scene, Xia Mutong took Ling Chen straight to the police station.


    Sitting in the back seat, Ling Chen looked at Xia Mutong in the rearview mirror, his gaze brightening.


    Last night at the bar, because the lights were too dim, his attention was all on Xia Mutong¡¯s proud chest and hence didn¡¯t take a close look at her face. Now he had the chance to appreciate it, he realized she was really quite beautiful.


    Shoulder-length short hair, a melon seed-shaped face, skin with a healthy wheat color, and a beauty spot next to cherry-like appealing little lips.


    What a pity, such a pity.


    Ling Chen secretly sighed.


    It¡¯s such a waste for a beauty like her to be a lesbian.


    Through the rearview mirror, Xia Mutong felt Ling Chen¡¯s lecherous gaze and her expression immediately fell.


    "If you dare to look one more time, believe it or not, I¡¯ll gouge your eyes out?"


    "Officer Xia, that¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. It¡¯s not okay to be beautiful and then forbid others to look. You can¡¯t be that stingy; you need to learn to share."


    "Shut up. If you dare say one more word, I¡¯ll tear off your lips as well."


    Ling Chen curled his lips. This little chick¡¯s temper is just like a tigress, even more extreme than Su Lin¡¯s.


    By the time he arrived at the police station and finished the investigation, Ling Chen realized his troubles were quite big.


    A two thousand fine for speeding, revocation of driver¡¯s license, plus the fine for running a red light, totaling almost five thousand. Moreover, due to the seriousness, he was also subject to seven days of detention.


    With only a few hundred bucks in his pocket, that wasn¡¯t even enough to pay the fines. After some thought, he simply made a call to Zhong Wei. After all, he had been arrested while on official duties, so thepany should reimburse him. Besides, he must give Zhong Wei a heads-up about the assassin.


    "Hello, Captain Zhong, it¡¯s me. I¡¯m locked in the police station, could you¡ªhello! Hello!"


    Listening to the dial toneing through the phone, Ling Chen felt annoyed; that guy actually hung up on him.


    At this moment, Xia Mutong came over.


    "Come with me."


    "Where to?"


    "Why all the needless questions."


    Seeing Xia Mutong turn to leave, Ling Chen hurriedly followed her steps and exined, "Officer Xia, you know I¡¯m from the Hongyu Group¡¯s security department. I was chasing a suspect just now. Someone was nning to harm Miss Nanrong, I..."


    "Don¡¯t give me those excuses. I¡¯ve already called yourpany for confirmation. Captain Zhong from your security department denied any such incident. He said it was all your personal affair and has nothing to do with thepany."


    Ling Chen was speechless. He just med his poor personal rtionships at thepany, with not even one person to believe in him, winding up in this sad situation.


    "Let go of me, let go of me..."


    Passing by an interrogation room, Ling Chen pricked up his ears, and suddenly heard a barely audible yellinging from inside.


    "Why is that guy here?"


    He was puzzled and couldn¡¯t help but stop, pushing open the door of the interrogation room. Instantly, the scene that unfolded before his eyes made his gaze turn cold.


    Inside the interrogation room, Jiang Hao was being held down in the chair by two policemen, while another policeman was holding arge bottle of mineral water, forcefully pouring it into Jiang Hao¡¯s mouth.


    Jiang Hao struggled desperately, water gushing continuously from his nostrils, his face full of agony.


    "Stop it!"


    Seeing Ling Chen entering from the interrogation room, Jiang Hao looked as if he saw a savior.


    "Chen, save me, quickly save me."


    One of the policemen looked at Ling Chen, and his expression immediately chilled.


    "Kid, this is none of your business, get out of here." As he spoke, he reached out to push Ling Chen.


    "Heh!"


    With a slight smirk on his lips, Ling Chen casually stood there like an unshakeable pine, and to the policeman¡¯s surprise, he didn¡¯t budge an inch even with the push. In a moment of shock, the policeman put all his strength into pushing, but just at that instant, Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder slightly shifted, making the policeman lose his point of effort, and he stumbled forward, crashing to the ground, knocking out two of his teeth.

 Chapter 32 Assassin (1)

    <h4>Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Assassin (1)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Seeing this, the other two policemen¡¯s faces changed instantly, and they rebuked, "Kid, you¡¯ve got some nerve, daring to attack the police!"


    "Attack the police?" Ling Chenughed and said, "You also saw that he came at me himself. My hands and feet didn¡¯t move, so how can you say I attacked the police? Is this how you guys handle cases?"


    "What are you doing, Ling Chen?" Xia Mutong hurried over from behind.


    Hearing the screams from the interrogation room, she realized that Ling Chen had disappeared. Seeing a police officer on the ground, her face darkened as she asked coldly, "Did you do this?"


    "It¡¯s a misunderstanding, he fell on his own. Besides, these officers were thinking of inflicting corporal punishment on my friend. Officer Xia, is this the way you serve the people with the taxpayers¡¯ money?"


    "You¡¯re talking nonsense."


    One of the police officers angrily said, "Which eye of yours saw us use corporal punishment? I was just making him drink water. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can have him checked."


    Ling Chen scoffed.


    "If I hadn¡¯t discovered it in time, I estimate my friend would have been tortured into confessing by now. Officer Xia, you better give me a reasonable exnation. Are those four words ¡¯extraction of confession by torture¡¯ on the wall just for show?"


    "I will thoroughly investigate this matter, but I don¡¯t need to exin it to you, and don¡¯t forget your current status."


    With that, Xia Mutong turned to the two police officers and said coldly, "Who is in charge of this case?"


    "I am."


    Xia Mutong and Ling Chen turned their heads to see a young man with a crew cut walking in from outside the interrogation room.


    "Wei Dong, what is he charged with?"


    "Just a small-time thug, involved in a group fight, caught by me."


    "I¡¯ve been wronged, I¡¯m innocent. You just barged into my home for no reason and dragged me to the police station. You have no evidence."


    Wei Dong acted as if he hadn¡¯t heard Jiang Hao¡¯s words and said with a smile, "Officer Qin, such a trivial matter is not worth your worry. I¡¯ll handle it; you can go about your business."


    "Since I¡¯ve seen your men use corporal punishment on the prisoner, I cannot stand by. You should first discipline your subordinates. I¡¯ll take the prisoner away; from now on, I am taking over this case."


    Seeing Xia Mutong about to leave with Jiang Hao, Wei Dong stretched out his hand to block her way, smiling insincerely, "Xia Mutong, you¡¯d best stay out of my business."


    "If you dare, goin about me to the chief. If you don¡¯t have the guts, then move aside and don¡¯t block my way."


    Xia Mutong stood her ground unyielding.


    Wei Dong¡¯s eyes flickered, and his furrowed brows suddenly rxed into a light smile.


    "Since Officer Qin wishes to take over this case, of course, I have no objections."


    "Let¡¯s go."


    Leaving the interrogation room, Ling Chen walked shoulder to shoulder with Jiang Hao and asked, "What¡¯s going on with you, kid?"


    "Didn¡¯t I just tell you? That guy Wei Dong barged into my house for no reason, iming that I was involved in a group fight, and forcefully brought me to the police station."


    Jiang Hao wore an innocent expression.


    "He wouldn¡¯t have arrested you without reason. I know exactly what kind of person you are; so don¡¯t try to fool me."


    "Chen, I¡¯ve been busy dealing with legitimate business these past few days, haven¡¯t done anything illegal or criminal. It must be that bastard Yang Sheng; he can¡¯t take my territory, so he¡¯s resorting to such underhanded tactics."


    "How do you know it¡¯s him?"


    "Yang Sheng has strong connections. I heard that his past few opponents were dealt with this way."


    "Are you two done chatting?"


    Xia Mutong turned back impatiently.


    Ling Chen gave an embarrassed smile. Having just witnessed Xia Mutong¡¯s tough approach, his admiration for this ¡¯tigeress¡¯ rapidly grew. Aside from her role as a cop, Xia Mutong was a rather just police officer.


    Upon reaching the detention room, Xia Mutong locked both of them up.


    "Stay put both of you, especially you."


    She pointed at Ling Chen.


    "You should reflect on yourself."


    At this time, at the Hongyu Company headquarters.


    Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui pushed open the door to the chairman¡¯s office and said, "Chairman, it¡¯s almost time, the signing ceremony starts in an hour and a half."


    Nanrong Wanqing put down the contract in her hand and rolling in her wheelchair, said, "Let¡¯s go."


    "Chairman."


    "What else?"


    "It¡¯s about Ling Chen..."


    Nanrong Wanqing said coldly, "Starting today, I do not wish to hear this name ever again. Don¡¯t mention him in front of me in the future."


    "Yes, Chairman."


    The three took the elevator to the underground parking lot, where the car fleet was ready to go.


    "Depart."


    Zhong Wei issued amand through the walkie-talkie, and the lead Land Rover immediately drove out of the parking lot.


    After a journey of more than twenty minutes, the convoy smoothly reached the Old City.


    Today is the groundbreaking ceremony of the first phase of the Old City reconstruction project. Many officials from East Sea City were gathered to witness this significant moment.


    For years, not only had the Old City been notorious for its poor security, but it was also a ce riddled with both vice and chaos, with the crime rate in the city being one of the highest. If the reconstruction project ispleted, it could not only improve the city¡¯s image but would also considerably boost the government officials¡¯ achievements. Thus, they attached great importance to it, braving even the sweltering weather to attend the event in person.


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s arrival was undoubtedly the highlight of the event, instantly drawing everyone¡¯s attention.


    In fact, the main purpose for some high-level officials to be there was to catch a glimpse of Nanrong Wanqing. As one of East Sea City¡¯s golden flowers, her name was widely known, although few had actually met her in person.


    Because Nanrong Wanqing had difficulty walking, many of Hongyu Group¡¯s external activities were handled by other staff members. However, given that this was a coboration with government departments, she made a rare personal appearance to show her importance.


    "Liang Zhao Hui, stay close to me and be responsible for the chairman¡¯s safety. Everyone else, spread out."


    At the scene, Zhong Wei was arranging tasks for the team members.


    Since the ceremony was attended by high-ranking officials and business leaders from within the city, the security arrangements for the venue were very strict. From early morning, the surrounding streets were closed off, prohibiting the passage of all non-essential vehicles. There were many barriers set up around the venue, and the onlooking crowd was kept ten meters away from the site.


    The signing ceremony wouldn¡¯t start for another hour, but Nanrong Wanqing was anything but idle. As the main figure behind the ceremony, she inevitably had to interact with the government officials.


    Outside the barriers, the onlookers held sun umbres, braving the blistering sun and engaged in animated discussions.


    However, nobody noticed a man with a mobile phone, wearing a baseball cap and weaving through the crowd. His cold, snake-like gaze asionally swept towards the center of the venue.


    After a while, his phone vibrated. He picked it up; it was a text message with just four words.


    The goods have been dropped.

 Chapter 33 Assassin (2)

    <h4>Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Assassin (2)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Putting away his phone, the man crossed through the crowd and walked alone into an alley beside the road. As he passed the trash can, he found a ck stic bag from the pile of garbage, and then made his way to the end of the alley where there was a broken rolling gate.


    Entering the gate, the man turned on the light, and under the dim yellow glow, there was a small room less than ten square meters, cluttered with sundry items and exuding a pungent, strange odor.


    The man expressionlessly tore open the stic bag and took out a briefcase. Upon opening the case, it contained a Colt M1911 pistol,plete with a silencer and several magazines.


    Securing the gear close to his body under his clothes, the man lifted a shoulder bag from the stic bag and slung it over his back.


    Once everything was ready, he nced at the time, then sat down quietly to one side, closed his eyes, and began conserving his energy.


    At nine forty in the morning, there were still fifty minutes until the signing ceremony.


    At this moment, inside the police station, Ling Chen and Jiang Hao were sitting in the detention center, engaged in sporadic small talk.


    "Chen, Hao," a voice called out.


    Lifting their heads, Ling Chen and Jiang Hao saw Nanrong Haoing quickly towards them, led by Xia Mutong.


    "How did you get here, kid?"


    "Chen, you crashed my car; how could I not know? Are you hurt?"


    "My body¡¯s tougher than that old car of yours. You¡¯vee just in time; hurry up and get us out of here."


    Nanrong Hao helplessly said, "I just asked; they can only release Hao, not you."


    "Why?"


    "You need to be detained for a full seven days before being released," Xia Mutong said coldly from the side.


    "Haozi,e here."


    Ling Chen beckoned with his finger, calling Nanrong Hao closer, and advised, "Tell Liu Kun or your grandfather that someone is out to harm your sister. Tell her to be careful, it would be best if she could beef up security and minimize going out."


    He knew getting through to Zhong Wei would be useless; it was more practical to report directly to Liu Kun.


    "Chen, you might not know, but my sister went to the Old City today to attend a signing ceremony."


    "What?"


    Ling Chen was taken aback.


    The environment in the Old City was chaotic; if he were an assassin, he would definitely choose to strike there.


    "Haozi, this is no joke¡ªwe¡¯re talking about your sister¡¯s life. You must inform her immediately to return to thepany and not stay in the Old City."


    Seeing the seriousness in Ling Chen¡¯s demeanor, Nanrong Hao also grew anxious and nodded quickly, "Okay, I¡¯ll go right now."


    "Jiang Hao, go back to the Old City with Haozi."


    "Got it, Chen."


    After watching the two head out, Ling Chen turned to Xia Mutong, speaking gravely, "Officer Xia, I¡¯m not kidding; an assassin is after Miss Nanrong. Please dispatch additional personnel for support right away."


    "Ling Chen, I¡¯d advise you to save your breath; I won¡¯t be taking your word for it. Besides, the Old City is already under martialw; any assassin going there would be walking straight into a trap."


    After speaking, Xia Mutong turned and left the detention room.


    Back in her office, Xia Mutong had just sat down when a colleague walked in and handed over a document, "Officer Xia, I¡¯ve checked the owner information of that Buick car, the owner is traveling abroad; it wasn¡¯t driven by him."


    "It might be a family member or a friend then."


    "I¡¯ve asked, but his family members are all traveling abroad too; the car has been parked at home and wasn¡¯t lent out."


    Xia Mutong¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, and she immediately took the document.


    At ten ten in the morning.


    At the center of the venue.


    Zhong Wei set down his phone and whispered in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s ear, "Chairwoman, Housekeeper Liu just called and wants you to return home immediately; he says it¡¯s the old master¡¯smand."


    "Did he say why?"


    "Ling Chen reported to the old master that an assassin is targeting you; the old master is worried about your safety, so..."


    "The signing ceremony is starting in twenty minutes, and important city government officials have arrived; how can I exin my departure at this time?"


    With that, she paused, looked at Zhong Wei, and asked, "Do you believe Ling Chen¡¯s words?"


    "This..."


    "If there is really an assassin, can you guarantee my safety?"


    "Chairwoman, rest assured, we will not let anything happen to you."


    "That¡¯s good enough, I trust the people I trust."


    Zhong Wei stepped aside and gestured to Liang Zhao Hui, who immediately approached him.


    "Captain Zhong, what is it?"


    "Did you check the surroundings yesterday? Are you sure there are no problems?"


    Liang Zhao Hui assured, "There are nomanding heights around; even if there were an assassin, they couldn¡¯t use a sniper rifle; the only method would be up close. With the few of us here, no assassin can get near the Chairwoman."


    Then, he couldn¡¯t help but jest, "Captain Zhong, do you also believe Ling Chen¡¯s nonsense? How could amateurs like himpare to professionals like us? Don¡¯t worry, nothing will happen."


    "Let¡¯s hope so."


    At this time, Nanrong Hao and Jiang Hao hurriedly drove to the Old City.


    As soon as they got out of the car, the two rushed towards the venue.


    "Hao, Brother Hao, over here," called someone.


    Jiang Hao stopped in his tracks and turned to face the man approaching, surprised.


    "Xiong, what are you doing here?"


    After some time of recuperation, Zhao Zhengxiong¡¯s legs had mostly recovered, and he could walk without crutches.


    "I received a message that Yang Sheng is gathering his troops; I figure he wants to make a big move, so I brought my brothers over."


    Hearing this, Jiang Hao immediately became furious and burst out cursing, "That bastard caused me no small trouble. If he didn¡¯te for me, I wouldn¡¯t let him off the hook. Haozi, go find your sister; I¡¯ll gather the guys."


    "Okay."


    Nanrong Hao quickly acknowledged and hurried to the venue.


    The area around the venue was under martialw; no one without permission was allowed to enter, not even Nanrong Hao. Fortunately, a member of Zhong Wei¡¯s team was patrolling nearby; he recognized Hao and let him in.


    "Sister, Sister..."


    Nanrong Wanqing, seeing Nanrong Hao drenched in sweat, frowned, "Why have youe?"


    "Nanrong Hao urgently said, "Sister, someone wants to kill you; you should hurry back."


    "Where did you hear such news?"


    "Chen told me."


    "Who?"


    "Chen, Ling Chen¡ªyou know him, he¡¯s from ourpany."


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face turned cold, and anger brewed in her eyes.


    "Are you involved with him?"


    "I..."


    Seeing the chill emanating from his sister¡¯s face, Nanrong Hao¡¯s shoulders shrank, and he swallowed his words.


    "Nanrong Hao, listen to me; from now on, you are not permitted to have any dealings with that scum. If you dare go against my advice, then don¡¯t me me for being an unsympathetic big sister."


    "Yes... Sister."


    Nanrong Hao nodded submissively. Deep down, he could not help but bitterly think, Chen, what exactly did you do to offend my sister so severely that she regards you as an enemy? Had he known, he would not have mentioned Ling Chen¡¯s name.

 Chapter 34 Assassin (3)

    <h4>Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Assassin (3)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "Chairman."


    Zhong Wei put down the walkie-talkie and walked over.


    "What¡¯s the matter?"


    "Just received news, several groups of thugs are gathering outside the venue, I¡¯m worried they will disrupt the venue¡¯s order."


    "The chaos in the Old City has always been notorious. Go contact the government officials and have them handle it."


    "Understood, Chairman."


    At this moment, on an abandoned basketball court several streets away from the venue, over a hundred people had already gathered.


    "Hao, all our people are here."


    The speaker was a chubby man named Tang Bing, only about 1.6 meters tall, young, with a round pot belly. Despite his stout appearance, he fought fiercely and was one of Jiang Hao¡¯s trusted men.


    "Xiong said there are over sixty more people on his side, that should be enough."


    Just then, ackey hurried over.


    "Hao."


    "How is it, did Yang Sheng that bastard make a move?"


    "No. Hao, I just went to scout, something is off on Yang Sheng¡¯s side."


    "Off? What¡¯s off?"


    "It seems they¡¯re not preparing to hit us, instead they are heading towards the venue."


    Jiang Hao¡¯s expression changed as he muttered to himself, "What is Yang Sheng up to? Right, did you see Yang Sheng himself?"


    "No, those leading are all Yang Sheng¡¯s close cohorts."


    Jiang Hao thought for a moment and then pulled out his phone to call Nanrong Hao.


    "Haozi, Yang Sheng¡¯s people are heading your way, be careful, I¡¯ll bring people over now."


    While everyone was distracted, Yang Sheng, the instigator, was sitting in his Mercedes, smoking a cigarette, on his phone talking to someone.


    "I¡¯ve handled the matter as you wanted, but we need to renegotiate the price. You didn¡¯t mention high-ranking officials would be present; they will definitely trace it back to me once I make a move, the risk is too big, so the previously agreed two million isn¡¯t enough."


    "How much do you want?" the person on the phone asked.


    "Ten million. If the money isn¡¯t in my ount in ten minutes, I¡¯ll order my men to stop."


    "Okay."


    The other party pondered for a moment and agreed.


    Yang Sheng flicked his cigarette out of the window, his smile radiant.


    He thought the other party would bargain, but they agreed quickly.


    "Sheng, ten million isn¡¯t small, but I¡¯m worried something will go wrong," said the driver, concerned.


    "Why worry? I¡¯ve already booked the flight. Once the money is in, I leave the country immediately, they won¡¯t catch me. I¡¯ve already arranged everything here, the business won¡¯t falter, my brothers will keep things running. With that ten million, I¡¯ll go abroad and have fun for a few years. By the time Ie back, when everything has cooled down, I will have enjoyed myself and made money, killing two birds with one stone, what¡¯s not to love?"


    Thinking of the good days ahead, Yang Sheng¡¯s face beamed.


    After all, it was ten million.


    Although being the boss was morous, he didn¡¯t earn much, as he had to support so many brothers. He had only umted a few million after all these years in the gang; ten million was like a pie from the sky.


    "Chen Le, drive, let¡¯s head downtown."


    After a while, seeing that his driver did not respond, Yang Sheng leaned forward from the back seat and pushed his shoulder.


    "Chen..."


    Before he could finish, his face drastically changed, as he saw Chen Le¡¯s head drooping to his chest, with a bloody hole in his temple, blood gushing out, with a small hole next to the car window.


    Before he could react, the car door was opened from the right side, and a man crawled in, a pistol with a silencer in his hand.


    "It¡¯s you?"


    Yang Sheng recognized the person, who had dealt with him in the barst time. He shrank back, a look of terror on his face: "What... what are you going to do?"


    "Call your men to start, otherwise..."


    The man pulled the gun¡¯s slide, chambering a round, and pressed it against Yang Sheng¡¯s forehead.


    "Don¡¯t... don¡¯t kill me..."


    "Then you better do as I say."


    Yang Sheng, not daring to disobey, quickly took out his phone on speaker and dialed a number.


    The call connected, and a man¡¯s voice came through: "Sheng, everyone¡¯s here, when do we start?"


    "Now, immediately."


    Hanging up, Yang Sheng looked at the man, about to plead, only to see the man¡¯s mouth curl into a smile as his finger gently squeezed the trigger.


    At the venue, the signing ceremony was just minutes away from starting, delegates from Hongyu Group and government officials had arrived at the temporarily constructed stage.


    At that moment, several pandemic enforcement officers hurried backstage. Soon, the secretaries of several government officials rushed onto the stage, speaking anxiously into the leaders¡¯ ears.


    "Is that so?"


    The government representative looked shocked and angry.


    "Miss Nanrong, I¡¯m terribly sorry, we just received news that there¡¯s trouble in the Old City, heading this way. They are numerous and powerful; for your safety, it¡¯s best you leave now, we¡¯ll handle things here."


    "Alright, thank you for your efforts."


    "All units assemble, prepare to evacuate."


    Zhong Wei issued the order through his walkie-talkie. Soon, a squad of officers gathered, escorting Nanrong Wanqing and Nanrong Hao towards the direction of their vehicles.


    However, just as they left the venue, they saw arge group of thugs from all directions rushing in, each with a red ribbon tied around their arm, wielding iron bars, attacking everyone on sight.


    The onlooking crowd seeing such a scene, dared not stay, and scattered in all directions.


    Zhong Wei and his colleagues, trained soldiers skilled in urban maneuvers, maintained theirposure amidst the chaos, swiftly escorting Nanrong Wanqing and Nanrong Hao to make a retreat towards the parking area.


    However, the parking spot was across a block, a hundred meters away, requiring a pass through an intersection. At that moment, the streets were filled with disruptive thugs, numerous and potentially obstructive if crossed directly.


    "Liang Zhao Hui."


    Hearing Zhong Wei¡¯s shout, thetter immediately understood, pointing to an alley not far behind: "There¡¯s a shortcut over there."


    As a security personnel and former reconnaissance soldier, he had surveyed the surrounding area before the operation and knew it well. Seeing the road blocked, he immediately enacted a contingency n, retreating through the shortcut.


    The alley was over forty meters long, leading to the opposite street.


    To avoid being caught by the thugs behind them, everyone quickened their pace, running towards the parking spot.


    However, just as they passed the alley, before they could catch a breath, they encountered about forty to fifty thugs, who happened to be passing through the street.


    In an instant, the thugs¡¯ gaze focused on them.


    "Not good!"


    Zhong Wei¡¯s expression darkened, and his muscles immediately tensed.


    "Protect the chairman."

 Chapter 35 Assassin (4)

    <h4>Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Assassin (4)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "Brothers, attack, take them down!"


    The leader of the gangsters shouted, standing in the back, directing his underlings.


    Seeing fifty-odd gangsters wielding iron rods and charging quickly, Liang Zhao Hui hastily pulled Nanrong Wanqing and Nanrong Hao behind him.


    At the same time, Zhong Wei led the other six team members to form a human wall, encircling Nanrong Wanqing and others in the middle.


    As soldiers, especially special forces, the team members were naturally skilled.


    But it was just at the sh that the front-most gangster pioneers were knocked to the ground.


    Gangsters fight for momentum; the more people, the bolder they get. Luckily, Zhong Wei and his team were not pushovers, protecting the center like an iron barrel, preventing the gangsters from getting near Nanrong Wanqing.


    Just then, Nanrong Hao suddenly heard the urgent sound of footsteps from behind and quickly turned his head. In an instant, he saw more than twenty gangsters rushing over from the alley behind.


    "Liang... Liang... Liang Zhao Hui... behind... behind."


    Under extreme tension, he stuttered as he spoke.


    Liang Zhao Hui had already noticed the gangsters behind him without needing to be reminded.


    He handed the wheelchair to Nanrong Hao, kicked down a charging gangster, and said gravely, "Captain Zhong, we better break out now, or it will be toote."


    "Break out!"


    Zhong Wei nced at the situation behind him, made a snap decision, picked up two iron rods from the ground, and fiercely charged into the crowd.


    Faced with gangsters ten times their number, even though the team members were skilled, it was difficult to fight against so many hands, especially in such chaotic circumstances. In a moment, each of them had been hit several times.


    Several team members were struck in the head by iron rods, bleeding profusely, instantly staining their cheeks red. Fortunately, all of them were physically fit and still put up a brave fight despite their injuries.


    Using their brave fighting spirit, the team members and the others forcefully charged out with Nanrong Wanqing and Nanrong Hao.


    Just as they were about to break through the encirclement, Zhong Wei shouted loudly, "Run!"


    Nanrong Hao didn¡¯t dare to dy, pushing the wheelchair and running hard toward the parking area.


    However, just then, "ouch" was heard twice, and for some unknown reason, two team members responsible for covering the rear suddenly fell to the ground and did not get up.


    Seeing this, Liang Zhao Hui immediately grabbed one of them by the arm, trying to lift him up. But then he realized that the person was very heavy, as if he had lost consciousness and passed out. On closer inspection, he saw that the team member¡¯s back was soaked in blood. Lifting the clothes, a conspicuous bullet hole was revealed.


    He changed color and said, "Captain Zhong, there¡¯s a gunman!"


    "What?"


    Zhong Wei was shocked; could it be true as Ling Chen said, that there was an assassin trying to kill the chairman?


    In a sh of thought, he immediately grabbed the wheelchair from Nanrong Hao, using his broad back to shield Nanrong Wanqing, and said with a serious expression, "Everyone, be careful, there¡¯s a sniper hidden in the crowd."


    Nanrong Wanqing frowned and asked, "What about those two?"


    "They¡¯ve been shot; I¡¯m afraid they won¡¯tst long."


    Zhong Wei secretly felt relieved that he had luckily kept Nanrong Wanqing protected in the middle and hadn¡¯t exposed any vulnerabilities. Otherwise, the ones shot wouldn¡¯t have been those two team members.


    The sniper was cunning, knowing to use the gangsters to cover their tracks. In the chaos, no one noticed who the sniper was.


    Under Zhong Wei¡¯s leadership, everyone ran at full speed, trying to reach the parking area as quickly as possible, but the gangsters behind relentlessly pursued, closing the distance between them.


    Because he was pushing the wheelchair, Zhong Wei couldn¡¯t move as fast as he could. The other team members, considering Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s safety, could only follow closely behind, forming a human wall to prevent giving the sniper an opportunity.


    But at this moment, a team member walking side by side stumbled, his body crashing to the ground.


    Liang Zhao Hui caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye, only to see blood gradually spreading from therade¡¯s back, strikingly conspicuous.


    "Captain Zhong, another brother has been shot."


    "Keep running."


    With a face ashen, Zhong Wei didn¡¯t hesitate at all. He was acutely aware that once those thugs got close, it would be very difficult to ensure Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s safety with just a few of them.


    The crossroads were right ahead; as long as they crossed the intersection, they would quickly reach the parking spot.


    Seeing their destination drawing closer, everyone hurriedly picked up the pace, ready to make the final sprint.


    However, just at this critical moment, a team member following behind Zhong Wei suddenly lunged forward, his upper body tilting and crashing right into Zhong Wei¡¯s legs.


    He was thrown off bnce by the impact, plummeting to the ground as the tightly gripped wheelchair flew out of his hands.


    Propelled by momentum, the wheelchair carrying Nanrong Wanqing slid forward at high speed, momentarily out of control.


    "Chairman!"


    "Sister!"


    Nanrong Hao was shocked and rushed over in a panic, trying to catch up with the runaway wheelchair.


    At this moment, Nanrong Wanqing, sitting in the wheelchair, bit her lip, her face tinged with paleness. Although the wheelchair had a built-in brake system, using it at such speed would undoubtedly send her flying out.


    Yet, she soon noticed a bump not far ahead. Hitting it at this speed would also throw her out of the wheelchair.


    Was she really unable to escape this disaster?


    With this thought, she smiled bitterly and helplessly, her lips curving up, then she closed her eyes and moved her hands to the wheelchair¡¯s brake system.


    Screech!


    When the wheelchair brakes were activated, the forward motion halted abruptly. At the same time, Nanrong Wanqing felt herself losing control, flung out of the wheelchair, plunging towards the concrete floor ahead.


    After a few seconds, Nanrong Wanqing felt as though nothing had happened to her. The concrete floor wasn¡¯t as hard as she had imagined; instead, it felt soft and springy.


    Thinking this, her hand reached out to touch the ground.


    "Chairman, if you keep touching around like that, don¡¯t me me for using you of indecency."


    A familiar yet annoying voice rang in her ears. Nanrong Wanqing immediately opened her eyes, only to see a face full of smug smiles looming before her.


    "Ling Chen?"


    After a while, she uttered two words from her fragrant lips, her tone somewhat surprised.


    No wonder she was unharmed; it turned out he had caught her.


    "Chairman, could you please move your hand away?"


    Although Ling Chen was enjoying it, having Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s hand ced where it was was too much for him to handle.


    Reminded by him, Nanrong Wanqing suddenly realized her hand was at the root of his thigh, merely centimeters away from his private parts.


    Instantly, a sh of embarrassed annoyance flickered through her eyes, and she quickly withdrew her hand.


    "Put me down."


    Hearing hermanding tone, Ling Chen shrugged and casually ced her down on the ground.

 Chapter 36 Assassin (5)

    <h4>Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Assassin (5)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Just as she sat down, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯splexion changed.


    Ling Chen noticed the subtle change in her face and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle to himself. In this over thirty-degree weather, the temperature of the cement floor must be at least forty degrees; anyone who sits on it would scorch their buttocks, let alone someone as delicate as Nanrong Wanqing.


    Nanrong Wanqing bit her lip, supporting herself with her hands on the ground, trying to keep as much distance between her body and the ground as possible. Then, she nced at Ling Chen and said expressionlessly, "Bring me my wheelchair."


    "The wheelchair is broken."


    "Then..."


    Ling Chen was speechless. This woman is so stubborn; a soft word wouldn¡¯t kill her. Her small movements couldn¡¯t escape his eyes; why insist on suffering for pride?


    "Stop the nonsense. It¡¯s an emergency, and if you me me for taking advantage, I can¡¯t help it." Having said that, he ignored Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s fierce gaze and picked her up.


    Holding her soft and fragrant body, Ling Chen felt a stir in his heart. He had been too busy rescuing her earlier to notice. It must be said, her figure and skin are truly exquisite¡ªsoft, smooth, and delicately fair. If only he could... no, what was he thinking?


    At this moment, Nanrong Wanqing leaned against Ling Chen¡¯s robust chest, her body tense and extremely ufortable, her hands uncertain where to rest. Except for her family, no other male had ever touched her before.


    "Weren¡¯t you captured? Howe you are here?"


    She tried to change the subject.


    "I¡¯ll talk about itter, let¡¯s get you out of here first."


    "No, Zhong Wei and the others are still there, we must rescue them."


    "Your grandfather paid me to ensure your safety, he didn¡¯t ask me to protect them."


    "You..."


    "Big Sister, Big Sister!"


    Just then, Nanrong Hao ran over, panting. Seeing Ling Chen was there too, he was overjoyed.


    "Brother Chen, it¡¯s great that you¡¯re here. Big Sister, are you alright?"


    "With me here, what could happen to your big sister?"


    "Brother Chen, what do we do now?"


    As Ling Chen was about to speak, he saw arge group of gangsters, about sixty or seventy, rushing around the corner.


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face turned cold, and she warned, "Hurry, they¡¯re catching up again."


    "Why run? Haozi, go and rescue Zhong Wei and the others. I¡¯ll take your big sister home. We¡¯ll meet at thepany."


    "Okay..."


    "What do you mean ¡¯okay¡¯?"


    Nanrong Wanqing said in frustration.


    "Ling Chen, my brother doesn¡¯t know anything, are you sending him to his death?"


    "Who says he doesn¡¯t know anything? How can you have so little faith in your brother as his big sister? Haozi, Zhong Wei is your responsibility, be careful."


    "Got it. Big Sister, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t have any problems."


    "Nanrong Hao..."


    Ignoring his big sister¡¯s shouts, Nanrong Hao quickly went to confront the gangstersing from around the corner.


    "Tang Bing, this way."


    These gangsters were not strangers; they were the reinforcements sent by Jiang Hao.


    "It¡¯s Haozi."


    Seeing Nanrong Hao approach, the head gangster, Tang Bing, immediately brightened up.


    "Haozi, we finally found you."


    "Haozi."


    As Nanrong Wanqing saw the gangsters respectfully greeting Nanrong Hao, she was stunned. The eldest grandson of the Nanrong family, when did he fall to being a street thug?


    "Brothers, follow me, let¡¯s thrash them!"


    Watching Nanrong Hao and the others leave, Ling Chen nced at Nanrong Wanqing in his arms and seeing her worried look, said, "Don¡¯t worry, your brother isn¡¯t as bad as you think."


    He finished speaking and carried Nanrong Wanqing in his arms, striding forward quickly.


    At this moment, due to the trouble caused by some gangsters, residents of the Old City, fearing involvement, had shut their doors, and the surrounding streets were nearly deserted, without even a taxi in sight.


    Nanrong Wanqing noticed that Ling Chen didn¡¯t head towards the parking spot and couldn¡¯t help but remind him, "You¡¯re going the wrong way. The car is parked over there."


    "What¡¯s the point of going there? I don¡¯t have the car keys."


    "Where are we going now?"


    "There¡¯s a subway station nearby, we..."


    Before he could finish, Ling Chen suddenly felt a gust of wind carrying residual heat brush past his ear.


    Bullet!


    Years of experience allowed him to make an immediate judgment.


    Without time to look back, he forcefully sprinted with his legs, rushing directly into an alley off the street.


    The opponent had a gun; moving on the main street would make them too visible and give the assassin chances, so they had to find a way to escape through the alleys.


    "What¡¯s wrong?"


    Nanrong Wanqing, held in Ling Chen¡¯s arms, also felt something was amiss.


    "It¡¯s nothing."


    Ling Chen gave her a reassured smile with a calm expression.


    For some reason, touched by Ling Chen¡¯s confident smile, Nanrong Wanqing gradually calmed down.


    Following the narrow alley, Ling Chen sprinted without any ck.


    Although he lived in the Old City, he rarely came to this area and wasn¡¯t very familiar with the terrain, especially these kinds ofnes; he also didn¡¯t know where the next alley would lead.


    Turning left and right in the alley, suddenly, Ling Chen stopped, his brows slightly lifting.


    It was a dead end.


    Immediately, he carried Nanrong Wanqing and turned back the way they came, looking for another way out.


    But just as he was about to step around the corner, he heard a crisp sound, and a spark sshed on the wall next to him.


    With a nce, he saw a man quickly approaching through the alley.


    "We can¡¯t get out."


    He muttered to himself, immediately retreating back to the dead-end with Nanrong Wanqing.


    "Can we still escape?"


    Nanrong Wanqing looked at him. Ling Chen had spotted the assassin, and she did too. Now that they were trapped here, and the opponent had a gun, it seemed impossible to survive.


    "Don¡¯t you trust me?"


    "It¡¯s hard to trust you."


    Ling Chen smirked, this woman reallycked confidence in him.


    Putting away his thoughts, he surveyed the surroundings and saw a pile of misceneous items in the corner, about as tall as a person.


    He carried Nanrong Wanqing to that corner, gently cing her on the ground, then used the misceneous items to shield her body.


    "What good will this do?"


    "Why ask so many questions? Do you have a phone with you?"


    "Yes."


    "Give it to me."


    Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t know what he was nning, but still handed over the phone.


    After entering a number, Ling Chen handed the phone back to her, saying, "When I tell you to fire, dial this number. Remember this well, my life is in your hands."


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded her head, although she didn¡¯t like the man in front of her, with their lives at stake, she wouldn¡¯t mess around.


    After settling Nanrong Wanqing, Ling Chen got ready and walked alone into the middle of the alley, calmly facing the corner.


    Soon, a man wearing a duckbill cap and carrying a shoulder bag appeared in his sight.

 Chapter 37 Snake King

    <h4>Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Snake King</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "Indeed, it¡¯s you."


    "Do you know me?"


    Ling Chen grinned: "Who doesn¡¯t know the famous Snake King?"


    He had never seen the Snake King before, but he was well aware of his style of operation. The opponent is an assassin, yet a peculiar one. This person likes to create chaos, then silently assassinate the target amid the mayhem, making it hard for others to spot and catch him.


    "I don¡¯t know you, but I know you are on the same path as me."


    "I¡¯m just a small fry, not worthy of your attention."


    The Snake King nced at the pile of debris in the corner and said coldly, "Hand over the person, in consideration that we are in the same profession, I might spare your life."


    "Do you think that¡¯s credible,ing from an assassin?"


    "It seems you know a lot about assassins. Since that¡¯s the case, let me send you on your way first."


    As he spoke, the Snake King slowly raised the gun in his hand, aiming it at Ling Chen¡¯s forehead.


    Ling Chen shrugged: "It¡¯s an honor to die by the Snake King¡¯s hand, fire away."


    Hiding in the corner, Nanrong Wanqing listened to their conversation. As the words ¡¯fire the gun¡¯ reached her ears, following Ling Chen¡¯s instructions, she quickly pressed the dial button.


    Immediately, a pleasant ringtone followed by a sweet voice sounded from behind the Snake King: "Husband, your wife is calling... Husband, your wife is calling..."


    Hearing the sudden noise, the Snake King instinctively turned his head to look back, only to see a mobile phone lying in the bushes behind him, the sound emanating from it.


    He¡¯s been tricked!


    A sinking feeling in his heart, he quickly shifted his gaze back to Ling Chen, his finger rapidly pulling the trigger.


    But before the sound of the gun, he felt something hit the barrel, causing the gun to slightly deviate, and the bullet hit the wall. Without waiting for him to adjust the aim, a strong gust of wind was already striking him.


    Focusing his gaze, he saw Ling Chen cover the distance in two swift steps, rapidly closing in within a blink of an eye.


    "Looking for death!"


    The Snake King shouted angrily, stepping back, he turned the gun head and pulled the trigger again. However, the moment he pulled the trigger, Ling Chen¡¯s right hand had already reached out, firmly holding the slide and pressing against the hammer, preventing the bullet in the chamber from being fired.


    Immediately after, Ling Chen twisted his wrist, like a magic trick, disassembled the slide and recoil spring of the gun.


    Without the recoil spring, the gun was immediately rendered useless.


    "So fast."


    The Snake King was shocked, he had never seen such quick hands, disassembling his gun in an instant, which was even more professional than an assassin.


    In a moment of rapid thought, he immediately abandoned the handgun, pulled out a dagger from his waist, and thrust it towards Ling Chen¡¯s neck.


    Ling Chen tilted his head back to dodge the sharp dagger, stepped forward, and with a fierce shove of his shoulder, he heavily struck the Snake King¡¯s chest. Thetter grunted, stumbling back several steps.


    "Snake King, better surrender. Among the top ten assassins on the assassin list, only those ranked in the top three have the qualification to fight me in closebat, others have no chance, let alone you who are rankedst."


    "Who exactly are you?"


    "You wouldn¡¯t know even if I told you."


    The Snake King¡¯s face darkened. This man in front of him knew assassins very well, definitely a professional. But in his recollection, neither in the assassin nor the mercenary circles was there anyone who could match this guy.


    Seeing Ling Chen step forward, his pupils shrank and he quickly reached into the bag behind him.


    "Don¡¯te any closer."


    Seeing the Snake King take a grenade out of his bag and hold it in his hand, Ling Chen was startled and immediately retracted his advancing step.


    This guy even carries such a high-powered weapon.


    "Today I admit defeat, but don¡¯t get too happy yet. Since you know about assassins, you should know that an assassin never stops until they achieve their goal. You¡¯d better be careful not to give me a chance."


    After speaking, he nced at the corner of the wall and moved backwards step by step.


    Ling Chen, helpless, could only watch as the Snake King left.


    All assassins are crazy. If he acted rashly, that guy would definitely detonate the grenade. He was young, there was no need to die together with him.


    Once sure that the Snake King had left, Ling Chen picked up the keychain on the ground. Just now, when the Snake King was distracted, he had used the keychain to hit the opponent¡¯s handgun, changing the direction of the gun muzzle to avoid getting shot.


    Returning to the corner, looking at Nanrong Wanqing sitting on the ground, he reached out to hold her.


    But the moment he moved closer, the woman suddenly pped him without a word.


    Ling Chen grabbed her slender wrist and said in displeasure, "What are you freaking out about? I haven¡¯t offended you."


    "You know very well what you did."


    "I really don¡¯t know, why don¡¯t you tell me?"


    Nanrong Wanqing suppressed the shame and anger in her eyes and said coldly, "That ringtone just now..."


    "I¡¯m telling you, Chairman, this shouldn¡¯t be your concern right now. I just saved you from the hands of the assassin, don¡¯t you think you should thank me?"


    "You are still an employee of thepany, protecting me is your duty."


    Ling Chen was speechless, this woman really knew how to avoid losses.


    Although temporarily safe, he dared not rx. As the Snake King said, assassins will not easily give up beforepleting their mission, and he was worried that the Snake King might return.


    Holding Nanrong Wanqing as they left the alley, Ling Chen was nning to head for the subway station, but at that moment, Xia Mutong called.


    When he was detained in the detention room before, Xia Mutong had found him, saying that she had discovered some clues that confirmed his guess about the assassin. It took some convincing before Xia Mutong agreed to let him out.


    Initially, Xia Mutong had apanied him to the Old City, but she had received an emergency order from her superior to go protect the municipal leaders, so they had separated.


    Ling Chen told Xia Mutong his location over the phone, then hung up and waited on the street corner for her to arrive.


    "Ling Chen, who are you really?"


    "I, as you just said, am Ling Chen."


    "You know that¡¯s not what I mean."


    Hearing that Nanrong Wanqing was not pleased, Ling Chen casually said, "Does it matter?"


    "You are responsible for my safety; I need to know your background."


    After overhearing the conversation between Ling Chen and the Snake King, she was very curious about who this man really was, and why he knew so much about assassins.


    As the chairman of Hongyu Group and the daughter of the Nanrong family, she rarely had the opportunity toe in contact with the world outside the upper society, let alone the world of assassins.


    "Chairman, I¡¯m really sorry, but my background is only for my family to know. Outsiders are not privy to that information, unless..."


    "Forget I said anything just now."


    Nanrong Wanqing timely interrupted him before he could continue speaking nonchntly, slightly on guard that he might take advantage of the moment.

 Chapter 38 Close Protection (1)

    <h4>Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Close Protection (1)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Within a few minutes, a police car arrived in front of Ling Chen.


    The car door opened, and Xia Mutong quickly stepped out of the driver¡¯s seat, looking tensely at Nanrong Wanqing who was held in Ling Chen¡¯s arms.


    "Miss Nanrong, are you alright?"


    "I¡¯m fine."


    "Ling Chen, you go drive. I will take care of Miss Nanrong."


    As she spoke, Xia Mutong reached out to take over Nanrong Wanqing.


    Ling Chen shrank back, his smile mischievous: "Officer Xia, no need to trouble yourself. I can take care of her. Besides, I don¡¯t have a driver¡¯s license right now, and driving would be illegal."


    This bastard!


    Nanrong Wanqing looked at him indignantly, thinking he was trying to take advantage of her again. Just as she was about to speak, Ling Chen leaned in and whispered a few words into her ear.


    Feeling the warm breath from his mouth, Nanrong Wanqing felt her ears burn, experiencing an indescribable feeling. However, after hearing Ling Chen¡¯s reminder, she immediately swallowed back her words and looked at Xia Mutong with a peculiar expression.


    "Officer Xia, please take us to the Hongyu Group."


    After she spoke, without waiting for Xia Mutong to say more, Ling Chen had already opened the back seat and carried Nanrong Wanqing into the car.


    Joking, entrusting Nanrong Wanqing to Xia Mutong, a lily woman, wasn¡¯t that like a sheep entering a wolf¡¯s mouth?


    Xia Mutong snorted lightly, ring at Ling Chen with dissatisfaction, and grumpily took her seat in the driver¡¯s seat.


    The drive took over twenty minutes, and the three of them arrived at the headquarters of Hongyu Building.


    As soon as they got out of the car, Wei Jun, who was already waiting at the door, quickly approached with a wheelchair, followed by arge group of security guards.


    During the car ride, Nanrong Wanqing had already arranged everything over the phone.


    "Brother Wei."


    Ling Chen greeted, then lifted Nanrong Wanqing out from the backseat. Seeing his actions, the nearby security guards were all stunned.


    They had worked at Hongyu Group for many years and had never seen the chairman being touched by someone of the opposite sex, let alone such intimate contact.


    "Put me down quickly."


    Nanrong Wanqing also noticed the strange looks in the eyes of the people around her, her cheeks heating up.


    Ling Chenplied, gently cing her on a newly prepared wheelchair, then took the nket from Wei Jun¡¯s hands and carefully covered her legs.


    "Brother Wei, take the chairman back to her office for a rest."


    "Okay, you guys, quickly take the chairman back."


    After sending off Nanrong Wanqing, Wei Jun patted Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder, his face filled with envy.


    "Brother, good job."


    "I¡¯m just doing my duty. By the way, have Captain Zhong and the others returned?"


    "They¡¯re receiving treatment at the hospital."


    At this point, Wei Jun couldn¡¯t help but sigh.


    "Just received a notice, four members of the team were shot, one was hit fatally and couldn¡¯t be saved, the other three are okay, they were lucky to survive."


    Ling Chen¡¯s smile faded, and his expression suddenly turned grave. One dead and three seriously injured, this operation was a heavy blow to the team members. If only they had known Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s schedule earlier, perhaps they could have prevented this incident.


    "Ling Chen."


    "Officer Xia, is there anything else?"


    "I must return to the station to report, given the major incident at Hongyu Group. For now, you stay here; we¡¯ll handle your matters another day."


    "Thanks."


    Ling Chen¡¯s gratitude was sincere; without Xia Mutong¡¯s help, he would not have been able to rescue Nanrong Wanqing.


    Shortly after Xia Mutong left, Liu Kun rushed to thepany with Nanrong Yong and Su Lin.


    Ling Chen returned to the office to rest for a while, only to see Wei Juning from outside.


    "Brother Ling, the chairman wants to see you."


    "Alright."


    Taking the elevator to the top floor, Ling Chen knocked and only entered the office after receiving approval.


    In the office were Nanrong Wanqing, Nanrong Hao, Su Lin, Liu Kun, and Zhong Wei, who had returned from the hospital. Ling Chen paid particr attention to an old man in a Zhongshan suit; though unfamiliar in appearance, he immediately guessed who it was.


    Nanrong Yong.


    Liu Kun pointed to the sofa, saying, "Please, have a seat."


    Ling Chen did not hesitate and directly sat down. Carrying Nanrong Wanqing for such a long distance would exhaust even the toughest person.


    "Mr. Ling, we are fortunate to have had you. You saved Wanqing from disaster. On behalf of the Nanrong family, I thank you."


    Nanrong Yong spoke, and Ling Chen hurriedly responded: "It¡¯s what I should do."


    "Mr. Ling, I just heard from Wanqing that you know that assassin?"


    "Snake King, the tenth-ranked assassin." After speaking, Ling Chen corrected, "Elder sir, I know of him, but I do not know him personally."


    Nanrong Yong nodded, then turned to Zhong Wei: "Have you heard of the Snake King?"


    "I heard about him during my military service. Once the Snake King targets someone, he won¡¯t stop until they are dead."


    "Based on what you¡¯ve described, since the Snake King failed this time, he will certainly seek another chance to strike. Wanqing¡¯s safety is still not guaranteed. Mr. Ling, I won¡¯t delve into your past, but your knowledge of the assassins clearly shows your capabilities. I ask nothing else, only that you keep Wanqing safe."


    "Rest assured, that¡¯s part of my duties."


    "No, you might not understand what I mean. Since Wanqing is targeted by an assassin, she is constantly in danger. She isn¡¯t safe either at home or at the office. From today, I hope you can protect Wanqing personally, ensuring she faces no threats."


    "Personally?"


    Ling Chen paused, his gaze unintentionally shifting to Nanrong Wanqing.


    Feeling his stare, Nanrong Wanqing turned her head away, saying, "Grandfather, there¡¯s no need, I..."


    "You don¡¯t need to argue; it concerns your safety and is not up to you. Mr. Ling, as long as you can ensure Wanqing¡¯s safety, any request you have, I will do my best to meet."


    "Well... I have no particr requests."


    "Good, then go back and pack up, and Liu Kun wille to fetch you. Captain Zhong, please apany Mr. Ling out first, I have matters to discuss with Wanqing."


    "Yes."


    Leaving the office, Ling Chen was still in a daze.


    Go back and pack up? Pack what? Could it be... moving in with the Nanrong family?


    "Ling Chen."


    "Hmm? Captain Zhong, is there anything?"


    "I apologize, I didn¡¯t take your warning seriously, which led to this incident and heavy casualties among the team. This failure is my responsibility, and I will offer my resignation to the chairman after handing over my duties. From now on, the chairman¡¯s safety is in your hands."


    "Captain Zhong, please don¡¯t say that. The Snake King is no ordinary assassin; anyone targeted by him hardly escapes death. The chairman¡¯s survival this time also owes to your efforts. Moreover, aside from this incident, what¡¯s most crucial now is managing any potential crises going forward."

 Chapter 39 Close Protection (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Close Protection (Part 2)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Patted the other person¡¯s shoulder, Ling Chen continued, "If you think you failed in your duties, then you should work even harder to make up for your mistake. If you resign when the chairman is most in need of protection, that would be a real dereliction of duty. As security personnel, sacrifices are inevitable, and as a soldier, you should be aware of this."


    "I..."


    "Alright, let¡¯s leave it at that. Don¡¯t overthink it. Let¡¯s continue to work well together and strive to protect the chairman¡¯s safety. That¡¯s the least we can do to honor our fallen brothers."


    The elevator arrived, and just as Ling Chen stepped in, he heard Su Lin¡¯s voice from behind: "Ling Chen, stop."


    Seeing Su Lin approaching, Ling Chen helplessly shrugged his shoulders at Zhong Wei.


    "Captain Zhong, you can go ahead."


    The elevator doors closed, and Ling Chen asked, "Miss Su, what is it you want with me?"


    "Last night..."


    "Don¡¯t get me wrong, I didn¡¯t do anythingst night at the bar."


    "I know."


    Although she was drunk at the barst night, she still retained a bit of sobriety; she was very clear on what Ling Chen did.


    "So, what do you want?"


    "I..."


    Su Lin hesitated, then stammered, "About Qin Yang, I hope you won¡¯t tell my sister."


    So it was about that.


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not one to gossip. However, Miss Su, I must still remind you: don¡¯t judge a book by its cover. As the saying goes, ¡¯You can know a person¡¯s face but not their heart.¡¯ Don¡¯t be fooled again."


    "I know."


    After saying that, she turned and walked towards the office. After a few steps, she turned her head back and whispered a faint "thank you."


    Ling Chen was slightly taken aback, then smiled. This youngdy actually thanked him. It¡¯s as if the sun rose from the west.


    Back at home, Ling Chen found arge suitcase, packed a few sets of clothes and daily necessities. There wasn¡¯t much of value at home anyway, so it didn¡¯t take long to pack.


    Since he was moving to the Nanrong Family, he definitely wouldn¡¯t be staying in this room anymore.


    Immediately, he called thendlord and managed to get back the thousand yuan deposit.


    Leaving his home, Ling Chen went next door, intending to say goodbye to Tang Shiyun. Seeing that the door was closed, he knocked, but got no response for a long time; probably everyone was at the hospital and hadn¡¯te back yet.


    Well, he¡¯d better give that girl a call. When he has time, he¡¯lle back to see her.


    At this time, Liu Kun had already parked the car downstairs.


    Getting into the car, Liu Kun handed over a bank card from China Construction Bank.


    "What¡¯s this for?"


    "There¡¯s a hundred thousand yuan inside. It¡¯s from the old master for you."


    Ling Chen shook his head, "I don¡¯t want this money; give it to the family of the deceased brother."


    "You don¡¯t need to worry about that. The old master has it all arranged; the deceased¡¯s family won¡¯t be shortchanged. The Nanrong Family has always been clear about rewards and punishments. Take the money, it¡¯s a small token from the Nanrong Family. We¡¯ll be counting on you to protect the young miss¡¯s safety in the future."


    Seeing him say that, Ling Chen no longer yed the modesty card and epted the bank card.


    Just in time, this money was enough to cover Tang Shiyun¡¯s father¡¯s medical expenses and tuition fees.


    Arriving at Wealthy Manor, Nanrong Hao was already waiting at the entrance. As the car came to a stop, he eagerly ran over to open the car door for Ling Chen.


    "Brother Chen."


    Liu Kun watched this and was somewhat surprised. Other than their own young miss and the old master, he¡¯d never seen Nanrong Hao show such respect to anyone else.


    "Kid, you don¡¯t have to do this in the future. I¡¯m not without hands or feet."


    Ling Chen chided him.


    I¡¯m just an employee, Nanrong Hao is the young master; what would his family think if they saw us like this.


    "Y-Yes, Chen, I¡¯ll show you to your room."


    While verballyplying, Nanrong Hao¡¯s movements were swift, as he hurriedly took Ling Chen¡¯srge leather suitcase and quickly walked inside the house.


    Although he had been here a few times before, this was Ling Chen¡¯s first official visit to the Nanrong house.


    Led by Nanrong Hao, Ling Chen directly passed through the living room to the backyard.


    It was here that he truly saw what wealthy families were like.


    The Nanrong family¡¯s backyard was as big as a ser field, surrounded by a wall more than two meters high,plete with gardens and swimming pools.


    Additionally, there were three separate vis built in the backyard, one purely wooden, and the other two vis were more European in style, with exteriors respectively painted white and beige.


    Nanrong Hao pointed at the white vi and said, "That¡¯s where my sister lives, the other beige vi is where I live, and my grandfather lives in the main house."


    Tsk tsk!


    Ling Chen marveled inwardly, this truly was the home of the wealthy.


    "Haozi, where is my room located?"


    "Over there."


    Nanrong Hao extended his hand towards the white vi.


    Ling Chen blinked, somewhat incredulous.


    "I¡¯m going to live with your sister?"


    "Not just with my sister, but also with my cousin. She lives with my sister."


    Here, Nanrong Hao chuckled mischievously, "Chen, you¡¯re in luck. Even I have never stayed in my sister¡¯s vi. You¡¯re the first man to ever stay in my sister¡¯s vi."


    "Did your sister agree to this?"


    "Of course she didn¡¯t agree, but my grandfather made the call, and she doesn¡¯t have the authority to refuse. Unless, of course, she wants to give up her position as the Chair of Hongyu Group. Chen, there¡¯s a saying that it¡¯s good to have an advantage close at hand. This is a rare opportunity, and you must seize it."


    Smack!


    "Ouch... Chen, why did you hit me?"


    "That was on behalf of your sister. If she knew what you said, she definitely wouldn¡¯t let you off. Besides, a rabbit doesn¡¯t eat the grass by its own burrow. Do you think I¡¯m a person without principles?"


    Although his mouth maintained a serious tone, there was something he held back in his heart.


    A rabbit that doesn¡¯t eat the grass by its burrow isn¡¯t a good rabbit; neither is he a man of principles.


    "Chen, let me take you to your room first."


    Entering the white vi, Ling Chen¡¯s vision suddenly became clear. The living room was over a hundred square meters, with a 120-inch LCD TV hanging on the pink-white wall, European noble style leather sofas set in the center, thick woolen carpets on the floor, sitting next to the firece, surrounded by exquisite decorative items, including a few abstract paintings.


    Every detail exuded an elegant aristocratic charm.


    The bedroom arranged for Ling Chen in the Nanrong house was on the first floor, adjacent to the living room.


    The bedroom was over twenty square meters, with an en suite bathroom, and all household appliances were readily avable, far surpassing the room he rented by a considerable margin.


    "Chen, if there¡¯s anything you¡¯re not satisfied with, just let me know, and I¡¯ll have someonee to change it," said Nanrong Hao with a slight smile.


    "It¡¯s already very good."


    Ling Chen nodded, the conditions exceeded his expectations by a lot.


    "Chen, I still have some things to do. If you need anything, just call me."


    "Okay, go ahead with your business."


    After sending off Nanrong Hao, Ling Chen opened his suitcase and arranged his spare clothes in the wardrobe.


    At this moment, a faded old photo that had been tucked among the clothes fell onto the floor.

 Chapter 40 - 39 Close Protection (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 40: Chapter 39 Close Protection (Part 3)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    He picked up the photo, only to see a four or five-year-old boy on it, smiling very happily. Beside him was a man in his thirties, with chiseled features, piercing eyes, and a straight posture, handsome and heroic. Upon a closer look, one could find that the man bore some resemnce to Ling Chen.


    "Dad..."


    Looking at the man in the old photo, Ling Chen¡¯s lips curled into a bitter smile.


    He had almost forgotten how many years it had been since hest saw his father. Five years? Six years? Or seven? It had been so long that he no longer had any recollection of it.


    In his memory, when he was very young, his dad took him away from home and they lived a vagrant life. Later, when he was in his teens and capable of independence, his dad said that he had important things to attend to and left him. Since then, he had never seen his father again and had no idea how he was doing now.


    "Ling Chen."


    A voice rang out, abruptly interrupting Ling Chen¡¯s thoughts.


    He put away the photo and looked towards the bedroom door to see Su Lin walking in with high heels, her face showing annoyance.


    "Miss Su." He gave a grin, greeting her.


    Su Lin, looking displeased, said, "Ling Chen, if you¡¯re sensible, you¡¯ll move out on your own. This is the ce where Wanqing and I live; we don¡¯t wee men moving in."


    Ling Chen spread his hands helplessly and said, "Miss Su, you can¡¯t just say that; it¡¯s not like I want to move in here, it was the old man¡¯s orders. He is the one who hired me; I¡¯m just following orders. If you want me gone, that¡¯s easy, but go find your grandfather. Don¡¯te to me."


    "You..."


    Su Lin fumed, "If you don¡¯t move out, your life here won¡¯t be pleasant."


    With that, she stomped her foot and left the bedroom.


    Ling Chen shrugged indifferently; it was all arranged by Nanrong Yong, what did it have to do with him?


    After tidying up the room, he checked the time; after being busy all day, it was already past six in the evening. He hadn¡¯t eaten lunch yet, and his stomach was starting toin.


    There was a kitchen in the vi; it wouldn¡¯t hurt to see what there was to eat.


    Leaving the bedroom, Ling Chen was about to head to the kitchen when he saw two people sitting in the living room¡ªit was Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin.


    As soon as they saw him, Su Lin immediately pulled a long face. However, being a great beauty, whatever expression she wore was pleasing to the eye. On the other hand, Nanrong Wanqing was as indifferent as a millennia-old cier, her eyes showing no fluctuation.


    Ling Chen, nonchnt, waved to the two beautifuldies, smiled, and said, "Ladies, are either of you hungry? How about I make us something to eat together?"


    "Hmph!"


    Su Lin turned her head away, pouting her sexy lips with a look of disdain.


    Nanrong Wanqing said coldly, "Ling Chen, by tomorrow morning, I don¡¯t wish to see you in this vi. Lin, take me back to my room."


    "Oh."


    After saying that, Su Lin gave Ling Chen a harsh re, then proceeded to push the wheelchair upstairs.


    To amodate Nanrong Wanqing, the vi had a wheelchair ramp installed specifically for easy ess to the stairs.


    Hearing the sound of the room door upstairs, Ling Chen felt somewhat helpless. In order not to be disliked, he had to establish a good rtionship with these two beauties.


    Just as he was pondering, the ringtone from the phone in his pocket began to sound.


    "Haozi, what¡¯s up? Dinner at your ce? Okay, I¡¯ll be right there."


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen headed straight to the beige-colored vi next door. By that time, Nanrong Hao had already prepared a full table of borate dishes and drinks.


    "Chen,e on, take a seat."


    "You live alone in such a big house?"


    "There are also housemaids, each vi is arranged with a housemaid, specifically responsible for cooking and room cleaning. The housemaid at my sister¡¯s ce seems to have taken a leave, so the meals these past few days have all been prepared by our housemaid."


    "Then why didn¡¯t anyone see food being delivered there just now? I was even ready to cook for myself."


    "Chen, you might not know yet," Nanrong Hao said mysteriously: "My sister and cousin went to argue with my grandpa about kicking you out, but grandpa refused, so they decided to go on a hunger strike in protest. They even specifically notified our housemaid that starting from today, there¡¯s no need to send meals."


    "Hunger strike?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes widened, they were being too harsh on themselves. Two delicate beauties going hungry, what if they harm themselves?


    "Haozi, how about... I talk to your grandpa and move in with you? After all, our houses aren¡¯t far from each other."


    "Chen, you don¡¯t need to worry about this, my grandpa definitely won¡¯t agree. Besides, if you moved here, what if an assassin went to find my sister at night, would you know? I¡¯m not afraid to tell you, my sister is the apple of my grandpa¡¯s eye. He would do anything for her safety. I know it¡¯s tough for you over there, but don¡¯t worry, just endure it for a few days, once everyone gets used to it, it¡¯ll be fine."


    After eating dinner, Ling Chen stayed at Nanrong Hao¡¯s house for a while longer until nine o¡¯clock before returning.


    After taking a shower, he changed into a pair of big boxers, turned on the air conditioner, and copsed on the soft bed, feeling incrediblyfortable.


    He didn¡¯t know how long he slept, but in a daze, Ling Chen suddenly heard slight noises outside. He sat up abruptly, his mind quickly bing alert.


    Someone!


    He leapt out of bed,nding softly on the floor without making a sound. Reaching the bedroom door, he pressed his ear against it and immediately heard very light footstepsing through.


    Although the sound was barely audible, he still heard it.


    The person was clearly trying to step lightly, which wouldn¡¯t be the case if it were someone from the Nanrong Family.


    He slowly twisted the door lock, trying not to make any noise. As soon as a shoulder-width gap appeared at the door, he rolled on the spot, deftly moving into the living room, and then hid his body behind the sofa.


    The living room lights were off, and only a thin thread of moonlight shone through the windows casting a dim light, leaving everything pitch ck, unable to see your hand in front of you.


    Ling Chen wasn¡¯t looking for where the person was but was gauging their position based on their footsteps.


    He kept his body low, rounding the back of the sofa, and quietly approached them.


    As he listened to the footsteps gradually approaching, Ling Chen tensed his whole body, poised like a cheetah ready to pounce.


    A few secondster, a shadow flitted across his field of vision in the moonlight.


    Got you!


    The corner of Ling Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly, a sharp gleam shing in his eyes as his body lunged forward, pressing the person to the ground.


    Ah!


    Instantly, a scream rang out.


    Ling Chen was taken aback, why was it a woman?


    There was a floormp right beside him, and he quickly reached out to switch it on. Under the dim light, a delicate and beautiful face was revealed.


    "Miss Su? Howe it¡¯s you!"


    The woman in front of him was none other than that girl, Su Lin.


    With her face flushed, Su Lin scolded angrily, "You beast, take your filthy hands off me right now."


    Uh...


    Only then did Ling Chen notice that when he had pounced on Su Lin, one hand happened tond right in the middle of her cleavage, the softness almost intoxicating him. Moreover, his rear was straddling Su Lin¡¯s body, which couldn¡¯t be more suggestive...


    (Please support, bookmark, leavements, rmend, and tip)

 Chapter 41 - 40 The Young Lady’s Hunger Strike Protest

    <h4>Chapter 41: Chapter 40 The Young Lady¡¯s Hunger Strike Protest</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    This position... it should be right the other way around with the man on the bottom and the woman on top.


    He was having wild thoughts.


    If Su Lin knew what he was thinking, she would scold him for being a lecher again.


    Standing up, he reached out to help Su Lin, who was lying on the ground, but she pped his hand away.


    Massaging her sore lower back, Su Lin was seething with anger.


    "Ling Chen, what are you doing? Are you trying to harm me?"


    Ling Chen replied with an innocent face: "Miss Su, you can¡¯t me me for this. Who asked you to sneak around? I thought an assassin had broken in. It was pitch dark just now; how could I know it was you? Eh, what¡¯s this?"


    While speaking, he saw something had fallen on the ground and bent down to pick it up. But Su Lin was quicker, grabbing the item before he could and hurriedly hid it behind her back.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but start tough.


    Su Lin said annoyingly, "What are youughing at?"


    "Miss Su, if I¡¯m not mistaken, that¡¯s a cucumber in the bag, right? Are you hungry?"


    "Who... who¡¯s hungry."


    "If you¡¯re not hungry, then why are you sneaking around with a cucumber, are you nning to... what?"


    Ling Chen looked at her meaningfully, a sly smile on his lips.


    Hearing his words, Su Lin seemed to think of something, and her pretty face instantly turned bright red with anger and embarrassment, yelling, "Ling Chen, you... you... you shameless hooligan, pervert, scumbag, you... you..."


    "Miss Su, I didn¡¯t say anything. Where did your mind go?"


    "You... hooligan, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what filthy thing you¡¯re thinking."


    "This is a grave injustice. Miss Su, I meant to ask, are you nning to use the cucumber for a facial mask? What does this have to do with being a hooligan? Could it be you¡¯re thinking something different from me?"


    With that, Su Lin¡¯s face reddened even further, at a loss for how to retort.


    "I have no interest in dealing with a hooligan like you, hmph!"


    With that, she dashed up the stairs, and in the blink of an eye, she was out of sight.


    Ling Chen smiled to himself. During dinner, Nanrong Hao mentioned to him that these two great beauties were nning to go on a hunger strike to protest. He guessed that Su Lin, the girl, must be starving, and that was why she came sneaking out for food in the middle of the night. She was as stealthy as a thief because she was afraid he would find out.


    Checking the time, it was just midnight. He headed straight to the kitchen, opened the fridge, and got to work.


    Before long, two steaming bowls of egg noodles were ready. He sprinkled some chopped green onions, added some seasonings, and Ling Chen carried the two bowls of noodles upstairs.


    The vi had three floors in total; there were two bedrooms on the second floor, situated opposite each other on either side of the hallway.


    It was Ling Chen¡¯s first time going upstairs, and he didn¡¯t know which room Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin were staying in.


    He ced the two bowls of egg noodles at the corresponding bedroom doors, then gently knocked and returned to the first floor.


    The next morning.


    Before seven o¡¯clock, Ling Chen was already up.


    He went up to the second floor to check and saw that the two bowls of egg noodles outside the bedrooms were still in their ces; one bowl empty and the other untouched.


    Needless to say, the one who had finished the noodles had to be Su Lin, and the one who didn¡¯t was Nanrong Wanqing.


    Although he had not known Nanrong Wanqing for a long time, he was well aware of her character; she was not someone who yielded easily.


    Before the seconddy woke up, he cleared away the two bowls of noodles.


    Around eight in the morning, Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin finally got out of bed.


    When they reached downstairs and saw Ling Chen eating noodles, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face immediately soured.


    "Why are you still here?"


    "Chairwoman, it was your grandfather¡¯s decision, not my own willful insistence to stay. Why must you treat me this way? I¡¯m just an employee."


    "You..."


    Just as Su Lin was about to speak, Nanrong Wanqing interrupted her, "There¡¯s no need to waste words on him. He¡¯s right, he doesn¡¯t call the shots in this matter."


    Ling Chen grinned and said, "Chairwoman, you are indeed understanding." As he said this, he pointed at the egg noodles in front of him and asked, "Would you like some?"


    "Not interested."


    Su Lin replied angrily and then led Nanrong Wanqing out of the vi.


    This little gal... Ling Chen curled his lip, saying she wasn¡¯t interested, yet she had polished off the bowl of egg noodlesst night, not even leaving a drop of soup behind.


    Due to yesterday¡¯s assassination attempt, Nanrong Wanqing nned to rest at home for a few days and not go to thepany for some time.


    However, Ling Chen was the opposite of idle, with much work to be done.


    Soon after breakfast, Zhong Wei arrived. The two had agreed the night before toprehensively upgrade the security facilities of the Nanrong family¡¯s home.


    Ling Chen handed over a list he had prepared to Zhong Wei and asked, "Can you get a hold of these devices?"


    Zhong Wei merely nced at it and pocketed it.


    "No problem, they can be ready within half a day."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen was quite surprised. There were a few military-grade items on his list that couldn¡¯t be purchased on the open market. He had listed them casually, hardly expecting them to be acquired. It seemed the Nanrong family¡¯s connections were broader than he imagined.


    By the end of the morning, Zhong Wei had all the requested equipment ready.


    With another half day¡¯s effort, and with the help of Zhong Wei and Nanrong Hao, Ling Chen installed all the devices. Not only were infrared detectors added to all surveince cameras, but sound monitoring devices were also deployed around thewn. Once activated, they could detect the footsteps of anyone entering the backyardwn.


    After a busy day, Ling Chen returned to the vi to find Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin had already returned to their rooms, staying out of sight. ording to Nanrong Hao, the two beauties hadn¡¯t eaten anything again today, presumably intending to carry their hunger strike to the end.


    Out ofpassion, Ling Chen still made two bowls of egg noodles and left them in front of thedies¡¯ bedrooms. Just like the previous night, he knocked on the door and then left, waiting until the next morning to pick up the bowls.


    As expected, only one bowl was finished.


    Ling Chen was helpless; he¡¯d yed the good guy, but if his kindness wasn¡¯t appreciated, there was nothing he could do.


    At nine in the morning, Ling Chen called Zhong Wei and then buried himself in his bedroom. Turning on hisputer, he essed aplex website and selected an advertisement at the bottom right corner. Then, he filtered the information in a unique way, eventually arriving at a website address and a series of codes.


    Inside the website was a hidden chatroom, and shortly after entering the codes, he was notified that a stranger hade online to join the chat.


    "13-4, 16-5, 17-1, 19-6."


    Ling Chen typed in several numbers.


    "8-4, 25-8, 4-16."


    The other party quickly responded, simrly using ordinary numbers.


    Seeing those numbers, Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curled upwards, and he continued to converse with the individual using this special method.


    This was amon contact method in the assassin and mercenarymunities, where each set of numbers represented a word. Given the insecurity of the inte, they had to ensure the conversation remained confidential.

 Chapter 42 - 41 Ghosts

    <h4>Chapter 42: Chapter 41 Ghosts</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Aftermunicating with the other party, Ling Chen shut down theputer and left alone.


    The security facilities of the Nanrong Family had been fully upgraded, and it was broad daylight; even Snake King wouldn¡¯t dare to attack rashly, so he was quite at ease.


    Leaving from the main gate, a Land Rover was already parked at the door.


    After getting in the car, Ling Chen nced at Zhong Wei in the driver¡¯s seat and said, "Head to Nanming Road."


    "What are you going to do there?"


    "Meet someone."


    In the past few days, he had figured out that instead of always guarding against Snake King¡¯s assassination, it would be better to actively seek him out. Most independent assassins and mercenaries needed an intermediary to receive missions, except for those from organizations.


    Coincidentally, he knew someone in East Sea City who specifically handled domestic business¡ªthe person he had just contacted on theputer.


    When the car arrived at Nanming Road, Ling Chen opened the car door and said, "You find a ce to park. Contact meter."


    Nanming Road had an open-air square, a tourist attraction in East Sea City. At the moment, the square was full of tourists.


    Ling Chen looked around, scrutinizing his surroundings. Soon enough, a fat man sitting on a bench came into his view. In one hand the fat man held an ice cream, and in the other, a newspaper folded into a distinctive shape, which was the agreed-upon secret signal.


    "Fatso."


    The fat man on the bench hadn¡¯t realized anyone was approaching until a handnded on his shoulder. He swallowed a mouthful of ice cream and hastily looked to the side. Before he knew it, Ling Chen was already sitting to his left.


    When he saw Ling Chen¡¯s face clearly, his expression changed instantly, blurting out, "It¡¯s you?"


    "Since you recognize me, it seems I didn¡¯t find the wrong person; did you provide Snake King with the intel?"


    The fat man¡¯s heart raced as he said, "Who... who exactly are you?"


    "Snake King asked you to check on me; don¡¯t you know my background?"


    "I only know you¡¯re called Ling Chen; I can¡¯t find any other information. You know how to contact us, which means Snake King¡¯s guess is right; you¡¯re one of us. Ling Chen, you should be clear about our rules. Business is business, personal vendettas are personal vendettas."


    "I know the rules. I won¡¯t ask for your employer¡¯s information; I just want Snake King¡¯s whereabouts. You¡¯re his contact in Huaxia; he will surely reach out to you if his mission fails."


    "This..."


    The fat man hesitated.


    "What if I don¡¯t tell?"


    Ling Chen patted his shoulder and said with a grin, "Let¡¯s be frank. I know about the organization behind you; if I killed you, they wouldn¡¯t let me off easily. As I understand, in your line of work, as long as the price is right, any information can be sold. So, how about you treat it like I¡¯m buying information from you?"


    Relieved by these words, the fat man licked his ice cream and smiled, "Great, I love to do business. Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do¡ªI¡¯ll give you a 20% discount, two million. If I have Snake King¡¯s whereabouts, I¡¯ll inform you immediately."


    "I don¡¯t have money."


    "What?"


    Ling Chen spread his hands and said, "I really don¡¯t have money. However, I won¡¯t take your information for free; I¡¯ll trade you information for it."


    "That depends on whether your information is worth that much."


    "You all know Blood Wolf was killed recently, right?"


    "Blood Wolf is a legendary figure in the mercenary and assassin worlds¡ªwho doesn¡¯t know that."


    Ling Chen said with a smirk, "Then do you know who killed him?"


    The fat man abruptly looked up, gazing into Ling Chen¡¯s eyes eagerly, "You know?"


    Ling Chen nodded slightly.


    "Deal. Tell me who killed Blood Wolf, and I¡¯ll help you find Snake King right away."


    "Fatso, that piece of information should be worth more than two million, shouldn¡¯t it?"


    "What do you want then?"


    "Consider it a favor you owe me. If I need help with something in the future, don¡¯t you shirk."


    The fat man thought it over and, gritting his teeth, said, "Alright, deal."


    Getting his hands on that piece of information could definitely a good price. It was well worth the exchange for a favor.


    "Now can you tell?"


    Ling Chen smiled and let out two words: "Ghost."


    "Ghost?"


    The fat man was taken aback and murmured, "So it¡¯s Ghost. Who else but him could have the capability to kill Blood Wolf. But wait!"


    He looked at Ling Chen skeptically, "Ghost is notorious for being elusive¡ªheard of but never seen. No one knows his identity; how can you be sure it¡¯s him?"


    "I have my sources of information; I assure you, this is one hundred percent urate."


    The fat man pressed on, "How much do you know about Ghost?" Before Ling Chen could reply, he quickly added, "I¡¯ll pay any amount for this intel."


    Ling Chen shrugged and said, "I¡¯d like to know the answer to your question too. Fatso, I¡¯ve said what I had to. Don¡¯t forget about Snake King. Let me know as soon as you have news; you know where to find me."


    With that, he patted his seat and left.


    Ghost.


    The most mysterious figure in the mercenary and assassin worlds; no one knew where he came from, nor had anyone ever seen him. Yet everyone feared the Ghost.


    Like its namesake, the Ghost appears unseen and leaves without a trace. Anyone targeted by the Ghost was doomed to die. At least, until now, there had been no exceptions.


    Once upon a time, two intelligence organizations in the world had spent countless effort and money trying to reveal Ghost¡¯s identity, only to return empty-handed.


    No more than twenty people in the world knew of the existence of Ghost.


    Ghost was not an individual, but an organization, part of Huaxia¡¯s most secretive military force, tasked with secret missions.


    There were a total of twelve members in the Ghost Organization, scattered across the globe.


    Ling Chen was once one of them, even the foremost Ghost, the strongest member.


    When he was ordered to take out Blood Wolf, the organization dispatched two teammates to ensure the sess of the mission.


    It couldn¡¯t be helped; as a legendary figure in the mercenary and assassin worlds, Blood Wolf was not ordinary. Even he didn¡¯t have full confidence.


    For that mission, he prepared for months, ultimately intercepting and killing Blood Wolf in a hotel. However, he was also seriously injured in the process, nearly losing his life. It was his oversight; thinking Blood Wolf was dead, he didn¡¯t expect thetter to detonate the bomb he carried, intent on dying together.


    Luckily, his two teammates discovered it in time and protected him with their bodies.


    Although he was saved, the two teammates sacrificed themselves.


    Since then, he had lost heart, ming himself for his teammates¡¯ deaths. Although the organization didn¡¯t fault him but praised him instead, he couldn¡¯t get over it and chose to retire, leaving the ce that brought him grief.


    Before leaving, he gave all his severance pay to the families of the two teammates, hoping to make amends for his failings.

 Chapter 43 - 42 Xiaozhu Administers Acupuncture

    <h4>Chapter 43: Chapter 42 Xiaozhu Administers Acupuncture</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Afterward, he came to East Sea City and from then on, lived incognito, only wishing to be an ordinary person.


    Pushing his thoughts aside, Ling Chen took a deep breath and cast everything else out of his mind.


    There was no need to mention the past. Since he had chosen to leave, he should wave goodbye to his former life.


    Finding the ce where Zhong Wei had parked, he got into the car and said, "Let¡¯s go."


    "Do you want toe to the hospital with me to see them?"


    "Alright."


    Liang Zhao Hui and several other members of the first team were all recuperating at the hospital. He should at least pay a visit, considering they were teammates.


    Twenty minutester, the Range Rover stopped in front of City People¡¯s Hospital.


    Ling Chen bought some fruit on the street; it was customary to bring something when visiting patients.


    The Nanrong Family cared a lot about these injured team members, having arranged for them to be in special care wards with personal attendants. When Ling Chen and Zhong Wei arrived, the team members were watching TV in the ward, chatting andughing.


    "Captain Zhong."


    "Captain Zhong..."


    Seeing Zhong Weie in, everyone greeted him.


    However, as Ling Chen appeared behind Zhong Wei, the faces of the team members suddenly became somewhat uneasy, especially Liang Zhao Hui.


    He originally looked down on amateurs like Ling Chen, often mocking him behind his back, but ended up facing a serious setback. If he had heeded Ling Chen¡¯s advice earlier, perhaps they wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this, causing the death of a teammate.


    Ling Chen sensed the awkwardness of the others, knowing they still harbored some grudges against him. Clearing his throat, he took the initiative to greet everyone.


    "Brothers, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve been quite busy these past few days and only found time toe see you all today."


    "Mr. Ling, you¡¯re too polite."


    "Youing to see us is already a joy; why did you bother to buy all these things?"


    Once Ling Chen started speaking, the others followed suit. They were all grown men with military backgrounds, straightforward in character and without much duplicity.


    In just a few moments, everyone¡¯s conversation became lively.


    "Liang, how are your injuries?"


    Liang Zhao Hui managed a wry smile: "The doctor said there¡¯s no major problem."


    Ling Chen took the initiative to talk, giving him face, and Liang was not ungrateful.


    "Ling Chen, about what happenedst time... I..."


    "Why bring up the past? Liang, you just focus on recovering and try to be discharged as soon as possible. The chairman¡¯s safety is too much for Captain Zhong and me; we still need your help."


    "I will."


    Liang Zhao Hui looked at him gratefully, unsure how to begin apologizing, but Ling Chen¡¯s words undoubtedly relieved his embarrassment.


    After chatting casually with the team members for a while, a rush of hurried footsteps suddenly sounded from outside the hospital.


    "The patient is having another episode, hurry up and call Miss Zhu over."


    Hearing the words ¡¯Miss Zhu,¡¯ Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but turn his head towards the door. For some reason, upon hearing ¡¯Miss Zhu¡¯, he immediately thought of that softly graceful woman, Zhu Xiaozhu.


    Last time at Qingyun Martial Arts Hall, Ye Liangyong seemed to have mentioned to him that Zhu Xiaozhu was a doctor.


    Could it really be her?


    With that thought in mind, he stood up and said, "Captain Zhong, you all chat first, I¡¯m going to check it out."


    Stepping into the corridor, he saw several individuals in white coats rushing into the adjacent ward, with the asional sound of a patient¡¯s cries of pain echoing out.


    Ling Chen stepped outside the hospital ward, peering through the ss window, and a slender, beautiful silhouette immediately caught his eye.


    It was indeed her!


    At that moment, inside the ward, a man in his forties was lying on the hospital bed, struggling nonstop with great strength; several nurses couldn¡¯t hold him down, and one in a white coat was even pushed to the ground.


    Zhu Xiaozhu wanted to check the patient¡¯s condition, but the patient kept thrashing about, preventing her from proceeding.


    "Let me help you."


    The voice arrived, and Zhu Xiaozhu turned her head, only to see Ling Chen walking over.


    "Mr. Ling?"


    Her memory was not bad; she recognized Ling Chen with a single nce.


    Ling Chen grabbed the patient¡¯s hands in one swift move, firmly pinning them to the head of the bed, and pressed down on the patient¡¯s body with his other hand, immobilizing him.


    "Miss Zhu, it¡¯s your turn."


    Zhu Xiaozhu responded, quickly stepping beside him to begin taking the patient¡¯s pulse.


    The two of them were standing close together, and Ling Chen suddenly felt a fragrant breeze; the mix of virgin and body scent was slightly intoxicating.


    Seeing the pulse-taking technique used by Zhu Xiaozhu, Ling Chen¡¯s heart stirred, and he couldn¡¯t help but say, "Miss Zhu, did you learn traditional Chinese medicine?"


    Hearing this, a hint of curiosity gleamed in Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s clear eyes.


    "Do you know about traditional Chinese medicine?"


    "I know a bit."


    The secret manual he was taught from not only contained mental methods for martial arts but was also all-epassing, recording medical, divining arts, and much more¡ªessences passed down by the ancients.


    The so-called traditional Chinese medicinees from the ancients, profound and vast, and represents the essence of Chinese medicine. However, it is nearly lost today. Even if it exists, it is passed on singrly through a lineage. Because traditional Chinese medicine is more obscure and difficult to understand, very few can master it.


    For Zhu Xiaozhu to grasp traditional Chinese medicine at such a young age was indeed extraordinary. No wonder Ye Liangyongpared Zhu Xiaozhu and Nanrong Wanqing side by side; both are rare and exceptional women.


    "His condition is very serious; we must treat it immediately. Mr. Ling, please help me remove his clothes."


    Ling Chen nodded, and in just three swift moves, he removed the patient¡¯s clothing, then turned the patient over, face down, back facing up.


    "The rest of you, please leave."


    "Yes, Miss Zhu."


    The physicians did not dare dy, aware that Zhu Xiaozhu disliked being disturbed when administering acupuncture. They quickly led the nurses out of the ward, leaving only Ling Chen and Zhu Xiaozhu.


    Seeing the patient ready, Zhu Xiaozhu took out a needle case, ced it at the bedside, and withdrew a fine silver needle. Without needing to be told, Ling Chen had already brought an alcoholmp to her side.


    Zhu Xiaozhu gave him an approving nce and, after sterilizing the silver needle, she focused on the patient¡¯s body. Holding her breath and concentrating, with a slight tremble of her delicate wrist, the silver needle swiftly descended.


    Observing her actions, a look of amazement appeared on Ling Chen¡¯s face.


    After the silver needle entered the patient¡¯s body, it vibrated at a high frequency. To achieve this, the person applying the needle must have trained in Inner Strength.


    Unexpectedly, this woman, gentle as water, had also practiced inner martial arts, which hinted that her background might be quite extraordinary.


    He Gu, Qu Pool, Outer Gate.


    In the blink of an eye, three silver needles had been inserted.


    Sanyinjiao, Yanglingquan, Zu Sanli.


    Six silver needles shot out in session; Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s fair forehead, white as jade, was now covered in sweat beads.


    Ordinary Chinese medicine practitioners use an Acupuncture Book, mainly focusing on silver needles. But Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s Acupuncture Book emphasizes the synergy of Inner Strength and silver needles, whichplement each other to achieve the greatest effect. Each silver needle contained powerful Inner Strength, which helps to stimte bodily functions.


    However, this acupuncture technique greatly drains physical strength. Having inserted just six needles, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s face was already pale, with sweat streaming down, evidently running out of steam.


    Ling Chen, unable to bear watching, hesitated and said, "Miss Zhu, perhaps you should rest for a while."

 Chapter 44 - 43 Ling Chen’s Medical Skills

    <h4>Chapter 44: Chapter 43 Ling Chen¡¯s Medical Skills</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Zhu Xiaozhu shook her head and once again pulled out a silver needle, piercing the patient¡¯s back.


    After this needle, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s body swayed slightly, as if her feet had lost strength, and she toppled towards Ling Chen.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen quickly embraced her slender waist to prevent her from falling.


    "Miss Zhu, how are you?"


    Held by Ling Chen¡¯srge hands, their bodies pressed closely together. Feeling the masculine scent emanating from Ling Chen, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s pretty face blushed and she quickly wriggled free from his grip, shyly saying, "I¡¯m fine."


    "Miss Zhu, your Inner Strength is exhausted. Continuing with acupuncture might damage your body. Let me help you."


    "You... Can you do it?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu hesitated. Performing acupuncture was no child¡¯s y; a small mistake could endanger the patient¡¯s life.


    Ling Chen grinned and said, "Don¡¯t worry, I wouldn¡¯t joke with someone¡¯s life."


    Originally often deployed on missions outside, injuries weremon, so he had learned some medical skills. Although rudimentary, every technique recorded in that secret manuscript was extraordinary; even the basics were far from simple.


    With that, he pressed down on the patient, pulled out two silver needles in session, aimed, and thrust them deeply.


    He Gu, Taichong.


    After thest two needles were inserted, the struggling patient immediately calmed down, and his breathing gradually stabilized.


    "That¡¯s it."


    Ling Chen exhaled, turned his head to look at Zhu Xiaozhu, and saw her looking at him with keen interest.


    He touched his face, puzzled, "Miss Zhu, why are you staring at me? Is there something on my face?"


    A hint of amusement shed in Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s beautiful eyes as she lightly smiled.


    "It¡¯s nothing, I just thought Mr. Ling only practiced martial arts. I didn¡¯t expect you to be quite knowledgeable in medicine too."


    She had not reminded Ling Chen, but he knew where to ce the needles, which clearly showed his medicalpetence was not all talk.


    Ling Chen rubbed his hands, looking modest.


    "Miss Zhu, please don¡¯t say that, I just know a little. I¡¯m no match for you."


    "Mr. Ling, you¡¯ve also worked hard. Let¡¯s rest together, I know there¡¯s a tea house across from the hospital."


    When a beautiful woman invites, naturally, Ling Chen would not refuse.


    He returned to the ward and greeted Zhong Wei, then left the hospital with Zhu Xiaozhu.


    Chunfeng Tea House.


    This tea house, a wooden antique building, boasted a traditional and quaint environment. Despite being located in a bustling area, it offered a unique tranquility.


    Zhu Xiaozhu seemed to be a regr here; as soon as she arrived, the waiter, without asking, immediately led her into a private room.


    The private room had no chairs but only a long tea table, surrounded by bamboo mats on each side.


    The two sat on the floor, and soon a waiter brought a set of exquisite tea ware.


    Watching Zhu Xiaozhu skillfully handle the tea ware, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her.


    True beauty is not about looks but about demeanor. Only women with both beautiful looks and temperament can be considered top-notch.


    Zhu Xiaozhu undoubtedly epitomized such women, every move exuding a gentle and intellectual charm. Being with her, all troubles seemed to vanish.


    "Mr. Ling, please enjoy the tea."


    Smelling the fragrant tea aroma, Ling Chen generously praised, "I didn¡¯t expect Miss Zhu to be a tea ceremony master."


    "I wouldn¡¯t im to be a master; it¡¯s just a hobby I enjoy in my spare time."


    "Miss Zhu, since you invited me for tea, it means you consider me a friend. Let¡¯s be informal, stop calling me ¡¯Mister.¡¯ I¡¯m not used to that title either, just call me by my name."


    Zhu Xiaozhu nodded and said, "My friends all call me Xiaozhu."


    "Xiaozhu, I heard from Mr. Yest time that you were supposed to return to Beijing earlier."


    "The hospital had an emergency patient, so I was dyed for a few more days. After you left Qingyun Martial Arts Hall that day, Mr. He often mentioned you to me, saying that despite your young age, your talent in martial arts is quite rare, truly a rare talent. After witnessing your medical skills today, I am very curious about your training background."


    Ling Chen sipped the green tea and replied, "I don¡¯t have a master; a lot of what I know is self-taught through practice. There are manymonalities between martial arts and medicine, and I just figured it out by making connections."


    "Self-taught and aplished, you are far more capable than I am."


    Nonsense.


    Ling Chen felt helpless inside; without some medical knowledge, he would have died abroad long ago. It¡¯s fair to say that his skills were forced out of necessity.


    "Ling Chen, what are you working as now?"


    "Security."


    "Oh?"


    A hint of surprise shed in Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s beautiful eyes. Having seen Ling Chen¡¯s capabilities, she hadn¡¯t expected such talent to stoop to be a security guard, which seemed somewhat like a waste.


    "Judging by your ability to take on such a role, the client must be someone significant."


    Ling Chen casually mentioned, "The Nanrong family from East Sea City, you must have heard of them."


    "Nanrong Wanqing?"


    When that name was mentioned, a flicker of special interest passed through Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s eyes.


    "Do you know her?"


    As soon as the words left his mouth, Ling Chen knew he had asked superfluously.


    Ye Liangyong had once said, ¡¯In the east, there¡¯s Nanrong; in the north, there¡¯s Xiaozhu.¡¯ These two famous women surely knew of each other.


    "She¡¯s a well-known talenteddy in East Sea City, of course, I know her. Ah, it¡¯s quite pitiful to speak of it..."


    Zhu Xiaozhu did not finish, but Ling Chen knew what she meant. Nanrong Wanqing was almost perfect in every aspect, except for her paralyzed legs.


    "Xiaozhu, do you think her legs can still be healed?"


    "Hard to say; it depends on the situation. As I know, the Nanrong family has sought out many famous doctors, but all were helpless."


    Ling Chen joked, "With your excellent medical skills, haven¡¯t they sought you?"


    "They wouldn¡¯t ask for me."


    "Why?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu didn¡¯t say anything, just quietly lifted her teacup. Ling Chen caught on and tactfully did not continue questioning.


    After another half hour of casual conversation and learning she still had patients at the hospital, Ling Chen didn¡¯t want to keep her any longer, so he stood up to say goodbye.


    "Xiaozhu, when are you returning to Beijing?"


    "Next week. Why?"


    "Nothing, just asking. Hopefully, we¡¯ll meet again if there¡¯s a chance."


    "If you have time, don¡¯t forget to visit Mr. He. He has often mentioned you since you left."


    "I know, I¡¯ll make sure to visit if I have time."


    Watching Ling Chen walk away, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s gaze slightly altered¡ªan intuition telling her that Ling Chen wasn¡¯t just an ordinary man. Yet she wondered why such a person would choose to live a low-profile life in the city, willingly working as an ordinary security staffer.


    He must have quite a story, right?


    Realizing this, Zhu Xiaozhu suddenly also realized she might have taken too much interest in him. Her face blushed slightly at the thought.


    Ling Chen left Chunfeng Tea House just as Zhong Wei was leaving the hospital; the two of them drove back to Nanrong¡¯s home together.

 Chapter 45 - 44 Su Xiaoniu’s Threat

    <h4>Chapter 45: Chapter 44 Su Xiaoniu¡¯s Threat</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "Ling Chen, there¡¯s something I want to discuss with you."


    "Captain Zhong, just speak straightforwardly."


    "Just now in the hospital, a few members mentioned to me that they want to resign. Those people were injured by gunshots during this operation, and even if they recover, their movements will be inconvenient, so they can¡¯t go on missions with the team anymore. Now, the only ones left are Liang Zhao Hui and Zhou Qing, and including you and me, there are only four of us left. We reallyck manpower."


    "What do you think?"


    "Well, I do have several retiredrades, but if you have any better candidates, we should consider themprehensively."


    "Candidates huh... Let me think about it. There¡¯s no rush at this moment."


    After getting back home, Ling Chen gave Tang Shiyun another call.


    He had made several calls these past few days, but couldn¡¯t get through, unable to reach that girl. Because of this, he specifically asked Jiang Hao to go check at Tang Shiyun¡¯s house, but the front gate of her home was tightly closed and no one had been seen returning for days.


    "Sorry, the phone number you have dialed is currently unavable; please try againter..."


    After hanging up, Ling Chen immediately called Jiang Hao¡¯s number.


    "Hello, Jiang Hao, how¡¯s the thing I asked you to do, did you see anyone?"


    "Chen, I was just about to call you. I asked the neighbors, and they said Tang Shiyun¡¯s family moved away a week ago. Didn¡¯t she tell you?"


    "Moved away?"


    Ling Chen was taken aback. He had just started at thepany recently, and with work keeping him busy during the day, and he was hardly ever home, Tang Shiyun must have moved during that time. However, how could she not even call him about something like moving, at least to inform him.


    "Jiang Hao, do you know where they moved to?"


    "I¡¯m not sure, the neighbors don¡¯t know either."


    "Keep an eye out for me, remember to let me know if you hear anything about her."


    "Sure. Hey, by the way, Chen, don¡¯t forget toe see the brothers when you have time. Everyone misses you since you left."


    Ling Chen jokingly scolded, "You¡¯re not women, why would you miss me, get lost. I¡¯ll contact you when I have time."


    "Ling Chen,e out for a moment."


    Just as he hung up, Su Lin¡¯s voice came from outside the bedroom.


    What does this girl want now?


    Ling Chen thought to himself, she better not be looking for trouble over that incident the other night.


    Entering the living room, he saw that Nanrong Wanqing was also there.


    "Chairwoman, did you need something?"


    "Take a seat."


    Seeing that Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s tone was much gentler than two days ago, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but feel secretly delighted. This woman must be caving in from hunger.


    "Ling Chen, I¡¯m allowing you to stay here."


    Just as he expected!


    "But..."


    Hearing this word, Ling Chen knew the main point wasing.


    "If you want to stay here, there must be three rules. First, you are only allowed to be on the first floor; without permission, do not go to the second floor. Second, you are not allowed to bring friends over. Third, and most importantly, if I have friends over, you must keep out of sight and not appear."


    "No problem."


    Ling Chen agreed immediately.


    He had originally thought that Nanrong Wanqing would make some excessive demands, but it turned out to be quite simple. Although they had set some rules, it was still a good start for him.


    By noon, the nanny at Nanrong Hao¡¯s house had already sent over the meals. Since the three of them hadpromised, there was no need for the two women to continue their hunger strike.


    Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin¡¯s lunch was sent directly to their rooms, while Ling Chen sat alone in the spacious living room, eating his meal and watching TV.


    At this moment, the local news channel was reporting on a chaotic incident that had urred in the Old City a few days ago.


    "The investigation found that arge-scale brawl in the Old City was secretly nned by a man named Yang Sheng. After days of searching,st night at eleven o¡¯clock, citizens found the bodies of Yang Sheng and his driver in a Mercedes. ording to forensic identification, Yang Sheng had been dead for several days, and the cause of death was a gunshot to the head. The case is still under further investigation..."


    Yang Sheng is actually dead!


    Ling Chen took a bite of his meal, shook his head secretly, and thought it was obvious that it was the work of Snake King.


    Daring to coborate with Snake King is like a mouse walking into a pocket, seeking its own death!


    Just as he was thinking, suddenly the sound of high heels cking came from the stairs on the second floor.


    He casually nced over, and suddenly his mouth hung open, and his eyes couldn¡¯t move away.


    There he saw Su Lin, the littledy, wearing a light blue short skirt paired with ck stockings, showing off her slender and fair legs. She wore a white short-sleeved shirt with the top buttons casually undone, revealing her fair and delicate neck. Through the white shirt, one could faintly see the ck bra inside.


    Her sexy attirebined with her gorgeous face and devilish figure was simply an invitation tomit a crime.


    Especially the seductive ck stockings on those beautiful legs, Ling Chen felt his nose heat up, almost to the point of bleeding.


    It seemed that Su Lin felt Ling Chen¡¯s stunned gaze, her red lips slightly curled up, adding to her charm.


    Devil...


    This littledy definitely has the potential to be a devil.


    Seeing Su Lin heading towards the door, Ling Chen immediately snapped back to reality and asked, "Miss Su, are you going out?"


    "Do I need your permission to go out?"


    "That¡¯s not it, but... if you¡¯re going out, it¡¯s best to bring along Captain Zhong."


    "What¡¯s there to be afraid of, it¡¯s broad daylight, could there be any danger?"


    Su Lin was unconcerned.


    "It¡¯s not that I¡¯m worried about you being in danger, I¡¯m worried about the men outside. Miss Su, for the sake of others¡¯ safety, I strongly suggest you bring security."


    This littledy dressed so sexily, if she walked on the street, any man would be attracted. With the number of impulsive crimes now, I really worry for those men.


    Su Lin seemed to understand the implication in his words and smiled proudly.


    Just say you think I¡¯m pretty, why beat around the bush.


    Her eyes shifted: "Ling Chen, why don¡¯t you apany me out?"


    "Me? No, I have to ensure the director¡¯s safety."


    Ling Chen refused t out. He was kidding. He still vividly remembered thest incident. If he went out with this littledy, who knew if she would continue to find ways to make trouble for him.


    Su Lin was instantly furious. How many men in this world would vie jostling in line just at her call? And he refused so directly? She immediately huffed, "Ling Chen, don¡¯t make excuses. You went out in the morning, so why not in the afternoon? Wanqing is at home safe and sound, she doesn¡¯t need your protection. In a word, are you going or not?"


    "Not going."


    "You!" Su Lin stomped her foot angrily, but for some reason, a sly smile suddenly appeared on her face, triumphantly saying: "Alright then, if you don¡¯t go, I¡¯ll tell my grandfather that you have inappropriate intentions towards me."


    "Damn! Who has intentions toward you?" Ling Chen¡¯s old face instantly turned red. How did this littledy figure out what he was thinking? Facing such a stunning beauty, to say he had no thoughts at all wouldn¡¯t fit the nature of a man.

 Chapter 46 - 45 Haven’t Had Enough Yet?

    <h4>Chapter 46: Chapter 45 Haven¡¯t Had Enough Yet?</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "You go exin to my grandpa." After saying that, the girl turned around and left.


    "Fine, I¡¯ll go." Ling Chen was genuinely scared of this girl.


    "That¡¯s a good boy. Hehe!" Su Lin was smug about her sessful scheme, turned around with a smile, and deliberately puffed out her ample bosom, rolling her eyes at Ling Chen before heading out.


    Amitabha Buddha!


    Ling Chen murmured the name of the Buddha.


    As the saying goes, "If I do not enter hell, who will?" For the sake of the men outside, he could only bravely sacrifice himself.


    After leaving the Nanrong Family¡¯s residence, Ling Chen got into the Maserati, started the engine, and then took to the road following Su Lin¡¯s directions.


    "Miss Su, the chairman seems to be in a good mood today."


    When he was talking with Nanrong Wanqing earlier, he felt a change in her, distinctly different from the previous days, so he couldn¡¯t help but ask a little more.


    "What does Wanqing¡¯s mood have to do with you? You are only responsible for her safety. You¡¯d better not pry into her private life," she said.


    Ling Chen shrugged his shoulders; Su Lin wasn¡¯t wrong¡ªit was indeed an overstep on his part.


    Before long, the two arrived at a private club in the city center.


    The five-story club covered a thousand square meters. Owning such arge property in the bustling city center attested to the wealth of the club¡¯s owner.


    "Ling Chen, do you want toe in with me?"


    Su Lin asked, a teasing look in her eyes.


    "Go in? Of course, I¡¯ll go in."


    He knew very well what private clubs were all about. With a beauty like Su Lin entering, who knows how many lechers might be attracted? As a security professional hired by the Nanrong Family, Su Lin¡¯s safety was also his responsibility.


    "Good, just don¡¯t regret itter."


    Su Lin sneaked a smile and quickly stepped into the club.


    The private club was open to members only, and entry required showing a membership card. However, Su Lin seemed to be a regr here. Upon her arrival, the doorman hastily opened the door with respectful demeanor: "Miss Su, wee."


    Su Lin nodded her head and walked straight in.


    Ling Chen was about to follow when the doorman stopped him.


    "Sir, this is the main entrance. The lounge is that way."


    "I came with her," Ling Chen pointed at Su Lin.


    "I know, but..."


    "Let him in," Su Lin turned and said.


    The doorman hesitated: "Miss Su, is this... Is this really okay?"


    "What¡¯s wrong with it? I¡¯ll speak with your boss, don¡¯t worry about it."


    "Yes, ma¡¯am."


    With Su Lin¡¯s word, the doorman dared not refuse and quickly allowed Ling Chen inside. Nevertheless, as Ling Chen entered, the doorman gave him a strange look.


    Stepping into the club¡¯s grand hall, it was magnificent, with two crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, carpets fully covering the floor, and marble walls that shone spotlessly, mirroring like a ss. In the center of the hall, there was even a small fountain surrounded by pebbles. At one nce, everything exuded luxury.


    Near the wall, there was a row of sofas upied by several mboyant women in their thirties or forties, draped in designer brands, with any one of their bags worth several months of Ling Chen¡¯s sry.


    When Ling Chen appeared in their line of sight, the women quieted down and looked at him with surprise. However, their expressions soon turned eager as they pointed and talked about him incessantly.


    Feeling their gazes, Ling Chen was somewhat ufortable.


    If she were a beauty, he could have epted it, but those women were all auntie-level. Moreover, their gazes upon him were like... like famished wolves eyeing tender meat, drooling with desire.


    He cleared his throat and quickened his pace, hoping to catch up with Su Lin ahead.


    But at that moment, a woman in her forties, heavily made-up, stood up and walked over, blocking his way.


    "Young man, what¡¯s your rtion to Miss Su?"


    "Is that any of your business?"


    The woman smiled seductively: "Little brother, are you ying dumb or truly clueless, to follow all the way here. Come on, instead of going inside, why not join usdies for a chat outside?" Saying so, she reached to grab Ling Chen¡¯s hand.


    Ling Chen quickly stepped back, his face filled with shock.


    Sister?


    She¡¯s old enough to be my mom.


    Especially with the thickyer of foundation on her face that made her look like she had stayed in a morgue.


    He forced a smile: "Sorry, I¡¯m a bit upied."


    "Where are you going, young man? Let me give you my business card, in case you need some money... Hey, hey!"


    Fearing the older woman would keep bothering him, Ling Chen dashed into the elevator and quickly closed the doors.


    Damn it, to be mistaken for a gigolo.


    No wonder, though he came with Su Lin, the clothes he wore were cheap street stall goods, the disparity between his and Su Lin¡¯s status was obvious to anyone.


    Oh no!


    He only then remembered that he had lost Su Lin, with no idea which floor she had gone to.


    He looked at the elevator buttons and there was only one button, going straight to the fifth floor. Without overthinking, he pressed the button for the fifth floor.


    Soon, the elevator slowly ascended.


    Ding!


    Apanied by a clear bell, the elevator steadily stopped at the fifth-floor portal.


    Stepping out of the elevator, Ling Chen looked down the corridor both ways and saw nobody, the silence was a bit too much.


    "Could it be that I¡¯ve gone to the wrong ce?"


    He talked to himself. But, the elevator had only one button, it shouldn¡¯t be wrong.


    The fifth floor had only one corridor, with bedrooms on both sides, but they were all locked up. Ling Chen followed the corridor all the way to the end, finally spotting a room door ajar.


    He walked over, knocked on the door, then pushed it open and began, "Excuse me, I¡¯d like to ask..."


    Before he could finish, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes fixed in ce, as if frozen by a spell, and his opened mouth couldn¡¯t close.


    In the room, a slim woman stood by the bed, back facing him, hair up, the long dress already off, wearing nothing but a pinkce-trimmed panty, not even a bra.


    Although he couldn¡¯t see the woman¡¯s face, the silky smooth back, the long beautiful legs, along with the shapely figure and the fair skin gave Ling Chen a strong hunch that this was definitely a beauty, and a top-tier one at that.


    At that moment, startled by the sudden noise behind her, the woman instinctively covered her chest with her hands and then turned her head to look toward the doorway.


    Their eyes met, and Ling Chen finally saw clearly the woman¡¯s face.


    A beauty.


    Indeed, a beauty.


    Exquisite features, delicate brows like crescent moons, gently shallow, stirring the soul. In those clear, ss-like eyes was a hint of mncholy, yet with azy allure, intoxicating one¡¯s heart. No words needed, just those eyes alone could convey all her emotions.


    After a moment¡¯s panic and embarrassment, her eyes gradually regained calm.


    Seeing Ling Chen standing there, dumbfounded, she parted her lips and spoke: "Haven¡¯t you seen enough?"

 Chapter 47 - 46 Women’s Private Club (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 47: Chapter 46 Women¡¯s Private Club (Part 1)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Hearing her not-so-distant voice, Ling Chen immediately came to his senses and apologized, swiftly exiting the doorway.


    "Stay outside, don¡¯t go."


    The woman¡¯s voice followed him from inside the room. Ling Chen could not help but bitterly smile and stopped his steps which were prepared to leave.


    Running away wasn¡¯t his style, and he had indeed offended her just now. His apology was too hasty. He should properly apologize and seek forgivenesster.


    "Come in."


    Several minutester, the woman inside spoke.


    Ling Chen entered the door and saw the woman sitting on the single-seater sofa, his gaze instantly brightening, a sh of admiration swirling deep within his eyes.


    At this moment, the woman had changed into a light purple long dress, her hair styled up high with only two thin strands left resting on her shoulders, cascading in front of her chest, the ends just touching her full bosom.


    Different from the beauties Ling Chen had seen before, this woman exuded an aura of nobility from head to toe. Sitting there simply, one could feel the elegance, dignity, and aristocracy radiating from her.


    Ling Chen was worldly, but such a woman was a rare sight in his life.


    Such noble demeanor wasn¡¯t something that could be developed overnight but was cultivated over time and came naturally.


    He was very curious about her; she looked to be only around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, and he wondered about her background.


    "Why are you here?"


    The woman¡¯s beautiful eyes slightly lifted, staring straight at Ling Chen, her tone neither cold nor warm, exuding a mature charm.


    "I was taking the elevator up, and it only goes to the fifth floor, so I... I¡¯m sorry, earlier I just wanted to ask for directions, I didn¡¯t mean to offend you, please don¡¯t take it to heart."


    Ling Chen apologized sincerely.


    "Didn¡¯t anyone inform you that it¡¯s my private elevator?"


    Ling Chen shook his head. If he had known it was a private elevator, he would never have entered. He had just bumped into the elevator while avoiding that wealthy woman and didn¡¯t notice much.


    "If that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯s not your fault, it¡¯s the staff¡¯s negligence. I ept your apology."


    Ling Chen was slightly surprised. This woman was too easy-going. He had almost seen her entire body, if it had been any other woman, she probably would have gone mad by now, not letting him off so easily.


    "What¡¯s your name?"


    "Ling Chen."


    "This is a private club, are you a member?"


    "No, I¡¯m security personnel for the Nanrong family, responsible for Miss Su Lin¡¯s safety."


    "So you were brought here by Lin. Lin is my friend. I can act like nothing happened just now, and I hope you can forget about it too and not tell anyone."


    Ling Chen, looking puzzled, reciprocated, "What happened just now?"


    The woman was quite pleased with Ling Chen¡¯s tact, slightly nodding her head, she changed the subject: "You came with Lin, didn¡¯t she tell you what this ce is?"


    "I know, it¡¯s a private club, a ce for wealthy people."


    "It¡¯s true it¡¯s a private club, but this is a women¡¯s private club. We only cater to women, not men. It¡¯s rather inconvenient for a man like you to be here."


    "Uh..."


    Ling Chen was stunned; that little girl really had ulterior motives, bringing him to such a ce¡ªwasn¡¯t that just making him embarrassed. If he had known earlier it was a women¡¯s private club, he would never havee.


    No wonder the doorman looked at him so strangely before.


    Facing the woman¡¯s intoxicating gaze, Ling Chen scratched his head sheepishly: "Sorry, Miss Su didn¡¯t tell me. Since that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t disturb you any longer."


    After finishing his words, he turned around to leave.


    "Stop."


    The woman stood up and walked gracefully towards him. Ling Chen turned his head and suddenly felt a fragrant breeze. He couldn¡¯t help but take a few deep breaths.


    "Is there anything else?"


    "Don¡¯t take the elevator, use the service stairs."


    This floor has always been upied by her alone, and even if there were guests, they were female. No man has ever entered. If Ling Chen took the elevator down, it would inevitably be seen by others, leading to gossip.


    She was a person who valued her private life and disliked being discussed.


    Ling Chen was smart enough to understand what she meant.


    "Where are the stairs?"


    "Go out the door, turn left, walk straight, and pass through two doors... I better take you there."


    This floor¡¯syout was ratherplex, and she was worried that Ling Chen might identally wander into another room. Saying this, she passed by Ling Chen and led the way ahead.


    However, having only taken a few steps, her legs suddenly softened, her body seemed to lose strength, and her head tilted as she began to fall to the side.


    Ling Chen quickly reacted and supported her body before she could fall.


    Her warm and soft body was in his arms, but Ling Chen had no time to think about anything else, as he gently shook the woman in his arms.


    "Hey, what¡¯s wrong with you, wake up!"


    He patted the woman¡¯s smooth, jade-like cheeks, trying to wake her, but she seemed to have fainted, showing no response.


    ncing at therge bed in the room, he lifted her light and delicate body and gently ced her on the bed, then checked her pulse.


    A few minutes passed, and a sudden change came over his handsome face, a sharp gleam appearing in his eyes.


    Confirming that the woman was not in danger, Ling Chen let go, abandoned the idea of calling an ambnce, and quietly guarded her, unabashedly admiring the beauty of this woman.


    Pure and unadorned, beautiful but not shy, fragile yet strong, like a daffodil. Although young, she seemed to have gone through the trials of time, revealing a noble and elegant temperament.


    Looking at the sleeping woman, for some reason, Ling Chen had no indecent thoughts, even though he had seen her unclothed moments ago.


    After a while, the woman on the bed finally came to.


    She sat up slightly, gently rubbing her forehead, her beautiful eyes unable to hide her weariness.


    "Are you okay? You fainted earlier, so I carried you to the bed."


    Hearing his words, the woman looked at her neatly arranged dress, feeling no difort in her body, and her gaze towards Ling Chen carried a bit of trust.


    "Thank you."


    "Don¡¯t mention it, it¡¯s what I should do."


    "Could you hand me the medicine?" The woman pointed to a thermos on the table across.


    Ling Chen picked up the thermos, opened the lid, and a pungent bitterness immediately assailed his nose.


    He sniffed the medicine, a hint of curiosity shing in his eyes.


    Returning to the bedside, he didn¡¯t hand over the medicine but instead asked, "Miss, are you sick?"


    The woman¡¯s expression turned displeased as she corrected him, "I¡¯m not ¡¯miss¡¯, my name is Liu Xiyao. Whether I am sick or not is none of your business, just hand me the medicine and you can leave."


    Seeing her get upset, Ling Chen realized that his question was too blunt and hurriedly said, "I¡¯m sorry, don¡¯t take it the wrong way, I didn¡¯t mean anything by it, I just wanted to make sure. Miss Liu, after taking your medicine, do you feel energetic, clear-headed, and sleep well?"

 Chapter 48 - 47: Women’s Private Club (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 48: Chapter 47: Women¡¯s Private Club (Part 2)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Upon hearing this, Liu Yiyao¡¯s gaze changed subtly, and she reassessed Ling Chen before finally saying, "How do you know all this? Have you studied medicine?"


    Ling Chen gave a nomittal response, "Miss Liu, let me give you a piece of advice. If you wish to live a few more years, it¡¯s best not to continue taking the medication."


    "It¡¯s just traditional Chinese medicine for regting the body. What could be wrong with it?"


    "Miss Liu, if it¡¯s convenient, could you show me your prescription?"


    After hesitating for a moment, Liu Xiyao took out her phone, found a memo with the prescription recorded, and handed it over to Ling Chen.


    "Is there a problem?"


    Ling Chen nced at it and said, "There¡¯s no big issue with the prescription, but there¡¯s a problem with how the medicine is being used. An extra ingredient has been added to the mix. Taken alone, this herb won¡¯t harm the body, but when mixed with other herbs, it will slowly umte in the body, forming a ******** and harming bodily functions. When I took your pulse earlier, you already showed signs of mild poisoning. If you don¡¯t stop taking the medicine immediately and undergo recuperation, you have at most five years left to live." After pausing, he continued, "The reason you fainted earlier was also due to the poisoning."


    Hearing this, Liu Xiyao¡¯splexion changed dramatically, and a sh of anger disappeared from her eyes.


    "Miss Liu, we¡¯re strangers; I have no reason to lie to you. No matter who prepared the medicine for you, you need to be cautious."


    While saying this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but curse inwardly, outraged that someone could bear to harm such a stunning beauty. It was simply unconscionable.


    By now, Liu Xiyao¡¯s expression had returned to calm.


    "I understand, thank you for the warning."


    After speaking, she got up, pulled out a cheque from the bedside drawer, filled in a few numbers, and handed it to Ling Chen.


    "I hope you can keep this matter confidential for me and not let it spread."


    Ling Chen nced at the cheque¡ª200,000 wasn¡¯t a small sum. His lips slightly curved upward as he pushed back the cheque.


    "Miss Liu, I have my principles. You need not worry about me spreading the word. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be taking my leave."


    "Hold on."


    "What else is there?"


    "Since you can see that I¡¯m poisoned, could you help me cure it?"


    "It¡¯s not a big issue. With proper recuperation, you can recover in a few months. This minor matter can be addressed by a hospital; they can help you solve it."


    Liu Xiyao shook her head, "I can¡¯t go to the hospital. If I do, they would definitely..." She stopped mid-sentence, seemingly realizing something, and quickly changed her words, "It¡¯s inconvenient for me to go to the hospital. You are a wise man; some things need not be explicitly stated."


    With that, she walked up to Ling Chen and offered the cheque again, "This 200,000 will serve as your fee for treating me."


    Sensing the plea in Liu Xiyao¡¯s eyes, Ling Chen softened unbeknownst to himself and nodded as if led by some specter.


    "Thank you for helping me."


    Ling Chen felt resigned and unconsciously thought of that old song.


    Your heart is always too soft, too soft... sigh, what can be done when she¡¯s a beauty. When a beauty asks, can the heart not be soft?


    At this moment, the room¡¯sndline phone rang.


    Liu Xiyao answered the call, and whatever was said on the other end made her nce at Ling Chen.


    "Alright, I know."


    After hanging up, she said, "Lin is downstairs having a dispute with someone. You..."


    "I¡¯ll go take a look."


    Before Liu Xiyao finished her sentence, Ling Chen hurriedly ran out of the room. However, just seconds after dashing through the door, he poked his head back in to ask, "By the way, which floor is she on?"


    "Third floor."


    "Got it."


    Third floor... Liu Xiyao¡¯s face paled slightly, and she cursed under her breath, hastily following out the door.


    "Hey, Ling Chen, don¡¯t go to the third floor, that¡¯s where..."


    By then, the hallway was empty; Ling Chen was long gone.


    Finding the emergency exit, Ling Chen, worried about Su Lin being at a disadvantage, quickly made his way to the third floor. Without thinking twice, he burst through the door.


    "Miss Su!"


    The moment the words left his mouth, he was stunned, his pupils dting manifold. The white expanse before him made his head spin.


    Such white legs...


    Such a full chest...


    Ling Chen swallowed hard, his eyes lighting up.


    The third floor of the club was dedicated to hydrotherapy, with spa equipment on one side and severalrge baths on the other.


    The women in the baths, with their graceful figures in sexy bikinis and some wrapped in towels with bare shoulders, while the essential parts were covered, the scene was still irresistible, and Ling Chen feasted his eyes.


    "When did our club allow men?"


    "Pervert."


    "That young guy is quite handsome. I wonder what his body looks like."


    Ling Chen¡¯s sudden appearance provoked quite a reaction, yielding a flurry of gossip and appraisal. The older women were the onesmenting on his appearance, while the younger girls branded him a pervert and a lecher.


    Fortunately, Ling Chen had seen the world and could handle such a scene. He cleared his throat, straightened his jacket, and under the watchful eyes of the women, walked confidently to Su Lin¡¯s side, admiring her; the pink bikini couldn¡¯t hide her ******** voluptuous figure. Usually, because of her somewhat conservative dress, the abundant charm disyed before him now was so full, it made Ling Chen unconsciously swallow.


    "Miss Su, are you okay?"


    It was only then that Su Lin snapped back to reality, looking at Ling Chen with some shock, seemingly not expecting him to show up in such a ce. At the same time, she couldn¡¯t help feeling agitated as his eyes lingered where they shouldn¡¯t, and was about to speak, only to hear a voice dripping with scorn, "Su Lin, is this the boyfriend you found? Hmph, your taste isn¡¯t just poor, it¡¯s atrocious. That such a man caught your eye, no wonder Qin Yang dumped you for my embrace. Only someone like you who has poor taste would end up like this."


    Su Lin fired back, "Song Yuan, listen up, I¡¯m the one who dumped Qin Yang. Who asked him to mess around with other girls? Only someone as promiscuous as you would fancy someone like him."


    Song Yuan tossed her wet hair, unconcerned, "Su Lin, let me teach you something. Just because a woman has been to bed doesn¡¯t make her promiscuous. Are you implying all the women here are loose? Besides, what era are we in now? Who else is as conservative as you, treasuring their chastity like it¡¯s a pricelessmodity? Being over twenty and still a virgin isughable. In my opinion, you should find a man and enjoy the pleasures of the flesh. I guarantee you¡¯ll love that feeling."


    Upon hearing this, many of the surrounding women smiled knowingly.


    Su Lin felt her face burning with shame and anger, "You..."

 Chapter 49 - 48 Women’s Private Club (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 49: Chapter 48 Women¡¯s Private Club (Part 3)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "What? Actually, I should really thank you. If it weren¡¯t for you, how could Qin Yang have returned to my side? You have no idea how good Qin Yang has been to me. Look, this ring cost him two hundred thousand to buy from overseas just for me, it¡¯s a limited edition, and he also got me the membership card for that club. Too bad you didn¡¯t have the eyes for it, now you can¡¯t enjoy his goodness. Oh, right, I heard from Qin Yang that you were with him for a year, and apart from holding hands, you never let him touch you anywhere else. Su Lin, do you have some kind of psychological issue? Otherwise, as a normal woman, how could you resist a man¡¯s advances? Could it be that you¡¯re into women?"


    Su Lin was so angry that she couldn¡¯t find the words to respond.


    While they were bickering, Ling Chen nced at the woman named Song Yuan. She was pretty with a voluptuous figure, definitely a beauty, but her eyes and brows carried an overtly seductive charm, not befitting a serious woman.


    Moreover, this woman was clearly a seasoned yer in love affairs, speaking without any scruples. How could someone inexperienced like Su Lin stand a chance against her?


    Seeing that Su Lin did not respond, Song Yuan wore a self-satisfied, victorious smile on her face.


    She and Su Lin were alumni. Her family background was not as good as Su Lin¡¯s, but it wasn¡¯t too shabby either. From the moment she entered school, she had her sights set on Qin Yang, a handsome and rich catch, the typical tall, rich, and handsome. She pursued him for two years, even offering herself up, but Qin Yang paid her no heed, instead starting to pursue Su Lin.


    Every time she saw them walking hand in hand around campus, she was filled with immense jealousy.


    Some time ago, after Qin Yang broke up with Su Lin, he was alone at a bar, where she just happened to run into him. A few drinkster,bined with her taking the initiative, what should have happened did happen, and their rtionship has developed rapidly.


    Today, upon bumping into Su Lin here, she couldn¡¯t hold back her smugness and wanted to unt in front of Su Lin, making her taste the feeling of jealousy.


    "Miss Su, what¡¯s going on?" Ling Chen pulled Su Lin to the side to ask.


    "That crazy woman is sick."


    Su Lin was furious. She was simply there to have a spa treatment, only to run into Song Yuan. She didn¡¯t want to deal with her, but the woman came over on her own initiative, bragging about how wonderful her love life with Qin Yang was.


    Fed up with listening, Su Lin couldn¡¯t help but scold a few words and wanted Song Yuan to leave, but thetter was persistent, hence their argument.


    Upon understanding what had happened, Ling Chen thought it wasn¡¯t a big deal and was about to advise her not to stoop to the level of such an unreasonable woman.


    But at that moment, he saw Song Yuan curling her red lips in disdain, looking at Ling Chen: "Su Lin, where did you pick up this boyfriend of yours from, oozing such a poor and sour smell? Although you have broken up with Qin Yang, you don¡¯t have to degrade yourself like this."


    She knew Ling Chen and Su Lin weren¡¯t in a romantic rtionship; she was just looking for an excuse to continue putting Su Lin down.


    "You... Ling Chen, beat her up for me."


    Su Lin finally found a use for Ling Chen. If she couldn¡¯t win with words, then why not win with fists? She was determined to teach this woman a lesson today.


    "Miss Su, that¡¯s not right, is it? We¡¯re all civilized people, why resort to violence?"


    He had his principles; it¡¯s possible to fight, but not to hit women.


    Su Lin grew impatient, stamping her foot: "Ling Chen, do you still want to stick around in my family, or not? Hit her, I¡¯ll take responsibility if anything happens."


    Song Yuan taunted: "Su Lin, you¡¯re such a failure as a woman, can¡¯t even tame a man. But, I wasn¡¯t wrong just now, your standards are too low, even having eyes for a man without any audacity."


    Ling Chen felt very annoyed; of all the things to say, this woman had to bring him into it.


    He looked at Su Lin, who was about to cry, and spoke: "Miss Su, why bother stooping to the level of such a woman. She has no shame, and is willing to demean herself; you¡¯re lowering your own status by arguing with her."


    Hearing this, Song Yuan¡¯s face froze, anger shed in her eyes as she said word for word: "Who are you calling shameless? Say it again if you dare."


    Ling Chen simply ignored her, continuing: "Some women these days don¡¯t respect themselves, and that¡¯s already bad enough. But they¡¯re also oblivious, thinking that shamelessness is an asset, as if snagging a lousy man is something to be proud of. Miss Song, Miss Su made it clear just now, she dumped Qin Yang because he¡¯s not up to par, and here you are with a man she dumped, where do you get the gall to show off in front of her? Aren¡¯t you just pping your own face? I don¡¯t even know where you get your sense of superiority from."


    Su Lin red at Ling Chen with annoyance, secretly pleased in her heart.


    Just now, when Ling Chen refused to stand up for her, she was stewing in anger, thinking about how she¡¯d deal with himter, but Ling Chen¡¯sst few words made her feel very satisfied.


    Although this guy is annoying at times, he proves to be somewhat useful in critical moments.


    At this instant, perhaps stung by Ling Chen¡¯s words, Song Yuan gritted her teeth and said, "You¡¯ve got some nerve to talk to me like that."


    Ling Chen ¡¯heh¡¯ed: "Just now, I didn¡¯t know who said Icked courage."


    Song Yuan said coldly, "I¡¯ll remember your name, Ling Chen. If you dare, don¡¯t go anywhere. I¡¯ll let you know what happens when you offend me."


    "Fine, I¡¯m not going."


    Ling Chen curled his lips and continued to stand to one side,pletely unfazed by the woman¡¯s threat.


    "What are you all gawking at? Hurry up and throw him out. This is a women¡¯s venue, since when are men allowed in here?"


    Song Yuan yelled at the surrounding staff.


    Although the private club only serves female clients, the security guards are all men. On the notification of the staff, several security guards arrived at the scene quickly.


    Initially, the staff wanted to clear the venue, asking guests to go to the rooms, but everyone wanted to continue watching the drama, so they chose to stay. After all, everyone was wearing bikinis and wrapped in towels, not worried about being seen.


    "Ling Chen, maybe you should go out first."


    Su Lin reminded him softly, thinking about the club¡¯s rule of not admitting men.


    "Okay, I will go outside."


    Song Yuan sneered, "Weren¡¯t you just saying how capable you are, daring to stay here and not leave? Well, then prove you can stay."


    "Ling Chen, don¡¯t stoop to her level; just go outside."


    "And you still have the nerve to call yourself a man, pah!"


    Upon hearing this, Ling Chen who was about to step away instantly retracted his foot. He could tolerate other words, but not this one.


    "Miss Song, I can assure you I¡¯m a man, but you¡¯ll never get to experience that, because I wouldn¡¯t want a woman like you even if you were given to me. No offense, but you¡¯re too dirty, and I¡¯m afraid of catching diseases."


    The women watching the scene suddenly gasped, staring at Ling Chen with wide eyes and speechless; his words were too cruel for any woman.


    "You..."


    Song Yuan¡¯s face turned pale, her finger pointing at Ling Chen, her body trembling slightly, clearly infuriated by hisst remark.


    Ling Chen was indifferent¡ª he wouldn¡¯t treat such a senseless woman kindly.


    Her words were poisonous, and his were even more so.


    "You... what are you spacing out for? Get him out of here now."


    Unable to think of harsher words, Song Yuan directed all her fury at the security guards.

 Chapter 50 - 49: Club Shareholders

    <h4>Chapter 50: Chapter 49: Club Shareholders</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "What¡¯s themotion?"


    At this moment, an unhappy voice came through.


    Everyone turned to look, and saw Liu Xiyao, escorted by several staff members, walking towards them.


    Liu Xiyao¡¯s walk was quite distinctive, with hands sped together and hanging in front of her, light footsteps, and her skirt gently fluttering with each step, her beautiful eyes staring straight ahead, exuding an aura of elegance in her every move.


    "Ling Chen, you¡¯re in for it now."


    Seeing Liu Xiyao appear, Song Yuan looked as if she saw a savior, and her face filled with joy.


    "Miss Liu."


    Su Lin hurried forward, about to greet her, but she saw Song Yuan following closely behind, indignant, and questioning: "President Liu, since when did the clubhouse allow men to enter? You must give us an exnation for this."


    Liu Xiyao nced at Ling Chen, who simply shrugged, looking indifferent. She felt somewhat helpless; when Ling Chen left, she had wanted to remind him, but he ran off too quickly for her to catch up.


    "The clubhouse rules haven¡¯t changed; only members can enter," she exined.


    Song Yuan scornfully nced at Ling Chen and said in a tone that looked forward to trouble: "In that case, what do you n to do with this man?"


    Su Lin panicked, as she knew very well Liu Xiyao¡¯s character; she would never allow men in her clubhouse. There was a man who once didn¡¯t believe this, disregarding the rules set by Liu Xiyao, and relying on his family¡¯s influence, tried to force his way into the clubhouse. As a result, that man and his family had to move and were driven straight out of East Sea City.


    Under normal circumstances, given her rtionship with Liu Xiyao, a plea might have resolved the issue without much trouble. But under everyone¡¯s watchful eye, Liu Xiyao might not favor her, because everyone knew Liu Xiyao valued clubhouse rules very much.


    "This young man is in deep trouble."


    "Yeah, who would have thought President Liu would personally intervene?"


    Hearing the whispers around her, Su Lin bit her lip: "Miss Liu, it¡¯s not his fault, it was my mistake; I brought him here, you..."


    "Su Lin, since you brought him in, you are equally responsible," Song Yuan said gleefully.


    Liu Xiyao looked at Su Lin¡¯s pleading eyes and couldn¡¯t help but sigh softly on the inside.


    "You,e with me, everyone else continue with what you were doing," she indicated to Ling Chen.


    Seeing Liu Xiyao intending to take Ling Chen away, Song Yuan became even more anxious. She wanted to witness Ling Chen suffer and relieve the hatred in her heart; she couldn¡¯t allow him to leave.


    "President Liu, you are the owner of the clubhouse, and now someone has broken the rules. If you don¡¯t resolve this matter in front of the guests, how can anyone respect your authority in the future?"


    Liu Xiyao¡¯s eyes flickered, masking the displeasure within, and she coldly responded, "This is my clubhouse; do I need you to teach me how to handle things?"


    "I..." Song Yuan wanted to continue speaking, but seeing the dissatisfaction on Liu Xiyao¡¯s face, she felt suddenly rmed, almost forgetting the stature of the woman in front of her.


    Remembering what Qin Yang had told her about this woman¡¯s background, she shivered and bowed her head.


    Liu Xiyao nced around at everyone, seeing all eyes fixed on her, and immediately understood the situation.


    Without rules, there¡¯s no square (meaning boundaries of proper behavior). Everyone knew she was a stickler for rules; failure to settle Ling Chen¡¯s issue on the spot would undoubtedly lead to gossip.


    "Ling Chen..."


    Her gaze unsettled, she seemed hesitant and possibly contemting something.


    Ling Chen, seeing her dilemma and not knowing how to start, stepped forward, ready to help her out of the bind. He had indeed broken the rules; there was nothing to argue about, and he would take responsibility. What could they do to him, a grown man, after all?


    "Miss Liu..."


    "Ling Chen is a shareholder of the club."


    As Liu Xiyao¡¯s voice rang out, Ling Chen was instantly taken aback, thinking he had heard wrong.


    Shareholder?


    Since when had he be a shareholder of this club?


    It wasn¡¯t just him; everyone else was stunned as well, especially Song Yuan, who looked at Ling Chen with a face full of disbelief. She would never believe that this guy, dressed in cheap street market clothes, could be a shareholder of this club.


    Su Lin didn¡¯t look at Ling Chen; instead, she was astonished and turned to Liu Xiyao. Liu Xiyao¡¯s statement waspletely unexpected for her.


    Although she had a good rtionship with Liu Xiyao, it wasn¡¯t that good. She was puzzled, why would Liu Xiyao make such a decision? Was it really just to help Ling Chen out of a difficult situation?


    Cough cough!


    Ling Chen coughed twice, drawing everyone¡¯s attention, and smirked: "Miss Liu, if there¡¯s a guest who disrespects the owner of the club, what do you think should be done?"


    "Apologize, cancel membership."


    Song Yuan¡¯s face turned pale, and her mouth slightly opened, but no words came out.


    Ling Chen smiled amiably at Song Yuan: "Miss Song, did you hear what Miss Liu said? I don¡¯t want your apology, and I believe Miss Su won¡¯t care about it either. Pack up your things and get out, and don¡¯t make a fool of yourself outside anymore."


    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Song Yuan bit down her teeth, forcibly suppressing the resentment in her heart, and walked out the door without a word.


    Ling Chen, you¡¯ll remember this!


    "Alright, everyone continue, Ling Chen,e with me."


    "Liu..." Su Lin was somewhat worried; could it be that Liu Xiyao was nning to secretly make trouble for Ling Chen?


    "Lin, I just want to have a chat with him, nothing else."


    After saying that, Liu Xiyao turned and walked out.


    "Miss Su, I¡¯ll be heading out first, you cane find me outsideter."


    After a greeting, Ling Chen quickly followed Liu Xiyao¡¯s steps until they reached the office.


    As soon as he sat down, a staff member brought in a document.


    "This is the shareholder agreement, sign it."


    Ling Chen smiled bitterly: "Miss Liu, I thought what you said earlier was just a joke, I don¡¯t have the money to invest in this club."


    Liu Xiyao said indifferently: "I never take back what I say. You haven¡¯t epted the 200,000 I gave you yet, so consider that as your investment. From now on, aside from me, you are the only shareholder of this club."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen didn¡¯t know what to say. The total investment in this private club was at least several hundred million, and his 200,000 wouldn¡¯t amount to much. He thought Liu Xiyao had onlye up with that idea to help him out, but it turned out she was serious.


    Seeing that Ling Chen hadn¡¯t picked up the pen, Liu Xiyao said: "I have a lot of business, this club is just a part of it. I seldom stay in East Sea City; I usually travel around the country. You live locally, which is perfect for helping me take care of things here."


    "This I can ept."


    Ling Chen grinned and signed his name on the agreement.


    He had put in the money and effort, earning the title of a shareholder; this was fair. As for dividends, he hadn¡¯t thought about it¡ªhow much could he get from a 200,000 investment?


    After checking the agreement, Liu Xiyao put it away in the drawer and said: "Now that we¡¯re done with the small talk, let¡¯s discuss the serious matter. When do you n to start the treatment?"


    "No rush, you cane to East Sea City once a month, and I will personally prepare the medication for you. As long as you persist for about half a year, the toxins in your body won¡¯t pose a threat to your health anymore."

 Chapter 51 - 50 Nanrong Past Events

    <h4>Chapter 51: Chapter 50 Nanrong Past Events</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "Okay, I will leave the day after tomorrow ande back this time next month. This is my personal mobile number, you can contact me if you need anything."


    Ling Chen took down the number and also exchanged his own mobile number with Liu Xiyao.


    Just as the matter was settled, Su Lin called to ask where he was.


    "Miss Liu, I¡¯m taking off now. See you next time."


    Leaving the office, Ling Chen walked out of the club only to see Su Lin already changed and sitting in the passenger seat of the Maserati.


    As he got in the car, Su Lin red at him with bright, wide eyes, without even blinking.


    "Miss Su, why are you staring at me like that?"


    "Honestly, what did Liu call you for?"


    "What else could it be? Thanks to you, Miss Liu gave me a good telling-off for breaking the club¡¯s rules."


    Hearing him say that, Su Lin suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. Bringing him to the club was initially to embarrass him, but instead, Ling Chen ended up helping her get some revenge.


    "Sorry!"


    "What?"


    Ling Chen doubted his ears; was the girl actually apologizing to him?


    "What did you just say? Say it again, I didn¡¯t hear it clearly."


    Su Lin lifted her pretty nose slightly and huffed, "Never mind if you didn¡¯t hear. Let¡¯s pretend I didn¡¯t say anything."


    Ling Chen chuckled. This girl was quite interesting when she wasn¡¯t bickering.


    "Miss Liu mentioned before that you are a shareholder of the club, could it be that you..."


    "You believed a casual joke? It¡¯s true that I¡¯m a shareholder, but only in name, with no real authority. If you want to take over that role, be my guest."


    "I wouldn¡¯t want it."


    Returning to the Nanrong house, Ling Chen found an additional person at home, ady in her forties.


    Su Lin introduced her as the Nanrong family¡¯s nanny, Wang Shu. Everyone called her Nanny Wang. She had taken leave and returned home the previous few days but had juste back today. Even though Wang Shu was employed as a nanny by the Nanrong family, she had grown up with Nanrong Wanqing since childhood, and the Nanrong family always treated her as one of their own.


    "Nanny Wang, I¡¯m Ling Chen. Please take good care of me," Ling Chen greeted her warmly.


    Wang Shu beamed with joy and said, "Ling, I heard from the nanny of Mr. Nanrong¡¯s house that a man had moved into the youngdy¡¯s house, and at first, I couldn¡¯t believe it. Now that it¡¯s true, you must protect the youngdy well and make sure she never gets hurt."


    "I will."


    After dinner, with nothing to do, Ling Chen strolled over to Nanrong Hao¡¯s house.


    "Haozi."


    "Hey! Chen, I¡¯m in the living room;e on in."


    "What have you been up to, kiddo? Haven¡¯t seen you all day, did you go hang out with Jiang Hao and the likes again?"


    "Chen, listen to how you phrase that. What do you mean hang out? I¡¯ve been dealing with serious matters these past few days."


    "Haha, you? Dealing with serious matters? Like what? I¡¯m all ears."


    "Xiong, Hao, and I are nning to partner up and invest in some businesses. Hao said that living the life on the streets is not a long-term n, and we should find a legitimate way to make money."


    "He¡¯s right in thinking that."


    Ling Chen nodded, it seems the words he once said to Jiang Hao did not fall on deaf ears.


    "What are you guys nning to do?"


    "I¡¯m going to start an express deliverypany."


    "How much money can an express deliverypany make?" Ling Chen looked puzzled.


    Nanrong Hao smiled mysteriously and said, "Brother Chen, the main purpose of starting an express deliverypany isn¡¯t to make money, but... ah, it¡¯splicated, and I can¡¯t exin it in a brief moment. You¡¯ll understandter."


    "Alright, as long as it¡¯s not illegal, do whatever you guys want."


    After saying this, Ling Chen suddenly noticed a problem. Nanrong Hao¡¯s living room wasrge and fully furnished with home appliances, yet itcked one thing.


    "Haozi, can I ask you a personal question?"


    "Sure, go ahead, Brother Chen."


    "Where are your parents? I¡¯ve been here for several days, but I haven¡¯t seen them."


    He just noticed that there wasn¡¯t a single family photo in Nanrong Hao¡¯s house, and in his memory, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s house seemed tock them too, which was really strange. As a child, one should at least have photos of their parents.


    "This..."


    Seeing Nanrong Hao¡¯s troubled expression, Ling Chen said, "If it¡¯s difficult for you, you don¡¯t have to tell me. I was just asking casually."


    Nanrong Hao gave a wry smile. "Actually, it¡¯s not that I can¡¯t tell you. When I was born, my parents left home. My sister was still a baby then, and she has no impression of them either. I¡¯ve only heard about a dispute between my parents and the family. Anyway, my grandfather forbids us to talk about them. Brother Chen, don¡¯tugh at me, but I grew up without knowing what my parents even look like."


    Ling Chen shook his head helplessly. Every family has its own difficulties. There wasn¡¯t much he could say about it, so he just patted Nanrong Hao¡¯s shoulder to offer somefort.


    After resting at home for three days, Nanrong Wanqing started going back to thepany for regr work, and Ling Chen also formally began working.


    In fact, his job was very rxed. He was only responsible for ensuring Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s safety during hermute. Once at thepany, as long as Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t go out, he would have nothing to do and would spend the entire day killing time in Wei Jun¡¯s office.


    That afternoon, the white sun hung high outside, turning the ground scorching hot, hot enough to cook meat.


    Ling Chen was sitting in the office, enjoying the air conditioning, and casually browsing a few suggestive websites, watching without much interest.


    Thedies on these websites used to be his dream girls, but now that he¡¯d seen beauties like Nanrong Wanqing, Su Lin, Liu Xiyao, and Zhu Xiaozhu, his standards had quickly risen, and thesedies no longer caught his eye.


    At half-past five, as work was nearing an end, Ling Chen was about to prepare to leave when he saw Su Lin walking in.


    "Ling Chen, you¡¯re cking off again."


    "I¡¯m not cking off in hiding; this is legitimate cking off."


    Su Lin replied indignantly, "You take pride in cking off? Be careful or I¡¯ll snitch and dock your pay. Hurry up, we have visitors at home, and Wanqing wants to return early."


    "Okay."


    "Touch your head, oh so tender. Touch your face, looking so fine. Touch your waist, oh so flirtatious. Touch your back,e sleep with me..."


    It was then that Ling Chen¡¯s phone ringtone began to y from his pocket.


    Su Lin blushed, spat lightly, and said, "Pervert." Then, without letting the song finish, she quickly left the office.


    Ling Chen took out his phone and nced at the unfamiliar caller ID before answering, "Hello, who is this?"


    "It¡¯s me."


    Recognizing the voice immediately, Ling Chen knew it was the fat man who specialized in selling information and acted as a middleman.


    "Fatty, did you find Snake King¡¯s whereabouts?"


    "No, but he contacted me and asked for some information about Nanrong Wanqing."


    "Did you give it to him?"


    "Of course, as long as there¡¯s money, I¡¯ll do anything. But don¡¯t worry, the information isn¡¯t useful. Considering that you¡¯ve sold me information before, I wanted to give you a heads-up to watch out for a sneak attack from Snake King."


    "Got it, thanks."

 Chapter 52 - 51 Distant You

    <h4>Chapter 52: Chapter 51 Distant You</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    After hanging up the phone, a cold gleam shed in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes. That guy Snake King really is relentless. If he dares to make a move this time, I won¡¯t let him off as easily as before.


    Arriving at the underground parking lot, Zhong Wei, Liang Zhao Hui, and Zhou Qing had already escorted Nanrong Wanqing to the Rolls-Royce, getting ready to get in the car.


    Liang Zhao Hui and Zhou Qing had been discharged from the hospital two days ago and officially returned to the team. The other team members received a heftypensation and resigned.


    "Captain Zhong. You and the others take Miss Su and drive off first, the chairman will stay behind."


    Zhong Wei hesitated: "This seems inappropriate."


    "We just got intel that Snake King will likely take action, it¡¯s best we change the n."


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face was expressionless, as if she didn¡¯t take the assassin¡¯s threat seriously, whereas Su Lin seemed more worried: "What should we do?"


    "What is there to be afraid of? With me by her side, she won¡¯t get hurt."


    Zhong Wei nodded: "Alright then, you and the chairman be careful."


    After thest incident, Zhong Wei and the others had a lot of trust in Ling Chen. Since Ling Chen had intelligence indicating that the Snake King could threaten the chairman¡¯s safety, they wouldn¡¯t disagree, only try their best to cooperate.


    From beginning to end, Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t speak, letting Ling Chen make the arrangements.


    She was the chairman of Hongyu Group, with tens of thousands of employees under hermand, and had met countless people, having her own skills in judging others. However, she could never see through Ling Chen. This man, who usually seemed to have no rules and was somewhat careless, exuded mystery in every aspect.


    Thinking about it, a man who doesn¡¯t even consider the top ten assassins in the world a threat, how could he be simple?


    After Zhong Wei and the others left in the Rolls-Royce, Ling Chen drove the old Santana to the front of Nanrong Wanqing.


    Getting out of the car, he opened the passenger door, disregarding Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s icy gaze. He picked up her delicate body and gently ced her in the seat, then thoughtfully buckled her seat belt.


    Folding up the wheelchair, Ling Chen returned to the driver¡¯s seat, started the car, and the vehicle started to shake with a rattling noise.


    Breathing in the odd smell of the car¡¯s interior, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s beautiful crescent-like brows slightly raised, and a trace of displeasure flitted across her fair and jade-like face.


    "Can¡¯t we switch to a better car?"


    Ling Chen shrugged: "Chairman, this is the car you arranged for me. How about getting me a Land Rover after this?" Seeing that Nanrong Wanqing remained silent, he immediately lowered his demands: "Even a Volkswagen Tiguan would do."


    "Drive."


    Facing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s icy face, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help feeling helpless. This woman was like an iceberg, always with an unweing expression, as if nothing in the world could make her happy.


    Women will inevitably get married one day, and I wonder what it feels like for the future husband of Nanrong Wanqing to live with an iceberg every day, it¡¯s quite the experience I¡¯d like to have.


    He idly fantasized while shifting gears and driving out of the underground parking lot.


    With Zhong Wei¡¯s Rolls-Royce as a decoy, Ling Chen wasn¡¯t worried about his old clunker being targeted by Snake King. Of course, confidence is one thing, caution is another¡ªwhen on a mission, he never took things lightly.


    The Santana joined traffic and headed towards the Nanrong Family. It was currently the rush hour, the roads were congested with vehicles, and with frequent red lights, more than ten minutes had passed without covering more than a few hundred meters.


    Bored with nothing to do, and with Nanrong Wanqing not engaging in conversation, he turned on the car radio and casually flipped through stations to find something to listen to.


    "Hello to all our friends listening, wee to today¡¯s Music Wave. Up next is a new song we¡¯ll y for you, called ¡¯You in the Distance,¡¯ presented by Silver Star Entertainment. It¡¯sposed and written by the famous producer Zhu Yansong, but the singer¡¯s name has not been revealed yet. Please enjoy..."


    In the city beyond the early morning


    Splendor has faded


    I stand alone before the window


    Mired in memories


    The streetlights outside apany my sleepless night


    Do you, in the distance, also think of me


    ...


    The sweet singing voice echoes inside the car, Ling Chen actually lost focus for a moment. That ethereal voice touched the bottom of his heart, as if it was a breeze from nature, gently brushing over his heart, stirring the most primal emotions from the depths of his soul.


    Not only was Ling Chen intoxicated by the singing, Nanrong Wanqing was also drawn to that sweet voice, her icy face seeming to thaw like frost in the spring breeze. On closer inspection, her eyes, bright as the stars, twinkled with tears, looking pitifully charming.


    Ssssssss...


    Suddenly, the car¡¯s radio signal seemed to be interfered with, and the music from the station immediately turned into noisy static, pulling Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing back to reality.


    "What a crappy radio."


    Ling Chen cursed in annoyance, mming his hand on the control panel, and the radio that was still emitting static noise immediately made a silent protest,pletely breaking down.


    "This car ispany property, if you break it, it will be deducted from your sry."


    Hearing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s stern words, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but feel aggrieved: "How can this be med on me?"


    "I saw it with my own eyes, you still want to deny it?" Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s expression was cold, her eyes fixed on the road ahead, as if she hadn¡¯t seen Ling Chen¡¯s widened eyes.


    Ling Chen opened his mouth, hesitated for a moment, and then forcibly swallowed back the word "Damn".


    This woman... Thinking of how he, as a grown man, couldn¡¯t be bothered to stoop to her level.


    The car joined the ring road, where the traffic gradually flowed smoothly. Ling Chen drove while his mind still reyed the singing voice from earlier.


    It¡¯s her!


    It definitely is her!


    Even though the sound was refined, he could not mistake it, it was Tang Shiyun¡¯s voice.


    Ever since hearing from Jiang Hao that Tang Shiyun had moved, he had been looking for her address, hoping to get in touch with her and hand over the money, but there had been no news, and no one in the Old City neighborhood knew where her family had moved to.


    Hearing this song today, he knew that the girl had made her choice.


    With Silver Star Entertainment and Zhu Yansong backing her, coupled with the sweet voice just now, Tang Shiyun bing famous was just a matter of time.


    She probably wouldn¡¯t have to worry about money now.


    But he wondered when he would be able to see her again.


    "Can you drive any faster?"


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s voice came through, pulling Ling Chen from his thoughts back to her.


    "Are you in a hurry?"


    "There¡¯s a guest at home."


    Ling Chen nced at the ice queen beside him from the corner of his eye, feeling slightly surprised, for in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s pure and innocent eyes, he could read a sense of urgency, as if she couldn¡¯t wait to meet someone.


    Yet, within that urgency seemed to be a hint ofplex emotions, indescribable and unclear.


    He was curious, just who could stir up Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s emotions like this.


    As he pondered, a Mercedes-Benz van suddenly sped past the Santana at a speed of over a hundred miles. On this crowded ring road, driving at such a high speed was no different from courting death unless the driver was very confident in his driving skills or there was an emergency.

 Chapter 53 - 52: Bandit (1)

    <h4>Chapter 53: Chapter 52: Bandit (1)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    As he was secretly guessing, several police cars appeared in the rearview mirror of his car window, red and blue lights shing, rapidly catching up from behind, quickly passing the Santana, and leaving him far behind.


    "Quick, faster!"


    In the leading police car, Xia Mutong was sitting in the passenger seat, continuously urging the driver while picking up the walkie-talkie connected to the external loudspeaker.


    "Attention, suspect in the Mercedes-Benz, stop the vehicle and surrender immediately, or we will open fire."


    However, the Mercedes-Benz van not only did not slow down but sped up even more, overtaking several cars in a row.


    "Damn!"


    Xia Mutong frowned tightly, pulled the handgun from its holster, and chambered a round.


    Seeing her action, the driver couldn¡¯t resist reminding her: "Captain Xia, there are hostages in the car. We¡¯ve been ordered from above to ensure the safety of the hostages."


    "I don¡¯t need you to tell me what to do, just focus on driving."


    With that said, she rolled down the window, leaned her upper body out, holding the gun in both hands, squinting one eye slightly, aiming to shoot off the Mercedes¡¯ rearview mirror to show them she wasn¡¯t ying around.


    Bang!


    She pulled the trigger and the bullet shot out immediately, urately hitting the ss of the rearview mirror on the car ahead.


    After that shot was fired, the Mercedes van¡¯s driver still did not show any intention to stop. Instead, the vehicle sped up and the body swayed from side to side, following an S-shaped path to avoid being shot again.


    Suddenly, a hand holding something appeared out of the window of the Mercedes van ahead. Since the two cars were more than twenty meters apart and in the midst of a chase, Xia Mutong couldn¡¯t make out what it was.


    At that moment, the person threw the object in their hand onto the ground and then closed the car window.


    As they got closer, Xia Mutong finally saw clearly what had fallen to the ground.


    A bomb!


    Her expression changed drastically, and in a panic, she quickly pulled up the handbrake, trying to forcefully stop the car.


    Screeching!


    Along with a piercing noise, the speeding police car¡¯s front jerked and the speed decreased significantly. But, in the midst of an emergency stop at nearly a hundred yards, the inertia caused the vehicle to lose bnce instantly and m into the guardrail.


    "Boom!"


    At the same time, the bomb on the ground exploded violently into mes, with shockwaves rapidly spreading out. The following police cars couldn¡¯t avoid in time and crashed into each other, their bodies severely deformed.


    Pushing open the caved-in door, Xia Mutong struggled to get out from the passenger seat, her body swaying, her face pale, with multiple abrasions on her arms and forehead, blood flowing freely.


    When the car had hit the guardrail, she hadn¡¯t been wearing a seatbelt, so she was hit hard. The buttons on her clothes were popped open, her sexy white bra enveloping tworge mounds of white flesh, about to spill out.


    She rubbed her throbbing head, her vision blurry. She hadn¡¯t walked far before her strength gave out, and she copsed to the ground.


    At this moment, a Santana slowly drove up and stopped in front of her.


    The car door opened, and Ling Chen ran up to Xia Mutong, asking, "Officer Xia, are you alright?" At the same time, his gaze naturally fell on the woman¡¯s deadly attractive bust, and he couldn¡¯t help swallowing his saliva audibly with a gulp.


    Xia Mutong struggled to lift her head, and suddenly two Ling Chens appeared in her vision, making her even more dizzy. She didn¡¯t notice Ling Chen¡¯s gaze, and said intermittently, "The... hostages..."


    Her delicate teeth slightly parted, she barely spat out three words before she could no longer support herself and copsed to the ground, unconscious.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen felt somewhat helpless and prepared to pick her up and put her in the car to take her to the hospital. But at this moment, his phone in his pocket suddenly rang.


    He thought it was Zhong Wei calling to inquire about the situation, so with one hand supporting Xia Mutong, he took out his phone with the other, only to find that the call was from an unfamiliar number.


    Once the call connected, before he could speak, a middle-aged man¡¯s voice came from the other end, "Mr. Ling?"


    Hearing the voice, Ling Chen paused with a flicker of surprise. How did he have his mobile number?


    "Mr. Ye, what do you want with me?"


    The person on the other end was Ye Liangyong, whom he had met at the Qingyun Martial Arts Hall.


    In a grave tone, Ye Liangyong said, "Mr. Ling, I have a favor to ask of you. Please rush to Qingyun Martial Arts Hall immediately."


    "What happened?"


    "I just got wind that Little Hua has been kidnapped. I¡¯m currently in Beijing, and I can¡¯t get back right away. The police are already on the case, but I don¡¯t have much trust in them. I only trust capable people, and in East Sea City, I only know you. I hope you can help save Little Hua for me; she¡¯s very important to my Master."


    Little Hua?


    Instantly, Ling Chen¡¯s mind recalled the image of that adorable little girl, carved like a jade sculpture. She was the disciple of He Ziyun and the younger martial sister of Ye Liangyong.


    He couldn¡¯t figure out why someone would kidnap a six or seven-year-old girl. Could it be that the girl¡¯s identity was not simple?


    That¡¯s right!


    Before Xia Mutong lost consciousness, she mentioned hostages, and piecing that together with Ye Liangyong¡¯s words, the people in the Mercedes-Benz van must be the kidnappers he was looking for.


    "Mr. Ye, your call is very timely. The kidnappers¡¯ car just passed by me, I¡¯ll give chase right now."


    "Great, I appreciate it. Zhu Xiaozhu and I are on our way to the airport and will arrive in two hours."


    So Zhu Xiaozhu was with him; no wonder Ye Liangyong had his mobile number.


    Thest time they met in the hospital, Ling Chen had willingly exchanged numbers with Zhu Xiaozhu, under the pretext of seeking future medical advice.


    After hanging up, Ling Chen saw Xia Mutong¡¯s colleagues rushing over, so he put Xia Mutong down on the ground. Then, blushing, he said, "Hey, I¡¯m not trying to take advantage of you, but if you don¡¯t do up that button, it might be even more embarrassing for you when your colleagues see," and as he spoke, he crouched down to fasten her button for her. His fingers inadvertently touched that expanse of snow-white skin, and his heart trembled; oh my, the feel, the sticity... He wondered which man would be "fortunate" enough to marry this girl in the future.


    Suppressing the urge to take advantage of her unconscious state and give in to the temptation to cop a feel, Ling Chen stood up, then quickly headed towards the driver¡¯s seat. But after a moment of hesitation, he turned back, pulled out the handgun from Xia Mutong¡¯s waist, and quickly got into the Santana.


    He owed Ye Liangyong a favor from thest time because of Qin Yang¡¯s affair, so this time he had no reason to refuse Ye¡¯s request for help. Moreover, those kidnappers didn¡¯t even spare a little girl, which was utterly unconscionable.


    Although he neverbeled himself a good person, he still had a conscience, and he couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch this happen.


    "Is she alright?"


    Ling Chen started the car and nced at Nanrong Wanqing, who had asked the question, and nodded, "She¡¯s fine, hold on tight."


    With that, he stepped on the gas, and the Santana shot out.

 Chapter 54 - 53: Bandits (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 54: Chapter 53: Bandits (Part 2)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Nanrong Wanqing felt the speeding up of the car and couldn¡¯t help but say, "What are you doing?"


    "Saving someone."


    "Who?"


    "A friend."


    "Then let me off ahead, and I¡¯ll have Zhong Wei pick me up."


    "I don¡¯t have time to waste right now."


    The ring road is over fifty kilometers long, with two divergences in between. He must catch up with the kidnappers¡¯ Mercedes-Benz van as soon as possible, not letting them out of his sight. Therefore, every single second is extremely precious to him right now.


    While talking, under Ling Chen¡¯s pressing, the vintage car¡¯s speed was forced up to 120 MPH. Fortunately, his driving skills were good enough to push the vintage car to its limits.


    At this moment, the ringtone of the phone on Nanrong Wanqing rang.


    She took out her phone and answered the call, "Lin, we¡¯re still on the road."


    "Howe you¡¯re still on the road when we¡¯ve all been home for so long?"


    "Ling... Ling Chen has some urgent matters, we might get homete."


    From the other end of the phone, Su Linined, "No matter how big his matters are, he should drop you off first; there¡¯s still a guest at home. He came specially to see you, you can¡¯t neglect others."


    "I know, but..."


    "No buts, hand the phone to Ling Chen, let me talk to him."


    Nanrong Wanqing put down the phone and passed it to Ling Chen, "Lin asked you to take the call."


    Ling Chen kept his gaze fixed ahead, casually took the phone, and greeted with a "Hello."


    "Mr. Ling, hurry up and send Wanqing home. Don¡¯t dy important matters for other people, and also..."


    "And what? I said I¡¯ll be backter, what¡¯s with all the nonsense." After saying that, he hung up the phone impatiently and threw the phone back to Nanrong Wanqing.


    Normally he wouldn¡¯t mind a verbal spar with the girl, but now that lives were at stake, he had no time to bicker with her.


    Bastard!


    Inside the white vi of the Nanrong Family, Su Lin was secretly fuming. That guy actually dared to hang up on Miss Su; he was definitely in for a scolding when he came back.


    "Lin, what did Wanqing say? When is she getting home?"


    On the spacious living room sofa sat a man, about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, dressed in a crisp white striped suit, with shiny hair, a paleplexion, and eyes bright as obsidian twinkling with intelligence. His handsome face wore a captivating smile, his whole being exuded an elegant aura, making one feel as refreshed as an autumn rain in the midsummer heat.


    Such an extraordinarily handsome man could probablypare to the ancient beauty, Pan An.


    Looking at the smile curling on the man¡¯s lips, Su Lin¡¯s pretty face blushed slightly. It wasn¡¯t that she hadn¡¯t seen handsome men, but the man in front of her wasn¡¯t just handsome; he was the perfect choice for a woman in terms of appearance and temperament, and any woman would be attracted to such a man.


    However, Su Lin didn¡¯t forget this man¡¯s identity and quickly gathered her emotions.


    "Zhu Hong, sorry, Wanqing has some emergency matters and might bete getting back... How about this, let me arrange a room for you, you can stay here tonight."


    "No need to trouble yourself, I¡¯ve already booked a hotel, and since there¡¯s still time, I¡¯ve been waiting for years just for today¡¯s meeting, I don¡¯t mind waiting a bit longer."


    Thinking about the story between this man and her cousin, Su Lin¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but feel a tinge of admiration. How wonderful it would be to encounter someone like him in her lifetime.


    At this very moment, on the ring road, the Santana emitting ck smoke kept overtaking one car after another at a very high speed.


    Sitting in the passenger seat, Nanrong Wanqing nced at Ling Chen, who was focused on driving, with the corner of her eye, and couldn¡¯t help but feel a strange emotion stir in her usually calm heart. She was ustomed to seeing Ling Chen¡¯s carefree and casual demeanor; this was the first time she had seen him so concentrated.


    It is said that a man is at his most attractive when he is serious about his work, and Ling Chen¡¯s appearance was not bad to start with, especially his sharply defined face and piercing gaze, which were like a ma, firmly capturing her attention, making it impossible to look away.


    Suddenly, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up; a Mercedes-Benz van appeared in his sight a hundred meters away.


    Got you now!


    The corners of his mouth tilted upward slightly, and he floored the gas pedal in an instant.


    "Big brother, a Santana is catching up from behind."


    In the Mercedes-Benz van, the driver looked at the trailing vehicle through the rearview mirror and warned.


    Inside the seven-seater van, including the driver, there were a total of three kidnappers, all wearing face masks from Journey to the West, covering their faces to avoid being captured by surveince cameras.


    The man called big brother wore a Sun Wukong mask, while the driver and another kidnapper were wearing Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing masks, respectively.


    "Wu wu wu..."


    Following the sound inside the car, they looked at the back seat where a little girly, her hands and feet bound with zip ties, and a piece of rag stuffed in her mouth. Her delicate little face was pale, and her sparkling eyes could not hide her fear.


    This little girl was the kidnapped Little Hua.


    "What¡¯s all this crying about, keep quiet, and if you dare make another sound, believe it or not, I will rip your mouth," Sun Wukong said coldly.


    Frightened, Little Hua shrank slightly, and her big watery eyes filled with tears as she snuffled quietly, looking pitiful and stirring sympathy.


    Seeing that Little Hua remained silent, Sun Wukong nodded in satisfaction. Then, looking through the rear window at the vehicle tail, he saw the Santana, with ck smoke billowing from it, rapidly closing in with less than twenty meters to spare.


    Sha Wujing was a bit concerned, "Big brother, could it be the cops?"


    "Cops would drive such a junk car?" Sun Wukong sneered, then said, "Whether they are cops or not, everyone be careful. We are almost at the meeting point; we cannot afford to be careless now. As long as the mission is sessfullypleted, our status in the organization is sure to go up a level."


    After finishing his words, he looked again at the trailing Santana and instructed, "Slow down and see what that Santana is up to."


    "Yes, big brother."


    Zhu Bajie nodded and gradually released the gas pedal.


    Seeing the Mercedes-Benz van ahead slow down, Ling Chen could easily guess their intentions; they were obviously trying to test him. Without a second thought, he sped up and overtook them.


    Having passed the Mercedes-Benz van, he looked through the rearview mirror at the driver¡¯s seat. There were people in both the main and co-driver seats, wearing masks, with another person in the rear seat, three in total.


    Now aware of the number of adversaries, he could better ensureprehensive nning when taking action to avoid harming the hostage.


    "Chairwoman, have you ever been on a roller coaster before?"


    Nanrong Wanqing was slightly startled, not understanding why he would ask such a question, but she still responded, "I have when I was little."


    "That¡¯s good."


    Ling Chen then put his mind at ease; if she dared to ride something as thrilling as a roller coaster, it showed Nanrong Wanqing had good psychological resilience, andter... she should be able to withstand it.

 Chapter 55 - 54: Bandits (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 55: Chapter 54: Bandits (Part 3)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "Keep your head down, and don¡¯t you dare lift it without my permission." Having said that, he flicked out the pistol he had snatched from Xia Mutong, casually ejected the magazine¡ªeight bullets remaining, more than enough.


    "What are you trying to do?"


    Nanrong Wanqing was not someone unfamiliar with the world, but Ling Chen¡¯s actions still took her by surprise. Recalling the questions he had asked earlier for no apparent reason, she felt somewhat uneasy. Furthermore, she was quite unhappy about this situation. As her employee, wasn¡¯t his duty supposed to be protecting her? Why was he meddling in things like rescuing someone¡ªa job meant for the police? Hmph, she would make him pay for this once they were back.


    However, although this was what the young miss was thinking, deep down inside, her opinion of Ling Chen began to shift slightly. The fact that Ling Chen was willing to take such risks to save someone with no rtion to him was extraordinary, a trait not found in ordinary people.


    Ling Chen cracked a smile and gave her a reassuring look: "Don¡¯t worry, there won¡¯t be any danger."


    As soon as his words fell, his left hand, which was resting on the steering wheel, quickly turned it, causing the car, which had been moving forward, to swerve to the left. Then, he pulled the handbrake, shifted into reverse, and hit the gas pedal hard.


    Screech, screech, screech!


    Apanied by the grating sound of the tires, the Santana executed a perfect drift, spinning around so that the rear faced forward, its front end now perfectly aligned with the oing Mercedes-Benz van.


    Seizing the moment, he switched hands: his right hand took control of the steering wheel, and his left hand holding the gun extended out of the window.


    Bang!


    A shot rang out, and instantly a bullet hole appeared in the front window of the Mercedes-Benz van.


    Caught off guard by the sudden gunfire, the driver of the van was startled and hit the brakes hard, bringing the vehicle to an abrupt stop.


    Bang! Bang!


    Without any hesitation, Ling Chen squeezed the trigger again, firing two more shots in quick session.


    Following the two gunshots, faint cries of pain echoed from within the sealed Mercedes-Benz.


    Seeing the fresh blood sttered on the front window of the van, the corner of Ling Chen¡¯s mouth slightly curled up. He hadn¡¯t used a gun in a long time, but his marksmanship was still spot-on, without any deviation. The first shot was just to force the other party to stop; the following two shots hit the kidnappers. Had he shot the driver directly, it could have caused an ident and endangered the hostage¡¯s safety.


    He had been precise with his shooting, not aiming to kill the kidnappers but to make them shed some blood and reduce their mobility.


    Having taken care of the two kidnappers in the driver and passenger seats, there was still one more in the back¡ªthat person was the key.


    "Stay in the car, don¡¯t get out."


    After advising Nanrong Wanqing, Ling Chen pushed open the car door and quickly approached the Mercedes-Benz van. However, before he could reach it, someone already flung the van door open. Following that, a man wearing a Sun Wukong mask came out, holding a pistol to Little Hua¡¯s head as he stepped out from the van.


    At the sight of that pistol, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes narrowed involuntarily.


    Not just anyone could get their hands on a Beretta 92F model, and moreover, this guy was acting very calm, certainly not like your average kidnapper.


    "Are you a cop?"


    The man gazed at Ling Chen, enunciating each word clearly.


    "No."


    "Then why are you opposing us?"


    "You¡¯ve kidnapped a little girl who is a friend of mine. Release her, and I¡¯ll let you go."


    "Hmph! It¡¯s not that easy. How about this¡ªI take her with me, and I promise she¡¯ll remain unharmed. Otherwise, I¡¯m not opposed to dying together with her."


    Ling Chen stared into the eyes of the kidnapper, whose vicious look told him this was no joke.


    It¡¯s getting more and more interesting.


    He had originally thought the kidnapper¡¯s purpose in taking Little Hua hostage was to extort money from Ye Liangyong, but now it seemed that the situation was not so simple. The kidnapper¡¯s determination to take Little Hua with him, even at the risk of death, meant his goal was not just money.


    With this in mind, his gaze towards Little Hua was tinged with curiosity¡ªwhat was the value of this unremarkable little girl?


    "Kid, whether she lives or dies is up to you."


    Ling Chen shrugged his shoulders, "With you putting it like that, what choice do I have?"


    The kidnapperughed with satisfaction, "Good, I see you understand; you should know what to do."


    Without another word, Ling Chen ejected the magazine, smoothly disassembled the pistol, and scattered the pieces on the ground. However, the kidnapper failed to notice that during the disassembly, the bullet that was already chambered was now secretly clenched in Ling Chen¡¯s palm.


    "Big brother."


    At that moment, two other kidnappers emerged from the vehicle, clutching their gun-wounded left chests, stifling their pain, covered in blood.


    "Can you two still drive?"


    "No..."


    Bang!


    Before they could finish speaking, a gunshot sounded, and Zhu Bajie¡¯s mask immediately sprouted a bullet hole, its mask quickly stained red with blood.


    Seeing hispanion fall stiffly to the ground, the other kidnapper was startled. Although his face was not visible, the slight trembling of his body conveyed the panic within.


    "Big brother, don¡¯t... don¡¯t kill me..."


    "You know the rules, I don¡¯t want to be dragged down." After saying this, the man referred to as big brother didn¡¯t hesitate to pull the trigger.


    Seeing both kidnappers lying in the pool of blood, Ling Chen¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, his understanding of the man¡¯s ruthlessness deepening.


    "Your turn now, kid. Let me teach you something, never drop your gun in front of your enemy."


    Facing the gaping muzzle pointed at him, Ling Chen¡¯s clear eyes still retained their calmness. He had been in simr life-or-death situations many times before and was used to it by now.


    "Friend, you¡¯re right. But, let me teach you something too¡ªthose who dare drop their guns in front of their enemies are either insane, or..."


    "Or what?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curved slightly: "Or they don¡¯t take their enemies seriously."


    Hearing this, the kidnapper¡¯s gaze sharpened, suddenly filled with an ominous premonition, and he immediately pulled the trigger aimed at Ling Chen¡¯s head. However, the moment his words fell, Ling Chen¡¯s body had already moved, stepping to the left.


    Bang!


    The gunshot sounded, the bullet narrowly missing Ling Chen¡¯s ear.


    Behind the mask, the kidnapper¡¯s face turned pale with shock¡ªhow did Ling Chen avoid his bullet? Was this guy even human?


    What he didn¡¯t know was that in terms of speed, Ling Chen could not outrun a bullet. But his control over timing had reached a terrifying level. The moment his adversary fired, Ling Chen¡¯s body had already anticipated and dodged in advance.


    Only those who had undergone countless training sessions could push their body¡¯s reflexes to the utmost limit. In this world, there were few who could achieve this. Ling Chen was among those rare individuals.

 Chapter 56 - 55: Introducing the Girlfriend

    <h4>Chapter 56: Chapter 55: Introducing the Girlfriend</h4><subtxt> Larbre Studio


    Having dodged the kidnapper¡¯s deadly shot, Ling Chen continued to keep moving. At the same time, his wrist snapped fiercely, and the bullet in his palm flew out, urately entering through the right eye of the mask.


    Ah!


    He heard a painful scream, and the kidnapper quickly reached for his own eye, as blood gushed out from his fingertips.


    Great opportunity!


    Seizing the moment, Ling Chen moved swiftly like a gust of wind, rushing forward like a fierce cheetah. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of the kidnapper, snatching the handgun from the other¡¯s grasp, and in a fluid motion, he scooped Little Hua into his arms and retreated from the kidnapper¡¯s side.


    By this time, the kidnapper had already lifted the mask from his face, covering his right eye with one hand, squinting with his left eye, his gaze malevolent and fierce.


    "Friend, surrender. For the crimes you¡¯vemitted, you¡¯ll at most get a life sentence; behave well, and who knows, maybe you¡¯ll be released within your lifetime."


    "Don¡¯t even think about it."


    The kidnapper said coldly, slowly lowering his hand. Suddenly, the bullet embedded in his right eye became visible, his entire face stained red with blood, hideous and terrifying.


    "The mission has failed, death is inevitable eventually, go ahead and shoot."


    Ling Chen shrugged his shoulders, "Murder is illegal, you want to die, find a ce to ram your head into a wall, I¡¯m not ying this game with you."


    The kidnapper nodded, "Kid, take care of yourself. You¡¯ve disrupted our mission, the people above me will not let you off."


    As he finished speaking, he suddenly turned and charged towards a stone pier ced at the edge of the guardrail.


    Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed slightly upon seeing his actions; he was only joking earlier, not expecting that the guy would actually seek death. Realizing he couldn¡¯t stop him, Ling Chen fired a shot without hesitation.


    Bang!


    Instantly, the kidnapper¡¯s left foot was pierced by the bullet, and he stumbled forward, copsing several meters away from the stone pier.


    "Friend, there are minors here. If you want to die, find another ce, don¡¯t do it here."


    "You..." The kidnapper red at Ling Chen with unwilling rage.


    Ling Chen ignored his gaze, busying himself with undoing the zip ties on Little Hua¡¯s body and removing the rag from her mouth, asking with concern, "Little girl, are you alright?"


    Little Hua, wiping the tear stains on her cheeks, seemed to have forgotten the danger just moments before, and beamed with joy, "Big brother, thank you for saving me."


    "Don¡¯t mention it. Little girl, you¡¯ve always been by Mr. He¡¯s side, how did you get captured by these people?"


    Although he hadn¡¯t exchanged blows with He Ziyun, his instincts told him with absolute certainty that He Ziyun was an expert, even more formidable than Ye Liangyong. For this reason, he couldn¡¯t help but ask an extra question, wondering how the kidnappers had managed to abduct Little Hua from He Ziyun¡¯s side.


    Little Hua hung her head low, looking at her feet put together, and said with embarrassment, "I... I heard someone outside selling candied hawthorns, and Master usually doesn¡¯t allow me to eat those, so I sneaked out by myself."


    Ling Chen chuckled, not expecting that this little girl also turned out to be a foodie. He patted her little head and asked her to stand aside, then prepared to tie up the kidnapper¡¯s hands and feet with cable ties. However, at this moment, the kidnapper suddenly grabbed his wrist, enduring the pain in his eyes and legs, and gritted his teeth and said, "Kill me, please kill me."


    Ling Chen furrowed his brows and asked, "Why do you insist on seeking death?"


    "As long as I am still alive, they will never let me go. If they find me, I will suffer more than death."


    "Who are ¡¯they¡¯ that you are talking about?"


    "They are... No," the kidnapper desperately shook his head, "I can¡¯t say... I can¡¯t say... otherwise I¡¯ll die even more miserably."


    Mentioning those people, this man who wouldn¡¯t hesitate to shoot his ownpanion revealed a look of fear.


    Seeing that he refused to speak, Ling Chen wasn¡¯t interested in asking more. He was just an outsider; where these kidnappers came from and why they wanted to kidnap Little Hua were not his concern; that was for Xia Mutong to deal with.


    After the call was made, it would be a while before the police arrived at 110, so Ling Chen took Little Hua back to the Santana.


    Once in the car, Little Hua saw Nanrong Wanqing sitting in the passenger seat. Her little red face immediately blossomed with a sweet smile, and she politely greeted, "Hello Sister."


    Looking at the cute little girl in front of her, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face melted like ice and snow, revealing a slight smile, which made Ling Chen stare in amazement. Having been around this woman for so long, he¡¯s never seen her smile before, and to think she looked so beautiful when she smiled; like a myriad of flowers blooming, the beauty of the world seemed to be concentrated in her.


    "Big Brother, is she your girlfriend? She¡¯s so pretty, just like my sister Xiaozhu." Little Hua said with an innocent face.


    Hearing this, Ling Chen nced at Nanrong Wanqing with a smile, inwardly apuding the little girl¡¯s charm, feeling that his hard work in saving her life was not in vain.


    As if Nanrong Wanqing did not notice the teasing in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, she corrected, "Little sister, you¡¯re wrong, I¡¯m not his girlfriend, this Big Brother is just my employee."


    "Big Sister, why is that? Big Brother is so outstanding, don¡¯t you like him?"


    "This..." Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t expect this cute little girl to ask such a question. Is this really a six- or seven-year-old girl? Her thoughts spinning, she looked at Little Hua¡¯s rosy little cheeks, the corners of her lips curling up slightly, disying a charming curve as she exined earnestly, "It¡¯s not a matter of liking or not liking, there are two kinds of affection in this world. One is love at first sight, and the other is growing affection through long-timepanionship. Any rtionship requires fate. If two people are destined to be together in this life, no matter how many obstacles they encounter, they will eventually find their rainbow after the storm. If there is no destiny, no amount of effort will suffice. Little sister, you¡¯re still young, one day you will understand the meaning of my words."


    Little Hua¡¯s smile was as charming as a flower as she said, "Big Sister, I know all what you said, I was just asking casually. Since you are not Big Brother¡¯s girlfriend, then I will take Big Brother."


    "You will take him?"


    Not to mention Nanrong Wanqing was stupefied, even Ling Chen was stunned by this remark. Kids these days are too bold, she¡¯s only a few years old and she already knows how to fight over men. He looked at Nanrong Wanqing, who was in a daze, and with a grin, indulged himself, "Ah, there¡¯s no helping it, who made me so charming, appealing to all ages."


    "Big Brother, you misunderstood," Little Hua said cutely.


    "Misunderstood what?"


    "I¡¯m not going to take you; I just want to introduce you to a girlfriend."


    Ling Chen looked at Little Hua with interest, joking, "Really? And who do you n to introduce to me?"


    "Sister Xiaozhu. Big Brother, you met herst time at the Martial Arts Academy, my sister Xiaozhu is very pretty, not at all inferior to Big Sister. Sister Xiaozhu is the nicest to me, she listens to everything I say, if you¡¯re interested, I can arrange a date for you two."</subtxt>

 Chapter 57 - 56 Zhu Hong (1)

    <h4>Chapter 57: Chapter 56 Zhu Hong (1)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    Ling Chen could not help butugh; this little girl actually wanted to y matchmaker, to pair him with Zhu Xiaozhu. However, thinking of Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s gentle and water-like character and temperament, as well as her stunning beauty, he did feel a certain stirring in his heart.


    In this world, how many men do not like beautiful women, especially those with an exceptional temperament to match their beauty?


    "Xiaozhu Sister?" Nanrong Wanqing found the name somewhat familiar; Little Hua had mentioned this woman more than once just now, and she couldn¡¯t help but be curious about what kind of woman could stand shoulder to shoulder with her.


    "Little sister, who is this Xiaozhu Sister you¡¯re talking about?"


    "My sister¡¯s name is Zhu Xiaozhu, do you know her, Sister?"


    "It¡¯s her!"


    Nanrong Wanqing felt a slight surprise, a trace of astonishment flickering through her starry beautiful eyes, and she quickly turned her head to nce at Ling Chen beside her, wondering how this man could possibly know Zhu Xiaozhu.


    "Chairwoman, why are you looking at me like that? There¡¯s nothing on my face." Ling Chen spoke, touching his face in the process.


    "Who¡¯s looking at you? Don¡¯t tter yourself."


    Nanrong Wanqing huffed lightly, withdrawing her gaze and continued chatting with Little Hua. Seizing the opportunity, Ling Chen got out of the car and took out his cellphone to return a call to Ye Liangyong. At this time, Ye Liangyong and Zhu Xiaozhu were probably worried about Little Hua¡¯s safety; it was time to let them know and ease their minds.


    "Hello, Mr. Ye, it¡¯s me."


    "Mr. Ling, how is it, did you find Little Hua?"


    "Rest assured, Little Hua has been rescued and she¡¯s safe now."


    "That¡¯s great!" Over the phone came Ye Liangyong¡¯s voice filled with surprise and joy. At the same time, a woman¡¯s voice could be heard in the background, not very clear, probably Zhu Xiaozhu.


    "Mr. Ling, I can¡¯t thank you enough for the huge favor you¡¯ve done for me." From Ye Liangyong¡¯s voice, it was evident that he was extremely emotional. This made Ling Chen even more curious about the secrets Little Hua might be hiding.


    "Mr. Ye, I will personally bring Little Hua back to the Martial Arts Academyter, you don¡¯t need to worry."


    "Okay, I appreciate your help."


    After hanging up the phone, it wasn¡¯t long before several police cars sped over from the highway, stopping in front of the Mercedes-Benz business van.


    Seeing the woman stepping out of the car, Ling Chen was quite surprised¡ªit was Xia Mutong. Didn¡¯t this girl just faint? How did she recover so quickly? Noticing the adhesive bandage on her forehead, her wound seemed to have been simply treated. To have experienced such a serious car ident and still be working while injured, this woman truly was a workaholic.


    "Officer Xia." He walked up to greet her with a smile.


    Xia Mutong looked at him coldly, and when she arrived in front of him, her hand reached out: "Give it to me."


    Ling Chen knew what she was referring to and quickly pulled the handgun out and handed it back to her, exining, "Officer Xia, please don¡¯t me me for taking the firearm without permission. The kidnapper was carrying a gun, and I couldn¡¯t just fight them with my body."


    "I know, so I¡¯m not nning to arrest you. Where are the kidnappers?"


    "Here!" Ling Chen pointed to two bodies lying on the ground, as well as the bound robber.


    Xia Mutong frowned, "Did you kill those two?"


    "You¡¯re using me wrongly, they were shot by their own aplice, nothing to do with me. The hostage is still in my car; you can verify with her if you don¡¯t believe me." As he spoke, he opened the car door and called Little Hua out.


    After asking the questions, Xia Mutong handed Little Hua back to Ling Chen. However, her gaze towards Ling Chen contained a hint of puzzlement. She had just received a call from her superiors, explicitly instructing her to hand over the hostage to Ling Chen and to only take the kidnapper into custody. Therefore, she found it odd that the higher-ups knew Ling Chen was here and that he had subdued the kidnapper.


    In reality, Ling Chen had just finished a call with Ye Liangyong, who immediately contacted her leaders, hence the arrangement. However, that was a small detail neither she nor Ling Chen would know about.


    With the kidnapper situation handled, it was already evening.


    Seeing the sky darken, Nanrong Wanqing couldn¡¯t help but urge, "Can we go back now?"


    "We¡¯ll leave immediately." Ling Chen started the car and continued on the road.


    He had intended to take Little Hua back to the Martial Arts Academy first, but seeing Nanrong Wanqing so anxious, he had no choice but to take her home first. Besides, there were still guests at home, and after dying Nanrong Wanqing for so long, he felt apologetic. Since Ye Liangyong and Zhu Xiaozhu were still on the ne and probably an hour away from reaching East Sea City, it should be fine to take Little Hua backter.


    After a journey of over ten minutes, the Santana slowly entered Wealthy Manor and arrived at the vi¡¯s entrance.


    Before even getting out of the car, Ling Chen saw the lights brightly lit outside, and Su Lin, that young girl, quickly running out from inside. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, ready to greet her, but before he could speak, his eyes were drawn to the man following behind Su Lin.


    That man stood tall and straight, handsome in appearance, gentle and refined, with a warm smile on his lips and an elegant demeanor emanating from his every move¡ªan exceptionally attractive gentleman.


    As Ling Chen was sizing up the man, he too was scrutinizing Ling Chen. Their gazes met in mid-air, and for some reason, Ling Chen felt a strange sensation arise in his heart. He had seen countless people, but the man before him seemed like a deep, unfathomable cold pool, impossible to see through.


    This guy must be the guest of the Nanrong Family.


    "Ling Chen, you this jerk..."


    Seeing Ling Chen, Su Lin couldn¡¯t hold back her anger and was about to scold him. However, as soon as she started to speak, she remembered Zhu Hong behind her and quickly swallowed back the word "egg," changing her tone to say, "Why are you only back now? It¡¯s almost seven o¡¯clock."


    "Why ask so much, I told you I had things to do." Ling Chen casually dropped a response and headed towards the passenger side of the car. At that moment, he suddenly noticed Nanrong Wanqing was looking out through the car window, her gazending precisely on the handsome man.


    At the same time, that man was staring intently at the car window, his eyes filled with a deep affection, as if the gazes of the two could prate the barrier of the car window and meet.


    For some reason, seeing their actions, Ling Chen felt an inexplicable twinge of sourness in his heart.


    He cursed to himself; he was just an employee, these two people had nothing to do with him, why should he feel sour. With that thought, he opened the car door and, supporting Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s slender waist with one hand, carried her out of the car.


    His action made Zhu Hong narrow his eyes, a trace of undetectable chill shing deep within.


    Pressed against Ling Chen¡¯s muscr chest, Nanrong Wanqing, although used to it, felt a faint blush creep onto her usually unppable face under the gaze of the handsome man. She dared not look directly into his eyes and, biting her lip, whispered, "Put me down quickly."

 Chapter 58 - 57 Zhu Hong (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 58: Chapter 57 Zhu Hong (Part 2)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "Oh no, I forgot to take out the wheelchair first. Miss Su, could you please get the wheelchair from the back of the car."


    Su Lin pursed her lips, this jerk actually dared to order her around. However, thinking that Wanqing was still in Ling Chen¡¯s arms and there were guests present, she didn¡¯t dare to dy and hurried to the car trunk.


    "This gentleman, please hand Wanqing over to me."


    Zhu Hong strode forward, reaching out to take Wanqing¡¯s delicate body, but Ling Chen stepped back and said with a smile, "You are a guest, how could I let you do such heavy lifting."


    At this moment, the car door at the back seat opened, and Little Hua bounced out.


    Seeing the lovely little girl as delicate as a porcin doll, Zhu Hong¡¯s eyes sharpened for a moment, but it was only for an instant before his emotions were concealed, and a gentle smile still hung on his face, "Wanqing, who is this little girl?"


    "She is called Little Hua, a friend of Ling Chen."


    While they were talking, Su Lin had already brought the wheelchair. Ling Chen gently put down Wanqing¡¯s delicate body and then pushed the wheelchair toward the house.


    But at that moment, Wanqing said, "Ling Chen, have you forgotten what I told you before?"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes shifted, and he quickly understood, smiled and let go, saying, "Miss Su, please take the chairman inside."


    "Let me do it."


    Zhu Hong took a brisk step forward, took over the wheelchair voluntarily, and pushed Wanqing into the house. Su Lin gave Ling Chen a cold nce and followed closely behind the two, leaving only Ling Chen and Little Hua outside.


    "Big brother, why don¡¯t youe inside?"


    "Big brother would like to, but they won¡¯t let me follow."


    Wanqing had just reminded him of the ground rules they had set, the most important of which was to keep a distance when there were visitors. Since the rule was established, naturally, he would not vite it.


    "Little girl, let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you back."


    "Big brother, can we... can we eat something first? Little Hua is hungry."


    Seeing her swallowing her saliva, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but smile, took her hand and said, "Alright, I¡¯ll take you to feast like a mogul." Saying this, he directly took Little Hua to Nanrong Hao¡¯s vi.


    Although Nanrong Hao was usually not serious about his business, he became very obedient at night, staying at home and not daring to go out casually. It is said that this was Wanqing¡¯s wish to prevent Nanrong Hao from messing around with outsiders, so she forbade him from going out at night.


    Nanrong Hao was indeed pitiful, having such a dominant sister.


    With Ling Chen and Little Hua arriving, Nanrong Hao dared not neglect and hurriedly urged the housekeeper to prepare food. Soon, a bowl of steaming noodles was served to Little Hua, along with a few delicate appetizers.


    Seeing Little Hua gobbling down her food, Ling Chen smiled and patted her little head, "No rush, eat slowly, there¡¯s plenty."


    "Chen, where did you kidnap this adorable little girl from?"


    "Cut it out, I¡¯m not a human trafficker. She¡¯s a junior of my friend. Hey, Haozi, guests are at your Sister¡¯s ce, did you know?"


    "How could I not know? He even dropped by here to say hello before Sister came back."


    "Do you know him?"


    Nanrong Hao nodded, "Barely know him, but we¡¯re not familiar. I haven¡¯t had any dealings with him." Speaking of which, he nced at Ling Chen and teased, "Chen, are you feeling threatened now?"


    "What threat?"


    "That man named Zhu Hong has a very good rtionship with my Sister. They grew up together, childhood sweethearts. For some reason, Zhu Hong went abroad and broke off contact with my Sister until he returned today. It has been four or five years since theyst saw each other. Chen, it¡¯s well-known that my Sister has high standards, and it¡¯s rare for any man to catch her eye. However, those of us close to her actually know that it¡¯s not about her high standards; she has always been waiting for Zhu Hong to return."


    So that¡¯s how it is.


    After hearing what Nanrong Hao had to say, Ling Chen gained a general understanding of the rtionship between Nanrong Wanqing and Zhu Hong. No wonder Nanrong Wanqing showed such a rare bashful demeanor when she saw Zhu Hong earlier.


    "Haozi, what does Zhu Hong do?"


    "I talked to him briefly, and he said he runs a pharmaceuticalpany abroad and is nning to expand the business to our country. Chen, don¡¯t be too disheartened, people change. After all, they haven¡¯t seen each other for four or five years; their feelings could have cracks. When the opportunity arises, you just need to swoop in, and you will definitely win my Sister¡¯s heart."


    Ling Chen looked at him with a strange expression, "I really wonder if you¡¯re actually her biological brother."


    Nanrong Hao hurriedly said, "Chen, look at what you¡¯re saying. I treat you like family. As the old saying goes, don¡¯t let the water flow into others¡¯ fields. Besides, I don¡¯t like that Zhu Hong. If I had to choose between you and him to be my brother-inw, I¡¯d definitely choose you."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but grin, this kid sure knew how to talk. However, jokes aside, although he was now living with the Nanrong family, he hadn¡¯t forgotten his identity. As a security guard, his primary duty was to ensure Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s safety, and he didn¡¯t want to meddle too much in her personal life.


    At this moment, inside that white vi.


    Nanrong Wanqing sat in a wheelchair, looking at the man she hadn¡¯t seen in years, her beautiful eyes flickering. Every woman has a prince charming in her heart, and a man with Zhu Hong¡¯s elegant demeanor and handsome appearance was undoubtedly a perfect fantasy.


    After several years, she had always thought that if they met again, she would inevitably cry.


    Yet, when Zhu Hong appeared before her, she didn¡¯t feel the urge to cry. She didn¡¯t know why, perhaps the years had faded their past feelings, or maybe she had matured and was no longer the little girl who used to run after Zhu Hong. After a brief joy, her heart gradually calmed down.


    Looking at Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s lower body covered with a nket, a hint of guilt shed in Zhu Hong¡¯s eyes, "Wanqing, I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t be there for you when you had the car ident. I only found outter. I wanted toe back to see you, but I really couldn¡¯t get away. I¡¯m sorry!"


    "It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s all in the past. How long do you n to stay in East Sea City this time?"


    "Ourpany ns to set up a branch in East Sea City, which I will be in charge of, so I will be staying for a long time. Wanqing, it has been my fault for not contacting you all these years, I will make up for the lost time. Oh, and here¡¯s a gift I brought back specially for you from abroad."


    With that, Zhu Hong took out an exquisite red box, about the size of a palm, and handed it to Nanrong Wanqing with both hands.

 Chapter 59 - 58 Zhu Hong (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 59: Chapter 58 Zhu Hong (Part 3)</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    "Thank you."


    Upon seeing the gift box ced down, Zhu Hong smiled and said, "Aren¡¯t you going to open it and see what it is?"


    Hearing this, under his gaze, Nanrong Wanqing cradled the box on her palm, gently opening it. Instantly, a naturally-formed heart-shaped stone revealed itself before her eyes.


    "This is..."


    "You once told me that you wanted to go to an ind country in Eastern Europe, where the sea merges with the sky in perfect blue, so clean and wless, the most beautiful ce in the world. I had the chance to go there once, and on the beach, I found this stone, so I wanted to give it to you as a gift. It may not be something valuable, but it represents my feelings."


    Hearing this, a string in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s heart seemed to be touched, a hint of emotion rippling in her beautiful eyes.


    How many years had it been? Those words she had said in passing as a child, he had actually kept in his heart.


    Her lips parted slightly, about to say something. But at that moment, she saw Zhu Hong pulling out his phone from his pocket, apologetically ncing at her.


    "Sorry, this call is quite important, I need to take it." With that, he quickly walked out.


    The call connected, and an indifferent voice immediately rang out from the other end: "The mission failed."


    "I know."


    "How did you know?"


    "I just saw the target. What about our people?"


    "Two dead, one captured."


    "Not a single survivor should be left."


    "Understood."


    After hanging up, the ferocity in Zhu Hong¡¯s eyes gradually subsided, and his mouth curled with a gentle smile as he returned to the living room.


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing studying the heart-shaped stone, Zhu Hong smiled and asked, "Wanqing, do you like it?"


    "Thank you," Nanrong Wanqing responded in a neutral tone, neither expressing liking it nor disliking it, her eyes void of any emotional fluctuation. In her memory, her childhood was beautiful and happy, and Zhu Hong was an irreceable part of it. Yet, for some reason, after not seeing him for years, amidst the familiarity, there was a hint of strangeness, as if something was standing between them, gradually extending the distance between them.


    Confronted with Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s polite response, Zhu Hong was unfazed, his lips curling slightly, shing a charming and intoxicating smile. He took a few steps towards Nanrong Wanqing, half-kneeling in front of her, softly cing one hand on the nket covering her legs, tenderly saying, "I know you¡¯re upset, but don¡¯t worry, your childhood Zhu is back. No matter what it takes, I¡¯ll cure your legs."


    Feeling his concern, Nanrong Wanqing gave a faint smile: "I know you mean well, but my legs are beyond hope. We¡¯ve sought every possible doctor, and they were all at their wit¡¯s end. Besides... I¡¯ve gotten used to it over these years."


    "How can that be? As a child, I promised you that no matter what happened, I¡¯d always be by your side, to cherish you, protect you, to prevent you from getting hurt. Since I promised, it¡¯s a lifetimemitment. Wanqing, I heard that the car ident was an attempted murder against you, do you know who did it?"


    "The matter is already in the past, I don¡¯t want to pursue it, nor do I want to bring it up again."


    "Okay." Zhu Hong nodded, then shifted the topic: "You¡¯ve consulted so many doctors, has Xiaozhu ever checked on you?"


    Nanrong Wanqing turned her head away, speaking indifferently: "You know the rtionship between her and me..."


    "Why bother, so many years have passed, Xiaozhu she..."


    "I¡¯m happy to see you today; I don¡¯t want to bring up those unhappy matters."


    Hearing this, a hint of helpless bitterness shed in Zhu Hong¡¯s eyes as he nodded slightly, "Then I won¡¯t talk about it." After speaking, he checked the time and stood up: "Wanqing, I have to deal with some things at thepany, so I can¡¯t stay with you for too long tonight. Once I finish with thepany¡¯s work, I¡¯ll make time to visit you more often. There¡¯s a lot I want to say to you after not seeing you for several years."


    "No worries, work is important. You go and take care of it." After a pause, Nanrong Wanqing asked, "Did you drive here?"


    "The driver brought me here, but he had somethinge up, so I sent him away first."


    "I¡¯ll have someone send you back. Lin!"


    "Eh,ing!"


    Upon hearing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s call, Su Lin hurriedly ran downstairs from the second-floor bedroom, grinning and saying, "Cousin, what do you need?"


    "Have Ling Chen take Zhu Hong back to the hotel."


    "Okay, got it."


    Seeing Su Lin dash out of the house, Zhu Hong casually asked, "Is that Ling Chen the same person who brought you back earlier?"


    "Yes, he¡¯s a security personnel hired by my grandfather to look after my safety."


    Zhu Hong smiled gently and confidently, "When I¡¯m here, you won¡¯t need anyone else¡¯s protection."


    That¡¯s when Su Lin, after looking around for a while, finally found Ling Chen lounging and chatting in Nanrong Hao¡¯s vi.


    "Mr. Ling, get up quickly, Wanqing is asking you to escort a guest back."


    Ling Chen nced at her and uttered two indifferent words, "Not going."


    "You... Ling Chen, how dare you disobey the chairman¡¯s order?" Su Lin didn¡¯t expect him to refuse, and to top it off, this guy even dared to hang up on her before, increasingly bold.


    With half a toothpick in his mouth, Ling Chen bared his teeth, "Miss Su, I¡¯m not a driver. If you want to send someone off, find someone else. Don¡¯te to me; I don¡¯t have that free time."


    Su Lin said annoyed, "Ling Chen, do you not want to mix here anymore? Don¡¯t forget where you are, and who you are."


    Ling Chen shrugged indifferently, "If you have a problem, go ahead and fire me."


    "You... how dare you talk to me like that?" Su Lin was infuriated, as this guy increasingly failed to recognize her authority.


    "Chen..."


    Nanrong Hao, worried that the two would start quarreling again, quickly tried to mediate. However, before he could speak, Ling Chen shot him a look, and he instantly shut his mouth, not daring to say more. Cousin was not to be trifled with, and he dared not provoke Ling Chen even more, seeing as Ling Chen was his Master. Although Ling Chen refused to formally take him as a disciple, he always regarded Ling Chen as his Master in his heart.


    Besides, he noticed that Ling Chen was acting strangely today. Usually, Ling Chen would greet Su Lin with a smile, but today he seemed like apletely different person, very casual.


    "Miss Su, you better hurry and find someone else, don¡¯t waste your time here."


    "Fine, Mr. Ling, you¡¯ll remember this." Su Lin huffed and turned to leave with a huff.


    Hearing the heavy door m from outside, Nanrong Hao gave a wry smile, "Chen, you know what my cousin¡¯s temper is like, why bother upsetting her?"


    "A woman, you can¡¯t spoil them too much."


    Ling Chen threw out the phrase carelessly. Now he didn¡¯t care, because when he first joined thepany, his main goal was for the substantial sry, to pay for Tang Shiyun¡¯s tuition fees, and to help alleviate the financial pressure on Tang Shiyun¡¯s family. Therefore, he endured and gave way in everything, not quibbling over small things. Now that he knows Tang Shiyun is safe and also chosen by Silver Star Company, he doesn¡¯t need to endure grievances for that sry anymore.

 Chapter 60 - 59 What is your relationship with Xiaozhu?

    <h4>Chapter 60: Chapter 59 What is your rtionship with Xiaozhu?</h4><h4><strong>Editor: </strong>Larbre Studio </h4>


    As for this job that pays tens of thousands, he really didn¡¯t care. A monthly ie of tens of thousands has its way of living, just as a monthly ie of a few thousand has its own lifestyle. When he was a courier, he had a sry of just around two thousand, yet he still got by, and had more freedom, without so many constraints.


    On the way back, he had already made up his mind that it didn¡¯t matter whether he kept this job or not; all he wanted was to live afortable and leisurely life.


    Of course, aside from these reasons, Zhu Hong¡¯s appearance might also be one of them, though he didn¡¯t want to admit it in his heart.


    "Big brother, I¡¯m full."


    Seeing Little Hua patting her round belly and walking over, Ling Chen smiled, touched her head, and stood up saying, "Since you¡¯re full, then I¡¯ll take you back."


    After leaving the Nanrong Family, Ling Chen happened to see a Land Rover driving out of the garage. Su Lin couldn¡¯t persuade him, so she had no choice but to ask Zhou Qing to take the guest away.


    "Wanqing, what were you all talking about just now?"


    Inside the vi, Su Lin had a gossipy face as she circled around Nanrong Wanqing, asking curiously.


    "Why do you need to know so much?"


    "Ohe on, I¡¯m just curious." Su Lin chuckled: "Be honest, when you saw your old me again, did you feel anything stirring in your heart?"


    "What old me? Don¡¯t talk nonsense, I just regard him as a close friend."


    "Really just friends? That simple?" Su Lin teased: "I think it¡¯s more than that. Wanqing, we are good sisters, and there are no outsiders here, feel free to tell me, I promise I won¡¯t spread it."


    Nanrong Wanqing gave her an unimpressed look: "I¡¯ve told you, I have no feelings. By the way, has Ling Chen sent Zhu Hong away yet?"


    Hearing her mention Ling Chen, Su Lin¡¯s face immediately fell, and sheined: "Wanqing, you must properly teach that guy a lesson, he actually dare to defy orders and not even listen to you. I had no choice just now, I had to ask Zhou Qing to send Zhu Hong away at thest minute."


    "Why wouldn¡¯t he agree?"


    "How would I know, that guy is so annoying, you really need to give him a lesson and let him know who¡¯s in charge here."


    "Alright, don¡¯t be angry, no need to stoop to his level."


    On the road for more than twenty minutes, Ling Chen drove to Qingyun Martial Arts Hall.


    By this time, it was already past eight o¡¯clock in the evening, the Martial Arts Academy was brightly lit, and many disciples lingered outside the door, looking worried.


    "Quick, look, the little junior sister is back."


    At that moment, someone noticed Little Hua getting out of the car and immediately called out in surprise.


    "Quick, go inform the Master."


    "Mr. Ling."


    Seeing Ling Chen getting out of the driver¡¯s seat, the disciples of the Martial Arts Academy quickly greeted him respectfully. They remembered what happenedst time; if not for Ling Chen speaking to Ye Liangyong on their behalf, they might have been driven out of the academy. They regarded Ling Chen as their benefactor.


    Apanied by the crowd, Ling Chen smiled and entered the Siheyuan.


    In no time, He Ziyun was seen hurrying out of the building dressed in a traditional Chinese Tang suit.


    "Little Hua."


    "Master."


    Little Hua rushed to He Ziyun, her voice carrying a sob: "Master, Little Hua was so scared, scared that she would never see you again."


    He Ziyun tenderly picked her up and gently patted her back, his face full ofpassion: "There, there, don¡¯t cry anymore, it¡¯s all right now. I promise you as your master, this kind of thing will never happen again."


    Little Hua wiped her tears, looking like a pear blossom bathed in rain, nodding her little head, appearing pitifully lovable.


    Watching the warm scene between master and disciple, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but marvel. Life is like a y, it¡¯s all about acting; this saying is indeed true. Looking at the little girl¡¯s performance, it would be a pity if she doesn¡¯t be an actress in the future.


    Earlier, when they were in the car, Little Hua was worried that her master would scold her for running out alone. In her heart, her master was always a strict person, which made her very fearful. Thus, Ling Chen gave her a bad idea, telling her that as long as the tearse down, there is nothing that couldn¡¯t be solved.


    A woman¡¯s tears are always the best weapon, and little girls are no exception.


    Unexpectedly, the little girl¡¯s acting skills were so good; the tears just fell without any need for brewing.


    "Friend Ling, pleasee in."


    After soothing Little Hua in his arms, He Ziyun finally remembered Ling Chen and hurriedly weed him inside.


    "Mr. He, how have you been recently?"


    "Thanks to you, everything is fine. Friend Ling, we¡¯re really indebted to you for helping Little Hua avoid disaster this time. On behalf of everyone at the Martial Arts Academy, I thank you."


    "Mr. He, we¡¯re all friends, there¡¯s no need for such formalities." Having said that, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but inquire: "Mr. He, if I may be so bold to ask, why did the kidnappers want to abduct Little Hua?"


    "Friend Ling, it¡¯s a long story, I¡¯ll exin it to you in detail another time."


    Upon hearing this, how could Ling Chen not understand He Ziyun¡¯s intention? The other party obviously didn¡¯t want to divulge it right now, so he looked for an excuse to defer the conversation. He wasn¡¯t oblivious to social cues; the other person had already made it quite clear, and if he continued to ask, it would certainly upset He Ziyun. Besides, he was purely driven by his own curiosity, nothing more.


    "Little Hua, Little Hua..."


    In the midst of the conversation, an anxious voice suddenly came from outside.


    "It¡¯s Sister Xiaozhu returning."


    Little Hua¡¯s face lit up with joy, and she hurriedly ran out while cheerfully calling out, "Sister Xiaozhu."


    Apanied by Ye Liangyong, Zhu Xiaozhu quickly stepped inside, and immediately embraced the running Little Hua, her eyes gentle like water, brimming with tears.


    "Sister Xiaozhu, don¡¯t cry, Little Hua is fine."


    "Sister isn¡¯t crying; as long as I see you are fine, that¡¯s enough." Zhu Xiaozhu, with her cheek pressed against Little Hua¡¯s flushed little face, sobbed.


    Following behind, Ye Liangyong scanned the room with a nce, his gaze immediately falling on Ling Chen, then he strode over to him, grasping his hands and said: "Ling Chen, thank you for saving Little Hua."


    "Mr. Ye, you¡¯re wee." As he said this, a trace of an unusual color flickered in Ling Chen¡¯s pupils. Before, Ye Liangyong had referred to him using ¡¯Mr.¡¯ or ¡¯young brother,¡¯ but just now he called him by name directly. There seemed to be no difference, but the implications were significant. If Ye Liangyong¡¯s previous address was out of politeness, he now regarded him as a friend.


    Ye Liangyong patted his shoulder: "In the future, don¡¯t call me Mr. Ye, you and Xiaozhu are of the same generation, just call me Uncle Ye."


    Ling Chen nodded: "Uncle Ye."


    "Ling Chen, thank you." At this moment, Zhu Xiaozhu also thought of the person who saved Little Hua¡¯s life and promptly stood up to thank him.


    "What¡¯s our rtionship, you don¡¯t have to be so polite," Ling Chen replied with a beaming smile.


    Standing beside them, Little Hua blinked her watery big eyes, a face full of innocence asked: "Big brother, what¡¯s your rtionship with Sister Xiaozhu? I don¡¯t know about this."


    Seeing her adorable appearance, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but tease: "Of course we¡¯re friends, what else did you think?"


    Little Hua pouted her little mouth: "I thought that you were..."


    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 61 - 60 Former Comrades-in-Arms

    <h4>Chapter 61: Chapter 60 Former Comrades-in-Arms</h4><h4></h4>


    "Alright, Little Hua, you haven¡¯t taken your medicine today. Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to get your prescription," Zhu Xiaozhu cut off Little Hua¡¯s words and pulled her out of the room. She was afraid Little Hua would talk nonsense in front of so many people. She knew this little girl very well. Although she seemed young, she was actually quite the little devil.


    After Zhu Xiaozhu and Little Hua left, Ling Chen asked, "Mr. Ye, is Little Hua unwell?"


    "She had someplications at birth, so she needs to take medication long-term to maintain her health." After exining, Ye Liangyong nced at He Ziyun, stood up and said, "Master, Ling Chen, please sit. I have something to take care of and need to step out." With that, he walked towards the door.


    However, he hadn¡¯t gone far before his cellphone started ringing.


    He picked up the phone, and though it was unclear what was said on the other end, his expression turned ugly immediately.


    Seeing Ye Liangyong return to the room, Ling Chen asked, "Mr. Ye, what happened?"


    "I was nning to visit the police station to see that suspect, but they just called to say that the suspect was murdered in the detention room, killed by three stab wounds."


    "What?" Ling Chen was shocked; the suspect was actually murdered in the police station. Whoever did it was not only audacious but also highly professional, otherwise, how could theye and go freely within the police station without leaving a trace? He faintly recalled that when the kidnapper was captured earlier that day, the man had begged Ling Chen to kill him, saying that a failed mission meant a certain death. Additionally, the kidnapper kept mentioning ¡¯them¡¯.


    Although he didn¡¯t know who ¡¯they¡¯ referred to, based on his experience, they were likely a mysterious organization. In this world, many criminal organizations followed a rule: if a mission fails, one must not be captured, even in death. If the rule was vited, elimination was guaranteed. If the offender had a family, the organization wouldn¡¯t spare their family members either.


    Once, a person he had been acquainted with met such a fate. Captured for a failed operation, that person was not only assassinated but their family was also killed and their bodies discarded in the wilderness¡ªan unbearably gruesome end.


    After staying at the Martial Arts Academy for half an hour, Ling Chen thought of matters at home and after saying goodbye, he drove back alone.


    After sending Ling Chen off, Ye Liangyong returned inside and called out all the other junior brothers, leaving only himself and He Ziyun. He closed the door, sat in front of He Ziyun, and furrowed his brows slightly, "Master, what should we do now?"


    He Ziyun let out a sigh, "I never thought that after all these years, they would still find this ce. Liangyong, you are well aware of how dangerous those people are, and this matter won¡¯t be easy to resolve."


    "How about... we move to a more secluded ce?"


    "That¡¯s useless. If they could find this ce, it means they are watching our every move. Besides, where can we hide? They would eventually find us. Liangyong, some things are inescapable. I¡¯m old; life or death doesn¡¯t concern me. It¡¯s just... Your junior brothers are still young, I don¡¯t want them to lose their lives for my sake."


    Ye Liangyong nodded, "I understand what to do now. I will make arrangements to transfer everyone to Beijing as soon as possible."


    "Yes, you take care of the junior brothers¡¯ safety. As for me and Little Hua, don¡¯t worry about us. We will stay here to attract their attention."


    "Master, should we ask for Ling Chen¡¯s help? He¡¯s highly capable, maybe..."


    "I know." He Ziyun smiled faintly, wisdom shining in his cloudy old eyes, "I am more aware of Ling Chen¡¯s background than you. Actually, many things are predestined. Ling Chen wants to start anew and leave his past behind, but what he doesn¡¯t know is that once certain things are involved, they can never be escaped. Now, go on down. I would like some quiet."


    "Yes, Master."


    ...


    The next morning, as usual, Ling Chen sent Nanrong Wanqing to herpany and then sneaked off to Wei Jun¡¯s office. As soon as he entered, he saw Wei Jun hurriedly shove the magazine he was holding behind his back.


    "Big Brother Wei, hiding something nice?"


    "It¡¯s you, kid, you startled me. I thought Captain Zhong wasing." Wei Jun sighed with relief, showing the magazine from behind his back without any reservation. "Little Brother Ling, I just picked up this yboy from a street stall; want to take a look?"


    "Foreign chicks? Not interested." Ling Chen waved his hand. He wasn¡¯t into those foreign blondes with blue eyes, he preferred domestic beauties. He liked the type with a delicate figure and a touch of elegance. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t like Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s type, but the women he fancied more seemed more realistic, whereas Nanrong Wanqing was too dreamy, seemingly untouchable. Compared to her, he found Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s gentle temperament more appealing.


    "Little Brother Ling, you have no taste. These gals are great; they¡¯ve got the curves where it counts, totally energetic."


    "Energetic indeed, but I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t handle it."


    "Who says I can¡¯t. Let me tell you, once they experience my ¡¯skills,¡¯ no woman can resist me." Wei Jun boasted proudly. Then, he leaned in towards Ling Chen and whispered, "Little Brother Ling, are you free tonight? I¡¯ll take you out for some fun."


    Ling Chen understood what he meant and shook his head, "Forget it, don¡¯t count me in for that. I don¡¯t have the spare cash or the interest."


    Wei Jun sighed, "Brother, I thought you were one of us."


    While they talked, Zhong Wei walked into the office, "Ling Chen, looking for you. Someone¡¯s outside asking for you, says they¡¯re your friend."


    "My friend?" Ling Chen muttered to himself. He had only a few friends in Zhonghai City; could it be Jiang Hao?


    While he pondered, he went straight to thepany¡¯s lobby. Instantly, a young man sitting on a sofa caught his eye.


    The young man was one meter eighty-seven tall, with a slim figure, slightly gaunt cheeks, short hair, and looked quite spirited. Seeing the man, Ling Chen was immediately taken aback, filled with confusion. How could this guy be here?


    Then, the young man also noticed Ling Chen and smiled, striding over quickly.


    "Brother, long time no see." He said, opening his arms and giving Ling Chen a solid hug. They patted each other on the back vigorously, expressing the joy of their reunion.


    "Tang Yuan, what brought you here?" Ling Chen was pleasantly surprised. The young man in front of him was his former teammate back in the Ghost Organization, and they were close. After leaving the organization, he hadn¡¯t been in touch with any of the members because that was the rule. He hadn¡¯t expected to see a formerrade again today.

 Chapter 62 - 61: Voluntary Resignation (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 62: Chapter 61: Voluntary Resignation (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    Tang Yuan nced around and smiled, "It¡¯s probably not convenient for us to catch up here given our identities. Let¡¯s go somewhere else."


    Immediately, the two left thepany and entered a caf¨¦ across the street. After ordering a private room and some casual snacks, they sent the waiter away.


    "When did youe to East Sea City?"


    "Yesterday."


    "On a mission?"


    "You¡¯re thinking too much. Like you, I¡¯m retired now."


    Ling Chen, puzzled, said, "Weren¡¯t you doing well in there? And it¡¯s not time for you to retire yet, has the higher-up really let you go?"


    "Forget it, ever since that mission went wrong, everyone¡¯s been uneasy, especially when you left, we all felt it. Later, the higher-ups said they wanted to reform, bring in fresh blood, and recruited a lot of new members. As you know, we rarely had much to do throughout the year, and now with more people, there¡¯s even less to do. Staying at the base doing nothing and being ostracized by the neers, it¡¯s all so pointless," Tang Yuanined.


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but joke, "Come on, you¡¯re a veteran, aren¡¯t you afraid of being pushed around by neers?"


    "Times have changed. Before, the higher-ups valued us, so we were in favor. Now the organization focuses on training neers, ignoring us. Actually, without stating it outright, everyone understands this¡ªyou¡¯ve experienced it yourself."


    Ling Chen nodded slightly. He had spent four years within the organization and although it wasn¡¯t a long time, he was very clear about the organization¡¯s practices. Absorbing new blood meant the veterans inside the organization were facing the risk of being phased out. When he joined the organization, those veterans had been forced to step down, no longer going out on missions, but focusing instead on training neers and sharing their experience.


    This was something he could never understand. The veterans inside the organization were not actually old, averaging under thirty years of age, with rich experience and strongbat capabilities, in their prime. Why would the organization hurry to rece these veterans, letting neers step up? Rejecting well-sharpened swords for blunt ones, it made no sense to anyone.


    Putting his chaotic thoughts aside, he focused again on Tang Yuan. Since he had left the organization, its matters no longer rted to him.


    "Tang Yuan, how did you know I was here?"


    Tang Yuan, lifting his coffee, smiled and said, "If I couldn¡¯t even figure out this little thing, then I would have wasted all those years. Not to make youugh, but I came here specifically to look for you. As a retired soldier, I can only kill, can¡¯t do anything else, and without a degree, the organization doesn¡¯t arrange jobs for us. I thought, since you¡¯re in East Sea City, I might as welle to you. After all, being an orphan, I have no attachments and it could be nice to have a brother around."


    "That¡¯s perfect timing; ourpany is just short of people. But let me rify first, you¡¯ll start as security, with a sry of over ten thousand a month, and including bonuses and other benefits, almost 200,000 a year."


    Tang Yun¡¯s eyes lit up, "This treat sounds terrific, even better than white-cor jobs."


    "You¡¯re risking your life for it, so of course it¡¯s high. Hey, don¡¯t me me for not reminding you, we¡¯ve recently encountered some tricky issues. Snake King hase to East Sea City."


    "What¡¯s he here for?"


    "What do you think? Why would an assassine to a ce like this, to vacation? We¡¯re not outsiders here, so I¡¯ll tell you bluntly, Snake King¡¯s target is the board chairwoman, Nanrong Wanqing."


    "With you here, can such a small fry like Snake King threaten her?"


    "Can¡¯t say that, I¡¯m quite passive right now, who knows when that guy will make a move. If you¡¯re willing to work, I can also relieve some pressure."


    "What are brothers for, no second thoughts, I¡¯m in for the job," Tang Yuan readily agreed.


    Ling Chen shed a grin, "Good, I¡¯ll speak to Captain Zhong in a bit and take you toplete the entry procedures."


    Tang Yuan¡¯s decision to join made him very happy. Not only because Tang Yuan¡¯s strong ability could help him, but most importantly, reuniting with a brother was truly a joyous event.


    Back at thepany, Ling Chen introduced Tang Yun to Zhong Wei. Seeing Ling Chen strongly rmending him and even vouching for Tang Yuan, Zhong Wei naturally had no objections.


    "Ling Chen, I have no issues here, but if you want to keep your friend, it must be approved by the chairwoman. Our team¡¯s personnel movements have always been managed directly by the chairwoman herself. You need to report to her and get her permission before hiring anyone."


    Ling Chen was speechless, "Is it thatplicated?"


    "The chairwoman has to prioritize her own safety, of course."


    "Alright, then I¡¯ll go talk to her."


    Leaving Tang Yuan in Wei Jun¡¯s office, Ling Chen directly took the elevator to the top floor. After greeting Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s secretary and being allowed through, he entered the chairwoman¡¯s office.


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing focused on revising documents at her desk, Ling Chen nonchntly walked over and sat down.


    "What is it?" Nanrong Wanqing said without raising her head.


    "Chairwoman, Team One is short-staffed, I¡¯d like to recruit someone, and Captain Zhong mentioned your approval is necessary."


    Nanrong Wanqing slowly lifted her head, her elegant neck radiant, her fair and smooth face expressionless and indifferent, "Prepare a copy of that person¡¯s profile for me, I¡¯ll consider it."


    "You still need to consider it?" Ling Chen said patiently, "Chairwoman, my friend is very capable, no less than me. With him onboard, your safety is guaranteed."


    "I look for trustworthiness first in recruitment, capabilities are secondary. A person who isn¡¯t trustworthy, no matter how capable, is useless."


    "I can vouch for him."


    "You?" Nanrong Wanqing closed the document in her hands, looking directly at Ling Chen with a piercing gaze, "Ling Chen, I can¡¯t even fully trust you now, why should I trust your friend?"


    "Ha!" Ling Chen found it funny. He had saved her life, and yet she couldn¡¯t trust him. Thinking this, he stood up and said, "Chairwoman, if that¡¯s the case, then there¡¯s nothing left to discuss." With those words, he turned and left the office.


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t go far after leaving the office, instead, he approached the secretary outside to borrow some paper and a pen.


    A few minutester, the door to the chairwoman¡¯s office was pushed open again.


    Seeing Ling Chen return, Nanrong Wanqing slightly furrowed her brow, "What else is there?"


    Without a word, Ling Chen handed over a piece of paper and a bank card, cing them in front of Nanrong Wanqing, "This is my resignation letter, and this is the hundred thousand from your grandfather. I haven¡¯t touched a single cent of it."

 Chapter 63 - 62: Voluntary Resignation (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 63: Chapter 62: Voluntary Resignation (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    Nanrong Wanqing looked at him in astonishment: "You want to resign?"


    When Ling Chen initially stayed on thick-skinned, she had never thought that he would take the initiative to resign. So when the resignation report was ced in front of her, even her normally tranquil heart couldn¡¯t help but ripple with surprise.


    "Chairwoman, in our line of work, trust is paramount. It is the foundation of all coboration. Since you cannot trust me, there is no point in me staying. Your safety should be left to those whom you deem trustworthy. Your grandfather once said that no one could fire me unless I chose to resign by myself. I know you and Miss Su don¡¯t like me and want me gone. I¡¯m not someone who can¡¯t take a hint; why should I stay and make myself miserable? Chairwoman, here¡¯s a piece of advice ¨C don¡¯t be too self-centered. Not everyone has to mollycoddle you."


    Having said that, Ling Chen walked out without looking back.


    Just as he said, he wasn¡¯t someone who can¡¯t take a hint. He shamelessly stayed back then only to earn a living for Tang Shiyun, and there is no need for that now. He¡¯s not someone without temper; he just suppressed it, trying to get along with the two women as much as possible. Unfortunately, all his efforts were in vain, and he couldn¡¯t even gain a shred of trust.


    "Ling Chen, you..."


    Nanrong Wanqing wanted to stand up and call Ling Chen back, but she quickly realized that her legs wouldn¡¯t move. Moreover, Ling Chen ignored her call and she could only watch helplessly as he left.


    This damn guy!


    For the first time in her life, Nanrong Wanqing felt both anger and distress. She knew that it was her careless remark that had hurt Ling Chen and prompted him to make such a decision.


    But as she watched Ling Chen disappear through the doorway, her lips parted slightly, not knowing what to say or how to make amends. Should she apologize first? From a young age, she¡¯d never admitted wrongdoing to anyone because everyone revolved around her and held her in the palm of their hands. In the world she lived in, she was the center. So often, she reveled in that superior feeling, nobody ever criticized her, not even her grandfather had ever spoken to her harshly, with the exception of Ling Chen.


    Just go... It¡¯s better this way. In the beginning, she was determined to fire Ling Chen, and now the resignation report in front of her was exactly the oue she wanted, wasn¡¯t it?


    Yet, for some reason, when she thought about what Ling Chen had just said, she felt ufortable at heart, and even lost interest in the work in front of her.


    "What? You resigned?"


    In the security department¡¯s office, Zhong Wei and Wei Jun looked at Ling Chen with a face full of surprise, somewhat incredulous.


    "No way, how could the chairwoman make such a foolish decision? I¡¯m going to talk to her about it."


    Zhong Wei acted as if he would go out, but Ling Chen quickly held him back, "Captain Zhong, don¡¯t bother. This has nothing to do with the chairwoman. It was my own decision to resign."


    "Why?"


    "Don¡¯t ask anymore, it¡¯s already done and talking won¡¯t change anything. We¡¯ve been colleagues for some time; I¡¯ll treat tonight, let¡¯s go out for a meal together."


    "Ling Chen, the chairwoman is in a dangerous situation now. Assassins could strike at any time, isn¡¯t it irresponsible for you to leave at this time?"


    "You all are here, aren¡¯t you? You have so many ex-military buddies, just bring a few more on board, and you¡¯ll be able to keep her safe."


    "You this..."


    Ling Chen waved his hand, cutting off Zhong Wei¡¯s words.


    "Alright, Captain Zhong, I get what you mean. There¡¯s no use talking about it now. Take more care in the future. That¡¯s it then, I¡¯m going to go back and pack up. Tang Yuan, let¡¯s go."


    Leaving thepany, Tang Yuan looked at the silent Ling Chen and apologized: "Bro, I¡¯m sorry, this is on me."


    Ling Chen gave a wry smile: "It¡¯s not about you; it¡¯s my own issue. Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s alright now. I originally nned to find you a job, but now we¡¯re both unemployed. Hey, by the way, where do you live?"


    "Hotel."


    "Then you head back to the hotel, give me the address, and I¡¯lle stay with you tonight. We¡¯ll look for a house to rent tomorrow."


    "Alright, see you tonight."


    After bidding Ling Chen farewell, Tang Yuan took out his phone and dialed a number that he knew by heart.


    The call connected, and a cheerful voice came from the other end: "How¡¯s the mission progressing?"


    "Target nearing failure."


    "Oh? Why, didn¡¯t you meet with Ling Chen?"


    "I did, Ling Chen just quit his job. That path is closed to him now."


    "That kid... Nevermind, he didn¡¯t notice anything, did he?"


    "No, I told him I was discharged from the army, and he believed me. He had no suspicions."


    "I know you two are close, that¡¯s why I assigned this mission to you. Whatever happens, try your best to get close to the target, there can be no slip-ups."


    "Yes, Captain."


    ...


    Returning home to the Nanrong family, the little girl Su Lin wasn¡¯t there. Ling Chen packed up his belongings, and, taking advantage of nobody noticing, he slipped out quietly and parked the Santana outside. He wasn¡¯t afraid of much, but he was most afraid of running into Liu Kun. If Nanrong Yong found out that he resigned, who knows, he might say some nice words hoping to make him stay. He¡¯s too soft-hearted, so it¡¯s best to avoid seeing anyone.


    Moreover, having initiated the resignation, if he were to go back now, where would he put his face? Wouldn¡¯t that just be a joke?


    The night fell, and themps lit up.


    After work, Nanrong Wanqing returned home under the escort of Zhong Wei and the others. Upon entering the house, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s gaze involuntarily drifted towards the bedroom adjacent to the living room. Hesitating for a moment, she pushed her wheelchair to the bedroom door, gently knocked, and then pushed it open.


    As expected, the room had been cleared out, and there was nobody there.


    "Cousin."


    Just at that moment, Su Lin walked in from outside. Seeing Nanrong Wanqing lingering at Ling Chen¡¯s door, she curiously asked, "Wanqing, are you looking for Ling Chen?" With that, she approached the door.


    "Hey, where is he?"


    Looking at the empty room, Su Lin was puzzled, "Where did that bastard Ling Chen run off to? It¡¯s sote and he¡¯s still not back, hmph, Wanqing, look at this, what kind of employee is he, aren¡¯t you going to do something about it? If it were up to me, I¡¯d fire him on the spot."


    "He resigned."


    "Resigned?" Su Lin was taken aback; her previous words were just a moment of anger, but hearing that Ling Chen really packed up and left, she couldn¡¯t quite believe it, "He... why would he resign all of a sudden?"


    "Why ask so many questions, haven¡¯t you always wanted him to leave!"


    Yes! It would be great if that bastard left, she should be happy. But the thought of Ling Chen actually leaving gave Su Lin an indescribable feeling. She used to try every possible way to drive Ling Chen away, butter on, Ling Chen helped her out several times without holding grudges. Even though they often bickered, her opinion of Ling Chen gradually changed. Now, for some reason, knowing that Ling Chen was gone, she felt an emptiness inside, unable to muster any joy.

 Chapter 64 - 63: The Apple-Cheeked Beauty

    <h4>Chapter 64: Chapter 63: The Apple-Cheeked Beauty</h4><h4></h4>


    A sleepless night.


    The next day, Ling Chen stretchedzily as he woke up in the hotel to find it was already past nine in the morning. No need to work, he could finally sleep in.


    "You finally got up, you rascal."


    Tang Yuan, entering from outside, ced the freshly bought breakfast on the bed and asked, "Any ns for today?"


    "First, I need to rent a ce."


    Ling Chen casually grabbed a bun and stuffed it into his mouth without bothering to brush his teeth. With not much money on him, staying in hotels wasn¡¯t sustainable. First things first, secure a ce to live, then find a job.


    After swallowing the bun, Ling Chen suddenly recalled something.


    "Right, Old Tang, what¡¯s the date today?"


    "September 3rd."


    Indeed, today¡¯s the day!


    Without another word, Ling Chen bounced out of bed, hurriedly got dressed, and dashed to the bathroom. Shortly after, he was all set, striking what he thought was a dashing pose at the door, grinning, "How¡¯s that, pretty handsome, eh?"


    Without mincing words, Tang Yuan shot him down, "Handsome my ass. Spill it, you¡¯re dressed all shy. Meeting a girlfriend, are you?"


    "I wish I had a girlfriend. Why don¡¯t you introduce me to one?"


    "I haven¡¯t even found one for myself yet, let alone introduce you. Bugger off, as far as you can."


    "Fine, I¡¯ll bugger off then. You can stay here and wallow in your loneliness," said Ling Chen, waving his hand as he left the hotel.


    Today, September 3rd, was the opening day for the new semester at East Sea University. Tang Shiyun was a new student there; she would definitely go to register. Since he couldn¡¯t reach her by phone, he could only try to find her at the university. It had been a while since hest saw her, and he rather missed the girl.


    Taking the bus to the gates of East Sea University, Ling Chen straightened his clothes, his angr face beaming with a radiant smile as he strode into the campus.


    As soon as he entered the university, his eyes were too busy to take it all in. Indeed, college life is the best, brimming with youthful and beautiful women everywhere.


    Though it was autumn, the heat hadn¡¯t subsided. Some of the more liberal female students, in short skirts and strappy tops, disyed their long, beautiful legs and bare backs, providing a feast for Ling Chen¡¯s eyes.


    His greatest regret in life was never attending school. When he was younger, his dad homeschooled him. By the age of fifteen, when others were still in middle school, he had already finished the university curriculum.


    Admiring the beauties along the way, Ling Chen wandered around the campus until he finally located the new student registration area.


    A few students, probably members of the student union, managed the registration. Ling Chen took a nce, approached a girl with a ponytail bowed over her work, and asked, "Excuse me, I¡¯m looking to find out if Tang Shiyun has checked in?"


    Hearing a voice, the girl looked up and met Ling Chen¡¯s gaze.


    Their eyes met, and a spark lit up in front of Ling Chen. This girl, in her early twenties, had an apple-shaped face, delicate brows, and big eyes. She wore a short-sleeve blouse, the fabric stretched over her ample bosom as if the buttons could burst at any moment. Unfortunately, the table concealed her lower half, so he couldn¡¯t see clearly. Even so, her appearance and figure easily matched the description of "youthful beauty."


    Tsk, tsk, well-deserved reputation as a cradle of beauties, this university.


    "Are you a new student here?" the girl asked, her voice clear and pleasant.


    "No, I¡¯m a friend of Tang Shiyun. I couldn¡¯t reach her, so I wanted to know if she hase to the campus."


    "Do you know what major she¡¯s in?"


    "This..." Ling Chen scratched his head; he really didn¡¯t know what major Tang Shiyun had chosen.


    Seeing that he couldn¡¯t continue the conversation, the girl looked at him suspiciously: "Are you really her friend? If you were friends, howe you don¡¯t even know her major?"


    Just as Ling Chen was about to exin, a male student sitting nearby scrutinized him and warned: "Leng Feifei, be careful. Maybe he got dumped by his girlfriend, found no one else willing to pay attention to him, and that¡¯s why he came to the school. This kind of thing has happened quite often. There are too many jerks nowadays, better safe than sorry."


    The girl named Leng Feifei nodded convincingly and closed the roster, warning Ling Chen warily: "I can¡¯t just give out students¡¯ information here. You should try another method."


    "Come on, prettydy, help me out."


    Leng Feifei turned her head away, with a look that indicated no room for negotiation.


    Ling Chen, having no other choice, left the registration area and found a random ce to sit down. It was just ten o¡¯clock, still early; maybe Tang Shiyun hadn¡¯t arrived at the school yet. He decided to wait and see.


    "Brother Chen?"


    An astonished voice came from behind him at that moment.


    Ling Chen turned around, only to see Nanrong Hao briskly walking towards him with a delighted expression: "Brother Chen, it is really you."


    "What are you doing here,d?"


    Nanrong Hao pointed to the bag over his shoulder, "Brother Chen, did you forget? Both my cousin and I go to the university, I¡¯m in my junior year, and she¡¯s a senior."


    Prompted by his reminder, Ling Chen suddenly remembered that Nanrong Hao indeed had mentioned this to him.


    "Brother Chen, why aren¡¯t you at thepany? What brings you to campus?"


    Ling Chen simply shrugged. Nanrong Wanqing probably hadn¡¯t told him about his resignation yet. Since she hadn¡¯t mentioned it, there was no need for him to b about it.


    "Don¡¯t ask so many questions. Right, you¡¯re a student here. Can you help me check at the registration if there¡¯s a girl who came to enroll named Tang Shiyun?"


    "Sure thing." Nanrong Hao readily agreed and scurried over there.


    In less than two minutes, Nanrong Hao came back dejectedly, saying disheartenedly, "Brother Chen, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do this task."


    "What happened?"


    "Leng Feifei is over there; she¡¯s my ssmate and she¡¯s always had it in for me. I don¡¯t even need to say anything, I know she won¡¯t help me out."


    "You..." Ling Chen red at him disapprovingly and said irritably: "You really disappoint me,d. Can¡¯t even handle a woman; what a waste of all I¡¯ve taught you."


    "Brother Chen, since you¡¯re so amazing, why don¡¯t you give it a try? Also, teach that girl a lesson for me."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen frowned and criticised seriously: "No wonder those girls don¡¯t like you; first off, your way of thinking is all wrong. Are women supposed to be scolded?"


    "Brother Chen, then what should I do?" Nanrong Hao asked, keen to learn.


    "Remember this, women should be conquered, not scolded."


    "Brother Chen, I get what you¡¯re saying, but talk is cheappared to action. Why don¡¯t you meet Leng Feifei and show me how it¡¯s done, so I can learn properly from you?"


    "I... ahem, uh, where is the restroom? I¡¯ll go take a break first; we can discuss this matterter."


    He had just been snubbed by that Leng Feifei. Going back now would just make a fool of himself in front of Nanrong Hao, and he absolutely couldn¡¯t do anything to damage his grand image.


    After dawdling in the restroom for about ten minutes, Ling Chen washed his hands and walked along the cobblestone path through the quiet grove on the campus, preparing to meet up with Nanrong Hao. But at this moment, a series of alluring gasps reached his ears from the other side of the grove.


    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 65 - 64: Su Lin Being Bullied (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 65: Chapter 64: Su Lin Being Bullied (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    Although the other party was trying hard not to make any noise, he could still hear them clearly and couldn¡¯t help shaking his head in secret. Young people nowadays are so brazen, seeking thrills by running into the grove in broad daylight for a quickie, not fearing being discovered at all.


    He quickened his pace, intending to leave. However, just as he hadn¡¯t gone far, he heard voicesing from the grove.


    "Yang, feeling good?"


    "Hehe, your skills are unspeakable, you¡¯re the best."


    Hearing these two familiar voices, Ling Chen raised his eyebrows. Damn, what a coincidence, it turned out to be Qin Yang and Song Yuan who were sneaking around here for a tryst.


    "Ah... ah..." Song Yuan groaned while ****ing and gasped, "Yang, how did it go with the thing I asked you to dost time?"


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve arranged everything. Anyone who dares to bully my woman, I won¡¯t let that bitch off easy."


    "And... ah... and don¡¯t let Ling Chen off either, it was him who helped Su Lin bully me that day."


    "You¡¯re talking about that driver who hangs around Su Lin? Hmph!" Qin Yang scoffed disdainfully, "He¡¯s just a small fry. I¡¯ll see how I squash him. Last time he ruined my ns, I haven¡¯t settled the score with him yet. This time I¡¯ll take care of it all in one go."


    "I knew you¡¯re the best... ah... harder... I can¡¯t take it anymore..."


    Returning to Nanrong Hao¡¯s side, Nanrong Hao checked the time with a strange expression, "Chen, you¡¯ve been gone for almost half an hour, didn¡¯t fall into a pit, did you?"


    "Cut it out, it¡¯s you who would fall into a pit." Ling Chen slightly curved his lips, recalling the scene he had stumbled upon just now, his eyes narrowed slightly, with a mischievously sly smile.


    "Haozi, where¡¯s your cousin?"


    "How would I know, she and I do our own things. Chen, do you still want to meet up with Leng Feifei?"


    "I don¡¯t have that leisure time now. Haozi, just stay put, there¡¯s gonna be a good show to watch."


    While talking, a clear voice like a spring came from beside his ear: "Hey! Why are you still lingering around here, not leaving?"


    Ling Chen turned his head, only to see Leng Feifei approaching him. From the direction she came, she must have just been to the restroom. He opened his mouth, ready to speak, but saw Leng Feifei shift her gaze from him to Nanrong Hao beside him.


    "You two know each other? Humph, seems like what my friend said was right, you¡¯re really no good." After that, Leng Feifei rolled her eyes at Ling Chen.


    "Hey, Leng Feifei, watch how you speak." Nanrong Hao was displeased, "Show some respect in front of my Chen."


    "Why should I be polite to him? He¡¯s nobody to me. Nanrong Hao, I¡¯m reminding you, this is the school, don¡¯t bring questionable characters here, you won¡¯t be able to answer for it if something happens."


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t sit still anymore, he hadn¡¯t provoked her in any way, so why was he beingbeled as someone dubious, "Beauty, I didn¡¯t seduce you or molest you, which of your eyes saw that I¡¯m not a good person? Speak with evidence, be careful I sue you for nder."


    Leng Feifei¡¯s pretty nose wrinkled, and she huffed, "Birds of a feather flock together, you hang out with scum like Nanrong Hao, what else could you be if not a scumbag, even if not now, you¡¯ll turn into one in the future."


    Tsk tsk! Ling Chen took a meaningful look at Nanrong Hao, it seemed like this beauty held quite a grudge against Nanrong Hao. The so-called scumbags, like Chen Shimei who abandons after seducing, are the stereotype of scumbags. Leng Feifei kept saying Nanrong Hao was a scumbag; could it be that she was dumped by Nanrong Hao?


    Seeing Leng Feifei quickly departing, Ling Chen patted Nanrong Hao on the shoulder, "Spill it, kid. What exactly did you do to that beauty?"


    Nanrong Hao made a bitter face, "Chen, I swear on everything that is good, I did nothing to her."


    "Then why does she have a problem with you?"


    "Sigh, I used to date one of her friends for a while, and things were pretty good. I wanted to continue the rtionship, but my Sister found out. She forbade me from dating in college, so I had to break up. Ever since that incident, she has been eyeing me unfavorably, targeting me every chance she gets."


    "Kid, not to criticize you, but you¡¯re seriously failing as a man. If you like someone, go for it¡ªwhat does your Sister have to do with it? Don¡¯t always let her lead you by the nose. As a man, you need to be confident and independent. You¡¯re the eldest grandson of the Nanrong Family, the future heir of Hongyu Group. Show some backbone and don¡¯t take your Sister too seriously. After all, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re going to spend the rest of your life with her."


    Nanrong Hao nodded, taking the lesson to heart, his face showing deep contemtion.


    Just then, a powerful engine roar was heard, followed by the sight of a white Maserati pulling up at the school entrance. The car door opened, and a gorgeous woman extended her slender legs, stepping out from the vehicle.


    Su Lin was wearing a pink tight-fitting T-shirt today that entuated her arms, smooth as tender lotus roots, with her full, perky chest drawing inviting allure. A knee-length skirt revealed her fair and delicate calves, while casual ts adorned her feet. Topping her ensemble was a cute sun hat, with her long hair spilling down her back. She seemed less sensual and enchanting than usual, emanating a vibrant, youthful energy instead.


    Her appearance immediately captured the attention of the surrounding students. Especially the freshers who had just entered the school, all of them wide-eyed, secretly swallowing their saliva.


    "Hey, your Sister hase."


    "I see her."


    "Aren¡¯t you going to go and say hello?"


    "We¡¯ve met before, no need to be so formal with her."


    Under the watchful eyes of many students, Su Lin walked into the campus with her chest out and her head held high, her steps brisk.


    "Su Lin!"


    At that moment, an anguished shout rang out.


    The surrounding students, drawn by the voice, turned to look. Suddenly, they saw a youth in his twenties ring at Su Lin, veins throbbing on his forehead, his fists tightly clenched, as if an endless fury needed to be unleashed.


    The youth was good looking with an athletic build and fair skin. A fringe of hair hung over his forehead, adding to his handsomeness.


    Su Lin looked at the young man in astonishment, "Have you mistaken me for someone else?"


    "Mistaken?" The young man angrily chuckled, "Even if I were blind, I could sniff out the scent of a wretch like you."


    At his words, the onlooking students gasped in shock. To curse someone as a ¡¯wretch¡¯, this situation seemed far from simple.


    "You..." Su Lin¡¯s face turned red with anger, and she retorted, "Are you sick? I don¡¯t even know you."


    "I know you won¡¯t admit to it, but no matter, I¡¯m going to expose your wretched deeds for all to see and let everyone know what kind of trash you are."


    Unable to listen anymore, a student nearby frowned and said, "Hey, watch yournguage, please. Don¡¯t just insult people. Remember, this is a school."

 Chapter 66 - 65 Su Lin Is Bullied (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 66: Chapter 65 Su Lin Is Bullied (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Hmph, what does being at school matter?" the young man said disdainfully. "Let me tell you what this woman has done, the morally corrupt things," he said, pointing at Su Lin. "I met her at a bar not long ago, no need for me to say what happened next, everyone knows."


    Upon hearing this, people looked at Su Lin with suggestive expressions, prompting Su Lin to exim angrily: "You¡¯re lying, I don¡¯t know you at all, you better shut up and stop ndering me."


    "Hmph! Are you angry out of embarrassment? If you dared to do it, are you afraid of people knowing? You kept asking to be friends with me, but then you seduced your own driver. What was his name again? Oh, right, Ling Chen. Hmph, you thought I didn¡¯t know about your affair? That day I came to your house to look for you, only to see you two hiding in the car, hugging each other. Everyone can guess what you were doing. Su Lin, Su Lin, I thought of you as a good woman, but it turned out you were fooling around behind my back,cking even the basic moral line. Such a shameless woman you are. Since you¡¯ve cuckolded me, don¡¯t me me for being rude. Today, I want all of your ssmates to know what kind of person you, Su Lin, are."


    "Enough!"


    A clear voice rang out as Leng Feifei quickly walked up to Su Lin, ring at the young man with a furious face, "Do you even know what you¡¯re doing? Carelessly ndering others can bring legal consequences; if you continue this nonsense, be careful of ending up in jail."


    The young man sneered: "Who says I¡¯m ndering her? I have video evidence of her on my phone. Tomorrow I¡¯ll upload it to the campuswork, let everyone see how shameless she is."


    "You..." Su Lin¡¯s face turned livid. She knew this person was spouting nonsense, but in front of so many people, and so suddenly, she was unprepared and unable to defend herself. Regardless of whether others believed it or not, her reputation at school would be impacted. Thinking of this, her eyes began to well up. She had never been insulted like this before.


    Leng Feifei looked at Su Lin whose face had turned pale, feeling some sympathy. Any woman facing this situation would feel terrible.


    She wasn¡¯t close to Su Lin, but she knew her. As one of the beauties of East Sea University, everyone knew her. Regardless of whether the usations were true, she didn¡¯t want toment. However, as a member of the student union, it was her duty to maintain the school¡¯s reputation.


    "Security, get this man out."


    The young man appeared indifferent, not taking the approaching security seriously, "Su Lin, if I were you, I¡¯d find a ce to hide and not show my face again."


    "Yang, did you hear that? Who would have thought our great campus beauty was this kind of woman? Good thing you dumped her early."


    At that moment, a mocking voice sounded. Turning her head, Su Lin saw Song Yuan, holding Qin Yang¡¯s hand, walking out from the crowd of onlookers. Her cheeks flushed with excitement, she nced at Su Lin, her eyes slightly raised in disdainful mockery.


    "Song Yuan, shut your mouth," Su Lin shouted angrily.


    "What? Since you dare to do it, are you afraid of people talking? Su Lin, I thought you were so noble, turns out you¡¯re worse than me. At least I am faithful to Yang, and you? You¡¯re the real flirt, even not sparing your own driver. How desperate are you?"


    "You..." Su Lin was furious, she grabbed her handbag and threw it at Song Yuan. However, Qin Yang quickly intercepted it, warning coldly, "Su Lin, better watch yourself. Yuan Yuan is my girlfriend; if you dare disrespect her again, don¡¯t me me for not being nice."


    Su Lin clenched her teeth, fury burning in her eyes. At that moment, she wished Ling Chen was beside her to teach these people a lesson.


    "Oh, isn¡¯t that Mr. Qin?"


    Suddenly, a taunting voice emerged from the crowd.


    Hearing that familiar voice, Su Lin¡¯s spirits lifted, and she quickly turned her head only to see Ling Chen grinning as he walked out from the crowd.


    It was him... he really came... Su Lin felt so moved she almost cried, her eyes reddening and tears shimmering lightly. She had never expected Ling Chen to actually appear, and after knowing he had quit his job, she thought she might never see him again, since they were from different worlds and had no connection beyond work. But now, seeing him standing tall beside her, she realized this wasn¡¯t just a dream.


    "Ling Chen?"


    Seeing him, Qin Yang¡¯s face instantly turned cold. Particrly Song Yuan, who looked venomously at Ling Chen, almost ready to pounce at him. The humiliation she suffered at the club the other day was vivid in her memory, as if it had just happened yesterday.


    Ling Chen acted as if he didn¡¯t notice the hostility in Song Yuan¡¯s eyes, smiled and waved to the people around, "Hello everyone, let me introduce myself. I am Ling Chen, the driver this guy mentioned earlier."


    "Hey, were you really having an affair with Su Lin?" someone in the crowd asked.


    Ling Chen grinned, "I heard what he said, honestly, I wish it was true. Think about it, Miss Su is who, a wealthy youngdy, and me, just a guy struggling at the bottom. If Miss Su fancied me, then I must have umted good karma in my past life to gain the favor of such a beauty, don¡¯t you think?"


    Hearing this, people burst intoughter, "Buddy, you¡¯re real joker."


    "He has a point, Su Lin wouldn¡¯t just go for anyone, her standard wouldn¡¯t be that low."


    "Hey, are you okay?" Ling Chen touched Su Lin¡¯s arm and asked softly.


    "I¡¯m fine, thank... thank you."


    "No need to mention it." Ling Chen gave a slight smile, his gaze shifting to the young man. He walked up to him confidently, towering nearly six feet tall, a stark contrast to the young man before him. He looked down from above, silently, a mischievous smile ying on his lips.


    The young man swallowed nervously under Ling Chen¡¯s stare, feeling an overwhelming aura and unconsciously stepping back, his eyes darting towards Qin Yang and Song Yuan on the side.


    "What... what are you going to do?"


    "Nothing much. Don¡¯t worry, we are all civilized people here, I won¡¯ty a hand on you, just want to reason with you. Look, I know someone paid you to do this, but why involve me? Although I¡¯m just a nobody, I care about my reputation too. So, how about this, you rify things to everyone, state the facts, and I won¡¯t make things difficult for you. How does that sound?"

 Chapter 67 - 66 Qin Yang’s Ruthlessness

    <h4>Chapter 67: Chapter 66 Qin Yang¡¯s Ruthlessness</h4><h4></h4>


    The youth hung his head low, his eyes darting around restlessly. In that moment, he saw Qin Yang nod slightly, and his courage immediately swelled.


    "What else is there to say, what I just stated are the facts. Kid, don¡¯t act smart after getting a bargain, let me tell you, I don¡¯t fall for that trick."


    "Ha! You¡¯re quite tough, aren¡¯t you? Be honest, how much did they pay you? Do you realize that ndering someone casually is illegal and cannd you in jail? You¡¯re not that old, why make life difficult for yourself?"


    "Ling Chen, I think you¡¯re the one with a guilty conscience, why else would you intimidate him? If you¡¯re a man, then admit it boldly." Song Yuan said with a sneer.


    Ling Chen gave her a nce and let out a coldugh.


    "Song Yuan, you¡¯d better keep your mouth shut when I¡¯m talking, don¡¯t forget what I saidst time, do you want me to repeat it in front of everyone?"


    Upon hearing this, Song Yuan¡¯splexion changed, her anger surged instantly, and her eyes filled with spiteful resentment.


    As a woman, the words Ling Chen spoke to her were tantamount to the most malicious speech. Although the incident had passed, each time she thought of those words, her heart felt exceptionally ufortable, and her hatred for Ling Chen grew.


    Seeing Song Yuan gnashing her teeth but not daring to speak, Qin Yang frowned slightly and said: "Ling Chen, what skill is there in bullying my girlfriend?"


    "If you don¡¯t want me to bully her, then you better keep your girlfriend¡¯s mouth in check, and don¡¯t let her talk nonsense to me." After saying that, Ling Chen turned his attention back to the youth, "I¡¯ll give you one more chance, make yourself clear, or don¡¯t me me for being impolite."


    "I have nothing more to say." The youth was very defiant.


    "I hope you won¡¯t regret itter."


    In the middle of the conversation, several security guards had already rushed over, preparing to take the youth away. But at that moment, a voice sounded: "Stop! Nobody leaves." No sooner were the words spoken than a beautifuldy walked in with leisurely strides, appearing in everyone¡¯s view.


    The beautifuldy had delicate features; she wore a casual short sleeve top and light blue jeans, with her hair casually draped over her shoulders. The jeans tightly clung to her figure, entuating her full buttocks, which swayed from side to side as she walked, [censored], extremely sexy and charming. The beauty mark under her red lips added even more charm to her appearance.


    However, the beauty had a somewhat indifferent demeanor, not the kind that was cold and rejecting from a thousand miles away, yet it radiated a strong and assertive personality.


    Seeing the neer, Ling Chen gave a smirk, "Officer Xia, you¡¯ve finally arrived."


    Today, Xia Mutong was in in clothes, not wearing a uniform, which seemed to indicate she was off-duty.


    "Ling Chen, you said there was illegal activity here, what exactly is going on?"


    "There!" Ling Chen pointed at the youth, "This guy ndered me and Miss Su baselessly, as a police officer, you should know how to handle this."


    Hearing the word ¡¯police¡¯, the youth¡¯s eyelids twitched involuntarily and he took a couple of steps back before turning to attempt to flee. However, one of the security guards grabbed his shoulder.


    "Buddy, what are you running for? If you¡¯ve done nothing wrong, you¡¯ve got nothing to fear, unless you have a guilty conscience?"


    "I... I..." The youth stammered, hesitating, pronouncing several ¡¯I¡¯s, his gaze flickering towards Qin Yang from the corner of his eye.


    At this time, the bystanders easily understood the youth¡¯s behavior¡ªit was clear that it was intentional defamation. If he had any real evidence, he wouldn¡¯t be shrinking back like this.


    "I¡¯ll take this person away for now, and I will investigate the matter thoroughly." After speaking, Xia Mutong stepped forward, ready to escort the youth away.


    "Officer Xia, wait a moment."


    "What is it now?" Xia Mutong seemed quite impatient. It was not easy for her to get a day off, hoping to sleep in at home, but this guy woke her up with one phone call. And it was for such a trivial matter?


    "You¡¯ve missed someone else."


    "Who else?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s smile grew wider as he turned his gaze toward Qin Yang and Song Yuan. Thetter¡¯s face paled instantly, and she started to squeeze through the crowd. But the moment the two of them turned around, they felt arge handnd firmly on their shoulders.


    "The two of you, where do you think you¡¯re going? This matter isn¡¯t over yet."


    Qin Yang gritted his teeth and said, "Ling Chen, what does this have to do with me? Why are you looking for me?"


    "Are you sure it has nothing to do with you?" Ling Chen looked at him with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile.


    For some reason, Ling Chen¡¯s smile gave Qin Yang an ominous feeling. Had this guy got some evidence? The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became. His eyes involuntarily darted to the young man being held by Xia Mutong.


    Feeling his gaze, the young man immediately shouted: "I admit, someone hired me to target Su Lin."


    Xia Mutong said icily, "Who?"


    "Her, it was her." The young man pointed his finger at Song Yuan, "She gave me ten thousand yuan to humiliate Su Lin at school, and promised another five thousand after it was done."


    "No... It wasn¡¯t me." Song Yuan¡¯s pretty face turned ashen. She didn¡¯t expect the young man to use her and quickly waved her hands in denial.


    "Whether it was you or not,e back to the police station with me. If you are innocent, I will find out."


    "I won¡¯t go, I won¡ät go, it has nothing to do with me." Song Yuan struggled to free herself from Xia Mutong¡¯s grip, clutching Qin Yang¡¯s arm tightly, "Yang, please help me clear this up quickly, I didn¡¯t do it, I don¡¯t want to be taken away."


    Qin Yang frowned deeply, shaking off Song Yuan, and said righteously, "I can¡¯t believe that you would be such a person. I thought the quarrel between you and Su Lin was just some schoolgirl bickering, but you used such despicable methods to frame her. I¡¯m very disappointed in you." After speaking, he nced at Ling Chen and whispered to Song Yuan, "Take the me for this matter, and I will make it up to youter. If you dare breathe a word of this, implicating me in any way, don¡¯t me me for being unkind to you."


    Hearing this, Song Yuan¡¯s face turned deathly white, looking at Qin Yang in disbelief. She never expected the man she gave everything for to betray her like this.


    At this moment, Ling Chen was also surprised, surprised at the coldness of Qin Yang¡¯s heart. Although he knew that the plot was orchestrated by Qin Yang, he didn¡¯t have direct evidence to prove it. His earlier words were only meant to put psychological pressure on Qin Yang to confess. Little did he expect Qin Yang would make Song Yuan take all the me.


    It seems this guy is not just azy rich second generation; he¡¯s also cunning, having made the worst-case scenario preparations beforehand. If discovered, make the young man testify against Song Yuan and clear his own name. After all, everyone in the school knew that Song Yuan and Su Lin were not on good terms; no one would suspect him.


    "Let¡¯s go."


    Xia Mutong tugged at Song Yuan. She tightly bit her lip, her step rigid, not daring to meet the eyes of those around her. After being betrayed by her boyfriend, her heart was cold and numb to the insults around her. She was aware that she had lost all face, and even if this matter was resolved, she could never return to school.


    Thinking back to what Qin Yang had just said, her heart bled. She couldn¡¯t afford to provoke Qin Yang¡¯s powerful family. If she dared to oppose him, her fate would be even worse.


    Men... she trusted men too much...


    Watching Song Yuan pass by him, Ling Chen slightly furrowed his brow. Song Yuan¡¯s eyes were devoid of spirit, her face pale, lips bitten and bleeding, which she seemedpletely unaware of, allowing blood to trickle down her mouth.


    Her condition evoked a sense of pity in Ling Chen¡¯s heart. Although those who are pitiable often have their detestable sides, he was too soft-hearted to bear seeing a woman suffer. If to be med, it was her fault for being beguiled by a man like Qin Yang.


    After Song Yuan and the young man were led away, the crowd of onlookers dispersed like birds flying away.


    "Ling Chen."


    Hearing Miss Su¡¯s voice from behind him, Ling Chen turned around, his lips lifting slightly in a reminder, "Miss Su, you should be more careful in the future, I can¡¯t be here to help you out of trouble every time. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m going to leave now."

 Chapter 68 - 67: Seeing Tang Shiyun Again

    <h4>Chapter 68: Chapter 67: Seeing Tang Shiyun Again</h4><h4></h4>


    Seeing him turn to leave, Su Lin stomped her foot in frustration. Did this guy really not want to say a single extra word to her?


    At the moment when Ling Chen appeared, her heart was filled with both emotion and guilt. Every time she faced trouble, this man would stand up to help her, while she had never treated him kindly, not even with courteous words. In her mind, Ling Chen was just security hired by her family; protecting her was his job. But now that Ling Chen had resigned from the Nanrong family, he had no obligation to protect her. Despite that, when she encountered trouble, he still stood up for her without hesitation.


    Remembering her past actions, her cheeks blushed slightly, and she felt very ashamed.


    Watching Ling Chen walk further away, she gathered her courage and quickly chased after him, wanting to say sorry to Ling Chen and apologize for her past behavior.


    "Ling..."


    She opened her mouth, intending to call out to Ling Chen. But at that moment, a Lincoln stretch limousine slowly drove up to the school gate. A man in a ck suit got out from the passenger side and opened the car door.


    Suddenly, a girl with an extremely pure and innocent beauty stepped out from the back seat. She wore a white, flower-adorned cinched-waist dress with a V-neck, and around her slim, tender neck was a delicate pearl pendant. It was unclear whether it was because of the cinched-waist dress or the girl¡¯s naturally slender figure, but her waist was incredibly slim, almost as if you could circle it with your hands. As she walked, the lotus-like hem of her dress gently swayed as if a breeze was passing through a lotus pond, pure and clean.


    Noticing that the gazes of the passersby were all focused on her, the girl¡¯s delicate face flushed with a touch of red, her eyshes curled, as if she was not used to being stared at, and her lively eyes showed a hint of shyness.


    "Youngdy!"


    The voice came, and the girl turned her head, instantly taken aback and somewhat in disbelief at the sight of him.


    Ling Chen stood with his hands in his pockets, his lips curled into a smile, saying with a grin: "Youngdy, what are you daydreaming about? Don¡¯t you recognize me?"


    "Ling."


    Apanied by a surprised call, the girl¡¯s pretty face instantly bloomed with a smile, her bright eyes brimming with excitement.


    Unable to resist the impulse in her heart, Tang Shiyun, heedless of the suited man following her, ran over to Ling Chen and threw herself into his arms, her tender, white arms tightly embracing him.


    This youngdy...


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry, and he didn¡¯t care that he was in public and that so many people were watching.


    He was just thinking this when he suddenly heard sobbinging from his arms. Startled, he quickly pushed Tang Shiyun¡¯s shoulders back, only to see that her eyes were red and there were still two trails of tears on her face. Seeing her tears, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but feel distress, and he hastily said, "Youngdy, why are you crying? Did someone bully you or treat you unfairly?"


    Tang Shiyun shook her head gently, "Ling, I thought I would never see you again."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not so short-lived. I might not live to a hundred, but making it to eighty or ny shouldn¡¯t be a problem."


    Hearing his words, Tang Shiyun giggled through her tears and yfully scolded, "You¡¯re so annoying; that¡¯s not what I meant."


    "Alright, alright, I know what you mean. You¡¯re seeing me now, aren¡¯t you?" While speaking, Ling Chen took out a tissue from his pocket and gently wiped her tears, "You¡¯re already a university student, yet you cry like a little child. Aren¡¯t you afraid of beingughed at?"


    Feeling Ling Chen¡¯s gentle and intimate gestures, Tang Shiyun¡¯s cheeks blushed slightly, and she murmured softly, "I only cry in front of you."


    "What did you say?"


    "Nothing."


    Tang Shiyun smiled sweetly, casually wrapping her arm around Ling Chen¡¯s arm, her fine eyebrows curving like crescents, extremely happy, "Ling, it¡¯s been so long, have you missed me?"


    "What do you think? Otherwise, do you think I came to the school after getting full for no reason? I remembered that today was your first day of school, so I came to try my luck and see if I could catch a glimpse of you. You, girl, moved without even a phone call, making me worry for nothing."


    Speaking of this, Tang Shiyun¡¯s eyes suddenly dimmed, and she slightly lowered her head, "Sorry, Ling, I..."


    Seeing her mood turn a bit low, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help saying, "Girl, what¡¯s wrong?"


    "Miss Tang."


    In the midst of speaking, the man in the suit hurried over from behind, his gaze sharply fixed on Ling Chen.


    "Sir, please keep your distance from Miss Tang."


    "Hmm?" Ling Chen¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, "What do you mean?"


    The man in the suit looked straight back at Ling Chen without flinching, "Sir, I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my duty, please cooperate."


    Ling Chen raised his eyebrows. He finally got a chance to catch up with Tang Shiyun, and now this guy wants him to keep his distance from her? Is he minding too much business? He was about to speak, but Tang Shiyun, seeing his displeased expression, hurriedly took over, saying, "Ling, don¡¯t be angry, his name is Xiang Tao, Mr. Zhu specially arranged for him to ensure my safety." After saying that, she turned her head and said, "Xiang, Ling is not an outsider, you can¡¯t apply those rules to him."


    "This..." Xiang Tao hesitated for a moment, but ultimately chose topromise under Tang Shiyun¡¯s firm attitude, "Understood, I got it."


    "Girl, let¡¯s go over there to talk." After that, Ling Chen moved to leave.


    However, that Xiang Tao followed closely behind the two of them, always maintaining a distance of one meter. Ling Chen, irritated, stopped walking and said, "Buddy, can you give us some personal space?"


    "Sorry, my duty is to ensure Miss Tang¡¯s safety; wherever she goes, I follow."


    Ling Chen waved his hand, "You don¡¯t need to trouble yourself, as long as I¡¯m here, no one can hurt her."


    "You?" There was no surplus expression on Xiang Tao¡¯s face, but his tone carried a hint of disdain.


    "Don¡¯t believe me?" Ling Chen¡¯s mouth twitched upward, as he gestured to him with a hook of his finger, "I¡¯ll give you a chance. No matter what method you use, just push me back one step, and I¡¯ll shut up. You can follow wherever you like. But if you can¡¯t, immediately go back to your car and stay there; don¡¯te disturbing us."


    Xiang Tao looked at Tang Shiyun, hesitating in his gaze, "You are Miss Tang¡¯s friend; I¡¯m afraid of hurting you."


    "If you can hurt me, that¡¯s your skill. Come on, don¡¯t hesitate to strike."


    Seeing Tang Shiyun not opposing, Xiang Tao rotated his shoulders, loosening up his arms. He stepped forward slightly with his left foot, and raised his fists in front of his chest, adopting a standard offensive posture.


    Ling Chen smiled indifferently, as if he didn¡¯t take the other¡¯s attack seriously, asionally turning his head to chat leisurely with Tang Shiyun beside him. Seeing himself being ignored, a nameless anger red up in Xiang Tao¡¯s heart.

 Chapter 69 - 68 Little Matchmaker (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 69: Chapter 68 Little Matchmaker (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    This guy is too arrogant. I¡¯ve got to teach him a lesson properly. Thinking this, he clenched his teeth, his fist power bursting forth.


    "Watch the fist."


    With a light shout, Xiang Tao¡¯s sturdy fist suddenly thundered out, whooshing through the air, both fast and urate, aiming straight for Ling Chen¡¯s face. However, when he threw his punch, Ling Chen was still chatting andughing with Tang Shiyun, not even looking straight at him.


    Seeing his fist getting closer and closer to Ling Chen¡¯s cheek, Xiang Tao¡¯s heart leapt with joy, thinking he had seeded! But then, a hand suddenly reached out, and before he could even see the movement clearly, he found his fist enveloped and unable to advance further, nor could he pull it back.


    This sudden change caught himpletely off guard and he somewhat couldn¡¯t believe the result he was seeing.


    This guy¡¯s reaction is so fast!


    Ling Chen smiled and loosened his fingers, "Mr. Xiang, your aim is not bad, but unfortunately, the power iscking a bit. Since you will be responsible for the girl¡¯s safety, you better strengthen your training in this area. I don¡¯t want her to be in trouble."


    Xiang Tao didn¡¯t utter a word, having witnessed Ling Chen¡¯s strength, he knew he was far from his level. Remembering the agreement they had just now, he said nothing more and directly returned to the car.


    "Finally, some peace. Girl, let¡¯s go take a walk in the woods."


    Watching Ling Chen and Tang Shiyun leave, Su Lin stood dumbly in ce, giving up the idea of catching up. Just now she was wondering why Ling Chen happened to be here, apparently, it was for that girl. Seeing how affectionately they behaved together, a faint sense of sourness arose in her heart, a feeling she had never experienced before.


    She had always thought Ling Chen was single, only to find out he had a girlfriend, who was pretty and no less attractive than herself. Seeing that girl¡¯s car and the bodyguards closely following her, she must be from a wealthy family too.


    What merits does that guy have to make such an outstanding girl fall for him?


    In the serene woods, Tang Shiyun was holding on to Ling Chen¡¯s arm, walking like a couple on a cobbled path.


    "Girl, how is your dad¡¯s healthtely?"


    "Much better, he should be able to recover and leave the hospital in a month or two."


    "That¡¯s good. By the way, I heard your song on the radio thest time."


    "Really?" Tang Shiyun¡¯s face brightened, mixed with nervousness and anticipation, "Ling, did I sing well?"


    "Need you even ask." Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curved slightly, his eyes twinkling yfully, "Girl, it looks like the promise you made back then is going to be real."


    "What promise?"


    "Didn¡¯t you say, if you became a big star, you¡¯d provide for me? I¡¯m waiting for that day, so don¡¯t you dare back out."


    Tang Shiyun¡¯s cheeks flushed red, her heart filled with joy, "Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t back out. As long as you dare toe, I¡¯ll dare to support you."


    "Right, girl, why didn¡¯t you let me know that you moved houses? And your phone was unreachable too."


    "I..." Tang Shiyun lowered her head to her toes, the smile gone from her face.


    "Just tell me straight, do you still see me as an outsider?"


    "Ling, I¡¯m sorry... It wasn¡¯t intentional. It was my mom... On the day I returned from the bar with you, she saw us. Later, because of my dad¡¯s hospitalization, she didn¡¯t speak up. In the hospital, I happened to see Mr. Zhu visiting a friend and after he came to know about my family¡¯s situation, he said he could help solve our difficulties, provided I joined theirpany. At first, I hesitated, but after my mom met Mr. Zhu a few times, she decided on it and even had Mr. Zhu arrange an apartment for us. I wanted to inform you, but my mom took away my phone and forbade me from contacting you. She even said..."


    Tang Shiyun wiped her glistening tears, "She even said if I kept seeing you, she¡¯d sever ties with me... so... so I didn¡¯t dare call you. I¡¯m sorry, Ling."


    "Why are you apologizing? It¡¯s not your fault," Ling Chen gently patted her shoulder, handing her a tissue, "It¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s all my fault, I shouldn¡¯t have implicated you, making you get scolded by your mom. I won¡¯t let this happen again."


    "Ling."


    Tang Shiyun lifted her face, her eyes brimming with tears, "Are you... not going to see me anymore?"


    Ling Chen smiled slightly: "Who said that? I¡¯m still waiting for you to provide for me."


    Although he said that, he had made up his mind. He had always treated Tang Shiyun like a sister and wanted her to have a good life. Seeing her so sad filled him with remorse. Now that Tang Shiyun had joined Silver Star Company, her future prospects were limitless. Why should he add trouble to her and her family? It was better to leave sooner rather thanter.


    After wandering around in the woods for a while, Ling Chen checked the time; it was almost twelve.


    "Girl, it¡¯s gettingte. You need to report [to work/school], I won¡¯t dy your time. I¡¯ve got things to do, we¡¯ll meet when there¡¯s a chance."


    "I¡¯ll miss you, Ling. You shoulde and visit me more at school; after all, my mom won¡¯t follow me there."


    "Sure, definitely."


    After saying goodbye to Tang Shiyun, Ling Chen directly left the campus, nning to take a bus home.


    At that moment, a white Maserati pulled up to the curb. The window rolled down, and Su Lin leaned out from the driver¡¯s seat: "Hey, need a ride?"


    "Thanks, I¡¯ll take the bus."


    Hearing his lukewarm response, Su Lin couldn¡¯t help feeling annoyed. It¡¯s bad enough to refuse her offer to ride, but not even a kindly expression¡ªshe hadn¡¯t done anything to him. Thinking this, she angrily pressed the elerator and the car lurched forward.


    Back at the hotel, Tang Yuan was sitting on the bed watching TV. Seeing Ling Chen enter with a gloomy face, he curiously said: "Bro, what¡¯s wrong? You look like you¡¯ve been dumped by a woman."


    "Cut it out. With a great guy like me, which woman would dare to dump me?"


    "Blow hard, keep blowing. See if you can blow a bull out."


    "Enough, stop talking nonsense. Didn¡¯t I ask you to look for a house? Any luck?"


    "Don¡¯t even mention it." Tang Yuan said helplessly, "The housing prices in East Sea City are insanely high, easily thousands a month. Although I have some savings, we can¡¯t just squander them. We don¡¯t even have jobs now, if I empty out my savings, we¡¯re both going to be left high and dry."


    "Cut it! You¡¯re fooling no one. You¡¯ve got at least several hundred thousand in retirement, and you¡¯re saying you can¡¯t afford this rent?"


    "That¡¯s not the point. I still need to save to get married and buy a house someday. I can¡¯t end up like you, being single all my life."


    "Get lost. Who says I¡¯m staying single? Dare curse me again, and watch out, I might just curse your future son to be born without an anus."

 Chapter 70 - 69 Little Matchmaker (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 70: Chapter 69 Little Matchmaker (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "So what, at worst, I¡¯ll have a daughter." Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s eyes widen, Tang Yuan quickly added, "Okay, okay, I¡¯ll stop joking. I¡¯ve looked online for houses, but there aren¡¯t any suitable listings at the moment. They¡¯re either too expensive or too cheap with a bad environment. Let¡¯s make do in a hotel for a few days and see how things go."


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t say anything more and copsed onto the bed.


    Remembering his conversation with Tang Shiyun at school, he felt ufortable. Since his arrival in East Sea City, Tang Shiyun was the first friend he made. Although they had only known each other for a few months, he highly valued her ce in his heart. For someone like him, who had lived through gunfire and treachery, he had very few true friends besides hisrades.


    Tang Shiyun was probably the first ordinary friend he had made, which was quite special to him. Moreover, Tang Shiyun¡¯s personality also attracted him.


    The thought of not being able to meet her again in the future was unsettling.


    He closed his eyes, and before he knew it, he had fallen asleep.


    He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when a ringtone woke him. He grabbed his phone and pressed the answer button.


    "Hello, Ling Chen, where are you?"


    Hearing that gentle voice, Ling Chen¡¯s groggy mind immediately cleared, and he sat up abruptly from the bed, "I¡¯m outside. Xiaozhu, did you need something?"


    "It¡¯s nothing, Little Hua was fussing about wanting to see you, so I wanted to ask if you¡¯re free toe over to the Martial Arts Academy."


    "Okay, I¡¯ll be right there."


    After hanging up, Ling Chen nced at the other bed and noticed the sheets neatly folded; Tang Yuan was gone somewhere.


    The hotel he was staying at wasn¡¯t too far from the Martial Arts Academy. It took less than half an hour by bus. Once inside the academy, he found it deste, with all the equipment ced in the corner, and not a single person in sight in therge courtyard.


    "Strange, where did everyone go?"


    While he was talking to himself, a little girl bounced out of the hall¡ªit was Little Hua.


    "Big brother." Little Hua grabbed hisrge hand, her face beaming with joy.


    "Xiaozhu said you wanted to see me?"


    "Who wants to see you? You didn¡¯t bring any tasty treats for me." Little Hua pouted, tugging at Ling Chen¡¯s sleeves. Ling Chen got the hint and crouched down to ask, "What¡¯s up?"


    Little Hua whispered into his ear, "Big brother, didn¡¯t I say I¡¯d introduce a girlfriend to youst time? Xiaozhu is returning to Beijing tomorrow, so I made up an excuse to have her phone you toe here. I¡¯ve created the opportunity, whether it works out is now up to you."


    Ling Chen widened his eyes and looked into Little Hua¡¯s innocent eyes, his mind buzzing. She was a little devil, all right, knowing how to scheme at such a young age. No wonder Zhu Xiaozhu said she was cunning.


    He pinched Little Hua¡¯s chubby cheeks with a wry smile, "Is it really okay for you to trick your sister Xiaozhu like this?"


    Little Hua had an air of false maturity, "What¡¯s wrong with that? Women have to marry sooner orter. I think you¡¯re pretty good, so it¡¯s decided¡ªit¡¯s you."


    Ling Chen was caught betweenughter and tears. This was not a demeanor of a seven-year-old girl, she could pass for seventeen with her overly mature thoughts.


    "Little Hua, Ling Chen hasn¡¯t arrived yet?"


    As she spoke, Zhu Xiaozhu walked gracefully out from inside the hall. A few days apart, Zhu Xiaozhu still had a dignified and amiable appearance, gentle as water, particrly her lively and expressive eyes that made one¡¯s heart skip a beat.


    "Xiaozhu." Ling Chen stood up and greeted her with a smile.


    Zhu Xiaozhu responded softly, "Come inside and have a seat."


    "Sister Xiaozhu, you chat first. I¡¯m going to see Master." Having said that, Little Hua tugged Ling Chen¡¯s trouser leg, reminding him not to forget what she had said before, then hopped towards the room next door.


    Zhu Xiaozhu followed a couple of steps, "Wasn¡¯t it you who wanted to see Ling Chen? Why are you avoiding him now that he¡¯s here?"


    Little Hua looked back with an innocent smile, "Sister Xiaozhu, haven¡¯t I just met him? The rest of the time I¡¯ll leave to you."


    Watching her enter He Ziyun¡¯s room without looking back, Zhu Xiaozhu shook her head helplessly.


    "Ling Chen, sorry about Little Hua, she is always so quirky, no one can really figure her out."


    "It¡¯s fine, kids are naturally mischievous." As he said this, Ling Chen found it a bit hard to get the words out. That little girl was more than quirky, she was truly crafty.


    "Come in. I¡¯ll make you a cup of tea."


    While Zhu Xiaozhu was making tea, Little Hua, in the next room, was perched over a chess board. She picked up a chess piece and gently ced it down, muttering, "Hey, old man, do you think big brother has a chance with sister Xiaozhu?"


    If outsiders were present, they would be shocked to hear Little Hua refer to her master in such a way. Moreover, He Ziyun¡¯s calm expression seemed to show that he didn¡¯t mind at all.


    "How would I know? I am not the god of marriage, I can¡¯t deal with these matters."


    "I think big brother is quite nice; anyway, I¡¯ve created the chance for him; whether or not anything happens is up to him. Besides, sister Xiaozhu doesn¡¯t seem to dislike him; I guess they might hit it off."


    A smile crept onto He Ziyun¡¯s weathered face, "Are you that concerned about Xiaozhu¡¯s marriage?"


    "If I don¡¯t care, then who will? I don¡¯t know how much longer I have to live; if I¡¯m gone, who will look after sister Xiaozhu? We can¡¯t expect an old man like you to do it."


    "Don¡¯t worry, even at the cost of my old life, I won¡¯t let those people harm you."


    "You know the abilities of those people. If you were so confident, you wouldn¡¯t have transferred all your disciples to Beijing. Old man, whatever the oue, I¡¯m thankful for your care all these years."


    "No need to be polite."


    "Hmm, then I won¡¯t be polite. General!"


    "Howe you¡¯re already done? You must have cheated... this game doesn¡¯t count, let¡¯s start over."


    Back in the main hall, Ling Chen held his teacup, looking at the empty house and asked, "Xiaozhu, where is everyone?"


    "Mr. He arranged for them to go to Beijing. Mr. Ye has opened a martial arts academy there that needed staff."


    "No wonder."


    "By the way, shouldn¡¯t you be at work today?"


    Ling Chen shrugged, "What¡¯s there to work on? I quit already. Now I¡¯m an unemployed drifter, without even a ce to stay."


    "You quit? Why?" Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s gentle face showed surprise, "Is the Nanrong family¡¯s treatment not good?"


    "It¡¯s not about the treatment. It¡¯s just... sigh, let¡¯s not talk about it. It¡¯s all in the past." He didn¡¯t feel like mentioning Nanrong Wanqing, though he had left the Nanrong family, he didn¡¯t know why every time he thought of that woman as pure as a snow lotus, he couldn¡¯t calm his heart. It was only when he was with Zhu Xiaozhu that he could enjoy the peace within.


    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 71 - 70 Tang Yuan’s Secret

    <h4>Chapter 71: Chapter 70 Tang Yuan¡¯s Secret</h4><h4></h4>


    Zhu Xiaozhu slightly opened her pearly teeth and said, "If you have nowhere to stay, why not move into the Martial Arts Academy? Mr. He¡¯s disciples have all moved out, and many rooms are now vacant. I¡¯ll go speak with Mr. He in a bit; he will surely agree. The academy has be so deserted now; if you¡¯re willing to move in, Mr. He would have someone to keep himpany."


    Ling Chen thought to himself that this was a good idea.


    "Alright, then please ask Mr. He for me. If possible, I¡¯ll move in tomorrow. Oh, I also have a friend, he..."


    "No problem. You can bring your friend too. It¡¯s still early, so you can go pack your things and move in tonight."


    "Okay, I¡¯ll head back to the hotel first." Having said that, Ling Chen got up and walked out.


    "Eh, where did Big Brother go?"


    Shortly after, Little Hua poked her head in from outside, puzzled.


    "He¡¯s gone back."


    "He left so quickly?" Little Hua snorted through her nose, feeling indignant in her heart. She had kindly created an opportunity for him, and he didn¡¯t cherish it at all.


    "Yeah, he¡¯s going to stay over tonight."


    "What?" Little Hua eximed, her small face filled with surprise as she looked at Zhu Xiaozhu, "Stay over? Xiaozhu, aren¡¯t... aren¡¯t things progressing a bit too fast between you two?"


    "What progressing too fast?" Zhu Xiaozhu was momentarily startled, then immediately understood Little Hua¡¯s implication. Her smooth, porcin cheeks instantly flushed with embarrassment, like a freshly bloomed flower, radiant and dewy, "You little devil..." She scolded, pinching Little Hua¡¯s ear and gently twisting it, her annoyance tinged with shame, "That¡¯s for your nonsense, that¡¯s for your nonsense."


    "Ow, ow... Xiaozhu, Little Hua... Little Hua won¡¯t dare to speak nonsense anymore." Little Hua quickly begged for mercy, vigorously squeezing a few crystal-clear tears from her flutteringrge eyes.


    Seeing her pitiful look, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s heart softened. She knew Little Hua was exaggerating her expressions, but she couldn¡¯t bear it and let go, saying, "Don¡¯t talk nonsense in the future, or I¡¯ll spank you next time."


    "Got it. Xiaozhu, about that Big Brother..."


    Zhu Xiaozhu exined, "He currently has nowhere to stay, so I invited him to move into the Martial Arts Academy. It would also give Mr. He somepany."


    "Really? Yay! That¡¯s great!" Little Hua eximed excitedly, "No more having to deal with that boring old man..." As the words left her mouth, she abruptly realized something and hastily covered her mouth with both hands, her round eyes darting around.


    Zhu Xiaozhu raised an eyebrow, "What old man are you talking about?"


    "Nothing... nothing..." Little Hua waved her hands, retreating step by step toward the door. At the doorway, she quickly turned her head and dropped a sentence, "I¡¯m going to find Master," then bolted out.


    Zhu Xiaozhu was both amused and annoyed. This little girl was getting more and more disrespectful, daring to refer to her own Master as an old man. And, although she was only a seven-year-old girl, her thoughts were anything but pure, even speaking of such matters. She wondered how Mr. He usually taught her.


    Back at the hotel, Ling Chen called Tang Yuan, then dragged out the leather suitcase from under the bed. That¡¯s when he noticed arge cowhide bag underneath as well, bulging as if filled with a lot of stuff, probably Tang Yuan¡¯s luggage.


    Thinking of this, he casually pulled out Tang Yuan¡¯s bag as well. However, when he lifted the bag, he found it very heavy, weighing over a hundred pounds; it couldn¡¯t possibly be just clothes and daily necessities.


    "What on earth has this guy packed?"


    He muttered to himself, ncing at the tightly shut room door. Hesitating, he curiously reached to unzip the luggage bag, wanting to have a look. But, his sharp eyes soon spotted a strand of hair at the end of the zipper. To anyone else, a single hair would be meaningless. But Ling Chen knew that it was a simple yet effective trick to prevent someone from stealthily opening the bag.


    Carefully removing the hair, he unzipped the bag, revealing clothes and daily necessities on the surface. Emptying out the clothes, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze suddenly sharpened. At the bottom of the cowhide bag was a hard panel with a six-digit mechanicalbination lock. The six-digitbo wasplex, but not a challenge for Ling Chen. He took a fine steel wire from the room, cut it into two pieces, and skillfully began to work on it.


    If it were an electronic lock, he might have had trouble opening it quickly, but a mechanical lock was different; its structure was simpler. In no time, a faint ¡¯click¡¯ sound was heard, and the secretpartment sprang open.


    Looking at the items inside, Ling Chen¡¯s expression instantly darkened. Several pieces of equipment were arranged there, including surveince devices, and a standard individualbat gear set. There was a QSZ92 semi-automatic pistol with two full magazines and a silencer; a radio receiver and earpiece; a military-grade dagger.


    Tang Yuan professed himself as a discharged soldier, yet he carried so much equipment¡ªhardly the look of someone who had retired from the military. Clearly, he was deceiving him.


    His thoughts raced as he spected the purpose of Tang Yuan¡¯s trip to East Sea City. Tang Yuan hadn¡¯t retired, that much was certain; his visit to East Sea City was most likely for a covert mission. But what he couldn¡¯t understand was why Tang Yuan would contact him and say he wasing to join him if he had a mission to carry out. Could it be... could it be that Tang Yuan¡¯s target had something to do with him, so he wanted to use him to get close to the target.


    The more he thought, the more Ling Chen believed his conjecture. These tactics were not unfamiliar to him. Moreover, he was well aware of the way his former team operated¡ªit had to be this way.


    Checking the time, and fearing Tang Yuan might return at any moment, he quickly put the clothes back in ce, zipped up the bag, pushed the cowhide bag back under the bed, and cleaned up all traces to avoid Tang Yuan noticing he had tampered with his luggage.


    He had intended to confront Tang Yuan face-to-face, but on second thought, even if he did question him, there would be no use. The rules of the organization were clear; Tang Yuan wouldn¡¯t reveal more than he should. Moreover, he didn¡¯t want this matter to ruin the brotherhood between him and Tang Yuan.


    After finishing tidying up, he heard a soft click from the door lock and Tang Yuan entered from outside.


    "What were you up to?" Ling Chen asked casually.


    Tang Yuan shed a grin, "Just took a walk to get familiar with the surroundings. Hey, did you really find a free ce to stay?"


    "Nonsense. Hurry up and pack your things; I¡¯ll go downstairs to call a cab."


    Watching Ling Chen exit the room, Tang Yuan¡¯s smile faded. He silently pulled out his luggage from under the bed, checked the hair on the zipper, and the position of the clothes inside. After confirming nothing was amiss, he hoisted the bag and walked out.

 Chapter 72 - 71 Nanrong Hao Went to His Grandfather’s Place Once

    <h4>Chapter 72: Chapter 71 Nanrong Hao Went to His Grandfather¡¯s ce Once</h4><h4></h4>


    Hongyu Building headquarters.


    In the chairman¡¯s office on the top floor, Nanrong Wanqing sat quietly in her wheelchair, gazing through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the tall buildings outside, her eyes as still and cold as the moonlit night.


    Just then, someone pushed open the door to the office without even knocking.


    Hearing the door, Nanrong Wanqing did not turn around but continued to stare out the window. She knew there were only two people in the entire building who would do this, one was Nanrong Hao, the other Su Lin¡ªonly family would act so casually.


    "Big Sister." Nanrong Hao quickly walked up to Nanrong Wanqing with a trace of displeasure on his face.


    "What is it?"


    "Why did you let Chen resign?"


    "Did he tell you?"


    "No, Uncle Liu told me."


    Nanrong Hao exined. He had seen Ling Chen at school earlier that day and thought Ling Chen had simply taken leave from thepany; he didn¡¯t know about the resignation until he heard it from Liu Kun when he got home. Nanrong Hao had been the happiest when Ling Chen first came to live with the Nanrong Family. Now that Ling Chen had left without exnation, he felt very ufortable.


    From a young age, he was viewed by outsiders as a second-generation rich kid¡ªsuperficially respectful, but not without their criticisms behind his back. There were few who sincerely befriended him, most of those who did were only after the influence of his family background, trying to gain some advantage from him. It wasn¡¯t until he met Ling Chen and Jiang Hao that he experienced what true friendship was.


    Although Jiang Hao was a small-time hoodlum, living at the bottom of society, he sincerely treated him like a brother. Then there was Ling Chen, who offered guidance when Nanrong Hao wanted to learn martial arts from Liu Kun. Liu Kun dismissed him without a second thought, citing ack of talent, but Ling Chen didn¡¯t refuse and instead took the time to teach him earnestly. Learning martial virtues before martial arts, Ling Chen taught him not only martial skills but also many principles of life.


    He admitted he wasn¡¯t as smart as Nanrong Wanqing, but he understood one thing clearly. If someone willingly spends time and effort on you without seeking anything in return, that says everything.


    Because of this, upon learning of Ling Chen¡¯s departure, he immediately drove to thepany to ask his sister upfront why she let Ling Chen go.


    Nanrong Wanqing appeared not to feel Nanrong Hao¡¯s emotional fluctuations, saying indifferently, "He made the request himself. I didn¡¯t force him."


    "I didn¡¯t force him, then why would he resign of his own ord? I¡¯ve known Chen for so long; I know best what kind of person he is. If he promised to ensure your safety, he wouldn¡¯t just quit halfway. You must have said something to upset him, prompting him to make such an irresponsible decision. Anyhow, whether for the sake of your own safety or some other reason, you must ask Chen toe back."


    Nanrong Wanqing turned to look at her brother, a hint of surprise in her beautiful eyes. Throughout these years, Nanrong Hao had never lost his temper with her. Perhaps because she was too dominant, he never dared to be presumptuous in front of her.


    Seeing her not making a statement, Nanrong Hao urged, "Big Sister."


    "The matter of Ling Chen¡¯s employment is apany issue. I am in charge of thepany now, and there¡¯s no need for me to heed your advice. Also, you just started school today, focus on your studies, you needn¡¯t worry aboutpany affairs."


    Nanrong Hao frowned slightly, showing no intention of leaving, "Big Sister, you¡¯re right, you have full authority over thepany now, but don¡¯t forget, I am the eldest grandson of the Nanrong Family, the future sessor to Hongyu Group. I can ignore otherpany matters, but this issue must be resolved as I wish. If you consider me your brother, then take my words as a request. If you insist on making decisions from thepany¡¯s standpoint, then treat it as a directmand from me. As the eldest grandson of the Nanrong Family, I believe I have that much authority. Even if ites to grandfather, he will support me."


    Watching Nanrong Hao turn and leave, Nanrong Wanqing was momentarily taken aback. Then, a hint of brilliance appeared in her eyes, her beautiful face blossoming like flowers in full bloom, shining with the most radiant light.


    Just then, Su Lin walked into the office.


    "Wanqing, did Nanrong Hao upset you again? I ran into him when I came out of the elevator, and he didn¡¯t even greet me. He¡¯s bing more and more unreasonable." While speaking, she noticed the smile on Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face and couldn¡¯t help but be curious. Although she was in thepany of Nanrong Wanqing day and night, she rarely saw her smile so happily.


    "Wanqing, what¡¯s happened?"


    "Nothing." Nanrong Wanqing replied indifferently, her gaze shifting back to the window, the corners of her lips slightly rising.


    She had almost forgotten how many years it had been since she felt this happy. She had always hoped that Nanrong Hao would be self-reliant and capable, ready to inherit the vast wealth of Hongyu Group. Unfortunately, Nanrong Hao¡¯s timid and fearful character had left her disappointed. Perhaps it was alsorgely due to her own strong-will, which shaped him into what he was.


    Now, Nanrong Hao dared to show his temper in front of her, something that had never happened before. Every time he saw her, he acted as timid as a mouse, meek and breathless. As his sister, she naturally wanted to see her brother grow up to be a strong and upright man.


    Ling Chen...


    She whispered the name in her heart. From Nanrong Hao¡¯s words, she could feel that his change was rted to Ling Chen. Otherwise, Nanrong Hao would not have been so agitated by Ling Chen¡¯s resignation.


    Maybe it was indeed time for her to make a change.


    In contemtion, the outside secretary walked in quickly, "Chairwoman, Mr. Zhu just sent an invitation, asking you to attend a banquet next Monday."


    "What banquet?"


    "It¡¯s said that Mr. Zhu¡¯spany is holding a grand opening next week, and he has invited many high-profile guests. Chairwoman, will you ept the invitation?"


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded lightly: "Tell them I will attend on time."


    ...


    Night fell.


    Inside a bedroom at Qingyun Martial Arts Hall, after showering, Ling Chen walked out of the bathroom wearing only a pair of loose shorts, revealing his well-built upper body with hair still dripping, casually drying himself with a towel in hand.


    The bedroom environment was simple but clean and quiet, much better than any hotel. With many rooms avable, he no longer had to share a room with Tang Yuan.


    ncing at the time, which was almost ten o¡¯clock, hey back on the bed, turned off the light with a flick of his hand, and took out his phone to browse through job-seeking websites, looking for any avable work.

 Chapter 73 - 72: Mysterious Person Attacks the Martial Arts Academy at Night

    <h4>Chapter 73: Chapter 72: Mysterious Person Attacks the Martial Arts Academy at Night</h4><h4></h4>


    Without realizing it, an hour had passed. Ling Chen rubbed his somewhat sore and swollen eyes, tossed his phone aside, and prepared for a good night¡¯s sleep. But at this moment, a barely audible sound came from outside the room, as if something had fallen to the ground.


    One... two... three... Ling Chen pricked up his ears, silently counting in his mind. A minute passed, and he slowly sat up, turning his head toward the door, his eyes narrowing slightly. Judging from the sounds just now, it seemed that more than ten people had climbed over the wall from outside.


    In the middle of the night, to have such arge group of people stealthily infiltrating the Martial Arts Academy, their intentions were probably not simple. Recalling how Little Hua was kidnapped a while ago, a thought shed through his mind¡ªcould it be those same people?


    As thoughts raced through his mind, he quietly moved to the window and gently pushed it open a crack to peer into the courtyard. As expected, he saw more than a dozen dark figures scattered around the courtyard. With the faint moonlight, he could make out the equipment they carried. These people wore masks, each sporting night vision goggles, and carried guns equipped with silencers and infrared, donned bulletproof vests, and had smoke grenades hanging at their waists¡ªaplete set of special forcesbat gear.


    Ling Chen inwardly was impressed; he didn¡¯t know where these guys came from, but their equipment was even moreplete than the military¡¯s.


    As he pondered, he saw the man in the center raise his hand over his head, signaling to the others. Immediately, the rest understood, dispersing and beginning to search each room.


    Seeing a shadow approaching his direction, Ling Chen quickly ducked down, crouching beside the door, tensing his body like a cheetah ready to pounce.


    Before long, a hand gently pushed open the door. Immediately after, the dark barrel of a gun was thrust through the gap. Ling Chen held his breath, motionless, pressing himself against the wall, trying to keep as low as possible to avoid detection.


    As the intruder entered the room, Ling Chen silently rose to his feet and appeared behind him. Not allowing the man to detect his presence, he swiftly grabbed the man¡¯s head and gave it a gentle twist.


    A muffled grunt was heard, and the man¡¯s head slumped to the side, lifeless, with a broken neck.


    Having dealt with one enemy, Ling Chen didn¡¯t rx one bit. He moved stealthily towards the outside. At this moment, the enemies in the courtyard had dispersed, with only two men left standing guard. Seizing the moment when their gaze shifted elsewhere, Ling Chen dashed out like an arrow released from a bow, and in the blink of an eye, he was ten meters away, hiding behind a wooden dummy.


    Taking a deep breath, he adjusted his breathing, leaning slightly forward, waiting for the two men¡¯s line of sight to shift away. Then, with a powerful push from his legs, he bolted out again and rolled to the ground, reaching the front door of the main hall.


    The front door of the main hall was ajar and unlocked. Ling Chen squinted, watching the two enemies while his other hand gently pushed open the door. As soon as there was a gap wide enough for his shoulders, he slipped inside and shut the door behind him, then hastily locking it from inside. Although he knew the lock would not stop those people, it could buy him some time.


    Once inside the main hall, he made his way to the rooms in the back. One of the rooms with a light on was Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s bedroom. He wasn¡¯t worried about Tang Yuan or He Ziyun at the moment, but about Zhu Xiaozhu and Little Hua. He had never seen He Ziyun¡¯s abilities, but his intuition told him that He Ziyun was quite skilled and could handle himself. As for Tang Yuan, there was even less worry¡ªsomeone from the Ghost Organization might not be good at many things, but they were definitely up to par with killing. Given enough time to y to his strengths, he could handle these intruders on his own.


    Ling Chen quickly approached the door, not even knocking, just pushing the door and entering directly.


    "Xiao¡ª"


    As he stepped in, Ling Chen opened his mouth, about to call out Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s name. But before he could speak, he was stunned by the sight that greeted him. At that moment, a beautiful young girl appeared before his eyes, naked, her devilish figure and snow-like creamy skin radiating an irresistible charm.


    Ling Chen swallowed hard, feeling astonishingly parched, unable to utter a word. To his embarrassment, he felt an instinctive reaction in his body, which, though a normal urrence for any man in this situation, made the already awkward atmosphere even more indescribable.


    Not only was Ling Chen frozen in ce, but so was Zhu Xiaozhu.


    She had just finished showering, nning to change her clothes, when Ling Chen suddenly barged in without any warning. Feeling his unabashed gaze fixed on her, she felt her whole body heat up and a blush crept up her skin.


    Seeing that Ling Chen had no intention of closing his eyes, she suppressed the bashfulness in her heart, biting her red lips with a look of embarrassment and anger, disying the coy charm of a young woman.


    "Are you still looking?"


    "I..."


    Ling Chen snapped back to reality, about to speak. But a faint sound from outside cut him off mid-sentence.


    It¡¯s not good, they¡¯reing in!


    With no time to exin, he quickly turned off the room light and, with one hand, pulled Zhu Xiaozhu into his embrace.


    Zhu Xiaozhu, about to reach for clothes to cover herself, was startled by Ling Chen¡¯s sudden move, her heart pounding. He turned off the lights and held her tightly¡ªcould it be he wanted...? As the thought arose, her body stiffened, and her shame quickly turned into anger. She had thought him to be a gentleman, but it seemed he couldn¡¯t escape his male instincts, to be tempted by a sight of the flesh. She had misjudged him.


    Thinking this, she struggled forcefully, trying to break free from Ling Chen¡¯s arms. But her movements only made things worse for Ling Chen. He was already scantily d, wearing only big underwear, and Zhu Xiaozhu waspletely bare. As she wriggled, their bodies became even more intimately entwined.


    As a normal man, Ling Chen was finding it incredibly hard to resist the stimtion. Especially with Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s soft skin and the faint scent of virginity, his resistance quickly crumbled, almost leading him tomit a crime.


    "Don¡¯t move!" Ling Chen, overwhelmed by the double stimtion to his body and mind, couldn¡¯t help but speak.


    "Let me go..."


    Before Zhu Xiaozhu could finish, she felt Ling Chen¡¯s hand closing in, covering her mouth.

 Chapter 74 - 73 Mysterious Person’s Night Attack on the Martial Arts Academy (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 74: Chapter 73 Mysterious Person¡¯s Night Attack on the Martial Arts Academy (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Keep your voice down," Ling Chen lowered his voice, "Someone¡¯s outside..."


    "People? What people?" Upon hearing this, Zhu Xiaozhu was startled and immediately stopped struggling. Seeing her calm down, Ling Chen then released his hand.


    "Enemies!"


    "What enemies?" Zhu Xiaozhu pressed.


    "I don¡¯t know. There are many of them; I suspect it¡¯s the same group that nned Little Hua¡¯s kidnapping."


    Ling Chen¡¯s exnation made Zhu Xiaozhu breathe a sigh of relief. She had thought Ling Chen wanted to take advantage of her, but it turned out he was just trying to protect her, which made her feel a twinge of shame. However, with their bodies pressing closely against each other without anything in between, she couldn¡¯t suppress the bashfulness in her heart. Especially since it felt like something was poking her from below, making her ufortable.


    "Can you... can you get me some clothes to wear?" She suppressed the shyness at the bottom of her heart and murmured faintly.


    "Just a moment."


    As soon as he finished speaking, Ling Chen bent over and quickly went to the bed, grabbed a pile of clothes, and returned to Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s side. Although holding Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s soft and tender body was a pleasurable thing, being able to hold but not act was an undoubtedly torturous pain for a man. Besides, the crisis hadn¡¯t been resolved yet, and he didn¡¯t want to be distracted.


    "Where¡¯s Little Hua?"


    "She¡¯s staying with Mr. He." By this time, Zhu Xiaozhu had already found a skirt to wear, slightly alleviating the awkwardness between them.


    "That¡¯s good." With He Ziyun protecting her, Little Hua should be safe.


    In the midst of their conversation, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s bedroom door was pushed open from the outside. Seeing this, Ling Chen tensed all over, his body leaning slightly forward, like a beast lurking in the darkness, ready to tear apart its prey.


    The door opened, and two armed men entered one after the other. Zhu Xiaozhu covered her mouth tightly, curling up behind the door, not daring to make a sound.


    But at this moment, the forward man with the gun suddenly turned around, the night vision goggles pointing towards the back of the door. However, the moment he turned around, what he saw in his goggles was not Ling Chen and Zhu Xiaozhu, but a rapidly erging fist. Before he could react, the forceful punch grounded squarely into his head.


    Immediately, impacted by the punch, the man¡¯s body violently recoiled backward and copsed straight onto the ground, unconscious.


    This sudden change immediately caught the attention of the other person. Seeing hispanion fall, the man quickly raised his assault rifle, his gaze swiftly locking onto the target.


    However, Ling Chen¡¯s reaction was faster. After taking down one man, he didn¡¯t hesitate; his legs shot out fiercely, mping the other man¡¯s body, and with a twist of his waist, his opponent¡¯s feet immediately lost their bnce, and he crashed to the ground.


    The moment he hit the floor, Ling Chen¡¯s movements didn¡¯t cease; his right hand reached out, snatched a military dagger from the man¡¯s waist, and viciously stabbed into his heart.


    The man¡¯s body twitched slightly, then went entirely still.


    Pulling out the dagger, Ling Chen nced at the man he had just knocked unconscious, and with a light swipe of the knife across the man¡¯s neck, he sent him to meet King Yan.


    "Number Four, Number Eight, respond."


    Suddenly, a voice came from the fallen man¡¯s earpiece.


    "Number Four, Number Eight, respond, respond," the same phrase repeated.


    Not long after the voice disappeared, Ling Chen heard a series of rapid footsteps outside. Presumably, having heard no response from theirrades, those people were alling to their aid.


    With this in mind, he dropped the dagger, pulled out a pistol and a sh grenade from one of the men, a Beretta 92F, the same model used by the kidnappers who had abducted Little Hua thest time.


    It seems my guess was right; these guys are all in it together.


    "Xiaozhu."


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s call, Zhu Xiaozhu finally snapped out of her panic.


    She lifted her head to look at Ling Chen, standing in the darkness, her beautiful eyes disying aplex expression. She had seen everything that Ling Chen had done just now, killing as natural as the flow of clouds and water, without a hint of hesitation, as if it were an ordinary task. Moreover, from his calm tone, it was evident that even in the face of danger, he maintained a terrifyingposure.


    What kind of man is he, really?


    Seeing Zhu Xiaozhu sitting motionless on the ground, Ling Chen pulled her up, hisrge hand naturally wrapping around her slender waist, pulling her close to his body.


    Feeling the heat from his body, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s pretty face blushed slightly.


    "Hold on to me tight; I¡¯ll get us out of here."


    Zhu Xiaozhu softly responded, not in a position to refuse at this life-or-death moment. With a touch of shy embarrassment, she wrapped her arms around Ling Chen, her gaze cast downward. Despite the darkness surrounding them, she still felt too embarrassed to look at Ling Chen.


    Being so close, they could both hear each other¡¯s breathing.


    Inhaling the faint fragrance emanating from Zhu Xiaozhu, Ling Chen felt as if a pebble had been tossed into his heart, creating ripples. However, the urgent footsteps outside quickly pulled him back to reality.


    "Close your eyes."


    Ling Chen warned, then casually threw a sh grenade outside the door.


    With a ¡¯bang¡¯, the blinding light burst forth instantly. Seizing the opportunity, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes wide open, his gaze fierce and sharp.


    With a quick step, he wrapped one arm around Zhu Xiaozhu and held the gun with the other, his chiseled face showing determination and confidence, along with a proud air of unparalleled arrogance.


    Under the afterglow of the sh grenade, three enemies appeared from various directions in his line of sight.


    Bang!


    The trigger was pulled and the bullet discharged immediately, burying itself in the forehead of one of the enemies.


    Next, he tapped the ground with the tip of his foot, spinning rapidly. With the momentum of the spin, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s feet lifted off the ground as her skirt fluttered, crossing through the air lightly.


    Bang!


    Another shot, another enemy hit the ground.


    At this moment, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s delicate eyebrows trembled slightly, and her eyes slowly opened to see Ling Chen¡¯s handsome, well-defined face immediately before her.


    Although they were in the midst of a gunfight, somehow, seeing the upward curve of Ling Chen¡¯s lips brought a gradual calmness to her agitated heart. In this man, she felt a strong confidence, a strength that allowed one tofortably rely upon him, to entrust him with one¡¯s life.


    Over the years, she considered herself having met many outstanding men, but none had ever given her this sense of reliance like Ling Chen. Even her extremely outstanding brother had never given her such peace of mind.


    "Bang!"


    Another gunshot, and thest enemy inside the room was killed, copsing into a pool of blood.


    Ling Chen let out a breath and looked down at the beauty in his arms, asking with concern, "Are you okay?"

 Chapter 75 - 74: Life is Like a Chess Game

    <h4>Chapter 75: Chapter 74: Life is Like a Chess Game</h4><h4></h4>


    "No worries." Zhu Xiaozhu gently shook her head, her pretty face slightly lifting, revealing a faint blush on her delicate skin, tempting Ling Chen with the urge to lean in for a kiss.


    During their conversation, a sudden sound of footsteps approached. Ling Chen raised his eyebrows, his arms stretched out horizontally, and immediately aimed the gun ahead.


    "It¡¯s me!"


    Hearing Tang Yuan¡¯s voice, Ling Chen hurriedly lowered his gun and grasped Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s hand, quickly walking towards him. Seeing Tang Yuan in his vest and shorts, presumably just having gotten out of bed and not having changed.


    "How¡¯s the situation outside?"


    "I took down three, a few ran away."


    "Call the police, Xiaozhu and I will check on Mr. He and Little Hua."


    The two headed to the neighboring room. As soon as they entered, Ling Chen saw a corpse lying by the door, with a flying dagger stuck right in the brow, half of the de buried into the skull, showing the strength of the thrust.


    "Little Hua, Mr. He."


    Zhu Xiaozhu, concerned for their safety, hurriedly ran inside, with Ling Chen closely following her every step.


    Entering the room, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but feel a mix ofughter and tears upon seeing the scene in front of him. Therey Little Hua, spread eagled on the bed, possibly dreaming of something delicious, drooling from the corner of her mouth, seemingly undisturbed by the noise outside.


    Beside her, He Ziyun sat in a rattan chair, swaying back and forth, holding a cup of tea in his hand, showing a rxed demeanor,pletely unfazed by the previous danger.


    This old man is truly no ordinary person.


    Ling Chen thought to himself. If it were an ordinary person who had just killed someone, they wouldn¡¯t be so at ease.


    "Mr. He..." he opened his mouth, about to speak.


    He Ziyun raised his hand to him, interrupting, "Don¡¯t call the police. Throw those corpses outside, their people will take care of it."


    "That doesn¡¯t seem right." Zhu Xiaozhu didn¡¯t understand why He Ziyun would make such arrangements.


    "Don¡¯t argue, do as I say. Ling Chen, I¡¯ll need your help."


    "Don¡¯t mention it." With that, Ling Chen turned and walked outside. He understood He Ziyun¡¯s decision; those people were well-equipped and trained, definitely not ordinary. Even with police intervention, it would be of no use and would just end unresolved.


    Back in the yard, Ling Chen called Tang Yuan, and they cleaned up the corpses one by one, throwing them all outside.


    After all the work was done, Tang Yuan leaned against the wall, pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and exhaled a puff of smoke. He couldn¡¯t help asking, "Brother, what exactly is going on? Who are these people?"


    Ling Chen shrugged: "Don¡¯t ask me, I want to know too."


    "You know the people from this Martial Arts Academy, don¡¯t you know what they¡¯re about? You just saw it. Those guys were carrying standard individualbat gear, obviously professionals, far from a ragtag team. Whoever is behind this, deploying such a force, indicates that the people at this Martial Arts Academy are no simple matter. Brother, you need to be careful."


    "I know. Alright, you¡¯re tired too, go and rest."


    "What about the bodies outside?"


    "Mr. He said not to worry about it, someone will take care of it when the timees."


    Tang Yuan nudged Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder, tempting him, "Don¡¯t you want to know who those people are? How about we secretly follow and see whoes to deal with the bodies? By tracing the clues, maybe we could find the mastermind behind this."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen was somewhat tempted. However, after rethinking, he declined Tang Yuan¡¯s suggestion. No matter who was responsible for dealing with bodies, since they dared toe, they wouldn¡¯t be afraid of being followed. Additionally, they conduct their affairs professionally and certainly have precautions in ce, so nothing could be found out through investigation.


    After expressing his thoughts, Tang Yuan nodded in agreement. He then stopped pondering and went straight back to his room.


    The next morning.


    Ling Chen got up early and pushed open the door of the Martial Arts Academy. As expected, the bodies outside had already been cleared away, and even the bloodstains on the ground were cleaned up without leaving any trace.


    At that moment, Little Hua yawned as she walked out of the house. Seeing Ling Chen at the door, she quickly ran over, her little face brimming with a sweet smile, "Big brother, are you going out to buy food? Little Hua is hungry."


    "Alright, big brother will take you to buy some breakfast."


    "Ling Chen."


    As they were about to leave, they heard Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s voice from behind. Turning around, Ling Chen saw Zhu Xiaozhu approaching and asked, "What¡¯s the matter?"


    "Mr. He is looking for you for something," Zhu Xiaozhu said softly, somewhat hesitant to meet Ling Chen¡¯s gaze.


    The events ofst night were still fresh, and she blushed shyly, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment thinking about how Ling Chen had seen her body.


    Ling Chen cleared his throat, knowing exactly what Zhu Xiaozhu was thinking. In fact,st night as hey in bed, every time he closed his eyes, the image of Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s graceful body appeared, tormenting him all night with sleeplessness.


    As both were immersed in the memories ofst night, Little Hua curiously looked at Ling Chen and Zhu Xiaozhu, her innocent face questioning, "Sister Xiaozhu, why are you blushing?"


    Hearing this, Zhu Xiaozhu felt her face grow even hotter and she red at her slightly, "Why does a child ask so many questions? Come on, I¡¯ll take you out to buy some food."


    Watching the two beauties leave, Ling Chen went straight to the hall where he saw He Ziyun sitting inside, with a chess setid out in front of him, seemingly contemting how to solve a difficult chess endgame.


    "Mr. He," he greeted as he approached.


    "Come, join me in a game of chess."


    With the chess pieces set, Ling Chen opened with a cannon, which He Ziyun immediately countered with a horse. After a few moves, Ling Chen found his options limited, his pieces ¡¯killed¡¯ by He Ziyun.


    Chess requires a broad vision and strategy. Ling Chen knew how to y chess but was nowhere near an expertpared to someone like He Ziyun, who had decades of experience.


    In less than ten minutes, Ling Chen was checkmated, with no moves left.


    He Ziyun chuckled, "Another game?"


    "Mr. He, aren¡¯t you just tantly taking advantage of me? No more!" Ling Chen shook his head. Though ying chess was fun, he didn¡¯t enjoy being thrashed.


    He Ziyun was picking up the chess pieces, talking to himself, "They say life is like chess, and indeed, people are like these chess pieces on the board. Take this ¡¯general,¡¯ some rule over everything,manding the whole scene, surrounded by countless capable people. Others are like this ¡¯guard,¡¯ strategically advising and loyally protecting their master. Ling Chen, if you had to choose, which chess piece do you think you are?"


    Looking at the chess pieces on the board, Ling Chen became serious for once. After some contemtion, he pointed at the ¡¯pawn¡¯ on the board, "The former me would probably be this."

 Chapter 76 - 75 He Ziyun

    <h4>Chapter 76: Chapter 75 He Ziyun</h4><h4></h4>


    "Oh?" He Ziyun was somewhat surprised; he hadn¡¯t expected Ling Chen to make such a choice. "On this chessboard, the ¡¯pawn¡¯ has the lowest status, and its abilities are limited. It risks its life only to serve others, without any freedom. Why would you choose it?"


    "Mr. He, sometimes you need to look at things from a different perspective. Although its status is not high, it bravely moves forward, and whoever stands in its way meets their end. It is capable of ying both gods and Buddhas, nothing can stop its advance. Given the right opportunity, it can still be a ¡¯General¡¯, ending the game. The most important thing is, it never backs down."


    Hearing this, He Ziyun¡¯s eyes gleamed, and he looked at Ling Chen thoughtfully, a faint smile appearing on his wrinkled old face. "You¡¯re right; I¡¯ve learned something new. You just said that was the old you, so what about now?"


    "Now..." Ling Chen thought for a moment, then pointed to the ¡¯chariot¡¯ on the chessboard, "Now I should be like it, advancing and retreating at will, unbridled, without any restraint."


    He Ziyun nodded, then abruptly changed the subject: "Are you curious about the origins of those people fromst night?"


    Ling Chen shrugged nonchntly, "Mr. He, you have the right to choose whether to speak or not, and I have the right to choose whether to listen or not. I admit I¡¯m curious, but I don¡¯t want to meddle too much."


    "But you¡¯ve already interfered. Last time, those people kidnapped Little Hua, and it was you who took action to save her, foiling their operation. Andst night, it was you again who helped, resulting in their failure. Regardless of what you think, those people will definitely target you and consider you one of the Qingyun Martial Arts Hall."


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help scratching his head. Whether it was rescuing Little Hua or what happenedst night, both incidents were somewhat coincidental; since he came across them, he couldn¡¯t just ignore them. If those people considered him an enemy, there was nothing he could do.


    "Mr. He, let¡¯s not talk about the other things for now, I am actually quite curious about something else."


    "What is it?"


    "Last night I killed six people." As he said this, Ling Chen stared directly into He Ziyun¡¯s cloudy old eyes, hoping to detect some subtle changes.


    "I know." He Ziyun¡¯s tone was nd, his eyes showing no fluctuation.


    "Don¡¯t you find that strange?"


    "Strange? Strange that you could kill so many people and still seem so normal? Or strange about your friend?" He Ziyun smiled slightly, speaking meaningfully: "Ling Chen, there are many things in this world that don¡¯t need to be delved into deeply, you¡¯ll naturally understand when the right timees. Do you get my meaning?"


    "I understand."


    How could Ling Chen not understand? This old fox spoke so much nonsense just to tell him, ¡¯Don¡¯t ask now; even if you do, I won¡¯t tell you.¡¯


    Meanwhile, in another bedroom within the Martial Arts Academy.


    Tang Yuan was sitting on the toilet in the restroom, reporting the situation to someone on the phone.


    "Boss, this is what happened. The identities of those people are still unclear, but they seem to have considerable influence. With such a group suddenly appearing in the country, I thought it was necessary to report to you."


    "I¡¯ll have someone investigate this matter; don¡¯t worry yourself with it too much, focus onpleting your mission. By the way, what¡¯s the name of the master of Qingyun Martial Arts Hall?"


    "ording to Ling Chen, it seems to be He Ziyun."


    "He Ziyun? I feel like I¡¯ve heard that name somewhere before... Wait!" The tone of the person on the phone changed suddenly, their voice rising eight degrees, "Are you sure his name is He Ziyun?"


    "Yes."


    "It can¡¯t be a coincidence, could it actually be him?" The person on the other end mumbled to themselves.


    Tang Yuan couldn¡¯t help asking, "Boss, do you know who he is?"


    "He is... Why am I telling you this? Don¡¯t ask what you shouldn¡¯t, just do your job. That¡¯s it, I have other matters to attend to, I¡¯m hanging up now."


    As the call ended, in a secret underground base located on the outskirts of Beijing, a middle-aged man with an average appearance and a crew cut, about thirty or forty years old, pocketed his phone and quickly entered an elevator.


    As the elevator doors closed, two red beams of light projected from the top of the elevator, scanning the middle-aged man¡¯s body. After over ten seconds, the red light disappeared, and an instrument slowly extended from the elevator button panel.


    The middle-aged man leaned his head forward, aligning his retina with the instrument¡¯s center, while also pressing his thumb onto the fingerprint scanner. Shortly after, the screen disyed the words "Identity Confirmed".


    Pressing a button, the elevator began to descend slowly, all the way down to the fifth sub-level.


    Exiting the elevator, the middle-aged man dashed to an office without even knocking and shoved the door open to enter.


    Inside the spacious and bright office, a man in his sixties, with nearly white hair, was sitting at his desk processing documents. Seeing the middle-aged man hastily barging in, the older man frowned slightly, set down his pen, and said with clear displeasure, "Han Bing, how many times have I told you to knock before entering? Why are you acting just like that brat Ling Chen, with no manners at all?"


    The middle-aged man named Han Bing gave a wry smile, "General, save your lectures forter. I have something much more important to report."


    "What is it?"


    "Tang Yuan has found He Ziyun¡¯s whereabouts in East Sea City."


    "What?" The older man stood up sharply, pressing his hands on the desk and leaning forward, enunciating every word, "Even though I¡¯m quite old, my ears still work well. If I heard you correctly, you just mentioned He Ziyun?"


    "General, it is indeed him."


    The older man pondered for a moment, "We have never mentioned He Ziyun in front of the team members. How could Tang Yuan know of his identity?"


    "The matter isplicated. To be precise, it has a lot to do with Ling Chen."


    "Ling Chen? How did that kid get involved? Hmph!" The older man said irritably, "That rascal is trouble wherever he goes. Spill it, what exactly happened?"


    Well aware of the General¡¯s temper, Han Bing did not dare to dilly-dally and promptly recounted what Tang Yuan had told him.


    The older man listened and then slowly settled back into his chair, rhythmically tapping his fingers on the desk, creating a ¡¯tap tap¡¯ sound.


    "Han Bing, what do you make of this matter?"


    "General, since those people have gone to Mr. He, I¡¯m afraid... I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s connected to the past."


    Hearing this, the older man heaved a sigh, "I never thought that after all these years of hiding, we couldn¡¯t avoid it. I thought we hadpletely eradicated that power back then. I didn¡¯t expect it to resurface."


    "General, now that the situation is clear, should we get involved?"


    The older man pondered for a while, then waved his hand, "No need for now, just keep a close watch. Besides, isn¡¯t that rascal Ling Chen in East Sea City? Since he has formed a rtionship with He Ziyun, he won¡¯t be able to stay out of it even if he wants to." Saying this, he couldn¡¯t help butugh, "Last time, that brat wouldn¡¯t heed my plea to stay and insisted on leaving the service. It aggravated me so much I couldn¡¯t sleep for days. Now look, after all his struggling, he¡¯s still fallen into the pit."


    ...


    "Achoo!"


    Ling Chen touched his nose; in this scorching heat, why was he suddenly sneezing?


    As he was wondering, his phone in his pocket suddenly rang.


    He pulled out his phone and hurriedly answered the call, "Hello, President Liu, what brings you to call me today?"


    "Ling Chen, I have a favor to ask of you." Liu Xiyao¡¯s voice was as pleasant as ever.


    "Tell me, I¡¯ll help if I can."


    "I¡¯ve received an invitation to a dinner party, but I can¡¯t make it back to East Sea City since I have work that isn¡¯t finished here. You¡¯re a shareholder of the club, it¡¯s just as good if you represent me."


    "That..." Ling Chen hesitated.


    "It¡¯s just a formality, it won¡¯t take much time."


    "Since you put it that way, then okay, send me the time and ce, and I¡¯ll be sure to attend."


    "One more thing, don¡¯t forget to prepare a suit since it¡¯s a formal asion; you can¡¯t be too casual. If you don¡¯t have one, go buy a new set, and I¡¯ll reimburse youter."


    "OK, no problem."

 Chapter 77 - 76: A Thousand Thoughts

    <h4>Chapter 77: Chapter 76: A Thousand Thoughts</h4><h4></h4>


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen returned to the room and saw Zhu Xiaozhu walking out with an exquisitely small suitcase in hand.


    "What¡¯s this..." Before he finished speaking, he immediately remembered that Zhu Xiaozhu had a flight to catch back to Beijing today. "Let me take you," he said, reaching out to take the suitcase, ready to go out and hail a taxi.


    "Ling Chen, where are you two going?" Just at that moment, He Ziyun walked out from the lobby.


    "I¡¯m taking Xiaozhu to the airport, will be back soon."


    "There¡¯s no need to go through all that trouble. It¡¯s hard to call for a taxi around here; there¡¯s a car in the warehouse in the back, it¡¯s been lying there unused, you can just drive her there."


    "A car?" Ling Chen¡¯s heart leapt with joy, driving there himself was the best option. He immediately followed He Ziyun¡¯s steps to the Martial Arts Academy¡¯s backyard. He had never been to the backyard before; it was filled with clutter, and rarely did anyonee.


    The lock on the warehouse door seemed as if it hadn¡¯t been opened for many years, covered with rust. He Ziyun took out a key and unlocked it. As the door opened, a pungent musty smell immediately wafted out. Ling Chen covered his nose and saw that the warehouse was filled with a thickyer of dust, with various items strewn about in disarray.


    However, his gaze was quickly captivated by a car in the warehouse. The car was covered by a tarp, but from the contours that bulged out, it was clear this was no ordinary sedan you¡¯d see on the market.


    He Ziyun walked over to the car, hands reaching out to gently lift the tarp. In an instant, the ram¡¯s head logo appeared before Ling Chen¡¯s eyes.


    Following the emblem upwards, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes sparkled, filled with excitement.


    The car body was made of carbon alloy, with metallic paint, the front was not only long but also wide, the cabin only had seats for the driver and passenger, and the rear was streamlined ¨C the whole car exuded a bold and rugged personality.


    Dodge Charger, the ssic 1966 muscle car.


    Ignoring the dust on the car¡¯s body, Ling Chen¡¯s hand gently caressed it, as if he were touching a treasured possession. And indeed, calling this muscle car a treasure was fitting. Across the world, there were definitely no more than fifty of these original ssic muscle cars, most of which were kept in museums. If it were to be auctioned, it would certainly fetch millions of US dors.


    "Mr. He, where did you get this car?"


    "I bought it from abroad when I was young, but as I got older, I didn¡¯t want to bother with it anymore, so it¡¯s been lying here unused." Saying this, He Ziyun tossed a set of keys into Ling Chen¡¯s hand, "Don¡¯t ruin it for me, this is the only valuable thing I own."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t mess it up."


    Overjoyed, Ling Chen eagerly opened the door and couldn¡¯t wait to sit in the driver¡¯s seat. As a man, who doesn¡¯t have a passion for cars. He inserted the key, gave it a gentle twist, and with a roar like that of a beast, the car body slightly trembled to life.


    Though the car hadn¡¯t been driven for many years, Mr. He had not forgotten to maintain it regrly, so it performed very well. Once Ling Chen carefully drove the car out of the warehouse, he quickly washed off the dust from the car, and then drove up to the front entrance of the Martial Arts Academy.


    Sitting in the car, Zhu Xiaozhu looked at Ling Chen, who was full of excitement, and felt a little strange. It was just a car; was it necessary to be so happy?


    She didn¡¯t know that the greatest hobbies of a man are fast cars and beautiful women. Cars and women hold a nearly equal ce in a man¡¯s heart.


    "All set?" Ling Chen grinned, gently tapping the elerator. At once, amid the thrilling roar, the muscle car shot out and quickly merged onto the road.


    "How long do you n to stay this time on your trip back?" Ling Chen casually asked while on the road.


    "I¡¯m not sure, maybe... two weeks, I guess. Why?"


    "Nothing, just asking."


    "Oh," Zhu Xiaozhu replied indifferently, feeling inexplicably disappointed.


    She was caught off guard by the emotional turmoil within her. For over twenty years, her life had been calm as still waters, her mood like a sereneke, undisturbed by ripples. No man had ever affected her emotions. Yet, for some reason, in Ling Chen¡¯s presence, she found it difficult to maintain herposure; his every word stirred countless thoughts in her mind.


    Could it be that she...


    Without knowing what she was thinking about, her pretty face blushed slightly. She quickly turned her head towards the car window, afraid that Ling Chen would see her change.


    In less than half an hour, Ling Chen arrived at the airport smoothly.


    "Have a safe trip."


    "Mhm," Zhu Xiaozhu murmured softly and gracefully, dragging her suitcase toward security. However, her steps were slow¡ªas if she was hesitating, as if waiting for something.


    Watching her receding figure, Ling Chen felt a surge of impulse and blurted out, "Xiaozhu..."


    "What¡¯s up?" Almost the instant Ling Chen spoke, Zhu Xiaozhu turned around, as if she had already been prepared.


    "It¡¯s... it¡¯s nothing." Ling Chen chuckled awkwardly, swallowing the words he wanted to say and changed them to, "Be safe on the road, and keep in touch when you can."


    "I will, bye!"


    Zhu Xiaozhu waved with a smile, no longer lingering, and proceeded directly to the security checkpoint. It wasn¡¯t until her figurepletely vanished from sight that Ling Chen reluctantly left the airport.


    Back in the car and thinking about the foolish conversation they just had, he couldn¡¯t help but curse inwardly.


    Ling Chen, oh Ling Chen, you¡¯re usually so bold, why do you go soft at the crucial moment.


    He sighed. He could shamelessly flirt with any other beauty without concern, but when it came to a woman he truly cared about, he became hesitant, not even daring to utter a single word.


    Shaking his head, he started the car and slowly drove onto the road.


    Returning to the Martial Arts Academy, only He Ziyun and Little Hua were home; Tang Yuan had vanished to who knows where. That guy was always so secretive, hardly a ghost shadow to be seen. Ling Chen couldn¡¯t be bothered with him; ever since he learned that Tang Yuan was on a secret mission in East Sea City, he seldom inquired about his whereabouts.


    After lunch, Ling Chen drove alone to the most bustling area in the city center.


    The dinner that Liu Xiyao mentioned was in two days. He still had a day left, but he didn¡¯t even have a single formal suit; he needed to prepare early.


    With all his savings in his pocket, Ling Chen found a shopping mall and took the elevator to the third floor, which was a menswear specialty. Previously, Ling Chen would never consider buying clothes from such upscale ces; with his personality, he¡¯d be content with picking up some random clothes from street vendors.


    But there was no choice; Liu Xiyao specifically reminded him it was a formal asion, and representing the face of the club, he couldn¡¯t afford to be dressed too shabbily.


    As he browsed, Ling Chen felt as though he was in the wrong ce. Everything was so damn expensive; a casual suit cost a few thousand yuan, and that was the cheapest one. Even though Liu Xiyao had said she would reimburse him, he still had to pay upfront.


    Hesitating at the shop entrance, he clenched his teeth and stepped inside, prepared to walk in.


    "Eh, what are you doing here?"


    Just then, a surprised voice suddenly came from behind him.


    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 78 - 77 Leng Feifei (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 78: Chapter 77 Leng Feifei (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen turned around and saw a charming-looking girl walking towards him. He merely nced at her face briefly, before his gaze was drawn to her plump breasts.


    In her thin white blouse, the buttons were stretched taut, as if they might burst open at any moment. Beneath the two unbuttoned buttons at the neckline, her pale white neck was exposed, adorned with a pendant made of lucky stones, and its slightly worn silver chain seemed a bit cheap.


    Leng Feifei?


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes shifted, and he immediately remembered the name of the girl in front of him.


    He slightly raised the corners of his mouth, smiling, "Leng Feifei, what a coincidence to see you here. Are you here to buy clothes?"


    "I work in sales here."


    "Working in sales? Aren¡¯t you in school?"


    "School is out today, I work here when there are no sses."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen looked at the girl in front of him with new respect. Independent enough not to rely on her family and earning her own money, this type of girl usually has a strong character. Also, judging from Leng Feifei¡¯s attire, her family¡¯s financial condition seemed quite ordinary. But that didn¡¯t matter; a person¡¯s diligence and hard work are what truly count as precious.


    "That¡¯s perfect, I want to buy a suit. Could you help me out?"


    Leng Feifei nodded, "Follow me." As she spoke, she seemed to remember something, paused her steps, and softly said, "Aboutst time... at school, I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have judged you prematurely. Please don¡¯t mind what I said."


    Initially, when she first met Ling Chen at school, she was influenced by her ssmates¡¯ opinions and seeing Ling Chen with Nanrong Hao, she didn¡¯t have a good impression of him, mistakenly thinking he was a sleazebag. However, after seeing Ling Chen stand up for Su Lin, she gradually changed her opinion of him.


    Later, when Tang Shiyun came to her for new student registration, she asked an extra question and found out Ling Chen hadn¡¯t deceived her, he indeed was close friends with Tang Shiyun, and she had misunderstood him.


    Taking this rare chance meeting as an opportunity, she wanted to apologize to him face to face.


    Ling Chen grinned and waved his hand, "It¡¯s nothing. I didn¡¯t take it to heart."


    Once inside the shop, Leng Feifei led Ling Chen to the disy area and helped him pick out a suit. Ling Chen wasn¡¯t very picky, he just needed something that fit well and was affordable.


    With Leng Feifei¡¯s help, it didn¡¯t take long for Ling Chen to pick out a suit worth three thousand six hundred, which was almost all his savings.


    After paying, Ling Chen was about to leave. However, at that moment, a female sales associate hastily walked over to Leng Feifei and whispered something to her. Whatever was said, Leng Feifei¡¯s face slightly changed, and she hurriedly went to the fitting room and closed the door behind her.


    Ling Chen was puzzled, but then he heard a voice suddenly rise at the counter, "Where is Leng Feifei? Hurry and call her out."


    The cashier smiled and said, "Sir, I¡¯m sorry, Feifei didn¡¯te to work today. She is at school attending sses."


    "Don¡¯t lie to me. I just went to the school to ask, and her ssmates said she is here. Youngdy, remember to coordinate your lies better next time, or it¡¯s very easy to be caught. I give you one minute. If she doesn¡¯t appear in front of me, I will immediately have your boss fire you." The person spoke arrogantly.


    Ling Chen turned around and sized up the man speaking. He appeared to be in his thirties, sporting a round beer belly, with a face full of fat, his eyes squeezed into slits, looking like a pig-head. Around his neck hung a finger-thick gold ne, as if he was afraid others wouldn¡¯t know he was wealthy.


    Behind him followed a man with sses, holding a bag and standing respectfully to the side, probably an attendant.


    "Sir, I honestly don¡¯t know where she is, asking me won¡¯t help." The female cashier looked troubled.


    p!


    The thuggish man pped his hand on the counter and coldly said, "Seems like you really don¡¯t want to keep your job. Where¡¯s your boss? Call him out."


    As soon as he finished speaking, a middle-aged man who looked gentle and polite came running over, his face full of obsequious smiles, "Mr. Qi, what brings you here?" After speaking, he scolded the cashier, "What are you dawdling for? Hurry up and make tea for Mr. Qi."


    "No need, I¡¯m not here to drink tea. Zhang Huan, your employee is uncooperative and deliberately evasive. Fire her immediately. Also, have Leng Feifeie see me."


    "Mr. Qi, this..."


    "Hmm?" The thuggish man red, his chubby cheeks quivering, "Are you also trying to brush me off? Zhang Huan, don¡¯t be ungrateful, if you offend me, I¡¯ll have your shop shut down immediately."


    Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, Zhang Huan maintained a pained smile, "Mr. Qi, please take a seat, I¡¯ll call Feifei right away."


    "No need to call, I¡¯m here."


    During the conversation, Leng Feifei walked over from behind, looking at the thuggish man with disgust, "Qi Jianhui, I¡¯ve made myself clear, please stop interfering with my work."


    "Feifei, how can you talk to Mr. Qi like that? As a university graduate, have you forgotten even the most basic manners?" At that moment, the man with sses behind Qi Jianhui spoke up.


    "One should tailor their words to the audience. Dad, if you still consider me your daughter, then stop disturbing my life. Also, I advise you to keep your distance from such people in the future."


    "You..." The man with sses angrily said: "Fine, I see your wings are hardened, daring to lecture me, let¡¯s see how I deal with you." Saying this, he quickly stepped forward, raising his hand to p Leng Feifei¡¯s face.


    Seeing the p approaching, Leng Feifei bit her lip, closed her eyes, and defiantly raised her head.


    However, after a few seconds, she realized the p hadn¡¯te and opened her eyes. To her surprise, she saw the man with sses¡¯ wrist firmly held by arge hand, rendering him unable to move.


    Shifting her gaze backward in astonishment, she realized the owner of therge hand was Ling Chen.


    "This gentleman, we¡¯re all civilized people, no need to resort to physical violence. Besides, in public like this, as a father, you should at least save some face for your daughter," Ling Chen advised.


    Having just found out the man with sses¡¯ identity, he was quite surprised, initially thinking he was Qi Jianhui¡¯s attendant rather than Leng Feifei¡¯s father.


    With his wrist seized by Ling Chen, the man with sses couldn¡¯t help but curse, "Who are you to lecture me? Let go!"


    Ling Chen, feeling indignant, coldlyughed, "If I¡¯m nothing, then you¡¯re less than nothing. What kind of father treats his daughter this way? I¡¯ll tell you, Leng Feifei is my friend, and I don¡¯t take kindly to anyone bullying her, even if you are her father." With that, he pushed the man with sses away.


    "Good, very good!" The man with sses red at Leng Feifei, his teeth gritted, "You ungrateful wretch, all these years I¡¯ve wasted raising you, and now you conspire with outsiders against me. I was blind to ever consider someone as ungrateful as you my daughter."


    Holding back tears, Leng Feifei said firmly, "If you truly regarded me as your daughter, you wouldn¡¯t treat me as amodity to be sold to others."

 Chapter 79 - 78 Leng Feifei (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 79: Chapter 78 Leng Feifei (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "What do you mean ¡¯selling¡¯ me to someone else? I¡¯m doing what¡¯s best for you, trying to find you a good family. What¡¯s not to like about Mr. Qi? It¡¯s your good fortune that he fancies you."


    "This ¡¯fortune¡¯ of mine, I¡¯d rather not have."


    "You..." The man in sses was livid, his body trembling with rage.


    "Zheng Guozhong, you¡¯ve truly failed as a father, not even being able to handle your own daughter," Qi Jianhui snorted coldly. "Don¡¯t forget what you promised me. If we can¡¯t settle things today, don¡¯t me me for turning my face against you."


    "No... that won¡¯t happen..." Zheng Guozhong looked panicked and hastily said, "Mr. Qi, rest assured, I¡¯ll definitely sort this out and won¡¯t let you down."


    Hearing their conversation, Ling Chen felt puzzled. Leng Feifei¡¯sst name was Leng, and her father¡¯s was Zheng. Could it be that she isn¡¯t his biological daughter? That would make sense; what kind of biological father would side with an outsider to go against his own daughter?


    "Feifei, don¡¯t me your father for being ruthless. You muste with me today," Zheng Guozhong seemed to have made up his mind.


    Ling Chen took a nce at Leng Feifei and saw that she was unmoved. He immediately understood her intentions. He nced at Zheng Guozhong and said indifferently, "Unless Feifei is willing, no one can take her away as long as I am here."


    Zheng Guozhong narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "Kid, I advise you not to make trouble for yourself."


    Ling Chen shrugged,pletely disregarding the other¡¯s words, "Sorry, I don¡¯t have other hobbies, I just like to poke my nose into others¡¯ business."


    "Fine, you¡¯re asking for it. Feifei, I foresaw that you wouldn¡¯te with me easily today, so I¡¯vee prepared. Guangwu!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, five young men rushed into the shop. The leader, a twenty-something with dyed red hair and a cigarette in his mouth, was dressed mboyantly. The others were dressed simrly, like typical gangster youths.


    "Dad."


    Zheng Guangwu called Zheng Guozhong and then looked towards Leng Feifei. His eyes, obscured by smoke, showed a sh of lustful intent.


    "My dear sister, why make things difficult with your family? As long as you¡¯re obedient, it will benefit all of us."


    Leng Feifei looked at her so-called brother, and her fists clenched unconsciously, her cheeks slightly pale with distress.


    Feeling that something was off with her, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but take another look at Zheng Guangwu. He found it odd; judging by Leng Feifei¡¯s reaction, she seemed to absolutely loathe the guy.


    "Guangwu, since Feifei is unwilling toe with us, you know what to do."


    "Dad, leave it to me," Zheng Guangwu curled his lip, flicked the cigarette butt from his hand, and walked towards Leng Feifei. "Sis, make it easy for the both of us and juste with me. Don¡¯t make this difficult for your brother."


    "Get lost! I don¡¯t want to see you."


    Hearing her sharp rebuke, Zheng Guangwu¡¯s mouth quirked up in a cold smirk, "Looks like you prefer punishment over a toast. If that¡¯s the case, then don¡¯t me me for not being polite." After speaking, he reached out to grab Leng Feifei¡¯s wrist.


    However, what he grabbed was not Leng Feifei¡¯s hand but Ling Chen¡¯s.


    "Buddy, what are you doing? I¡¯m not into that sort of thing, you must be mistaken," Ling Chen said as he shook off his hand and pulled out two tissues from the counter to wipe his hand, lookingpletely disgusted.


    "You..." Before Zheng Guangwu could finish, Zheng Guozhong roared beside him, "Guangwu, this punk is the problem. Teach him a lesson."


    Zheng Guangwu nced at Ling Chen, his mouth twisting up in a scornful smirk, "Kid, move away if you don¡¯t want to get hurt."


    "Give it a try."


    "Hmph! Trying to act the man in front of my sister? Fine, I¡¯ll let you."


    With the end of Zheng Guangwu¡¯s words, a p was immediately thrown out.


    Smack!


    A crisp sound was heard, and all eyes were focused on Ling Chen. However, they quickly realized that they were misled. Ling Chen waspletely unscathed, while it was Zheng Guangwu who was covering his swollen cheek, a mix of shock and anger on his face.


    Seeing this, everyone was surprised.


    It seemed clear that it was Zheng Guangwu who threw the punch, but it wasn¡¯t Ling Chen who got hit¡ªit was Zheng Guangwu himself. For a moment, people looked at Ling Chen with curiosity, wondering how he pulled it off.


    "How dare you hit me?" Zheng Guangwu cursed. "Boys, take him down."


    Seeing those youths charge at her all at once, Leng Feifei worriedly said, "Ling Chen..."


    "Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here." Ling Chen gave her a reassuring look, and casually pped one across the face.


    Smack!


    The youth at the forefront fell to the ground as a response.


    Smack! Smack! Smack!


    A series of ps were thrown, and the youths became dazed and confused, tumbling to the ground, piling up.


    Seeing Ling Chen effortlessly take down these people with a few ps, everyone was taken aback. Zheng Guangwu looked at Ling Chen with sheer terror and unconsciously stepped back.


    "Buddy, didn¡¯t you just say you were going to beat me up? Come on, continue."


    "You... don¡¯t get too arrogant."


    Ling Chen curled his lip, "If you don¡¯t dare to make a move, then get lost quickly. Don¡¯t embarrass yourself here. And you two..." he pointed at Zheng Guozhong and Qi Jianhui, "if you don¡¯t want to crawl out of here, then disappear from my sight immediately."


    "Mr. Qi..."


    Zheng Guozhong looked at Qi Jianhui, somewhat at a loss.


    "Hmph, if you can¡¯t handle this matter well, then you sort it out." Qi Jianhui coldly dropped a remark and turned to leave.


    "Mr. Qi, Mr. Qi, don¡¯t go." Zheng Guozhong hastily followed, but at the doorway, he turned back to look at Leng Feifei with a grim expression, "Remember this, it¡¯s not over. As long as you¡¯re my daughter, don¡¯t think you can escape this."


    After Qi Jianhui and Zheng Guozhong left one after the other, Zheng Guangwu also didn¡¯t dare to stay any longer. Covering his swollen cheek, he and his men shamefully ran away.


    Ling Chen took a breath, turned his head to look at Leng Feifei beside him, and was about to speak, but saw that her eyes were already brimming with tears.


    "Are you alright?" He offered her a tissue, expressing his concern.


    Leng Feifei gently shook her head, "Thank you for helping me."


    "Don¡¯t mention it."


    "Feifei."


    At this point, the store¡¯s owner, Zhang Huan, came over with a hesitant look. Seeing his conflicted expression, Leng Feifei immediately understood, "Boss, I¡¯m sorry for causing trouble. I won¡¯t work here anymore."


    Zhang Huan sighed helplessly, "Don¡¯t me me, I can¡¯t provoke Qi Jianhui. If you continue to stay here, he definitely won¡¯t let me off the hook."


    "I know."


    "You should go back and rest well. I¡¯ll transfer the rest of your wages to your ount."


    "Okay, then I¡¯ll be going."


    Leaving the mall, Leng Feifei intended to take the bus home, but Ling Chen still pulled her into his car. After what happened just then, he was worried that Leng Feifei was unsettled and might do something rash, so it was better to stay by her side.


    "Where do you want to go?" he asked. He knew Leng Feifei certainly didn¡¯t want to go home now, but there had to be a destination, "Or shall I take you back to school?"


    Leng Feifei looked out of the window, took a while before saying, "Let¡¯s go to a hotel."


    "You¡¯re nning to stay at a hotel tonight?"


    "Yes, I... I hope you can stay with me." After saying this, Leng Feifei lowered her head, a faint blush on her pretty face.


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes widened, somewhat unable to believe what he had heard. The development of the plot seemed to be a bit unexpected. He thought Leng Feifei would find a quiet ce to sit for a while, perhaps go to a bar to drown her sorrows, but he did not expect her to go straight to the hotel and ask him to apany her.


    What does this mean?


    Could there really be such good luck as pie falling from the sky?


    (If you like it, add to your favorites and rmend it!)

 Chapter 80 - 79 The Pitiful Girl

    <h4>Chapter 80: Chapter 79 The Pitiful Girl</h4><h4></h4>


    "Uh..."


    Ling Chen looked at Leng Feifei¡¯s blushing face, resembling a tempting apple, and he really couldn¡¯t help but want to bite into it. He swallowed and hesitated for a moment, smiling unnaturally, "You might have gotten the wrong idea about me, I... I¡¯m not that kind of casual person."


    Hearing this, Leng Feifei immediately raised her head, both embarrassed and annoyed, "Who¡¯s being casual here? You... Forget it, I don¡¯t want to bother with you, it¡¯s my first time meeting a man who doesn¡¯t take advantage even when it¡¯s offered." After she said that, she stretched her hand to push open the car door, making a move to get out.


    Ling Chen was stunned for a moment; who doesn¡¯t like to take advantage of things? However, this inexplicable opportunity was making him feel uneasy.


    Seeing Leng Feifei already stepping out of the car, he quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her back to the seat.


    "Don¡¯t go yet, let¡¯s talk this out properly."


    Leng Feifei struggled a bit, but Ling Chen¡¯s grip on her arm was tight, and she couldn¡¯t move. She finally gave up resisting and said irritably, "I have nothing else to say to you, just let me get out."


    "Leng Feifei, what kind of attitude is that? I did help you earlier," Ling Chen red, then tried to slow his tone to soothe her mood. "I know you¡¯re feeling wronged, but there¡¯s no need to degrade yourself like this. There are no hurdles in the world that can¡¯t be ovee. There¡¯s a saying, ¡¯Every boat will find its harbor, you can¡¯t see a rainbow without a storm... um, what else is there?"


    He patted his head, trying hard to remember. It had been years since he studied, and he had almost entirely forgotten the teachings his father had imparted.


    Seeing him looking genuinely concerned, yet not quite getting the sayings right, Leng Feifei¡¯s lips twitched, wanting tough but not daring to. "Enough with your ¡¯sayings¡¯, you¡¯re not using them right at all. I wonder if you ever went to school."


    Ling Chen grinned, "You got that right, I¡¯ve never been schooled. You¡¯re a top student at East Sea University, you know these principles better than me. Everyone encounters some difficult times, but if you grit your teeth and persist, these hardships will eventually be part of the past."


    Leng Feifei shook her head, looking deste and distressed, "It¡¯s easy to say, but I... I don¡¯t know how to get over this hurdle."


    "If you don¡¯t mind, perhaps you could talk to me about it. Sharing with someone might make you feel a little better."


    "Actually, there isn¡¯t much to recount; I can only me my bad luck." At this point, Leng Feifei shared her story.


    It turned out that Leng Feifei had lost her parents when she was young and grew up in an orphanage before being fostered by a family in business, specifically by Zheng Guozhong and his son Zheng Guangwu. Zheng Guozhong treated her very well, regard her as his own daughter, and provided for her food, amodation, and schooling. However, unexpectedly, Zheng Guozhong¡¯s business suffered a severe setback, almost reaching the brink of bankruptcy, draining their finances and leaving them deeply in debt.


    Grateful for Zheng Guozhong¡¯s kindness, Leng Feifei stood by their side, working part-time while studying to earn some extra money to help out with household expenses and save some tuition for herself. However, she had an overly optimistic view of human nature. Through a chance encounter, Zheng Guozhong met Qi Jianhui. Qi Jianhui was a major real estate tycoon, undertaking manyrge projects and worth tens of millions, with strong connections in the industry.


    Zheng Guozhong used to deal in building materials. When faced with a big boss like Qi Jianhui, how could he miss such a good opportunity to make aeback? As long as Qi Jianhui was willing to purchase from him, he could make aeback within a few years. However, Zheng Guozhong had nothing left to offer as a gift to Qi Jianhui.


    Just then, Zheng Guozhong had invited Qi Jianhui to his house for a visit, and it happened that Leng Feifei was also there. Qi Jianhui took one look at her and his eyes glistened with desire.


    Leng Feifei, as a top student from East Sea University, had both beauty and brains ¨C traits that would make any man¡¯s heart flutter, especially someone like Qi Jianhui who reeked of money.


    Thus, Qi Jianhui took the opportunity to make an offer to Zheng Guozhong. If Leng Feifei would give herself to him, he would provide Zheng Guozhong with the opportunity to make aeback. Zheng Guozhong, without a second thought, outright refused, dering he would never harm his own daughter.


    Leng Feifei, hiding in her room, overheard the conversation between Zheng Guozhong and Qi Jianhui, and was deeply moved.


    But little did she know, that very night, Zheng Guozhong feigned concern about her studies and brought her a ss of iced juice. Coincidentally, she was feeling unwell that day ¨C it was that time of the month for women, and it wasn¡¯t suitable to drink something cold, so she didn¡¯t touch the juice. A couple of hourster, as she was about to go to sleep, she suddenly heard the voices of two men outside her room, one being Zheng Guozhong and the other Qi Jianhui.


    Leng Feifei overheard their conversation and learned that the juice was drugged. Zheng Guozhong intended to use this opportunity to let Qi Jianhui take advantage of her to fulfill his request.


    At that moment, she felt as if the sky was falling, nearly fainting. The man she trusted said he would not harm her, yet he resorted to such disgraceful means to treat her ¨C how was that different from a beast? She always thought Zheng Guozhong treated her as his own daughter, but reality was cruel, and she deeply felt the danger of human nature.


    That night, after learning the truth, she secretly escaped by climbing out of a window in her house¡¯s backyard. Zheng Guozhong¡¯s actions left her disheartened, and she dared not stay any longer.


    Since then, she never returned home and stayed in the university dormitory. However, Zheng Guodong didn¡¯t let her be, visiting the school every now and then, trying to persuade her with emotions and reason, but each time she refused him, and eventually, she didn¡¯t even want to see him anymore.


    Weeks passed, and Zheng Guozhong stopped harassing her, but Qi Jianhui found her at her workce a few times, only to be turned away by her colleagues. Little did she expect that Zheng Guozhong and Qi Jianhui would show up together, bringing helpers, intending to forcibly take her away.


    After knowing what happened, Ling Chen frowned. Zheng Guozhong was nothing but a beast, treating his adopted daughter so horribly for his own business interests. He felt regret, thinking that he should have severely punished that beast when he had the chance at the mall earlier.


    After pouring out her sorrows, Leng Feifei let out a sigh, her expression much more rxed.


    "Thank you, I feel much better now."


    "There¡¯s no need to be polite. Feifei, since he is so ruthless and unjust, you shouldn¡¯t be merciful with him. If he dares to trouble you again, call me. I¡¯ll handle it for you," Ling Chen said earnestly.


    Leng Feifei¡¯s ordeal was sympathetic, and his willingness to help was purely driven by righteous indignation, without any ulterior motives.


    After a moment, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, "What were you nning to do by asking me toe to the hotel just now?"

 Chapter 81 - 80: Banquet at Yulong Mansion (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 81: Chapter 80: Banquet at Yulong Mansion (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    Hearing him suddenly drop such a question, Leng Feifei was taken aback, her pretty face immediately flushed red, and she stammered, "I was thinking... if my body was no longer pure, maybe they would stop pressuring me."


    Uh... Ling Chen was somewhat dumbfounded; he hadn¡¯t expected Leng Feifei¡¯s reason to be so simple. Had he known this, he would have driven straight to a hotel. s, such a pity, a perfect opportunity to lose his virginity wasted away.


    Seeing his disappointed face, Leng Feifei seemed to see right through him, snorting lightly, "What, are you regretting it now?"


    "Who said that!" Ling Chen snapped back to reality, indignantly saying, "Am I the type of man who takes advantage of others? Feifei, even though Zheng Guozhong is a scumbag, you must believe that there are still good men in this world, like me."


    "You?" Leng Feifei gave him a nce, unmercifully striking back, "I can¡¯t see anything good about you."


    "That¡¯s a problem with your vision." Ling Chen swished the bangs on his forehead, full of confidence, "Just spend more time with me, and sooner orter you¡¯ll notice all the qualities that a good man should have in me."


    "Forget it, I¡¯m not interested in men like you."


    "Why not?"


    "Handsome men are yboys, so it¡¯s better to find a more down-to-earth man to live life with."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen was momentarily speechless, his mouth agape but unable to utter a single word. This woman waspletely unpredictable; is being handsome a crime now? If being handsome is a crime, wouldn¡¯t he be sentenced to life with his looks?


    He shamelessly thought to himself.


    After dropping Leng Feifei off at school, Ling Chen drove back to Qingyun Martial Arts Academy. During the drive, Liu Kun and Nanrong Hao each made a call, inviting him to the Nanrong Family; Nanrong Yong wanted to meet him. However, just the thought of Nanrong Wanqing soured his mood, and he directly rejected the invitations.


    Although he¡¯d admit deep down that Nanrong Wanqing was beautiful, with an ethereal quality that could drive every man who saw her mad, he found that kind of woman too self-important, always acting as if they¡¯re above the rest, and he disliked that feeling.


    Two days passed.


    As night fell, East Sea City, a city that never sleeps, shimmied out of its daytime bustle and indulged in a world rampant with material desires.


    Bars, nightclubs, with a never-ending stream of customers, enjoying the thrills of life, venting the pressures of living.


    Half-past seven.


    Ling Chen put on a sharp suit and got into his ssic old muscle car.


    Apanied by the roaring growl akin to that of a beast, along with its conspicuous appearance, though Ling Chen preferred to keep a low profile, the car¡¯s head-turning rate on the road was an incredible ny-nine percent, extremely shy. As for the remaining one percent, that came from blind people.


    After a twenty-minute drive, Ling Chen finally arrived at his destination, Yulong Mansion.


    Yulong Mansion was a manor with over a hundred years of history, built by the nobility of the past, consuming a vast fortune and covering thousands of square meters. In its day, Yulong Mansion was a ce for the elite to seek pleasure and amuse themselves; however, itter fell into decline and was leased privately, keeping the style of thete Qing period on the outside while the inside waspletely renovated, exuding a luxurious atmosphere everywhere.


    The car arrived at the entrance of Yulong Mansion, and a young valet service attendant immediately came over. He respectfully opened the door with a slight bow, politely saying, "Sir, wee to Yulong Mansion."


    Ling Chen nodded slightly and got out of the car. He straightened the cor of his suit and walked towards the entrance of the mansion.


    At this moment, the parking lot outside the mansion was like a luxury car party, with Ferraris, Porsches, and Bugatti Veyrons... All sorts of famous sports cars from around the world were present, dazzling to the eyes. However, among all the luxury cars, Ling Chen¡¯s muscle car stood out, exceptionally prominent, drawing the attention of many people.


    This dinner was of very high standards, and an invitation was necessary for entry. Ling Chen lingered at the entrance for a while, and soon enough, an imposing middle-aged man with a friendly smile came down the stairs.


    "Hello, are you the Ling Chen that President Liu mentioned?"


    "Yes, I am. Are you Mr. Gao Yuan?"


    "Yes. I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Ling, for making you wait."


    "It¡¯s alright, I have just arrived not long ago."


    This Mr. Gao Yuan was an entrepreneur from East Sea City, a friend of Liu Xiyao. Since Liu Xiyao couldn¡¯t attend the banquet herself, she had Ling Chen go in her ce, but she was worried about him not being ustomed to this kind of high society socializing, so she specifically asked Gao Yuan to apany Ling Chen to avoid any mistakes.


    Entering the mansion, Ling Chen was about to go to the banquet hall apanied by Gao Yuan. But at that moment, the entrance suddenly livened up, with all the guests standing at the door stopping to look back down the stairs.


    Out of curiosity, Ling Chen took a longer look. Suddenly, he saw a Rolls-Royce stopped at the entrance of the mansion, and a familiar figure emerged from the passenger side, gently opening the back door. Subsequently, a woman sitting in a wheelchair was pushed out from the spacious back seat by a man in a suit.


    Nanrong Wanqing!


    Her appearance immediately attracted countless gazes. Her arrival instantly became the focus of everyone at the scene.


    Although Ling Chen had no special fondness for Nanrong Wanqing, he had to admit that whenever and wherever she appeared, Nanrong Wanqing always had the ability to amaze, and this moment was no exception.


    Today, Nanrong Wanqing wasn¡¯t overly adorned. As usual, she wore a simple, elegant white dress and her legs were covered with a thick woolen nket. Her look was fresh and simple, and even without the enhancement of a grand gown, her natural grace was hard to conceal. Her wless features were calm as a still well, as if the heat of early autumn couldn¡¯t melt the frost on her face. A head of jet-ck hair casually draped over her shoulders, while her fair hands gently sped together.


    Under the gaze of the crowd, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s expression remained calm, her bright eyes like a dazzling gxy of stars, seemingly like sereneke surfaces undisturbed by the passing breeze.


    It was this simple, unaffected demeanor that attracted everyone¡¯s attention, making it difficult to look away.


    "Wanqing." At this time, an excited voice rang out.


    Then, a handsome man hurried out from the mansion, it was Zhu Hong.


    As the host of the dinner, Zhu Hong was dressed in a white tailcoat, dignified yet elegant, his handsome face bearing a gentle schrly smile. His deep-set eyes shone with infinite charm, enchanting all who beheld him.


    Seeing Zhu Hong approaching, a soft smile momentarily blossomed on Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s fair and smooth cheeks, like thousands of flowers blooming, exquisitely beautiful.


    Yet, the calmness in her beautiful eyes remained unchanged despite the smile on her face.

 Chapter 82 - 81: Banquet at Yulong Mansion (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 82: Chapter 81: Banquet at Yulong Mansion (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Wanqing, let me take you inside."


    Zhu Hong took over the wheelchair and slowly pushed towards the entrance of the mansion. To wee Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s arrival, he specially installed rails on the stairs outside the mansion. Perhaps Nanrong Wanqing was the only one who received such special treatment.


    "Indeed, as one of East Sea City¡¯s golden flowers, she attracts countless eyes wherever she goes," Gao Yuan said with a heartyugh.


    "Even beautiful flowers have their day of being plucked," Ling Chen responded coolly.


    "Mr. Ling, your words are intriguing. I really want to see who could pluck such a golden flower. But, Mr. Zhu seems to have a good chance, as it¡¯s said that a talented man and a beautiful woman make a perfect match. Don¡¯t they look like a pair made by heaven when together?"


    Ling Chen shrugged, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.


    "Mr. Gao, let¡¯s go inside," suggested Ling Chen.


    "Alright."


    Upon entering the main banquet hall, Ling Chen was immediately shocked by the luxurious decoration.


    The banquet hall was vast, spanning thousands of square meters, and even with hundreds of people, it didn¡¯t feel crowded. The floor was covered with red velvet carpet that felt soft as one walked on it, ensuring that even a fall wouldn¡¯t cause injury. The walls around were made of bright yellow special material, which shone brilliantly under the lighting, resembling a golden pce.


    At the top of the banquet hall hung ten crystal chandeliers, all made from expensive natural crystals, not synthetic ones. The light projected onto the crystals emitted a dazzling brilliance as if countless stars were floating in mid-air.


    Furthermore, five long tables were ced in the center of the hall, covered with a variety of exquisite dishes, and waiters with trays shuffled through the crowd, providing guests with fine wine and gourmet food.


    Ling Chen, having seen many grand scenes, admitted that this was his first time in such a luxurious ce.


    "Mr. Ling, feel free to look around. I¡¯ll go greet some old friends and will find youter."


    "Mr. Gao, go ahead, don¡¯t worry about me."


    After speaking, Ling Chen took a ss of champagne from a server and began strolling through the hall.


    Before long, his attention was caught by a man in the crowd.


    By a long table piled with food stood a fat man in a suit. The suit seemed ill-fitting, stretching tight over his round belly as if the buttons might pop at any moment. He held a ss of red wine in one hand and an unshelled fried shrimp in the other, cing another shrimp in his mouth before even swallowing the first, clearly enjoying himself.


    Ling Chen inwardly muttered, wondering why this person was here.


    After a moment¡¯s thought, he walked over. The fat man was so immersed in relishing his food that he didn¡¯t notice Ling Chen approaching.


    "Hey!" Ling Chen patted his shoulder, startling him and almost causing him to drop his ss of wine.


    He turned around and said in confusion, "What are you doing here?"


    "That¡¯s my line. What are you doing here? You, a middleman for assassins, were invited to the banquet too?"


    The fat man indignantly said, "That¡¯s discrimination! If a security officer like you cane, why can¡¯t I?" he retorted, taking a bite of his sandwich, his mouth greasy.


    "Be honest, what are you really here for? If you don¡¯t tell me, how about I inform the hosts that you¡¯re nning something against the guests?"


    The fat man red, "Are you threatening me?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s lips curled up in a mischievous smile, "What if I am threatening you? What can you do about it? With your physique, you can¡¯t beat me."


    "You... hmph, forget it. I¡¯m generous-hearted and won¡¯t stoop to your level," the fat man said, and after ncing around to ensure no one was paying attention, he whispered, "I¡¯m here to gather intelligence."


    "What intelligence?" Ling Chen asked with interest.


    "I got information that there¡¯s something off with Boyang Pharmaceutical Company. On the surface, it appears to be a pharmaceuticalpany, but secretly, it¡¯s involved in nefarious activities. Thepany¡¯s headquarters is abroad, with massive influence, and now that it¡¯s expanding to the domestic market, I suspect they are looking to widen their influence. So, I came here to scout around and see if I can find any valuable intelligence. Many people are watching thispany, and if I can gather some firsthand intelligence, I could sell it for a good price."


    "Oh?" Ling Chen was surprised. If what the fat man said was true, then Zhu Hong might be involved too.


    "Fat man, are you sure about this? This isn¡¯t something to joke about."


    "If I had solid proof, I wouldn¡¯t have to work so hard toe here," the fat man responded tersely.


    Ling Chen frowned slightly. If what the fat man said was true, he had to be cautious. It wasn¡¯t just about Nanrong Wanqing but because of Nanrong Hao as well. If Zhu Hong was indeed involved in dubious activities, any contact he had with Nanrong Wanqing could eventually impact Nanrong Hao. As Nanrong Hao¡¯s friend, he had to consider his safety.


    "Fat man, if you find anything, don¡¯t forget to let me know."


    "Why? I deal in intelligence. You want to know? Fine, pay me," the fat man said, suddenly bing serious.


    "Last time I asked you to find out where Snake King was, and you¡¯ve done nothing. Don¡¯t forget you still owe me a favor. Do you really want to leave it at that?"


    "Snake King hasn¡¯t contacted me; what can I do? Alright, if I find any evidence, I¡¯ll tell you immediately as repayment for your favor. Deal?"


    "Deal," agreed Ling Chen.


    In the meantime, Zhu Hong wheeled Nanrong Wanqing into the banquet hall.


    Their arrival instantly drew the attention of all the guests. One was the host of the banquet, and the other was one of East Sea City¡¯s golden flowers, naturally drawing interest. Before long, a group of guests surrounded them to greet them.


    Ling Chen diverted his gaze and asked, "Fat man, what do you know about Zhu Hong?"


    "He¡¯s from the Zhu Family of Beijing. He went abroad years ago and dropped off the radar until he suddenly reappeared a while ago. I¡¯ve used many of my overseas contacts, but couldn¡¯t find any information about him. During these past years, it¡¯s as if he vanished from this world. Think about it, if a person has nothing to hide, why would there be no trace of him anywhere?"


    Ling Chen nodded, understanding the situation. Having been in the Ghost Organization, he knew about disappearing without a trace, thanks to the organization¡¯s efforts to erase all his tracks. Therefore, if Zhu Hong managed to achieve this, there must be a significant power backing him.

 Chapter 83 - 82: Banquet at Yulong Mansion (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 83: Chapter 82: Banquet at Yulong Mansion (Part 3)</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen turned his head, and a gaunt face suddenly came into view.


    Tang Yuan?


    He was slightly startled, sized him up from head to toe, looking astonished. Tang Yuan was dressed as a banquet waiter, holding a wine tray high in his right hand, and his left hand behind his back in a standard service posture, looking very professional.


    "Sir, would you like some wine?" Tang Yuan asked, with a polite smile.


    Ling Chen came back to his senses and asked incredulously, "You... what are you doing here?"


    Tang Yuan pointed to his clothes, "Can¡¯t you tell? I got a job as a waiter at Yulong Mansion a couple of days ago. How do I look?"


    Ling Chen looked at him disbelievingly, really thinking this guy could fool him so easily? Seeing the improperly sized pants, he guessed some poor fellow must be lying unconscious in some obscure corner. Tang Yuan probably didn¡¯t know that his secret mission had been seen through. Ling Chen was just curious about Tang Yuan¡¯s purpose here.


    "Hey, is this your friend?" Fatty Hu nced at Tang Yuan, casually ced his empty ss on the tray, picked up a champagne, andmanded with a pompous air, "Go get me a few more drinks."


    Tang Yuan didn¡¯t move, snorting through his nostrils, "Fatty Hu, aren¡¯t you afraid of bursting from drinking so much?"


    Hearing this, Fatty Hu nearly jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, widening his eyes at Tang Yuan, "You... how do you know myst name is Hu?"


    "Hu Fei, don¡¯t think no one knows your real name. I not only know your name, but I¡¯m also very clear about many of your affairs. If you¡¯re interested, perhaps we could find a ce to have a good chat."


    Hu Fei swallowed, his cheeks trembling slightly, betraying his inner unease, "Who exactly are you?"


    "Didn¡¯t I just say? I¡¯m a waiter at Yulong Mansion." Tang Yuan shed a toothy smile, "Sir, would you like any more wine?"


    "No... no more needed, no more needed," Hu Fei quickly waved his hands.


    "Then I¡¯ll be going first, if you need anything just call me, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re satisfied," Tang Yuan said, winked at Ling Chen, then turned and walked into the crowd.


    After watching him leave, Hu Fei, ignoring the table full of delicacies, urgently said, "Ling Chen, who is your friend, how does he know about my matters?"


    "You want to know? Sure, pay up."


    "Money?" Seeing him demanding money, Hu Fei¡¯s face looked pained. Hesitating for a bit, he gritted his teeth and said, "Alright, how much do you want?"


    "Not much, considering we¡¯re friends, I¡¯ll give you a 15% discount, just hand over fifty million."


    "What?" Hu Fei gasped, "You... isn¡¯t this extortion? I don¡¯t have that kind of money."


    Ling Chen spread his hands, "Then there¡¯s nothing to talk about, fifty million is the lowest I can go."


    This price wasn¡¯t blowing things out of proportion. Tang Yuan was part of Ghost Organization, and his profile was top secret. If his identity were exposed, it would mean the ghost would also shed its veil of mystery. Thus, the fifty million was indeed a minimum.


    Hu Fei frustratedly said, "Forget it, you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll find out myself. I don¡¯t believe I can¡¯t uncover his background with my own skills."


    Ling Chen shrugged indifferently, "Take your time. I¡¯m going to walk around." Saying so, he picked up a ss and continued mingling in the crowd.


    The attendees of tonight¡¯s banquet were all notables from East Sea City, including entrepreneurs, government officials, and elites from various fields; the scene was quite lively. However, Ling Chen, not being from this circle and hardly knowing anyone, felt somewhat out of ce. Gao Yuan was busy socializing, leaving him unattended, so he simply found a corner with sofas to sit down and watch the crowd dispassionately.


    Soon, Zhu Hong and Nanrong Wanqing appeared again in his sight.


    Ling Chen casually nced at them, then his eyes were drawn to the several men following behind Zhu Hong. These men, in crisp suits, each equipped with wireless headsets, continually followed closely behind Zhu Hong wherever he went. Judging by their stance and positions, Ling Chen narrowed his eyes slightly.


    Though their positions seemed casual, they were very professional, securely guarding Zhu Hong within their circle. No matter what danger arose, they could react instantly to ensure Zhu Hong¡¯s safety. Moreover, there was a solid and formidable Iron Blood Aura around these men. Compared to them, Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui, who apanied Nanrong Wanqing, seemed much inferior. Furthermore, Zhu Hong¡¯s bodyguards constantly, subtly kept them apart.


    "Wanqing, why did youe alone today, where are Lin and Nanrong Hao? Didn¡¯t I invite them to the dinner?" Zhu Hong asked while pushing the wheelchair.


    "They had somest-minute issues, so they couldn¡¯t make it."


    Mentioning her brother, a hint of helplessness shed in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s beautiful eyes. Ever since Nanrong Hao had stormed out of her office, he hadn¡¯t spoken to her for days, probably still upset over the matter with Ling Chen.


    Zhu Hong smiled, "I wanted to catch up and bond with them, looks like I¡¯ll have to find another opportunity."


    While speaking, a bodyguard quickly walked up to Zhu Hong and whispered a few words. Whatever was said made Zhu Hong¡¯s gaze tighten, then he nodded, waved his hand to send the bodyguard away.


    "Wanqing, I¡¯m sorry but I have some important guests to attend to. Take a look around, and I¡¯lle over to join you soon."


    "No problem, go ahead. You¡¯re the host tonight; don¡¯t neglect the other guests because of me."


    "I¡¯ll be back soon." After saying this, Zhu Hong and his bodyguards hurriedly turned and left.


    Zhong Wei took over the wheelchair, asking, "Madam Chairman, would you like to meet other guests?"


    "No need, I don¡¯t particrly wish to meet anyone. Find a quiet ce for me to stay for a while."


    "Okay." Zhong Wei replied, his gaze sweeping around, then he pushed the wheelchair toward a corner of the banquet hall.


    Upon reaching the corner, the apanying Liang Zhao Hui saw only a young man sitting on a sofa against the wall, his head lowered ying with his phone, never looking up.


    After studying him for a moment, Zhong Wei withdrew his gaze from the young man and pushed the wheelchair to the floor-to-ceiling windows, pulling the curtains aside and opening a sliver at the top of the window.


    Instantly, a crescent moon hung in the night sky, stars dazzling, reminiscent of the bright eyes of Nanrong Wanqing.


    To prevent any disturbances to Nanrong Wanqing, Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui each stepped back a few meters and positioned themselves at the corners, to prevent others from approaching.

 Chapter 84 - 83 Confession

    <h4>Chapter 84: Chapter 83 Confession</h4><h4></h4>


    Sitting in front of the transparent floor-to-ceiling window, Nanrong Wanqing was looking outside, with a clear view of the street opposite.


    Under the dim streetlights, a little girl and a little boy were frolicking and horsing around, their faces brimming with joyful smiles. The girl was a head taller than the boy, gracefully beautiful. They bore a slight resemnce to each other, probably siblings.


    Just then, in their chase, the little boy identally tripped over the curb steps and tumbled to the ground, crying loudly.


    Upon seeing this, the little girl hurried over, helped the boy up from the ground. Then, she gently blew on the boy¡¯s scraped knee twice and indulgently pulled his head into her embrace, murmuring something that could not be made out.


    In a short while, the tears of the little boy gradually ceased, reced byughter through his sobs.


    Watching this heartwarming scene, a slight wetness appeared at the corners of Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s eyes as her memory instantly traveled back to her childhood.


    Back then, she and Nanrong Hao were just like the siblings by the street. Without the care of their parents, as the elder sister, she tried hard to protect Nanrong Hao and shield him from bullying. Whenever Nanrong Hao felt sad or troubled, she would stay by his side to encourage and take care of him.


    As they grew older, Nanrong Yong ced high hopes on Nanrong Hao, wishing to mold him into the sessor of Hongyu Group. Unfortunately, Nanrong Hao had no interest in the business, and despite the years that passed, he remained unchanged, his character growing more and more rebellious.


    As a sister, she could only shoulder the responsibilities of the Nanrong family for Nanrong Hao. Even though people outside praised her as a prodigy, managing such argepany at such a young age, who really knew the bitterness in her heart?


    Perhaps she had a talent in this area, but she also paid a heavy price for it. Since the age of fifteen, she had not a single moment of leisure. When Nanrong Hao did not return all night, she was in her room reading bymp light, learning how to manage the business. When Nanrong Hao went out to have fun, she was interning at thepany, familiarizing herself with the operations.


    Often, she was tired and weary, but she could only force herself to keep going because she couldn¡¯t afford to give up, nor did she allow herself to. All this should have been Nanrong Hao¡¯s duty, but now ity solely upon her shoulders.


    Over the years, her hard work finally paid off, with Hongyu Group thriving under her management. However, this did not cheer her up; what she truly cared about was her brother, Nanrong Hao.


    To help Nanrong Hao grow, she tried every method, even resorting to force. But not only were her efforts fruitless, they even made Nanrong Hao increasingly fearful of her.


    After countless disappointments, she hadpletely given up on Nanrong Hao. She knew in her heart that the Nanrong family could not rely on Nanrong Hao, and that she would have to continue her vigil. More than once, she thought of remaining unmarried for life, silently staying with the Nanrong family until someone could take over the burden of Hongyu Group from her hands.


    However, the change in Nanrong Hao that day ignited a glimmer of hope in her heart.


    Perhaps the methods she used before were too aggressive, and it was time to let someone else have a try.


    At this moment, Ling Chen sitting on the sofa was somewhat speechless. He didn¡¯t wish to see Nanrong Wanqing, yet Nanrong Wanqing had appeared before him. He slightly turned his head and swept a nce at Nanrong Wanqing from the corner of his eye.


    She sat quietly in her wheelchair, looking up at the window. A breeze from outside grazed by, stirring the hair behind her, dancing lightly.


    Just then, the banquet hall¡¯s lights suddenly dimmed, and the soft moonlight shone in from the window, casting directly upon Nanrong Wanqing. Dressed in a simple white gown, Nanrong Wanqing seemed like a celestial being fallen from the heavens, aloof and solitary, as if she were alone in her world.


    Suddenly, he noticed a tearful sparkle in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s eyes.


    Crying?


    Ling Chen was taken aback, somewhat incredulous.


    In his mind, Nanrong Wanqing had always been a strong woman with a resolute character and a powerful heart. But when that teardrop glistened, he felt his heartstrings lightly plucked.


    A woman... no matter how strong, ultimately has her vulnerabilities shielded behind a strong exterior. Such a woman would never easily reveal her fragility; only in the quiet of the night would she open her heart and release her true emotions.


    Ling Chen silently withdrew his gaze, his mind filled with mixed emotions.


    Despite Nanrong Wanqing sitting a few meters away, he could sense the fluctuations in her emotions; that fleeting tear dismantled the strong image of Nanrong Wanqing in his mind.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, good evening."


    At this moment, Zhu Hong¡¯s clear voice resonated from the banquet hall¡¯s sound system. Simultaneously, a gentle light descended from above, shining directly on Zhu Hong, turning him into the focus of everyone¡¯s attention.


    "Tonight we have invited everyone here to celebrate the sessful establishment of Boyang Pharmaceutical Company in East Sea City. Many of you here might not know me, so allow me to introduce myself. My name is Zhu Hong, and I am the domestic head of Boyang Pharmaceutical Company. First, I would like to thank everyone for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend tonight¡¯s banquet. I hope that in the future we can work together for mutual development. Secondly, I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to a certain individual."


    Zhu Hong cleared his throat and continued, "Over the years, as I struggled abroad alone, enduring many failures and setbacks, there was always someone I would think of during those times. She gave me the strength to keep going, never easily choosing to give up. I told myself that I must make something of myself, not to disappoint myself or her. After years of hard work, I have finally realized my dream. Today, here, I want to tell her personally, in all those years I was away, I¡¯ve never forgotten you. In my heart, you¡¯ve always upied the most important ce. Even if the seas dry up and rocks crumble, my feelings for you will not change."


    As his words ended, all eyes shifted to Nanrong Wanqing.


    Although Zhu Hong had not specifically named anyone, judging from his prior actions, the woman he spoke of was almost certainly Nanrong Wanqing.


    For a moment, the young women present watched Nanrong Wanqing with eyes filled with envy, jealousy, and resentment. Such a capable, handsome, and wealthy man was almost every woman¡¯s dream of a prince charming. Now, Nanrong Wanqing seemed to have him all to herself; how could they not be disappointed?

 Chapter 85 - 84: Rejection

    <h4>Chapter 85: Chapter 84: Rejection</h4><h4></h4>


    "Wanqing."


    Under Zhu Hong¡¯s gentle call, a spotlight simultaneously fell upon Nanrong Wanqing.


    With everyone¡¯s gaze fixed on her, Zhu Hong stepped forward and walked straight towards Nanrong Wanqing. The spotlight above him followed his steps, slowly moving.


    Watching Zhu Hong approaching, Ling Chen smirked. Making a deep confession in public, he really had to hand it to him. However, such sudden romance was likely irresistible to any woman. With this thought, he couldn¡¯t help but sneak a peek at Nanrong Wanqing to see her reaction.


    At this moment, hearing the footsteps behind her growing closer, Nanrong Wanqing wheeled around to face the approaching Zhu Hong.


    "Wanqing..." Zhu Hong stared affectionately at the beauty before him, "I know this may be abrupt, but I can¡¯t control my feelings for you. I just want to tell you, as long as you¡¯re willing, I will always be by your side, to cherish you, to protect you, to prevent you from any harm."


    Nanrong Wanqing looked back at him, her eyes as calm as ever, without the slightest ripple of emotion. After a moment of silence, under the anticipation of the crowd, she parted her lips and spoke softly, "Is this the surprise you prepared for me?"


    Zhu Hong, with his intoxicating smile, crouched before her, his tone gentle, "Since time was limited, my preparations aren¡¯t thoroughlyprehensive. But that¡¯s not important. What matters most is letting you know my feelings. Wanqing, I¡ª"


    "I think you might have misunderstood. I only see you as a friend, nothing more." Nanrong Wanqing said in a light tone, as though discussing something unrted to her.


    At her response, Zhu Hong was momentarily stunned, swallowing back the words he had prepared.


    Before making this decision, he had considered various possibilities, but he had never imagined Nanrong Wanqing would reject him so directly, without sparing any face for him. In his view, even if Nanrong Wanqing were to reject him, she would convey it tactfully, allowing him some dignity. However, he didn¡¯t expect Nanrong Wanqing to refuse him. After all, they had known each other for years, childhood friends who grew up together. Although it had been several years since theyst saw each other, their past affection was still profound.


    Moreover, he was confident in himself. Over the years, with his looks and graceful demeanor, any woman he set his sights on couldn¡¯t escape his control.


    Coming back to his senses, he hurriedly said, "Wanqing, my feelings for you¡ª"


    "There¡¯s no need to say more." Nanrong Wanqing cut him off, her voice cold, a hint of annoyance visible in her eyes, "I think I¡¯ve made my attitude quite clear. If there¡¯s nothing else, then I will take my leave now. Thank you for your hospitality tonight."


    At this point, the guests in the banquet hall whispered amongst themselves, originally thinking that Nanrong Wanqing would ept, only to see her reject him outright,nding Zhu Hong in an awkward situation.


    Tsk!


    At that moment, a mockingughter suddenly entered Zhu Hong¡¯s ears. He furrowed his brows slightly and turned to look, finding the source of theughter was the young man sitting on the sofa.


    Feeling Zhu Hong¡¯s gaze upon him, Ling Chen slowly raised his head, meeting Zhu Hong¡¯s eyes with a hint of amusement. Nanrong Wanqing was indeed Nanrong Wanqing, rejecting others so unapologetically. He couldn¡¯t help butugh; Zhu Hong was truly asking for it. He wanted to y at romance, but ended up losing face instead.


    However, he could understand why Nanrong Wanqing was so merciless.


    Zhu Hong¡¯s public confession wasn¡¯t purely motivated. If the two shared deep affection, then naturally, it would go without saying, everything would fall into ce. But the thing is, Zhu Hong¡¯s rtionship with Nanrong Wanqing existed only in the past, not the present. His public disy of affection was simply to show everyone that Nanrong Wanqing was his target, warning others not to covet her. In addition, Zhu Hong was leveraging the situation. In his view, with so many powerful figures gathered together, Nanrong Wanqing would consider his dignity and couldn¡¯t bear to reject him.


    However, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s character was unique and unconventional; she couldn¡¯t be judged with the same perspective as an ordinary woman.


    With Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s intelligence, she likely saw through Zhu Hong¡¯s motives, hence her cold demeanor.


    "Is it you?"


    Under the dim lights, Zhu Hong fixed his gaze on the young man on the sofa, his eyes immediately shing with a trace of coldness. At this moment, Nanrong Wanqing also noticed Ling Chen, surprise flickering in her beautiful eyes.


    Why is he here?


    Ling Chen said with a smile, "You have a good memory, remembering who I am."


    "Did youe with Wanqing? I didn¡¯t see you when you entered just now."


    "What, she didn¡¯t tell you? I have resigned from the Nanrong family, I have nothing to do with her now."


    "Is that so?" Zhu Hong crossed his arms behind his back, strode up to Ling Chen, and looked down at him, his voice cold and distant, "Then how did you get in here? I don¡¯t recall inviting you to the banquet."


    Ling Chen opened his mouth, about to speak, but before he could utter a word, he saw Gao Yuan quickly approaching through the crowd.


    "Mr. Zhu, please don¡¯t misunderstand. Mr. Ling is a shareholder of Qingyuan Club. President Liu couldn¡¯te in person, so he asked Mr. Ling to attend tonight¡¯s dinner on his behalf."


    After hearing his exnation, Zhu Hong was a bit displeased, not expecting Ling Chen to be a shareholder of Qingyuan Club. Having just been rejected by Nanrong Wanqing, and now having to endure Ling Chen¡¯s sneer, he was seething with rage, wishing he could vent his anger.


    However, now that he knew Ling Chen was officially invited to the dinner, he could only forcefully suppress his anger. Taking a deep breath, he put a slight smile back on his face and appeared gentle once again.


    "Mr. Ling, I apologize, I lost myposure just now. Please forgive me. I have other matters to attend to, please enjoy yourself."


    Watching Zhu Hong turn and leave, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly.


    This guy... is not simple.


    He had clearly felt Zhu Hong¡¯s anger, but in just a few words, the man had managed to suppress it and act as if nothing happened, revealing the depth of Zhu Hong¡¯s scheming.


    Such people are often the most dangerous.


    However, he also found it strange, since Zhu Hong was so cunning, why would he confess to Nanrong Wanqing at a time when he wasn¡¯t fully confident.


    "Ling Chen, that¡¯s not cool of you. We were standing right beside you, and you didn¡¯t even say hello. Do you not consider us friends?"


    Liang Zhao Hui¡¯s voice rang out, pulling Ling Chen back to the present. Heughed awkwardly, "I was looking at my phone just now and didn¡¯t notice you."


    Liang Zhao Hui and Zhong Wei knew he was making excuses, but they didn¡¯t make a big deal out of it. They were very aware that the main reason Ling Chen didn¡¯t greet them was because of Nanrong Wanqing.


    During their conversation, Nanrong Wanqing was seen pushing a wheelchair over.


    Seeing this, Zhong Wei quickly walked over and said, "Chairman, let me take you back."


    "No need. You go ahead and sit over there; I have something to say to Ling Chen."


    Hearing this, Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui exchanged awkward nces at Ling Chen. Didn¡¯t their chairman really dislike Ling Chen? Why was she now actively seeking to talk to him? Despite their curiosity, when Nanrong Wanqing spoke, they didn¡¯t dare refuse and quickly stepped aside.


    Looking at the woman in front of him, who seemed as if she had stepped out of a painting, Ling Chen leaned casually on the sofa and asked nonchntly, "Miss Nanrong, do you have something to discuss with me?"

 Chapter 86 - 85 Apology

    <h4>Chapter 86: Chapter 85 Apology</h4><h4></h4>


    Nanrong Wanqing gazed at Ling Chen, her beautiful eyes flickering, seemingly brewing her words. Seeing her hesitant to speak, Ling Chen grew impatient. What did this woman want with him if she wasn¡¯t going to talk? With this thought, he leaned forward, ready to stand up.


    "I¡¯m sorry."


    Just then, three light and indistinct words reached his ears.


    What?


    Ling Chen sharply turned his head, looking at Nanrong Wanqing with surprise, somewhat doubtful whether he had misheard. Was she apologizing to him?


    Slightly dazed, he opened his mouth and said, "Miss Nanrong, did I hear wrong, or did you misspeak?"


    "You didn¡¯t hear wrong, and I didn¡¯t say anything wrong." Nanrong Wanqing lowered her head slightly, her fingers tightly intertwined, "I was wrong about what happenedst time, and I hope you can ept my apology."


    Ling Chen was surprised; he had never thought that Nanrong Wanqing would apologize to him. However, seeing is believing, not only had he heard her, but now he also saw it with his own eyes.


    His mind whirled, and he leaned back a little, sitting down on the sofa again.


    "Miss Nanrong, the past is the past; I didn¡¯t take it to heart. Moreover, I no longer work for the Nanrong family, so there¡¯s no need for you to apologize to me."


    "If you refuse to ept my apology, it means you still haven¡¯t forgiven me." As she finished speaking, a hint of hesitation shed in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s beautiful eyes, then as if she had made up her mind, her gaze immediately hardened, "What do you want for you to ept my apology?"


    This...


    Ling Chen was momentarily rendered speechless, feeling incredibly strange. Today¡¯s Nanrong Wanqing seemed different from before. She would usually try to avoidmunicating with him, much less say something like this.


    With this thought, his eyes shifted, and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly, carrying a mischievous smirk, "Miss Nanrong, do you mean I can make any request I want?"


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded gently.


    For an instant, countless thoughts surged through Ling Chen¡¯s mind, including some that were not so pure. However, he quickly cast those thoughts aside. If he really epted Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s conditions, wouldn¡¯t it make him appear petty, as if hecked even the most basic magnanimity?


    What¡¯s more, he had always been a magnanimous person. Since Nanrong Wanqing had already apologized, and her attitude seemed sincere, why would he quibble with her?


    Right then, he smiled slightly, "Miss Nanrong, let¡¯s forget the conditions, I ept your apology."


    "Thank you." After speaking, Nanrong Wanqing turned to call Zhong Wei over.


    "Chairman, do you have any orders?"


    "My safety will continue to be Ling Chen¡¯s responsibility, you just provide support."


    Hearing this, Zhong Wei¡¯s eyes brightened, and he quickly replied, "Yes, Chairman."


    "Hey, hey, hey!" Ling Chen panicked, "Miss Nanrong, I didn¡¯t say I¡¯d return to work at Hongyu Group."


    "Since you are willing to ept my apology, it indicates you are ready to return to the Nanrong family without harboring past grievances."


    "That is a separate matter; it can¡¯t be conted," Ling Chen said. Ever since he had voluntarily resigned, he hadn¡¯t thought about returning to the Nanrong family.


    "Ling Chen..." Zhong Wei started to say something in persuasion, but before he could finish, Nanrong Wanqing gestured to him to keep silent. Zhong Wei immediately closed his mouth, tactfully retreating to Liang Zhao Hui¡¯s side.


    "Miss Nanrong, others are handling your security, one more or less person doesn¡¯t make a difference. Besides, that job is too restrictive and doesn¡¯t suit my temperament; I prefer freedom."


    "My main reason for asking you back is not because of my personal safety, but for the sake of Nanrong Hao."


    "Haozi?" Ling Chen was a bit confused. What did this have to do with Nanrong Hao?


    "Nanrong Hao is the eldest grandson of the Nanrong family and the future heir of Hongyu Group. Although I am running thepany now, I am, after all, a woman. This heavy burden will eventually have to be handed over to Nanrong Hao. Having been around Nanrong Hao for so long, you must be well aware of what kind of person he is. The current Nanrong Hao is not yet fit for great responsibility because he is too gentle,cks a sense of duty, so I hope you can help me change him."


    Ling Chen chuckled and said, "Miss Nanrong, have you got the wrong person? You are his sister; I am just an outsider."


    "It¡¯s precisely because you are an outsider that Nanrong Hao doesn¡¯t reject you. I can see that Nanrong Hao trusts you a lot, and the recent changes in him are all because of you. The Nanrong family is not blessed with many children, and a man must step forward in the future. My grandfather is too ill to rely on, so Nanrong Hao is our only hope. If you can get Nanrong Hao to pull himself together, I will agree to any conditions you set."


    After listening to Nanrong Wanqing, Ling Chen felt the determination, the expectation, and a faint plea in her words, and he was inwardly moved.


    Only at this moment did he somewhat revise his opinion of Nanrong Wanqing, even feeling a bit of sympathy for her.


    This woman, sitting in a wheelchair, frail as a breeze, carried the heavy responsibility of the Nanrong family on her small shoulders, a burden that should have been bore by Nanrong Hao. But he knew Nanrong Hao too well; even if this responsibility were handed to him, he wouldn¡¯t be able to bear it.


    Nanrong Wanqing was acutely aware of this, so with no choice, she had to take on the weight for Nanrong Hao. All the while, she hoped that one day Nanrong Hao would grow up. Unfortunately, her brother was indeed disappointing.


    "Ling Chen."


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s voice rose, and Ling Chen looked up, his expression hesitant.


    "Miss Nanrong, Nanrong Hao is my friend, and I will help where I can, but there¡¯s no need for me to return to the Nanrong family."


    "When Nanrong Hao learned that you had resignedst time, he was very upset and hasn¡¯t spoken to me for days. If you don¡¯te back, I don¡¯t think he will forgive me. Ling Chen, I know what you¡¯re concerned about. This time I¡¯m asking you back, not just for my safety, but mostly for Nanrong Hao. I can grant you the greatest freedom, without making you feel constrained by the Nanrong family."


    "Miss Nanrong, to be frank, I never thought of returning when I chose to leave. However, since you¡¯re thinking of Nanrong Hao, let me consider it more, and I¡¯ll give you an answer after I¡¯ve thought it through."


    "Alright, you have my phone number, you can call me anytime after you¡¯ve decided."


    While Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing were conversing, in the VIP room of the banquet hall, Zhu Hong sat on a soft leather sofa, holding a ss of red wine in his hand, his gaze cold, exuding an oppressive feeling without saying a word.


    "Has Wanqing left?"


    It took a while before he spoke to someone beside him.


    Seeing his gloomy expression, his subordinate cautiously replied, "No, she¡¯s talking with Ling Chen."


    "Ling Chen? Hmph!" Zhu Hong smashed the wine ss onto the ground, his face full of rage.

 Chapter 87 - 86: Snake King Appears (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 87: Chapter 86: Snake King Appears (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    "What¡¯s with the big blowup?"


    Suddenly, a voice came from the lounge next to the VIP room.


    Mr. Zhu¡¯s gaze sharpened instantly, and he waved his hand, "Everyone leave, no one is allowed to enter without my permission."


    "Yes."


    After the bodyguards left, a man slowly stepped out of the lounge. However, his attire was rather unusual; adorned in a red trench coat, a hood over his head, and hands tucked in his pockets, his entire figure was concealed. The only identifiable feature was his height - nearly one meter ny, his head almost touching the door frame.


    The man walked over to the sofa, picked up a bottle of red wine from the table and remarked, "¡¯82 Lafite, Zhu Hong, you really know how to enjoy it."


    Zhu Hong¡¯s face turned steely, "What are you trying to say?"


    "I just want to remind you, the money for the banquet, as well as these wines, who paid for them. The support from above was strong when you returned to the country, giving you everything you wanted, but don¡¯t forget your mission. The issue with the little girl hasn¡¯t been settled and you¡¯ve lost so many men, this made people from the top quite unhappy. However, I can understand you, He Ziyun is indeed a tough nut to crack, so I pleaded on your behalf in front of them, urging them to grant you some more time."


    "Rest assured, I will handle that matter as soon as possible."


    "I believe you¡¯ll take it seriously. But remember, your task isn¡¯t just that. Setting aside the little girl for a moment, the matter regarding Nanrong Wanqing must be resolved soon, the people on top are getting impatient, and have urged me several times. Zhu Hong, you voluntarily took on this mission at the beginning, iming you could get the thing in a short time. Yet, nearly half a month has passed without any progress. Don¡¯t me me for urging you, people above have no patience, and neither do I. I¡¯m giving you one more month, if you can¡¯t take care of it by then, then I¡¯ll have to personally intervene."


    Zhu Hong frowned slightly, "What do you intend to do?"


    "It¡¯s simple, use our usual method. Capture her directly, and use harsh interrogation, she¡¯ll talk eventually."


    Zhu Hong stood up abruptly, his eyes sharp, "No, I won¡¯t allow you to harm her."


    The man slightly lifted his head, his gaze ntingly sweeping over him, his tone carrying a trace of disdain, "You won¡¯t allow? Zhu Hong, don¡¯t forget who you are. You don¡¯t have the right to say such a thing in front of me. Sit down, you know I don¡¯t like looking up at people."


    Zhu Hong clenched his fists, mes of rage flickering in his eyes. However, after hesitating for a moment, he eventually sat down.


    The man in front of him was someone he couldn¡¯t afford to provoke, at least not yet.


    "Did you find out who was behind the assassination attempt on Wanqingst time?"


    "What does it have to do with me, anyway? It wasn¡¯t our doing. It¡¯s normal for the Nanrong family, with such arge enterprise, to have several enemies."


    "Aren¡¯t you afraid she¡¯ll be killed? By then, we wouldn¡¯t be able to get what we want at all."


    "It¡¯s better if she dies. There is still Nanrong Hao in the Nanrong family. If Nanrong Wanqing dies, Nanrong Hao will definitely take over Hongyu Group, and I heard that Nanrong Hao is a useless freeloader without real skills. If Hongyu falls into his hands, it¡¯ll make our job much easier. Zhu Hong, I know your rtionship with Nanrong Wanqing, if you don¡¯t want her to get hurt, you better hurry up andplete the mission. As long as the item is in our hands, we won¡¯t touch a hair on her head."


    "I understand, I will hand over the item within a month."


    "Good, I¡¯ll be waiting for your good news."


    Just as the sound cut off, the lights in the VIP room suddenly dimmed, plunging everything into darkness.


    Bang!


    Simultaneously, a crashing sound broke through the door, followed by tense voices.


    "Mr. Zhu, are you okay?"


    "I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry."


    After two or three seconds, the lights in the VIP room came back on. Except for Zhu Hong, the man from before had disappeared, and no one knew how he left.


    "What just happened?"


    "I guess there was a power outage; now we¡¯re using backup power."


    "Go ask the staff of Yulong Mansion, there are so many guests in the banquet hall, make sure nothing goes wrong."


    At this moment, in the banquet hall, everyone was discussing the sudden ckout. The manager of Yulong Mansion hurried over from outside, exining the situation to everyone.


    "I¡¯m very sorry, there was a problem with the wiring just now. On behalf of Yulong Mansion, I apologize for the inconvenience caused to everyone. Please rest assured, the backup power has been activated, and you can continue to enjoy..."


    "Ah!!!"


    Suddenly, a piercing scream rose from the crowd.


    "Dead... there¡¯s a dead person..."


    Dead person?


    Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed slightly, and he quickly stood up and walked towards the crowd. After taking a few steps, he turned back and reminded, "Captain Zhong, please protect Miss Nanrong."


    "Got it." Zhong Wei responded, positioning himself next to Liang Zhao Hui, nking Nanrong Wanqing.


    As he pushed through the crowd, Ling Chen saw a man lying on the ground, bleeding profusely from his abdomen, his body twitching slightly, still breathing.


    Hu Fei?


    When he recognized the man¡¯s face, his heart skipped a beat, it was Hu Fei.


    Coming back to his senses, he quickly took off his suit jacket, pressed it against Hu Fei¡¯s wound to stop the bleeding, and shouted at the bystanders, "What are you staring at? Call an ambnce right now."


    "How is he?"


    At this moment, Tang Yuan rushed over from the crowd, looking at the pale-faced, weak-breathing Hu Fei, frowning deeply.


    "Not good, I¡¯m afraid he won¡¯tst until the ambnce arrives."


    "You keep an eye on him, I¡¯ll figure something out." After speaking, Tang Yuan squeezed through the crowd and hurried away. In no time, he returned with the emergency kit provided by the Mansion.


    Seeing Hu Fei¡¯s eyes gradually losing their vitality, Ling Chen pped his cheeks vigorously, shouting, "Fatty, wake up, don¡¯t sleep."


    Hu Fei, half-squinting, his lips turning white, managed to utter a word unclearly: "Snake... snake..."


    Ling Chen raised his eyebrows, "You mean Snake King?"


    "Snake King at the banquet?" Tang Yuan eximed in shock, blurting out, "This is bad, Nanrong Wanqing is in danger."


    Ling Chen saw all the worry disyed by Tang Yuan. At this moment, Tang Yuan¡¯s reaction confirmed his suspicions.


    Tang Yuan¡¯s target was indeed Nanrong Wanqing, it seems he was here to ensure her safety. No wonder he saidst time he wasing to join him; it turns out he wanted to take this opportunity to get close to Nanrong Wanqing, and nothing justifies protecting a target more than being her security.


    However, he was somewhat puzzled, why would the Ghost Organization care about the safety of Nanrong Wanqing. If it were just because of a Snake King, the Ghost Organization wouldn¡¯t interfere.


    Could it be that there are secrets about Nanrong Wanqing that he doesn¡¯t know?

 Chapter 88 - 87: Snake King Appears (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 88: Chapter 87: Snake King Appears (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    As he pondered, Tang Yuan had already swiftly treated Hu Fei¡¯s wounds and stopped the bleeding.


    Watching Hu Fei¡¯s breathing grow weaker, Ling Chen frowned to himself. Snake King was truly ruthless, stabbing him five times.


    Hu Fei was the middleman for Snake King, responsible for providing him with intelligence and equipment. When he was casually chatting with Hu Fei earlier, he must¡¯ve been seen by Snake King, who had infiltrated the banquet hall. Thinking that Hu Fei had betrayed him, he made his move in the shadows, wanting to exact revenge on Hu Fei.


    Although Hu Fei dealt in the business of intelligence and assassins, he too had forces backing him. More precisely, it was an alliance formed by middlemen, known as the Secret Society, tasked with upholding the interests of people like Hu Fei.


    Being a middleman seems morous, but in reality, they bear great risks since they often have to deal with assassins and mercenaries, all of whom are ruthless killers. A slight misstep could cost them their lives.


    To prevent such incidents, the Secret Society was formed. If a middleman is killed without just cause, the Secret Society would send someone to seek justice.


    As long as those involved break the rules, be they assassins or mercenaries, regardless of the powers behind them, the Secret Society would pursue the matter relentlessly and without mercy. Moreover, anyone targeted by the Secret Society could not hide or disguise themselves; they would be hunted down and dealt an eye for an eye.


    Thus, the Secret Society became an entity that all factions dared not provoke.


    However, if a middleman betrays their employer or assassin, the Secret Society would no longer offer protection.


    It was for this reason that Snake King dared toy hands on Hu Fei, for he knew that the Secret Society wouldn¡¯t trouble him.


    "Ling Chen, you go protect Miss Nanrong. Leave the fatty to me."


    Seeing Tang Yuan speak up, Ling Chen nodded without a word and stood up to head towards Nanrong Wanqing.


    "Ling Chen, what¡¯s happened, who¡¯s dead?"


    "Captain Zhong, stop asking so many questions, get Miss Nanrong out of here immediately. Snake King has already infiltrated the banquet hall, he could strike at any moment."


    "Snake King?"


    Zhong Ping and Liang Zhao Hui¡¯s expressions suddenly changed.


    "Wanqing, Wanqing."


    Right at this moment, Zhu Hong arrived quickly with several bodyguards.


    "Wanqing, I heard someone was hurt, are you okay?"


    "I¡¯m fine."


    Zhu Hong breathed a sigh of relief, then turned to the bodyguards beside him and ordered, "You guys, from now on, stick close to Miss Nanrong and don¡¯t leave her side for a second, got it?"


    "Yes, Mr. Zhu."


    "It¡¯s not necessary." Nanrong Wanqing spoke lightly, "My own people will ensure my safety; there¡¯s no need for you to worry."


    "Miss Wanqing, I know you¡¯re still angry with me, but now¡¯s not the time to be stubborn. Your safety is of utmost importance." He said, and then nced at Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui, "Miss Wanqing, no offense to your men, but when ites topetency, they are not at the level of my bodyguards. I can only rest assured if they apany you."


    Hearing this, Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui¡¯s faces instantly soured, as anyone would feel maligned by such a remark.


    "Mr. Zhu, we¡¯ve been protecting the chairman for more than a day or two, and the chairman understands our capabilities best. However, I don¡¯t think you have any right to evaluate us."


    Seeing Zhong Wei speak up, Zhu Hong, without another word, gestured to one of his bodyguards. Thetter understood immediately, stepping towards Zhong Ping with a slight smirk of disdain curling at his mouth.


    "First time meeting, please advise." He said, stretching out his right hand.


    Zhong Wei immediately grasped the man¡¯s intention and, without showing weakness, stretched out his hand, both powerful hands sping tightly.


    However, within mere seconds, sweat began to bead on Zhong Wei¡¯s forehead, his arms trembled slightly, and his thick lips pressed into a line. To any observant onlooker, it was clear that Zhong Wei was at a disadvantage against the bodyguard.


    "Enough!"


    Nanrong Wanqing said coldly.


    The bodyguard looked back at Zhu Hong, and seeing the boss nod, he finally let go and stepped back.


    "I have already witnessed your abilities on behalf of Mr. Zhu, and to be honest,pared to us, you¡¯re not yet qualified."


    Zhong Wei clenched his teeth, his face filled with reluctance. However, his nearly numb right hand prevented him from uttering a word, and he could only cast a pleading look towards Ling Chen.


    Mr. Zhu looked appreciatively at his bodyguard and said with a slight smile, "Wanqing, you see, I really can¡¯t rest assured about your safety being in their hands. It¡¯s better if one of my people stays with you."


    "Your people are very impressive? No disrespect, but none of your subordinates are noteworthy in my eyes."


    An unexpected statement drew everyone¡¯s attention to Ling Chen.


    "You?" Mr. Zhu¡¯s gaze turned slightly cold, but he maintained a gentle smile on his handsome face due to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s presence, "Mr. Ling, if I remember correctly, you resigned from Hongyu Group."


    Ling Chen grinned, "Mr. Zhu, your information is outdated. Miss Nanrong has just invited me back to Hongyu Group. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask her."


    "Wanqing..."


    "He¡¯s right," said Nanrong Wanqing indifferently, her beautiful eyes shing with light.


    Ling Chen pointed at the bodyguard who had just shaken hands with Zhong Wei, "You,e here."


    "What for?"


    "Nothing much, it¡¯s our first meeting¡ªplease teach me." As he spoke, Ling Chen extended his hand.


    Seeing this, the bodyguard hesitated. Without a word from Mr. Zhu, he didn¡¯t dare to decide on his own.


    "Since Mr. Ling wants to see your capabilities, why don¡¯t you indulge him a bit?" Mr. Zhumented lukewarmly.


    As the two hands sped, it took just a second for the bodyguard¡¯s face to change color, his lips twitching incessantly. His arm trembled subtly as he tried to pull his hand away. Unfortunately, in front of Ling Chen, all efforts were futile.


    Ling Chen watched him with a smile, his grip growing tighter, to the point where the faint sound of bones cracking could be heard.


    "That¡¯s... that¡¯s enough..."


    Finally unable to bear the pain, the bodyguard wiped the sweat from his forehead with his left hand and spoke up.


    "What¡¯s that? I have poor hearing, speak up."


    "Let... let go... please..."


    At this moment, the bodyguard¡¯s voice shook, his face almost distorted, and he was on the verge of crying.


    Seeing that Ling Chen had no intention of releasing the grip, Mr. Zhu¡¯s face turned livid, "Mr. Ling, that¡¯s quite enough."


    "Mr. Zhu has spoken, how could I notply?" Ling Chen said with a smile, then rxed his fingers and withdrew his hand.


    The bodyguard quickly covered his now crimson and immobile right hand with his left, clenching his teeth and enduring the agony, turning to walk back towards Mr. Zhu.


    "Buddy, remember, keep a low profile in life. Arrogant people never end well." Ling Chen said, casting a meaningful nce at Mr. Zhu.


    "Mr. Zhu, you should feel reassured about Miss Nanrong¡¯s safety now, shouldn¡¯t you? If you¡¯re still not at ease, I don¡¯t mind getting acquainted with all your bodyguards, to exchange some feelings."


    Mr. Zhu snorted lightly, knowing he would gain no advantage against Ling Chen and simply ignored him.


    "Wanqing, be careful, and give me a call when you get home, so I can rest assured."


    Before Nanrong Wanqing could speak, Ling Chen took over the conversation, "Mr. Zhu, if it weren¡¯t for you holding us up and wasting so much time, we would have been safely home by now. If there¡¯s nothing else, please step aside, we have to go."


    Hearing the mocking tone in Ling Chen¡¯s words, a surge of anger swelled in Mr. Zhu¡¯s eyes, nearly exploding with rage.


    "Ling Chen, you..."


    Boom!


    Suddenly, a loud explosion erupted in the middle of the banquet hall, drowning out Mr. Zhu¡¯s voice. Following the st, white smoke billowed and spread, plunging the entire banquet hall into darkness as the lights went out.

 Chapter 89 - 88: Big Guy (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 89: Chapter 88: Big Guy (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    This sudden change shocked all the guests present, causing them to rush outside. However, the banquet hall was pitch dark, and one could hardly see their own hands. Soon, many guests fell to the ground in the chaos, their cries continuous.


    "Who is pushing me?"


    "Don¡¯t... don¡¯t step on me... oy vey!"


    "Everyone, don¡¯t panic, stay calm, to avoid injuring others," someone shouted loudly.


    Then, quick-reacting people took out their phones and turned on the shlight apps. Seeing this, others immediately followed suit. However, due to the explosion just now, the banquet hall was filled with white smoke, enveloping everyone and reducing visibility to less than five meters.


    Zhu Hong hastily lifted his phone, shining the light towards Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s direction and shouting, "Wanqing, you..." As soon as he started speaking, he froze. He saw a wheelchair left in its ce, but Nanrong Wanqing had already disappeared, and Ling Chen was gone too. Only Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui were left.


    "Where is Wanqing?" he frowned and demanded from Zhong Wei.


    "I don¡¯t know, it was too dark, I couldn¡¯t see anything," Zhong Wei responded calmly. It was obvious, she must have been taken away by Ling Chen. With Ling Chen by her side, Nanrong Wanqing would surely be safe; such was his trust in Ling Chen.


    Knowing he would get nothing from him, Zhu Hong simply stopped wasting words, turning to instruct others, "You guys split up and search. Find Wanqing and ensure her safety. The rest of you, root out the troublemakers. Hmph! I want to see who dares to stir trouble right under my nose."


    At this moment, amidst the chaotic crowd, Ling Chen swiftly carried Nanrong Wanqing through, continuously changing their direction.


    He was all too familiar with the Snake King¡¯s way of doing things. The opponent loved creating chaos and then seizing the opportunity to strike lethally, like a venomous snake targeting the vital spots.


    Now unaware of the Snake King¡¯s position, the only certainty was that the opponent was hidden while he was exposed. The only option was to keep changing locations to avoid being tracked down.


    Fortunately, the banquet hall guests had turned on their phones, and using the light emitted from the screens, Ling Chen was able to dodge and avoid colliding with anyone.


    Held in Ling Chen¡¯s arms, Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t utter a word, letting him lead. She knew he was protecting her, and it was best not to distract him at that time.


    In a short while, the two of them had moved to the front door of the banquet hall. But somehow, the door was locked, and over a dozen guests were at the door, knocking hard, calling for the staff outside to open it, but there was no response.


    Finding the main door blocked, Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate; he continued to carry Nanrong Wanqing and moved on.


    Suddenly, a guest who just passed by Ling Chen sttered with blood on his chest and then fell down stiffly.


    This is bad!


    Seeing this, Ling Chen¡¯s pupils shrank and his feet propelled him forward swiftly. As expected, the next second he raised his foot, a bullet struck exactly where he had just been standing, making a sharp sound.


    "Still targeted."


    He cursed under his breath and moved quickly towards the edge of the crowd. The Snake King was not the type to show mercy; as long as the task waspleted, other people¡¯s deaths did not concern him. If they remained within the crowd, it could inevitably lead to coteral damage.


    Along the walls of the banquet hall, Ling Chen carried Nanrong Wanqing rapidly, their speed extremely fast.


    Before entering earlier, perhaps out of professional habit, he had already observed how many exits there were, as well as how many VIP rooms and rest areas in the banquet hall; he knew them all clearly.


    Since the main entrance was blocked, he could only choose another way out and quickly escape with Nanrong Wanqing.


    A few secondster, guided by the dim light, a door to a VIP room appeared before him. Without the slightest hesitation, he instantly sped up, kicked the door open, and rushed in with Nanrong Wanqing.


    He closed the door, leaned against the wall, gasped for breath, and regted his breathing.


    The VIP room was pitch ck, and with the door tightly shut, there wasn¡¯t a single ray of light. Just then, a soft light emanated, shining on both of them.


    Looking down, Ling Chen noticed that Nanrong Wanqing had already taken out her phone. Under the white light, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s exceedingly beautiful face was clearly visible, her eyes calm as water, showing no signs of panic.


    "Aren¡¯t you scared?"


    Nanrong Wanqing gently shook her head, her lips parting lightly: "I¡¯m used to it."


    Those simple three words, yet they contained endless sorrow.


    "Don¡¯t worry, with me here, Snake King can¡¯t hurt you."


    "I know, I¡¯ve never doubted your ability. What do we do now?"


    "Let¡¯s stay here for now."


    The Snake King must still be outside; if he dared toe in, Ling Chen would wee it. In terms of closebat, he had never feared anyone.


    Once his breathing steadied, at Ling Chen¡¯s signal, Nanrong Wanqing held up the phone, directing the light around the VIP room.


    Ling Chen observed briefly; on the carpeted floory a smashed wine ss, with red wine still staining the brown fur. There was another small door on the left side of the VIP room, leading to a temporary resting room.


    He then carried Nanrong Wanqing towards the resting room, nning to send her inside. If Nanrong Wanqing stayed by his side, it would inevitably hinder him during the confrontation with Snake King, preventing him from unleashing his full potential.


    The resting room had only one door connecting to the VIP room and no other entrances. As long as he sent Nanrong Wanqing into the resting room and guarded the outside, their safety would be guaranteed.


    He opened the door to the resting room and stepped inside. However, before his foot touched the ground, he sensed a fierce gust of wind suddenlying from the side.


    Almost instantaneously, his body reacted instinctively, leaning slightly backward, narrowly avoiding the attacker¡¯s blow.


    The attacker didn¡¯t give up after the failed strike and closed in again. But this time, the target was not Ling Chen but Nanrong Wanqing in his arms.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen said nothing, twisted on the ball of his foot, turning gently with Nanrong Wanqing from the front to the back. Then, he kicked fiercely backward. However, the assant seemed to sense his counterattack and hastily retreated, causing Ling Chen¡¯s kick to miss.


    Taking advantage of this moment, Ling Chen retreated several steps while holding Nanrong Wanqing, the phone¡¯s light illuminating the scene. He squinted, peering into the resting room¡¯s doorway. In the darkness, he could vaguely make out the outline of a person. Although he couldn¡¯t see the full details, Ling Chen judged from the silhouette that the person was very tall, around one meter ny.


    "Who are you?"

 Chapter 90 - 89: The Big One (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 90: Chapter 89: The Big One (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "You don¡¯t think that question is redundant?" The words had barely fallen when the man suddenly asked, "Is the youngdy in your arms perhaps Nanrong Wanqing?"


    "I¡¯d know even without asking."


    "Very well, very well, very well." The other party spat out three ¡¯very well¡¯s¡¯ in session, expressing the joy within, "Just as the saying goes, finding what you search desperately for oftenes when least expected¡ªeasy when not struggled for. Who would have thought Miss Nanrong woulde right to my doorstep? I have a few questions I¡¯d like to ask Miss Nanrong."


    Miss Nanrong Wanqing responded coldly: "What do you want to ask?"


    "I know you¡¯ve secretly established a secret researchb. Just tell me the location of theb, and I¡¯ll let you go immediately."


    Although Ling Chen couldn¡¯t clearly see the changes in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s expression, he distinctly felt her body tremble slightly.


    "I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about."


    The man chuckled sinisterly, "Miss Nanrong, let¡¯s not beat around the bush. I wouldn¡¯t ask such questions without being absolutely sure. Miss Nanrong, there is an old saying in your country, ¡¯A wise man submits to circumstances.¡¯ I advise you, don¡¯t make it harder for yourself. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being rude."


    "Friend, there isn¡¯t just Miss Nanrong here; don¡¯t forget about me," Ling Chen was slightly annoyed, hearing that person¡¯s words, which seemed topletely disregard his presence.


    "This has nothing to do with you; if you don¡¯t want to die, scram." The man spoke to Ling Chen with a cold tone,den with a murderous intent.


    "Then I really want to see, who will be the one to scram from here."


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes turned cold as he walked to a corner of the VIP room, carefully setting Nanrong Wanqing down, "Stay here."


    Nanrong Wanqing bit her lip, a hint of worry shing in her bright eyes.


    "Be... careful."


    Hearing the concern in her voice, Ling Chen grinned, "Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s notpetent enough to kill me." With that, he stood up and strode into the lounge.


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s cell phone barely lit up the VIP room and couldn¡¯t reach the lounge, which remained pitch ck.


    Ling Chen remained undaunted, slightly closing his eyes. In this environment, eyes were of no use; it was all about the ears. Calming his mind, the breathing of the other person gradually became clearer.


    Suddenly, the breathing changed in its frequency. At the same moment, Ling Chen¡¯s upright body lunged forward. A fist came towards him; he slightly shifted his body, tilting his head to the left, dodging the punch. Then, using the momentum, he surged forward, using his shoulder and elbow forcefully to thrust.


    However, before making contact, he felt a pair of arms blocking his shoulder and elbow, thwarting his attack.


    With his attack blocked, Ling Chen quickly withdrew, stomping on the ground with one foot, leaping up high, and sweeping across with a high sweeping leg aiming for the opponent¡¯s neck.


    The opponent reacted swiftly, raising his arms at the exact moment of the kick, attempting to block the strike. However, when Ling Chen¡¯s kicknded, a dull thud was heard; the man¡¯s body immediately tilted to the side, almost unable to stay upright, apanied by a crisp sound of breaking bones.


    In the darkness, Ling Chen¡¯s lips curled up slightly, bearing a mocking smile. Daring to directly counter his leg strike was simply asking for trouble.


    He seldom used leg techniques, not because he was poor at them, but because he feared he couldn¡¯t control the power of his legs well, easily causing death.


    Now, after taking a kick from him, the man staggered back several steps, widening the distance between them. From the opponent¡¯s heavy breathing, it could be heard that the kick had seriously injured him.


    Ling Chen was sure, the man¡¯s right arm was broken.


    "Who are you?" After a few seconds of silence, the man couldn¡¯t resist speaking up.


    "You won¡¯t even tell me your identity, why should I tell you mine? You think I¡¯m easy to take advantage of? How about this, let¡¯s make it fair - you tell me who you are first, then I¡¯ll tell you who I am, that way no one loses out."


    "I¡¯m not obliged to reveal my identity to you."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but shrug his shoulders. Although the other party couldn¡¯t see it, he still habitually made this gesture, showing his helplessness.


    "You know what I really can¡¯t stand? It¡¯s people like you who act all high and mighty, thinking you¡¯re something special. You won¡¯t say, huh? Fine, I won¡¯t force you - I¡¯ll beat it out of you."


    As he spoke, Ling Chen bent his waist, like a cheetah in the night, suddenly darting forward with incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, he had charged in front of the man.


    This time, he didn¡¯t use his fist but chose to use his legs instead. With this kind of person, he didn¡¯t want to waste time.


    A sweeping leg kick, and the opponent immediately jumped high. Having experienced Ling Chen¡¯s leg power, he no longer dared to sh head-on.


    "Still trying to dodge?"


    Ling Chen snorted lightly, his body following the momentum and his head fiercely thrusting toward the opponent.


    The man was about 1.9 meters tall, and because he jumped, Ling Chen¡¯s head hit right into his abdomen. With this hit, the opponent¡¯s body immediately lost bnce and fell heavily to the ground.


    Before he had a chance to get up, Ling Chen had already straddled him, sitting on him, his fists pounding down like hammers.


    "Teaching you a lesson for showing off in front of me, teaching you a lesson for showing off in front of me..."


    While muttering, Ling Chen¡¯s fists didn¡¯t stop, raining down on the man, making thudding sounds.


    At first, the man struggled a few times, but after several continuous punches, hepletely lost the ability to resist andy quietly under Ling Chen, motionless, almost as if he were dead.


    Ling Chen inwardly cursed, quickly reaching to check his breathing, seeing he was still breathing, then punched down again.


    "Teaching you to y dead in front of me."


    "Stop... stop hitting..."


    Finally, the man couldn¡¯t endure the physical pain any longer and voluntarily begged for mercy.


    Ling Chen grabbed his cor, pulling him close, and said in a lecturing tone, "Remember this, keep a low profile from now on. Now talk, who exactly are you and why are you going against Miss Nanrong?"


    "I... I¡¯m done for. There¡¯s a master beside Nanrong Wanqing, very skilled, I don¡¯t know his name, you guys should be careful from now on, don¡¯t forget to find out his identity and kill him to avenge me..."


    Listening to the man¡¯s puzzling words, Ling Chen¡¯s mind raced, quickly shifting his gaze, he noticed the man¡¯s left hand had somehow slipped into his pocket.


    Damn!


    He inwardly cursed, quickly pulling the man¡¯s left hand out. Instantly, he saw that the man was holding a cellphone, the screen showing a connected call, with the call duration more than ten seconds.


    Clearly, the man¡¯s plea for mercy was to buy time so he could make a call. The words he said earlier weren¡¯t meant for him, but for the person on the other end of the phone.

 Chapter 91 - 90: The Poison Sac

    <h4>Chapter 91: Chapter 90: The Poison Sac</h4><subtxt> "Farewell, I will avenge you."


    As he pondered, a deep voice came from the cellphone, and then the call was abruptly cut off. Simultaneously, the man¡¯s left hand fell limply down.


    Ling Chen was startled and immediately reached for the man¡¯s philtrum. As expected, there was no breath; he was dead.


    He then took out his phone, lit up the screen, and examined the man¡¯s face closely, noticing a trickle of ck blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.


    "A poison sac?"


    His brow furrowed slightly. This man had been carrying a poison sac in his mouth at all times. Such tactics weremon, often used on devoted warriors in ancient times. Even in modern days, many secret organizations still use these archaic methods because they are secure, effective, and hard to detect.


    At this moment, he was curious about this man¡¯s identity and the powers backing him. Even in death, the man had not revealed any information, showing his unwavering loyalty to his organization. Any organization capable of instilling such loyalty in a person was not simple.


    Collecting his emotions, he picked up the man¡¯s cellphone, then stood up and returned to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s side. This man¡¯s appearance was unexpected, but he hadn¡¯t forgotten that the Snake King currently posed the greatest danger.


    "The man... is he dead?"


    "Uh-huh." Ling Chen nodded, looking at Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s fair and delicate face, feeling somewhat at a loss for words. Why were there so many people wanting to harm her?


    Just then, the dark VIP room suddenly lit up, restoring electricity. It seemed that the repairs at Yulong Mansion were quite timely.


    Carrying Nanrong Wanqing, Ling Chen swiftly left the VIP room. In the banquet hall, where the white smoke was gradually dissipating, guests were lying all over the floor, many of whom had sustained minor injuries amid the chaos.


    "Wanqing, Wanqing."


    Upon their arrival, Zhu Hong hurried over anxiously, "Are you alright?"


    "Mr. Zhu, with me by her side, you can rest assured." As he finished talking, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze shifted and he pointed to the VIP room, "Mr. Zhu, who was staying in there?"


    "Why do you ask?"


    "Nothing much, just wanted to remind you that there¡¯s a dead person inside. You¡¯d better call the police quickly."


    "A dead person?" Zhu Hong seemed to think of something, his expression changed drastically, and without further concern for Nanrong Wanqing, he hurried towards the VIP room.


    "Chairman."


    Just as Zhu Hong had left, Captain Zhong and Liang Zhao Hui came over, pushing a wheelchair.


    Ling Chen gently ced Nanrong Wanqing down and casually took a nket to cover her legs, saying, "Captain Zhong, please keep a good watch on Miss Nanrong. I¡¯ll be right back."


    "What if the Snake King shows up?"


    "He wouldn¡¯t dare make an appearance at a time like this. Not unless he wants to risk exposure." After speaking, Ling Chen turned and returned to the VIP room.


    As soon as he entered the resting room, he saw Zhu Hong crouched in front of the man, his brows tightly knitted and hisplexion very grave.


    Hearing the footsteps, Zhu Hong immediately looked up and faced Ling Chen who was approaching.


    "Did you kill this man?" As he asked this, a strange light flickered in Zhu Hong¡¯s eyes.


    "He meant harm to Miss Nanrong, I had no choice but to act. However, as you can see, hemitted suicide by taking poison, which has nothing to do with me. Mr. Zhu, do you recognize him?"


    Zhu Hong shook his head, "I¡¯ve never seen him before. He might have slipped in with the assassin. Ling Chen, thanks to you just now, Wanqing was not injured. I give you my thanks on her behalf."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but curl his lips.


    "Mr. Zhu, the way you talk, it¡¯s as if you could take Miss Nanrong¡¯s ce. Enough with the nonsense, I¡¯ll take Miss Nanrong home first. If the police arrive, tell them to find us at the Nanrong Family."


    Watching Ling Chen turn and leave, Zhu Hong¡¯s expression immediately darkened, his obsidian-like pupils hiding a hint of venom.


    It wasn¡¯t until Ling Chen was out of sight that he lowered his head to look at the body, muttering to himself: "I told you not to target Wanqing, but you wouldn¡¯t listen. Luckily she¡¯s unharmed, otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have let you off either."


    Back in the ballroom, Ling Chen didn¡¯t go directly to find Nanrong Wanqing but approached Tang Yuan and Hu Fei instead.


    "How is he doing?"


    "Thankfully, his fat saved him; the vital parts weren¡¯t hit, and he narrowly escaped death." Tang Yuan wiped the sweat off his forehead. Saving this guy had drained quite a bit of his energy.


    "You¡¯ve worked hard." Ling Chen patted his shoulder, "You take him to the hospital first, then wait for me at the Martial Arts Academy. I need to talk to you."


    "Mhm."


    Leaving Yulong Mansion without incident under Ling Chen¡¯s escort, Nanrong Wanqing returned safely to the Nanrong Family.


    After getting out of the car and seeing Ling Chen standing by the side without intending to enter, Nanrong Wanqing took the initiative to say, "Come inside and have a rest."


    Ling Chen hesitated for a moment, then shook his head, "No need, I have other things to do. Liang, could you please take me back to Yulong Mansion? My car is still there."


    "No problem."


    Watching Ling Chen walk away, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s lips tightened slightly, then she pushed her wheelchair to catch up with him, whispering, "Thank you."


    "You¡¯re wee."


    "Do... do you still mean what you said earlier?"


    "What did I say?" As soon as he spoke, Ling Chen immediately understood what she meant. Back at Yulong Mansion, in front of Zhu Hong, he had stated that he epted Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s invitation to rejoin Hongyu Group. He said that only to avenge Zhong Wei and the others, without any other intentions.


    Now, sensing the expectation in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s eyes, he didn¡¯t know how to answer for a moment.


    "Miss Nanrong, let¡¯s talk about this tomorrow, have a good rest, I won¡¯t disturb you any longer." With those words, he turned and climbed into Liang Zhao Hui¡¯s Range Rover.


    Returning to the Martial Arts Academy, it was already past ten o¡¯clock, and Tang Yuan had long returned from the hospital.


    At this time, He Ziyun and Little Hua had already gone to bed.


    Ling Chen, carrying a couple of bottles of baijiu and some snacks he bought on the way, entered Tang Yuan¡¯s room.


    "Yo!" Tang Yuan¡¯s eyes lit up, happily taking the two bottles of baijiu, "Kid, you really know me well, I was just getting hungry, and here youe with food."


    With a few snacksid out, Tang Yuan poured a ss of baijiu for each of them and downed it in one gulp.


    After a few drinks, Ling Chen put down his cup and looked at the voracious Tang Yuan, "Old Tang, isn¡¯t it time you told me something?"


    "Tell you what?" Tang Yuan looked up puzzled.


    "Stop ying dumb, you think I don¡¯t know? With our years of brotherhood, let¡¯s just be straight with each other. I know you aren¡¯t really discharged. You came to East Sea City on a secret mission. If I¡¯m not wrong, your mission has something to do with Nanrong Wanqing."


    Tang Yuan paused, then forced a smile, "You saw everything in my luggage? Sigh, I didn¡¯t manage to keep it from you, you¡¯re too sly."


    "Cut the crap, just tell me, why did the General send you to protect Nanrong Wanqing? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because of the Snake King, I won¡¯t believe such crap."


    "I¡¯m not treating you any differently, but you know the rules; I can¡¯t disclose the mission details."


    Ling Chen red, "You won¡¯t talk? Believe it or not I¡¯ll beat you up."</subtxt>

 Chapter 92 - 91: Identity of the Deceased

    <h4>Chapter 92: Chapter 91: Identity of the Deceased</h4><h4></h4>


    Tang Yuan swallowed a mouthful of braised meat and said nonchntly, "Don¡¯t threaten me, kid, I don¡¯t buy your tricks."


    "Fine, I was thinking of helping you get close to Nanrong Wanqing, but since you say that, forget it." Ling Chen fiddled with the wine ss in his hand, looking indifferent.


    "Can you really help me?" Tang Yuan¡¯s eyes brightened, quickly picked up the wine bottle, and poured him a ss of wine attentively, smiling, "We¡¯re brothers through thick and thin, I knew you¡¯d help me."


    "Just tell me the reason, and I¡¯ll arrange for you to join the Hongyu Group tomorrow."


    "Well..." Tang Yuan hesitated, "Let¡¯s do this, don¡¯t make it difficult for me. I¡¯ll make a call to ask the General first to see what he thinks." After saying this, he got up from the table and took out his phone to dial a number.


    A few minutester, he returned to the table, his expression somewhat strange.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help asking, "What did the old man say?"


    "He agreed to your request."


    Ling Chen grinned, "The old man is quite straightforward."


    "Of course, he knows who you are. Out of so many members in the Ghost Organization, the General only treats you as a treasure," Tang Yuan said with a hint of sarcasm in his tone.


    "That shows the old man has good taste," Ling Chen said proudly, "Enough of the nonsense, let¡¯s talk about the real business."


    Tang Yuan nodded, speaking seriously, "A few years ago, Nanrong Wanqing secretly set up a small scientific research team; she is directly in charge of theb, and no one else knows the location of thisb."


    "That mysterious?" Ling Chen couldn¡¯t restrain his curiosity, "What is the main research focus of thatb?"


    "I don¡¯t know."


    "How could you not know?"


    Tang Yuan shrugged, "I really don¡¯t know, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t hide it from you. We received intelligence that someone is trying to meddle in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s research. It¡¯s said that if the research is applied in the military field, it could greatly enhance thebat and survival abilities of soldiers, which is why the General pays such high importance to it."


    "I see."


    Previously, at Yulong Mansion, the man who took poison and killed himself was forcing Nanrong Wanqing to reveal the location of the researchb. Now, hearing Tang Yuan¡¯s words, it was enough to prove that the intelligence was urate.


    "Old Tang, do you know who is behind this?"


    "I¡¯m not sure, the General is still investigating, and there¡¯s no progress yet."


    "I shouldn¡¯t hide from you that tonight, when the Snake King appeared, I took Nanrong Wanqing and hid in the VIP room. There, I encountered someone trying to force the location of theb out of Nanrong Wanqing, but I subdued him."


    "Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?" Tang Yuan asked urgently, "Where is he?"


    "He¡¯s dead, he had a poison sac in his mouth, I was careless and didn¡¯t notice. But before he died, he made a call." Saying this, Ling Chen took out the cellphone, handed it over to Tang Yuan, "Send this phone back to headquarters, see if they can find any clues."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll send it over first thing tomorrow."


    "Oh!" Ling Chen suddenly remembered something, "Have someone check into Zhu Hong, that guy might be problematic."


    "What problem?"


    "I don¡¯t know, Hu Fei came to the dinner tonight for the purpose of investigating Zhu Hong. He suspects that thepany behind Zhu Hong has ulterior motives."


    "I¡¯ll notify the intelligence department to see if they can trace it."


    After finishing two bottles of Chinese liquor, Ling Chen touched his slightly reddened cheeks, stood up, and said, "You should rest early, I¡¯ll take you to report to Hongyu Group tomorrow morning."


    "Can you really get me in?"


    "Nonsense, who do you think I am? There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t handle." Ling Chenughed heartily and walked out of the room.


    After the conversation with Tang Yuan, he had decided to return to the Nanrong family. Not just to help Tang Yuan, but also for several other reasons. First for the safety of Nanrong Wanqing, and then for his personal issues.


    He didn¡¯t forget the words of the man who died, that the forces behind him woulde to seek revenge sooner orter. Now that he was involved, he couldn¡¯t extricate himself. Since that was the case, he might as well meet those people and see what they were made of.


    Returning to his room, Ling Chen took a shower and was ready to go to bed. However, at that moment, his phone suddenly rang.


    Answering the call, he said, "Hello, Officer Xia, what¡¯s up calling me sote?"


    "Ling Chen, you have quite the knack,st time two people died, this time another one."


    "Officer Xia, what does this have to do with me? The man at Yulong Mansionmitted suicide by poison, that wasn¡¯t my doing, don¡¯t wrong me."


    "You just attract trouble wherever you go. Come to the police station tomorrow morning to give a statement." After saying this, Xia Mutong hung up the phone.


    The next morning.


    Ling Chen drove his shy muscle car all the way to the police station, waved to Tang Yuan in the co-driver¡¯s seat, and went upstairs alone.


    After waiting in the office for a while, Xia Mutong, who was dressed in a neat uniform, finally finished her meeting and came back.


    Seeing Xia Mutong walking towards him, Ling Chen took an interested look at her. After a few days not seeing her, this youngdy seemed even more fresh and tender, her curved willow leaf eyebrows, her clear,rge eyes, just like spring water without any impurities, bright and vivid. The skin on her face was as tender and delicate as a baby¡¯s, almost irresistibly pinchable. Of course, the most eye-catching was her ample chest.


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but recall Leng Feifei¡¯s full figure and secretlypared them.


    Seeing Ling Chen leering at her, Xia Mutong snorted and mmed the documents in her hand onto the desk.


    "Officer Xia, long time no see."


    "Has it been long?"


    Ling Chen smiled, "To me, a day without seeing Officer Xia feels like an eternity. It¡¯s been over a week now, which feels like several years to me, so yes, it¡¯s been quite some time."


    "Pah!" Xia Mutong spat lightly, irritably said, "I really wish I wouldn¡¯t have to see you for years. Enough of that, quit the small talk, tell me about what happenedst night."


    Ling Chen nodded and narrated the details of the events that took ce. In the end, he couldn¡¯t help asking, "Officer Xia, have you figured out the identity of the deceased?"


    Xia Mutong without uttering a word pulled out a file from the pile of documents and threw it in front of him. He casually flipped through it, and his gaze suddenly turned serious.


    The deceased fromst night was named Jiang Yang, born in Huaxia, butter moved abroad to settle. At twenty-three, he joined the world-famous American Flying Leopard Assault Team and served for three years before he died in an operation, leaving no remains.


    "As you can see, ording to the record, the deceased ¡¯died¡¯ ten years ago, yet he¡¯s appeared here in East Sea City. Ling Chen, what do you make of this?"

 Chapter 93 - 92 Research Lab

    <h4>Chapter 93: Chapter 92 Research Lab</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen closed the documents and smiled faintly: "Officer Xia, this is a matter for the police, why ask me, an outsider? Moreover, what insights could an ordinary person like me possibly have?"


    "Don¡¯t y dumb with me, with your martial skills and sharpshooting, who would believe you¡¯re an ordinary person? A ¡¯dead man¡¯ showing up in East Sea City, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a coincidence. There¡¯s definitely a conspiracy, but I¡¯mcking clues right now."


    "Officer Xia, have you checked how he got into the banquet hall?"


    "I have. The surveince inside Yulong Mansion didn¡¯t capture him. That person is very professional, knowing how to avoid the cameras."


    During the conversation, a police officer knocked on the door and entered, cing a document on the table, "Captain Xia, the wine ss we collected from the VIP roomst night has been examined, and there¡¯s nothing wrong with it."


    A wine ss?


    Suddenly, Ling Chen remembered,st night when he was carrying Nanrong Wanqing into the VIP room, a wine ss had been left on the carpet.


    "Did you check the fingerprints on that wine ss?"


    Xia Mutong nced at him and casually picked up the inspection report. After flipping through a couple of pages, she said, "The fingerprints on the wine ss belong to Zhu Hong. Is there a problem?"


    "Is it him?" Ling Chen raised his brow.


    He clearly remembered thatst night, after the man named Jiang Yang died, he returned to the banquet hall with Nanrong Wanqing, just in time to meet Zhu Hong who had rushed over. At that time, he had asked Zhu Hong who had been in that VIP room, but Zhu Hong told him he didn¡¯t know.


    Since Zhu Hong¡¯s fingerprints were on the wine ss, it indicated that he had been in the VIP room. Furthermore, there was another issue. From Jiang Yang¡¯s appearance, it could be inferred that he wasn¡¯t previously ambushed in the VIP room but had identally encountered Nanrong Wanqing. Before that, he had always been in the lounge.


    Jiang Yang had been in the VIP room, and so had Zhu Hong; could there be something fishy between these two men?


    Otherwise, why would Zhu Hong deny the fact that he had been in the VIP room?


    Thinking this, he became more suspicious of Zhu Hong. It seems Hu Fei¡¯s spection was not wrong; there was indeed something off about that guy Zhu Hong.


    "Ling Chen."


    Seeing that he hadn¡¯t responded for a while, Xia Mutong couldn¡¯t help but call out.


    Ling Chen came to his senses and stood up, saying: "Officer Xia, I¡¯m very sorry, I can¡¯t help you with this matter. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll take my leave first."


    It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to help Xia Mutong, but the matter was of great importance. Moreover, with the Ghost Organization personally getting involved, it was clear how dangerous the situation was. Xia Mutong was just a local police officer; for her safety, it was better not to entangle her in this.


    Back in the car.


    "Why did it take so long?" Tang Yuan had grown somewhat impatient waiting.


    "Old Tang, the identity of the deceased has been confirmed." Saying this, Ling Chen handed over a folded A4 paper to Tang Yuan.


    While flipping through the documents earlier, he had stealthily taken the paper with the identity record on it, and Xia Mutong hadn¡¯t noticed his small maneuver.


    After examining the documents, Tang Yuan furrowed his brow and said: "It looks like we¡¯re facing quite a problem."


    "I suspect Zhu Hong is connected to this man named Jiang Yang. Keep a good lookout, we might discover some clues." After saying that, he started the car and slowly drove onto the road.


    At ten o¡¯clock in the morning, Ling Chen arrived at Hongyu Group¡¯s headquarters with Tang Yuan.


    "Ling!"


    Wei Jun saw Ling Chen approaching from afar and immediately waved to greet him, quickly walking over.


    "Wei, your face is beaming; you must have been indulging out and about these past few days."


    Wei Junughed and cursed, "Is that any way to talk? What do you mean ¡¯goofing around¡¯? Do you think I¡¯m that kind of person? By the way, Ling, you¡¯re back today, could it be you¡¯re preparing to take up your post again?"


    Ling Chen let out a sigh with a feigned helplessness, "No choice, the chairman has been to my thatched cottage three times, begging me with tears toe back. What could I do? My heart softened and I had no choice but to agree."


    "That just shows how much face you, Ling, have."


    "Alright, won¡¯t talk to you anymore, I¡¯ve got to take my friend to HR for the onboarding procedure. Let¡¯s find a ce for lunch at noon and have a good chat."


    "Sure, I¡¯ll be off."


    Beforeing, Ling Chen had already notified Zhong Ping. The HR department worked with astonishing efficiency, and in less than ten minutes, Tang Yuan sessfully joined Hongyu Group, bing a glorious member of the security team.


    "Old Tang, you go ahead and sit in the office for a bit, I still have something to discuss with Nanrong Wanqing."


    Upon reaching the top floor, Ling Chen pushed open the door to the chairman¡¯s office and saw only Nanrong Wanqing sitting at her desk, concentrating on documents, with a cup of coffee beside her, gently wafting warmth.


    "Chairman."


    Ling Chen walked up to the desk and unceremoniously sat down on a chair.


    Nanrong Wanqing looked up, putting down her pen, an incredibly beautiful tranquility and purity rested on her features, like that of a newborn baby.


    "Have the onboarding procedures for your friend beenpleted?"


    "Mhm." Ling Chen nodded and opened his mouth about to speak. But then, he heard Nanrong Wanqing say, "Before you start, I would like to rify two things."


    "What things?" Ling Chen looked puzzled.


    "First, I did not summon you thrice to my cottage. Second, I did not beg you with tears. Please respect the facts in the future and stop making things up."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen was momentarily stunned. Weren¡¯t these the exact words he had just said to Wei Jun? How did she know? Could it be... could it be this has spread in such a short time? Thinking of this made him somewhat regretful. Had he known Wei Jun¡¯s mouth was so unreliable, he would not have spoken like that.


    However, he was quite surprised by Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s reaction, to be speaking to him about this so calmly.


    "Chairman, I was just saying that off the cuff; please don¡¯t take it to heart," he said sheepishly with an awkward smile.


    Nanrong Wanqing picked up her coffee cup, shifting the topic, "What did you want to ask me just now?"


    When they got onto the main topic at hand, Ling Chen became unusually serious.


    "Regarding the incidentst night, I think we should be frank with each other."


    "What do you want to know?"


    "The researchb." Ling Chen gazed into her eyes and spoke deliberately, "I don¡¯t know what that researchb is working on, but whatever you¡¯re secretly researching has drawn the attention of many. I just made a trip to the police station, and the identity ofst night¡¯s deceased has been confirmed. ording to his records, he has been ¡¯dead¡¯ for over ten years."


    Hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing was visibly shaken, her cherry-red lips slightly parted, carrying a hint of shock in her voice, "How do you know these things? Who told you?" Such state-level secrets, of course, could not be so easily leaked, that¡¯s why she was so surprised to find out Ling Chen was aware of this.


    "I have my ways."


    Seeing Ling Chen didn¡¯t wish to reveal more, Nanrong Wanqing slightly furrowed her brows and with a somewhat disheartened change of direction asked, "Are you certain this person has been dead for ten years?"


    "I wouldn¡¯t have brought it up if I weren¡¯t sure. Chairman, you might not realize the significance of this, but I¡¯m very clear on it. To be able to forge a person¡¯s death record indicates that there are powerful forces supporting him. Now that they have set their sights on you, they won¡¯t give up until they achieve their goal."


    Nanrong Wanqing pondered for a moment, her beautiful eyes shimmering wlessly.


    "What do you suggest?" After a while, she finally spoke.

 Chapter 94 - 93 When will you move back?

    <h4>Chapter 94: Chapter 93 When will you move back?</h4><h4></h4>


    "If you trust me, I want to know what you are secretly researching." As soon as he finished speaking, Ling Chen, fearing she did not grasp the severity of the matter, exined, "Chairman, you have already seen what Snake King is capable of. Compared to these people, there is noparison. I¡¯m not being rmist, just speaking from experience. Only by fully understanding the situation can I ensure both your safety and mine."


    "You?"


    Ling Chen shrugged helplessly, "Thanks to you, I¡¯ve be their target too. So now, we advance and retreat together."


    "Okay." Without much hesitation, Nanrong Wanqing agreed, "In the next two days after I¡¯ve arranged some matters, I will take you to that ce to see for yourself."


    Seeing her so straightforward, the corners of Ling Chen¡¯s mouth immediately rose. After this incident, this woman¡¯s attitude towards him had finally changed.


    "Chairman, you go ahead with your work, I won¡¯t disturb you." After saying that, he got up and prepared to leave.


    "Wait."


    "Is there anything else?"


    "When...when will you move back?" After asking this question, Nanrong Wanqing seemed somewhat embarrassed, her fair face blushed slightly, causing Ling Chen to be stunned, feeling as if his soul was being hooked away.


    This perpetually unyielding ice mountain was also capable of blushing. At this moment, he had the feeling of ice thawing and earth reviving in spring. When her face turned slightly red, it was as if a noble fairy suddenly fell to the mortal world, touched by a trace of worldliness, no longer coldly distant, but more approachable.


    Being stared at directly, Nanrong Wanqing couldn¡¯t help but lower her head, unwilling to meet his gaze directly.


    Realizing his gaffe, Ling Chen chuckled dryly and quickly gathered his thoughts.


    "I¡¯ll move back tomorrow, ask Captain Zhong to arrange another room, my friend will also move in."


    This time, Nanrong Wanqing tactfully did not object but did not speak either, implicitly agreeing.


    Leaving the office, Ling Chen went downstairs and met Tang Yuan and Zhong Wei.


    Approaching noon, the group went out and found a restaurant for a hearty meal. After eating and drinking their fill, Ling Chen drove Tang Yuan to the People¡¯s Hospital.


    Entering the ward, they saw Hu Fei lying on the hospital bed, with an oxygen tube in his nose and his abdomen wrapped in thick bandages. His small eyes were slightly open, watching a television program.


    "Big guy, doing okay?"


    Hu Fei nced at Ling Chen and said displeased, "What do you think? Why don¡¯t you try lying here yourself?"


    "Big guy, you¡¯re lucky this time. If it weren¡¯t for my brother acting in time, you would have been gone. Don¡¯t forget to treat us to a good meal when you get discharged."


    Hearing this, Hu Fei couldn¡¯t help but curse, "You have the nerve to ask me for a meal. If it wasn¡¯t for you, would Snake King have troubled me?"


    "How can you me me? I didn¡¯t know he would appear at that kind of ce. Alright, don¡¯t be angry. I¡¯ll find Snake King after you get discharged and solve him for you, to get revenge for you. Are we good now?"


    "We¡¯ll talk about thatter, just get me out of here first. If Snake King finds out I¡¯m not dead, he definitely won¡¯t let me go."


    Ling Chen thought it made sense and nodded, "Alright, I¡¯ll arrange it right away."


    In less than an hour, Ling Chen hadpleted the discharge procedures for Hu Fei. Because of Hu Fei¡¯s severe injuries, the hospital was concerned about his health and was initially reluctant to discharge him. However, Ling Chen settled it with a single phone call.


    Last time, it was at this hospital where he met Zhu Xiaozhu. Zhu Xiaozhu was well acquainted with the dean of the hospital. With Zhu Xiaozhu vouching for him, naturally, there was no problem.


    "Fatty, where are you nning to go?"


    "Where else could I go? Obviously, I¡¯m going home."


    "OK!"


    Following the address given by Hu Fei, it took about half an hour for Ling Chen to arrive in front of an abandoned residential building.


    Using a stretcher to carry Hu Fei off the vehicle, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan approached the building¡¯s staircase only to find a tightly locked iron gate blocking the way upstairs.


    Tang Yuan looked around and said with a puzzled expression, "Fatty, this is your home? With your status, even if not hundreds of millions, you should have tens of millions. Why are you living in such a shabby ce?"


    "You don¡¯t know anything. This is a safe house. Now that the Snake King is targeting me, it¡¯s not safe to go home. You two are so capable, you can¡¯t possibly fail to pick a lock, can you?"


    Tang Yuan scoffed, "Not to brag, but I can open it even with my eyes closed."


    "Then give it a try." Hu Fei expressed disbelief, but his face bore a look of amusement.


    Ling Chen noticed his expression and cautioned, "Old Tang, don¡¯t fall for his tricks. That lock is probably not that simple."


    Unconvinced, Tang Yuan went up to the iron gate, closed his eyes, and started fiddling with the lock using a thin piece of wire, moving the lock¡¯s head asionally. However, several minutes passed, and he still hadn¡¯t managed to unlock it.


    He furrowed his brows slightly, opened his eyes, and looked closely, murmuring to himself, "This doesn¡¯t make sense. Why won¡¯t it open?"


    Seeing him at a loss, Fattyughed smugly, "There¡¯s no key to this lock. That lockhole is just for show. There are only two ways to open it: one is by force, and the other is remote control. But if someone wants to break it by force, they better prepare a coffin for themselves in advance."


    Hearing that, Tang Yuan immediately stepped back and pinched his chubby cheek, "Fatty, are you messing with me?"


    "Ouch, ouch, ouch, let go..."


    "Alright, stop messing around," Ling Chen said impatiently. "Hurry up and open the door."


    Hu Fei took out his cellphone, opened an app, and a few secondster, a crisp ¡¯click¡¯ sounded and the lock immediately sprung open.


    "How about that, not bad, right? I designed it. It contains a stic explosive and a microchip inside. If tampered with in any way, the explosive will detonate immediately, spares no lives within three meters, and the only way to open it is through my homemade software. If there are intruders, this is the most practical device. If you¡¯re interested, I can sell them in bulk to you, and if you buy more, there¡¯s a discount."


    "Fatty, you¡¯re illegally selling weapons, believe it or not, I could call the police and arrest you?"


    "Come on, if they were going to arrest me, they would have done it already." Hu Fei was unconcerned, "Although I don¡¯t know your identities yet, I¡¯ve been in this business long enough to guess a thing or two."


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t bother to respond and just continued carrying the stretcher upstairs.


    This residential building had been abandoned for many years, deserted and cluttered with broken and misceneous items everywhere.


    Reaching the third floor, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan carrying Hu Fei stopped in front of a room at the end of the corridor, where the door was tightly shut with an old poster of a celebrity from over a decade ago stuck on it.


    Hu Fei nodded toward the poster, and Ling Chen immediately got the hint, peeling off the poster to reveal an electronic keypad lock behind it.


    After entering the password, the door immediately cracked open slightly.


    Pushing the door open, Ling Chen stepped inside, but before his back foot could follow, his face froze, and he stared in astonishment at the furnishings within the room.

 Chapter 95 - 94 Wolf Kiss

    <h4>Chapter 95: Chapter 94 Wolf Kiss</h4><h4></h4>


    In this room of less than two hundred square meters, there was a pile of various types of weapons. German-made STG44 assault rifles, American M1941 Johnson light machine guns, Gatling guns, Barrett sniper rifles, M4A1 carbines, Grenadeunchers, bulletproof vests...one could say that everything was avable here, almost all different models of firearms and equipment from around the world could be found in this ce, stacked in every corner.


    This was not so much a safe house as it was a mini arsenal, with enough equipment to arm a small-sized army of a hundred people.


    Tang Yuan, who had followed behind, was stunned by the sight of these munitions, his mouth agape and not closing for a long while.


    "Fat...Fatty, is all this your property?"


    Hu Fei replied with proudcency: "How about that, not bad, right? This is my collection over many years."


    "Fatty, just for these weapons, you could be sentenced to death ten times over."


    "What¡¯s there to be afraid of, they can¡¯t find this ce." Hu Fei stretched out his hand and gestured generously, "I owe you big time for saving my life this time. Feel free to pick any piece of munition here, consider it a gift from me."


    "You said it." Tang Yuan was not at all polite, immediately searching through the munitions for a weapon that he fancied.


    "Ling Chen, don¡¯t you want to pick something?" Seeing Ling Chen stand there motionless, Hu Fei couldn¡¯t help but speak, "Don¡¯t be shy, just pick any, I won¡¯t charge you."


    "Forget it, these things are of no use to me." Ling Chen waved his hand.


    He had already left the Ghost Organization and no longer had the privilege of carrying firearms. With his current identity, possessing guns was illegal. Although he was tempted by the full room of munitions, he still restrained his impulse.


    In a short while, Tang Yuan had picked his weapon, a German-made Kou Si 9mm Revolver.


    Ling Chen was not surprised by Tang Yuan¡¯s choice, as a member of the Ghost Organization, he mostly used pistols because they were convenient to carry and hard to detect. In contrast, he preferred using knives, silent and deadly, capable of ending lives without a sound.


    Tang Yuan seemed to perceive Ling Chen¡¯s reservations and said, "Fatty, do you have any good knives here? Ling Chen here is not convenient to use guns now." As a brother, he well understood Ling Chen¡¯s preferences.


    "A knife?" Hu Fei pondered for a moment, and the corners of his mouth turned up immediately, "You didn¡¯t mention it, and I almost forgot, I do have a dagger, and it was specially custom-made. Look around, I seem to have tossed it in that corner over there."


    Without a word, Tang Yuan began to move the weapons piled around, searching carefully. Soon, he found a dusty wooden box from the bottom. The box was only ten centimeters long, t on top and bottom.


    Opening the box out of curiosity, he saw a set of conical ceramics inside. These ten conical ceramic pieces varied in size; thergest were as big as a thumb, the smallest smaller than a pinky finger, sharp and thin. Lined up together, they resembled a set of exquisite artworks.


    "Fatty, is this a dagger? Don¡¯t fool me because I¡¯m not well-read."


    Ling Chen came forward, took a closer look, and was also a bit puzzled, as it didn¡¯t seem like a dagger at all.


    Hu Fei chuckled smugly, with an air of arrogance, "This shows yourck of experience, this dagger has quite a backstory. Without needing me to tell you, you definitely know who Blood Wolf is. This dagger wasmissioned by him overseas from a master craftsman. Unfortunately, before the dagger waspleted, he got killed."


    Hearing this, Tang Yuan couldn¡¯t help but nce at Ling Chen.


    The person who killed Blood Wolf was this seemingly harmless guy right in front of them.


    "Later I managed to use some connections to buy the dagger at a low price. This custom dagger of Blood Wolf holds extraordinary significance, and it can fetch a high price after a few years if flipped. Ling Chen, if you fancy it, I can give it to you as a gift."


    So, it belonged to Blood Wolf.


    Ling Chen had a strange expression in his eyes. If Blood Wolf knew that the dagger fell into his hands, he would probably climb out of his grave and die of anger all over again.


    However, he was still quite curious about this oddly shaped dagger.


    Taking the wooden box from Tang Yuan¡¯s hands, he studied it for a while and eventually figured out the trick. Each of these conical ceramics had a secret catch at the base, allowing them to be connected together. Fromrge to small, once all ten conical ceramics were connected, it immediately formed a small and delicate conical dagger.


    He yed with it in his hand, a smile quickly spreading across his face. The dagger was only the length of a palm, not only easy to carry but also could be disassembled into pendants on a keychain, and no one would suspect it to be dangerous.


    "I heard from the knife maker that the name of this dagger is Wolf Kiss."


    "Wolf Kiss?" Ling Chen nodded, finding the name apt, "Fatty, since you¡¯re being so generous, then I won¡¯t be polite, I¡¯ll ept this gift."


    "Why be courteous." Hu Fei was all smiles, his cheeks filled with joy.


    But no matter how Ling Chen looked at it, he felt there was something sly in his smile.


    Tang Yuan put away the revolver, "Fatty, if there¡¯s nothing else, we¡¯ll be going."


    Hu Fei stared, "Leaving? If you guys go, who will take care of me? You can¡¯t let a patient like me take care of myself."


    "You¡¯re so rich, hiring ten nurses would be enough."


    "You think I dare let otherse here? That would scare them to death. Hey, you both have epted my gifts, helping take care of me for a bit wouldn¡¯t be too much, right?"


    As expected!


    Ling Chen muttered to himself. He was just wondering why this money-grubbing guy had suddenly be so generous, offering them gifts out of the blue, apparently wanting them to stay.


    "Fatty, the two of us have to go to work, we don¡¯t have much time to spend with you. How about this, I and Old Tang wille to check on you every evening."


    "Alright, but you better not stand me up."


    After making sure Hu Fei was settled, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan left the residential building.


    Back at the Martial Arts Academy, Ling Chen told Tang Yuan to pack his luggage first. He went to the lobby and found He Ziyun, who was ying chess with Little Hua.


    "Big brother, you¡¯re back."


    Little Hua jumped down from the chair, affectionately wrapping her arms around his, "You came just in time. Master¡¯s skill is so poor; I¡¯ve beaten him over ten times. Now it¡¯s your turn to y with me."


    Ling Chen immediately raised his hands in surrender, "You might as well spare me, I¡¯m worse than your master, ying against you would just be torture for me."


    With that said, he took out a car key and presented it to He Ziyun, "Mr. He, I¡¯ve already parked the car in the warehouse."


    He Ziyun did not reach for the car keys but asked, "You¡¯re getting ready to leave?"


    "Yes, I have to go back to the Nanrong Family."


    "Well then, I won¡¯t keep you any longer. Take the car with you, I don¡¯t need it anyway, just don¡¯t wreck it."


    "Really?" Ling Chen was overjoyed, "Then I won¡¯t be polite."

 Chapter 96 - 95 Nanrong Gang

    <h4>Chapter 96: Chapter 95 Nanrong Gang</h4><h4></h4>


    Little Hua watched Ling Chen leave with reluctance, then sat down on a chair, her face unhappy as she pouted and said, "Old man, why did you let big brother go?"


    "He has his own affairs to attend to; I can¡¯t restrict his freedom. What¡¯s the matter, have you taken a liking to him?"


    Little Hua¡¯s pretty face flushed red as she retorted, "Nonsense! Who said I liked him? I¡¯m just worried about Sister Xiaozhu. That Nanrong Wanqing, I¡¯ve seen her, she¡¯s not a bit inferior to Sister Xiaozhu. If they are together day and night, affection will grow over time. Then what will Xiaozhu do?"


    "People haven¡¯t even started anything, so why are you worrying unnecessarily? I actually think it¡¯s you who has taken a liking to Ling Chen. Come to think of it, you¡¯ve reached the age for love, so it¡¯s quite normal to have feelings of spring."


    Hearing this, Little Hua immediately became displeased, with her hands on her hips, sheined, "Old man, are you implying that I¡¯m old? Let me tell you, I am seven years old this year, and I¡¯ll still be seven tomorrow, the year after next, and the years after that... I¡¯ll always be seven. If you dare to mention age to me again, believe it or not, I¡¯ll pluck out every single one of your whiskers."


    He Ziyun begged for mercy, "Alright, alright, you¡¯re the boss, I won¡¯t bring it up again."


    After leaving Qingyun Martial Arts Hall, Ling Chen drove the ssic muscle car and arrived at Wealthy Manor No. 118.


    Nanrong Hao had been waiting at the entrance for a while already. Seeing Ling Chen getting out of the car, Nanrong Hao immediately scurried over and took the luggage with eagerness.


    "Chen, I¡¯ve been hoping and waiting; finally, I¡¯ve awaited your return."


    "Why didn¡¯t you go to ss today?"


    "Chen, you¡¯re back; why would I still go to ss? Besides, the teachers are used to my absences already."


    Ling Chen put on a stern face and said, "From tomorrow onwards, you better go to school and be honest. If I find out you¡¯ve skipped sses, you¡¯ll see how I¡¯ll deal with you."


    "This... isn¡¯t... Chen, you don¡¯t understand, I just can¡¯t sit still at school, and the lessons the teachers give are all Greek to me."


    "That¡¯s your problem. In short, you better study properly in the future. If the school reports that you¡¯re not engaging actively in ss or failing your grades, then don¡¯t even think about learning another move from me."


    Ling Chen hadn¡¯t forgotten Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s request; his purpose for returning was to ensure Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s safety and also to change Nanrong Hao. Nanrong Hao was ustomed toziness; only by demanding strictly could he gradually change.


    "Don¡¯t, Chen," Nanrong Hao wore a long face, thinking to himself that he hadn¡¯t offended Ling Chen, wondering why he had suddenly changed his demeanor upon returning.


    "Enough talk, it¡¯s only three o¡¯clock in the afternoon, hurry up and go to school. You¡¯re not allowed toe back before sses are over." Finishing his words, and leaving behind a helpless Nanrong Hao, Ling Chen went straight into the house.


    Back in his room, it was the same as before, clean and spotless.


    Just after tidying up, Liu Kun appeared at the bedroom door.


    "Mr. Ling, the master has asked for you toe over."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll be right there."


    Led by Liu Kun, Ling Chen came to the bedroom on the second floor of the main house. As he entered, he saw Nanrong Yong sitting on a single sofa, facing the window. After some time of recuperation, Nanrong Yong¡¯s health had improved noticeably; hisplexion was ruddy and his breathing stable.


    "Old master, you wanted to see me?"


    Nanrong Yong warmly gestured with a smile, "Ling Chen,e, have a seat. Liu Kun, go make a cup of tea for Ling Chen."


    "There¡¯s no need for such courtesy, old master."


    "Eh, you can¡¯t say that. You are not only an employee of the Nanrong Family but also a valued guest. I¡¯m aware ofst night¡¯s incident; it¡¯s thanks to your presence that Wanqing managed to escape disaster. Considering that you¡¯ve saved Wanqing twice now, no amount of courtesy towards you would be considered excessive."


    In the meantime, Liu Kun had already ced the tea in front of him.


    "Liu Kun, you can go now; I have something to discuss with Ling Chen alone."


    "Yes." Liu Kun nodded, turned, and walked out, closing the door behind him.


    Once he left, Nanrong Yong¡¯s smile gradually faded, and he spoke gravely, "Ling Chen, you must have been wondering who would target Wanqing."


    Ling Chen felt a movement in his heart, "Old master, by saying this, could it be that you know who the instigator is behind the curtain?"


    "Indeed, I¡¯ve always known, but I haven¡¯t told Wanqing."


    "Why is that?"


    "It¡¯s a grudge between our generation; there¡¯s no need to let Wanqing know. I thought that person would confront me directly, but he turned out to be colder and more ruthless than I imagined; not even sparing my granddaughter." As he spoke, a fiery anger rose in Nanrong Yong¡¯s eyes, his fists clenched tightly.


    Ling Chen, puzzled, said, "Old master, the Nanrong family¡¯s lineage isn¡¯t just limited to Nanrong Wanqing; there¡¯s also a Nanrong Hao. Why doesn¡¯t that person target Nanrong Hao?"


    "Because the one currently in charge of Hongyu Group is Wanqing, and Nanrong Hao is weak and useless; that person doesn¡¯t consider him a threat. His goal is for me to watch helplessly as the business empire I¡¯ve built crumble to pieces. That¡¯s why he hasn¡¯t targeted me directly."


    "Old master, if convenient for you, why not tell me the identity of that person, perhaps I can..."


    "Find the mastermind and put an end to all this?" Nanrong Yong took over, his face revealing a bitter smile, "If it were that easy, why would I need to hire someone for Wanqing¡¯s protection? For decades, I¡¯ve never stopped looking for him, but that man has vanished without a trace."


    "Old master, you have your methods, and I have mine. The person you can¡¯t find may not be unreachable for me." Ling Chen¡¯s tone exuded confidence. His resources were unlike those of Nanrong Yong; unless that man was backed by a considerable power able to erase all his footstepspletely, otherwise, Ling Chen felt confident about having a seventy percent chance of locating him.


    After some contemtion, Nanrong Yong nodded, "Alright, since you are confident, let¡¯s give it a try. But you must promise me that you will not disclose this man¡¯s name to Wanqing, not just her, but to no one in the Nanrong family."


    "No problem, however..." Ling Chenughed awkwardly, "Old master, as you know, these kinds of affairs require funds to operate, so..."


    "As long as you say it, no matter the cost."


    Tsk, wealthy people sure are different.


    Ling Chen sighed inwardly and asked, "Old master, what¡¯s the name of that man?"


    "That man¡¯s name is..." Nanrong Yong opened his mouth slightly, his gaze flickering, seemingly still wrestling with the decision. After more than ten seconds, his eyes suddenly firmed up, looking directly into Ling Chen¡¯s, "The man¡¯s name is Nanrong Gang."


    "Nanrong Gang?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed slightly. Another person with apound surname, sharing the same surname as the Nanrong family, could it be... the one wanting to kill Nanrong Wanqing was also a member of the Nanrong family?

 Chapter 97 - 96 Unique Nickname

    <h4>Chapter 97: Chapter 96 Unique Nickname</h4><h4></h4>


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s astonished face, Nanrong Yong slowly said, "I know what you¡¯re thinking. I¡¯ve said before, this is a grudge of our generation, and I don¡¯t really want others to know about it."


    "Old master, rest assured, I will do my best to find this person for you."


    Although he was very curious, Nanrong Yong wasn¡¯t willing to say more, so Ling Chen did not continue to ask. After all, it was someone else¡¯s private affair.


    "Old master, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be going."


    "Go on with your business. As for the money, just go to Liu Kun. He will take care of it for you."


    "Alright."


    Ling Chen got up and walked to the door, ready to push it open and leave. But then, as if he remembered something, he turned his head and asked, "By the way, how old is Nanrong Gang?"


    "About the same age as me."


    "Got it." After that, Ling Chen didn¡¯t ask further and walked straight out.


    From the name and age alone, he could roughly guess the rtionship between Nanrong Gang and Nanrong Yong.


    It is said that every household has its own difficult scripture to chant, but the scripture of the Nanrong family seemed too tough¡ªreaching the point where brothers turned against each other.


    When he got back to his room, Tang Yuan was already lying on the bed assigned to him. Seeing Ling Chen returning, Tang Yuanined, "This is so unfair, why do you get such a nice ce to stay?"


    Ling Chen grinned and said, "Because I¡¯m handsomer than you."


    "Handsome my ass, you¡¯re still a virgin," Tang Yuan hit back mercilessly.


    "What¡¯s wrong with being a virgin? I consider it keeping myself pure, being responsible for my future wife. You think everyone is like you, messing around all over the world."


    "As a virgin, you¡¯re not ashamed but proud; your skin is as thick as it gets. Alright, if you think being called a ¡¯virgin¡¯ is honorable, I¡¯ll call you that wherever we go."


    "You..."


    "Ling Chen?" Before he could finish speaking, a surprised voice rose from behind.


    Ling Chen turned around to see Su Lin standing at the door looking at him with surprise. He lifted the corner of his mouth and waved, "Miss Su, we meet again."


    "You... how did youe back?" As soon as she spoke, Su Lin realized her words could be taken with the wrong connotation, as if she strongly disliked him. She quickly corrected, "I mean, hadn¡¯t you resigned?"


    "Didn¡¯t the chairman tell you? She has asked me toe back."


    "Really?" Su Lin found it somewhat unbelievable.


    "I¡¯m already staying here, does that seem fake? Why, do you not wee me?"


    "No... it¡¯s not that." Su Lin said, hastily. She wasn¡¯t opposed to Ling Chening back, in fact, she felt an inexplicable joy.


    Ever since Ling Chen left, she had spent a long time reflecting. Despite the unpleasantness between Ling Chen and her, he had undeniably helped her a lot. Besides, she realized that she was sometimes too willful. Now that she thought about it, she felt somewhat apologetic.


    "Virgin, who is this beauty? Aren¡¯t you going to introduce us?"


    "Virgin?"


    Hearing this ¡¯unique¡¯ nickname, Su Lin was momentarily stunned, and her cheeks turned a slight shade of red as she looked at Ling Chen.


    Ling Chenughed awkwardly, turned his head, and red fiercely at Tang Yuan. That bastard was too much, calling him ¡¯virgin¡¯ in front of a woman, putting him in such an awkward situation.


    Tang Yuan seemed oblivious to Ling Chen¡¯s irritation and walked up to the door with a radiant smile, "Hello, beautiful, my name is Tang Yuan, a friend of Ling Chen¡¯s, and a newly hired employee responsible for the chairman¡¯s security."


    "Hello, I¡¯m Su Lin." In front of a stranger, Su Lin still maintained her politeness. "You guys continue chatting; I¡¯ll go back to my room."


    Watching Su Lin walk away, Tang Yuan spoke with envy, "You¡¯re being so inconsiderate, sharing a room with a beauty and leaving me with those old guys."


    Ling Chen smirked, "I¡¯ve already said it, being handsome gets you privileges. If you want topare with me, maybe in your next life."


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, two days had passed since he returned to the Nanrong Family.


    This day, after sending Nanrong Wanqing to thepany, Ling Chen had nothing to do and casually started a game of Landlord with Tang Yuan and Liang Zhao Hui in the office, betting one yuan per card. In less than half an hour, Ling Chen had already lost over a hundred yuan, with Tang Yuan and Liang Zhao Hui teaming up against him.


    "Ling Chen, the chairman is calling you upstairs." At that moment, Zhong Wei walked in from outside.


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up. He quickly tossed the ying cards onto the table and turned to slip out the door.


    "Hey, you haven¡¯t paid up yet," Tang Yuan called out begrudgingly from behind.


    Ling Chen turned around, with a serious expression, "Pay what? Captain Zhong, these two guys were ying cards during work hours and even forcibly dragged me in. You really should give them a good talking-to and educate them about thepany¡¯s rules and regtions. I have things to do, so I¡¯m leaving."


    Liang Zhao Hui¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, watching Ling Chen disappear through the door. The guy was shameless¡ªit was he who had dragged him into the game, and now he was ying the victim.


    "Captain Zhong, I didn¡¯t..."


    "Don¡¯t bother exining; I saw everything. ying cards during work hours, each of you is fined two hundred."


    Meanwhile, Ling Chen hummed a tune as he took the elevator straight to the top floor of thepany.


    Entering the chairman¡¯s office, he saw Nanrong Wanqing seated at her desk, tidying things up.


    "Chairman, did you need me for something?"


    "A few days ago, I mentioned taking you to see the researchb; I have some free time today, let¡¯s go."


    "I¡¯ll call Captain Zhong to prepare the car."


    "No need, just the two of us will go; no one else needs to follow."


    Hearing that, Ling Chen immediately understood her intention¡ªNanrong Wanqing clearly didn¡¯t want too many people to know about the researchb¡¯s existence. Seeing how cautious she was made him even more curious; just what was being researched in thatb that attracted so much attention?


    Putting his thoughts aside, he extended his hand to grab the wheelchair and pushed Nanrong Wanqing into the elevator, heading straight down to the underground parking garage. Reaching his muscle car, he gently picked up Nanrong Wanqing. It seemed she was already ustomed to his gesture, naturally wrapping her arms around his neck.


    Her sudden move made Ling Chen pause, looking at her with a weird expression. The old her wouldn¡¯t have been so proactive. However, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face remained expressionless, revealing nothing.


    Seeing this, he didn¡¯t think further and ced her in the passenger seat.


    The car started, and Nanrong Wanqing handed over her phone, which already had the navigation app open. Ling Chen nced at the destination, located on the outskirts of East Sea City, about forty kilometers away. With the current traffic, it would take more than an hour.


    "Hold tight."


    He stepped on the gas, and the muscle car roared like a beast, speeding out of the parking lot.


    Researchb, here Ie!

 Chapter 98 - 97 The Secret of the Research Lab (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 98: Chapter 97 The Secret of the Research Lab (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    On the road, halfway through the journey, Ling Chen suddenly reduced the speed of the car, cruising slowly along the roadside.


    "What¡¯s the matter?"


    "Someone¡¯s following us," Ling Chen said.


    Since leaving thepany, he had been keeping an eye on the vehicles behind him. As expected, there indeed was someone secretly following them. The followers were extremely cautious, continuously switching between several vehicles to tail them, but such tricks were not enough to elude Ling Chen¡¯s watchful eyes.


    Nanrong Wanqing nced at the rear of the car. With the traffic too heavy, she couldn¡¯t tell which vehicle Ling Chen was referring to.


    "Is it that assassin?"


    "No, those people are probably after me."


    Nobody knew that Nanrong Wanqing was in his car, so it was impossible for the opposition to be targeting her. It was very likely that the mysterious organization was preparing to retaliate against him.


    "Can we shake them off?"


    A slight smirk appeared on Ling Chen¡¯s mouth, "Piece of cake. Hold tight to the handrail; I want to speed up." As he finished speaking, his foot gently pressed on the gas pedal, and the muscle car immediately shot forward.


    Approaching the intersection ahead, Ling Chen, who was originally driving straight, suddenly turned the steering wheel sharply. Coordinating the use of the gas pedal and the brake, the rear tires of the car instantly emitted clouds of white smoke.


    Screech!


    Apanied by a piercing sound, the muscle car¡¯s body suddenly swerved, cutting through the gap between two vehicles next to it and turning into the left side of the road.


    After driving about two kilometers, Ling Chen nced at the rearview mirror, his face brimming with a smile.


    Still want to tail me? Go back and practice a few more years.


    Two hourster, Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing finally arrived at a factory in the suburbs. Normally, the journey wouldn¡¯t take that much time, but to avoid being detected, Ling Chen took a detour from the main road and hurried to their destination via side roads.


    The factory in front of them upied several thousand square meters, consisting of a main building, two workshops, and three warehouses. The name ¡¯Mingzheng Technology Co., Ltd.¡¯ hung prominently on the factory. Several container trucks were driving out one after another.


    "Let¡¯s go through the back door."


    Hearing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s cue, Ling Chen turned the car toward the rear of the factory. By this time, the back iron gate was already open, and a woman wearing sses and white professional attire was standing at the gate, seemingly waiting for their arrival.


    After parking the car, Ling Chen got out and then carried Nanrong Wanqing down, cing her gently onto the wheelchair.


    "Chairman."


    Looking at the approachingdy with sses, Nanrong Wanqing nodded and introduced, "Ling Chen, this is Qin Lan, the head of the research department."


    "Mr. Ling, hello."


    "Hello."


    Ling Chen extended his hand and shook hands, taking the opportunity to scrutinize Qin Lan. In her early thirties, with neck-length short hair, delicate features, and almost 1.7 meters tall. Paired with a pair of silver-rimmed sses, she had a serious and no-nonsense demeanor, giving off the impression of being stern, smart, andpetent.


    "Please follow me."


    Qin Lan led the way, with Ling Chen pushing the wheelchair close behind, his eyes asionally darting around, observing the surroundings.


    "Chairman, is this factory also a property of Hongyu Group?"


    "Officially, it¡¯s invested by a foreignpany, but in reality, it¡¯s secretly controlled by Hongyu Group. The main business of this factory is processing chips for mobile phones andputers, serving as a cover for the existence of the research department," Nanrong Wanqing said, as the trio arrived at the main building of the factory.


    However, Qin Lan did not enter through the main entrance but rather a side door. Along the spacious and well-lit corridor, after walking more than ten meters, a thick iron door appeared in front of them.


    Qin Lan took out an identification card and swiped it on the device. With a ¡¯beep¡¯, the iron door slowly opened to both sides.


    Ling Chen only then realized that the iron door was an entrance to an elevator. Upon entering the elevator, he looked around. There were no buttons to be seen in the elevator, resembling a sturdy iron cage. However, he noticed that four surveince cameras were installed at the top of the elevator, capable of monitoring the situation inside from all angles.


    "The elevator can only be controlled unterally from the security room. Unless the identity is verified, the elevator will not activate," Qin Lan exined.


    After hearing Qin Lan¡¯s exnation, Ling Chen nodded inwardly. The security measures here were very thorough, which showed how much Nanrong Wanqing valued this research department.


    The elevator descended slowly for about ten seconds, and Ling Chen felt a jolt as the iron doors in front of him opened again. Suddenly, a transparent ss panel appeared in his view.


    Outside the elevator exit was a room constructed of transparent ss. Without testing, Ling Chen knew that it was all made of bulletproof ss. Outside the ss room, there were a total of ten uniformed security personnel equipped with tasers and batons, each wearing a wireless earpiece, fully geared.


    Coming out of the ss room, there was another door ahead. Not only did it require an identification card, but it also needed fingerprint and voice checks. Only after passing all three would the door open.


    After entering the door, Ling Chen finally saw the research department that was under strict protection.


    Following Qin Lan¡¯s brief introduction earlier, Ling Chen had already gained a preliminary understanding of this research department.


    This research department was located twenty meters underground, with a total area of over 4,000 square meters, divided into five sections. There were as many as fifty staff members working here, all living and dining underground.


    Inside the research department, transparent ss panels separated theboratories. Ling Chen took a brief look and counted roughly seven or eightbs, each fully equipped, with one or two research personnel working in eachb.


    Beforeing here, Ling Chen had made many spections. He thought that Nanrong Wanqing¡¯sboratory was likely focused on biological research, as such research would be the most valuable and likely to attract others¡¯ prying eyes.


    But upon arriving, he discovered that he was quite mistaken; this research department had nothing to do with biological research at all.


    Stopping in front of one of theboratory¡¯s ss panels, he saw several high-precision machines inside, with robotic arms continuously rotating and sparks flying, seemingly producing something. Next to it, a research staff member held a tablet, both recording the data and improving the manufacturing process.


    After watching for a while, Ling Chen still couldn¡¯t figure out what they were doing.


    "Chairman, what exactly is being researched here?"


    Nanrong Wanqing did not speak, but she gave Qin Lan a slight nod.


    Understanding the cue, Qin Lan spoke, "Mr. Ling, please follow me; I¡¯ll take you to see the finished product."


    Leaving theboratory, Qin Lan led Ling Chen to the outside of an entirely enclosed room.


    There were two security guards on duty at the entrance, but the keen-eyed Ling Chen noticed that they weren¡¯t equipped with tasers, but rather, Chinese-made 54-style pistols. These guns weremon in the ck market and could be purchased with some connections.


    Nanrong Wanqing actually arranged for two armed guards to secure this ce, indicating that the items inside were extremely important. With this thought, he was even more eager to see the research achievements behind the door.

 Chapter 99 - 98 The Secret of the Research Lab (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 99: Chapter 98 The Secret of the Research Lab (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    The door opened, and Ling Chen followed closely behind Qin Lan in his wheelchair, striding into the room.


    Immediately, a metallic skeleton ced in the center of the room appeared in Ling Chen¡¯s sight. The surface of the metal skeleton was a silver-gray color, and the material it was made from was unknown. In the center was a core circuit board, which still had its protective cover uninstalled, leaving the chips and wires exposed.


    From the center of the circuit board, metallic rods extended on both the left and the right, each about two fingers in width. At the middle and end of each metal rod, there was a round fixing device.


    Apart from the sides, there were also two metal supports beneath the circuit board, each about one meter long, and in the middle of the supports were two movable devices that could rotate back and forth.


    At this moment, Ling Chen finally realized what Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s research was about.


    Internationally, this type of metal skeleton goes by one general term, called Mechanical Exoskeleton, and can also be referred to as exoskeleton armor.


    Such exoskeleton armor can be worn on the body, providing protection and additional power to enhance physical functions, such as allowing individuals with leg disabilities to walk freely.


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing sitting in her wheelchair, how could Ling Chen not understand the purpose behind her research? It was nothing more than her desire to regain the ability to walk.


    Facing Ling Chen¡¯s gaze, Nanrong Wanqing said, "Now you know what this researchb is working on."


    Ling Chen nodded, "Chairman, if I may ask, the existence of exoskeleton armor is no secret in the world and has been reported in the news. Why would those people be interested in your research?"


    Qin Lan took over the conversation and counter-questioned, "Mr. Ling, how much do you know about exoskeleton armor?"


    "Not much, I¡¯ve never been involved in this field."


    "There are many researchers around the world who study exoskeleton armor, including the military powers. The exoskeleton armor can not only allow disabled individuals to regain mobility but can also enhance various physical capabilities. To give a simple example, a person¡¯s limit might be running ten kilometers, but with exoskeleton armor, they could run twenty or thirty kilometers without feeling fatigued. Not only that, exoskeleton armor can significantly increase a person¡¯s abilities, such as jumping power and strength. Our country began the secret research of exoskeleton armor ten years ago, hoping to use it to enhance soldiers¡¯bat abilities and survival skills."


    Qin Lan paused slightly at this point and then continued, "While exoskeleton armor is powerful, it also has many limitations. The exoskeleton armor is mainly powered by electricity; the greater the usage intensity, the more electricity it consumes. In fact, many countries internationally have already developed working models of exoskeleton armor but have not been able to utilize them in the military domain. One reason is the unresolved issue of electricity consumption. The electric energy storage device cannot be toorge, otherwise, it would increase the armor¡¯s weight and cause inconvenience in movement. To my knowledge, the current exoskeleton armors internationally can only operate for one to two hours on their internal power supply when disconnected from an external power source. This is not enough time for soldiers in fieldbat."


    "Moreover, existing exoskeleton armors are tooplicated and cumbersome, making them very troublesome to use and having very poor stealth as anyone can easily spot them. Because of these two reasons, exoskeleton armor has been unable to be applied in the military domain for a long time."


    After listening to Qin Lan¡¯s exnation, Ling Chen had a general understanding of exoskeleton armor.


    "Miss Qin, could it be that you have already ovee these two major obstacles?"


    Qin Lan nodded, her eyes exuding an undeniable pride, "After years of research, we have sessfully solved the material issues of the Exoskeleton armor. What you see now is the firstpleted product developed by us, made from aposite metal. It is a special metal created based on an alloy, not only convenient to carry but also extremely hard. It doesn¡¯t feel too burdensome to wear, even without electrical power. We have conducted several tests, wearing this set of Exoskeleton armor under our clothes and walking on the streets without anyone noticing. Its concealment is very good."


    "As for its power system, our scientific researchers have found a solution and are currently testing it. Once sessful, this Exoskeleton armor can operate autonomously for ten hours. Just these two points alone make this set of Exoskeleton armor sufficiently viable for military use."


    "Qin Lan, show him the test data of this armor."


    Upon Nanrong Wanqing¡¯smand, Qin Lan took out a document from her portfolio and handed it to Ling Chen.


    Ling Chen casually flipped to the first page and his gaze froze, his face showing incredible astonishment. The power of the Exoskeleton armor was vividly demonstrated in these data.


    Speed increased threefold, jumping power fourfold, strength enhanced fivefold. Ignoring everything else, just these three pieces of data alone were enough to reflect its might.


    As a former member of the Ghost Squad, Ling Chen knew all too well what this meant. If this Exoskeleton armor became widespread in the military, it would be enough to change the status of special forces soldiers worldwide. The so-called king of soldiers, the elite special forces, would be nothing but dross in front of this Exoskeleton armor, not worth mentioning.


    Unconsciously, Ling Chen felt his palms starting to sweat. At this moment, he finally understood why those people would go to such lengths to obtain this Exoskeleton armor.


    Closing the document, he looked up at Qin Lan and said, "Miss Qin, may I have a word with you in private?"


    Qin Lan nced at Nanrong Wanqing, and seeing her nod, she immediately left the room, leaving just the two of them.


    "Chairwoman, do you realize what this Exoskeleton armor signifies?" When Ling Chen asked this, there was a rare seriousness in his eyes.


    "I know. The development of these events was beyond my expectations. Initially, I just wanted to research a lightweight Mechanical Exoskeleton so that I could regain the ability to walk, but the research achievements over these years have far exceeded my imagination. It wasn¡¯t until I saw these test data that I realized what a terrifying thing I had created. A year ago, to avoid letting outsiders know about these studies, I strengthened the security of the researchb and signed confidentiality agreements with all the scientific staff. Until I decide how to deal with this Exoskeleton armor, no one is allowed to leak any information."


    "Still, someone got wind of it. Could there be a mole in the researchb?"


    "I don¡¯t know." Nanrong Wanqing shook her head gently, "If it weren¡¯t for that person at Yulong Mansion mentioning the researchb, I would still be unaware that its secrets had been leaked."


    "How many people in the researchb know about the existence of this set of Exoskeleton armor?"


    "That¡¯s a question for Qin Lan. The researchb has always been under her charge. You can ask her anything you want to know."

 Chapter 100 - 99 The Secret of the Research Lab (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 100: Chapter 99 The Secret of the Research Lab (Part 3)</h4><h4></h4>


    Several minutester, inside Qin Lan¡¯s office.


    "Mr. Ling, there are a total of forty-eight members in the researchb, consisting of thirteen researchers, twenty-five security personnel, and the remaining ten people including myself are administrative staff responsible for everyone¡¯s daily needs."


    "How many people among them are aware of the exoskeleton armor?"


    "Only the researchers and I know about it." As she finished speaking, Qin Lan looked puzzled at Ling Chen, "Mr. Ling, why do you ask this?"


    "Miss Qin, the chairman might not have informed you yet, but the research on the exoskeleton armor has been leaked to outsiders."


    "That¡¯s impossible!" Qin Lan¡¯s first reaction was disbelief, her tone firm as she said, "The confidentiality work in theb is very stringent, it¡¯s impossible for there to be a leak. Chairman, I..."


    Nanrong Wanqing raised her hand to stop her mid-sentence, "Ling Chen is right, it indeed happened¡ªsomeone already knows about the existence of the exoskeleton armor. Just a few days ago, someone even tried to force out the location of ourb; fortunately, Ling Chen was present and prevented that person from seeding. Our visit this time is also to get to the bottom of this issue."


    "Miss Qin, how do these researchers usually contact the outside world?" Ling Chen asked.


    "During work, they are not allowed to carry mobile phones. If they need to contact their families, they do so through the security room; they have no opportunity to contact outsiders. Moreover, the thirteen researchers are responsible for different projects and work separately. We strictly forbid them from discussing their work with each other, which prevents anyone from knowing all the manufacturing processes and technologies. Even though the exoskeleton armor is manufactured by them, if these thirteen individuals are separated, none of them could produce it on their own. In this researchb, only I am privy to theplete manufacturing process."


    Ling Chen nodded, finding the method not umon as manybs use this approach to safeguard their research.


    "Miss Qin, do they really stay here all 365 days a year?"


    "No, they each have four days off per month, with the thirteen individuals rotating, except for holidays all other times are spent in the undergroundb."


    "Doesn¡¯t anyone protest against this restriction on freedom?"


    Nanrong Wanqing said indifferently, "If you were offered an annual sry of ten million, would you ept these restrictions?"


    "An annual sry of ten million?" Ling Chen muttered to himself. Truly generous of the Nanrong Family. With such a sry offer, the non-profitb¡¯s expenses would amount to at least three hundred million a year, a figure perhaps only the Hongyu Group could afford to burn through.


    "Given that only fourteen people, excluding Miss Qin, know about the exoskeleton armor, it¡¯s very likely that the leak originated from one of the researchers."


    Qin Lan frowned slightly, "I don¡¯t understand why they would do this; the chairman provides a generouspensation package, and leaking information would be akin to ruining their own future."


    "Maybe someone else offered a higher price. In any case, nothing is absolute in this world. Miss Qin, please prepare a list for me; I want the detailed information of the researchers. Also, keep an eye out during this period to see who seems the most suspicious."


    "Okay, if it really is one of them leaking information, I will cooperate with your investigation."


    After organizing the list and other materials, Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing left theb and drove towards the headquarters of Hongyu Group.


    On the way back, Ling Chen nced at Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s legs and couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Chairman, can¡¯t current medical technology heal your legs?"


    Nanrong Wanqing, looking out the car window at the rapidly receding trees, her hands gently caressing her numb legs, a hint of bitterness flickered in her beautiful eyes.


    "If there were such a technology, why would I bother researching that thing?"


    "There are so many capable doctors in the world, someone among them might be able to treat your legs, like..."


    "Who are you suggesting? Zhu Xiaozhu? You don¡¯t need to speak for her in front of me. I know her medical skills are very good, but I won¡¯t seek her help."


    "Why?" Ling Chen was genuinely puzzled. When hest mentioned Nanrong Wanqing in front of Zhu Xiaozhu, her expression was also somewhat peculiar. Could it be that these two women had some past conflict?


    "No reason, I just don¡¯t want to mention her anymore," Nanrong Wanqing said, sounding somewhat cold.


    Ling Chen shook his head helplessly. These two women were like two beautiful flowers each flourishing in their ce, widely renowned yet blooming in different seasons, never interacting with each other.


    Since Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t want to discuss it further, he didn¡¯t press her. Next time he saw Zhu Xiaozhu, perhaps he¡¯d ask her.


    "Chairman, what are your thoughts concerning the exoskeleton armor?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "Such a device is like a timed bomb in your hands, constantly posing a danger. My advice is to dispose of it. The more people know, the greater the risk to you."


    Nanrong Wanqing pondered for a moment before speaking, "Are you suggesting I turn it over to the state?"


    "Not quite turn it over, but rather, coborate. The military has many defense contractors, all strategic partners, and you could also move in that direction. This way, not only can you ensure your safety, but it could also bring substantial profits to thepany."


    "I never considered using it for military purposes, nor do I want it to be a weapon of murder. Given its significance, you should foresee the enormous changes it could bring to the world once it is released; I don¡¯t want to be the spark that transforms the global militaryndscape."


    "Everything has two sides; you can¡¯t just see the bad; you must also recognize the good. Think about how many people there are in the world who have experienced what you have; if they had this, they could live like normal people."


    Nanrong Wanqing massaged her temples, a trace of fatigue evident in her eyes.


    "Let me think about it further."


    Returning to thepany, Ling Chen escorted Nanrong Wanqing back to her office and then, carrying the information gathered from Qin Lan, he prepared to leave.


    Stopping at the door, he suddenly turned back to ask, "Chairma

 Chapter 101 - 100: Administering Acupuncture for Liu Xiyao (Part One)

    <h4>Chapter 101: Chapter 100: Administering Acupuncture for Liu Xiyao (Part One)</h4><h4></h4>


    Driving to Qingyuan Club, it was already four in the afternoon.


    Now, the staff of the club all knew that Qingyuan Club had an additional male owner. Seeing Ling Chen arrive, the doorman immediately opened the door with respectful ceremony to wee him in.


    "Mr. Ling, President Liu said that you can go up by yourself," the doorman said, looking at Ling Chen with great admiration.


    As employees of the club, everyone knew about Liu Xiyao¡¯s rules: men were never allowed in her room, with the sole exception being this young man.


    Ling Chen nodded and went straight into Liu Xiyao¡¯s private elevator. Upon reaching the fifth floor, it was still the same room as thest time. Pushing open the door, he hadn¡¯t yet seen anyone, but a captivating fragrance already wafted to his nose.


    Looking up, he saw Liu Xiyao walking out of the bathroom. She seemed to have just taken a bath, wearing a loose garment that resembled ancient Han clothing as a nightgown, her waist-length hair still wet and not yet blow-dried.


    Seeing Liu Xiyao again, Ling Chen felt his mood could not settle down for a long while. The woman before him was like a cup of rich and aromatic wine; the longer it was stored, the more intoxicating the fragrance became, making one involuntarily revel in it.


    Fair and silky skin, delicate and lovely facial features, a graceful figure, as well as the noble elegance that radiated from within her¡ªall of it was breathtaking.


    Feeling the appreciation in Ling Chen¡¯s gaze, Liu Xiyao slightly lifted the corners of her eyes, giving him a calm look. Such expressions were too familiar to her and had long be a norm.


    "Have a seat," she gestured to the sofa, then picked up her phone to check the messages on it.


    Ling Chen smiled slightly, unceremoniously took a seat on the sofa, and picked up the teapot on the coffee table. Spotting an empty cup right in front of him, he casually filled it and then brought it to his lips.


    Just then, Liu Xiyao saw his action and quickly stretched out her hand to stop him, saying: "Don¡¯t..."


    Ling Chen swallowed the tea, smacking his lips, finding the tea sweet, leaving a fragrant aftertaste. Noticing an unusual color on Liu Xiyao¡¯s face, he asked, "What did you just say?"


    Liu Xiyao, looking at the teacup in his hand, shook her head helplessly and said, "Nothing... It¡¯s nothing."


    Following her gaze, Ling Chen took a closer look at the teacup in his hand. Suddenly, he noticed a faint lipstick mark on the edge of the cup.


    Being a man, he naturally wouldn¡¯t wear lipstick, so this lipstick mark... Realizing this, he immediately understood why Liu Xiyao tried to say that "Don¡¯t" earlier.


    No wonder he found the tea so sweet; it was because of this.


    Does this... count as an indirect kiss?


    He gave an awkward chuckle and sneakily nced at Liu Xiyao. She appeared very calm, but Ling Chen, with his keen eyes, still noticed that Liu Xiyao¡¯s face was tinged with a slight blush.


    "Um... cough... President Liu, you wanted to see me about something?" he quickly changed the subject.


    "It¡¯s almost been a month."


    Ling Chen pped his forehead, he had been so busy that if not for Liu Xiyao¡¯s reminder, he would have almost forgotten. They had agreedst time to prepare medicine every month to help Liu Xiyao nourish her body and detoxify.


    "President Liu, please sit for a while. I¡¯ll go grab some medicine and be right back," he said, standing up and leaving the room.


    Watching Ling Chen disappear at the door, Liu Xiyao¡¯s gaze uncontrobly fell back to the teacup, and a flush of shyness rose on her delicate, snow-like cheeks.


    Everyone who knew her was aware that she didn¡¯t quite like interacting with men. Perhaps some experiences from her childhood had made her somewhat repulsive towards men. Last time, Ling Chen barged into her room and almost saw her entire body; and this time...


    For some reason, she didn¡¯t feel a strong aversion towards Ling Chen. By the side of this man, who was a few years younger than herself, she felt very secure, with no need to be on guard all the time.


    In less than half an hour, Ling Chen returned with several packages of traditional Chinese medicine that he had just bought.


    "President Liu, take a rest. I¡¯ll go and prepare the medicine for you."


    Liu Xiyao¡¯s room came with a kitchen. Ling Chen prepared the herbs, found a y pot to put on the stove, and simmered them on low heat. In no time, a strong scent of traditional Chinese medicine wafted from the y pot.


    After dusting off the remnants of the herbs from his hands, Ling Chen went back to the living room and was immediately taken aback. While he was preparing the medicine, Liu Xiyao had changed into a pure white Cheongsam. Her fair legs were exposed, and she sat with her legs crossed. Her hair, which was now dried, was casually draped behind her, and her arm, as delicate as a lotus root stalk, rested gently on the arm of the sofa supporting her cheek. Her beautiful eyes revealed a hint ofziness.


    Ling Chen swallowed hard and approached the sofa to sit down, continuing to admire the woman up close.


    "Were you alright that day?" Liu Xiyao asked softly.


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t react at first. "Which day are you talking about?"


    "The night of the banquet. I heard from President Gao that someone died that evening."


    "Oh, I know about that," Ling Chen replied with a smile. Not only did he know about it, but that deceased person had a significant connection to him. If it weren¡¯t for his intervention, that person wouldn¡¯t have died.


    "President Liu, you..."


    "Don¡¯t keep calling me ¡¯President Liu¡¯; you¡¯re not my employee. There¡¯s no one else here; no need to be so formal. I¡¯m just two or three years older than you; perhaps you should change the way you address me."


    "Then... can I call you Xiyao?"


    Liu Xiyao nodded slightly, evidently pleased with the address.


    "Xiyao, do you know that Zhu Hong?"


    "Not at all, never even met him. Boyang Company is renowned internationally; eight percent of the world¡¯s pharmaceutical products are manufactured by them. Moreover, Boyang Company has profound expertise and research in various medical fields and owns many patented medicines. Nowadays, most of the anticancer drugs used by major hospitals abroade from Boyang Company. When Zhu Hong invites people in the name of Boyang Company, nobody would refuse."


    "From what you¡¯ve said, Boyang Company is quite impressive, huh?"


    "Boyang Company has strong assets and ranks within the top ten of the world¡¯s Fortune 500. That tells you how powerful they are, right? Boyang Company¡¯s operations were primarily in North America, Europe, and South Africa, with only three branches in Asia. This time, Zhu Hong has been authorized by the higher-ups of Boyang to set up apany in East Sea City, indicating that they¡¯re preparing to speed up their expansion into Asia."


    After saying this, Liu Xiyao looked at Ling Chen, her eyes shimmering with curiosity, "Why are you asking about Zhu Hong?"


    "Nothing much, just asking. Xiyao, listen to my advice, it¡¯s better to minimize your interactions with that person in the future, or better yet, don¡¯t even get to know him," Ling Chen cautioned.


    "Why?"


    "If you ask me now, I¡¯m not sure how to exin it, but just listen to me; I won¡¯t harm you."


    Liu Xiyao nodded thoughtfully, "I understand, I¡¯ll keep your words in mind."

 Chapter 102 - 101: Administering Acupuncture for Liu Xiyao (Part Two)

    <h4>Chapter 102: Chapter 101: Administering Acupuncture for Liu Xiyao (Part Two)</h4><h4></h4>


    While they were talking, the traditional Chinese medicine in the kitchen was ready.


    Ling Chen poured the thick, dark traditional medicine into a bowl and added two pieces of rock sugar to reduce the bitterness of the medicine. After letting the medicine cool down, he brought it to Liu Xiyao with both hands, then took out a box of silver needles and an alcoholmp from the bag.


    Liu Xiyao, enduring the bitterness, slightly furrowed her brows and drank the medicine in one gulp. After setting down the empty bowl, she saw the two items in Ling Chen¡¯s hands and couldn¡¯t help asking, "What are these for?"


    "Acupuncture. The medicine can expel the toxins from your body, but the toxins have umted in your body for too long, inevitably harming your health. Combining traditional medicine with acupuncture can ensure your health while expelling the toxins," Ling Chen exined, pointing to therge bed, "Take off your clothes and lie down."


    Liu Xiyao hesitated, especially after Ling Chen¡¯sst sentence, which stirred a faint blush of embarrassment within her.


    Her body, pure and untouched, had never been exposed to a man before. Although Ling Chen had seen her naked before, it was a different situation.


    Ling Chen seemed to read her thoughts, "Xiyao, a doctor¡¯s heart is like that of a parent¡¯s. Don¡¯t think too much. If you really don¡¯t want to, I won¡¯t force you." Saying this, he pretended to start packing up the items.


    Liu Xiyao hesitated for a moment, then stood up and said, "I¡¯ll go change my clothes."


    Seeing her enter the bathroom, Ling Chen didn¡¯t idle. He lit the alcoholmp and opened the needle box, sterilizing the silver needles one by one.


    He asked Liu Xiyao to undress for acupuncture with no ulterior motives, purely considering her health.


    Soon, Liu Xiyao came out of the bathroom in a bathrobe. Without looking at Ling Chen, she went straight to the bed,y down, put her hands together, and rested her cheeks on them, her eyes slightly closed.


    "Xiyao, can I start now?"


    "Mm," Liu Xiyao responded softly.


    At that moment, Ling Chen lifted her scattered hair away from her back, then grabbed the corners of the bathrobe and pulled it down from her fragrant shoulders to her waist, revealing her smooth, fair back.


    Feeling the coolness on her back, Liu Xiyao¡¯s eyshes trembled slightly. She pursed her lips, her body involuntarily tensed, and a blush appeared on her cheeks. Fortunately, she was lying on the bed, so Ling Chen did not notice her expression change.


    Looking at the soft and delicate back, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help swallowing. Although a doctor should maintain a parental mindset, staying calm was not easy in the presence of such a stunning beauty. Especially since Liu Xiyao lying on the bed caused her bosom to bepressed, revealing two half spheres, a silent temptation that was hard to resist.


    He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. However, his peripheral vision couldn¡¯t help but nce at those slightly protruding mounds.


    "Have you...not started yet?"


    Hearing Liu Xiyao¡¯s voice, Ling Chen immediately regained hisposure, cleared his throat lightly, and said, "Starting right away."


    With that, he ced his hand gently on her back.


    Touching her skin, Ling Chen felt a stirring in his heart. It was clear that Liu Xiyao took great care of her skin, which was very soft and smooth, offering a delightful touch.


    Feeling his caress, Liu Xiyao¡¯s body trembled slightly, a faint blush emerging on the surface of her skin, making her even more enticing.


    "Xiyao, don¡¯t be nervous; rx your body a bit."


    "Mm." Liu Xiyao breathed out through her nose, trying to rx her body, but the warmth from Ling Chen¡¯s hand made it hard for her to do so.


    This was the first man to have such intimate contact with her; how could she not be nervous? Although she wanted to rx, her body seemed to resist hermands.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen extended both hands, cing them on her delicate back, gently kneading.


    His sudden gesture left Liu Xiyao caught off bnce, her blushing cheeks buried between her arms, not daring to lift her head.


    What...what is he doing? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to perform acupuncture?


    In that moment, Liu Xiyao¡¯s mind became utterly chaotic, she had lost her usualposure.


    Lost in wild thoughts, she suddenly felt a wave of warmth prating her skin, seeping into her body, which felt veryfortable. Unconsciously, her body gradually rxed, her eyes closed, peacefully enjoying Ling Chen¡¯s touch. Before long, her breathing steadied, and she even fell asleep.


    Ling Chen smiled slightly, it seemed his technique worked fairly well.


    Over an hour passed, and the sleeping Liu Xiyao finally woke up. She opened her eyes to find herself covered with a bathrobe and a velvet nket, and the room was void of Ling Chen¡¯s presence.


    At that moment, she noticed from the corner of her eye a note left beside the pillow by Ling Chen.


    Looking at the note and the additional velvet nket on her, she lifted the corners of her mouth slightly, revealing a captivating smile.


    When he returned to thepany, it was exactly five-thirty.


    By the time Ling Chen arrived at the Chairman¡¯s office, Zhong Wei, Tang Yuan, and Liang Zhao Hui had already arrived and were ready to escort Nanrong Wanqing downstairs.


    Seeing him appear, Liang Zhao Hui and Tang Yuan instantly red at him, their faces filled with grudges. They were fined two hundred dors because of him during the previous card game.


    Ling Chen ignored them both, pushing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s wheelchair into the elevator.


    "What were you doing just now?" Nanrong Wanqing suddenly asked while the elevator was descending.


    Ling Chen looked at Zhong Wei and Tang Yuan beside him, only to realize they did not react, then he came to understand that Nanrong Wanqing was asking him.


    "Nothing, just went out for a bit."


    Tang Yuan, with a smile, leaned close to his ear and whispered, "It was about a woman, wasn¡¯t it?"


    "Nonsense."


    "You still deny it, the scent of perfume has already betrayed you."


    "Perfume scent?" Ling Chen was slightly startled, hurriedly lifted his own sleeve, indeed there was a faint fragrance.


    "Did you go see Liu Xiyao?"


    Hearing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s question, Ling Chen was slightly surprised; how did she know he went to see Liu Xiyao? He hadn¡¯t said anything. Hesitating for a moment, he couldn¡¯t help but ask: "How did you know I went to see her?"


    "The perfume on you is Biyang, three hundred dors per ounce. A woman who can afford this kind of perfume is not only wealthy but also has taste. I heard at a dinner party that you were a nominal shareholder of Qingyuan Club, so it wasn¡¯t hard to guess."


    Tsk tsk!


    He didn¡¯t expect this woman to be so observant, deducing whom he had seen just by the residual scent of perfume on him. Not to be a detective would be a waste.


    "Chairman, do you know President Liu?"


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded gently, "She and Lin are friends. Speaking of which, she is also a pitiful woman." Her tone bore some emotion and a hint of sigh, seemingly with a touch of sympathy.

 Chapter 103 - 102 Pity for the Poor Person

    <h4>Chapter 103: Chapter 102 Pity for the Poor Person</h4><h4></h4>


    Pity?


    Indeed, when reflecting upon it, this exceptionally beautiful woman was secretly schemed against.


    However, Ling Chen was rather surprised to hear such wordsing from Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s mouth. For in others¡¯ eyes, it was Nanrong Wanqing, with her disabled legs, who was seen as the pitiful one. Yet, even Nanrong Wanqing felt sympathy for Liu Xiyao, suggesting that Liu Xiyao¡¯s plight was even more sorrowful than her own.


    "Chairwoman, you say President Liu is pitiful, there must be a reason, right?"


    "She didn¡¯t tell you?"


    "No."


    "Since she herself is unwilling to speak, why should an outsider like me gossip?" Nanrong Wanqing shook her head, clearly disinclined to continue the topic.


    ...


    Night fell.


    After dinner, Ling Chen drove to see Hu Fei. Hu Fei¡¯s injuries were severe, and his mobility was limited; he could only lie in bed all day. As he couldn¡¯t eat solid food yet and was limited to liquids, Ling Chen made it a point to prepare the next day¡¯s meals every evening to prevent that guy from starving to death.


    "Hey, Ling Chen, have you found that bastard Snake King yet?" Hu Fei took a sip of water to moisten his throat before asking.


    "Looking for him is your job, I don¡¯t have so much time to waste on him."


    "How am I supposed to search in my condition?"


    "That¡¯s not my problem, figure it out yourself." As he spoke, Ling Chen seemed to recall something, "By the way, fatso, there¡¯s one more thing, the person who hired Snake King to kill Nanrong Wanqingst time, was it Nanrong Gang?"


    Hu Fei immediately shook his head: "I can¡¯t say that, it would break the rules."


    Ling Chen gave a half-smile: "You¡¯re talking about rules to me? Believe it or not, if I don¡¯te tomorrow, you¡¯ll starve to death here?"


    "You..."


    "Cut the crap, just tell me if it was him or not."


    "I don¡¯t know."


    "Hmm?" Ling Chen¡¯s gaze skimmed sideways, and Hu Fei quickly added, "I really don¡¯t know, the employer hired me anonymously. I provided a bank ount, and they directly transferred the money into it. They also used a public phone to contact me and even disguised their voice, so I have no clue who that person is."


    Ling Chen nodded, he knew Hu Fei¡¯s character well enough, either he would speak or keep silent, he would never deceive him on this matter.


    "How about this, help me look into this Nanrong Gang person, probably in his sixties or seventies, should have been a local before."


    Hu Fei¡¯s eyes rolled, and with a slyugh, he said, "As the saying goes, even brothers settle ounts clearly, this money..."


    Ling Chen replied irritably, "As long as you find the person, money is no object."


    "Okay, since you¡¯ve said so, I¡¯ll definitely sort it out for you. The Secret Society mayck in other areas, but our ability to find people is absolutely top-notch."


    "I¡¯ll await your good news."


    Upon returning to the Nanrong home, Ling Chen parked the car, preparing to head inside. However, at this moment, he noticed a silver Mercedes parked at the door. Judging by the license te, it didn¡¯t belong to the Nanrong family¡ªhad visitors arrived?


    As he approached the vi, he pushed open the door and stepped inside. Suddenly, he saw several people sitting in the living room: Nanrong Wanqing, Su Lin, and a handsome man¡ªZhu Hong. Besides the three of them, there were also two foreigners with blond hair and blue eyes, dressed in sleek suits, both of imposing stature.


    "Oh, we have a guest at home." Ling Chen grinned, "You guys chat, I¡¯ll head back to my room and won¡¯t disturb you."


    Seeing Ling Chen walking towards the bedroom next to the living room, Zhu Hong¡¯s face changed instantly, and he turned to say, "Wanqing, he... he lives here?"


    "Yup."


    "How is that okay? He¡¯s a grown man living here; it¡¯s so inconvenient for you."


    "It¡¯s fine," Su Lin took over the conversation, "We¡¯ve gotten used to it."


    Zhu Hong continued to persuade her, "Wanqing, I don¡¯t mean anything by it, it¡¯s just... after all, he is an outsider, I worry about your safety."


    Hearing this, Su Lin couldn¡¯t help but retort, "Zhu Hong, I don¡¯t like what you just said. Ling Chen has been brought by the Nanrong family to protect us. Could he possibly harm us? Moreover, Ling Chen has saved Wanqing several times."


    Nanrong Wanqing spoke indifferently, "It was grandpa¡¯s decision for Ling Chen to stay here. I have no right to change it." After speaking, she turned her head to the two foreign men with blonde hair and blue eyes, "You haven¡¯t introduced these two gentlemen to me yet."


    "Oh, I almost forgot." Zhu Hong stood up with a smile, "Wanqing, let me introduce them to you. This is Mr. Stephen, and this is Mr. Nock. Both of them are medical professors from Boyang Company and authorities in the world of medicine. I invited them over from abroad this time to take a look at your leg injury. Wanqing, I know you¡¯ve seen many doctors before, but those people are noparison to these two. I discussed your condition with them over the phone before, and they think you have a sixty percent chance of recovery."


    "Really?" Nanrong Wanqing was very calm and did not get excited by Zhu Hong¡¯s words.


    The greater the hope, the bigger the disappointment. Over the years, too many people had given her hope, only to end in disappointment. Therefore, she didn¡¯t want to go through that disappointment again.


    Seeing her reaction, how could Zhu Hong not understand her thoughts, he said softly, "Wanqing, I know you¡¯ve been very disappointed with those quacks domestically, but trust me, there won¡¯t be any issues this time. If you don¡¯t mind, I can have them take a look for you."


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded slightly, "Then I¡¯ll trouble the two of you."


    Thereupon, with Su Lin¡¯s help, Nanrong Wanqing sat down on the sofa, resting her legs t. Stephen and Nock stood on either side, pinching her calves and asionally tapping them. During the examination, the two continuously conversed in English, seemingly discussing the treatment n.


    "Miss Nanrong, we need to conduct further examinations on your leg to ascertain the exact condition; if it¡¯s convenient, could you go to the hospital tomorrow?" Stephen asked in not so fluent Chinese.


    "Okay."


    "Wanqing, then have a good rest tonight, I¡¯ll apany you to the hospital tomorrow."


    Nanrong Wanqing declined, "There¡¯s no need to trouble you."


    "How about this, I¡¯ll wait for you at the hospital, it¡¯s settled then." After speaking, Zhu Hong left with the two doctors towards the door.


    Before leaving, he nced at Ling Chen¡¯s bedroom, a shade of coldness fleeting across his eyes.


    Leaving the Nanrong Family¡¯s house, Zhu Hong and Stephen got into the car, slowly merging onto the road.


    "Stephen, are you confident you can cure her?"


    "Mr. Zhu, her condition is quiteplicated, and with the current medical technology, it¡¯s difficult for aplete recovery, but..."


    "But what?"


    "If we can use the new drug developed by ourpany, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem."


    "New drug?" Zhu Hong¡¯s eyes sharpened, "You mean... that drug?"


    "Yes. Mr. Zhu, you have seen the effects of that drug yourself. If we can get approval for that drug, I am one hundred percent confident. However, I feel that the higher-ups won¡¯t permit the use of that medicine on a woman who is unrted."


    Zhu Hong said coldly, "You don¡¯t need to worry about that, I will consult with the higher authorities. As long as her legs can be healed, my status in her heart will surely skyrocket. By then, what I want will be well within reach."

 Chapter 104 - 103: Detection

    <h4>Chapter 104: Chapter 103: Detection</h4><h4></h4>


    The next day.


    Today is Saturday, thepany is on holiday, and Ling Chen got up early in the morning, stretchedzily, and then visited Nanrong Hao¡¯s vi to check on his training situation.


    In terms of martial arts training, Nanrong Hao is quite self-disciplined, needing no constant supervision from him. Nanrong Hao starts training at five o¡¯clock every morning, and Ling Chen only needs to drop by asionally to give some guidance, without having to worry about anything else.


    By eight-thirty, after having breakfast at Nanrong Hao¡¯s house, Ling Chen set off to go back. Last night, Nanrong Wanqing had already informed him that she was going to the hospital today for a check-up with two doctors.


    Leaving Nanrong Hao¡¯s vi, Ling Chen was walking alone on the road when he suddenly heard water sounds from nearby. Turning his head, he saw Su Lin in a sexy bikini, swimming back and forth in the pool.


    Although it¡¯s already autumn, the temperature was still quite hot, around thirty degrees. It was a perfect weather for swimming.


    At that moment, Su Lin emerged from the water, gently shaking her long hair, looking like a goddess emerging from the water, stunningly beautiful and delicate, making Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but take a few more nces.


    "Hey, do you want to join?" Su Lin noticed Ling Chen by the pool and actively invited him.


    Ling Chen waved his hand and said, "You enjoy yourself, I¡¯m not interested."


    Instead of swimming, he preferred to stay on the side and admire Su Lin¡¯s figure. Tsk tsk, really, this girl¡¯s figure is first-rate; any more would seem too plump, any less would seem too skinny, definitely a golden ratio. Especially the fullness in front of her chest, under her sexy bikini, revealing the snowy white semispheres, was even more enticing.


    Remembering thest time he personally touched Su Lin¡¯s soft body, his heart heated up.


    "Ling Chen."


    "Uh, what is it?"


    "Song Yuan dropped out."


    Song Yuan? An image of that charming woman instantly appeared in Ling Chen¡¯s mind.


    "What does her dropping out have to do with me?"


    "Nothing, I just wanted to thank you for helping mest time."


    "No need to be polite. By the way, has Qin Yang bothered you again?"


    "Now whenever he sees me, he takes a detour, doesn¡¯t dare to confront me. Actually, I know that he secretly orchestrated everythingst time, but I don¡¯t want to waste energy on settling scores with him. In my eyes, he¡¯s already a stranger now. It¡¯s just pitiful for Song Yuan, thinking she found a good man, but ended up taking the me for him and ruining her reputation."


    Ling Chen slightly smiled, they say beauty without brains, but this girl is quite smart, able to see through the truth of the matter.


    "To be a person, you still have to learn to be broad-minded, no need to fuss over every little thing."


    Hearing this, Su Lin lifted her head slightly, a charming smile curling on her lips, "I don¡¯t know who once called me narrow-minded."


    Uh... Ling Chen gave a dryugh, realizing he was the one who had said that.


    "Well... The chairman is going outter, I need to prepare for that, you enjoy yourself." Having said that, he quickly ran into the house.


    Just after nine o¡¯clock in the morning, under the escort of Ling Chen and others, Nanrong Wanqing and her group arrived at City People¡¯s Hospital.


    Upon reaching the hospital entrance, Zhu Hong was already there waiting with Stephen and Nn.


    "Wanqing."


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing appearing outside the door, Zhu Hong¡¯s smile instantly brightened as he strode forward in a few quick steps, making a gesture to take over Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s wheelchair.


    Ling Chen extended a hand to block him, "Mr. Zhu, there¡¯s no need for you to bother with such heavy tasks."


    Zhu Hong¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, but his smile remained unchanging as he softly said, "Wanqing, the hospital equipment is all ready. Stephen and the others will help you with the examination shortly."


    "Mm." Nanrong Wanqing gently nodded. "Thank you for the trouble."


    "There¡¯s no need for such formalities between us; whatever I do for you is only right."


    Listening to these overly sharine words, Ling Chen involuntarily shivered.


    Upon reaching the third floor of the hospital, the corridor was eerily quiet, devoid of people. Before their arrival, Zhu Hong had already informed the hospital to clear the third floor. Ling Chen couldn¡¯t afford to be careless and made a gesture to everyone. Tang Yuan and the others immediately understood and began to check each room and office. Soon, Tang Yuan turned back and gave him a ¡¯no problem¡¯ look.


    As they neared the equipment room, Stephen, who was leading the way, stopped and said to Ling Chen, "Mr. Ling, you don¡¯t need to follow any further. Too many people might disturb the doctors. I can apany Wanqing inside; you guys just wait outside."


    Just as Ling Chen was about to speak, he heard Nanrong Wanqing say, "Ling Chen, you guys stay."


    Seeing her speak, Ling Chen simply held back furtherments and handed the wheelchair to Zhu Hong. After watching the four of them enter, Ling Chen sat down on the bench in the hallway, striking up a casual conversation with Tang Yuan.


    Meanwhile, inside the equipment room, Stephen had already donned a whiteb coat. He wielded a syringe filled with medicine and approached Nanrong Wanqing, saying, "Miss Nanrong, please roll up your sleeve."


    Nanrong Wanqing did not move but stared at the syringe in his hand, "What is this for?"


    "Miss Nanrong, please be assured, this is just a medicinal agent used to assist in the examination. It won¡¯t harm your body."


    Zhu Hong added from the side, "Wanqing, trust Dr. Stephen; he is an authority in this field and wouldn¡¯t deceive you. Besides, with me here, don¡¯t you trust me?"


    Hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing gently nodded, then rolled up her sleeve, revealing her pale and smooth arm.


    After the injection, Nanrong Wanqing leaned back in her wheelchair, suddenly feeling a blur before her eyes as her consciousness gradually fogged. She slightly opened her mouth, wanting to speak, but soon realized she was too weak even to talk.


    In a drowsy haze, she faintly heard Stephen¡¯s voice near her ear, "Miss Nanrong, rx, nothing will happen."


    Watching Nanrong Wanqing slip into unconsciousness, Zhu Hong breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Stephen, hurry up, lest the people outside be suspicious."


    "Yes."


    Stephen responded. With Nn¡¯s assistance, they ced Nanrong Wanqing on a hospital bed and connected various devices to her body. Meanwhile, Zhu Hong pulled a suitcase from under the bed and ced it on the table.


    Opening the suitcase revealed aplete set of medical supplies, including a small device.


    He took out a syringe, approached Nanrong Wanqing, gently pricked her hand, and drew two milliliters of blood. Then, he returned to the suitcase, injected the blood into a test tube, and mixed in an unknown chemical, gently shaking it.


    Once the color of the blood lightened, he opened the device in the suitcase and ced the test tube inside.


    Minutes passed, and soon a light ¡¯ding¡¯ sounded, and a number, ny-four, immediately appeared on the device¡¯s disy.


    "Mr. Zhu, how is the test result?"


    Stephen¡¯s voice came through, and Zhu Hong, looking at the data on the device, frowned slightly, "Stephen, isn¡¯t this value too high?"

 Chapter 105 - 104 Western Medicine

    <h4>Chapter 105: Chapter 104 Western Medicine</h4><h4></h4>


    Stephen quickly walked up to him, and as he saw the data disyed on the equipment, his expression changed abruptly.


    "94? It¡¯s that high? The people we¡¯ve tested before generally scored between 60 and 70, and those over 80 are few and far between, let alone reaching 90."


    "What do you think would happen if we injected her with the new drug?"


    "The higher the data, the better the fusion with the drug. Given her condition, if we inject our new drug, not only could she regain the use of her legs, she might even..." Stephen paused and nced at the figure of Nanrong Wanqing on the hospital bed, speaking softly, "Mr. Zhu, we have never tested this new drug on a woman before. This woman¡¯s data is so high; she could be a prime test subject. In my opinion, we should perhaps..."


    "Shut up." Zhu Hong said coldly, "Stephen, remember my words, she is not a test subject, she is the woman I¡¯m going to be with in the future. You¡¯d better not harbor any thoughts about her, got it?"


    "Yes, I¡¯ll remember that." Stephen quickly lowered his head, a fleeting strange light shing through his blue eyes.


    "Alright, once the examination is finished, wake her up immediately."


    Time passed by, second by second.


    In the hallway, Ling Chen checked his phone, Nanrong Wanqing had already been inside for nearly an hour.


    It¡¯s just a checkup; why is it taking so long.


    Thinking this, he stood up and walked to the door that was tightly shut, reaching out to knock. However, before his hand could touch it, the door opened from the inside.


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing being wheeled out by Zhu Hong, Ling Chen reached out to take over the wheelchair, asking, "Chairman, how did it go?"


    Zhu Hong smiled, "Wanqing¡¯s leg injury isn¡¯t a big issue. Just now, Dr. Stephen said he is 70% confident he can cure her." His gaze softened as he looked at Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s delicate features. "I¡¯ve said before that I will make sure you can stand up. I never go back on my word."


    "Thank you." Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s lips curved slightly, revealing a faint smile, her bright eyes filled with excitement.


    Ever since her legs had be disabled, she had seen countless doctors but none had confidently told her that her legs could be cured. However, Stephen¡¯s words had rekindled hope in her heart.


    "Wanqing, keep this bottle of medicine safe, take one after dinner every day, and persist for a month." Zhu Hong handed her a transparent bottle filled with white pills the size of fingernails.


    Zhong Wei nced at it and asked, "What medicine is this?"


    "Dr. Stephen is nning to perform surgery in two months, these pills can improve Wanqing¡¯s constitution, consider it a pre-surgical preparation. Don¡¯t worry, this medicine has no side effects."


    Zhong Wei nodded, took the bottle, and stashed it in his pocket.


    Back at the Nanrong Family home, Ling Chen patted Zhong Wei on the shoulder, "Captain Zhong, that bottle of medicine from earlier, let me take a look."


    Without suspicion, Zhong Wei casually tossed the medicine into his hands and said, "You¡¯re living with the Chairman, from now on the Chairman¡¯s medication is your responsibility."


    "No problem."


    In the room, Ling Chen shook the medicine bottle in his hand, then opened the cap, poured out a pill, and sniffed it close to his nose.


    However, he had studied traditional Chinese medicine and never delved into Western medicine, so he didn¡¯t know much about this kind of drug. Since he was convinced something was off with Zhu Hong, he wouldn¡¯t let Nanrong Wanqing take such medicine casually.


    After some thought, he took out his phone and dialed a number.


    Dial tone... Dial tone...


    "Hello?"


    Hearing the voice on the other end of the phone, Ling Chen¡¯s face immediately brightened with a smile, "Xiaozhu, what are you up to?"


    "I¡¯m not doing much, just reading at home. I heard you¡¯re back at the Nanrong Family, is everything okay?"


    "What can go wrong with me? Anyway, when will you be back in East Sea City?"


    "Maybe in a week. What¡¯s up?"


    "I need your help with something. You¡¯re a professional in medicine, I have some Western medicine here that I¡¯d like you to check out, to see if there¡¯s anything wrong with it."


    "I seldom study Western medicine, how about this - I¡¯ll introduce a friend to you, an expert in that field, he¡¯s actually in East Sea City. I¡¯ll give him a call in a bit, you can go straight to him."


    "Alright, that¡¯ll be great, I¡¯ll treat you to a meal next time Ie over."


    After the call, it didn¡¯t take long for Zhu Xiaozhu to send over a message with the doctor¡¯s address and phone number.


    Ling Chen packed his things and made his way to Tang Yuan¡¯s room. Upon entering, he saw him on the phone, his face serious, and Ling Chen knew without asking he was contacting headquarters.


    Seeing hime in, Tang Yuan whispered a few words before hanging up disgruntledly, "You couldn¡¯t knock before entering?"


    "What¡¯s there to be afraid of, do you think I might overhear some secret?"


    "Out with it, what do you want?"


    "What, I need a reason to visit you?"


    "Fine, fine, I won¡¯t beat around the bush with you, I have to go out. Oh, by the way, are you free tomorrow?"


    "What for?"


    "Don¡¯t ask so many questions, you¡¯ll get a call from me, we¡¯re going to meet someone."


    Ling Chen was curious, "There are people in East Sea City both of us know?"


    "Don¡¯t ask too much," Tang Yuan said impatiently. "Why the endless questions? I¡¯m leaving!" With that, he fished a briefcase from under the bed and left the room.


    This guy... Ling Chen shook his head with a smile, thinking he was certainly up to some ¡¯bad business.¡¯


    Since he had originally nned to ask Tang Yuan to apany him to see the doctor but Tang Yuan was busy, he had to go alone.


    The next day.


    Shortly after noon, Ling Chen received a call from Tang Yuan. Remembering the arrangement from the previous day, he promptly said goodbye to Nanrong Wanqing and headed to the door alone.


    Once in the car, Ling Chen nced at Tang Yuan in the passenger seat and asked, "Where to?"


    "Qingyun Martial Arts Hall."


    "Oh... Huh?" Ling Chen paused for a moment, "Why are we going to the Martial Arts Academy?"


    He secretly wondered if they were going to meet He Ziyun.


    "Once we get there, you¡¯ll know."


    Seeing Tang Yuan wouldn¡¯t say more, Ling Chen, filled with curiosity, slowly drove onto the road.


    Half an hourter, they arrived outside Qingyun Martial Arts Hall. Before they even got out of the car, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes were already narrowed.


    Currently, there were two Hongqi sedans parked outside the Martial Arts Hall. The cars themselves weren¡¯t special, but their license tes were, ending in 003 and 002; clearly, government-issue tes.


    In addition, there were eight men in suits standing at the entrance, each with an earpiece and a bulge at their waists, obviously carrying guns.


    From the looks of it, it seemed a VIP was visiting Qingyun Martial Arts Hall.


    Upon their arrival, a few of the suited men immediately walked over, positioning themselves in front of the driver and front passenger doors.


    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 106 - 105: Ghost Leader

    <h4>Chapter 106: Chapter 105: Ghost Leader</h4><h4></h4>


    "You should know what to do."


    With that, Tang Yuan pushed open the car door and stepped out first.


    Once out of the car, Ling Chen spread his arms and stood there honestly, allowing the other party to inspect his body. After confirming there were no issues, a man in a suit spoke a few words through his headset before someone inside the Martial Arts Academy finally opened the gate.


    Stepping into the Martial Arts Academy, Ling Chen looked around, and saw four or five men in suits in the spacious courtyard. When he saw one of them, his expression suddenly paused. At that moment, the person also noticed him and shed a faint smile, nodding at him.


    At this moment, Ling Chen finally knew who hade.


    The man in the suit was his former teammate; even he was serving as security, which naturally revealed the significant identity of the person involved.


    Thinking of this, he couldn¡¯t help but give Tang Yuan a re, "Old Tang, why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? I should have prepared a gift. Showing up empty-handed is rather embarrassing."


    "Forget it, the General isn¡¯t swayed by such gestures."


    During their conversation, the two had already entered the main hall.


    In the principal seat of the great hall, sat two elders, one was He Ziyun, and the other was the General he had just mentioned. Next to the General stood a middle-aged man called Han Bing, the General¡¯s capable assistant.


    Seeing the focus of the three inside the room was on him, Ling Chen grinned, "General, Mr. Han, long time no see."


    The General humphed slightly, speaking without a smile, "Has it been that long? I hardly feel it."


    Ling Chen smiled awkwardly, standing obediently aside. Usually carefree and not taking others seriously, he dared not show any disrespect in front of this General.


    The man known as General was Qiao Zhen, the chief in charge of the Ghost Organization, having led the Ghost for decades and serving as a secret hero of the nation.


    He was curious why Qiao Zhen hade to Qingyun Martial Arts Hall; did he know He Ziyun?


    "Alright, don¡¯t just stand there, everybody sit down."


    "General, even Mr. Han is standing; how can I dare to sit? I¡¯d better stand."


    Qiao Zhen nodded in approval, "You do know some manners. Alright, there are no outsiders here; don¡¯t be so formal, everyone sit down."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen hurriedly moved a chair in front of Han Bing, smiling broadly, "Mr. Han, please take a seat."


    Han Bing chuckled and pped him on the shoulder, "You¡¯re still the same old you."


    Ling Chen nced at the General, then leaned close to Han Bing, whispering, "Mr. Han, how did the General end up here?"


    "You¡¯ll find out soon."


    As they spoke, Qiao Zhen ordered, "Tang Yuan, go close the door. Without my permission, no one is allowed in."


    "Yes."


    Tang Yuan quickly shut the door, then stood straight at the entrance.


    "Ling Chen."


    "General, what are your orders?"


    "Are you wondering why I came to East Sea City, and why Tang Yuan summoned you here?"


    Ling Chen quickly smiled, "The General must have his reasons."


    "Ha, thest time you resisted my persuasion to retire from the military forcibly, I have been quite upset since. I initially didn¡¯t want to see you, but your luck is good; old Chief values you, thus I called you here."


    "The Old Chief?" Ling Chen was briefly taken aback, before turning his gaze towards He Ziyun. In the room, the oldest figured was He Ziyun. He was a chief? Was he previously a high-ranking military official?


    For a moment, his mind was filled with doubts.


    He Ziyun smiled slightly, "Ling Chen, you must be curious about my identity. To be honest, many years ago, I too was a member of the Ghost, so I knew about your role early on."


    "What?" Ling Chen¡¯s eyes widened, hardly believing that this old man was also a member of the Ghost.


    "Old Chief, you misspoke," Qiao Zhen corrected, "You weren¡¯t just a member of the Ghost, you single-handedly established the organization."


    Hearing their conversation, Ling Chen felt his head spinning.


    He Ziyun was the founder of the Ghost? This information was explosive. He had spected about He Ziyun¡¯s background before, believing his identity to be extraordinary, but he never imagined it was to such an extent.


    "Ling Chen, I was brought up by the Old Chief. Without the Old Chief, there would be no Qiao Zhen today. When you see the Old Chief, you should show respect, do you hear?"


    "General, what are you saying, when have I ever been disrespectful to Mr. He?"


    Han Bing interjected, "Both Chiefs, let¡¯s set these idle talks aside for now and focus on the urgent matter. We need to catch a ne back to Beijing."


    "Yes," Qiao Zhen nodded, "Ling Chen, even though you left the Ghost, your past contributions cannot be denied. You are, without doubt, one of the most formidable members of the Ghost. I called you here hoping you could help us with an issue."


    "General, just say the word, I won¡¯t hesitate as long as I¡¯m able to assist."


    Seeing Qiao Zhen, he knew the matter wouldn¡¯t be trivial. Otherwise, Qiao Zhen wouldn¡¯t have casually summoned him, a retired Ghost member. During his time in the Ghost, he had received much care from the General. Last time he retired, his biggest regret was letting down the General, because he knew well that thetter valued him highly and intended for him to be the sessor to the Ghost.


    If the General was now asking for his help, it would be unjust to refuse.


    "Good, I knew you¡¯d never let me down. Han Bing, fill him in on the situation."


    "Yes. Ling Chen, there was a night attack at Qingyun Martial Arts Hall recently, targeting Old Leader and Little Hua. You were there too, and you¡¯ve seen their equipment and professionalism. I can tell you, they are not from any international terrorist group but belong to a secretive organization. In terms of secrecy, they match up to the Ghost."


    "Mr. Han, are you saying the Ghost couldn¡¯t trace them?"


    "No, we have traced them," Qiao Zhen interjected, "As long as thirty or forty years ago, we discovered their existence. At the time, the Old Leader established the Ghost merely to destroy them. Fortunately, we seeded. After more than a decade of covert warfare, we sessfully destroyed their base, their leaders either dead or fled, and some were captured by us and imprisoned indefinitely in a dark, sunless cell."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen quickly reacted, "General, you mentioned thirty or forty years ago, does this mean that organization has resurged?"

 Chapter 107 - 106 God Organization

    <h4>Chapter 107: Chapter 106 God Organization</h4><h4></h4>


    "Correct." Qiao Zhen nodded, a serious expression on his face. At this point, he nced at Tang Yuan at the door and said, "You go out first."


    "Yes." Without a second word, Tang Yuan turned around, pushed the door, and left without hesitation.


    Ling Chen¡¯s thoughts whirled, a hint of gravity adding to his gaze. The fact that the old general had sent Tang Yuan out indicated that what he was about to say was not only important but also very secret.


    "Ling Chen." Qiao Zhen slowly began, unusually not calling him ¡¯kid¡¯ but instead using his name, "I think you must be curious as to why Ghost members around the age of thirty are forced to retire and then we vigorously nurture neers. I believe you¡¯re not the only one; others must wonder the same."


    As soon as these words came out, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but sit up straight. He could feel that he was about to encounter the greatest secret of Ghost Organization.


    "Regarding this matter, we..."


    "Old General." Ling Chen suddenly interrupted Qiao Zhen, saying, "Before you speak, I have a question I need to be clear about."


    "What question?"


    "I am now retired, and by all ounts, should not know so much about Ghost¡¯s secrets. By telling me these things now, don¡¯t tell me you want me to rejoin Ghost?" Ling Chen said.


    Though he was curious about the secrets, he was equally concerned. He respected the old general, but he yearned for freedom more and did not want to be tied to Ghost Organization forever because of this matter. So, before Qiao Zhen spoke, he wanted to ask clearly.


    At this, Han Bing couldn¡¯t help butugh, "You kid... as sharp as ever. Don¡¯t worry, the old general has already made himself very clear just now; he¡¯s only asking for your help, not wanting you to return to Ghost. As long as you settle this matter, you can do whatever you want afterward, we will never interfere with your life."


    Ling Chen secretly breathed a sigh of relief, that was exactly what he wanted to hear. Now that he had left, he had no desire to return.


    "Do you have any more questions, kid?"


    Feeling Qiao Zhen¡¯s displeased gaze, Ling Chen gave a dryugh, "No more. Old General, please continue."


    "The Ghost Organization is not a single entity, but ratherposed of two organizations. Aside from the code name Ghost, there is another secret organization with higher authority than Ghost, code-named Lonely Wolf. It is the ultimate secret of our country. Ghost serves as a ce to cultivate talent; when a member passes a series of assessments and meets the standards, we will force them to leave Ghost and join Lonely Wolf."


    So that was it.


    Qiao Zhen¡¯s words finally made it clear to Ling Chen. He had always wondered why members of Ghost were forced to leave just as they were entering their golden years. All the reasonsid here.


    Lonely Wolf, had he not chosen to retire earlier, perhaps there would have been a ce for him in Lonely Wolf as well.


    "Although Lonely Wolf¡¯s authority is higher than Ghost¡¯s, Ghost is the organization that was created first." He Ziyun, who had been silent for a long time, spoke up, "The purpose of establishing Ghost was to counter the mysterious organization that we referred to earlier, code-named G, which likes to consider themselves as God Organization."


    "God Organization?"


    Ling Chen murmured to himself. Those guys dare to aspire, actuallyparing themselves to God, thus showing their boundless ambition.


    "For more than a decade, Ghost and God Organization have fought fiercely, sacrificing countless people to destroy their base. However, the centipede dies but never falls. Although their headquarters were destroyed, a section of their high ranks escaped. They are hiding around the world, still engaging in illegal activities. Since then, I have proposed the Lonely Wolf n, which is specifically responsible for cleaning up the remnants of God Organization."


    Qiao Zhen took over the conversation, "After years of effort, we thought the remnants of God Organization had beenpletely eliminated, but it now appears they have risen again."


    Ling Chen confoundedly asked, "Old General, how can you be so sure it¡¯s them?"


    "Because they came for Mr. He and Little Hua, just this point alone is enough to reveal their identity."


    "Old General, Mr. He is the founder of Ghost, it¡¯s not strange those people are seeking revenge on him, but what does this have to do with Little Hua? She¡¯s just a little girl, she wasn¡¯t even born when Ghost eradicated God Organization."


    Qiao Zhen and He Ziyun exchanged nces, saying, "You don¡¯t need to know about Little Hua¡¯s situation for now; I will naturally tell you when the timees. All in all, God Organization¡¯s power has prated into East Sea City. As to how deep they have infiltrated, we are still unclear, but one thing we can be sure of is, they will not stop at this. After two consecutive failures, they will continue to look for opportunities to act. In my opinion, it would be best for Mr. He to take Little Hua with me back to Beijing, where we can offer protection, but Mr. He rejected my proposal."


    "Why?" Ling Chen looked at He Ziyun in confusion.


    "Because we need clues." He Ziyun exined, "God Organization has revived from death, we must destroy them. Otherwise, the consequences are unimaginable. Ling Chen, you were once the most outstanding member of Ghost, but the severity of this matter exceeds your imagination. I¡¯m staying in East Sea City with Little Hua to present them a target. Only by drawing them out can we trace back and uncover the powers behind them and eradicate them in one fell swoop. The main reason we sought you out is because of your capabilities. Perhaps you yourself don¡¯t know, but in fact, you have already been involved in this matter."


    "Uh..." Ling Chen was stunned, "Have I?"


    Han Bing slightly smiled, "Of course. The Blood Wolf you killedst time was a member of God Organization, and also a very important one. In thest two years of your service in Ghost, we assigned you eleven assassination and intelligence gathering missions; the targets you assassinated were actually people from God Organization, though they were just small fry. The information you collected from them led us to Blood Wolf. You were given these missions because of the old general¡¯s trust in you. You were the only one who began to touch on God Organization before joining Lonely Wolf."


    Qiao Zhen said irately, "Originally, after dealing with Blood Wolf, I wanted to transfer you to Lonely Wolf, but you, you ungrateful kid, gave me attitude and mored for retirement, wasting all my good intentions."


    Ling Chen gave a sheepish smile and quickly changed the subject, "Old General, about that... when you asked me for help just now, did you mean you want me to ensure Mr. He¡¯s safety?"


    "That¡¯s part of it; it would be even better if you could find out those people¡¯s whereabouts in East Sea City. Han Bing, give him the item."


    "Yes." Han Bing stood up, took out a thick envelope from the briefcase he carried, and handed it to Ling Chen, "This is specially prepared for you by the old general, to facilitate your actions in the future."

 Chapter 108 - 107: Siblings

    <h4>Chapter 108: Chapter 107: Siblings</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t open it right away, just weighed it in his hand. Without opening it, he could guess what was inside. Right then, he unceremoniously stuffed the envelope into his jacket pocket.


    "General, is there anything else?"


    "You are currently working close to Nanrong Wanqing, right? I have a question for you," Qiao Zhen said seriously, "Do you know what Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s researchb is working on?"


    "This..." Ling Chen hesitated immediately. He was naturally aware of the secrets of the researchb, but the fact that Nanrong Wanqing had confided these secrets to him showed her trust in him. Revealing these secrets to others without Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s permission would be a betrayal of that trust.


    However, the one asking was the General, the person who had personally groomed him. If he didn¡¯t tell, he felt like he¡¯d be letting the General down.


    He felt troubled for a moment, unsure of what to choose.


    Qiao Zhen frowned and said, "What, is there something you can¡¯t say in front of me?"


    "No, General, I..."


    "Alright, since he doesn¡¯t want to talk about it, let¡¯s not push him any further," He Ziyun seemed to perceive Ling Chen¡¯s internal conflict and took the initiative to help him out, "Regardless of what Nanrong Wanqing¡¯sb is researching, the fact that it¡¯s attracted attention shows the importance of the subject. Ling Chen, with you by Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s side, I trust you will ensure her and theb¡¯s safety."


    With the elder leader speaking out, Qiao Zhen naturally did not press further.


    "By the way," Ling Chen seemed to recall something, "General, about Jiang Yang who died at thest banquet, did Tang Yuan tell you?"


    Han Bing nodded, "He¡¯s reported everything to me. Do you suspect that Zhu Hong is involved?"


    "Yes, I believe he had contact with the deceased."


    "Your suspicion is not wrong; after receiving Tang Yuan¡¯s intelligence, I immediately investigated Zhu Hong. However, his records from several years ago arepletely nk, as if he had vanished into thin air during that period. It was only a few months ago that he reappeared as the Asian head of Boyang Company. The General and I have discussed this, if Zhu Hong is a problem, then Boyang Company is definitely involved. However, Boyang Company is a foreign enterprise, headquartered abroad, outside our influence, and investigating them is troublesome. Besides, Boyang Company has substantial power and deep rtionships with political figures globally, we can¡¯t act rashly as it might cause diplomatic issues."


    After a pause, Han Bing continued, "Now that Boyang Company has opened a branch in East Sea City, you could take this opportunity to investigate them, see if you can find some valuable intelligence. I will have Tang Yuan give you his full support."


    "I understand."


    After interacting with Han Bing for so long, Ling Chen was very clear about what he meant by ¡¯investigate¡¯.


    It seems there will be exciting times ahead.


    After finishing the official business, they chatted casually for a while. Since Qiao Zhen had a flight to catch back to Beijing, he couldn¡¯t stay for long.


    Having seen Qiao Zhen off outside the Martial Arts Academy, Han Bing walked over to Ling Chen and whispered, "Kid, I heard you¡¯ve been in contact with Hu Fei?"


    Ling Chen touched his nose, knowing without asking that it must have been Tang Yuan who mentioned it.


    Han Bing patted his shoulder, "I mean no harm, just want to remind you to be cautious. Hu Fei is connected to the Secret Society, and you shouldn¡¯t get too involved with people like him."


    "Mr. Han, rest assured, I know what I¡¯m doing."


    "That¡¯s good. Alright, we should also be going, see you next time."


    "General, Mr. Han, have a safe journey." Ling Chen waved his hand, watching the two red-g sedans enter the road and gradually disappear from sight.


    Back at the Martial Arts Academy, he saw Little Hua poking her head out of the room. Seeing Ling Chen, her face lit up with joy, and she bounced over, wrapping her arms around Ling Chen¡¯s arm yfully, and said with a giggle, "Big brother, is that old man gone?"


    "Old man? You mean the General?" Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help butugh dryly; probably only this little girl dared to call the General an old man.


    "What, you don¡¯t like him?"


    Little Hua, touching her chubby cheeks and pouting, said, "He always pinches my face and treats me like a child, it¡¯s so annoying."


    "Aren¡¯t you a child?"


    "I..." As soon as the words left her mouth, Little Hua seemed to realize something and quickly closed her mouth, changing her tune: "I just don¡¯t like it. Big brother, are you staying overnight today?"


    Ling Chen patted her little head, "Nope, I still have things to do."


    While they were talking, He Ziyun came over.


    "Mr. He."


    After knowing He Ziyun¡¯s identity, Ling Chen¡¯s attitude became much more respectful. Being the founder of the spirits, this elderly man was definitely a national hero, a hero of the people.


    He Ziyun nodded, looking at Little Hua, he said, "Girl, go make me a cup of tea."


    "Oh." Little Hua obediently responded and swung her little hands as she went into the main hall.


    "Ling Chen, there¡¯s something I think I should tell you first."


    "Mr. He, please speak."


    "The Zhu Hong you mentioned earlier, hees from the Zhu Family in Beijing, not just him, Xiaozhu is also from the Zhu family, they are siblings, real siblings."


    "What?" Ling Chen was startled, hisplexion slightly changed. Although he knew that Zhu Xiaozhu and Zhu Hong had the same surname, he never thought about it in this way. After all, there are too many people with the same surname in the country.


    "I¡¯m telling you this not because I want you to be overly cautious. Xiaozhu is your friend, and I also consider her part of my family. But when facing major principles, we shouldn¡¯t merely act on personal feelings. If Zhu Hong really has issues, do what needs to be done, without having too many reservations. I tell you this only to remind you to be careful, try not to mention Zhu Hong in front of Xiaozhu."


    Ling Chen nodded," Mr. He, I understand what to do."


    "That¡¯s good. It¡¯s gettingte, if you have things to do, you can go ahead; I won¡¯t keep you."


    "Okay, then I¡¯ll head back now. Mr. He, take care of yourself, and call me if you need anything, I¡¯ll be ready."


    Leaving the Martial Arts Academy, Ling Chen drove, his brows slightly furrowed, still thinking about the rtionship between Zhu Hong and Zhu Xiaozhu. Before, he didn¡¯t need to think about anything; he just had to ept missions, execute them, andplete them. But now it was different; he was no longer a member of the spirits, he could decide for himself how to act.


    If Zhu Hong really had issues, he would indeed take action. When that time came, he didn¡¯t know how he would face Zhu Xiaozhu.


    Thinking about these things, he couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit of a headache.


    "What are you thinking about?" Tang Yuan, sitting in the passenger seat, asked, "It¡¯s been a long while, and you haven¡¯t said a word, this isn¡¯t like you."


    "Stop asking, the more questions, the worse it feels. By the way, apart from escorting the chairman to and from work, don¡¯t stay at thepany other times."


    "What for?"


    "Keep an eye on Zhu Hong, monitor his every move. I want to know who he has met with and what he has done."


    "Alright, you¡¯re my boss now, I¡¯ll do as you say."

 Chapter 109 - 108 Partners

    <h4>Chapter 109: Chapter 108 Partners</h4><h4></h4>


    Returning to the Nanrong Family home, Ling Chen walked alone into the bedroom, closed the door behind him, and then pulled out the envelope Han Bing had given him.


    He tore open the envelope and dumped all its contents onto the table. Inside the envelope was a cellphone, a key, and two red-covered documents. The phone was a touchscreen, and upon startup, it required fingerprint unlocking followed by a password.


    After pondering for a moment, Ling Chen entered a code he¡¯d used previously with Phantom. As expected, the phone immediately switched to the system interface.


    He opened the contacts list, which already had a number saved. Ling Chen memorized the number after looking it over twice, then deleted it from the phone.


    Securing the phone, Ling Chen pocketed the two red-covered documents and hung the key on his own keychain.


    With everything packed away, there was a knock on the bedroom door.


    "Who is it?"


    "Brother Chen, it¡¯s me."


    Ling Chen got up and opened the door to see Nanrong Hao outside, and asked, "Do you need something?"


    "Brother Chen, we have a guest at home. He wishes to see you."


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes flickered in recognition of whom Nanrong Hao referred to. He closed the door and followed Nanrong Hao to the next vi over.


    As soon as he entered, he saw Jiang Hao approaching quickly with a smile, saying, "Brother Chen." As he spoke, he opened his arms, intending to hug him.


    Ling Chen dodged to the side and scolded humorously, "Get lost, you kid¡ªstop this nonsense, you¡¯re not a woman, what¡¯s there to hug?"


    "Brother Chen, if you¡¯re longing for a woman, it¡¯s easy. I can find seventeen or eighteen to keep youpany tonight, you¡¯ll have a st. How about that?"


    "Cut it out, I¡¯m not into that. And you, take it easy, don¡¯t wreck your health."


    The three of them then sat down. Ling Chen picked up the coffee Nanrong Hao had served and asked, "Jiang Hao, what brings you here today?"


    "I came to discuss some business with Haozi."


    "Business?" Ling Chen was momentarily taken aback, then it dawned on him. Nanrong Hao had mentioned before that he, along with Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong, nned to invest together in a legitimate business, seemingly an express deliverypany.


    "Eh, did you guys get that express deliverypany up and running?"


    Hearing the question, Nanrong Hao¡¯s head drooped immediately, and he said with a pained expression, "Don¡¯t even mention it, I only just realized how much trouble running a business can be."


    "What happened?"


    "Well, Brother Chen," Jiang Hao began exining the issues they had encountered.


    After listening to the exnation, Ling Chen understood the situation.


    Turns out Nanrong Hao and the others had started several deliverypanies, acquiring all the courier services in the Old City area to consolidate under their unified management. However, there was more to East Sea City than just the Old City area. The trio naturally wanted to expand theirpany further and grow the business. Nowadays, there are many different express delivery services ¨C SF Express, ZTO Express, YTO Express, Yunda Express... countless others, and even more so within East Sea City itself.


    Nanrong Hao and his partners wished to expand their business, but rather than opening new branches, they nned to acquire existing ones. Given that East Sea City¡¯s courier market was already saturated, opening new couriers would be prohibitively expensive and unlikely to turn a profit. Hence, their strategy was acquisition. In just over a month¡¯s time, the trio sessfully acquired more than a dozen courier services, spending millions in the process.


    Ling Chen found this curious. Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong came from thug backgrounds; where would they have savings? Not to mention millions, even tens of thousands would be hard for them to produce. His gaze shifted to Nanrong Hao; without a doubt, he must be the financier among the three. But Nanrong Hao is usually kept on such a tight leash by Nanrong Wanqing, how did he get so much money?


    Seemingly perceiving his thoughts, Nanrong Hao exined, "Brother Chen, I still have some savings¡ªall from New Year¡¯s money from the past."


    "Your New Year¡¯s money amounts to that much?" Ling Chen was skeptical.


    Scratching his head, Nanrong Hao replied, "It¡¯s alright, I guess. Add up over a decade of New Year¡¯s money, and it¡¯s more than ten million."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen silently scorned the wealthy in his mind once more. The rich are indeed different; with millions in New Year¡¯s money, it would surpass what ordinary people could earn after decades of hard work.


    Jiang Haomented, "Brother Chen, we were nning to expand our business to the surrounding areas of the Old City, but that¡¯s someone else¡¯s turf. Last time Xiong and I went to talk business, we hadn¡¯t even finished when dozens of their guys gathered, looking for trouble with us. Luckily, we fled quickly; otherwise, we would¡¯ve ended up in the hospital."


    Ling Chen nonchntly took a toothpick and ced it between his teeth, "They have people, but so do you; are you scared of them?"


    "It¡¯s not about being scared; we just don¡¯t want to start a big conflict."


    Nanrong Hao chimed in, "Brother Chen, you don¡¯t understand. Starting a fight these days isn¡¯t cheap. Whenever we call our brothers into action, we have to give them some perks. Without underying it, you have to distribute hundreds per person, not to mention covering their food, drink, and entertainment. And if anyone gets hurt in a fight, there are medical expenses, too. With everything included, you¡¯d easily spend tens of thousands. If it¡¯s a big brawl, the costs are even higher."


    Jiang Hao added, "Brother Chen, I took your advice and only collect protection money¡ªhaven¡¯t done anything illegal. But with just that, we can barely support our brothers. If you don¡¯t y dirty, there¡¯s no way you¡¯ll make money."


    Upon hearing their grievances, Ling Chen realized just how tough it is to make a living in this circle. The old saying still stands true: with money, things are easy; without it, everything¡¯s challenging.


    For Jiang Hao to survive, he needs a stable source of ie. However, as he said, for someone from the streets to make money without pulling some strings is next to impossible.


    "Jiang Hao, how many men do you have now?"


    "There are over three hundred regrs, and if needed, I can call up five hundred."


    Ling Chen was surprised. When he first met Jiang Hao, the man barely had a few followers. In such a short period, he had grown his ranks to this size; it seems the guy has some smarts.


    Thinking this, his gaze turned peculiar when he looked at Jiang Hao and Nanrong Hao.


    "Tell me, the two of you aren¡¯t looking for me to lend a hand, are you?"


    Jiang Hao chuckled, "Brother Chen, we¡¯re all brothers here. If we don¡¯t help each other, then who will? Besides, Brother Chen, you¡¯re not making much as a security guard, maybe two or three hundred thousand a year at most. We¡¯ve all talked it over, and once thepany is up and running, we¡¯ll split it four ways¡ªeveryone makes money together."


    Ling Chen spread his hands, "I don¡¯t have money to invest."


    "You don¡¯t need to." Nanrong Hao said, "Brother Chen, we all know deep down that if it weren¡¯t for your help back then, we wouldn¡¯t be where we are today. We have never forgotten this debt of gratitude. We just hope that you can lend us a hand when we run into difficulties in the future."


    "This..."


    Watching Jiang Hao and Nanrong Hao¡¯s hopeful gazes, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but hesitate.

 Chapter 110 - 109 Mercenaries (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 110: Chapter 109 Mercenaries (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Okay, we are all friends, I will definitely help wherever I can."


    Ling Chen thought for a moment and then agreed without hesitation. He only had these few friends in East Sea City, if not them, who else would he help? However, he still couldn¡¯t grasp something and looked puzzledly at the two, "There are many business opportunities in East Sea City, why do you guys specifically want to start a courierpany?"


    Although he wasn¡¯t a businessman, he knew that the profits of a courierpany weren¡¯t high. There were many more profitable businesses than a courierpany, why didn¡¯t Nanrong Hao and the others pursue other industries? Moreover, as the eldest grandson of the Nanrong Family, Nanrong Hao had a certain status, and many people would give him face if he asked.


    Nanrong Hao and Jiang Hao exchanged nces, and a mysterious smile appeared on both of their faces, "Chen, don¡¯t ask about this, our main goal in running the courierpany is not for profit. As for what the goal is, you will naturally know in the future, allow us to keep it secret for a while."


    "Suit yourselves." Seeing them acting all mysterious, Ling Chen was curious, but not to the extent that he must know.


    "Chen, Haozi, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be leaving first," Jiang Hao said as he stood up, "Oh, right, Chen, I will investigate the matter over there thoroughly. I¡¯ll call you if I need your help."


    "Okay, take care of yourself."


    After sending off Jiang Hao, Ling Chen returned to the white vi.


    As he entered, he saw Su Lin, the young girl wearing a silk pajama, with her fair, delicate legs curled up on the sofa, holding a tissue in her hand, her eyes a bright red, tears glistening as she continuously wiped her eyes.


    Ling Chen was stunned, wondering what happened to this girl, why she was crying all of a sudden, maybe she was bullied again?


    "Miss Su, what¡¯s the matter...?"


    Su Lin sobbed a couple of times, "It¡¯s just too moving."


    Moving?


    Ling Chen looked towards the TV and suddenly realized, the girl was watching a Korean soap opera. To cry like this over a TV show, this girl who normally seems careless, turns out to be quite emotional.


    He shook his head helplessly and headed straight to the bedroom.


    Just as he sat down, nning to look up some information online, he suddenly heard a ¡¯beeping¡¯ sounding from a corner of the room.


    His expression slightly changed, and he quickly took three steps in two strides to open a ck box a meter long. Instantly, he saw inside the box was a main control panel equipped with more than ten five-inch monitors, each showing real-time surveince footage covering various areas of the Nanrong Family.


    When he first came to the Nanrong Family, he and Zhong Wei had upgraded the security system of the Nanrong Family, adding sound monitoring devices. Any slight disturbance around the perimeter walls could be detected by the monitoring devices.


    He had warned the people of the Nanrong Family, not to go near the perimeter walls after nightfall to avoid triggering the monitoring devices. If they must go, they should inform in advance to avoid any misunderstanding.


    Looking at the shing red light on the main control panel, Ling Chen immediately pulled out the walkie-talkie, "Captain Zhong, calling Captain Zhong!"


    "Received, go ahead."


    "Suspicious signal detected, ensure the old man¡¯s safety with Liang, and have Tang Yuan protect Nanrong Hao. No one should go out until the crisis is resolved." After speaking, Ling Chen put the walkie-talkie in his pocket and hurried out of the bedroom.


    Seeing Ling Chen rushing out of the room, Su Lin asked curiously, "Ling Chen, what are you doing?"


    "Go back to your room and stay with the chairman."


    While talking, Ling Chen had already rushed out of the living room and reached outside the vi.


    In the entire backyard of the Nanrong Family, there were a total of four sound monitoring devices, all located near the walls. The monitoring device that had been activated just now was on the north side, at the back of the vi.


    Ling Chen locked the door, and went around from the side to the back. Along the way, he lowered his body, hiding in the shadows, moving quickly. In just a few seconds, he had dashed out more than twenty meters, then suddenly lunged forward, lying t on the ground.


    At this time, on the wall of the fence, two ropes were slung over, and people were continuously climbing over the wall and descending to the ground along the ropes.


    There weren¡¯t many of them, a total of seven, all in ck clothes, holding pistols equipped with silencers. With the faint moonlight, he could vaguely make out their faces.


    Foreigners?


    During his contemtion, the seven men had already begun to move, maintaining their formation and rapidly advancing forward, the leading man asionally making hand signals to the team members behind him, coordinatingbat.


    "They are actually mercenaries."


    Ling Cheny down in the bushes, muttering to himself. He was too familiar with mercenaries, many of the movements made by that man were hand signals used by mercenaries.


    Whether it was special forces from various countries or international mercenaries, in addition to the unified hand signals, they also had their own unique signals that only their own people could understand. Ling Chen had dealt with mercenaries quite a bit before and was very clear about this.


    The route taken by the seven mercenaries was very precise, heading straight for the vi where Nanrong Wanqing lived. Obviously, these people had done their homework before the action and knew exactly the location of their target.


    Ling Chen quietlyy on the ground, controlling his breathing, without making a single sound.


    Watching the mercenaries about to pass by him, he reached behind himself and took off the keychain clipped to his belt.


    Hanging on the keychain were several cone-shaped crafts. With his fingers moving swiftly, a small conical dagger took shape in just a moment.


    Wolf Kiss!


    This was the dagger given to him by Hu Fei.


    Holding Wolf Kiss tightly in his hand, his knees slightly bent, his body arched into a streamlined shape, his sharp gaze fixed ahead.


    Five meters...four meters...


    When the seven mercenaries were about to enter within a four-meter range, Ling Chen pushed off with his legs, his body like a cheetah poised to pounce, and he suddenly leaped out. The mercenaries hadn¡¯t yet reacted when the leading man felt a chill in his throat.


    Immediately after, a warm stream of fresh blood sprayed out, spattering on the grass. He sped his throat with both hands, his eyes wide with a look of terror, struggling to make ¡¯uh uh¡¯ sounds.


    After taking down one mercenary, Ling Chen did not pause for a second; his steps quickly changed. One secondter, he had closed the distance to another mercenary.


    Wolf Kiss sliced through, and a spray of fresh blood followed.


    At this moment, the mercenaries finally reacted, each of them raising their guns. However, Ling Chen was prepared; in a critical moment, he caught the neck of one mercenary with one hand, his body spun, using the mercenary as a human shield in front of him.


    At the same time, he scooped the pistol from the mercenary¡¯s hand with his right hand and aimed at the several mercenaries opposite him and started to shoot.


    But just as he pulled the trigger, his expression froze.

 Chapter 111 - 110 Mercenaries (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 111: Chapter 110 Mercenaries (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    He was surprised to discover that the pistol didn¡¯t fire bullets, but anesthetic darts.


    These mercenaries had infiltrated the Nanrong Family¡¯s domain with the intention of harming Nanrong Wanqing, yet they used anesthetic darts, indicating they didn¡¯t want to kill her on the spot, but to take her away.


    "Kidnapping?"


    The moment this thought emerged, several anesthetic darts had already pierced the mercenary standing in front of him.


    Without time to think further, he quickly retreated, continuously pulling the trigger. Although they were anesthetic darts, they could still subdue the mercenaries.


    Out of seven mercenaries, Ling Chen killed two on the spot and the remaining five attempted to counterattack. But as Ling Chen had a human shield, the anesthetic darts couldn¡¯t prate.


    Furthermore, the surroundings were justwns, with no cover. In less than half a minute, the five mercenaries sumbed to the effects of the anesthetic and copsed to the ground.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief, pushing the dead mercenary in front of him to the ground, then took out a walkie-talkie to contact Zhong Wei and the others.


    Shortly after, Zhong Wei, Liang Zhao Hui, Zhou Qing, and Tang Yuan arrived one after another.


    Ling Chen pointed at the two dead mercenaries and said, "Take these two guys aside, and tie up the others."


    While speaking, Tang Yuan went up to one of the mercenaries and rolled up his sleeves. Suddenly, a skull tattoo was visible on the man¡¯s arm, alongside the letters B and R.


    "They¡¯re from ck Riders Mercenary Group."


    "ck Riders? The world¡¯s ninth-ranked mercenary organization. Aren¡¯t those guys specialized in government contracts? Why are they taking private jobs now?" Ling Chen was somewhat puzzled.


    "The information you have is outdated. Few mercenary groups that deal with governments end up well. Last month, ck Riders were ambushed by the government, losing most of their members. Even their leader was assassinated¡ªfor knowing too much. Now, the former deputy leader runs ck Riders, and they have already fallen out of the top ten. If they don¡¯t take private jobs, how would they survive?"


    Ling Chen nodded, he truly did not know about these events.


    "Ling Chen, what should we do with these people?" asked Zhong Wei, approaching.


    "Lock those five up separately. I have questions for them."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll get right on it."


    "Old Tang, don¡¯t just stand idly, hurry up and help," Ling Chen said, then returned alone to the white vi.


    Reaching the second floor, he knocked on the door of a bedroom on the left side of the hallway. But at that moment, Su Lin popped her head out from a bedroom on the right, "Ling Chen, Wanqing is over here."


    Upon entering the bedroom, he saw Nanrong Wanqing sitting in a wheelchair, holding a volume of literature.


    As he entered, Nanrong Wanqing slowly lifted her head to meet his gaze and said indifferently, "What happened outside?"


    "Nothing much, a few unwise guys broke in, but I¡¯ve dealt with them." After speaking, Ling Chen hesitated for a moment before tentatively asking, "Um... Madam Chairman, do you live here?"


    "Of course Wanqing lives here, where else did you think she¡¯d stay?" retorted Su Lin.


    Ling Chen rubbed his nose, still remembering thest time Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin went on a hunger strike, he had brought them egg noodles for two consecutive nights, leaving the food in front of their door, and only one of them ate it. He had always assumed Su Lin ate his egg noodles, and that Nanrong Wanqing did not touch them because at that time Nanrong Wanqing was quite resistant to him, and he didn¡¯t believe she would eat the noodles he provided.


    Because of this, he thought Nanrong Wanqing lived in the bedroom on the left.


    But now it appeared the situation wasn¡¯t as he assumed. It was actually Nanrong Wanqing who ate the noodles, not Su Lin.


    Thinking of this, his gaze toward Nanrong Wanqing took on a peculiar tinge.


    Sensing the shift in his gaze, Nanrong Wanqing appeared to have guessed his thoughts. Her lifted chin now slightly drooped, and a faint blush emerged on her fair cheeks, like melting snow or the rising sun - ineffably beautiful, leaving Ling Chen momentarily stunned.


    Standing inside the room, Su Lin noticed the subtle changes in their expressions, feeling incredibly surprised. Especially the flush of embarrassment on Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face, which she found absolutely unfathomable.


    What... what exactly is happening?


    "Wanqing."


    Hearing the call, Nanrong Wanqing had yet to react when Ling Chen already snapped back to reality.


    He cleared his throat softly, masking his ownpse, and said, "Well... I¡¯ll go get busy first, you guys rest."


    Exiting the room, Ling Chen let out a long sigh. Despite Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s usual cold demeanor, the unintentional charm she exuded was irresistible.


    As he left the vi, Ling Chen went straight to the Nanrong Hao residence.


    "Chen."


    Nanrong Hao hurried over to meet him, showing concern, "Are you alright?"


    "What could be wrong with me, where are they?"


    "They are all in the basement."


    "Stay up here, don¡¯t go down."


    "Why?"


    Ling Chen shot him a nce, said irritably, "You¡¯re young; it¡¯s better to avoid bloody scenes." Saying that, he opened the door to the basement and walked down.


    Coming to a storeroom, he saw a mercenary tied to an iron chair, still unconscious.


    "Liang, Zhou, both of you, go out first. Stand guard outside."


    "Alright."


    Liang Zhao Hui and Zhou Qing didn¡¯t dare to disobey Ling Chen¡¯s words, now respectful to Ling Chen after witnessing his methods.


    Taking on seven alone, and killing two, was not something an ordinary person could do. Their admiration was not for anything else but Ling Chen¡¯s ruthlessness and decisiveness. Especially after Ling Chen had killed, he could still exhibit suchposure, as if killing two people was just an everyday urrence to him.


    "Old Tang." Ling Chen gestured with his mouth toward the mercenary.


    Thetter understood, picked up a bucket of water already prepared, and poured it directly over the other¡¯s head. Instantly, the mercenary shuddered and snapped awake from slumber.


    Upon seeing Ling Chen and two others before him, the mercenary immediately shouted in English, exhibiting a fearless demeanor.


    Ling Chen casually pulled over a chair and took a seat.


    "Old Tang, you¡¯re the best at this kind of thing, I¡¯ll leave it to you. When he¡¯s ready to talk, I¡¯lle back to ask questions."


    "OK!" Tang Yuan gave a gesture and then took out a small leather pouch from his pocket. Opening the pouch, it revealed more than a dozen silver tools lined up neatly, quitepact.


    "Buddy, if you don¡¯t want to suffer, you¡¯d better tell us what we want to know. Otherwise, I don¡¯t mind loosening your muscles for you." As he spoke, he shook the items in the small leather pouch in front of the mercenary, "See, this is thetest interrogation tool developed by the Central Intelligence Agency. If you have a bit of knowledge, you should recognize this toy. No need for bloodshed; it can still make you wish for death."

 Chapter 112 - 111 Mercenaries (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 112: Chapter 111 Mercenaries (Part 3)</h4><h4></h4>


    Looking at the toolsid out in the small leather bag, the mercenary¡¯s face changed immediately, and he said in horror, "You... you¡¯re from the FIB?"


    "Knowing in your heart is enough; no need to say it out loud," Tang Yuan said with a smile, "Since you¡¯ve guessed my identity, you should be clear about our interrogation methods. We¡¯re not going to talk to you about human rights."


    The twomunicated in English throughout, which Ling Chen could understand, but Zhong Wei was utterly confused, not knowing what they were saying at all. However, seeing the mercenary¡¯s reaction, he knew Tang Yuan had sessfully scared him.


    "Ling Chen, your turn."


    Ling Chen moved a chair in front of the mercenary and said with a grin, "Friend, I won¡¯t make it hard for you, just tell me what you know."


    "We were tasked with kidnapping a woman named Nanrong Wanqing. Besides that, I don¡¯t know anything; the contact with the employer was handled solely by our leader."


    "I believe you." Ling Chen nodded and continued to ask, "If your mission waspleted, and you sessfully kidnapped Nanrong Wanqing, what would be the next step?"


    "We have a phone; the leader told us to contact a person after the mission waspleted, and they would instruct us on what to do."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen stretched out his hand, and Tang Yuan immediately passed him the mobile phone they had found on the mercenary.


    "I¡¯ll give you one chance to call and tell that person the mission is aplished. If you cooperate, I¡¯ll let you go immediately; otherwise..." Ling Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly at the corner, a hint of coldness in his eyes. At the same time, the barrel of a ck gun was pressed to the forehead of the mercenary.


    The one holding the gun was none other than Tang Yuan.


    "Ling Chen, this..."


    Seeing Tang Yuan pull out the gun, Captain Zhong¡¯s face changed instantly, his eyes filled withplexity.


    "Captain Zhong, don¡¯t worry, this gun is legal," Ling Chen exined, then turned his attention back to the mercenary.


    After a moment of hesitation, the mercenary finally rattled off a phone number.


    The phone connected quickly, and soon a voice came through, speaking in a pure English ent.


    "How are things?"


    "We¡¯ve got the person, lost two of our own, the hostage is unharmed."


    After the mercenary finished his sentence, a few seconds passed before the person on the other end of the line spoke: "Nanxiang Street, 1156, B3." With that, the call ended.


    "Friend, congrattions, you¡¯ve earned yourself a life."


    Ling Chen smiled slightly, then pocketed the phone and walked out of the storeroom.


    In another room, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan did the same, forcing another mercenary to confess.


    After interrogating three mercenaries, Ling Chenpared their testimonies and found no discrepancies.


    "Captain Zhong, keep these people locked up here; watch them closely."


    "You¡¯re going to Nanxiang Street?"


    Ling Chen nodded, "Yes, we might find the mastermind behind this."


    "Isn¡¯t it too dangerous for just the two of you to go? Should I team up with Liang Zhao Hui and cooperate with you?"


    "No need, we must have someone stay at home. Also, after we leave, immediately inform the police and have them send more people here; therger the presence, the better." Ling Chen instructed. He lied to the other side, saying that Nanrong Wanqing had been captured. If there was no sign of rm from the Nanrong family, that would be very abnormal.


    So not only did he need to inform the police, but he also had to create amotion to confuse the other side and make them believe that Nanrong Wanqing had been kidnapped.


    After everything was arranged, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan didn¡¯t leave through the main gate but climbed over the wall instead. He worried that there might be surveince outside the Nanrong family residence; caution was best.


    The two ran to the street and hailed a taxi, then rushed toward 1156 Nanxiang Street.


    It was already past ten, nearing eleven o¡¯clock, with few vehicles on the road. In less than half an hour, they reached their destination.


    "Nanxiang Street, 1156... this is it, no mistake," Tang Yuan confirmed the address.


    Ling Chen looked around and saw that the ce was an underground parking garage. Reminded of the B3 mentioned on the phone earlier, B3 was an underground floor code; the rendezvous point was on the third underground level of the parking garage.


    "Old Tang, let¡¯s go!"


    "Hey, catch." Tang Yuan casually threw something, and Ling Chen caught it; it was a handgun. He racked the slide to chamber a round, then disengaged the safety and tucked it at his waist.


    Perhaps because it waste, there were very few cars in the underground parking garage, with a vehicle entering or exiting only every few minutes.


    For safety, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan didn¡¯t take the elevator but took the stairs down to the third underground level.


    As they pushed open the door to the safety passageway on the third underground level, Ling Chen was immediately met with pitch darkness and a strong, strange smell, as if the ce hadn¡¯t been ventted in a long time.


    Tang Yuan looked around and whispered, "This level isn¡¯t finished yet."


    Ling Chen nodded. No wonder the other party had chosen to meet here; the third underground level wasn¡¯t operational yet, and people typically didn¡¯te down here.


    Since it was too dark to see, and neither Ling Chen nor Tang Yuan had night-vision goggles, they didn¡¯t dare to act rashly, pressing their bodies low and moving slowly.


    At that moment, a beam of light suddenly shone over. A Mercedes sedan came driving slowly and stopped at the center of the level. Then, the door opened, and a man in a suit got out and ran toward the exit of the parking garage.


    The car didn¡¯t turn off; Ling Chen frowned slightly, watching quietly. Ten minutes passed without any movement.


    "Hey, do you think that car could be prepared for those mercenaries? Maybe there are clues inside about the next step."


    Hearing Tang Yuan¡¯s words, Ling Chen thought it made sense. After hesitating, he nodded, "Let¡¯s split up. You go left; I¡¯ll go right. Let¡¯s encircle it."


    As they spoke, he drew the handgun from his waist.


    "Be careful," he patted Tang Yuan¡¯s shoulder as a reminder.


    Although both were members trained by the Ghost, highly capable, they never dared to be careless on any mission because it could mean life or death.


    Confidence is good, but overconfidence could be deadly.


    Reaching the right side of the Mercedes, Ling Chen kept an eye on his surroundings, then stepped toward the car door.


    By the time Ling Chen got to the right door, Tang Yuan had also reached the left door. Almost at the same time, both opened the car doors and pointed their guns inside.


    "Clear!"


    Tang Yuan spoke two words, his expression rxing slightly.


    But at that moment, a cellphone ring suddenly came from inside the car.


    In the empty underground level, the ringing was exceptionally loud.


    Ling Chen swept a nce and quickly found a cell phone in the storagepartment of the front passenger seat. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he still pressed the answer button.


    Immediately, he heard a burst of coldughter from the phone, "Mr. Ling, you finally decided to pick up the phone."

 Chapter 113 - 112: Loser Treats to a Meal

    <h4>Chapter 113: Chapter 112: Loser Treats to a Meal</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen raised an eyebrow and nced at Tang Yuan. The person on the phone was speaking fluent English, the same person who had contacted the mercenaries before.


    "What do you want?" Although his identity was exposed, Ling Chen still remained calm, showing no sign of panic.


    "Mr. Ling, asking that question is pointless, but you have indeed piqued my interest. If I¡¯m not mistaken, you have quite the background. Unfortunately, no matter how significant your background is, you¡¯re destined not to leave here alive tonight."


    Ling Chen listened closely to the man¡¯s voice, feeling that it sounded familiar, but he couldn¡¯t immediately recall where he had heard it.


    "How did you know we woulde here?" He was puzzled; while he was monitoring the mercenaries contacting the other party, those mercenaries definitely hadn¡¯t leaked any information about their capture. So he was curious about how the other party had found out.


    "Actually, it¡¯s simple." The man on the phone chuckled proudly, "I indeed gave them contact numbers, but not just one, I gave them two. If the mission waspleted sessfully, they would call one number. Should they get caught, they would reveal the other number to inform me of the mission failure."


    So that was it!


    This guy was indeed cunning, preparing for all contingencies.


    "Mr. Ling... oh, and that unknown gentleman, I have other matters to attend to, so I won¡¯t chat with you any longer. I hope you like the arrangements I¡¯ve made for you, hahaha!" With a loudugh, the other party hung up the phone.


    Listening to the busy tone on the phone, Ling Chen also heard a ¡¯beep¡¯ from within the car. Almost instantly, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan reacted, hurling themselves to either side of the Mercedes-Benz.


    Bang!


    A loud explosion instantly turned the hundred-thousand-dor Mercedes-Benz into a fireball, illuminating everything around it.


    Fortunately, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan reacted swiftly to avoid the explosion. Although affected by the st wave, they were otherwise unharmed.


    Ling Chen casually wiped the dust off his face, quickly stood up, and then swiftly ran in the opposite direction of the Mercedes-Benz. In no time, he blended back into the darkness. Meanwhile, Tang Yuan also hurried over from the other side.


    The two of them backed against a pile of misceneous items, catching their breath and listening intently to the sounds around them.


    "Hey, old virgin, couldn¡¯t that guy be harming Miss Nanrong while we¡¯re trapped here?"


    "I¡¯ve informed Captain Zhong to notify the police; they are stationed at the Nanrong residence. They wouldn¡¯t dare to make a move."


    During their conversation, footsteps echoed from behind the pile of misceneous items.


    Ling Chen crouched down and looked back. Under the illumination of the fire, he saw a dozen heavily armed men searching for their whereabouts.


    Taking his gaze back, he pulled out his pistol and cracked a smile, "Old Tang, looks like we get to stretch our limbs tonight."


    "How about we make it apetition?" Tang Yuan challenged with a smile, "Loser treats to dinner tomorrow."


    "OK! You said it. Don¡¯t back outter."


    After speaking, Ling Chen suddenly turned and disappeared beside Tang Yuan.


    "This guy..." Fearing that Ling Chen would take all the credit, Tang Yuan immediately dashed out from behind the cover. Moving forward, he scanned the area and saw two armed men nearby. Without hesitating, his fingertips squeezed.


    Bang! Bang!


    Two gunshots rang out, and the two armed men fell to the ground.


    "2 to 0." Tang Yuan slightly curled his lips; not having heard Ling Chen¡¯s gunfire yet, it seemed he was in the lead.


    However, firing his gun revealed his location. Four or five armed men quickly headed his way.


    Seeing this, Tang Yuan hurried to a nearby cover, then with a turn, he raised his gun to shoot. But at that moment, he only saw several approaching armed men suddenly fall. Then, in the light of the fire, a shadow swiftly burst from the side like a tiger entering a flock of sheep. In the blink of an eye, several armed men were downed, not even providing Tang Yuan a chance to shoot.


    "Come out."


    Seeing Ling Chen approaching, Tang Yuan paused, "You finished them all? Weren¡¯t there more?"


    "Here!" Ling Chen casually pointed to a corner, where four bodiesy haphazardly.


    Ling Chen patted Tang Yuan¡¯s shoulder, grinning mischievously, "Looks like all three meals tomorrow are on you, Boss Tang. That¡¯s what you said."


    Tang Yuan sighed helplessly, this rascal... still as skilled as ever, truly worthy of being considered the top phantom by the General, defeating so many without even using a gun, just with a Wolf Kiss.


    "Let¡¯s hurry up and leave, or the police will catch us."


    As the two left the underground parking garage, just as expected, two police cars were rapidly arriving at the scene. The loud explosion and gunshots were impossible for nearby people to miss.


    ...


    At this moment, Wealthy Manor at number 118.


    Eight police cars with shing red and blue lights stood parked at the entrance, with over a dozen police officers moving in and out, carrying two body bags to the vehicles.


    Inside the vi where Nanrong Wanqing lived, a strikingly beautiful policewoman in uniform was taking statements from Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin, with Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui by their side.


    "Miss Nanrong, based on your description, those people specifically targeted you. Do you have any suspects in mind?"


    "Officer Xia, I¡¯ve said all I know; I really don¡¯t know who might wish me harm."


    Xia Mutong persisted, "Miss Nanrong, with the vast operations of Hongyu Group, could it be a business rival or an enemy?"


    Nanrong Wanqing gently shook her head, still iming ignorance. At this time, Zhong Wei spoke up, "Officer Xia, you know the situation. Apart from the two deceased mercenaries, five more have been captured by us; perhaps you could get some information about the mastermind from them."


    "They are suspects; naturally, I will interrogate them." As she spoke, Xia Mutong looked around, her expression somewhat puzzled, "Where¡¯s Ling Chen? Why don¡¯t I see him?"


    Zhong Wei replied, "He¡¯s temporarily upied and will returnter. Do you need him for something, Officer Xia?"


    "Of course, he killed two people. Even if it was in self-defense, a record needs to be made."


    Mentioning Ling Chen, Xia Mutong felt rather unhappy. That guy was too much trouble, with recent deaths all having direct or indirect connections to him. It was unclear what his origins were, but he killed without even blinking.


    Lost in thought, a male officer approached and whispered a few words in her ear.


    Whatever was said, Xia Mutong¡¯s expression suddenly changed.


    She furrowed her brows, looked at Nanrong Wanqing and the others with a fiery gaze, and enunciated clearly, "Where the hell is that bastard Ling Chen?"


    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 114 - 113: Wanqing is Captured (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 114: Chapter 113: Wanqing is Captured (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Officer Xia, I already told you I don¡¯t know. Although Ling Chen is a security personnel hired by the Nanrong Family, we don¡¯t have the authority to restrict his freedom. Where he goes is his business," Nanrong Wanqing said indifferently.


    "Miss Nanrong, you don¡¯t have to tell me, I already know. Did he go to Nanxiang Street?"


    At this statement, Liang Zhao Hui¡¯s eyebrows slightly raised. His expression changed subtly, but the perceptive Xia Mutong still caught it.


    She snorted softly, her delicate, fair cheeks tinged with a trace of anger, "I just received a notification that there has been a shooting incident in the underground parking lot on Nanxiang Street. Several people have died, and Ling Chen too..."


    "He¡¯s okay, right?" blurted out Su Lin, who was standing behind Nanrong Wanqing, her face full of nervousness and concern.


    Xia Mutong looked at her with a meaningfully deep gaze, her lips curving slightly upward with a victorious smile, "Now you finally admit that he went to Nanxiang Street."


    Hearing this, Su Lin immediately realized she had slipped up and lowered her head in embarrassment.


    Nanrong Wanqing, with slightly furrowed brows, asked, "Officer Xia, I want to know, is Ling Chen safe?"


    "Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s fine; not only is he fine, but he also killed more than ten people." Xia Mutong practically spat these words out through clenched teeth.


    That bastard is too hateful, killing two people is bad enough, at least it was self-defense, but now there¡¯s a dozen more bodies to ount for to her superiors.


    "Miss Nanrong, you¡¯d better call him back immediately to rify what happened in person. Otherwise, I will have no choice but to detain him ording to thew."


    Nanrong Wanqing hesitated for a moment before giving Zhong Wei a meaningful look.


    Understanding her signal, he quickly took out his phone and walked out.


    At this moment, outside the Nanrong family¡¯s gate, a police car slowly drove up and stopped at the roadside. Then, the car door opened, and four male police officers in uniform stepped out of the vehicle.


    One of the slender officers approached the gate, casually cing his hand on the shoulder of another officer and asked nonchntly, "Brother, where are those mercenaries detained?"


    "In those two vehicles," the other officer pointed and responded, "We¡¯re getting ready to take them to the station."


    "Thanks."


    With that, the slender man gave hispanions a look. Quickly, they split into two groups; two went into the Nanrong residence while the other two approached the two police vehicles.


    A police officer guarded each of the vehicles. The two men walked up and opened the car door, saying, "We received orders from above to take the criminals back to the station as soon as possible. You guyse with me."


    The officers didn¡¯t suspect anything and immediately got into the vehicles.


    One officer who sat in the passenger seat looked at the driving man and asked, "Brother, you look new here; are you just transferred?"


    The man did not respond and instead reached into his jacket.


    Pop! Pop!


    A few soft noises were heard, and then the officer in the passenger seat slumped down, his head lolling against the car window, as blood slowly seeped into the seat cushion.


    The man gave a cold smile and tossed a set of keys to the mercenaries in the back seat.


    "Everyone alright? We¡¯ve got more work to do soon, so brace yourselves."


    As the two police vehicles were driven away, the other two men had already entered the Nanrong family¡¯s backyard. Despite the number of police in the Nanrong household, no one noticed these two.


    Before long, they had arrived at the vi where Nanrong Wanqing lived.


    At that moment, Zhong Wei just finished a call and came inside, "Officer Xia, Ling Chen will be back soon, please wait a moment."


    Xia Mutong nodded and walked over to sit by the sofa, her beautiful eyes asionally shifting over Su Lin and Nanrong Wanqing, revealing an undisguisable ardor.


    Feeling her gaze, Nanrong Wanqing slightly furrowed her brows. Though they were both women, Xia Mutong¡¯s look gave her difort¡ªthe look wasn¡¯t one of simple admiration between women, but a fervent desire akin to that of a man.


    While she was pondering this, two tall policemen walked in from outside.


    Xia Mutong swept them with her eyes and asked, "What¡¯s the matter?"


    However, those two policemen did not respond to her, their gaze fixed on Nanrong Wanqing, their expressions stern.


    "I¡¯m asking you, did you hear me?" Xia Mutong stood up abruptly, ready to go forward. But as she got up, the two policemen reached towards their waists.


    Seeing their actions, Xia Mutong¡¯s expression changed, and she instantly realized what was happening. She quickly opened her gun holster, but she was a step toote. Before she could draw her gun, the dark muzzle was already aimed at her head.


    "Throw your gun over here."


    Xia Mutong coldly said, "Who are you?"


    "You don¡¯t deserve to ask. Throw your gun over here." The man with thicker lips repeated themand, his finger slightly bent, ready to pull the trigger at any moment.


    Xia Mutong stared into the eyes of the thick-lipped man, her willow-leaf eyebrows twisting slightly. She could sense their attitude¡ªif she didn¡¯tply, they surely wouldn¡¯t spare the bullets.


    With that thought, she took the handgun from its holster with two fingers and threw it in front of them.


    "Take the person away."


    Hearing the thick-lipped man¡¯s order, the other man with tattoos on the back of his hands immediately approached Nanrong Wanqing. But at that moment, Zhong Wei slid in from the side, blocking in front of Nanrong Wanqing.


    "If you want to take her, you¡¯ll have to get through me first."


    The tattooed man scoffed, "Are you not afraid of dying?"


    Zhong Wei remained silent, his sharp gaze unyielding.


    "Zhong Wei, step back!"


    "Chairman..."


    "Step back, that¡¯s an order," Nanrong Wanqing said indifferently, "Although you were hired by me, there is no need for you to die for me." After speaking, she turned to the tattooed man, "I¡¯ll go with you, let the others go."


    The tattooed man¡¯s mouth curled up, "As long as you cooperate, I promise not to hurt anyone."


    "Wanqing," Su Lin bit her lip, her face pale. The sudden change clearly frightened her.


    "It¡¯s okay."


    "Don¡¯t waste time, get moving and take her out," the thick-lipped man urged impatiently.


    The tattooed man nodded, took over the wheelchair from Su Lin, and began pushing it outside.


    Xia Mutong followed a few steps and said coldly, "The outside is full of police, I¡¯d like to see how you n to escape."


    "Escape? Who said we¡¯re going to escape." The tattooed man sneered. Then, he took out a ne resembling a pendant from his pocket and hung it around Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s neck. Next, he gently pressed on the four-pointed star-shaped pendant. Immediately, a point of red light shed from the center of the star.


    "Officer, this thing doesn¡¯t have much power, but it¡¯s still easy to blow somebody¡¯s head off. If you don¡¯t want her to be in danger, you¡¯d betterply with us." After finishing, the tattooed man reminded Nanrong Wanqing, "Miss Nanrong, don¡¯t even think about tearing it off, or else your pretty face is going to turn into a headless beauty."

 Chapter 115 - 114: Wanqing is Captured (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 115: Chapter 114: Wanqing is Captured (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    Upon hearing this statement, everyone was shocked, their expressions changing abruptly.


    Xia Mutong clenched her fists tightly and gritted her teeth: "I¡¯ve memorized your faces. No matter where you flee, I will find you and bring you to justice."


    "You can brag about it once you actually manage to find us," said the thick-lipped man, clearly unconcerned by Xia Mutong¡¯s threat, and headed straight outside.


    Upon leaving the vi, the police outside saw them brandishing firearms, pointing at Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s head, and quickly drew their handguns, surrounding them in an instant.


    "Everyone stand down! Do not harm the hostage," Xia Mutong shouted as she hurried over from behind.


    Hearing Xia Mutong¡¯smand, the police officers didn¡¯t dare hesitate and immediately stepped aside, clearing a path and following closely behind the kidnappers.


    After leaving the Nanrong Family home, the tattooed man picked up Nanrong Wanqing and threw her into the back seat of the car. Meanwhile, the thick-lipped man continuously pulled the trigger towards the pursuing officers.


    Bang! Bang!...


    Xia Mutong¡¯s face changed immediately, and she quickly dove for cover, yelling, "Take cover!"


    Before she could rise again, the sound of an engine approached. She looked up only to see the kidnappers speeding away in a police car.


    "Chase them!"


    The moment the words left her mouth, Xia Mutong was already in a police car, in hot pursuit of the criminals¡¯ vehicle.


    Before long, seven or eight police cars followed suit, leaving the Nanrong home with shing red and blue lights and ring sirens.


    No sooner had Xia Mutong and the criminals left than Ling Chen and Tang Yuan took a taxi back to the Nanrong Family home.


    Upon getting out of the car and seeing the anxious crowd at the entrance, Ling Chen¡¯s brow furrowed, feeling a sudden ominous premonition.


    "Captain Zhong, what¡¯s going on?"


    Before Zhong Wei could speak, Su Lin rushed out, her eyes red and on the verge of tears, "Ling Chen, please, I beg you, you must save Wanqing."


    "What happened to her?"


    "Some people impersonated the police and kidnapped the chairman," Zhong Wei said gravely. "They just left not long ago, and Officer Xia has already led a team in pursuit."


    Hearing this, a chill shed through Ling Chen¡¯s eyes.


    These bastards are relentless, constantly scheming one n after another.


    After a moment¡¯s thought, he took out his cell phone and dialed Xia Mutong¡¯s number. The call connected, but no one answered.


    Xia Mutong was probably too busy tracking the criminals to answer his call.


    "Old Tang, you stay here and help me with clues."


    "Alright, take care of yourself."


    As soon as the words fell, Ling Chen quickly got into the muscle car. The vehicle roared to life like a wild beast, and the car lunged forward.


    Driving on the road, Ling Chen took out his phone and dialed Tang Yuan¡¯s number, then ced the call on speakerphone and set it on the passenger seat.


    The call connected, and Tang Yuan¡¯s voice came through immediately: "I¡¯ve just listened to the police radio, and the criminals are fleeing north, having just entered Hehai Road."


    "Plot a route for me."


    "Wait a moment."


    A few secondster.


    "Continue straight along your current route, take a left at the second intersection, and I¡¯ll instruct you further when you get there."


    "Got it." Ling Chen replied and instantly floored the elerator, the car¡¯s speed surging to 120 mph.


    This old muscle car wasn¡¯t equipped with GPS, but Han Bing had given Ling Chen a phone with a tracking device, which allowed Tang Yuan to locate him through the phone.


    "Keep going straight, enter East Jiangdong Road, and after five intersections, you¡¯ll catch sight of the criminals¡¯ vehicle, a modified illegal police car, Volkswagen brand, with thest three digits of the license te being 687."


    Under Ling Chen¡¯s relentless pursuit, a distance of more than ten kilometers was covered in mere minutes. Soon, he could see several police cars chasing the criminals.


    "Old Tang, I¡¯ve caught up with the target."


    "Be careful, Captain Zhong said Miss Nanrong has a micro bomb on her neck; it can¡¯t be forcibly removed, the controller must be with the kidnappers. Also, another thing, we¡¯ve intercepted a radio message that they¡¯ve found two abandoned police cars with two officers dead, and the five mercenaries previously captured are all gone."


    "Damn it, it¡¯s the ck Riders Mercenary Group again," Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but curse.


    While talking, he overtook several police cars and could faintly see the Volkswagen with the license te ending in 687.


    "Finally caught up with you. Old Tang, help me set up an interception route."


    "Those guys are probably trying to leave the city and escape to the suburbs. Take a right at the uing intersection; there¡¯s a side street. If you¡¯re fast enough, you should be able to beat them to it, and intercept them on the outskirts."


    Without hesitation, Ling Chen turned the steering wheel sharply, and the car drifted into the right-hand intersection.


    Tang Yuan¡¯s mentioned side street was an alley, just wide enough for one car. Though devoid of people, it was littered with garbage on both sides.


    "Sorry about this, Mr. He."


    Ling Chen muttered to himself, then floored the elerator, scattering the garbage on either side, as he charged straight through.


    Meanwhile, inside the fleeing criminals¡¯ car.


    The thick-lipped man sitting beside Nanrong Wanqing nced at the rear window and sneered, "That woman is quite tenacious, chasing us for so long without giving up."


    "Stop ying with them. We are about to leave the city; let¡¯s finish them off quickly," said the tattooed man driving the car.


    The thick-lipped man nodded and pulled out a cell phone.


    "Do it."


    After hanging up the phone, the thick-lipped man turned to look at Nanrong Wanqing, noting her cold gaze fixed on him.


    "Miss Nanrong, you¡¯ve been very cooperative. I hope you¡¯ll continue to cooperate; it¡¯s in both our best interests."


    "What do you want to get from me?"


    The thick-lipped man smiled slightly, "I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯m only responsible for taking you to a predetermined location; I don¡¯t concern myself with the rest."


    "You¡¯re mercenaries, loyal to whoever offers more money. If you release me, I¡¯m willing to pay triple." Nanrong Wanqing made an offer.


    "Miss Nanrong, I know you¡¯re very wealthy, but what we want isn¡¯t just money. What we want, you cannot provide. If you¡¯re thinking of bribing us with money, I advise you to give up that notion, and don¡¯t expect anyone toe and rescue you."


    "Is that so?" Nanrong Wanqing turned away, looking out of the car window, and inevitably thought of that man.


    Will he...e to rescue me?


    "Captain Xia, backups are on their way, but it will take a few minutes more to arrive."


    Hearing the voice from the radio, Xia Mutong frowned slightly and asked, "What about the helicopter I requested?"


    "It¡¯s being arranged."


    "When will you stop arranging and just get it here, now, immediately? If we lose sight of the criminals, just wait and see how I¡¯ll deal with you once I¡¯m back," Xia Mutong said angrily.


    During her rant, two garbage trucks suddenly burst out from the left and right sides at the crossroads ahead.


    Xia Mutong was startled and immediately stepped on the brakes.

 Chapter 116 - 115 Rescue (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 116: Chapter 115 Rescue (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    Squeal!!!


    With a piercing screech, the car came to an abrupt halt, its front nearly crashing into a garbage truck.


    Xia Mutong let out a long breath, her heart that had risen to her throat finally settling down. Fortunately, her quick reflexes had saved them from a wrecked car and lost lives.


    Looking at the two garbage trucks blocking the intersection, her relief quickly turned into anger.


    She pushed open the car door, pulled out her handgun, and hurried to the front of the garbage truck, intending to drag out the driver. However, the drivers of both garbage trucks had already vanished, even taking the car keys with them.


    Because the two garbage trucks blocked the intersection, traffic was paralyzed all around, all the vehicles were stuck there, unable to pass, and the police cars following behind could only sigh in frustration as they watched the suspect¡¯s vehicle disappear from sight.


    "Ling Chen, the suspects have sealed off the intersection, the police cars are blocked behind, there¡¯s no way to continue the chase."


    Hearing Tang Yuan¡¯s voice from the phone, Ling Chen wasn¡¯t surprised. Since those people had dared to brazenly kidnap Nanrong Wanqing, they must have been well-prepared. He looked ahead and asked, "How long until we can close in on the target?"


    "You should be able to overtake the suspect¡¯s vehicle in two hundred meters."


    "Got it."


    Ling Chen concentrated on the road ahead, and after a while, the end of the alley finally appeared about a hundred meters away.


    Sixty meters... forty meters... just as the muscle car was about to burst out of the exit, a sedan suddenly drove out slowly from the exit and parked at the roadside, exactly blocking the way.


    "Damn it!"


    He cursed under his breath. Of all times to appear, it just had to be now.


    Beep beep! Beep beep!


    He frantically honked the horn, hoping the car outside the exit would quickly move away. However, seeing him rushing out of the alley, the driver inside was startled and sat there motionless, staring with wide eyes.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen bit his lip, fastened his seat belt, and quickly maneuvered the car¡¯s front, mming into the rear of the other car.


    Bang!


    After the impact, the rear of the sedan was struck and pushed aside. Ling Chen, sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, lurched forward, almost hitting the steering wheel. Luckily, with the protection of the seat belt and having braced himself for the impact, he wasn¡¯t injured.


    But at that moment, the suspect¡¯s Volkswagen sped by on the road, causing him to miss the best opportunity to intercept.


    Ling Chen forcefully suppressed the urge to curse, engaged the gear, and stepped on the gas pedal, reentering the road.


    However, due to the serious damage to the front of the car, the front wheel was somewhat deformed, causing the car to veer off course periodically, making driving extremely troublesome. Ling Chen had no choice; there was no time to find another car now.


    After traveling a few hundred meters, Ling Chen saw the Volkswagen enter an underground tunnel. He gently pressed the gas pedal, not daring to speed up too much, only managing to maintain a speed of around seventy to eighty miles per hour. Because of the deformed front wheel, driving too fast could easily result in an ident.


    Upon entering the tunnel, he nced and realized that the kidnappers¡¯ Volkswagen had vanished from sight; ahead was only a big truck dragging a container and a few sedans.


    "Old Tang, Old Tang..."


    Ling Chen called out several times, but there was no response from Tang Yuan on the phone. He turned to look and realized that the signal in the tunnel was too weak, and the call had already been automatically disconnected.


    Exiting the tunnel, the road outside the city was pitch-ck, with no streetlights installed on both sides, only the headlights of passing vehicles. Ling Chen felt helpless; the headlights had been smashed during the collision, so he could only follow the taillights of the big truck ahead.


    The call connected.


    "Old Tang."


    "Received, did you catch up to the kidnappers?"


    "Target lost, do you have any leads?"


    "None. The police have deployed helicopters to search outside the tunnel, but so far, the kidnappers¡¯ vehicle has not been found. Additionally, the police set up roadblocks ten kilometers away; those kidnappers would have to go through there to leave East Sea City."


    Ling Chen frowned secretly, saying, "Helicopters are involved, it¡¯s impossible they can¡¯t find them, unless they¡¯ve gone into hiding."


    "I think so too, but the issue is where they could hide. The fields are on both sides of that road; they couldn¡¯t possibly drive into them. If they¡¯ve abandoned the vehicle and run, the helicopters should have spotted it by now."


    While they spoke, therge truck in front began to slow down, stopping at the roadside. At the same time, the container door at the back of the truck opened, and a man jumped down.


    When the container doors were opened, the sharp-eyed Ling Chen immediately noticed a car parked inside¡ªit was the same suspect vehicle he had been tracking.


    So that was it!


    Earlier, when that Volkswagen had entered the tunnel, it took the opportunity to get onto thatrge truck, thus making the vehicle disappear without a trace.


    However, by sheer coincidence, because Ling Chen¡¯s headlights were broken, he had been following the tail lights of therge truck all along. If not for that, he probably wouldn¡¯t have suspected that truck.


    At this moment, a Mercedes-Benz van approached from behind therge truck. Shortly afterward, another man appeared from the container, and with the cooperation of hispanion, they quickly transferred Nanrong Wanqing into the van.


    Seeing the van preparing to turn around, Ling Chen immediately understood their n; these guys wanted to return to East Sea City to avoid the police search.


    The police believed the kidnappers had fled to the suburbs and would never expect them to return to East Sea City.


    As the Mercedes-Benz van was about to pass by from the opposite side, Ling Chen, without a second word, quickly turned the steering wheel to collide head-on with the oing vehicle.


    At that moment, the van had just started moving, not yet gaining speed. The driver had not yet reacted when he saw a car suddenlying from the side, mming hard into the left side of the van¡¯s front.


    Due to the impact of inertia, all the people inside the van were suddenly lurched forward.


    The man with thick lips in the front passenger seat, without hesitation, quickly aimed a gun at the driver¡¯s seat of Ling Chen¡¯s vehicle and began shooting.


    Bang! Bang!


    Several bullets were fired, and Ling Chen¡¯s vehicle¡¯s windshield immediately had several holes.


    "Quickly, get through," the tattooed man at the back urgently urged.


    The driver didn¡¯t hesitate, shifted into reverse to back the vehicle up a few meters, then bypassed from the right.


    But at that instant, a loud ¡¯bang¡¯ of a gunshot sounded, a bullet pierced the window next to the driver, grazing his cheek and leaving a long bloody mark.


    The sudden pain instantly threw the driver into confusion, pressing his head down; his hands on the steering wheel violently turned to the right, trying to evade further gunfire.


    "Watch out."


    All of a sudden, the man with thick lips in the front passenger seat¡¯splexion changed dramatically, quickly shouting out.

 Chapter 117 - 116 Rescue (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 117: Chapter 116 Rescue (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    The driver hadn¡¯t had the chance to look up when he heard a loud ¡¯ng¡¯ from the chassis, as if something had scraped against it. Following that, the van jolted and shakily surged forward.


    Panicked for a moment, the driver was busy dodging bullets and didn¡¯t watch the road, causing the Mercedes-Benz van to veer off the road and into the field on the right.


    "What do we do?"


    The man with thick lips nced through the rearview mirror and saw that the road was separated from the field by a steep slope; this vehicle couldn¡¯t possibly get back up unless it was a high-performance off-road vehicle.


    "Don¡¯t panic, keep driving forward. Since we can¡¯t go back to the city, let¡¯s find somewhere to hide first. The police helicopter is still in the sky; we can¡¯t let them spot us." While saying that, he took out his phone and dialed a number.


    "ns have changed, we can¡¯t go back for now. We¡¯ll hide first and contact youter."


    After hanging up, the tattooed man looked out the back window and asked, "Who was that guy just now? He didn¡¯t seem like a cop."


    "Forget about him," said the man with thick lips, turning his gaze to Nanrong Wanqing. She had a bruise on her forehead, which she must¡¯ve gotten by identally hitting the car window when the front of the van was struck.


    "Miss Nanrong, are you alright?"


    Nanrong Wanqing replied indifferently, "Do you even care if I live or die?"


    "Of course." The man with thick lips grinned, "If you were injured, that would be hard for me to exin. My superiors repeatedly instructed me to bring you back unharmed."


    Hearing his words, Nanrong Wanqing looked out of the car window and ignored him. At this moment, a glimpse of worry shed through her bright, starry eyes. During the crash, she had clearly seen the other vehicle. In all of East Sea City, only one person owned such a distinctive car.


    She wondered if he was hurt.


    Biting her lip corner, her hands tightly clutched the hem of her dress, and she silently prayed, both for Ling Chen and for herself.


    At this moment, no one noticed that there was someone lying on top of the Mercedes-Benz van¡¯s roof ¨C it was Ling Chen.


    He had originally nned to shoot the driver dead and halt the van but missed by a bit. Seeing the vehicle plunge into the field, he made a split-second decision and stealthily climbed onto the roof while they were not looking.


    The path through the field was bumpy and the van¡¯s ride was shaky, causing him quite a bit of difort. He tightly clutched the luggage rack to stabilize his body to avoid being thrown off.


    There were three kidnappers inside the van, including the driver. To take care of all three in such a confined space while ensuring Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s safety was quite a challenge, even for someone as skilled as he was.


    Moreover, a miniature bomb was nted on Nanrong Wanqing. The slightest mistake could lead to her demise.


    Therefore, without a suitable rescue n, he dared not act rashly.


    Time ticked by, and the Mercedes-Benz van had already driven more than ten miles away into god knows where. The surroundings were all thick forests; not a single house was in sight, let alone people.


    "Stop the car, turn off the headlights," the man with thick lipsmanded after surveying the environment outside the window. Then, he pushed the door open and jumped off.


    Seeing him exit, Ling Chen immediately pressed himself against the roof of the van, not daring to make a sound. Thankfully, it was pitch-ck after the headlights were turned off, and as long as one didn¡¯t pay attention, no one would notice him.


    The man with thick lips looked around and then took out his phone.


    Taking advantage of him being distracted with the phone call, Ling Chen silently slid off the back of the van. Under the cover of night, he crouched low, carefully approaching the man with thick lips.


    "Alright, I¡¯ve got it. I¡¯ll send you the location on my phone in a moment."


    Having said that, the thick-lipped man hung up the phone and prepared to head back to his car. But as he took a step, arge hand suddenly reached out from behind his right shoulder, tightly covering his mouth. Before he could struggle, a sharp dagger pierced through his heart.


    After a few faint convulsions, the thick-lipped man¡¯s hands limply fell to his sides.


    Ling Chen propped up the man¡¯s body and gentlyid him on the ground, then searched his pockets. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t find the bomb¡¯s remote control; it must be on someone else.


    Returning to the van, he circled around to the driver¡¯s side door, pulled the handle with one hand while tightly clenching the Wolf Kiss in the other.


    Taking a deep breath to prepare, he yanked the door open and lunged inside.


    The tattooed man seated in the back only saw the door suddenly pulled open and felt a sudden shock. Before he could react, a figure emerged from the darkness, grabbed him by the cor, and forcibly dragged him out.


    This series of actions took less than two seconds; the tattooed man didn¡¯t even have the chance to raise his gun before he was dragged out of the back seat and mmed to the ground.


    Without any hesitation, Ling Chen¡¯s right hand, wielding the Wolf Kiss, lightly traced across the tattooed man¡¯s neck, ending his life.


    However, at this moment, the adjacent Mercedes-Benz van suddenly started up and shot forward.


    Having just witnessed the tattooed man dragged out of the car, the driver was well aware of the situation and hastily started the vehicle, attempting to flee the scene.


    Ling Chen swept his gaze and forcefully sprang into action. Like an arrow released from a bow, he quickly caught up to the rear of the van. Next, he propelled himself up with a tip of his toes and clung to the open driver¡¯s side door with both hands, his legs still dragging on the ground.


    "Ling Chen."


    Hearing Miss Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s worried call from inside the car, Ling Chen gritted his teeth, drew his gun with his left hand, and fired two shots towards the windshield of the driver¡¯s seat.


    Instantly, the terrified driver pushed open the door and leaped out, rolling several times on the ground before colliding with the thick trunk of a tree and falling unconscious.


    Although the driver had bailed out, the van did not slow down but instead sped up more and more. Ling Chen felt as if his body, pressed against the side of the van, might soon take flight.


    During this moment, a delicate white hand reached out from the car and gripped his wrist tightly, trying to pull him in.


    "Don¡¯t worry about me, stop the car quickly."


    Miss Nanrong Wanqing stuck out her head, her beautiful face tinged with a shade of pallor, "I... I don¡¯t know how to drive."


    Uh...


    Ling Chen then remembered that Nanrong Wanqing was disabled in her legs and had never learned to drive.


    Just as he was processing this, Nanrong Wanqing had already pulled out the rear seat¡¯s safety belt. Seeing this, he grabbed the safety belt and, dragging his body, strained to crawl forward.


    With Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s help, Ling Chen finally managed to get his upper body into the rear seat. Without a moment to catch his breath, he rushed into the driver¡¯s seat, mmed his foot on the brake, trying to stop the car.


    However, just as he pressed down on the brake, the van¡¯s front suddenly took a steep dive. He fixed his gaze ahead, and hisplexion instantly changed.


    The van had already rushed to the edge of a steep slope. Although he had hit the brakes, the slope was covered in leaves, reducing the tires¡¯ friction dramatically. The van was still sliding downward at a terrifying speed.

 Chapter 118 - 117 Rescue (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 118: Chapter 117 Rescue (Part 3)</h4><h4></h4>


    Turning on the headlights, Ling Chen saw a steep decline about forty to fifty meters ahead, his expression extremely solemn.


    Below the steep slope was a dense forest. At this speed, plunging down from the slope would undoubtedly be fatal.


    Thinking this, he turned to nce at Nanrong Wanqing; the hesitation in his eyes instantly turning steadfast, clearly having made a resolution. He moved to the back seat and spoke in a deep voice, "Chairman, staying in the car leaves us only a dead end. If we jump now, there might still be a chance to survive."


    "I¡¯ll listen to you."


    Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t think twice. Faced with such danger, her mind was a nk te, unable to grasp what to do, hence her only option was to trust Ling Chen.


    "Let¡¯s go!"


    Ling Chen embraced Nanrong Wanqing, his arms tightly wrapped around her waist. Looking at the pitch-ck scenery outside the car, he squinted his eyes and jumped out while holding Nanrong Wanqing.


    The moment theynded, he twisted his body, facing upwards, his back crashing heavily onto the ground, the pain from the friction almost making him cry out. Clenching his teeth, his arms tightly held Nanrong Wanqing, shielding her with his body.


    Driven by inertia, their bodies continued to slide down. He freed one hand, pulled out Wolf Kiss, and fiercely stabbed it into the ground.


    Suddenly, his body briefly halted, and the speed of their descent gradually slowed.


    Bang!


    At that moment, the Mercedes Benz van had already reached the bottom of the slope, colliding with a tree trunk, emitting a loud crash.


    He didn¡¯t know how long it had been, perhaps just a few seconds, but to Ling Chen, it felt painfully long. Feeling his bodye to aplete stop, he tried to sit up, but quickly discovered that any movement caused severe pain from his back, as if his spine were broken, and he couldn¡¯t move.


    Damn, this is a huge loss, he thought, nearly losing his life over a sry of a couple of ten-thousands.


    His mind wandering, he felt extremely dizzy. Having been tense all this time, now rxing, sleepiness overwhelmed him, and coupled with the physical pain, soon he fell into a deep sleep.


    ...


    At this moment, at the headquarters of Boyang Branch in East Sea City.


    Zhu Hong kicked open the door to an office room, striding in.


    Inside the office, a blond, blue-eyed man was standing by the window, lowering his cellphone from his ear.


    "Stephen."


    Zhu Hong looked at him, coldly uttering a few words through clenched teeth.


    "Mr. Zhu, looking for me thiste? What¡¯s the matter?" Stephen replied with a smile.


    With a livid face, Zhu Hong walked up to him, staring directly into his eyes, pausing between each word, "Was it you who kidnapped Nanrong Wanqing an hour ago?"


    "Do you truly think so?"


    "All operations in East Sea City are my responsibility. I did not issue any such orders today. Someone suddenly targeted Nanrong Wanqing; shouldn¡¯t that be suspicious? Don¡¯t think I¡¯m unaware of your schemes, I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t even think about it!"


    Stephen, still smiling, said, "Mr. Zhu, this is not for you to decide. I have already consulted the higher-ups, exining the importance of Nanrong Wanqing; they have agreed to let me capture her and bring her back to the base for experimentation."


    Zhu Hong coldly responded, "Then why didn¡¯t you inform me?"


    "Mr. Zhu, not informing you was for your own good. You care too much for Nanrong Wanqing. If you were to act, it likely wouldn¡¯t seed, so it¡¯s better that I handle it myself."


    "Where is she now? Where have you taken her?"


    "I also don¡¯t know their exact whereabouts now, but rest assured, she¡¯s in a very safe ce. When the police reduce their search efforts, I¡¯ll find a way to move her abroad."


    "Stephen, I don¡¯t care what you intend to do, but I need to see her before tomorrow morning, to personally verify her safety." Having said that, Zhu Hong turned and walked out of the office, mming the door behind him.


    After Zhu Hong left, Stephen picked up his phone again and dialed a number he had called several times.


    "Sorry, the number you have dialed is temporarily unavable, please try againter..."


    Listening to the prompt from the phone, Stephen¡¯s brow furrowed, his eyes turning cold.


    "Could something have happened?"


    ...


    It was unclear how much time had passed, but Ling Chen finally awoke from his unconscious state. He rubbed his eyes and looked up at the sky that was beginning to show the first light of dawn, slightly lifting his head.


    Feeling the movement of his body, Nanrong Wanqing, who had been unconscious on his chest, was also startled awake. Last night, during the car jump, she fainted from the tension and knew nothing of what happened afterward.


    Nanrong Wanqing raised her head and found herself looking directly into Ling Chen¡¯s clear pupils. Their eyes met, and being so close, they could even feel each other¡¯s breath.


    Involuntarily, a faint blush rose on Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s pretty face, and she gently lowered her gaze.


    "Um... could you please get off me first?" Ling Chen managed to utter the words with some difficulty.


    Nanrong Wanqing was lying on top of him, her ample bosom pressing against his chest. Normally, he would have enjoyed such a moment, but now he had no such mindset; his back felt numb,pletely devoid of sensation.


    Realizing the ambiguous nature of their position, Nanrong Wanqing hurriedly shifted off him, lying down in a pile of leaves next to him.


    Taking a deep breath, Ling Chen struggled to sit up from the ground, immediately wincing from the pain in his back.


    "Are... are you alright?"


    Nanrong Wanqing stared at his back, her face showing a mixture of shock and pity.


    Ling Chen¡¯s shirt was torn, and blood stained much of it. His entire back was smeared with blood, looking quite frightful.


    She knew that if it weren¡¯t for Ling Chen shielding her with his bodyst night, he wouldn¡¯t have sustained such severe injuries.


    Feeling the concern in her gaze, Ling Chen grinned and said, "We are lucky to be alive; these injuries are nothing." Looking up at the sky, he added, "It¡¯s already daylight. With no news for so long, everyone must be worried to death."


    "Let¡¯s call them and tell them toe pick us up."


    Ling Chen nodded, then reached into his pocket. But then he remembered that he had left his phone in the car and forgotten to take it out.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" Nanrong Wanqing asked, noticing him pausing.


    "Oh... it¡¯s nothing."


    Regaining hisposure, Ling Chen reached into another pocket.


    Last night, when he took care of the thick-lipped man, he had taken his phone, hoping it could serve as a clue to track down the mastermind behind the scenes.


    However, when he pulled out the phone, his expression turned strange, almostically resigned.


    It seemed that during the jump, the phone had been crushed under him, shattering the screen and rendering it unusable.


    Looking around at the dense woods, he couldn¡¯t help but let out a bitterugh, realizing that he and Nanrong Wanqing were likely trapped in this deste ce.

 Chapter 119 - 118 Sharing Hardships

    <h4>Chapter 119: Chapter 118 Sharing Hardships</h4><h4></h4>


    Seeing the broken phone in Ling Chen¡¯s hand, Nanrong Wanqing immediately understood their situation, "What do we do now?"


    Ling Chen turned his head and looked behind at the steep slope that was about forty to fifty meters long, his face filled with a bitter smile. If it had been before, he could have carried Nanrong Wanqing away, but he was seriously injured now,cking the strength to even climb up, let alone carrying Nanrong Wanqing.


    "Let¡¯s rest for a bit. I believe they will find us." As he spoke, he nced at Nanrong Wanqing and noticed a patch of blood on the left side of her waist, which startled him, "Are you injured?"


    "It¡¯s nothing, just a scratch." Nanrong Wanqing gently pressed on her wound, her delicate eyebrows furrowing slightly, clearly in pain.


    "Let me see."


    Ignoring his own injuries, Ling Chen endured the pain in his back and struggled to stand up. He crouched in front of Nanrong Wanqing and then lifted the corner of her clothes.


    Instantly, he saw a long cut on her fair skin, apparently caused by a sharp stone. The blood around it had already coagted, and a hint of blue was faintly encircling the wound.


    His finger pressed on the wound, and Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s body trembled instantly. She bit her thin lips tightly, her face showing a painful expression.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen quickly withdrew his hand and covered the wound with her clothes again.


    "We need to treat our wounds right away, or they may get infected, and that would be troublesome."


    "We don¡¯t have a first aid kit here, how can we treat them."


    Ling Chen grinned and gave her a reassuring look, "Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll find a way. You lie down here for a while, I¡¯ll go find something."


    With that, he stood up, looked around, and then walked into Lin Zi.


    The forest was dense and lush with flowers and nts everywhere, surrounded by towering trees, filled with the scent of nature.


    Ling Chen pushed through the bushes, carefully searching in the woods. After a while, his eyes lit up, his angr face filled with joy as he hurried over. His steps too big, he pulled at the wound on his back, causing a sharp pain and cold sweat to run down his body.


    He took a breath, and once the pain slightly subsided, he pulled up a nt with its roots from the soil.


    "Right."


    He muttered to himself, the nt in his hand was the Purple Bellflower.


    Purple Bellflower is a kind of herbal medicine that can be used for antiseptic and hemostatic purposes; it¡¯s a fairlymon herb. It took a few minutes, but he picked four or five Purple Bellflowers and then returned to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s side.


    Seeing him returning with a few nts, Nanrong Wanqing couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously, "What is this?"


    "Life-saving herbs." Saying that, Ling Chen plucked a few leaves and stuffed them into his mouth, continuously chewing them. At the same time, he lifted the corner of Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s clothes again, revealing her wound.


    "Madam Chairman, we don¡¯t have anything now, we can only work with what we have. Please bear with it."


    Before Nanrong Wanqing could react, Ling Chen spat out the chewed leaves into his hand, then applied it to her wound.


    Feeling the warmth on her wound, Nanrong Wanqing turned her head away, feeling somewhat unable to look directly, it felt a bit... too much.


    Ling Chen exined, "Madam Chairman, I know it¡¯s disgusting, but there¡¯s no help for it. This medicine can stop bleeding and disinfect to prevent infection, you surely don¡¯t want to get tetanus."


    After applying the herbal medicine, Ling Chen tore off a piece of rtively clean cloth from his own clothes and pressed it against Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s wound to let the medicinal effect fully unfold.


    After treating her wound, he started to apply medicine to his own.


    However, his wounds were on his back, making it very inconvenient for both his hands.


    Seeing him struggling, Nanrong Wanqing hesitated for a moment, then sat up and said softly, "Let me help you."


    "Ah? Oh, here you go."


    Ling Chen snapped out of his brief daze and handed over the leaves he had just chewed.


    Nanrong Wanqing nced at them, pursed her lips slightly, and shook her head. "No need, I¡¯ll do it myself." As she spoke, she picked a few leaves and put them in her mouth.


    Watching Ling Chen¡¯s back covered in blood, she tore a piece of cloth from the hem of her skirt and gently wiped the blood off his back, careful not to hurt him.


    "Does it hurt?"


    Ling Chen cracked a slight smile and said indifferently, "These little wounds and pains are nothing."


    When Nanrong Wanqing had cleaned all the blood from his back, her expression suddenly froze, and she stared nkly at his back.


    Seeing her motionless, Ling Chen asked, "What¡¯s wrong?"


    Hearing his voice, Nanrong Wanqing immediately snapped back to reality. "It¡¯s... it¡¯s nothing."


    Although she said it was nothing, her heart was incredibly shocked. On Ling Chen¡¯s back, she saw seven or eight bullet wounds and several fierce scars.


    She had never seen a person with so many injuries. These gunshot wounds and knife scars seemed to silently recount his past hardships.


    "You... what did you do in the past?"


    She rubbed the chewed leaves on his wounds while asking.


    Ling Chen smiled faintly, fully understanding her implication, "Are you asking about where these scars came from?"


    Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t respond, but her attitude seemed to confirm it.


    "When you drift in the Martial Arts World, how can you not get wounded? I used to live the life of licking blood off the knife-edge; getting injured wasmon. Compared to me, those who left these scars on me ended up in far worse situations, so I¡¯ve always felt fortunate."


    "Were you a soldier before?"


    "Sort of."


    The organization was independent, but nominally affiliated with the military, yet not controlled by it, so iming to be a soldier was not wrong.


    After applying the herbal medicine, Nanrong Wanqing sat beside him and asked, "Where is your hometown?"


    "I forgot."


    Ling Chen looked up, watching the morning sun filter through the leaves and sprinkle dappled light spots on the ground, a trace of nostalgia flickering in his clear pupils.


    Feeling Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s gaze on him, he gently turned his head to meet her bright eyes, and said with a smile, "I left home when I was very young and lived with my dad. In my teens, my dad was often away from home due to some matters, and rarely returned. Later, when I was idle, I simply joined the army."


    "Have you been living alone all these years?"


    "Pretty much, I just got used to it. Director, you¡¯re asking so thoroughly, are you nning to set me up with someone?" Ling Chen joked.


    "With your capabilities, do you still need my help in this?"


    "That can¡¯t be said; capability is one thing, women are another. Women nowadays are too pragmatic and their thoughts hard to grasp, it¡¯s too draining."


    "If you¡¯re unwilling to even spend that much effort, it only suggests that you don¡¯t value that woman."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen grinned, "Director, you are a woman, you must understand women well, why not teach me a few tricks?"

 Chapter 120 - 119 Storm (1)

    <h4>Chapter 120: Chapter 119 Storm (1)</h4><h4></h4>


    "I..." Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s pretty face blushed slightly as she shook her head, "I¡¯ve never dated, so it¡¯s useless to ask me."


    "Chairwoman, you are a golden flower of East Sea City; I bet the line of men chasing after you could circle around East Sea City. Are you saying not one of these men caught your eye?"


    "What they pursue is not me as a person, but the wealth of the Nanrong Family. After all, I am not aplete person." She said with a faint smile, revealing a sense of destion, "Besides, I¡¯m not interested in this sort of thing right now. The Nanrong Family needs someone to take charge, and I can¡¯t be distracted. Perhaps when Nanrong Hao grows up, I might consider it."


    Ling Chen looked at her stunned, not expecting this woman to be so indifferent about her own disability. To avoid making her sad, he went along with her, "Haozi is lucky to have such a good sister like you. It¡¯s a pity that he doesn¡¯t understand much now and can¡¯t feel the sacrifices and efforts you¡¯ve made for him."


    "That¡¯s why I need your help, to help him change."


    "There¡¯s no rush. Take it one step at a time, the food should be eaten bite by bite, the road should be walked step by step. Haozi has a good nature, I believe he won¡¯t disappoint you." After saying that, he stood up, patting the leaves off his behind, "It¡¯s been a whole night, you must be hungry, I¡¯ll find you something to eat."


    After busying himself for half an hour, Ling Chen managed to find some wild vegetables and mushrooms.


    He returned to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s side, tossed the food he gathered on the ground, and then walked toward the damaged Mercedes-Benz van, rummaging through it.


    Before long, he found a few bottles of mineral water and some simple tools. Right there and then, he improvised a stove using parts from the car, set it up on a wood fire, with mes rising underneath.


    Once the stove was red-hot, he poured mineral water inside, then added mushrooms and wild vegetables to make a soup.


    Although there were no seasonings like oil, salt, soy sauce, or vinegar, these wild vegetables had a good natural taste. He tasted it, then brought the pot over to Nanrong Wanqing.


    "Aren¡¯t you eating?" Nanrong Wanqing asked, seeing him sitting on the side watching her.


    "I¡¯ve eaten already." Ling Chen said. His wilderness survival skills were far superior to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s. There were many things in the woods he could eat raw; if it wasn¡¯t for taking care of Nanrong Wanqing, he wouldn¡¯t have needed to put in so much effort.


    Probably starving, Nanrong Wanqing devoured the mushrooms and wild vegetables until the pot was clean.


    "How is it? It should taste no worse than the egg noodle soup." Ling Chen said with a smile.


    Hearing him mention the egg noodle soup caused a hint of embarrassment in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s beautiful eyes.


    "Thank you."


    "No need to be polite. You sit tight; I¡¯ll go clean up."


    Ling Chen was about to get up when suddenly, a raindrop fell on his head. He looked up to see the sky had turned; what had been sunny now was overcast with a sudden change of face.


    Before he could usher Nanrong Wanqing into the car, a torrential downpour started, falling heavily on the leaves and instantly soaking their clothes.


    Ling Chen hurriedly picked up Nanrong Wanqing and took her into the van.


    Watching the intensity of the rain grow, he frowned to himself, thinking this was trouble.


    ...


    Meanwhile, on a rural road, two police cars were parked at the roadside, with Xia Mutong standing in front of the wrecked muscle car, holding an umbre and looking anxiously across the fields.


    "Tang Yuan, are you sure they went that way?"


    "There are tire tracks in the field over there, definitely can¡¯t be wrong."


    Last night, when Ling Chen became unreachable, Tang Yuan immediately tracked his cellphone signal and hurried here, only to find the car and the abandoned cellphone inside, but no sign of Ling Chen himself.


    Because it was night at that time and the surroundings were shrouded in darkness with weeds overgrown in the fields, it was inconvenient to search, so they had to wait for daylight to begin the search operation.


    Szzz... At this moment, an electric crackle came from the walkie-talkie on Xia Mutong¡¯s body, followed by a report: "Captain Xia, the rain is too heavy, the tire tracks on the fields are almost washed away."


    "As long as we¡¯re heading in the right direction that¡¯s fine. I will request higher authorities for additional support and expand the search area."


    After speaking, Xia Mutong turned to look at Tang Yuan, "You should go back first, we will do our best to locate Miss Nanrong and Ling Chen."


    Tang Yuan shook his head, pulled out his cellphone, and stepped aside to dial a number.


    After hanging up, Tang Yuan returned to Xia Mutong¡¯s side and said earnestly, "Officer Xia, from now on, I am in full charge of the search and rescue for Miss Nanrong and Ling Chen, the East Sea City police force will cooperate with my actions unconditionally."


    "You..."


    "You don¡¯t need to ask more, I think you will soon receive a call from your superiors."


    As soon as Tang Yuan finished speaking, Xia Mutong¡¯s phone rang. She looked at Tang Yuan with surprise and skepticism and took out her cellphone. When she saw the name on the iing call disy, her expression changed.


    "Who are you?" After listening to the call, Xia Mutong asked with a face full of astonishment. She thought Tang Yuan was just a security staff member of the Nanrong family, but it didn¡¯t seem to be the case. Could a security person make the bureau chief personally call her?


    "Officer Xia, you don¡¯t need to know too much, what¡¯s most important now is to find their whereabouts," Tang Yuan said as he spread out a map and drew a circle on it with a pen, "Based on my judgment, they should be within this area."


    "This area is almost thirty to forty kilometers, our manpower is limited, we can¡¯tplete the search of this area in a short time."


    "Call all the support you have, and have helicopters search the area non-stop, 24 hours a day. Ling Chen is smart, he should know we are looking for him and will definitely find a way to contact us."


    ...


    More than two hours passed, and the rain showed no sign of abating.


    Inside the woods, the torrential rain was apanied by gusts of wind that blew through the trees, bringing a hint of autumn coolness and the fresh scent of the earth.


    Inside the Mercedes-Benz van, Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing sat in the back seat, quietly waiting for the rain to stop.


    At that moment, a cool breeze blew into the van, and Nanrong Wanqing, who was thinly d, couldn¡¯t help but yawn. Having been soaked by the rain and then chilled by the cold wind, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s already delicate body was struggling to hold up.


    Ling Chen felt helpless; the windows of the van had been smashed and could not be closed.


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing hugging her arms, drenched and curled up inside the vehicle, her lips turning pale, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but feelpassion. If this continued, Nanrong Wanqing was bound to fall ill sooner orter.


    Unfortunately, there was nothing in the van to keep them warm, and his own clothes were soaked through.


    "Chairwoman, how are you feeling, are you alright?"


    "I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry about me." As soon as she spoke the words, bursts of cold wind poured into the van, causing Nanrong Wanqing to tremble involuntarily.


    Seeing her in this state, Ling Chen felt distressed but didn¡¯t know what to do.


    "Chairwoman..."


    "Hmm?"


    "Talk to me." Ling Chen wanted to divert her attention and lift her spirits by conversing with her.

 Chapter 121 - 120 Storm (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 121: Chapter 120 Storm (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s lips parted slightly: "Say what?"


    "Say..." Ling Chen¡¯s eyes darted as he smiled, "If you were no longer the chairman of Hongyu Group, what would you most want to do?"


    "I haven¡¯t thought about it."


    "It¡¯s never toote to think about it now since we have plenty of time."


    "I want to..." As soon as the words left her mouth, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯splexion suddenly changed, her brows furrowed slightly, biting her lip corner as if enduring pain.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen was startled and quickly lifted the corner of her garment to inspect the wound on her waist. Perhaps because it had been soaked by the rain, the herbal medicine had lost its effect, and the wound had red up again.


    He hurriedly picked up her delicate body,id her on the back seat of the car, then dashed out into the downpour to bring back the several Purple Bellflower nts he had left behind.


    After cleaning off the previously applied herbs, he chewed up a few leaves and reapplied them to the wound.


    "Chairman." Looking at Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s increasingly pallid pretty face, Ling Chen felt both worried and puzzled. The wound had already been treated; although it was a bit cold, it shouldn¡¯t be weak to this extent.


    As he pondered, he suddenly noticed a pool of blood on the back seat of the car.


    The bleeding from the wound had already stopped, so where did this bloode from?


    Her skirt!


    He raised an eyebrow, realizing that Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s skirt, pressed under her, was soaked with fresh blood. Not minding much, he gently lifted her skirt. Instantly, he saw a branch embedded in the inner thigh of Nanrong Wanqing.


    The branch, as thick as a finger, had prated halfway into her thigh.


    Looking at the dreadful wound, Ling Chen¡¯s pupils constricted, his eyes carrying a trace of hidden anger.


    This woman... she suffered such a serious injury but didn¡¯t tell him; could she really bear this kind of pain?


    That¡¯s it!


    He suddenly realized that both of Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s legs had lost sensation,pletely numb to pain; she probably didn¡¯t even know she was injured there. Perhaps, it was also out of shyness that she didn¡¯t dare to tell him.


    "Chairman..."


    "Ling... Ling Chen, didn¡¯t you just want to know what I would most want to do if I were no longer the chairman of Hongyu Group?"


    "Don¡¯t talk, just rest."


    However, perhaps due to excessive blood loss, Nanrong Wanqing seemed a bit delirious, as if she hadn¡¯t heard his words, still muttering to herself in a low voice.


    "I want... I want to go to amusement parks, I want to go to the cinema, I want to try street food, I want to be an ordinary person, not having to be in the limelight wherever I go, not having to consider others¡¯ feelings in everything I do, I want... I want freedom... I want to find someone I like, to be a wife and a mother, to spend a lifetime together..."


    "To be a wife and a mother?"


    Turns out, she was still a traditional woman.


    Ling Chen shook his head, his mouth chewing on the Purple Bellflower. Once the herbal medicine was ready, he lifted her skirt without looking aside, gently grasped one end of the branch, and quickly pulled it out.


    Without waiting for the blood to run, he hastily plugged the wound with the chewed leaves, then tore off a piece of cloth from the skirt, wrapped it around the wound to let the medicinal effect take hold.


    "Ling Chen..."


    "I¡¯m here."


    "I... I¡¯m so cold... Am I... am I dying?" Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s lips parted faintly, already devoid of color.


    Seeing her in a daze, Ling Chen reached out and touched her forehead, feeling the icy chill of her skin.


    Ling Chen, who had medical knowledge, knew that under Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s condition, she would be in mortal danger if he didn¡¯t find a way to treat her soon.


    After hesitating for a moment, he gritted his teeth and whispered, "I¡¯m doing this to save your life. Don¡¯t me me for this."


    With that, he took off his own clothes and then began unfastening the soaked garments on Nanrong Wanqing, gently peeling them away.


    Instantly, her snow-white skin was exposed without cover before his eyes.


    The white bra appeared in his view, encasing two firm mounts of purity, as if all the temptations of the world were contained within.


    Ling Chen extended his hand, stopping mid-air, indecisive.


    "Ling Chen... I¡¯m cold..."


    Hearing the murmurs from Nanrong Wanqing, Ling Chen sighed softly, hoping she would forgive him.


    He bent down, took Nanrong Wanqing into his arms, his right hand reaching behind her to gently unfasten the sp of her bra.


    As the bra slipped off, Ling Chen cradled her smooth and delicate body against his chest. Feeling his warm body temperature, Nanrong Wanqing cuddled into his embrace like a submissive kitten, burying her head into his chest, her hands tightly clinging to him.


    Outside the car, the wind and rain mingled, and the pitter-patter of raindrops apanied by the rolling thunder crafted a symphony amidst the rustling leaves, like a magnificent natural concerto.


    ...


    "Stephen, where is she?"


    At the headquarters of Boyang Branch, Zhu Hong stood in the office, staring at Stephen seated on the sofa, questioning, "I said I wanted to see her by this morning. Where on earth have you kept her?"


    "Mr. Zhu, I know you¡¯re concerned about Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s safety, but I can¡¯t tell you right now."


    "Why not?" Zhu Hong asked coldly.


    "Because I don¡¯t know where she is either. I¡¯ve lost contact with the people from ck Riders Mercenary Group, and there¡¯s been no word from them yet."


    "What?"


    Stephen gestured reassuringly, "Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve checked just now, Nanrong Wanqing hasn¡¯t returned to the Nanrong Family home, and the police are still searching for her, which means she¡¯s still in our hands. It¡¯s probably due to poor signal that the phones aren¡¯t getting through. Oh, and there¡¯s one more thing; besides Nanrong Wanqing, Ling Chen is also missing, whereabouts unknown."


    "I don¡¯t care about Ling Chen¡¯s fate; I just want to know where Nanrong Wanqing is. Stephen, you orchestrated this whole affair. If anything happens to Nanrong Wanqing, I won¡¯t let you off the hook," Zhu Hong said sternly, struggling to contain his fury.


    Stephenughed carelessly, "Mr. Zhu, I¡¯m sure the higher-ups won¡¯t allow you to do anything to me. Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m one of the most valuable scientific researchers in the organization. If you dare toy a hand on me, do you think they would spare you? You know the rules of the organization better than anyone; I don¡¯t need to remind you." As he spoke, he lifted the wine ss from the table and swirled the red wine gently, "Mr. Zhu, our primary task now is to find Nanrong Wanqing and bring her back safely. Instead of getting angry with me, you might as well use your people to search for her."


    "You better pray she¡¯s unharmed, or you¡¯ll have me to answer to, hmph!" Having said that, Zhu Hong turned and left the office.


    Watching him depart, Stephen let out a coldugh and then took out his phone from his pocket, dialing a number.


    Shortly after, a man with a stern expression walked in.


    Stephen handed the phone to him, saying, "Last night, before the mercenary lost contact, he sent a location to my phone. They might still be around there. Go immediately with your team and make sure to find Nanrong Wanqing. Remember, don¡¯t let Zhu Hong find out about this."


    "Understood."

 Chapter 122 - 121: Attachment

    <h4>Chapter 122: Chapter 121: Attachment</h4><h4></h4>


    In the van.


    Ling Chen was holding the soft and delicate body, and he fell into a deep sleep. He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when he felt Nanrong Wanqing in his arms stir slightly, prompting him to open his eyes.


    However, the moment he did, he found himself looking right into Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s bright eyes that were clear like spring water.


    Their eyes met, and Ling Chen¡¯s face instantly revealed a big, awkward expression. The exnation he had thought up in advance reached his mouth, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it.


    "Are you... alright?"


    It took him a while to barely squeeze out those few words.


    Nanrong Wanqing was biting her lips, her eyes downturned as she looked at his well-built chest, a faint blush involuntarily surfacing on her fair, jade-like skin.


    "You..."


    "That... it¡¯s not what you think," Ling Chen quickly took over her words to exin, "I didn¡¯t mean to take advantage of you. The situation was very dangerous just now. If I hadn¡¯t done what I did, I was afraid something bad might happen to you."


    "I... I understand."


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s voice was weak and mosquito-like. After saying this, a slight blush quietly rose on her slightly pale pretty face, incredibly endearing.


    Although her consciousness was somewhat unclear earlier, she was very aware of her own situation. As the saying goes, illness breeds the best doctor; during the years of her legs¡¯ disability, she had read numerous medical books hoping to find a cure. Over time, she also gained a rough understanding of medicine.


    If Ling Chen had not made a prompt decision to protect her with his body heat, her condition could have been much worse, perhaps even life-threatening.


    She had noticed the injury on the inside of her thigh early on but, embarrassed to let Ling Chen treat it, she hadn¡¯t spoken up. Originally, she had nned to wait for the rescue team and then return to the hospital for treatment, but she hadn¡¯t expected the situation to be so severe.


    In fact, she had awakened in Ling Chen¡¯s arms earlier but didn¡¯t know how to face the situation, so she dared not wake him up.


    And, in the cool autumn temperature, she was even more fond of the warmth in Ling Chen¡¯s embrace.


    Feeling that Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s hands were still wrapped around him without uttering a word, Ling Chen suddenly felt a bit helpless.


    As a proud virgin, he had never experienced anything like this.


    Though they were merely close in skin contact, it was still quite the stimtion for him. Having held Nanrong Wanqing in his sleep was initially just an innocent attempt to save her. But now that he was awake, the light virgin fragrance continually tantalized his sense of smell, especially her smooth and fine skin, which instigated his primal urges, and little Ling Chen was somewhat out of control.


    Just then, he noticed that Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s delicate body started to heat up, and her breathing became more rapid.


    Could it be that her injury was acting up? But that shouldn¡¯t cause such a reaction.


    "Are you alright?" After pondering for a long while, he couldn¡¯t help but speak up, breaking the brief silence inside the vehicle.


    "I¡¯m... fine..."


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s voice trembled slightly, her eyes tightly closed as she buried her head in his chest, not daring to lift it.


    At this moment, her cheeks were already flushed.


    Just now, she felt something pushing against her lower abdomen. Although she was innocent and had never been in love, it didn¡¯t mean she waspletely ignorant.


    Back when she was with Su Lin, her frank cousin often discussed some embarrassing topics with her in private, so she was well aware of what that was.


    This man... he wouldn¡¯t be thinking of... Unconsciously, she had fallen into a whirl of wild thoughts.


    When Ling Chen¡¯s voice reached her, remembering the scenes she had imagined made her face burn with embarrassment.


    Why would she think of such things... She silently chided herself.


    No, I can¡¯t go on like this anymore, otherwise how would I face this man in the future.


    Thinking of this, her eyes filled with shyness, she whispered, "Could you... get up?"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen felt a slight disappointment, but he still let go of his arms.


    "Wait!"


    Suddenly, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s voice rang out, Ling Chen asked, perplexed, "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "You... close your eyes... no peeking."


    Ling Chen smirked secretly, fully understanding her meaning. Right then, he obediently closed his eyes and then sat up from the back seat.


    "I¡¯ll go out first."


    Leaving Ling Chen¡¯s warm embrace, Nanrong Wanqing immediately felt a cool breeze from outside the car, causing her to feel an inexplicable sense of loss.


    Upon realizing this, her face turned red again.


    "Oh, right, here, take this."


    At this moment, Ling Chen reached under the seat and pulled out a white bra, and with his eyes still closed, handed it to Nanrong Wanqing. He had ced it there, fearing that Nanrong Wanqing wouldn¡¯t be able to find it, so he picked it up conveniently.


    Nanrong Wanqing bit her lip, her eyes more filled with shyness, couldn¡¯t he be a bit more subtle?


    Annoyed as she was, she still took the bra from him.


    After getting out of the car, Ling Chen turned his back on the van, looked up at the sky, and guessed it was already afternoon. The heavy rain had already stopped, the ground was full of potholes and puddles, and water droplets asionally fell from the leaves.


    He helplessly shook his head; he had wanted to start a fire and create smoke to attract the attention of the rescue team. Now that the branches were all wet, he couldn¡¯t start a fire.


    While pondering, he suddenly heard the roaring sound of an engineing from the steep slope above, getting closer.


    "Could it be the people looking for us?" Nanrong Wanqing also heard the sound and asked, poking her head out of the car window.


    "We don¡¯t know yet. But remember, not only our people are looking for you, those who kidnapped you won¡¯t let you go either," said Ling Chen. He opened the car door, saw that Nanrong Wanqing was dressed appropriately, and then carried her down from the car.


    Following that, he pulled out a pendant from his pocket.


    The pendant, given to Nanrong Wanqing by the mercenaries the night before, contained a tiny mechanism. Besides being controlled by a remote, it would also cause trouble if the ne broke.


    He closed the car door, then carefully wrapped the pendant in the car interior.


    "What are you doing?" Nanrong Wanqing asked curiously.


    "Nothing, just in case."


    After securely cing the miniature bomb, Ling Chen carried Nanrong Wanqing to a nearby bush and quietly observed.


    At that moment, on the steep slope above, two SUVs arrived from different directions and parked together.


    The doors opened, and a total of ten fully armed men got out one after another.


    After they gathered, one of the leading men asked another group¡¯s member, "Were you guys spotted by the rescue team on your way here?"


    "No, just that helicopter was a bit of trouble; we took a very long detour to avoid it."


    "Captain, the police dispatched rescue team is still searching eight kilometers away; they won¡¯t reach here for a while. We have plenty of time toplete the mission."


    "Very good."

 Chapter 123 - 122: The Chase

    <h4>Chapter 123: Chapter 122: The Chase</h4><h4></h4>


    "The positioning signal sent by the mercenaries is nearby. Everyone spread out in pairs and act separately."


    "Yes."


    In less than a few minutes, they discovered two corpses nearby.


    The leader with a stern face slightly furrowed his brow and said, "It¡¯s the ck Riders Mercenary Group¡¯s men. It was them who kidnapped Nanrong Wanqingst night."


    "Captain, since they are dead, could Nanrong Wanqing have been rescued?"


    "We cannot dismiss that possibility, but since the police are still searching, it means she hasn¡¯t returned. We¡¯ve been ordered to never give up as long as there¡¯s a sliver of chance. Look for that Mercedes-Benz van; they might have driven away in it."


    "Number three calling, number three calling."


    At that moment, a team member¡¯s voice came through the portable two-way radio.


    "Received."


    "Captain, we found a body 200 meters to the south. It¡¯s the driver who was responsible for driving."


    "I¡¯m on my way." The conversation ended, and the stern man immediately led his team members southward.


    Reaching the site where the body was found, a subordinate said, "Captain, this person must have hit a tree trunk when he jumped out of the vehicle. His injuries were too severe, and he didn¡¯t make it."


    The stern man nodded, "With the driver jumping out here, it seems the van we are looking for has gone in this direction. Notify the other team members immediately and have them converge here."


    Over ten minutes passed, and everyone followed the direction in which the van had gone and found a steep slope. The stern man stood at the top, looking down for a few moments before his gaze sharpened. He pointed towards the bottom of the slope and ordered, "The van¡¯s down there, go down now!"


    Upon themand, the well-trained team members didn¡¯t say another word and swiftly slid down the slope.


    In no time, the team led by the stern man reached the van and surrounded it.


    With a hand gesture, one of the team members picked up an MP5 submachine gun and cautiously approached the rear door of the van.


    Signaled by the captain, he violently yanked open the door.


    Bang!


    All of a sudden, there was a loud st, and the team member was flung out,nding heavily on the ground with a bloodied and mangled chest, lifeless.


    Seeing this, the stern man¡¯s expression shifted. He yelled ¡¯Get down!¡¯ and quicklyy on the ground, scanning the surroundings as the dark muzzles swept through the grass around them.


    Once he was sure the crisis had passed, the stern man stood up and, looking at the dead team member, said coldly, "They¡¯re definitely still nearby. Find them. Remember, do not injure the target, but show no mercy to anyone else."


    "Yes!"


    ...


    At this moment, in the dense woods, Ling Chen carried Nanrong Wanqing on his back, quickly weaving through the intertwined branches and leaves.


    Running not too far off, Ling Chen¡¯s forehead was already covered with sweat. He clenched his teeth and gasped for breath, not slowing his pace.


    Normally, such physical exertion would not be difficult for him, but now, with his body full of wounds, especially with Nanrong Wanqing on his back, each step he took rubbed against the wound on his back, causing unbearable pain. The wounds that had scabbed over began to crack open again, with fresh blood pouring out.


    If it weren¡¯t for his strong will, he would have copsed already.


    Nanrong Wanqing looked down and saw that her clothes were already stained with blood, and a sense ofpassion surged in her heart.


    "Are you okay? Maybe we should find a ce to rest."


    Rest?


    Is this woman joking? There¡¯s no time to rest at a moment like this, they¡¯re barely managing to escape.


    He shook his head and continued to sprint forward. After a short while, he stopped, took a long breath, and then ced Nanrong Wanqing in a patch of weeds about waist-high.


    "Stay here and don¡¯t make a sound. I¡¯lle back for youter."


    With those words, he didn¡¯t wait for Nanrong Wanqing to reply and darted off, vanishing from her sight in an instant.


    Ling Chen was very clear about his situation. With his current condition, his physical strength and pain were not enough to support him escaping with Nanrong Wanqing. So, the only solution was to take the initiative to strike and deal with that group of men.


    He retraced his steps along the route they came from. Soon after, he saw nine fully armed men approaching from not far away, four in front and three in the back, with one on each side, in a standard search formation.


    Hiding behind a thick tree trunk, he drew his handgun, ejected the magazine, and saw two bullets remaining.


    Limited bullets, he had to be economical.


    He put the gun away and crouched low, circling around through the grass beside him.


    "Captain."


    One of the team members at the front looked at the branches on both sides, and called the stern-faced man over, pointing at a broken tree branch saying, "The break is still fresh; they must have escaped this way."


    "Chase!" The stern-faced man decisivelymanded, immediately quickening their pace.


    But at that moment, a rustling sound suddenly came from the woods on the left. The stern-faced man¡¯s steps halted, and his eyes became sharp. He raised his submachine gun, aimed in the direction of the noise, and then made a gesture to the two teammates beside him.


    The teammates understood and carefully pushed aside the dense branches on both sides, slowly making their way through.


    After advancing more than ten meters, the two of them looked around and found no signs of the enemy. Their tight nerves immediately rxed.


    The two exchanged nces, nodded to each other, and then turned to head back.


    However, just as they turned, a person suddenly sprung out from the umted leaves underfoot, each hand holding a branch as thick as a wrist. Both branches were broken in the middle, the breakpoints sharp like spearheads, and fiercely stabbed towards the back of the necks of the two team members.


    Ah! Ah!


    Immediately, two screams were heard, and the two team members fell face forward to the ground, blood flowing, bodies convulsing non-stop.


    Having struck sessfully, Ling Chen was getting ready to pick up the submachine guns that had fallen to the ground, but gunshot sounds from the opposite direction had already erupted. Bullets pierced through the leaves and whistled past his body, narrowly missing him.


    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, he immediately pulled back and leapt to the side, crawling with hands and feet. Only after moving out of the enemy¡¯s firing range did he get up and continue to move.


    Taking down two enemies was a good harvest and was worth the time he spent under the leaves. However, this would certainly raise the vignce of others, and it would be difficult to strike so easily again.


    Looking at the two dead team members, the stern-faced man¡¯splexion turned ashen, veins throbbing on his forehead, he gritted his teeth and said, "Find him for me. I¡¯m going to y his skin alive."


    "Captain, that person..."


    Bang!


    Before the words left his mouth, the team member¡¯s head burst into blood, and he fell straight down.


    "Over there."


    "Chase him!"


    The enraged stern-faced man took big strides, quickly charging in the direction of the gunfire.


    Hearing the hurried footsteps behind him, Ling Chen¡¯s mouth slightly curved up. No matter what, he couldn¡¯t let those men find Nanrong Wanqing. He had to lead them away first, then find a way to deal with them one by one.

 Chapter 124: The 123rd First Kiss

    <h4>Chapter 124: The 123rd First Kiss</h4><h4></h4>


    "Ah!"


    Just then, a terrified scream suddenly pierced through the forest.


    Ling Chen, who was sprinting, came to an abrupt halt and turned towards the direction of the sound, his expression changing dramatically. He was certain that the scream hade from Nanrong Wanqing.


    This woman... Hadn¡¯t he warned her not to make any noise? It looked like their n was about to go south.


    No longer concerned about the enemies behind him, he hurriedly dashed towards Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s location. Those people, hearing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s voice, would definitely shift their target; he had to beat them to it and get back to her first.


    Before long, facing a patch of grass half a person tall, he took a long stride and plunged into it.


    Before he could even speak, he saw a figure sh before his eyes, and a pair of arms reached out, tightly sping his neck.


    "What happened?"


    "Snake... there¡¯s a snake..."


    Nanrong Wanqing pointed to the grass next to her, her voice trembling slightly, clearly frightened.


    Ling Chen nced over and saw a snake about a meter long and as thick as a chicken egg, covered in green, hissing at that moment.


    "It¡¯s just a green bamboo snake, what¡¯s there to be scared of?" he said with a touch of exasperation.


    But then again, women naturally fear such critters like snakes and bugs.


    He casually grabbed the green bamboo snake, flung it with force, tossing it away, then he hoisted Nanrong Wanqing back onto his back and burst out of the grass like a shot. This ce was already exposed; those people would soon find it, so they needed to move immediately.


    "Captain, they¡¯re over there."


    A team member trailing behind caught sight of Ling Chen surging forward and immediately cried out.


    "Stop!" The man with the cold demeanor roared, "If you don¡¯t stop, I¡¯m going to shoot."


    Ling Chen just curled his lip, ignoring the threat as if he hadn¡¯t heard it at all. These people were desperate to kidnap Nanrong Wanqing; they wouldn¡¯t dare to shoot.


    "Chase, don¡¯t let them get away, you two nk from that side."


    As the footsteps behind him got closer, Ling Chen¡¯s expression became increasingly solemn. Now that they were less than thirty to forty meters apart, it was impossible to shake them off at such a short distance. Moreover, his speed was limited by carrying Nanrong Wanqing.


    "I¡¯m sorry."


    Nanrong Wanqingy against Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder, speaking with self-reproach. She knew that if it wasn¡¯t for her own scream, the enemies wouldn¡¯t have been attracted.


    "Chairwoman, you should pray that we can get through this ordeal instead."


    As they spoke, Ling Chen suddenly heard the sound of rushing water not far ahead. Clenching his teeth with resolve, he exerted all his strength, pushing his speed to the limit.


    A few dozen meterster, he burst forth from the dense foliage. Suddenly, he saw a rapid river lying in their path.


    "We¡¯re trapped..."


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s pretty face turned pale, despair flickering in her eyes. After hesitating, she bit her lip and said, "Ling Chen, you should escape by yourself, don¡¯t worry about me."


    "Don¡¯t talk like we¡¯ve already lost. As long as I¡¯m alive, they won¡¯ty a finger on you." Ling Chen wiped the sweat from his forehead, his eyes filled with determination, "This is my promise to you, and my responsibility as well."


    "Mm."


    Nanrong Wanqing gave a soft response, touched by his words.


    "Do you know how to swim?"


    "I haven¡¯t learned that..."


    "Hold your breathter, don¡¯t breathe at all."


    As he finished speaking, Ling Chen jumped into the river with her on his back. Once they reached the middle of the river, he dove underwater, and the river immediately engulfed their bodies.


    At this time, the stoic man also arrived at the riverbank with his team.


    "They must have gone into the water, search!"


    At this moment, in the rapidly flowing water, Ling Chen hugged Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s delicate body tightly and swam swiftly with the current.


    After a while, he suddenly felt his wrist being gripped tightly. Turning his head, he saw Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s hand clutching his wrist, herplexion pained as she shook her head lightly, nearly unable to hold on any longer.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen frowned slightly. Those people were still searching for them; surfacing now would surely turn him into a live target.


    Thinking this, he pulled Nanrong Wanqing close and moved his head towards hers.


    Watching as Ling Chen¡¯s face neared hers, Nanrong Wanqing was momentarily puzzled. What... what is he doing?


    Just as she wondered, it felt like something blocked her lips, soft and gentle.


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s eyes went nk, her mind goingpletely empty, forgetting her predicament, with only one thought in her heart.


    That was, her first kiss was taken away like this...


    After what felt like an eternity, the two of them finally emerged from the water.


    Nanrong Wanqing stared at him, still unable to snap back to reality. She had no knowledge of what just happened; all she knew was that this man had taken the first kiss she had cherished for over twenty years.


    At this moment, Ling Chen moved his lips away and casually licked his own with his tongue.


    Well, it was actually pretty sweet.


    Seeing his action, Nanrong Wanqing felt both embarrassed and annoyed.


    Noticing the change in her expression, Ling Chen coughed lightly, embarrassedly saying, "That was ast resort just now, I wasn¡¯t trying to take advantage of you."


    "You¡¯re still talking."


    Nanrong Wanqingined. He had taken all the advantages he could from her¡ªbeing pressed against him naked in the car, and now even her first kiss had been stolen¡ªdestroying her purity, and he was still making excuses.


    Thinking this, her eyes began to redden, on the verge of tears.


    "You, don¡¯t cry, okay?" Ling Chen was so anxious he began scratching his head. Seeing her like this, Nanrong Wanqing must still have considered it her first kiss. He hadn¡¯t expected to gain such an advantage, and although he verbally said, "Look, it wasn¡¯t intentional. How about this, you kiss me back?"


    Seeing the tears in her eyes, his joke didn¡¯t seem very funny anymore, and he softened, "Alright, alright, don¡¯t cry. After we escape danger, you can punish me however you want; I¡¯ll take responsibility if ites to that."


    "Who wants you to take responsibility." Nanrong Wanqing retorted angrily. He had taken so many liberties with her and still wanted more, not on her watch. What annoyed her the most was his tone, acting as if he¡¯d suffered some loss.


    "Hey, let¡¯s be clear here, although I took your first kiss, it was also my first kiss. You¡¯ve cherished your first kiss for twenty-three years, and I¡¯ve cherished mine for twenty-four years, one year longer than you. If anyone should feel at a loss, it should be me. I¡¯m not crying, so why are you?"


    "You..." Nanrong Wanqing was frustrated beyond words, hisparison was absurd.


    "Okay, okay, let¡¯s not waste time, those people are still searching for us. We need to go, or it¡¯ll be toote."


    Hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing remembered again that she was still in danger. With a light hum, she wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes and quickly regained herposure.


    Ling Chen shook his head; they say a woman¡¯s mood changes as fast as flipping through a book, and that¡¯s no lie.


    Once onshore, he carried Nanrong Wanqing and plunged back into the woods.

 Chapter 125 - 124 Searching (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 125: Chapter 124 Searching (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    Wealthy Manor, House Number 118.


    At this moment, Wealthy Manor was overwhelmed with people. Both inside and outside the house were crowded, and luxury cars were jam-packed at the entrance, leaving no space for movement.


    Followingst night¡¯s events, news of Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s kidnapping had spread. High-ranking officials from Hongyu Group and friends close to the Nanrong Family had all rushed over, waiting for the oue of the rescue operation.


    Now, the safety of Nanrong Wanqing weighed heavily on everyone¡¯s hearts.


    As a key figure in Hongyu Group, any mishap involving Nanrong Wanqing would impact many people¡¯s interests. Naturally, they all hoped for a safe resolution.


    In the study on the second floor of the residence, Nanrong Yong sat at the desk with a furrowed, aged face, his gaze fixed on the desk phone, fists clenched, eagerly awaiting news of Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s safety.


    Beside him, Liu Kun stood with his hands behind his back, silent. He could empathize with Nanrong Yong¡¯s current state of mind; more words were useless.


    Across the desk, Su Lin and Nanrong Hao were seated on chairs against the wall, heads lowered, faces filled with anxiety and concern.


    Nanrong Hao opened his mouth a few times, wanting to speak, but feeling the oppressive atmosphere in the room, he ultimately chose to remain silent.


    At that moment, a series of knocks, ¡¯thud, thud, thud,¡¯ emanated from the study door. Following that, the door opened, and Zhong Wei entered, followed by a handsome, tall man.


    "Sir, Mr. Zhu has arrived."


    "Sir Nanrong, Su Lin, Nanrong Hao, Mr. Liu," Zhu Hong greeted as he entered.


    Nanrong Yong nodded and casually said, "Have a seat."


    "I¡¯ll remain standing. Sir Nanrong, I know you¡¯re worried about Wanqing¡¯s safety. Rest assured, I will find her and bring her back unharmed."


    "I appreciate your kindness, but the police are involved now, you..."


    "No!"


    Before Nanrong Yong could finish, Zhu Hong interjected, "Sir Nanrong, I once promised Wanqing that I would protect her throughout her life, ensuring she¡¯d never get hurt. In my heart, I¡¯ve always considered her family. Her disappearance is as agonizing for me as it is for you. If anything happens to her, I¡¯ll never forgive myself. Sir, I¡¯m here to say that no matter the cost, even if it costs me my life, I will find her."


    He then continued, "My team is ready; they are professionals I hired. Although the police are involved, theyck hands and it¡¯s unclear when they¡¯ll find Wanqing. The more people involved, the more hope we have. Sir, please allow me to join the search and rescue."


    "This..." Nanrong Yong hesitated as he nced at Liu Kun.


    "Grandfather, I believe sister is okay," Nanrong Hao mustered the courage to say, "Chen and sister both disappeared; they must be together. With Chen protecting her, she will surely return unharmed."


    Zhu Hong shook his head, "While I acknowledge Ling Chen¡¯s skills, if he were truly capable, he¡¯d have safely brought Wanqing back by now. It¡¯s been sixteen hours and still no word from him. How can I trust him? Sir Nanrong, ultimately, Ling Chen is an outsider hired by the Nanrong family. I don¡¯t think he would risk his life for some money. When real danger presents itself, I expect he¡¯d run away."


    "Nonsense!"


    Nanrong Hao abruptly stood up, frowning, "Zhu Hong, I won¡¯t allow you to belittle Chen like that. If Chen is an outsider, then so are you. What right do you have to judge him?"


    "Ling Chen has saved Wanqing twice; I believe he¡¯s not such a person," Su Lin, who had been quiet, spoke up.


    "Su Lin, do you not know the rtionship between Wanqing and me? Do you think I¡¯m an outsider to her?"


    "This..."


    "Sir Nanrong, please give me some time; I am confident I can rescue Wanqing. I believe you too wish to see her return home soon."


    After much deliberation, Nanrong Yong nodded and said, "Alright, I¡¯ll notify the police and have you assist in the search and rescue. Zhu Hong, no matter what, on behalf of the Nanrong Family, I thank you for your help."


    "You¡¯re wee. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go ahead and get busy." With that, Zhu Hong turned and walked out of the study.


    After leaving the Nanrong residence, Zhu Hong got back into his car and pulled out his cell phone from his pocket, dialing a number.


    The call connected.


    "How¡¯s the investigation going?"


    "Sir, as you predicted, Stephen secretly dispatched abat team to the area where Miss Nanrong disappeared, and our people have secretly tracked their vehicles."


    "Hmph! Stephen thinks he¡¯s undetectable; I certainly won¡¯t fall for his tricks. Immediately send our people out; we must find Wanqing¡¯s whereabouts."


    "What if we encounter Stephen¡¯s people?"


    Zhu Hong coldly said, "Kill them all, and... if you see Ling Chen, take care of him too."


    "Yes, sir."


    Meanwhile, inside the study of the Nanrong house.


    Nanrong Hao looked at Nanrong Yong sitting in front of the desk, clenched his teeth, suddenly stood up, and headed straight for the door.


    "Where are you going?" Nanrong Yong called out to him.


    "Grandfather, you¡¯ve already agreed to let Zhu Hong help, do I still need to sit here wasting time?"


    "What are you nning to do? Stay put; this is not the time for recklessness."


    "I¡¯ve been reckless for so many years, I don¡¯t care to be reckless one more time." With that, ignoring Nanrong Yong¡¯s angry re, Nanrong Hao pushed the door and walked out of the desk area.


    "Nanrong Hao, get back here!" Nanrong Yong mmed the table and rose up, his face full of anger.


    Liu Kun hurriedly advised, "Sir, let him go, the young mistress is in trouble, he must be very distressed."


    Nanrong Yong said indignantly, "How did the Nanrong family end up with such a disappointment."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the wilderness.


    Ling Chen ran as fast as he could, finally struggling to keep going, he set Nanrong Wanqing down on the ground, and he himself copsed, sitting down heavily, gasping for air.


    "Are you alright?" Nanrong Wanqing looked at him worriedly.


    Ling Chen shook his head, not wanting to say much, just desiring to rest properly.


    Having just killed two enemies and run all the way with Nanrong Wanqing, his physical strength was nearly depleted. Of course, these were not big issues; the main problem was the injury on his back, which was almost numbing from pain.


    With the intense activity, his wound had split open, bleeding continuously, andpounded by soaking in water for so long, the injury seriously worsened, sapping his strength even more.


    Over the years, he had encountered even more critical situations and had always managed to turn the tide, but then, it had been only him. Now, having to carry the mobility-impaired Nanrong Wanqing and ensure her safety, undoubtedly made his actions much more challenging.


    Thinking of the wound, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but look towards Nanrong Wanqing. She had also been soaked in the river with him, likely worsening her wound. The river¡¯s numerous microorganisms and unclean water could easily lead to the injury bing infected and inmed.

 Chapter 126 - 125 Searching (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 126: Chapter 125 Searching (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    He stood up and walked over to Nanrong Wanqing, slightly lifting the hem of her clothes. As expected, all the wounds had turned pale and needed to be dealt with as soon as possible. As for the wound on the inner thigh, he knew without looking that it wouldn¡¯t be much better.


    "You rest first. I¡¯ll go find something."


    Because he was afraid those people would catch up, Ling Chen didn¡¯t dare to go too far. He wandered nearby, found some herbs, and then returned to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s side.


    Having applied the herbs on Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s waist wound, she took care of the wound on her thigh by herself.


    He did want to help but figured Nanrong Wanqing probably wouldn¡¯t allow it.


    After treating Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s wounds, Ling Chen sat with his back to her and asked her to apply the herbs to his own wounds.


    "Where are we now?" Listening to the birdsong around, Nanrong Wanqing asked.


    Ling Chen looked up at the dense and knotted branches above and shook his head, "I¡¯m not sure. By my estimation, we should be thirty or forty kilometers away from the city district. Later, we can follow the river, and maybe we¡¯ll find a way out."


    "I¡¯m sorry, I got you into this."


    "Enough with the apologies. If you really feel sorry for me, don¡¯t forget to give me a raise when we get back."


    Nanrong Wanqing said irritably, "What time is it now, and you¡¯re still thinking about money."


    "Nonsense, I don¡¯t have a car, a house, or savings. How can I get married without earning more money."


    "What kind of wife are you looking for?"


    "First of all, she must have a good personality, be gentle, and considerate."


    "What about looks?"


    "That¡¯s secondary. As long as she¡¯s passable. But of course, if she¡¯s as beautiful as you, I wouldn¡¯t mind. Who wouldn¡¯t want their wife to be beautiful?" Ling Chen grinned.


    "Men are always greedy. The saying is true."


    Ling Chen protested, "How am I being greedy?"


    Nanrong Wanqing said indifferently, "You men always have this and that requirement for women. Have you ever thought about yourselves? I think a truly good man wouldn¡¯t mind so much, but be more amodating. Only with mutual tolerance can life be harmonious. Marriage is not dating; marriage is for a lifetime. If you can¡¯t be tolerant and considerate of each other, even if two peoplee together, they won¡¯tst long and will eventually part ways."


    "Is that so?" Ling Chen looked at her in surprise, "I didn¡¯t expect you to have such insight into marriage, but..." His eyes shifted, and he suddenlyughed.


    Seeing the inexplicable smile on his face, Nanrong Wanqing couldn¡¯t help but ask, "What are youughing at?"


    "I¡¯m thinking about what you would be like when you get married. You¡¯re so assertive, whoever marries you would be overwhelmed by you."


    "You don¡¯t know me, how can you know that I¡¯m what you describe." Her chin dropped and her beautiful eyes fluttered, "Actually... No matter how assertive a woman is, she still needs a man to rely on. The reason I¡¯m so assertive is not for myself, but because the Nanrong family needs someone assertive."


    Although it was just a simple statement, Ling Chen could feel her bitterness and helplessness.


    He smiled slightly, then changed the subject, "You just asked me what kind of wife I¡¯m looking for. What about you? What kind of man are you looking for?"


    Nanrong Wanqing pondered for a while, yearningly saying, "I hope he is responsible and can shoulder the responsibilities of a family."


    "That¡¯s all?"


    "Mhm."


    Ling Chen touched his nose embarrassingly and grinned, "Why do I feel like you¡¯re describing me?"


    Hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face flushed, and she said annoyed, "What a narcissist you are."


    "Alright, alright, no more joking. That guy... oh right, Zhu Hong, is he your ideal choice?"


    "If it were five years ago, I would¡¯ve said ¡¯yes¡¯, but now..." She turned her head, looking at the lush leaves, with aplex look in her eyes.


    With the conversation having reached this point, Ling Chen understood and prudently stopped the topic.


    Night came, and the dense forest seemed to be shrouded in ayer of mysterious veil. The crescent moon was like a hook, and the dim moonlight spilled like mercury, casting dappled spots of light throughout the woods.


    In arge tent temporarily set up in the suburbs, Tang Yuan was using a walkie-talkie to contact and coordinate with various search and rescue teams.


    This was a temporarymand center established by the police, with all search and rescue teams being coordinated from here.


    Putting down the walkie-talkie, Tang Yuan looked at the map on the table and casually picked up a red marker, drawing a cross on the map.


    He divided the area of over thirty kilometers into more than twenty regions, checking them one by one. After a day¡¯s work, they had cleared half of the areas.


    "Officer Xia, what is this green area?" Tang Yuan pointed to the map and asked.


    "That whole area is a forest; next to it is a national 4A scenic area. The forest connects to the scenic area and hasn¡¯t been developed due to itsrge size. Why, do you suspect Ling Chen andpany went into the forest?"


    "I¡¯ve known Ling Chen for so long; I know him very well. In this situation, he would certainly try to contact us. But it¡¯s been nearly twenty-four hours, and we haven¡¯t heard anything. I believe their situation might be very dangerous."


    "What do you mean?"


    "No matter who kidnapped Miss Nanrong, now that Miss Nanrong is missing, they definitely won¡¯t miss any opportunity. While we are searching, I bet they are also looking for Miss Nanrong¡¯s whereabouts. And they might be closer to the target than us. Ling Chen dares not contact us actively; he is probably afraid of exposing their location. If it¡¯s as I suspect, that they are being chased, Ling Chen would definitely take Miss Nanrong and hide in this forest."


    Xia Mutong frowned slightly and said, "The area of this forest is sorge, our manpower is not enough tounch aprehensive search operation. And we can¡¯t abandon our search efforts in other areas just because of your guess."


    "Do you police have any more people?"


    Xia Mutong shook his head, "We¡¯ve already brought over everyone we could, including dozens of people from the fire department. Additionally, it¡¯s now night, and it¡¯s difficult to carry out a search operation in that forest; we can only wait until daylight."


    "We don¡¯t have that much time to waste."


    While talking, a male police officer hurried into the tent.


    "Captain Xia, something happened outside."


    "What happened?"


    "I can¡¯t exin it, you¡¯d better go out and see for yourself."


    Tang Yuan and Xia Mutong exchanged a nce, and then they quickly walked out of the tent.


    Immediately, they saw more than a dozenrge buses parked at the side of the road, filled with people.

 Chapter 127 - 126 Searching (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 127: Chapter 126 Searching (Part 3)</h4><h4></h4>


    Where did all these peoplee from?


    Just as Tang Yuan and Xia Mutong were puzzled, three people got off arge bus in front of them. The leader was none other than Nanrong Hao, and the other two were Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong.


    "Tang, Officer Xia," Nanrong Hao stepped forward to greet them.


    "Mr. Nanrong?" Tang Yuan was slightly stunned and pointed at the buses, "What is this about?"


    "I knew you were short-staffed, so I brought over four hundred people to help with your search and rescue operation."


    Xia Mutong nced at Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong, frowning, "I know you, you are all hoodlums from the Old City."


    Zhao Zhengxiong corrected, "Officer Xia, we are not hoodlums, we are legitimate businessmen, and these are all citizens who came to help voluntarily. Don¡¯t the police always advocate for cooperation with the public? Are you going to turn away these enthusiastic citizens?"


    "You..."


    "Alright." Tang Yuan cut off Xia Mutong, "We¡¯re indeed short on manpower, and Mr. Nanrong¡¯s arrival with so many people is a big help." Turning to Nanrong Hao and the others, he said, "You all are friends of Ling Chen. If Ling Chen trusts you, I trust you too. I hope we can all work together to find them as soon as possible."


    "This doesn¡¯t seem right," Xia Mutong still objected.


    "It¡¯s fine," Tang Yuan spoke indifferently, "Officer Xia, unless you can find me this many people right now, let¡¯s follow my n."


    Xia Mutong was at a loss for words.


    Where could she find hundreds of people, unless she summoned every policeman in East Sea City? But that was clearly not realistic. East Sea City was so big; without police on duty, it would be in chaos.


    "Mr. Nanrong, pleasee inside with me."


    Back at the temporarymand post, Tang Yuan spread out the map again on the table and marked a green area with a red circle.


    "Mr. Nanrong, I suspect Ling Chen and Miss Nanrong are hiding here, but we didn¡¯t have enough manpower tomence a search before. Now that you¡¯vee, it¡¯s solved a big problem for me."


    Nanrong Hao nodded, "Tang, just instruct us, we¡¯ll cooperate fully."


    "We don¡¯t know their exact location yet, so we can only start searching from the surrounding areas and then move inward step by step. You¡¯ve brought over four hundred people, perfect for simultaneous actions from four directions." At this point, Tang Yuan looked up at Xia Mutong, "Officer Xia, please deploy forty SWAT officers fully armed."


    "SWAT?" Xia Mutong asked, puzzled, "What for?"


    "I said earlier, Ling Chen and the others are likely facing pursuit from enemies. Mr. Nanrong¡¯s people are unarmed; if they encounter those guys, there could be danger, so I need SWAT support. Mr. Nanrong, divide your people into groups and begin the search from all directions... By the way, do you all have shlights?"


    "Tang, don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re fully prepared."


    "That¡¯s good. Try to create some noise to attract Ling Chen¡¯s attention. I¡¯ll have the SWAT team assist you in case of an attack. Alright, let¡¯s get moving; time is pressing. Everyone, take action. Officer Xia, distribute some walkie-talkies for easymunication."


    After leaving the tent, Nanrong Hao, Jiang Hao, and Zhao Zhengxiong headed back to their vehicle and toward the spot marked on the map.


    In the woods.


    Ling Chen was shirtless, leaning against a tree trunk with his head drooping onto his left shoulder, eyes closed, taking the time to replenish his sleep and strength. His clothes had been worn out, forcing him to be bare-chested.


    After today¡¯s heavy rain, the weather had bid farewell to the hot summer days and weed autumn. At night, the cool autumn breeze passed through the trees, bringing a slight chill.


    Fortunately, Ling Chen had a strong constitution and was not affected by the cold.


    But while he could adapt to such an environment, Nanrong Wanqing couldn¡¯t. As a daughter from a wealthy family, who had never suffered like this, her body was weak to begin with. The ground was damp and the cool breeze made her sneeze uncontrobly, her hands tightly clutching her chest as she rubbed her arms constantly.


    Hearing her sneeze, Ling Chen immediately opened his eyes. Seeing her frail appearance, a feeling of pity arose in him, and he got up and walked over to her.


    Noticing Ling Chen sitting down beside her, Nanrong Wanqing asked curiously, "What are you doing?"


    Ling Chen shed a grin, "If you don¡¯t mind, I can lend you my chest for warmth."


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face turned red, thankfully the dim surroundings hid her blushing cheeks. She turned her head and whispered softly, "No need, I¡¯m not cold."


    "Really no need?"


    "No need!" Nanrong Wanqing was very decisive.


    "That... CEO, you don¡¯t have to be shy. Didn¡¯t you this morning..."


    "Don¡¯t mention it!" Nanrong Wanqing quickly interrupted him. She couldn¡¯t help but blush furiously whenever she remembered the scene of their naked bodies huddled together in the car, overwhelmed with bashfulness, "You¡¯re not allowed to bring up that matter again, you hear?"


    "Alright, alright, I won¡¯t talk about it." Ling Chen chuckled secretly to himself. It seemed this woman was quite thin-skinned.


    In the darkness.


    "Hey, why... why is your hand holding me like this..."


    "CEO, I¡¯m cold; give me some warmth."


    "Don¡¯t... you... Ling Chen, if you dare go any further, I..."


    "Don¡¯t, don¡¯t hit me... Ouch... I¡¯m injured right now, if I get hurt, who will rescue you?"


    "Then... keep still."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m just holding you, nothing more."


    "..."


    As the moon¡¯s reflection shifted westward, its soft, gentle light pierced through the branches, casting directly upon the male and female in the woods.


    Ling Chen was quietly resting against the tree trunk, the rity of his pupils still shining brightly in the dark, his gaze sharp, constantly surveying the surroundings.


    In his arms, Nanrong Wanqing, with eyes closed and eyshes trembling slightly, had her arms wrapped around his waist, her head resting on his robust chest, and she had already fallen into a deep sleep.


    Looking up at the bright moonlight above, Ling Chen reflected quietly on their situation. It was already past midnight; he wondered where the pursuers were and how far away they might be from him.


    As he pondered, suddenly a faint noise came from the woods to his left, as if something was stepping on the fallen branches and leaves, moving in their direction.


    His brow furrowed slightly as he drew his pistol from his waistband, aiming in the direction of the sound.


    Twenty meters... thirteen meters...


    As the noise grew closer, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes narrowed and his hand holding the gun was rock steady in front of him.


    If it was an enemy, he would not hesitate to open fire.

 Chapter 128 - 127: Night Counterattack

    <h4>Chapter 128: Chapter 127: Night Counterattack</h4><h4></h4>


    Several seconds passed, and a pitch-ck gun barrel poked through the dense branches and leaves, followed by a fully armed man wearing night vision goggles who stepped out lightly.


    Beneath the green glow of the lenses, a woman immediately caught the man¡¯s eye. Dressed in thin clothing and leaning against the trunk of a tree with her delicate head bowed, she was fast asleep. There was no one else around except the woman.


    The man¡¯s eyes, hidden behind the night vision goggles, gleamed for a moment. He swiftly reached for the walkie-talkie button attached to his cor, ready to make contact with his teammates.


    However, before he could speak, a hand and a sharp conical dagger silently reached around from behind his neck. In an instant, the hand mped tightly over his mouth, while the dagger gently slid across his throat.


    "Mmmph..."


    The man tried to scream, but the hand stifled his mouth so tightly that he couldn¡¯t utter a single word. Quickly, as hot blood gushed out, the life faded from his eyes, and his hands dropped weakly.


    At the same time, a figure faintly emerged from the darkness¡ªit was Ling Chen.


    When the opponent approached, he had silently circled to the rear. As a member of the Ghosts, no one could match his stealth skills.


    Taking advantage of the fact that Nanrong Wanqing hadn¡¯t woken up yet, Ling Chen dragged the body into the woods, then stripped off all of the man¡¯s equipment, not even sparing his clothes.


    He gentlyid the clothes over Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s body, stood up, and faced the forest ahead. With one stride, his figure vanished into the darkness.


    "Everyone, report in."


    Before long, a voice came through the earpiece.


    "Number Two received, target not found."


    "Number Three received, still searching."


    "Number Five..."


    "..."


    "Number Seven? Has Number Seven received?"


    Listening to the voice in his earpiece, Ling Chen immediately realized that Number Seven, the man he had just taken down, was being called.


    With this realization, he quickly pressed the talk button, his voice anxious and heavy with panting, "Target spotted, fleeing southeast, request immediate backup."


    "Number Three, Number Five, Number Nine, you are closest to Number Seven¡¯s position, move to support immediately, we¡¯re on our way."


    Two minutester, Ling Chen heard footstepsing from several different directions.


    Surveying the surroundings, he went to arge tree trunk, hugged it tightly with his hands, and agilely climbed up, hiding behind a clump of leaves.


    It wasn¡¯t long before he spotted an enemy within his field of view.


    As the enemy walked beneath his tree, Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate. He leaped from the tree branches and plunged Wolf Kiss fiercely into the nape of the enemy¡¯s neck.


    They were all wearing bulletproof vests which Wolf Kiss couldn¡¯t prate, but the vital neck area was exploitable.


    He easily disposed of the enemy, leaving the corpse where it fell, and climbed back up the tree.


    As expected, when the other two enemies who arrived saw theirrade lying on the ground, they rushed over. As they bent over to check the body, Ling Chen replicated his technique, striking unexpectedly from above, killing them instantly.


    In just three seconds, two enemies had fallen, blood pouring from their throats.


    At this time, the cold-faced team leader, along with two teammates, was rushing over, intermittently using the walkie-talkie to request thetest updates from the team members.


    But in the earpiece, there was no voice other than his own.


    "Captain, over there."


    Suddenly, a team member noticed three bodies lying not far ahead, with someone crouched next to them, seemingly checking the bodies.


    The man with the cold face¡¯s expression changed slightly, and he quickly walked over, frowning deeply at the three bodies on the ground. Then, he turned his head and fixed his gaze on the crouching team member, his voice grave: "Have you spotted the target?"


    The team member just shook his head, silent.


    "Why didn¡¯t you respond when I called you over the radio? Didn¡¯t you hear me?" the man with the cold face demanded coldly.


    "Because... I¡¯m not one of your people."


    As those words fell, the team member slowly lifted his head, revealing a handsome and heroic face with a bright smile.


    Upon seeing his face clearly, the man with the cold face was taken aback and hurriedly raised his submachine gun. But Ling Chen was faster.


    Bang! Bang!


    Ratatatat!!!


    With two streaks of muzzle sh, Ling Chen¡¯s right hand holding the pistol instantly blew the heads off the two team members beside him, while his left hand¡¯s submachine gun bullets rained down on the man with the cold face.


    Since the man with the cold face was too close, and Ling Chen was crouching, the spray of bullets was concentrated on his legs and abdomen.


    Although there was a bulletproof vest protecting his abdomen, the man with the cold face¡¯s legs were pierced by bullets, riddled with bullet holes, from which blood gushed out.


    Under the intense pain, the man with the cold face¡¯s legs gave way, and he fell back rigidly, crashing heavily to the ground. Before he could move, Ling Chen violently pounced on him, snatching the firearms off his body and tossing them aside.


    "Alright, you¡¯ve been chasing us for almost a day now; it¡¯s time to wrap this up. My friend, tell me, who sent you after us? I might grant you a quick death."


    Ling Chen said. He spared the man a life simply to ask who was behind the orders. Otherwise, with his skills, this man would have had no chance at survival.


    The man with the cold face clenched his teeth, enduring the agony, and remained silent, ring at Ling Chen as if wishing to kill him with his gaze.


    "Don¡¯t y tough in front of me; I don¡¯t fall for that. If you refuse to talk, I have dozens of ways to make you talk. But, they won¡¯t be pleasant, so I suggest you smarten up."


    "You¡¯ll never get any valuable words out of me," the man with the cold face said fearlessly.


    Ling Chen nodded, "Since that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s nothing more to say." He disliked idle chatter; instead of wasting time, he preferred something more practical.


    He promptly took a grenade from his waist, opened the cap. In no time, he had dismantled it.


    Following the man with the cold face¡¯s injured legs, Ling Chen methodically poured the grenade¡¯s gunpowder into the bullet holes.


    Seeing his actions, the man with the cold face¡¯s brow furrowed, and hisplexion turned slightly pale: "What are you trying to do?"


    "Nothing much, just stopping the bleeding. I don¡¯t want you to die too quickly."


    Saying that, he took out a lighter he had just searched off a body and gently ignited it.


    Hiss!


    Apanied by smoke, the man with the cold face¡¯s mouth gaped open, letting out a wail of agony, his face almost distorted from the unbearable pain, hideously contorted.


    Watching the man¡¯s scorched legs, Ling Chen put away the lighter and said, "I now have plenty of time to wear you down; I want to see how long you canst. Don¡¯t me me for being ruthless; I¡¯ve always lived by an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."

 Chapter 129: Mysterious Liquid No. 128

    <h4>Chapter 129: Mysterious Liquid No. 128</h4><h4></h4>


    The cold-faced man red furiously and gritted his teeth, saying: "You will regret this."


    "I don¡¯t need you to worry about whether I¡¯ll regret it or not, you should take care of yourself." With that said, Ling Chen reached out and began searching the cold-faced man, who was the leader of the team and was surely carrying a cellphone.


    However, just then, the cold-faced man suddenly raised his right hand. Ling Chen misjudged it as a threat and immediately leaned back. But then, he realized that the cold-faced man was not aiming at him.


    Not only that, he noticed that the man was holding a syringe in his hand. The syringe was only as thick as a finger, very short, filled with 2 milligrams of purple liquid. He didn¡¯t know where the guy had hidden the syringe, as he had failed to notice it.


    By the time he realized it, the cold-faced man had already jabbed the syringe into his own neck, not giving Ling Chen any chance to stop him.


    Seeing the purple liquid being injected into the cold-faced man¡¯s body, Ling Chen immediately stood up, took two steps back, slightly frowned, and stared intently at him.


    Even though he didn¡¯t know what the purple liquid in the syringe was, with years of experience, he had a bad feeling.


    At this moment, the cold-faced man, having injected the purple liquid, started convulsing, his veins bulged, and his face turned extremely red as if burned by fire, looking terrifying.


    Suddenly, the severely injured cold-faced man sprang up from the ground like a carp leaping up, his gaze coldly fixed on Ling Chen, and started walking towards him step by step.


    Ling Chen was slightly surprised and unconsciously nced at the man¡¯s legs, which moved freely, not at all like someone who had been shot.


    "Could it be that he injected adrenaline just now?"


    He guessed secretly. However, as far as he knew, adrenaline needed to be diluted before injection, and the dose was very small, only a few tenths of a milligram each time.


    The syringe just now contained a full two milligrams, and it was undiluted. If it was adrenaline, using it directly like this could easily lead to sudden death.


    As he pondered, the cold-faced man was already closing in, rushing towards him.


    Bang!


    Without thinking, Ling Chen fired a shot, the bullet piercing through the cold-faced man¡¯s shoulder, sttering blood.


    However, the cold-faced man was not affected at all, and his speed increased even more. Before Ling Chen could gather his senses, the man was already in front of him, pping the gun out of his hand.


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes turned cold, not backing down, he clenched his fist tightly and swung fiercely.


    Facing his punch, the cold-faced man, expressionless, suddenly raised his hand, spread his fingers wide, and actually caught his fist.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen¡¯s punch surged with force, trying to break through the defense. But he quickly found that the strength disyed by the opponent was no less than his own, tightly gripping his fist, unable to move.


    "Die!"


    The cold-faced man shouted angrily. His left hand swung a punch sweeping towards his head.


    In the face of danger, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze remained calm and sharp. Seeing that his fist couldn¡¯t break free, his legs immediately sprung up, his feet harshly kicking the opponent¡¯s chest, then pushing back. Instantly, his right fist loosened, and his body drew an arc in the air,nding back first.


    Ignoring the pain in his back, he quickly rolled over, stood up again, and fixed his gaze once more on the cold-faced man.


    "Ah!"


    Failed to strike, the cold-faced man, his skin flushed red, let out a loud roar. With slightly bent knees, he leaped up abruptly and threw a punch downward.


    Watching the cold-faced man jump up to a height of two meters, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. He had seen people with strong jumping abilities, but such an extreme case was a first for him; it had surpassed the realm of ordinary people.


    Even if the cold-faced man had just injected adrenaline, it wouldn¡¯t make him this powerful; it was unscientific.


    Without time to think, as his opponent¡¯s fist closed in, Ling Chen twisted his waist and raised his right leg high,unching a whip kick that struck the man squarely in the body.


    An inch longer, an inch stronger; legs are longer than arms, thus giving an advantage in fights. Moreover, his legs were his strongest asset. The power of one of his legs was greater than both his armsbined.


    Usually, he rarely used his legs, fearing he couldn¡¯t control his strength and might identally take someone¡¯s life.


    In that moment, after taking his kick, the cold-faced man¡¯s body, hanging in the air, immediately fell down, copsing onto the ground. Not giving him a chance to rise, Ling Chen quickly pounced forward, pinning the cold-faced man down, then wrapped his arms tightly around his neck and forcefully pushed backward, trying to break his neck.


    The cold-faced man screamed, spitting saliva everywhere, tightly grabbing Ling Chen¡¯s arms, desperately struggling to pry his arms open.


    After a deadlocksting over ten seconds, neither was able to overpower the other.


    Ling Chen frowned secretly; this guy¡¯s strength was not inferior to his own, and taking the chance to finish him off seemed a bit difficult.


    As thoughts raced through his mind, he nced with the corner of his eye and instantly came up with a n.


    Suddenly, he loosened his hands and rolled off the cold-faced man, then swiftly retreated until he was over ten meters away. He stopped, turned back, and watched the cold-faced man stand up.


    "Is that all you¡¯ve got?" the cold-faced man stepped forward, his tone icy, his eyes filled with fierce bloodshot veins.


    "Come on!" he roared loudly.


    "Don¡¯t, don¡¯te any closer." Ling Chen quickly waved his hand at him and backed up a few steps, "You¡¯ve already lost, there¡¯s no need to keep fighting."


    "Lost?"


    Hearing his words, the cold-faced man hesitated slightly; when had he lost? In confusion, he noticed Ling Chen¡¯s gaze fixed on his waist, and he couldn¡¯t help but lower his head.


    Immediately, he saw a grenade hanging from his belt, its pin already pulled.


    Seeing this, his expression dramatically changed, and he hastily reached to remove the grenade.


    Boom!


    Regrettably, his movement was a step too slow.


    Apanied by a dazzling sh of light, the cold-faced man¡¯s body burst apart, turning into countless pieces of flesh, scattering through the woods.


    Ling Chen raised his arm to shield his face. When the st wave subsided, he lowered his hand and walked to the edge of the lingering mes.


    Looking at the surrounding devastation, his eyes suddenly brightened, then he hurried forward, bending down to pick up the syringe.


    Although the purple liquid inside the syringe had been entirely injected, the residue still had its uses; it could be taken back for research. After witnessing the transformation of the cold-faced man, he was very curious about the mysterious liquid inside the syringe.


    This substance was several times more potent than adrenaline and was definitely not a regr drug. The Ghost Organization had a specialized research team; perhaps they could uncover the secrets of this enhancing substance.

 Chapter 130 - 129: Sniping

    <h4>Chapter 130: Chapter 129: Sniping</h4><h4></h4>


    Storing the syringe, Ling Chen looked at the debris scattered on the ground and sighed helplessly. He had hoped to steal the opponent¡¯s cellphone and make contact with the outside world, but it had been destroyed by a grenade.


    Nevertheless, no matter what, at least the future worries were solved; he wouldn¡¯t be harassed by those guys anymore.


    Returning to the location where Wanqing was supposed to be, Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed abruptly. To his astonishment, there was no one under the tree trunk. He clearly remembered this was the ce, there was no mistake, and there were even traces of Wanqing having sat there.


    "Where is she, how could she just disappear?" he wondered secretly. Could it be that she was abducted by those people just now?


    Impossible! The thought had just emerged when he immediately dismissed it. The cold-faced man¡¯s team had a total of ten members, all of whom had died at his hands. During the reply on the walkie-talkie just now, except for the three killed earlier, there were only seven people left, of that he was certain without a doubt.


    Since those people were all dead, then who took Wanqing away? Wanqing definitely couldn¡¯t leave on her own, could there be another group of people?


    Thinking this, he squatted down where Wanqing had been sitting and looked around. As he expected, there were numerous disordered footprints around; it looked like more than one person hade.


    Damn it! He couldn¡¯t help but curse, it was trouble after trouble; he had barely dealt with one group when another appeared.


    Collecting his thoughts, he followed the remaining footprints around to find the direction the others had left in, then quickly pursued them.


    At this moment, in the forest, a group of more than ten people was moving swiftly. At the center, two people were carrying a stretcher, and on the stretchery Wanqing. The other members were positioned in front, behind, and to the sides, seemingly protecting Wanqing¡¯s safety.


    At that time, the man at the front pulled out a cellphone and dialed a number.


    "Sir, the person has been rescued, we are hurrying to the evacuation location."


    "That fast?" the voice on the other end sounded pleasantly surprised.


    "It¡¯s all thanks to the squad sent by Stephen. Ling Chen engaged them, and we tracked the sounds of gunfire to discover Miss Nanrong¡¯s whereabouts."


    "Good. Where is Ling Chen?"


    "When we were taking Miss Nanrong away, Ling Chen was still entangled with Stephen¡¯s men, he didn¡¯t show up. In my opinion, he probably won¡¯t survive, Stephen¡¯s man Lv Wei is tough, Ling Chen might not be his match."


    "Never underestimate Ling Chen, he¡¯s not simple. By the way, how is Wanqing?"


    "She¡¯s injured, but nothing serious. Sir, we had revealed our identities, but Miss Nanrong insisted on waiting for Ling Chen to return before she would leave. In the end, I had no choice but to administer an anesthetic and forcibly take her away."


    "Nevermind, as long as she¡¯s safe. Handle the rest, and exin it to herter. Get her to the evacuation point quickly; I¡¯lle to meet you. Remember, if you see Ling Chen..."


    "Don¡¯t worry, sir, he will stay forever in this forest."


    "That¡¯s good. Xu Ping, I¡¯ll generously reward you once this mission is sessfullypleted."


    After hanging up, Zhu Hong put his cellphone down. A charming smile appeared on his handsome face. He gently swayed the red wine in his hand, drank it in one go, and then stood up and walked out of the vi.


    "Prepare the car, I¡¯m going to the Nanrong¡¯s house."


    ...


    In the temporarymand post in the suburbs.


    Xia Mutong took off the headphones from themunication station and turned to say, "Mr. Tang, the helicopter just monitored some lights and loud noises in the woods."


    "It must be Ling Chen and the others." Tang Yuan stood up abruptly, "Immediately notify everyone, have them stop searching other areas and assemble in the woods. Also, have the helicopter outline the area and tell Nanrong Hao and his team, they¡¯re the closest, to hurry over there."


    "Yes."


    Xia Mutong responded with a nod and quickly passed on themand.


    In the woods.


    Ling Chen ran wildly, tracking the footsteps of the opposing party.


    Soon, he heard a buzzing noise not far away.


    Helicopter!


    He lit up, made a quick decision, and fired two shots into the sky with his pistol. Quickly, he heard the helicopter approaching from afar, flying towards him.


    Meanwhile, the progressing team ahead heard the gunshots from behind and became immediately vignt. Xu Ping turned his head and made a couple of hand signals. Instantly, the four men responsible for the rear quickly left the team and sprinted back the way they hade, preparing to intercept the people behind them.


    At this moment, Ling Chen didn¡¯t slow down, keeping up his speed as he darted through the forest. He had drawn the helicopter¡¯s attention with the gunshots, marking his route, trusting the police would arrange for support. However, the police¡¯s support wouldn¡¯t arrive immediately, and Nanrong Wanqing still needed his rescue.


    Pop!


    Just then, he suddenly noticed a piece of bark being peeled off a tree trunk next to him, leaving a small round hole.


    Sniper rifle?


    His heart sank, certain that firing at the helicopter had also drawn the attention of the adversary.


    Facing the danger of being sniped at any moment, Ling Chen didn¡¯t seek cover but instead increased his speed. However, if one observed closely, they would notice his speed control was incredibly precise.


    Sometimes fast, sometimes slow, now veering left, now veering right, never staying on the same path for more than three seconds.


    This variable-frequency movement was a technique he developed specifically against sniper rifles. The so-called variable-frequency involves continuously changing the movement¡¯s frequency, with each action differing from the next. The purpose is to avoid being locked onto by a sniper.


    A sniper¡¯s advantage only applies to targets moving directly or in a straight line. For fast-moving targets, snipers need to anticipate the target¡¯s actions.


    The variable frequency movement Ling Chen employed would disrupt the sniper¡¯s anticipation, making it difficult for the opponent to aim urately.


    Pop! Pop!


    Sessive shots were fired by the sniper, but all bullets missed, not even grazing Ling Chen¡¯s clothes.


    Ten secondster, the sniper¡¯s shooting pace quickened.


    Ling Chen¡¯s mouth slightly raised, this action suggested he was nearing the sniper¡¯s location. Seizing the moment, he suddenly lunged forward, diving into a pile of branches and leaves. Apanied by rustling sounds, Ling Chen¡¯s body vanished in an instant.


    Through the sniper scope equipped with night vision, the sniper searched the surroundings, frowning, "Have any of you found the target?"


    "No. Could he have been killed by your shots?"


    "I didn¡¯t hit him."


    "Are you guys looking for me?"


    Suddenly, a teasing voice sounded beside them.


    The sniper¡¯s face drastically changed, quickly moving his head away from the sniper rifle and nced towards the direction of the voice. Instantly, he saw his three teammates already on the ground, their fate uncertain, as a dark muzzle pointed directly at his forehead.


    In an instant, a bead of cold sweat slowly slid down his forehead.

 Chapter 131: A Resounding Slap (Part One)

    <h4>Chapter 131: Chapter 131: A Resounding p (Part One)</h4><h4></h4>


    "This..."


    Ling Chen impatiently said, "Stop beating around the bush. You think I can¡¯t figure it out if you don¡¯t talk? Spit it out quickly and don¡¯t waste any more time."


    As soon as he finished speaking, a ringtone sounded from Xu Ping¡¯s body.


    "Give it to me."


    Xu Ping shook his head and stepped back. Seeing this, Ling Chen, without saying a word,nded a direct kick on Xu Ping¡¯s abdomen, eliciting a painful cry. Xu Ping¡¯s face turned pale as he knelt on the ground, clutching his belly and clearly in severe pain.


    Taking advantage of the moment, Ling Chen forcefully searched Xu Ping¡¯s body and found the phone. As he looked at the iing call disy, a slight smile curled his lips, and a cold glint shed in Mo Che¡¯s pupils.


    It really was him!


    Knowing the person Xu Ping was ordered by, Ling Chen squatted in front of him and handed the phone over. "You¡¯re a smart man; you should know what to do. You look young, and I don¡¯t think you¡¯d wish to end up dead in this godforsaken ce."


    After he spoke, he pressed the answer button and turned on the speaker.


    "Xu Ping, how much longer until you reach the extraction point?"


    Face to face with Ling Chen¡¯s piercing cold gaze, Xu Ping uncontrobly shivered and honestly replied, "Soon."


    "Make it quick. I and the Nanrong Family people are at the extraction point. Oh, and has Ling Chen been dealt with?" The person asked thest question in a deliberately lowered voice, as if afraid of being overheard.


    Xu Ping looked at Ling Chen and said, "He didn¡¯t show up; he might be dead from the fight with those guys."


    "Good, then I will no longer contact you. We¡¯ll talk when we meet."


    After the call ended, Ling Chen patted Xu Ping on the shoulder with a smile, "Congrattions, you¡¯ve just saved your own life."


    "I..."


    Bang!


    Before Xu Ping could finish, the sound of a gunshot rang out. Clutching his wounded arm, he looked at Ling Chen with fear and anger, "You¡¯re not keeping your promise."


    Ling Chen shrugged, "Now don¡¯t say that; I am actually helping you. How would you exin yourself if you weren¡¯t slightly injured upon returning? If I were you, I would stay out of sight for an hour or two before leaving. Use this time to concoct a believable story." After speaking, he holstered his gun and walked towards the stretcher.


    Looking at the anesthetized Nanrong Wanqing, he lifted her in his arms and carried her on his back, then he hastened toward the extraction point.


    Amid the haze, Nanrong Wanqing weakly opened her eyes and murmured, "Ling Chen... is that you?"


    "You¡¯re finally awake."


    Nanrong Wanqing rubbed her slightly swollen forehead and looked around with a trace of bewilderment in her beautiful eyes.


    "Where is this? I remember... I remember being taken away by Zhu Hong¡¯s people. Howe you are here? Where are they?"


    Hearing her string of questions, Ling Chen patiently exined, "They¡¯re not good people. I rescued you from their clutches."


    "How can that be? They were all sent by Zhu Hong."


    "Is Zhu Hong necessarily a good person?" Ling Chen curled his lips, discontent in his voice, "Hey, we¡¯re about to be saved soon, but there¡¯s something I want to discuss with you."


    "What is it?"


    "In a moment, I might have to do something you will find rather objectionable. I hope you won¡¯t mind."


    "Too much?" Nanrong Wanqing bit her lip corner lightly, her beautiful eyes flickering. Could it be... he was preparing to take advantage of her again? This thought made her pretty face blush, and she struggled to keep the embarrassment from her eyes. After a while, she finally stammered out, "The... the excessive thing you mentioned... does it have anything to do with me?"


    "It has nothing to do with you."


    "That¡¯s good." Nanrong Wanqing breathed a sigh of relief.


    Ling Chen smiled with a twist of his mouth: "Since you¡¯ve said that, I¡¯ll take it as your agreement."


    At this moment, outside the forest.


    Nanrong Yong and his group were anxiously waiting, their gazes fixed on Lin Zi, unwilling to move away.


    "Sir Nanrong, there¡¯s no need to worry, they will be out soon," Zhu Hong said with a smile. Behind him, aside from several suited bodyguards, there were seven or eight team members who had just evacuated from the forest, all following Xu Ping¡¯s orders to arrive at the evacuation point first.


    A few minutester, there was finally a stir in the dense forest.


    "They¡¯reing, they¡¯reing!" Su Lin said excitedly.


    Apanied by Zhu Hong, Nanrong Yong and Su Lin hurried forward, their eyes shining with excitement.


    With the swaying and shaking of the leaves and branches, a bloodstained young man emerged from the forest. He was carrying a woman on his back, who was none other than Nanrong Wanqing.


    Seeing Nanrong Yong and Su Lin popping out, Ling Chen was momentarily taken aback, then he smiled.


    "Sir Nanrong, Miss Su, you¡¯re all here."


    "Ling Chen?" Su Lin¡¯s face lit up with joy, her eyes rimmed with red, "That¡¯s great, you¡¯re both safe."


    "Howe it¡¯s you!"


    Zhu Hong¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, his eyes cold. He had expected Xu Ping to be the one bringing Nanrong Wanqing, not Ling Chen. During the phone call with Xu Ping just before, he was told that Ling Chen was dead.


    "Why can¡¯t it be me? Does Mr. Zhu think there should be someone else?" Ling Chen¡¯s mouth tilted slightly, half squinting his eyes with an amused look as he retorted Zhu Hong.


    "Zhu Hong, didn¡¯t you say that you were the one who found Wanqing?"


    Hearing Su Lin¡¯s question, Zhu Hong¡¯s face rxed, revealing a faint smile and he looked gently at Nanrong Wanqing.


    "As long as Wanqing is safe, it doesn¡¯t matter who found her." With that, he stepped forward towards Nanrong Wanqing and extended his arms, "Wanqing, let me help you."


    p!


    But at that moment, a crisp sound suddenly rang in everyone¡¯s ears.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s raised palm, everyone froze, including Nanrong Wanqing who was stunned as well, all looking at Ling Chen bewilderedly, not knowing why he would p Zhu Hong.


    Ling Chen seemed not to notice the gazes of those around him, simply lowering his hand and looking at Zhu Hong¡¯s swollen cheek, coldly uttering, "Mr. Zhu, better roll away from my sight, don¡¯t block my way."


    Feeling the fiery pain on his left cheek, Zhu Hong¡¯s face immediately turned gloomy, and his suspended arm slowly retracted. Meeting Ling Chen¡¯s gaze, his brows furrowed, his deep eyes brimming with murderous intent.


    "Ling... Ling Chen... what... what are you doing?" The first to snap out of shock, Su Lin asked in surprise.


    "I think Mr. Zhu knows very well what I am referring to. Don¡¯t you?" Ling Chen slightly lifted the corners of his mouth, unwaveringly staring at Zhu Hong. Despite the smile on his face, the chilling coldness in his eyes overpowered the killing intent in Zhu Hong¡¯s eyes.


    "Mr. Zhu, didn¡¯t you hear what I just said? I want you to get out of my face right now. If you can¡¯t understand innguage, I wouldn¡¯t mind giving you another p."


    "Ling Chen, you are out of line."


    At that moment, the several suited bodyguards behind Zhu Hong all rushed over, along with the few members of thebat team, all of them ring angrily at Ling Chen.

 Chapter 132: A Resounding Slap (Part Two)

    <h4>Chapter 132: Chapter 132: A Resounding p (Part Two)</h4><h4></h4>


    "What are you trying to do?"


    Zhong Wei, along with Liang Zhao Hui and Zhou Qing, strode over and positioned themselves to the left and right of Ling Chen. Although they didn¡¯t understand why Ling Chen had pped Zhu Hong, they knew Ling Chen well enough; he wasn¡¯t the type to act recklessly without a reason. There must be a cause for his actions.


    Moreover, as members of the Hongyu Group, it was only natural for them to stand with their own at this time.


    Watching the standoff between the two sides, Nanrong Wanqing finally understood why Ling Chen had spoken those words. This was the ¡¯excessive¡¯ matter he had referred to.


    In the past, she wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to rebuke Ling Chen and demand an apology from him. But now, after all she had been through, her opinion of Ling Chen had long since changed. Especially considering the experiences of the past two days, her heart had unconsciously leaned towards Ling Chen.


    Resting on Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder, she noticed every subtle expression change on his face. She could tell that Ling Chen was very angry at the moment, but he was controlling his rage very well, not showing it on his face.


    She really wanted to know what Zhu Hong had done to provoke Ling Chen into such rare fury.


    In her contemtion, she suddenly noticed Zhu Hong¡¯s gaze turn towards her. Seeing Zhu Hong¡¯splex and expectant eyes, she was well aware that he was waiting for her to take a stand. As the chairwoman of the Hongyu Group and Ling Chen¡¯s superior, her attitude was very important to Zhu Hong.


    One was her childhood friend, the other a man who had risked his life to save her multiple times. However, in her heart, Ling Chen was not just her savior.


    This annoying man had not only stolen her first kiss, but had also ruined her pure reputation. Every time she thought about it, she experienced an indescribable feeling.


    Hate? Upon self-examination, she didn¡¯t hate Ling Chen.


    Like? That was still far from the mark.


    The feeling was tooplex, too elusive to articte.


    "Lin, help me back to the car to rest."


    After a moment of thought, she ultimately chose to recuse herself. She couldn¡¯t express her stance either for Zhu Hong or for Ling Chen. If she spoke out to defend Zhu Hong, the one who would get hurt would be Ling Chen, and that wasn¡¯t the oue she wished to see. Moreover, she had promised Ling Chen on the way back that she would neither concern herself with nor intervene in the matter he was about to handle.


    With that in mind, she decided to let them resolve it themselves.


    Hearing her older cousin speak, Su Lin immediately understood her intention and hurriedly called the medical staff to take Nanrong Wanqing away on a stretcher.


    Nanrong Yong nced at Ling Chen, then at Zhu Hong, equally puzzled.


    However, seeing that his granddaughter hadn¡¯t made a statement, he naturally wouldn¡¯t take it upon himself to interject.


    "Liu Kun,e with me to check on Wanqing."


    Watching the car full of people, Ling Chen smiled faintly; the woman had finally done something that didn¡¯t disappoint him.


    Compared to his smile, Zhu Hong¡¯s face was looking exceptionally ugly.


    He had been full of hope that Nanrong Wanqing would step in to scold Ling Chen on his behalf, but things hadn¡¯t developed as he had imagined. Far from speaking up for him, Nanrong Wanqing had chosen to avoid the situation.


    In his eyes, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s avoidance was an indulgence of Ling Chen, and this was hard for him to take.


    He knew Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s character all too well; she didn¡¯t favor any man. In his view, no other man could match his ce in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s heart.


    Yet her attitude just now had left him profoundly disappointed.


    "Mr. Zhu, take yourpdogs and get lost immediately, don¡¯t be an eyesore here," Ling Chen¡¯s words were filled with a vtile edge.


    Zhu Hong nced at the tightly closed car door, then returned his gaze to Ling Chen.


    "You¡¯ve made a very serious mistake."


    "What¡¯s the mistake? I hit you because you deserved it. Zhu Hong, why speak so inly? You really think I¡¯m a fool?"


    Zhu Hong¡¯s face turned ashen, he turned around with his hands sped behind his back, and said coldly: "Break his hands."


    The moment his words fell, several suited bodyguards immediately moved towards Ling Chen with aggressive momentum.


    Ling Chen sneered, "Besides ordering others around, what else can you do? Why don¡¯t you do it yourself if you¡¯re so capable?"


    "You?" Zhu Hong shook his head in disdain, "You¡¯re not even worth me making a move. Finish him!"


    "Yes!"


    "Who dares!"


    Just as Zhong Wei was about to step forward and stand in front of Ling Chen, a gun was already raised, pointing at the top of his head.


    "Don¡¯t move! This matter doesn¡¯t concern you, you best not interfere. Otherwise, I can¡¯t guarantee that the gun in my hand won¡¯t ¡¯identally¡¯ fire."


    Faced with the ck muzzle of the gun, Zhong Wei¡¯s face suddenly changed, hesitating to move.


    "Captain Zhong, you guys go down first, I will handle my own issues."


    The suit-d bodyguard holding the gun said coldly, "Since you¡¯re being sensible, then don¡¯t make us move. Handle it yourself." As he spoke, he pulled a dagger from his waist and threw it in front of Ling Chen.


    "I really dislike being pointed at with a gun." Ling Chen narrowed his eyes, his tone slightly cold.


    Hearing this, the eyebrows of the suit-d bodyguard lifted as a cold smirk appeared at the corner of his mouth. Far from moving the handgun away, he instead took two steps forward, pressing the muzzle against Ling Chen¡¯s forehead.


    "Quit the chatter, get on with it."


    "What if I don¡¯t? Are you really going to shoot?"


    "You can try."


    Bang!


    Suddenly, a gunshot rang out.


    "Ah!"


    A scream followed, and the bodyguard¡¯s handgun immediately dropped to the ground. Looking closely, one could see his hand back was dripping with fresh blood, a bullet having pierced through it.


    "Who, who fired the shot?"


    The bodyguard looked around in panic and fury, as his severalpanions quickly pulled out their guns, surrounding Zhu Hong in the center, protecting his safety.


    "I did, got a problem with that?"


    A man¡¯s voice rang out as he walked over from not far away.


    "Old Tang?"


    When Ling Chen saw the neer, the corners of his mouth lifted into a faint smile.


    "Who are you?"


    Tang Yuan nced at them, sneered with disdain, "You¡¯ve got some nerve, firing guns around here. Don¡¯t forget, this is Huaxia, not a ce where you can act recklessly."


    With that, he turned his head, looking towards the person behind him, "Officer Xia, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re more aware than me of the crime of illegal possession of firearms in the country. You¡¯re a police officer from East Sea City, this matter is for you to handle."


    Ling Chen looked up to see Xia Mutong leading over a dozen policemen rushing over.


    Seeing the guns in their hands, Xia Mutong¡¯s expression immediately turned stern. Holding onto her holster, she shouted loudly, "Put down your guns and put your hands on your head."


    However, none of the suit-d bodyguards or thebat team members moved; instead, they all focused their attention on Zhu Hong, waiting for him to speak.


    Zhu Hong slowly turned his head, looking at Officer Xia with her cold face, and spoke lightly, "I don¡¯t care who you are, you better mind your own business."


    "Well well! Quite the attitude, even daring to disregard the police," Tang Yuan said with a lifted lip, a mocking smile on his face.

 Chapter 133: Brothers

    <h4>Chapter 133: Chapter 133: Brothers</h4><h4></h4>


    Hearing Zhu Hong¡¯s arrogant words,pletely disregarding her, Xia Mutong¡¯s expression immediately fell, looking extremely ugly.


    ording to her temperament, she wished she could rush over and severely teach this arrogant man a lesson. However, considering her own identity, she could only forcefully suppress her anger.


    "I¡¯ll say it again, hand over all the guns, or else don¡¯t me me for being rude."


    Feeling the determination in Xia Mutong¡¯s eyes, a hint of hesitation shed through Zhu Hong¡¯s indifferent gaze. He was very clear about domesticws, indeed not allowing random carrying of firearms, and in serious cases, it could even lead to the death penalty. Right now, hispany had just been established, and if he caused a disturbance with the local police, it might negatively affect his future development.


    Thinking of this, he signaled to his bodyguards in suits, "Put down the guns."


    Seeing that the boss had spoken, everyone naturally did not dare to disobey, and they threw their guns onto the ground.


    After a while, Xia Mutong directed her subordinates to confiscate all the firearms.


    "Take everyone with me."


    "Old Tang." Just then, Ling Chen, who had been silent, spoke up.


    "What is it?" Tang Yuan walked up to him and asked.


    Ling Chen leaned in close to his ear and whispered a few words, a yful smile in his clear eyes, "What do you think, any problem?"


    Tang Yuan nced at Zhu Hong across from him, grinned and said: "You kid... Alright, since you¡¯ve spoken, how could I possibly refuse?" After finishing, he cleared his throat twice, "Well, Officer Xia, there¡¯s no need to arrest them for now, tell your people to move aside."


    Xia Mutong slightly frowned and said: "What are you trying to do? They have already severely vited thew, I am administering justice impartially."


    "Officer Xia, I know you¡¯re a diligent and good cop, but you don¡¯t need to bother yourself with this."


    "No, I..."


    Seeing her unwilling topromise, Tang Yuan immediately put on a stern face and coldly huffed: "Officer Xia, please be mindful of your position, you are under my jurisdiction now, my words are an order, are you going to defy your superior? Do you believe I couldin to your superiors and you wouldn¡¯t even be able to remain a cop?"


    "Are you threatening me?" Xia Mutong instantly became infuriated.


    Embarrassed, Tang Yuan scratched his head, and with a smile on his face said: "Uh... Officer Xia, do me a favor please. I assure you, nothing will go wrong, and after Ling Chen handles this, you can deal with them however you want."


    Seeing Tang Yuan¡¯s ingratiating look, Xia Mutong was puzzled and nced at Ling Chen, "What is he nning to do?"


    "You heard it just now, that guy was too arrogant, not even putting you in his eye, if we don¡¯t teach him a lesson, he really thinks nobody can handle him. Officer Xia, help us brothers out this time, whatever happenster, just pretend you didn¡¯t see it. Later, I will speak favorably of you to your superiors to push for your promotion."


    "You don¡¯t need to deal with me in this way, I will get promoted through my own efforts, I don¡¯t need your help to take shortcuts."


    "Yes yes, Officer Xia is upright and talented, definitely bound for great achievements," Tang Yuan timely ttered, smiling: "Officer Xia, how about it, please help out."


    Although he had not interacted with Xia Mutong for a long time, through this coboration, he found that Xia Mutong was a diligentw enforcement officer with a strong sense of justice and a strict observer of regtions.


    The request he had just made was exactly against the rules forw enforcement officers, so to get Xia Mutong to help, he did not hesitate to say a few good words.


    Xia Mutong was immediately hesitant, she could guess Ling Chen¡¯s intentions, and she too very much wanted to teach that guy a lesson, but her identity constrained her too much. However, as aw enforcement officer, she must stick strictly to rules and regtions.


    Just when she was struggling to make a decision, suddenly numerous lights lit up in the woods.


    Turning her head to look, she saw hundreds of people walking out of the forest one after another, led by Nanrong Hao, Jiang Hao, and Zhao Zhengxiong.


    They rushed over immediately after receiving Tang Yuan¡¯s notice.


    "Mr. Nanrong." Tang Yuan¡¯s gaze shifted, and he quickly ran to Nanrong Hao¡¯s side, whispering something in his ear.


    I don¡¯t know what he said, but Nanrong Hao¡¯s eyes lit up immediately, looking maliciously at Zhu Hong.


    "Tang, leave this matter to me, don¡¯t worry." After speaking, he pulled Zhao Zhengxiong and Jiang Hao aside and began whispering closely.


    Seeing the smirk on their faces, Xia Mutong immediately had a bad feeling.


    What are they nning to do?


    Just as the thought urred, he saw Nanrong Hao and his men, numbering in the hundreds, rushing over andpletely surrounding Ling Chen and Zhu Hong.


    "Hey, all of you stop."


    Xia Mutong¡¯s expression changed slightly, and he quickly followed them. However, the people brought by Nanrong Hao had tightly sealed off the area, making it impossible to squeeze through.


    "Chen."


    Nanrong Hao and the other two quickly walked up to Ling Chen.


    "Well done." Ling Chen grinned, "Just watch from the side, you don¡¯t need to meddle in my business."


    With that, he turned his head, his gaze fixated on Zhu Hong, squinting slightly, "Weren¡¯t you just trying to cripple me? Now, I really want to see what you¡¯re capable of."


    Seeing Ling Chen walk towards Zhu Hong, several suit-d bodyguards andbat team members immediately stepped in front of Zhu Hong, ring intensely at Ling Chen.


    "Attack!"


    Following a loud shout from one of the suit-d bodyguards, more than ten people started marching towards Ling Chen.


    "Fuck off."


    Suddenly, a flying kick came, directly sending the leading suit-d bodyguard flying. The bodyguard lost his bnce, fell to the ground, and rolled towards the crowd.


    Before he could get up, a fist swung, hitting hard on his face.


    The crowd around him took turns, punching and kicking, and in just a few moments, the bodyguard¡¯s face was swollen like a pig¡¯s, and he was thrown out.


    Seeing their colleague struggling to breathe, the faces of the others changed.


    Ling Chen¡¯s lips curled up slightly, and then he turned his gaze to Tang Yuan, reproaching, "Didn¡¯t I say not to meddle in my affairs?"


    Tang Yuan smiled, "You and I are brothers in life and death. When someone troubles you, they¡¯re troubling me too. Besides, how could I miss out on a fight?"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen felt warmth in his heart. Although he didn¡¯t have any rtives in this world, he at least had brothers.


    "Chen, he¡¯s your brother, and so am I. He¡¯s already helped, you can¡¯t refuse me."


    As soon as he finished speaking, Nanrong Hao had already walked up to Ling Chen¡¯s side, clenching his fists and eyeing the opposing group.


    "Me too."


    Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong followed closely behind.

 Chapter 134 The Slap Resounds Again

    <h4>Chapter 134: Chapter 134 The p Resounds Again</h4><h4></h4>


    "I¡¯m in too!"


    "I¡¯m in too!"


    "..."


    For a moment, those three words filled the entire scene.


    Jiang Hao grinned and said, "Chen, even though these people aren¡¯t your brothers, they are my brothers. It¡¯s only right for brothers to help each other. Come on, brothers, let¡¯s take down these bastards!"


    "Let¡¯s do it!"


    Instantly, hundreds of people charged towards Zhu Hong¡¯s men.


    Zhu Hong only had a dozen men, and even though they were skilled, they were no match for the hundreds. In no time, all of them were knocked to the ground, unable to get up.


    Seeing this, Zhu Hong¡¯s face turned ashen, and with a murderous look in his eyes, he shouted, "Sto..."


    Bang!


    Before he could finish saying ¡¯stop¡¯, an unexpected fist came flying and smashed into his face, knocking him to the ground.


    "Stop your mother. Brothers, beat him up!"


    "Stop hitting him, enough already."


    Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, Ling Chen grew anxious and hurriedly yelled.


    Damn it, I wanted to get a taste of the action myself, but these guys finished it all, and I didn¡¯t even throw a punch.


    Hearing Ling Chen speak, the hundreds of people, still wanting more, reluctantly backed off.


    In the center of the arena, Zhu Hong and his men were all lying on the ground, hands over their heads, not daring to get up, fearing they would be hit again.


    Ling Chen nced at Zhu Hong not far away and almost couldn¡¯t helpughing. Zhu Hong¡¯s handsome face was swollen, looking almost like a pig¡¯s head, with patches of ck and blue around his eyes. His expensive suit was torn, and his hair a mess, resembling a beggar. He looked utterly wretched, with no trace of the noble young master¡¯s demeanor.


    He walked up to Zhu Hong, squatted down with a smile on his face, and said, "Mr. Zhu, I deeply sympathize with what you¡¯ve gone through, but as you can see, I was not the one whoid hands on you, so please don¡¯t hold it against me."


    Zhu Hong looked up, his eyes coldly fixed on him, and through clenched teeth said, "Ling Chen, the humiliation I suffered today will be returned a hundredfold someday. Remember my words, I will make your life a living hell."


    "Is that so? Well then..."


    p!


    Another loud p.


    Zhu Hong covered his cheek and yelled, "Ling Chen, you..."


    Ling Chen, looking at his palm, said with a smile, "Since you already hate me so much, I can¡¯t lose out. Hitting you one more time won¡¯t change anything. Wouldn¡¯t you agree, Mr. Zhu?"


    After speaking, he leaned in closer, lowering his voice, "Mr. Zhu, listen well, I don¡¯t care who you are, but if you dare trouble me, I guarantee, you¡¯ll live the rest of your life in fear. Remember my words."


    "Ling Chen, what are you doing?"


    At that moment, Xia Mutong finally led her subordinates into the crowd.


    Ling Chen stood up, spread his hands, and said, "Officer Xia, I haven¡¯t done anything, these people can vouch for me, ask them if you don¡¯t believe me."


    Xia Mutong nced at Zhu Hong, who now looked like a pig head, and couldn¡¯t help but feel amused, which alleviated much of the annoyance she had felt earlier. However, as aw enforcement officer, she needed to be fair and stern.


    "Are you saying these people weren¡¯t beaten by you?"


    Ling Chen protested: "Officer Xia, I truly did not initiate anything. If I am lying, let lightning strike me dead."


    Hearing his severe oath, Xia Mutong snorted lightly, then turned to the bodyguards with swollen faces and asked, "You tell me, who was the one who hit you?"


    The crowd nced at Ling Chen and then at each other, shaking their heads one after another. The scene earlier had been too chaotic; they had no idea who actually hit them.


    "Fine, since you¡¯re not willing to pinpoint anyone, you might as well admit defeat. Take all these people back with me."


    Watching Zhu Hong and his group being led away by the police, Ling Chen gestured with his hands to the people around and said, "Brothers, thanks. I¡¯ll set up a feast one of these days to treat you all well."


    "Chen, if there¡¯s nothing else, we¡¯ll be heading off first," Jiang Hao said.


    Ling Chen patted his shoulder and chuckled, "Alright, you guys have worked hard too. Head back first, we¡¯ll be in touch another day."


    After seeing off everyone, Ling Chen and Nanrong Hao got into the Range Rover and followed the convoy all the way to the hospital.


    After having his wounds tended to, the doctor wanted Ling Chen to stay in the hospital for a few days, but he felt it was unnecessary as he knew his own condition best.


    Exiting the medical office, Ling Chen went straight to the inpatient department. Seeing Nanrong Hao in the corridor, he greeted him, "Where¡¯s Sister?"


    "Inside."


    "I¡¯ll go in to take a look."


    Saying so, he pushed open the door of the hospital room and walked in withrge strides.


    At that moment, Su Lin, Nanrong Yong, and Liu Kun were all in the room, sitting around Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s bedside, chatting with her.


    Seeing Ling Chen enter, Nanrong Yong stood up immediately to greet him, grabbing his hands gratefully, "Ling Chen, thank you so much for this time. If it weren¡¯t for you, Wanqing might have..."


    Ling Chen grinned, "Old master, please don¡¯t say such things. I am employed by the Nanrong family as security, safeguarding the chairman¡¯s safety is my duty." After speaking, he walked to the bedside, looking at Nanrong Wanqing lying in bed, "Chairman, how are you feeling? Are the wounds alright?"


    Hearing him mention her wounds in front of everyone caused Nanrong Wanqing to feel slightly embarrassed. Fortunately, she was adept at hiding her emotions, and her face did not reveal anything.


    "Thank you for your concern, I¡¯m fine. How about you?"


    "It¡¯s just a minor injury, it¡¯s nothing."


    "That¡¯s good to hear. Grandfather, Lin, could you please step out for a moment? I¡¯d like to talk to Ling Chen alone."


    "Sure, you guys take your time." Nanrong Yong nodded and walked out.


    Although Su Lin really wanted to stay, since Nanrong Wanqing made the request, she did not want to disobey. However, before leaving, she gave Ling Chen a curious look, secretly wondering what Nanrong Wanqing wanted to talk about with him alone.


    Once Nanrong Yong and the other two had left, Ling Chen unceremoniously pulled up a chair and sat down beside Nanrong Wanqing.


    "You want to ask me about Zhu Hong?" he asked with a smile.


    "Let¡¯s talk about his matterter, I have other questions."


    "Sure, go ahead."


    "Though I don¡¯t know much about your past, I believe you must have aplicated history. Earlier, I was discussing with Grandfather that those who attempted to kidnap me likely aren¡¯t enemies of the Nanrong family. Snake King hasn¡¯t been caught yet; our enemies wouldn¡¯t send someone else so soon. I wonder if, like you spected, those people were after the researchb¡¯s results."


    "The suspicion on them is indeed strong, but so far it¡¯s all conjecture with no solid evidence. So, we can only suspect, not confirm."


    "Based on your experience, who do you think they might be?"


    "I¡¯m not sure, I¡¯ve already withdrawn from that world, so Ick ess to many details." He paused then continued, "Chairman, I know what you¡¯re worried about, rest assured, someone else is handling this matter. They will deal with it. In the meantime, I¡¯ll ensure your safety."


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded gently, "I trust you will."

 Chapter 135: Intent to Cooperate

    <h4>Chapter 135: Chapter 135: Intent to Cooperate</h4><h4></h4>


    "Okay, now you can answer the question from before."


    Ling Chen looked puzzled, "What question?"


    "Why did you beat up Zhu Hong?"


    "Because he deserved it. If it wasn¡¯t for your sake, I wouldn¡¯t have let him off easily."


    Nanrong Wanqing said in confusion, "You should at least give me a reason."


    "Don¡¯t ask about that, beating him was the right thing to do, I certainly didn¡¯t wrong him. Chairman, even though I¡¯m just your subordinate and have no right to meddle in your personal affairs, you¡¯d better listen to my advice. Zhu Hong is not a good person, be more careful in the future and don¡¯t get too close to him."


    Nanrong Wanqing replied indifferently, "He is my friend, we grew up together, and I know very well what kind of person he is."


    "People change, and besides, you haven¡¯t seen each other for four or five years, how can you be sure he hasn¡¯t changed during that time. Chairman, never trust your past, the past and the present are two different worlds."


    Upon hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing fell into deep thought, wondering about something.


    "You can go now, I want to rest for a bit."


    "Alright, then I won¡¯t disturb you." Ling Chen stood up, taking steps towards the door.


    However, as he reached the door, Nanrong Wanqing suddenly called out to him.


    "Chairman, is there anything else?"


    "From now on, unless we¡¯re at thepany or during working hours, you don¡¯t need to call me chairman. You saved me, and I consider you a friend, and I hope you can consider me a friend, too."


    Ling Chen smiled, "If I don¡¯t call you chairman, what should I call you?"


    Nanrong Wanqing turned her head away, "Whatever you like."


    "Alright then. Good night, Wanqing."


    Listening to the sound of the door closing, Nanrong Wanqing turned off the light andy quietly in bed, closing her eyes while the scene in the car that day unconsciously surfaced in her mind.


    Tossing and turning in bed, she couldn¡¯t fall asleep peacefully; the vision of them clinging to each other naked kept swirling in her head.


    Remembering the warmth of Ling Chen¡¯s body, she felt her cheeks instantly be unbearably hot.


    This jerk... doesn¡¯t let me have a good night¡¯s sleep...


    How annoying!


    Achoo!


    Ling Chen sneezed in the hallway, he couldn¡¯t help but touch his nose, wondering who was thinking of him.


    After leaving the hospital, he saw that Tang Yuan was waiting for him in the Land Rover.


    Getting into the car, Ling Chen took out a syringe from his chest, carefully handed it over to Tang Yuan, and instructed, "Take care of this, send it to Beijing immediately, let the General and his team carefully study it to see what it is."


    Tang Yuan examined it curiously, "What¡¯s in here?"


    "A kind of enhancement drug."


    Immediately, Ling Chen recounted his experiences in the forest.


    After listening, Tang Yuan¡¯s expression became very grave, "So, there¡¯s actually such a thing. Okay, I got it, I¡¯ll have someone sent to the base promptly." As Tang Yuan spoke, something seemed to cross his mind, and he changed the topic, "By the way, why did you suddenly lose your temper today?"


    "You¡¯re talking about Zhu Hong?" Ling Chen snorted lightly, "That guy wants my life, would you tolerate that? With my personality, I won¡¯t let go of anyone who dares toy a hand on me. However, there might be bigger forces behind Zhu Hong, so I can¡¯t kill him just yet since it would break the only clue we have. Old Tang, get someone to keep a close watch on him. I humiliated him publicly this time to anger him, to see what other moves he has."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I know what to do. You¡¯ve been through a lot thesest few days, rest well, and recover from the injuries first."


    ...


    In a blink of an eye, a week had passed.


    After these days of recovery, Ling Chen¡¯s injuries had healed significantly, there were no major concerns, and Nanrong Wanqing had also started to go to work normally.


    On this day, upon arriving at thepany, Ling Chen took Nanrong Wanqing to her office but was about to go downstairs when Nanrong Wanqing called him back.


    "Chairman, is there anything else?"


    "Stay with meter for a meeting with someone."


    As they were speaking, a series of knocks on the door could already be heard from outside.


    Ling Chen, seeing the woman pushing the door open, instantly greeted her with a face full of smiles: "Miss Qin, hello."


    "Mr. Ling, we meet again." After speaking, the other party also greeted Nanrong Wanqing: "Chairman."


    "Qin Lan, where are the things I asked you to bring?"


    The woman in front of them was Qin Lan, who was in charge of the research department.


    Qin Lan ced a thick folder of documents on the office desk, "Chairman, everything you requested is inside here."


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded and said, "Thanks for the hard work, please pass this to Ling Chen."


    "For me?" Ling Chen was taken aback for a moment and casually took the documents handed over by Qin Lan, asking, "What¡¯s inside?"


    "Qin Lan, you can go out and take a break first, I¡¯ll call youter."


    "Yes, Chairman."


    After seeing Qin Lan out, Nanrong Wanqing then spoke up, "Ling Chen, you said you were a soldier before, so you should know how to contact people in the military."


    "Chairman, you..." Ling Chen vaguely guessed Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s intention.


    "After careful consideration, I have decided to coborate with the military and share this technology with them," Nanrong Wanqing said earnestly, "After going through so many things, I¡¯vee to deeply realize what I hold. In others¡¯ eyes, this might be a cutting-edge technology, but in my view, it¡¯s the main culprit threatening the safety of me and my family. I do not want Nanrong Hao and my grandfather to encounter any danger because of this technology. Ling Chen, I hope you can help me contact someone from the military. I want to have a proper talk with them."


    Upon hearing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s decision, Ling Chen immediately smiled.


    It was more than good news that Nanrong Wanqing was willing to coborate with the military; it would not only enhance the nation¡¯s military power but also reduce the troubles of the Nanrong family ¨C a win-win situation.


    In fact, he had been entertaining this idea all along, but Nanrong Wanqing was the owner of this technology, so it was her prerogative. He had no right to influence her decision, and thus he had not brought the matter up for discussion.


    "Chairman, leave this to me; someone will soon contact you regarding the coboration," he assured.


    "Mhm, thank you for the trouble."


    After she finished speaking, the ringtone of Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s phone suddenly sounded.


    She took out her phone, looked at the caller ID, and aplex expression briefly crossed her beautiful face.


    "Ling Chen, you can go ahead, I need to take a call."


    "Alright."


    Ling Chen nodded, his mind preupied with the thought of promptly contacting Old General to share the good news, so he did not notice Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s expression.


    After watching Ling Chen leave, Nanrong Wanqing hesitated for a moment, then pressed the answer button.


    "Hello, Wanqing, it¡¯s me."


    "What¡¯s the matter?"


    "How are you? I¡¯m sorry, I haven¡¯t been able to get out these days, so I didn¡¯t visit you at the hospital. Hope you don¡¯t mind."


    "It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ve been discharged."


    "I¡¯d like to take you out for dinner tonight, there are some things I want to exin to you."


    "This..."


    "Wanqing, after so many years of our rtionship, you wouldn¡¯t refuse me, right?"


    "Fine then, I will be there on time."


    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 136: The Company was Smashed

    <h4>Chapter 136: Chapter 136: The Company was Smashed</h4><h4></h4>


    Night had fallen, and after finishing a phone call in his bedroom and scheduling a time with the General, Ling Chen stood up and walked out, nning to greet Nanrong Wanqing.


    However, when he reached the living room, he saw Nanrong Wanqing descending slowly downstairs in her wheelchair via the staircase¡¯s track.


    "Wanqing, are you going out?" Ling Chen asked.


    "How did you know?"


    Ling Chen smiled slightly. Nanrong Wanqing was dressed differently from when she got off work; she was in a simple and elegant white dress that highlighted her fair, delicate skin, which was as smooth as snow. She also carried a small, exquisite handbag.


    With such an outfit, if she wasn¡¯t going out, what else could she be doing?


    "I¡¯ll drive you."


    "There¡¯s no need," Nanrong Wanqing declined, "You have a good rest tonight. Zhong Wei and the others will apany me."


    Ling Chen looked at her, surprised by her decision. As Nanrong Family¡¯s security, it was his duty to apany her when she went out, but Nanrong Wanqing had refused hispany, which was quite unusual.


    A thought crossed his mind, and he nodded to himself, smiling, "Alright, since that¡¯s the case, take care and call me if you need anything."


    With his intelligence, he could guess Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s thoughts. She didn¡¯t want him to apany her, and there was only one reason for that¡ªZhu Hong.


    "By the way, Wanqing, I¡¯ve already made the arrangements. Tomorrow, representatives from the military wille to discuss the coboration with you."


    "Please help me receive them."


    "No problem."


    After escorting Nanrong Wanqing to her doorstep, Zhong Wei had already prepared the car.


    "Captain Zhong, Old Tang, take good care of the director."


    "Don¡¯t worry, with me here, what could possibly go wrong?" Tang Yuan said,ughing and patting his shoulder, "Let¡¯s go; see youter."


    As the convoy left Wealthy Manor, Ling Chen turned to head back inside. But just then, he saw Nanrong Hao rushing out of the house.


    "Hey, where are you off to?" Ling Chen blocked his path. "You have ss tomorrow. Just stay home and don¡¯t mess around."


    Looking dejected, Nanrong Hao said, "Brother Chen, I wouldn¡¯t dare mess around. It¡¯s Hao, he just called me, something¡¯s happened at thepany, and he told me to hurry over."


    "Is that so? Let¡¯s go, I¡¯lle with you."


    Since he had nothing else to do at home, he might as well go with Nanrong Hao.


    On the way, Ling Chen, sitting in the passenger seat, asked, "Is my car repaired yet?"


    "That¡¯s not so easy, Brother Chen. Your car is an antique; you can¡¯t buy matching parts in the country, we can only contact overseas manufacturers to make them specially. Brother Chen, I suggest you just get a new car; the maintenance costs for that kind are too high¡ªjust a simple repair costs hundreds of thousands."


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes widened. "That expensive?"


    "What did you expect? Just the repair costs could buy you a Land Rover."


    "Haozi, this money..."


    "Brother Chen, don¡¯t worry about the repair costs. I¡¯ve already talked to Sister, and let thepany reimburse it. After all, you damaged your car while saving her." Here, he chuckled, "Brother Chen, you wouldn¡¯t know, my sister is rarely this generous. If it were me, she wouldn¡¯t give a penny."


    Ling Chen said proudly, "That¡¯s because, in your sister¡¯s eyes, I¡¯m more esteemed than you."


    "Really?" Nanrong Hao said gossipingly, "Brother Chen, I also feel that Sister¡¯s attitude towards you has changed noticeablytely. Tell me, what exactly happened between you two?"


    "It¡¯s because I saved her," Ling Chen nonchntly brushed it off. He certainly couldn¡¯t tell Nanrong Hao that he saw parts of her he shouldn¡¯t have, and even kissed where he shouldn¡¯t have. If that got out, given Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s modesty, who knows how she would react.


    Nanrong Hao disbelievingly said, "It can¡¯t be just that. You¡¯ve saved my sister several times, and I didn¡¯t see her treat you like this. It must be something else this time. Brother Chen, there¡¯s no one else around, why not tell me. During those days you two were alone in the woods, did something adult-rated happen?" Upon saying this, he grinned mischievously.


    Ling Chen scoffed, "Get lost, if something adult-rated had really happened, I certainly couldn¡¯t tell you."


    Nanrong Hao¡¯s expression was one of sudden understanding, smiling knowingly, "I get it."


    Amidst the jokes, the two had already driven to their destination.


    Getting out of the car, Ling Chen looked around and realized this area was not within the Old City.


    "Haozi, where is this?"


    "This is Songhua District, separated from the Old City by a long street, and is also our next area of expansion. Brother Chen,e with me; Hao and the others are already here."


    During the conversation, the two approached a deliverypany across from the parking lot.


    At the moment, the area outside the deliverypany was crowded. Seeing Ling Chen and Nanrong Hao approaching, everyone stepped aside, eximing, "Brother Chen, Haozi."


    "Where¡¯s Hao?"


    "Hao and Xiong are both inside."


    Upon entering the deliverypany, Ling Chen frowned. Inside, everything was in disarray;puters and desks were smashed, and most of the parcels were burned. There were still remains of water used to extinguish the fire on the ground.


    In the office, Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong stood side by side, speaking with the employees of the deliverypany.


    "Jiang Hao."


    Ling Chen followed Nanrong Hao into the office, greeting as they entered.


    "Brother Chen."


    "Brother Chen."


    "What happened here?" As soon as he spoke, Ling Chen noticed the employees in the office were bruised and battered, as if they had been severely beaten.


    Zhao Zhengxiong spoke indignantly, "Those bastards from Songhua District came to cause trouble. They smashed ourpany, not to mention injured our people. Brother Chen, I can¡¯t swallow this; we must give those guys a taste of their own medicine."


    "Don¡¯t always think about revenge; let¡¯s understand the incident first."


    "Brother Chen, there¡¯s nothing much to discuss. I told you before, we¡¯re expanding our business. The Old City is already under our control, and Songhua District is our next target. This month, we acquired two deliverypanies in Songhua District. No sooner had we opened than the local forces came by, demanding protection money of twenty thousand a month. Isn¡¯t this looking for trouble? Thepany¡¯s monthly revenue is just a few ten thousand yuan. If we give it to them, what are we supposed to do, live off the wind?" Jiang Haoined unhappily.


    Nanrong Hao helplessly said, "They know our background and are afraid we¡¯ll take their territory, so they make things difficult for us. Actually, we had already informed them that we only do legitimate business and won¡¯t touch underworld matters, but they just won¡¯t believe it."


    "Brother Chen, no matter what you say, since they dare to mess with us, we must retaliate; otherwise, they really think I, Jiang Hao, am easy to bully."

 Chapter 137 Past and Present

    <h4>Chapter 137: Chapter 137 Past and Present</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen understood Jiang Hao¡¯s meaning. Being the boss, he had many brothers following him. Hispany was now trashed, his brothers were beaten, and if he did nothing, the brothers would inevitably haveints. Therefore, he had to take action, to not show weakness.


    "Jiang Hao, how much do you know about those people?"


    "They call themselves the Green Tiger Gang, with a few hundred members. Their boss is a businessman who specializes in contracting construction projects, and then delegates the jobs to his underlings. The construction business is very lucrative; they can make tens of millions every year, and also provide for their brothers below. Moreover, that guy is ruthless, often substituting cheap construction materials to cut corners. It was in the news the year beforest: a residential building that was five years old copsed, causing the death of more than a dozen people. It was the Green Tiger Gang who were responsible for the construction. However, the boss of the Green Tiger Gang has extensive connections, and he managed to suppress that incident."


    "What¡¯s their boss¡¯s name?"


    "Qi Jianhui," Zhao Zhengxiong said, "I¡¯ve had dealings with him once or twice before. I wanted to work with him, but he¡¯s too greedy, wanting to hog most of the profits, so I didn¡¯t continue the partnership."


    "Qi Jianhui?" Ling Chen looked thoughtful, "Isn¡¯t he that fat-brained, nouveau riche-looking guy?"


    Zhao Zhengxiong nodded, "That¡¯s him. Chen, do you know him?"


    "Know him? Of course, I do." Ling Chen revealed a smirk, amused. It really was a small world; he hadn¡¯t expected Qi Jianhui to be the boss of the Green Tiger Gang.


    Last time at the mall, that Qi Jianhui went looking for trouble with Leng Feifei, and ended up being dealt with by him.


    "Jiang Hao, you can handle this matter however you like, I won¡¯t stop you."


    "Really?" Jiang Hao¡¯s eyes lit up, "Alright, I¡¯ll gather the brothers immediately and give the Green Tiger Gang a proper beating tonight."


    ...


    At this time, in a high-ss restaurant located in the city center.


    Zhong Wei pushed a wheelchair, taking the elevator up to the top floor. Behind him followed Tang Yuan and Liang Zhao Hui.


    Ding!


    Apanied by a crisp sound, the elevator doors slowly opened.


    The four of them stepped out, and the two suited men guarding the door immediately came over to block Zhong Wei and the others.


    "Miss Nanrong, Mr. Zhu has already arrived. We will escort you over. Your people will be arranged to rest in a private room."


    "No." Tang Yuan spoke, "We must stay close to Miss Nanrong."


    "Please rest assured, gentlemen, Mr. Zhu has reserved the entire floor. Apart from us, there will be no outsiders present, so there is no need to worry about safety."


    "Zhong Wei, you go and rest first."


    "Yes, Chairman."


    Escorted by the two suited men, Nanrong Wanqing entered the lobby.


    The restaurant, named Dome Restaurant, was one of the most upscale ces in East Sea City, where people worth less than ten million wouldn¡¯t dare to dine in.


    The ability to reserve the entire restaurant demonstrated Zhu Hong¡¯s immense wealth.


    Inside the hall, all the tables and chairs had been removed, leaving only a long table set with two neat sets of silverware, with candlesticks in the middle and decorative roses around, adding a touch of romance to the atmosphere.


    "Wanqing."


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing approaching, Zhu Hong quickly stood up and hurriedly walked over.


    Today, Zhu Hong was dressed in a white suit, looking valiant and handsome,plementing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s white dress, resembling an enviable perfect couple.


    After a week of rest, the swelling on his face had subsided, and he had regained his handsome appearance.


    Zhu Hong took the wheelchair and pushed Nanrong Wanqing to the table, then picked up a bottle of Lafite Vineyard red wine and poured it for her attentively.


    "What would you like to eat?" he asked softly.


    "Anything is fine, you decide."


    "I remember you used to like garlic shrimp, so I made a special arrangement for you." Saying this, he gave a meaningful look to a waiter nearby.


    Soon, dish after dish of delicious and exquisite food was brought to the table.


    Zhu Hong sat down again, lifted his wine ss, and a charming smile formed at the corner of his mouth.


    "Wanqing, this ss is to celebrate your recovery, and I hope simr things won¡¯t happen again in the future."


    "Thank you." Nanrong Wanqing took a sip discreetly, then ced the ss back on the table.


    Looking at the garlic shrimp in front of her, Nanrong Wanqing slowly raised her head and looked directly across the table at Zhu Hong, her lips parting slightly: "You wanted to talk to me about something tonight, didn¡¯t you?"


    Zhu Hong smiled: "Don¡¯t you want to try the garlic shrimp first?"


    "I¡¯m not really in the mood to eat right now."


    Zhu Hong put down his knife and fork and said, "Wanqing, thest incident was a misunderstanding; I hope you¡¯ll let me exin."


    Nanrong Wanqing looked puzzled, "I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about?"


    "Ling Chen didn¡¯t tell you?" Zhu Hong was a bit surprised. He had thought Ling Chen told Nanrong Wanqing about the matter of him sending men to intercept him and had been racking his brains for a good excuse to invite Nanrong Wanqing out to exin.


    "He didn¡¯t tell me anything."


    "Is that so?" This was a bit unexpected for Zhu Hong, and judging by Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s expression, she didn¡¯t seem to be lying. Could it be that he was overthinking?


    Thinking this, he lifted the corners of his mouth and said, "It¡¯s just as well, since it was a misunderstanding; let¡¯s not bring it up again."


    "Is there something else besides this?"


    "You¡¯ve been discharged for several days, and I haven¡¯t visited you, which makes me feel guilty, so I wanted to invite you out to see you and talk. This ce is quiet, and we can have a good chat."


    Nanrong Wanqing spoke indifferently: "Thank you for your hospitality, but I have things to attend to at home and can¡¯t stay long, sorry." With that, she pressed a hidden button on the wheelchair.


    This was a device Ling Chen had installed for her, enabling her to contact Zhong Wei and the others at any time.


    Shortly after, Zhong Wei and two others appeared in her line of sight.


    "Wanqing..."


    Zhu Hong quickly stood up, trying to keep her there: "Can¡¯t you stay a bit longer? I still have a lot to tell you."


    Looking at his expectant eyes, Nanrong Wanqing hesitated for a moment, then softly uttered two words: "Sorry." She paused, her gaze moving to the te of garlic shrimp on the table, her expressionplex, "It seems Ling Chen was right."


    Zhu Hong was slightly taken aback, not understanding, "What do you mean?"


    "He told me that the past doesn¡¯t define the present; the past is the past, and now is now. They are twopletely different worlds. You are still living in our past, while I value my present. The years you¡¯ve been gone, I¡¯ve long since grown tired of garlic shrimp. People change; you changed, and I¡¯ve changed. The past can never ovep with the present. Zhong Wei, let¡¯s go back."


    "Yes, President,"


    Zhu Hong watched as Nanrong Wanqing disappeared into the elevator; the smile on his face immediately froze. He clenched his fist tightly and swung it in a sudden movement, the fine dishes on the table instantly scattered across the floor.


    "Let¡¯s go."

 Chapter 138: The Unknown Side

    <h4>Chapter 138: Chapter 138: The Unknown Side</h4><h4></h4>


    "Mr. Zhu, where are we going?" Once in the car, the driver asked.


    Zhu Hong looked out of the window, his face ashen with rage. Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s words had struck him like a hammer, grievously hurting his heart, especially whenever he heard her incessantly mention Ling Chen, which fueled his anger even more.


    "To the hospital."


    "Understood."


    Shortly after, the Mercedes sedan slowly drove to the outskirts and stopped in front of a mental hospital.


    Next to the locked iron gate, a uniformed security guard emerged from the security room. Upon seeing the credentials shown by the driver, he quickly opened the iron gate and let the Mercedes in.


    It wasn¡¯t until they reached the underground parking garage that Zhu Hong stepped out of the car.


    By now, two doctors in white coats were waiting at the elevator, and they quickly greeted Zhu Hong with smiles as he approached, saying, "Mr. Zhu."


    Zhu Hong, with a somber expression, nodded and walked straight into the elevator.


    "Mr. Zhu, are you here for an inspection today, or..."


    "Arrange a patient for me."


    Hearing this, the two in white coats exchanged a nce, their eyes revealing a hint of fear.


    Seeing theirck of response, Zhu Hong¡¯s voice turned cold, "Didn¡¯t you understand what I said?"


    "It¡¯s not that... We will arrange it immediately."


    The elevator reached the fifth floor, and Zhu Hong walked down the hallway to a locked ward at the far end.


    "Mr. Zhu, the person has been arranged."


    "Good, you two go down first, I¡¯lle to find you after I¡¯m done."


    "Understood."


    After the two in white coats went back to the elevator, Zhu Hong walked towards the room at the end of the hall. At the door, he grabbed the handle, gently turned it, and pushed the sturdy iron door open.


    Instantly, in the dimly lit ward, there was an iron chair, on which sat a man in his thirties dressed in striped patient attire, his entire body bound in bandages, and his mouth stuffed, rendering him unable to speak.


    Seeing Zhu Hong enter, the man immediately started making muffled noises, his demeanor strange.


    Watching the man before him, Zhu Hong took off his suit jacket and shirt, hanging them aside. Then, he walked to a workbench in the corner, selected a scalpel from a row of tools, and returned to the man¡¯s side.


    "Muffled screams..."


    The man screamed loudly, fear evident in his eyes.


    "Don¡¯t shout, I¡¯ll make youfortable."


    Zhu Hong gave a cold smile, the scalpel fiercely jabbing towards the man¡¯s eyes. Immediately, blood spurted out, sttering all over him.


    Under intense pain, the man desperately struggled, his body continuously moving, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t break free from his restraints.


    "Does it feel good?" Zhu Hong grinned, his smile grotesquely terrifying under the dim light.


    Pulling out the scalpel, he raised his hand and stabbed down again.


    Over and again, soon, the man was soaked in blood, his strength to struggle faded, slumping there, letting the scalpel pierce into his body.


    "Does it feel good?"


    Zhu Hong grabbed the man¡¯s hair and lifted his head, shouting fiercely, "I¡¯m asking you, how does it feel?"


    The man¡¯s left eye was lifeless as he stared back. Even if he wanted to speak, he couldn¡¯t; his mouth was gagged.


    "Not talking, huh?" Zhu Hong sneered and raised a scalpel, stabbing forcefully into his left eye.


    Bright blood instantly flowed everywhere.


    ...


    Half an hourter, Zhu Hong finally walked out of the hospital room.


    At this moment, he had regained the calm demeanor he had when he first met Nanrong Wanqing, his suit impable, his appearance handsome and charming, with a gentle smile on his face.


    Not long after he left, several men entered the hospital room. They looked at the body covered in numerous knife wounds, a patient tortured to death, emotionlessly and silently packed the body, and then cleaned the blood off the floor.


    They had seen such scenes too many times, even more brutal ones, and had long since grown ustomed to it.


    "How is the progress going?"


    In the spacious and bright office, Zhu Hong sat on the sofa with a ss of whiskey in hand, looking at two men in whiteb coats standing before him, he asked.


    "Mr. Zhu, we have conducted twenty-three experiments already, but the results are mediocre. The test subjects¡¯ indices are too low, not even reaching sixty points, and the drug effects can¡¯t fully manifest. Some of them couldn¡¯t even withstand the drug effects and died explosively."


    Zhu Hong squinted his eyes and said, "Then find better test subjects."


    "Rest assured, Mr. Zhu, I¡¯ve already arranged for it. Soon, a batch of test subjects collected from across the country will be delivered, and their quality shouldn¡¯t be an issue."


    "That¡¯s good." Zhu Hong nodded, "As the head of the Asia region, I mustplete the tasks assigned by higher-ups. If I can¡¯t secure my position, you won¡¯t have an easy time either. Do you hear me?"


    "Yes, we will speed up and definitely won¡¯t let you lose face."


    During this conversation, the office door was pushed open, and a blond, blue-eyed Caucasian walked in.


    "Mr. Zhu, so you are here too."


    Seeing the neer, Zhu Hong¡¯s smile remained as he nodded and greeted, "Stephen, what brings you here?"


    "I heard that the new drug assigned from above has arrived, I came to see the results of your experiments."


    "You all heard him, Stephen is an authority in this field, if you have questions, take the time to consult him."


    Hearing Zhu Hong¡¯s lukewarm words, Stephen looked at the two men in whiteb coats and said, "You two, step outside for a moment, I need to speak privately with Mr. Zhu."


    With a wave of Zhu Hong¡¯s hand, his subordinates immediately exited the office.


    "Stephen, speak openly."


    "Ling Chen, you certainly know him. I want you to kill him, by any means necessary."


    Zhu Hong slightly lifted his eyes, looking interestedly at Stephen, "Stephen, why do you want him dead so badly, is there a grudge between you?"


    "No, I¡¯m just worried about our identities being exposed."


    "What do you mean?"


    "The day I sent men to capture Nanrong Wanqing, as a precaution, I prepared a small vial of enhancement drug for one of them, just in case. Later, my men found his body, he had been blown apart by a grenade, turned into countless pieces of flesh. After collecting those pieces and testing them, it turned out he had taken the enhancement drug before dying. In those woods, the only one who could have killed him was Ling Chen, he must have witnessed the power of the enhancement drug. Before he exposes this matter, we must shut him up."


    "Stephen!"


    Zhu Hong suddenly stood up, speaking coldly, "Without authorization from above, you dared to use the enhancement drug casually, it seems you are tired of living."


    "No, I had authorization, but I didn¡¯t expect that person to be killed after using it. Regardless, since it has happened, Ling Chen must die. You are the head of the Asia region, you should handle this."


    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 139: Cooperation

    <h4>Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Cooperation</h4><h4></h4>


    Gazing into Stephen¡¯s azure eyes, Zhu Hong slowly took his seat, hisplexion gradually regainingposure as he gently swirled the ss in his hand.


    "Ling Chen is not a simple man; I need to do some thorough investigation on him, and also..." his tone suddenly became cold, "from now on, without my permission, you are not allowed to make a move against Nanrong Wanqing. Anything rted to her must consult my opinion. If you can¡¯t do that, don¡¯t even think about me helping with Ling Chen¡¯s matters."


    "No problem, I won¡¯t touch her for the time being, but if the orderes from above..."


    Zhu Hong coldly interrupted, "That¡¯s my business, not yours to worry about." He paused for a moment, then shifted the topic, "Are you confident you can heal Wanqing¡¯s leg injury?"


    "With the drug we¡¯ve developed, if we reduce the dose, there shouldn¡¯t be any problem."


    "Wanqing¡¯s attitude towards me has greatly changed; I hope to improve our rtionship by healing her legs, so you better not mess this up for me."


    Stephen nodded, "I will do my best. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll head to theb now."


    ...


    The next day.


    Hongyu Group Headquarters.


    It wasn¡¯t long after Ling Chen had taken Nanrong Wanqing to her office that he received a phone call, and quickly called Tang Yuan to rush to thepany entrance.


    Soon after, a red-g sedan slowly drove up and stopped at the entrance.


    Ling Chen took the initiative to open the car door, and greeted the middle-aged man stepping out of the car with a smile, "Mr. Han."


    "Mr. Han." Tang Yuan also greeted.


    The neer was Han Bing, the Ghost Organization¡¯s second-inmand. As Nanrong Wanqing had actively proposed a partnership, and due to the significance of the matter, Qiao Zhen wanted to personallye to East Sea City, but because someone needed to stay andmand the organization internally, Han Bing was sent instead.


    "Mr. Han, I thought you would arrive in a couple of days."


    Han Bing waved his hand, "Such an important matter cannot be dyed. If I wasn¡¯t worried about Miss Nanrong¡¯s convenience, I would have nned toe yesterday." He pulled Ling Chen to the side and asked in a low voice, "Kid, tell me the truth, are those test results real?"


    "Mr. Han, rest assured, you can haveplete peace of mind. There won¡¯t be any problems," Ling Chen assured with a pat on his chest.


    "If that¡¯s truly the case, no matter the cost, this partnership must happen."


    "Mr. Han, the Chairwoman couldn¡¯te out to meet you personally because of her legs, I hope you won¡¯t mind; she is already waiting for you in her office," Ling Chen exined on behalf of Nanrong Wanqing.


    "No issue, we are all soldiers, we don¡¯t care about formalities. Let¡¯s go; take me to see her straight away." Han Bing was somewhat impatient.


    No wonder, if that set of exoskeleton armor could be equipped in the military, it would certainly enhance Huaxia¡¯s military strength by a level. As a soldier, that equipment could drive one crazy.


    Arriving at the top-floor office, Nanrong Wanqing had already been waiting by the door.


    As the group emerged from the elevator, before Nanrong Wanqing had a chance to approach them, Han Bing had already quickened his pace and reached her, eagerly extending both hands, "Miss Nanrong, hello. I¡¯ve heard so much about you, and today I finally have the honor to meet you."


    "Mr. Han, you are too kind." Nanrong Wanqing returned a polite smile.


    "Chairwoman, Mr. Han, let¡¯s go inside and talk," Ling Chen took over Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s wheelchair and pushed her into the office.


    After both parties were seated, Tang Yuan stood behind Han Bing, while Ling Chen stood beside Nanrong Wanqing. Han Bing nced at Ling Chen, then turned his gaze to Nanrong Wanqing and smiled, "Miss Nanrong, Ling Chen has conveyed your intentions for cooperation. If those data are urate, our military is one hundred percent interested in partnering with Hongyu Group. My visit today is to reach consensus with you on this matter, whatever your requirements may be, I will try my best to amodate."


    Nanrong Wanqing smiled slightly, "Mr. Han, Hongyu Group has been established for many years and is involved in a wide range of areas, but we have never cooperated with the military before. I¡¯m a novice in this respect, so I¡¯d prefer to hear your proposals before considering."


    Han Bing was momentarily stunned, then suddenly smiled, admiration undisguisable in his eyes.


    "Miss Nanrong indeed lives up to her reputation."


    Hearing their conversation, Ling Chen looked at Nanrong Wanqing with newfound respect. He had never before witnessed Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s capabilities in handling matters, but today¡¯s encounter revealed just how astute she was, truly deserving of being Hongyu Group¡¯s chairwoman.


    Nanrong Wanqing asking Han Bing to state his conditions first was, in fact, an attempt to probe the limits of the other party, to maximize her own interests based on these conditions. Only then could she take the initiative.


    Han Bing looked at the teacup ced in front of him, feigning contemtion, and after a good while, finally spoke, "Miss Nanrong, would you be interested in venturing into the military industry?"


    "Military industry?"


    Nanrong Wanqing was slightly startled, finding it somewhat incredible. In her view, no matter what conditions the other party presented, there would naturally be some bargaining involved. However, Han Bingid a significant offer right out of the gate, which took her by surprise.


    Military industry enterprises must be authorized by the state, and furthermore, most military industry enterprises are state-owned assets, with only a few being privately run. As long as it¡¯s connected with ¡¯military industry,¡¯ it¡¯s virtually a guaranteed profit, with huge returns.


    The condition offered by Han Bing was doubtlessly like handing the Nanrong Family a treasure bowl, certainly able to boost the wealth of Hongyu Group to the next level.


    Ling Chen nodded to himself; he was not surprised by Han Bing¡¯s generous offer, as the military¡¯s gain was greaterpared to the benefits for the Nanrong Family. Once the partnership was established, Huaxia¡¯s military strength would undoubtedly reach the pinnacle of the world within the next two to three years. From the national perspective, this was simply notparable to money.


    Seeing that Nanrong Wanqing had not responded for a while, Han Bing smiled and asked, "Miss Nanrong, are you satisfied with this condition?"


    "Since the military is so generous, I naturally have nothing to say," Nanrong Wanqing nodded lightly, the oue already exceeding her expectations. This condition showed that the military highly valued her research results, and if she seized the moment to make other demands, the military would likely not refuse. However, she was not greedy and knew when to stop while ahead.


    "Very well," Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s discretion also made Han Bing very satisfied, "Once this military industry enterprise is established, the military will act as the primary shareholder, with Hongyu Group as the secondary shareholder, holding forty-nine percent of the shares. Hongyu Group just needs to share technology, and the military will handle the rest. How does that sound?"


    "No problem."


    Such an opportunity to earn money without effort, Nanrong Wanqing certainly would not refuse. Besides, she did not have the energy to manage another military industry enterprise.


    Han Bing¡¯s face was filled with joy, "Miss Nanrong, you are straightforward, I hope for a pleasant cooperation in the future."


    "Pleasant cooperation."

 Chapter 140 Imperial Majesty

    <h4>Chapter 140: Chapter 140 Imperial Majesty</h4><h4></h4>


    "Miss Nanrong, when can I see the final product?"


    The coboration had been agreed upon, and Han Bing could hardly wait to see the exoskeleton armor with his own eyes. As the saying goes, seeing is believing. Prior data was abstract, only a firsthand look would suffice.


    "Mr. Han, rest assured, I have arranged everything. This afternoon, Ling Chen and my staff will apany you to the researchb."


    "Good, we will get in touch then."


    Having seen Han Bing out, Ling Chen returned to his office and, seeing Nanrong Wanqing sitting by the window, grinned and said, "Congrattions."


    Nanrong Wanqing replied indifferently, "There¡¯s nothing to congratte. Money is just a number to me, no matter the amount. Besides, my coboration with the military is not for financial gain, but for safety." She pointed to an envelope on the office desk, "That is for you."


    "What¡¯s this?" Ling Chen curiously opened the envelope and found a paycheck inside, the bold figures making his eyes blur.


    "Is this... fifty thousand?"


    Nanrong Wanqing gently smiled and said, "Didn¡¯t you tell mest time that, if we made it back alive, I should give you a raise? I¡¯ve fulfilled my promise."


    "Alright, thank you." Ling Chen beamed with joy; this was money earned by risking his life, and he unabashedly epted it, already calcting where to splurge tonight.


    However, just as the thought crossed his mind, he suddenly remembered he had ns for the evening. He had promised Jiang Hao and others to check out the Green Tiger Gang, to settle some matters; he couldn¡¯t back out now.


    "Ling Chen."


    Hearing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s voice, Ling Chen snapped back to attention and asked, "What¡¯s up?"


    "I..." Nanrong Wanqing hesitated, looking as if she had more to say, then added, "Never mind, let¡¯s talk about itter."


    At noon.


    Ling Chen and Tang Yuan treated Han Bing well in a hotel. After lunch, the three drove to the researchb.


    Upon arrival, Qin Lan, who had been notified earlier, was already waiting outside.


    Entering theb, everything was ready for testing.


    "Tang Yuan, you go try it out."


    Prompted by Han Bing, Tang Yuan immediately stepped forward and, with the help of several researchers, donned the exoskeleton armor. Since this was a test, multiple aspects had to be considered¡ªnot only its performance but also its concealment.


    After Tang Yuan put on his outerwear, Ling Chen evaluated him and couldn¡¯t help nodding his head. The concealed nature of the exoskeleton armor was indeed strong¡ªit was not noticeable under the clothes and was very hard to detect by others.


    Before long, Tang Yuan walked up to a steel te that had been prepared earlier, clenched his fist, and swung it fiercely.


    ng!


    Apanied by a sharp nk, the steel te, a centimeter thick, immediately dented, leaving a fist imprint.


    Seeing such a performance, Ling Chen and Han Bing were both taken aback. Although they had read the test data, seeing it with their own eyes was something else entirely.


    This punch, if it were tond on someone, would either kill or severely injure them; it is simply a weapon of enemy destruction.


    Having witnessed the power of this exoskeleton armor, Han Bing¡¯s face was filled with excitement, and he hurriedly urged Tang Yuan to test the other functions.


    Jumping, running, weight-bearing, strength, and the sustainability of electrical energy, it took over four hours before Han Bing was satisfied enough to stop the testing.


    "Old virgin, shall we have a practice round?" Tang Yuan, d in the exoskeleton armor, chuckled wickedly with ill intentions.


    "Get lost, I¡¯m not looking for abuse," Ling Chen scoffed, outright ignoring his request. Having seen the test results just now, even he, once the strongest ghost operative, felt a palpitation.


    The capabilities of this exoskeleton armor far exceeded his imagination. Although he never doubted his own abilities, in the face of high technology, he had to admit that technology would eventually rece human capability.


    "Miss Qin, please pack up this set of exoskeleton armor, and while you¡¯re at it, notify the research personnel to prepare; in a few days, I¡¯ll send someone to take you all to Beijing, and you¡¯ll be relocating there to continue your work," Han Bing said.


    Ling Chen cautioned, "Mr. Han, you need to carefully arrange this matter."


    "What¡¯s wrong?"


    Ling Chen nced at Qin Lan and said straightforwardly, "To be frank, we suspect that someone inside the researchb has been secretlymunicating with outsiders, leaking the research results. It¡¯s because of this that we¡¯ve attracted unwanted attention. Only Miss Qin and those researchers know the secrets of thisb, so we suspect that the traitor is likely one of them."


    "I see," Han Bing nodded, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Miss Qin, please prepare a copy of the researchers¡¯ details for me. I¡¯ll use military resources to investigate thoroughly and eliminate suspects one by one. Also, I¡¯ll arrange the transfer in two batches; the research personnel will go first, and once they safely arrive, then we¡¯ll transport the exoskeleton armor to Beijing. Tang Yuan, I have to rush back to Beijing tonight, so you¡¯ll be in charge of transporting the armor."


    "Yes, mission guaranteed."


    Leaving the researchb, it was already evening.


    Ling Chen and Tang Yuan escorted Han Bing to the airport and then returned to the Nanrong residence.


    After reporting back to Nanrong Wanqing, Ling Chen found an excuse to slip out. By then, Nanrong Hao was already waiting by the car at the entrance.


    Half an hourter, the two drove to a spacious street in Songhua District.


    Getting out of the car, Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong, who were smoking by the roadside, immediately discarded their cigarettes and briskly walked over.


    "Chen."


    Ling Chen nodded his head and, looking at the brightly lit district, asked, "Have you found Qi Jianhui?"


    "There!" Jiang Hao pointed at a nightclub called ¡¯Imperial Majesty¡¯ across the street. "My guys found out that hees here every night for pleasure."


    "He sure knows how to enjoy himself, let¡¯s go meet him."


    Being the temperaments of Jiang Hao and his crew, they would have loved to just beat Qi Jianhui up, but Ling Chen always prided himself on being a civilized person. He believed in diplomacy before force, reasoning before fist fighting, always giving others a chance.


    Imperial Majesty was also somewhat famous in East Sea City as an entertainment spot,vishly decorated, where even the waitstaff were stunningly beautiful. Jiang Hao mentioned that the minimum expenditure here was 8,888 per night, which only included booth seating and a limited selection of drinks. Any additional, higher-end services would cost extra.


    With East Sea City being an international metropolis, it nevercked wealthy people.


    Inside, the first thing they saw was arge hall with a circr stage at the center, where about a dozen scantily d women danced wildly to explosive music, posing enticingly, mboyantly seductive, teasing the primal thoughts of men.

 Chapter 141 Wei Dong

    <h4>Chapter 141: Chapter 141 Wei Dong</h4><h4></h4>


    The stage was surrounded by many stand-alone circr sofas and tables; it was just past eight o¡¯clock, and the hall was already packed with people, mostly men, a majority in their thirties.


    Under the dim lights, many men were holding embracing elegantly dressed women, their hands moving freely over them, without any regard for those around. These women seemed to be ustomed to this, half-resisting and half-epting, letting the men take liberties with their bodies.


    These women were all nightclub staff brought in to apany the drinks. Naturally, if one is willing to spend money, anything else could be arranged.


    "Jiang Hao, where¡¯s the person?"


    "I¡¯ll go ask." Jiang Hao casually grabbed a passing waitress, asked a few questions, then turned and said, "Chen, Qi Jianhui is in private room 1038."


    The nightclub¡¯s private rooms on the second floor were resplendent and luxurious, and Ling Chen couldn¡¯t think of any other word but ¡¯extravagant¡¯ to describe them.


    "1038... Chen, it¡¯s there."


    Nanrong Hao quickly spotted the private room where Qi Jianhui was.


    Arriving at the room, Ling Chen pushed open the door and stepped in. Smelling the pungent tobo scent in the room, he frowned slightly, then cast his gaze towards the sofa against the wall.


    There, Qi Jianhui sat in the middle, with a scantily d beauty on each side, hugging his arms, bring a ss of wine to his lips.


    At the ends of the sofa were seated four or five young men, all looking like small-time punks, probably Qi Jianhui¡¯s underlings.


    At this moment, Qi Jianhui seemed to have drunk quite a bit, his cheeks flushed with a drunken hue, and he was brazenly flirting with the beauties beside him,pletely oblivious to the arrival of Ling Chen and his party.


    However, his followers were quick to react. Seeing neers barging in, they immediately turned off the music in the room, rose to their feet, and blocked the doorway.


    "Who are you guys?"


    "My name is Jiang Hao, you¡¯ve probably heard of me. I¡¯m here tonight to have a good talk with your boss."


    "Jiang Hao?" A young man with a head of red hair sneered, "The little ruffian from Old City? Pah, Mr. Jiang, what¡¯s your statuspared to our boss? You think you can just see him whenever you want? Get lost quickly, don¡¯t disturb our boss¡¯s good time."


    "You..." Anger reddened Jiang Hao¡¯s face, and he stepped forward, ready to explode, but Ling Chen ced a hand on his shoulder, signaling him to stay calm.


    "So you¡¯re Boss Qi, I wonder if you still remember me." Ling Chen gave Qi Jianhui a smiling look.


    Only then did Qi Jianhui raise his head, ncing at Ling Chen out of the corner of his eye. After a brief moment of shock, he pushed the two beauties at his side away, stood up abruptly, and said coldly, "Kid, what are you doing here? I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s none of my business that Leng Feifei is missing, looking for me is useless."


    "Leng Feifei is missing?"


    Ling Chen was taken aback, he had no idea about this.


    "Qi Jianhui, we¡¯re not here today because of some Leng Feifei. You smashed mypany, you ought to give me an exnation," said Jiang Hao, stepping forward.


    "Jiang Hao, that was just a small lesson and a warning. If you want to run apany on my turf, it can be done ¨C just pay twenty thousand a month for protection. As long as you pay in full, I guarantee no one will bother you."


    "Bullshit, even if you¡¯re collecting protection money, there¡¯s no way to collect like that, at most taking five percent as protection fee, don¡¯t I need to make money?"


    "That¡¯s your business, nothing to do with me." Qi Jianhui sat back on the sofa, pulling a beauty into his arms, while the other readily held up a ss of wine for him.


    Zhao Zhengxiong frowned and said, "Boss Qi, everyone should leave a margin for error, so we can meet on good terms in the future. We just want to make an honest living and never thought about encroaching on your territory. Don¡¯t push us too far."


    "Zhao Zhengxiong, no offense, but you, a supposed big brother, stooping to team up with these low-life thugs. Aren¡¯t you afraid of being theughing stock of the underworld?"


    "That¡¯s my business, not yours to worry about. Just tell me, what do you want?"


    Qi Jianhui thought for a moment, then grinned and said: "How about this? No matter what kind ofpany you want to set up on my turf, I want a fifty percent share. If you agree to this, I guarantee I won¡¯t bother you. Otherwise, you¡¯d better get off my turf as soon as possible."


    "Not a chance!" Jiang Hao replied coldly, "Qi Jianhui, don¡¯t think for a moment that I¡¯m afraid of you. You have your guys, I have mine. If you want to fight, I¡¯ll apany you to the end. Let¡¯s see who bites the dust first."


    "Just you, a mere punk?" Qi Jianhui sneered disdainfully, "You and your few friends are not worthy topete with me. To put it bluntly, just one phone call from me and you won¡¯t have good days ahead. If you know what¡¯s good for you, disappear from my sight now. However, he stays."


    He pointed at Ling Chen, sneering: "Kid,st time you messed up my ns, and I¡¯ve been looking everywhere for you. How convenient that you¡¯ve shown up on my doorstep. Brothers, see this guy? Beat him to death; if he dies, it¡¯s on me."


    As soon as his words fell, a group of youngsters, led by Red Hair, immediately charged at Ling Chen with their fists.


    However, before they could even get close, Nanrong Hao took the initiative to attack, knocking Red Hair to the ground with a kick. In just a few moments, the young ruffians were easily taken down.


    "With your little skills, you dare to trouble Brother Chen." Nanrong Hao dusted off his hands and turned back to stand behind Ling Chen.


    With Ling Chen¡¯s recent training, Nanrong Hao¡¯s fighting skills had improved significantly, making short work of a few street thugs.


    "Well, look at that, you dare to touch my guys; you really must be tired of living." Qi Jianhui¡¯s fleshy face instantly turned cold, and he reached into his pocket to pull out a mobile phone, ready to make a call.


    At that moment, the door to the private room was opened, and four or five policemen entered in single file.


    "Police, sorry to disturb you all, just a routine check, please show your IDs."


    "Oh, isn¡¯t this Mr. Qi?"


    Suddenly, a male police officer walked through the door and immediately smiled upon seeing Qi Jianhui.


    "Is it him?"


    Upon seeing the officer, Ling Chen and Jiang Hao instantly recognized him. If they remembered correctly, this cop was named Wei Dong, who had led the teamst time and arrested Jiang Hao for no good reason. Fortunately, Ling Chen had been there, or Jiang Hao would have been in a terrible situation.


    "Officer Wei, long time no see."


    Qi Jianhui greeted with a smile. Speaking, he looked at Ling Chen and the others with ill-intent and then waved at Wei Dong.


    Thetter got the hint, walked over, and exchanged a few whispers. After which, Wei Dong nodded his head with a smirk, looking at Ling Chen and Jiang Hao.


    "Take these people back with me."


    Jiang Hao, struggling to restrain his anger, said, "We haven¡¯t broken anyws. What right do you have to arrest us?"


    Wei Dong gently swung his finger, his smile cold, "I remember you; your name is Jiang Hao, right? Remember this¡ªI call the shots here. You have no right to object. Bettere with me quietly and stop inviting trouble for yourself."


    "What if I don¡¯t go?" Ling Chen narrowed his eyes slightly, the corners of his mouth lifting in a hint of amusement.

 Chapter 142 Leng Feifei Goes Missing

    <h4>Chapter 142: Chapter 142 Leng Feifei Goes Missing</h4><h4></h4>


    "You¡¯re not leaving?" Wei Dong looked at Ling Chen with a sneer that was not quite a smile, "Last time at the police station, it was you who injured my brothers. Don¡¯t think that just because Xia Mutong has got your back, you can act recklessly in front of me. Let me tell you, I¡¯m in charge of this district, and Xia Mutong has no authority to meddle."


    Ling Chen said indifferently, "If you want to take us away, there needs to be a charge. We are allw-abiding citizens, we have neither broken thew nor vited any discipline, on what basis are you arresting us?"


    "You want a charge?" Wei Dong sneered, pointing at Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong, "Both of these gentlemen are big shots from the Old City, with hundreds of underlings. I now suspect that you are stirring up trouble and intend to take you back for investigation. How about that, are you satisfied with this charge?"


    Ling Chen cracked a smile, "Of course I¡¯m satisfied, but it seems you¡¯ve overlooked someone." Saying this, he put his arm around Nanrong Hao¡¯s shoulder, tilting his chin up, "Do you know who he is?"


    "Do I need to know?" Wei Dong sped his hands behind his back, his gaze looking elsewhere, an expression of disdain on his face.


    "Of course you do, I¡¯m doing you a favor, to save you from being scolded by your chief. Remember this, hisst name is Nanrong."


    "Nanrong?" Wei Dong¡¯splexion changed dramatically, his gaze suddenly shifting to Nanrong Hao with a somewhat unnatural expression, "Which... which Nanrong?"


    "Isn¡¯t that a stupid question? Is there a second Nanrong family in East Sea City? Haozi, this guy is using us of causing trouble, should we use him of defamation?"


    Nanrong Hao instantly understood, pulling out his phone from his pocket and dialing a number, "Hello, Lawyer Li, it¡¯s me, I¡¯m at the Imperial Majesty Nightclub, can youe over?"


    "No! Please, no!" Hearing Nanrong Hao¡¯s conversation, Wei Dong immediately panicked, no longer daring to put on airs, and quickly said with a smile, "Mr. Nanrong, it¡¯s a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding, please don¡¯t take it to heart."


    Nanrong Hao said sternly, "Since it¡¯s a misunderstanding, what are you still standing there for, do you want me to invite you for a drink?"


    "I¡¯ll leave right away, right away... I won¡¯t disturb Mr. Nanrong any longer." As he spoke, Wei Dong red fiercely at Qi Jianhui. If it hadn¡¯t been for this guy, he would have almost offended someone he shouldn¡¯t have.


    Everyone knows the status of the Nanrong family in East Sea City, even their police chief had to show some respect to the Nanrong family. Especially now, with Hongyu Group investing with the government to rebuild the Old City, the higher-ups are paying great attention to it and value the Nanrong family even more. If he offended the Nanrong family, he would be digging his own grave.


    Seeing Wei Dong beat a hasty retreat, Qi Jianhui couldn¡¯t help but wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.


    He never expected that among these people, there would be a member of the Nanrong family.


    "Qi Jianhui, shouldn¡¯t we sit down and have a proper chat now?" Jiang Hao spoke up.


    "So it turns out that Mr. Nanrong graced us with his presence, I was blind earlier and did not recognize Mount Tai, please don¡¯t take it to heart, Mr. Nanrong. Please, have a seat, let¡¯s talk things over slowly."


    After learning about Nanrong Hao¡¯s identity, Qi Jianhui¡¯s demeanor did an immediate one-eighty, diligently pouring wine for Nanrong Hao.


    "Cut the crap, in a word, thosepanies all have my share, are you still nning to collect protection money?"


    "Mr. Nanrong is joking, how could I dare to take your money? Rest assured, I guarantee no one will trouble you again."


    "Good, I hope you remember your words. Chen, let¡¯s go."


    "Hold on, now that you¡¯ve finished your business, I¡¯ve still got something to discuss with him." Ling Chen looked at Qi Jianhui, "When you first came in, you mentioned Leng Feifei is missing, exin it to me clearly."


    Qi Jianhui hastily exined, "I heard Leng Feifei was missing, so when I saw you appear, I thought you were here to demand Leng Feifei from me."


    "She¡¯s missing, and you say it has nothing to do with you?" Ling Chen said, his face filled with disbelief.


    "No, absolutely not. Mr. Ling, please believe me, I would never do something like kidnapping. Besides,st night Zheng Guozhong and his son came to me, promising to sort things out with Leng Feifei for me, there¡¯s no need for me to take any extra actions."


    "Them?" Ling Chen¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. He had met Zheng Guozhong and his son at the mallst time¡ªthey were no good people, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to call them beasts, even targeting their own adopted daughter.


    With that thought, he stood up and said, "It¡¯s best if this matter has nothing to do with you. If I find out that it was you, I will not let you off. Haozi, let¡¯s go."


    "Mr. Nanrong, please take care."


    Qi Jianhui followed behind and saw the group out of the Imperial Majesty Nightclub.


    "Jiang Hao, Xiong, you guys head back first. Haozi, get in the car."


    Sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, Nanrong Hao asked, "Chen, are we going back now or..."


    "Isn¡¯t that Leng Feifei a ssmate of yours? Do you know where her family lives?"


    "I have no clue, she¡¯s always resided at school. Moreover, we¡¯re not that close, probably only her roommate would know. Chen, since when did you be so close to Leng Feifei?"


    "Ask less. Stop talking so much." Ling Chen thought for a while, then suddenly had an idea, "Haozi, didn¡¯t you tell me once that you dated one of Leng Feifei¡¯s close friends? Call her and ask, she should know where Leng Feifei¡¯s family lives."


    "This... isn¡¯t this a bit inappropriate?" Nanrong Hao hesitated.


    Ling Chen urged impatiently, "Stop the nonsense, do it now, this is a matter of life and death, I don¡¯t have time to joke with you."


    If Leng Feifei was really taken by Zheng Guozhong and his son, heaven knows what would happen. Leng Feifei had told him before that Zheng Guozhong had once spiked juice with drugs in an attempt to knock her out and then use her body to please Qi Jianguo.


    The fact that they could do such beastly acts meant that Zheng Guozhong and son had already lost the moral bottom line of being human, this he could not dismiss with indifference.


    With Ling Chen urging, Nanrong Hao reluctantly took out his phone. Probably fearing that Ling Chen would overhear their conversation, he even got out of the car.


    Taking this opportunity, Ling Chen dialed Leng Feifei¡¯s number, and as expected, the system prompt indicated the call could not be connected.


    In less than two minutes, Nanrong Hao returned to the car, "Chen, I got the address. Also, she said that Leng Feifei was still with her at dinner today, butter Leng Feifei received a call saying she had something to do and left first. They were supposed to meet at 7:30 to go to evening study together, but Leng Feifei never showed up."


    "Why are you dawdling, drive!"


    After a journey of a little over twenty minutes, Nanrong Hao drove into a residentialpound.


    Thepound was somewhat old, consisting of five-story buildings with rather aged architecture.


    Zheng Guozhong was once a businessman with afortable home, but after losing money in business and ruing substantial debts, he had no choice but to sell his mansion to pay off the debts, then moved his family here.


    "Building four, third floor, number 307... Chen, this is the ce, no mistake." Nanrong Hao confirmed, looking at the building numbers outside.


    "Let¡¯s go, take a look."


    Ling Chen took the lead, swiftly ascending the stairs to the third floor. Arriving at Zheng Guozhong¡¯s doorstep, he didn¡¯t hesitate to forcefully knock on the door.

 Chapter 143 Beast (Part One)

    <h4>Chapter 143: Chapter 143 Beast (Part One)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Not leaving?" Wei Dong looked at Ling Chen with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, "Last time at the police station, it was you who injured my brothers. Don¡¯t think just because you have Xia Mutong backing you that you can act recklessly in front of me. I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m in charge of this area, and even Xia Mutong has no authority to interfere."


    Ling Chen calmly said: "If you want to take us away, you must have a charge. We are allw-abiding citizens. We haven¡¯t broken thew or any rules. On what grounds are you arresting us?"


    "You want a charge?" Wei Dong sneered and, pointing at Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong, said: "These two are the big shots of the Old City, with hundreds of brothers under them. I¡¯m suspecting you of seeking trouble, and I¡¯m going to take you back for investigation. How about that, are you satisfied with this charge?"


    Ling Chen grinned: "Of course, I¡¯m satisfied, but you seem to be overlooking someone." Saying that, he put his arm around Nanrong Hao¡¯s shoulder and lifted his chin: "Do you know who he is?"


    "Do I need to know?" Wei Dong put his hands behind his back, his gaze directed elsewhere, his face full of disdain.


    "Of course, it¡¯s for your own good, to avoid getting scolded by your chief. Remember this, his surname is Nanrong."


    "Nanrong?" Wei Dong¡¯splexion changed dramatically, and he suddenly turned to look at Nanrong Hao with an unnatural look: "Which... which Nanrong?"


    "Aren¡¯t you talking nonsense? Is there a second Nanrong family in East Sea City? Haozi, this guy wants to use us of creating trouble. Should we sue him for defamation?"


    Nanrong Hao immediately got it, took out his phone from his pocket, and dialed a number, "Hello, Lawyer Li, it¡¯s me. I¡¯m at Imperial Majesty Nightclub, pleasee here."


    "Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t!" Upon hearing Nanrong Hao¡¯s conversation, Wei Dong immediately became anxious, no longer daring to put on airs, and hurriedly pleaded with a smile: "Mr. Nanrong, it¡¯s a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding. I beg you not to take it to heart."


    Nanrong Hao said with a stern face: "Since it¡¯s a misunderstanding, what are you still standing there for? Do you want me to invite you for a drink?"


    "I¡¯ll leave immediately, immediately... won¡¯t bother Mr. Nanrong anymore." As soon as he finished speaking, Wei Dong red fiercely at Qi Jianhui. If it weren¡¯t for this guy, he almost offended someone he shouldn¡¯t have.


    Everyone knows the status of the Nanrong family in East Sea City; even their chief has to give some face to the Nanrong family. Especially now, with Hongyu Group investing in coboration with the government to rebuild the Old City, senior officials are paying a lot of attention to the Nanrong family. If he offended the Nanrong family, that would be a death wish.


    Seeing Wei Dong slinking away, Qi Jianhui involuntarily wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.


    He never expected that one of these people would be from the Nanrong family.


    "Qi Jianhui, isn¡¯t it time we sit down and have a proper chat now?" Jiang Hao spoke.


    "So it was Mr. Nanrong gracing us with his presence. I was blind and did not see Mount Tai earlier. I hope Mr. Nanrong doesn¡¯t take offense. Please, have a seat, and let¡¯s talk things over slowly."


    Knowing Nanrong Hao¡¯s identity, Qi Jianhui¡¯s attitude shifted aplete 180 degrees, eagerly pouring wine for Nanrong Hao.


    "Cut the crap, in a word, thosepanies all have my share in them. Are you still nning to collect protection fees?"


    "Mr. Nanrong, you jest, how could I dare to take your money? Rest assured, I guarantee no one will trouble you again."


    "Good, I hope you remember that. Chen, let¡¯s go."


    "Hold on, you¡¯ve finished your business, but I still have something to discuss with him." Ling Chen looked at Qi Jianhui, "When you entered earlier, you mentioned that Leng Feifei was missing. rify that for me."


    Qi Jianhui quickly exined: "I heard that Leng Feifei had gone missing, so when I saw youe in, I thought you were here to demand Leng Feifei from me."


    "She¡¯s missing, and you¡¯re saying it has nothing to do with you?" Ling Chen didn¡¯t believe it.


    "No, absolutely nothing. Mr. Ling, please trust me, I would never engage in something like kidnapping. Besides,st night Zheng Guozhong and his son came to find me. They promised me that they would take care of Leng Feifei, so why would I do anything unnecessary?"


    "Them?" Ling Chen frowned slightly. He had met Zheng Guozhong and his son at the mallst time; none of them were good people, calling them beasts would not be an overstatement, and they dared toy hands on his adopted daughter.


    Thinking this, he stood up: "It¡¯s best if this has nothing to do with you. If I find out it¡¯s your doing, I won¡¯t let you off. Haozi, let¡¯s go!"


    "Mr. Nanrong, please take care."


    Qi Jianhui followed and saw off the group from the Imperial Majesty Nightclub.


    "Jiang Hao, Xiong, you go back first. Haozi, get in the car."


    Sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, Nanrong Hao asked: "Chen, do we go back now, or..."


    "Isn¡¯t that Leng Feifei your ssmate? Do you know where she lives?"


    "I¡¯m not sure, she¡¯s always lived at school, and I¡¯m not that close to her. Probably only her roommate would know. Chen, when did you be so close with Leng Feifei?"


    "Quit asking so many questions." Ling Chen pondered for a moment and suddenly thought of something, "Haozi, didn¡¯t you tell me you dated Leng Feifei¡¯s best friend for a while? Call her and ask; she should know where Leng Feifei¡¯s family lives."


    "This... Is that appropriate?" Nanrong Hao hesitated.


    Ling Chen urged impatiently: "Stop dawdling, this is a matter of life and death, I have no time for jokes."


    If Leng Feifei were really caught by Zheng Guozhong and his son, God knows what could happen. Leng Feifei had told him that Zheng Guozhong once tried to drug her juice, hoping to knock her out and use her body to curry favor with Qi Jianguo.

 Chapter 144 - 143 Beast (Part One)_2

    <h4>Chapter 144: Chapter 143 Beast (Part One)_2</h4><h4></h4>


    This kind of bestial act shows that Zheng Guozhong and his son have lost all moral decency, which can¡¯t help but worry him.


    Under Ling Chen¡¯s urging, Nanrong Hao reluctantly took out his cellphone. Probably fearing that Ling Chen would overhear their conversation, he made sure to leave the car.


    Taking advantage of the moment, Ling Chen dialed Leng Feifei¡¯s number, and as expected, received a system notification that the call could not be connected.


    In less than two minutes, Nanrong Hao returned to the car, "Chen, got the address. Also, she said Leng Feifei was still with her at dinner today. Later, Leng Feifei received a call, said she had something to take care of and left earlier. They had agreed to meet at 7:30 for evening self-study, but Leng Feifei never showed up."


    "What are you waiting for then, start driving immediately."


    After a journey of over twenty minutes, Nanrong Hao drove into a residentialplex.


    Theplex was quite old,prising five-story buildings that were rather rundown.


    Zheng Guozhong used to be a businessman with a well-off family. However, after his business failed and debts umted, he had to sell his mansion to pay off the debts and then moved here with his family.


    "Building four, third floor, 307...Chen, it¡¯s this one, no doubt about it." Nanrong Hao checked the numbers on the outside of the building.


    "Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go up and see."


    Ling Chen, taking the lead, swiftly ascended the stairs to the third floor. Arriving at Zheng Guozhong¡¯s door, he didn¡¯t hesitate and started banging forcefully on the door. "Not leaving?" Wei Dong looked at Ling Chen with a smile that was not quite a smile, "Last time at the police station, it was you who injured my brothers. Don¡¯t think that just because Xia Mutong supports you, you can act recklessly in front of me. I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m in charge of this area, and even Xia Mutong has no right to interfere."


    Ling Chen calmly replied, "If you want to take us away, you need a legitimate reason. We are allw-abiding citizens, we haven¡¯t broken thew or vited any disciplines, what right do you have to arrest us?"


    "You want a charge?" Wei Dong sneered, pointing at Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong,"These two are big shots from Old City, each having hundreds of brothers under them. I now suspect that you are causing trouble, we need to take you in for investigation. How about that, are you satisfied with this charge?"


    Ling Chen grinned, "Of course, I am satisfied, but, it seems you¡¯ve overlooked someone." Saying so, he put an arm around Nanrong Hao¡¯s shoulder and jerked his chin up, "Do you know who he is?"


    "Do I need to know?" Wei Dong crossed his arms behind his back, looking away with disdain.


    "Of course, it¡¯s for your own good, to save you from getting scolded by your chief. Remember this, his surname is Nanrong."


    "Nanrong?" Wei Dong¡¯s expression suddenly changed, and he looked sharply at Nanrong Hao, his eyes shing unnaturally, "Which... which Nanrong?"


    "Are you kidding? Is there another Nanrong family in East Sea City? Haozi, this man here wants to use us of causing trouble, should we sue him for defamation?"


    Nanrong Hao immediately caught on, pulling out his cellphone from his pocket and dialed a number, "Hello, Lawyer Li, it¡¯s me. I¡¯m at the Imperial Majesty Nightclub. Can youe over?"


    "No! No!" Hearing Nanrong Hao¡¯s conversation, Wei Dong immediately panicked, losing all airs and quickly made a cating grin, "Mr. Nanrong, it¡¯s a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding. Please, don¡¯t take it to heart."


    Nanrong Hao sternly said, "Since it¡¯s a misunderstanding, what are you still standing there for? Are you expecting me to invite you for a drink?"


    "I¡¯ll leave right away, right away... No more disturbance, Mr. Nanrong." With that, Wei Dong red fiercely at Qi Jianhui. If it had not been for this guy, he would have almost offended someone he shouldn¡¯t have.


    Who didn¡¯t know the standing of Nanrong Family in East Sea City? Even their chief had to give face to the Nanrong Family. Especially now, as Hongyu Group is investing with the government to rebuild Old City, the upper echelons pay great attention to the Nanrong family. If he had stirred trouble with the Nanrong family, it would¡¯ve been a death wish.


    Watching Wei Dong flee in disgrace, Qi Jianhui involuntarily wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.


    He never expected that among these people, one was a member of the Nanrong family.


    "Qi Jianhui, shouldn¡¯t we sit down and have a good talk now?" Jiang Hao spoke up.


    "So it turns out it¡¯s Mr. Nanrong gracing us with his presence. Earlier, I was blind to Mount Tai. Mr. Nanrong, please don¡¯t take it to heart. Please, have a seat, let¡¯s discuss this slowly."


    After learning Nanrong Hao¡¯s identity, Qi Jianhui¡¯s attitude changed drastically by 180 degrees, eagerly pouring wine for Nanrong Hao.


    "Cut the crap, I have shares in thosepanies. Are you still nning to collect protection money?"


    "Mr. Nanrong is joking, how dare I take your money? Rest assured, I guarantee no one will cause you trouble anymore."


    "Good, I hope you remember what you said. Chen, let¡¯s go."


    "Wait a moment, you have finished your business, but I still have things to discuss with him." Ling Chen looked at Qi Jianhui, "Earlier when you came in, you mentioned that Leng Feifei disappeared, exin this to me clearly."


    Qi Jianhui hurriedly exined, "I heard that Leng Feifei had disappeared, so when I saw you show up, I thought you were here to ask for her."


    "She¡¯s missing, and you have nothing to do with that?" Ling Chen looked incredulous.


    "No, absolutely not. Mr. Ling, please believe me, I would never do something like kidnapping people. Besides,st night, Zheng Guozhong and his son came to see me, promising they would handle Leng Feifei for me, why would I need to do anything myself."


    "It was them?" Ling Chen frowned slightly. Last time at the shopping mall, he had met Zheng Guozhong and his son, both unsavory characters,beling them as brutes was not an overstatement¡ªthey had even targeted his foster daughter.

 Chapter 145 - 143 Beast (Part One)_3

    <h4>Chapter 145: Chapter 143 Beast (Part One)_3</h4><h4></h4>


    Thinking of this, he stood up and said, "It¡¯d better not be you who did this. If I find out it was you, I won¡¯t let you off. Haozi, let¡¯s go!"


    "Mr. Nanrong, take care."


    Qi Jianhui followed behind and saw the group out of the Imperial Majesty Nightclub.


    "Jiang Hao, Xiong, you go back first. Haozi, get in the car."


    Sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, Nanrong Hao asked, "Chen, shall we go back now or..."


    "Isn¡¯t Leng Feifei your ssmate? Do you know where she lives?"


    "I¡¯m not sure, she¡¯s always lived at school, and besides, I¡¯m not that close to her. Probably only her roommate would know. Chen, since when did you start caring so much about Leng Feifei?"


    "Stop asking so many questions." Ling Chen pondered for a moment, then suddenly thought of something, "Haozi, didn¡¯t you tell me you dated Leng Feifei¡¯s best friend for a while? Call her and ask; she should know where Leng Feifei¡¯s house is."


    "This... Is that really okay?" Nanrong Hao hesitated.


    Ling Chen urged impatiently, "Quit the nonsense, hurry up. This is a matter of life and death, I don¡¯t have time to joke around."


    If Leng Feifei really was captured by Zheng Guozhong and his son, who knows what could happen. Leng Feifei had told him that Zheng Guozhong once secretly drugged her juice, trying to make her pass out so he could use her body to please Qi Jianguo.


    Such atrocious acts showed that Zheng Guozhong and his son have lost all moral decency, which made him worry.


    Under Ling Chen¡¯s pressure, Nanrong Hao reluctantly took out his phone, presumably afraid Ling Chen would overhear, he even got out of the car.


    Taking this opportunity, Ling Chen called Leng Feifei¡¯s number, and as expected, the system reported that the call could not be connected.


    In less than two minutes, Nanrong Hao was back in the car, "Chen, I got the address. Also, she said she was still with Leng Feifei at dinner today. Then Leng Feifei received a call, said she had to leave for something. They had agreed to meet up at 7:30 for a night ss, but Leng Feifei never showed up."


    "What are you waiting for then, start driving."


    After a twenty-minute drive, Nanrong Hao drove into a residentialpound.


    This residentialpound was quite old, filled with five-story buildings that looked rather aged.


    Zheng Guozhong used to be a businessman, his family well-off, but after his business losses and facing debts, he had to sell his mansion to repay the debts, then moved here.


    "Building four, third floor, 307... Chen, this is it, no doubt." Nanrong Hao checked the building number outside.


    "Let¡¯s go, up and see."


    Ling Chen led the way, briskly climbing up to the third floor. Reaching Zheng Guozhong¡¯s house, he didn¡¯t say a word and started banging forcefully on the door.


    "Who is it?"


    An impatient voice came from inside, followed by a ¡¯creak¡¯, as the rusty iron door was opened from the inside.


    Seeing Zheng Guozhong who appeared, Ling Chen didn¡¯t waste any words. He pushed past him and burst into the house.


    "Feifei, Feifei?"


    He called out several times, but there was no response. Unwilling to give up, he checked in each room, but besides Zheng Guozhong, there was no one else.


    "Ling Chen, what are you doing?" Zheng Guozhong recognized Ling Chen, the same man who messed up his n in the shopping mallst time, his face filled with anger, "You¡¯re trespassing. Believe it or not, I¡¯ll call the police on you."


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes darted, staring sharply at him, enunciating each word, "Cut the crap. Where¡¯s Feifei? Did you kidnap her?"


    "Ling Chen, don¡¯t falsely use people. I haven¡¯t seen her recently."


    Ling Chen stared into his eyes, "Yesterday, you and your son went to meet Qi Jianhui, promising him that you¡¯d definitely deliver Leng Feifei to him, and now she¡¯s gone missing from school this evening. Are you telling me this is a coincidence?"


    Zheng Guozhong sneered, "She¡¯s not a three-year-old child. It¡¯s normal for someone her age to note home at night. Ling Chen, you¡¯re wrongfully using people. She is my daughter, I..."


    "Shut up! You dare to call her your daughter, you scum don¡¯t deserve it." With these words, Ling Chen grabbed a cellphone from the table and threw it into Zheng Guozhong¡¯s hands, "Call your son Zheng Guangwu and tell him toe here right now."


    "Why should I listen to you?"


    "Well, in that case, I¡¯ll just call the police. Fortunately, one of my friends is a police officer. You won¡¯t listen to me, so I¡¯ll let her talk to you. But just so you know, kidnapping is a serious crime, punishable by at least ten years in prison."


    "Whatever, it wasn¡¯t me anyway."


    "If not you, then how do you know it wasn¡¯t your son?"


    Hearing this, Zheng Guozhong suddenly hesitated, knowing his son all too well. He could assure his own innocence, but he couldn¡¯t be sure about his son.


    Seeing Ling Chen pulling out his phone, preparing to make a call, Zheng Guozhong hastily interrupted, "Stop, I¡¯ll call Guangwu toe back."


    Momentster, the call was connected.


    "Hello, Guangwu, what are you doing?"


    "Dad, I¡¯m out drinking with the boys, something wrong?"


    "That Ling Chen came to our house, he said your sister disappeared from school, suspecting us of foul y, and now he¡¯s demanding we hand her over."


    "Is that so? Damn it, does that guy need a beating? How dare he trouble our family?"


    "Alright, don¡¯t talk about that now, juste back quickly."

 Chapter 146 - 143: Beasts (Part 1)_4

    <h4>Chapter 146: Chapter 143: Beasts (Part 1)_4</h4><h4></h4>


    "Alright, I¡¯ll call some brothers and rush back immediately."


    After hanging up the phone, Zheng Guangwu sneered coldly, tossing his cell phone onto the table. He looked up at Leng Feifei lying on the bed, dressed only in her underwear, and an uncontroble lust burst forth from his eyes.


    He walked to the bed and gently touched Leng Feifei¡¯s smooth cheek, which was met with her angry and resentful gaze.


    "Get your filthy hands off me," she gritted through her teeth.


    If she could, she would have loved to p him. s, her hands and feet were bound, rendering her incapable of movement.


    Zheng Guangwu seemed not to feel her rage, chuckling to himself, "My dear sister, I intended to take good care of you, but something came up unexpectedly. That guy named Ling Chen has gone to our house, and dad wants me to hurry back. You just wait. Once I¡¯ve dealt with that kid, I¡¯lle back to spend a delightful night with you."


    "Zheng Guangwu, you beast! I¡¯m your sister, how could you treat me like this? Be careful of retribution," Leng Feifei struggled as she pulled at the ropes binding her wrists.


    "You¡¯re only my sister in name, we¡¯re not blood-rted; it doesn¡¯t matter. To tell the truth, I¡¯ve wanted to do this for a long time. Who would¡¯ve thought that dad actually nned to give you to Qi Jianhui? If your pure and clean body were given to him, wouldn¡¯t it be like a fresh flower stuck on cow dung? Don¡¯t you agree, my dear sister? Rather than that, it¡¯s better to let me have you. After all, I¡¯ve taken care of you for over ten years, so it¡¯s only right for you to repay me."


    "You wish. I¡¯d rather die than let you seed."


    "Sister, there¡¯s no need to scare me. There¡¯s no one in this world who¡¯s not afraid of death. Besides, what era are we living in now? It¡¯s just a matter of giving me your first time; there¡¯s no need for suicidal drama. At worst, I¡¯ll pay for you to get it restored at the hospital," he said, ncing at the time, "I need to go back now, I¡¯lle back to keep youpanyter."


    Upon reaching the door, Zheng Guangwu, not feeling entirely at ease, returned to the bed and stuffed a piece of cloth into Leng Feifei¡¯s mouth.


    This small room was the temporary hideout he used with his brothers, often where they brought girls they snatched for overnight stays. The cabin was located in an abandoned factory, rarely tended to by anyone, and no one would hear even if she screamed her lungs out. But to be on the safe side, Zheng Guangwu still took extra precaution.


    Watching Zheng Guangwu leave, Leng Feifeiy numbly on the bed, tears streaming uncontrobly from her eyes, sliding down her cheeks, leaving shallow streaks.


    She could never have imagined that the man she had called brother for over a decade could do such a beastly thing.


    In fact, several years ago, she had already known of Zheng Guangwu¡¯s improper designs on her.


    Back when she was seventeen or eighteen, she discovered that a pinhole camera had been installed in her bathroom. There were only two men in the house, her father, and her brother; aside from them, she couldn¡¯t think of anyone else.


    Later, while Zheng Guangwu was out, she secretly entered his room and turned on hisputer. As expected, he had stored all the secretly filmed videos on hisputer, dozens of them, including a vast collection of photos.


    What was even more humiliating for her was that Zheng Guangwu had sold these videos and photos in a chat group.


    In that moment, she felt rage and resentment, and extreme thoughts shed through her mind.


    However, remembering the kindness the Zheng Family had shown her over the years, she eventually gave up the idea of calling the police. The Zheng Family had only one son, Zheng Guangwu, and she didn¡¯t want to ruin him or the Zheng Family because of herself.


    From then on, she intentionally distanced herself from Zheng Guangwu, worked hard to make money, hoping to move out one day.


    However, even after she moved out from the Zheng Family, she was still unable to escape their grasp. Thinking that her life would be ruined by Zheng Guangwu, her heart felt like it was bleeding, a pain beyondpare.


    "Ling Chen..."


    She thought to herself, recalling that Zheng Guangwu had mentioned Ling Chen had gone to the Zheng Family, most likely looking for her.


    At this moment, she could only pin all her hopes on Ling Chen.

 Chapter 147 - 144 Beasts (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 147: Chapter 144 Beasts (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    After waiting for about half an hour at Zheng Family¡¯s ce, Zheng Guangwu finally returned, apanied by a group of ten or so brothers.


    As soon as he entered, Zheng Guangwu immediately fixed his gaze on Ling Chen and said domineeringly, "Ling, what are you doing in my house? Get out now, or don¡¯t me me for being rude."


    "What were you doing just now?" Ling Chenpletely ignored his threat and asked directly.


    "Damn, who the hell are you to me, why should I tell you? Get lost, don¡¯t let me see you again."


    Ling Chen said calmly, "I will only ask you one question, where is Leng Feifei? Tell me, and I will leave immediately."


    Zheng Guangwu spat disdainfully and said with a look of disgust, "I have no contact with that ungrateful woman. Asking me is pointless. If you want to find her, go to the police yourself. I¡¯m not obliged to help you."


    Ling Chen took a step forward, walked up close to him, and stared into his eyes. Feeling the sharpness in his eyes, Zheng Guangwu unconsciously stepped back, his gaze shifting away.


    "Alright, I believe you. I hope you have nothing to do with this matter. Haozi, let¡¯s go."


    Coming out of the apartment building, they sat back in the car, and Nanrong Hao was about to start the engine when Ling Chen stopped him.


    "Don¡¯t rush, we need to wait, the person we¡¯re waiting for has not arrived yet."


    "Waiting for who?" Nanrong Hao asked, puzzled.


    "Zheng Guangwu. Leng Feifei¡¯s disappearance should be rted to him."


    "Chen, how do you know?"


    Ling Chen said indifferently, "Just now, when Zheng Guozhong called Zheng Guangwu, I heard their conversation. Zheng Guangwu said he was out drinking with the brothers, but when I approached him, I smelled no alcohol on him, which is enough to prove he was lying. Of course, this only shows there¡¯s something suspicious about him; it doesn¡¯t guarantee he¡¯s connected to Leng Feifei¡¯s disappearance."


    After sitting in the car for over ten minutes, Zheng Guangwu and his group of brothers came downstairs.


    The group smoked a few cigarettes downstairs, chatting andughing for a while before they each went their separate ways. Once the others had left, Zheng Guangwu walked alone to the street and hailed a taxi, which then drove onto the road.


    "Follow that taxi."


    After about twenty minutes of following the taxi, it gradually slowed down and stopped by the roadside.


    Seeing Zheng Guangwu get out, Ling Chen and Nanrong Hao immediately followed him, trailing behind him. Soon, the three of them, one after another, arrived at the entrance of an abandoned factory.


    Nanrong Hao hid in a corner, watching Zheng Guangwu enter the factory through a side door, and muttered, "In the middle of the night, he actuallyes to such a ce. Chen, it looks like you were right, this guy is very suspicious."


    "Of course, who do you think I am?" Saying so, Ling Chen took out his phone and dialed a number.


    After hanging up, Ling Chen instructed, "Haozi, you wait outside. Someone wille soon. I¡¯m going inside to find Leng Feifei."


    "Okay."


    Entering the factory, Ling Chen looked around. It was pitch dark, and the lighting was dim. After a short while, he noticed a lighting from one area of the factory and quickly walked towards it.


    At that moment, in a small room, Zheng Guangwu looked at Leng Feifei lying on the mattress, spread out in the shape of a cross, and felt a thirst in his throat, barely able to restrain himself.


    "Sweet sister, just wait, your brother wille to spoil you soon."


    Zheng Guangwu chuckled and, unable to wait, pulled out a packet of drugs from his pocket, then poured pre-bought mineral water into a ss.


    As the drug dissolved in the water, he picked up the cup, walked to the bedside, lifted Leng Feifei¡¯s head, and removed the cloth from her mouth.


    "Come on, drink this."


    "No way."


    Leng Feifei¡¯s face was ice-cold, and she coldly spat out two words, tightly closing her lips.


    "Listen, drink this and you¡¯ll have endless joy tonight."


    But Leng Feifei was unmoved, clenching her teeth tightly.


    When she heard the door sound earlier, she still held a glimmer of hope. But when she saw it was Zheng Guangwu entering, herst bit of hope turned into despair.


    "Feifei, you¡¯d better drink it willingly, don¡¯t force me to get rough."


    Zheng Guangwu frowned, and seeing that Leng Feifei still refused to open her mouth, he could no longer wait. He pressed her down on the bed, grabbed her mouth, and tried to force the water into it.


    However, Leng Feifei clenched her teeth firmly, leaving Zheng Guangwu without a solution.


    "Damn it."


    Already impatient, Zheng Guangwu cursed angrily and punched Leng Feifei in the abdomen.


    "Ah!"


    In pain, Leng Feifei couldn¡¯t help but cry out.


    Seizing the moment, Zheng Guangwu poured all the water from the teacup into her mouth. Although most of it sshed out, some still went down Leng Feifei¡¯s throat.


    Seeing this, Zheng Guangwu smirked triumphantly: "My dear sister, enjoy your night." Saying this, he put down the teacup, eagerly took off his shirt, his eyes bloodshot as he gazed at Leng Feifei¡¯s curvaceous body, ready to undress her and unveil the devilish figure beneath.


    Seeing his actions, Leng Feifei felt utterly devastated and involuntarily closed her eyes, tears gleaming at the corners.


    Bang!


    However, just at this critical moment, a loud noise suddenly came.


    Zheng Guangwu was startled and quickly turned his head towards the door. Immediately, he saw Ling Chen standing outside, watching him with a cold stare.


    "Is it you? How could you..."


    Before he could finish, Ling Chen rushed forward, pped him fiercely across the face, pulling him off the bed onto the ground.


    For a moment, Zheng Guangwu saw stars, unable to even tell directions.


    "Feifei, are you alright?"


    Ling Chen quickly untied the ropes binding Leng Feifei¡¯s wrists and ankles, his face filled with concern.


    "Ling Chen..." Leng Feifei blinked hard, her vision blurry and everything around her fuzzy. A sudden, searing heat rose within her, scorching her mind.


    "Feifei, Feifei!"


    Noticing her confused expression, Ling Chen shook her shoulders, trying to wake her up. However, it was ineffective. Leng Feifei¡¯s face grew redder, matching her exquisite beauty like a tempting apple, giving an urge to bite.


    That moment, Ling Chen noticed the remaining water stains on Leng Feifei and the teacup ced nearby, sparking a thought.


    He turned and scanned the area, quickly noticing a small bag of medicine discarded on the floor.


    Picking up the drug bag, he put it to his nose and sniffed, furrowing his brow instantly.


    Bastard! Absolutely despicable, using such cheap tricks on his own sister.


    Seeing Leng Feifei¡¯s body flush with a crimson hue, Ling Chen could no longer afford other concerns. He rushed to the bed, scooped her into his arms, ready to take her to the hospital for gastricvage.


    Who could have imagined, Leng Feifei suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling hard downwards. Suddenly, he crashed into that soft ce.


    "I... I can¡¯t do it anymore... please, help me..."

 Chapter 148 - 145 Beasts (Part Three)

    <h4>Chapter 148: Chapter 145 Beasts (Part Three)</h4><h4></h4>


    At this moment, Leng Feifei was so inebriated she could hardly think straight, her cheeks flushed red and her sensuous red lips ceaselessly approaching Ling Chen¡¯s face. Her pale, delicate hands danced wildly over his body, attempting to strip off his clothes.


    As he observed the mes of desire in Leng Feifei¡¯s eyes, Ling Chen endured the seduction, mentally crying out in distress.


    Should he continue to maintain his honorable virgin status, or seize this chance to enforce justice on the spot with Leng Feifei? He was indecisive.


    As a man, of course, he¡¯d lean towards thetter. Lust was taking over; who could resist it? If he felt nothing, he wouldn¡¯t be considered a man at all.


    Yet, he didn¡¯t want to take advantage of the situation in such a manner. After all, the rtionship between him and Leng Feifei hadn¡¯t progressed to that stage¡ªthey were merely friends. Deep down, he was quite a traditional man.


    After a brief inner struggle, he gritted his teeth and pushed the increasingly panting Leng Feifei onto the bed.


    "It¡¯s you who forced me, don¡¯t me me..."


    After muttering to himself, he made a swift move, striking hard at the back of Leng Feifei¡¯s neck. Instantly, she leaned sideways and copsed onto the pillow.


    Seeing Leng Feifei pass out, Ling Chen let out a sigh of relief, his gaze unintentionally falling onto the little tent he had pitched down below.


    "You damn thing, you have no willpower at all, unable to withstand even a bit of temptation," he scolded himself, and then turned to look at Zheng Guangwu on the floor.


    Feeling his stare, Zheng Guangwu turned pale, scrambling backward with hands and feet, urgently saying, "What... what are you going to do?"


    "You¡¯re lower than a beast, I¡¯d dirty my hands just by hitting you."


    While he was speaking, a flurry of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the small room.


    "Chen."


    Hearing Nanrong Hao¡¯s voice, Ling Chen replied, "Here,e in."


    No sooner had his words fallen than a figure appeared at the doorway, but it wasn¡¯t Nanrong Hao¡ªit was Xia Mutong. Ling Chen had just phoned her, asking her to hurry over as there was a kidnapping incident.


    Upon entering the room, Xia Mutong looked around and her brows immediately knitted together, "Ling Chen, what happened?"


    "There!" Ling Chen pointed at Zheng Guangwu, "He kidnapped my friend, drugged her, and attempted something sinister. Officer Xia, I leave him in your hands, deal with it as you see fit."


    "No... it¡¯s not like that, I¡¯ve been wronged," Zheng Guangwu was terrified and hastily defended himself.


    "Cut the crap, get up. Whether you¡¯re wronged or not, I¡¯ll find out for myself." Xia Mutong barked sternly, pressing him against the wall and then took out a pair of handcuffs to lock him up.


    After dealing with Zheng Guangwu, Xia Mutong turned to look at the flushed Leng Feifei, d only in her underwear, "How is she?"


    "She was drugged, and I was afraid she¡¯d lose control, so I knocked her out. You better call an ambnce quickly and take her to the hospital."


    Xia Mutong nodded and after contacting her colleagues with her phone, she walked over to the bed. Her gaze roved over Leng Feifei¡¯s snow-white skin and her graceful figure, her eyes shing with astonishment.


    "Ling Chen, you go out first, I¡¯ll help her put on her clothes."


    "That¡¯s... not very appropriate, is it?" Ling Chen hesitated.


    Xia Mutong said with dissatisfaction, "What do mean it¡¯s not very appropriate? I¡¯m a woman, so is she, are you still worried that something will happen?"


    Ling Chen curled his lip; if you were genuinely a woman, it wouldn¡¯t matter to him, but the problem is that you¡¯re a lesbian¡ªwho knows whether you¡¯d take advantage of Leng Feifei.


    Perhaps seeing right through Ling Chen¡¯s thoughts, Xia Mutong said angrily, "Ling Chen, you¡¯d better keep your filthy thoughts to yourself."


    "Uh... Ling Chen touched his nose, whatever, he wouldn¡¯t quibble with her, getting taken advantage of by a woman is always better than by a man.


    Thinking this, he left the small room with Nanrong Hao.


    After waiting outside for about ten minutes, a police car and an ambnce arrived at the scene, taking Zheng Guangwu and Leng Feifei respectively to the police station and hospital.


    Leng Feifei was still in a critical condition, and Ling Chen, concerned for her health, rushed to the hospital with Nanrong Hao.


    While Leng Feifei was being examined by the doctors, Nanrong Hao sneaked out to the balcony to make a phone call.


    Not long after, a young girl stepped out of the hospital elevator. In her early twenties, she was pretty with long ck hair, wearing a id shirt and light blue jeans, her figure tall and slender.


    Although the girl¡¯s appearance was not exceptionally beautiful, she had the kind of enduring beauty that gave off a gentle and graceful vibe.


    Seeing the girl approaching, Nanrong Hao hurriedly stood up, squeezed out a somewhat awkward smile, and waved to her.


    "Yuqing."


    "Where¡¯s Feifei?" the girl asked eagerly.


    "She¡¯s inside getting checked. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s nothing serious, she was lucky Chen was there in time to save her."


    Ling Chen looked at the girl named Yuqing with a smile, knowing without asking that she was the girl who had once dated Nanrong Hao, and had broken up because of Nanrong Wanqing.


    "Haozi, aren¡¯t you going to introduce me?"


    Nanrong Hao snapped back to reality and quickly said, "Yuqing, this is Ling Chen, Brother Chen, he¡¯s the one who saved Feifei."


    "Thank you," the girl said gratefully.


    "It¡¯s nothing, just lending a hand."


    "Brother Chen, her name is Jiang Yuqing, Feifei¡¯s roommate, and they are best friends."


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "Yuqing, we are all men here, it¡¯s not suitable for us to take care of her, so we have to ask you toe over. You¡¯ll have to work hard these next few days."


    "It¡¯s no problem, she¡¯s my friend, and it¡¯s right for me to take care of her."


    After the three of them sat down, Nanrong Hao and Jiang Yuqing both kept their mouths shut, not uttering a word, and looked down at their shoces. However, from time to time, they stole nces at each other, then quickly looked away as if afraid of being caught by the other.


    Seeing their actions, Ling Chen found it amusing. He cleared his throat, stood up, and said, "I¡¯m going to the restroom, you guys have a chat." Saying this, he subtly nudged Nanrong Hao, winked at him, signaling him to take initiative.


    Anyone could see that the two still cared for each other; they were just too embarrassed to speak up, so he chose to leave, to give them a chance.


    Walking along the corridor to the balcony, Ling Chen gazed at the glittering city lights and couldn¡¯t help but feel sentimental.


    After he left the service, he thought he¡¯d lead the simple life of a civilian, but things didn¡¯t go as nned, many events were beyond his control. Now, he might officially be out of Ghost, but in reality, he was still intricately tied to it.


    And then there was Nanrong Wanqing, to be precise, all this was because of Nanrong Wanqing.


    The bigger the tree, the more wind it catches; these words are indeed true.


    "What are you thinking about?"


    Suddenly, a gentle voice came from behind, soft as trickling stream water, soothing the soul.


    Ling Chen was taken aback, quickly turning his head, beholding a woman who seemed as if she had stepped out of a painting.

 Chapter 149 - 146: Meeting Zhu Xiaozhu Again

    <h4>Chapter 149: Chapter 146: Meeting Zhu Xiaozhu Again</h4><h4></h4>


    "Xiaozhu?"


    Ling Chen was somewhat surprised, but more than that, it should be delight.


    It had been weeks since theyst met and Zhu Xiaozhu was still as beautiful, her eyes brimming like pools of water, seemingly containing all the dazzling stars, irresistibly drawing one in.


    That smooth, creamy skin, incredibly moist; unconsciously, Ling Chen thought back to that time at the Martial Arts Academy, embracing a beauty, their skins touching, a restless excitement spontaneously surging inside him.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "I just arrived in East Sea City today, there were some things at the hospital that needed my help. I was nning to call you after I finished, but I saw you in the corridor just now as I was passing by, so I came over to say hi. What about you, what are you doing here?"


    "A friend had an ident, so I brought her here to get checked up. How are Little Hua and Mr. He doing? I¡¯ve been too busytely, I haven¡¯t had time to visit them."


    "They are all doing well. But, Mr. He didin about you a bit, saying you messed up his car." Zhu Xiaozhu added with concern, "I heard there was an incident at the Hongyu Groupst time, are you okay?"


    Ling Chen smiled and patted his robust chest, "Do I look like I¡¯m in trouble?"


    "That..." Zhu Xiaozhu hesitated slightly, then asked: "What about Nanrong Wanqing?"


    "She¡¯s also fine, just sustained some minor injuries, nothing serious."


    Hearing her bring up Nanrong Wanqing, Ling Chen grew even more curious. Whenever he mentioned Zhu Xiaozhu in front of Nanrong Wanqing, or vice versa, both women invariably chose to evade the topic and refused to discuss more.


    This always puzzled him; what exactly was the issue between them?


    Moreover, he had heard from Nanrong Hao that the Nanrong Family had deep connections with the Zhu Family. When they were young, Nanrong Wanqing always lived with the Zhu Family, thus she had a close rtionship with Zhu Hong. With that being the case, Zhu Xiaozhu and Nanrong Wanqing should be good friends, so why would they avoid each other?


    As he pondered, Nanrong Hao quickly approached, "Chen, the doctor hase out."


    "How is it?"


    "The doctor said it¡¯s not a big problem, but she needs to stay in the hospital to rest for two days. Yuqing will stay to take care of her."


    At this moment, Zhu Xiaozhu, who had been facing away from Nanrong Hao, turned around, smiled, and nodded politely to Nanrong Hao: "Long time no see."


    "Xiaozhu!" Nanrong Hao was stunned, his eyes filled with surprise.


    "Ling Chen, since you¡¯re busy, I¡¯ll leave you to it, I won¡¯t disturb you anymore." After saying this, Zhu Xiaozhu turned and left the balcony.


    Watching Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s retreating figure, Nanrong Hao was somewhat dazed, taking a while to snap back to reality.


    "Hey, have you had enough of looking?" Ling Chen pped the back of his head, jolting him awake.


    "Chen... Chen, it¡¯s Zhu Xiaozhu, really Zhu Xiaozhu." Nanrong Hao spoke incoherently.


    "I know it¡¯s her, so what. Look at you, you can¡¯t stay calm whenever you see a beauty."


    "No, it¡¯s not that." Nanrong Hao hurriedly exined, "I don¡¯t have any ulterior motives, just..."


    "Just what?" As he spoke, Ling Chen seemed to remember something, interestedly said, "Hey, Wanqing is your sister, you should be familiar with their rtionship, tell me, do they have some misunderstanding between them?"


    "That..." Nanrong Hao stammered, "I¡¯m not quite sure, they used to be like sisters, but I don¡¯t know why, suddenly their rtionship changed, ignoring each other, haven¡¯t seen each other for several years."


    Ling Chen looked at him skeptically, "You really don¡¯t know?"


    "Really! Chen, I have no reason to lie to you."


    "Alright, let¡¯s go check on Feifei."


    Returning to the hospital room, Leng Feifei was still unconscious. The doctor had administered a sedative, probably she would only wake up tomorrow.


    After talking with the doctor for a few moments and ascertaining that Leng Feifei was not in serious trouble, Ling Chen felt reassured and left the hospital with Nanrong Hao.


    "Haozi, how was your chat with your ex-girlfriend?" On the car ride, Ling Chen looked at Nanrong Hao, who was driving, and teased him.


    Nanrong Hao responded embarrassingly with a flushed face, "How could it be, just casually talking."


    "Do you think I¡¯m blind?" Ling Chen curled his lip, this guy had clearly been reluctant to leave the hospital when they left the room, watching Jiang Yuqing with eyes full of reluctance. If it wasn¡¯t for him pulling, he probably wouldn¡¯t have wanted to leave.


    "Chen, when we get backter, please don¡¯t mention Yuqing in front of my sister."


    "Why, are you afraid that she would scold you? I¡¯m telling you, being such a grown man, why fear your sister, just be firm in front of her. If you like Jiang Yuqing, just go for it, don¡¯t be like a woman, all timid and shy. Remember, happiness is in your own hands. If you don¡¯t try now, andter see the woman you like marrying another man, regretting for a lifetime won¡¯t help."


    When Ling Chen said this, he couldn¡¯t help but look out the car window, his clear eyes revealing a trace of nostalgia, his expressionplex.


    After more than ten minutes, they finally returned to the Nanrong Family. Ling Chen was about to get out of the car when suddenly the ringtone from his phone sounded in his pocket. He answered the call, saying hello, and heard Han Bing¡¯s voice on the other side: "Ling Chen, do you have some time?"


    "Mr. Han, what do you need?"


    Ling Chen knew, for Han Bing to personally call him, it must be something significant.


    "You go and find Tang Yuan, he¡¯s currently at the East Sea City branch. The matter you¡¯re about to deal with is very serious, you need to be mentally prepared."


    "Yes."


    Hanging up the call, Ling Chen moved to the driver¡¯s seat, took the keys from Nanrong Hao, and then started toying with the cell phone gifted by Han Bing.


    Inside the phone, there was a built-in software, which when opened, immediately disyed an electronic map. He entered his former code name from Ghost, and a shing red point immediately appeared on the map.


    After nning the route, he immediately started the car and drove towards the destination.


    After half an hour¡¯s drive, the Audi arrived at a secluded area, surrounded by alleys and bungalows, with few people on the streets, only a few dim lights shining on the road.


    Parking the car by the roadside, Ling Chen looked around, then walked down one of the alleys.


    At the end, there was a tightly closed iron door. Observant Ling Chen noticed that there were hidden cameras installed on both sides of the door. If it wasn¡¯t for his experience, it would be difficult for ordinary people to notice.


    He knocked on the door, and after a while, the iron door was opened from the inside. Seeing Tang Yuan poking his head out, Ling Chen walked in without saying a word.


    Passing through the living room, under Tang Yuan¡¯s guidance, Ling Chen entered a spacious and bright office.


    The office was over a hundred square meters, equipped with various precise instruments, with more than a dozen staff members busy at their desks.

 Chapter 150 - 147 Night Exploration

    <h4>Chapter 150: Chapter 147 Night Exploration</h4><h4></h4>


    "Old Tang, what do you want me for?"


    "Come in, everyone¡¯s waiting for you." Tang Yuan pushed open a door, gesturing for Ling Chen to enter first.


    This was an office less than twenty square meters in size, with several monitors hanging on the wall. The screens showed real-time images of two individuals, one was Han Bing, the other was Qiao Zhen.


    "Mr. Han, Elder General." Ling Chen greeted them.


    "Ling Chen, there were things I couldn¡¯t discuss over the phone just now, we¡¯ve set up a secure encrypted line here to avoid eavesdropping by outsiders." Han Bing began, "The syringe you had Tang Yuan send backst time has been tested, and the results are here with me and the General."


    "You cheekyd, the day at the old Chief¡¯s house, I mentioned the God Organization to you, do you remember?"


    Ling Chen nodded, "Elder General, please continue."


    "The reason the God Organization has be a public enemy is because they research forbidden drugs. They¡¯re keen on biological gic research, using it to modify human functions, enhancing the body. For these experiments, the God Organization has killed an unknown number of people. An imprecise tally suggests at least a thousand people have died because of the God Organization¡¯s experiments. The drug you sent the other day is indeed an enhancement drug. We havepared it with data collected from the God Organization decades ago, and this enhancement drug is 80% simr to the one they produced back then. However, the current enhancement drugs have been improved and are much less harmful to the body."


    Pausing for a moment, Qiao Zhen continued: "The drug you sent is just the most basic type of enhancement drug, but it¡¯s enough to show that the God Organization is rallying and they have made bigger breakthroughs in their research. At any rate, we must prevent such drugs from entering the country. Otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen immediately realized the gravity of the situation, "Elder General, do you have a n?"


    "There¡¯s no n for the moment, after all, the intelligence we¡¯ve collected is limited. However, there are several people who are quite suspicious, one of them is Zhu Hong, who you mentionedst time. We suspect Boyang Pharmaceutical Company is a front for the God Organization. If so, Zhu Hong is definitely involved with the God Organization, and I hope you and Tang Yuan can find out more about him soon."


    "Elder General, rest assured, I will do my best."


    "Alright, that¡¯s it for now, discuss the specifics with Tang Yuan, and I wish you luck." With that, the screens on the monitors turned gray.


    "Old Tang, what¡¯s the n?"


    Tang Yuan chuckled: "Didn¡¯t you ask me to keep a close watch on Zhu Hong? In the past week, I¡¯ve had people monitor his every move around the clock. Where he¡¯s been, what he¡¯s done, it¡¯s all on record. I¡¯ve just reviewed those records, and something very unusual hase up."


    "What¡¯s unusual?"


    "ording to the record, Zhu Hong has visited a psychiatric hospital. I¡¯ve checked that psychiatric hospital; it¡¯s a private institution established more than a decade ago with investment from a foreign medical equipment producer. However, what¡¯s strange is that details about this psychiatric hospital are very limited. I¡¯ve looked through various government departments, and this psychiatric hospital keeps a low profile; to this day, no one knows who the director is. Of course, that¡¯s not the key point; I¡¯ve looked carefully and although this psychiatric hospital ims to have over thirty medical staff and about thirty to forty patients, not exceeding a hundred in total, they make food purchases for two hundred people every two days."


    Ling Chen pondered: "It seems that there are far more people in that psychiatric hospital than what¡¯s reported."


    "Exactly, so I suspect there is something fishy about that psychiatric hospital. What do you say, interested in checking it out with me?"


    "You¡¯ve spoken, how could I refuse?"


    "Great, let¡¯s get ready. We¡¯ll head out in half an hour."


    ...


    Night fell like ink, with no star or moonlight.


    At this moment, it was nearing midnight.


    Outside the psychiatric hospital located in the suburbs, two shadows were moving swiftly towards it. In the blink of an eye, the figures reached the base of the surrounding wall.


    "Old Tang."


    Ling Chen pointed upwards, towards some surveince cameras positioned every ten meters along the top of the wall.


    Tang Yuan got the message, immediately cupping his hands together and cing them at his waist. Seeing this, Ling Chen stepped on them to vault over the two-meter-high wall.


    The cameras were facing the inside of the wall. Ling Chen cautiously moved in front of a camera, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a dagger and a device the size of a mobile phone.


    Using the dagger to slice open the outer covering of the camera¡¯s connecting wire, he pulled out red and blue wires from the device and mped them onto the camera¡¯s connection. Shortly after, an image appeared on the device.


    After freezing the image and setting it up properly, Ling Chen signaled to Tang Yuan below and then flipped over the wall, crawling onto the grass.


    He looked around; not far away were two men in suits, pacing back and forth, monitoring the surrounding security.


    "Shall we take one each?" Tang Yuan, who had caught up from behind, suggested.


    Ling Chen thought for a moment, then shook his head: "We better not cause any disturbance for now. Our main task tonight is to collect evidence; there¡¯s no need to engage them." With that, he pointed a direction, "Let¡¯s circle around to the back."


    Along the perimeter of the wall, under the cover of night, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan crept forward. Soon after, they arrived at the rear of the hospital.


    At that moment, the two noticed that a line of more than a dozen suited bodyguards emerged from the back entrance of the hospital. Following that, therge back gate slowly opened, and a truck towing a container drove inside.


    It took over twenty minutes to unload the container. Then, two forklifts lifted it, transporting it into the hospital¡¯s underground garage.


    After all the suited bodyguards left, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan stood up and quickly made their way towards the underground parking lot.


    The appearance of a transport truck at this time was certainly unusual. They were keen to find out what was inside that container.


    However, when the two arrived at the entrance to the underground parking lot, they saw it guarded by five suited bodyguards, sealing off the entrance.


    To get in, they would have to pass these men.


    As the container vanished from their sight, Ling Chen frowned slightly, quickly pondering his next move.


    "Let¡¯s make a move," suggested Tang Yuan.


    Ling Chen hesitated, about to agree when suddenly the back door of the hospital opened again, and a doctor in a white coat came out.


    "Old Tang, follow me."


    The moment the words fell, Ling Chen dashed forward, pressing close against the wall beside the back door, his gaze fixed unblinkingly on the doctor.

 Chapter 151 - 148: Night Exploration (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 151: Chapter 148: Night Exploration (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    The man in the whiteb coat stood outside the back door entrance, pulling a cigarette from behind his ear and started smoking it leisurely. He seemed to be enjoying himself, as if he was out to satisfy his craving for nicotine.


    Seeing Tang Yuan beside him making eye signals, Ling Chen gestured for him to be patient.


    The entrance at the back door was secured with an electronic password lock, which could not be cracked immediately, so they had to quietly wait for the right moment. When the cigarette was finished, the whiteb coat turned back, entered the password, and with a light ¡¯click¡¯, the door opened automatically.


    The moment the whiteb coat stepped through the back door, Ling Chen quickly took three steps in two strides, rushing forward to catch the door before it could close.


    Listening as the footsteps inside faded away, he let out a slight sigh of relief, then opened a small crack in the back door and peered inside.


    "Safe!"


    Ling Chen signaled to Tang Yuan and darted into the back entrance.


    Upon entering, they faced a corridor, with an elevator door at the end. Other than that, there was no other way.


    Looking at the elevator not ten meters away, Ling Chen did not proceed directly but pointed to the surveince camera outside the elevator. Tang Yuan understood immediately, pulling a thumb-sized sphere from his pocket and gently rolling it across the floor.


    When the sphere rolled beneath the surveince camera, Tang Yuan pressed a button lightly, and instantly, the sphere burst open releasing an invisible sh of electricity.


    "OK!"


    Ling Chen nodded, quickly advanced to the elevator door, and opened it.


    Although the Ghost Organization was small in size, they possessed all the top military technologies in the country. The sphere had emitted a scrambling signal, momentarily disabling the surveince camera for a few seconds, which was enough for Ling Chen and Tang Yuan to make their move.


    Entering the elevator, Ling Chen pressed the button for the underground parking garage. Shortly after, they reached the floor where the parking garage was located.


    The parking garage was over a thousand square metersrge and housed more than twenty vehicles, with suited bodyguards stationed throughout.


    Ling Chen scanned the area but did not notice the whereabouts of therge shipping container; it had probably been moved already.


    Tang Yuan patted Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder and jerked his chin towards a nearby slope. Ling Chen focused and saw two forklifts slowly returning up the ramp from the parking garage.


    In an instant, Ling Chen understood his hint. Those forklifts had moved the shipping container; what they were looking for should be at the bottom of that slope.


    The two of them crouched behind a car and in less than ten minutes, the suited bodyguards gradually withdrew, and even the big doors of the underground parking garage were closed.


    "Let¡¯s go!" Whispering softly, Ling Chen took the lead, nimbly dodging the surrounding surveince cameras and sneakily making his way to the bottom of the slope using the blind spots.


    However, once they reached the bottom of the slope, they were surprised to find that there was a warehouse over a hundred square metersrge. Besides some scattered misceneous items piling up, there was no sign of the shipping container.


    Tang Yuan muttered, "Could we havee to the wrong ce?"


    Ling Chen scanned the surroundings, his eyes suddenly lit up and he said with a slight smile, "The ce is right. Look!"


    In the corner formed by two walls of the warehouse, a surveince device was installed, with the camera facing the opposite wall. If there wasn¡¯t something important here, why bother to install a surveince camera, and particrly in that direction?


    At the moment, he walked to the corner of the wall, patted his own shoulder, and gestured for Tang Yuan to stand on it.


    Within two minutes, with theirbined efforts, the surveince camera was quickly dealt with. Once the screen was frozen, Tang Yuan put away the equipment and hurried to the wall.


    The wall was coated with ayer of snow-white paint. Ling Chen and Tang Yuan searched for a long time on both sides, but couldn¡¯t find any mechanism.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen helplessly spread his hands and said, "There¡¯s nothing we can do; this door can probably only be opened from the inside."


    "What should we do then?" Tang Yuan was somewhat unwilling. After finally finding this secret of the mental hospital, were they supposed to leave empty-handed?


    "If you ask me, we..."


    Before Ling Chen could finish his sentence, suddenly, the wall began to rise slowly.


    Exchanging a nce, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan reacted quickly, swiftly dashing to the sides of the wall and hiding behind some piled-up clutter.


    Before long, the entire wall had risen, and a forklift carrying a shipping container slowly drove out from behind it.


    Ling Chen watched the forklift¡¯s tires and nodded to himself. When those two forklifts had brought the shipping containers in earlier, he had noticed the tires getting almost crushed, indicating that the containers were very heavy. Now, with only one forklift transporting the container, the contents must have been unloaded.


    Taking advantage of the wall not being fully closed yet, Ling Chen rolled on the spot and entered behind the wall.


    However, as he passed through the wall, he happened to see two armed guards walking away from him. He was slightly startled, nced around, and quickly moved towards some iron boxes ced nearby.


    Just after hiding, the two guards seemed to hear a noise from behind and immediately turned back. But, Ling Chen had already preemptively hidden out of their sight.


    After the two guards walked away, Tang Yuan stealthily came from the other side, whispering, "What in the world is this ce?"


    "This appears to be an air-raid shelter left from before," Ling Chen guessed. "They¡¯re quite clever to have converted this into a secret base."


    Finishing speaking, he changed the subject, "Old Tang, let¡¯s split up and try to gather enough evidence. We¡¯ll meet back here in half an hour."


    "Alright, take care of yourself."


    Despite it being midnight, the secret base was still brightly lit. Nearby, several doctors in whiteb coats were bustling about, moving in and out of rooms.


    Ling Chen looked at the surrounding structures, grabbed the steel beams connected to the wall surface, and climbed to the top of the air-raid shelter, looking down over this secret base.


    The base was divided into three areas: aboratory, a warehouse, and a living area. At a nce, there were nearly a hundred people in the base. In addition to the scientific staff, there were security personnel and workers.


    What worried Ling Chen was the high level of security there. There were frequent guard posts and watch points, heavily guarded.


    His mission this time was to gather intelligence, necessitating a stealthy infiltration without leaving any trace to avoid startling the enemy. After observing for a few minutes, he suddenly noticed several men pushing movable iron beds towards the warehouse. It seemed like there were people lying on those iron beds, covered with white cloths.


    "Ling Chen, I¡¯ve reached theboratory."


    Hearing Tang Yuan¡¯s voice through the earpiece, Ling Chen made a quick decision to go check out the warehouse.


    Since the security personnel were all located on the ground level, to avoid their gaze, Ling Chen decided to sneak in through the venttion ducts.

 Chapter 152 - 149 Night Exploration (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 152: Chapter 149 Night Exploration (Part 3)</h4><h4></h4>


    The venttion duct was extremely cramped; Ling Chen crawled on the ground, unable to extend his arms fully and could only inch forward by alternating his elbows. He had already determined the general direction to the warehouse and, after traveling about forty meters along the venttion duct, a wire mesh appeared in his line of sight.


    Gazing through the wire mesh, he saw a sealed room filled with numerous boxes on the outside.


    Seeing that there was no one in the room, Ling Chen dug his fingers into the wire mesh, preparing to push it aside. But at that moment, he caught a glimpse of a red light out of the corner of his eye and was suddenly startled, hastily halting his hand.


    After confirmation, he felt a surge of relief; it was fortunate he had noticed it in time, otherwise, he would have surely alerted the base¡¯s security.


    An infrared surveince device had been installed outside the venttion duct. If he had pushed the wire mesh open, it would definitely be detected and trigger an rm.


    Immediately, he took out a small pair of needle-nose pliers and cut a slit in the wire mesh. Then, he extended his arm out, touching the infrared surveince device, found its wiring, and gently snipped it.


    After the device had been disabled, he let out a breath, pushed the wire mesh aside, and leaped into the warehouse.


    After sessfully entering the warehouse, he looked around and headed straight for a steel box about half a person¡¯s height. However, the steel box was controlled by a six-digit code lock. Without knowing thebination, it was very difficult to force open, and there was no time for such attempts.


    He felt the surface of the steel box, which was ice-cold to the touch. Clearly, the steel box was equipped with a built-in refrigeration system. Such boxes were generally used to store medicine or other biological materials.


    Moving elsewhere, Ling Chen opened several ordinary boxes, each filled with various medical equipment.


    Based on these things alone, there wasn¡¯t enough evidence to convict. He believed that what was inside that steel box was likely to be the crucial evidence, but unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t open it.


    After searching the warehouse for ten minutes, Ling Chen found another door adjacent to the warehouse.


    The door was not locked, and Ling Chen pushed it open and entered. Instantly, a chill hit him. Looking around, the room¡ªnorger than a hundred square meters¡ªhoused dozens of iron beds, all covered with white cloths.


    "Is this... a morgue?"


    His expression changed slightly as he quickly approached an iron bed nearby, lifted the white cloth, and a pale male corpse was immediately revealed.


    Looking at the male corpse, Ling Chen¡¯s brow furrowed tightly.


    The corpse had been dissected, leaving a long incision in the abdomen that had not been sewn up, vaguely revealing the body¡¯s internal organs. Looking at the corpse¡¯s face, it was terrifying, with an agape mouth and wide-open eyes, indicating the immense pain endured before death.


    Additionally, with a keen eye, he also noticed four or five tiny needle holes on each of the corpse¡¯s arms.


    For a hospital to have a morgue wasn¡¯t strange, but this was a psychiatric hospital, primarily focused on convalescence, and moreover, this morgue was located in a secret facility, which definitely wasn¡¯t ordinary.


    With this thought, he took out the miniature camera he carried and photographed the corpse, not overlooking any detail.


    Then, he checked over ten more bodies, with each case being broadly the same. However, what he found odd was that almost all the bodies ced here were male, with no females.


    After collecting evidence, he turned around to leave the morgue, ready to meet up with Tang Yuan. Tang Yuan had infiltrated theboratory; he presumably had gathered more direct and effective evidence.


    Walking past the warehouse, Ling Chen was about to return the way he hade. But at that moment, he suddenly stopped in his tracks, then immediately cast his gaze around.


    "There¡¯s a noise!"


    He was certain he hadn¡¯t misheard; indeed, he had just heard a faint sound while walking over.


    After a moment of hesitation, he went back the way he came, and after a dozen meters, the sound came again. But the warehouse was empty¡ªwhere was the sounding from?


    In his puzzlement, a thought struck him, and he looked down at his feet.


    The floor of the warehouse wasid with square steel tes, but on the steel te beneath his feet, there was also a pull ring.


    He grabbed the pull ring and slowly lifted it. As the steel te opened, numerous eyes focused on Ling Chen.


    "This..."


    Upon seeing this scene, Ling Chen was immediately stunned. Below the steel te, dozens of people were imprisoned, mostly men, including a few women and two or three teenage boys.


    These people looked at Ling Chen with faces full of fear and apprehension, drawing back in fright, with terror reaching an extreme in their eyes.


    "Let me out, please let us out!" a man pleaded.


    As soon as he spoke, others began to plead, asking Ling Chen to spare them.


    "Shh!" Fearing to attract the attention of the guards outside, Ling Chen quickly made a silencing gesture, "I¡¯m not a bad guy, don¡¯t be afraid." After speaking, he continued to ask, "How were you captured?"


    A woman sobbed and said, "I was at the hospital for a check-up, and then I suddenly passed out unwittingly. When I woke up, I was already lying inside a container with other people."


    A container?


    Ling Chen¡¯s mind stirred; it turned out that the container he had seen before was filled with these people.


    "Everyone, calm down for now, I¡¯ll find a way to rescue you all."


    Standing up, he walked aside and pressed the inte, "Old Tang, respond if you hear this."


    "I hear you. I¡¯ve almost finished gathering evidence on my end. Any findings on your side?"


    Ling Chen nced at the imprisoned people and let out a wry smile, "I¡¯ve got a big haul on my side. I discovered over thirty detained citizens in the warehouse; they must have been brought in through the container we just saw."


    "What should we do?" Anxiety tinged Tang Yuan¡¯s voice.


    "No matter what, we must save these people."


    Tang Yuan suggested, "Why don¡¯t we pull out for now, submit the evidence, ande back with people tomorrow?"


    "That won¡¯t do. They¡¯ve captured so many people, they definitely n to use them for experiments. If we dy even a day, there¡¯s no guarantee some won¡¯t die. Immediately contact Mr. Han and have him dispatch people to surround this psychiatric hospital. Anyway, since we¡¯ve collected the evidence, it should be enough to convict them."


    "Okay. Prepare yourself, because gathering a team on short notice might take at least an hour even if they hurry."


    "No matter, if ites to it, we¡¯ll take direct action. Lives are at stake; we have to get these people out first."


    "I¡¯ll cover you from outside, you be careful."


    After the conversation, Ling Chen turned off the inte, looked at the people imprisoned below, and said, "Stay inside for now, don¡¯t make any noise, backup is on the way. I promise, when it arrives, I will definitely rescue you all."


    "Thank you."


    Ling Chen gave a slight smile, "You can thank me after you¡¯ve escaped."

 Chapter 153 - 150: Change of Plan

    <h4>Chapter 153: Chapter 150: Change of n</h4><h4></h4>


    Closing the steel panel, Ling Chen walked alone to a secluded corner of the warehouse and hid away, quietly waiting for reinforcements to arrive.


    He checked the time, it was just past midnight, and the reinforcements called by Tang Yuan wouldn¡¯t arrive until around 1 a.m.


    At this moment, outside a luxurious vi in East Sea City, Zhu Hong stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the entrance of themunity, eagerly anticipating.


    Soon after, a Mercedes sedan slowly drove up and stopped outside the door.


    Zhu Hong¡¯s mouth curved into an attractive smile as he quickly walked to the rear car door and opened it. Immediately, a woman as gentle as water stepped out from the car.


    "Xiaozhu, it¡¯s been a long time."


    Zhu Hong spread his arms, pulled Zhu Xiaozhu into his embrace, and gently stroked her hair.


    "Big brother." Zhu Xiaozhu couldn¡¯t suppress the happiness in her eyes, her face beaming with joy.


    "Sorry for calling you sote. Thest time I returned to Beijing, you were in East Sea City, and I didn¡¯t see you. I called Mom and Dad today, they said you are in East Sea City, so I couldn¡¯t wait to see you."


    Zhu Xiaozhu smiled, "It¡¯s okay, we haven¡¯t seen each other for years, I woulde no matter howte it is."


    "Let¡¯s go inside and talk."


    Zhu Xiaozhu nodded and let Zhu Hong take her hand and walk into the vi.


    Once seated, Zhu Hong waved his hand and had the suit-d bodyguards leave the living room, then picked up a bottle of red wine, "Little sister, would you like some?"


    "Thank you, but I¡¯m not too fond of alcohol."


    "Red wine is good for the skin, but of course, my sister is naturally beautiful and doesn¡¯t need any enhancement to surpass other women," Zhu Hong praised generously.


    "Big brother, where have you been all these years? We heard nothing from you, and the family was very worried."


    "In the past few years, thepany was keen on charity work, assigning me to a remote area with tough conditions, no water, no electricity. It took five years to build a hospital there, improving the local environment and allowing the poor local poption to connect with society. I was too busy and it was not convenient, so I hardly contacted the family. But, my hard work during those five years was not in vain; look, I am now the head of Boyang Pharmaceutical in Asia."


    Zhu Xiaozhu nodded with augh, her eyes filled with admiration, "I heard from our parents when Ist went home. Big brother, you¡¯re capable, and I¡¯ve always believed you¡¯d make something of yourself. Your achievements today also bring glory to the Zhu Family."


    "Little sister, it¡¯s been years since we met. I heard from our parents that you haven¡¯t settled down yet," Zhu Hong changed the subject.


    Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s face turned slightly red, "I¡¯m still young, not in a hurry."


    "You¡¯re already in your twenties, it¡¯s better for women to marry early, can¡¯t dy too long. I know many talented young men, would you like your big brother to introduce you to some?"


    "Big brother, I appreciate your kindness. However, I value fate more; when the right timees, everything will naturally fall into ce."


    While saying this, Zhu Xiaozhu unconsciously thought of that man.


    "Alright, alright, since you¡¯re unwilling, I won¡¯t force you. I hope you can find your ideal man soon. When you get married, I will definitely give you a big gift."


    "Thank you, big brother."


    "Oh, by the way, little sister, I heard you¡¯ve been staying at Qingyun Martial Arts Hall in East Sea City? I will be staying in East Sea City from now on. Whenever youe to East Sea City, just stay here at my ce, don¡¯t bother others. After all, we are family, and outsiders are still outsiders, we should not always trouble people."


    "It¡¯s okay, Mr. He is a good person. Besides, as an elderly, he sometimes needspany too."


    "As far as I know, besides Mr. He, there is also a little girl named Little Hua living there."


    At the mention of Little Hua, Zhu Xiaozhu smiled suddenly, radiating beauty like a blooming begonia.


    "Little Hua is a wonderful girl, adorable and smart. Next time, I¡¯ll bring her along to meet you."


    "Great, I¡¯ll treat you all to a meal when you¡¯re free."


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, half an hour had passed.


    Ling Chen sat in the corner, patiently waiting.


    "Hey, Ling Chen, hold on, reinforcements will arrive in forty minutes."


    Hearing Tang Yuan¡¯s voice from the earpiece, Ling Chen silently prayed, hoping to calmly get through these forty minutes.


    However, the more you worry about something, the more likely it is to happen.


    Just after finishing the conversation with Tang Yuan, a series of footsteps immediately reached Leng Xuan¡¯s ears. He immediately stood up, touched the box, carefully lifted his head, and looked in the direction from where the sounds wereing.


    Instantly, he saw two uniformed security guards walking side by side, picking up something from the floor.


    "You, and you,e out," one of the guards pointed at two people.


    "No, I don¡¯t want to go out!" the two men named backed away fearfully.


    Seeing they were notplying, the guard cocked his gun, pointed it at one man¡¯s head, and said sternly, "I¡¯ll count to three, and if you don¡¯t get out, believe it or not, I¡¯ll shoot you."


    At this moment, Ling Chen quietly moved behind the two guards.


    Taking advantage of their unawareness, he suddenly charged forward, grabbed both their heads with his hands, and then forcefully banged them together.


    Apanied by two muffled groans, the two guards immediately copsed onto the floor.


    "Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here."


    With that, Ling Chen closed the steel door again and dragged the bodies of the two guards into the corner.


    "Old Tang, I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t wait forty minutes. I just dealt with two guards, they¡¯ll soon discover."


    "Understood, let¡¯s y it by ear."


    Less than two minutester, the walkie-talkies on the two guards began to ring.


    "Hello, Zhang Qiang, why haven¡¯t the people been brought over yet, respond."


    Ling Chen turned off the walkie-talkies on them, his gaze fixed on the entrance of the warehouse.


    "Ling Chen, six people are heading your way."


    Hearing Tang Yuan¡¯s warning, Ling Chen replied with a ¡¯got it.¡¯ Then, he got up and moved to the side of the warehouse entrance, crouching down, holding Wolf Kiss tightly in his hand.


    Soon, with a ¡¯click¡¯, the electronic door opened, and six security guards entered in single file.


    The moment the electronic door closed, Ling Chen, who was lying in wait, suddenly leapt up and pounced towards thest security guard.


    Wolf Kiss shed, and a spray of blood sttered. Before the other five could react, Ling Chen had already easily dispatched one enemy.


    Taking advantage of the moment they turned their heads, Ling Chen pounced again, sticking close to their bodies, denying them any opportunity to shoot.


    In less than ten seconds, the sharp fangs of Wolf Kiss had passed over the necks of the five men, leaving six bodies on the ground.


    ...


    Inside the vi.


    Zhu Hong sat on the luxurious leather sofa, still chatting with Zhu Xiaozhu, reminiscing about the past.


    Just then, a suited bodyguard hurried over, whispering a few words in his ear. Instantly, Zhu Hong¡¯s face changed dramatically, and he stood up abruptly.


    "Big Brother, what¡¯s wrong?"


    "Little sister, I have an urgent matter to attend to, I can¡¯t stay with you any longer, I¡¯ll have someone send you backter." After speaking, Zhu Hong strode out.

 Chapter 154 - 151 Crisis

    <h4>Chapter 154: Chapter 151 Crisis</h4><h4></h4>


    Watching Zhu Hong hurry away, Zhu Xiaozhu felt something odd, given it was sote, what emergency could there be?


    She followed Zhu Hong out of the vi and saw three Mercedes-Benz cars parked at the door; Zhu Hong got directly into the middle one. Although Zhu Hong never mentioned what happened, Zhu Xiaozhu could tell that Zhu Hong¡¯s face was ashen, a far cry from his usual gentle smile, his eyes revealing urgency.


    As the three Mercedes-Benz cars left the vi, a suited bodyguard approached Zhu Xiaozhu, respectfully saying, "Miss Zhu, your car is ready, I¡¯ll take you back."


    After a twenty-minute drive, Zhu Xiaozhu finally returned to Qingyun Martial Arts Hall.


    Entering the hall of the martial arts academy, Zhu Xiaozhu saw Little Hua sitting alone on a chair, eating something.


    "Xiaozhu!" Seeing Zhu Xiaozhu return, Little Hua immediately bounced and jumped to greet her, affectionately grabbing her arm.


    "Why aren¡¯t you sleeping at thiste hour?"


    "The master went out and told me to wait for you at home."


    "Mr. He left?" Zhu Xiaozhu was surprised; in her memory, He Ziyun always stayed in the academy and rarely went out, especially thiste at night, "Did Mr. He say what he was going to do?"


    Little Hua grinned and said, "I don¡¯t know, he didn¡¯t tell me. Xiaozhu, will you sleep with me tonight?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu nodded gently, but felt an inexplicable unease rising in her heart, leaving her mood unsettled for a long time.


    ...


    Located in the psychiatric hospital¡¯s secret base.


    Ling Chen cleaned up the previously dealt bodies, moved them to a ce unseen, then continued guarding in the warehouse, secretly protecting the captured citizens.


    "Ling Chen, you¡¯d best move them quickly, the base¡¯s security personnel are already heading toward the warehouse."


    Hearing Tang Yuan¡¯s reminder, Ling Chen frowned slightly, "Can you help me buy some time?"


    "Okay, I¡¯ll try my best."


    As soon as that was said, a burst of gunfire immediately rang out outside the warehouse.


    Seizing the moment, Ling Chen quickly pulled open a metal te on the floor, urging, "Everybody,e out quickly."


    Then, with Ling Chen¡¯s help, over thirty citizens climbed out. "Follow me." Ling Chen looked around, then led them into the morgue.


    Upon seeing the room full of dead bodies, everyone¡¯s faces turned pale, feeling an eerie and prative horror.


    Ling Chen instructed, "Everyone, stay here and don¡¯t go out." After saying that, he quickly walked out of the morgue, locked the door, and alone returned to the warehouse.


    At that moment, outside the warehouse, a fully armedbat squad was assembled, ready to storm in and capture the intruder.


    Just as thebat squad was about to act, a researcher in a whiteb coat hurried over, anxiously shouting, "Put down all your guns, none of the operatives are to carry guns."


    The squad leader¡¯s face turned cold, "Are you joking with me?"


    "This warehouse contains experimental agents stored at low temperatures. If a bullet identally hits those thermal boxes, causing the agents to leak, it would be unimaginable, no one in the entire base would survive."


    Hearing this, the squad members hesitated.


    After contemting for a moment, the squad leaderpromised, saying, "Everyone switch to stun guns."


    Minutes passed, Ling Chen leaned against a box, listening to the noises outside, his hand tightly gripping Wolf Kiss. Soon, the shutter door of the warehouse slowly rose, three or four smoke grenades were thrown in first, followed by several ¡¯bangs¡¯ noises, filling the warehouse with smoke.


    Ling Chen smirked, as expected, standardbat procedure. These smoke grenades, while covering their tracks, could also provide him cover.


    Then, he crouched and sneaked around from behind the boxes, charging into the spreading smoke.


    The visibility in the smoke was very low, but Ling Chen didn¡¯t need his eyes; instead, he located the enemy¡¯s position by their footsteps. Soon, he locked onto one of them and quickly closed in.


    Reaching behind the man, he suddenly stretched out both hands, grabbed the man¡¯s head, and twisted forcefully.


    There was a cracking sound, and the enemy¡¯s neck was instantly broken, his body limp on the ground.


    Following that, Ling Chen searched the man¡¯s body, found two smoke grenades, and continued to throw them around.


    "Who? Who is throwing smoke grenades?" a man shouted.


    Hearing the voice, Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately rushed towards the man¡¯s location. In just moments, he had taken down another enemy.


    At this time, researchers in white coats outside the warehouse were directing their subordinates to begin the evacuation process, destroying allputer data, and packing and transporting valuable items away. Besides the twobat teams responsible for capturing the intruders, an additional security team of more than twenty people was tasked with ensuring the safety of the evacuating personnel.


    "What about the experimental drugs in the warehouse?"


    "This..." The man in the white coat hesitated, those experimental drugs were the base¡¯s most important assets, and they absolutely could not fall into outsiders¡¯ hands.


    While he pondered, his cellphone suddenly rang.


    "Hello, Mr. Zhu."


    "How much longer until you evacuate?"


    "We can finish in ten minutes."


    "Move the confidential files and the experimental drugs, never mind the rest."


    "Mr. Zhu, those experimental drugs are stored in the warehouse; our people are still there capturing the intruders, we might not have enough time."


    Mr. Zhu on the phone paused for a moment, his tone suddenly turned cold: "Don¡¯t worry about those, take your men and evacuate immediately. I¡¯m only giving you ten minutes, you better hurry."


    "Yes."


    After hanging up, the white-coated man quickly urged his subordinates to move everything to the evacuation route.


    Boyang Company Headquarters.


    In the spacious office, Zhu Hong was sitting beside his desk; front of him were two monitors disying more than ten surveince feeds, all streamed in real-time from the secret base.


    Watching the chaotic base, Zhu Hong¡¯s face was ashen, his eyebrows tightly knitted, and his right hand on the desk clenched into a fist.


    "Do you know who did this?" he gritted his teeth, squeezing a few words out through clenched teeth.


    "Boss, we haven¡¯t found out yet."


    "A bunch of useless trash," Zhu Hong scolded angrily, "I spent so much money on the security system, and it didn¡¯t even detect the intruders, what use do I have for you?"


    A group of people stood opposite the desk, heads down, not uttering a word, not daring to meet Zhu Hong¡¯s gaze.


    Zhu Hong exhaled, trying to calm his raging emotions, and coldly asked, "How is the evacuation proceeding?"


    "Theb¡¯s research staff and important confidential files have been safely evacuated."


    "What about the others?"


    "There are still more than sixty people in the base..."


    "Forget about them, immediately seal all passages, activate the self-destruct program, and leave no traces."


    "Yes."

 Chapter 155 - 152: Self-Destruct Program

    <h4>Chapter 155: Chapter 152: Self-Destruct Program</h4><h4></h4>


    Several minutes passed, and the smoke inside the warehouse gradually dissipated. The ground was littered with eliminated enemies, with only Ling Chen standing.


    He holstered Wolf Kiss, wiped off the fresh blood remaining on his hand, and then contacted Tang Yuan on the walkie-talkie.


    "Old Tang, where are you?"


    "I¡¯m outside the warehouse. Ling Chen, you¡¯d better get out quick, we¡¯re in big trouble."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen immediately rushed towards the outside of the warehouse.


    Coming out of the warehouse, Ling Chen saw that there were still many people in the base, but these people were all minding their own business, and no one was paying attention to him.


    "Ling Chen, over here."


    Looking up, Ling Chen quickly went to Tang Yuan¡¯s side and asked, "What¡¯s the matter?"


    "The exits of the base have all been sealed, and there¡¯s this." Tang Yuan gestured towards the LCD monitor installed on the wall.


    Instantly, a row of red numbers on the monitor¡¯s screen kept jumping.


    Six minutes forty seconds!


    Six minutes thirty-nine seconds!


    ...


    Watching the numbers gradually decrease, Ling Chen needed no exnation to understand their meaning.


    "They¡¯ve initiated the self-destruct sequence."


    Tang Yuan nodded, his expression grave, "I¡¯ve just checked, the steel tes at the exits are ten centimeters thick; it¡¯s impossible to break through. Those doors are remotely controlled, and they can¡¯t be opened from inside the base."


    "What about backup?"


    "It will take another ten minutes to arrive."


    Ling Chen¡¯s pupils tightened. By the time the backup forces arrived, they would have long been blown to smithereens. No, they must find a way to escape the base.


    Thinking this, he quickly returned to the warehouse. Soon after, he came back to Tang Yuan¡¯s side with a pile of grenades.


    "Let¡¯s try this."


    Tang Yuan immediately caught on, took a few grenades, lined them up, and ced them in the gaps of the iron door, linking them with a thin rope.


    After everything was ready, the two retreated thirty meters away, hiding in a corner of the wall. At Ling Chen¡¯s signal, Tang Yuan gently pulled the thin rope.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Suddenly, a series of earth-shattering explosions erupted, and the st waves caused the entire base to tremble, with dust falling from above.


    Ling Chen waved away the swirling dust in front of him and eagerly looked towards the iron door. However, the result was greatly disappointing; the iron door waspletely undamaged.


    At this moment, in the Boyang Company¡¯s office.


    Zhu Hong watched the monitoring screen tremble slightly with a massive amount of smoke appearing, and he couldn¡¯t help asking, "Has the self-destruct sequence detonated?"


    "No. We¡¯ve just detected an explosion inside the base, but it wasn¡¯t the self-destruct program."


    Zhu Hong frowned slightly, "Then what happened?"


    As soon as he finished speaking, aputer technician stood up, carrying aptop, and came to the office desk, cing the notebook in front of Zhu Hong.


    "Boss, I¡¯ve locked onto two suspects through the monitoring footage. I¡¯ve checked the base¡¯s personnel list, and these two aren¡¯t on it." With that, he tapped the keyboard twice, and two images captured from the monitor were immediately erged.


    "It¡¯s them!"


    Seeing the two men in the picture, Zhu Hong¡¯s face immediately fell.


    "Ling Chen, it¡¯s you again, ruining my ns." He clenched his fists, teeth gritted, his eyes showing a hint of viciousness.


    "Keep a close eye on him for me; I want to watch him be blown to pieces."


    "Yes, boss."


    Time passed by the second.


    For Ling Chen, time now could only be counted in seconds, with minutes feeling extravagantly long.


    With only six minutes left, he must figure out a way to escape within six minutes, otherwise, they would undoubtedly die.


    At this time, the internal staff of the base had gathered in front of a round iron door, shouting loudly at the surveince cameras, in hopes that someone would open the evacuation passage and let them escape.


    But no one responded to them.


    Ling Chen entered theboratory, turned on theputer, and pulled up the base¡¯s blueprint, searching for an exit.


    "Old Tang, the venttion ducts should lead outside."


    "It¡¯s no use, I¡¯ve tried it. All venttion ducts have been sealed off; we can¡¯t get out. Once the self-destruct sequence is activated, all exits are sealed without exception, unless we can break through that iron door."


    Ling Chen frowned slightly; if that were true, they really had no hope left and would just be waiting to die. However, he wasn¡¯t someone who would resign himself to fate. As long as there was a glimmer of hope, he wouldn¡¯t give up.


    While speaking, Ling Chen saw a man in a suit sitting in a corner of theboratory, pale, covering his face, and crying.


    He approached, patted the man¡¯s shoulder, and asked, "Are you a staff member here?"


    "I take care of the logistics, everything from food to amodation."


    "Do you know this base well enough to tell if there are any other exits?"


    "If I knew that, why would I be sitting here waiting to die?"


    "Then do you know who controls this base?" Tang Yuan asked.


    "Apart from the key personnel, no one knows. Theboratory here is off-limits, we¡¯re not qualified to enter. They say they¡¯re doing cancer research, a national secret project. Everyone who works here has to sign a confidentiality agreement."


    Hearing this, Tang Yuan couldn¡¯t help but curse, "Those bastards, using the nation as their cover."


    Ling Chen was somewhat helpless, having asked all this time without useful information.


    He stood up and continued to search theboratory. Before long, he found a folder left on the floor.


    The folder detailed the cargo numbers; Ling Chen looked through them one by one until his gaze was suddenly caught by a few of those numbers.


    "Old Tang, follow me."


    Without any suspicion, Tang Yuan quickly followed behind Ling Chen, both entering the warehouse.


    "What now?"


    Ling Chen pointed to the iron boxes in the warehouse and said, "These boxes have the same numbers as the goods in theboratory. They must be necessary items for theb; maybe the contents can tell us what experiment they¡¯re conducting."


    Tang Yuan took a quick look, slightly knitting his brows, "These boxes are equipped with six-digit electronic password locks and independent power supplies. How do you n to open them?"


    "This..." Ling Chen hesitated for a moment, his gaze shifted elsewhere, and his eyes suddenly brightened. He walked over to a previously eliminated enemy¡¯s body, bent over and picked up a stun gun.


    Returning to the iron box, he aimed the stun gun at the password lock and rapidly pulled the trigger.


    Apanied by a sh of electric light, the previously lit password lock immediately went dark. Seeing this, Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curled into a slight smile. The stun gun¡¯s charge was very high, enough to damage the electronic lock and the power supply¡¯s circuitry, causing a short circuit.


    "Old Tang."


    Following Ling Chen¡¯s gesture, the two lifted the heavy box lid together and carefully opened it.

 Chapter 156 - 153 Strengthening

    <h4>Chapter 156: Chapter 153 Strengthening</h4><h4></h4>


    With a gust of cold air, Ling Chen instantly saw arge number of ss tubes arranged inside the iron box, each filled with purple liquid.


    "Turns out it¡¯s this thing."


    In an instant, Ling Chen reacted.


    Tang Yuan looked at him puzzled, "Have you seen this before?"


    "This is exactly the enhancement drug I told you about." Ling Chen inwardly gasped in rm, thest time he¡¯d seen only a few milliliters, but the reserves of enhancement drugs at this base were so extensive. Apart from this iron box, there were four others nearby. One could imagine how terrifying the quantity of these drugs was.


    "Old Tang, take a photo and send it out, these are all incriminating evidence."


    "Just photos alone probably won¡¯t be of much use unless we can prove that this stuff is a banned substance."


    Seeing a box full of enhancement drugs, Ling Chen pondered for a moment and asked, "How much time is left in the self-destruct program?"


    "Less than four minutes."


    "Old Tang, I have an idea, it¡¯s all down to luck whether we live or die now." Saying this, Ling Chen pulled out a ss tube filled with the purple liquid and quickly walked towards theb.


    Soon, he found a syringe.


    Seeing his actions, Tang Yuan immediately understood and eximed in rm, "Are you crazy?"


    "Well, we are set to die anyway, might as well give it a try, maybe there is a glimmer of hope." Ling Chen exined.


    Last time, he had witnessed in person the consequences of someone injecting the enhancement drug; strength and various functions had been significantly improved, perhaps it could help them escape.


    In any case, he didn¡¯t want to just sit there and wait for death.


    There were more than twenty milliliters of enhancement drugs in this ss tube, and without hesitation, Ling Chen drew it all into the syringe.


    "Old Tang, get ready to film." He instructed.


    Whether or not they could escape, at least record the process, it couldter serve as direct evidence to prosecute those people.


    Under Tang Yuan¡¯s tense gaze, Ling Chen bit down on his teeth, jabbed the syringe into his own vein, and as he pressed down on the plunger, all of the purple liquid was injected into his body.


    After pulling out the syringe, Ling Chen sat quietly in the chair, eyes closed, feeling the changes in his body.


    Suddenly, he opened his eyes wide, veins bulging all over his body, muscles undting non-stop, and visibly swelling at a noticeable rate. In less than ten seconds, his arms had expanded several times, bing horrifyingly massive.


    Ling Chen clenched his teeth, sweat pouring down his forehead. Only at this moment did he truly realize how intensely painful the enhancement drug was.


    No wonder the bodies in the morgue were all contorted in agony; they must have died due to the unbearable pain.


    Tang Yuan stood by, eyes widened in disbelief as he watched Ling Chen¡¯s transformation. He considered himself to have a strong mentality, but this scene still left him utterly shaken.


    Watching Ling Chen¡¯s agonized expression, Tang Yuan asked urgently, "How are you, are you okay?"


    Ling Chen seemed not to hear him, gasping heavily as if he had lost control over his bodily functions, saliva and mucus all streaming out.


    Not only that, but Ling Chen¡¯s hair was growing rapidly, and in no time, his close-cropped hair had grown long enough to brush his shoulders.


    "Ling Chen..."


    Seeing his change, Tang Yuan was at a loss for words to describe his shock.


    Suddenly, Ling Chen¡¯s head snapped up, his pupils turned a fearsome red. Without waiting for Tang Yuan to speak, Ling Chen¡¯s legs kicked out, and he vaulted over Tang Yuan¡¯s head, charging towards the exit¡¯s iron door.


    His fist hammered out, apanied by a crisp ¡¯ng¡¯ sound, and an indent immediately appeared on the surface of the iron door.


    Tang Yuan, who was hurrying from behind, watched with his eyes wide and tongue-tied as Ling Chen, with sheer force of a single punch, dented the iron door that was ten centimeters thick¡ªa door that even a grenade couldn¡¯t destroy.


    That strength-enhancing drug was just too monstrous.


    At this moment, Ling Chen seemed to have gone mad, pounding the iron door with punch after punch tirelessly.


    The thick iron door gradually dented inward, forming a crack.


    ...


    In the Boyang Company¡¯s office, Zhu Hong stared at Ling Chen¡¯s performance through the surveince footage, his gaze frozen, sitting there in a daze. Ling Chen¡¯s demonstrated abilities had already stunned him.


    It took a while before he came back to his senses and hurriedly said, "Record it, quickly record it."


    When he said this, his tone was tinged with excitement.


    The organization¡¯s newly developed drug wasn¡¯t suitable for everyone because human body functions vary, resulting in different levels of rejection¡ªmild cases are bedridden, severe cases end in death.


    The research experiments they had been conducting aimed to adjust theponents of the strength-enhancing drug so that it could be used by everyone.


    Just now, he had witnessed Ling Chen inject himself with twenty milliliters of the strength-enhancing drug.


    If it were anyone else, they would have sumbed to the effects of the drug and died from bodily explosion by now, but Ling Chen had persevered, which was undeniably a breakthrough. Through this, they might find a way to improve the form of the drug.


    At this moment, there was less than two minutes left before the self-destruct program activated.


    Under Ling Chen¡¯s continuous assault, the surface of the iron door had already cracked. However, the crack was onlyrge enough for a child around four or five years old to squeeze through; it was hopeless for an adult.


    Just then, Ling Chen, who had been throwing punches, suddenly paused. Following that, he spat out blood and fell backward.


    "Ling Chen!"


    Tang Yuan was shocked and rushed to his side, lifting his head up.


    "Ling Chen, wake up!" he yelled loudly.


    However, Ling Chen seemed to have fallen into a deepa; although he was still breathing, no matter how much he was called, he couldn¡¯t be woken up.


    "How is his condition?"


    In this critical moment, an elderly voice suddenly came from outside the iron door.


    Tang Yuan looked up and saw a person appearing outside the crack in the door¡ªit was He Ziyun.


    His face lit up with relief, "Old Leader."


    "Step aside!"


    Tang Yuan responded and hurriedly moved Ling Chen to a distance.


    In an instant, a long sword struck, forcefully piercing through the iron door. Then, with a ¡¯bang¡¯, the crack Ling Chen had made widened further, now justrge enough for an adult to pass through.


    Seeing this, Tang Yuan, without another word, immediately took Ling Chen out.


    "Old Leader, you go ahead and take Ling Chen to safety, I¡¯ll go rescue the others."


    "Be careful yourself." After saying that, He Ziyun sheathed the ancient Han Dynasty long sword and, with one hand holding Ling Chen and a light tap of his foot, whisked away like a swift gust of wind.


    Having escaped the base, He Ziyun ced Ling Chen on the ground and reached out to check his breath, his eyes suddenly grew solemn.


    Ling Chen¡¯s vital signs were fading; if they didn¡¯t find a way to stabilize him quickly, it wouldn¡¯t be long before even a deity could not save him.

 Chapter 157 - 154: Saving Lives

    <h4>Chapter 157: Chapter 154: Saving Lives</h4><h4></h4>


    Time was of the essence; there was no time for hesitation. He Ziyun reached into his chest and grasped five Golden Needles, thrusting them straight into Ling Chen¡¯s chest.


    In an instant, all five Golden Needles disappeared into Ling Chen¡¯s body. At the same time, Ling Chen seemed to have been injected with a shot of adrenaline, his eyes snapping open as he gasped for air.


    "Hang in there!" He Ziyun shouted softly, hoisting Ling Chen¡¯s body onto his shoulders. With his feet firmly on the ground, he leapt forward at great speed, covering over ten meters in the blink of an eye.


    Not long after they left, Tang Yuan led the others out of the base.


    Boom!


    As soon as everyone barely escaped the base, a violent ze burst forth, causing the ground to copse and the psychiatric hospital that stood on the surface to crumble. In an instant, the mes engulfed everything, shooting up to the sky.


    The shockwave from the explosion spread, affecting those who had not managed to get far away, knocking them to the ground.


    Tang Yuan turned his head back to look at the raging mes spreading across the grounds, feeling a sense of relief as though he had narrowly escaped death. However, the thought of Ling Chen¡¯s uncertain fate immediately tensed his heart again.


    Two minutester, eight Chevrolet SUVs arrived at the scene, along with two ambnces. As backup rushed in, the situation quickly came under control, and everyone who had escaped from the base was detained.


    At that moment, a cellphone rang. Tang Yuan saw that it was Han Bing calling and hurriedly answered.


    "How¡¯s the situation over there?"


    "Everything¡¯s under control, and we¡¯ve almost collected all the evidence, but..."


    "But what?"


    Tang Yuan said in a deep voice, "Ling Chen¡¯s in trouble, it¡¯s serious, his condition is unknown, the old chief has already taken him away."


    "Head to the old chief¡¯s ce right away, you must save Ling Chen¡¯s life no matter what," Han Bing uttered urgently.


    "Understood, I¡¯m on my way."


    Boyang Company¡¯s office.


    Zhu Hong looked at the surveince screen that lost its signal, stood up slowly, walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows, stood with his hands behind him, and gazed at the night outside without a word.


    "Boss, our people have confirmed it, a total of fifty-seven people were caught, should we..."


    "No need to worry about them, the core personnel of theb have escaped. Those people don¡¯t know much, they won¡¯t be able to provide any valuable clues."


    "I¡¯m concerned that the higher-ups will me us for the destruction of Base 3."


    "It doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯ll take the responsibility for this. Besides, although Base 3 is destroyed, we didn¡¯te away empty-handed. At least we found a breakthrough from Ling Chen. Copy the surveince footage we just recorded for me. As long as the people above see it, I believe they¡¯ll keep quiet."


    ...


    Qingyun Martial Arts Hall.


    A car screeched to a stop at the door, the door opened, and He Ziyun leapt out of the driver¡¯s seat, carrying Ling Chen from the back seat and hurriedly rushing into the Martial Arts Academy.


    As soon as the door opened, two busy figures, one tall and one short, hurried to meet them.


    "Mr. He, how¡¯s Ling Chen?" Zhu Xiaozhu, seeing Ling Chen¡¯s pale face and bloodless lips, grew anxious, her eyes full of concern.


    "Don¡¯t ask too many questions right now. Did you prepare everything I asked you to?"


    "It¡¯s all ready, in the room."


    Without another word, He Ziyun quickly carried Ling Chen straight to the bedroom.


    Before getting back, He Ziyun had already notified Zhu Xiaozhu and exined the situation, asking her to prepare the medical equipment.


    Ling Cheny on the bed, opening his eyes in a daze. All he could make out was blurry figures and his consciousness was drifting. His mouth was dry and his tongue parched, as if all the blood in his body was about to evaporate. He desperately wanted water.


    "Water... water..." His mouth gaped open, as if muttering in delirium, incessantly calling for "water."


    "The water¡¯s here." Zhu Xiaozhu hurriedly brought over a cup of water, supported his head, and brought the teacup to his lips.


    However, before he could swallow a sip of water, Ling Chen suddenly started coughing, and tea mixed with fresh blood spewed out.


    "Ling Chen..."


    Seeing the bloodstained water on the bed, Zhu Xiaozhu felt at a loss. Even though she was skilled in medicine, she had never seen such a situation before. Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s unclear consciousness and his deeply furrowed brows, her heart felt as if it was being gripped by a giant hand; her moist eyes shimmered with tears.


    "Give him water; it will make him feel better."


    Hearing He Ziyun¡¯s words, Zhu Xiaozhu again brought the teacup to Ling Chen¡¯s lips. But at this moment, Ling Chen seemed to pass out, losing consciousness. As water was poured into his mouth, it immediately flowed out from the corners of his mouth.


    Seeing this, Zhu Xiaozhu hesitated for a moment, then picked up the teacup, took a sip of water, and bent over. Ignoring the astonished looks from He Ziyun and Little Hua, her soft red lips gently touched Ling Chen¡¯s, delivering the tea water into his mouth.


    Suddenly, Ling Chen seemed to respond, his lips parting ever so slightly, greedily sucking on Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s lips.


    Their lips pressed together, under Ling Chen¡¯s greedy demand, Zhu Xiaozhu felt her body heat up, a tingly sensations engulfing her, her eyes hazy with intoxication, as if she was about to sink into it at any moment.


    Finally, having fed him a sip of water, Zhu Xiaozhu barely lifted her head, aware of the stunned looks from He Ziyun and Little Hua. She felt her pretty face flush red, as if on fire, her innocenceced with a hint of tempting allure.


    He Ziyun cleared his throat slightly, averted his gaze, and motioned, "Continue."


    Zhu Xiaozhu nodded lightly, suppressing the embarrassment in her heart, continuing to feed Ling Chen the water from the teacup until it was all gone.


    With the replenishment of water, Ling Chen¡¯s condition gradually improved. His furrowed brows finally rxed and his breathing became smooth.


    "That should be enough."


    Zhu Xiaozhu asked with concern, "Mr. He, will he... will he get better?"


    "I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s up to his fate now."


    As he finished speaking, He Ziyun walked to the bed, ced his hand on Ling Chen¡¯s chest. Abruptly, he shouted softly, his fingers forcefully pressing down, and the five Golden Needles previously inserted into Ling Chen¡¯s body immediately popped out.


    As the Golden Needles were removed, Ling Chen¡¯s breathing was immediately disrupted, bing more and more rapid, as if he could suffocate at any moment.


    Seeing this, He Ziyun did not hesitate, quickly stripped Ling Chen, and flipped his body over, back facing up.


    "Xiaozhu, apply the needles."


    "Bai Hui, Water Gutter, Feng Fu, Qu Pool, Yanglingquan, He Gu, Taichong..."


    Listening to the acupuncture points He Ziyun called out, Zhu Xiaozhu, having collected herself, inserted silver needles one by one.


    Before long, Ling Chen¡¯s back was fully studded with silver needles.


    Once all the needles were applied, countless beads of sweat emerged from Ling Chen¡¯s pores, emitting a strange scent.


    He Ziyun straightened his body, letting him sit up on the bed, allowing the beads of sweat to slide off his skin.


    Watching the beads of sweat gradually lessen, He Ziyun couldn¡¯t help but cast a nce at Zhu Xiaozhu beside him.


    She clearly understood his meaning, but with Ling Chen¡¯s safety at stake, she put aside the shyness in her heart. At that moment, Little Hua had already proactively brought the tea water to her.

 Chapter 158 - 155: Sober

    <h4>Chapter 158: Chapter 155: Sober</h4><h4></h4>


    After continuously feeding several cups of water, until the sweat on Ling Chen¡¯s body had stopped, He Ziyun finally nodded, signaling her to stop.


    "The residual medication in his body has been cleared out. Now we can only leave it to fate and see how strong his willpower is."


    Zhu Xiaozhu gently ced the nket over Ling Chen, looking at his distinct, heroic, and handsome face, her lips slightly pursed, her eyes barely concealing her concern.


    "Mr. He, what happened to Ling Chen? Why is he injured?"


    "You don¡¯t need to ask too much about this; there are some things that it¡¯s better you don¡¯t know. Little Hua, you stay here with Xiaozhu to take care of Ling Chen, I need to step out for a moment."


    "Yes, Master." Little Hua obediently nodded her head.


    After He Ziyun left, Little Hua, with great interest, looked at Zhu Xiaozhu, who still had a blush on her cheeks, and couldn¡¯t help but tug at her sleeve.


    "What is it?"


    Little Hua giggled, "Xiaozhu, how did it feel just now?"


    "What feeling?" Zhu Xiaozhu was momentarily dazed, then immediately understood what ¡¯feeling¡¯ she was referring to, her face suddenly flushed red, and she gently pinched Little Hua¡¯s chubby cheek, saying annoyed, "You¡¯re just a child, why ask so many questions?"


    "Lightly... lightly... it hurts!"


    Little Hua quickly begged for mercy, finally evading Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s torment, she pouted her lips, a face full of grievance, "I was just curious, just asking casually."


    "What¡¯s most important now is Ling Chen¡¯s safety."


    Little Hua¡¯s eyes darted around, she whispered, "Xiaozhu, when brother wakes up, should we tell him about what just happened?"


    "No, you mustn¡¯t say a word, or else, be careful I¡¯ll spank you."


    "Xiaozhu, you gave him your first kiss, don¡¯t you want him to take responsibility for you?"


    "That doesn¡¯t mean anything." Zhu Xiaozhu was looking down, her gaze unconsciously drifting towards the sleeping Ling Chen.


    She didn¡¯t know why, but she had impulsively made that gesture earlier. Although it was for treating him, that was still her first kiss, and she had given it to him.


    However, considering that she had gone through that incident that night, what was a first kiss inparison.


    Asking herself, she didn¡¯t regret it in her heart, but instead, there was a slight anticipation. As for what she was anticipating, she couldn¡¯t quite say.


    Now, she only hoped that Ling Chen would recover soon; that was the most important thing.


    ...


    It was unclear how much time had passed, but amidst the haziness, Ling Chen finally regained some rity of mind.


    However, even though his mind was clear, his body was still unresponsive.


    "Am I not dead?" he thought to himself.


    The events of that night were vivid in his mind; he faintly remembered injecting more than twenty milliliters of a strengthening agent and then losing consciousness, knowing nothing after that.


    "Where am I?"


    He struggled to open his eyes, but his body seemed to have lost control, showing no response at all.


    Suddenly, a warm current emerged from nowhere, slowly flowing through his body, through his limbs. As it circted, he felt the fatigue in his body gradually disappearing, seeming to regain some strength.


    Originally, he had hoped that the warm current would revive him, but it onlysted for a moment before dissipating without a trace within his body.


    "Ling Chen, wake up!"


    Suddenly, a familiar voice sounded by his ear. With the little strength he had just regained, Ling Chen struggled to open his eyes and saw He Ziyun by the bedside, saying weakly, "Mr. He."


    He Ziyun smiled and nodded, "You¡¯re finally awake."


    "Mr. He, please help me up."


    "You are too weak now, better to keep lying down. Xiaozhu has gone to prepare medicine for you. Drink the medicine and rest a bit more; in a few days, you should recover."


    Ling Chen turned to look outside the window, seeing the bright sunlight and a brand new day.


    "Mr. He, aboutst night..."


    "Whatst night? It was the night beforest. You¡¯ve been unconscious for a whole day and two nights."


    Ling Chen was shocked, not realizing he had slept for so long.


    "Don¡¯t worry, everyone has been rescued." He Ziyun knew what he was concerned about and continued, "Tang Yuan has gathered all the evidence from that base and has already handed it over to Beijing. Just focus on your recovery, don¡¯t worry about anything else."


    Changing the subject, he asked, "When I was checking your pulse just now, I noticed a very full Qi within you. Have you practiced Inner Strength before?"


    "I practiced for a bit, but it wasn¡¯t effective, so I gave up."


    "If I remember correctly, when we first met, you told me that all your skills came from a secret tome."


    "Right."


    His tome was not only about Martial Arts techniques but also epassed astronomy, geography, medicine, divination, and much more, all recorded in ancient texts, likely essentials passed down from ancient times.


    However, because the records in the tome were overlyplex, it was impossible to master them all in a lifetime. Therefore, he only learned some fist and foot techniques and medical skills, not delving into the rest.


    He Ziyun said gently, "Your martial skills aren¡¯t bad, but Martial Arts is an extensive and profound field. It¡¯s often said, ¡¯train the body externally, Dantian internally; from external to internal for great mastery.¡¯ You¡¯ve perfected your external skills, but your Inner Strength is just beginning. If you want to progress further, you should focus more on Qi Cultivation. Only by integrating internal and external can you be a true Martial Arts master."


    "You managed to survive this ordeal thanks to your strong physical condition. Anyone else would not have been able to bear it."


    "Mr. He, since you are so skilled, could you teach me how to cultivate Qi." Ling Chen humbly asked for guidance.


    Bing stronger was a good thing, of course, he desired it. Before, all his skills were self-taught from the secret tome, relying solely on his own interpretations and practical experience. To put it simply, he had always carved his own path without guidance from others.


    Train the body externally, Dantian internally.


    The former is easy to understand: with hard work and effort, anyone can achieve it. However, cultivating the Qi in the Dantian is extremely difficult. Moreover, the records in the tome were obscure and difficult to understand; he had studied them for half a year initially and only grasped the basics, barely crossing the threshold. Since then, his cultivation of Qi had stagnated.


    "Old virgin, I knew this guy had a strong life force, definitely would be fine."


    While he was pondering, a carefree voice came from outside the door.


    Ling Chen turned his head to see Tang Yuan and grinned, "I¡¯ve been to the gates of hell too many times, even King Yan refuses to take me in, there¡¯s nothing I could do."


    "You should really thank the old chief. If it wasn¡¯t for the old chief¡¯s help that night, you would have lost your life."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen turned his gaze to He Ziyun, unaware of this matter.


    He Ziyun exined, "The night you guys carried out the operation, Qiao Zhen called me and asked me to secretly back you up, just in case."

 Chapter 159 - 156 Betting

    <h4>Chapter 159: Chapter 156 Betting</h4><h4></h4>


    So that¡¯s how it is!


    Ling Chen nodded, "Old Tang, have you greeted the Nanrong Family about the situation?"


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve told them that you¡¯ve been feeling unwell recently. I¡¯ve requested a few days off for you. You can return to work once you¡¯ve recovered."


    "The medicine is ready."


    At that moment, Zhu Xiaozhu, apanied by Little Hua, came in with a bowl of traditional Chinese medicine.


    "Ling Chen, you rest up, we won¡¯t disturb you further."


    "Big Brother." Little Hua climbed up to the bed with a giggle, "You¡¯re finally awake. These past few days, Xiaozhu has been taking care of you day and night. She¡¯s exhausted."


    Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s face turned red, and she scolded gently, "Stop pouting."


    Meanwhile, He Ziyun who was walking to the door turned back and said, "Little Hua,e with me, I have something to tell you."


    Little Hua nced at Ling Chen, then at Zhu Xiaozhu, and unwillingly red at He Ziyun with pursed lips, following him and Tang Yuan out of the room reluctantly.


    "Drink it while it¡¯s hot."


    Zhu Xiaozhu helped him sit up, leaning against the headboard, then handed over the traditional Chinese medicine.


    Enduring the bitterness that assaulted his taste buds, Ling Chen gulped it down, took a long breath, and smiled, "Thank you for taking care of me."


    "We¡¯re friends, no need for formalities." As she spoke, Zhu Xiaozhu pulled out a white handkerchief and gently wiped the remnants of the medicine from the corner of his mouth.


    This intimate gesture suddenly made Ling Chen somewhat ufortable, experiencing an indescribable feeling.


    "Xiaozhu, you..."


    "You¡¯ve just woken up, you should rest more." After she spoke, Zhu Xiaozhu put away the bowl and turned to leave.


    Ling Chen felt puzzled, sensing an inexplicable coldness in Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s words. Strange, he didn¡¯t think he had offended her. Besides, she had just helped him wipe his mouth a moment ago, so why this sudden change?


    As he was contemting, Zhu Xiaozhu suddenly turned back and handed him a cell phone, "You¡¯ve been unconscious thesest few days, and your phone has been with me. Several people have called you. I was afraid it might cause misunderstandings, so I didn¡¯t answer for you."


    "It¡¯s fine."


    Ling Chen gave a slight smile, watching Zhu Xiaozhu leave, then picked up his phone to see several missed calls. Two from Nanrong Wanqing, one from Su Lin, four from Nanrong Hao, two from Leng Feifei, and one from Liu Xiyao.


    Nanrong Wanqing, Su Lin, and Nanrong Hao¡ªhe could guess, they must have learned he was ill and called to check on him. Leng Feifei was not surprising, since he had saved her that day, and she was probably calling to thank him. But Liu Xiyao, he had treated her less than a month ago, made him wonder what she wanted.


    Just as he was pondering, he saw Little Hua sneak back into the room from the door.


    "Big Brother."


    Ling Chen chuckled, "Why did youe back?"


    Little Hua pouted her lips, looking aggrieved, and on the verge of tears said, "Don¡¯t you want to see Little Hua?"


    "Who said that, of course I do." Ling Chen quickly corrected himself, fearing the little girl would cry.


    At those words, Little Hua immediately cheered up and with a beaming smile asked, "Big Brother, what did Xiaozhu say to you?"


    "Say what? She didn¡¯t say much. What¡¯s wrong? Eh! Little Hua, don¡¯t you stay with Xiaozhu all the time? When Xiaozhu came just now, she seemed a bit off. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve offended her."


    "How have you not offended her, it¡¯s because you don¡¯t realize it." Little Hua leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "Let me tell you, Xiaozhu is very unhappy right now, you had better gofort her."


    Ling Chen was full of confusion, "I¡¯ve only just woken up and hardly spoken a couple of words to her, how could I have made her unhappy?"


    Little Hua hummed, "It¡¯s because you¡¯re entangled with so many women."


    Er... Ling Chen suddenly realized, could it be because of those missed calls? That couldn¡¯t be, just a few calls, is it necessary to be unhappy?


    Could it be...


    He had a sudden shock, an idea involuntarily sprang to mind, stuttering, "That... Little Hua, you¡¯re not trying to tell me that Xiaozhu is... jealous, are you?"


    Little Hua looked at him with an expression that screamed ¡¯teachable child¡¯ and said with a giggle, "Seems like there¡¯s still hope for you."


    "This..."


    Ling Chen found it somewhat unbelievable, feeling like his brain was about to crash.


    Zhu Xiaozhu likes him?


    This news hade too suddenly, and he wasn¡¯t mentally prepared at all.


    "Little Hua, are you sure? You can¡¯t joke about this kind of thing."


    "Big brother, trust me, as a woman, my sixth sense is very urate, it never fails."


    Ling Chen gave her a once-over and curled his lips, this little girl hadn¡¯t even fully developed yet, and she dared to call herself a woman. Little Hua, sensing the doubt in his eyes, immediately felt disgruntled and put her hands on her hips, "If you don¡¯t believe it, how about we make a bet?"


    "What¡¯s the bet?"


    Little Hua¡¯s big, shiny eyes began to turn slightly, and a devilishly clever smile appeared on her chubby cheeks.


    "If you lose, you have to kiss Xiaozhu in front of all of us."


    "Kiss her by force? No way, I¡¯m not doing that."


    If it were just the two of them, he might have epted, but to do it in front of others, let¡¯s not talk about his embarrassment, Zhu Xiaozhu probably wouldn¡¯t be able to ept it either.


    "Little girl, if I lose... how about I buy you two lollipops, how¡¯s that?"


    Little Hua¡¯s eyes widened, "Big brother, you¡¯re so shameless, thinking you can get rid of me with just two lollipops. Final offer, two boxes of lollipops, not one less."


    "OK!" Ling Chen smiled broadly, "Tell me, how are you going to prove it?"


    "Don¡¯t rush, I will make the arrangements, just you wait and see," Little Hua said with full confidence.


    ...


    After resting for three days at Qingyun Martial Arts Hall, Ling Chen¡¯s body finally started to recover.


    "Mr. He, Xiaozhu, Little Hua, thank you for taking care of me these days."


    "Why the courtesy." He Ziyun said with a casual smile, "If you¡¯re free in the future,e to the Martial Arts Academy, and I¡¯ll teach you Qi Cultivation."


    "Sure, I¡¯ll definitelye."


    With that, he nced at Zhu Xiaozhu, who was looking down, seemingly intentionally avoiding his gaze. He then turned his attention to Little Hua.


    This little girl kept saying she would help prove that Zhu Xiaozhu liked him, yet there had been no movement these past few days, leaving him to wonder what she was scheming.


    Seeming to understand what he was thinking, Little Hua winked at him and said with a chuckle, "Big brother, remember to keep in touch."


    "I¡¯ll be going back now."


    Waving his hand, Ling Chen turned and walked out of the Martial Arts Hall with Tang Yuan¡¯spany.


    He had just got into the car when Little Hua came hopping over and leaned on the car window, looking at Ling Chen inside the car.


    "Little girl, is there something else?"


    "Big brother, are you free tomorrow evening?"


    "I should be."


    "Fine, I¡¯ll contact you tomorrow evening, and when things work out, don¡¯t forget my lollipops."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t forget. Bye!"


    The car started, and Tang Yuan drove onto the road, curious, "What¡¯s happening tomorrow evening?"


    "Why ask so much, just drive your car."


    Ling Chen turned to look out of the car window, feeling inexplicably a mix of anticipation and nervousness. To say he had no feelings for Zhu Xiaozhu would be a lie. However, as a gloriously inexperienced virgin who had never been in a rtionship, he felt somewhat at a loss on how to proceed with such matters.

 Chapter 160 - 157: Returning to the Company

    <h4>Chapter 160: Chapter 157: Returning to the Company</h4><h4></h4>


    Today is Thursday, and Nanrong Wanqing is still at work in thepany, so Ling Chen and Tang Yuan drove directly to the headquarters of Hongyu Group.


    "Hey, Old Tang, didn¡¯t Mr. Han ask you to personally escort that exoskeleton armor to Beijing? When are you leaving?" In the elevator, Ling Chen casually asked.


    "It¡¯ll be a few more days. Just after such an incident urred, Mr. Han and the others are busy dealing with it and don¡¯t have the energy to take care of too many things right now."


    "Be careful when you do."


    During the conversation, they heard the ¡¯ding¡¯ of a crisp sound, and the elevator arrived at the top floor of Hongyu Group.


    Walking into the chairman¡¯s office, Ling Chen saw Nanrong Wanqing sitting in a wheelchair, buried in paperwork at the desk, with a cup of coffee ced aside, its steam already dissipated.


    Hearing the door, Nanrong Wanqing lifted her head, her beautiful eyes slightly lighting up as she saw Ling Chen approaching, her thin lips brimming with a faint smile.


    "Are you feeling better? Tang Yuan said you¡¯ve been sick recently, and you haven¡¯t been answering calls; everyone¡¯s been worried about you."


    Ling Chen smiled and patted his robust chest, "I¡¯m fine, thank you for your concern. Chairman, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go find Captain Zhong now."


    He had meant to let Nanrong Wanqing knowst time that he had returned to the team.


    "Wait a minute!" Nanrong Wanqing pushed her wheelchair around from the desk, "Tang Yuan, you go down first. I have something to talk to Ling Chen about."


    "Alright, you two have a good chat." Tang Yuan smiled, sent a suggestive look to Ling Chen, and walked out of the office.


    "Take a seat."


    Ling Chen, unceremoniously, sat down on the sofa and with azy posture said, "What does the chairman want to talk with me about?"


    "Nanrong Hao has partnered with others to open several courierpanies, did you know that?"


    "Did he tell you that?"


    Of course, he knew about it. Not only did he know, but Nanrong Hao and his partners also gave him twenty-five percent of the shares. He intended to refuse, but Nanrong Hao, Jiang Hao, and Zhao Zhengxiong all made their stance clear, so his refusal was of no use.


    "No, he didn¡¯t tell me; I heard it from others. I heard that he even went to negotiate with someone that day."


    Ling Chen immediately realized that there was no wall in the world that did not let some wind through. That night, he took Nanrong Hao to see Qi Jianhui and invoked the Nanrong Family name, which must have been why the matter spread.


    Nanrong Wanqing, who controlled the top enterprise of Hongyu Group in East Sea City with substantial assets, had a brother who ran off to start courierpanies, which inevitably led to criticism and mockery. Nanrong Wanqing must have heard plenty of gossip, hence her seeking a conversation.


    "I know about this, and I was involved. What¡¯s the matter, do you have an opinion on his involvement in this?"


    "I have no objections. As long as he is on the right path, I won¡¯t stop whatever he does. But I neither support nor oppose this matter. Besides, if he wants to stand on his own, he can¡¯t use the Nanrong family¡¯s name anymore. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be meaningful for him."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen immediately understood her meaning and nodded, "I agree."


    If Nanrong Hao used the Nanrong Family¡¯s name for business, others would definitely give way and not dare to trouble him too much; some might even take the opportunity to ingratiate themselves with Nanrong Hao to court favor with the Nanrong family. In this manner, it wouldn¡¯t be hard for Nanrong Hao to smoothly build a business.


    But Nanrong Wanqing did not wish for this to happen. If one wants to stand on their own, they must learn to endure the hardships; without facing rains and storms, how can one see the rainbow? Only through constant trials can one grow through setbacks.


    Her thoughtful intentions as an older sister weremendable.


    "I will make it clear that all of Nanrong Hao¡¯s affairs have nothing to do with Hongyu Group. I will not intervene on his behalf, nor will I acknowledge any favors he epts."


    "Okay, I will pass the message on to Haozi, I believe he will be very happy."


    "Thank you for that."


    After she finished speaking, Nanrong Wanqing pushed her wheelchair back to her desk and continued to busy herself with thepany¡¯s affairs.


    Ling Chen stood up, walked over to her, picked up the cup of coffee that had gone cold, and reced it with a cup of warm water.


    "Drink less coffee; it¡¯s not good for your health. If you need to stay alert, just call me. I can give you a massage to relieve the fatigue."


    Nanrong Wanqing rolled her eyes and her face blushed slightly, but her heart felt warm, with an indescribable taste of sweetness.


    Leaving the chairman¡¯s office, Ling Chen took the elevator straight down to the security department on the first floor.


    As soon as he entered, he saw Tang Yuan sitting at the desk, chatting with Wei Jun, while Zhong Wei was busy organizing documents.


    "Ling Chen, perfect timing, there¡¯s something I want to discuss with you."


    "Captain Zhong, what¡¯s up?"


    "Today, thepany held a job fair outside, and there will be a few interviewster. I want to rmend a few formerrades to join the first security team, have a look at them."


    "Captain Zhong, you decide on these matters. As they are all yourrades, there should be no problem."


    Right now, the first team has too few members, only five including him, Tang Yuan, Zhong Wei, Liang Zhao Hui, and Zhou Qing. Tang Yuan is a ghost member who joined the Hongyu Group because of a mission. Once he delivers the exoskeleton armor back to Beijing, his mission in East Sea City will end, and then there will be only four members left, which will cause a shortage of manpower.


    "That won¡¯t do. The chairman has ordered that from now on, any personnel arrangements for the first team must have your consent. Besides, it¡¯s a good opportunity to get to know them," insisted Zhong Wei.


    Ling Chen scratched his head. When did Nanrong Wanqing give him this authority? He had no idea.


    "Alright, just let me know when they¡¯re here."


    "Hey, by the way!" Tang Yuan fiddled with a pen in his hand and casually said, "Snake King has been quiet recently, do you think he has given up?"


    "You know him as well as I do. Without a good opportunity, he won¡¯t make a move. In any case, everyone should not let down their guard."


    After lunch and a half-hour nap in the office, Ling Chen received a call from Zhong Wei, asking him to join the interview in the meeting room in a few minutes.


    With some time to spare, he took the opportunity to go to the restroom and wash his face.


    At that moment, a young man with gold-framed sses rushed in, standing in front of the mirror, looking nervous, continually washing his hands under the tap.


    Ling Chen nced at him and, noticing his unfamiliar face and difort, couldn¡¯t help asking, "Friend, you alright?"


    "I¡¯m... I¡¯m fine," replied the young man, managing a strained smile.


    "Are you a staff member of thepany?" He seemed too nervous forfort, and as security personnel, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but be suspicious.


    "Not yet, I hope to be an employee of thispany in the future."


    Ling Chen instantly understood; the young man was here for an interview, no wonder he was so nervous. Smiling, he said, "Don¡¯t be afraid, perk up, have confidence in yourself. I wish you sess in your interview in advance."


    "Thank you!"

 Chapter 161 - 158: The Whereabouts of Nanrong Gang

    <h4>Chapter 161: Chapter 158: The Whereabouts of Nanrong Gang</h4><h4></h4>


    Entering the conference room, Zhong Wei had already arrived, sitting in front of him were two men, both around thirty years old, with crew cuts, wearing crisp suits, meticulous, exuding a tough aura.


    Ling Chen sized them up and nodded inwardly; even after leaving the military, ex-servicemen still maintained a rigorous style,plied absolutely with orders, which is why manyrge corporations prefer to hire them for security.


    Upon seeing him approach, the two men promptly stood up, behaving very politely.


    "Have a seat," Ling Chen grinned, "You are all Captain Zhong¡¯s oldrades and our own people. No need for such courtesy."


    "Ling Chen, let me introduce you. This is Song Xiong, he used to be amunications soldier in the military, recognized for his outstanding performance with three second-ss merit medals and one first-ss merit medal. And this is Lu Haifeng, a special forces soldier with a richbat experience. He has participated in numerous external missions, and the military wanted to retain him to be an instructor, but personal reasons led him to choose to discharge."


    Ling Chen said with a smile: "Since both of you caught Captain Zhong¡¯s eye, there¡¯s definitely no question about your capabilities, and I trust you. However, our first security team, though under the security department, acts more like private bodyguards. Moreover, with the chairman¡¯s personal safety being threatened recently, there are certain risks involved. Both of you need to think it over clearly."


    "Mr. Ling, rest assured, Captain Zhong has already made things very clear to us. We wouldn¡¯t be here otherwise," replied Lu Haifeng earnestly.


    "That¡¯s good to hear. Since neither of you have objections, on behalf of Hongyu Group, I wee you aboard."


    During the conversation, the meeting room¡¯s door was pushed open, and a young man with gold-rimmed sses peeked his head in timidly.


    "Excuse me, is this where the interview is taking ce?"


    Seeing him, Ling Chen¡¯s lips curved up slightly; wasn¡¯t this the guy he just ran into in the restroom?


    "You¡¯re in the wrong ce, this is the security department¡¯s interview. The room next door is where your interview should be," Zhong Wei hinted.


    "I¡¯m sorry for the interruption," said the young man, his face slightly red, as he hurriedly retreated.


    Ling Chen found it amusing; how could such a grown man be so timid like a woman.


    After sorting out the recruitment matters, Ling Chen was about to return to his office when his pocket suddenly vibrated with the ringing of his phone.


    Upon seeing the caller ID, Ling Chen¡¯s heart lightened ¨C it was Hu Fei.


    "Hello, Fatty, have you recovered from your injuries?"


    "I¡¯ve been fine for a while now. Are you guys free tonight? Let¡¯s go out for dinner to celebrate my narrow escape. Plus, I have something to tell you."


    "Alright, you set the time and ce, and Old Tang and I will be there."


    In the evening.


    After dropping off Nanrong Wanqing at home, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan drove to a small restaurant.


    This small restaurant was tucked away in a side alley by the road, rather basic surroundings. When they entered, there were few diners inside, who appeared to be localborers based on their attire.


    The only private room in the restaurant, already reserved by Hu Fei, had him sitting at a greasy round table fiddling with a bottle of his own Moutai.


    Tang Yuanined, "I say Fatty Hu, you¡¯re worth at least ten million, yet you invite us to this ce for dinner, isn¡¯t that too stingy? After all, I am your lifesaver."


    Hu Fei red, "Am I that petty? Let me tell you, despite this restaurant¡¯s poor conditions, they serve the most authentic boiled fish in East Sea City. If it weren¡¯t for my rtionship with the owner of this restaurant, you wouldn¡¯t even get the chance to taste it."


    "Don¡¯t take Old Tang seriously; he¡¯s just got a loose tongue," Ling Chenughed, "We aren¡¯t fussy about the ce, as long as there¡¯s good food."


    "Come on, this is the treasured Moutai I¡¯ve kept. Fill everyone¡¯s sses," Hu Fei said eagerly as he poured the liquor for them, and then he picked up his cup and sipped it contently.


    While waiting for the dishes to arrive, Ling Chen asked, "Didn¡¯t you say you had something else to tell me?"


    "You didn¡¯t remind me, I almost forgot. Remember you asked me to look for someone named Nanrong Gang, right? I¡¯ve used quite a few resources, and I haven¡¯t let you down."


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes sparkled, "Where is he?"


    Hu Fei pointed downwards with his hand.


    "What do you mean?"


    "That Nanrong Gang has already been buried."


    "Dead?" Ling Chen¡¯s face was filled with surprise and disbelief, "Are you sure he¡¯s dead?"


    "Do I look like I¡¯m lying to you? Absolutely sure." Saying so, Hu Fei pulled out an envelope from his pocket and tossed it on the table, "Look for yourself."


    Ling Chen tore open the envelope; there were several photographs inside, one of which was of an old man in his sixties or seventies, with a wrinkled face, bald head, white beard, and a malnourished appearance.


    Just by looking at his face, he bore some resemnce to Nanrong Yong.


    Another photo was of a graveside tombstone, detailing the old man¡¯s death, which happened three years ago.


    "He has been living abroad all these years, never returning home. ording to the information I¡¯ve gathered, he lived a hard life abroad, relying on government assistance," Hu Fei stated.


    Ling Chen nodded, put the photos back in the envelope, and asked: "Does he have any descendants?"


    "None, he lived alone abroad all these years, with no wife or children. Although, he was married when he was young, but they divorced before he went abroad, no children then. I wanted to look up his ex-wife for you, but with all these years passed, aside from a name, there¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t even know what she looks like, too difficult to track."


    "No need to look into that."


    With that, Ling Chen furrowed his brows and thought to himself.


    Last time Nanrong Yong told him in person that the person behind the threats to Nanrong Wanqing was Nanrong Gang. But now Nanrong Gang had died, and judging by his life abroad, he couldn¡¯t possibly have afforded to hire the Snake King.


    Being amongst the top ten on the assassin list, the Snake King¡¯s fee wouldn¡¯t be low, at least several million.


    If it wasn¡¯t Nanrong Gang orchestrating everything from behind the scenes, then who could it be?


    Probably only Nanrong Yong would know.


    Soon, a big pot of boiled fish was brought into the room. The owner of the restaurant, a man in his forties with yellowishplexion and an honest look, someone who has endured hardship.


    "Boss Hu, enjoy your meal. Call me if you need anything."


    "Alright, Liu, you go ahead."


    Fatty Hu whispered to them with a mysterious smile, "You guys don¡¯t need to ask,e on, let¡¯s eat while it¡¯s hot."


    After the meal, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan couldn¡¯t stop praising the taste of the boiled fish. Both were seasoned foodies, having eaten all around from south to north, domestically and internationally, yet agreed that the small restaurant¡¯s dish was even more authentic than those crafted by so-called top chefs.

 Chapter 162 - 159: Shall We Make An Appointment?

    <h4>Chapter 162: Chapter 159: Shall We Make An Appointment?</h4><h4></h4>


    Returning to the Nanrong Family house, it was already past eight o¡¯clock.


    After sending Tang Yuan back to his room, Ling Chen went alone to the bedroom where Nanrong Yong resided.


    "Ling Chen, what brings you here today? Please, have a seat." Nanrong Yong warmly weed him into the room and personally brewed a cup of tea for him.


    Ling Chen, feeling ttered, said: "Elder, you are too kind."


    "You saved Wanqing, you are a great benefactor of our Nanrong Family. Serving you tea is the least I can do," after saying this, Nanrong Yong shifted the topic, "What brings you here sote? Is there something you need?"


    "Elder,st time you asked me to help find Nanrong Gang¡¯s whereabouts, I¡¯ve found him."


    Upon hearing this, Nanrong Yong¡¯s expression changed drastically, his smile vanished instantly and he asked with a slightly cold tone, "Where is he?"


    "You should see for yourself." With that, Ling Chen handed over a few photographs to Nanrong Yong.


    Viewing the photographs, Nanrong Yong¡¯s gaze became fixed, and he did not shift his eyes for a long time, his expressionplex.


    "Elder, is this the person?"


    "Indeed, it is him," Nanrong Yong nodded slightly, sighing deeply, "I never thought he was already dead."


    "Elder, you previously suspected that the person who plotted against the chairman was Nanrong Gang, but Nanrong Gang died three years ago, indicating that it wasn¡¯t him who was covertly targeting the chairman. Do you have any other suspects?"


    "I don¡¯t know. If anyone in this world hated the Nanrong Family enough, he was the only person I could think of. All these years, whatever the Nanrong Family has gone through, I believed it was his revenge, but now... s!" Nanrong Yong leaned back against the sofa, his aged eyes reflecting a trace of fatigue.


    "Ling Chen, let this matter of Nanrong Gang rest; there¡¯s no need to investigate further. As for Wanqing..."


    "Elder, rest assured, I will not utter an extra word."


    "Much obliged."


    After Ling Chen left, Nanrong Yong got up and approached the safe, pulling out a patterned wooden box.


    Opening the box, he picked up a yellowed photograph and stared at it for a long time. In the photo, two young men in shirts were embracing each other¡¯s shoulders, smiling brightly at the camera.


    "After so many years, to think I didn¡¯t even get to see you onest time; did I really misjudge you?"


    Back in the vi.


    Ling Chen passed through the living room, intending to head to his bedroom. At that moment, he saw Su Lin lying on the couch, wearing a cute pajama set, her head resting on her arms, deeply asleep.


    The neckline of the pajama was originally rather low, and with Su Lin lying on her side, half of her bust was exposed, revealing the allure beneath without obstruction.


    This unexpected temptation nearly made Ling Chen nosebleed.


    This girl really wasn¡¯t careful about her image; wasn¡¯t she afraid of a wardrobe malfunction?


    While he contemted, Su Lin in her sleep stretched a hand to scratch an itch on her legs, consequently pulling up the hem of her pajama, suddenly uncovering a pair of snow-white beautiful legs for Ling Chen to see, making him swallow his saliva.


    There was no helping it; the girl¡¯s posture was too enticing. If it weren¡¯t for his strong self-control, he might have already lost hisposure.


    "No, no..." he muttered to himself, fearing that he might lose control over the primal energies within him if he continued looking. Although he thought this, his eyes remained unblinkingly fixed on that deep cleavage.


    He really wanted to dive into it.


    Amitabha Buddha, even food and lust are natural; the Buddha himself said so, staring a bit longer is only reasonable.


    "Ling Chen, what are you looking at?"


    "Just then, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s voice came over, startling Ling Chen, who grinned like a thief and said, ¡¯No, I wasn¡¯t looking at anything, I¡¯m going to take a shower first.¡¯ After speaking, he quickly walked into his room.


    Nanrong Wanqing strangely wheeled herself down the staircase rail and headed straight to the sofa, looking at Su Lin¡¯s seductive pose, her pretty face couldn¡¯t help but blush slightly. No wonder Ling Chen looked so odd just now, as if he had a guilty conscience.


    With that thought, she gently patted Su Lin¡¯s cheek to wake her up.


    ¡¯Wanqing...¡¯ Su Lin rubbed her sleepy eyes, ¡¯What¡¯s up?¡¯


    Nanrong Wanqing scolded softly, ¡¯You know there¡¯s a man in the house, yet you¡¯re so careless. From now on, sleep in your room, or you might be seen.¡¯


    ¡¯Man, what man?¡¯ Su Lin¡¯s still sleepy face was puzzled.


    ¡¯Ling Chen is back, did you forget?¡¯


    Su Lin looked at her own messy pajamas and shyly said, ¡¯I was so tired at school today, um... did Ling Chen just get here? Did... did he see anything?¡¯


    ¡¯He saw whatever there was to see.¡¯


    Su Lin¡¯s face turned red as she muttered, ¡¯That pervert.¡¯


    ¡¯How can you me him, it¡¯s your own fault for not being careful.¡¯


    Hearing this, Su Lin¡¯s eyes gleamed, and sheughed yfully, ¡¯Wanqing, you¡¯ve changed quite a bittely, even starting to take his side.¡¯


    ¡¯Not at all, I¡¯m just being objective.¡¯


    ¡¯Really?¡¯ Su Lin looked meaningfully at her, ¡¯Wanqing, you¡¯ve always refused to tell me what happened during those two days in the woods. But since that day, your attitude towards Ling Chen seems different. Come clean, did something inappropriate for children happen when you two were alone?¡¯


    ¡¯What inappropriate? Nothing like that.¡¯ Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s neck turned crimson as she replied angrily, ¡¯Your mind is getting increasingly impure.¡¯


    ¡¯I don¡¯t believe it. A man and a woman alone, and nothing happened? If truly nothing happened, would you let him teach Zhu Hong a lesson? Wanqing, you might deceive others but not me. I know perfectly well how important Zhu Hong is to you, your neutrality that day said it all.¡¯


    After this, she nced at Ling Chen¡¯s bedroom and whispered, ¡¯Wanqing, tell me truthfully, do you have feelings for him?¡¯


    ¡¯Who, who likes him? Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡¯


    Angered and embarrassed, Nanrong Wanqing picked up a cushion and threw it hard, ¡¯Say that again, and see if I don¡¯t kick you out?¡¯


    ¡¯Okay okay, I won¡¯t say anymore.¡¯ Su Lin caught the cushion thrown by Nanrong Wanqing, her eyes teasing, ¡¯Wanqing, if it were before, you would have kept a straight face, not saying a single unnecessary word, even refusing to defend yourself, but now... stop, don¡¯t throw anymore, isn¡¯t it okay if I stop talking?¡¯


    Ignoring Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s reproachful look, she giggled softly, ¡¯I¡¯m going back to my room.¡¯


    Running upstairs, Su Lin suddenly turned her head back, seriously saying, ¡¯Wanqing, although you¡¯re usually cold, I think this is the real you.¡¯


    Watching Su Lin reach the second floor, Nanrong Wanqing lowered her head, reflecting on Su Lin¡¯s words just now, aplicated expression shing through her beautiful eyes. She could feel it too, whenever Ling Chen was mentioned, her tranquil heart would ripple subtly.


    At this moment, the bedroom door opened, Ling Chen appeared in his boxers, bare-chested, wiping his wet hair with a towel as he walked into the kitchen.


    Passing the living room, he noticed Nanrong Wanqing and looked up.


    Simultaneously, Nanrong Wanqing turned her head, meeting his gaze.


    Their eyes locked, and seeing his robust chest, recalling how she once nestled against it, two streaks of red flew up her cheeks, her eyes full of uncontainable shyness, her beauty beyond measure.


    Captivated by her demurely charming demeanor, Ling Chen found himself staring, unable to look away for a long time.


    ¡¯Um... are you free tonight?¡¯ he blurted out unintentionally.


    ¡¯Free. What¡¯s up?¡¯ Nanrong Wanqing looked at him curiously.


    ¡¯Well...¡¯ Ling Chen grinned, recalling a popr online phrase, ¡¯Wanna hang out?¡¯

 Chapter 163 - 160 Watching a Movie

    <h4>Chapter 163: Chapter 160 Watching a Movie</h4><h4></h4>


    "What?" Nanrong Wanqing was momentarily stunned in ce, thinking she had heard wrong, and stared nkly at Ling Chen.


    "There¡¯s nothing." Ling Chen scratched his head. Those two words had just blurted out on a whim, and he really didn¡¯t dare to say such flirtatious words in front of Nanrong Wanqing, fearing that he would be too abrupt for the lovelydy.


    "Wanqing, do you just stay at home after work and not go out?"


    "Uh-huh." Nanrong Wanqing nodded, "It¡¯s too dangerous to go out at night, I don¡¯t want to trouble Zhong Wei and the others."


    "Isn¡¯t that very dull?"


    Staying at home all day, if it were someone else, they would probably be bored to death. Thinking about Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s situation, she must be quite bored too, stuck in the office during the day and cooped up at home at night. Such a life was truly uninteresting.


    With that in mind, he couldn¡¯t help but feel some sympathy for Nanrong Wanqing. If it weren¡¯t for her inconvenience with her legs, why would she need to live like this?


    "It¡¯s still early tonight, how about we go out for a walk?" Ling Chen didn¡¯t know whether it was a devil or god who prompted him, but he suddenly blurted out.


    "Where shall we go?"


    "Anywhere, East Sea City is so big, there are plenty of ces to have fun."


    "But..." Nanrong Wanqing seemed tempted yet hesitated, "Won¡¯t that trouble everyone too much?"


    "It¡¯s fine, Captain Zhong and the others will stay at home, I¡¯ll apany you alone. With me by your side, are you still afraid of danger?" Not waiting for Nanrong Wanqing to refuse, Ling Chen had already turned and walked back to the bedroom, "Sit for a while, I¡¯m going to change my clothes."


    Watching Ling Chen disappear at the door, Nanrong Wanqing felt her pretty face heat up with her fingers tightly intertwined.


    Him apanying her alone, is this... is this a date?


    Unconsciously, the usually calm and smart Wanqing couldn¡¯t help but entertain all sorts of wild thoughts.


    In just a few minutes, Ling Chen, now properly dressed, came out of the bedroom and then pushed the wheelchair toward the Nanrong Family¡¯s house. On the way, no one noticed them.


    At the doorstep, Ling Chen brought out his ssic muscle car.


    A few days ago, this muscle car, which had been damaged in a collision, had been fixed, costing nearly eight hundred thousand, all of which was reimbursed by thepany, saving Ling Chen a considerable expense.


    Sitting in the passenger seat, Nanrong Wanqing watched the car slowly drive onto the road and couldn¡¯t help asking, "Where to?"


    Ling Chen checked the time; it had just turned nine. At this hour, the only ces to have fun were bars and nightclubs, but he definitely couldn¡¯t take Nanrong Wanqing to those kinds of ces. After a moment¡¯s thought, his eyes suddenly brightened with an open smile, "Sit tight."


    With that, he stepped on the gas pedal, and the car¡¯s speed instantly picked up.


    Reaching the city center, Ling Chen parked the car on the side of the road and said, "Wait for me," before getting out alone.


    Soon after, he returned to the car and handed a baseball cap and a face mask to Nanrong Wanqing, "Here, try these."


    "What are these for?"


    "You¡¯ll see in a bit."


    After ten or so minutes of cruising the city, Ling Chen finally drove to their destination.


    Following Ling Chen¡¯s instructions, Nanrong Wanqing put on the face mask and baseball cap to hide her stunning beauty, then, holding onto his neck, sat back in the wheelchair.


    As they entered the elevator with Ling Chen, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s heart was still filled with curiosity, still unsure where this man intended to take her.


    Ding!


    With a crisp sound, the elevator slowly reached the floor.


    As the elevator doors gradually opened, Nanrong Wanqing saw therge letters that came into view and immediately understood.


    It turned out to be a movie theater.


    "Hey, what kind of movies do you like to watch?" Ling Chen asked, pointing to the film schedule.


    Nanrong Wanqing spoke softly, "I... I¡¯m fine with anything."


    At this moment, her thoughts were not on the movies at all, but on why Ling Chen would bring her to the movie theater. Could this be... a date, as this is a ce that couplese to?


    As she thought about it, a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. Thankfully, the mask covered her face, so Ling Chen beside her didn¡¯t notice.


    "Sir, which movie would you like to watch?" The young ticket seller, with a professional smile, asked politely.


    "Um... do you have any good movies you can rmend?"


    Ling Chen rarely watched movies, so he wasn¡¯t sure how to choose.


    The ticket seller nced at Nanrong Wanqing, who was sitting in the wheelchair, and enthusiastically said, "We have a newly released film that is perfect for couples to watch."


    Upon hearing the word ¡¯couples¡¯, Nanrong Wanqing unconsciously lowered her head to hide the shyness in her eyes.


    Ling Chen nced at her from the corner of his eye and coughed lightly, "Then, please give me two tickets."


    "Sure," the ticket seller drew out two freshly printed tickets, "Sir, that will be a total of one hundred and twenty yuan." As she said this, she turned towards Nanrong Wanqing in the wheelchair and said, "If your girlfriend has a disability certificate, she can get half off."


    Ling Chen frowned secretly, the ticket seller really brought up an unwee topic. He had wanted to take Nanrong Wanqing out for some fun and rxation, but now her mood was probably spoiled by these three words.


    Although Nanrong Wanqing had never expressed anything, he was very aware that she cared deeply about this matter.


    After a moment¡¯s thought, he was about to refuse outright, "No need, I..."


    "I have a disability certificate."


    Before Ling Chen could finish speaking, Nanrong Wanqing had already taken out a disability certificate and handed it over.


    Noticing this, Ling Chen was slightly taken aback, paying attention to the change in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s expression. However, unexpectedly, Nanrong Wanqing was very calm.


    After buying the tickets, Ling Chen pushed Nanrong Wanqing into the cinema¡¯s lobby.


    "I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know she would..."


    "It¡¯s okay." Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s tone was serene, "I have already gotten used to it, not to mention she isn¡¯t wrong¡ªI am indeed disabled, and that is an unchangeable fact."


    "I believe you will get better one day."


    "I hope so."


    Upon entering the lobby, the movie hadn¡¯t started yet, and therge cinema was upied only by the two of them.


    Ling Chen ced the wheelchair to the side and then carried Nanrong Wanqing to sit in the back row of the cinema. Seizing the moment before the movie started, he went to buy a bucket of popcorn and a drink.


    "Have you brought other girls here to watch movies before?" Nanrong Wanqing asked softly, out of curiosity or perhaps some other reason.


    "No, you¡¯re the first,"


    "Oh." Nanrong Wanqing responded, her eyes moving, and her pupils shone with an unusual light, as though she was thinking about something.


    A few minutester, as the lights in the hall dimmed, the movie finally began.


    In the spacious hall,rge enough for a hundred people, only the two of them were present. With the lighting dim, Nanrong Wanqing feltfortable removing her cap and mask, unafraid of being recognized by anyone.


    Ling Chen ced the popcorn between them, his gaze fixed on the giant screen, quietly watching the film.


    However, as soon as the opening scene of the movie appeared, both Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing were momentarily stunned.

 Chapter 164 - 161: Holding Hands

    <h4>Chapter 164: Chapter 161: Holding Hands</h4><h4></h4>


    On the big screen, the first to appear was a young man and woman, tenderly entwined in bed. Although there was visual editing and objects blocking the view, this not-suitable-for-children scene still made Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing very ufortable.


    There was no helping it, they had chosen the movie themselves and had to watch it to the end even with tears in their eyes.


    Besides, everyone was an adult, and watching such scenes wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone. Plus, he hadn¡¯t purposely chosen it; it was rmended by the ticket seller as a couple¡¯s movie.


    He had originally thought it would be a pure romance movie, but now he understood that so-called couple¡¯s movies were actually about creating opportunities for couples.


    As for what kind of opportunities, every man understood.


    After finally getting through the first few minutes of the passionate opening scenes, the movie atst entered the regr plot. Ling Chen quietly breathed a sigh of relief and asionally stole nces at Nanrong Wanqing beside him with the corner of his eye.


    Nanrong Wanqing watched intently, her fair and smooth cheeks still flushed with a touch of red. Under the dim light, she looked even more charming and alluring.


    Thinking back on the passionate scenes they had just watched, and with a beautiful woman by his side, Ling Chen felt an unnamed me rising in his belly that he couldn¡¯t control.


    At that moment, he crossed his legs, trying to conceal his awkwardness, and cursed in his heart that this couple¡¯s movie was really quite harmful.


    Halfway through the movie, the scenes on the big screen suddenly changed, once again shifting to passionate bedroom scenes that were even hotter than before, with every line dripping with seduction.


    Ling Chen swallowed hard and crossed his legs even tighter, continuously reaching for the popcorn bucket.


    It wasn¡¯t just him; Nanrong Wanqing also unconsciously sped up her popcorn eating, as if that was the only way to cover up the awkwardness between them.


    At that time, Ling Chen suddenly froze, his hand in the popcorn bucket stiff and at a loss.


    Just as he reached in, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s little hand happened to be in the popcorn bucket too. Both of their eyes were focused on the movie screen, paying no attention to the popcorn bucket.


    So, coincidentally, Ling Chen¡¯s big hand intended to grab popcorn but instead grasped Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s small hand.


    Although this wasn¡¯t the first time they had physical contact, the smoothness of Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s little hand still made his heart flutter.


    Secondster, Ling Chen realized that Nanrong Wanqing hadn¡¯t withdrawn her hand but allowed him to hold it.


    Not pulling away, what did that mean?


    As an old virgin who had never been in a rtionship before, aplete novice, even if Ling Chen was slow to catch on, as a man, how could he not understand the implications?


    This meant that Nanrong Wanqing did not reject him.


    Thinking of this, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit excited.


    Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t withdraw her hand, so naturally, he couldn¡¯t let go either; otherwise, what kind of man would he be?


    At this moment, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s body was tense,pletely unaware of what the movie was about, the only thought in her head being that Ling Chen had taken the initiative to hold her hand.


    Did he... did he do it on purpose?


    God knows, if Ling Chen realized what was on her mind, he would feel wronged; he just wanted to eat popcorn and had identally grabbed her hand.


    But Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t think so; in her heart, she felt it was Ling Chen¡¯s initiative.


    They had held hands, so what would the next step be?


    He wouldn¡¯t want to...


    Kiss?


    At that thought, her cheeks turned crimson, as if ame, and she bit her thin lips lightly, feeling extremely nervous inside.


    But, one minute... two minutes... three minutes passed, and Ling Chen still held onto her small hand without any further action. Seeing this, she suddenly felt an indescribable mix ofplex emotions. Was it disappointment? Or relief?


    For the past twenty-three years, everything she cherished had been taken by the man before her. Whether it was her first kiss or her pure and innocent body, although he hadn¡¯t breached the final line of defense, in her eyes, this man had taken everything from her.


    Perhaps it was because of the Nanrong family¡¯s traditions, deep down she had always been a traditional woman.


    To a traditional woman, the most important thing is her first time. In her opinion, a woman¡¯s purity should only be given to one man.


    For this reason, every time Ling Chen made an intimate gesture, she tried not to resist. In other words, she was trying to ept it.


    If it were any other man who brought her to see this kind of movie, she probably wouldn¡¯t stay for even a second longer.


    Only Ling Chen enjoyed this special treatment.


    Time ticked by, second by second. Neither Ling Chen nor Nanrong Wanqing knew what the movie was about; their minds werepletely elsewhere.


    Ling Chen continued to hold Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s small hand, which was ced inside the popcorn bucket, and never drew it out. The two had maintained this position for a long time.


    Watching Nanrong Wanqing, who was looking straight ahead without moving her eyes, Ling Chen¡¯s heart was extremely conflicted; he was unsure of what to do next.


    Kiss her?


    What if he was rejected? How embarrassing that would be.


    For a moment, he was torn.


    After a while, he gritted his teeth. Damn it, as a man, what is there to be afraid of? If I chicken out at such a crucial moment, am I still a man?


    With this thought, he steeled his resolve, turned his head, preparing for the next step. But at this moment, with her face blushing red and looking down, Wanqing whispered softly, "I... I want to eat some popcorn."


    Uh...


    With an awkward smile, Ling Chen reluctantly let go of her hand.


    What a pity!


    Now even the chance was gone.


    One and a half hours passed, and the two of them finally finished watching the movie amidst their ¡¯painful¡¯ endurance.


    Upon exiting the hall, the young girl who was in charge of ticket sales looked at them with a smiling face and politely said, "We wee both of you toe again."


    "Definitely, definitely," Ling Chen mumbled perfunctorily, quickly pushing Nanrong Wanqing into the elevator.


    All the way back to the car, Nanrong Wanqing remained silent, just fiddling with the hem of her clothing.


    "Are you hungry?" Ling Chen broke the silence between them, asking.


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded lightly, "A little."


    "Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to eat something." Saying that, he started the car and slowly drove onto the road.


    Before long, they drove to the most bustling area of the city center. This was Snack Street, full of street stalls featuring delicacies from all over the country. As soon as night falls, visitors swarm the area, creating a lively atmosphere.


    Pushing the wheelchair, Ling Chen pointed to a stall selling mung bean cakes, "Want to try? The taste here is very authentic."


    "Okay."


    Nanrong Wanqing looked eager to try. To amoner, a five-star dinner might be a luxury, but to the truly wealthy, isn¡¯t street food a kind of luxury as well?


    Both watching a movie and trying street food were things she wanted to experience, and Ling Chen had brought her to see them tonight. She was curious about how Ling Chen knew of these interests of hers, could it be... a telepathic connection?

 Chapter 165 - 162: Street Snacks

    <h4>Chapter 165: Chapter 162: Street Snacks</h4><h4></h4>


    She had no idea thatst time, while injured in the woods and slipping in and out of consciousness, she had mentioned many of her likes, all of which Ling Chen had memorized without missing a word. However, shepletely forgot what she had said once she came to.


    Walking along, browsing the stalls, and snacking away, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s pretty face was lit up with a bright, happy smile. She had almost forgotten how long it had been since she felt this happy.


    After finishing some mung bean cakes and pine flower pastries, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s eyes suddenly sparkled as she pointed at a stall ahead, excitedly saying, "Ling Chen, they have rice noodle rolls over there, I want some."


    "Alright, let¡¯s go get some."


    Ling Chen smiled faintly, pushing Nanrong Wanqing to the stall, "Vendor, two bowls of rice noodle rolls, no chili."


    Seeing a round table set up beside them, Nanrong Wanqing couldn¡¯t help but suggest, "Let¡¯s sit down and eat. You must be tired from walking so much."


    "It¡¯s nothing." Even though he said that, Ling Chen still sat down at the table.


    Before long, two bowls of rice noodle rolls were brought to them.


    "How does it taste?"


    "Delicious," Nanrong Wanqing said with a satisfied smile, "These rice noodle rolls have to be eaten fresh. Lin used to buy them for me, but the taste changes by the time she brings them home."


    "Take your time, there are over a hundred stalls here, we can go through them one by one."


    "No, I can¡¯t... I¡¯m afraid of gaining weight," Nanrong Wanqing said shyly. "I seldom eatte-night snacks, this is the first time I¡¯m making an exception."


    "You have such a good figure, you won¡¯t get fat. Just eat to your heart¡¯s content without worrying."


    Hearing hispliment, Nanrong Wanqing smiled slightly and continued to savor the delicious rice noodle rolls.


    Before long, more and more people arrived at the stall, and the round table was filled with patrons. However, everyone¡¯s gaze seemed to settle on Nanrong Wanqing.


    No wonder, as one of East Sea City¡¯s golden flowers, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s charm was irresistible. Despite the disability in her legs, her delicate beauty and demeanor were akin to a goddess descending to Earth. Moreover, her sitting in a wheelchair added a touch of vulnerability, eliciting an instinctive tenderness from the depths of people¡¯s hearts.


    "Beautifuldy, hello, let¡¯s get acquainted. My name is Jiang Yunkai," a young man sitting nearby initiated a conversation.


    Nanrong Wanqing gave him a brief nce without a word, focusing on her rice noodle rolls instead.


    "Beauty, I..."


    "Pal, stick to your rice noodle rolls and don¡¯t bother others for no reason," Ling Chen interrupted him impatiently.


    Jiang Yunkai sized up Ling Chen and smiled showing his teeth, "Ah, so you have a boyfriend."


    Ling Chen nodded, appreciating that the guy got the hint.


    "But having a boyfriend doesn¡¯t matter. Haven¡¯t married yet, and even if you are married, divorce is always an option."


    This sudden statement from Jiang Yunkai instantly irked Ling Chen.


    "Ling Chen, I¡¯m done eating, let¡¯s go," Nanrong Wanqing put down her chopsticks and spoke softly.


    Seeing her speak up, Ling Chen abandoned the idea of bickering with the other man, pushed the wheelchair back onto the street, and continued their stroll.


    Jiang Yunkai¡¯s mouth twitched into a smirk as he stood up and started to follow them, matching their pace.


    Seeing that he kept following them, Ling Chen frowned slightly, this guy really didn¡¯t know when to quit.


    Afraid that he would take action, Nanrong Wanqing advised, "There are plenty of people like him, no need to get into a squabble."


    Not too far away, Ling Chen noticed a grilled skewer stall by the road and stopped, "There are skewers over there, do you want some?"


    Nanrong Wanqing was a bit eager but hesitated seeing so much meat.


    Knowing what she was thinking, Ling Chen grinned widely, "It¡¯s fine, eating one or two won¡¯t make you fat."


    "Well... okay then," Nanrong Wanqing ultimately could not resist the temptation of delicious food.


    "Boss, give me five skewers."


    "Okay..." The stall owner was about to respond, but his face suddenly changed, and he corrected himself: "Sorry, we¡¯re all sold out."


    Ling Chen pointed to the heaps of skewers nearby, "Are you treating me like I¡¯m blind? There are so many here, aren¡¯t they yours?"


    "I already said they¡¯re sold out, what¡¯s with all the useless talk? Hurry up and move, don¡¯t block my business."


    As he spoke, the stall owner cautiously nced behind Ling Chen.


    Noticing his gaze, Ling Chen immediately turned his head and saw Jiang Yunkai standing behind him with a smile.


    "Boss, give thisdy here a few skewers," Jiang Yunkai stepped forward and greeted the owner.


    "Alright! Brother Jiang, please wait a moment, they¡¯ll be ready shortly."


    Ling Chen looked at Jiang Yunkai with a yful gaze, noticing that this young man wielded some clout on this street; even the stall owner seemed to fear him.


    Having dealt with Jiang Hao and the others for so long, he was all too familiar with such characters.


    "Ling Chen, let¡¯s go back, it¡¯s gettingte and we have to work tomorrow."


    Nanrong Wanqing spoke up, not wanting him to get into a conflict.


    "Okay."


    Ling Chen hesitated for a moment and then nodded.


    But at that moment, suddenly, from the opposite side of the street came a burst of cursing, followed by a nging noise, as if something had been smashed to the ground, sending numerous tourists running over here with panic on their faces.


    Beside him, Jiang Yunkai¡¯s expression turned cold as he walked straight over.


    Before long, a group of more than thirty thugs wielding steel rods surged forward, smashing all the stalls on the street, striking people without mercy.


    "Stop it!" yelled Jiang Yunkai.


    "Brother Jiang is here."


    "Brother Jiang, you must stand up for us."


    The stall owners around saw Jiang Yunkai as if they had seen a lifesaver, and they ran over to him one after another.


    Seeing the actions of these stall owners, Ling Chen was somewhat surprised. He had originally thought Jiang Yunkai to be amon street thug, which is why these stall owners were afraid of him. Now, it seemed that was not the case.


    It looked like the stall owners respected Jiang Yunkai quite a bit; such respect was not typically orded to an ordinary street thug.


    "Everyone, step back. I¡¯ll handle this."


    With those words, Jiang Yunkai stepped forward, gave the thugs a scan, then fixed his gaze on the leader and frowned, "Huang Zhan, I¡¯ve warned you, you can¡¯t touch this street. Did you take my words as a joke?"


    "Jiang, don¡¯t get too cocky. From today on, this street is under the control of the Green Tiger Gang. If you dare to interfere, don¡¯t me me for being unkind."


    The Green Tiger Gang?


    Ling Chen¡¯s mind stirred; wasn¡¯t Qi Jianhui the boss of the Green Tiger Gang?


    As he contemted, he heard Jiang Yunkai say: "Come at me if you have the guts. If I take a step back, then I¡¯m not Jiang Yunkai."


    "Fine, you¡¯re asking for it. Brothers, grab your weapons, charge!"


    Facing more than thirty thugs, Jiang Yunkai was calm and unabashed, aggressively charging forward.


    His arms twisted, his waist turned, and with a simple move, a thug was knocked to the ground.


    Watching his movements, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up, thoughtfully observing Jiang Yunkai.

 Chapter 166 - 163 Jiang Yunkai

    <h4>Chapter 166: Chapter 163 Jiang Yunkai</h4><h4></h4>


    Jiang Yunkai¡¯s movements were as fluid as drifting clouds and flowing water, without a hint of stagnation. Each motion seemed to have been honed a thousand times, picked up effortlessly, very casual. Yet, each move contained a powerful force. With just a light touch, a hoodlum was sent flying far away, crashing heavily to the ground, crying out in pain.


    Ling Chen watched quietly, nodding asionally and praising Jiang Yunkai¡¯s martial arts skills.


    His skills were honed in realbat, focusing on lethal intent, with big and bold moves where every strike was meant to kill. Thus, his martial arts had no fixed routines; every punch and kick aimed to quickly eliminate the enemy.


    But Jiang Yunkai was different; the aura he exuded clearly indicated a well-trained background. Judging by his moves, he likely practiced traditional martial arts, Xingyi Fist.


    Xingyi Fist is one of Huaxia¡¯s traditional martial arts, celebrated alongside Tai Chi Boxing and Trigram Palm as one of the three major Inner Boxing styles.


    Assessing martial arts isn¡¯t just about observing the physical form; the most important aspect lies in the artistic conception. If it possesses only form without substance, it¡¯s merely a useless decoration.


    The reason Jiang Yunkai¡¯s martial arts captivated Ling Chen was that every move contained the essence of Xingyi Fist, demonstrating that he had grasped the profound mysteries and essence of the boxing technique.


    Such a person can truly be called a master.


    Jiang Yunkai had interrupted his and Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s private moment earlier, which initially annoyed him. However, after witnessing Jiang Yunkai¡¯s martial arts, he grew increasingly intrigued by him.


    At such a young age to possess such skills, his mentor must be extraordinary.


    In no time, Huang Zhan¡¯s thugs were all knocked down by Jiang Yunkai.


    "Isn¡¯t it time for you to leave?" Jiang Yunkai stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at Huang Zhan on the ground with a cold tone.


    Huang Zhan clenched his teeth: "Jiang, don¡¯t get cocky. Offending our Green Tiger Gang won¡¯t make your life any easier. Brothers, let¡¯s go!"


    Watching the gang of hoodlums flee dejectedly, the surrounding vendors burst into apuse and cheers.


    "Jiang is really tough."


    "Indeed, thanks to Jiang, we can run our businesses smoothly."


    "..."


    Suddenly, the crowd was filled with words of praise for Jiang Yunkai.


    Jiang Yunkai smiled slightly, then turned to look at Nanrong Wanqing and walked over to a roadside stall, "Boss, are the skewers ready?"


    "They¡¯re ready, Jiang. From now on, skewers for you are on the house."


    "Thanks!"


    Jiang Yunkai took the skewers without any reserve and approached Nanrong Wanqing with a radiant smile, "Beauty, your skewers."


    Nanrong Wanqing shook her head lightly, murmuring distantly, "These are your skewers." After speaking, she shifted her gaze towards Ling Chen.


    Thetter patted Jiang Yunkai on the shoulder and grinned, "Buddy, I know you¡¯re great, but even if you are, flirting with my girlfriend in front of me is not right."


    Jiang Yunkai didn¡¯t even turn his head, "I¡¯ve said it before, as long as this beauty isn¡¯t married, everyone has a chance to pursue her. Beauty, I don¡¯t even know your name yet?"


    "Boring." Nanrong Wanqing coldly spit out two words, then turned her wheelchair and left.


    Feeling Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s icy demeanor, Jiang Yunkai was momentarily stunned, seemingly not expecting such a frosty reception. He¡¯s good-looking and skilled in martial arts; don¡¯t all women like men who can provide a sense of security?


    "Beauty, don¡¯t go."


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing walking away, he immediately chased after her.


    However, having just taken two steps, he felt someone grab his shoulder.


    Turning his head, he saw the smiling Ling Chen behind him, and Jiang Yunkai frowned, "Take your hand off."


    "Pal, stop chasing. The world is full of beauties, why don¡¯t you go find another one?"


    "You also know the world is full of beauties, so why don¡¯t you let me have this beauty and you go after other women?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s smile remained unchanged, but his eyes narrowed, "Buddy, I¡¯m advising you nicely, don¡¯t overstep."


    "Or what, you want to teach me a lesson?" Jiang Yunkai said dismissively, "I¡¯ll say it again, take your hand off."


    Ling Chen did not move, his hand still gripping his shoulder.


    Seeing this, Jiang Yunkai snorted lightly and leaned his shoulder back forcefully, trying to push Ling Chen away and make him retreat. But as soon as he made his move, his expression changed. Ling Chen¡¯s hand was like an iron mp, firmly locking onto his shoulder. He couldn¡¯t make a move or even budge; all his strength seemed to be dissolved invisibly.


    At this moment, the disdain in Jiang Yunkai¡¯s eyes gradually receded, turning solemn.


    "So it turns out you¡¯re also a martial artist."


    "I¡¯m different from you; I practice unorthodox methods, I can¡¯tpare with someone from a proper lineage like you."


    Jiang Yunkai frowned slightly, a glint shing in Mo Che¡¯s eyes. He then gathered his strength and struck again. However, Ling Chen stood firm like a rock, rooted to the ground. No matter how hard he tried, Ling Chen¡¯s body did not move an inch.


    Having used less than half of his strength in his first attempt and going all out in the second one, yet still unable to free himself from Ling Chen horrified him.


    After two failures, he immediately gave up the idea of trying again.


    His face turned serious, and he bowed with his hands sped, "I didn¡¯t expect to meet a master like you in East Sea City. I was rash before, please forgive me."


    "No worries, just don¡¯t try to snatch my girlfriend again." Saying this, Ling Chen looked towards Nanrong Wanqing not far away, "Brother Jiang, I have to go now, we¡¯ll chat another time."


    "Sure, I live on this street, ask any vendor here, they all know me. Oh, right!" Jiang Yunkai seemed to remember something, quickly handing over some skewers he was holding, "Sorry about earlier, please apologize to your girlfriend for me."


    "It¡¯s fine, she won¡¯t mind. Let¡¯s go!"


    Ling Chen waved his hand and quickly returned to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s side, pushing her wheelchair out of the street.


    Eating the tasty skewers, Nanrong Wanqing curiously asked, "What were you guys talking about just now? I thought you were going to fight."


    "No, Jiang Yunkai isn¡¯t a bad person."


    "How do you know? Just because he gave you some skewers for free?"


    Ling Chen chuckled, "You¡¯re overthinking."


    In fact, when Jiang Yunkai fought with those hoodlums earlier, Ling Chen had already noticed. Jiang Yunkai was measured in his strikes, and those hoodlums only suffered superficial injuries, nothing serious.


    For martial artists, moral character is crucial, and this can be discerned from how one conducts themselves. Thus, through Jiang Yunkai¡¯s actions, Ling Chen knew he wasn¡¯t a bad person. If it weren¡¯t for that, he would have knocked him down with a punch much earlier.


    In this East Sea City, it¡¯s rare to encounter a young person of simr age with remarkable skills. Although they only exchanged a few words earlier, both had the intent to make further acquaintance.

 Chapter 167 - 164: The Cunning Little Hua

    <h4>Chapter 167: Chapter 164: The Cunning Little Hua</h4><h4></h4>


    Back at the Nanrong Family.


    Ling Chen escorted Nanrong Wanqing to the living room, watched her ascend the stairs, and then turned back to his own bedroom.


    At that moment, Nanrong Wanqing suddenly looked back, and seeing Ling Chen about to enter his room, she couldn¡¯t help but speak out, "Ling Chen."


    "Hmm?" Ling Chen turned around, "What¡¯s up?"


    "Thank you for yourpany tonight, I haven¡¯t been this happy in a long time."


    Ling Chen grinned, "Why be polite? If you feel like going out again, just let me know, and I¡¯ll take you out."


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded slightly and went straight back to her room.


    After taking a shower, Ling Cheny in bed, smiling foolishly to himself as he thought about the evening spent alone with Nanrong Wanqing. He remembered when he first joined thepany, Nanrong Wanqing was extremely resistant to him, wishing to drive him out. Now, her attitude towards him had greatly changed.


    This transformation began after they returned from the forestst time.


    Upon reflection, Ling Chen realized that Nanrong Wanqing was indeed an alluring woman. Despite her disability, it didn¡¯t stop her from being a golden flower of East Sea City.


    Beautiful, talented, and wealthy ¨C these were probably the main reasons she was considered a golden flower.


    Thinking of her legs, Ling Chen sighed internally; that must be the only blemish on her beauty.


    If only he could cure her legs, that would be wonderful.


    At that thought, he suddenly got up from bed, turned on the light andputer, and logged into a website, then essed a private cloud storage. Afteryers of decryption, the contents of the cloud storage finally appeared.


    Within this cloud storage, there were dozens of images, all of which were copies of content from an ancient tome that he kept online for easy reference.


    No one would have imagined that this hidden cloud storage contained valuable ancient manuscripts.


    After a while, Ling Chen found those images rted to medical records. These images were filled with ancient seal script, which he had even learned to read fluently to understand these manuscripts.


    The pictures documented many ancient prescriptions, each with various effects. Unfortunately, the medical skills he learned from them were only superficial. Many of the profound techniques were beyond his grasp, and he never had the opportunity to try them.


    After studying for two or three hours, seeing that it was gettingte, Ling Chen decided to print those images and nned to discuss them with Zhu Xiaozhu the next day.


    Zhu Xiaozhu was proficient in ancient Chinese medicine and he believed she could offer a lot of advice.


    Just as he thought of Zhu Xiaozhu, Ling Chen pped his forehead, suddenly remembering something. Today, on his way back from the Martial Arts Academy, Little Hua ced a bet with him, having arranged to meet the next evening to prove that Zhu Xiaozhu liked him.


    Thinking of the date with Nanrong Wanqing tonight and facing Zhu Xiaozhu tomorrow, he scratched his head. If it was true as Little Hua said, that Zhu Xiaozhu liked him, should he ept it? If he did, what would happen with Nanrong Wanqing?


    He could feel that Nanrong Wanqing did not resist interacting with him, which meant something to him beyond any doubt.


    To say he had no feelings for Nanrong Wanqing would be a lie. After all, they had shared adversity, and he had taken a great advantage of her hospitality. It wouldn¡¯t be right to just walk away as if nothing had happened.


    Thinking of all this, he felt a tremendous headache.


    Damn it, he thought. Previously, when he wanted to find a girlfriend, he couldn¡¯t; now, two exceptional beauties appeared in his life simultaneously. As a man, he naturally wished to have both. However, that was clearly impossible.


    Leaving aside that thew would not permit it, both Nanrong Wanqing and Zhu Xiaozhu were renowned talents. Any talented woman has her pride and would not share a man with another woman ¨C that was just impractical.


    Moreover, Nanrong Wanqing and Zhu Xiaozhu had grievances between them.


    "Let it be, we can talk about this tomorrow." He thought to himself. Perhaps he was overthinking it; Zhu Xiaozhu didn¡¯t like him at all.


    A night passed.


    The next day.


    Qingyun Martial Arts Academy.


    "Xiaozhu."


    Early in the morning, Little Hua pushed open the door and rushed into Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s room. Seeing Zhu Xiaozhu still asleep in bed, a sly glint flickered in Little Hua¡¯s round eyes. Then she quietly climbed onto the bed and burrowed under the covers.


    "Ah!"


    Suddenly, the room was filled with a high-pitched scream of embarrassment and anger.


    "Xiaozhu, what are you shouting for?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she red at Little Hua, pushing her off, and said irritably, "You¡¯re not allowed to pinch me there again next time... pinch me there, or else I¡¯ll spank you."


    Little Hua hugged her smooth, delicate arms, giggling, "We¡¯re both women, Xiaozhu, are you still embarrassed? Xiaozhu, I heard that a woman¡¯s breasts need to be massaged to grow bigger, is that true?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s face turned even redder as she scolded, "You little rascal, who¡¯s been telling you these things?"


    "Come on, Xiaozhu, just tell me, you¡¯re a medical student, you must know the truth."


    "What does a little kid like you need to know that for?"


    Stillughing, Little Hua said, "If you don¡¯t say it, I¡¯ll take it as you agree." Then, leaning close to Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s ear, she whispered softly, "I just gave you a little massage, and I feel like you still have room for improvement. Why don¡¯t you give it a try, maybe they¡¯ll grow."


    "That¡¯s easy for you to say." Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s eyes were shy and annoyed as she raised her arm and gently patted Little Hua¡¯s butt.


    Little Hua didn¡¯t care about Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s punishment, "If you don¡¯t want to massage them yourself, then find someone to help you. Or... maybe ask big brother to do it, I think he¡¯d be quite suitable."


    "You..."


    Hearing her mention Ling Chen, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s pretty face grew even redder, provoking a desire to cherish her.


    "Xiaozhu, do you like big brother?"


    "Who said that?"


    "So you don¡¯t like him then." Little Hua pretended to sigh heavily, disappointed, "Poor big brother."


    Zhu Xiaozhu asked in confusion, "Why is he pitiful?"


    "Big brother told me the other day that he likes you a lot. But he¡¯s also afraid of being rejected by you, so he¡¯s never dared to confess. He said that right now he doesn¡¯t have a house or a car, and doesn¡¯t have any savings, so he¡¯s worried that you¡¯d look down on him, so..."


    Before she could finish, Zhu Xiaozhu interrupted, dissatisfied, "I¡¯m not that kind of materialistic woman."


    "Right, that¡¯s what I told big brother too. He asked me to pass on a message to you, but since you don¡¯t like him, I guess there¡¯s no need for me to ry it." Saying this, Little Hua sneaked a nce at Zhu Xiaozhu and got ready to get out of bed.


    "Where are you going?"


    "I¡¯m going to return a call to big brother, tell him to give up on this idea. My Xiaozhu doesn¡¯t think highly of him."


    Zhu Xiaozhu suddenly became anxious and blurted out, "Don¡¯t!"

 Chapter 168 - 165: The Plan Succeeds

    <h4>Chapter 168: Chapter 165: The n Seeds</h4><h4></h4>


    "What?" Little Hua turned her head, pretending not to have heard, but a mischievous, triumphant grin twinkled in her bright,rge eyes.


    "I... I said..." Zhu Xiaozhu stammered, finding it somewhat difficult to express herself.


    "Xiaozhu, if you don¡¯t say it now, I¡¯ll have to make a phone call. s, if Big Brother finds out, he probably won¡¯te to our Martial Arts Academy again, and who knows if there will be another chance to see him in the future."


    Hearing this, Zhu Xiaozhu quickly grabbed her hand, and with a touch of shyness asked, "What... what message did he ask you to pass on to me?"


    "Big Brother said that he has reserved dinner tonight at a restaurant and would like to invite you. If you¡¯re interested in him, then go meet him. If not, I¡¯ll make an excuse for you."


    "Which restaurant?"


    Little Hua said with a beaming smile, "Xiaozhu, by the look of it, are you nning to go?"


    "I..." Zhu Xiaozhu, with her head lowered, hesitated.


    "Xiaozhu, think it over. Big Brother is a good man. He¡¯s helped us so many times. You really shouldn¡¯t miss this chance. If Big Brother takes a liking to some other womanter, you¡¯ll regret it." Little Hua continued to spur her on, eagerly persuading.


    Zhu Xiaozhu bit the corner of her lip, and after a while, she spoke hesitantly, "Tell me the restaurant¡¯s address and time, I¡¯ll think about it."


    Little Hua snickered secretly; she knew Zhu Xiaozhu too well. Such words meant she had already agreed.


    After leaving behind the restaurant¡¯s details and the time, Little Hua bounced out of the room. Just as she left, she bumped into He Ziyun, who was in the midst of his Breathing Control in the courtyard.


    "You little rascal, did you secretly use my money to book the restaurant?"


    Little Hua replied discontentedly, "Old man, why are you so stingy? It¡¯s just a few thousand bucks. Besides, don¡¯t you want Big Brother to be together with Xiaozhu? If things work out, I can just ask Big Brother to pay you back. Hmph, he still owes me two boxes of lollipops."


    He Ziyun shook his head helplessly. "You, you¡¯re betraying your Xiaozhu for two boxes of lollipops. If she found out, who knows how sad she¡¯d be."


    "I¡¯m thinking of her lifelong happiness," Little Hua defended.


    During this conversation, there came a knock at the door from outside the Martial Arts Academy.


    "Who is it?"


    Little Hua was a bit puzzled¡ªit was early morning, who woulde here? Could it be Big Brother couldn¡¯t wait to see Xiaozhu?


    With that thought, she hurried to the door and opened it. Instantly, a well-dressed man greeted her politely, "Hello, may I speak with Miss Zhu?"


    "Who are you? What do you want with Xiaozhu?"


    "Not him seeking, but I need to find her." As the words fell, a handsome young man with a gentle smile approached, escorted by several suited bodyguards, "Little sister, you should have seen me at Nanrong¡¯s housest time. My name is Zhu Hong, and I am your Xiaozhu¡¯s brother."


    "I remember you."


    "May I see her now?"


    Little Hua hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Come in, then."


    Upon entering the room, Zhu Hong looked around and asked, "Little sister, why don¡¯t I see the others?"


    Little Hua was also perplexed; the old man was still here just a moment ago, and now he was nowhere to be seen.


    "They haven¡¯t gotten up yet," she replied offhandedly. "Please have a seat, Xiaozhu will be here soon."


    A few minutester, Zhu Xiaozhu, fresh from her morning routines, gracefully walked into the main hall of the Martial Arts Academy.


    Seeing her, Zhu Hong immediately stood up from the chair, weing her with a smile, "Xiaozhu."


    "Big Brother, why are you so early today?"


    "An urgent matter at thepany, I have to take a trip out of town soon. I wanted to see you before I leave. I didn¡¯t disturb your rest, did I?"


    "No, it¡¯s fine. I was already awake."


    Zhu Hong nodded, then suddenly asked, "Xiaozhu, how are you and Ling Chen getting along?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu was taken aback, somewhat surprised, and unsure why Zhu Hong would suddenly bring up Ling Chen.


    "It¡¯s fine. We are friends." As she said this, her thoughts inadvertantly turned to the evening¡¯s appointment, painting a touch of blush on her pretty face. "Big Brother, do you need to see him for something?"


    "Not really," Zhu Hong waved his hand. "It¡¯s like this; I have a misunderstanding with Ling Chen that may not be resolved in a few words. Since he¡¯s your friend, I wouldn¡¯t want our issues to affect your rtionship, so I wanted to tell you in advance."


    "Misunderstanding? What kind of misunderstanding?"


    "That... let¡¯s not talk about it. It¡¯s hard to rify in a few words. Alright, let¡¯s not talk about him now. I came especially to see you. Also, I brought some Beijing delicacies you love."


    "Thank you, Big Brother."


    "We¡¯re siblings, no need for formalities." After finishing, he looked at the time and stood up, "It¡¯s gettingte. I need to catch my flight. I¡¯ll call you after I get back."


    "Sure, Big Brother, travel safely."


    After leaving Qingyun Martial Arts Hall, Zhu Hong got back into his car and looked at the man beside him, asking, "How¡¯s it going?"


    "All set up, and the signal is stable." The man tapped on hisptop for a bit before turning the screen towards Zhu Hong. In an instant, the screen disyed several surveince feeds, with Zhu Xiaozhu passing through one of them in the courtyard.


    "Very good."


    Zhu Hong nodded his approval. During his chat with Zhu Xiaozhu, his guards had discreetly installed micro-cameras around the Martial Arts Academy, allowing them to monitor the entirety of the establishment.


    "By the way, boss, the information you requested has been found."


    With that, the man beside him handed over a folder.


    Zhu Hong took it and browsed through, his brows soon furrowing, "You¡¯ve investigated for so many days, and this is all the information you¡¯ve found?"


    "Boss, that Ling Chen¡¯s background is quite mysterious, and this is all the information avable. The records show that he was previously in the army; I think he must have been a member of Huaxia¡¯s secret forces. People like him, once discharged, have their records sealed by the government, making them very hard to trace."


    "Secret forces?" Zhu Hong murmured to himself. After pondering for a while, he said, "Get in touch with our contacts; use their resources. I want to see what kind of background this Ling Chen really has."


    "Yes, sir."


    8:30 in the morning.


    Ling Chen was punctual in dropping off Nanrong Wanqing at her office. Just after returning to his own, he received a call from Little Hua.


    "Xiyuan Restaurant, 7:30 tonight... Okay, got it. Uh... will Xiaozhu also be there?"


    Little Hua giggled mysteriously on the phone, "You guess?" Leaving him with two exasperating words, she hung up.


    This girl!


    Ling Chen shook his head; with the restaurant already booked, it was certain that Zhu Xiaozhu would be there.


    Checking the time, there were still eleven hours to go. At the moment, however, he couldn¡¯t help feeling nervous. Along with the nerves, there was also a little hint of anticipation.


    (Kneeling for rmendation tickets, favorites)

 Chapter 169 - 166 Clay Pot Rice

    <h4>Chapter 169: Chapter 166 y Pot Rice</h4><h4></h4><subtxt> After dozing off in the office all morning, Ling Chen found it dull. Initially, he was supposed to escort Nanrong Wanqing back home at noon, but due to thepany being busy, Nanrong Wanqing decided to stay and work overtime.


    Following Tang Yuan and Wei Jun to the cafeteria, the three of them ordered some meals and found a spot to sit down.


    They were just chatting when a slender, well-mannered young man with sses approached with a tray in hand. Looking around and seeing that all the seats were taken except for a few empty ones, he hesitated before setting his sights on the vacant seat next to Ling Chen and headed over.


    "Excuse me, may I... can I sit here?"


    Ling Chen nced at him and immediately grinned, "No need to be polite, have a seat."


    Ling Chen had seen this bespectacled young man before¡ªa couple of times at the restroom and once during a job interview when he identally walked into the conference room.


    Among hundreds of people at Hongyu Group, it was interesting that they could bump into each other again; seemed like fate.


    "Hey, I¡¯m Ling Chen, this is Tang Yuan, Wei Jun, we¡¯re all members of the security department. How about you?" Ling Chen initiated a conversation.


    "My name is Ji Beizhao, I work in the Market Research Department."


    Ji Beizhao spoke in a gentle and quiet voice, nearly like a woman, and even blushed talking to so many people, which everyone found amusing.


    Ling Chen was curious; employees in the Market Research Department have to deeply engage with the market and interact with people, was Ji Beizhao¡¯s character really suited for this?


    Wei Jun casually remarked, "Hey, Ji, based on your ent, you don¡¯t seem local."


    "I used to study abroad and just recently returned home."


    "Wow, can¡¯t tell; turns out you¡¯re a foreign graduate."


    Ji Beizhao smiled shyly, "Many in Hongyu Group are high-caliber talents returned from studying abroad; I¡¯m nothing special."


    Ling Chen silently nodded; the young man was quite humble, and his personality seemed fine. Staying in such a bigpany, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to make more friends. Usually hanging around with the big guys from the security department was dull, so making friends from other departments could be a good thing.


    After chatting for more than half an hour, Ling Chen saw a delicate-looking girl carrying a tray sit down at the table next to them.


    "Lan," he waved in greeting.


    This girl¡¯s name was Wang Lan, secretary to Nanrong Wanqing.


    "Mr. Ling," Wang Lan greeted him with a smile.


    "Lan, has the chairman had lunch yet?"


    Wang Lan shook her head, "The chairman is still busy; I just asked her, she said she doesn¡¯t have time to eat now and asked me to keep her meal."


    Ling Chen checked the time; it was almost 1:30 pm. That woman really didn¡¯t know how to take care of herself, no matter how busy, she should eat first.


    He stood up immediately, "You guys keep talking, I¡¯ll go bring some food to the chairman."


    Tang Yuan teased, "The old virgin is catching on, finally caring about a female colleague?"


    "Get lost."


    "Old virgin?" Hearing this peculiar nickname, Wei Jun chuckled looking at Ling Chen, "Ling, no wonder you wouldn¡¯te out with me for some fun at night, turns out it¡¯s because..."


    Ling Chen¡¯s face rarely blushed, he red and said, "Don¡¯t listen to his nonsense, I¡¯m off!"


    Originally, Ling Chen wanted to get Nanrong Wanqing a meal from the cafeteria, but it was sote that the food had already gone cold. Thinking of Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s delicate physique, Ling Chen simply ran out of thepany and bought a y pot rice from a restaurant across the street, which he brought to the chairman¡¯s office.


    He knocked on the door and heard Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s voice from inside, Ling Chen gently pushed the door open and strode in.


    At that moment, Nanrong Wanqing was still buried in work at her desk, not even lifting her head.


    "Lan, the document I was asking you for just now, give it to me."


    While speaking, she was seriously signing a document with a pen, and raised her other hand slightly towards the outer edge of the desk.


    Ling Chen helplessly shook his head; this woman actually mistook him for the secretary, Wang Lan.


    He stepped forward and ced the freshly-bought y pot rice directly onto her hand. Feeling the unexpected weight in her hand, Nanrong Wanqing immediately lifted her head. Seeing Ling Chen in front of her, she expressed her surprise, "Why is it you?"


    Ling Chen chided, "Look at the time, no matter how busy you are, you should eat first. Eating well gives you the strength to work. Here, this y pot rice was just bought, hurry up and eat it while it¡¯s warm."


    Hearing the care in his words, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s heart warmed, and a small smile unconsciously spread across her lips.


    Opening the lunchbox and smelling the delicious aroma, her beautiful eyes suddenly lit up with a peculiar sparkle, curiously looking at Ling Chen, "How did you know I like fish-vored shredded pork?"


    "I just picked randomly, d you like it," Ling Chen said, smiling.


    Of course, he would not tell Nanrong Wanqing that he had specifically made a call to Nanrong Hao, who as a brother, knew his sister best.


    However, to Nanrong Wanqing, it felt like a special twist of fate. Could it be true telepathy? Thinking this, her pretty face blushed slightly as she quickly bowed her head and started eating the fish-vored shredded pork in the lunchbox, hiding her embarrassment.


    After a few bites, she noticed Ling Chen was still standing there and couldn¡¯t help asking, "Aren¡¯t you going back to your office?"


    "I¡¯ll wait until you finish eating. Once you¡¯re done, I¡¯ll leave." Saying this, Ling Chen found a chair to sit on, crossing his legs and casually pulling out a toothpick to chew on.


    Seeing his rxed demeanor, Nanrong Wanqing reprimanded him, "Mind your image, this is the chairman¡¯s office, what if someone saw?"


    "What¡¯s there to be afraid of." Ling Chen said nonchntly, "The chairman herself doesn¡¯t mind, who dares to care. Come on, stop worrying about me and eat your meal."


    This jerk... who said I didn¡¯t mind.


    Nanrong Wanqing muttered to herself but did not argue further, burying her head in her fragrant meal.


    With her usual appetite, she would be full after half of it. But today, somehow under Ling Chen¡¯s ¡¯supervision¡¯, she managed to clean up the pot entirely, and even felt somewhat reluctant to stop.


    "I¡¯m done," she presented the empty lunchbox in front of Ling Chen, "Don¡¯t bring me this to eat anymore."


    "Why, wasn¡¯t it tasty?"


    "I¡¯m afraid of getting fat."


    She usually controlled her portion to maintain her figure.


    Ling Chen nonchntly said, "It¡¯s fine, a bit chubbier is good, feels more substantial."


    "How do you know I¡¯m not... substantial..." Nanrong Wanqing blurted out, but as soon as the words left her mouth, she immediately stopped herself, her face turning crimson, unable to utter another word.


    Last time he held her naked body, he probably knew perfectly well where she was more or less endowed.


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s enticingly bashful appearance, Ling Chen could guess what she was thinking, feeling a bit embarrassed. Not knowing how to continue the conversation, he quickly cleared his throat, "Well... if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll get going first, you continue with your work." Saying that, he quickly walked out of the office.</subtxt>

 Chapter 170 - 167: Candlelight Dinner

    <h4>Chapter 170: Chapter 167: Candlelight Dinner</h4><h4></h4>


    Watching Ling Chen walk to the door, Nanrong Wanqing suddenly thought of something and hurriedly called after him.


    "Is there something else?" Ling Chen turned around.


    "Do you have time tonight?"


    "Tonight? I have a dinner appointment with friends. What¡¯s up?"


    "Can¡¯t it be another day?"


    Ling Chen hesitated for a moment, shook his head with a face of apology, "The person I¡¯m meeting today is quite important, so... Did you need me for something tonight? If it¡¯s urgent, I can..."


    "It¡¯s nothing." Nanrong Wanqing took over the conversation, "Just asking casually. Since you¡¯re busy, let¡¯s forget about it."


    "Oh, then I¡¯ll be off now."


    As she watched Ling Chen leave the office, the blush in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s beautiful eyes gradually faded. However, thinking about Ling Chen being unavable tonight couldn¡¯t help but make her feel somewhat disappointed.


    In the evening.


    After work, Ling Chen took Nanrong Wanqing back to Nanrong Family¡¯s home. ncing at the time, it was already close to six-thirty, leaving only an hour to get ready.


    After a quick shower, he changed into a set of rtively fresh clothes and then drove alone to the destination, Xiyuan Restaurant.


    Shortly after his departure, a white Maserati slowly entered Wealthy Manor and stopped at the Nanrong Family¡¯s front door.


    The car door opened, and a pair of slender beautiful legs stretched out first; followed by the youthful and pretty Su Lin, who dashed into the vi like a breeze.


    "Wanqing."


    Upon entering, she excitedly called out.


    "I¡¯m here." As she finished speaking, Nanrong Wanqing appeared at the top of the stairs in her wheelchair.


    Seeing her outfit, Su Lin couldn¡¯t help but exim "Aiya" and pouted, "Why haven¡¯t you changed clothes yet? It¡¯s almost time." Saying this, she hurried up the stairs, helped push the wheelchair into Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s room and urged, "Hurry up and change, we leave in half an hour."


    Nanrong Wanqing looked helplessly at her butplied obediently.


    Today was her big day; she couldn¡¯t spoil her mood.


    In less than half an hour, Nanrong Wanqing came out of her room first. She usually wore in whites, but today she had put on a beige long dress. Her jet-ck hair fell like a waterfall, setting off her stunning beauty. Since the climate had entered autumn and the evening breeze was cool, she added a light-colored shawl on top. With her beauty and grace, she conveyed an additional air of nobility.


    Soon after, Su Lin also came out of the bedroom.


    She was dressed very formally today, in a pink dress, with her shoulders slightly exposed and the hem adorned with shiny silver foil. Under the lighting, it sparkled brilliantly. Her smooth hair slipped down her shoulders, and her delicate face was lightly made-up. A pure white diamond ne graced her tender neck,plimenting her fair skin.


    Already beautiful by nature, she became even more dazzling after a little dressing up, matching Nanrong Wanqing in splendor.


    "How do I look, Wanqing?"


    Su Lin twirled, with her dress fluttering like a blossoming violet, disying her beautiful smile.


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded gently, her eyes showing a trace of admiration.


    "Sister, cousin, the car is all ready. Shall we head out?"


    At this point, Nanrong Hao walked in from outside. Compared to his two sisters, he was dressed more casually, as always.


    "Let¡¯s go. If we don¡¯t leave now, I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll bete."


    Nanrong Hao looked around and asked curiously, "Sister, where¡¯s Chen? Isn¡¯t he ready yet?"


    "You didn¡¯t mention it; I almost forgot." Su Lin, already at the door, turned back and said, "Howe I don¡¯t see Ling Chen? Wanqing, didn¡¯t you tell him?"


    "He¡¯s got something on tonight, he¡¯s already left."


    "Left?" Su Lin was slightly disappointed, "Since he¡¯s got something to do, let¡¯s leave it at that."


    Dusk, 7:20 PM.


    Ling Chen arrived at Xiyuan Restaurant ahead of time, quietly waiting in the hall for Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s arrival. Thinking about seeing Zhu Xiaozhu soon, he immediately felt nervous, with sweat continuously breaking out on his palms.


    On a normal day, he wouldn¡¯t be so nervous, but today¡¯s meeting was unusual for him, hence the inevitable nerves.


    Xiyuan Restaurant is a newly-opened high-end establishment; the interior decor is very opulent, with the spacious hall furnished with over twenty tables and chairs. When the restaurant is full, the staff will use screens to partition the area around, creating a private little space to avoid disturbance from others, providing attentive service.


    After waiting for a few minutes, a graceful figure slowly stepped into the entrance of Xiyuan Restaurant. Ling Chen raised his head, and his gaze was instantly captivated.


    Zhu Xiaozhu was wearing a simple dress with t shoes, carrying an exquisitely small shoulder bag ¨C the usual attire. However, the one difference for tonight, especially, was that Zhu Xiaozhu had deliberately adorned herself with a snow-white pearl ne and teardrop-shaped earrings.


    Though merely two unostentatious pieces of jewelry, they added a touch of enchanting charm to Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s fresh and elegant demeanor, like a radiant moon fringed by dazzling stars ¨C extraordinarily charming.


    "Xiaozhu."


    Ling Chen quickly stood up and waved to Zhu Xiaozhu in greeting.


    Seeing him, a faint blush crept onto Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s pretty face as she walked straight over.


    "Please, take a seat." Ling Chen gantly pulled out a chair for her.


    Once Zhu Xiaozhu was seated, Ling Chen snapped his fingers, summoning the waiter. He then passed the menu to Zhu Xiaozhu, "Take a look at what you¡¯d like to eat."


    The restaurant offered a fusion of Chinese and Western cuisine, catering to all tastes. Zhu Xiaozhu, being from Beijing, still preferred the vors of the north.


    After cing the order, two waiters promptly set up screens, crafting an isted world for two.


    Facing each other, upon looking into Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s bright, limpid eyes, a gentle ripple spread across Ling Chen¡¯s heart. Sensing the unusual look in his eyes, Zhu Xiaozhu couldn¡¯t help but lower her head, the glow of blush spreading across her tender, pale cheeks, causing Ling Chen¡¯s heart to skip a beat.


    Just then, a waiter entered, recing the vase on the table with two candlesticks in the center, and poured them a ss of red wine.


    Moreover, even the lights overhead gradually dimmed, allowing the romantic glow of candlelight to pervade the small screened-off space.


    "This is..."


    Ling Chen looked at the waiter, puzzled.


    With a smile, thetter said, "Sir, this was your request. Please enjoy your dinner at your leisure."


    My request? Ling Chen was taken aback; when had he made such a request?


    Could it be... Little Hua?


    Yes, it must be that girl.


    Ling Chen was torn betweenughter and tears; that girl didn¡¯t even give him a heads-up, so he could be mentally prepared.


    Looking at the candlelit dinner in front of him, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s pretty face reddened even more, her expressive eyes filled with shyness.


    What woman doesn¡¯t like romance? Even someone as refined and unworldly as her harbors the same expectations as any ordinary woman in her heart.

 Chapter 171 - 168: Family Love and Romantic Love

    <h4>Chapter 171: Chapter 168: Family Love and Romantic Love</h4><h4></h4>


    "Is everything at the hospital taken care of?" Ling Chen initiated a conversation.


    "Almost, if things go well, I¡¯ll return to Beijing next week."


    "That soon?"


    "The hospital in Beijing has asked for my help." At this point, Zhu Xiaozhu looked at Ling Chen and said, "When will youe to Beijing? You coulde to see me."


    "I can¡¯t say for certain. I¡¯ve got work obligations, and it looks like I won¡¯t be able to leave anytime soon."


    Before Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s crisis is fully lifted, he won¡¯t leave casually. Besides, he doesn¡¯t have much interest in Beijing. The headquarters of the Ghost Organization is based in Beijing; he¡¯s far more familiar with it than Zhu Xiaozhu, a local, could be.


    As the nation¡¯s political center, it¡¯s too chaotic there; East Sea City is much better.


    Zhu Xiaozhu seemed hesitant and appeared to hold back something she wanted to say.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but ask, "What is it you want to say?"


    "Actually, I think for someone as capable as you, it¡¯s not necessary to stay with the Nanrong family as security. It¡¯s somewhat of a waste of talent. If you¡¯re willing, with your abilities, I believe there are better opportunities out there for you." After speaking, she hurriedly rified, "Don¡¯t overthink it. I didn¡¯t mean anything else; it¡¯s just a suggestion."


    Ling Chen gave a faint smile: "I know. But since I chose this job, I should at least see it through. The Nanrong family is facing a crisis right now. It wouldn¡¯t be right for me to walk away at a time like this."


    "A crisis? A business crisis?"


    "Not a business one. The crisis I¡¯m talking about rtes to the personal safety of the Nanrong family."


    Zhu Xiaozhu nodded, showing an understanding yet puzzled expression, "Given the Nanrong family¡¯s vast business and the wide range of areas involved, it¡¯s normal to have a few adversaries."


    Living in Beijing¡¯s big melting pot, she had seen too many such cases to be fazed by them.


    "Ling Chen."


    "What¡¯s up?"


    "You and my older brother... did you two have a falling out?" Zhu Xiaozhu bit her lips lightly as she spoke.


    Ling Chen¡¯s heart stirred, "You mean Zhu Hong?"


    "He came to see me today and brought up the matter. I don¡¯t know what misunderstandings you two might have, but you¡¯re my friend, he¡¯s my brother, and I sincerely hope you can put aside past grievances and make peace. If you don¡¯t mind, I can try to mediate between you two and set up a time for both of you to clear up any misunderstandings."


    "Clear up?" Ling Chen¡¯s smile carried a hint of bitterness. "Xiaozhu, I know you mean well, and I understand your feelings, but some things can¡¯t be cleared up. What¡¯s between him and me... it¡¯s not exactly a misunderstanding. Anyway, you should stay out of it. I don¡¯t want our rtionship to be affected because of him."


    "Isn¡¯t there any possibility of reconciliation?" Zhu Xiaozhu asked dubiously, "What exactly happened between the two of you?"


    Ling Chen shook his head and didn¡¯t take up her line of questioning. He could hardly tell Zhu Xiaozhu that Zhu Hong had once plotted against his own life. Such a revtion might have a great impact on her.


    "Xiaozhu, since we¡¯ve made the rare effort to dine out together, let¡¯s talk about something else." He smiled, attempting to steer the conversation away.


    "I¡¯m sorry."


    Zhu Xiaozhu spoke softly. Unable to see a resolution between Ling Chen and Zhu Hong, she truly had no other care in mind. One was the man she admired, the other her biological brother¡ªeach held a significant ce in her heart.


    Hearing her apology, Ling Chen gave a helpless bitter smile. Without a clear answer from him, Xiaozhu probably wouldn¡¯t let go easily.


    Gazing at the slightly swirling red wine in the tall ss, he pondered for a moment and then spoke, "Xiaozhu, I know you hold deep affection for your brother, but it¡¯s difficult for me and him to reconcile. It¡¯s not just about me, but also about him. I can¡¯t back down in this matter, be it a matter of principle or anything else, I have no choice. If you want us to make peace, then there¡¯s only one possibility: he must give in. There¡¯s no other way."


    He paused, then continued, "Xiaozhu, you are my friend ¨C someone I don¡¯t want to hurt. But I can¡¯t guarantee anything because nobody knows what the future holds. If I ever do something that wrongs you, I hope you can forgive me."


    After listening to his words, Zhu Xiaozhu stared at him nkly, a hint of deep solemnity welling up in her eyes.


    Though Ling Chen hadn¡¯t spoken inly, she understood the implicit meaning; the discord between him and Zhu Hong had be irreconcble. She couldn¡¯tprehend what had happened to make Ling Chen so resolute.


    Seeing Zhu Xiaozhu remaining silent, Ling Chen felt a sour ache in his heart. He had nned to enjoy an indulgent candlelit dinner with Zhu Xiaozhu, but now, he simply wasn¡¯t in the mood.


    The presence of Zhu Hong was more than just a thorn lodged in Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s throat; it was also a needle piercing deep into his own heart.


    He never denied that he liked Zhu Xiaozhu very much. In his heart, she was a gentle woman, with a serene temperament and the potential of a virtuous wife and mother¡ªthis type of woman is perfect for a life partner.


    There had been times when he¡¯d fancifully pondered in his dreams¡ªif he could make Zhu Xiaozhu his wife, how perfect that would be.


    Yet, reality was often so cruel that it made every step difficult.


    Zhu Hong was Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s older brother¡ªthat was an insurmountable gap. If he wanted to be with her, he had to confront this issue head-on.


    All this time, he had been trying to ignore it, afraid of adding to his troubles.


    But tonight, Zhu Xiaozhu brought it up, and he knew that he could no longer skirt around the matter.


    "We only have each other, my brother and I. Since we were children, he has always worked hard to look after me. No matter what I did wrong, he stood up for me, pleaded with our family on my behalf, and took responsibility for my mistakes. In my heart, he has always been a good brother. I once told him that if there were a next life, I would still wish to be his little sister."


    Listening to her soliloquy-like narrative, the bitterness in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes deepened.


    He knew full well that Zhu Xiaozhu was conveying to him the profound familial love between her and Zhu Hong¡ªirreceable in her heart.


    At that moment, outside the Xiyuan Restaurant, a Rolls Royce escorted by two Range Rovers slowly pulled up to the entrance.


    Su Lin was the first to step out of the car, followed by Nanrong Hao pushing a wheelchair, with Nanrong Wanqing close behind.


    As Nanrong Wanqing entered, she identally nced at the muscle car in the parking lot and was instantly captivated.


    There was only one person in the whole of East Sea City who would drive that kind of car.


    Ling Chen, was he here too?

 Chapter 172 - 169 The Feeling of Heartache

    <h4>Chapter 172: Chapter 169 The Feeling of Heartache</h4><h4></h4>


    Taking the elevator into the Xiyuan Restaurant, led by the waiter, Nanrong Wanqing, Nanrong Hao, and Su Lin headed straight to the private room they had reserved in advance.


    Today is Su Lin¡¯s birthday, a rare asion to celebrate. In addition to her family, she also invited quite a few ssmates with whom she had good rtionships. As for Zhong Wei and his team responsible for security, they were arranged in an adjacent private room. This way, they would not disturb the celebration, yet could provide protection at any moment.


    At this moment, Nanrong Hao was pushing the wheelchair, closely following behind Su Lin.


    Ever since entering the restaurant, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s gaze had been searching for Ling Chen. However, all the upied tables in the hall were shielded by screens, making it impossible to see anyone.


    With no other choice, Nanrong Wanqing had to give up looking.


    Just then, as the trio was passing a screen, Nanrong Wanqing suddenly called out to Nanrong Hao.


    "Sister, what¡¯s wrong?"


    Nanrong Wanqing did not answer, her beautiful eyes fixed on the screen beside her, as if she were listening to something.


    "Xiaozhu, let¡¯s not talk about those things. What will happen in the future is uncertain, what we need to do is cherish the present."


    Behind the screen, Ling Chen raised his wine ss, smiling, "To be honest, I¡¯m really happy that you were willing toe to my invitation tonight. I hope you can temporarily forget those unpleasant things and truly enjoy tonight¡¯s dinner."


    Zhu Xiaozhu lifted her head, gazing directly into Ling Chen¡¯s deep and clear eyes, and mustered her courage to say, "Ling Chen, we¡¯ve known each other for quite some time and been through quite a few things. I don¡¯t want to deny my own thoughts. Among the men I¡¯ve met, besides my elder brother, you¡¯re the only one who doesn¡¯t repel me."


    "Xiaozhu, I won¡¯t hide it from you, actually I..."


    "You don¡¯t have to say it." Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s face reddened slightly, "I understand your feelings; Little Hua already told me."


    Xiaozhu? Zhu Xiaozhu!


    So he was on a date with Zhu Xiaozhu.


    Hearing Ling Chen and Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s voices from behind the screen, Nanrong Wanqing suddenly froze, her eyes expressing aplex emotion.


    His date turned out to be Zhu Xiaozhu.


    For some reason, at that moment, her heart felt a piercing pain, as if being pricked by a needle, and her smooth delicate cheeks paled slightly.


    These past days, she had tried to let down her guard and status, and made an effort to interact with him. Anyone with even a slight bit of understanding could see her intentions through her actions.


    In her heart, she always viewed herself as a traditional woman and hoped for a lifelongmitment.


    Ling Chen had saved her life several times and they had even shared intimate physical contact. No matter how she thought about it, she had to admit that Ling Chen had left a deep impression in her heart.


    The days she spent with Ling Chen, however brief, had made her happy. To her, this seemed like a good beginning.


    Moreover, that night at the movie theater, Ling Chen had taken the initiative to hold her hand. As a man making such a gesture, as a woman, she understood the meaning behind it.


    That night, she had difficulty sleeping, tossing and turning as she thought over many things. If the two of them could continue to interact like this, then maybe this man could be her choice.


    But now, hearing the conversation between Ling Chen and Zhu Xiaozhu, the future she had envisioned crumbled down.


    It wasn¡¯t hard to tell from Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s words that she also had feelings for Ling Chen, and it seemed that Ling Chen reciprocated those feelings.


    She wasn¡¯t a narrow-minded person; she wouldn¡¯t quibble over past incidents. But if Ling Chen had revealed his feelings to her that night at the movie theater, why would he still entangle with another woman?


    What made her even more distressed was that the other woman was Zhu Xiaozhu.


    Men are fickle, that statement is certainly true.


    She smiled self-deprecatingly, she had trusted him too much, originally thinking his feelings for her were sincere. Now it turns out all of it was a lie.


    "Sister..." Watching the changing expressions on Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face, Nanrong Hao couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Are you feeling unwell?"


    "I¡¯m fine, let¡¯s go, we shouldn¡¯t dy Lin¡¯s birthday party."


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s tone was cool and indifferent, but that stunningly beautiful face of hers had a touch of coldness to it, as if she had returned to the previous ice-cold, impassive Nanrong Wanqing.


    Sensing her subtle change, Nanrong Hao felt a bit strange, but still held back from asking. He knew his sister¡¯s character well; she rarely shared her inner feelings, thus asking would be in vain.


    After Nanrong Hao had pushed the wheelchair away, Ling Chen suddenly peeked out from behind the screen, ncing around with confusion in his eyes.


    Just now, while chatting with Zhu Xiaozhu, he overheard someone outside calling ¡¯Sister.¡¯ The voice was very familiar, seemingly that of Nanrong Hao¡¯s, but there was no one outside the screen¡ªinadvertently he had heard wrong?


    Closing the screen again, Ling Chen looked at Zhu Xiaozhu sitting across the table and asked, "Xiaozhu, what did Little Hua tell you?"


    "Aren¡¯t you aware of everything?"


    Uhh...


    Scratching his head with a smile, Ling Chen muttered to himself, Little Hua that girl is so whimsical, who knows what she¡¯s been saying.


    After finishing a candlelit dinner and spending time chatting, when Ling Chen and Zhu Xiaozhu left the Xiyuan Restaurant, it was almost nine o¡¯clock.


    Driving Zhu Xiaozhu to the Martial Arts Academy, Ling Chen got out of the car and apanied her inside.


    As they reached the door, Zhu Xiaozhu suddenly turned around, her gaze hesitant while looking at Ling Chen¡¯s sharply defined face.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen smiled with a grin, "What is it, just say whatever you want to say."


    "I... don¡¯t be angry after I say it."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not that petty."


    Zhu Xiaozhu said softly, "Thank you for the dinner, but... my attendance tonight doesn¡¯t imply anything."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Actually, I was hoping that tonight¡¯s dinner might help clear up the misunderstanding between you and my brother. But now it seems that it was just my wishful thinking. Ling Chen, I don¡¯t mean anything else, it¡¯s just... I don¡¯t know how to make a decision, please give me some time to think it over properly. Is that okay?"


    Ling Chen nodded; he understood theplexity of Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s feelings at the moment. Asking her to make a decision right away would be difficult.


    "Don¡¯t take this matter too much to heart, I know you did it for the sake of my wellbeing and your brother¡¯s, but we should resolve our issues by ourselves. I don¡¯t want you to get involved. Regardless of the decision you make, I will respect it."


    "Thank you."


    "What is there to thank. Alright, it¡¯s gettingte, you should head back and rest, and convey my regards to Mr. He."


    Watching Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s figure disappearing into the room, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but sigh, feeling somewhat gloomy.


    Why did Zhu Xiaozhu have to be Zhu Hong¡¯s younger sister? It was truly headache-inducing.


    If he were to confront Zhu Hong in the future, how should he face Zhu Xiaozhu?

 Chapter 173 - 170 Attitude Shift (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 173: Chapter 170 Attitude Shift (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    Inside Qingyun Martial Arts Hall.


    Zhu Xiaozhu pushed open the door and walked into her bedroom alone, sitting on the bed, staring nkly at the night scene outside the window, continuously recalling the conversation she had with Ling Chen, feeling extremely conflicted inside.


    "Xiaozhu."


    Suddenly, a voice arose from the bed, startling the unprepared Zhu Xiaozhu. She quickly turned her head, only to see Little Hua crawling out of the quilt, grinning at her.


    "What are you doing in my room?" Zhu Xiaozhu asked with dissatisfaction, pretending to spank her.


    Little Hua quickly dodged her gentle p, smiling sweetly, "Sister Xiaozhu, I thought you weren¡¯ting back tonight, so I wanted to spend the night in your room."


    "Who said I wasn¡¯t going to spend the night, you..." As soon as she spoke, Zhu Xiaozhu immediately grasped the hidden meaning in Little Hua¡¯s words, her face turning pink with embarrassment, "You little girl, your thoughts are getting more and more impure."


    "Okay! Okay! Sister Xiaozhu, my bad." Seeing Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s raised hand, Little Hua quickly begged for mercy. After saying that, she affectionately wrapped her arms around Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s arm, batting her big, round eyes, "Sister Xiaozhu, how was your date with big brother? When can I start calling him brother-inw?"


    "What brother-inw? You¡¯re talking nonsense again." Zhu Xiaozhu could barely stand her anymore, her speech was always about this topic.


    Xiaozhu¡¯s eyes darted around, "Then... then have you made your rtionship official?"


    "No."


    "Why? Sister Xiaozhu, big brother likes you and you like him too, such a simple thing, can¡¯t you make it clear?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu shook her head gently, "It¡¯s not for that reason. It¡¯s just... him and I might not be suitable."


    Little Hua puzzledly asked, "Why?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu answered with a bitter smile while stroking her head, "Little Hua, sometimes rtionships aren¡¯t just about two people, we have to consider many external factors. There are some unresolved issues between your big brother and me, so we can¡¯t be together for now."


    "External factors?" Little Hua grasped her own pigtails, a look of puzzlement on her face.


    "Alright, hurry back to your room and go to sleep." Zhu Xiaozhu patted her little bottom, shooing her out of the room.


    Back in He Ziyun¡¯s room, Little Hua sat on the bed edge, pouting unhappily, arms crossed, looking quite upset.


    Seeing her expression, He Ziyun, who was reading a book, couldn¡¯t help but smile, "Girl, what happened? Who made you angry?"


    "Humph! It¡¯s Zhu Hong, that annoying viin."


    "What? Did he bully you?"


    "He didn¡¯t bully me, but he¡¯s too despicable, sabotaging big brother and Sister Xiaozhu¡¯s rtionship."


    "So that¡¯s what you¡¯re talking about." He Ziyun gave a faint smile.


    Little Hua, struck by an idea, pped her hands, "Old man, I have a good idea. Why don¡¯t you sneak into Zhu Hong¡¯s house, stuff him in a sack, and throw him into the river, making him silently disappear from this world? That way, big brother and Sister Xiaozhu wouldn¡¯t have to worry about him anymore."


    He Ziyun chuckled, "You and your wild ideas. We can¡¯t touch Zhu Hong for now; he¡¯s just a visible chess piece. We need to find out the forces behind him, so we must keep him around. Just be patient."


    "What about Sister Xiaozhu then?"


    "Fated people will end up together, don¡¯t worry needlessly." Pausing a moment, He Ziyun then changed the topic, "By the way, keep an eye out recently; someone has installed cameras in our house, and we¡¯re under surveince. Make sure you don¡¯t expose yourself."


    "Who did it?"


    "Who has been to our house?"


    "Zhu Hong! Again, that viin. He better not fall into my hands, or else I¡¯ll make him regret it." Little Hua put on a fierce expression, but no matter how one looked at it, it still seemed somewhat cute and mischievous.


    The next day.


    Ling Chen got up bright and early, exercised for half an hour, then returned to the vi and ate the nutritious breakfast prepared by Nanny Wang.


    Just then, Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin, rubbing her sleepy eyes, came down from upstairs.


    "Wanqing, you guys are up just in time; Nanny Wang just made breakfast. Come eat while it¡¯s hot."


    Ling Chen smiled. He had taken Zhu Xiaozhu back to the Martial Arts Academyst night and by the time he got back it was already past ten, and Nanrong Wanqing and the others had already gone to rest, so he hadn¡¯t run into them.


    Nanrong Wanqing spoke in a cold tone, "I¡¯m not hungry, you take your time eating; I¡¯m heading to thepany now." Saying this, she pushed her wheelchair directly outside.


    Feeling the chilly attitude from her, Ling Chen was momentarily stunned. Strange, wasn¡¯t everything fine just a few days ago? Why has it suddenly reverted back to before?


    Without the time to ponder, he hurriedly stuffed the bread into his mouth and followed Nanrong Wanqing outside.


    At the front door, Ling Chen was about to get into the Rolls-Royce, but Zhong Wei, standing in front of the car, closed the door.


    "Captain Zhong, what¡¯s wrong?"


    Zhong Wei nced at the car window and discreetly pointed to the side. Ling Chen immediately caught on and followed him to the rear of the car.


    "Ling Chen, did you upset the Chairman?"


    "No, not at all."


    "Well, she told mest night that you don¡¯t need to follow her car anymore; she wants you to drive your own car to work."


    "This..."


    Ling Chen was baffled, not having done anything to offend her; why the sudden change?


    "Hey, let¡¯s head to thepany first. You drive and follow behind, we can talk more about it when we get to thepany."


    "Alright."


    Watching the convoy slowly drive into the street, Ling Chen turned and walked towards his own car.


    Just then, carrying a bag, Nanrong Hao walked out from the house.


    "Brother Chen."


    Ling Chen nodded at him, about to sit in the driver¡¯s seat, but Nanrong Hao rushed in front of him and asked, "Brother Chen, where did you gost night? You didn¡¯t evene to my cousin¡¯s birthday party."


    "Su Lin¡¯s birthday?" Ling Chen was surprised; he was unaware of this. That¡¯s right! He suddenly remembered that yesterday at thepany, Nanrong Wanqing had asked if he was free in the evening, probably to invite him to the birthday party, and he had ended up declining.


    Could it be because of this incident that Nanrong Wanqing gave him the cold shoulder?


    That shouldn¡¯t be the case, right?


    "Where did you guys hold the birthday partyst night?"


    "Xiyuan Restaurant, it¡¯s newly opened, the environment is pretty good; I¡¯ll treat you there next time."


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes widened; what a coincidence?


    "So it was you guys at Xiyuan Restaurantst night."


    At the time, he vaguely heard Nanrong Hao calling for ¡¯Sister¡¯, but when he went out to look, he didn¡¯t see anyone. He thought he had misheard, not realizing they were all at Xiyuan Restaurantst night.


    Over the course of one night, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s attitude towards him had drastically changed. Maybe it was because of... Thinking about this, he quickly asked, "Haozi, did your sister have any strange reactionsst night?"


    "Which sister are you talking about?"


    "Nonsense, of course your older sister." Ling Chen anxiously watched him, "Think carefully."

 Chapter 174 - 171 Attitude Shift (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 174: Chapter 171 Attitude Shift (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Chen, if you ask like this, it does seem there was such a matter." Nanrong Hao recalled, "Sister called me to stop when she was passing through the hall, then she seemed a bit ufortable, urging me to hurry along."


    Indeed!


    Ling Chen pped his forehead, a bitter smile on his face.


    It must have been that she saw him on a private date with Zhu Xiaozhu, that¡¯s why her attitude changed so drastically.


    The rtionship between Wanqing and Zhu Xiaozhu was not great originally, and seeing such a scene, it was inevitable for her to be angry, which was quite normal. However, this change in Wanqing made him consider other possibilities.


    Wanqing being angry about this indicated that she cared deeply. Given her rtionship with Zhu Xiaozhu, it wasn¡¯t likely about Zhu Xiaozhu, so the only possibility is...


    No way!


    He groaned internally. If that was indeed the case, then he couldn¡¯t me anyone else but himself.


    He didn¡¯t deny that he had special feelings for Wanqing. But, that kind of feeling couldn¡¯t yet be called love. It was a sentiment born out of the hardships they shared together, unclear and indistinct.


    It wasn¡¯t like love, but also not like mere friendship; it was hard to define.


    Conversely, Zhu Xiaozhu seemed like a more suitable person for him because the gap between him and the Nanrong family was not small. However, there was also Zhu Hong to consider between him and Zhu Xiaozhu. If Zhu Hong¡¯s issue wasn¡¯t resolved, his fate with Zhu Xiaozhu was doomed.


    Last night chatting with Zhu Xiaozhu, the two of them shared an unspoken understanding, so that final barrier was never broken.


    He recalled a few nights ago, still entangled in dreams about choosing between these two women. Now, it seemed, neither was an option anymore.


    Indeed, one should not be too greedy, or in the end, it renders everything vain.


    "Chen, are you alright?"


    Ling Chen waved his hand, "I¡¯m fine, you go to school. I need to head to the office." Saying so, he got into the driver¡¯s seat, started the car, and followed the convoy.


    Upon reaching thepany.


    Wanqing had already been escorted to the top-floor office, and he didn¡¯t even see her. Standing in front of the elevator, Ling Chen hesitated for a moment, but ultimately gave up on the idea of exining.


    Some things weren¡¯t useful to exin, especially since it was indeed his fault towards Wanqing.


    However, just as he was set to return to the security department, Zhong Wei suddenly called him, asking him to visit the Chairman¡¯s office, mentioning that there was a task for him.


    A task? What kind of task?


    Full of doubts, he took the elevator to the top floor, reaching out to push the door to Wanqing¡¯s office. At that moment, Secretary Wang Lan stopped him and handed him some documents, saying, "This is a task assigned by the Chairman."


    Ling Chen opened the documents and nced through. His expression changed slightly.


    "Lan, please tell the Chairman that I will not ept this task. My duty is to protect her safety, not to run errands for her."


    "The Chairman anticipated you would say this. She mentioned that if you refuse, then she..."


    "What will she do?"


    Wang Lan nced at the office door and pulled Ling Chen aside, whispering, "Mr. Ling, are you having a dispute with the Chairman? Just now when I saw the Chairman, she had a cold expression,pletely different from a few days ago."


    Ling Chen nodded slightly, embarrassed.


    "Mr. Ling, listen to my advice. The Chairman is currently very upset; she definitely won¡¯t calm down anytime soon. Don¡¯t confront her directly for now; let her mood stabilize first, maybe it¡¯ll be better in a few days."


    "But..."


    "I know what you¡¯re worried about. It¡¯s okay." Saying so, Wang Lan leaned close to Ling Chen¡¯s ear and quietly said a few words.


    "Really?"


    "Of course it¡¯s true. I am the chairman¡¯s secretary, all of the chairman¡¯s affairs are handled by me, there can be no falsehood."


    "Alright." Ling Chen decided to take Wang Lan¡¯s advice, "Lan, thanks, I¡¯ll treat you to a meal when I return."


    "That¡¯s what you said, I¡¯ll be waiting."


    Watching Ling Chen enter the elevator, Wang Lan turned and walked into the chairman¡¯s office.


    "Has he arrived?" Nanrong Wanqing asked without lifting her head.


    "Yes, he has agreed to do as you arranged." After finishing, Wang Lan hesitated for a moment, then continued, "Chairman, Mr. Ling asked me to ry a message, he says... he¡¯s sorry."


    "Sorry?" Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s expression was indifferent, her beautiful eyes revealing a touch of aloofness, "These three words are too easy to say. If all problems could be solved with these three words, then everyone can make mistakes without fear." Saying this, she suddenly realized, telling Wang Lan this seemed somewhat inappropriate. Her tone then became gentler, "Alright, you may leave. I still have work to attend to."


    At this moment, having returned to the security department, Ling Chen was sitting in a chair with his legs crossed, and he sighed deeply, his face filled with gloom.


    "Hey, you, sighing like that, what is it? Could it be that you were dumped by some beauty?" Tang Yuan teased him.


    Ling Chen red at him, this guy really knew how to rub salt in the wound.


    "Didn¡¯t Mr. Han task you with transporting items to Beijing? When are you leaving?"


    "Day after tomorrow, why, will you miss me? Indeed, without me here, who will you chat and shoot the breeze with."


    "Cut it out, I¡¯m not into that, you¡¯re not that important in my heart. Hey, enough nonsense, remember to take me with you when you go to Beijing."


    Tang Yuan was surprised, "You¡¯re going to Beijing?"


    Ling Chen nodded, "Yes, the chairman personally assigned the task, I can¡¯t disregard it."


    "No way, absolutely not, if both you and I leave, who will ensure Miss Nanrong¡¯s safety? Don¡¯t forget, her crisis is not yet over."


    Ling Chen smiled mysteriously, "I know, don¡¯t worry, if I didn¡¯t have a n, would I have carelessly agreed?"


    Tang Yuan nodded, "Alright, if you¡¯re prepared that¡¯s fine, but if anything goes wrong, you can¡¯t bear that responsibility."


    ...


    For the next two days, Ling Chen waspletely cut off by Nanrong Wanqing; entering and leaving at different times, he always deliberately avoided her.


    Ling Chen had no choice but to cooperate with her as much as possible, letting her cool off. Her body was delicate to begin with, he didn¡¯t want her to harm her health from anger.


    On the day of departure, Ling Chen woke up early, said goodbye to no one, carried a simple bag, and drove alone to the airport.


    However, he did not notice that when he left, seated at the window on the second floor of the vi was a person, watching his figure disappear.


    Airport.


    A military transport ne was already prepared.


    This transportation was directly organized by Qiao Zhen from Beijing, responsible for transporting the exoskeleton armor. Besides the transport ne, ten special forces soldiers were also on board to ensure the security of the transportation.


    As the ne slowly ascended, maintaining altitude, Ling Chen unbuckled his seatbelt and began to walk around the cabin.


    At this moment, amunications soldier holding a satellite phone approached Tang Yuan.


    "Chief Tang, the General is looking for you."


    Tang Yuan took the phone, got up, and walked to the side to listen.


    Before long, his face suddenly changed, and he eximed, "What?"

 Chapter 175 - 172: Arriving in Beijing

    <h4>Chapter 175: Chapter 172: Arriving in Beijing</h4><h4></h4>


    Looking at Tang Yuan¡¯s tightly furrowed brows, Ling Chen suddenly had an ominous premonition.


    "Old Tang, what¡¯s wrong?"


    "There¡¯s been an incident." Tang Yuan put down the satellite phone, his face grim, "Recently, we relocated all the research staff from the research institute along with their families to Beijing, but I just received news that one of the more than ten researchers has been missing for two to three days, whereabouts unknown."


    "What about his family?"


    "The General had people go to look for them, but it was toote, his family has disappeared too. Their residence was under protection, they couldn¡¯t have escaped without inside help."


    Ling Chen nodded, "Initially, Wanqing suspected that there was a mole in the research institute, but we never identified any suspicious individuals. Now that the research institute is under military control, once the exoskeleton armor falls into military hands, they will never obtain the critical technology of the armor. Their actions now, I¡¯m afraid, are desperate."


    "I don¡¯t understand, if there¡¯s a mole in the research institute, why didn¡¯t that person just reveal the location to those people before the military got involved, instead of waiting until now?"


    "You think Nanrong Wanqingcks brains? When she learned about the importance of the exoskeleton armor, she immediately relocated the research institute. Not just the researchers, but other staff too¡ªonly designated vehicles were assigned to pick up and drop them at specified locations, and except for Qin Lan who was responsible, no one knew the exact location of the institute."


    "So that¡¯s how it is." Tang Yuan finally resolved the confusion in his mind, "I didn¡¯t expect she had some capabilities."


    "Nonsense, could she be the chairman of Hongyu Group without any capabilities? Now, what should we do?"


    "Per the original n, we were tond at the military airport outside of Beijing, but now we need to change the n."


    "Why do we need to change?" asked Ling Chen, puzzled.


    "That I¡¯ll exinter, the General is still analyzing the intelligence, he¡¯ll inform us if there¡¯s any change."


    Ling Chen scratched his head in frustration, originally hoping for a smooth ride, but now faced with this situation, it was truly troublesome. As he pondered, his gaze shifted towards the cargo hold.


    Inside the cargo hold, a rectangr box secured with ropes stood fastened. The box, made from an alloy, was incredibly sturdy¡ªno matter the impact, it would ensure the exoskeleton armor inside remained undamaged. Moreover, the box had threeyer encryption. It required the passwords entered sequentially by Tang Yuan, Han Bing, and Qiao Zhen to be opened, the protection was very thorough.


    From East Sea City to Beijing, it was a one-and-a-half-hour flight.


    When the transport ne sessfullynded at the military airport outside Beijing, everyone in the cabin breathed a sigh of relief, finally arriving safely at the destination.


    "Old Tang, I¡¯m heading off, keep in touch when you¡¯re free."


    After disembarking, Ling Chen slung his backpack over his shoulder, waved to Tang Yuan, and then started walking towards the airport exit.


    At that moment, Tang Yuan received a call from the General, and upon hearing the instructions, his expression turned peculiar.


    "General, this... this doesn¡¯t seem very appropriate?" He hesitated.


    As soon as he spoke, the voice on the other end of the phone rose by eight degrees, making him unconsciously pull the phone away a bit.


    "Yes, General, don¡¯t worry, I assure you I¡¯llplete the mission." After finishing, he suppressed a chuckle and nced at Ling Chen who was walking away.


    "Ling Chen!" Hanging up, he quickly called after Ling Chen, hurrying to catch up.


    "What¡¯s up?"


    Patting his shoulder with augh, Tang Yuan said, "It¡¯s several kilometers from here to the city, you aren¡¯t nning to walk that far, right? This ce is a military zone, there are no taxis. Just wait a moment, I¡¯ll arrange a car for you."


    "Good brother, hurry up."


    In less than ten minutes, a jeep drove up to Ling Chen, and a good-looking soldier rolled down the window, greeting him.


    "Mr. Ling, get in, I¡¯ll take you."


    Ling Chen unceremoniously sat in the passenger seat, grinning, "Brother, thanks for the trouble."


    Soon after the jeep left the airport, several military vehicles followed out of the airport, heading in the opposite direction.


    Sitting in the jeep, Ling Chen hummed a tune, asionally chatting with the driver to pass the time.


    "Brother, how long have you been in the army?"


    "Two years, I¡¯m in logistics."


    "How¡¯s life in the army?"


    "Not bad, just that..." The driver hesitated a bit.


    Ling Chen burst intoughter, "Just that there are no women, all bigds. There¡¯s nothing embarrassing about that, I went through the same back in the days. During closed training, we weren¡¯t allowed to leave the base all year, no TV, no cell phones, no contact with the outside world. Damn, you don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like not seeing a woman for a year, even the female pig in the canteen seemed pretty."


    Hearing this, the driverughed, teasingly said, "Mr. Ling, is that female pig still there?"


    Ling Chen chuckled wryly, "You, kid... your thoughts are too dirty."


    While they were talking, the driver¡¯s expression suddenly changed, and he quickly stepped on the brakes. As the jeep made an abrupt stop, Ling Chen¡¯s body lurched forward, looking ahead.


    Suddenly, he saw arge truck parked horizontally in the middle of the road, blocking the way.


    Huh?


    He slightly furrowed his brows, it was wilderness here, how could arge truck be here.


    "Mr. Ling, I¡¯ll go check it out."


    Seeing the other party intending to get out of the car, Ling Chen immediately grabbed his arm, saying, "You stay in the car, I¡¯ll go."


    The appearance of arge truck in such a remote location was abnormal, he was worried there might be some issue, it was better if he checked himself.


    Approaching the truck, Ling Chen climbed up to the driver¡¯s cabin, and found it empty, even the keys were removed.


    Definitely something wrong!


    No one would just randomly park a car in such a ce.


    "Ah!"


    Just then, a loud scream suddenly came from behind.


    Ling Chen quickly turned to look back, and at that moment, he saw a strange man standing next to the jeep, forcefully pulling the driver out from the driver¡¯s seat, lifting him single-handedly, then forcefully flinging him out.


    Bang!


    The drivernded heavily on the ground, grimacing in pain, both hands clutching his waist, unable to even stand up.


    Seeing the stranger moving towards the car, Ling Chen didn¡¯t say another word, immediately jumped down from the truck and quickly ran over. When he reached the front of the car, his legs powerfully pushed off the ground, leaping up,nding on the hood, and kicked the front window¡¯s ss with his foot, attacking the man.


    The man seeing this, slightly tilted his head to the side, tightly grabbed his ankle and forcefully pulled inward. Ling Chen immediately felt a powerful forceing, almost losing control of his body.


    This guy is formidable!


    He was inwardly shocked, no time to think further, his hands propped up on the roof of the car, he quickly retreated, freeing his leg from the man¡¯s hand.

 Chapter 176 - 173: Interception

    <h4>Chapter 176: Chapter 173: Interception</h4><h4></h4>


    "Are you Ling Chen?" The man moved out from the driver¡¯s cabin and sized him up with a yful look in his eyes, as if he wasn¡¯t seeing a person, but a prey, emanating an intimidating aura from head to toe.


    "Yes, I am. And who are you?"


    Seeing the man, Ling Chen slightly furrowed his brows but maintained direct eye contact without flinching. The man in front of him seemed to be in his early thirties, dressed casually, with an unremarkable appearance that would go unnoticed in a crowd. However, Ling Chen could tell at a nce that there was something extraordinary in his gaze.


    And after sensing the man¡¯s strength, he grew even more cautious; this man was definitely a master.


    "Song Qing."


    "I don¡¯t know you, and I have no grudges against you. Why are you blocking my way?"


    Song Qing replied indifferently, "I think you should know the reason. Just let me take the item, and I can spare your life."


    "Item?" Ling Chen was struck by a realization and immediately understood what the other man meant, "You must be mistaken, what you¡¯re looking for isn¡¯t with me."


    "What¡¯s in the trunk?" After saying that, Song Qing walked to the trunk and pulled off the tarp covering it. Suddenly, an alloy-made box appeared before Ling Chen¡¯s eyes.


    "This..." Ling Chen¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the box, his mind unable to process what he saw.


    Damn it, I¡¯ve been screwed over by Tang Yuan again!


    He cursed resentfully. He thought Tang Yuan was kindly helping him by calling a cab to take him to the city center, but in the shadows, he had sneakily put that set of exoskeleton armor in his car.


    At least let me know so I can be prepared.


    Cursing was one thing, but now that it had happened, he couldn¡¯t just run away and abandon the item; that wasn¡¯t his style. It seemed he was bound for a fight today.


    With that in mind, he shrugged his shoulders and loosened his arms and legs, then beckoned Song Qing with a hook of his finger, "Let¡¯s cut the chit-chat. If I lose, you can take the item. But if you lose, I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯ll probably spend the rest of your life in prison."


    "We¡¯ll see if you¡¯ve got the skills for that." With those words, Song Qing reached behind his waist, flicked his wrist, and a Soft Sword quickly slid out.


    Seeing the weapon his opponent revealed, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze sharpened and without hesitation, he drew Wolf Kiss. But looking at his daggerpared to the Soft Sword in the other¡¯s hand, he felt irritated; a longer weapon had the advantage, and it seemed like he was at a disadvantage.


    Before he could voice hisint, Song Qing¡¯s Soft Sword had already struck, aiming fast at his brow.


    Shit, the slightest carelessness could reveal a weakness for the opponent to exploit. Seeing the Soft Sword thrusting at him, Ling Chen quickly adjusted his stance, raising Wolf Kiss to meet it.


    ng!


    A crisp sound rang out as Wolf Kiss deftly deflected the Soft Sword. Seizing the opportunity, Ling Chen closed the distance, preparing for closebat with Song Qing.


    His dagger was too short; if he allowed Song Qing to fully utilize the Soft Sword, it would be difficult for him to close the distance. Therefore, he had to take the initiative; only by getting close could he limit Song Qing¡¯s performance.


    Song Qing seemed to understand his intention, quickly stepping back to create distance. But Ling Chen steadily pressed forward, Wolf Kiss relentlessly aiming for his adversary¡¯s vital points.


    At that moment, Song Qing twisted his waist, found an opening, and thrust the Soft Sword downward from above.


    Ling Chen immediately raised Wolf Kiss to block the Soft Sword¡¯s attack. However, when Wolf Kiss came into contact with the Soft Sword, the de suddenly went limp, forming an arc and continuing its trajectory towards his forehead.


    Not good!


    His expression shifted slightly, and he hastily retreated two steps, narrowly avoiding the Soft Sword¡¯s lethal thrust.


    Seeing him retreat, Song Qing sneered coldly, her wrist trembling slightly, the soft sword instantly straightened, bing rigid and unbending.


    This is... Inner Strength!


    Ling Chen frowned secretly; the person before him was actually an Inner martial arts expert. Because the de of a soft sword is flexible, it is difficult to control, so very few people master it. However, Inner martial arts experts are different; they can change the hardness of the soft sword at will through their Inner Strength.


    Now, he finally understood why that mysterious organization had only arranged for one person to guard this path.


    With Song Qing¡¯s strength, one person was enough to match more than a dozen people.


    "Is that all you¡¯ve got?" Song Qing said with a disdainful tone, "Jiang Yang died at your hands in vain."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curled slightly, and then he sheathed his Wolf Kiss.


    "Don¡¯t be hasty, you¡¯ll soon witness what I¡¯m capable of."


    Seeing him raise his fists, Song Qing humphed lightly, with a hint of a scornful smile, and the soft sword struck again.


    Watching the soft sword thrusting towards him, Ling Chen still stood in ce, motionless, his sharp gaze fixed on the tip of the sword.


    Suddenly, just as the soft sword was about to reach him, he swiftly shifted his body to the side, his toes rapidly spinning on the ground, his body executing a three hundred sixty-degree turn to end up beside Song Qing, then he swung his fist towards his opponent¡¯s face.


    Song Qing, seeing this, immediately raised her sword to protect her chest.


    But at that moment, Ling Chen suddenly smirked.


    This inexplicable smile immediately made Song Qing feel a sense of foreboding. Before she could react, she felt a sharp pain in her leg.


    It turned out Ling Chen feigned an attack on her face, which was actually a ruse, the real attack targeted her lower body.


    Having taken a kick from Ling Chen, Song Qing¡¯s right leg bent slightly, and she nearly lost her bnce and her center of gravity. However, her reaction was not slow. She lightly tapped her soft sword on the ground, leveraging that force to straighten her body again.


    However, that kick from Ling Chen was still ufortable for her, leaving a throbbing pain.


    "Not bad for taking one of my kicks."


    Ling Chen nodded, looking at Song Qing¡¯s physical condition with new respect. The strongest part of his body was his legs, and their strength was several times that of his fists. Over the years, he had encountered countless opponents, but none could withstand his leg strikes.


    Even Jiang Yangst time had been defeated by his legs.


    Song Qing¡¯s face darkened as she yelled out sharply, her body leaping high, one sword strike following another, the speed of her attacks growing faster and faster, causing Ling Chen to be dazzled.


    He kept a close watch, constantly moving backward, dodging the soft sword¡¯s assaults while secretly seeking Song Qing¡¯s vulnerabilities. His martial arts emphasized taking out the enemy with one move; just give him a chance, and he could finish off his opponent.


    But Song Qing¡¯s assault was fast yet orderly, methodical without chaos, attacking while not forgetting to defend herself. More than a dozen strikes passed, and Ling Chen had not found a suitable opportunity, instead being pushed by Song Qing to the edge of the road.


    On both sides of the road were steep slopes; a fall down there would likely cost one half their life.


    Thinking this, he nced sideways, preparing to break through Song Qing¡¯s attack from the side. However, Song Qing seemed to anticipate his intention, the direction of her swordy suddenly changed, shifting from the front to the side, blocking his retreat.


    Damn it!


    With nowhere to retreat, Ling Chen cursed, and his right hand immediately reached for his waist.

 Chapter 177 - 174: Mysterious Woman

    <h4>Chapter 177: Chapter 174: Mysterious Woman</h4><h4></h4>


    Immediately, a belt whipped out from his hand, wrapping around the Soft Sword, and then he yanked it back, trying to pull Song Qing down the steep slope.


    Song Qing didn¡¯t expect Ling Chen to pull such a move, and caught off guard, his body immediately lost its bnce, tipping forward and plunging headfirst down the slope. But before Ling Chen could rejoice, his expression suddenly changed drastically.


    While falling, Song Qing grabbed at his pants, dragging him down together.


    For a moment, both men involuntarily tumbled down the steep slope.


    Reaching the bottom, Ling Chen shook his head, groggily getting to his feet. Rubbing his somewhat swollen forehead, he silently rejoiced that the steep slope was covered with weeds and few stones; he wasn¡¯t battered, and apart from feeling a bit dizzy, everything else seemed fine.


    Catching his breath, he looked around and saw Song Qing lying about ten meters away, still conscious. However, during the fall, his Soft Sword had been lost.


    Seeing Song Qing preparing to stand up, Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment and immediately charged at him, hoping to take the opportunity to subdue him.


    Hearing the rapidly approaching footsteps, Song Qing quickly got to his feet and swung his fist at Ling Chen. As the fist approached, Ling Chen dodged his head and locked onto the opponent¡¯s arms, then, with the momentum, performed an over-the-shoulder throw, mming his opponent¡¯s body harshly onto the ground.


    However, the ground was covered with weeds and the soil was soft, which didn¡¯t cause much damage to Song Qing. Thetter performed a kip-up and stood back up, his right leg sending a flying kick in Ling Chen¡¯s direction.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen didn¡¯t dodge, lifting his leg to meet the kick head-on. In terms of legwork, he had never feared anyone.


    Bang!


    Their legs collided, and both men executed moves swiftly, one after another, in a straightforward, hard-hittingbat style. However, Ling Chen soon realized that the strength he relied upon was no advantage against Song Qing.


    Ling Chen¡¯s strength stemmed from physical training, while Song Qing¡¯s came from the power of his Inner Strength. Although Ling Chen had also trained in Inner Strength, he was only half-trained, a beginner; he couldn¡¯tpare with a master of the Inner like Song Qing.


    If his external martial arts hadn¡¯t reached the peak, he would have had no confidence in this battle.


    It is often said that martial arts evolve from the external to the internal: first, train the external arts toy a solid foundation, then cultivate the Inner Strength, which is the essence of martial arts. Indeed, this saying is true.


    Several minutes passed, and the two closely entangled figures finally separated.


    Ling Chen bent over, hands on knees, gasping for breath, with sweat pouring from his forehead. Song Qing didn¡¯t seem much better; both were severely depleted of stamina.


    In those short few minutes, both had exerted all their strength, but unfortunately, neither had gained the upper hand.


    "Again!"


    Ling Chen straightened up, panting heavily.


    Song Qing frowned slightly, watching him, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. Suddenly, he turned around and ran straight towards the nearby thicket.


    "Thinking of escaping?"


    Without a second word, Ling Chen followed close behind, rushing into the thicket.


    However, upon entering, he found that Song Qing had disappeared from sight. The surroundings were filled with dense branches and underbrush; it was unclear where he had hidden.


    After a moment of thought, Ling Chen took out his cellphone from his pocket, called Tang Yuan, exined the situation, and asked him to bring people over quickly.


    After giving instructions, he continued to move deeper into the forest, searching for the whereabouts of Song Qing.


    Song Qing was skilled in martial arts; he must be a big fish, and perhaps he could pry a lot of information about that mysterious organization from him. Ling Chen didn¡¯t want to miss this opportunity.


    Not far into his search, Ling Chen suddenly stopped in his tracks, his gaze sweeping slowly over the surroundings. Just then, he had the sensation of a thorn in his back, as if someone was watching him.


    He trusted his intuition very much; Song Qing must be nearby, secretly following him. Thinking of this, he withdrew his gaze, quickened his pace, and walked straight toward the bushes in front of him.


    Entering the bushes, he fell forward, lying prone in the dense shrubbery, camouging his body. At the same time, he pricked up his ears, listening silently to the sounds around him.


    Before long, the sound of light footsteps grew from afar and approached his direction.


    As expected!


    Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curled into a slight smile, his judgement was correct.


    Hearing the footsteps drawing nearer, Ling Chen tensed his whole body, ready to spring into action, prepared tounch a surprise attack on the other party. As the footsteps passed by in front of him, he suddenly leapt up from the bushes, pouncing on the person beside him to the ground, then raised his fist high, and powerfully smashed it down towards the other party.


    However, before his fist couldnd, Ling Chen froze, staring dumbfounded at the person before him, his mind not quite catching up.


    At this moment, the person he had pinned down was actually a woman, and a very attractive beauty at that.


    Simply using ¡¯attractive¡¯ to describe her seemed somewhat insufficient, but Ling Chen couldn¡¯t think of any other adjectives at the moment.


    The woman in front of him was about twenty-something years old, with brows like paintings, lips painted red, a face as delicate as an egg and a slender yet voluptuous figure, like a celestial fairy descended from heaven, ethereal and otherworldly.


    Despite being dressed in simple coarse cloth, it couldn¡¯t conceal her temperament.


    Unexpectedly, in such a deste mountain, there was such a stunning beauty.


    While Ling Chen was still startled, the woman under him suddenly swung out a palm, hitting him hard in the chest. Instantly, Ling Chen¡¯s body arched backward and he fell to the ground.


    Feeling the pain in his chest, he was shocked and struggled to sit up, staring straight at the beauty in front of him.


    "So skilled!"


    A seemingly light palm, but full of force, he considered himself physically strong, not feeling pain even when shing directly with Song Qing earlier, but that palm just now was agonizingly painful.


    This proved that the woman before him was not just any woman, but also a master.


    Seeing the other party looking at him warily, ready to strike at any moment, Ling Chen quickly raised his hands, indicating his intentions.


    "I¡¯m not a bad person, it was just a misunderstanding just now. I thought you were the bad one chasing after me."


    The other party watched him with a mix of belief and skepticism, seemingly judging the truth of his words.


    "Beautifuldy, what is your name?"


    "I... don¡¯t... have a... name."


    The woman slowly started to speak, her speech not very fluent, as if every word she uttered was extremely difficult.


    "No name?" Ling Chen found it hard to believe, even cats and dogs have names, let alone people, "Then where do you live?"


    "Mountain..."


    "You live in the mountains?"


    Hearing her answer, Ling Chen began to understand why it was difficult for her to speak. Someone living alone for years without interaction or conversation would easily developmunication barriers over time.


    Thinking of this, he couldn¡¯t help but feel sympathy for the woman before him. So beautiful, yet living alone in the mountains, he wondered what reasons she had for staying in such a deste ce.

 Chapter 178 - 175: The True Expert

    <h4>Chapter 178: Chapter 175: The True Expert</h4><h4></h4>


    As he thought, Ling Chen suddenly felt ufortable all over, especially in his chest. He thought it was nothing major after being hit by that woman, but now he felt suffocated as if he was about to lose his breath, which was extremely ufortable.


    Seeing his face turn red and his breathing difficult, the woman quickly stepped forward and struck out with her palm again. Ling Chen widened his eyes, watching her movements.


    Again? Was she trying to kill him?


    Just as the thought arose, the woman¡¯s delicate palm had alreadynded on his body. Instantly, he felt an inexplicable force surge through him, a sweetness rose in his throat, and he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.


    As the clotted blood came out, his breathing became much smoother, and his whole body rxed. However, when hepletely rxed, he immediately felt his head dizzy and lethargy overwhelmed him.


    After the fight with Song Qing, where he severely depleted his physical strength, and now being struck twice by this mysterious woman, he felt he could not take it anymore.


    In a daze, he leaned back, lying unconscious in the bushes.


    ...


    He did not know how much time had passed, but Ling Chen finally came to.


    He rubbed his temples and slowly sat up, realizing he was lying on a simple wooden bed, covered with a nket that carried a faint scent of freshness. He looked around and saw that he was in a wooden cabin with nothing but a bed and a desk chair and no valuable decorations - almost everything was made of wood.


    "What ce is this?"


    As he wondered, the door of the cabin was pushed open from outside. Shortly after, a woman came in holding a bowl of rice porridge.


    So it was her.


    Ling Chen regained his senses and looked at the woman who had injured him yet had also saved him, his eyes flickering with curiosity.


    Such a skillful and stunningly beautiful woman living alone in the deep woods must have an untold story. Generally, he wouldn¡¯t be interested in others, but with such a beauty, he wouldn¡¯t mind delving into her secrets.


    At that moment, the woman approached the bed and handed him the bowl of millet porridge, "Eat..."


    Ling Chen smiled slightly, knowing she spoke with difficulty. Without waiting for her to finish, he took the porridge with both hands. Driven by immense hunger, he gulped it down greedily, leaving not a single grain at the bottom of the bowl.


    The more severe the physical exhaustion, the hungrier he got.


    After finishing the bowl of porridge, Ling Chen felt a significant relief throughout his body, not feeling as ufortable as before.


    "Thank you."


    The woman took the empty bowl, ced it aside, and then sat dawn in front of the bed. Her clear eyes stared at him unblinkingly, as if she was assessing an interesting object.


    Being stared at so unrestrainedly, even Ling Chen with his thick skin felt a bit embarrassed.


    He coughed lightly and chuckled, "Beauty, do you really not have a name?"


    The woman gently shook her head.


    "Then..." Ling Chen nced at the empty porridge bowl, "I¡¯ll call you Porridge Girl, we need some kind of address."


    "Whatever."


    "How many years have you lived here?"


    Porridge Girl stretched out two fingers, and Ling Chen immediately understood. Twenty years! He clicked his tongue in wonder. This woman had actually lived in this deserted ce for twenty years; it must have been hard for her, wondering how she got through these long years. If it were him, living alone in such a deste ce, not to mention twenty years, he¡¯d go mad just after two or three years.


    Thinking of this, he couldn¡¯t help but admire the persistence of the porridge girl.


    "Other than you, has no one else been here?"


    "There has, my... Master... Master."


    "Master?" Ling Chen nodded secretly. He knew it, the porridge girl¡¯s skills were so formidable, it must have been taught by a master, "Doesn¡¯t your master live with you?"


    Mentioning her master, the porridge girl¡¯s expression suddenly dimmed, her eyes carrying a touch of faint sorrow.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen knew he had touched on her tragic past, and hurriedly apologized: "I¡¯m sorry."


    "You..."


    The porridge girl was about to speak, but at that moment, she seemed to hear something, suddenly stood up, and turned to look outside the door.


    "What happened?"


    "There¡¯s... someone."


    Ling Chen listened carefully, but it was silent outside, not a sound. He gave a bitter smile, he had always thought his martial arts were not bad, butpared to the porridge girl, he was far weaker.


    Watching the porridge girl walk out, Ling Chen immediately threw off the nket, got out of bed, and followed her out of the wooden cabin.


    Stepping out of the cabin, Ling Chen was surprised to find that the cabin was actually built on arge tree. Rather than a wooden house, it seemed more appropriate to call it a treehouse. The treehouse was hidden by lush branches and foliage, making it difficult to spot without careful attention.


    At that moment, the porridge girl leaped forward from a branch over five meters high and jumped down. Landing on her feet, she slightly bent her knees and made no sound even though she stepped on dry leaves.


    Seeing the height, Ling Chen hesitated briefly, then gave up the idea of jumping down. His condition wasn¡¯t good now, better not to overdo it. Plus, the perspective from the tree branch was good, his gaze could cover the surroundings.


    However, in the blink of an eye, the porridge girl had disappeared from his sight, not knowing where she had gone.


    During this contemtion, a rustling sound approached from far to near. Ling Chen looked up and saw a middle-aged man walking towards him through the shrubs.


    "Song Qing?" Ling Chen¡¯s eyes brightened slightly, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly, finding what one sought effortlessly after much effort, he had wanted to find him and here he came on his own.


    Thinking this, he grabbed the rope beside the treehouse, preparing to slide down and capture Song Qing.


    However, before he could act, Song Qing, who was underneath the treehouse, suddenly stopped and looked around with a wary expression, coldly saying, "Who¡¯s there? Come out!"


    Seeing no response, Song Qing slightly furrowed his brow and said: "Ling Chen, I know it¡¯s you, stop sneaking around,e out." Saying that, he picked up a roughly one-meter long tree branch from the ground, tightly gripping it in his hands.


    Suddenly, a figure shed, and the sound of wind attacked; Song Qing quickly turned around, stabbing the branch fiercely backwards.


    However, just as he moved, Song Qing was shocked, staring dumbfounded at the woman who suddenly appeared in front of him. She had caught his stabbing branch between two fingers.


    "Who are you?"


    "Porridge girl, be careful, that guy is a bad person."


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s voice from the treehouse, Song Qing¡¯s face changed starkly, and he coldly shouted: "So you two are in this together, go to hell!"


    With a loud shout, he flicked his wrist, and the branch immediately snapped. Then, holding the broken half of the branch, he thrust forward once again towards the porridge girl.


    The porridge girl stood there without any expression, seeming not to take his attack seriously. As the tip of the branch almost reached her, she didn¡¯t move her hands, and Song Qing¡¯s body was suddenly struck hard, flying up from the ground and heavily falling back down.

 Chapter 179 - 176: Master Ranking

    <h4>Chapter 179: Chapter 176: Master Ranking</h4><h4></h4>


    This woman...


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but be astonished. Just now, from the treehouse, he had a clear view of the moment the porridge girl made her move.


    Fast! Too fast! Even his eyes could barely keep up with her movements. In this moment, he felt his own skills were utterly weakpared to hers; this was a true expert.


    After being repelled by a move from the porridge girl, Song Qingy on the ground gasping for breath. Clenching his teeth, he struggled to rise from the ground and while staring coldly at the porridge girl opposite him, said icily, "Who on earth are you?"


    The porridge girl silently stared at him.


    "Song Qing, you might as well stop asking and surrender quietly," Ling Chen grinned. With the help of the porridge girl, Song Qing had no chance of escaping.


    "Song... Qing, your name is... Song Qing?" The porridge girl suddenly spoke up, "The... Tiger List... ranked sixth... Song Qing?"


    Song Qing¡¯s eyes went cold, "You know me?"


    "Tiger List... a strong fighter, but... nothing special."


    "You..." Song Qing¡¯s face showed a slight change of color, and he was about to shout in anger, but before he could speak, a heavy punch had alreadynded. With a grunt, he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood andy face down on the ground, unconscious.


    "So much nonsense," said Ling Chen as he retracted his fist. While Song Qing and the porridge girl were talking, he had slid down from the treehouse and knocked Song Qing directly to the ground.


    After finding some hemp ropes, he tied Song Qing up and bound him to a tree trunk, then he and the porridge girl returned to the treehouse.


    Sitting at the table, Ling Chen looked at the porridge girl beside him and asked curiously, "Do you know Song Qing?"


    "Don¡¯t... know him, just heard of," she replied.


    "What did you mean just now by the Tiger List?"


    "It¡¯s a ranking list," the porridge girl finally spoke much more fluently after so much conversation, "Besides the Tiger List, there¡¯s also the Dragon List, Heavenly List, and Earthly List. Those who make it onto the lists are all experts. You practice martial arts, don¡¯t you know of it?"


    Ling Chen gave an embarrassed smile, "To be precise, I can¡¯t really consider myself a conventional martial artist."


    He was an elite trained by the military, all his skills were honed in actualbat, and of course, this was also due to his own efforts. However, he wasn¡¯t very familiar with the ¡¯Martial Arts World¡¯ within the country, as he hadn¡¯t had any encounters with it. The so-called Dragon and Tiger List, Heavenly and Earthly List, were probably only known to those involved in these circles.


    After thinking for a bit, he asked, "About these four lists you mentioned, how are they ranked?"


    "The Heavenly List is at the top, followed by the Earthly List, the Dragon List is third, and the Tiger List isst. Each list includes ten people," exined the porridge girl.


    Hearing this, Ling Chen felt somewhat embarrassed. He thought he was quite skilled, but the porridge girl¡¯s words made him realize, there are always stronger people out there.


    Song Qing was the Tiger List¡¯s sixth, and since he could fight to a draw with him, it meant he also had the qualifications to be on the list. However, the Tiger List was the bottommost, and there were three more lists above it. What did this mean? Huaxia, this vastnd with hidden dragons and crouching tigers, full of talent. Although he had rarely encountered a match abroad over the years, he only realized upon returning home that he had been looking at the sky from the bottom of a well.


    The real experts would always keep a low profile.


    "Porridge girl, which list could you rank on?"


    "Don¡¯t know, I might just barely make it onto the Earthly List."


    Uh...


    Ling Chen was momentarily stunned, the porridge girl¡¯s skills were so good, yet she could only just barely make it onto the Earthly List; he couldn¡¯t imagine how much more formidable the number one of the Heavenly List would be.


    "Since you are aware of Tiger List¡¯s Song Qing, it seems like you know the people on the list quite well."


    The porridge girl nodded, "Heaven, Earth, Dragon, Tiger - I know everyone on all four lists, they are all my targets."


    "Targets?"


    "Master said, when I can defeat them, then I will be qualified to leave this ce."


    Ling Chen was surprised. Her master had set such a rule, that was simply making things difficult on purpose. With so many experts on both the Heavenly List and Earthly List to challenge one by one, defeating them all was almost harder than reaching the heavens. More importantly, the porridge girl was still so young; by the time she achieved her goal, she would probably be old already. By then, even if she could leave, what good would it do?


    If the most precious time of one¡¯s life is wasted on pointless struggle, what¡¯s the point of it all?


    As he thought this, he felt quite undeserved on behalf of the porridge girl; her master was simply a freak without a shred of humanity.


    While they were talking, Ling Chen suddenly heard his cellphone ringing in his pocket. He took it out and saw it was a call from Tang Yuan, which he immediately answered.


    "Hello, you¡¯ve arrived? Alright, wait there for me, I¡¯ll be right over."


    After hanging up, Ling Chen turned to look at the porridge girl, who had already stood up before he could speak, saying, "I¡¯ll take you out."


    Leaving the treehouse, with the bound Song Qing, still unconscious, on his back, Ling Chen followed the porridge girl as they walked outside.


    After about a kilometer, the porridge girl pointed towards the north and said indifferently, "Beyond that woods, you¡¯ll be able to find yourpanions."


    "Thank you!"


    "You can go now." After finishing her sentence, the porridge girl turned around and walked back the same way she came.


    Watching the lonely and deste figure of the porridge girl, Ling Chen felt a sudden pang of reluctance. Such a vibrant and youngdy living alone deep in the mountains and forests was truly a pity.


    If it weren¡¯t for his pressing business, he really wanted to stay and have a good chat with her. It was evident the porridge girl longed for human interaction; otherwise, why would she offer a helping hand to a stranger?


    With a heavy sigh, he shouldered Song Qing and quickened his pace.


    Returning to the foot of the steep slope, Ling Chen only saw several military jeeps parked at the roadside on the slope.


    "Old Tang!" Ling Chen shouted loudly, and Tang Yuan quickly popped his head out from within one of the vehicles.


    Shortly after, Tang Yuan threw down a rope and pulled Ling Chen up the slope.


    "Here you go! I¡¯ve brought him to you." Ling Chen threw Song Qing onto the ground with a thump, immediately waking him up. However, before he could resist, he was taken into custody by several soldiers and thrown into the vehicle.


    "You¡¯re not hurt, are you?" Tang Yuan asked with concern.


    Ling Chen said irritably, "You have some nerve to ask. If it weren¡¯t for you, would I have suffered like this? If you dare to do this again in the future, don¡¯t me me for not being polite as a brother."


    Tang Yuan responded with an air of injustice, "You can¡¯t me me for this, it was the General¡¯s intention. ording to intercepted intelligence, they suspected someone would attempt to hijack the vehicle on the way, so we acted as targets to lure the enemy away, while you were to stealthily transport the goods to divert attention."


    "Did you also get ambushed?"


    "Let¡¯s not talk about that. Thankfully, the General had the foresight to make preparations in advance, which saved the exoskeleton armor."


    Ling Chen nodded, then asked, "By the way, where¡¯s the driver who drove me here? Is he alright?"


    "He¡¯s fine, just passed out, and we¡¯ve already taken him to the hospital."


    "That¡¯s good. Hey, lend me a car, I¡¯ll go to the city by myself, to avoid getting tricked by you again."

 Chapter 180 - 177 Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion

    <h4>Chapter 180: Chapter 177 Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion</h4><h4></h4>


    Upon entering Beijing, it was already noon.


    Ling Chen parked the car on the side of the road, randomly picked a restaurant to fill his stomach, and then drove to his destination.


    Half an hourter, he arrived in front of a high-end office building. With the documents given to him by Nanrong Wanqing, he entered the lobby, ready to ask the receptionist for information. But at that moment, a familiar voice came from behind: "Ling Chen."


    He turned around and saw Liang Zhao Hui quickly approaching, his face full of smiles.


    "Why are you just arriving now?"


    "I ran into some trouble and was dyed a bit. Where¡¯s the chairman?"


    "She¡¯s upstairs in a meeting with someone. Hey, be carefulter, the chairman asked you to deliver the documents. She has been here for half a day, and you still haven¡¯t shown up. Just now, from the look on her face, she seemed very angry."


    Ling Chen shrugged his shoulders; he wanted to be on time too, but who would have expected that kind of ident to ur. On that day, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s secretary Wang Lan told him that Nanrong Wanqing would be going to Beijing to attend a shareholder meeting in two days. If it weren¡¯t for this reason, he wouldn¡¯t have left his responsibilities behind and traveled all the way to Beijing.


    Following Liang Zhao Hui upstairs, they entered a spacious reception room, where Zhong Wei and others were sitting on the sofas, waiting for the meeting to end.


    "Mr. Ling, you¡¯ve finally arrived."


    Wang Lan hurried over, took the documents from him, and then turned and went back to the meeting room.


    "Captain Zhong, how long does the chairman n to stay in Beijing?"


    "It¡¯s still uncertain, maybe two or three days. Why, do you have something on your mind?"


    "No, just asking."


    Less than ten minutester, the shareholder meeting finally ended. While chatting idly with Zhong Wei, Ling Chen learned that aside from the Hongyu Group in East Sea City, Nanrong Wanqing had also invested in severalpanies in Beijing, and was looking to expand the group¡¯s business into Beijing in the future.


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing being wheeled out of the meeting room by Wang Lan, Ling Chen and several others from the Zhong team immediately went up to greet her.


    Nanrong Wanqing looked at Ling Chen with an expressionless face and asked coldly, "Where have you been? You¡¯re sote."


    "I¡¯m sorry, there was an unexpected issue on the road, and I got dyed. I assure you that I will not..."


    "Zhong Wei, let¡¯s return to the hotel." Before Ling Chen could finish, Nanrong Wanqing had already signaled to leave.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but give a wry smile. He had to endure the consequences of his own actions, even if it meant swallowing his tears.


    Nanrong Wanqing spent the afternoon in her hotel suite dealing with matters and did not go out. As night descended, Ling Chen used his phone to call Ye Liangyong. After all, since he was in Beijing, he might as well pay a visit.


    When he received his call, Ye Liangyong was delighted, insisting on inviting him to dinner for a proper chat. Soon, Ye Liangyong personally arrived at the hotel by car. Originally, he wanted to take Ling Chen somewhere else, but since Ling Chen was responsible for Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s safety, it was not convenient to go too far, so the two went to the hotel¡¯s private restaurant.


    "Ling Chen, how is my master doing?"


    "Mr. He is in great health, better than many young people."


    "I originally wanted to visit him in East Sea City, but work at thepany has been so busy that I just couldn¡¯t find the time."


    Ling Chen smiled slightly: "Mr. Ye, you are a busy man of great importance; Mr. He will surely understand." He paused for a moment, then changed the subject, "Mr. Ye, I want to ask you about something. Have you heard of the Heaven and Earth List and the Dragon and Tiger List?"


    "Anyone who practices martial arts knows about them. What about it?"


    "There¡¯s nothing much, I just heard someone mention it today, so I¡¯m quite interested."


    Ye Liangyong said longingly, "The Heaven and Earth Dragon and Tiger Four Rankings are the pursuit of all martial artists; everyone wants to be on the lists. It represents not only strength but also honor and status. Don¡¯tugh at me, but actually, my name is also on one of the lists."


    "Really?"


    "Tiger List, ranked tenth, at the very bottom." He said this with a sigh of resignation, "To tell you the truth, I really don¡¯t want this name."


    "Why?"


    "Many who are not on the list want to squeeze into the Tiger List. To do that, they must challenge those who are on it. I¡¯m ranked tenth, the weakest one. Anyone who can beat me can eliminate me and qualify for the ranking. So, every month, quite a few peoplee to challenge me. If I happen to meet an equal opponent, it¡¯s a good thing, as we can exchange skills and improve. But the problem is, those challengers are of mixed abilities, without any real skill, yet you can¡¯t refuse to ept the challenge. Otherwise, words might spread that you¡¯re scared. This matter really bothers me."


    As he spoke, he nced at Ling Chen and smiled, "Since you¡¯re so interested, how about I give you the tenth position on the Tiger List? Last time at the Martial Arts Academy during our spar, I lost to you, so it¡¯s only right to pass the position to you."


    Ling Chen quickly waved his hand, "Forget it, I hate being troubled. Hey, Mr. Ye, who actually ranks these Heaven and Earth Dragon and Tiger Four Rankings? It seems like everyone seriously trusts the cement on this list."


    "Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. You must have heard of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion in some TV dramas and novels. In fact, it¡¯s not fiction, but a real entity. It is said that Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion originated hundreds of years ago, specializing in collecting martial arts secrets and anecdotes of the famous, while never getting involved in fights, with an aloof status. Even after hundreds of years, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has retained itsplete form. Now, keeping up with the times, it has be a mysterious sect. However, it¡¯s more appropriate to call it an organization nowadays."


    "Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion operates in secrecy and possesses many confidential channels to collect all kinds of information. They keep records of all the experts, along with assigning rankings to all of them."


    "What kind of rankings?"


    "Among the experts of the world, there are nine grades in total, grades one to three are the lower tier, four to six are the middle tier, and seven to nine are the upper tier. In the Heaven and Earth Dragon and Tiger Four Rankings, the Tiger List is the lower tier, the Dragon List is the middle tier. Experts of the seventh and eighth grade can enter the Earthly List, and only those of the ninth grade can enter the Heavenly List. Any martial artist without a grade is considered insignificant."


    "Mr. Ye, what about you...?"


    "I¡¯m a First Grade, you should be around Second Grade." Seeing the surprise on Ling Chen¡¯s face, Ye Liangyong said, "The martial arts of Huaxia are profound and unmatched by outsiders. For someone of your young age to be graded is already very admirable. With your talent, if you work hard, there might be a chance for you to enter the Heaven and Earth List in the future."


    Ling Chen touched his nose. The Heaven and Earth List was too distant for him right now. Besides, he had no interest inpeting for rankings; a simple and quiet life was what he pursued.


    After finishing the meal.


    Ling Chen returned to his hotel room andy quietly on the bed, still thinking about the porridge girl he had just met.


    That woman had given him a very mysterious impression¡ªa young yet already an expert on the Earthly List.


    ...


    At this moment, in a treehouse hidden among the dense foliage.


    The porridge girl sat at the doorway, legs dangling in the air, flipping through a stack of old photographs in her hand.


    When her eyesnded on a yellowed old photo, she suddenly froze, unable to shift her gaze for a long time.


    In the photo, a young man was standing with a smile, like a gentle breeze that felt warming to the soul.


    "Master..." she muttered to herself, her eyes involuntarily reddening.


    If Ling Chen were here, he would be shocked by the man in the photo.


    Because the man was his father, whom he had not seen for many years.


    (Brothers, send over your rmendations.)

 Chapter 181 - 178: The Great Singer

    <h4>Chapter 181: Chapter 178: The Great Singer</h4><h4></h4>


    Waking up, Ling Chen nced at the clock¡ªit was 6:30 in the morning. After washing up, he dialed the hotel¡¯s front desk, and soon a server brought avish breakfast to his room.


    While he was eating, Zhong Wei knocked on the door and came in, handing a schedule to Ling Chen, "This is the chairman¡¯s n for today, take a look."


    Ling Chen bit into his bread and looked over the schedule, the corners of his mouth instantly curving up. Today¡¯s work was quite rxed; Nanrong Wanqing was scheduled to visit friends at several ces. As long as it wasn¡¯t somewhere crowded, there wasn¡¯t much to worry about.


    "Captain Zhong, you haven¡¯t eaten yet, have you? Come, join me." As he spoke, Ling Chen casually picked up the remote control and turned on the TV, flipping through channels ceaselessly.


    At that moment, the duo hosting an entertainment show suddenly caught his attention.


    "In two days, the pop music scene¡¯s rising star Tang Shiyun will be holding her first concert at the Beijing Sports Stadium. Speaking of Tang Shiyun, I believe there are few who haven¡¯t heard of her. Although it¡¯s been just over a month since her debut, her songs have already spread across major music stations and she¡¯s topped the new song trending charts for four consecutive weeks. I just checked, and the second ce is 67 million in poprity behind her¡ªan unprecedented situation."


    "You¡¯re right, bing a nation-wide sensation in just one month, and turning into a familiar pop star isn¡¯t an easy feat. Apart from opportunity, what¡¯s more important is her talent. I won¡¯t lie, I¡¯m also a devoted fan of hers. From the moment I heard her first song, I was immersed in her voice, unable to extricate myself. The first thought that popped into my head was that this girl would surely be wildly popr¡ªa big star in the limelight."


    "I heard that the concert tickets went on presale two weeks in advance and they got snapped up overnight. Originally priced at 1,800, the tickets have now been scalped for 30,000, and are still hard to find. It¡¯s a phenomenon in the music scene that we haven¡¯t seen for years."


    "Just this point alone suffices to highlight the extent to which Tang Shiyun is sought after domestically. My girlfriend even joked with me the other night if I don¡¯t manage to get concert tickets, she would break up with me."


    "..."


    Tang Shiyun hase to Beijing?


    Staring nkly at the TV, Ling Chen seemed deaf to the hosts¡¯ discussion, his mind filled only with the thoughts of Tang Shiyun¡¯s youthful and vibrant smile.


    Thest time he saw Tang Shiyun was when she started school. After a long conversation with her, he decided not to disturb Tang Shiyun¡¯s life anymore. Tang Shiyun¡¯s mother looked down on him, thinking he had no prospects, and forbade Tang Shiyun from associating with him. Therefore, he didn¡¯t want to cause any discord between them because of this.


    "Wow, she¡¯s actually going to hold a concert," Zhong Wei said to himself as he ate.


    Ling Chen, surprised, asked, "You know her?"


    "How could I not? Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t? Over the past month, the television, newspapers, the inte¡ªeverywhere was filled with news about her. From 80-year-old seniors to 6 or 7-year-old kids, I guess nobody doesn¡¯t know her."


    Uh...


    Ling Chen inwardly gave a wry smile as he genuinely wasn¡¯t aware of this. He rarely watched TV or read newspapers, and when he had free time, he would either wander around outside or sleep at home.


    "Captain Zhong, is she really that famous?"


    Zhong Wei shook his smartphone,ughing, "I paid to download her songs, as support for her."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen widened his eyes, feeling quite incredulous. Zhong Wei, a man in his thirties, usually stern-faced and serious, was also captivated by Tang Shiyun¡¯s voice.


    Initially, he¡¯d known that Tang Shiyun would be popr, but he never imagined she would reach this level of fame, appealing to audiences young and old.


    "Captain Zhong, lend me your phone to listen."


    Plugging in the earphones, Ling Chen found the ylist and quietly listened to the touching music. As Tang Shiyun¡¯s sweet voice rang out, Ling Chen¡¯s thoughts were drawn back to the times they spent together months ago, every detail flooding his mind.


    That girl... she must be happy now.


    With a slight smile, he returned the phone to Zhong Wei, turned off the TV, and stood up saying, "Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s almost time."


    Arriving at the hotel lobby, Ling Chen sat alone on a couch, quietly waiting for Nanrong Wanqing to appear. He knew Nanrong Wanqing was still upset, so he tried as much as possible to avoid being in her sight.


    Just then, his phone rang, and he quickly answered, "Hello, Old Tang, what¡¯s up?"


    "It¡¯s because of that Song Qing you caught yesterday. Damn it, that guy¡¯s lips are sealed. I¡¯ve interro gated him all night and got nothing valuable."


    "With your methods, none of them worked?"


    "Don¡¯t even mention it, I¡¯ve tried everything, and he didn¡¯t react at all."


    "Is that so?" Ling Chen was somewhat surprised, but then again, he realized that the man was a high-level practitioner from the Inner sect, not someone easy to deal with.


    "Hey, old virgin, you¡¯re usually full of tricky ideas, why don¡¯t youe up with a n?"


    "Well... let me think."


    He knew Tang Yuan wouldn¡¯t ask for help unless he had no other choice.


    "Old Tang, how about this? I¡¯ll find some time toe over today for a face-to-face talk with him. In the meantime, you can take my ce and ensure the chairman¡¯s safety. How does that sound?"


    "Okay, that¡¯s settled then."


    After ending the call, Nanrong Wanqing made her appearance, escorted by Zhong Wei and several others, emerging from the elevator in a wheelchair.


    Passing through the lobby, Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t nce sideways and seemed to not notice Ling Chen sitting on the couch. She went straight through the main entrance and into the car.


    Seeing her indifferent expression, Ling Chen smiled helplessly, stood up, and walked out. He got into a Land Rover arranged by Zhong Wei, following behind the convoy.


    Midway through the journey, Ling Chen heard a sequence of ¡¯beep beep¡¯ horn sounds from behind. Looking in the rearview mirror, he saw a Volkswagen car following behind the Land Rover. Then, a hand stretched out of the window, gently waving.


    Seeing this, he immediately understood and slowed down to break away from the convoy. At the same time, the Volkswagen caught up, taking his ce. The driver of the Volkswagen was none other than Tang Yuan.


    After leaving the city, Ling Chen drove to the outskirts to the gate of a country mansion.


    This mansion covered almost a thousand square meters, with two-meter-high walls piled around. In the middle stood a three-story white vi, surrounded by lush greenwns. A winding path made of bluestone meandered among them, with artificial hills and flowing water features all avable.


    Pulling over in front of the iron gate, Ling Chen poked his head out, looking at the surveince camera above the door. Then, he made eight hand gestures.


    Not long after, the iron gate slowly opened.

 Chapter 182: Visit familiar places again

    <h4>Chapter 182: Visit familiar ces again</h4><h4></h4>


    Entering the manor, Ling Chen parked the car and walked straight toward the vi. When he reached the door, it was already opened from inside, and a middle-aged man in home clothes smiled warmly at him.


    "Little Ling, wee back."


    "Uncle Mu, it¡¯s been a while," Ling Chen greeted.


    The middle-aged man in front was Mu Zhiyuan, the owner of the vi.


    "Is it Little Ling who hase?" As the voice sounded, a beautiful woman in her forties with charm still lingering, came quickly. Her slightly wrinkled face was filled with a friendly smile, "Little Ling,e here, let me have a good look at you. I¡¯ve missed you so much over the past few months."


    Ling Chen grinned, "Mrs. Chen, you really shouldn¡¯t miss me, otherwise Uncle Mu might get jealous."


    This beautiful woman, Chen Ping, was Mu Zhiyuan¡¯s wife. They used to live together when he wasn¡¯t on missions, so they were quite close. Mu Zhiyuan and Chen Ping had no children and always treated him like their own, often buying him food and clothing.


    He nned this visit to Beijing early to see this couple. In his heart, they were like family though not by blood.


    "Little Ling,e, sit down, and have a good chat with Mrs. Chen."


    "Alright, don¡¯t hold him up. Let him finish his work first."


    "Mrs. Chen, I¡¯lle and join youter." With that, Ling Chen followed Mu Zhiyuan into the study.


    After closing the door, Ling Chen automatically walked to the desk and nodded at Mu Zhiyuan. Thetter took out his cell phone, pressed it gently, and the bookshelf in front of Ling Chen immediately slid to the side, revealing a bright corridor.


    Walking through the corridor, there was an elevator at the end. After aplicated identity verification, the elevator slowly started and descended.


    As the elevator doors opened, Han Bing was already waiting outside for his arrival.


    "Mr. Han."


    Han Bing smiled and patted his shoulder, "Come with me."


    This secret underground base was the headquarters of the Ghost Organization. No one would expect that this mysterious organization was built under a vi.


    There are five levels in the Ghost Base, equipped with cutting-edge technology andprehensive facilities. When Ling Chen first joined Ghost, he underwent a year of closed training here and was very familiar with it.


    In a short while, the two walked side by side to the outside of an interrogation room.


    "The person is inside, do you need me to apany you?"


    "No need, I¡¯ll go meet him alone." After speaking, Ling Chen pushed the door and walked in.


    In the interrogation room, Song Qing was seated in a specially made chair, his hands and feet bound by thick chains. Since he was a master from the Tiger List, Han Bing had given him special treatment.


    "Song Qing, we meet again."


    Ling Chen smiled and brought a chair over, sitting in front of him and staring into his eyes.


    Song Qing coldly said, "Don¡¯t waste your efforts, I won¡¯t say anything."


    "It¡¯s your choice to speak or not, I won¡¯t force you. You are a master from the Tiger List, and I always respect masters, so rest assured, I won¡¯t use any despicable means to interrogate you. However, you should think carefully. You have openly stolen government property and alreadymitted a felony, death is inevitable. You look no older than thirty. It must have taken a lot of effort to be ranked in the Tiger List at such a young age. Are you willing to let these years of effort go to waste?"


    Song Qing kept his head down, silent, as if he hadn¡¯t heard him.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen slightly smiled and said to himself, "I am also a martial artist, and we learn morals first, which I believe your Master has taught you. You¡¯ve struggled for decades, barely making it onto the Tiger List, for what? Nothing more than fame and fortune. You might have gained the fortune, but what about the reputation? Among more than a billion people in Huaxia, only a few can make it onto the Heaven and Earth Dragon and Tiger Four Rankings. Just being ranked sixth on the Tiger List should have been enough for you to be proud. Yet, what you are doing now is gradually destroying the reputation you worked hard to build. If Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion hears about this, how do you think they will judge you? A traitor? A corrupt viin driven by greed? You know Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion well; once this news reaches their ears, it won¡¯t be long before every martial artist knows of your deeds. By then, if not reviled for eternity, you will be universally detested. Is this the oue you want, to ruin your reputation overnight?"


    Hearing this, a flicker of emotion finally surfaced in Song Qing¡¯s usually unppable eyes.


    He slowly raised his head, his voice hoarse, "If I confess, will you keep this matter from being leaked?"


    Ling Chen promised, "I assure you, not a word will be disclosed. As long as you confess truthfully, I will plead with my superiors to reduce your sentence, so you spend fewer years in prison. Once you are released, you would still be a renowned master on the Tiger List."


    Song Qing hesitated for a moment, then appeared to make a decision, nodding, "Alright, I ept your terms. What do you want to know?"


    "Don¡¯t hurry, I¡¯m not the one to ask these questions. Someone else wille here to see you shortly, just cooperate with them." Finished speaking, Ling Chen turned and walked out of the interrogation room.


    "Young man, you¡¯re quite something," Han Bing praised generously outside the door. He had just listened to their conversation through the monitoring equipment in the interrogation room. Seeing Song Qing relent obviously pleased him.


    The corner of Ling Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly; he too wasn¡¯t very sure of himself. But martial artists ce great importance on their reputations, especially those who are well-known masters. That¡¯s why he used this point to try and break through Song Qing¡¯s psychological defenses.


    "Mr. Han, I¡¯ll leave the next steps to you. I¡¯m going to check on the General."


    "He¡¯s in theb."


    After Han Bing entered the interrogation room, Ling Chen made his way to theb within the base.


    In the spaciousb, besides Qiao Zhen, several researchers were studying the exoskeleton armor.


    "General," greeted Ling Chen.


    Seeing him approach, Qiao Zhen¡¯s stern face rarely showed a smile, "You rascal, your timing is perfect. I was about to call you to thank you. You have done a great service for our nation this time. With this exoskeleton armor, our country¡¯s military power will absolutely surpass other nations. Tell me, what reward would you like, you rascal?"


    "General, you can skip the reward. The country raised me, and it¡¯s only right for me to contribute to the country."


    "Not bad, you have high awareness. But your contributions are clear, and a deserved reward must be given. Just name it, as long as it¡¯s not too excessive, I will fulfil it."


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes twinkled, and he grinned, "General, you mean what you say?"


    "Nonsense, when have I ever gone back on my word?"


    "Alright then... since that¡¯s the case, how about you introduce me to your granddaughter? I¡¯ve been single for so long, I can¡¯t just... Ouch! General, you told me to make a request, why are you hitting me?"


    "Get lost!" Qiao Zhenughed and scolded, "Don¡¯t even think about my granddaughter."

 Chapter 183 - 180 Zhang Family

    <h4>Chapter 183: Chapter 180 Zhang Family</h4><h4></h4>


    In casual conversation, Han Bing walked in from outside theb.


    "General, Song Qing has confessed everything."


    When it came to serious matters, Qiao Zhen immediately put on a stern face and asked, "Has the mastermind behind the scenes confessed?"


    "Not yet. General, ording to what Song Qing described, the organization we¡¯re investigating is veryplex."


    "Complex? In what way? Exin."


    "Our previous guesses weren¡¯t wrong, the mysterious force behind Song Qing is indeed the God Organization that has been revived. However, the current God Organization is more secretive and vast than decades ago. Moreover, God Organization controls many smaller forces, including foreign mercenary groups and international criminal groups. Song Qing confessed that in their organization, there¡¯s a strict hierarchy. The level determines one¡¯s status within the organization."


    "What level?"


    "Bronze, Silver, tinum, Gold, and Jade Gold, five levels. Jade Gold represents the head of the organization, and the others follow in descending order."


    Ling Chen asked, "What¡¯s Song Qing¡¯s level within the organization?"


    "He has no rank. Only ranked individuals are core members of the organization; the rest are peripheral members. I just asked Song Qing, and he¡¯s merely a hired thug for them, and there are many more like him."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen was puzzled, "People like him wouldn¡¯t oppose the government just for some money, would they?"


    Han Bing nodded and said, "You¡¯re right, his aim isn¡¯t money, but special drugs. ording to him, taking those drugs can significantly enhance his strength. As per their agreement, every time Song Qingpletes a task, he is given a bottle of the drug as a reward. Song Qing himself confessed that he wanted to use the drugs to boost his strength and challenge others on the Tiger List."


    So that¡¯s it!


    Ling Chen nodded inwardly; the saying ¡¯greed is a bottomless pit that exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction¡¯ was indeed true.


    Looking back through history, human desires are never satisfied; after conquering one peak, people always seek the next, it¡¯s never-ending. Throughout the thousands of years of history, there have been many such people, and none had a good end.


    As a human, the most important thing is to learn to be content.


    "General, Song Qing only has direct contact with those people, he has never met them in person, and all transactions are done via mobile phones; there¡¯s nothing to trace."


    "I didn¡¯t expect to figure out much." Qiao Zhen said with folded arms, "God Organization operates cautiously, not giving anyone an opportunity to exploit. Furthermore, Song Qing is just a peripheral member, so the information he knows is certainly limited."


    "General, how do you n to deal with this person?"


    "Proceed ording to thew; since he cooperated, we can consider reducing some of his criminal responsibility."


    "Understood."


    "General, Mr. Han, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be leaving first."


    Qiao Zhen waved his hand, "Hurry up and scram, I didn¡¯t n to keep you for lunch."


    "Okay, then I¡¯m leaving. General, take care."


    Han Bing patted Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder and smiled, "Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll walk you out."


    Back in the study, Ling Chen had intended to meet up with Nanrong Wanqing and switch back Tang Yuan. However, Mu Zhiyuan and his wife, Chen Ping, insisted on having him stay for lunch.


    It was an offer he couldn¡¯t refuse, and after such a long time, he too wanted to spend some time with Chen Ping.


    Mu Zhiyuan and Chen Ping were both former members of Ghost Base, fighting side by side for many years and deeply in love, they got married ten years ago. Later, persuaded by the General, they became the guardians of Ghost Base.


    Despite their schrly elegance and tranquil virtue, they were both tough characters in the past, with probably hundreds fallen at their hands.


    After the meal, Chen Ping reluctantly let Ling Chen go.


    On his way back, Ling Chen made a call to Zhong Wei to ask for their current location and then drove over.


    After an hour¡¯s drive, the Land Rover slowly drove into a luxurious viplex.


    Each of these high-end vis came with a separate courtyard, very spacious, and close to the city center. To settle here would cost tens of millions at least.


    Those who are friends with Nanrong Wanqing definitely wouldn¡¯tck resources.


    At that moment, seeing Tang Yuan waving from a distance, Ling Chen immediately drove towards him.


    "You finally came back, kiddo. How did it go, did that bastard spill anything?" Tang Yuan asked eagerly.


    Ling Chen grinned, full of pride, "With me involved, what can¡¯t be handled?"


    "I knew you could do it. Alright, I¡¯m heading back, we¡¯ll catch up when we have time."


    Watching Tang Yuan drive away, Ling Chen stepped into the nearby vi. In the living room, he saw Nanrong Wanqing sitting in a wheelchair, chatting leisurely with a young couple, her lips revealing a faint smile.


    Ling Chen tactfully didn¡¯t interrupt them and instead approached Zhong Wei and spoke to him in a low voice.


    "Captain Zhong, are these two people directors¡¯ friends?"


    "The woman is named Zhang Qianqian, a college ssmate of the director from the past, and the man is Zhang Zekai, her older brother. I heard the Zhang Family is involved in the entertainment industry and quite famous in Beijing."


    Ling Chen nodded and stood obediently aside, waiting for Nanrong Wanqing to be done with her visitors.


    "When will you be going back, Wanqing?" Zhang Qianqian asked.


    "I haven¡¯t decided yet, there¡¯s a lot going on at thepany, I might leave tomorrow."


    "Tomorrow? How about you postpone for two more days? There¡¯s Tang Shiyun¡¯s concert the day after tomorrow, let¡¯s go together."


    Zhang Zekai chuckled, "My sister isn¡¯t usually into idol-chasing, but ever since she listened to Tang Shiyun¡¯s songs, she instantly switchednes and became her devoted fan. Miss Nanrong, it¡¯s a rare opportunity for Tang Shiyun¡¯s first concert, why not stay an extra couple days and let us do our part as hospitable hosts."


    "This..."


    Nanrong Wanqing hesitated, she was very interested in experiencing Tang Shiyun¡¯s concert. Having listened to Tang Shiyun¡¯s songs on the car radio a while back, she had grown to like them.


    Tang Shiyun¡¯s voice was like a ma that firmly attracted her, irresistible. Listening to Tang Shiyun¡¯s songs in the quiet of the night was a great pleasure, as if bringing sce to a lonely heart.


    "I heard her concert tickets are hard to get, won¡¯t it be too troublesome to arrange it at thest minute?"


    Zhang Qianqian burst intoughter, "You don¡¯t have to worry about that at all, Wanqing, you might not be aware, but our Zhang Family is one of the sponsors for Tang Shiyun¡¯s concert, and Silver Star Entertainment Company, which she signed with, has shares of our Zhang Family. In a sense, we¡¯re her bosses. Also..."


    As she spoke, she cast a meaningful nce at Zhang Zekai beside her, her tone ambiguous, "That Tang Shiyun seems to have taken a liking to my brother, alwaysing over to our house after rehearsal these days, cozying up to him. Right, big brother?"

 Chapter 184 - 181 Zhang Zekai

    <h4>Chapter 184: Chapter 181 Zhang Zekai</h4><h4></h4>


    Hearing this, Zhong Wei and the others looked at Zhang Zekai with envious eyes.


    Being favored by Tang Shiyun was not a treatment just anyone could enjoy. If it were a month ago, probably no one would care. But now it¡¯s different, Tang Shiyun had be a red-hot singing star, and the crown of the future queen of the music scene would undoubtedly fall on her head.


    Feeling Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s gaze on him, Zhang Zekai curled his lips, slightly proud, "Shiyun is a good girl, but I don¡¯t want to hinder her future because of feelings, moreover, I need to prioritize my career now. As for what¡¯s between us, let¡¯s talk about itter."


    "Big brother, Shiyun is so beautiful and talented, if you don¡¯t make a move now, be careful that someone else will snatch her away," Zhang Qianqian joked.


    "Sister, you underestimate your brother¡¯s charm. What¡¯s mine will eventually be mine; why should I worry?"


    Ling Chen, standing to the side, curled his lip. Although he didn¡¯t take it to heart, he still felt a bit annoyed inside. This guy really thinks highly of himself. What kind of person Tang Shiyun is, how could he not know? By the sound of Zhang Zekai¡¯s words, it seemed as if Tang Shiyun had set her heart on him.


    However, despite what he thought, who didn¡¯t know that the entertainment industry, while morous on the surface, is actually the filthiest ce? His biggest worry was that Tang Shiyun would be contaminated. After all, Tang Shiyun is quite young, not even twenty years old. She went from an unknown girl to a nation-famous singing star overnight. This change was too huge for her.


    In just over a month, he didn¡¯t know if she had changed.


    "Wanqing, how about this, stay for dinner tonight, and then I¡¯ll get my brother to call Tang Shiyun over, so everyone can get acquainted. How about it?" Zhang Qianqian suggested.


    Nanrong Wanqing was immediately intrigued. Ever since hearing Tang Shiyun¡¯s songs, she had been curious, wanting to see what kind of girl could sing such beautiful songs.


    Seeing her not speaking, Zhang Qianqian could guess her thoughts and smiled, "Big brother, give Tang Shiyun a callter and invite her for dinner."


    "Sure, no problem, leave it to me."


    Ling Chen, listening to the trio¡¯s conversation, his eyes slightly lit up. If Tang Shiyun wasing, wouldn¡¯t that mean he could see her? At this thought, he couldn¡¯t help but get excited.


    It had been so long since they saw each other; to say he didn¡¯t miss her would be a lie. In his heart, Tang Shiyun always held great importance.


    In the blink of an eye, it was evening.


    In the living room, Zhang Qianqian nced at the time and said dissatisfied, "Big brother, it¡¯s almost dinner time, why hasn¡¯t Tang Shiyun arrived yet?"


    "No rush, I¡¯ve called her already. There¡¯s a concert in two days, she definitely needs to focus more on rehearsals, it¡¯s normal for her to bete."


    While talking, a man dressed like a butler approached Zhang Zekai and whispered a few words in his ear.


    Not knowing what was said, Zhang Zekai¡¯s face changed slightly, and a trace of anger could be seen in his eyes. Zhang Qianqian, sitting next to him, asked, "Big brother, what¡¯s wrong?"


    "Nothing." Zhang Zekai forced a smile, stood up, and said, "Qianqian, keep Miss Nanrongpany for a while, I¡¯ve got something urgent, I¡¯ll be right back." After speaking, he followed the butler towards the stairs.


    Upstairs, Zhang Zekai¡¯s smile faded, and he said coldly, "Talk, what happened?"


    "Mr. Zhang, Tang Miss¡¯s agent just called, saying she¡¯s upied with rehearsals tonight and can¡¯t make it to the dinner."


    "No time?" Zhang Zekai scoffed, "She really knows how to find excuses, tell her if she dares not toe, I¡¯ll make sure she¡¯ll have no good days ahead. Hmmph, doesn¡¯t she realize her current fame is all because of who supported her? I made her famous, and I can make her worthless."


    The butler nodded, understanding, "Yes, Mr. Zhang, I know what to do."


    "Tell her to hurry up, she must show up in front of me within half an hour, I don¡¯t want to offend the distinguished guests."


    "Yes."


    Back in the living room, Zhang Zekai beamed with a spring breeze and said, "Miss Nanrong, sorry for the wait, I just contacted Shiyun, she¡¯s already back at the hotel, she¡¯ll be here in half an hour."


    "No worries, I¡¯m not in a rush." As she spoke, Nanrong Wanqing waved towards Zhong Wei. He quickly walked over and leaned forward, "Director, any instructions?"


    "You¡¯ve worked hard too, go have dinner first, and don¡¯t stay by my sideter. This is the Zhang Family, there won¡¯t be any danger."


    "Understood, Director."


    At once, Zhong Wei withdrew all the security, including Ling Chen.


    ...


    In Beijing¡¯s sports arena, the stage was already set up, and over twenty staff members were assembling lighting equipment.


    On the stage, a youthful and beautiful girl stood vividly in the center, holding a microphone, coordinating with the surrounding band for the final rehearsal for the concert in two days.


    At this moment, a middle-aged man hurried onto the stage and gestured to everyone, "Stop, everyone stop."


    The girl looked at the man, puzzled, "Mr. Zhu, what¡¯s wrong?"


    "Shiyun, President Zhang¡¯s side just called again, asking you to hurry over."


    "Again?" Tang Shiyun¡¯s face tensed, displeased, "Didn¡¯t I just refuse?"


    "Sigh, there¡¯s no helping it, he insists you go," Zhu Yansong said helplessly. "Shiyun, if you ask me, you should just go. After all, he¡¯s the boss, and we can¡¯t disregard his wishes."


    "Mr. Zhu, you know that Zhang Zekai always finds excuses to invite me to his ce, trying to take advantage of me. I really detest this type of person."


    "Look, I know you don¡¯t want to deal with him, but this industry is like this, many things are done out of necessity. You are a neer and haven¡¯t secured your standing yet, it¡¯s best not to offend those people, otherwise, it could negatively impact your future career."


    "Mr. Zhu, I just want to sing my songs well and make this concert a sess."


    "I understand your feelings; you¡¯re a good girl, and I don¡¯t want you to be tarnished by the industry¡¯s bad culture, but sometimes reality is just like that. Every new artist goes through this. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a dinner with guests, if he dares to touch you or act inappropriately, even if I lose this job, I¡¯ll stand up for you."


    Amidst this discussion, a middle-aged woman approached. The woman, around forty, was somewhat overweight, with a thickyer of makeup on her face, wearing expensive clothes, a gold ne, and a pair of gold bracelets.


    However, her attire did not enhance her elegance but rather conveyed the crudeness of a nouveau riche.


    "Mom, weren¡¯t you resting at the hotel?"


    This middle-aged woman was none other than Tang Shiyun¡¯s mother, Yao Li.


    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 185 - 182: Keeping the Appointment

    <h4>Chapter 185: Chapter 182: Keeping the Appointment</h4><h4></h4>


    "I know you¡¯ve been working hard on rehearsals, so I came to see you and have dinner together. Mr. Zhu, you join us too, you¡¯ve been tired these past few days."


    "Mrs. Yao, you¡¯re here just in time, help me to persuade Shiyun."


    "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "Well, President Zhang would like to invite Shiyun to dinner to meet an important guest, but Shiyun is unwilling to go."


    "President Zhang?" Yao Li recalled, "Isn¡¯t he that shareholder of Silver Star Entertainment?"


    "Yes, that¡¯s him. He even hosted a wee for you the other day when you were in Beijing. You¡¯ve met him."


    Hearing this, Yao Li frowned and lectured, "Daughter, President Zhang is inviting you over because he values you. How can you refuse?"


    "Mom, that Zhang Zekai is not a good person, he¡¯s always handsy with me, and he even... he even made those unreasonable demands." Tang Shiyun was both aggrieved and angry.


    Ever since she came to Beijing to prepare for the concert, Zhang Zekai had been calling her frequently, saying it was to discuss the concert. However, after a few visits, she realized that Zhang Zekai was far from a gentleman. Not only was he physically inappropriate with her, but he also said very lewd things and asked her to spend the night with him. Zhang Zekai even promised her that as long as she obeyed, he would ensure her huge sess.


    She often watched entertainment news and knew the industry was full of dirty deals and unwritten rules, but she never expected to experience it herself, nor that it would be proposed so tantly, which was incredibly humiliating for her.


    These past few days, Zhang Zekai had been calling her frequently to meet, but she ignored him. She no longer wanted anything to do with such scum.


    Seeing her daughter¡¯s strong resistance, Yao Li patiently said, "You haven¡¯t even met him, how do you know he¡¯s not a good person? Daughter, he¡¯s a big boss, young and handsome, andes from a wealthy family. It¡¯s your good fortune that he¡¯s interested in you, why not give it a try, perhaps..."


    "Mom, stop talking, I¡¯m not going." Tang Shiyun turned her head away impatiently, very determined.


    Yao Li frowned and said, "You child, do you think you¡¯re so grown that you don¡¯t listen to your elders anymore?"


    "Mom, I¡¯m not a child anymore, I want to make my own decisions, please don¡¯t interfere so much."


    Zhu Yansong, seeing Tang Shiyun not heeding advice, couldn¡¯t help but say, "Shiyun, I didn¡¯t want to mention this, but... s, let me be clear, President Zhang has said that if you don¡¯t go, not only will this concert not happen, but he will also coborate with otherpanies to ban you. The Zhang Family has been in the entertainment industry for many years and has built up many connections; just by his word, no one would dare to employ you. You already have such great fame; abandoning it halfway would be such a waste. Shiyun, you have to understand, once you are banned, you¡¯ll be left with nothing. The car, house, and money thepany arranged for you, will all be taken back."


    Tang Shiyun replied nonchntly, "Let them ban me, I won¡¯t sell myself for money and fame, I can just live as an ordinary person."


    "Daughter, that¡¯s not eptable." Yao Li quickly took her hand, persuading, "Our family has only just escaped from hard times, you can¡¯t be so capricious. Do you want to go back to living in that old broken house? And your father is still in the hospital receiving treatment; if you lose your job, who will pay for all the medical bills? If you don¡¯t think for yourself, think about your parents. We¡¯re old and can¡¯t endure hardships anymore. If you have any filial piety, let us enjoy a few peaceful years. Listen to mom, go, it¡¯s just a dinner."


    "Mom..." Tang Shiyun¡¯s eyes welled up, still somewhat hesitant.


    "If you¡¯re worried, then I will apany you," Zhu Yansong said.


    Tang Shiyun looked at him, then at Yao Li, who had a nervous and hopeful face, sighed silently, and gently nodded her head.


    "Good, that¡¯s my obedient daughter." Seeing her agree, Yao Li immediately turned her worries into joy and kissed her on the face.


    "Mr. Zhu, thank you for your help."


    "No worries. I personally trained Shiyun, and I don¡¯t want her to ruin her own future."


    ...


    Currently, in the resting room arranged by the Zhang Family, Zhong Wei and a few teammates are having dinner prepared by the chef. While chatting, Liang Zhao Hui sees Ling Chen holding a bowl of rice, standing in front of the window, asionally looking outside, seemingly distracted, barely touching his food.


    "Ling, what¡¯s wrong? Not hungry?"


    "It¡¯s nothing." Ling Chen withdrew his gaze and sat back down with the rest.


    Zhong Wei patted his shoulder and said, "It¡¯s okay. The president is a good person. Whatever conflict you have with her, it will eventually pass. Besides, if the president was really angry with you, she would have driven you away by now."


    Ling Chen smiled faintly. Zhong Wei probably misunderstood; he was not thinking about his issues with Nanrong Wanqing, but about Tang Shiyun. He had no other thoughts but just wanted to take a distant look at her. As long as she is doing well, he is utterly content.


    Before long, a luxury Mercedes-Benz slowly drove into the Zhang Family¡¯s residence and stopped in front of the mansion.


    Upon receiving the notification from the butler, Zhang Zekai hurried to the front door, saw the car stopping, and immediately went to open the rear car door.


    As the door opened, Tang Shiyun dressed in a white casual outfit paired with jeans, stepped down from the car. Although she is a widely popr singer, her attire was still modest and simple, without any shy decorations. Her delicate face was also makeup-free, bare for all to see.


    However, even without makeup, her natural beauty could not be concealed. Her soft skin, slightly prominent cute nose, beautiful features, and a pair of bright and sparkling eyes exuded a youthful aura.


    Seeing Tang Shiyun¡¯s attire, Zhang Zekai frowned and dissatisfiedly said: "Why are you dressed like this, didn¡¯t I tell you the guests we are meeting are very important?"


    Tang Shiyun nced at Zhang Zekai, then shifted her gaze elsewhere and responded indifferently, "You asked me toe here within half an hour, I didn¡¯t have time to change."


    "You..."


    "President Zhang, hello, sorry to disturb you."


    Zhang Zekai was about to scold her but then saw Zhu Yansong following out from the car.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "I..."


    "Alright, it¡¯s none of your business, go back first." Before Zhu Yansong could finish, Zhang Zekai impatiently interrupted him. Saying this, he grabbed Tang Shiyun¡¯s hand and started walking towards the house.


    "Be polite in front of the guestster, don¡¯t embarrass me," he whispered.


    Tang Shiyun bit her lip corner and struggled a bit. However, the more she struggled, the tighter Zhang Zekai gripped, causing her hand to hurt, leaving her no choice but toply as he held onto her.

 Chapter 186 - 182 Coercion

    <h4>Chapter 186: Chapter 182 Coercion</h4><h4></h4>


    Upon entering the living room, Zhang Qianqian saw Tang Shiyun and Zhang Zekai holding hands and couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter, teasingly saying, "Big brother, do you really need to be all lovey-dovey in front of Wanqing and me? We¡¯re both single, you should at least consider our feelings."


    "I¡¯m used to it," Zhang Zekai smiled and let go of Tang Shiyun¡¯s hand gracefully, "Shiyun, let me introduce you. This is Nanrong Wanqing, an honored guest of the Zhang Family. You¡¯ve been living in East Sea City for so many years, you must have heard of Miss Nanrong¡¯s reputation. She is the chairman of Hongyu Group."


    Hearing this, Tang Shiyun couldn¡¯t help but take a few more nces at Nanrong Wanqing, her gaze carrying a hint of curiosity.


    She was certainly familiar with Hongyu Group. It was precisely where Ling Chen used to work. She did not expect the chairman of Hongyu Group to be so young and stunningly beautiful. However... when she saw the wheelchair under Nanrong Wanqing, her eyes could not help but reveal a trace of surprise and pity.


    Seeing Tang Shiyun hesitating to greet her, Zhang Zekai frowned slightly, full of apologies, "I¡¯m sorry, Miss Nanrong, Shiyun is a bit reserved. Please don¡¯t mind her. Shiyun, hurry up and greet Miss Nanrong."


    Upon hearing his reproachful tone, Tang Shiyun came back to her senses and spoke with a soft greeting.


    "Miss Nanrong, hello."


    "Hello, a pleasure to meet you," Nanrong Wanqing said with a faint smile, shaking hands with Tang Shiyun.


    "Alright now, we¡¯re all friends here, no need to be too formal. Let¡¯s go, dinner is ready." After saying this, Zhang Qianqian pushed Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s wheelchair into the dining room.


    Zhang Zekai, following after them with Tang Shiyun, said unhappily, "Smile more for me, don¡¯t look so stern in front of our guests, as if I¡¯ve mistreated you."


    Tang Shiyun had a cold expression, seemingly ignoring his words, and simply quickened her pace.


    Seeing this, Zhang Zekai grabbed her hand, pulling her forcefully to his side, and said with a smile, "Since you¡¯re here, don¡¯t go back tonight. Stay and keep mepany."


    Hearing this, Tang Shiyun¡¯s face showed a touch of anger and she retorted indignantly, "Don¡¯t push your luck."


    Zhang Zekai let out a coldugh, "Your willingness toe shows that you care a lot about what you now have, so don¡¯t pretend to be pure with me. I¡¯ve seen too many women like you ¡ª as long as you take good care of me, I will never treat you badly in the future."


    "Don¡¯t even think about it, don¡¯t lump me with those women. I epted the invitation because you are the boss, and I respect you for your position. If you think I would sell my body for material pleasures, then you are sorely mistaken."


    "Shiyun, don¡¯t be naive. In this world, you have to give something to get something back. You women are actually very fortunate, because you have natural assets."


    "Then go find other women, and leave me alone. I have things to do, goodbye!" She dropped the words and turned to leave.


    "Stop right there! If you dare to step out this door, I¡¯ll make sure you never have a good day again. If not for yourself, think about your parents."


    "Big brother, Shiyun, why aren¡¯t youing over?"


    Hearing Zhang Qianqian¡¯s voiceing from the dining room, Zhang Zekai spoke with as gentle a tone as he could muster, "If you really don¡¯t want to, then I won¡¯t force you. Go back after dinner, and we can talk about other thingster."


    "Really?" Tang Shiyun looked at him suspiciously.


    "A twisted melon isn¡¯t sweet; I understand that principle. Come on, let¡¯s not keep them waiting too long."


    Tang Shiyun hesitated for a moment and then gently nodded her head. It was best to let Zhang Zekai give up on his own; she did not wish for their rtionship to be too strained.


    Watching Tang Shiyun turn and walk towards the dining room, Zhang Zekai sneered coldly. She was indeed just a naive young girl, too easy to deceive.


    Give up? For the woman that Mr. Zhang had his eyes on, how many could escape from the palm of his hand?


    Arriving at the dining table, the chef had already prepared avish dinner.


    Zhang Qianqian apanied Nanrong Wanqing as they sat to one side, pointing to two adjacent seats and smiled, "Big brother, you sit with Shiyun, so you can¡¯t me me for not being considerate."


    Nanrong Wanqing looked at Tang Shiyun, who was taking her seat, and asked with interest, "Miss Tang, which part of East Sea City is your home in?"


    "The Old City." After saying this, Tang Shiyun opened her mouth as if she wanted to say more but stopped herself, a hesitant look in her eyes.


    Nanrong Wanqing noticed her expression and smiled, "Is there something you want to say, Miss Tang?"


    "I... it¡¯s nothing." Feeling Zhang Zekai¡¯s gaze, Tang Shiyun swallowed back the words she was about to say. She had wanted to ask about Ling Chen¡¯s current situation, as they had lost contact since theirst meeting at East Sea University, and she didn¡¯t know how her ¡¯Brother Ling¡¯ was doing.


    Besides, Nanrong Wanqing was the chairman of Hongyu Group, and with so many employees in thepany, she might not recognize every single one.


    "Miss Nanrong, you¡¯re about the same age as Qianqian, and Qianqian is already engaged. You must have someone in mind too, right?" Zhang Zekai picked a topic at random and asked.


    "Not at the moment."


    "Wanqing, you can¡¯t be so busy that you don¡¯t even have time to date, can you? Hey, I know quite a few handsome guys in Beijing, do you want me to introduce a few to you? Although they don¡¯t match up to you in terms of background, they¡¯re not too bad either."


    "That won¡¯t be necessary, I¡¯m currently focusing all my energy on thepany and have no interest in thinking about such matters."


    Zhang Zekai chuckled, "Qianqian, you need not worry about Miss Nanrong, with her qualifications, there¡¯s no man she can¡¯t find."


    Nanrong Wanqing shook her head and gave a self-deprecatingugh.


    No matter how rich she was, she was still a disabled person. In fact, these days she could not figure it out anymore and did not me Ling Chen for being fickle. Everyone has the right to choose, and between herself and Zhu Xiaozhu, although her assets were greater than those of the Zhu Family, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s appearance and temperament were on par with her own, and more importantly, Zhu Xiaozhu had a healthy body.


    In this regard, she could neverpare to the other party. Thus, she could understand why Ling Chen was fond of Zhu Xiaozhu.


    After some idle chatter, Nanrong Wanqing noticed that Tang Shiyun had her head down, face expressionless, and hadn¡¯t said a word as if she was quite averse to the dinner party. Not just her, Zhang Qianqian also noticed something off about Tang Shiyun and asked with concern, "Shiyun, why aren¡¯t you talking?"


    "I..."


    Zhang Zekaiughed as he took over the conversation, "She¡¯s been rehearsing for several days in a row, she must be tired." Finishing his sentence, he turned toward Tang Shiyun, "Why don¡¯t you go rest in my room for a bit."


    "No need." Tang Shiyun stood up. "I¡¯m going to the restroom, please continue without me."


    Standing in the restroom, Tang Shiyun washed her face, gazing at her reflection in the mirror, feeling inexplicably exhausted.


    She was just an ordinary girl, and bing overnight sensation was something she had never imagined. Now having finally gotten used to this lifestyle, the ensuing issues were causing her endless troubles. Sometimes, she really wished to go back to the past; even though life was hard then, at least she could retain the innocence in her heart.


    "If Brother Ling were here, he surely wouldn¡¯t let me be bullied," she quietly thought to herself.


    But she knew clearly in her heart, that wish could never be reality.


    Afterposing herself and thinking of the people waiting for her back at the table, she didn¡¯t dare to dy any longer, so she left the restroom and prepared to head back to the dining room.


    However, at that moment, a young man suddenly emerged from a room along the corridor.


    Seeing the person, Tang Shiyun was momentarily stunned, her lips parted slightly with an incredulous expression on her face.


    (Please vote for me)

 Chapter 187 - 183 Long-Awaited Reunion

    <h4>Chapter 187: Chapter 183 Long-Awaited Reunion</h4><h4></h4>


    Watching the woman in front of him, Ling Chen was equally stunned. He had only wanted to go to the restroom and hadn¡¯t expected such a coincidence to run into Tang Shiyun.


    Feeling the disbelief in Tang Shiyun¡¯s gaze, he couldn¡¯t help but grin: "Girl, don¡¯t you recognize me anymore?"


    Hearing that familiar voice, Tang Shiyun finally realized that she wasn¡¯t dreaming; her beloved Ling was truly here.


    "Ling!" She couldn¡¯t hold back and quickened her pace, opening her arms and trotting towards Ling Chen, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying herself in his embrace.


    The warm hug, long missed, brought tears to her eyes, glistening and on the verge of falling.


    Ling Chen gently patted her back and smiled: "Alright, alright, no crying, we should be happy to finally meet."


    "Mhmm." Tang Shiyun, nestled in his embrace, replied softly, holding him tightly, unwilling to let go for a long time. Seeing Ling Chen was not just joy and excitement for her, but more importantly, it was a feeling of reliance. As long as she was in his arms, the grievances of the past days seemed to vanish into nothing.


    Just then, the room door next to them was suddenly opened, and Zhong Wei, who had just stepped out, was startled to see this scene.


    "Captain Zhong." Ling Chen coughed lightly, smiling sheepishly.


    Seeing someone nearby, Tang Shiyun quickly lifted her head, leaning cutely against Ling Chen with a blush on her cheeks.


    Zhong Wei hadn¡¯t clearly seen her face when she was leaning on Ling Chen earlier, so he hadn¡¯t reacted. But when he saw the familiar face that had appeared countless times on TV, his eyes widened instantly.


    "Miss... Miss Tang..." He stammered, his voice full of disbelief.


    "Girl, let me introduce you. This is Zhong Wei, my captain."


    "Hello." Tang Shiyun greeted him politely.


    "Hello... Hello, Miss Tang, I really enjoy your songs."


    Tang Shiyun smiled sweetly: "Thank you!"


    At this time, the people inside the room heard themotion outside and squeezed their way to the doorway. Seeing Tang Shiyun, a group of burly men instantly turned into fanatical fans, excited about getting photos and autographs.


    Since they were all friends of Ling Chen, Tang Shiyun naturally obliged and amodated each one of their requests.


    While Tang Shiyun was taking pictures with the other teammates, Zhong Wei pulled Ling Chen aside and quietly asked, "Bro, did you know her from before?"


    "Yes."


    "Then why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?"


    "You didn¡¯t ask."


    "What was that... just now?" Zhong Wei didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but the suggestive smile in his eyes said it all.


    Ling Chen blushed, "Why ask so many questions."


    "Ling."


    Tang Shiyun returned to his side with a smile, habitually wrapping her arm around his. This intimate gesture made Zhong Wei and the others green with envy, looking at Ling Chen with envy, jealousy, and resentment.


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t mind and waved his hand, "We are going to step out first."


    Leaving the room, Ling Chen suddenly thought of something and asked, "Didn¡¯t youe to have dinner? Are you done eating?"


    "Not yet."


    "Then why aren¡¯t you going back? You are still a guest after all, don¡¯t stay away for too long."


    "I don¡¯t want to go."


    "Why?"


    "There¡¯s someone really annoying." Thinking of Zhang Zekai, Tang Shiyun pouted, her face full of displeasure.


    "You mean Zhang Zekai?" Ling Chen immediately grasped her meaning.


    Tang Shiyun nodded slightly.


    Ling Chen¡¯s brows knitted as he asked, "What¡¯s wrong with him, did he bully you? Tell me about it."


    "He..." Tang Shiyun¡¯s lips parted slightly, hesitation flickering through her bright eyes.


    Seeing her hesitate to speak, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but urge, "What exactly did he do?"


    "It¡¯s nothing, just a small matter." Tang Shiyun forced a smile, "Ling, let¡¯s talk about you instead, how have you beentely?"


    She originally wanted to tell Ling Chen what Zhang Zekai had done to her, but after another thought, she decided against it. Although her Ling was skilled, Zhang Zekai had money and power, and she didn¡¯t want to cause trouble for Ling because of herself.


    Watching the smile on her face, Ling Chen sighed internally, then took her hand and led her to the balcony, looked into her eyes, and said word by word, "Girl, if you still consider me your Ling, then tell me honestly, what exactly happened."


    He might not be old, but his experiences far surpassed those of Tang Shiyun. Tang Shiyun¡¯s forced cheerfulness didn¡¯t fool him; he could see that the girl definitely had something on her mind but was afraid to speak. The more she acted this way, the more he believed that Tang Shiyun must have been wronged.


    Under Ling Chen¡¯s gaze, Tang Shiyun¡¯s eyes started to dodge, "Ling, I... I haven¡¯t..."


    "If you keep this up, it means that I¡¯m not important in your eyes, you never used to hide things from me."


    "No, that¡¯s not it." Tang Shiyun quickly shook her head, "Ling, I... can I talk now?"


    Then, she collected her emotions and narrated the incident she had encountered. Upon hearing her story, Ling Chen¡¯s face turned ashen, and a nameless anger shone from his eyes.


    Tang Shiyun had his full support on her chosen path, but he was equally worried. Everyone knew that the industry was treacherous, full of dirty dealings and unspoken rules, and thest thing he wanted was for Tang Shiyun to fall victim to such things.


    But still, Tang Shiyun couldn¡¯t avoid it.


    Zhang Zekai! He sneered inwardly, a glint of sharpness in his eyes. Quite the nerve, to bully Tang Shiyun.


    He took a deep breath to quell the rage in his heart, gently stroked Tang Shiyun¡¯s hair, and said gently, "Girl, don¡¯t be afraid, Ling will stand up for you in this matter. If anyone dares to bully you in the future, just tell me, and I¡¯ll make sure they regret it."


    "Don¡¯t. Ling, I heard from Mr. Zhu that Zhang Zekai¡¯s family is very powerful. Better not to provoke him. Zhang Zekai also promised me just now that he will not bother me anymore, let¡¯s just forget about this, shall we?"


    "Silly girl, you believe his words? In this industry, you can¡¯t be too naive, or you¡¯ll suffer a great loss."


    "But..."


    "Enough!" Ling Chen cut her off, "Don¡¯t keep on with the ¡¯buts.¡¯ I¡¯ll handle this matter and make him not dare to harass you anymore." After a pause, he added, "I know you¡¯re worried about me, but rest assured, it¡¯s always been your Ling who bullies others; no one can bully me."


    "Okay." Tang Shiyun nodded softly, her delicate face showing a sweet smile, feeling delighted within.


    Her Ling was still the same Ling, who would always stand up for her no matter what.


    "Girl, you go back first, and I¡¯lle over to find youter."

 Chapter 188 - 184: A Rage for a Beauty

    <h4>Chapter 188: Chapter 184: A Rage for a Beauty</h4><h4></h4>


    Reluctantly parting from Ling Chen, Tang Shiyun returned to the restaurant.


    "Sorry to keep everyone waiting."


    "Shiyun, are you feeling unwell? Why did it take you so long?" Zhang Zekai asked with concern on his face.


    "It¡¯s nothing." Tang Shiyun sat down again, her pretty face always wearing a sweet smile.


    Nanrong Wanqing couldn¡¯t help but take a few more nces at her. She could feel the change in Tang Shiyun, especially her smile. As the chairwoman of Hongyu Group, she was adept at reading people, and Tang Shiyun¡¯s smile before seemed forced, but now it was genuinely heartfelt.


    She was curious about why Tang Shiyun underwent such a significant change.


    After dinner, the four returned to the living room.


    Zhang Zekai called the butler and instructed, "Have the driver take Miss Tang back first." After finishing, he exined to Nanrong Wanqing, "Shiyun has rehearsals tonight and cannot stay long."


    "It¡¯s okay, I am already very happy that Miss Tang coulde. Miss Tang, when you return to East Sea City, you are wee to visit my home anytime. My sister also really likes your songs," Nanrong Wanqing invited.


    "Thank you!" Tang Shiyun smiled faintly and then turned to Zhang Zekai, "I don¡¯t want to go back yet, can I stay a little longer?"


    Hearing this, Zhang Zekai immediately beamed with joy, his eyes filled with excitement as he quickly nodded, "Of course, no problem. You can stay as long as you like."


    In his view, Tang Shiyun¡¯s willingness to stay likely meant she had considered his conditions and was willing to ept them. The thought of possibly spending a romantic evening together made him restless inside.


    After chatting for a while, Nanrong Wanqing suddenly saw Zhong Wei approaching. He came to her side and whispered, "Chairwoman, when are you nning to go back to the hotel?"


    "Is there something wrong?"


    "Nothing¡¯s wrong, just... Ling Chen asked me to ry a message; he suggests you return soon."


    "Why?"


    "He said you might not want to see what happens next. It¡¯s better to avoid it."


    Hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing slightly furrowed her brows. Asking her to avoid, what exactly does he intend to do?


    "Go back and tell him, I will arrange my return to the hotel myself, he doesn¡¯t need to make decisions for me." After saying this, she couldn¡¯t help but instruct, "Tell him from me, since we are guests at someone else¡¯s house, ask him to behave and not stir up trouble."


    "Yes," Zhong Wei nodded and left.


    Not long after Zhong Wei left, Ling Chen appeared alone in the living room.


    Seeing him approaching, Tang Shiyun¡¯s smile deepened, her eyes unblinkingly fixed on him.


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s gaze followed Ling Chen, wondering inside, what is he up to?


    While pondering, Ling Chen had already walked up to the sofa and sat down as if no one else was there.


    Zhang Zekai recognized him as Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s security, so he did not get angry because of his rudeness, instead, he looked at Nanrong Wanqing with a questioning look in his eyes.


    "You don¡¯t need to look at her. I am not here as a security personnel of Hongyu Group, but in a personal capacity to find you."


    "To find me?" Zhang Zekai was puzzled, "What do you need me for?"


    Ling Chen chuckled and patted his shoulder, grinning, "President Zhang, you¡¯re really something, using your status to mess around with quite a few celebrities, huh?"


    As soon as these words were spoken, Zhang Zekai¡¯s face changed instantly, a hint of hidden anger in his frown as he said, "You better watch your mouth."


    "I¡¯m already being very polite."


    "Ling Chen, don¡¯t be rude," Nanrong Wanqing chided softly.


    Ling Chen nced at her and said indifferently, "Didn¡¯t you hear what I just said? I¡¯m not talking to him as an employee of Hongyu Group, so you have no right to tell me what to do."


    After saying that, hepletely ignored the anger in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s eyes and turned to look at Zhang Zekai, smilingly said, "President Zhang, a man should own up to what he does. Are you afraid to admit the things you have done? Okay, let¡¯s not talk about distant things; let¡¯s talk about what just happened. You must be very familiar with Miss Tang. You must be very clear about the unreasonable demands you made on her before. I¡¯m someone who always stands up against injustices and can¡¯t help but get involved when I see things that displease me."


    "What do you mean by that?" Zhang Qianqian said angrily, "My elder brother and Miss Tang have mutual affection. He has never forced her into anything, don¡¯t falsely use him."


    Zhang Zekai waved his hand, signaling his sister to be quiet.


    "You think you can control me?" He sneered disdainfully, "Do you think you¡¯re qualified to control me? If you weren¡¯t Miss Nanrong¡¯s security, you wouldn¡¯t even have the qualification to enter this door, yet you dare to be so presumptuous in front of me. Hmph! Since you repeatedly im you came here in a personal capacity, I have nothing to discuss with you. Butler, kick this man out."


    Watching several men in suits quickly approaching, Ling Chen¡¯s mouth slightly raised, appearing undisturbed, his gaze fixed on Zhang Zekai.


    "President Zhang, I came here to reason with you, it¡¯s best not to resort to violence."


    Zhang Zekai scoffed and turned his head, not interested in giving Ling Chen another nce. However, realizing that Nanrong Wanqing was nearby, he quickly halted the men in suits and said, "Miss Nanrong, I hope you don¡¯t mind how I handle this?"


    Nanrong Wanqing replied expressionlessly, "As you wish."


    At this moment, aside from being furious, she was more puzzled, not understanding why Ling Chen was standing up for Tang Shiyun. From what Ling Chen had said earlier, she roughly understood the reason.


    The entertainment industry is notoriously chaotic and filled with hidden rules. As a leading figure in the entertainment industry, Zhang Zekai undoubtedly engaged in many of these sordid transactions using his status.


    Yet, if what Ling Chen said was true, that Zhang Zekai harbored ill intentions towards Tang Shiyun, then this man was indeed detestable. Treating a girl who had just turned eighteen like that, what¡¯s the difference between him and a beast?


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s stance, Zhang Zekai immediately breathed a sigh of relief and gave a signal to the men in suits.


    Seeing those men in suits fiercely approaching Ling Chen, Tang Shiyun suddenly became worried, gripping her clothes tightly.


    But Ling Chen seemed to not even see the suits closing in, his gaze still locked on Zhang Zekai.


    "Get up."


    One of the men in suits barked, reaching out to grab Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder.


    But at that moment, the still-seated Ling Chen suddenly made a move, fiercely grabbing the back of Zhang Zekai¡¯s neck and forcefully pulling forward.


    Bang!


    A crisp sound.


    Zhang Zekai¡¯s face heavily smashed onto the transparent ss coffee table, shattering the sspletely.


    This sudden turn of events stunned everyone present. No one had expected Ling Chen to actually attack Zhang Zekai directly, and with such severity.


    Zhang Zekai clutched his face, continuously crying out in pain, as blood gushed from his nostrils, quickly flowing through his fingers and staining his white shirt red.

 Chapter 189 - 185: Accusation

    <h4>Chapter 189: Chapter 185: usation</h4><h4></h4>


    "Ling Chen, you... you dare to hurt my big brother." Zhang Qianqian looked at Ling Chen with a face full of shock and anger, yelling at her own bodyguards: "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and throw him out."


    Ling Chen raised an eyebrow, grasped Zhang Zekai¡¯s neck again, and pressed his head down towards the shattered coffee table. Although the ss was broken, there were still countless tiny shards scattered around.


    "Whoever dares to touch me, try it. I¡¯ll let him taste what it¡¯s like to have his face ruined," he said, sweeping his gaze over the suited men. Sure enough, they hesitated and stepped back, not daring toe forward.


    Zhang Zekai endured the pain in his face and roared fiercely: "Ling Chen, do you know who I am? If you dare to touch a hair on me, I¡¯ll make you regret it for the rest of your life."


    "Do you think I¡¯d be afraid?" Ling Chen said, putting a bit more pressure on his hand, pressing Zhang Zekai¡¯s head closer to the coffee table and even nearer to the ss shards.


    "Ling Chen, don¡¯t... don¡¯t be impulsive. Let¡¯s talk this out," Zhang Qianqian said in panic, afraid that Ling Chen would ruin her big brother¡¯s face. After saying that, she looked at Nanrong Wanqing for help, "Wanqing, he¡¯s your subordinate. Tell him to let go of my big brother right now."


    Nanrong Wanqing let out a bitter smile and shook her head gently, "I¡¯m sorry, my words are useless, he won¡¯t listen to me at all."


    After all the events she had been through, she understood Ling Chen¡¯s character too well. Whatever he wanted to do, it would be impossible for her to stop him. After thinking for a moment, she advised, "President Zhang, he means what he says. It¡¯s best not to antagonize him."


    Hearing this and looking at the ss shards within arm¡¯s reach, Zhang Zekai secretly swallowed hard, feeling somewhat fearful. He believed that Nanrong Wanqing wouldn¡¯t lie to him. This man before him was someone who didn¡¯t y by the rules¡ªif he dared to start a fight in his own home, what wouldn¡¯t he dare to do?


    "What do you really want?"


    "I already asked you, did you or did you not make indecent propositions to Miss Tang?"


    "I... I didn¡¯t, you must be mistaken. You can ask her."


    Ling Chen looked amused, "Still refusing to admit it? Girl, tell him if I have wronged him."


    "He threatened me, said that I should spend a night with him. If I didn¡¯t agree, he would work with otherpanies to cklist me, ensuring that I¡¯d never seed."


    After hearing Tang Shiyun¡¯s words, Zhang Zekai immediately shouted: "No, that¡¯s nonsense, I didn¡¯t..."


    Ling Chen shrugged, "Since you won¡¯t admit it, there¡¯s nothing more to be said. The Zhang Family is so wealthy, spending a few million on stic surgery must be trivial for you." After saying that, he pressed hisrge hand on Zhang Zekai¡¯s head, ready to push it down.


    "No, no..." Zhang Zekai was terrified, quickly saying, "I... I admit it, I did make that request."


    "Big brother, how... how could you do such a thing?" Zhang Qianqian looked at him incredulously.


    Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t say anything. She just looked at Zhang Zekai with a hint of disgust.


    Ling Chen smiled, released his hand, helped brush the ss shards off of him, and said with a grin, "You should have admitted it earlier, it would have saved you so much pain. President Zhang, remember this. If you dare to disrespect Miss Tang again, don¡¯t me me for not warning you beforehand. If you end up missing limbs, don¡¯t me me."


    With that, he got up and walked out with Tang Shiyun.


    "Stop right there, Ling!"


    Hearing Zhang Zekai¡¯s furious voice from behind, Ling Chen turned and asked, "Is there anything else?"


    "After injuring me, do you think you can just walk out that door?" Zhang Zekai¡¯s face turned ashen with sinister glints in his eyes.


    Ling Chen nced over the suited men and said indifferently, "If you want to fight, I¡¯m game. But with just these few, you can¡¯t keep me here. You might as well call for more people."


    "Don¡¯t worry, they won¡¯t touch you. I¡¯m not so crass as to settle things by fighting. This is Beijing, where everything is subject to thew. I¡¯ve called the police, and you wait to be held responsible. At the police station, there will be someone to ¡¯take care¡¯ of you properly," said Zhang Zekai, his lips curling with a smug sneer.


    Ling Chenughed, "So President Zhang also knows thew. That¡¯s good; we¡¯ll havepany at the police station. I intentionally harmed someone, and you are threatening and intimidating. If we¡¯re lucky, we might end up in the same detention cell."


    "Hmph! You justugh now, but I doubt you¡¯ll beughingter."


    "Fine, since you¡¯ve called the police, I¡¯ll wait and see how the police handle it. Girl,e, sit here."


    Tang Shiyun worriedly said, "Ling, let¡¯s... let¡¯s just go." She was afraid Ling Chen would get arrested by the police.


    Ling Chen patted her hand with a smile, indicating that she needn¡¯t worry.


    Soon after, more than a dozen police officers finally arrived at the Zhang Family residence.


    "Director Liu?"


    Seeing the middle-aged man leading the way, Zhang Zekai was slightly surprised, and hurriedly went up to greet him, politely saying, "Director Liu, this is just a small matter. Why trouble yourself to lead the team in person?"


    The man before him, Director Liu, was a high-ranking official at the municipal office. He had to be respectful even when encountering him, not daring to be impolite. To personally show up tonight was truly surprising.


    "If there is trouble at the Zhang Family residence, of course, I have to take it seriously."


    Hearing this, Zhang Zekai said with a smile, "Director Liu, you¡¯re giving too much face."


    "Alright, let¡¯s get down to business." Director Liu looked around at the crowd and asked, "Where¡¯s the person you¡¯re talking about?"


    Zhang Zekai pointed at Ling Chen and said fiercely, "It¡¯s this guy. I want to charge him with intentional injury. Director Liu, you must help me handle him properly."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I will handle it impartially."


    Director Liu nodded, turned to Ling Chen, looked him over, and asked, "Are you Ling Chen?"


    "Yes, that¡¯s me. May I ask how I should address you?"


    "Liu Geng."


    Ling Chen pulled Tang Shiyun closer, grinned, and said, "Director Liu, Miss Tang would like to file aint against President Zhang for threats and intimidation. I hope you can help with the issue and give Miss Tang some justice."


    "No problem." Liu Geng signaled to several police officers, "Take Ling Chen and Miss Tang away, and also bring Mr. Zhang back to the police station."


    Seeing two police officers approaching him, ready to escort him away, Zhang Zekai was dumbfounded and quickly said, "Director Liu, did you arrest the wrong person?"


    "I didn¡¯t make a mistake. Miss Tang just filed aint against you for threats and intimidation, and I¡¯m taking you back for further investigation. Is there a problem?"


    "It¡¯s not... Director Liu, can you dy my matter and deal with Ling Chen first?" Zhang Zekai was frustrated; Liu Geng was not following the unspoken rules and even arresting him.


    Liu Geng ignored him and said sternly, "When someone charges you, I have the right to arrest you. If you have any problems, we can discuss them back at the police station. Take him away!"

 Chapter 190 - 186 Reversal

    <h4>Chapter 190: Chapter 186 Reversal</h4><h4></h4>


    Zhang Zekai wanted to say something more, but the two police officers had already forcibly escorted him to the door.


    "Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Director Liu, may I have a word with you in private?"


    "Sorry, whatever you have to say, we can discuss it back at the station. Take him away." After speaking, Liu Geng turned to look at Ling Chen and Tang Shiyun, making an unexpectedly courteous gesture, "Mr. Ling, Miss Tang, this way please!"


    Seeing Liu Geng¡¯s attitude toward Ling Chen, everyone present was momentarily stunned. Especially Zhang Zekai, who could hardly believe his own ears. In front of himself, Liu Geng was extremely strict, but in Ling Chen¡¯s presence, he suddenly became polite, an obvious case of differential treatment.


    Thinking of this, he looked at Ling Chen with a hint of surprise in his eyes. It wasn¡¯t just him; even Nanrong Wanqing was incredibly astonished. She was certain that Liu Geng and Ling Chen had only just met; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have needed to exchange names.


    On one side was Zhang Zekai being pushed by two police officers, and on the other was Liu Geng courteously apanying Ling Chen and Tang Shiyun. The treatment seemed to imply that Zhang Zekai was the criminal, while Ling Chen and Tang Shiyun had be guests of the police station.


    Zhang Zekai was at a loss; having been in the entertainment industry for so long, he had picked up the skill of reading people to an extent. Liu Geng¡¯s attitude served as a signal, but for him, it was undoubtedly a dangerous one.


    The Zhang Family was wealthy, but their influence and connections were mainly in the business world, with little involvement in political circles, as the topic between officials and merchants was sensitive, and nobody dared to tread lightly.


    But after all, the phrase is "officials first, merchants second," signifying that officials have never feared businessmen throughout history.


    If it were not for this fact, with Zhang Zekai¡¯s status, he wouldn¡¯t be so respectful and polite to a city police chief.


    He thought of himself as having several dealings with Liu Geng, enough to be considered acquainted, and assumed that thetter would certainly take his side. Who could have expected Liu Geng to side with Ling Chen? Could it be... he suddenly thought of something and shuddered.


    "Director Liu, Director Liu!"


    "What¡¯s the matter now?" Liu Geng seemed somewhat impatient.


    Zhang Zekai said with an apologetic smile, "That... Director Liu, I... I won¡¯t press charges."


    "You¡¯re not pressing charges?"


    "Yes, yes, I won¡¯t press charges. It was a misunderstanding just now; I don¡¯t me them."


    Liu Geng, with hands sped behind his back, asked with a semi-smile, "Then where did those injuries on your facee from?"


    "I... I identally tripped over."


    "Really?" Liu Geng smiled faintly but then his expression suddenly turned stern, and he scolded: "If it was indeed yourself who caused the injury, then why did you use them of intentional injury? That¡¯s defamation, and that itself is a criminal act, do you understand?"


    "I...I..." Zhang Zekai¡¯s forehead was sweating, unable to find any words to defend himself.


    Seeing his flustered manner, Ling Chen said with a rxed smile, "I suppose President Zhang just wanted to have a little fun with us. That¡¯s it, right, President Zhang?"


    Zhang Zekai quickly nodded, "Yes, yes, just having fun. Director Liu, it was really just a misunderstanding."


    "Fine, since you admit it¡¯s a misunderstanding, I won¡¯t pursue the matter with Mr. Ling. But about Miss Tang... Miss Tang, you just used Mr. Zhang of threatening and intimidating, is that also...?"


    Tang Shiyun nced at Ling Chen, saw him giving her a sign with his eyes, and quickly said, "Actually, that matter was also a misunderstanding. Director Liu, I¡¯m sorry for causing you trouble."


    "Trouble, not really, but in the future make sure you¡¯re clear on matters and don¡¯t create problems out of nothing. I don¡¯t have that much free time to deal with your issues. Alright, that¡¯s it!" After the speech, Liu Geng prepared to leave with his subordinates.


    Reaching the doorway, Liu Geng suddenly came back to his senses and gestured to Zhang Zekai, who understood and quickly walked over.


    "Director Liu, is there anything else?"


    Liu Geng sternly warned, "Be careful from now on, and don¡¯t bring trouble upon your Zhang Family. Do you hear me?"


    Zhang Zekai was inwardly shocked and said in a low voice, "Director Liu, you¡¯ve known my father for so many years, for my father¡¯s sake, can you hint to me, is it because of that Ling Chen...?"


    "Don¡¯t ask what you shouldn¡¯t ask. There are things you are not yet qualified to know," Liu Geng cut him off, "You better watch yourself."


    Watching Liu Geng leave, Zhang Zekai wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, inwardlymenting. Liu Geng¡¯sst words, although not explicit, indirectly confirmed his guess.


    If Ling Chen did not have a significant background, Liu Geng would never have shown such wariness. Even Director Liu dared not openly speak of Ling Chen¡¯s identity, which indicated his significant backing. Thinking of this, Zhang Zekai wished he could p himself for offending a big shot for no good reason, and the future fallout for the Zhang Family could be severe.


    Back in the living room, Ling Chen sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, silent, his gaze yfully watching Zhang Zekai as he entered.


    "President Zhang, have a seat. Our conversation isn¡¯t finished yet."


    "Yes, yes." Zhang Zekai didn¡¯t dare to be negligent and sat down properly, constantly shifting, clearly uneasy. Especially upon seeing Ling Chen¡¯s half-smiling expression, he felt apprehensive.


    "Mr. Ling, I was too impulsive just now. Please don¡¯t take it to heart," he hesitated and chose to apologize proactively.


    The attitude of Director Liu just now had convinced him that Ling Chen was someone of significance. Liu Geng was a man of the political scene, and only the son of a high-ranking political official could be treated with such decorum. At that moment, his mind was racing, recalling families that matched the surname Ling.


    Seeing Zhang Zekai¡¯s anxious demeanor, Ling Chen could easily see through his thoughts and secretly chuckled.


    Before causing trouble for Zhang Zekai, he had called General Qiao Zhen, seeking some help. Qiao Zhen would typically not involve himself in such minor matters. However, a few days ago, he had stated that he wanted to reward Ling Chen for his merits, which Ling Chen had tactfully declined.


    Taking advantage of this opportunity, he asked for a favor from General Qiao Zhen, believing that the General, out of respect for his services, wouldn¡¯t refuse.


    As for the police¡¯s arrival, it was within his expectations. He knew well that making a scene would inevitably alert the police because of the Zhang Family, hence he asked the General to give the police station a prior notice. He did not expect the General to be so generous, to send the city police chief himself, giving ample face to Ling Chen.


    "Enough of that, how do you intend to handle Miss Tang¡¯s case?"


    "That... May I know what Mr. Ling suggests?"


    "It¡¯s quite simple. Terminate Miss Tang¡¯s contract with Silver Star Entertainment, restoring her freedom, and as for future issues, you don¡¯t need to worry, it¡¯s none of your business. Also, after the contract is canceled, the concert will proceed as nned. If I find that you¡¯re conspiring with otherpanies to trip up Miss Tang, what happened today will seem like child¡¯s y. Understand?"


    Zhang Zekai hastily replied, "Mr. Ling, I¡¯ve realized my mistake, I promise I won¡¯t harass Shiyun again, could you please..."


    "Stop, don¡¯t call her Shiyun, call her Miss Tang. You two aren¡¯t at that stage yet," Ling Chen interrupted him disapprovingly.

 Chapter 191 - 187: Invitation

    <h4>Chapter 191: Chapter 187: Invitation</h4><h4></h4>


    "Mr. Ling, I really know I was wrong, can you give me another chance, I will never make the same mistake again," Zhang Zekai pleaded.


    Although he threatened Tang Shiyun, saying if she did notply, he would join otherpanies in banning her, it was just a verbal threat; he would never actually do it. He was a businessman, and businessmen value profits. It¡¯s only been a little over a month since Tang Shiyun¡¯s debut, and she had already be nationally famous and a star who attracts widespread attention. If properly cultivated, Tang Shiyun would be equivalent to a money printing press. As a shareholder of Silver Star Entertainment, all he needed to do was sit at home and count money.


    So, he would never do something that would cut off his own financial source.


    "You originally had a great opportunity, and you were the one who wasted it. My terms have already beenid out; you just need to tell me whether you agree or not."


    Zhang Zekai struggled and said, "Mr. Ling, I am not in charge of this matter. It¡¯s true that I am a shareholder of Silver Star Entertainment, but I don¡¯t manage thepany, and my stake is only thirty percent. Unless all other shareholders agree, I have no authority to cancel the contract between Miss Tang and Silver Star Entertainment."


    "That¡¯s your problem, not mine." After speaking, Ling Chen nced at Nanrong Wanqing, "Chairwoman, it¡¯s gettingte. Shall we head back to the hotel?"


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded, "Qianqian, thank you for your hospitality today. We will get together again when there¡¯s a chance."


    Soon after, upon receiving the notification, Zhong Wei rushed over with others and started pushing the wheelchair out.


    "Girl, let¡¯s go as well," he said.


    Tang Shiyun obediently responded and followed closely behind Ling Chen.


    Seeing them about to leave, Zhang Zekai breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that Ling Chen was not going to pursue the matter with Tang Shiyun any further. But at that moment, as Ling Chen reached the doorway, he suddenly turned back, lips slightly raised, and said, "President Zhang, I hope you can give me a satisfying response at this time tomorrow, or else you¡¯ll be responsible for the consequences."


    After watching them leave, Zhang Zekai stood there in a daze. Ling Chen¡¯s words made his heart, which had just eased, tense up again.


    "Big brother, what¡¯s the background of that Ling Chen? Even Director Liu is helping him," Zhang Qianqian asked, confused and puzzled.


    "How would I know?" Zhang Zekai keptining. If he knew Ling Chen¡¯s identity, he wouldn¡¯t be so uneasy. With the broad reach of the Zhang Family, he could ask someone for mercy. But the problem was that he didn¡¯t know Ling Chen¡¯s background, which left him without a starting point. There were so many prominent families in Beijing, with deep backgrounds. Often the most terrifying were those who didn¡¯t reveal their family ties.


    "Since he¡¯s a well-connected man, why would he condescend to work for Hongyu Group as a mere security guard?"


    "I..." Zhang Zekai was about to speak when his eyes suddenly brightened, "Qianqian, aren¡¯t you close with Miss Nanrong? Could you help me ask her? Ling Chen works for her, so she might know his identity." After a pause, he added, "I¡¯ll call Dad in a bit to get him to contact Director Liu to see if anything can be learned."


    For a while, the Zhang Family was caught in guesswork and fear about Ling Chen¡¯s identity.


    After leaving the Zhang Family, Nanrong Wanqing politely said, "Miss Tang, where are you headed? I¡¯ll take you."


    "No need, I have a car to pick me up, but thank you for your kindness," Tang Shiyun said, and then naturally looped her arm through Ling Chen¡¯s, acting affectionately as she smiled sweetly and said as if no one else was present, "Ling, my concert is in a couple of days, will youe to see it?"


    "You know I have work now, but if time allows, I¡¯ll definitely go."


    Hearing this, Tang Shiyun¡¯s eyes shifted, and she cast a sly nce towards Nanrong Wanqing, with a hint of a smile on her lips and anticipation in her voice, "Miss Nanrong, may I invite you to watch my concert?"


    Nanrong Wanqing looked at Ling Chen, her beautiful eyes filled with surprise.


    She knew all too well that the real purpose of Tang Shiyun inviting her to the concert was actually for Ling Chen. She had thought that Ling Chen just happened to encounter Tang Shiyun at the Zhang Family and learnt of her plight, and out of righteous indignation, he helped her.


    But now it seemed this was not the case. Two people who had just met would not show such affectionate behavior, nor would they call each other ¡¯Ling brother¡¯ with such closeness. Moreover, Tang Shiyun¡¯s actions seemed to be very natural. Not only that, Ling Chen always casually called Tang Shiyun ¡¯girl¡¯, his eyes filled with indulgence.


    From all these signs, they must have known each other for a long time.


    Although she did not know the specifics of their rtionship, seeing their intimate gestures still made her feel a bit ufortable.


    First was Zhu Xiaozhu, and now Tang Shiyun. Just what charm did this man have to attract so many women, and each one so outstanding?


    "Miss Nanrong?"


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing not responding, Tang Shiyun had to speak again.


    "Miss Tang, with such a gracious invitation, of course, I won¡¯t refuse," Nanrong Wanqing came back to her senses and smiled as she agreed.


    "Yay!"


    Tang Shiyun excitedly gestured to Ling Chen, her face nearly blossoming into a flower.


    "Ling brother, I¡¯ll head back first, remember to contact me when you¡¯re free, and don¡¯t be likest time, not a word for over a month."


    "Okay, okay," Ling Chen smiled and nodded, casually opening the door of the Mercedes-Benz for Tang Shiyun and cautioned, "Be safe on the road."


    Not until the Mercedes-Benz gradually drove away from the Zhang Family did Ling Chen retract his gaze. Turning around, he saw Zhong Wei and his party watching him with envy and a hint of suggestive looks.


    Liang Zhao Hui secretly gave a thumbs up and winked, the meaning self-evident.


    Ling Chen shook his head helplessly; these guys definitely misunderstood the pure friendship between him and Tang Shiyun, but he was toozy to exin.


    Hesitating for a moment, he nced at Nanrong Wanqing before him, and seeing her expressionless, icy demeanor, he couldn¡¯t help but say, "Shiyun used to live in the Old City area, she was my neighbor, and I¡¯ve always taken care of her like a sister. If anyone bullies her, I¡¯ll never look the other way. I hope you don¡¯t mind about the incident just now; I didn¡¯t intend to ruin your rtionship with the Zhang Family."


    Nanrong Wanqing said indifferently, "As you said, you were dealing with Miss Tang¡¯s situation in a personal capacity, it has nothing to do with me, no need to exin to me. Zhong Wei, let¡¯s go back."


    "Yes, Chairwoman."


    Back in the car, Nanrong Wanqing looked at Ling Chen outside the window, and the difort in her heart instantly disappeared, a smile unconsciously rising on the corner of her lips.


    Ling Chen really didn¡¯t need to exin to her, but he did, could it be that he cared about her thoughts?


    Thinking this, the resentment she had felt over the past few days seemed to be somewhat alleviated.


    Returning to the hotel, it was almost ten o¡¯clock.


    After sending Nanrong Wanqing back to her room, just as Ling Chen was about to return to his own, the ringtone of his mobile phone suddenly rang in his pocket.

 Chapter 192 - 188 Big Trouble

    <h4>Chapter 192: Chapter 188 Big Trouble</h4><h4></h4>


    ncing at the unfamiliar iing call, he answered the phone and asked, "Who is this?"


    "Hello, may I speak to Mr. Ling?"


    "This is he. Who are you?"


    "I am Zhu Yansong. Mr. Ling, we have met outside Qingyang Bar before."


    Ling Chen immediately recalled, "Ah, Mr. Zhu. What can I do for you, Mr. Zhu?"


    "Mr. Ling, the chairman of Silver Star Entertainment asked me to give you a call. He is already aware of the incident involving the Zhang Family, and he deeply regrets the actions of Zhang Zekai. Just now, after discussing with the shareholders and with the consent of the Zhang Family, Silver Star Entertainment has decided to revoke the Zhang Family¡¯s shareholder status. From now on, the Zhang Family will have no connection with Silver Star Entertainment. Our chairman hopes that Mr. Ling will allow Miss Tang to continue to stay with Silver Star Entertainment, and he personally assures that such incidents will never happen again. Mr. Ling, are you satisfied with this resolution?"


    "Fine, as long as the Zhang Family withdraws, I will give you one more chance."


    Zhu Yansong joyfully responded, "Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Ling. I will inform our chairman immediately, and won¡¯t disturb your rest any longer."


    After hanging up, Ling Chen grinned. These people were quite efficient; they made a decision in less than an hour.


    It was clear they valued Tang Shiyun as a lucrative asset.


    What Ling Chen didn¡¯t know was that an hour ago, when Zhang Zekai reported this matter to his father, thetter immediately called Liu Geng, trying to ascertain Ling Chen¡¯s identity. Liu Geng was evasive and unwilling to divulge much, which inadvertently left the Zhang Family extremely anxious, fearing they had offended someone formidable and brought major trouble upon their family.


    After much deliberation, Zhang Zekai¡¯s father made the painful decision, hoping to cate the situation.


    That was the reason for that recent phone call.


    Arriving alone at his room, Ling Chen was about to push open the door when his gaze suddenly sharpened, and his right hand, which was holding the doorknob, immediately retracted as his expression grew serious.


    Having spent many years with the Ghost Organization, he had developed many good habits, such as being vignt. Particrly when staying in hotels, he would tamper with the door to ensure no one could sneak into his room while he was away.


    There was a strand of fine hair originally wrapped around the doorknob, but now, it was broken, indicating someone had entered the room. Before leaving the hotel, he had informed the cleaning staff that his room did not need cleaning, so it couldn¡¯t have been them.


    At once, he pressed his ear against the door, listening intently for a while. After confirming there were no unusual sounds from inside, he swiped the key card, then slowly turned the doorknob.


    Click!


    The lock opened, but instead of pushing the door open, he opened just a sliver and peered through the gap. After a short moment, the corner of his mouth curled up, and a sharp gleam flickered in his eyes.


    Behind the door, there was a metal wire wrapped around both the door panel and the frame. If he had pushed the door open directly, it would certainly have broken the wire. What would happen then was clear to him without even thinking.


    "Snake King!"


    Immediately, a name popped into his mind. Other than the Snake King, he couldn¡¯t think of anyone else who would set such a trap.


    But wait, it could be Zhu Hong as well. That guy hated him to death; it could have been his doing too.


    Right away, he ran to the hotel reception, borrowed a portable makeup mirror from a female service staff, and then returned to his room. Inserting the makeup mirror into the gap, through the reflection, he saw a stic bomb installed next to the door frame.


    The amount of explosives in the stic bomb wasn¡¯t much but was enough to destroy the entire room.


    That metal wire was directly connected to the stic bomb.


    Defusing bombs is one of Ling Chen¡¯s specialties, especially these simple bomb devices. He pulled out a nail clipper with one hand, preparing to cut the metal wire, while holding the other end of the wire with the other hand to prevent it from snapping back and triggering the explosive device.


    Everything was ready, and just as he was about to cut the metal wire into two with the nail clipper, a thought crossed his mind, and he hesitated.


    If it was the Snake King, then why didn¡¯t he just ce the bomb directly in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s guest room? That would¡¯ve been much simpler. Killing him and then Nanrong Wanqing would onlyplicate the mission.


    As a professional assassin, one would never do such a thing.


    With this in mind, he immediately focused on Zhu Hong. Although he had made many enemies, the only ones who truly wanted him dead were probably Zhu Hong and the mysterious organization behind him.


    Zhu Hong knew his strength and would not send mediocre people to deal with him; he would definitely send experts.


    However, the quality of the bomb instation was passable but far from professional. A real expert wouldn¡¯t have the bomb easily visible to the target. Moreover, a professional assassin would have noticed the little trick he set on the doorknob.


    "Trap!"


    His eyebrows furrowed, Ling Chen pondered for a moment, then moved to the adjacent guest room and prepared to enter the room by climbing through the balcony window.


    Fortunately, the window ss had not been tampered with, and he easily entered the room.


    Turning on the light, he walked to the back of the door and checked the bomb. As expected, this stic bomb was not simple; it had three different trigger mechanisms. Moreover, each of these triggers was based on three different ways to disarm them. Any attempt to disarm it in any way would detonate the bomb.


    Luckily, he was cautious and not deceived.


    After spending a few minutes, he carefully removed the bomb and threw it onto the nearby sofa, then sat down to rest for a while.


    But then, something seemed to ur to him, his expression suddenly changed, and he quickly picked up the bomb and looked at it closely.


    "How can this be?" His eyes widened with an incredulous expression, "Could it be a coincidence?"


    He desperately wanted to believe it was a coincidence, but the reality told him that the chance of such a coincidence was too low.


    Putting down the bomb, he took out his phone and dialed a number.


    "Hello, Old Tang, you bettere over here immediately, something¡¯s happened." After speaking, he hung up the phone and sat alone on the sofa, his expression extremely solemn.


    In less than half an hour, Tang Yuan arrived at the hotel room.


    "What¡¯s so important that you had mee all the way here, couldn¡¯t you have just said it over the phone?"


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t bother responding and simply threw the bomb into his hands. Tang Yuan caught the bomb, his expression changing slightly, and asked, "Where did thise from?"


    "Stop asking so many questions, just take a good look."


    Tang Yuan examined it and praised, "Very good, the person who made this bomb is definitely a professional, with three different triggering devices, and even..." Before he could finish his sentence, his eyes were already fixed on the bomb in his hands, his face full of surprise, "Is this... possibly a coincidence?"


    "Do you think there are such coincidences in the world?"


    "No."


    Ling Chen raised his head, his face showing a rare solemnity, and said word by word, "Old Tang, we are in big trouble."


    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 193 - 189: The Phantom’s Crisis

    <h4>Chapter 193: Chapter 189: The Phantom¡¯s Crisis</h4><h4></h4>


    "Don¡¯t jump to conclusions so quickly, maybe we¡¯re overthinking it."


    Ling Chen shook his head: "Impossible, the world isn¡¯t that coincidental." Saying this, he looked at the bomb device, his brows furrowing tightly, "I made this bomb, aside from a few of you, no one knows."


    Originally, he epted a mission from the Ghost Organization to ambush the legendary figure from the worlds of mercenaries and assassins, Blood Wolf, at the hotel. During that mission, before Blood Wolf returned to his room, he secretly installed the bomb as a contingency. If he couldn¡¯tplete the mission sessfully, he would detonate the bomb, perishing together with Blood Wolf.


    Only by doing this could he avoid leaving any clues and revealing the existence of the Ghost Organization.


    During the mission, the organization assigned two members to carry out the task with him; the result was two dead and one injured. The two members sacrificed their lives heroically to save him. It was precisely because of this incident that he decided to retire.


    After Blood Wolf was killed, because themotion at the hotel was too big, he didn¡¯t dare to linger and quickly retreated, leaving the bomb behind at the scene.


    And now, the bomb in Tang Yuan¡¯s hands was exactly the one left behind back then; it had a triple triggering mechanism, installed personally by him. When he first saw it moments ago, he hadn¡¯t paid much attention, until he remembered the affair with Blood Wolf and the realization hit him.


    This bomb installed unchanged in his hotel room, was this really a coincidence? Impossible! He didn¡¯t believe the world could have such coincidental matters. His identity might already be exposed right now, and the bomb was a message that someone knew he killed Blood Wolf. As for whether the Ghost Organization behind him had been exposed, he wasn¡¯t certain and he didn¡¯t dare to think about it because the consequences would be too severe, involving too many people. A slight misstep might bring cataclysmic disaster to the Ghosts.


    Seeing Ling Chen silent and deep in thought, Tang Yuan walked to the balcony and dialed a number on his mobile phone.


    At the same time, on a street opposite the hotel, a fiery red Ferrari parked at the roadside. The driver sitting in the driver¡¯s seat looked through the window at the hotel room lighting up on the fifth floor, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.


    "I¡¯ve contacted Mr. Han, he wants us to head back to base immediately." Tang Yuan said after putting down his phone.


    "Let¡¯s go." Ling Chen stood up and followed Tang Yuan out of the hotel room.


    After driving around the city for half an hour to ensure they were not being followed, the two drove to the countryside manor.


    At the manor, Mu Zhiyuan was already waiting at the entrance, he patted Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder, managing to force a thin smile: "Everyone has arrived; you can go straight down."


    Entering the base, everyone gathered together in the spacious and bright conference room, each person silent with heads lowered, the atmosphere heavy.


    After Tang Yuan reported the situation, Han Bing immediately convened all the senior members of the Ghost Organization to discuss solutions.


    Seeing Qiao Zhen¡¯s tense face, Ling Chen said with a sense of guilt: "General, I¡¯m sorry, I was careless during that mission."


    Qiao Zhen waved his hand: "This matter isn¡¯t rted to you. It must be we who leaked the information internally; hence your identity was exposed. If we really want to me someone, it should be me. You are a retired member of the organization, and we have a duty to ensure your safety. Your exposure is our negligence." He then turned and said: "Han Bing, exin the situation to everyone."


    Han Bing opened a file, taking out a document, and looked at the people present: "Currently, we have six members of the Ghosts out on missions, I just had the headquarters contact them, only five people are reachable, with no news from the other one."


    "Who is it?"


    "Yang Tao. His mission was an assassination, targeting an arms dealer who had settled abroad. That arms dealer controls all the arms smuggling in the Asian region, extremely vile in nature. We¡¯ve gathered a lot of evidence against him, but the problem is, the country he¡¯s in has no extradition treaty, and we don¡¯t havew enforcement authority, so he¡¯s been getting away with it over there. After discussion amongst the top brass, we decided to remove this menace without anyone noticing."


    "ording to the n, if nothing unexpected happens, the mission would bepleted in half a month. Yang Tao has been at the location for over ten days now, he might be in the middle of the mission, which is why it¡¯s inconvenient for him to make contact. ording to regtions, all members out on a mission must contact headquarters at least once every three days to report on progress. It¡¯s been two days since Yang Tao¡¯sst report; he should contact us by tomorrow. If there¡¯s still no news tomorrow, it means something has happened to him."


    Ling Chen tapped the table with his fingers, slightly frowning: "Yang Tao is an old member of the organization, well-acquainted with all of us. If he gets caught and reveals our names and faces, it¡¯d be easy for the opposition to track us down."


    "Han Bing, notify everyone, all members out on missions must withdraw immediately; raise the state of alert from level one to level three at the base, everyone is forbidden to leave, cut off all externalmunications. Before this matter is resolved, no one is allowed to leave their post. Any vition will be severely punished."


    "Yes, General."


    "Ling Chen, your identity is already exposed for the time being. It¡¯s best to stay at the base; this way, your safety is guaranteed."


    Ling Chen hesitated for a moment, then declined: "I should go back. What¡¯sing wille; I can¡¯t hide from it. Besides, I want to know who exactly wants to take revenge for Blood Wolf."


    Qiao Zhen cautioned: "Then be careful. Tang Yuan, you stay with Ling Chen these next few days. If anything happens, it¡¯s better for the two of you to look out for each other."


    "Understood."


    Leaving the base, the two drove back to the hotel.


    By now, it was approaching midnight. Ling Cheny on the couch with his hands behind his head, his eyes fixated on the bomb ced on the table, continuously pondering in his mind.


    Seeing this, Tang Yuan couldn¡¯t help but ask: "What are you thinking about?"


    "Blood Wolf. From what I know of Blood Wolf, that person always acted alone without anypanions. Although Blood Wolf was a member of the God Organization, that mysterious organization wouldn¡¯t expend so much effort just to avenge an outsider like him."


    "You make some sense in your analysis."


    "Damn, there¡¯s just too much trouble these days." Ling Chen scratched his head and stood up towards the bedroom.


    "Hey, where are you going?"


    "What do you think, if not to sleep?"


    "Where do I sleep then?"


    "Obviously on the couch. Or do you want to share a bed with me? My sexual orientation is very straight, so don¡¯t even think about it."


    Tang Yuan spat out in disgust: "As if I would want to sleep with you."


    The next day.


    Ling Chen hadn¡¯t woken up yet when the internal phone in the bedroom began to ring.


    He sleepily answered the phone, yawning, "Hello."


    "Mr. Ling, good morning, a guest in the lobby is asking for you."

 Chapter 194 - 190: Tenth on the Tiger List

    <h4>Chapter 194: Chapter 190: Tenth on the Tiger List</h4><h4></h4>


    "Did he say who it was?"


    "No, he just said it was something very important and hoped to meet with you in person."


    "Alright, I got it. Ask him to wait." After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen got out of bed, freshened up, got dressed, and then left the guest room alone. Soon after, he took the elevator down to the lobby and found the receptionist.


    "Mr. Ling, the gentleman is looking for you." The receptionist finished speaking and pointed towards the lounge area in the lobby.


    Ling Chen turned his head to look, only to see a man in his thirties, a stranger, sitting on the sofa, holding a cup of coffee provided by the hotel, and reading a newspaper.


    The man had an ordinary appearance, short hair, and a very robust body, dressed in a well-fitted suit, and looked quite genteel.


    He approached and sized up the man before speaking: "Are you looking for me?"


    The man set down his newspaper and smiled, "Mr. Ling, hello, let me introduce myself. My name is Qin He."


    "Speak. What do you want with me?"


    "I am here to offer my congrattions."


    "Congrattions?" Ling Chen was full of confusion. He hadn¡¯t gotten married, much less be a father, what was there to congratte him about?


    Qin He opened his briefcase that was with him and pulled out a gold-embossed business card, presenting it with both hands to Ling Chen.


    As soon as the business card was in hand, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze was captivated by three characters written in the regr script.


    Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion!


    He sharply raised his head, looking at Qin He with astonishment, and blurted out: "You¡¯re from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    "Indeed."


    Ling Chen looked at his attire with some disbelief. Could it be that people from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion were all so ordinary-looking? Qin He seemed to see through his thoughts and chuckled: "Mr. Ling, times are changing, and naturally, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has to keep up with them."


    "Let¡¯s not talk about that for now, you were just congratting me, what did you mean?"


    "Well, Mr. Ling, starting from today, you have sessfully eliminated Ye Liangyong and ascended to the tenth rank of the Tiger List."


    Uh... Ling Chen was slightly taken aback. He wasn¡¯t particrly interested in the Heaven and Earth Dragon and Tiger Four Rankings. He had expressed his feelings during thest meal with Ye Liangyong. Why had the people from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion stille looking for him? With this in mind, he couldn¡¯t help but ask: "Did Mr. Ye tell you this?"


    "No. Your martial arts match with Mr. Ye at Qingyun Martial Arts Hall, we saw everything clearly. Mr. Ye lost to you, that is an indisputable fact, thus you rightfully ascend to the tenth rank of the Tiger List."


    Ling Chen internally clicked his tongue, not many people knew about this matter. Those present at that time were all disciples of the martial arts academy, and Jiang Hao and a few others, no outsiders. How did the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilione to know?


    While he was pondering, he heard Qin He say with a smile: "I know being ranked tenth on the Tiger List may seem beneath Mr. Ling. With your skills, you are more than qualified to be ced sixth on that list."


    Upon hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s expression shifted slightly as he looked straight into Qin He¡¯s eyes, "Mr. Qin, your words seem to imply something."


    "A few days ago, you fought Song Qing, who is ranked sixth on the Tiger List, and the duel ended in a draw. I¡¯m not wrong, am I?"


    "How do you know?" Ling Chen pressed. At the time, only he and Song Qing were present, with no one else around. He was curious how the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion could know such specifics.


    Qin He smiled enigmatically: "Mr. Ling, in this world, there are few things that can escape the eyes of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Also, there¡¯s another thing I¡¯d like to remind you of. You might currently be the tenth on the Tiger List, but I¡¯m not sure how long you can maintain that position."


    "What do you mean?"


    "You probably remember that on that day, Song Qing was defeated by a woman. So far, we have been unable to determine this woman¡¯s true identity, not even her name, so we¡¯re unable to rank her. Once we ascertain her identity, she will be the sixth on the Tiger List, pushing Song Qing to seventh ce and so on. As a result, Mr. Ling, your position as tenth on the Tiger List will be reced. Therefore, I suggest that you challenge those ranked higher on the Tiger List as soon as possible to keep your ce."


    Ling Chen was somewhat surprised, not expecting that the people from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion would be aware of all these details. Such a mysterious organization might even surpass the world¡¯s leading intelligence organizations; their capability to gather information was nearly freakish, knowing even these secretive matters.


    "Mr. Qin, I¡¯m not interested in the ranking of the Tiger List; in fact, it would be better if I dropped out of it. In any case, I don¡¯t like trouble, so I hope you won¡¯te looking for me again."


    Thest time Ye Liangyong told him that being ranked tenth on the Tiger List was troublesome, as it subjected one to numerous challenges. He was too busy with his own affairs to bother dealing with challengers.


    "Mr. Ling, ascending to one of the Four Rankings is an irreceable honor for any martial artist, and all who practice martial arts wish to see their name on the list. Moreover, those who are ced on the Heaven and Earth Dragon and Tiger Four Rankings receive quite a few benefits."


    "Benefits?"


    "Indeed." Qin He nodded with a smile: "The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is a very humane organization. For those ranked on the list, we provide certain types of assistance."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen became interested, "What kind of assistance?"


    "High-ranked individuals on each list enjoy different privileges. For instance, those on the Dragon List have ess to a certain quantity of elixirs. These elixirs vary, some enhance strength, some assist in unleashingtent potential overnight, and some are Holy Medicine that can heal injuries. For Tiger List masters, we cater to personal needs¡ªsome need money, some desire fame, and others may require certain types of informational resources. Depending on the situation, we can provide appropriate assistance."


    "Is that so?" Ling Chen¡¯s interest was piqued, but he didn¡¯t show it; instead, he curiously inquired, "Dragon and Tiger Lists offer so many benefits, but what about the Heaven and Earth Lists?"


    Qin He¡¯s face revealed a bitter smile: "The Heaven and Earth Lists are not realms ordinary people can engage with. Even though I¡¯m with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, I too don¡¯t have the qualification to interact with those individuals. You understand what I mean?"


    At these words, Ling Chen was startled. He was merely of Tiger List caliber but could already run rampant in the ordinary world, so the formidable figures of the Dragon and Tiger Lists were beyond mention. As for the Heaven and Earth Lists, he initially intended to learn more from Qin He, yet even Qin He himself was not entitled to meet those ranked on them. Therefore, those on the Heaven and Earth Lists must be truly unfathomable. It was hard to imagine what kind of extraordinary individuals they might be.


    "Mr. Ling, my phone number is on the business card. You can contact me directly if needed."


    "Alright." Ling Chen nodded, casually pocketing the business card. He knew he would never call that number because he had no interest in getting entangled with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.

 Chapter 195 - 191: Rescue Plan

    <h4>Chapter 195: Chapter 191: Rescue n</h4><h4></h4>


    After sending Qin He away, Ling Chen returned alone to his guest room. At that time, Tang Yuan had already gotten up and was washing up in the bathroom.


    "What did you run off to early in the morning?"


    "Just met with someone." After finishing, Ling Chen¡¯s mind moved, and he asked, "Old Tang, have you ever heard of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    "Of course, I¡¯ve heard it mentioned quite often in those martial arts novels."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but give a wry smile, and decided not to continue this topic. After breakfast, Zhong Wei called to say there was nothing nned for the morning, Nanrong Wanqing would be working in the hotel, dealing withpany matters remotely, and told them to go about their day freely.


    Tang Shiyun¡¯s concert was in two days, so the group had to stay at least two more days in Beijing.


    With nothing particr to do, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan stayed in their room, idly watching television. Around noon, Tang Yuan received a call from the base, and his expression changed immediately.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" Ling Chen noticed the change in his expression and asked.


    Tang Yuan didn¡¯t speak but rather received a video on his phone and yed it. Suddenly, an image appeared on the phone¡¯s screen. In the picture, a young man, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, was tied to a chair, his body covered in bruises and wounds, his face swollen and bloody, with a split at the corner of his eye, blood flowing freely, looking very miserable.


    Looking at the young man in the video, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes narrowed immediately, revealing a cold glint.


    He recognized this young man¡ªit was Yang Tao, a former teammate in the Ghost Organization. It appeared their guess was correct, Yang Tao had been captured. The Ghost Organization had lost numerous members throughout its existence, but this was the first time one had been taken alive.


    "This video just came in from the base."


    "What are they trying to do, extort us?"


    As he spoke, the image on the cellphone video suddenly changed, showing a man in a suit and mask.


    "Ghost Organization, you are the most secretive organization in the world, but I know all about you. The God Organization was destroyed by your hands, and suffered great losses. And now, you still won¡¯t let go, always opposing us at every turn. Do you truly think we are afraid of you? Today, the God Organization rises once more. Old and new grudges, it¡¯s time to settle them. From now on, we officially dere war, vowing not to stop until the Ghost is wiped out."


    As he said this, the image switched back to Yang Tao, "You have three days¡¯ time. After three days, if no one rescues him, I will deliver his corpse to the doorstep of your base."


    The video ended, and Tang Yuan put away his phone, saying: "The General has asked us to go there."


    Ling Chen nodded; he understood the seriousness of the situation. The Ghost Organization was likely in turmoil, anxious and restless.


    Upon arriving at the Ghost Base, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan went straight to Qiao Zhen¡¯s office.


    "Have you both seen the video?"


    Ling Chen asked, "General, what¡¯s your n?"


    "Yang Tao¡¯s capture is our inescapable responsibility. We had no prior knowledge that the arms dealer was actually a peripheral member of the God Organization, with God Organization members personally guarding him. Yang Tao¡¯s mission failure was mainly due to the God Organization¡¯s enhancement drugs. Han Bing has just investigated the IP address from which the video was sent, the location indicates that Yang Tao is still being held in the territory of that arms dealer."


    "General!" Ling Chen let out a sigh, "You know as well as I do, without me saying, this is obviously a trap, just waiting for us to fall into it."


    "I know it¡¯s a trap, but it¡¯s also our opportunity. The God Organization is very secretive, after all these years of fighting, we haven¡¯t caught any big fish; the intelligence we¡¯ve collected so far hasn¡¯t been of much value. We must infiltrate their inner circle to dismantle their power."


    "Zhu Hong." A name popped out of Ling Chen¡¯s mouth, "He definitely has a deep connection with the God Organization, we can start from him."


    "I know Zhu Hong is a suspect, but we don¡¯t have enough evidence to arrest him. Although we of the Ghost Organization have privileges, we must still follow thew and cannot supersede it. As long as Zhu Hong is in the country, we must proceed ording to legal procedures, first collecting evidence of his crimes before prosecuting him."


    After a pause, Qiao Zhen continued, "I know what you are worried about. Yang Tao is bait, and they will surely set up a dra. If we send someone to rescue him, I fear it may be a one-way trip. However, as long as there is a glimmer of hope, we must not give up. Moreover, he is ourrade-in-arms, do you really want to stand by and watch his body being sent back?"


    Ling Chen and Tang Yuan looked at each other and then bowed their heads in silence.


    Qiao Zhen tossed a file onto the desk and said, "Han Bing and I have devised a rescue n. They have given us a three-day deadline, within which Yang Tao won¡¯t be in danger to his life. During these three days, we will stand by and let them think we have abandoned Yang Tao. When the deadline is nearly up, they will certainly let their guard down. That¡¯s when we will strike unexpectedly and rescue him. Of course, I don¡¯t deny the extreme danger of this mission. Tang Yuan!"


    "Present," Tang Yuan quickly stood up, chest out, head high, standing upright, waiting for instructions.


    "You will lead this mission. Apart from you, there will be three other team members apanying you. And you..." Qiao Zhen turned to look at Ling Chen, "You have already left the Ghost Organization; I have no authority to order you around, so I will not force you. It¡¯s up to you to decide whether or not to go."


    Upon hearing this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help butugh bitterly.


    The old general had made his point clear¡ªhow could he not go? Besides, Yang Tao was once hisrade-in-arms. Now that he knew about this situation, how could he ignore it?


    "When do we move out?"


    "The flight tomorrow morning. It will take us at least two days to prepare once we¡¯re there, so we can¡¯t dy."


    Ling Chen scratched his head; he had promised to attend Tang Shiyun¡¯s concert the day after tomorrow, but now it looked like he would have to break that promise.


    "Besides the five of you on this operation, I have arranged for someone to provide you with support. Once you reach the destination, he will contact you. Remember, this rescue operation is happening abroad, we are not authorized; if you get caught, you can only bear the risk yourself."


    "General, this isn¡¯t our first mission; we¡¯re clear on all of this."


    Qiao Zhen nodded and said, "Ling Chen, watch that video a few more times. Memorize that person¡¯s voice and try your best to locate him."


    "Got it."


    "Alright, Tang Yuan, you go out first. I have something to say to Ling Chen alone."


    After Tang Yuan left, Qiao Zhen got up, walked over to Ling Chen, and pped him on the shoulder, saying, "Kid, take care of yourself. I don¡¯t want to see you return in a coffin. After this mission is over, I might just introduce my granddaughter to you."


    Ling Chen grinned and said, "General, at least show me a photo of your granddaughter first. If she¡¯s pretty, I¡¯ll fight to return alive no matter what."


    "Scram, my granddaughter is more than good enough for you." Qiao Zhen said with a smile and a curse.


    Leaving the office, Tang Yuan, who was waiting outside, gave him a look and said helplessly, "You shouldn¡¯t have agreed to the general just now."


    "Why?"


    "You and I know very well, this trip is too dangerous, with a slim chance of survival. You don¡¯t need to take this risk."


    Ling Chen gave a slight smile, draped his arm around his shoulder and said, "What, am I that sort of spiritless person? More to the point, if I don¡¯t go, who will bring you back? Without my help, do you think you couldplete the mission with your mediocre skills?"


    "Get lost, I¡¯m not that bad," Tang Yuan said with a disgruntled face, yet his eyes showed a hint of being touched.


    Returning to the hotel, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan were about to head upstairs. But at that moment, a fiery red Ferrari slowly drove up to the hotel entrance. The window rolled down, and a stunning woman stuck her head out, calling towards Ling Chen: "Get in the car!"

 Chapter 196 - 192: Blood Spider

    <h4>Chapter 196: Chapter 192: Blood Spider</h4><h4></h4>


    Looking at the unfamiliar woman, Ling Chen was somewhat bewildered, pointed at his own nose, and uncertainly said, "Are you talking to me?"


    The woman spoke indifferently, "Is there another man here?"


    Hearing this, Tang Yuan who was standing to the side, felt immediately displeased. What did she mean, was he not a man? He was just about to step forward to argue a few words, but the woman driving the Ferrari didn¡¯t even give him a direct look, her cold eyes locked firmly onto Ling Chen with an air that brooked no refusal, "Get in the car. I don¡¯t want to repeat myself a third time."


    Ling Chen hesitated for a moment, then patted Tang Yuan¡¯s shoulder, pursed his lips and said, "You go back to the room first."


    "You¡¯re going with her? Hey, this woman¡¯s background is unclear, you better be careful not to be deceived."


    "Don¡¯t worry, the woman that can deceive me hasn¡¯t been born yet." Ling Chen said confidently with a smile, then pulled open the car door, and sat in the passenger seat of the Ferrari.


    Apanied by the roar of the engine, the fiery red Ferrari sped like a me on the road, reaching a hundred miles per hour in just a few seconds.


    Ling Chen slightly turned his head to discreetly size up the woman using his peripheral vision.


    This woman seemed to be of mixed race, looking almost Asian, but with blue eyes like dazzling, pure gems, though somewhat cold.


    The beauty of a mixed-race woman didn¡¯t need to be described, absolutely a great beauty, with naturally golden hair, delicate facial features, each part in perfect ce, impable, curvy eyshes, frosty eyes, skin as tender and white as a newborn baby¡¯s, thin red lips like a me, able to arouse the most primal urges and desires in men.


    Just by looking at her age, Ling Chen guessed she was around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, because she carried a mature charm unique to adult women.


    "Have you looked enough?" The blonde beauty suddenly threw out a sentence.


    Ling Chen grinned, retracted his gaze, looked ahead through the windshield and asked, "Beauty, you should at least tell me your name if you are looking for me."


    "You know my name."


    "I know?" Ling Chen was startled, then gave the blonde another look. He searched all his memories but could not find any information about this woman. He was certain he had never seen her, let alone knowing her name.


    "Beauty, have you mistaken me for someone else?"


    "The bomb you found in the hotel roomst night was ced by me."


    At these words, the smile on Ling Chen¡¯s face disappeared immediately, his pupils reflecting a trace of alertness.


    "So it was you." He nodded lightly, "Are you here to seek revenge for Blood Wolf?"


    "Some people want me to seek revenge, but I¡¯m not interested. He was someone who mingled in the world of assassins and mercenaries. It¡¯s always either kill or be killed. With this line of work, one should be prepared. He died at your hands, only because he was not skilled enough. It has nothing to do with you."


    Ling Chen looked at the blonde beauty in surprise, not knowing whether to praise her for being reasonable or call her cold and heartless.


    "Who leaked the information to you?"


    "People from the God Organization."


    "Are you also a member of the God Organization?"


    "They tried to recruit me, but I wasn¡¯t interested in that inhumane organization. If it wasn¡¯t for them, Blood Wolf wouldn¡¯t have died." Saying this, she suddenly stopped the car, looking directly into Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, "My name is Kaelina. Blood Wolf was my friend; wee from the same training camp."


    "What training camp?"


    "Broken Teeth."


    Hearing the words ¡¯Broken Teeth¡¯, a hint of caution suddenly appeared in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes as he looked at Kaelina, his brows slightly furrowed, "Are you an assassin too?"


    The Broken Teeth Training Camp, known to anyone in the mercenary and assassin circles, was a devil¡¯s paradise noted for cultivating assassins. Around the world, sixty percent of elite assassins were trained by ¡¯Broken Teeth.¡¯


    The rules at the Broken Teeth Training Camp were extremely strict, almost to the point of being perverse. Broken Teeth would recruit a hundred trainees from around the world for each term, around seven years of age, half male, half female, and put them through uniform training. After ten years, the hundred trainees would undergo brutal elimination, leaving only ten survivors. The rest would be stepping stones for the victors, dying during training confrontations.


    While the rules were cruel, it was undeniable that the assassins trained by Broken Teeth Training Camp were among the top tier in the world of assassins.


    To Ling Chen¡¯s knowledge, among the current top ten in the global assassin list, five were from Broken Teeth Training Camp.


    "Blood Spider."


    At this moment, Ling Chen suddenly blurted out three words.


    "You are Blood Spider."


    Kaelina spoke ndly, "I just said, you know my name."


    "Indeed, it¡¯s you."


    Ling Chen nodded to himself, and when Kaelina mentioned the Broken Teeth Training Camp, he immediately thought of a figure on the assassin list. To be friends with Blood Wolf, one¡¯s strength must not be weak, and given that she was a woman, there was only one person who fit these conditions: Blood Spider, ranked third on the assassin list.


    Looking at this cold and stunning woman, Ling Chen simply could not link her to the Blood Spider. She has been in the business for nearly ten years, and her deeds were well known to him as if they were engraved on his heart.


    This woman, since her debut, had probably killed no fewer people than him.


    As he was contemting this, he saw Kaelina get out of the car and enter a coffee shop by the road. Ling Chen followed her steps, found a quiet seat in the coffee shop, and ordered two cups of pure coffee.


    "God Organization¡¯s people told you to kill me, and you say you¡¯re not interested. Now you should tell me, what exactly are you interested in?"


    "Half a year before Blood Wolf was killed, he gave me something, entrusting me to keep it. He said that if he died one day, I would be allowed to open it and look."


    "What is it?"


    "I can¡¯t tell you yet. In short, he had an unfulfilled wish he hoped I could helpplete. But alone, I don¡¯t have the power to do it, so I need a partner."


    Ling Chen caught on immediately, nodding, "You came to me because you want to cooperate?"


    "More precisely, I¡¯m looking to leverage the power behind you. Of course, your ability to kill Blood Wolf is enough to prove your worth to work with me."


    Ling Chen joked, "I heard assassins are cold-blooded; why are you so enthusiastic?"


    "I owe him my life." Kaelina spoke impassively, "Back in the Broken Teeth Training Camp, if not for him, I would have died long ago. Assassins may be cold-blooded, but we know how to repay a debt." Pausing for a moment, she changed the subject, "Let¡¯s not dwell on the past. Now let¡¯s talk business?if you can help me, I will give you the thing Blood Wolf left with me. After seeing it, you¡¯ll gain a deep understanding of the God Organization."

 Chapter 197 - 193 Cyprus

    <h4>Chapter 197: Chapter 193 Cyprus</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen pondered for a moment and said, "Sorry, I can¡¯t make a decision on this matter myself, I have to ask for instructions."


    Kaelina picked up the coffee cup and made a "please feel free" gesture.


    Stepping out of the caf¨¦, Ling Chen took out his cellphone and dialed Qiao Zhen¡¯s number. As this was rted to the God Organization, he naturally had to report to the old General.


    A few minutester, he returned to his seat in the caf¨¦ and looked at Kaelina sitting across the table. "I¡¯ve just consulted with my superiors. If you can prove that the item you possess is rted to the secrets of the God Organization, I can agree to your terms."


    Upon hearing this, Kaelina, without a word, pulled out a portable storage device from her sleeve and pushed it toward Ling Chen, "Take this back and verify it, then you¡¯ll know if I¡¯m telling the truth or not." Finishing her speech, she took out a hundred-dor bill from her wallet, ced it on the table, stood up and said, "I¡¯ll leave first. I will contact you when the time is right."


    "Okay." After watching Kaelina leave, Ling Chen picked up the hundred-dor bill from the table, reced it with another one, and then left the caf¨¦.


    Two hourster.


    Ghost Base.


    "The kid, you¡¯re really lucky this time." Qiao Zhen, brimming with excitement, walked into the office with a wide smile, "The intelligence you sent has been verified, and it¡¯s all true. The information we¡¯ve been collecting for years isn¡¯t evenparable to what you got in half a day. Kid, no matter what measures you take, you must obtain all the intelligence from the Blood Spider."


    "I will do my best. Oh, by the way, General, has the fingerprint on that bill been checked?"


    "It has been checked, there are no fingerprints on it."


    "No fingerprints?" Ling Chen was slightly startled. He had seen Kaelina pull out that hundred-dor bill from her wallet, how could there be no fingerprints? Could it be...


    Suddenly, an idea struck him. It¡¯s possible that Blood Spider had ironed t the tips of her fingers, so no matter what she touched, she would leave no fingerprints.


    Tsk, tsk! He couldn¡¯t help but admire the woman¡¯s caution and ruthlessness.


    "Kid, you better go back now, rest well for tonight, you still have actions to carry out tomorrow." Qiao Zhen advised, "Take good care of yourself."


    "Understood."


    Returning to the hotel, Ling Chen greeted Nanrong Wanqing, informing her that he would be away for a few days.


    Nanrong Wanqing expressed her surprise, "Miss Tang¡¯s concert is the day after tomorrow. Aren¡¯t you attending? She will be very disappointed if you don¡¯t go."


    Ling Chen gave a bitter smile, "I know, but this matter is very important, it can¡¯t be dyed. I must depart tomorrow. Chairman, if you see Shiyun, please pass on my apologies, and I¡¯ll apologize to her myself when I return."


    "Whatever you say." After finishing, Nanrong Wanqing continued to bury her head at the desk, dealing withpany matters. After signing a few contracts, she slowly lifted her head and noticed that Ling Chen was still standing in front of the desk, showing no sign of leaving.


    "Is there anything else?"


    Ling Chen hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Chairman, I hope you can give Nanrong Hao more space in the future, let him make his own decisions whether right or wrong. A man has to experience setbacks to grow. He¡¯s actually a good person. I believe he won¡¯t disappoint you. Additionally..."


    He looked into Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s beautiful eyes, his expression hesitant, opened his mouth a few times, but hesitated to speak.


    "What else?" Nanrong Wanqing prompted.


    "About the other time, I¡¯m sorry. I know it was my fault. I don¡¯t seek your forgiveness, I just hope that my matters don¡¯t cause you any unhappiness. If...never mind, let¡¯s not talk about that. Anyway, I¡¯m very d to have met you. Chairman, you carry on, I¡¯ve got to go." With that, Ling Chen turned and left the presidential suite.


    Watching Ling Chen¡¯s departing back, Nanrong Wanqing was somewhat taken aback. She found it strange why Ling Chen suddenly talked to her like this, it felt like...they might never see each other again.


    For some reason, her heart felt strangely panicked and uneasy.


    At this moment, as Ling Chen left the suite, he shook his head silently. He was well aware of the level of danger in this rescue operation. In previous missions, he had a seventy percent certainty, but this time, he had less than twenty percent confidence, essentially a slim chance of survival. Because he was unsure if he would return alive, he wanted to say everything he needed to, lest he never get another chance.


    Early the next morning.


    Ling Chen and Tang Yuan, without notifying anyone, took a taxi directly to the airport.


    At this moment, the airport¡¯s waiting hall already had three people waiting for their arrival.


    These three were the teammates for this operation, Lao Bei, Xiong, and Axe; they were members of the Ghost Organization and had cooperated frequently in the past. These three had been on assignments abroad and were urgently summoned back due to issues at the base.


    Lao Bei and Axe were actually young men in their twenties, simr in age, but with rich experiences that aged their mindsets, so they preferred to address each other with ¡¯Old,¡¯ like Old Tang.


    Both were elites picked from the military and trained by the Ghost Organization, exceptionally skilled.


    Xiong, true to his name, was very robust with bulging muscles, towering over everyone else.


    After the group of five met, they chatted casually in the waiting hall and then boarded the flight.


    After several hours of flying, the ne finally reached its destination, the capital of Cyprus, Nicosia.


    Cyprus is an ind country located at the junction of Europe and Asia, with a total poption just over one million, a very small country; any single city in Huaxia has a poption many times greater.


    Not only that, Cyprus is also a tourist paradise, weing millions of visitors every year, thriving economically.


    After disembarking from the ne, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan, along with the other four, rented a minivan outside the airport and then rushed to the pre-arranged meeting point.


    The General had already arranged someone to rendezvous with them there.


    After driving for half an hour, the minivan stopped in front of a residential building.


    The five carried their luggage and directly went to the top floor of the residential building, finding room 508. Under Ling Chen¡¯s signal, Tang Yuan rhythmically knocked on the door.


    After a short while, the door opened, and a man in his thirties appeared in front of them. The middle-aged man was extremely thin, with piercing eyes like a hawk, and a distinct scar at the corner of his left eye.


    Seeing the man, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up, eximed with joy: "Instructor Pang!"


    "Kid, you finally made it,e on in." The middle-aged man gave a slight smile, especially when he saw Ling Chen, the coldness in his eyes gradually warmed, showing a hint of tenderness.

 Chapter 198 - 194: The Eve of Action

    <h4>Chapter 198: Chapter 194: The Eve of Action</h4><h4></h4>


    The middle-aged man in front of him was named Pang Jiulin. When Ling Chen first joined the Ghost Organization, it was Pang Jiulin who was in charge of training him. In his heart, he had always regarded Pang Jiulin as his guide.


    However, as he grew and became capable of handling matters independently, Pang Jiulin retired and was no longer reachable.


    "Instructor Pang, you¡¯re not..."


    Pang Jiulin nced at the others, pulled Ling Chen aside, and whispered: "I did leave the Ghosts, but I¡¯m now a member of Lonely Wolf."


    "Lonely Wolf?" Ling Chen suddenly realized. The General had mentioned Lonely Wolf to him before; Lonely Wolf was a secret organization established on the basis of the Ghost Organization. Its members were all selected from the Ghost Organization.


    Simply put, the Ghost Organization was responsible for cultivatingbat abilities and experience in its members, and when the time was ripe, they could join Lonely Wolf.


    Lonely Wolf was the main force against the God Organization.


    If he hadn¡¯t retired now, he would also be eligible to join Lonely Wolf.


    "Alright, we can catch up another time when we¡¯re free, but don¡¯t forget our main mission this time."


    Ling Chen nodded, tossed his luggage aside, and sat down on the sofa to rest. This private residence was their base for this operation. They chose this location instead of a hotel mainly to avoid the God Organization from detecting their entry into the country.


    "You¡¯ve been on the ne for so long, you all must be tired, have some food first. Later, I¡¯ll take you around to check out the surrounding environment," Pang Jiulin arranged.


    After lunch, everyone took the business van driven by Pang Jiulin and toured the surrounding area. Before long, the business van left the city area and came to the outskirts.


    After more than ten minutes, Pang Jiulin parked the vehicle in a secluded spot and gestured for everyone to get out of the van.


    Through a dense forest, Pang Jiulin stopped, looked around, and said, "We¡¯re here, this is our target building."


    Ling Chen looked up to see a factory about a hundred meters from the dense woods, with a total area of several thousand square meters. Besides the high walls, it was also enclosed with electric fencing. It was broad daylight, but the factory gates were closed tight, and only a few scattered individuals could be seen walking around inside.


    "ording to the video IP location, Yang Tao is being held inside this factory. Moreover, I¡¯ve investigated, and this factory outwardly ims to be engaged in the production of daily goods, but in reality, it¡¯s processing weapons. Armaments smuggled in the Asian region are all shipped from here."


    Hearing Pang Jiulin¡¯s words, Tang Yuan murmured to himself, "The security here doesn¡¯t seem very tight."


    "If you think that, you¡¯re making a big mistake. I¡¯m telling you, the defense level of this factory is very high, almost no different from the Ghost Base. We suspect that this could very well be a secret base arranged by the God Organization."


    Ling Chen asked, "Instructor, is there a way to get in?"


    "Not yet, I¡¯ve collected quite a bit of intelligence regarding this factory, we¡¯ll go back and study it more. For the next few days, we¡¯ll familiarize ourselves with the terrain and formte a good n."


    "Instructor Pang, have our equipments arrived?"


    "No equipment!"


    "No?" Not only Tang Yuan, who asked, but everyone else was stunned as well, "Are you telling us to fight them with bare hands? Instructor Pang, you can¡¯t mess with us like this."


    Pang Jiulin said sternly, "We must not use weapons for this operation. This is an armaments factory; there are many mmable and explosive prohibited items inside. If a fire breaks out, we¡¯re all done for. Remember, this is a rescue operation, not a suicide mission, the best oue is to stealthily rescue the person."


    Everyone gave a wry smile helplessly. Not being allowed to use weapons undoubtedly increased the difficulty of the mission several times over. However, what they were more concerned about was their own safety. As Pang Jiulin said, this was a rescue operation, not a suicide mission.


    Noticing everyone¡¯s concerns, Pang Jiulin smiled and said, "Don¡¯t be nervous. We can¡¯t use weapons, and neither can they. This country has a strict ban on firearms; anyone who dares to shoot will immediately attract a horde of police. They¡¯re not so foolish as to expose themselves."


    "Really?" Everyone sighed with relief in unison.


    In terms of skills, the members of the Ghost Organization had never feared anyone.


    Returning to the apartment building, Pang Jiulinid out all the information collected in the past two days for everyone¡¯s reference, pooling wisdom to create the best strategy.


    Ling Chen greatly admired Pang Jiulin¡¯s methods. In just under two days, he had managed to get his hands on the factory¡¯s blueprints, which would be of great benefit to their mission.


    Pang Jiulin exined, "The factory was originally built with government funding to provide jobs for the citizens. Later, as the tourism industry developed, fewer people were willing to work in factories, so it was put up for sale, and eventually bought by an arms dealer, but the blueprints remained in the local Construction Bureau."


    Ling Chen scrutinized the blueprint, looking for a route that would allow entry.


    After the recent on-site observation, they noticed that the factory was protected by an electric fence. Tampering with the fence would likely alert the enemy, so this n had to be abandoned.


    "Instructor, look here."


    Not long after, Ling Chen found a breakthrough and marked it on the blueprint with a pen. "This is the factory¡¯s sewage drainage pipe. It¡¯s half a meter in diameter and over four hundred meters long, extending from the factory to the sewage treatment nt. We can try to sneak in through here."


    "Crawling through over four hundred meters... With our physical capability, we should be able to endure it. Let¡¯s do this, I¡¯ll go check it out first. If there are no issues, we¡¯ll proceed with your n."


    "Instructor, do you want me to apany you?"


    Pang Jiulin waved his hand in refusal, "No need, you should rest well. Oh, by the way, the nightlife in this country is not bad. Since you are here, why not take them out to rx and not wind yourself up too tightly?"


    Ling Chen smirked with a knowing smile and nodded, "Sure, I¡¯ll certainly give everyone a chance to broaden their horizons."


    It was an unwritten rule in the Ghost Organization ¨C before executing a mission, everyone would indulge in pleasures and rx themselves since nobody knew if the next mission could be theirst.


    Initially, the organization was resistant to this behavior, but over time it became a habit, and even the General epted it.


    Night fell.


    The lights of Nicosia City came on, and the streets were filled with tourists. Locals in entric costumes performed zealously, and vendors crammed the streetside, an atmosphere of opulence and bustle.


    Ling Chen, apanied by Tang Yuan and a few others, strolled on the street before heading straight to Nicosia City¡¯s biggest bar.


    Entering the bar, Ling Chen cautioned, "Don¡¯t stay out toote."


    Lao Bei and two others hurriedly dropped a ¡¯we know,¡¯ then enthusiastically plunged into the crowd, searching for their night¡¯s conquests.


    "Old virgin, aren¡¯t youing?"


    "You know that¡¯s not my thing."


    "Well, I won¡¯t keep youpany then." Tang Yuan looked at a blond-haired, blue-eyed girl nearby, his eyes sparkling.


    Ling Chen teased him, "Get lost, I don¡¯t need yourpany."


    After Tang Yuan left, he went to the bar alone, ordered a bottle of beer, and enjoyed the surrounding excitement.


    At that moment, a woman walked into the bar with leisurely steps. As the woman appeared, the patrons around the bar immediately became quiet, staring at the woman, unable to take their eyes off her.


    Ling Chen nced out of the corner of his eye and was suddenly taken aback.


    Why is it her?

 Chapter 199 - 195: Chance Encounter

    <h4>Chapter 199: Chapter 195: Chance Encounter</h4><h4></h4>


    Nicosia City is an ind city with a perennial summer climate, sweltering heat, where most tourists wear short-sleeved shirts and beach shorts, and women prefer wearing colorful, locally styled skirts. The more liberated women wear just bikinis, draped in thin shawls, creating an enticing scene.


    At this moment, the woman who appeared in the bar was wearing an elegantly light blue long dress that highlighted her slender figure, her hair as flowing as a waterfall bound by a hairband, cascading down her back, and a pure white pearl ne around her delicate neck.


    However, what caught more attention was the woman¡¯s appearance, her features finely crafted as if meticulously sculpted, with raised eyebrows, a pointed nose, cherry-red lips, and eyes as bright as gems, exuding nobility and sophistication with every gesture.


    Behind the woman stood two tall, young women. They seemed casually following her, yet covertly protecting her.


    Sensing everyone¡¯s gaze, the woman seemed ustomed to it and was unmoved. However, upon noticing Ling Chen by the bar, she immediately stopped in her tracks, a sh of surprise in her beautiful eyes.


    Seeing him approaching, Ling Chen stepped forward, grinning, "President Liu, we really are fated to meet in such a ce."


    The woman in front was Liu Xiyao.


    Liu Xiyao said displeased, "How many times have I told you, don¡¯t call me President Liu when we¡¯re outside."


    "Right, right, Yao, what brings you here?"


    "Just taking a break since I¡¯m freetely. What about you? Not working at Hongyu Group and insteading here, is it apany perk?"


    Ling Chen smiled, "Nothing of that sort, it¡¯s a personal trip. I haven¡¯t seen the guys for a long time, so we nned a get-together."


    Liu Xiyao nced around and casually asked, "Where are these friends of yours?"


    "They all went off chasing girls, leaving me all alone," Ling Chen shrugged, an expression of resignation on his face.


    "Why didn¡¯t you join them? This is thergest bar in Nicosia City, filled with beautiful women from every country. None caught your eye?"


    "It¡¯s not that; it¡¯s just not my cup of tea."


    Liu Xiyao chuckled softly, meaningfully adding, "Didn¡¯t expect to see such an honest man like you in the world. Since you¡¯ve no other interests, why not join me for a while?"


    During their conversation, a Caucasian manager in the bar quickly approached, bent slightly in front of Liu Xiyao, and respectfully said, "President Liu, wee, your private room is ready."


    "Follow me."


    Led by the Caucasian manager, Ling Chen followed Liu Xiyao to a luxurious private room on the top floor of the bar. The room was extravagantly decorated, over a hundred square metersrge, equipped with a KTV, bar, billiard table, and even two pretty female attendants.


    On the left side of the room was arge transparent floor-to-ceiling ss, from which the bustling district around could be seen.


    "Do youe here often?" Ling Chen asked.


    "I bought a vi by the sea, and I usually stay here for a few days when I¡¯m free." Liu Xiyao picked up a freshly mixed cocktail, "I¡¯m nning to go sailing tomorrow, you can bring your friends along if you¡¯re free."


    "You have a yacht?"


    "Can¡¯t I have one?" Liu Xiyao retorted.


    Ling Chen touched his nose, realizing his question was redundant. With assets over a billion, buying a yacht for Liu Xiyao was indeed an easy feat.


    "I already have ns to go somewhere else with my friends tomorrow, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to join you for the sailing."


    Liu Xiyao didn¡¯t insist and nodded, "Anyway, you have my number. If you want to go out to sea, just give me a call, I¡¯ll lend you my yacht."


    "Hey, how have you been feeling recently?"


    "Much better, thanks to your treatment."


    "You¡¯re wee. By the way, that..." Ling Chen nced at a nearby waiter and whispered, "Have they found out who poisoned you?"


    Upon hearing this, a fleeting cold light passed through Liu Xiyao¡¯s eyes, and she responded calmly, "Some things don¡¯t need to be investigated. I have a clear understanding myself. You don¡¯t need to ask more about this matter; I will handle it myself."


    Ling Chen chatted idly with Liu Xiyao for a while and then suddenly received a call from Pang Jiulin, telling him to rush back soon. Pang Jiulin calling him at this time must have had something important.


    Immediately, he stood up to leave and said, "I have other matters to attend to, I will leave first, you enjoy yourself."


    "When will you be going back?"


    "In a day or two, I can¡¯t say for sure."


    "I will leave the day after tomorrow. You can take my private ne back to East Sea City."


    "Okay, we¡¯ll be in touch."


    After leaving the bar, Ling Chen headed straight back to that secluded apartment building.


    Back at his ce, Tang Yuan and the others were not yet back, only Pang Jiulin was there.


    "Coach, what¡¯s the matter?"


    "I just spoke with the General on the phone, and we¡¯re thinking of altering our n. We¡¯re almost clear on the situation outside that factory, but we know nothing about its interior¡ªthe number of people inside, defensive measures, and the location of the hostages. To save operational time, the General and I unanimously decided to first send someone to infiltrate the factory and scout the situation. It would be best if you could locate Yang Tao."


    Ling Chen well understood Pang Jiulin¡¯s implication; being called back at this time obviously meant he was to lead the operation.


    "Coach, right now?"


    "Wait until midnight, the guards will be more rxed then, it¡¯s easier to avoid detection." Pang Jiulin said pointing to a bag on the bed, "All the equipment is ready, see if there¡¯s anything missing."


    Ling Chen walked to the bed and opened the zipper. Inside was a tight-fittingbat suit, a tactical shlight, a wireless earpiece and receiver, three military daggers, a pair of night vision goggles, and a tool kit.


    "We mentioned before, no guns for this operation. Be careful on your own."


    "Got it." Ling Chen¡¯s lips lifted in a confident smile.


    "Also this, keep it with you." Pang Jiulin handed a button-shaped metal object to Ling Chen, instructing, "This is a signal transmitter. Once you find Yang Tao¡¯s holding location, install this device. I will lock onto his position via the signal. Once you¡¯re clear on the situation, find a ce to hide and wait for our support."


    When everything was ready and midnight arrived, Pang Jiulin drove the van and dropped Ling Chen near the wastewater treatment nt on the outskirts.


    Through the car window, one could see the factory situated 500 meters away. Though it was deep into the night, the factory was still brightly lit.


    Pang Jiulin patted Ling Chen on the shoulder and reminded, "Kid, be careful."


    "Understood!"

 Chapter 200 - 196: Taking Action Early

    <h4>Chapter 200: Chapter 196: Taking Action Early</h4><h4></h4>


    The sewage treatment nt was all automated machinery; there were only two people on duty in the security room at night. It didn¡¯t take Ling Chen much time to easily bypass the surveince and infiltrate the interior of the sewage nt.


    Finding the sewage pipe that led directly to the target factory, Ling Chen put on night vision goggles, adjusted the signal of his headset, and then crawled into the sewage pipe. The diameter of the pipe was half a meter long, just enough to amodate an adult.


    However, the pipe emitted a pungent stench, and its inside was coated with sticky filth, which was very disgusting.


    Fortunately, Ling Chen was prepared in advance, wearing a mask and gloves, and moved slowly along the sewage pipe. This pipe was over four hundred meters long, and he could only crawl on hands and knees, carrying tools on his back, which was veryborious. It was undoubtedly a serious test of his stamina.


    More than ten minutes passed, Ling Chen exhaled deeply andy down to rest. After regaining some strength, he continued on his way. After roughly half an hour in total, he finally reached the end of the sewage pipe.


    There was no exit from the pipe, it was all sealed. Ling Chen took off the backpack he was carrying, took out the welding tools he had prepared in advance, and started to burn through the top of the pipe.


    A momentter, a square exit was burnt into the sewage pipe. Climbing out of the pipe, Ling Chen looked around to make sure no one was in the vicinity before sealing the opening of the pipe to avoid detection.


    At the moment, his location was a storage room, with goods piled messily all around. After changing out of his foul-smelling clothes, he approached the door and listened intently. Hearing no movement outside, he gently opened the door and poked his head out.


    Outside the storage room was a spacious corridor. With no one else around, Ling Chen quickly moved towards the end of the corridor. However, just as he was about to reach the corner, he suddenly heard footstepsing from around the corner.


    His gaze swept around, and he quickly stepped into the nearby room and rushed inside.


    The door had just closed when the footsteps passed by outside.


    Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief, put on his night vision goggles, and looked around the room. It was a bedroom, with someone lying on the bed against the wall, deep in sleep and unaware of Ling Chen¡¯s presence.


    He walked gently to the beside of the bed, taking a nce, and a look of surprise momentarily crossed his face.


    The person lying on the bed turned out to be a woman, probably around thirty years old, with a pretty face. However, her only w was on her left ear; her left ear had been cut off and reced with an artificial ear. Moreover, and more importantly, the woman had yellow skin and was very likely to be a Huaxia person.


    While Ling Chen pondered, a sudden ringtone startled him.


    He turned his head to look and saw that it was the woman¡¯s phone by her pillow.


    Seeing that the woman was awakened by the ringtone, Ling Chen quickly bent down and hid under the head of the bed to avoid being seen.


    The woman answered the call; Ling Chen didn¡¯t know what was said on the other end, but the woman responded in English with a simple "Understood" before hanging up. Immediately after, sounds came from the bed as the woman got dressed and headed for the door.


    When the bedroom door opened, Ling Chen noticed that two men, unknown when they had arrived, were outside the room. The men were very respectful in front of the woman, indicating that her identity was likely not simple.


    After watching the woman leave, Ling Chen stood up and began to search the room, hoping to find some useful intelligence.


    However, regrettably, the only items in the bedroom were some change of clothes and female toiletries.


    Leaving the bedroom, Ling Chen crept carefully along the corridors in search of the hostages. The factory had three floors in total, and he was currently on the first. After some investigation, he found that the first floor housed the employees¡¯ quarters, and the security was not particrly tight.


    Soon, he located the elevator and the emergency exit leading to the second floor. However, there was personnel stationed outside both the elevator and the emergency exit¡ªit was clearly impossible for him to bypass these guards and sneak into the second floor without making a sound.


    He couldn¡¯t afford to spook anyone before the operation began.


    ording to his original n, he had intended to disguise himself as a factory employee and blend in, but to his dismay, all the employees were Caucasian, which made his own facial features too easily recognizable.


    As he was pondering his options, the elevator doors slid open, and the woman with the defective left ear walked out, surrounded by several men in suits. Soon after, she conferred with the people beside her for a moment before heading off to a room by herself.


    Ling Chen hesitated for a bit, then followed the woman after she had walked some distance.


    The security of the factory was too stringent, making it difficult to act, but the identity of the woman was not unimportant; she might provide a breakthrough.


    Before long, daylight began to break outside the factory.


    Ling Cheny underneath the woman¡¯s bed, eyes closed, using the time to rest and gather strength for the operation in the evening.


    "Ling Chen, respond if you receive this."


    Pang Jiulin¡¯s voice came through the earpiece at that moment. Ling Chen didn¡¯t dare to give a verbal response, afraid that the woman would hear, so he just lightly pressed the talk button. With Jiulin¡¯s experience, he would naturally understand what it meant.


    ncing at the time, it was already 9 AM, and the woman finally got out of bed. Ling Chen, lying under the bed, turned his head and saw the woman undresspletely, throwing her clothes and underwear to the floor.


    Ling Chen inwardly expressed regret; the bed obstructed his view so he could only see parts of her body below the knees; he could only use his imagination for the rest.


    After watching the woman finish freshening up and leaving the room, Ling Chen finally had time to contact Pang Jiulin to report the situation on his side. After listening to his n, Jiulin said, "Do as you see fit, time it right, don¡¯t start too early to avoid alerting anyone."


    "Understood."


    From morning to afternoon, the woman came back to the room twice, and Ling Chen remained hidden under the bed without making a sound.


    Until the evening, with one hour left until Jiulin¡¯s operation, Ling Chen crawled out from beneath the bed, walked behind the bedroom door, and waited patiently.


    More than ten minutes passed, and a series of footsteps finally approached from outside the door. Following that, the door was pushed open from the outside, and the woman walked straight in.


    As the door closed, Ling Chen surged forward, choking the woman from behind and covering her mouth, ignoring her struggle, and whispering sharply, "Be quiet if you want to live."


    After a few attempts, the woman felt Ling Chen¡¯s overwhelming strength and gave up resisting.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen pulled out a dagger, held it against the woman¡¯s neck, and warned, "I¡¯d advise against alerting anyone outside. Otherwise, I can assure you that my knife is faster than your scream." After saying that, he released the hand that was pressing firmly over her mouth.


    "Who are you?" the woman asked coldly. At this time, she seemed to have regained herposure, no longer as panicked as before.

 Chapter 201 - 197: Trap

    <h4>Chapter 201: Chapter 197: Trap</h4><h4></h4>


    "This question should be asked by me, tell me, your name and your identity."


    "Zhang Xueli, head of the production department."


    "Miss Zhang, I have another question, and I hope you can answer me truthfully. Where are you holding the hostages?"


    "Hostages? What hostages?" Zhang Xueli replied coldly, "You must be mistaken, this is a legitimate factory, not a criminal organization."


    Ling Chen slightly lifted his lips: "Miss Zhang, we¡¯re all sensible people, why pretend to be confused in front of me." Saying this, he slightly applied pressure with the dagger in his hand, leaving a crease on Zhang Xueli¡¯s delicate neck, "I keep my word; as long as you tell me where the hostages are, I will spare your life and not harm you."


    Zhang Xueli hesitated for a moment, then spoke, "Third floor, count from the left, the second bedroom, the person you¡¯re looking for is there."


    "Very good." Seeing her cooperate, Ling Chen smiled, casually taking out a mobile phone from her pocket, and said: "Miss Zhang, I need one more favor from you. Call your subordinates and have them bring the hostage here. As for the reason, with your wit, you should be able to think of one."


    "I don¡¯t have that authority. I¡¯m only in charge of the factory operations, others handle different matters, I can¡¯t overstep."


    "In that case, you can take me to see the hostages, no problem right?"


    "That¡¯s possible, but you¡¯ll need to change your attire, I don¡¯t want to be marked as a traitor."


    After a short while, Ling Chen changed into a neat suit. Before stepping out, he nced at Zhang Xueli and reminded her: "Miss Zhang, after we go out, it¡¯s best if you refrain from any suspicious actions. Within a meter, I can take your life at any moment. So, for your own safety, do not do anything out of line."


    "I know." Zhang Xueli replied indifferently.


    Ling Chen nodded and called through his earpiece, "We can move now."


    "Received!"


    Leaving the bedroom, Ling Chen closely followed behind Zhang Xueli, keeping a distance less than a meter. As he said, it was his effective attack range. Within a meter, no one could escape his dagger.


    Approaching the elevator, Ling Chen kept his head down for fear of being recognized. Fortunately, with Zhang Xueli leading him, no one doubted his identity. Stepping into the elevator, Ling Chen slightly rxed and smiled, "Miss Zhang, you¡¯ve done well, I hope you can keep it up."


    Ding!


    With a crisp sound, the elevator finally reached the third floor.


    Outside the elevator, the corridor was heavily guarded with surveince cameras everywhere, and guards stationed every few steps. Ling Chen silently rejoiced that he didn¡¯t act recklessly toe to the third floor alone. The guards were everywhere, nowhere to hide. He would definitely have been spotted.


    Arriving at the room where the hostage was held, Zhang Xueli nodded towards two men in suits by the door who immediately opened it and let them in.


    Once inside, Ling Chen immediately saw, in the center of the room, a chair with Yang Tao tied to it, head hanging down, covered in blood, a horrifying sight.


    Ling Chen frowned slightly, quickly walked up to Yang Tao, and gently patted his shoulder, trying to wake him from his stupor.


    "Brother, wake up!"


    After shaking him a few times, Yang Tao finally responded, slowly lifting his head. However, as Ling Chen clearly saw the other¡¯s face, his expression drastically changed and eximed, "You..."


    Before he could finish speaking, the person in front of him suddenly pulled out a syringe and fiercely stabbed it into his leg.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen had no time to think and hurriedly retreated. However, at that moment the room¡¯s door was kicked open, several men in suits rushed in, each holding a tranquilizer gun aimed at Ling Chen¡¯s back.


    Even with Ling Chen¡¯s quick reaction, he could not defend himself in the confined space. After several dodges, his arm was unfortunately hit by a tranquilizer dart, causing him to copse to the ground.


    After an unknown amount of time, a bucket of cold water poured over his head suddenly woke Ling Chen.


    He opened his eyes and looked around, seeing Zhang Xueli stood before him, staring coldly, with several men in suits beside her.


    "You thought you could sneak in undetected, that no one would know?"


    Hearing Zhang Xueli¡¯s words, Ling Chen frowned and said, "You knew I came?"


    "Ha! You were hiding under my bed for so long, you really thought I didn¡¯t notice?" Zhang Xueli pointed to her left artificial ear, "This is fitted with an electronic eavesdropping device. When youmunicated with others using your wireless earpiece under the bed, the transmitted signal would interfere with the device, causing electrical static noise. There¡¯s an old saying in Huaxia, ¡¯Even the wise have one oversight,¡¯ you didn¡¯t expect your movements would be exposed because of it, did you?"


    Ling Chen gave a wry smile, "Indeed, I did not." He thought he was being cautious, yet his presence was exposed by a small device, which was somewhat disheartening.


    "What time is it now?"


    Zhang Xueli looked at her watch, said: "You have fifteen minutes left until your operation." She took the wireless earpiece devices from one of the men, waved it in front of Ling Chen, "Earlier, your teammates contacted you three times, aren¡¯t you going to reply to them?"


    "You think I will cooperate with you and betray my teammates?" Ling Chen smiled faintly. As long as he didn¡¯t respond, Pang Jiulin would surely know something was wrong.


    Zhang Xueli spoke nonchntly, "I know you won¡¯t cooperate voluntarily, but no worries, I have my ways."


    During the conversation, one of the men walked to a desk in the corner, opened aptop, and connected it to an external device.


    Watching the man¡¯s actions, Ling Chen felt a bad premonition and asked, "What is he doing?"


    "All that you told me just now, I recorded. Soon, after analyzing your voice with software, it will automatically match."


    Zhang Xueli¡¯s words had just dropped when the man turned around and said, "It¡¯s ready."


    "Contact them."


    The man nodded, opened the wireless earpiece, and then, from theptop, a voice emerged, "Where are you now?"


    Ling Chen heard this, his face changed immediately; theputer-generated voice was almost indistinguishable from his own, even he could hardly tell the difference, let alone Pang Jiulin.


    Indeed, Pang Jiulin¡¯s response came through the earpiece soon after, "You finally decided to speak up, I thought something had happened." After a pause, he continued, "We¡¯ve reached the sewage pipe and can enter at any time. How are things on your side?"


    "Safe." Theptop conveyed in two words.


    "Good, we¡¯ll be over soon."


    Once themunication ended, Zhang Xueli watched the ashen face of Ling Chen and smiled triumphantly, "It looks like I need to prepare a few more coffins."

 Chapter 202 - 198 Death Live Stream

    <h4>Chapter 202: Chapter 198 Death Live Stream</h4><h4></h4>


    More than ten minutes passed, Ling Chen sat quietly in his chair, staring at Zhang Xueli in front of him, constantly pondering his options.


    But to his dismay, he rejected every n he could think of. In this room, no less than six men in suits were watching him, and his hands and feet were bound by iron chains. Even with extraordinary abilities, he was powerless. At this moment, he could only pray silently, hoping that Pang Jiulin would realize the danger in time and lead his team members to retreat.


    Just then, the door of the room was opened and a young man covered in bruises, with a swollen nose and face, was brought in by two men in suits.


    Seeing the neer, Ling Chen immediately recognized his identity: it was Yang Tao, the target of this rescue mission.


    Feeling his gaze, Yang Tao weakly lifted his head, a bitter smile on his lips: "Why is it you?"


    Ling Chen shrugged his shoulders, jokingly said: "I wish it weren¡¯t me. s, what can I do, I¡¯m too sentimental, couldn¡¯t bear to see you suffer, so I joined in on the suffering with you. How about it, I¡¯m a good brother, right?"


    "Enough, shut up," Zhang Xueli ordered coldly.


    Once she had spoken, a man in a suit came in carrying a television set and then ced it in front of Ling Chen and Yang Tao.


    Ling Chen, perplexed, asked, "What¡¯s this for?"


    Laughing, Yang Tao took over the conversation: "I guess they¡¯re worried we¡¯d be bored to death, so they¡¯re giving us something to relieve the boredom."


    "Laugh all you want now, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able toter," said Zhang Xueli, and with a meaningful nce at her subordinate.


    Thetter understood and immediately turned on the television. Suddenly, the television screen showed more than a dozen different images. Ling Chen nced at them and his brows immediately furrowed; the smile on his face slowly fading.


    They were the live surveince feeds from the factory. What are these people up to?


    Zhang Xueli nced at the time and sneered, "Keep your eyes wide open, the main character is about to make their entrance."


    "We¡¯re in already. Where are you?"


    At that moment, Pang Jiulin¡¯s voice came through the wireless earpiece. Simultaneously, on the surveince screens, a group of five people quietly infiltrated.


    At this moment, the expressions on both Ling Chen and Yang Tao¡¯s faces changed drastically. Ling Chen finally understood why Zhang Xueli wanted them to watch the surveince; the enemy wanted them to witness their teammates being killed with their own eyes.


    Seeing the drastic change in the expressions of Ling Chen and hispanion, Zhang Xueli nodded in satisfaction and instructed, "Notify them, they can move."


    "Understood."


    At this moment, on the factory¡¯s first floor.


    Pang Jiulin, wearing night-vision goggles and tightly gripping a dagger, bent his waist and slowly advanced along the pitch-dark corridor, hugging the wall. Not far out, he called for Ling Chen again through the earpiece but still received no response.


    Tang Yuan frowned and said, "Instructor, isn¡¯t it too quiet here, with not a soul around?"


    "Could something have happened to Ling Chen? Why is there no word from him after so long?" Lao Bei was somewhat worried.


    Pang Jiulin pondered for a moment and said, "Let¡¯s still be cautious; Lao Bei, Axe, you two split up and check the surroundings. Xiong, Old Tang, you two are responsible for covering the rear."


    "Understood!"


    As soon as the words were spoken, the five men were ready to move, when a blinding bright light suddenly shone down from above, casting its glow on them.


    This sudden change took all five men by surprise. Pang Jiulin was the quickest to react, maintaining hisposure amidst the panic, he swiftly removed his night vision goggles, and said in a deep voice, "Find cover!"


    However, as the lights fully turned on, the factory illuminated bright and clear, leaving absolutely nowhere to hide. Following that, from the various rooms along the corridor, a tall and muscr man stepped out from each, totalling five men.


    These men were exceptionally tall, each around one meter ny in height, their bodies bulging with muscles and veins, making it likely that only someone with Xiong¡¯s towering build could match them.


    "Spread out!" Pang Jiulin made a prompt decision, issuing themand, "Break through on your own."


    Tang Yuan nodded, gripping the dagger in his hand firmly, his gaze fixed on the muscr man approaching him, and took a deep breath.


    Ah!


    With a loud shout, he raised the dagger high, darting forward quickly, and fiercely charged to eliminate the enemy before him.


    As Tang Yuan rapidly closed the distance, the muscr man remained expressionless, neither dodging nor evading. When the sharp dagger fell, Tang Yuan¡¯s face changed drastically. He was stunned to find that the muscr man¡¯s body was as hard as iron, the dagger unable to prate after being mped tightly by his muscles.


    Startled, he hurriedly warned, "Be careful, these people have all taken enhancement drugs."


    Just as he finished speaking, Lao Bei and the man with an axe were sent flying by the enemy¡¯s punches, crashing heavily onto the ground, clutching their chests, faces contorted in pain.


    Among the five, Pang Jiulin¡¯s skill goes without saying; being able to join Lonely Wolf was proof enough of his prowess. In the Ghost Organization, Tang Yuan was second only to Ling Chen, and could barely protect himself against the muscr man¡¯s onught. Surprisingly, it was Xiong who unexpectedly evenly matched the enemy.


    It was no wonder, as Xiong was a power-basedbatant. His natural talentsbined with training made his physical fitness perhaps even superior to Ling Chen¡¯s.


    The only ones at a disadvantage were Lao Bei and the axe-wielding man, both elite soldiers selected from the military, skilled with firearms and marksmanship. However, theirbat skills were not on par with those of Tang Yuan and others. After all, not everyone was like Ling Chen, a master of both martial arts and marksmanship.


    In the third-floor room of the factory, Ling Chen and Yang Tao watched the surveince footage with furrowed brows, tightly knit into a line.


    Seeing the muscr men¡¯s appearance, Ling Chen knew things were going to be bad. Zhang Xueli had clearly set a trap, luring them into the urn. It was likely that Pang Jiulin and his group had little chance of breaking out and escaping.


    Zhang Xueli, standing next to them with arms crossed, watched thebat on the monitor with interest and smiled, "What do you think, how long can theyst?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s face was as still as water, he remained silent, continuously attempting to snap the chains on his wrists. But the chains were too thick, and his strength alone was not enough to break free.


    "Not good!"


    Just then, Yang Tao suddenly yelled out.


    Ling Chen looked intently, his face stiffening sharply. In the surveince footage, the man with the axe had his left leg grabbed by a muscr man who forcefully twisted it, instantly breaking the knee. Although there was no sound, the twisted expression on the axe man¡¯s face revealed the excruciating pain he must be enduring.


    With his left leg disabled, the axe man¡¯s movements immediately slowed down.


    "Axe, be careful!"


    Seeing that the situation was dire, Tang Yuan wanted to aid him, but the muscr man before him pressed in step by step, leaving him no chance to look out for others.


    The immobilized axe-wielder didn¡¯t have a chance to escape far before he was once again apprehended by the adversary. The man wrapped both hands around the axe-wielder¡¯s head, mping down tightly, then with a sudden twist of his hands, a ¡¯crack¡¯ sounded. The axe-wielder¡¯s head slumped down limply, and he fell to the ground, dead.

 Chapter 203 - 199 Fierce Battle

    <h4>Chapter 203: Chapter 199 Fierce Battle</h4><h4></h4>


    "Ax!"


    Seeing this, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes immediately turned blood-red, his anger uncontainable, he roared out loud.


    Yang Tao hung his head low, his gaze dull, his face the color of deathly ash, muttering to himself, "It¡¯s all my fault... all my fault..."


    Zhang Xueli coldly said, "Don¡¯t panic, only one is dead so far, the highlight is still toe."


    Ling Chen clenched his teeth and stared at her unblinkingly, his eyes like the cold wind of December, icy and piercing.


    "As long as I¡¯m alive, I will make you pay in blood for this debt." He paused after each word, squeezing the sentence through his teeth.


    Hearing his threat, Zhang Xueli scoffed indifferently, "Do you really think you¡¯ll have a chance?"


    During the conversation, a ringtone from a cellphone suddenly rang out. Zhang Xueli took out her phone, nced at the caller ID, and her expression slightly changed. "Watch these two." Having said that, she turned and left the room to answer the call.


    "Everything has been taken care of, thankfully you notified me in time so I could prepare and they didn¡¯t seed... Apart from the person we caught beforehand, in total six people came, identity unknown, probably all members of the Ghosts, one is dead, five are left. I will take care of them."


    "Why?"


    At this moment, whoever was on the other end of the phone said something and Zhang Xueli frowned, "This is too risky, if this gets out, the higher-ups will definitely me us, and then who will take the responsibility?"


    "Alright, since you¡¯ve said so, I¡¯ll do you this favor. But I want to make it clear that if the higher-ups start asking questions, I won¡¯t cover for you."


    After the call ended, Zhang Xueli returned to the room, looking at the stern-faced Ling Chen, a strange light flickering in her eyes.


    "You two, unlock his shackles and take him to the next room."


    Hearing Zhang Xueli¡¯s voice, Ling Chen¡¯s heart sank. Being taken away at this moment, could it be they¡¯re going to... Thinking of this, his eyes narrowed slightly, a sharp glint surfacing.


    As the two suited men prepared to take Ling Chen away, Yang Tao became desperate, bellowing loudly, "If you have the guts, kill me first!"


    Zhang Xueli coldly replied, "Don¡¯t rush, your turn wille sooner orter. Take him away!"


    The two suited men responded and immediately pushed Ling Chen out, escorting him to the next room.


    "Sit down!"


    One of the suited men pushed Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder impatiently and pointed to a chair in the center of the room.


    Ling Chen nced sideways at the two men and took a step. However, at that moment, his body suddenly leaned forward, his right leg kicking high, his left foot¡¯s toes firmly nted on the ground, twisting his body in motion, a sweeping leg kickshed out, viciously striking the faces of the two suited men.


    Ling Chen showed no mercy with his kick, exerting full force, and the two suited men didn¡¯t even have the chance to cry out before copsing to the ground, unconscious, as blood streamed from the corners of their mouths.


    Taking the keys from their bodies, Ling Chen quickly unlocked his handcuffs, then moved to the door, and pushed it open.


    ncing at the closed room next door, he strode forward, kicking the door open, forcefully breaking and entering the room.


    However, as soon as he entered the room, he immediately realized Zhang Xueli was gone; only three suited men were left inside guarding Yang Tao.


    The ten eyes met, and the suited men were momentarily dumbfounded in ce, not expecting Ling Chen to appear.


    Before they coulde to their senses, Ling Chen had already reacted, his toes touching the ground, his body propelling forward like a cannonball. In less than a few seconds, the three suited men were taken down.


    Watching Ling Chen in front of him, Yang Tao felt a sense of unreality and eximed in astonishment, "Aren¡¯t you...?"


    "Stop talking so much. Can you still walk?"


    "No problem."


    Ling Chen nced at the surveince screen. Jiulin¡¯s group of four was in grave danger, at risk of being killed at any moment. They needed support urgently.


    He walked over to the desk, inserted the previously confiscated dagger into his waist, and casually threw another dagger to Yang Tao.


    "Find a ce to hideter and take care of yourself. I¡¯m going to rescue Old Tang and the others."


    Yang Tao nodded, "Be careful yourself."


    If possible, he would also like to help, but his physical condition wouldn¡¯t allow it. Going along would only be a burden to Ling Chen.


    Leaving the room, they encountered many guards along the way, all of which were taken down by Ling Chen, leaving no survivors. At this moment, Ling Chen¡¯s heart was aze, like raging mes torching his body, consuming his sanity.


    It had been a long time since he felt this fury engulf him. Ax¡¯s death was a fuse, igniting the mes in his heart. At this moment, he desperately needed an outlet to vent his anger.


    By the time he reached the elevator, the dagger in Ling Chen¡¯s hand was dyed red with fresh blood. The crimson blood dripping down the de onto the ground, coupled with the fierceness in his eyes, was indescribably ferocious.


    First floor of the factory.


    Pang Jiulin, Tang Yuan, Lao Bei, and Xiong huddled together, struggling to withstand the muscle men¡¯s assault. After a round ofbat, all four were pale and gasping for air. The intense fighting rapidly depleted their stamina, while the five muscle men seemed tireless, their strength undiminished, growing fiercer as the battle progressed.


    Furthermore, with the loss of onerade, the odds were increasingly against the four, their situation looking bleak, constantly on the brink of life-threatening danger.


    "Lao Bei, watch out!"


    At that moment, Tang Yuan saw the exhausted Lao Bei kicked to the ground by a muscle man, who then aimed a stomp at his head. Without a second thought, he yelled and lunged forward, crashing hard into the muscle man.


    Suddenly, the muscle man lost his bnce and tumbled to the ground. Tang Yuan was about to get up to continue fighting, but suddenly, the muscle man¡¯s legs stretched out, mping tightly around his neck, causing him breathing difficulties.


    He tried desperately to pry the legs apart, but his strength was no match. Several attempts proved unsessful.


    As his face grew increasingly pallid, Tang Yuan felt dizzy and almost suffocated, a painful groan asionally escaping his throat.


    At this critical moment, a gust of wind came through, a sh of cold light glinting, and a sharp dagger forcefully plunged into the muscle man¡¯s left eye. Even with their bodies enhanced by drugs, the eyes remained the weakest part of the human body.


    Driving through the left eye, the dagger pierced straight through the muscle man¡¯s skull, and blood instantly sttered everywhere.


    Tang Yuan turned back, gasping heavily, and his gaze fell on the owner of the dagger. Instantly irate, he cursed, "Why did you only just arrive, I was almost done for."


    Ling Chen smirked, "With me here, you won¡¯t die."


    After speaking, he turned to the other four muscle men, his gaze instantly turning cold, as he brandished the dagger and charged forward, blocking the attack aimed at Pang Jiulin.


    "You take them to meet up with Yang Tao first. I¡¯ll cover the rear."


    "Can you handle it?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curled up slightly, his eyes shining with a sharp light.


    "I¡¯m very hard to kill; these four can¡¯t take me down."

 Chapter 204 - 200 No Escape

    <h4>Chapter 204: Chapter 200 No Escape</h4><h4></h4>


    Pang Jiulin gave Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder a solid p. Sometimes, men don¡¯t need to say much to each other.


    He removed his own headset and handed it to Ling Chen.


    "Keep this, and stay in touch at all times. Lao Bei, bring along the Axeman¡¯s body."


    Without a word, Lao Bei hoisted the Axeman¡¯s corpse onto his shoulders, following closely behind Pang Jiulin¡¯s footsteps. As a soldier, one does not abandon or give up onrades¡ªnot even their bodies.


    Seeing them trying to escape, four muscr men immediately gave chase. However, Ling Chen stepped forward to block their path, toying with a dagger in each hand, and said with a grin, "If you want to chase them, you¡¯ll have to get past me first."


    "Fools who don¡¯t know whether they¡¯re alive or dead."


    Watching the surveince footage, Zhang Xueli spoke coldly. She had obliged that person¡¯s request, kindly giving him a chance to escape, but instead of fleeing for his life, he foolishly went to rescue hispanions.


    "I¡¯ve helped as much as I could; if he wants to dig his own grave, that¡¯s not my fault," she thought to herself and picked up the walkie-talkie, saying coldly, "All units, engage. Kill them all without exception."


    At that moment, facing the encirclement of the four muscr men, Ling Chen licked his lips, his knees slightly bent, with two daggers held tightly against his thighs.


    As the four muscr men gradually closed in, he kicked off with his legs, fast as a darting rabbit, and took the initiative to attack.


    One muscr man threw a punch as Ling Chen approached. Sensing the fierce power behind the punch, Ling Chen twisted his waist, agilely dodging the attack, and the dagger in his right hand scraped a shallow gash across the man¡¯s leg.


    This was not his first time fighting Enhanced People, but this new batch of them was even more twisted, their bodies as hard as steel, impervious to his daggers.


    However, these muscr men, despite their robust physiques and thick skin, were at a disadvantage in reaction speed. Moreover, having already killed one muscr man, Ling Chen had identified their weakness¡ªtheir eyes.


    Surrounded by the four muscr men, Ling Chen kept dodging and shifting his position, preventing them fromying a hand on him. Whenever he spotted an opening, he took the chance and aimed straight for their eyes.


    Caught off guard by his nimble moves, one muscr man was stabbed in the eye by Ling Chen¡¯s dagger, crying out in agony. Initially intending to end the man¡¯s life, Ling Chen had to abandon the idea as the other three muscr men pounced, forcing him to retreat and keep his distance, waiting for the best moment to strike.


    "Ling Chen, the original escape route ispromised. We¡¯re heading to the underground parking lot. Hurry over," came Tang Yuan¡¯s voice through the headset.


    "Understood!" Ling Chen replied.


    After terminating the call, he strode swiftly towards the safety exit. Several muscr men followed closely, relentless in pursuit.


    Upon entering the stairwell, he heard hurried footsteps both above and below, indicating a sizable group.


    Undaunted, Ling Chen cut a bloody path and quickly made it to the underground parking lot.


    "Old Tang, where are you guys?"


    "Southeast corner. What about you?"


    "Wait for me, I¡¯ll be right there."


    After orienting himself, Ling Chen stretched his legs and moved swiftly, using the parked cars for cover, heading towards Tang Yuan¡¯s location.


    While running, Ling Chen suddenly caught sight of over thirty men in suits pouring out from a nearby staircase, all armed with crossbows, and they were all charging towards Tang Yuan¡¯s direction.


    This is bad!


    Frowning slightly, he realized that if these men caught up, with the weapons they carried, Tang Yuan and the others would likely have no chance of escape.


    With that thought, Ling Chen stepped onto a car hood, leapt up powerfully, and with a loud shout, he threw his dagger, which pierced through the neck of a suited man, his blood flowing freely.


    His loud shout immediately attracted the attention of those people. In a moment, the gazes of all the men in suits were focused on him.


    Seeing those people charging towards him head-on, Ling Chen turned around, ready to take a detour, but at that moment, four muscr men came quickly from behind, less than twenty meters away.


    With tigers ahead and wolves behind, trapped, Ling Chen saw the bad situation and simply dashed toward the left. Sacrificing the small to save therge, he was alone, while there were five people with Tang Yuan, and he had to ensure their safety no matter what.


    "Ling Chen, where are you? We¡¯ve already got in the car, just waiting for you." Tang Yuan¡¯s voice sounded in the earpiece, his tone anxious.


    "You guys go first, don¡¯t mind me, I¡¯ll find a way to leave on my own."


    "No, if we¡¯re leaving, let¡¯s leave together. Where are you, I¡¯ming over..."


    Ling Chen, impatient, interrupted him, urging: "That¡¯s enough, stop the nonsense, just scram, and we¡¯ll meet at the old ce after getting out."


    He paused for a moment, his voice low: "If I don¡¯t appear within two days, then don¡¯t wait for me, you guys head back to the country."


    "Hey, you..."


    Before Tang Yuan could say anything else, Ling Chen had already thrown his earpiece on the ground and crushed it with his foot.


    "Hey, hey, Ling Chen, Ling Chen..."


    Hearing the static from the earpiece, Tang Yuan punched the steering wheel, cursing: "This damn show-off."


    Xiong anxiously said: "Instructor, what do we do now? Are we really going to abandon Ling Chen?"


    Pang Jiulin looked stern, ncing at the body of the axe-wielding man, his fists clenched, eyes flickering, torn inside.


    "Instructor!" Lao Bei couldn¡¯t help but urge, waiting for hismand.


    "Drive, let¡¯s retreat first." Finally, Pang Jiulin made a decision, ncing around at everyone, "I know what Ling Chen is thinking, he wants to sacrifice the small to protect therge. If we don¡¯t draw the enemies away, our chance of escape is zero. Since he has made his decision, we can¡¯t let his painstaking effort be in vain. Besides, you all know Ling Chen¡¯s capabilities; he definitely has a way to escape."


    Tang Yuan clenched his teeth, reached out to turn the car key, and started the vehicle.


    Brother, take good care of yourself!


    At this moment, Ling Chen was frantically sprinting in the underground parking lot, dodging the enemies¡¯ pursuit and iing arrows.


    Suddenly, he stopped, standing in front of severalrge trucks, looking around, his brows immediately furrowed.


    Walls on both sides, it was a dead end!


    Turning his head back, seeing enemies converging from all sides, Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curved into a bitter smile.


    With even the way out sealed, it looks like there¡¯s nowhere to run. Is today¡¯s cmity inevitable?


    While he pondered, dozens of enemies had already surrounded him, trapping him between therge trucks.


    Ling Chen chuckled, with an unconcerned shrug, he said: "What¡¯s everyone waiting for? Make it quick, just shoot me."


    As the words fell, the crowd parted, and Zhang Xueli walked over surrounded by several men in suits, looking at him coldly.


    "I gave you a way out, but you didn¡¯t cherish it."


    "A way out?" Ling Chen was slightly startled, seemingly understanding something.


    Zhang Xueli waved her hand, ordering lightly: "Kill him."

 Chapter 205 - 201: Escape from Desperation

    <h4>Chapter 205: Chapter 201: Escape from Desperation</h4><h4></h4>


    "Wait!"


    Just as the crossbow was about to pull the trigger, Ling Chen suddenly shouted to stop.


    Zhang Xueli slightly frowned, speaking with a mocking tone: "What, a moment ago you were all noble and selfless, ready to rescue yourpanion without regard to your own safety, and now you are afraid of dying?"


    Ling Chen took a deep breath, touched his nose, his eyes gleaming subtly, and grinned: "In our line of work, we¡¯ve long been prepared to make sacrifices. However, I don¡¯t want to die confusedly. You can kill me, but at least let me die understanding why."


    "What do you want to know?"


    "You just said you deliberately left me a way out, I¡¯m not sure what you mean by that, could you rify?" This was a concern of his. He hadn¡¯t thought much about it before, but when Zhang Xueli brought it up, he felt something was amiss.


    If Zhang Xueli wanted to kill him, there was no need to change locations; it could have all been done in that room without any extra effort.


    It¡¯s clear that Zhang Xueli didn¡¯t lie; she truly intended to give him a way out. Yet, as they were strangers and adversaries, it made no sense for her to spare him.


    "I can¡¯t give you an answer to that question." After saying that, Zhang Xueli waved her hand, making a shooting gesture.


    "Wait!"


    Hearing Ling Chen shout again, Zhang Xueli impatiently said: "Are you done yet?"


    "This is myst tiny request, and I hope you can fulfill it. Since I¡¯m going to die anyway, might as well let me have a cigarette so I won¡¯t be lonely on the way to the underworld. Miss Zhang, since you kindly offered me a way out, I trust you won¡¯t refuse me."


    Zhang Xueli hesitated for a moment, remembered the face of someone, and nodded to someone beside her. Soon, a man in a suit stepped forward with a cigarette and a lighter, ready to light it for him.


    However, Ling Chen did not let him help, but took the lighter himself and took a satisfied puff, exhaling a plume of smoke.


    "Now I can go on myst journey in peace," Zhang Xueli said coldly, watching his content expression.


    Ling Chen flicked the ash from his cigarette and cheerfully replied: "Thank you, Miss Zhang, but...I¡¯ve thought about it, and I still find it better to live. Look how young I am, it would be such a pity to die now, wouldn¡¯t it?"


    "I think you talk too much, just kill him!"


    However, at the moment everyone was about to pull the trigger, Ling Chen suddenly leaped up, grabbed the tailgate of the truck, and jumped into the cargo box.


    Zhang Xueli¡¯s face was cold as she spat out through clenched teeth: "Still struggling even when death is imminent, drag him out."


    Several men in suits, without a word, immediately rushed towards the truck¡¯s cargo box.


    At that moment, within the spacious cargo box, Ling Chen looked around at the barrels and broke into a grin.


    His nose was indeed sharp; when outside the truck, he had smelled something familiar inside the cargo box ¨C the scent of gunpowder. All those barrels contained gunpowder.


    This factory manufactured weapons illegally, and both bombs and bullets needed the finished gunpowder.


    Hearing footsteps approaching the cargo box, Ling Chen didn¡¯t dy, quickly twisted open a barrel, and dragged it to the tail of the cargo box, pouring out the gunpowder.


    Following that, he mped the cigarette in his mouth, looking at the startled crowd, and smirked: "Gentlemen, you best not make any sudden moves. I get nervous easily, and if I get startled and throw the cigarette into the gunpowder, everyone here will suffer."


    Hearing this, the crowd collectively took steps back.


    Zhang Xueli stood her ground, motionless, and said coldly, "I¡¯m afraid you don¡¯t have the guts."


    "Is that so?" Ling Chen¡¯s eyes slightly narrowed, and a cruel smile curled the corners of his mouth, "Miss Zhang, you seem not to know me well. I am indeed very vengeful. I¡¯ve said before, you killed my brother, I must make you pay with blood. Now, it¡¯s time."


    As his words fell, he flicked his fingers, sending the cigarette butt in his hand directly onto the gunpowder on the ground.


    Seeing his action, Zhang Xueli¡¯s pupils shrank, and her face turned pale instantly. Gone was herposure as she quickly turned and fled.


    Without need for a reminder from Zhang Xueli, everyone else, wishing they had more legs given by their parents, had already scattered in all directions.


    As the cigarette buttnded on the gunpowder, a fierce me immediately burst forth. Following this, the me quickly spread along the cargo bed of the truck, swallowing the entire truck in an instant.


    At this moment, Ling Chen was running swiftly, already far from danger.


    Boom!


    With a thunderous explosion, the underground parking lot burst into mes, the ferocious fire voraciously sweeping around.


    Feeling the heat wave behind him, Ling Chen felt a force hit his back harshly, sending him flying and crashing heavily against a sedan, shattering its windows.


    Ignoring the pain in his body, he quickly stood up, nced at the sedan beside him, opened the door, and sat in the driver¡¯s seat.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    A series of explosions resounded, turning the underground parking lot almost into a sea of fire. Under the impact of the explosions, columns in the parking lot broke one after another. With the columns gone, the crossbeams above began to copse, and the whole factory was on the brink of copse.


    In this critical moment, Ling Chen remained calm, seemingly oblivious to the approaching mes, and continued to try starting the car with two wires.


    Wooh... Wooh wooh wooh...


    As the engine roared to life, Ling Chen, without a second word, shifted gears and pressed hard on the elerator. Instantly, the car shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.


    At this moment, the top of the parking lot was covered in cracks, with huge stones constantly falling down.


    Ling Chen was alert in all directions, watching the movements around him, dodging falling stones from above while driving towards the exit of the parking lot.


    Then, at the exit of the parking lot, the crossbeam on top was half copsed, threatening to fall at any moment and block the exit.


    Thirty meters...twenty meters...


    As the exit was close at hand, the crossbeam above thunderously fell. Seeing this, Ling Chen did not look away, kept his focus straight ahead, and did not reduce his speed at all. Instead, he floored the elerator.


    As the vehicle sped up sharply, just as the crossbeam was descending, the top of the sedan barely brushed past it, bursting out of the parking lot.


    "That was close!"


    Ling Chen took a deep breath, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and silently felt fortunate.


    Being able to escape from such a perilous situation, it seemed that his life was not meant to end yet. As he pondered, he turned to look behind, only to see the factorypletely copsed, engulfed by roaring mes.


    The fire zed up to the sky, with explosions asionally sounding from the rubble, sparks flying, resembling splendid fireworks, adorning the ink-like night sky.

 Chapter 206 - 202: Entering Danger Again

    <h4>Chapter 206: Chapter 202: Entering Danger Again</h4><h4></h4>


    Driving out of the factory, fire trucks and police cars whizzed by the roadside, swiftly rushing to the scene of the explosion.


    Ling Chen secretly breathed a sigh of relief, reaching towards his waist. Instantly, he furrowed his brows, feeling the warmth in his palms. Raising his hand, he saw it was covered with fresh blood.


    He gently lifted the corner of his coat, where a rusty piece of rebar was lodged in his waist. During the explosion, this broken rebar from a beam, propelled by the st wave, had impaled him.


    Previously, he had been too focused on escaping to notice the pain. But now that he rxed, excruciating pain surged through him, making him grit his teeth.


    There was nothing in the car to stop the bleeding, and he dared not pull out the rebar. Enduring the pain, he barely managed to drive the car towards the rendezvous point. However, just as the car started moving, the rear end suddenly suffered a fierce collision, almost smashing his forehead against the steering wheel.


    Through the rear-view mirror, he saw several Chevrolet SUVs closely following his car. With the streetlights illuminating the road, he clearly saw Zhang Xueli sitting in the passenger seat of one of the Chevrolets.


    "Damn it, this woman really won¡¯t give up," he cursed under his breath, hastening his speed to distance himself from them.


    "Catch up, don¡¯t let him escape."


    In the Chevrolet, Zhang Xueli clenched her teeth, her eyes filled with raging fury and hatred, wishing she could capture Ling Chen immediately and take his life.


    As the person in charge of this secret base, she had let it be destroyed, a dereliction of her duty. She knew the higher-ups would me her. Thinking of the organization¡¯s punitive measures, she couldn¡¯t help but shudder. Her hatred for Ling Chen intensified even more.


    All the way, Ling Chen dared not rx, pushing the car to its limits, speeding through red lights and causing several idents. The three Chevrolet SUVs closely pursued, relentlessly tailing him.


    Nicosia City wasn¡¯t veryrge, but also not too small. After about ten minutes, Ling Chen drove onto a seaside elevated bridge. Through the window, the turbulent sea was visible on the left.


    Beneath the darkness, the ocean seemed to wear a mysterious veil, creating a sense of eeriness and unease.


    After driving a few kilometers, Ling Chen saw the congested traffic ahead and his face changed instantly. It seemed his luck had run out; he encountered a dead end. Shifting into reverse, he attempted to back up, but the three Chevrolets had already caught up, blocking his way.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen pushed open the car door, nning to make his way on foot through the traffic. However, before he could get out, the Chevrolets behind him surged forward, mming hard into the rear of his car.


    Propelled by the impact, Ling Chen¡¯s body shook violently, his head knocking against several spots painfully, especially worsening his waist injury, from which blood continuously poured out, quickly staining the driver¡¯s seat red.


    Before Ling Chen could react, his car was hit violently again. Aside from the Chevy behind, the other two Chevrolets struck from both sides, severely deforming the car body, making it impossible to open the doors normally.


    Seeing those men in suits rushing out of their cars, Ling Chen didn¡¯t waste any moment, kicked hard against the windshield, and then climbed out through the front window.


    Taking the opportunity before the pursuers caught up, he clutched his wound, stepping on the vehicles in front to move quickly. His actions immediately drew the ire of many drivers who got out of their cars and began yelling at Ling Chen.


    In this critical life-threatening moment, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t care less, running desperately to shake off the pursuers.


    However, the suited men behind continued their relentless pursuit, not giving up at all. With the strenuous running, Ling Chen¡¯s waist wound worsened, bleeding profusely.


    Feeling his body weaken, Ling Chen was well aware that if he didn¡¯t get medical treatment soon, he would eventually die from excessive blood loss.


    "Stop!"


    Hearing the sounds gradually closing in from behind, Ling Chen gasped for air and looked back; those men in suits were less than twenty meters away from him. With his current condition, his legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead, moving painfully, and it was only a matter of time before he would be caught.


    At that moment, he clenched his teeth and quickly walked to the edge of the overpass, observing the ocean surface thirty meters below. Without any hesitation, he leaped straight down.


    Ssh!


    Apanied by a ssh, Ling Chen dove into the water and quickly moved along with the waves.


    A group of men in suits rushed to the railing of the overpass, peering out to try and locate Ling Chen. However, the ocean surface was pitch ck and, without light, nothing could be seen clearly.


    As time ticked by, Ling Chen was soaked in the ocean waters for over half an hour, letting the waves push his body along. Now, he truly had no strength left to move his arms.


    Not long after, he saw a bright light not far away, surrounded by dozens of yachts.


    It was the dock!


    His eyes lit up, and he immediately gathered his spirits and swam with all his might towards it. Nheless, hampered by the resistance of the waves, he was pushed back every time he swam out more than ten meters, repetitively. The dock that seemed so close appeared impossibly distant.


    Driven by a strong will to survive, Ling Chen did not give up and pushed himself to the limit.


    Finally, fortune favored the determined; by sheer willpower, he sessfully reached the shore.


    Crawling onto the dock, he copsed on the ground, breathing heavily and his face pale.


    Lifting up his shirt, he looked at the wound on his waist and gave a wry smile. Soaked in the ocean for so long, along with the salt content in the sea, the wound had worsened significantly; even a gentle touch caused a piercing pain.


    Laying on the ground for a while, Ling Chen felt his head heavy and his consciousness blurring, his body seemed to lose strength, and he didn¡¯t want to move but just wished to sleep.


    No!


    He gritted his teeth secretly; he absolutely couldn¡¯t sleep at this time. If he did, he might never wake up again.


    Taking a deep breath, he propped himself up with his hands, struggling with all his might to stand up and started staggering forwards.


    Not far out, he suddenly saw on a white yacht parked next to the dock, two tall women.


    Was it them?


    His heart leaped with joy, his strong desire to survive drove him, and he rushed towards them quickly.


    "Hey..."


    Waving his arms, he shouted with all his strength, hoping to catch their attention.


    However, just as he almost reached the yacht, his body could no longer hold on, his legs gave out, and he copsed on the ground, falling unconscious. (I¡¯m injured, forgive thete update.)

 Chapter 207 - 203: Life and Death Unknown

    <h4>Chapter 207: Chapter 203: Life and Death Unknown</h4><h4></h4>


    In the blink of an eye, two days passed.


    In front of the ruins of the factory destroyed by the explosion, Pang Jiulin, Tang Yuan, Yang Tao, Lao Bei, and Xiong stood silently, watching as the firefighters conducted a search and transfer bodies buried under the rubble.


    Due to the explosion, the bodies were all charred beyond recognition, making it impossible to identify them.


    "Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s time to head back."


    After a long while, Pang Jiulin sighed softly and spoke.


    Lao Bei, Xiong, and Yang Tao simultaneously straightened up, saluted in a standard military fashion, then turned and left. Tang Yuan, however, remained rooted to the spot, motionless, staring nkly at the ruins.


    "Lone dude, it seems like you won¡¯t get to taste the vor of a woman. Don¡¯t worry, as your brother, I won¡¯t let you down. Every Qingming Festival, I will burn many more women for you to enjoy blissfully."


    As he spoke, his eyes began to redden uncontrobly, his mind flooded with memories of the times he had shared with Ling Chen.


    At that moment, arge hand was ced on his shoulder, giving it a gentle pat, consoling, "Don¡¯t be sad. We won¡¯t let his sacrifice be in vain. Sooner orter, we will find the mastermind behind this and avenge Ling Chen."


    Tang Yuan nodded solemnly and said, "After I return, I want to apply to join Lonely Wolf."


    Pang Jiulin understood his thoughts well; only by joining Lonely Wolf could he directly confront the people from God Organization.


    "No problem, I will put in a request with the General."


    ...


    Beijing, Ghost Base.


    Inside a spacious and brightly lit office, Qiao Zhen sat in a chair, with stacks of thick documents piled in front of him awaiting his review. However, at the moment, he was in no mood for any other tasks.


    He was waiting for a message.


    He raised the teacup on the desk to his lips, intending to moisten his throat, but it took a while for him to realize that the teacup was already empty.


    At that moment, the office door was pushed open, and Han Bing swiftly walked in.


    Seeing him, Qiao Zhen quickly stood up, unable to mask the anxiety in his eyes, and asked eagerly, "How is it, any news?"


    Han Bing said nothing, his head lowered, and his somber expression said it all.


    Qiao Zhen dumbly sat back in his chair, speechless for a long time. In that moment, he seemed to have aged over a decade, his agedness fully disyed, looking utterly exhausted.


    Han Bing sorrowfully said, "General..."


    "No need to say anymore." Qiao Zhen waved his hand weakly, interrupting him, "Go out, let me be alone for a while."


    "Yes. General, take good care of yourself." Han Bing sighed silently, knowing too well how many people were affected by Ling Chen¡¯s life and death, especially the General, who despite appearing strict, actually valued Ling Chen the most. If it weren¡¯t for Ling Chen¡¯s decision to retire, the General even had ns to groom him as the sessor of Ghost Base, to take over the entire organization.


    The next day.


    At the military airfield on the outskirts of Beijing, a transport ne slowlynded on the runway.


    As soon as the ne stabilized, two Hongqi sedans had already arrived. The car doors opened, and Qiao Zhen and Han Bing stepped out, standing by the cars, looking up at the aircraft door.


    Today, both were dressed in crisp military uniforms, standing tall and statuesque.


    The aircraft door opened, and Pang Jiulin was the first toe out, followed closely by Lao Bei, Tang Yuan, Yang Tao, and Xiong, the four of them carrying a coffin, their expressions somber, tinged with a trace of sadness, they marched down.


    Qiao Zhen and Han Bing quickly moved forward, standing on either side, silent, expressions solemn.


    "Salute!"


    Qiao Zhen stood to attention and saluted, watching as the coffin was ced into the vehicle.


    "General."


    Seeing Tang Yuan approaching him, Qiao Zhen asked, "What is it?"


    "I would like to request two days off to visit East Sea City."


    "What for?"


    "Ling Chen has some friends in East Sea City. I want to help take care of his affairs."


    Qiao Zhen nodded, his cloudy old eyes unable to hide his own sorrow. The deceased was gone, with not even a bone left, not even a chance to see him onest time. Ridden with regrets, he felt even more self-reproach in his heart.


    Ling Chen had already retired from the military, yet I insisted on holding onto him, wanting him to continue serving the country. Otherwise, how could he have ended up like this?


    I sighed, organized my emotions, and said, "Go ahead, try not to tell them about Ling Chen¡¯s death, just leave it as a memory."


    "I know."


    ...


    East Sea City.


    Hongyu Group.


    In the chairman¡¯s office located at the top floor of the building, Nanrong Wanqing sat in a wheelchair, dealing with the task at hand. But for some reason, she felt restless, as if something was about to happen.


    After hesitating for a moment, she picked up the internal phone and connected to the security department.


    "Zhong Wei, has Ling Chen not returned yet?"


    "No, I¡¯ve tried contacting him, but his phone is unreachable. Chairman, do you have anything you need him for?"


    "It¡¯s nothing, carry on."


    After hanging up the phone, a hint of doubt shed across Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s beautiful eyes.


    What exactly did he go to do? That day in Beijing, he said he needed to take leave for some personal matters, then he spoke some strangely enigmatic words. I don¡¯t know why, but those words sounded vaguely like a farewell.


    Thinking of this, she felt more ufortable inside, even unable to concentrate on her current work.


    Just then, Secretary Wang Lan walked in and said, "Chairman, there is someone asking to see you."


    "Who?"


    "Tang Yuan."


    "Is it him?" Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s heart stirred, and she hurriedly asked, "Is he alone?"


    "Yes."


    Hearing this, she felt disappointed for a moment, having hoped that Ling Chen was with Tang Yuan.


    "Let him in."


    Soon, Tang Yuan, dressed in a ck suit and wearing sunsses, appeared before her.


    "Chairman."


    "Mr. Tang, do you need something from me?"


    "Chairman, I am here to handle Ling Chen¡¯s resignation procedures."


    Nanrong Wanqing was shocked, a glint of surprise flickering in her eyes, confusedly asking, "He wants to resign? Why?"


    "He has more important things to attend to now, and will not return to East Sea City anymore, so... Chairman, he asked me to convey his gratitude for the care provided by the Nanrong family during his time here."


    "Noting back?" Nanrong Wanqing blinked slightly, a subtle sourness spreading in her heart, an indescribable mix of feelings.


    At this moment, she finally understood why Ling Chen said those strange words before he left.


    "Chairman, I have delivered the message, goodbye!" After speaking, Tang Yuan turned to leave.


    "Mr. Tang." Nanrong Wanqing quickly called him back.


    "Do you have any other matters, Chairman?"


    "I..." Nanrong Wanqing opened her mouth but didn¡¯t know what to say. At this moment, it seemed anything would be superfluous, "I just wanted to thank you."


    Tang Yuan gave a slight smile, "You¡¯re wee. Chairman, take good care of yourself."


    After seeing Tang Yuan off, Nanrong Wanqing sat idly in front of the window, gazing at the distant towering buildings, her thoughts surging like tides.


    Just like that, he left? Not even willing to say a final goodbye, instead asking someone else to ry it; is making a phone call really that difficult?


    She bit her lip corner, a sudden trace of resentment in her beautiful eyes.


    Never returning to East Sea City again... is there really nothing here worth your nostalgia?


    Ling Chen, you are indeed a thorough jerk.

 Chapter 208 - 204 Awakening

    <h4>Chapter 208: Chapter 204 Awakening</h4><h4></h4>


    Boyang Company.


    Zhu Hong sat in his spacious office, spinning a pen in his hand as he stared at theputer screen, lost in thought.


    At this moment, a series of ¡¯thump thump thump¡¯ sounds came from outside the door.


    "Come in."


    As the door was pushed open, a woman dressed in professional attire with an indifferent expression on her face walked in. Seeing the visitor, Zhou Hong¡¯s lips curved upwards slightly as he stood up to greet her, "Miss Zhang, hello, wee to East Sea City."


    The woman in front was pretty with a tall figure, but the imperfection was that her left ear was reced by an artificial one. If Ling Chen were here, he surely would recognize her as Zhang Xueli, the woman he had encountered in Cyprus.


    "Mr. Zhu, I presume you¡¯re already aware of my situation. Whatever you need me to do, just order away."


    "Miss Zhang, you are a guest, how could we possibly trouble you?"


    Zhang Xueli said coolly, "Mr. Zhu, there¡¯s no need for formalities between us. You are well aware of my situation. Due to my fault, the organization lost a secret base. This time, the organization sent me to assist you, hoping to redeem my mistake by helping you break into the Asian market. I hope you will give me a chance to make amends for my crime."


    "Fair enough." Zhu Hong smiled and nodded, "Miss Zhang, before we cooperate, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to confirm with you. Is Ling Chen really dead?"


    "I saw with my own eyes that he jumped into the sea from the overpass. Moreover, I found a lot of blood in his car. He must have been seriously injured before he jumped into the sea."


    "As the saying goes, ¡¯No body, no proof.¡¯ How can you be so sure of his death without finding his corpse?"


    "He was severely injured, and the tide was very strong that night. With his condition, it was impossible for him to swim to shore. Besides, I sent additional people to search overnight. We checked all along the coast and found no trace of him, nor has anyone seen him. I can say with certainty that he¡¯s been lost to the sea."


    "Good, very good!" Zhu Hong smiled and pped his hands.


    "Do you have a grudge against him?"


    "Indeed, I¡¯ve wanted him dead, but I never found the opportunity. It¡¯s no wonder I couldn¡¯t find any information about him before, turns out he was a member of the Ghosts." Speaking, Zhu Hong returned to his desk, took out a document from the drawer, and handed it to Zhang Xueli, "Miss Zhang, this is my next step n. Take a look and see if there¡¯s anything that needs to be improved."


    Zhang Xueli nced over the document, "I just arrived in East Sea City and am not very familiar with the situation here, so I can¡¯t offer much advice. However, there¡¯s a message for you from above ¨C they¡¯ve invested so much in you, it¡¯s time to make a profit for the organization."


    "I¡¯m aware of that, which is why I¡¯ve drawn up this n. All going well, starting next month, Boyang Company will earn its first pot of gold. I appreciate your ability, Miss Zhang, and since the higher-ups have sent you to assist me, I hope we can work well together. From now on, I will handle the overt matters, and for those that cannot see the light of day... I¡¯ll have to trouble Miss Zhang."


    ...


    It was unclear how much time had passed, but finally, Ling Chen awoke from hisa in a daze.


    Opening his eyes, he turned his head, and immediately, a stunningly beautiful face entered his vision.


    "Yao..." He opened his mouth and struggled to sit up, but pain shot through his waist the instant he moved, causing him to grimace.


    "Stay down, lie down," Liu Xiyao pressed his shoulders with a gentle voice, "Your injuries are severe; you need to rest more."


    Ling Chen mustered a faint smile, "Yao, thank you."


    He still remembered that night when he climbed onto the dock, he saw two tall women on a yacht. Those two women he had seen in the bar, both were Liu Xiyao¡¯s bodyguards, which is why he called them for help.


    Luckily, they found him and provided timely treatment; otherwise, it was hard to say whether he could have survived.


    "What happened to you?" Liu Xiyao asked with a slight frown and a bit of confusion, "Didn¡¯t you tell me you were on a trip with friends? Where are those friends?"


    "That... just an ident, purely idental," Ling Chen said with a forced smile.


    As soon as Liu Xiyao wanted to ask more, he quickly changed the subject, "By the way, Yao, how long have I been unconscious?"


    "Almost four days now."


    "Oh, four days... what? Four days?" Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed, and he shot up abruptly, the sharp movement causing unbearable pain to his wound, nearly making him cry out.


    "Don¡¯t move, I told you," Liu Xiyao said urgently, "Lie back down!"


    Under themanding tone of her voice, Ling Chen gave an embarrassed smile and quicklyy back down.


    He had been unconscious for four days, and that spelled big trouble. When evacuating that day, he had told Tang Yuan that if he didn¡¯t reach the rendezvous point within two days, it meant he couldn¡¯t make it back. Now, four days had passed and Tang Yuan would surely think he had perished after being out of touch.


    With this in mind, he hurriedly said, "Yao, could I borrow your phone to contact a friend of mine?"


    Liu Xiyao took out her phone from her pocket, handed it to him, then lifted the hem of her dress and stood up, "I¡¯ll get you some water."


    "Thanks."


    Saying that, Ling Chen unlocked the phone, switched to the dial screen, ready to dial Tang Yuan¡¯s number to inform him he was still alive. However, before he began to dial, his eyes were drawn to the call log in the phone.


    Could this really be a coincidence?


    While his mind raced, Liu Xiyao came back carrying a cup of tea. Seeing him lying on the bed in a daze, she asked, "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "Oh... nothing. Yao, could I trouble you to get me something to eat? I haven¡¯t eaten in days and am pretty hungry."


    "No problem, I¡¯ll have someone prepare something for you."


    As Liu Xiyao left the room, the smile on Ling Chen¡¯s face instantly vanished, and he quickly dialled a number.


    More than ten minutes passed, and Liu Xiyao walked back in through the door, carrying a steaming bowl of corn porridge and several slices of pineapple bread. However, when she entered, she discovered that the bed was empty except for a messy quilt. Ling Chen was nowhere to be seen.


    "Ling Chen?"


    She called out, but receiving no response, she hurriedly put down the corn porridge and pineapple bread, and turned to leave the room to call for help in finding Ling Chen.


    But just as she turned around, she suddenly saw the room door being shut by a hand. The hand¡¯s owner was none other than Ling Chen, and to her surprise, not only had he closed the door, but he had also locked it from inside.


    Witnessing Ling Chen staring intently at her with a piercing gaze, Liu Xiyao¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, unable to help but ask, "What are you going to do?"

 Chapter 209: The 205th Unbearable to Look Back At Past Events

    <h4>Chapter 209: The 205th Unbearable to Look Back At Past Events</h4><h4></h4>


    "Yao, I trusted you so much, yet you deceived me."


    "What are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand what you mean."


    Ling Chen said with a smile that was not quite a smile, "Would you really not know?" As he spoke, he lifted the cell phone and waved it in front of Liu Xiyao, "Others might find it hard to notice, but it¡¯s a pity you encountered me. The call log shows that four days ago, you made a phone call at seven in the evening."


    Liu Xiyao replied indifferently, "Is it strange to make a phone call? Even if I¡¯m a businessperson, it¡¯s normal for anyone to make calls."


    "True! However, the number you called was not saved with a name, and furthermore, I checked the call log: you have dialed that number twice, once was five days ago, after we met in the bar, and the other time I just mentioned, four days ago, with a call duration of one minute. Just now, I had a friend check that number for me, it¡¯s registered under the surname Zhang, and you know her given name without me needing to say it."


    At this point, Ling Chen¡¯s expression turned cold as he gave a self-mocking smile, "I always treated you as a friend, but you sold me out in secret. After we met at the bar that day, it was you who called Zhang Xueli, right?"


    Liu Xiyao looked straight into his eyes, her expression still calm, "How did youe to suspect me?"


    "Maybe I never told you that I¡¯m a very suspicious person, perhaps due to my line of work, so I approach many things with skepticism. When I saw that call log, I wondered if it was just a coincidence."


    Ling Chen exined. That day at the factory, his whereabouts were exposed and he was captured by Zhang Xueli, and confined in a room. ording to their n, the action was to start at seven in the evening. At that time, he was with Zhang Xueli in the room. He distinctly remembered that she had received a phone call, right around seven o¡¯clock. Moreover, the length of the phone call Zhang Xueli received was about a minute, which matched the one from Liu Xiyao¡¯s cell phone precisely.


    Of course, before he investigated the number, he thought all of this could be a coincidence. But after recalling his conversation with Zhang Xueli that day, he immediately became more suspicious of Liu Xiyao.


    Zhang Xueli had said that she originally wanted to let him off the hook, so she deliberately created an opportunity for him to escape. When she spoke, she mentioned someone, and it was because of that person that she decided to spare him.


    Based on his suspicions, if that person was Liu Xiyao, then everything made sense. It was on ount of these elements that he called Tang Yuan to have him check the owner of that phone number, confirming his suspicions.


    When Tang Yuan told him that the number was registered to Zhang Xueli, he couldn¡¯t believe it, even subconsciously rejected the result.


    He couldn¡¯t fathom why Liu Xiyao would have any connection with the God Organization.


    "I thought I had concealed it deeply enough not to be noticed by you, but you still found out. Those whoe from the shadows are indeed extraordinary." Liu Xiyao smiled helplessly, and took a seat by the couch, on her own ord.


    "Why?" Ling Chen was gazing at her delicate face, his fists unconsciously clenched.


    "Because everything I have now was given to me by them."


    Ling Chen frowned and asked, "Were you poisoned by someone as a premeditated n to lure me into a trap?"


    "You¡¯re overthinking it. That day at the club was my first time meeting you. I had no idea who you were, so how could I make a move against you. As for being poisoned, that was because of my personal vendetta, it has nothing to do with my background."


    Pausing for a moment, Liu Xiyao continued, "Decades ago, there was a prominent family in the south with three brothers. The eldest and the second brother were in charge of managing the family¡¯s businesses, only the youngest brother was irresponsible, enjoying flirting around. Subsequently, he cheated during his marriage, fell in love with another woman, and fathered a daughter. However, within the big family, the identity of a illegitimate daughter would never be epted, and since the youngest brother¡¯s wife came from a powerful background, he dared not offend her, much less bring the illegitimate daughter home."


    "Although they were not recognized, the mother and daughter didn¡¯t care and lived their own quiet lives. But their existence deeply angered someone. You know who that is without me saying. The youngest brother¡¯s wife was born into a distinguished family, a person of status, but she had health problems and was infertile. If the affair of the mother and daughter were to be known publicly, it would undoubtedly tarnish her reputation and make her aughingstock in high society. For someone of status, face is everything. So, she forced her husband to make the mother and daughter disappear forever."


    "The man was hesitant and reluctant to act. So, his wife decided to deal with it herself. One night, while the mother and daughter were strolling on the street, they were suddenly blocked by several men, dragged forcefully to a small grove. There, the little girl was muffled by hands and watched with her own eyes as her mother was brutally vited by a gang, struggling on the brink of death. Not only that, those beasts even thought toy hands on the little girl. But at the critical moment, someone stepped forward and saved the little girl. Unfortunately, her mother¡¯s injuries were too severe and she bled to death despite efforts to save her."


    "Since then, the little girl who lost her mother lived with the man who saved her, leaving Huaxia. However, the events of that night always lingered in her mind, haunting her with nightmares every night. One day, her rescuer asked her if she wanted revenge, and she nodded her head. From that moment, the little girl began learning the ways of the nobility, dealing with high society individuals. It wasn¡¯t until a decadeter, now a grown woman, that she was allowed by the man to return to Huaxia."


    Listening to Liu Xiyao recounting the story, Ling Chen felt deep sympathy for the little girl. He was well aware that the little girl mentioned by Liu Xiyao was none other than herself.


    Looking at Liu Xiyao¡¯s calm face, he didn¡¯t know what to say. One could imagine how much pain Liu Xiyao held inside. Yet, during the recounting, there was no fluctuation in her eyes, as if she was narrating something unrted.


    Perhaps Liu Xiyao had grown ustomed to living with hatred, which allowed her to remain soposed.


    "The man you mentioned, is he a member of the God Organization?"


    Liu Xiyao nodded lightly, "Correct. I could survive, including everything I have today, all because of him."


    "So you¡¯re willing to be an aplice, helping him harm others?"

 Chapter 210 - 206 Cooperation

    <h4>Chapter 210: Chapter 206 Cooperation</h4><h4></h4>


    "That was not my intention, I never thought of harming anyone, but when faced with kindness, how could I refuse to help without being ungrateful?"


    "But do you know that because of you, my dear brother was killed." Ling Chen sternly said, clenching his fists, struggling to control his emotions. Thinking of the gruesome death of his friend, the rage within him burst forth uncontrobly, wishing he could immediately avenge his brother.


    However, looking at Liu Xiyao in front of him, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it, torn incredibly inside.


    Even without considering their past friendship, his life was saved by Liu Xiyao, he couldn¡¯t possibly kill his lifesaver. He couldn¡¯t do something like repaying kindness with ingratitude.


    Liu Xiyao raised her head, her eyes calm like still water, not a ripple in sight, "I know what you are hesitating about. Since you already know my identity, then I might as well be clear, it was me who informed Zhang Xueli and leaked your whereabouts."


    Ling Chen frowned slightly and asked, "How did you know I was with the Ghosts?"


    "I guessed. From the first day I met you, I knew you were no ordinary person. Just by showing up in Cyprus at this time, anyone with a brain would suspect. I have a great responsibility for your friend¡¯s death, and if you want to seek revenge, you can do so anytime."


    "I don¡¯t want to repay kindness with enmity, at least not now." Ling Chen said coldly, "What is your role in the God Organization?"


    "I don¡¯t have a role."


    "How could you get Zhang Xueli to spare me if you have no role?"


    "Now that things havee to this point, I have no reason to lie to you anymore. Zhang Xueli listens to me not because of my role, but because of the person behind me."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen immediately understood and said solemnly, "That man who saved you?"


    Liu Xiyao nodded, "He is a high-ranking official in the organization, everyone knows I was raised by him personally, so they all give me some face."


    "Where is he, what¡¯s his name?"


    "Sorry, I can¡¯t say that. If it were you, I believe you wouldn¡¯t betray your benefactor either."


    "You..." Ling Chen was at a loss for words. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Alright, I won¡¯t ask about him. Since you¡¯ve been in the God Organization for so many years, then you must be quite familiar with it."


    "Do you want me to help you deal with the God Organization?"


    "Exactly, this is what you owe me."


    Liu Xiyao hesitated for a moment and said, "I indeed know some things, but they won¡¯t be of much help to you. Ling Chen, the power of the God Organization is far beyond your imagination, you will never know how deep this pond really is. I once heard that man mention the Ghosts; he said that the original God Organization was destroyed by the Ghosts. But they have learned their lesson. For decades, the God Organization has never disappeared, always operating in the shadows, secretly expanding their forces. You can¡¯t imagine how vast thework of the God Organization is. Over the years, the God Organization has infiltrated every country, reaching across military, government, and business sectors. If they want, they could overthrow a country¡¯s government overnight."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen was somewhat surprised. He knew the God Organization was strong, but he hadn¡¯t expected it to be this powerful.


    "If you know about the original God Organization, then I can tell you that the current organization is several times, even tens of times, more powerful than before. Over the years, I¡¯ve followed that man, and what I¡¯ve seen is just the tip of the iceberg of the God Organization. Not to mention you, even the entire Ghosts wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the God Organization."


    "The Ghosts have state backing, will they be afraid of them? Besides, the enemies of the God Organization should not be just us. As long as we unite, we will sooner orter destroy it."


    "That¡¯s just what you think, only if you really understand the God Organization will you know how terrifying it is."


    Ling Chen was somewhat unconvinced, in his view, no organization couldpete with a nation.


    "What is the God Organization¡¯s n?"


    "I don¡¯t know, they are involved in a wide range of industries, almost every field. However, their biggest industry is drug production, that¡¯s their main source of ie."


    "Is Boyang Pharmaceutical Company a property of the God Organization?"


    "Yes." Liu Xiyao nodded slightly, "In addition to Boyang Company, many other pharmaceuticalpanies are secretly controlled by the God Organization, they almost control forty percent of the world¡¯s drug production, making huge profits. With such substantial financial support, the development of the God Organization has been very rapid."


    "What is your task within the organization?"


    "To make as many connections with high society as possible, enter their circles and then provide information about these people to the higher-ups."


    "What about Zhu Hong?" Ling Chen asked, "If I¡¯m not mistaken, Zhu Hong should be from the same organization as you."


    "Zhu Hong... you better not provoke him, otherwise you will only get burned."


    "Why?" Ling Chen was surprised, he had shed with Zhu Hong more than once and to be honest, he didn¡¯t consider Zhu Hong a significant threat.


    "Zhu Hong is not simple, don¡¯t be fooled by his appearance. As for his special skills, I¡¯m not very sure, I never interacted with him, just heard about him asionally. Zhu Hong, being so young, has stood out from manypetitors and was entrusted with important tasks by the organization, do you think such a person could be simple?"


    Ling Chen nodded privately, the point indeed had some truth.


    After pondering for a while, he looked at Liu Xiyao and said, "I won¡¯t kill you for now, but that doesn¡¯t mean I forgive you. I hope you can cooperate with me, and help me deal with the God Organization."


    "Okay!" Liu Xiyao agreed without hesitation, "The man is the one I am indebted to, not the God Organization, but I have a condition. I help you deal with the God Organization, and you help me deal with my enemies."


    Ling Chen said puzzledly, "With such a powerful backing behind you, do you still need my help?"


    "It¡¯s a personal grudge, they won¡¯t waste energy on such matters. Over the years, I have been looking for an opportunity for revenge. Beforeing back to the country, I thought I had enough capability to retaliate against them, but these years, not only have I made progress, but they have also developed and be even stronger than before; I must seek help."


    "Alright, it¡¯s a deal!"


    Saying this, Ling Chen picked up his phone, walked aside, dialed a number, and put it to his ear.


    "What are you doing?"


    "Of course, calling back home."


    Liu Xiyao indifferently advised, "I suggest you don¡¯t let too many people know you¡¯re still alive."


    "Why?"


    "Zhang Xueli thought you were dead and has already reported it to the higher-ups. Moreover, ording to the information I received, Zhang Xueli has already headed to East Sea City. If you want to deal with the God Organization, it¡¯s better to operate in the shadows, turning passive into active."


    Ling Chen thought about it and nodded, "I understand."

 Chapter 211 - 207: Return

    <h4>Chapter 211: Chapter 207: Return</h4><h4></h4>


    Two dayster, at East Sea International Airport.


    A handsome young man wearing sunsses walked out of the airport, nced around on the roadside, then took out his phone to make a call. Minutester, a Santana slowly drove up and stopped at the curb.


    After getting in the car, the young man took off his sunsses andined to the chubby driver, "With all your money, can¡¯t you afford a better car?"


    The chubby man chuckled, "It¡¯s more low-key this way."


    "Is everything arranged?"


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got it handled." The chubby man started the car and merged into traffic, asking with interest, "Ling Chen, sneaking back to East Sea City this time, did you do something shady?"


    "Cut it out." Ling Chen retorted mercilessly: "Looking like you is what¡¯s truly shady."


    "Hey, what¡¯s wrong with being fat? Did I eat your food? Spend your money? It¡¯s none of your business. Fat people have a sense of security, unlike you, thin as a rail. Let me tell you, women nowadays like men with a bit of flesh, this is the ideal figure," Hu Fei said, clearly annoyed.


    "Alright, alright, I won¡¯t argue with you, just take me to where I¡¯m staying."


    Soon, the car arrived at a in residentialplex. The buildings in theplex were old and about to be demolished, with most of the residents already moved out, leaving only a dozen households.


    Entering a dpidated room, Hu Fei tossed the keys to Ling Chen, "This ce is very quiet, no one will bother you. Also, the location is excellent, it meets your requirements."


    Ling Chen went to the window, pulled back the dusty curtains, and looked outside theplex, nodding, "Not bad, it¡¯s a good spot."


    "Right, and I¡¯ve got all the stuff you wanted here." Saying that, Hu Fei dragged out arge leather suitcase from under the bed, ced it on the table, and opened it. Instantly, an entire set of brand-new equipment was revealed.


    "Listening devices, mini-cams, signal trackers,ptop, I¡¯ve got it all for you."


    Ling Chen checked everything and gave a thumbs-up, "You have wide connections. Keep these expenses on my tab for now, I¡¯ll pay you back when I have money."


    "I¡¯m not counting on you being able to pay me now. Just remember to pay me back with interest next time." After speaking, Hu Fei seemed to remember something and took out a USB drive from his pocket, "Here¡¯s the information you wanted."


    "Thanks!"


    "No need to be polite, everything is chargeable. Call me anytime you need something else, I¡¯ll get it sorted out for you."


    "Sure, will contact youter."


    During the conversation, Hu Fei¡¯s phone started to ring suddenly. He took it out, nced at the caller ID, and his expression changed instantly. Noticing his expression, Ling Chen put down what he was working on and stepped forward, "What¡¯s up?"


    Hu Fei gestured for him to stay quiet, then answered the call.


    He didn¡¯t say a word the whole time, just listened intently. Two minutester, he hung up, his round face looking a bit unpleasant, his small eyes slightly squinting as if contemting something.


    "Whose call was it?"


    "Secret Society."


    "Secret Society?" Ling Chen was taken aback, "What do they want from you?"


    Hu Fei said with a bitter smile, "They want me to cooperate with Secret Society¡¯s investigation. Snake King thinks I betrayed him and broke the rules of the trade, so heined about me to the Secret Society. As you know, the Secret Society won¡¯t tolerate any troublemaker. Anyone who breaks the rules can¡¯t escape their punishment."


    "So, what¡¯s your n?"


    "What else can I do but cooperate with them as best as I can." Hu Fei seemed resigned, "The Secret Society, if they want to investigate you, you can¡¯t hide even at the ends of the earth. Besides, I didn¡¯t break any rules. When I shared Snake King¡¯s info with you, it was an exchange for intelligence; I didn¡¯t reveal his whereabouts voluntarily. As long as the Secret Society is reasonable, they shouldn¡¯t punish me."


    Ling Chen nodded and cautioned, "Take care of yourself. If the Secret Society means harm to you, remember to notify me. You¡¯ve helped me a lot, I won¡¯t sit idly by."


    "Understood." After saying this, Hu Fei hesitated briefly, then took off his electronic watch from his wrist, "Take this, make sure to wear it at all times."


    "What¡¯s this gizmo good for?"


    "Figure it out on your own, the instructions are on it. I have other matters to attend to, I need to leave."


    After seeing off Hu Fei, Ling Chen closed the door, sat in the living room, took out all the equipment from the suitcase, and started testing each one. He then opened theptop, plugged in the USB drive, and opened a folder. Inside the folder, there were over a dozen pictures, all of architectural blueprints.


    After studying for a while, Ling Chen rubbed his temples andy down on the sofa, lifting the hem of his shirt to check the bandaged wound. After several days of recovery, the wound was healing, new flesh had grown, but his current physical condition still wouldn¡¯t allow for strenuous activity.


    His goal for returning to East Sea City was clear: to destroy all the God Organization¡¯s strongholds in Huaxia. ording to Liu Xiyao, the God Organization had over twenty secret bases in the country, and the one they had destroyedst time was just one of them.


    Moreover, he received important information that the person in charge of operating these secret bases was none other than Zhu Hong. Based on this intelligence, he nned to start from Zhu Hong, follow the trail and destroy all the secret bases, weakening God Organization¡¯s influence in the country.


    This n had received the approval of General. From now on, he would hide in the shadows, act secretly, and try to collect more intelligence about the God Organization.


    After finishing the preparations, it was already evening, and Ling Chen left theplex alone, taking a taxi to Qingyun Martial Arts Hall.


    Currently, the only people in East Sea City who knew he was still alive were Hu Fei and He Ziyun. He came to see He Ziyun this time to retrieve some belongings, and also to seek his counsel on another matter.


    Knock, knock, knock!


    After a sequence of knocks, the door of Qingyun Martial Arts Hall was opened, and Little Hua peeked out from inside, her big eyes gazing at Ling Chen, and her round little face immediately filled with a smile.


    "Big Brother!"


    She called out affectionately, throwing her arms open and hugging his arm.


    "Little girl," Ling Chen said with a smile as he petted her head, "Is Mr. He around?"


    "Master¡¯s inside."


    "Let¡¯s go, I have something to consult with Mr. He."


    "Big Brother." Little Hua quickly grabbed his hand, "Wait before going in, you haven¡¯t told me yet."


    Ling Chen is full of doubt: "Told you what?"


    Puffing her lips, Little Hua said, "You haven¡¯t told me how your date with Xiaozhu wentst time. I asked Xiaozhu, but she wouldn¡¯t reveal anything. Big Brother, I kindly helped to set you two up, you¡¯ve got to let me know the oue."

 Chapter 212 - 208: Legacy

    <h4>Chapter 212: Chapter 208: Legacy</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen smiled bitterly in his heart, unsure of how to respond. Recently, he had deliberately avoided thinking too much about Zhu Xiaozhu. Although he admitted that there was mutual affection between him and Zhu Xiaozhu, there was Zhu Hong standing between them. Zhu Hong¡¯s presence was like an insurmountable barrier. As long as this barrier was not removed, there would never be any hope for them.


    Moreover, he was well aware that, given Zhu Hong¡¯s status, it was impossible for him and Zhu Hong to reconcile. In this silent battle, it was either Zhu Hong¡¯s demise or his own, with no other options avable. Once Zhu Hong was killed, he could foresee that even if Zhu Xiaozhu forgave him, they would no longer associate with each other.


    On one hand, there were national affairs; on the other, romantic feelings. As an elite trained by the Ghost, he had already made his choice and decision. Zhu Hong must die!


    Therefore, he intentionally avoided thinking about Zhu Xiaozhu, trying to extricate himself from her life. This was the best oue for both him and Zhu Xiaozhu.


    Seeing him not speaking, Little Hua, growing impatient, asked, "Big brother, what¡¯s wrong? Did you and sister Xiaozhu have a falling out?"


    "Alright, kids shouldn¡¯t ask about adult matters." After saying that, Ling Chen quickened his pace and headed straight to the main hall of the Martial Arts Academy.


    Little Hua stamped her foot, snorted, and muttered to herself with a pouting face full of displeasure, "Who¡¯s a child? You should be calling me sister."


    Entering the main hall, he saw He Ziyun sitting leisurely in front of an exquisite tea tray, brewing kung fu tea.


    "Mr. He."


    "You¡¯ve arrived at the perfect time, try my tea-making skills." He Ziyun smiled warmly and handed him a cup of brightly colored, richly fragrant tea.


    Ling Chen took the tea cup and drank it all in one gulp, nodding in approval, "Not bad."


    He Ziyun shook his head, "Thatment is as good as none. This is a premium Da Hong Pao that Xiaozhu gifted me. I usually don¡¯t even bring myself to drink it."


    Ling Chen touched his nose and smiled sheepishly, "Mr. He, I¡¯m ayman and a rough one at that, I can¡¯t get into such elegant interests."


    "Alright, enough about tea. Here¡¯s something Qiao Zhen sent over." He Ziyun took a paper box from under the tea table and ced it beside him.


    Ling Chen quickly unwrapped it. Inside the box was a cell phone. His previous phone, given by Han Bing, had broken, so a recement was sent to him. This type of phone was custom-made, not avable on the market. Moreover, all the data from the old phone, including contacts and call logs, had been synced to this new device.


    After unlocking it, Ling Chen saw several missed calls¡ªall from Tang Shiyun. He had promised to attend her concertst time but bailed at thest minute; surely Tang Shiyun wasn¡¯t happy. He should call her back when he had time to cheer her up and apologize.


    After storing the phone safely, Ling Chen turned his attention back to more serious matters, asking, "Mr. He, do you know about the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    "Any true martial artist knows the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. What about it?" After a moment, as if remembering something, He Ziyun suddenly chuckled, "See, my memory fails me. I almost forgot, you are now ranked tenth on the Tiger List."


    "Mr. He, how much do you know about the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    "Many people know OF the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, but not many truly UNDERSTAND it."


    "Is the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion that mysterious?" Ling Chen was somewhat surprised.


    He Ziyun smiled, "It¡¯s beyond mysterious. You must know about the Secret Society, another mysterious organization dedicated to gathering intelligence. Their intelligence capabilities are undeniable. But the Secret Society, despite over a decade of efforts, has failed to unearth any substantial information about the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. That shows how deep the Pavilion is hidden. Of course, I do have some understanding of it which I wouldn¡¯t mind sharing if you¡¯re interested."


    Ling Chen nodded, then leaned forward attentively.


    "You should be familiar with the Heaven and Earth Dragon and Tiger Four Rankings. It is rumored that the mysterious Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is a master from the Heavenly List. Only those on the Heavenly List are invited to join the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. The Pavilion¡¯s external mission is to revive and pass on Huaxia martial arts, nurturing more talents. In this era of technology, wars depend on the strength of military equipment, making individual prowess secondary. Moreover, today¡¯s youth are too restless, few willing to calm their minds to learn martial arts or endure the hardships associated with it, resulting in gaps in the transmission of Huaxia martial arts, leading to many martial arts styles created by predecessors bing lost."


    "For hundreds of years, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has dedicated itself to the development of martial arts. They¡¯ve collected secret manuals from various schools and sects,piled them, and then looked for suitable candidates to train and teach martial arts to. Once these individuals grow, they establish their own schools and continue the transmission of martial arts. The martial artsmunity today owes much of its resurgence to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Therefore, in the eyes of martial artists, the Pavilion is revered as the authority in the martial arts world."


    "When I first established the Ghost, I thought of coborating with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Since the Ghost focuses on individual strength, it was impossible to cultivate a group of experts quickly, so I wanted to borrow some experts through coboration with the Pavilion. However, the Pavilion Master inherited the character of ancient martial artists from the Martial Arts World and absolutely refused to get involved in national affairs."


    Ling Chen smiled slightly, finding it interesting, "That Pavilion Master sounds like an intriguing person."


    "Not only intriguing but also very young."


    "Young?" Ling Chen was taken aback, "Mr. He, didn¡¯t you just say that the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is a master on the Heavenly List?"


    "Being on the Heavenly List doesn¡¯t mean they are all old. That Pavilion Master is an exception."


    Ling Chen nodded appreciatively, "Mr. He, how do you know the Pavilion Master is not old? Did someone tell you?"


    He Ziyun shook his head, "I once had the chance to chat with the Pavilion Master. You might not be familiar with the rules of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, but every high-ranking individual on the Earthly List gets one chance to have a long conversation with the Pavilion Master¡ªany question can be asked, and the Pavilion Master will answer them. However, it¡¯s just a conversation, you won¡¯t see them. During our talk, there was a curtain separating us, and I could only see a vague silhouette."


    "Didn¡¯t you feel the urge to pull the curtain open and see for yourself?"


    "Of course," He Ziyunughed, "Everyone is curious, I¡¯m no exception. But as much as I wanted, I didn¡¯t dare to break the rules. Besides, there¡¯s a cautionary tale in ce, who would dare to breach such code? I heard that a previous high-ranking individual on the Earthly List couldn¡¯t contain his curiosity and pulled open the curtain. He was never seen again."

 Chapter 213 - 209: Secret Manual

    <h4>Chapter 213: Chapter 209: Secret Manual</h4><h4></h4>


    "Only a master from the Heavenly List has the chance to meet the Pavilion Master; others shouldn¡¯t even dream about it."


    He Ziyun¡¯s words provided Ling Chen with a preliminary understanding of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. What surprised him even more was that He Ziyun was a master on the Earthly List. Those who make it onto the Tiger List are already among the top martial artists, and the Dragon List is even more prestigious. As for the Heavenly and Earthly Lists, they transcend the limits of martial arts, reaching another level.


    At first, he was eager to spar with He Ziyun, but now he realized that He Ziyun¡¯s refusal was the right decision. The gap in their strengths was too great. Trying to fight him would not be a sparring match, but a beating.


    "Ling Chen, if you get a chance, you might try climbing higher."


    Confused by this remark, Ling Chen asked, "Mr. He, what do you mean by that?"


    "You are currently ranked tenth on the Tiger List, but with your overall strength, you should be able to reach the sixth or seventh position. I know you are indifferent to fame and fortune and are not interested in the Heaven and Earth Dragon and Tiger Four Rankings, but I want to tell you that this is an opportunity to improve yourself. Most importantly, if you can enter the Earthly List and have a discussion with the Pavilion Master, it will definitely be immensely beneficial to you. The Pavilion Master¡¯s words were of great help to me."


    "Mr. He, I won¡¯t hide it from you, I came to you this time for this very reason," Ling Chen dered earnestly. "I want to enhance my strength."


    During this period, having fought twice with the Enhanced People from the God Organization, he deeply felt his own inadequacies. These Enhanced People were no longer ordinary people, and with his current strength, he couldn¡¯t gain the upper hand. Moreover, the ones he faced were only the lower-level Enhanced People; facing more powerful ones would probably leave him helpless.


    The future battles with the God Organization would undoubtedly be prolonged, and to handle more dangers, he had to be stronger. He Ziyun had told him that while his external skills had reached their peak, his Internal Strength was just at the beginning stage. Only a master of Inner Strength could be a true master. Therefore, his visit to He Ziyun this time was to seek guidance on cultivating Inner Strength.


    He Ziyun smiled and said, "I already guessed you woulde to me; I have prepared something for you." Saying this, he stood up and walked into the rear hall.


    Soon, he returned, cing a set of beautifully bound handwritten manuals in front of Ling Chen.


    "These are all secret manuals for cultivating Inner Strength, including Shaolin¡¯s Yijinjing, Wudang Sect¡¯s Pure Yang Wuji Technique, Southern Fist Skills, and more..." He Ziyun recounted like listing treasures.


    "Mr. He," Ling Chen interrupted him, "I¡¯m not really interested in these Inner Cultivation Methods."


    He Ziyun looked surprised. "Then what do you want to learn? These are all top-level Internal Cultivation Methods from various schools; do you find them not worthy?"


    "That¡¯s not it. I once told you, I obtained a secret manual by chance, and my martial arts, including Internal Cultivation Methods, are mostly learned from it. However, the Internal Cultivation Methods in it are obscure and hard to understand, so I wanted to consult you for some guidance," exined Ling Chen.


    "In the world of martial arts, there¡¯s a saying ¡¯understanding one opens the way to understanding all.¡¯ With a bit of guidance, you can quickly break through the bottleneck. If you don¡¯t mind, it would be best to tell me about those Internal Cultivation Methods so I can study them first."


    "No problem. Mr. He, could you prepare some paper and pen? I¡¯ll write it down for you."


    Soon, Ling Chen had meticulously written down the Internal Cultivation Method, without missing a single word, and handed it to He Ziyun.


    He had studied this Internal Cultivation Method hundreds of times and knew it by heart. Now, as He Ziyun received the content and nced through it, his eyes were immediately captivated, and a gleam of excitement shed through his aged eyes.


    "Mr. He, how is it? Does this Internal Cultivation Method seem decent?" Ling Chen asked for advice.


    He Ziyun let out a bitter smile, "I finally understand why you looked down on the secret manuals I collected. Although I don¡¯t know who created this Internal Cultivation Method, I can affirm that it¡¯s no ordinary method. Honestly, not only do you find it hard to understand, but I¡¯ll also need some time to get it clear and need to study it thoroughly. How about this; you go back, ande again in a week."


    "Alright, then I won¡¯t disturb your rest," said Ling Chen, turning to leave. However, as he reached the door, he turned back, "Mr. He, when will Xiaozhu return?"


    "She mentioned that she has lots of work in Beijing and probably won¡¯t return to East Sea City for ten to fifteen days. Why, did you need her for something?"


    "No, just asking."


    Leaving Qingyun Martial Arts Academy, Ling Chen headed straight back to the residential area.


    After sleeping for a few hours and waiting until midnight, he opened his eyes, grabbed his pre-prepared backpack, and confidently walked out of the room.


    Although it was midnight, the streets were still brightly lit, and many food stalls were filled with people. Ling Chen approached the roadside, hailed a cab, and provided an address.


    In less than half an hour, he arrived at his destination.


    Looking at the high-rise building in front of him, Ling Chen scrutinized it for a moment. The main entrance was tightly closed, only the security room was lit, and several security personnel were walking around the building, patrolling.


    Tightening the backpack on his back, Ling Chen bypassed the security guards and reached the back of the building. The building had thirty-five floors, all covered with thick ss.


    Taking advantage of the moment when no security personnel were in sight, Ling Chen quickly took out two suction devices from his backpack and firmly attached them to the ss. Then, using the two suction devices alternately, he slowly started to climb upwards.


    Since his wound had not yet fully healed, he didn¡¯t dare to exert too much force, moving very slowly.


    After about fifteen minutes, he finally reached the eleventh floor. Taking a few breaths, he secured the two suction devices and wrapped a rope around himself, hanging mid-air. Then, he took out a sharp ss cutter from his backpack and gently slid it along the edge of the ss.


    In a short while, the whole piece of ss came loose. Before cutting, he had taken safety measures, sticking the ss with a suction device to prevent it from falling.


    After packing up his tools, he untied the rope from his body and smoothly entered the building¡¯s interior.


    Equipping his night-vision goggles, he walked and looked around, searching for his target. Soon, a tightly closedpany door appeared in his line of sight.


    "Boyang Biological Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd... This is the ce."


    He nodded to himself, then quickly walked up to the door, took out his lock-picking tools, ready to open the door.


    However, before he could start, he heard a ¡¯click,¡¯ and the door unexpectedly opened on its own.


    At the same time, Ling Chen saw a woman walking out from inside, and he was instantly stunned.

 Chapter 214 - 210: The Identity of the Snake King

    <h4>Chapter 214: Chapter 210: The Identity of the Snake King</h4><h4></h4>


    Their eyes met, and Ling Chen pointed at the other party with a hand, his face full of surprise, "Why is it you?"


    The woman before him was none other than Kaelina, the Blood Spider, whom he had met some time ago.


    Recognizing Ling Chen, Kaelina immediately withdrew the half-drawn dagger and her expression rxed slightly. She brushed her golden bangs that fell in front of her forehead, her manner exuding a sensual charm, her enticing red lips curling up slightly.


    "I didn¡¯t expect to run into you here either."


    Watching Kaelina, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but swallow. Tonight, Kaelina was d in a tight-fitting ck outfit that entuated her curvaceous figure, her rounded hips and full chest paired with a slender waist like a willow, the standard S-curve silhouette. Coupled with her alluring face, she was a deadly temptress, capable of igniting the mes of desire in a man at a single nce, awakening the most primal urges.


    "What are you doing here?" Ling Chen shifted his gaze away from her ample bosom and asked.


    "Mr. Ling, I think my purpose is probably simr to yours," Kaelina replied, ncing at the backpack behind him, "Come on, I¡¯ll take you inside for a tour of Zhu Hong¡¯s office."


    Seeing Kaelina turn to leave, Ling Chen quickly followed her pace and entered a spacious office.


    Kaelina went straight to the bar on the south wall of the office, opened a bottle of whiskey, poured herself a drink, and then gestured for Ling Chen to join her with a ¡¯please¡¯ motion.


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t waste words. He put down his backpack and began installing several eavesdropping devices in various hidden ces around the office. After he was done with that task, he started searching around the office.


    "Mr. Ling," Kaelina called him, stretching out her hand to point at a bookshelf ced along the north wall.


    Ling Chen immediately understood and quickly approached the bookshelf. In no time, he found the anti-eavesdropping device installed inside. Zhu Hong was a cautious man; it was improbable that he had left himself unprotected. To keep the listening devices undetected, they had to disable the anti-eavesdropping devices.


    It took about five minutes before Ling Chen finally reconfigured the anti-eavesdropping device¡¯s circuitry, making it inoperative while still appearing to function normally to avoid suspicion.


    "Done with your work?"


    Ling Chen nodded, nced at Kaelina leaning against the bar, and offered with a slight smile, "Care to share a drink?"


    "OK! I was just looking for someone to chat with."


    Leaving the office building, Ling Chen and Kaelina walked to a nearby bar.


    The night had deepened, and there weren¡¯t many patrons in the bar, making the atmosphere rtively quiet. They took a seat by the window, ordered two bottles of whiskey, and some appetizers to whet their appetites.


    "Cheers!"


    "Cheers!"


    After finishing their drinks, Ling Chen looked at the seductive woman before him and said, "I¡¯ve always had a question I wanted to ask you."


    "What question?"


    "You told me that you wanted to fulfill an unaplished wish of Blood Wolf¡¯s, but the more I think about it, the more puzzled I be. True, Blood Wolf once saved your life, and it¡¯s reasonable for you to help him in repayment. However, as a top assassin, being rational is the most crucial thing. Since you know Blood Wolf worked for the God Organization, then you should understand how formidable it is. Your current actions are undoubtedly dering war on the God Organization. If they find out, they will never let you go, and you¡¯ll be in great danger. Although you are cooperating with us, the God Organization¡¯s power is clear for all to see, and we don¡¯t have a 100% certainty of keeping you safe. In my opinion, for an assassin to risk their life out of gratitude is quite irrational."


    "So you think my motive isn¡¯t just about repaying a debt?"


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t hide his suspicion and nodded, "Anyone would think that."


    Kaelina yed with her ss, suddenly chuckled, her blue eyes gleaming with a deep meaning.


    "Regardless of what you think, there¡¯s one thing I can tell you for certain: everything I do is for Blood Wolf. Beyond that, I have no ulterior motives. As for why I¡¯m doing this, given our current rtionship, I don¡¯t feel the need to tell you."


    With that, she set down her ss, looking at the thinning crowd in the bar, "Can we talk about something else? It¡¯s rare that I get out to rx, and I don¡¯t want to discuss these vexing issues."


    Ling Chen shrugged, "Sure. What do you want to talk about?"


    "Let¡¯s talk about you," Kaelina said, showing interest in Ling Chen, "You¡¯re young, but with no small capabilities, even Blood Wolf wasn¡¯t your match. You must be highly regarded within your organization."


    "To be honest, I¡¯ve actually already left. I wanted to just be an ordinary person, but things from the past caught up with me, and there¡¯s no way I could escape it."


    "Quite normal. For people like us who have gone down this path, it¡¯s difficult to turn back. Did you stay in East Sea City after you left the organization?"


    Ling Chen said helplessly, "After I left the organization, I took a security job, hoping to just idle away my days. But trouble came knocking one after another, even the Snake King showed up."


    "Snake King? Is he targeting your boss?"


    "Yeah, Nanrong Wanqing, a very famous person in East Sea City."


    "Nanrong..." Kaelina seemed a bit surprised.


    "What?" Ling Chen noticed her expression, "Have you heard of her?"


    "No, I¡¯m not familiar with the person you mentioned, but her surname sounds somewhat familiar to me."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s curiosity piqued. Nanrong was a rare double surname, and it was surprising that Kaelina, who spent most of her time abroad, recognized it.


    "Do you know someone from the Nanrong family?"


    "I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s from the Nanrong family. I only know that his surname is Nanrong, but he never used his real name."


    "Who?"


    Kaelina smiled meaningfully, "You know him."


    "I do?" Ling Chen pondered and was still a bit confused, unsure of whom Kaelina meant.


    "Snake King." Kaelina uttered the two words.


    "Is it him?" Ling Chen was astounded by the revtion and struggled to digest the news, "He¡¯s also surnamed Nanrong?"


    "Correct." Kaelina nodded, "Assassins rarely tell others their real names, using nicknames instead. However, I once had an encounter with Snake King. At that time, I was on a mission, and so was he; our target was the same person. That target was so detested that many people wanted him dead. Given the target¡¯s particr status, the security was extremely rigorous, making it difficult to infiltrate. So we hit it off and decided to work together¡ªhe was to create chaos, drawing away the security, and I was to assassinate the target. After the mission, we celebrated together in a bar. Perhaps because we drank too much, during our conversation, he revealed his name to me¡ªNanrong Zhengqing."

 Chapter 215 - 211 Suspicion

    <h4>Chapter 215: Chapter 211 Suspicion</h4><h4></h4>


    "Nanrong Zhengqing?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s pupils constricted. The Snake King¡¯s surname was also Nanrong - could this really be a coincidence? No! He had once asked Hu Fei, and it was known that the Snake King was hired to assassinate Nanrong Wanqing. Besides, what kind of grudge could there be between the Snake King and Nanrong Wanqing?


    Nanrong Yong had once told him that the Nanrong Family had an enemy, which was the Nanrong Gang. But he had had Hu Fei investigate, and Nanrong Gang had died overseas several years ago. Moreover, before leaving the country, Nanrong Gang had divorced his wife, and at the time of their divorce, they had no children.


    Although there were not many people with the surname Nanrong in the country, it was not unheard of. Perhaps this was just a coincidence. However, Ling Chen found it very difficult to convince himself, to believe this point.


    "What are you thinking about?" Kaelina asked, seeing Ling Chen deep in thought.


    "How much do you know about the Snake King?"


    "He is an odd one. The golden age for an assassin is between twenty-eight to thirty-four years old. Generally, assassins choose to retire at thirty-five, but the Snake King is an exception. As far as I know, the Snake King should now be over forty years old and is still active in the assassin world, which is quite rare. In my view, the Snake King is probably not doing it for money. As a top-tier assassin, over ten years is enough time to umte a substantial fortune."


    Ling Chen nodded, Kaelina¡¯s words made sense. Deep in thought, a sh of inspiration suddenly crossed his mind.


    "Sit for a while, I¡¯m going to make a call." After that, he stood up and walked outside the bar, dialing Hu Fei¡¯s number.


    Soon, the phone was connected, and Hu Fei¡¯s voice came through, yawning heavily: "Hey, why are you looking for me sote?"


    "Fatty, you told me that the person who hired the Snake King was anonymous. I want to know if the other party was specifically naming the Snake King or if it was you who arranged it for the employer?"


    "It was the employer¡¯s request. Of course, I found it strange too. That person actually knew about the Snake King, which means he¡¯s probably very familiar with our circle. Eh, why are you asking this?"


    "Just asking, go back to sleep."


    After hanging up the phone, a sharp glint shed in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes. It seemed the matter with the Snake King was not as simple as he had thought.


    This could very well be a y, directed and acted out by the Snake King himself.


    The Snake King used an employer¡¯s identity to hire an assassin anonymously through Hu Fei. He probably went through all this trouble for the convenience of action. Any middle man would first check out the target¡¯s information thoroughly and then provide the assassin with all the necessary intelligence. The assassin only needs to act on this information to n and eliminate the target, saving time and effort.


    However, if his guess was right, another question arose.


    What grudges did the Snake King have with the Nanrong Family? Could it be rted to Nanrong Gang? Just now, Kaelina said the Snake King was over forty; at his birth, Nanrong Gang would have been in his twenties. It was the exact time when Nanrong Gang divorced and went abroad, which matched perfectly in time.


    It¡¯s a pity that Hu Fei couldn¡¯t find anything about Nanrong Gang¡¯s ex-wife; otherwise, he could unravel the truth of the matter and see if Nanrong Gang had any offspring.


    Returning to the bar, Ling Chen found that Kaelina was no longer there, leaving behind a few banknotes on the table.


    This woman... leaving without a word.


    The next day.


    Wealthy Manor No. 118.


    At 7:30 in the morning, the motorcade was ready, just waiting for Nanrong Wanqing to appear.


    In the vi, Su Lin apanied Nanrong Wanqing at the dining table, having breakfast. While drinking rice porridge, Su Lin noticed Nanrong Wanqing kept turning her head to look towards the bedroom next to the living room.


    "Wanqing, what are you thinking about?"


    "Nothing," answered Nanrong Wanqing indifferently, looking away.


    "I don¡¯t believe that. You must be worried about something," Su Lin said with a teasing smile. "Is it because Ling Chen hasn¡¯te back for a few days, and you¡¯re not used to it? He¡¯s been away for so many days and hasn¡¯te back yet. I¡¯ll call and hurry him upter."


    "No need to call," replied Nanrong Wanqing, putting down her chopsticks and bowl, her expression turning somewhat cold. "He¡¯s noting back."


    "What?" Su Lin was taken aback. "Did he quit? Howe I didn¡¯t know?"


    "Keep eating; I¡¯m full." Nanrong Wanqing evaded her question and wheeled herself out.


    Watching Nanrong Wanqing leave, Su Lin shook her head slightly. No wonder she felt that her cousin had been behaving strangely these past few days, seemingly distracted. It turned out to be because Ling Chen quit. She didn¡¯t understand; things had been going well recently, so why did he suddenly resign?


    But what concerned her more was Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s change. She had never seen Nanrong Wanqing so restless over a man. Could it be... No way?


    Leaving the Nanrong home, the fleet slowly moved on the road. In the back seat of the Rolls Royce, Nanrong Wanqing looked out at the passing traffic, her beautiful eyes shing withplex emotions.


    Several days had passed, but her heart still couldn¡¯t calm down. Every time she returned home and saw that bedroom, she couldn¡¯t help but think of Ling Chen and the things they had been through.


    She had to admit, she had never cared so much about a man. But this man had left without a word, without even saying goodbye. These past few days, she was angry, wronged, and resentful, a rush of emotions filled her heart as if she had lost something, leaving emptiness inside.


    "Chairwoman, we¡¯ve arrived at thepany."


    Zhong Wei¡¯s voice came through, and Nanrong Wanqing came back to her senses,posed herself, and followed everyone into the Hongyu Group building.


    Shortly after arriving at her office, Wang Lan came in from outside, urgently saying, "Chairwoman, there¡¯s been an ident with the project in the Old City?"


    "Don¡¯t panic, tell me slowly, what happened?"


    "Last night, the construction materials at the site were sabotaged by someone, and some valuable items were stolen. This morning, when workers were about to start work, a bunch of ruffians appeared from nowhere, demanding protection money and injuring many workers. They also threatened that if we don¡¯t pay, we won¡¯t be allowed to start work."


    "Such a thing happened?" Nanrong Wanqing frowned slightly, her displeasure apparent. "Don¡¯t they know that the Old City redevelopment project is a joint venture between Hongyu Group and the government?"


    "They are just a bunch of hooligans; they don¡¯t care about that."


    "Call the municipal government, exin the situation to them. They can handle this matter."


    "Okay." Wang Lan nodded and turned to leave the office.


    But at that moment, the phone in front of Nanrong Wanqing suddenly rang. She answered the phone with a hello, and whatever the caller said made her face turn sour.


    "Wang Lan."


    "Chairwoman, do you have any other instructions?"


    "Immediately notify thepany¡¯s senior executives; I¡¯m calling an emergency meeting. Everyone must arrive within ten minutes."

 Chapter 216 - 212: Crisis at Hongyu Group (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 216: Chapter 212: Crisis at Hongyu Group (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    In Hongyu Group, every word of Nanrong Wanqing is amand. Over the years, everyone has be very familiar with the character of this chairman. If an emergency meeting is suddenly called, it must be something significant, and no one dares to neglect it. Within less than ten minutes, thepany¡¯s senior management had all gathered in the conference room, buzzing with spection.


    By the time it was due, the door of the conference room opened, and the secretary Wang Lan, pushing a wheelchair, came in from outside.


    For a moment, the conference room fell silent, all eyes fixated on Nanrong Wanqing.


    Seated at a conference table over ten meters long, Nanrong Wanqing scanned the executives present and began, "I just received news that the reconstruction project in the Old City has been sabotaged, resulting in several workers getting injured and admitted to the hospital."


    "Who dares to oppose our Hongyu Group so brazenly? We must find the culprit and teach them a harsh lesson," someone angrily cursed.


    "I had initially thought to leave this matter to the government, but we are now faced with another issue. This morning, the police discovered arge amount of smuggled goods at the pier operated by our Hongyu Group, involving tens of millions in value, including a significant number of contraband items."


    At this revtion, a wave of shock swept through the executives present.


    "How is this possible?"


    "Chairman, could there be some mistake?"


    Nanrong Wanqing raised her hand, signaling for silence, "Our Hongyu Group has always operated within the bounds of thew, never skirting on the edges or breaking thew. However, first there was an issue with the reconstruction project, and now an issue at the pier. I believe these incidents are not coincidental; someone is targeting our Hongyu Group."


    "Chairman, we have manypetitors; could they be using these underhanded tactics to mess with us?"


    "It¡¯s not clear at the moment; without evidence, we shouldn¡¯t jump to conclusions. The most important task now is to manage these two issues, especially the smuggled goods discovered at the pier as they involve arge sum of money. If investigated, Hongyu Group could face severe penalties. Starting now, I want you all to strengthen the management across all business lines to ensure such incidents won¡¯t happen again. Additionally, we need to thoroughly investigate the pier incident to see if it involves any insiders."


    "Yes, Chairman."


    At that moment, Wang Lan received a phone call, then whispered in front of Nanrong Wanqing, "Chairman, the police are here and would like to talk with you."


    "Have them visit my office."


    A few minutester, Nanrong Wanqing returned to her office with Wang Lan, only to see a very fair-skinned woman sitting on the sofa, none other than Xia Mutong.


    "Officer Xia."


    "Miss Nanrong, hello," Xia Mutong nodded solemnly, "I believe you¡¯re aware of why I am here. I intended to ask Miss Nanrong toe to the police station to assist with the investigation, but given your status, the chief requested that we keep this matter confidential for now."


    "Thank you!"


    "You¡¯re wee. Miss Nanrong is a significant partner of the government, so it¡¯s only right to afford you some special treatment." After saying this, Xia Mutong gestured to a colleague who understood and immediately opened a notebook to take notes. Meanwhile, Xia Mutong handed a list to Nanrong Wanqing, "Miss Nanrong, please take a look at this list."


    Nanrong Wanqing nced at it, her tone calm, "Is this the list of smuggled goods found at the pier?"


    "Yes. Miss Nanrong, for the past ten years, Dongling Pier has been under the management of Hongyu Group, and now you are the chairman of Hongyu Group. I hope you can exin this."


    "It¡¯s clear that this is a setup. You have seen the list; it involves only tens of millions, which is a drop in the bucket for Hongyu Group, whose market value you, Officer Xia, are surely aware of. Hongyu Group¡¯s daily profits alone exceed this amount, why would we risk smuggling?"


    Xia Mutong nodded slightly, "Miss Nanrong, I know Hongyu Group has substantial assets and does not care about a few tens of millions. However, who would spend tens of millions to frame Hongyu Group? That is not a small amount. Furthermore, with so much cargo entering your pier, are you saying you wouldn¡¯t know about it? Besides, this is just what we found today; who can guarantee that Hongyu Group hasn¡¯t been involved before? Tens of millions at a time, and dozens of times a year... Miss Nanrong, that¡¯s billions in profit, and anyone would be tempted."


    "Officer Xia, it¡¯s right for a police officer to maintain skepticism, but the innocent are clear of guilt, and you are wee to investigate freely. Moreover, I have a question for you, Officer Xia; how did you know about the smuggled goods at Dongling Pier?"


    "We received an anonymous tip-off, iming to be an internal employee of Hongyu Group. Miss Nanrong, given your status, we will not detain you, but from today, until the case is rified, you must stay in East Sea City and may not leave."


    "Rest assured, I will fully cooperate withÄã. Besides this matter, I hope you will also focus on the Old City issue, expedite the construction work, and not dy the schedule."


    "No problem."


    After bidding farewell to Xia Mutong, Nanrong Wanqing sat alone in her office, staring at theputer screen with a slight frown and an icy expression. She has never been afraid of trouble; it¡¯smon for Hongyu Group, as a significant yer, to be targeted. But what worries her the most is not knowing who her enemy is.


    After a taxing day and as the end of her shift approached, Nanrong Wanqing made a call to Zhong Wei, nning to head home early.


    With so much happening today, she needed to report to Nanrong Yong.


    As the convoy left the underground parking lot, ready to hit the road, suddenly, a group of people rushed in, wielding cameras and microphones, surrounding the Rolls Royce.


    "Miss Nanrong, as the chairman of Hongyu Group, what is your opinion on the smuggled goods found at Dongling Pier?"


    "Miss Nanrong, rumor has it that Hongyu Group started from smuggling, is that true?"


    "Miss Nanrong..."


    Amid the chaotic scene, reporters relentlessly posed sharp questions, seeking answers.


    Nanrong Wanqing looked out the car window, her face seemingly covered with ayer of frost. The incident had happened just a day ago, and although Xia Mutong promised to keep it confidential for the time being, it seemed as though the reporters had all agreed to show up. If no one was orchestrating this behind the scenes, who would believe such a coincidence?


    Seeing the scene outside, Zhong Wei frowned and said heavily, "Chairman, stay in the car. I¡¯ll disperse those reporters immediately." Saying this, he contacted other team members through the inte.


    In a short while, apart from the driver, all members of the security team got out of the cars, stood on either side of the convoy, spread their arms to block the reporters outside, and began clearing a path.


    "Ah!"


    As the three cars slowly moved forward, a scream suddenly erupted in the crowd.

 Chapter 217 - 213: The Crisis of Hongyu Group (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 217: Chapter 213: The Crisis of Hongyu Group (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "What¡¯s happening?" Nanrong Wanqing looked out the car window and saw a female reporter lying on the ground, holding her chest, her face contorted with pain.


    "You...why did you hit someone?"


    The cameraman apanying the female reporter pointed at Zhong Wei¡¯s group, angrily using, "Do you have no respect for thew anymore? Don¡¯t think that having money allows you to do whatever you want. This is a society ruled byw. Don¡¯t believe me? I¡¯ll sue you!"


    Zhong Wei frowned slightly, his face looking unpleasant, said, "I didn¡¯t hit her, I just pushed her, and she was the one who couldn¡¯t stand firmly."


    "You¡¯re still trying to argue your way out!"


    "I..."


    "Stop arguing." At this moment, Nanrong Wanqing rolled down the window, stopped Zhong Wei who wanted to retort, and said expressionlessly, "Take her to the hospital, and while you¡¯re at it, apologize to her. We are in a sensitive time; try not to invite any trouble."


    "Yes, Chairman."


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face, several reporters swarmed forward, their cameras and microphones all thrust in front of her, eagerly asking, "Miss Nanrong, regarding the smuggling incident at Dongling Pier, as the Chairman of Hongyu Group, is there anything you would like to say?"


    "This matter is now under police investigation, and I believe they will clear Hongyu Group¡¯s name." After speaking, Nanrong Wanqing closed the car window, shutting out the noisy sounds from outside.


    Back at Wealthy Manor.


    Nanrong Wanqing went straight to Nanrong Yong¡¯s study, looking at him concentrating on his calligraphy at the desk. She sat quietly by his side without disturbing him.


    A few minutester, Nanrong Yong put down his brush, looked at his granddaughter, and smiled slightly, "I¡¯ve heard about what happened at thepany. Someone is targeting us."


    "I know."


    "There¡¯s an old saying, ¡¯A big tree catches the wind.¡¯ Hongyu Group is the leader in East Sea City¡¯s businessmunity, involved in many industries, though we haven¡¯t created a monopoly, but many people have lost their livelihoods because of us. I know there are many in the industry who hate Hongyu Group, but I don¡¯t care because I have no regard for them. In any business, one cannot be too sympathetic, otherwise, the one who will suffer is oneself. Give them an inch and they¡¯ll take a mile, hoping you¡¯ll give even more. I learned my lesson once before, so I¡¯ve never backed down since. Wanqing, the business world is a battlefield, it¡¯s either you or me, never show mercy."


    "Grandfather, what¡¯s your advice on this matter?"


    "Watch and wait. Whoever took action this time, there¡¯s definitely more than one person involved. They¡¯ve gone to great lengths to frame us, and they won¡¯t give up so easily. There¡¯s surely more toe, just watch¡ªthe y has just begun, and the best part is yet to follow."


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded lightly, "I know what to do now." After speaking, she began pushing the wheelchair, turning to leave.


    "Wanqing."


    "Grandfather, is there anything else?"


    "Ling Chen..."


    "It was his own decision to resign, it has nothing to do with me."


    "Ah, it¡¯s a pity," Nanrong Yong sighed deeply, "Ling Chen is a goodd, I had hoped to keep him in the Nanrong Family for the long term."


    ...


    The next day.


    Ling Chen got up early in the morning, bought breakfast outside, then headed towards the residential area. As he passed by the newspaper kiosk outside themunity, his eyes were suddenly drawn to a newspaper headline.


    "Hongyu Group Suspected of Smuggling!"


    Seeing the conspicuous headline, Ling Chen slightly startled, disbelief in his eyes. He picked up the newspaper, flipped through a few pages; aside from East Sea Daily, the several other papers were all reports on the Hongyu Group¡¯s smuggling case.


    Buying a few newspapers, Ling Chen hurried back home, reading them in detail.


    "Hongyu Group¡¯s fortune built on smuggling?"


    "The dirty deals hidden in the shadows."


    "Nanrong Wanqing angers into violence, directing her subordinates to assault the reporter, causing hospitalization."


    "..."


    There were an overwhelming number of such headlines, countless of them, all negative news about Hongyu Group.


    Ling Chen bit into a baozi, shaking his head in silence. He had only been gone a few days, and so many things had happened to Hongyu Group. He wondered how Nanrong Wanqing was coping now.


    As he was pondering, there came a series of knocks at the door, three short and three long.


    Opening the door, he saw the chubby Hu Fei standing outside, holding a few recently bought newspapers.


    Seeing his face, Ling Chen knew the reason for his visit.


    "Come in."


    Sitting in the living room, and seeing the newspapers on the table, Hu Fei chuckled and said, "I see you¡¯re already in the know, I had especially run over here to inform you."


    "Chubby, what¡¯s your take on this?"


    "It¡¯s clear someone is after the Nanrong Family." Hu Fei threw the newspapers on the table, "Just look at these papers, they¡¯re all tabloids reporting this. The major media aren¡¯t saying a peep. Hongyu Group has been operating for so many years, and they have good rtions with the government and media. They won¡¯t make noise without rifying the situation or fabricating news that would be detrimental to Hongyu Group. The current reports can only be considered rumors, not worth much. But to be honest, Hongyu Group is indeed in big trouble this time."


    "What do you mean?"


    "The police found smuggled goods worth tens of millions at Dongling Pier, which is solid evidence. Unless you can find proof that someone deliberately set you up, the Nanrong Family will find it difficult to shake off this usation. Of course, if there¡¯s really no other way, they will have to find a scapegoat to take the me and preserve the Nanrong Family¡¯s reputation and assets. But the problem is, this crime is not trivial, ording to our country¡¯sws, smuggling goods worth more than 500,000 means at least ten years or life imprisonment. Now that the involved amount is in the tens of millions, it¡¯s likely hard to escape the death penalty. Even if the Nanrong Family is willing to pay, it¡¯s not certain that someone would be willing to take the fall."


    Ling Chen nodded, this was indeed a big problem.


    "Chubby, do me a favor, look into that batch of smuggled goods. So many items couldn¡¯t have been moved to the pier without anyone noticing."


    "Didn¡¯t expect you to still have emotions for the past."


    "Speaking of which!" Ling Chen abruptly changed the topic, "Another thing, investigate a person named Nanrong Zhengqing, see if you can gather any information on him."


    "Why another person from the Nanrong Family?"


    "Nanrong Zhengqing has a nickname, called Snake King."


    "It¡¯s him?" Hu Fei¡¯s face changed, surprised.


    Ling Chen smiled, "Now you¡¯re interested, right?"


    "Fine, I¡¯ll go check it out for you right away."


    After sending Hu Fei away, Ling Chen returned to the table, contemting the newspapers spread out before him, his brows furrowing slightly. The Nanrong Family was in trouble at this time, and he couldn¡¯t show himself; thinking of Nanrong Wanqing having to face all this alone, he couldn¡¯t help but feel distressed.


    He wondered if she had slept wellst night.


    As he pondered, a device on the table suddenly lit up with a red light.

 Chapter 218 - 214: The Crisis of Hongyu Group (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 218: Chapter 214: The Crisis of Hongyu Group (Part 3)</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chenposed himself, quickly put on the listening device, and adjusted the frequency on the equipment. Soon, a clear voice came through the headphones.


    But after listening for a short while, he put the headphones down and couldn¡¯t help cursing. He thought he would eavesdrop on some valuable information, but all he heard were a woman¡¯s moans.


    As a man, he knew exactly what those sounds meant. Unexpectedly, Mr. Zhu, a gentleman by appearance, was having a sordid affair right in the office.


    It took less than two minutes for the seductive moaning to finally quiet down. Ling Chen, with headphones in hand, snickered to himself; that guy had such poor stamina, onlysting a minute and a half¡ªwhat a wimp.


    Following the sound of a door, the woman must have left. Next, Zhu Hong¡¯s voice came through the monitor: "Have the driver get ready; I¡¯ll be going out soon."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen immediately shut off the equipment and left the room.


    Ten minutester.


    Outside the office building of Boyang Company, Ling Chen, wearing a helmet, sat on a motorbike, quietly watching the entrance, waiting for Zhu Hong to appear.


    Traffic in East Sea City is too congested; it¡¯s more convenient on a motorbike.


    He didn¡¯t have to wait long before Zhu Hong emerged, nked by several suited bodyguards, and got into a Mercedes.


    Watching the Mercedes drive onto the street, Ling Chen followed behind on his motorbike, keeping a safe distance. Zhu Hong¡¯s bodyguards were professionals; if he got too close, they would surely notice.


    About half an hourter, the Mercedes finally stopped outside a tall building.


    "Hongyu Group!"


    Ling Chen was startled; he thought Zhu Hong would go to some secret ce, but instead, he headed to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s. Damn it, this bastard, just after sleeping with another woman, came to look for Nanrong Wanqing, truly shameless. But then again, with such a big scandal hitting Hongyu Group, Zhu Hong would naturally seize the opportunity to show some concern and providefort.


    Seeing Zhu Hong and his entourage enter the building, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t follow inside, so he stayed outside, patiently waiting for him toe out.


    Inside the office.


    Zhu Hong sat on the sofa, eyes filled with unconceble love as he watched Nanrong Wanqing.


    "Wanqing, I heard about what happened at Hongyu Group, are you okay?"


    "Thank you for your concern."


    "I know someone deliberately framed the Nanrong family this time. No matter who they are, I will help you find them and clear Hongyu Group¡¯s name."


    Nanrong Wanqing lightly shook her head, "I appreciate your kindness, but the police are helping with this matter, you..."


    "Wanqing," Zhu Hong cut her off, his tone firm, pausing deliberately between words, "I know what happened a while ago has changed your opinion of me, but I want to tell you that no matter how you change, my feelings for you will never waver. This is my promise to you. I¡¯ve said before that I would be by your side for life, protecting you from any harm. You know my character; I always keep my word."


    Nanrong Wanqing bowed her head, silent. How could she not understand Zhu Hong¡¯s intentions? But she could no longer face him as she used to.


    Seeing her silent, Zhu Hong changed the subject, "By the way, Wanqing, where is Ling Chen?"


    "Are you looking for him?"


    "There¡¯s been some misunderstanding between him and me, but after all, he¡¯s someone by your side, ensuring your safety. For that, I¡¯m grateful. So, no matter who was right or wrong between us, I hope to apologize to him and make peace, to avoid making things difficult for you."


    "It¡¯s not necessary; he¡¯s already resigned."


    "Oh?" Zhu Hong showed a surprised expression, "Why?"


    "Don¡¯t ask; I don¡¯t want to talk about him anymore."


    Zhu Hong nodded, "Then I¡¯ll leave you to your work. Don¡¯t worry too much about Hongyu Group; I¡¯ll find a way to clear things up soon."


    After leaving the building, Zhu Hong got into the Mercedes and took out his phone to dial a number.


    "Hello, Miss Zhang, the job at Dongling Pier was well done. However, the Nanrong family doesn¡¯t seem to be too worried. Perhaps you could add fuel to the fire."


    "Understood. Mr. Zhu, if I may be so bold to ask, what are you doing with all these maneuvers around Hongyu Group? Are you trying to take over the Nanrong family¡¯s assets?"


    "Miss Zhang, just do your job, and don¡¯t ask questions about the rest."


    After saying that, Zhu Hong hung up the phone directly.


    Following Zhu Hong¡¯s car back to the Boyang Company¡¯s building, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but swear, aplete waste of his damn time.


    Evening.


    Back at home, after Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin finished dinner, Nanrong Hao came looking for them.


    "Sister."


    "What¡¯s the matter?"


    Nanrong Hao got straight to the point: "I heard that the construction site in the Old City has been harassed, and many workers were injured. Is that true?"


    "That¡¯spany business; I¡¯ll handle it. You just focus on your studies and stay out of it."


    "How can I do that? You¡¯re in charge of thepany; I have no say in it, but the Old City is my turf. Someone stirring trouble on my turf, should I just stand by and do nothing? Sister, let me handle the Old City situation. Street issues should be solved by street rules. I want to see who¡¯s daring enough to mess with my family." Without waiting for Nanrong Wanqing to respond, Nanrong Hao had already stormed out.


    "Wanqing, you should keep an eye on him, be careful he turns into a real thug," Su Lin showed concern.


    Hearing her, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile.


    Although she did not approve of Nanrong Hao¡¯s actions, she felt heartened that Nanrong Hao had taken the initiative to share the family¡¯s worries, no longer idling about like before, never minding the family¡¯s affairs.


    Leaving the Nanrong home, Nanrong Hao called Jiang Hao and then drove to the Old City.


    Upon arrival, Jiang Hao was already waiting with a group of brothers.


    "Haozi."


    "Hao, did you bring everyone?"


    "Yes, called over thirty good men; that should be enough."


    "Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s see who¡¯s so blind as to cross Lord Tai Sui."


    Crossing an intersection, the group reached the Old City construction site¡¯s renovation project. The site was cordoned off with temporary fences, as there were many building materials to prevent theft, some measures were enacted.


    At the site, the workers were resting in the sheds, lights bright all around. In a corner of the site, aluminum and cables were scattered haphazardly, and several uniformed security guards patrolled the area.


    The day before yesterday, an incident urred at the site; many materials were stolen, and several workers were injured, prompting Nanrong Wanqing to increase security to ensure the workers¡¯ safety.

 Chapter 219 - 215 Suspected of Murder

    <h4>Chapter 219: Chapter 215 Suspected of Murder</h4><h4></h4>


    After waiting for over two hours, the workers had all fallen asleep, and the construction site outside was deste, not a ghost in sight.


    "Hey, Haozi, will those people stille?"


    "I don¡¯t know," Nanrong Hao replied as he dug his ear, "Let¡¯s try our luck. Damn it, they dared to bully the Nanrong Family, they must be severely taught a lesson."


    "Haozi, I think there¡¯s no need for us to stand guard here, who knows if they¡¯ll evene. It¡¯s better to leave some brothers here, and they can notify us if anything happens," Jiang Hao advised. It wasn¡¯t that hecked loyalty, but he didn¡¯t want to waste time for nothing.


    Nanrong Hao thought for a moment and nodded, "Alright."


    In the middle of the conversation, a group of people suddenly appeared outside the construction site. There were at least a dozen or twenty men, each holding an iron rod or a steel pipe, looking formidable.


    "Hey, what a coincidence, just when we were thinking of leaving, these guys showed up," Nanrong Hao grinned, "Brothers, let¡¯s get to work and give them a good lesson. Dinner¡¯s on me tonight."


    Jiang Hao stepped forward with big strides and questioned, "Which gang are you from? Don¡¯t you know this ce is our turf? Want to get by in Old City without paying any respect?"


    "Who do you think you are that you deserve our respect? Kid, scram aside, don¡¯t block our way to fortune," the other side sneered.


    Jiang Hao¡¯s face turned cold, and he snorted disdainfully through his nostrils, his gaze sweeping through the crowd. Soon, a young man around twenty-five or twenty-six caught his attention. The young man was dressed in a floral shirt and jeans, with short hair, the corners of his mouth slightly raised in an arrogant manner, as if he looked down on everyone.


    Moreover, while everyone was wielding weapons, this young man¡¯s hands were empty except for an odd pair of leather gloves, likely indicating he was the leader.


    "Are you the leader?"


    The young man scoffed at his question as if he had not heard, but instead looked towards Nanrong Hao and asked, "You¡¯re Nanrong Hao?"


    "That¡¯s me. You know me?"


    The young man gave a cold smile, "Of course I know you, you are exactly who we were looking for. Brothers, get him, give Mr. Nanrong a proper wee."


    Seeing that the opponents went straight to action without any regard for rules, Jiang Hao lost his temper as well, picked up a steel pipe from the ground, and charged into the fray.


    "Go, take them down!"


    Facing a few thugs rushing at him, Nanrong Hao clenched his fists, neither dodging nor evading, and plunged straight into the crowd. With a smash of his fist, fast as lightning, a thug had no time to react before crashing down to the ground.


    After practicing martial arts with Ling Chen for so long, plus his own hard work, no ordinary person could get close to him. Within moments, he had knocked down the five thugs surrounding him.


    Seeing the tide turning, the young man quickly retreated.


    "Where do you think you¡¯re going, stay right there."


    Nanrong Hao shouted loudly and immediately gave chase, aiming to capture the opponent. But then, the young man suddenly turned around and with a flick of his wrist, a sharp dagger whizzed towards Nanrong Hao¡¯s face.


    Nanrong Hao¡¯s heart sank, he tilted his body slightly and with agile movements, snatched the dagger¡¯s hilt as it flew past his face, cursing, "You dare ambush me!" and flung the dagger back.


    However, the young man¡¯s reaction was even quicker, pinching the de of the dagger between his fingers.


    Seeing this, Nanrong Hao was taken aback by the realization that the guy¡¯s skills might be even better than his own. While he was still surprised, the young man had already run far off, and the other thugs, seeing their leader flee, scrambled to escape as well.


    "Anyone who dares to make trouble on my turf again, don¡¯t me me for being rude," Jiang Hao yelled.


    After speaking, he walked over to Nanrong Hao, patting his shoulder, "What are you spacing out for?"


    "Nothing."


    "Don¡¯t worry about it, with the lesson they¡¯ve learned this time, I believe they won¡¯t dare toe back. Come on, let¡¯s go have a drink."


    "Okay."


    A night passed.


    Early in the morning, Nanrong Hao had already gotten up and practiced basic martial arts skills in the backyard for an hour. Although Ling Chen left, he never forgot Ling Chen¡¯s teachings. Having started martial arts trainingte, his foundation was shaky. In order to reach a higher level, he had to double down on this aspect.


    Today was Saturday, no sses. After finishing his training, Nanrong Hao went to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s vi, ready to report to Sister aboutst night¡¯s events.


    "Sister, Cousin."


    Upon entering, he saw Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin having breakfast.


    "Have you had breakfast?"


    "Not yet."


    "Sit down and join us. Nanny Wang made century egg and lean pork congee." As she spoke, Nanrong Wanqing picked up a bowl and served him a portion.


    A warm feeling filled Nanrong Hao¡¯s heart. Sister had always been strict with him, and over time, he had grown somewhat fearful of her. Since then, unless it was a family meal, he would deliberately avoid Sister. Over the years, they had never had breakfast together.


    But recently, he felt Sister¡¯s attitude towards him had changed significantly, no longer as overbearing as before.


    "Sister,st night I went to the construction site and ran into that gang causing trouble. Hao and I taught them a lesson. They won¡¯t be back to cause any more destruction."


    "Are you hurt?" Nanrong Wanqing asked, her voice filled with concern.


    Nanrong Hao replied with a proud smile, "No worries, all thanks to Chen¡¯s teachings. A few small-time thugs aren¡¯t worth my concern."


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded gently, "Be careful in the future, and try not to hurt anyone."


    "Cousin," Su Lin giggled, "Now that you¡¯re so capable, if anyone bullies your sister at school, you¡¯ll help me."


    "No problem, leave it to me. However... Cousin, who at our school would dare to mess with you? No need for me to step in, your ability tomand like a shrew is enough."


    Hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s lips curved into a smile, like a blossoming white orchid, overflowing with pleasant mood.


    Su Lin rolled her eyes irritably and said discontentedly, "How can you talk like that? Aren¡¯t you my cousin? Humph, you¡¯ve been with Ling Chen so long, you¡¯ve been led astray by him."


    "Not true! Cousin, Chen is a good guy. Don¡¯t wrong him."


    While the three siblings were chatting and joking, the butler Liu Kun came in quickly from outside and whispered a few words in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s ear.


    "Uncle Liu, please let her in."


    "Yes."


    Shortly after, apanied by Liu Kun, Xia Mutong and several colleagues walked into the vi.


    "Miss Nanrong, sorry foring over so early and disturbing you."


    "It¡¯s okay. Officer Xia, have you made progress on the smuggling case bying to see me at this time?"


    Xia Mutong shook her head and said, "I¡¯m not here to see you, but him." She extended her hand and pointed at Nanrong Hao.


    "Me?" Nanrong Hao was momentarily startled, "What do you need me for?"


    Xia Mutong pulled out an arrest warrant stamped with the court seal and said solemnly, "Nanrong Hao, I am now using you of suspicion of murder. This is an arrest warrant issued by the court. Pleasee with us."

 Chapter 220 - 216: Nanrong Hao is Captured

    <h4>Chapter 220: Chapter 216: Nanrong Hao is Captured</h4><h4></h4>


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face changed slightly, and with surprise, she said: "Officer Xia, is there some kind of mistake?"


    "Miss Nanrong, our police force values evidence in handling cases, and the evidence now is conclusive. I believe I am not mistaken." With that, Xia Mutong stared at the stunned Nanrong Hao, "Nanrong Hao, I ask you, were you at Old City¡¯s construction sitest night?"


    "Yes... I was there."


    "Did you get into a dispute with someone and engage in a physical altercation?"


    Nanrong Hao quickly tried to defend himself: "They came looking for trouble with us, I was just acting in self-defense, you..."


    "You don¡¯t need to exin so much, you just need to answer yes or no." Xia Mutong interrupted him, gazing into his eyes.


    "Yes."


    Xia Mutong nodded: "Then that settles it. In the early hours ofst night, we received a report and found a male corpse near the construction site. The victim was stabbed with a dagger in a vital spot and died from excessive blood loss at the scene. We¡¯ve examined the fingerprints on the dagger, and they point to you as the murderer."


    "No... it wasn¡¯t me, you... you must have made a mistake." Nanrong Hao frantically waved his hands, vigorously denying it.


    "Save your words for the judge. Take him back in handcuffs."


    Upon hearing Xia Mutong¡¯s order, several police officers rushed forward, ready to subdue Nanrong Hao and take him back to the police station.


    "Stop!"


    Seeing the situation go downhill, Liu Kun immediately shouted loudly and rushed in front of Nanrong Hao, stopping the police officers in their tracks.


    "Officer Xia, I¡¯m very clear about my brother¡¯s character. He would never do such a thing. There must be a misunderstanding. I hope you can investigate this thoroughly." Nanrong Wanqing tried to remain calm. However, the tightly gripped hands betrayed her inner tension.


    Xia Mutong, with an unchanged expression, said: "Miss Nanrong, I¡¯m sorry, but I operate ording to thew. If the Nanrong family interferes, I¡¯ll have to arrest you for obstructing justice." After a pause, looking at the slightly pale Nanrong Wanqing, she felt a bit of reluctance, "Miss Nanrong, I¡¯m only taking Nanrong Hao back for now. There will be no conviction before the court hearing. Whatever you want to do, you still have ample time. However, I suggest finding a goodwyer for your brother, it might reduce his sentence."


    Nanrong Wanqing bit her lip, ncing at Nanrong Hao, her expression hesitant and undecided.


    "Miss..."


    "Uncle Liu, let him go."


    "Yes."


    "Big sister, I really didn¡¯t kill anyone, you have to believe me." Nanrong Hao pleaded anxiously.


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded slightly, her tone full of resolve: "Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let anything happen to you. Officer Xia, before any conviction, I hope you will treat my brother well."


    "I¡¯ll try my best."


    Watching Nanrong Hao being handcuffed by the police and taken out of the house, Nanrong Wanqing slowly exhaled, feeling as if all her strength had left her, she slumped into her wheelchair.


    "Wanqing, are you okay?" Su Lin asked with concern, a trace of worry in her eyes.


    Nanrong Wanqing shook her head, despite her physical weakness, and said with a pale face: "Uncle Liu, please go and hire awyer immediately."


    "Miss, please rest for a while, don¡¯t harm yourself."


    "How can I rest at a time like this?" Nanrong Wanqing said with a bitter smile, "Uncle Liu, don¡¯t tell grandpa about this for now. He just recovered from his illness, I¡¯m afraid it would hit him hard."


    "I understand, but with such a big incident, I¡¯m afraid it can¡¯t be concealed."


    "Just do your best."


    ...


    In a luxurious vi in the city.


    Zhu Hong sat on a leather sofa, legs crossed, holding a ss of red wine in his hand, an elegant and charming smile on his face.


    At this moment, Zhang Xueli walked in from outside, saying, "Mr. Zhu, everything has been taken care of. Nanrong Hao has been taken away by the police, and everything is going ording to n."


    "Excellent!" Zhu Hong smiled faintly, raising his ss, "Miss Zhang, I was right about you, your ability to handle things is strong."


    "Mr. Zhu, you are targeting the Nanrong family everywhere, could it be that you are aiming for the Nanrong family¡¯s assets?"


    "Assets? Miss Zhang, my ambitions aren¡¯t that low. Money to me is just a number; I don¡¯t care about that. However, if you want to think that way, it¡¯s not wrong. If things go smoothly, the Nanrong family¡¯s wealth will sooner orter be mine." With these words, Zhu Hong put down his wine ss and stood up, "Miss Zhang, I may not be at home for the next few days, contact me via phone if anythinges up."


    "Where are you going?"


    Zhu Hong curled his lips into a smile: "With such a big incident happening in the Nanrong family, as a friend of Nanrong Wanqing, it¡¯s only right for me to show my concern. Don¡¯t you think?"


    A day passed.


    "What! Nanrong Hao has been arrested?"


    Holding the phone, Ling Chen stood up and said, "Fatty, what is going on, exin it to me clearly."


    "It¡¯s said he¡¯s suspected of murder, I don¡¯t know the details. Nanrong Hao has been detained, locked up in the police station."


    "Okay, I got it."


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen calmed down and sat back in his chair, frowning slightly.


    Nanrong Hao being charged with murder, he couldn¡¯t believe it. Although he had known Nanrong Hao for only a few months, he understood his character well; Nanrong Hao would never do such a thing.


    These few days, first, the Nanrong family was allegedly involved in smuggling, and now this has happened to Nanrong Hao. Two incidents happening so close together couldn¡¯t be a coincidence, someone must be pulling strings from behind.


    "I wonder how she is doing now."


    Muttering to himself, Ling Chen¡¯s brows were filled with a trace of concern. With Nanrong Hao arrested, the Nanrong family was probably in chaos now. After all, if Nanrong Hao¡¯s charges were proven true, the consequences were evident. And as the only male heir of the Nanrong Family, if anything happened to him, the family line would end.


    After contemting for a while, he stood up and left the room.


    Night fell.


    At the headquarters of the East Sea City Police Department.


    In the detention cell, Nanrong Hao slumped on the bed, dressed in a prison uniform, staring nkly at the iron bars outside, motionless for a long time, like a lifeless statue.


    Bang!


    Suddenly, a muffled noise came through. Nanrong Hao turned his head, only to see the guard outside the detention cell copsing to the ground as if he had fainted.


    He was a little staggered, his mind wasn¡¯t caught up yet, but a person had already appeared before his eyes.


    "Haozi."


    "Chen... Brother Chen? You, you..." Nanrong Hao hurriedly got up, ran to the bars with a surprised look on his face, looking at the person who came.


    "I know you have questions for me, but don¡¯t ask too much now. I¡¯ve heard about your situation, what happened?"


    With a distressed face, Nanrong Hao said: "Brother Chen, I didn¡¯t kill anyone, I¡¯ve been framed."


    "I believe you, otherwise, I wouldn¡¯te to see you. Don¡¯t worry, take your time to exin everything clearly."


    Nanrong Hao nodded and recounted the events of that night in detail, "Brother Chen, Hao was with me that night, he can testify for me."

 Chapter 221 - 217 Difficult Times

    <h4>Chapter 221: Chapter 217 Difficult Times</h4><h4></h4>


    "This isn¡¯t a matter of whether or not you can testify, someone is out to harm the Nanrong Family, that¡¯s why they designed this trap for you. Don¡¯t worry too much, I will definitely help clear your name and get you out." After a pause, Ling Chen instructed, "Also, don¡¯t mention to anyone that you¡¯ve seen me, including your sister. Do you hear me?"


    "Chen, rest assured, I won¡¯t say a word."


    If not for this incident, Ling Chen would not have made an appearance so readily. He was still in a period of concealment, and until he had gathered the intelligence about Zhu Hong, he preferred not to reveal himself.


    Leaving the police station without a sound, Ling Chen went straight back to his temporary residence in the neighborhood.


    As he entered the door, the dense aroma of braised food immediately hit his nose.


    Arriving in the living room, he saw Hu Fei sitting in front of a square table with several fast food containers filled with different kinds of braised dishes and apanied by a few bottles of beer. Hu Fei was holding a pork knuckle, gnawing at it with greasy lips in relish.


    "Hey, you¡¯re finally back. I bought you supper, let¡¯s have some together." Hu Fei called out.


    Ling Chen casually picked up a piece of braised meat and stuffed it into his mouth, smacking his lips: "How is it, any findings?"


    "That depends on what you¡¯re asking." While speaking, Hu Fei spat out a bone and wiped his hands with a napkin, "Let¡¯s start with the Snake King¡¯s affair. I¡¯ve checked into Nanrong Zhengqing, there¡¯s a domestic record of him, though it¡¯s notplete, but I found a name that proves a significant rtionship with Nanrong Gang. Nanrong Zhengqing¡¯s mother is actually Nanrong Gang¡¯s ex-wife."


    Ling Chen nodded, "The Snake King must have been aware of the grudge between Nanrong Gang and the Nanrong Family, hence his act of revenge. Put that aside for now, and tell me about Nanrong Hao, have you found anything?"


    "The matter with Nanrong Hao is simple, he¡¯s done for. I¡¯ve checked all the evidence, and the most crucial piece is that dagger, it has Nanrong Hao¡¯s fingerprints on it. Just based on that alone, it¡¯s enough to convict him."


    "I just visited him at the police station, he told me that he and Jiang Hao were out drinking until after eleven o¡¯clock that night before leaving."


    "All that¡¯s useless, the time of death for the victim is between eleven at night and midnight, during which Nanrong Hao was alone, no one can alibi for him. Ling Chen, I advise you not to waste your effort. Their arrangement is wless, leaving no loopholes unless you can find the real mastermind behind the scenes. But right now, there isn¡¯t a single clue to start with." As he finished speaking, Hu Fei suddenly thought of something, his eyes lighting up, "Since Nanrong Zhengqing has a score to settle with the Nanrong Family, could it be him..."


    "It couldn¡¯t be him." Ling Chen immediately dismissed his conjecture. "Nanrong Zhengqing is an assassin, he could easily do it himself, why make it soplicated?"


    Hu Fei spread his hands, "Then there¡¯s nothing we can do. To me, saving Nanrong Hao through official procedures is impossible, we¡¯d have to resort to other means. Think about it, the biggest piece of evidence against Nanrong Hao is that dagger, the most crucial piece of evidence. If the evidence disappears, gets lost, can¡¯t be found, then what can the judge convict on?"


    Upon hearing his suggestion, Ling Chen felt tempted; it was a good idea. Since Nanrong Hao was framed by someone using such means, he might as well employ some tactics himself. No matter what, he couldn¡¯t let anything happen to Nanrong Hao.


    Having realized this, he felt much more relieved.


    ...


    Wealthy Manor No. 118.


    Two days have passed since Nanrong Hao was arrested. During these forty-eight hours, Nanrong Wanqing has not been idle, running around for the sake of her brother.


    As the chairwoman of Hongyu Group and a public figure in East Sea City, she now put aside her nobility and status, pleading for help everywhere. Lawyers told her if there is no additional evidence, the chances of overturning Nanrong Hao¡¯s case are slim. Moreover, Nanrong Hao was already eighteen years old, capable of bearing criminal responsibility and unless a miracle happened, his conviction was a sure thing.


    With the situation having reached this point, Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t want to give up, nor could she. Nanrong Hao was the only male in the Nanrong Family, he must not have any mishaps.


    Since she couldn¡¯t save Nanrong Hao through legal avenues, her only option was to use herwork of rtionships and favors.


    However, the day after the incident, a sudden piece of news almost drove her to despair.


    The tabloids in East Sea City reported the murder case of Nanrong Hao. The news spread like wildfire, and within just one day, the case became public knowledge.


    All eyes were on the Nanrong Family, curious to see how they would respond.


    Under such circumstances, no one dared to offer help. Because everyone knew clearly, the case against Nanrong Hao was irrefutable, and there was no chance of overturning it.


    A life for a life, this was to be Nanrong Hao¡¯s ultimate fate.


    "Chairwoman, we¡¯ve arrived."


    Zhong Wei opened the car door, helped Nanrong Wanqing out, and came to the front of a small building.


    Ding-dong!


    The doorbell chimed, and the door was quickly opened by a middle-aged woman who looked at Nanrong Wanqing outside and asked: "May I know who you are looking for?"


    "Hello, I am Wanqing from Hongyu Group, I¡¯m here to see Director Zhang."


    "Oh, it¡¯s Miss Nanrong." The middle-aged woman smiled apologetically, "I¡¯m sorry, but Director Zhang isn¡¯t home today, he¡¯s gone to a meeting in the city."


    "When will he be back?"


    "I can¡¯t say for sure. How about this, Miss Nanrong, leave me your number, and I¡¯ll have him call you back when he returns."


    "Thank you!"


    After handing over her business card, Nanrong Wanqing returned to the car, her expression deste, her exquisite face tinged with sorrow.


    "Chairwoman..." Zhong Wei hesitated before speaking, "This is the fifth refusal we¡¯ve encountered, we..."


    "Let¡¯s move on to the next one."


    Nanrong Wanqing looked out of the car window, speaking faintly. No matter what, as long as there was a glimmer of hope, she wouldn¡¯t give up. If she couldn¡¯t clear Nanrong Hao¡¯s name, she would find a way to save his life. As long as he is alive, there¡¯s always hope.


    In the midst of this, Zhong Wei received a phone call, his expression suddenly turned solemn.


    "Chairwoman, Housekeeper Liu says the old master fainted upon learning of Nanrong Hao¡¯s situation."


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s expression changed. She quickly said, "Let¡¯s go back immediately!"


    Two hourster.


    In Nanrong Yong¡¯s bedroom, Nanrong Wanqing sat by the bed, looking at the unconscious and intravenously fed Nanrong Yong, her face wan and forlorn.


    "Grandfather..."


    She whispered softly, her ster eyes devoid of light, a glistening tear shimmering uncertainly, her eyes red at the rims.


    She never imagined that in just a day, the Nanrong Family would suffer such a cmity. Who on earth wanted to push the Nanrong Family to their demise, could there really be such deep hatred?


    As this crossed her mind, a tear rolled gently down her smooth cheek.

 Chapter 222 - 218: Meeting Again

    <h4>Chapter 222: Chapter 218: Meeting Again</h4><h4></h4>


    "Don¡¯t cry."


    Suddenly, a gentle voice sounded beside her ear, and a pair ofrge handsfortably rested on her delicate shoulders.


    Nanrong Wanqing was momentarily startled, turning her head to look at the neer, only to see a remarkably handsome man standing behind her, his eyes filled with a hint of pity and tenderness.


    She gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes,posed herself, and asked, "How did you get here?"


    "Such a big incident has urred in the Nanrong family; of course, I had toe and see you. Wanqing, I know you are suffering now. Believe me, I will stay with you and help you through this difficult time."


    Looking at Nanrong Yong lying unconscious on the bed, a sour feeling surged in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s heart, her eyes reddening as she said, "Zhu Hong, I¡¯m scared... I¡¯m really scared..."


    "Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here with you. Even if the sky falls, I¡¯ll hold it up for you. Don¡¯t give up until the veryst moment. I still have some connections in East Sea City; I will ask them for help to see if there is a chance to turn things around."


    "Thank you."


    Zhu Hong gave a slight smile: "Why be so formal between us? I¡¯ve told you, no matter how you treat me, my feelings for you will never change. Now, let me take you home to rest. People around you said you haven¡¯t slept for a whole day and night. No matter how worried you are, you can¡¯t wear yourself out."


    "Mhm."


    Returning to the vi in the backyard, Nanrong Wanqing noticed two bodyguards in suits following Zhu Hong, each carrying a suitcase.


    "What is this..."


    "I will stay here with you for a few days," Zhu Hong said gently. "Now, with Nanrong Hao detained by the police and the old man fallen ill, there are no men in Nanrong family; I cannot let you face this alone. You may not care about yourself, but I do. Let me take care of you until this is resolved."


    As he spoke, he nced at the bedroom next to the living room, "I¡¯ll stay there."


    Looking at the bedroom Zhu Hong pointed to, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s eyes suddenly fixed on it. That had been Ling Chen¡¯s room, and it had been vacant since he left.


    Ling Chen...


    Nanrong Wanqing bit her lip slightly, feeling some resentment inside. Why, why did you have to leave? If you were here, perhaps Nanrong Hao wouldn¡¯t have gone to the Old City, and things wouldn¡¯t have escted to this stage.


    After escorting Nanrong Wanqing back to her room, Zhu Hong went downstairs and stepped into that bedroom.


    He pushed the door open to see aputer on the desk and a photo frame beside it with an old photo inside. He casually picked up the photo, nced at it, scoffed, and threw it directly into the trash bin.


    "You two, clear everything out. Anything belonging to Ling Chen, throw it all away, and don¡¯t leave anything."


    ...


    The night fell.


    Ling Chen sat alone in his room, looking out the window at the starless night sky, a hint of hesitation shing in his eyes.


    Hu Fei had just visited him, bringing news that kept echoing in his mind. Nanrong Yong had fallen ill and was currently unconscious. Together with the arrest of Nanrong Hao, the two pirs of the Nanrong family had fallen. Now, it all depended on the frail shoulders of Nanrong Wanqing.


    With so much happening, he wondered if she could withstand it. Thinking of Nanrong Wanqing made Ling Chen worry. No matter how strong Nanrong Wanqing was, she was ultimately a woman. In such difficult times, alone and unsupported, anyone else might have already copsed.


    At that thought, a strong impulse surged in his heart.


    "I can¡¯t worry about so much now."


    He gritted his teeth, stood up, and rushed out of the room.


    Half an hourter.


    Upon arriving at Wealthy Manor No. 118, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze was immediately drawn to a Mercedes-Benz outside the door.


    Zhu Hong!


    He frowned slightly; this guy was here too. It made sense, after all, Zhu Hong wouldn¡¯t miss such a good opportunity.


    He initially wanted to meet Nanrong Wanqing directly, but since Zhu Hong was present, he obviously couldn¡¯t just walk in openly. Never mind, he thought, I¡¯ll just sneak a peek. As long as she is alright, he would feel much more at ease.


    At that moment, he circled around to the back of the vi and climbed over the wall into the Nanrong Family¡¯s residence. Ling Chen had set up the Nanrong Family¡¯s security system himself; he knew every camera and detector like the back of his hand. It didn¡¯t take him long to reach the white vi where Nanrong Wanqing lived.


    Seeing the lights on in the living room, he stealthily climbed to the second-floor bedroom balcony and then slipped through the ss window.


    However, just as he was about to leave through the door, he heard footsteps and the voices of Nanrong Wanqing and Zhu Hong outside the door. Clearly, the two were walking towards the room.


    As they reached the door, with the doorknob twisting, Ling Chen had no time to retreat the way he hade. His gaze shifted, and he immediately darted under the bed.


    Just after he hid, the door was pushed open. Following closely, Zhu Hong was seen wheeling Nanrong Wanqing into the room.


    "Wanqing, do you want me to stay and chat?"


    "No need, I want to rest early. You must be tired today too, get some sleep early. We have a lot more to do tomorrow."


    "Well then, I¡¯ll sleep downstairs. Call me if you need anything. Good night!"


    "Good night!"


    Listening to their conversation, Ling Chen felt extremely displeased; Zhu Hong was actually staying in the Nanrong Family¡¯s house, and even in his former room.


    After Zhu Hong left the room, Nanrong Wanqing alone wheeled herself to the bedside. She propped herself up with her hands, moved onto the bed, then began unbuttoning her clothes, revealing her delicate shoulders and fair skin. After changing into a thin nightgown, she pulled back the covers andy down.


    Under the bed, Ling Chen tried to control his breathing, daring not to make much noise, lest he be heard by Nanrong Wanqing.


    He waited quietly for about five minutes until the lights in the room were finally turned off. After a while, hearing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s breathing gradually be even, suggesting she had fallen asleep, Ling Chen carefully crawled out from under the bed, his eyes fixed on the sleeping Nanrong Wanqing.


    Having not seen her for a while, she was still so beautiful, utterly captivating. But her face seemed a bit pale, with a hint of exhaustion, presumably thinking over issues rted to Nanrong Hao these past days.


    "Don¡¯t worry, with me here, everything will get better," he sighed softly and murmured.


    With that, he turned and walked towards the balcony. However, just after taking a few steps, he suddenly heard a movement from the bed. Turning his head, he was surprised to find Nanrong Wanqing had opened her eyes and was watching his retreating figure.


    In the darkness, their eyes met, neither of them spoke.


    After a while, Nanrong Wanqing sat up in bed, her lips slightly parted, her voice tinged with a trace of indifference: "I thought you had left. Why did youe back?"


    Although her tone was cold, her eyes held a hint of tearfulness. Only she knew what that meant.


    (Brothers and sisters, please rmend and bookmark, love you all.)

 Chapter 223 - 219: Why Not?

    <h4>Chapter 223: Chapter 219: Why Not?</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen opened his mouth and, looking at Nanrong Wanqing in the pitch-dark, didn¡¯t know what to say. After some thought, the words "I¡¯m sorry" finally came out of his mouth.


    Nanrong Wanqing bit her lip corner, as if an overwhelming wave of sourness hit her heart at that instant, her beautiful eyes reddened. She took a deep breath, trying hard to adjust her emotions, "Didn¡¯t you say you would nevere back to East Sea City?"


    "I..." Ling Chen gave a bitter smile and fell into silence. It wasn¡¯t him who said that. Tang Yuan thought he had died afar, so he made up that lie to cover up the true circumstances of his death.


    Hearing the faint sobbing from the bed, Ling Chen¡¯s heart softened. He went to the bedside and exined, "I¡¯m sorry, I thought I couldn¡¯t make it back before, so I... I had no intention to deceive you."


    "Now that you¡¯re back, why not juste through the front door? Why sneak into my room?"


    "I wanted to see you, but I saw Zhu Hong was there, and it wasn¡¯t convenient, so I thought I¡¯d sneak in and take a nce at you."


    Hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing lowered her brows, a strange light flickering in her eyes. She wiped the tears that lingered at the corners of her eyes and asked, "Are you going to leave again?"


    Ling Chen shrugged his shoulders, his expression indifferent, "Zhu Hong has moved into the Nanrong family, hasn¡¯t he? With him helping you, I believe you don¡¯t need my help."


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s lips curled slightly, with a faint smile. As clever as she was, how could she not hear the jealousy in Ling Chen¡¯s words.


    "Zhu Hong moved in on his own, I didn¡¯t ask him to stay. Besides, so much has happened with the Nanrong family; I indeed need help. If you were here, he would not havee."


    "How¡¯s the old gentleman¡¯s health?"


    "The doctor says he¡¯s been greatly stressed and needs some time to recuperate." Nanrong Wanqing dropped the smile from her lips, her face full of worry, "Grandfather¡¯s health is not the issue; it¡¯s Nanrong Hao, he... I really don¡¯t know what to do. Thewyer says the evidence is conclusive; it¡¯s unlikely for Nanrong Hao to be acquitted. I¡¯ve been seeking help everywhere but there¡¯s no hope. Ling Chen, can you help me contact Mr. Han?"


    "Mr. Han?" Ling Chen was startled momentarily and then understood her intent, "You mean Han Bing?"


    "Hongyu Group is currently cooperating with the military, I am willing to provide the technology to them for free, I don¡¯t want anything in return, I just hope they can help me and let Nanrong Hao go."


    "This..." Ling Chen hesitated.


    It was very possible that the elder general would agree to such a request from Nanrong Wanqing. With Elder Han¡¯s status, he could certainly use some special privileges.


    "Wanqing, don¡¯t be too anxious. Things haven¡¯t reached an irreversible point. Nanrong Hao is framed. If the true culprit behind the scenes isn¡¯t found, even if he survives this crisis, there may still be a next time. Rest assured, Haozi is my friend; I will do my utmost to help clear his name and find the real perpetrator. If there¡¯s still no turnaround before the trial, then we¡¯ll seek help from Mr. Han. All in all, I promise you that Haozi won¡¯t be in danger."


    "Mm." Nanrong Wanqing nodded slightly, "I believe you."


    "Wanqing!"


    Just then, Su Lin¡¯s voice came from outside the door. Following that, the door was pushed open, and Su Lin stepped inside.


    Ling Chen was taken aback by Su Lin¡¯s abrupt arrival; he had not anticipated Su Lin¡¯s entrance at that moment. Moreover, with the door already open, he faintly saw Su Lin¡¯s hand reaching for the light switch on the wall.


    In the instant the lights turned on, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t find anyce else to hide and simply lied down on the bed, reaching his hand out to pull over the covers, nketing his entire body, including his head.


    Nanrong Wanqing clearly hadn¡¯t expected Ling Chen to make such a move, and was involuntarily taken aback. Feeling his body pressed against hers, her pretty face blushed slightly as she looked at the approaching Su Lin, her beautiful eyes filled with nervousness.


    "Wanqing, why is your face so red?" Su Lin asked with concern, "You¡¯re not sick, are you?" Saying that, she reached out to touch Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s forehead.


    "I¡¯m fine."


    Nanrong Wanqing held the covers tightly, shielding everything below her neck, and attempted to maintain herposure as she spoke, "It¡¯s sote, why haven¡¯t you gone to rest?"


    Su Lin nced around the room, "I just happened to pass by your door and thought I heard voices in your room, so I came to check."


    "That must have been your imagination."


    Listening to the conversation between Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin, Ling Chen hid under the covers, not daring to move rashly, afraid that Su Lin would discover him. However, being so close to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s delicate body and smelling the faint scent of a maiden, he couldn¡¯t help feeling restless.


    Moreover, Nanrong Wanqing was only wearing a thin, gauze-like nightgown, and through thatyer of fabric, he could clearly feel Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s supple skin. Involuntarily, the memory of holding a bare Nanrong Wanqing in his arms surfaced in his mind, and he secretly swallowed his saliva.


    "Wanqing, you must take care of your health, don¡¯t overwork yourself," Su Lin said as she sat beside the bed, her tone full of concern.


    "Mhm, I know. It¡¯s gettingte, you should go to rest."


    "How about I sleep with you tonight?"


    "No way!" Nanrong Wanqing blurted out, swiftly rejecting the offer. If Su Lin stayed, Ling Chen hiding under the covers would surely be discovered. Even though Su Lin was her cousin, such a humiliating incident was something she was too embarrassed to let anyone know about. Aside from her family, no other men had ever entered her room, not even Zhu Hong, who would only escort her to the door without daring to enter.


    If Su Lin saw Ling Chen in bed with her, who knows what she would think.


    "Why not?" Su Lin asked, puzzled, "Didn¡¯t we often sleep together in the past?"


    "I... I¡¯m feeling a bit under the weather today," Nanrong Wanqing prevaricated.


    Su Lin immediately understood and nodded, "Alright then, you should rest early. I won¡¯t disturb you anymore." With those words, she stood up, left the room, and turned off the light.


    Seeing Su Lin leave, Nanrong Wanqing secretly breathed a sigh of relief, holding back the embarrassment in her heart, and gently lifted the covers.


    "Come out now; she¡¯s gone."


    Ling Chen poked his head out and looked at the beauty so close at hand. His inner restlessness intensified, a me ignited in his abdomen, burning, bing more and more intense.


    The bright moonlight shone through the window, casting a dim light inside. Feeling Ling Chen¡¯s fervent gaze, Nanrong Wanqing unconsciously lowered her head, her beautiful eyes bashful, her pretty face flushed with two blushes, stunning beyond measure.


    Looking at her shy demeanor, Ling Chen swallowed his saliva, his body like a wildfire spreading uncontrobly, unable to suppress the me that was spreading. As if beyond his control, his fingertips slowly leaned closer to Nanrong Wanqing, tentatively touching her tender body.

 Chapter 224 - 220: A Romantic Late Night Snack

    <h4>Chapter 224: Chapter 220: A Romantic Late Night Snack</h4><h4></h4>


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s body trembled slightly, her hands tightly clutching the sheets, involuntarily she lowered her head, biting the corner of her mouth lightly, aplex expression flickering in her beautiful eyes¡ªuncertain if it was nervousness or anticipation.


    Seeing she offered no resistance, Ling Chen¡¯s heart secretly leaped with joy. He shifted his body closer to her and wrapped his arms around her from above, gently holding her delicate body.


    Feeling his increasingly bold movements, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s breathing became rapid. Her eyes involuntarily closed; her body was tightly tensed, and her palms were sweaty. Meanwhile, she heard Ling Chen¡¯s breathing getting closer from the side, her face blushing even more, unbearably hot.


    What... what does he want to do?


    Caught up in her frantic thoughts, she suddenly felt Ling Chen¡¯srge hand on her stomach, gently stroking it. The gentle movements and the warmth from his palm feltfortable, gradually rxing her body.


    However, before she could speak, she saw Ling Chen lower his head, and her lips were sealed. For a moment, her mind went nk, forgetting everything she wanted to say.


    "Don¡¯t..."


    Nanrong Wanqing braced against his chest, pushing him away.


    "What¡¯s wrong?"


    Nanrong Wanqing, with a flush on her face, whispered weakly, "I... I can¡¯t breathe."


    "Now?"


    "Much better... mm..."


    Feeling Ling Chen¡¯s lips pressing against hers again, Nanrong Wanqing shyly extended her hands, wrapping them around his broad back, awkwardly responding to him.


    At this moment, outside the room, in the corridor, Zhu Hong holding several takeout boxes, walking with a smile, approached Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s room and gently knocked on the door.


    "Wanqing, are you asleep?"


    Hearing Zhu Hong¡¯s voice, Ling Chen raised his head and looked towards the door, feeling slightly annoyed. Why did he have to show up at this exact moment? It was irksome.


    "Is there something you need?" Nanrong Wanqing asked, still catching her breath, her blush not yet faded.


    "I noticed you didn¡¯t have dinner. I was worried you might be hungry, so I brought you somete-night snacks. Would you like to eat something?"


    "No need, thank you!"


    As Zhu Hong¡¯s footsteps receded, Ling Chen turned to look at Nanrong Wanqing beneath him; her flushed cheeks and tempting lips nearly made him lose control.


    Feeling his gaze and recalling their intimate actions, Nanrong Wanqing bashfully scolded, "You¡¯re still looking!"


    With a slight smile on his lips, Ling Chen replied, "We¡¯ve already kissed, am I not allowed to look?"


    "You still say..." Nanrong Wanqing blushed as she pushed him away, wrapping herself tightly in the nket, even covering her mouth, fearing he would take advantage of her again.


    Seeing her vigntly guarding against him, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly. They had already gone that far, what was there to be shy about? He was just about to speak when suddenly a rumbling sound entered his ears.


    "Are you hungry?" he asked with augh.


    "Mhm," Nanrong Wanqing nodded bashfully,ining, "It¡¯s all your fault!"


    She had been fine before, but their recent activities had drained all her energy.


    "Alright, alright, my fault," Ling Chen quickly replied, eyes twinkling, "How about we go out and grab something to eat?"


    "Aren¡¯t you avoiding Zhu Hong? He lives downstairs, and his bodyguards are guarding the entrance."


    "No worries, I have a way to leave without them noticing," he said, then got up, "You should get dressed first."


    Nanrong Wanqing took her clothes, about to change. However, seeing Ling Chen staring intently at her, she blushed, "No peeking."


    Ling Chen shrugged, grinned, and then turned around, his back facing her.


    After Nanrong Wanqing had changed, Ling Chen sat on the bed and patted his shoulder, "Hop on!"


    Understanding his intention, Nanrong Wanqingy on his back, wrapping her arms around his neck, and inquired, "How will we get out?"


    "The same way we came in."


    With that, Ling Chen, carrying her, walked to the balcony and smoothly climbed down using the installed pipes.


    Seeing him head straight for the boundary wall, Nanrong Wanqing quickly reminded, "What about the wheelchair?"


    "With me carrying you, what need do we have for a wheelchair?"


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded, a warm feeling spreading through her heart.


    Having scaled the wall out of the Nanrong Family estate, Ling Chen hailed a taxi and headed straight for the snack street.


    It was already 10:30 p.m., but the snack street was still bustling with activity. Ling had brought Nanrong Wanqing here once before, knowing she was interested in the local delicacies, so he chose this familiar ce again tonight.


    Carrying Nanrong Wanqing, Ling maneuvered through the crowd, immediately attracting many curious gazes.


    Passing couples, seeing their intimate demeanor, the girls envied them immensely, pulling their boyfriends along, saying, "Look at how good that boyfriend is, aware of how to care for his girlfriend."


    Listening to the couple¡¯s conversation, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s lips curled up into a sweet smile, leaning her face against Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder.


    "What would you like to eat?"


    "Anything."


    Right now, she truly didn¡¯t mind anything, as long as the person beside her was there, she was content no matter what they ate.


    "Then let¡¯s have rice noodle rolls, you said you loved their tastest time."


    Reaching the rice noodle roll stall, Ling Chen found a seat, ordered two bowls of rice noodle rolls from the owner, and then dashed to the side of the street to buy two bottles of mineral water.


    Shortly after, the two bowls of rice noodle rolls were served. Ling handed over a pair of chopsticks, saying, "Eat them while they¡¯re hot."


    In the midst of speaking, he suddenly noticed someone sitting down beside him. Turning his head, he broke into a grin, "Oh, it¡¯s you."


    The young man beside him was none other than Jiang Yunkai, whom they had encountered before on the snack street.


    Thetter nodded, "I was just thinking a few days ago about when I might see you again, and here you are today." Addressing Nanrong Wanqing, he greeted her as well.


    "Last time you left in a hurry, I didn¡¯t even get your name."


    "My name is Ling Chen."


    "Ling Chen?" Jiang Yunkai¡¯s eyes hardened, a glint shing through them, "So, you are Ling Chen."


    Ling Chen inquired in surprise, "You know me?"


    "Ranked tenth on the Tiger List, of course, I know of you."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen suddenly realized. Jiang Yunkai was also a martial artist, and with considerable skill, he naturally knew of the Heaven and Earth Dragon and Tiger Four Rankings.

 Chapter 225 - 221: Challenge

    <h4>Chapter 225: Chapter 221: Challenge</h4><h4></h4>


    "Tiger List¡¯s Tenth?" Nanrong Wanqing, who was beside them, couldn¡¯t help but express her interest upon hearing the conversation of the two, curiously asking, "What is Tiger List¡¯s Tenth?"


    Jiang Yunkai gave a slight smile, "You haven¡¯t told your girlfriend? I can¡¯t tell, but you¡¯re quite good at hiding." He paused for a moment, then exined, "Beauty, there are four rankings of top masters in the world, known as the Heavenly List, Earthly List, Dragon List, and Tiger List, each list containing ten people. The Heavenly List is the highest, while the Tiger List is at the bottom, and your boyfriend is the master ranked tenth on the Tiger List."


    Nanrong Wanqing looked at Ling Chen, "The Tenth on the Tiger List, isn¡¯t that the weakest?"


    Er...


    Ling Chen and Jiang Yunkai looked at each other, lost for words.


    "What¡¯s wrong, did I say something incorrect?" Wanqing, seeing their expressions, asked in confusion.


    "No, you didn¡¯t say anything wrong, the Tenth on the Tiger List is indeed the weakest," Ling Chen said with a smile, burying his head in eating the rice noodle roll in his bowl.


    Jiang Yunkai patiently exined, "Beauty, you can¡¯t say it like that. There are millions practicing martial arts, and only forty people can be on the lists, each one being a top master among millions. Do you know how many people devote their whole lives just aiming to be on the list? Your boyfriend is only in his twenties and already ranked Tenth on the Tiger List, which is a very impressive aplishment."


    Hearing this, Wanqing¡¯s gaze towards Ling Chen was filled with admiration. She knew Ling Chen was formidable, but she hadn¡¯t realized his prowess was to this extent. With over a billion people in Huaxia, only forty had the qualifications to be on the list, and she obviously knew what that meant.


    At that thought, she suddenly realized that she actually didn¡¯t know much about Ling Chen¡¯s past. She was also unaware of what he had been through over the years to earn such achievements.


    Faced with Jiang Yunkai¡¯s praises, Ling Chen modestly said, "Don¡¯t say that, in Huaxia, there are hidden dragons and crouching tigers, unknown masters concealing their names. Compared to them, I¡¯m not that outstanding, being on the list is just due to good luck."


    "Luck is also part of one¡¯s strength," Jiang Yunkai said as he stood up, gave a respectful fist salute towards Ling Chen, and said earnestly, "I¡¯ve wanted to challenge the masters of the Tiger List for a long time. Last month I even sent a challenge card to Mr. Ye, nning to go to the capital to have a friendly sparring with him. Now that you¡¯ve taken the Tenth rank on the Tiger List, I hope you can give me a chance."


    "Now?"


    "Yes, right now!"


    "Sorry." Ling Chen shook his head, refusing, "I¡¯m not in the mood for a sparring contest right now, but how about this? Leave your phone number with me, and I¡¯ll call you when I¡¯m free."


    Jiang Yunkai nced at Nanrong Wanqing, mistaking the refusal as Ling Chen not wanting to fight in front of his girlfriend, and said, "Alright then."


    Having left his phone number, Jiang Yunkai got up and said, "I won¡¯t disturb you two any longer. Ling Chen, remember to call me."


    "Definitely."


    After Jiang Yunkai left, Nanrong Wanqing asked, "Are you really going to ept his challenge?"


    "No choice, I can¡¯t refuse, it¡¯s the rule," Ling Chen shrugged helplessly. Ye Liangyong had once told him that any challenge must be epted. Although it was somewhat troublesome, it was a rule set by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Moreover, sparring with someone of simr skill level is also a kind of improvement for martial practitioners.


    After finishing the rice noodle roll, Ling Chen took Nanrong Wanqing for a stroll around, buying some snacks, and it wasn¡¯t until eleven-thirty that he took Wanqing back home.


    Climbing back into the room, he held Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s delicate body, gently cing her on the bed, then thoughtfully covered her with the nket.


    "Rest well, I¡¯m heading back now."


    Seeing him turn to leave, Nanrong Wanqing quickly stretched out her hand and grabbed his wrist.


    "What¡¯s wrong?"


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face blushed as she asked, "Are you...ing over tomorrow?"


    Ling Chen smiled, "Whenever you want, I¡¯ll be there." As he was speaking, he reminded her, "By the way, don¡¯t mention me in front of Zhu Hong."


    "Why?"


    "Don¡¯t ask so many questions for now; I¡¯ll exin the reasons to youter. Also, don¡¯t worry about Haozi¡¯s affair. Just go to work with peace of mind and take good care of the old master. I¡¯ll take care of the rest."


    "Okay."


    Watching Ling Chen leave the balcony, Nanrong Wanqing turned over, resting her head on her hand, her eyes lightly closed, and it wasn¡¯t long before she drifted into dreand.


    In her sleep, she seemed to dream about something joyful; her lips unconsciously lifted into a sweet smile.


    ...


    The next day.


    Nanrong Wanqing came down from upstairs to the dining room, just in time to see Zhu Honging out of his room.


    "Wanqing, did you sleep wellst night?"


    "Pretty well." Recallingst night¡¯s experience, her pretty face blushed, feeling blissful inside. At this moment, she just wished for night toe quickly so she could see Ling Chen again.


    "Wanqing, I¡¯ve contacted a friend who has some connections in East Sea City. I¡¯ve mentioned Nanrong Hao¡¯s situation to him, and he says he can help. I¡¯ve made an appointment for you to meet him after breakfast."


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s lips parted, ready to say ¡¯okay¡¯, but remembering Ling Chen¡¯s instructions fromst night, she hesitated briefly and then gently shook her head: "I won¡¯t go."


    "Not go?" Zhu Hong was taken aback by her refusal, puzzled: "Why?"


    As they spoke, Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui walked in from outside.


    "Chairman, the car is arranged."


    "It¡¯s gettingte; we should go."


    Zhu Hong hurriedly asked, "Where are you going?"


    "To thepany." Nanrong Wanqing replied indifferently, "Thank you for your help these past few days, but I¡¯ve figured things out. Nanrong Hao¡¯s situation is set in stone and cannot be changed. Given that, I might as well focus on Hongyu Group. I can¡¯t allow the Nanrong Family to copse entirely because of Nanrong Hao."


    Hearing this, Zhu Hong¡¯s expression changed.


    "Wanqing..."


    "There¡¯s no need to say more. You should move back today; I¡¯m not quitefortable having a man living in the house."


    Watching Nanrong Wanqing leave, Zhu Hong furrowed his brows, hisplexion slightly ashen. He didn¡¯t understand why her attitude had taken such a sudden turn since yesterday¡ªcould she have noticed something?


    Impossible! He had been wlessly discreet; she couldn¡¯t possibly know.


    But what infuriated him the most was Nanrong Wanqing¡¯sst remark.


    Not quitefortable having a man living in the house?


    Was Ling Chen not a man before? She could let Ling Chen live in her house, so why couldn¡¯t he? Was there such a big difference between himself and Ling Chen in her eyes?


    As he thought about it, a fierce rage began to burn within him, his eyes filled with a murderous intent.


    Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down. Ling Chen was already dead; why bother with a dead man? There would be opportunities in the future, he thought. Sooner orter, he would make Nanrong Wanqing wholeheartedly follow him.


    At that moment, a ringtone from a phone call suddenly sounded. He answered it and gave a simple "Hello". Whatever was said on the other side made his face change dramatically.


    (Don¡¯t you think today¡¯s content is worth collecting and rmending?)

 Chapter 226 - 222 Zhu Hong Gets Tricked

    <h4>Chapter 226: Chapter 222 Zhu Hong Gets Tricked</h4><h4></h4>


    Leaving the Nanrong Family, Zhu Hong, surrounded by several suited bodyguards, quickly got into a Mercedes and urged, "Hurry, let¡¯s head back to thepany immediately."


    Originally a half-hour journey, it took less than twenty minutes before the group arrived in front of the office building where Boyang Company was located.


    Ding!


    The elevator doors opened, and Zhu Hong charged ahead, swiftly entering thepany¡¯s main door and heading straight for his office. Upon entering, he was met with a scene of utter disarray; all the office items were scattered about, including the leather sofa which was shed open with a dagger, exposing the fluffy cotton inside, and even the paintings on the walls were not spared.


    Zhu Hong clenched his fists tightly, his face looking dreadful, his eagle-like sharp eyes emitting a cold and harsh light. Several suited bodyguards stood by his side, not daring to breathe heavily for fear of angering their boss.


    Having followed their boss for so long, they were all too aware of the consequences of enraging him.


    "Mr. Zhu!"


    A staff member, who was cleaning up the clutter, quickly approached.


    "When did this happen?" Zhu Hong gritted his teeth, his words coldly squeezing through them.


    "I arrived at the office this morning as usual to clean, and as soon as I entered, I found the office in chaos. Mr. Zhu, should we call the police?"


    "Call the police? I think you¡¯re out of your mind," Zhu Hong waved his hand impatiently, "Just get out, you don¡¯t need to worry about this." After speaking, he walked to his desk, turned on theputer, and then entered a line of startup password. After typing a few keys, several images immediately popped up on theputer screen.


    The images fully disyed every corner of the office. These were the secret surveince cameras he had installed in his office to prevent anyone from sneaking in. However, he quickly discovered that from two in the morning until six in the morning today, the surveince records had been deleted.


    The intruder not only cracked hisputer password but also deleted the surveince records. A person able to do this must be a professional. Such individuals are very cautious and wouldn¡¯t leave any clues behind.


    Fortunately, theputer did not store any confidential information, and there was no fear of it being stolen.


    Looking at the mess throughout the room, he slightly furrowed his brow, a sense of unease lingered in his mind. The intruder had turned the office upside down, obviously searching for something. With that in mind, he gestured to the suited bodyguards. They immediately understood, leaving the office and gently closing the door behind them.


    When only he was left in the room, Zhu Hong walked to the small bar in his office, took hold of a bottle of ¡¯84 Lafite, and gently turned it.


    Click!


    A crisp sound followed as a wooden cab below the bar sprung open, revealing a ck safe. He crouched down, input a series of numeric passwords, and after a retinal and fingerprint bi-scan, the safe finally opened.


    Looking at the materials stored inside, Zhu Hong breathed a sigh of relief. Regardless of who had entered his officest night, they had at least not discovered the safe.


    After closing the safe again, he stepped out of the office, called a suited bodyguard, and ordered, "From today on, thepany must have someone on watch 24 hours a day. If anything simr happens again, I trust you all know what the consequences will be without me saying."


    "Yes, boss."


    At this moment, from a building across the street, Ling Chen put down the binocrs, removed the listening earpiece, and looking at Hu Fei who was operating the equipment beside him, he smugly said, "Fatty, how about that, my idea isn¡¯t bad, right?"


    "You¡¯re just a blind cat running into a dead rat, Zhu Hong is a fool for falling for it so easily."


    Ling Chen grinned, feeling self-satisfied. He had been monitoring Zhu Hong for days with no real gains. Now that the Nanrong Family was in trouble, he didn¡¯t have much time to waste on Zhu Hong, and hence he came up with this n.


    Anyone with a guilty conscience, upon seeing their office vandalized, would first check if their most important possessions were missing¡ªa psychological reactionmon to everyone. He was exploiting this to make Zhu Hong involuntarily reveal his secret.


    "Now that we know the location of the safe, are you nning to sneak in again? Zhu Hong is already on guard; it won¡¯t be so easy for you to seed next time."


    "I know," Ling Chen nodded, "which is why I n to act now."


    "Now? Are you out of your mind? Sneaking into Boyang Company in broad daylight, do you think those people are blind?"


    "You see, even you didn¡¯t expect that, Zhu Hong certainly won¡¯t anticipate that I would break into theirpany at the least likely time. This is called ¡¯catching them unprepared¡¯, a strategy passed down from Sun Tzu. Look at you, all brawn and no brains, you wouldn¡¯t understand even if exined."


    "Ptui!" Hu Fei frowned displeasedly: "I graduated from a prestigious university, unlike you, who doesn¡¯t even have a primary school diploma, and yet you darepare yourself to me."


    "For smart people, diplomas are neither here nor there," Ling Chen waved dismissively, "Enough of this nonsense, let¡¯s get moving. I have other things to attend to tonight."


    "What could you possibly have?"


    Ling Chen revealed a meaningful smile, his lips curling up: "Of course, it¡¯s something good."


    Having made significant progress in his rtionship with Nanrong Wanqingst night, if it weren¡¯t for more important tasks awaiting him, he would be eager to see her now.


    After packing up the equipment, Ling Chen and Hu Fei each carried a backpack and took the elevator down.


    They got into Hu Fei¡¯s Santana, and as Hu Fei started the car, he asked, "Hey, how are you nning to get in?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curved slightly, he chuckled: "That¡¯s easy, of course, I¡¯ll just walk right in. Fatty, there¡¯s something else I need your help withter."


    "Alright, just tell me. As long as it¡¯s not arson or murder, I¡¯m in."


    "If you say that, how could I bring myself to ask."


    Hearing this, Hu Fei red, "You¡¯re not nning to make memit arson or murder, are you?" He shook his head repeatedly, "I¡¯m telling you, I have my limits, I won¡¯t get involved in anything violent, don¡¯t drag me down with you."


    Ling Chen shrugged nonchntly, sticking out a finger.


    "One million, will you do it?"


    Hu Fei¡¯s eyes lit up, his attitude clearly doing a 180, squinting he smiled and said: "You should have started with that. Forget arson or murder, climbing a mountain of swords or descending into a sea of mes wouldn¡¯t be a problem."


    Ling Chen sneered, this guy was nothing but greedy.


    "Enough, stop wasting time, let¡¯s head back. We still have some preparations to make to wrap things up today."


    "Alright!"


    Hu Fei pressed the elerator, and the Santana immediately merged into the traffic.


    One hourter.


    A Mercedes left the underground parking lot, followed closely by an Audi A5 that pulled up a

 Chapter 227 - 223: The Safe (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 227: Chapter 223: The Safe (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    The man nudged his sunsses and hoisted his sagging belt, carrying an air of nouveau riche, he strode into the office building.


    Riding the elevator to the tenth floor, the man looked around and, touching his ear, whispered, "Ling Chen, I¡¯ve arrived."


    "Stick to the n. Remember, don¡¯t get busted."


    "Don¡¯t worry, with my acting skills, I could nab an Oscar if I went into showbiz."


    "Yeah, keep dreaming."


    After putting his hand down, Hu Fei coughed and cleared his throat. He approached the reception desk, plonked his briefcase onto it with a haughty air, and said confidently, "Is this the Huayu Financial Investment Company?"


    The receptionist maintained a charming smile and nodded, "Sir, how may I help you?"


    Hu Fei nced at the receptionist, "Well, aren¡¯t you a pure beauty." He chuckled slyly, his face oozing sleaze, "Sweetheart, does your service include everything?"


    The receptionist¡¯s face stiffened, irritation flickering in her eyes, but she still forced a smile, "Sir, if you have any specific requests, please say so."


    "I¡¯m here to see if yourpany has any worthy investment projects." Hu Fei patted his briefcase, "Call your manager for me."


    "Sir, I¡¯m sorry, but our manager is in a meeting. If you¡¯re interested in investing, I can give you an introduction to ourpany¡¯s businesses."


    "That would be great." Hu Fei grinned, "But don¡¯t bother with anything under thirty million. I¡¯m not interested in small investments; only the big deals. Hey, pretty girl, you¡¯re so beautiful, do you have a boyfriend? How about we go for a meal sometime?"


    "Hey, fatty, can you get down to business?" Ling Chen¡¯s voice came through the earpiece impatiently, "If you waste any more time, forget about that one million."


    The mention of money immediately straightened Hu Fei¡¯s attitude. Pretending to check his watch, he picked up his briefcase and said, "If your manager doesn¡¯t have time, I¡¯ll just go downstairs to Huahai Investment Company."


    "Sir, please wait." The receptionist hurried after him, worried about losing a big deal, "Take a seat first, I¡¯ll contact our manager for you."


    "Make it quick, I have more business to discuss soon."


    In a matter of moments, a middle-aged man came out quickly, all smiles, "Sir, I¡¯m terribly sorry for the wait. I¡¯m the manager of thispany. I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re interested inrge projects, and we can certainly meet your needs."


    "Can¡¯t we go somewhere to sit down and talk? Are you letting all your guests stand outside?"


    The manager quickly apologized, "My fault, pleasee in!"


    Inside thepany, Hu Fei looked around and, as he walked, said, "Manager, before we talk business, could you give me a tour of yourpany?"


    "Of course, right this way."


    Led by the manager, Hu Fei wandered around. At each location, when no one was paying attention, he discreetly tossed a disk-shaped metal object overhead. Once the metal touched the ceiling, it immediately adhered.


    After the tour, Hu Fei suddenly clutched his stomach, sheepishly saying, "Manager, where¡¯s the restroom?"


    "Over there."


    "Right, I¡¯ve got it. You wait here." He quickly went into the restroom and closed the door behind him.


    "Fatty, is it done?" Ling Chen¡¯s voice rang out in the earpiece, and Hu Fei replied smugly, "With me on the case, what can¡¯t be done. How¡¯s it going on your end?"


    "OK! All set."


    "Good, then I¡¯ll get started." With that, Hu Fei took out a remote control from his pocket and lightly pressed the red button.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Instantly, several explosions sounded from outside the restroom. Immediately after, mes spread quickly along the ceiling and soon gushed into the restroom through the door gap.


    "I¡¯m heading out first, the rest is up to you."


    Exiting the restroom, he saw the employees screaming frantically, their faces filled with terror, as they stumbled towards thepany¡¯s exit. Hu Fei was in no rush and strolled out of thepany, leisurely.


    The bombs he had installed had little lethality, somewhat like incendiaries. However, after some modifications, they were more advanced than regr incendiary devices. The mes would only spread along the ceiling, and as long as evacuation was prompt, there would be no danger.


    On the eleventh floor.


    A suit-d bodyguard picked up the phone and dialed a number.


    "Boss."


    "What¡¯s up?"


    "There¡¯s been a fire on the tenth floor, should we evacuate?"


    "Is it serious?"


    "We¡¯re not sure yet."


    "Have the other staff evacuate first, the rest of you stay put, I¡¯m on my way."


    Over ten minutes passed.


    Two fire trucks swiftly arrived, and more than twenty firefighters with heavy gear hastily headed to the scene, evacuating people and getting ready to fight the fire.


    By then, the raging mes had spread, engulfing the entire floor.


    In the stairwell of the eleventh floor, a firefighter rushed out and shouted, "Everyone head downstairs via the emergency exit. What are you guys spacing out for? Hurry up and leave." He pointed at several suited men.


    "We¡¯ll leaveter; go help the others first," one of the suited men said.


    "Leaveter?" The firefighter shrugged, "If that¡¯s the case, then all of you might as well stay, don¡¯t leave."


    "Huh?"


    As soon as he spoke, the suited men realized something was wrong. However, before they could react, the firefighter charged them, knocking one to the ground with a punch. In less than ten seconds, all the bodyguards left outside thepany were taken down.


    After dealing with these guys, the firefighter took off his mask, revealing the handsome, chiseled face of none other than Ling Chen.


    Looking at the knocked-out bodyguards, Ling Chen said resignedly, "I told you to leave, and you wouldn¡¯t ¨C don¡¯t me me." Then, he quickly entered thepany and made his way to Zhu Hong¡¯s office with familiarity.


    Reaching the bar, he picked out an ¡¯84 Lafite and gently twisted the bottle.


    Click!


    With a crisp sound, a hiddenpartment below the bar popped open, revealing a ck safe.


    "Fatty, I¡¯ve found the stuff."


    Outside the office building, Hu Fei sat in the Santana,municating with Ling Chen via walkie-talkie while keeping an eye on the situation outside.


    "Can you open it?"


    "I¡¯ll try."


    Looking at the safes digital keypad, retinal and fingerprint scanners, Ling Chen shook his head helplessly, knowing it was impossible to crack three codes in a short time.


    Just then, a Mercedes sedan slowly drove up to the building and stopped at the curb.


    "Ling Chen, you¡¯d better hurry up. Zhu Hong has arrived downstairs."


    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 228 - 224: The Safe (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 228: Chapter 224: The Safe (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "So soon?"


    Ling Chen was taken aback. Without much time to think, he simply moved the entire safe out from the inside.


    Damn, the safe was almost a few hundred pounds heavy, nearly as much as a bull.


    He took a deep breath, hugged the safe tightly with both hands, almost exerting all his strength, and step by step, he moved out of the office. After walking over ten meters, he could no longer persist and dropped the safe on the ground, then leaned against the wall and gasped for air.


    "Zhu Hong has entered the building. He will arrive at your location in no more than three minutes."


    Hearing Hu Fei¡¯s voiceing from the earpiece, Ling Chen didn¡¯t have time to rest. He continued to lift the safe, struggling towards the emergency exit. Upon reaching the staircase, a series of rapid footsteps suddenly echoed from downstairs. Looking down through the railing, he saw Zhu Hong and a few suit-d bodyguards hurrying over.


    They sure picked the right time!


    It seemed he couldn¡¯t go down anymore. Immediately, he lifted the safe and headed upstairs.


    He had just reached the twelfth floor; Zhu Hong and his men had just arrived at the eleventh. Pushing open the door to the emergency exit, Zhu Hong immediately observed several of his men lying unconscious on the floor.


    From just this scene, his eyes turned cold, and he said with a somber expression: "Wake them up." With that, he rushed straight into the office. Seeing the empty secretpartment, he bulged his eyes, clenched his fists tightly, and veins throbbed on his forehead. He took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing his rage, and turned to leave.


    At this moment, the bodyguards who had been down on the ground had already regained consciousness. Zhu Hong strode forward, grabbed the cor of one bodyguard, and said with an icy tone: "Speak, what happened."


    Feeling the chilling look in his eyes, the man shivered and hastily replied: "Boss, a firefighter suddenly came and told us we needed to evacuate immediately. We refused, and then he attacked and knocked us all out."


    "When did this happen?"


    "This... I don¡¯t know, I didn¡¯t check the time."


    "Useless!" Zhu Hong spat out through gritted teeth, and shoved him to the ground. After pondering for a moment, he seemed to have thought of something, hurried back to the office, and turned on theputer.


    Sure enough, as expected, the office surveince video showed a firefighter entering his office and then carrying away the entire safe.


    The other party was in a hurry, without time to delete the surveince footage. ording to the time disyed on the monitor, the person had left no more than three minutes ago.


    Three minutes... A thought crossed his mind, and he immediately rushed outside thepany, speaking as he went: "The building¡¯s elevators have been disabled, there¡¯s only one emergency exit essible. We did not see anyone when we came up, so that person should still be inside the building. Everyone, split up and search upward; that person is carrying a safe and can¡¯t have gotten far."


    "Yes, boss."


    Time ticked by, second by second.


    Ling Chen, carrying the safe, arrived at the fifteenth floor and then entered the floor from the emergency exit. Due to the fire, the entire building¡¯s upants had been evacuated, and there was not a single person upstairs.


    "Ling Chen, where are you, howe you haven¡¯te out yet?"


    "Don¡¯t ask, I can¡¯te out for now. I ran into Zhu Hong¡¯s men in the stairwell, had no chance to go down, so I had to head up."


    "Do you want me toe and help you?"


    "Forget it, don¡¯te up. I¡¯ll hide the safe first ande back for it tonight."


    Just as he finished speaking, he suddenly heard the sound of footstepsing from the emergency exit. Turning his head, he saw the door to the emergency exit being pushed open, and two men in suits quickly entered.


    Is it them?


    Ling Chen was startled and quickly took cover in a corner by the wall.


    How did they get upstairs? Could it be that Zhu Hong guessed he was still in the building?


    As the footsteps of the other party grew closer, Ling Chen put down the safe and pressed himself against the wall. When the footsteps were less than a meter away, he suddenly turned around, leaped out, and took down two suit-d bodyguards to the ground. Before they could get up, he swiftly threw two punches, knocking them out cold.


    "Hey, Jiang Chao, respond if you hear me."


    At that moment, a walkie-talkie on one of the bodyguards started ringing.


    Ling Chen frowned slightly, quickly got up, and carried the safe as he made a swift exit. However, not far out, he entered apany¡¯s reception room, and an idea struck him upon seeing a coffee table by the window ledge. He moved the coffee table aside, ced the safe on the floor, and then pulled off the tablecloth from the coffee table to cover the safe. From the outside, it looked just like a small table; no one would suspect a safe was hidden under the tablecloth.


    With the goods well-hidden, Ling Chen did not linger any longer; he left immediately before Zhu Hong¡¯s people could arrive.


    More than ten minutester, he walked out of the building, removed the firefighting suit, and slipped into the Santana.


    "Where¡¯s the safe?" Hu Fei turned to ask.


    "It¡¯s still in the building. We¡¯lle back for it tonight."


    Through the car window, watching smoke billow out from the tenth floor, Hu Fei said helplessly, "You really did it big for just a safe."


    "It¡¯s alright, after all, thepany¡¯s insured. There won¡¯t be any significant loss. Let¡¯s go, head back first."


    Inside the building.


    Zhu Hong stood at the entrance of the office building, his face an iron hue, silent. After a while, several suit-d men hurried over and reported in a low voice, "Boss, we¡¯ve searched the entire upstairs area and found no trace of him, nor the safe."


    "What about the underground parking lot?"


    "People were guarding the stairways to the parking lot, and no one has been seen passing through."


    Zhu Hong nodded, "I¡¯ve been monitoring the entrance, and no one left with the safe. If I¡¯m not mistaken, that person must have left the safe inside the building. Hmph! Daring to steal my stuff, I want to see just how many lives you have. Notify the others, immediately gather a team, and surround the whole building. I want to see how capable that person really is."


    "Yes."


    Night fell.


    Ling Chen and Hu Fei drove the Santana and came once again outside the office building.


    After parking the car, Ling Chen observed the building from the window and saw four suit-d men pacing back and forth at the entrance.


    "Fatty, go check the parking lot."


    Driving to the parking lot entrance, Ling Chen looked around and, unsurprisingly, noticed several bodyguards on patrol.


    "It seems Zhu Hong has already guessed," he said, the corners of his mouth lifting into a faint smile.


    "All the entrances are guarded, even if you manage to get in, you won¡¯t be able to take the safe out. The target is too big and too heavy; they¡¯ll definitely notice. In my opinion, you shouldn¡¯t rush this; we need a more thought-out n."


    Ling Chen shook his head: "We don¡¯t have that much time to waste. Since Zhu Hong has guessed that the safe is still in the building, he will surely send more people to search."


    "What do we do then? Just barge in?"


    Hearing Hu Fei¡¯s question, Ling Chen grinned: "Zhu Hong is smart, butpared to a clever person like me, he falls short. Just wait and see how I y him to death."

 Chapter 229 - 225: The Frustrated Zhu Hong

    <h4>Chapter 229: Chapter 225: The Frustrated Zhu Hong</h4><h4></h4>


    "Fatty, do you have a disposable phone?"


    "What for, don¡¯t you have your own phone?" Although he asked, Hu Fei fished out apact mobile phone from Santana¡¯s storage box and tossed it to him.


    Watching the suit-d bodyguards patrolling outside the underground parking lot, Ling Chen¡¯s lips quirked up as he dialed a number. After a short while, he ended the call, rolled down the window, and threw the disposable phone out.


    "Alright, let¡¯s find a spot to enjoy the show."


    "You really are cunning, kid."


    Ling Chen grinned: "Thanks for thepliment."


    About twenty minutester, four police cars, with sirens shing, sped down the road and stopped next to the office building. Right after that, the car doors opened and a spirited female police officer dashed out first, holding a handgun with both hands and raising it to her chest, and she sternly shouted at the suit-d bodyguards outside the building, "Don¡¯t move! Raise your hands."


    The bodyguards looked at each other, clueless as to why a bunch of cops had suddenly appeared.


    "Officer, we haven¡¯t broken anyws. What right do you have to arrest us?" one of the bodyguards said in a deep voice.


    "We received a tip-off that someone here is carrying guns without authorization."


    Hearing this, the faces of the bodyguards changed instantly, and they began to back away. Seeing their reaction, Xia Mutong sneered: "Seems we got the right people. Handcuff them all."


    Faced with the barrels of guns, the bodyguards dared not make any rash moves, obediently raising their hands above their heads. At Xia Mutong¡¯s signal, several police officers immediately rushed up, handcuffed their hands, and then went for their waists.


    "Captain Xia, jackpot."


    Xia Mutong nodded, it seemed the tip-off was correct ¨C these people were indeed carrying guns.


    "You guys guard the exits, Zhao Gang, you take a team to the underground parking lot, no vehicles are to leave, the rest follow me into the building. ording to the tip-off, there should be more than just these men."


    "Yes!"


    Across the road from the office building, Ling Chen and Hu Fei sat inside the Santana, watching the bodyguards being taken away through the car window, grinning broadly.


    "Zhu Hong would be pissed if he knew you dealt with him this way."


    Ling Chen smiled: "Whose fault is that? I¡¯ve said it before, Zhu Hong is a smart guy, but he doesn¡¯t like to use his brain much. Others learn from their mistakes; he knowingly repeats them. Knowing that this is Huaxia, he still dares to carry guns in public. Isn¡¯t that just asking for trouble?"


    Xia Mutong¡¯s team worked efficiently; in less than half an hour, the bodyguards in the building had all been apprehended. They needed two vehicles to take all of them back.


    ...


    In a luxurious vi in East Sea City.


    "What did you say?"


    Zhu Hong stood up abruptly from the sofa, his arm holding the phone trembling slightly with extreme anger.


    "Useless, all of you are useless!"


    He yelled angrily, lifting his arm and smashing the phone to the ground, venting his fury. After a while, he took a deep breath, his rage gradually subsiding, then turned and walked into his study, pulled out a satellite phone from a drawer, and dialed a number.


    At this moment, in a temporary room arranged by Hu Fei for Ling Chen, they were gathered in front of a safe, carefully studying it.


    "Fatty, do you have any experience with this?"


    "I deal with intelligence, not a secret agent, you should be the one good at this."


    Ling Chen scratched his head. He knew how to crack safes, but this one had triple locks. The digital lock was easy to handle, but the retinal and fingerprint scans were tricky.


    "Fatty, go and prepare the tools, let¡¯s just pry it open."


    "Okay, wait for me."


    Not long after, Hu Fei walked in with a big bag from outside. Welding machine, cutter, all the tools were well-equipped. Ling Chen rubbed his hands together, took up the drill, and got busy.


    Since it was unknown what was inside the safe, Ling Chen didn¡¯t dare use too aggressive a method, for fear of damaging the contents.


    After drilling for about half an hour and changing several drill bits, they finally made a thumb-sized hole in the top of the safe. Ignoring the sweat on his body, Ling Chen took the pinhole camera handed over by Hu Fei and stuck it into the hole.


    The camera had night vision capabilities; although it was pitch ck inside the safe, everything could still be seen clearly. Through the image disyed on the screen, Ling Chen carefully controlled the camera, moving it deeper inside bit by bit.


    After a while, he spotted several documents enclosed in folders inside the safe. Unfortunately, they were covered with folders, and the contents inside were not visible unless taken out.


    Just as he was about to continue drilling, the pinhole camera suddenly captured something. More precisely, it was an electronic control device installed inside the safe.


    Seeing that electronic control device, Ling Chen immediately broke out in cold sweat on his forehead.


    Damn, lucky for me, or it would have been all for naught.


    He pulled out the pinhole camera and tossed the equipment aside, then sat down on the ground, shaking his head in resignation. Seeing his chagrined expression, Hu Fei asked, "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "We can¡¯t touch this safe anymore."


    "Why not?"


    "It has a monitoring device installed inside, and thepartment has sensors. Once the sensors are triggered, the self-destruct mechanism will activate, and all the documents will be destroyed. We were lucky just now; the drill didn¡¯t touch the sensors inside thepartment, otherwise, our efforts would have been wasted."


    Hu Fei was stunned, "So what do we do? After all the trouble to get it here, are we just supposed to give up?"


    "Don¡¯t rush, there¡¯s notpletely no solution, as long as we get through the fingerprint and retinal scans, we can open it."


    "Fingerprints are easy to deal with, but retinas... unless you bring him here."


    Ling Chen touched his chin, his mind whirring, thinking of a viable n. Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he asked, "Fatty, what time is it?"


    "It¡¯s almost ten."


    Ling Chen got up hurriedly and picked up a jacket, saying as he walked, "Let¡¯s talk about the safe tomorrow, I¡¯ve got something else to do, you can head back by yourselfter."


    He had promised Nanrong Wanqingst night that he would meet her tonight; he couldn¡¯t break his promise.


    He took a ride to Wealthy Manor and, just likest night, he sneaked over the wall into the backyard and then climbed onto the second-floor balcony. Looking at the pitch-ck room, he muttered to himself, could she be asleep? After thinking for a moment, he gently pushed open the ss door and slipped inside.


    Approaching the bed, he saw the bedding slightly bulging; Nanrong Wanqing was lying on her side, her breathing even, clearly fast asleep.


    Thereupon, he tiptoed to the bed, leaned over to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s ear, and softly called out, "Wanqing."

 Chapter 230 - 226: It Really Is a Misunderstanding

    <h4>Chapter 230: Chapter 226: It Really Is a Misunderstanding</h4><h4></h4>


    However, Nanrong Wanqing showed no reaction, as if she had not heard his calling.


    Seeing that she did not wake up, Ling Chen gave a sly smile and quietly slipped his hand under the quilt, wrapping it around her delicate body. Hisrge hand slowly slid up from her lower abdomen, teasing her skin. Not sure whether it was the unusual sensation from her body that she felt, but Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s body trembled slightly.


    Feeling her stir, Ling Chen¡¯s instinctual masculine side grew more rampant, almost ovee with the impulse to take things further right there and then.


    Under his gentle movements, Nanrong Wanqing finally reacted, twisting softly and her breathing became increasingly rapid.


    "Wanqing, stop sleeping, I..."


    Ling Chen leaned towards her ear, whispering softly. Before he could finish, Nanrong Wanqing had already turned her head, her sleepy eyes focusing on him.


    Their eyes met, and Ling Chen was momentarily taken aback, his mind seemingly going nk.


    "Ah!"


    Suddenly, a shrill scream pierced the air, and Nanrong Wanqing in the quilt delivered a kick at Ling Chen, trying to kick him off the bed.


    "Hooligan!"


    "I... I¡¯m not... Ouch!"


    Ling Chen clutched at the hit area, a pained expression on his face. It wasn¡¯t Nanrong Wanqing... no, it should be Su Lin, this girl, who had kicked him in a particrly sensitive spot. And she hadn¡¯t held back at all.


    Snap!


    The lights turned on, and the bedroom lit up immediately. Su Lin sat up clutching the quilt, her face a mix of shame and anger, her eyes nearly spitting fire. However, when she realized it was Ling Chen, her expression suddenly froze, and she stuttered, "Why... why is it... you? Didn¡¯t you leave?"


    "I have my difficulties, I can¡¯t talk about it yet." Ling Chen said with a pained look, changing the subject, "Lady Su, there was no need for such a heavy hand; you nearly ended the lineage of the Ling Family."


    "I... I..." Su Lin, looking at where his hand was, her face flushed, unsure of what to say.


    No, that¡¯s not right! She suddenly came to a realization, it seemed she was the one being taken advantage of. While she was asleep, she felt a tingling sensation like someone caressing her. She thought it was a dream, but upon waking, realized it was no dream but this man before her causing the mischief. Thinking that her private parts had been wantonly yed with by this man, her face once again flushed with shame and anger.


    "Tell me, why are you in Wanqing¡¯s room?" She wondered inwardly; wasn¡¯t this guy supposed to have quit his job? What was he doing in the Nanrong Family¡¯s home, let alone in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s boudoir?


    "Lady Su, that¡¯s a question I should be asking you. This is Wanqing¡¯s room. What are you doing here instead of sleeping in your own room?" Ling Chen was full of grievances. He hade to meet Nanrong Wanqing, but who would have expected such an incident to happen.


    "Is there anything wrong with sleeping together with Wanqing tonight?" Su Lin snorted lightly, "You haven¡¯t answered my question yet."


    "I..."


    Just as Ling Chen was about to speak, the bedroom door was pushed open from outside. Soon after, Nanrong Wanqing entered, pushing a wheelchair.


    "Wanqing!"


    Su Lin eximed, hurriedly hopping off the bed barefoot and pointing at Ling Chen, pouting as sheined, "Wanqing, you must stand up for me, this jerk... he... he took advantage of me."


    "I... didn¡¯t..." Ling Chen quickly waved his hands in defense, internallymenting. If he had known it was her, he would never have taken such advantage. However, he had to admit, the girl had quite a nice feel.


    Nanrong Wanqing looked at Su Lin, then at Ling Chen, a hint of helplessness shing across her beautiful eyes. She had been working overtime in the study, dealing withpany matters, and had forgotten to contact Ling Chen. Had she informed him earlier, this incident might not have happened.


    "Wanqing."


    Hearing Su Lin¡¯s voice ringing in her ears, Nanrong Wanqing came back to her senses and shot Ling Chen an annoyed nce, her pretty face flushed with color. This man was too impatient; he didn¡¯t even bother to check who it was before making his move.


    Feeling her reproachful gaze, Ling Chen shrugged his shoulders. The room had been pitch dark at the time; how could he have known that the person in bed was Su Lin?


    "Alright, don¡¯t be angry," Nanrong Wanqing soothed. "You go back to your room first, I¡¯lle to find you in a bit."


    "But..."


    "I know, you won¡¯t suffer any loss for this. Go on!"


    Su Lin reluctantly nodded, giving Ling Chen a fierce re before turning and walking out of the room.


    Seeing her leave, Ling Chen let out a sigh of relief and flopped down onto the bed, giving Nanrong Wanqing a wry smile and spread his hands, "You can¡¯t really me me for this, I thought it was you, and so..."


    Before he could finish his exnation, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s pretty face had already turned red with anger, as delicate as a blooming flower, she reprimanded him, "You still have the nerve to say it."


    This annoying guy, it sounded like if it had been her in bed, he felt he had the right to take liberties with her.


    Ling Chen chuckled awkwardly, "Okay, okay, I won¡¯t talk about it. So... how are you nning to exin things to her?"


    Nanrong Wanqing rubbed her temple with some headache, this matter was indeed a bit difficult to exin.


    "It¡¯s all your fault," she looked at Ling Chen with no good humor, "You¡¯d better go back first, I¡¯ll exin things to her clearly."


    "Then... shall Ie over tomorrow night?"


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face blushed, "We¡¯ll see."


    Ling Chen chuckled mischievously, secretly thinking ¡¯what a game¡¯, then stood up, walked over to her, and gently kissed her smooth cheek. In a soft voice, he said, "I¡¯ll leave first then. Please apologize to Su Lin for me, I really didn¡¯t mean to take advantage of her."


    Watching Ling Chen leave through the balcony, Nanrong Wanqing touched her cheek where his kiss had justnded, the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, revealing a sweet yet helpless smile.


    "Wanqing."


    Just then, Su Lin suddenly pushed the door open and walked in, disbelief in her eyes as she looked at her, filled with confusion.


    "Weren¡¯t you going back to your room?"


    Su Lin shook her head; she had sensed that something was amiss earlier, so she had been hiding outside the door, eavesdropping. When she heard the conversation between Ling Chen and her cousin, she was shocked and couldn¡¯t calm down for a long time.


    Her own cousin had actually been with Ling Chen... She really couldn¡¯t understand why her cousin would fall for him.


    "Wanqing, are you and Ling Chen..."


    She opened her mouth, finding it hard to speak.


    Nanrong Wanqing hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly, "I know it¡¯s hard for you to ept. Actually... I never expected that so many things would happen between him and me. Lin, I hope you can keep this secret for me for now, and don¡¯t tell anyone else."


    "Why?"


    "Don¡¯t ask so many questions; there are some things I¡¯m not very clear about either. Just pretend that nothing happened just now, and that you didn¡¯t see anyone."


    Looking at Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s pleading eyes, despite the numerous doubts in her heart, Su Lin agreed.

 Chapter 231 - 227: The Blood Spider’s Trade

    <h4>Chapter 231: Chapter 227: The Blood Spider¡¯s Trade</h4><h4></h4>


    But misunderstandings aside, even though Ling Chen didn¡¯t mean to take advantage of her, it was still the first time that her body had been vited by someone. And, just by thinking about the embarrassing things Ling Chen had done to her, Wanqing¡¯s face immediately turned bright red, filled with immense shame and annoyance.


    Even if Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t pursue it, she couldn¡¯t easily let go of that hooligan. She wasn¡¯t someone whose advantage could be taken so easily.


    Achoo!


    On the way home, Ling Chen sneezed several times in a row. Touching his nose and thinking about what had just happened, there was a restlessness stirring in his heart. Su Lin¡¯s figure was seriously impressive, with curves in all the right ces, especially her full chest¡ªwith an extremely good feel to the touch. He really wanted to touch it again.


    Just as he was thinking this, a fiery red Ferrari sped up from the side of the road and then screeched to a stop in front of him.


    The car window rolled down, revealing a beautiful face from the driver¡¯s seat.


    "Miss Kaelina?" Ling Chen was slightly taken aback and eximed, "How did you know I was here?"


    "I have my ways. Get in!"


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t think too much and immediately sat in the passenger seat. Apanied by a roar like a wild beast, the Ferrari once again hit the road.


    "Did you want to see me about something?" he asked. Miss Kaelina looking for him in the dead of night was definitely not just for a joyride. He always felt that this woman was mysterious and didn¡¯t know what she was up to.


    "You¡¯re very impressive."


    Ling Chen grinned: "Of course, I¡¯m impressive. If I weren¡¯t, you wouldn¡¯te to me for a partnership."


    Miss Kaelina turned her head to look at him: "I¡¯m talking about what you did today. You actually stole Zhu Hong¡¯s secret safe from his office."


    "You know every move I make, it seems you¡¯re more impressive than me."


    "Cut the chatter, I want that safe. Thest time I went to Zhu Hong¡¯s office, it was to look for it."


    On to serious matters, Ling Chen¡¯s smile faded as he said, "What¡¯s inside that safe?"


    "I¡¯m not sure about the rest, but I believe there should be a document mentioning an address."


    "What address?"


    "I¡¯m not obligated to answer that question."


    Ling Chen shrugged nonchntly and said with a slight smile, "If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯m not obligated to give you the safe. I put in a lot of effort to steal it from Zhu Hong. I can¡¯t just hand it over to you because of a few words."


    "You really dislike being on the losing end," Miss Kaelina remarked with a cold look and a hint of dissatisfaction.


    "Let¡¯s be clear about our rtionship. We are partners, not friends. You do me a favor, and I¡¯ll do you a favor¡ªthat¡¯s what partnership means."


    "I could be your friend."


    Ling Chen replied indifferently with a smile, "Miss Kaelina, friendship isn¡¯t just spoken into existence. Considering our current rtionship, we¡¯re far from being friends."


    Miss Kaelina slightly furrowed her brows and asked, "So what do you want?"


    "Back to what I said earlier, you want the safe, that¡¯s fine! But at the very least, give me something worthwhile, like valuable information."


    "No way." Miss Kaelina didn¡¯t even think before directly rejecting his request, "The information I possess is my biggest bargaining chip in partnering with you all. Simply wanting to exchange it for a safe is too cheap for you. Besides, it¡¯s still uncertain whether the safe contains the information I need."


    After a pause, she changed the subject: "How about this, you give me the safe, and I¡¯ll help you with something."


    Ling Chen, intrigued, asked, "What is it?"


    "You have a friend who¡¯s suspected of murder and was arrested by the police, right? I can help him clear his name."


    "Really?" Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up. He was worried about how to save Nanrong Hao; if Miss Kaelina could help with this, that would be more than great.


    "Your friend was framed, and I know who¡¯s behind it. How¡¯s this for a deal?"


    "OK!" Ling Chen agreed without hesitation, "As long as you can clear his name, the safe is all yours."


    Hearing this, Kaelina gave a slight smile. Her right hand shifted gears, and she floored the gas pedal, instantly boosting the Ferrari¡¯s speed.


    After three blocks, Kaelina didn¡¯t slow down but instead sped up even more, running several red lights. A few minutester, a police car burst out from a crossroad, tailing the Ferrari closely.


    Kaelina nced at the rearview mirror, curled her seductive lips into a beautiful smile, full of charm.


    Roar roar roar!


    Amidst the roaring engine sound, within seconds, the Ferrari¡¯s speed had reached its peak, leaving the police car far behind.


    Tsk tsk!


    Ling Chen looked at the woman beside him and clicked his tongue inwardly. Worthy of being the third-ranked assassin, indeed she was crazy enough.


    "Where are we going?"


    "A ce that can save your friend," Kaelina casually replied.


    Ling Chen nodded, then sealed his lips and let Kaelina take him on a wild ride.


    More than ten minutester, the Ferrari gradually slowed down and stopped by the roadside.


    "We¡¯re here."


    Getting out of the car, Ling Chen followed Kaelina¡¯s steps as they turned into an alley. Following the alley to the end, there was a rusty iron gate. Through the gate, Ling Chen could faintly hear the sound of intense music.


    Kaelina fished out two slender steel pins from her blonde hair, inserted them into the lock, and gently toggled them. Soon, the lock was opened.


    Entering the gate, Ling Chen saw rooms piled with arge quantity of misceneous items and an odd smell lingering. Past the door, the intense music became clearer.


    "What is this ce?"


    "A dance hall."


    As they spoke, Kaelina pushed open a door, leading Ling Chen into an abandoned kitchen. Ling Chen surveyed the surroundings and noticed an iron door to the east of the kitchen, which had been welded shut and couldn¡¯t be opened¡ªthe intense music wasing from behind that door.


    "This used to be a restaurant, but then it was turned into a dance hall."


    "Why was the kitchen preserved?"


    "Because someone bought it from the dance hall owner." After saying that, Kaelina walked straight to the door of the freezer and removed an iron que hanging on it, revealing a row of numeric keys.


    Seeing Kaelina entering the password with familiarity, Ling Chen was somewhat surprised and asked, "You¡¯ve been here before?"


    "Once. Not only you were monitoring Zhu Hong, but I was also keeping an eye on him. However, my main target isn¡¯t him, it¡¯s someone else you¡¯re familiar with."


    "Zhang Xueli?" Ling Chen¡¯s thought immediately went to this woman.


    Kaelina nodded, reached out to grasp the freezer¡¯s doorknob, and gently twisted it.


    Click!


    With a soft sound, the freezer¡¯s door opened as expected.


    Kaelina lifted her foot, ready to step in. But at that moment, as if she remembered something, she suddenly turned back and said to Ling Chen, "How¡¯s your psychological endurance?"


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t understand why she would ask that, "The psychological quality of those in our line of work is never bad."


    "That¡¯s good, because I¡¯m afraid you¡¯d be scared by the scene you¡¯re about to see."

 Chapter 232 - 228 Secret Warehouse (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 232: Chapter 228 Secret Warehouse (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen shrugged indifferently. He had seen all there was to see in the world and was not easily frightened.


    Following Kaelina into the ice storage, Ling Chen immediately felt a chill. The temperature inside was about ten degrees colder than outside. The two of them went straight to the center of the ice storage where there was a long table covered with ayer of frost.


    Kaelina reached under the table, triggering a mechanism. Suddenly, Ling Chen felt the ground beneath him sink, and the floor of the ice storage slowly started descending.


    After descending five meters, the floor finally stopped moving, and Kaelina gestured to Ling Chen: "Follow me."


    Ling Chen followed close behind, looking at the surrounding environment with a peculiar expression, "Is there no one here?"


    "This is the God Organization¡¯s secret warehouse and prison in East Sea City. The people they capture are all brought here for interrogation. Additionally, there is a special operations team stationed here, responsible for handling some unsightly matters."


    "If there are people here, why aren¡¯t there guards?"


    "From where we entered to here, there are more than a dozen full-range surveince cameras. They can see even a fly. However, thest time I infiltrated, I had already secretly hacked into their system." As she spoke, she took out a small device from her pocket, "This is a signal jammer. Combined with the changes I made in their system, those cameras will automatically filter us out. Simply put, we are now invisible, they can¡¯t see us."


    Ling Chen praised inwardly; Blood Spider truly lived up to her name, working wlessly.


    "I had one more question I didn¡¯t ask earlier, bringing me here, is Zhu Hong targeting the Nanrong family?"


    "Zhu Hong only handles things on the surface, and all the dirty work behind the scenes ispleted by Zhang Xueli for him. Actually, I stumbled upon this identally. I was monitoring Zhang Xueli, hoping to obtain some valuable intelligence from her, and instead, I unexpectedly discovered her actions against the Nanrong family. From the smuggled goods at Dongling Pier to your friend being falsely used of murder, everything was controlled by Zhang Xueli behind the scenes." Saying this, she turned her head to look at Ling Chen, "I have a question, why are they targeting the Nanrong family? Although the Nanrong family runs the affluent Hongyu Group, the God Organization has never been short of money, and they wouldn¡¯t spend so much effort just for money."


    "Because their goal is not money, but a person." Ling Chen¡¯s lips curled slightly, his clearly defined and sharply contoured handsome face showed a hint of coldness.


    Knowing that all of this was Zhu Hong¡¯s doing behind the scenes, their motive was crystal clear.


    Zhu Hong expended so much effort, all for the sake of gaining Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s favor.


    First, he created trouble for the Nanrong family, then offered help to Nanrong Wanqing when she felt most helpless, solving all her problems. In that case, anyone would feel grateful, not to mention, Nanrong Wanqing and Zhu Hong had a childhood friendship, a foundation of feelings. With just a little maniption, it would be easy for Zhu Hong to make Nanrong Wanqing see him in a different light.


    Hmph! For the sake of winning Nanrong Wanqing over, Zhu Hong really was willing to spend a fortune. Too bad, Cheng Yaojin came out of nowhere, and now that he¡¯s aware, he naturally wouldn¡¯t let Zhu Hong have his way.


    While musing, Ling Chen and Kaelina arrived in front of a tube-like corridor, at the end of which was a metal door with a movable window at the top.


    "We can¡¯t go any further this way," said Kaelina. "Someone is behind that door, and he can see anyone outside through the window."


    "How do we get in then?"


    Kaelina pointed towards the bottom corner of the wall: "There¡¯s an abandoned air vent over there that I used to get inst time."


    Ling Chen nced at the vent and saw that it was very narrow; his stature most likely wouldn¡¯t fit through.


    "You stay out here, I¡¯ll go in and take care of the guard." As she spoke, Kaelina unbuttoned her shirt, took off her coat, and revealed a set of leather ck clothing that clung to her skin, highlighting her slender figure. Particrly those rarely seen lofty peaks that protruded, catching Ling Chen¡¯s eye.


    This woman sure dresses boldly!


    Kaelina seemed entirely unconcerned with his gaze, she smoothed her golden hair, tied it with a band, and let it hang behind her. Then, she walked to the abandoned vent, removed the iron covering it, andy back, facing up, to squeeze in.


    However, although her figure was slender, the two ample mounds caused her some trouble, getting stuck at the top of the vent. Ling Chen shook his head inwardly; sometimes being toorge wasn¡¯t a good thing. Kaelina took a deep breath, trying topress her chest, but due to their size, half was still exposed outside.


    Ling Chen hesitated, approached, and squatted in front of her, chuckling awkwardly, "Uh... do you need some help?"


    Kaelina gave him a nce and huffed, without speaking further, which clearly meant she agreed. Thereupon, Ling Chen swallowed and extended his hands, grabbing the sides of the wire and tugging hard, inevitablying into contact with her skin.


    Really big!


    Ling Chen quietly marveled, but at the same time, he was cursing himself ¨C what was he thinking at a time like this?


    At that moment, Kaelina felt as if she had been electrified and quivered gently.


    Seeing her reaction, Ling Chen felt a little embarrassed, not expecting the woman to be so sensitive. He cleared his throat and quickly pushed aside those improper thoughts, helping Kaelina¡¯s body into the vent.


    Hearing her sounds fading away, Ling Chen stood up and sniffed his hands; the lingering fragrance instantly enveloped him.


    Although this woman is a merciless killer and wanted in various countries, he had to admit, her figure was truly top-notch.


    A minute or two passed, and the metal door at the end of the corridor opened from the inside. Then, Kaelina walked out, waving her hand at him.


    Passing through the metal door, Ling Chen saw a person lying on the ground with a twisted neck, devoid of life. Kaelina stood nearby nonchntly, her expression unaltered.


    Ling Chen nced at her impressive bosom, curiosity getting the better of him, and asked, "How did you get in by yourselfst time?"


    "I used cloth to wrap them up, and then it wasn¡¯t an issue," Kaelina stated matter-of-factly as if the question didn¡¯t bother her. If it were a young girl from within the nation, she would have probably already turned pink and would be calling out ¡¯pervert.¡¯


    "Using cloth..."


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but chuckle naughtily!


    Who would have thought, this woman really had her ways.

 Chapter 233 - 229: Secret Warehouse (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 233: Chapter 229: Secret Warehouse (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    Cough!


    Ling Chen cast aside his distracting thoughts and looked around the room, only to see a door on each of the left and right sides. Kaelina pointed to the door on the left and said: "Behind this is a secret warehouse of the God Organization. Do you want to take a look?"


    Ling Chen nodded his head, havinge all this way, of course, he wanted to clear up the situation here. After gathering the intelligence, he would report back to his organization.


    Arriving at the doorway, Kaelina grasped the doorknob, giving him a meaningful look: "You¡¯d better be mentally prepared," she said, and then pushed the door open and went in.


    As soon as the door opened, Ling Chen immediately felt a wave of heat hit him from behind the door. Entering the secret warehouse, he followed closely behind Kaelina¡¯s footsteps, his gaze sweeping around. Kaelina¡¯s repeated reminders for him to be prepared made him even more curious about what kind of rming things were kept inside this secret warehouse.


    Not long after walking, Ling Chen frowned slightly. Not only was the temperature in the secret warehouse very high, but there was also a strong and odious stench that nearly suffocated him. At that moment, Kaelina, who was leading the way, suddenly stopped, turned aside, and pointed to something for Ling Chen. Following the direction of her finger, Ling Chen fixed his eyes on the sight, and hisplexion drastically changed. Veins on his forehead bulged as he clenched his fists unconsciously, unable to utter a single word for quite some time.


    In this moment, he finally understood Kaelina¡¯s repeated warnings. Any person would find it hard to ept the scene before their eyes.


    In a corner of the warehouse, countless corpses were piled up, men and women, old and young, like a small hill, too numerous to count.


    These bodies had been stored for God knows how long, all were decaying and swollen, ghastly pale. Moreover, under the high temperature of the warehouse, the bodies were covered with maggots, densely packed and countless, which was incredibly disgusting.


    Even Ling Chen, who had seen much of the world, felt nauseous at this moment and almost threw up his dinner.


    He turned his head and looked at Kaelina, asking in a deep voice, "What¡¯s the deal with these bodies?"


    "They are all failed experiments from theboratory, sent here for unified disposal." As they spoke, a small forklift came from not far away, and Ling Chen and Kaelina quickly hid aside to avoid being discovered.


    The forklift drove straight up to the pile of corpses, then scooped up a pile of bodies and returned the way it hade.


    "There is a cremation furnace inside the warehouse; all these bodies will be burned. What you¡¯re seeing is just a part of the failed subjects. I¡¯ve looked through their files, and almost every week, bodies have to be dealt with."


    Ling Chen¡¯s face was an ashen color, still unable to recover from the initial shock. After a while, he adjusted his mentality and asked, "Where do all these peoplee from?" He noticed that among those bodies, there were not only Asians but also Caucasians and Africans, almost every ethnicity was represented.


    Kaelina exined, "The God Organization has many channels; they transport test subjects to Huaxia country by sea and air. They are very cautious, capturing mostly beggars, wanderers, or mentally unstable people, so if these people disappear, it would not raise suspicion."


    "Some time ago, I destroyed a secret base of the God Organization, which also had aboratory, however, every body there was intact, not like these bodies here which are all mangled."


    "Do you think the God Organization only conducts human enhancement experiments?" Kaelina shook her head, "What you see is just the tip of the iceberg. The God Organization is involved in a wide variety of experiments, such as head transnts, you must have heard of this surgery. Four or five decades ago, someone proposed the concept of head transntation and performed numerous experiments on animals, shocking all circles. Later, international humanitarian organizations deemed the nature of this surgery egregious, crossing the moral line of people, and thus strictly forbade it. However, the God Organization did not abide by the ban and has been secretly researching."


    At this point, she paused, then continued: "Head transntation is just one kind; there are also limb regeneration techniques, cellr repair, gic modification, these are all types of experiments the God Organization is involved in. Decades ago, the God Organization focused solely on the research of strength-enhancing serums. However, to sessfully create a strength-enhancing serum, one needs an in-depth understanding of the human body, including gic genes and the fusion of blood cells. As they overcame more and more challenges, their field of study broadened. Simply put, all of the God Organization¡¯s techniques have derived from their strength-enhancing serums."


    Ling Chen nodded: "You know a lot about the God Organization."


    "This is all information left to me by Blood Wolf. Ling Chen, the God Organization is far more terrifying than you can imagine; their research is beyond what you dare to imagine."


    Ling Chen¡¯s brows slightly furrowed, his observant nature noticing that when Kaelina uttered these words, a hint of fear shed in her blue eyes.


    That a top Assassin, unfazed by killing, felt fear, spoke volumes of the horror that was the God Organization.


    He distinctly remembered that Liu Xiyao had also said simr words to him. The God Organization of today was like a bottomlesske; he was only standing at the shoreline, yet to get close to the center, hence unable to deeply experience the power of the God Organization.


    "You said earlier this is a secret warehouse of the God Organization, why do I only see corpses?"


    "You¡¯ll find out soon."


    Bypassing the odorous pile of corpses, Ling Chen followed Kaelina to the left side of the warehouse, where there was arge door.


    "This is the cold storage." Kaelina opened therge door and led Ling Chen inside.


    Seeing the items stored in the cold storage, Ling Chen immediately understood why Kaelina said this was a secret warehouse. Inside this cold storage, various organs were stored, all well-preserved.


    "These organs will be sold on the ck market in various countries at high prices, and the funds are used for research and development in theboratories. With just this ie, eachb could basically be self-sufficient, with no need for additional funding from the organization."


    "Who manages this secret warehouse?"


    "It used to be Zhu Hong, now it¡¯s Zhang Xueli¡¯s responsibility. Why, do you want to catch her?"


    Ling Chen said coldly: "People like her being alive only cause more innocents to suffer."


    "It¡¯s useless. Kill one Zhang Xueli, and another will emerge. Even if you destroy this secret warehouse, the God Organization will just build another one. With strong financial support, the God Organization can start again anywhere, anytime. Topletely take down the God Organization, the strength of you and your people alone is not enough."


    "Then what do you suggest?"

 Chapter 234 - 230: Secret Warehouse (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 234: Chapter 230: Secret Warehouse (Part 3)</h4><h4></h4>


    "God Organization¡¯s influence spreads across various countries, and there are countless such warehouses andboratories. Over the years, through bribery and infiltration, God Organization has controlled many foreign politicians. Without eliminating these people, no one will take God Organization seriously."


    "At present, the battles between you and God Organization are all carried out secretly; no one knows what kind of organization God Organization is. Even those who coborate with God Organization do not understand it; therefore, driven by interests, they choose to cooperate. I believe that if someone publicly exposes God Organization, bringing it into the light for everyone to clearly see its malfeasance, things would be much easier."


    Ling Chen nodded; Kaelina¡¯s words made sense. Making God Organization an organisation everyone despises could indeed make solving them easier.


    However, once this smokeless war is exposed, it will also cause many problems. Because one must not only look at superficial aspects but should consider the big picture. Whether it¡¯s the old General Qiao Zhen or the founder of the Ghosts, He Ziyun, there¡¯s no way Kaelina could think of something they hadn¡¯t. Their inaction must be due to reservations.


    Seeing that he was hesitating to speak, Kaelina, as though seeing through his thoughts, spoke up: "In doing anything, one can¡¯t be overly cautious. Being overly cautious only results in missing many opportunities. As a leader, considering various aspects and taking care of the big picture is not wrong, but it also makes one timid. Over the years, one reason why God Organization has be so rampant is precisely this. Now that God Organization has matured, if we don¡¯t take severe action, no one will be able to stop it."


    "It sounds strange hearing this from you," Ling Chen said.


    If it were someone else, he could somewhat ept it, but this woman in front of him was a cold-blooded Assassin. An assassin notorious for killings suddenly bing so benevolent likely isn¡¯t just out of righteous indignation.


    Kaelina stroked her blonde hair and said indifferently, "I¡¯m just discussing the matter as it stands. This is your country, the decision is in your hands. If you want to continue to watch yourpatriots be experimental subjects for God Organization, then I have nothing more to say."


    Ling Chen was somewhat speechless; although he admitted that Kaelina had a point, he was just a pawn and had no decision-making power. Moreover, he was currently only an unofficial member of the Ghosts; only Qiao Zhen had the authority to make decisions.


    He decided to leave these issues to the higher-ups. Changing the subject, he said, "Don¡¯t forget the main mission; we came here to find evidence to clear my friend¡¯s name."


    "Follow me."


    Leaving the warehouse, Kaelina and Ling Chen returned to that room and then headed straight for the door on the right.


    "This is for your self-protection."


    Looking at the dagger Kaelina handed him, Ling Chen gave a slight smile and refused, saying, "Thanks, but I have brought my own weapon."


    Kaelina didn¡¯t press further, flipping her wrist and making the dagger disappear. Ling Chen was secretly amazed; this woman was dressed in leather from head to toe, without a pocket, and he had no idea where she hid the dagger.


    Upon opening the door, Kaelina walked ahead with Ling Chen closely following, watching both sides cautiously.


    Both sides of the corridor were lined with individual cells, most of which were empty, with only a few holding prisoners. As there were no lights inside the cells, it was pitch dark, and though Ling Chen could hear voices, he couldn¡¯t see anyone.


    Walking past the cells, a burst of noisy sounds suddenly reached Ling Chen¡¯s ears, sounding like many people. Besides voices, there was also the crisp sound of clinking bottles. Kaelina slowed down and gave Ling Chen a signal with her eyes.


    Ling Chen nodded in understanding, sticking close behind Kaelina, standing at the corner of the corridor. In a moment, Kaelina stealthily scoped out the situation, then gestured that there were a total of eight enemies ahead, and none were armed.


    "I¡¯ll take care of them, you should..."


    Before Kaelina could finish her sentence, Ling Chen had already charged out swiftly, vanishing by her side. Before she could react, a series of shing noises followed swiftly, apanied by screams like those of ughtered pigs.


    "Ling Chen!"


    Miss Kaelina rushed out from around the corner, prepared to lend a hand. However, before she could act, she was stunned.


    She saw Ling Chen touching his nose, standing not far away, with eight men lying unconscious around him.


    Seeing Miss Kaelina approaching, Ling Chen shrugged and said, "So these are the special operations team you were talking about? They¡¯re too easy to defeat."


    "It¡¯s because they didn¡¯t use guns, otherwise you¡¯d be riddled with holes," Miss Kaelina retorted, yet her gaze towards Ling Chen held a trace of peculiarity. This was her first time witnessing Ling Chen¡¯s capabilities; the eight special operation team members were taken down in a matter of seconds. Even she might not have been able to aplish that in such a short time.


    People whoe out of the Ghost Organization are indeed extraordinary.


    Hearing Miss Kaelina¡¯s teasing, Ling Chen smirked dismissively. However, he admitted there was a bit of luck in quick disposal of those men, because they were all happy andpletely unaware of the impending danger when he burst in, which gave him the upper hand.


    "You¡¯re looking for this person." Miss Kaelina pointed to a young man lying on the ground, "It was him who murdered someone that night, and then pinned the murder on your friend."


    Ling Chen nodded, casually lifted the young man onto a chair, and patted his cheek.


    Soon, the young man groggily regained consciousness.


    Seeing Ling Chen in front of him, the youth¡¯s face changed, and he attempted to resist. However, Ling Chen¡¯s fist was faster than his reaction. After taking a punch in the stomach, it seemed like the youth¡¯s entire body lost strength, he slumped in the chair, his teeth clenched, and his expression pained.


    "Friend, I have a few questions for you, I hope you can cooperate," Ling Chen spoke pleasantly.


    The youth spat out a mouthful of saliva and coldly stared at him without saying a word.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen¡¯s mouth slightly raised, carrying a faint smile.


    "Miss Kaelina, please step out for a bit, let me have a proper chat with our friend here."


    Miss Kaelina nced at him, and without a word, turned around and left the room.


    ...


    Ten minutester.


    Ling Chen walked out, holding a cloth, wiping the fresh blood on the back of his hand.


    "Where are they?"


    "They¡¯re all dead." Ling Chen¡¯s tone was indifferent, as if discussing something unrted to him.


    Miss Kaelina was stunned, not expecting Ling Chen to be more ruthless than she had imagined.


    "How can you clear your friend¡¯s name if you don¡¯t turn that man over to the police?"


    Ling Chen smiled confidently: "I have my ns. Also, I have a scheme I hope you can help me with."

 Chapter 235 - 231 Capturing Zhang Xueli

    <h4>Chapter 235: Chapter 231 Capturing Zhang Xueli</h4><h4></h4>


    Leaving the secret warehouse, Ling Chen and Kaelina returned to the Ferrari parked by the roadside.


    "Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to get the stuff."


    Twenty minutester, they drove to the residential area where Ling Chen lived. It was already midnight, and Hu Fei had already left. Upon entering the apartment, Ling Chen pointed to the safe ced in the corner of the wall, "The thing you want is in there. Don¡¯t me me for not reminding you, there¡¯s a sensor installed inside this safe. If forced open, it will trigger a self-destruct device."


    "Don¡¯t worry about that, I¡¯ll find a way to handle it."


    "Don¡¯t forget our previous agreement, remember to copy the documents inside for me."


    Kaelina nodded. Then, with Ling Chen¡¯s help, the two carried the safe downstairs and ced it in the passenger seat of the Ferrari.


    "Thank you!" Once in the car, Kaelina did not forget to thank Ling Chen, who was outside the window.


    "No need for politeness, we are in a cooperative rtionship now; we should help each other."


    The roaring sound began as the red Ferrari drove off. Watching it disappear into the distance, Ling Chen returned to his room upstairs and sat by the window sill, taking out his cell phone from his pocket and dialed a number. He had to report what he had seen and heard at the secret warehouse tonight. Additionally, his n also needed the old General¡¯s support.


    The next day.


    An Audi sedan pulled out from the traffic and stopped by the roadside. Immediately, the car door opened, and a woman wearing sunsses stepped out, followed by two suited bodyguards.


    Turning into an unupied alley from the street, the woman in sunsses quickened her pace and walked directly to an iron gate at the end of the alley.


    "Open up!"


    One of the bodyguards took out a key and unlocked the gate. However, as the gate opened and the woman in sunsses was about to enter, her expression suddenly changed, a sh of coldness passing behind her sunsses as she stepped back.


    Following her move, the dark barrel of a gun protruded from the iron gate, pressing against her forehead.


    Seeing this, the two suited bodyguards were shocked. Before they could act, several fully armed special forces soldiers swarmed out from behind the gate, quickly subduing them and pinning them to the ground.


    Simultaneously, a Buick van drove from the street corner to the outside of the alley, blocking the entrance so that no one from outside could see inside.


    "Miss Zhang, we meet again."


    Hearing a familiar voice, Zhang Xueli¡¯s expression turned cold as she faced Ling Chening out from behind the door, "How did you find this ce?"


    "If you don¡¯t want people to know, you should never have done it. Miss Zhang, you are from Huaxia, you should have heard this saying."


    Zhang Xueli sneered, "You think catching me will stop the forces behind me? That¡¯s too naive."


    Ling Chen shook his head slightly, a small smile ying at the corner of his lips as he looked directly at her, "Miss Zhang, I never had any illusions about using you to breakdown the God Organization because I know very well, you¡¯re just a minor character."


    "You think you could extract information from me and then use it to catch a big fish?" Zhang Xueli scoffed coldly, "That¡¯ll probably disappoint you."


    "That may not necessarily be the case." As soon as he spoke, seeing Zhang Xueli¡¯s determined eyes, Ling Chen¡¯s heart sank, he moved quickly like lightning, locking her jaw and forcing her mouth open to prevent it from closing. He then signaled a special forces soldier beside him who understood and immediately took out a small pointed pliers and reached into Zhang Xueli¡¯s mouth.


    In less than a minute, a false tooth containing a poison sac was extracted from Zhang Xueli¡¯s mouth.


    "Miss Zhang, did you think I wouldn¡¯t be prepared?"


    "You..." Zhang Xueli clenched her teeth, her face looking very ugly.


    Ling Chen smiled indifferently; Zhang Xueli was not the first member of the God Organization he had encountered. He was well aware of their tactics; every minor leader had a poison tooth hidden in their mouth in case they were captured and tortured. Thus, the moment he noticed something off in Zhang Xueli¡¯s demeanor, he did not hesitate to act.


    "Miss Zhang, have a good journey, we probably won¡¯t meet again." After speaking, he gestured, and several special forces soldiers immediately escorted her into the Buick van.


    ording to the n, Zhang Xueli would be directly taken to Beijing, where the old General and Han Bing would personally handle her interrogation. With the methods of the Ghost Organization, they believed substantial intelligence could be extracted from Zhang Xueli, perhaps even revealing the extent of the God Organization¡¯s influence in Huaxia.


    However, more than capturing Zhang Xueli, Ling Chen was more interested in dealing with Zhu Hong. Liu Xiyao had once told him that Zhu Hong was the head of the Asian region, with a potentially high rank within the God Organization. However, since his sessful theft of Zhu Hong¡¯s safe, Zhu Hong had disappeared without a trace, likely having left East Sea City.


    At that moment.


    Outside a three-story vi on the outskirts of Beijing, a Mercedes sedan slowly approached and stopped at the gate, a young man in a crisp suit and handsome appearance stepped down. He adjusted his cor, his expression serious, and strode into the vi.


    Reaching the second floor of the vi, the young man approached a room and gently knocked on the door.


    "Come in!"


    At the sound, the young man took a deep breath, calming his nervous heart, and pushed the door open.


    Inside the study, with an ancient charm, there were tables and chairs made of valuable purple sandalwood, reflecting the owner¡¯s taste. The walls were adorned with ink paintings, several of which were authentic works by famous artists. At a window in the study, a man sat with his back to the door, his face obscured, diligently handling the tea set in front of him.


    The young man stood up straight behind him, silent and barely daring to breathe.


    A full ten minutester, a pot of fragrant tea was ready, and the man finally spoke: "Say what you want to say."


    "I¡¯m sorry, I let you down." The young man bowed his head, his face full of shame.


    "Zhu Hong, you are a smart man, capable too, that was why I initially rmended you to handle the affairs in the Asian region. Do you know where you went wrong?"


    "I... I underestimated my opponent too much."


    "No!" The other man shook his head slowly: "That¡¯s not the main issue; your mistake was investing too much emotionally in a woman. I once cautioned you, advised you to act cautiously, not to underestimate the Ghost Organization. Yet, because of a certain Nanrong Wanqing, you couldn¡¯t maintain your usualposure, and that¡¯s why you showed too many ws."


    "I¡¯m sorry, I know I was wrong, please give me another chance."


    "For someone else, I wouldn¡¯t give a second chance, but you are different, I personally cultivated you, consider this a lesson; you need to reflect on yourself."


    Zhu Hong secretly breathed a sigh of relief, nodding, "Yes, thank you!"

 Chapter 236: The 232nd Mysterious Man

    <h4>Chapter 236: The 232nd Mysterious Man</h4><h4></h4>


    "You don¡¯t need to thank me, because your operation this time is bound to fail."


    Hearing this, Zhu Hong showed a puzzled expression and asked, "Why?"


    "You¡¯ve been around me long enough to understand my character; I always strive for stability. You have the ability and courage, but youck experience. Do you really think I¡¯d casually let you manage such a big operation? The task assigned to you, aside from being a training exercise, was also meant to create a smoke bomb to draw the attention of the Ghost Base, facilitating other ns. Even if you hadn¡¯t exposed yourself, I would have taken measures to make the Ghost Base suspect you. However, even though the oue is predetermined, it doesn¡¯t change my disappointment in you. ording to my initial n, you should have been able to hold off the Ghost Base for at least half a year, but now only two months have passed, far from meeting my expectations."


    "I¡¯m sorry!"


    "In front of me, you don¡¯t need to say sorry. You are young, and it¡¯s normal to make mistakes."


    "But, that safe inside..."


    The man waved his hand and said, "All the information you have was given by me. Knowing that you would be targeted by the Ghost Base, do you think I would give you truly important intelligence? Like I said, those were just smoke bombs, meant to attract the attention of the Ghost Base; we had to sacrifice something. Thosebs being destroyed doesn¡¯t impact us significantly. Also, I just received the news that Zhang Xueli has been captured by the people from the Ghost Base."


    "What?" Zhu Hong looked startled. "What should we do?"


    The man said with some dissatisfaction, "How many times have I taught you? Don¡¯t panic when things happen, maintain a calm demeanor. As someone in a higher position, you must learn to keep yourposure and not let others guess your thoughts. Zhang Xueli is just a pawn, her fate isn¡¯t important. Moreover, if she can disclose our secret bases in East Sea City, that would also be beneficial."


    "How could that be beneficial?" Zhu Hong asked, confused.


    "The n I¡¯m currently preparing will take another month toplete. I had hoped you could stall for some time. Since you¡¯ve been exposed, we can only pin our hopes on Zhang Xueli now, using those secret bases to hold off the Ghost Base, keeping them too busy to focus on other matters."


    "Those secret bases have hundreds of members, don¡¯t their lives matter?"


    "To achieve great things, one must not be soft-hearted. You need to learn to look at issues from a different angle. They are sacrificing themselves for the organization¡¯s greater cause, not because we aren¡¯t rescuing them. Alright, let¡¯s not discuss this further, go abroad for a while to avoid trouble. Once this blows over,e back; I still have many things I need your help with."


    "Yes, take care. I¡¯ll be leaving now." After saying this, Zhu Hong turned and walked toward the exit of the study.


    At the doorway, the man suddenly spoke up to stop him, "There is one thing I think it¡¯s necessary to tell you."


    "What is it?"


    "That young man named Ling Chen is actually not dead. Not only is he not dead, but he is also alive and well, still lurking in East Sea City. The troubles you¡¯ve encountered these days are probably all rted to him."


    Zhu Hong abruptly turned his head, his eyes filled with hatred and his face turning ashen, "He... really isn¡¯t dead?"


    "Believe me, I wouldn¡¯t lie to you; this is information I obtained from inside the Ghost Base."


    "I see." Zhu Hong gritted his teeth, furious. Thest time he stayed with the Nanrong family, he wanted to help Nanrong Wanqing resolve the troubles of the Nanrong family. Initially, everything was going well, but suddenly overnight, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s attitude towards him changed drastically. He had always been puzzled by the reason, now it seems, it must be because of Ling Chen.


    "Don¡¯t let hatred blind you," the man said indifferently. "He is just a minor character, not worth your hatred. Once you have grown stronger, people like him can be easily dealt with by you at any time."


    Zhu Hong nodded, suppressed the anger in his heart, and forced a smile, "I will certainly bear your teachings in mind."


    "Good. Besides, there is another matter, the most important thing, without my permission, you are not allowed to touch Nanrong Wanqing. If you don¡¯t heed my warning, even though I have personally mentored you, I won¡¯t give you any more chances. Did you hear me clearly?"


    "This..." Zhu Hong hesitated.


    "Hmm?"


    Feeling the man¡¯s coldening tone, Zhu Hong grit his teeth and nodded, "Yes, I understand."


    "Alright, you can go now."


    After Zhu Hong had left the study, the man picked up a cup of tea, leaned back in his chair, and muttered to himself, "Don¡¯t me me for being too harsh on you. You¡¯re not yet qualified to marry my daughter."


    ...


    Two days passed.


    News came from Ghost Base. Zhang Xueli disclosed four secret bases located in East Sea City. Tang Yuan was leading a team to apprehend them all in one fell swoop.


    With the threat in East Sea City temporarily mitigated and Zhu Hong gone missing again, Ling Chen suddenly found himself at a loose end, not knowing what to do.


    "Old bachelor."


    Returning to East Sea City, the first thing Tang Yuan did was excitedly rush to Ling Chen¡¯s residence.


    Ling Chen pushed away Tang Yuan¡¯s approaching arms and said gruffly, "Enough, what¡¯s there to hug between two grown men?"


    "I¡¯m just happy to see you," Tang Yuan said with a broad, cheerful smile. "Last time, I really thought you were dead. I bought many paper dolls to burn for you, so you could enjoy your next life."


    "Get lost! I¡¯m definitely tougher than you. Hey, you don¡¯t need my help for this operation?"


    "No need, I have enough manpower. The General said you¡¯ve worked hard recently, so he¡¯s giving you some time off to rest properly."


    "Really?"


    "Of course, it¡¯s true. I wouldn¡¯t lie to you. If you want, you can return to Nanrong Family anytime. The General wants you to continue staying by Miss Nanrong¡¯s side to protect her. The military¡¯s coboration with Nanrong Family has just begun, and he doesn¡¯t want any mishaps with Miss Nanrong. You know what I mean."


    "I understand." Ling Chen nodded. There was still one enemy of the Nanrong Family left to deal with ¡ª the Snake King. Given that he now knew the true identity of the Snake King, he naturally couldn¡¯t let his guard down.


    "Right!" He switched topics, asking, "Has there been any resolution regarding Nanrong Hao¡¯s issue?"


    "He will be released in a couple of days. Zhang Xueli has already confessed that it was Zhu Hong who instructed her to covertly transport contraband and frame it on Hongyu Group, including the set-up against Nanrong Hao. The General has already issued an order that will soon bemunicated to the city police."


    "That¡¯s good."


    Checking the time, Tang Yuan said, "I¡¯ve got other things to handle, I¡¯ll catch up with you some other time."


    "Mm, take care."


    After seeing Tang Yuan off, Ling Chen stretchedzily and then went back to his room to pack his bags. Since everything had been settled, there was no need for him to stay any longer.


    Closing the door, Ling Chen carried his luggage and sighed quietly to himself. Although this case had concluded in the way he had anticipated, he still felt a twinge of disappointment. He had secretly infiltrated East Sea City to gather evidence and intelligence to confront Zhu Hong, but Zhu Hong had left prematurely, rendering his efforts futile.


    However, thinking of Nanrong Wanqing immediately brightened his mood. Regardless, the endeavor wasn¡¯t entirely fruitless, at least it had rified the rtionship between him and Nanrong Wanqing.


    Before leaving, he made a phone call to Hu Fei. He owed much to Hu Fei¡¯s help during this period and naturally wanted to express his gratitude properly.

 Chapter 237 - 233: Future Husband Cultivation Plan

    <h4>Chapter 237: Chapter 233: Future Husband Cultivation n</h4><h4></h4>


    Hongyu Group.


    Secretary Wang Lan pushed open the door of the Chairman¡¯s office, a smile on her face as she looked at Nanrong Wanqing, who was busily working at her desk.


    "Chairman, someone is looking for you."


    "I¡¯m really busy right now, I don¡¯t have time..."


    "Not even time for me?" A familiar voice came, and Nanrong Wanqing immediately looked up at the door, only to see Ling Chen standing behind Wang Lan with a cheeky grin, winking at her.


    "Lan, you go ahead with your work; I have something to discuss with the Chairman."


    "Mhm." Wang Lan, very understanding, didn¡¯t say anything unnecessary and turned to leave the office.


    Nanrong Wanqing wheeled away from her desk and looked curiously at Ling Chen, who was sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed. "Didn¡¯t you say that you don¡¯t want others to know that you¡¯re back?"


    "It¡¯s okay now." Ling Chen shed a wide grin, "Old Tang helped me resignst time, and I¡¯m here to be reinstated today. It¡¯s up to you, the Chairman, to agree or not."


    "Reinstate?" Nanrong Wanqing pondered for a moment, then gently shook her head: "I cannot agree."


    Ling Chen was slightly taken aback, puzzled: "Why not?" As he spoke, he ¡¯oh¡¯ed, with a sudden look of realization, his smile yful: "Are you refusing to let me return to thepany because you want to propel me directly to the pinnacle of life?"


    "What pinnacle of life?"


    "Be a general manager, marry a rich and beautiful woman... Nope, that should be marry the Chairman, and also..."


    Hearing his nonsense, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s pretty face blushed, two streaks of crimson rose involuntarily, and she retorted with annoyance: "You¡¯re thinking too much."


    "Then what would you have me do?"


    "Security doesn¡¯t have much career prospect; I think you should try other fields, like management."


    "Management?" Ling Chen¡¯s eyes rolled, and he immediatelyughed. He looked at Nanrong Wanqing with meaningful amusement. Feeling his gaze, Nanrong Wanqing couldn¡¯t help but turn her head away, her face reddening, her beautiful eyes flickering, she stammered: "What are you looking at me for?"


    Ling Chen chuckled: "Chairman, are you undertaking a future husband training program?"


    "Who says that, I just... just think your abilities are wasted on being security." By the end of her sentence, her voice had be a faint whisper, with a hint of shyness, not daring to look directly into his eyes.


    Seeing her bashful, demure appearance, Ling Chen smiled to himself. The old Nanrong Wanqing used to be stern with an icy face, authoritative and nobody dared to defy her. But the current Nanrong Wanqing appeared like a fairy descending from the heavens, tasting the mortal world for the first time, with apletely different charm that unwittingly attracted him.


    "Really not a future husband training program?"


    Seeing him bringing up that topic again, Nanrong Wanqing became both shy and annoyed: "If you ask again, then you can go back to the security department."


    "Alright, alright, I won¡¯t ask anymore. You¡¯re the Chairman; whatever you say goes. So what position are you nning to arrange for me?" Knowing she was thin-skinned, Ling Chen no longer teased her.


    "Start by getting familiar with the Human Resources Department. If you perform well, then I will arrange other tasks for you." When it came to work, Nanrong Wanqing immediately became serious, "The Human Resources Department is a vital part of thepany and is involved in the overall operation. You can¡¯t take it lightly."


    "No problem, don¡¯t you know my abilities." Ling Chen was full of confidence.


    "Right, how¡¯s Nanrong Hao doing?" Bringing up her own brother, a trace of concealed worry crossed Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s brows.


    "Don¡¯t worry, if his issue wasn¡¯t resolved, could I havee back to find you? By tomorrow at thetest, you¡¯ll be able to see him."


    Upon hearing that, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s brows immediately smoothed out, as if she rxedpletely, "Thank you."


    Ling Chen waved his hand dismissively: "Do we still need to thank each other? If you really want to thank me, why not make it up to me tonight." While saying this, he let out a sly chuckle.


    Thinking of the passionate night, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s pretty face blushed, her hands gripping the hem of her clothes as she scolded angrily: "Without my permission, you¡¯re not allowed in my room ever again. Also, when you go back, you need to apologize to Lin yourself."


    Su Lin?


    Ling Chen scratched his head; that girl was a bit of trouble. With her tigress-like personality, he wasn¡¯t sure if she would forgive him.


    Nanrong Wanqing seemed to sense his worries and said, "I¡¯ve exined it to Lin. It was just a misunderstanding; she probably won¡¯t me you."


    "That¡¯s good then." Ling Chen nodded, but still felt somewhat unsure, since he had taken such a big advantage of someone, "Did she say anything?"


    "Say anything about what?"


    "About our rtionship, didn¡¯t she show any reaction at all?"


    "Not for now. I¡¯ll find an opportunity to have a good talk with herter. Oh, and one more thing," Nanrong Wanqing quickly changed the subject, reminding him, "You¡¯re not allowed to mention our rtionship to anyone else at thepany."


    "Rtionship, Wanqing, what are you referring to?"


    "Get lost." Nanrong Wanqing was so irritated that she uttered a curse, which was rare for her.


    Ling Chenughed heartily. He had wanted to spend more time with Nanrong Wanqing, but seeing that she was busy with a lot of work, he tactfully didn¡¯t disturb her and went down to the security department alone.


    Seeing him return, Zhong Wei, Wei Jun, and the others were naturally overjoyed.


    "Ling, wee back to thepany. To celebrate your return, you¡¯re treating us to a meal tonight," Wei Jun said with augh, patting his shoulder.


    "I don¡¯t mind a dinner, but not tonight. I¡¯m busy; let¡¯s do it another day."


    Thinking of facing Su Linter in the evening, he really wasn¡¯t in the mood to go out and enjoy himself.


    At six o¡¯clock in the evening.


    Ling Chen sat in his Rolls-Royce, apanying Nanrong Wanqing back to Wealthy Manor. When they reached the doorstep, and he saw the white Maserati parked outside, Ling Chen cleared his throat and nced at Nanrong Wanqing beside him.


    It seemed like she didn¡¯t notice his gaze and said indifferently, "I¡¯m going back to my room. You go find Lin."


    Ling Chen touched his nose and shook his head, resigned. After Nanrong Wanqing returned to her room, he headed alone to Su Lin¡¯s bedroom door. Peeking through the door gap, the light was on inside; Su Lin should be in there.


    Taking a deep breath, he raised his hand and gently knocked on the door.


    "Come in."


    Getting her permission, Ling Chen grasped the doorknob, pushed the door, and walked in.


    However, the moment he entered, his expression froze, and he stood there dumbfounded with his foot hovered midair, staring open-mouthed at Su Lin inside the room.


    Apparently, the youngdy had just finished showering, her body wrapped in a towel, exposing soft, fragrant shoulders. As he entered, Su Lin was about to remove her towel, holding ace-trimmed sexy bra in her hand, and turned her head to ask, "Wanqing, you..."


    Before she could finish her sentence, seeing Ling Chen standing at the doorway with his mouth agape, Su Lin was momentarily stunned, her mind went nk, and it took her a long time to snap back to reality.

 Chapter 238 - 234 Letting You See It Again

    <h4>Chapter 238: Chapter 234 Letting You See It Again</h4><h4></h4>


    Eye to eye, Ling Chen¡¯s attention wasrgely focused on Su Lin¡¯s bare and delicate body.


    Watching Su Lin¡¯s alluring figure, Ling Chen felt a dry throat and couldn¡¯t help but swallow, feeling a slight swelling in his lower body, stirred by primitive desires.


    A few seconds of eye contactter, Su Lin finally came to her senses. Instinctively, her first reaction was to scream. However, noticing her action, Ling Chen panicked, took a quick step forward, and covered her mouth before she could make a sound.


    "Don¡¯t... don¡¯t scream!"


    Ling Chen urged anxiously. Nanrong Wanqing was next door, and if Su Lin screamed, Nanrong Wanqing would definitely hear, and if she saw the situation, it would be awkward for all three of them.


    "Mmm..." Su Lin tried to speak, but Ling Chen was covering her mouth, and she couldn¡¯t utter a word.


    "Lady Su, I just misunderstood; I didn¡¯t mean to peep on you," Ling Chen exined, then added, "Wanqing is next door, do you want her to see this?"


    Su Lin red at him, still thinking it was Nanrong Wanqing knocking on the door earlier, hence her guard was down. Since no man ever came to the second floor, and since Zhu Hong and Ling Chen weren¡¯t residing at home, she never anticipated the coincidence that Ling Chen would appear.


    When did this rascale back?


    Realizing she was still unclothed in front of Ling Chen, Su Lin felt unbearable embarrassment, her fair skin blushing faintly.


    "Mmm... Mmm..."


    Seeing the color of embarrassment in Su Lin¡¯s eyes, Ling Chen reacted and couldn¡¯t help but lower his head, ncing at Su Lin¡¯s full bosom. This act turned Su Lin¡¯s face as red as an apple, appearing charmingly shy.


    Rascal, you¡¯re still looking! She cursed in her heart.


    "Umm... you should get dressed first." Feeling Su Lin¡¯s anger, Ling Chen forced a smile, quickly let go of her, and turned his back. However, as soon as he turned, his expression became strange. On the wall opposite him, there was a full-length mirror, perfectly reflecting Su Lin¡¯s voluptuous body.


    Su Lin seemed not to notice this detail; by the time Ling Chen turned around, she had already grabbed a nightgown and draped it over herself, covering the exposed view.


    Once she had put on her nightgown, Su Lin¡¯s face gradually returned to normal. Then, she turned her head, wanting to call him to turn around. But at that moment, she finally noticed the full-length mirror on the wall, her face turning red again, indignantly saying, "Ling Chen, you..."


    "I didn¡¯t see anything," Ling Chen quickly denied.


    "Pah! Who would believe your nonsense?" Su Lin sniffed, still blushing and ring at Ling Chen, internally cursing the rascal thousands of times. Last time he had taken such advantage of her, and she hadn¡¯t settled ounts with him yet, and now she suffered another huge loss. Thinking of this, she felt like a jar of mixed emotions was knocked over, very ufortable.


    Though she had a boyfriend before, it was only limited to holding hands, never crossing the boundary. She always held her body in high regard. Now, this rascal had touched where he shouldn¡¯t, seen what he shouldn¡¯t have; how could she face anyone after this?


    The more she thought, the more aggrieved she felt, her eyes involuntarily reddening, on the verge of tears.


    Seeing her sudden tears, Ling Chen was dumbfounded. Who knew this girl had such fragile mental resilience, unable to even withstand this small setback. If it were about killing someone, he could do it without blinking an eye. However, faced with a saddened, crying woman, he felt utterly helpless and unsure of how to console her.


    "Look, don¡¯t cry, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose, how about... I let you see in return? That way, no one loses out."


    Hearing this, Su Lin became furious. She had already suffered a loss, and he was still trying to take advantage of her, this rascal, pervert, scoundrel... couldn¡¯t he justfort her for once.


    "Hey, I said it was a misunderstanding, isn¡¯t my apology enough?"


    Su Lin retorted indignantly: "Is an apology enough?"


    Ling Chen spread his hands helplessly: "Then what do you want? You¡¯re not expecting me to take responsibility, are you?"


    "Who¡¯s asking you to take responsibility." Su Lin blushed, wiped the tears from the corner of her eye, and huffed: "I might ept your apology, but it depends on your sincerity."


    "What counts as sincere enough?"


    Su Lin rolled her eyes, sniffing: "Depends on your future behavior. If you can satisfy me, I might pretend that both today andst time never happened."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll do my best." Ling Chen sighed, after all, he shouldpensate since he took such advantage of her.


    Having barely escaped from Su Lin¡¯s room, Ling Chen knocked on the door across, waiting for a response before he pushed the door and entered.


    Entering the bedroom, he saw Nanrong Wanqing struggling to move from the wheelchair to the bed. Upon seeing this, he quickly stepped forward, lifted her delicate body, and gently ced her on the bed.


    "Have you seen Lin? How did it go?"


    "It was fine," Ling Chen replied nonchntly, his eyes thoughtful on Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s legs.


    "What do you mean ¡¯fine¡¯? rify, did she forgive you?" Nanrong Wanqing was a bit unsatisfied with his casualness and pressed for details.


    "I¡¯m on good terms with her, nothing happened, you should be satisfied with that," Ling Chen said, shifting the topic: "Wasn¡¯t that exoskeleton armor sessfully developed? Why not have them deliver a set here?"


    "My set of exoskeleton armor needs to be customized, their power reduced. It¡¯s still being rushed; it will take some time toplete," Nanrong Wanqing said, her expression somewhat mncholic, "Doctor Stephen said he had a way to cure my legs, but there has been no news, and even he¡¯s nowhere to be found."


    "You don¡¯t have to look any more, he¡¯s not reliable." Ling Chen pointed out. Unknown to Nanrong Wanqing, Stephen was a member of the God Organization. Even if Stephen truly had a way to cure Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s legs, Ling Chen wouldn¡¯t hand her over to him; that would be far too dangerous.


    "The exoskeleton armor will be here soon, use it for now. I will find a way to make you truly stand up."


    "Really?"


    Ling Chen smiled slightly: "Trust me, I won¡¯t disappoint you."

 Chapter 239 - 235 Human Resources Department

    <h4>Chapter 239: Chapter 235 Human Resources Department</h4><h4></h4>


    The next day.


    Ling Chen woke up early and did an hour of morning exercise. When it was about time, he returned to his room for a quick shower and then joined Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin for breakfast.


    Sitting at the dining table, Su Lin absentmindedly nibbled on bread, her gaze constantly shifting back and forth between Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing.


    Feeling ufortable under her stare, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but look up and say, "Lady Su, is there something on my face that you keep staring at me? I know I¡¯m handsome, but I¡¯m taken. I¡¯d appreciate it if you don¡¯t harbor any intentions towards me."


    Upon hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s pretty face flushed slightly red, and she gave him an annoyed re. Su Lin was even less polite, lightly spitting in contempt, "Don¡¯t tter yourself. There are plenty of guys handsomer than you. I¡¯m not interested in a face like yours."


    Ling Chen chuckled, "No worries, if you¡¯re not interested, someone else will be. Right, Wanqing?"


    Su Lin looked at him with irritation and muttered, "I don¡¯t see what Wanqing sees in you."


    "It¡¯s because Wanqing has good taste and discernment."


    "You..." Su Lin huffed, "Wanqing, did you hear that? He¡¯s bullying me! He dares to say Ick taste and discernment."


    Nanrong Wanqing rubbed her temples, helplessly saying, "Can¡¯t you both give it a rest? Early in the morning, all I hear is you two bickering. I¡¯m tired just listening to you."


    "Hmph, I can¡¯t be bothered with you." Su Lin pursed her lips and picked up her handbag from the chair, "I¡¯m off to ss." Walking a few steps, she turned her head back, reminding, "Ling Chen, don¡¯t forget what you promised mest night."


    Watching Su Lin leave, Nanrong Wanqing asked curiously, "What did you promise her?"


    "Nothing much." Ling Chen chuckled, standing up, "I¡¯m full. You take your time. I¡¯m going to find Captain Zhong and check if the car is ready." Having said that, he dashed out.


    Eight o¡¯clock in the morning.


    Ling Chen apanied Nanrong Wanqing to the office on time.


    "Today is your first day at the department; remember to follow the rules and avoid trouble," Nanrong Wanqing advised before parting.


    "Don¡¯t worry, I will be prudent and humbly learn from my colleagues."


    After watching Nanrong Wanqing enter her private elevator, Ling Chen took another elevator to the tenth floor of Hongyu Group, the Human Resources Department.


    Inside the department, a cacophony of keyboard cking filled the air as everyone intently worked at theirputers without uttering a word. Upon his arrival, they only nced at him briefly, uninterested in a second look, and continued with their work.


    Ling Chen touched his nose, feeling that this ce waspletely different from life in the security department; it was like night and day. Keeping in mind Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s instructions, he went straight to the department manager¡¯s office and knocked on the door.


    "Come in!"


    A woman?


    Ling Chen opened the ss door to see a woman in her thirtiese into view.


    The woman before him was dressed in a white business suit, wearing sses, her expression stern and seemingly with rigid facial muscles; she was very serious.


    "Manager Jiang, hello." Ling Chen greeted her warmly, "I¡¯m Ling Chen, the new employee. I look forward to working with and learning from you."


    This woman was named Jiang Ying, the manager of the Human Resources Department. He had done his homework in advance.


    Jiang Ying looked up at him, said nothing, but pointed to the clock on the wall. Ling Chen nced at the clock, then back at Jiang Ying, his face full of confusion, not understanding her point.


    "Thepany¡¯s working hours start at eight o¡¯clock. It¡¯s already five past eight. As a new employee, you can¡¯t even keep the most basic punctuality. How can I trust you with work?"


    Ling Chen was momentarily stunned. This woman¡¯s sense of time was too strong. Besides, it wasn¡¯t like he had intentionally beente; did she need to look at him with such disapproval?


    Seeing him with a nonchnt expression, Jiang Ying frowned slightly, "HR told me you were transferred from the security department. People from the security department tend to bex and undisciplined. Here, you¡¯d better change your old habits. Three strikes and you¡¯re out; I don¡¯t care what connections you have in thepany, you¡¯ll be dismissed after three vitions. Do you understand?"


    "Crystal clear." Ling Chen nodded his head. Nanrong Wanqing had arranged for him to learn in the Human Resources Department; he couldn¡¯t let her down. Although he didn¡¯t take a liking to this manager, for Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s sake, he had to ept it reluctantly.


    "Good. I will observe your performance over the next few days. If you fail to satisfy me, I suggest you return to the security department. We have no need for useless people here," Jiang Ying said, and then pressed the inte button. Shortly after, a pretty girl in her twenties entered the room.


    "Xiao Han, this is Ling Chen, the department¡¯s new employee. Please arrange his work for him."


    "Understood, Manager."


    After leaving the office, Ling Chen spoke with the girl for a moment and learned that her name was Yang Han, Jiang Ying¡¯s secretary.


    "Ling Chen, this is where you¡¯ll be working."


    Yang Han led him to an empty desk, then ced a stack of files on it, "This is your work for today. You need to enter the new employee information from various departments into thepany¡¯s records."


    Ling Chen snapped his fingers and shed a grin, "No problem."


    "Then get busy. If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, just call me. I sit in the cubicle across from you."


    "Okay, thanks."


    After Yang Han left, Ling Chen sat at the desk, powered on theputer, and began to sort through the files, entering them into theputer one by one. After working non-stop at the screen for two hours, Ling Chen felt his back stiffening and his eyes straining. Damn, this workload is massive.


    Despite the hard work, he understood the motive behind Nanrong Wanqing arranging for him to work here. The Human Resources Department is crucial for understanding thepany¡¯s employees, managing the operations of all departments, and arranging personnel movement. Putting the right effort into the most effective areas ¨C that¡¯s what the Human Resources Department is supposed to do.


    Checking the time, it was ten o¡¯clock, an hour and a half away from lunch. Ling Chen stood up, filled his mug with coffee, then stood by the window, twisting his waist and stretching his sore body.


    "Ling Chen, what are you doing?"


    Just then, Jiang Ying¡¯s voice came from behind him.


    Ling Chen turned around and smiled, "Manager, I¡¯m just taking a brief break."


    "Have you finished your work?"


    "Not yet."


    "It¡¯s working hours now. There¡¯s plenty of time to rest after work. Also, don¡¯t wander around the department, you¡¯re distracting the other colleagues."


    Ling Chen suddenly felt displeased, "Manager, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being a bit too impersonal? People aren¡¯t machines; everyone gets tired. Taking a short break allows us to work better."


    Jiang Ying, her face expressionless, responded, "This is my department; I make the rules. If you have a problem, you can leave. I won¡¯t hold you back. Including your tardiness today, you¡¯ve already breached two rules. Make sure there isn¡¯t a third."


    ""

 Chapter 240: Aunt No. 236

    <h4>Chapter 240: Aunt No. 236</h4><h4></h4>


    "Manager, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m targeting anyone, but there¡¯s a big problem with the way you handle things. I¡¯m here to work, not to sell my life away. On what grounds do you deny me rest? Moreover, this is Hongyu Group; I only need to follow thepany¡¯s rules. You¡¯re not the chairman, so why should I abide by your inhumane rules?" Ling Chen expressed his dissatisfaction. This woman was just too damn unreasonable; she was just a manager, yet she acted as if she was the emperor, expecting everyone to listen to hermands.


    Jiang Ying¡¯s face turned slightly cold as she frowned and said, "You¡ªa new employee¡ªdare to challenge my work and talk back to me?"


    "Why wouldn¡¯t I dare? I guess the other employees in your department are holding back their anger for the sake of their livelihoods, but I don¡¯t have those concerns. At worst, you just fire me."


    He wasn¡¯t a pushover, and with his personality, even if he reluctantly stayed today, he would inevitably protest tomorrow. So why not leave sooner?


    "Fine, you said it yourself." Jiang Ying nodded her head and, pointing to the main door, said, "You can roll out from here right now."


    Ling Chen had been about to leave, but when he heard the word ¡¯roll,¡¯ he immediately halted, narrowed his eyes at Jiang Ying, and said enunciating each word, "Who are you telling to roll? As a manager, your vocabrycks any ss. It¡¯s a wonder how someone like you became a manager. Even the chairman of Hongyu Group must be blind to promote someone like you."


    Upon hearing these words, everyone in the office was suddenly shocked and looked at Ling Chen with their mouths agape. This guy had such a nerve; he even dared to insult the chairman. Didn¡¯t he know about the rtionship between the manager and the chairman?


    s, this guy is done for! Everyone silently mourned for Ling Chen for a second.


    "You dare disrespect the chairman?" Jiang Ying¡¯s face fell, with anger zing in her eyes.


    Ling Chen shrugged his shoulders: "I¡¯m just speaking the truth."


    "Good, I see you don¡¯t want to stay in thispany any longer."


    "It doesn¡¯t matter to me; I can just go back to the security department," Ling Chen said unconcernedly. Working under such people, no amount of money would be worth it to him.


    "You won¡¯t be returning to the security department either, just pack up and leave." Jiang Ying coldly threw out a sentence and turned to walk back into her office.


    Ling Chen just smiled dismissively, waved his hand to his colleagues, and said, "Folks, continue to enjoy your suffering in the sea of bitterness. I¡¯m breaking free from it first."


    After leaving the Human Resources Department, Ling Chen thought about going to the security department to clear his head. However, just as he entered the elevator, he received a phone call from Nanrong Wanqing asking him toe to her office.


    Tsk tsk! He¡¯d just left, and Nanrong Wanqing already knew¡ªJiang Ying was quick to tattle.


    Arriving at the top-floor office, Ling Chen greeted Wang Lan and then pushed the door open and walked in.


    "Chairman, did you want to see me?"


    Nanrong Wanqing looked at him with a displeased expression and reproached, "I warned you this morning not to cause any trouble, yet just two hourster, Manager Jiang calls the HR department demanding your dismissal."


    Ling Chen spread his hands and said, "You can¡¯t me me for that; who asked that woman to be so unreasonable. I wanted to do my work quietly, but she kept provoking me."


    "You... Manager Jiang may be a bit strict, and I¡¯ve advised her too, but that¡¯s just her personality, and it¡¯s hard to change; you just have to adapt. Moreover, over the years, she¡¯s put a lot of effort into thepany. Hongyu Group¡¯s sess today is partly her achievement," Nanrong Wanqing patiently exined, "with others, a little backtalk is fine, but not with her."


    "Why not?"


    Nanrong Wanqing bit her lip, looking somewhat embarrassed as she said, "She¡¯s my aunt."


    "Aunt?" Ling Chen was slightly taken aback, not expecting Jiang Ying and Nanrong Wanqing to have this connection. Aunt, that would be Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s mother¡¯s sister.


    Thinking back to the unpleasant exchange he had with Jiang Ying, his expression immediately turned sour.


    This was awkward.


    "Why didn¡¯t you give me a heads-up before?" heined.


    "How was I supposed to know you¡¯d anger her so quickly?" Nanrong Wanqing said helplessly. She had specifically arranged for Ling Chen to be in the HR department out of personal interest, because her own mother had left home when she was very young, and her aunt had taken great care of her ever since. Later, Jiang Ying told her that in the absence of her mother, she would like to vet any boyfriends she might have, which is why she transferred Ling Chen to the HR department to let them get to know each other first.


    She initially wanted to observe Ling Chen¡¯s performance and tell him about her aunt after a while, but who knew that just in two hours, he would anger her aunt, which left her not knowing whether tough or cry.


    Ling Chen grimaced and said, "Why didn¡¯t you ever mention your aunt before?"


    "At that time, you were still an outsider. Why would I tell you about my family matters?"


    "So what should I do now? I¡¯ve already made a bad impression on your aunt. Maybe... maybe you could exin it to her?"


    "My aunt¡¯s personality is a bit entric," Nanrong Wanqing said and couldn¡¯t help but sigh lightly. "Actually, my aunt wasn¡¯t like this before. It¡¯s just that she went through too much when she was young, which caused her to be what she is today."


    "What happened?" Ling Chen asked with a curious expression. "Could it be that she was abandoned by a man? Yeah, turning to hatred from love could certainly change someone¡¯s personality. I understand."


    "Don¡¯t talk nonsense," Nanrong Wanqing red at him, and said with annoyance, "If it weren¡¯t for my mother, my aunt wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen felt a stir in his heart, walked over to her, and said solemnly, "Actually, I¡¯ve always had a question that I didn¡¯t feel it was appropriate to ask. But now that we are in this kind of rtionship, shouldn¡¯t you tell me about your parents¡¯ affairs?"


    He had noticed during hisst visit to the Nanrong Family that neither Nanrong Wanqing nor Nanrong Hao had any photos of their parents in their rooms, which obviously was unusual. Moreover, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s parents seemed to be a taboo topic in the Nanrong family, with no one daring to mention them. Therefore, he was very curious. Now that it was brought up, he wanted to take this opportunity to ask for rity.


    "My parents..." Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face turned somber, and a trace of sadness shimmered in her eyes. Seeing this, Ling Chen walked behind her, ced his hands on her fragile shoulders, and said softly, "If you don¡¯t want to talk about it, then I won¡¯t ask."


    He could feel that when it came to her parents, she was greatly troubled. Considering she had lost her parents shortly after she was born and they had never returned for decades, it must have been hard for her as their child.


    Nanrong Wanqing shook her head, managing a faint smile, "Actually, I also want to confide in someone. Let¡¯s sit over there and talk."


    Ling Chen agreed, pushed the wheelchair over to the sofa, and sat down next to her, listening attentively to her story.


    (Brothers and sisters, how about some rmendations¡ª!)

 Chapter 241 - 237 Jiang Family

    <h4>Chapter 241: Chapter 237 Jiang Family</h4><h4></h4>


    "I don¡¯t know why my parents left home, and Grandpa never talked to me about it. When I was young, I asked him a few times, but Grandpa was reluctant to talk about it, and every time my parents were mentioned, he lost control of his emotions. Since then, I haven¡¯t mentioned it in front of him anymore. However, I¡¯ve heard quite a bit about my mother from Nanny Wang and my aunt."


    "My mom was named Jiang Qing¡¯e, and she was a daughter of the Jiang Family in Yangcheng. She had four siblings, two older brothers, and a younger sister, who you just met, Mrs. Jiang Ying. Back then, my dad met my mom while traveling, and Auntie was with her on the trip. After bingpanions, my parents developed feelings for each other during the journey and exchanged contact information, frequently meeting up and traveling to different ces. Their rtionship deepened over time. However, when my dad thought the timing was right and proposed, the Jiang Family refused him. I could never understand why; even though the Nanrong Family was already wealthy and the Jiang Family also had influence in Yangcheng, our families were well matched, yet they refused the marriage."


    "Even though the Jiang Family was against it, my parents were deeply in love andmitted to each other for life. Ignoring their family¡¯s objections, my mom ended up marrying my dad. At that time, only my aunt attended their wedding. Because of this, she and my mom were considered traitors by the Jiang Family, disobeying the family¡¯s order, so they were expelled. Since then, my aunt has stayed in East Sea City, working at Hongyu Group. My parents had several happy years together, deeply in love as a couple. However, a major incident urred not long after Nanrong Hao was born, which led to my parents leaving the Nanrong Family and never returning."


    "Regarding the incident that happened at the Nanrong Family, all those who knew kept silent, and I couldn¡¯t find out more. Later, I asked my aunt, hoping to learn the truth from her, but she told me not to ask too much. She said knowing some things might bring more pain, and they didn¡¯t tell me to protect me, to prevent me from being affected by the resentments of the previous generation."


    "Yangcheng Jiang Family?" Ling Chen murmured to himself.


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded slightly, "I¡¯ve investigated the Jiang Family in Yangcheng; it¡¯s a prominent family with a hundred years of history and significant influence. I tried to contact the head of the Jiang Family, who is my maternal grandfather, but the several letters I sent were all ignored, receiving no response. I guess the Jiang Family did not want to deal with me, so I gave up. Ling Chen, I¡¯m telling you all this just to let you know that my aunt has it tough; she sacrificed a lot for my parents. At the time, she tried her best to persuade the Jiang Family to approve my parents¡¯ marriage. For that, she shed with her family members, ending up without a home to return to."


    "Why doesn¡¯t she live at your ce if she¡¯s your aunt?"


    "There are three vis in the backyard of the Nanrong Family, besides the ones where Nanrong Hao and I each live, the other one was where my parents used to live. Auntie used to live with them. However, since my parents left, Auntie¡¯s character has also be entric, refusing to stay in the Nanrong Family anymore; she says it makes her sad, so she insists on living alone."


    "I see," Ling Chen finally understood the situation. Yet, the issue that urred at the Nanrong Family was undoubtedly an intriguing problem.


    Scratching his head, he presented the dilemma again to Nanrong Wanqing with a helpless smile, "What should I do now? I¡¯ve managed to offend Auntie terribly already. With her rigid personality, it¡¯s probably toote to apologize."


    Nanrong Wanqing helplessly said, "Auntie is still on a rampage right now, even if you go to apologize, she would directly kick you out. You...sigh, I don¡¯t even know how to handle you. Refrain from going to the HR department for now, head back to the security area instead. Also, try not to let my aunt see you in thepany these days, she might just fire you."


    "I¡¯ll be careful to avoid her."


    Leaving the office, Ling Chen sighed heavily, his face full of worry, regretting his impulsive mistake of offending Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s aunt. What bad luck.


    Checking the time, there was still an hour left until the end of the workday. Since he was heading back to the security department, he figured he might as well tackle something useful.


    He went to the underground parking lot, where his ssic muscle car was parked in a corner, spotless. It seemed that in his absence, Nanrong Wanqing had not forgotten to take care of his beloved car. His lips curled slightly, appreciating her considerate nature.


    Driving out of Hongyu Group, Ling Chen headed onto the road. After a thirty-minute drive, he parked outside Qingyun Martial Arts Hall.


    Reaching the door, he knocked, and the door opened in response. Seeing that it was He Ziyun who opened the door, Ling Chen greeted with a smile, "Mr. He."


    "Come on in."


    "Where¡¯s Little Hua?" Ling Chen walked through the spacious courtyard, not seeing Little Hua, the sticky little girl, and asked.


    "She¡¯s gone out with Xiaozhu."


    Ling Chen was surprised, "Xiaozhu is back?"


    "Yes, she arrivedst night."


    Ling Chen secretly breathed a sigh of relief, d that he hade at the right time. Since parting from Zhu Xiaozhu that night, there had been an unspoken yet profound gap between them. Without addressing Zhu Hong¡¯s issue, he didn¡¯t know how to face her. Meeting under such circumstances would probably make both of them feel awkward.


    "Did youe to see me about that cultivation technique today?"


    Hearing He Ziyun speak, Ling Chen nodded, "Mr. He, how¡¯s your research going?"


    He Ziyun smiled slightly, "I have to admit, you¡¯re enviable for your luck, stumbling upon such a treasure. Although the text of the Internal Cultivation Methods is obscure and difficult, it¡¯s undeniable that it¡¯s an absolute skill passed down from ancient times. I¡¯ve been consulting various major sects¡¯ archives, and fortunately, persistance pays off; I¡¯ve tranted the Internal Cultivation Methods. Wait here, I¡¯ll go get it for you." Saying that, he stood up and walked towards his bedroom.


    Ling Chen felt a small thrill of excitement inside. He was well aware of He Ziyun¡¯s strength, a renowned figure on the Earthly List, and receiving such high praise from him meant the Internal Cultivation Methods were extraordinary. His external training had reached its pinnacle, but his internal strength was just beginning. A good set of Internal Cultivation Methods could save him much trouble and detours.


    While pondering, He Ziyun returned to the hall, handing over a sheet of handwritten paper filled with characters.


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t wait to receive it, and before he had a chance to look at other content, his gaze was already drawn to the fewrge characters at the top.

 Chapter 242 - 238 Prajnaparamita Sutra

    <h4>Chapter 242: Chapter 238 Prajnaparamita Sutra</h4><h4></h4>


    "Prajnaparamita Sutra?"


    Ling Chen was momentarily taken aback. The name sounded strange, somewhat like the title of a Buddhist scripture? Thinking this, he looked at He Ziyun puzzled, hoping to get an exnation from him.


    He Ziyun saw his thoughts and couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly, patiently exining: "The reason you find this Internal Cultivation Method obscure is that it involves a lot of Buddhist terminology. I must admit, I too had to consult many ancient Buddhist scriptures to trante this mental method. Personally, I think that the author of this Internal Cultivation Method must have been a Buddhist monk. However, if my guess is correct, there is a significant issue with this Internal Cultivation Method."


    "What issue?"


    "It¡¯s well known that Buddhism values the equality of all beings and bases itself onpassion, saving people with a fearless heart from dire situations. However, this Internal Cultivation Method focuses primarily on killing, which contradicts the principles of Buddhism. Thus, it puzzles me why a Buddhist monk would leave such a mental method for future generations."


    Ling Chen slightly raised his lips and chuckled: "Mr. He, as you just mentioned, this is only your conjecture. Perhaps the author of this Internal Cultivation Method wasn¡¯t a Buddhist monk but someone else. Who can know the affairs of hundreds of years ago?"


    "That¡¯s also true." He Ziyun nodded and said, "Maybe I¡¯m overthinking it." After pausing, he changed the subject, "You just asked me why the name of this Internal Cultivation Method resembles a Buddhist scripture. The reason is quite simple. Buddhism epasses everything, and this Internal Cultivation Method also harbors all the essences of Martial Arts¡ªchangeable in countless ways."


    "That powerful?" Ling Chen couldn¡¯t contain his excitement, his eyes gleaming.


    He Ziyun smiled and said: "That¡¯s why I said you are fortunate. You have practiced this Internal Cultivation Method before and didn¡¯t see much effect because you didn¡¯t approach it in the right way. Only with the correct approach can you understand its mysteries. However, any top-tier Internal Cultivation Method has specific requirements for the practitioner."


    Ling Chen asked curiously, "What requirements?"


    "The Prajnaparamita Sutra can only be practiced by men; they must be at the peak of their external skills and cannot be older than twenty-five. You meet all these conditions, but there is one most crucial condition you haven¡¯t fulfilled, which is why you haven¡¯t progressed."


    "The most important condition?" Ling Chen felt anxious, "Mr. He, do I still have any hope?"


    He Ziyun revealed a meaningfully deep smile: "There is hope. Actually, this condition is not difficult for you; you can meet it anytime you want." Pausing, he cleared his throat and said with a smile: "For the practice of the Prajnaparamita Sutra, the man must lose his virginity."


    "What?" Ling Chen widened his eyes, thinking he had heard wrongly. Losing virginity? This was the first time he heard such a bizarre condition.


    "That... Mr. He, are you sure you¡¯re not mistaken?"


    "I have studied it over a dozen times, and I am positive there¡¯s no mistake. At first, I thought it was a joke, but after careful study, this condition is actually well-founded. It¡¯s useless to exin it to you now; you would understand once you practice the Prajnaparamita Sutra and experience its transformations yourself."


    Saying this, He Ziyun smiled and patted Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder, "You¡¯re not that young anymore; this sort of thing is quite normal, no need to feel embarrassed. If you don¡¯t have a suitable partner, you might as well roam the night markets. There are many such ces in East Sea City, you might try it out."


    Err...


    Hearing this talk, Ling Chen was speechless. He Ziyun actually encouraged him to visit those kinds of ces, the old man usually seemed so proper, who would have guessed he was so unconventional.


    "Come, I¡¯ll take you to the training room first, to teach you the introductory mental method."


    Following He Ziyun, Ling Chen arrived at a room behind the Martial Arts Academy. This room was entirely built of wooden materials without using a single steel nail. The room was spacious, with several candlesticks ced on each of the walls. Directly across from the door, the wall had a thickly inked ¡¯Quiet¡¯ character. In the center of the room, there was a round carpet.


    He Ziyun walked directly onto the carpet and sat cross-legged, then patted the spot beside him signaling for Ling Chen to sit down too.


    "Internal cultivation involves three key aspects: Body Adjustment, Breathing Control, and Mind Control. Your physical condition is excellent, so there¡¯s no need to spend much effort on that; thus, I will teach you Breathing Control directly. Breathing Control is about mastering the correct breathing techniques. Internal cultivation ces much emphasis on breathing, you need to achieve three shallow and one deep breaths, maintain a steady breath, only then can you enter what we often refer to as the state of meditation."


    While exining, He Ziyun also provided guidance.


    Although Ling Chen had practiced Internal Strength before, his approach was purely by ident, based on his understanding without any guidance, resulting in many mistakes in his practice. Now, under He Ziyun¡¯s patient guidance, he closed his eyes, slightly bent his arms, fingertips pointing skyward, while adjusting his breathing, fully rxed.


    Minutes passed, and he felt his body enter an ethereal state. With full concentration, following He Ziyun¡¯s instructions, he controlled the Inner Strength within his Dantian, converting it into a warm current, circting from the Gate of Heaven down to the abyss,pleting a cycle.


    "Close eyes to transverse the void, hands embracing Kunlun, stabilize essence to settle mind, connecting conscious to heavens... Perceive the void¡¯s breath, pull it into the Dantian..."


    He Ziyun¡¯s voice flowed gently into his ears. Listening to the chanted mnemonic, Ling Chen immediately made the corresponding movements, guiding the warm current in his Dantian through his limbs.


    Time ticked by.


    Unaware of how long it took, in his meditative state, Ling Chen seemed to forget the existence of time, his mind wholly invested in the practice of the Internal Cultivation Method.


    "That will do."


    Only when He Ziyun spoke did Ling Chen open his eyes, his handsome face carrying an inexplicable excitement.


    "Mr. He, I seeded." Unable to contain the surprise in his heart, he grinned broadly.


    He Ziyun nodded his head, not hiding his admiration: "Yourprehension is good. You¡¯ve memorized the incantations of the Prajnaparamita Sutra, and without my guidance, you can practice it on your own. However, still the same words I said before, although you¡¯veid the foundation, without meeting its requirement, this Internal Cultivation Method can hardly progress. So... you¡¯re an adult now, I need not say more, it¡¯s up to you to see what to do."


    Ling Chen gave a wry smile, the requirements of the Prajnaparamita Sutra were truly outrageous. Nevertheless, at this juncture, he could onlyply; he could not miss the opportunity to master a top-tier Internal Cultivation Method.

 Chapter 243 - 239: The RV from the Jiang Family

    <h4>Chapter 243: Chapter 239: The RV from the Jiang Family</h4><h4></h4>


    After leaving Qingyun Martial Arts Hall, it was already past four in the afternoon. Ling Chen had stayed in the practice room for a solid five hours, yet he didn¡¯t feel the passage of time at all.


    It has to be said, Inner Strength cultivation is a very magical thing.


    Back at thepany, Ling Chen didn¡¯t forget Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s instructions; he stayed holed up in the security department office withouting out, to avoid bumping into Jiang Ying. Although there were hundreds of people in thepany, it was still possible to run into her.


    He only breathed a sigh of relief at the end of the workday and drove back to Wealthy Manor with Nanrong Wanqing.


    In the car, looking at Nanrong Wanqing beside him, Ling Chen scratched his head, mustering up courage a few times, but just as quickly he chickened out, looking like he had more to say but hesitated. His odd behavior finally caught Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s attention, who asked curiously, "What¡¯s wrong with you?"


    "Nothing... nothing!" Ling Chen forced a smile and nervously shifted his gaze out of the car window, still thinking about what He Ziyun had said.


    Damn, to advance in Inner Strength, one has to lose their virginity, and for a perennial virgin, it¡¯s really not an easy matter. When He Ziyun mentioned this, Nanrong Wanqing was the first person toe to his mind, but now when it came to it, he couldn¡¯t utter a single word.


    Although he had established a rtionship with Nanrong Wanqing, with her traditional thinking, it was probably not going to be easy to persuade her.


    After thinking back and forth, he eventually discarded the idea. His skin may be thick, but there were some things he just couldn¡¯t bring himself to say.


    Upon arriving at 118 Wealthy Manor, as soon as they got out of the car, Nanrong Hao came running over excitedly, calling out loudly, "Sister, Chen."


    Ling Chen smiled, patting his shoulder and said, "You finally got out, kid. How was it inside, they didn¡¯t give you a hard time, did they?"


    "No, Officer Xia took good care of me, there were no difficulties."


    Seeing her brother returning safe and sound, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s frown rxed, she smiled faintly and nodded lightly, "It¡¯s good that you are fine."


    To celebrate Nanrong Hao¡¯s return home, Nanny Wang specially prepared avish dinner, even Nanrong Yong made a rare appearance to join the fun, with the family getting along well and happily.


    Two days went by.


    Ling Chen was feeling very frustrated; he had been training hard these two days, immersing himself in the cultivation of Internal Cultivation Methods whenever he had time. However, it was proven that what He Ziyun said was true. No matter how he cultivated, the Inner Strength in his Dantian did not grow and remained stagnant.


    Without breaking the physical limitations, there¡¯s no hope of advancing further in Internal Cultivation Methods.


    That day, after dropping Nanrong Wanqing at the office, Ling Chen slipped away to the security department, putting his feet up and enjoying the leisure time.


    "Elder Ling, if you¡¯re not busy, why don¡¯t you join me for a patrol outside, it¡¯s not good to stay cooped up in the office all the time."


    "Brother Wei, since you¡¯ve said so, how could I refuse? Let¡¯s go!"


    Leaving the office, Ling Chen and Wei Jun were about to step outside. But at that moment, Ling Chen¡¯s expression suddenly changed, and he quickly pushed Wei Jun in front to block his own body.


    Wei Jun was a bit stunned and said: "Elder Ling, what is this..."


    "Be quiet."


    Ling Chen looked up, his gaze going past Wei Jun¡¯s shoulder, looking at Jiang Ying who had just came out of the elevator not far away, and silently breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, he reacted quickly and noticed her in time. If she had caught him, Nanrong Wanqing would probably be very troubled.


    However, beyond relief, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes also held a hint of puzzlement. After Jiang Ying came out of the elevator, she hurried along with an anxious look on her face, seeming to have encountered some vexing issue. Employees passing by greeted her, but she seemed not to hear, her eyes fixed on the outside.


    Sensing something off about her, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help feeling curious. Jiang Ying was a conservative person with strong principles; this could be deduced from the rules set by her department. It was now working hours, yet she wasn¡¯t in her office but instead going out, with a look of urgency on her face¡ªa sign that it was probably no small matter.


    If it had been before, he definitely wouldn¡¯t have meddled, but now that he knew about Jiang Ying¡¯s rtionship with Nanrong Wanqing, he couldn¡¯t just overlook it.


    "Big Brother Wei, you go ahead with your work, I¡¯ve got something to attend to."


    After saying that, without waiting for Wei Jun to respond, he had already caught up with Jiang Ying¡¯s pace and quickly left thepany.


    Arriving at the roadside, a Mercedes-Benz van slowly approached and stopped by the curb. Following that, Jiang Ying walked over to the van, opened the door, and sat inside. The moment the door was opened, the sharp-eyed Ling Chen noticed a young man sitting inside the vehicle, d in a casual suit.


    The youth was in his twenties, with handsome and well-defined features, and short hair dyed white, resembling a delinquent from society. Moreover, his attractive face was expressionless, like someone with facial paralysis.


    Watching the van blend into the traffic, Ling Chen gave chase for a few steps and nced at the van¡¯s license te, frowning slightly. That van did not have a local license te, and from the letters at the beginning of the te number, it was evident that the van came from Yangcheng.


    Yangcheng, the Jiang Family!


    The only people who could make Jiang Ying behave so oddly were probably members of the Jiang Family. Nanrong Wanqing had told him that there had never been any interaction between the Jiang Family and the Nanrong Family, and Jiang Ying had also been expelled from the Jiang Family. So why would someone from the Jiang Family suddenly seek out Jiang Ying?


    Thinking of these things, he felt vaguely uneasy.


    Night fell.


    After dinner, with nothing to do, Ling Chen decided to pop over to the neighboring vi to chat with Nanrong Hao. Upon reaching the door, before even entering, he saw Nanrong Hao touching his glossy hair,ing out from inside the house.


    "Brother Chen?" Upon seeing Ling Chen, Nanrong Hao smiled, "You looking for me for something?"


    "What¡¯s with this shy getup? Where are you headed?"


    "Hao and Xiong found out I was out and insisted on treating me to a fun night."


    "Where¡¯s the fun gonna be had?"


    Nanrong Hao scratched his head sheepishly and chuckled, "That uh... Emperor Foot Bath, you know the ce."


    "Look at you, all set to go out and enjoy life just after getting out."


    "Can¡¯t really turn down an invitation like that. Hey, Brother Chen, you interested? We could go together?"


    "I..." Ling Chen was about to decline, but then he thought, since he hadn¡¯t found the opportunity to lose his virginity, perhaps he should try out such a ce. He Ziyun had said, after all, everyone was an adult and there was nothing embarrassing about this kind of thing.


    Besides, he was doing this to enhance his own strength, not for the sake of indulgence; surely Nanrong Wanqing wouldn¡¯t me him. With this in mind, he gave a light cough and said earnestly, "You need to start taking life seriously, kid. I need to keep an eye on you for your sister¡¯s sake, and I can¡¯t let you get into trouble."


    "Of course." Nanrong Hao snickered slyly, easily reading Ling Chen¡¯s mind, but he didn¡¯t expose him.


    Clearly wanting to have fun, yet too shy to say it outright and using himself as a shield¡ªBrother Chen sure seemed to be someone with thin skin.


    Departing from the Nanrong residence, the two men got into Nanrong Hao¡¯s Audi and headed straight for their destination. It took them less than half an hour to arrive outside a luxurious foot bath city, the Emperor Foot Bath.


    (My brothers and sisters, your continued rmendations would be my downfall. Writing two books at once, please forgive me for not being able to release more frequently for now. Can I ensure the quality instead? I promise to release more once the old book isplete.)

 Chapter 244 - 240 Undercover

    <h4>Chapter 244: Chapter 240 Undercover</h4><h4></h4>


    Emperor Foot Bath City is located in the downtown area and is one of East Sea City¡¯s high-end entertainment venues. Every evening, finding a parking spot outside the foot bath city is next to impossible, and guestse and go without end.


    When Ling Chen and Nanrong Hao arrived, Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong were already waiting at the entrance. The four of them met, and Jiang Hao¡¯s reaction to Ling Chen¡¯s arrival was a mix of surprise and delight. He knew Ling Chen¡¯s personality too well; he had invited Ling Chen to such ces more than once before, only to be rejected every time.


    "Haozi, you really did it, managing to get Chen here." Jiang Hao said, hooking his arm around Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder and chuckling, "Chen, we brothers will make sure you enjoy the pleasures of being a man tonight."


    Ling Chen kept a stern face and red, saying, "Cut the crap. I¡¯m just here to keep an eye on Haozi, so none of you lead him astray."


    "Come on, Chen..."


    "Alright, enough," Nanrong Hao cut off Jiang Hao¡¯s words, stealthily giving him a look, "Chen is just here for a look, don¡¯t force him. Xiong, is the private room all set?"


    "All booked early on and just waiting for you guys."


    "Chen, let¡¯s go up and take a look." Nanrong Hao energetically led Ling Chen, and the group of four entered Emperor Foot Bath City. At the elevator, a sweet-faced attendant warmly helped open the lift, weing the four inside.


    Standing in the elevator, Ling Chen saw that none of them reached out to press any buttons, so he asked, "Which floor are we going to?"


    Zhao Zhengxiong gestured, "Chen, no need to press anything; it will move on its own." As soon as he finished speaking, there was a gentle ¡¯creak¡¯ and the elevator slowly started to ascend.


    Tsk tsk!


    They really do keep things under wraps here. Ling Chen mused to himself. Emperor Foot Bath City had a total of eight floors, but the elevator buttons only went up to the fourth. Clearly, the floors above the fourth weren¡¯t meant to see daylight.


    Ding!


    The elevator door opened, and Ling Chen followed Nanrong Hao out. Before he could take a good look around, he was hit by a wave of perfume and encountered a sea of white as girls in skimpy clothes flooded in from both sides, dazzling to the eyes.


    Ling Chen raised his arm to block the pairs of smooth, lotus root-like arms and quickly made his way out of the crowd. When he looked back, he saw six or seven youngdies in revealing outfits, with not much fabric on their bodies, surrounding Jiang Hao and the others, chirping and sweetly calling them ¡¯boss¡¯.


    Nanrong and the others must have oftene to ces like this; facing so many beautiful women, the three of them were like fish in water, showing no difort at all, which reminded Ling Chen of a term ¨C ¡¯smooth drivers.¡¯


    Just then, a petite girl noticed Ling Chen standing aside and immediately came over, giggling while pulling his arm, "Handsome, is this your first time here?"


    Though Ling Chen had seen the world, he had never seen a scene like this. Feeling the softness against his arm, he swallowed involuntarily, his hands unsure of where to go.


    Jiang Hao seemed to sense his difort andughed, easing the tension, "Alright, don¡¯t cling to our Chen. Come on, let¡¯s go to the private room first."


    Entering the spacious and luxurious private room, Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back on the sofa. Turning to see Jiang Hao puffing out smoke, he asked, "Don¡¯t the police raid ces like this?"


    "Heh heh, Chen, you saw it when we wereing up, didn¡¯t you? The elevator only goes to the fourth floor. If the policee, they will shut it down. By the time the police rush up here, we¡¯ll have already left through a secret door."


    Zhao Zhengxiong joined in, "ces like this aremon in East Sea, and many have backing. Shut down one, and immediately two more open up. It¡¯s never-ending."


    While they talked, a middle-aged woman with heavy makeup sauntered over with a flirtatious smile, her face so caked with foundation it seemed it might fall off at any moment.


    "Gentlemen, wee."


    "Tao, cut the talk. My brother just got out of the mmer and is fuming. Hurry up and call your girls over," Zhao Zhengxiong called out.


    "Boss Zhao, don¡¯t rush. I¡¯ll call them over to join you right away."


    At that moment, Jiang Hao and Nanrong Hao sat together, whispering and grinning wickedly, their eyes asionally sneaking nces at Ling Chen.


    "Leave it to me."


    Jiang Hao patted his chest, smiling confidently, then stood up to catch up with Tao and left the private room.


    After a few minutes, Jiang Hao returned to the private room first, followed by Tao leading a dozen young and beautiful girls in light attire into the room, lined up in a row, each with a number pinned at their waist and posing seductively, oozing charm.


    Ling Chen was immediately captivated; these beauties were all in their early twenties, youthful and beautiful, each with an excellent figure and fair skin. He was overwhelmed.


    Jiang Hao said, "Chen, you pick first. If you¡¯re not satisfied, I can ask them to bring in another group."


    Ling Chen coughed awkwardly, his expression unnatural. Although he had resolved toe here and indulge, now that the moment had arrived, he couldn¡¯t help but shrink back.


    "Don¡¯t be shy, Chen," Nanrong Hao teased. "If you don¡¯t choose, then I¡¯ll choose for you."


    Just then, Ling Chen suddenly felt a piercing gaze from the line of beauties staring at him with a hint of chill. Curiously following the gaze, his eyes locked on a beauty on the far left. His face turned pale when he saw her clearly.


    Damn, what is this woman doing here? He inwardly cursed.


    He had been too careless.


    ming the dim light of the private room, the abundance of beauties, and his ownck of attention, he hadn¡¯t noticed. Moreover, looking at her pretty face, it seemed she had deliberately applied heavy makeup, not only eyeliner but also fake eyshes. If one didn¡¯t look closely, it would be hard to recognize her.


    Now he was in trouble!


    He was inwardly groaning, feeling his luck terribly bad to have been caught red-handed on his first time in such an environment.


    Seeing him not making a move, Jiang Hao couldn¡¯t help but urge him, "Chen, you need to pick or we¡¯ll have to make a choice for you."


    "Uh... Jiang Hao, didn¡¯t you say you had something to take care of earlier? Let¡¯s head back first ande another day," Ling Chen stood up and gestured to Jiang Hao with his eyes.

 Chapter 245 - 241 This is a Trap

    <h4>Chapter 245: Chapter 241 This is a Trap</h4><h4></h4>


    However, Jiang Hao did not grasp his meaning, instead, he said: "Chen, are you mistaken? I never said that."


    "You..." Ling Chen was infuriated inside. This guy is usually quite clever, how could he not even understand a look from him?


    At that moment, the beautiful woman came over with a smile, hugged Ling Chen¡¯s arm with both hands, and sweetly said: "Boss, since you¡¯re here, why not stay and y for a while? Why rush to leave. Let me keep youpany, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re satisfied."


    Hearing that overly sweet voice, Ling Chen shivered involuntarily, angry yet tearless, this woman has caught him and won¡¯t let him leave.


    He squeezed out a smile reluctantly, ready to find an excuse to slip away. But before he could say anything, he suddenly felt pain in his arm¡ªthe woman was fiercely pinching his flesh with her nails, her eyes carrying a threat.


    "Sit down obediently. If you dare to leave, I will immediately have you arrested."


    An inaudibly quiet voice came over, Ling Chen knew he couldn¡¯t escape now, so he might as wellply and sat back down obediently.


    Jiang Hao and the others thought he was captivated by the beauty, and they all startedughing, giving a thumbs-up: "Thisdy is amazing, even able to subdue our Chen."


    Tao smiled and said: "You can only say that this boss has good taste. This is our newly arrived beauty, working for the first time tonight."


    Ling Chen red at Jiang Hao and the other two angrily, these three idiots are ssic examples of losing their brains at the sight of a woman. They had seen Xia Mutong before, especially Nanrong Hao, who had been detained in the station these past few days, almost meeting Xia Mutong every day, yet he didn¡¯t recognize her.


    After a while, Nanrong Hao and the others each selected a beauty. Once Tao had led the remaining women out, several waiters came in and ced drinks and snacks onto the coffee table.


    "Enjoy at your leisure, gentlemen. Call us whenever you need something."


    Jiang Hao gave Nanrong Hao a look, picked up a bottle of foreign liquor, poured two sses, and smilingly handed one to Ling Chen.


    "Chen, here, this ss is for you, let¡¯s down it in one gulp."


    Ling Chen was never afraid of drinking, but with Xia Mutong sitting next to him, he really wasn¡¯t in the mood.


    "Let¡¯s put it aside for now, I¡¯ll drink itter."


    "Chen, we are out to have fun, don¡¯t ruin it," Zhao Zhengxiong came over with a ss of drink, then pointed at the Xia Mutong beside him, dissatisfied, he said: "Hey, it¡¯s not like we paid money for you just to sit here, hurry and encourage Chen to drink."


    Hearing this, Xia Mutong picked up a ss of foreign liquor, leaned against Ling Chen¡¯s body, and coquettishly said: "Boss,e on, let¡¯s drink this ss."


    This woman... how long is she going to keep up this act?


    Ling Chen had no choice but to sip a bit to pacify her.


    However, once the alcohol went down, Jiang Hao and the other two took turns pushing drinks, one ss after another, along with Xia Mutong¡¯s encouragement to drink, it wasn¡¯t long before most of a bottle of foreign liquor was consumed by Ling Chen and Xia Mutong.


    The aftereffects of the foreign liquor were strong, Ling Chen felt dizzy, his body seemed to be burning, he was extremely restless. Not just him, Xia Mutong was also not in good shape, her forehead was drenched with sweat, her face flushed red, and she kept exhaling, revealing a seductive attitude.


    Seeing that the two had drunk a lot, Jiang Hao came over with a smile, "Chen, how about we take you to rest for a bit?"


    Ling Chen nodded, given his capacity for liquor, this situation shouldn¡¯t have arisen, but now with the alcohol affecting him, he was very ufortable, feeling an inexplicable impulse, wanting to find a quiet ce toy down.


    "Haozi, let¡¯s go, let¡¯s take Chen to the room." Saying this, the two helped both Ling Chen and Xia Mutong up, walked them out of the private room, and into an adjoining guest room.


    After settling them in, Jiang Hao and Nanrong Hao immediately exited the room, stood outside the door covering their mouths, snickering quietly.


    "Hao, everything okay?"


    "Rx, I¡¯ve notified Tao to add something to that bottle of foreign liquor, Chen won¡¯t be going back tonight."


    "Well done."


    Inside the room.


    Ling Chen and Xia Mutongy side by side on the bed, eyes closed, trying to get a good sleep. However, for some reason, the more they tried to sleep, the less they could, and the restlessness in their hearts grew stronger, almost uncontroble. He couldn¡¯t help but open his eyes and turn his head to look at Xia Mutong beside him, her pretty face flushed red, her fair skin showing a light blush, her mouth slightly open, her two long white legs tightly mped together, her voluptuous body heaving.


    Ling Chen swallowed, with his willpower, he was originally still able to somewhat control himself, but the scene before his eyes indeed made him feel unbearable.


    Thest bit of consciousness under that inexplicable thinking gradually blurred, and he reached out to the person beside him...


    ...


    Outside the Emperor Foot Bath City.


    Amercial van was parked by the roadside, several inclothes police officers sat in front of a row ofputers, watching through the surveince the guestsing in and out of the foot bath city.


    "It¡¯s been so long, why hasn¡¯t Captain Xia sent a signal yet? Hey, there won¡¯t be a problem, right?"


    "What¡¯s the rush, Captain Xia has her own measures. If there really was a problem, she would have contacted us already. What, are you afraid that someone might take advantage of Captain Xia?"


    "I just don¡¯t know what the higher-ups were thinking, actually letting Captain Xia go undercover."


    "Who else but Captain Xia could be our police station¡¯s beauty. I heard this foot bath city has high standards for the looks of their hostesses, besides Captain Xia, our station really couldn¡¯t select anyone else more suitable."

 Chapter 246 - 242: The Arrogant Jiang Family

    <h4>Chapter 246: Chapter 242: The Arrogant Jiang Family</h4><h4></h4>


    The next day, 8:00 AM.


    Wealthy Manor 118.


    After breakfast, Nanrong Wanqing pushed her wheelchair to Ling Chen¡¯s bedroom and gently knocked on the door. However, after several knocks, there was utter silence inside, without any response.


    Seeing this, she felt a bit puzzled. Normally, Ling Chen got up quite early. Why was he still not around today? As she thought this, she pushed the door open and called out, "Ling Chen, I..." Before she could finish, she saw that the bed was empty and the nket was neatly folded.


    "Where is he?"


    "Wanqing." At this moment, Su Lin walked down the stairs, rubbing her sleepy eyes and yawning. Passing by the dining table, she picked up a cup of milk and walked over to Nanrong Wanqing, peering into Ling Chen¡¯s room, and asked, "Are you looking for Ling Chen for something?"


    "It¡¯s nothing."


    Su Lin teased: "Cousin, just one night without seeing him and you¡¯re already so eager?"


    Hearing her teasing, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s pretty face blushed slightly and said, "Don¡¯t talk nonsense."


    "Today¡¯s Saturday, thepany has a day off, I guess he¡¯s out having fun. Wanqing, since you¡¯re also free, how about we go shoppingter?"


    Nanrong Wanqing hesitated for a moment, and was about to agree when she saw Liu Kun walking in quickly from outside, his expression stern.


    "Miss, Young Miss."


    "Uncle Liu, is something the matter?"


    "Visitors have arrived at home, you¡¯d better go and see."


    "Who are the visitors?"


    "The Jiang Family from Yangcheng."


    Upon hearing Liu Kun¡¯s words, the expressions on Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin¡¯s faces changed immediately.


    Su Lin frowned slightly and asked, "The Jiang Family and Nanrong Family usually don¡¯t have dealings, what are they here for?"


    "I¡¯m not sure, but I think their intentions are not benign. Miss, besides the Jiang Family, Miss Jiang is also here, and the old master is currently receiving them."


    "Auntie?" Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s eyes showed aplex look as she nodded lightly, "I understand. Uncle Liu, Lin, let¡¯s go and meet them together."


    The three of them arrived outside the main house¡¯s living room. Before even entering, they heard a haughty voice saying, "Old man, get out of the way, I¡¯m not interested in wasting words with you, hurry up and call Nanrong Wanqing out."


    Hearing the Jiang Family¡¯s words to her grandfather, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s pretty face immediately turned frosty, utterly cold.


    She pushed her wheelchair, apanied by Liu Kun and Su Lin, into the living room, and her gaze was immediately caught by a young man. The youth, in his twenties, was wearing a casual striped ck-and-white suit, his short hair dyed white, handsome in appearance, but exuding a vibe not matching his age, not maturity, but a bizarre air that was unsettling.


    Besides Jiang Ying, there were also two robust men in suits standing by his side, positioned behind him, hands behind their backs, expressions grave.


    Noticing her arrival, the young man¡¯s lips curved slightly, giving her a half-smile as he nodded to himself: "They say that Nanrong Wanqing of Nanrong Family is a golden flower of East Sea City, with impable beauty. This is truly not a lie, a pity that she¡¯s disabled."


    "Shut up!" Liu Kun angrily said: "This is Nanrong Family¡¯s house, keep your mouth clean, don¡¯t be rude to Miss."


    The young man didn¡¯t even give him a proper nce, disdainfully said, "You are nothing but a butler, a dog of the Nanrong Family, what right do you have to speak to me. I personally came to your Nanrong Family, which is already giving you enough face. So let me remind you, when you speak in front of me, show some respect. Aside from Nanrong Wanqing and Nanrong Hao, it¡¯s better for everyone else to keep their mouths shut, otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being rude."


    "If that¡¯s the case, then our Nanrong Family doesn¡¯t need your Jiang Family¡¯s grace, you can leave now," Nanrong Wanqing said coldly.


    The youth scoffed, "It¡¯s only because you, Nanrong Wanqing, are speaking. If it were someone else, they wouldn¡¯t even have the chance to sit in a wheelchair for the rest of their life."


    Seeing the conversation charged with animosity, Jiang Ying quickly intervened, "Alright, we are all family, why must this be so stiff?" As she spoke, she approached Nanrong Wanqing and whispered, "Wanqing, his name is Jiang Han, the son of your second uncle, your cousin."


    "Little aunt, I need to correct you, before Jiang Family acknowledges her identity, we¡¯re not family," Jiang Han said coolly.


    Nanrong Wanqing seemed as if she did not hear his words, looking at Jiang Ying, expressionlessly said: "Auntie, why is he here?"


    "He is here on behalf of Jiang Family to discuss some matters with you," Jiang Ying spoke, barely concealing her nervousness, whispered, "Wanqing, listen to your aunt, whatever demands he makes, try not to refuse them. It¡¯s for your and Nanrong Family¡¯s benefit."


    "Auntie, are you asking Nanrong Family to bow down to Jiang Family?"


    "Sigh, it¡¯s not about bowing down, it¡¯s for your family¡¯s good. Wanqing, please, whatever you do, do not offend Jiang Family, otherwise, the consequences are not something you can bear."


    "Have you all finished talking?" Jiang Han impatiently said, "Nanrong Wanqing, I am here under Family Head¡¯s order, to take you back to Jiang Family in Yangcheng. Not just you, but also Nanrong Hao, you both muste with me."


    Hearing his upromising tone, Nanrong Wanqing felt indignation, she coldly said, "Over these years, I have tried to contact Jiang FamilyMultiple times, but was always ignored. Now you just show up at my Nanrong Family¡¯s home, disrespectful and demanding, why should we follow you? Since Jiang Family doesn¡¯t consider Nanrong Family as anything, why should I bother with you?"


    "Wanqing..." Jiang Ying looked anxious.


    Jiang Han curled his lip, "You don¡¯t have to go. But don¡¯t me me for not warning you, if you don¡¯t leave with me today, henceforth, Nanrong Family will be erased from East Sea City."


    "Hmph! Such arrogance," Nanrong Yong squinted his old eyes and said, "Back then, your Jiang Family couldn¡¯t bring down our Nanrong Family, and you won¡¯t be able to now either. Go back and tell that old scoundrel not to set his sights on my granddaughter. If he dares touch Wanqing and Nanrong Hao, I won¡¯t let him off even at the cost of my old life."


    "Old fool, how dare you insult my grandfather?" Jiang Han¡¯s expression turned cold, his gaze sinister.


    "Enough!" Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face was like frost, she sharply said, "Jiang Han, our Nanrong Family doesn¡¯t wee you, you may leave now."


    Jiang Han¡¯s lips turned up, he coldly chuckled: "Little aunt, don¡¯t me me for not giving you face, since they¡¯re unwilling to cooperate, then I can¡¯t help it." With that, he raised two fingers, signaling to the two men behind him.


    Jiang Ying hurriedly said, "Jiang Han, let¡¯s talk this over, no matter if you acknowledge it or not, she is still your cousin."


    "Little aunt, you better step aside, don¡¯t force me to take action against you."

 Chapter 247 - 243: Sobering Up

    <h4>Chapter 247: Chapter 243: Sobering Up</h4><h4></h4>


    "Jiang Ying, get out of the way!"


    Nanrong Yong waved his massive hand, and although he was just an ordinary old man, he exuded an aura of unspoken authority. As the founder of Hongyu Group, his demeanor was naturally extraordinary. He stood up, one hand pressing on the armrest, his face stern as he said, "I want to see who dares to act wildly in my Nanrong Family¡¯s home!"


    "In East Sea City, no one dares to provoke the Nanrong Family, but in my eyes, the Nanrong Family is nothing to mention." Jiang Han didn¡¯t bother to hide his contempt, "Old man, you¡¯ve already lost a son. If you don¡¯t want to lose a grandson and granddaughter too, you¡¯d better let them go with me quietly." As he finished speaking, he nced at Nanrong Wanqing, "We¡¯ve been talking for so long, where is Nanrong Hao? Call him out to see me."


    "Who wants to see me?"


    As the voice sounded, Nanrong Hao yawned and walked in from outside, wearing a look of fatigue and bearing the appearance of someone who hadn¡¯t woken up fully.


    Jiang Han observed him, his brows slightly furrowed, and said coldly: "You¡¯re Nanrong Hao? Hmph, looking at the dark circles under your eyes, the yellowness of your sclera, and theck of color on your lips, it¡¯s certain that you spentst night fooling around with a woman. I¡¯ve long heard that the young master of the Nanrong Family is a useless piece of trash, indulging in wine and women, utterly worthless. It seems that the rumors were true. Such useless trash like you isn¡¯t worth my energy to bring to the Jiang Family."


    Upon these words, the focus of everyone from the Nanrong Family shifted onto Nanrong Hao. Nanrong Yong¡¯s face turned the color of iron, his gaze filled with disappointment and frustration. Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin shook their heads helplessly, not wanting to say anything. Even Liu Kun sighed.


    Nanrong Hao¡¯splexion changed slightly; he hadn¡¯t expected this bastard to point out hisst night¡¯s mischief so bluntly.


    He retorted unhappily, "What does my being trash or not have to do with you? Who are you, toe here and act recklessly?"


    "Jiang Han."


    "Jiang Han, Jiang..." Nanrong Hao was shocked, blurting out, "You¡¯re with the Jiang Family?" Seeing the other person nod, his expression immediately became grave.


    The Jiang Family of Yangcheng, as a member of the Nanrong Family, he was well aware of the grievances between the two.


    He looked at Nanrong Wanqing beside him, bent down, and asked softly, "Sister, what are the people from the Jiang Family doing here?"


    "Looking for trouble."


    "Damn it, the people from the Jiang Family really are up to no good. We from the Nanrong Family haven¡¯t looked for trouble with them, yet they dare toe to our door." Nanrong Hao cursed indignantly.


    Nanrong Wanqing said calmly, "Enough, you talk less." After speaking, she gave Nanrong Hao a look, who caught on and quickly leaned in, "Go and call Ling Chen, tell him there¡¯s trouble at home and he needs to hurry back."


    "Chen?"


    "What, is there a problem?"


    "No, no problem, I¡¯ll contact him right now." As soon as he finished speaking, Nanrong Hao ran out in a hurry.


    After dialing Ling Chen¡¯s number, Nanrong Hao looked anxious and muttered, "Chen, you have to answer the phone."


    Having gone to Emperor Foot Bath Cityst night for pleasure, he had nned to return after midnight. But he drank too much, got all blurry, and just didn¡¯t feel likeing back. In the morning, he went to Ling Chen¡¯s room, hoping to call him to return together, but no one answered the door no matter how long he called, and no one picked up the phone either. He guessed that Ling Chen probably yed too hardst night and was dead asleep.


    After some thought, he had to return first. Although the boss has a key to the room, he didn¡¯t dare to enter. If he saw any inappropriate scenes, it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal for him, but Ling Chen was thin-skinned, who knows if he would give him a lecture.


    He dialed once and got no response. Nanrong Hao dialed several more times, not giving up. Finally, on the fourth attempt, the phone was answered.


    "Hello, Chen."


    "Uh?" A confused voice came from Ling Chen on the other end of the phone, "Who is it?"


    "Chen, it¡¯s me, Haozi... Stop sleeping,e back quickly, there¡¯s been an emergency at home."


    "Got it."


    "Beep beep beep..." Nanrong Hao smiled bitterly upon hearing the busy tone from the phone. He actually hung up, I wonder if he even took it in.


    ...


    Tossing aside his phone, Ling Chen rubbed his throbbing forehead, lifted the bedsheet, and propped himself up with both hands to sit.


    Looking around the room, he was slightly startled. Where is this? His own bedroom didn¡¯t look like this.


    While he was still in a daze, a soft white arm suddenly stretched out from under theforter and draped over him.


    "This..." Ling Chen quickly rubbed his eyes, fearing he had seen incorrectly, "Is this... a woman? How could there be a woman here?" He hastily lifted theforter, and upon seeing his own bare body, his face instantly underwent a change, his mouth agape in surprise, taking a long time to snap back to reality.


    That¡¯s right!


    Last night he had followed Nanrong Hao to the Emperor Foot Bath, and then... ran into the undercover Xia Mutong, and following that... As he thought about what came next, he was somewhat afraid to continue.


    At this moment, anguid voice came through. The sleeping Xia Mutong beside him started to wake up, rubbing her sleepy eyes, and groggily sat up. Seeing herpletely unguarded figure before him, Ling Chen felt a surge of heat within him.


    They say a woman is most enchanting just after waking up, and that saying was certainly true.


    He suppressed the impulse in his heart, looking at the fading bruises on Xia Mutong¡¯s fair skin, cursing inwardly. What on earth had happenedst night?


    Although he had been drunk, with his tolerance and self-control, it shouldn¡¯t have led to this. He vaguely remembered that he seemed to have lost control at that time, his mind unclear, and couldn¡¯t recall what happened afterward.


    Thinking back now, this situation was very abnormal.


    However, he didn¡¯t have time to ponder these issues anymore. Feeling Xia Mutong¡¯s gaze on him, he turned his head. Their eyes met; Ling Chen felt awkward, while a faint me seemed to be burning in Xia Mutong¡¯s eyes.


    "Cough!" Sensing the imminent outbreak of fury in the woman¡¯s eyes, Ling Chen decided to act before being acted upon, brazenly taking the initiative with a thick-skinned plea, "Officer Xia, what did you do to mest night?"


    "Huh?" Xia Mutong was stunned. No matter how clever she was, she hadn¡¯t expected Ling Chen to throw out such a shameless usation. Seeing his aggrieved expression, she couldn¡¯t react for a moment.


    "What, you¡¯re not speaking because you don¡¯t want to take responsibility for this? You women really are heartless..."


    "Ling Chen!" Xia Mutong¡¯s angry roar emerged just as Ling Chen finished his sentence.


    "You bastard!"


    Xia Mutong cursed, her eyes brimming with tears, as she made to lunge at him. However, as soon as her body moved, she let out an ¡¯ah¡¯ of pain, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, biting her lips lightly.


    Seeing the pain on her face, Ling Chen felt somewhat remorseful, dropping the feigned grievance and asked with concern, "Are you alright?"


    Xia Mutong red at him fiercely, her teeth grinding with a rasping sound.

 Chapter 248 - 244 Responsibility

    <h4>Chapter 248: Chapter 244 Responsibility</h4><h4></h4>


    "This bastard...has no idea how to cherish ady."


    Seeing the ever-changing expressions on Xia Mutong¡¯s face, Ling Chen felt somewhat uneasy. After all, as a man, he should take more responsibility for this kind of situation¡ªit was not something that could justly be med on a woman.


    He gave a helpless smile and said, "Officer Xia, I..."


    "Shut up!" Xia Mutong¡¯s pretty face turned beet red, and her eyes zed with fury, "Ling Chen, you have some nerve to dare... to do that to me..." She gritted her teeth, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to finish the sentence.


    "Officer Xia, you can¡¯t wrong someone without proof. I admit I bear a lot of the responsibility, but this isn¡¯t all my fault either..."


    "Shut up," Xia Mutong bit her lip, feeling furious and indignant, but at the same time, she was disturbed by some strange thoughts that she couldn¡¯t quite articte.


    Knock knock knock!


    "Open up! Open up! Police room check!"


    Suddenly, a series of urgent knocks came from outside the door.


    "Police?" Ling Chen was startled and turned to Xia Mutong beside him, "Officer Xia, I..."


    "What about me, hurry up and get dressed."


    Xia Mutong said urgently. She pulled out her phone and saw more than a dozen missed calls, cursing inwardly for the oversight. Ignoring her body¡¯s difort, she snatched a nightgown from the wall and threw it on.


    "Hurry up and open the door!"


    Hearing the police¡¯s urging, Xia Mutong pointed to the bathroom, "Go in there and don¡¯te out."


    Without a word, Ling Chen dashed into the bathroom and locked the door behind him. Being caught by the police would be an embarrassingly big deal.


    Stepping out of bed, Xia Mutong took two steps towards the door but couldn¡¯t help letting out a pained whimper.


    Damn it! She cursed angrily in her mind.


    When she opened the door, several inclothes officers stood outside, their faces taut with tension as if ready to break down the door. Seeing her face, the officers were taken aback and then breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Captain Xia, why didn¡¯t you answer your phone? We¡¯ve been outside all night, worried that something happened to you."


    Embarrassed, Xia Mutong replied, "I had a few drinksst night and slept like the dead, didn¡¯t hear my phone ringing. Sorry for making you worry."


    "As long as you¡¯re alright."


    "Go check the other rooms now, don¡¯t miss a single one, especially that Tao. She¡¯s the manager here, and we need to bring her in."


    "Yes, Captain Xia."


    After everyone left, Xia Mutong closed the door, walked to the bathroom, and knocked, "Come out."


    Ling Chen came out of the bathroom, fully dressed but still wearing an awkward expression, uncertain of how to face Xia Mutong.


    "Stay in the room, don¡¯t even think about leaving." After saying that, Xia Mutong mmed the bathroom door shut and walked under the shower.


    The warm water sluiced over her shoulders, and amidst the steaming mist, Xia Mutong furiously scrubbed her skin with body wash, over and over. Tears mingled with the hot water, quietly streaming down her cheeks.


    To be honest, she despised men, loathed them, resisted any contact with them. She had even sworn that she would rather remain unmarried for life than let a man touch her body. Yet, her resolve had crumbled in one night.


    Inside the room, Ling Chen sat unnaturally on the bed, silently waiting for Xia Mutong toe out.


    Since it had already happened, regret was pointless, and he needed to find a way to resolve it. As he pondered, his eyes inadvertently caught sight of patches of red flowers peeping out from under the bedsheet.


    Is this...


    His throat tightened, and he lifted the bedsheet, revealing a conspicuous red patch to his eyes.


    "It¡¯s all over... it¡¯s all over..." He muttered to himself, his face full of bitterness. The responsibility was even greater now that he realized she was still...


    Creak!


    At that moment, the bathroom door opened, and Xia Mutong stepped out, drying her damp hair, with a white towel wrapped around her, revealing her fair skin, as pale as jade or snow.


    Ling Chen cleared his throat softly and quickly averted his gaze.


    Xia Mutong nced at him expressionlessly and then walked over to the bedside to pick up her phone and dial a number.


    "Alright, you guys head back first, leave a car for me, I will join you at the stationter."


    After hanging up, Xia Mutong looked at Ling Chen and said indifferently, "You can go now."


    "Ah?" Ling Chen was slightly stunned, almost doubting his ears, and said with disbelief, "You¡¯re letting me go?"


    Seeing his puzzled expression, Xia Mutong felt increasingly irritated. She had struggled for a long time in the bathroom, uncertain about how to handle the situation. It was neither feasible to arrest him nor let him go; after all, both parties were at fault. If she arrested him and he revealed the truth, she wouldn¡¯t be able to show her face ever again, and staying in the police force would be out of the question.


    After much deliberation, the only option was to let Ling Chen go as if nothing had happened.


    "If I say leave, then leave. Why all the pointless talk?" She said coldly, "Remember, nothing happenedst night. If you dare to spread a word, don¡¯t me me for being unfriendly."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen silently breathed a sigh of relief. Although he was not one to shirk responsibility, Xia Mutong¡¯s decision not to pursue the matter was a wee one. But deep down, he felt an indescribable emotion.


    "You still not leaving?" Seeing him sitting dazed, Xia Mutong could not help but urge him again.


    Ling Chen stood up and walked straight to the door. Hesitating for a moment, he turned back to Xia Mutong at the bedside, "I¡¯m sorry, if there¡¯s anything you need in the future, just tell me. I won¡¯t refuse."


    At this point, that was the only promise he could make to try and make up for his wrongdoing.


    The sound of the door closing echoed. Xia Mutong sat nkly on the bed, her gaze fixed on the sheets, her expressionplex, her mind full of tumultuous thoughts.


    After leaving the Emperor, Ling Chen suddenly thought of the calls from Nanrong Hao and his heart sank. He had been so consumed by thoughts of Xia Mutong that he had almost forgotten the matter.


    Looking at the congested traffic, he frowned, quickly took out his phone, and dialed Nanrong Hao¡¯s number, then turned to walk back.

 Chapter 249 - 245: Fifth on the Tiger List

    <h4>Chapter 249: Chapter 245: Fifth on the Tiger List</h4><h4></h4>


    Bang!


    Liu Kun¡¯s body mmed heavily onto the ground, a trickle of fresh blood flowing from the corner of his mouth. He had already lost count of how many times he¡¯d been knocked down, his entire body ached everywhere.


    Seeing him struggle to his feet again, both Nanrong Wanqing and Nanrong Yong¡¯s eyes showed a hint of pity.


    "Liu Kun, get down!"


    Hearing the deep voice of Nanrong Yong, Liu Kun shook his head, clenched his teeth tightly, and said word by word, "Master, Miss, don¡¯t worry about me, I can hold on."


    "Hmph! Stubborn to the end." Jiang Han sneered coldly, his face full of disdain, "You think you can stop them? It¡¯s like trying to stop a car with your arm, totally overestimating yourself."


    Liu Kun stared at the two imposing men in suits, his expression grave, never expecting that the men Jiang Han brought were so formidable. Behind him, Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui were already lying down, unable to fight any longer. Now, the only one who could still stand was him alone.


    Su Lin looked anxiously at Nanrong Hao beside her, "Why hasn¡¯t Ling Chen returned yet?"


    "I just called, he¡¯s on his way." Nanrong Hao was anxious too, it was a more than twenty-minute drive from Emperor Foot Bath to Wealthy Manor without traffic, and it was uncertain if Ling Chen could make it in time.


    In the midst of their conversation, the two men in suits had already made a move, takingrge strides towards Liu Kun.


    Seeing this, Liu Kun clenched his fists and propelled forward with the tip of his toes, charging ahead and throwing a punch at one of the men¡¯s face.


    Bang!


    Unexpectedly, the suited man stood still, allowing Liu Kun¡¯s fist to smash into his face.


    As the fist connected, the suited man appeared unfazed,menting, "Speed is there, but the strength is stillcking."


    Witnessing that it was as if nothing had happened to the man, Liu Kun¡¯s expression changed and he hastily retracted his fist. However, before he could pull away, a severe pain shot through his chest, sending him flying uncontrobly backward.


    "Come again!" The suited man beckoned with his fingers.


    Liu Kun supported himself on the ground, struggling to rise, but the agonizing pain in his chest was unbearable. Based on his many years of martial experience, he knew at least two of his ribs were broken.


    "Is that all the Nanrong Family got?" Jiang Han shook his head with undisguised contempt, "Nanrong Wanqing, if you don¡¯t want him to end up a cripple like you, you¡¯d bettere with me quietly, and stop making me waste my time."


    "No way!"


    Nanrong Hao clenched his teeth and stepped forward, saying in a deep voice, "My sister won¡¯t go with you. Give up that idea."


    Jiang Han snorted with augh, "A loser thinks he can stand up for you?"


    "Nanrong Hao,e back!" Nanrong Wanqing said, her lips barely moving, her beautiful eyes shing with concern, fearing her brother might act rashly and get hurt.


    "Sister?"


    "Come back!" Nanrong Wanqing spoke again, her tone leaving no room for doubt.


    Jiang Han mocked, "It looks like the Nanrong Family is truly going to fall. You don¡¯t even have one man who can stand up for you."


    Hearing this, Nanrong Hao, who was about to retreat, red furiously and could no longer control his rage. He suddenly turned around and charged towards Jiang Han.


    However, before he could get two meters away, a thick arm suddenly swung over, hitting him right in the throat. Caught off-guard by the attack, Nanrong Hao¡¯s head tilted back as he fell, his head hitting the ground with a ¡¯bang¡¯. Clutching his throat with both hands, his face turned an ashen hue as he emitted ¡¯ugh ugh¡¯ sounds, as if he was about to suffocate.


    "Nanrong Hao!" Everyone was taken aback.


    Su Lin hurried over and helped him up. Instantly, a pool of blood was seen remaining on the ground, and fresh blood was continuously flowing out through Nanrong Hao¡¯s thick hair.


    "He brought it upon himself," Jiang Han said coldly with a sneer.


    Aside, Jiang Ying couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and burst out indignantly: "Jiang Han, he is your cousin after all. How can you treat him like this?"


    "With all due respect, Auntie, you know the rules of the Jiang Family the best. Trash like him doesn¡¯t deserve to be my brother."


    "He doesn¡¯t deserve to be your brother, and someone like you doesn¡¯t deserve to be his brother either."


    As those words were spoken, everyone¡¯s gaze converged on the entrance.


    Seeing Ling Chen stride in, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s tightly furrowed brows immediately rxed, and she let out a sigh of relief. The hearts of others that had been suspended also settled down. His arrival seemed to provide everyone with a pir of support.


    However, of all the people, only Jiang Ying¡¯s look was a bit strange; she couldn¡¯t understand why someone who had been fired from thepany would appear at the Nanrong Family¡¯s residence.


    Ling Chen sat down in the living room, nced at Nanrong Wanqing, gave her a slight nod, then came to Nanrong Hao¡¯s side and asked with concern, "Are you alright?"


    Catching his breath, Nanrong Hao squeezed out a smile, "It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯m fine." He paused, his face filled with surprise, "Brother Chen, how did youe back so quickly?"


    "I¡¯ll tell youter."


    Turning his head, Ling Chen looked at Jiang Han, who was sitting in a chair and was also sizing him up with coldness in his eyes.


    "Who did you just call human trash?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s mouth lifted in a yful smile, "I¡¯m part of the Nanrong Family, so of course, I wouldn¡¯t call one of our own human trash. Other than you, who else would be worthy of such a title?"


    "How dare you!" Two men in suits shouted in unison, "Dare to disrespect Mr. Jiang, are you seeking death?"


    Ling Chen shrugged indifferently, "I¡¯ve courted death not just once or twice, and yet I¡¯m still very much alive."


    "What¡¯s your name?"


    Hearing Jiang Han¡¯s voice, before Ling Chen could answer, Jiang Ying interjected: "His name is Ling Chen, a former employee fired by Hongyu Group."


    "Hmph!" Jiang Han sneered, "I thought you were someone with a big background. Turns out you¡¯re just a nobody who can¡¯t even get on the stage, yet you dare to im to be part of the Nanrong Family."


    "Ling Chen?"


    At this moment, the two men in suits exchanged nces, looking thoughtfully at Ling Chen, then said, "We¡¯ve heard that the neer ranked tenth on the Tiger List is called Ling Chen. Is that you?"


    "Something like that."


    "Tiger List Ranked Tenth?" Jiang Han¡¯s expression stiffened, and the look he gave Ling Chen abruptly changed. This unremarkable fellow turned out to be a master from the Tiger List. However, the surprise in his eyes was quickly reced by a cold sneer, "Tiger List ranked tenth, no wonder you¡¯re so bold, daring to be rude in front of me. What a pity, you shouldn¡¯t have offended me. After today, the title of Tiger List ranked tenth will belong to someone else."


    Ling Chen squinted his eyes, his smile unchanged, as the other party¡¯s tone did not take the Tiger List ranked tenth seriously, obviously relying on something.


    In thought, the two tall and burly men in suits stepped forward at Jiang Han¡¯s signal, holding their heads high with arrogance on their faces.


    "Qiu Wen, Qiu Wu, Tiger List ranked fifth."


    "Tiger List ranked fifth?" Ling Chen showed a faint look of surprise. Howe there are two people ranked fifth on the Tiger List?

 Chapter 250 - 246: Battling the Fifth on the Tiger List (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 250: Chapter 246: Battling the Fifth on the Tiger List (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    Qiu Wen seemed to see Ling Chen¡¯s confusion and exined, "It seems you don¡¯t know much about us brothers. We practice Combined Attack Skills, either we win together or we lose together, never alone. In the Tiger List, besides us brothers, there is also the Northwest Three Swords who are ranked third; their three brothers practice the Sword Array, moving forward and retreating as one."


    Is that so? Ling Chen¡¯s eyes widened, that¡¯s just... too shameless. Two against one, I have no advantage at all, it seems the evaluation criteria of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion have big issues.


    "Ling Chen..."


    Nanrong Wanqing couldn¡¯t hide the worry in her beautiful eyes. She had heard about the Heaven and Earth Dragon and Tiger Four Rankings from Jiang Yunkai before, and although each list had ten names, the gap in strength was significant. If it¡¯s the ninth in the Tiger List, the strength difference with those ranked eighth and tenth is negligible. However, once the ranking difference is too great, the disparity in strength also widens significantly.


    Ling Chen is only tenth in the Tiger List, but the Qiu brothers are fifth, the difference in their rankings is too great. She was very worried, unsure if Ling Chen could handle it.


    Hearing the concern in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s tone, Ling Chen turned back, cracked a smile, nodded slightly, and gave her a reassuring look.


    Turning back, he looked at Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu, a sharp glint shing through Mo Che¡¯s eyes. Previously, he had crossed hands with Song Qing, ranked sixth on the Tiger List, and neither had outperformed the other. This showed that hisprehensive ability could match that of Song Qing. The Qiu brothers ranked fifth, higher than Song Qing, and it was unknown by how much stronger they were. Moreover, critically, they were two people. As the saying goes, one pair of hands is hard to beat four, he really wasn¡¯t sure.


    "Su Lin." Su Lin, unable to suppress her curiosity, asked softly, "What is the Tiger List?"


    "The Tiger List ranks the top martial artists in the world." Liu Kun answered her question from the side.


    "Oh!" Su Lin appeared suddenly enlightened, "Uncle Liu, what ranking could you achieve?"


    "Me?" Liu Kun gave a bitter smile, his eyes filled with longing, "I don¡¯t even qualify to be ranked."


    Nanrong Hao, holding the back of his head where it was injured, waved his fist excitedly, "I knew Brother Chen wasn¡¯t ordinary."


    "Alright." Nanrong Wanqing frowned slightly, speaking softly, "Let¡¯s not talk anymore."


    Although Ling Chen appeared confident, the worry between her brows couldn¡¯t be dissipated; she tightly clutched the armrests of her wheelchair, biting her lip lightly, her stunning face filled with tension.


    "Please!" Ling Chen sped his hands together, following the customary greeting before the start of a sparring match.


    However, Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu showed no response, instead, they took off their zers, rolled up their shirt sleeves, and rubbed their hands together, their expression coldly saying, "Today we are not here to spar and see who is stronger, there¡¯s no need for so many formalities. Out of respect for you as fellow experts on the Tiger List,ter we will only cripple your legs and spare your life."


    Ling Chen slightly curled his lips as if he didn¡¯t perceive the malicious intent in their words, nodding, he said, "Then I shall thank you both for your mercy."


    "Take this!"


    With a roar, Qiu Wen made the first move, charging towards Ling Chen with a swift step, his right palm t and striking like a venomous snake towards Ling Chen¡¯s face.


    Seeing this action, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes narrowed, a cold light shed. Such ruthless tactics, directly aiming for his vitals. In a high-level duel, it usually starts with probing and then gradually escte to full strength. Yet, Qiu Wen didn¡¯t hold back from the beginning, clearly underestimating him and aiming to finish the battle quickly.


    As the wind from the strike approached, Qiu Wen¡¯s fingertips were almost within reach, Ling Chen remained unphased, his expression calm, as he stepped back with his left foot and leaned back. Qiu Wen¡¯s arm length was limited, unable to reach further, he had to change his move; his t palm slightly twisted, transforming into a knife-hand strike, he raised it high above his head and, while lunging forward, chopped towards Ling Chen¡¯s neck.


    Ling Chen wanted to retreat further, but at that moment, Qiu Wu somehow nked his side, sweeping a kick across targeting his back neck, coordinating with Qiu Wen¡¯s attack, blocking his retreat.


    Again, a deadly move!


    Whether it¡¯s Qiu Wen¡¯s hand-chop or Qiu Wu¡¯s whip-leg, both were strikingly close, targeting vital areas, almost wishing to cripple him.


    Facing thebined attack of the two, Ling Chen remained calm amidst the danger. With a tap of his toes on the ground, his torso suspended in mid-air, his legs hanging upside-down, he kicked towards Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu respectively, neutralizing their attacks.


    However, when their legs shed, his pupils contracted, unable to suppress the shock in his eyes.


    In terms of leg techniques alone, he had always considered himself second to none. Yet, after shing with Qiu Wu, he was astonished to find that his opponent¡¯s leg technique was no less superior than his own, even surpassing him in strength.


    Utilizing the momentum from Qiu Wu¡¯s sweeping leg, Ling Chen supported himself with his hands on the ground and performed a backflip,nding firmly on his feet.


    "Cross Training in Hard Qi Gong!"


    Looking at Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu, Ling Chen slightly furrowed his brows, for the brief exchange had already allowed him to discern the extent of their skill.


    This is troublesome!


    It¡¯s Hard Qi Gong.


    His greatest reliance was his own peak external skills,plemented by years of training, giving him a reaction speed far superior to ordinary people. However, his advantage seemed minimal against Cross Training in Hard Qi Gong. Practitioners of Hard Qi Gong cultivate both internally and externally, possessing not only immense strength but also formidable resistance, exactly what counters him.


    In a split second of thought, the Qiu brothers attacked again.


    Their steps interweaving, one in front and one behind, constantly changing positions, unpredictably left and right, confusing Ling Chen¡¯s vision.


    As they approached, a fist asrge as a casserole pot rushed towards him, making it unclear who attacked, as Ling Chen could only see Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu shaking in front of his eyes, unable to urately track their movements.


    Ling Chen tilted his head, dodging the fierce punch, then followed through by closing in, his fingers tightly clenched, his fists like dragons emerging from the sea, riding the wind and breaking the waves, suddenly booming out.


    Bang! Bang!


    Apanied by several dull thuds, in the blink of an eye, Ling Chen had exchanged several hard blows with the Qiu brothers.


    Their style was Hard Qi Gong, withrge and open moves, devoid of any fancy techniques, identical to Ling Chen¡¯s method of attack, a pure head-on approach.


    After several moves, Ling Chen felt a slight numbness in his arms, even a bit of soreness, something he had never experienced before. This clearly showed that Qiu Wen and Qiu Wupletely overpowered him in strength.


    Suddenly, Qiu Wen leaned forward, the punch roared with the force of the wind, veins popping on the back of his hand, like a clump of solidified steel, indestructible, thunderously approaching.


    Ling Chen¡¯s gaze flickered, pushing forward with both hands, trying to misalign Qiu Wen¡¯s line of attack. But at that moment, his vision blurred, and the Qiu Wen who was originally in front of him somehow switched ces with Qiu Wu, their positions changing so fast they were nearly imperceptible.


    Before Ling Chen could react, the oing fist had transformed into a whip-leg, sweeping in from the side, striking fiercely against his right shoulder.

 Chapter 251 - 247: Battle for Fifth on the Tiger List (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 251: Chapter 247: Battle for Fifth on the Tiger List (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    Caught off guard, Ling Chen suddenly felt his shoulders give way, and the formidable power caused his defense to crumble instantly, his right knee bent slightly, and he nearly lost his footing.


    Qiu Wu¡¯s attack seeded, and while Ling Chen endured the pain in his right shoulder, intending to muster his strength to push back his opponent, he hadn¡¯t anticipated a change of move when Qiu Wen, who had not been noticed before, burst out from somewhere. His fists were as fast as the wind and full of power, striking directly at Ling Chen¡¯s abdomen, prating three inches deep.


    Ling Chen¡¯splexion turned slightly pale, and he staggered, retreating step by step.


    "Ling Chen!"


    "Brother Chen!"


    Seeing Ling Chen at a disadvantage, the onlookers couldn¡¯t help but cry out, each wearing a look of concern and immense anxiety.


    Nanrong Wanqing gripped the armrest of her wheelchair tightly, her thin lips lightly bitten, her palms sweaty, watching Ling Chen worriedly, unsure if he had been injured.


    Ling Chen took a deep breath to ease the pain in his body, and his paleplexion gradually returned to normal.


    Indeed worthy of being the fifth master on the Tiger List, the Combined Attack Skills of Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu were exquisitely brilliant. Clearly refined through countless trials, not only was their coordination tacit, but their steps were also proficient, alternating attack and defense, making it difficult to detect the switch. More critically, the individual strengths of these two were not inferior. Whether it was their boxing or leg techniques, both were deeply aplished.


    If it were one-on-one, he could barely be confident of maintaining an undefeated stance, but that was just being undefeated; as for defeating his opponent, hecked the confidence.


    In his contemtion, his eyes, sharp as Mo Che¡¯s, suddenly shed with an unusual color, his expression somewhat dazed.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s prolonged inaction and thoughtful gaze, Qiu Wu, with his thick lips, spoke in a rough voice, chillingly stating: "If you don¡¯t want to fight again, then cripple your own legs, to save us brothers the trouble."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen still did not move, nor showed any intention to speak. He stood firm, like a mountain, his expression indifferent, his dark eyes showing no hint of emotional turmoil.


    "Why bother talking nonsense with him, just cripple him," Jiang Han urged impatiently.


    Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu exchanged nces and strode forward, each step carrying an aggressive momentum.


    Approaching Ling Chen, and seeing his somewhat nk expression, Qiu Wen coldly smirked, not masking the disdain in his tone: "What¡¯s the matter, too scared to make a move?"


    However, Ling Chen seemed oblivious to his words, as if he hadn¡¯t noticed the presence of the two men.


    "Bluffing."


    Qiu Wu¡¯s eyes turned icy, and he threw a punch with incredible speed, aiming directly at Ling Chen¡¯s face.


    The force of the punch rushed towards him; Ling Chen¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, brilliance shed, and with a loud shout, his originally somewhat pale face suddenly turned red, as if injected with adrenaline.


    The sudden shout slightly stunned Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu. Nevertheless, Qiu Wu¡¯s fist still thrust forward with undiminished force.


    But just when his fist was less than two centimeters from Ling Chen¡¯s face, arge hand moved with the speed of lightning and abruptly reached out, tightly grasping his wrist, stopping the punch from advancing any further.


    "Let go!"


    With a bellowing shout, Qiu Wen¡¯s fist harshly mmed into Ling Chen¡¯s body.


    One step... Two steps...


    Merely taking two steps back, Ling Chen¡¯s feet were as steady as a rock, firmly nted.


    This subtle change was unnoticed by others who merely thought Ling Chen retreating signified a disadvantage. But Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu didn¡¯t see it that way. In a fight between masters, no detail was overlooked.


    Although it was still Ling Chen, somehow they felt that the current Ling Chen was very different from the earlier Ling Chen, almost like two different people. This differencey in one¡¯s momentum, that is, the aura.


    Others may not feel it, but as a martial artist, this feeling is very clear.


    At this moment, it felt as if there was a ball of fire inside Ling Chen¡¯s body, burning fiercely, growing stronger and seemingly about to swallow him whole. All the windows in the living room were open and the autumn breeze was cool, but his body was covered in sweat, almost soaking his clothes.


    Driven by that ball of fire, he found his tactile nerves gradually weakening, barely feeling any external pain.


    Not only that, as the evil fire spread in his Dantian, he urgently needed an outlet to vent this evil fire.


    Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu undoubtedly became the best targets for venting.


    Watching Ling Chen step by step, his eyes icy cold like a beast lurking in the darkness of the night, devoid of any emotional fluctuations, only primitive bestiality remained¡ªbrutal, bloodthirsty, as if wanting to tear everything apart.


    Over the years, these brothers had sparred with numerous masters to climb to the fifth position on the Tiger List. However, they had never encountered such terrifying eyes.


    Through Ling Chen¡¯s pitch-ck eyes, they seemed to see piles of corpses, blood everywhere, gusts of chilling wind whistling past their ears, sending shivers all over.


    However, as top experts of the Tiger List, after a brief shock, Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu immediately came to their senses, staring at Ling Chen with serious expressions.


    After exchanging a nce, the brothers very tacitlyunched their attack.


    One on the left, one on the right, one punch, one kick, overwhelming in momentum.


    Bang!


    The fist met flesh; Qiu Wu¡¯s round kick ferociously struck Ling Chen¡¯s knee, aiming to cripple his leg.


    However, Ling Chen remained unmoved, all the pain transformed into a surge of evil fire, burning within his body.


    The more the evil fire red, the stronger his power became, as if he had endless strength.


    With a smirk, a sinister smile appeared on Ling Chen¡¯s face.


    "Your turn, gentlemen."


    Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu¡¯s pupils shrunk, a foreboding feeling surged in their hearts, and they hastily retreated. But as Qiu Wen turned, arge hand had alreadynded on his shoulder, gripping his corbone like a sharp w, the fingertips nearly piercing the flesh, the pain piercing to the bone.


    "Let go!"


    Qiu Wen¡¯s face turned iron-blue, he shouted sharply and swung a punch in retaliation.


    Ling Chen did not dodge, his steel fist fiercely shot out, shing with his head-on, not falling behind at all.


    Feeling the sudden increase in his strength, Qiu Wen was shocked, quickly retracted his fist, and leaped up with his legs, forcefully pushing against Ling Chen¡¯s legs, trying to break free from the grip.


    But at that moment, the hand that Ling Chen had on his left shoulder forcefully tightened, followed by a twist of his waist and spreading his arms, spinning on the ground. Before Qiu Wen could react, he was already suspended in the air, rapidly spinning under Ling Chen¡¯s momentum.


    "Big brother!"


    Seeing Qiu Wen being subdued, Qiu Wu immediately panicked, rushing forward to assist.


    However, Ling Chen was keeping an eye on his movements. Seeing him approaching, he loosened his five fingers and with the momentum, Qiu Wen¡¯s body immediately flew out, mming hard against the wall, then ¡¯bang¡¯ fell onto the floor.


    "Ling Chen, you..."


    Before Qiu Wu could finish shouting, a powerful leg already swept across.


    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 252 - 248: A Bully Is Always a Bully’s Grindstone

    <h4>Chapter 252: Chapter 248: A Bully Is Always a Bully¡¯s Grindstone</h4><h4></h4>


    "You¡¯re asking for death!"


    Enraged, Qiu Wu did not hesitate, his body slightly leaning back, his hefty thighs lifting high to meet Ling Chen¡¯s assault.


    The two snap kicks collided hard, and neither man was pushed back. Seizing the opportunity before Qiu Wen could join the fight, Ling Chen pressed on step by step, his legs taking turns attacking, with each strike stronger than thest.


    After five consecutive shes, Qiu Wu¡¯splexion had changed, both his legs aching and swelling immensely. Even more fatal was the sensation of a fracture in his right leg bone, causing him faint pain.


    He looked at Ling Chen with a face full of astonishment. The guy had previously showed less strength than him, but now he seemed to be growing stronger with every battle. Could it be that the opponent had been concealing his true power all along?


    At this moment, Ling Chen gave a strange and sinister smile, his punches and kicksing out in tandem, attacking like a whirlwind that left Qiu Wu struggling to keep up.


    Suddenly, Ling Chen¡¯s movements paused, and he appeared to stare past Qiu Wu¡¯s shoulder with eyes wide and a look of shock on his face.


    Noticing the change in his expression, Qiu Wu¡¯s curiosity got the better of him, and he couldn¡¯t help but turn his head to look behind him. But all he saw was Jiang Han sitting in a chair. There was nothing else.


    While he was momentarily distracted, a gust of wind abruptly struck him.


    "Second brother, be careful!"


    Before Qiu Wen¡¯s voice had even finished echoing, Ling Chen¡¯s whipping leg had already shot through the air, striking heavily on Qiu Wu¡¯s head and neck.


    Immediately, Qiu Wu staggered, seeing stars as if he were drunk, and swaying before crashing to the ground, unconscious.


    "Ling Chen, you¡¯re despicable, using such tactics," Qiu Wen said furiously, staring daggers at him. Ignoring his own pain, he quickly rushed to Qiu Wu¡¯s side to check his condition.


    "Me, despicable?" Ling Chen ¡¯ptooey¡¯ in contempt, cursed: "It¡¯s two against one, and you¡¯re calling me despicable? Damn it, all is fair in war. You don¡¯t even understand such a simple principle; I seriously doubt you graduated from elementary school."


    "You..."


    "What ¡¯you¡¯? Cut the crap, a loss is a loss. It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t admit it, as long as the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion acknowledges it."


    Qiu Wen opened his mouth but was speechless.


    Seeing that he had nothing more to say, Ling Chen strode past him, heading straight for Jiang Han.


    At this moment, Jiang Han was struggling to remain in his seat. He had never dreamed that the situation, which had seemed so securely in his favor, would be reversed by Ling Chen. Watching Qiu Wu lying unconscious, his throat moved, and he rose with a fearsome expression, pointing at Ling Chen¡¯s nose, shouting, "What are you trying to do?"


    Ling Chen grinned, a hint of cold light in his eyes: "Nothing much. You stormed into the Nanrong Family¡¯s territory, swaggering around and causing blood to be shed. If I let you walk away just like that, I reckon the folks of the Nanrong Family wouldn¡¯t be pleased. So, heh heh, I just have to inconvenience you a bit."


    Jiang Han¡¯splexion changed, eximing in rm and anger: "Ling Chen, I am a member of the Jiang Family. If you darey a finger on me, I..."


    p!


    A loud smack cut off Jiang Han¡¯s threat.


    Ling Chen rubbed his hands together, smiling amiably at Jiang Han, "Sorry, what was that you were saying? I didn¡¯t quite catch it."


    Jiang Han, covering his swiftly swelling cheek, red furiously, teeth clenched, "Fuck your mother, how dare you hit me. You just remember, I¡¯ll definitely make you..."


    p!


    Another crisp p echoed.


    Ling Chen¡¯s smile remained unchanged as he leaned his ear closer to the other person.


    "Mr. Jiang, I didn¡¯t hear you clearly. Could you speak up? What is it exactly that you want?"


    This time, Jiang Han learned his lesson and kept his mouth tightly shut, looking at Ling Chen with venomous eyes, not saying a word. He knew all too well that if he dared to utter another word, a p would undoubtedly find its way across his face. He wasn¡¯t a masochist; he had some self-awareness. Without Qiu Wen and his brother¡¯s help, he was no match for Ling Chen.


    All he could do now was endure, as long as he could return to the Jiang Family, the Jiang Family would surely stand up for him.


    p!


    At that moment, a loud p echoed once again in the living room.


    "Ling Chen!"


    Having received three ps in a row, the veins on Jiang Han¡¯s forehead bulged, clearly indicating he was at the peak of his rage. The two words "Ling Chen" were almost roared out with all his strength.


    The others present were all puzzled, with Jiang Han having not said a single word, why was he pped again?


    Ling Chen shrugged his shoulders, seemingly unaffected by Jiang Han¡¯s fury, and said indifferently, "I asked you to speak, and you don¡¯t; doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯re asking for it?"


    Hearing this, Jiang Han was so angry he almost passed out. Words could no longer express his rage.


    Seeing Jiang Han¡¯s defeat, a slight smile yed on everyone¡¯s lips, a look of wanting tough but not daring to filled their faces. The bully finally met his match; Jiang Han was unreasonable, and Ling Chen was even less so.


    "Enough!" Finally, Jiang Ying couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and intervened, "Ling Chen, if you don¡¯t want trouble for yourself, you¡¯d better apologize to him now."


    "Apologize?"


    Ling Chen turned to look at her, enunciating each word, "Why should I apologize to him? Oh, I¡¯m sorry, I almost forgot, you¡¯re also a Jiang. But, Miss Jiang, the Nanrong Family hasn¡¯t said a word, what right do you have to call the shots here?"


    Jiang Ying said sternly, "Ling Chen, it¡¯s your business if you want to look for trouble. I don¡¯t care, but don¡¯t drag the Nanrong Family into it."


    "Miss Jiang, we should be reasonable. When that bastard was bullying the people of the Nanrong Family, why didn¡¯t you stop him?"


    "I..."


    "Shut up!" Ling Chen snapped coldly: "Don¡¯t give me those useless excuses. I know you¡¯re in a tough spot, having to take care of both the Jiang Family and the Nanrong Family, but let me make it clear to you, I¡¯m not indecisive like you; I only stand with the Nanrong Family. Anyone who dares to bully the Nanrong Family, I will not let them off. Today, out of respect for Wanqing¡¯s parents, I won¡¯t make it hard for him. But don¡¯t me me for not warning you, if there¡¯s a next time, you might walk in here but you¡¯ll be crawling out."


    "Ling Chen, you will regret this."


    With those words, Jiang Ying looked at Nanrong Yong and Nanrong Wanqing, pleading, "Uncle Yong, Wanqing, listen to me, going against the Jiang Family does you no good. Can¡¯t we all just take a step back and calmly resolve this issue? Do you really want to repeat the events of the past?"


    Nanrong Yong said in a deep voice, "Jiang Ying, I know you mean well for our Nanrong Family. However, as long as the Jiang Family is unwilling topromise, our Nanrong Family will not back down. Just now, Ling Chen was right; our Nanrong Family is not a ce where the Jiang Family can run amok. If the Jiang Family dares to bully us and I still retreat, how can the Nanrong Family stand tall in the future?"


    After a pause, his tone chilled, "The incident that happened in the past is still vivid in my memory, and I have sworn never to let anything like that happen again. If the Jiang Family has no regard for our rtionship and insists on pushing our Nanrong Family, then let¡¯s have a fight to the bitter end."


    "A fight?" Jiang Han scoffed, disdainfully, "Does your Nanrong Family even have the right to contend with our Jiang Family?"


    p!


    Ling Chen casually delivered another p and red, "Did I ask you to speak?"


    Brothers and sisters, continue to rmend and collect, send a wave of support.

 Chapter 253 - 249: Exhaustion

    <h4>Chapter 253: Chapter 249: Exhaustion</h4><h4></h4>


    Several pster, Jiang Han¡¯s cheeks were swollen to an extreme, resembling a pig¡¯s head, and even his voice had changed.


    "Wanqing!" Jiang Ying nced at Nanrong Wanqing and pinned hisst hopes on her. However, Nanrong Wanqing appeared indifferent, seemingly with no intention to speak. Noticing this, Jiang Ying sighed in resignation, unwilling to waste more words, and said to Jiang Han, who bore a look of resentment, "Let¡¯s go back."


    Jiang Han opened his mouth, wanting to throw out a harsh statement. But upon meeting Ling Chen¡¯s icy gaze, he swallowed his words, bit his teeth in fury, and followed Jiang Ying out of the living room. Qiu Wen, carrying the unconscious Qiu Wu, quickly followed suit, disappearing from the Nanrong Family¡¯s doorstep.


    "Chen, it¡¯s still you who¡¯s the formidable one." Nanrong Hao walked over to Ling Chen with a beaming smile, excitedly patted his shoulder hard.


    "Ouch!"


    Ling Chen inhaled sharply, his face turning pale from pain, and couldn¡¯t help but curse, "Can¡¯t you be a little gentler?"


    Nanrong Hao paused, looked at his hand, and said with slight surprise, "Chen, I didn¡¯t use much strength."


    "Nonsense, who¡¯d believe you."


    Ling Chen rubbed his shoulder, feeling as if his entire body was falling apart, with not a single ce without pain. Especially his legs, which hurt beyond description¡ªevery step felt like a muscle cramp, an excruciating pain, as if two willow branches were constantly swaying.


    Seeing his painful expression, Nanrong Wanqing couldn¡¯t hide the worry in her beautiful eyes and quickly wheeled the wheelchair in front of him, asking with concern, "Are you alright?"


    "I¡¯m fine." Ling Chen managed a forced smile. However, no sooner had he finished speaking than his legs seemed to disobey him, his knees buckled, and he sat down on the floor with a thud, grimacing in pain.


    "Chen!" Nanrong Hao was shocked and immediately called Su Lin over to help him up from the ground and sit him down on a nearby chair.


    "Ling Chen, the Nanrong Family owes you a lot for stepping in and preventing the Jiang Family from seeding," said Nanrong Yong gratefully. "I won¡¯t say thank you; should you have any needs in the future, the Nanrong Family will do its utmost to meet your requests."


    "Old Master, I have only one request right now¡ªcould you please send me back to my room so I can lie down properly?"


    If possible, it¡¯d be even better to have two beautiful nurses take care of him. However, he didn¡¯t dare to voice thisst request, only thinking about it to himself.


    Back in the bedroom, Ling Cheny on the bed, trying to rx his body to alleviate some of the pain.


    This Prajnaparamita Sutra was powerful indeed, but it was too perverse. He thought to himself. He Ziyun was right, only by breaking through could the Prajnaparamita Sutra truly show its effect.


    However, this mental method was too unorthodox.


    Moreover, the Prajnaparamita Sutra was clearly drawing on his potential to exert great strength in a short period, but it also brought potentially unforeseeable aftereffects to his body.


    As he pondered, his thoughts involuntarily drifted to Xia Mutong, and he truly needed to thank her this time. If it wasn¡¯t for her help, driving the police car to bring him back, he probably couldn¡¯t have made it to the Nanrong Family in time.


    ...


    "You two wastes of space, failing to deal with Ling Chen and still having the gall to im yourselves as the fifth-ranked experts on the Tiger List. In my view, the so-called experts of the Tiger List are nothing but trash," In a suite at a hotel in East Sea City, Jiang Han pointed at Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu¡¯s noses, berating them loudly, venting his anger.


    Qiu Wen and his brother hung their heads low, standing obediently without a murmur of dissent, far removed from the imposing manner of a Tiger List expert. Although they too were seething inside, the mere thought of the Jiang Family¡¯s influence sent a shiver through their bodies, fear apparent in their eyes.


    "Don¡¯t be angry anymore; it¡¯s not their fault." Jiang Ying tried to calm the situation from the sideline.


    "It¡¯s all Ling Chen¡¯s fault," Jiang Han hissed through clenched teeth, his eyes brimming with hatred. Taking a deep breath, he struggled to suppress his anger and said coldly, "No, we must bring the person back no matter what. This is the first time the Family Head has entrusted me with such an important task. If I mess this up, I¡¯ll have no face to stay with the Jiang Family."


    At this point, he frowned and continued, "I really don¡¯t understand what the Family Head is thinking. Of the two Nanrong heirs, one is a good-for-nothing and the other is crippled. What use could they possibly be?"


    "What do you n to do?"


    "Forget about that good-for-nothing Nanrong Hao; bringing him back is pointless. We just need to get Nanrong Wanqing back to the Jiang Family. Cousin, you have been helping the Nanrong Family for so many years; you should know them well. I still need your help with this."


    Jiang Ying shook her head, "The Nanrong Family has treated me well over the years; I cannot betray them."


    "Cousin, don¡¯t forget, you have no ties to the Nanrong Family; you are ultimately a member of the Jiang Family. Don¡¯t you wish to return to the Jiang Family?"


    "Return to the Jiang Family?" Hearing these words, Jiang Ying couldn¡¯t contain her excitement, "Really...is that possible?"


    Jiang Han slightly curved the corners of his mouth, nodding, "Of course. In fact, the Family Head knows you¡¯ve had a hard time out there. No matter what mistakes you made before, these twenty-odd years should have been enough to make amends." As he spoke, he observed Jiang Ying¡¯s hesitant expression and continued to coax her, "Cousin, I know you have deep feelings for the Nanrong Family, but you have to understand that by helping the Nanrong Family, it¡¯s just that they can¡¯t appreciate your hard work. If the Nanrong Family falls out with the Jiang Family, it will be the Nanrong Family who loses out in the end."


    Jiang Ying¡¯s gaze flickered, torn with indecision. Yet, upon reflecting on Jiang Han¡¯s words, she firmed her gaze, gave a slight nod, and asked, "What do you want me to do for you?"


    Seeing her concede, Jiang Han smiled with satisfaction, "Don¡¯t worry; I won¡¯t ask you to do anything too difficult."


    ...


    After resting for two days and receiving meticulous care from the Nanrong Family, Ling Chen¡¯s health wasrgely restored.


    Early in the morning, Ling Chen got up alone and went out to the vi¡¯swn, stretched his arms, and warmed up his body by twisting his waist. After lying down for two days, it was high time to move or he¡¯d rust.


    "Brother Chen."


    At this moment, Nanrong Hao came running over in a tracksuit, drenched in sweat.


    Ling Chen nced at him and asked, "Finished your training?"


    Nanrong Hao nodded, his face full of yearning, "Brother Chen, how long do I need to train before I can make it onto the Tiger List?"


    "Heh!" Ling Chen let out a sardonicugh, "Give it another hundred years and you might stand a chance."


    "Ah?" Nanrong Hao was taken aback, his face turning sour, "Brother Chen, is my talent really that poor?"


    "It¡¯s not about talent; it¡¯s that you started learning toote. To truly master martial arts, one must start cultivating at the ages of five or six, strengthening the fundamental skills. Only with a solid foundation can you reach the next level. You¡¯re already in your twenties, having missed the optimal learning age. However, as long as you persevere, even if you can¡¯t make it to the Tiger List, you won¡¯t be too far off."


    Ling Chen did not want to dampen his enthusiasm, so he offered words of encouragement.

 Chapter 254 - 250 Artificial Respiration

    <h4>Chapter 254: Chapter 250 Artificial Respiration</h4><h4></h4>


    Eight o¡¯clock in the morning.


    After dropping Nanrong Wanqing off at Hongyu Group, Ling Chen usually heads back to the security department¡¯s office.


    But at this moment, the ringtone of his cellphone suddenly res. Checking the caller ID, he wonders, What does this girl want with me?


    Answering the call, he says "Hello," and then asks, "Lady Su, is there something you need?"


    "Where are you?" Su Lin¡¯s voicees through, sounding congested as if her nose is blocked,zy and listless.


    "Have you caught a cold?"


    "Ah, stop asking so many questions. I¡¯m at home;e pick me up quickly." With that, Su Lin hangs up the phone.


    This woman... Considering she¡¯s sick, I won¡¯t hold it against her. Ling Chen informs Nanrong Wanqing and then drives his muscle car back to Wealthy Manor.


    Arriving at the vi, Ling Chen goes straight upstairs to Su Lin¡¯s bedroom door and knocks softly.


    "Come in, the door¡¯s unlocked."


    Ling Chen pushes the door open, steps into the room, and is hit with a wave of intoxicating fragrance. This is his first time entering Su Lin¡¯s bedroom, and as he takes in the decor, he can¡¯t help but chuckle.


    The room is dominated by pink hues, from the wall paint to the wardrobe bed sheets, including all the room¡¯s light fixtures, every detail screams pink. They say every girl harbors a princess dream, and this one¡¯s no exception. It¡¯s just that, at twenty-something years old, to keep such pure fantasies is indeed rare.


    Taking a brief look around, he turns his gaze to the bed where he sees Su Lin lying under the covers, wrapped up so only the area above her nose is visible. On the carpet beside the bed, there are numerous crumpled tissues. However, Ling Chen¡¯s attention is swiftly drawn to something else.


    On the carpet, pink, ckce, white¡ªthe floor is littered with various styles of sexy bras and underwear carelessly tossed aside.


    Tsk-tsk!


    This girl doesn¡¯t care at all for her privacy, way too casual. Can these kinds of intimate garments just be thrown around?


    Shaking off his wandering thoughts, he approaches the bed with concern, reaches out to touch Su Lin¡¯s forehead, and immediately feels rmed. It¡¯s burning up; this girl is seriously ill.


    "Lady Su, you have a high fever. I should take you to the hospital."


    "No hospital." Su Lin¡¯s muffled voices from within the covers.


    "How can you not? You are so sick," Ling Chen exims speechlessly. She called him back here, and he thought she wanted him to take her to the hospital.


    Extending a fair arm from under the covers, Su Lin casually grabs a tissue, blows her nose, and says, "Just drive me to schoolter."


    "School?" Ling Chen is taken aback. He nearly forgot it¡¯s Monday. But she¡¯s this sick, how can she go to school? Besides, he¡¯s never noticed her being particrly eager to study.


    With that in mind, he tries to persuade her earnestly, "Lady Su, you are seriously ill, you should quickly see a doctor. Don¡¯t let it get worse."


    Su Lin exims impatiently, "Why so many words? If I ask you to drive, you drive. Don¡¯t forget what you promised me, you can¡¯t refuse my requests."


    "Alright, alright, you win," Ling Chen concedes with a helpless shake of his head. This girl is bringing up the incident when he took advantage of her, and he really has no way out.


    "You wait outside for a bit, I¡¯m going to take a shower and change clothes beforeing out."


    After Su Lin spoke, Ling Chen turned around, walked out of the bedroom, and sat in the living room to wait for her toe out.


    However, just after sitting down for a little while, he heard a ¡¯thud¡¯ from the floor above, as if something had fallen onto the ground.


    Ling Chen, feeling uneasy, approached the bedroom and knocked, saying: "Lady Su, are you alright?"


    After calling out several times and getting no response from inside the room, Ling Chen was startled, could something have gone wrong? Thinking this, he quickly pushed the door open and entered. The bed was empty, with nobody in the master bedroom; there was the sound of rushing watering from the bathroom.


    He nced inside, noting that the bathroom door was half-open. He called out Su Lin¡¯s name a couple of times, but received no answer from within. Could she have fainted?


    Unfortunately, Nanny Wang was not there; she had gone out to buy groceries, otherwise, he could have asked her to take a look. After all, it was Su Lin¡¯s private bathroom, and it would be quite problematic for him if he barged in and saw something not suitable for children.


    But he couldn¡¯t ignore Su Lin¡¯s safety either. Hesitating for a moment, he gritted his teeth, deciding he couldn¡¯t care about that now.


    Without dy, he pushed the door to the bathroom open and right away, his expression changed drastically.


    Su Lin was lying naked in a bathtub filled with water, with a bruise on her forehead and a cut; she had lost consciousness, and there was even a smear of blood on the wall beside her. Evidently, Su Lin had hit her forehead and fainted. At this moment, the water in the bathtub had already gone over her head, submerging her body, and was spilling out bit by bit.


    This is bad!


    Ling Chen¡¯s heart raced with fear, unable to think any further. He hurriedly lifted her delicate body out of the bathtub and quickly carried her back to the bedroom.


    "Su Lin, Su Lin..." He patted Su Lin¡¯s cheeks, trying to wake her up, but there was no reaction, and he even couldn¡¯t feel her breathing.


    She couldn¡¯t possibly have drowned, could she?


    Drowning in one¡¯s own bathtub, such a story, if it gets out, would hardly be believed by anyone.


    But the reality was right before his eyes, and Ling Chen had no choice but to believe it.


    "This is to save your life, so don¡¯t me me for taking advantage of you."


    He muttered to himself, then he pinched Su Lin¡¯s mouth, bent down, and kissed her cold, red lips, blowing air into her body. Subsequently, he ced his hands on Su Lin¡¯s full chest and gently pressed down.


    After several rounds of artificial respiration, Su Lin suddenly raised her head and expelled a mouthful of water, coughing violently.


    Seeing she had finally regained consciousness, Ling Chen inwardly heaved a sigh of relief. It was a good thing he discovered the situation in time; otherwise, this girl would have died. To drown in her own bathtub, had he not witnessed it with his own eyes, he wouldn¡¯t have believed it.


    After a while, Su Lin caught her breath and then realized she was lying on the bed with no clothes on, with Ling Chen standing by her side. In shock and anger, she quickly grabbed the quilt to cover her exposed body, looking at Ling Chen with shame and indignation, "What... what have you done to me?"


    Ling Chen shrugged, "What needed to be done is done, and what shouldn¡¯t have been done, is also done."


    "What?" Su Lin¡¯s pretty face turned pale, "You..."


    Seeing her bewildered look, Ling Chen didn¡¯t have the heart to joke with her any longer, he quickly said: "Alright, alright, I won¡¯t tease you anymore, I didn¡¯t do anything. You should be thanking me; if it wasn¡¯t for my timely arrival, your life would have been gone."


    Su Lin looked at him half-believingly: "You really didn¡¯t do anything?"


    Ling Chen was at a loss for words, not caring about the danger she just faced; instead, she worried about whether her advantage was taken. He couldn¡¯t understand what was going on in this girl¡¯s mind. Did to women, their purity really rank above their life?

 Chapter 255 - 251 Tang Shiyun Encounters Danger

    <h4>Chapter 255: Chapter 251 Tang Shiyun Encounters Danger</h4><h4></h4>


    After hearing Ling Chen recount what had just happened, Su Lin seemed to recall the incident. Rubbing the bruise on her forehead, she muttered, "I just wanted to take a bath, but who knew the floor was so slippery that I fell."


    "Be more careful in the future, it¡¯s fortunate that I was here this time. Alright, you just rest here, I¡¯ll be back shortly after I step out for a moment."


    Leaving the Nanrong Family¡¯s residence, Ling Chen drove out of Wealthy Manor and went to a pharmacy on the street to purchase several boxes of cold medicine and fever reducers.


    Back at home, he brought a warm cup of water to Su Lin¡¯s bedside, "Here, take the medicine."


    Su Lin obediently swallowed the medicine, her face flushed red as she looked at Ling Chen, seeming hesitant to speak.


    "What¡¯s the matter, something you don¡¯t dare to say? That doesn¡¯t seem like you, Lady Su," Ling Chen teased.


    "That... did you... did you just give me mouth-to-mouth resuscitation?"


    Ling Chen touched his nose, privately thinking, ¡¯Does this girl want to trouble me because I took her first kiss?¡¯ Despite his thoughts, he replied, "Yes, is there a problem?"


    Su Lin nced at him, her eyes flitting away as she stammered, "No... no problem."


    "Then rest well. I¡¯ll be in the living room. Call me if you need anything."


    As Ling Chen turned to leave, Su Lin hastily called out to him, "Don¡¯t tell Wanqing about what happened today. If she knows, she will definitely scold me."


    Ling Chen, nonchnt, nodded, "Got it."


    At noon, Ling Chen stayed at home for lunch and nned to take a nap before heading back to thepany to pick up Nanrong Wanqing. However, at this moment, Su Lin descended from upstairs, neatly dressed and lightly made up, looking ready to go out.


    "You¡¯re not well yet, where are you going?"


    "I¡¯m going to school."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen looked at her with confusion and asked, "Why do you need to go to school? Is there a handsome guy waiting for you?"


    "Definitely not, I don¡¯t have eyes for any of the men there." Su Lin exined patiently, "Today, Tang Shiyun is back at school. She¡¯s now a hot celebrity, and I missed her concert in Beijingst time. I can¡¯t miss this chance again. Aren¡¯t you acquainted with her? I asked you toe back because I wanted you to apany me to school. With you there, we¡¯ll certainly be able to see her."


    So this girl insisted on going to school despite being sick, all for the sake of meeting Tang Shiyun.


    Tsk, I must say, Tang Shiyun¡¯s charm is indeed extraordinary, even Su Lin is smitten, turning into a crazy fan.


    "Will youe with me, please?" Su Lin, fearful that Ling Chen would refuse, tugged at his hand, pleading.


    "Alright, alright." Ling Chen had no other choice but to agree due to her persistence.


    "Yay!" Su Lin was all smiles with excitement.


    Once they were in the car, Su Lin couldn¡¯t resist her curiosity and asked, "How close are you with Tang Shiyun?"


    "Why do you ask?"


    "If you¡¯re close, we could invite her to have dinner. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll foot the bill, and you won¡¯t have to pay a penny."


    "I can¡¯t promise that. Eh, why is she returning to East Sea University this time?"


    "It seems like she¡¯s here to take a leave of absence. She¡¯s now the hottest star in the country, and everyone wants her for movies or reality shows; she doesn¡¯t have time toe back to school. How did you get to know her?"


    "We used to be neighbors."


    Su Lin said enviously, "You¡¯re so lucky."


    Ling Chen shrugged, nomittal.


    Twenty minutester, the two drove to East Sea University. Ling Chen parked the car on the side of the road, and as he looked at the exceedingly crowded university gate, he couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue in amazement.


    At this moment, the entrance to East Sea University was jam-packed with onlookers and numerous journalists and cameramen armed with their equipment. Even Tang Shiyun¡¯s fan club hade out in full force, gathering together with homemade cards held high, bearing the words "I Love You" inrge print¡ªthe scene was bubbling with excitement.


    If it weren¡¯t for the police officers who had been deployed to assist, the school¡¯s security staff alone would have undoubtedly failed to hold back these frenzied fans.


    Ling Chen was aware that Tang Shiyun was popr, but he hadn¡¯t anticipated fame of this magnitude. A girl who had just turned eighteen reaching such heights was unprecedented, if not altogether unparalleled, in the country.


    After getting out of the car, Ling Chen led Su Lin to the outskirts of the crowd to try entering the school. However, the entrance waspletely blocked by the crowd, making it impossible to get through. Moreover, the police had set up a cordon, forbidding anyone from getting close to the gate.


    Su Lin looked at Ling Chen with a plea for help, signaling him to think of a solution.


    Ling Chen spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness. There were too many people at the gate; even if they managed to squeeze through, the police would stop them. Plus, people were guarding the outside of the school wall to prevent anyone from climbing over into the school.


    "Let¡¯s just wait out here honestly."


    Standing on the outside of the crowd, Ling Chen folded his arms and looked at the reporters guarding the entrance, chuckling, "This is quite the spectacle. It¡¯s attracted even the reporters from the East Sea Daily." East Sea Daily was a publication focused on public welfare and never engaged in entertainment news, priding itself on earnestness. Besides that, he noticed that journalists from some provincial news stations had also arrived.


    "You don¡¯t know?"


    "Know what?" Ling Chen asked, puzzled.


    "They¡¯re not here topete for entertainment headlines, but because of the suicide incident that happened a few days ago."


    "A suicide incident? What suicide incident?" Ling Chen asked in surprise.


    "It¡¯s all because the fans are too crazy. After having his derations of love rejected, one of them took it to the extreme," Su Lin said while walking to a nearby newsstand. She bought a newspaper and handed it to Ling Chen, "Read it for yourself."


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t wait to unfold the newspaper and find the news about the fan¡¯s suicide.


    Halfway through reading, he found it unbearable to continue. The paper stated that a male fan in his twenties was insanely obsessed with Tang Shiyun, sending her a love letter each day to herpany, and even repeatedly showing up where Tang Shiyun lived, waiting desperately in hopes that Tang Shiyun would ept his love.


    After being rejected several times, the disheartened fan was overwhelmed with sorrow. After leaving a message on Weibo that looked suspiciously like a suicide note, he jumped off an overpass, ending his life.


    Since the incident, neither Tang Shiyun¡¯spany nor she herself had made any statements, which was why all major media outlets were eager to nab the headline and secure an interview with Tang Shiyun for herments on the matter.


    Ling Chen shook his head. It was clear that the incident wasn¡¯t Tang Shiyun¡¯s fault¡ªthe fan was the one who had been unreasonably infatuated, not cherishing his own life.


    As he pondered, the noise at the school gate grew louder, with the police and school security beginning to clear the area.


    At the same time, a stretched Lincoln slowly drove out from inside the school. Immediately, all fans and reporters rushed forward, encircling the Lincoln Sedan.


    Bang!


    Suddenly, a crisp sound rang out. Ling Chen looked up just in time to see the ss of the Lincoln¡¯s window shatter.


    Following that, an arm reached out from the crowd, holding up a beer bottle that had been lit, and threw it into the car through the window.


    Boom!


    In a sh, towering mes erupted from inside the car, instantly forcing the surrounding crowd to retreat.

 Chapter 256 - 252: Explosion

    <h4>Chapter 256: Chapter 252: Explosion</h4><h4></h4>


    "Murder!"


    The crowded scene instantly became chaotic, filled with terrified screams everywhere. People stuck inside tried desperately to escape, pushing against those outside, but it was equally crowded outside. In the collision, many people lost their bnce and fell to the ground. Before they could get up, people behind stepped on them.


    For a moment, the scene was out of control, screams of horror and cries for help intertwined in an instant.


    The police and the school security responsible for the alert did not expect such a sudden incident, and they froze on the spot, unsure of what to do. Moreover, their numbers could not change anything; they could only watch helplessly as the stampede unfolded, unable to carry out any rescue.


    "Shiyun!"


    In the moment the mes surged, Ling Chen¡¯s face drastically changed, turning pale with his lips trembling slightly. The smell of gasoline¡ªit was a homemade incendiary bomb!


    At this moment, his mind was nk, his only concern was for Tang Shiyun¡¯s safety. He even forgot Su Lin next to him and madly rushed toward the stretched Lincoln Sedan. However, there were too many people outside the Lincoln Sedan, all desperately rushing out while he alone squeezed inside.


    He clenched his teeth, pushing against the crowd, and madly ran towards the Lincoln Sedan. Secondster, when he arrived at the Lincoln Sedan, he saw both front and back doors were already open, the driver and passengers had quickly jumped out of the car after the bomb exploded. But, the incendiary bomb made with gasoline was very adhesive and mmable, once it stuck on someone, it was difficult to extinguish.


    Ling Chen nced around and saw three men next to the Lincoln Sedan, all male, currently rolling on the ground desperately to extinguish the mes on their bodies.


    No women? His heart sank, could Tang Shiyun still be in the car?


    With this thought, he quickly looked into the Lincoln Sedan, hurried forward, and shouted Tang Shiyun¡¯s name loudly. However, the fire inside the Lincoln was intense, mes wildly surged from the car windows, almost enveloping the entire car, making it impossible to approach.


    "Shiyun, Shiyun..."


    Bang!


    Amidst the shouts, the Lincoln Sedan suddenly exploded at the front.


    Disaster!


    Ling Chen¡¯s pupils constricted, if the fire spread to the gas tank and ignited the gasoline inside, it would certainly cause a secondary explosion, and people within ten meters could hardly escape.


    At this moment, the three people who had escaped from the vehicle had extinguished the mes on their bodies, but hadrge burns all over, looking dreadful and were breathless, lying motionless on the ground,pletely unable to flee.


    "Ling Chen,e back!" From dozens of meters away, Su Lin shouted loudly, her tone unable to hide her own anxiety.


    Ling Chen nced at the burning Lincoln Sedan and then at the three men lying on the ground, his expression hesitant. After a brief contemtion, he finally made a decision, picked up the bodies of two men, and quickly rushed out of the explosion range.


    When he rescued thest man, the Lincoln Sedan exploded loudly, debris and sparks scattered everywhere within more than ten meters around the center of the explosion.


    "Shiyun..."


    "Miss Tang... wasn¡¯t... inside..." Suddenly, thest man he rescued said weakly, his words intermittent and his body extremely weak.


    "Really?"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes brightened, feeling like hearing heavenly music, unable to suppress the excitement in his heart, he quickly asked, "Where is she?"


    "The principal¡¯s office..."


    "Ling Chen!" At this moment, Su Lin rushed over in a hurry, her face full of concern, "Are you injured?"


    "I¡¯m fine." Ling Chen smiled slightly, knowing that Tang Shiyun was safe and sound, his heart finally settled down. The explosion that happened just a moment ago really scared him to death.


    Soon, the police gradually gained control of the scene. An ambnce was on its way, and the medical staff from East Sea University arrived first to provide emergency treatment to the three burn victims to prevent infection in their wounds.


    At this moment, the crowd of onlookers and reporters who had just escaped danger crowded around him, and the shbulbs shed non-stop. Several reporters surrounded Ling Chen, eagerly pushing their cameras toward him.


    "Sir, you just risked your life to save three people, do you have anything you¡¯d like to say now?"


    "Sir, I am a reporter from the East Sea Daily, and I would like to interview you about your heroic actions."


    "..."


    Faced with all these questions from reporters, Ling Chen, unable to bear the attention, grabbed Su Lin¡¯s hand and ran towards the campus. He had no interest in being on camera; as a former ghost squadron member, he strongly resisted revealing his identity. Being a student at East Sea University, with Su Lin leading the way, the two quickly left the trailing reporters far behind.


    "Where is the principal¡¯s office?"


    "Just ahead, what are you going to do?" Su Lin looked at him puzzledly.


    "Shiyun is there, I¡¯m going to see her."


    Su Lin patted her ample chest, still frightened, and said, "Thank goodness she wasn¡¯t in the car just now. I don¡¯t know who could be so cruel to target her. Whoever did this must be caught and executed."


    Ling Chen frowned secretly as the attack had happened too quickly, and with too many people around the Lincoln Sedan, the perpetrator had managed to throw the firebomb and then disappear into the crowd without leaving any clues.


    When they arrived at the principal¡¯s office.


    Ling Chen pushed the door open, and upon entering, he saw Tang Shiyun sitting there, her expression anxious. Her delicate face was filled with worry, her thin lips slightly pale, having lost their color. Tear stains lingered at the corners of her eyes; she had clearly been crying. Zhu Yansong was beside her, trying tofort her.


    "Shiyun!"


    Hearing that familiar voice, Tang Shiyun quickly looked up and saw Ling Chen approaching. She immediately lost control of her emotions and rushed toward him, burying herself into Ling Chen¡¯s arms and tightly wrapping her arms around his waist with tears brimming in her eyes, her expression sorrowful as she sobbed, "Ling, it¡¯s all my fault, I caused their harm."


    Ling Chen gently patted her back, his voice soft, "It¡¯s okay, they are not in life-threatening danger. Besides, if anyone is to me, it¡¯s the person whomitted the attack, not you. Don¡¯t me yourself too much."


    "But..."


    "Come on, stop crying."


    Su Lin watched Tang Shiyun clinging to Ling Chen, a hint of surprise shing in her eyes. Their rtionship... seemed to be more than just friends, as it was clear from Tang Shiyun¡¯s expression that she relied heavily on Ling Chen.


    After a while, with Ling Chen¡¯sfort, Tang Shiyun¡¯s emotions gradually stabilized.


    Su Lin brought over a ss of water, handing it to Tang Shiyun, and took out a pack of tissues from her bag and handed it to her.


    "Miss Tang, wipe your tears first, take some rest."


    "Thank you."

 Chapter 257 - 253: Shrew

    <h4>Chapter 257: Chapter 253: Shrew</h4><h4></h4>


    Seeing Tang Shiyun apanied by Su Lin, Ling Chen approached Zhu Yansong and asked, "Mr. Zhu, do you know who might be wishing harm upon Shiyun?"


    Zhu Yansong gave a bitter smile, shook his head, and said, "How would I know? Miss Tang has just entered this circle, she has a good personality, and is likable. She has never made enemies with anyone. If there has been any conflict, it might only be with..."


    He paused, his words trailing off, as he gave Ling Chen a meaningful look.


    Being a clever man, Ling Chen quickly caught on and blurted out, "Are you referring to Zhang Zekai from Beijing?"


    "Yes. But, based on my knowledge of the Zhang Family, even if they are bold, they wouldn¡¯t dare to do such a thing. Murder is no trifle matter, and getting caught could ruin a lifetime. Although President Zhang and Miss Tang had some disputes, it hasn¡¯t reached that extent. Sigh, I noticed earlier there were many people outside, so I asked the staff to leave in the car first, to divert the reporters¡¯ attention, but I didn¡¯t expect... it really was a narrow escape this time."


    Zhu Yansong wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, internally feeling relieved.


    "Mr. Zhu, besides you and Shiyun, is there anyone else?"


    "Yes, Miss Yao is also here, she just went to the restroom."


    "Miss Yao?" Ling Chen was momentarily taken aback, then quickly realized. The Miss Yao mentioned by Zhu Yansong was Tang Shiyun¡¯s mother, Yao Li.


    This was bad! Yao Li had always been prejudiced against him, andst time she even moved away from the LC district specifically to sever his rtionship with Tang Shiyun. If she saw him here, who knows what trouble it might cause.


    With this in mind, he excused himself to Zhu Yansong and turned to leave the office. It was better to avoid meeting Tang Shiyun¡¯s mother at this time.


    However, sometimes things happen exactly as feared, and there¡¯s no escaping it.


    As Ling Chen reached the door, before he could even open it, the door was already pushed open from the outside. Yao Li, in a fur coat which made her look even bulkier, her hair done in wave curls, wearing a gold ne and earrings, suddenly appeared in front of him, a strong perfume smell wafting into his face.


    Seeing Yao Li before him, Ling Chen inwardly gave a bitter smile, realizing he was a step too slow to avoid her.


    At that moment, Yao Li¡¯s face fell upon recognizing Ling Chen, resembling the unpredictable weather of September, instantly overcast with clouds and a cold wind swept through, looking extremely unpleasant.


    Ling Chen managed to muster a strained smile, greeting, "Mrs. Yao, hello."


    "What are you doing here, who let you in?" Yao Li¡¯s tone was sharp, as if facing an enemy, showing no mercy.


    "I heard Shiyun was in danger, I happened to be passing by, so..."


    Before Ling Chen could finish, Yao Li rudely interrupted, coldly saying, "My daughter¡¯s affairs are none of your concern, get out quickly, and stop being an eyesore here."


    "Mom!"


    Hearing Yao Li¡¯s harsh tone, Tang Shiyun immediately became anxious, hurriedly running over to grab Ling Chen, frowning displeasedly, "Ling is kindly here to see me, why are you being so rude to him?"


    "Watch him? Could he possibly be that kind-hearted?" Yao Li¡¯s voice immediately rose to a high pitch as she stood with one hand on her hip, pointing at Ling Chen¡¯s nose like a furious street hawker, she yelled, "Daughter, don¡¯t you know what kind of person he is? A small-time hoodlum who iszy andcks ambition. Now that he sees you¡¯re famous and wealthy, he just wants to take advantage. Mr. Ling, I¡¯m telling you, I know your kind of worthless trash very well, so stay away from my daughter. If I see you again, I¡¯ll call the cops and have you arrested for life."


    Tang Shiyun defended, "Mom, Ling is not that kind of person, don¡¯t talk about him like that."


    "Good daughter, I¡¯ve lived long enough to know people. You have to believe me, I wouldn¡¯t misjudge someone." After saying this, Yao Li still not satisfied, continued to curse at Ling Chen, "With your useless garbage self, you think you can take advantage of my daughter? Dream on like a toad aiming for swan meat. Bah! What a joke, get out of here, don¡¯t hang around in front of me, you¡¯re annoying to look at."


    "Hey, how can you talk like that, you have no manners at all."


    Seeing her constantly insulting Ling Chen, Su Lin couldn¡¯t listen anymore and indignantly spoke up.


    Yao Li nced at Su Lin and cursed mercilessly, "And who are you? Mind your own business."


    "You..." Su Lin, furious, replied heatedly, "You just rely on your daughter being a star, what¡¯s so great about that? Let me tell you, don¡¯t be so arrogant, there are plenty of rich people out there. You don¡¯t appreciate Ling Chen because you¡¯re short-sighted. Not to insult you, but you¡¯re really not in his league now."


    "Me? Not in his league?" Yao Li scoffed as if hearing a ridiculous joke, sarcastically said, "Yes, I¡¯m not in his league, only shameless women like you would fall for that kind of thug."


    Su Lin trembled with anger, indignant at being called shameless.


    "Mom, stop talking," Tang Shiyun, her face pale and almost on the verge of tears, "Su, my mom just has this temper, please don¡¯t take it to heart, I apologize on her behalf."


    "Daughter, no need to apologize to such people, they can¡¯t appreciate it," sneered Yao Li.


    "Enough!" Ling Chen, frowning slightly, sternly said, "Mrs. Yao, I only regard Shiyun as a friend, I have no ulterior motives, don¡¯t think the worst of everyone. You can scold me, but don¡¯t insult my friend. For Shiyun¡¯s sake, I won¡¯t argue with you today to avoid making it difficult for her, but I advise you, your attitude will hurt Shiyun sooner orter."


    "Bah!" Yao Li spat on the ground, "Just stop bothering my daughter, she¡¯ll be fine without you."


    "Ling, you... you should go back first," Tang Shiyun said with tearful eyes, looking at him pitifully, caught between Ling Chen and her own mother, she did not want to hurt either of them.


    Ling Chen sighed softly, nodded and said, "Take care of yourself out there. Mr. Zhu, I¡¯ll count on you to take good care of Shiyun."


    "Rest assured, I guarantee she won¡¯t be hurt," Zhu Yansong promised. He had witnessed the scene and had wanted several times to speak up for Ling Chen but held back as it was personal family matters and not appropriate for an outsider to intervene.


    "Lady Su, let¡¯s go."


    Seeing Ling Chen walk away, Su Lin unwillingly red at Yao Li and quickly followed him.


    "Ling Chen, after she treated you like that, can you really endure it?" Su Lin asked, her face full of indignation, she had never seen someone socking in ss.


    Ling Chen shook his head helplessly, "She¡¯s Shiyun¡¯s mom, what do you expect me to do? Punish her? Argue back? If I did that, Shiyun would be the one most distressed. Let it go, don¡¯t get angry, it¡¯s not worth arguing with such a person."

 Chapter 258 - 254: Wanted List

    <h4>Chapter 258: Chapter 254: Wanted List</h4><h4></h4>


    "Mom, you must not be rude to Ling anymore," Tang Shiyun said with a resentful look at Yao Li inside the principal¡¯s office, speaking discontentedly.


    "Daughter, I¡¯m doing this for your own good. I¡¯m in my fifties, I¡¯ve seen more of life than you¡¯ve walked, and I understand exactly what kind of games Ling Chen is ying. As long as I¡¯m here, he won¡¯t take advantage of my daughter."


    "Ling is definitely not that kind of person. You made up your mind about him first, thinking he¡¯s no good, that¡¯s why you¡¯re biased against him. Mom, if you keep being like this, I¡¯ll ignore you."


    Yao Li said irritably, "You¡¯re really going to be the death of me. Mr. Zhu, you have children too, tell me, am I right or not?"


    "This..." Zhu Yansong hesitated for a moment, then said, "Miss Yao, from my understanding of Mr. Ling, he¡¯s probably not the person you think he is."


    Yao Li frowned and said sternly, "Now you¡¯re starting to speak good of him too."


    "I¡¯m just telling the truth. Last time in Beijing, thanks to Mr. Ling¡¯s help, Miss Tang was saved from a big trouble. I believe he genuinely has Miss Tang¡¯s best interests at heart."


    "He was only pretending to be helpful to win my daughter¡¯s favor. Hmph, my daughter is going to be a big star in the future, having someone like him around will only tarnish her reputation. Listen to me, if you dare see him again, I¡¯ll disown you," Yao Li finished and turned to Zhu Yansong, "And you, Mr. Zhu, don¡¯t take it the wrong way, but if I find out you¡¯ve arranged for them to meet secretly, or if you knew and didn¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll immediately have my daughter cancel her contract with Silver Star Entertainment Company. Manypanies are vying to sign my daughter now, I¡¯m not worried about finding another."


    "I¡¯ll be mindful," Zhu Yansong nodded. As an employee of thepany, he naturally had to think about thepany¡¯s interest, it seemed he would have to let Ling Chen down.


    ...


    Outside East Sea University.


    Just as Ling Chen and Su Lin stepped out of the campus gate, they saw over a dozen police officers setting up a crime scene tape and conducting a clean-up.


    At the same time, three police officers were walking towards them, probably nning to speak with Tang Shiyun to understand the specifics since Tang Shiyun was the potential victim targeted by the assant.


    Seeing the leading female officer, Ling Chen touched his nose, his face slightly embarrassed. This was indeed a bit awkward, bumping into her here.


    Ling Chen saw Xia Mutong, and Xia Mutong saw him too. Originally expressionless, her face turned icy cold as mes seemed to flicker in her eyes at his sight. Before even approaching, Ling Chen could already feel her simmering rage hitting him.


    As they were about to brush past each other, Ling Chen forced a smile and greeted proactively, "Officer Xia, hello."


    "It was fine until I saw you," Xia Mutong responded coldly, "You better not show up in front of me again." After saying that, she quickened her pace and walked past Ling Chen.


    Su Lin looked back at the departing Xia Mutong, curiously asking, "Ling Chen, do you have a feud with Officer Xia? She seems to really hate you."


    "Don¡¯t talk nonsense, she and I are on good terms," Ling Chen replied flippantly, then hurried to a car parked by the roadside, opened the door, and got in.


    Checking the time, it was just three o¡¯clock in the afternoon, still a while before Nanrong Wanqing finished work.


    "I¡¯ll take you home first. You haven¡¯t fully recovered from your cold yet, better rest more."


    "Okay." Sensing the care in Ling Chen¡¯s voice, Su Lin softly responded.


    After returning to Wealthy Manor, Ling Chen dropped Su Lin at her home, then drove back to thepany.


    Halfway there, he suddenly received a call from Hu Fei.


    "Hello, Fatty, what¡¯s up?"


    "Are you free right now?"


    "Yes."


    "Remember the little restaurant where I treated you to boiled fishst time? I¡¯m here waiting for you, hurry up ande over."


    "Okay, I¡¯ll be there in half an hour."


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen immediately turned the car around and headed towards the restaurant.


    Hu Fei wouldn¡¯t say on the phone, it must be something important, so it was inconvenient tomunicate over the phone.


    In less than twenty minutes, Ling Chen arrived at the destination. He parked the car by the roadside and walked down the alley. After walking a few dozen meters, he came to a humble restaurant entrance. Perhaps because it was afternoon, the restaurant hadn¡¯t opened for business yet.


    Knock, knock, knock!


    He knocked on the door, and the tightly closed door was immediately opened, revealing a face tinged with a yellowish-paleplexion and full of wrinkles.


    "Boss Liu."


    Ling Chen greeted with a smile. He had eaten here once before, having tried the boiled fish, and he remembered the restaurant owner vividly. It must be said, Boss Liu¡¯s boiled fish was exceptional, delicious, and even better than what five-star chefs could make.


    "Mr. Ling, pleasee in!"


    Once inside the restaurant, Ling Chen headed straight to the private room. As soon as he entered, a strong fragrance of fish hit his nose, making one¡¯s mouth water.


    By the round table, Hu Fei sat alone in a corner, with his sleeves rolled up, eating a hot pot of boiled fish, sweating profusely, and the small private room was steaming hot.


    "Tsk tsk! Fatty, you really know how to enjoy yourself."


    Hu Fei chuckled and pointed to the chair opposite him. With a mouth full of hot fish, he said vaguely, "Come, sit and eat with me."


    Although it wasn¡¯t dinner time yet, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t resist the tempting deliciousness of the boiled fish. Without being bashful, he opened a bottle of beer and started eating with a pair of chopsticks.


    Soon, a serving of boiled fish was finished.


    "Old Liu, another serving."


    "That¡¯s enough, just a treat to satisfy the craving."


    Hu Fei nced at him and said nonchntly, "You better eat up, I¡¯m afraid this might be yourst meal."


    "Hmm..." Ling Chen raised his head, put down the beer ss he was holding, "What do you mean by that?"


    "Somebody wants to kill you."


    "Who?"


    "How would I know? Hey, tell me, how many people have you offended that they all want you dead?" As he spoke, Hu Fei took out his phone, logged into a website, pulled up a page, and handed it to Ling Chen, "You see for yourself."


    "This is... a bounty?" Ling Chen looked at the page disying his detailed information and eximed.


    Hu Fei nodded, "This is a bounty list updated by the Secret Society¡¯s dark web three hours ago. You did well, you shot up to first ce."


    "How much money?"


    "Seven million US dors." Hu Fei stretched out three fingers, "There are three clients who posted the bounty, one offers two million, one offers one million, and one offers four million. So, by killing you, one can im all three rewards."


    "Damn!" Ling Chen cursed in dissatisfaction, "They really look down on people, just seven million US dors, my head is worth at least ten million at least."


    "Give it a rest, you¡¯re the only one who can enjoy such treatment. I really don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so hated. Remember, this is a bounty, for such a handsome reward, I estimate many assassins will be restless. As far as I know, several top-notch assassins have already entered the country, you better be careful, I don¡¯t want to see you next time in a crematorium."


    Ling Chen smirked slightly, casually pulled out a toothpick and put it in his mouth, unconcerned, "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely outlive you."

 Chapter 259 - 255: Who Could it Be?

    <h4>Chapter 259: Chapter 255: Who Could it Be?</h4><h4></h4>


    After feasting at a shabby little diner, Ling Chen wiped his mouth, bid Hu Fei goodbye, then got back into his car, his expression cold and stern.


    Although he appeared nonchnt in front of Hu Fei, he had be alert inside. He knew whatcency could cost him.


    The fact that three individuals simultaneously ced a bounty on his head made him slightly smile; he truly was popr. Among these three, he could only think of Zhu Hong; as for the others, he couldn¡¯t figure them out. It seemed like, other than having a mortal enmity with Zhu Hong, he had no other enemies in East Sea City.


    Could it be Zhang Zekai? He shook his head, dismissing the idea. Zhang Zekai was involved in the entertainment industry and wouldn¡¯t be associated with this sector. The bounty was issued on the Secret Society¡¯s dark web, essible only by insiders. Ordinary people might know of the dark web, but they couldn¡¯t contact it.


    The Jiang Family?


    His mind raced. Just a few days ago, he had humiliated Jiang Han in public, and given Jiang Han¡¯s hatred for him, it¡¯s very likely he could have financed the bounty. Furthermore, Jiang Han was now associated with the sixth-ranked master on the Tiger List... not fifth-ranked anymore.


    It implied the Jiang Family had profound resources.


    Thinking this through, he nodded to himself, almost certain of his assumptions. Now, with two suspects confirmed, thest one remained a mystery to him.


    Lost in thought, his phone suddenly rang. He pulled it out and answered the call.


    "Hey, Old Tang, what¡¯s up?"


    "Old virgin, congrattions are in order."


    Hearing the familiar yet peculiar nickname, Ling Chen immediately expressed his strong disapproval: "Old Tang, you really need to drop that nickname."


    "Why change it? You haven¡¯t even... hmm..." Tang Yuan suddenly realized, surprised, "You little devil, did you finally manage to getid?"


    Ling Chenughed proudly: "Of course. With my charm, it was a piece of cake."


    "Tsk tsk, which poor girl let the pig have her way with her?"


    "Cut it out, stop ridiculing me."


    Tang Yuan teased ambiguously: "So, how many rounds in one night?"


    "Three... Damn, why am I discussing this with you?"


    "Hehe, don¡¯t be shy, I heard all about it. Three times in one night, not bad for your first time, Tang Yuan. Push harder next time, try to reach brother¡¯s level, seven rounds in one night."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen felt a huge blow to his pride and angrily retorted: "Spit it out if you have something to say, otherwise, I¡¯m hanging up."


    "Wait, wait, let¡¯s talk serious. I heard you topped the Secret Society¡¯s dark web list. I called to congratte you and to check if there¡¯s anyst wish you want fulfilled, us brothers would handle it."


    "Damn, it¡¯s just a bounty. Why do all of you assholes think I¡¯m a goner. Anyone who dares try to im my head, I¡¯ll kill one for each thates, or two if they double up."


    "Alright, no more jokes." Tang Yuan¡¯s tone became serious, "The General heard about this and asked me to call you; if you need any help, just say the word, your brothers are here for you."


    "Don¡¯t worry about me, they¡¯re just a few assassins. I¡¯ve dealt with Blood Wolf, how hard could these nobodies be?"


    "Don¡¯t be careless, those assassins are well-prepared. How about this? I¡¯ll catch a flight to East Sea City right now. It¡¯s good to have someone by your side."


    Ling Chen creased a smile: "I appreciate the thought, but I can take care of myself, rest easy."


    "Sure, I knew you¡¯d act tough, just be safe. I don¡¯t want to wear a ck suit again."


    After hanging up, Ling Chen rubbed his head and squinted slightly; it seems the assassinsing for him are not simple. Otherwise, both Hu Fei and Tang Yuan wouldn¡¯t have specifically warned him.


    However, as he said earlier, if he dared to kill Blood Wolf, who was ranked first on the assassin list, what was there to fear from others?


    Returning to Hongyu Group, it was just the end of the workday, and after meeting up with the motorcade, he headed straight back to Wealthy Manor.


    During dinner, as usual, Su Lin turned on the TV and watched as they ate. At that moment, the local news channel was reporting on the attack that Tang Shiyun faced today at East Sea University.


    "ording to our reporter on the scene, the suspect took advantage of the chaos, holding a homemade incendiary device, broke a car window, and threw the incendiary into the car, causing the Lincoln Sedan to be engulfed in mes. Fortunately, Miss Tang was not inside the car, only two staff members and the driver were. When the fire spread to the fuel tank causing a second explosion, an anonymous hero disregarded his safety to rescue the seriously injured to a safe area, avoiding further casualties..."


    As the news reached that point, the screen switched, and Ling Chen appeared on camera, waving his arms trying to block the filming. Unfortunately, the camera still captured his appearance.


    "As per the information we received, this righteous hero named Ling Chen lives in Wealthy Manor and works as a security personnel for Hongyu Group..."


    "Ling Chen, didn¡¯t expect you to be so photogenic," Su Lin teased smiling.


    Ling Chen¡¯s face darkened as he sullenly shoveled his food, clearly upset.


    Damn, he was still caught on camera. Now the whole city would recognize him. What impressed him even more was how the media managed to dig up his identity and workce¡ªit was indeed a fearsome entity.


    "Brother Chen, Brother Chen..."


    Nanrong Hao burst in excitedly, waving his arms and shouting loud, "Brother Chen, you¡¯re on TV."


    "Shut up, will you!" Ling Chen snapped irritably.


    "Uh..." Realizing the atmosphere was off, Nanrong Hao chuckled nervously and quickly left.


    Nanrong Wanqing nced at her brother, her thin cherry-red lips smiling faintly. Redirecting her gaze, she looked at Ling Chen sitting opposite her and gently began, "Miss Tang isn¡¯t hurt, right?"


    "She wasn¡¯t in the car at the time."


    Mentioning Tang Shiyun, Su Lin suddenly recalled Yao Li, involuntarily fuming, she hmphed, "Now I¡¯ve seen what Tang Shiyun¡¯s mother is capable of, looking down on people, really want to give her a piece of my mind."


    "What happened?" Nanrong Wanqing asked curiously.


    "She..."


    "Forget it, it¡¯s all in the past now, let¡¯s not bring it up again. No matter her failings, she¡¯s still Shiyun¡¯s mother." Ling Chen interrupted Su Lin, his chiseled face showing a hint of helplessness. With Yao Li meddling, meeting Tang Shiyun again would probably be incredibly difficult.


    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 260 - 256: Computer Virus

    <h4>Chapter 260: Chapter 256: Computer Virus</h4><h4></h4>


    Night had fallen.


    Ling Cheny in bed, his head propped on his arms, staring nkly at the ceiling, thinking about how to deal with the impending crisis.


    At that moment, thendline on the bedside table suddenly rang, disrupting his thoughts. He casually picked up the receiver, his greeting sounding half-hearted.


    "Ling Chen, do you know how to repairputers? Something seems to be wrong with mine."


    Recognizing Su Lin¡¯s voice, Ling Chen sat up and said, "Wait for me, I¡¯ll be right over."


    Upon reaching Su Lin¡¯s bedroom, Ling Chen immediately felt like he had entered a pink world. Breathing in the fragrance that permeated the room, his eyes unconsciously slid to the floor. The items that had been scattered on the ground during the day were now tidied away.


    Su Lin had just taken a shower, her hair damp and smooth, wearing a pink spaghetti strap silk nightgown. The nightgown was not very transparent, exuding an elegant style, yet it entuated her figure alluringly. Perhaps because of drowsiness, Su Lin kept yawning, her delicate face showing a trace ofziness. Not only that, she also unreservedly stretched, and when her fair and smooth arms extended, it was like watching ridges rise and peaks form¡ªa myriad of charming styles.


    Ling Chen swallowed hard, feeling a bit embarrassed, but couldn¡¯t help stealing a few more nces.


    How nice it would be if Wanqing was this busty too, he thought to himself.


    Feeling Ling Chen¡¯s lingering gaze on parts of her that shouldn¡¯t be watched, Su Lin¡¯s pretty face blushed, irritation rising in her heart. This jerk, hadn¡¯t he taken advantage of her enough? Under the shade of indignation, she red fiercely at Ling Chen.


    Caught in the act, Ling Chen coughed awkwardly, his gaze immediately straightforward as he asked seriously, "Lady Su, what¡¯s the problem with yourputer?"


    Su Lin pointed at the pinkptop on her desk and pursed her sexy red lips, "It was working fine just a moment ago, then it suddenly froze, and it¡¯s the same after restarting, the system isn¡¯t running."


    "Let me have a look."


    Ling Chen sat in front of theputer and casually operated it, saying, "You haven¡¯t installed antivirus software; yourputer has a virus."


    "What should I do? I¡¯ve made ns with a friend for a video chatter."


    "It¡¯s a piece of cake, I¡¯ll sort it out in minutes."


    Ling Chen smiled confidently, his fingers gracefully touching the keyboard, pulling up themand console and entering a string of digital codes before lightly pressing the Enter key.


    Suddenly, countless pop-ups appeared on theputer desktop, all from virus websites, and the content was startling¡ªmainly featuring the bold styles of Western adult content.


    The static images were one thing, but there were also quite a few animated images.


    Seeing so many indecent images, Ling Chen¡¯s face stiffened, his expression extremely awkward. Su Lin felt even more ufortable; as a delicatedy, she had never been exposed to such vulgar stuff from a young age. Especially those animated pictures and unspeakable sounds made it hard for her to look directly, her pretty face instantly turning red and slightly warm.


    But, even as she looked away, images that made her blush and fluster continued to linger in her mind. She was both ashamed and annoyed, yet uncontrobly stealing nces at theputer screen.


    At this moment, Ling Chen was the one feeling the most terrible. If it were the past, with his willpower, none of these would be an issue. But now, wasn¡¯t there a little enchantress present, killing without spilling blood? So all his steadfastness and such went out the window, and amidst the onught, his old face couldn¡¯t help but turn red.


    Swallowing hard, reason finally overcame the wicked thoughts in his heart. His fingers flew over the keyboard, swiftly clearing away those images. As the sounds disappeared, the awkward atmosphere between the two eased significantly.


    "All good now," Ling Chen stood up, yielding the seat, and nced at Su Lin next to him.


    Her cheeks were still flushed with shyness, her eyes bashful, hardly daring to meet his gaze. The seductive allure on her reddened face made his heart flip, unable to resist taking a few more looks.


    Feeling Ling Chen¡¯s brazen gaze, Su Lin became even more ufortable, suppressing the timidity in her heart and looking up with an angry expression, "Still looking?"


    Ling Chen gave an awkward smile, unable to deny that this girl¡¯s shyness was indeed very tempting.


    "Well... you go ahead with your stuff, I¡¯m heading back to my room."


    Leaving the bedroom, Ling Chen seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Just then, he passed by Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s door, and so he gently knocked.


    "Who is it?" Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s voice was tinged withssitude.


    "It¡¯s me. Have you gone to bed yet?"


    "I¡¯ve justid down. Whatever it is, let¡¯s talk tomorrow, I¡¯m tired today."


    "Then, have a good rest early."


    Ling Chen shook his head, somewhat disappointed; he had wanted to have a moment of tenderness with Nanrong Wanqing, to talk about love, to deepen their connection. But it seemed tonight he was destined to be alone.


    In the living room, looking at the pitch-ck night outside, Ling Chen¡¯s thoughts whirred, a sly glint shing in Mo Che¡¯s pupils, before he stepped out of the vi.


    In Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s room at this moment.


    Nanrong Wanqing leaned on the bed, dressed in a pale blue silk nightgown made of excellent fabric, with her fragrant shoulders slightly exposed and her tender arms, smooth as lotus stems, revealed. Gently raising the hem of her nightgown, she exposed a pair of slender snow-white beautiful legs. Looking at her own fair and delicate, translucent feet, a trace of sorrow crossed Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s beautiful face.


    She picked up the towel from the bedside and gently wiped her legs. After the car ident, she had never let anyone touch her legs, always taking good care of them herself, longing for the day she could stand up again.


    After cleaning her body, shey in bed and turned off the light, plunging the room into darkness.


    However, just then, she suddenly heard a breathing sounding from beside her, her heart startled, she hurriedly turned to look, her lips parting, ready to speak. But before she could say a word, her mouth was blocked by something, and she was taken aback.

 Chapter 261: Interview number 257

    <h4>Chapter 261: Interview number 257</h4><h4></h4>


    Between her embarrassment and annoyance, a familiar scent wafted over her, instantly rxing her tense and delicate body.


    Annoying!


    She scolded herself in secret. She thought there was a thief in the house, but didn¡¯t expect this bold man to sneak in through the balcony again, just likest time.


    After a long while, Ling Chen finally moved his lips away, his clear eyes staring intently at the beauty beneath him, filled with deep affection.


    Nanrong Wanqing felt embarrassed under his gaze, her cheeks flushing red. She couldn¡¯t help but turn her head away, pushing against his robust chest with both hands, rebuking him: "I¡¯ve already said I need to rest."


    Ling Chen chuckled: "Why not rest and enjoy at the same time? What¡¯s wrong with that?"


    Hearing the word ¡¯enjoy,¡¯ Nanrong Wanqing felt a huge wave of embarrassment. Before she could retort, a warm breath washed over her face, and her lips were sealed again. She panicked at first, but gradually, she entered a blissful state, feeling that nothing in this world was more wonderful than this.


    Feeling Ling Chen¡¯s breath gradually be heavier, a sliver of remaining rationality in Nanrong Wanqing immediately stopped him, her voice shyly retreated: "Don¡¯t..."


    Ling Chen lifted his head, staring deeply at her, his throat felt dry as he asked: "Wanqing, what¡¯s wrong?"


    "I¡¯m sorry, I... I was thinking... to wait until our wedding day..." Nanrong Wanqing closed her eyes, too shy to look at him. She wasn¡¯t resisting Ling Chen, it¡¯s just that she wanted to save the most precious part of herself for the most meaningful day.


    Ling Chen smiled softly, his mood calming down as he gently caressed her smooth cheek, softly saying: "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not in a hurry. What¡¯s mine will eventually be mine, don¡¯t you think?"


    Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t speak, just buried her head in Ling Chen¡¯s embrace like azy kitten, enjoying his warmth.


    Thus, the twoy quietly together, drifting off to sleep.


    The night passed.


    The next day.


    After breakfast, Ling Chen checked the time and was preparing to apany Nanrong Wanqing to thepany when Liang Zhao Hui briskly walked in from outside the vi and said: "Ling Chen, there are reporters looking for you outside."


    "Reporters?" Ling Chen paused, surprised.


    Liang Zhao Hui smiled and said: "Yes, they said they would like to interview you about your act of bravery yesterday."


    "I won¡¯t see them." Ling Chen waved his hand without hesitation, "Help me drive them away."


    Su Lin, who was sipping porridge, muttered: "It¡¯s only 7:30 in the morning, and they are already blocking the door. Those reporters are really dedicated."


    "They just want to get firsthand information for a scoop." Liang Zhao Hui then looked at Ling Chen and asked, "Are you sure you won¡¯t see them?"


    "Definitely not." Ling Chen looked unwilling. Those media who had reported on him without his consent had already annoyed him. The idea of interviewing him was not even worth considering.


    "You should go see them," Nanrong Wanqing urged: "Those media know you are an employee of Hongyu Group. Even if you don¡¯t see them now, they will find you at thepany. I¡¯m not afraid of anything else but those unprincipled reporters. In order not to cooperate, they may deliberately smear your reputation to attract attention. Especially the online media nowadays have no moral bottom line; they are capable of anything for clicks and heat."


    "Wanqing has a point," Su Lin agreed: "The online troll army is scary. One misstep, and you could ruin your reputation. Just do the interview. You can just casually answer a few questions and be done with it, it¡¯s not like you¡¯ll lose a piece of flesh."


    With that, Ling Chen considered it for a while and then grudgingly agreed.


    What Nanrong Wanqing said made sense; he couldn¡¯t let these unprincipled media ruin his reputation over such a trifle. Besides, his identity has already been exposed, so it didn¡¯t matter anyway.


    "Liang, please ask them to sit in the guest room for a bit, I¡¯lle over after breakfast."


    "Alright."


    Ten minutester, at the insistence of Su Lin and Nanrong Wanqing, Ling Chen changed into a sharp suit, looking dashing and heroic, with hair gelled back. ording to the twodies, since he would be on camera, he ought to look handsome.


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help butin that those reporters really had nothing better to do. He was just a small fry, and wasting their time interviewing him seemed pointless.


    When he arrived at the guest room, he pushed the door open and saw two people sitting inside, a young man and woman. The man, carrying a camera and tripod, was dressed casually; the woman, in a western-style business skirt with a white blouse, paired with ck stockings and high heels, had an attractive face with light makeup on.


    "Mr. Ling, hello."


    The female reporter approached him proactively, shook hands, and apologized with a smile, "Sorry to bother you so early. My name is Dai Ying, and I¡¯m a journalist from the LeFeng online tform. This is my assistant, the cameraman Hong Gang."


    Ling Chen nodded: "I¡¯m in a hurry to get to work, can we please make this quick?"


    "Mr. Ling, don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t take up much of your time, please sit!"


    Once they settled, Hong Gang set up the tripod, mounted the camera, and aligned it with Ling Chen¡¯s position. After adjusting it, Hong Gang gestured to Dai Ying that everything was ready to begin.


    Dai Ying maintained her smile, extended the microphone to Ling Chen, and asked: "Mr. Ling, I understand that you only joined Hongyu Group a few months ago. What was your job before that?"


    "I was in the military, just recently discharged."


    "So, Mr. Ling is an ex-soldier, no wonder you are so skilled. What were you thinking when you saved that person? Weren¡¯t you concerned about your own safety?"


    Ling Chen patiently endured and selected some positive reasons to exin: "I¡¯m a soldier, my duty was to protect the country and serve the people. Even though I¡¯ve been discharged, I have never forgotten the training the country gave me."


    "Mr. Ling truly deserves respect as a soldier," Dai Ying said with a gentle smile, a glint of something cold and subtle flickering in her eyes. Then, she turned to nce at Hong Gang.


    The two exchanged knowing looks, nodding silently to each other.


    Then, Hong Gang lightly pressed a button on the camera.

 Chapter 262 - 258: Killing Intent

    <h4>Chapter 262: Chapter 258: Killing Intent</h4><h4></h4>


    At this moment, on the camera screen, the crosshairs were aimed at Ling Chen¡¯s head. Simultaneously, a red circle appeared around the screen, slowly shrinking towards the center. Soon, the red dot locked onto the center of Ling Chen¡¯s forehead.


    Hong Gang¡¯s mouth curled with a hint of a sinister smile, as he gently ced his thumb on the switch behind the camera.


    However, at that instant, Ling Chen suddenly felt an intense sense of danger well up in his heart. Years of experience in gun battles had honed his instincts for danger to a razor¡¯s edge. Almost reflexively, he violently threw himself backward, along with the chair, to the ground.


    Bang!


    As he leaned back, a shot suddenly rang out, fired from the camera lens, grazing his scalp and hitting the wall.


    Seeing that the shot had missed its target, Dai Ying¡¯s expression changed slightly and without a moment¡¯s hesitation, she leapt up, twisting open the microphone in her hands. Immediately, a hidden dagger appeared in her hand, stabbing toward Ling Chen, who was on the ground.


    Faced with imminent danger, Ling Chen raised an arm, blocking Dai Ying¡¯s firmly gripped dagger. Then, he went with the momentum, using the strength in his wrist, causing Dai Ying¡¯s body to immediately lose bnce and fall towards the ground. At that moment, Ling Chen caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye that Hong Gang had drawn a pistol with a suppressor, aiming it at his body.


    In the blink of an eye, with a tense face, Ling Chen rolled on the spot, grabbed Dai Ying¡¯s delicate neck with one hand, and yanked her up from the ground, using her as a shield in front of him.


    Bang! Bang!


    Two shots were fired, both bullets hitting Dai Ying¡¯s body, blood spattered.


    "Yin!"


    Hong Gang was stunned, not expecting that his shots not only failed to kill Ling Chen but instead killed his own partner, and he stood there in shock. After a brief moment of stasis, he snapped back to reality, bellowed a loud cry, and once again aimed the gun at Ling Chen.


    But before he could pull the trigger, Ling Chen had already snatched the dagger from Dai Ying and threw it straight at Hong Gang, striking him right between the eyebrows.


    A trickle of blood flowed out. Hong Gang¡¯s hand holding the gun hung in the air, and his body fell straight down, his eyes still filled with disbelief and unwillingness; his meticulously nned scheme had failed.


    Looking at the two corpses on the ground, Ling Chen let out a breath, feeling the aftermath of a close escape. Damn, truly unpredictable. If it hadn¡¯t been for his quick reflexes, he would probably be the one lying in a pool of blood right now.


    Thud!


    At this moment, Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui, with others, broke through the door and entered, their faces changing drastically at the scene inside the room. Having heard unusual noisesing from the parlor just before, they had hurried over.


    Zhong Wei, shocked, pointed at the two bodies and said, "Ling Chen, what is this..."


    "They¡¯re not reporters; they¡¯re assassins wanting my life," exined Ling Chen. "Captain Zhong, call the police."


    Leaving the parlor, Ling Chen walked back to the living room to wait for the police to arrive. Those two assassins were quite clever, probably having seen the newsst night, hence they devised such an ingenious n to approach him under the guise of an interview and then take the opportunity to shoot him when he was off guard.


    In the assassin world, some assassins rely on their skills, while others rely on their brains; the assassins he encountered just now were of thetter type.


    "Ling Chen, are you alright?"


    Upon hearing the news, Su Lin, pushing a wheelchair with the anxious Nanrong Wanqing in tow, rushed over. Her exquisite face was full of concern.


    Ling Chen gave a slight smile, patted his robust chest, and quipped, "Don¡¯t worry, see? I¡¯m perfectly fine."


    "Who sent those assassins after you, and why were you targeted?"


    "How would I know that? If someone wants to kill me, they¡¯re hardly going to notify me in advance," Ling Chen shrugged.


    Although he understood the situation, he would not discuss it in front of the two women. It was better that he kept some things to himself; informing Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin would only make them worry more.


    "You should go to work if you have to work, go to school if you have to study. Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯ll take care of it." Having said that, Ling Chen stood up, called Zhong Wei, and asked him to arrange a car to take Nanrong Wanqing to herpany.


    Not long after Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin left, two police cars drove into Wealthy Manor and stopped in front of the Nanrong family¡¯s house.


    As the car doors opened, Xia Mutong emerged, her face stern and devoid of smiles, seriousness written all over it.


    "Officer Xia." Ling Chen greeted her with a smile, hastening to meet her with a wave.


    Xia Mutong gave him a cool nce, feeling an inexplicable burst of anger welling up inside her. This annoying guy, she had tried to avoid contact with him as much as possible, yet she always ran into him. It was as if she was destined to be entangled with him.


    Putting her thoughts aside, she didn¡¯t forget her identity and her duty, and with a stern face, she asked, "Where¡¯s the assassin?"


    "They¡¯re inside. You¡¯d better take two body bags in with you."


    "You didn¡¯t leave a single survivor?" Xia Mutong frowned slightly, she couldn¡¯t see through the man before her. He had killed two people, yet there he was, unfazed, even smiling; his mental resilience must be exceptionally strong. If it were her, she probably wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep well for ten days to half a month.


    Ling Chen said helplessly, "They were trying to kill me; I couldn¡¯t just not fight back."


    Xia Mutong gestured to the several colleagues behind her and said, "Take the bodies back and identify them." After speaking, she pulled out a notebook and a pen from her upper garment pocket, looked at Ling Chen with an air of impartiality, and asked, "Have you made any enemies recently?"


    "No," Ling Chen popped out two words.


    "No?" Xia Mutong was frustrated; the bastard wasn¡¯t being cooperative at all. "If you haven¡¯t made any enemies, why are assassins after you? Mr. Ling, you¡¯d better be honest with me, don¡¯t try to pull the wool over my eyes."


    Ling Chen spread his hands and said, "Officer Xia, I truly don¡¯t know. I hope you can help me find out."


    "Fine, if you don¡¯t want to talk, I won¡¯t force you. After all, it¡¯s your life. Also, don¡¯t wait until someone dies to inform us; the police aren¡¯t here just to handle dead bodies for you."


    Xia Mutong left a final remark, not pleased, and turned to walk back to the car.


    "Hey, Officer Xia, wait, hold on!" Ling Chen followed her, reaching out to block her way.


    "What do you want?"


    "Officer Xia, could I talk to you privately for a moment?"


    "I have nothing to discuss with you," Xia Mutong replied coldly. She didn¡¯t even want to nce at him any longer, let alone give him a chance for a private conversation.


    Rejected by her, Ling Chen didn¡¯t seem to care, the corner of his mouth curving into a grin, he deliberately raised his voice and said with augh, "Officer Xia,st time we were at Emperor Foot Bath City..."


    Xia Mutong¡¯s face panicked, and upon seeing her colleagues¡¯ attention being drawn over, she quickly snapped, "Shut your mouth."

 Chapter 263 - 259: Dream Garden Bar

    <h4>Chapter 263: Chapter 259: Dream Garden Bar</h4><h4></h4>


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s smug smile, Xia Mutong felt a surge of anger inside her but was helpless in the moment, as she couldn¡¯t very well reprimand this bastard in front of all these people. Besides, it wasn¡¯t certain she could best him in a fight.


    Stomping her foot, she huffed and turned towards a corner. Ling Chen cracked a grin and quickly followed her steps.


    "Officer Xia, don¡¯t be angry, I just wanted to ask you a few questions."


    "Cut the crap and talk," Xia Mutong said sternly, her face as cold as frost, keeping people at a vast distance.


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t beat around the bush and got straight to the point: "Officer Xia, I want to know if there¡¯s been any progress on Shiyun¡¯s case, whether you¡¯ve caught the suspect or not."


    Hearing him mention Tang Shiyun, for some reason, a nameless rage started bubbling up from the bottom of Xia Mutong¡¯s heart, cursing inwardly, this bastard, to think he approached me for this, actually to ask about another woman, doesn¡¯t he know to show some concern for me?


    Pah, pah, pah! Her pretty face slightly flushed, who needs his concern anyway, what am I even thinking? This annoying bastard took my first time, I should hate him.


    Noticing the change in her expression, Ling Chen looked at her puzzled and asked, "Officer Xia, are you alright?"


    "Better than you anyhow," Xia Mutong retorted.


    Ling Chen touched his nose,pletely unconcerned about her attitude. This woman has been quite irritable and moodytely, probably time of the month. He was understanding, considering the special circumstances.


    "Officer Xia, about Shiyun¡¯s situation..."


    Xia Mutong cut in impatiently: "We¡¯re still investigating, no suspects found yet." As she spoke, something seemed to ur to her, her eyes widening in surprise: "Why are you asking about Miss Tang, and you call her Shiyun so intimately, are you very familiar with her?"


    Ling Chen smiled and nodded: "She is my friend."


    He and Tang Shiyun are friends? Xia Mutong was surprised. She also enjoyed Tang Shiyu¡¯s songs, she was a fan. She never chased after celebrities, Tang Shiyun was the exception. She didn¡¯t expect that the man before her had this connection with Tang Shiyun.


    At that thought, she couldn¡¯t help but feel jealous. This bastard¡¯s luck with women really ran deep, cohabitating with beauties like Su Lin and Nanrong Wanqing, both top-tier stunners, and now there was Tang Shiyun too, seems like he knew every beauty in the world.


    This thought, popping into her head, left her feeling not only jealous but also a strange emotion, sour and unclear, very ufortable.


    "If you don¡¯t have anything else, I¡¯m leaving, I¡¯m not as idle as you."


    "Then I won¡¯t dy Officer Xia any more."


    Xia Mutong took a few steps away, only to stop and turn back to ask: "Do you really have nothing to say about those two assassins?"


    Ling Chen spoke innocently: "Officer Xia, you watched the TV yesterday too, I¡¯m just a good citizen who assisted out of goodwill, it¡¯s my duty to cooperate with the police work, but I really don¡¯t know anything, I would have told you otherwise."


    As if I¡¯d believe you! Xia Mutong muttered to herself, Ling Chen definitely knew something, he just didn¡¯t want to say.


    Watching two police cars speed away, Ling Chen didn¡¯t stay at home any longer, he drove his muscle car straight to Hongyu Group.


    A day passed peacefully, except for the attack in the morning, all was calm during the daytime.


    Ling Chen spent the entire day in the security department¡¯s office, eyes closed in meditation, conserving his energy, waiting for the real danger to arrive.


    ...


    As the evening lights began to shine, the night turned dark as ink, and the moonlight shimmered like water.


    At 7:30 pm, after dinner, Ling Chen took a break to digest his meal, then bid farewell to Nanrong Wanqing and drove away from Wealthy Manor alone.


    After half an hour of driving through the crowded traffic, circling the city center twice, Ling Chen parked the car by the curbside and walked into a luxurious high-end bar on the street, Dream Garden.


    Since joining Hongyu Group, his ie had also reached the ranks of the white-cor elite, with a monthly sry of tens of thousands aside from the asional hefty bonus. He had never checked his sry card, but conservatively estimated, there must be at least a few hundred thousand in it, most of which were rewards and thanks from the Nanrong Family, besides his monthly fixed sry.


    With money to spare, he naturally wouldn¡¯t shortchange himself.


    Dream Garden Bar is an establishment with high consumption, a ce that nevercks beautiful women fishing for affluent men.


    Inside the bar, the dim lighting and figures made for an ambiguous atmosphere, and as soon as one entered, the scent of tobo, alcohol, and women¡¯s perfume hit the nose. The bar wasrge and just past eight, it was almost full, bustling and without a single empty seat.


    On the stage to the east of the hall, several youths in strange attire with guitars and basses swung their heads frantically to the passionate beat, their hair iling as they screamed into the microphone, spittle flying as if venting all their emotions.


    Ling Chen had little interest in this kind of heavy metal music, finding it impossible to stir up any appreciation. He walked through the crowd shoulder-to-shoulder and headed straight for the central circr bar to find a vacant spot to sit down. A scantily-d, sexy bartender asked with a sweet smile, "What would you like to order, sir?"


    "Two bottles of Budweiser," Ling Chen casually replied, taking a hundred-yuan note out of his pocket and cing it on the counter.


    The so-called high-consumption ces only mean good location, nice decoration, and better service. The beer that costs a dozen or so yuan outside was sold for fifty here, multiplying the profits severalfold and could be described as excessive.


    Under the hazy and blurred lights, Ling Chen took a sip of beer to moisten his throat and scanned the surroundings of the bar.


    Some couples sat in private booths, rubbing cheeks and ears affectionately and making bold gestures, filled with ambiguous vibes. Of course, there were also beautiful women who had sessfully lured affluent men with warm advances and threw themselves into their embraces. Several eager men and women couldn¡¯t hold back and were passionately kissing in the dimly lit corners of the bar, carelessly indulging in physical stimtion regardless of the stares from people around.


    Before long, Ling Chen realized that he too had be a target for those beautiful women; in no time, several had thrown flirtatious nces his way. This secretly thrilled him; at least, he could say his face was an audience-pleaser.


    However, those beautiful women looked okay, but Ling Chen wasn¡¯t interested.


    He was usually surrounded by top beauties with outstanding looks and qualities such as Nanrong Wanqing, Su Lin, and Zhu Xiaozhu, so he was no longer impressed by these ordinary ones. Besides, he didn¡¯t like second-hand goods others had used.


    Just then, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze was suddenly captivated by a beauty across the bar and he found it difficult to look away.


    The beauty wore a purple off-shoulder long dress that showcased her graceful figure, stylish and mature, with slightly curled shoulder-length hair exuding a hint of elegance and sensuality. The dim light fell on her face and, although he couldn¡¯t see her clearly, her facial features seemed extremely delicate. In the obscurity, her mysterious allure was only heightened.


    This was what you¡¯d call a beauty with grace!

 Chapter 264 - 260: Hero Saves the Beauty

    <h4>Chapter 264: Chapter 260: Hero Saves the Beauty</h4><h4></h4>


    The extraordinarily poised beauty sat at the bar, her captivating eyes as delicate as silk, her slender legs wrapped in ck stockings crossed elegantly, her posture hiding the allure beneath her skirt, seductively charming.


    No one knew when this beauty had appeared there; as soon as the men in the bar noticed her, their attention was irresistibly drawn as if maized, unable to shift their gaze. Even men who were with their girlfriends couldn¡¯t help but take a few extra nces, forgetting the presence of their partners, which resulted in a ¡¯gentle¡¯ caress from their girlfriends¡¯ hands.


    Thedy in ck stockings seemed ustomed to being the focus of everyone¡¯s attention, nonchnt as she openly surveyed her surroundings, seemingly searching for something. The men in the bar puffed out their chests and stood taller, eagerly trying to catch her eye and be her ¡¯prey.¡¯


    However, the ck stockings beauty seemed barely interested in those attempts, her gaze consistently wandering through the crowd.


    After a while, some brazen men took the initiative to approach and court her, but the ck stockings beauty seemed uninterested, sipping her drink without giving those men a nce. One by one, the men faced rejection and retreated, causing other hopeful men to lose interest. Those who were chatting continued their conversations, and those who were drinking carried on.


    Ling Chen slightly curled up the corners of his mouth, drinking his beer nonchntly. He hade to the bar with a purpose today, he was waiting¡ªfor what, no one knew.


    At that moment, an intrigued gaze fell upon him. Ling Chen nced over and noticed the ck stockings beauty at the bar eyeing him; her attractive red lips slightly upturned, her tongue teasing the corner of her lips¡ªa sight so provocative it sent hearts racing.


    Their eyes locked, and Ling Chen suddenly smiled broadly, lifting his beer bottle in a toasting gesture to the mysterious beauty.


    It was a rare moment that this woman showed interest in him; idle as he was, he decided to entertain the idea.


    The ck stockings beauty seemed to ept his invitation, picking up her drink, clutching a delicate handbag, and walking over with a swaying grace, then sitting next to Ling Chen. Seeing her approaching Ling Chen, envy, jealousy, and resentment filled the eyes of the other men.


    "What¡¯s your name, handsome?" the voice of the ck stockings beauty was maic and melodiously gentle, a pleasure to the ear.


    Now up close, Ling Chen could finally see the ck stockings beauty clearly.


    Just as he had guessed, she was very beautiful¡ªthe light makeup on her oval face enhanced her already delicate features, her brows light yet profound, eyes full of allure, and long eyshes slightly curled, every detail radiating beauty.


    Not only was she beautiful, but she was also quite young, around thirty, at the most dazzling age for a woman, mature yet with a touch of youthful vigor, even more enchanting.


    "Ling Chen. And you?"


    "Shen Yueying."


    "So you are Miss Shen." Ling Chen smiled slightly, his eyes clear, "With so many men here, Miss Shen chose me over everyone else, truly I¡¯m honored."


    Shen Yueying replied gracefully: "You are different from the other men."


    "How so?"


    "Your eyes." Shen Yueying raised her finger elegantly, picking up her wine ss, her lips as seductive as the red wine pouring into her mouth. Watching her finish the strong spirit in one gulp, Ling Chen¡¯s expression brightened¡ªthis woman could really hold her liquor.


    He did not continue the conversation, instead waiting for Shen Yueying to speak.


    She set down her ss and Shen Yuying extended her tongue, yfully licking the remaining liquor from her fragrant lips, a mesmerizing gesture that made hearts flutter.


    "Don¡¯t get me wrong, other men look at me, and all they want is to spend a night tangled up with me. But you¡¯re different, your eyes don¡¯t carry that vulgar desire, just admiration. That¡¯s why I¡¯m interested in you." As she spoke, she slightly lifted her shapely, long legs, her high heels intentionally or unintentionally touching Ling Chen¡¯s shin, her eyes carrying a hint of intoxicating allure.


    She moved closer to Ling Chen, their faces only inches apart, and cooed, "What about you? Are you interested in me?" As her lips parted slightly, a fragrant breeze mixed with the scent of alcohol swept over him.


    Ling Chen wasn¡¯t drunk, but his heart was intoxicated. This woman was simply a temptress, too skilled at stirring desires.


    "I..."


    Ling Chen was about to respond, but suddenly, the light in front of him seemed to dim, as if something was blocking the dim light.


    Turning his head, he saw three burly men standing by his side, their eyes unabashedly roaming over Shen Yueying¡¯s silky legs, their eyes gleaming, their mouths gaping almost drooling.


    "Beautiful, are you free to hang out with us three brothers?" one of the burly men directly issued an invitation, in an indisputablymanding tone.


    Shen Yueying furrowed her brows slightly, sizing them up, her seductive red lips curling into a beautiful arch as she smiled and responded: "Sure. But, you must ask my boyfriend¡¯s permission first." With that, her slender finger lightly pointed towards Ling Chen at her side.


    Immediately, three fierce gazesnded on Ling Chen, who blurted out boldly, "Bro, mind if we borrow your girlfriend for some fun? No issues, right?"


    Ling Chen helplessly looked at Shen Yueying, who had just used him as a shield.


    At this moment, the men in the bar were all watching this scene; their previously envious looks had turned into schadenfreude.


    Picking up a beer bottle from the table, Ling Chen acted as if he hadn¡¯t heard those three men, continuing to drink leisurely.


    Seeing that he didn¡¯t respond, the three burly men¡¯s expressions immediately turned grim, and they coldly said, "Kid, I¡¯m talking to you. Did you hear?"


    Ling Chen fiddled with his ears, muttering to himself, "Some dog is barking, how annoying."


    "Damn it, you dare curse us brothers, looks like you¡¯re tired of living."


    A roar broke out, and the burly man closest to Ling Chen raised his fist, swinging it towards Ling Chen¡¯s left face. Ling Chen still sat unmoved, as if he hadn¡¯t seen the iing attack.


    As the fist was about to make contact,


    Suddenly, Ling Chen swung one arm out, sending two beer bottles from the table flying directly at the man¡¯s face.


    Crack! Crack!


    Apanied by two crisp sounds, the beer bottles shattered instantly, ss shards scattering across the floor and onto the surrounding customers. Seeing that things were going south, the nearby customers quickly dodged out of the way to avoid getting involved.


    The burly man reacted quickly; as soon as Ling Chen made his move, he retracted his hand and threw both fists, shattering the two iing beer bottles.


    Ling Chen looked at him in surprise, not expecting this man to have some skills. In a moment of surprise, he seemed to think of something, his gaze meaningfully ncing at Shen Yueying beside him, then stood up from his seat, a faint smile lifting on his lips, facing the three burly men.


    "C¡¯mon, let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got."

 Chapter 265 - 261: The Hero Doesn’t Always Save a Beauty

    <h4>Chapter 265: Chapter 261: The Hero Doesn¡¯t Always Save a Beauty</h4><h4></h4>


    "Let¡¯s go together."


    Immediately, three burly men surrounded Ling Chen in a besieging manner, their demeanor fierce, and they rushed to his proximity in an instant.


    Ling Chen did not back down and swung his fists to meet them. Amidst the dull sounds, the four had already exchanged a few hard punches, with no one gaining the upper hand.


    Judging by the strength disyed by the three burly men, the adversary was as well a master of close-quarterbat, with explosive power and precise moves without any fancy actions, all straightforward and targeting vital points.


    Soldiers!


    After exchanging a few blows, the word sprung into Ling Chen¡¯s mind. These three burly, formidable men were definitely soldiers, evident from theirbat techniques. However, these three were clearly not soldiers from Huaxia, because their fighting skills contained Western-style jujitsu, and their close-quarter techniques were incredibly fierce.


    Earlier, when in close quarters, Ling Chen was almost caught off-guard and nearly let them take advantage. Fortunately, although these three guys were formidable, he was not a pushover either.


    Continuous punches, kicks, and elbow strikes, both sides employed a hard-hitting approach, which was exactly to Ling Chen¡¯s liking. He was a master of external martial arts, never afraid ofpeting in physical prowess.


    Moments passed, and the faces of the three burly men grew increasingly unpleasant. They were horrified to find that Ling Chen was bing more vigorous as the fight went on, seemingly with inexhaustible strength. Each collision not only did not give them any advantage but instead made their arms numb.


    In a split second, one of the burly men took a step back, while the other two immediately pressed forward, their attacks ferocious, relentless.


    Just as Ling Chen was handling them, the man who had quietly stepped back suddenly moved to his rear, forcefully stepping forward, rapidly closing the distance to his back, raising his elbow to strike fiercely. Yet, his movement, though stealthy, was noticed early by Ling Chen.


    At the moment when the vigorous wind approached, Ling Chen suddenly turned around, his toes twirling on the ground, his knee lifted sharply, heading towards the burly man¡¯s elbow.


    Crack!


    A crisp sound, the burly man¡¯s face instantly turned pale, cold sweat dripping from his forehead, one arm hanging limply at his waist, clearly broken.


    Thinking about ambushing me? No way!


    Ling Chen inwardly thought they deserved it, shifting his gaze and locking onto the other two burly men. Seeing theirpanion injured, with a disabled right arm, the expressions on the two burly men did not change much, still maintaining their stern,posed coolness.


    Suddenly, a gust of wind arose.


    The bodies of the two burly men leapt into the air in an instant, their momentum ferocious, pouncing toward Ling Chen. Both arms raised high, fists clenched, veins bulging, their strength had been brewed to the extreme.


    Fast! Very fast!


    But Ling Chen was faster.


    He pushed off the ground with his toes, leaping into the air, jumping half a meter higher than the two burly men, his legs suspended perfectly targeting the heads of the two men.


    Faced with this sudden change, the faces of the two burly men finally changed.


    Before they could react, Ling Chen¡¯s legs had already fiercely kicked out, striking right below the necks of the two burly men with powerful force. Instantly, the two men, who hadn¡¯t even touched the ground yet, were sent flying through the air andnded heavily on a round table, along with the drinks on the table, in a very sorry state.


    Having dealt with those two burly men, Ling Chen straightened his clothes and didn¡¯t look at them again. He was very confident that those two men wouldn¡¯t be getting up anytime soon.


    Turning around, Ling Chen leisurely nced at Shen Yueying, who was sitting at the bar, smiled, and then shifted his gaze to another burly man, beckoning with his finger.


    "Do you still want to continue?"


    The burly man¡¯s face turned ashen, and frowning, he stared at Ling Chen, his left hand moving towards his waist, pulling out a dagger, and slowly advancing.


    "Stop! Everyone, stop!"


    Just then, a cold voice suddenly rang out in the bar.


    Hearing that familiar voice, Ling Chen shrugged and slipped his hands into his pockets. He knew the fight couldn¡¯t continue any longer.


    "Ling Chen, it¡¯s you again!" Xia Mutong, furious, rushed over from behind and scolded: "Fighting and brawling in a public ce, do you want to spend a few days in detention?"


    Just when she and her colleagues were about to finish their task and return, they happened to see that muscle car parked on the roadside. In the whole East Sea City, only one person owned that unique car, and she recognized it at a nce. She intended to go straight back to the station, but for some reason, as if possessed, she couldn¡¯t help but enter the bar to see what that bastard was up to.


    As soon as she entered, she saw the mess all over the ce, along with two unconscious burly men on the floor, and Ling Chen was the main culprit.


    Before Ling Chen could even begin to exin, the graceful Shen Yueying approached, smiling sweetly, "Officer, you¡¯ve misunderstood. Mr. Ling only intervened because he saw me being bullied by three thugs."


    Seeing the alluring and seductive Shen Yueying in front of her, Xia Mutong felt unnaturally angry and jealous. Why she was angry, nobody could really say.


    Howe this bastard keeps on running into such strokes of luck, encountering a stunningly beautiful woman, and even sessfully ying the hero to win her favor? Why do such good things never happen to me?


    While she was lost in thought, Ling Chen noticed her slightly angry and indignant expression, seemingly reading his mind, and said meaningfully with a slight smile, "Officer Xia, don¡¯t misunderstand, ying the hero doesn¡¯t always involve saving a beauty."


    Xia Mutong sized up Shen Yueying and muttered to herself, wondering how such a high-quality beauty didn¡¯t count as a beauty.


    At that moment, Shen Yueying¡¯s gentle and beautiful visage remained smiling, but a barely noticeable strange light flickered in her eyes.


    "ying the hero sometimes doesn¡¯t involve saving a beauty... it could also involve saving a transgender!"


    Finally, Ling Chen spoke thest crucial words, then, smilingly, looked at Shen Yueying, "Miss Shen, I¡¯m not wrong, am I? I think the name Shen Yueying is also fake; perhaps calling you Thousand-faced Fox suits you better, don¡¯t you agree?"


    Xia Mutong was momentarily unable to respond, her face full of confusion, asking, "What transgender, what Thousand-faced Fox, what are you talking about?"


    At this point, with her identity exposed, Shen Yueying chuckled seductively, not losing her charm even after being uncovered by Ling Chen, she cheerfully said, "You truly are an interesting target, being able to see through my disguise."


    "There¡¯s nothing surprising about that, the three troublemakers who made their move just now weren¡¯t ordinary; they have the Iron Blood Aura, I¡¯d guess they must be military trained, top-ss foreign mercenaries. Plus, in this bar full of men, you chose to approach me. I¡¯m a very suspicious person, it¡¯s normal for me to suspect you."

 Chapter 266 - 262 Thousand-faced Fox

    <h4>Chapter 266: Chapter 262 Thousand-faced Fox</h4><h4></h4>


    "Ling Chen, who is she?" Xia Mutong, baffled by their conversation, couldn¡¯t resist asking.


    Ling Chen raised the corners of his mouth slightly and enunciated, "Thousand-faced Fox, the sixth-ranked assassin among the world¡¯s top ten."


    Among the top ten assassins in the world were all kinds of entric characters, few of whom were normal. The Thousand-faced Fox, active for a decade, had an age unknown to anyone. She became infamous for her ruthless exploits and history.


    It was said that the Thousand-faced Fox was a handsome young man from a well-off family who tragically had his family annihted by an enemy. To seek revenge, she schemed to get close to the foe with the intent to take their life. However, after repeated failures to take action, she couldn¡¯t even get near her enemy. In the end, she went as far as to undergo gender reassignment surgery, transforming from a man into a stunningly beautiful woman.


    Her efforts were not in vain; over the course of two years, she sessfully caught her enemy¡¯s eye and even became his woman. That was when her vengeance truly began.


    No one knew how she exacted revenge on her enemy¡ªsome imed she cut him up piece by piece to feed to dogs. Others said she devoured his heart whole. In any case, these rumors shrouded the Thousand-faced Fox in mystery and emphasized her ruthlessness in the world of assassins.


    Due to personal reasons, the Thousand-faced Fox had one rule: no matter who hired her, she only killed men.


    To men, a stunning beauty was like poison, irresistible and overpowering. With this advantage, the Thousand-faced Fox never failed; any man targeted by her was unable to escape her grasp.


    "Assassin?" Xia Mutong¡¯s expression changed slightly, and without another word, he immediately drew his gun, aimed it at the Thousand-faced Fox, and barked, "Don¡¯t move, hands up!"


    The corners of the Thousand-faced Fox¡¯s lips curved up in a sweet smile, unfazed, as she observed Ling Chen with interest, nodding slightly, "You¡¯re an interesting man. Anyone I want to kill can¡¯t escape me, but you are an exception."


    "Thanks for thepliment."


    "If it were before, I would have tried every means to kill you, but not now."


    Ling Chen said in a surprised tone, "Why?"


    "Seven million dors is too little; it¡¯s not worth the risk. To kill you, the reward would need to be at least ten million dors," the Thousand-faced Fox stated with her lips barely parting.


    Hearing this, Ling Chen burst intoughter, gave a thumbs-up, and said with agreement, "You¡¯ve got the right idea. My life is indeed worth more than seven million, but..." His tone shifted, "Since you¡¯re already here, why not ¡¯stay as a guest¡¯ in East Sea City? I¡¯m sure Officer Xia here will arrange a luxurious single room for you with all-inclusive services."


    The Thousand-faced Fox smiled holding back a giggle, "Mr. Ling, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to disappoint you." While she spoke, a touchscreen phone appeared in her hand, her thumb precisely on a red virtual button in the center of the screen.


    "Mr. Ling, you better advise your police officer friend to lower the gun. You¡¯ve seen the handbag over there; as soon as I release my hand, everyone here will be my funeralpanions, including you both. So, it¡¯s best if you do not act rashly."


    Xia Mutong was taken aback and quickly pulled out his phone to call for backup. But at that moment, Ling Chen swiftly reached over and pressed down on her gun barrel.


    "Go ahead."


    "No!" Xia Mutong protested anxiously, "She can¡¯t get away!"


    Ling Chen smiled calmly, "Officer Xia, if Thousand-faced Fox wants to leave, you can¡¯t keep her here. This is the best way to minimize casualties."


    "You do understand me. Well then, I¡¯ll take my leave." Before departing, the Thousand-faced Fox didn¡¯t forget to give Ling Chen a flirtatious wink. However, he couldn¡¯t quite appreciate it, knowing that despite her appearance, the Thousand-faced Fox was not a genuine woman. Just the thought made him ufortable all over.


    At the entrance of the bar, the Thousand-faced Fox suddenly turned around, her words loaded with meaning, "Mr. Ling, I wish you luck and hope you can get out of here safely." With that, she chuckled and vanished into the crowd of the bar.


    Ling Chen, with a slight concern in his furrowed brow, interpreted the words of the Thousand-faced Fox as a warning. Although he was safe for that moment, as soon as he left the bar, there could be unknown dangers awaiting him.


    Xia Mutong quickened his pace and rushed towards the outside. Seeing this, Ling Chen followed swiftly behind, grabbed her hand, and asked, "Where are you going?"


    "She¡¯s an assassin, we can¡¯t let her escape."


    "Trying to catch her alone is suicidal."


    "I..."


    "Let it be," Ling Chen said and pointed to the handbag by the bar, "Quickly evacuate the crowd and call the bomb squad to handle the bomb."


    Xia Mutong hesitated, but ultimately stayed behind, prioritizing the safety of the public, as was her duty as a police officer. After making the call, she turned to Ling Chen, "Backup will take fifteen minutes to arrive. Hey, where are you going?"


    She saw Ling Chen heading out and shouted to stop him.


    But Ling Chen seemed not to hear her shouting and continued straight towards the door, ready to step outside.


    The damn bastard... Xia Mutong cursed in her heart and hurriedly followed, blocking his path and demanded, "Where are you going?"


    Ling Chen looked at her angry face and said helplessly, "Officer Xia, I have things to do. Why follow me and bother about what I do?"


    Xia Mutong blurted out, "It¡¯s not my concern, but if an assassin is after you, I can¡¯t ignore it." As she spoke, her frustration seemed undiminished, scolding, "You¡¯re not young anymore; why do you always joke with your life?"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s lips curved into a barely-there smile as he looked at Xia Mutong, his eyes clear with an unusual gleam.


    Is this little girl actually concerned for me?


    Recognizing his gaze, Xia Mutong¡¯s cheeks flushed, and unable to maintain eye contact, she wondered why she had said that. This annoying guy, let him die for all she cared, why bother with him?


    Lost in her thoughts, Ling Chen slightly smiled, "Officer Xia, I know what I¡¯m doing. Rest assured."


    He left the Nanrong family residence to wander around out of concern for not wanting assassins to locate the Nanrong family, potentially endangering Nanrong Wanqing and others. Also seizing the opportunity to draw out the assassins once and for all.


    With that, disregarding Xia Mutong¡¯s attempt to stop him, Ling Chen pushed the door open and walked out.


    Watching his retreating figure, Xia Mutong stamped her foot in frustration and anger, then quickly followed him out.

 Chapter 267 - 263 Ghost Shadow Ninja

    <h4>Chapter 267: Chapter 263 Ghost Shadow Ninja</h4><h4></h4>


    Leaving the bar, Ling Chen walked to the roadside, preparing to get into his car. However, hearing the sound of footsteps, he shook his head helplessly; this woman really didn¡¯t know when to stop. Thereupon, he turned around and said, "Xia..."


    No sooner had he spoken than his eyes suddenly sharpened, and his body involuntarily swerved to the side. In the instant he made his evasive move, a sharp crossbow arrow whizzed past, nearly grazing his ear as it flew by his cheek.


    Damn! He thought Xia Mutong had followed him, but it turned out to be an assassin¡ªa rookie assassin at that¡ªwho couldn¡¯t even seize such a perfect opportunity.


    Having missed the first shot, the assassin panicked, fumbling to reload the crossbow arrow, preparing to aim once more. Ling Chen curled his lips into a smirk and casually strolled over, reassuringly saying, "Don¡¯t rush. Take it slow. Hey, you¡¯re aiming the arrowhead off-target. There, that¡¯s better."


    By the time the assassin had reloaded the crossbow and raised the weapon, Ling Chen was already up close. In a flurry, the assassin, without a second thought, pulled the trigger. This time, Ling Chen didn¡¯t even dodge, yet the arrow still missed him.


    Seeing Ling Chen unharmed and standing right in front of him, the assassin¡¯s face turned pale and his body trembled uncontrobly, his throat rolling as he swallowed his saliva.


    Ling Chen sighed, patted him on the shoulder, and advised earnestly, "Brother, with your skills, being an assassin is just a waste of talent. You might as well consider another profession; I think you could earn more setting up a stall on the street than being an assassin."


    Bang!


    As he finished speaking, a sudden gunshot abruptly rang out.


    Startled, Ling Chen quickly pushed the assassin in front of him away, then ducked, scanning the area to locate the source of the gunshot. Soon, his gaze was drawn to Xia Mutong outside the bar, holding a gun with both hands, her face filled with tension, staring at something beyond him.


    He immediately turned his head and saw a ck shadow swiftly moving upward along the wall. "Crawling on walls?" he eximed. The wall was very smooth and over ten meters tall; yet the ck shadow, using hands and feet, moved along the wall, a truly baffling sight.


    While pondering, two more ck shadows quickly emerged from a nearby alley, approaching rapidly toward him. Before he could react, a spherical object flew from one shadow¡¯s hand,nded near his feet, and exploded on impact, much like a street-side popper.


    However, upon exploding, the sphere released a thick cloud of white smoke that enveloped the area, obscuring his vision.


    In an instant, Ling Chen guessed the foe¡¯s identity.


    Ghost Shadow Ninja!


    The fourth-ranked assassin on the assassin list.


    The Ghost Shadow Ninja was not a single person, but rather three who were known as senior brothers in the ninjitsu realm. Theyter fell out of favor with their sect for viting rules and ended up in the assassin trade.


    The trio was highly skilled in ninjitsu, notorious for their cruelty; they would eliminate anyone, women or children, as long as the price was right.


    It seemed the seven million US dor bounty held significant allure for the three of them.


    As he reflected, two shadows rushed toward him and entered the smoke. Approaching him, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes narrowed¡ªcloaked and masked, they indeed were the ones.


    Without a second thought, two katanas were drawn from behind them, the des shing coldly and ominously. As the two katanas sliced toward him, Ling Chen quickly dipped his hand to his waist, Wolf Kiss shing into action¡ªwith a nging spark, the short Wolf Kiss bravely blocked the katana¡¯s de, halting their assault.


    Landing a sessful strike, Ling Chen didn¡¯t pause; his body swiftly twisted, avoiding the edge of the other katana.


    When their attack was blocked, the masked shadows hurriedly retreated, throwing several spheres as the smoke thickened once again around them.


    "Ling Chen!"


    At that moment, the anxious voice of Xia Mutong came from outside.


    Hearing her voice getting closer, Ling Chen hurriedly shouted: "Don¡¯te over." As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly felt a stabbing pain in his arms and legs. Unbeknownst to him, two wounds had appeared on his body.


    Darn it!


    He frowned slightly, almost forgetting. These three guys were not only skilled in Ninjutsu and had highbat power, but their hidden weapons technique was also top-notch. His own voice had just exposed his location.


    Thinking of this, he immediately kept moving to prevent the opponent from tracking his position. Suddenly, a whooshing sound rang out, and a masked ck shadow fiercely burst into the smoke, hands raised high, swinging a katana towards his head.


    In the smoke, his vision was obstructed, visibility less than a meter, unable to discern direction, Ling Chen could only judge based on the subtle sounds of the opponent.


    As the de approached, Ling Chen still stood still, his ears perked up, carefully listening to the sounds around him. Suddenly, he flicked his wrist, and the Wolf Kiss flew out of his hand.


    By now, the masked shadow had closed in, less than a meter away, the sharp katana could im Ling Chen¡¯s life at any moment. However, the attacker did not expect that at this critical moment, Ling Chen would pinpoint the position by sound and blind fire.


    The one-meter distance was too short to allow ample time for a response; the attacker could only watch in horror as the Wolf Kiss flew towards him, piercing into his body.


    Intense pain followed, and the masked ninja endured the pain, turned, and prepared to retreat. But then, a gust of wind rose, he shifted his gaze just as a figure flitted before his eyes, Ling Chen approached swiftly like a specter, in the blink of an eye, was up close, and smashed his fist heavily against the ninja¡¯s chest.


    At the same time, Ling Chen reached out with his other hand, grasped the hilt of the Wolf Kiss, and pulled the de out from the opponent¡¯s body, blood flowing freely.


    At this moment, the other two ninjas rushed into the smoke from the left and right, wanting to coordinate an ambush with theirrade. However, the scene before them caused their pupils to contract, carrying a hint of fury.


    "Damn it!"


    The masked ninja roared furiously, advancing instead of retreating, striking with anger.


    "Damn your sister!"


    Ling Chen shouted back defiantly, his body suddenly surging forward, his hand clutching the Wolf Kiss tightly, flinging it out, stopping another charging masked ninja in his tracks. Although it only held the opponent for a second or two, it was enough for him.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s unabated speed, the ninja in front changed his chopping attack to a sweeping strike at Ling Chen¡¯s neck.


    However, in that instant, Ling Chen¡¯s body suddenly leaned back, forming an arch, evading the fatal strike. As the de swept past, Ling Chen did not wait for the opponent to retract, he stepped forward rapidly, pressing the attacker with his pre-prepared punching power, and knocked him flying out.


    Seeing tworades fail in session, the remaining masked ninja¡¯s eyes widened in shock and anger, hastily retreating out of the smoke.


    "Ah!"


    Ling Chen had yet to pursue when a piercing scream already rang out.


    Not good!


    Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed instantly; that was Xia Mutong¡¯s voice.

 Chapter 268 - 264: Poisoned

    <h4>Chapter 268: Chapter 264: Poisoned</h4><h4></h4>


    At the critical moment, Ling Chen¡¯s legs thrust powerfully, and his body shot forward like a cannonball toward the direction of the scream.


    Just as he broke free from the smoke, he saw the masked figure raise the katana high above Xia Mutong¡¯s head and swing it down. If the de struck, Xia Mutong¡¯s body would be split in two. At this point, Wolf Kiss had already made his move but held nothing in his hands, still five meters away from Xia Mutong, too far to rescue her.


    "Be careful!"


    He bellowed urgently, pushing his speed to the limit as he rapidly lunged at the Ghost Shadow Ninja.


    At that time, the startled Xia Mutong seemed to snap back to reality upon hearing Ling Chen¡¯s cry. As she saw the katanaing down, she almost subconsciously raised her handgun, not bothering to aim, and her finger repeatedly pulled the trigger.


    Bang! Bang!


    Several bullets fired in quick session, and although they didn¡¯t hit the target, the close-range confrontation kept the masked ninja on edge, wary of being shot as he quickly retreated. He twisted mid-air, the katana¡¯s de pressing against the ground, the force of the de springing his body back into the air.


    Immediately after, he flicked his wrist, and several cold stars were flung from his hand, glittering as they flew swiftly, hitting Xia Mutong directly in her arms and legs. Three Ninja Darts embedded themselves in her body, leaving only half sticking out.


    The sudden pain caused Xia Mutong to frown tightly, a shade of pallor appearing on her delicate face.


    At this moment, Ling Chen finally reached her side. Seeing her injuries, his eyes turned cold, his gaze sharply locking onto the Ghost Shadow Ninja. Unfortunately, after losing tworades, the Ghost Shadow Ninja no longer dallied and quickly scaled the wall, disappearing into the darkness.


    "Are you alright?" Out of concern for Xia Mutong at his side, Ling Chen stopped the pursuit and asked with a worried expression.


    Xia Mutong gently shook her head, her lips parting slightly as if to say something. However, before she could speak, her body suddenly went limp and she copsed to the ground. Seeing this, Ling Chen¡¯s expression shifted, and he quickly supported her delicate body, calling out, "Officer Xia, Officer Xia..."


    But Xia Mutong seemed to have fallen unconscious, unresponsive to his calls. Suddenly, the attentive Ling Chen noticed that her lips were turning purple.


    This isn¡¯t good! His heart skipped a beat, recognizing this as a sign of poisoning¡ªthe three Ninja Darts must have been coated with poison, a typical ninja tactic.


    Feeling Xia Mutong¡¯s breathing gradually weakening, Ling Chen immediately hoisted her delicate body onto his back and hurried towards the muscle car parked by the roadside. But after a short distance, he abruptly stopped, his piercing gaze sweeping the surroundings.


    In the nearby alleyway and along both sides of the street, there were more than ten people: some holding a newspaper, some dressed as sanitation workers sweeping the streets, and a couple of lovers wrapped in each other¡¯s arms, sitting on a bench enjoying their love talk.


    At a nce, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but Ling Chen was no ordinary man. Having risen to the leader of the Ghosts within the organization, it was not luck that got him there, but his own abilities that helped him climb to that position.


    Not the slightest detail could escape his eyes.


    These people seemed normal, but they asionally cast nces his way, with some already sliding their hands into their pockets.


    Assassin!


    And it¡¯s a group of assassins!


    Ling Chen slightly frowned; he was not worried about his own safety, but he was worried about Xia Mutong. Xia Mutong was currently unconscious, with toxins invading her body, and if she did not receive treatment soon, her life would eventually be in danger. Moreover, what¡¯s more important was that he had been hit by a Ninja Dart just now. Although it was just a scratch, the toxin had still contaminated his flesh and blood.


    However, his Inner Strength was abundant, allowing him to slow down the toxic invasion, unlike Xia Mutong who had fainted immediately. But even so, he could not hold on for too long. At this moment, he could already feel the numbing effect of the wound, which would greatly inconvenience his movements.


    Turning his head, he looked back at the Dream Garden Bar, his eyes rolling. Xia Mutong had already called for backup, and in about ten minutes, police reinforcements would arrive. By then, the assassins would naturally not dare to act rashly. The question was whether the two of them couldst ten minutes.


    In a sh of thought, he had made up his mind and quickly backed into the bar, carrying Xia Mutong. With his current situation, he had no chance to escape by car; he was sure that as soon as he approached his vehicle, it would immediately provoke an attack from the assassins.


    Seeing the two of them retreating to the bar, the assassins all rose and followed closely, vigntly watching their colleagues around them.


    These assassins were very clear in their minds¡ªeveryone was after the seven million dor bounty. But there was only one bounty, and so many assassins; there were too many monks and not enough porridge. Therefore, while attempting to assassinate the target, one also had to be wary of sneak attacks from peers.


    Back at the entrance of the bar, the door had already been closed. When the gunfire started earlier, the owner had shut the door, letting the patrons leave through the back door.


    Ling Chen drew Xia Mutong¡¯s pistol by instinct, fired a shot at the lock, kicked the door open, and strode in. At this moment, in the luxurious bar, only the owner and a few waiters were cleaning up.


    The sudden gunfire and smashing of the door startled everyone, their faces filled with fear as they looked at Ling Chen and Xia Mutonging in. When they noticed the gun in Ling Chen¡¯s hand, theirplexions instantly turned pale, and they hurriedly retreated.


    Ling Chen nced at them and said with a slight smile, "Don¡¯t be afraid, I won¡¯t hurt you. Owner, do you have a first aid kit?"


    "Yes... yes we do," the owner replied with a trembling voice, stuttering.


    Once the first aid kit was brought over, Ling Chen ced Xia Mutong on a sofa in a booth, then walked straight to the bar, took a bottle of strong liquor, bit off the cap, and poured two mouthfuls into his mouth.


    The strong liquor burned its way down his throat, and Ling Chen wiped off the remaining liquid from his mouth with his sleeve. Looking at the uneasy owner and waiters, he said, "Owner, you¡¯d better take your staff and leave quickly. If you don¡¯t leave now, you won¡¯t be able to when you want toter."


    "Yes, yes," the owner said, relieved, and quickly evacuated the waiters through the back door.


    After the people had left, Ling Chen picked up the handbag left behind by Thousand-faced Fox in the bar, opened the zipper, and found a bundle of stic explosives and an explosive device inside. He expertly dismantled the explosive device, separated a small portion of the stic explosives and kneaded it into a ball.


    After setting the explosive device, he tied his phone to it, returned the handbag to its original ce, and put the rest of the stic explosives into his pocket.


    Once everything was prepared, he picked up Xia Mutong, took the first aid kit, and went into a private room inside the bar.

 Chapter 269 - 265: Detoxification

    <h4>Chapter 269: Chapter 265: Detoxification</h4><h4></h4>


    After closing the door, Ling Chen took off his clothes, doused the wounds with strong liquor for simple disinfection. Then, he turned his gaze to Xia Mutong and squatted beside her.


    "This is to save your life, don¡¯t me me for taking advantage," he murmured to himself, his hands busy unfastening Xia Mutong¡¯s belt and pulling down her trousers, revealing a pair of snow-white, slender legs. Next, he took off her jacket as well, exposing the injured arm.


    Looking at the three wounds on Xia Mutong¡¯s body, Ling Chen frowned slightly, reached out and grabbed the Ninja Dart embedded in her arm, gritted his teeth, and yanked it out. Immediately, a stream of ck blood flowed from the wound. Around the wound, the skin had turned bluish-purple, indicating the poison was spreading inside her body.


    To prevent the poison from reaching the heart, Ling Chen did not hesitate, quickly pouring more liquor on the wound to cleanse it. Then, he used his mouth to suck out the remaining poison from the wound, bit by bit. After each extraction, he rinsed his mouth with alcohol before continuing.


    Before long, the ck blood began to turn red, and the toxins in the wound had beenrgely cleared.


    However, Ling Chen did not pause. There was only one wound on the arm, but there were still two wounds on Xia Mutong¡¯s legs that needed attention, one of which was particrly embarrassing. But, for the sake of saving her, he could not afford to care about that.


    Holding Xia Mutong¡¯s jade foot, Ling Chen felt its smoothness, the round and delicate ankle, and the moist and lustrous skin. Perhaps due to her work, Xia Mutong had exercised a lot, and the curve of her calf was beautiful, tender yet resilient. Such a pair of legs was indeed rare.


    Although Ling Chen did not have a fetish for feet, holding these beautiful legs in his hands, his heart still uncontrobly skipped a beat.


    Just then, a series of faint footsteps suddenly came from outside the private room.


    He turned his head, looked at the tightly closed door, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. Following that, he fished out a cellphone from Xia Mutong¡¯s pocket and dialed his own number.


    Boom!


    Although the phone¡¯s ringtone sounded off, there was an immediate loud noise outside the private box. The ground shook violently, and the whole bar trembled. Dust kept falling from above, as if the entire building might copse at any moment.


    As Ling Chen looked at the dust seeping through the door crack, he put down the cellphone and refocused on Xia Mutong, no longer paying attention to the Assassin outside.


    With his lips sealed over Xia Mutong¡¯s wound, Ling Chen began to suck eagerly, extracting the poison-infected ck blood a little at a time, spitting it onto the floor.


    At this moment, it was unclear whether it was the shaking caused by the recent explosion or the cleansing of the toxins from her body that roused Xia Mutong. Feeling groggy, she opened her eyes, waking from her stupor.


    Feeling a numbness at the root, she struggled to lift her head and immediately saw stars in her field of vision, gasping for breath with rage.


    Scoundrel! To take advantage while she was unconscious, utterly shameful.


    "Ling Chen!" Overwhelmed with shame and anger, she yelled out and reached for a wine bottle next to her, aiming to smash it onto Ling Chen¡¯s head. But as she lifted her arm into the air halfway, she felt a wave of weakness, her right hand sore and without any strength, the bottle consequently dropping from her grasp.


    However, Ling Chen, quick as lightning, caught the bottle in his hand. Looking at Xia Mutong¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment, he said helplessly, "Officer Xia, don¡¯t get excited, I was not taking advantage of you."


    "You... you still argue, I... I saw it all..." As soon as she spoke, Xia Mutong felt mortified and too embarrassed to continue.


    This bastard, clearly taking advantage yet vehemently denying it.


    Seeing the tears of shame and anger brimming in her eyes, Ling Chen feared she might misunderstand and quickly picked up the Ninja Dart from the floor, exining, "Take a good look, it¡¯s poisoned. If I hadn¡¯t sucked out the toxins, your life would be in jeopardy. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can get it tested when you go back."


    Xia Mutong opened her mouth but didn¡¯t know what to say. Once Ling Chen spoke, she actually believed him. She felt weak all over, her head throbbing with pain, clear signs of poisoning. It¡¯s just that... a woman¡¯s modesty prevented her from epting Ling Chen¡¯s good intentions.


    Ling Chen saw her evasive eyes and blushing cheeks and knew her thoughts well. But he had no time to consider so much and pointed to the wound on her leg, "There¡¯s a bit more poison to extract. If you let it reach the bloodstream, not even a god could save you."


    Hearing his words, Xia Mutong bit her thin lips, her pretty face blushing even deeper, unable to speak. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she simply closed her eyes, no longer looking at Ling Chen.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen did not hesitate any longer and approached her again, covering the wound with his lips and gently began to suck.


    Xia Mutong¡¯s eyshes trembled, and her hands unconsciously tightened their grip on the fabric of her clothes. Apart from the pain, her sensitive skin was faintly tingling, as if ants were crawling over it, a sensation beyond words. Her breathing became more and more rapid.


    "Mmm..."


    Eventually, unable to resist the body¡¯s instinctive response, a barely audible moan escaped from her throat.


    At that sound, Ling Chen also felt a jolt in his heart.


    He lifted his head to look at Xia Mutong, her features bathed in a rosy hue of allure, and he couldn¡¯t help himself, embracing this woman.


    "Ah!"


    Xia Mutong let out a soft cry and immediately opened her eyes.

 Chapter 270 - 266: Relieving the Siege

    <h4>Chapter 270: Chapter 266: Relieving the Siege</h4><h4></h4>


    "Cough cough!"


    Just when the two were unable to restrain their feelings, a sudden coughing sound came through.


    Ling Chen was startled and immediately regained hisposure. He quickly turned his head towards the door, only to see that the room door of the private booth had been opened by someone at some point. A woman dressed in a ck tight leather jacket and pants leaned against the door frame, her arms folded across her chest, a faint smile ying on her lips, her gaze teasingly fixed on the two of them.


    "Uh... Kaelina?" Ling Chen came back to his senses and asked in surprise, "What are you doing here?"


    "I think what you should be concerned about now is not that. The police will be here soon, you two better hurry up and tidy yourselves. I don¡¯t really mind, but if others see..." Kaelina giggled and then stepped out.


    "Ling Chen, you jerk!"


    Xia Mutong waved her fist, hitting his sturdy chest, her pretty face blushing red, and she struggled to suppress the shyness in her eyes as she scolded, "Hurry up and get up."


    Ling, feeling embarrassed, touched his nose and let out a sheepishugh. He quickly got up, handed the pants next to him to Xia Mutong and turned his back, secretly reflecting on himself. Recently, he could not control himself, easily tempted, and mes of desire would immediately rise.


    Could it be the consequence of practicing the Prajnaparamita Sutra?


    At this point, Xia Mutong had already dressed neatly. Although she still felt weak, she could manage to walk a few steps. Looking at Ling Chen standing before her, an involuntary blush rose on Xia Mutong¡¯s cheeks, her beauty radiant, and the color of shyness in her eyes could not be suppressed.


    Last time she could me the alcohol, but this time, she remained sober. She clearly wanted to refuse, but she eventually sumbed to Ling Chen¡¯s advances and was also seen by another woman. The thought of this made her unbearably embarrassed, her body flushed hot, and she felt too ashamed to see anyone.


    Noticing the silence behind him, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but turn his head back. Seeing Xia Mutong changing expressions and silent, he said, "Officer Xia, you..."


    "You go first, I... I¡¯ll leave in a moment." Xia Mutong said, looking down, not even lifting her eyes.


    Ling Chen knew she was embarrassed to see Kaelina, and he felt the same. He agreed and quickly walked out of the booth.


    Upon reaching the bar lobby, the scene was a mess. By the heavily damaged bar, Kaelina found a well-preserved bottle of red wine, poured it into a ss, and sipped elegantly and seductively.


    Seeing Ling Chen approaching, Kaelina smiled and teased, "Mr. Ling, it seems you can¡¯t escape the nature of men."


    Ling Chen cleared his throat and tried to avoid this embarrassing topic, asking, "What are you doing here?"


    "Aren¡¯t you forgetting, I am also an assassin."


    "I know. But a bounty of seven million should hardly catch your eye."


    Kaelina¡¯s lips slightly curled up, her spirited smile intoxicating as she said, "You are my partner, and if you were dead, I would have to find someone else to cooperate with, which would be too troublesome. So, after much thought, it benefits everyone only if you¡¯re alive. Earlier, I took care of the assassins outside for you, oh, and that lone Ghost Shadow Ninja, I sent him to hell to join hispanions."


    "Thanks!"


    "No need for thanks, it was just a small favor. Killing all of the fourth-ranked Ghost Shadow Ninjas should serve as a warning to the other assassins. For a while, no one will trouble you again, unless there really is someone who isn¡¯t afraid to die."


    Ling Chen nodded, asking, "You¡¯re in this business, do you have any information?"


    "Are you referring to the ones who paid to put a bounty on you?"


    "Exactly."


    "I¡¯m not sure about that; the people from the Secret Society always tightly seal their information. Besides, those offering the bounty usually remain anonymous, unless you can trace their method of payment."


    "Then never mind," Ling Chen waved his hand dismissively. This bounty was issued by the Secret Society, making it difficult to trace. Moreover, out of the three people who ced the bounty on his head, he could guess two, but the identity of the remaining one eluded him.


    Just then, a series of police sirens wailed from outside. Through the window, shing red and blue lights could be seen outside the bar; not just police cars, but ambnces and fire trucks were all dispatched.


    Kaelina put down her empty wine ss and turned to say, "I¡¯m leaving now. Let¡¯s keep in touch when we¡¯re free."


    No sooner had she left than Xia Mutong came out of the private room. Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s gaze, she tightened her expression sternly and snapped, "What are you still standing here for?"


    "Huh?" Ling Chen was momentarily at a loss for understanding and stood dumbfounded.


    Seeing his confused face, Xia Mutong hurriedly said, "I¡¯m telling you to leave, can¡¯t you understand? Don¡¯t interfere with our police work."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen immediately grasped her intent, a slight smile forming at the corner of his mouth. This woman did care about him, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have asked him to leave. Once the police entered the scene, as an involved party, he would inevitably have to go to the police station. Though it wouldn¡¯t be a big issue, it could still be bothersome.


    Thereupon, he nodded and said with concern, "Your wound was only patched up briefly; it¡¯s best to go to the hospital for proper dressing." After speaking, he walked out through the bar¡¯s back door.


    By the time he got back to Wealthy Manor, it was quitete.


    Ling Chen took a shower, changed into clean clothes, andy on his bed. Exhaustion from the night quickly swept him into sleep.


    ...


    The next day.


    Hongyu Group headquarters.


    Ling Chen dropped Nanrong Wanqing off on the top floor and then returned to the security department to enjoy some downtime.


    Knock knock knock!


    "Come in!"


    The door opened, and Nanrong Wanqing looked up from her desk, a hint of surprise in her beautiful eyes.


    "Aunt, where have you been these past few days? I haven¡¯t seen you at work."


    Jiang Ying gave a wry smile and said, "Wanqing, I hope you can take to heart what happened a few days ago, I..."


    "Aunt, please don¡¯t say such things. I know you did it for the good of my Nanrong family, and I have never med you." Nanrong Wanqing interrupted her, wheeling her wheelchair closer to Jiang Ying, "Aunt, I understand your difficulties. Let¡¯s forget about the past and not bring it up again."


    "Thank you, Wanqing. You always understand me," Jiang Ying extended her hand, gently caressing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s cheek, her eyes revealing a trace of nostalgia as she murmured, "You look so much like your mother."


    "Aunt..."


    "Wanqing, remember, whatever I do, it¡¯s for your and the Nanrong family¡¯s good."


    Wanqing looked puzzled, "Aunt, what do you mean by that?"


    Jiang Ying shook her head, remaining silent. Suddenly, she bit her teeth, and from the ring on her middle finger, a small needle extended and pierced into Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s delicate neck.


    Please support this new book by voting and adding it to your favorites; I will soon upload more Chapters.


    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 271 - 267: Betrayal of a Loved One

    <h4>Chapter 271: Chapter 267: Betrayal of a Loved One</h4><h4></h4>


    The silver needle pierced into her skin, and Nanrong Wanqing felt only a slight sting at her neck as if bitten by a mosquito. Subconsciously, she reached to touch it, her beautiful eyes looking at Jiang Ying with confusion.


    "Auntie, you..." Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly felt her head heavy, the brightness before her eyes rapidly dimming, her consciousness growing increasingly blurred, her body feeling as though it was filled with lead, extremely heavy, without even the strength to lift her hands.


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s head drooping, her arms hanging down, Jiang Ying gently patted her shoulder, calling out close to her ear, "Wanqing, Wanqing."


    Half a minute passed, and seeing that she was still unresponsive, Jiang Ying slightly rxed, her eyesplex as she gazed at her, murmuring to herself, "Wanqing, don¡¯t me me, this is for your own good." With that, she briskly walked over to her desk, picked up the phone, and dialed the secretary Wang Lan.


    "Xian, go to my office, there¡¯s a document in the right-hand drawer, help me fetch it, the chairman wants to see it now."


    After giving the instructions, she pushed the wheelchair to the door, cracked it open slightly, waited for Wang Lan to leave, and then took Nanrong Wanqing into the chairman¡¯s private elevator. The elevator began to move slowly, and shortly afterward, the two arrived directly at the underground parking garage.


    Jiang Ying stepped out of the elevator first, and a motor home immediately drove over from a nearby parking space, stopping in front of them.


    Whoosh!


    The car door slid open, and two burly men quickly jumped out, transferring the wheelchair into the vehicle. Once everyone was in, the motor home did not pause, immediately heading for the exit.


    Merging into the traffic, Jiang Han in the vehicle nced at the unconscious Nanrong Wanqing, his lips curling into a smug smile.


    "Niece, well done, I knew you wouldn¡¯t disappoint me."


    Jiang Ying¡¯s lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but upon catching a glimpse of Nanrong Wanqing out of the corner of her eye, her emotions became flickering and uncertain¡ªguilt, relief, anticipation, an indescribable taste. In the end, she chose silence.


    At this moment, Jiang Han reached out, lifted Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s chin, her beautiful face fully revealed before him without hindrance. He gently caressed her fair, buttery cheeks, his gaze unabashedly roving over her elegant figure, admiring, his mouth continually letting out ¡¯tsk tsk¡¯ sounds of appreciation, his chilly eyes emitting a strange light, like a primal me burning.


    "Truly, a golden flower of East Sea City, no one could fault this beauty, such a pity..." His lips slightly curved upward, his words trailing off, but the implication was clear.


    Jiang Ying¡¯s face stiffened, quickly saying, "What are you talking about? Don¡¯t forget, she¡¯s your cousin."


    Jiang Han snorted inwardly, so what if she¡¯s a cousin? The Jiang Family of Yangcheng came to be the enormous entity it is today because they had been practicing intermarriage within the family for centuries to sustain their lineage, ensuring that the n¡¯s blood ran through everyone, maintaining absolute unity. Although such things were scarce in modern times, they were not nonexistent. Of course, he did not show this before Jiang Ying, merely saying indifferently, "Niece, why so nervous, I was just speaking off the cuff. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t do anything to her before she meets the Family Head." After speaking, he lifted the corner of his lips, thinking to himself that if she couldn¡¯t meet the Family Head¡¯s expectations, she would eventually be abandoned by the Jiang Family. By that time, he could y with her as he wished, and no one would care.


    Thinking about this exciting prospect, his body involuntarily reacted.


    ...


    Hongyu Group headquarters.


    Ding!


    The elevator doors opened, and Ling Chen, expression stern, hurried out with Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui, heading straight for the chairman¡¯s office.


    "Mr. Ling." The secretary Wang Lan, who had been waiting at the door, hastened over to greet the three people as they approached, with an anxious expression.


    Ling Chen nced at the empty office and asked, "Lan, what¡¯s going on? Where is the chairman?"


    "I... I don¡¯t know." Wang Lan¡¯s eyes were slightly red, and she was almost in tears with urgency. "Manager Jiang came by just now and asked me to fetch a document from her office, saying the chairman wanted to see it. But I searched for a long time and couldn¡¯t find it. When I returned to ask for rification, both the chairman and Manager Jiang were gone. I thought they had gone to inspect the department¡¯s work, so I didn¡¯t think much of it. However, it has been half an hour now, and the chairman has not returned, and her phone is unreachable. Five minutes ago, the chairman was supposed to have a meeting. She has never missed a meeting without reason, let alone beingte, so I¡¯m worried that something might have happened."


    "Manager Jiang... do you mean Jiang Ying?" Ling Chen¡¯s face changed slightly, and he had an uneasy premonition.


    "Liang, take Wei Jun and the others to patrol the building to see if you can find the chairman. Captain Zhong,e with me to check the surveince footage." With that, Ling Chen and Zhong Wei hurried to the security department¡¯s monitoring room.


    The surveince footage from half an hour ago was pulled up, and Ling Chen focused on the screen, filtering through it frame by frame. Soon, he noticed that Jiang Ying had used her work card to pass through the underground parking lot¡¯s ess control. Through the parking lot¡¯s surveince footage, a motorhome caught his eye.


    The license te of the motorhome was from East Sea City, and the model was a Toyota Alphard. Since the windows were tinted with a film, it was impossible to see clearly inside the vehicle through the surveince. Moreover, the other party was cunning, always deliberately avoiding the camera¡¯s range and parking in the blind spots.


    In addition, the timing of the motorhome¡¯s entry and exit matched perfectly with Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s disappearance. It was clear to conclude that Nanrong Wanqing must be in that vehicle.


    The Jiang Family!


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyebrows were knotted, and a cold chill shed in his dark pupils.


    Nanrong Wanqing disappeared after meeting with Jiang Ying. This matter was definitely rted to the Jiang Family. As for the person behind this, who else if not Jiang Han?


    However, what infuriated him the most was Jiang Ying. Nanrong Wanqing treated her like family, yet she took advantage of this trust and secretly kidnapped Nanrong Wanqing. He could protect Nanrong Wanqing from harm by outsiders, but he could not prevent betrayal by a family member.


    "Ling Chen, should we call the police?"


    "It¡¯s no use," Ling Chen stated solemnly. "I know who took the chairman, but we don¡¯t have evidence to prove it, and the police won¡¯t investigate the Jiang Family based on just our word. Besides, the Jiang Family is located in Yangcheng, outside of East Sea City¡¯s jurisdiction. By the time they coordinate, it will be toote."


    "Are you certain they will take the chairman to Yangcheng?"


    Ling Chen nodded. Last time Jiang Han went to the Nanrong Family to cause trouble, he repeatedly stated that he wanted to take Nanrong Wanqing back to the Jiang Family. Now that he has kidnapped her, he will surely rush back to Yangcheng to report.


    Looking at the time, over forty minutes have passed. By now, Jiang Han is probably already out of the city, and it is toote to pursue.


    Yangcheng... it seems a trip to Yangcheng is imperative.


    "Captain Zhong, you and Liang prepare to apany me to Yangcheng. Let¡¯s keep this matter to ourselves for now, including to the elderly master; nobody is to breathe a word. If they ask, tell them that we¡¯re apanying the chairman to a meeting and won¡¯t be back for a few days. Also, give Lana heads-up to keep it quiet."


    "Alright, I understand."


    The reason for not informing the Nanrong Family about this incident is, firstly, to avoid worrying everyone, and secondly, as Nanrong Wanqing is the chairman of the Hongyu Group, if the outside world learned she was in trouble, it could unnerve the employees and affect thepany.


    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 272 - 268 Jiang Family on the Move

    <h4>Chapter 272: Chapter 268 Jiang Family on the Move</h4><h4></h4>


    Night falls.


    Yangcheng.


    As one of the top three economically ranked cities in the country, Yangcheng¡¯s prosperity is no less than that of East Sea City. If East Sea City is an international metropolis, then Yangcheng should be the confluence of the nation¡¯s elites. ording to iplete statistics, over half of Yangcheng¡¯s residents are migrants. Due to Yangcheng¡¯s number one industrial scale in the country, many people from within the nation flock to Yangcheng for work, seeking a livelihood.


    Nanyang Coast is the name of a luxurious vi district.


    Although there is no real coastline, there is an artificial sandy beach and a man-madeke at the center of the vi district. The azureke water gently ripples with the evening breeze, creating waves that softlyp against the sandy beach, making murmuring water sounds.


    At this time, a motorhome drove into the entrance of Nanyang Coast, following the t road all the way into the depths of the viplex. There, a mansion sprawling thousands of acres was brightly lit.


    The motorhome arrived outside the mansion, and two suit-d security staff quickly approached. On seeing Jiang Han¡¯s face in the vehicle window, their demeanor immediately became respectful, addressing him as ¡¯Mr. Jiang¡¯, and then waving toward the security room.


    Instantly, an iron gate three meters high and more than six meters wide was pulled open from the middle, slowly moving to both sides, revealing a quiet road.


    Inside the mansion, lush trees hid several vis of different styles¡ªEuropean, Gothic, and even a historic Siheyuan. Winding cobblestone paths thread through them, crisscrossing in all directions, connecting each vi.


    At the center of several vis, there was also a huge fountain, from which water columns sprouted from the ground to mid-air, forming countless water arcs that interweave, converging into a beautiful canvas.


    Around the fountain, more than a dozen security personnel paced back and forth, surveying the safety outside the vis.


    The motorhome passed through several checkpoints, driving straight to the heart of the mansion, stopping outside the Siheyuan. The two security staff at the door immediately approached, courteously opened the car door, stood beside it with a slight bow, and respectfully said, "Mr. Jiang."


    Jiang Han looked at Nanrong Wanqing inside the car with an expressionless face and instructed, "Qiu Wu, Qiu Wen, take the guests to the living room. Youngdy,e with me, let¡¯s first visit the Family Head in the study."


    Descending from the vehicle, Jiang Ying looked around at the familiar yet unfamiliar surroundings with a somewhat excited expression. After twenty years away, she had finally returned home. Before she knew it, her eyes had reddened slightly, with tears shimmering.


    "Youngdy," Jiang Han saw her standing motionless and impatiently urged her.


    "Coming,ing!" Jiang Ying snapped back to reality and hurriedly followed his footsteps. The thought of meeting the Family Head soon made her feel inexplicably apprehensive.


    Entering the Siheyuan, Jiang Ying closely followed Jiang Han¡¯s steps and came to a lit study outside. At the door, an old man in his sixties, aged and hunched, stood against the wall. Dressed in a Sun Yat-sen suit, his face was gaunt, standing with hands dangling.


    As Jiang Ying approached, the old man slightly lifted his head, his cloudy vision gradually brightening, his voice trembling slightly, "Is... is it the second youngdy?"


    "Uncle Liu?" Jiang Ying¡¯s face brightened with joy as she hurried over, her eyes brimming with hot tears, tightly gripping his withered hands, "Uncle Liu, it¡¯s been so many years, you haven¡¯t changed at all."


    Jiang Han frowned slightly and spoke, "Uncle Liu, you can catch upter. We are here to see the Family Head, please announce our arrival."


    "Yes," Uncle Liu responded, turned, and pushed the door to enter.


    A few minutester, Uncle Liu returned from inside the house, nodding towards them, "Go in, the master is waiting for you."


    Watching Jiang Han enter the room first, Jiang Ying stood outside the threshold, struggling to calm her emotions.


    "Second youngdy, go ahead."


    Encouraged by Uncle Liu¡¯s supportive gaze, Jiang Ying nodded and stepped into the study.


    In the bright study, a bookcase was ced in front of each of the four walls, brimming with densely packed books. Next to a pearwood desk sat an elderly man, around seventy years old, with a full head of silver hair, dressed in a green Tang-style suit, his face square, his thick eyebrows slightly raised, exuding an aura of authority without anger. Despite his advanced age, time had not left many traces on his face; he had the youthful look of an old man, with bright and piercing eyes, bursting with vigor.


    At the moment, he was holding a book, engrossed in reading, seemingly unaware of the two additional people in the study.


    Looking at that familiar face, Jiang Ying couldn¡¯t help but lower her head, her body tense, not even daring to breathe.


    "Family Head!" Jiang Han greeted with a smile, respectfully.


    The old man did not look up, "Has the person been brought back?"


    "I¡¯ve only brought back Nanrong Wanqing. She was uncooperative, so I had to use a bit of force."


    "What about Nanrong Hao?"


    "Family Head, that useless waste isn¡¯t worth mentioning, bringing him back would be a waste of time."


    "You may leave now."


    Jiang Han nced at Jiang Ying beside him and replied, "Yes." After speaking, he turned and left the study.


    Once he had left, the old man put down the book in his hand, his gaze lifted slightly, staring straight at Jiang Ying, his eyes flickering with sharpness, yet he said nothing for a long time.


    "Fa... Family Head..." Jiang Ying¡¯s lips quivered slightly as she struggled to utter these two words.


    The old man snorted softly, his tone neither cold nor warm, "After more than twenty years, is it really that difficult for you to call me ¡¯Dad¡¯?"


    Jiang Ying¡¯s face changed slightly, she hastily corrected, "No, it¡¯s not like that, I..."


    "Enough." The old man waved his hand, cutting her off, "The past is in the past, I don¡¯t want to reopen old wounds. You¡¯ve had a tough twenty years, from now on stay at home."


    "Thank you, Dad, thank you," Jiang Ying said, her face filled with emotion.


    "Let¡¯s go, apany me to meet the misbegotten daughter of the Nanrong Family." The old man stood up and strode out of the study.


    In the drawing room of the Siheyuan, the marble floor glistened, the pure white ceiling was adorned with a huge crystal chandelier, and the walls were decorated with tasteful oil paintings andndscape paintings. In addition to the luxurious decor, the various pieces of furniture also exuded opulence.


    Surrounding the living room, several young and delicate female attendants stood against the wall, ready to serve the master at any moment.


    Apanied by Jiang Ying, the old man entered the living room, his gaze immediately captivated by Nanrong Wanqing seated in the wheelchair. Looking at her stunningly beautiful face, the old man was struck by a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu and stood frozen on the spot.


    "Qing¡¯e..."


    Hearing the old man¡¯s murmurs, Jiang Ying gently reminded, "Dad, she is my sister¡¯s daughter, Wanqing, not my sister herself."


    Upon hearing the word ¡¯daughter,¡¯ a frosty expression spread across the old man¡¯s face, and a fierce gleam shed in his eyes, as he walked directly towards the sofa in front of Nanrong Wanqing.


    After taking a seat, he gave a knowing nce to Jiang Han, who had been waiting in the living room. Understanding the cue, Jiang Han took out a bottle from his pocket, unscrewed the cap, and held it under Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s nose.


    The pungent smell wafted through the air, and Nanrong Wanqing, who had been unconscious, immediately awoke.

 Chapter 273 - 269 Jiang Family Patriarch

    <h4>Chapter 273: Chapter 269 Jiang Family Patriarch</h4><h4></h4>


    Looking at the unfamiliar surroundings, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, and her beautiful eyes swept over Jiang Han and Jiang Ying before settling on the old man.


    Their eyes met, her lips parted, and she spoke with an indifferent tone: "So, the Jiang Family also only knows to resort such low and shameful means."


    "How dare you!" Jiang Han reprimanded, "This is the Jiang Family¡¯s territory; you better show some respect."


    "Wanqing, we had no other choice, you..."


    "That¡¯s enough." Nanrong Wanqing said coldly, "Aunt, to think I trusted you so much, regarded you as family, yet you treat me this way."


    Jiang Ying quickly tried to exin: "Wanqing, I did it for your own good."


    "That¡¯s from your perspective. Aunt, don¡¯t forget, my surname is Nanrong, not Jiang. The affairs of the Nanrong Family don¡¯t need the Jiang Family to make decisions for me."


    "You¡¯re just as stubborn and willful as your mother, always wanting to have your own way, not listening to anyone¡¯s advice," the old man said. "Don¡¯t me them; it was mymand to bring you to the Jiang Family by any means necessary." He paused, then introduced himself, "My name is Jiang Kun, you should know who I am."


    "The Jiang Family Patriarch."


    "The Jiang Family Patriarch?" Jiang Kun smiled faintly, "Can¡¯t you address me differently?"


    Nanrong Wanqing replied coldly, "If you want me to call you ¡¯Grandfather¡¯, I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t. If you really considered me your granddaughter, you wouldn¡¯t have ¡¯invited¡¯ me to the Jiang Family in such a manner."


    "It seems you harbor quite some resentment." Jiang Kun said unconcernedly, "I don¡¯t care whether you call me Grandfather or not; what I care about is you and the things I need from you. Jiang Han, bring the people in."


    "Yes." Jiang Han nodded, walked aside, and dialed a number on his phone.


    Shortly after, several doctors in white coats carrying medical cases came in from outside.


    "Family Head."


    Jiang Kun pointed at Nanrong Wanqing and said, "Don¡¯t waste time, hurry up and take her blood sample."


    As a doctor in a white coat approached with a syringe, Nanrong Wanqing quickly raised her hand to push them away. However, her resistance was swiftly stopped by two other doctors in white coats, who held down her arms firmly, rolled up her sleeve, exposing her fair arm.


    Then, the sharp needle pierced her skin, the plunger of the syringe slowly drew back, and her fresh blood was quickly drawn into it.


    After taking the blood, the two doctors in white released her arm, restoring her freedom.


    Nanrong Wanqing, covering the spot where the needle had pierced, her pale face showing a trace of frost, stared at Jiang Kun and said word by word, "What are you trying to do?"


    "That¡¯s none of your concern. Jiang Han, take her to her room and have someone watch her closely."


    "Yes, Family Head."


    "And, inform your elder brother to strengthen the guard; the Nanrong Family will surely not let this go easily."


    ...


    Yangcheng, Baiyun Airport.


    At the airport exit, Ling Chen, carrying his luggage on one shoulder, along with Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui, arrived at the roadside and hailed a taxi to head straight for the city.


    Half an hourter, the taxi stopped outside a three-star hotel.


    Before arriving, Ling Chen had already booked a room. Entering his room, he received a text message. Then, he took out aptop from his luggage bag, set it up on the coffee table next to the window sill, dialed a number on his cellphone, and turned on the speakerphone.


    "Hello, Ling Chen, did you receive the file I sent?"


    "Receiving it now." While speaking, the attachment in the email had finished downloading, he double-clicked with the mouse, and aplete architectural blueprint immediately stretched across the screen.


    "Fatty, what¡¯s this?"


    "That¡¯s a blueprint of the Jiang Family¡¯s buildings. After thorough investigation, two years ago, the Jiang Family had a major reconstruction and renovation, so I hacked into that contractor¡¯sputer and got some information."


    "You¡¯re reliable." Ling Chen spared no praise for his friend. His knowledge of the Jiang Family was almost non-existent, so intelligence was crucial to rescuing Nanrong Wanqing, which is why he asked Hu Fei to help.


    "With your skills, infiltrating the Jiang Family shouldn¡¯t be too difficult, but keep in mind that the Jiang Family¡¯s security system is veryprehensive, covering the entire area. Also, I found out that the Jiang Family owns a securitypany in Yangcheng which specially trains their personnel. My rough estimate is that the security staff of the Jiang Family is at least around a hundred people."


    "That many?" Ling Chen was surprised. It was impressive for the security at an ordinary wealthy household to number more than ten, but the Jiang Family had ten times as many.


    "You better be careful, the Jiang Family is not simple. Their influence in Yangcheng is massive. To my knowledge, the Jiang Family has a history of several hundred years in Yangcheng; a long time ago, the ancestors of the Jiang Family were high-ranking officials in Yangcheng and owned many properties. Back then, Yangcheng was practically ruled by the Jiang Family. Those assets were passed down through the generations, leading to the Jiang Family¡¯s prosperity today. Given the Jiang Family¡¯s position in Yangcheng, calling them a local emperor wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration."


    Ling Chen frowned slightly; this Jiang Family was even more difficult to deal with than he had thought. But considering that they could hire the sixth-ranked expert on the Tiger List for personal protection, such a family was inevitably not going to be simple.


    "Fatty, continue gathering information for me, I¡¯ll observe for a day or two."


    "OK, no problem! Hey, I¡¯ll keep a tab for these favors, you¡¯d better not back outter."


    "Get lost!"


    Hanging up the call, Ling Chen studied the architectural blueprints of the Jiang Family¡¯s buildings, and then went to bed early to rest, gathering energy for the preparation of the next day.


    ...


    The next day.


    At eight o¡¯clock in the morning, Ling Chen took a car back to the hotel.


    Early in the morning, when it was still dark, he had hurried to the Nanyang Coast, secretly surveying the Jiang Family¡¯s movements. But the security of the Jiang Family was imprable, and the surroundings were blocked by walls over three meters high, making it impossible to perceive what was happening inside. It was not just a problem to infiltrate the Jiang Family but to even get close to their estate.


    With no other choice after wasting two hours, he had to return without aplishing his purpose.


    Stepping off the car at the hotel entrance, Ling Chen walked up the steps, intending to meet with Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui. However, at that moment, a voice calling "Mr. Ling" caught his attention.


    Turning around, he saw a young man approaching head-on. After a once-over, with a hint of doubt, he asked, "Do I know you?"


    The young man smiled and said, "Mr. Ling, you don¡¯t need to know me." He gestured invitingly with his hand, "Mr. Ling, please follow me, our boss wants to see you."


    "Boss? Who?" The man didn¡¯t give his name, and Ling Chen was instinctively cautious, hesitant to agree hastily.


    The young man seemed not to care about the wariness in his eyes, continuing, "Mr. Ling, you came to Yangcheng to rescue Miss Nanrong, am I right? If you want to sessfully rescue Miss Nanrong, it¡¯s best that you meet our boss; he might be able to help you."

 Chapter 274 - 270 Mr. Yun

    <h4>Chapter 274: Chapter 270 Mr. Yun</h4><h4></h4>


    Upon hearing the young man¡¯s words, Ling Chen became more suspicious. This person not only knew his identity but also his purpose for this trip; he was no ordinary man. Nanrong Wanqing was kidnapped by the Jiang Family, and no more than five people knew about this. Where did this person get his information?


    Thinking this, he felt it necessary to meet the young man¡¯s boss mentioned earlier, hoping that the mysterious boss could answer his questions.


    "Lead the way."


    "This way, please!"


    Arriving at the roadside, the young man pointed to a Cadic parked not far away, saying, "Mr. Ling, our boss is in the car; he would like to have a private chat with you."


    Ling Chen nodded and briskly walked toward the Cadic, gently knocking on the rear seat window.


    Click!


    The car door automatically popped open, and Ling Chen bent down to get in. A faint scent of a cigar immediately hit his nose.


    Looking at the middle-aged man next to him, dressed in a crisp suit, approximately in his forties or fifties, with a refined and schrly face and a stable demeanor. From his slightly plump facial contours, one could tell that he was quite a handsome man in his youth.


    Additionally, Ling Chen noticed something peculiar. The man wore a leather glove on his left hand but not on his right hand, where instead he wore a wedding ring. It seemed odd, as in Huaxia tradition, men wore wedding rings on the left hand, the opposite of what this middle-aged man did.


    While Ling Chen was sizing up the man, he, too, was observing Ling Chen, constantly wearing a gentle smile, his eyes seeming like those of an elder looking at a younger rtive.


    "Who are you? I don¡¯t remember ever meeting you." Ling Chen took the initiative to ask.


    "You can call me Mr. Yun, and furthermore, it¡¯s our first meeting, so it¡¯s normal that you don¡¯t recognize me."


    Ling Chen did not let his guard down; the middle-aged man before him was too mysterious, even unwilling to reveal his identity, making him difficult to trust.


    "You seem to know a lot about me."


    "That¡¯s not the question you should be asking now; don¡¯t forget your main purpose foring to Yangcheng." Mr. Yun took a Cuban cigar from the armrest box, ced it in his mouth, and seemed unperturbed by Ling Chen¡¯s scrutinizing gaze.


    "Do you have a way to help me rescue Nanrong Wanqing?"


    "Of course, it all depends on what you are willing to give."


    Without hesitation, Ling Chen said, "As long as she can be rescued safe and sound, I am willing to bear any cost."


    "Good!" Mr. Yun seemed pleased with his attitude and nodded, "Wanqing has good judgment. Ling Chen, I am here to remind you, what you see of the Jiang Family is not the real Jiang Family. You are still far from understanding their power. Before they do that to Wanqing, you must rescue her."


    "What do you mean?"


    Mr. Yun opened his mouth but then shook his head, "You don¡¯t need to know too much. All I can tell you is two words: bloodline. The Jiang Family ces great importance on nurturing their bloodline; it is their foundation. Hence, for the sake of bloodline inheritance, the Jiang Family is capable of anything."


    Ling Chen was puzzled. Although Nanrong Wanqing was rted to the Jiang Family, she was a coteral rtive, whereas someone like Jiang Han was a direct rtive of the Jiang Family. Normally, bloodline inheritance should fall to direct sessors; why was it happening to Nanrong Wanqing?


    Seeing his confusion, Mr. Yun exined, "The bloodline inheritance of the Jiang Family is different from other families; you won¡¯t understand it all at once. Just focus on what you need to do now." Having said this, he took a box-shaped metal object out of his jacket pocket, about the size of a cigarette pack, with a touch-control device installed on it.


    "Take this."


    Ling Chen took it in his hands, curiously examining it, and asked, "What is this?"


    "This is the only thing I can help you with. With your ability, finding Wanqing shouldn¡¯t be hard, but the difficult part is getting her out. If you run into trouble, Wanqing¡¯s fingerprint can unlock this box, and inside you will find what you need. Alright, I¡¯ve said what I needed to; you can go now. I¡¯ll wish you sess in advance."


    "Onest question, what is your rtionship with Wanqing?" Ling Chen looked directly into Mr. Yun¡¯s eyes, hoping to discern something from his gaze.


    However, Mr. Yun¡¯s eyes were as calm as water, showing no extra emotional fluctuations, always maintaining a faint smile.


    "That question... I¡¯ll tell you next time we meet." After saying this, he turned his head to look out of the car window, no longer continuing the conversation.


    Ling Chen knew he wouldn¡¯t get any more information, so he decided not to waste more time and pushed the door open to get out of the Cadic. Soon after he left, the young man earlier got into the driver¡¯s seat, started the car, and while looking at Mr. Yun in the rearview mirror, asked, "Boss, do you think he can seed?"


    "Fifty-fifty." Mr. Yun spoke indifferently: "It would be best if he seeds; I¡¯m not ready to reveal my strength too soon, which could alert the Jiang Family." Saying this, his gaze turned slightly cold, his tone revealing a hint of chill, "The Jiang Family must be desperate, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t pin their hopes on Wanqing. This time, it was my oversight for not expecting them to make a move on Wanqing."


    "Notify them to be ready at all times. If Ling Chen fails, have them step in. No matter the cost, nothing must happen to Wanqing."


    "Yes, boss."


    ...


    Jiang Family.


    Jiang Kun sat in the study room, looking at a man in a whiteb coat standing in front of the desk, and asked, "Are the test results out?"


    "Yes, the results are ready. Thepatibility is as high as ny-four percent."


    "Ny-four?" Jiang Kun immediately stood up from his chair, excitement overflowing,ughing repeatedly, "Good, good, too good, even higher than her mother¡¯spatibility. It seems the future of our Jiang Family is secure. Go on, call Jiang Han for me."


    Before long, Jiang Han appeared in the study room.


    "Family Head, you wanted to see me?"


    Jiang Kun changed from his usual seriousness, walked to his side, kindly patted his shoulder, and said with a smile, "Jiang Han, grandpa has something good to entrust to you."


    "What good thing?"


    Jiang Kun whispered a few words into his ear; it was unclear what he said, but Jiang Han¡¯s eyes brightened, and his face immediately disyed a look of surprise, excitedly asking, "Grandpa... grandpa, is this really okay?"


    "With grandpa making decisions for you, what could go wrong? We need to hurry with this matter, let¡¯s do it tonight. Get it done, and I can rest easy."


    "Yes, I understand, thank you grandpa."


    "Alright, go get ready, I¡¯ll await your good news tomorrow."


    While they were talking, the butler Uncle Liu walked in from outside, whispering into Jiang Kun¡¯s ear.


    "Hmph! I knew they wouldn¡¯t give up easily." Jiang Kun sneered coldly and instructed, "Let Jiang Yu handle this; he knows what to do."

 Chapter 275 - 271 Night Raid on Jiang Family (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 275: Chapter 271 Night Raid on Jiang Family (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    Hotel.


    Ling Chen sat alone in the guest room, fiddling with the metal box Mr. Yun had given him, quietly guessing what could be inside.


    At that moment, the ringing of the mobile phone on the table began, he nced at it and casually pressed the answer button.


    "Tang Yuan, where are you?"


    "Yufeng Hotel, how much longer until you arrive?"


    "Almost there, I¡¯m already in a taxi. Wait for me, I¡¯ll be right over."


    After hanging up, Ling Chen felt slightly relieved. The situation this time was quite special, so he had asked Tang Yuan toe help. Even though he had Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui by his side, their abilities were limited and couldn¡¯t offer him the greatest help. Furthermore, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s identity was particrly special, not just as the chairperson of Hongyu Group, but also an important coborator with the military. Therefore, when he made a request to the old general, thetter immediately sent Tang Yuan over.


    Knock knock knock!


    The sound of knocking at the door arose. Ling Chen got up and went to the door, opened it, and saw a male waiter pushing a mobile dining table, greeting him with a smile: "Sir, good morning, here is the breakfast you ordered."


    "You must be mistaken, I didn¡¯t order any breakfast." It was almost nine o¡¯clock, and he had already eaten outside.


    The male waiter held the order ticket, puzzled, "No mistake, aren¡¯t you Mr. Ling Chen?"


    "It¡¯s me, but this breakfast..."


    "If it¡¯s you then it¡¯s correct." As he said this, the waiter¡¯s mouth curled up slightly, his right hand pulling out a glittering dagger from beneath the tablecloth and thrusting it toward Ling Chen¡¯s chest with lightning speed.


    This sudden crisis caused Ling Chen¡¯s pupils to shrink, and almost subconsciously, he slightly tilted his body. A sh of cold light, and the dagger passed through the clothing on his shoulder with a slight tearing sound, but did not harm his skin.


    Seeing this, the waiter slightly startled, not expecting Ling Chen to dodge. Before he could swing the dagger again, Ling Chen had already shouted loudly, lunged forward, grabbed the waiter¡¯s wrist holding the dagger with one hand, and clenched his other fist, swinging it fiercely, smashing it into the waiter¡¯s cheek, knocking him down to the ground.


    Ptui!


    Ling Chen spat contemptuously. Damn it, they still want to assassinate me. I¡¯m the originator in this business.


    Swearing aside, this assassination incident still made him vignt. He dragged the waiter into the room and searched him, but found nothing that could prove his identity. Clearly, the opponent was very cautious in his actions.


    But there was no need to think too much to know, it must be someone sent by the Jiang Family. In this unfamiliar ce, it was impossible to encounter his own enemies, and since his trip to Yangcheng was very secretive, those bounty assassins could not have tracked him here either, who else could it be other than the Jiang Family?


    It seems Hu Fei was right, the Jiang Family has a substantial influence in Yangcheng. I had just arrived for a day, and they had already grasped my whereabouts and made such a swift move, it has to be said, they handle things very efficiently.


    While pondering, Ling Chen came to the guest room where Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui were staying and knocked on the door.


    As the door just opened, a fist immediately shot out from inside, heading straight for his face. His quick eyes and hands immediately caught the wrist of the assant, stopping the punch, and shouted, "It¡¯s me!"


    "Ling Chen?" Zhong Wei, who threw the punch, saw it was him, quickly withdrew his fist, and let him in, exining, "I thought someone wasing to assassinate us."


    "Did you encounter it too?"


    Liang Zhao Hui nodded and pointed to the closed bathroom, saying, "Fortunately, we discovered it in time and didn¡¯t let him seed. The person has been knocked out and thrown into the bathroom."


    "Our whereabouts have been discovered; we can¡¯t stay here any longer. Pack up and leave immediately." Saying this, Ling Chen walked to the window, pulled back the curtains, and nced downstairs. He saw several buses parked by the road outside the hotel, and dozens of men in suits and sunsses were getting off and rushing towards the hotel.


    "Captain Zhong, Liang, seems like we¡¯ll have to stretch our muscles."


    As he spoke, Ling Chen picked up a chair, smashed it on the ground, and removed all four wooden legs. The sticks were neither too thick nor too thin, just perfect to handle.


    "Follow behind me."


    Opening the room door, Ling Chen strode forward, heading straight for the emergency exit. The elevator must have been controlled; now they could only take the stairs. Turning a corner, they heard a crisp ¡¯ding¡¯ as the elevator doors opened, and more than twenty suited men charged out from two elevators, wielding expandable batons and aggressively lunging forward.


    "Scram!"


    Ling Chen roared, swinging both hands, the wooden sticks whistling fiercely through the air, powerfully striking the leading man in a suit who fell to the ground unconscious before he could even scream.


    As a top-ranked fighter on the Tiger List, these underlings were insignificant in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes. In just a few moments, manyy defeated on the ground; both Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui, who were covering the rear, had no chance to even pick off any leftovers, merely following and watching the whole event.


    "Ling Chen, be careful, they might have guns," Zhong Wei reminded.


    Hearing this, Ling Chen smirked slightly, not taking it seriously. Except for assassinations, the Jiang Family wouldn¡¯t dare to openly use firearms. If things escted and the government got involved, even with the Jiang Family¡¯s influence, they couldn¡¯t escape responsibility.


    Stepping over a group of wailing suited men, Ling Chen led Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui to the emergency exit and swiftly ran down the stairs.


    Just as they exited the hotel, dozens of suited men outside immediately pursued them, attempting to encircle them.


    At that moment, a taxi pulled up to the curb, the window rolled down, and Tang Yuan stuck his head out, waving his arms and shouting loudly, "Get in the car!"


    Without hesitation, Ling Chen sped up and dove into the front passenger seat.


    "Drive, quick!"


    As the four urged, the taxi driver quickly pressed the elerator and sped off in a cloud of dust.


    After driving past three intersections and seeing no one catching up, Ling Chen finally rxed, threw his wooden stick out the window, and grinned, "Old Tang, you really have great timing."


    Tang Yuanughed proudly, "Hehe! It¡¯s not about being early, but about being timely. Hey, Tang Yuan, who were those people just now?"


    "Jiang Family¡¯s enforcers."


    "You¡¯ve been exposed?"


    "Yep." Ling Chen nodded, pointing to the side of the road, "Driver, please stop over there."


    After getting out of the taxi, the group didn¡¯t return to the hotel but found an unregistered roadside inn in an obscure alley.


    Upon entering the room, Tang Yuan tossed his backpack onto the bed, and Ling Chen immediately noticed the mattress sag down significantly, feeling curious about what could be so heavy inside.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s gaze fixed on his backpack, Tang Yuan lifted his lips, a mysterious expression on his face, saying, "This is a good item, but it¡¯s not for you to use."

 Chapter 276 - 272 Night Raid on Jiang Family (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 276: Chapter 272 Night Raid on Jiang Family (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "What¡¯s the good stuff?" Urged by Tang Yuan, Ling Chen grew even more curious and reached out to touch it.


    Tang Yuan pped his hand away with a ¡¯snap¡¯, guarding the backpack with both hands, looking like a brat who deserved a beating for not sharing.


    Ling Chen cursed displeasedly, "Fine, if you won¡¯t let me see it, then I don¡¯t want to see it." As he said this, he saw Liang Zhao Hui light up a cigarette. He snatched it from his mouth and took two deep drags.


    "You don¡¯t smoke, do you?"


    "Mind your own business, I¡¯m annoyed."


    "Alright, alright, enough of that, let¡¯s talk business. What¡¯s your n next?"


    Ling Chen leaned against the windowsill, smoke swirling from the cigarette in his hand, obscuring his sight. He tried to mimic Liang Zhao Hui and blew a smoke ring, watching it slowly dissolve into the air. Suddenly, he threw the cigarette butt onto the floor and said grimly, "Now that our whereabouts have been exposed, we must act tonight no matter what. We can¡¯t give them time to prepare."


    "Okay, I¡¯ll follow your lead. What do you want to do?"


    "Old Tang, you work with Captain Zhong and Liang on the outside to support me, and arrange the escape route. I¡¯ll go in to rescue."


    "No way!" Tang Yuan shook his head decisively and refused, "That¡¯s just rash nonsense. Where¡¯s your n? Just blindly rushing into the Jiang Family like this is looking for death, not a rescue!" As he spoke, he pulled out a file from the backpack and threw it on the bed, "When I came here, I used our organization¡¯s resources to check. The Jiang Family bought an advanced security system from abroad two years ago, worth eighty million US dors. This system can monitor the entire Jiang Family area, including the perimeter wall fitted with induction and acoustic devices. Anyone approaching within five meters of the wall will trigger the rm. Even if you¡¯re lucky enough to avoid the surveince equipment, you won¡¯t escape the eyes of the security staff. There are patrols inside and outside the walls throughout the day, changing shifts every five minutes, rotating regrly."


    Ling Chen stared for a moment, his face filled with surprise, "That awesome? The fatty didn¡¯t mention this."


    "The Jiang Family introduced that system through their connections with the military brass, how would the fatty know about it."


    "So, does that mean we can only watch from the outside?"


    "That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you to think of a foolproof n, don¡¯t be so impulsive. I know you¡¯re worried about Miss Nanrong¡¯s safety, but you can¡¯t ignore your own safety."


    Ling Chen turned away, looking out the window, his brows slightly furrowed as he stared at the soaring high-rises in the distance, pondering his next move. The Jiang Family defense was rigorous, sneaking in was much harder than he had imagined. And now, with limited equipment, they could only rely on individual ability.


    "How to get in..."


    After pondering for a while, his eyes suddenly lit up as he looked out the window, a bright idea shing through his mind.


    "I¡¯ve got an idea." Saying so, he immediately took out his notebook and marked the location of the Jiang Family on the map, then scanned the surrounding environment with the Jiang Family at its center.


    Tang Yuan and Zhong Wei leaned over theptop screen, looking at Ling Chen as if deep in thought, "What¡¯s your n?"


    Ling Chen grinned, "I¡¯ll keep it a secret for now. But before that, I need your help with something. Old Tang, if I remember correctly, there¡¯s a military base about a hundred kilometers away from Yangcheng. Contact the General and ask them to send some equipment over. Captain Zhong, Liang, please take a trip to the animal shelter."


    "Animal shelter?"


    Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui looked at each other, surprised, wondering if they had misheard.


    Tang Yuan gestured, "Do as he says. This kid always has tricks up his sleeve."


    ...


    Night fell.


    The autumn breeze was mildly cool, brushing lightly.


    Inside the Siheyuan of Jiang Family¡¯spound, Jiang Ying hesitated as she stood outside a bedroom, retracting her hand from the doorknob several times. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she finally pushed the door open and went inside.


    The spacious bedroom was lit with amp, as bright as day.


    In the luxuriously decorated room, there was a bed against the wall. On the bedy a young and beautiful girl, with her hands spread out and feet together, her wrists each wrapped in a rope, affixed to both sides of the headboard, constraining her freedom.


    Hearing footsteps from the doorway, the girl did not react, her eyes as brilliant as stars gazing nkly at the ceiling, as if lost in endless contemtion.


    Jiang Ying walked gently to the bedside, looking at the dim glow in her eyes, sighed softly, and asked with concern, "Wanqing, are you okay?"


    "Apart from not being dead, everything is fine," Nanrong Wanqing replied icily, her voice devoid of emotion.


    "Wanqing, don¡¯t be like this, I... I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you, my initial intention was for your own good, I hope you can understand."


    Nanrong Wanqing responded indifferently, "Auntie, I¡¯m not three years old, why bother lying to me with such words, you might as well deceive yourself. Ask yourself, do you really have my best interests at heart without any selfish motives? I know you¡¯ve wanted to return to the Jiang Family for a long time, after all, you carry the Jiang family blood. I don¡¯t me you, and I have no right to. You were exiled by the Jiang Family for my mother, living outside for more than twenty years. For you, that was a painful thing, I understand your feelings. So, I won¡¯t resent you, nor will I hate you. However, starting from today, the Nanrong Family no longer owes you anything."


    "Wanqing..." Jiang Ying¡¯s lips moved, wanting to say something, but not knowing where to start. She was clearly aware her niece no longer had any affection for her.


    Just then, the door was pushed open and several delicate-looking girls carried in arge wooden tub, cing it beside the bed. Then, one after another, they poured hot water into it and sprinkled flower petals on the surface. The room quickly filled with steam and a faint scent of flowers.


    Nanrong Wanqing turned her head and saw what the girls were doing, frowning slightly, "What are you doing?"


    One of the delicate girls smiled sweetly, "Miss Nanrong, we are here to help you bathe and change."


    "I don¡¯t need it, thank you!"


    The girl said apologetically, "Miss Nanrong, sorry, this is the Master¡¯s order, we must carry it out. Please understand." Saying this, she went to the head of the bed and untied the ropes from Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s wrists. Then, with the help of the other girls, they lifted Nanrong Wanqing into the tub.


    Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t struggle or resist, letting them strip her. She knew that any defiance was futile here at the Jiang Family, where she was essentially a prisoner under house arrest, with no freedom of her own.

 Chapter 277 - 273 Night Raid on Jiang Family (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 277: Chapter 273 Night Raid on Jiang Family (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    Clothes shed, Nanrong Wanqing sat in the wooden tub with her fragrant shoulders slightly exposed and her fair neck entuated by the misty steam, adding a touch of hazy beauty.


    There was no need for her to move a finger, as several graceful girls gently wiped her body. Jiang Ying watched silently from the side, not uttering a word. However, there seemed to be a hint of inexplicable envy in her eyes.


    After the bath, a girl holding a sheer and smooth nightgown draped it over Nanrong Wanqing, covering her graceful figure and wrapping up all the beauty.


    Back on the bed, this time, no one tied her up with ropes. Everyone knew that Nanrong Wanqing, with her legs disabled, couldn¡¯t possibly run away.


    As those girls left the room, Jiang Han entered from outside. It seemed that he had also just taken a bath, his body feeling refreshed, his hair still slightly damp. Walking into the room and seeing Nanrong Wanqing sitting on the bed, Jiang Han¡¯s eyes brightened, and his face was unable to hide his excitement and thrill.


    Today, when Jiang Kun sought him out, he never expected such a good thing would fall into hisp.


    If it weren¡¯t for the presence of Jiang Ying, he would have already rushed over in his eagerness.


    "Little Aunt, it¡¯s time to get down to business, please step aside."


    Jiang Ying nodded, nced at the slightly pale-faced Nanrong Wanqing, sighed silently in her heart, and walked out of the room.


    The door closed, and Jiang Han, unable to contain his urge, quickly walked to the bedside. Looking at Nanrong Wanqing, with her charming and aloof demeanor, his mouth curved higher and his eyes grew brighter.


    After her bath, Nanrong Wanqing, exuding a faint fragrance that was intoxicating, her fair skin peeking out from beneath the thin nightgown, her silhouette slender, radiated an irresistible charm. Especially that exquisite face, stunningly beautiful, and her skin soft as cream, was even more tempting.


    Feeling his invasive gaze, Nanrong Wanqing bit her thin lips, a hint of disgust shed in her beautiful eyes, and her small hand gripped the sheet tightly; her lips had long since lost their color. She swore that if this man before her dared to touch her, she would rather die than let him seed and ruin her pure and chaste body.


    Perhaps sensing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s thoughts, Jiang Han curled his lips, chuckling, "Cousin, don¡¯t be scared, I won¡¯t harm you. Though, I¡¯ll need you to cooperate with me in a bit."


    "Over my dead body!" Nanrong Wanqing parted her lips and coldly spat out the words.


    Jiang Han replied indifferently, "Cousin, don¡¯t me me for not reminding you, I can choose not to touch you, but if you don¡¯t cooperate, then don¡¯t me me for doing something extreme."


    Hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, somewhat puzzled, not understanding the meaning behind Jiang Han¡¯s words. She had always presumed Jiang Han harbored ill intentions towards her, but it seemed that might not be the case. She didn¡¯t know what kind of ¡¯cooperation¡¯ Jiang Han was referring to.


    As she pondered, Jiang Han took off his shoes and was ready to get into bed. Seeing his actions, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s expression turned icy, as cold as the frost of the winter month.


    However, just at that moment, a ¡¯beep beep¡¯ rm suddenly rang from outside the room.


    Jiang Han turned to look outside the window, his face instantly darkening, and he coldly said, "A bunch of overconfident fools."


    At this time, listening to the hurried footsteps outside, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s heartstrings tightened instantly. Could it be Ling Chening to save her? Thinking this, a glint of anticipation faintly shone in her eyes.


    Jiang Han turned his gaze back to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s flickering eyes and immediately guessed her thoughts, sneering, "Don¡¯t expect anyone toe to your rescue, this is the Jiang Family, no one can get in. Even if Ling Chen is very capable, he still won¡¯t be able to escape from the palm of the Jiang Family."


    As he spoke, he took out his phone, dialed a number, and instructed, "Turn off the rm, don¡¯t disturb me." As soon as his words fell, the piercing rm outside immediately stopped.


    "Alright, cousin, we can start now." Jiang Han¡¯s mouth quirked upward in an excited smile as he slowly extended his hands.


    Beep beep beep!


    But just then, the abrupt rm bell sounded again, reverberating throughout the entire Jiang Family estate.


    Jiang Han¡¯s smile froze, a hint of anger shing across his eyes. He picked up his cell phone and bellowed, "What the hell is going on?... What? A dog? Where did the doge from?"


    ...


    Outside the Jiang Family¡¯s perimeter wall.


    Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui were hiding in the nearby greenery, surrounded by more than a dozen pet cages filled with pets like cats and dogs, counting up to twenty or thirty.


    Zhong Wei gently patted the pet dog in his hands, casually throwing a bone out near the Jiang Family¡¯s perimeter wall, then released the dog. It immediately darted out, speeding so fast that in a sh, it was next to the wall, gnawing on the bone on the ground.


    Soon after the pet dog approached the wall, the Jiang Family¡¯s rm went off. In less than half a minute, a team of five security personnel rushed over and reported the situation via walkie-talkie.


    In the security room, several staff members were busy in front ofputers. By arge LCD screen, stood a young man in a suit, hands behind his back, intently watching the shing red dots on the screen. His brows were slightly furrowed, his handsome face emotionless, and his eyes held an indescribable shadow.


    "It¡¯s Mr. Jiang, confirmation received, no trace of the enemy found, it¡¯s a pet dog."


    The youth was none other than the eldest grandson of the Jiang family, Jiang Yu, in charge of the family¡¯s security¡ªJiang Han¡¯s older brother.


    Hearing the staff¡¯s report, without turning around, Jiang Yu spoke in a cold voice, "Using such methods to disrupt our rm system, they sure are imaginative. Notify the team to send more people outside the wall. I want to see how they n to break into the Jiang Family estate."


    "Yes."


    Outside the perimeter wall.


    Dozens of security personnel arrived one after another, forming a human wall around the perimeter, one guard every ten steps, monitoring every movement.


    "These bastards really fell for it." Liang Zhao Hui chuckled. Before, Ling Chen asked them to go to the pet store, and they had been utterly confused about his intentions. Now, they couldn¡¯t help but admire Ling Chen¡¯s ingenuity foring up with such a tactic.


    Zhong Wei pressed on his wireless earpiece and called out, "Ling Chen, your n worked, we can start the operation now."


    "OK! You guys withdraw first and wait for us at the rendezvous point."


    "Be careful on your own."


    "Old Tang, how¡¯s your preparation going?"


    At this moment, Tang Yuan was lying in a patch of grass, using the dark night to conceal his movements. Not far in front of him was the Jiang Family¡¯s perimeter wall. Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s voiceing through the earpiece, he spoke with a piece of grass in his mouth, unclearly saying, "Don¡¯t worry about my work."


    "Good, then I¡¯m starting."

 Chapter 278 - 274: Major Disturbance at the Jiang Family 1

    <h4>Chapter 278: Chapter 274: Major Disturbance at the Jiang Family 1</h4><h4></h4>


    Several kilometers away from the Jiang Family, Ling Chen made his final checks atop a high-rise building. Communication devices, weapons, smoke grenades¡ªall were ready.


    Walking to the edge of the rooftop, he looked down at the flowing cars below and those pedestrians who seemed as insignificant as ants, Ling Chen took a deep breath. After checking the wind direction, he no longer hesitated and leaped down from the building.


    Plummeting from over two hundred meters in the air, Ling Chen quickly descended in free fall, his speed increasing. Suddenly, he spread his arms and legs wide, and his body, which had been falling, soared upwards and swiftly glided through the air.


    Upon closer inspection, there was a piece of thin fabric like cicada wings stretched between his arms and body, as well as between his legs.


    Wingsuit!


    He had asked Tang Yuan to call the military district to borrow this equipment. The wingsuit, also known as a flying squirrel suit, is a special garment made from metal frameworks and high-tech nylon fibers. By simply wearing it and spreading one¡¯s arms and legs, one can glide through the air like a bat.


    After gliding for several kilometers in the air, Ling Chen began to descend. The brightly-lit Jiang Family residence soon appeared in his goggles.


    "Old Tang, I¡¯ll reach the destination in one minute."


    "Roger that!"


    Upon receiving the signal, Tang Yuan immediately spit out the chewed grass in his mouth, stood up from his crouch, and from the backpack beside him took out a modified crossbow rifle, holding it level on his forearm. Aiming at the target, he gently pulled the trigger, and the Crossbow Arrow ¡¯swooshed¡¯ through the air, soaring over the three-meter-tall fence, and fell to the ground.


    Then, the smoke grenades attached to the Crossbow Arrows automatically popped open, and thick smoke rapidly spread outwards, filling the air.


    Five consecutive Crossbow Arrows were shot, and the northeastern corner of the Jiang Family was nearly engulfed in smoke.


    "Tang Yuan, it¡¯s done!" After ending the call, Tang Yuan threw down the crossbow and lifted the ck cloth that had been covering the grass. Instantly, a quadcopter appeared before him. To avoid detection, he had coated the surface of the drone in ck.


    Controlling the remote controller, the drone ascended slowly. Meanwhile, a real-time image appeared on the screen of the controller¡ªit was the view from the drone, which, under the cover of smoke, moved swiftly toward the target.


    At that moment, Ling Chen, gliding in the sky, suddenly pulled the ripcord, and his parachute behind him sprang open. Passing through the smoke, he skillfully controlled the parachute andnded silently on the roof of a three-story vi.


    "Old Tang, I¡¯m here."


    As soon as his words fell, a buzzing sound approached, and the drone flew over his head,nding beside him. Hanging from the bottom of the drone was a ck backpack. Since the wingsuit couldn¡¯t support too much weight, he could only smuggle in equipment he needed through this method.


    Removing the backpack, he slung it over his shoulder and whispered through his earpiece, "Package received, you can pull out now."


    "Take care of yourself," Tang Yuan warned.


    Standing on the vi¡¯s rooftop, Ling Chen surveyed his surroundings, the corners of his mouth slightly lifting. His n had worked. The Jiang Family assumed that he would try to sneak in from outside the fence, so they assigned most of the security personnel to the perimeter, leaving the interior understaffed.


    At a nce, there were only about ten security guards patrolling the roads.


    After observing for a while, Ling Chen leaped from the rooftop, directly onto a tree beside the vi, grabbing onto a sturdy branch. He swung his body back and forth, using the inertia to leap again, reaching another tree. Using this subtle approach, he moved quickly over the heads of the security personnel.


    At this moment, the night sky was dim, a swath of dark cloud obscuring the bright moonlight. However, the Jiang Family had installed streetmps along the roads which did not hinder his movements.


    After a while, Ling Chen suddenly noticed that there was a wall surrounding the entire southwestern corner of the Jiang Family. Furthermore, the wall was covered with Iron Thorns, with a surveince device every meter on top of the wall, and an electricid over the wall.


    Although no security personnel were present around the wall, Ling Chen, relying on his years of intuition and experience, felt that this ce was heavily guarded, perhaps even more so than the other defenses of the Jiang Family.


    Standing on a tree branch, his body was level with the top of the wall. His gaze passed over the wall into the inside, seeing nothing but dense branches and darkness beyond.


    "What kind of ce is this?"


    He muttered to himself and immediately cast aside the doubts in his mind. His main mission was to rescue someone; he had no time to think about other things.


    The Jiang Family estate was vast, with luxurious vis seen everywhere.


    Ling Chen unfolded a blueprint of the Jiang Family¡¯s buildings, his brow furrowing slightly. He knew that Nanrong Wanqing was within the Jiang Family, but he didn¡¯t know the exact location. Searching blindly like this, he would not know how much time he would waste.


    With that thought, he immediately had an idea.


    Peering through the foliage, Ling Chen watched a security guard holding a walkie-talkie passing by underneath. Seeing this, he hung upside down from the branch, his body slowly descending. As the security personnel walked below him, he struck like lightning, quickly grasping the man¡¯s neck. Before the guard could react, Ling Chen powerfully twisted, forcibly dragging the security guard up into the tree.


    "You..."


    The security guard¡¯s pupils dted with a mixture of shock and fury as he looked at Ling Chen, about to call for help, but before he could speak, a glint of cold steel shed in front of his eyes, pressing against his neck.


    "Keep your mouth shut if you don¡¯t want to die!" Ling Chenmanded coldly.


    "What... what do you want?" The guard felt the cold de on his throat, swallowed hard, and asked tremulously.


    "Where is Nanrong Wanqing being held?" Ling Chen cut straight to the point, dispensing with any superfluous conversation.


    "She¡¯s in the master¡¯s house."


    "Where is that?"


    The security guard quickly pointed in one direction, frankly responding, "That Siheyuan over there."


    Ling Chen nodded, a slight smile on his face as he patted the guard¡¯s shoulder, "Congrattions, you¡¯ve just saved your own life." With those words, he put away his dagger and, with a swift chop of his hand, knocked the man unconscious.


    Now that he knew Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s whereabouts, Ling Chen immediately identified the exact location of the Siheyuan on the architectural blueprint.


    Without dy, he picked up the pace, circumventing the patrolling security personnel, and rapidly approached the Siheyuan.


    Security room.


    Jiang Yu listened to the reports of the staff, his eyes narrowing, muttering to himself, "Not a single shadow spotted, what are they up to?"


    "Mr. Jiang, shall we pull the men back?"

 Chapter 279 - 275: Great Disturbance at Jiang Family 2

    <h4>Chapter 279: Chapter 275: Great Disturbance at Jiang Family 2</h4><h4></h4>


    "Not necessary for now." Jiang Yu waved his hand and said, "Tell my younger brother that the danger is over, he can do what he wants now."


    "Understood."


    After putting down the phone, Jiang Han looked at Nanrong Wanqing on the bed, smiling proudly, "Here¡¯s some good news, Ling Chen ising to rescue you."


    Upon hearing this, a hint of joy immediately appeared on Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s brows. However, noticing the smile on Jiang Han¡¯s face, her heart immediately sank to the bottom, vaguely feeling uneasy.


    "But the bad news is, he has already been captured by our Jiang Family."


    Exactly!


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s heart tensed, worry clearly visible in her beautiful eyes.


    Noticing the change in her expression, Jiang Han smirked to himself, propped his hands on the bed, leaned closer to her, and unabashedly savored the attractive fragrance emanating from her.


    "Cousin, do you know what happens to those who oppose our Jiang Family? First, chop off his left hand and feed it to the dogs, then lock him in a dark room. After two days, he¡¯d bleed out and die without usying a finger on him. Of course, some tough guys survive. But, if the wound is left untreated, do you know what happens next? It starts festering, then turns into rotting flesh, and then..."


    "Enough!" Nanrong Wanqing, her pretty face pale, eximed, "Let him go."


    "What?" Jiang Han pretended not to hear clearly, leaning his ear closer to her, "Cousin, say that again."


    Nanrong Wanqing bit her lip, looked straight at Jiang Han, and said word by word: "Let him go."


    Jiang Han feigned difficulty and shook his head, saying, "Cousin, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t satisfy this request. Our Jiang Family never goes easy on enemies, especially since..." Seeing something, a hint of malice shed in Jiang Han¡¯s eyes, he scoffed, "Especially since he openly humiliated me that day at the Nanrong Family home. If I don¡¯t seek revenge, where would I put my face?"


    "Let him go!" Nanrong Wanqing spoke again, her expression firm, without a hint of hesitation, "As long as you agree to let him go, I will ept any condition."


    Jiang Han¡¯s eyes brightened, he chuckled, "Cousin, those are your words, don¡¯t go back on themter." He then took out his phone, turned his back, and made a show of speaking into the phone, "Release that man, no one is allowed to harm him."


    After speaking, he snickered, secretly admiring his own cunning. He didn¡¯t expect Nanrong Wanqing to be so easy to deceive, she hadn¡¯t even suspected him.


    Little did he know, it¡¯s the concern that confused her, because she was too worried about Ling Chen¡¯s safety, she didn¡¯t think much about it.


    Turning around, facing the frosty Nanrong Wanqing, Jiang Han lifted his lips, took something out of his pocket, and said, "Cousin, now that the man has been released, shall we begin?"


    ...


    At this moment, outside the Siheyuan, over ten security personnel were pacing back and forth, inspecting the surroundings.


    Not far away, Ling Chen was crouching at the base of arge tree, his gaze piercing through the messy bushes and intently watching the entrance of the Siheyuan, his eyes shing coldly.


    The tight security around the Siheyuan indicated that Nanrong Wanqing was definitely inside. But without dealing with those security personnel outside, he had no hope of getting in.


    "I have no choice but to force my way in!" he thought to himself.


    Picking up a stone from the ground, he flicked his wrist, and the stone curved towards the nearby concrete pathway, making a sharp ¡¯snap¡¯ noise.


    The two nearest security personnel were immediately attracted by the noise, walking briskly over with their shlights raised.


    Seeing the adversaries approaching, Ling Chen reached for his waist, drew two silver needles, and kept his gaze on the two security officers. Suddenly, his wrist flicked, sending two silver needles charged with Inner Strength shooting through the air like bullets, striking their targets with great velocity.


    "One, two, three..."


    After counting silently to three, the two security officers immediately fell to the ground, unconscious.


    Relieved, he took a moment to breathe; it seemed the anesthesia on the silver needles was effective. At that moment, the security personnel patrolling outside the Siheyuan noticed their fallenrades and their expressions changed instantly. They hurried over and simultaneously called for backup on their radios.


    Taking advantage of the distraction, Ling Chen moved swiftly like a freed rabbit, darting out from under the bushes as fast as an arrow released from a bow, instantly reaching the outer wall of the Siheyuan. Without slowing down, he powerfully kicked with his right leg, leaping more than two meters high, grabbed the top of the wall with both hands, and with a beautiful somersault aided by his legs against the wall, he entered the Siheyuan.


    In the spacious courtyard, maids asionally passed by. Ling Chen stayed close to a stone pir, regting his breath, and stealthily scanning the surroundings from the corner of his eyes.


    Suddenly, his gaze sharpened, locking onto two burly men.


    Qiu Wen! Qiu Wu!


    The two stood with their hands behind their backs outside a bedroom, eyes fixed straight ahead.


    "Found them." He was ted internally, thinking that the presence of the Qiu brothers guarding personally indicated an important person inside the room.


    However, the troublesome part was that Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu were highly skilled; although he defeated them at the Nanrong Family homest time, it left him bedridden for two days. With time pressing, he had no time to waste fighting them again, and he was not sure he could defeat them as before.


    In a split-second decision, he drew two smoke grenades from his waist and threw them into the room next door through a window.


    ng!


    As the sound of shattering ss rang out, Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu¡¯s attention immediately shifted. However, to Ling Chen¡¯s disappointment, they did not move to investigate the noise and stayed steadfast by the door. Instead, the security personnel outside the Siheyuan rushed in after receiving the alert.


    As more security personnel arrived, Ling Chen¡¯s presence was quickly exposed.


    "There he is, catch him."


    Seeing the security personnel closing in from all sides, Ling Chen frowned slightly, quickly pulled out several silver needles, and threw them to slow their advancement.


    "Damn it!"


    He cursed silently. It was a miscalction; he expected the Qiu brothers to be drawn away, but they werepletely unaffected.


    With a swift thought, he gritted his teeth, quickly removed his backpack, and threw it towards the door where Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu were standing, shouting, "I¡¯ll blow you bastards up." Saying that, he took out his phone, pretending to press it.


    Seeing his actions, the Qiu brothers and the security personnel were taken aback and hurriedly retreated to avoid the explosion. Seeing Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu sprinting to the sides, Ling Chen¡¯s lips curled up slightly; without another word, he quickly moved his legs, rushed to the door, and picked up the backpack from the ground.


    "Damn it! Fell for it!"


    The faces of the Qiu brothers changed slightly, their eyes filled with furious humiliation, and they charged at him.

 Chapter 280 - 276: Major Disturbance at the Jiang Family 3

    <h4>Chapter 280: Chapter 276: Major Disturbance at the Jiang Family 3</h4><h4></h4>


    Just at that moment, Ling Chen¡¯s door was flung open, and Jiang Han appeared with an irritated expression, shouting, "What the...?" However, before he could finish, his eyes locked onto Ling Chen¡¯s, hisplexion changed dramatically, and, shocked and terrified, he eximed, "It¡¯s you!"


    Ling Chen shed a grin, "Mr. Jiang, we meet again." As soon as he finished speaking, without waiting for Jiang Han to react, Ling Chen¡¯s fist had already swung out, smashing viciously into Jiang Han¡¯s nose.


    "Ah!" A miserable howl erupted as blood spurted from Jiang Han¡¯s nostrils like a breached flood barrier, quickly staining his shirt red. Clutching his broken nose, Jiang Han was in so much pain that tears and snot mixed on his face, and he bellowed with his facial muscles contorted, "Ling Chen, you..."


    "Shut your mouth!" Ling Chen snapped coldly. He delivered a savage kick to Jiang Han¡¯s abdomen. Struck by the power, Jiang Han immediately lost his bnce, leaning back from the waist and retreating uncontrobly, ending up seated on the floor inside of the room.


    "Ling Chen, do not harm our young master." Concerned for Jiang Han¡¯s safety, Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu yelled out, ready to charge forward.


    Ling Chen suddenly turned his head, sweeping a cold, prating gaze over the pair, and said icily, "Whoever dares toe in, I¡¯ll kill them on the spot."


    At those words, Qiu Wen and his brother felt a sinking feeling in their hearts and immediately halted their advance, not daring to act recklessly. If anything happened to Mr. Jiang, neither could escape responsibility. After thinking it through, it seemed wiser to wait and see how things would unfold.


    Seeing they no longer pressed forward, Ling Chen¡¯s expression rxed slightly, and he stepped back into the room, casually shutting the door behind him. But hearing the continuous wails and screams from behind, Ling Chen grew annoyed and, without a second thought, delivered another kick to ensure Jiang Han would stay quiet.


    "Ling Chen?"


    At this moment, Nanrong Wanqing, who was sitting on the bed, looked at the man approaching with disbelief, feeling as though she was dreaming, an unreal sensation.


    "You... you were captured, weren¡¯t you?"


    "Who told you I was captured, and you actually believe their lies?" Ling Chen said with a slight smile, moving to her side and gently caressing her cheek, asking with concern, "Are you okay?"


    Feeling the warmth of his palm, along with his familiar breath and voice, Nanrong Wanqing unconsciously raised her hand to rest it on the back of his, her eyes glistening with tears.


    She wasn¡¯t dreaming; it was truly him.


    She had always believed that Ling Chen woulde to her rescue, but upon hearing he had been captured, it felt as though the sky had copsed, all hope turning to dust, her heart was dead and ashen. Until this moment, seeing Ling Chen truly standing before her, she felt a lump in her throat, and even though she was normally strong, she couldn¡¯t suppress the urge to cry.


    "It¡¯s okay, you¡¯re safe now."


    Seeing the tears welling in her eyes, Ling Chen was fully aware of her emotions, gently pulling her into his embrace, patting her back tofort her, "With me here, no one can hurt you. That¡¯s my promise to you."


    "Mhm." Nanrong Wanqing wrapped her arms around him, her pretty face against his chest, murmuring in agreement, with both joy and a hint of shyness in her beautiful eyes. She had known Ling Chen for so long and even though they were close, he had never said such things to her. To her, it was not just a confession, but a promise for a lifetime.


    "Tang Yuan, how are things on your end?"


    At that moment, Old Tang¡¯s voice came through the earpiece, breaking up the tender moment between them. However, Old Tang¡¯s words also snapped Ling Chen back to reality. They were in danger, and it wasn¡¯t the time for intimacy.


    "Wanqing has been found, she¡¯s with me."


    "Can you make it to the rendezvous point?"


    Ling Chen nced at the unconscious Jiang Han and replied, "Should be no problem, wait for us there."


    After ending the call, Ling Chen turned to look at Nanrong Wanqing, collected his emotions, and said seriously, "We need to leave."


    "They took away my wheelchair."


    "That¡¯s not a problem." Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curled slightly, lifting the ck backpack beside him onto the bed, then unzipped it and took out a set of equipment.


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s expression showed slight astonishment, and she said curiously, "This is...?"


    "Exoskeleton armor." Ling Chen nodded and said with a smile, "Didn¡¯t you tell mest time that those people had custom-made a set of exoskeleton armor for you? This is it. It just got finished recently, and Old Tang brought it over when he came. Here, let me help you put it on."


    With Ling Chen¡¯s help, it didn¡¯t take long for Nanrong Wanqing to put on the exoskeleton armor, and once she draped a coat over it, nothing seemed amiss from the outside.


    Leaning on Ling Chen¡¯s arm for support, Nanrong Wanqing cautiously tried a few steps. With her intelligence, she quickly mastered the knack of the exoskeleton armor. Although she was not yet proficient, walking normally was not a problem.


    Being able to stand up and walk again without the wheelchair was something Nanrong Wanqing had longed for.


    Seeing the excited glow on her pretty face, Ling Chen smiled slightly and reminded her, "Alright, don¡¯t just be happy, we can celebrate after we escape from the Jiang family." With that, he walked over to Jiang Han, reached out to grab Jiang Han¡¯s cor, and lifted him up from the ground.


    Seeing Jiang Han still unconscious, Ling Chen pped him hard across the cheek, producing a loud smack.


    The pain woke Jiang Han slightly dazed, and when he saw Ling Chen in front of him, his face changed, fear in his eyes as he hurriedly said, "Li... Ling Chen, this is the Jiang family. If you dare touch a hair on me, neither of you will leave alive."


    "Don¡¯t be afraid, I won¡¯t hurt you. I¡¯m counting on you to lead us out." After speaking, Ling Chen ignored Jiang Han¡¯s struggle, dragging his body and striding towards the door.


    The door opened, and outside, dozens of security personnel had already gathered, filling the Siheyuan courtyard to the brim.


    Facing such a grand scene, Ling Chen smiled lightly, his clear eyes showing no trace of fear.


    "Get up!" hemanded lightly. He pulled Jiang Han to stand in front of him, grabbed his neck with one hand, and with the other hand drew a dagger, pressing it against his vital spot, and began to step outside.


    At this moment, Jiang Yu, dressed in a suit and nked by Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu, emerged from the crowd, his gaze cold and steadfast as he fixed it on Ling Chen.


    Seeing the neer, Jiang Han seemed to see a savior, and immediately started yelling, "Big brother, save me, hurry!"


    "Ling Chen, let my brother go right now."


    "It¡¯s possible. Just ensure our safe departure, and I¡¯ll release him immediately."


    Hearing this, Jiang Yu nced at Nanrong Wanqing behind Ling Chen, his eyebrows knotted and his eyes hesitant, without responding for a long moment.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen¡¯s expression turned cold, and he pressed the dagger lightly against Jiang Han¡¯s neck, creating a fine cut from which bright red blood slowly started to ooze out, striking and rming.


    "Stop!" Jiang Yu quickly shouted, his tone anxious, "Fine, I¡¯ll let you go, but you must promise not to hurt my brother."

 Chapter 281 - 277: Major Disturbance at the Jiang Family 4

    <h4>Chapter 281: Chapter 277: Major Disturbance at the Jiang Family 4</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen smiled and replied, "That¡¯s possible..."


    "Not possible!" Suddenly, an old voice rose from the crowd, carrying a hint of chill, "Without my permission, no one can leave."


    Ling Chen followed the direction of the voice, only to see an elderly man with white hair, hands behind his back, walking briskly without the faltering steps typical of old age, carrying an aura of implicit authority. People around him stepped aside, bowing slightly, their faces full of respect.


    Jiang Kun!


    Jiang Family Patriarch.


    The name immediately popped into Ling Chen¡¯s mind. Before taking action, he had already researched the members of the Jiang family, so he was clear about the elder¡¯s identity.


    Thinking of what Jiang Kun had just said, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes narrowed, his expression turned solemn. With this old fellow¡¯s appearance, things might not be so easy to resolve.


    At that time, Ling Chen also noticed that, apart from Jiang Kun making an appearance, Jiang Ying had also arrived, standing behind Jiang Kun, watching the unfolding situation, his gazeplex.


    "So, you are Ling Chen?" Jiang Kun approached the crowd, staring directly at Ling Chen, his tone t, as if he hadn¡¯t seen Jiang Han being held hostage by Ling Chen.


    "So, you¡¯re the old guy in charge of the Jiang Family?" Ling Chen asked knowingly, his words not very polite.


    "Young man, I respect you as a Tiger List expert, and your future holds great promise, so I don¡¯t wish to make things difficult for you. Just let my grandson go, leave Nanrong Wanqing behind, and I will let you leave immediately, never to trouble you again."


    Ling Chen¡¯s lip curled slightly as he responded, "I respect your age, so I won¡¯t make it difficult for you either. Just let us leave safely, and not only will I let your grandson go, I¡¯ll even let you live a few more years. How about that?"


    Jiang Kun smiled faintly, his smile gradually turning cold, a sharp light shing in his eyes as he said slowly and deliberately, "Young man, one ought to be aware of their limitations. Don¡¯t overstep your bounds. In the Jiang family, a Tiger List expert is just a bodyguard. Your ability to defeat Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu does not mean you have the right to act arrogantly here."


    "Enough, stop with the nonsense." Ling Chen impatiently said, "I am just going to ask you once, do you still want Jiang Han¡¯s life?"


    Jiang Kun shook his head, "I don¡¯t believe you have the guts to kill him."


    "Is that so? Let¡¯s give it a try then." With those words, Ling Chen lightly shed with the dagger in his hand, creating a cut on Jiang Han¡¯s neck.


    Feeling the pain on his neck, Jiang Han¡¯s face instantly turned pale with terror, his body tense, he looked at Jiang Kun pleadingly and trembled, "Grand... Grandfather..."


    "Hey!" Ling Chen unashamedly responded, his lips curling, "Grandson, rather than begging your grandfather to save you, you might as well beg me, your new grandfather, to let you go."


    Jiang Kun narrowed his eyes slightly, staring at the wound on Jiang Han¡¯s neck, his eyes cold, showing a hint of ruthlessness.


    "Ling Chen, you are audacious."


    "Thanks for thepliment, I¡¯ve always been very bold. If you don¡¯t believe me, I can prove it to you right now."


    "Hmph!" Jiang Kun coldly said, "I wanted to give you a way out, but since you insist on seeking death, you can¡¯t me others. Kill him!"


    The moment the words fell, a sense of rm surged in Ling Chen¡¯s heart, and a fierce wind broke through the air. From the corner of his eye, he saw a sh of cold light shooting towards himself and Jiang Han. The attacker was incredibly fast, nearly reaching his peak speed instantly, and Ling Chen had no time to think much, hastening to step back.


    But at that moment, the cold light suddenly changed trajectory, swirling in the air, and aimed straight for his face. Seeing this, Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed slightly, surprised by the attacker¡¯s skill, which seemed to be more than a notch above the Qiu brothers.


    The opponentunched two consecutive attacks, aiming to repel him and rescue Jiang Han. Not only that, the opponent¡¯s moves were aggressive and ruthless, taking the initiative. If he had killed Jiang Han at that moment, he would have taken the bait.


    A life for a life, he couldn¡¯t afford the gamble and had no choice but to give up.


    However, just as he let go of Jiang Han, that cold star suddenly spun in the air, circling to his back at a tremendous speed, leaving him no chance to react. He only felt a fiery pain on his back as it was torn open by arge gash.


    "Ling Chen!"


    Seeing the vicious wound on his back, Nanrong Wanqing eximed in shock, her beautiful eyes unable to hide her concern as she asked, "Are you alright?"


    Ling Chen shook his head, shielding her behind him, and scanned the surroundings. He said, "Come out, at least let me know which expert I am dealing with."


    "Hanlin, teach him a lesson, so he may know there are some people he shouldn¡¯t provoke."


    Jiang Kun had barely finished speaking when a middle-aged man flew over the wall of the Siheyuan like a leaf rolled by the wind, lightly touching down on the ground.


    An expert!


    Ling Chen¡¯s heart sank a bit; just from the opponent¡¯s unassuming action, it was evident that this man was not only an expert but one of the topmost experts. He wondered what level of Inner Strength one must cultivate to reach such a state.


    With the appearance of the middle-aged man, Jiang Han¡¯s eyes lit up, and he joyfully called out, "Dad."


    Hearing this address, Ling Chen was taken aback as this man turned out to be Jiang Han¡¯s father, Jiang Hanlin.


    At this moment, Jiang Hanlin turned his head, revealing a fairly ordinary face with thick brows and narrow eyes. Despite being over forty, his skin was well-kept, showing no signs of age, resembling a man in his thirties, his expression cold and unemotional. Even hearing Jiang Han¡¯s shout induced no change in his demeanor. However, when his gaze shifted to Ling Chen, a sharp chill flickered in his eyes.


    "Dad, this guy almost killed me just now; you must avenge me." With Jiang Hanlin¡¯s backing, Jiang Han shed his earlier fear and became arrogant, giving Ling Chen a ¡¯you¡¯re doomed¡¯ look.


    Jiang Hanlin nodded slightly, sparing his words as he said coldly, "Those who bully the Jiang Family, kill!"


    A single word ¡¯kill¡¯, filled with a murderous chill, utterly cold.


    Ling Chen sized up Jiang Hanlin, his gaze suddenly drawn to something at his waist. It was a silver whip winding around his waist, six meters long, with a sharp dart attached at the end, glinting with a bone-chilling light.


    The dart had caused the wound on his back just a moment ago.


    "Ling Chen."


    Nanrong Wanqing pulled on his hand from behind, whispering, "You go first, I¡¯ll stay."


    From Jiang Hanlin and Ling Chen¡¯s brief interaction, she had already deduced that although Ling Chen was strong, Jiang Hanlin was stronger. If it came down to a fight, Ling Chen had no chance of winning. She was already satisfied that Ling Chen hade to rescue her despite the dangers; she didn¡¯t want him to get hurt because of her, which would make her regret it forever.


    Ling Chen turned his head, smiled, and held her hand back.


    "Don¡¯t say such foolish things. If we go, we go together; if we stay, we stay together."


    Feeling the resoluteness in his gaze, Nanrong Wanqing swallowed her words, a faint smile appeared on her lips, and she gently nodded.

 Chapter 282 - 278: Major Disturbance at the Jiang Family 5

    <h4>Chapter 282: Chapter 278: Major Disturbance at the Jiang Family 5</h4><h4></h4>


    "You just watch from the side, I¡¯ll handle things here." Ling Chen patted her hand and turned to walk towards Jiang Hanlin.


    Watching his retreating figure, Nanrong Wanqing gave her own right hand an odd nce. When Ling Chen was holding her hand earlier, she felt as if she had touched something hard.


    Ling Chen strode to the center of the area, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on Jiang Hanlin, standing tall and straight like a spear, his pupils as dark as ink showing not the slightest fear.


    As their eyes met, Ling Chen slightly raised the corners of his mouth, turned his head to Jiang Kun, and asked, "So if I win, I can take someone with me and leave?"


    Jiang Kun, as if he had just heard some funny joke, rxed his eyebrows slightly, his lips curling up in a scornful smile, nodded, and said, "Fine, I promise you, as long as you win, I will not trouble the two of you."


    Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu standing behind him silently shook their heads, not the least bit optimistic about Ling Chen¡¯s chances. Indeed, they had both lost to Ling Chen previously. But this time, Ling Chen¡¯s opponent was Jiang Hanlin. Having spent so many years at the Jiang Family, they knew all too well how formidable and terrifying Jiang Hanlin was. Years ago, the two brothers were consistently used as sparring partners for Jiang Hanlin. It was not until three years ago that they were able to shed this role, not because Jiang Hanlin no longer needed practice, but because they were no longer qualified to be his sparring partners.


    Jiang Hanlin was, undoubtedly, an expert.


    In their opinion, Jiang Hanlin¡¯s strength was enough to rank in the top three of the Tiger List. Yet, his name was not found on the Tiger List, not because hecked the qualification, but because he disdained it. Furthermore, he seldom appeared in public to showcase his strength, spending his time in seclusion within the family, practicing ¨C even the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was unaware that such a top-tier expert was hidden here.


    At this moment, Ling Chen paid no attention to the expressions of the Qiu brothers; all his energy was focused on Jiang Hanlin.


    Taking a deep breath, Ling Chen brought his hands together in salute, standing tall and announcing earnestly, "Please advise!"


    Without uttering a word, the cold light in Jiang Hanlin¡¯s eyes grew colder, as if it could pierce through one¡¯s body and freeze one¡¯s soul. A shiver ran through Ling Chen, who as a martial artist knew this to be the aura emanating from Jiang Hanlin.


    First, intimidate the opponent with one¡¯s presence, then strike with a fatal blow as swift as lightning.


    This was the mark of a top-tier expert.


    Facing this overwhelming pressure, Ling Chen drew a breath of energy from his Dantian, like a trickling stream, slowly flowing along his meridians, countering Jiang Hanlin¡¯s imposing aura.


    As Jiang Hanlin¡¯s aura reached its peak, Ling Chen saw the figure in front of him flicker; Jiang Hanlin had made his move.


    With a flip of his palm, concentrated with formidable Inner Strength, it sted towards him, aiming straight for his face.


    Jiang Hanlin was incredibly fast; his body approached Ling Chen in the blink of an eye.


    Worried, Nanrong Wanqing shouted urgently, "Ling Chen, be careful!" But her warning came toote. As soon as she spoke out, Ling Chen had already reacted.


    Ling Chen shifted slightly beneath his feet, dodging Jiang Hanlin¡¯s palm wind, and with agility swift as the wind, he moved to Jiang Hanlin¡¯s side. His fists clenched tightly, punch after punch resounded powerfully through the air, aiming for Jiang Hanlin¡¯s right shoulder.


    Jiang Hanlin didn¡¯t seem to dodge; instead, he slightly bent his right arm, palm facing outward, and astonishingly used his palm to block Ling Chen¡¯s punch firmly.


    Failing tond the punch, Ling Chen¡¯s pupils shrank. He quickly withdrew. However, whilst still in the stance with their fist and palm touching, Jiang Hanlin suddenly changed his move. His palm transformed into a grip, sping firmly onto Ling Chen¡¯s fist, preventing him from pulling away.


    Instantly, Ling Chen felt a powerful force flowing through the opponent¡¯s fingers, binding his fist tightly like an iron hoop, immobilizing it.


    Seeing this bad turn of events, without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Ling Chen¡¯s right leg shot up,unching a powerful kick towards Jiang Hanlin¡¯s neck.


    However, as Ling Chen¡¯s right leg hung mid-air, yet to hit the target, Jiang Hanlin seemed to have already anticipated his move. As Ling Chen began kicking, Jiang Hanlin¡¯s right leg lifted in sync, sweeping towards his nted left leg.


    Power surged forth, and as Ling Chen¡¯s left leg tilted, his body immediately lost its bnce, hanging suspended in mid-air. Seizing this opportunity, Jiang Hanlin pushed out a palm and viciously struck his chest.


    Puh!


    A mouthful of fresh blood spewed out, and under the impact of that force, Ling Chen¡¯s body was thrown straight out, mming into the wall of the Siheyuan, crashing down heavily.


    "Ling Chen!"


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s voice carried a hint of sobbing, as she hurried to his side, helping him up from the ground with a face full of concern, asking, "Are you alright?"


    "Hm?" Seeing Nanrong Wanqing move lightly on her feet, Jiang Kun¡¯s eyes suddenly narrowed, filled with a trace of puzzlement. Not just him, both Jiang Ying and Jiang Han were extraordinarily surprised.


    Wasn¡¯t Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s legs disabled? Why could she suddenly walk?


    At this moment, Ling Chen stood up from the ground, spitting out a mouthful of bloody saliva, hisplexion slightly pale but his sharp gaze fixed directly on Jiang Hanlin.


    Very strong!


    That was his only assessment of Jiang Hanlin.


    Through the recent exchange, he had profoundly experienced Jiang Hanlin¡¯s strength. He had almost exhausted all of his might, yet Jiang Hanlin had used, at most, sixty percent of his power. What was more important was that the silver whip, constantly wrapped around Jiang Hanlin¡¯s waist, hadn¡¯t been employed at all.


    That was Jiang Hanlin¡¯s strongest killing move!


    "Hanlin, no need to waste time with him, finish it quickly," Jiang Kun said, urging him. More than disciplining Ling Chen, he was now more eager to know why Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s legs had recovered.


    As soon as his words fell, the still-standing Jiang Hanlin tapped lightly with the tip of his foot, his body like a gust of wind, rushing swiftly towards Ling Chen. His palms lifted up before his chest, switching non-stop between feints and strikes, dazzling to the eyes and making it impossible to discern where his attack would trulye from.


    Ling Chen pushed Nanrong Wanqing aside and, rather than retreating, advanced to meet Jiang Hanlin¡¯s offensive, pressing forward with both fists. Just as they were about to sh, he suddenly let out a fierce shout, his fist power bursting forth, with great momentum and force, aiming a blow at Jiang Hanlin¡¯s left chest.


    He knew he couldn¡¯t discern Jiang Hanlin¡¯s feints from his real moves. Rather than take the risk, he would be better off engaging in a mutually destructive style of fighting, where neither side would lose out.


    Jiang Hanlin¡¯s eyes cooled slightly, Ling Chen¡¯s actions somewhat beyond his expectations. Immediately, the forward rush of his body paused slightly as he changed tactics mid-approach, switching from palms to grabs, with his right hand striking like lightning, seizing Ling Chen¡¯s right fist at the wrist, twisting along the arm, trying to disarm Ling Chen¡¯s right arm.


    Not good!


    Ling Chen was greatly rmed, his body instinctively reacting as he immediately sprung up, somersaulting in mid-air to dissipate Jiang Hanlin¡¯s power.


    However, just as he was about tond, a piercing surge of power suddenly closed in on him, and next, all he saw was Jiang Hanlin¡¯s knee rising sharply, hitting his shoulder.


    Crack!


    The sound was crisp, and Ling Chen¡¯s expression became instantly ghastly. He knew that was the sound of a dislocated arm.


    Before he could react, Jiang Hanlin¡¯s attacks continued relentlessly, not giving him a moment to breathe. Hanlin¡¯s single palm struck out repeatedly, hitting his chest, his Inner Strength bursting forth, once again sending him flying.


    "You, are not worthy to be my opponent."

 Chapter 283 - 279: Major Disturbance at the Jiang Family 6

    <h4>Chapter 283: Chapter 279: Major Disturbance at the Jiang Family 6</h4><h4></h4>


    The icy disdainful words reached Ling Chen¡¯s ears. He slowly lifted his head, looking at Jiang Hanlin who stood tall and proud across from him, a faint smile lifting the corners of his mouth, revealing teeth stained red with blood¡ªferal, horrifying, like a wild beast that had just awakened.


    Jiang Hanlin turned his back, unwilling to nce at Ling Chen again, his tone indifferent: "Hand him over to you. He¡¯s not worthy of dying by my hand."


    Hearing this, Jiang Han immediately leaped forward, eyes alight with bloodthirsty excitement, and chuckled coldly: "Dad, let me do it. I¡¯ve long wanted to ughter this guy myself." As he spoke, he extended his hand and someone immediately handed him a sharp dagger.


    Seeing Jiang Han approach step by step, Nanrong Wanqing bit her silver teeth and immediately rushed forward, arms wide open, blocking Jiang Han.


    "You¡¯re not allowed to touch him."


    "Cousin, you¡¯d better step aside; I don¡¯t want to hurt you."


    Nanrong Wanqing shook her head, her gaze resolute.


    "Wanqing, move. He can¡¯t kill me yet."


    Ling Chen¡¯s weak voice came through, and Nanrong Wanqing couldn¡¯t help but look back. She saw him leaning on the wall with one hand, struggling to stand up. However, his trembling legs didn¡¯t even have the strength to remain steady. After a great effort to stand halfway, he immediately copsed back to the ground.


    Seeing his struggle, her lips lightly pursed with a hint of reproach in her beautiful eyes¡ªas if to say, still trying to act tough in this state.


    Turning her gaze away, Nanrong Wanqing faced Jiang Han and said, "Let him go. I¡¯ll stay behind."


    "It¡¯s toote!" Jiang Han, impatient, reached out to push Nanrong Wanqing to the side. Seeing his handing, without thinking, Nanrong Wanqing pushed back immediately, making ast-ditch effort.


    But then, an astonishing scene unfolded. During their shoving match, Jiang Han couldn¡¯t withstand Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s strength and was directly pushed several meters away, then fell backward,nding on the ground with a thud.


    At this, everyone present was stunned; their looks towards Jiang Han were filled with mockery, derision, and helplessness.


    His father, Jiang Hanlin, possessed great strength,manding respect from warriors far and wide, yet his son was so useless he couldn¡¯t even handle a woman who was weak as a chicken, and to make matters worse, was pushed to the ground¡ªa total embarrassment.


    Among all the people present, probably only Ling Chen knew the truth. He too had seen what happened just now, and without a doubt, it must have been the function of the exoskeleton armor. The exoskeleton armor Nanrong Wanqing wore had been specially modified to reducebat ability to prevent idental harm when she used it. Even so, this suit of exoskeleton armor was not something ordinary people could contend with, especially not Jiang Han, who was just an average man.


    If he had known this would happen, he should have borrowed a few standard versions of the exoskeleton armor from the General. With that high-tech assistance, he wouldn¡¯t have lost so miserably.


    As these thoughts shed through his mind, Jiang Han had already stood up from the ground. Feeling the mocking gazes of the crowd, Jiang Han¡¯s cheeks were burning with shame and difort. Having been pushed to the ground by a woman was too humiliating; how could he ever hold his head up in the Jiang Family again?


    Thinking this, rage surged within him, drowning out his rationality. He roared and raised the dagger in his hand to stab at Nanrong Wanqing.


    "Stop!"


    "Stop!"


    Two voices rang out at once, one was Jiang Kun¡¯s, and the other was naturally Ling Chen¡¯s.


    However, Jiang Han, consumed by rage, seemed not to hear the reprimands from both men, and his speed did not decrease as he lunged at Nanrong Wanqing.


    The cold light flickered, rmingly conspicuous in the dark night. Nanrong Wanqing almost instinctively raised her arms, her beautiful eyes tightly closed, not daring to look.


    A second went by.


    Nanrong Wanqing found herself unharmed, but beside her came a heavy breathing sound. She turned her gaze in surprise and saw that Ling Chen had appeared behind her at some moment, his eyes blood-red, one hand tightly grasping Jiang Han¡¯s wrist, gasping for breath.


    "I told you to stop, didn¡¯t you hear?" Ling Chen¡¯s voice was low, heaving for breath like a bull, as if he had used up all his strength.


    "You..."


    Jiang Han stared at him in shock and rage, about to speak, but at that moment, Ling Chen¡¯s hand suddenly exerted force, viciously twisting the wrist he was holding, and the dagger gripped in Jiang Han¡¯s hand immediately switched direction, shing towards his own throat.


    Seeing the uncontroble dagger closing in on a vital point, Jiang Han¡¯s face turned deathly pale. No longer caring about being ridiculed, he urgently called for help: "Dad, save me!"


    Swoosh!


    As soon as the words were uttered, a cold star shot through the air, urately striking the dagger, which immediately flew out of his hand.


    Following that, the cold star surged forward, from top to bottom, lightly flicking, and drew a long sh across Ling Chen¡¯s chest, spattering blood, staining his shirt red.


    Gazing at the wound on his chest, Ling Chen¡¯s expression was stern, as if he felt no pain, and he strode towards Jiang Hanlin, his steps firm, his sharp eyes showing no sign of flinching.


    "How reckless!"


    Hearing Jiang Hanlin¡¯s cold mockery, Ling Chen grinned, lightly saying, "Not necessarily." Having said that, he lifted his arm and swallowed the bottle of blue liquid he held tight in his palm.


    Earlier, when he was holding hands with Nanrong Wanqing, he had taken the opportunity to unlock Mr. Yun¡¯s metal box with her fingerprint, inside which was hidden a bottle of blue liquid. He wasn¡¯t sure what effects it would have, so he dared not consume it lightly.


    At this moment, he had no other choice.


    ...


    In Yangcheng, in the presidential suite of a five-star hotel.


    A middle-aged man with aposed demeanor sat on the leather sofa, holding a cup of freshly brewed fragrant tea in his hand.


    In one corner of the room were severalputers and devices, with five suit-d employees seated in front of theputers, quietly watching the screens, seemingly waiting for something.


    Suddenly, an external device connected to aptop lit up with an indicator.


    Instantly, everyone sprang into action, rapidly typing on the keyboards, their eyes fixed on the leaping numbers on the screens, their expressions tense. At the same time, a young man walked over to the middle-aged man and said with a slight bow, "Boss, it¡¯s started."


    Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man immediately stood up and walked behind the row of working staff.


    "The test subject has sessfully ingested the drug, the nanochip is activated."


    "Drug integration level 80 percent... 90 percent... 92 percent... 95 percent..."


    As the percentage numbers climbed higher and higher, the brightness in the middle-aged man¡¯s eyes grew more intense.


    "Integration level 99 percent!"


    Once the number was confirmed, the middle-aged man couldn¡¯t help but clench his fist, a hint of a triumphant smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.


    "How are the test subject¡¯s vital signs?" he asked.


    "Body temperature increased by 100 percent, heart rate increased by 60 percent... The test subject is currently normal, vital signs stable."

 Chapter 284 - 280: Major Disturbance at the Jiang Family 7

    <h4>Chapter 284: Chapter 280: Major Disturbance at the Jiang Family 7</h4><h4></h4>


    "Very good, continue monitoring the data; I want aplete report." After speaking, the middle-aged man turned his head to look at the youth and smiled, "It seems that Zhu Hong¡¯s information was urate. Ling Chen¡¯s genes can perfectly fuse with the potion; it¡¯s just unknown if there will be any side effects."


    Jiang Family.


    Siheyuan.


    With a "click", the sound of a dislocated arm being set back in ce could be heard.


    At this moment, all eyes were focused on Ling Chen. Even ordinary people could feel the change in him.


    Jiang Hanlin stared coldly, watching Ling Chen, whose body glowed red as if scorched by raging mes, his eyes slightly wavering. As a martial artist, he had a clearer sense than others. In these few seconds, Ling Chen¡¯s aura was rapidly strengthening.


    He couldn¡¯t determine Ling Chen¡¯s condition, but he faintly felt that something was not right.


    Strike first to gain the upper hand!


    The thought prompted him to flick his wrist, and with a "swish", the tip of the silver whip with its cold gleam shot out again, aiming straight for Ling Chen¡¯s eyes.


    Facing the gust of the whip, Ling Chen, who was squinting, suddenly opened his eyes wide and, with a lightning-fast move, urately caught the end of the silver whip and wrapped it around his hand.


    Jiang Hanlin raised an eyebrow and immediately tugged the silver whip, trying to pull Ling Chen¡¯s body back along with it. But Ling Chen was as stable as a rock, his legs rooted to the ground. No matter how powerful Jiang Hanlin¡¯s effort was, Ling Chen remained unmoved.


    Seeing this scene, everyone found it unbelievable, even Jiang Kun¡¯s face showed a hint of astonishment. Previously, Ling Chen had beenpletely overpowered by Jiang Hanlin without any ability to fight back, but now he was evenly matched with Jiang Hanlin, despite his severe injuries, which was simply inconceivable.


    Suddenly, a roar erupted; Ling Chen yanked the silver whip, pushing off with his legs. Apanying his movement, Jiang Hanlin¡¯s face slightly changed, his right foot moved forward, his body slightly leaning as if he couldn¡¯t withstand Ling Chen¡¯s strength.


    "Let go!"


    In the midst of the yelling, the handle of the silver whip flew out from Jiang Hanlin¡¯s hand, leaving a shallow bloodstain on his palm.


    The pain in his palm transmitted, and a violent sh appeared in Jiang Hanlin¡¯s icy eyes.


    "Seeking death!"


    With a soft exhtion, he tapped his toes on the ground, closing in quickly, inner strength surging and striking out with a single palm toward Ling Chen¡¯s vital spot.


    Ling Chen, throwing off the silver whip from his hands, didn¡¯t dodge and swung his fist towards Jiang Hanlin¡¯s palm. Fist and palm met, the robust Inner Strength gushing out like a surging river continuously from Jiang Hanlin¡¯s body.


    However, Ling Chen didn¡¯t move back an inch, standing firm,pletely unaffected by the Inner Strength. Suddenly, Ling Chen opened his mouth and roared like a tiger, his punching power bursting out, his formidable force tearing through with a crushing momentum, immediately dismantling Jiang Hanlin¡¯s attack.


    Seizing the advantage, Ling Chen pressed forward aggressively, stepping forward with rapid punches thrown from both left and right with increasing power, showing no sign of stopping.


    Forced into a retreat, Jiang Hanlin continuously stepped back, his palms waving in front of his chest, desperately countering Ling Chen¡¯s punches.


    After more than a dozen exchanges, Jiang Hanlin¡¯splexion turned slightly pale, his arms numbed by the force of Ling Chen¡¯s strikes, gradually slowing down.


    In contrast, Ling Chen seemed not to feel any pain at all, relentlessly advancing, with only one thought in his mind¡ªto defeat the opponent in front of him.


    At this moment, Jiang Hanlin revealed a w, and Ling Chen seized the opportunity,unching a punch straight towards his opponent¡¯s chest. However, Jiang Hanlin reacted quickly, slightly bending his body and tightly wrapping his hands around Ling Chen¡¯s arms, preventing his punch from advancing even half an inch.


    Ling Chen¡¯s punch was blocked, and he fiercely raised his head, staring directly into Jiang Hanlin¡¯s eyes.


    Not good!


    This exmation of "not good" came from Jiang Hanlin, not from Ling Chen. When their eyes met, Jiang Hanlin was surprised to find a faint sneer emerging in Ling Chen¡¯s red eyes.


    Unfortunately, it was toote for him.


    "Die!"


    Apanied by Ling Chen¡¯s furious shout, his arms, originally restrained by Jiang Hanlin, suddenly exerted force, broke free from Jiang Hanlin¡¯s grasp, and violently smashed into his chest.


    Spurt!


    A spray of blood shot out, and Jiang Hanlin¡¯s chest immediately caved in, his bones shattered, and he nearly couldn¡¯t catch his breath, standing still on the spot for a long time.


    "Dad!" Jiang Han cried out in rm and took a step forward to rush over. But before he could move, Ling Chen appeared in front of him.


    Feeling the chilly ruthlessness in those blood-red eyes, Jiang Han involuntarily shuddered and hastily stepped back. But by then, Ling Chen had already reached out first, grabbing his cor and lifting him from the ground, holding him high in the air.


    Seeing his actions, Jiang Kun, Jiang Hanlin, Jiang Ying, and Jiang Yu¡¯s expressions drastically changed, and they yelled in anger and shock, "Ling Chen, what are you doing?"


    "I want you all to know what¡¯s called retribution." With that, Ling Chen swung a punch, heading straight for Jiang Han¡¯s forehead.


    "No!" Watching the rapidly erging fist before him, Jiang Han¡¯s pupils constricted, his face turned pale, full of fear.


    "Stop!"


    As Jiang Kun¡¯s voice echoed, Ling Chen¡¯s merciless fist smashed onto Jiang Han¡¯s forehead. Instantly, Jiang Han¡¯s head tilted, dangling weakly over his neck, frothing at the mouth, unconscious.


    Unperturbed by the furious stares from everyone, Ling Chen casually threw Jiang Han to the ground, his icy gaze sweeping over the crowd, like a beast on the hunt.


    "Who else?"


    As he spoke, a group of security personnel stepped back, not daring to meet his gaze.


    Jiang Hanlin gazed at his son lying on the ground, uncertain if he was alive or dead, his eyes emitting a cold re as his body shook with extreme anger. As he stepped forward, intense pain immediately shot from his chest, and his limbs spasmodically twitched uncontrobly.


    "You... you dare..." Jiang Kun pointed at Ling Chen, his old face turning pale with anger, unable to utter aplete sentence. Jiang Han was his grandson, yet Ling Chen had crippled him right in front of him, tantly disregarding the Jiang family.


    Ling Chen coldly said, "Old fool, listen carefully. If you dare to bully the Nanrong Family again, I will ensure the Jiang Family never recovers. Wanqing, let¡¯s go."


    Nanrong Wanqing softly agreed, closely following his steps, heading straight outside. The surrounding security personnel all stepped aside, not daring to obstruct. This man had dared to cripple the young master of the Jiang family; he was not someone they could afford to provoke.


    Watching the two of them receding into the distance, Jiang Yu gritted his teeth and said, "Family Head, are we just going to let them go? Shall I go and invite..."


    "Shut up!" Jiang Kun sharply interjected: "Do not disturb them over such trivial matters. Today we¡¯ll let them go, but sooner orter, I¡¯ll settle this ount with them properly."

 Chapter 285 - 281: Successful Rescue

    <h4>Chapter 285: Chapter 281: Sessful Rescue</h4><h4></h4>


    With those words, he walked over to the side, bent down to pick up an empty bottle from the ground, and examined it closely in front of him. Suddenly, it seemed he thought of something, and his expression changed slightly.


    "Jiang Yu, you handle the aftermath here." Leaving behind that remark, he hurriedly turned and left.


    "Boss, the experimental subject¡¯s vital signs are beginning to weaken."


    "Is there any danger?"


    "No, at most they¡¯ll be in a faint for a while. This is a normal reaction after taking the medication."


    The middle-aged man nodded and said, "That¡¯s good. By the way, how long did the drug effectst?"


    "Nine minutes, which is a record-breaking duration. Other experimental subjects, after taking the new drug, could only hold out for three minutes at most, and they experienced severe side effects¡ªthe milder being brain death, the more serious being fatal¡ªbut this experimental subject hasn¡¯t shown any of these adverse characteristics."


    "The nano-chip inside the experimental subject¡¯s body will soon be excreted. Hurry up and monitor all his bodily data."


    "Yes."


    ...


    After leaving the Jiang Family, Ling Chen felt his body getting weaker and weaker; his legs seemed filled with lead, unable to lift, and only with Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s support was he able to walk out of the Jiang residence.


    After exiting the Nanyang Coast vi area, a Volkswagenmercial vehicle slowly approached and stopped beside them. The van door opened, and Tang Yuan and Zhong Wei immediately jumped down, lifting Ling Chen into the vehicle.


    "Tang Yuan, Tang Yuan..."


    The van started, and Tang Yuan gently tapped Ling Chen¡¯s cheek, trying to wake him up. But at that moment, Ling Chen¡¯s consciousness was fading, and he could no longer hear the sounds of the outside world. In a drowsy haze, his eyes tightly shut, he fell into a deep sleep.


    Not knowing how long he slept for, when Ling Chen woke up, he felt soreness all over his body as if he had been severely beaten, with pain everywhere.


    Sitting up, he looked around at his environment and was suddenly taken aback¡ªwasn¡¯t this his bedroom at the Nanrong Family house? When did hee back? While he was pondering, the door was pushed open, and Nanrong Wanqing came in with a basin of hot water.


    "Wanqing."


    "You¡¯re awake!" With a look of surprise on her face, Nanrong Wanqing walked to the bedside, put down the basin, took Ling Chen¡¯s hands in hers, and said joyfully, "You¡¯re finally awake."


    Ling Chen watched her with a smile and asked, "How long have I been asleep?"


    "If you count from when we left the Jiang Family, you¡¯ve been asleep for a day and a half." As she spoke, Nanrong Wanqing asked with concern, "How are you feeling? Is everything okay with your body? Do you want me to call a doctor to have a look at you?"


    "You forgot, I know medical techniques myself. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m very tough." Ling Chen patted his chest as he spoke, but immediately his body protested with a violent cough, making Nanrong Wanqing both frustrated and heartbroken.


    "Alright! Stop trying to act tough and rest properly." With those words, she wrung out a towel from the hot water basin and carefully wiped Ling Chen¡¯s face.


    This kind of task could be done by the housemaid at home, but she wanted to take care of Ling Chen herself. It wasn¡¯t just because of Ling Chen¡¯s sacrifices for her, but more importantly, she regarded Ling Chen as her man. As a woman, it was only natural to take care of your man.


    "Wanqing."


    "Hmm?"


    Ling Chen curiously asked, "The Jiang Family kidnapped you, what exactly for?"


    Nanrong Wanqing shook her head, her beautiful eyes also showing a trace of confusion, "I¡¯m not sure, they seemed to have some ns for me. Originally, Jiang Han was ready to do something to me, but then you arrived in time and stopped him, so I don¡¯t know the specific reason." With that, she hesitated for a moment, and couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Is... is Jiang Han dead?"


    "He¡¯s not dead, but he might as well be, he¡¯s going to have to spend the rest of his life in bed," Ling Chen said. He knew how to control his strength, and that punch, while not lethal, was enough to leave Jiang Han in a vegetative state.


    He never imed to be a good person. If someone offends him, he would strike back¡ªthat was his principle. Jiang Han repeatedly opposed him and even kidnapped Nanrong Wanqing. Without venting his anger, it would be unfair to himself and would not serve as a harsh lesson to the Jiang Family.


    However, the sessful rescue of Nanrong Wanqing and their smooth escape were owed to the mysterious Mr. Yun. But every time he thought of Mr. Yun, his heart was filled with doubts.


    From the enhanced medicine, it was clear that Mr. Yun must be from the God Organization. Being from the God Organization, why would he help rescue Nanrong Wanqing? Moreover, every time Mr. Yun mentioned Nanrong Wanqing, he affectionately called her "Wanqing." Such a term is only used by those with close rtions.


    With this in mind, he asked, "Wanqing, do you know someone named Mr. Yun?"


    "Mr. Yun? I don¡¯t recall. Why do you ask?"


    "It¡¯s nothing, just wondering," Ling Chen replied evasively. That person knew Nanrong Wanqing very well, yet she did not recognize him¡ªcould it be... A bold guess suddenly struck his mind, leaving him utterly shocked.


    No way!


    He was secretly astounded, if his guess was true, then this matter would be a huge deal, likely even moreplicated than he had imagined.


    "What are you thinking about?" Seeing him lost in thought and appearing shaken, Nanrong Wanqing couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    "I¡¯m just thinking..." Ling Chen grinned, his gaze captured by her bright eyes, "I¡¯m thinking, when the old man and the others see you walking again, they¡¯re going to be so excited they won¡¯t be able to sleep for days."


    Hearing his words, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s beautiful face bloomed like a thousand flowers in joy, a sparkle of childish excitement shing in her eyes. In her view, being able to walk again was even more delightful than returning home safely from the Jiang Family.


    Even though it was with the help of external exoskeleton armor, it was still better than life in a wheelchair before.


    Ling Chen gently held her delicate and fair wrists, gazing intently into her eyes that shone like stars, as if making a promise, he said, "I guarantee you, this is just the beginning, I will surely make you stand on your own strength."


    "Mhm." Nanrong Wanqing nodded, the corners of her lips curving up into a beautiful arc, making Ling Chen¡¯s heart itch with desire. If it weren¡¯t for his body not yet fully recovered, he would have pounced on her to taste those tempting red lips.


    Seemingly sensing his intense gaze, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face blushed with modesty, and she rebuked yfully, "Don¡¯t daydream, rest well."


    Ling Chen coughed lightly, hiding his inner impulse, and changed the subject, "By the way, where¡¯s Old Tang?"


    "He¡¯s gone back. He said if you woke up, to give him a call."


    "Okay."


    ...


    The next day.


    Nanrong Wanqing had gone to the Hongyu Group headquarters with Zhong Wei and others, leaving Ling Chen alone at home. Out of sheer boredom, he casually turned on the television, leaned back on the bed, and leisurely enjoyed some grapes.


    For these two days, he had enjoyed an emperor-like treatment, not having to lift a finger as everything was brought to him.


    Just then, a news report on the television suddenly caught his attention.

 Chapter 286 - 282: Distance

    <h4>Chapter 286: Chapter 282: Distance</h4><h4></h4>


    "This station¡¯stest report, Miss Tang Shiyun, an artist under Silver Star Entertainment Company, will hold a fan meeting at East Sea City International Square in two days. This will also be Miss Tang¡¯s first public appearance since she was attacked. Up to now, both Silver Star Entertainment and the police have not released many details about the previous attack. Our station will broadcast the entire fan meeting live, so please tune in..."


    Watching the news, Ling Chen frowned to himself. Several days had passed, have they still not found the suspect? Could the police¡¯s efficiency be this low?


    Right now, with the attacker still atrge, Tang Shiyun is actually appearing in public again; he wondered what herpany was thinking. What if something happens again?


    While pondering, he picked up his phone, pulled up Tang Shiyun¡¯s number, his thumb hovered over ¡¯call¡¯, hesitating, never pressing down. It¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t want to, but just thinking about Tang Shiyun¡¯s mother, Yao Li, made him somewhat indecisive.


    After thinking, he decided against it, better not let Yao Li know he contacted Tang Shiyun and bring that girl trouble.


    Havingid around all morning, Ling Chen really couldn¡¯t stay idle any longer. He got up from bed, dressed himself, and stealthily opened the door. Seeing that Nanny Wang was not in the living room, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly ran out.


    He had no choice, as Nanrong Wanqing was afraid he wouldn¡¯t rest properly, she specifically instructed Nanny Wang to watch over him and not allow him to go out.


    Once outside, Ling Chen went straight to his car, apanied by a roar like that of a beast, the car swiftly sped off and entered the road.


    He initially wanted to go to thepany to have a look, but then thought, if Nanrong Wanqing happened to be there, he couldn¡¯t predict the ¡¯lecture¡¯ he¡¯d get. Thinking of this, he directly drove to Qingyun Martial Arts Hall. About the Prajnaparamita Sutra, he had too many questions to ask He Ziyun.


    Half an hourter, the car arrived at the destination.


    Ling Chen walked up to the Martial Arts Academy and gently knocked on the door. In no time, the door opened, revealing a stunningly beautiful face. Their eyes met, both paused briefly. After a short moment, Ling Chen was the first to recover and greeted with a smile.


    "Xiaozhu, long time no see."


    Since theyst parted, it had been almost one or two months since he saw Zhu Xiaozhu. After so many days, Zhu Xiaozhu was still as gentle and graceful as ever, like a tranquil autumn water casually flowing into one¡¯s heart and intoxicating it.


    "Come in."


    Watching Ling Chen, Zhu Xiaozhu spoke softly. Her beautiful eyes shimmered like water, carrying a hint of unusual emotions.


    Walking into the Martial Arts Academy, Ling Chen and Zhu Xiaozhu walked side by side, asionally exchanging a few words¡ªmostly Ling Chen asking and Zhu Xiaozhu softly responding a couple of times, silently, with her head down, her eyes touching the ground, seemingly lost in thought, appearing distracted.


    "Big brother!"


    Seeing Ling Chen walking over, Little Hua cheerfully ran out from the hall and affectionately wrapped his arm, seemingly wanting to hang her whole body weight on his arm.


    "Careful, careful," Ling Chen said hastily. His body hadn¡¯t yet recovered, and it couldn¡¯t withstand this girl¡¯s frolic.


    "Big brother, you haven¡¯t visited me for a long time." Little Hua pouted, somewhat displeased.


    "I¡¯m here now, aren¡¯t I." Ling Chen knew how demanding this girl could be, fearing she might seize the chance to ¡¯ckmail¡¯ him, he quickly changed the subject and asked, "Where is Mr. He? I need to see him for something."


    "Sniff!" Little Hua frowned with dissatisfaction, mumbling through her nose, "Every visit is to see that old man, never just for me."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen was caught betweenughter and tears. How cunning a child she was! Who knows what was going on in her little head?


    "You guys go ahead and talk, I have some other things to take care of," Zhu Xiaozhu said softly. Without waiting for Ling Chen to respond, she had already headed towards her own room, not looking back. Watching her graceful, slender figure leaving, Ling Chen opened his mouth, tried to speak several times, but the words seemed to be stuck in his throat.


    Little Hua nced at Zhu Xiaozhu, then back at Ling Chen, a subtle twinkle hardly noticeable in her big round eyes.


    "Big Brother, did you have a fight with Sister Xiaozhu?"


    "Nothing of the sort."


    "Then why won¡¯t Sister Xiaozhu talk to you?"


    "This..." Ling Chen was momentarily speechless, unsure how to exin to her. Indeed, there was a seemingly insurmountable chasm between him and Zhu Xiaozhu. However, that didn¡¯t prevent them from being friends. In fact, he had realized upon arriving at the Martial Arts Academy that avoiding the issue was not a solution. As a man, he ought to be more magnanimous.


    Yet, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s attitude was puzzling. Although on the surface nothing seemed amiss, he could sense that Zhu Xiaozhu was keeping him at a great distance. The smile on her face was merely polite, no longer as sincere as before.


    Thinking it over, he hadn¡¯t seen Zhu Xiaozhu for a while and couldn¡¯t figure out where he might have offended her.


    Ah, the heart of a woman is like a needle in the depths of the sea; not something a man like him could easily fathom. Shaking his head, he decided not to dwell on it and stepped into the lobby. Little Hua nibbled on her finger, her eyes wandering cunningly before she hurried to Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s room.


    At this moment, He Ziyun was seated in the hall, holding a scripture. Beside him, an incense burner wafted faint blue smoke, filling the room with the delightful fragrance of sandalwood.


    "Mr. He." Ling Chen greeted him as he approached.


    He Ziyun slightly lifted his head to gaze at him, a sharp light shing through his cloudy aging eyes. He set down the scripture and said, "You¡¯re injured."


    "I knew I couldn¡¯t hide it from your eyes." Ling Chen smiled, sat down uninvited, and began to recount the events of the past few days.


    "Yangcheng¡¯s Jiang Family?" He Ziyun nodded, "I¡¯ve heard of them. That family is deeply hidden and not to be trifled with."


    Ling Chen touched his nose, his face filled with curiosity, "Mr. He, everyone says the Jiang Family is no simple matter, but I really can¡¯t see what¡¯s soplex about them."


    He Ziyun gave a light smile, "What¡¯s visible on the surface isn¡¯t frightening. What¡¯s truly terrifying are the things hidden behind. It applies to both situations and people. You can know one¡¯s face but not the heart. The outward appearance doesn¡¯t represent the inside unless you have the skill to dissect andy everything bare unabashedly. Otherwise, do not take it lightly."


    Ling Chen took the lesson to heart, "Right! Mr. He, there seems to be an issue with the Prajnaparamita Sutra I¡¯ve been practicing."


    "Any Internal Cultivation Method, without predecessors¡¯ guidance or references, must be tackled through self-exploration. It¡¯s normal to encounter problems. Tell me about it, and let¡¯s see if I can help you solve them."


    Promptly, Ling Chen recounted the sparring encounter with Qiu Wen and his brothers, including the sudden emergence of a strange, malevolent fire within him.

 Chapter 287 - 283 Porridge Girl’s Challenge Letter

    <h4>Chapter 287: Chapter 283 Porridge Girl¡¯s Challenge Letter</h4><h4></h4>


    "Interesting."


    After listening to Ling Chen¡¯s story, He Ziyun¡¯s eyes slightly brightened, as if he had discovered something amusing.


    Ling Chen secretly smiled wryly; he didn¡¯t find this amusing at all. The Internal Cultivation Methods he practiced always inexplicably lost control, who knows what situation might arise in the future. Moreover, that evil fire only appeared when he shed with his brothers Qiu Wen, that day when he sparred with Jiang Hanlin, he hoped to ignite the evil fire inside him, but there was no movement at all,pletely out of his control.


    "This matter should be rted to a woman."


    "Woman?" Ling Chen blinked slightly perplexed, "Mr. He, what does this have to do with a woman?"


    "Didn¡¯t you just say that the night before you and Qiu Wen brothers shed, you had an encounter with a woman."


    Upon hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s face turned red, even someone as thick-skinned as him felt embarrassed to discuss this openly in front of He Ziyun.


    "Prajnaparamita Sutra is a profound internal cultivation method that integrates the essence of various schools including shades of the Buddhist mental methods. Ling Chen, have you ever heard of Dual Cultivation? Though Buddhism is a tranquil ce that doesn¡¯t indulge in worldly affairs, Buddhism explores all aspects, embracing the world, and even matters of men and women aren¡¯t taboo. Otherwise, how would there be Joyful Buddha. The internal cultivation method you practice mainly relies on Yin and Yang. Men are Yang, women are Yin, and only by merging Yin and Yang can it manifest its effects. Therefore, that situation urred when you faced off with Qiu Wen brothers."


    Ling Chen asked doubtfully, "But why didn¡¯t this happen when I faced Jiang Hanlin?"


    "It¡¯s because youck Yin Qi in your body, so it couldn¡¯t be activated," He Ziyun exined.


    "I see." Ling Chen nodded, somewhat understanding, feeling an indescribable taste in his heart. This internal cultivation method is good, but it¡¯s too perverse. ording to Mr. He, doesn¡¯t it mean that I need to engage more with women, umting enough Yin Qi inside, in order for the Prajnaparamita Sutra to exert its maximum power?


    Damn, does it mean I really have to be a pervert.


    While mulling over this, a knocking sound came from outside the Martial Arts Academy.


    Before Ling Chen could get up, Little Hua had already sprinted out from Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s room and ran directly to the door.


    Soon, Little Hua came bouncing back into the lobby and said to Mr. He: "Master, a very beautiful Sister is looking for you."


    Beautiful? And a woman?


    He Ziyun, ignoring Ling Chen¡¯s ill-intentioned gaze, walked towards the courtyard. Ling Chen also wanted to see what that woman looked like, and quickly followed him.


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but nce at Mr. He again, a strange smile emerging on his lips. Unexpectedly, this old man still preserved the colors of manhood despite his age.


    Exiting the lobby, Ling Chen saw Zhu Xiaozhu being dragged out of her room by Little Hua. Their eyes met, and Zhu Xiaozhu slightly lowered her head, seemingly unwilling to make eye contact. Ling Chen shrugged helplessly; he really didn¡¯t know why suddenly Zhu Xiaozhu was so resistant to him.


    At that moment, the beautiful Sister mentioned by Little Hua appeared from the doorway, walking towards him. Looking at the arriving guest, Ling Chen¡¯s expression froze slightly, his pupils reflecting surprise.


    Is it her?


    Long time no see, she hasn¡¯t changed, still so in and simple, wearing no makeup. However, even with a bare face, her stunning beauty cannot be hidden¡ªher figure neither fat nor thin, perfectly contoured like a naturally carved ice sculpture, elegant and ethereal, with a touch of coldness.


    When he was watching her, she was also observing him. Their eyes met, Ling Chen slightly smiled and nodded lightly, greeting her.


    However, the woman didn¡¯t show much response, directly withdrawing her cold gaze and looking towards Mr. He, her lips slightly parting.


    "Are you Earthly List expert, He Ziyun?"


    Mr. He smiled faintly, nodding: "That¡¯s me. And you are?"


    "Porridge girl."


    "Porridge girl?" Hearing this unique name, Mr. He gently shook his head, "Youngdy, this mustn¡¯t be your real name. Not even daring to reveal your name shows ack of sincerity, my Martial Arts Academy doesn¡¯t entertain people without sincerity. Please leave."


    "My name is indeed Porridge girl. If you don¡¯t believe it, you can ask him," she said, pointing at Ling Chen.


    "Oh?" Mr. He looked puzzledly at Ling Chen, "You know her?"


    Before Ling Chen could speak, Porridge girl added, "He was the one who gave me this name."


    With this statement, the way the others looked at Ling Chen changed. Zhu Xiaozhu clenched her dress and a seldom noticeable hint of sadness flickered through her eyes, followed by a nearly inaudible sigh.


    "Since you¡¯re a friend of Ling, I won¡¯t ask further. What brings you to me?"


    "I¡¯vee to challenge you!" As she spoke, Porridge girl flicked her wrist, and suddenly, a golden challenge letter appeared in Mr. He¡¯s hand.


    Ling Chen, watching from the side, was startled; he couldn¡¯t even see the trajectory of the challenge letter, and it alreadynded in Mr. He¡¯s hand, the speed probably surpassed visual recognition.


    Her abilities are actually this strong!


    When he first met Porridge girl, he knew she was an expert, but he didn¡¯t expect her to be among the very elite. Mr. He is ranked on the Earthly List, and Porridge Girl was challenging him. What did this imply?


    Mr. He maintained hisposure, his smile probing: "Since you know I¡¯m an Earthly List expert, your own skills must not be negligible?" This sentence, although courteous on the surface, hinted, do you really have the qualifications to challenge an Earthly List expert?


    Porridge girl effortlessly undid the cloth bag on her back, throwing a cleaved two-piece steel knife onto the ground. Although broken, the de emitted a chilling light, the might lingering.


    "This is the personal weapon of Liu Xieyuan, ranked eighth on the Earthly List. Do I qualify to challenge you now?"


    Watching the broken knife on the ground, Mr. He¡¯s expression turned solemn.


    "The time and ce are on the challenge letter, please be punctual."


    As she finished speaking, Porridge girl turned and walked outside.


    "Wait! Hold on!"


    Ling Chen, seeing her leaving, quickly followed, but by the time he reached the door, Porridge girl was nowhere to be seen.


    This woman, after such a long time, could at least have stayed to catch up; after all, he was practically her first friend.


    Returning to the Martial Arts Academy, Zhu Xiaozhu had already gone back to her room with Little Hua. Mr. He picked up the broken knife from the ground, and without looking back, said, "Ling Chen, you can leave first. I am going to close off for a few days and won¡¯t see any guests."


    Helpless, Ling Chen had to leave the Martial Arts Academy and drove towards Wealthy Manor.


    On the way, his cell phone suddenly rang. Looking at the unfamiliar caller ID, he answered and said, "Who is this? ... Is it you?" Ling Chen was slightly surprised, somewhat puzzled, howe this person was calling him.

 Chapter 288 - 284 Death Threat

    <h4>Chapter 288: Chapter 284 Death Threat</h4><h4></h4>


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen turned around and entered a street, driving a hundred meters before parking by the roadside, and got out to walk into a coffee shop on the street.


    Arriving at the prearranged private room, Ling Chen lightly knocked on the door, then pushed it open and walked in.


    In the modest-sized room, a delicate round table was ced by the window, with the curtains drawn. Zhu Yansong was sitting on one side, holding a cup of coffee, his face colored with anxiety.


    "Mr. Zhu."


    Ling Chen greeted and took a seat opposite him.


    Zhu Yansong squeezed out a wry smile and said apologetically, "Mr. Ling, I¡¯m terribly sorry to bother you during your busy schedule to meet with me."


    "No problem, I was just idling at home anyway. Mr. Zhu, do you need something from me?"


    When Ling Chen received the call from Zhu Yansong, he was very curious, not knowing what the other party wanted from him.


    Zhu Yansong hesitated for a moment, a troubled expression on his face, "Mr. Ling, my visit today is mainly concerning Miss Tang."


    Upon hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s mind stirred, and he asked without revealing his thoughts, "Is it Miss Yao who asked you to find me?"


    "No, not at all!" Zhu Yansong hastily replied, "You¡¯ve misunderstood, I¡¯m here because Miss Tang needs help."


    Help? Without continuing the conversation, Ling Chen waited silently for Zhu Yansong to finish speaking.


    "Mr. Ling, to be frank, Miss Tang has run into trouble."


    "What?" Ling Chen¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he eximed, "What kind of trouble? Where is she? Is she okay?" His thoughts immediately turned to Tang Shiyun¡¯s previous assault incident. Could it be... With that thought, his heart started to race with worry.


    "Mr. Ling, she¡¯s currently at home."


    Ling Chen paused for a moment, then rxed. That scared him¡ªhe had thought Tang Shiyun was in danger. "Mr. Zhu, can you please speak clearly? You¡¯re going to give someone a heart attack like this."


    "Miss Tang has been scared out of her witstely, staying at home all day, afraid to go out."


    "Wait! Make yourself clear, what do you mean scared out of her wits?"


    "Ever since the assault incident, Miss Tang has been receiving anonymous letters filled with gruesome photos, of severed hands and feet, or heads chopped off. At first, it wasn¡¯t too bad, but these past two days, it¡¯s not just photos anymore. The sender even mailed boxes containing dissected dead cats and dogs, their bodies brutally mutted." Even Zhu Yansong, a grown man, showed a look of dread. Obviously, he had seen those animal corpses.


    "Death threats!" Ling Chen immediately identified the nature of the incident.


    "Yes, that¡¯s it," Zhu Yansong nodded.


    At that moment, as if something urred to Ling Chen, he said, "I saw on the news, Shiyun is going to have a fan meet in East Sea City. Knowing that someone is out to harm her, why not cancel it?"


    "The fan meet was scheduled a month ago, and after this incident, thepany¡¯s upper management was concerned for Miss Tang¡¯s safety and wanted to cancel it. However, after consulting with the police, they advised us to proceed as normal. They said as long as Miss Tang appears in public, they will definitely be able to lure out those with malicious intent. At that time, they n to implement full surveince, hoping to catch the suspect."


    "That won¡¯t do, this is gambling with Shiyun¡¯s life," Ling Chen frowned, clearly aggravated, "What kind of terrible advice is this?"


    Zhu Yansong looked helpless as he replied, "I can¡¯t do anything about this situation; it¡¯s a decision made by thepany¡¯s executives and the police. I¡¯m just a man paid to get things done, I don¡¯t have the authority to criticize. Mr. Ling, I know you care about Miss Tang and I¡¯m aware of your capabilities, so I¡¯d like to ask for your help to ensure nothing happens to Miss Tang."


    Without hesitating, Ling Chen responded, "When ites to Shiyun¡¯s safety, I have an undeniable responsibility." He paused and nced at Zhu Yansong, unable to help himself from asking, "Mr. Zhu, is it Shiyun who asked you to find me, or..."


    "I took the initiative."


    "Oh." Ling Chen¡¯s expression turned somewhat disappointed.


    "Mr. Ling, please don¡¯t mind, actually Miss Tang really needs you by her side, it¡¯s just... you know, she isn¡¯t in a position to do much right now. Just before I left, I saw Miss Tang sitting alone on the windowsill, holding her phone, staring at your number, and hesitant to call, fearing that Miss Yao would discover."


    Ling Chen nodded to show he understood. The main problem wasn¡¯t Tang Shiyun, but Yao Li. With Yao Li by Tang Shiyun¡¯s side, even if she missed him, she wouldn¡¯t dare to express it, lest it would only worsen the mother-daughter rtionship.


    "Mr. Zhu, how are Shiyun¡¯s current security measures?"


    "Besides the bodyguards hired by ourpany, there are the police protecting her around the clock. As long as she doesn¡¯t leave the vi, there¡¯s no problem. What I¡¯m most concerned about is the fan meet the day after tomorrow, that¡¯s the critical moment."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I will be there to assist you in secret," Ling Chen emphasized the word ¡¯secret,¡¯ to slightly ease Zhu Yansong¡¯s anxiety. His biggest fear was having Ling Chen face off with Yao Li; her previous threats were still fresh in his memory, not to be forgotten.


    Taking a nce at the time, Ling Chen stood up and said, "Mr. Zhu, we¡¯ll be in touch about the day after tomorrow. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be going now."


    "Sure, take care."


    Leaving the coffee shop, Ling Chen got into his car, mulling over Zhu Yansong¡¯s words. Whoever was sending the death threats must be the same person who attacked the Lincoln Sedan outside of East Sea University. However, what he couldn¡¯t understand was who bore such a deep grudge against Tang Shiyun to the point of wanting her dead.


    Tang Shiyun was new to her career, Zhu Yansong said she got along well with everyone, never offended anyone, and wouldn¡¯t have enemies.


    Could the suspect be psychologically disturbed?


    If that were the case, it seemed far-fetched.


    After much thought, Ling Chen decided to arrange a meeting with Xia Mutong. The operation was led by the police; it was necessary to give her a heads-up. Additionally, he wanted to ascertain which idiot came up with such a lousy idea of risking Tang Shiyun¡¯s life.


    The phone connected.


    "Hello." Xia Mutong¡¯s crisp voice came through.


    "It¡¯s me. Are you free right now?"


    "I¡¯m very busy," Xia Mutong had just finished her sentence when Ling Chen heard a familiar voice from the other end: "Xia, dinner¡¯s ready, are youing to eat with us?"


    Tang Shiyun?


    Ling Chen tensed slightly, wondering why Xia Mutong was with Tang Shiyun. Right, he realized, as a police officer, Xia Mutong must be involved in this operation. Moreover, being a woman, she could provide close protection for Tang Shiyun¡¯s safety.


    However, considering Xia Mutong¡¯s sexual orientation, he couldn¡¯t help but worry if that woman might attempt anything inappropriate with Tang Shiyun.

 Chapter 289 - 285: Exotic Taste

    <h4>Chapter 289: Chapter 285: Exotic Taste</h4><h4></h4>


    "Officer Xia, I..."


    "I don¡¯t have time to talk to you right now. We¡¯ll talkter." After saying that, Xia Mutong hung up the phone directly.


    This woman... Ling Chen shook his head helplessly. After all, he was her first man, yet her attitude didn¡¯t show any friendliness. If Xia Mutong knew what he was thinking, she would probably want to tear him into pieces.


    Returning to the Nanrong Family, Ling Chen leaned against the sofa and crossed his legs, searching for news about Tang Shiyun on his phone. Aside from the attack incident outside East Sea Universityst time, there were no other reports, it seemed the police had the news tightly sealed, and didn¡¯t let the media find out.


    Just then, the WeChat notification tone rang, and a new message was received. This WeChat ount was registered for him by Wei Jun when he was working in the security department, who said he wanted to share some ¡¯good stuff¡¯ with him.


    Opening the message, sure enough, Wei Jun had sent a short video. The screen was pitch ck; he had no idea what it was about. He casually tapped on it, and suddenly, a steamy scene that could get one¡¯s blood racing immediately yed on the phone screen, apanied by moans and groans.


    Caught off guard by this raunchy clip, Ling Chen felt incredibly embarrassed, ncing stealthily around. Seeing that no one was home, he let down his guard, brazenly holding up his phone and watched it openly.


    "Wow, that body, that position, that technique..." As he watched, hemented from time to time and took the opportunity to humbly learn some skills¡ªafter all, this was professional knowledge he might need to use in the future.


    After enjoying a short video, Wei Jun sent several more, with each bing more explicit.


    "Big Brother Wei¡¯s taste is really something else."


    Mumbling to himself, the door was pushed open, and Su Lin walked in from outside. She was about to greet Ling Chen, who was sitting on the sofa, but at that moment, a high-pitched moan suddenly rang out. She paused for a moment, nced at what Ling Chen was holding, and immediately turned bright red.


    This pervert, actually... actually at home watching such dirty videos. Unconsciously, the scene from the other day when she was fixing theputer in the room with Ling Chen resurfaced in her mind; her face and ears turned red, her ample chest rose and fell slightly, looking stunningly beautiful.


    "Cough cough!" She forced out two coughs, promptly pulling Ling Chen, who was immersed in the video, back to reality.


    He swiftly turned his head to see Su Lin at the door, and his face immediately turned awkward. When did this girl get back? He was so engrossed in the video that he hadn¡¯t even noticed.


    At this point, the moaning from the video was getting louder and was echoing in the living room, filled with a suggestive atmosphere.


    Su Lin bit her cherry lip, her face blushing a lovely red, looking irresistibly attractive, wishing she could block her own ears. The seductive moans entered her ears, making her feel restless, hot all over, and utterly embarrassed.


    After a brief daze, Ling Chen finally snapped out of it and hurriedly closed the video on his phone, cursing inwardly, Wei Jun, you jerk, you¡¯ve really screwed me over now.


    Hearing that embarrassing sound disappear, Su Lin, in her high heels, went cking upstairs. As she passed the sofa, she nced at Ling Chen with a flushed face and whispered softly, "Pervert!"


    Her voice was very low, but the sharp-eared Ling Chen still heard it clearly. Heughed awkwardly, "Lady Su, saints too enjoy beauty, that... it¡¯s only human nature."


    Su Lin snorted lightly, "Don¡¯t make excuses for your sleaziness."


    Ling Chen called out discontentedly, "Hey, hey, what¡¯s this way of talking, I am, after all, your brother-inw."


    "You can¡¯t call yourself a brother-inw when there¡¯s not even a stroke of agreement between you and Wanqing, wait until you¡¯re married to her before you strut around me acting like one," Su Lin didn¡¯t fall for his act at all.


    This little girl actually dares to question her future status. If I don¡¯t teach her a lesson now, she¡¯ll turn the heavens upside downter.


    Ling Chen red, intending to assert his authority, but just then, a knock suddenly came from outside the door.


    "You go open the door." After speaking, Su Lin went upstairs.


    Watching her graceful figure ascend the stairs, her round buttocks slightly perked up, Ling Chen shook his head secretly¡ªthis girl would surely be a heartbreaker when she grew up.


    Approaching the door, he opened it and saw Liu Kun standing outside.


    "Uncle Liu, what brings you here? Come in and sit."


    "No, I have other matters. Just now I received a few express packages, and some of them are for Miss Su, so I thought I¡¯d drop them off."


    Taking the express packages handed over by Liu Kun, Ling Chen thanked him on Su Lin¡¯s behalf, then turned around and walked back to the living room, cing the packages on the table, casting a casual nce at them.


    Inadvertently, one of the packages caught his attention. While other packages had the sender¡¯s name, address, and items clearly written on the courier slip, this one had only the recipient¡¯s name and phone number. Other than that, there was no further information.


    With the Nanrong Family in the midst of troubled times, he had to be cautious. Moreover, the postal code on the express slip indicated it was from Yangcheng, which immediately made him think of the Jiang Family.


    However, Su Lin had no involvement in the grudge between the Jiang and Nanrong Families, so it seemed unlikely that they would trouble her.


    After some thought, Ling Chen still felt uneasy. Especially since he had learned from Zhu Yansong that Tang Shiyun had recently received many death threats, he didn¡¯t dare take it lightly. It was just a package anyway¡ªchecking it should be no problem.


    With this thought, he took a pair of scissors from a drawer, cutting along the seam of the package very carefully.


    Peeling off the tape from the package¡¯s exterior, he opened the box, revealing a slit, and then scrutinized it closely. As he saw clearly what was inside the package, his expression changed slightly, a hint of doubt in his eyes.


    "What¡¯s this?"


    Curious, he pulled out the object from the package, only to see it resembled arge banana, connected at the top to a wire and a remote control. He pressed the remote lightly, and therge banana started to buzz and vibrate.


    This... this is...


    Seeming to realize something, his eyes widened as he stared at the object in his hands, his mouth agape¡ªbig enough to stuff an egg in. No, an egg wasn¡¯t enough to convey the shock in his heart; an apple would be more like it.


    Good heavens!


    No wonder there was nothing written on the express package¡ªsuch a private item must be too embarrassing to write about. Still, he was quite surprised that Su Lin would buy something so embarrassing. It seems that regardless of beauty or not, young people have their needs. He thought with a sleazy amusement.


    Suddenly, footsteps were heard from the stairs.


    Su Lin came rushing down hurriedly, asking, "Ling Chen, the delivery guy just called saying the express delivery arrived. Did you..."


    Before she could finish her sentence, Su Lin froze on the spot, staring nkly at therge banana in Ling Chen¡¯s hand, her pretty face turning red in an instant.

 Chapter 290 - 286: The Heart of a Young Girl

    <h4>Chapter 290: Chapter 286: The Heart of a Young Girl</h4><h4></h4>


    At this moment, neither Ling Chen nor Su Lin spoke. They just looked at each other as the quiet living room was filled only with the ¡¯buzzing¡¯ of the vibrator.


    "You... you..."


    After a long while, Su Lin opened her mouth, her eyes full of shame and anger, at a loss for words. This pervert dared to secretly open his package, and even held such embarrassing items in his hand. She had ordered online sneakily and specifically asked the seller not to write the item on the delivery note to avoid embarrassment.


    But now, the situation was a hundred times more embarrassing than any she had encountered before. She felt she could no longer show her face to anyone.


    At that time, Ling Chen finally came to his senses and quickly turned off the vibrator, stuffing it clumsily back into the package while giving an awkward smile, "That... I didn¡¯t do it on purpose."


    "You still say!"


    Su Lin felt her anger rising uncontrobly, mes seemed to burn in her eyes, wishing she could devour Ling Chen alive on the spot. Now her privacy waspletely exposed. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, but more than that, she felt humiliated. Thinking about Ling Chen holding that thing in his hand, her face felt as if it was on fire, extremely hot.


    Feeling the awkward atmosphere between the two, Ling Chen coughed lightly and spoke with earnestness, "Lin, we are all young, there¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about, I can understand your needs, but you should still control yourself, don¡¯t be too... too much. Besides, this thing is so big, it doesn¡¯t seem suitable for you."


    Su Lin could barely ept what he said at first, but thest sentence made her face turn bright red, overwhelmed with embarrassment. This bastard, what¡¯s with ¡¯so big, it¡¯s unsuitable for me¡¯?


    For a moment, she felt she couldn¡¯t stay any longer, she red fiercely at Ling Chen, stamped her foot, and hurried back upstairs.


    Ling Chen hurriedly called out, "Hey, don¡¯t go, you haven¡¯t taken your stuff yet."


    Bang!


    His response was a loud door m.


    Seeing Su Lin¡¯s embarrassment, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but snicker to himself. Just earlier she was calling him a big pervert, and now with the evidence in hand, look who turned out to be the more pervy one. While he thought so, he still admired Su Lin for buying such arge model, how unsatisfied she must be. Moreover, she¡¯s never tasted the pleasures of a man, but could she actually handle that thing?


    His mind wandering, he nced at the vibrator left on the living room coffee table and suddenly felt uneasy. If Nanrong Wanqing were to see this, who knows what she would think. After all, it¡¯s a woman¡¯s private matter, and even though Nanrong Wanqing is Su Lin¡¯s cousin, it¡¯s probably not something Su Lin would want her to know.


    With that thought, he picked up the package and went straight upstairs.


    Arriving in front of Su Lin¡¯s bedroom, he made as if to knock on the door. But at that moment, he heard a faint sound of sobbinging from the room.


    Could it be? This girl is actually crying. He mentally scolded himself, ming his loose lips for saying those words and causing her to cry. However, he found it funny too, as bold as this girl was to buy such a thing, her skin was still so thin.


    Twisting the doorknob, Ling Chen pushed the door slightly ajar and peered inside. He saw Su Lin lying on the bed, a box of tissues beside her, continuously wiping away tears, murmuring under her breath. He tiptoed to her side, leaned in to listen and finally made out what she was saying. Turns out, she was cursing him.


    "Pervert, bastard, hooligan, scoundrel..." Su Lin used every insulting moniker she could think of on Ling Chen. While cursing, she was also tearing the tissues, the gritting of her teeth made it seem as if she wished it wasn¡¯t tissue she was tearing, but Ling Chen instead.


    Tsk tsk! Ling Chen shook his head helplessly, this girl really had a huge grudge against him.


    Forget it, it¡¯s better not to disturb her, to avoid making her cry again. Thest thing he wanted to see was a woman¡¯s tears¡ªthey¡¯re the invisible, most lethal weapon that could shatter your defenses at any time.


    Gently cing down the express package, Ling Chen silently withdrew, then closed the room door behind him.


    Not long after he left, Su Lin, having seemingly vented out her feelings, got up and prepared to head to the bathroom. However, as she turned around, she saw the opened express package ced on her desk.


    Her face showed subtle consternation as she quickly approached and took out the contents of the package. Looking at the thick and big banana, her pretty face involuntarily turned red again, her shyness mixed with an undeniable flirtatious and sensual charm.


    "Big pervert," she pouted and muttered.


    Without even thinking, she knew it must have been Ling Chen who sneaked the item in while she was lying on the bed. However, thinking that Ling Chen had touched this thing, her cheeks turned crimson, and she immediately put that embarrassing item back.


    That day when Ling Chen came to help her fix theputer, seeing those blood-pumping images, she felt the stirrings of spring for the first time. After Ling Chen left, shey in bed restless, unable to sleep, so she couldn¡¯t help but turn on theputer and ask a girlfriend for a website.


    Later, unsessfully resisting her friend¡¯s coaxing and temptation, she bought this item online.


    After hesitating for a moment, Su Lin resealed the express package with tape and locked it in the cab. Now that Ling Chen knew about this thing, she was too embarrassed to use it. Just the thought of it made her cheeks burn hot.


    ...


    The next day.


    As he bit into his bread at breakfast, Ling Chen looked towards the staircase and asked, "Wanqing, where¡¯s Lin? Why hasn¡¯t shee down yet? She¡¯s almostte for school."


    "I don¡¯t know, probably oversleeping. I¡¯ll go call her."


    Watching Nanrong Wanqing climb the stairs with a light step, Ling Chen smiled slightly. Ever since she got that external skeleton armor andpletely got rid of the wheelchair, Nanrong Wanqing wouldn¡¯t stay idle for a moment. Even aftering home, she would continuously walk around the living room, enjoying the pleasure of walking freely.


    However, the external skeleton armor was only a temporary solution, not a cure. Although Nanrong Wanqing regained the ability to walk, her legs still had no sensation. She still needed to find a way to truly heal her legs.


    Lost in thought, Nanrong Wanqing had alreadye down from the stairs.


    "She says she doesn¡¯t feel well and wants to lie down for a bit longer."


    Not feeling well? Could it be that she overdid it with her passionst night. Ling Chen chuckled wickedly to himself.


    "I¡¯m off to thepany," Nanrong Wanqing finished thest sip of milk and unconsciously licked the corner of her lips, her action unintentionally seductive, sending a ripple through Ling Chen¡¯s heart.


    Since this woman shed her icy exterior, she has be increasingly charming and enchanting.


    "Do you want me to apany you?"


    "No need, you rest well at home. Bye!"


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing turning to leave, Ling Chen swiftly grabbed her smooth wrist and, pointing at his own cheek, said with a beaming smile, "Have you forgotten something?"


    Seeing his gesture, a flush of red flew across Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s cheeks. She nced at the staircase to make sure no one was around and, holding back her shyness, bent over to Ling Chen¡¯s face, and gave him a sweet, fragrant kiss.

 Chapter 291 - 287 Undercover Protection

    <h4>Chapter 291: Chapter 287 Undercover Protection</h4><h4></h4>


    However, just at this moment, Ling Chen suddenly turned his face, and Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s soft lips immediatelynded on his own. Without waiting for Nanrong Wanqing to get up, Ling Chen stretched out his hand to wrap around her slender waist, his hot lips greedily savoring her sweetness.


    "No, stop!"


    Nanrong Wanqing, almost breathless from the kiss, gently pushed against his chest with both hands and pouted, her cheeks blushing like fire, making her look even more charming.


    Rubbing her own hot cheeks, Nanrong Wanqing red at him resentfully, this man always took advantage of her. However, despite her thoughts, her heart still fluttered with happiness.


    "I¡¯m leaving now, see you tonight."


    Ling Chen waved his hand, watching Nanrong Wanqing leave, a slight smile curling up at the corner of his mouth, savoring the lingering fragrance she left behind.


    At this moment, a faint noise suddenly came from the staircase, and as Ling Chen looked up, he saw Su Lin sneaking out her head, stealing a few nces in this direction. Feeling his gaze, Su Lin¡¯s cheeks turned red, and she immediately retracted her head.


    Ling Chen shook his head with a smile, guessing that the young girl was probably too shy to see him.


    Having finished breakfast, he didn¡¯t bother to tease Su Lin anymore and stood up to return to his own room. After a quick tidy-up, he left the Nanrong¡¯s home and drove onto the road.


    Tang Shiyun¡¯s fan meeting would be held tomorrow, and he hadn¡¯t forgotten Zhu Yansong¡¯smission. Before the fan meeting took ce, he needed to scout the situation.


    Twenty minutester, Ling Chen drove to Wuxun Square in East Sea City, the venue for the fan meeting. At the moment, in the center of the square, dozens of men in work clothes were building the stage and installing lights, preparing for tomorrow¡¯s fan gathering.


    Ling Chen walked around the square a few times, observing his surroundings. He noticed several suspicious-looking passers-by. Some were sitting or standing, with newspapers in hand, others walking dogs, and a few seemed aimlessly wandering around.


    However, despite their good disguises, they could not escape Ling Chen¡¯s keen eye.


    Undercover police officers.


    Ling Chen quickly identified their true identities. It seemed that the person in charge of the operation wasn¡¯t entirely ipetent, having the foresight to deploy undercover officers to patrol the area, searching for suspicious individuals. Anyone who wanted to harm Tang Shiyun would definitelye in advance to scout and observe, then n their actions.


    Wuxun Square was vast and could amodate thousands of people. Given Tang Shiyun¡¯s current poprity, the number of fans attending the fan meeting would be sizeable. To manage the crowd flow, barricades and warning tapes were already being set up around the square.


    In addition to surveying the environment, Ling Chen also specifically checked the positions of nearby surveince cameras.


    No problems!


    He nodded to himself. The security measures in the square were very thorough, leaving virtually no blind spots. However, these were all passive protective measures. The real danger woulde tomorrow. Once thousands of fans entered, the scene would surely be chaotic, that would be the real test of the security and police force capabilities.


    ...


    The next day.


    Afternoon, two o¡¯clock.


    Ling Chen rested at home for a while, then set off for Silver Star Entertainment Company.


    Silver Star Entertainment¡¯s headquarters were located in the southern part of East Sea City, within a ten-story office building. After arriving at the destination, Ling Chen drove out of the parking lot and pulled out his phone to dial a number.


    A few minutester, Xia Mutong came over with a stern face, holding a ck suit and a backpack in her hands.


    Ling Chen rolled down the car window and greeted cheerfully, "Officer Xia, good afternoon."


    "Good your head," retorted Xia Mutong ungraciously. "Hurry up and change, then I¡¯ll take you upstairs."


    "Sure thing!"


    Soon after, Ling Chen changed into the new outfit inside the car and stepped out. Hearing footsteps from behind, Xia Mutong turned her head and was slightly taken aback as she saw Ling Chen approaching.


    Dressed in a sharp ck suit and wearing sunsses thatplemented his sculpted and handsome face, Ling Chen exuded a calm and stern demeanor that looked irresistibly cool from any angle, leaving no room for criticism.


    He¡¯s actually quite handsome, Xia Mutong muttered to herself. However, the moment she remembered what Ling Chen had done to her before, she snorted and set her face in a stern expression.


    Ling Chen slightly adjusted the sunsses on the bridge of his nose, turned around with a flippant air, striking what he thought was a cool pose, and grinned, "How about this, when the talent scouts at Silver Star Entertainment see me, do you think they¡¯ll want to scoop me up to be a star?"


    "You?" Xia Mutong scoffed disdainfully, crushing his hopes without mercy: "Forget it, don¡¯t inflict yourself on thatpany."


    Ling Chen could sense Xia Mutong¡¯s dissatisfaction, knowing she was still upset about yesterday, but he just smiled it off.


    Last night, he had called Xia Mutong, hoping to take charge of Tang Shiyun¡¯s safety. Having been a special agent for so many years, he only trusted himself and didn¡¯t want to entrust Tang Shiyun¡¯s safety to anyone else. As expected, Xia Mutong rejected his request t out and told him not to meddle, assuring him that the police would handle it.


    Left with no choice, he resorted to some smooth talking, bringing up certain matters between them. Annoyed by his pestering, Xia Mutong had finally agreed.


    "The personal safety of Miss Tang is in the hands of a professional bodyguard team hired by Silver Star Entertainment. We, the police, are only responsible for maintaining order on the periphery. I¡¯ve spoken with their team leader, and they will arrange for an undercover officer to join the team."


    Ling Chen said in surprise, "You want me to pretend to be a police officer? That¡¯s illegal."


    Xia Mutong said impatiently, "If I don¡¯t say anything and you don¡¯t say anything, who will know? If I didn¡¯t put it that way, they wouldn¡¯t let you join. Just behave yourself, don¡¯t blow your cover. If my superiors find out, I won¡¯t be able to wear this police uniform anymore."


    Ling Chen nced at her attractive figure and teased, "No problem, it might look even better off."


    Hisment immediately earned him an eye roll from Xia Mutong.


    They took the elevator to the third floor.


    Xia Mutong led Ling Chen to a rest room. Upon entering, Ling Chen scanned the room and saw five men in suits lounging around, smoking and casually chatting.


    Their arrival immediately drew the attention of the men.


    At that moment, a man in his early thirties approached with brisk steps and extended his hand, "Officer Xia, hello." After finishing his greeting, he nced at Ling Chen and said politely, "Hello, my name is He Zhong, and I hope we can work well together."


    Ling Chen responded with a slight smile, "Nice to meet you. Captain He, for certain special reasons, it¡¯s not convenient for me to reveal my name. Just call me by my code."


    He had no other intention; he just didn¡¯t want Yao Li to know of his presence. He had already gotten a taste of that woman¡¯s disposition and really didn¡¯t want to invite trouble.


    He Zhong looked at Xia Mutong in surprise, noticed her subtle nod of approval, and wisely chose not to pry further, "If that¡¯s the case, until the mission is over, you¡¯ll be known as Number Six."

 Chapter 292 - 288: Fan Meet and Greet

    <h4>Chapter 292: Chapter 288: Fan Meet and Greet</h4><h4></h4>


    After Xia Mutong left, Ling Chen sat alone on the sofa in the lounge, looking at the scenery outside the window. He was only a temporary guest this time, not interested in mingling with the bodyguards. Moreover, after briefly getting to know him, the bodyguards started chatting among themselves, paying him no attention.


    At three-thirty, He Zhong came in from outside and said, "Time to get to work."


    Exiting the lounge, Ling Chen closely followed He Zhong, heading straight to thepany¡¯s main gate. After a short wait, Tang Shiyun arrived, fashionablyte, apanied by Yao Li and Zhu Yansong.


    Watching Tang Shiyun approach, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up, dazzled by her beauty. Today, Tang Shiyun had dressed up specially, wearing a light blue off-shoulder gown that showed off her slender figure and subtly revealed her cleavage. Her smooth long hair was tied up and draped over her bare back, her delicate face lightly made-up, and her clear eyes shimmering, she looked enchantingly beautiful, like a fairy stepping out of a painting, captivatingly gorgeous.


    Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curved into a slight smile as he stood behind He Zhong, unabashedly admiring Tang Shiyun¡¯s charm.


    Seemingly sensing his gaze, Tang Shiyun slightly turned her head and nced in his direction. Startled, Ling Chen quickly moved behind He Zhong, using his body to shield himself.


    Seeing that fleeting figure, a hint of disappointment shed in Tang Shiyun¡¯s eyes. She had vaguely felt a familiar gaze just now andughed it off, shaking her head. It must have been her mistake; how could Ling possibly be here?


    Although she wished her Ling could be with her, protecting her, seeing Yao Li by her side, she sighed softly, a look of age-inappropriate sorrow on her face, weighed down with worries.


    At that moment, a Lincoln Sedan was waiting outside, nked by a Mercedes Sedan in the front and another in the back, with a van trailingst.


    Leaving Silver Star Entertainment, Ling Chen followed behind, quickly getting into the zone, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings to ensure there were no abnormalities.


    Once Tang Shiyun and her group entered the Lincoln Sedan, except for He Zhong who sat in the co-driver seat, the rest of the bodyguards boarded the Mercedes Sedans leading and trailing.


    The convoy set off, maintaining a steady speed of sixty miles per hour, heading towards Wuxun Square.


    Half an hourter, the convoy safely arrived at the destination.


    Through the car window, Ling Chen looked at the crowded and noisy throng at the square, somewhat shocked. Although he knew Tang Shiyun was popr, this level of fandom was beyond his expectations.


    At Wuxun Square, apart from the stage and red carpet set up in the center, the ce was packed to the brim, shoulder to shoulder, a sea of heads, with probably two to three thousand people, all fervent fans of Tang Shiyun, each looking around in anticipation, eagerly awaiting her appearance.


    As the convoy reached the venue, regardless of age or gender, it was like fireworks being ignited, instantly exploding with noise, wave after wave of sound rising higher.


    Outside the barriers on either side of the convoy, numerous media outlets spared no expense on their camera memory, shlights shing nonstop.


    Even though Tang Shiyun had not alighted from the vehicle, the atmosphere at the scene had already reached a climax.


    At this moment, the Lincoln Sedan slowly drove to the entrance of the red carpet. Ling Chen immediately followed the other bodyguards out of the van, surrounding the Lincoln Sedan, his piercing eyes scanning the crowd on both sides of the barrier, eliminating any threats.


    "Number two, secure."


    "Number three, secure."


    "..."


    Hearing the feedback through his earpiece, Ling Chen immediately replied, "Six is secure. One can move out!"


    One is He Zhong. After ensuring the surroundings were safe, He Zhong immediately stepped out from the front passenger side and went directly to the rear seat to open the door.


    Zhu Yansong got out of the car first, smiling and waving at the fans at the scene, immediately eliciting cheers. Zhu Yansong was not a pop star, but he was a maker of pop stars, and his poprity was in no way inferior to some big-name singers.


    "Miss Tang."


    Zhu Yansong turned, slightly bowed, and gentlemanly extended his hand.


    "Tang Shiyun!"


    "Tang Shiyun!"


    "I love you!"


    "..."


    Amidst the thunderous shouts, Tang Shiyun¡¯s cheeks flushed slightly with shyness. She extended her arm, as delicate as white lotus root, and ced it on Zhu Yansong¡¯s hand. She stepped out of the car wearing shimmering high heels, lightly lifting the hem of her gown. Following Zhu Yansong¡¯s lead, she walked down the red carpet towards the stage, continually waving to the fans on both sides and expressing her gratitude.


    At this moment, Yao Li also joined the red carpet lineup, still dressed as ostentatiously as ever, with gold and silver adornments. Facing the overwhelming cheers, her face was flushed with excitement. As if afraid others wouldn¡¯t recognize that she was Tang Shiyun¡¯s mother, she shouted loudly, "Thank you for supporting my daughter."


    With Tang Shiyun¡¯s arrival, the scene gradually became chaotic and uncontroble. Although the police and Silver Star Entertainment had deployed hundreds of staff to maintain order, they had still underestimated the fans¡¯ enthusiasm.


    Ling Chen followed closely behind the group, his gaze sweeping sharply around, his brows slightly furrowed.


    At this moment, the crowd outside the square continued to swell, even blocking the surrounding roads, snarling up traffic. All passing vehicles were stuck at intersections, unable to get through.


    Just then, he noticed He Zhong holding a phone, his expression slightly troubled and his tone somewhat sharp, as if he was arguing about something. Seeing He Zhong looking upset as he hung up the phone, Ling Chen approached and asked, "Captain He, what¡¯s wrong?"


    "Your superiors just issued an order, saying the situation has exceeded their expectations with a severe shortage of manpower. For safety sake, they¡¯ve ordered us to immediately evacuate Miss Tang."


    Ling Chen instantly understood¡ªpresumably, the police couldn¡¯t allocate more manpower to control the site, thus making this decision. However, they had just arrived, and leaving now might trigger dissatisfaction among the fans, potentially exacerbating the loss of control at the scene.


    "Captain He, what¡¯s your n?"


    He Zhong nced at him and said, "I¡¯m employed by Silver Star Entertainment, not by the police. Their orders don¡¯t apply to me unless the head of Silver Star Entertainment says otherwise." With that, he hurried to catch up with Zhu Yansong to discuss the situation.


    Watching Tang Shiyun, who was less than five meters away, Ling Chen took a deep breath. He didn¡¯t rx his vignce at all, his sharp gaze constantly roving through the crowd.


    Suddenly, he halted, feeling a chilly gaze sweep over him. Years of experience as a special agent had honed his instincts, and he trusted his judgment.


    The fact that he could feel it so acutely meant that the person was nearby, probably no more than ten meters away, likely around the barrier. However, the barrier was crowded with reporters and photographers, and the ring shes made it impossible for him to urately search.

 Chapter 293 - 289 Chaos

    <h4>Chapter 293: Chapter 289 Chaos</h4><h4></h4>


    At this moment, Zhu Yansong came straight over and whispered to Ling Chen, "Mr. Ling, the police hope that we can evacuate Miss Tang as soon as possible."


    "What¡¯s your opinion?"


    "After discussing among the higher-ups at Silver Star Entertainment, this is Miss Tang¡¯s first fan meeting. If she leaves as soon as she arrives, it will inevitably cause dissatisfaction among the fans. Besides, with so many reporters and media on the scene, if this gets reported, it will affect Miss Tang¡¯s reputation to a certain extent. Therefore, considering the big picture, thepany has decided to go ahead, only shortening the fan meeting from one hour to half an hour."


    Upon hearing this, Ling Chen was somewhat speechless. Tang Shiyun was facing a life-threatening situation, yet thepany¡¯s higher-ups were concerned about her reputation. Indeed, for the profit-minded entertainment industry, the things they care about are far more important than safety.


    Looking at Tang Shiyun, who was about to go on stage, Ling Chen nodded and said, "Mr. Zhu, don¡¯t worry, I will ensure Shiyun¡¯s safety." Saying that, he quickly followed her, staying close behind Tang Shiyun as they ascended the stage together. He stood in a corner next to her, maintaining a distance of five meters from Tang Shiyun at all times. His sharp gaze constantly roved through the crowd below the stage, searching for suspicious targets.


    Standing on stage with a high vantage point, his view became much broader. Suddenly, with his keen senses, he knit his brows and detected a whiff of danger.


    Trusting his intuition, he quickly honed in on the direction of that sensation, in the crowd to his right.


    After scanning a few times, his eyes slightly narrowed, the sharpness in his clear pupils shing. As his gaze incessantly met that of the fans, Ling Chen¡¯s pupils suddenly contracted. In the crowd to his right, he captured a chilling gaze.


    However, the crowd was too dense with fans, heads packed together so tightly that in an instant, that gaze had disappeared.


    "Number One, Number Six calling Number One."


    "Received."


    "A suspicious target is spotted, at the 8 o¡¯clock direction, hidden in the crowd, please send someone to check."


    Upon receiving Ling Chen¡¯s message, He Zhong immediately issued orders to Number Three and Number Four. Shortly after, two bodyguards blended into the crowd, searching for the whereabouts of the suspicious target.


    At this time, Tang Shiyun was holding a microphone, standing at the center of the stage, looking at the cheering fans below with a slightly blushing face, radiating a bright, youthful smile.


    "Thank you all for your support and foring. Here, I would like to sing a song as thanks for your enduring love for me."


    As her words fell, soothing music emanated from the speakers on both sides of the stage. Apanied by the music, Tang Shiyun started to dance gracefully, her skirt lightly lifting as if bringing a breeze with her twirling movements, spinning like a fairy, captivatingly beautiful.


    I think I should calm down and think of some words.


    I think I should calm down and walk a distance.


    I think I should calm down and read a book.


    ...


    Her sweet voice, passing through the microphone like a gentle, serene stream, flowed quietly into everyone¡¯s ears. As Tang Shiyun began to sing, the noisy crowd immediately quieted down, listening to her sweet voice as if basking in a spring breeze,pletely mesmerized, unable to extricate themselves.


    But at this moment, Ling Chen had no mind to appreciate Tang Shiyun¡¯s singing; he was focusing on the crowd in front of the stage.


    "No target found."


    Number Four¡¯s voice came through the earpiece.


    "Return to formation and stay alert," He Zhong immediately issued themand.


    Ling Chen¡¯s brow furrowed slightly; he was certain he hadn¡¯t misjudged¡ªthe individual he¡¯d seen was indeed in the crowd. Presumably, the appearance of a bodyguard prompted the person to change positions. After all, the bodyguards around Tang Shiyun were all dressed in ck suits, which were very conspicuous wherever they appeared.


    As the song was midway through and everyone was enjoying Tang Shiyun¡¯s singing, a sudden scream erupted from the crowd.


    Then, a thick white smoke spread quickly from among the crowd, swiftly enveloping the area around the stage. At the same time, a pungent smell wafted through the air, causing everyone to instinctively cover their mouths and noses and move backward.


    However, there were too many fans at the event, crowded and without any space to retreat.


    "Protect Miss Tang!"


    He Zhong¡¯s voice echoed in the earpiece; Ling Chen had already reacted promptly, rushing to Tang Shiyun¡¯s side, taking her small hand, shielding her vitals with his body, and moving her to a corner of the stage.


    Soon after, He Zhong and several other bodyguards arrived one after another, forming a human wall around Tang Shiyun, protecting her in the middle and vigntly watching the surroundings.


    At this point, the scene became more chaotic. Under the cover of the white smoke, everyone was directionless and at a loss. Some people, in their panic, pushed towards the exits, resulting in a few tripping and falling to the ground. Before they could get up, countless feet had already trampled over them.


    Their cries for help were quickly drowned out by the noisy crowd.


    Watching the situation spiral out of control, Ling Chen¡¯s face turned grim. This way, who knew how many stampede incidents would ur, leading to numerous casualties. With this in mind, he noticed the microphone in Tang Shiyun¡¯s hand, snatched it, and shouted loudly, "Don¡¯t move! Please follow themands and leave in an orderly manner to avoid unnecessary casualties."


    His voice had an immediate effect, as the previously panicked crowd stopped moving and looked towards the source of the sound.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief, having managed to regain control of the situation.


    But just then, a loud ¡¯bang¡¯ was suddenly heard from within the crowd, followed by several erratic gunshots.


    "There¡¯s been a murder!"


    "Run for it!"


    At that moment, no one heeded Ling Chen¡¯s advice any longer; they all rushed out frantically, the scene turning even more chaotic than before. In this crucial moment of life and death, everyone was only thinking of saving their own skin, with no concern for others.


    At this instant, watching the crowd scurrying around like headless flies, Ling Chen frowned deeply, unsure of what to do next.


    He had heard the explosion and the gunshots. But something felt odd about those sounds. Moreover, if there had indeed been an explosion on-site, why couldn¡¯t he detect even a hint of gunpowder in the air?


    His mind racing, he nced at He Zhong beside him and said sternly, "Captain He, you protect Miss Tang, I¡¯ll check it out."


    With those words, he leaped off the stage and plunged into the chaotic crowd, heading in the direction of the explosion.


    It didn¡¯t take long for him to locate a portable speaker amidst the thick white smoke. The speaker was turned on, with a memory card plugged into it.


    As expected!


    He nodded to himself, affirming his suspicion. The explosion and gunshots were fake, designed only to incite panic among the people.

 Chapter 294 - 290: Tang Shiyun is Kidnapped (1)

    <h4>Chapter 294: Chapter 290: Tang Shiyun is Kidnapped (1)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Number Six, quickly regroup, we¡¯re sending Miss Tang to the car."


    Upon hearing He Zhong¡¯s voice, Ling Chen immediately returned to the stage. Zhu Yansong approached, wanting to say something, but before he could speak, Ling Chen cut him off, saying, "Mr. Zhu, you and Miss Yao stay here; we¡¯ll take Shiyun away first."


    The target was Tang Shiyun, and with limited manpower, if Zhu Yansong and Yao Li came along, they would have to divide their attention to ensure their safety, inevitably pressuring the bodyguards to protect Tang Shiyun and preventing them from focusing entirely on her protection. Therefore, this was the best decision.


    Zhu Yansong nodded, not objecting to Ling Chen¡¯s proposal, and cautioned, "Be careful."


    "Understood."


    By now, the smoke that filled the venue was gradually dissipating, and visibility had improved considerably. Seizing the moment, Ling Chen followed closely beside the crowd, his sharp eyes diligently scanning the surrounding throng as he guarded Tang Shiyun toward the parking location.


    Through the crowded and chaotic crowd, the Lincoln Sedan was in sight by the roadside. The bodyguards dared not be careless; as professionals, they remained vignt, not rxing their guard until the employer was thoroughly out of danger.


    A few minutester, under the tight protection of the bodyguards, they arrived at the Lincoln Sedan without incident.


    The sedan could only seat four people. Number Two and Number Three directly escorted Tang Shiyun into the back seat, He Zhong took the passenger¡¯s seat without hesitation, and Ling Chen, having no other choice, got into another BMW sedan with two other bodyguards.


    Just as the car started, Ling Chen received a call from Xia Mutong, inquiring about Tang Shiyun¡¯s status.


    "We¡¯re in the car now, I¡¯ll notify you once we arrive at thepany."


    Putting away his phone, Ling Chen leaned back in his seat, watching the Lincoln Sedan ahead, a weight lifting off his heart. Based on the current situation, it was virtually impossible for the assant to get in touch with Tang Shiyun again.


    While pondering, the Lincoln Sedan entered the main road and took a detour down a side street.


    "Number One, what¡¯s happening?"


    A few secondster, He Zhong¡¯sposed voice responded: "Nothing, just a temporary route change."


    "Understood." Ling Chen replied. Their route had been nned in advance, changing it to prevent any leaks and intercepts was the correct decision. Thus, Ling Chen had no suspicion.


    Meanwhile, inside the Lincoln Sedan.


    He Zhong watched the driver, and the dagger pressed tightly against his neck, and coldly demanded, "Where exactly are you taking us?"


    "Don¡¯t worry, someone wille to receive you shortly."


    "Why?" He Zhong stared at the driver¡¯s profile, enunciating each word, "Guan Long, you¡¯re part of our team, and I¡¯ve treated you well. Why do this?"


    Guan Long nced at him, speaking indifferently, "Captain He, don¡¯t me me; I¡¯m just carrying out someone¡¯s order. Now, don¡¯t ask too much, hurry up and contact the car behind us, tell them to beat it, stop following us."


    He Zhong hesitated for a moment, feeling the light pressure of the dagger on his neck; he pressed the earpiece and said, "Number One calling, we¡¯re out of danger, return and pick up Mr. Zhu and Miss Yao."


    "Roger that!"


    Watching the BMW behind theme to a slow stop, then turn around and head back the way it came, Guan Long¡¯s lips curled into a smile, "Captain He, since you¡¯re so cooperative, rest assured that except for Miss Tang, everyone else will be safe and sound."


    Hearing these words, Tang Shiyun turned pale with fear showing in her eyes. Clutching at her dress, she mustered up the courage, asking, "I have no grievances with you; why are you kidnapping me?"


    "Other than money, I can¡¯t think of any other reason," He Zhong chimed in.


    Guan Long smiled, "Money is only a part, as for the real purpose... Captain He, you¡¯re better off not knowing."


    In the midst of the conversation, He Zhong raised his head slightly and looked into the rearview mirror on the roof. In the mirror, Number Two and Number Three, sitting in the back seat, were also looking at the rear-view mirror, silentlymunicating through their gazes.


    Just as the two bodyguards in the back seat were preparing to seize an opportunity to grab the dagger from Guan Long¡¯s hand, he suddenly said, "You¡¯d better not do anything reckless; I¡¯ve installed a bomb beneath the back seat. If you leave your seats and the hydraulic pressure is not maintained, the bomb will instantly detonate, and we¡¯ll all be dead."


    This deration turned He Zhong and the others pale, and the two bodyguards stopped fidgeting and sat still.


    Guan Long smirked, "Captain He, we¡¯re all ex-soldiers; we be bodyguards to make money, no need to risk our lives for it, right?"


    "You still remember you once were a soldier, then you should know that justice has long arms." He retorted.


    "There¡¯s no need for you to worry about that; I¡¯ve made preparations." With that, Guan Long reduced his speed and pulled over to the roadside.


    After waiting a few minutes, two middle-aged men wearing duckbill caps approached from both sides of the car and then opened the rear doors. Before the two bodyguards in the back could resist, the men had already pressed daggers against their vitals.


    "If you don¡¯t want to die, behave." The one speaking was none other than Tang Shiyun, being ordered, "You, get down!"


    Faced with their stern gazes, Tang Shiyun trembled, her cheeks turning ashen, biting her lips as she tried her best not to scream out in fear.


    "Miss Tang, you¡¯d better cooperate obediently, otherwise, although you¡¯ll be fine, I can¡¯t guarantee the safety of these three," Guan Long threatened.


    Hearing Guan Long¡¯s threat, Tang Shiyun nced at He Zhong in the passenger seat, her eyes wavering, but ultimately she decided to follow theirmand and stepped out of the back seat. As she got up, the middle-aged man on the right immediately pressed down on the seat to prevent the hydraulic device beneath from activating.


    Once out of the car, the middle-aged man on the left immediately ced a prepared duckbill cap on her head, pulling the brim down to cover her face so that passersby wouldn¡¯t recognize her, then draped arge coat over her.


    "Follow me."


    Tang Shiyun dared not resist and followed the middle-aged man into a Wuling Hongguang van.


    Seeing that everything went smoothly, Guan Long¡¯s smile grew even brighter, "Alright, Captain He, please move to the back seat. Also, hand over all your mobile phones."


    He Zhong didn¡¯t say a word, his face ashen as he moved from the passenger seat to the back.


    Guan Long threw all their mobile phones and radios into a trash can by the road, then reminded again, "Captain He, sit tight and don¡¯t move. In the future, when I make it big, I¡¯ll treat you brothers to a fine meal. Ha ha!"

 Chapter 295 - 291 Tang Shiyun Kidnapped (2)

    <h4>Chapter 295: Chapter 291 Tang Shiyun Kidnapped (2)</h4><h4></h4>


    Before long, a taxi passed by the side of the road.


    Sitting in the passenger seat, Ling Chen saw the Lincoln Sedan parked by the curb and his gaze swept across the license te, his expression subtly changing. What were they doing parking here?


    "Driver, please pull over."


    After paying the fare, Ling Chen quickly made his way to the Lincoln Sedan. Through the window, he could vaguely see three people seated in the back, while both the driver and front passenger seats were empty. Noticing this, a strong sense of unease began to well up within him, and he hurriedly pulled open the rear car door.


    "Captain He?" Seeing He Zhong and the other two seated side by side, with no sign of Tang Shiyun, Ling Chen was taken aback and anxiously asked, "Where¡¯s Shiyun?"


    He Zhong¡¯s voice was heavy, "Miss Tang has been kidnapped."


    "What?" Hearing this news, Ling Chen felt his heart pound furiously.


    "Number six, call the cops quickly. There¡¯s a bomb under our seats; moving away will set it off. Also, the driver Guan Long is a traitor. He colluded with others to kidnap Miss Tang."


    Without another word, Ling Chen immediately took out his phone and dialed Xia Mutong¡¯s number.


    Ten minutes passed, and two police cars arrived with sirens ring, stopping by the roadside.


    "Ling Chen, get in the car!"


    Seeing Xia Mutong in the driver¡¯s seat waving at him, Ling Chen immediately got in and asked impatiently, "Did you find any clues?"


    Xia Mutong shook his head, "The license te number provided by He Zhong is fake, useless. The traffic police department is working with us to ess the surveince footage of the surrounding area, searching for the whereabouts of that Wuling Hongguang van. In addition, we¡¯ve checked Guan Long¡¯s background. He¡¯s 43 years old, served as a soldier abroad, returned to the country 13 years ago to join a securitypany, constantly worked on the front line, andter became a driver due to his age."


    "Does he have a criminal record?"


    "None, a clean background."


    Ling Chen furrowed his brows, that was strange. Why would someone with no bad record suddenly take such a big risk tomit this crime? Didn¡¯t he realize what he¡¯d be facing if he failed?


    "Right! Captain He mentioned that there are two more aplices. Moreover, Guan Long kept telling them that money was not their only objective. It¡¯s clear that they will definitely call Silver Star Entertainment for ransom."


    "I¡¯ve already sent people to thepany headquarters. If the kidnappers call, they¡¯ll monitor it and try to pinpoint their location by tracing the call."


    Ling Chen nodded, sighing to himself. When He Zhong asked them to go back to pick up Zhu Yansong and Yao Li, he hadn¡¯t gone along, but had left the car on his own. His task was to protect Tang Shiyun¡¯s safety; besides, he had no desire to meet with Yao Li. If he hadn¡¯t waited too long for a taxi, maybe he could have prevented Tang Shiyu from being kidnapped.


    Recalling what had just happened, he couldn¡¯t help but admire the meticulous and unexpected nning of the culprits. They caused confusion on the spot not to find an opportunity to attack Tang Shiyun but to constrain the police.


    "Where are we going now?"


    "Back to the station to wait for news."


    Arriving at the police station, Ling Chen followed Xia Mutong to the office. At this moment, all the officers were busy, and the case involving Tang Shiyun had many people on tenterhooks. The kidnapping of a big star, and in East Sea City no less, would draw intense scrutiny if it got out.


    If the case wasn¡¯t solved quickly, the media might start questioning the police¡¯spetency, which could greatly affect the force¡¯s public image.


    "Captain Xia."


    A male officer holding a file walked over quickly and said, "We¡¯ve just received a message. The kidnappers called Tang Shiyun¡¯s mother, demanding she prepare thirty million in cash before nine o¡¯clock tonight."


    "Did the kidnappers specify the ransom drop location?"


    "No, they are very cautious. They kept the phone call short, so we couldn¡¯t trace the signal¡¯s origin."


    "They are ex-military, so they are well aware of our police tactics. Keep monitoring and notify me immediately if there¡¯s any news."


    "Yes."


    Sitting in the office, watching Xia Mutong busy taking calls and arranging work, Ling Chen felt a growing sense of urgency. Tang Shiyun was kidnapped, her life in the bnce, and yet he could only sit here helplessly waiting, unable to do anything, which weighed heavily on his conscience.


    At that moment, the office door was pushed open, and a male officer walked in carrying a cardboard box and ced it on the desk.


    "Captain Xia, this is the bomb we¡¯ve just disarmed from the Lincoln Sedan."


    Upon hearing this, Ling Chen immediately sprang to his feet and hurried to the desk. Without waiting for Xia Mutong to stop him, he carefully took the bomb out of the box.


    Seeing him recklessly tampering with its wires, the officer¡¯s face turned to one of panic, "Be careful..."


    Ling Chen seemed not to hear him, continuing to scrutinize the bomb in his hands, a sh of recognition in his eyes.


    "Very professional!"


    "What?"


    "I said the craftsmanship of this bomb is very professional; only someone with specialized military training could make something like this." After saying this, Ling Chen put down the bomb and asked, "Where are Guan Long¡¯s files? Let me see them."


    Xia Mutong immediately pulled out a file and handed it over.


    Ling Chen skimmed through it and nodded, "It says here Guan Long was trained as a reconnaissance soldier when serving abroad, but only a demolition expert would be capable of making such a sophisticated device. I think Guan Long¡¯s two aplices are probably also military."


    Xia Mutong¡¯s eyes lit up, immediately getting his point andmanded, "Check Guan Long¡¯s formerrades, see if there are any suspects who fit the profile."


    "Yes."


    In less than ten minutes, aplete file was ced on Xia Mutong¡¯s desk.


    "Captain Xia, we¡¯ve found something. There are five people who were demobilized with Guan Long from the foreign military, all locals. Two moved to Beijing over ten years ago, another died of cancer. I¡¯ve checked the tel records; the remaining two have been in regr contact with Guan Long, and the three are very close. Moreover, I found a photo of the three of them gathering together on Guan Long¡¯s Weibo."


    Ling Chen raised the corners of his lips slightly, "Over forty and still into Weibo, he¡¯s quite the trendsetter."


    Xia Mutong nced at him and asked, "Have you identified the other two?"


    "Yes, one¡¯s named Zhou Lin, the other Zhuang Qian. Both are about Guan Long¡¯s age. Among the three, both Zhuang Qian and Guan Long are single, only Zhou Lin is married with children. However, owing to his wife¡¯s affair, they divorced five years ago." Pausing, the officer looked up, "Captain Xia, based on the data we¡¯ve gathered, I think I know their real motive for kidnapping Tang Shiyun."


    (I apologize for the inconvenience today.)

 Chapter 296 - 292: Avenging for the Son

    <h4>Chapter 296: Chapter 292: Avenging for the Son</h4><h4></h4>


    "What¡¯s their objective?" Xia Mutong asked urgently. Knowing the kidnappers¡¯ motive would help us hit the nail on the head and figure out a way to rescue her.


    "Captain Xia, there was a news story recently that caused quite a stir. A young male fan confessed his love to Tang Shiyun and was rejected. Unable to bear the blow, he chose tomit suicide by jumping off a bridge. That male fan¡¯s father is Zhou Lin."


    "So that¡¯s it!" Ling Chen finally understood why they targeted Tang Shiyun. The previous assault outside East Sea University and this kidnapping¡ªboth the perpetrator and the nner must be Zhou Lin. His objective is clear, to avenge his deceased son.


    Oh no!


    His heart sank. Since it was for revenge, Zhou Lin naturally would not let Tang go. Even if a ransom was paid, it likely wouldn¡¯t save Tang Shiyun¡¯s life.


    With this thought, Ling Chen and Xia Mutong exchanged nces, both simultaneouslying to the same realization.


    "The mastermind behind this operation must be Zhou Lin. The previous assault made it so that security was tightened around Tang Shiyun, preventing him from getting close. Hence, he enlisted the help of his oldrades, Guan Long and Zhuang Qian. Both are bachelors without family ties and live modestly, so they struck a deal¡ªtwo seeking money and one seeking revenge," Xia Mutong analyzed.


    "We must notify Silver Star Entertainment Company about this. Yao Li doesn¡¯t have thirty million; this money will definitely have toe from Silver Star Entertainment. Since Zhou Lin isn¡¯t going to let Shiyun go, we can¡¯t let them benefit from this money."


    "Let¡¯s go to thepany," Xia Mutong decided decisively and started walking out of the office. Ling Chen was about to follow when Xia Mutong turned and blocked him, "You¡¯re not a police officer; it¡¯s better if you stay here."


    "No way!" Ling Chen firmly rejected: "I must be involved throughout the case until Shiyun is rescued." His tone was firm, brooking no refusal. Given Tang Shiyun¡¯s safety was at risk, how could he just stand by? Besides, he had promised Tang Shiyun that as long as he was around, he would never let her be in danger.


    "If you won¡¯t let me get involved, then I¡¯ll act alone, and you can¡¯t me me for messing up your n."


    "You..."


    Xia Mutong fumed as she looked at him¡ªthis guy was beingpletely unreasonable, even daring to threaten her. However, she couldn¡¯t really ignore Ling Chen¡¯s threat, knowing full well what he was capable of¡ªwithout constraints, he could wreak havoc.


    "Wait here, I can¡¯t decide on this matter alone. I¡¯ll go and ask the director."


    Ling Chen made an ¡¯OK¡¯ hand gesture, watching as Xia Mutong left the office. Soon after, Xia Mutong pushed the door open and entered, ring at Ling Chen before saying, "Come with me."


    Ling Chen grinned, it seemed he had seeded.


    "I emphasized your abilities to the director, and how they could be of great help to the case, so the director decided to hire you as a temporary consultant for our police station," Xia Mutong stated fiercely, warning him, "I¡¯m telling you, you better help me rescue Tang Shiyun. I¡¯ve made a promise in front of the director. If the operation fails, both of us are in deep trouble."


    "Don¡¯t worry, with me here, there won¡¯t be an issue."


    "Stop boasting for now, let¡¯s talk once we¡¯ve rescued the person," Xia Mutong grumbled.


    Although Xia Mutong was somewhat dissatisfied with Ling Chen¡¯s threats, she had to admit that having him by her side was a great help to her. Just like before, based on a self-made ******, he was able to analyze the identity of the kidnapper, thereby pinpointing the suspect. Although the police station was full of talent, very few had this capability.


    ...


    Silver Star Entertainment Company headquarters.


    Ling Chen and Xia Mutong walked into the senior office and saw Zhu Yansong, Yao Li, He Zhong among others, including Silver Star Entertainment¡¯s Chairman, Yang Chengfeng, a middle-aged man in his forties, slightly overweight, already balding, dressed in home clothes. Clearly, he had rushed over from home upon receiving the notice.


    Seeing Ling Chen and Xia Mutong enter the office, Yao Li looked up, and her face immediately fell, her tone full of dissatisfaction, "Why is he here? Get him out quickly, don¡¯t annoy us here."


    Xia Mutong nced at Ling Chen, knowing Yao Li was scolding him, and felt somewhat puzzled. Judging by Yao Li¡¯s attitude, it seemed she held deep resentment towards Ling Chen. Ling Chen, unconcerned, simply shrugged his shoulders, pretending he hadn¡¯t heard her words.


    Seeing him still not moving, Yao Li immediately couldn¡¯t sit still, suddenly stood up from the sofa, and scolded loudly, "Are you deaf? Did you not hear me telling you to get out?"


    "Shut your mouth!"


    Xia Mutong frowned, and spoke coldly. Hearing Yao Li¡¯s harsh attitude toward Ling Chen, for some reason, Xia Mutong felt an inexplicable anger boiling inside, not venting it would not do.


    Yao Li was stunned, her opened mouth suddenly lost for words. She recognized Xia Mutong, who had been personally protecting Tang Shiyun in the past few days, and knew she was a police officer.


    "Miss Yao, please show some respect. Ling Chen is a specially appointed consultant by the police, responsible for participating in this kidnapping case. Whether your daughter can be saved depends entirely on him. If you drive him away with your curses, then you better start preparing for your daughter¡¯s funeral."


    "Him?" Yao Li stared at Ling Chen in a daze, seemingly disbelieving Xia Mutong¡¯s words, and disdainfully said, "What capabilities can this thug have."


    "Hehe!" At this moment, a mildugh sounded, and Yang Chengfeng, Chairman of Silver Star Entertainment, strode towards Ling Chen, reaching out his hand, "Mr. Ling, hello, I¡¯ve long heard of your reputation, never got the chance to meet you. Thank you for helping Tang outst time in Beijing."


    Ling Chen was initially puzzled, as he did not know this President Yang, wondering where the so-called long-standing reputation came from. It was only after hearing his final words that he understood it was because of Zhang Zekai¡¯s incident.


    He grinned and said, "President Yang, you are too kind."


    Yang Chengfeng affectionately patted Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder, saying, "Mr. Ling, we are counting on your help this time, hoping you can safely bring Tang back."


    Hearing Yang Chengfeng and Ling Chen¡¯s conversation, Yao Li immediately became anxious, quickly speaking up, "President Yang, you cannot trust him, he¡¯s just a thug, if you let him help, my daughter¡¯s life definitely won¡¯t be saved."


    Yang Chengfeng nced at Yao Li, his thick eyebrows slightly furrowed, showing a hint of displeasure. Tang Shiyun was a well-behaved girl, he liked her a lot, but regarding her mother, not only did he dislike her, but he was also somewhat disgusted. She usually liked to meddle in matters that were none of her business, acting as if everyone had to obey her just because her daughter was a big star, bossing around without restraint in thepany.


    However, for the sake of Tang Shiyun, he had always restrained himself, never saying anything. But Yao Li¡¯s repeated behavior like this made him quite angry.

 Chapter 297 - 293: The Kidnapper’s Call

    <h4>Chapter 297: Chapter 293: The Kidnapper¡¯s Call</h4><h4></h4>


    She¡¯s such an uncouth woman who hasn¡¯t seen the world.


    President Yang thought this way about Yao Li in his heart. He knew everything about the incident that happened to the Zhang Family in Beijing quite clearly. The Zhang Family was somewhat influential in Beijing, yet they suffered a blow at Ling Chen¡¯s hands. It was said that even the Chief of Beijing¡¯s Police Department had taken action personally, and the reason was none other than for Ling Chen.


    The position of Beijing¡¯s Police Chief is unlike that of other ces; it¡¯s an individual with real power and clout. Even someone like that got involved, which shows that Ling Chen¡¯s capabilities are not small. So when he learned of this matter, he had been wanting to find an opportunity to meet Ling Chen, to make his acquaintance. Not to say he would rely on him for anything, but at least making a friend wouldn¡¯t be wrong.


    "Miss Yao, Tang is an employee of ourpany. Now, I, on behalf of Silver Star Entertainment, am asking Mr. Ling to help rescue Tang. However, after all, you are Tang¡¯s mother, so we still need to seek your consent for this matter."


    "I disagree." Yao Li didn¡¯t even think about it and directly refused. It was a joke, letting a little punk mess around; her daughter would never be able to be rescued.


    President Yang nodded and said with an impassive tone, "Well then. In that case, Miss Yao, you find a way to rescue Tang yourself, our Silver Star Entertainment will no longer interfere in this matter. Moreover, about the thirty-million ransom demanded by the kidnappers, that¡¯s for you to settle on your own, I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be of help."


    Hearing this, Yao Li¡¯s face changed, and she said in a panic, "President Yang... you can¡¯t do this. If you don¡¯t help, my daughter is doomed. President Yang, as you said earlier, Tang is an employee of yourpany, you can¡¯t just stand by and watch her die."


    "Miss Yao, I really want to help you, but you¡¯ve already refused my help. What can I do?" President Yang spoke while patting Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder, "Mr. Ling is now fully in charge of Tang¡¯s affair on behalf of Silver Star Entertainment. You¡¯ve refused him, which means you¡¯ve declined ourpany¡¯s assistance. Alright, let¡¯s not waste time here; everyone should get back to work."


    With that, he made a move to walk out of the office.


    "Wait, wait!" Yao Li became anxious, quickly grabbing onto President Yang¡¯s sleeve and pleading helplessly, "President Yang, I agree, I agree, isn¡¯t that enough?"


    Without turning back, President Yang said, "Miss Yao, it¡¯s no useing to me. You¡¯ve just refused Mr. Ling. If you now want to ask him toe back and help, it depends on whether he¡¯s willing or not."


    "This..." Yao Li didn¡¯t expect President Yang to say such a thing and hesitated.


    "It seems like you don¡¯t care about your daughter¡¯s safety."


    President Yang¡¯s words rang in her ears, and Yao Li hurriedly said, "No, that¡¯s not it." After speaking, she turned to look at Ling Chen with a somewhat embarrassed expression. After a long moment of hesitation, she begrudgingly said, "Alright, I¡¯ll allow you to intervene in my daughter¡¯s affair this time, but this is not to set a precedent."


    Hearing her tone, everyone in the room shook their heads in unison, secretly doubting in their hearts¡ªwas Tang Shiyun really this woman¡¯s daughter? The gap was too wide. Was this the attitude of someone asking for help?


    Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curved slightly, and he waved his hand, saying, "Sorry, I might have been interested just now, but I¡¯ve lost interest. You said it yourself, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯m just a little punk; how could I have the capability to rescue your daughter? You should find someone more capable. Officer Xia, let¡¯s go."


    Watching Ling Chen turn to leave, Yao Li stood frozen, unable to believe Ling Chen would refuse her, and was at a loss for what to do.


    "Let¡¯s go as well. This is Miss Yao¡¯s family affair; let her solve it on her own." After saying this, President Yang left the room with others, as everyone understood and started to head out.


    "President Yang... no, Ling Chen... you all..." Yao Li opened her mouth, looking foolish, unable to utter aplete sentence.


    After leaving the office, President Yang politely said, "Mr. Ling, Officer Xia, this way, please!"


    The group entered the conference room and took their seats again. Zhu Yansong proactively brewed some tea and served it to everyone.


    "Mr. Ling, please don¡¯t mind Miss Yao. That¡¯s just the kind of person she is. You don¡¯t need to pay attention to her."


    "President Yang, I¡¯m not that petty," Ling Chen said with a slight smile. "Let¡¯s get back to the matter at hand. Officer Xia and I have gathered some information and have identified three of the kidnappers. Additionally, we¡¯ve also figured out their real motive."


    Talking business, Xia Mutong immediately got into the zone and took out a notepad from his pocket, briefing everyone about the situation.


    Zhu Yansong said worriedly, "Officer Xia, from what you¡¯re saying, even if we pay the ransom, they might still harm the victim?"


    "That¡¯s correct, so we can¡¯t let the kidnappers get their way. They¡¯ve asked you to prepare the ransom before tonight; once the ransom is given, Miss Tang¡¯s life will not be guaranteed. Therefore, the longer we can dy, the more time we have to increase our chances of finding Miss Tang."


    "Good." President Yang nodded and said, "Mr. Ling, Officer Xia, whatever ns the police have, we will cooperate fully. We are willing to spend any amount of money as long as we can rescue Tang."


    Night had fallen in an instant.


    Ling Chen called Nanrong Wanqing to exin the situation, saying he might not return tonight.


    Back in the conference room, Yao Li was also there; Zhu Yansong had already invited her over. After all, she was Tang Shiyun¡¯s mother, and the kidnappers would still contact her; she could not be left out of it.


    However, with the lesson learned previously, Yao Li was much more subdued, sitting quietly in the corner for hours, not uttering a word, and no one approached her voluntarily. Everyone was clear about her personality and didn¡¯t have a good impression of her.


    Being ignored for so long made Yao Li ufortable. In the past, people would fawn over her wherever she went, always being attended to; she had never been treated with such coldness before. Especially President Yang¡¯s attitude earlier had upset her; he actually made her lower her head to Ling Chen¡ªwhere should she put her face?


    With that thought, she grew more indignant, secretly making up her mind.


    At 9 p.m.


    Finally, Yao Li¡¯s phone rang, and the prepped task force immediately connected the equipment, ready to trace the kidnappers¡¯ location through the signal source.


    With a nod from Xia Mutong, Yao Li pressed the speakerphone button and answered the call.


    "Is the money ready?" The person on the other end went straight to the point.


    Yao Li was about to speak when she saw Ling Chen shaking his head at her; she had to follow his cue and answered, "Not yet."


    The kidnapper¡¯s tone immediately turned colder, demanding, "I told you to have the money ready by nine o¡¯clock. It seems you don¡¯t want your daughter to survive."


    "No, that¡¯s not it," Yao Li quickly said, "You name the ce, I¡¯ll be right there..."


    Hearing her misstep, Ling Chen furrowed his brows, cutting off her words, and said, "Mr. Kidnapper, you¡¯re not asking for a small amount. Thirty million is arge sum of money, and you only want cash, not epting a transfer. Banks close at five-thirty. With such short notice, it¡¯s difficult for us to gather thirty million in cash. We hope you can grant us some extension."

 Chapter 298 - 294 The Foolish Woman

    <h4>Chapter 298: Chapter 294 The Foolish Woman</h4><h4></h4><subtxt> There was silence on the phone for a moment before the kidnapper¡¯s voice came through: "I only talk with family members. You police should mind your own business. If you dare to butt in again, I¡¯ll tear up the ticket immediately."


    "You¡¯ve got it wrong, I¡¯m not the police, I¡¯m Tang Shiyun¡¯s brother, so I¡¯m not an outsider. My aunt has a weak heart, she can¡¯t handle the scare, so from now on, I¡¯ll be the one fully responsible formunicating with you."


    At this point, Xia Mutong took a card with a name written on it from the technician and handed it to Ling Chen.


    Zhuang Qian!


    Ling Chen nodded silently, the technicians had already identified the kidnapper¡¯s identity through voice recognition.


    At that moment, Zhuang Qian said impatiently: "I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re her cousin or a cop, I want the ransom by ten o¡¯clock, or else, be ready to collect Tang Miss¡¯s corpse." Then the other side hung up the phone.


    Ling Chen looked at Xia Mutong, who shook her head and said: "No, we¡¯re ten seconds short, they timed it very precisely, we didn¡¯t have enough time to locate them."


    "Mr. Ling, when ten o¡¯clockes, should we deliver the ransom?"


    "No, keep stalling. Officer Xia, tell the police to step up the search, we have to find their whereabouts."


    "I¡¯ve already contacted all the stations and airports, and increased the patrols at the exits of the city. They won¡¯t be able to escape East Sea City."


    "Don¡¯t becent, East Sea City is right by the sea, they could escape by boat. Call your informants and ask if anyone is heading out to sea tonight." After speaking, Ling Chen went behind the technicians, "y the call recording again, remove the conversation, amplify the background noise, and see if we can find any valuable clues."


    ...


    An hour passed in the blink of an eye.


    At ten o¡¯clock, the phone rang on time. Ling Chen answered the call, and before the other party could speak, he said: "I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Kidnapper, the money is not fully raised yet, can we dy it a bit more?"


    Zhuang Qian coldly said: "Kid, do you think I don¡¯t have the guts to kill the hostage?"


    "No no no, of course I hope to rescue the hostage safely, but we really can¡¯t raise that much money. How about this, give me a little more time, we¡¯ll definitely manage to gather 30 million for you."


    "Sorry, you¡¯ve already broken your word once, I won¡¯t trust you again, get ready to collect your cousin¡¯s corpse."


    Doo doo doo!


    Hearing the busy tone from the phone, everyone¡¯splexion changed drastically. Yao Li, in a frenzy, lunged at Ling Chen, cursing: "Ling you beast, you killed my daughter."


    Zhu Yansong and Yang Chengfeng nearby quickly held her back, trying to calm her down: "Miss Yao, please cool down for a moment."


    Yao Li red at Ling Chen with a resentful face, gritting her teeth: "Ling, if my daughter suffers any harm, I¡¯ll make sure you pay with your life, your whole family will not die well."


    Xia Mutong slightly frowned, anxiety in her eyes with a hint of disappointment. She had put too much trust in Ling Chen¡¯s ability, thinking he could rescue Tang Shiyun, but by stalling for time, she had actually put Tang Shiyun in danger.


    After hesitating for a moment, she spoke: "Ling..."


    Before she could finish, Ling Chen raised his head and gave her a smile: "Don¡¯t worry, nothing will happen."


    As soon as the words fell, the phone rang again.


    Ling Chen answered the call with a calm expression, and Zhuang Qian¡¯s sneer came through immediately: "Everyone, was that stimting just now? Don¡¯t worry, Miss Tang is still alive, but..."


    Just as Zhuang Qian was about to continue, Yao Li suddenly broke free from Zhu Yansong and Yang Chengfeng, rushed to the table, and cried out loudly: "Mr. Zhuang, please, don¡¯t kill my daughter, I¡¯ll give you whatever amount of money you want."


    "Shut up!" Ling Chen¡¯s face changed drastically, and he quickly shouted. But it was a step toote. On the other end of the phone, Zhuang Qian asked coldly: "Do you know who I am?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s mind raced, thinking of how to exin, but Zhuang Qian had already hung up the phone. He looked at Yao Li, his face turning livid with rage in his eyes. Suddenly, he raised his arm, and a loud pnded crisply on Yao Li¡¯s cheek, showing no mercy.


    Yao Li covered her cheek in disbelief, speaking sharply: "You... you dare to hit me?"


    Ling Chen said coldly: "Congrattions, you have sessfully killed your daughter."


    "It¡¯s you, it¡¯s clearly you who killed my daughter, don¡¯t think about shirking the me."


    Listening to Yao Li¡¯s angry scolding, Ling Chen sighed, no longer wanting to argue with her, and sat down in a chair with a dejected expression.


    After several minutes of continuous scolding, Yao Li¡¯s mouth was dry, seemingly exhausted, she leaned on the couch covering her face, and began to cry in pain.


    Feeling the heavy and oppressive atmosphere in the conference room, Yang Chengfeng couldn¡¯t help but speak: "Mr. Ling, isn¡¯t there any hope at all?"


    Ling Chen gave a wry smile: "Those kidnappers already know that we have their identities; whatever they n to do, we¡¯re aware of it. Whether there is a ransom or not, Shiyun is doomed, so they know we won¡¯t pay the ransom."


    Xia Mutong curiously asked: "How did you know they would call again?"


    "That¡¯s not hard. There are three kidnappers, Guan Long, Zhuang Qian, Zhou Lin. The first two are in it for money, Zhou Lin is seeking revenge for his son. If Guan Long and Zhuang Qian don¡¯t get money, not only will their efforts be in vain, but they will also have to live on the run with the stigma of kidnapping and murder, which they naturally won¡¯t ept. Therefore, until the money is firmly in their hands, they won¡¯t easily give up. Moreover, as long as we don¡¯t pay the ransom, Shiyun will not be in danger. They are afraid that we will request to speak with the hostage to ensure her safety. Therefore, even if Zhou Lin can¡¯t wait to kill Shiyun right away, Guan Long and Zhuang Qian will not allow him to do so."


    After hearing Ling Chen¡¯s analysis, everyone admired him a little more, and Xia Mutong¡¯s eyes shed with appreciation. This man, usually so carefree, turned out to be so meticulous in thought, even grasping the kidnappers¡¯ mindset; no wonder he was so bold earlier, without any fear for Tang Shiyun¡¯s safety.


    At this moment, Yao Li, who had been sobbing softly, also lifted her head. She had taken in every word of Ling Chen¡¯s, and reflecting on her impulsive actions just now, she couldn¡¯t help but regret. There was still a glimmer of hope before, but now not even the slightest hope remained.


    Thinking she would never see her daughter again, she couldn¡¯t help but burst into tears again.


    "Ling Chen, what do we do now?" Xia Mutong asked worriedly: "Is there really nothing we can do?"


    Ling Chen shook his head and said: "There¡¯s nothing we can do, all we can do right now is wait."


    "Wait for what?"


    "Wait for hope."


    With those words, Ling Chen closed his eyes, silently praying that if everything went as he guessed, perhaps Tang Shiyun might still have a chance for survival.</subtxt>

 Chapter 299 - 295: A Glimmer of Hope

    <h4>Chapter 299: Chapter 295: A Glimmer of Hope</h4><h4></h4>


    In an abandoned warehouse in East Sea City, three middle-aged men sat together, speaking words that gradually became more agitated.


    "No way, I absolutely disagree." Guan Long waved his hand, giving off a vibe that there was no room for negotiation, "Zhou Lin, I agreed to join for the sake of making money, not to avenge your idiot son. I¡¯ve now be penniless and have abandoned my former life. I don¡¯t want to be a fugitive, running for my life everywhere. If you want to kill that woman, go ahead, as long as you put thirty million cash in front of me. You can do whatever you want with her, I won¡¯t say a word."


    The middle-aged man named Zhou Lin lowered his head, expressionless, his sharp eyes shing with a cold gleam. After a while, he lifted his head and looked at Zhuang Qian beside him, asking, "What do you think?"


    Zhuang Qian nced at Guan Long and spoke, "Old Zhou, it¡¯s not that we don¡¯t understand you, but you have to consider our perspective as well. After this is over, it¡¯s clear we can¡¯t stay in this country. Right now we¡¯re penniless. You have to think about us."


    Hearing this, Zhou Lin stood up and walked to the cluttered corner of the warehouse. Opening the door, there sat Tang Shiyun, tied up with ropes on her hands and feet, white wrists chafed by red blood marks, her mouth sealed with duct tape so she couldn¡¯t speak.


    Seeing Zhou Lin approaching, Tang Shiyun¡¯s eyes filled with fear, her pale face looking pitiable.


    Zhou Lin, without a word, walked up to her and pulled out a dagger from his waist, the sharp de gently caressing Tang Shiyun¡¯s smooth cheek, eyes merciless and sinister.


    "Zhou Lin, what are you doing?" Guan Long and Zhuang Qian, following behind and seeing this, eximed with surprise and quickly stopped his action.


    "Give me the phone."


    Guan Long and Zhuang Qian looked at each other, not understanding what Zhou Lin intended to do, but still handed over the phone.


    ...


    Silver Star Entertainment Company headquarters.


    In the conference room, everyone was immersed in a suppressive atmosphere, waiting patiently, silently praying for a turn of events.


    Suddenly, the pleasant ring of a cell phone sounded, and everyone¡¯s gaze immediately centered on that phone, breathing bing rapid.


    Ling Chen gave Xia Mutong a look and then pressed the answer button, turned on the speakerphone, and an icy voice immediately said, "Since you know she can¡¯t survive, I won¡¯t waste words with you. Prepare twenty million in half an hour. Remember, this money isn¡¯t to buy her life, but to lessen her suffering. If you don¡¯t agree, I will have a few men take good care of her, then I will cut her flesh off piece by piece, and record a video to upload online, so everyone can appreciate it."


    "Okay. How do we trade?" Ling Chen replied without hesitation, at this moment it wasn¡¯t time to be angry or emotional, keeping absolutely calm was the only chance for a turn of events.


    "Don¡¯t rush, I¡¯ll give you half an hour to get ready."


    The call ended, Xia Mutong looked at Ling Chen and said, "It¡¯s Zhou Lin."


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "Right now we can¡¯t reject his demand, it¡¯s the only lead we have."


    "Captain Xia, I¡¯ve made a discovery," the technician responsible for analyzing the call¡¯s content spoke up at this moment.


    Ling Chen and Xia Mutong immediately stood up and walked over to him. He said, "I¡¯ve just filtered Zhou Lin¡¯s voice and amplified the background sound. Listen." Saying that, he pressed the keyboard and a muffled sound of a horn red from the audio.


    "That is..." Ling Chen raised his eyebrow, "A truck horn."


    "Yes. I checked just now, it¡¯s the horn of a heavy truck. East Sea City has strict regtions on heavy trucks, most roads are restricted, with only one ring route permitted for heavy truck passage. I¡¯ve marked the route, their hideout should be near the ring road."


    Xia Mutong slightly frowned and said, "That route is dozens of kilometers long, the scope is still too big, can we further narrow it down?"


    "Having a clue is better than none. Contact the traffic police department, get them to retrieve surveince footage from this route to see if there¡¯s a clue."


    "Understood."


    While they were talking, He Zhong suddenly pushed the door open from outside and whispered a few words in Yang Chengfeng¡¯s ear.


    "What?" Yang Chengfeng eximed.


    "President Yang, what¡¯s happened?"


    Yang Chengfeng quickly walked to the window, pulled back the curtain to look outside thepany¡¯s main entrance, and said in a heavy voice, "More than ten media outlets know about Tang¡¯s kidnapping, they¡¯re now gathering at the entrance, wanting to interview us."


    Xia Mutong in astonishment said, "How did the media find out? We haven¡¯t announced the news publicly."


    "It must be someone inside ourpany who sold the news to the media," Yang Chengfeng said, his face looking grim, "I will find out who¡¯s responsible."


    Zhu Yansong casually turned on the TV in the conference room and switched to a news station where indeed, a news channel was broadcasting a news sh, with a reporter standing outside the Silver Star Entertainment headquarters, reporting.


    "Dear viewers, ording to thetest information we¡¯ve obtained, Tang Shiyun was abducted by kidnappers during a fan meet-and-greet, her whereabouts currently unknown, her life and death uncertain, the police are investigating, and specific details have not been disclosed. We will continue to monitor the development..."


    "Forget about that for now," Ling Chen interrupted. He had no mood to investigate who leaked the information. Tang Shiyun was in imminent danger, he couldn¡¯t afford to be distracted.


    ...


    Half an hour passed, and the kidnappers made another call.


    "Put the money into two garbage bags, bring your cell phone and head to Linxing Road. I will tell you what to do next once you get there. Remember, no tricks, only one person shoulde."


    Without saying another word, Ling Chen took the phone and put it in his pocket. At the same time, Yang Chengfeng approached carrying two ck garbage bags.


    "Mr. Ling, all twenty million are in these bags. Be careful on your own."


    Ling Chen nodded silently and walked out of the conference room swiftly. Since there was media at the front entrance, to avoid them, Ling Chen went to the underground parking garage and drove out in Yang Chengfeng¡¯s Mercedes-Benz, quickly heading toward Linxing Road.


    Ten minutester.


    The cell phone rang, Zhou Lin¡¯s deep voice came from the earpiece, "Now head to Zhenghe Road."


    Within moments, an hour passed, and under Zhou Lin¡¯s guidance, Ling Chen circled around the city continuously. Ling Chen knew that the other party was testing to see if there were any police tracking him.


    "That¡¯s enough, stop the car, there¡¯s a residential building on your left, go straight to the rooftop," Zhou Lin said.


    Hearing this, Ling Chen looked through the car window, surveying the surrounding environment, filtering through the pedestrians on both sides of the street. From Zhou Lin¡¯s words, it was clear they were secretly watching his movements.


    "Officer Xia, I¡¯ve arrived at the drop-off point." After reporting the situation, Ling Chen, carrying the bags filled with money, took the elevator all the way to the rooftop of the residential building.

 Chapter 300 - 296: Ransom Transaction

    <h4>Chapter 300: Chapter 296: Ransom Transaction</h4><h4></h4>


    The night was like water, the autumn breeze slightly cool.


    Ling Chen stood at the top of the rooftop, his eyes sweeping around, but besides himself, there was no one else; the kidnapper had not shown up. Holding his phone, he patiently began to wait nearby.


    Soon after, his phone finally rang.


    "Put the money on the rooftop, and you can leave."


    Without hesitation, Ling Chen tossed the trash bag to the rooftop¡¯s top and promptly returned to his car. Those wads of cash were imnted with micro-tracking devices; as soon as the kidnapper touched the money, they could track the kidnapper¡¯s whereabouts.


    Several minutes passed.


    "Officer Xia, any movement yet?"


    "Nothing."


    Odd! Ling Chen furrowed his brow as he watched the stairwell entrance of the residential building. It had been so long, yet the kidnapper hadn¡¯te for the money.


    Just as he was pondering, Xia Mutong¡¯s anxious voice suddenly came through the earpiece: "Ling Chen, the signal is gone."


    "What?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Without another word, he dashed out of the car and hurried toward the rooftop. As soon as he reached the rooftop, he immediately heard a buzzing sound above his head. Looking up, he saw two drones hovering in the midair, with hooks on top of the aircraft, precisely snagging the trash bags.


    Under the drones, a small device was fitted, its red light shing.


    A signal jammer!


    What a tactic, to think up such a method to take the money.


    As the drones began to distance themselves, Ling Chen immediately contacted Xia Mutong to report the situation here. He then rushed back to his car and visually tracked the drones in the sky. Because the cash in the trash bags was rather heavy, the drones could not fly too high and were barely maintaining an altitude of fifty meters.


    After crossing several intersections, Ling Chen suddenly hit the brakes, his expression changing as he watched the drones flying around in midair. To his surprise, there were suddenly four or five more drones in the air, each with a ck trash bag hanging from its bottom.


    These identically appearing drones blending together, and given it was night, made them absolutely indistinguishable.


    After circling for a while, the drones began flying off in different directions.


    With a twist of his brow and an inner sense of urgency, Ling Chen didn¡¯t know which drone to follow. Suddenly, his eyes lit up as if he¡¯d thought of something, and he immediately took out his phone to pull up the map of East Sea City.


    "Here, yes, it must be this one."


    The tech team had previously filtered through the call recordings and analyzed the kidnapper¡¯s approximate range. As long as they knew the kidnapper¡¯s direction, and then matched it with the directions of those drones, they could determine which two drones were their targets.


    Having locked onto the drones, Ling Chen drove the Mercedes-Benz, following closely behind. Five minutester, the two targeted drones slowly descended and flew into a basketball court. By the time Ling Chen arrived, under the dim light of the streetmps, he only saw two middle-aged men wearing duckbill caps load two drones into a Jinbei van, hitting the road.


    Atst, he caught up with them!


    The corners of Ling Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly as he followed the Jinbei van from a distance. The three kidnappers were all former soldiers, with Guan Long among them being a scout, well aware of tracking and anti-tracking techniques. Ling Chen dared not take it lightly, always maintaining a safe distance.


    At this moment, having received Ling Chen¡¯s notification, Xia Mutong had already left the Silver Star Entertainment Company, leading more than ten officers into the car, ready to rendezvous with Ling Chen.


    About half an hourter, the golden van that Ling Chen had been following drove into an abandoned warehouse. Without waiting for Ling Chen to get out of his car, the van drove out again after just two minutes, followed by a Wuling Hongguang minivan leaving the warehouse as well.


    The two vehicles did not travel together but headed in different directions. Ling Chen hesitated for a moment, then started his car and followed the Wuling Hongguang.


    It wasn¡¯t long before the Wuling Hongguang suddenly turned into a mountain road. Passing by the intersection, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes were immediately drawn to a sign erected on the side of the road.


    Hongshan Cemetery!


    A cemetery? What is he doing at a cemetery? Could it be... A thought struck Ling Chen, and he quickly elerated, driving along the mountain road.


    Upon reaching the entrance to Hongshan Cemetery, the Wuling Hongguang was parked outside, already empty. Ling Chen turned off his car lights, parked the car, and quickly walked into the cemetery.


    At this moment, Zhou Lin used a rope to bind Tang Shiyun¡¯s hands and rapidly moved through the cemetery. It wasn¡¯t long before the two arrived in front of a grave site. Under the faint moonlight, the picture on the tombstone was visible¡ªit was a very young man.


    Zhou Lin gently patted the tombstone and muttered to himself: "Son, you liked her, didn¡¯t you? Dad will fulfill your wish and soon have her join you down there." As he said this, he coldly nced at Tang Shiyun, then reached out and lifted a tombstone in front of the grave. Immediately, an unsealed coffin came into view before Tang Shiyun.


    "What... what do you want to do?" Tang Shiyun¡¯s face turned deathly pale, especially after seeing the coffin, a hint of fear shing through her eyes.


    "My son liked you very much, but you heartlessly refused him, leaving him cold and despairing, leading to his suicide. He was my only son, and as his father, I don¡¯t want him to depart with regrets, so I want to fufill hisst wish. From today onward, you¡¯ll stay here and apany him."


    "No, I don¡¯t want to." Tang Shiyun shook her head vigorously, tears flowing down her cheeks like pearls off a broken string, "I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to hurt him, I..."


    "Shut up!" Zhou Lin shouted coldly, "You don¡¯t need to y the victim in front of me, it¡¯s toote for anything you say now. I¡¯ve been preparing for this day for a long time."


    Tang Shiyun bit her lip, trying hard to control her emotions, not allowing herself to cry out loud.


    Brother Ling...Unconsciously, she thought of Ling Chen. If Ling Chen were here, he would never let her get hurt.


    But now, she would never have the chance to see her Ling again. Thinking that her short life would end here, she couldn¡¯t suppress the fear and sadness in her heart and started sobbing softly.


    "It¡¯s your turn now."


    Zhou Lin stood up from in front of the coffin, his face ferocious as he stared at Tang Shiyun, his hand gripping a dagger, veins popping on the back of his hand, looking much like a butcher staring at amb waiting to be ughtered.


    "Go down and apany my son."


    Heughed coldly, his arm abruptly lunging forward, the sharp tip of the de stabbing straight towards Tang Shiyun¡¯s heart.


    ng!


    Just then, a crisp sound rang out, and the dagger in Zhou Lin¡¯s hand dropped to the ground.


    The abrupt change stunned Zhou Lin, who shouted loudly: "Who¡¯s there? Come out!"


    "You looking for me?"


    Familiar voice sounded, Tang Shiyun hurriedly turned her head, looking at Ling Chen walking briskly towards her, her mouth slightly agape, filled with an incredible mix of excitement and surprise.

 Chapter 301 - 297: Perilous Danger

    <h4>Chapter 301: Chapter 297: Perilous Danger</h4><h4></h4>


    "Ling... Brother Ling..."


    Unconsciously, sparkling tears streamed down from her eyes. Only this time, it was not out of fear, but rather tears of overwhelming joy. Tang Shiyun felt like she was dreaming; the Brother Ling she had been longing for in her heart had actually appeared.


    "It¡¯s you!" Zhou Lin immediately recognized Ling Chen. When Ling Chen had gone to deliver the money earlier, he had been secretly monitoring his actions.


    Ling Chen said indifferently: "Zhou Lin, just surrender, there¡¯s no escape for you now." As he spoke, the wail of police sirens came from outside the cemetery, and the interwoven red and blue lights flickered endlessly in the night sky.


    "Not a chance!" Zhou Lin roared: "Since you¡¯re here, you can join my son in death." As he spoke, he bent down to pick up a dagger from the ground and quickly lunged forward, attempting to take Tang Shiyun hostage.


    Seeing his move, Ling Chen, who was prepared, lifted his wrist, and Wolf Kiss, sped between his fingers, flew out, piercing into Zhou Lin¡¯s chest. Struck by pain, Zhou Lin¡¯s movement halted immediately. Seizing the opportunity, Ling Chen took three steps in two strides, leaping forward and pulling Tang Shiyun into his arms, then kicked Zhou Lin to the ground with a lift of his leg.


    "Girl, let¡¯s go, let me take care of him."


    Having said that, Ling Chen was about to move forward to subdue Zhou Lin, but at this moment, Zhou Lin¡¯s hand revealed a homemade device.


    "Go to hell."


    Seeing Zhou Lin trigger the detonation device, Ling Chen¡¯s expression shifted slightly, not daring to approach any closer, he quickly turned and threw himself towards Tang Shiyun, pressing her beneath him.


    Boom!


    A loud explosion.


    Along with a bang, a ten-meter radius instantly turned into a fiery inferno. In the terrifying wave of the st, Ling Chen and Tang Shiyun were blown away, tumbling down.


    After rolling down the hillside for more than twenty meters, Ling Chen felt that he and Tang Shiyun were suddenly airborne. Then, out of control, they fell heavily. Without concerning himself with the pain in his body, Ling Chen quickly took a look and found they had fallen into a pit. This pit must have been a graveyard freshly dug ¨C fortunately for them. Otherwise, if they had continued rolling down from the cemetery hill, they wouldn¡¯t have been severely injured if not dead.


    Looking at Tang Shiyun in his arms, her face pale, he asked softly, "Are you alright?"


    Tang Shiyun shook her head. Even though her body ached, with Ling Chen by her side, nothing else mattered.


    At this moment, they held each other tightly, their bodies pressed close together. Snuggling in Ling Chen¡¯s embrace, a whiff of his masculine scent entered her nostrils, causing Tang Shiyun¡¯s heartbeat to quicken, her body gently struggling.


    "Ling... Brother Ling..."


    "What is it?"


    Tang Shiyun¡¯s faint voice trembled like a mosquito: "I... I¡¯m feeling a bit out of breath."


    Her heart pounding with embarrassment, Tang Shiyun¡¯s cheeks flushed red. She was about to speak when she heard Ling Chen¡¯s voice near her ear: "Don¡¯t move, that man ising."


    Tang Shiyun¡¯splexion paled in panic, daring not to make any sudden moves, obediently lying atop Ling Chen.


    In the darkness, it was utterly quiet around them. Tang Shiyun peeked at Ling Chen with a crimson face. Ling Chen said Zhou Lin wasing, but she hadn¡¯t heard anything, instead, the close contact between their bodies was making her feel inexplicably shy.


    This was her first intimate contact with a man in her entire life. Especially the masculine scent emanating from Ling Chen, which stirred confusion within her, causing her to wriggle her body unnaturally.


    This movement, however, made Ling Chen feel ufortable. As a man as normal as could be, such close proximity inevitably gave rise to some uncontroble thoughts.


    This girl, she¡¯s indeed lethal. Ling Chen inwardlymented; ever since cultivating the Prajnaparamita Sutra, his resistance in this respect had been weakening. Although the girl was unintentional, her actions were undeniably torturous to him.


    At that moment, Tang Shiyun also sensed some changes in Ling Chen, her small face reddening instantly, her breathing bing morebored.


    Sensing that the external crisis was far from over, Ling Chen quickly dismissed his wandering thoughts and listened intently to the surroundings.


    Soon, footsteps drew near from afar, resounding above the pit.


    He¡¯s here!


    His eyes slightly cold, he gently patted Tang Shiyun¡¯s back, and whispered, "Don¡¯t make a sound."


    Then, he slightly arched his body, sticking to the side wall of the pit, carefully poking his head out to scan the area. Just three meters away, Zhou Lin¡¯s face twisted in ferocity as he searched for their whereabouts. In his hand, he held another homemade explosive device.


    Having witnessed the power of that thing, he naturally dared not act rashly, even though he could have subdued Zhou Lin in close quarters. If Zhou Lin went mad, Ling Chen feared he wouldn¡¯t escape the st radius in time. Moreover, he had no weapon handy; Wolf Kiss had already been thrown and was now embedded in Zhou Lin.


    After thinking for a moment, he picked up a stone from the pit and threw it to the left.


    Snap!


    At the light noise, Zhou Lin¡¯s attention was immediately drawn.


    Seeing Zhou Lin stepping toward the direction of the noise with his back to him, Ling Chen quickly climbed out of the pit and crept up behind him.


    However, just as he was about to approach Zhou Lin and was preparing to take him down with lightning speed, something unexpected happened. Zhou Lin swiftly turned his head, his cold eyes locking onto him.


    Not good!


    Ling Chen inwardly cursed his luck, not expecting Zhou Lin¡¯s reaction to be so sharp.


    "Die!"


    Zhou Lin bellowed, hurling the explosive device in his hand straight at Ling Chen.

 Chapter 302 - 298: Capturing the Kidnapper

    <h4>Chapter 302: Chapter 298: Capturing the Kidnapper</h4><h4></h4>


    Seeing that object thrown towards his face, it was almost in the blink of an eye that Ling Chen reacted swiftly, turning and leaping backwards, plunging directly into the pit.


    Lying in the pit, Tang Shiyun only felt a darkness before her eyes, as Ling Chen¡¯s body was already pressing down upon her delicate form. As he jumped down, Ling Chen¡¯s hands supported himself against the ground to avoid his body pressing down on Tang Shiyun and hurting her. However, the moment hended, his arms slightly bent and his body leaned downwards, hoping to dissipate the force of the impact.


    What he didn¡¯t anticipate was that this downward motion caused his lips to meet Tang Shiyun¡¯s. Their lips pressed tightly together, and their minds went nk instantaneously. Tang Shiyun looked at Ling Chen in a daze, her smooth face like a freshly bloomed delicate flower, vivid and immensely flushed with shyness. Seemingly forgetting the danger they were in, only one thought upied her mind.


    Her first kiss was taken away!


    This sudden turn of events also stunned Ling Chen; who could have imagined that the spot he leaped to would align perfectly with Tang Shiyun¡¯s lips.


    Coincidence, this was an absolute coincidence.


    As he pondered, the dangerous device above the pit exploded, the mes roaring instantly and spreading, covering a radius of more than ten meters. Fortunately, Ling Chen and Tang Shiyun were hiding in the pit, the mes swept over the surface without harming them.


    Feeling the temperature above his head gradually decrease, Ling Chen, without time for second thoughts, immediately moved his lips away, and leapt towards the edge of the pit. Watching Ling Chen leave, Tang Shiyun gently touched her own thin lips, a glimmer of sweet tenderness passing through her radiant, captivating eyes, filled with reluctance and a trace ofplex, indiscernible emotions.


    At this moment, Ling Chen climbing out of the pit saw Zhou Lin holding the dangerous device, running in their direction, with less than five meters separating them. If he were to throw that thing into the pit, Tang Shiyun would undoubtedly be in peril.


    With this thought, he swept his gaze around, and casually grabbed a clump of dried, cracked mud from the ground, flinging it at Zhou Lin.


    Although the mud was light, empowered with Inner Strength, it flew quickly and smashed directly into Zhou Lin¡¯s face. Zhou Lin hurriedly raised his arms, holding them in front of his face, blocking the mud.


    Opportunity!


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes brightened, he charged forward in swift strides. By the time Zhou Lin lowered his arms, Ling Chen had already appeared in front of him. This scare was significant for Zhou Lin, but as a retired soldier, hisbat readiness remained. After a brief moment of shock, he immediately reacted, his eyes fierce, and he shouted loudly, "We¡¯ll die together!" As he said this, he attempted to trigger the explosive device.


    However, Ling Chen was already prepared. Before Zhou Lin could trigger the device, his hand reached out, grabbing Zhou Lin¡¯s hand holding the device firmly, preventing his fingers from moving.


    At the same time, his right hand clenched into a fist, and he fiercelyunched it at Zhou Lin¡¯s chest.


    Bang!


    Hit by his powerful punch, Zhou Lin¡¯s face instantly turned pale, a trickle of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth.


    "Get down!" Ling Chen shouted softly, his left leg sweeping across, striking Zhou Lin¡¯s calf. Losing his bnce, Zhou Lin immediately toppled, falling to the ground.


    After snatching the dangerous device from Zhou Lin¡¯s hands, Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief, dismantled the explosive device, and threw it aside. Then he pulled out his belt and tied Zhou Lin¡¯s hands behind his back.


    All set, Ling Chen dusted off his hands, jumped back into the pit, took hold of Tang Shiyun¡¯s soft wrist, and smiled, "Get up."


    Sss!


    Suddenly, a sound of fabric tearing echoed through the air. Ling Chen focused his gaze and noticed Tang Shiyun¡¯s skirt hem was caught by a piece of root on the ground. As she stood up, her skirt was inadvertently pulled and tore open from the side, the rip extending up to her waist, revealing a sh of white. Through the tear, theyers of her undergarments were faintly visible.


    "Ah!"


    Tang Shiyun cried out, her inadvertent exposure causing great embarrassment. Especially when she saw Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, squinted with suggestiveness, tantly staring at her, she felt even more ashamed, her pretty face turning crimson in an instant.


    Seeing that Ling Chen¡¯s gaze remained fixed on her, she stamped her little foot and couldn¡¯t help but pout, "Ling."


    Startled by her call, Ling Chen immediately came back to his senses, grinned sheepishly and quickly turned his head away. As his heated gaze disappeared, Tang Shiyun¡¯splexion slowly began to recover, as she bent down to fiddle with her skirt hem. At that moment, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but sneak another nce, his gaze immediately freezing, his mouth slightly agape, filled with a hint of awe.


    As Tang Shiyun bent over, the cleavage of her bosom was unmistakably revealed. Through the wide-open neckline, two soft mounds were bared before him, mesmerizing him to the point his pulse raced and his blood boiled.


    Amitabha Buddha! Sinful, sinful, one must not look upon things one should not, one must not see.


    He silently recited a Buddhist chant to himself, yet his eyes were reluctant to move away, internally sighing in marvel at how much this girl had developed in just a few months.


    At that moment, Tang Shiyun, who was tending to her skirt corner, felt the evening breeze pierce through, a chill settling on her chest. Beside her, Ling Chen¡¯s breathing gradually became heavier. Strangely aware, she looked up to catch Ling Chen¡¯s voyeuristic gaze. Startled, Tang Shiyun subconsciously followed the direction of Ling Chen¡¯s eyes and realized that her bust was unintentionally exposed. Instantly feeling extremely shy, she quickly covered her neckline and red at Ling Chen with a blushing face.


    How annoying! Ling has be more and more indecent.


    Caught in the act, Ling Chen was too embarrassed to continue his gaze. He looked around and saw Xia Mutong with a police officer approaching from the base of the cemetery hill, feeling somewhat relieved.


    "Girl."


    Ling Chen turned his head, about to speak, but saw Tang Shiyun squatting on the ground, her arms crossed, pressing on her delicate shoulders, gently rubbing them, her face somewhat pale.


    It was now midnight, and the night breeze was growing colder, especially in the cemetery, the psychological effect made it feel even colder.


    Seeing Tang Shiyun¡¯s frail appearance, Ling Chen immediately felt a pang of pity in his heart. Swiftly, he took off his jacket and draped it over Tang Shiyun, gently embracing her into his arms, using his own body heat to warm her delicate frame.


    The bashful Tang Shiyun resisted slightly at first, thenpliantly leaned into Ling Chen¡¯s embrace, quietly enjoying the scent of his body.


    Everything that happened tonight seemed like a dream to her. She had thought she was doomed, but out of nowhere, her Ling had suddenly appeared at the critical moment, rescuing her from the kidnappers.


    "Ling, was that you I saw this afternoon at thepany?" She remembered the momentary daze from the afternoon, mistakenly thinking Ling Chen was there and couldn¡¯t help but inquire.


    "Mhm." Ling Chen let out a slight smile and nodded his head. At this point, there was no need for him to keep it hidden any longer.

 Chapter 303 - 299: Capture and Bring to Justice

    <h4>Chapter 303: Chapter 299: Capture and Bring to Justice</h4><h4></h4>


    Upon hearing this, Tang Shiyun¡¯s cheeks immediately revealed a sweet smile. She knew that as long as she was in danger, Ling would certainly not ignore her.


    She squeezed into Ling Chen¡¯s arms, took a deep breath, and wanted to remember his scent forever, murmuring softly, "Ling, it feels so good to have you by my side."


    Just as the two were intimately nestled against each other, blinding shes suddenly lit up outside the pit.


    Ling Chen¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly looked up to see several photographers mixed in with the police, ceaselessly snapping photos. Before the police could rescue Tang Shiyun from the pit, two reporters had already jumped down with microphones in hand, anxiously asking, "Miss Tang, what do you have to say about being kidnapped this time?"


    "Miss Tang, was this kidnapping targeting you personally or for money?"


    "Miss Tang..."


    Annoyed by the incessant questioning of the reporters, Ling Chen immediately lost patience, blocked their microphones with one hand, and embraced Tang Shiyun to avoid being photographed, while asking Xia Mutong, "Officer Xia, what is this all about?"


    Xia Mutong exined with resignation, "It¡¯s the chief¡¯s order. He promised a few significant media outlets exclusive information, aiming to give more coverage to our police force¡¯s aplishments."


    Ling Chen was somewhat displeased internally, but after all, it was the chief¡¯smand and he had no choice. The sessful rescue of Tang Shiyun by the city police would greatly enhance the fame of the police force if it was well-promoted. Correspondingly, the chief in charge of the police force would naturally receive significant credit.


    He then escorted Tang Shiyun, avoiding the reporters¡¯ disturbances, and quickly made their way to the car surrounded by a crowd of police officers. Shortly after, Xia Mutong brought the kidnapper Zhou Lin down from the mountain and ced him in the car.


    Back at Silver Star Entertainment Company, Yang Chengfeng, Yao Li, and Zhu Yansong, who had already received the news, were all waiting at the entrance, looking down the street with anticipation.


    As the police car arrived, everyone¡¯s faces were filled with joyful smiles as they quickly stepped forward to greet them.


    "My daughter!"


    Yao Li, with tears in her eyes, hugged Tang Shiyun tightly and burst into tears, "My daughter, I was so worried about you, I thought I¡¯d never see you again."


    Tang Shiyunforted her, "Mom, don¡¯t cry, look I¡¯m fine." Saying this, she turned her head to look at Ling Chen, who had just gotten out of the car, and said with a glowing smile, "I owe it to Ling for being safe this time. Mom, you should really thank Ling."


    "Thank him?" Recalling how she had been publicly pped by Ling Chen, Yao Li¡¯s anger red up as she coldly said, "Why should we thank him? He did nothing to deserve it. If we should thank anyone, it should be Officer Xia for the big help his police force provided."


    "Mom, how can you say that," Tang Shiyun said, visibly displeased, "If it weren¡¯t for Ling acting in time to stop the kidnapper, I could have..."


    "Alright, alright, let¡¯s not talk about that now." Yao Li, irritable, cut off her daughter¡¯s words. She felt annoyed hearing her continually mention Ling, "Daughter, you must be tired too, I¡¯ll apany you back to rest first. Mr. Zhu, please arrange a car to take us to the hotel."


    Tang Shiyun wanted to say goodbye to Ling Chen, but she was forcibly held back by Yao Li and couldn¡¯t get away. She could only turn back to look at Ling Chen with an apologetic expression.


    Ling Chen smiled faintly, nonchntly waving his hand, mouthing ¡¯rest well.¡¯


    As the Lincoln Sedan drove away, a group of reporters immediately followed by car, while a few set their sights on Ling Chen, crowding in front of him with their microphones, bombarding him with various questions.


    Ling Chen really hates scenes like this, so he immediately pushed through the crowd and quickly walked into the entrance hall of Silver Star Entertainment Company.


    "Mr. Ling, I can¡¯t thank you enough this time. If it hadn¡¯t been for your help, Silver Star Entertainment might have gone through a huge crisis," Yang Chengfeng expressed his heartfelt gratitude.


    Tang Shiyun was a major star fully cultivated by Silver Star Entertainment, in whom thepany had invested countless efforts. Without Silver Star Entertainment¡¯s cost-ignorantprehensive packaging and promotion, even with Tang Shiyun¡¯s talent, it wouldn¡¯t have been possible for her to reach this level in such a short time. Thus, any harming Tang Shiyun¡¯s way would undoubtedly be a severe blow to Silver Star Entertainment, with all the prior investments going down the drain.


    "President Yang, Shiyun is my friend, and I¡¯ve always treated her as a sister. Protecting her is my responsibility; you don¡¯t need to be so polite." Saying this, Ling Chen looked at the time, stood up and said, "President Yang, it¡¯s gettingte, I¡¯ll head back now. You all should rest early too."


    "Okay, take care, Mr. Ling."


    After leaving Silver Star Entertainment Company, Ling Chen saw Xia Mutong leaning against the police car, taking a phone call.


    As he approached, Xia Mutong put down her cell phone, her eyebrows slightly rxed, and a faint smile on her lips, she said, "Just as you predicted, Zhuang Qian and Guan Long nned to smuggle out to sea overnight and head to Vietnam. They were caught all at once by the people we had lying in wait in advance. The twenty million ransom was recovered in full and is now being escorted to the police station."


    "Congrattions, for sessfully solving a kidnapping and murder case. After this, your chief is definitely going to promote and give you a raise."


    "I¡¯m not counting on that. Alright, I won¡¯t talk anymore; I still have to go back to interrogate and write reports, it looks like it will be an all-nighter."


    "Don¡¯t work too hard; take care of your health."


    After watching Xia Mutong drive away, Ling Chen also drove back to Wealthy Manor.


    Two o¡¯clock in the morning.


    Having just finished an interrogation, Xia Mutong dragged her tired body out of the interrogation room and back to her office.


    Feeling her stomach growl, she recalled that she had not had dinner yet, having been too busy with the case. Unable to withstand the hunger, she stood up to get some instant noodles from the station¡¯s pantry to quickly satiate her hunger.


    At this moment, there was a gentle knock on the door of her office.


    "Come in."


    The door opened, and a delivery guy in work attire asked with a smile, "Are you Miss Xia?"


    "That¡¯s me." Xia Mutong nodded, looking confusedly at the delivery guy, and asked, "And you are?"


    "Miss Xia, hello, here¡¯s your takeout." As he spoke, the delivery guy took out several boxed meals from the insted bag, ced them on the table, and turned to leave.


    "Wait a minute!" Xia Mutong quickly called out to him, asking, "Who sent this?"


    "Sorry, Mr. Ling asked us not to reveal his name." The moment the words left his mouth, the delivery guy immediately covered his own mouth, smiled apologetically, and quickly slipped out.


    "Mr. Ling?" Xia Mutong¡¯s lips curled up with a yful smile. Unexpectedly, the guy could be quite caring. Thinking about it, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a tinge of sweetness in her heart.

 Chapter 304 - 300: I Have a Fiancé

    <h4>Chapter 304: Chapter 300: I Have a Fianc¨¦</h4><h4></h4>


    The next day.


    Exhausted from the night before, Ling Chen slept straight through until eight in the morning, luckily it was Saturday, so he didn¡¯t have to go to work.


    Yawning, Ling Chen stretched and walked out of the bedroom to see Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin both in the living room. He was about to greet them when he realized they were fixed on the television, seemingly unaware of his presence.


    What were they watching? He muttered to himself, walked behind the couch, and gazed at the TV.


    At that moment, the news channel was broadcasting the incident involving Tang Shiyun¡¯s kidnapping,plete withmentary and photos from the rescue scene. Seeing the first photo disyed on the TV, Ling Chen¡¯s face immediately turned unnatural.


    In the photo, he was holding Tang Shiyun tightly, with her nestled in his arms, their behavior tender and intimate, especially with the faint blush on Tang Shiyun¡¯s face, which added a hint of ambiguity. At first nce, they looked like a couple.


    Su Lin turned her head with a grin, nced at Ling Chen who appeared somewhat embarrassed, and teased, "Ling Chen, in front of your girlfriend, do you have anything to exin?"


    Ling Chen stealthily peeked at Nanrong Wanqing, who was intently staring at the television, then cleared his throat and sheepishly smiled, "That... it was really cold at the time, I was worried she would catch a cold, so... Wanqing, I¡¯ve always treated Shiyun like a sister, don¡¯t get the wrong idea."


    Nanrong Wanqing gave a light smile and said, "I didn¡¯t say anything, why are you so nervous. By the way, is Miss Tang alright?"


    "She¡¯s fine, just a bit shaken up."


    Su Lin said cheerfully, "Now you¡¯ve done it, you¡¯ve be a celebrity. Last time you were on TV because of Tang Shiyun, and this time again because of her, with such intimate photos to boot, what do you think... those reporters outside will specte? Ling Chen, you¡¯d find it hard not to be famous now."


    Ling Chen touched his head, unable to suppress his worry, "Really?"


    "You..."


    "Chen, Chen!" Before Su Lin could finish, she saw Nanrong Hao rushing inside, his face aglow with excitement, "Chen, there are a lot of reporters outside, they say they want to interview you."


    Su Lin smiled triumphantly, "See, I told you, it looks like our Nanrong Family is going to be home to a major celebrity."


    "Chen, about those reporters outside..."


    "Get rid of them all," Ling Chen waved his hand impatiently. Last time, an assassin had posed as a reporter to assassinate him, and he was still shaken by that. If it weren¡¯t for his skills, he would have lost his life then.


    After breakfast, Ling Chen was preupied with the thought of He Ziyun¡¯s sparring with porridge girl and informed Nanrong Wanqing before driving to Qingyun Martial Arts Hall.


    These past few days, he¡¯d been thinking about it non-stop. Whether it was He Ziyun or porridge girl, both had substantial connections with him. Although he only met porridge girl once, for some reason, she left a very special impression on him, like an unfamiliar acquaintance.


    Arriving at Qingyun Martial Arts Hall, Ling Chen knocked on the door, and Little Hua answered.


    He patted Little Hua on the head and asked, "Where¡¯s your master?"


    "He left," Little Hua pouted, clearly disgruntled.


    "He left?" Ling Chen was startled and quickly asked, "Did he go to the appointment, do you know where?"


    "Zong..." Little Hua was about to speak but suddenly recalled something, her eyes rolled cunningly, and a sly smile appeared, she immediately clung to Ling Chen¡¯s arm, "Big brother, I can tell you, but you have to take me with you."


    "This... that¡¯s not a good idea, right?" Ling Chen was unsure. If He Ziyun was willing to bring Little Hua, he would have done so already, rather than leaving her at home.


    Seeing his reluctance, Little Hua puffed up her cheeks and pouted, "Then you might as well not go, stay home and y with me."


    Ling Chen had no choice but to agree, "Fine, fine, I¡¯ll take you there. Hurry up, let¡¯s not waste any more time."


    Leaving Qingyun Martial Arts Hall, the two drove straight to Zongming Mountain on the outskirts of East Sea City.


    Ling Chen was in a hurry because he hoped the two would show restraint and not harm each other by ident. Secondly, he wanted to see for himself the strength of an Earthly List master. He was a Tiger List master and although he didn¡¯t pursue rankings too much, that didn¡¯t stop his curiosity and pursuit of stronger opponents.


    He was eager to know what level of strength an Earthly List master possessed.


    Zongming Mountain.


    This mountain was a wild and undeveloped area, with strange rocks and steep peaks, imposing and treacherous, covered with weeds. They had to proceed on foot to climb the mountain once they reached its base.


    Upon Little Hua¡¯s insistence, Ling Chen had no choice but to carry her up the narrow mountain trail. The higher they climbed, the narrower and steeper the path became. Even though Ling Chen was agile, carrying Little Hua still proved to be somewhat challenging. It took about half an hour before they finally reached the mountaintop.


    At that moment, on the mountaintop of Zongming Mountain, He Ziyun and the porridge girl were sitting cross-legged on either side, adjusting their breathing, gathering their energy. Hearing footsteps, both opened their eyes simultaneously and turned their gaze towards Ling Chen and Little Hua.


    "Master."


    With a gigglyugh, Little Hua sprinted towards him.


    He Ziyun nced at Ling Chen, his face slightly annoyed, and said, "You girl, did you threaten Ling Chen to bring you here?"


    "Ah! Master, I was worried about you," pouted Little Hua, immediately resorting to her killer move as she sweetly acted coy upon seeing him upset.


    He Ziyun helplessly shook his head and swallowed the words at the tip of his tongue. He had no way to deal with this girl.


    Ling Chen greeted He Ziyun and then walked towards the porridge girl opposite.


    "Hey!"


    The porridge girl, with her delicate and beautiful face showing no sign of emotion, gazed calmly with an unruffled look and asked indifferently, "What is it?"


    This woman is really too detached, Ling Chen thought to himself, considering he hade out of concern for her.


    "Be careful during the sparter. Don¡¯t hurt yourself or Mr. He. You are both my friends, and I don¡¯t want to see either of you get injured."


    "Sorry! Not giving it your all in a martial arts challenge is disrespectful to your opponent."


    "Well said," He Ziyun smiled slightly and said, "Ling Chen, you don¡¯t need to worry about us; we will take care of ourselves."


    Ling Chen nodded but couldn¡¯t help but continue to admonish the porridge girl, "Just be careful. Winning or losing is not important; safety is what matters most."


    The porridge girl gently lifted her head, her clear eyes fixating on Ling Chen¡¯s sharply sculpted handsome face, and asked, "Are you concerned about me?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curled slightly, relieved that the woman finally got the hint.


    However, before he could respond, the porridge girl said dismissively, "Thank you! But I don¡¯t need your concern."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen was slightly stunned, puzzled, and asked, "Why?"


    "I am engaged. Please, don¡¯t waste your time on me."

 Chapter 305 - 301: The Battle of Zongming Mountain

    <h4>Chapter 305: Chapter 301: The Battle of Zongming Mountain</h4><h4></h4>


    Zongming Mountain Misfortune


    "Unmarried fianc¨¦?" Ling Chen was momentarily stunned.


    He remembered that the porridge girl had been living in seclusion in the mountains and forests, rarely venturing out. How could she suddenly have an unmarried fianc¨¦? But then again, he realized, this was, after all, someone else¡¯s private affair; why would she casually disclose it to an outsider? Still, the porridge girl¡¯s words left him somewhat helpless. He was only concerned for a friend; was she overthinking things?


    In the midst of his thoughts, he couldn¡¯t resist stealing a nce at the porridge girl. Her face, delicate as a goose egg, with every contour seemingly sculpted with precision, was round and wless. With a pert, aquiline nose and slender lips, her eyes were like pools of clear spring water, transparent and bright. Even without makeup, she was still stunning beyondpare.


    Such a woman would make any man¡¯s heart flutter.


    Ling Chen gathered his thoughts and patiently exined, "Porridge girl, I mean no harm; don¡¯t misunderstand, I consider you a friend..."


    The porridge girl said coolly, "Master told me, when a man is obsequiously attentive to a woman for no reason, he¡¯s either a viin or a thief. Besides my unmarried fianc¨¦, I cannot ept any man¡¯s concern."


    Hearing these words, Ling Chen cursed inwardly, not knowing who the porridge girl¡¯s Master was. Her Master didn¡¯t teach her anything else, just this Anti-pervet Skill¡ªhow utterly amoral. A beauty like her, who wouldn¡¯t want to be friends with her? And that mysterious fianc¨¦ of hers, what sort of man was he, what merits and capabilities did he have, to actually marry such a top-tier woman.


    He opened his mouth, hesitated a moment, but ultimately, the words he intended to say were left unsaid. Since she was so averse to men¡¯s care, he didn¡¯t want to waste his breath, and turned back to He Ziyun¡¯s side.


    Little Hua said with a giggle, "Big brother, you got snubbed, didn¡¯t you?"


    "Nonsense," Ling Chen covered up the embarrassment in his eyes and asked Mr. He, "How confident are you?"


    "At best fifty-fifty."


    Ling Chen was slightly surprised. He Ziyun¡¯s words clearly showed ack of confidence. An old man in his seventies or eighties and a girl in her early twenties¡ªsuch a great age difference, and an even greater disparity in their martial arts practice, yet He Ziyun was unsure. This indicated how formidable the porridge girl¡¯s strength was.


    "Ling Chen,ter you take Little Hua down the mountain to wait for us."


    "This... Mr. He, may I stay and watch the fight?" Ling Chen asked.


    He Ziyun shook his head without a moment¡¯s hesitation and tly refused his request. Seeing the disappointment on Ling Chen¡¯s face, He Ziyun spoke in earnest, "It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want you to stay, observing high-levelbat can improve one¡¯s insight. However, if the skill disparity is too great, it would not only be of no benefit to you, but could also hinder you, preventing you from making progress."


    Ling Chen touched his nose, feeling immensely frustrated inside. What He Ziyun meant was simple: you are too weak right now, not qualified to watch the fight. He thought to himself, is there really such a big gap between those on the Tiger List and the Earthly List?


    Helplessly, Ling Chen had no choice but to take Little Hua, who had been forcibly driven away, down to the foot of the mountain.


    Sitting on a smooth stone, Little Hua pouted her lips, looking unhappy. Her little legs swung back and forth, stirring the ground¡¯s weeds, passing the dull time.


    Ling Chen leaned against a thick tree trunk, a piece of foxtail grass in his mouth, arms crossed in front of his chest, gaze diagonally upwards at about a 45-degree angle, looking toward the distant mountaintop, his mind filled with images of He Ziyun and the porridge girl sparring.


    At this moment, a series of engine roars suddenly reached Ling Chen¡¯s ears.


    He leaned forward, approaching the edge of the mountain path on Zongming Mountain, and looked down towards the entrance at the mountain base¡ªthree off-road vehicles were parked next to his car. The doors opened, and seven people got out from the vehicles one after another. Seeing them emerge, Ling Chen¡¯s expression subtly changed, and he felt a twinge of unease.


    Though these people were not armed with guns and did not appear fully equipped forbat, for some reason, Ling Chen detected a whiff of danger emanating from them.


    Among the group were men and women, old and young, dressed in an assortment of styles¡ªthe eldest appeared to be in their seventies or eighties, d in rigid, old-fashioned Zhongshan suits, neat and solemn with grave expressions on their faces, while the youngest seemed to be about fifteen or sixteen, sporting a tank top and shorts, mismatched with an out-of-ce pair of slippers. It was already autumn, but the youngster was dressed as if in the height of summer¡¯s sweltering heat. The attire of the others in the group was reasonably normal.


    What caught Ling Chen¡¯s attention the most was a child, not even one meter tall, who looked to be about the same size as Little Hua and had an air of innocent naivety.


    Such an oddly-styled group appearing on Zongming Mountain naturally aroused concern.


    Observing the peopleing up along the mountain path, Ling Chen made a snap decision, hastily returning to Little Hua¡¯s side. He hoisted her on his shoulder and rushed into the mountain, finding a more concealed spot to put her down.


    "Big brother, what are you doing?" Little Hua asked, puzzled.


    "Some people areing. I¡¯ll go and take a look. Stay here and don¡¯t move an inch," Ling Chen instructed.


    After his cautioning words, Ling Chen returned to the midsection of the mountain path. By this time, the group had already reached the hillside, moving swiftly. Ling Chen hid behind the half-human tall weeds, keenly observing their movements with Wolf Kiss gripped tightly in his hand.


    He watched as the people made their way up towards the mountain top without stopping, and Ling Chen inwardly cursed.


    Could these fellows be intending to harm He Ziyun and porridge girl?


    Thinking this, he nced at the path beside him; there was a rugged goat trail that could bypass the main route and lead to the mountain summit. Without hesitation, he rose to take that trail, hoping to get ahead of the group to warn He Ziyun and porridge girl.


    However, just as he started moving, his clothes brushed against the nearby weeds unintentionally. The old man in the Zhongshan suit pricked up his ears; his murky eyes instantly sharpened. With a quick turn, he flicked his wrist and several darts whizzed through the air, shooting toward the thicket where Ling Chen was hiding.


    Looking at the three darts fallen on the ground, Ling Chen widened his eyes in sudden shock.


    Such precise skill!


    Fortunately, he had moved promptly; had he been a moment slower, those darts would have surely hit him. This one move alone proved that the old man was an expert with skills concealed deep.


    Now, as the old man reacted, a man and a woman quickly rushed toward the weeds. The man¡¯s left sleeve was empty, tied around his waist, with only the right arm intact. The woman had a striking appearance, her left cheek adorned with a red snow lotus tattoo, adding a touch of icy allure.


    Within a few strides, the two reached the thicket. Their sharp gazes swept the surroundings, on the lookout for any suspicious targets.


    Ling Cheny still in the underbrush, holding his breath without daring to exhale, intently listening to the sounds a few meters away. The man and woman moved quickly. He couldn¡¯t escape in time and worried it would cause more noise and attract attention. Therefore, he stayed put, waiting for them to leave.


    But at that moment, the pair began to walk around, pressing down the weeds with their feet as they went, checking the underbrush to see if anyone was hiding.


    Seeing their movements, Ling Chen inwardly frowned. These people were not only strong, but also experienced¡ªit seemed they would not be easy to deal with.


    ~~~~~~~~~~I¡¯ve identally included the full day¡¯s worth of manuscript. I don¡¯t have sufficient author¡¯s editing privileges, and I can¡¯t submit less than the originally nned word count, so I¡¯m temporarily recing it with filler text until an editor at Xing Yi can correct it. My deepest apologies~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Chapter 306 - 302 Strange People

    <h4>Chapter 306: Chapter 302 Strange People</h4><h4></h4>


    One step, two steps, three steps...


    A man and a woman were approaching Ling Chen¡¯s position step by step. Ling Chen, who was lying on the ground, could even faintly hear their breathing.


    This way, they would eventually find him.


    He thought to himself. Seeing a foot press down on the weeds in front of him, Ling Chen no longer hesitated. His body, pressed against the ground, suddenly burst up. His fists were like a thousand pounds, smashing towards the patterned woman in front of him.


    Caught off guard, the patterned woman didn¡¯t even have time to react. Her chest had already been heavily struck by Ling Chen¡¯s punch, causing her to stagger backward, her face instantly turning pale.


    Ling Chen nced at her and saw the patterned woman¡¯s ample left breast had caved in and had not bounced back. Seeing this, he smirked and mockingly said, "So it was just a bra supporting fake breasts. You¡¯re really dishonest, Taiping Princess."


    Hearing his sarcasm, ¡¯Taiping Princess¡¯ face instantly frosted over, her eyes ice cold, wishing she could tear Ling Chen apart. She furiously said, "I¡¯ll kill you!"


    As soon as she spoke, the one-armed man by her side immediately stopped her, shouting, "Don¡¯t forget what they said, we need him alive."


    "Huh?" Ling Chen was slightly surprised. He had thought these people were after He Ziyun and porridge girl, but from the one-armed man¡¯s words, it seemed they were targeting him.


    Damn it! Who had he angered that they sent so many people to capture just him? It was clearly a case of the many bullying the few, damn unfair.


    With that thought, Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately ran. The disparity between his and the enemies¡¯ strength was too great; strategically, retreating was the wiser choice. He Ziyun and porridge girl were both on top of the mountain; as long as he could regroup with them, he wanted to see what those people could do to him.


    The two masters from the Earthly List were not to be trifled with.


    However, before he could get far, Ling Chen only saw a figure flickering in front of him. The child from the group descended from the sky, blocking his path and with a bright smile said, "Sorry, big brother, this way is blocked."


    Ling Chen stood in ce for a moment, then looked up at the sky, his gaze shifting back to the child in surprise.


    This kid... can fly?


    Otherwise, how could he have suddenly jumped over from above him? Was this the legendary Qinggong?


    While his mind was filled with these thoughts, Ling Chen suddenly noticed the boy¡¯s shoes. The shoes were a bit strange, the soles of ordinary shoes wouldn¡¯t be so thick, but the boy¡¯s shoes were about ten centimeters high, quite unusual.


    This kid could fly over his head, probably relying on those special shoes. Still, he couldn¡¯t let his guard down. Everyone in this team was incredibly strange; who knew what abilities they had.


    In a sh of thought, his eyes narrowed, and without another word, he went straight at the boy. Right now, he needed to regroup with He Ziyun and the others; he couldn¡¯t afford to dy here. With a brisk step, he reached the boy and swung his hand, prepared to push the boy aside. After all, he was facing a child and didn¡¯t want to be too harsh.


    However, the moment he acted, the boy leaped from the ground, easily jumping over two meters high, and firmlynded on his shoulders. Following that, the boy squatted down, his legs wrapping around Ling Chen¡¯s neck like two ropes. Simultaneously, the boy pressed down with his torso, his head downward against Ling Chen¡¯s back, his arms wrapped around his waist, and his legs forcefully squeezed.


    Ling Chen instantly felt a tightening in his throat, struggling to breathe, gasping for air.


    Freak!


    This was the only thought in Ling Chen¡¯s mind, as the little boy seemed frail, but his strength was terrifyingly great. The weak and small body was like a shackle, tightly imprisoning him.


    At this moment, the one-armed man and the patterned woman who were chasing from behind didn¡¯t wait for Ling Chen to struggle out, and kicked fiercely at his buttocks. Ling Chen immediately stumbled and fell to the ground.


    Ling Chen wanted to resist again, but the patterned woman pulled out a short knife from somewhere and put it on his neck, saying viciously, "If you dare to move again, I will cripple you."


    Feeling the chilly de against his neck, Ling Chen immediately became obedient and reluctantly shouted, "You are ganging up against one, it¡¯s not fair. Let me call my friends and let¡¯s have a fair fight."


    The patterned woman coldly said, "Stop talking nonsense. It¡¯s your bad luck to fall into our hands. Get up!"


    Ling Chen sighed and cooperatively followed the patterned woman, not daring to make any rash moves. If he tried to fight with all his might, he barely had the confidence to break free. But with five other people standing there not moving, if everyone rushed forward, he knew he¡¯d definitely be defeated without even trying.


    "Hey, if you¡¯ve captured me, at least let me know who sent you."


    "Shut up."


    Scolded by the patterned woman, Ling Chen turned his head and took a nce, his eyes unintentionally fell on her t chest, and he secretly sighed in pity. The woman was about thirty years old, pretty in her own right, butcking in certain assets, which detracted from her overall attractiveness. If only she had fuller breasts, she might have had the chance to be quite a stunner.


    Lost in wild thoughts, Ling Chen was brought before an old man. Eyes met in midair as the two sized each other up.


    "Yes, that¡¯s him." The old man nodded as if confirming Ling Chen¡¯s identity.


    Boom!


    Just then, a sudden loud noise came from the top of the mountain. Everyone looked up, the old man¡¯s expression changed slightly, and he said gravely, "Don¡¯t dy, let¡¯s hurry and leave. If they discover us, we won¡¯t be able to escape."


    At thatmand, seven people immediately escorted Ling Chen down Zongming Mountain.


    Shortly after they left, Little Hua who was hiding between two rocks peeked out. Her round eyes scanned around, and seeing no one nearby, she immediately flipped over the rocks and began to run towards the mountaintop.


    Sitting in the car, Ling Chen was sandwiched in the back seat between the one-armed man and the patterned woman, while the old man in a Sun Yat-sen suit took a cellphone out of his coat pocket, dialed a number, and said, "We¡¯ve got him, he¡¯ll be delivered in half an hour. Get your things ready."


    Ling Chen, looking through the rearview mirror, watched the old man with a serious expression, deep in thought, and asked, "Are you guys from the God Organization?"


    The old man stared straight ahead, as if he hadn¡¯t heard Ling Chen¡¯s question, and remained silent.


    Suddenly, the old man¡¯s aura burst forth, he said in a deep voice, "They areing after us."


    Ling Chen quickly turned his head to look out the car window. He saw He Ziyun on the steep cliffs of Zongming Mountain, agile like a clever monkey, his legs continuously jumping, using the protruding rocks on the surface of the mountain to descend rapidly. In a blink of an eye, he was nearing the foot of the mountain.


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes widened, incredulous.


    Holy crap, is this still human? Is this the strength of someone from the Earthly List?

 Chapter 307 - 303: The Eight Eccentrics

    <h4>Chapter 307: Chapter 303: The Eight entrics</h4><h4></h4>


    At the foot of the mountain, He Ziyun tapped the ground with his legs, covering several meters in a single step, speeding like a gust of wind that left no trace behind.


    Suddenly, Ling Chen saw that in the SUV following closely behind, the window rolled down, and a man stuck out half of his body, holding a bow and arrow. The bow was fully drawn, the man ced an arrow on the string, his upper body remaining motionless. No matter how much the car rocked, his upper body stayed still as he held his breath and concentrated, like an unyielding rock amidst the mountain, allowing the wind and rain to batter him without flinching.


    Whoosh!


    The arrow shot out, and the fast-moving He Ziyun paused slightly, looking at the man with the bow and arrow, a trace of shock shing across his eyes.


    The man shot each arrow rhythmically: draw the bow, ce the arrow, inhale, concentrate, release the string, one arrow every ten seconds, no more, no less.


    After a series of ten arrows, He Ziyun was getting farther and farther away from the SUV, with no possibility of catching up anymore.


    Watching the three SUVs gradually disappearing from sight, He Ziyun stopped in his tracks and shook his head helplessly. Suddenly, his face turned pale, and he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.


    He had already sustained an internal injury while sparring with the porridge girl earlier. Upon learning that Ling Chen had been captured, he disregarded his injuries and forcefully used his Inner Strength, resulting in exacerbating his injuries. At this moment, as he spat out a mouthful of blood, hisplexion immediately grew weak.


    Then, the porridge girl arrived with Little Hua from behind, the little girl anxiously asked, "Master, where¡¯s big brother?"


    "He¡¯s been taken." With that, He Ziyun turned around and walked back, picked up an arrow from the ground, weighed it in his hand, examined it, then turned to the porridge girl and said, "I know who took Ling Chen."


    "Who?"


    "The Eight entrics, you should have heard of them."


    The porridge girl nodded, "The martial arts world of Huaxia is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers; the Eight entrics are among them, each possessing their unique skills. But due to their entric personalities, they never mix with others in the martial arts circle. Their strength is formidable, but for some reason, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion hasn¡¯t included them in the Heaven and Earth Dragon and Tiger List."


    "The Eight entrics do have abilities, but each only excels in one aspect and is weak in others. Some say that if the abilities of all Eight entrics werebined in one person, that person would be among the rare masters in the world. Unfortunately, the Heaven and Earth Dragon and Tiger List considers overall ability, not a single strength, which is the main reason they¡¯re not on the list," He Ziyun exined.


    Little Hua asked curiously, "Master, since they¡¯re called the Eight entrics, there should be eight people, right? But I counted just now; only seven appeared."


    "Perhaps someone didn¡¯te." He Ziyun frowned slightly, murmuring to himself, "The Eight entrics are reclusive by nature, never dealing with others; why would they suddenly strike at Ling Chen this time?"


    ...


    Half an hourter.


    At a vi located on the outskirts of East Sea City, three SUVs slowly decelerated, parking at the outdoor lot.


    The car doors opened, the patterned woman and a one-armed man escorted Ling Chen down from the vehicle, following an old man into the vi.


    Entering the spacious and bright living room, before Ling Chen was settled, he heard a heartyughter descending from the staircase. Looking up, his expression changed abruptly, and he eximed, "It¡¯s you!"


    "Ling Chen, we meet again."


    The middle-aged man in front of him was none other than Mr. Yun, whom he had met in Yangcheng, no wonder Ling Chen was so surprised. It seemed his guess was correct; the God Organization was manipting this operation from behind.


    "Mr. Yun, if you wanted to see me, a simple phone call would have sufficed. Why go to the trouble of sending so many people to capture me?"


    Mr. Yun responded with an indifferent smile, "You must have already guessed my identity. If I had called you, would you havee alone? Please, have a seat. Let¡¯s sit down and talk."


    In the meantime, an old man in a Zhongshan suit stepped forward and said, "Mr. Yun, we¡¯vepleted the task you asked us to do. Isn¡¯t it time you kept your promise?"


    "Elder Qiu, don¡¯t be impatient. I won¡¯t go back on my word. However, your third brother¡¯s situation is quiteplicated, and he still needs some time for treatment. Rest for now, andter I will take you to see him."


    Once the seven of them left, Ling Chen looked at Mr. Yun and asked the question that had long lurked in his heart, "You¡¯re from the God Organization, so why did you help me save Wanqing in Yangcheng?"


    "With your wits, you should be able to guess the reason."


    Hearing this, a thought struck Ling Chen, and he blurted out, "Could it be you¡¯re really..."


    Mr. Yun waved his hand, cutting him off, "Some things are clear in our hearts; there¡¯s no need to say them out loud. I once tested your abilities, indeed not bad. Knowing you¡¯re there to protect Wanqing¡¯s safety gives me peace of mind."


    "Tested my abilities? When was this?" Ling Chen was puzzled.


    "One of the three who put a bounty on you was me. If I had known others were doing such things, I wouldn¡¯t have needed to intervene. But you didn¡¯t disappoint me, which saved me four million US Dors."


    "If Wanqing knew about your identity, how do you think she should face you?"


    "That¡¯s not your concern. Besides, I only care about her safety, not how she sees me. Ling Chen, I brought you here today mainly for two matters. First, you can stay by Wanqing¡¯s side to protect her, but you must not harbor any improper thoughts toward her. Remember my words, no matter how your rtionship with her develops, there¡¯s no oue for you and her. I¡¯m not threatening you, I¡¯m warning you, reminding you, so you don¡¯t get too deeply entangled and unable to extricate yourselves, which will only lead to greater pain in the end."


    "Why? Just because of your rtionship with her, you think you can make decisions for her? Don¡¯t forget, even if you are rted by blood, in Wanqing¡¯s eyes, you¡¯ve always been a stranger. I believe, given her character, she wouldn¡¯t let you control her life."


    Ling Chen was very unhappy; he disliked others meddling in his personal affairs, especially matters of the heart.


    "I can¡¯t tell you the reason; it¡¯s a matter of the Nanrong Family, and you¡¯re an outsider; you don¡¯t need to know. Just keep my words in mind, don¡¯t cross my bottom line, otherwise..."


    "Otherwise, what?" Ling Chen spoke mockingly. "Kill me?"


    Mr. Yun shook his head, "I won¡¯t kill you, but I have a hundred ways to make living worse than death for you, so you¡¯d better heed my advice and not act recklessly."


    "Sorry, I don¡¯t ept your advice. I have my own principles in life and don¡¯t need someone else dictating them. If you¡¯re really capable, then go and tell Wanqing yourself," Ling Chen was unyielding.


    Hearing this, Mr. Yun did not get angry; his expression remained calm.


    "I¡¯ve made myself clear; what you do is up to you. Now, let¡¯s talk about the second matter."

 Chapter 308 - 304: Seeing Zhu Hong Again

    <h4>Chapter 308: Chapter 304: Seeing Zhu Hong Again</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen¡¯s brows furrowed slightly as he asked, "Is there anything else you need?"


    Mr. Yun smiled profoundly and stood up, saying, "You¡¯ll know soon enough. Come with me."


    Ling Chen followed his steps closely, without resisting. By this point, he knew resistance was futile. With those seven bizarre individuals guarding outside, he had no chance of escape.


    Since he was here, he might as well adapt. He was curious to see what Mr. Yun intended to do with him.


    Leaving the vi, the one-armed man and the patterned woman once again approached under Elder Qiu¡¯s leadership, pushing Ling Chen into the car, one on either side of him. Two Mercedes-Benzes, along with three Chevrolet SUVs, maintained a speed of seventy miles, driving along the road.


    After about an hour, the five vehicles took a big loop around the ring road of East Sea City, without arriving at the destination. Ling Chen knew that the other party was ruling out the possibility of being tracked. After circling a few more intersections, the five cars finally entered a chemical nt.


    The cars stopped, and immediately over ten men in suits came out from the security booth, holding various precision instruments, checking the vehicles to prevent any tracking devices, listening devices, or dangerous items from being present. Ling Chen observed carefully onboard and nodded to himself. Very professional, and very principled. Mr. Yun was an important figure in the God Organization, holding high authority. Yet, even so, strict inspections were still necessary, with no exceptions.


    After spending a few minutes to ensure safety, the security allowed them to proceed.


    The five vehicles entered an underground parking garage, moving downward. When they reached the lowest level, two parked trucks inside slowly started moving, heading in opposite directions, revealing a smooth wall. Then, with a series of clicking sounds, the whole wall rose slowly, revealing a brightly lit passage immediately before everyone¡¯s eyes.


    Ling Chen was secretly astonished. Previously, Tang Yuan, along with the members of the Ghost Organization through Zhang Xueli¡¯s confession, had almost destroyed all the secret bases in East Sea City. He didn¡¯t expect there to be another secret base hidden here. This made him admire the powerful force of the God Organization; their vitality was as tenacious as wild grass.


    As the five cars arrived at their destination, the security personnel waiting outside immediately swarmed the vehicles. After getting out of the car, Ling Chen saw a researcher in a whiteb coat holding a specially-made syringe, injecting each person, himself included. After wiping the fresh blood that remained on his arm from the injection, Mr. Yun¡¯s voice echoed in Ling Chen¡¯s ear, "Gentlemen, it¡¯s best to behave yourselves here and not wander around. You all have been injected with nano tracking devices that can precisely pinpoint your locations. If we find any signal anomalies, I¡¯m sorry, you will have to stay here forever."


    As he was speaking, several white-coated figures quickly approached from the elevator entrance, holding metal cases.


    "Mr. Yun," they greeted respectfully in unison.


    "The person you want is him," Mr. Yun pointed at Ling Chen, and the gaze of several in white coats immediately locked onto Ling Chen, their eyes burning with intensity.


    Seeing how they pounced like hungry wolves, surrounding him, Ling Chen felt a bit uneasy. Their eyes seemed like those of frustrated wives, suddenly spotting a muscr prey, instantly excited.


    As they kept touching and feeling, pinching his pectoral muscles, rubbing his thighs, Ling Chen suddenly cried out, "Hey! What are you doing?" As he spoke, he flung his arms, trying to push away those in white coats. But at that moment, he felt a tickle at the back of his neck, as if a mosquito had bitten him. Then, his head began to feel heavy, his consciousness blurred, his body softened, and he copsed to the ground.


    "Take him down," Mr. Yun said, then looked at the one-armed man and others, adding, "Elder Qiu, youe with me."


    I don¡¯t know how long it had been, but Ling Chen hazily awakened, feeling an unbearable throbbing in his head and a sour ache throughout his muscles. He instinctively wanted to raise his hand to touch his forehead, only to discover that both his hands couldn¡¯t move at all.


    Opening his eyes, he looked at his body and his face slightly changed. At this moment, he was bound to a vertical iron bed, his limbs tied down by specially made metal constraints. Beside him, several individuals in whiteb coats and masks were holding tabletputers, whispering to each other, discussing something unknown.


    Then, one of the white coats approached him, holding a thick syringe, and directly jabbed it into his arm, slowly drawing blood. Fresh blood immediately started flowing into the syringe through the needle.


    "Damn it, what are you doing, stop!" Ling Chen red fiercely and shouted. Shit, with the capacity of this syringe, at least a tenth of his blood must have been taken.


    But the white coatpletely ignored his anger, busily focusing on his task at hand. Once the blood was drawn full, Ling Chen¡¯s body immediately reacted with a strong sense of weakness. After removing the needle, the white coat hung a saline drip for him, then took the fresh blood away for testing.


    Before long, those white coats seemed to treat him as an automatic blood donor machine, drawing blood every hour or two.


    Unconsciously, Ling Chen had lost track of time, feeling groggy and incoherent, pale-faced, unable to muster any strength. If he were set free now, he estimated he wouldn¡¯t have the strength to escape.


    "Ling Chen, Ling Chen... wake up!"


    In his daze, Ling Chen thought he heard a familiar voice calling him. Struggling to open his eyes, he looked up ahead, his dting pupils gradually focusing, and a handsome face suddenly appeared before him.


    "It¡¯s you... Zhu Hong..." Ling Chen weakly said.


    "Long time no see." Zhu Hong smirked coldly. "Never thought you¡¯d end up like this. I¡¯ve always told you, opposing me won¡¯t end well, but you just wouldn¡¯t believe and had to show off."


    Ling Chen summoned his energy, Zhu Hong¡¯s chilling smile growing clearer in his eyes. With a slight upward curve of his lips and in a mocking tone, he said, "What¡¯s there to be proud of? I didn¡¯t lose to you, and I¡¯m not sure who was it that ran away like a bereaved dog."


    Hearing this, Zhu Hong¡¯s expression shifted, his face turning pale as he stared at Ling Chen with a cold voice, "Still stubborn under these circumstances, huh? Let¡¯s see how long you can hold out."


    As he finished speaking, he swung a heavy punch,nding it firmly on Ling Chen¡¯s body.


    Puh!


    Ling Chen spit out all the saliva he had been holding back, spraying Zhu Hong¡¯s face. He squeezed out a smile, tauntingly said, "You hit with such little force, are you even a man? If the God Organization falls apart, with your looks you could get a sex change and be a woman, then go to a ce like Thand; you might even make more than you do now."


    "Shut up!" Zhu Hong, who was wiping the saliva from his face, shouted angrily with another fist raised.

 Chapter 309 - 305: Perfect Gene

    <h4>Chapter 309: Chapter 305: Perfect Gene</h4><h4></h4>


    "Stop!"


    At that moment, a stern voice rang out. Zhu Hong¡¯s movements slowed, and he reluctantly retracted his fist, stepped back to one side, bowed slightly, and said, "Mr. Yun."


    Mr. Yun looked at him displeasedly and scolded, "I asked you here to assess the situation, not to take the opportunity for revenge. If you are truly a man, defeat him one-on-one with your own abilities, not by using such despicable methods."


    "Yes, I was wrong." Zhu Hong bowed his head, not daring to utter a word and honestly epted the criticism.


    "Mr. Yun." A person in a whiteb coat, holding a freshly printed report still smelling of ink, excitedly ran in from outside, speaking with an exhrated expression, "It worked, it worked! Mr. Yun, you were right, his genes have fused with the drug at a 99%patibility rate, almost perfect."


    "Can it solve our problem now?"


    "No problem," the person in the whiteb coat said confidently, "As long as we extract his genes and proceed with gene cloning, we¡¯ll be able to mass-produce the drug, and the incidence of side effects will be greatly reduced."


    "Very good." Mr. Yun smiled slightly, satisfied, "From now on, I will grant you full ess to whatever you need, just ask and I will have people fully cooperate with you."


    "Yes."


    After the person in the whiteb coat left, Mr. Yun walked up to Ling Chen, looked at his pale face, and said with a smile, "Ling Chen, when the God Organization rises globally, you will be our greatest hero."


    Ling Chen frowned slightly, speaking in a deep voice, "Have you considered your daughter in all this?"


    "That¡¯s my business, not yours to worry about. Just stay here quietly for a while, and once they have seeded, I will let you go. Wanqing¡¯s safety still needs your protection, I won¡¯t keep you for too long."


    Hearing this, Zhu Hong behind him couldn¡¯t help saying, "Mr. Yun, let me handle Wanqing¡¯s safety..."


    "You can¡¯t." Mr. Yun cut him off, shaking his head, "Zhu Hong, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you, but you have more important things to do. Go now, let Ling Chen cool down a bit, I have things to discuss with you." With those words, he turned and walked out.


    Zhu Hong nced at Ling Chen, his eyes cold and resentful.


    "Ling Chen, our business isn¡¯t finished yet." After saying that, he scoffed, flung his sleeve, and left.


    At this moment, in a hospital room at the secret base, seven of the infamous eight were gathered in a spacious room, looking at the middle-aged man lying unconscious on the hospital bed, their expressions filled with concern.


    Soon, the door of the hospital room was pushed open, and Mr. Yun walked in, escorted by Zhu Hong, nodding to the Elder Qiu leading the group.


    "Mr. Yun, exactly how is my younger brother?"


    "Elder Qiu, don¡¯t worry, he is out of danger for his life, but... although his life is saved, it may take some time before he can wake up, he must continue to take our drug. However, that drug is very precious, and we have a shortage here, if he cannot continue taking it, his life may be in danger..."


    "Mr. Yun, I, Qiu Yong, am not a fool, speak frankly, what will it take for you to help my brother?"


    Mr. Yun¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile, speaking casually, "Elder Qiu really understands well, then I¡¯ll speak frankly. There are a few other tricky matters I need your help with. If you can assist me in those, not only will I save your brother, but there will also be extrapensation."


    "You break your promises." The patterned woman behind Qiu Yong, furious, couldn¡¯t help but intervene, "You promised us, as long as we helped you capture Ling Chen, you would treat my brother. I warn you, don¡¯t think we¡¯re easy to bully, and don¡¯t me us for not being polite if you enrage us."


    "Presumptuous!" Zhu Hong barked coldly, "If you want to live and leave this ce, better watch your tone."


    Mr. Yun waved it off nonchntly, "Elder Qiu, times change, the conditions I¡¯veid out are there, whether you agree or not is your decision. I have other matters to attend to, think it over and let me know."


    Watching Mr. Yun and Zhu Hong leave, the patterned woman angrily said, "Big brother, this man clearly wants to use us, we must not agree."


    "That¡¯s right, how dare he threaten us."


    Qiu Yong looked at the middle-aged man lying on the hospital bed, hesitated, and said, "Don¡¯t you want to save our younger brother? We eight siblings have always been united, advancing and retreating together. Now that our brother is in trouble, we can¡¯t just stand by."


    Hearing this, everyone fell into silence.


    ...


    I do not know how long I had been unconscious, but when Ling Chen regained consciousness, he felt his body being pushed, with the sound of wheels nearby. Immediately after, a pungent smell of medicinal fluid entered his nostrils, as if he were in a hospital.


    "Connect the equipment properly, monitor the patient¡¯s vital signs, we cannot let him die."


    Ling Chen squinted his eyes, barely discerning two blurred figures in front of him. He exhaled a breath, his clenched fist slowly rxing, and his chest¡¯s rising and falling gradually slowing down.


    Beep beep!


    An ear-piercing rm sounded, and the nearby disy lit up with a red light.


    "The heartbeat and body temperature are dropping, the patient¡¯s vital signs are unstable, he needs urgent resuscitation."


    The white-coated individual immediately panicked, hurriedly saying, "Notify all doctors, no matter what, we must save his life." After speaking, he quickly took out his phone to contact Mr. Yun, updating him on Ling Chen¡¯s condition.


    Not long after, over a dozen doctors had arrived in the hospital room, performing resuscitation on Ling Chen.


    "The patient must have lost too much blood, causing his constitution to weaken, go immediately to the blood bank for sma."


    "Doctor, the patient¡¯s heartbeat is about to stop."


    "Prepare adrenaline immediately."


    The team of doctors, sweating profusely, hurriedly busied themselves. Soon, a dose of adrenaline was injected into Ling Chen¡¯s body. Almost instantly, Ling Chen¡¯s body reacted strongly, his eyes suddenly opening wide, his pupils dting, and his breathing growing more and more rapid as the monitor disyed waveforms like high peaks, unceasing.


    "How is the patient¡¯s condition?"


    "I¡¯m very well."


    A sudden voice erupted among them, startling the attending medical staff who promptly focused their gaze on Ling Chen, their faces filled with astonishment, "You... how could you..."


    Ling Chen¡¯s lips curled up slightly, his face flushed with a healthy glow, no signs of weakness visible. Before the doctors and nurses could even react, Ling Chen performed a swift move and swiftly got off the hospital bed, leaped over the heads of everyone, and rushed to the door of the hospital room, breaking it with his foot and swiftly taking down the two security personnel guarding the door.


    "Quick, ring the rm, don¡¯t let him escape!" shouted the first doctor toe to his senses.

 Chapter 310 - 306: Skillfully Laying Plans

    <h4>Chapter 310: Chapter 306: Skillfully Laying ns</h4><h4></h4>


    Wearing a patient¡¯s gown, Ling Chen quickly pulled out the remaining needles and ran relentlessly.


    Luckily, those doctors and nurses were easy to deceive, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have found the chance to escape. With his physical condition, even with excessive blood loss, his life wouldn¡¯t be in danger. Just now, he deliberately used his Breathing Control Skills to slow down his breathing, creating the illusion that his vital signs were weakening. He knew that once there was a life-threatening situation, following normal procedures, the doctor would inject a certain amount of adrenaline to enhance the patient¡¯s bodily functions.


    He needed the adrenaline because the excessive blood loss had left his body too weak to even muster any strength, and adrenaline could exactly trigger his potential.


    However, the only drawback of adrenaline was that it couldn¡¯tst for too long, he must find a way out quickly and escape from this damned ce.


    Just as he was thinking, several security personnel suddenly rushed out in the corridor ahead.


    "Stop, don¡¯t run!"


    Ling Chen nced sideways and immediately turned towards another corridor. Yet, he hadn¡¯t gotten far when more than ten security personnel intercepted him, blocking his path.


    "Damn!"


    Trapped from both front and back, Ling Chen muttered to himself that something was wrong, and then remembered that when he first entered the secret base, someone had injected a nano tracker into his body. As long as he was within the base, the enemy could lock onto his location at any time.


    ncing left and right, Ling Chen gritted his teeth, turned around, and kicked open the door behind him, nning to slip out through the window. However, the moment the door was kicked open, more than a dozen gazes immediately focused on him.


    Uh...


    Ling Chen was slightly startled and froze on the spot, looking somewhat embarrassed.


    "Uh...sorry, wrong room." Ling Chen gave an awkward smile and hurriedly retreated out the door. But by then, the ten-plus security personnel had already arrived, blocking the entrance to the room. With no other choice, Ling Chen kicked a few people away and then mmed the door shut with a ¡¯bang¡¯, using his back to barricade the door and prevent the people outside from breaking in.


    The patterned woman inside the room looked at Ling Chen, a cold glint shing in her eyes as she stepped forward. However, she had barely taken a step when she was stopped by Qiu Yong.


    "This has nothing to do with us, no need to interfere."


    Hearing this, the patterned woman nodded and stepped back.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen secretly heaved a sigh of relief. He had not expected such luck to run into these people¡¯s room. He also heard what Qiu Yong just said and felt secretly fortunate. If it came to a fight, they both might not be a match for these people.


    "Open the door! Open it now!"


    The voices outside grew louder, apanied by the ¡¯bang bang¡¯ sounds of the door being hit, almost pushing Ling Chen¡¯s body away several times.


    Facing such a dangerous situation, Ling Chen was momentarily at a loss, unsure of what to do. At that moment, he saw a cab ced next to the room¡¯s door, immediately toppled it over, and used it to barricade the door, freeing himself.


    Taking a breath, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes shifted, and his gaze soonnded on a hospital bed. A middle-aged man, in his thirties,y on the bed with a waxenplexion and purple lips, showing signs of poisoning. Thinking of this, he couldn¡¯t help but walk over to the bedside and ced his hand on the man¡¯s pulse.


    Seeing his actions, everyone¡¯s expression changed dramatically, and they hastily shouted, "Stop!"


    Hearing the shouts of the crowd, Ling Chen was startled. Seeing Qiu Yong and the others ring at him, he immediately exined, "Everyone, don¡¯t misunderstand, I mean no harm, I just wanted to check his condition."


    Qiu Yong looked at Ling Chen skeptically and asked, "Do you know medical techniques?"


    "A little bit." After saying that, Ling Chen saw no resistance from him and again ced his hand on the middle-aged man¡¯s pulse.


    After a while, he nodded slightly and said, "He has been poisoned, and it¡¯s a severe poison."


    The patterned woman coldly said, "Nonsense, we all know that. The question is whether you can save him or not."


    "I can¡¯t. The toxins in his body have spread to all his organs, and his bodily functions are essentially necrotic. Even if Hua Tuo were alive, he couldn¡¯t save him. He is currently only being kept alive by drugs and devices that stimte potential, lingering on in a desperate state." Ling Chen said sternly, "If I were you, I would end his life and not let him suffer any longer."


    "Nonsense!" The one-armed man yelled angrily: "My third brother will never die, and if you keep spouting nonsense, do you believe I¡¯ll kill you?"


    Ling Chen shrugged his shoulders, looking helpless, "I¡¯m telling the truth. If you don¡¯t believe it, there¡¯s nothing I can do. But don¡¯t me me for not reminding you, dragging this out will only make him suffer more, a fate worse than death. If you really consider him a brother, you shouldn¡¯t let him endure this torment."


    "Shut your mouth." The one-armed man roared, a cold light shing in his hand, and a steel knife appeared somehow, striking straight at Ling Chen¡¯s head.


    "Stop!"


    Hearing the familiar voice, the one-armed man paused slightly and immediately stopped, turning his head to look at Qiu Yong, puzzled, "Big brother, let me kill this jerk."


    Qiu Yong shook his head, looking directly at Ling Chen in front of the sickbed, eyes filled with sharp light.


    "I know he has been deeply poisoned. The doctors outside have the same diagnosis as you. But Mr. Yun told me he has a way to cure my third brother."


    "He has deceived you. The God Organization mainly researches enhancement drugs which can stimte a person¡¯s potential for a short period, but they do not remove the toxins in his body. Once his potential is exhausted, no amount of enhancement drugs will be useful. My guess is, in three or four days, he won¡¯tst. Elder Qiu, I know you¡¯re worried about your brother¡¯s safety, but some things can¡¯t be forced."


    While he was speaking, the door of the sickroom was jolted open a crack.


    Ling Chen¡¯s face changed slightly, he quickly grabbed a surgical knife, gritted his teeth, and cut a slit in the skin of his own arm, then used tweezers to probe into the wound. After fiddling for a while, he extracted a rice grain-sized nano tracker.


    Having dealt with the tracker, he did not hesitate, immediately ran to the window of the sickroom, opened the ss window, then grabbed the guard rail outside the window, and pushed outward with both hands forcefully.


    This is bad!


    Suddenly, he inwardly cursed. At this moment, his strength was fading faster and faster, and the effect of adrenaline was rapidly decreasing. After a few movements, he was already sweating profusely and gasping for breath.


    Just then, the internal line phone in the sick room suddenly rang, and at the same time, the sound of pounding on the door from outside disappeared.


    Under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, Qiu Yong walked to the phone, picked up the receiver, and greeted, "Hello."


    "Elder Qiu, do me a favor, catch Ling Chen, don¡¯t let him run. Once it¡¯s done, I¡¯ll immediately save your brother."


    Qiu Yong nced at Ling Chen and replied, "He¡¯s right here, I can capture him at any moment. But I have a condition, you must save my third brother first."


    "Elder Qiu, now is not the time to negotiate terms. As long as you capture Ling Chen and hand him over to the security personnel outside, we can talk slowly about the rest."


    "I refuse. You better make a decision quickly; he¡¯s about to escape. Also, he has already removed the nano tracker from his body. Once he escapes the sickroom, don¡¯t think of finding him again."

 Chapter 311 - 307: Seeing Through

    <h4>Chapter 311: Chapter 307: Seeing Through</h4><h4></h4>


    At this moment, everyone held their breath, and the room was so quiet that the sound of a needle dropping to the floor could be heard. The sound of Mr. Yun¡¯s breathing was faintly audible on the other end of the phone.


    Qiu Yong pressed Mr. Yun for a decision once more; they needed an oue, yet Ling Chen¡¯s words still echoed in his ears.


    On one side was the hope of saving his brother, on the other side was disappointment and the anger of being deceived.


    They were all patiently waiting.


    "Mr. Qiu," Mr. Yun¡¯s voice finally came through the phone, "I¡¯ve said before, your third brother¡¯s illness is quiteplicated and requires long-term rehabilitation and observation. You want me to cure him instantly, that I cannot do."


    "How would I know that you¡¯re not just stringing me along?" Qiu Yong said sternly: "A life for a life, you want Ling Chen, I want to save my third brother. Now, call the doctors in, let them cure my third brother before my eyes. I¡¯ll give them three days; if there¡¯s no improvement within three days, I¡¯ll kill Ling Chen immediately, and you¡¯ll get nothing."


    Ling Chen, hearing this, inwardly cursed his bad luck. Damn it, he thought, he had be a bargaining chip in Qiu Yong¡¯s negotiation.


    "Alright, I¡¯ll do my best."


    The call ended, and within five minutes, there was a knock on the door outside the ward. Qiu Yong gave a look to the one-armed man, who understood and rose to open the door; five doctors in whiteb coats and three nurses filed in. Once they were inside, the one-armed man mmed the door shut with a ¡¯bang,¡¯ locking the security personnel outside, and then stood by the door with a steel knife, ready to prevent anyone from forcing their way in.


    Qiu Yong scanned the doctors and nurses, and in a tepid voice let out three words: "Start then, you have three days. If my third brother suffers the slightest harm, you shall all be buried with him."


    Feeling the intense killing intent in his tone, the doctors broke out in a cold sweat and hastily began their examination and treatment.


    At this time, Ling Chen ungracefully slumped on the floor, drenched in sweat as if he had been out in the rain, not only was his forehead soaked, but his clothes were also drenched in cold sweat. He gasped for air and looked at the busy doctors, then at Qiu Yong, and weakly said: "Mr. Qiu, if you want to use me as a bargaining chip, at least let me stay alive."


    As a martial artist, Qiu Yong could see that Ling Chen was in bad shape. He nodded his head and signaled for a doctor to give Ling Chen an IV.


    Ling Chen climbed onto a chair and rested his hand on the table, rolling up his sleeve. The doctor approached with a medical kit, took out a bottle of medicine, and then with a needle, aimed for Ling Chen¡¯s arm and injected it. As the throbbing pain in his arm spread, Ling Chen looked up at the doctor giving him the IV and with a hint of peculiarity asked casually: "How long have you been a doctor?"


    The doctor was slightly startled, seeming not to expect such a question from Ling Chen. After a brief daze, he lowered his head to adjust the IV tube and replied: "Over twenty years."


    "Over twenty years?" Ling Chen looked at him with a smile that was not quite a smile, "An old doctor of over twenty years and you still can¡¯t insert a needle urately? Or is it that you can¡¯t do it at all and just trying to fob me off?"


    Hearing this, the doctor suddenly looked up; a flicker of sharpness passed through his dark eyes. Though it was fleeting, Ling Chen caught it urately. He smirked slightly and chuckled: "In the future, don¡¯t pretend to be in a profession you know nothing about. It¡¯s easy to be found out that way."


    As he finished speaking, before the other person could react, Ling Chen abruptly pulled the needle from his arm and stabbed it into the doctor¡¯s eye.


    "Ah!"


    With a piercing scream, the person clutched their left eye, from which blood gushed through their fingers.


    This sudden turn of events caught everyone in the room by surprise. The four doctors in white coats and three nurses, who were treating the patient at the bedside, saw theirpanion attacked and their faces instantly changed. They quickly drew hidden daggers from within their clothes and stabbed towards Qiu Yong and the others.


    "Seeking death!"


    The patterned woman shouted furiously, her face cold as frost. Her slim and slender figure leaped up like a swallow gliding at low altitude, charging into the crowd. Following that, she loosened her sleeve, and a three-foot-long short sword slid into her hand from the sleeve. With the sword in hand, she crossed her arms and the de split in two¡ªit was a Mother-Child Sword.


    Those posing as doctors and nurses were skilled fighters, as evident from their martial arts; all had undergone strict training in standardbat techniques.


    However, Qiu Yong and hispanions were no pushovers either. Although the eight entrics hadn¡¯t made it onto the Heaven and Earth Dragon and Tiger List, there was no doubt that they were recognized as high-level martial artists by their peers.


    Ling Chen sat in his chair without getting up; he was too weak to move now. Watching the two groups fighting fiercely in the sickroom was quite enjoyable. Among the seven in front of him, besides Qiu Yong, he could only identify four. One was a little boy with astonishing jumping power and strength beyond ordinary. One was the Taiping Princess, skilled in swordsmanship; one was a one-armed man with a saber; and another was an archer. In addition to these, there were two others he wasn¡¯t familiar with.


    "Eh?"


    While observing the fight, Ling Chen suddenly noticed a young man dressed in summer clothes standing in the corner of the room with a brilliant smile on his face, watching both sides without any intention of joining in.


    To his surprise, the fight in the sickroom was drawing to an end. Unsurprisingly, Qiu Yong and hispanions were victorious. Those disguised as doctors and nurses were not weak, but unfortunately, they had intended tounch a surprise attack. Ling Chen had seen through their identities, allowing Qiu Yong and the others to be prepared.


    "Elder Qiu, you should believe me now," Ling Chen spoke, "Mr. Yun knew he couldn¡¯t save his own life, so he resorted to these tactics."


    Qiu Yong nodded, his face serious, with a hint of suppressed anger in his old eyes.


    At this moment, no one contested Ling Chen¡¯s words anymore. The truthy before their eyes, leaving no room for hope.


    "Ling Chen, our brother and sister were deceived and used by Mr. Yun, and we have offended you greatly. Please don¡¯t take it to heart," Qiu Yong said earnestly, expressing his apologies.


    Ling Chen grinned: "No worries, desperate times call for desperate measures, I can understand your feelings. Now that things are clear, shouldn¡¯t we think of a way to get out of here?"


    "Big brother, he¡¯s right. If we don¡¯t leave now, they definitely won¡¯t let us go."


    As soon as the one-armed man finished speaking, thendline phone in the room rang again. Qiu Yong picked up the receiver, and Mr. Yun¡¯s voice immediately came through, "Elder Qiu, it seems my people have failed. How about this, we change the terms. If you agree to serve me and join me, I will spare your lives. What do you say?"


    Qiu Yong answered coldly, "Mr. Yun, before you decided to use us, maybe you should have inquired about the consequences of provoking the eight entrics. We have never been merciful, and you¡¯ve made a grave mistake."

 Chapter 312 - 308 Escape

    <h4>Chapter 312: Chapter 308 Escape</h4><h4></h4>


    "Hehe! Elder Qiu, are you threatening me?" Mr. Yun¡¯sughter carried a chill.


    "You had better be careful, we will find you and then kill you."


    Snap! The phone hung up, and Qiu Yong nced at his siblings and said solemnly, "Prepare to break out. Xia Yue, ensure Ling Chen¡¯s safety."


    The patterned woman¡¯splexion changed slightly, and just as she was about to speak, she was silenced by Qiu Yong¡¯s gaze.


    So, this woman¡¯s name was Xia Yue. Ling Chen nced at her, a slight smile lifting the corners of his mouth. It seemed Qiu Yong indeed cared for him, having a woman take care of him.


    Bang!


    Secondster, a loud bang as the door of the sickroom was violently smashed open. Following that, over a dozen security personnel wielding riot shields entered one by one, looking around the empty room. They paused slightly, then turned their gaze toward the damaged window.


    "Calling the control center, the target is not in the room, is there an error in your signal?"


    "ording to the signal, all eight targets are within the sickroom."


    "Damn it, they must have removed the trackers from their bodies, order immediately, seal off the entire base."


    ...


    In a corridor of the secret base, led by Qiu Yong, eight extraordinary individuals along with Ling Chen were rapidly moving towards the exit.


    It was Ling Chen¡¯s first visit here, but Qiu Yong and the others had been here once before and were fairly familiar with the routes, knowing where the exit was. With them leading, at least they wouldn¡¯t go in the wrong direction.


    Ling Chen dragged his heavy legs, struggling to keep up with the group. Although he wanted to match the group¡¯s speed, his body was too weak; not long after running, he was gasping for breath, falling behind.


    At that moment, Xia Yue, walking in front, looked back at Ling Chen. Seeing his staggering step and shaky body, she frowned slightly. Remembering Qiu Yong¡¯s instructions, Xia Yue quickly returned to Ling Chen¡¯s side, took his arm over her shoulder, and supported his waist with her other hand, helping his body move forward.


    As their bodies touched, a faint fragrance reached Ling Chen¡¯s nose, instantly revitalizing his spirit. A surge of perverse strength slowly grew within him, and his energy gradually recovered.


    Damn! Does the Prajnaparamita Sutra have such an effect?


    Ling Chen was startled, somewhat in disbelief. It seemed He Ziyun was right; women could strongly catalyze the effects of the Prajnaparamita Sutra. However, he had closely interacted with Nanrong Wanqing during his recovery period before, so why hadn¡¯t it had such an effect?


    Could it be... that only women who have practiced Inner Strength can be effective?


    If that¡¯s the case, wouldn¡¯t he be invincible in the world if he keeps a hundred women who practice Inner Strength around him in the future?


    While he was entertaining these thoughts to himself, a young man in the group suddenly stopped, pointing ahead and saying, "There are people in the left corridor."


    "How many?"


    "About fifteen."


    Hearing this, Qiu Yong gestured, and Xia Yue immediately took Ling Chen to hide in a corner, their bodies pressed tightly together.


    As soon as they hid, a flurry of footsteps approached from not far away. Ling Chen stealthily peeked and saw fifteen security personnel passing right in front of their cross-corridor, inwardly shocked. That young man was impressive, not only did he know people wereing over, but he could also urately count their number. That was quite freakish.


    Xia Yue seemed to see the surprise in his eyes and exined, "The seventh brother is blind; he was born unable to see, so he intensely practiced his hearing. The eldest brother said that within ten meters, even the sound of a mosquito pping its wings couldn¡¯t escape his ears."


    It turns out he is blind.


    Ling Chen was astonished; he hadn¡¯t noticed it at all.


    With the help of the young man, the group was able to urately avoid the search parties every time. It wasn¡¯t long before they sessfully reached the exit.


    Ling Chen leaned close to Xia Yue¡¯s soft body, looking around attentively. At the doorway, over thirty security personnel stood ready, all equipped with riot shields, stun batons, and tasers¡ªuniform urban SWAT gear. Additionally, there were two water cannon trucks parked on either side of the doorway.


    It was apparent that Mr. Yun did not wish to harm their lives, or rather, did not want to harm Ling Chen for the time being, so he did not deploy lethal weapons. Once Ling Chen died, they would lose their subject of research, rendering him valueless.


    Trouble!


    Ling Chen slightly furrowed his brow. There were nine of them now, one unconscious and needing care, plus he had Xia Yue who was responsible for his safety. That immediately reduced their number by four, leaving only five capable of fighting. Whether they could break through the defenses was still hard to say.


    During his contemtion, his eyes lifted upward, following the ceiling, and his gaze suddenly brightened.


    "Elder Qiu, do you see that distribution box over there? If we turn off the lights, we could..."


    Before Ling Chen could finish speaking, Qiu Yong had already grasped his intention and gave a meaningful nce to the man carrying a quiver beside him. Without a word, thetter opened his quiver, took out a bow and arrow, and aimed at the wiring box at the top of the wall.


    Whoosh!


    The arrow shot through the air, instantly piercing the distribution box. Following that, the box erupted with a ¡¯bang¡¯, sparks flying everywhere, and the surroundings plunged into darkness. However, merely two seconds passed, and the lights came on again as the backup power supply kicked in.


    The man¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he pulled out five more arrows from the quiver, loaded them onto the bowstring, and fired continuously without pause. Five arrows flew simultaneously, none missing their target, all hitting the overhead lights. The lighting fixtures were destroyed, rendering the backup power useless.


    "Call the main control, they have reached the exit, send backup immediately," the security personnel immediately ryed the information.


    In less than a minute, three SUVs quickly arrived at the scene, their row of rooftop lights switched on, instantly illuminating the surroundings.


    "Everyone be alert, they must be nearby."


    As soon as those words fell, they suddenly heard a noise from behind. Then, they saw the exit door slowly rising.


    "How is the door opening?" The security personnel looked somewhat dazed.


    A security captain quickly picked up the walkie-talkie and loudly said, "Calling the main control, the door..."


    Before he could finish, a dazzling light suddenly shone on them. Caught off guard, all the security personnel hastily raised their arms to shield their eyes. At that moment, the roar of an engine sounded, followed by the water cannon truck parked next to the gate charging directly outside.


    The security captain peered through his fingers to see a young man sitting in the passenger seat, it was Ling Chen.


    "No good, they are in the vehicle, don¡¯t let them escape."


    Regrettably, he was still a step toote; the vehicle had already rushed out the gate and elerated towards the parking lot outside.


    Watching the vehicle kick up dust as it left, everyone was dumbfounded, unable toprehend how these individuals managed to bypass them and get to the vehicle; it was indeed baffling.

 Chapter 313 - 309: Bonds of Affection

    <h4>Chapter 313: Chapter 309: Bonds of Affection</h4><h4></h4>


    Emerging from the parking lot, the factory security room, having already received notification, hurriedly assembled personnel, forming a human wall at the entrance. But against the high-pressure water cannon truck that didn¡¯t slow its speed, those suited men didn¡¯t have the guts to hold their ground. Before the vehicle even got close, they scattered to both sides, allowing the truck to smash through the iron gate and speed away.


    "Done!"


    Sitting in the passenger seat, Ling Chen nced at the rearview mirror, a pale face revealing a hint of joy at the smooth escape. They could sessfully escape this time thanks to Qiu Yong and others. Had it not been for their respective special abilities, they might still be struggling inside the secret base.


    After the lights went out, relying on the sharp hearing of youth, everyone huddled shoulder to shoulder, following his lead and sneaking past the group of security personnel in the dark. They were all martial arts practitioners, who found controlling their footsteps to be a simple task. Additionally, those security personnel weren¡¯t experts. Once they sessfully got behind the security staff, Xia Yue stealthily got on the vehicle, taking care of the personnel on board. Meanwhile, Ling Chen sneaked into the security room and opened the main gate.


    Through this cooperation, Ling Chen truly witnessed the prowess of the eight peculiar individuals. Each possessed their own unique skills, truly strange people within the Martial Arts realm.


    "Third brother, third brother..."


    At this moment, an anxious voice from Xia Yue came from the trunk.


    The driver Qiu Yong quickly pulled over to the side of the road, then got out and went around to the rear of the vehicle, with Ling Chen closely following. Pulling open the door, Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed slightly upon seeing a middle-aged man lying in Xia Yue¡¯s arms, ck blood flowing from his mouth and his pale face, his body convulsing violently.


    "Ling Chen, don¡¯t you know medicine? Quickly take a look!" the one-armed man called out urgently upon seeing him.


    Ling Chen nodded, stepping quickly into thepartment, and ced his hand on the other man¡¯s pulse. Everyone¡¯s gaze was fixed on him, waiting for his diagnosis. After a while, Ling Chen sighed softly and shook his head at the others.


    "His bodily functions have already copsed," he said, turning to look at Qiu Yong. "Elder Qiu, his life can¡¯t be saved. However, you can help reduce his suffering."


    "How do I help?"


    "He won¡¯t die right away, but this state will continue for an hour or two. During this time, he will constantly endure the pain and torment from his body. So, the best solution is to release him from his suffering as soon as possible."


    Xia Yue¡¯s gaze turned cold as she spoke sharply, "You want to kill him?"


    Ling Chen nodded, "I know you can¡¯t ept it, but this is the best way to handle it. Knowing that he¡¯s sure to die, do you have the heart to watch him suffer?"


    "I..." Xia Yue fell silent for a moment, then defiantly said, "No. I don¡¯t agree."


    "Elder Qiu, what do you think?"


    Qiu Yong looked at the middle-aged man convulsing all over, a flicker of reluctance in his eyes. After hesitating for a moment, he shook his head and said gravely, "I can¡¯t bring myself to do it."


    As he spoke, the middle-aged man lying in Xia Yue¡¯s arms suddenly lifted his hand, firmly grasping the one-armed man¡¯s arm, and with a hoarse voice, as if mustering all his strength, uttered with great difficulty, "Kill... kill... me... please..."


    "Third brother!"


    The one-armed man cried out, his eyes red, a grown man now unable to hold back his tears.


    It¡¯s not that men don¡¯t shed tears, only that the grievous moment had yet toe.


    The tense atmosphere immediately spread throughout the van, everyone bowed their heads, secretly wiping away tears, and the little boy cried out loud, his expression full of sorrow.


    "Ling Chen."


    "Elder Qiu, what is it?"


    Qiu Yong clenched his fists tightly, struggling to suppress his emotions, and spoke word for word, "I need a favor, help us siblings out."


    Ling Chen was startled, then quickly understood and eximed in surprise, "You want me to..."


    "Just consider it as us begging you."


    Facing the pleading look in Qiu Yong¡¯s eyes, Ling Chen hesitated for a moment, sighed silently, and nodded gently.


    "Thanks! Everyone else, get off." As soon as he finished speaking, Qiu Yong turned and walked to the back of the vehicle.


    The others looked at each other, somewhat bewildered. Finally, the one-armed man was the first to rise, patted Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder, and said in a low voice, "Please grant him a quick end, thank you!"


    Seeing the one-armed man get off the vehicle, the others no longer hesitated and stepped off one after another. Xia Yue, unable to let go, caressed the middle-aged man¡¯s cheek with tears already brimming in her eyes.


    "Third brother, if there¡¯s a next life, let¡¯s be siblings again."


    Watching everyone leave, Ling Chen squatted in the carriage, looking directly at the middle-aged man in front of him, and murmured to himself, "Don¡¯t me me for being heartless; I just don¡¯t want you to suffer anymore."


    The middle-aged man seemed to hear his words, his eyelids trembling slightly as if responding to him.


    "Go in peace." With that, Ling Chen¡¯s hand moved to his neck.


    The middle-aged man slowly closed his eyes, his lips slightly curled up in a smile of relief, and his twitching body gradually became calm.


    ...


    The car door opened, and those waiting outside immediately focused their gaze on Ling Chen.


    Ling Chen¡¯s expression was serene; he said nothing but gave a slight nod. Seeing his gesture, Xia Yue could no longer contain herself and threw herself into the arms of the one-armed man, weeping loudly.


    Ling Chen stood quietly to the side, not disturbing the others immersed in grief. He could feel the sincere emotions among these people, heartfelt and genuine.


    It¡¯s rare in life to find true friends, rare to have brothers.


    Having so many genuine siblings by your side throughout life, even death would leave no regrets.


    Ling Chen reflected to himself, feeling a twinge of envy.


    "Ling Chen, thank you for your help. We, the eight strange people, owe you a favor." After saying this, Qiu Yong handed over a piece of paper, "If you ever need anything, you can contact me with this number. Whatever trouble you face, we siblings will definitely help you with all our might."


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes brightened. These people were each skilled in their own way, and he had long thought of making connections with them. With such a rare opportunity, he naturally wouldn¡¯t miss it.


    "Elder Qiu, please don¡¯t say that; as long as you don¡¯t hold this against me, that¡¯s enough."


    "Not at all. We are preparing to send our third brother back to his hometown for burial. Take care of yourself, and we¡¯ll get in touchter."


    "Safe travels."


    After Qiu Yong and the others drove away, Ling Chen stood alone on the roadside, patiently waiting. About half an hourter, a Land Rover drove down the road and stopped at the curb. The window rolled down, and Zhong Wei poked his head out from the driver¡¯s seat, waving his hand, "Get in!"


    Ling Chen nodded and quickly got into the passenger seat. When he parted ways with Qiu Yong, he had borrowed his phone to call Zhong Wei toe and pick him up.


    "Where have you been these past few days? Couldn¡¯t reach you by phone, couldn¡¯t find you, the chairman and the others were almost out of their minds."


    "Ran into a bit of trouble. How about at home, everything okay?"


    "Not too great, something¡¯s happened."

 Chapter 314 - 310: Nanrong Hao Gets Injured

    <h4>Chapter 314: Chapter 310: Nanrong Hao Gets Injured</h4><h4></h4>


    "Trouble?" Ling Chen¡¯s expression tightened, and he asked hastily, "What happened?"


    "Mr. Nanrong had a conflict with someone."


    "Haozi?" Ling Chen immediately rxed. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t care about Nanrong Hao; it¡¯s just that Nanrong Hao is a man, and it¡¯s quite normal for him to experience setbacks and pain. What he¡¯s most worried about is Nanrong Wanqing. As long as she¡¯s alright, nothing else is a problem.


    Upon returning to Wealthy Manor, Ling Chen went straight to the vi. After entering, he realized that both Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin were not there. It was only after asking Nanny Wang that he found out both women had run off to Nanrong Hao¡¯s vi.


    Inside Nanrong Hao¡¯s ce, Ling Chen caught sight of Nanrong Hao sitting in a wheelchair, his arms and abdomen wrapped in bandages and his face bruised and swollen, looking just like a mummy. This drew an unfeeling grin from Ling Chen.


    Hearing theughter at the doorway, Nanrong Wanqing, Su Lin, and Nanrong Hao all turned their heads to look at Ling Chen as he walked in.


    With a frustrated face, Nanrong Hao said, "Chen, I¡¯m like this, and you¡¯re stillughing."


    Ling Chen quirked a smile. "It¡¯s fine. You¡¯re a grown man; it¡¯s okay to get hurt. It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re disfigured; you¡¯re not handsome anyway." After teasing him, he couldn¡¯t suppress his curiosity and asked, "By the way, who did this to you?"


    Although Nanrong Hao was no expert, he had trained for so long with Ling Chen after all. It would be difficult for four or five ordinary guys to get close to him, so Ling Chen was rather curious.


    "Ah," Nanrong Hao sighed and said, "let¡¯s not talk about it. It¡¯s embarrassing."


    "There are no strangers here, what¡¯s there to be embarrassed about. If you want me to stand up for you, then spit it out."


    "So, here¡¯s the thing..."


    Nanrong Hao then exined his ordeal.


    After hearing the story, Ling Chen frowned slightly, a trace of coldness in his eyes.


    Recently, Nanrong Hao had been busy with Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong, working on setting up a courierpany. They had already notified Qi Jianhui of the Green Tiger Gang, intending to open five courier branches in his territory. All started well because Qi Jianhui, knowing Nanrong Hao¡¯s background, did not dare to easily provoke him, and the two sides coexisted peacefully.


    Buttely, for some unknown reason, Qi Jianhui, as if emboldened by a surge of ambition, openly went against Jiang Hao and his group. Not only did he send people to cause trouble at their courierpanies, threatening them to pay protection money, but he also beat up their couriers, causing significant losses to thepany.


    Because of this, Nanrong Hao and Jiang Hao and the others were furious and wanted to teach Qi Jianhui a lesson to make him back down. But Qi Jianhui, far from being subdued, stepped up his hostility, even smashing two of theirpanies.


    In the underworld, only those with stronger fists have a say.


    After much thought, Nanrong Hao and the others decided to gather their power, call for reinforcements, and directly take over Qi Jianhui¡¯s territory.


    Zhao Zhengxiong was cautious, having dealt with Qi Jianhui in the past. Before making a move, he thoroughly investigated Qi Jianhui¡¯s background and urately counted the numbers of the Green Tiger Gang. To defeat the Green Tiger Gang, Jiang Hao had gathered twice as many people as the opponent.


    With so many people, none of the three from the Nanrong family ever thought they could lose.


    Last night, the trio split up, each leading hundreds of subordinates, prepared to siege the stronghold of the Green Tiger Gang. Everything went smoothly at the start, Nanrong Hao and his twopanions easily took down the Green Tiger Gang¡¯s stronghold, leaving Qi Jianhui with no way out.


    But at that moment, an unexpected force emerged. Although outnumbered, they were all skilled and not weak by any means. It wasn¡¯t long before Nanrong Hao and his men were effortlessly defeated in the sh, both Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong suffered injuries, and with Nanrong Hao covering the rear, he was even more seriously hurt, sustaining a dislocated arm and a stab wound to his belly. Fortunately, the vital organs were missed, and he escaped with his life.


    "Do you know who they were?" Ling Chen asked.


    Nanrong Hao shook his head, "Not sure for now. Hao is looking into it, but what we can be sure of is that those people were not Qi Jianhui¡¯s men."


    "What¡¯s your n?"


    "Do I even need to say it? Once I¡¯ve recovered from my injuries, I¡¯ll make sure those jerks pay. If we don¡¯t settle this, how can we ever mix in the circles again?"


    Watching Nanrong Hao furiously talk, Nanrong Wanqing couldn¡¯t help but stand up and say, "Ling Chen,e out for a moment, I have something to tell you."


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing walk out, Ling Chen winked at Nanrong Hao, smiled slightly, and quickly followed her steps. In fact, without saying much, Ling Chen could guess what was on her mind.


    Once outside the vi, Nanrong Wanqing turned back, looked at Ling Chen who was grinning, and chided, "And you¡¯reughing. I left my brother in your care, hoping you would help him grow. Look at what he¡¯s be now, just yelling about fighting and killing, no different than a street thug. If he continues like this, how can I trust him with the Hongyu Group in the future?"


    Ling Chen corrected, "That¡¯s not right. Actually, what Haozi is doing right now is not fundamentally different from running the Hongyu Group. At least now he¡¯s sort of a big brother, managing quite a few people under him. As a boss, he has to think about how to make money and ensure his subordinates aren¡¯t going hungry, while also regrly bonding with them to win their hearts. If something happens, he has to negotiate with others. Honestly, don¡¯t think those bosses have nothing to do and just enjoy life; they work harder than you, a chairman, with everything being hands-on. Once he bes apetent boss, I believe he¡¯ll have the necessary ability to manage the Hongyu Group."


    Nanrong Wanqing gave him an annoyed nce and said, "Your reasoning is twisted. Okay, enough joking, I¡¯m not interested in what he wants to do; I¡¯m just worried about his safety. You know the current situation at the Nanrong family is unstable; if someone has it out for him..."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here. I won¡¯t let anything happen to him," Ling Chen grinned and said, "After all, he¡¯s going to be my future brother-inw."


    Hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face blushed, feeling sweet inside, but she retorted coquettishly, "Nothing is set in stone yet, don¡¯t speak so early."


    "Is that so?" Ling Chen smiled mischievously, reaching out with both hands, he wrapped them around Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s slender waist, and then gently pushed forward, pressing her delicate body against his strong chest.


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face turned red as she said, "What are you trying to do?"


    Ling Chen leaned into her ear and whispered, "Didn¡¯t you just say nothing was decided yet? How about we make that first stroke?"


    "No." Feeling the warm breath of Ling Chen tickling the sensitive spot behind her ear, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s body trembled slightly, ovee with embarrassment, she quickly pushed Ling Chen away, her face bashfully frustrated, "It¡¯s broad daylight, no touching."


    Ling Chen chuckled, "So you mean it¡¯s not okay during the day, but it¡¯s okay at night? Fine, I¡¯lle see you tonight."

 Chapter 315 - 311 Perfect Data

    <h4>Chapter 315: Chapter 311 Perfect Data</h4><h4></h4>


    Although the two had confirmed their rtionship, the shy Nanrong Wanqing couldn¡¯t withstand his teasing. Recalling the tender moments they shared, a blush immediately rose to her delicate face, bright and charming, like a goddess fallen into the mortal world, intoxicating to behold.


    "I¡¯m not talking to you anymore." Nanrong Wanqing, fearing Ling Chen might blurt out something bold again, quickly dropped a sentence and immediately turned to head back to the vi.


    Watching her retreating figure, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but think of the words Mr. Yun had once said to him, feeling incredibly conflicted inside. He didn¡¯t understand why Mr. Yun would prevent him from being with Nanrong Wanqing, and now he had no interest in finding out. What he was worried about was far more important.


    Mr. Yun was undoubtedly a high-ranking member of the God Organization. Given his position, he would inevitably stand against the God Organization in the future. Consequently, Mr. Yun would be his enemy. In this situation, the one who would suffer the most was undoubtedly Nanrong Wanqing. If she knew the truth, she might find it hard to face.


    Thinking of these headache-inducing issues, he couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh. Forget it, he thought, one step at a time¡ªcross that bridge when youe to it.


    Night fell, and the autumn breeze was slightly cool.


    Just after nine o¡¯clock, Ling Chen went to bed early. Having lost too much blood in the past couple of days, his body felt weak. He wanted to rest well and recover as soon as possible.


    At this moment, the ringtone of the mobile phone on the bedside table rang out.


    "Hello! Old Tang, how is it?"


    "It¡¯s toote, they¡¯ve already run away. All the data has been cleaned up, not a trace left behind."


    "They sure fled quickly."


    After escaping from that secret base, Ling Chen immediately contacted the Ghost Organization. Unfortunately, they were a step behind, and Mr. Yun had probably already left East Sea City with Zhu Hong.


    ...


    At this time, in an underground room, the lights were bright. In the small room filled with various sophisticated instruments, several researchers in white coats were busy preparing.


    After a while, the door was pushed open, and Zhu Hong, wearing a thin patient¡¯s gown, walked in from outside and theny down on the bed in the center of the room.


    "Mr. Zhu, if you feel any difort, remember to tell us in time," reminded a researcher nearby.


    Having said that, he turned his head to look at the north wall of the room, where a huge transparent ss window had been installed. Outside the window, Mr. Yun stood with his hands behind his back, staring intently at Zhu Hong on the bed.


    Sensing the gaze of the researcher, he nodded lightly. Receiving his approval, the researcher immediately picked up a syringe and focused on injecting the serum into Zhu Hong¡¯s body.


    In less than ten seconds, Zhu Hong¡¯s eyes gradually closed, and he fell into a deep slumber.


    "Start!"


    As the voice fell, the researchers began the experiment in an orderly manner.


    With a blood transfusion tube inserted into Zhu Hong¡¯s arm, bright red blood immediately began to flow through the clear tube, then along the transfusion line into the blood exchange machine. As the fresh blood was drawn from Zhu Hong¡¯s body, another pale red blood was infused into his body through another tube.


    Throughout the process, everyone¡¯s expressions were tense, not daring to rx in the slightest, their eyes firmly fixed on the data disyed on the instruments.


    After more than ten minutes, Zhu Hong, who was in a deep sleep, suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils dted, his body violently convulsing, and white foam continuously spewing from his mouth, a very frightening sight.


    Mr. Yun, watching from outside the ss window, saw the changes in Zhu Hong and his face immediately darkened, his brows furrowing tightly as he asked in a deep voice, "What¡¯s the matter?"


    "It¡¯s likely a bodily rejection of the blood fusion." A researcher inside the room exined, "The blood we transferred into him was artificial blood manufactured using Ling Chen¡¯s genes. It¡¯s quite normal for the body to reject it."


    "Is there a risk to his life?"


    "There shouldn¡¯t be a problem. We anticipated this situation and were already prepared." As the researcher spoke, several researchers had be busy, using various instruments to alleviate Zhu Hong¡¯s symptoms. As sweat formed on the brows of everyone present, Zhu Hong¡¯s condition finally began to improve and steadily stabilized.


    At the same time, the data on the instruments started to jump from zero to ten, and continued to rise.


    Seeing those numbers, all researchers heaved a sigh of relief, their faces breaking into rxed smiles.


    "Mr. Yun, everything is progressing smoothly."


    "Very good." Mr. Yun nodded, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. Zhu Hong was a talent he had nurtured himself; he didn¡¯t want anything to happen to him. Moreover, he had higher expectations for Zhu Hong. If Zhu Hong died now, his many years of hard work would be in vain.


    Two hourster.


    The sessful blood transfusion recipient Zhu Hong slowly opened his eyes, which, originally dark as ink, now bore a trace of eerie blue, adding a mysterious charm to his handsome appearance.


    Rising from the bed, Zhu Hong lifted his hands, examined the palms and backs of them, and then flexed his joints. Feeling the changes in his body, the corners of his mouth immediately lifted.


    "Not bad, this is the effect I wanted."


    After getting out of bed, a researcher immediately handed him a steel pipe that was presented to Zhu Hong. ncing at it, Zhu Hong took it, applied a slight force with his arms, and the steel pipe, as thick as a wrist, instantly deformed, twisted into a lump by Zhu Hong as easily as if it were dough.


    "Proceed with the next set of tests immediately; I need to know his data clearly," said Mr. Yun from outside the ss window, his eyes excited, urging them on impatiently.


    "Yes."


    In less than half an hour, aplete report was delivered into Mr. Yun¡¯s hands. Looking at the astonishing numbers, even the usuallyposed Mr. Yun couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    "Excellent, very good! Zhu Hong, you certainly did not disappoint me. This data alone is enough to rival an exoskeleton armor suit."


    At this moment, Zhu Hong, now dressed in a sharp suit, was holding a cup of tea and sitting leisurely in a chair, savoring it.


    "Mr. Yun..."


    "There are only us rtives here, no outsiders, you may use a different address."


    "Yes, Uncle Yun." Zhu Hong spoke, "Ling Chen¡¯s blood and genes do indeed have extraordinary effects, it¡¯s a pity we let him escape, and can¡¯t collect more of his fresh blood."


    Mr. Yun waved his hand and said, "These aren¡¯t problems. As long as he is out there, whenever we need him, we can capture him back at any time."


    "Uncle Yun." Zhu Hong hesitated for a moment, but still couldn¡¯t resist asking, "Why do you insist on letting Ling Chen go? Even without Ling Chen by Wanqing¡¯s side, we could still ensure Wanqing¡¯s safety."


    "You can¡¯t say it like that. I need someone capable and trusted by Wanqing to stay by her side, and Ling Chen is the most suitable candidate. Given the current situation, the Jiang Family will sooner ortere after Wanqing. Since we are not in a position to act now, we can only rely on Ling Chen for help." Saying this, Mr. Yun paused, giving Zhu Hong a meaningful look. "I know what you¡¯re thinking. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t change what I promised you."

 Chapter 316 - 312 Dongyi

    <h4>Chapter 316: Chapter 312 Dongyi</h4><h4></h4>


    The next day.


    Ling Chen woke up at ten in the morning. He had been too exhausted the past couple of days, his biological clock was out of sync.


    When he got up, Nanny Wang had already prepared breakfast. Ling Chen called Nanrong Wanqing to make sure she had safely arrived at the office before he could rx.


    He ate a bit of breakfast quickly, then a familiar voice came from outside the door. Ling Chen turned around to see Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong walking in side by side.


    "Hey! You guys are early. Here to see Haozi?"


    Jiang Hao nodded and said, "Chen, where did you run off to that night? We called but couldn¡¯t reach you."


    "I had my matters to attend to." While speaking, Ling Chen looked over Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong. The battle that night seemed quite ¡¯fierce¡¯; both were bandaged on their faces and hands.


    "Are you two alright?"


    "Just some minor injuries, nothing serious."


    "Did you figure out who was behind this?" Ling Chen asked.


    Hearing this, Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong exchanged a nce, their expressions somewhat bitter as they said with a wry smile, "Chen, we might have gotten ourselves in big trouble this time."


    "Tell me about it."


    "I checked. The people who showed up that night were from the Dongyi Gang. To put it simply, we¡¯re like a budding smallpany, but Dongyi Gang is like the Hongyu Group; it¡¯s an established gang in East Sea City with decades of foundation."


    Hearing Jiang Hao¡¯s exnation, Ling Chen was taken aback and asked in surprise, "How did you guys get tangled up with such a big gang?"


    Jiang Hao grimaced and said, "We wouldn¡¯t dare offend Dongyi Gang. It¡¯s all because of that bastard, Qi Jianhui. I have no idea how he got involved with Dongyi Gang. Now the Green Tiger Gang has been absorbed by Dongyi Gang and became one of their bases. Chen, I intended to keep to my own turf and be the king of my own hill, but somehow we ended up shing with Dongyi Gang. Now we¡¯re doomed."


    Zhao Zhengxiong then added, "We received a notice from Dongyi Gang this morning. Within three days, we must submit to them and hand over all our territories, or else Dongyi Gang will forcefully drive us out of Old City. Chen, you have to help us; you¡¯re the only one we can rely on."


    Ling Chen frowned slightly. It wasn¡¯t that he was unwilling to help, but the situation was tricky. From Jiang Hao¡¯s description, he got a preliminary understanding of Dongyi Gang. Such a longstanding gang was a real scourge to society, indulging in all kinds of vices like gambling, drugs, and prostitutions.


    Although Jiang Hao was also part of this underworld, he adhered to his principles; his gang never engaged in these criminal activities, just collected protection money and earned through legalbor. Compared to Dongyi Gang, Jiang Hao¡¯s group was like the fresh-faced youths of the underworld.


    Ling Chen had dealt with underworld forces when he was abroad; those were cold-blooded killers. Realrge-scale gangs had a clear hierarchy with professional fighters and assassins, and were notcking in strength. Jiang Hao contending with those people was truly a case of a mantis trying to stop a chariot, courting self-destruction.


    After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Do you know who the head of Dongyi Gang is? How about I talk to him and see if I can persuade him toy off Old City?"


    Zhao Zhengxiong shook his head and said, "Chen, not to hide it from you, but hardly anyone knows who the leader of Dongyi Gang is. That person is very mysterious and seldom shows their face; usually, the two hall masters of Dongyi Gang handle the gang¡¯s affairs. One handles the business aspects, and the other manages their men, and they are the most powerful people in the gang."


    "Who should I talk to then?"


    "Deng Guoyong; he¡¯s the one dealing with us in Old City."


    "Fine, you guys set a time to meet him, and I¡¯ll have a proper talk with him."


    Jiang Hao responded, "Alright, I¡¯ll try to arrange a meeting with him and contact you by phone."


    After seeing Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong off, Ling Chen sat on the sofa in the living room, thought for a moment, then took out his phone to dial a number.


    The call connected, and Ling Chen cheerfully said, "Hey, Officer Xia, are you busy?"


    "Get straight to the point, I don¡¯t have time to waste."


    "It¡¯s like this, how much do you know about Dongyi Gang?"


    "Dongyi Gang?" Xia Mutong¡¯s tone changed slightly, and he immediately asked, "Ling Chen, what are you up to now?"


    "Just asking casually."


    "Dongyi Gang is suspected in one hundred and forty-five crimes including murder, kidnapping, extortion, assaulting police, and disturbing public order. They are thergest underground force in East Sea City and a major focus of our police efforts."


    Ling Chen was internally shocked, with so many charges, the reputation of this old gang truly preceded it.


    "If that¡¯s the case, then why has there been no effect, and Dongyi Gang is still so rampant?"


    "Dongyi Gang has numerous underlings, and every time theymit a crime, a minion takes the fall, and we can¡¯t touch anyone higher up. We are police; we work based on evidence, and it¡¯s the same when making arrests," Xia Mutong couldn¡¯t help asking, "Ling, you haven¡¯t gotten into trouble with Dongyi Gang, have you? Otherwise, why inquire about them?"


    "Dongyi Gang has targeted Jiang Hao and his crew, looking to swallow their territory. They asked for my intervention. We are all brothers; I can¡¯t just stand by and do nothing. Officer Xia, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m a civilized man, just nning to talk it out, no violence."


    "That¡¯s your business. If you can really help me deal with Dongyi Gang, I have to thank you properly. Alright, I have a meeting to attend, can¡¯t talk more. You handle it your way."


    After hanging up, Ling Chen grinned and chuckled to himself. Xia Mutong¡¯s meaning was clear, whatever you n to do is fine, the police won¡¯t intervene. Since that¡¯s the case, things should be much easier now.


    ...


    Night fell.


    Nanrong Wanqing returned home from Hongyu Group, and as soon as she entered, she saw Ling Chen changing his clothes, getting ready to head out.


    "Where are you going?"


    "I¡¯ve arranged to have dinner with someone." Ling Chen replied. Jiang Hao had just called, having arranged a meeting with Deng Guoyong.


    "Who?"


    Ling Chen was about to make up an excuse, but then he heard Nanrong Hao¡¯s voice from behind, "Chen, are we ready to go?"


    Nanrong Wanqing looked suspiciously at them and asked, "Are you two going together?"


    "Sister, we¡¯ve arranged to negotiate with the hall master of Dongyi Gang; Chen has agreed to help us out."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen nced at Nanrong Hao reproachfully. This guy really spilled everything, not even considering if it would worry Nanrong Wanqing. Catching his reproachful gaze, Wanqing spoke, "Don¡¯t me him. We have an agreement; whatever he does, he must tell me everything, no secrets, or I won¡¯t let him leave the house." Then she turned yful and asked, "Are you really going to negotiate?"


    Ling Chen nodded, watching Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s spirited demeanor, a bad feeling stirring within him.


    "Okay, you can go, but you have to take me with you. I want to see for myself how you guys negotiate."

 Chapter 317 - 313 Negotiation

    <h4>Chapter 317: Chapter 313 Negotiation</h4><h4></h4>


    "Sister, you want to go too?" Nanrong Hao was taken aback, clearly not expecting Nanrong Wanqing to make such a request.


    "What, can¡¯t I?"


    "This..." Nanrong Hao was at a loss for words and turned to Ling Chen for help.


    Ling Chen coughed lightly and said with an awkward smile, "Wanqing, that kind of situation isn¡¯t quite suitable for women. It¡¯s better if you stay at home. Don¡¯t worry, with me apanying Haozi, nothing will happen to him."


    Nanrong Wanqing said indifferently, "I¡¯m not worried about whether anything will happen to him. I just want to go and see for myself. He¡¯s my younger brother, and I should be aware of what he¡¯s doing. If Grandpa asks about itter, I should know how to respond."


    Seeing she was bringing up Nanrong Yong, Nanrong Hao immediately mped his mouth shut, not daring to refute any further.


    Threat! A tant threat!


    Nanrong Yong had no idea what Nanrong Hao was doing and thought he was dutifully attending school. If he found out Nanrong Hao was not engaging in proper business and dealing with a bunch of gangsters, Nanrong Hao probably wouldn¡¯t have good days ahead.


    Ling Chen knew that Nanrong Wanqing had made up her mind and that he couldn¡¯t refuse her, so he said, "If you want to go, then let¡¯s go. It¡¯s not a big deal." With him by her side, who would dare to hurt Nanrong Wanqing.


    Shortly after, the three of them made a few preparations and then drove to the negotiation site.


    The meeting ce Jiang Hao had arranged was at a high-end restaurant in East Sea City, where luxury cars filled the entrance and the stream of patrons was endless.


    When Ling Chen and the others arrived, Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong were already waiting outside. They hurried up to greet them when they got out of the car. But when Nanrong Wanqing appeared in their line of sight, both men were momentarily taken aback, mouths agape, looking at her with disbelief.


    Zhao Zhengxiong was the first toe to his senses and greeted her with a smile, "Miss Nanrong, what brings you here?"


    "I¡¯m just apanying my brother to take a look. You don¡¯t mind, do you?"


    "No, not at all." Zhao Zhengxiong and Jiang Hao hurriedly waved their hands, their smiles forced as they thought to themselves, where would we dare to object. Jiang Hao stole a nce at Ling Chen and Nanrong Hao, his eyes questioning. Thetter spread his hands, looking helpless.


    "Jiang Hao, has Deng Guoyong arrived yet?"


    "He just got here. He¡¯s already in the private room."


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "Let¡¯s go and meet him."


    Upon entering the restaurant, guided by Jiang Hao, they arrived at a private room called ¡¯Prosperous Blossoms.¡¯


    Pushing open the door, Ling Chen, as the representative for these negotiations, stepped in first, followed closely by the others. Upon entering the room, Ling Chen scanned the area; there were five people inside, and a middle-aged man in a ck suit was sitting upright by the round table, with dishes neatly arranged in front of him. The food had already been served, the aroma wafting through the air, but the man had not started without permission, showing good manners. Moreover, this middle-aged man had a gentle face and a kindly smile. At first nce, it was hard to associate him with a gangster.


    Deng Guoyong!


    One of the hall masters of the Dongyi Gang.


    Behind Deng Guoyong stood four young men, in suits and sunsses, standing straight, with the air of bodyguards.


    "Mr. Deng." Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curled up slightly, bearing a light smile as he took the initiative to extend his hand and said hello.


    Deng Guoyong politely stood up and said, "You must be Mr. Ling? Please, have a seat!" As he spoke, his gaze swept over Jiang Hao and the others. When his eyesnded on Nanrong Wanqing, his expression instantly froze, his gaze fixated on her for a long while, unable to move away.


    However, Nanrong Wanqing seemed oblivious to his stare, taking a seat with Nanrong Hao next to her, close to Ling Chen.


    "Mr. Deng?"


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s call, Deng Guoyong snapped back to reality, gave an embarrassed smile, and gestured with a ¡¯please¡¯, signaling Ling Chen to sit down.


    "Mr. Ling, I¡¯m a straightforward person; I don¡¯t like beating around the bush. I understand your intentions for calling me out, so allow me to speak inly up front. You can keep control of the Old City; we won¡¯t send people over, but you must join our group, under the control of Dongyi Group, and pay us forty percent of your profits every year."


    Ling Chen responded with a smile that was not quite a smile, "Dongyi Group?"


    Deng Guoyong smiled and said, "Mr. Ling, times have changed. We need to keep up with the times. ck activities are not allowed to exist anymore, which is why Dongyi Group was founded. Under Dongyi Group, we have thirty-six KTVs, one hundred and twenty-eight bars, twenty-two bathhouses, and also five private securitypanies. We are now legitimate businessmen, not the small-time hoodlums who just know how to fight and kill. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be sitting here negotiating with you."


    "Is that so?" Ling Chen slightly lifted his lips, his mouth bearing a yful smile, "Mr. Deng, a wolf and a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing, do you think there¡¯s a fundamental difference?"


    Before Deng Guoyong could answer, Ling Chen continued, "I can¡¯t ept your conditions. The Old City is our hard-earned turf; if we hand over half of our profits to you, then what do we use to sustain our brothers below? Surely we can¡¯t let them go drink the northwest wind."


    "Then what are Mr. Ling¡¯s conditions?"


    "We won¡¯t encroach on Dongyi Group¡¯s interests in the Old City, and Dongyi Group must not touch the Old City either. We mind our own business. How does that sound?"


    "Sorry, I can¡¯t ept that condition." Deng Guoyong decisively refused without hesitation, "Mr. Ling, let¡¯s not mince words. The Old City is no longer what it used to be. Previously, the Old City was popted with all sorts of people, and the environment was chaotic, so Dongyi Group was not interested to intervene. But now, it¡¯s different. Hongyu Group has partnered with the government and invested heavily to develop the Old City into a new urban area. In a few years, the Old City will be andmark in East Sea City. Whoever controls it will have a sulent piece of meat in their mouth. To put it bluntly, Dongyi Group is determined to have the Old City."


    Ling Chen shrugged, "Then we have nothing left to discuss." After that, he stood up, pointing to the dishes on the table, "Mr. Deng, enjoy your meal. We won¡¯t apany you any longer."


    As he turned to leave, Deng Guoyong spoke calmly, "Mr. Ling, you better think carefully. Being an enemy of Dongyi Group doesn¡¯t end well."


    "Threatening me?" Ling Chenughed not taking it seriously, "I don¡¯t start trouble, but I will retaliate if provoked. If you want to deal with us, you¡¯d better think twice, lest you lose more than what you bargained for."


    Hearing this, Deng Guoyong no longer responded, his gaze wandering over Nanrong Hao and Nanrong Wanqing, a contemtive look in his eyes.


    After leaving the restaurant, Jiang Hao asked worriedly, "Chen, are we really going to start a fight with them?"


    "Scared?"


    "It¡¯s not that, just..."


    Before Jiang Hao could finish, Ling Chen patted his shoulder and said, "Haven¡¯t you always aspired to be a sessful hoodlum? Now¡¯s the time."


    (2 more Chapters being rushed, there may be irregr updates due to special circumstances, will stabilize as soon as possible)

 Chapter 318 - 314: Confronting Jiang Yunkai

    <h4>Chapter 318: Chapter 314: Confronting Jiang Yunkai</h4><h4></h4>


    "A promising hoodlum?" Jiang Hao looked puzzled.


    Ling Chen cracked a smile, his eyes gleaming as he said, "What¡¯s the point of being just a hoodlum in the Old City? If you¡¯re going to be one, be the biggest hoodlum in East Sea City."


    Upon hearing his words, Jiang Hao and the others were momentarily stunned, to be precise, astonished by Ling Chen¡¯s ambition. Being the biggest hoodlum in East Sea City was something they had thought about, but only dared to dream about. Going against the Dongyi Group wasn¡¯t a matter of courage¡ªthey simplycked the strength.


    Seeing their shocked expressions, Ling Chen didn¡¯t borate further. His statement wasn¡¯t something rashly said in a moment of folly but the result of careful consideration.


    After several encounters with the God Organization, he profoundly realized their might. At present, he had be a target of the God Organization, and as for Nanrong Wanqing, he didn¡¯t know what she might face in the future. But one thing he could be certain of was that with Mr. Yun¡¯s involvement, it would be difficult for Nanrong Wanqing to break ties with the God Organization.


    Therefore, he needed to establish his own force to help him confront the God Organization.


    Jiang Hao and the others were merely insignificant hoodlumspared to the God Organization; there was a world of difference in strength, and no basis forparison. But that wasn¡¯t key¡ªtheir strength could be gradually nurtured. What mattered most was loyalty and brotherhood.


    Without his help, Jiang Hao wouldn¡¯t have achieved what he has today. Thus, Jiang Hao had a kind of blind trust in him. Not to mention Nanrong Hao, who was essentially family. Although Zhao Zhengxiong had had conflicts with him, those were things of the past. Through their recent interactions, he felt that Zhao Zhengxiong wasn¡¯t a bad person by nature and was a straightforward guy who could be trusted.


    As long as he could cultivate these three people and form his core team, he wouldn¡¯t need to always seek help from the old General in case of trouble in the future.


    Dongyi Group would be a perfect opportunity.


    Back in the car, Nanrong Wanqing sat in the passenger seat, her expression filled with worry as she looked at Ling Chen and said, "Are you really nning to take them on?"


    "You saw too, they won¡¯t back down. Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s have a showdown and see whose tactics are superior."


    Nanrong Hao said with a smile, "Sister, don¡¯t worry. Chen here is a master of the Tiger List after all. With Chen covering us, let alone one Dongyi, even two Dongyi Groups would be no problem. Isn¡¯t that right, Chen?"


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t be bothered with him. However, when Nanrong Hao mentioned the Tiger List, Ling Chen¡¯s mind instantly thought of someone. If he could win that person over, it would be greatly beneficial to himself.


    Upon arriving at Wealthy Manor, Ling Chen dropped off Nanrong Wanqing and Nanrong Hao at their doorstep and said, "You guys go back first; I have some things to take care of and will be backter."


    "Take care of yourself."


    ...


    Half an hourter.


    Ling Chen met Jiang Yunkai on the snack street.


    "Congrattions." As soon as they met, Jiang Yunkai immediately wished him well.


    Ling Chen, puzzled, asked, "Congrattions for what?"


    "Congrattions for bing the number six master on the Tiger List."


    Number six on the Tiger List?


    Wasn¡¯t I number five on the Tiger List? How did I drop a spot?


    "Hey, how do you know my ranking?" Ling Chen voiced his inner question.


    Hearing this, Jiang Yunkai looked at him with a surprised expression, his tone astonished, "Don¡¯t you know?" With that, he took out his phone, entered a website, and handed it to Ling Chen, "Take a look for yourself. The rankings of the masters on the Tiger List are all here. Any changes, and Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will immediately update the rankings."


    Ling Chen looked down from the first-ranked master one by one, and when he saw that the number five spot on the Tiger List had changed to Jiang Hanlin, he suddenly understood. However, what puzzled him was that during his time at the Jiang Family, he had clearly defeated Jiang Hanlin, so why did his ranking unexpectedly drop instead of rise?


    Could it be that the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion didn¡¯t take into ount the oue of that battle because they knew I had taken a strength-enhancing potion?


    That must be the reason.


    To his surprise, the intelligencework of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was truly everywhere, even managing to uncover such secretive matters.


    "Ling Chen, do you need something from me tonight?"


    "I¡¯m here to keep our appointment. Didn¡¯t you want to challenge mest time? I ept, but I have one condition. If I win, you have to agree to do something for me. If I lose, you can make a request, and I will do my best to fulfill it."


    "Okay." Jiang Yunkai agreed without hesitation, barely thinking it over. After a pause, he asked, "Do we fight now or choose another time?"


    "Let¡¯s do it now, no need for any borate preparations."


    Jiang Yunkai nodded, stood up, and walked to a clear area, then gave Ling Chen a salute with sped fists.


    "Please enlighten me!"


    "Please!"


    Both stood firm, Ling Chen took a deep breath, regting his breathing. His aura became restrained, and the warmth of the Prajnaparamita Sutra circted in his Dantian. Warm currents flowed gently along his meridians like trickling streams, spreading throughout his body as if basking in the warm sunshine.


    Looking at the calm andposed Ling Chen, Jiang Yunkai¡¯s gaze gradually turned serious. With his energy locked on, fists clenched, and positioned in front of his body, he moved his right leg back slightly bent.


    Eyes locked onto each other, after a few seconds of intense gaze, they almost simultaneously made their move.


    Jiang Yunkai was very fast, taking five steps in the blink of an eye. His punches were powerful and contained Inner Strength. As his fist broke through the air, it immediately brought a whistling sound.


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t dodge, and as he saw Jiang Yunkai¡¯s punching, he countered head-on, unstoppable.


    The collision of their fists made a ¡¯bang¡¯ sound. With his fist momentum blocked, Ling Chen didn¡¯t step back, but instead tapped his toes on the ground, twisted his waist, and instantly moved to Jiang Yunkai¡¯s side, sweeping a steel fist towards his right shoulder.


    With the forceful wind approaching, Jiang Yunkai immediately changed his move, raising both shoulder and elbow to block Ling Chen¡¯s attack firmly. His feet seemed rooted to the ground, motionless, stable as Mount Tai.


    Two consecutive moves were easily neutralized by Jiang Yunkai, and a gleam of admiration appeared in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes.


    Jiang Yunkai practiced Xingyi Fist, which is one of the three major Inner Boxing styles of Huaxia. Ling Chen started with external techniques before mastering the inner, but Jiang Yunkai¡¯s approach was from the inside out.


    Ling Chen¡¯s external skills had reached the pinnacle, and inbat, he mainly relied on them, assisted by Inner Strength, the opposite of Jiang Yunkai¡¯s approach.


    Minutes passed.


    The two exchanged punches and kicks, neither gaining the upper hand, but the more they fought, the more exhrated they became.


    Ling Chen secretly marveled that Jiang Yunkai had practiced Inner Boxing for quite some time, with long, continuous, and potent Inner Strength. If it weren¡¯t for his external skills reaching their peak, relying solely on Inner Strength alone would not be enough to contend with Jiang Yunkai.


    Recruiting such a master to his side would indeed be a significant boost.


    As these thoughts flickered through his mind, Jiang Yunkai once again closed the distance, his forceful Inner Strength coordinating with the momentum of his punch, striking fiercely toward Ling Chen.


    "Bring it on!"


    Ling Chen bellowed, stepping out in an instant, his presence imposing, a sh of brilliance in his eyes, and his punch exploding with force.

 Chapter 319 - 315: The Sealed Villa

    <h4>Chapter 319: Chapter 315: The Sealed Vi</h4><h4></h4>


    As the two fists were about to collide, Ling Chen made an unexpected move. Instead of moving forward, his body suddenly stopped, then he pushed off the ground with both feet and quickly retreated backward, causing Jiang Yunkai¡¯s punch to miss. At the same time, Ling Chen changed his fist to a w, grasping Jiang Yunkai¡¯s wrist with one hand and pulling his body backward.


    Jiang Yunkai didn¡¯t expect Ling Chen to suddenly change his tactic, causing him to lose his bnce and lurch forward.


    However, those who have the courage and confidence to challenge a master from the Tiger List are certainly no ordinary fighters.


    In the face of danger, Jiang Yunkai didn¡¯t panic. He jumped up, his body suspended in the air, twisted his waist, and using the momentum of his body turning, he managed to free his wrist from Ling Chen¡¯s grasp.


    Such strong adaptability!


    Ling Chen silently praised, and without waiting for Jiang Yunkai¡¯s body tond, he quickly moved closer, jumped up, performed a front somersault over Jiang Yunkai¡¯s head, andnded steadily behind him.


    The moment Jiang Yunkai¡¯s feet touched the ground, Ling Chen suddenly turned around, extended one arm, aiming directly at Jiang Yunkai¡¯s neck. He was mere inches away from touching Jiang Yunkai¡¯s skin.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s halting movement, Jiang Yunkai knew he had lost.


    Defeated by a single move.


    "Tiger List masters are indeed formidable," Jiang Yunkai took a step back and said while cupping his fists.


    Ling Chen grinned and said, "You¡¯re being too modest, you¡¯re not bad either. If you¡¯re willing, your name could be on the Tiger List anytime."


    He was speaking sincerely. Jiang Yunkai¡¯s skills were very strong, not inferior to his own. In terms of skill alone, they might be evenly matched, but Jiang Yunkai lost in terms of experience. He was a man who had climbed up through numerous life-and-death battles. Experienced people have a unique ability, which is to anticipate.


    Anticipating the opponent¡¯s next move and then reacting ordingly. During the spar with Jiang Yunkai, it was precisely this skill that allowed Ling Chen to make an urate judgment at the critical moment and defeat his opponent with a single move.


    "Come on, let¡¯s go for a drink, my treat," Jiang Yunkai said generously. Although he lost, there was no sign of disappointment on his face, instead, there was a faint smile.


    True masters always possess a broad mind and do not care about winning, losing, or vanity.


    A rival of equal caliber is like a confidant.


    At this moment, that¡¯s how Jiang Yunkai saw it, and so did Ling Chen.


    After several bottles of liquor, with his face still unchanged, Jiang Yunkai asked, "What do you want me to help you with?"


    "No rush, I¡¯ll tell youter. Right now, I only have a rough idea, it¡¯s not yet fully formed. I¡¯ll contact you once I¡¯ve sorted it out."


    "Alright, you have my number, just contact me anytime."


    They drank until midnight, and a slightly tipsy Ling Chen drove back to Wealthy Manor.


    Upon reaching the vi, Ling Chen saw that the light was still on in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s room.


    It¡¯s sote, why hasn¡¯t she gone to sleep? he muttered to himself, ncing mischievously towards the second-floor balcony. With a cunning smile, he shifted his eyes, then climbed up the balcony using the exterior water pipe, ready to steal a kiss.


    However, when he reached the balcony, his expression suddenly changed, and his gaze turned sharp.


    In Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s room, through the ss window, he saw a man¡¯s figure from behind, vaguely familiar.


    Zhu Hong!


    Yes, him!


    How did this guy get in?


    At this moment, Nanrong Wanqing was lying on the bed, wearing a thin and sexy nightgown, with her delicate shoulders slightly exposed and her soft, fair arms outside the nket, breathing steadily, already fast asleep.


    Zhu Hong quietly admired the beauty in front of him, with a hint of fervor in his eyes. After examining her for a few moments, he couldn¡¯t help but lean down, lightly brushing his hand over Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s forehead, touching her smooth, creamy skin, and savoring the faint scent on her body.


    "Wanqing, wait for it, you will soon be mine," Zhu Hong murmured to himself, his lips curling up slightly. With that, he took out a small bottle from his pocket, unscrewed the cap, and brought it close to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s nose.


    After a while, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s head tilted slightly, as if she were dead asleep.


    Seizing the opportunity, Zhu Hong lifted Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s delicate body, turned, and walked towards the balcony, jumping directly to the ground floor. Throughout this, Zhu Hong never noticed that Ling Chen¡¯s back was tightly pressed against the bottom of the balcony, his hands gripping the water pipes on both sides to support his body.


    Seeing Zhu Hong carrying Nanrong Wanqing and leaping from the balcony, a look of surprise shed across Ling Chen¡¯s face. When had this guy be so strong?


    Without time to think further, seeing Nanrong Wanqing being taken away by Zhu Hong, Ling Chen immediately followed. While Zhu Hong was in the room earlier, Ling Chen had a chance to stop him. However, after a moment¡¯s thought, he decided to see where Zhu Hong was nning to take Nanrong Wanqing. Perhaps by following him, he could discover Mr. Yun and their secret base in East Sea City.


    However, to Ling Chen¡¯s surprise, Zhu Hong did not head towards the enclosure wall but went directly towards the wooden vi in the backyard.


    Nanrong Wanqing had once told him that the vi was her parents¡¯ former residence. Since her parents left, it has been sealed by Nanrong Yong, and no one was allowed to enter.


    Zhu Hong not taking Nanrong Wanqing away from Nanrong Family but bringing her to her parents¡¯ vi left Ling Chen utterly baffled.


    Pushing aside the doubt in his mind, Ling Chen stealthily followed Zhu Hong, keeping as low as possible to avoid being detected.


    Upon reaching the vi, Zhu Hong pushed open the door, carrying Nanrong Wanqing, and stepped inside.


    Ling Chen got to the door, listened for a while to make sure the footsteps inside had faded away, then gently pushed the door open, following behind. The vi was pitch ck, blindsided to the point where not even moonlight could prate.


    Maybe due to being sealed for too long, the ground had umted a thickyer of dust.


    Ling Chen pulled out his phone, using the faint light from the screen to carefully move forward. Fortunately, the floor was covered in dust, leaving plenty of footprints from Zhu Hong. Following those footprints, Ling Chen arrived at a narrow door next to the firece.


    Looking at the footprints on the ground, Ling Chen pressed his ear against the door, listening to the sounds inside. After a moment, confirming no one was behind it, he pulled open the door.


    Behind the door was a staircase leading down to the basement.


    Seeing the lights on in the basement and the neatly arranged equipment around, Ling Chen¡¯s heart tightened, and he quickly realized:


    Mr. Yun¡¯s secret base was actually in the Nanrong Family.


    Tsk tsk!


    Had to admire Mr. Yun, not only bold but also smart. Probably no one would have thought that Mr. Yun would set up a secret base at the Nanrong Family. Also luckily, since this vi was never entered before, otherwise, this secret would have long been exposed.

 Chapter 320 - 316 Ji Beizhao

    <h4>Chapter 320: Chapter 316 Ji Beizhao</h4><h4></h4>


    Following the stairs, Ling Chen descended slowly to the basement, scanning his surroundings cautiously to prevent anyone from suddenly appearing.


    The vi¡¯s basement was huge, nearly covering hundreds of square meters. Ling Chen, with his sharp eyes, noticed several wine barrels ced in a corner and slots on the walls. This ce used to be a wine cer, but now it had been cleared and was filled withputer equipment and devices.


    Arriving at a side door on the eastern side of the basement, Ling Chen immediately heard voicesing from behind it. He pressed his ear against the door and instantly recognized the two familiar voices.


    "Mr. Yun, could this drug have side effects on Wanqing¡¯s health?"


    "Rest assured, the dosage is well controlled, it won¡¯t cause any adverse reactions. She¡¯s my daughter, I care about her safety more than you do. By the way, is the research on that exoskeleton armor she¡¯s wearing yetpleted?"


    "We¡¯re still collecting data."


    "Tell them to speed up; I don¡¯t have much time to waste here. I need to return to the headquarters soon to report the current situation. After I leave, you will be entirely in charge of the affairs in East Sea City. Remember, don¡¯t stir up trouble. Keep Ling Chen untouched for now; he is still useful to me."


    "Yes," Zhu Hong replied, though his tone was noticeably reluctant.


    At that moment, a new voice spoke, "Mr. Yun, the injection isplete, and Miss Nanrong¡¯s vitals are all normal, without any adverse reactions."


    "Good," Mr. Yun spoke, "Zhu Hong, take Wanqing back. Make sure the Nanrong family doesn¡¯t notice."


    "Yes, Mr. Yun."


    Hearing they were about to leave, Ling Chen quickly retreated and followed the same path back to the vi. Soon, Zhu Hong, holding Nanrong Wanqing, exited and walked straight to the outdoors. Ling Chen secretly followed them, watching as Zhu Hong safely escorted Nanrong Wanqing back to her room.


    After Zhu Hong left, Ling Chen hesitated for a moment and then abandoned the idea of intervening. He had just discovered the secret base of Mr. Yun and Zhu Hong and didn¡¯t want to alert them prematurely. For now, they were unaware that their secret base had been exposed, providing him an excellent opportunity.


    It¡¯s finally my turn after being manipted so many times, Ling Chen thought to himself.


    ...


    The night passed without incident.


    The next day.


    Ling Chen got up early, sitting in the dining area, observing Nanrong Wanqing, who had juste downstairs, watching every move she made.


    Feeling his unwavering gaze, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red, feeling sweet inside, yet she couldn¡¯t help but coquettishlyined, "What are you looking at?"


    Ling Chen grinned and said, "I¡¯m not just looking, I¡¯m admiring. I never understood what a feast for the eyes meant, but now I do."


    Hearing hispliment, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s lips curved into a sweet smile, her eyes filled with shyness and delight.


    Just as they were indulging in the tender moment, a displeased voice came from the staircase, "Showing affection so early in the morning, can you choose another ce next time? Don¡¯t do it in front of me. My teeth feel sour just after brushing."


    Seeing Su Lin stretchingzily, her ample bust outlined and herzy, enchanting demeanor as she came downstairs, Ling Chen unconsciously touched his nose and cleared his throat, shifting his gaze away. They say a woman freshly woken has her own unique charm, and indeed, it¡¯s true.


    During breakfast, Ling Chen looked at Nanrong Wanqing sitting across him and asked, "Wanqing, how are you feeling? Is there anything ufortable?"


    Nanrong Wanqing thought he was just showing concern and didn¡¯t think much about it, smiling as she replied, "I¡¯m very good. I guess it¡¯s because I had enough sleep these past few days. Usually, I feel tired after a day¡¯s work, but I¡¯ve been very energetic these days."


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "That¡¯s good."


    Eight o¡¯clock.


    Ling Chen dropped Nanrong Wanqing off at the Hongyu Group headquarters and prepared to go to the security department to chat with Wei Jun and the others.


    Taking the elevator to the lobby on the first floor, Ling Chen stepped out. Just then, an irate cursing voice came through: "How do you walk, are you blind or what?"


    "Sorry, sorry," a familiar voice hurriedly apologized.


    Hearing that voice, Ling Chen was slightly startled and looked over, only to see Ji Beizhao bending down on the ground picking up scattered items and putting them back into his handbag. Next to him stood a woman with her hands on her hips, pretty-looking but fierce, dressed in business attire, deliberately unbuttoning two buttons at the cor, revealing a patch of bare skin, seemingly quite adept at attracting men.


    Ling Chen shook his head, thinking how such nice business attire is ruined by being worn so revealingly, deducing this woman was probably not a good sort.


    He walked over to Ji Beizhao, bent down to help him pick up the items, and asked, "What happened?"


    Ji Beizhao, seeing it was Ling Chen, a slight smile appeared on his gaunt face, "It¡¯s nothing, I identally bumped into thisdy."


    While picking up the items, Ling Chen¡¯s expression stiffened as he looked at the items in his hand, feeling a bit awkward. Damn, this woman actually carries something that could be blown up like a balloon, and she even brought five of them, how insatiably fierce.


    Caught off guard, the woman also noticed the items in Ling Chen¡¯s hand, her face slightly blushed, hurriedly snatched them from his hand, stuffed them into her upper garment pocket, and indignantly cursed, "What are you looking at, haven¡¯t you seen such things? Pervert!"


    Pervert?


    Ling Chen immediately felt annoyed, he hadn¡¯t harassed her. Besides, he wouldn¡¯t even be interested in her type.


    "Miss, watch how you speak. Don¡¯t just curse people."


    The woman, chest thrust forward, looked at Ling Chen disdainfully and said, "So what if I curse you, cursing you is still giving you face."


    Ling Chen¡¯s face darkened, if it weren¡¯t for her being a woman, he would have taught her a lesson by now. At this moment, Ji Beizhao, noticing Ling Chen¡¯s displeasure, quickly advised, "Chen, it¡¯s just a small matter, we¡¯re all employees of the samepany, no need to blow it up."


    Hearing this, the woman scoffed coldly, "You two are such big men, yet have no temper at all, worse than trash, truly a disgrace to men." Saying this, she picked up her handbag from the ground and said haughtily, "A good dog doesn¡¯t block the way, get lost quickly, don¡¯t dy my work time."


    "Work?" Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curved slightly, casually saying, "You bring so many indecent items to Hongyu Group, I seriously doubt what kind of work you do."


    The woman¡¯s expression froze, coldly saying, "What do you mean?"


    "There are two meanings to working, one is working for Hongyu Group, and the second... is working for yourself, like engaging in some kind of indecent service. What do you think, miss?" As he spoke, Ling Chen emphatically stressed the word ¡¯miss,¡¯ the implication clear.


    "You..." The woman, clearly understanding Ling Chen¡¯s insinuation, instantly turned frosty, eyes burning with anger, burst out cursing, "You dare insult me."


    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 321 - 317 Zou Yu

    <h4>Chapter 321: Chapter 317 Zou Yu</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen spread his hands with an innocent look, "How did I insult you? Miss, could it be that you¡¯re overthinking things?"


    Hearing him repeatedly address her as ¡¯Miss¡¯, the woman¡¯s face turned ghostly pale with rage, pointing at Ling Chen¡¯s nose, she shouted angrily, "Fine, you¡¯ve got guts. If I don¡¯t make you roll out of here today, then I¡¯m not Zou Yu. Security, where on earth are all the guards?"


    At this time, more and more onlookers gathered around, pointing and discussing amongst themselves.


    "Move aside, move aside." At this moment, Wei Jun and a few security guards pushed through the crowd and came inside, asking, "What¡¯s going on... Eh? Ling, what are you doing here?" Wei Jun was slightly taken aback upon seeing Ling Chen.


    Zou Yu, with a frosty face, asked, "You know him?"


    "Of course, he¡¯s an employee in our security department."


    "Good, then fire him for me right now." Zou Yumanded arrogantly.


    Wei Jun looked at Zou Yu in surprise and asked with confusion, "Miss, who might you be? Since when is it your ce to manage our security department¡¯s affairs?"


    Zou Yu raised her head with an air of arrogance, "Don¡¯t worry about who I am, just do as I say. Otherwise, you won¡¯t end well either."


    "Heh." Wei Junughed suddenly, saying with interest, "I¡¯ve been working here for years, but no one has ever threatened me before. Ling, it¡¯s up to you to handle this."


    Ling Chen, not bothering to waste words with that woman, waved his hand impatiently, "Wei, throw her out, don¡¯t disturb thepany¡¯s order."


    "Alright then."


    Wei Jun signaled with his eyes, and several security guards immediately grabbed Zou Yu¡¯s arms and forcibly dragged her out of thepany. Zou Yu hadn¡¯t expected these bastards to dare such boldness, struggling desperately and cursing, "You two just wait, I will not let you off."


    Watching Zou Yu being dragged out of the door, Ji Beizhao didn¡¯t show any reaction and smilingly said to Ling Chen, "Chen, thank you!"


    "Don¡¯t mention it." Ling Chen patted Ji Beizhao¡¯s shoulder and advised, "Don¡¯t be so timid in the future, be a bit braver; if there¡¯s anything you can¡¯t solve,e find me in the security department."


    "Okay, I¡¯ll get back to work now."


    "Go ahead."


    After Ji Beizhao left, Ling Chen shook his head to himself, thinking that Ji Beizhao had a good nature, but was somewhat meek. In a bigpany, such a personality doesn¡¯t win favor and only makes one seem easy to bully. He remembered when he first joined Hongyu Group, he endured a lot to gather tuition for Tang Shiyun. Later, he resigned angrily because he couldn¡¯t stand Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s intentional targeting.


    He had thought that there would no longer be any dealings between himself and Nanrong Wanqing, but many things are unpredictable and nobody knows what will happen tomorrow. He had never expected that his and Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s rtionship would develop to this extent.


    ...


    Night fell.


    Ling Chen apanied Nanrong Wanqing back to Wealthy Manor. At dinner time, Su Lin habitually turned on the TV to watch local news.


    "Today at three in the afternoon, the police received a report and discovered a corpse in a rented apartment. The victim is a woman named Zou Yu, twenty-six years old, employed at Hongyu Group. ording to information disclosed by the police, the victim was tortured to death. The perpetrator¡¯s methods were extremely cruel, not only torturing the victim before death but also mutting the body afterwards. The case is currently under further investigation and we will continue to follow up on this report..."


    Hearing the news broadcast, Ling Chen was shocked, staring nkly at the screen on the TV.


    "Wanqing, this woman is actually an employee of Hongyu Group," Su Lin said with slight surprise.


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded, took out her cellphone from her pocket, ready to contact the head of the HR department. Since she was an employee of Hongyu Group, thepany definitely had to respond, and a condolence payment was unavoidable.


    After making the call, Nanrong Wanqing noticed that Ling Chen had a troubled expression, and she asked, "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "Nothing, nothing," Ling Chen came back to his senses and said, "This morning at thepany, I had a conflict with her, andter I had the security staff kick her out." Saying this, Ling Chen felt some self-reproach and sighed softly, "If I hadn¡¯t done that, maybe she wouldn¡¯t have had this misfortune."


    "Don¡¯t think about it anymore," Nanrong Wanqing consoled, "The murderer¡¯s methods are cruel, obviously a premeditated vendetta, if it didn¡¯t happen today, it could have happened tomorrow, it¡¯s all just coincidence. Now we can only hope that the police can catch the murderer quickly to bring sce to her spirit in heaven."


    After dinner, Ling Chen sat alone in his room, still thinking about Zou Yu¡¯s matter. At this moment, his cellphone rang with an unfamiliar number. Ling Chen answered the call, said ¡¯hello¡¯, and asked, "Who is this?"


    "Mr. Ling, hello, do you remember me?"


    Hearing the voice on the other end, Ling Chen immediately thought of a person, Deng Guoyong.


    "So it¡¯s Mr. Deng. Does Mr. Deng have something for me?"


    "Mr. Ling, you¡¯d better hurry to the Old City. If you¡¯rete, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to see your brothers," said Deng Guoyong before hanging up directly.


    Ling Chen¡¯s heart tightened. It had been less than two days since his negotiation with Deng Guoyong, and he didn¡¯t expect the other party to act so quickly. Without time to think further, he rushed out of the bedroom and drove towards the Old City. On the way, he took out his cellphone and dialed Jiang Hao¡¯s number.


    "Hello, Chen, got something for me?"


    Jiang Hao¡¯s voice came through the phone, mixed with loud music and noisy chatter, either from a bar or a nightclub.


    "Where are you?" Ling Chen asked urgently.


    "What? Chen, speak up, it¡¯s too noisy here, I can¡¯t hear you clearly."


    "Where are you?" Ling Chen almost shouted.


    "Oh, I am at... hey, what are you doing, let go of me, brothers, fight them to death..." Jiang Hao¡¯s words were cut off before he could finish, and the phone lost its signal.


    Listening to the ¡¯beep beep¡¯ busy tone, Ling Chen¡¯s brows furrowed tightly. He redialed several times, but no one answered. Not just Jiang Hao, Zhao Zhengxiong¡¯s phone was the same, unreachable.


    Deng Guoyong was indeed skilful. Knowing the strategy of capturing the leaders first, by capturing Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong, he would be cutting off the head of the snake in the Old City.


    While he pondered, the cellphone rang again, and it was Deng Guoyong.


    "Mr. Ling, if you don¡¯t want your brothers toe to harm, you¡¯d better agree to our terms. I guarantee they won¡¯t be hurt at all, otherwise... you¡¯ll have to fish their bodies out of the sea."


    "I¡¯ll agree, but at least let me see them first, to ensure their safety."


    "No problem," Deng Guoyong said with augh: "In thirty minutes,e to the Dongling Pier of Hongyu Group. Remember, you muste alone, I don¡¯t want to see any police show up."


    "Okay." Ling Chen tossed his phone on the co-driver¡¯s seat, hit the gas pedal to the floor, and raced towards the agreed location like a bolt of lightning.

 Chapter 322 - 318: Arrogance

    <h4>Chapter 322: Chapter 318: Arrogance</h4><h4></h4>


    Less than half an hour had passed when Ling Chen had already driven to his destination.


    He parked the car at the roadside and headed straight for Dongling Pier. It was already half-past nine in the evening, and there were still dock workers unloading cargo. As Ling Chen walked, he was on the lookout for Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong¡¯s whereabouts. Shortly after, a man in a suit appeared before him and waved at him.


    Following the man in the suit, Ling Chen quickened his pace and arrived in front of a huge container. The doors were opened, and the man in the suit gestured for him to enter with a ¡¯please¡¯. Without any hesitation, Ling Chen stepped in.


    The space inside the container wasrge, with a table and several wooden chairs arranged. At that moment, Deng Guoyong was sitting at the table, savoring a bottle of red wine intently. Beside him, Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong were tied to chairs with ck hoods over their heads, with four men in suits watching over them.


    Seeing that Jiang Hao and the others were not in mortal danger, Ling Chen¡¯s expression slightly rxed, and he took a seat across from Deng Guoyong.


    "Mr. Ling, this is a cer-aged red wine airlifted from Lafite Vineyard, with a vintage of twenty years. Why don¡¯t you try some?"


    "Thanks, but I¡¯m not really interested in red wine."


    Deng Guoyong gave a slight smile and shook his head, "Then you really don¡¯t know how to enjoy life. Don¡¯t we earn all that money just to improve the quality of our lives and make ourselves a bit better off? Otherwise, who would struggle to theirst breath, risking their lives just to scrape a living?"


    "My ambitions differ from yours. Now that I¡¯m here, can you release them?"


    "Don¡¯t rush, let¡¯s talk business first. Mr. Ling, I¡¯ve looked into your background; you are ex-military, a security personnel for Hongyu Group. If I¡¯m not mistaken, the woman who came with you to negotiate that day must be Nanrong Wanqing. It¡¯s obvious that Mr. Ling has a special rtionship with the Nanrong Family. Actually, our Dongyi Group has long wanted to coborate with Hongyu Group. In East Sea City, Hongyu Group is the leading business powerhouse, involved in many industries. Although Dongyi Group doesn¡¯t have the financial power of Hongyu Group, we are, nevertheless, the underground emperor of the entire East Sea City, which I believe no one can deny. As long as we sincerely cooperate, East Sea City will eventuallye under our control. By then, we will have both authority and wealth, and everyone will prosper together. Isn¡¯t that a win-win scenario, Mr. Ling? What do you say?"


    After hearing Deng Guoyong¡¯s words, Ling Chen¡¯s lips slightly curled up, and a sharp light shed in his eyes.


    "Your Dongyi Group is quite ambitious, aiming to control the entire East Sea City."


    Deng Guoyongughed heartily, "Mr. Ling, one should have aspirations in life. I hope you can convey Dongyi Group¡¯s intentions to Miss Nanrong."


    "There¡¯s no need to waste time. She won¡¯t agree to your demands." Ling Chen said indifferently: "Release my people, and I can pretend nothing happened tonight."


    "Mr. Ling, if you don¡¯t want your brothers to get hurt, you¡¯d better do as I say. Moreover, I hope you can utilize your connection with the Nanrong Family to facilitate this cooperation. If sessful, Dongyi Group will not fail to reward you handsomely."


    Upon hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze slightly narrowed and he looked past Deng Guoyong¡¯s shoulder towards Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong.


    "I once warned you, if nobody offends me, I won¡¯t offend anybody. But if someone dares to bully me, they had better prepare a coffin for themselves."


    No sooner had he finished speaking than Ling Chen¡¯s eyes zed with intensity. He exploded from his chair, leaped across the table, and locked his hand around Deng Guoyong¡¯s neck, lifting him from the chair and hoisting him into the air.


    Seeing his actions, the four suited bodyguards behind were terribly shocked and hurriedly rushed forward, ready to intervene.


    "Don¡¯te any closer."


    Ling Chen roared furiously, his fingers applying slight pressure. Deng Guoyong¡¯s breathing was restricted, his face gradually turning ashen, as he tightly gripped Ling Chen¡¯s wrist, trying to pry his fingers open. However,pared to Ling Chen¡¯s strength, his effort was futile.


    "If you don¡¯t want him to die, release them immediately!"


    The four suited bodyguards hesitantly looked at Deng Guoyong, and seeing him nod in agony, they immediately lifted the ck hoods off Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong. However, as the faces of the two became clear, Ling Chen felt a sinking feeling in his heart, and a glint of chilly light shed through Mo Che¡¯s pupils.


    The ones wearing the ck hoods were not Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong at all, but two strangers they had never seen before.


    Not only that, in their hands, each was holding a mobile phone, and each phone¡¯s screen disyed an image.


    In the image, Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong were trussed up, hanging from the arm of a cargo ship, with the cold seawater below them. Seeing this scene, Ling Chen¡¯s face instantly turned exceedingly cold.


    "Mr... Mr. Ling..." Deng Guoyong coughed twice and said with a forced smile: "If you kill me, they won¡¯t survive either."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen furrowed his brows, hesitated for a moment, then rxed his grip, and the suspended Deng Guoyong immediately fell to the ground. The four suited bodyguards hurried forward to help their boss up.


    Deng Guoyong touched his sore neck and smiled: "Mr. Ling, you have one day to save them. As long as you can convince the Nanrong Family to cooperate with Dongyi Group, I will release them immediately. Otherwise, you better be ready to pick out a couple of graves for them."


    Having said that, Deng Guoyong walked away with his subordinates, exiting the container.


    Watching their retreating figures, Ling Chen clenched his fists, his expression icy cold. He had initially nned to y a slow game with Dongyi Group, but since they were being so rude, there was no reason for him to hold back anymore.


    Returning to Wealthy Manor, it was already eleven at night.


    Ling Chen made a call, did nothing more, and went straight to bed.


    The next day.


    Upon arriving at Hongyu Group¡¯s headquarters, everyone was talking about the tragic death of Zou Yu, expressing deep sighs in their words.


    Ling Chen escorted Nanrong Wanqing to her office and then took the elevator down to the underground parking lot. At that moment, a Santana was parked not far from the elevator. Ling Chen walked over and knocked on the car window, which immediately opened.


    Sitting in the passenger seat, Ling Chen nced at the driver and asked: "Fatty, have you found out everything I asked you to check?"


    "I wouldn¡¯t dare be negligent with matters you¡¯ve entrusted to me." Saying so, Hu Fei threw a document into Ling Chen¡¯s hands, rubbing his darkened eye bags and yawning: "I stayed up all night to get this information for you. It may not beplete due to the limited time, so make do with it."


    "Thanks for the hard work."


    Ling Chen casually flipped through the document and asked, "Do you know who the real boss behind Dongyi Group is?"


    Hu Fei shook his head: "That person is very elusive, and it¡¯s tough to find any leads on them in such short notice. Aside from that person, I¡¯ve managed to get rity on all the big and small leaders of Dongyi Group." Saying this, Hu Fei sighed with an expression of glee: "I reckon the coffin shops are going to be booming these days."


    Ling Chen put away the document, opened the car door, and said: "Thanks. Once I¡¯m done with all this, I¡¯ll treat you to a meal another day."

 Chapter 323 - 319: Massacre (1)

    <h4>Chapter 323: Chapter 319: Massacre (1)</h4><h4></h4>


    After parting with Hu Fei, Ling Chen returned alone to the security department office, pulled out the documents, and meticulously reviewed them, constantly making marks with his pen.


    Hu Fei¡¯s efficiency in handling matters was unquestionable. The document had all the leaders of Dongyi Group listed by their full names, including their positions and duties within Dongyi Group, and the divisions of their power, all clearly stated and easy to understand.


    Remembering Hu Fei¡¯s exhausted expression just a while ago, Ling Chen smiled slightly, feeling as if he owed him a big favor.


    After organizing his thoughts, Ling Chen made a call to Nanrong Wanqing, telling her he had personal matters to handle and would returnter in the evening. He also instructed Zhong Wei to be extra careful.


    Once he had given all his instructions, Ling Chen drove away from the Hongyu Group headquarters, heading straight for his first destination.


    Xinyu Building.


    A high-rise located in North City District, it had seen better days; most of its external ss was shattered, and the advertising billboards hanging at the top had faded from exposure to the sun and wind, the iron frames also rusting.


    Despite its dpidated state, the building was still in use. Several years ago, this building was rented by Dongyi Group and had be one of their strongholds.


    Ling Chen entered the building, where several mahjong tables were set up in the lobby, already filled with yers. Surrounding the tables were over twenty young men with cigarettes in their mouths, piles of ten and five-yuan bills stacked high on the tables. Others leaned against the walls, watching with interest, asionally shouting advice.


    The noise, the swearing, mixed with the swirling smoke, created a deeply unhealthy atmosphere.


    Ling Chen¡¯s arrival didn¡¯t attract much attention. Even those who noticed him merely nced briefly before continuing with their own activities, ignoring him altogether.


    Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curved slightly upward, d that no one was stopping him, which saved him a lot of trouble. He immediately climbed the stairs all the way to the top floor of Xinyu Building.


    Pushing open the door, a pungent smell of smoke immediately wafted from the room. Inside the spacious office, more than a dozen men around their thirties were lounging, each with a cigarette in mouth, beer on the tables, chatting leisurely.


    In a corner of the office, two young women in their early twenties, wearing nothing, squatted on the ground, their bodies dirty and bruised, sobbing continuously, a dog cor locked around each of their necks, chained to the wall. A middle-aged man, bare-chested and wearing shorts, wielded a leather belt, ruthlessly whipping them, cursing foully as if dissatisfied with the women¡¯s services.


    The others watched the women being disciplined; everyone smirked broadly, chatting away without a trace of sympathy or pity.


    At that moment, noticing Ling Chen at the doorway, a burly middle-aged man with a vicious face immediately stood up and came over, blocking Ling Chen at the door, squinting at him and asking, "Kid, who are you looking for?" He nced outside the door, puzzled. There were men guarding the stairwell, so he wondered how this guy had got in.


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t answer but instead took out a notebook from his pocket, flipped through two pages, and started reading names to himself, "Chen Qian, Luo Zifei, He Gang, Huang He... are you them?"


    The middle-aged man took a drag of his cigarette and blew smoke in Ling Chen¡¯s face, saying with a feigned smile, "Kid, you¡¯re right. We are all here. Do you want us to introduce ourselves so you can tell who is who?"


    "No need for that," Ling Chen closed his notebook, patting his pocket, and looked at the middle-aged man with a smiling face, and quipped, "In the end, the result is the same, why bother being so specific."


    The middle-aged man asked with interest, "What result?"


    "Die!"


    As soon as his words fell, without waiting for the middle-aged man to react, a chill shed in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes as he ferociously swung his fist, knocking the man to the ground with a punch.


    The others present changed their expressions drastically upon seeing this.


    "Kid, you dare to cause trouble on Dongyi Group¡¯s turf, you¡¯re seeking death!"


    With a roar, over a dozen men and women rushed towards Ling Chen, grabbing chairs nearby and smashing them towards his head. Ling Chen tapped the ground with his toes, twisted his waist, and with a snap kick, he sent the flying chair off course, then turned around and side-kicked towards the maning head-on, hitting him right in the neck.


    Crack!


    With a crisp snap, the man¡¯s neck broke instantly, his head limply hanging to one side.


    Seeing theirpanion killed, the crowd¡¯s pupils shrank, filled with shock and anger, not expecting Ling Chen to strike with such lethal force and without mercy.


    "Get the weapons."


    A middle-aged man with a tattooed face quickly rushed to a desk, frantically pulled open a drawer, and drew out a machete, roaring loudly as he aimed for Ling Chen¡¯s head.


    However, before the machete could fall, a sharp cold light suddenly shed, and the tattooed man¡¯s neck was immediately shed open, his blood gushing out like a fountain and sttering on the ground.


    After killing two people in quick session, Ling Chen showed no mercy, leaping towards the others, his Wolf Kiss de reaping lives with each swing.


    In less than a minute, the office had fourteen fewer people and fourteen more corpses.


    Two women curled up in the corner, hands tightly covering their mouths, shaking uncontrobly and watching Ling Chen with terror. Seeing him step closer, the two women uncontrobly screamed in horror, pleading, "Don¡¯t... don¡¯t kill me... please..."


    Ling Chen said indifferently, "Remember, you didn¡¯t see anything." After speaking, he pulled out a cellphone from a corpse¡¯s pocket and threw it in front of the two women, "Call the police yourself."


    Leaving Xinyu Building, Ling Chen got back into his car and crossed out the names of those people from the notebook.


    Those fourteen were all low-ranking heads of Dongyi Group, street bosses responsible for recruiting underlings, each with blood on their hands, and extensive criminal records stretching across several boxes at the police station; such people deserved to die.


    Ling Chen has never been one to show mercy. If someone offends me, I shall offend them in return. He is merciless towards those who dare threaten him. Deng Guoyong made a fatal mistake; he threatened someone out of his league. Kidnapping Ling Chen¡¯s friend and threatening him crossed Ling Chen¡¯s line.


    Hu Fei provided very detailed information to Ling Chen. ording to the intelligence, there were twenty-six low-ranking heads in the Dongyi Group. Ling Chen had only dealt with half; the rest were scattered throughout various streets, bars, nightclubs, and bathhouses in East Sea City.


    As Ling Chen looked over the remaining names in his notebook, he set his next target, started the car, and continued towards his next destination.


    Shortly after Ling Chen left, several police cars and ambnces arrived with sirens wailing, reaching Xinyu Building.

 Chapter 324 - 320: Massacre (2)

    <h4>Chapter 324: Chapter 320: Massacre (2)</h4><h4></h4>


    Nestled within a high-end office building in the heart of the city, floors ten through thirteen were leased by Dongyi Group, serving as their headquarters.


    At this moment, within an office on the thirteenth floor, Deng Guoyong sat in the executive chair with an ashen face, silent, while several suited bodyguards opposite him kept their heads down, not daring to even breathe loudly.


    "Are you certain?" It took a while before Deng Guoyong squeezed out three icy words from between his teeth.


    "Yes, all the top figures in Xinyu Building were murdered, and the police are currently clearing the scene."


    Suppressing his rage, Deng Guoyong gritted his teeth and asked, "Do you know who did it?"


    "For now, it¡¯s unclear. The scene has been cordoned off by the police, and our people have been detained. We have no information."


    "Contact others, tell them to ensure their own safety ande here to meet as soon as possible," Deng Guoyong decisively ordered.


    Several subordinates didn¡¯t hesitate; they immediately took out their phones to contact other leaders.


    However, as minutes passed and seeing his subordinates¡¯ increasingly pale faces, Deng Guoyong grew impatient and asked anxiously, "What¡¯s happening?"


    "Boss, we... we can¡¯t reach anyone. The calls go through, but nobody answers."


    "What?" Deng Guoyong was startled and in disbelief, "This can¡¯t be possible."


    As the words left his mouth, he suddenly heard his phone vibrate on the desk; it was a text message. Deng Guoyong picked up his phone, only to see several images attached¡ªpictures of blood-drenched corpses, all of whom he recognized as his own men.


    Looking at those horrifying images, Deng Guoyong felt a chill down his spine, a wave of coldness inexplicably rising in his heart. Having been in the underworld for decades, it had been a long time since he¡¯d felt such fear.


    "Issue the order, all management personnel of Dongyi Group must gather at thepany within half an hour. Also, contact Zhang Bo and have hime here immediately."


    Less than ten minutester, a middle-aged man in his forties, skinny, bespectacled, and gentlemanly, walked into the office. The man¡¯s face looked terrible; as soon as he entered the door, he asked without any courtesy, "Deng, what¡¯s going on?"


    "Old Zhang, don¡¯t ask me. I¡¯m not clear on the details either."


    Zhang Bo, one of the top executives of Dongyi Group, apart from the mysterious behind-the-scenes boss, was the only person who could stand on equal footing with Deng Guoyong, specifically responsible for handling the group¡¯s affairs. Inside the Group, like civil and military roles, they shared different responsibilities but both held substantial authority.


    "I¡¯ve already notified all our management personnel to return and assemble immediately. No matter who initiated this attack, if they dare to oppose Dongyi Group, I will not let them off easily," Deng Guoyong said coldly.


    Zhang Bo hesitated for a moment, nced at a few subordinates beside him, and asked quietly, "Should we notify him? After all, this incident has blown up, and he will find out sooner orter."


    "This..." Deng Guoyong¡¯s eyes flickered, unsure. He knew well the temperament of that person; Dongyi Group had suffered such a severe loss, and both of them could not escape responsibility. Now, their only way to lessen the punishment was to catch the perpetrator and thus redeem themselves.


    During his contemtion, a suited bodyguard put down his phone and said, "Boss, everyone has arrived one after another."


    Deng Guoyong nodded, looked at Zhang Bo, and said, "Let¡¯s go and meet them together."


    Upon reaching the conference room on the tenth floor, seven people were sitting inside, all in suits and apanied by two personal bodyguards each. At this moment, knowing the situation, everyone was worried, whispering to each other, discussing countermeasures. Seeing Deng Guoyong and Zhang Bo enter, they all stood up and greeted them.


    "Please, take your seats." Deng Guoyong gestured with his hand, leaned his hands on the table, leaned forward slightly, and scanned the room. He then spoke, "You must have all heard about what happened at the Xinyu Building. Over twenty people died, all of them lower-tier leaders, not a single one missed. I¡¯m worried that you might be the next targets, so I gathered you all here. From now on, until the crisis is over, no one is allowed to leave this office building. Also, call everyone you can; I want to see if the person daring this has the guts topletely wipe us out."


    At that moment, outside the upscale office building, a ssic muscle car slowly drove up and parked at the curb.


    The car door opened, and Ling Chen stepped out of the driver¡¯s seat, looking up at the towering building with a slight smile on his lips.


    Having dealt with the lower-tier leaders of the Dongyi Group, it was now time for the middle and upper-tier leaders. On his way here, he had confirmed that all seven middle-tier leaders of the Dongyi Group had arrived at the headquarters, including Deng Guoyong and Zhang Bo ¨C it was time to catch them all in one sweep.


    Just then, several vans raced from the intersection and stopped in front of the office building. Subsequently, dozens of youths got out of the vans, carrying rolled-up newspapers that concealed long items, and quickly entered the building.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen¡¯s eyebrows slightly furrowed. He had intended to strike when the opponent was unprepared, but Dongyi Group had acted faster than expected. It was still noon, and many people were in the office building; initiating a move now would certainly cause a major disturbance. Thinking this, Ling Chen abandoned his original n and found a restaurant by the street to fill his stomach first.


    Several hourster, night gradually fell.


    By one minute past six, most of the office workers had left, except for the lights still on from the tenth to the thirteenth floor, with only a few scattered offices lit.


    After resting all afternoon and feeling recharged, Ling Chen opened his car door and walked towards the back door of the office building. As expected, the front and back doors were guarded by more than ten thugs. Ling Chen calmly walked to the corner, climbed directly up the outer wall where the air conditioning units were installed.


    Before long, he had flipped in through a window into the interior of the office building. Finding a fire escape, Ling Chen quickly climbed the stairs to the tenth floor. Just then, voices talking above caught his attention. He stopped, looked up, and saw at the stairway entrance of the tenth floor, several young men leaning on the railing, casually chatting with cigarettes in their mouths.


    Ling Chen took a deep breath, didn¡¯t stop even for a moment, and immediately ran upstairs, appearing breathless. Reaching the tenth-floor staircase, the young men¡¯s attention quickly focused on him.


    Bent over, hands on his knees, Ling Chen gasped heavily. Without waiting for the youths to speak, he scanned them, extended two fingers to one of the youths and said, "Bro, give me a cigarette; I¡¯m dead tired."


    The young man, suspecting nothing, handed over a cigarette casually. Ling Chen took a drag, slowly raised his head, the swirling smoke somewhat obscuring his face.


    "Hey, buddy, where¡¯s Boss Song?"


    "In the conference room. You looking for him?"


    "Not me looking for him, he¡¯s looking for me. Damn, didn¡¯t even say why, just told me to hurry over, didn¡¯t even get to finish my dinner, we small guys really have it tough."


    The young men, feeling empathetic,ughed, "Stopining, we¡¯re all in the same boat, been guarding here without even a sip of water. Alright, go on in, don¡¯t dy Boss Song¡¯s business."

 Chapter 325 - 321: Massacre (3)

    <h4>Chapter 325: Chapter 321: Massacre (3)</h4><h4></h4>


    Upon entering the 10th-floor lobby sessfully, Ling Chen smiled to himself ¡ª thugs will be thugs; too easy to deceive, without any vignce.


    ording to the information gathered from those people, the middle management of Dongyi Group should all be in the conference room. By this time, all the staff on the floor had left work, leaving only the underlings.


    Ling Chen strode confidently through the crowd, raising no suspicions. With so many underlings in Dongyi Group, and not everyone knowing each other, no one cared to pry into each other¡¯s affairs or to question one¡¯s identity ¡ª that¡¯s the difference between amateurs and professionals.


    The conference room was easy to find; one just needed to head where the thugs were most concentrated. Ling Chen passed through the crowd and headed straight for the door of the conference room, then pushed it open and walked in.


    In the spacious, well-lit conference room filled with smoke, seven middle-aged men in suits sat upright, with cigarettes in their hands, while the ashtrays on the table were already filled with cigarette butts.


    Ling Chen closed therge door of the conference room, locked it, and the corners of his mouth lifted in a faint smile as he looked at the seven middle-level leaders of Dongyi Group.


    A middle-aged man who had taken off his suit jacket, wearing a white shirt, his sleeves rolled up, nced at Ling Chen and asked impatiently, "What¡¯s the matter?"


    "Mr. Deng sent me with a message," said Ling Chen casually. The mention of ¡¯Mr. Deng¡¯ immediately caught everyone¡¯s attention, and someone impatiently asked, "Does that mean we can leave now?"


    Ling Chen smiled without answering, walking straight to between two middle-aged men,ying his hands on their shoulders. Seeing his actions, the two men¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, showing a touch of displeasure.


    This personcks respect for his elders.


    Just as the two were about to speak out in rebuke, the smile on Ling Chen¡¯s face suddenly turned cold, a sharp glint in his eyes, and he quickly reached for their necks, twisting hard.


    Crack!


    Apanied by two crisp sounds, the heads of the two middle-aged men dropped instantly, and they toppled onto the table.


    This sudden turn of events startled the other five people present. Before they coulde to their senses, Ling Chen, without saying another word, gave a slight flick of his wrist¡ªWolf Kiss flew out of his hand, stabbing directly into the brow of one middle-aged man.


    After swiftly taking down three middle managers, Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate, his steps shifting as he pounced on the next two closest individuals.


    "You..."


    Before the words could be spoken, Ling Chen¡¯s iron fist had alreadynded.


    Everything happened very fast, in a sh, like lightning striking flint. In less than three seconds, Ling Chen had in five men. However, there were a total of seven people in the conference room; the remaining two middle-aged men were sitting at the other end of the conference table, at a distance too far for Ling Chen to reach promptly.


    During these brief seconds, the two middle-aged men finally came to their senses, their faces filled with terror, desperately rushing towards the door of the conference room, shouting loudly, "People, quickly, get someone!"


    Ling Chen cursed silently, hastening over in a few strides, his speed lightning-fast.


    Luckily, he had locked the conference room on his way in, buying him a few seconds. Before the two middle-aged men could open the door, Ling Chen moved like lightning, appearing behind them in the blink of an eye.


    With a swing of his arms and two dull thuds, the two middle-aged men fell to the floor, their eyes wide open, dying with grievances.


    Bang!


    At this moment, the thugs outside heard themotion in the conference room and began desperately pounding on the door. Ling Chen, remaining calm, shifted his gaze to the floor-to-ceiling ss window behind him. Without hesitation, he picked up a chair and smashed it fiercely, shattering the window amid a sharp ¡¯ng¡¯ sound of breaking ss.


    Taking advantage of the fact that the hoodlums hadn¡¯t broken in yet, Ling Chen acted swiftly, pulling off the belts from the middle-aged men, linking them together, then wrapping them around the corner of the desk by the window and leapt out.


    As he jumped, the conference room door was finally smashed open and dozens of hoodlums swarmed in.


    However, when they entered, they only saw corpses scattered on the floor and didn¡¯t catch sight of the murderer, instead, a crisp sound came from outside the ss window.


    A few of the youngsters quickly ran to the shattered window, leaned over to look down, and noticed the ss on the ninth floor had been smashed.


    "The murderer has fled to the ninth floor, chase him!"


    Office building, ninth floor.


    Ling Chen dusted the ss fragments off his clothes, his expression calm as he walked towards the stairwell. The hoodlums from the Dongyi Group would definitely follow, but it would take some time for them to rush from the tenth to the ninth floor; he had to leave before they arrived.


    Reaching the stairwell, a series of hurried footsteps came from above. Ling Chen¡¯s lips curled slightly, and with one hand on the railing, he vaulted over it. Before long, he was already in the underground parking lot.


    It was time to contact Deng Guoyong.


    Ling Chen thought to himself that if the other party was smart, they would know what to do. Taking out his phone, Ling Chen was about to dial the number. But at that moment, a familiar voice suddenly rang out behind him.


    "Don¡¯t move, put your hands up."


    Ling Chen slowly turned his head, seeing Xia Mutong with a gun, his expression slightly surprised. How could she be here?


    In a sh of thought, the corners of his mouth lifted, and he said with a smile, "Officer Xia, what a coincidence, to bump into you here."


    Xia Mutong hummed lightly and said, "You know very well whether it¡¯s a coincidence or not. Come clean, what are you doing here?"


    "Just passing time, wandering around. And what about you, Officer Xia?"


    Xia Mutong said indifferently, "Today there were more than twenty murder cases, and all the victims were core members of the Dongyi Group. I guessed that the murderer wouldn¡¯t give up so easily, so I came to check out the headquarters of the Dongyi Group, but I didn¡¯t expect that person to be you. No wonder you called me the other day asking about Dongyi Group, you had nned this all along."


    Ling Chen stroked his nose, not sure how to exin. His luck was too bad, getting caught red-handed like this.


    At this moment, in the office on the thirteenth floor of the office building. Having received the news, Deng Guoyong and Zhang Bo slumped on the sofa, their faces ashen, hands trembling involuntarily.


    They were all dead, killed right under their noses, which gave them an unprecedented sense of fear.


    Zhang Bo lifted his head, looked at Deng Guoyong, and said in a deep tone, "Tell me the truth, did you offend someone outside?"


    "Absolutely not," Deng Guoyong immediately denied.


    Zhang Bo tried to keep his tone controlled and said coldly, "If not, then why would someone target us, and kill so many of us in one day?" As he spoke, he seemed to remember something, his brows furrowing slightly, and said, "You told me yesterday that you were confident about securing a partnership with the Hongyu Group, could it be rted to this?"


    Deng Guoyong¡¯s face changed subtly, with a look of surprise, "Could it be him?"


    Just as he finished speaking, the ringtone from his pocket suddenly red. Deng Guoyong quickly took out his phone, saw the caller ID, and his face turned sour, a vague fear in his eyes.


    "It¡¯s the boss¡¯s call."

 Chapter 326 - 322: The Behind-the-Scenes Boss of Dongyi

    <h4>Chapter 326: Chapter 322: The Behind-the-Scenes Boss of Dongyi</h4><subtxt> Zhang Bo nervously looked at Deng Guoyong¡¯s phone. The two exchanged nces, and with unease, Deng Guoyong answered the call, respectfully saying, "Boss."


    "I heard there¡¯s trouble at thepany." The voice on the phone was neither cold nor warm, as if inquiring about something unrted to himself.


    But Zhang Bo and Deng Guoyong, having followed their boss for many years, knew his temperament well: the calmer his voice, the angrier he was inside. Deng Guoyong nced at Zhang Bo, signaling him to speak. However, Zhang immediately shook his head and shrank further behind the sofa.


    Deng Guoyong felt helpless and mustered his courage to reply, "Boss, there¡¯s a small issue, but rest assured, we will handle it."


    "A small issue?" The person on the phone almostughed. "So many people have died, and you call that a small issue? Do you need the assassin to find you before you start telling me the truth?"


    "No, I..."


    "Enough!" The caller interrupted Deng Guoyong¡¯s exnation, coldly saying, "I¡¯ll be back in East Sea City tomorrow morning. You two find a way to survive tonight."


    Beep beep!


    The call ended, and as the busy tone echoed from the phone, both Deng Guoyong and Zhang Bo¡¯s faces turned exceptionally grim.


    "Old Deng, quickly call for backup. I want this building sealed tight, not even a mosquito gets through. Let¡¯s see how he can kill us then," Zhang Bo said in a heavy tone.


    Hearing his reminder, Deng Guoyong snapped back to reality and immediately grabbed his phone to contact his subordinates. However, he paused mid-dial, staring nkly at the contact names, unsure of what to do next.


    Seeing his dazed expression, Zhang Bo couldn¡¯t resist urging him, "What are you spacing out for? Call now."


    "Call whom?" Deng Guoyong bitterlyughed, threw his phone aside, leaned against the sofa, seemingly drained of all strength, and copsed there.


    Due to Dongyi Group¡¯s strict hierarchical management, usually handled top-down with clear levels ofmand. Now, both the middle and lower-level leaders had been killed, leaving only the two senior leaders. In their usual high positions, they¡¯d never stoop low to directly contact lower-tier subordinates. Normally, a call to the mid-level leaders was sufficient for manpower. But now that everyone was gone, he had no idea whom to contact for reinforcements.


    In the underground parking lot of the office building.


    Ling Chen looked at the handgun raised in Xia Mutong¡¯s hand and clumsily smiled, "Uh... Officer Xia, we all know each other so well, maybe you could put the gun down first, and we can talk it out."


    Xia Mutong snorted lightly, knowing too well that such a scene wouldn¡¯t intimidate Ling Chen. She holstered her gun and demanded, "Tell me, what mischief have you caused now?"


    "Let me rify, I wasn¡¯t the one stirring up trouble. It was Dongyi Group who came after me, kidnapping a friend as a threat, so I just yed along."


    Xia Mutong said exasperatedly, "You call this ying? Do you realize how many people you¡¯ve killed?"


    "They all deserved it; why fuss about it? Besides, didn¡¯t you say over the phone the other day that I could do as I please without police interference?" Ling Chen appeared somewhat innocent.


    "Who knew you would be so ruthless," Xia Mutong red fiercely at Ling Chen. This scoundrel had boldly killed over twenty people without blinking an eye, as if it was nothing, showing a strong nerve.


    "Alright, alright, no hard feelings," Ling Chen said as he smiled apologetically, "Once this is over, I¡¯ll treat you to dinner and properly apologize."


    "It¡¯s not over yet?"


    "I haven¡¯t yet rescued my friend. But let¡¯s get one thing straight," Ling Chen interrupted Xia Mutong, "I¡¯ll handle this myself, and the police shouldn¡¯t get involved for now. You said it yourself the other day, your police force can¡¯t touch Dongyi Group. This way, I¡¯m going to help you eradicate this cancer from East Sea City for good."


    Xia Mutong was about to reject the idea, but upon seeing Ling Chen¡¯s determined eyes, the words at the tip of her tongue were swallowed back.


    Seeing she remained silent, Ling Chen cracked a smile, "Since you¡¯re not objecting, I¡¯ll take it as your agreement." After saying this, Ling Chen turned to leave.


    "Wait," Xia Mutong quickly caught up with Ling Chen, blocking his path, "The police may not intervene, but you must let me oversee your actions throughout. If you disagree, I¡¯ll immediately call for backup."


    Ling Chen, seeing her adamant demeanor, felt somewhat cornered but reluctantly nodded, "Alright, but let me be clear, you can only watch, you mustn¡¯t interfere."


    Back at Xia Mutong¡¯s car parked in the parking lot, Ling Chen took out his phone and dialed Deng Guoyong¡¯s number in front of Xia Mutong.


    "Hello?"


    "Mr. Deng, remember me?"


    "Ling Chen?" Deng Guoyong immediately reacted on the other end, already losing theposure he had the first two times they met, "Is this your doing?"


    "Mr. Deng, why ask when you already know. You gave me one day; now I¡¯m giving you one hour to release my friend. Otherwise, I won¡¯t mind taking a couple more lives." After saying this, Ling Chen continued, "Don¡¯t think you¡¯re safe hidden in that building. If I could take down those seven people, I can certainly handle you two as well. I won¡¯t say more, think it over, and if I don¡¯t see my friend in an hour, I¡¯ll be visiting you personally."


    Before Deng Guoyong could say anything else, Ling Chen had already hung up.


    "Do you think he¡¯ll release them?" Xia Mutong asked.


    Ling Chen smiled slightly, "Doesn¡¯t matter. At least now he wouldn¡¯t dare harm them since they are his only way to save himself. What I am really interested in now is seeing what he will do next."


    During this conversation, Deng Guoyong in his thirteenth-floor office clenched his teeth and cursed, "It really was him."


    "Who?"


    "Ling Chen, the man who negotiated on behalf of Old City with me that day."


    "Is that him?" Zhang Bo was shocked and incredulously asked, "Does he really have that much capability?"


    "I only know he was once a soldier." Deng Guoyong frowned deeply, pacing back and forth in his office in deep thought. After a while, he seemed to have made a decision, turned to Zhang Bo, and said, "I have a n that should ensure our safety tonight."


    "What n?"


    "Call the police!"


    "Are you insane?" Zhang Bo stared nkly, "Do you think the police aren¡¯t aware of our background? I¡¯m grateful enough they haven¡¯t kicked us while we¡¯re down, and now you actually want to seek help from the police? I¡¯m amazed by your terrible idea."


    "With so many from Dongyi Group dead today, it¡¯s natural for us to seek police protection. They haven¡¯t got anything on us; what¡¯s there to fear. Old Zhang, as long as we survive tonight, everything will be resolved when the boss arrives in East Sea City tomorrow. I think, for the sake of our lives, we should endure this one night."</subtxt>

 Chapter 327 - 323: Falling into One’s Net

    <h4>Chapter 327: Chapter 323: Falling into One¡¯s Net</h4><h4></h4>


    Zhang Bo hesitated for a moment, recalling the seven middle management leaders who had been silently murdered, fear involuntarily rose in his heart, and he nodded, "Alright, I¡¯ll follow your n."


    After the call, in less than half an hour, several police cars arrived outside the high-end office building. By then, Zhang Bo and Deng Guoyong, nked by a group of suited bodyguards, were already waiting at the entrance. Seeing the arrival of the police, the two men simultaneously let out a sigh of relief.


    At this moment, a tall female officer in a neat uniform, apanied by several colleagues, approached and said indifferently, "You two,e with me." Turning her head to the officers by her side, she ordered, "You go upstairs and check the situation, report back to me at the stationter."


    "Yes, Captain Xia."


    When they got to the police car, Xia Mutong suddenly turned around, her expression slightly displeased as she frowned at the suited bodyguards who were trailing behind Deng Guoyong and Zhang Bo, "You¡¯re going to the station to assist in an investigation, not on a sightseeing holiday. Why bring so many people?"


    Deng Guoyong awkwardly apologized and turned to instruct, "You go ahead and wait for me at the station."


    Once the suited bodyguards had left, Xia Mutong pointed to the back seat of the car, "Get in." As she finished speaking, she opened the door and sat down in the passenger seat.


    The car started, quickly blending into traffic.


    Ten minutester, the police car drove onto the elevated highway and stopped at the roadside.


    Deng Guoyong, looking oddly at what he saw through the car window, asked, "Officer, this doesn¡¯t seem to be the way to the station, did you take a wrong turn?"


    "Who said we were going to the station." A familiar voice came from the driver¡¯s seat. Deng Guoyong was startled and instinctively looked at the rearview mirror. As the sharply defined handsome face came into view, Deng Guoyong¡¯splexion instantly changed, and he eximed, "It¡¯s you!"


    "Who is he?" Zhang Bo waspletely confused, not understanding what the two were talking about.


    "Ling Chen, he¡¯s Ling Chen."


    Deng Guoyong looked as if he had been frightened, his expression panicked as he hurriedly tried to unlock the door. However, Ling Chen had already locked the doors.


    "No use wasting your energy," Ling Chen turned his head to look at Zhang Bo and Deng Guoyong in the backseat, lifting his wrist to show his watch, "I¡¯m giving you one hour¡¯s time, now there¡¯s less than ten minutes left. If I can¡¯t see my friend in the next ten minutes, I¡¯ll take you two for a little skydiving." Saying so, Ling Chen looked out the window at the high-rise bridge with a malevolent grin and yfully remarked, "What do you think, if you fall from here, will you turn into a bloody mess?"


    Zhang Bo spoke anxiously, "Officer, you..."


    Ling Chen waved his hand impatiently, cutting off Zhang Bo¡¯s words, "Officer Xia won¡¯t be able to help you. Your lives are in your own hands. You have nine minutes left, you¡¯d better make a decision fast."


    "Release them." Zhang Bo, with a livid face, red at Deng Guoyong next to him and roared from his throat, "Hurry up and release them! If you want to die, don¡¯t drag me down as your cushion."


    Deng Guoyong¡¯s gaze was dark, and he said coldly, "Ling Chen, you¡¯ll get nothing by opposing Dongyi Group..."


    p!


    A crisp p sounded, and immediately a bright red handprint appeared on Deng Guoyong¡¯s cheek.


    "Enough with the nonsense; do you think I¡¯m a three-year-old who would be afraid of your threats? Mr. Deng, you¡¯ve made one mistake already; better not make a second one."


    Deng Guoyong, holding his swollen cheek, swallowed the blood that had oozed from the corner of his mouth, and didn¡¯t dare to utter another word. He obediently took out his phone and dialed a number.


    "Tell them to hurry. You¡¯ve got eight minutes left," Ling Chen reminded.


    Hearing this, Zhang Bo¡¯s face showed fear, as he quickly snatched the phone from Deng Guoyong, shouting desperately, "We¡¯re on the overpass, deliver the person in eight minutes. If you¡¯re one secondte, I¡¯ll exterminate your entire family."


    In less than six minutes, a minivan approached on the overpass and stopped beside the police car.


    The door opened, and Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong jumped down from the van, rushing to the front of the police car. Ling Chen rolled down the window, nced at Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong, and seeing they were injured but not seriously, he was immediately relieved.


    "Chen."


    "Chen."


    "Jiang Hao, Xiong, you guys go back to the Old City and rest. I still have some stuff to deal with here. I¡¯ll contact you tomorrow."


    Jiang Hao took a nce at Deng Guoyong and Zhang Bo in the back seat, realizing the situation, he nodded and said, "Alright Chen, we¡¯ll leave first."


    After watching Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong leave in a taxi, Ling Chen closed the window, started the police car, and drove off the overpass.


    "Mr. Ling, we¡¯ve released the person, can you let us go now?" After much hesitation, Zhang Bo couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    "Don¡¯t rush, we¡¯ve not finished our business. Dongyi Group is thergest gang in East Sea City, established for decades, with vast influence that spreads throughout the various districts. I¡¯m quite curious to know who has the capability."


    Zhang Bo¡¯s expression shifted, shaking his head, "No, I can¡¯t tell you."


    "Is it that you can¡¯t tell, or you don¡¯t dare to?" Ling Chen asked with a sardonic smile, "You¡¯d better consider your situation. With your past crimes, a death sentence would be more than justified. However, you¡¯re just working for someone else if you¡¯re willing to divulge who¡¯s behind the scenes, Officer Xia will arrange for you to be informants. Though you can¡¯t escape a long time in jail, at least you¡¯ll have a chance to walk out alive."


    Deng Guoyong scoffed coldly, "Don¡¯t try to scare us, we are legitimate businessmen and have never done anything illegal; don¡¯t wrongly use us."


    "Really?" Ling Chen said with a smile, "Mr. Deng, you guys are clever most of the time but foolish for once, actually inviting police for protection. Now you¡¯re both with me here, while the police are searching Dongyi Group¡¯s headquarters. Do you think they might discover something incriminating?"


    At these words, both Zhang Bo and Deng Guoyong¡¯s faces instantly darkened, their eyes filled with worry, losing the calm they had before.


    Ling Chen watched their expressions through the rearview mirror, his lips curling up slightly. He pondered how these two thought it was a good idea to invite the police to theirpany, effectively crying to a tiger for help, asking for trouble.


    After a few moments, Zhang Bo turned away from the window and said, "Mr. Ling, if we be informants, I hope for leniency, a lighter sentence."


    "That depends on how valuable the information you provide is." The reply came from Xia Mutong. Ling Chen had dealt with his private affairs; now it was time for her to step in for the official ones.


    "Old Zhang, have you lost your mind?" Deng Guoyong snapped coldly, "Do you no longer value your life?"

 Chapter 328 - 324: Tainted Witness

    <h4>Chapter 328: Chapter 324: Tainted Witness</h4><h4></h4>


    "I know what I¡¯m doing, it¡¯s a dead end either way, might as well seek a glimmer of hope. Officer Xia, can your police guarantee my personal safety?"


    Officer Xia nodded and promised, "As long as you¡¯re willing to be witnesses, we will initiate the witness protection program. Until we apprehend the perpetrators, you¡¯ll be in no danger."


    "I ept this proposal."


    Deng Guoyong hurriedly said, "Old Zhang, think it over, don¡¯t rush to a decision."


    "Deng Guoyong, you only get one chance. If you don¡¯t ept the deal now, once Zhang Bo spills everything, you¡¯ll lose your value. By then, if you want to cooperate with us, we won¡¯t agree. So you¡¯d better think carefully."


    Hearing this, Deng Guoyong was stunned, Xia Mutong¡¯s words were undoubtedly a threat, but he had to admit, it was a very effective one. Nobody wants to die, Deng Guoyong included; this was hisst straw of hope.


    "Alright."


    Finally, Deng Guoyong sighed and made his decision. Just as Xia Mutong said, once Zhang Bo revealed all of Dongyi Group¡¯s secrets, he¡¯d be valueless. To stay alive, he had no choice but to make this decision.


    Ling Chen shed a grin, "Officer Xia, congrattions on cracking a major case. Don¡¯t forget to treat me to a meal when you get promoted."


    Xia Mutong red at Ling Chen with annoyance. Although she didn¡¯t quite approve of his methods, she had to admit that extraordinary situations required extraordinary measures, and following procedures strictly would hardly yield such significant results.


    Taking down the Dongyi Group was definitely the biggest achievement in recent years. As long as things went smoothly, promotion was a sure thing.


    Thinking of this, Xia Mutong couldn¡¯t help but admire Ling Chen. To think he could undermine Dongyi Group¡¯s interior in just one day was an astonishing feat.


    What she didn¡¯t know was that Ling Chen¡¯s sess hinged on two key factors: the intelligence provided by Hu Fei and his own strength, both indispensable.


    Upon arriving at the police station, Ling Chen stepped out of the car, waved his hand, and said goodbye, "Officer Xia, unless there¡¯s something else, I¡¯ll head back now."


    Xia Mutong poked her head out of the car window and asked, "Don¡¯t you want to know who¡¯s behind Dongyi Group?"


    Ling Chen smiled indifferently, "Tell me next time if there¡¯s a chance."


    He was indeed interested, but not so curious that he had to know at all costs. For someone of his perspective, the mystery of a gang boss was nothing special, not worth dwelling on.


    Moreover, with the Dongyi Group destroyed, he had lots of things to do; ns that had been scheming in his mind could finally be put into action.


    When he returned to Wealthy Manor, it was already midnight.


    Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin had long since fallen asleep, the vi was silent and pitch-ck.


    Upon entering the house, Ling Chen tiptoed to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s room, and seeing the sleeping beauty on the bed, he felt slightly relieved. At least Zhu Hong hadn¡¯t appeared tonight to take Nanrong Wanqing away.


    He didn¡¯t know what Mr. Yun and Zhu Hong had done to Nanrong Wanqing, but he was certain that Mr. Yun would not harm her. Even tigers do not eat their cubs, let alone humans. From his interactions with Mr. Yun, he could feel Mr. Yun¡¯s heartfelt care for Nanrong Wanqing.


    Leaving Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s bedroom, Ling Chen was ready to go downstairs to his room to rest. However, as he passed Su Lin¡¯s bedroom, he heard faint moansing from the room.


    What¡¯s that girl up to?


    Could it be...


    Ling Chen¡¯s heart stirred, and his feet unwittingly moved to Su Lin¡¯s door, then he pressed his ear against it.


    Immediately, the moaning sounds from inside the room became even clearer.


    Tsk tsk!


    This girl is actually watching ******** in her room in the dead of night.


    Thinking this, Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curled into a slight smirk, a mischievous idea shing through his mind. He raised his hand and gently knocked on the door.


    As the sound of the door echoed, a flurry of hurried noise came from inside the room, and the seductive moaning abruptly stopped.


    In no time, the door opened, and Su Lin appeared before Ling Chen, hair disheveled. Although the hallway light was dim, he could vaguely see Su Lin¡¯s blushing pretty face, her eyes spring-like, charming and enticing, her coquettish demeanor sending a ripple through Ling Chen¡¯s heart.


    Su Lin, half-hiding behind the door, peered out from the crack with her upper body and red at Ling Chen, asking, "Why aren¡¯t you sleeping sote at night and looking for me instead?"


    Ling Chen nced down and saw Su Lin wearing a thin, off-the-shoulder nightgown. Through the slightly parted cor, he could glimpse an intoxicating cleavage and the curves of two semi-arches, round and snow-white.


    This girl wasn¡¯t even wearing a bra.


    Seemingly sensing Ling Chen¡¯s lecherous gaze, Su Lin subconsciously looked down at her chest, her eyes suddenly filled with immense embarrassment. She quickly reached to cover her neckline, her face flushed with indignation as she said to Ling Chen, "You pervert, watch out or I¡¯ll gouge out your eyes. Spit it out, what do you want? If there¡¯s nothing, I¡¯m going back to sleep."


    "It¡¯s nothing much, I just thought I heard some noise from your room as I was passing by, it didn¡¯t seem right, so I came to ask."


    Hearing this, a flicker of panic crossed Su Lin¡¯s eyes, and she stammered, "What... what kind of noise, you must have heard wrong."


    "Is that so?" Ling Chen teased with a smile, "It¡¯s sote, why aren¡¯t you asleep yet? What are you hiding and doing in your room?"


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s meaningful smile, Su Lin grew a bit flustered and uneasily bit her thin lips, berating herself inwardly. This jerk must have heard something, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be asking such a question.


    Ugh, I should have worn earphones.


    Last time Ling Chen found that embarrassing package, and now he¡¯s caught her red-handed, he¡¯s like her nemesis.


    The more she thought about it, the more flustered she became, her cheeks burning hot, like a ripe apple, tempting one to take a bite.


    Watching Su Lin¡¯s ufortable expression, Ling Chen secretly smirked and stopped teasing her, not wanting her to freak out. Flirting with a beauty had to be done just right, not clinging too tightly.


    "Get to bed early, you have school tomorrow." As he said this, Ling Chen seemed to think of something and added meaningfully, "Take care of your body, don¡¯t overdo it." With that, he walked downstairs.


    Listening to the footsteps of Ling Chen leaving, Su Lin recalled his words just now and her face turned bright red, her eyes brimming with embarrassment.


    This bastard... so infuriating! What does he mean by ¡¯take care of your body, don¡¯t overdo it¡¯? Does he think she was... No, she had to confront him to rify things. She was pure and innocent, she couldn¡¯t let him ruin her reputation.


    With that in mind, Su Lin couldn¡¯t be bothered to close the door and immediately chased after Ling Chen downstairs.


    Arriving in front of Ling Chen¡¯s bedroom, seeing that the door was ajar and not fully closed, Su Lin, without a second thought, pushed the door open, and began to say, "Ling..."


    Before she could finish her words, Su Lin froze on the spot, her gaze nkly on Ling Chen, her alluring lips slightly agape, her pretty face turning from white to green, then from green to red, overwhelmed with embarrassment.

 Chapter 329 - 325: Who Wants to Watch You

    <h4>Chapter 329: Chapter 325: Who Wants to Watch You</h4><h4></h4>


    Just now, upon returning to the bedroom after a busy day, Ling Chen felt like taking a bath, then sleeping soundly. Upon entering the room, he immediately took off his clothes, carelessly throwing them on the floor, preparing to head to the bathroom naked.


    But at that moment, the door creaked open. Ling Chen instinctively turned around, only to see Su Lining in, which left him startled. Meanwhile, his robust masculine body was fully exposed in front of Su Lin¡¯s eyes, though she only paused briefly.


    Su Lin¡¯s face was flushed, yet she red with her eyes wide open, even rolling her expressive eyeballs as if tantly stealing a look.


    For a moment, the two stared at each other, both stunned on the spot.


    Being unabashedly stared at by a woman, and a temptingly beautiful one at that, made even the thick-skinned Ling Chen feel extremely awkward. After a few coughs, he said, "Hey, haven¡¯t you seen enough?"


    "Who, who wants to look at you! I, I..." Su Lin¡¯s face turned even redder, hurriedly closing her eyes.


    Seeing Su Lin tightly shutting her eyes, daring not to open them, the initially awkward Ling Chen¡¯s lips lifted into a teasing smile, as he slowly walked towards her.


    Feeling the masculine aura enveloping her, Su Lin¡¯s delicate body stiffened, her breathing quickened, and her pretty cheeks blushed like the afterglow of a sunset, stunningly beautiful.


    Getting closer, Ling Chen could even smell the faint fragrance emitting from Su Lin. Observing her trembling shoulders, Ling Chen slightly curved his lips, suppressing augh and asked, "Lady Su, what are you thinking about?"


    "I... you..." Su Lin stuttered, too nervous to speak clearly, "You... you should put on your clothes first."


    Ling Chen smiled and said, "I have already dressed."


    Hearing this, Su Lin slightly rxed and opened her eyes. But soon, she realized that Ling Chen standing in front of her was stillpletely bare, truly shameless.


    Seeing his muscr body made her heart shudder with embarrassment, and inwardly, she cursed him, "Jerk, scoundrel, how dare you deceive me."


    Noticing Su Lin¡¯s shy eyes and swiftly changing facial expressions, Ling Chen could tell what she was thinking. With a sly smile, he asked, "Lady Su, are you cursing me as a scoundrel again?"


    "Aren¡¯t you one?" Su Lin sharply retorted.


    Ling Chen blinked, teasingly said, "Since youbelled me a scoundrel, wouldn¡¯t I be wronged if I didn¡¯t do something scoundrel-like?" Saying that, Ling Chen took a step forward, almost pressing up against her.


    Su Lin bit her thin lips, feeling Ling Chen¡¯s breath gently caressing her face. Panicking, she immediately took a step back, her face full of tension, "What... what do you want to do?"


    "What do you think?" Ling Chen teased, approaching her step by step.


    Soon, Su Lin was cornered against the wall. Back against the wall, she watched Ling Chen draw nearer, instinctively shielding herself with her hands, then turned her head away, eyes tightly shut, her frightened demeanor added a unique charm, making Ling Chen involuntarily swallow.


    As they got intimately close, Ling Chen unabashedly admired her beautiful face, like a freshly bloomed flower, pleasing to the eyes.


    Noticing Su Lin¡¯s increasingly rapid breathing, Ling Chen¡¯s smile broadened, he slightly shifted away, casually pulling a towel from a nearby rack, wrapping it around his waist, covering the essential parts.


    "Alright, no more teasing." Ling Chenughed heartily, realizing that the littledy also knew fear.


    Half doubting, Su Lin opened her eyes and saw Ling Chen in front of her, now with his lower half wrapped in a towel, her tense expression slightly rxed, letting out a sigh. However, seeing Ling Chen¡¯s smug smile, Su Lin felt a surge of irritation, enraged that he dared to flirt with her. Yet inexplicably, there was a small sense of loss within her.

 Chapter 330 - 326: Black-faced Judge Bao

    <h4>Chapter 330: Chapter 326: ck-faced Judge Bao</h4><h4></h4>


    However, just at this moment, they suddenly noticed that the living room lights had turned on.


    There were three people living in the vi: him, Su Lin, and Nanrong Wanqing, with Nanny Wang residing in the main house. At this time, the only person who would turn on the light, besides Nanrong Wanqing, was no one else. Realizing this, he instantly snapped to alertness, quickly pushed Su Lin away, and dragged her towards the bathroom.


    The sudden change left Su Lin somewhat bewildered, not knowing what to do as she looked at Ling Chen.


    "Don¡¯t speak, Wanqing is here."


    "Wan... Wanqing?" Su Lin immediately stood frozen in ce, her expression frantic.


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t afford to exin any further, he immediately shut the bathroom door, then picked up a towel from the floor and wrapped it around his waist, covering his important parts.


    Just after he had secured the towel, Nanrong Wanqing, dressed in her pajamas, appeared at the bedroom door.


    Seeing Ling Chen with his upper body bare, his muscles clearly defined, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s pretty face blushed as she nced at him reproachfully.


    "Didn¡¯t you go to sleep? Howe you¡¯re up again?" Ling Chen greeted her with a smile and asked.


    "I heard some noise downstairs when I went to the bathroom just now, so I came down to check. Did you just get home?"


    Ling Chen nodded, holding the towel, and yawned, "I¡¯ve been busy all day, nearly dead from exhaustion."


    Nanrong Wanqing offered a slight smile and said, "Then you should rest early, I won¡¯t disturb you."


    Watching Nanrong Wanqing turn and leave, Ling Chen secretly breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that she hadn¡¯t discovered anything, otherwise it would have been embarrassing for all three of them. It was all the fault of the Prajnaparamita Sutra causing trouble, making him lose even his most basic self-control.


    Back in the bathroom, Ling Chen knocked softly on the door and said, "Come out, Wanqing is gone."


    As soon as he finished speaking, Su Lin hurriedly pushed open the door and, without saying a word, ran out of the bedroom with a flushed face.


    After closing the bedroom door, Ling Chen walked into the bathroom and stood under the showerhead, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. Nanrong Wanqing had said she came out because she heard a noise downstairs in her room.


    But through a floor and so many walls, was Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s hearing too acute? If it were him, he might not be able to hear noisesing from his own room upstairs.


    With this in mind, Ling Chen was full of doubts.


    Could it be because...


    In a sh of thought, he vaguely guessed the answer.


    ...


    The next day.


    Ling Chen had breakfast with Nanrong Wanqing, then they both rushed to Hongyu Group¡¯s headquarters. Until they left the house, Su Lin was nowhere to be seen.


    He figures that the girl must be too scared to see him because ofst night¡¯s incident. Ling Chen thought to himself.


    Upon arriving at thepany, Ling Chen sat in the security office, with his legs propped up, browsing the news on theputer. Just then, his phone rang in his pocket. ncing at the caller ID, he picked up the phone and greeted with a smile, "Officer Xia, what¡¯s the matter so early?"


    "The mastermind behind Dongyi Group has fled." Xia Mutong spoke with a hint of frustration, even a touch of anger.


    Ling Chen expressed his surprise, "Fled?"


    Xia Mutong gave an affirmative grunt and continued, "ording to confessions by Zhang Bo and Deng Guoyong, the mastermind behind Dongyi Group was scheduled to arrive in East Sea City this morning. We obtained the flight information in advance and prepared to arrest him, but the information was leaked, allowing him to escape from the airport."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen slightly knitted his brows and said, "Was it someone from your department who leaked the information?"


    "It¡¯s highly possible, but at the moment it¡¯s just conjecture without solid evidence. Although we didn¡¯t catch the person, we have secured the identity information of the mastermind, who is a powerful figure from Beijing and started taking control of Dongyi Group from the previous leader, seemingly aiming to expand his influence in East Sea City through Dongyi Group."


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen shook his head and didn¡¯t dwell on it much. He didn¡¯t ce much importance on a gang¡¯s mastermind; it was merely a matter of scale. Despite the Dongyi Gang changing its skin and calling itself a group, its nature hadn¡¯t changed much.


    Furthermore, the police who had infiltrated Dongyi Group the previous night were no pushovers. Having eyed Dongyi for so long and finally breaking into their stronghold, if they couldn¡¯t seal their fate, they really ought to strip off their uniforms and step down.


    The urgent task at hand was to get Nanrong Hao ready to take over the vacancy under Dongyi Group¡¯s g. There would be no shortage of people eyeing this juicy piece of meat, and anyone who was slow to act and still wanted a piece would have to brace for another bloody storm to see if they could get a share.


    Nanrong Hao who received the call was wildly excited, not finishing his sentences before hanging up ¨C clearly eager to seize the territory first thing.


    With a cup of tea and a magazine, Ling Chen spent his shift leisurely and contentedly, but thisfort was interrupted during the lunch break.


    The police had arrived!


    This time, however, the police team wasn¡¯t led by Xia Mutong, but by another unfamiliar face, stern like Judge Bao.


    "Mr. Ling, we are here to ask for your assistance with a homicide investigation."


    "Homicide? What homicide?" Ling Chen wasn¡¯t feigning ignorance ¨C the issue with Dongyi Group had been internally resolved, and those who were killed were arguably deserving of it. It had been dealt with through special channels, so the police had no reason to approach him.


    "Do you recognize the name Zou Yu, Mr. Ling?"


    Zou Yu? Not unfamiliar nor familiar, Ling Chen had a certain impression of this woman ¨C an on-duty employee of Hongyu Group known for her domineering and pretentious behavior,ter to be seen in the news as brutally murdered in her home. How did this case get linked to him?


    "Which department are you from?"


    "We are from the city¡¯s Criminal Investigation Unit." The serious-faced officer pulled out his badge and handed it to Ling Chen, saying, "I am Chu Guoxiong, deputy captain of Xingda."


    "So, it¡¯s Captain Chu." Ling Chen, knowing it couldn¡¯t be a fake as soon as he checked the credentials, inspected it carefully still due to his cautious nature, then handed it back with a smile, "How may I assist?"


    Chu Guoxiong nodded slightly, still with an unchanging expression, and said, "Mr. Ling, it¡¯s a routine inquiry, please understand. In this case, our investigations revealed you had some conflicts with the victim prior to her death?"


    "That¡¯s correct." Ling Chen nodded honestly," It¡¯s hardly a conflict, just a few verbal altercations, we didn¡¯t know each other before that. Why? Am I considered a suspect now?"


    Chu Guoxiong shook his head, "Routine inquiry, you¡¯re not considered a suspect. If it¡¯s convenient for you, Mr. Ling, please apany us to the police station to record a statement."


    Ling Chen agreed, made a phone call to inform Nanrong Wanqing with two sentences, and followed Chu Guoxiong downstairs with a cheery demeanor.

 Chapter 331 - 327 Bai Huanjun

    <h4>Chapter 331: Chapter 327 Bai Huanjun</h4><h4></h4>


    "Have you not seen Captain Chu before?" Ling Chen smiled as he nced at Chu Guoxiong and spoke.


    "Mr. Ling, are you familiar with Xingda?" Chu Guoxiong strode ahead, Ling Chen by his side, followed leisurely by two police officers.


    "Not bad, I have a good rtionship with your Captain Xia. Huh? These two also look quite unfamiliar!"


    "Yes, these two have just been transferred from the local police station." Chu Guoxiong¡¯s pace faltered slightly before returning to normal.


    "That exins it!" Ling Chen chuckled heartily, "If it weren¡¯t for Captain Xia going to Beijing this morning to transfer a case, I guess she would havee looking for me herself."


    Chu Guoxiong nodded without much conversation, entered the parking lot, briskly started the car, and the vehicle smoothly merged into traffic.


    "Man, are we going the wrong way?" Ling Chen, sitting in the backseat, turned and asked Chu Guoxiong next to him.


    "No mistake, just up ahead and turn, and it¡¯s Xingda."


    "Really heading to Xingda?" Ling Chen narrowed his eyes and smiled, "I¡¯m just worried it¡¯s easy to go in but hard toe out!"


    "You¡¯re not a murderer, what are you afraid of?"


    "I¡¯m worried that it would be easy for you to go in but hard toe out." Ling Chen, with a keen interest, scrutinized the stern-faced man beside him and grinned, "Impersonating a police officer willnd you in prison!"


    Chu Guoxiong¡¯s expression darkened, his eyes filled with lethal intent, his body slightly leaned forward as he swiftly raised his hand in a chopping motion towards Ling Chen¡¯s throat.


    Ling Chen, already alert to his movements, tilted his neck to dodge the strike with exquisite timing, his right hand, like a Spirit Snake, immediately coiled around the opponent¡¯s arm, reaching for the back of his head, pulling harshly and leaning back, his bent knee thrusting forward.


    Chu Guoxiong evidently didn¡¯t expect Ling Chen to be able to counterattack so fluidly in the cramped space of a car¡¯s backseat. By the time he reacted, it was toote, only feeling his nose go numb, sour, and warm as tears mixed with snot and blood were all knocked out.


    The policeman in the passenger seat also reacted, quickly turning around and without hesitation, drawing his gun to shoot!


    Ling Chen swiftly captured the officer¡¯s wrist, lifting it upwards, causing the shot to miss and strike through the roof of the car. Chu Guoxiong, having recovered, fiercely elbowed him in the chest!


    Staying in the car had be impossible. The space in the backseat of the police car was originally quite small, the two men were not of a small build, and with the copilot ring menacingly, Ling Chen decisively took the elbow strike, shifted his weight, and burst open the car door, tumbling out.


    As soon as the two in the backseat started fighting, the officer driving steered the car into a nearby alley, where almost no one could be seen.


    After rolling on the ground several times, Wolf Kiss already poised, Ling Chen did not wait for the car to stop and quickly shed to the rich man¡¯s car door. Wolf Kiss gently probed, deftly shing the man¡¯s throat.


    With a screech, an emergency stop, and the pungent smell of rubber arising, Chu Guoxiong with a dark face got out of the car, ncing at his incredulous-looking partner in the passenger seat, slightly raised his eyebrows, and said, "How did you figure it out?"


    "It¡¯s nothing much, after all, I¡¯m too familiar with Xingda. You could have impersonated anyone, but you chose to impersonate someone from Xingda."


    Chu Guoxiong shook his head, "As far as I know, your familiarity with Xingda people is limited to Xia Mutong and a few of her deputies, and you have never even met the deputy head of Xingda."


    "Indeed." Ling Chen nodded in acknowledgment, "Your preparation was indeed good, I¡¯m not very familiar with the people from Xingda, but I do know that the deputy head of Xingda is a stern-faced man named Chu Guoxiong. The police badge is real too, so presumably, the real Chu Guoxiong has been duped by you, hasn¡¯t he?"


    Chu Guoxiong subconsciously touched his face, still with a calm demeanor, and asked: "The identification is real, and the appearance matches, why can you still spot a w?"


    "It¡¯s simple, because Xia Mutong just talked to me on the phone this morning, and the so-called trip to Beijing was just a test for you."


    Unexpectedly, the impostor Chu Guoxiong was not angry, but just shook his head and muttered: "The work is still not meticulous enough!"


    This turned out to be an adorable person who could always reflect on his mistakes at work, which was always admirable.


    "Just from that one point you noticed the w?"


    "Not entirely, if it weren¡¯t for your face, why would I think of testing you?" Ling Chen seemed somewhat proud, smiling and wiping his forehead: "The human skin mask on your face is indeed exquisite, but it has one defect."


    "What defect?" Chu Guoxiong¡¯s eyes revealed an eager desire, though his face remained impassive.


    "Itcks human touch!"


    The impostor policeman in the driver¡¯s seat suddenly became furious: "You cheeky brat! How dare you insult me!"


    "What I said is the truth. No matter how exquisite a human skin mask is, it is still an inanimate object and cannot disy the changing expressions of a person¡¯s face. If one observes carefully, differences can still be detected."


    Chu Guoxiong nodded thoughtfully, then suddenly reached up to his earlobe and gently pinched it a few times, gradually lifting off a thin mask as delicate as cicada wings.


    "Now that you¡¯ve revealed your true face, let¡¯s talk about your background. Whether I die at your hands or you fall at mine, I presume neither of us wants to die confused."


    "There is a Thousand-faced Fox on the assassin list, do you know about it?"


    "Yes, I had the fortune to meet him not long ago." Ling Chen¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, saying: "Are you also from the assassin list?"


    "Hmph, is the assassin list that impressive? In this world, many people simply disdain topete for that silly ranking, but that does not mean theyck the ability."


    Ling Chen quite agreed with this. Considering the masters he had recently encountered from the Heaven and Earth Dragon and Tiger Four Rankings, picking any two of them, they were not something the people on the assassin list could handle. Indeed, true masters disdain to be on such rankings, and moreover, as an assassin, pursuing profit is eptable, but disputing over fame is foolish. Without rankings, it is even more covert, making tasks easier to handle.


    "So, what do you mean by mentioning this Thousand-faced Fox?" Ling Chen was somewhat speechless.


    "Because we both specialize in disguise. Also, I don¡¯t mind telling you, my name is Bai Huanjun."


    "Never heard of you." Ling Chen shook his head straightforwardly; he was telling the truth.


    Bai Huanjun didn¡¯t get angry, his brows and eyes moved, saying: "Whether you know it or not, your end will be the same. I just don¡¯t want you to die too confused."


    Gosh! Was this guy a Monk before? Speaking with a bit of a provocative tone.


    "Enough with the long talk, why do you want to kill me?"


    Bai Huanjun was stunned for a moment, then suddenly scratched his head like a child, a hint of embarrassment appearing between his brows and eyes.


    "Well, you see, I... am short on money."

 Chapter 332 - 328: The Feeling of Being Nervous Around Women

    <h4>Chapter 332: Chapter 328: The Feeling of Being Nervous Around Women</h4><h4></h4>


    When an assassin says in a shy manner that he wants to kill you just because he is short of money, the feeling is really beyond words.


    "You¡¯re here for the bounty too?"


    "Mhm, seven million is enough tost a year or so." Bai Huanjun nodded earnestly in reply, nearly making Ling Chen choke with anger.


    No wonder you¡¯re short of money, seven million onlysts you a year; you¡¯re either showing off or filthy rich, or a show-off rich guy.


    "Now that we¡¯re both clear, can I kill you?" Bai Huanjun¡¯s arms trembled slightly, and a Soft Sword appeared in his hand.


    Saying you¡¯re an assassin being so polite, this is really not something I¡¯m used to! Ling Chen clicked his tongue; even assassins have a sense of crisis now? What¡¯s next, a smiley face service?


    "Come on!" Ling Chen nodded, the Wolf Kiss in his palm spun swiftly, and he shouted as he leapt towards Bai Huanjun.


    Bai Huanjun put aside his shy expression and sharplymanded; the Soft Sword flickered a streak of silver light, thrusting straight at Ling Chen¡¯s throat.


    The sword was like a venomous snake lunging out, reaching Ling Chen in a blink of an eye. Mid-leap, Ling Chen gave a cool smile. The Wolf Kiss in his hand turned horizontally, barely blocking the tip of the sword.


    Ding! A crisp ring sounded; Ling Chen felt a strong force transmitted from the sword tip to the dagger, through the dagger to his wrist, and then to his entire arm. He felt as if he had been electrocuted, shaking him out of the air and sending him tumbling backward!


    Thepanion in the driver¡¯s seat didn¡¯t hesitate and moved up from the side, holding a steel spike, forearm-long, with a cold, gleaming tip aimed straight at his waist.


    Ling Chen, still in mid-air, saw the steel spike lunging towards him. Incredibly, he twisted his body forcibly, just bypassing the spike andnding with his feet on the man¡¯s shoulder, pressing down hard!


    With a crack, the man¡¯s body tilted, he howled in agony for a moment but gritted his teeth and endured it, although the steel spike in his hand had already fallen to the ground, his body drenched in sweat, his face pale as paper.


    With this kick in mid-air and borrowing force, Ling Chen shattered the man¡¯s shoulder de!


    Turns out he¡¯s a tough guy, apart from the unexpected cry of pain at the beginning, he could actually bear it.


    A sh of admiration swept through Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, but his hands were notx. Once on the ground, he turned around, and Wolf Kiss urately swept across the other¡¯s neck. A thin line of blood slowly thickened, then suddenly burst open; blood sprayed high into the air. The man coughed from his throat, his head tilted, and he fell down.


    Behind him, the sound of a sword cutting through the air approached stealthily, but Ling Chen was far from being careless. He knew the greatest enemy was Bai Huanjun, and these two assistants were just minor characters, merely serving to harass and distract attention.


    Ducking below the sword¡¯s edge, he used one leg as a pivot on the ground to continuously sweep towards Bai Huanjun¡¯s upper, middle, and lower sections. After a dozen rounds of leg sweeps, though they were all avoided, Ling Chen had sessfully breached Bai Huanjun¡¯s close quarters defense.


    Hiss! Wolf Kiss grazed across the opponent¡¯s chest. Even though Bai Huanjun was quick to react, he couldn¡¯t dodgepletely, resulting in a foot-long gash on his chest.


    As the saying goes, the longer it is, the stronger it is; the shorter it is, the more dangerous. In closebat, it was clear that the shorter Wolf Kiss was the more fitting weapon.


    Bai Huanjun¡¯s skills were evidently not just limited to his potent Disguise Skills. Startled, he executed an Iron te Bridge on the spot, his Soft Sword swiftly creating a swirling arc towards Ling Chen¡¯s legs.


    With a smugugh, Ling Chen was pleased he had anticipated this move. He twisted his body for a jump, dodging the stroke of the sword, while kicking towards Bai Huanjun¡¯s lower abdomen!


    This kick hit the mark; Bai Huanjun felt as if he had been struck by a high-speed car. His belly numbed, no pain felt, and his whole body turned somewhat wooden.


    Luckily, his head hadn¡¯t turned to mush, and Bai Huanjun finally realized he was no match for this fellow. The best course of action when faced with the 36 stratagems is to flee!


    Throwing himself on the ground and rolling away may not have looked graceful, but it was a highly effective move. After rolling a few steps, he leaped to his feet, sprinted to a wall, lightly touched the top, and disappeared from sight.


    Ling Chen watched, dumbfounded. The guy had executed a series of moves in one fluid motion, as if he had rehearsed them countless times¡ªtruly breathtaking.


    Thinking back to how arrogantly this guy had looked down on all the heroes of the world, Ling Chen could never have imagined that after a few exchanges, he would turn tail and run, with no regard for his twopanions whoy dead on the spot!


    There was nothing for it; he would have to deal with the aftermath himself.


    He dialed Xia Mutong¡¯s number and an impatient voice came from the other end, "Didn¡¯t we just talk on the phone this morning?"


    Ling Chen was taken aback and reflexively jumbled his words: "Ah? Yes, but... I started missing you again!"


    Silence came from the other end, followed by a sudden burst of anger, "I¡¯m not deaf! Why are you yelling?!" Xia Mutong exploded.


    Ling Chen felt wronged. Was he really that loud? He had been particrly careful to keep his voice down. What was with her today? She had been fine this morning, and now she was acting all bitey.


    Not daring to provoke a woman who waspletely not in a feminine mood, Ling Chen hurriedly exined the situation here, only to find that she had already hung up the call.


    Ling Chen stared nkly at his phone for a while before shaking his head with a bitter smile. What¡¯s with all this rush?


    It wasn¡¯t long before Xia Mutong arrived with backup, her face turning pale at the sight of the police car.


    "Everyone, secure the perimeter!" The female detective¡¯smanding presence filled the area, leaving Ling Chen utterly confused.


    "What¡¯s going on? Why secure the perimeter? I took everyone down; they¡¯re out of breath! Hurry up and deal with... Hey? Let go of my clothes, stop pulling or I¡¯ll use you of harassment!"


    Xia Mutong¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, and herplexion grew paler, but she gripped Ling Chen¡¯s cor as if she wanted to strangle him alive.


    "Ling Chen! If you¡¯re looking to die, just go smash your head with a tofu block! What are you doing? Got addicted to killing? Escting to the point of daring to murder a cop? So what if you have connections? Do you realize this is a capital offense! No one can save you!"


    Confused, Ling Chen responded, "Hold on, who killed a cop?"


    "You! You¡¯re still denying it!" Xia Mutong¡¯s hand trembled as she pointed at the two fake policemen, one in the passenger seat of the police car and the other kneeling not far away, her face filled with heartbreak.


    "Quickly make a call, pull whatever strings you have. We can¡¯t evade a death penalty, but we still have to try. I can only assume you¡¯re turning yourself in, I can¡¯t help you with anything else..." Xia Mutong suddenly let go, and tears silently fell from her eyes, her whole body copsing.


    "Why would I turn myself in?" Ling Chen thought it was funny, yet he was also touched. If he had really killed the cops, her actions would clearly be a vition of discipline.


    Xia Mutong, clearly in a state of disarray from her concern, suddenly jumped up and handed Ling Chen a gun. With amanding growl that belied her bewildered gaze, she said, "Right, right, you can¡¯t turn yourself in, killing a cop means certain death! You make a break for it. With their currentck of knowledge and your skills, it wouldn¡¯t be hard to make a distant escape!"


    (I owe you one Chapter from yesterday, I¡¯ll sort out the rest tomorrow. Afterwards, I¡¯ll stockpile some more Chapters for a burst of releases. I truly apologize for this period, I hope the brothers understand.)

 Chapter 333 - 329: Long Pinhole

    <h4>Chapter 333: Chapter 329: Long Pinhole</h4><h4></h4>


    "I¡¯m telling you, if you had said earlier that you killed a cop, would I have brought so many people here? We all saw the scene just now; it¡¯s obviously impossible for you to just walk away! Hurry up and take me hostage!"


    Ling Chen stared stupidly at the anxious Xia Mutong, his face changing expressions in a peculiar way, feeling her deep emotions. After a long while, he finally sighed deeply and hugged Xia Mutong¡¯s still trembling delicate body, whispering, "You silly girl. It¡¯s such a waste for you not to write novels. What a rich imagination you have! Who said I killed a cop?"


    Xia Mutong stiffened, suddenly looking up and saying, "You didn¡¯t kill these two?"


    Caught off guard, Ling Chen¡¯s chin was hit by her head, nearly biting his own tongue. He quickly let go of her and spoke unclearly with his tongue sticking out, "Yes, I killed them!"


    "And you still have the mood to tease me?"


    "My dear! Can you let me finish speaking? Yes, I killed these two, but they¡¯re not cops!"


    Xia Mutong was startled and asked, "Are you sure?"


    "Sure!" Ling Chen didn¡¯t dare to talk anymore and started gasping for air, hastily exining the whole story in detail.


    Xia Mutong nodded continuously, and at the end, asked curiously, "Is that all?"


    "That¡¯s all, then you all arrived."


    "Then why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?"


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly, "Did you give me a chance to speak? The moment you arrived it was all brash and about turning yourself in and taking hostages¡ª I was totally wronged."


    "You deserve it! Who told you to be so restless all the time!" Xia Mutong felt relieved, and it felt like the whole world became bright again. She viciously stepped on Ling Chen¡¯s foot, and with his painful groans, she puffed out her chest and ordered her subordinates to proceed with their case at the crime scene.


    The identities of the two fake cops were easily found to be A-level wanted criminals, both guilty of murder. It was unclear how they got mixed up with someone like Bai Huanjun.


    As for the police badge left behind by Bai Huanjun, it was indeed authentic. Deputy team leader Chu Guoxiong of Xingda was on a case in another province, only finding out at this moment that his badge was missing. He had been unknowingly using a fake one; it was unknown when and where by whom it had been switched.


    Switching the badge of a veteran detective¡ª Bai Huanjun sure had some tricks up his sleeve.


    With the identities of the deceased confirmed, Ling Chen suddenly remembered the reason Bai Huanjun lured him out and urgently asked Xia Mutong for information.


    Xia Mutong shook her head, "Zou Yu¡¯s case is indeed handled by Xingda, but I¡¯m not the lead, and I haven¡¯t heard about the progress of the rted case. I only know the woman was tortured to death; the case seems not so simple. I¡¯ll check on itter."


    Ling Chen nodded in thanks. Xia Mutong gave him an annoyed nce and humphed, "The biggest thank you to me would be for you to kill fewer people!"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen and the surrounding busy officers all felt a chill, something didn¡¯t feel right. What did she mean by ¡¯kill fewer people¡¯? Was he that bloodthirsty?


    Considering the girl¡¯s emotional outburst today, Ling Chen decided to not take it personally. Wanting to get a little cheeky advantage, his phone rang.


    "Ling Chen! Grandma has been bullied!"


    "Huh? Grandma¡¯s been bullied and you¡¯re looking for me? Go find your grand-nephew!"


    "Ling Chen! You¡¯re going to be the death of me! Hurry to the school and pick me up!" Su Lin on the other end of the phone was so annoyed she was itching with anger. This guy had no clue!


    "Are you ordering or requesting?" Ling Chen wasn¡¯t in a hurry at all. Su Lin herself had several bodyguards, all ex-military men. Although their strength was much less than his, they were not to be underestimated. If she could angrily make a call to him now, it meant there was nothing serious.


    "Please...!"


    Ling Chen chuckled mischievously, sensing Su Lin gnashing her teeth on the other end, thinking to himself, ¡¯Can¡¯t I handle you?¡¯


    After greeting Xia Mutong, he hailed a cab on the roadside and went straight to school.


    He was indeed eager to see who dared to provoke Su Lin, the tigress.


    Usually, the only ones brave enough to provoke a tigress are a tiger, or perhaps another tigress.


    When Ling Chen arrived, Su Lin was standing on the side entrance steps of the school, looking fiercely at the girl in front of her as if ready for a fight.


    "What¡¯s wrong? Bullying people again?"


    "Me, bullying people? Me, bullying people! Which dog eye of yours saw me bullying anyone!" Su Lin was so angry that her mouth was pouting high, and she started cussing without picking her words.


    Ling Chen snorted, turned around, and walked away, causing Su Lin to hastily grab hold of his sleeve: "What are you doing? Walking away as soon as you arrive!"


    "I didn¡¯t see you!" Ling Chen said, ncing at her with an indifferent look.


    Su Lin¡¯s clear eyes widened in disbelief and she protested, "Have you gotten a sty in your eye? How can you not see a living person standing right here?"


    Ling Chen chuckled and said, "It¡¯s just 36D, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t seen it before, enough to get a sty?" As he spoke, his eyes involuntarily nced at Su Lin¡¯s chest, recalling the unintended intrusion that night.


    Su Lin didn¡¯t notice this guy dared to leer at her even in public, and continued indignantly, "Ling Chen! Are you doing this on purpose? You didn¡¯t even greet me when you saw me; you think you got a sty?"


    "I have dog eyes; dog eyes look down on people, naturally it¡¯s not easy to see."


    Su Lin suddenly realized, so this guy was holding a grudge because of her previousment.


    Feeling both annoyed and amused, she quickly grabbed his arm and whispered threateningly, "Hmm, a grown man throwing a fit? Keep this up and I¡¯ll show you!"


    "I¡¯m already good-looking!" Ling Chen rolled his eyes, ignoring her.


    Su Lin gave a sly smile and said, "Fine, I¡¯ll go back and discuss with my sister the possibility of a brother-inw serving two sisters in this day and age. Oh, and I¡¯m about to graduate, how about my thesis deeply explores this topic?"


    "How would you explore it deeply?" Ling Chen was already sensing trouble and asked subconsciously.


    "Obviously, I¡¯d have to personally experience it!"


    That would be disastrous; he knew Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s temper all too well¡ªcold on the outside, warm on the inside, a model of outer softness and inner strength. If she found out he was eyeing both sisters, she wouldn¡¯t spared his life.


    "Actually, I think you make sense sometimes." Ling Chen made a snap decision, as a wise man does not fight when the odds are against him, and immediately shifted his attitude with a smile.


    "How so?"


    "They say men are like dogs and women are like cats; saying men have dog eyes isn¡¯t entirely without reason."


    Su Lin had been thinking about how to refute his nonsense, but upon hearing this theory, she asked curiously, "Who said this? What does it mean?"


    "Exactly who said it, I¡¯ve never really looked into." Ling Chen scratched his head and said, "The meaning? Hey? I say, you didn¡¯t call me here just to chat at the main entrance, did you?"


    Su Lin was also confused by Ling Chen¡¯s antics, and it was only when she heard this that she pped her head and turned around ferociously pointing at the girl who was still there, not having left, and dered, "She¡¯s the one bullying me!"

 Chapter 334 - 330 Qin Wu

    <h4>Chapter 334: Chapter 330 Qin Wu</h4><h4></h4>


    The girl was quite pretty, exuding a cool and detached air that always gave people the impression of keeping them at a great distance. Seeing Su Lin point her finger at her, she didn¡¯t speak, merely tugging at her lips with a cold expression, and it was unclear whether it was disdain or a sneer.


    With Su Lin¡¯s tone, Ling Chen felt somewhat helpless; it sounded every bit like the haughty and domineering speech of a rich youngdy bullying others, leaving one scratching their head, not knowing what to do.


    "Speak up, what¡¯s going on?"


    "What else could it be?" Su Lin curled her lip, "She¡¯s Qin Yang¡¯s sister."


    Ling Chen was startled, scrutinizing her carefully; indeed, without saying a word, she did bear some resemnce to Qin Yang. No wonder Su Lin was ranting like a shrew,shing out at everyone.


    "I am Qin Wu, and you are her boyfriend?" Qin Wu spoke dispassionately, fixing her gaze on Ling Chen, her eyes crystal clear, devoid of any other emotions.


    Ling Chen was about to shake his head when Su Lin suddenly clung to his arm, tilting her head haughtily and huffed, "That¡¯s right, he is my boyfriend Ling Chen! Much better than your brother who¡¯s nothing more than a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing!"


    Unexpectedly, Qin Wu nodded, "I know all too well what kind of person my own brother is. However, I want to make it clear once again, Miss Su, you can resent my brother, but I am me and he is him. Please understand this."


    "I have no time to bother hating him!" Su Lin lifted her neck arrogantly, continuing to pose like a proud swan, "Just to be clear, Qin Wu, it was me who saw through your brother¡¯s true colors and dumped him, not the other way around!"


    "This is between the two of you, I¡¯m not interested, nor do I ever inquire about it. Who dumped whom has nothing to do with me."


    "Then why are you spreading rumors everywhere that you were dumped by your brother?"


    Finally, a look of surprise crossed Qin Wu¡¯s face, as she stared intently at Su Lin, enunciating carefully, "Miss Su, we were friends for a time, and although we¡¯ve grown apart due to Qin Yang, you should know the kind of person Qin Wu is. I never stoop to gossip and nder!"


    Caught between two women, Ling Chen finally started to understand the situation; it was really simple, still the residue of Lady Su¡¯s ex-boyfriend¡¯s past. Recently, there¡¯d been rampant rumors at school about how Qin Yang yed Lady Su, then left her high and dry after having his fill.


    The more these words spread, the more outrageous they became, evolving into the version that Su Lin had multiple abortions because of Qin Yang, which led to her inability to have children in the future, and thus she was cruelly cast aside.


    Today, it happened that Su Lin ran into Qin Wu at the gate, and this rash suspicion took hold of her, making her think there was a hidden meaning behind Qin Wu¡¯sposed demeanor. Unable to resist, she sought her out to argue but couldn¡¯t bring herself to be direct. Instead, her vague usations made the taciturn Qin Wu leave her at a loss for words.


    And this led to the angry act of calling over Ling Chen as reinforcement.


    This was a tricky situation; since time immemorial, the most difficult thing to guard against, and the most frightening, was gossip. The so-called fear of public opinion came from this.


    To find out who was spreading the rumors wasn¡¯t impossible, but it would take time and effort and might not win anyone¡¯s favor.


    "Miss Qin, thanks for understanding. You¡¯re both young women, so I trust you can appreciate Su Lin¡¯s feelings right now. If there was any offence, please forgive us."


    Su Lin was waiting for Ling Chen to take her side, and hearing this made her furious. Was this guy really sticking up for her?


    "Ling Chen! You bastard! Whose side are you on? Have you set your sights on her because she¡¯s pretty?"


    "Hey hey! Stop it! What do you mean ¡¯again¡¯? Inurate words can easily kill people!"


    "Mind your own business? I like speaking this way! Don¡¯t think I¡¯m unaware of your sordid affairs!" Su Lin, not showing the slightest courtesy, hissed vehemently, "You traitor! You turncoat! You betrayer!"


    Ling Chen was at his wits¡¯ end, these terms she was using... He was about to say something when what followed made his heart skip a beat.


    "Hmph, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know about Tang Shiyun."


    "That¡¯s my old neighbor!"


    "The look in your eyes though, it¡¯s like that of old lovers!"


    "..."


    "And there¡¯s the beautiful policewoman Xia Mutong!"


    "Don¡¯t talk nonsense, we are more like enemies! Have you not seen how many times she¡¯s wanted to arrest me?"


    "Are you sure it¡¯s not a love-hate rtionship? The way she looks at you, if there¡¯s really nothing between you two, I¡¯ll gouge out my eyeballs!"


    "Don¡¯t, that would hurt!"


    "I¡¯ll gouge out yours!" Su Lin said angrily, ring at him.


    Ling Chen felt a bit awkward; to be honest, Tang Shiyun could somewhat be exined away, as they hadn¡¯t quite crossed the final line, but Xia Mutong had actually fought over live ammunition with him. Tang Yuan¡¯s reputation didn¡¯te from nowhere.


    Seeing him not respond, Su Lin began to regret her impulsiveness. He wasn¡¯t angry, was he? Men need to save face when they¡¯re outside. Regardless of anything else, she shouldn¡¯t haveshed out at him at this time!


    Feeling uncertain, Ling Chen, however, smiled and said: "You really are petty, even more so than your sister... Never mind, I won¡¯t hold it against you."


    "Miss Qin, sorry to take up your time, but if you don¡¯t mind, I have a small favor to ask."


    Qin Wu nodded slightly, curious about what made this fairly good-looking man special. From Su Lin¡¯s list ofints, it seemed that this man had quite a few close female confidantes. Given her understanding of Su Lin, she shouldn¡¯t have been able to tolerate him.


    After all, Qin Yang was a man of talent and looks, and Su Lin had decisively broken up with him just for lying and goofing around. Su Lin obviously showed a bit of unease just a moment ago; what was so special about this man?


    Tang Shiyun? That name sounded sort of familiar...


    "These rumors after all are just hearsay. When people break up, they don¡¯t utter those pretentious words of remaining friends, but it doesn¡¯t mean they want the other party dead. I think the Qin Family should also take some responsibility."


    Qin Wu responded calmly, "Go on, Mr. Ling."


    "I will try my best to uncover the person behind the rumors, and I¡¯d like to ask for Miss Qin¡¯s help. What do you think?"


    "Why should I help you?"


    "It¡¯s not for me, it¡¯s for the Qin Family itself."


    "How so?"


    "I¡¯ve always preferred winning people over with virtue, hmm, to put it simply, I like to reason with them," Ling Chen said with a slight smile, seemingly a bit shy.


    "However, when others refuse to listen to reason and insist on being stubborn, I have no choice but to find a different way to reason with them."


    "And how would you do that?"


    Ling Chen swung his fist lightly and smiled, "Often, when words fail tomunicate, one has to resort to the most primal methods."


    After a moment of silence, Qin Wu suddenlyughed. Her normally calm and peaceful face bloomed like a multitude of flowers, shining brilliantly, even stunning Su Lin, a girl who was herself breathtakingly beautiful.


    What kind of beauty was that?

 Chapter 335 - 331: Celebration Banquet

    <h4>Chapter 335: Chapter 331: Celebration Banquet</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t know how to describe it; he just felt that one moment Qin Wu appeared like a mortal fairy, and with a smile was transformed into a celestial maiden descending to earth, shrouded in a hazy splendor, extremely beautiful yet elusive.


    "Mr. Ling¡¯s approach to winning people over with virtue is quite interesting."


    "Wealth and martial arts ethics, well, virtue isn¡¯t necessarily something you talk about but also something you need to act upon. Just like love, all talk and no practice is just a sham. You have to do... ah! Oops, off-topic! Miss Qin, have you agreed?"


    "Of course, I also want to know who is stirring up trouble behind the scenes!"


    "Miss Qin is wise and magnificent!"


    "Your ttery is a bit much!"


    Ling Chen gave an awkward smile, and Qin Wu turned and left gracefully.


    Picking up Lady Su to take her straight home, her mood was not very pleasant. She always felt that Ling Chen did not give her face and failed to show off his prowess as described in movies and novels to vent her frustration for her.


    This made her doubt her sister¡¯s judgment. This guy hardly resembled the legendary prince on the white horse that came to her rescue; instead, he was more like the incessant nagging Monk Tang, who also rode a white horse.


    Along the way, Lady Su found various ways to torment Ling Chen; now she wanted to drink coffee, then eat ice cream,ter go shopping for clothes, and even tantly wished to visit a club. After several rounds of this, the sky was already getting dark.


    Ling Chen today was absolutely a model of manhood, with a temper so good it was beyond reproach. Even when Lady Su nit-picked like she was looking through a magnifying ss, she had to admit that Ling Chen was really putting effort into appeasing her!


    "Why aren¡¯t you angry today?"


    "What are you saying, you¡¯re actually hoping I would get angry?"


    "No." Su Lin shook her head thoughtfully, "You usually don¡¯t have such a good temper. Tell me, did you do something guilty?"


    Ling Chen sneered, "If I really did something wrong, the one I wouldn¡¯t dare face would be your sister, not you. Who do you think you are?"


    "Huh?"


    "Oh, a tender little spring onion, quite delicate!"


    "Stop beating around the bush,e clean!"


    "Really, there¡¯s nothing. Aren¡¯t I just going along with you because you¡¯re in a bad mood? After all, when ady has her rtive over, you shouldn¡¯t take her seriously; if it can be overlooked, then let it slide."


    Su Lin was taken aback, her face suddenly flushed red, and she spoke uneasily, "You! You! How did you know I was on my period?"


    "What¡¯s so strange about that? Have you forgotten that night when the two of us..." Ling Chen gave her a meaningful smile filled with implications.


    Su Lin¡¯s face turned even redder. That night, by some strange twist of fate, they had run into each other in the bathroom, and by another twist, they got entangled together. If it weren¡¯t for her sister suddenlying out, who knows what might have happened. Still, nothing did happen, so how could he know she was on her period?


    "I felt it, after all, there was something padded." Ling Chen spoke indifferently, but his heart was twitching. Discussing physiological matters with a stunningly attractivedy who had a flirtatious rtion with him, could there be anything more stimting?


    Su Lin was so embarrassed she nearly wished she could bury her head between her legs, thinking to herself that this guy really was her nemesis!


    The first time she watched that sort of movie, he ran into her. The first time she bought **those** apparatuses, he saw them. Now, he even intimately sensed when she was on her period. Was this the rhythm of embarrassing her to the fullest?


    "Are you cold?" Su Lin forced herself to pretend she didn¡¯t care. She was clear that the more she showed her bashfulness, the more the other party would be pleased with himself, so she quickly changed the subject.


    "It¡¯s not cold at all!"


    "Why are you shivering if it¡¯s not cold?"


    "Um... Maybe it¡¯s the precursor to a stroke." Ling Chen made a grimace and poked fun at himself. He certainly couldn¡¯t tell her that he wasughing to himself so hard that he started to tremble.


    Su Lin ignored him. As soon as they got home and she opened the car door, she ran upstairs and disappeared in the blink of an eye.


    Ling Chen smiled and was just about to step in when his phone rang again.


    "Chen, where are you?"


    "Haozi? I¡¯m at home, what¡¯s up?"


    Nanrong Haoughed happily over the phone, cackling like a duck, "It¡¯s great news! Come on over! We¡¯re all here at First-ss Residence in the southern city!"


    Hearing the words "great news," Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but shiver. Thest time it was "great news," he ended up picking the thorny rose Xia Mutong. It would be a lie to say he wasn¡¯t pleased or happy, but it was also true that he had a headache. How is he supposed to interact with her in the future?


    "I¡¯m not going, I¡¯m afraid of falling for you guys¡¯ tricks again!"


    Nanrong Haoughed even more creepily today, still cackling gleefully, "Chen, if it weren¡¯t for my callst time, you would still be lost in bliss! Never mind that, if you really don¡¯t like it, we won¡¯t arrange it anymore. Hurry up ande over, there¡¯s a huge piece of good news!"


    At this point, Ling Chen more or less understood. The so-called huge piece of good news must be rted to the ownership issue of the Dongyi Group¡¯s venue. But it hadn¡¯t been long, how did they manage to secure it so smoothly?


    Curious, he decided not to enter the house and turned around to drive straight to First-ss Residence.


    What he didn¡¯t know was that Lady Su, who had gone upstairs earlier, saw him get back into the car from the balcony. In anger, she threw the box in her hand heavily and closed the door to attend to her own affairs.


    On the way, Ling Chen called Jiang Yunkai to tell him the location to meet up directly there, without specifying what the matter was.


    Jiang Yunkai was obedient. Having lost a martial arts bet before, he knew this day woulde. Without asking any questions, he simply hung up the phone.


    First-ss Residence isn¡¯t big but has its uniqueness. The whole ce is arranged like the prosperous era of the Tang dynasty. The waitstaff shuttled back and forth in imperial Hanfu outfits. There were red and goldennterns of various sizes hanging everywhere, and exquisite screens were ced meticulously throughout the hall.


    The floor is entirely made of tempered ss with a pool below where the fish swim, ying beneath the feet of the patrons, adding a unique charm.


    It was when Ling Chen arrived at First-ss Residence that he learned there are twenty-four private rooms in total, each named after a meritorious general of the Tang dynasty¡¯s Lingyan Pavilion, which served as a distinction. The room Nanrong Hao and his group booked was named ¡¯Duke Lu Mansion¡¯.


    Duke Lu was Cheng Yaojin, a marauding demon, a bandit leader, which quiteplemented their current identities.


    Entering the private room, a whole bunch of people were already waiting. Nanrong Hao, Jiang Hao, Zhao Zhengxiong, and other leading figures, all longtime core members who had fought their ways up together, were present.


    When Ling Chen walked in, everyone stood up in unison, shouting "Chen!", causing the nearby waitstaff to look on with amazement. This young man, aside from being somewhat handsome, didn¡¯t seem to have any other outstanding qualities. Why were these people all showing him such respect?


    Ling Chen was used to their mannerisms and smiled as he gestured with his hands, not making a big deal of it.


    "Everyone¡¯s here? Why not start drinking?"


    "Chen, who would dare to move chopsticks till you arrive?" Jiang Hao said jokingly, with others nodding in agreement.


    Ling Chen gave him a disdainful look and snorted, "All those present are brothers of our own. There¡¯s not a single outsider. What¡¯s with putting up such pretenses? If we need to stick to such rotten rules among our own brothers, we might as well disband and befortable!"


    Jiang Haoughed without taking offense, but the older folks eyes showed moved expressions. Zhao Zhengxiong let out a sigh with a self-deprecating smile, "If everyone had Chen¡¯s magnanimity and open-heartedness, the scene wouldn¡¯t be as chaotic as it is now."

 Chapter 336 - 332: Courting Yunkai (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 336: Chapter 332: Courting Yunkai (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4><subtxt> "Cut the crap!" Jiang Hao didn¡¯t dare to bare his teeth at Ling Chen, but he had no such qualms with Zhao Zhengxiong, choking out sharply, "If everyone was like Brother Chen and resolved issues just by sitting down to y a few rounds of Mahjong, what¡¯s the point in all this?"


    Zhao Zhengxiong, whose temper has be much steadier nowadays, didn¡¯t get angry upon hearing this and simply continued to drink tea with a smile.


    As people were joking around, the dishes started to stream in as soon as Ling Chen arrived, and the wine was poured and ready to be served. Ling Chen wanted to wait, but then the private room¡¯s door was pushed open, and Jiang Yunkai walked in with a beaming smile.


    "Brother Chen, it¡¯s quite lively in here!" At some unknown point, maybe starting from the day he was defeated, Jiang Yunkai subconsciously started to address Ling Chen differently.


    The others, however, didn¡¯t recognize him and showed surprised expressions.


    Ling Chen smiled, seated him, and then raised his ss, saying, "Let¡¯s have a drink before we talk!"


    The group roared in agreement, no one being vague about downing a 50-gram drink, except Nanrong Hao, who acted a bit sly, not leaving the ss from his lips, taking three sips to finish it.


    "This is Jiang Yunkai, my brother, and from now on, he¡¯ll be your brother as well!" Ling Chen¡¯s introduction was simple, but the implications were not. Clever as Jiang Hao was, and as experienced as Zhao Zhengxiong was, they both sensed something, while Nanrong Hao just chuckled, "If he¡¯s Brother Chen¡¯s brother, then he¡¯s our brother too, what¡¯s there to say?"


    With a brief introduction out of the way, Ling Chen didn¡¯t rush to borate, but instead waved to have all the service staff leave and then asked, "Have we taken over all of Dongyi¡¯s turf?"


    "Yes!" Jiang Hao, seeing that the conversation had turned to business, also returned to his solemn state,ying down his chopsticks and dered, "Dongyi Group had thirty-six KTVs, one hundred twenty-eight bars, twenty-two bathhouses, and five private securitypanies, and not a single one was missed; we¡¯ve taken over all of them!"


    Ling Chen was taken aback, feeling that something wasn¡¯t quite right instinctively. With so many of Dongyi¡¯s businesses, there must be plenty of people eying them greedily. Now that Dongyi has fallen, wouldn¡¯t those people be scrambling to fight over it, bleeding heads and all? Even if Jiang Hao and the others acted quickly, it¡¯s unlikely that they could take it all without resistance!


    "Brother Chen, it¡¯s actually not that surprising." Zhao Zhengxiong, noticing the doubt in Ling Chen¡¯s mind, shook his head and said, "Dongyi¡¯s downfall came too suddenly. Although other forces had been eyeing them, they simply weren¡¯t ready to react so abruptly, and some who did have the time to react were still wary, unsure if it was a trap set by officials, hence a wait-and-see attitude."


    Ling Chen caught on to this logic, nodding, "So you guys caught them unprepared when taking over, and basically faced no resistance or interference?"


    "Yes, half of the KTVs, bars, and bathhouses were Dongyi¡¯s own assets. With their boss arrested and most of the backbone dead, those who didn¡¯t flee were considered loyal, and nobody had the guts to resist."


    "What about the rest?" Jiang Yunkai suddenly chimed in.


    Everyone was taken aback and instinctively looked at Ling Chen, who slightly nodded, prompting Zhao Zhengxiong to continue, "The rest was even easier to handle. They¡¯re all just doing business; we didn¡¯t raise the protection fees, so it doesn¡¯t matter who they pay, as long as we don¡¯t cause them trouble and can help them resolve it. It¡¯s all the same who¡¯s in charge."


    Having finished, as though afraid the neer wouldn¡¯t understand, he added a few exnatory words, "These grey area industries, in between ck and white, have never shied away from some involvement by gang members. For them, as long as there¡¯s money to be made, it¡¯s most important to earn it in peace and quiet. A little spending is nothing to them."


    Jiang Yunkai nodded thoughtfully, taking a subtle sip of his drink.


    "What about those five securitypanies?"


    "These were fully-owned assets of Dongyi; we¡¯ve taken them over as well. Official procedures are underway, but security has always just been a front; the people below were all Dongyi¡¯s. After the incident, almost everyone has fled. It¡¯s basically an empty shell now."


    "Don¡¯t worry, a shell has its advantages."


    Ling Chen smiled, turned his head and asked Jiang Yunkai, "Are you interested?"


    Everyone reacted with uniform movements as they heard this sentence.


    They all put down their chopsticks at the same time, their expressions serious as they watched Jiang Yunkai, seemingly waiting for his answer.


    Jiang Yunkai remained expressionless, his eyelids drooping slightly, the cup in his hand spinning continuously between his fingers, his thoughts inscrutable.


    Perhaps only two people in the room could maintain a rtively calm demeanor, one was Ling Chen, and the other was Nanrong Hao.


    Ling Chen had absolute authority; his words were taken as imperial edicts without any discount in front of these people.


    Although Nanrong Hao was increasingly fond of this atmosphere and had gained ample respect and one of the top positions within it, he was well aware that, whether it be ying around for fun or turning it into a career, it wasn¡¯t feasible¡ªnot with his grandfather Nanrong Yong, his sister Nanrong Wanqing, or even Chen himself allowing him to continue down this path.


    Hongyu Group was his lifelong stage.


    The others, however, were lost in their concerns, all understanding what mattered most in this line of work: first and foremost was absolute martial power, followed by financial power. No amount of money could necessarily buy the loyalty and life-risking dedication of people, but if you had loyal and dedicated followers, what did money mean? It could be fought for and won!


    The current situation was exactly like this; the KTVs, bars, and bath cities under Dongyi were profitable ventures, but the corey with those few securitypanies.


    Even though they were only shells at the moment, their status held sway here, and they were destined to be the department wielding the greatest martial power internally in the future.


    It wasn¡¯t that they were thinking aboutpeting for power and profit at this moment; it¡¯s just that no one was a fool. After years in the Martial Arts World, they knew to weigh the importance; they dared not question Chen¡¯s decision but were merely curious about what abilities made Chen take notice of this man.


    "Brother Chen," Jiang Yunkai finally lifted his eyelids and spoke indifferently, "I did promise you that if I were defeated, I would agree to one request from you, but I never agreed to work for you for the rest of my life, did I?"


    As these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the private room condensed; the others did not understand what cryptic message was being exchanged and remained silent, not inclined to speak.


    Ling Chen was unbothered, poured himself a ss of wine, and drained it in one gulp. Grimacing as though the alcohol burnt fiercely, he downed several more bowls of soup before wiping his mouth and smiling.


    "You¡¯re a drifter."


    This statement seemed somewhat nonsensical. Nanrong Hao scratched his head, puzzled, and for some reason, lines from Gu Long¡¯s masterworks popped up in his mind. His eyes lit up, and he watched with amusement as Brother Chen started to show off.


    "I¡¯m not a drifter; I simply have my own pursuits," Jiang Yunkai tly rejected, not giving face.


    Ling Chen shook his head and persisted, "The designation ¡¯drifter¡¯ is inherently for those who have extreme pursuits in certain aspects. Aren¡¯t you one of them?"</subtxt>

 Chapter 337 - 333: Courting Yunkai (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 337: Chapter 333: Courting Yunkai (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    Jiang Yunkai remained silent for a while before he spoke, "I have no benefits here."


    "I suppose you wouldn¡¯t care about the money, but what if it could help with your Martial Arts cultivation?"


    Jiang Yunkai was startled and then burst outughing, leaning back and forth as if he had just heard a big joke: "Chen, even if you want to recruit me, there¡¯s no need for such ame excuse, right?"


    "How is itme?"


    "Security? Are we just facing street gangs? A situation where wielding a big machete and swinging it around can strike for miles, does that help with Martial Arts cultivation?"


    "You are mistaken," Ling Chen shook his head, sighing in frustration, "Do you know why disciples from prestigious sects need to go through real-world experiences when they reach a certain level of cultivation?"


    "To gain experience?"


    "Right, if you really can¡¯t understand, think of it as leaving the novice vige to fight monsters, gain experience, and level up!"


    Jiang Yunkai¡¯s face twitched; this analogy really wasn¡¯t that great.


    "The so-called worldly cultivation is exactly that; there are many experts hidden among themon folks, and being among them can bring great benefits!"


    Jiang Yunkai fell silent, unable to refute Ling Chen¡¯s words that made some sense, yet subconsciously feeling something was off, but unable to pinpoint what.


    "I¡¯m nning to merge five securitypanies and have you serve as the general manager. Of course, if you are not interested in the regr operations, I¡¯ll assign a deputy to take over. You can focus on cultivating your Martial Arts and asionally provide guidance to the internal security staff."


    At this point, Ling Chen revealed his true purpose. It was rather simple, Jiang Yunkai could challenge the experts on the Tiger List, his presence alone would be a deterrent, swelling the courage of these old brothers both internally and externally.


    Internally, it would serve as a wake-up call that the times were still unstable, not yet the time for peace and enjoyment, especially since new talents were continuously emerging; standing still ultimately leads to elimination!


    Externally, having an expertparable to the Tiger List experts would at least double theirbat effectiveness, and essentially serves as a deration to any underground forces, who dares to employ Tiger List experts?


    Jiang Yunkai was still hesitant, he had gleaned their identities from their conversation and understood that though Ling Chen wasn¡¯t officially the leader, he was in fact the real leader, somewhat like a regent.


    As for being involved in this line of work, Jiang Yunkai wasn¡¯t opposed to it. In fact, for him, there was nothing particrly important as long as it supported his Martial Arts progress, even if it meant involvement in dark activities.


    Seeing his hesitation, Ling Chen bit his lip and made a bold promise: "Yunkai, if you trust me, I guarantee you¡¯ll reach the strength to be listed on the Tiger List within six months!"


    Others were confused, not knowing what the Tiger List really meant, but Jiang Yunkai¡¯s eyes lit up. He was well aware that although he had been defeated by Ling Chen in one move initially, their level of skills were quiteparable. He knew clearly that if it were not a friendly match but a battle to the death, he wouldn¡¯tst more than ten moves against him!


    There¡¯s a big difference between a friendly spar and a fight for life.


    And to get listed was even harder; there are millions of Martial Artists in the world, countless of those with simr abilities, often losing by just one move for various reasons - to truly exceed someone wasn¡¯t as simple as subtracting one.


    Thinking about all this, Jiang Yunkai hesitated no more and firmly nodded, saying, "Let¡¯s do it!"


    At this moment, Ling Chen finally took a deep breath and introduced with a smile again, "Let¡¯s formally meet Jiang Yunkai, the future leader of our security. I know it¡¯s everyone¡¯s first meeting, and some may feel unconvinced, but that¡¯s not unusual. No man would easily bow down to others."


    Looking at the group eagerly staring at him, Ling Chen slightly withdrew his smile and said, "However, I, Ling Chen, can pound my chest and tell you brothers, when ites to pure martial force, all of youbined would not be a match for Yunkai!"


    Everyone was momentarily stunned, yet unusually none showed displeasure, for they all understood that Ling Chen did not boast on serious matters.


    And so, the matter was settled, marking the firstrge-scale gathering towards formalizing the group. Everyone was in high spirits.


    Nanrong Hao even mored about arranging a threesome for the newly appointed Kai, but Jiang Yunkai, blushing, repeatedly refused.


    This intrigued Ling Yun¡¯s mischievous side. Recently losing his virginity himself, he couldn¡¯t help but gossip and subsequently passed the title of the eternal virgin to Jiang Yunkai.


    The whole group roared withughter, making the drinking even more enjoyable.


    As they drank deep into the night, nearly all of them began staggering.


    Ling Chen, thinking of Nanrong Wanqing at home, ordered everyone to disperse and dragged the heavily tipsy Nanrong Hao towards Wealthy Manor.


    Arriving home, Ling Chen noticed the lights were still on in the house, warming his heart at the thought of having someone waiting for him.


    Careful not to make noise and disturb the sisters upstairs, he tiptoed into the bathroom. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t encounter Su Lin like thest time, which left him feeling both disappointed and relieved.


    After a cold shower, he realized he had forgotten to bring a change of clothes. Assuming no one would see him in the middle of the night, he simply wrapped a towel around himself and hurried back to his room.


    The moment his hand touched the door, Ling Chen¡¯s mind cleared, his eyes shed sharply, and his muscles tensed instantly!


    Someone was in the room!


    Who could be in his room at this time? The breathing was gentle, hard to detect, suggesting a skilled opponent, but the faint scent gave away her presence.


    It couldn¡¯t be Nanrong Wanqing; given her personality, she would never venture into his room before they were married.


    And it certainly couldn¡¯t be Su Lin¡ªthe blunt and gutsy girl was actually not very brave. Sneaking into her future brother-inw¡¯s room at night would be too reckless, not to mention her concern for her sister.


    Without a sound, Ling Chen gently turned the door handle, exhaled a breath smelling of alcohol, and pretended to stumble into the room, muttering something. But as he neared the bed, he suddenly transformed into a streak of light, lunging at the shadow in the corner!


    With a swift hiss, Ling Chen formed his hand into a de, aiming directly at the opponent¡¯s throat.


    The shadow trembled but without any extra movement, skillfully dodged the lethal strike just with an unintentional quiver.


    Ling Chen was greatly shocked. This person was a skilled opponent; his well-practiced move had been quick and unexpected. Even against the full force of the Snake King, it wouldn¡¯t have been easy to dodge. Who was this person?


    The shadow trembled again, and with just a slight movement of an arm, Ling Chen felt a chill at his waist¡ªthe well-tied towel quietly slid down.

 Chapter 338 - 334 Porridge Girl Knocks on the Door

    <h4>Chapter 338: Chapter 334 Porridge Girl Knocks on the Door</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen was stunned. Through the moonlight streaming in from the window, his figure listlessly hung there, as if he too had drunk too much and couldn¡¯t muster any energy.


    The shadow suddenly stepped back a few steps, and a gentle and elegant voice rang out in the room: "What are you staring at?"


    "How is it you?"


    "Why shouldn¡¯t it be me?"


    "What I mean is, why are you in my room?"


    "Then where do you think I should be?"


    Ling Chen suddenly found himself at a loss for words, staring nkly at the other¡¯s outstanding face under the moonlight, which was coated with ayer of silvery glow, and he didn¡¯t know what to say.


    "It¡¯s ugly."


    "What?"


    The woman¡¯s expression remained unchanged, her toe picking up the clothes beside her and throwing them at him.


    "Cover it up, it¡¯s really ugly."


    Ling Chen suddenly realized what she was talking about, and with a twist of his mouth said, "What¡¯s ugly about it? Even if you haven¡¯t seen it now, you will in the future." While speaking, he quickly got dressed.


    Porridge girl¡¯s expression was strange, her face faintly covered with a halo, not caused by the moonlight outside, but as if it was emanating from herself. This kind of demeanor made Ling Chen involuntarily think of someone.


    Qin Wu.


    However, porridge girl was trained in martial arts, her brilliance contained within, and this faint divine light was understandable. But Qin Wu had a regr constitution, why did Ling Chen feel this way about her too?


    Holding the nket thoughtfully, porridge girl walked straight to the side of the bed and sat down, uttering in a nd tone, "I have something to ask you."


    Ling Chen thought to himself that it¡¯s obvious, why would she run into a man¡¯s room in the middle of the night for no reason?


    "You have a bounty of seven million for your head?"


    Ling Chen said, "That doesn¡¯t seem like anything new, does it?"


    "Yeah, if I hadn¡¯t gone to challenge a senior today, I wouldn¡¯t have known about it."


    By now, Ling Chen knew that porridge girl¡¯s existence seemed to revolve around constant challenges, and what level herbat power had reached, he couldn¡¯t estimate; anyway, even putting two of himself together might not be a match for this girl.


    "Who did you knock down again?"


    "I didn¡¯t knock him down, just sparred a bit and broke his arm." Porridge girl said very seriously, but Ling Chen just rolled his eyes ¨C did this girl grow up watching darkedy?


    "You didn¡¯t run to my room tonight just to ask about this, did you?"


    "Do you need my help?" porridge girl asked straightforwardly, "I heard that some top assassins from the assassin list have already made their move."


    Ling Chen was startled and thenughed: "Don¡¯t joke, it¡¯s just seven million, the top-ranked ones on the assassin list aren¡¯t that idle, they can easily make more than that amount on any job, right?"


    Porridge girl shook her head: "It¡¯s not seven million anymore."


    "What?"


    "Apparently, someone on the dark list has offered a new bounty, still targeting you, and the price is ten million US dors."


    Ling Chen was truly stunned then, not out of fear, but feeling a bit unbelievable, he subconsciously touched his own head and asked foolishly, "Is my head worth over ten million?"


    "That depends on who you ask. To some, your head is worthless, but to others, it could be worth millions. There¡¯s no absolute standard to measure that."


    Ling Chen understood the meaning behind porridge girl¡¯s words, but impulsively asked, "In your heart, how much is my head worth?"


    Porridge girl gave him a nonchnt nce and casually announced a price, "Sixteen yuan and fifty-eight cents."


    Ling Chen was astonished; the price was unreasonably low, and why was it so oddly specific?


    "Today¡¯s unit price for pig head meat."


    Ling Chen almost choked on his own saliva, staring nkly at the expressionless porridge girl and sighed, "Are you thinking about that over ten million reward?"


    "I don¡¯t want it." Porridge girl slightly tilted her head, and the corners of her lips slightly lifted, "Your death brings me no benefit. Besides, I have no use for money."


    "Then why are you still mad at me?" Ling Chen spoke irritably, "You might as well just kill me off easily, im the reward, and build me a grand cemetery!"


    Porridge girl looked amusedly at the somewhat childish Ling Chen, shaking her head after a while, "Do you need me to take action?"


    Ling Chen regained his seriousness, pondered for a moment, and said, "No need. The path has to be walked by myself. In the future, those who want to kill me will only increase and grow more dangerous. I must face them myself, otherwise, even if I tied you to my belt, there will still be times when I need to take off my pants!"


    This inappropriate analogy caused a slight fluctuation in the usually cool and unruffled beauty of porridge girl¡¯s face, her lips slightly lifting in what seemed like a suppressedment.


    "Then you take care, I¡¯m leaving."


    "Hold on, I¡¯m curious, why did you suddenly want to help me?"


    "Because I felt like it."


    That was hardly an answer. Ling Chen paused, then said, "Well, regardless, thanks for the good intent. What are you nning to do next?"


    "Down south, there¡¯s an old man who has just finished his seclusion. I need to check on him."


    "Check on him?" Ling Chen was a bit puzzled.


    Porridge girl showed a yful smile, "This old man, my master repeatedly defeated him forcing him into seclusion, the most recent onested for ten years. Now that he¡¯s out, I have to go and see if I can make him go into seclusion again."


    Ling Chen started to wonder if his brain was damaged by alcohol, as he couldn¡¯t follow the back and forth of this mentor-student rtionship. People only have a few decades in a lifetime, and here they casually force someone into years of harsh seclusion. It¡¯s quite hical.


    "By the way, who exactly is your master?"


    "Cannot say."


    "Why not?"


    "No reason."


    "What does ¡¯no reason¡¯ mean?"


    "No reason just means no reason."


    "Why no reason?"


    Finally unable to tolerate his nagging, the usually calm porridge girl lightly tapped his forehead.


    "Shut up! It¡¯s not time for you to know yet!"


    "Do you know how eager I am to ¡¯meet the parents¡¯?" Ling Chen couldn¡¯t resist joking when he saw her serious and indifferent demeanor.


    Porridge girl¡¯s expression turned even stranger but didn¡¯t mind his teasing, suddenly quirking her lip and said, "I¡¯m really looking forward to that eager day of yours."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen was taken aback; this was not typical of porridge girl. Last time, she mentioned having a fianc¨¦, hence rejecting any man¡¯s approach, but the change now gave him a weird feeling. Suddenly, he heard a noise and at the same moment, porridge girl¡¯s smile faded and she whispered, "I¡¯m leaving," then disappeared from the window in a sh.


    "Ling Chen, you just got back?" The door opened a crack, and Su Lin¡¯s head popped in.


    "Yeah, why are you not asleep at thiste hour?"


    "I had already slept earlier, just woke up... and checked if you were back."

 Chapter 339 - 335 Jiang Hao is Injured

    <h4>Chapter 339: Chapter 335 Jiang Hao is Injured</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "Oh, then hurry up and go to sleep."


    Su Lin agreed, but suddenly her nose twitched slightly, and a suspicious look appeared on her face.


    "What did you do tonight?"


    "I was drinking, with Nanrong Hao and the others. What¡¯s wrong?"


    "Why do you smell fragrant?" Su Lin spoke and gently pushed the door open toe in. "It wasn¡¯t just drinking, was it? Did you go fooling around?"


    "There¡¯s no such thing. Is your nose congested?" Ling Chen waved his hand andughed, "I just took a shower when I came back. Even the smell of alcohol isn¡¯t strong anymore. Where did you get that from? People talk about their eyes being deceived, but did your nose go astray?"


    "It¡¯s your nose that went astray!" Su Lin red at him and snorted, "My sense of smell has been very sensitive since I was little. I can detect even the slightest scent!"


    "Impressive. It¡¯s a shame not to be a police dog."


    Su Lin raised her hand and pinched him, saying angrily, "Even if I became a police dog, I¡¯d bite you first!"


    "Come on, who¡¯s afraid of who?"


    Ling Chen looked disdainful, and Su Lin, infuriated, threw herself on him, wrapping around his neck and bit him.


    Ling Chen hadn¡¯t expected that she would really bite, and by the time he reacted, he felt pain in his neck.


    "Lighter! That¡¯s flesh!"


    "Nonsense, I wouldn¡¯t bite if it weren¡¯t flesh!" Su Lin lightly nibbled, her words muffled in her mouth.


    Ling Chen got anxious too, considering it was his neck. Although he wasn¡¯t afraid of her biting to death, what if she left a mark¡ªwould he have to wrap a scarf around his neck tomorrow?


    "Hurry up and get down. If not, be careful I enforce some immediate justice here!"


    "You wouldn¡¯t dare even if you had the guts!" Su Lin sneered, boldly contemptuous.


    Ling Chen got fired up too, alright, you¡¯re asking for it!


    His big hand circled around, tightly holding Su Lin¡¯s shoulders, and one hand gradually moved downward, finally resting on her perky back.


    Su Lin shivered all over, feeling the intense warmth from his hand, her body going slightly soft, and she subconsciously loosened Ling Chen¡¯s neck, just about to speak, when Ling Chen, fearing she¡¯d bite again, bent his head down and sealed her lips!


    Boom!


    Su Lin¡¯s mind went nk, feeling her lips burning and her body, like thousands of ants crawling over her, uncontrobly let out a low moan.


    Possibly because of the training in the Prajnaparamita Sutra, Ling Chen felt an overwhelming desire, utterly incapable of stopping himself.


    Su Lin tightly grasped Ling Chen¡¯s shoulders, her nails nearly digging into his flesh in her tension, her whole body taut and her entire being feeling dizzy.


    Ling Chen¡¯s hand began to gently knead, waves of strange sensations flooded in, Su Lin let out uncontroble sounds through her nose, her eyes already shut.


    Ling Chen, empowered by alcohol, couldn¡¯t bear it anymore and was thinking of how to handle the situation since Su Lin seemed to be on her period, when his phone rang inappropriately.


    Su Lin was startled by the ringtone, instantly sobered up, turned red-faced, red at Ling Chen, and fiercely stomped on his foot before running out like a scared rabbit.


    Watching her retreating figure, Ling Chen gave a bitter smile and casually picked up the phone.


    Jiang Hao was attacked!


    Ling Chen dumbfoundedly put down the phone, feeling a bit of regret. He had always known that this path wouldn¡¯t be calm, yet he had been negligent. He hadn¡¯t expected someone would dare to make a move on them so soon. Who could it be?


    Without further thought, he got dressed, opened the door, started the car, and rushed to the hospital, calling Jiang Yunkai on the way. As for Nanyun Hao, he thought it over but decided not to call him. It was time for him to gradually fade out.


    The hospital¡¯s emergency room was busy today, with six to seven bloodied people suddenly brought in the middle of the night; it wasn¡¯t easy to rx.


    By the time Ling Chen arrived at the hospital, the surgery was already done, thankfully everyone only had superficial skin injuries. There were many cuts, but none life-threatening.


    Zhao Zhengxiong made the call, the only old slicker who now drinks with caution. He was slightly drunk, only about five or six points worth. Moreover, with good luck, he was halfway through the phone call trailing at the back, which allowed him to narrowly escape the attack.


    Jiang Hao¡¯s injuries were the most serious, with over a dozen knife cuts on his back that looked terrifying but weren¡¯t much issue, just superficial wounds. The real concern was a stab in the lower back.


    It was his fortune that the knife that stabbed into his waist didn¡¯t get pulled out and, luckier still, it didn¡¯t hit any organs. He narrowly escaped with his life.


    Others were more or less chopped up and bloodied; it looked scary but there wasn¡¯t much harm done. Lying in bed for ten to fifteen days should suffice for them to be up and about.


    As for this attack being a fiasco, being drunk was naturally the biggest factor. It also reflected these young men¡¯s ever-inting confidence. Besides God, they thought they were next in line.


    That was why they hadn¡¯t suffered a significant loss before.


    Ling Chen looked over everyone, and since no one had life-threatening injuries, it was a fortunate misfortune. Another relief was that the attackers clearly weren¡¯t martial arts experts, probably just a bunch of street hoodlums; otherwise, these young men might have been crippled today.


    People temporarily arranged to guard them were by their sides, and Ling Chen pulled Zhao Zhengxiong out to the stairwell for a smoke.


    "What happened?"


    "I¡¯m not sure yet." Zhao Zhengxiong grimaced, genuinely confused. He had trailed a few hundred meters behind, busy on the phone. When he heard themotion up front and caught up, he saw a group of people ferociously chopping at Jiang Hao and the others. Before he could even react, those dozens of people had vanished.


    "Couldn¡¯t tell who they were?" Ling Chen felt a bit frustrated. It was like a p in the face. First-ss Residence was celebratingvishly, only to have a groupe and decimate almost half of their people soon after. Embarrassing!


    Zhao Zhengxiong¡¯s expression turned even more sour: "Chen Brother, do you think I have electronic eyes, or that those people were wearing jerseys that marked them as Wei, Shu, or Wu? It waste at night and from a distance, even if there were familiar faces, I couldn¡¯t tell who they were!"


    Ling Chen nodded, understanding that his question was a bit far-fetched, and patted his shoulder, "First, ensure their safety at the hospital, and don¡¯t let anyone find them here for another attack."


    Zhao Zhengxiong nodded in agreement, thinking about his brothers who, just a few hours ago, were boisterously drinking and now, ended up wrapped up like mummies ¡ª the feeling in his heart was indeedplicated.


    As they talked, a series of hurried footsteps approached. Ling Chen curiously turned his head and saw a round face with a hint of youthful naivety appear before him.


    "You¡¯re not allowed to smoke here."


    Ling Chen uttered an "Oh," quickly threw away the cigarette in his hand, apologized, and only then did the young nurse give him a sharp look and walked back.


    At that moment, Jiang Yunkai, who had received the news, also arrived. After drinking, he had left alone, while Ling Chen and Nanrong Hao went home together. They were the only three not present at the scene. If they had been there, perhaps nothing would have happened.

 Chapter 340 - 336: The Assassin Who Won’t Give Up

    <h4>Chapter 340: Chapter 336: The Assassin Who Won¡¯t Give Up</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen briefly exined the situation, and Jiang Yunkai thought for a moment and frowned, "It shouldn¡¯t have been done by someone from the Martial Arts circles, most likely a local faction. We¡¯ve just taken over so much territory from Dongyi, there¡¯s bound to be jealousy."


    Ling Chen nodded and asked, "What do you mean?"


    "The priority is not to find the Assassin, but to enhance our own strength," Jiang Yunkai nced at the fierce-looking brawny men wandering around the hospital corridor and frowned, "These guys are only good for street brawls, they get passive when facing someone a bit stronger."


    "We can¡¯t just hire a bunch of Martial Arts experts, can we? They¡¯re not cabbages that you can just wholesale," Ling Chen said, understanding his meaning and spoke irritably.


    Jiang Yunkai showed a strange expression, "Why would we need Martial Arts experts? These are just street fights for territory. As long as we improve the individual abilities of the people we have, that will be enough to cope. It¡¯s not a big deal!"


    "You make it sound so easy. Fine, since you¡¯re in charge of the securitypany, do as you see fit. I won¡¯t get involved. Discuss with them yourselves," Ling Chen conceded.


    Jiang Yunkai nodded in understanding, thought for a moment, then asked out of curiosity, "Originally, Dongyi¡¯s securitypany was almost an empty shell apart from some not-so-valuable equipment. Why did you still take it over? Starting anew wouldn¡¯t cost too much."


    Ling Chen hadn¡¯t spoken yet when Zhao Zhengxiong passed over a cigarette and began to exin, "Kai, you don¡¯t understand, the domestic security industry isn¡¯t easy to handle."


    Jiang Yunkai had formally objected to the nickname ¡¯Kai¡¯ at the dinner table, but to no avail, as everyone continued to use it. It was actually Ling Chen who came to his rescue, telling everyone to stop calling him ¡¯Kai¡¯, or else they might as well call him ¡¯Old Virgin¡¯.


    Comparatively, ¡¯Kai¡¯ sounded nicer.


    "I see quite a few doing business under the name of security, why is it difficult?"


    "The domestic security industry has experienced a roller coaster trend in the past ten years," Ling Chen interjected with a smile.


    Jiang Yunkai was even more confused, but Zhao Zhengxiong, watching his bemused expression, couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter a few times before exining.


    The private security industry was not recognized by the state at first. Twenty years ago, trying to register a private securitypany was sheer fantasy. Even with real needs, it was mostly handled by the relevant government departments, subordinate to various police units, and the heads of thepanies were often government officials.


    Later, with more favorable conditions and the winds of reform and opening up having blown, some began to enter this area. For the domestic scene, it was an emerging industry. Although there¡¯s a history of at least three thousand years of escort agencies out of five thousand years of history, hadn¡¯t they been banned in thest hundred years?


    This first group of people caught the right time when policy support was leaning in their favor, approvals were quick, and they set high standards. They were at the peak.


    Since it was still immature, more and more problems began to arise, with frequent cases of inadequate regtion. The control and management then tightened again, which is also why it has been impossible to apply for new licenses in this field in recent years.


    After such a long exnation, what¡¯s needed is essentially just a facade. The securitypany under Dongyi Group has been approved through regr channels, having such a cover makes many things much more convenient! This is why Ling Chen was willing to invest money to take over the securitypany.


    Now Jiang Yunkai understood. He nodded and promptly left ament, stating that he would personally select a few dozen people to join the securitypany, and have Old Zhao assist him.


    Ling Yun clearly grasped his intention; it was to build the foundation forbat capability. Zhao Zhengxiong also understood internally. He nodded repeatedly. Having tasted the bitterness of insufficient martial force earlier, he was more than eager to have a powerful backup.


    The three swiftly made clear divisions ofbor and ns for the future on the spot. Ling Chen still would not involve himself in any specific affairs or make any substantialmitments, but his people clearly understood that, acting as the boss or not, Ling Chen would always be their boss in their hearts.


    The conversation was heating up when Ling Chen suddenly felt something was amiss behind him. He abruptly turned around to find the plump-faced, big-eyed nurse standing behind him, puffing up with anger.


    "You men, how can you be so oblivious? Smoking is not allowed here! You started again as soon as I turned away!"


    Ling Chen gave an awkward smile and hurriedly tossed his cigarette butt away, saying, "I¡¯m sorry, Miss Nurse, it won¡¯t happen again!"


    The nurse snorted and cocked her head, saying, "Empty promises, and ¡¯it won¡¯t happen again¡¯? Who would believe that?"


    Ling Chen noticed her gesture and a sh of insight sparked in his eyes as he suddenly smiled, "I truly forgot. How can I make you believe me then?"


    "The smell of smoke is all over your mouth! Hand over the cigarettes first! You cane to the nurse¡¯s station to get them when you leave!" she said, stretching out her fair, delicate hand.


    But Zhao Zhengxiong couldn¡¯t bear this sort of treatment. It¡¯s one thing to be scolded, as it was within her job responsibilities, but taking away his cigarettes? Does she think I¡¯m a schoolboy or what?


    His eyes widened, about to snap back, when Ling Chen subtly turned his head and covertly shot him a look.


    Zhao Zhengxiong was momentarily confused, but being a wily old hand at life, he quickly shut his mouth and said nothing.


    Ling Chen chuckled, reaching into Zhao Zhengxiong¡¯s pocket to retrieve the cigarettes and passing them to the nurse with an ingratiating smile.


    The nurse smiled triumphantly and reached out to take the cigarettes, her fingertips barely touching the pack when she suddenly let out a sinister smile!


    Ssst!


    Amidst a faint swoosh, a small and exquisite dagger appeared in the nurse¡¯s hand, as she swiftly aimed for Ling Chen¡¯s wrist!


    Such a sudden and close attack would be nearly impossible for anyone to dodge. If itnded, Ling Chen¡¯s hand would be useless.


    Ling Chen¡¯s face revealed a sly smile, his fingers loosened slightly, dropping the cigarette pack as he moved forward a few steps, flipping his hand into a w, aiming straight for the nurse¡¯s soft hand!


    The nurse felt the attack go awry halfway through and immediately drew back, slicing the dagger¡¯s de horizontally towards Ling Chen¡¯s fingers!


    Though it soundsplicated, it all happened within a few breaths. Zhao Zhengxiong hadn¡¯t even reacted yet when the two of them had already exchanged a couple of moves face to face.


    Jiang Yunkai was the first to respond, bellowing loudly as he punched towards the nurse¡¯s back with no hint of chivalry or restraint.


    Facing the coordinated assault of two masters from front and back, the nurse eerily twisted out of their grip, retreating a few steps and then casually asking, "How did you figure it out?"


    "Old habits die hard!" Ling Chen sneered, "Seems like it¡¯s time for you to change your name, Bai Huanjun."


    The person nodded silently but persisted, "I believe I left almost no ws this time, how did you still notice?"

 Chapter 341 - 337: Expert Appearance

    <h4>Chapter 341: Chapter 337: Expert Appearance</h4><h4></h4>


    "Wanna know?"


    Bai Huanjun nodded solemnly with sped hands, "Please enlighten me!"


    Ling Chen swayed with pride and snorted twice. You think I have to tell you just because you want to know? Even Bai Huanjun, so full of openings in front of this young master, aren¡¯t you ashamed?


    "I just won¡¯t tell you! Die of anger!"


    Although Bai Huanjun is not on the assassin list, he surpasses those who are.


    Within the industry, there aren¡¯t many who excel at Disguise Skills, and those like Thousand-year-old Fox who have long been famous and have the ability to be on the list are even fewer.


    Although Bai Huanjun is not on the list, it¡¯s mostly due to his disdain. He and Thousand-faced Fox once crossed paths,peting in their skills. It¡¯s not for outsiders toment on who was superior, but ever since then, wherever one appeared, the other would make a detour. This at least suggests their skills must be closely matched.


    However, their biggest difference lies in temperament. Thousand-year-old Fox is very pragmatic, especially adept at assessing the situation, and if something seems off, he prioritizes his own safety first, never stubbornly fixated on one point, and certainly doesn¡¯t insist on achieving a result by any means necessary.


    This was also why Thousand-faced Fox immediately retreatedst time, iming he wouldn¡¯t interfere. His reason was that seven million wasn¡¯t worth it, which was partly true, but behind those words, wasn¡¯t it also reflecting that he indeed didn¡¯t have the confidence to take down Ling Chen? The seven million wasn¡¯t worth the risk for him.


    Bai Huanjun, on the other hand, tends to be stubborn. Once he sets his sights on a target, he doesn¡¯t rest until he achieves his goal. Last time, he lost the lives of two assistants, and yet, here he is again in just a few days.


    "This time, I didn¡¯t wear a human skin mask, so there shouldn¡¯t be any ws in my facial expressions. How did you see through me?"


    Compared to killing Ling Chen, Bai Huanjun was more curious about why he was exposed again this time.


    Ling Chen sighed and said, "Are you really that dumb or just pretending? The fact that someone with your intellect is still alive, I must say, is truly a miracle."


    Bai Huanjun frowned without a word, then after a long pause still sped his fists solemnly, "Please enlighten me!"


    "Enlighten what?" Ling Chen said impatiently: "As a man disguised as a nurse, at least you should understand what the most obvious difference between men and women in appearance is, right? Yet you recklessly tossed your head acting coy, and your Adam¡¯s apple popped out!"


    Bai Huanjun was stunned. Such a simple thing, such a foolish mistake!


    "You escapedst time and had the guts toe back; looks like you¡¯re really in need of money."


    Bai Huanjun nodded, "I know it¡¯s not easy to kill you, and I was nning to leave, but you¡¯ve be too poprtely and your price has gone up, I had to give myself another chance."


    "I¡¯m afraid this is yourst chance," Ling Chen said coldly. "What I hate most in this world is someone like you, an omnipresent annoyance like a fly. Since you¡¯vee today, don¡¯t even think about leaving!"


    Bai Huanjun smiled charmingly, and even though Ling Chen now knew that the lovely little nurse before him was a man in disguise, he couldn¡¯t help his heart skipping a beat.


    Damn it, how can a grown man smile so seductively? This really makes life unbearable!


    "Die!" Ling Chen¡¯s eyes narrowed as he kicked a nearby trash can towards Bai Huanjun¡¯s face, his figure immediately pouncing forward.


    Bai Huanjun deftly spun to the side, his hand suddenly filled with several scalpels, flicking them towards the onrushing Ling Chen.


    The whistling of the des was incessant, Ling Chen twisted his body in mid-air, narrowly dodging, andnded with an unadorned kick straight to the chest!


    At the same time, Jiang Yunkaiunched another attack, still with his firm and domineering punches, faintly apanied by the sound of wind and thunder, throwing fourteen or fifteen punches in the blink of an eye,pletely sealing off Bai Huanjun¡¯s path of retreat.


    To the left was a wall, to the right a window, in front was Ling Chen delivering a fierce kick, and behind was Jiang Yunkai blocking with punches; Zhao Zhengxiong had already called over a dozen people to encircle the area.


    Bai Huanjun was trapped, with escape seeming as impossible as ascending to the heavens, let alone causing harm to anyone.


    Just as Bai Huanjun seemed on the brink of falling beneath Ling Chen¡¯s foot, a patient leaning on a cane sitting by the stairwell suddenly leaped up, showing no signs of mobility issues.


    The cane in his hand was as swift as lightning, aiming straight for Jiang Yunkai¡¯s back; the tip of the cane glittered coldly, apparently concealing a de!


    "Watch your back!" Ling Chen¡¯s kick almost reached Bai Huanjun¡¯s chest when he noticed the sneak attack, promptly issuing a warning. However, unexpectedly, the man in front abruptly twisted his body and without hesitation crashed through the window!


    This was the twelfth floor; if Bai Huanjun wasn¡¯t courting death, then he must have made some preparations in advance.


    Unable to concern himself with the suddenly emerging assassin, believing in Jiang Yunkai¡¯s skill, even if he couldn¡¯t subdue the attacker, self-protection should be no problem¡ªat the very least, there would be no life-threatening danger.


    Ling Chen had no time to think further, striding to the window just in time to see Bai Huanjun stop at the seventh or eighth floor, appearing to step on something, his body osciting slightly up and down.


    With Ling Chen¡¯s keen eyesight, he meticulously observed and finally discerned a steel wire stretched between the floors, difficult to spot against the night sky.


    Bai Huanjun¡¯s choice fornding was extremely precise, touching the wire with his toes to counteract the force of the descent. With such a setup, there were probably one or two more wires below, and jumping from the twelfth floor wasn¡¯t an insurmountable task.


    Ling Chen was furious, treating him as if he was just a dish to be sampled at will, taking bites when he pleased and running away when he failed. Was he content just getting a whiff?


    Ling Chen hastily pulled a scalpel that Bai Huanjun had previously thrown into the wall, flicking it back at him. However, given the distance, Bai Huanjun easily dodged and continued to descend a few more floors, indeednding on another steel wire.


    This guy was really like a rabbit; not even trying for a second strike if the first one missed, but rather, he escaped quite nimbly. Who knew when and in what bizarre guise he would appear next?


    Watching as Bai Huanjun reached the ground and arrogantly gestured a sign of victory towards Ling Chen, Ling Chen felt annoyed, but then a sudden change urred below!


    A dark shadow dashed forward, void of any fancy orplex moves, speed like lightning, reaching the still-smug Bai Huanjun. Grabbing the unsuspecting Bai Huanjun, he swung him heavily against the wall.


    Before he could fall from the wall, the shadow soared up and delivered a flying kick straight to Bai Huanjun¡¯s temple. Bai Huanjun didn¡¯t even make a sound before sliding down the wall to the ground, silence ensuing.


    The entire process took just a few seconds. Ling Chen watched from above, dumbstruck, his heart chilled. Bai Huanjun¡¯sbat power was average, but his agility was extremely slippery and cunning, having escaped him twice. Who would have thought the shadow below would deal with him as if he were as insignificant as a kitten or puppy, mming and kicking to settle the matter?

 Chapter 342 - 338 Dongfang Yu

    <h4>Chapter 342: Chapter 338 Dongfang Yu</h4><h4></h4>


    Just as Ling Chen felt a shock of rm, the ck shadow, without pausing, rapidly scaled the exterior wall of the hospital building, reaching the fifth floor in the blink of an eye.


    Seeing this scene, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes in disbelief, staring at the ck shadow as his mind temporarily froze, unable to snap back to reality.


    Is... is this even human?


    Scaling walls and walking on roofs!


    With just this skill, the person¡¯s physical ability could very well be on par with He Ziyun.


    A gust of wind struck his face, and without time for further thought, Ling Chen took steps backward. He still hadn¡¯t figured out the ck shadow¡¯s origins, so he had to remain cautious. As his thoughts raced, the ck shadow had already entered through a window,nding in the corridor of the hospital.


    Ling Chen¡¯s heart tensed, his fists slightly clenched, as he sized up the person with piercing eyes, his expression immediately taken aback.


    Bathed in the bright corridor light, the appearance of the ck shadow wasid bare before Ling Chen. Silver hair, skin covered in wrinkles, eyes dark and ominous, a light red tumor on the chin the size of a pigeon¡¯s egg, dangling slightly, somewhat bizarre.


    At first nce, this old man appeared to be at least seventy or eighty years old. Besides the old man¡¯s appearance, the cane in his hand also caught Ling Chen¡¯s attention.


    The three-foot long, pure wooden cane was brown, very much like a twisted tree trunk, with deep, convoluted grain patterns, and a ¡¯7¡¯-shaped handle at the top. At this moment, the old man was leaning on his cane, sizing up Ling Chen with the same chilly, shadowy eyes.


    Those who are good do note; those whoe are not good.


    Ling Chen¡¯s intuition told him, this old man was not here to make friends. With this thought, his eyes slightly narrowed as the Inner Strength within his Dantian began to move slowly, the robust Inner Strength flowing like a tiny stream through his meridians, ready to erupt at any moment.


    "Are you Ling Chen?" the old man was the first to speak.


    Ling Chen nodded, his heart on guard, his lips slightly turning up with a faint smile, he replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Do you need something from me?"


    The old man did not hesitate and, leaning on his cane, pressed forward one step closer, staring straight into Ling Chen¡¯s pupils, he cut to the chase, "Where is Qiu Yong?"


    "Qiu Yong?" Ling Chen was momentarily stunned. He thought the old man was here to trouble him, it seems he was overly sentimental. He looked at the old man perplexedly and asked in return, "What do you want with Elder Qiu?"


    "That is my business; you don¡¯t need to know. Tell me, where is he?" The old man¡¯s tone was insistently demanding.


    Ling Chen spread his hands and said, "Sorry, you¡¯ve asked the wrong person. I haven¡¯t seen Elder Qiu in a very long time."


    The old man coldly stated, "My people have told me that you have frequent contact with the eight entrics, surely you can¡¯t be unaware?"


    Ling Chen immediately pleaded innocence, "That¡¯s nonsense. Whoever your informant is, you should definitely fire them, too irresponsible, spouting nonsense with eyes wide open. Yes, I know the eight entrics, but I¡¯m not familiar with them, it¡¯s useless to ask me."


    "If you don¡¯t get a lesson, you won¡¯t be ready to tell the truth." As the words left him, the old man¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, brimming with sharpness and emitting an intimidating authority. With just this attitude, Ling Chen¡¯s legs involuntarily stepped back, like a willow branch in a gale, unable to hold ground.


    So powerful!


    Ling Chen observed the old man, his pupils slightly constricted, internally startled.


    This old man¡¯s strength was probably beyond the Tiger List.


    Not only him, but Jiang Yunkai alongside him was also filled with shock, staring at the old man in disbelief.


    With thoughts swirling, the old man who leaned on the cane made his move, swift as a gust of wind, and in an instant, he was upon Ling Chen, his withered fingers transforming into a w, reaching for Ling Chen¡¯s face.


    Ling Chen gathered his spirit and quickly raised both hands to protect his vital facial features, hoping to block the opponent¡¯s attack. However, as soon as he made a move, Ling Chen realized that the old man¡¯s attack had suddenly shifted from a high line to a mid-line, striking rapidly towards his chest and abdomen.


    Ling Chen acknowledged his own reaction abilities weren¡¯t weak, but in front of the elder, his actions couldn¡¯t keep up with his sight. Watching as the withered w struck, Ling Chen found himself utterly helpless. For the first time, he felt a profound sense of powerlessness.


    "Stop!"


    Jiang Yunkai saw that the situation was grim and, concerned for Ling Chen¡¯s safety, didn¡¯t hesitate to leap forward and strike out with a single palm. However, the elder didn¡¯t even nce at him, shaking his walking stick lightly. Before Jiang Yunkai could see the move clearly, his forward-charging body was sent flying and smashed heavily against the wall.


    "Kai!" Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed slightly, his eyes filled with concern.


    "You should watch out for yourself first." The elder snorted coldly, his vigorous attack unabatedly targeting Ling Chen¡¯s vital points.


    Just in the blink of an eye, a sharp sword light suddenly shot forth, aiming straight for the elder¡¯s head.


    The sudden change caused the elder¡¯s expression to change, prompting him to immediately withdraw and step back.


    ng!


    Apanied by a crisp sound, a cold, gleaming sword was firmly embedded in the wall, half the de sunk in, the hilt trembling slightly, the force not yet dissipated.


    The elder nced at the sword, his eyes instantly turning cold as he shouted, "Who¡¯s there,e out!"


    "Dongfang Yu, long time no see. I trust you¡¯ve been well."


    An elderly and familiar voice came through, and Ling Chen¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly. A trace of joy appeared on his sharp-featured face as he turned to look at the neer.


    The one who had lent a timely hand was none other than He Ziyun.


    At this moment, He Ziyun was dressed in a Tang suit, hands sped behind his back, walking with head held high and chest out.


    "It¡¯s you?" Seeing He Ziyun, Dongfang Yu¡¯s face suddenly fell, revealing a clear sense of discontent, "Mr. He, this is my private affair, don¡¯t intervene."


    He Ziyun spoke indifferently, "Ling Chen is a friend I deeply respect. If you intend to harm him, I will be the first to object."


    Hearing this, Dongfang Yu¡¯s gaze flickered, seemingly hesitating. After a moment, he looked intently at Ling Chen and squeezed a few words from between his teeth, "Fine, Mr. He, for your sake I will let him go for now. But as long as he doesn¡¯t reveal Qiu Yong¡¯s whereabouts, I will never let this rest."


    With that, Dongfang Yu turned and leaped towards the window, spreading his hands like a great roc spreading its wings, vanishing instantly into the ink-like night.


    Ling Chen quickly walked to the window, watching Dongfang Yu leaving, and let out a sigh of relief.


    That was close! Had He Ziyun not arrived in time, he probably couldn¡¯t have escaped this disaster.


    "Mr. He..."


    He Ziyun waved his hand, cutting off Ling Chen¡¯s words, and said, "You should first sort your own affairs out and thene to the Martial Arts Academy to find me." With that, He Ziyun walked to the wall, pulled out the sword with his hand, sheathed it, and strode away.


    At this moment, Jiang Yunkai got up from the ground, clutching his aching right shoulder, and watched He Ziyun¡¯s departing figure with a tinge of shock in his eyes.


    "Ling Chen, who is that man?"


    "He Ziyun, Mr. He." After a pause, Ling Chen added another sentence: "A master of the Earthly List!"


    (Damn, I got too drunk and slept for a whole day. I¡¯ll make up for it tomorrow, can¡¯t write anymore)

 Chapter 343 - 339: Courting Bai Huanjun

    <h4>Chapter 343: Chapter 339: Courting Bai Huanjun</h4><h4></h4>


    Upon hearing the words ¡¯Earth Rankings¡¯, Jiang Yunkai¡¯s eyes widened not with mere shock but with astonishment. As if stupefied, he stood there, his gaze vacant and unfocused.


    After a while, regaining hisposure, Jiang Yunkai gave Ling Chen a meaningful look. In this moment, he finally understood why Ling Chen was so confident during that day at the First-ss Residence, promising that by following him, he could surely make great strides in his martial arts progression.


    A person who knows masters of the Earth Rankings surely wouldn¡¯t have a simple background. And moreover, Dongfang Yu¡¯s skills just now were also extraordinary, likely not below those of the Earth Rankings. Thinking of this, Jiang Yunkai became even more resolute in his decision to stay by Ling Chen¡¯s side. As long as he was with Ling Chen, he wouldn¡¯t need to worry about not encountering masters.


    With Dongfang Yu¡¯s situation temporarily resolved, Ling Chen, taking Jiang Yunkai with him, immediately took the elevator down to the hospital¡¯s ground floor.


    In the hospital¡¯s green belt, the two found Bai Huanjun lying in the grass.


    Having suffered a heavy blow from Dongfang Yu, Bai Huanjun hadpsed into aa, his face pale and consciousness lost, with a trace of blood remaining at the corner of his mouth. It seemed his injuries were very severe. Jiang Yunkai nced at Bai Huanjun and asked, "Should we call the police?"


    Ling Chen thought for a moment before responding, "No need, take him to the hospital first. Keep a close eye on him personally, don¡¯t let him escape again."


    "Understood."


    Jiang Hao¡¯s injuries were serious, but fortunately, not life-threatening. He would need to spend the better part of a month in the hospital. As for the incident of Jiang Hao¡¯s attack, Ling Chen left Zhao Zhengxiong to handle it entirely.


    Regarding this matter, Ling Chen¡¯s heart actually bore some hidden worries. He saw things from a different perspective; he liked to consider the bigger picture. The sudden attack on Jiang Hao was not just a catalyst but also a reminder.


    Leaving the hospital, Ling Chen nced at the time before driving straight to Qingyun Martial Arts Hall.


    At this moment, only the main hall of the academy was lit; Little Hua had already gone to sleep, while He Ziyun was sitting alone in the hall, holding a copy of the Prajnaparamita Sutra, reading under the dim light. Hearing footsteps at the entrance, He Ziyun slowly lifted his head and, seeing Ling Chening towards him, stretched out his hand to point at the seat beside him, "Please sit."


    Ling Chen, without any pretense, sat down beside He Ziyun and inquired, "Mr. He, who exactly is this Dongfang Yu we faced today?"


    "He is also a master of the Earth Rankings."


    Indeed!


    Ling Chen silently eximed that his guess was not wrong.


    "From what I know, he seems to have a grudge against the Eight entrics. The Eight entrics are known for their elusive whereabouts. You¡¯ve had contact with them, so that¡¯s why Dongfang Yu came after you."


    "I see." Ling Chen nodded, then quickly changed the topic, "Mr. He, do you know what the grudge between him and the Eight entrics is about?"


    He Ziyun exined, "Dongfang Yu once had a disciple, a master on the Dragon List, but the disciple had character issues, and not many people liked him. Somehow, he got into a conflict with the Eight entrics, vowed to kill them, but ended up being killed by the Eight entrics instead. Dongfang Yu¡¯s intent is merely to avenge his disciple." Pausing for a moment, he continued, "If you can somehow contact the Eight entrics, you might want to give them a heads-up to be more cautious. Someone like Dongfang Yu will not rest until he achieves his goal."


    "I understand." Ling Chen affirmed. When hest bade farewell to the Eight entrics, Qiu Yong had given him a phone number. If there were ever a need, he could use the number to reach them at any time.


    "Mr. He, thank you for your help this time. If it hadn¡¯t been for your timely intervention, I might not have been so fortunate."


    He Ziyun offered a faint smile, "Why stand on ceremony between us? I just happened to learn an old friend hade to East Sea City and followed him all the way here. I never expected he was actually looking for you."


    "Right, Mr. He." Ling Chen suddenly thought of something and spoke up: "There seems to be something odd about the Prajnaparamita Sutra."


    "Odd? Why do you say that?"


    "I feel... ever since I started cultivating the Prajnaparamita Sutra, even my personality seems to be changing. Isn¡¯t that somewhat abnormal?" Ling Chen was somewhat troubled. His feelings were most profound these past few days. Especially when he saw women, he found it increasingly difficult to control himself, always unable to resist making a few teasing remarks. To think he, a proud man of integrity, would, due to the Prajnaparamita Sutra, turn into a lecher¡ªhis reputation of half a lifetime would be destroyed.


    He Ziyun said with interest: "Is that so? Well, any cultivation technique can cause a certain impact, but this is not a major issue. You have to learn to restrain yourself. Restraint is also a kind of training for oneself."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen appeared to have gained some enlightenment and nodded.


    After talking with He Ziyun at Qingyun Martial Arts Hall untilte into the night, Ling Chen saw that it was gettingte, so he bid his farewell and returned to Wealthy Manor.


    The next morning.


    Ling Chen dropped Nanrong Wanqing off at the headquarters of Hongyu Group, intending to go rest in the security department, but he received a call from Jiang Yunkai saying that Bai Huanjun had woken up and asked him to visit the hospital.


    He arrived at the hospital by nine o¡¯clock in the morning.


    In the intensive care ward, Ling Chen saw Bai Huanjun, who was resting in bed. Sincest night, Jiang Yunkai had been keeping vigil in the ward non-stop to prevent Bai Huanjun from escaping.


    Looking at Bai Huanjun, whose body was wrapped in bandages, Ling Chen asked, "You wanted to see me?"


    "Thank you for saving my life." Bai Huanjun was still very weak and spoke feebly.


    Ling Chen casually moved a chair to sit by the window, waving his hand, he said, "Don¡¯t be in a hurry to thank me yet. I¡¯m still considering whether to hand you over to the police."


    "No!" Bai Huanjun¡¯s face changed slightly. Now, with his serious injuries, if he fell into the hands of the police, he probably would spend the rest of his life in prison.


    Ling Chen... no, Mr. Ling, please be a good Samaritan to the end, please don¡¯t call the police. As long as you can set me free, I¡¯ll agree to any of your conditions," Bai Huanjun begged earnestly.


    "Really?" Ling Chen said with a smile that was not quite a smile: "What if I let you go and then you turn around to kill me, wouldn¡¯t I be at a great loss? Besides, do I look like a good person to you?"


    "This..." Bai Huanjun was momentarily at a loss for words, not knowing how to respond.


    Ling Chen grinned, picked up an apple, took a bite, and while chewing said, "You¡¯re an assassin, and assassins are all about money. How about this, from now on, you work for me. I can¡¯t promise you much in the short term, but at the very least you won¡¯t have to worry about food and clothing. If everything goes smoothly, once we grow and be strong, not to mention seven million US dors, even ten million dors will not be an issue."


    Ling Chen tried to persuade him, "Really, what¡¯s so good about being an assassin? You¡¯re always living on the edge of life and death, never knowing when you¡¯ll bite the dust. It¡¯s better to be down-to-earth as a person. It¡¯s pointless to make money if you don¡¯t live to spend it. You¡¯re capable, and as long as you¡¯re willing to follow me, I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s worth your while. What do you say?"


    Hearing this, Bai Huanjun hesitated for a moment, bowing his head in deep thought and saying nothing.


    Jiang Yunkai chimed in, "Don¡¯t forget who saved your life. One should appreciate kindness and repay favors. If you¡¯re an ungrateful and heartless person, then just disregard what we¡¯ve said."

 Chapter 344 - 340: Mr. Yun’s Visit

    <h4>Chapter 344: Chapter 340: Mr. Yun¡¯s Visit</h4><h4></h4>


    After hesitating for a long time, Bai Huanjun raised his head, seemingly determined, and looked directly into Ling Chen¡¯s clear eyes, saying, "If you want me to follow you, fine! But you must agree to one demand."


    "Speak." Ling Chen suppressed the joy in his heart and replied indifferently.


    "First, give me two million, I urgently need it. After I get the money, I need to leave for a while. When I have dealt with my matters, I wille back to you and fulfill my promise."


    Jiang Yunkai slightly frowned and said, "How do we know you will keep your word? If you take the money and run, where would we find you?"


    Bai Huanjun red at Jiang Yunkai and retorted, "Assassins value reputation the most, I do what I say. If you don¡¯t believe me, I..."


    "I believe you," Ling Chen interjected, "Although you have tried to kill me several times, I am willing to trust you once. First, take good care of your injuries. Tomorrow I¡¯ll bring the money."


    Leaving the hospital room, Jiang Yunkai closely followed behind Ling Chen, asking, "Do you think he can be trusted?"


    "I don¡¯t know." Ling Chen smiled faintly, "If two million can test his sincerity, I think it¡¯s worth it." This was his sincere thought; Bai Huanjun was a capable man, and having him on board would undoubtedly be a significant help.


    Moreover, two million wasn¡¯t much; the reward from the Nanrong Family would probably exceed this amount.


    After dealing with Bai Huanjun¡¯s matter, Ling Chen returned to his car and then took out his phone, dialing a number.


    Dial tone...


    "Hello!"


    A familiar voice came through, and Ling Chen smiled, saying, "Elder Qiu, it¡¯s me. You remember me, right?"


    "It¡¯s Ling. What do you need from me, Ling?"


    "It¡¯s like this..." Ling Chen then shared the incident involving Dongfang Yu¡¯s appearance the previous night. After listening, Qiu Yong snorted slightly, his voice tinged with a hint of coldness, "Although Dongfang Yu¡¯s disciple is a master from the Dragon List, he¡¯s nothing but scum. Such a person isn¡¯t worth mourning over. If Dongfang Yu seeks revenge, let hime. We siblings are not afraid."


    "Elder Qiu, I know you all are formidable, but Dongfang Yu is, after all, a master from the Earthly List, better be careful."


    "I know that. But, a mere master from the Earthly List is not worth our attention. Ling, anyway, we siblings thank you for your reminder."


    "Don¡¯t mention it, let¡¯s meet up again when you¡¯re free."


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen drove straight back to the headquarters of Hongyu Group.


    Upon arriving at thepany entrance, Ling Chen suddenly saw a luxury car parked outside, casually nced at the license te, and his expression suddenly changed.


    It¡¯s him!


    Why has hee here?


    Without further thought, Ling Chen quickly got out of the car and hurried toward Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s private elevator. At the same time, he pulled out his phone and frantically dialed Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s number.


    However, the call was met with a busy signal, indicating the line was already in use.


    Could something have happened? Ling Chen anxiously wondered, watching the elevator numbers changing constantly, his brow slightly furrowed.


    Ding!


    With a crisp sound, the elevator finally reached the top floor of Hongyu Group.


    Ling Chen strode briskly, covering three steps in two, quickly rushing to the door of the chairman¡¯s office. Ignoring the shouting of Secretary Wang Lan, he directly pushed the door and walked in.


    Upon entering, Ling Chen immediately heard a burst of heartyughter. Looking intently, he saw a middle-aged man in a suit and leather shoes sitting on the office sofa, with two personal bodyguards standing behind him. The middle-aged man had a gentle smile and a refined aura, giving off an approachable feeling. At this moment, Nanrong Wanqing was sitting opposite the middle-aged man,ughing brightly about something amusing.


    Ling Chen¡¯s sudden intrusion immediately drew everyone¡¯s attention. The two suit-d bodyguards standing behind the middle-aged man saw Ling Chen appear, their expressions changed slightly, and they immediately reached for their waist, watching Ling Chen warily.


    Nanrong Wanqing did not notice the unusual behavior of the two suit-d bodyguards. She walked up to Ling Chen, smiled lightly, and said, "Howe you¡¯re here? Let me introduce you, this is Mr. Yun. Mr. Yun is an overseas Chinese running arge enterprise abroad, and he¡¯s here in East Sea City to discuss cooperation with our Hongyu Group."


    During her speech, Mr. Yun had already stood up from the sofa, fastened the button in front of his suit, and strode towards Ling Chen, extending his hand with a smile, "Hello, I¡¯m pleased to meet you."


    "Mr. Yun, this is Ling Chen, an employee of ourpany¡¯s security department," Nanrong Wanqing introduced.


    Ling Chen stared at Mr. Yun in front of him, shaking his hand with a faint smile, "I¡¯m also very pleased to meet you."


    Mr. Yun seemed not to notice the sharpness in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, turned his head to look at Nanrong Wanqing, and said, "Miss Nanrong, I still have matters to attend to. Let¡¯s find another time to have a good chat and discuss business."


    "No problem."


    "Then, I¡¯ll be going first."


    "I¡¯ll see you out."


    After leaving the chairman¡¯s office, Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing, along with Mr. Yun and his two suit-d bodyguards, walked into the chairman¡¯s private elevator. However, when Nanrong Wanqing was about to enter the elevator, Ling Chen stopped her, giving a slight smile, "You go ahead with your work, I¡¯ll take them down."


    "Okay." Nanrong Wanqing nodded gently, not insisting, "Mr. Yun, take care, and you¡¯re wee to visit Hongyu Group again."


    "Sure thing," Mr. Yun replied with a smile.


    The elevator doors slowly closed. At the moment when Nanrong Wanqing was blocked outside the elevator, Mr. Yun¡¯s two suit-d bodyguards quickly drew out daggers from their waists, guarded Mr. Yun behind them, and raised their knives, ready to stab Ling Chen.


    "Stop!" Mr. Yun shouted to stop them, then pointed at the upper left corner of the elevator, where there was a surveince camera.


    "What are you doing here?"


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s question, Mr. Yun, still smiling, replied, "Why can¡¯t Ie here? As a father, don¡¯t I have the right to see my daughter?"


    Ling Chen curled his lips, "I don¡¯t believe you."


    "So, what do you want to do, catch me now?"


    It must be said, Mr. Yun¡¯s words somewhat tempted Ling Chen. With only two suit-d bodyguards present, it was the best opportunity to apprehend Mr. Yun. However, seeing the mysterious smile on Mr. Yun¡¯s face, Ling Chen was not very confident.


    This man dared toe to Hongyu Group openly; he couldn¡¯t possibly be unprepared. For a moment, he hesitated.


    Mr. Yun nced at the elevator¡¯s floor disy, smiling ambiguously, "We will soon reach the lobby, if you don¡¯t act now, there won¡¯t be another chance."


    Ling Chen¡¯s brows furrowed, his piercing gaze sweeping back and forth over the two suit-d bodyguards, still unable to make up his mind.


    Ding!


    The elevator door opened, and Ling Chen, burdened with too many concerns, ultimately did not make a move. He silently followed behind Mr. Yun, walking straight out of thepany¡¯s main entrance.

 Chapter 345 - 341: Stunning

    <h4>Chapter 345: Chapter 341: Stunning</h4><h4></h4>


    At the car, a suited bodyguard opened the door, Mr. Yun smoothly got into the back seat, then rolled down the window, looked at Ling Chen outside, and smiled, "Actually, you don¡¯t need to be nervous, I just came to see Wanqing, I have no other intentions. If I wanted to harm her, why would I let youe back and ensure her safety?"


    "I hope so. However, given your identity, it¡¯s best to keep your distance from Wanqing."


    "What else do you want to do to me? Kill me?" Mr. Yunughed unrestrainedly, "Ling Chen, you wouldn¡¯t dare kill me, unless you want Wanqing to resent you for a lifetime." After that, Mr. Yun closed the window and ignored Ling Chen.


    Watching the sedan slowly merge into the traffic, Ling Chen¡¯s clenched fist slightly rxed, and he turned to head back to Hongyu Group.


    Chairman¡¯s office.


    Ling Chen pushed open the door, only to see Nanrong Wanqing bustling in front of the office, handling thepany¡¯s documents.


    Hearing footsteps, Nanrong Wanqing slightly lifted her head, her beautiful eyes gazing at the approaching Ling Chen, the corners of her mouth slightly curled up, shing a captivating smile.


    "Is he gone?"


    Ling Chen nodded, asking, "What business did Mr. Yun want to discuss with you?"


    "He wants to coborate with our docks to handle import and export trade."


    "It¡¯s better to have less contact with him in the future."


    "Why?" Nanrong Wanqing asked, puzzled.


    "He..." Ling Chen opened his mouth, unsure of how to exin. He couldn¡¯t just tell Nanrong Wanqing that Mr. Yun was actually her biological father and a high-ranking member of the God Organization, a true international criminal. If Nanrong Wanqing knew these details, who knows what she might do.


    After thinking it over, it seemed best to keep Mr. Yun¡¯s true identity hidden for the time being.


    "Wanqing." Ling Chen turned serious for once and spoke, "Trust my judgment, I would never harm you, nor would I damage the interests of Hongyu Group, but Mr. Yun is not entirely clean."


    "Do you know him?" As soon as she spoke, Nanrong Wanqing seemed to remember something, blurting out, "I remember, you once asked me if I knew a Mr. Yun, are you talking about him?"


    "Correct." Ling Chen went along with a lie, saying, "You should know, I have connections with the military. ording to what I know, the military suspects his background is dirty and has been investigating him, they¡¯ve already gathered some evidence. I¡¯m involved in this matter, so I know Mr. Yun, but he doesn¡¯t know me, nor is he aware of my background."


    "I see." Nanrong Wanqing nodded gently, "Got it. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll try to avoid contact with him."


    Seeing that Nanrong Wanqing believed his words, Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief.


    "By the way, are you free tonight?"


    "What¡¯s up?"


    "There¡¯s a gathering tonight, attended by celebrities of East Sea City."


    Ling Chen¡¯s lips curved up, yfully saying, "You want me as your malepanion? What role are you thinking? Boyfriend, or future husband?"


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s cheeks flushed, she retorted coquettishly, "That depends on your performance, for now you¡¯re at most a temporary boyfriend, whether you get promoted depends on further evaluation."


    "Evaluation?" Ling Chen¡¯s eyes twinkled, his face filled with mischief, "Okay, tonight I¡¯lle to your room for a thorough evaluation."


    Nanrong Wanqing couldn¡¯t stand this teasing, her cheeks instantly reddened, her eyes shyly annoyed, she snapped, "Get lost, stop being so flippant."


    ...


    Night fell.


    The moonlight was like water, the street lights like scenery, dazzlingly splendid.


    In the room, Ling Chen changed into a sharp suit, stood in front of the mirror, swivelled around showing off, and adjusted his tie while murmuring, "Handsome, really handsome!"


    "Hmph, I¡¯ve never seen such a narcissistic man." Ling Chen turned around to see Su Lin standing in front of the bedroom door, pouting her sexy red lips, and delivered a merciless jab.


    "That¡¯s confidence." Ling Chen discontentedly corrected her.


    "Narcissists usually are very confident."


    Ling Chen, not wanting to argue with Su Lin, took a nce at her, his eyes instantly lighting up.


    Tonight, Su Lin was also invited to the banquet. Dressed in a purple off-shoulder gown, her shoulders as white as snow, smooth as cream, perfectly entuated her ******** figure. Aside from the specially prepared gown, her tender earlobes were adorned with two sparkling translucent diamond earrings, and a delicate ne hung on her rosy neck.


    This girl was naturally beautiful and, with the enhancement of jewelry, looked even more enchantingly beautiful, like a blooming flower that never tires the eyes.


    Feeling Ling Chen¡¯s admiring gaze, Su Lin¡¯s heart throbbed with shyness, satisfaction, and pride, summoning a light blush that spread softly across her charming face, adding an extra touch of seductive allure.


    "Lady Su, do you have a malepanion tonight?"


    "Why do I need a malepanion when a female one will do?"


    "Femalepanion?" Ling Chen blinked in surprise and asked, "Who?"


    "Wanqing, who else?"


    Ling Chen touched his nose, feeling that he had asked a redundant question.


    "Ling Chen, are you ready?"


    The voice of Nanrong Wanqing came from outside the bedroom, and Ling Chen immediately answered, then quickly walked out. He was eager to see how Nanrong Wanqing was dressed tonight.


    Stepping out of the bedroom, upon seeing Nanrong Wanqing descend the stairs, Ling Chen froze on the spot, his mouth agape and his face full of awe.


    Tonight, Nanrong Wanqing wore a snow-white evening gown, slightly revealing her shoulders, herplexion smooth and fair, her delicate face as pure as a snow lotus atop an iceberg, sacred and wless, exuding an ethereal charm that seemed above the worldly, untouchable and irresistible.


    Though simply dressed without any jewelry, the aura emitted by Nanrong Wanqing alone was enough to steal the scene.


    Seeing Ling Chen staring dazedly, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s heart swelled sweetly, and a faint smile graced her lips, captivating and intoxicating, like a rich wine that ensnares onepletely.


    "Still looking." Approaching him, Nanrong Wanqing yfully scolded, "Haven¡¯t you seen enough?"


    Ling Chen recovered from his stupor, smilingly replied, "A lifetime wouldn¡¯t be enough."


    "Oh please." Su Lin pouted, sourly saying, "Aren¡¯t you two too cheesy? Mind my feelings a bit."


    Ling Chen grinned and said, "Envious, huh? Then hurry up and find a boyfriend. However, finding someone as outstanding as me is practically impossible. Or you could negotiate with your sister to share me, I won¡¯t mind taking a bit of a loss."


    Su Lin snorted dismissively, "Keep dreaming. Humph, men are really all fickle and greedy, not satisfied with one, they want two. Wanqing, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you, you must keep a close eye on him, never let him have the chance to meet other women."


    "Both of you, cut it out." Nanrong Wanqing looked at them helplessly, "It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go, we shouldn¡¯t bete."


    Leaving the Nanrong family home, the three hopped into the car, with Ling Chen naturally taking the driver¡¯s seat.


    Not long after driving out of Wealthy Manor, a pleasant ringtone suddenly echoed. Ling Chen pulled out his phone, saw the disyed number, and his heart skipped a bit.


    Why is it him?


    (After finishing the official meeting, I will continue to make up the 2 Chapters owed from yesterday)

 Chapter 346 - 342 Charity Banquet

    <h4>Chapter 346: Chapter 342 Charity Banquet</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen answered the phone and greeted, "Elder Qiu, is there something you need?"


    The caller was none other than Qiu Yong, the leader of the "Eight entrics." Ling Chen had just spoken to Qiu Yong that day, and he was curious why he would be receiving another call at this time, wondering what it was about.


    "Ling, where are you? We¡¯ve arrived in East Sea City."


    Qiu Yong¡¯s voice came through the phone, and Ling Chen was momentarily taken aback.


    Arrived in East Sea City? Why hadn¡¯t they informed him earlier so he could prepare? Right now, he needed to apany Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin to a banquet. He had no time to host them.


    Seeing that Ling Chen did not respond, Qiu Yong seemed to guess something and said understandingly, "Ling, if you have matters to attend to, then go ahead with your business. We will find our own ce to stay, and we can get in touchter."


    "Alright."


    After hanging up the phone, the corners of Ling Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. Eight entrics... no, it should now be Seven entrics. With the Seven entrics gathered in East Sea City, it seemed like there would be an interesting show to watch.


    Following the traffic for about half an hour, the trio finally arrived at their destination.


    Yulong Mansion, back to the familiar ce. Ling Chen had fresh memories of here since a lot had happened in this ce.


    At this time, Yulong Mansion¡¯s exterior was filled with luxury cars, each worth millions. Cars worth a few hundred thousand didn¡¯t dare park here and were left far away on the roadside. At the entrance of Yulong Mansion, two rows of neatly dressed attendants stood, holding trays with champagne-filled flutes.


    Pairs of beautifully dresseddies and gentlemen in suits walked arm in arm towards the mansion.


    After parking the car, Ling Chen opened the rear door, gentlemanly extended his right hand, slightly bowed, and weed Nanrong Wanqing, dressed in snowy white, out of the car.


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s appearance instantly attracted the gaze of guests outside the mansion. Men were dazzled, and women were jealous. Once upon a time, Nanrong Wanqing was known as a golden flower of East Sea City. It was a pity that, due to her leg disability, despite women being jealous of her appearance and talent, they felt bnced knowing she was disabled.


    But now, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s legs had recovered, shattering the only sense of equilibrium in the hearts of those envious women.


    Feeling everyone¡¯s stares, Nanrong Wanqing remained indifferent, gently holding Ling Chen¡¯s arm, her pretty face blushing slightly, lifting her brows modestly as they walked shoulder to shoulder towards the entrance.


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s actions, everyone¡¯s eyes gathered on Ling Chen, full of surprise, curiosity, and envy.


    In East Sea City, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s reputation was well known, yet no man had ever won her favor. Evenst time at Yulong Mansion, Zhu Hong, a handsome man and Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s childhood friend, publicly confessed to her only to be gently rejected. This wasmon knowledge, and since then, everyone had been specting about what kind of man could catch Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s eye.


    At this moment, with Nanrong Wanqing holding Ling Chen¡¯s arm, this was definitely big news because no man had ever received such treatment.


    Facing the surprised and questioning gazes from the crowd, Ling Chen remained calm andposed, not taking them to heart. Instead, he held his head high and puffed out his chest, rather showily flicked his bangs falling over his forehead, and made what he thought was a very cool gesture.


    After a few steps, Ling Chen seemed to remember something and suddenly stopped walking, turned his head to look behind, and saw Su Lin following them alone at a measured pace.


    Seeing Ling Chen halt, Su Lin lifted her head, looking at him with curiosity, not knowing what he was about to do.


    Their eyes met, and Ling Chen grinned, extending his right hand. Su Lin paused briefly, instantly grasping Ling Chen¡¯s intention and a light blush spread across her pretty face.


    She nced at Nanrong Wanqing beside her and, seeing that her older cousin showed no reaction, Su Lin immediately stepped forward to link her arm with Ling Chen¡¯s right arm and started walking with him toward the mansion.


    Seeing Ling Chen nked by beauties on both sides, and each a top-tier looker at that, the surrounding men were instantly filled with envy. Then, ncing at the women by their sides, their envy quickly turned to jealousy.


    Sensing the distinctive gazes of the men around him, Ling Chen was both satisfied and proud. If he had a tail, it would probably be wagging up to the sky by now.


    What defines a sessful man? This is it!


    Amidst the weing voices of numerous attendants, Ling Chen entered the mansion with Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin.


    On the way here, Ling Chen had already asked Nanrong Wanqing about their event for the evening ¨C a charity g. Put simply, it was an asion where a bunch of rich people gathered to donate money for poverty relief.


    Rich individuals either genuinely wanted to contribute to society or sought a boost in their reputation. Nheless, as long as the donations were genuine, their motives weremendable.


    Ling Chen had no money, so his main task today was to apany Nanrong Wanqing.


    Upon entering the venue, the guests had already arrived en masse, with hundreds of people filling the enormous banquet hall. In the center of the hall, a temporary stage was set up, and several employees were busy adjusting equipment, preparing for the uing event hosting.


    Ling Chen had initially wanted to find a spot to sit and rest for a while, but he quickly realized that this simple wish was impossible to fulfil. As the Chairman of Hongyu Group, Nanrong Wanqing had too many people to mingle with. Almost everyone present was queuing up to exchange a few words with her.


    At first, Ling Chen still maintained a pleasant demeanor, shaking hands and introducing himself. After more than ten minutes, feeling his smile growing stiff, he retreated behind Nanrong Wanqing, taking on the role of her temporary bodyguard to avoid further interaction with the guests.


    "Eh?"


    Just then, Ling Chen noticed that Su Lin, that girl, had disappeared. He had been too preupied with assisting Nanrong Wanqing to notice where she had gone.


    Looking through the crowd for a while, Ling Chen finally located Su Lin. She was gathered with a few girls of simr age, engaged in a lively and joyous conversation.


    "Ling Chen."


    Hearing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s voice, Ling Chen uttered a huh, asking, "What¡¯s up?"


    "Why don¡¯t you have a look around first? I need to discuss some matters with a few CEOs," suggested Nanrong Wanqing, seeing Ling Chen was bored and thus urged him to rx a bit.


    "Sure thing! I¡¯ll just be around here, call me if you need anything." Ling Chen couldn¡¯t be happier; he held no interest in those stifling business talks.


    Watching Ling Chen walk away, a middle-aged man asked with a smile, "Miss Nanrong, was that your boyfriend just now?"


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face blushed slightly, and she nodded gently.


    The middle-aged manughed heartily, saying, "I didn¡¯t expect East Sea City¡¯s prized beauty to be taken too. You must introduce your boyfriend to us next time. To capture Miss Nanrong¡¯s heart, he must be extraordinary indeed."

 Chapter 347 - 343: The Hidden Qin Wu

    <h4>Chapter 347: Chapter 343: The Hidden Qin Wu</h4><h4></h4>


    "Miss Nanrong, what high position does your boyfriend hold?" the person next to her asked with interest.


    "President Liu is joking, it¡¯s nothing high profile; he works in security at Hongyu Group, responsible for my safety."


    "Security?"


    Hearing this, the several presidents gathered around Nanrong Wanqing were stunned. This news was too shocking for them; the boyfriend of the distinguished chairman of Hongyu Group was just an ordinary security staff¡ªthis was something that probably few would believe.


    Thinking of this, everyone couldn¡¯t help but admire Ling Chen¡¯s capabilities, never expecting that the toad could indeed eat swan meat.


    At this moment, Ling Chen, with his hands behind his back, was leisurely strolling back and forth in the banquet hall, enjoying champagne and fruit tters, quite contented. However, Ling Chen, weaving through the crowd, suddenly noticed a man next to Su Lin¡ªand it was a very familiar man.


    Qin Yang!


    This guy also came to attend the dinner.


    Seeing Su Lin with a cold expression, Ling Chen felt a sudden heaviness in his heart and immediately quickened his pace towards her. Upon getting closer, he heard Su Lin¡¯s displeased voice: "Mr. Qin, I have nothing to say to you, please don¡¯te over and bother me."


    "Linlin, why bother? We are all acquaintances; if we can¡¯t be lovers, we can still be friends," Qin Yang tried to persuade kindly.


    "Sorry, I¡¯m not interested in being friends with you; you should go ask some other women instead." After saying this, Su Lin turned around and was about to leave. However, Qin Yang, quick and alert, immediately grabbed Su Lin¡¯s arm, attempting to pull her back.


    But what Qin Yang didn¡¯t expect was that his action would trigger Su Lin¡¯s fiery temper. Su Lin suddenly turned around, and without a word, delivered a p straight across his face.


    p!


    Apanied by a crisp sound, a bright red palm print immediately appeared on Qin Yang¡¯s left cheek, very striking.


    Feeling the fiery pain on his face, Qin Yang was momentarily dumbfounded, never expecting Su Lin to hit so hard, not leaving any dignity for him. At this moment, the surrounding guests were all drawn to the loud p.


    Seeing Qin Yang¡¯s swollen cheek, people started whispering and chuckling quietly. Theughter echoing in Qin Yang¡¯s ears felt incredibly harsh. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, being pped by a woman, how could he face anyone after this? Even more damaging, everyone present tonight was someone of status and position; once this incident spread, he would have no face left to continue mingling.


    Thinking this, Qin Yang gritted his teeth, both embarrassed and angry. His face was definitely lost; now it was about whether he could recover a bit of his dignity.


    With anger rising in his heart, he raised his arm and aimed a p at Su Lin¡¯s delicate cheek.


    However, before the p couldnd, Qin Yang felt his wrist being caught by someone, rendering him unable to move. Looking along the hand, a sharp and distinct handsome face suddenly appeared before his eyes.


    Seeing that familiar yet annoying smile, Qin Yang¡¯s expression changed slightly, eximing, "It¡¯s you!"


    Ling Chen slightly tilted his lips, smiling and said, "Mr. Qin, as a dignified man, hitting a woman in public, isn¡¯t that quite unreasonable?"


    Qin Yang clenched his teeth and retorted, "She hit me first."


    "If you didn¡¯t shamelessly pester her, getting hit serves you right."


    Qin Yang scoffed, forcefully twisting his wrist, trying to break free from Ling Chen¡¯s hold, but Ling Chen¡¯s grip was as solid as steel bars, tightly binding his wrist, making it impossible to escape.


    "Let go!"


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t linger, simply shrugged his shoulders, loosened his fingers, and stepped back next to Su Lin.


    "Are you okay?"


    Su Lin smiled sweetly, feeling delighted to see Ling Chen standing up for her. It felt great to have a dependable man by her side, but unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t hers. With this thought, she silently sighed.


    "Big brother, what¡¯s wrong?"


    At that moment, a voice as clear as spring water chimed in from the crowd, drawing Ling Chen¡¯s gaze. In his clear eyes, a sh of surprise appeared.


    It was her!


    Seeing the neer, Qin Yang seemed to have found his backbone, hurriedly approaching her and said anxiously, "Sister, you arrived just in time."


    Qin Wu observed the swelling on Qin Yang¡¯s left cheek, her slender eyebrows slightly furrowed, and she asked, "What happened?"


    "It¡¯s all because of that despicable woman Su Lin. I spoke to her nicely, and she hit me," Qin Yang stated indignantly.


    Hearing this, Qin Wu turned her head, nced at Su Lin, then shifted her gaze to Ling Chen.


    "Mr. Ling, Miss Su, regardless of what my brother did wrong, it¡¯s still not good to hit someone in public. I hope you both can apologize and make peace."


    Su Lin was about to speak, but Ling Chen interjected, "Miss Qin, hitting people is wrong, but is harassing women okay then? You know very well what kind of person your brother is. If you want us to apologize, fine, let your brother apologize to us first."


    Qin Yang felt enraged, shouting furiously, "Ling Chen, don¡¯t push people too far! It was clearly that despicable woman who hit me, why should I apologize?"


    Upon hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s eyebrows slightly furrowed, a cold glint shing through his sharp eyes.


    "What did you just call her?"


    "Despi...."


    Before the words ¡¯despicable woman¡¯ could be fully pronounced, Ling Chen, who had been standing still, suddenly lunged forward with swift steps. In the blink of an eye, he was right in front of Qin Yang, and his hand delivered a fierce p.


    Qin Yang never expected Ling Chen to strike without a word, and the speed was so fast that he didn¡¯t even have time to react. As the p rapidly erged in his eyes, he stood there dumbfounded, at a loss.


    However, just as Ling Chen thought his p would surelynd, a smooth, delicate white wrist suddenly stretched out from the side, urately grasping his wrist, stopping him from moving further.


    Huh?


    Following the direction of the wrist, Ling Chen saw that it was none other than Qin Wu.


    This woman... turned out to be a master hiding her strength. He had almost misjudged her.


    But the p was already in motion, and withdrawing halfway would only serve to let Qin Yang off easy. With thoughts racing, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes narrowed, and the inner strength in his Dantian surged crazily, condensing into a fine stream flowing towards his right hand.


    With the sudden burst of power, Ling Chen instantly broke free from Qin Wu¡¯s hold.


    p!


    The crisp sound of a p echoed, and a handprint immediately appeared on the right cheek of Qin Yang.


    This p from Ling Chen was much harsher than Su Lin¡¯s. In an instant, Qin Yang¡¯s right cheek swelled up, resembling a steamed bun, amusing to onlookers.


    "Mr. Qin, keep your mouth clean. If there¡¯s a next time, I¡¯ll knock out your teeth."


    Seeing her brother repeatedly humiliated, Qin Wu could no longer stay calm. Qin Yang was the eldest son of the Qin Family, and this rted to the entire family¡¯s reputation. They couldn¡¯t just let it slide like this.

 Chapter 348 - 344: Teasing Qin Wu

    <h4>Chapter 348: Chapter 344: Teasing Qin Wu</h4><h4></h4>


    With a thought, Qin Wu didn¡¯t hesitate at all; without waiting for Ling Chen to back away, she immediately closed in and swung her palm towards Ling Chen¡¯s right shoulder.


    Ha! This woman still wants to exchange a few moves with me.


    Ling Chen secretly smiled, showing no sign of retreat. He clenched his fist tightly, raised it slightly, and met Qin Wu¡¯s palm head-on. When fist met palm, both of their Inner Strength erupted instantly, causing them to each take a step back.


    Feeling the numbness in his arm, Ling Chen looked at Qin Wu in surprise. One really shouldn¡¯t underestimate this woman; her Inner Strength was almost as strong as Jiang Yunkai¡¯s.


    Interesting!


    Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curved up slightly, a shallow smile on his face, as he beckoned to Qin Wu with a gesture of his hand, tauntingly saying, "Come on, again!"


    Qin Wu bit her thin lips lightly, her toes tapped on the ground, moving as swiftly as a breeze, and she closed in on Ling Chen in an instant. However, just as Qin Wu was about to strike, she was surprised to find that Ling Chen in front of her had disappeared without a trace.


    "Looking for me?"


    While she was startled, Ling Chen¡¯s teasingugh suddenly came from behind her. Qin Wu was shocked, and without thinking, she turned around and struck out with her palm. However, the moment she turned around, there was no sign of Ling Chen behind her.


    Where is he?


    "Hey, I¡¯m right here."


    Arge hand reached out and lightly patted Qin Wu¡¯s shoulder.


    With her quick reflexes, Qin Wu immediately reacted, swinging a high kick sideways. Ling Chen stepped back at once, dodging Qin Wu¡¯s leg strike. At the same time, his eyes brightened, and he looked at Qin Wu with a smile, saying, "So Miss Qin likes the color purple."


    "What?"


    Qin Wu was slightly startled, not catching on immediately. Once she saw the teasing smile on Ling Chen¡¯s lips, she instantly understood, and her pretty face, originally coated with a light powder, blushed bright red.


    The onlookers watching were somewhat puzzled. Why did her face turn red during the fight?


    The others might not know, but Ling Chen was well aware. All the women at tonight¡¯s banquet were wearing evening dresses, which were mainly gowns. Just now, when Qin Wu lifted her leg, she identally revealed what was beneath her dress. Because it happened so fast, others didn¡¯t see clearly, but Ling Chen saw it vividly.


    The white, bare thighs, and the purple panties, tsk tsk. They say women who like to wear dark colored undergarments belong to the implicit yet lustful type. Unexpectedly, despite Qin Wu¡¯s sweet appearance and graceful temperament, she also seems to be a woman with internal desires.


    "Miss Qin, do you still want to continue?" Ling Chen grinned and said.


    Qin Wu bit her silver teeth, her eyes filled with embarrassed anger as she stared at Ling Chen. After a while, her expression flickered, and then she turned around, pulling her elder brother with her as they left the crowd.


    Without more spectacle to witness, the onlookers dispersed in amotion.


    "Well done," Su Lin said with a gigglyugh. Ling Chen had avenged her, making her feel extremely satisfied.


    Ling Chen withdrew his gaze from Qin Wu¡¯s retreating figure and reminded, "Stay away from that Qin Wu in the future."


    "Why? After all, she¡¯s no match for you."


    Ling Chen did not give any further exnation. Although Qin Wu was not his match, this did not mean she was not formidable. On the contrary, Qin Wu was a master; her being toyed with earlier was mainly due to herck of actualbat experience.


    It was evident from their exchange that Qin Wu had at least over ten years of foundational training in martial arts, but she had always practiced routines and had never engaged in realbat, hence herck of experience and inability to make urate responses and predictions.


    If Qin Wu were given some time to temper herself, her strength would definitely not be inferior to Jiang Yunkai.


    Ling Chen was curious about the background of this woman; despite her young age, she possessed such exceptionalbat skills, surely a disciple of a distinguished master.


    While Ling Chen was pondering, on the other end of the banquet hall, Qin Yang sat on a sofa in a corner, pressing a hot towel to his swollen cheek, seething with resentment, "Sister, we must not let that Ling Chen and that cheap woman Su Lin get away with this."


    Qin Wu nced at her inept brother, her tone ice-cold, "Who asked you to provoke them?"


    Qin Yang hurriedly replied, "I was thinking of our Qin Family¡¯s interests."


    The Qin Family had recently faced some economic crises, with business going poorly and suffering heavy financial losses. Were it not for using real estate as coteral to borrow over a billion from the bank, it would have been very difficult for the Qin Family to survive. Hence, Qin Yang had set his sights on Su Lin. He was well aware that Su Lin came from a notable background; her parents were overseas businessmen with assets worth at least tens of billions. If he could rekindle the rtionship with Su Lin and turn cooked rice into a done deal, not only could it ease the Qin Family¡¯s financial strain, but they could also ride on the coattails of the Nanrong Family. At that time, the glory of the Qin Family would be within reach.


    However, Qin Yang had not expected Su Lin to be so cold-hearted, not giving him any chances.


    Qin Wu shook her head slightly, not wishing to speak further. She had never had much hope for her brother. If the Qin Family¡¯s future was left in Qin Yang¡¯s hands, it would be tantamount to ruin. As a member of the Qin Family, she could not let this happen.


    "Sister, didn¡¯t you say that your senior brothers wereing to East Sea City tonight? Maybe..."


    "My sect¡¯s people are not the Qin Family¡¯s thugs, don¡¯t get any ideas."


    "Sister, you can¡¯t say that. Think about it, you are also part of the Qin Family. Ling Chen and Su Lin pping my face is like pping the Qin Family¡¯s face. If we don¡¯t settle this score, how can our Qin Family hold our heads high in front of others? Moreover, Grandfather is quite old now. If he learns about tonight¡¯s incident, he would surely be furious. We can only exin to him after we¡¯ve settled this matter."


    Upon hearing this, Qin Wu fell into deep thought, wondering. After a while, she stood up and said, "Don¡¯t worry about this; I will handle it." After speaking, Qin Wu turned and walked into the crowd.


    Watching his departing sister, Qin Yang¡¯s lips curled with a sneer. He understood his sister very well. By saying those words, it meant she had epted his suggestion.


    Humph! Ling Chen, Su Lin, just you wait and see; there will be sufferinging your way.


    At this moment, afterpleting her mingling with the guests, Nanrong Wanqing rejoined Ling Chen and Su Lin, and seeing Ling Chen chomping on an apple, she shot him an irritated look and chided, "In just a blink of an eye, you¡¯ve managed to cause trouble, quite the feat."


    Ling Chen spread his hands, looking innocent as he said, "How can you me me? It was that Qin guy who came looking for trouble with Lin. Do you expect me to just stand by?"


    "You still should be mindful of the impression you make. So many people are watching."


    "What¡¯s there to be afraid of, I am the man of the Hongyu Group¡¯s chairman, who dares to touch me?"


    Nanrong Wanqing felt a blush creeping up, and with a small fist, she lightly punched Ling Chen, her tone both annoyed and embarrassed, "Why do you say such things so loudly?"


    Su Lin covered her mouth and chuckled, "Ling Chen, you really have a knack for it, proud even of mooching off a woman, probably the only one in the world."


    "That¡¯s right. Do you think just anyone qualifies to enjoy such a cushy life?" Ling Chen boasted proudly.


    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 349 - 345: Auction

    <h4>Chapter 349: Chapter 345: Auction</h4><h4></h4>


    "Alright, everyone, stop fussing. The banquet is about to begin." No sooner had Nanrong Wanqing finished speaking than a middle-aged man holding a microphone with a friendly smile stepped onto the temporary stage at the center of the venue.


    "First of all, on behalf of the organizers, I wee everyone¡¯s presence and thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to contribute to the charitable cause. Here, on behalf of those poverty-stricken families that have been supported, I express sincere gratitude to you all."


    After the formalities, the host moved on to the main topic.


    "As usual, tonight¡¯s charity banquet will be conducted in the form of an auction, and I hope everyone will participate enthusiastically. Now, without further ado, let¡¯s take a look at the first item up for auction today."


    With the host¡¯s words, a pretty girl in a cheongsam came over, pushing a four-wheeled cart. On the cart¡¯s tray, an item was covered with a red cloth.


    When the cart was pushed closer, the host reached out, pinched the corner of the red cloth, and gently lifted it to reveal a piece of blue and white porcin before everyone¡¯s eyes.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, this is blue and white five-color porcin from the Qing Dynasty, a precious type of blue and white porcin. Those in the know are definitely clear about the value of this item, which is an excellent choice whether for disy or collection. In view of its rarity, the starting bid is one million; please start your bids now."


    "Two million." The bid was quickly called out from among the crowd.


    "Three million."


    "Five million."


    "..."


    In less than two minutes, the price of this Qing Dynasty blue and white porcin had already climbed to tens of millions.


    "Twenty million."


    As the voice sounded, all eyes turned to Nanrong Wanqing. Ling Chen looked at Nanrong Wanqing in surprise. The bidding had just passed ten million and yet Nanrong Wanqing directly called out twenty million. Could that broken piece of porcin be worth so much?


    After Nanrong Wanqing bid, suddenly no one else raised the bid. Competing with the chairman of Hongyu Group in terms of financial resources was simply asking for trouble.


    The host held the gavel, shouting out three times in session, and seeing no further bids, the gavel finally came down.


    "Congrattions to Miss Nanrong for obtaining a piece of Qing Dynasty blue and white porcin."


    Nanrong Wanqing, with an unchanged expression, stood up and said, "Let¡¯s go back."


    "Go back?" Ling Chen was stunned, "Isn¡¯t the auction not over yet?"


    Hearing this, Su Lin smiled and mercilessly teased, "How can you be so dense? Wanqing is here for charity, not to participate in the auction."


    So that was it.


    Ling Chen suddenly understood. Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t care whether the auction item was worth the price or not; she only needed to donate a substantial sum of money. Since the goal had been achieved, there was no need to stay any longer.


    With this realization, Ling Chen stood up and said, "Let¡¯s go."


    However, just as the trio was about to leave the banquet hall, the host¡¯s voice suddenly came through the speakers: "Ladies and gentlemen, the next item up for auction has a history of more than six hundred years. Its specific usage is unknown, but ording to several expert appraisers¡¯ judgments, this is likely a weapon crafted in ancient times. Please have a look."


    At the mention of ¡¯weapon¡¯, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but pause and turn to look at the stage.


    Because of the distance, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t see very clearly, so he deliberately turned his gaze to therge screen hanging on the wall. On the screen, the camera was capturing a close-up of the weapon¡¯s shape.


    It was a cylinder about one and a half feet long and about two fingers thick, which could be held in one hand. The cylinder, made of some unknown material, had a smooth surface intricately carved withplex patterns. From its appearance alone, it was hard to discern its function.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, do not underestimate this weapon. ording to our appraisers, it contains many mechanisms and boasts various effects," the host said. Holding the cylinder in his hand, he gently pressed it with his finger, and a two-foot long sword de sprung out from one end.


    Despite being several hundreds of years old, the de was still sharp as ever. With its cold, translucent gleam, anyone practiced in martial arts could recognize the extraordinary quality of the weapon.


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes gleamed; he hadn¡¯t expected toe across such a treasure at a charity auction.


    "The starting bid for this weapon, which is only valuable as a collectible, is set at one hundred thousand."


    "Two hundred thousand." Ling Chen immediately raised his hand, offering a price.


    "Five hundred thousand."


    No sooner had Ling Chen¡¯s voice trailed off than a crisp voice followed. Ling Chen turned his head and saw Qin Wu also looking at him, eyes filled with animosity.


    This woman has a good eye for quality as well.


    Ling Chen snickered to himself unconcernedly and continued to bid, "Six hundred thousand."


    "One million." Qin Wu quickly followed up with a determined tone.


    Hearing Qin Wu¡¯s bid, Ling Chen hesitated for a moment. One million was already his limit; he had transferred two million to Bai Huanjun and didn¡¯t have much left.


    "Two million," Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s voice rang out just as Ling Chen was indecisive.


    Upon hearing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s bid, the crowd burst intoughter. Everyone had seen her entering hand in hand with Ling Chen. Now, it was clear to all present that this young man was Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s boyfriend.


    However, it was usually men who spent money on women. Women spending money on men was quite rare, except for kept men. Thus, the smiles on people¡¯s faces were far from friendly but rather filled with derision and mockery.


    Feeling the ridicule in everyone¡¯s gaze, Nanrong Wanqing realized she shouldn¡¯t have spoken up for Ling Chen and regretted it, apologetically looking at him.


    Ling Chen was well aware of her intentions and smiled slightly, not caring about the nces from others.


    "Hmph! Just a kept man who only knows how to live off women, truly a disgrace to men." A sneering voice came through, and without looking, Ling Chen knew who it was.


    Qin Yang!


    Ling Chen smirked and said, "Well, it depends on whose support you are seeking. Some people aren¡¯t even qualified to receive it. Nowadays, to be a kept man also requires skills; unlike some, who, under everyone¡¯s watch, get pped by a woman and don¡¯t even have the guts to p back. That is the real disgrace to men."


    Qin Yang¡¯s face turned angry, and he wanted to retort, but he was silenced by Qin Wu beside him.


    Qin Wu nced at Ling Chen and then raised her hand high, stating nonchntly, "Three million."


    Ling Chen looked at the weapon disyed on therge screen. Despite his fondness for it, the odd nces from the crowd irked him.


    After a moment of thought, he decided to let that woman have it.


    Watching Ling Chen turn away and leave, a slight smirk lifted the corners of Qin Wu¡¯s lips, outlining a trace of cold amusement.


    Leaving Yulong Mansion, Nanrong Wanqing quickly caught up to the ahead-striding Ling Chen, showing the timidness of a woman who had done wrong, hanging her head and softly saying, "I¡¯m sorry."


    "Why apologize? You¡¯ve done nothing wrong." Ling Chen smiled and took Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s smooth hand, "It¡¯s fine, don¡¯t take it to heart."


    "Did you really like that weapon?"


    "I did, but there¡¯s no point inpeting with that woman for it. It¡¯s meaningless." With that, Ling Chen took out his phone to check the time and said, "Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you home first. I¡¯ve got some things to take care ofter."

 Chapter 350 - 346: Finding Fault

    <h4>Chapter 350: Chapter 346: Finding Fault</h4><h4></h4>


    After escorting Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin back to Wealthy Manor, Ling Chen drove alone into the traffic flow.


    Thinking of the encounter at Yulong Mansion just now, Ling Chen heaved a silent sigh. The saying "A hero struggles without a penny" held true, for although he possessed remarkable abilities, his pockets were empty, and he could not bring himself to ask a woman for money; it was not in his character. Before, he never cared for money, but now, he realized that being penniless was truly agonizing. Moreover, his power was in a phase of growth, and money was essential. He had to figure out a way to get some.


    Lost in thought, Ling Chen took out his phone and dialed Qiu Yong¡¯s number. After confirming the address, Ling Chen immediately drove over.


    After driving for more than ten miles, Ling Chen nced at the rearview mirror and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. These guys were relentless, following him all the way from Yulong Mansion.


    Without having to think, he knew that the people in those two cars were surely Qin Family¡¯s subordinates. At the banquet hall, Qin Yang and Qin Wu had suffered such a big loss at his hands; they were unlikely to let it go easily.


    Well then, since they wanted to y, he might as well indulge them.


    More than ten minutes passed, and Ling Chen drove up to a hotel. After parking in the car park, he phoned Qiu Yong, then walked towards the elevator.


    But at that moment, three sedans and a van drove in from the entrance of the parking lot and swiftly pulled up in front of Ling Chen, forming a triangle and trapping him inside.


    With his arms folded and a faint smile on his face, Ling Chen looked amused as he watched the people getting out of the three cars. The car doors opened, and several suited bodyguards got out one after another. Following them, stepping out from the passenger side of the van, was the red-cheeked Qin Yang. Trailing behind him, Qin Wu, holding up her evening gown, stepped out gracefully from the van. In addition to her, several young men and a middle-aged man emerged from the van.


    Upon their descent, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but take a few more nces.


    The middle-aged man exuded a sense of stability and restrained aura, obviously a cultivated martial artist, and moreover, an Inner martial arts expert. Around forty-something years old, Ling Chen wondered if he might be Qin Wu¡¯s Master. The young men moved lightly, likely to be martial artists as well.


    As Qin Wu and her group approached, Ling Chen grinned and said, "Miss Qin, we just parted ways; did you miss me so much that you couldn¡¯t wait to see me? If you wanted to meet me, just meet me, why bring so many people? After all, having so many onlookers at a date can be quite embarrassing."


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s taunt, Qin Wu¡¯s face turned frosty as she said, "Ling Chen, don¡¯t get too cocky. You humiliated my elder brother in public and tarnished the reputation of the Qin Family. Do you really think my Qin Family can¡¯t handle you?"


    Ling Chen shrugged, smiling indifferently, "We¡¯re all martial artists. A loss is a loss. Calling a group of people to cause trouble after a defeat, what¡¯s the difference between that and street thugs? Someone like you, whocks even the most basic Martial Arts Ethics, does not deserve to be called a martial artist."


    "You..."


    Before Qin Wu could speak, the young men beside her began to mor, "Shut up! Show some respect in front of my martial sister. If you dare to speak rudely again, do you believe I¡¯ll knock your teeth out?"


    Ling Chen beckoned with his fingers, his smile faint, "Save the talk, just bring it on. Do you really think I¡¯m afraid of you?"


    "You¡¯ve got quite an attitude, let¡¯s see how I¡¯ll deal with you." As the words fell, one of the young men leaped into the air, stepping on the hood of a sedan, and, with a tight fist and fierce momentum, aimed a punch straight at Ling Chen¡¯s head.


    Facing the oing gust of force, Ling Chen didn¡¯t even look as he swept his leg around in a whip kick.


    Bang!


    With a muffled thud, the youth hadn¡¯t yet touched the ground when his body flew up again, uncontrobly falling towards a sedan. At this moment, the middle-aged man who had remained silent had a stern look in his eyes, and with a gentle tap of his toe on the ground, he shot forward like a bullet, casually flicking the youth¡¯s waist.


    With the help of the middle-aged man, the youth immediately adjusted his center of gravity andnded steadily on the ground. However, even though he wasn¡¯t hurt by the fall, the kick he had just received from Ling Chen was far from pleasant. The youth clutched his chest, his face pale, breathing heavily.


    Seeing theirpanion injured, the other youths could not sit still and began to shout, "Let¡¯s all go at him together, give him a good lesson."


    "Shut up!" the middle-aged man said with a slight frown and a soft rebuke.


    Upon hismand, the impassioned group of youths immediately closed their mouths, standing obediently behind the middle-aged man, not daring to utter another word.


    At this time, the middle-aged man was sizing up Ling Chen, and Ling Chen was also sizing him up. The man had a square face, thick eyebrows, and big eyes, and was dressed in a formal suit, exuding an impression of uprightness and integrity.


    "Are you Ling Chen? You have a decent foundation in martial arts. However, the purpose of practicing martial arts is not forpeting and showing off, but for strengthening the body, activating your potential, you..."


    "Can you stop talking to me in this preachy tone?" Ling Chen dug his ear, losing patience, "I¡¯m not your disciple, and I don¡¯t need your lessons. To be frank, if you¡¯re here to reim your pride, stop the nonsense. If you want to fight, let¡¯s fight; if not, then get lost and stop wasting my time. Honestly, I have the least respect for people like you who y the **** and still want to set up a shrine."


    Hearing this, Qin Wu was infuriated and scolded, "Ling Chen, don¡¯t be disrespectful to my master uncle."


    Ling Chen spread his hands and said, "Am I wrong? If you were really as he says, you wouldn¡¯t be here looking for me. Bring it on, and let¡¯s see how capable you are." Ling Chen beckoned to the middle-aged man with a curl of his finger.


    "Master uncle..."


    The middle-aged man raised his hand to stop Qin Wu¡¯s words, saying indifferently, "I also want to see how formidable a Tiger List expert is."


    Seeing the middle-aged man make a move, the group of youths immediatelyughed, giving Ling Chen a look that seemed to say ¡¯you¡¯re definitely doomed¡¯.


    Ling Chen shook his arms loose, unconcerned with others¡¯ gazes, focused his mind, and walked straight towards the middle-aged man.


    The two stood facing each other, and the middle-aged man spoke, "I am older than you, so I¡¯ll let you strike first."


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t be bothered with small talk. He clenched a steel-like fist, charged forward in an instant, and in the blink of an eye, he was up close to the middle-aged man. His fist roared through the air and suddenly thundered forward.


    As the fist approached, the middle-aged man stood still, not moving an inch as if he didn¡¯t take Ling Chen¡¯s attack seriously. Just as the fist was about two centimeters from the middle-aged man¡¯s face, the still-standing man finally made his move.


    Without any noticeable motion, Ling Chen just felt a tight grip on his wrist, followed by intense pain shooting through his nerves.


    So fast!


    Ling Chen was inwardly shocked and quickly retreated. After moving back two meters, Ling Chen lifted the arm he had punched with and saw two purplish marks on his wrist, as if made by finger pressure¡ªindescribably painful¡ªas if his whole arm was bing numb.

 Chapter 351 - 347: The Pretentious Dragon List Expert

    <h4>Chapter 351: Chapter 347: The Pretentious Dragon List Expert</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen looked at the middle-aged man in full surprise. In just a brief confrontation, not only did he not gain the upper hand, but he instead suffered a great loss. The martial skills of this middle-aged man were truly unfathomable.


    Indeed, worthy of being Qin Wu¡¯s martial uncle, truly formidable.


    "The experts of the Tiger List, merely so." The middle-aged man said indifferently, his toneced with a hint of mockery.


    Ling Chen let his numb arm droop, his expression solemn, his sharp gaze fixed on the middle-aged man, he asked, "May I ask how to address you?"


    "You, are not worthy of knowing my name." The middle-aged man, with his hands behind his back, proudly said, "Do you wish to continue? If you don¡¯t want to continue, as long as you apologize to the Qin Family, I can forgive and let you leave."


    "No way, this bastard has made my face like this, he cannot be let off easily," Qin Yang, standing nearby, cried unwillingly.


    The middle-aged man nced at him and asked, "What does Mr. Qin wish to do?"


    Qin Yang, with resentment flooding his heart recalling old and new grudges, sneered and said, "Simple, as long as he kneels down and kowtows three times to me, and calls me grandpa, I can forgive his actions."


    "You heard it." The middle-aged man turned his head to look at Ling Chen, his expression cold.


    Facing the gaze of the crowd, Ling Chen slightly raised the corners of his lips, boldly stating, "You should inquire who I, Ling Chen, am. If you want me to bow, you¡¯ll have to chop off my head first."


    "Having some backbone, since that¡¯s the case, don¡¯t me me for being impolite." The middle-aged man¡¯s tone turned colder, initiating the attack.


    Seeing the middle-aged man rushing towards him, Ling Chen¡¯s pupils contracted slightly. He hurriedly stepped back to dodge. However, his movements were far too slowpared to the other¡¯s speed. Before he could react, a figure suddenly shed in front of him.


    Immediately afterward, Ling Chen felt an intense pain in his chest, a powerful force spreading throughout his chest, pushing him back by four or five meters. Luckily, a car behind him stopped him from falling.


    However, with just this move, the disparity in their strength was clear, as vast as the difference between clouds and mud, without any basis forparison.


    Ling Chen took a deep breath, calming his tumultuous blood and tightening his brows. This man¡¯s skills were too freakishly strong, he didn¡¯t even have a chance to respond.


    "Come again!" The middle-aged man looked provocatively at Ling Chen.


    Ling Chen clenched his fists tightly, gritting his teeth, about to make a move. But at that moment, a nonchnt voice suddenly said, "Impressive, truly impressive. A prestigious expert of the Dragon List actually sparing against an expert of the Tiger List, really giving face."


    A Dragon List expert?


    Ling Chen was shocked, his view of the middle-aged man changed instantly. No wonder he was so powerful, turned out he was an expert of the Dragon List.


    Realizing the identity of the opponent, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but burst out cursing, "Damn, you¡¯re a Dragon List expert and you¡¯re still pulling this act in front of me."


    The middle-aged man paid no mind to Ling Chen¡¯s curses, instead turning to look at the speaker. At this moment, from the direction of the elevator, seven people appeared, men and women, old and young, their group an unusual sight that drew the curious looks of the Qin Wu and others.


    Seeing the leading elder, Ling Chen greeted proactively: "Elder Qiu."


    Qiu Yong nodded slightly, voicing his concern, "Are you all right?"


    Ling Chen patted his chest with a smile, "I¡¯m fine, not that fragile." After speaking, Ling Chen turned his gaze to Xia Yue, smiling warmly as he greeted, "Yue, long time no see."


    Xia Yue gave him a cold nce, remained silent.


    "Who are you?" The middle-aged man scanned the seven suddenly appeared individuals and said sternly, "This is a private matter between us and Ling Chen. For your own safety, it¡¯s best you do not interfere."


    Qiu Yong stood with his hands behind his back, his face stern, and spoke deliberately, "Ling Chen¡¯s business is our business. If you want to make a move on him, you¡¯ll have to ask if we agree."


    The middle-aged man sneered, "Knowing that I am a master from the Dragon List and still daring toe forward, it seems you all are quite skilled. Why not state your names?"


    The one-armed man standing behind Qiu Yong coldly said, "Not recognizing us, the eight freaks, Liu Yunsong, as a master of the Dragon List shows how ignorant you really are."


    "Eight freaks?" Liu Yunsong¡¯s pupils tightened, his face changing immediately. How could he not know the reputation of the eight freaks? It¡¯s just that there were only seven people who came out, so he didn¡¯t think in that direction.


    "There are eight people in the eight freaks, you..."


    Qiu Yong coldly said, "Isn¡¯t there eight of us here?"


    "What?" Liu Yunsong was shocked, staring incredulously at Ling Chen, "Is he also..."


    At that moment, not only was Liu Yunsong surprised, Ling Chen was equally astonished. Did Qiu Yong¡¯s words mean that he was also counted among the eight freaks?


    At this time, Xia Yue stepped forward, her face cool as she looked at Liu Yunsong and the others, coldly saying, "Daring to harm a member of the eight freaks, today I really want to test your abilities."


    "No!" Now knowing the identities of the eight freaks, Liu Yunsong lost his earlier calmness, his eyes shing with urgency, hurriedly saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, it was just a misunderstanding earlier, I didn¡¯t know Ling Chen¡¯s identity. If there¡¯s any offense, please be generous in your forgiveness."


    Seeing their uncle admit weakness, Qin Wu and the others were suddenly stunned.


    The eight freaks were names they had heard, but only by hearsay, and their uncle was a true master of the Dragon List, so why would he fear these people who weren¡¯t even on the Tiger List?


    Qiu Yong turned his head, looking at Ling Chen beside him and asked, "What do you say?"


    "We are all civilized people, and there is an old saying, better to dissolve enmity than to perpetuate it..."


    "Yes, yes, Ling has the grace," Liu Yunsong¡¯s face rxed slightly, smiling as he interrupted.


    Ling Chen looked displeased at Liu Yunsong and said, "I haven¡¯t finished speaking yet, what¡¯s the rush. As they say, better to dissolve enmity than to perpetuate it, however..." Saying this, Ling Chen red furiously and cursed, "I fucking can¡¯t stand people acting tough in front of me, you, a Dragon List master challenging me, fuck, I won¡¯t be satisfied today if I don¡¯t get this anger out, I fucking might as well take your surname."


    Hearing thetter part of Ling Chen¡¯s words, the other seven freaks slightly smiled, their eyes gleaming with amusement. Indeed, this guy¡¯s temperament was very much to their liking.


    "Liu Yunsong, you heard it. me yourself for offending us eight freaks." With those words, the one-armed man¡¯s smile faded, and his body dashed forward like a swift wind, instantly covering the ground to Liu Yunsong.


    Following that, without any noticeable movement, he suddenly brandished a steel knife, shing directly at the top of Liu Yunsong¡¯s head.


    Feeling the fierce Sword Force contained within the de, Liu Yunsong¡¯s face paled, he didn¡¯t dare to be careless, hurriedly retreating to dodge the fatal strike.


    "Go, quickly go!"


    Hearing Uncle Liu Yunsong¡¯s roar, Qin Wu and the others were slightly stunned, then quickly reacting, they rushed towards the parking lot.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen immediately gave chase, stepping on the car roofs, his body leaping forward,nding in front of Qin Wu and the others, blocking their path.


    Looking at the icy Qin Wu, Ling Chen grinned, "Miss Qin, where are you going?"

 Chapter 352 - 348 Extortion

    <h4>Chapter 352: Chapter 348 Extortion</h4><h4></h4>


    Qin Wu looked at her Senior Uncle engaging inbat with the one-armed man, her eyes filled with worry.


    "Don¡¯t get too smug, Ling," Qin Wu¡¯spanion, Qin Yang, called out defiantly, "it¡¯s not certain who will win or lose yet. Let¡¯s all attack together; with so many of us, we shouldn¡¯t be afraid of them." Encouraged by Qin Yang, the several brothers-in-arms following Qin Wu didn¡¯t hesitate, eyeing Ling Chen like tigers before pouncing towards him.


    Ling Chen just smiled. Liu Yunsong was a master from the Tiger List, whom he did not consider himself a match for, but these people... he truly didn¡¯t take them seriously.


    As the groupunched their attack, Ling Chen immediately met them head-on, fists and kicks flying as he tangled with everyone.


    Meanwhile, the battle between the one-armed man and Liu Yunsong intensified. Undeniably, Liu Yunsong, a Dragon List master, was powerful, but the one-armed man wasn¡¯t the slightest bit inferior, wielding a steel knife that was imprably swift and deadly in its attacks.


    After a long exchange, Liu Yunsong could barely find an opportunity to close the distance, repeatedly forced to retreat without a chance for advantage.


    Just then, a sudden ¡¯whoosh¡¯ broke the silence as the sound of something tearing through the air was heard.


    Liu Yunsong¡¯s expression turned grave as if realizing something, but before he could react, a deep wound appeared on his right shoulder. Behind him, not far on the wall, was a piercing arrow with a remnant trace of fresh blood still undried.


    Feeling the pain in his shoulder, Liu Yunsong¡¯s gaze flickered, only catching a glimpse of a man standing behind Qiu Yong, bow drawn, arrow nocked, intensely focused and with a piercing gaze as sharp and cold as the arrow that breaches one¡¯s psychological defenses.


    Even as a Dragon List master, facing that simple bow and arrow, Liu Yunsong felt an involuntary dread.


    The entric Eight were notoriously elusive, and he had never encountered them before, but Liu Yunsong was well aware of their prowess.


    The Archer God, Zhang Zhongfeng.


    Across thend, there was no archer more formidable than him. Nearly half of the entric Eight¡¯s fame was held up by Zhang Zhongfeng alone.


    At this moment, locked in the aim of Zhang Zhongfeng¡¯s bow, Liu Yunsong was thrown into panic. For masters in contest, a moment of distraction can reveal a fatal w. Seizing the chance, the one-armed man surged with power, his attacks growing fiercer, unleashing five rapid shes aimed at Liu Yunsong¡¯s head.


    Liu Yunsong, with his concentration wavering, managed to parry four shes, but was caught off guard by thest, allowing the one-armed man to breach his defense and leave a gash on his left shoulder, blood spurting out and staining his clothes red.


    Simultaneously, the battle on Ling Chen¡¯s side also came to a conclusion, and the underlings apanying Qin Wu were allid out on the ground. Qin Wu held her right arm, panting heavily, her delicate face showing a hint of paleness from excessive exertion.


    Casting a nce at Qin Wu, who was unable to continue the fight, Ling Chen casually dusted off his hands and returned to Qiu Yong¡¯s side, then turned his attention to Liu Yunsong. Seeing his opponent¡¯s drooping arms and the blood stains on both shoulders, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but reveal a teasing smile, mockingly saying, "Master Liu, how could you be so careless?"


    Hearing the mocking tone in Ling Chen¡¯s voice, Liu Yunsong¡¯s face turned ashen with anger, and through gritted teeth, he said, "This victory of yours is dishonorable."


    "Dishonorable?" Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curved slightly as he stepped in front of Liu Yunsong with a mocking smile, "You know all about dishonorable, do you? So, it¡¯s eptable for you to bully with numbers, but it¡¯s not allowed when I do this?" Finishing his words, Ling Chen showed no courtesy as he stretched out his leg and brutally kicked Liu Yunsong, cursing unrestrainedly, "Think being a Dragon List master makes you exceptional? Act less arrogant in the future. There¡¯s always someone stronger; there are heavens beyond our own. If you dare to provoke me again, I¡¯ll strip you and throw you onto the streets."


    Liu Yunsong, unreconciled, wanted to retort, but noticing the menacing stance of the entric Eight nearby, he lost his nerve and could only swallow his anger.


    "Ling Chen, should we let them go now?" Qiu Yong asked.


    "Go..." Ling Chen¡¯s eyes shifted as he looked towards Qin Wu not far away, a smile immediately surfacing in his eyes as he continued, "Let¡¯s not rush. Eh, I say, Master Liu, not only did you bully me just now, but you also injured me. Don¡¯t you think you ought to give me somepensation for my emotional distress?"


    "Compensation for emotional distress?"


    This statement not only stunned Liu Yunsong, but even Qiu Yong and the others were caught off guard, never expecting Ling Chen to make such a demand.


    Liu Yunsong furrowed his brows and asked reluctantly, "What do you want?"


    Ling Chen snapped his fingers and grinned: "Simple. At the auction at Yulong Mansion before, Miss Qin obtained something I¡¯m quite fond of. She¡¯s your nephew¡¯s apprentice... so why not have her give me that item aspensation?"


    "Impossible!" Liu Yunsong refused immediately without even thinking, then added, "I can give you money aspensation."


    Ling Chen waved his hand, "You clearly haven¡¯t inquired about who my girlfriend is. Do you think I¡¯m the kind of person who is short of money? Master Liu, I¡¯ve made my terms clear. Whether you ept them or not is up to you. But don¡¯t me me for not warning you ¨C my friends here have bad tempers, and if you can¡¯t meet my demands and piss them off, not one of you will leave here alive."


    Hearing this, Xia Yue couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes at Ling Chen. This bastard was so despicable, actually using the reputation of the eight entrics to swindle and cheat.


    However, Ling Chen¡¯s threat was not without effect. Liu Yunsong looked at Qiu Yong and others behind him, hesitation flickering in his eyes. When his gaze swept over Zhang Zhongfeng, he gritted his teeth, turned his head towards Qin Wu, and said in a deep voice, "Give him the item."


    Qin Wu¡¯s expression changed slightly, and she quickly said, "Senior Uncle, that item..."


    "Enough, stop talking, give it to him quickly," Liu Yunsong interrupted Qin Wu and urged.


    "Yes." Qin Wu¡¯s brows slightly furrowed, reluctantly going back to themercial vehicle to retrieve the weapon wrapped in silk brocade, handed it over to Ling Chen with a face full of resentment.


    Ling Chen pretended not to see the anger in Qin Wu¡¯s eyes and smiled as he reached out to take it. After checking to make sure it was the right one, Ling Chen nodded with a smile and said, "Everyone, take care, I won¡¯t see you out."


    "Go!" Liu Yunsong spat out the word through clenched teeth, not wanting to stay a moment longer, and went straight into the car.


    Once Liu Yunsong and his group had driven away, Ling Chen put away the weapon, turned around to look at Qiu Yong and the others, and said with a salute, "Elder Qiu, thank you for earlier."


    "No need for courtesy. Come on, let¡¯s head back to the room and talk."


    Arriving at the hotel room where Qiu Yong and others were staying, before they could even sit down, Xia Yue couldn¡¯t help but ask, "What¡¯s the use of the weapon you extorted from Qin Wu?"


    Ling Chen touched his nose and said with a lifted corner of his mouth, "I don¡¯t know yet; I haven¡¯t studied it." Saying this, Ling Chen took out the weapon and exined, "Apparently, this thing was crafted by someone in the Martial Artsmunity hundreds of years ago."


    "Oh?" The one-armed man said with interest, "Let me take a look."

 Chapter 353: The 349th of the Eight Eccentrics: Ling Chen

    <h4>Chapter 353: The 349th of the Eight entrics: Ling Chen</h4><h4></h4>


    The weapon reached the one-armed man¡¯s hand, and he felt for the mechanism at the top, pressing it gently. Instantly, a de shot out from one end of the cylinder, its cold light piercing and clear.


    With a casual swing or two, the one-armed man suddenly twisted his arm and stabbed towards the wall of the guest room. In an instant, the de easily prated the wall to a depth of a foot.


    "Not bad," the one-armed man nodded affirmatively, saying, "Several hundred years old and still this sharp, indeed it¡¯s impressive, the person who forged this weapon must have been a grandmaster."


    Ling Chen¡¯s face lit up with joy at the one-armed man¡¯s praise, confirming to himself that he had a unique eye for quality.


    "It shouldn¡¯t be just that simple," Qiu Yong remarked from the side: "Judging from Liu Yunsong¡¯s demeanor earlier, he seemed quite reluctant to part with this weapon."


    Ling Chen nodded; he had also noticed this detail.


    Xia Yue took the weapon and scrutinized it closely. Before long, she found two tiny ancient seal characters on the top of the cylinder.


    "Tianling, this should be the name of the weapon."


    "It might not be," Qiu Yong said: "In ancient times, weapon forging grandmasters liked to engrave their names on their work, perhaps ¡¯Tianling¡¯ is the name of that grandmaster."


    "It doesn¡¯t matter," Ling Chen dismissed with an unconcerned smile, "Tianling is a good name, we¡¯ll call it that from now on." At this point, Ling Chen changed the subject and asked, "Elder Qiu, who is that Liu Yunsong?"


    "He¡¯s ranked tenth on the Dragon List, and also from the Dangyang Sect. His senior brother is the Sect Leader of the Dangyang Sect," Qiu Yong exined, "The Dangyang Sect is a southern sect with a history of over a hundred years and has some influence in Martial Arts. Liu Yunsong and his senior brother are both well-known experts on the Dragon List."


    "I see," Ling Chen scratched his head, realizing Qin Wu¡¯s background was not simple. This was his first encounter with Martial Arts sects, and it seems that he would now have another troublemaker due to his enmity with Qin Wu.


    Reading Ling Chen¡¯s thoughts, Qiu Yong said: "You don¡¯t need to worry too much, with the name of the ¡¯Eight entrics¡¯ backing you up, the Dangyang Sect wouldn¡¯t dare mess with you, unless they want to make enemies with us, the ¡¯Eight entrics¡¯."


    As he finished speaking, Qiu Yong nced at Xia Yue, the one-armed man, Zhang Zhongfeng, and the other members of the ¡¯Eight entrics¡¯, then said solemnly, "Ling Chen, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to discuss with you."


    "Elder Qiu, please speak freely."


    "The reputation of us ¡¯Eight entrics¡¯ has been established for quite a while now. Recently, my third junior brother tragically passed away, leaving us one brother short. Continuing to call ourselves the ¡¯Eight entrics¡¯ is no longer appropriate. So, we siblings wanted to ask you, would you be interested in joining us? That way, we can at least retain the name of the ¡¯Eight entrics¡¯."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen was momentarily stunned, taking some time to process the proposal.


    Back in the parking lot, when Qiu Yong mentioned he was a member of the ¡¯Eight entrics¡¯, Ling Chen thought it was just a casual statement to intimidate Liu Yunsong, little did he expect that Qiu Yong would seriously bring up the offer.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s dyed response, Qiu Yong said: "If you¡¯re not willing, we won¡¯t force it. You¡¯ve helped us, and we¡¯ll still consider you a friend."


    "No, it¡¯s not that," Ling Chen quickly said, "Elder Qiu, you misunderstood, I¡¯m not unwilling, it¡¯s just..." he said somewhat embarrassedly, "Each member of the ¡¯Eight entrics¡¯ has their own special talents, I¡¯m afraid my modest martial arts skills will tarnish the reputation of the ¡¯Eight entrics¡¯."


    The one-armed man chuckled, "That¡¯s not a problem at all. Ling Chen, to be honest, we investigated you before our eldest brother suggested this. Honestly, you remind us of myte third brother, not just in character, but also in skills."


    "Really?" Ling Chen looked at the one-armed man with skepticism, unaware of any unique skills that he himself possessed.


    "My third brother had a nickname, ¡¯yboy¡¯. He wasn¡¯t good at many things, but when it came to charming women, he was peerless. Any woman he set his sights on couldn¡¯t escape his palm. In that regard, I think you¡¯re very much like him. The beautiful women around you are enough to attest to your charisma."


    "Uh..."


    Hearing the one-armed man¡¯s words, Ling Chen was at a loss whether tough or cry, finding it ridiculous that charming women could be considered a skill; were the ¡¯Eight entrics¡¯ too entric after all?


    "Ling Chen, you¡¯re a decent person, and you¡¯re upright. Although we ¡¯Eight entrics¡¯ are known for our entric behavior, we¡¯re definitely not bad people, and we¡¯ve never done anything to harm heaven or reason. Most of us in the ¡¯Eight entrics¡¯ are orphans or were abandoned by our families. Later by fate, we came together. If you¡¯re willing, from now on, you¡¯ll be a member of the ¡¯Eight entrics¡¯," Qiu Yong said.


    "This..." Ling Chen thought for a moment and hesitated, "Elder Qiu, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m unwilling, I just worry about bringing you trouble. Honestly, I have quite a few enemies..."


    Qiu Yong waved his hand dismissively, "That¡¯s not an issue. Ask Xia Yue and the others; who doesn¡¯t have a few enemies? It¡¯s quite normal."


    "In that case..."


    Since the conversation hade this far, any further hesitation would seem discourteous, and Ling Chen readily agreed. Although he had known the ¡¯Eight entrics¡¯ for a short time, the impression Qiu Yong and the others left on him was profound - they were loyal and righteous. Being brothers with these people was also a good thing.


    "Great." Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s agreement, the usually serious Qiu Yong rarely smiled.


    "Come, let me formally introduce you to everyone," Qiu Yong said, bringing each member of the ¡¯Eight entrics¡¯ to Ling Chen¡¯s side.


    A few minutester, Ling Chen finally had a general understanding of all the members of the ¡¯Eight entrics¡¯.


    The one-armed man, named Yuan Yun, had practiced saber techniques since childhood under a master. Later, due to jealousy from fellow disciples leading to a trap that cost him an arm, he lost his master¡¯s favor and left his sect to join the ¡¯Eight entrics¡¯.


    Xia Yue, an orphan from a young age, followed an odd character roaming around and learned a range of martial arts.


    Zhang Zhongfeng, known as the ¡¯God of Arrows¡¯, had unmatched archery skills and was the strongest member of the ¡¯Eight entrics¡¯. No one knew his origins, not even Qiu Yong.


    The blind youth named Yang Chen, had especially keen hearing due to his blindness from birth. During Ling Chen¡¯s time at God Organization¡¯s secret base, he had witnessed Yang Chen¡¯s skills.


    And that child around ten years old named Wei Jiahao had left a deep impression on Ling Chen, having fought him before. Despite his young age, his strength was extraordinary. It was only after Qiu Yong¡¯s introduction that Ling Chen understood that Wei Jiahao¡¯s might wasn¡¯t due to solid martial arts foundations, but because he excelled at Mechanical Techniques and liked to tinker with mechanical gadgets.


    Inside Wei Jiahao¡¯s clothing were all sorts of intricate mechanisms, linked together with springs, which allowed him to exert formidable strength.


    Ling Chen was very impressed; despite Wei Jiahao¡¯s young age, he was incredibly clever. Even modern scientists might not be able to produce such precise devices.

 Chapter 354: The 350th Beauty Coming Out of the Bath

    <h4>Chapter 354: The 350th Beauty Coming Out of the Bath</h4><h4></h4>


    Among the eight entrics, aside from these five people, plus Qiu Yong and the newly joined Ling Chen, there is one more person, who is also the most mysterious among the eight entrics.


    The reason why he is considered mysterious is that he¡¯s usually silent and reserved, hardly speaks, and always likes to sit alone. This man is about forty years old and goes by the name Xu Ming. He is the second eldest among the eight entrics, with a very ordinary appearance that wouldn¡¯t stand out in a crowd.


    After Qiu Yong finished introducing everyone, Ling Chen quietly asked Xia Yue for more information, but even Xia Yue didn¡¯t know much about Xu Ming¡¯s background, only that Xu Ming is one of the senior members of the eight entrics.


    "Elder Qiu, should we... perhaps be sworn brothers?"


    Qiu Yong replied with a light smile, "There¡¯s no need for such formalities. We eight entrics don¡¯t care for thosemon rituals, but a drink is unavoidable."


    "Let¡¯s go, my treat," Ling Chen said generously.


    After the drinks, it was already midnight. Ling Chen said his goodbyes to Qiu Yong and the others, then drove back to Wealthy Manor in a drunken state.


    Once he entered his room, Ling Chen didn¡¯t even bother to shower before copsing into bed and falling asleep, until the next morning when he was woken up by Nanrong Wanqing.


    Smelling the scent of alcohol on Ling Chen, Nanrong Wanqing frowned slightly and chided, "Don¡¯t you know to drink less? Too much alcohol is bad for your health."


    With sleepy eyes, Ling Chen looked at the beautiful Nanrong Wanqing by his bedside and shed a grin. Before she could dodge, he grabbed Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s hand and pulled her into his embrace, savoring her intoxicating fragrance.


    "How annoying," Nanrong Wanqing, blushing, beat on Ling Chen¡¯s chest, her delicate body wriggling slightly as she tried to break free from his arms. However, their bodies were tightly pressed together, and her movement instantly prompted a morning reaction from the just-awakened Ling Chen. Fortunately, they were covered with a quilt, which spared them any embarrassment.


    Ling Chen, unable to resist the adorable face of Nanrong Wanqing, flipped over, pinning her delicate body beneath him and went straight for those tempting red lips, savoring her sweetness without any restraint.


    Nanrong Wanqing struggled briefly before melting into Ling Chen¡¯s tenderness, wrapping her arms around his waist, passionately reciprocating.


    "Wanqing, breakfast is ready, you guys..."


    Just then, Su Lin suddenly appeared at the bedroom door. Seeing the two people on the bed closely entwined, Su Lin¡¯s pretty face instantly flushed red, and she quickly covered her eyes,ining, "Cousin, could you at least be a bit more discreet?"


    Caught red-handed by Su Lin, Nanrong Wanqing felt incredibly embarrassed and hurriedly pushed Ling Chen away, dashing out of the room as if fleeing, not daring to stay a second longer.


    Ling Chen climbed out of bed smilingly, stretchedzily, knowing that flirting with a beauty early in the morning is good for both mental and physical health.


    After taking a shower and changing into a set of clean clothes, Ling Chen made his way to the dining room, only to find Su Lin had already left for school, and Nanrong Wanqing was sitting at the table alone, eating cereal. When she saw Ling Chen, her newly regainedposure was againpromised as a blush crept up her cheeks, looking irresistibly shy and charming.


    "What did you dost night?" Nanrong Wanqing tried to change the subject.


    "I was drinking with some friends."


    Thinking ofst night¡¯s events, Ling Chen rubbed his slightly aching forehead, it felt almost like a dream¡ªhim bing a member of the eight entrics. While he was pondering, the ringtone from his cellphone in his pocket went off. Ling Chen took out his phone, nced at the iing number, and quickly answered, "Elder Qiu, you looking for me?"


    "Still calling me Elder Qiu?"


    Hearing Qiu Yong¡¯s chiding tone, Ling Chen immediately realized his mistake and corrected himself with a smile, "Big brother."


    The eight entrics didn¡¯t care about seniority, regardless of age; everyone addressed Qiu Yong as Big Brother. Being the sixth oldest among the eight entrics, they all called Ling Chen either Ling Cheng or Big Brother.


    "Ling Cheng, if you¡¯re freeter,e to the hotel; we have a task to undertake."


    "No problem, I¡¯ll be there on time."


    After breakfast, Ling Chen and Zhong Wei took a group of people to send Nanrong Wanqing to the headquarters of Hongyu Group, and then he drove alone to the hotel where Qiu Yong and the others were staying.


    In the Chinese-style tea restaurant on the third floor of the hotel, Ling Chen met everyone who was dining.


    "Brother Ling, you should be clear about our main purpose foring to East Sea City this time."


    Hearing Qiu Yong¡¯s words, Ling Chen¡¯s mind stirred, and he asked, "Is it for Dongfang Yu?"


    "Correct." The one-armed man Yuan Yun nodded and said, "Since we killed Dongfang Yu¡¯s disciple back then, Dongfang Yu will look for revenge sooner orter. Given this, we might as well take the initiative and just take him down."


    "Dongfang Yu is a master from the Earthly List, big brother, do you guys have a way to deal with him?"


    Qiu Yong pointed to the Archer God Zhang Zhongfeng sitting next to him and said with a smile, "With your third brother here, what¡¯s there to fear?"


    That¡¯s true.


    Ling Chen nodded silently. Back then at Zongming Mountain, Zhang Zhongfeng had forced He Ziyun to retreat with three arrows, demonstrating overwhelming strength.


    "Brother Ling, you¡¯ve stayed in East Sea City for quite a while, can you find a way to help us locate Dongfang Yu?"


    "Big brother, I¡¯m not sure I can, but I can try. How about this, I¡¯ll ask someone to look for him first, and notify you if there¡¯s any news."


    "Alright, thank you for your trouble."


    Ling Chen grinned and said, "We¡¯re brothers, no need for formalities."


    ...


    Leaving the hotel, Ling Chen drove directly to Qingyun Martial Arts Hall. To find out Dongfang Yu¡¯s whereabouts, he could only seek assistance from He Ziyun.


    Knocking on the door of the martial arts hall, Little Hua looked at Ling Chen listlessly, quite different from her usual enthusiasm, showing an unhappy face. Seeing this, Ling Chen scooped up the little girl into his arms and asked, "What¡¯s wrong? Did someone upset you?"


    "Sister Xiaozhu is sick," Little Hua said sorrowfully.


    "Xiaozhu?" Ling Chen was slightly shocked and asked, "Is she in the academy?"


    "She¡¯s in her room; Master said Sister Xiaozhu is very sick."


    "Let¡¯s go, take me to see her."


    Reaching the door of Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s bedroom, Little Hua suddenly grabbed Ling Chen¡¯s sleeve and said, "Big brother, you go in by yourself first, Master asked me to fetch medicine for him, and I almost forgot."


    "Alright."


    Ling Chen responded, set Little Hua down on the ground, and then pushed open the door to enter the bedroom.


    As soon as he entered, Ling Chen froze on the spot. Inside the room, steam was swirling, and the fragrance was rich. Through a hazy mist, there was arge wooden tub near the window. Along with the sound of water, a snowy figure stood up from the tub, her hair dancing, cascading down her delicate back, and her tender shoulders covered with droplets.


    Although ayer of steam obscured the view a bit, it did not hinder Ling Chen from clearly seeing the elegant and fair body.


    Gazing at the beautiful curves and voluptuous figure, Ling Chen¡¯s mind went nk, and his breath involuntarily held still.


    At this moment, the beauty in the tub waspletely unaware of Ling Chen¡¯s presence behind her, she kept on moving out of the tub and turned towards the clothes on the bed. However, the moment she turned around, her eyes were immediately drawn to Ling Chen standing at the doorway.

 Chapter 355 - 351: Flower-like Beauty and Moon-like Appearance

    <h4>Chapter 355: Chapter 351: Flower-like Beauty and Moon-like Appearance</h4><h4></h4>


    At this moment, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes widened, all his attention captivated by the stunningly beautiful and pale body before him. In the dimness, those bright white thighs, slender waist, and round breasts, along with her exceptionally beautiful face, radiated deadly seduction. Any man would find it hard to resist such temptation.


    Ling Chen was a man, and a vigorous one at that. Further fueled by the waves of desire evoked by the Prajnaparamita Sutra, he felt an urge surging outward from his belly, his throat involuntarily swallowing, his clear pupils growing brighter.


    However, after a brief daze, Zhu Xiaozhu snapped back to reality. Her cherry-like mouth slightly open, she let out an "Ah" of shock, her hands hurriedly pulling a bath towel from the bed to wrap around her delicate body, concealing all her charm.


    Seeing that Ling Chen was still staring intently at her, Zhu Xiaozhu felt her face burning hot, a deep red flush spreading across, adding a more seductive allure in the steamy air, making it hard for anyone to look away.


    "You... you¡¯re still looking!" Zhu Xiaozhu bit her thin lips, holding the towel with both hands against her full figure, she looked annoyedly at the ground, unable to meet Ling Chen¡¯s gaze.


    Chided by Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s light scolding, Ling Chen finally came back to senses, turning his head with an awkward expression, sheepishly saying, "I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know you were bathing."


    While apologizing, Ling Chen internallyined about Little Hua. It must have been that girl who did it on purpose, knowing Zhu Xiaozhu was bathing in the room, thus she found an excuse to leave him to enter alone.


    He just couldn¡¯t understand, what on earth was going on in that girl¡¯s head, toe up with such a bad idea.


    "Please... could you step out for a bit?"


    Hearing Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s weak, mosquito-like voice, Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately stepped outside. He dared not stay in the room any longer, fearing that he couldn¡¯t resist the temptation and might do something excessive.


    As he heard the door close, Zhu Xiaozhu breathed a sigh of relief, but the blush on her cheeks did not fade quickly, her beauty radiant and moving.


    Thinking about the long-unseen Ling Chen suddenly appearing before her, she actually felt a bit thrilled at that instant. However, as soon as she thought about her rtionship with Ling Chen, and Zhu Hong being involved, her joy disappeared instantly, reced with endless mncholy and helplessness.


    With a soft sigh, Zhu Xiaozhu let go of her hands, the white towel falling to the floor, revealing her slender and graceful pale figure, her smooth belly was like a tender willow swaying lightly, her soft arms, delicate like lotus roots, gently lifted, ying with the ck hair that cascaded down her shoulders.


    Then, she picked up a close-fitting garment from the bed, covering all the spring scenery in the room.


    Once dressed, Zhu Xiaozhu calmed her emotions, trying to forget the awkward scene just now, then she pushed the door and walked out.


    At this moment, Ling Chen was standing alone by the door, quietly waiting. Hearing the sound of the door behind him, Ling Chen immediately turned around, his gaze meeting the charmingly gentle Zhu Xiaozhu, stirring up slight ripples in his heart.


    This woman was unspeakably beautiful, as if all the essence of the world was integrated into her.


    Internally eximing, Ling Chen thought of the words previously spoken by Little Hua, looking at Zhu Xiaozhu a couple more times. Perhaps because she had just bathed, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s cheeks were flushed, but her spirit seemed much weaker than usual, her eyes pitifully endearing.


    Meeting Ling Chen¡¯s gaze, Zhu Xiaozhu opened her lips lightly and asked in a soft voice, "Why did youe today?"


    "I..." Ling Chen originally wanted to say he came to find He Ziyun, but instantly changed his words, "I heard you were sick, so I came to check on you. How are you, are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital?"


    Feeling the concern from the man in front of her, Zhu Xiaozhu gave a faint smile: "It¡¯s okay. Have you forgotten? I¡¯m a doctor myself. If I can¡¯t even cure myself, how can I treat others?"


    Ling Chen touched his nose and smiled: "True, then you should rest well and don¡¯t overexert yourself."


    During their conversation, Little Hua came bouncing over, holding He Ziyun¡¯s hand. Seeing her proud smile, Ling Chen had to admit, the little girl¡¯s acting skills were too good, it would be a pity for her not to be an actress. She had seemed all unhappy when they first met, but that was all just an act.


    Life depends on acting skills, and this little girl, so young, had already mastered the essence.


    "Big brother, Sister Xiaozhu." Little Hua giggled, her shiny eyes darting back and forth between Ling Chen and Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s faces, seemingly curious about what interesting thing had just happened.


    Ling Chen gave Little Hua a stern look, then greeted He Ziyun.


    "Little Hua,e, let¡¯s go out and buy some herbal medicine."


    Hearing Zhu Xiaozhu, Little Hua pouted, reluctant: "Why don¡¯t you ask big brother to apany you."


    Zhu Xiaozhu nced at Ling Chen, her pretty face blushed slightly, and she scolded Little Hua: "He¡¯s busy. If you¡¯re not going, then I will go alone." With that, Zhu Xiaozhu walked towards the outside of the Martial Arts Academy. Little Hua had no choice, she made a face at Ling Chen and quickly caught up with Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s steps.


    Watching the two of them leave, Ling Chen turned to He Ziyun and said, "Mr. He, I need your help with something."


    "What is it?"


    "I¡¯m looking for Dongfang Yu."


    After saying this, Ling Chen continued to exin his reasons. In front of He Ziyun, Ling Chen had nothing to hide.


    When Ling Chen said he had joined the ranks of the Eight entrics, the usually unppable He Ziyun couldn¡¯t hide his surprise.


    "You¡¯re really full of surprises, to think you¡¯ve ended up with the Eight entrics." He Ziyun smiled and said, "But that¡¯s good, each of the Eight entrics has their own skills, and they might be a strong support for you in your future journey. Especially that Zhang Zhongfeng, his archery is the best in the world, unmatched, it¡¯s your good fortune to have his help."


    Ling Chen knew Zhang Zhongfeng was excellent in archery, hence the title of Archery God, but he hadn¡¯t expected He Ziyun to hold such a high opinion of Zhang Zhongfeng.


    "Mr. He, how strong is Zhang Zhongfeng exactly?"


    "From a hundred meters away, he can certainly defeat me. Within a hundred meters, it¡¯s fifty-fifty. Within fifty meters, he will undoubtedly lose."


    Hearing He Ziyun¡¯s judgment, Ling Chen was secretly stunned. This meant that he had really stumbled upon a great advantage. As long as he kept the Eight entrics by his side in the future, who would dare to mess with him.


    Thinking this, he couldn¡¯t help but feel secretly delighted.


    "If you want to find Dongfang Yu, I can help you. ording to my knowledge, Dongfang Yu has been staying in East Sea City recently, but I need some time to pinpoint his exact location. For now, you go back, and I¡¯ll inform you once I have news."

 Chapter 356 - 352: Nanrong Wanqing’s Little Secret

    <h4>Chapter 356: Chapter 352: Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s Little Secret</h4><h4></h4>


    Back at the headquarters of Hongyu Group, it was almost noon. Ling Chen gulped down some food in the cafeteria to fill his stomach, then took the elevator to the chairman¡¯s office.


    He knocked gently on the door, and getting no response from inside, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but turn his gaze towards the secretary Wang Lan outside, asking, "Where¡¯s the chairman?"


    "In the office, the chairman hasn¡¯t gone out all morning."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen didn¡¯t bother to knock again and pushed the door directly and entered. The spacious and bright office was empty, but the door to the adjoining resting room next to the office was tightly closed; Nanrong Wanqing was probably taking a nap.


    Ling Chen tiptoed to the door and quietly pushed it open a crack, only to see Nanrong Wanqing lying sideways on the bed, ying with her phone,pletely unaware of someone peeking from outside.


    Ling Chen sneaked a smile, approached like a thief, and then pounced like a tiger, pinning down on Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s delicate body.


    "Ah!"


    The suddenness of the encounter startled Nanrong Wanqing. When she saw who it was, the surprise in her beautiful eyes instantly turned into annoyance. She gently patted her chest, looking reproachfully at Ling Chen and said, "Can¡¯t you just not scare me?"


    Ling Chen, holding Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s soft body, nced at the phone in her hand and asked with a mischievous smile, "What were you doing?"


    As soon as he asked, Nanrong Wanqing seemed to think of something, her pretty face slightly changed, and she hurriedly hid her phone, stuffing it under the pillow.


    Her actions only piqued Ling Chen¡¯s curiosity further. He had merely asked casually, not expecting such a strong reaction from Nanrong Wanqing.


    "Are... are you watching some adult movies or what?"


    Flushed, Nanrong Wanqing retorted, "I don¡¯t watch those kinds of things."


    "Then what were you doing?"


    "I..." Nanrong Wanqing was at a loss for words, not knowing how to exin, so she changed the subject, "I have my privacy, don¡¯t ask too much."


    Seeing that she brought up her privacy, Ling Chen felt it was not appropriate to ask further, yet his curiosity was itching inside.


    With a beauty in his arms, Ling Chen¡¯s curiosity merelysted a short while before he immersed in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s sweet lips, seeking her fragrance.


    After a period of entanglement, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s cheeks were flushed and her eyes were like silk, gasping under Ling Chen¡¯s firm hands. If not for thest bit of her rationality, her bra would almost have been torn off by Ling Chen.


    "Why are you getting more and more lewd?" Nanrong Wanqing reproached. When she first met Ling Chen, he wasn¡¯t this bold; usually at most they would be affectionate at home, but now he doesn¡¯t even spare the office.


    She too was bing increasingly sensitive, barely able to hold herself at the slightest provocation. Compared to before, she had changed too much. Often when she thought of herself lost in amorous caresses, she was almost too embarrassed to face herself.


    Hearing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s reproach, Ling Chen grinned and cheekily responded, "What kind of man would I be if I weren¡¯t lewd?"


    During their conversation, a knocking sound came from the resting room door.


    "Chairman, are you there?" The voice of Wang Lan came through the door, causing Nanrong Wanqing immense embarrassment as she red resentfully at Ling Chen. If Wang Lan were to see her in this state, the image she had carefully cultivated in the minds of the employees would bepletely ruined.


    Taking a deep breath, Nanrong Wanqing tried to adjust her tone and replied, "What is it?"


    "The manager from HR wants to see you."


    "Understood, tell him toe over in ten minutes."


    Once the footsteps of Wang Lan faded away from the door, Nanrong Wanqing hurriedly stood up and straightened her dishevelled clothes. Ling Chen, propping his head with one hand, stared unblinkingly at the beauty in front of him, feeling as if recent events were like a dream.


    "Still looking?" Nanrong Wanqing lightly tapped on Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder, saying annoyedly, "Get out now, I have work to do."


    Ling Chen shrugged his shoulders, reluctantly sitting up. Nanrong Wanqing took out a mobile phone from beneath the pillow and left the rest room first.


    What secrets lie within that phone? Ling Chen thought to himself, his curiosity once again piqued.


    Leaving the chairman¡¯s office under the ambiguous gaze of Wang Lan, Ling Chen stepped into the elevator.


    He had not yet arrived at the security office when he received a call from Jiang Yunkai.


    "Bai Huanjun just got discharged from the hospital. I did as you instructed and didn¡¯t follow him."


    "Understood."


    "By the way, if you have time now,e over. Everyone has something they wish to discuss with you."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll be right there."


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen headed to the underground parking lot, driving straight to the destination. Half an hourter, he met Jiang Yunkai and Zhao Zhengxiong at a courierpany in Old City, surprisingly, even Nanrong Hao showed up.


    "Chen."


    "Why aren¡¯t you in school? What are you doing here?"


    "There¡¯s a big issue. Hao is still in the hospital undergoing rehabilitation, and we¡¯re short-handed here. As a part of Old City, how can I stand idly by?"


    Hearing Nanrong Hao¡¯s reasoning, Ling Chen chose not to argue and asked, "What¡¯s the matter?"


    When it came to the matter at hand, Zhao Zhengxiong¡¯s expression turned solemn. He pulled out a map of East Sea City, spread it on the table, and ced several coins on various districts of the city.


    "Chen, look. East Sea City has six districts: North City District, South District, West District, East District, as well as Central District and Old City. Previously, Dongyi Group¡¯s influence was primarily concentrated in Central District and the three districts to the east, south, and west. Since Old City is mixed and chaotic and North City District is rtively remote, Dongyi Group didn¡¯t extend its influence to these two districts. These past few days, I¡¯ve gathered some information on the streets. It was the forces from North City District that attacked us this time. Before, they thought the police had orchestrated the downfall of Dongyi Group, so they hesitated, not daring to take over. Once we took control, they realized and reacted. From what I know, the people from North City District are very ambitious, wanting to swallow several districts in one go."


    Ling Chen nodded and asked, "How strong are the forces in North City District?"


    "They have about six or seven hundred people, almost equal to our forces in Old City."


    "What are your thoughts?"


    "The territory left by Dongyi Group is massive, covering four districts. If we take over entirely, we¡¯ll face a severe shortage of manpower. I¡¯m worried that hiring temporarily would result in a mixed quality of personnel, potentially undermining our foundation. Plus, with the people from North City District watching closely, if we spread our manpower too thin, we won¡¯t be able to confront them, only giving them the upper hand. So, after careful consideration, I think we should act within our capacity, take over a portion first, and let go of the rest. Once our foundation is solid, we can slowly reim those territories. Chen, what do you think?"

 Chapter 357 - 353: Ceding Power

    <h4>Chapter 357: Chapter 353: Ceding Power</h4><h4></h4>


    After listening to Zhao Zhengxiong¡¯s analysis, Ling Chen looked at him in a new light. He always thought Zhao was careless, but he turned out to be a meticulous person with a great sense of the bigger picture, not blinded by immediate lucrative gains but rather able to see through them and act ordingly.


    Before, Ling Chen thought only Jiang Hao was smart, but it seems Zhao Zhengxiong is not bad either.


    Ling Chen smirked and nodded, "You¡¯ve thought it through well. Since you¡¯re suggesting this, you must have aplete n. Let¡¯s hear it."


    With Ling Chen¡¯s affirmation, Zhao Zhengxiong felt encouraged and continued, "The Old City is our stronghold, we definitely can¡¯t lose it. Moreover, the Central District is the center of East Sea City, the most prosperous area. We can¡¯t let such a juicy slice slip away. The East District is adjacent to both the Old City and Central District, which makes it easy to manage. My idea is to only keep these two districts. We can give up the West District and South District to others."


    "Good, I support your decision." Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate; Zhao Zhengxiong¡¯s analysis was logical and sound, making this the best arrangement. With that said, Ling Chen turned to Jiang Yunkai, "How is the progress with those four securitypanies?"


    "After preliminary screening, only a bit more than thirty individuals meet the basic conditions."


    Jiang Yunkai finished speaking, Zhao Zhengxiong couldn¡¯t help butin, "Chen, don¡¯t me me for nagging, but isn¡¯t Kai a bit too harsh? I sent over four hundred people, and not even one-tenth got selected."


    "My n is to transform the securitypany into a top-notch individualbat team, naturally the selection must be strict. Give me half a year to train them, those thirty plus people will be as effective as three hundred, I assure you won¡¯t be disappointed."


    "Really? That¡¯s impressive."


    It wasn¡¯t just Zhao Zhengxiong and Nanrong Hao; even Ling Chen was somewhat skeptical, thinking Jiang Yunkai¡¯s statement was an exaggeration.


    Jiang Yunkai calmly said, "Those people are physically fit and with the unique training method of my sect, there will absolutely be no problem."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll see the result after half a year." Ling Chen was no longer dubious, knowing that seeing is believing.


    Leaving the courierpany, Jiang Yunkai was just about to head to the securitypany, so Ling Chen gave him a ride along the way.


    As the car merged into the traffic, Jiang Yunkai nced at Ling Chen who was driving and asked, "The people in the North City District can be troublesome, but with our abilities, it wouldn¡¯t be hard to handle them. Why then did you let Zhao Zhengxiong exert so much effort?"


    Ling Chen smiled, "The rise of a nation often requires enduring many hardships and difficulties. If things are too easy, no one will cherish what they have. We¡¯re currently having a smooth ride, but that¡¯s not necessarily a good thing. Jiang Hao, Zhao Zhengxiong, including Nanrong Hao, used to engage in minor skirmishes; suddenly letting them take over the entire underground forces of East Sea City, do you think that¡¯s wise? What I need is not just a force but a solid and mature team. For them, this is a process of growth and experience."


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s words, Jiang Yunkai gave a thumbs up, generously praising, "You really do have a far-sighted vision."


    While they were talking, two Mercedes-Benz sedans suddenly sped up from behind and quickly overtook Ling Chen¡¯s muscle car.


    Have they finally made a move?


    Ling Chen¡¯s lips curved slightly; he had noticed those two Mercedes-Benz sedans trailing behind throughout the ride.


    Looking at the two Mercedes-Benz sedans blocking the road ahead, Jiang Yunkai frowned, "Who are they?"


    "We¡¯ll find out soon."


    As he finished speaking, the two Mercedes-Benz cars abruptly came to a harsh stop. Fearing a collision, Ling Chen instantly hit the brakes, bringing the car to a secure stop.


    At that moment, two men in suits stepped out from the Mercedes-Benz cars and quickly approached the driver¡¯s side window. Ling Chen rolled down the window, squinting at them, he asked, "What can I do for you gentlemen?"


    "Mr. Ling, our Miss would like to invite you over."


    "Who?"


    "Go and you¡¯ll find out."


    "Not even willing to say a name, that¡¯s really insincere. Tell your missus that I¡¯m not free today; ask her to make an appointment."


    The man in the suit coldly said, "Mr. Ling, you¡¯d better cooperate with us willingly, don¡¯t make it difficult. Otherwise, don¡¯t me us for not being polite."


    Ling Chen grinned, a yful smile on his face: "Try it."


    The two men in suits looked slightly cold, snorted lightly, reached out to grab the car door handle, and tried to forcibly pull Ling Chen out of the car. But just then, a van suddenly drove up from the left, parked next to the muscle car, right beside Ling Chen¡¯s driver seat. Following that, the window rolled down, and a face as cold as frost appeared before Ling Chen.


    Seeing the person, Ling Chen smiled and said, "I was wondering who was asking me, turns out it¡¯s Miss Qin."


    Qin Wu signaled the two men in suits with her eyes, and once they stepped back, she turned her gaze to Ling Chen and asked, "Can we talk in the car for a bit?"


    "Would I dare not to show respect when Miss Qin asks?" Ling Chen said with a smile, pushed open the car door, and got into the van by himself.


    Inside the van, apart from Qin Wu and the driver, there was no one else. Ling Chen felt a bit relieved; he was actually worried that Liu Yunsong might appear. Calming himself down, Ling Chen looked at Qin Wu¡¯s beautiful face and asked, "What did Miss Qin want to see me about?"


    "I want that weapon," Qin Wu got straight to the point. Without waiting for Ling Chen to respond, she continued, "I don¡¯t want to bring up the past events; I just want that weapon back. As long as your demands aren¡¯t too excessive, I can agree to them."


    A weapon?


    So it was about that weapon called Tianling. Ling Chen suddenly understood, but still felt puzzled, wondering why Qin Wu insisted on getting that weapon¡ªwas it very important to her?


    Seeing Ling Chen in deep thought and not responding, Qin Wu couldn¡¯t help urging, "So is it possible or not?"


    Ling Chen looked at Qin Wu meaningfully and said lightly, "Miss Qin seems to care a lot about that weapon. Does it have some special significance?"


    Qin Wu¡¯s expression faltered, realizing she had been too eager. To prevent Ling Chen from noticing more, she withdrew the urgency in her eyes and spoke emotionlessly, "You¡¯re thinking too much. That weapon has special significance for my sect, so I want to reim it."


    As if I¡¯d believe you!


    Ling Chen thought to himself. That weapon must be not simple; otherwise, right after falling out with Qin Wu and her Senior Uncle Liu Yunsong, and with Qin Wu¡¯s hatred towards him, she wouldn¡¯te to him lowering her stance and allowing him to name any conditions.


    After going back today, he should study the weapon carefully to see what secrets it conceals.


    "Ling Chen."


    Qin Wu¡¯s sharp call pulled Ling Chen back to the present.


    "Miss Qin, I am very sorry, but I quite like that weapon, so I am not nning to part with it."


    "You..."


    "If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be heading back now, goodbye!" After saying that, not waiting for Qin Wu to speak again, Ling Chen had already opened the car door and walked out.


    Getting back in his car, Ling Chen started the vehicle, first dropped Jiang Yunkai off at the securitypany, then drove back to Wealthy Manor alone, and found the weapon ced in his bedroom.

 Chapter 358 - 354: The Long Spear

    <h4>Chapter 358: Chapter 354: The Long Spear</h4><h4></h4>


    After obtaining this weapon, Ling Chen still hadn¡¯t had the time to properly study it. Today, Qin Wu¡¯s actions had sparked a strong interest in this weapon.


    The weapon wasid out in front of him, held up by Ling Chen¡¯s hands for a closer inspection. At the top of the cylindrical body, there was a clever mechanism that controlled the extension and retraction of the sword de. The surface of the cylinder was etched with many patterns, and it felt quite heavy in hand. However, it seemed that besides these features, there were no other special functions.


    Moments passed, and Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but doubt - could it be that Qin Wu hadn¡¯t deceived him? Was her determination to obtain this weapon simply because it held special significance for her sect?


    Lost in thought, Ling Chen casually maneuvered the weapon, his eyes reflecting contemtion.


    Suddenly, the astute Ling Chen noticed a thin seam in the middle of the cylinder, hard to spot due to the oveying patterns. He immediately grasped both ends of the cylinder and gently twisted.


    Click!


    With a soft sound, the middle part of the cylinder began to rotate. At the same time, the cylinder, initially only a foot in length, rapidly extended from both ends, transforming into a six-foot long staff. Not only that, when he pressed the clever mechanism, a sharp sword de suddenly protruded from the top of the staff, instantly turning the staff into a long spear.


    Tsk, tsk!


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up, so this was it. He had to admit, even calling this craftsmanship heaven-defying wouldn¡¯t be an overstatement. After all, this weapon was crafted hundreds of years ago. To produce something so intricate in an era with such limited technology was quite the feat.


    However, as ingenious as this weapon was, it likely wasn¡¯t the main reason that attracted Qin Wu. There must be other secrets hidden within it.


    Sadly, after over two hours of searching, Ling Chen had examined every part and found nothing else. Regardless, having this exquisitely made weapon suited his taste well, and it wouldn¡¯t hurt to keep it by his side.


    ...


    Night fell.


    After having dinner with Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin, Ling Chen sat on the living room sofa, legs on the coffee table, holding a remote control, idly flipping through channels.


    At this moment, the ringtone of his mobile phone echoed from his pocket. Ling Chen pulled out his phone, nced at the unfamiliar caller ID, and answered the call with a "hello."


    "Mr. Ling."


    Hearing the caller¡¯s voice, Ling Chen immediately knew who it was - Zhu Yansong, the top producer from Silver Star Entertainment Company.


    "Mr. Zhu, is there something you need?"


    There was a hint of anxiety in Zhu Yansong¡¯s tone as he urgently said, "Mr. Ling, there¡¯s a problem with Miss Tang."


    "Tang Shiyun?" Ling Chen¡¯s heart sank as he hurriedly asked, "Has something happened to her?"


    "No, no, no, she¡¯s safe. It¡¯s about Miss Tang¡¯s mother. After you helped rescue Miss Tang from the kidnappers, Miss Yao wasn¡¯t satisfied with how ourpany handled the situation and wants to take Miss Tang out of Silver Star Entertainment to join anotherpany." Zhu Yansong sighed, "President Yang and I have tried persuading her, but Miss Yao is hell-bent on severing ties with us."


    That idiotic woman!


    Ling Chen frowned slightly. Truthfully, he had no fondness for Yao Li; she was too mercenary, only considering immediate benefits without thinking about her daughter¡¯s feelings.


    "Mr. Zhu, what¡¯s the situation now?"


    "Mr. Ling, it¡¯s not clear over the phone. How about this - when you have time,e to Silver Star Entertainment, and we can talk in person."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll be there right away."


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen greeted Nanrong Wanqing and then drove alone to the headquarters of Silver Star Entertainment. Shortly after he left, a neatly dressed Nanrong Wanqing came out of the room and went straight out the door.


    Su Lin, who was watching TV, couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Wanqing, where are you going?"


    "Just have something to do."


    "Do you want me toe with you?"


    "No need, I¡¯ve got Zhong Wei and the others with me, you stay home."


    Su Lin responded and continued watching the TV program, not asking any further.


    Leaving the Nanrong home, Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t take any security personnel with her, but went alone to the entrance of Wealthy Manor. Then, she took out her cell phone and dialed a number, saying, "I¡¯m here."


    A few minutes passed, and a white Honda van drove up from the side of the road and stopped next to Nanrong Wanqing.


    The car door opened, Nanrong Wanqing looked at the person in the car, didn¡¯t say a word, and directly got in. The car started and soon merged into the flow of traffic, disappearing from view.


    At this moment, Ling Chen had already driven to the entrance of Silver Star Entertainment¡¯s headquarters. As soon as he got out of the car, Zhu Yansong, who had been waiting at the entrance, hurried over.


    "Mr. Ling, I¡¯m terribly sorry for the inconvenience of having youe all the way herete at night."


    "It¡¯s okay." Ling Chen said nonchntly, waving his hand and asked, "Where is Shiyun?"


    "Still in the meeting room. During this period of time, Miss Yao covertly got in touch with anotherpany, and now she¡¯s leading them in negotiations with President Yang."


    "Negotiations? About what?"


    "Compensation." Zhu Yansong exined, "Initially, Miss Tang signed a ten-year contract with ourpany. If she unterally breaches the contract, she will need to pay arge sum ofpensation, about 200 million. Miss Yao cannot afford this amount, so it has to be paid by anotherpany."


    Ling Chen nodded to himself. Tang Shiyun¡¯s fame is considerable; as long as she continues to be promoted, anypany that takes over will be able to reap huge profits in the future. Naturally, there arepanies willing to pay about 200 million inpensation.


    "What¡¯s President Yang¡¯s attitude?"


    "He certainly doesn¡¯t want to let her go. Miss Tang is someone we¡¯ve cultivated with countless resources, and now that we¡¯ve finally achieved results, who would want to give away the benefits?"


    Zhu Yansong felt somewhat helpless as he continued, "The key issue now is still Miss Yao. If she doesn¡¯t relent, it probably will be difficult to keep Miss Tang."


    "Mr. Zhu, how about this, could you please call Shiyun out for me and arrange a ce for us to talk alone?"


    "Sure, no problem."


    Upon entering Silver Star Entertainment Company, Zhu Yansong took Ling Chen to his office and said, "Mr. Ling, please wait here a moment while I go call Miss Tang."


    In less than five minutes, the door of the office was pushed open from the outside. Following that, Tang Shiyun, dressed in in goose-yellow casual wear, came in. Tang Shiyun was dressed simply but it could not hide her natural beauty. However, her slightly red eyes appeared as if she had just been crying, and there were still tears lingering in the corners of her eyes, looking vulnerable and pitiful.


    Upon opening the door and seeing Ling Chen in the office, Tang Shiyun was momentarily taken aback; it seemed she hadn¡¯t expected Ling Chen to be there and froze on the spot.


    Ling Chen gave a wry smile and said, "You little girl."


    Hearing the familiar nickname, Tang Shiyun¡¯s tears broke free like a flood, unable to stop them from gushing out, erupting all her emotions.


    "Ling."


    With a tender shout, Tang Shiyun threw herself into Ling Chen¡¯s arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist.

 Chapter 359 - 355 Contract Dispute

    <h4>Chapter 359: Chapter 355 Contract Dispute</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen gently patted Tang Shiyun¡¯s back, soothing her copsing emotions, and softly said, "Alright, stop crying, I¡¯ll shoulder everything for you."


    After crying for a while, Tang Shiyun gradually stopped her tears and sobbingly said, "Ling, I... I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t stay."


    "How so? Has the matter been settled on their end?"


    "The other party agreed to pay the penalty, and President Yang is helpless. Even taking it to court would be useless. They are drafting the contract now."


    Ling Chen took Tang Shiyun¡¯s hand and walked with her to a sofa nearby where they sat down. Looking at Tang Shiyun, tear-stained and pitiful, Ling Chen spoke, "Girl, this is originally your family matter, and I, as an outsider, should not interfere. However, putting aside everything else, I want to know what your heart truly desires. Do you wish to go to anotherpany, or do you want to continue staying here?"


    "Mr. Zhu and President Yang have always taken good care of me, treating me like family. Of course, I want to stay, but... my mom..." Mentioning her mother, Tang Shiyun¡¯s expression immediately turned gloomy.


    If it weren¡¯t for Yao Li meddling, she wouldn¡¯t be this heartbroken. Nevertheless, that¡¯s her mother no matter what.


    Ling Chen smiled faintly, reached out to wipe away the tears at the corners of Tang Shiyun¡¯s eyes, and said, "You¡¯re already eighteen, an adult with the right to make your own decisions. It¡¯s appropriate to respect Miss Yao, your mother, but you can¡¯t hand over your entire life to her. You need to learn to control your own destiny. In terms of gratitude, President Yang and Mr. Zhu have spent so much effort developing you. If you leave them now and turn to anotherpany, even if they don¡¯t say anything, outsiders will criticize you for being ungrateful. Of course, I know this isn¡¯t your choice; it¡¯s mainly because of your mother."


    Tang Shiyun whispered, "I tried to persuade my mom, but she won¡¯t listen to me."


    "You, everything about you is good, just your character is too soft. On this matter, your mother¡¯s approach is terribly wrong, and you can¡¯t afford to make the same mistake alongside her."


    "Ling, then what should I do?"


    "Like I said earlier, you need to learn to make decisions for yourself, and you must take a firm stance on this issue. Frankly speaking, for better or for worse, what your mom is doing now is ruining your future, treating you merely as a tool to make money without considering your feelings at all. If you can¡¯t break free from your mom¡¯s control, you will have a hard time growing in the future."


    Seeing Tang Shiyun looking hesitant, Ling Chen continued to persuade, "Girl, if you trust me, do as I say, and don¡¯t let your mom interfere anymore."


    After saying that, Ling Chen fell silent. He knew that Tang Shiyun was a filial daughter, and asking her to go against her mother was undoubtedly difficult. But he had no choice; for Tang Shiyun to be free, she needed to break away from Yao Li¡¯s control.


    Time ticked away, second by second, and Tang Shiyun kept her head down, indecisive. Ling Chen understood her feelings, so he didn¡¯t rush her, giving her ample time to think things through.


    Over ten minutester, a knocking sound ¡¯dong dong dong¡¯ came from outside the office. Following that, Zhu Yansong entered from outside, saying, "Miss Tang, Miss Yao and Mr. Tang asking you toe over." After saying this, Zhu Yansong nced at Ling Chen with an inquiring look.


    Ling Chen shrugged his shoulders, looking at Tang Shiyun beside him, and gently grasping her hand, asking, "Made a decision?"


    Tang Shiyun slightly lifted her head, her soft eyes carrying a hint of firmness. Catching the expression in her eyes, Ling Chen smiled, knowing she had made her own decision.


    "Go ahead."


    Tang Shiyun stood up and followed Zhu Yansong to the door, hesitating slightly as she turned back to look at Ling Chen on the sofa, softly saying, "Ling, can youe with me?" After speaking, she fiddled with the hem of her clothes, hesitantly adding, "I¡¯m afraid... I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t have the courage when the timees, if you were by my side, I..."


    Before Tang Shiyun could finish speaking, Ling Chen grinned and nodded, saying, "No problem."


    Leaving the office, the three of them went straight to the conference room on the same floor.


    Pushing the door open, they saw five people sitting inside. Besides the chairman of Silver Star Entertainment, Yang Chengfeng, and Yao Li, there were three middle-aged men in suits, probablywyers judging by the serious and stern expressions on two of their faces.


    As for the other middle-aged man, he was a representative from anotherpany, named Xu Qiang, whom Zhu Yansong had mentioned to Ling Chen beforeing in.


    Seeing Ling Chen following behind, Yang Chengfeng, who had been maintaining a stern face, brightened up and quickly stood to greet him with a smile, "Mr. Ling, hello!"


    "President Yang." Ling Chen greeted politely, then turned his gaze to Yao Li next to him.


    At this moment, Yao Li was also looking at Ling Chen, not hiding her displeasure. Especially seeing Ling Chening in with her daughter, she became even more upset, pulling Tang Shiyun aside and coldly asked, "Why are you with him?"


    "I..."


    "Miss Tang."


    Before Tang Shiyun could finish speaking, Xu Qiang, apanied by hiswyers, walked over with a smile and eagerly handed a contract to Tang Shiyun, saying, "The contract is ready, just need your signature, and you will have no further ties with Silver Star Entertainment, ourpany will pay the full penalty."


    Looking at the contract presented to her, Tang Shiyun did not reach out to take it but instead said to Yao Li, "Mom, I have something I want to talk to you about."


    Yao Li impatiently said, "Whatever you have to say, we can talk about it back home, sign the contract first." Saying that, Yao Li stuffed the contract and a pen into Tang Shiyun¡¯s hands, urging her to sign quickly.


    Tang Shiyun nced at Ling Chen standing next to her, her expression steadied, and she casually ced the contract on the conference table.


    Seeing her daughter¡¯s actions, Yao Li frowned and asked, "What are you doing?"


    "Mom, I can¡¯t sign this contract."


    "What?" Yao Li was stunned, her face immediately looking troubled as she repressed her anger and said, "Why won¡¯t you sign? We have arranged everything for you, do you know how much effort and heartache I¡¯ve put into this matter for you? Are you trying to kill me by saying you won¡¯t sign now?"


    Tang Shiyun pleaded, "Mom, please don¡¯t be mad, let me exin slowly."


    "I don¡¯t want to listen." Yao Li waved her hand, pointing at the contract on the table and said, "If you still consider me your mother, then sign it quickly."


    Tang Shiyun gathered her courage and said, "Mom, please don¡¯t force me, I¡¯ve already decided, I won¡¯t leave Silver Star Entertainment before my contract expires."


    Hearing this, Yang Chengfeng and Zhu Yansong immediately showed joy, forming a stark contrast to the tightly furrowed brows of Xu Qiang.


    Seeing her daughter disobeying her and making decisions on her own, Yao Li became furious, and eximed, "Are you deliberately trying to infuriate me to death? Tell me, is it because of this bastard?" Yao Li pointed at Ling Chen, her breathing bing more rapid.

 Chapter 360 - 356: Mother-Daughter Relationship

    <h4>Chapter 360: Chapter 356: Mother-Daughter Rtionship</h4><h4></h4>


    Tang Shiyun nced at Ling Chen, and thetter nodded slightly without speaking, his eyes offering encouragement.


    "Mom, this is my own decision, it doesn¡¯t involve anyone else; you don¡¯t need to me Ling."


    Yao Li cursed angrily: "Still calling him Ling, why are you so close with him?" Then, turning to Ling Chen, she burst out: "I know it¡¯s you, you bastard, leading my daughter astray. What business is it of yours to meddle in our family affairs? Get out! Get the hell out!"


    Yang Chengfeng slightly frowned and said, "Miss Yao, we are at Silver Star Entertainment right now, not your home. You don¡¯t have the right to tell anyone to get out."


    Yao Li was left speechless for a moment and scoffed, picking up the contract off the table and holding it in front of Tang Shiyun, speaking sternly, "If you still think of me as your mother, then sign this right away. Otherwise, I will disown you."


    Hearing her mother¡¯s coercion, Tang Shiyun¡¯s eyes immediately reddened, tears glistening, lightly biting her lower lip, she struggled to hold back her tears.


    Seeing Tang Shiyun¡¯s indifference, Xu Qiang couldn¡¯t sit still and blurted out, "Miss Tang, you reached out to us first, and now that everything has been negotiated, you¡¯re unwilling to sign. Are you taking us for a ride?"


    "I¡¯m sorry!" Tang Shiyun replied, "I never approached you, nor did I think about switchingpanies. This was orchestrated by my mother without my knowledge, and I was kept in the dark until your appearance today. I¡¯m sorry for any inconvenience caused and please forgive us."


    Hearing this, Xu Qiang looked at Yao Li with dissatisfaction and frowned, "Miss Yao, you repeatedly assured us that you could bring your daughter to ourpany. Because she is your daughter, we believed you, and even paid the upfront fee you demanded ¨C thirty million. Now that it¡¯se to this, don¡¯t you think you owe us a reasonable exnation?"


    "Thirty million?" Tang Shiyun asked in confusion; "What thirty million?"


    "You don¡¯t know?" Xu Qiang continued, "Your mother asked us to pay her thirty million as a ¡¯hardship fee¡¯ for poaching you from Silver Star Entertainment."


    "No, it¡¯s not like that, there¡¯s no such thing," Yao Li said in a panic, quickly denying.


    Xu Qiang snorted briefly, "It¡¯s written in ck and white, Miss Yao, are you trying to renege on the deal?"


    Tang Shiyun stared at Yao Li, her face deathly pale, and demanded, "Mom, what is going on, exin yourself clearly."


    Yao Li hastily replied, "I...daughter, listen to me exin, I thought you would obediently sign the contract, so I made that request. It¡¯s not excessive."


    After hearing Yao Li¡¯s exnation, Ling Chen sighed silently. Calling her mercenary was indeed urate. She was only interested in immediate benefits, utterly disregarding her daughter¡¯s future. For Tang Shiyun to have such a mother was truly tragic.


    "Miss Yao, what do you have to say now?" Xu Qiang said irritably, "The contract is right here, will you sign it or not? If you can¡¯t fulfill it, please, ording to our initial agreement, pay us fifty million including the penalty, and we can consider this matter closed."


    "My dear daughter, you¡¯ve heard it too, just sign it, mom can¡¯t afford to pay them that much in damages," Yao Li still did not give up and persuaded.


    Tang Shiyun sighed helplessly and said, "Mom, this is a mess you got yourself into, find a way to resolve it yourself; I don¡¯t have that much money either." With that, Tang Shiyun felt drained, not wanting to say another word, and turned to walk out.


    Seeing this, Yang Chengfeng gently nudged Ling Chen¡¯s arm and whispered, "Mr. Ling, gofort Tang, we¡¯ll handle things here."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll leave it to you."


    After leaving the conference room, Tang Shiyun stood alone at the balcony, gazing at the bustling night scene in the distance. Gusts of evening breeze brought a hint of early autumn chill.


    Ling Chen walked behind Tang Shiyun, took off his coat, and draped it over her, standing quietly by her side, wordless. Sometimes, silentpanionship is more powerful than words.


    "Ling."


    Tang Shiyun, holding back her tears, slightly turned and leaned her head on Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder, seekingfort. Ling Chen raised his hand, enclosing her slender waist, whispering, "Don¡¯t cry. No matter what happens, I¡¯ll always be by your side."


    Tang Shiyun nodded lightly, her lips curving into a sweet smile.


    The evening breeze was cool, but with Ling Chen by her side, she felt a warm heart, unfearing of the chill.


    Momentster, the sound of footsteps approached from behind. Ling Chen and Tang Shiyun turned around to see Zhu Yansong walking up.


    "Mr. Zhu."


    "Mr. Zhu, how did it go? Is everything taken care of?"


    Zhu Yansong smiled lightly and said, "It¡¯s all settled. The 30 million plus the penalty will be paid by ourpany in full. The 30 million that Miss Yao got can stay with her, but starting from today, she cannot be involved in any matter rted to Miss Tang. From now on, all affairs will be fully handled by Miss Tang herself and ourpany."


    At this point, Zhu Yansong paused slightly before continuing, "Miss Tang, you have a ten-year contract with Silver Star Entertainment. President Yang¡¯s hope is that you could renew it early and extend the contract to fifteen years. Do you have any objections?"


    "I ept," Tang Shiyun replied without hesitation.


    "This is a happy oue for all," Ling Chen remarked with a smile.


    "Well..." Tang Shiyun hesitated before asking, "Mr. Zhu, what about my mother?"


    "She¡¯s still in the conference room. You can go see her if you want. It¡¯s a good opportunity to have a proper talk. After all, you¡¯re family, and there¡¯s no need for rtions to be so strained."


    Ling Chen added, "Mr. Zhu is right, go see your mom. Hopefully, this incident will serve as a lesson for her."


    "Then I¡¯ll head there first."


    After seeing Tang Shiyun off, Ling Chen didn¡¯t stay long. He greeted Zhu Yansong and then drove back to Wealthy Manor.


    When he arrived back at the Nanrong home, Su Lin was still watching TV in the living room. Ling Chen casually asked, "Where¡¯s Wanqing?"


    "She went out."


    "Out?" Ling Chen said in surprise, "What for?"


    "She didn¡¯t say. With Zhong Wei and the others with her, you don¡¯t have to worry."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s eyebrows instantly knitted together, "When I just got back, I ran into Captain Zhong and his team, and they definitely didn¡¯t go out."


    "Ah?" Su Lin¡¯s face turned to shock as she sprang from the couch, "Really?"


    Without another word, Ling Chen quickly took out his phone and dialed Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s number. Immediately, however, the line on the other end beeped with the busy signal that the phone was switched off.


    What is this woman doing?


    Ling Chen¡¯s mind raced with urgency, and he turned and ran out of the vi.


    By then, the Honda minivan had already left the city area, arriving at a deserted countryside. In front of an abandoned derelict house, the Honda minivan came to a stop.


    The car door opened, and Nanrong Wanqing got out alone, heading towards the lit-up broken house.

 Chapter 361 - 357: Dongfang Yu Reappears

    <h4>Chapter 361: Chapter 357: Dongfang Yu Reappears</h4><h4></h4>


    Wealthy Manor, security room.


    Ling Chen stood in front of the monitor with a solemn expression, reviewing the surveince footage. Following the time frame provided by Su Lin, it didn¡¯t take him long to spot Nanrong Wanqing in the video. As a high-end residential area, the facilities here wereprehensive, with cameras installed at nearly every section of the road, clearly capturing the Honda business car that appeared beside Nanrong Wanqing.


    Looking at the Honda business car on the screen, Ling Chen quickly pulled out his phone and dialed a number.


    "Hello! Officer Xia, sorry to disturb you thiste, but I need a favor. Could you check a license te number for me, and also its current location... Yes, it¡¯s urgent, I would appreciate a prompt response... Okay, thank you."


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen walked out of the security room with a frown, heading towards the Nanrong family home.


    He was now curious about who was in that Honda business car. Nanrong Wanqing was always cautious by nature, she would not have left without even a word of notice, unless the person she was meeting or the matter she was dealing with was highly secretive.


    As his thoughts raced, Ling Chen suddenly remembered how earlier that day in the office lounge, Nanrong Wanqing had hidden her cell phone very carefully, as if she was afraid he would discover some secret. Could there be a connection between the two?


    Lost in thought, Ling Chen heard his phone ring in his pocket. He took it out, expecting it to be Xia Mutong calling him, internallymenting on the girl¡¯s quick efficiency, ready to answer. But as soon as he saw the caller ID, his face turned to shock.


    It was Nanrong Wanqing!


    Without a second thought, he answered the call, greeted her, and asked impatiently, "Wanqing, where are you?"


    "Ling Chen, I... I¡¯m not in a position to talk right now, just listen to me. I have to leave for a few days, please tell grandfather that he will take care of things at Hongyu Group. If nothing unexpected happens, I should be back in a week at most. You don¡¯t have to worry about my safety."


    Hearing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s voice, Ling Chen hurriedly asked, "Who are you with..."


    Beep beep! Beep beep!


    Before he could finish, he was greeted by a busy tone from the other end, and when he tried to call back, the phone was already switched off.


    Recalling Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s words just now, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help feeling anxious. The woman had left without giving any reason, not even saying who she was with, only mentioning that she had to leave for a while, how could he not worry?


    Returning to the Nanrong home, Su Lin saw Ling Chen rush in from outside and asked, "Where¡¯s Wanqing, did you find her?"


    "She..." Before Ling Chen could exin, his phone rang again.


    This time it was Xia Mutong.


    "Hello! Officer Xia, did you find it?"


    "I¡¯ve found it, that Honda business car you mentioned is heading towards the airport, about half an hour from arrival. Ling Chen, who is in the car?"


    "Wanqing is in the car, I don¡¯t know who she¡¯s with. Officer Xia, please contact airport security, do whatever it takes to stop them, I¡¯m on my way there right now."


    With that, Ling Chen put away his phone, rushed into the room, slid the Tianling de into his waistband, and hurried outside.


    As he reached the house¡¯s entrance, Ling Chen pulled out his car keys, ready to drive to the airport, but then he heard a bout of severe coughing reaching his ears.


    Turning his head, Ling Chen saw an elderly man sitting on a bench opposite the Nanrong home, wearing thin clothes, leaning on a cane, his wrinkled face turning slightly red from coughing.


    Sensing Ling Chen¡¯s gaze, the old man slowly lifted his head, a sharp gleam shing through his cloudy eyes.


    Once Ling Chen saw the old man¡¯s face clearly, his pupils shrank and his expression changed drastically.


    Dongfang Yu!


    This old geezer actually found his way to the Nanrong Family.


    Seeing Dongfang Yu stand up and move towards him, Ling Chen immediately reached towards his lower back, his eyes warily watching the other party.


    Had it been yesterday, he would have been very happy to find Dongfang Yu. But now was not the time, he was in a hurry to get to the airport, and he had no time to waste here.


    "Dongfang Yu, another day to find me, I¡¯m in a hurry right now."


    "Tell me where the Eight entrics are, and I¡¯ll let you go immediately."


    "I don¡¯t know..."


    Before he could finish speaking, Dongfang Yu¡¯s expression suddenly turned fierce. With a light tap of his foot, he was like a gust of wind, instantly rushing to Ling Chen. Ling Chen had no time to react when he felt a pain in his throat, his airway seized by a firm hand.


    Dongfang Yu didn¡¯t stop. He kept pushing Ling Chen¡¯s body until his back hit the exterior wall of the Nanrong house. Only then did Dongfang Yu stop and raised his hand high. Ling Chen¡¯s legs immediately dangled in the air, his forehead tilted upwards, struggling to breathe.


    "Speak!" Dongfang Yu barked sharply: "Where are they?"


    Ling Chen bit down hard on his teeth, his hands pressing down on Dongfang Yu¡¯s arm, trying to alleviate the pressure on his throat.


    "Not talking, huh?" Dongfang Yu let out a coldugh, his left hand raising his cane and mming it hard onto Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder. Apanied by a burst of intense pain, Ling Chen felt like his left arm had gone numb, it was dislocated.


    Dongfang Yu¡¯s cane rose and fell mercilessly until both of Ling Chen¡¯s arms were dislocated. Then he stopped, reaching into Ling Chen¡¯s pocket, and took out his phone.


    Flipping through the phone¡¯s contact list, Dongfang Yu suddenly sneered, turning the phone screen toward Ling Chen. On the screen, the name Qiu Yong was prominently disyed.


    "And you say you don¡¯t know?"


    Dongfang Yu dialed Qiu Yong¡¯s number, turned on the speakerphone, and held it up to Ling Chen, saying coldly: "Ask him where he is. If you dare say one extra word, I¡¯ll kill you on the spot."


    Dial tone...


    The call connected, and before Qiu Yong¡¯s voice came through, Ling Chen already asked: "Elder Qiu, where are you?"


    "The hotel. If you¡¯reing, juste directly. Also, haven¡¯t I told youst time, don¡¯t call me..."


    Without letting Qiu Yong finish, Ling Chen hastily took over the conversation: "Wait for me, I have taken care of the matter you asked me to handle, I¡¯ll bring the stuff over now."


    "Okay, we¡¯ve brewed some tea and will wait for you."


    Dongfang Yu hung up the call and casually threw the phone into the bushes nearby, asking, "Which hotel? Take me there. I warn you, you¡¯d better not y any tricks on me."


    After getting into the car, Ling Chen rubbed his freshly reset arms, started the vehicle, and under Dongfang Yu¡¯s close surveince, slowly drove out of Wealthy Manor.


    On the road, Ling Chen behaved properly, not daring to make any rash move. With an Earthly List master sitting beside him, he didn¡¯t dare to be reckless, unless he wished for death.


    Ten minutester, the car arrived at the destination, parked next to the hotel.


    "What floor are they on?"


    "Eight floor, rooms 803 to 808."


    "Let¡¯s go,e up with me. Once I have dealt with them, I¡¯ll give you a way out."


    Ling Chen, not daring to resist, obediently got out of the car, led Dongfang Yu into the hotel, and then took the elevator to the eighth floor of the hotel.

 Chapter 362 - 358: Encircle and Kill Dongfang Yu

    <h4>Chapter 362: Chapter 358: Encircle and Kill Dongfang Yu</h4><h4></h4>


    At the entrance to Room 803, Ling Chen knocked on the door at Dongfang Yu¡¯s signal. Dongfang Yu was clever, not standing behind or beside Ling Chen, to avoid being seen through the peephole by those inside the room.


    Ling Chen nced at Dongfang Yu hiding aside, pondering over his strategy, uncertain if Qiu Yong had noticed his warning.


    While he was contemting, the lock clicked, and the door of the room was opened from the inside; Qiu Yong, dressed in a Tang suit, appeared before Ling Chen.


    "Elder Qiu."


    Qiu Yong smiled slightly, "You¡¯re finally here;e on in, everyone is waiting for you."


    "What fine taste you all have." At this moment, Dongfang Yu turned around from outside the door frame and came in, looking at Qiu Yong inside the room, he spoke coldly, "Do you remember me?"


    Upon seeing Dongfang Yu suddenly appear, Qiu Yong¡¯s face changed, eximing, "It¡¯s you!" As soon as he finished speaking, Qiu Yong quickly reacted, hastily retreating backward.


    "Let¡¯s see where you can run to!" Dongfang Yu bellowed, his fingers spread wide like a set of talons as he lunged forward rapidly, reaching to grab Qiu Yong¡¯s face.


    However, just as Dongfang Yu crossed the threshold, a series of whistling sounds of weapons cleaving the air arose sharply. Then, several sharp short arrows shot out one after another from the door frame, aimed straight at Dongfang Yu¡¯s vital points.


    Caught off guard, Dongfang Yu¡¯s eyes widened in anger, and he immediately started swinging his cane, knocking down several of the arrows. Nheless, with over ten short arrows shooting from all directions¡ªgiven their close range¡ªDongfang Yu, no matter how skilled, couldn¡¯t possibly neutralize them all in an instant.


    In an instant, Dongfang Yu¡¯s eyebrows furrowed as several short arrows struck his legs and arms, piercing into his skin, with blood gushing out profusely.


    "Ling Chen!"


    At this moment, Qiu Yong shouted loudly, and Ling Chen got the hint instantly; taking advantage of Dongfang Yu¡¯s distracted state, he quickly rushed into the room. Only then did Ling Chen notice Zhang Zhongfeng, Xia Yue, Yuan Yun, all inside the room, each holding weapons, ready to surge forward at any moment.


    Seeing this scene, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but crack a smile¡ªit seemed they had understood his hint.


    Previously, when he called Qiu Yong, he mentioned, "The task you assigned me is taken care of; I¡¯ll bring the goods over immediately." The task Qiu Yong had given him was simply to find Dongfang Yu¡¯s whereabouts, but Dongfang Yu was unaware of this, which is why Ling Chen dared to subtly signal Qiu Yong in front of Dongfang Yu.


    "Ling Cheng, are you alright?" Wei Jiahao, who was rankedst among the Eight entrics, asked with concern.


    "It¡¯s nothing. A mere Dongfang Yu cannot harm me."


    Hearing this, Xia Yue looked at Ling Chen with a touch of irritation and scoffed with a huff, "Blowing hot air."


    "Enough chit-chat, let¡¯s deal with Dongfang Yu first." The speaker was Xu Ming, the most mysterious of the Eight entrics, second only to Qiu Yong in rank. When he spoke, no one dared to disobey.


    For a moment, everyone¡¯s gaze focused on Dongfang Yu.


    At this point, Dongfang Yu, wounded, had a face ashen with anger, his cold gaze sweeping over everyone before locking onto Qiu Yong.


    "How did you know I wasing?"


    "Thanks to my little brother¡¯s wisdom, he knew to remind us."


    "Little brother?" Dongfang Yu gasped slightly, turned his head to look at Ling Chen, and said coldly, "You¡¯re also a member of the Eight entrics?"


    Ling Chen lifted his lips into a smile and said, "Sorry, I didn¡¯t tell you beforehand."


    Facing the eight oddities present, Dongfang Yu¡¯s face looked unwell, his eyes hesitant, indecisive. Originally wanting to strike unexpectedly and attack these people, he ended up falling into their ambush instead. He was very clear about the capabilities of the eight oddities; if it was to defeat them one by one, he had absolute confidence. However, facing an eight-to-one situation, he did not have such self-assurance. Moreover, he was now injured.


    Thinking of this, Dongfang Yu could not help but think of retreating.


    The cunning and experienced Qiu Yong could see through Dongfang Yu¡¯s thoughts. He stepped forward and said indifferently: "Dongfang Yu, haven¡¯t you always wanted to seek revenge on us? Today we are all here, it¡¯s the perfect time to settle this."


    Dongfang Yu¡¯s brow furrowed, just as he was about to speak, a chilling coldness suddenly surged from the bottom of his heart. His gaze shifted only to see Zhang Zhongfeng in the room raising the bow in his hand, the sharp arrow aimed straight at his forehead.


    Not good!


    Without the slightest hesitation, Dongfang Yu immediately dodged towards the door to take cover. The moment he moved, Zhang Zhongfeng¡¯s arrow had already left the string, with such speed that it was almost invisible to the naked eye.


    Whoosh!


    A spurt of fresh blood sshed, apanied by a pained grunt.


    "Chase him!" Qiu Yong at the doorway, his expression slightly darkened, quickly dashed out, with Ling Chen and the others following closely behind.


    At this moment, Dongfang Yu, with his left hand covering his ear, his eyes clouded with dark intent, endured the pain and fled outside the inn. Zhang Zhongfeng¡¯s arrow had nearly cost him his old life just now. Fortunately, he reacted in time. Though he avoided a fatal blow, the arrow still left a deep blood mark above his left temple. It wasn¡¯t deadly, but the incessant bleeding affected his left eye, making it impossible to open.


    Being a prominent fighter on the Earthly List, now reduced to such a sorry state¡ªif this were known, his reputation would bepletely ruined.


    Whoosh!


    Amidst his thoughts, another whooshing sound of cutting air came. Following that, Dongfang Yu felt a pain in his leg and, looking down, he saw an arrow pierced through his calf, going right through his leg.


    The Archer God, Zhang Zhongfeng!


    Dongfang Yu was shocked. He had forgotten among the eight oddities in pursuit there was an archer who never missed his shot. Fleeing in a straight line was akin to delivering his life into the enemy¡¯s hands. Thinking this, he quickly changed his steps, constantly moving left and right to avoid being targeted by Zhang Zhongfeng¡¯s arrows.


    The elevator!


    Seeing the elevator entrance five meters away, Dongfang Yu quickened his steps, rushing towards it. But at that moment, with the sound of a ¡¯whoosh¡¯, a sharp arrow flew by his shoulder and hit the elevator button squarely.


    At the same time, a figure jumped over from above Dongfang Yu¡¯s head andnded steadily in front of him.


    Seeing that his path was blocked by a kid over ten years old, Dongfang Yu grew angry. He immediately swung his walking stick at Wei Jiahao¡¯s head.


    Although Wei Jiahao was young, he was fearless. Seeing Dongfang Yu¡¯s attack, he quickly raised his arms, and several sleeve arrows flew out from his cuffs, directly targeting Dongfang Yu¡¯s vital points.


    Dongfang Yu was taken aback, not expecting the child to hide mechanisms in his sleeves. Without time to think, he swiftly changed his movements with the walking stick, knocking all the iing sleeve arrows to the ground.


    Wei Jiahao did not back down after his attack failed; instead, he leaned forward, making a strange bowing posture.


    Before Dongfang Yu could react, three sharp arrows were suddenly shot from Wei Jiahao¡¯s back, tearing through his clothes, forcing Dongfang Yu, who was trying to flee, to retreat once again.


    Tsk tsk!


    Ling Cheng, who had been following behind, was secretly impressed by Wei Jiahao¡¯s performance. The kid had excellent methods; surrounded by mechanisms all over his body, he was truly unguardable against.

 Chapter 363 - 359: The Sudden Appearance of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion

    <h4>Chapter 363: Chapter 359: The Sudden Appearance of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion</h4><h4></h4>


    Taking advantage of the opportunity when Dongfang Yu was dyed by Wei Jiahao in his escape, Ling Chen followed Qiu Yong and others to rush over and surrounded Dongfang Yu.


    Facing the menacing eight oddities, Dongfang Yu¡¯splexion looked extremely unpleasant. He had never anticipated that despiteing to avenge his disciple, he would end up in such a predicament.


    Qiu Yong coldly shouted, "Dongfang Yu, your disciple is a disgrace deserving of death, and instead of feeling ashamed for your disciple, you seek to avenge him. Since that¡¯s the case, don¡¯t me us for being ruthless¡ªeveryone attack together!"


    However, just as everyone¡¯s eyes betrayed murderous intent and prepared for a fierce battle, a pleasant ringtone suddenly sounded.


    Everyone¡¯s expressions showed a trace of astonishment, and all eyes fell on Ling Chen.


    Ling Chen put down the weapon in his hand, smiled awkwardly, and hurriedly took out his phone from his pocket. Seeing that it was a call from Xia Mutong, he gestured to the phone with an embarrassed expression and said, "This call is quite important, you guys go ahead and start, I¡¯ll catch up in a bit, don¡¯t wait for me."


    Hearing this, everyone couldn¡¯t help but react with a mixture ofughter and helplessness, as the tense atmosphere they had finally created was disrupted by Ling Chen¡¯s remark.


    "Begin!" Xia Yue, feeling irritated, red at Ling Chen and didn¡¯t bother to pay him further attention. She raised her sword and stabbed towards Dongfang Yu.


    Ling Chen moved to the side on his own, answered the call, and asked, "Officer Xia, how is it going on your end? Did you stop the car?"


    "We didn¡¯t find Miss Nanrong in the Honda business car you mentioned, but based on the information provided by the driver, we can confirm that Miss Nanrong is heading to the airport, seemingly preparing to leave the country overnight."


    "Is there any way to find her?"


    "I¡¯ve already informed the airport; I¡¯ll do my best to find her." After a pause, Xia Mutong on the other end of the line asked, "Has Miss Nanrong been kidnapped?"


    "I... can¡¯t be entirely sure," replied Ling Chen. When Nanrong Wanqing called him, it seemed to be of her own volition and not under coercion.


    "Not kidnapped? Then this is going to be difficult. Unless it¡¯s a kidnapping case, I don¡¯t have the authority to deploy so many people. If you don¡¯t report it, then it can only be considered a private matter, not an official one."


    "Just do what you can to help," Ling Chen knew it was against the rules for Xia Mutong to use police resources privately.


    "I¡¯ll help within the range of what I can do. By the way, how long until you get to the airport?"


    Ling Chen nced at the people engaged inbat and replied, "I¡¯ll hurry over as soon as possible."


    After hanging up the call, Ling Chen picked up the Tianling de and stood among the people, looking for an opportunity to strike.


    By now, Dongfang Yu was utterly exhausted, suffering several arrow wounds, and the violent movement caused his injuries to rip open, blood gushing profusely. Seeing hisbored breathing, it was likely he wouldn¡¯t hold out much longer.


    Watching this, Ling Chen simply stood aside, taking interest in watching the others. Dongfang Yu¡¯s fate was sealed; there was no need for him to intervene anymore, as Qiu Yong and the rest were more than enough to resolve the fight.


    Soon after, the weakened Dongfang Yu found himself under attack from the one-armed man, Yuan Yun, and Xia Yue taking advantage of an opportunity to strike from both sides, inflicting several more injuries on him.


    When he is down, deliver the final blow!


    Seeing Dongfang Yu growing weaker, Qiu Yong immediately moved in, swinging his fist straight towards Dongfang Yu¡¯s chest.


    But just at this critical moment, a sudden gust of wind attacked, targeting Qiu Yong. Zhang Zhongfeng, who had been observing the battle, saw the impending danger and immediately drew his bow and arrow; ¡¯whoosh¡¯, the arrow flew, intercepting the gust of wind midair.


    ng!


    With a crisp ringing sound, a sharp dagger fell to the ground along with an arrow.


    Ling Chen¡¯s heart sank as he looked up in the direction from where the dagger hade and said with a deep voice, "Who¡¯s there? Come out!"


    As his words ended, a person walked out from around the corner of the corridor. To be precise, it was a man dressed in ck, with a mask covering his face, revealing only a pair of bright, glistening eyes.


    Noticing the man who had suddenly appeared, everyone immediately stopped what they were doing and watched him cautiously, asking, "Who are you?"


    "Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    "People from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?" The crowd¡¯s expression shifted slightly. Qiu Yong furrowed his brows and said, "This is a private grudge between us and Dongfang Yu. Is the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion nning to intervene?"


    The man responded coolly, "The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion doesn¡¯t involve itself with others, but when ites to him... the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is in charge. Qiu Yong, the grudge between Dongfang Yu and your group of eight oddballs ends here. On behalf of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, I assure you that from now on, Dongfang Yu won¡¯t trouble you again."


    "Hmph! The face of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion carries weight, but whether we give you face is our business."


    The man looked at Ling Chen who had spoken and exined, "Dongfang Yu is of use to our Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, so we hope you can let bygones be bygones. As long as you allow me to take him away, I will do you a favor at the uing Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony."


    The Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony?


    Ling Chen wondered what that was. Before he could ask, Qiu Yong nodded and said, "Alright, since you¡¯ve put it that way, we eight oddballs aren¡¯t unreasonable. We¡¯ll agree to let this go."


    "Thank you!"


    The man cupped his hands together in thanks, then walked over to Dongfang Yu, supported him by the arm, and headed towards the staircase.


    Watching the pair disappear from sight, Ling Chen touched his nose, feeling somewhat displeased. It had been so difficult to trap Dongfang Yu; he could have killed him, but someone from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion had to interfere and rescued Dongfang Yu.


    Back in his hotel room, Ling Chen asked curiously, "Big Brother, what is this Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony that man mentioned?"


    "That¡¯s an event hosted by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, only those who are invited are qualified to attend. We the group of eight oddballs have received several invitations, but we¡¯ve only gone once, as there wasn¡¯t much interest. You are now one of the eight oddballs and also a master of the Tiger List, so you will definitely be invited to this year¡¯s Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony. You might want to go and see the world."


    Ling Chen nodded, then suddenly remembered that Xia Mutong was waiting for him at the airport. It was all Dongfang Yu¡¯s fault, making him waste so much time.


    "Big Brother, I have urgent business at the airport, I must go," he said. Without waiting for Qiu Yong to ask anything, Ling Chen quickly left the room.


    Once outside the hotel, Ling Chen started the car and pushed the elerator to the floor, the engine roaring like a wild beast as the car shot out like an arrow.


    From a room on the eighth floor of the hotel, Wei Jiahao lifted the curtain and watched the muscle car disappear from his line of sight, saying, "Ling Cheng seems to be in a big hurry, I hope there¡¯s no trouble."


    Xia Yue coolly responded, "What kind of urgent business could he possibly have? Hasn¡¯t Big Brother checked his background? If you ask me, it¡¯s definitely all rted to women."


    Achoo!


    Sitting in the car, Ling Chen sneezed and rubbed his aching nose, steering with one hand as he weaved through the traffic.


    Just then, the cellphone on the passenger seat rang, and the caller ID showed the name Nanrong Wanqing.

 Chapter 364 - 360: Pursuit (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 364: Chapter 360: Pursuit (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen picked up the co-pilot¡¯s phone and answered the call.


    "Wanqing..." Before he could even inquire, he heard a familiar voice from the other end of the line: "Ling Chen, stop chasing. Your little tricks can¡¯t stop us."


    "Is that you?" A shock ran through Ling Chen, and he responded gravely, "Where are you taking Wanqing?"


    "That¡¯s none of your business. Rest assured, I won¡¯t hurt her. At most in a week, I will deliver her to you unharmed... Oh, wait, better than before actually, hahaha!"


    "Zhu Hong, if youy a finger on her, I will pursue you to the ends of the earth."


    "I wee you to try," Zhu Hongughed and hung up.


    Listening to the busy tone on the phone, Ling Chen furrowed his brows. He instantly increased his speed to the limit, disregarding whether it was a red light and rushed straight through.


    A journey of several tens of kilometers took him less than ten minutes. He maintained a speed around two hundred yards, even the traffic police attracted by him were left far behind, unable to even see Ling Chen¡¯s tail lights.


    Upon arriving at the airport, Ling Chen parked his car by the roadside, and hurried into the terminal, scanning the crowd for Xia Mutong.


    "Ling Chen, over here."


    Hearing Xia Mutong¡¯s voice, Ling Chen turned to see Xia Mutong in a uniform, waving at him. He quickly walked over, nced at the two airport policemen by Xia Mutong¡¯s side, and asked, "Did you find her?"


    "I¡¯ve asked the airport police to keep an eye out, but so far there¡¯s no sign of Miss Nanrong."


    Ling Chen looked around at the moving crowd, suddenly a thought struck him, "Have you checked the private jets? The people who took Wanqing know I am searching for them, they wouldn¡¯t be on amercial flight, they¡¯d definitely arrange a private jet to leave."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll check it out for you, wait here." Saying that, Xia Mutong walked away with the two airport policemen.


    At that moment, in the VIP channel of the airport, two Mercedes sedans slowly entered the apron, heading directly towards the hangar.


    As the hangar doors opened, a small Boeing jet was parked inside, and several security personnel were conducting the final pre-flight checks.


    The two Mercedes cars came to a halt, the doors opened, and a young man in a crisp suit, with a distinguished air and a mild gentle smile, stepped out. He walked over to the other Mercedes, looked at the suited bodyguarding out of the car, and asked, "Is she awake?"


    "Not yet."


    "Take her to the ne." After a brief pause, the young man changed his mind, "Never mind, you go do your thing, I¡¯ll carry her on board." He then bent over the back seat of the car, and looking at Wanqing Nanrong, who was leaning on the headrest asleep, the corners of his mouth slightly curled up, his fingertips gently glided over her smooth, soft cheeks, savoring the fineness of her skin.


    Under the caress of the young man¡¯s fingertips, the sleeping Wanqing Nanrong seemed a bit ufortable. She raised her arm, gently brushing her cheek, and murmured with a tone of annoyance, "Stop it, Ling Chen, let me sleep a bit."


    Hearing his own name escape her lips, the young man¡¯s face instantly darkened, his look turned icy. He grunted lightly, pulled over Wanqing Nanrong¡¯s arms, and scooped her up, heading straight for the ne. This action gradually roused Wanqing Nanrong from her slumber.


    Opening her eyes, Wanqing Nanrong saw the young man in front of her, her face changing slightly in surprise, "Zhu Hong? Why is it you?"


    "Why can¡¯t it be me?" Zhu Hong offered a faint smile, "Didn¡¯t you reach an agreement with that person? He had a sudden matter, so he asked me to take you there."


    "Do you know Mr. Yun? What¡¯s your rtionship with him?"


    "That¡¯s not for you to worry about; you¡¯ll find out in time."


    Wanqing Nanrong furrowed her brows, her face showing a hint of irritation, struggling a bit in Zhu Hong¡¯s arms, she softly demanded, "Put me down, I can walk."


    "The exoskeleton suit you had on has been removed. Let me carry you instead, just like the old times."


    Wanqing Nanrong reached down to touch her legs, finding, just as Zhu Hong had said, the exoskeleton suit was indeed gone. Seeing this, she looked up at Zhu Hong¡¯s handsome face, her eyes conveying slight resentment, and questioned, "Afraid I¡¯d run away?"


    "You¡¯re overthinking it."


    Once on the ne, Zhu Hong set Wanqing Nanrong down in a seat and secured her seatbelt, then casually sat down opposite her.


    Feeling the ne start to move slowly, Wanqing Nanrong nced at Zhu Hong, feeling somewhat puzzled.


    When she went to meet with Mr. Yun, Zhu Hong had not appeared. Later, when she reached an agreement with Mr. Yun, and got into that Honda minivan, heading towards the airport. But after getting in, she felt a wave of dizziness and unconsciously fell asleep. When she awoke, she was already here,pletely unaware of what had happened in between.


    Thinking this far, Wanqing Nanrong instinctively reached into her pocket but found nothing.


    "Looking for this?" Zhu Hong shook the cellphone in his hand.


    "Give it to me."


    "Sorry, I can¡¯t do that yet. If you want to contact your family, I will give you a chanceter."


    "I reached an agreement with him, but I didn¡¯t agree to restrict my personal freedom."


    Zhu Hong corrected her, "It¡¯s just as a precaution. You know, you have that annoying Ling Chen around; I don¡¯t want any trouble."


    "Are you afraid of him?"


    "Afraid?" Zhu Hong scoffed coldly, "Why should I be afraid of him? Wanqing, there¡¯s so much you don¡¯t understand. Ling Chen is just a minor character. I don¡¯t want to waste energy on him. If you think you might end up with him, I advise you to discard that thought. It¡¯s impossible for you two to be together; he¡¯s not worthy of you."


    "That¡¯s my personal affair, and you have no right to make decisions for me, nor is it your ce to judge Ling Chen."


    Zhu Hong appeared unconcerned, "Talking about this now is pointless. Time will prove everything. I¡¯m just curious, what¡¯s so good about that Ling Chen that caught your eye?"


    Hearing this, Wanqing Nanrong remained silent, turning her head to look out the ne window, lost in thought.


    Meanwhile, back in the airport terminal.


    Ling Chen impatiently waited for a few minutes until Xia Mutong finally returned.


    "I found it, a small Boeing jet is preparing for takeoff, that private ne is registered under a foreignpany."


    "Whatpany?"


    "Boyang Pharmaceutical."


    "That¡¯s it," Ling Chen said urgently, "Where¡¯s the ne? Can we intercept it?"


    "I¡¯m afraid not, the ne is already on the runway. Besides, we don¡¯t have a valid reason, air control won¡¯t help us intercept it."

 Chapter 365 - 361: Pursuit (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 365: Chapter 361: Pursuit (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen frowned tightly as he quickly walked to the ss windows of the waiting hall, watching the airnesing and going on the runway. Within moments, his gaze locked onto a small Boeing aircraft.


    Nanrong Wanqing was on that ne, less than a kilometer away from him.


    Looking at the Boeing aircraft with shing lights, waiting for the takeoff signal, Ling Chen gritted his teeth and determinedly walked towards the airport¡¯s exit.


    "Hey, Ling Chen, where are you going?" Xia Mutong called out from behind.


    Ling Chen acted as if he hadn¡¯t heard, elerating his pace and running out of the airport. He got into his car, and without waiting for Xia Mutong to catch up, Ling Chen started the vehicle and quickly drove towards the airport¡¯s VIPne.


    If others can¡¯t be relied upon, then he could only rely on himself.


    The bastard!


    Seeing the dust trail left by Ling Chen¡¯s departure, Xia Mutong, who had chased after him, cursed with hatred and a hint of worry in her eyes. Having been with Ling Chen for so long, she knew him too well; he was not someone who gave up easily. Especially when it involved the safety of Nanrong Wanqing, who knew what foolish things he might do.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Ling Chen to reach the outside of the VIPne. However, there were guards in front of thene, and it was barricaded. The two security staff saw Ling Chen driving towards it and immediately waved their hands, signaling him to stop the car for inspection.


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes stared at the barricade ahead, he shifted gears with one hand and mmed the elerator with the other. Suddenly, the muscle car shot out like an arrow from a string, knocking down the barricades on the ground and rushing onto the airport runway.


    "Stop!" The two duty officers shouted from behind. Watching Ling Chen drive farther and farther away, the duty officers quickly took out walkie-talkies and contacted the airport control center.


    In less than half a minute, airport police were mobilized, driving police cars, ready to intercept Ling Chen.


    ncing at the rearview mirror that reflected more than a dozen police cars, the corners of Ling Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. His speed did not decrease but instead increased, reaching a speed of two hundred miles per hour, leaving those police cars far behind.


    At this time, Zhu Hong, sitting inside the small Boeing aircraft, saw the ne stop and got up to walk to the cockpit, asking, "What¡¯s going on?"


    "We just received a notification from the control center that a suspected vehicle has entered the airport. Now, all nes are forbidden to take off and must wait until the danger is cleared."


    Hearing this, Zhu Hong frowned slightly and walked quickly to the cabin door, pushing it open. Suddenly, he saw a muscle car not far away rushing towards them, with only a few hundred meters away.


    Ling Chen!


    Zhu Hong snorted coldly, really relentless, actually following them this far.


    Closing the cabin door, Zhu Hong returned to the cockpit and urged, "Take off immediately!"


    "But..."


    "Less talk, hurry up."


    "Yes." The pilot did not dare to disobey Zhu Hong¡¯s order and immediately started the engine, pushing forward along the runway.


    "Control center calling G3AR aircraft, stop flying immediately, stand by at your current position, repeat, stop flying immediately, stand by at your current position..."


    Snap!


    Zhu Hong turned off the radiomunicator and looked straight ahead at the runway, speaking in a stern voice, "elerate."


    In the car, watching the Boeing enter the runway and gradually speed up, Ling Chen did not hesitate and immediately pushed the car¡¯s speed to the limit, preparing to overtake the aircraft and prevent it from taking off.


    Amidst the roaring sound of the powerful engine, the muscle car¡¯s speed instantly increased to two hundred and thirty miles, closely following behind the Boeing aircraft.


    At this moment, in the waiting hall, the passengers waiting to board watched through the ss windows the chasing drama ying out, all of them excited beyond measure, discussing animatedly, taking out their cellphones and starting to record.


    Xia Mutong¡¯s eyes widened, watching the muscle car speeding forward, chasing after the Boeing passenger ne, hardly believing his own eyes.


    This bastard... has quite some nerve.


    At this moment, as the Boeing ne picked up speed, the muscle car, which had just closed the gap, was gradually left behind.


    Ling Chen frowned as he nced at the speedometer, the needle was already pointing to the red zone on the far right; the muscle car was reaching its limits and could not go any faster.


    Hearing noises from the cockpit, Nanrong Wanqing, who was sitting in the cabin, felt somewhat puzzled, especially due to Zhu Hong¡¯s nervous demeanor when he pushed open the cabin door earlier, leaving her filled with questions. Then, a jarring and chaotic siren sounded, causing her to involuntarily turn her head to look out the window.


    Instantly, a muscle car going at extreme speed appeared in her line of sight.


    Ling Chen?


    After recognizing the muscle car, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s heart leaped to her throat, and the corners of her eyes stung with emotion.


    "Zhu Hong!"


    Hearing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s call, Zhu Hong poked his head out of the cockpit and asked, "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "Give me your phone."


    "What are you going to do?"


    "I want to call Ling Chen."


    "No way." Zhu Hong outright denied Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s request, sneering, "Let him chase; I want to see just how capable he is."


    While they spoke, the Boeing ne reached take-off speed, its nose lifting slightly as it headed straight for the night sky.


    Watching the ascending Boeing ne, Ling Chen¡¯s expression shifted subtly, sighing inwardly, as he ultimately couldn¡¯t catch up. As the Boeing jet flew higher and higher, Ling Chen gently tapped on the brakes, preparing to slow down.


    But at that moment, there was a loud ¡¯bang,¡¯ and the hood of the muscle car suddenly emitted thick smoke, clouding Ling Chen¡¯s vision.


    Not good!


    Ling Chen inwardly cursed as he lightly tapped on the brakes repeatedly, but it was as if the brakes had failed, unresponsive, keeping the speed at around 190 miles per hour.


    Although this muscle car was a ssic model from a world-famous brand, it could not withstand its status as a vintage car. Ling Chen had just pushed it to its full potential, and now not only had the engine blown a gasket, but the parts were also malfunctioning.


    ncing out of the car window, Ling Chen forced himself to remain calm, silently pondering his next move. Jumping out of the car at this speed would lead to death or severe injury. Since the engine was already dead, he could only let the muscle car coast on inertia, letting it gradually lose speed.


    Dozens of seconds passed, and as Ling Chen expected, the muscle car¡¯s speed had already dropped from over a hundred to around eighty miles per hour.


    However, the thick smoke billowing from the hood didn¡¯t stop at all, almost engulfing the entire car, severely limiting Ling Chen¡¯s visibility.


    Right then, a ringtone for an iing call sounded.


    Ling Chen looked at the number on the caller ID and immediately answered; before he could speak, Xia Mutong¡¯s frantic and urgent voice came through: "Are you crazy? Stop the car, you¡¯re almost at the end."


    Hearing Xia Mutong¡¯s warning, Ling Chen was shocked and hurriedly turned the steering wheel to the left.


    But as the front end of the car barely shifted, before he could straighten up, it crashed into a bord at the end of the runway, making a loud ¡¯bang.¡¯


    "Ling Chen... Ling Chen..."


    Xia Mutong¡¯s anxious voice came from the phone, but there was no response.

 Chapter 366 - 362: Injured

    <h4>Chapter 366: Chapter 362: Injured</h4><h4></h4>


    "Mr. Zhu, I just received a report from the control center, the car lost control and crashed into the bord at the end of the runway."


    The co-pilot of the Boeing airliner walked into the cabin and reported to Zhu Hong.


    "Are the people okay? Is anyone hurt?" Before Zhu Hong could speak, Nanrong Wanqing had already asked impatiently.


    "I don¡¯t know, there¡¯s no news just yet, but at that speed, even if it were a man of steel, he couldn¡¯t have survived."


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing slumped in her seat with a deathly pale face, Zhu Hong waved his hand, signaling for the co-pilot to step away.


    "Wanqing, I know you¡¯re upset, but..."


    "Shut up!" Nanrong Wanqing looked coldly at Zhu Hong and said word by word, "If I ever had the slightest expectation or fondness for you, now all you do is make me feel disgust and hatred. Compared to Ling Chen, you¡¯re nothing but a despicable wretch."


    Zhu Hong¡¯s face changed, not expecting Nanrong Wanqing to say such things. To him, it was like a heavy hammer smashing down on his heart, especially the indifferent eyes of Nanrong Wanqing made him very ufortable.


    Meanwhile, at the end of the airport runway, more than ten police cars had arrived in session. Several officers stepped out of the cars quickly and rushed to the wrecked muscle car, pried the deformed door open, and dragged the unconscious Ling Chen out of the driver¡¯s seat.


    "Ling Chen!"


    At that moment, Xia Mutong arrived in a hurry by police car, rushed over with an anxious face, and looked at the unconscious Ling Chen with worry in her eyes.


    Not long after, an ambnce arrived at the scene and Ling Chen was ced on a stretcher. Xia Mutong stayed by his side the whole journey, silently praying that he would be alright.


    ...


    East Sea City First People¡¯s Hospital.


    It was hard to tell how much time had passed, but Ling Chen finally woke up from hisa.


    Rubbing his throbbing forehead, he propped himself up on the bed with his hands and sat up, realizing where he was as he looked around.


    Wanqing!


    Ling Chen murmured softly, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, wondering where Zhu Hong had taken Nanrong Wanqing. What puzzled him even more was why Nanrong Wanqing would be willing to leave with Zhu Hong. Could there be something he didn¡¯t know about?


    Lost in thought, the door to the hospital room was pushed open from the outside. Then, Xia Mutong, Nanrong Hao, and Liu Kun entered the room.


    "Chen, you¡¯re awake!" Nanrong Hao eximed with joy.


    "Mr. Ling, are you alright?" Liu Kun asked with concern.


    Ling Chen dismissed it with a wave of his hand, saying, "It¡¯s nothing, just a minor injury."


    "A minor injury," scoffed Xia Mutong, "Do you have any idea how dangerous it was? The doctor said you were lucky, it¡¯s fortunate your body is stronger than the average person, only a few broken ribs. If the car had been any faster, we would be attending your funeral right now."


    "Yes, I¡¯ll be more careful," he said, and then Ling Chen asked, "Did they hold me responsible for the incident at the airport?"


    "I¡¯ve reported the situation to the Chief, and considering the Nanrong Family¡¯s face, he¡¯s not going to trouble you this time."


    "Thanks!" Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that if they did decide to pursue it, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to avoid spending time behind bars.


    "Uncle Liu, are you all aware of what happened to Wanqing?"


    "Officer Xia has already informed us about the situation, but we haven¡¯t dared to tell the old master yet, fearing he might worry. I called an emergency meeting at Hongyu Group and had several senior managers temporarily take over thepany operations; there shouldn¡¯t be any major issues."


    "What about Wanqing¡¯s whereabouts, have you found anything?"


    "We checked the Boeing aircraft, itnded on an ind on the Public Sea yesterday morning. Our police authority is limited, we can only find out so much. To get detailed intelligence about that ind, we¡¯d have to apply to national security," replied Xia Mutong.


    Ling Chen massaged his temples, thought for a moment, and said, "There¡¯s no need for that, just give me the exact location of the ind, I¡¯ll handle the rest."


    Hearing this, Xia Mutong couldn¡¯t help but angrily say, "You¡¯re still thinking about rescuing others in this condition, take care of yourself first."


    "I have my limits."


    From Xia Mutong, he learned that he had been unconscious for a whole day and night. He couldn¡¯t settle down knowing that, during this time, who knows what Zhu Hong could be doing to Nanrong Wanqing.


    "Mr. Ling, you should focus on recovering first, don¡¯t worry about anything else." Liu Kun said.


    Ling Chen nodded, nced at Nanrong Hao, and asked, "What about Su Lin, why isn¡¯t she here with you?" To think he was in the hospital and that girl didn¡¯t evene to visit, it was quite unkind.


    Before Nanrong Hao could speak, Xia Mutong interjected, "Miss Su kept watch over you all night yesterday, she only went back to rest this morning."


    "Is that so?" Ling Chen suddenly felt embarrassed, realizing he had misunderstood Su Lin.


    After Nanrong Hao and Liu Kun left, Ling Chen, bored, turned on the TV in the hospital room, just in time to see the footage of his frantic race against the aircraft at the airport. However, the image wasn¡¯t very clear, it was taken from a distance, likely with a cellphone.


    After the video finished, the screen immediately switched to the wrecked muscle car, apanied by a news anchor¡¯s voice: "At present, the victims have been sent to the hospital for treatment and are not out of danger yet..."


    Listening to the news report, Ling Chen had a thought and immediately picked up his phone to dial Xia Mutong¡¯s number.


    As soon as the call ended, there was a knock at the door of the ward, followed by the sight of a round, pot-bellied figureing into Ling Chen¡¯s view.


    "Oh!" Noticing the visitor, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up and he smiled, "Fatty, what brings you here? I was just thinking of finding you."


    Carrying a fruit basket, Hu Fei plonked it on the nightstand andined, "I heard you were hospitalized, so I came to check on you. Had I known this was your n, I wouldn¡¯t havee."


    "Why?"


    "You look for me only when there¡¯s trouble; it¡¯s from experience."


    "Cut the crap," Ling Chen said seriously, "Wanqing was taken away by Zhu Hong, all I know is they went to an ind, and I want you to help me check it out."


    "Send me the coordinates of the ind, I¡¯ll see what I can do. But let me be clear, it¡¯s a paid service, I¡¯ll give you a friend¡¯s price at most. You still owe me several million fromst time, we¡¯ll settle it all together." When it came to money, Hu Fei immediately got serious.


    "Seems like you¡¯re eyeing money more than ever, there!" Ling Chen handed a piece of paper with the coordinates to Hu Fei and said, "Here are the coordinates."


    Hu Fei grabbed a chair and plopped down, then took out a specially made cellphone, opened the map app, and input the coordinates. Soon, a red dot appeared on the map, marking the position of the ind.


    Looking at the information disyed on the map, Hu Fei¡¯s round face froze for a moment, then he looked up at Ling Chen and said, "Are you sure you didn¡¯t make a mistake?"


    "No. What¡¯s wrong?"


    Hu Fei, with a serious expression unlike his usual jocr manner, said, "Do you know what ce this ind is?"

 Chapter 367 - 363 Broken Teeth Training Camp

    <h4>Chapter 367: Chapter 363 Broken Teeth Training Camp</h4><h4></h4>


    Watching Hu Fei¡¯s sinister expression, Ling Chen slightly furrowed his brow, feeling a sudden rush of unease, he asked, "That ind... is it special?"


    "Special is an understatement; that ce is not fit for humans. It¡¯s understandable you don¡¯t know since you¡¯re not in our line of work. In our circle, the ind is an open secret; it¡¯s the base of the Broken Teeth Training Camp. You know about the Broken Teeth Training Camp, right?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s expression shifted, saying in shock, "That ind is the base for the Broken Teeth Training Camp? Are you sure?"


    "Would I joke about this type of thing?" Hu Fei rubbing his round, fat-filled face, persuaded, "Listen, you better think this through, it¡¯s not a yground. Anyone who dares to trespass there has nevere out alive. Even if all of us know, intelligence organizations from various countries are definitely aware, but over the years, the Broken Teeth Training Camp has been operating smoothly without a hitch."


    ncing at Hu Fei, Ling Chen replied indifferently, "That¡¯s because the Broken Teeth Training Camp is covertly supported by various governments."


    "Really?" This news shocked Hu Fei, who asked with a mix of belief and doubt, "How do you know all this?"


    "As everyone knows, the Broken Teeth Training Camp trains the world¡¯s top assassins. Every graduate from there is a notorious assassin internationally. Blood Wolf, who once topped the assassin list, originated from this camp, and his abilities are extraordinary. However, the training methods of the Broken Teeth Training Camp are too brutal, only one out of dozens or even hundreds survives to be the final winner. Everyone else faces certain death. Thus, many countries denounce and censure this as an inhumane training method. But regardless, the individuals trained there are exceptionally talented, unmatched by any country."


    "So, while many countries outwardly oppose it, they secretly coborate with the Broken Teeth Training Camp, hoping it will help them nurture talents." Here, Ling Chen sneered, continuing, "Many governments engage in unsavory activities behind the scenes. These activities naturally require skilled individuals who can work in the shadows, making the Broken Teeth Training Camp their top choice. Of course, those countries do not intervene directly but use overseaspanies as a cover. However, this is an open secret and goes unspoken. It¡¯s precisely the covert protection from these countries that allows the Broken Teeth Training Camp to continue existing. Otherwise, do you really think the world¡¯s nations couldn¡¯t deal with the Broken Teeth Training Camp?"


    "Everything has its value, it seems this saying is right," mused Hu Fei. After speaking, he shifted the topic, "Since you know the details about the Broken Teeth Training Camp, are you still nning to go to that ind? Isn¡¯t that just like seeking death?"


    Ling Chen looked at the sunlight streaming through the window, slightly squinting, a trace of cold intent hidden deep within his eyes. For the safety of Nanrong Wanqing, he must go.


    Turning his head back, Ling Chen withdrew his gaze, looking at Hu Fei by the bed, "Fatty, don¡¯t ask so much; I definitely need to go."


    "Do you intend to storm in there alone? Why not ask Old Tang for help? He¡¯s your brother; he surely won¡¯t refuse," suggested Hu Fei.


    "No need. He¡¯s in the military. I¡¯ve called him before; he¡¯s on a mission and can¡¯t spare the time to help me. Besides, I¡¯ve already thought of someone else to ask for help."


    "Who?"


    "Don¡¯t ask so much for now, you¡¯ll find out when the timees. Don¡¯t idle around these next few days either; help me arrange a ne and bring your equipment. Also, help me scout out that ind. In at most two days, once my injuries are better, I¡¯ll leave immediately."


    Hu Fei gaped, stunned, "You are not thinking of bringing me along, are you?"


    "Are you unwilling?"


    "Bullshit, who would be willing to go on a suicide mission? Find someone else for this, I¡¯m not ying along," Hu Fei immediately objected, quickly rising from his chair and striding towards the exit. After a few steps, he turned around and returned to the bedside.


    Seeing Hu Fei return, Ling Chen grinned, "I knew it. Someone as warm-hearted as you wouldn¡¯t leave a friend behind."


    "You thought wrong; I just came to take back my fruit basket. I¡¯ve decided not to be friends with someone like you."


    Seeing Hu Fei about to leave with the newly delivered fruit basket, the smile on Ling Chen¡¯s face immediately stiffened as he shouted in frustration, "Hey! Fatty, that¡¯s not very brotherly of you. What about the several hundred thousand inmission you owe me, do you still want it?"


    Hu Fei retorted, "Money can be earned again, but once life is gone, no amount of money can bring it back."


    "You make a good point."


    As the voice faded, someone pushed open the hospital room door from outside. Subsequently, Qiu Yong, leading six others, walked into the room.


    Seeing the group, Ling Chen immediately smiled, asking, "Big brother, what brings you all here?"


    "We saw the news and recognized the smashed car as yours, so we came to check on you. How are you, any serious injuries?" Qiu Yong asked with concern.


    Ling Chen patted his chest, about to say he was fine, but unfortunately, his handnded right o¨´ his fractured ribs, causing him to grimace in pain.


    "Enough already, stop putting on a brave front when you¡¯re hurt; there are no outsiders here," Xia Yue said with concern, visibly annoyed.


    "Really, it¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m used to these small injuries."


    Qiu Yong spoke seriously, "Ling Cheng, we heard everything from outside. If you¡¯re going to that ind to save someone, we¡¯ll go with you."


    "This..." Ling Chen hesitated and then said, "Big brother, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s wise. This is my personal matter; I want to handle it myself." This trip to the ind would undoubtedly be fraught with danger, and he did not want to involve Qiu Yong and the others.


    Xia Yue, dissatisfied, said, "What are you talking about? The ¡¯Weird Eight¡¯ share trials and tribtions together; your issue is our issue. If it were any one of us in the group, it would be the same." Turning to Hu Fei, Xia Yue huffed, "We¡¯re not like your cowardly friend who turns tail when it¡¯s time to help, we¡¯re better off without that kind of friend."


    Upon hearing this, Fatty Hu immediately became upset, clearly the remark was directed at him.


    "Heydy, what do you mean cowardly? Am I that type of person? I just don¡¯t want to knowingly walk into certain death. That¡¯s just dying without value."


    With a one-armed gesture, Yuan Yun spoke, "With us around, what¡¯s there to fear?"


    "You guys?" Hu Fei looked doubtfully at Qiu Yong and the others, shaking his head, "This one¡¯s past his prime, that one¡¯s underage... I really can¡¯t see what skills you have."

 Chapter 368 - 364: The Island Trip

    <h4>Chapter 368: Chapter 364: The Ind Trip</h4><h4></h4>


    Yuan Yun did not get angry, and pointing at a fly buzzing around the room, he said indifferently, "Young man, watch closely."


    The moment his words fell, before Hu Fei could even react, he saw a cold glint sh by, and the fly in midair immediately fell to the ground.


    "Take a closer look."


    Upon hearing Yuan Yun¡¯s words, Hu Fei immediately picked the fly up from the ground. Seeing its wings cut into two, Hu Fei¡¯s face changed instantly, he looked at Yuan Yun in disbelief, his face full of shock.


    Holy crap, if I could learn this skill, it would be an absolute babe ma.


    "How... how did you do that?" he asked, dazed.


    "I could tell you, but you wouldn¡¯t understand, so why waste the breath. With us apanying Ling Chen, are you still afraid?"


    "Not afraid, not afraid at all." Hu Fei¡¯s attitude changed drastically, puffing up his chubby round face close to Yuan Yun as he earnestly pleaded, "Could you... teach me that move you just used?"


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help butugh and said, "Fatty, give it up. He has trained hard for decades to achieve that. With all that fat on you, you¡¯d better stick to being a butcher rather than dreaming of being a swordsman. Maybe in your next life."


    "Ptui!" Hu Fei retorted mercilessly, "Don¡¯tpare your IQ with someone as incredibly smart as me. With my talent, it¡¯d take me ten days to learn."


    "Alright, enough chit-chat, get going and handle the important stuff," Ling Chen urged impatiently.


    "I¡¯m off then."


    As Hu Fei started to leave, Ling Chen quickly called out to him, "Wait! Are you really nning to take that fruit basket with you?"


    Hu Fei pped his forehead andughed embarrassingly, "I almost forgot."


    Ling Chen thought Hu Fei would return the fruit basket to him, but instead, the chubby man cheerfully approached Yuan Yun and handed it over, shamelessly saying, "Master, I didn¡¯t have time to prepare a proper offering today, just a small gesture, please ept it. Next time we meet, I¡¯ll bring a bigger gift."


    Watching this amusing scene, Xia Yue couldn¡¯t help but ¡¯pfft¡¯ augh, finding the fatty quite entertaining.


    "Damn, you fatso, using my gift to curry favor, get lost!"


    Amidst theughter and swearing, Hu Fei patted his buttocks and walked out of the hospital room.


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, two days had passed.


    After two days of rest, Ling Chen¡¯s injuries healed rapidly, thanks to his robust bodily condition and the meticulous care from everyone. Especially the girl Su Lin, who would report to the hospital every day after school and wouldn¡¯t leave until the next morning, she really put in a lot of effort.


    At three in the afternoon.


    With everything in order, Ling Chenpleted the discharge procedures and took a taxi alone to Dongling Pier.


    Half an hourter, on a cargo ship docked at Dongling Pier, Ling Chen met with Hu Fei and Qiu Yong among others. The travel ns to the ind were all arranged by Hu Fei, and with him in charge of such tasks, Ling Chen felt very reassured.


    "Ling Cheng, when do we set off?" the one-armed man Yuan Yun asked.


    Ling Chen stood on the railing of the ship, looking at the crew going back and forth on the pier, responding, "No rush, there is still one person who hasn¡¯t arrived yet." After saying that, Ling Chen turned to Hu Fei and asked, "Fatty, did you send out the message?"


    "I always get the job done, don¡¯t worry. Maybe they got dyed on the way, East Sea City is known for its bad traffic."


    During the conversation, a heavy motorcycle swiftly arrived from outside the pier. The rider, wearing a helmet and d in sexy, tight leather clothes with a trench coat over them, exuded a bold yet enticing demeanor.


    Once the heavy motorcycle came to a halt, the rider took off the helmet, revealing a stunning face, blue eyes like gems, fair skin, and fiery red lips, with dazzling blonde hair smoothly falling behind her back. Her appearance immediately drew admiring and amazing gazes from the surrounding workers.


    Seeing Ling Chen standing at the bow, the blonde beauty smiled and waved her hand. After she boarded the ship, Ling Chen, apanied by Hu Fei, quickly approached her, smiling, "I thought you weren¡¯ting."


    Kaelina stroked her blond hair which had fallen over her shoulders, and said enchantingly, "We have a partnership, and you asked for my help, how could I note? Tell me, what¡¯s the agenda this time?"


    "We want to go to the Broken Teeth Training Camp base to find someone. You and Blood Wolf were both groomed by Broken Teeth Training Camp, so you should be familiar with the environment there. That¡¯s why I¡¯d like your help to get us in."


    "Broken Teeth Training Camp?" Kaelina¡¯s smile stiffened, seemingly recalling some unsavory past, her expression turning somewhat unpleasant.


    "Are you sure you want to go there?"


    "We¡¯re all set and ready to depart anytime, just waiting on your decision." After a pause, Ling Chen said, "I suspect that Broken Teeth Training Camp might have ties with the God Organization."


    Kaelina hesitated for a moment then asked, "How many people do you have?"


    "Including you, ten people, all capable fighters."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll apany you, but I have one condition; when I say we retreat, we must leave immediately, no dys. As long as you all listen to me, I¡¯m confident I can get you out safely."


    "No problem," Ling Chen grinned. Having Kaelina as a ¡¯guide¡¯, they could avoid a lot of trouble.


    After setting sail, following more than six hours of voyage, the freighter finally entered the Public Sea.


    Within the Public Sea, no countries have jurisdiction, and allws are ineffective. In this area, almost anything is permissible.


    "Leng Xuan, we¡¯re about to enter the target zone."


    Hearing Hu Fei¡¯s reminder, Ling Chen immediately notified everyone to prepare for action. Soon after, two motorboats were lowered from the freighter into the ocean, and Ling Chen¡¯s group of ten split into two teams, each boarding a motorboat and departing from the freighter towards their destination.


    Knowing that Hu Fei had arranged this route, Kaelina approved, "That ind is equipped with radar systems; any approaching aircraft would be detected. The only way is by water. Luckily, you remembered to call me for help, otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have gotten close to the ind without perishing."


    "Why?" asked Ling Chen, puzzled.


    "The waters around the ind are filled with underwater mines. Any detected movement would instantly trigger an explosion, no one would survive."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen was startled and turned to look at Hu Fei, asking, "You didn¡¯t know about this?"


    Hu Fei gave a bitter smile, "How could I know? You only gave me two days; I couldn¡¯t gather more information."


    Ling Chen felt secretly relieved; good thing he had brought Kaelina along, otherwise, it would have been an unknown demise.


    After traveling for about half an hour, an ind shrouded in the darkness of the night faintly appeared, showing up in everyone¡¯s sight. Ling Chen stood up, eagerly looking at the silhouette of the ind.


    Wanqing, wait for me, I¡¯ming for you soon.

 Chapter 369 - 365: Infiltrating the Island

    <h4>Chapter 369: Chapter 365: Infiltrating the Ind</h4><h4></h4>


    Atop the ind, in a vi nestled among the lush trees, Zhu Hong sat on a leather sofa made in Italy, holding a ss of red wine, enjoying the refreshing sea breeze tinged with a hint of fishiness, his expression one of intoxication.


    "Mr. Zhu." At this moment, a suit-d bodyguard strode forward, carrying a tabletputer in his hand.


    Without even lifting his eyelids, Zhu Hong asked, "Is it confirmed?"


    "Take a look." The bodyguard handed over the tablet to Zhu Hong and pressed the y button.


    "We have just received news that the driver involved in the airport ident has died after unsessful resuscitation efforts. ording to announcements from the airport authorities, this incident has not affected airport operations. The airline has also stated that it will strengthen security measures at the airport to prevent simr incidents..."


    "Mr. Zhu, this was the news released this morning," said the bodyguard in a suit.


    "Finally dead, now I can rest easy," Zhu Hong said with a smile, lifting the wine ss for a sip, "By the way! Hasn¡¯t Mr. Yun arrived yet?"


    "He¡¯s boarded the ne; there are about four or five hours left in the journey."


    "Very well, I¡¯m going to rest for a bit, remind me when Mr. Yun arrives."


    ...


    At this time, hundreds of meters off the ind¡¯s shore, two motorboats trailed one another, moving slowly forward.


    As they entered the minefield, Hu Fei handed over control of the motorboat to Kaelina. Piloting the boat at the slowest speed, Kaelina approached the ind.


    The group watched the pitch-ck waters around them, daring not to breathe too heavily for fear of affecting Kaelina. ording to her, there was a hidden safe passage amongst the mines that led directly to the ind. After her training, she was sent off the ind via this safe passage.


    However, so many years had passed, and Ling Chen was worried not knowing if Kaelina¡¯s memory held up. A single slip-up could spell death for them all.


    In the end, Ling Chen¡¯s worries proved unnecessary. After more than ten minutes of tension and anxiety, the two motorboats sessfully passed through the minefield and reached the shore of the ind.


    After docking the motorboats, Ling Chen and Hu Fei gathered some branches and leaves to conceal them onshore to avoid detection.


    Checking the time, it was 1 a.m., close to their expected arrival. Before departing, Ling Chen had briefed everyone on the n: they must find their people and leave the ind before dawn. If they hadn¡¯tpleted the mission by daylight, their danger would increase significantly, fully exposed to the enemy¡¯s eyes.


    For now, they had no idea how many people were on the ind and had to proceed with caution.


    "Come, pick what you need."


    Hu Fei, carrying two waterproof bags, threw them in front of the group. As he opened a bag, Ling Chen was taken aback. That chubby guy was quite generous, bringing along so much equipment.


    Qiu Yong and the others nced over but did not move. They were from the Martial Artsmunity, relying on their own skills, and had no interest in modern weaponry. Kaelina unceremoniously picked a sleek pistol, loaded it, and fastened it to her waist.


    Ling Chen rummaged through and randomly selected a few pieces of light equipment for self-defense.


    Seeing that the group wasn¡¯t particrly interested in his arsenal, Hu Fei was unfazed, mboyantly donning his bulletproof vest, helmet with night vision goggles, slinging a sniper rifle over his back, and carrying an assault rifle, with his legs and waistden with ammunition and explosive weapons, making himself look like a walking armory.


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help asking, "Fatty, aren¡¯t you tired?"


    "These are life-saving things, I have to carry them even if it¡¯s tiring."


    "Alright, let¡¯s not waste time," Kaelina urged. "Further ahead, about a hundred meters or so, is the base of the Broken Teeth Training Camp. There are watchtowers and barbed wire nearby. Let¡¯s take out the sentries first, then we¡¯ll infiltrate."


    Ling Chen responded, "Okay."


    Immediately, the group followed Kaelina, swiftly moving through the dense forest. Before long, they were stopped in their tracks by a barrier of barbed wire two persons high.


    Kaelina squatted down, her gaze sweeping around as she pointed at a watchtower located ten meters away from the electric fence. Ling Chen looked up to see two sentries on the watchtower more than ten meters high, monitoring the movements around them.


    "Fatty." Ling Chen made a hand signal to Hu Fei, indicating for him to pass over the sniper rifle.


    However, as soon as he spoke, there were two whooshing sounds from behind. Zhang Zhongfeng drew his bow and rapidly fired two arrows. By the time Ling Chen reacted, the two sentries on the watchtower had already fallen to the ground, each with an arrow piercing through the center of their forehead.


    Witnessing Zhang Zhongfeng¡¯s skill, both Hu Fei and Kaelina were stunned.


    This is too incredible!


    Without hesitation, Ling Chen immediately took out pliers to cut a half-meter-long opening in the barbed wire. As everyone infiltrated the training camp one after another, Kaelina patted Hu Fei¡¯s shoulder and pointed to the watchtower they had just dealt with: "You go up. They check in every five minutes. If no one responds, they¡¯ll definitely get suspicious."


    Hu Fei nodded and, without a word, moved his hefty body swiftly to the bottom of the watchtower and hurried up the woodendder.


    After a few climbs, there was a crisp snap, and the spot where Hu Fei stepped broke away abruptly. Fortunately, Hu Fei reacted quickly and managed to firmly grasp the horizontal bar above, avoiding a fall.


    Catching his breath, Hu Fei turned to look at the tension on the faces of the team, gave a smile and shed a scissors hand sign, then continued climbing upward.


    Ling Chen wiped the cold sweat from his brow. This dead fatty, already heavy, was carrying so much gear, how could the woodendder support his weight?


    After Hu Fei was in position, Kaelina pointed to a dpidated five-story building not far away and said, "That¡¯s the barracks of Broken Teeth Training Camp where all the trainees stay. I estimate there might be two to three hundred people."


    "That many?" Ling Chen was astonished.


    "There are many people, but less than three or four will survive in the end." A simple sentenceid bare the cruelty of Broken Teeth Training Camp.


    "Where do you think Wanqing could be held?"


    "It¡¯s hard to say. The Broken Teeth Training Camp has a prison; maybe we should look there?"


    Ling Chen thought for a moment, then said, "We¡¯re short on time; let¡¯s split up. I¡¯ll go to the prison, and you take Elder Qiu and the others to look elsewhere."


    "Okay, keep in touch at all times."


    After Kaelina gave Ling Chen directions, she left with Qiu Yong and others.


    Composing himself, Ling Chen took a deep breath and quickly rushed toward the prison. Even though it waste at night, the defense of Broken Teeth Training Camp had not ckened in the slightest, with patrols happening around the clock.


    Within a few minutes, Ling Chen sessfully evaded the patrol and arrived at the prison Kaelina had mentioned.


    The prison was unguarded outside, saving Ling Chen a lot of trouble. Pushing open a rusty iron door, Ling Chen tiptoed into the prison, immediately assailed by a pungent stench.


    He covered his nose and slowly walked forward in the dim light illuminating the inside of the prison.


    The prison seemed quite old, with damp air, crumbling walls, and the stone floor cracked with countless fissures.


    At that moment, a faint sound of pained groaning reached Ling Chen¡¯s ears. He turned to look, only to see a person in tattered clothes imprisoned within a cell made of steel columns.


    Approaching the cell, Ling Chen focused his gaze and the dirty, disheveled face became clear before his eyes.


    For a moment, his heart was profoundly shaken, his eyes widened in disbelief at the person held captive in the cell.


    No, impossible!


    How could it be him?

 Chapter 370 - 366 Reylov (1)

    <h4>Chapter 370: Chapter 366 Reylov (1)</h4><h4></h4>


    Seeing Ling Chen outside the cell, the imprisoned man immediately let out a loud shout, like a wild beast, and fiercely pounced forward. It seemed as if he felt no pain, his body heavily mming into the iron pir. His emaciated hands reached out through the gaps between the bars, iling wildly, trying to grab Ling Chen.


    Ling Chen stepped back two paces, staring at the man in front of him, the shock in his eyes lingering.


    After a while, Ling Chen, regaining his senses, pressed his earpiece and called out: "Kaelina."


    "Received."


    "You bettere over here," Ling Chen said in a deep voice.


    "Coming right away."


    In less than three minutes, Kaelina appeared silently at the entrance of the prison.


    Walking into the prison, Kaelina looked at Ling Chen beside her and asked, "What¡¯s going on?"


    Ling Chen expressionlessly pointed at the cell and said, "I think you might want to meet this person."


    Hearing this, Kaelina eyed the man imprisoned in the cell, her expression slightly changing. However, her look of surprise quickly returned to normal.


    Noting the change in Kaelina¡¯s expression, Ling Chen said, "He¡¯s already dead. I personally dealt with him, there can be no mistake. Why is he still here? Judging by your reaction, his presence doesn¡¯t seem to surprise you. Shouldn¡¯t you exin?"


    Kaelina hesitated for a moment and then said, "I do know something, but those are bargaining chips for our cooperation, I can¡¯t tell you yet. After all, those matters are too shocking. In any case, I can assure you that Blood Wolf is dead."


    Ling Chen frowned slightly, pointing at the man in the cell, he demanded, "If he is dead, then why is he here?"


    The moment Ling Chen saw the man¡¯s face clearly, he thought he had recognized the wrong person. But as a top agent, he could not make such a basic mistake. The man imprisoned in the cell was none other than Blood Wolf, who had died by his hands.


    At this moment, seeing a person who was supposed to be dead appearing alive in front of him, how could he remain calm?


    "Don¡¯t ask anymore, I¡¯m not lying to you. About him ..." Kaelina turned to look at the man in the cell, pulled out her pistol, aimed at his forehead. Without any hesitation, she pulled the trigger, and the bullet flew from the silenced barrel, instantly sting his head.


    Without even struggling, under the impact of the bullet, the man¡¯s head reclined back, dropping dead on the spot.


    "Let¡¯s go, don¡¯t forget the main reason you¡¯re here." After saying this, Kaelina left the prison without lingering any longer.


    Looking at the man¡¯s body, Ling Chen kept frowning, not because of Kaelina¡¯s ruthlessness, but because of the man¡¯s identity, too many doubts swirling in his mind.


    Leaving the prison, Ling Chen collected himself, burying the scene that had just unfolded deep in his heart, his gaze searching around.


    "Fatty, have you found anything on your end?"


    "Just saw a few patrol teams."


    "Kaelina, searching like this is a waste of time. To capture the thieves, first capture the leader. Who is the leader of the Broken Teeth Training Camp? He rules this ind; we must find him to learn Wanqing¡¯s whereabouts."


    "The leader of Broken Teeth Training Camp is called Reylov, a Russian, in his fifties, with a beard, bald, and a scar on the left side of his face. You can try looking for him."


    "Received."


    Armed with Reylov¡¯s characteristics, Ling Chen began to target his search on isted quarters, where typically, people of status resided.


    However, just as Ling Chen was about to sneak into a barrack, he saw the door of the barracks suddenly pushed open. Startled, Ling Chen quickly reacted, leaping to the side andnding silently in a clump of grass.


    Listening to the footsteps passing by, Ling Chen unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.


    That was close!


    At this moment, a shrill whistle pierced the tranquil night sky, spreading throughout the camp.


    Instantly, all the lights in the rooms were turned on. Within ten seconds, more than two hundred people emerged from a dpidated building in the distance, arranged orderly on the spacious drill ground.


    Seeing this scene, Ling Chen was slightly stunned and inwardly cursed his luck.


    Damn!


    This timing was just too bad.


    He had not expected that the Broken Teeth Training Camp¡¯s instructors would conduct a nighttime drill at this time. This inevitably had a great impact on their operations.


    ording to the n they had made earlier, they were supposed to retreat before dawn. But now, it was uncertain whether this n could be sessfully carried out.


    "Ling Chen, what should we do now?"


    Hearing Kaelina¡¯s voice from the headset, Ling Chen replied, "Don¡¯t rush, let¡¯s watch and see."


    As soon as he had finished speaking, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze was immediately drawn to a group of people approaching from not far away. The leader wore an army green vest and special operations pants, matched with a pair of military boots, and a gun holster at his waist. At this moment, nked by two subordinates, the person came in front of the neatly arranged troops and roared loudly in English.


    After seeing that man¡¯s face clearly, Ling Chen immediately recognized him as Reylov, who Kaelina had mentioned, the leader of the Broken Teeth Training Camp.


    Ling Chen had some recollection of the name Reylov. If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, more than twenty years ago, Reylov had been a dictator of awless country, a warlord, frequently using brutal means to oppress the people, causing great international outrage.


    However, it had to be admitted that Reylov was very skilled at training soldiers; in terms of individualbat capabilities, his army definitely ranked among the world¡¯s top tier. At that time, if not for outdated equipment and interference from several major countries, Reylov would not have fled in such a sorry state.


    To this day, Reylov was still an internationally wanted criminal.


    No wonder no one had found his whereabouts for so many years; turns out this guy had joined the Broken Teeth Training Camp and even became its leader.


    At this moment, after finishing his lecture, Reylov left the drill ground with his two subordinates and walked towards the barracks.


    Opportunity!


    Ling Chen quietly circled the drill ground and trailed behind Reylov, following him all the way to the outside of the barracks.


    Upon entering the barracks, the two subordinates beside Reylov did not follow inside, but stood guard at the door with their guns. Ling Chen scanned the area; the front door had no breach and was easy to be spotted, so he moved to the back of the barracks.


    However, Ling Chen was disappointed to find that the back of the barracks was aplete wall, with no windows, making it impossible to sneak in.


    He had to force his way in!


    His mind racing, Ling Chen immediately made a decision.


    Circling back to the front of the barracks, Ling Chen, lying on the ground, pulled out two sharp daggers from his waist. Seizing the moment, his eyes wide open, he suddenly sprang up from the ground, his hands flicking the two daggers into two fierce shes of cold light, swiftly thrown forward.


    Apanied by two muffled groans, the two daggers urately hit their targets¡¯ foreheads, instantly killing them.

 Chapter 371 - 367 Reylov (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 371: Chapter 367 Reylov (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    After taking out two guards, Ling Chen quickly rushed forward, catching the bodies as they fell to prevent any noise from disturbing Reylov inside the barracks.


    Dragging the bodies into the bushes nearby, Ling Chen flicked his wrist, his fingertips tightly clutching Wolf Kiss, and walked straight to the entrance of the barracks, took hold of the doorknob, and gently pushed the door inward.


    Inside the room, it was pitch-ck, except for a bleak moonlight shining through a window at the top of the room. Ling Chen squinted his eyes, treaded lightly, and quietly entered the room, looking around. He saw a bed against the north wall, under whose coversy a person.


    The corners of Ling Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly, and he silently approached the bed. Without waiting for any reaction from the individual, he suddenly flipped the covers and swung his hand-de toward Reylov.


    However, the moment the covers were lifted, Ling Chen froze. To his surprise, there was no person under the covers, merely a human-shaped doll.


    Darn it! It¡¯s a trap!


    The thought had just arisen when an intense unease surged in Ling Chen¡¯s heart, prompting him to look down immediately. Just then, an arm holding a military dagger emerged from under the bed, stabbing toward his legs.


    Amidst the shock, although Ling Chen was panicked, his body reacted swiftly, retracting backward to dodge the dagger¡¯s stab.


    Unable to hit his target, the arm clutching the dagger quickly withdrew. Following that, a dark figure rolled out from underneath the bed, leaped from the ground, waving the sharp military dagger, and lunged at Ling Chen.


    As the cold light approached, Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate and countered with a powerful kick.


    Reylov was skilled, but only moderately so. Compared to a Tiger List expert like Ling Chen, he was still farcking.


    After missing his strike, Ling Chen¡¯s foot urately kicked Reylov¡¯s abdomen, sending him flying. Not allowing Reylov¡¯s body to hit the ground, Ling Chen swiftly closed in, grasped his wrist, pulled him inward, and pressed the sharp Wolf Kiss against Reylov¡¯s neck.


    "If you don¡¯t want to die, better stay still," Ling Chen rebuked in English.


    With his life held in another¡¯s hands, Reylov promptly dropped his dagger and cooperatively said, "Let¡¯s talk. Who sent you to kill me? The Central Intelligence Agency, or the Russian security service?"


    "You¡¯re overthinking it; I have no connections with them," Ling Chen said, ncing at the doll on the bed and slightly smiling, "Your preparation was indeed thorough."


    "It¡¯s just a habit," Reylov replied indifferently. "I¡¯ve experienced too many assassination attempts over the years, so I dare not sleep on the bed, always under it. So, what do you want?"


    "Rest assured, I¡¯m not interested in your life; I just want to inquire about someone."


    "Who?"


    "Nanrong Wanqing."


    "Sorry, I¡¯ve never heard that name."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen frowned slightly, applied a bit more pressure with Wolf Kiss, and created a thin cut on Reylov¡¯s neck, his voice cold, "I don¡¯t have the patience to dally with you. You¡¯re the leader of the Broken Teeth Training Camp; wouldn¡¯t you know if someone came to your ind?"


    Reylov, seemingly unfazed by the pain in his neck, calmly stated, "Killing me won¡¯t help; I truly don¡¯t know. But I think the person you¡¯re looking for might not be me, but a member of the God Organization; the Nanrong Wanqing you mentioned is likely brought to the ind by them."


    "Then you still im you don¡¯t know?"


    "I never interfere with the affairs of the God Organization; I merely cooperate with their operations."


    "Exin clearly."


    "A few years ago, the people from the God Organization approached me to build a secret base on this ind. For the base¡¯s security, they paid me to ensure, should the base face any external threats, Broken Teeth Training Camp would help resolve their issues. Initially, I wanted to refuse, but the payment they offered was too tempting, so I agreed to their terms. Aside from maintaining the base¡¯s security, I also helped them train a group of soldiers; those people you see on the training field outside are all members of the God Organization."


    Hearing Reylov¡¯s exnation, Ling Chen thought of the man locked in the prison, resembling Blood Wolf.


    "The man you¡¯re keeping in prison, who is he?" Since Kaelina wouldn¡¯t speak, he could only seek the truth from Reylov.


    "That lunatic? That¡¯s someone the God Organization handed over to me, asking me to give him special training," Reylov said, unable to resist grinning.


    "What are youughing at?" Ling Chen inquired, perplexed.


    "You specifically asking about that lunatic implies you¡¯re thinking the same as I did. When you first saw that man, did you think he was Blood Wolf? I¡¯ll be honest, I was stunned too. Blood Wolf is a top assassin I personally trained; he has no siblings, and in this world, it¡¯s impossible for two people to look exactly identical unless someone¡¯s had stic surgery."


    "stic surgery?" A thought shed through Ling Chen¡¯s mind, providing a usible exnation. Thinking for a moment, he continued, "Why would the God Organization do this?"


    "How would I know? I just carry out what they assign me to do, nothing else. Asking me is futile."


    "Then where should I look for them?"


    "This is the eastern side of the ind, and the God Organization¡¯s secret base is on the western side. If you want to find them, you¡¯ll have to go to the other end of the ind."


    "How can I be sure you won¡¯t alert them if I let you go?" Ling Chen asked.


    Reylov chuckled, "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not the kind of person who betrays for money; no amount canpare to my life. However, I do have an agreement with the God Organization; if they¡¯re in trouble, I must send troops to protect them. But, I can give you three hours. During these three hours, whatever happens at the base, I won¡¯t take any action. If you can¡¯t aplish what you want within these three hours, don¡¯t me me."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen hesitated, unsure whether to trust Reylov or not.


    "Let him go."


    At this moment, Kaelina walked in from outside, adding, "I can vouch for him; he won¡¯t deceive us."


    Seeing Kaelina, Reylov¡¯s smile grew even brighter.


    "Kaelina, my most outstanding student, you haven¡¯te to see me for a long time."


    "I did want to see you, just afraid you wouldn¡¯t dare to meet me," Kaelina coldly replied.


    "Ha ha!" Reylovughed loudly: "You understand me best. What can I do? Being the third ranked assassin on the assassin list, I¡¯m afraid someone might hire you to kill me."


    "I¡¯m not interested in that. We¡¯re here just to find someone; we don¡¯t want to make an enemy out of Broken Teeth Training Camp. If we offended you in any way, I hope you can understand."


    Reylov, magnanimously responded, "Considering you were once my most outstanding student, I won¡¯t mind what you did just now."


    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 372 - 368: Infiltrating Successfully

    <h4>Chapter 372: Chapter 368: Infiltrating Sessfully</h4><h4></h4>


    Kaelina gave Ling Chen a signal with her eyes, and thetter understood, immediately moving the Wolf Kiss away from his hand.


    Reylov touched the fresh blood on his neck, nced at Ling Chen, and gave a thumbs-up, saying, "You¡¯ve got some good moves. The organization behind you must be quite something to have trained someone like you."


    "Enough talk, what kind of information do you have on the base? Give it all to me," Ling Chen urged impatiently.


    Reylov pointed to the ind map posted on the wall and said, "I can¡¯t help you much, only tell you the exact location of the base and a shortcut to get there, which can save you a lot of time."


    "That¡¯s enough."


    After gathering intelligence from Reylov, Ling Chen and Kaelina got ready to leave.


    "Be careful after you leave, don¡¯t expose your tracks. Those students outside are all from the God Organization," Reylov reminded them from behind.


    As they walked out of the barracks, Ling Chen contacted Hu Fei, Qiu Yong, and the others through his headset, asking them to hurry over for a rendezvous.


    While waiting for the others to arrive, Ling Chen asked curiously, "The international rumors say that Reylov is a ruthless executioner, brutal to the extreme, but he didn¡¯t seem so just now."


    "That¡¯s because you don¡¯t know him well enough," Kaelina said, her sapphire-like eyes shing with fear and trepidation at some memory. "Reylov¡¯s brutality only shows towards his students and enemies. If you had experienced his training methods, you would understand how terrifying he is. Often times, he¡¯s not a man but a beast. We were lucky that you didn¡¯t kill him just now, or we would never be able to escape this ind."


    "Why is that?" Ling Chen asked curiously.


    "Reylov is not just ruthless to others but to himself as well. He once had surgery to imnt a micro-device in his heart, which controls explosives all over the ind. As soon as his heart stops beating, it will immediately trigger the device. The explosives he¡¯s buried around the ind are enough to destroy the whole ce, leaving no one alive."


    "That severe?" Ling Chen was taken aback. With that kind of trick up his sleeve, who would dare to kill him on this ind?


    While they were talking, Hu Fei, Qiu Yong, and the others arrived at the meeting point.


    Ling Chen pulled out the map he had acquired from Reylov, pointing to a route marked with a red line, and said, "This is the shortcut Reylov pointed out to us. Going this way, it should take about ten minutes to reach the God Organization¡¯s base."


    "Reylov only gave us three hours, we¡¯d better hurry."


    "Let¡¯s get moving then."


    The group hadn¡¯t gone far when Hu Fei started to fall behind. He couldn¡¯t bear to part with his heavy equipment. Seeing him drenched in sweat and gasping for breath, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but sigh and took the equipment off his back to help lighten his load.


    "I really don¡¯t know why you brought so much stuff." Heined.


    "This is all life-saving gear, how could I not bring it?" Hu Fei retorted. "If I had your skills, I wouldn¡¯t need all this stuff."


    "Fine, forget I said anything."


    The group rushed forward and, after more than ten minutes, they were stopped by a wall over three meters high.


    "This is it," Ling Chen said, dropping the heavy gear he was carrying. "I¡¯ll go up and take a look first."


    With that, Ling Chen¡¯s legs powered up, and like a nimble monkey, with the help of Wolf Kiss, he quickly climbed to the top of the wall.


    However, as soon as he reached the top, Ling Chen froze. A surveince camera was directly facing him.


    Done for!


    After a brief moment of shock, Ling Chen quickly moved aside, lying on top of the wall, his heart pounding and his breathing bing rapid.


    Dear God, let me not be discovered. He prayed silently.


    Minutes passed, and no unusual activity urred inside the base, which made Ling Chen breathe a sigh of relief.


    Luckily, I must have had good fortune, as it seemed that the surveince operator had dozed off and didn¡¯t notice my face.


    Regaining myposure, I stealthily surveyed the situation inside the perimeter wall. There were over a dozen security personnel on duty outside, all armed with firearms, and there were also a few hunting dogs.


    Not far off, two European-style vis stood erect, lights shining within, with security patrols around the balconies and entrances.


    The God Organization¡¯s bases always preferred underground construction, offering both concealment and effective defense.


    After observing the situation, Ling Chen signaled to the people at the base of the wall.


    Soon, a line of individuals climbed over the wall one after another, infiltrating the inside of the enclosure.


    "Pudgy."


    "Roger that! Watch me."


    Hu Feiy prone on the ground, set up his sniper rifle, aimed at an isted security guard, and gently squeezed the trigger.


    At the same time, Zhang Zhongfengunched arrows from his bow, four in quick session, each shot hitting its mark. Hu Fei had only taken out one guard when over here, four security personnel were easily neutralized.


    With the cooperation of everyone, in less than a minute, all the security personnel and hunting dogs outside the base entrance were dealt with.


    "Let¡¯s go, inside."


    Ling Chen called to everyone and quickened his pace to the entrance of the base. But at that moment, Hu Fei called out from the side: "Ling Chen."


    "What¡¯s up?"


    Hu Fei pointed to a vi not far away and shook the binocrs in his hand. Catching on, Ling Chen immediately understood, took the binocrs from Hu Fei, and looked towards that vi.


    At that moment, in front of the transparent floor-to-ceiling window of the vi, stood a young man in a sharp suit, holding a wine ss, leisurely gazing at the coast.


    Zhu Hong!


    Ling Chen¡¯s expression turned cold, a surge of nameless rage bubbling up from within. He put down the binocrs and said in a low voice, "Pudgy, Kaelina, Big Brother, you go ahead into the base to find Wanqing. I¡¯ll take care of Zhu Hong."


    Kaelina frowned and said, "Now¡¯s not the time for revenge. Let¡¯s rescue the others first. As long as Zhu Hong is on this ind, you can take his life at any moment."


    Qiu Yong chimed in, "Ling Cheng, let¡¯s focus on the task at hand."


    Persuaded by everyone, Ling Chen finally gave up on the idea of going after Zhu Hong.


    Forget it. I¡¯ll find Nanrong Wanqing first, letting Zhu Hong live a few more hours.


    The group entered the base, surprisingly without much hindrance. It made sense, though, as the God Organization had sent most of their manpower to the Broken Teeth Training Camp for training, leaving not so many security personnel at the base.


    Following the spacious and bright underground passage, Ling Chen led everyone swiftly towards the depths of the base.


    After passing several electronically locked doors, Ling Chen suddenly stopped in his tracks, looking towards arge door on his left. This door was different from the others; it was specifically marked with red English letters indicating a scientific research area, strictly off-limits to unauthorized persons.


    However, this only piqued Ling Chen¡¯s interest.


    He approached that door, spent a few minutes, and cracked the electronic password lock.


    Click!


    With a soft sound, the hefty steel door gradually opened. Ling Chen stepped forward as the first to enter.


    Suddenly, Ling Chen¡¯s pupils shrank, and his face was filled with shock ¨C he was utterly astonished.

 Chapter 373 - 369: Locating the Target

    <h4>Chapter 373: Chapter 369: Locating the Target</h4><h4></h4>


    Behind therge door, it was like a meat processing nt, except those hanging from the hooks were not pork but people, dead people. Even more shocking, all of these bodies were deformed, missing limbs or having shrunken brains ¨C not one was normal.


    Furthermore, these corpses had been disemboweled, their innardspletely hollowed out. At a cursory nce, there were about forty to fifty bodies in this storage room, presenting a grotesquely horrifying scene that was truly disturbing. Even seasoned individuals like Qiu Yong and others were stunned by this sight.


    Xia Yue covered her mouth, fighting back nausea, and turned away as she said, "What the hell is this ce?"


    Ling Chen furrowed his brows; he too wanted to figure out what experiments were being conducted in this ce. Turning around, he strode out of the storeroom and said in a deep voice, "Sooner orter, we will uncover the secrets of this base."


    Following the underground passage, the group cautiously advanced toward the deeper parts of the base.


    After walking approximately several dozen meters, blind Yang Chen suddenly stopped and looked up, saying, "Someone ising."


    Ling Chen, fully aware of Yang Chen¡¯s keen hearing, knew he was not mistaken, and asked, "How many people?"


    "Five, based on the footsteps. They¡¯re in the passage to the left."


    Ling Chen nced at the left corner; although the people were not yet in sight, their shadows were already cast on the wall by the light. Immediately, Ling Chen signaled everyone, and they quickly scattered, each finding a hidden corner to conceal themselves.


    Before long, five researchers in whiteb coats walked shoulder to shoulder into Ling Chen¡¯s view. Watching the researchers who were about to pass by, Ling Chen¡¯s expression subtly changed. Among them was someone he recognized.


    Stephen!


    The doctor who Zhu Hong had introduced to Nanrong Wanqing for treatment was here as well. Watching as Stephen and the others slowly moved further away, Ling Chen gestured to his team with a nod and then silently followed behind Stephen.


    "Kaelina, you and the fat man go to the surveince room."


    "Got it!"


    After Kaelina and Hu Fei left, Ling Chen and the others like Qiu Yong followed and soon arrived outside a clean room. Through the ss, they saw Stephen and his group putting on clean protective suits and entering through a side door.


    Ling Chen took a look at the surveince camera on top of the outside door, then stopped in his tracks, waiting for Kaelina¡¯s response.


    Three minutes passed, and Hu Fei¡¯s voice finally came through the earpiece: "Done!"


    With surveince under control, their next moves would be much easier. Ling Chen pushed open the door to the clean room and quickly walked up to the side door, grabbing the handle and trying to push it open. However, he quickly realized that the side door was locked and couldn¡¯t be opened.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen looked up at the surveince camera, pointed at the side door, and said, "Fat man, can you control this door?"


    "No, that door doesn¡¯t have an electronic lock. I can¡¯t remotely control it; it can only be opened from the inside," Hu Fei barely finished talking when Kaelina¡¯s voice chimed in, "Ling Chen, you bettere here and see this."


    "I¡¯ll be right there."


    After instructing Qiu Yong and the others to stay put, Ling Chen promptly made his way alone to the base¡¯s surveince room.


    Upon entering, Kaelina pointed at the surveince screen and said, "See for yourself."


    Ling Chen nced over and his expression changed abruptly. He saw, within the monitor screen, Nanrong Wanqing lying quietly on a bed with her arms and legs bound, eyes slightly closed as if in a deep slumber. Beside her, several precise instruments were ced with wires connected to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s body, seemingly monitoring her vital signs.


    At the same time, Stephen, leading a group of scientists, was conducting examinations on Nanrong Wanqing. After a moment, a scientist in a white coat approached Stephen holding a metallic case. Once the case was opened after entering the password, Ling Chen¡¯s pupils contracted and his fists clenched involuntarily at the sight of its contents.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" Kaelina, noticing the change in Ling Chen¡¯s expression, asked.


    "They are nning to inject Wanqing with strengthening serums. No, we cannot let them seed," Ling Chen dered in a deep voice. He then quickly left the surveince room and returned to the cleanroom.


    Facing the tightly closed side door, Ling Chen gritted his teeth and ferociously kicked it.


    Bang!


    A dull sound followed, but the side door did not budge or even indent.


    However, the sound of the door alerted everyone in theboratory. Stephen, confused, nced at the door and then went to hisputer, pressing a few keys with fingers d in rubber gloves.


    Instantly, an image appeared on theputer screen; Ling Chen and Qiu Yong, among others, were all disyed on the screen.


    Having met Ling Chen a few times before, Stephen recognized him immediately, his face turning pale, he quickly took off his gloves and grabbed theboratory phone, dialing a number swiftly.


    But the phone signal was busy, emitting ¡¯beep beep¡¯ sounds and not connecting. After several attempts, the phone still couldn¡¯t reach the other side.


    "Ling Chen, they¡¯ve discovered you. I¡¯ve cut off theb¡¯s connection with the outside; they will be temporarily trapped in there. You¡¯d better find a way to open that door quickly."


    Hearing Hu Fei¡¯s voice from the earphone, Ling Chen nced at Qiu Yong and others and said, "Big brother, help me out!"


    "Let me do it."


    Qiu Yong walked over to the side door, sank his waist, crouched in a horse stance, hands moving from upward to downward coordinated with his breathing, Qi sinking to the Dantian. Suddenly, he roared and threw a punch like the wind heavily against the door.


    Bang!


    A loud noise urred, and a fist-shaped dent immediately appeared on the surface of the sturdy iron door. Yet, that was all; the door remained intact.


    Seeing Qiu Yong¡¯s unsessful attempt, the people who had been eager to try instantly gave up. Ling Chen may not be aware of Qiu Yong¡¯s capabilities, but the other members of the ¡¯Eight entrics¡¯ knew very well. Qiu Yong practiced the Iron Cloth Shirt of Cross Training, had incredibly strong muscles and bones, and possessed extraordinary strength; if even he couldn¡¯t break the door, it was futile for others to even try.


    "Mr. Ling, don¡¯t waste your efforts anymore; this door is made from a special metal. Merely relying on human strength to destroy it is simply wishful thinking," Stephen¡¯s deep voice came from an external speaker.


    Frowning slightly, Ling Chen replied, "Stephen, open the door. Just let me take Wanqing away, and I promise not to kill you."


    "Forget it. As long as I stay in theb, you¡¯ll never be able to harm me," Stephen retorted with a coldugh, then added, "It¡¯s perfect that I¡¯m in need of a few spectators; you might as well serve as witnesses."


    As his voice fell, the outer wall¡¯s screen started broadcasting theboratory¡¯s scene live.

 Chapter 374 - 370: Injection Successful

    <h4>Chapter 374: Chapter 370: Injection Sessful</h4><h4></h4>


    Seeing Stephen put on the rubber gloves again and walk over to Nanrong Wanqing to begin the experiment, Ling Chen suddenly panicked, kicking frantically at the iron door, but unfortunately it was futile.


    Xia Yue couldn¡¯t stand watching, she ced her hand on Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder, and said, "Don¡¯t worry just yet, we¡¯ll definitely find a way to rescue her."


    Ling Chen stared at the screen, his mind racing. Suddenly, he gritted his teeth and shouted into the headset, "Hu Fei, hurry over here."


    In less than a minute, Hu Fei ran to the cleanroom with his short legs, asking, "What¡¯s up?"


    Without saying another word, Ling Chen grabbed the backpack from behind Hu Fei and threw it next to the iron door. Unzipping it, he took out a few stic explosive charges, molded them into discs, and stuck them in each corner of the door. After the explosives were ced, Ling Chen retrieved a detonator cap, preparing to connect the explosives.


    Seeing what Ling Chen was doing, Hu Fei eximed in surprise, "Are you crazy? If you blow this up, everyone will know we are here."


    "There¡¯s no time to worry about that."


    At that moment, inside the sealedboratory, Stephen took a syringe and drew several milliliters of purple liquid from a transparent bottle. He then extracted several milliliters of red liquid from another transparent bottle. As the two different liquids mixed, they immediately turned into a bizarre color.


    "Ready to start the injection," stated Stephen as he put on a mask and gently flicked the syringe with his fingers.


    At his indication, a staff member in a whiteb coat lifted Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s sleeve, revealing her smooth and fair arm. After wiping it with alcohol, Stephen leaned closer and positioned the needle near Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s arm.


    Just as he was about to administer the injection, a thunderous boom suddenly echoed from outside theboratory, severely shaking the entire room. The ssware ttering on the table was nearly knocked to the floor.


    Startled by the explosion, Stephen¡¯s wrist shook, causing the needle to veer off course.


    He cursed under his breath, hastily looking up at the surveince monitor, only to see the dust-filled cleanroom where no figure could be clearly distinguished.


    At that very moment.


    In a vi hundreds of meters from the base, upon hearing the sound of the explosion, Zhu Hong suddenly stood up from the sofa and rushed to the balcony. He looked in the direction of the base and frowned, saying, "Contact the base immediately, see what happened."


    A suit-d bodyguard immediately pulled out a walkie-talkie and called the base¡¯s duty personnel. However, after several minutes, there was still no response from the base.


    "Something¡¯s wrong!" Zhu Hong¡¯s expression darkened, he turned and said, "Notify Reylov to send reinforcements immediately. Also, have the vi¡¯s security head to the base to ascertain the situation."


    "Yes."


    At the base.


    Ling Chen waved his hands to clear the surrounding dust and strode towards the iron door. However, despite the power of the stic explosives, the iron door was only deformed, not blown open.


    "Ling Chen, Zhu Hong¡¯s men are heading this way, you better hurry and rescue Nanrong Wanqing from theb."


    "How many people areing?"


    "More than thirty," Kaelina replied.


    Qiu Yong spoke, "Ling Cheng, focus on handling things here, we¡¯ll take care of the people outside." Saying this, he led Xia Yue and others quickly towards the base¡¯s exit.


    After they left, Ling Chen touched the scorching iron door, hesitating in his gaze. The explosives Hu Fei brought were plentiful, and blowing open this door was not difficult. However, the issue was that if the amount of explosives was not controlled well, it was very possible that Nanrong Wanqing in theboratory would be identally injured.


    During his contemtion, Stephen¡¯s voice suddenly came from the loudspeaker outside the door: "Mr. Ling, there¡¯s no time left, Miss Nanrong has alreadypleted the injection."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s face changed, filled with shock and anger.


    "Stephen, you¡¯re dead!"


    With that said, Ling Chen stopped hesitating and immediately took out half a block of stic explosives from his backpack, stuffing it into the cracks made by previous explosions in the iron door.


    Once everything was prepared, Ling Chen quickly backed out to the clean room and pressed the control button on the st device. For a moment, there was a loud ¡¯bang¡¯, and under the impact of two explosions, the solid iron door was finally blown away.


    Ling Chen charged ahead with great speed, rushing straight into theboratory. His sharp gaze swept around; Stephen and a few others were clinging to the wall, trembling in fear as they watched him.


    "Fatty, keep an eye on them, don¡¯t let them escape." After saying this, Ling Chen quickly walked to the bed and saw Nanrong Wanqing asleep, his brows immediately furrowing.


    At this moment, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s body was flushing red after the injection, breathing rapidly. The monitoring equipment showed her heartbeat and rhythm both rapidly increasing, exhibiting extremely unstable vital signs.


    "Wanqing." Ling Chen grasped Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s hand, feeling her skin burning hot as if soaked in boiling water.


    He called out several times, and seeing that Nanrong Wanqing did not respond, Ling Chen, with a stern face, red coldly at Stephen beside him, striding forward, grasped his cor, and dragged him to the bed.


    "Wake her up."


    "She¡¯s currently merging with the medication. Only after the drug¡¯s effects unfoldpletely and get absorbed, she might wake up."


    Ling Chen nced at the two empty bottles on the table and coldly asked, "What did you inject her with?"


    "One is a regr enhancement drug, the other is a newly developed drug, the specific effects are only clear to Mr. Yun and Zhu Hong; I was just following orders, I don¡¯t know anything else."


    "You like conducting experiments on people, don¡¯t you? Since that¡¯s the case, let you taste it too." After saying that, Ling Chen forcefully pressed Stephen¡¯s head down, randomly picked up a syringe, drawing more than ten milliliters of the enhancement drug.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s actions, Stephen immediately turned pale with fright, struggling desperately: "Don¡¯t, Mr. Ling, I..."


    Before he could finish his words, Ling Chen had already stabbed the needle into his neck, injecting all the purple liquid in the syringe into his body.


    The reaction speed of the drug was very fast; just after the injection, less than ten secondster, Stephen¡¯s body began to show signs of reddening, looking as if he lost all strength, copsing to the ground, convulsing, foaming at the mouth, and his hands frantically scratching at his chest, even tearing his clothes.


    Turning his gaze away, Ling Chen looked at the four men in white coats standing against the wall and coldly said: "Fatty, kill them all, leave none behind."


    Hu Fei didn¡¯t hesitate, immediately pulling the trigger, unleashing a volley of bullets, turning the bodies of the four in white coats into a hive.


    "Let¡¯s go!"


    Ling Chen picked up the delicate body of Nanrong Wanqing, not hesitating for a moment, quickly heading towards the base exit. Now that they had rescued the person, it was time to evacuate.


    However, as they reached the base¡¯s exit, they saw Qiu Yong and others blocked at the gate, pinned down by external gunfire, unable to break out.

 Chapter 375 - 371: Monster

    <h4>Chapter 375: Chapter 371: Monster</h4><h4></h4>


    "Big brother."


    Seeing Ling Chen carrying Nanrong Wanqing and catching up from behind, Qiu Yong grimaced and said: "We¡¯re surrounded outside, the enemy¡¯s fire is too strong, we can¡¯t get out."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen called Xia Yue over, handed Nanrong Wanqing to her, and instructed her to take good care of Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s safety.


    ncing at the time, Reylov had said they would have three hours to act, and there was still about two hours left, which was more than enough.


    Listening to sporadic gunshots from outside, Ling Chen pondered for a moment, then turned his gaze to Hu Fei beside him.


    Hu Fei trembled with fear under his stare and swallowed before saying: "What are you nning to do?"


    "What are you afraid of? I¡¯m not preparing to send you to your death." Ling Chenughed, took his backpack, pulled out a few smoke grenades, and said: "Big brother, I¡¯ll distract them. You all head to the evacuation point ording to our earlier n, I will find you as soon as possible."


    "Alright, take care of yourself."


    "Ling Chen." At this moment, Kaelina rushed over from the monitoring room and reminded him: "Zhu Hong is also outside."


    "I know!" Ling Chen nodded, a sharp cold light shing through his pupils.


    After throwing a few smoke grenades, thick white smoke immediately enveloped the outside of the base. Seizing the opportunity, Ling Chen, like a darting rabbit, quickly dashed out. However, just as he rushed out of the base, gunshots immediately rang out, bullets falling at his feet.


    That was close!


    A shock went through Ling Chen, and he suddenly had an ominous premonition.


    Bang! Bang!


    Two sessive shots, both hitting where he was. Luckily, he kept moving at high speed, and each bullet missed his body by a whisker.


    Trouble! Ling Chen frowned secretly. Under the cover of smoke, the enemy was still able to urately pinpoint his location, indicating that they were equipped with thermal imaging. As long as he had body heat, he couldn¡¯t escape their eyes.


    Without thinking further, Ling Chen leaped, his body soaring high andnding behind a small mound. Just as hended, a bullet shot toward him, but it was blocked by the mound.


    Taking a deep breath, Ling Cheny on the ground, reached for a grenade from his waist, unscrewed the detonator, and threw it into the air.


    Bang!


    An explosion rang out, followed by several screams.


    Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curled slightly, the gunshots from the enemy had likewise exposed their positions. Having taken out several gunmen, Ling Chen hesitated no longer, rushing forward like a swift wind. His n was clear¡ªto circle to the enemy¡¯s rear, draw their attention, and create a chance for Qiu Yong and the others to escape.


    Tens of seconds passed, and the thick smoke outside the base gradually dispersed. By then, Ling Chen had sessfully navigated to the rear.


    Hearing the gradually distant gunshots outside the base, the group knew Ling Chen¡¯s n had seeded. Immediately, under Kaelina¡¯s lead, everyone followed, quickly evacuating with Nanrong Wanqing.


    Yet, just then, Qiu Yong, who was covering the rear, suddenly flew into the air, crossing over everyone¡¯s heads and heavily falling to the ground.


    This sudden change shocked everyone present, causing them to hurriedly turn back. In the darkness of the night, a figure was rapidly approaching from behind. As the figure entered their line of sight, Kaelina and Hu Fei, among others, widened their eyes in disbelief at the approaching silhouette.


    Is this... still a human?


    Hu Fei gaped, his face full of horror.


    At this moment, the person appearing before them could no longer be called human, but a monster. Its entire body swollen, its limbs seemingly inted, and pus-blood flowing all over. Its head unevenly sized, extremely disproportionate. Its face also twisted beyond recognition.


    After a brief moment of shock, Hu Fei was the first to react, pointing at the monster in rm, "That¡¯s Stephen."


    Previously, Ling Chen had injected Stephen with an overdose of enhancement drugs, expecting him not to withstand the pain and die. However, Stephen not only survived but also transformed into this neither human nor ghost-like monster.


    "Everybody be careful, his strength is terrifying." Qiu Yong stood up from the ground, watching Stephen approach step by step and cautioned.


    Without a second word, Zhang Zhongfeng immediately drew his bow and arrow aiming at Stephen¡¯s head.


    Whoosh!


    Following the sound of air tearing, the sharp arrow pierced straight through Stephen¡¯s head.


    However, to everyone¡¯s astonishment, the fatally wounded Stephen appearedpletely unaffected. As if unable to feel the pain, he continued charging towards them.


    Seeing this, Hu Fei¡¯s eyes rotated, his gaze suddenly brightened, and he shouted loudly, "I have a n, hold him off first."


    Without hesitation, Qiu Yong lightly tapped his foot off the ground, leaping up and throwing a punch towards Stephen¡¯s head. Simultaneously, Xia Yue and the one-armed Yuan Yun rushed forward, wielding their swords, pinning Stephen in ce.


    With agile movements, Yuan Yun and Xia Yue coordinated swiftly, and in a blink of an eye, Stephen had more than a dozen wounds on him. For a normal person, these injuries would have been fatal, but Stephen waspletely unfazed, no matter how severe the wounds, they werepletely ignored.


    Just then, Xia Yue seized the opportunity, lifting the Mother-Child Sword, her wrist flicked, thrusting straight for Stephen¡¯s eyes.


    However, just as the sharp tip of the sword was about to prate his eyeball, Stephen suddenly raised his hands,pletely disregarding the de¡¯s sharpness, fiercely grasping onto the sword, and then violently throwing it.


    Xia Yue felt a powerful force transmitted from the sword, her body immediately losing control, soaring straight up.


    "Be careful!"


    Yuan Yun, seeing this, and fearing that Xia Yue might get hurt, hurriedly sheathed his sword and rushed over, stretching out his hands to catch Xia Yue¡¯s delicate body. However, just as Xia Yuended in his arms, herplexion abruptly changed, she eximed in shock, "Brother, watch out behind you!"


    Yuan Yun turned back only to see Stephen had somehow appeared behind him, his arm fiercely swinging, heavily pping his back.


    Struck by Stephen¡¯s powerful blow, Yuan Yun¡¯s face turned pale, he stumbled, and together with Xia Yue, they both fell to the ground.


    Seeing the dire situation, Qiu Yong and Xu Ming, fearing for their safety, quickly rushed over, coboratively blocking Stephen¡¯s assault. Seizing this opportunity, Wei Jiahao swiftly moved to help Yuan Yun and Xia Yue to their feet.


    Once they had retreated, Qiu Yong nced at Hu Fei nearby and asked in a grave tone, "How much longer?"


    "Almost ready." Hu Fei, neglecting the sweat on his forehead, hurriedly handed the modified arrow to Zhang Zhongfeng who immediately ced it on his bow, drew the bowstring full circle, aiming right at Stephen¡¯s forehead.


    "Big brother, second brother, move aside!"


    Hearing Zhang Zhongfeng¡¯s voice, Qiu Yong and Xu Ming didn¡¯t hesitate and quickly retreated. Without waiting for Stephen to catch up, Zhang Zhongfeng seized the moment, his finger slightly loosened, and the arrow immediately tore through the air, flying towards Stephen¡¯s forehead.

 Chapter 376 - 372 Ling Zhu Solo Challenge

    <h4>Chapter 376: Chapter 372 Ling Zhu Solo Challenge</h4><h4></h4>


    Zhang Zhongfeng¡¯s archery skills were incredibly urate, never missing their mark, his arrow pierced directly through Stephen¡¯s brow. However, just like before, Stephen waspletely unaffected by this fatal wound, if anything, it only made him more ferocious.


    Seeing Stephen quickly approaching with his swollen legs, Hu Fei sneered, raising the detonator in his right hand and murmuring, "Let¡¯s see if you die now!" As soon as these words fell, he pressed his thumb down, and Stephen¡¯s head instantly exploded into a bloody mist, filling the air with a pungent stench.


    After stumbling forward a few steps, the top half of his body blown open, Stephen finally lost his bnce and copsed on the ground, lifeless.


    Watching Stephen motionless, Hu Fei secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It was fortunate that he had been clever enough to attach a stic bomb to Zhang Zhongfeng¡¯s arrow. As the arrow pierced Stephen¡¯s head, the stic bomb also entered Stephen¡¯s body. Otherwise, it would not have been easy to deal with Stephen.


    "Let¡¯s go now," urged Kaelina. The explosion just now was bound to attract the attention of the base personnel, and they couldn¡¯t afford to dy.


    Meanwhile, in the opposite direction from where Qiu Yong and the others were, Ling Chen was sprinting alone through the dense vegetation, with the frequent sounds of footsteps and gunfire behind him. More than twenty security personnel were following closely behind him, pressing onward.


    "Ling Chen, we¡¯ve already reached the safe zone. How long until you can join us?"


    Kaelina¡¯s voice came through the headset, causing Ling Chen to rx and immediately respond, "Give me ten minutes."


    His mission was to distract the enemies, allowing Qiu Yong and others to escape the base. Now that the mission waspleted, there was no need to waste time with these guys. Seizing the opportunity, Ling Chen set his eyes on arge tree ahead. Reaching it, he swiftly climbed to the top like a nimble gori, crouching on a thick branch and using the dense leaves to conceal himself.


    Soon, the twenty or so security personnel who were following him passed by beneath him, continuing further ahead.


    Ling Chen watched the enemies below, preparing to join Kaelina once they had moved on.


    However, at that moment, his pupils narrowed, fixing on a young man at the back of the group, causing his brows to furrow slightly.


    Zhu Hong!


    Checking the time, Ling Chen felt a bit more settled. There was still plenty of time for him to do what he wanted. With this thought, Ling Chen reached behind his waist, pulled out a sharp dagger, and held it between his fingers, his intense gaze now locked on Zhu Hong¡¯s nape.


    When Zhu Hong passed by the tree, Ling Chen seized the opportunity without hesitation and flicked his wrist slightly. The sharp dagger was thrown straight at Zhu Hong¡¯s vital spot.


    But just as the dagger was about to pierce Zhu Hong¡¯s nape, Zhu Hong, who was running swiftly, suddenly turned around, raising his arm quickly.


    ng!


    Apanied by a crisp sound, the flying dagger was struck by the pistol in Zhu Hong¡¯s hand and fell to the ground.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen was taken aback, surprised by Zhu Hong¡¯s quick reflexes. He had never known him to have such agility before; had he been hiding his skills all this time?


    Bang!


    In the blink of an eye, a gunshot rang out, and a bullet whizzed past Ling Chen, flying through the dense branches and leaves.


    Without time to think further, Ling Chen immediately jumped down from the branch, exerting force with his legs and diving towards the grass ahead. Under the cover of the night, Ling Chen bent over, avoiding Zhu Hong¡¯s searching gaze, and quickly headed towards Kaelina and the others¡¯ location.


    However, after sprinting a hundred meters, Ling Chen realized that Zhu Hong was still following close behind, maintaining a distance of about thirty meters. No matter how Ling Chen changed his route, he couldn¡¯t shake Zhu Hong off. Thetter seemed to be clinging to him like a persistent parasite.


    Ling Chen frowned slightly, Zhu Hong¡¯s sudden disy of abilities was beyond his expectations. Had he known that guy had such impressive skills, he wouldn¡¯t have stirred up trouble, leaving himself without a chance to escape.


    Bang!


    Another shot.


    The bulletnded exactly where Ling Chen had just stepped. Ling Chen secretly felt shocked; even he admitted the gunmanship was precise.


    Bang! Bang!


    Two consecutive shots, both skillfully dodged by Ling Chen. At the same time, during his sprint, Ling Chen abruptly stopped, turned around, and faced Zhu Hong, who was chasing him.


    All this while, Ling Chen had been carefully counting the number of shots Zhu Hong had fired. With his experience and knowledge of firearms, Ling Chen knew Zhu Hong¡¯s ammunition was depleted. If it weren¡¯t for witnessing Zhu Hong¡¯s urate shooting, he would have confronted Zhu Hong directly much earlier.


    Seeing the still figure ahead, Zhu Hong immediately slowed down, and walked step by step towards it.


    As the distance between them gradually closed, Zhu Hong finally saw clearly the face of that figure, and his expression darkened instantly.


    "Ling Chen!" Zhu Hong gritted out the words through clenched teeth.


    "Didn¡¯t expect it to be me, did you?"


    "Indeed, I thought you were dead."


    Ling Chen smiled slightly: "You aren¡¯t dead, how could I possibly be?"


    As he spoke, he nced at the gun in Zhu Hong¡¯s hands, his lips curling slightly: "Honestly, I¡¯m surprised; turns out you¡¯ve been hiding your skills in front of me all this time."


    "You¡¯re wrong, I never hid myself."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen was slightly startled, as if realizing something, and his doubts were immediately resolved.


    "Did you inject an enhancement drug?"


    "You guessed half right," Zhu Hong sneered. "I owe my sess today to you."


    Ling Chen, puzzled, asked, "What do you mean?"


    "When you¡¯re close to death, I¡¯ll tell you," Zhu Hong said, and without waiting for Ling Chen to respond, he threw away his gun, took off his jacket, revealing his muscr upper body.


    "You think you¡¯re so strong? Let me see for myself. Let¡¯s find out whether you are stronger or I am superior."


    Faced with Zhu Hong¡¯s challenge, Ling Chen didn¡¯t say a word and stepped towards Zhu Hong. Approaching him, Zhu Hong¡¯s eyes turned fierce, and with a powerful leap from the ground, he aimed a punch from above down towards Ling Chen¡¯s head.


    As the punch came, Ling Chen crossed his arms in front of his forehead, resisting Zhu Hong¡¯s punch forcefully. Suddenly, Ling Chen felt his body slightly waver, nearly losing his bnce.


    Such incredible strength!


    Ling Chen looked up at Zhu Hong, a sh of amazement in his eyes. He had purposely taken Zhu Hong¡¯s hit head-on to test his strength, but he hadn¡¯t expected his opponent¡¯s power to be so immense.


    Unsessful with the first strike, Zhu Hong did not back down. His fists, fast and furious, flew one after another in quick session, continuously striking out andpletely taking the initiative.


    Ling Chen held his breath and focused, dodging the punchesing from Zhu Hong, moving left and right. After more than ten punches, Zhu Hong hadn¡¯t even touched the edge of Ling Chen¡¯s clothes, all his punches missing the mark.

 Chapter 377 - 373: The Powerful Zhu Hong

    <h4>Chapter 377: Chapter 373: The Powerful Zhu Hong</h4><h4></h4>


    "Die!"


    Seeing his attack miss entirely, Zhu Hong immediately grew furious. He shouted loudly and threw his fist straight at Ling Chen¡¯s face.


    However, before his fist could get close to Ling Chen, he felt a pain in his abdomen. Unbeknownst to him, Ling Chen had already lifted his right leg and fiercely kicked him, forcing him back several steps.


    Looking at Zhu Hong¡¯s face filled with shock and rage, Ling Chen said indifferently, "Your strength is not bad, but unfortunately, you arecking in other areas. No matter how powerful the enhancement drug is, it can¡¯t cover everything."


    Zhu Hong coldly responded, "That¡¯s because you haven¡¯t seen the true power of enhancement drugs." As he spoke, Zhu Hong reached deep into his pocket and pulled out a portable syringe filled with about twenty milliliters of purple liquid.


    Seeing Zhu Hong inject all twenty milliliters of the liquid into his body without hesitation, Ling Chen¡¯s pupils contracted and his expression abruptly changed.


    This guy is crazy!


    He had personally experienced the terror of enhancement drugs. Injecting so much at once, isn¡¯t Zhu Hong afraid his body can¡¯t handle it?


    At this moment, having sessfullypleted the injection, Zhu Hong stood still. His skin color changed from red to white, gradually returning to normal, but his breathing became more and more rapid. Faintly, one could see his muscles slightly bulging, seemingly catalyzed by the enhancement drug.


    Taking a deep breath, Zhu Hong spread his hands, clenched his fists, and stared at Ling Chen, whose expression was somewhat solemn. He sneered, "Now... I will show you just how terrifying the power of science can be."


    With those words, before Ling Chen could respond, Zhu Hong dashed towards him with increased speed.


    Compared to before, Zhu Hong¡¯s speed had increased by at least two to three times. Ling Chen only saw a blur before Zhu Hong was already up close, swinging his fist at him.


    Without time to think further, Ling Chen shifted his body slightly to the side, trying to dodge Zhu Hong¡¯s fist. However, his reaction speed, which he took pride in, was still a step too slow. Before he couldpletely move out of the way, Zhu Hong¡¯s powerful fist had already mmed into his left shoulder.


    Ling Chen furrowed his brows but ignored the pain in his shoulder, swiftly retreating backwards. However, Zhu Hong, havingnded his blow, did not back down an inch and pressed forward step by step, quickly advancing and throwing another punch.


    With no room to retreat, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes widened in anger as he met Zhu Hong¡¯s punch with a punch of his own, unleashing his Inner Strength.


    Bang!


    The two fists collided, immediately producing a muffled sound. The powerful force surged through his fist, and Ling Chen felt a numbness in his arm. If not for his Inner Strength offsetting some of the force, this arm might have beenpletely disabled.


    Suffering setbacks twice made Ling Chen¡¯s expression gradually turn solemn.


    He had always been very confident in his skills. Being on the Tiger List was proof of his abilities. However, facing the abnormal enhancement drug, he felt somewhat powerless. This was not his first time fighting someone who had taken an enhancement drug, but no one had been as abnormal as Zhu Hong.


    Moreover, Zhu Hong had injected an excessive amount of the enhancement drug without any apparent side effects, which puzzled him greatly.


    Feeling Ling Chen¡¯s flickering gaze, Zhu Hong seemed to guess his thoughts and said proudly with a smile, "Are you curious? Then let me tell you, so that you can die with understanding. The effects of the enhancement drug are astonishing, but due to individual differences in physical constitution, there is more or less rejection, which prevents a hundred percent integration and reduces the potency of the enhancement drug. However, we idently discovered that after you were injected with the enhancement drug, not only did you not experience any side effects, but you could also perfectly integrate with the enhancement drug. Therefore, during ourst operation at the secret base in East Sea City, we drew your blood for experiments. Although we couldn¡¯t achieve a hundred percent effect, we reached ny-nine percent, which is already an incredible result. Therefore, we used your blood as a sample, replicated your genes and blood, and then converted all the blood in my body into your blood. This way, the enhancement drug can exert its effects in my body and also avoid side effects. So, I should really thank you, because you made me."


    After hearing Zhu Hong¡¯s exnation, Ling Chen finally understood the truth, realizing that all this was because of himself.


    "Ling Chen, if the God Organization is to seed greatly, you will be our greatest contributor, because you have helped us solve the biggest problem. Once the enhancement drug is widely distributed, which country in the future would dare to oppose us."


    Ling Chen, rubbing his painful left shoulder, said mockingly, "You aren¡¯t going to tell me that the ultimate goal of the God Organization is to rule the world, are you? That¡¯s just a childish plot from television shows."


    Zhu Hong sneered, "The goals of the God Organization are beyond your imagination." He paused for a moment, then waved his hand impatiently, "Alright, now you know what you need to know, you can go on your way peacefully." At this point, as if he remembered something, a sinister smile crept across his lips, "Don¡¯t worry, after you die, I will take good care of Wanqing and apany her for a lifetime."


    Ling Chen pouted, annoyed, "Cut the nonsense, if you can, kill me and then talk."


    "Alright, then I will send you on your way."


    With those words, Zhu Hong raised his fists and charged straight towards Ling Chen.


    As the fist wind approached, Ling Chen did not retreat or dodge, and met it head-on. He knew clearly, there was no escaping now, it was time to fight for his life. Although the enhancement drug was powerful, it was not without weaknesses. He had once taken the enhancement drug and was very familiar with this fact.


    Any enhancement drug always has a time limit. If he couldst until the effects of the drug waned, he might have a chance to turn defeat into victory.


    At this moment, on the other end of the ind, Kaelina, Hu Fei, Qiu Yong, and others had already arrived at the rendezvous point, waiting for Ling Chen to show up.


    Under the dense night sky, a light sea breeze brushed past, carrying a faint fishy scent.


    "She seems to be waking up."


    At this time, Xia Yue, who had been in charge of caring for Nanrong Wanqing, spoke up.


    Upon hearing this, everyone¡¯s gazes converged on Nanrong Wanqing. Under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, her eyshes trembled slightly, her eyes opened a slit, and her delicate body gently twisted.


    "Miss Nanrong?" Hu Fei leaned in and called.


    Nanrong Wanqing opened her eyes, saw the grinning round face in front of her, and as if startled, let out a startled ¡¯ah¡¯, swinging her hand in a p.


    Fortunately, Xia Yue reacted quickly, grabbing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s arm just in time to spare Hu Fei¡¯s chubby face from suffering.


    "Miss Nanrong, don¡¯t be afraid, we are not bad people," Xia Yueforted.


    Nanrong Wanqing shrank back, watching everyone warily, and asked, "Who are you?"

 Chapter 378 - 374: Use the Enemy’s Own Tactics Against Them

    <h4>Chapter 378: Chapter 374: Use the Enemy¡¯s Own Tactics Against Them</h4><h4></h4>


    "Miss Nanrong, we are all Ling Chen¡¯s friends," Hu Fei exined. "Don¡¯t you remember what happened before? You were captured and brought to this ind, and we came with Ling Chen to rescue you."


    "Ling Chen... Ling Chen..." Nanrong Wanqing murmured to herself, quickly realizing and urgently asked, "How is he... Is he alright?"


    Hu Fei smiled and said, "Don¡¯t worry, he is doing very well."


    Nanrong Wanqing looked slightly relieved; she had been worried that something had happened to Ling Chen. Hearing Hu Fei¡¯s words, the weight in her heart finally dropped. Thinking about her own overreaction just now, Nanrong Wanqing looked at Hu Fei with embarrassment and sincerely apologized, "I¡¯m sorry, I thought... I thought you were the ones who captured me, so..."


    Hu Fei generously waved his hand and said, "No worries."


    ncing at the people around her, Nanrong Wanqing asked, "Where is Ling Chen? Why isn¡¯t he here?"


    Kaelina looked at her wristwatch, slightly frowned, and said, "It¡¯s been so long; he should have been back by now." Thinking for a moment, she pressed a button on her headset and called out, "Ling Chen, do you copy?"


    After calling several times, there was still no response from Ling Chen in the headset, causing everyone¡¯s expression to turn somewhat ugly.


    "He couldn¡¯t have..." Hu Fei started, initially wanting to suggest that something might have happened to Ling Chen, but seeing Nanrong Wanqing nearby, he immediately shut his mouth and swallowed what he was about to say. Others might not know the rtionship between Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing, but he was well aware.


    At that moment, inside the ind¡¯s dense foliage, Ling Chen was panting heavily, staring at Zhu Hong, his forehead sweaty and hisplexion a bit pale. In contrast, Zhu Hong looked much better, still calm andposed, without a drop of sweat.


    This guy... is too monstrous!


    Ling Chen thought to himself. He was nearly out of energy, whereas Zhu Hong seemed unaffected and full of vigor.


    "Already giving up so soon?" Zhu Hong looked at the breathless Ling Chen, sneered with disdain, and mocked, "Weren¡¯t you very formidable before?"


    Ling Chen pretended not to hear Zhu Hong¡¯s sarcasm, mind racing as he silently pondered his strategy.


    Unable to fight, unable to flee, unable to endure. After thinking it through, there seemed to be no way to deal with Zhu Hong, unless...


    He didn¡¯t know what came to mind, but his eyes suddenly brightened, the corners of his mouth slightly lifted, and a sharp glint appeared in his eyes.


    At this point, risking it all wasn¡¯t the worst idea.


    With that thought, Ling Chen gritted his teeth, concentrated all his strength in his body into his legs. Then, he bent his knees, forcefully propelled himself forward, and like a cannonball shot towards Zhu Hong.


    Watching Ling Chen charging towards him, Zhu Hong let out a coldugh, showing no intention of dodging. In his eyes, Ling Chen was just a dying animal, not worthy of concern.


    Seeing Zhu Hong lower his guard, Ling Chen secretly smirked, instantly sped up, pulled back his raised fist, and instead threw his arms around Zhu Hong, tightly hugging his body.


    Caught off guard, Zhu Hong was slightly stunned; he expected Ling Chen to fight fiercely, but he didn¡¯t anticipate Ling Chen to resort to such a childish, rogue tactic.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s arms wrap around his waist, Zhu Hong coldly snorted, lifted his left leg abruptly, and mmed his knee harshly against Ling Chen¡¯s abdomen. Seeing him still not letting go, Zhu Hong clenched his fists and from above his head forcefully swung down, hitting Ling Chen¡¯s neck.


    After taking two heavy blows, Ling Chen suddenly lost his strength, a stream of fresh blood spewed out, and his hands were finally freed by Zhu Hong. Seizing the moment, Zhu Hong delivered a flying kick, heavily striking Ling Chen¡¯s chest, sending him flying to the ground.


    Looking at Ling Chen spitting out blood and continuously coughing while clutching his chest, Zhu Hong looked down from above, his gaze nting with disdain, "To resort to such inferior moves, you truly disgrace those who practice martial arts."


    Ling Chen took a few deep breaths, barely stood up, half-crouched on the ground, and gasped with a chuckle: "Being inferior doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s ineffective."


    Hearing this, Zhu Hong¡¯s pupils shrank, suddenly feeling a strong unease. Looking down, he saw that Ling Chen¡¯s hand now held a portable syringe somehow.


    "You..." Zhu Hong was shocked, hurriedly reaching for his own trouser pocket, only to find the syringe that was supposed to be there missing.


    He had carried two syringes, having used one just now. At this moment, the other syringe was held in Ling Chen¡¯s hand.


    "Didn¡¯t expect this, huh?" Ling Chen grinned broadly, "Didn¡¯t you say you replicated my blood to enhance the effect of the enhancer? If I use it myself, the effect should be even better than yours, right?"


    After saying this, under Zhu Hong¡¯s shocked gaze, Ling Chen plunged the needle into his body, injecting all of the purple liquid inside the syringe into himself.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s action, Zhu Hong¡¯s face drastically changed, hisposure and confidence gone. Not waiting for Ling Chen to get up, he hurriedly ran in the opposite direction. If the drug in Ling Chen¡¯s body took effect, he would be the one getting thrashed soon; he dared not stay any longer.


    However, Zhu Hong hadn¡¯t gotten far when he heard a burst of footstepsing from behind. Suddenly, arge hand reached from behind, resting on his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw Ling Chen standing behind him, smiling broadly and grinning, "Why run away? Weren¡¯t you enjoying yourself just now?"


    Zhu Hong¡¯s pupils constricted, eximing, "Ling Chen, you..."


    Before Zhu Hong could finish his words, Ling Chen quickly lifted his leg, kicking fiercely, knocking Zhu Hong down to the ground. Immediately, Ling Chen didn¡¯t give Zhu Hong a chance to resist, pouncing over and straddling him, his fists swinging left and right, smashing fiercely on his handsome face.


    After more than ten punches, Zhu Hong¡¯s face turned into a swollen mess, his cheeks extremely swollen, blood streaming from the corners of his cracked mouth, utterly disheveled.


    "Stop... stop..."


    Zhu Hong raised his swollen arms, protecting his face, struggling to speak.


    Ling Chen paused his punches, asking, "Do you have anything left to say? If you have anyst words, spit them out."


    "Let... let me go... I¡¯ll let you all leave the ind safely."


    "Wow! How generous. But, we can leave without your help. Zhu Hong, you¡¯ve opposed me time and again, you should¡¯ve expected today¡¯s oue. Thinking you can piss me off and still live, you must be delusional." With that, Ling Chen ruthlessly delivered another punch, hitting Zhu Hong straight on the nose.


    Immediately, blood gushed out like a fountain, streaming from Zhu Hong¡¯s nostrils and instantly staining his face red.


    Under the intense pain, Zhu Hong let out a scream like a ughtered pig.


    "Don¡¯t, let... let me go, please... don¡¯t kill me... I¡¯ll do whatever you want..."


    Listening to Zhu Hong¡¯s pleas, Ling Chen scoffed disdainfully, "You still dare topete with me for a woman with your cowardice, not ughtering you today would be an insult to my name!"

 Chapter 379 - 375: Exposed Tracks

    <h4>Chapter 379: Chapter 375: Exposed Tracks</h4><h4></h4>


    "Stop!"


    Bang!


    A furious shout rang out, followed by a series of piercing gunshots.


    Ling Chen¡¯s fist, hovering over Zhu Hong¡¯s head, paused for a moment. He looked up to see over a dozen men in suits rapidly approaching, all of whom had been pursuing him earlier. They had likely heard themotion here and doubled back.


    Facing more than ten dark gun muzzles, Ling Chen felt a chill in his heart. Without time to think, he hurriedly grabbed Zhu Hong¡¯s cor, preparing to drag his body up to use him as a human shield. After all, even after taking the strength-enhancing drug, he was still flesh and blood, incapable of withstanding the lethality of bullets.


    However, before Ling Chen could pull Zhu Hong up, several bullets whizzed past his ear, just a hair¡¯s breadth away from blowing his head off.


    At this moment, Zhu Hong seemed to realize what Ling Chen intended to do and immediately raised his hands, pushing forcefully against Ling Chen¡¯s chest. In a bid for his life, he exerted all his strength as if he was fighting for survival.


    Pushed hard by Zhu Hong, Ling Chen, who had been straddling him, suddenly lost his bnce and fell backward. Seizing this opportunity, Ling Chen let go of Zhu Hong¡¯s cor and rolled toward a nearby pile of grass.


    Bang! Bang!


    As soon as he moved away from Zhu Hong, a barrage of gunfire followed. The bullets pierced the ground, not hitting Ling Chen¡¯s body.


    Hearing the security guards¡¯ footsteps closing in fast, Ling Chen didn¡¯t dare dy and leapt up from the ground, dashing forward at high speed.


    "Mr. Zhu, are you alright?"


    A few men in suits clumsily helped Zhu Hong up from the ground, their faces filled with concern.


    Zhu Hong wiped the fresh blood from his nose and mouth, his gaze harsh, fierce, and extremely angry.


    p!


    A crisp p rang out, and Zhu Hong, pointing in the direction Ling Chen had fled, shouted angrily, "Why aren¡¯t you chasing him? If you don¡¯t catch him, none of you will live."


    Fearing for their lives and fortunes, over a dozen security guards hurriedly gave chase.


    "Wait!" Just then, Zhu Hong seemed to think of something and quickly called a security guard to a halt, frowning, "Where¡¯s Reylov? Have you contacted him? Why hasn¡¯t he arrived yet?"


    "Mr. Zhu, I¡¯ve tried, but I can¡¯t reach him. There seems to be signal interference from the Broken Teeth Training Camp."


    "Send someone directly. Tell Reylov to send reinforcements immediately." After speaking, Zhu Hong began to walk away. But after a few steps, he noticed something in the grass pile beside his foot.


    "What¡¯s this?" he muttered to himself, bending over to pick it up. Looking at the object in his hand, his eyes instantly lit up.


    ...


    At this very moment, Ling Chen was sprinting rapidly alone through the tall and lush forest.


    Minutes passed and Ling Chen finally shook off the pursuers. He gasped for air, his tense muscles slowly rxing as the effects of the drug wore off.


    He had dyed for so long; Kaelina and the others should have reached the evacuation point by now. With this thought, Ling Chen touched his earpiece, intending to contact them. But as his hand reached his ear, he was shocked to find not only the earpiece but also the signal receiver was gone.


    Crap!


    He cursed inwardly, sure that it must have been lost during the scuffle with Zhu Hong.


    Thinking of the rendezvous point previously agreed upon with Kaelina, Ling Chen immediately rushed towards it. Kaelina and the others would surely wait there if they couldn¡¯t contact him.


    After a moment.


    Hu Fei, leaning against a tree trunk, nced at the time on his watch and spoke with some concern, "It¡¯s been over ten minutes, should we go look for him?"


    Kaelina hesitated as she nced at Qiu Yong and the others.


    "Ling Chen¡¯s capability is clear to all of you. If he hasn¡¯t arrived yet, there must be some dy. I suggest we wait a little longer; he¡¯ll likely be back soon."


    As he finished speaking, the inherently blind Yang Chen suddenly stood up from the ground and said, "Someone¡¯sing!"


    Hearing this, Kaelina slightly smiled, "I¡¯ve said before, he¡¯lle sooner orter."


    "No, it¡¯s not Brother Six," Yang Chen said gravely, "There are more than twenty people, and they¡¯re about fifty meters away."


    Hu Fei, surprised, asked, "How do they know we¡¯re here?"


    "Let¡¯s not worry about that now." Qiu Yong spoke in a deep voice, "If onees, we kill one; if twoe, we kill both. I want to see just how many are not afraid to die."


    As they spoke, a deep voice came from the dark forest, "Everyone inside, listen up, you have one minute to surrender, or else¡ªAh!"


    Before the voice could finish, a scream pierced the air, followed by silence.


    Everyone turned to Zhang Zhongfeng, who had put down the longbow in his hands, and simply stated, "Too noisy."


    Qiu Yong nced at Hu Fei and Kaelina, "You two stay and protect Miss Nanrong. We¡¯ll take care of those outside." Without waiting for Kaelina to respond, Qiu Yong and the others had already leaped into the forest and disappeared without a trace.


    Dada dada!


    Dada dada!


    Kaelina¡¯s expression changed, and she quickly pressed Nanrong Wanqing down to the ground, shielding her from the bullets flying overhead. Meanwhile, roaring engine sounds drew closer from afar.


    Hu Feiy on the ground, binocrs with night vision in hand, looking towards the dense forest not far away. His round, pudgy face was suddenly filled with shock as he cursed loudly.


    Damn it!


    "Where are they?" Kaelina asked.


    "They¡¯re back!"


    The words had barely left her mouth when Qiu Yong and the others emerged from the forest in disarray.


    Yuan Yun, pping leaves from his hair and panting, said, "The enemy¡¯s firepower is too strong; we can¡¯t get close enough."


    Kaelina pointed to the left of where the group was stationed, suggesting, "The motorboat is docked on that shore, about five kilometers away. We should head over there first and then figure out how to contact Ling Chen."


    "No!" Yang Chen immediately rejected Kaelina¡¯s suggestion, saying, "We¡¯re surrounded by heavy fire on three sides; there¡¯s no way to break out. There¡¯s only one path we can take behind us."


    "No way!" Kaelina frowned slightly, "Unless we have no other choice, it¡¯s better not to enter the forest behind us. The dangers there are no less than our current situation."


    Hearing their argument, Hu Fei, with a troubled face, said, "Miss Kaelina, do you think we have any other choice?"


    "Go!" Decisively, Qiu Yongmanded, "Head for the retreat! You guys go first; Brother Two and I will cover the rear."


    With the situation leaving no room for argument, Kaelina, despite her reluctance, had to follow Qiu Yong¡¯s instructions and led everyone towards the forest behind them.

 Chapter 380 - 376 The Blurred Corpse

    <h4>Chapter 380: Chapter 376 The Blurred Corpse</h4><h4></h4>


    "Where are they?"


    Zhu Hong, with a bruised and swollen face, dressed in a floral shirt, stepped off a jeep and asked the man in a suit beside him.


    "They fled to the woods back there."


    "Hmph!" Zhu Hong sneered coldly, "They really have some nerve, actually running in that direction. Can we lock on their position?"


    "No problem." The man in the suit replied, "They all have signal receivers on them. I¡¯ve hacked into their signal devices and can monitor their locations at all times."


    "Good." Zhu Hong nodded in satisfaction and instructed, "Remember, the lives of the others don¡¯t matter, but Nanrong Wanqing must be alive. If anyone dares to hurt her, it¡¯s not just that I¡¯ll be merciless¡ªMr. Yun won¡¯t let them off either. Do you understand?"


    "Yes, Mr. Zhu."


    ...


    At this moment, the group who had entered the woods realized that their pursuers were not following and breathed a sigh of relief. However, unlike the others who were at ease, Kaelina alone was frowning deeply, her expression grave and vignt as she swept her gaze around.


    Seeing this, Hu Fei couldn¡¯t help but tease, "Miss Kaelina, why so tense?"


    Kaelina nced at the fatty and coldly said, "If you knew what kind of ce this is, I doubt you¡¯d beughing."


    Hearing this, everyone became curious and couldn¡¯t help asking, "Is there something special about this ce?"


    Kaelina exined, "This forest is the outdoor training base of the Broken Teeth Training Camp, filled with all sorts of dangers:ndmines, traps, poisonous insects¡ªyou name it, this ce has it. Every year, hundreds of people die here."


    With her description of the danger, Hu Fei was immediately startled, and his smile disappeared as he asked with a face full of fat, "Miss Kaelina, you¡¯ve trained here before, so you should be quite familiar with the environment of this area."


    "That was in the past. The setup here changes every month, and except for Reylov and his instructors, no one knows how many dangers are buried in this forest. If it wasn¡¯t absolutely necessary, I wouldn¡¯t have led you here."


    Qiu Yong said indifferently, "We¡¯re already here; there¡¯s no use talking about that now. Everyone just be more careful. Jiahao, you¡¯re the best with traps and hidden weapons, keep an eye out for everyone, and try to avoid any traps."


    "No problem," Wei Jiahao responded.


    "Right!" Hu Fei had an idea and said, "Everyone, turn off your signal receivers. The reason we can¡¯t contact Ling Chen might be because his receiver has fallen into enemy hands. As long as they have aputer expert among them, they could use the signal frequency to pinpoint our location, which must be why our hideout was exposed just now."


    Kaelina nodded and said, "Makes sense, everyone do as he says."


    After turning off the signal receivers, the group of ten followed Kaelina¡¯s lead and headed deep into the forest. Only by crossing this forest could they circle around to where the motorboat was docked and leave the ind.


    As everyone prepared to cross the woods, Ling Chen had already reached the rendezvous point. Seeing the dry branches and broken wood scattered all over the ground, Ling Chen¡¯s expression turned ugly. On his way here, he¡¯d heard gunshots, so he rushed over immediately but was still a step behind. By the time he arrived, everyone was gone, with only chaos left behind.


    Looking at the tire tracks left on the ground, Ling Chen looked off in the direction they headed and felt slightly relieved.


    If Kaelina and the others were captured, these guys would surely return to base and not continue forward. Judging from the current situation, Qiu Yong and the rest must have sessfully escaped.


    Thinking this, Ling Chen immediately started moving his legs, striding vigorously and quickly catching up.


    After covering a few hundred meters, Ling Chen gradually slowed down, using the trees in the forest to conceal his body. At this moment, within his field of vision, there were thirty men in suits, each holding a gun, lined up in a row, swiftly advancing behind the cover of several jeeps.


    Seeing the heavy machine guns mounted on the jeeps, Ling Chen slightly furrowed his brow, not expecting these guys to be equipped with such heavy firepower.


    Taking advantage of the enemy¡¯s unawareness, Ling Chen took a deep breath, drew a dagger from his waist, and stealthily approached the men in suits.


    Ambushing in the dark night was his forte.


    To avoid startling the enemy, Ling Chen didn¡¯t attack from the middle but instead circled to the side, looking for isted targets.


    After tailing them for several tens of meters, a man in a suit who was walking on the far left gradually slowed down. Seizing this opportunity, Ling Chen crouched down and sneaked up. Without waiting for the others to notice, Ling Chen moved as fast as lightning, pouncing like a wild beast, covering the man¡¯s mouth with one hand and, without hesitation, drove the sharp dagger directly into his throat.


    This string of actions was smooth as flowing water, both fast and urate, silent as a whisper, and the people nearby didn¡¯t notice one of theirpanions had disappeared.


    After the man in his arms ceased moving, Ling Chen gently ced the body onto a pile of grass and continued to search for the next target.


    Boom!


    Just then, a sudden explosion erupted from the forest ahead, apanied by dazzling mes.


    What¡¯s happening?


    Ling Chen¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Before he could think further, he saw the three jeeps instantly elerate towards the location of the explosion, with the thirty-plus men in suits holding their guns and running full speed behind them.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen hurriedly followed. He silently prayed, hoping it wasn¡¯t Wanqing and the others who were in trouble.


    After rushing for several hundred meters, everyone finally arrived at the explosion site. Scanning the surroundings, Ling Chen quickly climbed up arge tree, looking down at the epicenter of the explosion. He saw that the ground had been blown into a huge crater, over a meter deep. Not only that, around the explosion, scattered limbs and severed hands and feety around, bodies sted beyond recognition, charred and bloodied, impossible to identify.


    "Ha ha!" Zhu Hong, sitting on the jeep, looking at the limbs on the ground, sneered, "Truly, heaven helps me. Keep pursuing, they must be injured and can¡¯t have gone far."


    Hearing Zhu Hong¡¯s words, Ling Chen, hiding in the tree branches, had a sudden change in expression, a cold harshness showing on his sharp, angr face.


    Kaelina, Wanqing, the fatty, and the other seven, including Qiu Yong, he didn¡¯t know who identally stepped on thendmine buried in the soil. However, judging from the mangled corpses, it was unlikely to be Wanqing, Kaelina, or Xia Yue, but rather a male.


    What kind of cursed ce is this?


    Ling Chen frowned, unable to contemte further. Seeing Zhu Hong and his group rushing forward, he immediately jumped down from the tree branch, circling around from the side. Not knowing the current state of Wanqing and the others, he had to overtake Zhu Hong, to find everyone first, lest they face more danger.


    While he was deliberating, a series of sharp gusts suddenly struck from the side, flying straight toward Ling Chen¡¯s body.

 Chapter 381 - 377: Crisis Lurks Everywhere

    <h4>Chapter 381: Chapter 377: Crisis Lurks Everywhere</h4><h4></h4>


    The sudden danger made Ling Chen instantly alert, and he quickly turned his head to see several logs rolling towards him from one side. The ends of the logs had been whittled by a knife, sharp beyondpare. Being hit by a log would be a certain death.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen remained calm amidst the chaos, his eyes cool and collected, as he swiftly squatted down. In an instant, several logs skimmed past his abdomen and crashed into the tree trunks beside him. For a moment, all that could be heard was the rustling of branches and leaves, and falling foliage.


    With the crisis averted, Ling Chen silently breathed a sigh of relief; this damned ce was filled with so many traps.


    Ah!


    As he was thinking, a pitiful scream suddenly came from not far away. Following the direction of the sound, Ling Chen saw that one of Zhu Hong¡¯s men had identally fallen into a trap and was instantly killed.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen had a slight premonition; it seemed they were also unaware of the arrangement of traps in this ce.


    "Mr. Zhu, do you want to continue the pursuit?" The man in a suit who had been following Zhu Hong eximed nervously, "There are many traps in this forest, I¡¯m concerned..."


    p!


    Before he could finish speaking, Zhu Hong impatiently pped him across the face.


    "Shut up!" Zhu Hong stared at him coldly. "We¡¯re not going back until we find the person. Drive!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, the walkie-talkie worn by the man in the suit immediately picked up a burst of static noise, apanied by human voices. After clearly hearing the message that was conveyed, the man seemed to forget the scolding he had just received from Zhu Hong, and said excitedly, "Mr. Zhu, our men have reached the training camp and made contact with Reylov. They are on their way here. All the traps in this area were set up by Reylov. With him as our guide, we can reduce a lot of unnecessary casualties."


    Hearing this, Zhu Hong, looking at the dark forest around him, hesitated for a moment before asking, "How long will they take to arrive?"


    "Five minutes, at the quickest."


    "Alright. Pass the word to hold position and rest, and we¡¯ll move outter."


    "Yes!"


    Since he was quite far away, Ling Chen could only see Zhu Hong talking to someone, but couldn¡¯t make out the content of their conversation. However, observing that the people had sat down right there, Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate any further and immediately ran forward.


    The forest on the ind was very dense, the deeper one went, the more crowded the trees became. Bushy branches and leaves blocked out even the moonlight, making the surroundings pitch-ck as if one¡¯s hand could not be seen when extended.


    After running for more than two kilometers, Ling Chen didn¡¯t dare to proceed at a fast pace, and instead, slowed down. In such pitch-ck darkness, if he carelessly triggered a trap, it would be a big trouble; he certainly didn¡¯t want to die a confused death in such a ce.


    Gasping for breath, Ling Chen paused for a moment to adjust, and then took out his phone from his pocket. There was no signal on the ind; the phone could only be used to check the time. It was nearly three o¡¯clock in the morning now, and in just over two hours, daylight would slowly start to break. If he couldn¡¯t escape from the ind before dawn, they would eventually be live targets. By then, trying to escape would be troublesome.


    Moreover, what Ling Chen was even more worried about was Reylov. The man had promised him three hours, and most of that time had already passed, it was uncertain whether Reylov would keep his word. Once the soldiers from Broken Teeth Training Camp got involved, the crisis they faced would be even more severe.


    While pondering, Ling Chen suddenly raised his head, his sharp gaze swiftly scanning his surroundings. For no known reason, he had a strong feeling of crisis, as if a wild beast had him dead in its sights, ready to pounce at any moment.


    "Don¡¯t, it¡¯s Ling Chen!"


    A barely audible voice came from within the forest, and Ling Chen immediately recognized it; it was Hu Fei speaking.


    "Fatty."


    "Ling Chen, we¡¯re over here."


    Following the sound, Ling Chen finally reunited with the main force. A quick scan revealed that everyone was present; the body he had seen at the explosion site was not one of theirs. However, seeing the battered state of hispanions, Ling Chen felt no happiness, only a deep frown, his expression solemn.


    Both Wei Jiahao and Yuan Yun in the team had suffered serious injuries. Yuan Yun¡¯s were the most severe, the flesh on his back torn and bloody, with shards of stone and metal embedded in his body, his breath barely hanging on. Since no one had brought medical supplies with them, immediate treatment was impossible; he had to rely solely on his own grit to persevere.


    After inquiring, Ling Chen learned of therades¡¯ ordeal.


    Earlier, under Kaelina¡¯s leadership, the team had intended to cross the forest and reach the location where their motorboat was docked. However, halfway there, they encountered a body. ording to Kaelina, it was a soldier who had died in the wilderness at the training base. Wei Jiahao thought he might find some equipment and a shlight on the corpse.


    But when Wei Jiahao moved the body, he discovered andmine hidden underneath. The instant the mine detonated, Yuan Yun, in an effort to protect Wei Jiahao, hurled himself over him; despite this, both were still caught in the st. Thankfully, Wei Jiahao was shielded by Yuan Yun, so he was not in mortal danger, but Yuan Yun¡¯s situation wasplicated.


    To look after the two injured, the rest of the team had to slow down and find a ce to rest temporarily.


    Having learned of everyone¡¯s condition, Ling Chen nced at Nanrong Wanqing and nodded at her, signaling she didn¡¯t need to worry. Then he turned his gaze to Kaelina, gesturing to her with his eyes.


    Understanding, she followed Ling Chen to the side and whispered, "The situation is grim. We still have half way to go through this forest. With two injuredrades and the enemy in pursuit, it¡¯s difficult for us to speed up our progress."


    "You¡¯re the most familiar with this area. Do you have any suggestions?"


    Kaelina gave it some thought and said, "If I remember correctly, there¡¯s a temporary camp about two kilometers from here, usually used to treat personnel injured during training. They should have the medical equipment and medicines we need. As you¡¯ve seen, your friend¡¯s injuries are severe, and without prompt treatment, he won¡¯t be able to leave this ind alive."


    "Alright, we¡¯ll go with your n."


    Their immediate concern wasn¡¯t escape but rescue¡ªfirst, they had to save Yuan Yun¡¯s life.


    Time was of the essence. After exining the situation to everyone, Ling Chen immediately carried the wounded Yuan Yun and headed for the temporary camp under Kaelina¡¯s guidance.


    ...


    An hourter.


    "Reylov, you¡¯ve led us around for over an hour without a trace. What the hell are you doing?"


    In the jeep, Zhu Hong looked at Reylov beside him and questioned coldly.


    "This is your territory; don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t find them."


    "Mr. Zhu, don¡¯t rush, be patient," Reylov said with a smile, ncing at the time and muttering to himself, "Three hours are almost up."


    Zhu Hong frowned slightly, "What¡¯s almost up?"


    Reylov said confidently, "You want to find them, don¡¯t you? No problem, give me ten minutes, and I¡¯ll make sure they appear before your eyes."


    (The old book concluded today, the new book will be updated more frequently in the future)

 Chapter 382 - 378: Breakthrough

    <h4>Chapter 382: Chapter 378: Breakthrough</h4><h4></h4>


    The sea breeze was gentle, and the night sky was dotted with stars, brilliant and charming.


    In the lush woods of the ind, inside two temporary tents, Yuan Yun and Wei Jiahao were lying on two single beds, receiving treatment.


    Wei Jiahao¡¯s injuries were not life-threatening and easier to handle. The most troublesome was Yuan Yun, whose body had too many fragments of rocks and metal embedded in it. It took over half an hour, and neither Ling Chen nor Kaelina were able to clean his back thoroughly. They could only manage the more serious wounds first, barely keeping Yuan Yun alive. Once they escaped from the ind, they would seek further treatment.


    There was no choice; time was limited, and they had to race against it now, without any more dys.


    "Fatso, bring the first aid kit," Ling Chen instructed. Yuan Yun¡¯s condition was still unstable and to be cautious, it was better to be prepared in advance in case of emergency.


    In less than two minutes, everyone packed up their belongings and continued deeper into the woods under Kaelina¡¯s lead.


    At this moment, they were in the central area of the region; there was no turning back, only forward.


    "Ling Chen."


    Hearing Kaelina¡¯s voice beside his ear, Ling Chen turned his head and asked, "What¡¯s the matter?"


    Kaelina didn¡¯t speak but merely swung her wristwatch in front of him. Seeing the time disyed, Ling Chen¡¯s expression stiffened, immediately grasping her implication.


    Three hours had passed, Reylov was probably going to take action now.


    "How much farther do we have to go?"


    "About seven kilometers, and it¡¯s expected to take at least an hour to reach the shore," Kaelina said, looking around the pitch-dark environment with a hint of helplessness in her voice, "This ce is fraught with perils; we can hardly speed up."


    Ling Chen understood their predicament and said helplessly, "We¡¯ll do our best."


    After speaking, Ling Chen nced at Nanrong Wanqing beside him, slowly stepping closer to walk alongside her, and asked with concern, "Are you okay?"


    Nanrong Wanqing gave a gentle affirmation, looking at Yuan Yun and Wei Jiahao who were being carried on the backs of Qiu Yong and Xu Ming, a trace of guilt shing in her beautiful eyes, she med herself, "I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all my fault. If it weren¡¯t for my willfulness, you guys wouldn¡¯t have..."


    "Alright!" Ling Chen interrupted Nanrong Wanqing sharply, holding her delicate, boneless hand, and slightly smiled, "It¡¯s not your fault. I know Zhu Hong better than you. Even without this incident, he would have taken you away by any means." Ling Chen then changed the conversation tone, doubt in his eyes as he asked, "What exactly happened in East Sea City that made you willingly go with them?"


    Nanrong Wanqing lowered her head, saying, "It¡¯s because of my father."


    "Your father?" Ling Chen was shocked.


    Could it be... Nanrong Wanqing already knows Mr. Yun¡¯s true identity?


    Surprised, he heard Nanrong Wanqing say, "That day Mr. Yun contacted me, telling me he knew my father¡¯s whereabouts and could take me to see him whenever I was willing. Initially, I didn¡¯t believe him, but then, he mentioned many details from my childhood, and it was not just that; he knew my father very well. After knowing this, I subtly asked my grandfather and confirmed the information from him. So, my initial skepticism turned into belief. One day, Mr. Yun told me that he had arranged for me to meet my father, but because of some reasons of my father¡¯s, I had to go alone, so I... I¡¯m sorry, I should have listened to you and had less contact with Mr. Yun."


    "It¡¯s okay," Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief internally. He had thought Mr. Yun had revealed his own identity.


    If Nanrong Wanqing knew Mr. Yun was her biological father, it¡¯s uncertain if she could withstand such a shock. After all, his stance is different from Mr. Yun¡¯s, and their rtionship is irreconcble, only allowing them to stand on opposite sides. cing Nanrong Wanqing between them would undoubtedly make her ufortable.


    Thinking about it, Ling Chen felt puzzled. Why did Mr. Yun deceive Nanrong Wanqing intoing here? Was it merely for an experiment? Or to treat Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s legs?


    Earlier, when Ling Chen met with Nanrong Wanqing, he had noticed that the exoskeletal armor she wore was gone, but her legs were unaffected and she could still walk normally. This clearly must be due to the enhancement drug.


    However, as far as he knew, the enhancement drug had a time limit; after which, the effects would wear off. It had been two hours now, and Nanrong Wanqing seemed unaffected. Could it be that the effects of the enhancement drug had be permanent in her body?


    Amidst his thoughts, Yang Chen, who was walking with him, suddenly stopped, his expressionless eyes "looking" around and said, "Brother, we¡¯re surrounded."


    Hearing this, everyone turned and focused their attention on him, asking solemnly, "Are you sure?"


    Yang Chen nodded and said, "There are a lot of them, probably no less than two hundred, and they are less than sixty meters away."


    Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed slightly. Over two hundred people¡ªit seems like the entire force of the Broken Teeth Training Camp had been dispatched. He knew Reylov wouldn¡¯t stand by idly, but he hadn¡¯t expected them to arrive so quickly.


    "Breakthrough!" Kaelina said coldly, "It¡¯s the only way."


    Yang Chen suggested, "The least people are on the east side, about thirty. With our strength, we should be able to break through smoothly."


    "Little sister, younger brother, take good care of third brother and eighth brother," Qiu Yong and Xu Ming left the injured Yuan Yun and Wei Jiahao in their care. As two of the mainbat forces of the Eight entrics, they needed to free their hands to deal with the enemy.


    "Ling Chen."


    At this moment, Hu Fei pulled off his backpack, unzipped it, took out two handguns and magazines, and threw them to Ling Chen. Kaelina walked by herself, picked up an assault rifle, and then clipped two grenades to her waistband.


    Ling Chen pulled back the bolt of the gun, chambered a round, and quickly arranged his equipment, preparing thoroughly for the uing fight.


    "Forty meters left."


    Hearing Yang Chen¡¯s reminder, Ling Chen nced at everyone around him. Without needing words, a single look was enough for everyone to nod in understanding.


    "Go!"


    With a light exhtion, Ling Chen moved swiftly, sprinting toward the woods on the east side, with two handguns tightly held in his hands, his sharp eyes like a beast lurking in the shadows, searching for its prey.


    Thirty meters... twenty meters...


    Quiet footsteps approached, and with a quick nce, Ling Chen instantly spotted two figures. Without a second thought, he raised his wrist and lightly squeezed the trigger.


    Bang! Bang!


    Two gunshots mercilessly took away two lives.


    However, as the gunfire rang out, not only did it expose their location, but it also hastened the approach of enemies nearby.

 Chapter 383 - 379: Deadlock

    <h4>Chapter 383: Chapter 379: Deadlock</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen¡¯s marksmanship goes without saying, as urate as a textbook. Kaelina, ranked third in the world as an assassin, is no less proficient with a gun, and together with a hundred-percent urate archer god, the three unleashed full firepower. They encountered almost no resistance, and the thirty-something enemies they faced head-on not only failed to stop them but were instead driven back by their assault.


    Taking this opportunity, Ling Chen and his group didn¡¯t wait for the pursuers behind them to catch up and hurriedly sped up their breakout.


    "Big brother, you take everyone and go first; we¡¯ll cover the rear," Ling Chen shouted loudly.


    Without a word, Qiu Yong immediately led Nanrong Wanqing and others forward. Ling Chen and Kaelina leaned back against a tree trunk, stealing nces behind them. Illuminated by the headlights of a jeep, they saw more than two hundred soldiers, guns in hand, charging toward them with raging momentum.


    "Damn it, I¡¯ll st you bastards to death!" Hu Fei spat, rubbed his hands together in annoyance, and cursed. Reaching into his backpack, he pulled out a grenadeuncher and fired a shot into the sky.


    Boom!


    The grenade fell into the crowd from midair and exploded instantly into a burst of mes. The powerful explosion sent four or five soldiers flying with the st wave.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Watching the mes continuously bursting among the crowd, Hu Feiughed heartily with a delighted face.


    But at that moment, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze locked onto a jeep not far away, and his expression changed drastically. He urgently cried out, "Fatty, watch out!" As the words left his mouth, he sprang on his feet and rushed over to Hu Fei¡¯s position, tackling him to the ground.


    Dadada!


    At the same time, the heavy machine gun on the jeep spat out fire serpents, and a series of bullets poured out, falling around Hu Fei.


    Ling Chen buried his head deeply into the ground. Under the oppressive heavy firepower, he didn¡¯t dare to raise his head at all, worried it would be riddled like a ho¡¯s nest.


    At this point, all three heavy machine guns on the jeeps were aimed at Ling Chen and Hu Fei. Bullets rained down like they cost nothing, cutting down all surrounding trees.


    Bang!


    Suddenly, a tree as thick as an adult toppled sideways and urately crashed onto Ling Chen¡¯s back. Excruciating pain surged, making Ling Chen wince in agony.


    Damn! He cursed inwardly. If he didn¡¯t handle those heavy machine guns, he and Hu Fei had no chance of escaping. The moment they showed their heads, they could be shot dead.


    Bang! Bang!


    Apanied by two abrupt gunshots, Kaelina, hiding nearby, fired two shots, taking out two machine gunners. However, this action revealed her position. In an instant, she saw more than a dozen soldiers rushing toward her.


    Without a word, Kaelina immediately stowed her gun and retreated backward.


    With two heavy machine guns ceasing fire, Ling Chen felt the pressure ease significantly. Seizing this opportunity, he quickly pulled up the Fatty on the ground and dashed towards the rear.


    "Chase them down!"


    Seeing Ling Chen running frantically, Zhu Hong on the jeep immediately shouted.


    Reylov leaned leisurely in the car seat,fortably puffing on a cigar, and smiled, "Mr. Zhu, what do you think? I told you I wouldn¡¯t disappoint you."


    Zhu Hong nced at Reylov and asked, "How did you find them?"


    "The entire area is littered with motion sensor devices, specifically installed to monitor the personnel undergoing training. As soon as anyone enters this forest, they¡¯ll trigger the sensors."


    Upon hearing Reylov¡¯s exnation, Zhu Hong coldly said, "Then why did you waste our time by bringing us here?"


    Reylov replied leisurely, "Mr. Zhu, I am a man of my word. I promised them three hours to escape, and I won¡¯t go back on that. Besides, haven¡¯t they failed to flee the ind by now? What¡¯s the hurry?"


    "Mr. Yun will be arriving shortly. You can exin it to him then."


    At this moment, Ling Chen, apanied by Hu Fei, was dashing through the forest, trying to evade their pursuers. Not long after they took off, Hu Fei, covered in fat, could not keep up any longer, gasping for air, sweat streaming down his forehead. Even while fleeing, he did not forget to carry his extrarge backpack.


    Dada dada dada dada!


    The two jeeps in pursuit were getting closer, the heavy machine guns ruthlessly spitting out bursts of fire, eager to im Ling Chen and Hu Fei¡¯s lives.


    "No... I can¡¯t go on..." panted Hu Fei, "I... I can¡¯t run anymore."


    Ling Chen said sternly, "Hold on a little longer." While speaking, he continued to drag Hu Fei along, hurrying forward. But at that moment, Hu Fei¡¯splexion drastically changed, and he hastily shook off Ling Chen¡¯s hands, his round face turning pale, "You... just go, leave... leave me behind."


    "You¡¯re mad, what nonsense are you spouting? Let¡¯s go," Ling Chen frowned slightly.


    Hu Fei managed a wry smile and nced down at his feet, saying helplessly, "I can¡¯t go any further."


    Noticing his gaze, Ling Chen¡¯s heart skipped a beat, as if he realized something. He quickly crouched down and cleared the mud beside Hu Fei¡¯s left foot. Immediately, he saw andmine pressed under Hu Fei¡¯s foot. Thendmine had been triggered, and as soon as Hu Fei lifted his foot, it would explode.


    "Just go, leave me," Hu Fei urged, seeing the enemies rapidly approaching from behind.


    "Shut up!" Ling Chen snapped, "Am I the type to abandon a friend? If we¡¯re going, we go together; if we die, we die together." After speaking, he took out a dagger from his waist and gently inserted it into the sole of Hu Fei¡¯s shoe. Next, he loosened Hu Fei¡¯s shoces, signaling him to take his foot out.


    "Don¡¯t rush, move slowly," Ling Chen instructed.


    At that moment, the footsteps of their pursuers grew closer, now less than thirty meters away. Ling Chen held his breath and focused, seemingly oblivious to the arrival of the enemies, as he attentively worked on disarming thendmine.


    As soon as Hu Fei¡¯s foot was freed from the shoe, Ling Chen used the dagger to firmly press down on the shoe to prevent thendmine from being triggered.


    "Don¡¯t move!"


    Looking up, facing more than ten guns pointed at his head, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze narrowed, and he remained motionless, crouching there.


    "Ha ha! Ling Chen, I bet you didn¡¯t expect this. After all the running around, you still couldn¡¯t escape from my grasp."


    A coldughter drifted over, and Zhu Hong was seen approaching in his jeep. While speaking, Zhu Hong nced at Ling Chen¡¯s hands and, realizing what he was doing, Zhu Hong broke intoughter and said, "Your luck is really something else. Everybody back off, so no one gets hurt by thendmine."


    At Zhu Hong¡¯smand, more than ten soldiers quickly stepped aside, not daring to approach the potential st radius of thendmine.


    "Give me the gun."


    A man in a suit immediately pulled out a pistol from his holster and handed it to Zhu Hong.


    Zhu Hong expertly worked the gun¡¯s action, chambering a round, and aimed the muzzle at Ling Chen¡¯s forehead, saying coldly, "I suggested killing youst time in East Sea City; pity Mr. Yun didn¡¯t agree. Now that Mr. Yun is not here, I¡¯d like to see who can stop me from killing you." As he spoke, a malicious smile curled on his lips, and his finger lightly squeezed the trigger.

 Chapter 384 - 380: At Wit’s End

    <h4>Chapter 384: Chapter 380: At Wit¡¯s End</h4><h4></h4>


    "Stop!"


    Zhu Hong turned his head and looked at the shouting Hu Fei, sneered and said, "Why the rush? After killing him, it will soon be your turn."


    Hu Fei flicked his wrist and threw arge backpack next to the jeep, saying, "Mr. Zhu, you¡¯d better take a look at what¡¯s inside first."


    Hearing this, Zhu Hong nced at the backpack suspiciously. After hesitating, he gestured with his eyes to the man in the suit next to him. Getting the hint, thetter immediately jumped out of the vehicle, walked over to the backpack, and unzipped it. Seeing the contents inside, his face changed drastically, and he hastily retreated backward.


    Seeing the look of terror on his subordinate¡¯s face, Zhu Hong frowned and asked, "What¡¯s going on?"


    "It¡¯s... C4 explosives and grenades."


    Hu Fei held the detonator in his hand and chuckled, "Mr. Zhu, these bombs are enough to level everything within a twenty-meter range. If you dare to shoot, we¡¯ll all die together. Let¡¯s see who¡¯s more ruthless."


    Zhu Hong¡¯s face showed shock, and the hand holding the gun suddenly stiffened in the air.


    Watching Hu Fei¡¯s grim face, Ling Chen was surprised to himself; he hadn¡¯t thoroughly checked the contents of the backpack and didn¡¯t expect that the fat man would carry so much equipment, truly a walking arsenal.


    "Mr. Zhu, if you don¡¯t want to die, have your men all back off."


    Zhu Hong stared at the backpack, his eyes hesitating. Such a good opportunity... but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to join Ling Chen in death. After weighing his options, he put down his gun and gestured with his eyes to the people around him.


    As the soldiers began to retreat, Hu Fei breathed a sigh of relief and turned his gaze to Ling Chen beside him, asking in a low voice, "Can you handle it?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curved slightly, and he nodded, "Move back a bit first."


    After Hu Fei retreated more than twenty meters away, Ling Chen dug up the dirt next to thendmine, forming a pit. Then, with his hands pressing down on his shoe soles and his knees slightly bent, he took a deep breath, and with a powerful leap, his body swiftly flew backward.


    A fraction of a second after his hands left the soles of his shoes, a loud ¡¯boom¡¯ was heard ¨C thendmine exploded instantly. However, thanks to the pit dug by Ling Chen beforehand, the force of thendmine explosion did not spread around but shot upwards at a forty-five-degree angle into the air.


    Seeing thendmine sessfully disarmed, Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately ran towards Hu Fei.


    "Run!" Hu Fei waved his hands, urging urgently.


    "Where¡¯s the detonator? Give it to me, I¡¯ll blow those bastards up." Ling Chen stretched out his hand, asking Hu Fei for the detonating device.


    "To hell with the explosion, the stic explosives in the backpack didn¡¯t have detonators inserted, how could they explode? I was just bluffing them."


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes widened, this fat man... was too unreliable, he had learned to y dirty too.


    "Don¡¯t look at me, I learned it from you." After saying that, Hu Fei raised the detonator in his hand and roared at Zhu Hong, "All of you bastards go die."


    Hearing Hu Fei¡¯s roar, Zhu Hong¡¯s face turned pale, and he hastily threw himself outside the jeep, lying on the ground with his hands over his head, waiting for the bomb to explode.


    However, after more than ten seconds passed, there was no movement around them.


    Reylov, not far away, raised his head, looked at the backpack next to the jeep, and then at Ling Chen and Hu Fei disappearing into the woods, and immediately realized the truth.


    "Get up, everyone. We¡¯ve been had."


    "Bastards!" Zhu Hong¡¯s face turned ashen with anger and cursed, giving the man in the suit a furious re, and said coldly, "Didn¡¯t you say the backpack was full of explosives?"


    The man in the suit hurriedly defended, "Yes, I..."


    Bang!


    Before he could exin, a gunshot rang out, and Zhu Hong blew his head off with a shot.


    "Chase them, we absolutely can¡¯t let them get away."


    At this moment, the satellite phone in the jeep suddenly rang. Zhu Hong hurriedly answered the call, only to hear Mr. Yun¡¯s calm voiceing from the other end: "How are things going?"


    "Uncle Yun, I¡¯m sorry, there has been some trouble. Ling Chen and his group havee, they rescued Wanqing from theb, and I¡¯m in full pursuit."


    "Hmph! You can¡¯t even handle such a trivial matter." After a pause, Mr. Yun asked: "Did Ling Chen discover the secret of the base?"


    "He shouldn¡¯t have."


    "What do you mean ¡¯shouldn¡¯t¡¯? I don¡¯t need such uncertain answers. I¡¯ll be arriving in half an hour, and you better have things taken care of before I get there, don¡¯t disappoint me again."


    "I understand."


    After hanging up the phone, Zhu Hong¡¯s face looked terrible after being chastised by Mr. Yun. He nced at Reylov and said with a heavy tone: "Mr. Yun has spoken, we must capture them within half an hour. Reylov, we provide so much funding to Broken Teeth Training Camp every year, if you can¡¯t handle even this little matter, I think Mr. Yun will be very displeased, and if the budget for Broken Teeth Training Camp gets cut, you..."


    "Alright, Mr. Zhu, there¡¯s no need to threaten me," Reylov cut in. "In half an hour, I guarantee they will surrender willingly."


    ...


    At this moment, Ling Chen and Hu Fei, having temporarily shaken off their pursuers, had sessfully regrouped with the main force.


    Kaelina looked up at the thinning night sky and pointed ahead, saying: "It¡¯s three kilometers from here to the shore."


    Ling Chen nodded: "Everyone, hold on a bit longer, we are about to escape."


    Ten minutes passed.


    Perhaps because they had left that dangerous area behind, they didn¡¯t encounter any traps anymore. On the way, everyone hurried along without stopping and finally reached the shore of the ind as the sky was starting to lighten.


    Looking at the surging waves, Ling Chen took a deep breath, feeling relieved to have finally made it.


    Hu Fei lifted the cover off the speedboat, and with Qiu Yong¡¯s help, dragged the two speedboats to the shore, urging everyone to hurry up and get on.


    "It¡¯s in your hands," Ling Chen said, looking at Kaelina. The waters around the ind were filled with sea mines, and it was Kaelina who had led them in before, so now they had to rely on her to lead them out.


    The engines started, and Kaelina piloted the speedboat, carefully avoiding the sea mines as she steered towards the Public Sea.


    However, just at that moment, a ¡¯buzzing¡¯ sound suddenly came from the sky. Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed slightly, and he quickly looked up, only to see a helicopter flying rapidly towards them, hovering above the two speedboats.


    At the same time, Reylov, from the rear seat of the cabin, stuck his head out, and spoke through a loudspeaker to the people below: "Ling Chen, surrender. You can¡¯t escape."


    Ling Chen frowned and said in a deep voice: "Ignore him, keep going."


    "Kaelina, my finest student, do you really think you can leave smoothly?" Reylov said with a proud smile: "Just now, I¡¯ve changed the positions of the underwater mines. If you n on using the old method to leave, there¡¯s only a dead end awaiting you."


    Hearing this, Kaelina¡¯splexion finally changed and she immediately stopped the speedboat in the middle of the water.


    "Surrender, you¡¯ve got nowhere to escape."

 Chapter 385 - 381: Maritime Crisis

    <h4>Chapter 385: Chapter 381: Maritime Crisis</h4><h4></h4>


    Watching the thin-lipped Nanrong Wanqing biting her lips tightly beside him, Ling Chen stretched out his hand to embrace her shoulder, protecting her in his embrace, and gave her a reassuring look. Then he turned to Kaelina and asked, "Can the submarine mines move in the water?"


    Kaelina nodded lightly and said, "Those mines have been specially modified with the addition of miniaturized propellers, allowing them to be moved slowly throughputer control."


    "Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?" Hu Fei couldn¡¯t helpining, "If we knew this, we would have devised another n."


    "Other than taking a boat, do you have another way?" Kaelina countered, leaving Hu Fei speechless. Indeed, the ind was surrounded by the sea on all sides with nond routes avable. Besides the waterway, there were no other methods.


    At this moment, Zhu Hong arrived at the shore in a jeep with over two hundred soldiers in tow, looking over at the people trapped on the motorboat with a slight smile on his lips, a smile of victory.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, don¡¯t hesitate anymore. Hurry back the way you came; otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being merciless under my gun."


    Hearing Reylov¡¯s voiceing from the helicopter, Ling Chen¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, his thoughts flying as he wracked his brain for a way to escape.


    The key was still the mines!


    If they could figure out the mine issue, they could escape the ind unobstructed.


    With this in mind, Ling Chen looked at Nanrong Wanqing in his embrace and said firmly, "Do you trust me?"


    Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t utter a word but nodded her head.


    "What are you nning to do?" Kaelina asked from the side.


    "Just follow my instructionster," Ling Chen replied, then turned his head towards Qiu Yong and others on another motorboat, saying, "Brother,e over to this side."


    Without a word, Qiu Yong immediately led the injured Yuan Yun and the others onto Ling Chen¡¯s motorboat. Fortunately, the motorboat had standard space to amodate ten people, and though everyone was on board, it wasn¡¯t too crowded, though it might have some minor impact on the speed of the boat.


    Once everyone was settled on the motorboat, Ling Chen briefed Yang Chen and Kaelina for a moment, then took out a sunshade from the boat, covered it over the heads of everyone, hiding all of them. After all this was done, Ling Chen looked up at the circling helicopter above and raised his arm high, giving the long middle finger.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s gesture, before Reylov could react, Ling Chen leaped into the sea from the motorboat, disappearing without a trace.


    At the same time, the motorboat started again, moving forward slowly.


    "I want to see where you can escape to," Reylov hummed coldly, and shouted to the pilot, "Fire!"


    "Stop! Without my order, no one is allowed to fire," Zhu Hong on the shore of the ind yelled into the walkie-talkie loudly.


    "Do you want to let them go?"


    "I... no, we can¡¯t fire no matter what," Zhu Hong hesitated for a moment, but his tone quickly became resolute.


    At this moment, all the people on the motorboat were covered by the sunshade cloth, making it impossible to distinguish who was where. If Nanrong Wanqing were identally injured or even killed, Zhu Hong was certain that no matter how close his rtionship with Mr. Yun was, he would not be spared.


    After all, that was Mr. Yun¡¯s biological daughter; he did not dare to act rashly.


    Watching the powerboat gradually getting further away, Zhu Hong roared into the walkie-talkie, "I don¡¯t care what method you use, you must stop them."


    Reylov¡¯s eyes were somewhat cold, and beyond that, there was a hint of admiration. Ling Chen was very smart, knowing to exploit their weakness and preventing them from daring to attack. However, what he was even more curious about was how Ling Chen, having dived into the sea and not reemerged for a while, managed to direct the powerboat away from the mines?


    "Boss, what should we do?" the sergeant riding with Reylov in the helicopter asked.


    Reylov sneered, "If he thinks I have no way to deal with them, then he is sorely mistaken." Saying this, Reylov nced at his subordinates and spoke indifferently, "Now, I need your help."


    "Please give your orders, Boss."


    "Very well." A cruel smile spread across Reylov¡¯s face as a glint of ferocity shed in his eyes. Without waiting for the sergeant to react, Reylov suddenly grabbed his shoulder and pushed him out of the helicopter, dropping him into the chilly seawater.


    Watching the sergeant flounder in the water, Reylov said emotionlessly, "Kill him!"


    As soon as he spoke, the Gatling gun mounted beneath the helicopter began to spin, raining bullets down like a torrential shower. In an instant, the sergeant¡¯s body was riddled with holes, and his blood slowly began to spread in the sea.


    Beneath the powerboat, Ling Chen clung to the underside of the boat, observing the underwater mines and incessantly tapping either side of the boat¡¯s bottom, first left, then right. Although the sound was faint, with Yang Chen¡¯s keen hearing, it was entirely distinguishable. It was through his guidance that Kaelina on the powerboat could urately control the course, avoiding the hidden underwater mines.


    When his air ran out, Ling Chen stuck his head out of the water, taking a deep breath before diving back under to guide Kaelina.


    However, while surfacing for air, he suddenly smelled a stench of blood nearby. Looking intently, he saw a mutted corpse floating on the water¡¯s surface, with blood spreading from its body.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen¡¯s brow slightly furrowed, a sudden shock ran through him as something crossed his mind, and he quickly looked deeper into the water.


    Instantly, several sharks about three meters in length were swiftly swimming towards him from about ten meters away.


    Trouble!


    Ling Chen¡¯s pupils constricted, clearly, these sharks were attracted by the smell of blood. As more and more sharks appeared around him, Ling Chen¡¯s body tensed up. At this moment, the best course of action would be to get back on the boat to avoid the sharks¡¯ attacks.


    But doing so would mean lingering on the sea surface. The longer they dyed, the more disadvantageous it would be for them.


    Thinking of this, Ling Chen gritted his teeth, trying to remain calm while letting the sharks swim past him. As long as there was no blood scent on him and he did not provoke the sharks, he should not be attacked.


    However, Ling Chen had still underestimated Reylov¡¯s ruthlessness.


    At that moment, the helicopter¡¯s Gatling gun spewed out a long stream of fire snakes, and the bullets with terrifying destructive power prated the sea surface, shooting frantically along the edge of the powerboat.


    In an instant, several sharks were riddled with bullets, with blood flowing along the seawater, almost covering the area around the powerboat.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen muttered to himself that this was bad. This way, sooner orter, he would be the target of the sharks¡¯ attacks. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Ling Chen immediately surfaced, preparing to get back on the boat to avoid the blood-thirsty brutal sharks.


    Bang!


    Suddenly, apanied by a crisp sound of gunfire, Ling Chen felt pain in his left shoulder as a bullet pierced through it, and blood gushed out profusely.

 Chapter 386 - 382: Short-lived Leader

    <h4>Chapter 386: Chapter 382: Short-lived Leader</h4><h4></h4>


    On the shore of the ind, Zhu Hong held the sniper rifle, a look of pity on his face. Thest shot had deviated, missing a clean headshot that would have killed Ling Chen. Now, he reloaded and continued to target Ling Chen through the scope.


    At this moment, Ling Chen had spotted Zhu Hong on the shore from the direction of the iing bullet. Seeing the sniper rifle in the opponent¡¯s hands, Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed slightly, and without hesitation, he immediately submerged himself into the sea.


    Bang!


    The moment his body sank into the water, another gunshot rang out. If Ling Chen had been a fraction of a second slower, that bullet might have prated his head.


    Watching Ling Chen disappear, Zhu Hong sneered to himself, "I want to see how long you can hide underwater."


    In the water, Ling Chen clutched his bleeding left shoulder, vigntly watching the groups of sharks around him, cursing his luck silently. There was Reylov above and Zhu Hong on the shore; he had no chance to get on the boat. What¡¯s worse, his wound would soon attract the sharks.


    No! He must find a way to escape both Reylov and Zhu Hong, or all their efforts would be in vain.


    It was easy to think, but the real question was how to do it.


    In his contemtion, a shark that had missed its meal suddenly targeted Ling Chen. Seeing the shark open its gaping mouth, revealing sharp teeth and charging towards him, Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate to pull out the dagger from his waist. He slightly shifted his body to the side, dodging the shark¡¯s strike.


    Seizing the moment, Ling Chen rapidly moved closer and tightly grabbed the shark¡¯s head with both hands, plunging the dagger into the top of its head.


    The pain-induced frenzy sent the shark thrashing madly in the water. Ling Chen held tightly onto the dagger, not daring to let go, letting the shark drag him around.


    At this moment, Reylov in the helicopter, seeing that Ling Chen hadn¡¯t surfaced, immediately issued amand through the inte: "Disable the mines¡¯ triggering mechanism, send kayaks to pick up everyone from the boat back to the shore."


    In less than five minutes, two kayaks carrying more than a dozen soldiers approached the motorboat from both sides.


    Reylov, sitting in the helicopter, hovered in mid-air, supervising and directing his subordinates.


    However, at that time, no one noticed a bloodied hand clinging to the rear of one of the kayaks, grabbing the pull rope and slowly climbing up. As the head emerged above water, a pair of sharp eyes scanned around. Then, without waiting for the people on the kayak to react, Ling Chen flipped aboard, stabbing his dagger mercilessly into a vital area of a soldier.


    Ah!


    Apanied by a scream, everyone¡¯s attention was immediately drawn. But, as they turned around, they only saw a swift gleam of cold light sweep across their necks.


    In less than five seconds, all six soldiers on the kayak were killed.


    "There!" At this moment, Reylov, riding in the helicopter, finally noticed the anomaly on the kayak, pointing at Ling Chen and shouting loudly.


    Hearing Reylov¡¯s shout, Ling Chen looked up, bent down to pick up an assault rifle, and aimed at the helicopter forty meters away.


    "Quick, turn the nose, kill him," Reylov urged.


    The pilot immediately controlled the helicopter to direct the Gatling gun at Ling Chen on the kayak.


    "Fire!"


    In Reylov¡¯s enraged shout, the pilot lifted his thumb, gently pressing the red button on the control stick. However, at the same time, Ling Chen, holding a gun, slightly raised the corners of his mouth and gently pulled the trigger.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Gunshots rang out, three bullets streaked through the air, hitting the helicopter¡¯s front windshield with deadly uracy. The first two bullets sessfully prated the ss, and thest bullet went through the hole, precisely shooting into the pilot¡¯s head.


    Headshot!


    The pilot, killed instantly, slumped forward, pressing right against the helicopter¡¯s control stick. Instantly, the helicopter spiraling in midair lost its bnce and rushed towards the sea surface.


    No!


    Reylov¡¯s face changed drastically. Seeing the helicopter about to crash into the sea, he immediately leapt out of the cabin.


    Bang!


    Right as he was falling, another gunshot from the kayak fired, hitting his abdomen. Blood gushed wildly out like a fountain.


    Watching Reylov fall into the sea, Ling Chen holstered his gun, mumbling to himself, "Let¡¯s see how you like the taste of sharks."


    Cold seawater rushed in from all sides. Reylov surfaced a few times in the water, enduring the pain in his abdomen, desperately paddling his arms, swimming towards the nearby kayak.


    "Quick... Save me!" Reylov shouted to the soldiers on the kayak.


    Several soldiers didn¡¯t dare dy, hastily steering the kayak over, reaching Reylov quickly. One soldier bent over, half his body out of the kayak, grabbed Reylov¡¯s arm, and pulled hard.


    But at that moment, the soldier suddenly felt a heaviness in his arm; Reylov¡¯s body seemed unbearably heavy. Simultaneously, Reylov¡¯s pupils shrank, and the Broken Teeth Training Camp leader, known for his brutality, showed a fearful expression.


    "Save... Save me..."


    Reylov shouted in panic, his hands tightly grasping the soldier¡¯s arms, desperately climbing. But at that moment, the surface of the water was gradually reced by a stain of blood red. Blood slowly spread out, and Reylov¡¯s face grew paler, blood incessantly gushing from his mouth.


    Finally, withbined effort from several soldiers, Reylov was forcefully dragged onto the kayak. However, when everyone saw Reylov¡¯s miserable state, their faces instantly changed. What remained of Reylov was only his upper body, with his waist below drenched in blood, his legs already missing.


    "Commander... Commander..."


    A soldier tried calling out twice.


    Reylov nced at him lifelessly, his body twitching slightly. He opened his mouth, attempting to speak, but before he could, another gush of blood poured out.


    Looking at Reylov who closed his eyes and showed no signs of life, the soldiers looked at each other, unsure of what to do.


    The Broken Teeth Training Camp¡¯s leader had died just like that.


    Looking at the motorboat not far away, the soldiers hesitated, unsure if they should continue executing themander¡¯s orders.


    At this moment, on the shore of the ind, Zhu Hong frowned, his expression unpleasant. He had also witnessed the scene of Reylov being pulled up, under those circumstances, survival was impossible.


    He picked up the walkie-talkie, coldly said, "Reylov is dead, I am now taking full control. Everyone listen, immediately bring all the people on that motorboat back."

 Chapter 387 - 383: Cripple

    <h4>Chapter 387: Chapter 383: Cripple</h4><h4></h4>


    Upon hearing the orders issued by Zhu Hong, everyone immediately sprang into action.


    Boom!


    But just at that moment, an earth-shattering explosion suddenly urred in the center of the ind, causing the entire ind to tremble slightly. Zhu Hong¡¯s facial expression changed dramatically, and he quickly turned his head, only to see mes soaring and dense smoke billowing from the center of the ind.


    "What happened? Where did the explosion ur?"


    Before Zhu Hong could finish speaking, several more explosions were heard, ¡¯boom boom¡¯, with powerful shockwaves erupting and trees being instantly obliterated.


    As the ind was engulfed in explosions, Zhu Hong made a lightning-fast decision, hurriedly ordered: "Arrange for boats to evacuate immediately."


    "Yes."


    "Get in the car!"


    However, just as everyone was about to leave in the jeep, another explosion, ¡¯boom¡¯, urred less than thirty meters from the jeep, sending mes skyward and sweeping st waves across. Zhu Hong had not even recovered when he felt a wave of heat engulf him, lifting his body into the air and rendering him unconscious in an instant.


    On a kayak, Ling Chen calmly observed the ind being destroyed by the sts. Kaelina had once told him, Reylov¡¯s heart had been imnted with a micro-device, controlling all the bombs on the ind. Once Reylov¡¯s heart stopped beating, the bombs would immediately detonate, obliterating the entire ind.


    What was happening now was exactly the oue he wanted.


    In such a catastrophic explosion, it was hard for anyone to survive, including Zhu Hong.


    Regaining hisposure, Ling Chen drove the kayak to the motorboat, lifted the sunshade, and smiled: "All clear now."


    Kaelina stood up, her eyesplex as she looked at the ind, now a sea of mes, and asked, "Is Reylov dead?"


    Ling Chen gently nodded, reached out to help Nanrong Wanqing up, and smiled, "We can go home now."


    Hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing breathed a sigh of relief. However, seeing the wounds on Ling Chen¡¯s body, her delicate face immediately tensed, and she quickly asked, "Are you hurt? Is it serious?"


    "It¡¯s nothing major, don¡¯t worry." Although he said this, Ling Chen still felt a burning pain in his back.


    Previously, while battling a shark underwater, he had no idea where the shark had taken him. After dealing with the shark, when he surfaced, he realized he was tens of meters away from the motorboat. Fortunately, a kayak happened to pass by him, giving him a chance to find a gun and destroy the helicopter.


    As the explosions continued behind them, Kaelina drove the motorboat far away from the ind. An hourter, when their motorboat¡¯s fuel was almost depleted, a cargo ship slowly appeared in their sight.


    Arriving here, Hu Fei had already arranged a rescue ship. Although the operation deviated from the original n, it was nheless sessful ¨C they had rescued Nanrong Wanqing. As long as there were no casualties, everything else was eptable.


    ...


    Meanwhile, on the ind.


    A seane was docked at the shore, and over twenty survivors were busy counting the casualties.


    "Mr. Yun."


    "How is it, have you found Zhu Hong?"


    The man in a suit hesitated for a moment, stammered, "We... we found him, but..."


    Mr. Yun furrowed his brows slightly and urged, "But what? Speak up!"


    "Mr. Yun, perhaps you should see for yourself."


    Shortly after, the two arrived at a row of bodies. Looking at the white cloths covering the bodies, Mr. Yun¡¯s expression hardened and he coldly inquired, "Is he dead?"


    "No!" the man in the suit hurriedly said, "He¡¯s not dead... I¡¯m just... just afraid of frightening others." With that, he walked over and lifted the white cloth. Suddenly, a face,pletely unrecognizable, appeared before Mr. Yun.


    Looking at the person almost charred before him, Mr. Yun¡¯s face turned steel blue as he said in a deep voice, "Are you sure he is Zhu Hong?"


    "One hundred percent sure, I¡¯ve already verified it." After a pause, the man in the suit continued, "The apanying medical staff examined him; Mr. Zhu¡¯s body has burns covering ny-eight percent, and his injuries are severe. It¡¯s because of the strengthening agent that he¡¯s been able to hold on. However, even if his life is saved, given the condition of his burns, it¡¯s doubtful he¡¯ll ever return to his previous appearance."


    Mr. Yun pondered for a moment and then said, "Send him to theboratory in Florida."


    Hearing this, the man in the suit¡¯s expression changed slightly, surprised he said, "Sending him there, do you intend to..."


    "Rather than having him live as a disabled person, better to let him live with some value. Enough, say no more, just follow my orders and send him there as soon as possible."


    "Yes."


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, three days passed.


    In the security office of the Hongyu Group headquarters, Ling Chen was lounging with his legs crossed, holding a mouse, watching an enthralling video on theputer, asionally clicking his tongue in amazement.


    "Ling, what are you watching now?"


    The office door was pushed open as Wei Jun strode in, looking at Ling Chen¡¯s face relishing, he curiously leaned over.


    "Oh! So you are also a fan of Tang Shiyun, and here I thought you were watching some adult film." Wei Jun waved his hand uninterestedly.


    Ling Chen mercilessly retorted, "Only someone like you, whose mind is filled with lust, would think of nothing but women."


    "Get lost, other than women, I¡¯m also interested in money." Finishing, Wei Jun mysteriously leaned close to Ling Chen and whispered, "Ling, are you free tonight? I¡¯ll take you to a nice ce."


    Ling Chen curled his lip, "Another outing to find women? Sorry, I¡¯m not interested."


    "It¡¯s not women this time."


    "Then what for?"


    Wei Jun smiled meaningfully, "You¡¯ll know tonight. Hey, let¡¯s settle on it then, eight o¡¯clock, I¡¯ll give you a call."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll wait for your call."


    Ling Chen held his head, watching Tang Shiyun in the video, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised. Having returned from the ind three days ago, everything had gone back to normal. After being busy for so many days, it¡¯s good to go out and rx now that Wei Jun has invited him.


    Night fell.


    After dinner, having watched TV with Nanrong Wanqing and Su Lin, Ling Chen received a call from Wei Jun and drove there alone.


    Arriving at the ce, Ling Chen met up with Wei Jun and asked, "Where to?"


    "First to Shunbei Road."


    In less than fifteen minutes, the two arrived at Shunbei Road. Looking at the cold and quiet street, possibly because it was somewhat remote, it seemed even less lively than the Old City.


    Getting out of the car, Ling Chen asked curiously, "Wei, what¡¯s fun around this ce?"


    "Heh heh! Don¡¯t be impatient, you¡¯ll know soon, follow me."


    Walking along a dark alley, Ling Chen followed Wei Jun step by step until they reached the end of the alley. Seeing a rusty iron gate, Wei Jun, who seemed familiar with the ce, walked up and lightly knocked on the door¡ªfour short, three long¡ªimmediately, the iron door was opened from inside.


    ncing at the burly doorman, Ling Chen muttered to himself, this ce is so secretive, could it be some illegal venue?


    Following Wei Jun through several doors, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes suddenly widened as the surroundings brightened. He was taken aback as he looked around.

 Chapter 388 - 384: Secret Place

    <h4>Chapter 388: Chapter 384: Secret ce</h4><h4></h4>


    At this moment, what presented itself before Ling Chen was a warehouse spanning thousands of square feet. However, it was no longer urate to describe it merely as a warehouse.


    The walls around the warehouse were covered with golden striped wallpaper, and the floor wasid with pure white ceramic tiles, the gaps between each filled with copper wire, creating a visually grand and upscale impression. Hanging from the top of the warehouse were several ring-shaped crystal chandeliers,yer uponyer, the bright lights dazzling, illuminating every corner of the warehouse.


    With just simple decorations, the overall grade of the old warehouse was instantly elevated.


    Inside the spacious warehouse, over fifty gambling tables were lined up, offering all sorts of games, with a row of slot machines against the wall. Even though it was just past eight o¡¯clock, the casino was already packed with people, men and women alike crowded around the tables, their faces flushed and expressions excited.


    Ling Chen, who was observant, noticed that those who came here to gamble were not very wealthy, and judging by their clothing and attire, they were not much different from him and Wei Jun, merely ordinary folks.


    "Hey! Brother Wei, these underground casinos are illegal operations, aren¡¯t you afraid of getting caught by the police?" Ling Chen asked in a low voice.


    Wei Jun gestured for silence with a ¡¯shush¡¯ and said with a smile, "Why worry so much? They have connections and don¡¯t fear the police showing up. Just y boldly and without worry, if something really happens, I¡¯ll be here with you."


    Ling Chen asked with curiosity, "Do you know who¡¯s behind this casino?"


    "I¡¯m not sure about that. As far as I know, this casino hasn¡¯t been open for long, not even a month. It was a friend who told me about this ce," Wei Jun said, then added with pride, "I¡¯ve been quite lucky recently, yed a few times and made what I¡¯d earn in two years¡¯ wages. Brother Ling, why don¡¯t you try your luckter, maybe you can win some pocket money."


    "Forget it, I¡¯m not interested in gambling. Brother Wei, don¡¯t get too addicted."


    "Don¡¯t worry, a little gamble for fun won¡¯t make me go bankrupt. Eh, if you¡¯re not ying, I¡¯ll go try my luck. If I¡¯m on a winning streak tonight, no matter what you want to do, I¡¯ll cover all expenses." With that, without waiting for Ling Chen to say more, Wei Jun eagerly moved towards the gambling table.


    Ling Chen stood behind Wei Jun and watched for a couple of rounds; Wei Jun was indeed having good luck, getting several good hands in a row. In no time, he had pocketed over three thousand, equivalent to a month¡¯s sry for Ling Chen.


    After watching for a few minutes, Ling Chen soon lost interest. He wasn¡¯t into gambling. Had he known Wei Jun was bringing him here, he would have rather stayed at home, spending time with Nanrong Wanqing, talking about love.


    "Brother Wei, you keep ying, I¡¯ll take a walk around."


    Without turning his head, Wei Jun replied, "Alright! Don¡¯t go too far, this ce offers free food and drinks, don¡¯t be shy."


    Leaving the gambling table, Ling Chen with hands in his pockets, aimlessly wandered around. But it was just a casino, and no matter how much he roamed, he couldn¡¯t stir up any interest. Checking the time, it wasn¡¯t even nine o¡¯clock yet. Well, he thought, he¡¯d endure a little longer; Wei Jun asked him out, so he ought to give him some face.


    As he idled about, Ling Chen¡¯s peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of a curtain hanging in the northeastern corner of the casino, concealing the corner.


    In less than half a minute, seven or eight people emerged from behind the curtain, entering the casino.


    The space behind that curtain could at most amodate two or three people. The fact that seven or eight came out in session indicated something unusual. Driven by curiosity, the already bored Ling Chen felt his interest piqued. After scanning his surroundings and seeing no one taking notice of him, he walked toward the corner.


    Lifting the curtain, Ling Chen found that behind it was a wall covered with wallpaper, with nothing else. Seeing this, the corner of Ling Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly, as he looked with interest at the wall. Then, he pressed his hand against the wall and gently pushed inward.


    As expected, there was a secret door hidden in the wall.


    Entering the secret door, the lighting inside was quite dim, but his vision was clear.


    Ling Chen walked a few meters away and saw a staircase leading straight down. ording to the warehouse¡¯syout, there should be an underground room below.


    Following the stairs all the way to the bottom, the vast underground room had dim lighting, casting a hazy ambiance. Unlike the gambling den, the underground room was set up with many separate booths, each enclosed by screens, allowing for privacy from the view of others.


    At this moment, there were not many people in the underground room, mostly staff members preparing for something.


    Seeing someone approaching, Ling Chen, afraid of being discovered, quickly hid in a nearby tea room.


    Casting a nce at the wall where waitstaff uniforms hung, an idea struck Ling Chen, and he immediately changed out of his casual clothes and into the uniform of a waiter. After that, he straightened his cor, puffed out his chest, and walked out carrying a tray of drinks.


    As it turned out, after Ling Chen put on the uniform, the people around only nced at him and said nothing, not a single one suspected his identity.


    After wandering around for a bit, it was almost nine o¡¯clock.


    At this time, the underground room was fully set up, all the waitstaff stood lined up against the wall, neat and orderly. Each of them took out a masquerade mask¡ª the kind with butterfly eyepieces¡ª from their pockets, covering the area above their noses.


    Seeing their actions, Ling Chen mentally cursed, not expecting such a rule, as he waspletely unprepared. Just as Ling Chen was at a loss, a male waiter next to him gently nudged his arm and passed him a mask, signaling him to hurry and put it on.


    Ling Chen nced at the waiter gratefully and hastily put on the butterfly mask, covering half of his face. In doing so, he no longer had to worry about his identity being exposed.


    At nine o¡¯clock, on the other side of the underground room, a group of men in suits came in single file or in groups of threes and fives. As though it was a mutual agreement, they all remained silent, not uttering a word, each finding their own seats without interaction. Moreover, like Ling Chen, these men all concealed their faces with various masks, seemingly fearing recognition.


    This mysterious atmosphere increasingly piqued Ling Chen¡¯s curiosity, making him want to discover what was truly happening.


    Once everyone was in ce, the side door was immediately shut. At the same time, the lighting in the underground room instantaneously dimmed, limiting the range of vision to less than three meters.


    Following the arrival of the guests, the waitstaff standing against the wall also began their work, diligently offering champagne and fine wines to the guests.


    Ling Chen, carrying a tray of drinks, moved through the crowd, and while bending to serve drinks, he stealthily observed the customers. Unfortunately, everyone was wearing masks, making it impossible to identify anyone.


    However, based on Ling Chen¡¯s many years of experience, he could tell from their attire that all the guests present were wealthy individuals.

 Chapter 389 - 385: Special Auction Item

    <h4>Chapter 389: Chapter 385: Special Auction Item</h4><h4></h4>


    So many rich individuals gathered here, and it¡¯s all so secretive, I¡¯m afraid they must be up to some unsavory business.


    Minutes passed, and a spotlight illuminated the stage directly opposite all the private booths. A round tform then automatically moved towards the center of the stage. Above the tform, over two meters high, was covered with ayer of red cloth, obscuring the contents.


    Ling Chen leaned against the wall, his gaze intensifying as he scrutinized the tform, wishing he could see through theyer of red cloth.


    At that moment, the red cloth surrounding the tform suddenly dropped, revealing the mysterious contents wrapped inside.


    Immediately, Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed, his eyes shing with a hint of anger and a chilling iciness.


    Atop the tform was an iron cage, in which stood a scantily d young woman, roughly in her twenties, with a curvaceous figure and pretty features, a typical beauty.


    The woman was wearing a bikini, covering only the essential parts, her smooth and delicate skin unabashedly presented before a room full of men, subject to theirscivious gazes.


    Ling Chen frowned slightly; the woman in the cage seemed to have been drugged or injected with a hallucinogenic substance. She stood limp and groggy, her face confused and seemingly unaware of her surroundings.


    "Ladies and gentlemen..."


    At this moment, a woman¡¯s voice came through the speakers installed in the corner, "You all know the rules, so I won¡¯t repeat them. I can promise you solemnly that all the women we sell are pure and unspoiled, never defiled and never undergone any restorative surgery at a hospital, so you need not worry. Additionally, we¡¯re not in the business of a one-time sale; if you don¡¯t want them after use, you can contact us, and we will handle it for you. Without further ado, let¡¯s start the auction. As per usual, the starting bid is fifty thousand, and each subsequent bid must not be lower than ten thousand."


    As soon as her speech concluded, someone from the crowd immediately called out a bid of sixty thousand.


    In less than a minute, the price soared, quickly breaking two hundred thousand, and finally closing at two hundred sixty thousand.


    "Congrattions to the gentleman at table number seven for sessfully acquiring this item; please wee the next one."


    Item?


    Listening to the person¡¯s rhetoric, Ling Chen¡¯s face turned sour; these people were actually auctioning off living women as items, downright despicable. Not just the wealthy bidders, but even more detestable were the shadowy figures organizing the auction.


    Clearly, these women were not here by choice, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have been drugged.


    Since he stumbled upon this, he couldn¡¯t just stand idly by.


    With this thought, Ling Chen surreptitiously took out his cell phone, turned on the recording function, and captured everything happening in the basement, preparing to use it as evidence to hand over to Xia Mutong.


    In just half an hour, five women were auctioned off, with a total price of about 1.3 million.


    At that point, the host¡¯sughter came through the speakers, "Alright,dies and gentlemen, we¡¯ve arrived at the climax of the evening. To thank you for your support, we¡¯ve specially sourced an exquisite item, guaranteed to satisfy the tastes of all present."


    As she spoke, the iron cage covered in red cloth was moved to the center of the stage.


    As the red cloth fell, a slender, delicate-faced beauty immediately caught everyone¡¯s attention. Not only was this woman extremely beautiful and young, but her ample bust also had all the men drooling, unable to avert their eyes.


    Looking at the woman caged, Ling Chen¡¯s mouth fell open, unable to hide his surprise.


    Leng Feifei!


    It was actually her!


    Ling Chen had a vivid memory of this beauty he met at East Sea University. Back then, when Leng Feifei was being bullied by Qi Jianhui and Zheng Guangwu, he had stepped in to help her out several times.


    Since then, they hadn¡¯t seen each other for a while due to being too busy, but he hadn¡¯t expected to meet again in such circumstances.


    Those bastards!


    Ling Chen gnashed his teeth in hatred, finding even his friend involved now. It seemed he could no longer remain uninvolved.


    As thoughts raced through his mind, Ling Chen was about to rush onto the stage and rescue Leng Feifei from the cage.


    But as he took a step forward, he immediately held back. This was, after all, the enemy¡¯s turf. Bold enough to engage in such illegal acts in in sight, the opposing force was likely significant. Moreover, Leng Feifei appeared somewhat unconscious, which meant he might be hamstrung if attacked while attempting to flee with her.


    Forget it!


    Upon reflection, Ling Chen decided against immediate action, considering it would not be toote to make a move after the auction had ended.


    By this time, the bidding for Leng Feifei had reached two million.


    Such a peerless beauty¡ªwho wouldn¡¯t be tempted?


    Not long after, Leng Feifei was finally sold for two million four hundred thousand.


    "Alright, today¡¯s auction is nowplete. We will notify everyone of the next auction a day in advance via text message. Thank you all for attending."


    When the auction ended, everyone got up to leave without dy, including those who had sessfully bid on items.


    Ling Chen was inwardly puzzled¡ªweren¡¯t they going to take the people with them directly?


    As the men left, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze shifted back to the stage, only to find that Leng Feifei was no longer in the cage.


    Damn it!


    He had been too preupied to notice Leng Feifei on stage, and it seemed likely that she had been taken away by the backstage staff.


    Without a moment to waste, Ling Chen rushed towards the backstage. Having not gone far, he realized there was no one backstage, and not just Leng Feifei¡ªnone of the girls auctioned off were anywhere to be seen.


    They¡¯re fast!


    Ling Chen frowned, and just then the sound of car engines reached his ears. Following the noise, he hurriedly dashed in that direction.


    Kicking open a tightly locked iron door, a cool night breeze gently brushed against him. Outside the warehouse, he saw a row of luxury cars driving onto the road. Among these were two vans, and one had its door still ajar¡ªone of the men had just thrown an unconscious woman into the vehicle, then hurriedly pulled the door shut and signaled an ¡¯OK¡¯ to the driver.


    Watching as the two vans started up, Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate to pick up the pace, chasing after them like a swiftly blowing wind.


    But by this time, the two vans had merged with the traffic, elerating and leaving Ling Chen far behind.


    Assholes!


    As the two vans disappeared from sight, Ling Chen cursed under his breath and then turned his attention to the staff member.


    "What... what are you going to do?"


    Seeing Ling Chen approaching with a dark expression, the man was somewhat frightened and asked stammeredly.


    Ling Chen grabbed the man¡¯s cor in one swift motion and demanded coldly, "Where have those girls been taken?"

 Chapter 390 - 386 Lady Tong

    <h4>Chapter 390: Chapter 386 Lady Tong</h4><h4></h4>


    "I... I don¡¯t know, these things are not my responsibility." The man answered in panic.


    Ling Chen pressed on: "Then who does know?" After speaking, he remembered the mysterious woman hosting the auction and changed his tone: "Where is that woman?"


    "Woman? What woman?" The man asked confusedly.


    "Still ying dumb, it seems you won¡¯t tell the truth unless I teach you a lesson." Having said that, Ling Chen swung his fist, about to smash it into the man¡¯s face.


    Seeing the coldness in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, the man realized Ling Chen was not joking and quickly said, "Don¡¯t, don¡¯t hit me, let¡¯s talk this through. The woman you mentioned must be Lady Tong."


    "Lady Tong? Who is she?"


    "She¡¯s in charge of the underground auction and the casino; we¡¯re all employed by her."


    "Where can I find her?"


    "She should be at the casino now."


    "Come on, take me to her." Ling Chen grabbed the man¡¯s cor and dragged him towards the casino. Taking this opportunity, he took out his phone and called Xia Mutong to ask for immediate backup to raid this illegal venue.


    Back at the casino, Ling Chen pushed the man in front of himself and scanned the crowd, demanding in a deep voice, "Which one is Lady Tong? Point her out to me."


    "It¡¯s... it¡¯s her, over there." The man looked around and finally spotted Lady Tong among the gamblers.


    "Buddy, I¡¯m just trying to make a living. If Lady Tong finds out I betrayed her, my life will be miserable. Please, let me go," the man pleaded desperately.


    Ling Chen stared at the woman in the crowd, snorted lightly, and loosened his grip, saying, "Scram, and stop getting involved in illegal activities."


    "Yes, yes!" The man, feeling as if he¡¯d just been pardoned, wiped off his cold sweat and scurried out of the casino.


    Once the man had left, Ling Chen did not hesitate and walked straight towards Lady Tong. At that moment, the mysterious Lady Tong was leaning against a gambling table, ying with chips in her hand, her eyes focused on the cards on the table,pletely unaware of Ling Chen¡¯s approach.


    "Lady Tong?"


    Hearing the voice, Lady Tong turned her head, sized up Ling Chen, and frowned slightly, "Who are you?"


    "Who I am is not important. What¡¯s important is I know who you are," Ling Chen stated lightly.


    Now closer, Ling Chen could clearly see the features of Lady Tong. Around thirty, with a pretty face that still retained its charm, she must have been quite the beauty in her youth, only slightly marred now, and both her eyes and mouth bore signs of cosmetic surgery.


    "You..."


    "Where is the person?" Ling Chen cut off Lady Tong¡¯s words and demanded.


    "Which person? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Get lost, don¡¯t interrupt my betting," Lady Tong said, retracting her gaze from Ling Chen and continuing to focus on the gambling table, ignoring him further.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen¡¯s lips slightly curled, and his eyes narrowed slightly, a sharp light appearing.


    "Lady Tong, I never hit women. However, today, for my friend, I am forced to make an exception."


    As he finished speaking, without waiting for Lady Tong to react, Ling Chen grabbed her long hair, harshly pulled it back, and his robust arm stretched forward, forcefully locking her neck to prevent any resistance.


    "Bastard, let go of me. Someone,e quickly!" In shock and anger, Lady Tong immediately yelled out.


    Soon, more than twenty young men from the crowd hurried over, surrounding Ling Chen and Lady Tong, shouting angrily, "Let Lady Tong go now!"


    Ling Chen sneered, "I can release her, but first, let her tell me where the person is." As he spoke, Ling Chen pulled out Wolf Kiss from his waist and gently slid its sharp point across Lady Tong¡¯s delicate skin, "Lady Tong, you¡¯d better send those women back. Otherwise, I won¡¯t mind giving your pretty face a few more cuts."


    "You... dare you, do you know who I am?"


    "I¡¯m not interested in your identity right now. You asked if I dare? How about we test it? I have never done stic surgery on a woman, why not start practicing with you?" As he finished speaking, Ling Chen pressed his wrist down, and the sharp Wolf Kiss immediatelynded on Lady Tong¡¯s smooth skin.


    Feeling the sting on her face, Lady Tong panicked and hurriedly shouted, "Stop! Stop!"


    "Then make the call right now, don¡¯t test my patience any further." Ling Chen¡¯s tone was slightly cold.


    Lady Tong hurriedly took out her phone and dialed a number.


    The phone connected, and a man¡¯s voice came from the other end, "Lady Tong, the goods have been delivered, I¡¯m on my way back and will arrive shortly."


    Hearing this, Lady Tong hung up the phone.


    "What are you doing?"


    "It¡¯s useless, the goods have already been shipped, and at this point, the ship has left the harbor and can¡¯t be called back until it docks tomorrow morning."


    Ling Chen frowned and said, "Call and have the ship return."


    "I advise you to give up. The guests have already started enjoying their goods, and even if the ship returns now, you cannot save them. How about this, I¡¯ll give you five hundred thousand, release me, and don¡¯t interfere in this matter anymore." Lady Tong proposed.


    Ling Chen leaned close to her ear and said coldly, "Among those women is my friend. If anything happens to her, I will make you experience a fate worse than death."


    As the words fell, Ling Chen clenched his teeth and pressed down hard with the hand holding Wolf Kiss. Instantly, a ten-centimeter-long wound, deep enough to expose the bone, was permanently left on Lady Tong¡¯s cheek, with blood gushing out like a fountain, quickly staining her cor red.


    "No... don¡¯t..." Lady Tong screamed in horror, her hands tightly covering her right cheek, her lips pale and utterly bloodless.


    "Remember, this is just the interest. You better pray that my friend is alright. Now, call and have the ship return, find a way to ensure my friend¡¯s safety."


    Watching Ling Chen¡¯s blood-stained Wolf Kiss, Lady Tong shivered all over, daring not to utter another futile word, and hastily made a call to the ship¡¯s crew.


    At this moment, a piercing siren sound approached from afar, entering the gambling den from outside.


    "Not good! The police areing."


    "Everyone run!"


    In an instant, the gamblers scattered like birds, and in the blink of an eye, the lively casino became destely empty, leaving only a messy scene.


    "Ling, what are you dazing about? Run fast, don¡¯t get caught by the police."


    Wei Jun, who had juste out of the restroom, had no idea what had happened in the casino. He was originally relieving himself and hurriedly ran out without even zipping up upon hearing the sound of the police sirens.


    "Don¡¯t worry, I was the one who called the police." Ling Chen said calmly.


    The half-crouching Lady Tong, with a face full of resentment, looked at Ling Chen and asked through clenched teeth, "Who exactly are you? An undercover?"


    "Not at all."


    "You¡¯re not even a cop, and yet you dare interfere in our affairs. Do you know who I have behind my back?"


    Ling Chen coldly said, "If my friend is harmed, in my eyes, both you and the people behind you are dead."


    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 391 - 387: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes

    <h4>Chapter 391: Chapter 387: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes</h4><h4></h4>


    "Ling Chen."


    A familiar voice came, and Xia Mutong appeared wearing a crisp uniform, looking valiant and impressive, boasting proudly of her ample chest, apanied by two colleagues who quickly approached.


    "Officer Xia, you¡¯ve arrived just in time. These people have set up an illegal gambling den and are auctioning off women like goods. You must severely punish such heinous behavior." As he spoke, Ling Chen handed his phone to Xia Mutong and yed the secretly recorded video for all to see.


    After watching the video, Xia Mutong nced at Lady Tong, who was kneeling on the ground, and said coldly, "Handcuff her and take her back. Get someone to search the ce inside and out for me. See if there are any other aplices or hostages being held."


    "Yes, Captain Xia."


    The two male police officers nodded and stepped forward to pull Lady Tong up.


    "Let go of me!" Lady Tong iled her arms desperately, struggling furiously, pointing at Xia Mutong and shouting angrily, "Do you know who I am? Let me tell you, I have a very good rtionship with the leaders of your police department. If you dare to arrest me, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re packing your bags and leaving tomorrow."


    p!


    Xia Mutong frowned and casually delivered a p to Lady Tong¡¯s cheek, reprimanding, "Shut up. Say one more word, and I¡¯ll tear your mouth apart."


    Lady Tong was stunned, not expecting the woman before her to be even more hot-tempered than herself, and instantly became like an eggnt hit by frost, lowering her head and walking away with the two police officers.


    "Officer Xia, I¡¯ll leave that woman to you for now. I have a friend who is still in danger, and I need to find her quickly. I¡¯ll contact you by pher." Without waiting for Xia Mutong to respond, Ling Chen had already run out of the gambling den.


    Getting into the car, Ling Chen put his right hand on the gear shift, stepped on the elerator, and the car shot out like an arrow released from its bow.


    The port previously mentioned by Lady Tong wasn¡¯t too far away, only about ten kilometers from the gambling den. At this moment, the boat was already on its way back and he didn¡¯t know if Leng Feifei was safe. He had to hurry over as soon as possible.


    Just then, the pleasant ring of a mobile phone came from his pocket.


    Ling Chen took out his phone and nced at the iing call disy. Seeing it was Zhao Zhengxiong, he immediately pressed the answer button and said, "Xiong, I¡¯m really busy right now, I¡¯ll talk to youter..."


    "Chen, were you just at the gambling den?"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen was slightly taken aback and asked with confusion, "How did you know?"


    "My people reported it to me, they saw you outside the gambling den. Chen, you might not be aware, but that gambling den is operated by the gangsters from North City District, I have been keeping an eye on them."


    "Is it them?"


    "Yes, that¡¯s right! Those guys have been expanding their power like crazy after taking over the West District and South District, with no idea of restraint. But the more people they have, the more money they need. So they took risks and did whatever made quick money - running gambling dens, trafficking drugs, they¡¯ve been involved in almost all kinds of illegal and criminal activities."


    Ling Chen asked, "Why doesn¡¯t the police do anything?"


    "The police in those districts have all taken bribes, no one wants to meddle, no incidents are reported. The previous raids on the gambling dens were conducted by the city police, who are not as easily bribed with money like the district police. I have been collecting evidence of their illegal activities and nning to report them anonymously. I didn¡¯t expect that you, Chen, would take the lead by storming in and destroying their den. Now they are in for it."


    "It was just a coincidence I came across them. If they hadn¡¯t kidnapped my friend, I wouldn¡¯t have gotten involved."


    "Chen, is your friend okay? Do you need the brothers to help out?"


    "No need, I can handle it myself. That¡¯s it for now, I¡¯m still driving. We¡¯ll chat another day."


    "Okay."


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. It turned out all this was the doing of those thugs from North City District. Well, they would have to be dealt with sooner orter. This opportunity was good for a crackdown on their arrogance.


    During his contemtion, Ling Chen had already driven to the port.


    Gazing out of the car window at the pitch-dark sea surface, he saw a cargo ship slowly approaching the port, preparing to dock.


    In the port¡¯s parking lot, Ling Chen also spotted several luxury cars worth millions.


    Yes, it¡¯s here!


    Getting out of the car, Ling Chen, concerned about Leng Feifei¡¯s safety, quickly ran towards the mooring location of the cargo ship.


    Without waiting for the ship toe to aplete stop, Ling Chen leaped up, grabbed onto the ropes on the side of the ship, and swiftly climbed aboard.


    "Who¡¯s there?"


    A young man who was preparing to secure the ropes on the deck spotted the suddenly appearing Ling Chen and immediately shouted, picking up a harpoon nearby and charging at him.


    "Scram!"


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t even nce at the young man, kicking him down to the ground, and then hurried towards the interior of the ship.


    Pushing open the door, before even entering, Ling Chen immediately heard a disputeing from inside.


    "Damn it! I spent so much money on those women, why can¡¯t I have my way with them?"


    "Calm down, please. It¡¯s not that we¡¯re stopping you, but Lady Tong just called saying those women can¡¯t be touched for now. If you have anyints, you can go talk to Lady Tongter. I believe she will give everyone a satisfactory exnation."


    "When it was time to take our money, you were so willing. Why the change of face now? Fine, get your boss to refund my money immediately, and I won¡¯t say another word, I¡¯ll just leave. If you can¡¯t do that, then get out of the way quickly and don¡¯t disturb our mood."


    "This... Gentlemen, I¡¯ve already called Lady Tong, but there¡¯s been no answer. Maybe you could wait a bit longer?"


    "..."


    Following the noise, Ling Chen quickly located the arguing parties¡ªone side was a group of middle-aged men in robes, seven or eight in total, with indignant faces, furious; the other side was five young men, with the oldest appearing to be in charge of the ship.


    At that moment, the group noticed Ling Chen¡¯s arrival, and they all focused their attention on him, asking, "Who are you?"


    Ling Chen was toozy to waste words with them, fixating on the ship¡¯s person in charge and demanded, "Where are the women locked up?"


    "You..."


    "Your Lady Tong has already been taken into police custody, and the police will be here any minute now. None of you will be able to escape."


    Hearing this, everyone¡¯s expression changed. Especially for those middle-aged men in robes, who were well-known figures¡ªif the police caught them, their reputations would bepletely ruined.


    As several middle-aged men hurriedly scrambled to escape, the person in charge of the ship hesitated for a moment and immediately followed suit with his subordinates.


    At this time, Ling Chen had no time to deal with them¡ªa priority was Leng Feifei¡¯s safety.


    After searching several rooms, Ling Chen still couldn¡¯t find Leng Feifei¡¯s whereabouts. Just then, a seductive moan suddenly reached Ling Chen¡¯s ears.


    He followed the sound to a locked door and, without saying a word, mmed his body into it.


    Bang!


    The door flung open, revealing a sensual scene inside that made Ling Chen¡¯s eyes widen, unable to look away for a long time.

 Chapter 392 - 388: The Woman Who Takes Lives

    <h4>Chapter 392: Chapter 388: The Woman Who Takes Lives</h4><h4></h4>


    The cargo ship looked old and worn on the surface, but the rooms inside were meticulously decorated, furnished with variousvish decorations. In the middle was a round bed, where a woman was lying. And who else could it be but Leng Feifei?


    At this moment, Leng Feifei¡¯s gaze was dazed, her clothes disheveled, and she was muttering shameful words in her dreams. Of course, to a man, this might just be the most wonderful music to the ears.


    "Feifei, what¡¯s wrong with you?" Ling Chen picked up a piece of clothing at hand, covering Leng Feifei¡¯s body, but he didn¡¯t expect that the woman would suddenly grasp him in a hug and start to frantically touch and kiss him all over his body. Ling Chen was, after all, a normal guy, and Leng Feifei, in terms of both figure and appearance, was top-notch. Even with extraordinary self-control, he couldn¡¯t help but feel his heart race. While pushing her away, he said with a somewhat dry voice, "Feifei, Feifei, what are you doing?"


    "Don¡¯t talk, just hold me tight. Please, I¡¯m begging you." Leng Feifei¡¯s consciousness was very confused; as soon as Ling Chen pushed her away, she immediately pounced back on him, hugging him tightly, her breathing rapid and her skin covered in a fine sweat, as if she had a fever.


    Ling Chen¡¯s heart was racing, but with his keen eyesight, after touching Leng Feifei¡¯s forehead and observing her expression, he quickly realized that Leng Feifei was probably drugged. The best way to save her was that thing. Looking at her attractive figure and listening to her enchanting murmurs, he almost lost control but knew better than to take advantage of someone in their vulnerable state and ruin the reputation of a fine youngdy.


    "What should I do?" he also became somewhat anxious.


    Do not peep if it¡¯s immoral... Do not peep if it¡¯s immoral... Amitabha Buddha...


    Ling Chen muttered to himself, holding his breath and concentrating, trying to calm himself down. Soon, he thought of a method that might work. He pushed Leng Feifei away and quickly entered the restroom. After a short while, he came out and then picked up Leng Feifei again, heading towards the restroom.


    At that moment, the bathtub in the restroom was filled with cold water. Without hesitation, Ling Chen plunged Leng Feifei into it, pressing down firmly on her shoulders to prevent her from escaping.


    After sshing around in the water for a bit, the flush on Leng Feifei¡¯s skin gradually faded, and she seemed to regain some consciousness.


    "Feifei, Feifei, are you feeling any better?" After a while, seeing her looking somewhat more alert, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved.


    "Ling Chen..."


    Leng Feifei looked at Ling Chen dazedly, responding weakly and appearing extremely frail. At the same time, her eyes brimmed with tears, a mix of pitifulness and joy. "It¡¯s really you, you came to rescue me. Tha-thank you."


    Ling Chen asked with full concern, "Are you feeling better?"


    Leng Feifei gently rubbed her forehead, biting her thin lips, her expression showing a hint of pain and difort. However, seeing her regaining consciousness, Ling Chen took a deep breath of relief.


    At this point, Leng Feifei, soaking in the bathtub, noticed her disheveled clothes and her face flushed red.


    Realizing that Ling Chen was still in front of her, her originally pale face suddenly bloomed with intoxicating blush, and she hurriedly covered her chest with her arms, concealing the exposed charms.


    "Thank you!"


    Ling Chen grinned and said, "What¡¯s there to thank for? You¡¯re my friend; helping you is only natural. Stay in there for a bit; I¡¯ll go find you some clothes." After speaking, Ling Chen turned around and exited the restroom.

 Chapter 393 - 389: The Girl’s Thoughts

    <h4>Chapter 393: Chapter 389: The Girl¡¯s Thoughts</h4><h4></h4>


    A few minutester, Leng Feifei, wrapped in a bathrobe, walked out of the restroom while drying her wet hair with a towel. She found the room empty¡ªLing Chen was nowhere to be seen; only a set of clothes remained on the bed.


    Looking at the pink round bed and the array of sex toys around it, a flush of shame and anger briefly shed through Leng Feifei¡¯s eyes. However, thinking back to what had happened between her and Ling Chen on the bed, she felt her face turning scarlet hot and her eyes filled with bashfulness.


    She knew clearly that it was because she had been drugged, which caused her to act in such an embarrassing manner. But in her over twenty years of purity, she had not even held hands with a man, let alone have such an experience.


    Just as she was thinking, the door was pushed open from the outside, and the person who entered was none other than Ling Chen.


    Seeing the weary look on Ling Chen¡¯s face, Leng Feifei asked with concern, "Are you alright?"


    "I¡¯m fine," Ling Chen replied with a smile, secretly thinking to himself that it was no easy feat. To free the other women on the cargo ship from the control of the drugs and to bring them back to consciousness, he had nearly exhausted all his energy.


    "Feifei, how did you fall into their hands?" Ling Chen asked.


    "I had finished night self-study and was on my way back to the dormitory when a few youths stopped me. They used knockout drugs on me, took me into a car... after that, I¡¯m not too clear on what happened. I was in a daze the whole time until I was brought here; only then did I regain some awareness." Having said this, Leng Feifei looked at Ling Chen curiously and asked, "How did you know I had been captured?"


    "It was a coincidence," Ling Chen exined casually.


    "I¡¯ve already called the police, and they¡¯ll be arriving soon. You can go home after giving your statement to them," Ling Chen reminded her not to forget: "Be more careful in the future, try not to walk alone at night, as dangers are everywhere in society nowadays."


    Feeling Ling Chen¡¯s concern, Leng Feifei felt a sweet warmth in her heart, as if she had tasted honey, and she nodded with a gentle smile, "I¡¯ll be careful."


    During the conversation, Leng Feifei couldn¡¯t help but take a few more nces at Ling Chen.


    She thought back to thest time in the mall when Qi Jianhui had stopped her, it was Ling Chen who had stepped in to help her out. Then, when she was almost vited by Zheng Guangwu, Ling Chen had also saved her at the critical moment, allowing her to avoid a cmity. And now, once again, it was Ling Chen who had courageously stepped forward to rescue her in her time of peril.


    As an orphan who had suffered through painful foster homes, she thought she was all alone in the world. But the man before her seemed like her guardian angel, always appearing by her side when she needed help the most.


    If it were just once, Leng Feifei wouldn¡¯t think too much of it, but this man had repeatedlye to her aid. She didn¡¯t believe it was coincidental, but rather a fateful encounter decreed by destiny.


    With these thoughts, the way Leng Feifei looked at Ling Chen suddenly shifted with an unusual emotional flutter.


    However, at this moment, Ling Chen hadn¡¯t noticed too much of that, his gaze constantly sweeping out the window, checking to see if Xia Mutong and the others had arrived.


    Ten minutester, Xia Mutong, having dealt with the casino incident, finally arrived at the port with arge entourage and an ambnce.


    Along with Leng Feifei, there were a total of six girls who, with the aid of Ling Chen, were now safe and sound, shaken but with no other diforts.


    After handing the girls over to Xia Mutong, Ling Chen said goodbye to Leng Feifei and Xia Mutong and then drove back alone to Wealthy Manor.


    Back at the Nanrong Family, Ling Chen didn¡¯t go straight to the vi but headed instead to the wooden-structured vi. This vi was once the residence of Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s parents, and since they had left home, it had been sealed up, with no one entering it since.


    But not long ago, Ling Chen identally discovered that Mr. Yun¡¯s secret base was located in the basement of this vi. In order not to rm the enemy, he had not taken any action but had been secretly surveilling the ce.


    Stepping into the pitch-dark vi, Ling Chen made his way to the basement with practiced ease.


    In the brightly lit basement, several men were tied up, their mouths taped shut, and dumped in a corner.


    On the other side, in front of a row ofputer equipment, a chubby man was tapping away at the keyboard, his eyes fixated on the files flickering on the screen, his expression one of deep concentration.


    "Chubby, you must be hungry. Have somete-night snacks first." Ling Chen put the fast-food box he was carrying onto the table and said.


    Since escaping from the ind, after deep consideration, Ling Chen decided to turn passivity into proactivity. However, to take the initiative, sufficient intelligence was necessary. Hence, he had discreetly taken control of this secret base and had Hu Feie over to help gather information.


    Hu Fei specialized in this line of work; he knew best which information was valuable.


    Seeing the food, Hu Fei immediately abandoned his task at hand, opened a fast-food box, and began to wolf down the contents without any care for appearances.


    Ling Chen knew Hu Fei had been exhausted these past few days. To gather more information before Mr. Yun discovered the exposure of this secret base, Hu Fei had barely rested, even developing dark circles under his eyes.


    He opened a bottle of beverage and handed it to Hu Fei, asking, "Got any results yet?"


    Hu Fei pointed to aputer against the wall and said, "Thatputer can connect to the God Organization¡¯s main server, but it needs a login password. I¡¯ve asked those guys, and only Mr. Yun knows the password. I¡¯m still trying to crack it. If all goes well, we should have results soon."


    "Thanks for your hard work."


    "Forget it." Hu Fei immediately waved his hand and said, "Please don¡¯t be polite to me. If you¡¯re too courteous, I¡¯ll feel too embarrassed to ask you for money."


    "You rascal." Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but shake his head with a mix ofughter and tears.


    As they spoke, theputer suddenly beeped loudly. Hu Fei¡¯s eyes lit up. He threw aside the half-eaten fast-food box, hastily wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth, and rushed to theputer. Seeing the data disyed on the screen, he pped his hands excitedly and eximed, "We¡¯re in!"


    Ling Chen leaned over theputer screen, watching the scrolling folders, repressing the excitement in his heart and asked, "Can you copy them out?"


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve been prepared for this." Saying that, Hu Fei plugged a USB drive into theputer tower and tapped the keyboard. Soon, a progress bar popped up on the screen.


    However, the data on the God Organization¡¯s main server might have been too vast and the file sizes toorge, several minutes passed, and the progress bar had only moved two percent. At this rate, it would take several hours to copy all the server¡¯s data.


    Beep, beep-beep!


    At that moment, an irritating rm suddenly sounded from an external device connected to theputer tower, and a red warning light shed without stopping.


    "This is bad!"


    Hu Fei¡¯s face changed, he frowned and said, "They¡¯ve discovered us." Speaking, he furiously typed on the keyboard, his eyes glued to the rapidly switching data boxes on the screen, his expression grave.

 Chapter 394 - 390: Invasion Failed

    <h4>Chapter 394: Chapter 390: Invasion Failed</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen watched quietly from the side, not making a sound to disturb Hu Fei. Although he was also proficient withputers, he couldn¡¯t quite understand these advanced hacking techniques.


    Two minutes passed, and a ck box appeared in the center of theputer screen, with a line of red English letters on it.


    "Damn! It¡¯s been locked." Hu Fei cursed loudly and quickly pulled the USB drive from theputer¡¯s main unit.


    "Run!"


    Watching Hu Fei sprinting frantically out of the basement, Ling Chen was puzzled but still followed closely behind. Just as they ran out of the basement, they heard a loud ¡¯boom¡¯¡ªthe powerful st wave from the explosion crazily surged out from the entrance of the basement, throwing Ling Chen and Hu Fei into the air, and they heavily fell onto the floor.


    "Fatty, are you alright?"


    "I won¡¯t die." Hu Fei, rubbing his sore shoulder, grimaced in pain.


    Ling Chen coughed twice, waved his arms to disperse the surrounding dust, stood up from the ground, and then returned to the basement.


    Under the destructive power of the explosion, all the equipment in the basement was destroyed, and several men who had been tied up with ropes were lying scattered around, already showing no signs of life.


    Ling Chen was inwardly shocked; had it not been for Hu Fei¡¯s timely warning, they would have both died there.


    "Who¡¯s there? Don¡¯t move!"


    At this moment, a burst of angry shouting came from above. Ling Chen recognized it as Zhong Wei¡¯s voice and, fearing a misunderstanding, hurriedly went upstairs, only to see Zhong Wei and several others surrounding Hu Fei.


    "Captain Zhong, don¡¯t be hasty, we are all on the same side, it¡¯s alright."


    "You¡¯re here too?"


    Seeing Ling Chen appear, Zhong Wei nced at Hu Fei, slightly rxing his vignce, and waved for Liang Zhao Hui and the others to step back, asking, "Ling Chen, what happened?"


    "It¡¯s hard to exin in a few words, it was probably an idental explosion. Captain Zhong, please go exin to Wanqing and the old master, tell them not to worry, I will handle things here."


    "Do you want me to call the police?"


    "No need, you all go rest, I¡¯ll take care of this."


    Hearing this, Zhong Wei clearly understood what Ling Chen meant. There must have been something going on in the basement, but Ling Chen didn¡¯t want others to know.


    In the past, Zhong Wei wouldn¡¯t have let Ling Chen get away with such an exnation so easily. But things were different now; Ling Chen¡¯s rtionship with Nanrong Wanqing was no secret among them. Besides, after having experienced so many things together, Zhong Wei trusted Ling Chen a lot.


    Seeing him say this, Zhong Wei tactfully did not pursue the matter further and left with his team.


    During this time, Nanrong Wanqing, Su Lin, Nanrong Hao, and Liu Kun all came to inquire about the situation, but Ling Chen sent them all back.


    Taking advantage of the dark, Ling Chen and Hu Fei secretly transported the bodies out of the basement, ced them in the trunk of the car, and prepared to find a secluded ce to bury them.


    As the car drove out of Wealthy Manor, Ling Chen, who was driving, asked, "Fatty, is there any way to hack into their servers?"


    Hu Fei shook his head, "No, thatputer main unit had special hardware installed, so it could ess the God Organization¡¯s servers. Otherputers won¡¯t work." After a pause, with a grave expression, Hu Fei said, "Those guys are really something, they even installed a self-destruction program in the equipment. If it weren¡¯t for my high vignce, we both could¡¯ve been done for."


    "So we¡¯ve been busy for nothing?"


    "I copied a small part of the data onto the USB, but it was damaged by their remote code. I¡¯ll try to fix that data when I get back."


    "I¡¯ll leave this matter to you then."


    After handling everything, Ling Chen dropped Hu Fei off at his home, then returned to Wealthy Manor.


    ...


    The next day.


    Since it was Saturday, Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t have to work, and Ling Chen spent his time at home watching the news on TV.


    The incident at the casinost night had been exposed, and all the major television stations were reporting on it, highly praising the police¡¯s actions.


    However, Ling Chen was not concerned about that but rather whether the people behind the casino had been caught.


    Until now, Xia Mutong hadn¡¯t called him, probably indicating no progress.


    "Brother Chen."


    At that moment, Nanrong Hao¡¯s voice came from the doorway. Ling Chen, sitting on the living room sofa, turned his head, seeing Nanrong Hao waving at him, signaling him toe over.


    "What is it? Sneaking around, why can¡¯t you talk inside the house?" Ling Chen said as he walked over.


    Nanrong Hao sheepishly touched his head, "Isn¡¯t it because I was afraid my sister would hear. Just now, Xiong called and asked us toe over, saying there¡¯s something to discuss."


    Ling Chen nodded, "Then let¡¯s go." Even if Nanrong Hao didn¡¯t say it, he could guess that Zhao Zhengxiong wanted them over probably concerning the people in North City District.


    Half an hourter, Ling Chen and Nanrong Hao drove to a courierpany in Old City.


    To be honest, Ling Chen was still unclear about why Nanrong Hao and his group ran so many courierpanies. From what Nanrong Hao and Jiang Hao said, their purpose for setting up courierpanies was not just to make money or run a legitimate business but had a greater scheme in mind.


    Yet, Ling Chen could never understand what role a courierpany could y. Every time this matter was mentioned, Nanrong Hao and his group were always secretive and unwilling to borate.


    Upon entering the office, Zhao Zhengxiong and Jiang Hao were present, while Jiang Yunkai was busy managing the securitypany and rarely interfered with matters in Old City.


    Ling Chen patted Jiang Hao¡¯s shoulder, asking with concern, "Has your injury healed?"


    Jiang Hao smiled, "It¡¯s already scarred over. The doctor said it¡¯s nothing serious, just that it will leave some scars in the future."


    "A man with more scars is a real man, look at me." Zhao Zhengxiong rolled up his sleeve, revealing the knife scars on his arm, proudly saying, "I was the one who dared to fight, that¡¯s why I could be the boss."


    Ling Chen jokingly teased, "Haozi, did you hear that? The four of us, only you don¡¯t have scars, seems you¡¯re not a real man."


    Nanrong Hao nonchntly said, "What¡¯s the big deal, as long as you¡¯re a real man in bed, that¡¯s enough."


    This immediately drew heartyughter from Jiang Hao and the others.


    "Alright, alright, no more jokes," Zhao Zhengxiong put away his smile and said, "Let¡¯s talk business, I believe everyone knows about what happenedst night. As far as I know, the police, after an overnight interrogation, pulled out a few people, but they were just insignificant small fries, specifically used as scapegoats. The big shots in North City District didn¡¯t even scratch a bit, still living freely without a care. I originally wanted to use this opportunity to suppress the influence of North City District a bit, but looking at the current situation, this operation didn¡¯t really hurt them."


    Nanrong Hao asked, "Xiong, are you thinking of taking them down all at once?"


    "Not really, we don¡¯t have enough resources to swallow them up yet. However, we need to figure out a way to control their expansion. Otherwise, once they grow stronger, it will be troublesome to deal with themter."

 Chapter 395 - 391 Confidential Documents

    <h4>Chapter 395: Chapter 391 Confidential Documents</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "Xiong¡¯s concerns are valid; we indeed need to consider this issue."


    Zhao Zhengxiong said, "I¡¯ve made a rough estimate. Those people in the North City District have been running gambling operations, trafficking drugs, and other illicit activities for over a week. Although it hasn¡¯t been long, during this time, they have earned at least around twenty million."


    "That much?" Nanrong Hao eximed in surprise.


    "It¡¯s not a lot." Ling Chen exined, "Whether it¡¯s the casino or drugs, both are highly profitable, a sure win without any loss. Besides, the people in North City District now control three districts, the market is huge, so it¡¯s not surprising they made this much in a short time."


    "That¡¯s right," Zhao Zhengxiong continued, "The casino has already been shut down by the police, but the drug trade in North City District is still ongoing. If we can¡¯t cut off their source of funds, they¡¯ll only make more money and expand their influence faster. By that time, it might not be a question of whether we can take them down; they might turn around and bite us instead."


    Ling Chen looked at Zhao Zhengxiong and Jiang Hao, giving a slight smile, "Since you¡¯ve considered this aspect, I presume you already have a solution."


    Jiang Hao nodded and said, "Brother Chen, the best way is to cut off their supply. Xiong and I have already found their source of goods, but they are cunning, changing locations for each transaction. By the time we get there, they¡¯ve alreadypleted the deal, and we can¡¯t find either the people or the goods. However, thanks to the insider Xiong nted, we¡¯ve got the exact location of the next deal. Brother Chen, I know you have a good rtionship with Officer Xia, so we¡¯d like to ask for your help."


    Ling Chen readily agreed, "No problem. Just give me the location of the transaction, and I¡¯ll have Officer Xia take people to set up an ambush in advance."


    "This..." Jiang Hao hesitated, ncing at Zhao Zhengxiong with an expression that seemed he had more to say but was holding back.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen spoke with dissatisfaction, "What, is there something you can¡¯t say in front of me?"


    "It¡¯s not that," Zhao Zhengxiong exined, "In our n, the police are thest link. If they show up too early, then our n will be useless."


    Ling Chen, full of interest, asked, "What n?"


    Then, Jiang Hao detailed the n he and Zhao Zhengxiong hade up with. After Ling Chen listened to it, Jiang Hao spoke nervously, "Brother Chen, I know you don¡¯t support us doing illegal activities, but... if we do this, not only would the police benefit, but we could profit as well, so..."


    "Are you worried I wouldn¡¯t agree?" Ling Chen smiled and waved his hand, "You¡¯re overthinking it. I¡¯m not so rigid. How could I refuse such a win-win proposition? Both of you are clever,ing up with such an idea. Okay, I agree. Just go ahead with it, and I¡¯ll handle the police."


    After speaking, Ling Chen stood up, "If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll head back first. Call me if there¡¯s anything."


    "Brother Chen, that..." Nanrong Hao gazed eagerly at Ling Chen, wringing his hands non-stop with a fawning smile on his face.


    Ling Chen nced at him, fully understanding his intention, and said helplessly, "Alright then, you stay here and act with them. Be safe."


    "Thank you, Brother Chen!" Nanrong Hao¡¯s face lit up with excitement.


    Leaving the courierpany, Ling Chen got into the car, ready to return to Wealthy Manor. But at that moment, he suddenly received a call from Hu Fei.


    "Hello! Ling Chen, are you free? I¡¯ve repaired part of the data fromst night. Do you want toe and look at it?"


    "For something like this, even if I¡¯m not free, I¡¯ll make time. Tell me, where shall we meet?"


    "The usual ce; Old Liu has already prepared the fish hotpot."


    "Wait for me, I¡¯ll be there shortly."


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen immediately started the car and drove towards the restaurant where he often met with Hu Fei. The documents concerning the secrets of the God Organization were urgent in Ling Chen¡¯s heart.


    It took less than twenty minutes on the road for Ling Chen to arrive in front of the restaurant.


    Knocking on the door, it opened to reveal Boss Liu, his face waxen yellow and skin slightly dark, immediately appeared before Ling Chen.


    "Mr. Ling, wee,e in, please!" Boss Liu said with a smile, ushering Ling Chen inside.


    Ling Chen politely greeted Boss Liu and then walked into the private room.


    The small room was steamy and stuffy, with the buzz of an old exhaust fan that was barely effective. In a corner, Hu Fei, having taken off his coat, was enjoying a fish hotpot with relish.


    "Eat, don¡¯t be shy."


    "Cut it out. I¡¯m not like you, eating this early, lunchtime isn¡¯t even here yet. Enough chit-chat, hurry up and hand over the data you¡¯ve repaired."


    "I went backst night and didn¡¯t sleep all night, been busy with your thing, man, and not even a word of thanks from you," Hu Feiined, but he still handed over the already prepared file folder.


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t wait to tear open the folder and pulled out a stack of documents from inside.


    After skimming through, Ling Chen immediately noticed a problem. The information recorded in these documents were all about the past operations of the God Organization, several years old, and essentially worthless.


    "Fatty, is there no useful intelligence?"


    "Don¡¯t rush, look carefully, there will definitely be information that interests you."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen patiently continued to read through the documents in his hands. Ten or so minutes passed, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. Ignorance was bliss, the more he read, the more rmed he became.


    All along, Ling Chen¡¯s understanding of the God Organization was based on objective knowledge. However, through the recorded content in these documents, he gained a more direct understanding of how colossal the God Organization was.


    If there was one thing to describe the God Organization, it would be a sprawling, towering tree. Not only possessing an unshakable foundation, but its branches were also extensive, reaching into various industries and countries.


    ording to the information provided, in the past decade, more than forty significant incidents around the world had the shadow of the God Organization behind them.


    Each incident was meticulously nned, causing huge impacts on international society, directly affecting the political and business circles of various countries.


    At this moment, Ling Chen finally understood that what made the God Organization truly frightening was not the overt things, but the secret, unknown mysterious forces behind the scenes.


    It was just that the infiltration of the God Organization into Huaxia had just begun, which is why it hadn¡¯t seemed so terrifying.


    In his shock, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze was suddenly captured by a piece of information in his hands.


    There was a ck-and-white photo attached to that document, and Ling Chen recognized the person in the picture at a nce.


    Little Hua!


    Not only that, but the word ¡¯Top Secret¡¯ was also annotated next to the photo.


    The identity of Little Hua had always been a mystery. Ling Chen had questioned He Ziyun about it more than once, but sadly never received an answer. Unexpectedly, there was a record of Little Hua in this data.


    Thinking this, Ling Chen immediately opened the documents and began to carefully read through them.


    (Today I¡¯m releasing 5 Chapters, give some rmendation tickets as a reward, your support is the motivation for my burst of writing.)


    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 396 - 392 Little Hua’s Secret (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 396: Chapter 392 Little Hua¡¯s Secret (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    After reading about Little Hua¡¯s background, Ling Chen¡¯s heart struggled to calm down for a long time. He never expected Little Hua to have such a hidden past.


    "Have you finished reading the girl¡¯s information?" Noticing Ling Chen¡¯s dazed expression, Hu Fei put down his chopsticks, wiped his greasy lips, and smacked his mouth, saying, "I was just as shocked as you when I first read it. I couldn¡¯t believe that such people existed in the world. Truly, the Great Thousand World is full of wonders. Eh! If I remember correctly, you seem to know that little girl, right?"


    Ling Chen nodded and stood up, saying, "Enjoy your meal, I¡¯m not going to join you."


    "Hey! You¡¯re not nning to go find that little girl, are you?" Hu Fei hastily followed him out of the private room, catching up to Ling Chen¡¯s steps and saying, "Considering all the hard work I¡¯ve put in, take me with you. As long as you bring me, we¡¯ll call it even for all thepensation you owe me."


    Hu Fei made the offer with a painful heart. He had no choice since, like Ling Chen, his heart couldn¡¯t stay calm after reading Little Hua¡¯s informationst night. Overwhelmed by intense curiosity, he was desperate to know the secrets rted to Little Hua.


    Ling Chen stopped walking, looked at Hu Fei, and said, "You need to think this through. Little Hua is someone the God Organization closely watches, and they will make a move on her sooner orter. Moreover, if the people from the God Organization find out you know Little Hua¡¯s secret, they won¡¯t let you off easily. As a friend, I advise you to consider it carefully. If you choose to go with me, you will be standing against the God Organization from now on."


    Hearing this, Hu Fei suddenly hesitated, rubbing his round belly as he pondered. After a while, he cursed under his breath and looked up, saying, "Hell, I¡¯m already on your crooked boat, and there¡¯s no escape now. Let¡¯s go find that little girl."


    Seeing Hu Fei¡¯s determination, Ling Chen smiled without saying much more, and the two of them left the restaurant side by side.


    Not long after, Ling Chen and Hu Fei drove straight to the Qingyun Martial Arts Hall.


    When they knocked on the door of the Martial Arts Academy, Little Hua, with a pouty face, opened the door and said unhappily, "Big brother, you don¡¯t like Little Hua anymore, you haven¡¯te to see me in so long."


    Ling Chen touched Little Hua¡¯s head and smiled, saying, "I¡¯ve been busy."


    "Hmph! You¡¯re just making excuses." Little Hua muttered, her big round eyes examining Hu Fei as she asked, "Big brother, who is this fat guy?"


    "My name is Hu Fei, a friend of your big brother," Hu Fei said with a smile, "You can just call me Fatty."


    Little Hua showed little interest in Hu Fei, wrapping her arms around Ling Chen¡¯s arms and saying, "Big brother, you¡¯rete. Xiaozhu returned to Beijing a couple of days ago."


    At the mention of Zhu Xiaozhu, Ling Chen¡¯s expression stiffened, and he looked somewhat uneasy. Back on the ind, Ling Chen had killed Reylov and detonated the ind¡¯s bomb, destroying the entire ind. With such terrifying destructive force, it was almost impossible for Zhu Hong to survive.


    Therefore, Zhu Hong¡¯s death was definitely on his conscience.


    If Zhu Xiaozhu knew about this, Ling Chen could hardly imagine what she might do; she probably would not deal with him for a lifetime.


    With a silent sigh, Ling Chen pushed aside his mixed emotions,posed himself, and asked, "Where¡¯s Mr. He?"


    "Master is inside. Big brother, do you have business with him?"


    Seeing Ling Chen nod, Little Hua immediately pouted and said discontentedly, "I knew it, big brother didn¡¯te specifically for me. Hmph! You go find Master yourself; I¡¯m not ying with you anymore."


    Little Hua shook her hands, swishing her braids, and ran off huffily into the bedroom.


    Ling Chenughed bitterly; this little girl was already so grown up yet still so childish.


    Entering the main hall of the Martial Arts Academy, he saw He Ziyun dressed in a Qing dynasty outfit, sitting on the ground in the manner of the ancients, holding a Sanskrit scripture.


    As Ling Chen and Hu Fei entered, He Ziyun had already put down the scripture and stood up.


    "Mr. He, sorry to disturb you. This is my friend, Hu Fei."


    He Ziyun gave a faint smile, "I know who he is. Guests are always wee, please have a seat."


    Hu Fei looked at He Ziyun, puzzled as to how he knew him. With his doubt lingering, he sat down with Ling Chen, quietly waiting for Ling Chen to speak.


    "Did youe to see me about something?"


    Ling Chen handed over a document bag he was carrying to He Ziyun, saying, "Mr. He, I have some information here. Please take a look before we discuss."


    He Ziyun pulled out the documents, and after just one nce, a ripple disturbed his normally tranquil, wrinkled face. Lifting his head, he didn¡¯t continue reading but ced the documents aside and asked, "Where did you get this information from?"


    Ling Chen was forthright, exining the process of hacking into the main server of the God Organization.


    "You¡¯re here to clear up Little Hua¡¯s identity?"


    "Yes," Ling Chen didn¡¯t beat around the bush; he was eager to know the truth.


    He Ziyun reflected for a moment, sighed, and nodded, "All right. I was considering telling youter, but since you¡¯re asking now, I might as well reveal the events of that year. However..." He Ziyun nced at Hu Fei, asking, "Are you sure you want him to know?"


    "The Fatty has also seen that information; he is a trustworthy person."


    Seeing Ling Chen vouch for Hu Fei, He Ziyun asked no more. Leaning against the chair, his gaze fell on the leaves fluttering outside the hall, seemingly immersed in the memories of the past.


    "This matter goes back decades. At that time, I was the founder of the Ghost organization, leading its members to destroy the God Organization¡¯s secret bases one by one, suppressing their influence. The God Organization is a very formidable opponent, and it took us nearly twenty years to find their stronghold and the identity of their mysterious leader."


    "When we arrived at that secret base, we arrested or killed all the base members, but unfortunately, the God Organization¡¯s mysterious leader fled in a panic with the help of others and also initiated the base¡¯s self-destruct mechanism. We were nning to evacuate ording to the n, but a Ghost member involved in the operation discovered an ongoing experiment in the base. Although the base¡¯s staff were dead or had fled, the experiment had already started and was in its final stage."


    "All along, we didn¡¯t know the real purpose of the God Organization. So, with thest few minutes before the self-destruct sequence began, I decided to stay behind to find out while the others evacuated first. With two minutes left on the self-destruct timer, the experiment finallypleted. As five experimental chambers opened, I discovered that each chamber contained a child, both boys and girls, around the ages of four to five."


    "Little Hua was one of them?" Ling Chen asked.

 Chapter 397 - 393: Little Hua’s Secret (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 397: Chapter 393: Little Hua¡¯s Secret (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Not bad," He Ziyun continued, "Among the five children who participated in the experiment, only Little Hua survived. The other four lost their lives due to various reasons. Given the urgency of the situation at the time, I had no time to delve deeper into the experiment; I could only take Little Hua and escape from the base first. Later, I took Little Hua to the headquarters of the Ghosts. To conceal her identity and avoid the curious eyes of others, I publicly dered her as my disciple."


    "In the years following that event, we never gave up on the search for the God Organization, relentlessly pursuing them until, five yearster, we received news of the mysterious leader¡¯s serious illness and subsequent death. With his demise, the remnants of the God Organization¡¯s influence splintered immediately. Having worn myself out after all these years and having Little Hua by my side, I let Qiao Zhen take over my position to continue the legacy of the Ghosts. After leaving the Ghosts, I brought Little Hua here to East Sea City alone and opened this Martial Arts Academy, hoping to settle down. However, as the old saying goes, ¡¯If you don¡¯t remove the roots when cutting grass, the spring breeze will bring it back to life.¡¯ I never expected that after so many years, the God Organization would rise from the ashes again."


    After listening to He Ziyun¡¯s story, Ling Chen exhaled deeply, digesting the shock in his heart.


    "Mr. He, so that means Little Hua¡¯s age..."


    He Ziyun chuckled, "Don¡¯t be fooled by her child-like appearance; she¡¯s actually in her twenties, both mentally and by age."


    So that was it!


    Ling Chen suddenly realized why the little girl was so cunning and full of tricky ideas¡ªit was because she had the mind of an adult.


    To think that he had been so deceived by Little Hua¡¯s adorable exterior for so long.


    Hu Fei couldn¡¯t help but ask, "If she¡¯s in her twenties, why hasn¡¯t her body grown at all? Could it be a congenital form of dwarfism?"


    "No," He Ziyun shook his head. "I have had her examined, and her body is very healthy, not at all like the dwarfism you¡¯re talking about. More importantly, the cells in Little Hua¡¯s body continue to remain active. Even though her age keeps increasing, her cells have not shown any signs of change. In a regr person, cells would age over time, but this phenomenon hasn¡¯t urred with Little Hua. Therefore, I believe it has something to do with the original experiment."


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t quite grasp the profound bio-technological aspects, but felt it was veryplex. Just like He Ziyun had said, Little Hua¡¯s current condition was indeed likely linked to that past experiment.


    "Mr. He, if it¡¯s all from several decades ago, why won¡¯t the God Organization let go?"


    "Although the previous leader of the God Organization passed away, there must be others who are aware. There were five children involved in the experiment, and I only took Little Hua. After the secret base was destroyed, they would have certainly searched the scene and found the bodies of the other four children. Not finding the fifth child¡¯s corpse would have naturally led them to suspect us. If that experiment was vital to them, they would spare no effort to seek out Little Hua and me. Recently, Zhu Hong was sent to East Sea City, presumably for our sake."


    Ling Chen furrowed his brow slightly, "If that¡¯s the case, the God Organization probably won¡¯t give up easily."


    "There¡¯s no need to worry too much right now," He Ziyun said. "Their repeated actions have all ended in failure. As long as they know I¡¯m guarding Little Hua, they wouldn¡¯t dare to act rashly unless they¡¯re confident that they can deal with me."


    "Mr. He, though you say that, you still need to be careful. The enhanced drugs developed by the God Organization are very powerful. I¡¯ve experienced them a few times myself, and..."


    He Ziyun cut Ling Chen off with a smile, waving his hand, "You worry too much. No matter how powerful the enhancement drugs are, they¡¯re ultimately just a means of forcibly tapping into human potential through biotechnology. In the eyes of us Martial Artists, such methods are not advisable. The unlocking of potential must be approached scientifically and progressively, not overnight. Otherwise, the more often enhancement drugs are used, the greater the harm to the body. When I shed with the God Organization back then, they had already developed enhancement drugs. To my knowledge, anyone who has taken enhancement drugs doesn¡¯t live past thirty. Despite improvements to the drugs by the God Organization over the years, reducing side effects, the harm to the human body cannot be ignored. Therefore, in the eyes of people like us, enhancement drugs are not worth mentioning, an underhanded tactic."


    With that said, He Ziyun changed the subject and continued, "Ling Chen, I know you¡¯re busy, but don¡¯t neglect your Martial Arts studies for that. Martial Arts Training requires perseverance and must not be taken lightly. At your young age, it¡¯smendable that you¡¯ve reached the Tiger List, but don¡¯t becent. In the vastnd of Huaxia, there are countless hidden dragons and crouching tigers; the Heaven and Earth Dragon and Tiger Four Rankings do not represent all Martial Artists. On the contrary, the most formidable existences are those you cannot see. Remember, each era has its own prodigies that shine for a few hundred years. Among the current younger generation, there are certainly more than one leading figure apart from you. With your current status, you will definitely have more opportunities to engage with this world. Before that, you must be prepared."


    Ling Chen took He Ziyun¡¯s earnest advice to heart, knowing that there must be a reason for such caution.


    "Mr. He, don¡¯t worry, I will work hard."


    He Ziyun nodded with satisfaction, "Now that you know about Little Hua¡¯s identity, I hope you keep it to yourselves. I will ensure her safety, and if anything unexpected happens, I¡¯ll seek your help."


    After their chat with He Ziyun, Ling Chen and Hu Fei didn¡¯t stay long. Their main reason foring was to understand Little Hua¡¯s identity. Now that their curiosity was satisfied, there was no need to linger.


    Before leaving, Ling Chen had intended to greet Little Hua, but upon remembering her true age, he immediately abandoned the idea. For the moment, he wasn¡¯t sure how to face Little Hua.


    Returning to Wealthy Manor, Ling Chen still had Little Hua on his mind.


    "Ling Chen... hey! Ling Chen!"


    Hearing the voice next to him, Ling Chen turned his head and saw Su Lin pouting and walking over with a displeased face, saying annoyed, "What are you thinking about? I called you several times without a response. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve been enchanted by another beauty?"


    Ling Chen came back to his senses and grinned, "Look at what you¡¯re saying, there¡¯s no one more beautiful than you."


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s ttery, Su Lin¡¯s heart fluttered with joy, and with a coquettish nce, she said melodically, "Don¡¯t let your girlfriend hear that, or she might get jealous."


    "It¡¯s fine; Wanqing isn¡¯t that petty."

 Chapter 398 - 394: The Young Expert

    <h4>Chapter 398: Chapter 394: The Young Expert</h4><h4></h4>


    While speaking, Ling Chen sized up Su Lin, only to see that the youngdy was dressed in a light-colored coat, with ck stockings paired with a short skirt, and a pair of boots. Her delicate face was adorned with light makeup and a touch of eyeshadow, which made her already stunning beauty even more captivating and irresistible.


    Tsk tsk!


    "Dressing up so prettily, are you nning to meet a man?" Ling Chen teased with a smile.


    "Not at all." Su Lin¡¯s pretty face blushed as she exined, "We have a ssmate gathering today. In a few days, we¡¯ll start our internships, so there won¡¯t be many chances to meet afterward. That¡¯s why everyone decided to get together in advance."


    "Where are you guys gathering?"


    "At the pub."


    "Why go to a ce like that? You are all students; be careful not to get into trouble outside."


    "Ah, what¡¯s there to be afraid of? It¡¯s not just us girls, the boys will be there too."


    So, there are boys joining in.


    Ling Chen nodded, feeling relieved, and said, "Then have fun."


    ...


    Night fell.


    After having dinner, Ling Chen received a phone call from Nanrong Hao.


    "Chen, have you got everything arranged at your end? We are about to start the operation."


    "Are you still worried about how I handle things? I¡¯ve already notified them. Just be careful on your end; don¡¯t let anything unexpected happen." Ling Chen hadn¡¯t forgotten the n Zhao Zhengxiong and the others had made; tonight was the time to act.


    After hanging up, Nanrong Wanqing, who was sitting next to him, asked, "What did Nanrong Hao want from you?"


    "It¡¯s nothing." Fearing that Nanrong Wanqing would worry, Ling Chen dared not tell her. After hesitating for a moment, he stood up and said, "You get some rest early. I have some errands to run and will be back soon."


    Although he had advised Nanrong Hao and the others to be careful, Ling Chen still felt uneasy. This was not something to be taken lightly. One slip-up could mean losing lives. For safety¡¯s sake, he decided it was better to go and see for himself, to prevent any idents.


    Leaving Wealthy Manor, Ling Chen drove his car straight to the destination. During the call with Nanrong Hao, he had already obtained the address. In less than twenty minutes, Ling Chen arrived at the trading location.


    He parked the car on the side of the road, turned off the engine, and looked out through the window. Beside the road was an open-air parking lot with forty or fifty cars, and there weren¡¯t many people around.


    With his sharp eyes, Ling Chen noticed two vans parked not far away. The tires of the vans were heavilypressed, indicating that there were many people inside. Without a second thought, it was clear that these were the people Zhao Zhengxiong hadin in ambush.


    Ling Chen had not nned to show himself during this evening¡¯s operation. He would not appear unless something unexpected happened. Some matters needed to be handled by Zhao Zhengxiong and the others themselves; they couldn¡¯t rely on him every time. His idea was to cultivate Zhao Zhengxiong and Jiang Hao into figures who could stand on their own.


    More than ten minutes had passed, and at exactly nine o¡¯clock, a van drove up from the intersection and entered the parking lot.


    When the van came to a stop, the driver¡¯s side door opened, and a young man stepped out, cautiously looking around to ensure no suspicious individuals were present before quickly walking away. However, the youth did not go far; he walked up to a Chevrolet sedan in the parking lot, opened the rear passenger door, and got into the car. The Chevrolet was parked so that its front faced the van¡¯s position, giving a clear view and an excellent vantage point for surveince.


    Not long after, a Hyundai sedan drove into the parking lot and pulled up beside the Chevrolet.


    The car window rolled down, and a tattooed arm holding a hefty backpack reached out from inside the car, which was immediately grabbed by someone from the Chevrolet.


    It was easy to guess that the backpack was surely filled with the money for the trade.


    A momentter, the person inside the Chevrolet gestured an ¡¯OK¡¯ sign with his hand. Then, the sedan started its engine and drove straight out of the parking lot. At the same time, a man got out of the Hyundai and hurried towards the van.


    It was time to make a move!


    Watching this scene unfold, Ling Chen thought to himself.


    True enough, more than a dozen people swiftly emerged from the two parked vans by the roadside, armed with sticks and machetes, closing in on the van from four different directions. Simultaneously, two minivans drove up from the intersection, blocking the entrance and exit of the parking lot, leaving no way out for the van.


    Not bad!


    A slight smile formed on the corners of Ling Chen¡¯s lips.


    Zhao Zhengxiong¡¯s arrangements were meticulous, they sealed the first and then slowly caught the small fish.


    "Get down!"


    Very soon, Zhao Zhengxiong¡¯s dozen or so subordinates had surrounded the van and the Hyundai sedan. A young man wielding a baseball bat viciously smashed the car window and shouted, "Everyone get the hell out!"


    There was no resistance, people from both cars obediently got out, hands over their heads, squatting on the ground.


    At this moment, Zhao Zhengxiong, Nanrong Hao, and Jiang Hao walked in from outside the parking lot, headed straight to the van, and signaled their subordinates with a nce to open the cargo box.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen smirked, pressed the start button, and started the car.


    By this step, there was no need to continue watching. The drugs had been sessfully intercepted, and it was time to execute the next n.


    However, just as Ling Chen was getting ready to leave, a sudden change urred in the parking lot.


    As the cargo box was opened, what appeared before Zhao Zhengxiong and the others was not drugs, but over twenty youths holding machetes.


    "Kill them."


    With that angry shout, the twenty or so knife-wielding youths immediately surged out of the cargo box, faces fierce, crazily shing towards Zhao Zhengxiong and the others.


    "Fuck off!" Nanrong Hao reacted the fastest, cursing loudly as he kicked the leading youth to the ground.


    However, after taking Nanrong Hao¡¯s kick, the youth seemed to be fine, quickly getting up from the ground and continuing to charge at them with his knife.


    "Damn! He¡¯s not even fazed."


    Nanrong Hao cursed, while retreating backward under the cover of his subordinates. At this moment, Jiang Hao suddenly noticed that the youths were all dressed in very thick clothes, as if they had cotton stuffed inside their clothes.


    No wonder!


    This would definitely enhance their resistance to blows, it appeared these people were well-prepared.


    "Xiong, you guys retreat first, we¡¯ll hold them back."


    Zhao Zhengxiong coldly said, "What¡¯s there to fear, they have knives, we have knives too, let¡¯s fight them. I want to see how fast their knives really are."


    Just as everyone was preparing to sh head-on, suddenly three or four dozen people emerged around the parking lot, all wielding clubs and knives.


    Sitting in the car, Ling Chen¡¯s expression suddenly changed when he saw this scene.


    This was the contingency that he had feared.


    The opposition was overwhelming in numbers, and Ling Chen, worried for Nanrong Hao and the others¡¯ safety, hurriedly pushed open the car door and rushed towards the parking lot.


    But at that moment, a sharp glint of cold light suddenly struck, aimed directly at Ling Chen¡¯s neck.


    Caught off guard, Ling Chen¡¯s heart sank, his body quickly responded, his steps rapidly retreating backward, narrowly avoiding the deadly attack of that cold light.


    "Who¡¯s there?"


    His words had barely fallen when a figure suddenly appeared before Ling Chen. To be precise, a youth of a simr age to him.


    The youth held a steel knife, his build tall and robust, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, handsome features, and a few strands of hair falling on his forehead, fluttering in the wind, inadvertently revealing the cold, sharp light in his eyes.


    Ling Chen frowned and watched the other party, on high alert.


    Judging solely by that lightning-fast strike just now, this youth was definitely a master among masters.


    Could this person be rted to the thugs in North City District?


    Impossible!


    Ling Chen dismissed his own guess. A master like this would not stoop to fraternize with thugs.


    With this thought, he asked, "Who are you?"

 Chapter 399 - 395: There is Always Someone Better

    <h4>Chapter 399: Chapter 395: There is Always Someone Better</h4><h4></h4>


    The youth coldly stared at Ling Chen, his sharp steel knife slightly tilted, ready to strike at any moment.


    Ling Chen slightly frowned, "Not talking, or can¡¯t talk? Mute?"


    "Hand over the Tianling de," the youth squeezed the words through his teeth, each word icy cold, like the chill wind of the twelfth lunar month, chilling to the bone.


    Tianling de?


    Ling Chen was momentarily taken aback, quickly realizing that the youth hade for the Tianling de.


    "Are you a disciple of the Dangyang Sect?"


    "My name is Yi Shuiyan, Qin Wu is my junior sister."


    Ling Chen¡¯s lips curved slightly, finally rifying the other¡¯s identity. However, Ling Chen was puzzled why the Dangyang Sect was repeatedly trying to acquire the Tianling de¡ªcould the item really hold extraordinary significance for them?


    After careful study, he concluded that the Tianling de was merely a finely-crafted weapon and nothing more. He couldn¡¯t understand why the Dangyang Sect was so fixated on it, relentlessly trying to obtain it.


    In the end, the Tianling de was just a weapon. If the Dangyang Sect had approached him politely and respectfully, he might have been happy to give it to them out of goodwill, as he believed having more friends was better than having more enemies. However, the Dangyang Sect did not treat him with courtesy and instead constantly opposed him.


    Just now, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s strike was clearly meant to kill. Had Ling Chen not reacted promptly, he would have already be a corpse.


    Seeing Ling Chen deep in thought and not responding, Yi Shuiyan with the steel knife in hand, stepped closer, coldly saying, "I know you are one of the Eight entrics and also a high-ranking expert on the Tiger List. But, without the other entrics by your side, I want to see if you truly deserve your ce on the Tiger List."


    Seeing Yi Shuiyan approaching with the knife, Ling Chen immediately drew out Wolf Kiss and held it across his chest to guard against Yi Shuiyan¡¯s attack.


    However, looking at Yi Shuiyan¡¯s three-foot-long steel knife and then at his own Wolf Kiss, which was less than ten centimeters long, Ling Chen suddenly felt things were not fair.


    As the saying goes, an inch longer is an inch stronger. Yi Shuiyan¡¯s weapon undoubtedly had a significant advantage.


    As he pondered, Yi Shuiyan increased his speed, raised the steel knife high, jumped up without any fancy moves, and swung it hard down at him.


    The wind from the de attacked his face; Ling Chen quickly focused, retreating while lifting Wolf Kiss to meet the de. When Wolf Kiss touched the de, he immediately felt an overwhelming force, nearly causing the Wolf Kiss to fly out of his hand.


    Fortunately, Ling Chen was prepared. As the de pressed down, he twisted his wrist, allowing Wolf Kiss to slide closely past the de, bending slightly at the waist to dissipate some of the force.


    As soon as the de came down, Ling Chen had already moved out of the steel knife¡¯s strike range. Seeing the sharp tip of the knife slicing past his forehead, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes narrowed, he drew a breath, and lunged forward to close the distance between them.


    Based on his rich experience, Ling Chen knew that Yi Shuiyan had a significant advantage with his weapon, and only by fighting at close range could he turn his passive position into an active one and control the effectiveness of the steel knife.


    A sudden assault halted Yi Shuiyan¡¯s momentum, forcing him to retreat several steps with Wolf Kiss.


    However, Ling Chen had underestimated the youth before him. As Qin Wu¡¯s senior brother, Yi Shuiyan did notck practical experience like Qin Wu. On the contrary, his agile footwork and anticipatory movements showed that Yi Shuiyan¡¯s skills were proportional to his experience.


    Just these two aspects alone made him a troublesome opponent.


    Ling Chen wielded Wolf Kiss, his expression gradually tensing. His several tricky moves were easily neutralized by Yi Shuiyan, and even though he had taken the initiative, he hadn¡¯t gained any advantage.


    While deep in thought, a sudden sh of de light appeared before his eyes. Yi Shuiyan flicked his wrist and the steel de swung past him like a windmill. Ling Chen, without a word, immediately retracted his move and pulled back his extended arms.


    "Tiger List rank five, that¡¯s all the skill you have?"


    Yi Shuiyan looked up at Ling Chen with a nted gaze, his eyes filled with sarcasm and disdain.


    "The discernment of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is really declining, even someone like you made the list. You had just used all your strength, while I only exerted sixty percent of my power. Hand over the Tianling de, and I shall spare your life."


    After hearing Yi Shuiyan¡¯s words, Ling Chen¡¯s pupils tightened, his eyes revealing a hint of shock. He had thought that Yi Shuiyan¡¯s strength wasparable to his own, but only now did he realize that the opponent had always been hiding his true power.


    He probably didn¡¯t even deem it necessary to use his full strength against him.


    With that thought, Ling Chen suddenly felt underestimated and was quite unhappy. However, despite his annoyance, he had to admit that Yi Shuiyan was indeed very strong. He had always considered himself among the best of his generation, yet only after witnessing the impressive power of Yi Shuiyan did he realize he had been seeing the sky from the bottom of a well.


    There¡¯s always someone better.


    At this moment, Ling Chen finally understood the words He Ziyun had told him today at Qingyun Martial Arts Hall.


    "The Tianling de, hand it over!" Yi Shuiyan¡¯s expression was icy, his tone revealing impatience.


    Facing his sharp gaze, Ling Chen¡¯s lips curved slightly, and his expression gradually returned to calm. Lightly he said, "Sorry, I¡¯ve always preferred the carrot over the stick. If you want the Tianling de, you¡¯ll have to take it with your skills."


    "Courting death!" Yi Shuiyan shouted angrily. With a light tap of his toe, his body moved like a swift breeze, instantly nearing Ling Chen, swinging his de furiously.


    Sensing the fierce wind from the de, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes widened and his mind was greatly shaken.


    Fast, so fast!


    The speed at which Yi Shuiyan struck was almost beyond the eye¡¯s ability to discern.


    Within the cold de light, Ling Chen only saw a blurry shadow of the deing directly at him, unstoppable, and a strong sense of crisis instantly filled his mind.


    Unable to react in time, driven by instinct, Ling Chen hurriedly lifted his sword "Wolf Kiss", swinging it overhead.


    ng!


    With a crisp sound, a powerful force, like a surging tide, fiercely assaulted him. Ling Chen¡¯s legs immediately lost bnce, and he kept retreating until his back hit a utility pole on the roadside, where he barely managed to steady himself.


    At this moment, Ling Chen frowned tightly, his face somewhat pale, his right arm trembling slightly, his tiger¡¯s mouth numb, and his whole arm felt weak and powerless.


    Fast, urate, ruthless!


    The three essential elements of sword techniques were perfectly demonstrated by Yi Shuiyan.


    Looking at the "Wolf Kiss" in his hand, Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed slightly. There was now a nick on the surface of the sword, surrounded by cracks, it waspletely destroyed.


    When Hu Fei first got the "Wolf Kiss" from the fat man, he kept boasting about it, saying that this weapon was crafted by a master, with top-notch materials and workmanship, yet it couldn¡¯t withstand a single strike from Yi Shuiyan.


    This clearly showed how strong the young man before him really was.

 Chapter 400 - 396: Mad Blade Yi Shuiyan

    <h4>Chapter 400: Chapter 396: Mad de Yi Shuiyan</h4><h4></h4>


    "The de is destroyed, what else can you fight me with?" Yi Shuiyan sneered coldly, sheathing his sword and standing upright, his posture as sharp as a de, his aura intimidating and overwhelming.


    Ling Chen casually threw away the broken Wolf Kiss, rubbing his sore right shoulder, and replied, "I still have my hands and feet, a pair of fists is enough. Let¡¯s go again!"


    Hearing this, Yi Shuiyan did not strike immediately but sheathed his steel de, held the scabbard with one hand behind his back, and extended the other hand forward, speaking indifferently, "I won¡¯t take advantage of you. If you want a fistfight, I¡¯m game. Just withstand three moves from me using one hand, and I¡¯ll let you go tonight."


    One hand?


    Ling Chen was slightly taken aback, a surge of nameless anger instantly welling up in his heart. This bastard, he was underestimating him too much, it was an outright insult.


    Taking a deep breath, Ling Chen tried to suppress the anger in his heart, maintaining hisposure. In such moments, he must not let anger dominate his emotions, which would only impair his ability to think.


    Watching Yi Shuiyan opposite him, raising one hand slightly with palm facing upward, his left hand holding the scabbard behind his back, his movements casual. However, Ling Chen dared not act rashly. The stronger the martial artist, the more effortless their actions, each movement naturally wless, with no trace of vulnerability. Yi Shuiyan had clearly reached this level.


    Ling Chen moved his legs without hesitation andunched a direct frontal attack.


    Facing an expert like Yi Shuiyan, there was no chance for tricks, only a head-on confrontation.


    The moment his feet touched the ground, Ling Chen bent his knees and pushed forcefully, his body flying out again, rapidly closing in with a steel fist aiming straight for Yi Shuiyan¡¯s face.


    As the fist approached, Yi Shuiyan remained expressionless, his hand lifting lightly, wrapping around Ling Chen¡¯s wrist like a nimble snake, then nudging it to the side, which sent Ling Chen¡¯s punch veering off course into the air.


    One punch missed, Ling Chen did not back down but advanced, powering his shoulder and elbow, fiercely mming towards Yi Shuiyan.


    Feeling Yi Shuiyan¡¯s body retreating, Ling Chen felt a surge of tion.


    It worked!


    However, the joy in his eyes didn¡¯tst long and was reced by shock. Under Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder and elbow strike, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s feet seemed rooted to the ground, immovable, only his upper body leaning back. As Ling Chen¡¯s force exhausted, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s upper body sprung forward, crashing into Ling Chen.


    Suddenly, Ling Chen lost his bnce, and was struck flying.


    Bang!


    Apanied by a muffled sound, Ling Chen¡¯s body fell heavily to the ground from mid-air, the pain making him grimace.


    "One more move!"


    Yi Shuiyan¡¯s voice came, Ling Chen gritted his teeth and quickly scrambled up. But as he was getting up, a shadow flickered before him.


    Soon before Ling Chen could react, a severe pain exploded in his abdomen, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s five fingers embedding deep into his flesh, the pain unbearable.


    "Get lost!"


    Enduring the agony, Ling Chen shouted fiercely, throwing a punch towards Yi Shuiyan. The punch came, and Yi Shuiyan scoffed,pletely disregarding Ling Chen¡¯s attack. Or rather, Ling Chen¡¯s reaction waspletely anticipated by him.


    Bang!


    With a swift twist of his waist, Yi Shuiyan dodged Ling Chen¡¯s fist, swinging his fist sideways harshly smashing it into Ling Chen¡¯s cheek.


    Splurt!


    A mouthful of fresh blood spewed out, and the heavily struck Ling Chen felt his head go nk, his consciousness wavering, everything before him blurring.


    Wobbling a few times, he finally could not hold on, and copsed to the ground.


    Looking at Ling Chen who couldn¡¯t get up from the ground, Yi Shuiyan sneered disdainfully, "So weak, yet dare to im yourself as a Tiger List expert. Truly disappointing to the extreme."


    In the midst of talking, Ling Chen, with his hands pressing against the ground, struggled to his feet, his steps wavering unsteadily as if he could fall at any moment.


    But no matter what, he ultimately stood up, albeit looking somewhat disheveled, with his cheeks swollen and his forehead bruised in shades of blue and purple, his body covered in dust.


    Seeing Ling Chen manage to rise again, Yi Shuiyan frowned slightly, his eyes revealing a chill.


    Suddenly, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s expression tensed as if he had made a resolve, he abruptly lunged forward, his palm wind howling, his momentum fierce, aiming straight for Ling Chen¡¯s face.


    "Stop!"


    At this critical moment, a sharp shout apanied by a sh of cold light came.


    Seeing the cold light approaching, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s expression changed slightly, quickly retreating. He swung his scabbard forward, knocking the cold light to the ground.


    Looking at the diamond-shaped dart on the ground, Yi Shuiyan nced around, searching for the person who had intervened and coldly said, "Brave enough to make a move, but not brave enough to show yourself?"


    "You just said that as long as he can withstand three strikes from you without falling, you¡¯d let him off. Yi Shuiyan, as a leading figure among the younger generation, are you going to go back on your word?"


    The voice came from all directions. Yi Shuiyan¡¯s eyebrows rxed, and with a smile that was not quite a smile, he said, "You know me?"


    "Yi Shuiyan, the mad de, one of the youngest experts in the martial arts world today, strong enough to rival those on the Dragon List, a talent vigorously cultivated by the Dangyang Sect, in full glory, and one of the most eligible candidates to win the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony."


    Yi Shuiyan nodded and said, "Alright, since you know me, I won¡¯t make things difficult for him tonight."


    "No, not just tonight. I hope you won¡¯t trouble him until the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony begins."


    Hearing this, Yi Shuiyan chuckled coldly, "Aren¡¯t you asking for too much?"


    "There¡¯s less than two months left till the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, Ling Chen will also participate. Whatever grudges or disputes you have with him, wouldn¡¯t it be better to settle them at the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony?"


    "I don¡¯t have the patience to wait that long."


    "If you do not agree, then you will never get the Tianling de."


    As soon as the words fell, three beams of cold light shot out in a trident formation, rapidly closing in on Yi Shuiyan. Seeing this, Yi Shuiyan immediately swung his scabbard, shing towards the three streams of cold light, intending to knock them down.


    However, as the scabbard touched the cold light, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s face slightly changed, a look of realization shing across his eyes.


    Such strong Inner Strength!


    Is this demonstration meant for me?


    Thinking this, Yi Shuiyan smiled and said, "Fine, I agree. The issues between him and me can wait until the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony."


    After speaking, Yi Shuiyan didn¡¯t linger and turned to leave, disappearing at the end of the street.


    Once Yi Shuiyan had left, Ling Chen, whose mind was still somewhat dazed, couldn¡¯t hold on any longer and copsed to the ground, sitting back against a utility pole.


    "Are you okay?"


    In a daze, a gentle voice rang in his ears. Ling Chen, struggling to lift his head, suddenly saw a blurry figure. Because of the heavy blow to his head, his vision hadn¡¯t fully recovered, and everything looked unclear.


    "Who... who are you?"


    "Don¡¯t ask too much now, just rest well when you get back." After saying this, the voice sighed softly, adding, "There¡¯s too much strife in the martial arts world. You indeed have talent, but to im a ce for yourself, you still fall far short. Keep working hard; I believe you won¡¯t disappoint me."

 Chapter 401 - 397 Strive to Become Stronger

    <h4>Chapter 401: Chapter 397 Strive to Be Stronger</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen opened his mouth, wanting to say something more. But just then, a soft and smooth little hand gently slid across his cheek. For some unexinable reason, Ling Chen immediately felt dizzy and fell into a deep sleep with his head lolling to one side.


    After an unknown period of time, Ling Chen finally regained consciousness, waking up from his stupor.


    Opening his eyes, Ling Chen looked at his surroundings and realized he was lying in a hospital room. Beside the hospital bed, Nanrong Hao and Jiang Hao were sitting on chairs, having fallen asleep at the bedside.


    "Haozi... Jiang Hao..."


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s call, Jiang Hao and Nanrong Hao immediately lifted their heads, their faces filled with joy as they eximed, "Chen, you¡¯re finally awake."


    "How did I end up here?"


    Nanrong Hao said nkly, "Chen, have you forgotten what happened earlier? After we dealt with those people in the parking lot, we were nning to head back but found you lying by the roadside, covered in injuries, so we brought you to the hospital."


    Jiang Hao added, "Chen, the doctor has already examined you. There¡¯s nothing serious; it¡¯s just superficial injuries." After speaking, Jiang Hao asked with confusion, "Chen, how did you get these injuries?"


    Yi Shuiyan!


    Ling Chen stared at the pristine white ceiling, his eyebrows tightly knotted and a hint of resentment in his eyes. All this while, he had outwardly dismissed the Tiger List as trivial, but deep down, he still felt a bit smug. Being young and already on the Tiger List, an object of envy for all martial artists, was indeed something to be proud of.


    However, after tonight¡¯s events, all his pride was ruthlessly shattered by Yi Shuiyan.


    Both belonging to the younger generation, the gap between them made him feel utterly left behind. Compared to Yi Shuiyan, his pride now seemed utterly ridiculous.


    "Chen, Chen?" Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s distant expression and his prolonged silence, Nanrong Hao couldn¡¯t help but call out.


    Ling Chen gave him a nce, threw off his nket, and got up, saying, "Haozi, go and sort out my discharge paperwork."


    Jiang Hao quickly said, "Chen, your injuries aren¡¯tpletely healed yet, why not stay a few more days for observation?"


    "My body isn¡¯t that precious; hurry up, I have things to handleter." Ling Chen urged.


    About ten minutester, the three of them exited the hospital and got straight into a car.


    Checking the time, it was already past five in the morning; he didn¡¯t realize he had slept for so long.


    "Haozi, did you tell your sister I¡¯m noting back?"


    "Don¡¯t worry, I called her earlier. To keep her from worrying, I told her about your injuries."


    Ling Chen nodded and then shifted the conversation, asking, "How did things go on your end?"


    "Everything is sorted out. Fortunately, we had experienced people with us this time, and with Haozi¡¯s help, those guys were dealt with, and their drugs were found. Xiong is handling it. If all goes as expected, we¡¯ll have news soon."


    Just as he finished speaking, Jiang Hao¡¯s phone rang.


    After listening to the call, Jiang Hao smiled and said, "Chen, it¡¯s done. The people were caught, and the money is in hand."


    "That¡¯s good."


    ording to the n, after Zhao Zhengxiong and his team intercepted the drugs, they would contact the people from North City District and extort a sum from them. Once the money from North City District was delivered, Zhao Zhengxiong would return the intercepted drugs unopened.


    However, once the North City District people came to pick up the goods, Xia Mutong, having been informed beforehand, would lead his men to secretly ambush and capture all the handlers from North City District.


    In doing so, not only did moneye into the ount, but North City District also lost some manpower. More importantly, drug trafficking is a serious crime. In theing months, all entertainment venues within the North City District will undoubtedly be the prime targets of police searches.


    With the police causing disruptions, the business of those guys in North City District will definitely plummet. Not only will there be no ieing in, but they¡¯ll also have to be constantly vignt and live in fear.


    During this period, it¡¯s enough time for Zhao Zhengxiong and the others to aplish a lot.


    "Jiang Hao, Haozi, you guys need to put in more effort in these two months. Handle whateveres up on your own; I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t have the energy to help you," Ling Chen instructed.


    "Chen, don¡¯t worry. As long as the three of us work together, we guarantee there will be no mistakes."


    "That¡¯s for the best," Ling Chen said, looking out the car window. "Stop the car, I¡¯ll get off here."


    Nanrong Hao turned to look at Ling Chen in the back seat and asked, "Chen, aren¡¯t youing back with me?"


    "No, I have other matters to attend to. You guys go ahead."


    After Nanrong Hao and Jiang Hao drove away, Ling Chen walked alone on the roadside and turned into an alley. Following the narrow alley to its end, Ling Chen stood in front of a bright red gate and gently knocked.


    Shortly after, the gate opened, and a beautiful and delicate face instantly appeared in front of Ling Chen.


    "Ling Cheng, you..." As soon as she began to speak, Xia Yue immediately noticed the injury on Ling Chen¡¯s face and frowned slightly, "What happened, who hurt you?"


    Ling Chen gave a wry smile, "Fifth Sister, let¡¯s talk inside."


    Xia Yue hurriedly stepped aside and weed Ling Chen into the house.


    Ever since he came backst time, Ling Chen had rented a quiet Siheyuan in East Sea City specifically for Yuan Yun and Wei Jiahao to recover from their injuries. At this moment, it wasn¡¯t yet dawn, but Qiu Yong and the others had already gotten up and were exercising in the spacious courtyard.


    As martial artists, they must persist in their efforts, as only with perseverance can they continuously improve.


    Once inside, it wasn¡¯t more than two minutes before Qiu Yong and the others arrived one by one, each with a fierce look and a stern expression.


    "Ling Cheng, everyone is here. Tell us, who hurt you? Your Big Brother will help you get justice."


    Ling Chen looked at the people in front of him, feeling a touch of emotion. He took a breath, sorted out his feelings, and said, "Big Brother, I appreciate your kindness. But as a man, where I fall is where I should get back up. I want to regain my lost face on my own."


    Hearing this, the usually silent Xu Ming slightly lifted his head, a hint of admiration flickering in his cloudy eyes.


    Zhang Zhongfeng, who was not prone to smiles, slightly curled the corner of his mouth and said with a smile, "It¡¯s good that you think this way. That shows you are indeed a real man. Ling Cheng, remember, a temporary defeat is not shameful. Who among us hasn¡¯t experienced failures? As long as you are determined and willing to work hard, you will surely regain what you have lost."


    "Fourth Brother is right," Qiu Yong echoed. "Since you want to handle it yourself, we respect your choice. But there must be more than just this matter that brought you to us so early, right?"


    Ling Chen got straight to the point, "I heard that the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony is in less than two months, and I n to participate."


    Qiu Yong and the others looked at each other and nodded, "Alright, since you want to participate, we¡¯ll all go with you."


    "There¡¯s one more thing." At this point, Ling Chen suddenly stood up, knelt down with a ¡¯thump¡¯, and kowtowed three times to the people present.


    "Ling Cheng, what are you doing?" Xia Yue¡¯s expression changed, and she hurriedly helped Ling Chen up.


    Ling Chen spoke seriously, "I know my abilities are limited. In these less than two months, I hope my brothers and sisters can impart their knowledge to me. I understand the rules of the Martial Arts world, that skills are not passed on lightly. Those three kowtows are my way of offering a master-apprentice homage."

 Chapter 402 - 398 Seeking Knowledge

    <h4>Chapter 402: Chapter 398 Seeking Knowledge</h4><h4></h4>


    Xu Ming looked up and asked Ling Chen, "Who is your opponent?"


    "Yi Shuiyan, have you heard of this person before?"


    "Mad de Shuiyan, the most prominent young man of the Dangyang Sect and also the youngest expert," Qiu Yong said with a solemn expression: "So it was him who sought you out. It looks like the Dangyang Sect is not giving up on the Tianling de, they even deployed Shuiyan. However, it¡¯s normal for you to lose to him. Let alone you, even if our fifth sister were to face him, there would be no guarantee of victory. As one of the outstanding young generation, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s skills are indeed formidable."


    "Big brother." Ling Chen couldn¡¯t suppress the doubts in his heart and asked, "If Shuiyan is so strong, on par with the experts on the Dragon List, why isn¡¯t he on the list?"


    "Because of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion," Xia Yue exined from the side. "The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion likes to recruit talent. Anyone eyed by the Pavilion, as long as they pass the challenges of the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, can join and be a member of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. That is the only way to enter. Other than that, there is no other method. Every year, hundreds, if not thousands, yearn to join the Pavilion, but only two or three actually seed."


    "Correct." Zhang Zhongfeng nodded slightly, "The Pavilion¡¯s criteria for selection are very strict. They don¡¯t want those who are too old, those with insufficient talent, or those with an unclean background. To even qualify, one¡¯s strength must not be lower than that on the Tiger List, otherwise, it¡¯s out of the question. It¡¯s precisely because of this reason that the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has always maintained its transcendent status and formidable power. If we were back in ancient times, the Pavilion¡¯s status would be akin to that of the leader of the Martial Arts, having the ability and deterrence tomand the heroes."


    "Big brother, among the promising young generation, besides Yi Shuiyan, are there any others?" Ling Chen asked.


    "To my knowledge, there are six individuals. Yi Shuiyan is just one of them, and moreover..." At this point, Qiu Yong nced at Ling Chen, hesitating, as if there were more he wished to say but refrained. Seeing this, Ling Chen could not help but ask, "Big brother, is there something you can¡¯t say?"


    "It¡¯s not that Big Brother doesn¡¯t want to say it, but rather he¡¯s worried it might demoralize you," Xu Ming chimed in. "Among those six people, Shuiyan is at most ranked fifth. There are four others even more formidable than him." After speaking, Xu Ming sighed, "Your generation indeed has quite a few natural-born talents. It has been many years since we¡¯ve seen such a situation. But with too many talents, conflicts within the Martial Arts will also increase, as everyone wants to be the dragon that soars to the heavens."


    "Little sixth brother, don¡¯t be too disheartened. After all, you have just begun to truly step into the Martial Arts World. You are different from Shuiyan and the others. They have been cultivated from a young age, apart from talent, enormous resources have been expended to build their strength to what it is today. Therefore, you don¡¯t have to undervalue yourself. If you were on the same starting line as them, they would have no bragging rights at all."


    Upon hearing Qiu Yong¡¯s words, Ling Chen nodded slightly, "Big Brother, I¡¯m not concerned with these matters at all. I¡¯m just wondering if within less than two months, I can catch up to Shuiyan¡¯s pace."


    Qiu Yong spoke with full confidence, "If you were to follow the usual hard training process, it definitely wouldn¡¯t be possible, but we are the Eight entrics. The Eight entrics have never done things by the book. Hence, ordinary methods are useless for you, we must adopt unorthodox methods." After that, Qiu Yong beckoned Xia Yue over, gave her an instruction, and then rose up and walked out of the living room.


    Seeing his actions, everyone immediately followed him to the spacious courtyard.


    By now, the sky was slightly bright, the dawn brought the white belly of the fish in the east, a sliver of the faint sunlight shone on everyone, apanied by the cold breeze of early winter gently blowing.


    "Little sixth brother,e out."


    Hearing Qiu Yong¡¯s words, Ling Chen obediently walked and stood in the center of the courtyard.


    At the same time, Xia Yue, Yuan Yun, and Wei Jiahao came out of the adjacent room.


    Ling Chen was startled and asked with concern, "Third Brother, Eighth Brother, your injuries haven¡¯t healed yet, why aren¡¯t you resting inside?"


    Yuan Yun waved his hand with a smile, "After lying down for so many days, the injuries have mostly healed, it¡¯s no big deal, don¡¯t worry about me." After finishing, Yuan Yun changed the subject, "I heard you¡¯re going to face Shuiyan at the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, so I came to give you a hand."


    With those words, Yuan Yun flicked his wrist, and a steel saber over three feet long immediately appeared in his hand, stepping right in front of Ling Chen.


    "Before we help you, we first need to understand your gap with Shuiyan to devise a corresponding n. Don¡¯t hold back during the bout, go all out."


    Ling Chen hesitated, "This... Is this really okay?"


    "What, are you afraid of hurting me?" Yuan Yun raised his head andughed, "Honestly, I¡¯m not afraid of you hurting me, I¡¯m afraid you don¡¯t have the skills."


    Ling Chen touched his nose, knowing that his third brother was trying to provoke him. If Yuan Yun could ignore his own injuries to help him, and Ling Chen acted squeamishly, it would really be unfair to everyone¡¯s good intentions.


    With this in mind, Ling Chen took a deep breath,posed himself, his gaze focused slightly, staring at Yuan Yun who was ten steps away, adjusting his breathing, as the Inner Strength in his Dantian flowed gently through his meridians, like a trickling stream.


    "Third Brother, excuse my offense!"


    With a light shout, Ling Chen lightly tapped with the tip of his foot, his body shot forward like a cannonball, rapidly advancing towards Yuan Yun. His iron fist smashed forward mercilessly, the punch ferocious, the sound of wind whistling.


    "Nice one!"


    Yuan Yun smiled, shifting his feet backwards by a step, leaving space, raising his saber to chop towards Ling Chen¡¯s iing fist.


    Seeing danger, Ling Chen quickly retracted his fist, twisted his waist, and instantaneously sidestepped to Yuan Yun¡¯s left, using both shoulder and elbow to get close, aiming to limit Yuan Yun¡¯s saber with closebat.


    Last night, when he had battled with Shuiyan, he had used the same method, but the difference in strength between them was too great, so it didn¡¯t have a significant effect.


    At this moment, Yuan Yun¡¯s steps moved agilely, dodging Ling Chen¡¯s attacks. His steel saber was continuously gathering strength, waiting for the right moment.


    Ling Chen did not pause, his punches forceful, one after another, pressuring Yuan Yun, wishing to force a weakness through a storm-like offensive. However, Yuan Yun¡¯s defense was watertight, not leaving any opportunity.


    Just as the two were locked in a standoff, Yuan Yun casually swung his saber in an attempt to force Ling Chen back but Ling Chen easily dodged it. Simultaneously, Ling Chen saw Yuan Yun expose his side, a huge opening; he was delighted and immediately seized the opportunity and shot forward with a sting punch.


    Just as the punch was about to hit the target, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up, his mouth corners just beginning to smile. Yet before his smile could broaden, he suddenly felt a blur in front of his eyes, and Yuan Yun disappeared from his sight.


    Where did he go?


    Seeing what happened, Ling Chen was greatly shocked and turned his head around hurriedly, looking in all directions.


    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 403 - 399 Special Training

    <h4>Chapter 403: Chapter 399 Special Training</h4><subtxt> As his gaze shifted, a fierce sword wind suddenly attacked from above his head.


    Ling Chen looked up and saw Yuan Yun holding a sword in both hands, raised high over his head, chopping straight towards him. Without time to think, Ling Chen immediately retreated hastily, trying to avoid the range of the steel sword¡¯s attack.


    However, for every step he took back, Yuan Yun pressed forward a step, continuously swinging the steel sword in his hand, fast and ruthless, as if it came with an unstoppable force.


    After Ling Chen had retreated more than ten steps, his back seemed to hit something hard, and his retreat waspletely blocked. At this moment, Yuan Yun¡¯s steel sword rapidly erged in his eyes. For a moment, Ling Chen¡¯s pupils slightly shrank under that fierce Sword Force, and he actually felt a suffocating pressure.


    "Alright, that¡¯s far enough."


    Qiu Yong¡¯s voice came, and Yuan Yun¡¯s steel sword immediately stopped in mid-air, less than an inch away from Ling Chen¡¯s forehead. Looking at Ling Chen¡¯s dazed expression, Yuan Yun slightly smiled, sheathed his sword and stood up, patting Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder, and asked, "Ling Cheng, are you alright?"


    Regaining his senses, Ling Chen gave a bitter smile and touched his nose, saying, "I lost."


    "Losing to your third brother is no big deal; he just wanted to test your skill and figure out the gap between you and Yi Shuiyan," said Qiu Yong as he walked. "Besides, your third brother might not excel in other skills, but his swordsmanship is almost as good as Yi Shuiyan¡¯s. Choosing him to spar with you couldn¡¯t be more appropriate." With that, Qiu Yong turned to look at Yuan Yun and said, "Third brother, you just tested Ling Cheng¡¯s skill, you should speak your thoughts."


    Yuan Yun nodded and said, "Ling Cheng¡¯s martial foundation isn¡¯t bad, but perhaps because of his previous upation, his moves mainly aim for a one-hit kill, discarding those useless fancy maneuvers. Overall, Ling Cheng is a little too eager for quick sess, too desperate to defeat his opponent. His martial arts may work against ordinary martial arts practitioners, but if he faces a true master, the effectiveness will be greatly reduced."


    "Ling Cheng, to defeat Yi Shuiyan, you must change your habits, abandon everything you¡¯ve learned before. The martial arts of Huaxia are profound and epassing; every move is the essence evolved from our predecessors. Comparingbat skills in the military with martial arts is likeparing heaven and earth. Only by seeking change can you make progress."


    "Change?" mused Ling Chen.


    However, as easy as it sounds, it¡¯s difficult to do. Changing one¡¯s old habits is not so easy.


    "Yi Shuiyan excels in swordsmanship, why don¡¯t you learn swordsmanship from me?" Yuan Yun suggested.


    Xia Yue chimed in, "Yi Shuiyan has over twenty years of hard training in swordsmanship; how can Ling Chengpare with him? It¡¯s more reliable for him to learn swordsmanship from me. I can teach him how to counter swordsmanship."


    Qiu Yong waved his hands, "Ling Cheng¡¯s hand-to-handbat skills are pretty good, and besides, his external skills have already reached the pinnacle. I think he¡¯s more suited to learn the Cross Training of Iron Cloth Shirt from me."


    For a time, everyone was talking at once, each expressing their desire to impart their Absolute Skill to Ling Chen.


    "Enough, stop arguing," said Xu Ming, who was now speaking, and everyone immediately quieted down. Xu Ming looked at Ling Chen and said, "There are only less than two months left, no matter what you study, you can¡¯t make much progress. Any skill needs persistent effort; there are no shortcuts."


    Hearing this, Xia Yue asked, "Second brother, then do you have any good ideas?"


    "There is one method; instead of learning a single skill, why notbine the strengths of various styles, simplify theplex, and impart the essence, allowing him to master a variety of different techniques. This way, when facing the enemy unexpectedly, it might have a surprising effect."


    After hearing Xu Ming¡¯s suggestion, Qiu Yong¡¯s eyes lit up, nodding in agreement, "Second brother¡¯s method is good, I think it¡¯s feasible. Ling Cheng, what do you think?"


    "I¡¯ll follow everyone¡¯s arrangements."


    "Good, you were just injuredst night, so go back and rest for today, ande back here early tomorrow morning."


    Scratching his head and feeling somewhat embarrassed, Ling Chen said, "Big Brother, I might as well stay here. Wanqing doesn¡¯t even know I¡¯ve been injured yet."


    "Suit yourself, there are plenty of rooms avable here anyway."


    ...


    The next day.


    As dawn broke, Ling Chen was already up and out of his room.


    At this moment, Qiu Yong and the others were in the yard, preparing for the uing training. When Ling Chen arrived in the courtyard, he saw four supports ced in the center, connected at the top by sticks. From each stick, more than a dozen fist-sized sandbags hung by thin strings, constantly swinging in mid-air.


    Ling Chen walked over with a puzzled look and asked, "Big Brother, what¡¯s this for?"


    Qiu Yong said with a smile, "This is a listening training specially prepared for you by your junior brother. He was born blind but has sharp hearing. With those ears of his, he is no less capable than a normal person with sight. His abilities alsoe from training since childhood."


    After hearing Qiu Yong¡¯s exnation, Ling Chen immediately understood; he also possessed the ability to discern location by sound. However, he had previously relied on the sound of gunfire to determine the position of enemies. If a sound were too soft, his ears would not be able to pick it up.


    Blindfolded, Ling Chen, guided by Yang Chen, walked towards the still sandbags, listening carefully to the faint sound of sand rustling against the bags to gauge their distance and position for dodging.


    However, this level of training was more than ten times harder than the training Ling Chen underwent at Ghost Base. In less than half an hour, he was nearly dizzy from the swinging sandbags andpletely lost his bearings.


    After being ¡¯tortured¡¯ by Yang Chen for two hours without much break, Ling Chen was then dragged away by Xia Yue to learn swordsmanship.


    Among the eight entrics, all but Wei Jiahao, whose Mechanical Techniques were not suitable to teach Ling Chen, extracted the essence of their Absolute Skills and imparted them to Ling Chen. Each person trained him for two hours in uninterrupted intensive sessions.


    Even with Ling Chen¡¯s iron-d physique, after being tormented for twelve straight hours, he was left aching and weak, barely able to walk steadily.


    After a busy day, when Ling Chen returned to his room, he didn¡¯t even take a bath. Smelling of sweat, he copsed into bed and fell asleep.


    A week passed, and Ling Chen lived and ate with Qiu Yong and the others, never returning home nor having time to do so. Each day he could only find a moment for a phone call with Nanrong Wanqing, to keep her reassured.


    Besides learning the unique skills of the eight entrics, Ling Chen didn¡¯t forget to cultivate the Prajnaparamita Sutra. No matter how formidable the martial skills he learned, Inner Strength was the most crucial foundation. Only by advancing in both aspects would he have a chance to surpass Yi Shuiyan.


    That day, after breakfast, Ling Chen was preparing to continue getting thrashed by Yang Chen when he saw Qiu Yong approaching and saying, "You have the day off today. Go out and rx. Training must maintain a bnce between tension and rxation; you can¡¯t wind yourself too tight."


    "Really?" Ling Chen¡¯s spirits lifted, finally, he could rx for a bit.</subtxt>

 Chapter 404 - 400 Belief

    <h4>Chapter 404: Chapter 400 Belief</h4><h4></h4>


    Leaving the yard, Ling Chen directly drove to Wealthy Manor. Today was a day off, and Nanrong Wanqing was at home, not going to thepany.


    The car stopped outside the door, and Ling Chen directly went to the vi. Upon entering, he saw Nanrong Wanqing wearing a set of home clothes, lying sideways on the living room sofa, her legs slightly bent, a pair of delicate bare feet exposed, holding a magazine in her hands, engrossed in reading,pletely unaware of Ling Chen¡¯s arrival.


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing so engrossed, Ling Chen sneaked a smile, tiptoed around to the back of the sofa.


    Without waiting for Nanrong Wanqing to react, Ling Chen suddenly leaped forward, his hands supporting the couch¡¯s cushion, gently pressing down on Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s soft body.


    Ah!


    Startled, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s mouth opened slightly, her beautiful eyes like shimmering water looking at Ling Chen who had appeared on top of her, and she froze for a moment.


    Ling Chen grinned, his eyes filled with affection, and said, "Beautifuldy, did you miss your husband?"


    "What husband, don¡¯t talk nonsense." Feeling Ling Chen¡¯s breath, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face blushed, her eyes shyly said, "I... uh..."


    Before she could finish her sentence, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t wait to capture Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s cherry lips, savoring her fragrance and sweetness.


    "Don¡¯t... uh... stop..."


    Nanrong Wanqing, with a face flushed with shyness, pushed at Ling Chen, trying to stop his actions, but Ling Chen¡¯s advances were too forceful. In no time, she gave up resisting and fellpletely into his tender embrace, responding to his ardor.


    At this moment, the sound of footsteps came from the staircase, and Ling Chen looked up, his expression changing to surprise. He was expecting it to be that young girl Su Lin, but to his surprise, it was the nanny, Nanny Wang.


    Seeing them being intimate, Ling Chen felt a bit embarrassed, reluctantly got up from Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s body, and waved a greeting at Nanny Wang.


    "Uh... Miss, I have cleaned up the upstairs, you guys go ahead, I¡¯ll be leaving now." After speaking, Nanny Wang left the vi in a hurry without even putting down her rag.


    "It¡¯s all your fault!" Nanrong Wanqing sat up, her face red and her eyes brimming with embarrassment.


    Ling Chen spread his hand, protesting, "How was I supposed to know Nanny Wang was here, you didn¡¯t tell me beforehand either."


    Nanrong Wanqing hit Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder crossly, andined, "I was just about to tell you, but you didn¡¯t give me a chance."


    "Alright, alright, my fault, my fault, happy now?" Saying this, Ling Chen¡¯s hand involuntarily reached for Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s slender waist, pulled her into his arms and whispered with a low chuckle, "Now that Nanny Wang is gone, shall we continue?"


    "Stop it! Who is going to continue with you. Come clean, what have you been up totely? You haven¡¯t been home."


    "Isn¡¯t it because I have important matters to attend to." Ling Chen exined, "At most two more months, once I¡¯m done with things, I¡¯ll be with you every day. Is that good enough?"


    With that, Ling Chen lifted Nanrong Wanqing onto hisp, letting her lean against him, one hand gently stroking her legs, his eyes showing a hint of puzzlement.


    "Wanqing, have your legspletely recovered?"


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded lightly, unable to hide the excitement in her eyes, and spoke with a soft smile, "I don¡¯t know why, but suddenly they healed. I even went to the hospital for a check-up, and the doctor said both my legs are healthy, no problems."


    Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t know, but Ling Chen was very clear that it was due to the enhanced drug that Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s legs recovered normally. What he couldn¡¯t understand was how Mr. Yun managed to permanently fix the effect of the enhanced drug in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s body.


    Could it be that the God Organization had developed a new drug?


    While he was thinking, the ringtone from Ling Chen¡¯s cellphone in his pocket started to ring.


    Ling Chen took out his phone, saw that it was a call from Tang Yuan, and immediately put down Nanrong Wanqing, walked to the window, and pressed the answer button.


    "Hello! Old Tang, what do you need?"


    "Is it convenient for you to talk right now?" Tang Yuan¡¯s voice carried a hint of gravity.


    "You go ahead."


    "I want to ask if Miss Nanrong still has that suit of exoskeleton armor on her?"


    Damn it!


    Ling Chen¡¯s face changed slightly. He had almost forgotten about this and hadn¡¯t reported it to the Phantom. After Nanrong Wanqing was taken away by Zhu Hong, the suit of exoskeleton armor had disappeared, never to be found. Presumably, it had been taken by people from the God Organization for research.


    "Some time ago, there was an ident, and the armor has been lost. Why, did something happen?"


    "No wonder." Tang Yuan sighed over the phone and replied, "A couple of days ago, we raided a secret base of the God Organization and faced fierce resistance. Their strength was formidable; our attack was repelled, and we had to retreat early. During the withdrawal, we killed an enemy and found a suit of exoskeleton armor on him. After examination, the technology used in the exoskeleton armor was indeed the technology provided by Miss Nanrong, which is why I¡¯m calling to ask."


    Ling Chen frowned slightly and said, "How are the casualties on your side?"


    "Fortunately, no one was lost, just some gunshot wounds. We were nning to use the exoskeleton armor as a secret weapon, but now it¡¯s great, the God Organization not only has the same technology but is also producing it on arge scale. Once the exoskeleton armor is widely equipped,bined with the enhancement drugs, the God Organization will only be harder to deal with in the future."


    "Sorry, I was too careless and didn¡¯t protect the exoskeleton armor well."


    "Forget it! Talking about it now is useless, just take care of yourself, don¡¯t let anything else happen."


    "You too, take care."


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen let out a sigh, feeling somewhat downcast. If the God Organization equipped the exoskeleton armor on arge scale, the situation would be grim.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" Nanrong Wanqing walked barefoot to Ling Chen¡¯s side and asked with concern.


    Ling Chen turned his head and managed a slight smile, "It¡¯s nothing. It was Old Tang¡¯s call, he¡¯s just bored and wanted to chat."


    Nanrong Wanqing, ever so astute, could tell Ling Chen was troubled. Seeing that he was reluctant to borate, she didn¡¯t ask further. Although she acted very strong at Hongyu Group, she knew that there are some things men do that women are better off not meddling with. In her eyes, as long as Ling Chen was safe, that was what mattered most.


    "Oh, right!" Ling Chen changed the subject, "Where¡¯s Su Lin? Is she not home today?"


    "You don¡¯t know?" As soon as she spoke, Nanrong Wanqing immediately remembered that Ling Chen hadn¡¯t been home for a week, so he had no idea about Su Lin¡¯s situation.


    "Lin has left."


    "Left?" Ling Chen was slightly startled, puzzled: "What do you mean? Where did she go?"


    "She¡¯s gone for an internship and might not be back for a while."


    So, she went for an internship. Ling Chen thought Su Lin had gone abroad to find her parents.


    "Hey, what major is Su Lin studying?" Ling Chen asked casually.


    "Archaeology."


    "Archaeology?" Ling Chen was taken aback. Why had that girl chosen a major that dealt with the dead? It didn¡¯t seem to fit her personality.


    As he was thinking, Liu Kun walked in from outside.


    "Uncle Liu." Ling Chen greeted with a smile.


    "Ling Chen, someone outside sent a letter, specifically asking for it to be given to you." After saying that, Liu Kun handed an envelope to Ling Chen.


    Ling Chen tore open a slit and pulled out the letter inside. He only nced at it, and his gaze immediately froze.

 Chapter 405 - 401: Deep into the Trap

    <h4>Chapter 405: Chapter 401: Deep into the Trap</h4><h4></h4>


    "Ling Chen, who sent this letter?"


    Nanrong Wanqing leaned in close to Ling Chen, eyeing the letter in his hand. However, before she could make out the contents of the letter, Ling Chen had already folded it up and slipped it into his pocket, saying, "I have something to take care of, I¡¯ll step out for a bit." Without waiting for Nanrong Wanqing to ask any more questions, Ling Chen quickly exited the vi.


    But after a few steps, Ling Chen seemed to remember something and turned back to his bedroom. When he came out again, he had something wrapped in clothes in his hand.


    Leaving the Nanrong Family home, Ling Chen got into his car and took out the letter from his pocket again. Looking at the contents, Ling Chen¡¯s face remained expressionless, but his eyes revealed a cold and sinister glint, like a blood-thirsty beast ready to tear the throat of its prey at any moment.


    Then, he took out his cell phone and repeatedly dialed a number. However, the phone kept indicating that the recipient was unreachable.


    A few minutester, Ling Chen put away his phone, started the car, and drove out of Wealthy Manor.


    After a drive of more than fifty minutes, Ling Chen arrived at the outskirts of the South District of East Sea City, near the rural areas. This ce was an industrial park, dotted with over ten factories, among which were some old and abandoned buildings and warehouses.


    Ling Chen drove up to a dpidated factory building, looked at the rusty iron gate, and honked the car horn.


    Soon after, two men in suits came out from a nearby guard room. After ncing at Ling Chen in the driver¡¯s seat, the two men quickly approached, circled the car to make sure there was no one else inside, and then opened the iron gate to let Ling Chen in.


    Reaching the entrance of the factory building, Ling Chen opened the car door and stepped out, only to be immediately surrounded by several men in suits. They gestured for him to spread his arms and took everything out of his pockets¡ªhis cell phone and wallet¡ªthen scanned him a few times with a device to make sure he wasn¡¯t carrying any weapons.


    "Go inside," one of the men in suits threw the phone and wallet back to Ling Chen and pointed toward the factory¡¯s main entrance.


    Without a word, Ling Chen gathered his belongings and stepped inside.


    Once in the factory, therge door behind him was immediately locked by the people outside. Ling Chen frowned and looked around. The spacious, dpidated factory was filled with various debris and discarded machinery. The floor was covered in thick dust, and most of the window ss above had shattered, allowing unobstructed sunlight to stream in from above.


    In the center of the factory, there was a table with a camera on it, pointed in the direction of the entrance.


    Ling Chen walked over to the camera and said coldly, "I don¡¯t care what tricks you want to y, hand over the person now."


    "Ling Chen, you really are gullible. I gave you a random excuse and you actually believed it." A hoarse voice mixed with electronic tones came from the camera¡¯s speaker, carrying a hint of a sneer.


    Hearing that unfamiliar yet somewhat familiar voice, Ling Chen¡¯s mind raced, searching through his memories for the owner of the voice. However, none of the enemies he knew matched this voice. Still, he was certain that this person definitely came from the God Organization.


    "If she¡¯s not in your hands, why can¡¯t I contact her?" Ling Chen asked.


    "Ling Chen, it seems you don¡¯t really care about the people around you. Didn¡¯t you know Miss Su went on an internship to the mountains? She¡¯s in a remote area deep in the forest with no signal; of course, you can¡¯t reach her."


    Relieved to hear that Su Lin was safe, Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief. The letter he had received earlier imed that Su Lin had fallen into their hands, and if he didn¡¯t arrive within an hour, he would have to collect her corpse.


    When he left the Nanrong Family home, he had called Su Lin several times, but no one had answered. Plus, since the other party gave him only one hour, he didn¡¯t have time to investigate thoroughly, so he had to rush over to the meeting. True or false, he had to confirm Su Lin¡¯s safety.


    "What borate scheme did you concoct to lure me here? Is this about seeking revenge for the ind incident?"


    "Hmph! Do you have any idea how much effort we put into that base? Because of you, more than ten years of our hard work went down the drain."


    "Evil deeds will bring retribution; you¡¯ve brought this upon yourselves."


    "Cut the crap, today you¡¯re not leaving here alive."


    As those words fell, Ling Chen heard footsteps from outside the factory gradually receding, as if the suited men guarding the door were running away.


    Noting in to deal with him, but running away instead... Could it be...


    Ling Chen¡¯s pupils shrank as he quickly realized what was happening. He hurriedly dashed towards the tightly locked main door and delivered a powerful flying kick.


    Bang!


    The robust iron door was immediately dented by the kick.


    At that moment, mes suddenly burst out from a pile of debris in the factory, rapidly spreading around. As the fire drew closer to him, Ling Chen channeled his Inner Strength and furiously kicked at the iron door.


    But despite his strength, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t break through. At this rate, before the iron door gave way, he might already be consumed by the mes.


    Realizing this, Ling Chen immediately discarded the idea of escaping through the main door and began looking for other ways out.


    The factory was surrounded by walls, and the only exits were through the high windows above¡ªfar too high to climb¡ªand the iron gate he hade through.


    His gaze shifting, Ling Chen¡¯s attention was suddenly captured by an old machine inside the factory. He couldn¡¯t tell what the machine was used for; it was spherical in the middle as if it processed something.


    Without dy, Ling Chen rushed to the machine and, with all his strength, forced open the rusted seal. As expected, there was a sealed space inside¡ªcramped but just enough to amodate an adult.


    Immediately, Ling Chen crawled into the opening, sealed the entire space, and kept the mes at bay.


    At the same time, he took out his cellphone and dialed the fire department number urgently.


    After the machine¡¯s space was sealed, the air was limited, and he couldst only a few minutes at most. Furthermore, with the engulfing fire, the machine¡¯s outer shell was getting hotter and hotter; if he didn¡¯t escape quickly, he would inevitably be cooked alive.


    Three minutes passed, and the temperature inside the machine soared rapidly. Ling Chen was drenched in sweat as if he had been caught in heavy rain. Moreover, the machine¡¯s inner walls were hot like burning iron; Ling Chen didn¡¯t dare touch them and curled up as much as possible to avoid getting burned.


    Just then, a wailing ¡¯woo woo woo woo¡¯ sound faintly came from outside the machine.


    Gasping for air and nearly suffocating, Ling Chen was overjoyed. Rescue had finally arrived.

 Chapter 406 - 402 Invitation

    <h4>Chapter 406: Chapter 402 Invitation</h4><h4></h4>


    Before long, Ling Chen felt the temperature inside the machine gradually decrease. Unable to breathe, he hurriedly pushed open the sealed hatch, and a smell of scorching mixed with the air immediately rushed in from outside.


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t care too much, greedily breathing in the air as he crawled out of the machine. By this time, the fire inside the factory had been brought under control and a team of firefighters had already burst through the doors, rushing in with hoses.


    "Sir, are you alright?" One of the firefighters saw Ling Chen escaping from the machine and hurried over to help him walk outside.


    "I¡¯m fine, you go ahead with your work," Ling Chen declined the offer of help and walked out of the burnt-out factory on his own.


    At this moment, among the crowd that had gathered around the fire trucks, a man wearing sunsses turned around and pulled out his phone to dial a number.


    "Hello!"


    "How did things go?"


    "Mr. Yun, everything went ording to your n, Ling Chen is safe and has escaped sessfully."


    "He won¡¯t suspect anything, will he?"


    "We set it up thoroughly, he should not realize our true intentions and will simply think we are seeking revenge for thest incident."


    "Good, I trust your work."


    Sitting in the ambnce, the doctor responsible for checking Ling Chen¡¯s body said, "Mr. Ling, you¡¯re really lucky. It¡¯s fortunate that there was a fire brigade stationed just two kilometers away. If it weren¡¯t so close, you would have had a hard time escaping from the fire."


    Ling Chen grinned and said, "That¡¯s right, my luck is always good."


    Returning to the Nanrong Family, Ling Chen didn¡¯t dare mention what had happened to Nanrong Wanqing for fear of worrying her. Regardless, at least Su Lin was fine; it was a false rm.


    Havinge back for a rare visit, Ling Chen spent the entire night by Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s side, enjoying the tenderness of a beautiful woman.


    ...


    The next day.


    Early in the morning, before the sky had brightened, Ling Chen set out for where Qiu Yong and the others lived. With less than one and a half months left until the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, he needed to race against time to improve himself.


    From six in the morning until six in the evening, Ling Chen underwent continuous intensive training for twelve hours. After each exhausting session, he couldn¡¯t even think about sleeping, immediately starting to cultivate the Prajnaparamita Sutra.


    After days of training, Ling Chen had deeply appreciated the benefits of the Prajnaparamita Sutra. After each session of cultivation, he felt strength coursing through his body, all fatigue swept away, needing only two to three hours of sleep to maintain his energy for the entire day.


    In the blink of an eye, a month passed by, and Ling Chen improved faster with each passing day.


    Among the eight entrics, apart from Ling Chen himself and Wei Jiahao, the other six possessed unique abilities. After a month of intensive training, Ling Chen began realbat training. Having six experts with different abilities to spar with him, it would be difficult not to progress.


    One day, after having lunch with Qiu Yong and others, Ling Chen nned to rest for a moment before continuing training. But at that moment, there was a knock on the door.


    "I¡¯ll get the door." The youngest, Wei Jiahao, stood up and quickly walked to the door, opening it.


    A few minutester, Wei Jiahao returned to the group with two invitations.


    "Big brother, the people from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion have sent two invitations. One is for us, the eight entrics, and the other is solely for Ling Cheng."


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes brightened, he reached out to take the invitations and looked at them with interest.


    The invitations issued by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion were very ordinary, no different from those on the market, but the sharp-eyed Ling Chen noticed a gold-embossed pattern on the lower right corner of the invite, resembling a broken sword.


    Seeing Ling Chen examining the pattern, Xia Yue said, "That is the Heavenly Mechanism Sword, the treasured sword of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    Ling Chen curiously asked, "Why is it broken?"


    "The Heavenly Mechanism Sword passed down by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is, in fact, a broken sword," exined Qiu Yong. "There are many legends about the Heavenly Mechanism Sword in the Martial Artsmunity. Some say that the Heavenly Mechanism Sword was the personal sword of the first Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Hundreds of years ago, that Pavilion Master fought alone against numerous heroes with the Heavenly Mechanism Sword and overpowered all the experts, establishing Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯s esteemed status. Therefore, subsequent Pavilion Masters have taken the Heavenly Mechanism Sword as a symbol of the Pavilion, passing it down through generations."


    "I see," Ling Chen nodded, looking at the date marked on the invitation, the sixth of the next month, ten days away.


    "Big brother, why does it only have the time, but no specific location?"


    Qiu Yong replied, "Each Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony is held in a different location. As a grand event in the Martial Arts, it naturally attracts many martial artists. However, generally, only those who are invited have the entitlement to participate in the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony. If there were too many people, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion would struggle to control the situation, and chaos could ensue. Decades ago, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion held a public Great Ceremony, resulting in two to three thousand martial artists attending from across the country. Due to the overwhelming number of participants, coordination became difficult, and the event had trouble proceeding smoothly. The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion had no choice but to end the Great Ceremony prematurely. Hence, the subsequent Great Ceremonies have been held in very secretive locations, and until thest moment, no one knows the exact location. This way, it prevents any leaks of information."


    After listening to Qiu Yong, Ling Chen curled his lip. A Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony treated like a national leader¡¯s election, made so solemn and mysterious, was it really necessary?


    Grumbling aside, Ling Chen did not forget his goal. He wasn¡¯t particrly interested in the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, his purpose in attending was to seek revenge.


    On the night he crossed swords with Yi Shuiyan, he heard the voice of the porridge girl. If it weren¡¯t for the porridge girl¡¯s intervention at a critical moment, he would not know what his current state would be.


    As a man, always being protected by a woman felt annoying. While he may seem carefree and mingle easily with women, as if he didn¡¯t take anything too seriously, in this aspect, his sense of male ego was strong.


    A man should protect a woman; it¡¯s embarrassing to have it the other way around.


    Thinking this, Ling Chen picked up his Tianling de and strode into the courtyard.


    "Third brother, let¡¯s go a few more rounds."


    ...


    Five days had passed, and Ling Chen¡¯s training finally came to an end.


    Ling Chen wanted to continue the special training until the start of the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, but Qiu Yong refused his request. With five days left, Qiu Yong advised him to rest well, adjust his condition, and ideally integrate what he had learned during this period.


    When the big brother spoke, Ling Chen dared not disobey. Moreover, he had neglected Nanrong Wanqing during this period of intensive training. Now that Su Lin had gone out of town for an internship, Nanrong Wanqing was at home all alone, without anyone to talk to.


    What¡¯s more, in a few days, he would leave to attend the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, unsure when he would be able to return. So during these few avable days, it might be better to spend more time with Nanrong Wanqing at home.

 Chapter 407 - 403 Departure

    <h4>Chapter 407: Chapter 403 Departure</h4><h4></h4>


    Staying in the tendernd of love, five days passed in the blink of an eye.


    Upon opening his eyes, Ling Chen looked at the hazy sky outside the window, then retracted his gaze and turned to look at Nanrong Wanqing, who was sound asleep in his arms.


    Nanrong Wanqing was hugging his body with both hands, her legs slightly curled, just like a little cat, enjoying the warmth of his embrace.


    Looking at her enchanting face, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but raise his hand and gently stroke her smooth cheek, pushing away a few strands of hair that had fallen on her forehead, and nted a light kiss there.


    Perhaps feeling the moisture of Ling Chen¡¯s lips, the sleeping Nanrong Wanqing fluttered her eyshes, opened her eyes slightly, and sleepily looked at Ling Chen beside her,zily said: "It¡¯s still not bright outside, why are you awake already." With that said, Nanrong Wanqing squeezed into Ling Chen¡¯s embrace, finding afortable position, and continued to lie down.


    Ling Chen looked down and just caught a glimpse of the snow-white cleavage that had been squeezed out from Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s neckline.


    Men always have an involuntary physical reaction in the morning, and Ling Chen was no exception. At the moment, smelling the faint scent of Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s body undoubtedly made Ling Chen¡¯s reaction even more intense.


    Thinking that he would have to leave soon, if not taking the chance to be intimate now, when would he? Immediately, Ling Chen rolled over and pressed Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s delicate body beneath him.


    Looking at Ling Chen above her, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s eyes held a shy charm, and she pouted with a flushed face: "Stop it, it¡¯s still early in the morning. If I had known you were this naughty, I wouldn¡¯t have fallen for your tricks and slept with youst night."


    "We¡¯ve already slept together, are you thinking of going back on that now? Come on, give me a kiss."


    "You... mmh..."


    Before Nanrong Wanqing could finish speaking, her cherry-like mouth was blocked by Ling Chen¡¯s.


    ...


    After a session of tenderness, it was already past six in the morning, and the sky was gradually getting brighter outside the window.


    Looking at Nanrong Wanqing panting softly in his arms, her cheeks blushing, Ling Chen smiled proudly.


    Nanrong Wanqingined: "You¡¯re still smiling, it¡¯s all your fault, not letting anyone get a good sleep. I still have to work today."


    "Then keep sleeping, it¡¯s about time for me to leave."


    Hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing immediately sat up from the bed, and asked reluctantly: "Then when will you be back?"


    "For now, I¡¯m not sure, but I promise you, once things are handled, I will rush back as soon as possible." After a pause, Ling Chen continued: "I have asked two friends to secretly protect you while I¡¯m not here, so there won¡¯t be any safety issues."


    Nanrong Wanqing urged: "Take good care of yourself when you¡¯re out there alone, remember to look after yourself."


    "Alright, wifey, I¡¯m not a child, there¡¯s no need to worry about me."


    Hearing him calling her wifey, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face flushed with shyness, and she muttered: "I haven¡¯t agreed to marry you yet, don¡¯t call me that." Her words said one thing, but the slight curl of her lips betrayed her true feelings.


    With a smile in his eyes, Ling Chen said: "You¡¯ve slept in my bed, and you still think you can run away. Alright, I have to go now, everyone is waiting for me."


    After getting dressed and freshening up, Ling Chen changed into his clothes, picked up the backpack already prepared, and left the Nanrong Family alone.


    On his way, Ling Chen received a phone call from Qiu Yong, telling him to go directly to the harbor in East Sea City.


    The harbor? Are we taking a ship to attend the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony?


    Thinking to himself, Ling Chen then turned the car around and headed towards the harbor.


    Twenty minutester, Ling Chen parked the car in the parking lot outside the harbor. Arriving at the roadside, he saw Qiu Yong and others standing outside the harbors¡¯ gates, waiting for his arrival.


    "Big brother, second brother..." Ling Chen hurried over and greeted everyone with a smile.


    Qiu Yong nodded and said: "Everyone is here, let¡¯s set off."


    As expected, their mode of transportation this time was a passenger ship, and moreover, a luxurious one. Ling Chen noticed that the surface of the ship was also marked with the pattern of the Heavenly Mechanism Sword, indicating that it belonged to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    "Wow, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is really rich," Ling Chen muttered under his breath.


    Xia Yue, who was walking beside him, gave Ling Chen a look and said: "You think all the people from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion are hermits living in seclusion, untouched by the worldly smoke? We are in modern times now, even organizations like the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion with hundreds of years of legacy have to keep up with the times. Besides, without solid financial support, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion would probably have dissolved long ago."


    While talking, the group boarded the passenger ship.


    A middle-aged man in a suit greeted them with a smile at the boarding gate. Seeing Qiu Yong and the othersing aboard, he immediately approached with a beaming smile: "Elder Qiu, it has been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you. It is an honor for the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion to have you attending this edition of the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony."


    Qiu Yong nced at him and said indifferently: "Zhong Yang, spare me the pleasantries. We are here to broaden the horizons of my sixth brother."


    Hearing this, the middle-aged man named Zhong Yang immediately turned his gaze toward Ling Chen and smiled: "I suppose this gentleman must be Mr. Ling, truly a person of outstanding appearance. Gentlemen, I am the host for your trip, feel free to ask for anything you need, and the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will do its best to amodate everyone¡¯s requests."


    After speaking, Zhong Yang led everyone to a luxurious suite. The suite had three bedrooms and two living rooms, very spacious and fully equipped, almost having everything avable,parable to a presidential suite in a high-end hotel.


    "Elder Qiu, please rest for a while. I have other guests to attend to. Contact me by phone if you need anything."


    After Zhong Yang left, Ling Chen threw his backpack on the bed, walked straight to the window, and looking out at the azure ocean and the clear sky, he felt incredibly rxed and at ease.


    "Sixth brother, there¡¯s no need to be too nervous, just remember the training you¡¯ve done recently, and dealing with Yi Shuiyan won¡¯t be a problem," Yuan Yun patted Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder, encouraging him.


    "Third brother, you¡¯re worrying too much," Ling Chen grinned, after all, he was someone who had seen the world, and nervousness was almost non-existent to him.


    "Third brother, do you know where they will host the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony this time?"


    "How would I know? The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯s actions are always mysterious, and the ces they choose for the ceremony are even more bizarre each time. If my memory serves me right, a few years ago, the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony was held on a snow mountain in the north. There wasn¡¯t a soul in sight for hundreds of miles around; everyone who went to the ceremonyined bitterly, freezing half to death. Luckily, big brother was wise not to ept the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯s invitation. Otherwise, we would have had to suffer along," said Yuan Yun.


    "Really?" After hearing what Yuan Yun had said, Ling Chen became even more curious about where this edition of the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony would take ce.


    After waiting in the room for about two hours, the passenger ship finally started, slowly departing from the harbor, heading towards the destination.

 Chapter 408 - 404: On the Eve of the Grand Ceremony

    <h4>Chapter 408: Chapter 404: On the Eve of the Grand Ceremony</h4><h4></h4>


    Ten hours had passed, and the sky was growing dim. The suite arranged by Zhong Yang for the eight entrics only had three bedrooms. Aside from Xia Yue, who enjoyed one by herself, the rest were all grown men; they weren¡¯t too particr and could make do with whatever sleeping arrangements for the night.


    Once everyone had sorted out their sleeping arrangements, Ling Cheny on the couch in the living room, his legs crossed, ying with his cell phone, prepared to sleep there for the night.


    "Huh?" As he was ying, Ling Chen discovered that his cell phone had lost its signal, and he couldn¡¯t even search for the cruise ship¡¯s Wi-Fiwork anymore. Annoyed, Ling Chen sat up; it was truly disappointing not being able to finish the movie he was watching halfway through.


    At this moment, Qiu Yong and Yuan Yun walked out of the bedroom. The living room was equipped with an independent bar, and these two men were fond of a good drink, liking to have a few sips before going to bed.


    "Ling Cheng,e on, join us for a few drinks if you¡¯ve got nothing else to do." Yuan Yun called out to Ling Chen, taking out three sses from a cab under the bar and cing them side by side on the table. He then took out a bottle of Moutai from the liquor cab and filled each ss.


    Ling Chen put away his phone and walked to the bar, lifting his ss, he said, "Elder Brother, Third Brother, after sitting on the boat for more than ten hours, where are they taking us? I estimate we¡¯ve already left Huaxia territorial waters."


    Yuan Yun was also puzzled, "Every Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony has been held domestically, there¡¯s never been a precedent for holding it abroad. Is the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion breaking tradition this time?"


    "I¡¯m not sure about that either." After speaking, Qiu Yong nced at the wall clock and suggested, "It¡¯s still early, why not go find Zhong Yang and ask him? Now that we¡¯vee this far, he surely won¡¯t keep hiding it from us."


    Ling Chen and Yuan Yun followed Zhong Ping to the top deck of the cruise ship. After asking a crew member, they learned that Zhong Yang was in the cockpit, and they immediately hurried over.


    "Elder Qiu?" Seeing Qiu Yong¡¯s trio standing outside the cockpit, Zhong Yang was slightly taken aback, then greeted them with a smile, saying, "Elder Qiu, you could have called me if you had any issues, why bothering here in person?"


    "Zhong Yang, spare the pleasantries, we¡¯ve been on this boat for so long and haven¡¯t arrived at our destination yet. Where are you taking us?"


    Faced with Qiu Yong¡¯s questioning, Zhong Yang sheepishly replied, "Elder Qiu, you also know the rules of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡ªI cannot disclose anything before we arrive."


    While the two were speaking, Ling Chen surveyed the cockpit, observing the advanced equipment and instruments. His eyebrows knitted slightly, a hint of suspicion in his eyes.


    Impatiently, Qiu Yong said, "We¡¯ve alreadye this far, are you still worried we would leak our location?"


    "No, no, no, Elder Qiu, you misunderstand, that¡¯s not what I meant," Zhong Yang hurriedly exined, "This time..."


    "Stop there." Not letting Zhong Yang finish his words, Ling Chen interrupted, "Elder Brother, Third Brother, I think I¡¯ve figured out why we haven¡¯t reached our destination even after more than ten hours."


    Hearing this, both Qiu Yong and Yuan Yun looked at Ling Chen in surprise, asking, "You know the reason?"


    Ling Chen nodded, "They¡¯ve been circling around; we¡¯ve actually been in the waters belonging to East Sea City all along, we haven¡¯t gone far." After speaking, Ling Chen looked at Zhong Yang, "Mr. Zhong, am I wrong? Now, isn¡¯t it time you gave us a proper exnation?"


    Zhong Yang nced through the window at the pitch-dark sea and curiously counter-asked, "Mr. Ling, how are you so sure we¡¯re still near East Sea City?"


    Ling Chen pointed to the electronic equipment in the cockpit, and therge disy screens assembled, his expression indifferent, "I used to serve in the military after all. You can fool my elder brother, who can¡¯tprehend high-tech and is a traditional martial arts practitioner, but you can¡¯t fool my eyes. I understand clearly what the data disyed on these devices means."


    Yuan Yun coldly said, "Zhong Yang, you¡¯re wasting our time. You better rify things clearly; what is going on?"


    "Gentlemen, please calm down." Zhong Yang, feeling helpless, exined, "It¡¯s not that I intended to deceive everyone, it¡¯s just... we¡¯ve been doing this also considering everyone¡¯s safety. To be honest, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion received intelligence that someone intends to cause trouble during the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony. However, the information we have collected is limited, and we do not know who the party is. To be cautious, the Pavilion Master ordered that we must be extremely careful this time to ensure that the location of the ceremony does not get leaked. We are circling around this area just to avoid being followed."


    Upon hearing this, Ling Chen and hispanions were taken aback¡ªthey had not expected someone to dare oppose the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    With a forced smile, Zhong Yang said, "Elder Qiu, you all go back to rest. I assure you, by tomorrow morning, we will definitely arrive at the venue."


    "Fair enough."


    Qiu Yong was a reasonable person. After learning the reason, he no longer insisted and turned to leave the cockpit. Ling Chen walked to the door, then turned back to ask, "Mr. Zhong, has the wirelesswork on the ship been turned off?"


    "Yes, to prevent any idents, we¡¯ve blocked all signals on the ship. If it has inconvenienced Mr. Ling, please ept my apologies."


    "It¡¯s fine. Mr. Zhong, please continue with your work, we won¡¯t disturb you anymore."


    Back in the suite, Yuan Yun called for a waiter to bring some snacks to apany the drinks. The three of them drank until midnight before staggering back to their bedroom to rest.


    Under the influence of alcohol, it didn¡¯t take long before Ling Chen¡¯s snoring could be heard from the couch in the living room.


    ...


    At this time.


    East Sea City.


    In a spacious basement, over a dozen staff members were seated in front ofputer screens, with various precise devices arranged around, and blinking indicator lights everywhere.


    Standing in front of arge screen hanging on the wall, was a middle-aged man dressed in a suit and leather shoes, cultured and elegant.


    "Mr. Yun, the drone has been deployed."


    Upon hearing the sound, Mr. Yun pointed to therge screen in front of him, "Switch the view to the screen."


    "Yes."


    As the words fell, therge screen immediately disyed an image filtered through night vision. In the image was an endless ocean with surging waves.


    Mr. Yun frowned slightly, "Where¡¯s the target?"


    "Still searching. Ten minutes ago, signal from the trackers in Ling Chen¡¯s cell phone and wallet disappeared¡ªthe other party must have activated a signal jamming device. However, judging from the signal¡¯sst known location, they couldn¡¯t have gone too far."


    The voice suddenly paused, then with excitement said, "We¡¯ve found the cruise ship."


    Mr. Yun focused on the screen where a cruise ship appeared from a distance in the drone¡¯s surveince camera.


    "Keep your distance, don¡¯t let them notice us. Dispatch the frogman team immediately, make sure they lock onto the cruise ship¡ªwe can¡¯t let that ship escape our sight."


    "Yes, Mr. Yun."


    "The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony!"


    Mr. Yun murmured to himself, his lips curving into a sinister smile, and a sharp glint swept across his eyes, deep as a pond.

 Chapter 409 - 405: Arriving at the Venue

    <h4>Chapter 409: Chapter 405: Arriving at the Venue</h4><h4></h4>


    The next day.


    Under the ¡¯gentle¡¯ touch of Xia Yue¡¯s fingers, Ling Chen, who was suffering fromst night¡¯s hangover, finally came to his senses.


    Looking out the window at the calm sea, Ling Chen felt puzzled. It had been one night; why hadn¡¯t the passenger ship docked yet?


    After freshening up, a waiter delivered a sumptuous breakfast directly to his room. It must be admitted that the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion indeed had substantial financial resources, as everyone on the ship was enjoying five-star treatment.


    After breakfast, there was a gentle knock on the door of the suite. Wei Jiahao got up to open it and saw Zhong Yang outside, asking, "Does Mr. Zhong need something?"


    Zhong Yang said with a smile, "We have arrived at our destination."


    Ling Chen asked with a puzzled face, "Aren¡¯t we still at sea?"


    "Mr. Ling, you¡¯ll know in a moment."


    Then, everyone packed up their luggage and followed Zhong Yang to the deck of the passenger ship. As far as the eye could see, there were only the azure-blue waters and the rolling waves, not even a single ind or boat in sight.


    Ling Chen stood among the Eight entric Fighters, looking around, and saw people continuously arriving on the deck. There were about twenty people in total, all invited guests for the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, mostly men, with women ounting for less than a third. Their ages were around thirty to forty years old, and each person carried with them a weapon, either a knife or a sword, all wrapped in cloth.


    Waited for about five minutes, someone in the crowd suddenly eximed, "There¡¯s a shiping."


    Ling Chen looked up and saw a pure white luxury liner approaching from the southeast. Seeing that luxury liner, Ling Chen was slightly amazed and immediately understood, asking Zhong Yang in astonishment, "Is that the venue for the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony?"


    Zhong Yang merely smiled and said nothing, apparently agreeing with his guess.


    Tsk tsk!


    Such extravagance! To actually hold the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony on that luxury liner¡ªhow much money would that cost?


    As the luxury liner drew near, Zhong Yang immediately arranged for staff to lower the motorboat to transfer the guests from the passenger ship to the luxury liner.


    Once aboard, Ling Chen followed Qiu Yong and others, led by the attendants, straight to their rooms. Along the way, Ling Chen, driven by curiosity, constantly scanned the surroundings, observing the environment on the luxury liner.


    Before them, many guests had already boarded, gathering in groups of three to five on the deck, engaged in animated discussions, and pointing at the passing guests, sizing them up.


    Especially when the Eight entric Fighters appeared, almost everyone¡¯s eyes were drawn to Qiu Yong and the others.


    The Eight entric Fighters had a resonant reputation in the Martial Artsmunity because everyone knew that even if the Eight entric Fighters were not on the Heaven and Earth Dragon and Tiger List, they each had their own remarkable abilities, no less skilled than those ranked masters. Moreover, the Eight entric Fighters sharedmon hostility against enemies and moved forward and back as one. Provoking any one of them would incur the collective retaliation of all eight.


    Therefore, in the Martial Artsmunity, there were very few who dared to provoke the Eight entric Fighters, unless they possessed great strength or a powerful background.


    Entering the third tier of the luxury liner, Ling Chen was immediately captivated by the interior decoration. The vessel was designed with an antique style in mind, resembling an old-timey inn. Although doors and windows were made of steel structures, they were coated with wood-colored wall paint, supplemented with other ancient decors, making one feel as though they¡¯ve stepped into an ancient city, marvelously beautiful and brimming with an antique charm.


    To protect the privacy of the guests, each room was a separate unit. Everyone was provided with their own private room. Considering the identities of the eight oddities, their rooms were arranged together, adjacent to one another.


    Upon entering the room, although mentally prepared, Ling Chen was still fiercely astonished by the opulence of his quarters.


    A living room, bedroom, plus a separate bathroom and washroom were included. Aside from the antique decor, all facilities were fully equipped. Ling Chen noticed that even an ordinary-looking chair in the living room was no simple object; it was crafted from expensive rosewood, as were the other tables and chairs.


    Indeed, this was the luxury of the wealthy.


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but sigh internally; the cost of the luxury liner, coupled with its interior decor, was probably unimaginable.


    Just as he was thinking, a ¡¯knock, knock, knock¡¯ came from the door outside his room.


    Ling Chen got up to open the door and was immediately taken aback by the middle-aged man standing at the entrance. He eximed with surprise, "Mr. Ye?"


    Ye Liangyong smiled slightly: "Ling Chen, long time no see."


    "Mr. Ye, pleasee in." Ling Chen joyfully weed Ye Liangyong into the room, asking, "Mr. Ye, how did you know I was here?"


    "You are a Tiger List expert, so you must have been invited. I just checked the guest registration list and found your room number, so I came to see you." With that, Ye Liangyong patted Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder,ughing, "My boy, you¡¯re doing quite well for yourself, bing one of the eight oddities. It is truly unexpected."


    Ling Chenughed it off and casually mentioned, "Ah! Mr. Ye, did Mr. He not ept the invitation this time?"


    "Master will not be attending this kind of gathering. Only experts from the Tiger List and Dragon List are invited to the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony. The experts on the Earthly List wouldn¡¯t limit their vision to a measly Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony¡ªthat would be beneath them. Besides, Earthly List experts have gatherings exclusive to them." Ye Liangyong paused momentarily, then continued, "Ling Chen, as a representative of the younger generation, what are your thoughts?"


    "My thoughts?" Ling Chen asked in confusion, "What thoughts?"


    Ye Liangyong looked surprised: "Don¡¯t you know the rules of the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony?"


    Ling Chen shrugged; he truly was unaware. Qiu Yong hadn¡¯t mentioned anything, and his purpose for attending the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony was straightforward¡ªto keep the appointment with Yi Shuiyan and settle their scores.


    "You really are rash,ing here without knowledge of anything." Ye Liangyong shook his head helplessly and exined: "Well, let me tell you, the nature of the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony is simr to a martial artspetition¡ªvictors are kings, and winners receive numerous substantial rewards. However, thepetitors are divided by age groups. Like you, you belong to the finest of the young generation. If youpete, your opponents will be people of your age group, but..."


    "But what?"


    "From what I know, there are several experts among the youngpetitors this time. Ling Chen, have you ever heard of the Neer List?"


    "No."


    "Before each Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion willpile a Neer List. Only those young experts with excellent talent and tremendous potential can make the list, and this time is no exception. Furthermore, considering the abundance of rising stars on this Neer List, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has specially increased the rewards. If you can stand out and im one of the top three spots, not only will you have a chance to receive dan medicines and Martial Arts Heart Methods gifted by the Pavilion, but you will also meet the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master and join the Pavilion. Usually, only experts on the Earthly List have the privilege of meeting the Pavilion Master; this time, the Pavilion is setting a precedent. It¡¯s very rare, so you might want to seize the opportunity."

 Chapter 410 - 406: Newcomer List

    <h4>Chapter 410: Chapter 406: Neer List</h4><h4></h4>


    After listening to Ye Liangyong¡¯s narrative, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but be tempted. The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master was the most mysterious figure in the Martial Arts world. Even the Secret Society, which imed to be the biggest intelligence agency globally and spent years trying, failed to uncover the identity of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master.


    Moreover, He Ziyun once told him that if he had a chance to have a long talk with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master, it would be greatly beneficial to his future.


    "Mr. Ye, how much do you know about the Neer List?" Ling Chen curiously asked.


    "There are ten people on the Neer List. The ones ranked in the top five are Song Ge, Han Yu, Qu Jinxian, Yi Shuiyan, and He Haifeng. These five are the outstanding youths of their generation, very strong. It is said that some of them are no less skilled than the experts on the Dragon List. Moreover, these individualse from major sects and have very powerful backers. The gap between the five behind them and these five is quite significant."


    Ling Chen sheepishly asked: "What about me... Mr. Ye, where do I rank on the Neer List?"


    "You?" Ye Liangyong lifted his lips with a smile, "Take a guess."


    "The eighth?" Ling Chen said cautiously. But seeing the smile on Ye Liangyong¡¯s face, he quickly changed his words, "Could it be the ninth?"


    Seeing that Ye Liangyong didn¡¯t reply, Ling Chen said with a wry smile: "Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s the tenth?"


    "Alright, stop guessing. I¡¯ll tell you the truth, your name isn¡¯t on the Neer List. But you don¡¯t need to feel downhearted; with your strength, ranking seventh or eighth wouldn¡¯t be a problem. The reason your name isn¡¯t listed is because Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has to consider aprehensive evaluation. They consider not just an individual¡¯s strength, but also their background. There are many young talents like you in the Martial Arts world, but there are only ten spots. It¡¯s difficult for Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion to cover everyone. In any case, the list is more questionable for thetter five names; those can be ignored. What you really need to pay attention to are the top five; they are the truly outstanding masters."


    Ling Chen touched his nose and said: "Mr. Ye, knowing how strong those people are, why do you still encourage me to participate?"


    Ye Liangyong said with a smile, "As a martial artist, you must constantly challenge your limits to make greater progress. For you, winning or losing isn¡¯t the key; the most important thing is to temper yourself. Opportunitiese only once; you must cherish it."


    "Let¡¯s talk about it when the timees. By the way, Mr. Ye, when does the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony start?"


    "It¡¯s estimated to start in two days. People are still arriving."


    After chatting idly for a while, Ye Liangyong then took his leave. They had agreed to have dinner togetherter, at which time Ye would introduce Ling Chen to the other members of the Eight entrics.


    In the evening.


    Night fell, and the boundless ocean seemed draped in ayer of mysterious veil.


    After dinner, Ling Chen came to the deck alone, leaning on the railing with his hands, listening to the surging waves below, looking out at the distant horizon. Far away, a storm cloud was approaching this way, with lightning shing, strong gusts of wind, followed by rumbling thunder.


    A storm wasing!


    Feeling the coolness rushing towards his face and drops of rain mixed with the wind, Ling Chen turned and headed towards his cabin.


    However, as Ling Chen approached the cabin door, something in the corner of his eye caught his attention¡ªa wless white figure. He turned his head and looked at the figure standing beside the railing, his gaze slightly hardening.


    The woman was dressed in white, her long hair fluttering and dancing with the wind, seemingly unaffected by the fierce gusts, standing silently, unmoving, listening to the roaring of the ocean.


    Although it was just a simple silhouette, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of familiarity in his heart.


    While he pondered, several drunken youths emerged from the cabin, holding bottles of wine, their faces flushed, already showing signs of intoxication,ughing boisterously.


    At this moment, one of the young men noticed the woman in white next to the ship¡¯s railing and immediately signaled hispanions with a nce, surrounding her together.


    "Beauty, are you alone? Why not join us for a few drinks?"


    The woman in white turned her head, her beautiful eyes calmly looking at the young men, said nothing, and continued walking toward the ship¡¯s cabin. Seeing the woman in white about to leave, a young man immediately reached out and touched her shoulder, gently pulling her back.


    Suddenly, the woman in white lost her bnce, her delicate body immediately fell backward, right into the arms of that young man.


    "Yo! Senior Brother, you really have the charm; this beauty has thrown herself into your embrace. Haha!"


    Hearing hispanion¡¯s teasing, the young man grinned andughed, reaching out to wrap his arm around the woman in white¡¯s slender waist. However, the woman in white reacted quickly, struggling to free herself from his embrace and looked at the young man with anger and shame, about to p him.


    But before the p couldnd, the silky wrist of the woman in white was grasped by the young man.


    "Tsks tsk! Beauty, your skin is really smooth. I wonder if other parts are the same; why not let me have a feel?" the young man said with a sleazy grin.


    "Let go of me!" the woman in white shouted angrily, struggling vigorously, but the young man held on tight.


    The sea breeze came, blowing the woman¡¯s stray bangs on her forehead, revealing her exquisitely wless face. Seeing the woman in white¡¯s face, the young men¡¯s eyes widened, their gazes became dazed, their throats rolled continuously, swallowing saliva.


    So beautiful!


    One of the young men snapped out of it, carefully examined the woman in white, and eximed, "I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s such a beautiful woman on this ship; it seems our Senior Brothers are in for some good fortune."


    The woman in white red angrily at the young men and said softly, "Let go of me, I don¡¯t want any trouble."


    Despite being astonished by the beauty of the woman in white, one of the young men felt the sea breeze sobering him up significantly and whispered, "Senior Brother, everyone on this ship is invited to attend the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony. It¡¯s better to be cautious, let¡¯s not cause trouble for our sect."


    The young man holding the woman in white waved his hand, dismissive, "We are from the Qingyang Sect, who dares disrespect us. Besides, we¡¯ve got the Elder Senior Brother backing us up, what¡¯s there to fear?"


    After finishing his words, the young man looked at the woman in white with ill intentions and sneered, "Beauty, what era are we living in, why so shy? Aren¡¯t you women very open nowadays? Just y with us Senior Brothers, it¡¯ll be pleasurable for you too. Isn¡¯t it great? Brothers, don¡¯t you agree?"


    Hearing this, the eyes of the young men revealed primal desires.


    "Junior Brother, stop talking, let¡¯s take her to the room, I can hardly wait."


    The young manughed and scolded, "You¡¯re just too impatient, kiddo. Beauty,e with me." As he spoke, the young man forcefully dragged the woman in white by her wrist towards the ship¡¯s cabin.


    The woman in white bit her thin lips, pulling hard on her wrist and said urgently, "Let me go, or I¡¯ll call for help."


    "By saying that, you¡¯ve actually reminded me, Fourth Junior Brother, gag her mouth, don¡¯t disturb the others."


    "Yes."


    "Let her go!"


    Right at that moment, a detached voice came with the wind, entering everyone¡¯s ears.

 Chapter 411 - 407 Qu Jinxian

    <h4>Chapter 411: Chapter 407 Qu Jinxian</h4><h4></h4>


    The crowd looked in the direction of the voice, only to see a young man of simr age, with an upright posture, striding forward, his handsome face with chiseled features filled with a stern coldness. Especially those icy-cold eyes gave a chilling sensation.


    Seeing the appearance of the young man, the struggling woman in white froze, staring nkly at the youth as if forgetting everything around her.


    Ling Chen... it was him!


    "Kid, don¡¯t meddle in other people¡¯s business, get lost as far as you can," a young man cursed loudly, tantly ignoring Ling Chen¡¯s presence, dragging the woman in white towards the cabin.


    Ling Chen frowned and said coldly, "Out of respect for us being fellow martial artists, I¡¯m giving you one more chance, let her go!"


    "Go to hell, who do you think you are, trying to y the hero in front of us brothers. Third Junior Brother, Fourth Junior Brother, teach this brat a lesson, let him know there are some people he can¡¯t afford to provoke."


    When Brother spoke, two young men immediately stepped forward quickly, swinging the wine bottles in their hands to smash down onto Ling Chen¡¯s head.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes turned cold, and without hesitation, he moved in close to the two young men, his fists like dragons emerging from the sea, mming hard into their chests.


    Bang! Bang!


    With two muffled sounds, the young men¡¯s wine bottles hadn¡¯t yet fallen, and their bodies had already been sent flying out,nding heavily on the ground.


    Witnessing Ling Chen¡¯s move, that Brother¡¯s pupils shrunk as he cursed, "Two useless pieces of trash, can¡¯t even handle this little thing, watch me." After speaking, the young man pushed the woman in white towards anotherpanion and stepped forward to confront Ling Chen.


    "Kid, I¡¯m Xu Song from Qingyang Sect, state your name."


    Ling Chen replied with an indifferent expression, "You¡¯re not worthy to know my name."


    Hearing this, a fierce look shed across Xu Song¡¯s eyes, and he sneered, "Good, I want to see what you¡¯re capable of. Take this!"


    With a shout, Xu Song bent and sprung his legs, leaping up rapidly towards Ling Chen, his fist aimed straight at Ling Chen¡¯s brow.


    Seeing the opponent¡¯s attack, Ling Chen bent his body backward, lifting a leg high, his toe kicking precisely onto Xu Song¡¯s wrist, deflecting his attack. Seizing this opportunity, Ling Chen spun around, his leg whipping out forcefully, its speed rapid, aimed straight towards Xu Song¡¯s neck.


    If this leg hit, Xu Song wouldn¡¯t be standing up again.


    Sensing the fierce wind of the kick approaching, Xu Song¡¯s expression changed, his eyes showing rm, not expecting Ling Chen¡¯s agility and speed to be far superior to his own.


    With no time to think further, he gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with a fierce light, and swung his fist towards Ling Chen¡¯s whipping leg.


    Seeing Xu Song¡¯s action, Ling Chen sneered silently, thinking him foolish to meet his leg with a fist.


    However, just as their fist and leg were about to connect, Ling Chen¡¯s face suddenly changed, his eyes widened with fury.


    During their exchange, a short sleeve sword had unexpectedly extended from Xu Song¡¯s cuff, stabbing towards Ling Chen¡¯s calf. If that sleeve sword had pierced through, Ling Chen¡¯s journey would likely have ended there.


    In a sh of thought, Ling Chen reacted rapidly, urgently pushing down his right leg, narrowly avoiding the sleeve sword, merely cutting the fabric of his trousers without hitting any vital parts.


    "You¡¯re asking for death!"


    Anger flourishing within him, Ling Chen shouted, in an instant closing the distance to Xu Song, his iron fist sting out, intending to break his ribs.


    But at that moment, a gust of powerful wind suddenly arrived, pushing Xu Song aside. Following that, an unknown fistshed out, shing hard with Ling Chen¡¯s iron fist.


    Feeling the Inner Strength contained in the fist, Ling Chen was startled, and before he could react, that burst of Inner Strength suddenly exploded, immense and heavy, forcibly pushing him back two steps.


    Looking up, Ling Chen saw a strange young man had appeared before him.


    The young man was tall and lean, reaching a height of 1.8 meters, with an ordinary visage, sporting a crew cut, his eyes sharp as if he were an unsheathed sword, intimidating, making one dare not look directly.


    Ling Chen squinted his eyes at the other party and asked in a deep voice, "Who are you?"


    "The eldest disciple of Qingyang Sect, Qu Jinxian."


    Hearing this name, Ling Chen¡¯s pupils involuntarily constricted.


    Qu Jinxian, ranked third on the Neer List, even more formidable than Yi Shuiyan. So this was Xu Song¡¯s Senior Brother.


    "The Qingyang Sect truly has a way with instruction, one hides weapons in secret, and another takes advantage of an ambush. Are there none amongst your Qingyang Sect disciples who are upright and honorable?" Ling Chen said sarcastically.


    "Bullshit!" Xu Song cursed angrily: "It was clearly you who meddled in others¡¯ business first."


    Ling Chen pointed to the woman in white and said indifferently, "She is my friend. Your Qingyang Sect members are bullying my friend, am I not allowed to help? I really don¡¯t know who your master is, teaching such a bunch of scum."


    "How dare you!"


    Qu Jinxian said coldly: "Do not disrespect my master, you¡¯d better apologize right now."


    "Fine, but the Qingyang Sect must apologize to my friend first." Ling Chen stared directly at Qu Jinxian¡¯s chilling gaze, without a trace of retreat in his eyes.


    "Good, I would like to see how capable you are to speak to me like this." The moment his words fell, Qu Jinxian lightly tapped with the tip of his foot, ready to charge forward.


    "I¡¯m not afraid of you!" Ling Chen¡¯s fists readied, without a hint of fear in his eyes.


    "Stop!"


    "Stop!"


    Just then, two different voices came simultaneously.


    Ling Chen and Qu Jinxian stopped in their tracks and turned to look, only to see two groups of people walking briskly towards them. One group was led by Qiu Yong, the eight entrics, and Ye Liangyong. The other group was led by an old man, about the same age as Qiu Yong, dressed in an old-fashioned Zhongshan suit, with white hair and a youthful face, exuding an aura of calm andmanding presence.


    "Big Brother."


    "Master."


    After hearing Qu Jinxian¡¯s address, Ling Chen realized that the old man was the Sect Leader of Qingyang Sect.


    The old man nced at Xu Song and Qu Jinxian, then at Ling Chen, and snorted coldly: "Qiu Yong, you¡¯re quite audacious, bringing trouble to our Qingyang Sect."


    Qiu Yong said coldly: "Qu Yuan, it¡¯s not certain who¡¯s causing trouble for whom, don¡¯t try to pin the me on us. Even if my Junior Brother Ling Cheng has a problem with your Qingyang Sect, if you dare, thene at us. We eight entrics have never feared anyone."


    Qu Yuan¡¯s expression grew gloomy as he said: "Good, I¡¯ve heard much about the extraordinary martial arts of the eight entrics. Today, I shall see for myself whether your reputation is deserved."


    As tensions rose to the point where swords might be drawn at any moment, Zhong Yang, followed by several subordinates, hurried over from the cabin, slightly frowning as he said: "Gentlemen, you all should be aware of the rules. Before the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony begins, whoever dares to engage in a private skirmish, do not me us at Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion for being ruthless."


    Ling Chen spoke up: "Mr. Zhong, we don¡¯t have to fight. Since the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is the organizer, why don¡¯t youe and judge for yourselves and rify right from wrong. My friend was bullied by the people of Qingyang Sect, and I helped out. Is that not appropriate?"


    "You¡¯re talking nonsense," Xu Song immediately protested.


    "The person involved is right there, how can you still deny it?"


    Zhong Yang looked at the woman in white not far away and gave a fist salute: "Miss, may I ask your name?"


    The woman in white slightly lifted her face, her eyes gentle as autumn waters as she looked towards Ling Chen, and said softly, "My name is Zhu Xiaozhu."


    (Today¡¯s 4 Chapters yet the rmendations are still too few.)

 Chapter 412 - 408 Shi Su

    <h4>Chapter 412: Chapter 408 Shi Su</h4><h4></h4>


    "Mr. Ye, why didn¡¯t you tell me that Xiaozhu also came to attend the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony?" Ling Chen asked Ye Liangyong beside him.


    "You wrong me, it¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t tell you, I didn¡¯t even know she was here until I saw her just now."


    "Zhu Xiaozhu?" Zhong Yang turned to the man beside him and asked, "Is there this name among the guests? Why don¡¯t I remember it?"


    The man took out a tablet, checked the guest invitation list, and shook his head, "Mr. Zhong, there¡¯s no one by that name on the list."


    "I was not invited," Zhu Xiaozhu took the initiative to say, "It was my master who brought me here."


    Hearing this, Zhong Yang instantly understood. Among those invited were notcking members of sects, just like Xu Song, they all came with their masters to see the world. In this regard, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was quite generous.


    Ling Chen nodded secretly, so Zhu Xiaozhu came here with her master. He had heard from He Ziyun before; Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s master was skilled in medicine and had a deep friendship with He Ziyun, hence Zhu Xiaozhu always stayed at the Qingyun Martial Arts Hall whenever she was in East Sea City.


    "Miss Zhu, may I ask who your master is?" Zhong Yang inquired.


    "My master..."


    "It¡¯s me!"


    Before Zhu Xiaoxhu could finish speaking, a cold and distant voice slowly came from outside the crowd, making everyone turn their heads to look. Immediately, they saw a woman gracefully walking toward them.


    The woman, about forty or fifty years old, had a dignified appearance with well-maintained, smooth, and fair skin tinged with a hint of pink, resembling an eighteen-year-old girl. However, the faint crow¡¯s feet at the corners of her eyes betrayed her real age.


    Her graceful figure and a temperament cold as the moon, noble and haughty, almost perfectly disyed the charm of a woman to the extreme.


    Seeing the woman appear, both Qiu Yong and Qu Yuan¡¯s expressions changed at the same time. The former was surprised, while thetter was frightened, eyes filled with disbelief.


    Qu Yuan had never expected Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s master to be this woman.


    "Master."


    Zhu Xiaozhu hurriedly went over, affectionately holding the woman¡¯s arm, and said with embarrassment, "Master, I¡¯m sorry for causing you trouble."


    "It has nothing to do with you, don¡¯t me yourself," the woman¡¯s expression was indifferent, and she nced at Qu Yuan beside her, seemingly talking to herself sarcastically, "There are always some who overestimate themselves, thinking being a sect leader means they can do whatever they want."


    Hearing this, Qu Yuan¡¯s old face immediately turned ugly.


    At this moment, Zhong Yang came up with a smile, his words tinged with respect, "So Zhu Xiaozhu is your disciple, we were disrespectful earlier, I hope Ms. Shi won¡¯t take offense."


    At this point, Ling Chen gently touched Qiu Yong¡¯s forearm and asked softly, "Big brother, what¡¯s the story with this Ms. Shi? Seeing Old Man Qu¡¯s expression, he seems quite afraid of her."


    Qiu Yong responded with surprise, "She is your friend, don¡¯t you know who her master is?"


    Ling Chen touched his nose. He truly didn¡¯t know as he had never discussed Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s master with her before.


    "That woman is named Shi Su, born into a family of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. Her medical skills are exceptionally brilliant. In terms of traditional Chinese medicine skills alone, looking throughout Huaxia domestically, if she ims to be the second, probably no one dares to im the first. Not only that, even the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master once invited Shi Su to help treat illnesses. The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master even publicly dered Shi Su as a friend of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, stating that anyone who dared to harm Shi Su would be opposing the entire Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Think about it, with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion as her backer, who would dare provoke her?"


    So powerful!


    Ling Chen was secretly amazed, not expecting Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s master to have such a profound background. No wonder the people of Qingyang Sect feared her. With the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony currently ongoing, if Shi Su wanted to make life difficult for the people from Qingyang Sect, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion would certainly cooperate.


    "My disciple, who was bullying you just now? Tell me, I will stand up for you."


    Hearing Shi Su speak up, Zhu Xiaozhu immediately directed her gaze towards the people from Qingyang Sect, preparing to speak, but then saw the Sect Leader Qu Yuan stride over, cupping his fists and saying: "Ms. Shi, the youngsters are ignorant, it is my Qingyang Sect¡¯s failure in teaching. I apologize on their behalf to Miss Zhu and ask you to give me, Qu, a face, and let this matter rest. I assure that such things will not happen again."


    "You assure?" Facing Qu Yuan who was admitting his fault, Shi Su seemed unappeased and coldly said: "My disciple doesn¡¯t know martial arts. If it weren¡¯t for someone stepping in to help just now, your disciples might have already seeded in their attempt. For scum like them, not only do you not punish them severely, but you also speak on their behalf, which fits the old saying perfectly: ¡¯A crooked beam makes a crooked rafter.¡¯ Sect Leader Qu, it¡¯s apparent that your character isn¡¯t that great either."


    Being publicly questioned about his character, Qu Yuan¡¯s old face couldn¡¯t hold. However, thinking of Shi Su¡¯s status, Qu Yuan had to suppress his anger, speaking sternly: "Then what should I do to satisfy Ms. Shi?"


    "The Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony has its rules. Zhong Yang, this matter should be handled by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    "Yes, Ms. Shi," Zhong Yang instantly understood, turning to face Qu Yuan and said: "Sect Leader Qu, ording to the rules of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, anyone who vites regtions, given the severity of the situation, will be convicted. Your several disciples behaved improperly, endangering others¡¯ safety. On behalf of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, I sentence each of them to fiftyshes and ten days imprisonment, do you have any objections?"


    After hearing Zhong Yang¡¯s verdict, Qu Yuan¡¯s face darkened, his eyes gloomy, suppressing the fury in his heart, he coldly said: "The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has spoken, how dare I object?"


    Upon hearing this, Xu Song and others¡¯ expressions changed drastically, and they hastily pleaded: "Master, you can¡¯t just stand by and watch us die. Fifty heavyshes will take half of our lives, Master..."


    "Shut up!" Qu Yuan yelled angrily: "You brought this upon yourselves, who can you me?" After speaking, Qu Yuan¡¯s gaze shifted, his expression turned icy as he stared at Ling Chen, gritting his teeth: "What a freak, we shall see."


    Shi Su he dared not offend, thus he could only vent his anger on Ling Chen and the eight entrics.


    Qiu Yong snorted coldly, fearlessly saying: "You¡¯re wee to bring trouble from Qingyang Sect; we, the eight entrics, are always ready to entertain."


    After Qu Yuan left with his subordinates, Zhong Yang immediately ordered men to take Xu Song and others away.


    At this time, Shi Su, followed by Zhu Xiaozhu, walked up to Ling Chen, sizing him up, and lightly said: "Are you Ling Chen?"


    "Yes." Facing Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s master, Ling Chen dared not be rude, greeting her respectfully: "I have seen Ms. Shi."


    "My disciple often mentioned you to me before, saying you are young and handsome, with good skills and talented."


    Ling Chen replied modestly, feeling embarrassed: "Not at all, Xiaozhu is exaggerating."


    "Not bad."


    Ling Chen was just being modest, but Shi Su nodded: "It seems you are self-aware. Indeed, you are not that outstanding,pared to the top five in the Neer List, you are far behind. I brought Xiaozhu here to introduce a promising young man to her. As her friend, if you really have her best interests at heart, I hope you will keep your distance from her in future to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings."

 Chapter 413 - 409: Estrangement

    <h4>Chapter 413: Chapter 409: Estrangement</h4><h4></h4>


    Shi Su¡¯s words suddenly made Ling Chen stunned; he didn¡¯t expect the other party to be so direct and disregard his feelings.


    Looking at the bbergasted Ling Chen, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s beautiful eyes carried a hint of apology. She hadn¡¯t expected her Master to speak such words in front of Ling Chen. Not just Ling Chen, even she felt somewhat ufortable after hearing these words.


    "Master..."


    "Enough, no more words. I¡¯ve said all I need to say. Xiaozhu, let¡¯s go."


    As Shi Su turned to leave with Zhu Xiaozhu, Xia Yue, who had been standing beside Ling Chen, could not suppress her anger and indignantly said, "You think my brother Ling Cheng is not good enough for your disciple, but your disciple might not necessarily be worthy of my brother Ling Cheng either."


    Hearing this, Shi Su turned back and said indifferently, "I¡¯ve heard enough of such self-deceiving words. Say whatever you want. In short, I don¡¯t want to see him hinder my disciple¡¯s future."


    "You..." Xia Yue became very agitated.


    "Sister Five." Ling Chen pulled Xia Yue back and shook his head at her, saying, "Why bother arguing with her kind of people."


    Xia Yue slightly frowned and said, "She spoke about you like that, aren¡¯t you angry?"


    Ling Chen shrugged and said, "What¡¯s the use of being angry? Besides, what she said is the truth; I indeed am not as good as the top five on the Neer List."


    "Ling Cheng is right," Qiu Yong patted Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder and said, "Instead of having the upper hand in words, it¡¯s better to speak with facts. Strength is everything, that has been the unchanging rule in Martial Arts for a thousand years. Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s head back."


    Back in his room, Ling Chen sat alone on the sofa, legs crossed, idly fiddling with the teacup in his hands. Although he outwardly imed not to care in front of Qiu Yong and the others, internally, he was quite troubled.


    Nothing frightens a man more than being looked down upon. Shi Su¡¯s words undoubtedly dealt a heavy blow to his self-esteem.


    Ling Chen scratched his head, his expression somewhat helpless. Now in a good situation, had one Yi Shuiyan to deal with, and now another Qu Jinxian had emerged. What was worse, both individuals were ranked fourth and third on the Neer List, respectively, both difficult adversaries.


    Just then, the telephone in the guest room rang.


    Ling Chen picked up the receiver and greeted, "Who is it?"


    "Brother Ling Cheng, it¡¯s me." Wei Jiahao¡¯s voice came through the phone, "I just saw the Dangyang Sect people boarding the ship. Both Yi Shuiyan and Qin Wu have arrived. Big brother asked me to remind you, before the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony officially starts, try to avoid conflicts with the Dangyang Sect to not offend the rules of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I know."


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen immediately felt a sense of crisis. The gap between him and Yi Shuiyan was evident; even after nearly two months of special training, it would still be difficult to close this gap.


    On this point, Ling Chen was very clear. To win, he needed a lot of luck. Although it frustrated him, he had to admit, luck was the key to his victory.


    Sighing, Ling Chen put aside the distracting thoughts in his mind, and prepared to take advantage of the time to diligently practice the Prajnaparamita Sutra.


    Polishing the gun before battle, even if not sharp, it would shine, always serving a purpose.


    But at that moment, someone gently knocked on the room door. Ling Chen walked to the door and pulled it open. Instantly, a faint fragrance wafted in.


    Looking at the visitor outside the door, Ling Chen was slightly stunned. He had thought it would be Qiu Yong or someone else, but he had never expected it to be Zhu Xiaozhu.


    Coming back to his senses, Ling Chen smiled, "What brings you here?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu bit her thin lips, nced left and right down the hallway, and asked softly, "Can Ie in?"


    Without any hesitation, Ling Chen stepped aside to wee Zhu Xiaozhu into the room. After she had taken a seat, Ling Chen brewed a cup of tea, brought it to Zhu Xiaozhu, and asked with a smile, "Aren¡¯t you afraid of what your master might say bying to see me?"


    "I¡¯m sorry!" Zhu Xiaozhu bowed her head, holding the teacup with both hands. The steam rising up blurred her delicate features, reminiscent of a silver moon reflecting in theke, exuding a hazy beauty.


    Hearing Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s apology, Ling Chen generously waved his hand and said, "It¡¯s alright, no need to apologize. I¡¯m not that sensitive."


    "But I feel guilty. Master is usually very gentle and takes great care of me, but I didn¡¯t expect her to say those words to you, maybe it¡¯s because..." At this point, Zhu Xiaozhu unconsciously stopped talking, her face blushing slightly, her beautiful eyes shy, not daring to continue.


    Ling Chen, who hadn¡¯t noticed the shyness in Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s eyes, asked curiously, "Because of what?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s face turned redder, unable to meet Ling Chen¡¯s gaze, staring at the faintly rippling tea in the cup, she remained silent for a long time.


    Her childhood was unlike other girls; while other little girls had dolls, her only toys were silver needles and ancient medical books. She spent almost ten years under Shi Su¡¯s guidance, learning from her. It was only after she turned fifteen and had made some aplishments in medicine that she was allowed to leave.


    Therefore, in her childhood memories, it was not her parents who were important but her master, Shi Su. In her eyes, Shi Su was both a mentor and a friend. She confided everything to Shi Su, including her feelings for Ling Chen, especially after learning that Ling Chen was with Nanrong Wanqing, which left her heartbroken and urgently needing someone to talk to, making Shi Su the perfect confidant.


    Thus, Shi Su knew everything about her and Ling Chen.


    The unkind words Shi Su had to Ling Chen werergely out of a desire to defend her. For this, she felt very guilty, which was why she came to apologize to Ling Chen.


    However, this was not something she could tell Ling Chen, as it would only make their rtionship more awkward.


    Seeing that Zhu Xiaozhu was still not speaking, the somewhat slow Ling Chen finally realized that she was ufortable answering, so he decided not to press further and tried to change the subject. Yet, as he opened his mouth, he found himself at a loss for words, unsure of what to say.


    In the past, he and Zhu Xiaozhu could talk about anything and everything. However, since Zhu Hong appeared, there had been a subtle barrier between them, and their rtionship gradually faded.


    A significant reason might be his deliberate avoidance.


    He did this because he wanted to avoid hurting Zhu Xiaozhu. He knew very well that there was no possibility of reconciliation with Zhu Hong unless one of them died in battle. As Zhu Hong¡¯s sister, if Zhu Xiaozhu ever found out that he had killed Zhu Hong, she would probably never forgive him.


    It was better to cut off their camaraderie early, so if Zhu Xiaozhu ever learned the truth in the future, it wouldn¡¯t be as painful; at most, she would see him as an enemy.


    He¡¯d rather have Zhu Xiaozhu hate him than see her suffer through tremendous pain.


    Lost in thought, neither of them spoke, both silently sitting there like two quiet statues.


    Boom!


    Just then, a thunderous explosion suddenly erupted.

 Chapter 414 - 410: Unexpected Injury

    <h4>Chapter 414: Chapter 410: Unexpected Injury</h4><h4></h4>


    Apanied by a loud bang, the luxury cruise ship suddenly rocked. Sitting on the sofa, Ling Chen and Zhu Xiaozhu were affected by the shaking of the ship, their bodies immediately leaning to one side.


    However, Ling Chen was okay as he leaned backwards, but Zhu Xiaozhu, who was sitting opposite him, leaned forward, immediately losing her bnce and lunging into Ling Chen¡¯s arms.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen, fearing that Zhu Xiaozhu might get hurt, didn¡¯t dare to dodge and quickly opened his arms to embrace the lunging Zhu Xiaozhu. The fragrant and delicate body entering his arms, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s soft chest happened to hit Ling Chen¡¯s face.


    Instantly, Ling Chen felt his face enveloped by two soft and full mounds, the faint fragrance caused his heart to flutter.


    At this moment, the startled Zhu Xiaozhu came to her senses and saw the embarrassing posture between her and Ling Chen. Her pretty face instantly turned red, like the red glow on the horizon, radiantly beautiful.


    Suppressing the shyness in her heart, Zhu Xiaozhu quickly moved backwards, freeing Ling Chen¡¯s face from her bosom. However, just as she moved back, the ship shook again.


    This time, the direction of the ship¡¯s shaking was different, exactly opposite to before. As Zhu Xiaozhu moved backward, her feet slipped, and with a soft cry, she fell backward.


    Seeing Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s head about to hit the corner of the rosewood sofa, Ling Chen panicked, without thinking too much, immediately reached out to encircle her slender waist. However, at this moment, Zhu Xiaozhu was off bnce, her body almost tilted at a forty-degree angle, and even though Ling Chen embraced her, he couldn¡¯t help her up.


    In a sh of thought, Ling Chen didn¡¯t think twice, quickly holding Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s delicate body and turning, moving Zhu Xiaozhu above his own body.


    Bang!


    Protected by Ling Chen, Zhu Xiaozhu was safe, but Ling Chen¡¯s back heavily hit the sofa, his waist exactly against the corner of a rosewood sofa.


    This collision caused Ling Chen¡¯s face to instantly change, his entire face almost twisted, intense pain emanating from his waist, his whole body seemingly numbed, unable to move.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s pained expression, Zhu Xiaozhu was startled and quickly reached out her hand to his arm, trying to pull him up.


    "Don¡¯t... don¡¯t move..." Ling Chen immediately stopped Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s action.


    After taking a few deep breaths, Ling Chen¡¯s forehead began to sweat heavily. Once the pain slightly ebbed, with Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s help, Ling Chen slowly walked back to the sofa.


    At this time, the ship was still rocking from side to side, but not as severely as before. Through the window, the thunderous sound of thunder and the torrential rain were clearly audible.


    On the sea, a storm is a terrifying existence. If it weren¡¯t for the sturdy construction of the luxury cruise ship to withstand the impact, it would probably have been flipped over by the waves in the storm.


    "Ling Chen, is your injury severe?" In the room, Zhu Xiaozhu looked at Ling Chen with concern.


    Ling Chen slightly lifted his lips, barely squeezing out a smile: "It¡¯s nothing, just need to rest a bit."


    Although he was saying it was nothing, he knew in his heart that the injury to his waist was very severe. He could only sit, fearing to walk around. He intentionally concealed his injury, to prevent Zhu Xiaozhu from feeling guilty.


    However, being a doctor, Zhu Xiaozhu is deeply skilled in diagnosis, how could she fail to notice the severity of Ling Chen¡¯s condition.


    "I¡¯ll take a look for you."


    After saying that, disregarding Ling Chen¡¯s refusal, Zhu Xiaozhu gently lifted Ling Chen¡¯s outer garment, revealing his lower back. Suddenly, a palm-sized bruise was visible.


    Seeing the injury on his body, Zhu Xiaozhu softly asked, "Does it hurt?"


    Ling Chen grinned and said, "Not at all."


    Hearing this, Zhu Xiaozhu gently pressed on the wound with her finger. Although Zhu Xiaozhu was very gentle, Ling Chen still gasped in pain, his body slightly trembling.


    "So severe, yet you say it doesn¡¯t hurt," Zhu Xiaozhu reproached him.


    "It¡¯s really fine, with my physical condition, a sleep will do," Ling Chen reassured.


    "How could that be okay? I¡¯ll treat your wound first, just wait." With that, Zhu Xiaozhu quickly ran into the bathroom. Soon after, she returned to Ling Chen¡¯s side with a first aid kit from the guest room.


    After about ten minutes, Ling Chen¡¯s bruised waist was treated with ointment, and a cooling sensation through his skin significantly reduced the pain.


    "Are you feeling better?" Zhu Xiaozhu looked up at Ling Chen and asked with concern.


    "Much better, thank you."


    "If it weren¡¯t for trying to save me, you wouldn¡¯t have gotten hurt, I should be the one thanking you. Alright, you should rest early, I wille again in the morning to help you change your bandages."


    After sending Zhu Xiaozhu off, Ling Chen supported himself with the armrest of the sofa, slowly stood up, and then walked towards the bedroom.


    However, just after taking two steps, a sharp pain suddenly shot through his spine, and his legs felt as if they had lost all sensation, his body immediately copsed onto the floor.


    This sudden mishap caused Ling Chen¡¯s injured waist to be impacted again, the pain was so severe he almost crushed his teeth.


    This is bad!


    Ling Chen furrowed his brows, a sense of foreboding arose in his heart; the injury he suffered seemed to be more severe than he had anticipated, even normal walking had be so difficult.


    In a couple of days, it will be the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, and he has topete in martial arts with Yi Shuiyan. With his current condition, how can he fight against Yi Shuiyan? He probably can¡¯t even make it onto the stage.


    Meanwhile, his legs gradually began to regain sensation.


    It¡¯s okay, just need to sleep it off, Ling Chenforted himself.


    ...


    The next day.


    After a night of stormy weather, the sky finally cleared up. A sliver of faint sunlight shone through the window,nding right on Ling Chen.


    Thud thud thud!


    "Ling Cheng."


    The sound of knocking apanied by Wei Jiahao¡¯s voice came from outside the door. Ling Chen, who was in deep sleep, immediately woke up. He rubbed his sleepy eyes and got ready to open the door. However, he discovered in horror that his lower body waspletely unresponsive, numb. Except for his upper body, which could still move, nearly the whole body was limp on the bed.


    How... how could this be? Ling Chen was terrified.


    One night had passed, and instead of alleviating, his injury seemed to have worsened.


    Thud thud thud!


    The knocking continued.


    Ling Chen tried several times, but his lower body continued to be unresponsive, as if paralyzed. Reluctantly, Ling Chen had to use the bedside telephone to call Qiu Yong¡¯s room.


    In less than two minutes, Qiu Yong and others, with the help of the staff, opened the door and entered.


    "Ling Cheng, what happened to you?"


    Looking at Ling Chen who was confined to his bed, Qiu Yong asked.


    Ling Chen smiled bitterly and said, "Big brother, it seems like my legs are ruined."


    "What?"


    Hearing this, everyone present was shocked, looking at him in disbelief.


    Yuan Yun said solemnly, "Last night when we parted, you were fine, how did it turn into this so quickly?"


    Ling Chen did not dare to conceal and recounted the event that happened in the roomst night.

 Chapter 415 - 411 Han Yu

    <h4>Chapter 415: Chapter 411 Han Yu</h4><h4></h4>


    "What should we do?" Xia Yue said with a worried heart: "The Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony is about to begin in one day. With you in this condition, how can youpete in martial arts with others?"


    Xu Ming indifferently said: "If we can¡¯tpete, then we won¡¯t. Health is the most important. What we should be concerned about right now is not the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, but Ling Cheng¡¯s injuries."


    Ling Chen looked at his own legs, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, his eyes shining with a Mo Che-like glint.


    "I must participate in this Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony."


    "No way!" Qiu Yong immediately refused: "How can you participate looking like this? Do you really want to end up with a lifelong disability?"


    Ling Chen shook his head, with a determined tone: "Big brother, I know you are worried about my injuries. However, now that we¡¯re here, we can¡¯t just drop out halfway. That would only turn us into aughing stock in the eyes of others." As soon as he finished speaking, without waiting for others to respond, Ling Chen continued: "My current injury should be temporary, not yet severe enough to cause paralysis. Eight younger brother, go get me a set of silver needles, I¡¯ll try to stimte my legs using the Acupuncture Technique."


    "Alright." Wei Jiahao agreed, and immediately set about doing as asked. Soon after, he brought over a set of silver needles to Ling Chen.


    Half an hour passed.


    Thud, thud, thud!


    A clear knocking sounded.


    The door opened, and Zhu Xiaozhu came in carrying a medicine chest. Looking at Ling Chen who appeared in front of her, she asked, "Did I disturb your rest?"


    Ling Chen smiled and replied: "I¡¯ve been up for a while."


    "How¡¯s the recovery from your injury?" Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s bright, beautiful eyes were filled with concern.


    "Much better." As he spoke, Ling Chen hopped around on the spot and said with a smile: "See, I told you, didn¡¯t I? It¡¯s all good after a night¡¯s sleep."


    Seeing his unruffled demeanor, Zhu Xiaozhu was greatly relieved. She had been worried about Ling Chen¡¯s injuries the prior night, and did not sleep well. As soon as it was light, she hurried over to find Ling Chen, wanting to know how he was.


    "It¡¯s good that you¡¯re alright, let me help you change the ointment."


    "No need to bother, I¡¯ve already changed it." As soon as he finished speaking, Qiu Yong¡¯s voice came from inside the room: "Ling Cheng, who¡¯s there?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu nced at Ling Chen¡¯s back, nodded lightly, and said: "Alright then, I won¡¯t disturb you. You rest more and take care of your health."


    "I will."


    After sending Zhu Xiaozhu away, Ling Chen closed the door. As soon as he did, he leaned against the wall, his face twisted in pain, sweat streaming down his forehead.


    "Ling Cheng!"


    Yuan Yun and Xia Yue hurriedly ran over, supporting Ling Chen¡¯s arms, easing the weight on his legs, and moved him back to lying down on the bed.


    "What am I to do with you..." Seeing Ling Chen endure the torment of pain, Xia Yue shook her head helplessly, admonishing: "You¡¯ve obviously been seriously injured, yet you insist on putting up a front. Do you care that much about her feelings?"


    "I owe her too much, I don¡¯t want to make her worried." After a pause, Ling Chen changed the subject, smiled lopsidedly, and said: "Sister Five, didn¡¯t you also see? After the acupuncture just now, my legs have gone back to normal. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m still waiting to properly take care of Yi Shuiyan."


    Qiu Yong nodded and said: "Okay then, as long as you feel there¡¯s no problem, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll have Sister Five stay and take care of you. If you need help with something, just give us a shout."


    "You just lie there, I¡¯ll go get you breakfast."


    After speaking, Xia Yue left the room with Qiu Yong and others.


    Once everyone had left, Ling Cheny alone on the bed, the smile on his face gradually fading. He was very clear about his own condition. Last night¡¯s ident clearly injured the nerves in his spine, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have experienced this kind of situation.


    The reason he was able to regain sensation earlier was because he stimted several unconventional points with the Acupuncture Technique, forcibly restoring his legs. However, doing so came with severe consequences. If those points were stimted for a long time, it might very well lead to actual paralysis.


    Two days...


    Ling Chen muttered to himself, as long as he persisted for two more days, it would be fine once he finished handling the affairs.


    At this moment.


    Miss Zhu, carrying a medicine box, returned to the outside of her room.


    Just as she was about to enter, suddenly, a series of footsteps sounded near her ears, approaching from afar. Zhu Xiaozhu turned her head to look, only to see a young man, handsome and with an extraordinary temperament, walking towards her.


    The young man was about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with handsome features, eyebrows sharp as swords and eyes bright as stars, with a standard height of one meter seventy-eight, hair cut evenly across his forehead, wearing a sunny smile on his face, exuding an energetic aura.


    "Xiaozhu."


    The young man greeted Zhu Xiaozhu with a smile.


    Zhu Xiaozhu responded politely, "Mr. Han, hello."


    "Xiaozhu, there¡¯s no need to be so formal, just call me Han Yu, you don¡¯t need to add ¡¯Mr.¡¯ in front," said Han Yu, ncing at the medicine box in Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s hands, he asked, "Where did you just go? I was looking for you to have breakfast together but you weren¡¯t in your room."


    "A friend got injured, I went to help take a look," Zhu Xiaozhu said indifferently.


    "Your friend? Introduce me someday."


    "We¡¯ll see if there¡¯s a chance, Han..." Zhu Xiaozhu initially wanted to say Mr. Han, but after a moment¡¯s thought, she instead said, "Han Yu, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m going back to my room."


    "Don¡¯t go!" Han Yu spoke up, "Xiaozhu, your Master introduced us, hoping we could get to know each other better. The weather is nice today, how about we take a walk on the deck?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu hesitated for a moment then declined politely, "I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t rest wellst night and would like to catch up on some sleep. We can chat another time."


    Having said that, before Han Yu could respond, Zhu Xiaozhu had already pushed the door and entered her room.


    Having been turned down by Zhu Xiaozhu, Han Yu appeared somewhat dejected.


    Last night, through the introduction by Shi Su, when he firstid eyes on Zhu Xiaozhu, he was taken aback by her beauty. This woman, gentle as water,pletely captivated him, rendering him helplessly smitten.


    He made up his mind then and there that he had to win over this woman by any means necessary.


    As he watched the tightly closed door, Han Yu stood at the doorstep for a moment before he had no choice but to leave reluctantly.


    Just then, a young man walked towards him in the corridor.


    Seeing the other person, Han Yu¡¯s gaze slightly narrowed, revealing a sharp edge.


    "Yi Shuiyan, long time no see."


    "Han Yu, your room doesn¡¯t seem to be on this floor."


    "That¡¯s none of your business."


    Yi Shuiyan was indifferent to Han Yu¡¯s tone, his eyes briefly swept over the room number beside Han Yu and the corner of his mouth immediately curved into an amused smile.


    "If I remember correctly, this room is upied by Ms. Shi¡¯s disciple, Miss Zhu. Do you have an interest in her?"


    Han Yu responded unceremoniously, "That¡¯s my business, mind your own."


    "I didn¡¯t mean anything by it, just a word of caution. If you have designs on Miss Zhu, you¡¯d better give up sooner rather thanter to avoid bringing trouble upon yourself."


    Hearing this, Han Yu immediately asked, "What do you mean?"


    "Just now when I went out, I happened to see Miss Zhu enter a man¡¯s room."


    "A man?" Han Yu¡¯s expression changed, his gaze turning cold in an instant, as he pressed, "Which man?"

 Chapter 416 - 412: Grand Ceremony Begins

    <h4>Chapter 416: Chapter 412: Grand Ceremony Begins</h4><h4></h4>


    "Ling Chen." Yi Shuiyan said with a smirk, "She went to find Ling Chen early in the morning on her own, yet you were turned away at the door. Han Yu, as a man, you should clearly understand what this means."


    "No, impossible!" Thinking of what Zhu Xiaozhu had just said, Han Yu argued, "She told me that she was just helping a friend seek medical treatment. Which woman doesn¡¯t have a few male friends? There¡¯s nothing strange about that."


    "If that¡¯s how you want to think, then I can¡¯t help you. But it¡¯s not just this morning; Miss Zhu also went to Ling Chen¡¯s roomst night and stayed for quite a while. Han Yu, a man and a woman alone together in a room, do you think it¡¯s just a simple friendship?"


    Last night...


    Han Yu raised an eyebrow; he had only just met Zhu Xiaozhust night. Could it be that after meeting him, she went to see another man?


    Yi Shuiyan fanned the mes from the side, "Han Yu, you better be careful. As far as I know, that Ling Chen is not simple; he has a way with women. In East Sea City, he has connections with many women. Han Yu, a big man like you, don¡¯t end up picking up leftovers."


    "Shut up!" Han Yu¡¯s face darkened as he scolded, "Don¡¯t you insult Xiaozhu! She¡¯s not that kind of person, I believe her. As for that Ling Chen you mentioned..." Han Yu snorted softly, coldly saying, "I will make him back off."


    "I¡¯m just kindly reminding you. What you do about it is your business, it has nothing to do with me. I have other things to attend to, we¡¯ll talk another day." Having said that, Yi Shuiyan stepped past Han Yu and walked into the guest room next to Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s.


    Seeing that Yi Shuiyan was staying next door to Zhu Xiaozhu, Han Yu believed Yi Shuiyan¡¯s words a bit more.


    Ling Chen... Humph! I want to see what you are capable of, daring topete with me for a woman.


    ...


    The next day.


    The long-awaited Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony finallymenced.


    After breakfast, Ling Chen, apanied by Qiu Yong and others, went straight to the luxurious top-floor banquet hall of the cruise ship.


    The banquet hall was very spacious, capable of amodating four or five hundred people without feeling crowded. For this Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion had redesigned the entire banquet hall, simr to ancient Roman amphitheaters, surrounded by a giant circr arena with tiered seating. In the very center was a square tform, over thirty meters wide.


    The venue was covered entirely in red carpets, and hanging from the ceiling were more than a dozen crystalmps, the lights dazzling. Over forty members of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, dressed in uniform attire, stood in line respectfully, ushering guests to their seats one by one.


    Although it was merely a simple seat assignment, it also contained great significance. Major sects in the Martial Artsmunity had seats at the front, then ording to status and influence within Martial Arts, the arrangement followed in session, down to the veryst row.


    To Ling Chen¡¯s surprise, he was assigned a seat in the very front row.


    Sitting in his seat, Ling Chen looked around with interest, observing the attendees entering, among them some familiar faces.


    Such as Tiger List masters he had previously shed with, the brothers Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu, and even Jiang Family¡¯s Jiang Hanlin was there. However, they weren¡¯t as lucky as Ling Chen to get front row seats and were sitting in the third row.


    Just in terms of ranking on the Tiger List, Ling Chen was not higher than Jiang Hanlin. This showed that the special treatment he was enjoying was thanks to the reputation of the "Eight entrics."


    Through this, Ling Chen gained a more direct understanding of the status of the "Eight entrics" in the Martial Artsmunity, being on par with those major sects with substantial influence.


    When Ling Chen noticed Jiang Hanlin, thetter also took notice of him. However,pared to Ling Chen¡¯s calmness, Jiang Hanlin¡¯s eyes revealed a chilling coldness and resentment.


    Initially, when Ling Chen went to rescue Nanrong Wanqing from the Jiang Family, he punched Jiang Hanlin¡¯s son, Jiang Han, to the ground out of anger, leaving him as a nearly dead vegetative person. Such a deep-rooted enmity was not something Jiang Hanlin would easily let go of.


    Feeling the harsh gaze from behind, Ling Chenpletely ignored it. At this moment, his attention was caught by Yi Shuiyan who had just entered.


    Yi Shuiyan was the same as when theyst met, unchanged, holding a steel knife with his head held high and chest out, elegant and towering. By his side was a remarkably beautiful woman, his junior martial sister, Qin Wu.


    Besides these two, Ling Chen also saw Liu Yunsong from the Dangyang Sect and another middle-aged man with a distinguished presence. As the four walked in, Liu Yunsong and Qin Wu closely followed behind, highlighting the status of the middle-aged man.


    "Who is that man, Elder Qiu?"


    "That¡¯s Zhu Jin, the Sect Leader of the Dangyang Sect," Qiu Yong replied.


    Meanwhile, the Sect Leader of Qingyang Sect, Qu Yuan, entered the venue with his disciples and Qu Jinxian.


    As the two Sects took their seats, almost simultaneously, both Sect Leaders¡¯ gazes sharply turned towards the eight entrics, their eyes fierce with a hint of chill.


    Feeling those eyes wandering over him, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but touch his nose, pretending not to see it.


    By 9 a.m., the spacious venue was filled with people.


    With everyone present, the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony officially began.


    Apanied by a loud gong sound, the noisy venue gradually quieted down, and everyone¡¯s gaze converged on the central tform.


    At this moment, a man about sixty years old, dressed in traditional Tang attire and full of energy, stepped onto the tform, greeted everyone with a fist salute and cheerfully said, "My name is Zhou Qi. I have the honor to be the host of this session of the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony as entrusted by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master. If there are any shorings in our hospitality, please be forgiving."


    Ling Chen originally thought that the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony would have an borate opening ceremony, being a major event in the martial arts world. Instead, Zhou Qi briefly exchanged pleasantries and directly announced the start of the ceremony.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, this year¡¯s rules are the same as usual, with two rounds: the Heavenly Mechanism Chaos Battle and thepetition for new talents. Everyone is presumably familiar with the rules of the Heavenly Mechanism Chaos Battle. Whoever canst five unbeaten matches on the tform can choose from abundant rewards, be it martial arts heart methods or elixirs."


    After listening to Zhou Qi¡¯s introduction, Ling Chen quietly asked, "Big brother, what exactly is an elixir?"


    "There are many types of elixirs, some for curing diseases and healing injuries, and others for enhancing inner strength. They are all quite effective."


    Ling Chen clicked his tongue, "I always thought elixirs were just fictional things from martial arts novels. I didn¡¯t expect they really existed."


    "That¡¯s because you¡¯re uninformed." Xia Yue, walking beside Ling Chen, said, "Elixirs are actually the essence of ancient Chinese medicine. Simply put, they are a type of medicine. However, the elixirs from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion are special, specifically designed for martial artists."


    Ling Chen, intrigued, asked, "So taking an elixir asionally can increase one¡¯s martial prowess by ten years?"


    Xia Yue gave him a look and said unenthusiastically, "You¡¯ve been reading too many martial arts novels. There¡¯s no such miraculous effect."

 Chapter 417 - 413 Heavenly Mechanism Chaos Battle

    <h4>Chapter 417: Chapter 413 Heavenly Mechanism Chaos Battle</h4><h4></h4>


    "The effects of the pills are indeed good, but not as magical as you described," Qiu Yong said. "The pills crafted by Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion are different from ordinary ones; each batch takes years to perfect. They greatly aid those practicing martial arts by improving physique and speeding up the cultivation of their skills. However, while the pills are beneficial, one can at most consume one. Overconsumption will only lead to the body developing resistance and nullifying their effects."


    After listening to Qiu Yong¡¯s exnation, Ling Chen nodded, and with curiosity, he asked, "Big brother, those novels often mention Shaolin¡¯s Great Rejuvenation Pill. Is that real?"


    Qiu Yong affirmed, "The Great Rejuvenation Pill truly exists, but its effects are not as astonishing as the books im. Across the Martial Arts circles today, there are only two kinds of pills with the most significant effects¡ªone being the Heavenly Mechanism Pill crafted by Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, and the other is the Xiangrun Pill from the Shi Family."


    "Shi Family?"


    "That¡¯s Shi Su¡¯s family; they hail from a lineage of traditional Chinese medicine, profoundly knowledgeable about ancient Chinese medical practices. Throughout Huaxia¡¯s history of thousands of years, much of the essence of traditional Chinese medicine has been lost, only the Shi Family has preserved itpletely. The Xiangrun Pill they craft is even slightly superior to the ordinary Heavenly Mechanism Pill. However, I¡¯ve heard that the ingredients required for the Xiangrun Pill are extremely precious, making them very scarce, and the Shi Family only has two or three pills in stock."


    "Big brother, you just mentioned the ordinary Heavenly Mechanism Pill, does that mean there are different kinds?"


    "Indeed. There are three types of Heavenly Mechanism Pills crafted by Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Although they share the same name, their effects vary. There¡¯s the ordinary, the premium, and the top grade¡ªeach corresponding to different groups: the Tiger List, the Dragon List, and the Earthly List. Otherwise, why do you think the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony attracts so many participants? It¡¯s because of the Heavenly Mechanism Pill."


    During the conversation, Zhou Qi, who was in charge, announced loudly, "Ladies and gentlemen, today is the first day, and Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has specially prepared six prizes, plus a grand prize that includes a premium Heavenly Mechanism Pill. So if you¡¯re interested, don¡¯t hesitate, or you might miss out on something good. Now, who would like to be the first on stage?"


    "I¡¯ll give it a try."


    As soon as Zhou Qi finished speaking, a middle-aged man stood up from the crowd and walked up to the stage with firm strides, greeting everyone with a fist and palm salute.


    "Is there anyone who would like toe up and offer guidance?"


    "I¡¯ll take you on." Someone immediately responded, ready to challenge.


    The rules of the Heavenly Mechanism Chaos Battle were simple¡ªanyone who could maintain five consecutive victories on the tform could take home a prize. As simple as it sounds, fulfilling it was not easy.


    Witnessing the back-and-forth between the two men on the stage, Ling Chen was secretly astounded. As expected of the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, none of those invited by Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion were weak, including these two seemingly obscure men whose strength was not less than those on the Tiger List.


    "Ling Cheng, watch closely; you might learn some experience," Qiu Yong reminded.


    "Got it."


    While Ling Chen was enjoying thepetition on the stage, he felt an intermittent gaze sweeping over from the opposite side.


    Ling Chen looked up to see someone seated at the other end of the tform¡ªit was Zhu Xiaozhu. As their gazes met, Zhu Xiaozhu turned her head away bashfully, her cheeks slightly flushed as she watched the contest on the stage absent-mindedly.


    Neither Ling Chen nor Zhu Xiaozhu noticed that their inadvertent actions had been observed by someone nearby.


    At that moment, a clear gong sound resonated, and the contenders on the stage had concluded their match, determining the victor by point scoring. The middle-aged man who went up first seeded in holding the stage.


    Half an hour passed, and the middle-aged man won four rounds in a row, but unfortunately lost in thest match, narrowly missing out on Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯s generous reward.


    By noon, no one had seeded in iming a prize.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, this morning¡¯s Heavenly Mechanism Chaos Battle hase to an end. Please take a break; we will continue at two o¡¯clock in the afternoon."


    Hearing Zhou Qi¡¯s words, everyone stood up and walked in groups toward the restaurant on the magnificent cruise ship. After watching the battles all morning, they were famished.


    The restaurant offered a buffet with a wide variety of food, both Chinese and Western, and even the chefs were top-tier chefs from star-rated hotels. In terms of food and amodation, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was far from stingy, aiming to provide everyone with the best service.


    "Ling Cheng, eat more, the main event is in the afternoon," Qiu Yong patted Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder and said.


    Ling Chen grinned and said, "Big brother, I never treat myself poorly when ites to eating." After saying that, he picked up two tes piled with food and sat down at a dining table.


    Just as he was about to start eating, Ling Chen suddenly felt a sharp gaze staring right at him, very close by.


    He slowly lifted his head and looked across the table, only to see a young man leaning on the table, looking down at him with displeasure.


    Ling Chen put down the salt and pepper shrimp in his hand and smiled, "My friend, if you want to eat, go get your own. What are you looking at me for?"


    "The surname is Ling, cut the crap with me," the young man said coldly. "I¡¯m warning you, stay away from Xiaozhu. If you dare to so much as nce at her again, I¡¯ll gouge out your eyes."


    Hearing the young man¡¯s threat, the smile on Ling Chen¡¯s face gradually faded and he replied indifferently, "Who are you?"


    "Han Yu! If you want to leave this ship in one piece, remember what I¡¯ve said." After speaking, Han Yu nced at Qiu Yong and the othersing over and turned to leave.


    Watching Han Yu¡¯s retreating back, Ling Chen slightly furrowed his brows.


    Han Yu? The Han Yu who¡¯s ranked second on the Neer List?


    Damn it! Who have I offended? Why does everyone from the Neer List find trouble with me? I¡¯ve never even interacted with Han Yu.


    Xiaozhu?


    That¡¯s right!


    Thinking of Han Yu¡¯s words just now, Ling Chen instantly realized that it was all because of Zhu Xiaozhu.


    He vaguely remembered that the night he met with Shi Su, he was told that there was a young prodigy a thousand times better than him being introduced to his disciple. Could that person be Han Yu?


    Darn!


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but want to curse. Why was his luck so terrible, to be inexplicably making enemies and being threatened like this? Did he look like someone who was easy to bully?


    "Ling Cheng, what are you thinking about?"


    Wei Jiahao¡¯s voice reached him, and Ling Chen looked down and fiddled with the pepper salt shrimp on his te, casually saying, "It¡¯s nothing."


    After lunch, everyone returned to their rooms for a rest. At two o¡¯clock in the afternoon, they gathered at the venue once again.


    The host, Zhou Qi, walked up to the center of the arena with a smile and said, "To save everyone¡¯s time, make up your minds. If you want toe up, juste up. I won¡¯t bother with any more talk."


    As soon as the voice fell, Ling Chen saw Yuan Yun, who was sitting next to Xia Yue, get up and walk towards the ring.


    "Third brother?"


    Ling Chen paused, then quickly turned his gaze to Qiu Yong and the others, only to see them all with calm expressions, not at all surprised by Yuan Yun¡¯s move.


    "Big brother, did you all know that third brother was going up?"


    Qiu Yong nodded and said, "Your third brother is worried about your injury, so he wants to win a Heavenly Mechanism Pill for you, to give you a better chance when you face Yi Shuiyan."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen felt warmth in his eyes and a touch of emotion welled up in his heart.


    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 418 - 414 Yuan Yun Goes into Battle

    <h4>Chapter 418: Chapter 414 Yuan Yun Goes into Battle</h4><h4></h4>


    As Yuan Yun entered the arena, a considerable stir arose in the venue, with everyone discussing animatedly and showing surprise on their faces. No one expected Yuan Yun to make a move at this time.


    From their perspective, even if Yuan Yun were to act, it would be to vie for the grand prize, because only the grand prize contained a high-quality Heavenly Mechanism Pill. But what they didn¡¯t know was that Yuan Yun was not doing this for himself, but for Ling Chen.


    Only a Dragon List expert could consume a high-quality Heavenly Mechanism Pill, and Ling Chen¡¯s current strength was still in the Tiger List; even if he were given a high-quality Heavenly Mechanism Pill, he wouldn¡¯t be able to fully absorb its potency. Hence, it would be more cost-effective to go for a regr Heavenly Mechanism Pill, without expending so much effort in the contest.


    Seeing Yuan Yun standing proudly in the center of the arena, de in hand, looking around with a daunting gaze, no one came down to challenge him.


    Zhou Qi, standing beside the stage, looked at the time and reminded everyone, "Ladies and gentlemen, there are two minutes left. If no onees onto the stage within five minutes, the contestant will automatically win."


    Hearing this, some started to grow restless. However, considering Yuan Yun¡¯s identity, the crowd hesitated.


    The Eight entrics, each with their unique extraordinary skills, were recognized in the Martial Arts world for their impressive strength. Anyone thinking of taking the stage would have to first weigh whether they were truly qualified.


    Moreover, the most crucial rule of the Heavenly Mechanism Chaos Battle was that each person had only one chance. Once defeated, they could not take the stage again. As a result, everyone wanted to save their opportunity for a moment when they were most confident.


    "Does no one wish to take the stage?" Zhou Qi called out again, unwilling to ept the silence.


    Everyone looked at each other, without a single response.


    "I¡¯ve long heard of the formidable strength of the Eight entrics. I shall experience it myself, then."


    A snarky voice rang out, drawing everyone¡¯s gaze to the Qingyang Sect¡¯s seating area. A man in his thirties stood up from his seat and walked up to the stage.


    The middle-aged man was tall and thin, with a sickly pallor thatpletelycked the vigorous energy typical of men.


    Upon seeing this middle-aged man, a surprised murmur rose from the crowd, and even Qiu Yong and others turned serious. Ling Chen, concerned, asked, "Big brother, who is that man?"


    Qiu Yong frowned and replied, "Zhu Xi, Qu Yuan¡¯s Junior Brother, a Dragon List expert."


    Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed. It was a Dragon List expert. The Qingyang Sect¡¯s interference at this time was probably in retaliation for the incident that night. As he pondered, Zhu Xi had already approached Yuan Yun, smiling ominously, "Yuan Yun, fighting may lead to idental injuries. Don¡¯t me me if you get hurtter."


    Yuan Yun responded indifferently, "We¡¯ll see if you¡¯re capable enough."


    As soon as he finished speaking, Zhu Xi¡¯s eyes sharpened, and his hands rapidly reached for his waist. With just a sh of cold light, Zhu Xi had already moved close to Yuan Yun, with both glimmers of cold steel aiming for Yuan Yun¡¯s neck.


    Faced with Zhu Xi¡¯s assault, Yuan Yun remainedposed, moving swiftly at the feet, constantly changing position, dodging Zhu Xi¡¯s attacks. In his hands, the steel de remained unengaged, as he patiently waited for the right moment.


    In the blink of an eye, the two had exchanged more than a dozen moves. Zhu Xi maintained the initiative throughout, relentless after more than a dozen attacks, bing increasingly fierce.


    Ling Chen noticed that Zhu Xi held a short curved de in each hand, employing tricky techniques specially targeting those spots hard to defend against. Not only that, Zhu Xi had extensivebat experience. He knew well the advantage of greater reach, thus he kept to close-quarterbat, limiting the efficacy of Yuan Yun¡¯s steel de.


    At this point, Yuan Yun, who had been on the defensive, started to lose patience. With a flick of his wrist, the steel de swung up rapidly, spinning like a windmill and pushing Zhu Xi back several steps. Without hesitation, Yuan Yun¡¯s toe tapped the ground, the steel de raised high overhead, swinging down directly towards Zhu Xi¡¯s head.


    Faced with the fierce de wind, Zhu Xi immediately raised the two short curved des, crossing them against each other to form an ¡¯X¡¯, managing to brace against the steel de forcibly.


    Before Yuan Yun could draw back his broadsword, Zhu Xi¡¯s lips curved in a sneer, a chilly gleam in his eyes. He forcefully mped his twin hook swords around the de, effectively locking it in ce.


    Taking advantage of the moment, the two hook swords slid along the broadsword, sparking brilliant fire as they went. In an instant, they were pushed up to the hilt of the broadsword.


    "Let go!"


    Zhu Xi shouted coldly, his hook swords raised high, showing no mercy as he aimed a chop at Yuan Yun¡¯s wrist.


    Seeing this, Yuan Yun¡¯s face darkened. He immediately released his right hand from the grip of the sword, evading Zhu Xi¡¯s strike.


    Onlookers of the battle couldn¡¯t help but shake their heads as they saw Yuan Yun¡¯s broadsword slip from his grasp.


    The oue of the battle was now determined.


    Everyone knew that Yuan Yun¡¯s greatest strengthy in his sword technique. Without his sword, he was like a gunman without a gun, incapable of demonstrating his true abilities.


    In the spectator seats, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but clench his fists, anxiously watching Yuan Yun, his face etched with tension.


    "Don¡¯t worry." Qiu Yong, who noticed Ling Chen¡¯s restlessness, reassured him, "With your third brother¡¯s skill, he won¡¯t be defeated so easily."


    As they spoke, the fight on the stage took another turn.


    Before the broadsword even touched the ground, Yuan Yun twisted his body, avoiding Zhu Xi¡¯s attack. With one quick movement, his left hand grabbed the floating broadsword securely.


    Zhu Xi pressed on step by step, his hook swords cleaving from left and right, aiming straight for Yuan Yun¡¯s shoulders. Pressed for time and unable to switch his sword hand, Yuan Yun could only wield his left arm, directing the broadsword backward in a sh.


    ng! ng!


    With two crisp sounds, the des of the hook swords were instantly struck by the broadsword, deflecting off course and missing Yuan Yun¡¯s shoulders.


    With his offense thwarted, Zhu Xi frowned inwardly, not content to admit defeat and advanced again. But before he could close the distance, a fierce gust of de wind suddenly bore down on him.


    Watching the broadsword descend upon his head, Zhu Xi smirked coldly.


    The same move again? Had he forgotten the lesson from before?


    Without overthinking, Zhu Xi swiftly raised his hook swords above his head, crossed them into an ¡¯X¡¯, ready to block the iing de.


    However, as the broadsword came down, Zhu Xi only felt his arms sink heavily. The fierce power instantly broke through his defense; his hook swords didn¡¯t stand against the broadsword for even a second before it prated through, crashing harshly onto his left shoulder.


    Feeling the pain in his left shoulder, Zhu Xi¡¯s face drastically changed. Simultaneously, members of the Qingyang Sect stood up, ring at Yuan Yun with fury, eximing, "Audacious! Yuan Yun, how dare you injure someone from our Qingyang Sect."


    "Combates with the risk of injury. Stepping into the arena means being prepared for it. Sect Leader Qu, is the Qingyang Sect trying to use its influence to pressure others?"


    The speaker wasn¡¯t Yuan Yun, but Zhou Qi. He swept a nce over the people of the Qingyang Sect and said in a detached tone, "Everyone, please sit down and don¡¯t block those behind you."

 Chapter 419 - 415 Heavenly Mechanism Pill

    <h4>Chapter 419: Chapter 415 Heavenly Mechanism Pill</h4><h4></h4>


    Qu Yuan looked grimly at Yuan Yun, not daring to defy Zhou Qi¡¯s words, and sat back down obediently.


    After scolding the members of the Qingyang Sect, Qu Yuan turned his head to look at Yuan Yun and Zhu Xi on the stage, smiling as he said, "Brother Yuan is truly an expert with the de. Zhu Xi, you should thank him quickly for showing mercy. If Brother Yuan had not held back, you¡¯d be disabled by now."


    Hearing this, Zhu Xi suddenly realized that it was the back of the de, not the cutting edge, that hadnded on his left shoulder. Otherwise, his left arm would likely have been ruined.


    Zhu Xi secretly sighed in relief, looked at Yuan Yun in front of him, and said in a deep voice, "The Eight entrics truly live up to their reputation." After saying this, without even voicing a word of thanks, he turned around and went back to the seats of the Qingyang Sect.


    Zhou Qi shook his head. Zhu Xi was too narrow-minded. Even as a Dragon List expert, it would be difficult for him to achieve anything great in the future.


    "Alright! The first stage duel is over, Yuan Yun wins. Is there anyone else who wishes to challenge?"


    Zhou Qi looked around at the audience, but no one responded.


    At this moment, Ling Chen, sitting below the stage, watched Yuan Yun holding his de, his expression one of contemtion.


    "Big Brother."


    "What is it?"


    "Third Brother, he..."


    "You¡¯ve noticed?" Qiu Yong smiled slightly and said, "The real power of your Third Brother lies in his left-handed de, not his right hand. The same move has an entirely different effect when executed with the left handpared to the right¡ªthis is his true strength."


    So that was it!


    It wasn¡¯t until this moment that Ling Chen realized Yuan Yun had always kept his skill hidden. Without the element of surprise, he probably wouldn¡¯t have won so easily.


    "Is there no one else?" Zhou Qi stood on the stage, calling out several times, but still no one came forward to challenge. It was a joke; even a Dragon List expert was no match for Yuan Yun, who else would dare to go up? Although there were quite a few experts present, they didn¡¯t want to waste their chances on Yuan Yun¡ªwhat they were targeting was the grand prize from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    Five minutes passed, and seeing that no one challenged, ording to the rules, Yuan Yun automatically won and received a generous prize.


    Back at his seat, Yuan Yun passed the newly acquired wooden box to Ling Chen and said, "Try the effect when you get backter."


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t put on any airs; he carefully stowed the wooden box away, keeping all his gratitude in his heart, waiting for an opportunity to repay the favor in the future.


    The afternoon quickly passed, and after Yuan Yun, another twenty or thirty people participated in the Heavenly Mechanism Chaos Battle, but only three of the prepared prizes were given out, showing the fierce level ofpetition.


    ...


    After having dinner, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t wait to return to his room, locked the door, then sat cross-legged on the bed and took out that wooden box. He opened the lid, and insidey a pure white medicinal pill, about the size of a lychee, emitting a faint fragrance.


    Ling Chen carefully held the pill in his hand and ced it directly into his mouth.


    The pill melted upon entering his mouth, immediately turning into a sweet liquid that flowed down his throat, reminiscent of sugary water.


    After consuming the pill, Ling Chen cleared his mind of distractions, sat quietly on the bed, eyes slightly closed, feeling the changes within himself. However, minutes passed, and there was no reaction in his body.


    Ling Chen opened his eyes, feeling puzzled. Could there be a problem with the pill, seeing as there was no sensation even after all this time?


    Just as he was thinking, Ling Chen suddenly felt a warmth spreading through his body, as if a zing me had risen in his abdomen, burning his body, with sweat continuously seeping out from his pores. In no time, his skin was covered in beads of sweat, even soaking his clothes.


    After another half an hour, Ling Chen felt ufortable all over, especially on the surface of his skin where ayer of sticky substance had formed, giving off an irritating odor, making him badly want to wash it off immediately.


    Considering it might be the effect of the Heavenly Mechanism Pill, Ling Chen held his breath in concentration, quietly sitting cross-legged.


    He didn¡¯t know how long had passed, but when Ling Chen woke up again, it was pitch ck outside the window, and the waves were raging¡ªit was already midnight. Ling Chen was secretly shocked; he hadn¡¯t realized so much time had passed.


    At this moment, his skin was covered with ayer of gray powdery substance, seemingly hardened from that sticky material.


    Seeing that his body had returned to normal, Ling Chen immediately got up and ran into the bathroom, washing away the filth from his body with hot water.


    After everything was done, for some reason, Ling Chen felt an overwhelming sleepiness, utterly devoid of energy, his whole body weary, only wanting to fall asleep.


    He had wanted to persevere, to see the changes in himself. But Ling Chen simply couldn¡¯t resist andid straight down on the bed. In less than ten seconds, his snoring started up immediately.


    ...


    Knock knock knock!


    The clear knocking sound entered his ears and Ling Chen, groggy, opened his eyes, yawning and sitting up from the bed.


    "Coming!"


    Stretching, Ling Chen rubbed his sleepy eyes and walked towards the door. Not far out, Ling Chen suddenly stopped in his tracks, looking at his body with a face full of surprise.


    Just now, he had felt different from before; his body had be lighter and more effortless to move, that indescribable feeling was wonderful.


    Knock knock knock! Knock knock knock!


    Hearing the persistent knocking, Ling Chen snapped back to reality and quickly ran to the door, opening it to see Qiu Yong and the others all standing outside.


    "Big Brother, Second Brother..." Ling Chen weed them in, greeting everyone in turn.


    Qiu Yong sized up Ling Chen and said with a smile, "Did everyone notice that something seems different about Ling Cheng?"


    Xia Yue nodded and agreed, "It must be the effect of the Heavenly Mechanism Pill." After speaking, Xia Yue curiously asked, "Ling Cheng, how do you feel?"


    "Fantastic!" Ling Chen grinned and said, "Like I¡¯ve received a younger body."


    "The main effect of the Heavenly Mechanism Pill is to change your physique; it won¡¯t do much for power enhancement, but if we go to the martial arts practice fieldter, we¡¯ll see the real effects," Yuan Yun interjected.


    "Enough talk, let¡¯s go and witness it already," Xia Yue said eagerly, hastening Ling Chen out the door.


    The luxurious cruise ship was fully equipped, including an independent martial arts training ground.


    After everyone arrived, Yuan Yun drew out his steel saber and walked to the center of the field, throwing Ling Chen a look, signaling him to attack.


    Ling Chen did not hold back, approaching barehanded.


    "Third Brother, be careful."


    As he spoke, Ling Chen took in a deep breath, his legs kicked forcefully, like an arrow off the string, he quickly rushed in front of Yuan Yun and threw a punch.


    Watching the sparring and Ling Chen¡¯s performance, Qiu Yong, and the others nodded continuously from the sidelines.


    "Not bad, faster than before, and the reaction is much more sensitive. Third Brother¡¯s hard work has not been in vain; the Heavenly Mechanism Pill is indeed good stuff."


    Hearing Qiu Yong¡¯sment, Xia Yue said with a smile, "Big Brother, I think you should try andpete for that grand prize. If an ordinary Heavenly Mechanism Pill has such good effects, a high-quality Heavenly Mechanism Pill must be extraordinary, it might greatly help in enhancing your strength."

 Chapter 420 - 416: Accidentally Entering the Boudoir

    <h4>Chapter 420: Chapter 416: identally Entering the Boudoir</h4><h4></h4>


    "Let¡¯s see when the timees."


    During the conversation, Ling Chen, who was practicing with Yuan Yun, suddenly lost his bnce and stumbled forward. Thankfully, Yuan Yun reacted quickly and caught his arm, preventing him from falling to the ground.


    Seeing this, Qiu Yong and the others rushed over to the sitting, pained-faced Ling Chen and asked with concern, "Junior Brother, what happened?"


    Ling Chen stretched his hand to rub his lower back and said with a bitter smile, "The injury acted up again."


    Upon hearing this, everyone¡¯s expressions instantly turned grave.


    "Big Brother, can¡¯t the Heavenly Mechanism Pill cure Junior Brother¡¯s injury?" Xia Yue asked.


    Before Qiu Yong could speak, Xu Ming shook his head and said, "If it was an internal injury, the Heavenly Mechanism Pill might be somewhat effective, but Junior Brother has sustained external injuries; we can only treat it through recuperation."


    "What should we do then?" Xia Yue¡¯s tone was filled with urgency and worry, "Thepetition is tomorrow, and with his current condition, even if he goes on the stage, he won¡¯t be able topete."


    "It¡¯s okay." Ling Chen forced a smile and said, "I can endure it. Big Brother, please take me back to my room to rest."


    Qiu Yong nodded, and Wei Jiahao along with Xia Yue supported Ling Chen as they left the training ground.


    As the group was leaving the training ground, heading back to the rooms, a group of people approached from the opposite direction, led by Yi Shuiyan, followed by Qin Wu and others.


    Seeing Ling Chen being assisted in his walk, a hardly perceptible cold glint shed in Yi Shuiyan¡¯s eyes. He sneered as he walked by without saying a word.


    "Senior Brother, looking at Ling Chen, it seems like he¡¯s seriously injured," Qin Wu said.


    "That¡¯s not my concern," Yi Shuiyan said coldly. "Whether he¡¯s injured or not, I must get the Tianling de."


    "What if he withdraws from thepetition at thest minute?" Qin Wu expressed her concern, "With the eight odd characters protecting him, we might not be able to snatch the Tianling de back."


    Hearing this, Yi Shuiyan stopped in his tracks, his eyebrows frowning into a line. Qin Wu¡¯s spection forced him to be cautious. After pondering for a while, a cold smile curled the corners of Yi Shuiyan¡¯s mouth, and his brows slightly rxed.


    "If he wants to withdraw, I¡¯ll force him to fight." Saying so, Yi Shuiyan called a Junior Brother over and whispered a few instructions in his ear.


    "Go, don¡¯t mess this up."


    "Yes, Senior Brother."


    ...


    Back in his room after resting for a while, Ling Chen felt the pain lessen significantly and wanted to join Qiu Yong and others at the venue. However, considering his injury, Qiu Yong denied his request and asked him to rest in his room.


    Watching everyone leave, Ling Cheny on the bed, bored, staring at the ceiling and lost in thought. He had thought taking the Heavenly Mechanism Pill would give him a more solid chance against Yi Shuiyan, but the injury in his waist became his biggest issue.


    During his earlier practice with Yuan Yun, he had already felt how the injury seriously affected his movement.


    What to do?


    Should he choose to give up?


    No, that¡¯s not eptable!


    Ling Chen shook his head silently. No matter what, he couldn¡¯t give up. Even if not for himself, he couldn¡¯t let porridge girl feel disappointed.


    He clearly remembered that night when Yi Shuiyan appeared, it was porridge girl who saved him at the critical moment. Although his consciousness was hazy at the time, he recognized porridge girl¡¯s voice.


    Even after so long, the words of Porridge Girl still echoed in his ears.


    He did not want to be the weaker one; even if he lost in strength, he could not lose in momentum.


    After resting in the room for two hours, Ling Chen sat up, preparing to take a walk on the deck, feel the sea breeze, and rx his mood.


    Leaving the room, Ling Chen went straight to the deck. At this moment, only he was around, everyone else had gone to the venue to watch the martial artspetition.


    That¡¯s good, a rare moment of quiet.


    Standing at the edge of the ship¡¯s rail, Ling Chen looked out with raised eyes, watching the azure sea and the clear blue sky, his gloomy mood suddenly brightened a lot.


    At that moment, the corner of Ling Chen¡¯s eye suddenly caught a glimpse of a white figure. However, when he turned his head to chase the figure, it had already disappeared.


    Strange!


    Ling Chen muttered to himself; he had clearly seen someone, but how did they vanish in the blink of an eye? With that thought, he walked over to where the figure had appeared, his gaze searching around for the other party¡¯s whereabouts.


    However, although he didn¡¯t find the person, Ling Chen found a cabin door nearby. The figure must have gone in there; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have disappeared.


    A yellow sign was posted outside the cabin door, indicating that this area was off-limits, and unauthorized personnel were not allowed to enter. Ling Chen looked around, saw that no one on the deck noticed him, and driven by curiosity, he opened the cabin door and quickly stepped inside.


    Behind the cabin door was a corridor. Ling Chen walked along the corridor for over ten meters, and a faint fragrance immediately hit his face. Guided by the fragrance, Ling Chen soon found himself outside a room.


    The door was slightly ajar, and through the crack, the fragrance inside the room was even more intense, subtle and intoxicating.


    Ling Chen reached out to push the door open and peeked inside, only to see the room was empty, not a person in sight.


    Could it be the wrong ce?


    Ling Chen muttered to himself, hesitating for a moment, he stepped into the room.


    The room¡¯s decor was simple, with an antique feel, the floor was pure wood, and the wall surfaces were decorated with bamboo strips. In the middle of the room, four thin curtains hung down to the floor. Through the curtains, the items inside were hazy and unclear.


    Ling Chen walked forward, lifted the curtains, and saw inside the curtains there was a tea table with aplete set of Kung Fu tea utensils, and a bamboo mat was spread beside it.


    Whose ce is this?


    Ling Chen was somewhat puzzled; the location of this guest room was not only remote but also very hidden. Most importantly, there was a no-entry sign posted outside.


    This luxurious giant ship belongs to Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, and the people who could live here must also be from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    With that thought, Ling Chen immediately retreated towards the doorway. After all, he was just a guest; it would be bad if he was found intruding on private quarters without permission.


    However, just as Ling Chen was about to leave, the door next to the room leading to the bedroom was suddenly opened by someone. Following that, a woman walked out of the bedroom.


    Seeing that woman, Ling Chen¡¯s face instantly changed, and his eyes widened.


    At that moment, the woman was only wearing a thin bralette, with a white skirt wrapped around her lower body, her fair skinpletely visible.


    As their eyes met, the woman was immediately stunned in ce, staring dazedly at Ling Chen and seemed unable to react for a moment.


    The first to regain hisposure was Ling Chen, he quickly turned around, feeling embarrassed and said, "I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to, I... I¡¯ll leave right now." Speaking, Ling Chen hastened his steps towards the door.


    "Stop!"


    At this moment, the woman¡¯s voice came from behind, soft and clean like the lingering fragrance in the room, subtle and pleasing to the ears.

 Chapter 421 - 417 Tea Girl

    <h4>Chapter 421: Chapter 417 Tea Girl</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen halted his steps, inwardly groaning that this woman was relentless and seemed intent on holding him ountable. Fearing his eyes might offend her once more, Ling Chen responded without turning back, "That... it was really a misunderstanding. It wasn¡¯t intentional."


    "Just stand here for now," said the woman in an indifferent tone. Immediately after, Ling Chen heard the sound of the bedroom door closing.


    In less than a minute, the woman¡¯s voice rang out again, "Sit down."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen turned around and found the woman already seated behind the curtain. Since she had spoken, Ling Chen dared not disobey; he was at fault, after all. He thought to himself that he should apologize sincerelyter; maybe she would forgive him.


    With that thought, Ling Chen honestly took a seat outside the curtain.


    "What¡¯s your name?"


    "Ling Chen."


    "Ling Chen?" The woman behind the curtain chuckled lightly, as if talking to herself, "So you¡¯re Ling Chen."


    Ling Chen asked in surprise, "You know me?"


    "I¡¯ve heard of you. The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion initially nned to ce you on the Neer List, but after thorough consideration, they decided not to include you."


    As I thought!


    Ling Chen nodded inwardly, confirming his guess that this woman was also a member of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, although he didn¡¯t know her status within it.


    "When you came in just now, didn¡¯t you see the warning sign outside?"


    "I did."


    "Yet you still entered?"


    "Well..." Ling Chen touched his nose awkwardly, exining, "I didn¡¯t mean to barge in. I just wanted to find someone."


    "There¡¯s only me living here, so were you looking for me?" the woman asked.


    "I..."


    Before Ling Chen could finish speaking, the woman behind the curtain cut him off, continuing, "Never mind, I won¡¯t pursue it since it¡¯s your first offense. Since we¡¯ve met, it must be fate. Take a seat and we can chat."


    Ling Chen was secretly relieved and breathed a sigh of relief. He was indeed afraid that this woman would hold him ountable and that it would affect Qiu Yong and the others, especially since this was someone else¡¯s territory.


    As he heard the sounds of washing tea utensilsing from behind the curtain, Ling Chenpletely rxed and asked with a smile, "I still don¡¯t know what to call you."


    "I have no name. People have referred to me by various titles, but no one has ever called me by my name. Over time, I¡¯ve forgotten it. A name is just abel; you can call me whatever you like."


    Ling Chen cracked a smile, finding the woman¡¯s personality quite simr to that of porridge girl.


    Thinking of porridge girl, an idea shed through Ling Chen¡¯s mind, and he grinned, "Since you don¡¯t care for titles, I¡¯ll call you Tea Girl."


    "As you wish."


    As they spoke, a pair of smooth and fair hands emerged from behind the curtain, offering a cup of steaming tea.


    Ling Chen hurriedly took it, thanking her.


    "Did youe to the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony this time to broaden your horizons, or is there another purpose?" asked Tea Girl.


    "Settling some issues of enmity and gratitude."


    Tea Girl seemed to sigh as she said, "People in the Martial Arts can never escape these words of enmity and gratitude. Despite the evolution of the ages, this has never changed."


    Ling Chenughed, "Where there are people, there will be grievances. Times change, but human nature does not."


    "You seem to have a deep understanding," Tea Girl said with a hint of admiration in her voice.


    "One learns from experience."


    "Who is your opponent?"


    "Yi Shuiyan."


    "Is it him?" Tea Girl seemed surprised and peered at Ling Chen through the curtain, asking, "Are you confident you can defeat him?"


    "To be honest, no."


    "Then why still go through with it?"


    Ling Chen sipped the tea. The bitterness spread through his mouth but quickly transformed into a sense of rity and invigoration.


    "Good tea." Ling Chen¡¯s lips curved upward as he smiled, "Many things aren¡¯t done based on certainty, but on necessity. If I believe it¡¯s the right thing to do, no matter how strong the opponent, I will not back down. To put it simply, you could say it¡¯s a man¡¯s pride."


    "You¡¯re quite frank. But I know Yi Shuiyan well; his martial arts are exceptional. On the Neer List, aside from Song Ge who ranks first, Han Yu in the second ce, Qu Jinxian in third, and Yi Shuiyan in fourth, their abilities are quite close. The reason why Han Yu is ranked second is that the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion sees potential in him." Pausing with a yful tone, Tea Girl asked, "Do you want to know how the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion evaluates you?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up with curiosity, "What¡¯s their evaluation?"


    "Mediocre talent, mediocre martial arts, mediocre background, but the one thing that¡¯s quite good is your charm with women."


    Er...


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s face turned red, and he awkwardly scratched his head. He had to admit, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯s intelligence capabilities were quite impressive to have such a clear grasp of his poprity with women.


    He coughed lightly, masking his embarrassment, andughed, "At least there¡¯s one good thing."


    "If you don¡¯t mind, would you tell me what Internal Cultivation Methods you practice?"


    Ling Chen puzzled, "Why ask that?"


    "Nothing much, just to assess the gap between you and Yi Shuiyan. When masters contend, besides external skills, the most important is Inner Strength. The types of Internal Cultivation Methods are many, some strong, some weak, each with different effects. As far as I know, Yi Shuiyan doesn¡¯t practice the inherited mental method of the Dangyang Sect; instead, he practices a type of robust Inner Strength. This method paired with his unique sword technique is highlyplementary, rendering it extremely powerful."


    "My Internal Cultivation Method is quite special; it¡¯s called the Prajnaparamita Sutra. Have you heard of it?" Ling Chen didn¡¯t hide it, as it was just the name of the method and not the content; there was no harm in telling her.


    "The Prajnaparamita Sutra?" Tea Girl sounded surprised from behind the curtain.


    Noticing the change in Tea Girl¡¯s tone, Ling Chen asked, "Do you know of this method?"


    "Hundreds of years ago, there was an exceptional individual in Buddhism who, before his conversion, was a wanderer in the Martial Arts with high skill, having exchanged moves with the past several Pavilion Masters of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, neither of them superior. This wanderer was free and unbound, known for many good deeds. However, he had one bad habit."


    "What habit?"


    "He..." Tea Girl seemed reluctant to speak, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "That person liked to seduce daughters from noble families and virtuous women. Moreover, his actions were worse than a rapist: not only did he take their bodies, but he also took their hearts, a true heartbreaker. Later, no one knows why he suddenly changed his ways and converted to Buddhism. In less than ten years, he transformed into a high monk and even served as a Buddhist abbot."

 Chapter 422 - 418 The Secret of the Prajnaparamita Sutra

    <h4>Chapter 422: Chapter 418 The Secret of the Prajnaparamita Sutra</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen eximed in surprise, "Is he that formidable?"


    "Although his actions are despicable, one must admit that his aptitude is truly outstanding. Whatever he does, he can reach the pinnacle in a short time. At that time, almost no one in the Martial Arts world couldpare."


    "What eventually happened to him?"


    The Tea Girl said, "He stayed in the Buddhist temple for twenty years, only to be expelled from it."


    "Why?"


    "Because of the Prajnaparamita Sutra. The Prajnaparamita Sutra was an Internal Cultivation Method he developed within the Buddhist temple. Even though it is named after a Buddhist scripture, this method involves the forbidden elements of sensuality and killing, both prohibited by the monks. The abbot at the time ordered him to cease his research on this mental method, but he refused to repent, leading to his expulsion. Since then, no one has seen him."


    Having finished speaking, the Tea Girl couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Where did you obtain the Prajnaparamita Sutra from?"


    As soon as the words left her mouth, she seemed to realize something and quickly corrected herself, saying, "Sorry, I forgot the rules. Please disregard myst question."


    Behind a curtain, Ling Chen, greatly interested, looked at the Tea Girl and said, "You seem to be very informed about these centuries-old events."


    "There¡¯s nothing surprising about that. Ever since the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was founded, it has continuously collected intelligence from within the Martial Arts world. Even after hundreds of years, that information has been organized and archived, well-preserved without omissions. Such outdated intelligence can be freely read by members of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    Ling Chen nodded and humbly asked for guidance, "You just mentioned that the Prajnaparamita Sutra involves sensuality and conflict. Could you exin that to me?"


    When he first acquired the Prajnaparamita Sutra, its content was recorded in Sanskrit, and it was only with He Ziyun¡¯s help that he was able to decipher the Internal Cultivation Methods written there. However, despite having practiced the Prajnaparamita Sutra, Ling Chen was still partially ignorant of many aspects.


    He understood what the Tea Girl referred to in terms of sensuality¡ªenhancing one¡¯s Inner Strength by gathering Yin energy from women through sexual intercourse. He had experienced this himself, and the effects were indeed remarkable. However, he didn¡¯t understand the killing aspect she mentioned. Could it be that the Prajnaparamita Sutra had other effects?


    "These are matters rted to the intelligence of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. There are rules in the Pavilion: vital information such as this cannot be disclosed casually. If you really want it, you can buy it."


    "Buy?" Ling Chen was momentarily stunned, then quickly understood and said generously, "Alright, name your price."


    "You might not be aware of the rules of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Our intelligence is not measured by money. If you want intel, you must perform tasks for us."


    "What kind of tasks?"


    "That depends on the value of the information. The higher the value, the more tasks you¡¯ll need to perform¡ªperhaps three, maybe five."


    Ling Chen thought for a moment and then asked, "What¡¯s the price for the information I want?"


    "Sorry, you don¡¯t have the standing to discuss terms with me yet. With your current strength, even if we at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion assigned tasks to you, you wouldn¡¯t be able toplete them."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen was immediately displeased. All that talking turned out to be a waste of breath.


    Fine! If she won¡¯t talk, I won¡¯t ask. Ling Chen thought haughtily.


    Immediately, he stood up and said, "Thank you for the tea, but I must be going." After speaking, he waved his hand and walked out of the room.


    After Ling Chen had left, the Tea Girl sitting behind the curtain grasped a thin wire hanging from above her head and gave it a gentle pull. Apanied by the sound of a crisp wind chime, the door quickly opened, and a delicate-looking woman walked in. She knelt down respectfully outside the curtain and asked, "Pavilion Master, do you have any instructions?"


    The Tea Girl spoke in a cold tone, "Where were you just now? Didn¡¯t you know someone hade in?"


    The woman quickly bowed her head, her face filled with panic as she said, "I¡¯m sorry, Pavilion Master. You hadn¡¯t returned, so I left for a bit, I..."


    "Enough!" The Tea Girl cut her off and said firmly, "I¡¯ve taken care of it. Don¡¯t let it happen again, or you know the rules of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    Hearing this, the woman¡¯s body trembled slightly, and her delicate face turned extremely pale.


    "Go tell Zhou Qi that when the Neer Challenge begins, I will be there to observe."


    "Yes, Pavilion Master."


    At this moment, Ling Chen was walking alone back to his room, still thinking about the Tea Girl he had met by chance. Suddenly, he seemed to remember something, stopped in his tracks, and his face showed a mix of confusion and shock.


    How could this be?


    Ling Chen muttered to himself. He clearly remembered that although the Tea Girl had stayed behind the curtain, he had met her face to face before. He had seen her appearance, her snow-white skin, and her full bosom. But now, looking back, the Tea Girl¡¯s features had be blurry in his memory, and he could barely recall what she looked like. If he saw her again, he might not be able to identify her.


    Ling Chen had always prided himself on his memory and should not be experiencing this kind ofpse. But the reality before him forced him to wonder whether the problem was with himself or with the Tea Girl.


    That¡¯s right!


    A sudden thought struck him¡ªhe had drunk a cup of tea in the Tea Girl¡¯s room.


    Could there be something wrong with that cup of tea?


    After pondering for a while, Ling Chen affirmed to himself that it must have been because of that cup of tea; otherwise, he could not have forgotten the Tea Girl¡¯s face.


    Very cautious indeed.


    It seemed that the woman¡¯s position within the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was not low; otherwise, why would she resort to such measures?


    Forget it, it doesn¡¯t matter if I can¡¯t remember her face; remembering her voice will suffice.


    Upon returning to his room, Ling Cheny on the bed, pretending to rest for a while. When it was close to noon, Qiu Yong and the others finally returned, bringing with them a sumptuous lunch for Ling Chen.


    "Big brother."


    Ling Chen greeted them with a smile but noticed that everyone looked rather upset.


    "What¡¯s wrong, big brother?"


    "It¡¯s because of those bastards from the Dangyang Sect," Xia Yue cursed indignantly. "They¡¯ve publicized your agreement with Yi Shuiyan, iming that you will have a showdown on the Neer Challenge arena. Now, everyone knows about it, and they¡¯re all talking. Some say you¡¯re overreaching, while others think you¡¯re trying to make a name for yourself using Yi Shuiyan¡¯s reputation. Not a single word in your favor."


    Yuan Yun frowned and said, "The most important thing is, now that the news is out, if you back out or don¡¯t respond to the challenge, your reputation will bepletely destroyed. You won¡¯t be able to continue in this circle."


    "When Yi Shuiyan saw you were injured after leaving the training ground today, he probably feared you¡¯d withdraw from the fight, so he used this despicable tactic to force you into a no-choice situation, unless you¡¯re willing to lose face."


    Hearing Qiu Yong¡¯s words, Ling Chen smiled faintly, "Let them say what they will. I never intended to back down anyway."

 Chapter 423 - 419 Song Ge

    <h4>Chapter 423: Chapter 419 Song Ge</h4><h4></h4>


    In the afternoon, Qiu Yong originally wanted Ling Chen to stay in his room and continue resting, but upon hearing that there would be apetition for a grand prize in the afternoon, Ling Chen could no longer sit still. He knew that this afternoon was the real highlight. For the grand prize prepared by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, many experts would make their move, and Ling Chen didn¡¯t want to miss such an event.


    At Ling Chen¡¯s repeated requests, Qiu Yong reluctantly agreed to take him to the venue.


    Upon arriving at the venue and as everyone settled into their seats, Ling Chen immediately noticed that many people¡¯s gazes were focused on him, pointing and discussing.


    "See that? That¡¯s Ling Chen, the guy who ims he wants to have a showdown with Shuiyan on the stage."


    "He¡¯s really overestimating himself. Shuiyan is ranked in the top five of the Neer List; he hasn¡¯t even made it into the top ten. What qualifications does he have to challenge Shuiyan? He¡¯s just asking for trouble."


    There were others with a different opinion, saying, "You can¡¯t say that. Ling Chen is after all one of the Eight entrics. Each of the Eight entrics possesses unique skills. You saw yesterday¡¯spetition too, where Yuan Yun defeated a Dragon List expert. Perhaps Ling Chen truly has some real abilities."


    Ling Chen ignored the surrounding discussions and sat quietly, waiting for the martial artspetition to begin.


    After a while, the host Zhou Qi stepped onto the stage, looked around at the audience with a smile, and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, as the Heavenly Mechanism Chaos Battle progresses, we are approaching the most exciting match. Whoever wins this afternoon¡¯s match will receive a premium Heavenly Mechanism Pill provided by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. You all know the value of the premium Heavenly Mechanism Pill, so I won¡¯t say much more. Remember, there¡¯s only one chance; please cherish it."


    After speaking, Zhou Qi turned and stepped down from the stage, waiting for the first contestant toe up.


    By this time, everyone¡¯s gaze in the venue was on the Dragon List experts. It was clear to everyone that the Dragon List experts were the main attraction of the afternoon; others were just there to add to the excitement.


    Seeing that no one wasing up to the stage for a while, Liu Yunsong from the Dangyang Sect suddenly stood up and walked confidently to the stage. He greeted the audience with a bow and said, "Since no one wishes to go first, let me be the trailzer. Who is willing toe up and give me some pointers?"


    "Big brother, let me do it," Xia Yue said eagerly.


    Qiu Yong shook his head and said, "Don¡¯t rush, let¡¯s watch for a bit first."


    As his words fell, a young man slowly walked out from the crowd, with a handsome face wearing a gentle and humble smile, and leaped onto the stage.


    Ling Chen was somewhat surprised; he hadn¡¯t expected that the contestant would be a young man of simr age to himself.


    The young man, about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, stood tall and clean, with a friendly smile that gave a refreshing feeling. Combined with his handsome face, it added a bit of charm to him.


    "Oh my!"


    As the young man took to the stage, a wave of exmations immediately erupted from the venue.


    "It¡¯s actually Song Ge."


    "Why did hee to the stage?"


    Hearing the voices from the stands, Ling Chen was taken aback. This young man was actually Song Ge, the top-ranked fighter on the Neer List.


    "Big brother, can he also participate in the Heavenly Mechanism Chaos Battle?"


    "Why not," Qiu Yong replied. "Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has not restricted anyone from participating. As long as you have the ability, even someone from the Neer List can challenge these Dragon List masters." At this, Qiu Yong looked at Song Ge with a great interest and murmured to himself: "I¡¯ve heard that Song Ge, the first of the Neer List, is powerfully skilled and unfathomably mysterious. Nobody knows how strong he actually is. Today is a good opportunity to see whether he really lives up to his reputation."


    At this moment, Liu Yunsong on the stage saw Song Ge appearing, his face immediately shifted, his eyes narrowed hiding a cold glint, and he managed to squeeze out a slight smile, saying: "So it¡¯s Song."


    Song Ge politely sped his fists and with utmost courtesy, he said: "Mr. Liu, please be gentle, I look forward to learning from you."


    "Of course."


    During the conversation, Liu Yunsong nced at the seats of the Dangyang Sect, only to see Sect Leader Zhu Jin nodding subtly to him. Liu Yunsong immediately understood, turned his head to look at Song Ge on the stage, and made an inviting gesture saying: "You are junior, you make the first move."


    "Then I shall not hold back."


    As the words fell, Song Ge¡¯s face still wore a gentle smile, his legs moving swiftly like the wind, stepping in strange patterns, quickly moving around Liu Yunsong, maintaining a distance of about a meter.


    Seeing Song Ge¡¯s actions, Ling Chen nodded silently; the man was indeed smart, notunching a direct attack, but first probing Liu Yunsong¡¯s depth. The one-meter distance he maintained was just perfect, ready to advance or retreat, capable of responding promptly to any action from the opponent.


    At that moment, Liu Yunsong stood still on the spot, following Song Ge¡¯s footsteps closely with his gaze, shifting positions as he moved.


    Half a minute went by, and Liu Yunsong, who had been observing Song Ge¡¯s movements, finally decided to make a move. His fingers like sharp ws, quickly reached forward, grasping toward Song Ge¡¯s shoulder.


    Liu Yusong¡¯s timing and positioning were very precise; by the time the audience realized, Liu Yusong¡¯s hand had already locked onto Song Ge¡¯s shoulder. Sessfullynding the first strike, Liu Yunsong¡¯s face lit up with joy, immediately pressing forward, hoping to take this chance to defeat Song Ge.


    As Liu Yunsong rapidly approached him, Song Ge still wore a smiling face, undisturbed.


    A figure shed, and when Liu Yunsong came up close, Song Ge¡¯s shoulder shook slightly, and for some reason, Liu Yunsong¡¯s fingers were shaken off, slipping down from Song Ge¡¯s shoulder.


    This sudden change immediately shocked Liu Yunsong, who quickly retreated backward. But by then, Song Ge, with his agile steps, rapidly closing in on Liu Yunsong. Then, he raised a single palm and delivered what seemed like a light p.


    Without a word, Liu Yunsong folded his arms across his chest, palm against the back of his hand, forming a cross shape to meet Song Ge¡¯s fleshly palm.


    Bang!


    Apanied by a muffled sound, Liu Yunsong¡¯s body slightly leaned back as if he had lost his bnce, his steps retreating continuously until he stabilized himself two meters away.


    Seeing this scene, the crowd at the venue were taken aback, their eyes showing disbelief.


    Nobody expected that a prestigious Dragon List master would be repeatedly embarrassed by Song Ge¡¯s hands. And seeing how effortlessly Song Ge handled himself, it seemed like he hadn¡¯t even used his full strength.


    He truly lived up to his reputation as the first-ranked in the Neer List. Ling Chen marveled silently.


    "Mr. Liu, no need to hold back too much, I can still withstand. Let¡¯s go again!" Song Ge said with a smile.


    Hearing the teasing tone in his voice, Liu Yunsong¡¯s face quickly darkened. Losing to a junior wouldpletely disgrace him.

 Chapter 424 - 420 Shameless Ambush

    <h4>Chapter 424: Chapter 420 Shameless Ambush</h4><h4></h4>


    "Song is truly worthy of being the top on the Neer List, indeed formidable." Liu Yunsong said with a forced smile, reaching out to smooth his cuff. Seeing his gesture, a sharp cold light shed in Xu Ming¡¯s eyes as he said solemnly, "Liu Yunsong is preparing to make a sneaky move."


    Ling Chen asked in surprise, "Second brother, how do you know he¡¯s going to y dirty?"


    "You¡¯ll see soon."


    As they were speaking, Liu Yunsong lightly tapped with his toes, one fist and one palm, throwing himself toward Song Ge.


    "Take this!"


    With a light shout, Liu Yunsong shook his wrists, palms raised high like the crushing weight of Mount Tai,ing down toward the top of Song Ge¡¯s head. At the same time, his left fist thrust forward, fierce and unstoppable.


    Faced with Liu Yusong¡¯s dual attacks, Song Ge remainedposed. With a smile on his handsome face unchanged, his long arms moved swiftly like two nimble snakes, wrapping around Liu Yunsong¡¯s fist and palm,pletely neutralizing his Power.


    Once his Power and force were dissipated, Liu Yunsong, seeing the tide turning against him, hastily withdrew. However, Song Ge showed no sign of stopping. Before Liu Yunsong could move, Song Ge instantly moved forward, hands raised and coiled around Liu Yusong¡¯s wrists, closing in.


    Not good!


    Seeing the approaching figure, Liu Yunsong¡¯s pupils shrank and his face paled.


    "Go!"


    As Song Ge lightly eximed, his waist and shoulders coordinated in a powerful effort, hitting Liu Yunsong like a solid iron rod, sending him crashing heavily onto the arena tform.


    Feeling the pain in his chest and back, Liu Yunsong gritted his teeth and sprang back up.


    "Again!"


    With a furious shout, Liu Yunsong charged forward, his palms glowing red with concentrated Inner Strength, eyes losing all reason for the roaring fury within.


    On the spectator stand, Ling Chen shook his head silently. Getting consumed by rage was the biggest taboo in martial artspetition. Without rity, one couldn¡¯t make correct decisions and adapt, and the inevitable oue was clear.


    But what shocked Ling Chen the most was Song Ge. Liu Yunsong, after all a top eight contender on the Dragon List, posed no threat at all in front of Song Ge, showing a significant gap between their skills.


    Meanwhile, Liu Yunsong had already closed in on Song Ge, his palms fiercely aiming for Song Ge¡¯s chest.


    Song Ge smiled lightly, his eyes vividly bright and fearless as he raised his palms to meet the attack head-on.


    However, just as their palms were about to meet, Song Ge seemed to notice something, his expression suddenly changed, and a cold light exploded in his eyes as he swiftly leant back, bending into a bow shape.


    This sudden change left the onlooking crowd puzzled and bewildered, unaware of what had transpired.


    However, this movement left Song Gepletely exposed, full of vulnerabilities.


    Seizing this chance, Liu Yunsong, with a chilling smile, transformed his palms into fists, hammering down hard, knocking the bent-over Song Ge to the ground.


    Feeling a sharp pain in his chest, Song Ge¡¯s smile instantly vanished. Without a moment to think, he pped his hands on the ground, sliding his body out from in front of Liu Yunsong and quickly got back to his feet.


    "Song¡¯s skills are good, but he stillcks experience," Liu Yunsong sneered.


    Hearing this, Song, who had been expressionless, suddenly smiled slightly, meaningfully saying, "Mr. Liu, it¡¯s no doubt you are a Dragon List expert, but was this really worth it?"


    "You..."


    Liu Yunsong was about to respond, but Song Ge across from him didn¡¯t give him the chance to speak.


    With a swift movement, Song Ge quickly approached Liu Yunsong, throwing punches with both fists like an overwhelming force of thousands of troops, unstoppable by anyone.


    Seeing the cold gleam in Song Ge¡¯s eyes, for some reason, Liu Yunsong felt a strong sense of unease rising in his heart. He involuntarily stepped back and hastily yelled, "Stop! I acknowl..."


    Before he could finish shouting ¡¯admit defeat¡¯, Song Ge¡¯s feet forcefully propelled him forward, and his fist mmed harshly into Liu Yunsong¡¯s body.


    Crack!


    A crisp sound of bones breaking immediately spread from the stage.


    "Stop!"


    Sitting in the seats of the Dangyang Sect, Zhu Jin¡¯s expression turned cold, and he shouted loudly, soaring up from his seat like a great roc flying, rushing directly towards the stage to grab Song Ge.


    However, before his hand could reach Song Ge, it was blocked by an old man, the host and referee of this match, Zhou Qi.


    "Zhou Qi, what are you doing?" Zhu Jin shouted coldly.


    Zhou Qi calmly said, "Master Zhu, the match isn¡¯t over yet. By intervening now, aren¡¯t you breaking the rules?"


    "Nonsense, my Junior Brother clearly admitted defeat."


    "I didn¡¯t hear him say the words ¡¯admit defeat¡¯."


    "You..."


    Before Zhu Jin could finish his sentence, a pitiful scream suddenly came from behind Zhou Qi. Following that, with a ¡¯bang¡¯, Liu Yunsong¡¯s body copsed on the stage, both his arms bent unnaturally, clearly broken by Song Ge.


    Seeing this scene, the people present gasped in shock, not expecting Song Ge to be so ruthless and directly cripple Liu Yunsong¡¯s two arms. An esteemed fighter from the Dragon List had instantly turned into a disabled person.


    Was he not afraid of making an enemy of the Dangyang Sect?


    "Junior Brother!"


    Seeing the terrible state of Liu Yunsong, Zhu Jin¡¯s eyes filled with bloodshot rage, and ring coldly at Song Ge, he gritted his teeth and said, "Song Ge, you are being too presumptuous!"


    Song Ge paid no heed to Zhu Jin¡¯s rage, and indifferently said, "He brought this upon himself. Master Zhu, you should know very well what your Junior Brother did just now."


    "I only know that you¡¯ve disabled my Junior Brother¡¯s two arms, turning him into a disabled person. I know nothing else about the matter." After speaking, Zhu Jin turned to Zhou Qi and said sternly, "You are more aware of the rules of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion than I am. This is a martial artspetition, not a personal feud. Song Ge clearly intended harm. ording to the rules of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, such a ruthless and unprincipled person does not deserve to participate in the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony. He must be expelled immediately. As the host of this ceremony, I want to see how your Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will uphold justice."


    Hearing this, Zhou Qi looked somewhat troubled as he nced at Song Ge. He also hadn¡¯t expected Song Ge to be so heavy-handed as to cripple Liu Yunsong.


    ording to the rules of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, martial artspetitions should stop at the point of contact and deliberate harm is not permitted, but Song Ge¡¯s actions had already broken these rules.


    "Song Ge, do you have anything to say?" Zhou Qi thought for a moment, then handed the right to speak to Song Ge to hear his defense.


    "Elder Zhou, I did not break the rules. It is he who first breached the rules by using a hidden weapon to attack me. My response was merely appropriate retaliation. That shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?"


    "Nonsense!" Zhu Jin scolded angrily: "Which eye of yours saw my Junior Brother attacking you? Song, don¡¯t nder my Junior Brother with your wild usations."

 Chapter 425 - 421: The Disappearing Steel Needle

    <h4>Chapter 425: Chapter 421: The Disappearing Steel Needle</h4><h4></h4>


    Zhou Qi spoke solemnly, "Song Ge, you can¡¯t joke about this sort of thing. You say Liu Yunsong used a hidden weapon to ambush you; do you have any evidence?"


    Song Ge pointed at Liu Yunsong¡¯s cuff and said, "There¡¯s a mechanism hidden inside his sleeve. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can search it."


    Upon hearing this, Zhou Qi immediately went in front of Liu Yunsong, bent over, and rolled up his cuff. Suddenly, a leather pouch bound to Liu Yunsong¡¯s sleeve appeared, equipped with an exquisitely hiddenpartment on its surface, with three needle-sized holes on the front.


    Seeing the hidden weapon mechanism that Liu Yunsong wore, Zhou Qi¡¯s face changed, and with dexterous hands, he removed the pouch, raising it in front of Zhu Jin to challenge him, "Master Zhu, how do you exin this?"


    With his hands sped behind his back, Zhu Jin calmly said, "What¡¯s so strange about this? My Junior Brother is a member of Martial Arts; he has many enemies, so he frequently carries this set of hidden weapons for self-defense. It has be a habit for him. Zhou Qi, are you suggesting that having personal habits is wrong?"


    At this point, Zhu Jin paused, then continued, "I am well aware of my Junior Brother¡¯s habits. To avoid any idents, I specifically instructed him before ascending the stage to remove the steel needles from the hidden weapon for me to keep safe."


    After finishing his statement, Zhu Jin took out three steel needles from his pocket and handed them to Zhou Qi, saying, "If you don¡¯t believe it, you can try and see if these three needles match."


    "There¡¯s no need to try," Song Ge interjected from the side. "I have a better way to prove it¡ªthe three steel needles your Junior Brother used to attack me are still left on the tform. Just find those three needles, and the truth will be clear whether it was a fact or a nder."


    "Alright!" Zhu Jin readily agreed. "As long as you can find them, then it¡¯s my Junior Brother¡¯s own fault, and I will no longer pursue it."


    "Someone," Zhou Qi gestured grandly andmanded, "Set a perimeter around the tform, and no one is allowed to approach."


    Very swiftly, Zhong Yang led a dozen people to surround the tform, meticulously searching for the whereabouts of the steel needles.


    Ten minutes passed.


    Zhong Yang walked over to Zhou Qi and whispered a few words in his ear.


    Whatever Zhong Yang said, Zhou Qi nodded and turned to Song Ge and Zhu Jin, saying, "We¡¯ve searched the tform thoroughly and haven¡¯t found the steel needles."


    Song Ge¡¯s expression changed, and with a frown, he said, "Elder Zhou, I am one hundred percent certain he used the hidden weapon to ambush me. Could it be that you¡¯ve missed it, or..." Song Ge looked at Zhu Jin, saying, "Or it was discreetly dealt with by someone."


    "I get your point," Zhou Qi replied. "However, the only ones who went up to the tform just now were me and Master Zhu. As a judge, I naturally wouldn¡¯t help Dangyang Sect conceal criminal evidence. While Master Zhu was on the tform, I was watching him the entire time. If he had done anything sneaky, it couldn¡¯t have escaped my eyes."


    "Elder Zhou..."


    Zhou Qi waved his hand, cutting off Song Ge¡¯s words, with a serious face he said, "Song Ge, there¡¯s no need for further exnation; the matter is clear. Ignoring the rules of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, you deliberately used excessive force and seriously injured Liu Yunsong. Even though you are the top of the Neer List, I must uphold justice and integrity."


    Upon hearing this, Song Ge¡¯splexion turned unsightly, with amotion ofments erupting among the audience.


    "What a pity!"


    "Yes, indeed. The top of the Neer List, the most promising candidate, has made such a basic mistake, which is really unbing."


    "Who¡¯s to me? He destroyed his own promising future; he¡¯s just too young and impulsive."


    Listening to the sighs around him, Ling Chen looked towards Song Ge on the tform and also felt sorry for him. Deep down, he believed in Song Ge¡¯s words. To be the top of the Neer List was no easy feat. Moreover, Song Ge¡¯s demeanor did not seem arrogant or unyielding.


    However, facts speak louder than words. Without the hidden weapon, all words were in vain.


    While musing, Ling Chen nced at Zhu Jin on the tform and Yi Shuiyan among the seated guests, noting the faint smiles on their lips. Neither was perturbed by Liu Yunsong¡¯s injury¡ªit all seemed too suspicious.


    "What a pity."


    Ling Chen, looking at the shaking head of Xu Ming, asked, "Second Brother, do you also believe that Song Ge is innocent?"


    "He was wronged; Liu Yunsong indeed used a hidden weapon. However, without the three steel needles, everything said is futile."


    Ling Chen was somewhat surprised. Among so many present, including numerous experts, no one saw Liu Yunsong deploy a hidden weapon, except Xu Ming did, which couldn¡¯t be a simple coincidence.


    As far as he knew, among the eight entrics, Xu Ming and Zhang Zhongfeng had the most mysterious backgrounds. Especially Xu Ming, who was typically quiet and rarely spoke, never mentioned his past. Even Qiu Yong didn¡¯t know much about him.


    After letting his thoughts wander for a while, Ling Chen shifted his focus back to the tform, pondering why the three steel needles had inexplicably vanished.


    "Ladies and gentlemen..."


    At this moment, Zhou Qi cupped his fists towards the audience and announced, "In light of Song Ge¡¯s vition, I hereby dere the cancetion of Song Ge¡¯s eligibility to partake in the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony. Due to the sudden incident, I need to report quickly to the Pavilion Master. Please, everyone, take a break with a cup of tea. After the matter is resolved, the Heavenly Mechanism Chaos Battle shall continue."


    "Let¡¯s go."


    The audience looked reluctantly at Song Ge on the tform and began to rise up to leave.


    But at that moment, after hearing Zhou Qi¡¯s words, Ling Chen seemed to think of something, his eyes suddenly sparkled with realization, and he quickly raised his arm high, shouting, "Wait!"


    Those who were about to leave turned their heads at his shout.


    Zhou Qi, recognizing Ling Chen, asked, "Mr. Ling, do you have something else to say?"


    Ling Chen smiled as he emerged from his seat, climbed swiftly onto the tform, and spoke slowly and deliberately, "I believe I know the whereabouts of those three steel needles."


    As soon as these words came out, the whole ce erupted like a boiling pot.


    "Oh?" Zhou Qi asked with interest, "Mr. Ling, this is not a matter to joke about. Are you sure you have a handle on this?"


    Song Ge, standing to one side, gave Ling Chen a slightly puzzled look, but remained silent and did not speak.


    "Ling Chen, don¡¯t get ahead of yourself here. The people of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion have searched thoroughly and didn¡¯t find the three steel needles. Are you implying you¡¯re questioning the integrity of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?" Zhu Jin said coldly.


    "Master Zhu, you don¡¯t need to target me. I know what you¡¯re thinking¡ªyou¡¯re just afraid I¡¯ll mess up your ns."


    "Insolent! You dare nder me?"


    "Zhu, stop your nonsense. If you disturb my Junior Brother¡¯s work, get out of the way. Other people might fear your Dangyang Sect, but we eight entrics certainly don¡¯t."


    Hearing Qiu Yong¡¯s rebuke, Zhou Qi, fearful of a dispute breaking out right there, promptly intervened, "Both of you, say less. Since Mr. Ling has a way to find those three needles, why not let him try? It won¡¯t take much of everyone¡¯s time."

 Chapter 426 - 422 The Truth About Ling Chen’s Way

    <h4>Chapter 426: Chapter 422 The Truth About Ling Chen¡¯s Way</h4><h4></h4>


    Zhu Jin coldly said, "Fine, I want to see how he can find those three steel needles."


    "Elder Zhou, please show me that hidden weapon."


    Without a word, Zhou Qi handed over the hidden weapon fixed in the sheath to Ling Chen.


    Ling Chen squatted down, dexterously disassembled the hidden weapon, took out theponents one by one, revealing the core part - the chamber thatunches the three steel needles.


    Looking at the water stains remaining inside the chamber, Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curled slightly, and he lightly touched it with his finger. As expected, the chamber still felt slightly cold.


    "Elder Zhou, Master Zhu is right, we indeed have no way to find those three steel needles."


    Hearing this, Song Ge¡¯s face suddenly showed a hint of disappointment.


    Zhu Jin sneered sarcastically, "I thought you were highly capable, but it turns out you¡¯re just mediocre. Ling Chen, you should better stay out less embarrassing yourself and tarnishing the reputation of your notorious group."


    Ling Chen nced at Zhu Jin and said indifferently, "Master Zhu, I haven¡¯t finished speaking yet, why the rush? I believe what Song said; Liu Yunsong indeed used a hidden weapon against him. The reason why the people of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion couldn¡¯t find the three steel needles is because the needles have disappeared. Honestly, I admire Liu Yunsong foring up with the idea of using ice needles."


    Ice needles?


    Ling Chen¡¯s words immediately aroused exmations from the audience, and Zhu Jin and Yi Shuiyan¡¯s expressions changed drastically.


    "Exactly, ice needles." Ling Chen handed the disassembled hidden weapon to Zhou Qi, saying, "Elder Zhou, take a closer look; there¡¯s still moisture in the muzzle of the weapon. Although it¡¯s been a few minutes, you can still feel the cold. If it were ordinary steel needles, this would definitely not be the case."


    "When ice needlesnd, they also need time to melt. However, Master Zhu¡¯s appearance dyed the melting of the ice needles. Elder Zhou, why not ask someone to search again and see if there are three spots of water on the tform?"


    Zhou Qi looked around, and without his saying a word, Zhong Yang had already led people to search the tform likebing through a carpet.


    In no time, someone shouted, "Elder Zhou, we found them."


    Without another word, Zhou Qi quickly walked over to the person, inspecting the water stains left on the ground.


    "Elder Zhou, isn¡¯t it just as I said?"


    "Zhu Jin!" Zhou Qi stood up, turned his head to look at the Sect Leader of the Dangyang Sect, and said sternly, "Don¡¯t you think you owe me a reasonable exnation?"


    Zhu Jin remained indifferent, "That¡¯s just his side of the story. Besides, what can a few water stains prove? It could have been identally left by others. Without the steel needles, no ims hold."


    "You¡¯re still making excuses."


    Ling Chen chimed in, "Elder Zhou, since Master Zhu wants evidence, let¡¯s give him the evidence. Creating such fine ice needles requires special equipment. Why not send someone to search Liu Yunsong¡¯s room? You might find something."


    Hearing this, Zhu Jin¡¯s expression changed, and he coldly said, "No! Without our Dangyang Sect¡¯s permission, no one is allowed to enter my junior brother¡¯s room; you guys from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion have no right to vite the privacy of a guest."


    "Stop right there!"


    At that moment, Ling Chen shouted lightly and pointed at the disciples of the Dangyang Sect, saying, "Gentlemen, for your own sake, it¡¯s better to sit quietly and not entertain any crooked ideas."


    Ling Chen had anticipated that the people from Dangyang Sect would take action after he made his suggestion, so he kept an eye on the Dangyang Sect¡¯s seating area to prevent anyone from sneaking out to destroy evidence.


    As expected, he noticed Qin Wu and Yi Shuiyan secretly exchanging nces before she stood up to leave.


    In an instant, upon Ling Chen¡¯s reminder, everyone¡¯s gaze focused on Qin Wu. Faced with the meaningful looks from the crowd, Qin Wu¡¯s pretty face immediately turned pale, and she quietly defended herself, "I... I just wanted to go to the restroom."


    "Without my permission, no one from the Dangyang Sect is allowed to leave," Zhou Qi said coldly as he eyed Zhu Jin,manding, "Zhong Yang, take your men and search Liu Yunsong¡¯s room. If you find nothing there, search all of the Dangyang Sect¡¯s rooms thoroughly, leave no stone unturned. Do you hear me?"


    "Yes."


    Watching Zhong Yang lead his men away, Qin Wu nervously sat back down, biting her thin lips, her eyes filled with resentment as she red at Ling Chen. Beside her, Yi Shuiyan clutched Qin Wu¡¯s hand tightly, his gaze chillingly fixated on Ling Chen.


    Feeling the intense hostility from their eyes, Ling Chen remained unconcerned and turned to Song Ge, smiling and winking at him. Thetter smiled back and nodded appreciatively.


    Within ten minutes, Zhong Yang hurried back to the venue and handed several items to Zhou Qi, saying, "Elder Zhou, Mr. Ling was right; these are tools used to make ice needles."


    "Were they found in Liu Yunsong¡¯s room?"


    "No. ording to the guest room records, that room belonged to Qin Wu."


    "Qin Wu?" Ling Chen was surprised, not expecting her to be the one making ice needles.


    Zhong Yang continued, "Moreover, besides the tools for making ice needles, we also found a medical anesthesia, which they used to create the ice needles by mixing it with ice."


    "Good, very good!"


    Zhou Qi red at Zhu Jin, mming the tools down at his feet and rebuked, "Zhu Jin, now that there¡¯s conclusive evidence, what else do you have to say?"


    Zhu Jin¡¯s face changed as he quickly retorted, "I truly didn¡¯t know about this; my Junior Brother never mentioned it to me."


    "Zhu Jin, even now, you still make excuses?"


    "No... don¡¯t me my Senior Brother."


    At this point, the disabled Liu Yunsong, enduring his pain, struggled to speak, "Elder Zhou, let the person responsible bear the consequences alone, this matter has nothing to do with my Senior Brother. I acted on my own. I asked Qin Wu to help me make the ice needles, but she didn¡¯t know I would use them in the martial artspetition."


    After speaking, Liu Yunsong looked at Zhu Jin with a guilty expression, "Senior Brother, I was too eager for quick sess; I¡¯m sorry for dishonoring your and our Master¡¯s teachings."


    Zhu Jin sighed with disappointment, "Junior Brother, how could you be so foolish."


    "Elder Zhou, I broke the rules of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion; this has nothing to do with Dangyang Sect. Whatever punishment you decide for me, I will ept," Liu Yunsong said defiantly.


    "Alright, since you¡¯ve confessed, I have nothing more to say. Zhong Yang, take him away."


    "Wait!" Zhu Jin interjected, "Considering my Junior Brother¡¯s actions, I, as his Senior Brother, bear an inescapable responsibility." He then bowed to Song, "Song, I apologize for the offense earlier on behalf of Dangyang Sect; I hope you can forgive us."


    After speaking, Zhu Jin turned to the attendees, "My Junior Brother¡¯s actions have not only broken the rules of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, but they have also tarnished the reputation of Dangyang Sect. Here, I wish for all present to witness. From this moment, as Sect Leader of Dangyang Sect, I expel Liu Yunsong from the sect; from now on, Liu Yunsong has no association with Dangyang Sect."


    Pausing, he continued, "As for my disciple Qin Wu, considering she was unaware beforehand, her actions are forgivable. After the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony concludes, I will personally deal with her. Besides that, I owe a great deal of gratitude to Mr. Ling."

 Chapter 427 - 423: A Thank-You Gift from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion

    <h4>Chapter 427: Chapter 423: A Thank-You Gift from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion</h4><h4></h4>


    Thank me?


    Ling Chen was slightly startled, not expecting Zhu Jin to mention him. That bastard probably hated him to death by now, how could he have the goodwill to thank him.


    "Thanks to Mr. Ling, our Dangyang Sect did not wrong a good person, maintaining the reputation of our sect. Mr. Ling, as our token of gratitude, please let me know if you ever need help in the future, I will certainly assist with all my might."


    Seeing Zhu Jin¡¯s insincere smile on his face, Ling Chen also responded with feigned courtesy: "Certainly, certainly."


    "Let¡¯s go." Zhu Jin waved his hand, and his disciples immediately followed him, leaving the meeting ce together.


    Upon exiting the venue, Zhu Jin¡¯s expression immediately darkened, rage simmering in his eyes, hating so much that his teeth were gnashing.


    "Shuiyan."


    "Master, what are your orders?"


    Zhu Jin¡¯s face was ashen, as he squeezed a few words through gritted teeth: "Don¡¯t let Ling Chen leave this boat alive."


    Yi Shuiyan replied promptly, "Master, rest assured, for the sake of Dangyang Sect and Uncle, I will make sure he pays the price."


    After the people from Dangyang Sect left, the crowd at the event gradually dispersed too. Considering this unforeseen incident, Zhou Qi decided to take a break for a moment and continueter.


    "Mr. Ling, thank you for stepping in to help just now." Song Ge approached Ling Chen and gratefully said, "If not for you, I probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to participate in this Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony."


    "Don¡¯t mention it." Ling Chen said with a smile, "Song, you are a few years older than me. If you don¡¯t mind me being presumptuous, feel free to call me Ling, please don¡¯t use the formal Mr. Ling."


    "That¡¯s not the way to say it. The renown of the Eight entrics is well-known; to be friends with Ling is truly my honor."


    Song Ge appeared very humble, but his words won the favor of others including Qiu Yong. After all, a person who could speak well was also liked.


    "Mr. Ling, I really owe you one for this time. Otherwise, I really wouldn¡¯t have known what to do." Zhou Qi spoke up. Song Ge was someone the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion had long set its sights on, a future key prot¨¦g¨¦. If Song Ge lost his eligibility to participate in the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, then their ns for thepetition amongst neers would be meaningless.


    In the midst of speaking, Zhou Qi suddenly became curious and asked, "Mr. Ling, how did you know that Liu Yunsong used an ice needle?"


    "It was actually thanks to your hint, Elder. You asked us to take a break for tea in the middle, once I thought about tea, I naturally associated it with water, hence the spection. But that Liu Yunsong is tough, taking all the me on himself." Ling Chen spoke with a hint of disappointment.


    "There was no other way, he could only do that. By taking all the me on himself, it is equivalent to Dangyang Sect owing him a huge favor. If he didn¡¯t do that, with Zhu Jin¡¯s character, he definitely wouldn¡¯t let him off once they returned."


    Ling Chen looked at Zhou Qi in surprise, not expecting the elder to see through things so clearly.


    "Elder Zhou, so you knew all along."


    "At my old age, if I couldn¡¯t even see this, it would have been a life wasted. Some things, we all know well inside, no need to voice them. However, you, you¡¯ve messed up Dangyang Sect¡¯s ns, they probably won¡¯t let you off easily. On this boat I can protect you, but once you disembark, you¡¯re on your own."


    "Dangyang Sect alone, I, one of the Eight entrics, do not even consider them a threat." Qiu Yong spoke dismissively.


    Zhou Qi pped his forehead,ughing, "Look at my memory, I almost forgot Mr. Ling is one of the Eight entrics. With Elder Qiu here, Dangyang Sect naturally can¡¯t pose a threat. Well, I must report this incident to the Pavilion Master as soon as possible, I¡¯ll excuse myself first, you guys chat."


    After watching Zhou Qi leave, Song Ge shook his head and said, "I didn¡¯t expect the people of Dangyang Sect to use such despicable tactics against me."


    "It wasn¡¯t a deliberate targeting, it just happened to be a coincidence, I guess even Liu Yunsong didn¡¯t expect you to suddenly step up to the challenge. What Liu Yunsong and Zhu Jin did just now was simply grasping at an opportunity to either seriously injure you or to have the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion strip you of your eligibility topete."


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s words, Song Ge asked in confusion, "Why would they do that?"


    """It¡¯s all for clearing the way for Yi Shuiyan. I¡¯ve heard that among the top five people in the Neer List, besides you, the ones ranked second, third, and fourth have roughly equal strength. If you don¡¯t participate, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s chances of winning will greatly increase."""


    Song Ge sighed, "So that¡¯s the case. Those from the Dangyang Sect really are quite scheming."


    "It¡¯s not thatplicated, you¡¯d realize it if you think about it. Big Brother Song, it seems you don¡¯t have much exposure to these kinds of things."


    "I usually focus on martial arts training and don¡¯t spend much thought on other things."


    "No wonder," Ling Chen smiled and said.


    Who would have thought that the one ranked first on the Neer List is such a newbie, seriouslycking social experience. In the eyes of swindlers, this kind of person is like a delicious steamed bun.


    After chatting for a while and considering that Song Ge was injured, Ling Chen didn¡¯t keep him for too long and let him go back to his room to rest.


    "Ling Cheng, you did great today," Yuan Yun gave Ling Chen a thumbs up, generously praising him: "You¡¯ve managed to make a fool out of Zhu Jin and his gang, and also started a connection with Song Ge."


    Zhang Zhongfeng nodded and said, "That Song Ge is really not bad, so young yet even Liu Yunsong is not his match. Given time, that young man might even have a chance to challenge the Heavenly List."


    The Heavenly List!


    Ling Chen smacked his lips; that was something one could only aspire to reach. In his view, being able to get into the Earthly List within his lifetime would be quite an achievement.


    At this moment,


    In the room Ling Chen had once visited, Zhou Qi was kneeling on the ground with a respectful demeanor, head bowed, reporting to the person behind the curtain about what had just happened at the event.


    "Pavilion Master, should I give a warning to people from the Dangyang Sect?"


    "No need, it¡¯s normal for there to be cunning plots and fights in the Martial Arts world. It¡¯s Ling Chen who did us a big favor, preventing Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion from making the wrong decision."


    "Pavilion Master, thepetition for the neers is about to begin, should we provide some convenience for Ling Chen when the timees?"


    "That¡¯s not necessary. Different matters should be dealt with ordingly, and Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has always prioritized fairness. Zhou Qi, prepare a gift on my behalf, as a token of gratitude towards Ling Chen."


    "Yes, Pavilion Master."


    ...


    Thunk, thunk, thunk!


    Hearing the knocking at the door, Ling Chen got up and opened it, seeing Zhou Qi at the doorstep, he quickly stepped aside with a grin, "Elder Zhou, what brings you here? Pleasee in."


    "No need, I¡¯vee specifically to convey the Pavilion Master¡¯s gratitude to you and to present you with a gift on behalf of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion." Saying this, Zhou Qi handed a delicate wooden box to Ling Chen.


    "Elder Zhou, you¡¯re being too polite." Though he said this, Ling Chen still honestly epted the gift.


    Joking, of course. Anything given by Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, if it¡¯s free, why not take it?


    "It¡¯s no trouble, you go on with what you were doing, I won¡¯t disturb your rest."


    After Zhou Qi left, Qiu Yong and others immediately crowded around, curiously asking, "Ling Cheng, what¡¯s the gift?"


    Without a word, Ling Chen promptly opened the lid of the box.


    Seeing the item ced inside the wooden box, everyone was suddenly startled, looking at each other in disbelief.

 Chapter 428 - 424: The Eve of the Competition

    <h4>Chapter 428: Chapter 424: The Eve of the Competition</h4><h4></h4>


    "I can¡¯t believe the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is so generous to have gifted a premium-quality Heavenly Mechanism Pill," Xia Yue couldn¡¯t help but smile happily. It was delightful to receive such a nice gift for free.


    Ling Chen closed the wooden box and handed it to Qiu Yong, saying, "Big brother, you¡¯ll know what to do with this."


    Qiu Yong declined, "This is a gift from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion to you, why are you giving it to me?"


    "Big brother, it¡¯s strange to hear you say that. We¡¯re all brothers, so it doesn¡¯t matter who has it. Besides, I¡¯ve already taken a Heavenly Mechanism Pill, and considering my current realm in martial arts, another premium-quality one wouldn¡¯t be of much use to me. Better give it to someone who needs it."


    "Big brother, since it¡¯s Ling Cheng¡¯s sincere gesture, you should just ept it. Second brother said that your internal strength has been stagnant for a while. Maybe taking this premium-quality Heavenly Mechanism Pill could help break through that bottleneck and take you to the next level. You¡¯re our leader among the eight entrics ¨C we¡¯re counting on you to hold the fort in the future. So, it¡¯s most appropriate for you to use this Heavenly Mechanism Pill," Yuan Yun suggested.


    "Third brother is right," Xia Yue chimed in, "Big brother, don¡¯t be too modest."


    After much persuasion, Qiu Yong finally epted the premium-quality Heavenly Mechanism Pill.


    Originally, everyone had wanted to participate in the afternoon¡¯s Heavenly Mechanism Chaos Battle to win the grand prize. However, since they had already received a generous gift from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, there was no need to join the fray and conserve their energy. After all, aiming for that grand prize meant shing with numerous top fighters, and victory was not guaranteed.


    After a short rest, everyone headed to the arena again to watch the uing battles. As expected, the Dangyang Sect members did not reappear. Having lost face just a short while ago, they probably didn¡¯t have the nerve to continue participating in the Heavenly Mechanism Chaos Battle.


    The afternoon¡¯spetitive battles eventually came to an end with a Dragon List master triumphing and iming the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯s grand prize. With that, the Heavenly Mechanism Chaos Battle was over.


    The main event of this Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, thepetition for the neers, would take ce tomorrow.


    Night fell.


    After dinner, Qiu Yong urged Ling Chen to get some rest quickly to prepare for tomorrow¡¯s neerpetition. Their only worry now was Ling Chen¡¯s back injury.


    Ling Chen was also aware of his condition¡ªit was fine for normal walking, but intense physical activity would aggravate his injury.


    Saying goodbye to Qiu Yong and the others, Ling Chen didn¡¯t head straight back to his room but went to themunications room on the luxurious vessel. This room was specially set up by the event organizers for guests attending the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony. Once on board, for safety reasons, all mobile phone signals were blocked, including wireless inte and satellite signals. The only way to contact the outside world was through thismunications room.


    Having been away from East Sea City for a few days, Ling Chen didn¡¯t forget to call Nanrong Wanqing to check in, making time each day to touch base and inquire about each other¡¯s well-being.


    After a chat of over ten minutes, Ling Chen hung up the phone and was about to head back to his room when he happened to see Zhu Xiaozhu approaching from outside, and they bumped into each other.


    Seeing Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s delicate features, Ling Chen smiled and greeted her with a wave.


    "How¡¯s your injury?" Zhu Xiaozhu asked with concern.


    "Much better, don¡¯t worry."


    "The neerpetition is tomorrow. Take care of yourself. I¡¯ll wish you sess in advance."


    "Thank you!"


    After the brief exchange, Ling Chen and Zhu Xiaozhu went their separate ways. Just as Ling Chen was about to leave, he saw someone suddenly block his path.


    Han Yu?


    Ling Chen raised his eyebrows and spoke indifferently, "Do you need something from me?"


    "Ling, have you forgotten what I said the other day?" Han Yu red at him coldly, "I warned you, if you dare to take another look at Xiaozhu, I¡¯ll gouge out your eyes."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen looked Han Yu up and down and sarcastically retorted without holding back: "Who do you think you are? What I do is my business, and none of your concern. You can¡¯t capture a woman¡¯s heart, yet youe to show off your power to me? With your character and pettiness, no wonder Xiaozhu isn¡¯t interested in you."


    Finished speaking, Ling Chen shook his head, not bothering with Han Yu, and simply walked past him.


    "Stop!" Han Yu¡¯s face turned livid as he struggled to contain his fury, grabbing Ling Chen¡¯s cor and growling, "Don¡¯t think just because you have the eight entrics backing you up that I wouldn¡¯t dare to touch you. To me, someone who can¡¯t even make it to the Neer List¡¯s top ten is nothing more than an ipetent loser."


    "Pity that Xiaozhu happens to be interested in this ¡¯loser¡¯ but not in you ¨C doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯re even worse than a loser?"


    Han Yu¡¯s face twisted in anger as he spat, "You..."


    "Shut up!"


    Ling Chen interrupted him before he could finish, impatiently brushing his hand off his cor and speaking emphatically, "You keeping to warn me time and again¡ªlet me give you a warning now. Stop threatening me from now on, it¡¯s childish, and I¡¯m not buying it. And don¡¯t think you¡¯re something special just because you¡¯re second on the Neer List. Maybe you should ask around to find out what I used to do. In martial skills, I might not be your match, but when ites to the art of killing... you and nine more like you still wouldn¡¯t equal me. If you really piss me off, I¡¯ll make sure you die without understanding how. So, be smarter in the future and don¡¯t bother me."


    Watching Ling Chen walk away, Han Yu shouted furiously, "Fine, Ling, just wait! Tomorrow on thebat tform, I will see exactly how capable you are."


    Ling Chen ignored Han Yu¡¯s bellowing and went back to his own room.


    ...


    The next day.


    Early in the morning, Ling Chen applied his Acupuncture Technique to treat his injured back, hoping it would prevent any issues during thepetition.


    After the acupuncture treatment, Ling Chen took a bath and heard someone knocking at his door¡ªit was Qiu Yong and the gang.


    "Ling Cheng, how are you feeling? Are you ready?"


    Ling Chen nodded with a smile, "No problem."


    "Let¡¯s go. We have half an hour until the start. Let¡¯s have breakfast first."


    After breakfast, it was 8 o¡¯clock in the morning. Ling Chen followed Qiu Yong and the others into the arena.


    The venue was already full of people. Compared to the past two days, everyone seemed very rxed today, each wearing a smile on their faces. After the end of the Heavenly Mechanism Chaos Battle, the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony didn¡¯t involve them much, and now it was time to enjoy thepetition amongst the neers.


    Sitting in his seat, Ling Chen looked around and immediately felt three fierce gazes directed at him.


    Turning his head slightly, Ling Chen nced through the corner of his eye and noticed the three gazes belonging to Yi Shuiyan, Han Yu, and Qu Jinxian from the Qingyang Sect.


    Huh!


    He smirked. Thepetition hadn¡¯t even begun, and he had already be the target of many.


    Then, Ling Chen saw Song Ge escorted into the venue by a middle-aged man in a suit. Sensing his gaze, Song Ge turned around and nodded at him in a friendly manner.

 Chapter 429 - 425: The Heavenly Secrets Competition (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 429: Chapter 425: The Heavenly Secrets Competition (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    As everyone took their seats, Zhou Qi, who was the host, ascended the tform and, as per usual, first greeted the guests with a fist-and-palm salute.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, after two days ofpetition, the Heavenly Mechanism Chaos Battle has concluded sessfully, with all seven prizes finding their respective owners. Today, we are going to witness the highlight of the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony¡ªthe battle of the neers. Unlike previous years, this year¡¯s contestants are all remarkably gifted, and it would be a pity for any of them to be eliminated. With a keen interest in talent, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has specially revised the rules for this year¡¯spetition."


    "Any contestant who finishes in the top three will not only have the opportunity to join the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and be a key focus of its cultivation. Furthermore, the top three contestants will each receive a generous prize. In addition, the first-ce winner will have the honor of being summoned by the Pavilion Master."


    Upon hearing these words, the entire audience was abuzz with excitement, their speech brimming with envy.


    Having a meeting with the Pavilion Master was an unprecedented opportunity. Normally, only martial artists who ascended to the Earthly List would have a chance to meet with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master. However, there are countless masters in the world, and very few can reach the Earthly List.


    Thus, for any martial artist, an audience with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master is the highest honor.


    Ling Chen touched his nose, remembering what He Ziyun had told him. The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master¡¯s powers are vast and all-epassing, almost all questions can be answered. Guidance from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master could greatly enhance his martial arts progress.


    If even He Ziyun said so, it must be true. If possible, he too wanted to meet this mysterious Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master and see just how capable he is.


    As he contemted, he saw Zhou Qi gesturing with his hand for quiet, then continued, "I believe everyone is very interested in the prizes for the top three."


    "Elder Zhou, stop keeping us in suspense, let¡¯s hear it."


    Hearing the urging from the audience, Zhou Qi smiled and said, "The first ce, besides having the opportunity to meet with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master, will also receive three premium Heavenly Mechanism Pills, a choice of any Martial Arts Heart Method from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯s collection umted over hundreds of years, and a weapon personally forged by Master Guo Liang. The second ce will receive two premium Heavenly Mechanism Pills and one Martial Arts Heart Method. Third ce will receive one premium Heavenly Mechanism Pill and one ordinary Heavenly Mechanism Pill. Ladies and gentlemen, remember, these prizes will bepletely at the disposal of the winners, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will not interfere."


    Tsk tsk!


    Even Qiu Yong and others couldn¡¯t help but feel impressed after hearing about the rich prizes prepared by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    Compared to the prizes of the neer battle, the rewards of the Heavenly Mechanism Chaos Battle suddenly seemed insignificant, the gap was too big.


    Ling Chen wondered, "Since the top three winners will join the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion anyway, what¡¯s the significance of these prizes?"


    Yuan Yunughed from the side and said, "Didn¡¯t you hear thest sentence from Elder Zhou? That¡¯s the key point. In in terms, these prizes are not for the winners themselves, but for the powers behind them."


    "I see." Ling Chen nodded. Then he changed the topic and asked, "Third Brother, since the candidates on the Neer List all belong to their own sects and forces, wouldn¡¯t they have to draw a line with their previous identities after joining the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    "That¡¯s not necessary. Their backgrounds won¡¯t change after joining the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Take Yi Shuiyan as an example; if he enters the Pavilion, he is still a disciple of the Dangyang Sect. However, for the next few decades, he would receive cultivation from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and work for them. Of course, if the Dangyang Sect needs him, he can also lend a hand, as the Pavilion will not impose restrictions. This is akin to having two great powers simultaneously nurturing a genius who can serve them both¡ªa win-win situation for both the Dangyang Sect and the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Moreover, they can maintain a harmonious rtionship through this approach."


    Qiu Yong added, "The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has been able to stand tall for hundreds of years and maintain its detached status among the major forces not only because of its mystery and strength, but more importantly, its tactics and control over the human heart. The Pavilion knows what these people need, so it always provides what they desire. Throughout history, there have been many who joined the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, each with different backgrounds, yet there has never been a single person who betrayed the Pavilion. On the contrary, when they grow old, instead of returning to their original forces and sects, they are willing to stay in the Pavilion for retirement, silently guarding it. These individuals are one of the core reasons for the Pavilion¡¯s longstanding stability."


    After listening to Qiu Yong, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but be amazed, realizing how alluring the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, ording to the old rules, only those on the Neer List are eligible topete in the neer battle. However, considering the extraordinary talents of this edition¡¯s neers, the rules have changed slightly from previous years. The Neer List has only ten spots, but I believe that there are more than just these ten rising stars in the Martial Arts world. Therefore, in addition to the Neer List, we have provided one additional spot. Whoever secures this spot will be eligible topete for the top three of the neers."


    Ling Chen silently nodded, as the changes to the rules of the neer battle had already been made public. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have stayed.


    To contend with Yi Shuiyan at the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, he must secure this spot.


    "Alright, without further ado, the battle for the spot begins now. Whoever can maintain an undefeated streak through three matches on the tform, thest spot will belong to them. The opportunity is limited, so do not hesitate, lest you miss out on a golden chance." After finishing, Zhou Qi turned and stepped down from the tform.


    Ling Chen looked at the empty tform, hesitated for a moment, but decided to wait and see. At this moment, rashly stepping up onto the stage, who knew what opponents he might encounter.


    Soon, a young man walked down from the spectator seats and confidently climbed onto the tform, smiling and gesturing with a fist-and-palm salute: "Zhou Jun here, who wishes to enlighten me?"


    "I will!"


    As the words fell, a crew-cut young man leaped onto the tform and bowed with sped hands: "He Yang, please enlighten me."


    After speaking, He Yang did not waste any words, immediately making his move. His steel sword, like a Spirit Snake darting out its tongue, aimed straight at Zhou Jun¡¯s throat.


    Zhou Junughed heartily and weed the attack with empty hands, full of confidence.


    As Zhou Jun¡¯s hands touched the sword de, before the onlookers could react, they saw He Yang¡¯s steel sword fly out of his hands, shocking everyone.


    Catching a de barehanded?


    How impressive!


    So confident!


    Seeing the steel sword falling from his grip, He Yang¡¯s expression changed, and he promptly withdrew, admitting defeat with a flushed face: "I have lost."


    "It was just luck." Zhou Jun said with a smile, looking around at the surrounding stands, and asked, "Who else?"


    "I¡¯ll have a try."


    As the voice sounded, another young man stepped onto the tform.


    However, the duel did not evenst three moves before Zhou Jun easily defeated his opponent, securing two consecutive victories.


    Watching the triumphant Zhou Jun, Ling Chen¡¯s expression became a bit odd, and so did the faces of the onlookers.

 Chapter 430 - 426: The Heavenly Secrets Competition (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 430: Chapter 426: The Heavenly Secrets Competition (Part 2)</h4><subtxt> Just now, when the first round ended, everyone was still amazed at Zhou Jun¡¯s prowess. However, having yed out two rounds consecutively, anyone with a bit of discernment could tell that this wasn¡¯t a martial artspetition; it was clearly a staged performance, with both challengers who went on stage acting as stooges.


    To think he had the audacity to cheat openly during the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, Zhou Jun sure has some nerve.


    For a moment, everyone¡¯s gaze turned unanimously to Zhou Qi. With things being this way, shouldn¡¯t the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion intervene?


    Contrary to everyone¡¯s expectation, Zhou Qi not only did not intervene but instead said with a smile, "Ladies and gentlemen, he has now won two consecutive rounds. If he wins one more, you will have no chance left."


    "I¡¯ll go!"


    "Let me take you on."


    "..."


    As soon as Zhou Qi¡¯s words left his mouth, immediately, seven or eight young men, unwilling to be outdone, rushed onto the stage, and Ling Chen joined in without exception.


    Seeing these young men staring at him with menacing expressions, Zhou Jun suddenly felt intimidated and managed a forced smile. Turning to Zhou Qi, he said, "Umm... Grandpa, I forfeit. Let them do it." After speaking, he scurried down the stage in disgrace and vanished in the blink of an eye.


    Grandpa?


    The crowd burst intoughter, realizing that the young man was indeed Zhou Qi¡¯s grandson, no wonder Zhou Qi turned a blind eye.


    "That brat just yed a little joke with everyone, please don¡¯t mind. However..." Zhou Qi looked at the people on the stage and continued with augh, "However, my good-for-nothing grandson did do one good thing; he pushed you all to step forward, saving us some time. Now, I will ask again, is there anyone else? If not, I¡¯ll change the rules a bit. You eight will pair up and fight, three rounds to decide the victor. Any objections?"


    "No objections." Everyone responded in unison.


    To save time, the eight individuals each took their spots at the four corners of the ring, and all began at once.


    Ling Chen was matched with a young man in his early twenties, possibly a year or two younger than himself, but he was burly and sported a shaved head, looking strong and formidable.


    After exchanging a few courteous words, the bald man did not hesitate and immediately took off with his stout legs towards Ling Chen, charging like a humanoid bulldozer, his momentum fierce.


    As the opponent came closing in, Ling Chen moved his feet, swiftly circling to the bald man¡¯s side. He lightly raised his right leg to block the bald man¡¯s rushing legs, and with his left hand, he pushed on the opponent¡¯s back.


    Instantly, the bald man stumbled underfoot, his burly body losing its bnce and tumbling to the ground.


    "Ling Chen, victor of the first round."


    Hearing Zhou Qi¡¯s voice, Ling Chen silently smirked to himself, but the audience erupted in boos. Even a move fit for a child¡¯s brawl was enough to secure victory; Ling Chen¡¯s opponent was too weak to strike a blow.


    In a few minutes, Ling Chen and three others advanced to the next stage, while the rest were eliminated.


    When Ling Chen had exchanged words with the Tea Girl previously, she had told him that with his capabilities, he could rank in the top ten of the Neer List, but considering other factors, they had left him off the list.


    Thus,pared with thesepetitors, Ling Chen felt no pressure or threat at all.


    The second round¡¯s oue was as expected, with Ling Chen easily defeating his opponent and advancing to the final round.


    "Ling Chen, your luck ends here. Will you go down on your own, or shall I send you down?"


    Ling Chen looked at his opponent and felt a bit perplexed. The other¡¯s words carried a hint of coldness, with anger flickering in his eyes, almost as if he saw Ling Chen as an enemy. However, Ling Chen had no recollection of knowing this person at all.


    "The next match is the decisive battle, Ling Chen versus Liang Qian of the Qingyang Sect. The ultimate victor will secure a spot in the Neerpetition."


    As Zhou Qi¡¯s voice rang out, Ling Chen immediately realized that this guy was a disciple of the Qingyang Sect; no wonder he harbored such enmity towards him.


    "If you want to avenge Xu Song and the others, thene at me. Why so much nonsense?"


    "Seeking death!"


    Liang Qian coldly snorted and with a light tap of his toes, he swooped toward Ling Chen at high speed, his spear thrusting straight toward Ling Chen¡¯s face.


    Ling Chen retreated step by step, trying to dodge the spearhead. But Liang Qian¡¯s spearmanship was extremely exquisite, and no matter how Ling Chen moved, the sharp spearhead always locked onto his body, pressing closer with each step.


    Seeing that he was about to be driven to the edge of the arena, Ling Chen hesitated no more, reaching swiftly to his waist.


    ng!


    Apanied by a crisp sound, the spear tightly gripped by Liang Qian was struck, diverting its course, sweeping past Ling Chen.


    At the same time, Ling Chen¡¯s hand now held a rod-shaped iron instrument, roughly a foot and a half long.


    Upon seeing Ling Chen wielding the Tianling de, Zhu Jin and Yi Shuiyan from the Dangyang Sect squinted their eyes, fixating on the de with intense desire, wishing they could snatch it away immediately.


    At this moment, Ling Chen lightly triggered a mechanism, and a sharp de suddenly extended from the end, transforming into a sword over three feet long.


    With the sword in hand, Ling Chen took a couple of running steps and vigorouslyunched off his toes, his body leaping high into the air. Following that, he twisted his waist, spread out his arms, and swiftly rotated in mid-air, like a spinning windmill, bringing the sword de in his hand shing down in quick session upon Liang Qian¡¯s head, not pausing for a moment.


    Under the relentless sword onught, Liang Qian found no chance to fight back and was forced to hold his spear horizontally above his head to parry the sword strikes.


    However, apart from the spear tip, the shaft of Liang Qian¡¯s spear was made of wood. Although sturdy, it could not withstand the sharpness of the Tianling de. Moreover, Ling Chen¡¯s precision was impable; every strike hit the same spot.


    When the fifth strike came down, Liang Qian¡¯s spear could no longer withstand Ling Chen¡¯s assault and snapped into two pieces at the center.


    Without the spear for defense, Ling Chen¡¯s Tianling de directly thrust forward, firmly resting against Liang Qian¡¯s neck.


    "You¡¯ve lost!"


    Liang Qian¡¯s face turned ugly as he looked at the Tianling de, his gaze flickering. Suddenly, he gritted his teeth and bellowed, "I haven¡¯t lost yet." As he spoke, he leaned forward, grabbing the broken spearhead with his hand, lunging straight for Ling Chen¡¯s chest.


    Seeing Liang Qian¡¯s action, Qiu Yong and others in the audience seats changed their expressions dramatically, rising from their seats to exim, "Stop!"


    However, Liang Qian ignored their shouts as if unheard, his malicious face bearing a grim smile.


    At that moment, seeing the rapidly approaching spearhead, Ling Chen¡¯s eyebrows furrowed; he had not expected Liang Qian to resort to such extreme measures. He had thought the battle was over and had let down his guard, only to find Liang Qianunching a surprise attack.


    Moreover, from the direction of the spearhead, it was clear he aimed to take Ling Chen¡¯s life.


    As the spearhead was less than five centimeters away from a vital spot, Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment, his wrist flicking slightly. Instantly, Liang Qian¡¯s face stiffened, his movements abruptly slowing.


    Seizing the opportunity, Ling Chen quickly withdrew, evading the spear attack.


    "You... you..." Liang Qian opened his mouth but couldn¡¯t believe what he saw from Ling Chen.


    Before he could finish, a stream of hot blood spurted from his neck, along with his body copsing to the ground.</subtxt>

 Chapter 431 - 427: The Heavenly Secrets Competition (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 431: Chapter 427: The Heavenly Secrets Competition (Part 3)</h4><h4></h4>


    Seeing Liang Qian copsed in a pool of blood, the crowd on the stands fell deadly silent, everyone was shocked by Ling Chen¡¯s ruthlessness and decisiveness.


    Confronting Liang Qian¡¯s sneak attack, he actually killed him mercilessly.


    "Ling Chen, how dare you kill someone from Qingyang Sect, prepare to meet your end!"


    At that moment, an enraged voice rang out, as disciples of Qingyang Sect, led by Qu Yuan, rushed onto the arena, heading straight towards Ling Chen with a menacing aura.


    "Who dares to touch my Ling Cheng."


    Apanied by a furious shout, led by Qiu Yong, the eight entrics swiftly assembled in front of Ling Chen, staring coldly at the approaching Qu Yuan.


    Qu Yuan clenched his fists, veins bulging on his forehead as he gritted his teeth, "Qiu Yong, you saw it too, he killed my disciple, do you intend to shield him? Hand him over, I want him to pay with blood for blood."


    Qiu Yong said coldly, "That was your disciple¡¯s own fault. If it weren¡¯t for my Ling Cheng¡¯s quick reactions just now, he would be the one dead. Qu Yuan, you fail to instruct your disciples properly, they either harass women orunch sneak attacks behind the scenes,pletely undisciplined, yet you want to shift the me onto my Ling Cheng. Hmph! Let me tell you, don¡¯t even think about it. If you dare touch a hair on my Ling Cheng, I will make sure your Qingyang Sect members¡¯ blood stters right here, including you, this shameless old creature."


    As Qiu Yong¡¯s words fell, Yuan Yun drew his steel de, stepping forward to Qu Yuan, his sharp gaze sweeping over Qu Jinxian and the others.


    "People of Qingyang Sect, listen up, I¡¯ll count to three, either get lost or die here, it¡¯s your choice." Yuan Yun¡¯s words were domineering, just like his swordsmanship, leaving no room for mercy.


    "Yuan Yun, you..."


    Before he could finish, Qu Yuan suddenly felt a bone-chilling cold rising from underneath him, abruptly biting off his words as he nced towards the stands.


    Unbeknownst to him, Zhang Zhongfeng had already left the arena, standing at the back of the stands, with one hand holding a longbow, the arrow nocked and aimed directly at Qu Yuan¡¯s forehead.


    Seeing this, Qu Yuan¡¯s face drastically changed, the corners of his mouth twitching uncontrobly.


    In the world of Martial Arts, who doesn¡¯t know the name of Zhang Zhongfeng, the Archer God.


    Once the arrow is released, it means certain death, and in front of the Archer God, no one dares harbor any hope of luck.


    At this time, the onlookers all watched Qingyang Sect with schadenfreude. Clearly, it was their own disciple who disregarded the rules and initiated a deadly sneak attack, now being counter-killed by Ling Chen, they can only me his own disregard for the rules, no one else.


    Qingyang Sect was already in the wrong, yet they still wanted to trouble others, which was truly shameless. Now confronted with the tough stance of the eight entrics, let¡¯s see how they¡¯ll step down.


    "One!"


    Yuan Yun spat out a number, causing the hearts of the Qingyang Sect led by Qu Yuan to sink suddenly, bing involuntarily tense, palms sweating.


    "Two!"


    The corners of Yuan Yun¡¯s mouth slightly raised, watching Qu Yuan with a sneering smile, raising his steel de slightly. Simultaneously, behind the stands, Zhang Zhongfeng had already pulled his bow tight, only needing to loosen his fingers and there would be another corpse on the arena immediately.


    Watching Yuan Yun¡¯s lips preparing to open again, Qu Yuan¡¯s forehead was covered in cold sweat, having lost his earlier anger and firmness. Not waiting for Yuan Yun¡¯s ¡¯three¡¯ toe out, Qu Yuan quickly turned his head, looking down at the arena to Zhou Qi, and spoke, "Elder Zhou, you are the referee, you¡¯ve seen everything that just happened, please uphold justice for our Qingyang Sect."


    Hearing this, the crowd on the stands couldn¡¯t help butugh, carrying a hint of mockery.


    "I thought Qu Yuan was made of sterner stuff, but it turns out he¡¯s just like everyone else. All his talk of asking Zhou Qi to preside over justice was just looking for a way out.


    Zhou Qi nced at Ling Chen and said at a leisurely pace, "I believe everyone has seen that Ling Chen acted in self-defense, without fault. Liang Qian¡¯s death was his own doing; no one else is to me. Sect Leader Qu, everyone knows the facts clearly, can¡¯t your people from Qingyang Sect see that?"


    "I..." Qu Yuan was momentarily at a loss for words, not expecting Zhou Qi to put him on the spot. He wanted a way out, but Zhou Qi¡¯s words only added to his embarrassment.


    "Alright, everyone please return to your seats," Zhou Qi walked up to the tform and addressed the people from both sides.


    Seeing that Zhou Qi had given him an out, Qu Yuan said nothing more and immediately led his people back to their seats. Once everyone had seated themselves again, Zhou Qi looked at Qu Yuan and said indifferently, "Sect Leader Qu, I hope in the uing matches your people from Qingyang Sect will keep their eyes wide open. I don¡¯t want to see another incident like this."


    With these words, Zhou Qi ignored the displeased look on Qu Yuan¡¯s old face, turned his head to survey everyone present, and continued: "Please abide by the rules of thepetition. If anyone acts like Liang Qian, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will not seek justice for them. Also, I would like to congratte Ling Chen for securing thest spot in the rookiepetition. That concludes this morning¡¯spetition, everyone can go back and rest for a bit. At 2 PM, the rookie championship will officially start, please make sure to arrive on time at the venue and not miss out on the exciting event."


    After leaving the venue, seeing that it was still early for lunch, Ling Chen and Qiu Yong went straight to the luxury cruise ship¡¯s tea cafe.


    Ling Chen took a sip of the coffee brought by the waiter, delightfully savoring it. His gaze drifted through the window, looking out at the vast expanse of the azure sea, which brought him a great sense of relief.


    "Ling Chen."


    At that moment, Ye Liangyong, carrying tea, came over and greeted everyone with a smile.


    "Mr. Ye, please sit."


    "Ling Chen, you killed Liang Qian on the tform. Although everyone knows it was out of necessity, you still need to be cautious of Qingyang Sect¡¯s reprisal," Ye Liangyong kindly warned.


    "Mr. Ye, don¡¯t worry, I understand," Ling Chen replied, slightly puzzled, "I had no enmity with that Liang Qian. Why would he desperately fight me for his fellow brothers?"


    "Do you remember Xu Song?"


    Ling Chen nodded.


    "Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion sentenced him to fifty strokes. Who knew his body was so weak, he couldn¡¯t withstand it."


    "Is he dead?" Ling Chen was shocked.


    "He¡¯s not dead, but he¡¯s be a cripple. I heard that Liang Qian and Xu Song are cousins and very close. That¡¯s probably why Liang Qian was so ruthless with you. Now one is crippled, and the other is dead. Just now in the venue, you also made Qu Yuan lose face, with his temperament, he most certainly won¡¯t let this go."


    "What is there to fear?" Qiu Yong said indifferently, "If he dares to cause trouble, we, the Eight entrics, aren¡¯t pushovers either. Sixth Brother... Sixth Brother..."


    "Huh?" Ling Chen snapped back to reality, shifting his gaze from the window, and asked, "Big brother, what happened?"


    "What got into you, you suddenly drifted off mid-conversation."


    Ling Chen smiled sheepishly, his eyes returning to the calm sea outside the window, his brows slightly furrowed.


    Strange!


    There seemed to be something floating on the sea surface just now, but it disappeared in the blink of an eye.


    Could I have seen it wrong?

 Chapter 432 - 428: Rookie Preliminary Contest

    <h4>Chapter 432: Chapter 428: Rookie Preliminary Contest</h4><h4></h4>


    At this moment, a massive cargo ship sails over the ocean surface, with over a dozen suit-d, armed guards patrolling the deck. On the spacious deck, there are also three helicopters, with several men busy maintaining and adjusting them.


    In the cargo hold beneath the ship, more than twenty staff members sit in front ofputers, rapidly typing away on their keyboards, surrounded by precision equipment blinking in red and green lights.


    "Target One in position!"


    "Target Two in position!"


    "Target Three in position!"


    "..."


    Following the announcement from the staff, a young man in a suit briskly approaches a refined and schrly-looking middle-aged man, reporting, "Mr. Yun, all preparations areplete."


    Mr. Yun turns around and directly walks over to therge screen hanging on the wall, nodding at the young man, "Begin."


    "Yes."


    Soon after, a real-time image appears on therge screen. In the azure sea, an underwater machine equipped with a camera slowly moves forward.


    Dozens of secondster, the underside of a giant shipes clearly into view on the screen.


    As the machine approaches the bottom, two mechanical arms slowly extend out under the remote control of the staff.


    "Mr. Yun, all six packages have been installed."


    "Good, have them retrieve the machine, don¡¯t let the other side detect it."


    "Understood." As soon as he says this, the young man asks, "Mr. Yun, when do we start the operation?"


    "There¡¯s no rush; my people have not yet arrived. Let¡¯s wait a bit longer."


    ...


    After lunch, Ling Chen takes a short rest and then follows Qiu Yong and others to the conference venue to participate in the afternoon¡¯s neerpetition.


    Sitting in the seating area, Ling Chen immediately feels a soft gaze upon him. Looking up, he sees Zhu Xiaozhu on the opposite stand watching him. He smiles and gives a light nod.


    At this moment, Shi Su, who is beside Zhu Xiaozhu, seems to notice their interaction, her eyes coldly fix on Ling Chen, as if ayer of frost has formed on her face.


    Ling Chen touches his nose and turns his head away, no longer looking at the woman.


    Although Shi Su is Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s master, Ling Chen has no fondness for her.


    At two o¡¯clock in the afternoon, the attendees for the venue are all present, and the host Zhou Qi, as usual, mounts the stage, giving a fist salute to all the seated guests.


    "Everyone, this morning¡¯spetition for spots was just an appetizer; the main event is this afternoon. You are all already aware of the prize for this neerpetition, so I won¡¯t repeat it and will just announce the rules. This year¡¯s neerpetition is divided into two rounds. The first round is for the bottom five of the Neer List, plus Ling Chen who won his spot this morning, making a total of six people. The winner among these six willpete with the top five of the Neer List for the top three spots."


    Hearing this rather unfair rule, the crowd looks at one another, their faces a mix of astonishment.


    "Elder Zhou, isn¡¯t this rule somewhat unfair? Why don¡¯t the top five neers participate in thepetition together?" Someone in the stands questions, "Even if one of those six emerges victorious, they will surely be drained in energy and physical condition after sessive battles, and it will be even more troublesome if they¡¯re injured. How can they thenpete with the top five neers in such a state?"


    "That¡¯s right." Another person immediately agrees, "I also feel it¡¯s unfair; those six are at too much of a disadvantage."


    Faced with the opposition and doubts of the crowd, Zhou Qi presses his hand down, signaling everyone to quiet down.


    "I understand that you find the rules set by Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion unfair. However, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has always been fair and impartial in its actions and will not favor anyone. The Pavilion has made this decision after careful deliberation and has entirely considered the six contestants."


    "Elder Zhou, what do you mean by that?"


    "Since everyone wants to know, let me just tell the truth. There¡¯s arge gap between the strength of the top five and bottom five of the Neer List. The neers ranked in the top five possess strength not inferior to Dragon List experts, as I believe everyone saw in the match between Song Ge and Liu Yunsong that day. As a Dragon List expert, Liu Yunsong was utterly defenseless against Song Ge. By contrast, the few ranked in the bottom five of the Neer List only possess Tiger List strength. With such a huge disparity, do you think it¡¯s interesting to put them together?"


    Seeing that everyone is stunned by his words, Zhou Qi smiles and says, "We have arranged this also with the safety of the neers in mind, of course, I do not rule out the possibility of a dark horse. However, if there really is a dark horse, I believe they will stand out in thepetition. Apart from that, I¡¯d like to remind you all. Each of you is a member of the Martial Artsmunity, survival of the fittest, it alles down to who has the stronger fists. It¡¯s cruel, but that¡¯s reality. To be a strong person, how can one reach the pinnacle without going through hardships and obstacles?"


    After Zhou Qi¡¯s stirring speech, everyone falls into silence, and no one objects to the rules set by Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion anymore.


    Survival of the fittest, this is the unchangingw for millennia.


    If, as Zhou Qi said, the strength disparity is so great, then the six of them indeed have no qualifications to challenge the top five of the Neer List.


    "Alright, I¡¯ve said all that needs to be said. Since no one objects, let¡¯s proceed with drawing lots to determine the opponents." After saying that, Zhou Qi gestures grandly, and Zhong Yang immediately runs up the stage, handing a bamboo tube with six bamboo sticks to Zhou Qi.


    "Please, all neerse up to the stage."


    Without a word, Ling Chen steps onto the stage. At the same time, the other five neers rise from their seats and step onto the stage one after another, gathering around Zhou Qi, sizing up those who could very well be their opponents.


    To Ling Chen¡¯s surprise, among the five neers, there is a young woman with a delicate face, tender and elegant, looking about twenty-one or twenty-two years old.


    Seeing that all six are present, Zhou Qi speaks, "There are three sets of matching numbers on the six bamboo sticks, and those with the same numbers will be in one group. Begin."


    Once the other five have drawn, Ling Chen doesn¡¯t need to draw to know who his opponent is.


    Shi Tao, a youth of simr age to himself, ordinary-looking with a hooked nose, thick eyebrows,rge eyes, and very thick lips, seems like a straightforward person.


    After looking at the bamboo sticks in the hands of the six, Zhou Qi points to the exquisite young woman and another youth next to her.


    "Xiao Wan, Luo Yu, let¡¯s start with you two."


    The two nod their heads and immediately step down to prepare.


    Ling Chen returns to his seat and finds Ye Liangyong has unknowingly taken a seat behind him.


    "Mr. Ye, why have youe over?"


    "I switched seats with someone else."


    "Is there something you need from me?"


    "I¡¯ve just been asking around about those few people¡¯s details, so I wanted toe over and tell you, to help you be prepared."


    "Ye has been considerate." Qiu Yong smiles, "Ling Cheng, know yourself and your enemy, and you will never be in peril. No matter who your next opponent is, you must not underestimate them, learning more is always good."


    "I know, Big Brother."

 Chapter 433 - 429: A Fierce Battle with Shi Yong (1)

    <h4>Chapter 433: Chapter 429: A Fierce Battle with Shi Yong (1)</h4><h4></h4>


    Before long, Xiao Wan and Luo Yu both returned to the arena and bowed with sped fists to each other in greeting.


    Ling Chen¡¯s curiosity was piqued as he observed the weapons in their hands. For those dedicated to Martial Arts,mon weapons are swords and sabers, but both Xiao Wan and Luo Yu wielded rather unusual ones.


    Luo Yu was using a folding fan, which appeared to be made of alloy from a single nce. His weapon, rtively speaking, was still normal. On the contrary, it was Xiao Wan; she held two cone-shaped short des in her hands, each about half a foot long, resembling two intricately crafted daggers.


    Short des weremon weapons, but cone-shaped ones were extremely rare. With only the tip possessing the lethality, this design undoubtedly lessened their power.


    As he contemted, Luo Yu let out a sharp cry and took the initiative to attack.


    With his body rushing forward, Xiao Wan, without a word, instantly raised the cone-shaped short de in her right hand above her head. Just as the audience was puzzled by her action, the cone-shaped short de startlingly split in two. The sharp tip was violently shot out, connected to the end by a fine steel wire, and it pierced into the top of the venue.


    Immediately after, the steel wire started to rapidly retract, lifting Xiao Wan into the air and avoiding Luo Yu¡¯s line of attack.


    Clicking his tongue!


    Witnessing this scene, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but be impressed, not having expected the two short cone-shaped des to have such an effect. Clearly, these were specially modified weapons.


    At this point, Xiao Wan was suspended in mid-air, over two meters above Luo Yu¡¯s head, which was out of his reach even if he were to jump. While Luo Yu pondered his next move, Xiao Wan flicked her wrist, and the short de gripped in her left hand was also shot out, heading straight towards Luo Yu¡¯s head.


    Seeing this, Luo Yu did not hesitate and immediately stepped back. However, surprisingly, after her initial miss, Xiao Wan did not retract the shot de. Instead, she used the steel wire connected to the de to gently shake it, controlling the de fluidly as if by an extension of her arm. She maneuvered it around Luo Yu, constantly changing positions, waiting for an opportunity to strike.


    In no time, Luo Yu was put entirely on the defensive, forced to drop all other thoughts and focus on fending off the attacks from the short de.


    "This youngdy has some good ideas." Xia Yue said with a smile, her tone filled with a hint of appreciation.


    Yuan Yun nodded and added, "Looking at her technique, she must have dedicated over a decade to reach this level today. It¡¯s quite remarkable."


    As they conversed, a sudden change urred on the tform. Luo Yu, probably fed up with being entangled, took a quick step back. Simultaneously, he snapped open his folding fan with a swish, twisted at the waist, and made a throwing gesture.


    Instantly, the folding fan whirred through the air like a boomerang, rapidly spinning towards the steel wire in Xiao Wan¡¯s hand.


    Sparks flew, and Luo Yu¡¯s face lit up with joy, but his pleasure quickly froze. Although the folding fan had hit the steel wire squarely, it had failed to cut it.


    Not only that, Xiao Wan seized the opportunity. With a gentle tug of her left hand, she entwined the folding fan with the steel wire and, with a flick, threw the fan out of the arena.


    Losing a weapon meant half a defeat. Watching Xiao Wan who remained aloft, Luo Yu could not help but let out a bitter smile. In this situation, despite his capabilities, he was helpless; Xiao Wan countered him at every turn.


    Having no other choice, Luo Yu bowed his fists to Elder Zhou beneath the tform and said, "Elder Zhou, I admit defeat."


    Hearing his voluntary concession, the audience couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit sorry. Although many believed Xiao Wan¡¯s victory was somewhat dishonorable, a win was a win, a loss was a loss, and there was no cause forint.


    Unlike others, Ling Chen and a few other new talents showed a contemtive look. If they were to face Xiao Wanter, how would they break through her Sky Flying Technique?


    "The first battle, Xiao Wan wins!" Zhou Qi announced loudly: "Now for the second battle, Ling Chen against Shi Yong. Please both get ready, the match will start in three minutes."


    "Ling Cheng,e on!" Qiu Yong patted Ling Chen on the shoulder, encouraging him.


    Ling Chen smiled and with the Tianling de in hand, stepped onto the tform.


    At this moment, Shi Yong also walked up to the other side of the tform. Seeing Shi Yong¡¯s equipment, despite being mentally prepared, Ling Chen was still taken aback.


    Shi Yong held a broad and thick Horse-ying Saber in one hand, and in the other, he carried a solid round shield, while his upper body was d in armor. His attire was reminiscent of an ancient battlefield soldier, missing only a splendid steed.


    Earlier in the spectators¡¯ stand, Ye Liangyong had mentioned Shi Yong¡¯s background to Ling Chen. Shi Yong came from a Martial Arts family, his ancestors once held the title of Golden Saber Marshal,manding thousands of troops and horses. In the history of the Shi Family, there had been a total of two Marshals and seven Generals. As a result, the Shi Family¡¯s Martial Arts were evolved from the ancient battlefield, characterized by their fierce and aggressive nature, epassing both offense and defense.


    "Shi Yong, please enlighten me."


    "Please!"


    Ling Chen sped his hands in salutation, then moved back to the edge of the tform, holding the Tianling de, waiting for Shi Yong¡¯s move.


    "The match... begins!"


    As Zhou Qi¡¯s voice fell, Shi Yong¡¯s eyes instantly burst with an intimidating brilliance, and he roared like a wild beast, exuding an overwhelming presence.


    "Kill!"


    Shi Yong held the shield high with his left hand, protecting his vital parts, and strode forward with the Horse-ying Saber raised above his head, charging at Ling Chen with an unstoppable momentum, the saber¡¯s sharp edge aiming to viciously strike down towards his head.


    Seeing the saber¡¯s winding at him, Ling Chen quickly raised the Tianling de, forcefully blocking the attack from the Horse-ying Saber.


    ng!


    Amid a sharp sound, Ling Chen felt a tingling numbness in his hand, apanied by a sore swelling sensation in his arm. A simple sh felt like it carried the weight of thousands. Having suffered a setback, Ling Chen quickly moved, dodging beneath Shi Yong¡¯s Horse-ying Saber, and swiftly circted to his back.


    However, before Ling Chen couldunch a counter-attack, a gust of wind suddenly hit him from the side. At this moment, even though Shi Yong was still with his back turned to Ling Chen, his body hadn¡¯t moved, but the shield in his left hand, in coordination with the twist of his waist, struck fiercely at him.


    Left with no choice, Ling Chen had to abandon the idea of attacking and continued to withdraw backwards.


    Two consecutive moves, and Ling Chen had not gained the slightest advantage, instead falling into a significant disadvantage in terms of strength.


    "Come again!"


    Shi Yong adjusted his stance, holding the shield level and the Horse-ying Saber in hand, readying himself again for the charge.


    Ling Chen frowned, shifting his feet lightly, his gaze sizing up Shi Yong, in hopes of finding an opening. However, with the defense of the shield, Shi Yong¡¯s defense was irond, leaving no opportunity for a strike.


    "Ling Cheng is in trouble," said Qiu Yong from the seats.


    Zhang Zhongfeng nodded and said, "Shi Yong¡¯s defense is very solid, leaving virtually no gaps, and with his advantage in strength, it seems rather precarious for Ling Cheng to win."

 Chapter 434 - 430: A Fierce Battle with Shi Yong (2)

    <h4>Chapter 434: Chapter 430: A Fierce Battle with Shi Yong (2)</h4><h4></h4>


    Watching Shi Yong gradually closing in, Ling Chen gripped the Tianling de in his hand even tighter.


    Indeed, none of the top ten on the Neer List are ordinary characters. In the twinkling of a thought, Ling Chen made a swift decision. With a light tap of his toes, he shifted from defense to offense. The cold light of the Tianling de shed as the de swiftly extended, slicing towards Shi Yong¡¯s shield.


    ng!


    With a crisp sound, the de steadily chopped onto the solid shield, leaving not a single mark. From the sound emitted by the shield, it could be inferred that the shield was made of pure steel, not only hefty but also extremely hard, making it difficult for ordinary attacks to break through its defense.


    After several probing attempts, Ling Chen suddenly noticed something. Shi Yong, when facing an opponent, disyed great steadiness, not rushing for quick sess but focusing on solid defense. After each defensive move, he wouldn¡¯t seize the chance to attack but would stabilize his defense on the spot.


    This might be rted to his family¡¯s history, where soldiers in ancient armies were primarily focused on maintaining stability. As the battlefield is ever-changing, one could lose their life at any moment. Therefore, the most important thing on the battlefield wasn¡¯t victory, but survival, and Shi Yong had indeed inherited this excellent family tradition.


    However, for Ling Chen, this was an opportunity.


    ng!


    The attack was blocked by the shield once again. Without hesitation, Ling Chen immediately moved his feet, shifting to Shi Yong¡¯s left side, continuing to press the attack. Having understood Shi Yong¡¯s habits, he knew that Shi Yong would not counterattack. Thus, he could attack boldly, continuously seeking vulnerabilities in the relentless onught to try and break Shi Yong¡¯s defense.


    However, after a round of aggressive attack akin to a storm, Ling Chen felt that he had exhausted half of his energy, yet Shi Yong¡¯s defense was still imprable, without the slightest opportunity to exploit.


    Yuan Yun, who was watching the battle, shook his head and said, "This isn¡¯t going to work; Ling Cheng can¡¯t oust the opponent in stamina. If he can¡¯t find a breakthrough, he¡¯s bound to lose to Shi Yong eventually."


    "This Shi Yong has a good foundation; his basics are very solid. Among thest five on the Neer List, his strength is probably the strongest."


    Hearing Xia Yue¡¯s assessment, the usually reticent Xu Ming spoke up: "At most three minutes. If no turning point emerges, Ling Cheng will undoubtedly lose."


    As they spoke, Ling Chen and Shi Yong stood on opposite sides of the arena, facing each other.


    At this moment, Ling Chen had switched from holding the sword with one hand to both hands. After the continuous hard shes, his arms felt incredibly sore and swollen, forcing him to use both hands to maintain the strength of the Tianling de.


    Under the gaze of the crowd, the previously passive Shi Yong finally took a step forward, holding up his shield and advancing towards Ling Chen.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen continuously changed positions, maintaining the distance between them.


    Seeing his evasion and reluctance to fight, a wave of booing immediately arose from the stands.


    "If you¡¯re too scared to fight him, just concede and stop wasting everyone¡¯s time," someone shouted loudly.


    "Exactly, just concede graciously, why resort to such underhanded tactics?"


    "Having the audacity to challenge Yi Shuiyan with such mediocre skills, he must have water in his brain."


    Amid the mocking voices rising and falling, Ling Chen acted as if he had heard nothing, turning a deaf ear and continuing to move around the arena, using this opportunity to recover his depleted energy.


    However, this situation did notst long. As Ling Chen moved to the corner of the ring, Shi Yong, who had been maintaining a steady pace, suddenly quickened his steps, rushed forward, and cornered Ling Chen, leaving him no room to move to either side.


    Feeling the mountain-like stable aura emanating from Shi Yong, Ling Chen raised his eyebrows, his eyes sparkling with sharp light.


    At this moment, there were no other choices but to strike.


    In an instant, without hesitation, Ling Chen forcefully propelled himself from the ground, leaped high, and with both hands holding the Tianling de, he brought it down with a sh.


    Unexpectedly, Shi Yong did not defend with his shield as usual but swung it forcefully, striking the de, and instantly deflecting the edge of the Tianling de.


    Before Ling Chen could react, Shi Yong, holding his shield, quickly closed the distance and mmed his shield against Ling Chen, knocking him flying.


    At the moment Ling Chen struck, he was already at the edge of the ring, and under the impact of the shield, his body immediately flew out of the ring.


    Seeing this, Qiu Yong and others changed their expressions drastically, stood up from their seats, and watched Ling Chen anxiously. On the other side of the spectator stand, Zhu Xiaozhu was biting her thin lips with worry, holding her clothes tightly, her concern even affecting Shi Su, earning a displeased look from him.


    At this critical moment, as Ling Chen was about to hit the ground, he suddenly twisted his body mid-air, facing downward, and at the same time, flicked his wrist, lightly tapping the ground with the tip of the Tianling de. Instantly, the de flexed like a fully drawn longbow.


    Using the rebound force formed by the bent de, Ling Chen bounced up again, his feet neatlynding on the edge of the ring.


    That was close!


    Ling Chen silently remarked, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. Once he fell out of the ring, this fight would be deemed a loss to his opponent, and his journey would alsoe to an end.


    Luckily, his quick reactions helped him regain control. However, the crisis was only temporarily averted. The match was not over yet, and facing a powerful opponent like Shi Yong, Ling Chen was unsure how to secure a victory.


    Indeed, he still had some formidable techniques at his disposal. However, those techniques were intended for facing Yi Shuiyan, and if revealed now, even if he defeated Shi Yong, he would lose the means to confront Yi Shuiyanter.


    Because of this, Ling Chen was somewhat hesitant.


    As he pondered, Shi Yong was already approaching with a shield in hand, his presence fierce. As Shi Yong drew closer, Ling Chen stared at the solid shield, his brow furrowing, his mind constantly searching for a strategy.


    That shield was key; without dealing with it, his attacks were unlikely to threaten Shi Yong.


    With a resolved expression, Ling Chen suddenly retracted the tip of the Tianling de he was holding. Following that, both ends of the Tianling de extended outwards, instantly transforming into a five-foot-long steel rod.


    Not waiting for Shi Yong to approach, Ling Chen gripped the steel rod, took a few quick steps, then used it to vault from the ground, leaping over Shi Yong¡¯s head.


    Shi Yong seemed unprepared for Ling Chen¡¯s move, pausing slightly before looking up, lifting his shield above his head to guard against Ling Chen¡¯s attack.


    However, Ling Chen did not attack directly but lightly tapped the surface of the shield with the steel rod, using it to bounce even higher into the air.


    Watching Ling Chen¡¯s actions left the spectators puzzled, unsure of what he was nning.


    Just when everyone was baffled, Ling Chen, who had jumped three meters into the air, suddenly spun around tightly gripping the steel rod, and from above, he smashed it down fiercely onto the shield.

 Chapter 435 - 431: Fierce Battle with Shi Yong (Three)

    <h4>Chapter 435: Chapter 431: Fierce Battle with Shi Yong (Three)</h4><h4></h4>


    ng!


    When the steel rod struck the shield, a loud sound like a prolonged bell echoed throughout the entire venue.


    Under Ling Chen¡¯s forceful attack, Shi Yong¡¯s arms and knees showed a distinct sinking movement, indicating that Ling Chen¡¯s attack exceeded the range he could withstand.


    Although Shi Yong¡¯s movement was subtle, the sharp-eyed Ling Chen still noticed it and could not help but feel pleased.


    Sess!


    This method was indeed effective.


    Ling Chen knew clearly that he couldn¡¯t match Shi Yong in sheer strength, so he had to find another way to enhance his power.


    Launching an attack from mid-air was different from attacking on the ground; leveraging the body¡¯s inertia and the impact of the fall,bined with his own strength and Inner Strength, was enough to bring his power to its utmost limit.


    It¡¯s like throwing a shot put; if you stand in one spot, motionless, and throw the shot put, it certainly won¡¯t go very far. However, if you take a run-up, the distance the shot put travels will be much farther than the former.


    The situations are different, but the principle is the same.


    Having found the method to defeat the enemy, Ling Chen¡¯s tense face rxed considerably, continuously using the same method to put pressure on Shi Yong.


    Although Shi Yong was stable enough, each of his movements was precise, but his footwork could not be called agile, just average. Moreover, facing Ling Chen¡¯s attack, he had to lift the shield above his head. Consequently, the area of shield blocked his line of sight, preventing him from pinpointing Ling Chen¡¯s exact position and forcing him to rely on the range of the shield to defend against Ling Chen¡¯s steel rod.


    In less than half a minute under Ling Chen¡¯s powerful assault, the shield in Shi Yong¡¯s hand was increasingly lowered, as if the arm holding it was growing tired.


    Excellent opportunity!


    Noticing the change in Shi Yong, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes brightened, recognizing that his attacks were effective. At that moment, he leaped high, apanied by a whistling wind, and again fiercely struck the shield with his steel rod.


    ng!


    The powerful force spread across the surface of the shield. Shi Yong¡¯s arm shrank back as if unable to bear it, and he quickly retreated, only stabilizing his footsteps five meters away, slowly lowering the shield he held up high.


    Ling Chen slightly curved the corners of his mouth, ready to overpower Shi Yong in one go. But just then, a movement from Shi Yong made Ling Chen halt and look at him curiously.


    Shi Yong threw down the shield he was holding and took off the armor from his body, leaving only the Horse-ying Saber in his hand.


    Ling Chen was puzzled, was Shi Yong nning to give up his defense and attack with all his might?


    While he was thinking, Shi Yong silently raised the Horse-ying Saber, de facing outward, standing as straight as a rigid javelin, with a formidable aura.


    Suddenly, Shi Yong shouted loudly from where he stood with the saber, his morale soaring. With an unstoppable momentum, he quickly ran towards Ling Chen, slightly tilting the Horse-ying Saber back, poised in a chopping stance.


    Watching Shi Yong charging towards him, Ling Chen was momentarily stunned, a hint of surprise in Mo Che¡¯s eyes.


    At this moment, Shi Yong, who had discarded his armor and shield, moved swiftly and with sharp movements, looking entirely different from before. Without a moment to spare as Shi Yong closed in, the broad Horse-ying Saber chopped straight towards the top of his head, full of force.


    Without a word, Ling Chen immediately raised his steel rod, holding it above himself. In an instant, only a crisp ¡¯ng¡¯ sound was heard as Ling Chen¡¯s knees bent, his shoulders and elbows moving in concert with his torso to sink down, dissolving that fierce power.


    Notnding a sessful hit, Shi Yong quickly retracted the Horse-ying Saber, his footsteps as swift as the wind, and in an instant he moved to Ling Chen¡¯s right side, the Horse-ying Saber shing down again with a mighty aura.


    So fast!


    Seeing the flickering figure before him, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but be greatly rmed; Shi Yong¡¯s speed was at least twice as fast as before.


    Could it be that this fellow has been hiding his strength all along?


    In a sh of thought, Ling Chen seemed to realize something, his eyes swiftly ncing at the discarded shield and armor on the ground, his eyes filled with undisguised shock.


    At this moment, with the whistle of the saber wind by his ear, and the oppressive power closing in, Ling Chen hurriedly discarded all distractions, focusing on countering Shi Yong¡¯s attacks.


    ng! ng!


    In just a moment, Shi Yong had already unleashed four or five shes in session, the power contained in the de not only showing no sign of weakening but instead growing stronger as if Shi Yong possessed an inexhaustible strength, his offensive relentless, leaving Ling Chen struggling to defend.


    At that moment, as Ling Chen once again swung the steel rod, hard-connecting with Shi Yong¡¯s fierce attack, a sudden change urred on the tform. Facing Shi Yong¡¯s aggressive assault, Ling Chen suddenly found his feet giving way, his legs seemingly unable to support his body, staggering backward, nearly falling to the ground. Fortunately, he reacted promptly, using the steel rod to prop himself up on the ground.


    Feeling the pain in his waist, Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed, inwardly cursing, not expecting his waist injury to re up at this time. Probably the high-intensity battle had triggered the injury once more.


    What now?


    Ling Chen frowned deeply, reaching to touch his lower back, feeling a piercing pain.


    Seeing Ling Chen holding his spine, his eyebrows tightly furrowed, and a fleeting expression of pain across his face, Zhu Xiaozhu on the stands couldn¡¯t help but worry. That day because of her, Ling Chen had identally hurt his spine. Since Ling Chen had repeatedly insisted he was fine, she hadn¡¯t taken it too seriously.


    But now, it seemed that Ling Chen was not only not fine, but his injury was also very serious. He had deliberately hidden his injury in front of her, probably not wanting to make her feel guilty. Thinking of this, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s eyes started to moisten, shimmering faintly.


    On the tform, Shi Yong, seeing Ling Chen¡¯s actions, put away the Horse-ying Saber and asked, "Are you injured?"


    "It¡¯s nothing." Ling Chen shook his head, mustering his spirits, gripping the steel rod in his hand, signaling to Shi Yong, "Continue!"


    "You¡¯re a decent opponent, but in your current state, it isn¡¯t suitable to continue. Admit defeat, to avoid aggravating your injury."


    "Ling Cheng,e down." Qiu Yong spoke from the seats.


    They were all aware of Ling Chen¡¯s injury, which was their biggest concern. With the injury ring up now, it undoubtedly would greatly impact Ling Chen. For the sake of his health, Qiu Yong could only urge him to admit defeat.


    "Big brother, I¡¯m fine, no need to worry." Ling Chen forced a smile, his gaze fixed on Shi Yong across from him, nodding, "Let¡¯s go."


    Shi Yong said seriously, "Since you insist, I respect your decision, but I must remind you, I won¡¯t go easy."


    "That¡¯s best, I don¡¯t want an unearned victory."


    As he spoke, Shi Yong once again raised the Horse-ying Saber, his waist sinking down, steady as a rock, his eyes zing with a sharp light.


    "Take this!"


    With a loud shout, Shi Yong tapped the ground with one foot, takingrge strides, advancing like a flying arrow, charging at Ling Chen with soaring momentum.


    Seeing the opponent approach, Ling Chen took a deep breath, his teeth tightly clenched, enduring the pain in his spine, he swung the steel rod horizontally, an unstoppable force.

 Chapter 436 - 432: A Fierce Battle with Shi Yong (4)

    <h4>Chapter 436: Chapter 432: A Fierce Battle with Shi Yong (4)</h4><h4></h4>


    As the battle entered its final stage, everyone was focused intently on the arena, watching Shi Yong and Ling Chen, waiting for the victor to emerge.


    "That Shi Yong is quite outstanding."


    In a corner of the venue stood two women, one of whom was wearing a veil, seemingly afraid of being recognized. However, the attention of everyone in the venue was so concentrated on the stage that nobody noticed their presence.


    Hearing the veiled woman¡¯s assessment, the delicate woman beside her agreed: "Shi Yong is a newbie heavily nurtured by the Shi Family, with excellent aptitude and physical qualities. We took all aspects into consideration during our evaluation, which is why we ced him in thest five spots of the Neer List. However, his strength has indeed exceeded our expectations. Judging by the power he has just disyed, he should be on par with the masters on the Dragon List. Personally, I think he is qualified to challenge the top five on the Neer List."


    The veiled woman nodded lightly, her eyes like autumn waters fixed on Ling Chen, who was struggling on the stage, and she softly spoke, "What do you think of that Ling Chen?"


    "Not bad, but just that, far from outstanding. Even if he wasn¡¯t injured, he would not be Shi Yong¡¯s match. Based on my understanding of him, his endurance is probably thanks to the Heavenly Mechanism Pill, which has enhanced his strength. However, even with that, the gap between him and Shi Yong cannot be narrowed."


    While they were talking, a faint elegant fragrance suddenly arrived. Unbeknownst to them, a woman in white clothing and wearing a veil too, not revealing her face, had appeared beside them.


    "How did you get here?" The previously speaking veiled woman didn¡¯t even look at the neer; she recognized her identity simply from the fragrance. And the only person who would dare to appear beside her without notice was this woman.


    "You can leave first."


    "Yes." The delicate woman replied and withdrew to the back, leaving the two veiled women alone.


    "I¡¯vee to see him."


    "Who?"


    "Ling Chen."


    The veiled woman asked with a hint of surprise in her tone, "You know him? Howe I wasn¡¯t aware?"


    "There¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t know, and I don¡¯t need to tell you everything."


    "That¡¯s true. However, in the current situation, do you think he can win?"


    "Until the final moment arrives, no one can predict the oue. I believe he won¡¯t disappoint me."


    ng!


    At that moment, in the arena, Ling Chen, having sustained a direct attack from Shi Yong, staggered backward, his body shaking, nearly unable to stand firm.


    Minutes passed, and Shi Yong hadpletely taken the initiative, not giving Ling Chen any chance to counterattack, pressing him step by step. Apart from defending, Ling Chen had no strength to fight back, like a fish on a chopping board, at the mercy of others.


    "Aren¡¯t you conceding yet?" Shi Yong frowned at the gasping Ling Chen, "Don¡¯t force me to be ruthless."


    "Bring it on!"


    Ling Chen gritted his teeth and swung his steel staff with force. Shi Yong stepped forward, and his Horse-ying Saber swooped down through the air.


    At the moment of weapon contact, Ling Chen felt a numbness in his palm, the strong force making his arms tremble slightly, almost causing him to drop the steel staff.


    Taking advantage of this, Shi Yong closed in and repeatedly chopped down with his Horse-ying Saber, striking hard on the steel staff.


    "Let go!"


    With Shi Yong¡¯s shout, the power bursting from the Horse-ying Saber was like raging river waters, continuous and relentless, fiercely assaulting the steel staff.


    Ling Chen, gritting his teeth to endure, suddenly felt an ache in his arm, as if he had lost all strength, and the steel rod slipped from his grasp, falling to the ground.


    Atst, a victor had emerged!


    The audience in the stands exhaled collectively, their gazes filled with unreserved admiration for Shi Yong, who was undoubtedly a dark horse. Although there was one battle yet to end, everyone had already recognized him as the final victor in their hearts.


    Gazing at the rolling steel rod on the ground, Ling Chen slowly lifted his head, looking directly at Shi Yong, showing not the slightest hint of backing down.


    Shi Yong, feeling the determination in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, was taken aback and looked at him in disbelief. Had ite to this point, and yet this guy still refused to admit defeat?


    Lost in thought, Shi Yong suddenly saw Ling Chen reach inside his clothing with empty hands and pull out ten daggers, wedged between his fingers.


    Everyone was shocked at Ling Chen¡¯s actions.


    This guy still wouldn¡¯t give up!


    Some couldn¡¯t help but utter words of admiration; even though Ling Chen¡¯s abilities seemed average, his indomitable spirit wasmendable. However, their admiration was mingled with confusion, as they wondered what Ling Chen intended to do.


    Could he possibly hope to turn the tables with just a few daggers?


    Watching the ten daggers in Ling Chen¡¯s hands, Shi Yong raised his Horse-ying Saber, instantly on guard, daring not to be careless.


    The martial artspetition wasn¡¯t over yet; anything could happen. He understood this all too well.


    At that moment, the attentive Shi Yong suddenly noticed something odd about the daggers in Ling Chen¡¯s hands. They appeared to be just ten daggers, but they were unusually thick, not the normal thickness of regr daggers. It seemed as if each one wasposed of more than ten thin daggers.


    What was he nning to do?


    With this thought, a hint of confusion flickered in Shi Yong¡¯s eyes.


    With the ten daggers in hand, Ling Chen took a deep breath, trying to bring himself to peak condition. After a moment, he looked up at Shi Yong, his lips suddenly curling into a faint smile.


    Seeing the smile emerge on his face, for some reason, Shi Yong felt an uneasy sensation.


    Right then, he put aside distracting thoughts, lifted the Horse-ying Saber high, and quickly charged at Ling Chen. Regardless of what Ling Chen had up his sleeve, it was essential to gain the initiative.


    As Shi Yong approached, Ling Chen lightly tapped the ground with the tip of his foot, flinging his arms upward, and the ten daggers wedged between his fingers were instantly thrown into the air.


    The odd action immediately startled the onlookers.


    Shi Yong was directly in front of Ling Chen, and instead of attacking him, Ling Chen threw the daggers into the sky. What did that mean?


    Just as everyone was perplexed, the ten daggers in midair suddenly transformed, each one splitting into more than ten des thin as cicada wings.


    In just an instant, hundreds of daggers appeared above their heads, nearly covering the entire arena.


    Shi Yong looked up at the falling daggers, his expression changing instantly. He immediately halted his attack, swinging the Horse-ying Saber with both hands, deflecting the daggers raining from the sky to avoid being cut.


    "What is he doing?"


    At that moment, an rmed shout came from the stands, and all eyes focused on Ling Chen, utterly astonished.


    Among the dense rain of daggers, Ling Chen moved swiftly like a gust of wind, darting through them. What was even more surprising was that whenever it seemed like Ling Chen would be struck by the falling daggers, he always anticipated in advance, shifting his position to deftly avoid them.


    In a blink of an eye, Ling Chen had swiftly made it up close to Shi Yong.

 Chapter 437 - 433: A Fierce Battle with Shi Yong (5)

    <h4>Chapter 437: Chapter 433: A Fierce Battle with Shi Yong (5)</h4><h4></h4>


    At this moment, Shi Yong was still dealing with the dagger falling above his head. It was only when he heard the fierce wind by his ear that he became aware of Ling Chen¡¯s approach. Unfortunately, even though he detected Ling Chen beside him, he was still a step toote; Ling Chen¡¯s iron fist had already fiercely mmed towards him.


    Bang!


    With a muffled sound, Shi Yong, who had taken a punch, staggered back several steps and let out a roar, brandishing his saber in preparation for a counterattack. However, the falling dagger above forced him to contain his rage.


    While Shi Yong¡¯s attention was captured by those daggers, Ling Chen seized the opportunity, circling around Shi Yong¡¯s body, continuously swinging his iron fists.


    In the blink of an eye, Shi Yong¡¯s midsection and back took sessive heavy blows from Ling Chen. Under the painful stimulus, his reaction speed got slower and slower.


    At this time, having dealt with the threat of the daggers, Shi Yong flipped his hands, sweeping the Horse-ying Saber horizontally in an attempt to force Ling Chen back from his side.


    However, Ling Chen had been paying close attention to his actions. Seeing the deing, Ling Chen immediately leaned backward. As soon as the saber passed in front of him, he quickly got up, reached out to the side, and seized one of the falling daggers, cing it backhanded against Shi Yong¡¯s neck.


    Feeling the cold touch on his neck, Shi Yong¡¯s body stiffened, and he immediately halted his actions, standing there with a stunned expression.


    "The duel is over, Ling Chen wins!"


    As Zhou Qi¡¯s voice sounded, the audience, recovering from their shock, stared in disbelief at Ling Chen on the stage.


    No one had expected Ling Chen, who was assumed to be undoubtedly defeated, to turn defeat into victory in thest moment in such a fashion; it was entirely unexpected.


    "How could that work?" Someoneined about Shi Yong¡¯s loss: "That Ling Chen clearly took advantage of the situation. In terms of strength, he is no match for Shi Yong."


    No sooner had he spoken than someone retorted: "What do you mean by taking advantage? Could you make urate predictions like he did with so many daggers? It¡¯s not luck; it¡¯s true skill."


    On the stage.


    Ling Chen put away the dagger and took two steps back, giving Shi Yong a fist salute.


    "I appreciate your forbearance."


    Shi Yong turned his head, looking directly at Ling Chen, and asked in a deep voice, "How did you do it?"


    Ling Chen understood what Shi Yong meant, with so many daggers above, one couldn¡¯t simply rely on eyesight to evade, and anyone would be amazed how easy he did it. He pointed to his own ear and replied with a smile, "By listening."


    "So it is." Shi Yong nodded, "I understand now. To win in such a situation, even though I lost, I am convinced by the loss and hope you can achieve better results."


    After speaking, Shi Yong sped his fists, picked up his discarded shield and armor, and turned to leave the stage.


    Watching Shi Yong¡¯s departure, Ling Chen exhaled a breath of relief; he had finally made it through. But for this victory, he had exposed his trump card, which he had intended to reserve for the duel against Yi Shuiyan. He had not expected Shi Yong¡¯s strength to be so formidable; without employing this tactic, it would have been difficult for him to emerge victorious.


    "The next battle is..."


    Hearing Zhou Qi¡¯s voice, Ling Chen hurriedly made way and walked towards the stands. However, after only a few steps, he suddenly felt his legs go numb as if they had lost all sensation, and he copsed to the ground.


    Seeing this, the spectators on the stands burst into discussions, specting with various theories.


    "Ling Cheng!" Qiu Yong¡¯s expression changed, and he quickly rushed onto the stage to help the fallen Ling Chen, asking with concern, "How are you?"


    Ling Chen shook his head and said with a frown, "Big brother, please take me back to my room first."


    "Alright. Third brother,e and lend a hand."


    With the help of Qiu Yong and Yuan Yun, Ling Chen was quickly carried out of the venue, but the discussions among the onlookers in the stands didn¡¯t cease; everyone was specting whether Ling Chen, in his physical condition, would still be able to participate in the uing duels.


    "You have a good eye."


    In a corner of the venue, two masked women whispered to each other.


    "However, it looks like he has sustained quite serious injuries. Even if he gets the chance topete with the top five on the Neer List, how far do you think he can go?"


    "That¡¯s not for you to worry about." The masked woman said and turned to leave.


    "By the way! Last time Ling Chen identally entered my room, we had a short conversation, would you like to know who his master is?"


    "Tell me."


    "The Internal Cultivation Methods he practices is the Prajnaparamita Sutra."


    "The Prajnaparamita Sutra?" The masked woman paused, taken aback.


    "Yes. I¡¯ve been wondering whether this is fate or not."


    "There are some things it¡¯s better to know without saying. Also, mind your own business from now on when ites to him."


    Watching the masked woman walk away, the Tea Girl gently shook her head and sighed inwardly.


    ...


    In the guest room, Qiu Yong and Yuan Yun together lifted Ling Chen¡¯s body and gently ced it on the bed, Xia Yue immediately handed a cup of water to Ling Chen.


    Sensing everyone¡¯s concern and care, Ling Chen grinned and said, "It¡¯s nothing, I just need some rest."


    Xia Yue gave him a sharp look, saying irritably, "All you know is to act tough. Do you have any idea how worried we were? What¡¯s the point of winning if you ruin your health?"


    "Okay now! Give it a rest and let him recover properly," said Qiu Yong.


    At that moment, Wei Jiahao leaned over Ling Chen¡¯s bed, beaming, and asked, "Sixth Brother, how about those daggers I made for you? They worked quite well, didn¡¯t they?"


    Ling Chen gave a thumbs up and praised with a smile, "I owe this victory over Shi Yong to you and Seventh Brother; the biggest credit goes to you guys."


    He wasn¡¯t just being polite, those daggers were specially made by Wei Jiahao, they were not only lightweight but also sturdy and sharp. Wei Jiahao had put a lot of effort into making those daggers. Besides, Yang Chen¡¯s training on his auditory skills was essential.


    Although the special trainingsted less than two months, the effect was significant and was key to his victory.


    After a short rest, a series of ¡¯knock, knock, knock¡¯ sounds came from outside the door.


    Xia Yue got up to open the door and found Zhou Qi, the host of the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony.


    "Elder Zhou, what brings you here?" Ling Chen sat up from the bed and asked.


    "I came to check on your injury and to tell you about the next arrangements. The three rounds ofbat have ended, and you, Xiao Wan, and Lin Dong have advanced. After a lucky draw, your fortune is good, you have a bye in the next round. Tomorrow morning¡¯s fight will be between Xiao Wan and Lin Dong, and the winner of that match will face you in the final battle. You have a day to recuperate before the fight begins."


    "I understand. Thank you, Elder Zhou."


    "No need to be polite." Zhou Qi changed the topic and said, "Ms. Shi is also on the ship; her medical expertise is profound. Would you like me to ask her to see to your wounds?"


    "Elder Zhou, that¡¯s not necessary." Considering his rtionship with Shi Su, Ling Chen chose to decline.


    "Very well then, you rest up. I won¡¯t disturb you any longer."

 Chapter 438 - 434 Zhu Xiaozhu’s Decision

    <h4>Chapter 438: Chapter 434 Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s Decision</h4><h4></h4>


    In the spacious and luxurious room, Zhu Xiaozhu stood in front of the window, quietly gazing at the azure sea outside, her clear eyes shimmering with light.


    At this moment, Shi Su walked into the room and saw her disciple standing motionless by the window, silent, as if she hadn¡¯t noticed her arrival, and thus called out, "Xiaozhu."


    However, either Zhu Xiaozhu didn¡¯t hear her or she just didn¡¯t react, remaining still and silent.


    "Xiaozhu!"


    Shi Su approached her disciple from behind, gently patted her on the shoulder, and finally brought the dazed Zhu Xiaozhu back to reality.


    "Master."


    Seeing Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s delicate face that was endearing, Shi Su smiled and asked, "What¡¯s on your mind, to be so engrossed?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu fiddled with her fingers, looking down, and replied softly, "It¡¯s nothing."


    "The weather is nice today. Why are you staying in your room? Why not go out for a walk with Han Yu? He told me he¡¯s invited you several times, but you¡¯ve turned him down. It¡¯s not good to be like this; he¡¯s trying to get to know you better, and you¡¯re being impolite by rejecting every time. Plus, you only know if someone is right for you if you understand each other better. I¡¯m not forcing you to favor Han Yu. I just think he¡¯s very promising and an excellent young man. You could try to get in touch with him and not miss out on a good opportunity."


    After listening to Shi Su¡¯s words, Zhu Xiaozhu hesitated before gathering her courage and said, "Master, I know you mean well, but..."


    "But what?" Shi Su¡¯s expression turned displeased, "You aren¡¯t still thinking about that Ling Chen, are you?"


    "Master..."


    Shi Su shook her head, interrupting Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s response, "It¡¯s not that I am biased against Ling Chen; it¡¯s just that he¡¯s not suitable for you. As my disciple, only a man that¡¯s truly outstanding can match you. And by outstanding, I don¡¯t mean just personally, but also his background. In my view, both in personal capability and background, Ling Chen doesn¡¯te close to Han Yu. Xiaozhu, listen to me, one must be cautious with emotions; you can¡¯t be too emotional, and you must approach it rationally, thinking of your future. Besides, didn¡¯t you tell mest time that Ling Chen already has another woman? Do you wish to meddle in others¡¯ rtionships?"


    "I..." Zhu Xiaozhu opened her mouth but found herself at a loss for words. The thought of the rtionship between Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing immediately dimmed the sparkle in her eyes, leaving a faint sadness.


    "Sigh!"


    Shi Su sighed, gently stroking Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s hair and said, "Xiaozhu, such is life; we miss out on many things. Once something is missed, it might be lost forever. As such, one must learn to look forward and not dwell on the past."


    "Master," Zhu Xiaozhu lifted her head, her lips slightly parted, and said, "Can you help me with a favor? If you agree, I¡¯ll always listen to you and never go against your wishes."


    "What do you want to do?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s lips moved as she slowly uttered three words.


    "No way!"


    Shi Su¡¯s face changed immediately, and without a second thought, she refused, "Absolutely not. Xiaozhu, your Master advises you to give up this idea; I will not agree."


    "Master..."


    "Enough, let¡¯s not talk about this. There¡¯s no room for negotiation." With that, Shi Su turned and walked towards the door. However, shortly after stepping out, Shi Su heard a ¡¯thump¡¯ from behind.


    She turned around to see Zhu Xiaozhu kneeling on the ground and was taken aback, softly chastising, "What are you doing?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu pleaded pitifully, "Master, I¡¯ve never asked you for anything, but this time I hope you can assist me. I promise, just this once. From now on, I will obediently follow your words, never refusing anything you ask of me, even if..."


    Pausing, Zhu Xiaozhu hesitated. But thinking of her request, her clear eyes hardened with determination, and she looked at Shi Su and continued, "Even if it means being with Han Yu, I will not object."


    "You..."


    Hearing her disciple¡¯s words left Shi Su stunned, speechless.


    "Master, please."


    "You... sigh..." Shi Su sighed helplessly, unable to articte her thoughts, and expressed with deep sympathy while looking at her disciple, "Get up."


    "Master..."


    "Alright, no more words. I¡¯ll agree to your request."


    Upon hearing this, joy immediately spread across Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s face, and she repeatedly expressed, "Thank you, Master!"


    "You silly girl, I don¡¯t know what good deeds Ling Chen did in his past lives to earn your affection like this. But I must say it upfront: I¡¯ll help you, but don¡¯t forget the words you just said. Once this matter is over, you are not to have any dealings with Ling Chen again. In the future, just treat him as a stranger who once appeared in your life."


    "Yes, Master."


    ...


    Nighttime arrived.


    After dinner, Ling Cheny in bed resting, regaining some sensation in his legs through the treatment of Acupuncture Technique. Based on this progress, tomorrow¡¯s martial contest should pose no problem.


    As long as the pain did not affect him, Ling Chen was confident in victory. After all, not everyone in the bottom five of the Neer List was as strong as Shi Yong. Looking within himself, he acknowledged that Shi Yong was indeed stronger; in this regard, he was self-aware.


    That he won at thest moment today was indeed fortuitous. Otherwise, relying solely on brute force, he would have been undoubtedly defeated.


    While pondering, the door to his room was knocked.


    "I¡¯ll get the door." Xia Yue, who was looking after Ling Chen, stood up and went to the door.


    Soon after, Xia Yue returned to the bedroom with Zhu Xiaozhu.


    "Xiaozhu?" Ling Chen was momentarily stunned, then quickly mustered a smile and asked, "What brings you here?"


    "I came to see how you were doing, is your injury okay?"


    "It¡¯s fine."


    "Ling Cheng, you two chat. I have something to discuss with our eldest brother; I¡¯lle backter." With that, Xia Yue tactfully left the room.


    Only after Xia Yue had gone did Zhu Xiaozhu, seeing Ling Chen lying in bed, somewhat unable to move, chide him lightly, "You suffered such a severe injury, yet you kept it from me."


    "It¡¯s not like that." Ling Chen quickly exined, "I..."


    "No need to exin, I know what you¡¯re thinking."


    Hearint this, Ling Chen smiled awkwardly.


    "I¡¯ve brought you some medicine, it should help with your injury. Wait here, I¡¯ll get some water." Saying this, Zhu Xiaozhu walked to the table, filled a ss with boiled water, and then reached into her pocket for something.


    "Here, drink the water."

 Chapter 439 - 435 Jealousy Arises

    <h4>Chapter 439: Chapter 435 Jealousy Arises</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen took the ss and looked at the pills Zhu Xiaozhu had handed him, jokingly said, "You¡¯re a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, why have you switched to Western medicine?"


    "Although traditional Chinese medicine can treat the root cause, it takes a longer time. You have a martial artspetition tomorrow, of course, you need fast-acting Western medicine. You know medicine too, don¡¯t you understand this?"


    "I¡¯m just an amateurpared to you." Ling Chen replied with a smile, then popped the pills into his mouth and washed them down with the boiled water in his ss. After swallowing the pills, Ling Chen smacked his lips, feeling the boiled water surprisingly sweet, as if it were well water, and couldn¡¯t help but drink a few more sips, quickly finishing the cup.


    Seeing Ling Chen drink the entire cup of water, a faint smile appeared on Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s delicate face.


    "What are you smiling about?" Ling Chen noticed the smile on her face and asked.


    "Nothing." Zhu Xiaozhu took the ss from him and advised, "Get some rest, I won¡¯t disturb you anymore."


    "You¡¯re leaving so soon?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu nodded gently, her beautiful eyes showing a hint of reluctance. She really wanted to stay, but remembering her promise to Shi Su, she had to leave.


    "I¡¯ll be going then."


    Watching Zhu Xiaozhu leave, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but feel she looked rather troubled, as if she was deliberately avoiding him.


    ...


    The next day.


    Early in the morning, Ling Chen woke up from his sleep. Looking at the time, it was only 6:30. He originally wanted to sleep in more, but the noise outside woke him up.


    "Why is it so noisy this early in the morning?" Ling Chen rubbed his sleepy eyes, got out of bed to wash up, and then jogged around in his bedroom to check on the recovery of his waist injury.


    He was pleased to find that the pain in his waist had greatly reduced. Although it was still slightly painful, it didn¡¯t affect him much. After a night¡¯s rest, he didn¡¯t expect to recover so quickly; it seemed his physical condition was quite good.


    Just then, Xia Yue walked in. Seeing Ling Chen exercising, her expression changed immediately, and she ran over to stop him, "Your injury hasn¡¯t healed yet, what are you jumping around for? Get back to bed."


    Ling Chen smiled and said, "Sister Five, don¡¯t worry, my waist feels a lot better." After that, without waiting for Xia Yue to speak, Ling Chen changed the subject and asked, "By the way, Sister Five, what¡¯s happening outside? It¡¯s so noisy."


    "They discovered a fishing boat and are preparing to carry out a rescue."


    "Really?" Ling Chen immediately became interested and suggested, "Sister Five, let¡¯s go outside and breathe some fresh air."


    "Hey! Your injury..." Before she could finish, Ling Chen had already quickly left the room.


    Once on deck, he saw many people gathered at the edge of the ship, with Qiu Yong and others too. Ling Chen was about to go over and greet them, but at that moment, a man and a woman suddenly appeared in his line of sight, causing his face to instantly stiffen.


    Not far away, Han Yu and Zhu Xiaozhu were walking side by side, the man¡¯s face beaming with joy, looking very happy. In contrast, Zhu Xiaozhu wore a strange expression on her face, looking like she wanted to smile but couldn¡¯t.


    Of course, if it had just been this, Ling Chen wouldn¡¯t have cared too much. What mattered was that Han Yu was also holding Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s hand. Thinking about how long he had known Zhu Xiaozhu and that he had never held her hand, jealousy churned inside him.


    At this moment, the approaching Han Yu and Zhu Xiaozhu seemed to feel Ling Chen¡¯s gaze and both looked over.


    As their six eyes met, Han Yu smirked and lifted his head, his handsome face showing a smug smile, swaying the hand he held with Zhu Xiaozhu back and forth, as if to unt to Ling Chen.


    But Ling Chen didn¡¯t even nce at him directly, his eyes were always fixated on Zhu Xiaozhu, asplex emotions shed through his eyes.


    Zhu Xiaozhu was biting her thin lips, her head lowered, looking at her toes, somewhat afraid to meet Ling Chen¡¯s gaze.


    As they walked past in front of him, Ling Chen opened his mouth but couldn¡¯t utter a word, he didn¡¯t even know what to say.


    No matter how Zhu Xiaozhu chose, it was her freedom, after all, he was just a friend, an outsider, with no right to interfere in her private affairs.


    "Ling Cheng."


    Hearing Yuan Yun¡¯s voice, Ling Chen gathered his emotions and stepped toward everyone.


    Standing by the ship¡¯s rail, Ling Chen looked into the distance and saw a fishing boat on the sapphire sea. The fishing boat had sustained serious damage, the deck was in disarray, and several crew membersy on it, weak and waiting for rescue.


    Soon, the luxurious cruise ship dispatched two motorboats, rescuing all the crew members from the fishing boat.


    Watching the rescue team escort the crew into the infirmary, Ling Chen asked, "Big Brother, what happened to that fishing boat?"


    "I¡¯m not very sure either, but I heard from others that the fishing boat encountered a storm, which damaged the hull and made it unable to sail. It has been drifting on the sea for many days."


    "Well, their luck isn¡¯t bad, running into us."


    The appearance of the fishing boat was just a minor incident; the cruise ship had specialized rescue personnel, and the crew members would be properly amodated.


    Meanwhile, in the control room of the luxurious cruise ship, Zhou Qi wasmunicating with several staff members.


    "Have you figured it out?"


    "We¡¯ve confirmed it. The fishing boat is registered in Haiyang City. It went out to sea half a month ago with fourteen crew members on board, no issues." As he spoke, the staff member handed a document to Zhou Qi, saying, "These are the identities of those crew members, I¡¯ve confirmed with the rescue team."


    "That¡¯s good. Once their condition stabilizes, arrange a helicopter to take them away."


    "Understood."


    By eight o¡¯clock in the morning, everyone had gradually arrived at the venue.


    When everyone had assembled, Zhou Qi stepped up to the ring and announced that the martial artspetition would continue.


    This morning¡¯s contest would be between Xiao Wan and Lin Dong, with the winnerpeting against Ling Chen in the afternoon for a spot to advance.


    A martial arts contest doesn¡¯t take much time, but considering Ling Chen¡¯s injuries had not fully recovered and to give the morning¡¯s winner more time to rest and prepare, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion adjusted the contest to one session per half day. In this respect, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was quite humane.


    Sitting in the seats, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze was fixed on Lin Dong in the ring. He had already witnessed Xiao Wan¡¯s capabilities, only this Lin Dong he did not understand. As someone who might be his opponent, he needed to figure him out.


    However, when he saw the weapon Lin Dong was using, he instantly lost interest in the contest.


    Lin Dong¡¯s weapon was a whip, which perfectly countered Xiao Wan¡¯s tactics. Unless something unexpected happened, there wouldn¡¯t be much suspense in this contest.


    Meanwhile, people in the venue began to leave one after another. For a contestcking suspense, everyone was less interested. Rather than wasting time here, they preferred to go outside and enjoy the sun.

 Chapter 440 - 436 Viral Infection (1)

    <h4>Chapter 440: Chapter 436 Viral Infection (1)</h4><h4></h4>


    As Zhou Qi announced the start of the martial artspetition, as everyone expected, Xiao Wan repeated her usual tactic and conceded defeat after barely holding on for two minutes. Lin Dong won the match almost effortlessly.


    Ling Chen originally wanted to see Lin Dong¡¯s capabilities, but was greatly disappointed by the unexpected quick ending.


    Returning to his room, under the supervision of Xia Yue, the entire morning was spent in bed.


    When mealtime came, Qiu Yong and others gathered in Ling Chen¡¯s room, waiting for the waiter to bring their meals.


    "Be extra careful in this afternoon¡¯spetition, Ling Cheng, to prevent your injuries from recurring," Qiu Yong cautioned while covering his mouth with his hand, constantly coughing, his face turning bright red.


    "Big brother, are you okay?"


    Qiu Yong waved his hand and said, "What could possibly be wrong with me? Don¡¯t worry unnecessarily, better take care of yourself."


    During the conversation, the waiter had already brought avish lunch to the room on a cart.


    After lunch, Qiu Yong and others went back to their rooms for a nap. Havingid down all morning, Ling Chen, with nothing else to do, turned on the TV and casually selected a movie to watch.


    Around 1:40 in the afternoon, Ling Chen checked the time, felt it was about right to head to the venue to prepare, and thus got up and went to knock on Qiu Yong¡¯s door.


    "Big brother, it¡¯s me!"


    Before the door opened, a series of intense coughs had already reached Ling Chen¡¯s ears through the door. When the door opened, Qiu Yong was seen covering his mouth, coughing incessantly, hisplexion looking rather unhealthy and his spirits down.


    Ling Chen asked with concern, "Big brother, are you sick? Let me have a look."


    "It¡¯s just a minor illness, no need for a fuss." Perhaps due to severe coughing, Qiu Yong¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    "How can that be okay? What if a minor illness turns into a serious one?" Saying this, Ling Chen, ignoring Qiu Yong¡¯s protest, took him back into the room. Once seated, Ling Chen checked Qiu Yong¡¯s pulse carefully.


    The pulse was normal, no major issues, likely just a severe cold caught unintentionally.


    "Big brother, since you¡¯re not feeling well, you should skip thepetition this afternoon and rest well in the room. I¡¯ll ask the medical staff to bring some cold medicine over."


    Qiu Yong nodded, "Then you call your second brother to apany you."


    "Understood."


    Leaving the room, Ling Chen went straight to the room where Xu Ming was staying. As the door opened, seeing Xu Ming, Ling Chen was momentarily stunned, staring at him with a look of surprise.


    Feeling his astonish gaze, Xu Ming asked, "Ling Cheng, what¡¯s wrong?"


    "Second brother, your eyes... why are they red?"


    Hearing this, Xu Ming immediately turned around and walked into the bathroom, standing in front of the mirror examining his eyes. Indeed, his eyes were full of blood vessels, appearing congested, somewhat rming.


    "Second brother, do you feel unwell?"


    Xu Ming shook his head and said, "No, I feel normal."


    While talking, a bout of coughing suddenly came from the doorway, Ling Chen turned to look, only to see Xia Yue walking in, her cheeks reddish, breathing apanied by continuous coughs, very simr to Qiu Yong¡¯s symptoms.


    "Sister Xia."


    Ling Chen quickly walked over, asking with a face full of concern, "Are you also sick?"


    "Maybe it¡¯s just a cold." As she finished speaking, Xia Yue noticed Xu Ming¡¯s bloodshot eyes and eximed, "Second brother, what¡¯s wrong with your eyes?"


    "I don¡¯t know either. If Ling Cheng hadn¡¯t mentioned it, I wouldn¡¯t have even noticed."


    Ling Chen thought for a moment and said, "Second brother, fifth sister, you two stay in the room for a bit, I¡¯ll go to the medical room and get some medicine for you."


    The symptoms of Xia Yue and Xu Ming were not as severe as those of Qiu Yong. He surmised the source of the illness was with Qiu Yong, and because everyone had been together for a long time, it had spread to others.


    However, when Ling Chen arrived at the medical room, he realized the situation was not as simple as he had imagined. The medical room was filled to capacity, overcrowded, with most people stuck outside unable to enter.


    Moreover, these people had symptoms simr to Qiu Yong¡¯s, including coughs and red eyes. Some even hadrge patches of red rashes on their skin, which looked particrly disturbing.


    Strange!


    Ling Chen frowned secretly. Why were so many people sick? And all at the same time, could it really just be a coincidence? He shook his head on his own, unable to believe it was a coincidence. This morning during thepetition, there was no sign of this problem, but in just three to four hours, a massive outbreak had triggered. There must be an issue.


    In his contemtion, a rush of hurried footsteps approached from afar, heading this way. Ling Chen looked up to see Zhou Qi and Zhong Yang leading over thirty Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Disciples, all with serious expressions, clearly realizing the seriousness of this sudden incident.


    "Elder Zhou, Elder Zhou is here."


    Upon seeing Zhou Qi appear, the crowd outside the medical room immediately surged forward, all talking at once.


    "Please, everyone, calm down."


    Zhou Qi gestured with his hand and said, "We are aware of the situation, please rest assured, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will handle this fully. However, before that, please cooperate with our efforts."


    "Elder Zhou, as you can see, there are so many people sick, and the medical room has limited staff. In my opinion, it¡¯s best to dock the ship as soon as possible to not dy everyone¡¯s treatment."


    "Everyone, please stay calm, we have already started heading back. However, it will take at least two days to reach the nearest port. Until then, I hope everyone stays organized, and we will ensure everyone¡¯s safety." After finishing, Zhou Qi gave Zhong Yang a look, who understood immediately and began organizing people to head to the deck.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen quickly returned to Xu Ming¡¯s room and gathered all members of their group in Qiu Yong¡¯s room. As expected, everyone else also had varying degrees of symptoms.


    "It was all fine this morning, how could this suddenly happen?" Yuan Yun said with a furrowed brow.


    "It¡¯s still unclear what¡¯s going on. People from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion are investigating."


    While talking, Ling Chen checked everyone¡¯s pulse, trying to find the cause of the illness. However, what puzzled him was that everyone¡¯s body seemed perfectly normal, and their pulses were steady, not at all like those of sick people.


    Knock, knock, knock!


    At this moment, a knock came from the door.


    Ling Chen got up and opened the door, only to see several men in protective gear standing at the doorway with medical kits.


    "What is this..."


    "Sorry, we¡¯ve been ordered to check on every guest."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen immediately stepped aside and weed the medical staff into the room.


    After drawing blood, a medical staff member spoke, "Before theb results are avable, please stay in your rooms and do not go out unnecessarily. If you need anything, contact our staff."


    Seeing the people preparing to leave, Ling Chen quickly followed and asked, "How much do you know about this sudden illness?"


    "Sorry, there are orders from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, noment can be made."

 Chapter 441 - 437 Viral Infection (2)

    <h4>Chapter 441: Chapter 437 Viral Infection (2)</h4><h4></h4>


    In view of the arrangements made by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, Ling Chen and others all stayed in Qiu Yong¡¯s room, waiting for the test results.


    Originally, there was to be a martial artspetition in the afternoon, but, with this incident urring, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion had no choice but to suspend allpetitions and devote all efforts to the crisis.


    Three hours passed, and daylight gradually faded.


    Ling Chen leaned against the window, watching the people whose spirits were gging and symptoms worsening, his brow deeply furrowed in worry.


    He spent the whole day with people like Qiu Yong, and while others were infected, only he was unaffected¡ªcould it be that he had antibodies that made him immune to the disease?


    While he was thinking, the room¡¯s telephone suddenly rang.


    Ling Chen answered the call, greeted briefly, and after listening to the person on the other end, he replied, "Okay, I¡¯lle over immediately."


    After hanging up, Ling Chen turned to Qiu Yong and said, "Big Brother, I have to step out for a bit but will be back soon."


    Leaving the room, Ling Chen took the elevator to the fifth floor of the luxury cruise ship. This area, usually an entertainment lounge and the liveliest part of the ship, was now eerily quiet. At the entrance, Zhong Yang was waiting for him.


    "Mr. Ling, pleasee in." After speaking, Zhong Yang covered his mouth and coughed a few times.


    Ling Chen nodded and walked through the door on his own. Immediately, he saw over twenty people in therge entertainment room, some sitting and some standing, all looking rather ill. Ling Chen scanned the room and recognized many familiar faces: Zhou Qi, Zhu Xiaozhu, Han Yu, Shi Su, Song Ge, as well as Zhou Qi¡¯s grandson Zhou Jun, along with over ten strangers likely skilled in the medical arts from the Martial Artsmunity, including a few doctors from the medical office.


    "Mr. Ling," Zhou Qi came forward.


    "Elder Zhou," Ling Chen greeted and asked, "Did you need me for something?"


    "I heard from Miss Zhu that you are also skilled in medicine, so I hoped you coulde and help. We need everyone¡¯s collective intelligence to see if we can resolve this crisis."


    "Elder Zhou, I am merely an amateur, picking up bits and pieces along the way. When ites to medical skills, there are several here far more proficient than me."


    "I already said we had enough people, no need to call him. It¡¯s just causing unnecessary confusion," said Han Yu coldly.


    Song Ge nced at Han Yu and chuckled, "Ling, no need to be humble now. We are short-handed as it is, do your best."


    "Now that everyone is here, let me brief you on the situation," Zhou Qi began: "ording to the blood tests conducted on everyone aboard, over 90% have been infected. There were a total of three hundred and forty participants attending the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony. Including the members of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and the staff on board, we have over six hundred people here. I believe everyone understands what this means." He nced at the people around, his expression grave, "Regardless of any past conflicts among us, I hope we can work together sincerely and cooperatively to ovee this crisis."


    After speaking, Zhou Qi signaled to a medical staff member.


    Thetter took out a document, stating, "After preliminary confirmation, we are facing a severe contagious disease whose carriers are the more than ten crew members from the fishing boat earlier today. This disease is airborne, which is why so many have been infected."


    Hearing this, everyone kept silent.


    The sudden emergence of the infectious disease had already been suspected by everyone, and the medical staff member¡¯s words merely confirmed these suspicions.


    "What is the condition of those crew members?" asked Shi Su.


    "Dead. It was less than three hours after boarding when the crew began dying one by one. We¡¯ve kept this news under wraps, so no one is aware. Initially, we thought that the crew members had fallen ill from being stranded at sea too long without proper food and water, but our investigationster revealed the presence of a severe infectious disease."


    Elder Zhou said sternly, "I¡¯ll be frank: we believe this incident was a targeted attack against the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Before the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony began, we received intel that there were ns to disrupt this event. For this reason, our security measures were exceptionally thorough; apart from members of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, almost no one knew the specific location of this cruise ship."


    Han Yu indifferently added, "It seems your measures were still insufficient; our location has been exposed."


    "In this matter, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will not shirk responsibility. However, regardless of who the mastermind is, the most important thing now is to find a way to resolve the crisis. Based on the examination of the dead crew¡¯s bodies, those infected will have atent period of one to two days during which mild symptoms may appear. If we cannot find a solution within two days, I am not exaggerating when I say that the entire Martial Artsmunity will suffer a catastrophic blow."


    Hearing Zhou Qi¡¯s words, Ling Chen silently furrowed his brows. Who would be so cruel to use such insidious means,pletely indifferent to the lives of hundreds?


    "Alright, now that everyone is briefed, please speak up if there is anything needed. The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will mobilize all resources to assist."


    "Elder Zhou, may I go see the bodies of those crew members?"


    "No problem. You, you, and you, escort Ms. Shi to the morgue and fully cooperate with Ms. Shi¡¯s work."


    "Xiaozhu, let¡¯s go."


    "Yes, Master." Zhu Xiaozhu stole a quick look at Ling Chen and hurriedly followed Shi Su out of the entertainment room, with Han Yu following along.


    Watching Shi Su leave, the remaining ten-plus people looked at each other and quickly followed. Soon, only Ling Chen, Zhou Jun, Song Ge, and a middle-aged man remained in the entertainment room.


    "Song, aren¡¯t you going with them?"


    Before Song Ge could speak, Zhou Jun waved dismissively and said, "Why bother with their pointless meddling? Those people are capable of treating a cold at best; they have no business dealing with this kind of contagious disease. They¡¯re following Shi Su hoping she cane up with a solution so they can share in the creditter."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen chuckled. This guy really spoke bluntly, with not a care in the world. However, Zhou Jun¡¯s words did strike a chord with him.


    "Let me introduce myself; my name is Ling Chen, I saw you at the arena a few days ago." Ling Chen extended his hand.


    "I¡¯ve seen you too; the old man hasn¡¯t stopped praising you in front of me," said Zhou Jun with a grin, politely shaking Ling Chen¡¯s hand.


    Song Ge pointed to the middle-aged man and introduced, "Ling, Zhou Jun, this is He Yuan, our Song family¡¯s private doctor."


    "If it were up to me, the few of us would form a team to try and find a solution before Shi Su does, then we all shine together. How about it?" Zhou Jun suggested.


    "I have no objections. I don¡¯t know much about medicine anyway; I¡¯m just here to look around with Uncle He," expressed Song Ge.


    "What about you, Ling Chen?"

 Chapter 442 - 438 Viral Infection (3)

    <h4>Chapter 442: Chapter 438 Viral Infection (3)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Me?" Ling Chen touched his nose and said with a bitter smile, "Don¡¯t hold too high hopes for me. I only know a superficial amount."


    "No problem. Maybe a few of us half-baked expertsbined will be able to fumble our way to a solution."


    Ling Chen let out a wryugh; Zhou Jun seemed to be relying entirely on luck.


    "Alright, enough joking, let¡¯s talk seriously," Zhou Jun put on a grave face and said: "I¡¯ve checked the conditions of those patients. Their vital signs appear normal, probably because the virus is still in the incubation period, making symptoms not very obvious. However, considering the speed of infection and the vectors, as well as the symptoms and lethality that have been observed, I suspect this virus may be derived from the gue or cholera."


    After some thought, He Yuan said, "Based on the symptoms and signs of the patients, the likelihood of it being the gue virus seems higher."


    "Right, that¡¯s what I think, too. However, with current medical technology, the gue has already been dealt with. Since someone wants to harm us, they certainly wouldn¡¯t use an ordinary strain of the gue virus. In my opinion, this is likely a new type of virus that is based on the gue but has been modified."


    After hearing Zhou Jun¡¯s conjecture, He Yuan said with a troubled face, "If that¡¯s the case, it might be very difficult to find a solution within two days. Any contagious virus has to undergo repeated trials before we can draw a conclusion. We only have two days, and the medical equipment on board is limited, so we can¡¯t conduct overlyplex experiments."


    Zhou Jun scratched the back of his head and said with a headache, "This is indeed a problem." After saying that, he looked at the silent Ling Chen and asked, "Do you have any good suggestions?"


    "Me..."


    Ling Chen was about to speak when suddenly he heard the sound of helicopter rotors starting from outside.


    The four men quickly walked to the window and looked out towards the deck, only to see that two helicopters had already started, and Shi Su was leading the others aboard the helicopters. Meanwhile, several crew members were carrying body bags, preparing to transport them to the helicopters.


    He Yuan muttered to himself, "What are they trying to do?"


    "I¡¯ll go ask Elder Ling," Zhou Jun said, and then ran out of the recreation room quickly.


    As the two helicopters took off and disappeared from view, Zhou Jun returned despondently to the group and said helplessly, "Shi Su has thought of the same thing we did; she has already contacted theb and is taking the bodies of several crew members there."


    Ling Chen smiled indifferently, "Why worry about this? It concerns everyone¡¯s safety. If they can find a solution within two days, it would actually be good news."


    He Yuan nodded and said, "I hope they seed too, but truth be told, from my years of medical experience, solving a virus in a short time is not an easy task. Even with Shi Su¡¯s advanced medical skills, sess isn¡¯t guaranteed." After saying this, He Yuan turned his head to look at Ling Chen and asked, "Mr. Ling, what were you about to say?"


    Feeling everyone¡¯s gaze focused on him, Ling Chen hesitated for a moment before saying, "Just now Zhou Jun asked me for any suggestions. In fact, my consideration is different from yours. You¡¯re thinking about how to solve the virus problem, but I¡¯m thinking about the mastermind behind the scenes. The person who modified the gue virus would certainly have a corresponding solution. If we can find the mastermind, perhaps we can find the way out."


    "That¡¯s easy to say, but we¡¯re confined at sea now, where do we look for the mastermind? Besides, we don¡¯t have any clues at all, we don¡¯t even know where to start," Zhou Jun said.


    "There are not zero clues."


    Zhou Jun¡¯s eyes lit up, and he asked impatiently, "What clues?"


    "That fishing boat," Ling Chen exined. "Whoever is targeting us must ensure their n can be executed. To guarantee that, they would definitely keep watch over our movements."


    Hearing this, Song Ge immediately expressed agreement with Ling Chen¡¯s deduction.


    "Ling is right, there¡¯s no point inpeting with Shi Su since she has already made her move. We might as well try something different; there could be unexpected gains."


    "Okay then," Zhou Jun immediately agreed. "I¡¯ll go prepare the helicopter. Let¡¯s go have a look at that fishing boat together."


    He Yuan said embarrassingly, "I better not go. I¡¯m just a doctor with no self-defense capability. I don¡¯t want to drag you down."


    "Then the three of us will go together."


    However, although the three of them had a n, implementing it was not smooth sailing. Zhou Jun tried to get Zhou Qi to arrange a helicopter, only to be rejected. There were three helicopters on board in total, two of which had been taken by Shi Su. Now only thest helicopter was left, which had to be ready on the ship at all times.


    "What do we do now?" Zhou Jun spread his hands helplessly and said with a grimace, "Elder Ling doesn¡¯t agree with our action, saying that we are just causing trouble. He told us to stay put on the ship, and we can¡¯t go anywhere."


    Ling Chen thought for a moment and asked, "Is there a way to distract the security around the helicopter?"


    "That¡¯s not a problem. The problem is that there¡¯s no pilot, and I don¡¯t know how to fly a helicopter."


    "You don¡¯t need to worry about that; it¡¯s enough if I know how," Ling Chen smiled with confidence.


    "Really?" Zhou Jun said excitedly: "If you had said earlier that you could pilot a helicopter, I wouldn¡¯t have needed to plead with that old man. Alright, enough talk, I¡¯ll take care of the security. See you at the helipad in five minutes."


    It must be said that Zhou Jun was very efficient. By the time Ling Chen and Song Ge arrived at the helipad, the area was deserted, all security personnel had been cleared out.


    Sitting in the cockpit, Ling Chen expertly checked the helicopter¡¯s instruments and equipment, ensuring there was enough fuel to return to the luxury cruise liner.


    "Where are you going?"


    Just then, a familiar voice came from outside the helipad. Ling Chen turned his head to find that the person who arrived was Shi Yong. Moreover, his eyes were bloodshot, clearly showing that he was also infected by the virus.


    "Of course, to find a way to save your life," Zhou Jun threw out a casual remark.


    Hearing this, Shi Yong said, "I¡¯ll go with you."


    "You?"


    Zhou Jun and the others were startled; they did not expect Shi Yong to make such a request.


    "I don¡¯t want to leave my fate in the hands of others. Instead of waiting to die here, I¡¯d rather fight for a chance."


    Zhou Jun looked at Ling Chen and Song Ge, asking, "What do you think?"


    "Another pair of hands could be useful; we don¡¯t know what situations we might encounter." After speaking, Ling Chen smiled at Shi Yong, "You can go, but make sure to bring your tools."


    Ling Chen was well aware of Shi Yong¡¯s abilities; having such a skilled ally would be reassuring even in the face of danger.


    A few minutester.


    A helicopter carrying the four men slowly rose from the helipad and quickly disappeared into the night sky.

 Chapter 443 - 439: Striking Directly at the Heart (1)

    <h4>Chapter 443: Chapter 439: Striking Directly at the Heart (1)</h4><h4></h4>


    "These damn kids."


    Zhou Qi hurried to the helipad and watched the helicopter disappear into the vast night, unable to stop cursing aloud. He had been keeping the helicopter for a purpose, but unexpectedly, these youngsters actually dared to hijack it. What¡¯s even worse, the mastermind turned out to be his own grandson.


    Helplessly, Zhou Qi quickly approached a cabin door marked with a warning sign. Pushing the door open, a delicate woman immediately appeared before him.


    "I need to see the Pavilion Master."


    The delicate woman stepped aside, pointed to the room, and gestured for Zhou Qi to go in.


    Entering the room and seeing the person seated behind the curtain, Zhou Qi hurried forward, kneeling respectfully on the floor.


    "Did you need me for something?"


    "Pavilion Master, Ms. Shi has taken people by helicopter to the nearest city; the disciples of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion have been ordered to start setting up theb. As soon as Ms. Shi arrives, they can begin the experiment."


    "I see, I hope she can help us resolve this crisis."


    "Pavilion Master, there¡¯s another matter..." Zhou Qi opened his mouth, hesitating to continue.


    "Go ahead."


    "Zhou Jun, Ling Chen, Song Ge, and Shi Yong took advantage of our unpreparedness and stole the helicopter," Zhou Qi said, bowing his head guiltily. "Zhou Jun led it, all because I failed to guide him properly, allowing this situation to ur. Please, Pavilion Master, punish me."


    "Is that so?" Instead of ming him, Tea Girl asked interestedly, "What are they nning to do?"


    "I heard Zhou Jun say they want to find out who is really behind this incident."


    "Your grandson seems quite capable, managing to persuade Ling Chen and the others to help."


    "Pavilion Master is joking. What capabilities could my grandson have that I don¡¯t know about? It was all Ling Chen¡¯s idea."


    "Well, since they¡¯ve already left, let them go; we can¡¯t catch up with them anytime soon anyway. Ling Chen, Song Ge, and that Shi Yong are not simple either; maybe they really will find something. Although we have Shi Su, we can¡¯t pin all our hopes on just her. Alright, you may go."


    "Yes, Pavilion Master." Zhou Qi nodded and quickly left the room.


    ...


    At this moment, Ling Chen was piloting the helicopter through the night sky towards the direction of a fishing boat.


    The fishing boat had been discovered this morning, almost ten hours ago. During this period, the luxury cruise ship maintained full-speed sailing. Through calctions of ship speed and wind power, plus the direction of ocean currents, Ling Chen locked down an approximate location.


    After more than an hour of flying, Ling Chen and hispanions finally reached their destination. As the searchlights turned on, a bright light immediately appeared on the pitch-ck sea surface. Zhou Jun and the other two sat next to the cabin door, looking down, searching for the fishing boat.


    "There it is!"


    After circling in the air for about ten minutes, Song Ge, with his sharp eyes, finally spotted the fishing boat drifting on the sea.


    Target locked, Ling Chen controlled the helicopter, slowly descending onto the undting sea, less than twenty meters away from the boat. Fortunately, it was a water helicopter left by Shi Su; otherwise, finding a ce tond would have been quite challenging.


    Once the helicopternded on the sea, Song Ge took a rope from the cabin and threw it onto the fishing boat. Then, he lightly tapped his toes and leaped onto the fishing boat along the rope.


    On the fishing boat, facing the pitch-dark cabin, Ling Chen made a gesture to signal everyone to be as quiet as possible and wait. Then, he threw the backpack he was carrying on the ground, rummaged through it to find a device the size of a mobile phone, and slowly moved it around the perimeter of the boat.


    Soon, the green light on the device instantly turned to red and started shing. Seeing this, Ling Chen¡¯s expression brightened, and he immediately walked towards the direction where the red light was shining. As he moved, the shing of the red light became faster.


    "This is the spot."


    Following the red light¡¯s direction, Ling Chen came to a mast standing on the deck. Looking around the mast, he discovered a small hole in the middle.


    Taking out a shlight, Ling Chen moved close to the hole, only to see a pinhole camera installed inside.


    Indeed!


    Ling Chen smirked to himself, his guess was right ¨C someone had installed surveince equipment on this fishing boat, monitoring the situation onboard.


    After the device confirmed that all surveince equipment on the boat had been cut off, Ling Chen finally breathed a sigh of relief. Presumably, the other party had already achieved their goal, so they cut off the signal on the boat.


    Within less than ten minutes, Ling Chen found eight pinhole cameras on the boat¡¯s deck and cabin, all ced in hidden spots.


    These pinhole cameras all came with independent wireless transmitters, allowing for individual control.


    "Ling Chen, what do we do now?" Zhou Jun asked, "These devices surely can¡¯t tell us who the mastermind is."


    "Don¡¯t worry." Saying that, Ling Chen took out a satellite phone and dialed a number.


    "Hello?"


    Soon, a sleepy voice came from the other end.


    "Fatty, it¡¯s me."


    "Ling Chen? What do you want?"


    "Stop sleeping, get up, I need your help. And yes, turn on yourputer."


    A minuteter, Hu Fei¡¯s voice came again: "Okay, tell me, what¡¯s up?"


    "It¡¯s like this..." Ling Chen briefly exined the situation but didn¡¯t mention anything about the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony.


    "Hey, Ling Chen, are you messing with the God Organization again?"


    "God Organization?"


    "Based on what you just described, achieving remote control in the ocean requires using independent satellite signals, and not everyone can do that. Remember when we hacked into the servers of the God Organization and downloaded some data? Those files mentioned that the God Organization secretly acquired an outdated military satellite in another country ¨C the kind of thing you just described would be a piece of cake for them." After a pause, Hu Fei continued, "By the way, what kind of devices did you find?"


    "Wait, let me check."


    Ling Chen picked up a set of wireless transmitters, took a closer look, and then reported the model to Hu Fei.


    A few minutester, Hu Fei¡¯s uniquely mischievousughter came through the phone: "Ling Chen, congrattions, you¡¯ve won the jackpot."


    "What do you mean?"


    "The wireless transmitter you found is thetest cutting-edge device, military-grade, and only onepany in the world has the production rights for these products. ording to the data we got from the God Organization, thatpany is actually one of the God Organization¡¯s hidden assets. What do you think, could it be a coincidence?"


    Ling Chen frowned, not expecting that after all this detour, the mastermind behind this would actually be the God Organization.

 Chapter 444 - 440: Striking Directly at the Heart (2)

    <h4>Chapter 444: Chapter 440: Striking Directly at the Heart (2)</h4><h4></h4>


    Although he knew who the mastermind behind the scenes was, Ling Chen still felt some confusion in his heart.


    Why is the God Organization targeting the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion? Could it be that the Pavilion is a stumbling block for them? However, as far as he knew, the Pavilion tended only to concern itself with matters within the Martial Arts world and never dealt with other forces, let alone an evil force like the God Organization.


    What exactly is the God Organization¡¯s purpose in going after the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?


    Thinking of this, Ling Chen put down the satellite phone and turned to Zhou Jun beside him, asking: "Have you heard of the God Organization?"


    "The God Organization?" Zhou Jun shook his head and answered, "No impression."


    After hearing his response, Ling Chen picked up the phone again, walked to the edge of the fishing boat, and spoke: "Fatty, is there a way to track those people¡¯s location?"


    "It¡¯s not difficult to do, I can write a reverse-tracking program and imnt it into the wireless transmitter. As long as the signal connects to their server, we can lock onto their location. Do you have aputer there?"


    "Yes, wait for me."


    Ling Chen gave Zhou Jun a look, and thetter immediately took out aptop from his backpack. It must be said, while the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was a Martial Arts force, it kept up with the times and had many high-end devices, all of which Zhou Jun had secretly brought along from scavenging in the luxury liner¡¯s cargo hold.


    Once Zhou Jun connected theptop to the satellite signal, Ling Chen notified Hu Fei. In less than five minutes, Ling Chen logged onto Hu Fei¡¯s private server and began downloading the program.


    "Fatty, let¡¯s stop here, I have work to do. I¡¯ll treat you to a good meal when I get back."


    "Okay, take care of yourself."


    After hanging up, Ling Chen imnted the reverse-tracking program written by Hu Fei into the wireless transmitter, and then reinstalled the pinhole camera to its original ce. Next, he forced the wireless transmitter to start up through theputer.


    Everything was set; now it was time to wait.


    ...


    At this moment, a staff member who was busy in front of aputer saw a shing red light on a device nearby and a hint of perplexity appeared on his face.


    "Mr. Qi."


    Hearing the call of the staff member, a young man in a suit and leather shoes walked over quickly and asked, "What¡¯s the matter?"


    The staff member pointed to the red light on the device and said, "This is a signaling from that fishing boat. I remember I already turned off the signal source."


    "All devices?"


    "No, just one device sent a signal."


    "Switch the video feed here."


    "Yes." The staff member nodded, immediately connected the signal and disyed the video on theputer screen. However, through the night vision capability of the camera, the fishing boat was silent and empty, nothing to be seen.


    "Connect the other signal sources and check."


    In a while, eight small frames appeared on the screen, each showing a different scene.


    "Mr. Qi, no suspicious individuals found."


    "It¡¯s possible that the wireless transmitter had a malfunction. It¡¯s a new product that was just produced; it could have some issues. Alright, leave it be, cut the signal, and focus on your work."


    "Understood."


    ...


    "Got it!"


    On the fishing boat, Ling Chen looked at the red dot disyed on theptop and the corners of his mouth instantly turned up.


    Zhou Jun excitedly asked, "Did you really find it?"


    Ling Chen nodded and swiftly tapped away at the keyboard. Before long, Ling Chen locked onto the exact location of the red dot through itstitude and longitude.


    "The target is on a boat, approximately over two hundred nautical miles away from us."


    "From here, even with the helicopter¡¯s spare fuel, I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t have enough to get back," Zhou Jun said with some concern.


    Ling Chen put away his notebook and said, "Let¡¯s not worry about that for now. Once we get there, we¡¯ll see. Their ship might have spare fuel for the helicopter."


    Back on the helicopter, Ling Chen started the engine, and with a buzzing sound, the helicopter slowly took off, disappearing into the vast night.


    It was already past ten o¡¯clock at night.


    After more than two hours of flight, Ling Chen finally reached the pre-determined location.


    Beep beep beep!


    Hearing the rm going off inside the helicopter, Ling Chen nced at the fuel gauge¡ªthe needle was already in the red zone, with very little fuel left, barely enough for another half hour.


    "Everyone, hold tight!"


    With that, Ling Chen grasped the control stick tightly, lowering the helicopter, almost skimming the surface of the sea as it flew.


    Feeling the violent shaking of the helicopter, Zhou Jun, sitting in the co-pilot¡¯s seat, clutched the handrail nervously, his back straight as he looked at the pitch-ck sea and hurriedly reminded, "Take it easy, brother. I don¡¯t want to end up dead in the sea."


    "Don¡¯t worry, nothing will happen," Ling Chen said with a reassuring smile.


    Knowing that they were dealing with members of the God Organization, Ling Chen had to be cautious in his approach. Only by lowering the altitude could he avoid detection by their radar.


    Ten minutester, arge cargo ship slowly sailing came into view of the four.


    "That¡¯s it." As he spoke, Ling Chen turned off all the lights on the helicopter to avoid being spotted.


    Zhou Jun took out the binocrs and observed the situation on the ship, frowning as he said, "This doesn¡¯t look good, Ling Chen."


    "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "There are guards around the deck; we have no chance ofnding. If we approach like this, we¡¯ll probably be treated as sitting ducks."


    "Let me see."


    Ling Chen took the binocrs from Zhou Jun and scanned from the bow to the stern before finally focusing on the deck of the cargo ship.


    "To board the ship without alerting the guards is nearly impossible; we¡¯ll have to go in hard," Zhou Jun said.


    "Song, Shi Yong, do you have any ideas?"


    "Since we followed you out here, you tell us what to do. We will follow your lead," Song Ge and Shi Yong dered their position one after another.


    Hearing this, the corners of Ling Chen¡¯s mouth lifted, and a sharp light shone in his eyes as he smiled and said, "Alright, then let¡¯s make a big move."


    Having said that, Ling Chen piloted the helicopter, quickly gaining altitude, no longer concerned about being discovered as he dove straight toward the cargo ship.


    Two hundred meters... one hundred meters...


    At this moment, the guards patrolling the ship received orders from the control station and immediately rushed to the stern, aiming their guns at the helicopter in the night sky that was getting closer and closer.


    However, just when everyone was ready to pull the trigger, the helicopter, which had been flying in a straight line, suddenly changed direction, bypassing the stern and flying toward the bow from the side.


    "Quick, follow it!"


    At themand, dozens of guards hurriedly sped up their pace, carrying guns from the stern towards the bow.


    At this time, the helicopter had already sessfully reached the bow, less than four meters above the deck. As the cabin door opened, Song Ge, Shi Yong, and Zhou Jun jumped down one after the other, quickly finding cover and protecting themselves behind it.


    Ratatata! Ratatata!


    A series of gunshots rang out, and more than a dozen bullet holes appeared instantly on the front windshield of the helicopter.


    Seeing dozens of guards with guns rushing over, Ling Chen, sitting in the cockpit, sneered and gently pushed the control stick forward with his arm.


    Suddenly, the helicopter, hovering at a low altitude, tilted forward and dove straight at the group of guards.

 Chapter 445 - 441: Striking Directly at the Heart (3)

    <h4>Chapter 445: Chapter 441: Striking Directly at the Heart (3)</h4><h4></h4>


    As the helicopter¡¯s nose was about to crash into the ground, Ling Chen quickly pushed open the cabin door, jumped out of the cockpit, rolled on the spot, and hid in a nearby shelter.


    Bang!


    Apanied by a loud explosion, the helicopter mmed violently into the ground, sliding forward as the high-speed spinning rotors instantly minced the guards who couldn¡¯t escape in time, their blood mingling with severed limbs flying through the air.


    Unfortunately, the helicopter¡¯s fuel had been exhausted, and though it sparked from the friction, it didn¡¯t ignite the fuel tank. Otherwise, the destruction would have been much greater.


    However, eliminating half of the guards was a very satisfying oue.


    "Go, quick battle and quick decision!"


    With a light shout, Ling Chen reached for his waist, flipped over from behind the shelter, and threw several daggers from his fingertips, knocking down several guards rushing towards him.


    At the same time, Shi Yong, holding a shield d in armor and wielding a broad Horse-ying Saber, charged boldly towards the guards, undeterred by the weapons in their hands.


    With Shi Yong¡¯s shield blocking the bullets, Song Ge and Zhou Jun closely followed behind, looking for opportunities to strike.


    Under the fierce overpowering force of Ling Chen and his team, it took less than two minutes to wipe out all the guards on the deck.


    ...


    "Mr. Qi, all our men have been dealt with."


    "What?" The young man¡¯s face changed, and he said sternly, "How many intruders are there?"


    "Four, led by Ling Chen."


    "Him again!" The young man¡¯s face turned livid, and he hurriedly pulled out a satellite phone, dialing a number.


    "Mr. Yun, it¡¯s me. We are under attack by Ling Chen... Yes, I understand." After hanging up the phone, the young man looked at the cabin crew and ordered, "Immediately destroy the hard drives, clear all data, activate the self-destruct sequence in ten minutes, and head to the evacuation point after processing."


    "Understood!"


    After giving instructions to the personnel present, the young man walked out of the room alone, through a corridor, and entered a cargo hold secured with a fingerprint lock.


    The spacious cargo hold, dimly lit, had rows of red indicator lights shing continuously on the wall, conspicuously eye-catching.


    As the main lights turned on, the cargo hold instantly became brighter.


    Along the wall, more than ten individual cryogenic chambers were lined up, each with a transparent ss top. Through the ss, the faces inside the cryogenic chambers were clearly visible.


    However, what was even more peculiar was that the faces all looked strikingly simr, as if they were cast from the same mold.


    The young man walked straight to one of the cryogenic chambers and entered a long string of passwords on the digital keypad on the surface. When the confirm button was pressed, a stream of cold air immediately burst out from the chamber, and simultaneously, the red light at the bottom of the chamber instantly turned green.


    ...


    At this moment, on the deck of the cargo ship, Ling Chen walked up to arge tarpaulin, lifted it vigorously, and, looking at the helicopter hidden beneath, turned to Zhou Jun and said, "You stay here, don¡¯t let anyone get close to this helicopter, whether we can escape or notter depends on it."


    Zhou Jun gave an ¡¯OK¡¯ gesture and confidently said, "Don¡¯t worry, if I can¡¯t handle this little task, I¡¯ll cut off my head and kick it around like a ball for you."


    "Song, Shi Yong, let¡¯s go."


    As he spoke, Ling Chen, holding the Tianling de, took the lead and quickly headed into the hatch towards the bottom of the ship.


    Descending the stairs to the mid-level of the ship, Ling Chen was about to speed up, but suddenly a huge force burst open a nearby cabin door. Luckily, Ling Chen reacted in time, quickly dodging backward to avoid being struck by the door.


    After a second of daze, Ling Chen immediately saw more than a dozen people appear from the cabin door. Not only were these people tall and robust, but they all looked identical.


    However, what truly shocked Ling Chen was that these people¡¯s faces were... Blood Wolf¡¯s!


    How could it be him again?


    Ling Chen frowned, his expression as dark as water. Back on that ind, he had seen a man in the prison who resembled Blood Wolf, only to see Kaelina ruthlessly shoot him dead. Now, there were so many men who looked exactly like Blood Wolf on this cargo ship; even someone as experienced as Ling Chen couldn¡¯t keep calm in this situation.


    As he saw a few men charging towards him, Ling Chen quickly cleared his mind, focusing solely on the crisis at hand.


    "Brother Song, Shi Yong, be cautious; these are Enhanced People, both strong and highly defensive."


    Hearing this, Shi Yong fearlessly lifted his shield and said indifferently, "Well, I want to test that." After speaking, he leaned forward and exploded with power from his feet, rushing towards the man in front of him.


    Bang!


    With a muffled sound from the shield, a man who tried to collide with Shi Yong was instantly sent flying, his arm hanging limply, clearly shattered by the impact of the shield.


    "Strong?" Shi Yong shook his head dismissively: "Not even close."


    Meanwhile, Song Ge had already effortlessly taken down two opponents.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen was momentarily stunned. How had these Enhanced People be so weak? It was like bullying the weak; they had no power to fight back.


    He didn¡¯t realize that it wasn¡¯t the Enhanced People who had be weaker; it was his standards that had risen. No matter how strong the Enhanced People were, they were ultimately forcibly enhanced through external means and couldn¡¯tpare to true Martial Artists.


    "Ling, leave this to me. You go handle the important stuff."


    "Alright, meet up on the deckter." As he finished speaking, Ling Chen immediately ran towards the bottom of the ship.


    In no time, Ling Chen found the main control room of the cargo ship. The room was deserted, leaving onlyputers and equipment. Seeing the progress bar on theputer screen, Ling Chen¡¯s expression shifted as he cursed inwardly, those guys had deleted all the data before leaving.


    Not wasting another thought, Ling Chen hurried to theputer, and while the data wasn¡¯tpletely erased yet, he opened the file archive, rapidly browsing through the files.


    "Virus... virus..."


    Ling Chen murmured to himself, scanning multiple lines at a nce. Seconds passed, and he finally found a folder named ¡¯gue¡¯.


    Opening the folder and seeing the data disyed on the screen, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but clench his fist.


    Fortunately, this data hadn¡¯t been erased yet.


    He plugged in his USB drive and copied all the data about the virus. Just as he finished copying, theputer screen went ck, and all data was erased.


    However, just a few secondster, a box suddenly popped up on the screen, disying the number ¡¯thirty¡¯.


    As the number steadily decreased, Ling Chen immediately realized.


    They had activated the self-destruct program!


    With less than twenty-five seconds left, Ling Chen didn¡¯t dare to dy; he dashed out and sprinted towards the deck at full speed.

 Chapter 446 - 442: A Desperate Situation

    <h4>Chapter 446: Chapter 442: A Desperate Situation</h4><h4></h4>


    It took Ling Chen more than ten seconds to finally reach the deck. By then, Song Ge and Shi Yong had already met up with Zhou Jun, waiting for his arrival.


    "Ling Chen." Zhou Jun smiled and waved, pointing to the young man on the ground, saying, "This guy wanted to escape by helicopter, but I took care of him."


    Eleven... Ten... Nine...


    At this moment, Ling Chen had no time to bother with that young man; he was silently counting down the self-destruct program in his head. With less than ten seconds left, starting the helicopter to escape was an impossible task.


    Five seconds!


    Without time to think further, Ling Chen shouted urgently to the three people with Song Ge: "Run!"


    Hearing his roar, Song Ge and the others were stunned, not understanding his intent. However, seeing the anxious look on Ling Chen¡¯s face, Song Ge and the others didn¡¯t think twice. They immediately followed Ling Chen¡¯s lead and ran quickly toward the side of the ship.


    Boom!


    With a thunderous explosion, the cargo ship¡¯s hold burst into mes, and the powerful force of the explosion split the hull instantly. At that moment, under Ling Chen¡¯s lead, the four men jumped from the ship into the pitch-ck sea.


    The icy seawater surged from all directions. Ling Chen held his breath, dived into the sea, frantically paddling with his arms, swimming away from the cargo ship in the opposite direction, trying to avoid the explosion¡¯s reach as much as possible.


    Though submerged underwater, the sounds of the sea surface¡¯s sessive explosions still reached his ears; mes nearly covered the surrounding water, and heavy objects fell into the sea.


    After swimming dozens of meters, Ling Chen emerged from the water, gasping for air. His gaze pierced through theyers of mes, searching for the whereabouts of the others.


    "Zhou Jun, Shi Yong, Song!" Ling Chen shouted at the top of his lungs.


    "I¡¯m here." As Zhou Jun¡¯s voice sounded, Song Ge and Shi Yong also called out in response. Seeing the three of them were all right, Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at the slowly sinking cargo ship in the distance, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but let out a bitter smile.


    Great, now the cargo ship had been blown up, the helicopter on board had sunk to the bottom of the sea, and not even a motorboat had been left behind. In this vast sea, where could they seek rescue?


    While pondering, Zhou Jun and the others swam over one after another, gathering around Ling Chen. Watching the cargo ship gradually being engulfed by the sea, all four of them wore a somewhat difficult expression.


    "Ling Chen, what do we do now?" Zhou Jun asked.


    Ling Chen gave a wry smile and shook his head. He carried a satellite phone on him. But when he jumped into the sea just now, the phone got waterlogged, and it was no longer usable. Seeing his helpless expression, Song Ge and the others fell into silence.


    At this moment, several oil barrels and broken nks floated over from not far away. With the joint efforts of the four men, they cobbled together a raft from oil barrels and nks, temporarily escaping the sea¡¯s chill.


    Sitting on the raft, Ling Chen spread open his palm, looking at the USB drive in his hand with a sigh. He had been worried that the USB drive would get waterlogged and be ruined, keeping it clenched in his fist. Unfortunately, even though they had sessfully obtained the data, the four of them were now trapped in the vast sea with no escape.


    Calling to heaven without answer, calling to earth without response¡ªthese two phrases appropriately described their current situation.


    "Everyone, I¡¯m sorry, I did not n thoroughly, making all of us end up in this situation," Ling Chen said with a look of guilt.


    Shi Yong said in a deep voice, "I chose to follow you of my own free will; this has nothing to do with you."


    "Ling, don¡¯t me yourself for this; nobody expected those people to be so ruthless."


    "Come on, let¡¯s not act like we¡¯re all doomed. Rather than wasting time here, we might as well pray to Buddha¡ªmaybe we¡¯ll get lucky and have a ne appear out of nowhere." Even in such a dire situation, Zhou Jun¡¯s easygoing nature didn¡¯t change, as he joked.


    However, no one was in the mood to joke with him. With less than two days left, if they couldn¡¯t get back in time, it wouldn¡¯t just be the few of them at risk.


    ...


    On the luxury liner.


    Zhou Qi stood in the pilot house on the top level, anxiously asking, "Haven¡¯t made contact yet?"


    "Elder Zhou, I¡¯ve been calling all day, and they haven¡¯t responded," the staff member replied.


    "Keep calling." After saying that, Zhou Qi looked at the time; it was already past three o¡¯clock in the afternoon. Since Zhou Jun and the others had secretly flown off in the helicopterst night, there had been no news. Zhou Jun¡¯s parents died when he was young, and the two of them had relied on each other for many years; Zhou Qi certainly did not want any harm toe to his grandson.


    "Elder Zhou."


    At that moment, a staff member ran over in a hurry, barely containing his excitement as he spoke, "We just received news that Ms. Shi and the others are on their way back by helicopter, they will arrive in two hours."


    "Good!" Zhou Qi¡¯s tightly furrowed brows rxed slightly. After a tense day of waiting, there was finally some good news.


    The return of Shi Su and her team at this time suggested they had found a way to crack the virus.


    "Notify the medical team to be ready and stand by at all times."


    "Yes, Elder Zhou."


    In less than two hours, two helicopters flew in one after the other, appearing above the luxury liner. As the helicopters slowlynded, Zhou Qi, who had been waiting, immediately went to greet them with his team.


    "Ms. Shi." Zhou Qi greeted her and asked eagerly, "How¡¯s the situation?"


    Shi Su smiled confidently, "Elder Zhou, rest assured, I have found the solution. Moreover, I¡¯ve brought two boxes of serum that were rushed out, enough to treat everyone on the ship."


    Zhou Qivishly praised, "Ms. Shi¡¯s medical skills are truly unparalleled in the country."


    "Elder Zhou is too kind. It¡¯s not just my own merit; thanks to everyone¡¯s strong support."


    Hearing Shi Su¡¯s words, the people behind her all smiled, visibly overjoyed. They all knew the real effort came from Shi Su and her disciples; they did little more than assist, mostly just watching from the sidelines and not helping much. However, Shi Su¡¯s remark made everyone share in the glory, bing saviors in everyone¡¯s eyes.


    Given the generosity of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, a handsome reward was inevitable.


    "Elder Zhou, we must not dy. Please arrange for the infected patients to be transferred to the deck immediately; I will arrange for my people to administer the serum," Shi Su instructed.


    "No problem, everything¡¯s prepared; I¡¯ll have someone take care of it immediately."


    While everyone was waiting for treatment, Ling Chen and his threepanions were still floating at sea on a makeshift raft, being pushed forward by the waves.


    Though they hadn¡¯t eaten for a day, all four had good physical endurance and could survive several days without food or water. However, for them now, food and water weren¡¯t the priorities¡ªthe key was hope.


    Without the hope of survival, everything was empty talk; they could only quietly wait for death toe.

 Chapter 447 - 443: Unexpected Rescue

    <h4>Chapter 447: Chapter 443: Unexpected Rescue</h4><h4></h4>


    At this moment, even Zhou Jun, who usually had plenty of spirit, became dispirited, sitting on the raft with his head down, not saying a word.


    Just then, Ling Chen seemed to hear something, suddenly lifted his head, and looked up at the azure sky, searching for something.


    Noticing his actions, Song Ge asked, "Ling, what¡¯s up?"


    Hush!


    Ling Chen made a quieting gesture, stood up from the raft, and shaped his hands into a horizontal line to shield his eyes from the sun, scanning the sky.


    Following his gaze, Song Ge and the others lifted their heads and saw a ck dot appear in the sky as blue as the sea. As the dot approached, a seane came into view.


    "It¡¯s a ne!" Zhou Jun¡¯s face lit up with joy, and he excitedly yelled, "Haha! We¡¯re saved."


    Before long, the seane seemed to notice them, descended gradually, and touched down on the surface of the sea.


    As the raft approached the ne, someone pushed open the cabin door, and a round, chubby face poked out, looking at Ling Chen with a teasing smile, "Is drifting at sea fun?"


    Seeing the person, Ling Chen was taken aback and eximed in surprise, "Fatty?"


    He had never expected the person inside the ne would be Hu Fei.


    "Surprised?" Hu Feiughed and said, "Alright, stop gawking and get on board."


    After getting on the ne, Ling Chen gave everyone a quick introduction and curiously asked, "Fatty, how did you know where we were?"


    Hu Fei replied, "Once the reverse tracking program I gave you establishes a connection, I get a signal too, so I know where you are. I figured you were going to scrap with the God Organization, so I waited at home all night, called at least ten times to ask about your situation, but your satellite phone was unreachable. I got worried you¡¯d been caught by the God Organization, so I chartered a ne over here. Luckily, my luck wasn¡¯t too bad, and I stumbled upon the wreckage of that cargo ship. I figured with your skills, you wouldn¡¯t have been blown to bits, so I looked around the area, and would you believe it¡ªI actually found you."


    Ling Chen was moved by these words and firmly patted Hu Fei¡¯s shoulder in gratitude, saying, "You truly are a good brother; I wasn¡¯t mistaken about you."


    "Oh, cut it out, you¡¯re trying to butter me up," Hu Fei said with an expression of disgust, brushing away Ling Chen¡¯s hand, and grumbled, "You think I want to save you? You still owe me millions, who am I supposed to get my money back from if you die?"


    Ling Chen knew his friend was saying one thing and meaning another, and replied with augh, "Alright, I¡¯ll double repay you when we get back."


    Then, Ling Chen changed the subject and asked, "Fatty, do you have aputer with you?"


    "Yeah. What do you need it for?"


    Ling Chen threw a USB drive into Hu Fei¡¯s hand, "Help me check out the data inside."


    Without a word, Hu Fei immediately took out hisptop, inserted the USB drive, and started carefully browsing the files.


    "Zhou Jun, contact your grandfather and see how things are going on the ship."


    "Okay." Zhou Jun nodded, took the satellite phone from Hu Fei, and dialed the number.


    ...


    "Elder Zhou."


    A staff member ran up to Zhou Qi, panting, and handed over a satellite phone, saying breathlessly, "It¡¯s Zhou Jun¡¯s call."


    Without a word, Zhou Qi snatched the satellite phone and immediately started scolding, "You little punk, where did you run off to? Get your butt back here right now!"


    "Old man, we are on a ne right now, will be back soon. By the way, how are things on the ship?"


    "Ms. Shi has found a solution and is preparing to inject everyone with the serum; none of you cause any more trouble."


    Zhou Jun covered the phone with his hand, turned to Ling Chen, and said, "The old man says Shi Su has found a solution."


    "Tell Elder Zhou that we¡¯ve acquired data rted to the virus and we¡¯re sending it over now, have Ms. Shi verify it to make sure her solution is wless."


    "You got it!"


    After hanging up the phone, Zhou Qi¡¯s face lost its anger, and he mumbled to himself with a smile, "Didn¡¯t expect these brats to have some ability." Saying this, he waved at Shi Su, who was giving out serums nearby, calling her over.


    "Elder Zhou, is there something you need?"


    "It¡¯s like this, Ling Chen and the others found the mastermind behind all this and obtained some viral data; they hope you can check it to ensure there are no mistakes."


    "Is that so?" Interest sparkled in Shi Su¡¯s eyes as she nodded, "Alright then, have someone send over the data, and I¡¯ll make sure topare it carefully."


    Soon, a staff member brought the printed data to Shi Su.


    In front of Zhou Qi, Shi Su flipped through the pages, skimming through the information quickly. A few minutester, she handed the data to Zhou Qi and said with a smile, "Elder Zhou, no need to worry, my solution is perfect."


    "That¡¯s great."


    "If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll get back to work."


    "Please do."


    Seeing Shi Su return, Zhu Xiaozhu asked, "Master, did Elder Zhou want something?"


    "It¡¯s nothing. Xiaozhu, run to the infirmary and grab some medicine for me." After giving her instruction, Shi Su stopped Han Yu, who was about to leave with Zhu Xiaozhu, and said, "Wait, don¡¯t go. I have another task for you."


    Watching Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s elegant departure, Han Yu reluctantly withdrew his gaze and asked, "Mrs. Su, what do you need?"


    Shi Su leaned in and whispered a few words into his ear, instructing him meaningfully, "Remember, find a few reliable people to do this, and make sure no one else finds out... including Xiaozhu."


    Han Yu looked around to make sure no one was paying attention to them before asking quietly, "Mrs. Su, are there issues with those serums?"


    "There¡¯s no issue, just a few missingponents. Add those and there will be no problems. Hurry along, don¡¯t waste any more time."


    "Understood."


    ...


    Two hourster, the ne carrying Ling Chen and hispanions finally arrived near the luxury liner.


    As the nended on the sea, a motorboat from the luxury liner came out to pick them up. Initially, Ling Chen wanted Hu Fei to head back, but during those short two hours, the foul-smellpatible, simrly natured Hu Fei and Zhou Jun hit it off as if they were long-lost brothers. Zhou Jun insisted on not letting Hu Fei leave, and so took it upon himself to invite him aboard the ship.


    Given his status, even if Zhou Qi found out, at most, he would get a scolding.


    "Elder."


    Seeing the approaching Zhou Qi, Zhou Jun greeted with a smile.


    Zhou Qi red at him, snorted coldly, and gave them a merciless reprimand, "You youngsters have no discipline at all. If anything happened, how am I supposed to exin to your families, especially you mischief-maker, only knowing how to cause me trouble."

 Chapter 448 - 444: The Motive of the God Organization

    <h4>Chapter 448: Chapter 444: The Motive of the God Organization</h4><h4></h4>


    Zhou Jun said with a grin, "Old man, stop schooling us for a moment. At least we¡¯ve done some good and rescued everyone."


    "Pfft, what aplishment?" Zhou Qi said disdainfully, "You were just stirring up trouble unnecessarily."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen asked, "Elder Zhou, are you suggesting that the serum developed by Ms. Shi has no issues?"


    "Of course, there are no issues. Everyone has been injected with the serum, and all symptoms have disappeared. Apart from some physical weakness, there¡¯s nothing major."


    Zhou Jun was dumbfounded, "Really? Old man, don¡¯t fool me. Shi Su¡¯s medical skills are decent, but are they that incredible? I¡¯ve studied medicine too, albeit half-baked. But to repeatedly experiment in such a short time and then find the correct solution, that seems impossible."


    "Shut your mouth!" Zhou Qi sharply rebuked, "You should be aware of Ms. Shi¡¯s rtionship with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Don¡¯t talk nonsense in the future. If the Pavilion Master hears of this, neither you nor I will have an easy time. Besides, I¡¯m an old man; I have no reason to lie to you kids. Seeing is believing. If you don¡¯t trust it, you can go and see for yourself."


    Considering the condition of Qiu Yong and others, Ling Chen didn¡¯t bother to probe further. After a brief greeting, he immediately rushed to Qiu Yong¡¯s residence.


    Upon entering the room, he saw Qiu Yong and others there. Except for looking somewhat exhausted, all previous symptoms had vanished. It seemed Zhou Qi was right; Shi Su¡¯s serum had worked against the virus.


    "Big brother, second brother... are you all alright?"


    Yuan Yun replied with a smile, "Better than ever. Eh, Sixth Brother, where have you been? Haven¡¯t seen you all day."


    "Just out handling some things."


    Ling Chen intended to stay and spend time with everyone, but then there was a knock at the door. Turning around, Ling Chen opened the door to see a man in a suit, checking, "May I help you?"


    The man politely said, "Mr. Ling, Elder Zhou would like you toe over."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll be right there."


    After saying goodbye to Qiu Yong, Ling Chen left the room with the man in the suit.


    Shortly after, under the guidance of the man in the suit, Ling Chen arrived at a conference room. There were not many people inside. Zhou Qi and Zhou Jun were present, and there were also two unfamiliar women, around their thirties to forties, appearing graceful and still charming.


    "Mr. Ling, please take a seat!"


    "Elder Zhou, what did you need to see me for?"


    "Zhou Jun told me about your trip, mentioning you brought up the God Organization. Therefore, I would like to understand more and hope you can cooperate with us."


    "That¡¯s no problem," Ling Chen nodded. He had expected the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion to inquire eventually but hadn¡¯t anticipated it so soon, indicating the importance they ced on this matter.


    "Mr. Ling, do you believe that the God Organization was behind the scenes targeting the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    "It¡¯s not a belief, but a certainty. I won¡¯t hide from you that I¡¯ve dealt with the God Organization numerous times, so I can say with one hundred percent certainty." Ling Chen shifted his tone, asking, "Elder Zhou, if I may ask, how much does the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion know about the God Organization?"


    Hearing this, Zhou Qi nced at Zhou Jun beside him and signaled, "You go outside first."


    "But old man, I..."


    "Less talk, get out now!"


    Seeing Zhou Qi¡¯s tone be stern, Zhou Jun immediately shut his mouth and obediently left the conference room. Once he was gone, Zhou Qi turned his gaze back to Ling Chen, saying, "Mr. Ling, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion isn¡¯t unfamiliar with the God Organization. Furthermore, members of the God Organization have sought us out, hoping to coborate and use our influence to control the Asian region. However, our Pavilion never allies with evil forces or lends a hand to tyranny, hence we rejected their proposal."


    Ling Chen smiled slightly, "That means the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion knows quite a bit about the God Organization."


    "Somewhat," Zhou Qi openly replied, "Mr. Ling, you should be aware of our Pavilion¡¯s capability in gathering intelligence. When the God Organization approached us, we had investigated this force secretly. However, the deeper we investigated, the more shocking it became. Eventually, the Pavilion Master ordered an end to the inquiry, sealing all information about the God Organization."


    "Why?"


    "Firstly, we prefer not to sh with the God Organization. The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has its principles and codes. Martial Arts are treasures culminating from thousands of years of Huaxia¡¯s legacy, and it¡¯s our duty to ensure its continuous propagation. Thus, we don¡¯t want to provoke too many issues. Secondly, it¡¯s for our own protection."


    "Protection?" Ling Chen was taken aback. He might believe this from someone else, but Zhou Qi represented the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, the most secretive force in Huaxia with great power. Could they still be afraid of the God Organization?


    "Mr. Ling, I¡¯ve reviewed your background. You were a soldier, so you must understand that no matter how times change or how fierce your fighting skills are, there are limits. They can¡¯t match modern cutting-edge weapons. Unless you are ranking high on the Heavenly List, but such individuals are extremely rare across Huaxia. In other words, the technology of the God Organization is at the forefront of the era. For us, standing as an enemy against them would ce the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion in an extremely precarious situation."


    After thinking for a moment, Ling Chen said, "Elder Zhou, not to conceal from you, the organization I previously worked for wasmitted to countering the God Organization, but due to limited intelligence, our efforts were minimal. Since the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion holds so much information about the God Organization, could you..."


    "Sorry!" Before Ling Chen could finish, Zhou Qi had already responded, "I have no authority on this matter; only the Pavilion Master can decide. I can bring it up to him and see what he thinks. But I advise you not to hold too much hope. Regardless of the extent of your struggle with the God Organization, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion prefers to stay neutral."


    "Elder Zhou, you want to remain neutral, but the God Organization might not think the same. They¡¯ve alreadye knocking. Aren¡¯t you nning to just stand by and watch?"


    "This... I trust the Pavilion Master will consider it," Zhou Qi replied, standing up and extending his hand, "Mr. Ling, thank you for providing us so much information and for what you¡¯ve done for the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. As long as you have no objections, we are pleased to consider you as a friend."


    "Don¡¯t mention it." Ling Chen smiled lightly and turned to leave the conference room.


    On the way back, Ling Chen was still puzzled, not understanding why the God Organization would suddenly target the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. The Pavilion had dered its stance of neutrality. By acting in this way, wasn¡¯t the God Organization just causing trouble for nothing?

 Chapter 449 - 445: Appreciation Banquet

    <h4>Chapter 449: Chapter 445: Appreciation Banquet</h4><h4></h4>


    Returning to his room and resting for a while, Ling Chen received a notice: thepetition for neers would continue in two days. Despite a crisis arising, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion had no intention of ceasing the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony.


    In addition, Ling Chen got an unexpected piece of news: he had been directly promoted, avoiding the match with Lin Dong.


    Upon inquiry, he learned that Lin Dong, his opponent, had developedplications due to an infectious disease, leading to health issues. Although the virus had been cleared, his body had not yet recovered and required a period of rest. Therefore, he unterally gave up his qualification.


    Regardless, this was an unexpected joy for Ling Chen. Not only was he spared a fight, but he also smoothly advanced and got the opportunity topete with the top five neers.


    Upon hearing this news, Qiu Yong and the others were very happy.


    "Ling Cheng, with two days left, you should take good care of your body. The top five on the Neer List are nothing like your previous opponents; they are all true masters, so you must be cautious," Zhang Zhongfeng advised.


    "Zhang Zhongfeng, I know."


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, a day passed.


    The next afternoon, in his room, Ling Chen sat on the couch with his legs crossed, casually chatting with Hu Fei.


    After Zhou Jun¡¯s earnest pleading, and considering Hu Fei once saved his grandson¡¯s life, Zhou Qi reluctantly agreed to let him remain on the ship.


    "Fatty, fatty!"


    Ling Chen called out several times before Hu Fei, who was engrossed in hisptop, looked up and asked, "What¡¯s up?"


    "What are you up to? You didn¡¯t hear me calling you," Ling Chen said, approaching Hu Fei¡¯sputer, curious about the content on the screen. However, the vignt Hu Fei quickly closed theptop and clutched it to his chest as if he was afraid Ling Chen would snatch it away.


    "You, this guy..." Ling Chen shook his head helplessly and grumbled discontentedly, "Fine, I won¡¯t look. Are you under the impression I¡¯m dying to?"


    Hu Fei let out a slyugh and said mysteriously, "Don¡¯t be angry, I¡¯ll let you know once I¡¯m done with it."


    "Hey! You can connect to the inte?" Ling Chen remembered that signals were blocked on the ship.


    Hu Fei scoffed and said, "With my skills, their firewall is no obstacle to me. I hacked into their server as soon as I boarded the ship."


    "Okay, you¡¯re amazing."


    "I¡¯ll stop yapping now. Zhou Jun invited me to the entertainment room to rx this afternoon, gotta go!" Hu Fei said, then stood up holding hisptop and walked out.


    Opening the room door and just about to leave, Hu Fei saw a young man in a suit approaching politely, handing over an invitation with a smile, "Please hand this to Mr. Ling. Tonight, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will host a banquet in the banquet hall on the fifth floor. We would be honored if Mr. Ling would grace us with his presence."


    Holding the invitation from Hu Fei, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help butugh. People from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion sure had a generous tolerance, still thinking of organizing a banquet at a time like this.


    Night fell.


    Darkness enveloped, the sea became tranquil, and it seemed like the sound of the rolling waves was the only thing left in the world.


    The banquet hall located on the fifth floor of the luxury cruise ship, apanied by elegant light music, Ling Chen, Qiu Yong, and others arrived at the dinner event. In contrast to the grand attire of everyone present, the "Eight entrics" appeared quite casual and were particrly noticeable among the crowd dressed in suits and leather shoes.


    Ling Chen wasn¡¯t interested in the banquet, but considering the invitation from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, he couldn¡¯t just skip it; that would be disrespectful. Therefore, he decided to show his face and as soon as the banquet officially started, he nned to slip away quietly.


    The banquet hosted by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion wasn¡¯t much different from the ones Ling Chen had attended before: an elegant and luxurious setting with fine wines and dishes, where every gentleman was dressed to the nines, sauntering among the crowd with a ss in hand.


    Ling Chen truly felt that such banquets were a waste of life.


    Just then, a wave of gasps sounded at the entrance of the banquet hall. Subsequently, everyone¡¯s gaze converged on two individuals.


    Han Yu, Zhu Xiaozhu.


    Han Yu, dressed in a tailcoat, wore shoes that reflected the feigned smiles of people. However, it had to be admitted that this attire, paired with Han Yu¡¯s handsome appearance, did indeed possess a certain charm.


    Yet, because of Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s presence, Han Yu was naturally overlooked. The woman who instantly became the focus of the event was like a delicate and vibrant flower, with every gesture and smile radiating her stunning beauty, captivating and enthralling onlookers.


    Whether they were in their twenties or in their thirties and forties, almost everyone¡¯s gaze was drawn to Zhu Xiaozhu.


    Ling Chen stood amid the crowd, gazing infatuatedly at Zhu Xiaozhu, who was wearing an elegant evening gown with a hint of her shoulders exposed, white and smooth. The hem of her skirt red out slightly, like a blooming peony, refined and noble. Aside from appreciation, no impure thoughts arose in his mind.


    Especially those eyes, tender like water, seemingly like a babbling brook, clear and wless.


    However, seeing Zhu Xiaozhu gently leaning on Han Yu¡¯s arm, a surge of sourness welled up in Ling Chen¡¯s heart, as if a bottle of mixed emotions had been overturned, indescribably ufortable.


    Sighing, he withdrew his gaze, turned, and found an unnoticed corner to sit down in.


    Some things are better left unseen.


    7:30 in the evening.


    The three hundred-plus guests were now all gathered in the banquet hall. It was at this time that Zhou Qi, dressed in traditional attire, took the stage apanied by several disciples of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    "Ladies and gentlemen..." As Zhou Qi¡¯s voice rang out, everyone immediately quieted down and listened attentively to his opening remarks.


    "Due to the unexpected incident two days ago, which caused great inconvenience to everyone and even endangered your lives, I, on behalf of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, would like to extend my apologies. The incident was entirely due to the Pavilion¡¯s negligence. As a gesture of our apology, the Pavilion has prepared a small gift for everyone. Furthermore, please be assured that the Pavilion guarantees that such incidents will not ur again."


    At this point, Zhou Qi paused and looked at the audience with a smile, saying, "This time we were able to safely get through the crisis, all thanks to the selfless assistance of a single individual. Even if I don¡¯t mention it, I believe everyone knows who that person is. Tonight, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is holding this banquet not only to celebrate our collective survival but also to express our gratitude to Ms. Shi. Now, please wee Ms. Shi Su to the stage."


    As Zhou Qi finished speaking, Shi Su, wearing a ck evening gown, looking noble and graceful, with a delicate smile on the corner of her mouth, gracefully stepped onto the stage.


    "The Shi Family is blessed indeed."


    Qiu Yong nced at Shi Su on the stage,menting lightly.


    Yuan Yun joined the conversation, saying, "Not just blessed, but after saving so many people on the ship, that act of grace isid out there. Who would dare to oppose the Shi Family now? With this foundation, the Shi Family can rise anytime within the Martial Arts world."


    "Regardless of anything else, we owe her our lives. Gratitude is gratitude and grievances are grievances. We, the ¡¯Eight entrics,¡¯ have always been clear about debts of gratitude and revenge. Ling Cheng, do you understand what I mean?"


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "Elder Brother, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not someone who forgets favors and vites righteousness."

 Chapter 450 - 446: Arrogant Love Rival

    <h4>Chapter 450: Chapter 446: Arrogant Love Rival</h4><h4></h4>


    "Ms. Shi, do you have anything you¡¯d like to say?" Zhou Qi asked with a smile on stage.


    Surveying the crowd below the stage, Shi Su said with a light smile, "The Shi Family has been in the medical profession for generations. As a doctor, healing the sick and saving lives is my duty, and I¡¯m just doing what I should do. Moreover, in resolving this crisis smoothly, I cannot take all the credit alone. First of all, I would like to thank everyone for their great support, especially my apprentice Xiaozhu and Han Yu. As an up-anding talent, Han Yu is truly a remarkable individual, not only ranking second on the Neer List but also exemry in the medical arts. I¡¯m pleased as a Master that Xiaozhu has found such a lifelong partner."


    Lifelong partner?


    Upon hearing this, the crowd gasped in surprise, their gazes filled with a mix of envy and jealousy toward Han Yu.


    With the audience¡¯s attention on him, Han Yu held his head high, his face brimming with a proud smile, his eyes roaming through the crowd as if looking for something. Suddenly, his lips curled up in arrogance as he stared disdainfully at a corner of the banquet hall.


    Facing Han Yu¡¯s gaze, Ling Chen, who had been sitting on the couch, stood up and walked over without any expression. Seeing his action, Qiu Yong hurriedly held onto his shoulder and whispered, "Ling Cheng, don¡¯t be impulsive."


    "Big brother, I know what I¡¯m doing."


    With that, Ling Chen brushed off Qiu Yong¡¯s hand and made his way through the crowd towards Han Yu.


    Seeing Ling Chen approach, Han Yu¡¯s smile grew even brighter. A fool who doesn¡¯t know any better; this was the perfect opportunity to put him in his ce in front of everyone.


    However, the arrival of Ling Chen made Zhu Xiaozhu feel uneasy, her palms sweating. Yet, deep down, there was a small sense of anticipation. As for what she was anticipating, she couldn¡¯t quite articte it herself.


    As Ling Chen neared, Han Yu coldly smirked, ready to utter a few words of mockery, but then he saw the other man walk straight past him, approaching Zhu Xiaozhu instead.


    Feeling Ling Chen¡¯splex gaze, Zhu Xiaozhu bit her thin lips and couldn¡¯t help but lower her head to stare at her toes, feeling extremely nervous.


    At this moment, everyone¡¯s attention was captivated by Ling Chen¡¯s sudden arrival, their faces showing expressions that were keen to watch the drama unfold.


    Shi Su had just announced Han Yu and Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s affair, and Ling Chen¡¯s sudden appearance clearly indicated that it wasn¡¯t as simple as giving blessings by looking at the expressions on their faces.


    For a while, everyone was waiting for Ling Chen to speak.


    "Why?" After a long pause, Ling Chen finally spoke the three words slowly.


    "Ling Chen..." Zhu Xiaozhu opened her mouth but was at a loss for words. After hesitating, she said softly with her head down, "There¡¯s no reason, you¡¯ve heard everything my Master said."


    "I understand you, you¡¯re not that kind of person. I just want to know, is this your own decision, or did your Master make it for you?"


    "I..."


    "Xiaozhu!"


    Just as Zhu Xiaozhu spoke out, she heard Shi Su¡¯s voiceing from the stage. Her pretty face suddenly turned pale.


    "Xiaozhu..."


    "Don¡¯t ask anymore." Zhu Xiaozhu closed her eyes, holding back the tears, and said word by word, "It¡¯s my own decision." After saying these words, Zhu Xiaozhu felt her inner strength copse in an instant, all her feigned bravery dissolving into nothingness.


    Hearing her response, Ling Chen shook his head lightly and said, "I don¡¯t believe it. If it were truly your own decision, then why wouldn¡¯t you dare look me in the eye?"


    "Ling Chen, enough!" Before Zhu Xiaozhu could say anything else, Han Yu, who was standing nearby, couldn¡¯t hold back his fury and rebuked, "What is the meaning of these questions? Do you think I am not worthy of Xiaozhu?"


    "You are indeed not worthy," said Ling Chen, bluntly.


    Han Yu scoffed and replied, "Not worthy, you say? And you think you are? Why don¡¯t you take a look in the mirror to see who you really are, and what right do you have topare with me? In terms of martial prowess, you have no standing topare with me. In terms of ability, even less so. Not to mention afar, just take the crisis that happened on this ship, what did I do, and what did you do? Compare with me, hmmph! Get lost, save yourself from further embarrassment."


    "It¡¯s important to know oneself, too bad, some people just don¡¯t understand this."


    "I for one think Han Yu and Miss Zhu are a perfect match, a union of talent and beauty, made by heaven and earth."


    "That¡¯s true. Han Yu, so young with such high martial arts and excellent medical skills, is a rare gem among the younger generation, and his future is boundless. What could that Ling fellow have topete with him?"


    "He¡¯s probably just trying to get attention and boost his reputation. But I couldn¡¯t do such a shameless thing."


    Hearing the crowd¡¯s mockery and ridicule of Ling Chen, the faces of Qiu Yong and others immediately turned exceedingly ugly. Xia Yue, unable to contain her anger, was about to step forward to stand up for Ling Chen, but Qiu Yong pulled her back.


    "Shi Su and Han Yu just saved everyone, naturally they would side with them. We owe them a favor, now is not the time to go against them."


    Xia Yue said furiously, "So we just let them bully Ling Cheng?"


    "Enough, don¡¯t say any more, I¡¯ll go get Ling Cheng back." With that, Yuan Yun quickly walked to Ling Chen¡¯s side, grabbed his arm, and whispered, "Ling Cheng, don¡¯t look for trouble, we can talk about it when we get back."


    Seeing Zhu Xiaozhu, who still didn¡¯t dare to lift her head, Ling Chen sighed quietly and nodded slightly. He knew when to exercise restraint. Now was not the time to act rashly. He had to consider Qiu Yong and others and not be willful.


    Seeing Ling Chen turn and leave, Han Yu smirked triumphantly, with a disdainful sneer on his face, "What a joke."


    "Ling Chen."


    Ling Chen stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Shi Su on the stage, "Is there anything else?"


    Shi Su spoke with a cold demeanor, "Xiaozhu is now with Han Yu, regardless of what you¡¯re thinking, I hope you¡¯ll behave yourself and not bother them again. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for not warning you in advance."


    A threat!


    An undisguised threat.


    Saying something like this in front of so many people, Shi Su clearly had no intention of saving Ling Chen¡¯s face. On the contrary, she intended to trample viciously on Ling Chen¡¯s dignity.


    Ling Chen frowned and stared at Shi Su with cold eyes as a flicker of concealed anger passed through his Mo Che-like pupils.


    "Ling Cheng," Yuan Yun, worried that Ling Chen wouldn¡¯t be able to keep his temper in check, looked at him apprehensively.


    Feeling the concern in Yuan Yun¡¯s gaze, Ling Chen took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in his heart, and said indifferently, "Ms. Shi, everyone here is indebted to you, so they can only follow your lead. However, I do not need to show such consideration. Xiaozhu is a good girl; it¡¯s a pity that she has chosen the wrong master. If you expect me not to intervene in Xiaozhu¡¯s affairs, then I¡¯m sorry, but I cannot do that. I will not just stand by and watch Xiaozhu be with someone she doesn¡¯t like, nor will I let her life be ruined by her conceited master."

 Chapter 451 - 447: Confrontation (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 451: Chapter 447: Confrontation (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    After listening to Ling Chen¡¯s words, Shi Su¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly, her face cold as frost, she coldly said, "Fine, then I would like to see what ability you have to stop them from being together."


    "Ling Cheng..."


    Ling Chen waved his hand, cutting off Yuan Yun¡¯s words, and said indifferently, "Elder brother, there¡¯s no need to persuade me. I¡¯ll resolve this matter myself. You don¡¯t need to help me."


    Having said that, Ling Chen ignored Yuan Yun¡¯s obstruction and strode towards Zhu Xiaozhu, reaching out his hand to her.


    "Come with me."


    Zhu Xiaozhu looked up and met Ling Chen¡¯s gaze. Feeling the resolve and determination in his eyes, her heart seemed to be struck by a stone, causing violent ripples.


    Perhaps this was what she had been hoping would happen.


    Seeing the hesitation in Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s eyes, Ling Chen spoke again, "Come with me, no matter what it is, I will bear it for you."


    Upon hearing these words, Zhu Xiaozhu was somewhat tempted. However, the promise she had made to Shi Su echoed continuously in her ears.


    "Xiaozhu, if you dare to go with him, from now on I won¡¯t have you as my disciple. Also, don¡¯t forget what you promised me."


    As Zhu Xiaozhu was caught in a dilemma, Shi Su¡¯s voice suddenly came over, causing her nearly outstretched hand to shrink back.


    Seeing that she couldn¡¯t make a decision, Ling Chen simply got tired of talking nonsense, grabbed her hand, and forcefully pulled her to walk outside.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s actions, Han Yu¡¯s expression turned cold, and he yelled angrily, "Let go of her!"


    As soon as his voice sounded, he had already lunged forward, his fist aiming straight for Ling Chen¡¯s neck. However, before Ling Chen could react, a gust of wind shed through the crowd.


    As the figure shed by, a strong hand quickly reached out, firmly locking onto Han Yu¡¯s wrist, stopping his attack.


    With his punch blocked, Han Yu was slightly startled, he fixed his gaze on the neer, his expression changed immediately, his eyes harshly said, "Are you taking his side?"


    "You aren¡¯t including me among the people you¡¯ve saved, so I¡¯m not obligated to owe this favor."With that, Song Ge turned his head to look at Ling Chen, smiling, "Ling, you go ahead, I¡¯ll hold them off here."


    "I¡¯d like to see who dares to leave!" Shi Su said coldly, her gaze sweeping across everyone, "Everyone here saw it, Ling Chen tried to forcefully take my disciple, an utterly heinous act, I hope everyone can help me capture this man."


    "Ms. Shi, rest assured, I won¡¯t let him walk out of this door."


    A familiar voice sounded, and Jiang Hanlin appeared with the Qiu brothers from the crowd, blocking in front of Ling Chen.


    "When Ms. Shi asks for help, our Dangyang Sect will surely assist."


    "And my Qingyang Sect as well."


    Immediately, dozens of people appeared around Ling Chen, almost leaving him no way to escape.


    "Enough, stop!"


    Zhou Qi, who had been coldly observing, saw that the situation was getting serious and immediately shouted out to stop them.


    Once a person from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion spoke, naturally, nobody dared to act rashly, and the crowd that had gathered immediately dispersed.


    "Elder Zhou, since you have spoken, how should we deal with this matter?"


    Zhou Qi nced at Shi Su who had spoken and countered, "Ms. Shi, how do you think this should be handled?"


    Shi Su coldly said, "Punish him with fifty strokes, expel him from the ship, disqualify him from participating in the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, and forbid him from involving in any affairs within the Martial Artsmunity."


    "This... Ling Chen made a mistake, but there is no need for such a severe punishment."


    "Is Elder Zhou trying to make excuses for him?"


    "That¡¯s not it, I just..."


    "Since Elder Zhou can¡¯t make up his mind, I might as well directly consult the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master. I believe he will agree with my decision."


    Zhou Qi¡¯s expression changed; he hadn¡¯t expected Shi Su to directly invoke the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master, clearly putting pressure on him.


    "Fine then." Zhou Qi helplessly nodded.


    "Bring someone!"


    "Hold on!"


    As the voice was heard, Zhou Jun appeared with his hands behind his back, swaggering to Ling Chen¡¯s side, and looking at Shi Su on stage, hemented with a click of his tongue, "Tsk tsk! You really are something, everyone has to listen to you. I¡¯m a bit confused now, who actually runs this ship? The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, or someone from the Shi Family? Ms. Shi, you better rify, the Pavilion treats you as a friend, which is giving you face, don¡¯t overestimate yourself. Truly, you don¡¯t deserve it."


    Hearing Zhou Jun¡¯s words, everyone was shocked, looking at him. That guy really was bold, uttering words without any regard.


    Seeing Shi Su¡¯s livid face, Zhou Qi next to her was instantly anxious, wishing he could severely beat that brat. Anyone in the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion knew of the rtionship between Shi Su and the Pavilion Master, Zhou Jun¡¯s words were like smashing their rice bowls.


    "I¡¯m just handling this ording to the rules; I didn¡¯t mean tomand on behalf of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Are you making a mountain out of a molehill?"


    "What rules are you following? Are those the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯s rules? Ling Chen only snatched your disciple, which is a personal matter and doesn¡¯t seem to vite any Pavilion rules. What right do you have to expel Ling Chen from the ship? Basically, you¡¯re just leveraging the fact that no one dares to contradict you because you saved everyone."


    "Zhou Jun, shut up!" Zhou Qi hurriedly shouted, fearing that the foul-mouthed kid had offended Shi Su to death.


    "Old man, why so anxious, I haven¡¯t finished speaking." Meanwhile, Zhou Jun secretly gave Ling Chen a wink, then continued, "Ms. Shi, unless I¡¯m mistaken, you said at the start that the Shi Family has been medics for generations, treating and saving people is your duty. You also mentioned Han Yu¡¯s superb medical skills as your capable assistant, thanks to a few of you, everyone¡¯s lives were saved."


    Shi Su, holding back her anger, coldly said, "Is there a problem?"


    "Of course there¡¯s no problem, it only makes people feel disgusted, not just ordinarily disgusting, but extremely disgusting." Zhou Jun turned to the audience and loudly said, "Everyone, you have been deceived by her, she¡¯s nothing but a petty person who steals the credit of others."


    "Is that true?"


    People were shocked, discussing amongst themselves.


    Shi Su gritted her teeth, her face bing even uglier, ring at Zhou Jun, "How dare you nder me?"


    Zhou Jun sneered, "Whether I¡¯m ndering you, you know best in your heart. Dare you say that the serum you injected everyone with was developed by you?"


    "If not me, then who do you think it should be?"


    "Humph! Still unwilling to admit it. Shi Su, do you really want to ruin your own reputation before you regret it? I¡¯ll give you one more chance, if you still won¡¯t admit it, no worries, I have the evidence to prove it. But, by that time, you¡¯ll have lost all face."


    Hearing this, a flicker of panic crossed Shi Su¡¯s eyes as her angrily flushed cheeks turned a shade paler.


    Seeing his grandson so full of confidence, Zhou Qi suspiciously looked at Shi Su and asked, "Ms. Shi, what exactly is going on?"

 Chapter 452 - 448: Confrontation (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 452: Chapter 448: Confrontation (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    Zhou Qi knew his grandson well; though usually flippant andckadaisical, he was serious when it mattered. Thus, his words definitely held ground.


    Facing Zhou Qi¡¯s inquiry, Shi Su did not respond but instead turned to look at Han Yu in the crowd. Sensing her gaze, thetter subtly nodded. With Han Yu¡¯s affirmation, Shi Su quicklyposed herself, her expression turning cold: "Elder Zhou, your grandson is quite the storyteller. I hope he continues, as I am curious to see what ¡¯evidence¡¯ he ns to concoct to nder me."


    "Fine. Since you are so deluded and still struggling at death¡¯s door, don¡¯t me me for not giving you face," Zhou Qi sternly said. "Honestly, this wasn¡¯t a big deal. If you had just told the truth, everyone could have shared the credit. But you, being narrow-minded, not only hid the truth but also monopolized all the credit for yourself. Shi Su, ask yourself, aren¡¯t you ashamed?"


    Pausing briefly, Zhou Jun looked around at the buzzing crowd and began, "Perhaps everyone isn¡¯t quite clear about the situation. Here¡¯s what happened..." He then recounted what Ling Chen had done.


    After hearing this, everyone immediately understood why Zhou Jun was so furious. Ling Chen and his team, risking their lives to find data on the virus, rightfully deserved the credit, but instead, it was imed by Shi Su and Han Yu.


    This behavior was indeed despicable.


    Feeling the scornful looks from everyone, Shi Su, losing herposure, snapped, "Nonsense! These are all lies you¡¯ve concocted."


    "I can prove he¡¯s not lying," Zhou Qi interjected. "That day, Ling Chen sent me the data to show you, to ensure there was nothing wrong with the serum you produced."


    Zhou Jun added, "You took a helicopter that day to the nearest city, where the experiments were conducted in a temporaryboratory set up by the Heavenly Mechanage Pavilion. All the information you obtained in the experiment was recorded on aputer, including the final serum form."


    Shi Su scoffed, "And then?"


    "I guess you must have felt quite pleased with yourself," Zhou Jun continued. "Afraid of being discovered, you instructed someone to delete all the data stored on theputer. Unfortunately, you made a mistake because the person you enlisted was not proficient withputers. Although the data was deleted, it was notpletely erased. For a top hacker, restoring the data is a simple task. The serum form you developed is fundamentally different from the final one injected into everyone."


    Top hacker?


    Ling Chen¡¯s mind stirred; Zhou Jun was referring to Fatty. No wonder Hu Fei was so mysteriously secretive today, not allowing him to see hisputer. He was messing with those files.


    "How interesting," Shi Su said emotionlessly. "Am I not allowed to adjust the formst minute?"


    "Of course you can. However, if you want to engage in nefarious deeds in the future, better choose a secluded ce, and not do it publicly. Didn¡¯t you realize, this luxury cruise ship is equipped with surveince cameras everywhere to ensure everyone¡¯s safety? That day, after reviewing the data sent by Ling Chen, you sent Zhu Xiaozhu away and then secretly whispered to Han Yu. What you discussed, you know best. After Han Yu left, he met with eight people, each of whom shares amon trait¡ªthey are skilled in medicine but have no significant backing. You probably didn¡¯t anticipate that all this was recorded by the surveince."


    At this point, Zhou Jun looked at Shi Su and Han Yu, his tone mocking, "Do I need to keep going, or do you need me to present evidence and have Han Yu confront those people face-to-face before you admit your mistake? If you two have any shame left, just confess yourselves and don¡¯t waste everyone¡¯s time."


    Hearing this, Shi Su and Han Yu¡¯s faces drastically changed, their eyes reflecting a hint of hesitation and struggle.


    Seeing their continued silence, Zhou Jun continued on his own, "Those who conspired with Han Yu, listen well. I know you are all here. Considering that you were unknowingly exploited, I¡¯ll withhold your names for now. If you don¡¯t want to end up disgraced like these two, here¡¯s your chance to redeem yourselves. Juste forward and exin yourselves to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, and I assure you, the Pavilion will not pursue your faults nor will it expose you. This is a rare opportunity; cherish it."


    "Ms. Shi." Zhou Qi looked at Shi Su beside him, his voice deep. "Do you have anything to say now?"


    Biting her lip, Shi Su defensively argued, "I didn¡¯t do these things; this is nder. Zhou Qi, as a member of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, you even let your grandson tarnish my reputation. I will definitely take this up with the Pavilion Master."


    "Master."


    Suddenly, a voice from the crowd¡ªZhu Xiaozhu¡¯s¡ªrang out.


    "Is what he said... all true?" Zhu Xiaozhu, looking up, her beautiful eyes twinkling, incredulously stared at Shi Su.


    "No, it¡¯s not!" Shi Su nearly hysterically yelled. "I never did such a thing." After speaking, she took a deep breath, calming her emotions, and gently said, "Xiaozhu, you¡¯ve been with me for so many years, don¡¯t you even believe in your master?"


    "Master, I want to believe you. You taught me to always be fair. Since you insist it¡¯s nder, let me clear your name." Saying that, Zhu Xiaozhu turned to Zhou Jun and said, "I was involved in the entire process of making the serum, and I know the original form. Please give me the data, and I willpare both versions of the serum forms."


    Zhou Jun nced at Ling Chen, who nodded, and he immediately had the data delivered to Zhu Xiaozhu.


    Watching Zhu Xiaozhu earnestlyparing the data and forms, Shi Su became visibly flustered, quickly interjecting, "Xiaozhu, you don¡¯t need to get involved in this."


    She knew her disciple¡¯s character too well; that was why, initially, she had entrusted this task to Han Yu without telling Zhu Xiaozhu.


    "Master, this concerns your reputation, and as your disciple, I cannot stand idly by." Zhu Xiaozhu locked eyes with Shi Su, each word deliberate, "Master, you don¡¯t want me involved, unless it¡¯s because..."


    At this point, Zhu Xiaozhu stopped. She didn¡¯t want to continue, nor could she believe it. In her eyes, Shi Su was not that kind of person.


    However, as Zhu Xiaozhu finished reviewing the data andparing the two serum forms, her pretty face gradually turned pale, her lips devoid of any color.


    "Master..."


    Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s lips parted slightly, her voice trembling, her eyes filled with disappointment, pain, and a myriad ofplex expressions intertwined in her gaze, converging into a single glistening tear.

 Chapter 453 - 449: Losing Face

    <h4>Chapter 453: Chapter 449: Losing Face</h4><h4></h4>


    It¡¯s over!


    At the moment Zhu Xiaozhu began to speak, Shi Su knew everything was ruined. Perhaps she could deceive others, but she couldn¡¯t deceive her own disciple, because Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s skills were all taught by her; she understood too well.


    Facing Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s regretful gaze, Shi Su¡¯s eyes carried a hint of pleading. Now she could only hope that Zhu Xiaozhu would help her keep this hidden. Once the matter came to light, she was well aware of what consequences she would face.


    Not to mention the loss of her reputation, she would also have to endure others¡¯ usations, spitting, and the gaze of contempt, and would never be able to turn things around. More importantly, this issue would inevitably implicate the Shi Family, affecting their reputation.


    "Please help me for the Pavilion Master¡¯s sake," Shi Su implored softly, afraid of being overheard. By saying such words, she was no different from admitting her own actions. However, Shi Su could no longer care about that much; after all, this was the territory of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. With her rtionship with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, as long as the Pavilion was willing to stand up for her, she could at least keep her reputation intact.


    Regarding Shi Su¡¯s request, Zhou Qi frowned and said, "Ms. Shi, I have always respected you, but you should be aware that the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion always seeks justice in its actions. I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t help you with this matter, and I believe the Pavilion Master would agree with me."


    With that, Zhou Qi stepped to the edge of the stage, his gaze sweeping across the hall, and he spoke in a loud voice, "Ladies and gentlemen, the situation is now clear. We were able to get through this crisis thanks entirely to Ling Chen and his team, who risked their lives to infiltrate the enemy camp and find a way to treat the virus, saving everyone on this ship. On behalf of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Ling Chen and the others, and also hope they can forgive the Pavilion¡¯s mistake for trusting the wrong people."


    At this point, Zhou Qi paused in his speech, nced over the ashen-faced Shi Su, and continued, "Regarding the actions of Shi Su and Han Yu, these were purely out of personal greed. As friends of Ms. Shi, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion feels deep shame. From now on, character will be our utmost priority in friendships. The Pavilion refuses to associate with those of poor character."


    This sentence undeniably dered the end of the rtionship between the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and Shi Su.


    "I really didn¡¯t expect her to be this kind of person."


    "Now she¡¯s done for¡ªnot only did she not gain any merit, but she also ruined her own future."


    "She has only herself to me."


    Upon learning the truth, the attitudes of those present changed in an instant, their discussions filled with undisguised contempt.


    Shi Su stood stiffly on the stage, her limbs cold. At this moment, she felt so disgraced she wished she could just crawl into a corners.


    "Hey! Han Yu, where do you think you¡¯re going? Weren¡¯t you so pleased with yourself just now?"


    At this moment, Zhou Jun spotted Han Yu trying to silently slip away from the banquet hall, and sneered sarcastically.


    His words immediately drew everyone¡¯s gaze to Han Yu. Han Yu red at Zhou Jun with resentment; she had wanted to sneak away unnoticed, but the sharp-eyed Zhou Jun had spotted her, making her the center of attention.


    Faced with the mocking looks from everyone, Han Yu¡¯s face turned beet red. Especially since the people around her stepped back as if to avoid being associated with him, which made him even more ashamed.


    "And here I wonder, who was it that shamelessly told Ling Chen to buzz off just now? Hmm! Han Yu, I¡¯d like to ask, who is making a fool of themselves now? Is it Ling Chen, or is it you?" Zhou Jun had no intention of sparing Han Yu, pressuring him aggressively.


    Hearing this, Han Yu clenched his teeth, his humiliation and anger barely squeezing through his gritted teeth: "Remember this." After speaking, under everyone¡¯s gaze, he quickened his pace, fleeing from the banquet hall.


    Watching Han Yu¡¯s retreating figure, everyone couldn¡¯t help but shake their heads. Clearly, it was his own fault to begin with; not apologizing was one thing, but to add threats was another. It was clear to see, his character really wasn¡¯t that great.


    After Han Yu left, Shi Su felt too ashamed to stay, unable to bear the cold stares from everyone, so she silently disappeared from the stage, out of sight.


    Seeing Shi Su leave, Zhu Xiaozhu quickly followed after her.


    "Xiaozhu."


    Noticing Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s actions, Ling Chen immediately caught up to her, grabbed her arm, and asked, "What are you doing?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s face showed a woeful smile as she bitterly said, "No matter what, she is still my Master. You all can scorn her actions, but she has been kind to me for over a decade, I cannot ignore her. With such an incident, she definitely needs someone by her side." Having said that, Zhu Xiaozhu apologetically looked at Ling Chen, full of remorse, "I¡¯m sorry, I know my Master did wrong, and I hope you don¡¯t hold it against her."


    "I won¡¯t."


    Although Shi Su¡¯s actions had angered him, he wasn¡¯t concerned about the credit. In his eyes, as long as the people he cared about were safe, it didn¡¯t matter who received the credit. If Zhou Jun hadn¡¯t brought this to light, perhaps he would have never investigated.


    "Xiaozhu, if you need anything, juste find me," Ling Chen instructed.


    "Okay, I know," Zhu Xiaozhu nodded lightly.


    Watching Zhu Xiaozhu leave, Ling Chen let out a silent sigh. Having known Zhu Xiaozhu for so long, he understood her dilemma and pain. Zhu Xiaozhu was a kind-hearted and upright girl, but facing her Master¡¯s wrongdoing was certainly causing her intense inner turmoil.


    If she chose to cover up for Shi Su, she would undoubtedly be viting her principles. But not doing so might be seen as betrayal in the eyes of others. Although Zhu Xiaozhu had made her choice, it must have been hard on her heart.


    A carefully prepared banquet had ended prematurely, even before it began, with Shi Su and Han Yu¡¯s embarrassing departure.


    At that moment, Zhou Jun approached Ling Chen with a gleeful smile, as if expecting praise, andughingly said, "How was that? I handled it quite well, didn¡¯t I?"


    Ling Chen curiously asked, "When did you start suspecting her?"


    "I never believed her from the start," Zhou Jun stated bluntly. "Even though she¡¯s a friend of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, I never really liked her. I can¡¯t stand people who act so high and mighty like her."


    "Forget it, it¡¯s alreadye to this; I believe she has learned her lesson. There¡¯s no need to dwell on it," Ling Chen said, then turned his head to Song Ge, expressing his gratitude, "Song, thank you for earlier."


    "No need to be polite," Song Ge replied with a faint smile. "There¡¯s a martial contest tomorrow, you should go back and rest early." After a pause, Song Ge added, "Friends aside, if we meet in the arena, I won¡¯t show any mercy."


    "Nor will I," Ling Chen said, and after waving goodbye, apanied by Qiu Yong and the others, he returned to the guest rooms.

 Chapter 454 - 450 Han Haifeng

    <h4>Chapter 454: Chapter 450 Han Haifeng</h4><h4></h4>


    The next day.


    Ling Chen got up early and went to the deck alone, breathing in the fresh air and stretching his muscles to prepare for the morning¡¯s martial arts contest.


    As everyone on board practiced martial arts, they all had the habit of getting up early. Just past six o¡¯clock, the deck was already filled with people exercising. Seeing Ling Chen there, everyone cast friendly nces and smiles his way.


    After about half an hour of exercise, Ling Chen learned from the idle chat of those around him that Shi Su and Zhu Xiaozhu had left by helicopter shortly after the banquet the night before. Given the situation, Shi Su probably had no face to stay.


    However, to Ling Chen¡¯s surprise, Han Yu had not left and was evidently prepared to continue participating in the tournament. In the Neer List, he was ranked second, with great hopes of contending for the top three. Also, the rewards for this edition of the Neer Championship were generous, and with only one opportunity, no one wanted to miss it.


    Returning to his room, Ling Chen rested for a while until Qiu Yong and the others arrived, and then they all went to the dining hall, chatting andughing.


    After enjoying a hearty breakfast, it was eight o¡¯clock in the morning. Ling Chen followed Qiu Yong and the rest directly into the venue and took their seats in the area reserved for the eight entrics.


    Before long, members ranked in the top five of the Neer List began to arrive at the venue one after another.


    When people in the crowd saw Han Yu, many pointed andmented with disdainful expressions. After such an incident, the fact that Han Yu still had the face to stay was tantamount to having skin as thick as city walls. However, despite their contempt, few dared to voice it outright. After all, the power standing behind Han Yu was nothing to scoff at. His position as second on the Neer List was not just due to his own strength but also his significant backing.


    Facing the crowd¡¯s gossip, Han Yu¡¯s face turned ashen. Apanied by several middle-aged men, he walked to his seating area with his head down, without saying a word. However, his gaze asionally swept towards the area where the eight entrics sat, his cold eyes revealing a hint of resentment.


    Ling Chen could naturally feel Han Yu¡¯s gaze, but he didn¡¯t take it to heart. Anything said now was superfluous; it was the arena where the real test would take ce.


    Just then, under everyone¡¯s gaze, Zhou Qi ascended the arena with his hands behind his back. Without mentioning the previous night¡¯s events, he dove right into the main subject and announced the start of the final round of the contest.


    It made sense, too, given that Shi Su, as a friend of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, hadmitted such a deed, leaving the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion equally disgraced.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, after many rounds ofpetition, the final six contestants are now confirmed. The top five on the Neer List¡ªSong Ge, Han Yu, Qu Jinxian, Yi Shuiyan, Han Haifeng¡ªand the newly risen Ling Chen, making six in total. Over the course of two days, they will determine the top three. Now, pleasee to the stage for the drawing of lots to decide your opponents."


    "Wait!" Just as the voice fell, Yi Shuiyan from the Dangyang Sect stood up from his seat and looked at Zhou Qi, "Elder Zhou, I have a pending challenge with Ling Chen. I hope you can allow us to settle it on the arena and directly pair us in the same group."


    The request from Yi Shuiyan took the audience by surprise. In the many editions of the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, there had never been an instance of someone voluntarily specifying their opponent.


    "This..." Zhou Qi hesitated for a moment, nced at Ling Chen not far away, and said, "Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has always adhered to fairness as its principle, and drawing lots is the fairest method. Moreover, this is only a unteral request from you. Unless Ling Chen agrees, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion cannot grant your request. Ling Chen, what do you say?"


    Ling Chen smiled faintly, unafraid, and nodded. Sooner orter, what¡¯s meant to happen will happen, and his main goal in participating in the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony was precisely for this fight.


    "Good. Since both parties have no objections, I will make an exception this time. Now, will the other four pleasee to draw lots."


    Soon, the sixpetitors had all determined their opponents. Ling Chen was up against Yi Shuiyan, Qu Jinxian against Song Ge, and Han Yu against Han Haifeng.


    The first round featured Han Yu and Han Haifeng taking the stage.


    After several minutes of preparation, Han Haifeng was the first to ascend the arena. Among those ranked in the top ten on the Neer List, Han Haifeng was probably the youngest, only neen years old, just starting college, with a frail appearance, wearing a pair of nearsighted sses, and at first nce looked like a bookworm, quite far from the image of a Martial Artist.


    Before this, Ling Chen had not had much interaction with Han Haifeng, only seen him from a distance a few times. Ling Chen was filled with curiosity towards this young contestant. Without a doubt, those who are listed on the Neer List were all exceptional. Ling Chen wanted to take this opportunity to understand and see what special abilities Han Haifeng possessed.


    At this moment, Han Yu walked up to the stage with a cold face andrge strides, standing opposite Han Haifeng with his hands behind his back and eyes nting, showing no regard for his opponent in front of him.


    Putting aside everything else, as the second rank on the Neer List, Han Yu indeed had the right to look down on Han Haifeng.


    "Remember, stop at a touch, do not seriously injure your opponent. Whoever dares to break the rules, don¡¯t me me for being impolite," Zhou Qi reminded them.


    With that, Zhou Qi stepped down from the arena and nodded at the two men, signaling that they could begin.


    "You are no match for me, concede defeat."


    Before even crossing hands, Han Yu had already opened his mouth to persuade his opponent to surrender, with arrogance clear in his words.


    Han Haifeng pushed up his sses on the bridge of his nose,pletely unaffected by Han Yu¡¯s words, and said calmly, "If I can¡¯t injure you within ten moves, I¡¯ll concede defeat."


    Han Haifeng¡¯s tone was very calm, but with a hint of confidence within that calmness.


    Ling Chen nodded inwardly, finding Han Haifeng¡¯s temperament to his liking; he was most annoyed with people like Han Yu, who acted high and mighty, as if they were something special.


    "Hmph! Since you want to show off, then I will oblige you." After speaking, Han Yu hooked his fingers, his face full of contempt, "Come at me."


    Han Haifeng rolled up his sleeves and walked towards Han Yu without a word, each step deliberately slow, as if taking a leisurely stroll in a garden, without any sense of pressure.


    Any expert¡¯s every step would contain momentum. Before the sh, they would establish pressure through their aura, then seek the opportunity to strike. In contrast, Han Haifeng behaved like an ordinary person.


    Ling Chen was curious to see how Han Haifeng would make his move.


    While he was thinking, the advancing Han Haifeng finallyunched an offensive. He stretched out both hands, and unexpectedly, two writing brushes appeared in his hands.


    The brush handles were about a foot long, with a jade-green surface, seemingly made of bronze. The brush bristles were tightly packed and extremely sharp.


    Although Ling Chen was aware that the weapons in the Martial Arts world were diverse and unusual, including the Judge¡¯s Pen, this was his first time seeing someone employ such brushes.


    The two brushes in Han Haifeng¡¯s hands moved like two dragons surging from the sea, lively and nimble, constantly changing positions, and deliberately targeting tricky angles.


    Caught off guard, Han Yu was actually forced back several steps by Han Haifeng¡¯s rapid offensive.

 Chapter 455 - 451: The Long-Awaited Battle (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 455: Chapter 451: The Long-Awaited Battle (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    Han Haifeng¡¯s attack was very characteristic, especially his ten fingers which were not only flexible but also powerful. The two bronze brushes at his fingertips moved at will; wherever he intended to attack, the brush tips would effortlessly arrive.


    At this moment, Han Haifeng, seizing an opportunity in his offensive, directed the brush tip straight at Han Yu¡¯s face. Seeing this, Han Yu sneered and, without waiting for the brush tip toe close, raised his hands high and mped down on the brush shaft with both palms, preventing the tip from advancing an inch.


    However, just as Han Yu thought he had blocked Han Haifeng¡¯s attack, the bristles of the brush tip suddenly syed out. Then, with a light twist of the hand holding the brush shaft, the dense bristles spread out like a broom,pletely covering Han Yu¡¯s eyes and blinding him to whaty ahead.


    This sudden change of events caused Han Yu¡¯s expression to shift instantaneously, and he hastily retreated backward.


    Witnessing Han Yu¡¯s action, the audience on the stands nodded to themselves. Han Yu¡¯s reaction and adaptability were swift; if he hadn¡¯t made a split-second decision to retreat, Han Haifeng¡¯s other brush might have very well hit him.


    However, what was even more astonishing than Han Yu was Han Haifeng.


    The brush bristles that had syed out were now regrouping, bing incredibly sharp. When Han Haifeng first pulled out the two bronze brushes, everyone thought the bristles were one with the shaft, both fashioned from bronze, merely coated with ayer of ck. But after witnessing that scene, everyone realized that the bristles were actually made from a soft material.


    To make soft bristles lethal required not just anyone; it demanded the support of powerful Inner Strength. Han Haifeng was so young, yet he had managed to do this, indicating that his Inner Strength practice had reached an impressively strong level.


    Ling Chen was inwardly shocked, questioning himself whether he could achieve the same, and concluded that he definitely could not.


    While he mused, the situation on the stage gradually began to change.


    Han Yu, who had been passive, seemed to have been provoked by Han Haifeng and after regaining hisposure, he abandoned defense and took the initiative to attack, alternating between punch and palm, searching for Han Haifeng¡¯s vulnerabilities.


    "It¡¯s already the seventh move," muttered Qiu Yong, sitting next to Ling Chen.


    At that moment, Han Haifeng was wielding the two bronze brushes, defending himself tightly, making him impervious to attack. Han Yu¡¯s offense was fierce, but he still couldn¡¯t break through Han Haifeng¡¯s defense.


    For a time, the two were locked in a stalemate.


    The ninth move!


    Han Haifeng still hadn¡¯t found an opportunity to counterattack, and with only one move left, if he couldn¡¯t injure Han Yu, he would only be left with the option to admit defeat as he had promised.


    Suddenly, Han Haifeng stumbled backward, his waist bending sharply rearward, barely maintaining his bnce.


    Seeing this circumstance, Han Yu¡¯s eyes brightened. He swiftly closed the gap with Han Haifeng, thrusting a single palm forward, striking towards Han Haifeng¡¯s chest.


    Defeated!


    At this sight, everyone felt pity. What could have been a longer stand was cut short by such an error.


    However, just then, the stage was set for another twist.


    Just as Han Haifeng seemed about to be hit by Han Yu, he twirled on the tips of his toes, and with an unstable center of gravity, supported his entire body with one foot, forcibly moving to Han Yu¡¯s side. Not only did he avoid Han Yu¡¯s attack, but Han Yu hadn¡¯t anticipated Han Haifeng¡¯s tricky maneuver, leaving his side wide open.


    Ling Chen¡¯s lips curled into a smile, that Han Haifeng truly had guts. The previous w was clearly a deliberate ploy to lure Han Yu in; in fact, he had reserved a move in advance.


    As he felt the rush of wind behind his head, Han Yu quickly turned around and, without thinking, reached out with his right hand to grab the brush shaft. However, at that instant, the other bronze brush emerged from nowhere, with its sharp bristles aiming directly at the armpit of his right arm.


    At this moment, with Han Yu¡¯s right hand constrained by the brush shaft and his left hand unable to cover the angle of Han Haifeng¡¯s cunning attack, he could only watch helplessly as the brush tip jabbed toward him.


    Damn!


    Han Yu¡¯s face was iron-blue; he had underestimated his opponent too much.


    The guy in front of him seemed to have calcted everything in advance. Each move was paving the way for the next. To consider all aspects in such a short time and then make a n, this guy¡¯s mind must be incredibly fast.


    "I lost!"


    At that moment, Han Haifeng suddenly retracted his moves, holding two bronze brushes and retreated to the edge of the arena, conceding defeat voluntarily.


    Hearing his words, everyone present was momentarily stunned. With such a good opportunity at hand, why concede?


    While everyone was still in shock, it seemed that someone understood the reason behind Han Haifeng¡¯s concession.


    Facing this oue, Ling Chen was also confused and turned his head to ask Qiu Yong, "Big brother, what¡¯s going on?"


    Qiu Yong exined, "He promised to injure Han Yu within ten moves, but thatst move was already the eleventh."


    So that was it!


    Ling Chen nodded, watching Han Haifeng on the stage with interest. He didn¡¯t expect this man to be quite so amusing. Though defeated, the victorious Han Yu was probably even more frustrated.


    He started off with a posture of arrogance and disdain, but ended up winning when he was at a disadvantage. Not only losing face, but also being pped in the face.


    As expected, Han Yu¡¯s face was dark with gloom, his eyes frighteningly cold. Without waiting for Zhou Qi to make the announcement, he had already turned and left the arena.


    Although Han Haifeng took the initiative to admit defeat, there wasn¡¯t much dispute over the result. After all, Han Haifeng had used a weapon, while Han Yu fought with his bare hands. Those who knew Han Yu understood that he was not skilled in unarmedbat. If Han Yu had used a weapon, the duel might not have dragged on for so long.


    With the end of the duel between Han Haifeng and Han Yu, the second round was next.


    Ling Chen versus Yi Shuiyan.


    There was a great deal of anticipation for this fight.


    Ling Chen¡¯s feud with the Dangyang Sect was already known to those with a keen interest, passing from one to ten and ten to a hundred; most people were well aware. Also, because of Ling Chen, Liu Yunsong from the Dangyang Sect was expelled and suffered great loss of face.


    Thus, although this duel had not yet started, in everyone¡¯s eyes, it would undoubtedly be a splendid fight.


    During the few minutes of preparation time, Yuan Yun patted Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder and said, "Don¡¯t feel pressured. Just go ahead and fight freely, don¡¯t worry too much about winning or losing. The key is to protect yourself. Just remember, you have your brothers standing behind you."


    Ling Chen smiled slightly and nodded, "Third brother, I know."


    "Please both sides enter the arena."


    As Zhou Qi¡¯s voice rang out, Ling Chen took a deep breath and stepped onto the stage.


    The two contestants took their positions, Yi Shuiyan holding a steel knife, his posture upright, looking coldly at Ling Chen who held the Tianling de in hand, and said coldly, "Don¡¯t forget our previous agreement, if you lose, that weapon must be returned to the Dangyang Sect."


    "Let¡¯s talk about it after you¡¯ve won."

 Chapter 456 - 452: Long-Awaited Battle (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 456: Chapter 452: Long-Awaited Battle (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Let¡¯s begin." Zhou Qi¡¯s voice rang out.


    "Wait!" Yi Shuiyan stared directly at Ling Chen, enunciating each word carefully, "Before we start, I have a proposal. In a martial artspetition, one should give it their all, but it¡¯s inevitable that one may not control themselves and cause idental injury. I am aware of the rules of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, but they are too restrictive, making it difficult to really let loose. I think we should agree on our own rule between us."


    Ling Chen¡¯s expression remained indifferent, but his mind fully grasped the intent behind Yi Shuiyan¡¯s words.


    "Tell me, what rule?"


    "Combat can be unpredictable, and if someone gets hurt, or even dies on the stage, it can¡¯t be med on anyone else. What do you say?"


    Upon hearing this, before Ling Chen could respond, Zhou Qi frowned from below the stage and chastised, "Yi Shuiyan, don¡¯t overstep your bounds."


    Yi Shuiyan let out a coldugh, ignoring Zhou Qi¡¯s warning, his chilling eyes fixated on Ling Chen as if awaiting his response.


    Seeing that Ling Chen had yet to reply, Yi Shuiyan snorted with a sneer, his eyes brimming with disdain, "What¡¯s the matter, don¡¯t you have the courage? Are you only capable of hiding behind a woman, letting her fight for you? Hmph! How can someone like you be worthy of being called a man?"


    Faced with Yi Shuiyan¡¯s provocation, the corners of Ling Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly, his pupils as dark as Mo Che¡¯s, radiating a fierce chill.


    Yi Shuiyan had this request because his true purpose was likely to see him in right there, to avenge the humiliation suffered by the Dangyang Sect.


    With this in mind, Ling Chen nced at the seats of the Eight entrics. He saw Qiu Yong and the others looking worried, gently shaking their heads at him, signaling him to refuse Yi Shuiyan¡¯s proposal.


    Ling Chen was silent for a moment before suddenly breaking into a smile and nodding, "Fine, if you wish for a battle to the death, then I¡¯m all in."


    As soon as he said this, the entire ce erupted in shock. No one expected Ling Chen to agree to Yi Shuiyan¡¯s demand; wasn¡¯t it akin to seeking death? Immediately, the spectators were abuzz with surprise, some admiring Ling Chen¡¯s bravery, but many believed that his action was recklessly endangering his own life.


    Although Ling Chen had demonstrated considerable strength in the previous days¡¯ matches, it was still just that: considerable. The top five on the Neer List were not like his previous opponents, almost all possessing strength not inferior to those on the Dragon List.


    "Good! Very good!" Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s agreement to his proposal, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s face showed a subtle and sessful conspiratorial smirk.


    "Everyone present has heard, if someone should be unlucky enough to be killed in this battle, they can only me their insufficient skills and cannot hold others ountable. Please be our witnesses."


    No sooner had he finished speaking than someone in the stands shouted indignantly, "Yi Shuiyan, can the people from the Dangyang Sect be any more shameless? Ling Chen saved your lives, and yet you y these tricks against him, it¡¯s despicable beyond measure."


    "That¡¯s right, the behavior of the Dangyang Sect is too outrageous."


    Faced with the chorus of condemnation, the Dangyang Sect¡¯splexion turned unsightly. Especially Sect Leader Zhu Jin, with a grim face and a darkly oppressive gaze. Likely, they didn¡¯t expect Yi Shuiyan¡¯s proposal to attract so much disdain, casting a further blow on the reputation of the Dangyang Sect.


    Moreover, if Yi Shuiyan were to kill Ling Chen in front of everyone present, the Dangyang Sect might bear the stigma of being ungrateful, bing an object of scorn to all.


    Zhu Jin wished nothing more than for Ling Chen to die immediately, to wash away their previous disgrace, yet this oue was something he had not anticipated.


    To kill, or not to kill, became the biggest problem they were facing now.


    At this time, Yi Shuiyan also realized that the situation was somewhat out of control and involuntarily cast his gaze towards Zhu Jin, waiting for his instruction.


    Zhu Jin kept a cold expression, and after deep consideration, he subtly shook his head at Yi Shuiyan. There would be plenty of opportunities to deal with Ling Chen after the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony ended; for now, it was better to restrain themselves to avoid tarnishing the reputation of the Dangyang Sect.


    Having received Zhu Jin¡¯s signal, Yi Shuiyan, although frustrated, had no other choice but to contain his urge to kill.


    "Shall we begin, everyone is getting impatient," Ling Chen looked at Yi Shuiyan and asked.


    Without a word, Yi Shuiyan lightly lifted the steel de in his hand, nting it towards the ground, his waist shifted slightly to the side, assuming an offensive stance.


    Feeling the intense sharpness emanating from Yi Shuiyan¡¯s eyes, Ling Chen lightly triggered the mechanism, and the Tianling de immediately sprang out, turning into a sharp edge, held across his chest.


    "Kill!"


    With a low shout, Yi Shuiyan leaned forward, his speed surging as he quickly closed in on Ling Chen with the steel de in hand. In the blink of an eye, the ten-meter distance shrank to two.


    As the two were about to sh, Yi Shuiyan abruptly raised his steel de, unleashing a fierce momentum that carried a formidable force. With one strike, he aimed to sh straight down onto Ling Chen¡¯s head. The de¡¯s speed was so fast, it was like a residual image shing through midair, nearly impossible for the naked eye to catch.


    However, although his eyes couldn¡¯t catch it, Ling Chen still had his keen hearing. Relying on his ears, at the instant the steel de was about to descend, Ling Chen¡¯s feet suddenly moved back, and with just one step, the de¡¯s edge fell through empty space, slicing down in front of Ling Chen¡¯s forehead.


    Failing to hit his mark, Yi Shuiyan pressed on once more, relentlessly moving in step by step, intent on capturing Ling Chen in one fell swoop.


    Back when he first fought Ling Chen in East Sea City, Yi Shuiyan had almost effortlessly defeated him. In his eyes, Ling Chen simply wasn¡¯t qualified to be his opponent. Even though Ling Chen had impressive performances in the martial arts duels a few days ago, for Yi Shuiyan, it was impossible for Ling Chen to surpass himself in the short span of less than two months.


    However, after a round of fierce attacks, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s face became increasingly grim.


    Amidst his tempestuous onught, Ling Chen maintained an orderly defense. Ling Chen dodged several killing moves in a row, and this was certainly not just a matter of luck.


    Thinking this, Yi Shuiyan changed his sword force, and his straightforward, wide-sweeping de technique instantaneously became cunning, targeting those areas that were difficult to defend. For a moment, Ling Chen was thrown into disarray, nearly falling victim to the attacks several times.


    Before the duel, Ling Chen had studied Yi Shuiyan¡¯s de techniques more than once, and had even specifically sought advice from Yuan Yun, who specialized in de techniques. In Yuan Yun¡¯s words, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s de technique was aggressive and straightforward, embodying the essence of speed, uracy, and ruthlessness. However, from the current situation, it was clear that Yi Shuiyan was proficient in more than just one type of de technique.


    Indeed, he deserved his reputation as a master of the de.


    At this time, a trace of impatience gradually appeared on Yi Shuiyan¡¯s face; after several minutes, he still couldn¡¯t breach Ling Chen¡¯s defense, which was causing him to lose face.


    He was, after all, ranked fourth on the Neer List, facing a former opponent who had been defeated by his hand, and yet he was entangled for so long. ording to his previous n, he intended to take down Ling Chen in one go, seriously injuring him in the shortest amount of time.


    However, Ling Chen¡¯s strength was somewhat beyond his expectations.


    Could it be that in such a short period of less than two months, one could make such significant progress?

 Chapter 457 - 453: The Long-Awaited Battle (Three)

    <h4>Chapter 457: Chapter 453: The Long-Awaited Battle (Three)</h4><h4></h4>


    Yi Shuiyan couldn¡¯t believe it.


    If Ling Chen possessed such good aptitude, his name would definitely be among the top five on the Neer List.


    Thinking this, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s expression turned serious as he looked at Ling Chen, his eyes suddenly filled with coldness. With a change in his knife technique, his attacks became sharper, infusing a more dangerous killing intent into his moves.


    ng!


    Suddenly, a crisp sound rang out, and the steel knife Yi Shuiyan swung was parried. Focusing his eyes, Ling Chen now wielded not a sword but a steel rod¡ªunknown when he switched¡ªthat not only blocked Yi Shuiyan¡¯s attack but also increased the distance between them slightly.


    "Quite a variety of tricks, let¡¯s see how long you can hold on."


    Yi Shuiyan sneered and swung his steel knife to close in again. However, Ling Chen, now armed with the steel rod, no longer stayed passive and instead took the initiative to attack. Leveraging the length of the steel rod, Ling Chen controlled the distance between them, making it difficult for Yi Shuiyan to get close.


    As long as Yi Shuiyan couldn¡¯t get close, his knife skills were halved in strength, greatly reducing their threat.


    Yi Shuiyan frowned, trying repeatedly to break through the restraint of the steel rod. However, Ling Chen skillfully took advantage of timing, retreating as Yi Shuiyan advanced, always maintaining a two-meter distance, rendering Yi Shuiyan¡¯s skills ineffective.


    Seeing this, Yi Shuiyan stopped his attack, staring coldly at Ling Chen and said, "You think you can dy like this?"


    Ling Chen shrugged his shoulders, remaining silent.


    "No matter how much you¡¯ve improved, I¡¯ll show you the gap between us."


    As he spoke, Yi Shuiyan lifted his steel knife high, his eyes fierce. In his hand, the de of the knife trembled slightly, highly unusual.


    Seeing this, Qiu Yong and others¡¯ pupils contracted, a worried expression spontaneously appearing on their faces. They knew what this meant: Yi Shuiyan was getting serious now, and it was uncertain whether Ling Chen could withstand it.


    Suddenly, Yi Shuiyan roared, leaped high off the ground, no longer seeking a chance to close in but instead striking directly at the steel rod.


    ng!


    Apanied by another crisp sound, Ling Chen¡¯s expression suddenly changed. Under the steel knife¡¯s attack, the steel rod trembled violently, making the base of his palm go numb and both arms bear the brunt of the power.


    Such strong Inner Strength!


    Ling Chen eximed inwardly. Previously, Yi Shuiyan relied solely on his knife techniques, but now he had truly shown his formidable power.


    Clearly, Yi Shuiyan intended to use his profound Inner Strength foundation to crush his opponent and quickly determine the oue.


    Amidst these thoughts, the fierce knife wind struck again, and without any hesitation, Ling Chen swung his steel rod to meet it.


    ng!


    As their weapons collided, a surging force as relentless as tidal waves came wave after wave. Struck by that power, Ling Chen instantly lost his footing, continually retreating several steps, his arms sore and swollen.


    "Again!"


    Noticing Ling Chen¡¯s slightly trembling arms, Yi Shuiyan sneered, lifting his steel knife high and persistently advancing, intending topletely break Ling Chen¡¯s defense.


    Watching Yi Shuiyan advancing relentlessly, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes flickered, his sharp-featured face losing its earlier calm as a trace of anxiety gradually spread in his eyes.


    Yi Shuiyan¡¯s personal strength,bined with the disy of his Inner Strength, was unstoppable like a force majeure. If this continued, he couldn¡¯t hold on for much longer.


    Capturing the worry in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, a hint of smugness appeared on Yi Shuiyan¡¯s face.


    In the face of absolute strength, all tactics were futile; this was the gap between him and Ling Chen, and also the confidence behind his challenge to a duel to the death.


    ng!


    As the steel knife came shing down, Ling Chen, who had been continuously shing hard, felt numbness in his tiger¡¯s mouth, and his arms swelled up as if drained of strength. The steel staff slipped from his hands and fell to the ground, rolling to the edge of the tform.


    Ah!


    The audience in the stands gently sighed, feeling pity for Ling Chen. The disparity between the two was too great; Ling Chen had no chance of winning, and it was impressive that he had managed to hold on for so long.


    At that moment on the tform, seeing Ling Chen¡¯s weapon fall, Yi Shuiyan didn¡¯t hesitate and with his steel knife aimed straight for Ling Chen¡¯s chopping down. Clearly, he intended to disable Ling Chen¡¯s arms.


    "Stop!"


    Seeing Yi Shuiyan striking mercilessly, aiming to severely injure Ling Chen, Qiu Yong immediately stood up from his seat and rushed towards the tform. However, before he could ascend the tform, Zhu Jin of the Dangyang Sect had already made a move, blocking Qiu Yong¡¯s path.


    "Get out of the way!" Qiu Yong shouted coldly.


    "Qiu Yong, a deal was made beforehand, regardless of life or death, everyone present can testify. The ¡¯Eight entrics¡¯ always keep their word; are you trying to break this rule?"


    "Zhu Jin, you..."


    Qiu Yong hadn¡¯t finished speaking when suddenly a burst of exmations erupted from the crowd. He quickly turned his head, peering past Zhu Jin¡¯s shoulders towards the tform, just to see Ling Chen awkwardly dodging Yi Shuiyan¡¯s steel knife.


    Seeing this, Qiu Yong breathed a sigh of relief. However, seeing the aggressive Yi Shuiyan, Qiu Yong couldn¡¯t help but worry about Ling Chen¡¯s safety. He couldn¡¯t be sure if Ling Chen would be lucky enough to dodge the next strike.


    Thinking this, he clenched his teeth, determined to bring Ling Chen down from the tform unharmed, even at the cost of breaking his promise, to prevent him from being severely injured by Yi Shuiyan.


    "Zhu Jin, we concede this fight, let me pass."


    Hearing this, Zhu Jin sneered, "Qiu Yong, you are not Ling Chen. He hasn¡¯t conceded, what right do you have to make decisions for him?"


    "Fine! Then I want to see how you¡¯ll stop me."


    "Big brother!"


    Just as Qiu Yong was about to make his move, he suddenly heard Ling Chen¡¯s breathless voiceing from the tform.


    "Big brother, step back, I¡¯ll handle this myself."


    Qiu Yong anxiously said, "Ling Cheng."


    "Big brother..." Ling Chen turned to look at Qiu Yong, and with a slight smile and a firm look in his eyes, he said, "Trust me, nothing will happen." After saying that, Ling Chen turned his gaze back to Yi Shuiyan on the tform, his face unexpectedly showing a faint smile.


    "You made a very serious mistake," Ling Chen muttered to himself, "You shouldn¡¯t have proposed a fight to the death."


    Yi Shuiyan scoffed, "I don¡¯t think so, do you really think you still have a chance to resist?"


    "Until thest moment, who knows what might happen?" As he spoke, Ling Chen reached into his clothes.


    Seeing his action, the audience in the stands immediately widened their eyes, curiously watching Ling Chen.


    nning to use that move again?


    The technique Ling Chen used against Shi Yong was still fresh in everyone¡¯s memory. If he used that technique, maybe Ling Chen really would have a chance to turn defeat into victory.


    "Do you think the same trick will work on me?" Yi Shuiyan scoffed, dismissive. He admitted Ling Chen¡¯s technique was impressive, but he had already studied how to counter it and was not afraid at all.


    Should Ling Chen dare to use that move, he would ensure Ling Chen suffered an even worse defeat.


    As Ling Chen¡¯s hand came out from his clothes, to everyone¡¯s surprise, he held not a dagger.

 Chapter 458 - 454: The Long-Awaited Battle (Four)

    <h4>Chapter 458: Chapter 454: The Long-Awaited Battle (Four)</h4><h4></h4>


    At that moment, what Ling Chen pulled out from within his clothes was a string of springs, their shape quite peculiar, resembling a rge" character and over one meter in length.


    What is that?


    The crowd looked at the object in Ling Chen¡¯s hands, their faces full of confusion. Could this be a weapon? But they had never seen a weapon of such shape before.


    At this time, on the seating of the eight entrics, Qiu Yong and the others watched with a hint of anticipation. Especially Wei Jiahao, who was the most excited. The device that Ling Chen was wearing, which Wei Jiahao had personally crafted, was neither a weapon nor a hidden projectile, but rather a sophisticated contraption for training one¡¯s speed.


    The springs were fixed to Ling Chen¡¯s hands and feet, and he had to endure the tension of the springs nearly all the time. He had been wearing this device since before he began his special training, whether sleeping, eating, or even duringbat, he never took it off.


    At the moment Ling Chen took off that device, Qiu Yong and the others were very eager to see how he would perform.


    Seeing Ling Chen throw the string of springs outside the arena, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s eyes slightly condensed, and for some reason, he felt a troubling sensation in his heart. He thought he had already figured out all of Ling Chen¡¯s cards, but now it seemed that there were still many things about Ling Chen that he didn¡¯t know.


    After removing the device, Ling Chen twisted his neck, rubbed his hands together, and moved his limbs. Free from the device, Ling Chen immediately felt a tremendous relief, as light as a swallow, and indescribably exhrated.


    "You¡¯ve been on the offensive until now, now it¡¯s my turn." Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curled into a smile as he said to Yi Shuiyan: "I¡¯m curious to see how long you canst against me."


    "You think you can?" Yi Shuiyan looked disdainful, scoffing: "Skill isn¡¯t something you can just talk about."


    "Let¡¯s give it a try."


    With those words, Ling Chen¡¯s toes lightly tapped, and his body, like a swift breeze, quickly rushed towards Yi Shuiyan.


    "He intends to fight Yi Shuiyan¡¯s steel sword barehanded?" Looking at Ling Chen unarmed going against Yi Shuiyan, the audience on the tform was somewhat surprised.


    "Yi Shuiyan¡¯s swordsmanship is exquisite; it won¡¯t be easy for Ling Chen to gain any advantage."


    "Don¡¯t be too quick to draw conclusions; Ling Chen probably won¡¯t do anything he¡¯s not sure of."


    As they spoke, Ling Chen had already closed in on Yi Shuiyan.


    "Seeking death!"


    Yi Shuiyan bellowed furiously, raising his steel sword high, the sword force biting cold, shing straight towards Ling Chen¡¯s head.


    But at this moment, Ling Chen sidestepped nimbly, shifting his body. Before the steel sword even came down, Ling Chen had already appeared at Yi Shuiyan¡¯s side.


    Seeing this, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s pupils constricted, quickly stopping his Sword Force and switching from a chop to a sweep, shing sideways, trying to push Ling Chen back. The de of the steel sword neared, but Ling Chen¡¯s expression remained calm, without any hint of retreating.


    When the sword reached his shoulder, Ling Chen suddenly thrust upward with his shoulder and elbow, striking hard against the back of the de. Instantly, affected by that force, the horizontally approaching steel sword bounced upwards, deviating from its course and just grazing past Ling Chen¡¯s hair.


    Seizing the opportunity, Ling Chen¡¯s hands moved like lightning, aiming a heavy blow at Yi Shuiyan¡¯s right shoulder.


    "Bang!" Having been hit by the solid punch, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s body involuntarily tilted, and before he could react, Ling Chen had already closed in, powering his shoulder and elbow simultaneously, crashing into his body.


    In a moment, Yi Shuiyan, having lost his bnce, retreated several steps before finally steadying himself.


    Impossible!


    Watching the smiling Ling Chen, Yi Shuiyan was utterly shocked, almost unable to believe his own eyes. The move Ling Chen had used just moments before to neutralize his attack contained an Inner Strength that was extremely powerful, not a bit weaker than his own.


    Since he possessed such strength, why did he choose to conceal it during their earlier exchange? Could it be to feign weakness, to lower his guard?


    Despite his myriad uncertainties, Yi Shuiyan had no time to ponder. Facing the oing Ling Chen, he hurriedly lifted his steel de to meet the attack.


    As the steel de chopped down, Ling Chen sidestepped with extreme speed, without the slightest hesitation. Then, his fist clenched tightly, concentrated Inner Strength erupted like fireworks, and he swung a punch directly at the back of the de, intending to meet steel with flesh.


    However, even more astonishing was that as Ling Chen¡¯s fist connected, the steel de began to tremble violently. The force was transmitted along the de to Yi Shuiyan¡¯s hands, which made hisplexion grow increasingly unsightly.


    When the de was deflected, Ling Chen¡¯s punch drove straight in towards Yi Shuiyan¡¯s vital points. Not only that, but Ling Chen¡¯s strikes grew bolder and bolder, unlike traditional Martial Arts patterns. Each move was a lethal technique, cunning, ferocious, decisive, and utterly ruthless.


    Faced with Ling Chen¡¯s brutality, Yi Shuiyan momentarily lost hisposure. He had crossed hands with many experts, with moves and countermoves, but had never seen this kind of fighting style like Ling Chen¡¯s, which abandoned traditional moves and went straight for killing blows at vital spots. Moreover, Ling Chen knew the weaknesses of the body extremely well. Each attack forced Yi Shuiyan to respond with all his might, not daring to be careless for even a second.


    Simple, yet significantly effective.


    "Let go!"


    Suddenly, with a cold shout from Ling Chen, before Yi Shuiyan could even react, the steel de in his hand had dropped to the ground. Then he was sent flying with a kick from Ling Chen. Although he managed to remain standing, he staggered several steps backwards, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, his face pale, evidently seriously injured.


    In an instant, the Dangyang Sect members sitting in the seats all stood up together, their faces tense, their eyes filled with anxiety.


    Casting a nce at the steel de on the ground, a slight smile yed on Ling Chen¡¯s lips. He lifted his gaze to face Yi Shuiyan, and once more advanced step by step.


    Seeing Ling Chen approach, Yi Shuiyan couldn¡¯t help but step back, his eyes flickering, unsure of what he was thinking.


    "Yi Shuiyan, do you remember what I said just now?" Ling Chen spoke indifferently, "You made a fatal mistake; you shouldn¡¯t have proposed a duel to the death. In a fight to the death, the advantage lies with me, not you."


    Ling Chen has always been restraining himself, forgetting what he learned before and reacquainting himself with the knowledge of orthodox Martial Arts. His previous skills were all about killing; when ites to the techniques and experience of killing, probably no one present couldpare to him.


    So, when Yi Shuiyan proposed a duel to the death, Ling Chen dly epted.


    A fight to the death means no need to hold back, no need to stop at contact; as long as the opponent can be killed, there are no other restrictions.


    Ling Chen might not excel in other areas, but killing... he truly excelled in that.


    Now, Yi Shuiyan without his steel de was like a wolf without its fangs, standing there flustered, unable to hide the panic in his eyes.


    With his steel de, he could not defend against Ling Chen, let alone now.


    "We from the Dangyang Sect admit defeat."


    At this moment, Zhu Jin¡¯s unwilling voice came from the spectator seats.


    Hearing this, Ling Chen nced at Zhu Jin and said indifferently, "This is between him and me, what right do you have to speak for him?"


    Zhu Jin was taken aback, as he had used these words to stop Qiu Yong earlier, and hadn¡¯t expected Ling Chen to retort with the same phrase.


    "As this is a fight to the death, it can¡¯t end without witnessing life or death. Yi Shuiyan, am I right?"

 Chapter 459 - 455: Disdain to Kill You

    <h4>Chapter 459: Chapter 455: Disdain to Kill You</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen¡¯s words, like a heavy hammer, fiercely struck Yi Shuiyan¡¯s heart, nearly leaving him breathless.


    Faced with Ling Chen¡¯s gaze, Yi Shuiyan opened his mouth but was at a loss for words. He had thought the battle was a sure win, but he did not expect to end up in such a situation. Whether he believed it or not, this was the reality before his eyes.


    "I... I admit defeat!" After hesitating, Yi Shuiyan struggled to utter these three words. After speaking, he walked off the stage listlessly, like a deted ball.


    "Stop right there!"


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s voice from behind, Yi Shuiyan turned his head back, frowning and said, "I¡¯ve already admitted defeat, what more do you want?"


    Ling Chen replied with a smile that was not quite a smile: "Do you have a problem with your ears, or is it your memory? I just said, in a fight to the death, without seeing life or death, don¡¯t think it is over. Unless I ept, you have to stay on the stage."


    "Ling Chen, don¡¯t push people too far," Zhu Jin, from the seating area, called out coldly.


    "I am a reasonable person. It was you who proposed a fight to the death, not me. Why am I the one pushing people too far? Do you think I¡¯m easy to bully?" Saying this, Ling Chen turned his head to Zhou Qi and asked, "Elder Zhou, could you give us your judgment? Am I right?"


    Zhou Qi nodded and said, "Ling Chen is correct. Since it is a fight to the death, it must witness life or death. Yi Shuiyan, you may admit defeat, but only if Ling Chen agrees. As you just mentioned, everyone here is a witness. Do you intend to break the rules?" At this point, Zhou Qi looked at Zhu Jin in the audience and said, "Master Zhu, the battle is a matter between the two of them; you best not interfere."


    At this moment, everyone present adopted an attitude of watching a good show, looking at Dangyang Sect¡¯s members and Yi Shuiyan.


    It was like lifting a rock only to drop it on one¡¯s own feet¡ªa phrase that was perhaps the best description for Dangyang Sect.


    On the stage, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s face was ashen, and his forehead was, unbeknownst to him, covered in sweat. Just thinking about the possible oue made his face turn even whiter.


    He was still young with a promising future. To die here would be far too unworthy.


    At this time, Ling Chen, leisurely and carefree, looked at Yi Shuiyan with an inscrutable smile, showing no intention of acting. Suddenly, Ling Chen took a step forward, walking straight up to Yi Shuiyan, silent, just staring into his eyes.


    Under such a bizarre situation, the whole ce fell silent, and all eyes focused on Ling Chen and Yi Shuiyan, waiting for the oue of the battle.


    Confronted with Ling Chen¡¯s stare, Yi Shuiyan appeared to freeze, motionless, sweat sliding down his cheeks onto the ground, not daring to breathe heavily, the unease in his eyes growing more intense.


    After a brief silence, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze turned cold, his face became stern, and he suddenly raised his arm. Yi Shuiyan¡¯s face changed dramatically at the sight, instinctively stepping back, raising both hands to protect his front.


    However, after several seconds, Ling Chen¡¯s attack never came.


    Looking closely, Ling Chen was seen scratching the back of his head with a mocking smile, not nning on striking at all.


    Yi Shuiyan instantly realized that he had been tricked by Ling Chen.


    People in the audience shook their heads at Yi Shuiyan¡¯s reaction, thinking his mental fortitude was far too weak. Even with good martial skills and excellent talents, without psychological strength, one could hardly be a master.


    Meanwhile, Zhou Qi, watching the battle below, also showed a look of disappointment. As the host of the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, he was responsible not only for maintaining order but also for assessing every member on the Neer List in every aspect.


    Any talent, even if not ranked within the top three, would be nurtured through other means by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    Unfortunately, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s performance was truly disappointing.


    "Back in East Sea City, you said I was not worthy to be your opponent. Now, I¡¯m going to return that sentence to you; you¡¯re even less qualified to be mine."


    Ling Chen looked at Yi Shuiyan with a serene expression, pronouncing each word slowly: "A person not qualified to be my opponent, I¡¯m not interested in killing you."


    "I ept your surrender."


    After saying that, Ling Chen turned and walked down from the stage.


    Watching Ling Chen¡¯s departing figure, Yi Shuiyan clenched his teeth, his eyes filled with a cold and venomous look. The murmurs around him were excessively irritating; he wanted nothing more than to leave immediately, and he jumped off the stage, rushing toward the exit.


    Seeing his disciple so devastated, Zhu Jin heaved a silent sigh and turned his head to say, "Qin Wu, go check on your senior brother andfort him."


    "Yes, Master."


    Qin Wu replied and followed Yi Shuiyan out of the assembly.


    At this moment, among the seating area of the eight entrics, Wei Jiahao, with a big thumbs-up, excitedlyughed and said, "Ling Cheng, that was brilliant! Yourst few words were really too cool."


    "Really?" Ling Chen grinned: "I think so too."


    Yuan Yun patted Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder and praised without stinginess: "Not bad, well done, you¡¯re progressing amazingly fast."


    Everyone was pleased, and Xu Ming, somewhat puzzled, looked at Ling Chen and asked, "When did your Inner Strength cultivation be so strong? You didn¡¯t show such great improvement in the previous matches."


    Hearing this, Qiu Yong chimed in: "I also noticed that. Ling Cheng, based on what happened just now, your Inner Strength has more than doubled. How did you manage that in just a few days? Are you hiding something from us?"


    Ling Chen quickly waved his hands and said, "Big brother, I haven¡¯t hidden anything from you all." He scratched his head, puzzled: "To be honest, I don¡¯t even know why. Recently, I suddenly felt my Inner Strength growing rapidly, and I was wondering if it could be due to the Heavenly Mechanism Pill."


    "Impossible!" Qiu Yong shook his head and said, "You only took an ordinary Heavenly Mechanism Pill. I took a higher-quality one and didn¡¯t experience such a change, so it¡¯s even less likely for you. It must be something else."


    "Could it be because of the Internal Cultivation Methods I practice?"


    Qiu Yong and the others exchanged nces, unable toe up with an answer.


    "Let¡¯s not think about it anymore. As long as Ling Cheng wins safely, that¡¯s all that matters," Zhang Zhongfeng said. "Besides, progression is always a good thing."


    Yang Chen, smiling, said, "With Ling Cheng winning this match, a spot in the top three is assured. Now it¡¯s just a matter of who will take thest ce in this afternoon¡¯s matches."


    "As long as there are no surprises, the winner will surely be Song Ge," Ling Chen said.


    The Tea Girl had mentioned to him that Song Ge¡¯s top spot on the Neer List was indisputable. Even other members within the top five did not dispute his selection as number one. This indicated that if Song Ge faced Qu Jinxian, he should have an overwhelming advantage.


    What Ling Chen was concerned with now was not the afternoon¡¯s battle, but rather who his next opponent would be. He wondered if it might be Han Yu.

 Chapter 460 - 456: Qin Wu’s Encounter

    <h4>Chapter 460: Chapter 456: Qin Wu¡¯s Encounter</h4><h4></h4>


    Thud, thud, thud!


    At this moment, Qin Wu arrived at the guest room where Yi Shuiyan was staying, and hearing the noise from inside, she quickly knocked on the door.


    "Senior Brother, it¡¯s me."


    Not long after, the door opened, and Yi Shuiyan, his face twisted with ferocity, appeared in front of Qin Wu. Looking at Yi Shuiyan, whose eyes were bloodshot, Qin Wu couldn¡¯t help feeling frightened. The Yi Shuiyan before her seemed like a wild beast that had lost control, eager to vent his fury.


    Following Yi Shuiyan¡¯s shoulder line, she saw that almost every fixture in the room had be an outlet for his rage, all smashed to pieces on the floor.


    "Senior Brother, I know you¡¯re hurting, but it¡¯s okay, we¡¯ll have more chances if we lose this time. As long as we¡¯re alive, there is hope," Qin Wuforted.


    Yi Shuiyan coldly said, "Did Master send you here?"


    Qin Wu gently nodded, "Master is worried about you, so he asked me toe and check on you."


    "What¡¯s there to see?" Yi Shuiyan snorted coldly and turned back into the room. Seeing this, Qin Wu immediately followed in and closed the door behind her, then picked up a nearby trash can to clean up the mess on the floor.


    Yi Shuiyan sat on a chair, breathing heavily, staring unblinkingly at the busy Qin Wu bending over, his eyes progressively more bloodshot.


    Feeling Yi Shuiyan¡¯s gaze on her, Qin Wu raised her head and smiled, "Senior Brother, what¡¯s wrong?"


    "Sister..." Yi Shuiyan, with a suppressed voice, beckoned, "Come here."


    Qin Wu, unsuspecting, stood up and walked over to Yi Shuiyan.


    "Sister, has your Senior Brother been good to you?"


    "Yes." Qin Wu did not understand why Yi Shuiyan would suddenly ask such a question, but replied honestly anyway.


    Hearing her answer, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s mouth curled, his bloodshot eyes gleaming with a peculiar light, his smile sly, "Since you think Senior Brother has been good to you, it means you must help me relieve my anger now, don¡¯t you think?"


    Qin Wu was slightly stunned, perplexed, "Senior Brother, do you want some tea? Wait, I¡¯ll go and pour you some." Saying so, Qin Wu turned and quickly walked towards the door.


    However, after just a few steps, her wrist was grabbed by Yi Shuiyan from behind.


    "Senior... Senior Brother." Qin Wu turned her head, biting her thin lip, her expression anxious.


    Yi Shuiyan, looking directly at his junior sister, with a smirk that was not quite a smile, said, "I have tea in my room, what are you going outside for? Could it be... you are trying to avoid me."


    Qin Wu lowered her head, muttering softly, "I... I¡¯m not."


    Yi Shuiyan, his eyes shing coldly, scoffed, "Sister, you¡¯re a smart person, you must have understood what I mean by now, otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t think of leaving. So, don¡¯t you want to help your Senior Brother?"


    Qin Wu dodged Yi Shuiyan¡¯s gaze, a flicker of fear in her eyes.


    "Senior Brother... please, don¡¯t be like this, okay?" Qin Wu¡¯s voice was tearful.


    "Quit the nonsense,e here!" With a fierce expression, Yi Shuiyan pulled Qin Wu into his embrace and then carried her toward the bedroom.


    "Senior Brother, no... please, I beg of you." Qin Wu struggled desperately, her pleas filled with panic.


    However, Yi Shuiyan paid no attention to her resistance, pinning her delicate body onto the bed, hisrge hands forcefully tearing at her clothes.


    The more Qin Wu struggled, the more excited Yi Shuiyan became. At this moment, he hadpletely lost his sanity, his eyes extremely bloodshot.


    Looking at that pale skin, the high, round breasts, Yi Shuiyan could no longer restrain himself and pounced directly.


    ...


    I don¡¯t know how long it has been, Qin Wu slowly opened her eyes, a crystal-clear tear rolling down her cheek. At this moment, her body, wantonly ravaged by Yi Shuiyan, was unbearably painful, as if she had lost all her strength, not wanting to move at all.


    She bit her thin lips hard, struggled to sit up, and looked at the blood stains on the sheets, finally unable to hold back her cries. The treasure she had kept for over twenty years was now gone.


    At this time, Yi Shuiyan, neatly dressed, walked in from the living room, nced at Qin Wu on the bed, and said indifferently, "I took some clothes from your room, put them on quickly. The Master willeter, you should go back and rest first, I wille find you when I have time."


    Qin Wu didn¡¯t say a word, silently picked up her clothes, and as she saw the bruises on her arms and thighs, tears couldn¡¯t stop flowing out.


    She had never imagined herself having such a day.


    Towards Yi Shuiyan, she had merely respected him as a fellow apprentice; never had there been feelings of a man and a woman between them. However, she could never have imagined that her normally refined Senior Brother wouldmit such a beastly act on her.


    By the time Qin Wu was dressed, Yi Shuiyan leaned against the wall, watching her walk to the door.


    "Wait!"


    Qin Wu turned her head, her face expressionless as she looked at Yi Shuiyan, her bright eyes like stagnated ponds, devoid of any luster.


    "Keep your mouth shut, it¡¯s best not to let the other apprentices know about today¡¯s affair. Also, don¡¯t think aboutining to the Master, you should know my status in his eyes; even if you approach him, it would be futile. If you¡¯re smart, just obediently be my woman from now on, I won¡¯t mistreat you."


    After hearing this, Qin Wu silently opened the door and staggered out.


    Leaving the room, Qin Wu didn¡¯t return to her own cabin but went directly to the deck, standing quietly at the ship¡¯s rail, staring at the distant azure sea, her demeanorplex.


    At this time, a young man approached from behind Qin Wu, leaning on the railing next to the ship¡¯s edge, smiling and enjoying the breeze from the sea.


    "Miss Qin?"


    Seeing Qin Wu beside him, Ling Chen slightly staggered, especially at the disheveled appearance of Qin Wu, which surprised him and involuntarily called out.


    Qin Wu turned her head to look at Ling Chen, her eyes empty, then withdrew her gaze and continued staring at the undting sea.


    Ling Chen inwardly felt rmed, Qin Wu¡¯s expression was all too familiar to him; only those utterly disheartened would look like this. Moreover, his keen eyes noticed the two tear tracks on Qin Wu¡¯s cheeks, clearly indicating she had just cried.


    "Miss Qin, are you okay?"


    Ling Chen was worried; seeing Qin Wu on the deck in this state, could it be she was thinking of jumping into the sea? Although he had grievances with the Dangyang Sect and didn¡¯t like Qin Wu, she was still a human life, and he could not stand idly by.


    "Men..."


    Qin Wu opened her mouth, mumbling two words.


    Hmph!


    Suddenly, Qin Wu sneered.


    For some reason, thatughter sounded eerie to Ling Chen.


    What exactly had happened to this woman?


    Just as he was pondering, Qin Wu turned around and started walking towards the cabin step by step.


    Seeing her not-so-nimble legs, a shock went through Ling Chen, as he recognized this walking posture from somewhere before.


    That¡¯s right!


    Xia Mutong.


    Back when he had spent a night with Xia Mutong, she walked just like that.


    Considering Qin Wu¡¯s earlier actions and expression, Ling Chen slightly frowned, could it be that she...

 Chapter 461 - 457 Master Swordsmith

    <h4>Chapter 461: Chapter 457 Master Swordsmith</h4><h4></h4>


    Sigh!


    Ling Chen sighed lightly, not knowing how to express his feelings, as he thought of the ordeal Qin Wu might have gone through. Even though Qin Wu hadn¡¯t said it, Ling Chen could guess who that man was.


    From the looks of Qin Wu just now, it obviously wasn¡¯t her willing choice. He never would have imagined that guy would do something so despicable.


    Although Ling Chen felt indignant, this was ultimately a private matter of the Dangyang Sect, and he knew he couldn¡¯t intervene.


    Returning to his room, Ling Chen prepared to rest and wait for the afternoon¡¯s martial artspetition to begin.


    At that moment, a knock on the door was heard. Ling Chen stood up to open the door and saw a waiter holding a letter, which he handed over to Ling Chen with a smile, saying, "Mr. Ling, this is your letter."


    Ling Chen took the letter and casually asked, "Who¡¯s it from?"


    "Sorry, I¡¯m not sure. The person didn¡¯t show themselves, just left a message for me to pass this on to you."


    "Okay, I got it, thanks!"


    After closing the door, Ling Chen tore open the envelope curiously and pulled out the letter. There wasn¡¯t much written on it, just one sentence.


    Someone is after you!


    "Someone is after me?" Ling Chen frowned to himself, unsure who had sent the letter and why they hadn¡¯t made themselves clear.


    On this luxurious cruise ship, there were plenty of people who might wish him harm: Jiang Family¡¯s Jiang Hanlin, Dangyang Sect¡¯s Zhu Jin, Qingyang Sect¡¯s Qu Yuan, and Han Yu. All of them would be more than happy to see him dead.


    With so many enemies, what good is a simple warning? He needed to know who it was to take precautions.


    After muttering a fewints, Ling Chen tossed the letter in the trash bin and then sat on the couch, crossing his legs, a look of seriousness in his eyes.


    Regardless of who wished him harm, the fact that this mysterious person sent a warning meant that those individuals would act soon. It could be today, or perhaps tomorrow.


    Jiang Hanlin? Han Yu?... Who could it be? Ling Chen pondered seriously. To him, Jiang Hanlin seemed the most likely. After all, during his time at the Jiang Family, he had left Jiang Hanlin¡¯s son, Jiang Han, in a vegetative state¡ªa grievance not easily forgiven.


    Next would be Han Yu. Due to Ling Chen, Han Yu had suffered a major blow to his dignity, and the reputation of the Han Family was impacted. Ye Liangyong had said that the Han Family was a major n with considerable influence. After such an incident, it¡¯s also possible that the Han Family mighte after him.


    Thinking of this, Ling Chen suddenly felt an immense headache.


    Coming to the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony with much effort, he hadn¡¯t gained much benefit, but he had certainly made quite a few enemies.


    However, more curious to Ling Chen than those who might seek trouble was the person who sent the warning. He knew very few people on this ship, and whether it¡¯s the eight entrics or Ye Liangyong and others, they definitely wouldn¡¯t choose such a secretive way to warn him.


    Who could it be?


    Ling Chen was at aplete loss.


    Two o¡¯clock in the afternoon.


    Ling Chen followed Qiu Yong and others to the venue.


    There was only one match this afternoon, Song Ge against Qu Jinxian,peting for thest spot in the top three. The real highlight was tomorrow when the owners of the top three positions would be decided.


    To be honest, Ling Chen was not very concerned about the ownership of the top three spots now. His main goal for the trip had already been achieved, and besides, even if he suffered two consecutive losses tomorrow, he could still be assured of a ce in the top three. Though the rewards weren¡¯t too generous, he wasn¡¯t the type to be insatiable.


    At this moment, Zhou Qi and a man in his seventies with silvery white hair and beard walked side by side into the venue from the outside.


    The appearance of the old man caused the entire audience to exim in surprise, as they got up to pay their respects.


    "Big brother, who is that? He seems to be quite famous." Ling Chen asked curiously.


    "That¡¯s Guo Liang, a master cksmith. The weapons he forges are all top-notch; no onepares."


    Guo Liang?


    Upon hearing this name, Ling Chen immediately had an impression. Last time, Zhou Qi mentioned when announcing the prize for the rookiepetition that one of the rich rewards for the first ce was a weapon personally forged by Master Guo Liang.


    "Guo Liang once pledged that he would only forge ten weapons in his lifetime. Thus, obtaining a weapon personally made by him is an ultimate honor," Yuan Yun said. "As far as I know, including this time¡¯s prize, Guo Liang has already forged seven pieces."


    Ling Chen smacked his lips, "What¡¯s so amazing about him?"


    Qiu Yong nodded and said, "Guo Liang¡¯s craftsmanship is indeed extraordinary, unmatched throughout Huaxia in the crafting of weapons. Of course, aside from his skills, what¡¯s even more famous is his heritage. It¡¯s said that an ancestor of Guo Liang once obtained a manuscript handed down from the great sword forging master, Ou Yezi, which details the art of sword making. Since then, the Guo Family has focused on forging and has achieved great aplishments. Guo Liang is a descendant of the Guo Family, and he has truly inherited the essence of their craft."


    Ling Chen marveled to himself. As they say, you can¡¯t judge a book by its cover, nor can you measure the sea¡¯s depth. He hadn¡¯t expected that old man to be so formidable.


    Just as he was thinking, Ling Chen suddenly felt a gaze upon him. Turning his head, he saw Mr. Guo looking at him with a beaming smile, nodding kindly.


    Uh...


    Ling Chen was slightly stunned. What did this old gentleman mean? If it weren¡¯t for Qiu Yong¡¯s introduction just now, he wouldn¡¯t even recognize this person. Now, Guo Liang was greeting him, leaving him as confused as a monk unable to touch his own head, a look of bewilderment on his face.


    Puzzled as he was, adhering to a sense of politeness, Ling Chen smiled back at the man, in a manner of response.


    At this moment, Guo Liang said something to Zhou Qi and walked straight towards the seats of the eight entrics, with a friendly smile creasing his wrinkled face.


    "Brother Qiu, I¡¯ve long admired your reputation, hello."


    Guo Liang actively greeted each of the eight entrics. When his eyesnded on Zhang Zhongfeng, hisughter grew even more hearty.


    "Mr. Zhang, it¡¯s been a long time."


    "Mr. Guo, you¡¯re still as hearty as ever," Zhang Zhongfeng¡¯s face rarely revealed a hint of a smile.


    Curiously, Qiu Yong nced at Zhang Zhongfeng and asked, "Fourth brother, you know Mr. Guo?"


    "More than just knowing. The bow used by Mr. Zhang was personally crafted by me."


    Upon this deration, the entire assembly was shocked.


    Everyone looked at Zhang Zhongfeng with surprise; all this time, Zhang Zhongfeng had never mentioned this.


    Facing the astonished gazes of everyone, Zhang Zhongfeng said in a mild tone, "Thank you, Mr. Guo."


    "Ha ha!" Guo Liangughed and waved his hand, "No need to thank me. I only craft weapons for those who are worthy. Mr. Zhang¡¯s archery is unparalleled in the world, making a weapon for you is my honor."


    With that, Guo Liang turned his gaze, smiling at Ling Chen, "Mr. Ling, hello."


    "Mr. Guo is too kind." Ling Chen quickly responded.


    "Mr. Ling, if you don¡¯t mind, could we have a chat separately?"


    Ling Chen was somewhat surprised by the request from Guo Liang, unsure what the old man wanted with him.


    "Mr. Guo, please have a seat, take your time to speak."


    Seeing Guo Liang sitting beside Ling Chen, a look of joy on his face, everyone at the venue couldn¡¯t help feeling envious and curious. The people around all pricked up their ears, trying to listen in on what they were talking about.

 Chapter 462 - 458 The Secret of the Tianling Blade

    <h4>Chapter 462: Chapter 458 The Secret of the Tianling de</h4><h4></h4>


    "Mr. Ling..."


    "Mr. Guo, you are many generations older than me, just call me Ling Chen."


    Mr. Guo smiled and said, "Alright then. Ling Chen, I¡¯ll get straight to the point. I heard you have a weapon that can transform at will."


    "Correct." Ling Chen nodded, this wasn¡¯t a secret, everyone knew.


    Mr. Guo, suppressing the excitement in his eyes, asked, "Can I take a look at it?"


    "Of course, no problem." Having said that, Ling Chen took out the Tianling de he carried with him and handed it to Mr. Guo.


    Mr. Guo held it with both hands, not sure if it was because of his age or his emotions, he shakily took the Tianling de, gently stroked the engraved patterns on the surface, and apelling brilliance burst from his cloudy old eyes, showing no signs of being a man in his seventies.


    "Tianling... so you really do exist." Mr. Guo murmured to himself, his tone carrying a trace of emotion.


    "Mr. Guo, you know about it?"


    Mr. Guo raised his head and exined to Ling Chen, "This weapon was forged by an ancestor of the Guo Family several hundred years ago. His name was Guo Tianling, therefore, the name ¡¯Tianling¡¯ was engraved on it."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen was shocked. Mr. Guo mentioned this¡ªcould it be that he wanted to take the Tianling de back?


    Mr. Guo seemed to see through Ling Chen¡¯s thoughts, gave him a reassuring smile, and said, "Don¡¯t worry, I have no intention of taking it back. I just wanted to see the object made by my ancestor. Besides, this weapon is not owned by the Guo Family. Back then, my ancestor forged this weapon at someone else¡¯s request, putting all his effort and skill into it. Ling Chen, you must take good care of it in the future and not lose it."


    "I understand."


    "Moreover..." Mr. Guo changed the topic and said, "ording to the records passed down by the ancestors of the Guo Family, this weapon seems to be more than just a simple weapon."


    Ling Chen asked curiously, "What do you mean?"


    "I¡¯m not very clear on the specifics, the records about this weapon are fragmentary and not very detailed. However, one thing I can be sure of is that there is a secret hidden within this weapon."


    "Secret?" Ling Chen seemed to think of something, his gaze unconsciously swept toward the Dangyang Sect¡¯s seat. It might be because Yi Shuiyan was defeated, no one from the Dangyang Sect hade to watch the afternoon events, and the seats were empty.


    Qin Wu once told him that the Tianling de was very important to the Dangyang Sect and they sought to seize it, but they never seeded.


    Could it be... that the people from the Dangyang Sect knew about the secret hidden inside the Tianling de, and that¡¯s why they were so desperate to obtain it?


    Thinking of this, Ling Chen felt this was very likely.


    While he pondered, Mr. Guo handed the Tianling de back to Ling Chen, saying, "Ling Chen, there is a long story about this weapon. If you¡¯re interested, you might want to visit my house sometime, and I can tell you all about it."


    Mr. Guo took the initiative to invite him; naturally, Ling Chen wouldn¡¯t refuse and readily agreed, "If I have the chance, I will definitely visit."


    "Alright, my purpose for this visit was to see this weapon. Since my wish is fulfilled, I won¡¯t stay any longer. Until next time."


    "Mr. Guo, take care."


    After watching Mr. Guo leave, Ling Chen yed with the Tianling de in his hands, his curiosity piqued, wondering what secret this weapon hid. After the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony ends, he must find the opportunity to thoroughly investigate it.


    Before long, the afternoon¡¯s martial arts contest officially began.


    However, unexpectedly, when Song Ge took to the stage, Qu Jinxian failed to appear, and nobody from the Qingyang Sect came either. As the crowd spected wildly with various conjectures, a disciple from the Qingyang Sect hurriedly arrived at the venue, whispering a few words into Zhou Qi¡¯s ear.


    After that person left, Zhou Qi stepped onto the stage, saying loudly, "Ladies and gentlemen, I¡¯m afraid I have to disappoint you this afternoon. We just received word from the Qingyang Sect that Qu Jinxian has relinquished his qualification topete. Therefore, this fight directly advances Song Ge to the top three."


    Hearing this, themotion in the crowd grew louder.


    To willingly give up at this crucial moment, what exactly is the Qingyang Sect thinking?


    Nevertheless, some understood Qu Jinxian¡¯s decision. After all, his opponent was Song Ge, ranked first on the Neer List. Everyone had seen Song Ge¡¯s strength; even top fighters from the Dragon List seemed like weaklings before him, his power profoundly inscrutable. If Qu Jinxian were to face Song Ge, his chances of winning were utterly slim.


    Ling Chen was speechless. Although he knew Song Ge was highly likely to win, he didn¡¯t expect it to be so easy. Could Song Ge¡¯s intimidating force be so great that it made Qu Jinxian admit defeat without a fight?


    In any case, with Song Ge smoothly advancing to the top three, Ling Chen, as a friend, did not forget to congratte him.


    "Alright, the top three contenders of the neers challenge has been decided. Now, we¡¯ll draw lots to determine tomorrow¡¯s top three battle. As usual, one will have a bye, while the other two will determine the winner, and then the final battle will ur. Ling Chen, Han Yu, Song Ge, pleasee to the stage."


    "No need to draw." Han Yu spoke up from the seat, "Ling Chen, since you¡¯re so powerful, even defeating Yi Shuiyan, I would like to have a proper challenge with you. How about this, tomorrow it¡¯ll be you and me, same rules, fight to death. If I lose, I don¡¯t want the third-ce prize, it¡¯ll all go to you. What do you say, dare or not?"


    Zhou Qi frowned slightly and said, "Han Yu..."


    "Elder Zhou, don¡¯t talk to me about rules, rules are made by people. Since you made an exception for Yi Shuiyan, why can¡¯t you make one for me?" Han Yu interrupted Zhou Qi¡¯s words.


    Zhou Qi was momentarily speechless.


    "Ling Chen, one word, do you dare?"


    Ling Chen touched his nose, a faint smile on his face, "With such a gracious invitation, it¡¯d be too rude of me to refuse. Alright, since you want a life-and-death battle, I¡¯m with you all the way."


    Seeing Ling Chen agree, Han Yu¡¯s eyebrows rxed, and a cold smile appeared on his handsome face.


    "Very well, you haven¡¯t disappointed me. Enjoy tonight well, I¡¯m afraid you might not survive tomorrow." Having said that, Han Yu left the venue with several middle-aged men.


    Qiu Yong looked worried and said, "Ling, wasn¡¯t your eptance a bit rash?"


    Ling Chen replied helplessly, "Brother, faced with so many people, could I show weakness? Besides, who wins tomorrow is still uncertain."


    "Alright, when the timees, just give it your all. If it really gets out of hand, your brothers won¡¯t sit idly by; we¡¯ll definitely keep you safe."


    As they were talking, Song Ge came over.


    "Ling."


    "Song."


    Ling Chen asked with a smile, "Did you need something?"


    "Do you have time to go out and talk for a bit? I have something I want to discuss."


    "You¡¯re asking, how could I refuse. Let¡¯s go!"

 Chapter 463 - 459: The True Face of Han Yu

    <h4>Chapter 463: Chapter 459: The True Face of Han Yu</h4><h4></h4>


    Walking on the deck, Ling Chen looked at the silent Song Ge beside him and asked with a smile, "Song, you told me toe out because you had something to tell me. Why haven¡¯t you said anything for so long?"


    Song Ge stopped walking, opened his mouth and said, "The decision you made just now was wrong."


    "What?" Ling Chen didn¡¯t grasp what was said at first.


    "You shouldn¡¯t have agreed to Han Yu¡¯s challenge."


    "Song, isn¡¯t it toote to say that now?"


    Song Ge sighed helplessly, "I thought you would refuse, so I didn¡¯t remind you at the meeting. I didn¡¯t expect you to ept his request."


    Ling Chen shrugged it off with a smile: "Song, there¡¯s no need to worry about me. Although I¡¯m not confident I will definitely beat Han Yu, he¡¯ll have to pay a price to defeat me."


    "You¡¯re thinking too simply," Song Ge shook his head, looking at the gradually darkening sky and said, "Han Yu is by no means as easy to handle as you imagine. I know him too well. You may not know that our Song Family and Han Family are both Martial Arts ns with a hundred years of feud. Even now, the underground and open battles never stopped. Ten years ago, I fought with Han Yu and lost, and over the following years, I¡¯ve lost to him every single time."


    "But two years ago, I finally beat him once. Since then, every time we sparred, he lost to me." Having said this, Song Ge looked at Ling Chen, "You might think my improvement was greater than his, but that¡¯s not actually the case. I¡¯ve said, I know Han Yu very well. It¡¯s hard not to, after being old rivals for so many years. He is very calcting and never easily reveals his inner thoughts. But this time, you forced him to show his true face. More precisely, you pressured him into it."


    "The Han Family cares a lot about their reputation. Because of you, not only has the Han Family¡¯s face been lost, but their reputation has been damaged. With Han Yu¡¯s personality, he will not let you go. Actually, Zhou Jun and I are involved in this matter too. However, with the Song Family¡¯s background and being lifelong enemies with the Han Family, it¡¯s not so easy for Han Yu to touch me. Zhou Jun is from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, and Han Yu wouldn¡¯t dare to move against him either. Therefore, you became the only option for Han Yu¡¯s revenge."


    Ling Chen frowned and said, "Even if he kills me, isn¡¯t he afraid of retaliation from the eight entrics?"


    "I don¡¯t deny the strength of the eight entrics, but as long as Han Yu sessfully joins the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, with the Pavilion backing the Han Family, do you think he would be scared?"


    "Song, is it possible that you¡¯re overestimating Han Yu? Maybe he really isn¡¯t as good as you."


    Song Ge smiled bitterly, "I hope that¡¯s the case. You might not know, but Han Yu has lost to me seven times, each time on the thirtieth move without exception. You should understand what that means."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s face changed color.


    Clearly, Han Yu intentionally lost to Song Ge.


    "Why would he do that?" Ling Chen asked, puzzled.


    "These days, being number one isn¡¯t necessarily a good thing. A wise person who is good at hiding will position himself neither too high nor too low, ready to advance or retreat. That is the best choice."


    Ling Chen nodded in strong agreement.


    "Song, how strong is Han Yu really?"


    "I¡¯m not sure, but definitely no weaker than me. My strength is probably around the sixth ce on the Dragon List, like Yi Shuiyan and Qu Jinxian, their strength is between the eighth and ninth on the Dragon List. You know, after entering the Dragon List, each rank difference corresponds to a significant difference in strength. Especially those who enter the top five, these masters have reached another realm in Martial Arts. Of course, I hope it¡¯s just my guess, maybe Han Yu hasn¡¯t reached that level yet. In any case, you must be extremely careful when you face him, don¡¯t be reckless."


    After a pause, Song Ge continued, "Given Han Yu¡¯s temperament, if you lose, he will definitely not ept your surrender, so you have to prepare in advance."


    "What preparation?"


    "The crisis on this ship earned you a lot of merit, and the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is immensely grateful to you. I suggest you seek out Elder Zhou; if something goes wrong during the duel, have him intervene at a critical moment to prevent Han Yu from killing you."


    Hearing Song Ge¡¯s suggestion, Ling Chen seemed distressed, "Your words make me afraid to even go on stage."


    Song Ge¡¯s expression became grave, "I¡¯m not joking, this concerns your life, you better take it seriously."


    "Alright, I understand."


    Song Ge sharing so much was out of kindness; Ling Chen appreciated his concern. However, the thought of tomorrow¡¯s life-and-death battle gave Ling Chen a headache. If only he had known, he wouldn¡¯t have casually agreed to Han Yu¡¯s request; wasn¡¯t this jumping into a pit of fire?


    Returning to his room, Ling Cheny sloppily on the couch, propping his head with one hand, and then pulled out a satellite phone from the drawer of the tea table and dialed Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s number.


    Having been away from East Sea City for so long, Ling Chen missed Nanrong Wanqing and hoped to finish the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony soon and return to meet her.


    After the usual half-hour long phone call, Ling Chen reluctantly hung up. This was all thanks to Hu Fei, who secretly hacked the luxury cruise ship¡¯s blocking equipment, allowing him to contact people outside anytime, anywhere.


    "Ling Chen, open the door quickly."


    At this moment, Hu Fei¡¯s voice came from outside the door.


    Ling Chen got up to open the door and looked at Hu Fei who came in holding aptop, joked, "I thought you were having a great time with Zhou Jun, howe you have time toe and find me?"


    "Come on, do you think I came to see you willingly? I¡¯ve encountered a problem."


    "What happened?"


    Hu Fei opened hisptop, tapping on the keyboard as he spoke, "Didn¡¯t I hack the ship¡¯s firewall? Today, I was bored and checking the system when I discovered a problem. Apart from me, someone else has invaded the ship¡¯s system. Fortunately, they haven¡¯t tampered with anything, but they¡¯ve stealthily left a backdoor in the system."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen trusted Hu Fei¡¯sputer skills implicitly and asked, "Do you know who did it?"


    "How would I know that? There are so many people on the ship; I can¡¯t possibly check every one of them. The only thing certain is that the person is on this ship. To ess the ship¡¯s control system, one must go through the ship¡¯swork, otherwise it¡¯s impossible to do so. However, I¡¯ve written a program in the system, so as soon as that person logs into the system again, I will get a notification here. Once we lock onto that person¡¯s signal, we can pinpoint their location."


    "Have you told Zhou Jun about this?"


    "Not yet. We haven¡¯t found the person, so there¡¯s no point in saying anything. We¡¯ll tell him when we have results."

 Chapter 464 - 460: The Mysterious Masked Woman

    <h4>Chapter 464: Chapter 460: The Mysterious Masked Woman</h4><h4></h4>


    "Hey! Ling Chen, I heard from Zhou Jun that you have a duel to the death tomorrow?"


    Ling Chen nodded.


    "Are you up for it, man? Don¡¯t make me bring your corpse back. What am I supposed to tell your future wife if she asks?"


    Annoyed, Ling Chen cursed: "To hell with you, shut your damn mouth." After speaking, Ling Chen nced at theptop in front of Hu Fei, a thought suddenly striking him, and asked: "Fatty, is yourputer connected to the ship¡¯s system?"


    "Yeah."


    "So you can pull up the ship¡¯s surveince, right?"


    "Nonsense, of course I can."


    "Fine, leave theputer behind, and you can piss off." Saying that, Ling Chen grabbed Hu Fei and gave him a kick on the butt, shoving him towards the door.


    "Hey! What are you doing?" Hu Fei yelled while covering his butt: "Damn it! You¡¯re not nning to spy on the beauties on the ship, are you? Just wait, I¡¯ll definitely tell your future wife when we get back."


    "Get lost." Ling Chenughed and scolded.


    After Hu Fei left, Ling Chen sat alone on the sofa, switched on theptop, and pulled up all the surveince from the ship.


    Although Hu Fei¡¯s parting words were a joke, Ling Chen was indeed looking for a beautiful woman. After pulling up the deck¡¯s surveince, it didn¡¯t take long for Ling Chen to find the cabin door with the warning sign.


    Initially, it was there he had met Tea Girl. He was very curious about this woman. He clearly remembered seeing her, but could not recall her face at all, simply unable to remember what she looked like. When he was alone with Tea Girl, she had made him a cup of tea. He suspected that it was due to that cup of tea that he had forgotten Tea Girl¡¯s appearance.


    Thus, he became very interested in Tea Girl¡¯s identity. He was eager to know what role this woman yed within the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    Unfortunately, Ling Chen only found a camera pointing at the cabin door, and since there were no cameras inside the cabin, it was impossible to know what was happening there.


    At that moment, someone appeared on the surveince screen, more precisely, a masked woman.


    As the sky was dark and the woman was facing sideways to the camera, Ling Chen could only see the side profile of her face. However, he vaguely felt a sense of familiarity towards this woman.


    If he remembered correctly, he had never seen this woman during his many days on the ship. As there were fewer women attending the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, Ling Chen would have a strong impression of any woman appearing on the ship.


    As he watched the masked woman enter the cabin door, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes glued to the surveince screen, waiting for her to reappear.


    As expected, a few minutester, the cabin door opened, and the masked woman walked out alone, standing outside the door, looking around as if observing something. Ling Chen watched her intently, trying to figure out her destination.


    But then, something incredible happened.


    The masked woman lightly touched her toes to the ground and, light as a feather, quickly swept upwards along the side of the ship, disappearing in a blink.


    After a brief moment of shock, Ling Chen quickly recovered and began frantically typing on the keyboard, pulling up the other surveince cameras. Soon, he caught a glimpse of a dark shadow.


    However, that shadow moved very fast, and Ling Chen¡¯s eyes meticulously searched through the dozens of minimized surveince screens. Finally, he locked onto that shadow in one of the screens. However, the shadow only remained in his view for two seconds before disappearing through a window.


    "Where do you think you can run to!"


    Ling Chen tapped the keyboard methodically, bringing up the location of the surveince.


    Sixth floor?


    Ling Chen held his chin with one hand, a thoughtful expression on his face.


    As far as he knew, the sixth floor of this luxury behemoth seemed to be the engine room, uninhabited. After some thought, Ling Chen decided to go there himself and investigate.


    Leaving the room, Ling Chen exited the floor and then took the elevator to the fifth floor. Since the sixth floor was the engine room, only the ship¡¯s staff could ess it with a card. Outsiders couldn¡¯t get in.


    Standing by the window on the fifth floor, Ling Chen looked around to make sure no one was around, then he instantly climbed out of the window, grabbed onto the outer side of the ship, and rapidly ascended using the protrusions on the surface. Soon, he arrived in front of the sixth floor window.


    Looking at the surveince camera less than ten meters from the window, Ling Chen¡¯s lips curled up slightly. The masked woman had just climbed in through this window.


    Seizing the moment, Ling Chen nced at the bottom, from the deck to the sixth-floor window was about sixteen or seventeen meters ¡ª that masked woman must be extremely skilled to climb up so effortlessly.


    With this thought, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but worry. If a conflict aroseter, what if he couldn¡¯t defeat his opponent?


    Hesitating for a moment, Ling Chen pped his forehead, shook off the distracting thoughts, and directly climbed through the window.


    Inside the sixth floor engine room were various types of equipment. Although the lights weren¡¯t on, the built-in lights of the equipment were enough for Ling Chen to see his surroundings clearly.


    Walking through the quiet engine room, Ling Chen was very careful with his steps, afraid of being discovered by the masked woman.


    Passing equipment arranged along the wall, a door appeared in Ling Chen¡¯s view. The door was located in the northeast corner of the engine room, and the light seeping from under the door indicated that someone was inside.


    So, the masked woman lives here.


    Ling Chen tiptoed to the door, body pressed against the wall, then he ced his ear against the door to eavesdrop on any sounds inside.


    After more than ten seconds, the room remained eerily silent, not sounding like someone was living there.


    At that moment, Ling Chen mustered his courage, grabbed the doorknob, and gently pushed open the door. As a sliver of a gap appeared, he stealthily peeked inside, only seeing a few simple decorations.


    No one?


    Ling Chen pushed the door slightly wider and then peeked his head through the gap. However, as he did, a force suddenly came from behind the door. Caught off guard, before Ling Chen could retract his head, it was trapped in the gap, his neck jammed by the doorframe, making it impossible for him to move forward or backward.


    Only then did Ling Chen realize, the masked woman had already discovered him and had been hiding behind the door all along.


    "Is it you?"


    Seeing Ling Chen, the masked woman was taken aback and quickly released her hand from the door, freeing Ling Chen¡¯s head from the gap.


    "What are you doing here?"


    At this moment, Ling Chen, rubbing his sore neck, heard the slightly angry voice of the masked woman. His expression stunned, he stared into the eyes of the masked woman and eximed in surprise, "You are... porridge girl?"

 Chapter 465 - 461: Ling Chen Falls into a Trap (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 465: Chapter 461: Ling Chen Falls into a Trap (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    Looking at the woman in front of him, Ling Chen was very surprised. He had never expected to encounter the porridge girl here. After so many days on the ship, he had never seen the porridge girl appear, and here she was, hiding away by herself. Recalling the scene he had just witnessed, Ling Chen¡¯s heart harbored an additional trace of confusion.


    The porridge girl went to see that mysterious tea girl; did they know each other? Or could it be that the porridge girl was rted to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?


    In a sh, many questions surfaced in Ling Chen¡¯s mind, and he couldn¡¯t wait to hear the answers from the porridge girl¡¯s own lips.


    "Have a seat," said the porridge girl, pointing to a chair in the room and speaking indifferently.


    Ling Chen asked, "When did you board the ship? Why didn¡¯t you say anything to me?"


    "Why should I tell you?" The porridge girl replied offhandedly, turning her back to him.


    "As friends, why be so distant?" Ling Chen grinned. "Last time Yi Shuiyan came to East Sea City to trouble me, I was fortunate that you stepped in to help. I haven¡¯t properly thanked you yet."


    Upon hearing this, the porridge girl turned back to look at Ling Chen, her clear eyes shimmering lightly, showing gratification, admiration, and a hint of confusion.


    "I¡¯ve heard about yourpetition with Yi Shuiyan; congrattions to you."


    Ling Chen smiled modestly, "It was pure luck."


    "Your progress is significant after two months apart; how did you achieve this?" asked the porridge girl curiously, "As far as I know, no matter how exceptional one¡¯s talent is, it¡¯s impossible to make such a qualitative leap in such a short time. Especially with Inner Strength cultivation, which requires time to umte. It can¡¯t be achieved overnight. But as of now, your strength has more than doubledpared to two months ago."


    "This..." Ling Chen shrugged his shoulders, looking bemused, "To be honest, I really don¡¯t know. It felt like my Inner Strength just increased inexplicably, without any signs."


    The porridge girl looked at Ling Chen skeptically and said, "Extend your hand."


    Without suspicion, Ling Chen obediently ced his hand on the tea table. Seeing the porridge girl¡¯s fair and delicate fingers resting on his pulse, a hint of surprise shed in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes.


    "Do you know medicine?"


    The porridge girl said nothing and ignored his question, her eyes softly closed, her fingertips gently dancing on his pulse. After a while, she withdrew her fingers and opened her eyes to tell Ling Chen, "Your inner breath is normal but not stable."


    "What does that mean?"


    "It means your foundation is weak. The reason your Inner Strength has improved so rapidly is that you¡¯ve used external forces."


    Ling Chen honestly admitted, "I¡¯ve taken an ordinary Heavenly Mechanism Pill."


    "An ordinary Heavenly Mechanism Pill wouldn¡¯t have such an effect; you must have taken other medicinal pills as well. However, you¡¯re lucky; both pills¡¯ effects are neutral and mild, and they¡¯ve integrated perfectly in your body without causing side effects. Instead, they¡¯ve greatly enhanced your Inner Strength." The porridge girl paused before continuing, "Regardless, Inner Strength cultivation relies on a solid foundation. Without a solid foundation and reliance on external substances, it will be difficult for you to go far in the future. After the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, it would be beneficial for you to focus on cultivation for a while."


    "I¡¯ll keep that in mind."


    Having said that, Ling Chen changed the subject and asked, "What¡¯s your rtionship with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion? And who¡¯s the woman you went to see just now?"


    The porridge girl frowned, displeased, and asked, "How do you know these things? Were you following me?"


    Ling Chen quickly waved his hands, denying fervently, "Don¡¯t get me wrong, I just happened to see."


    "That¡¯s my private affair; you don¡¯t need to know." With that, the porridge girl stood up and spoke indifferently, "I need to rest now."


    Although Ling Chen still had a bellyful of questions, once the porridge girl issued the eviction order, he felt it would be rude to continue hanging around.


    "I¡¯ll head back first then. You should know where I live,e find me when you¡¯re free."


    As the sound of the door closing reached her, the porridge girl slowly turned her head and reached up to remove the veil covering her face, revealing delicate features. A shade of slight concern appeared on her soft, pale cheeks.


    "Master, what should I do with him?"


    Her murmur, apanied by a soft sigh, echoed in the room for a long time.


    Back in his room, it was still early, not even ten o¡¯clock yet. Thinking about tomorrow¡¯s fight with Han Yu, Ling Chen¡¯s brow immediately furrowed with concern. He remembered the words Song Ge said to him today; if it¡¯s as Song Ge suggested, tomorrow¡¯s martial artspetition would undoubtedly be a tough battle. A moment¡¯s carelessness could mean life-threatening danger.


    After much contemtion, Ling Chen sighed helplessly, climbed into bed to lie down, conserving energy and preparing for tomorrow¡¯s fight.


    The next day.


    Before dawn, Ling Chen was already out of bed.


    He couldn¡¯t help it, the thought of today¡¯sing fight made it impossible for him to sleep.


    Staying awake until sunrise, Ling Chen yawned and rubbed his grumbling stomach. Not waiting for Qiu Yong and the others, he went to the dining room alone and ordered a hearty breakfast.


    As Ling Chen was wolfing down his meal, a barely perceptible gaze from not too far away caught his attention. He looked up to see a fair-faced woman sitting alone at a dining table across from him, eating breakfast nonchntly.


    Perhaps feeling Ling Chen¡¯s gaze, the woman blinked her beautiful eyes and met his look for a moment before turning to look around.


    At this time, since it was still early, there were few people eating in the restaurant. Besides the two of them, there were several strangers, all busily eating their meal in silence.


    Seeing that no one noticed her, the woman picked up her te and gracefully walked over to Ling Chen¡¯s table, politely asking with a smile, "May I sit here?"


    "Of course." Ling Chen grinned, gestured to the seat beside him, and said courteously, "Please, have a seat."


    Xiao Wan.


    The only woman on the Neer List.


    Ling Chen had a profound impression of her. She took the initiative to greet him, and he wouldn¡¯t refuse even out of politeness. Besides, he was keen on making acquaintance with these outstanding peers of his age.


    The two of them chatted aimlessly about this and that, passing the time during their meal. Suddenly, Xiao Wan blurted out, "Did you receive my letter?"


    A letter?


    Ling Chen was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized, looking at Xiao Wan with a surprised expression, "The letter was from you?"


    He had received a letter yesterday warning him that someone was out to get him and to be extra cautious. He had always been puzzled about who sent the letter, never expecting it to be this woman in front of him.


    No wonder Xiao Wan had seemed so cautious earlier; it was because of this reason.


    With this thought, Ling Chen leaned closer to Xiao Wan and asked softly, "Who are you referring to?"


    Xiao Wan nced at the other guests dining around them and whispered, "Come to my room in five minutes, 403." With that, she picked up her te and walked away on her own.

 Chapter 466 - 462: Ling Chen Is Trapped (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 466: Chapter 462: Ling Chen Is Trapped (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    After Xiao Wan left the restaurant, Ling Chen waited for about two minutes before he followed her.


    Room 403, it wasn¡¯t long before Ling Chen arrived outside Xiao Wan¡¯s room and gently knocked on the door.


    The door opened, Xiao Wan peeked out, cautiously looking left and right down the corridor. Seeing her cautious demeanor, Ling Chen said with a smile, "Don¡¯t worry, I observed carefully on my way here; nobody noticed me."


    Xiao Wan gave a slight nod, then stepped aside to let Ling Chen into the room.


    "Please, have a seat!"


    Once Ling Chen was seated, Xiao Wan brought over a freshly brewed cup of green tea and handed it to Ling Chen.


    "Thank you." Ling Chen smiled and then steered the conversation to the main topic, asking, "Miss Xiao, you mentioned that someone is out to harm me; could you be more specific? Don¡¯t worry, no one will know that you¡¯ve shared this information with me."


    Xiao Wan smiled faintly, "Don¡¯t rush, try the tea I made first. It¡¯s our family¡¯s own ntation; normally, you can¡¯t buy this outside."


    Holding the teacup, Ling Chen gently blew away the floating leaves and took a small sip. As the tea went down his throat, he felt a warmth in his abdomen, and the taste lingered in his mouth¡ªit indeed was a rare good tea.


    "Excellent." Ling Chen did not skimp on his praise. After speaking, he looked up at Xiao Wan and quietly waited for her to continue.


    "Yesterday, as I was taking a walk on the deck, I stumbled upon a few people who were gathered and whispering, discussing something. I was too far away to hear their conversation, but I faintly heard them mention your name."


    "That¡¯s it?" Ling Chen appeared momentarily stunned.


    "Their tone was very unusual when they mentioned your name. Based on my experience, I think they might be nning to harm you."


    "Thank you for your concern. That... do you know who they are?"


    "I only know they are from the Jiang Family, but I can¡¯t name them."


    The Jiang Family?


    Ling Chen inwardly nodded; since Xiao Wan mentioned the Jiang Family, it was undoubtedly Jiang Hanlin. He had already anticipated that Jiang Hanlin would not let things slide so easily. Hmph! If Jiang Hanlin dared to make a move against him on the ship, it would be a good opportunity to settle things once and for all.


    Now, backed by the Eight entrics and his own progress, he no longer needed to fear the Jiang Family.


    Collecting his thoughts, Ling Chen said to Xiao Wan with a smile, "Miss Xiao, thank you for the information... and your tea. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be on my way¡ªI have a duel scheduled for this morning, and I need to prepare."


    "I¡¯ll walk you out."


    "No need to be so polite." Ling Chen thanked her again and then turned towards the door to leave.


    However, at that moment, as Xiao Wan¡¯s footsteps came from behind him, Ling Chen¡¯s vision was suddenly blurred by a moving object. Before he could react, he felt his neck tighten, as if it were being strangled by a thin thread, and he struggled to breathe.


    The thread was very fine, nearly cutting into his flesh. Moreover, the strength of the thread was increasing, quickly drawing a line of blood across his neck.


    After an initial shock of anger, Ling Chen swiftly regained hisposure, stepped backward, and leaned his back tightly against Xiao Wan, forcing her against the wall.


    With no decrease in the strength of the thread, Ling Chen hesitated no further and used the back of his head to smash backward, hitting Xiao Wan squarely on the forehead. Under the impact, Xiao Wan¡¯s head tilted backward and hit the wall behind her again.


    Feeling the thread on his neck loosen slightly, Ling Chen promptly extended both arms behind his shoulders and firmly grasped Xiao Wan¡¯s wrists, yanking them forward forcefully.


    In terms of strength, Xiao Wan was no match for Ling Chen.


    At that moment, the bedroom door in the room opened, and Jiang Hanlin along with the brothers Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu rushed out quickly.


    Seeing Ling Chen escape from the deadly thread, Jiang Hanlin¡¯splexion subtly changed.


    "Go!"


    Along with Jiang Hanlin¡¯s light shout, Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu charged at Ling Chen without another word, one to the left and one to the right, hoping to team up with Xiao Wan in trapping Ling Chen.


    Seeing the two mening at him, Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curled into a slight cold smile. Gripping Xiao Wan¡¯s wrists tightly, he leaned forward, thrusting his hips against Xiao Wan and forcefully pushed his arms upward. In an instant, Xiao Wan¡¯s body flew over Ling Chen¡¯s head and crashed right onto the tea table.


    Bang!


    Amid Xiao Wan¡¯s cries of pain, the wooden tea table shattered instantly.


    Having dealt with Xiao Wan, Ling Chen cast a nce, his face disying a chilling smile as he looked at the approaching Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu.


    "You guys are really capable, setting such a nice trap for me to fall into."


    Jiang Hanlin said coldly: "Ling Chen, don¡¯t expect to leave this ce alive today."


    "Oh, really?" Ling Chen narrowed his eyes, a cold light shooting out from his dark pupils, "Then let¡¯s see if you really have the ability to back that up."


    As he finished speaking, Ling Chen tapped the ground with the tip of his foot, his legs bounced forcefully, and he leaped high, charging towards Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu. Back when he had just advanced to the Tiger List, the two Qiu brothers were already no match for him, let alone now.


    Two punches thundered out, and the Cross Training of Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu disintegrated in an instant. They were directly sted away by the fierce punch, hitting the wall.


    Seeing Ling Chen deal with Xiao Wan and the Qiu brothers with mere punches and kicks, Jiang Hanlin¡¯s face suddenly showed a hint of terror.


    Impossible!


    As Ling Chen¡¯s gaze turned towards him, Jiang Hanlin couldn¡¯t help but step back, frowning and saying, "This can¡¯t be possible!"


    "What can¡¯t be possible?"


    "You¡¯ve been drugged with the tea you just had, you shouldn¡¯t be this strong."


    "Drugged?"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen secretly activated his Inner Strength, feeling everything to be normal, with no difort. Feeling reassured, Ling Chen looked at Jiang Hanlin with an amused smile: "Was the drug you used expired? Jiang, I originally had no interest in quarreling with the Jiang Family. But since you¡¯re being unwise and asking for trouble, don¡¯t me me for being unmerciful."


    "You..."


    "Enough talk!"


    Before Jiang Hanlin could finish speaking, Ling Chen gave a light shout, his feet suddenly propelled him forward with force, and he quickly rushed towards Jiang Hanlin. Jiang Hanlin hadn¡¯t had the time to draw the silver whip from his waist, and Ling Chen was already upon him, punching straight towards his face.


    One move!


    Jiang Hanlin, whom Ling Chen could not tackle with all his might in the past, was now knocked to the ground in just one move.


    The Tiger List and the Dragon List are only a word apart, but the difference between them is like that between the clouds and the mud.


    Looking at Jiang Hanlin who couldn¡¯t get up, Ling Chen shook his head and nced at the painfully groaning Xiao Wan, speaking coldly, "Tell me, why would you help the Jiang Family against me?"


    Enduring the pain, Xiao Wan replied with a pale face: "The Jiang Family once helped us at our most desperate time, we had to repay that kindness."


    "Hmph! To repay a kindness, you go as far as murder? I thought about making friends with you, but it seems I was just being sentimental."


    "I¡¯m sorry, I..."


    "That¡¯s enough, no need to exin. You should be grateful, I never kill women, but... they won¡¯t be so lucky."

 Chapter 467 - 463: Battle of the Top Three

    <h4>Chapter 467: Chapter 463: Battle of the Top Three</h4><h4></h4>


    Jiang Hanlin¡¯splexion changed as he struggled to stand up and said, "You... what do you want to do? Ling Chen, this is Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯s territory. If you dare to kill at will, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion won¡¯t let you off easily."


    Ling Chen sneered and said, "Now you think to use Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion as a shield? When you plotted to kill me, why didn¡¯t you think of this? Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t kill you. A person like you is not worth dirtying my hands."


    Hearing this, Jiang Hanlin¡¯s tense face slightly rxed.


    "However... your life might be spared, but a little punishment is unavoidable."


    One minuteter.


    Ling Chen pped his hands, looking at the unconscious Jiang Hanlin and the brothers Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu, his lips curling into a smile, then turned to Xiao Wan and said, "If you¡¯re smart, you¡¯ll know what to say. Also, it¡¯s best if I never see you again."


    After finishing his words, Ling Chen turned around, leaving behind Xiao Wan with a pale face, still in shock, and walked out of the room.


    Although he spared Jiang Hanlin¡¯s life, Ling Chen had disabled their arms and legs, shattering all their bones¡ªthey would never recover in this lifetime.


    In dealing with his enemies, Ling Chen never showed mercy.


    Back in his room, Ling Chen stood in front of the mirror, looking at the clear line of blood on his neck, and he sighed with a bitter smile.


    This time, he only med himself for being too careless, for easily trusting Xiao Wan and going to her room. He could guess what Jiang Hanlin and the others were nning.


    Once he entered Xiao Wan¡¯s room, they joined forces to try and kill him, then they would im he attempted to harm Xiao Wan. With a well-arranged scene, even if anyone doubted, it would be useless since he would already be dead, with no proof to the contrary.


    Thinking back on the recent events, Ling Chen was rather curious about one thing. Jiang Hanlin confessed to drugging the tea, and indeed, he had drunk it, but it had no effect. Jiang Hanlin, with all his meticulous nning, certainly wouldn¡¯t use expired drugs.


    Could it be due to his unique physique being resistant to poison?


    Thinking this, Ling Chen shook his head andughed, feeling that his luck hadn¡¯t reached such a level yet¡ªthere must be a reason.


    While he pondered, a series of knocks came from the door. Judging by the time, it should be Qiu Yong and the others.


    The door opened.


    Qiu Yong stepped inside, about to speak. Yet, before he could say anything, his gaze was drawn to the bloodstain on Ling Chen¡¯s neck.


    "Ling Cheng, what happened here? Who did this?" Qiu Yong¡¯s tone carried a hint of chill.


    "It¡¯s nothing, just a minor injury; I¡¯ve already handled it." Regarding the recent incidents, Ling Chen didn¡¯t wish to borate further.


    Looking at the time, it was already half-past seven. Ling Chen collected his emotions and smiled, saying, "The martial arts contest starts in half an hour, big brother, let¡¯s head to the venue first."


    Once at the venue, Ling Chen noticed that today¡¯s audience had arrived earlier than usual. By just past seven-thirty, the ce was already fully packed, with everyone eagerly awaiting this morning¡¯s life-or-death contest.


    As one of the key figures, Ling Chen naturally attracted quite a lot of attention.


    "Ling."


    Seeing Song Ge approaching, Ling Chen greeted him with a smile, "Song, you¡¯re early."


    "I didn¡¯t sleep wellst night, thinking about today¡¯s martial arts contest, I really couldn¡¯t calm down," Song Ge¡¯s voice was filled with worry.


    "Song needn¡¯t worry too much, Yi Shuiyan and Han Yu are closely matched in strength. If Ling Cheng could defeat Yi Shuiyan, perhaps he could also defeat Han Yu."


    Hearing Yuan Yun¡¯s words, Song Ge looked puzzledly at Ling Chen. Thetter smiled, shaking his head at him.


    Song Ge¡¯s words to himself, Ling Chen didn¡¯t mention them to Qiu Yong and the others, for fear of making them worry.


    After taking his seat, it wasn¡¯t long before Zhou Jun and Hu Fei walked into the venue side by side and came directly to Ling Chen¡¯s side.


    "Fatty, why are you here?"


    Hu Fei, with aptop in hand, touched the loose fat on his face and said with a grin, "I¡¯m nning to record the entire martial artspetition. If you die, I¡¯ll send the footage to your future wife so she¡¯ll know whom to seek revenge from."


    "Go to hell, not a single good word from you." Ling Chen cursed irritably, "If I really have an ident, it will definitely be because of your curse. If that happens, I won¡¯t spare you even as a ghost."


    "Ling Chen, that Han Yu is not simple, you have to be careful." Zhou Jun kindly reminded.


    "I know."


    Seven fifty.


    Escorted by several middle-aged men, Han Yu entered the venue with his head held high.


    As he passed by the seats of the eight entrics, Han Yu nced at Ling Chen, his gaze cold and sinister with a hint of ferocity, and his slightly upturned lips carried a chilling coldness.


    At that moment, in an inconspicuous corner of the venue, stood two masked women, silently watching the stage, without saying a word.


    At eight o¡¯clock sharp, the host Zhou Qi strode onto the stage, looked around at the spectators and said loudly, "Ladies and gentlemen, I believe everyone is clear about the details of this morning¡¯s martial artspetition, so I won¡¯t repeat them. This is a fight to the death, it won¡¯t end until we see life or death. Han Yu, Ling Chen, you have three minutes to prepare."


    Seeing Ling Chen stand up and leave his seat, Qiu Yong and the others adviced anxiously, "Ling, be very careful."


    Ling Chen smiled and nodded, then headed straight to the stage. Facing Han Yuing towards him, Ling Chen took a deep breath. Thepetition hadn¡¯t even started, yet his palms were already covered in sweat. He tried hard to adjust his mood, but couldn¡¯t quell the anxiety in his heart.


    At this moment, the audience in the stands noticed the weapon carried by Ling Chen and were simultaneously surprised.


    Today, Ling Chen was not using the Tianling de, but instead he had a bow.


    Using a bow and arrow as a weapon in a martial arts arena was unprecedented, never having urred before. Furthermore, sharp-eyed people noticed that the bow was the weapon of the Archer God, Zhang Zhongfeng.


    "If Ling Chen¡¯s archery is one-third as good as Zhang Zhongfeng¡¯s, he might actually defeat Han Yu."


    "That¡¯s not necessarily true, the edge of the stage is only twenty meters, it¡¯s hard for a bow and arrow to be effective. I don¡¯t know what Ling Chen was thinking, using a bow and arrow as his weapon."


    "..."


    "Thepetition, officially begins!"


    Amidst the crowd¡¯s discussions, Zhou Qi¡¯s booming voice rang out. Instantly, the whole venue fell silent, all eyes focused on Ling Chen and Han Yu.


    Han Yu nced at the bow and arrow in Ling Chen¡¯s hands, sneered coldly, and made no effort to hide his disdain.


    "Using a bow and arrow to fight, huh... Ling Chen, are you giving up on yourself? Even if it were Zhang Zhongfeng himself on stage, his archery couldn¡¯t threaten me."


    Upon hearing this, the entire venue was shocked.


    Such arrogant words,pletely disregarding the title of Archer God.


    Ignoring the uproar around him, Han Yu kept his focus on Ling Chen and said with a sneering smile, "Today is a life-and-death fight, but before we start, I¡¯ll give you a chance to live. If you kneel down and kowtow three times before everyone here, I can spare your life and ept your surrender."


    Ling Chen chuckled, "How about this, you kneel and kowtow three times to me, and then call me grandpa. Considering you are my good grandson, I¡¯ll spare your life, how about that?"

 Chapter 468 - 464: Desperate Fight to the Death (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 468: Chapter 464: Desperate Fight to the Death (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Fine, I want to see if you will still be able to say thatter." Han Yu sneered, his wrist flicking lightly and the scabbard immediately shot out, nailing into a pir outside the arena, prating three inches deep.


    This single move alone elicited exmations from the audience on site.


    At a distance of nearly twenty meters, Han Yu was actually able to shoot the scabbard into the pir. This was no longer just a disy of wrist strength, but a mastery of Inner Strength that was nothing short of perfection.


    Looking at the Longquan Sword in Han Yu¡¯s hands, Ling Chen¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, as his gaze slowly shifted onto Han Yu.


    "Prepare to die!"


    With eyes wide open in anger, Han Yu let out a fierce shout, without the slightest hint of warning, instantly sprung from the spot, flying more than a meter into the air, his sharp Longquan Sword pointing straight at Ling Chen¡¯s brow, the sword momentum swift and unstoppable.


    Seeing Han Yu make his move, Ling Chen, without a second thought, immediately turned and ran towards the edge of the arena. When Ling Chen was about two meters away from the corner of the arena, he leapt with his legs, suspending his body mid-air.


    Immediately after, he twisted his waist, fiercely correcting his body¡¯s position, raising his longbow high in hand, a sharp arrow swiftly nocked onto the bowstring.


    Nocking the arrow, all in one fluid motion.


    Whoosh!


    With a release of his finger, the sharp arrow immediately flew out, shooting towards Han Yu, who had yet tond.


    At this moment, there was less than ten meters between them. The arrow¡¯s speed was as fast as lightning, and in the blink of an eye, it was upon Han Yu. However, Han Yu¡¯s eyes were locked firmly on Ling Chen,pletely disregarding the arrow hurtling through the air.


    Suddenly, Han Yu raised his arm, the agile Longquan Sword like a Spirit Snake lightly flicked.


    ng!


    Before the spectators could even react, a clear ring resounded. Subsequently, an arrow was seen deflecting off in mid-air, falling onto the arena.


    Seeing Han Yu effortlessly deflect the arrow, Ling Chen was taken aback, disbelief evident in his eyes.


    Han Yu had been staring at him all along, not even ncing at the position of the arrow, yet he was able to defend so urately... Could it be... Yes! A thought struck Ling Chen, the Han Yu before him must possess the same ability to discern position by sound, just like himself.


    This is bad!


    With a solemn face, Ling Chen inwardly cursed, not expecting Han Yu to possess such a skill. Had he known earlier, he would not have chosen the bow and arrow as his weapon.


    After his conversation with Song Gest night, Ling Chen, after much deliberation, decided to take a risk and forego the Tianling de in favor of using the bow and arrow for the duel. Firstly, to catch his opponent off guard, and secondly... he knew Han Yu was highly skilled; using a bow and arrow could greatly prevent Han Yu from getting close.


    However, facing Han Yu, who had the ability to discern position by sound, Ling Chen¡¯s archery was greatly hindered. Although his archery skills were personally taught by Archery God Zhang Zhongfeng, he had not practiced for long and was probably less than a tenth as skilled as Zhang Zhongfeng.


    While his thoughts raced, Han Yu somersaulted in mid-air, his Longquan Sword gently touching the ground, using the bounce from the sword¡¯s de, Han Yu¡¯s body soared upwards once again. From the moment he made his move until now, his feet had never touched the ground, soaring in mid-air all this while.


    This disy of skill stunned everyone watching.


    At this moment, Ling Chen, holding his bow and arrow, kept moving around the edge of the arena, trying his best to maintain a distance from Han Yu.


    Whoosh!


    The arrow tore through the air.


    Sadly, it was slightly off the mark, not hitting Han Yu but flying past him instead.


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t utter a word and once again drew an arrow and nocked it on the bowstring, with the arrowhead following Han Yu¡¯s body, seeking an opportunity to release.


    To speak truthfully, Ling Chen¡¯s archery was not at all subpar. During his time at the Ghost Organization, he was known as a sharpshooter with a hit rate nearing one hundred percent on a good day. However, there are subtle differences between marksmanship and archery.


    The velocity of a bullet far surpasses that of an arrow. For firearms, it¡¯s sufficient to simply aim and pull the trigger, but archery is different.


    Because arrows travel slower through the air, it¡¯s necessary to predict the trajectory of the target before releasing. Compared to firearms, archery demands more technical skill.


    Moreover, this longbow, personally crafted by Guo Liang, exuded a sense of steadiness inside and out, was heavy to the touch, and required significant strength to fully draw. Fortunately, Ling Chen had practiced using Zhang Zhongfeng¡¯s bow and arrow for some time and had grown ustomed to it.


    At that moment, Han Yu found an opportunity, his Longquan Sword¡¯s tip tapped on the ground and his body somersaulted mid-air, rapidly closing in on Ling Chen.


    Seeing the situation worsen, Ling Chen immediately retreated and simultaneously released the bowstring.


    However, just like before, Han Yu effortlessly deflected the arrow, posing no threat whatsoever.


    Watching the distance between himself and Han Yu rapidly close, a sense of crisis crept into Ling Chen¡¯s heart. ncing at the quiver of arrows he carried, Ling Chen gritted his teeth and pulled out three arrows at once, nocking them all together on the bowstring.


    He released one arrow and without checking if it hit the target, he released the second... and then the third arrows in quick session.


    The three arrows formed a ¡¯Æ·¡¯ character formation,ing at Han Yu with a sharp wind.


    Faced with three distinct sharp arrows, Han Yu let out a cold snort. His somersaulting body paused slightly mid-air as he gently flicked his wrist, weaving the Longquan Sword in front of him into a sword flower. The pliable de moved like a Spirit Snake extending its tongue, swiftly and urately deflecting each of the three arrows and sending them plummeting to the ground.


    "Ling Chen, with your archery, you think you can hurt me? Hmph! Go back and train for a few more decades," Han Yu sneered condescendingly.


    Ling Chen remained silent, ignoring Han Yu¡¯s sarcasm, and continued to run around the edge of the arena, asionally firing arrows, but all in vain.


    Seeing the dwindling number of arrows in Ling Chen¡¯s quiver, the spectators began to shake their heads.


    At this rate, once Ling Chen¡¯s arrows ran out, he would likely bemb to the ughter, with little chance of turning the tide.


    "Big brother."


    Yuan Yun turned his head, looking worriedly at Qiu Yong beside him.


    Qiu Yong spoke in a deep voice: "Don¡¯t panic; just watch and wait. It¡¯s not time for us to intervene yet."


    "Big brother... look over there." At that moment, Xia Yue signaled everyone with her eyes.


    The crowd looked up and saw several middle-aged men on the opposite seats always watching them, unconcerned with the ongoing fight on the stage.


    "They are from the Han Family," Yuan Yun said, furrowing his brow slightly. "They¡¯re watching to prevent us from intervening."


    "Second brother," Qiu Yong nced at Xu Ming and instructed, "If anything unexpected happenster, you¡¯ll be responsible for protecting Ling Cheng. We¡¯ll handle the Han Family¡¯s people."


    "Understood," Xu Ming nodded.


    As they spoke, the situation on the stage was changing rapidly. Only five arrows were left in Ling Chen¡¯s quiver while Han Yu was ever closer, pressing within ten meters and on the verge of breaking through Ling Chen¡¯s defenses.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen turned and ran backward.


    "Trying to run?"


    Han Yu let out a coldugh, instantly picking up speed, chasing right behind Ling Chen.


    Eight meters... six meters... four meters...


    As the distance between Han Yu and Ling Chen narrowed, everyone¡¯s hearts leapt to their throats.


    Is it going to end now?

 Chapter 469 - 465: Desperate Fight to the Death (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 469: Chapter 465: Desperate Fight to the Death (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    However, just as everyone was worrying for Ling Chen, he suddenly stopped in his tracks while running, leaned back, and aimed his bow and arrow at the approaching Han Yu.


    Faced with this sudden change, Han Yu¡¯splexion immediately shifted, not expecting Ling Chen to pull such a move.


    At this moment, there was less than three meters between the two, and at such a close distance, even Han Yu¡¯s quick reflexes couldn¡¯t outspeed the arrow.


    Whoosh!


    Hearing the sound of the bowstring, Han Yu forcibly controlled his body, hastily dodging to the side, narrowly brushing past the arrow. The arrow, missing its target, continued with undiminished force, embedding itself into a pir outside the arena, the shaft vibrating intensely and buzzing loudly.


    What a pity!


    The crowd sighed; it was such a good opportunity, almost a perfect kill. Besides regret, everyone was full of admiration for Ling Chen¡¯s unexpected attack. Had Han Yu not been lucky, Zhou Qi would have already dered the winner.


    "Look."


    At that moment, someone with sharp eyes pointed at the arrow lodged in the pir, calling out a reminder.


    Everyone focused their look, and upon close inspection, noticed a trace of fresh blood on the shaft of the arrow.


    It turned out that the arrow had not missed.


    Does this mean Han Yu was injured?


    In an instant, everyone¡¯s eyes focused on Han Yu. Indeed, at that moment, Han Yunded on his feet, with blood streaming down his left arm, instantly staining his sleeves red.


    However, the arrow did not prate through Han Yu¡¯s arm; it merely grazed the flesh, and the injury was far less severe than the blood made it appear.


    At this point, Han Yu, with a grim expression, stared intensely at Ling Chen, his eyes clearly filled with resentment. He had thought he would easily defeat Ling Chen, but he didn¡¯t expect to be the first to get injured.


    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Han Yu tore off a strip of cloth from his clothes to bandage the wound on his arm, then picked up the Longquan Sword with his right hand again.


    "This is the first andst time; you won¡¯t have another chance to strike." Han Yu coldly stared at Ling Chen, speaking emphatically.


    This is bad!


    Song Ge, watching from the stands, his face darkened, and his brows filled with worry.


    He knew Han Yu too well; with Han Yu¡¯s temperament, Ling Chen might be in danger.


    As he thought this, Han Yu on the arena held his sword with one hand, his legs bursting from the spot, charging towards Ling Chen.


    Whoosh! Whoosh!


    Apanied by a whooshing sound, two arrows were shot one after the other, aiming to stop the approaching Han Yu.


    Watching the two arrowsing straight at him, Han Yu showed no intention of dodging, and with a light swing of the Longquan Sword in his hand, he split the two arrows in midair.


    So fast!


    Ling Chen was shocked, his right hand quickly reaching for the quiver. However, after shooting so many arrows, there were only two left in the quiver, causing Ling Chen to hesitate slightly in his movements.


    The battle had just started not long ago, and the arrows were being used up faster than he had anticipated. If he couldn¡¯t make thest two arrows count, he would be facing a significant crisis.


    In an instant, Ling Chen¡¯s brief hesitation provided Han Yu an opportunity to close in. By the time he reacted, Han Yu was already within two meters.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen dared not hesitate any longer, quickly drew onest arrow and mounted it on the bowstring, pulling the bow fully, aiming the arrow straight at Han Yu¡¯s face. At such close range, he didn¡¯t believe Han Yu could dodge. Despite risking injury, he was determined to inflict a serious wound on Han Yu, to fight for a glimmer of hope for himself.


    However, just as Ling Chen was about to release his fingers and let the arrow fly, Han Yu¡¯s Longquan Sword suddenly quivered. At the same time, Ling Chen felt as if his longbow had been struck by something and it slightly shifted to the side.


    With the angle of the longbow shifted, the arrow flew past Han Yu¡¯s shoulder and missed again.


    What happened?


    Ling Chen frowned secretly, unsure why his longbow seemed to be influenced by an external force, even though Han Yu was a meter away and couldn¡¯t possibly have touched him.


    As Ling Chen med himself for the error that just urred, Qiu Yong and others in the stands, including Song Ge and Zhou Qi, along with two women in the corner, were all shocked, staring at Han Yu in the arena with disbelief.


    Perhaps Ling Chen didn¡¯t realize what had just happened, but they saw it clearly.


    Release of Inner Strength!


    Han Yu¡¯s Martial Arts cultivation had actually reached this realm, and at such a young age too, it was incredible.


    On the Dragon List, only those who have reached the realm of releasing Inner Strength externally qualify to enter the top five. Even Song Ge, who ranks first on the Neer List, has his strength at most positioned at sixth on the Dragon List because he hasn¡¯t reached that realm.


    "Ling Chen, you¡¯re in danger."


    In an unnoticeable corner of the venue, a masked woman spoke up: "Unless there¡¯s an exception, Ling Chen is undoubtedly doomed in this fight to death."


    "You are the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master, you must save his life at all costs."


    "Although I am the Pavilion Master, the rules of this duel were agreed upon by them, recognized by both sides, and witnessed by many. Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has always pursued justice; we can only try to uphold their rules and cannot deliberately break them. If I let the people of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion intervene, how would others view us and how can we maintain our reputation for fairness?"


    "Fine, since you refuse to act, I will do it myself."


    "No matter what you n to do, I must remind you that if you intend to break the rules, I will not allow it."


    "Then try and see if you have the power to stop me."


    ...


    Bang!


    At that moment, Ling Chen, who was standing at the edge of the arena, suddenly leapt up and flew out of the ring,nding heavily on the ground.


    In the past, falling out of the arena would mean Ling Chen had lost, but today was different. Today was a fight to the death, and this battle would not stop unless one perished.


    "Don¡¯t lie there and pretend to be dead, get up quickly."


    Han Yu¡¯s cold voice came through, and Ling Chen clenched his teeth, enduring the pain in his body as he slowly stood up and stepped back into the arena.


    "Now do you see the gap between us? In my eyes, you are nothing more than a dog at my mercy."


    Han Yu, with one hand behind his back, pointed the Longquan Sword obliquely at the ground, standing upright with a proud look on his face, his disdain for Ling Chen clearly evident in his eyes.


    Ling Chen took a deep breath to alleviate the pain in his body. It seemed Song Ge¡¯s guess was right, Han Yu¡¯s strength was indeed unfathomable, rightfully cing him at the top of the Neer List.


    Inner Strength released externally... Ling Chen hadn¡¯t expected that Han Yu had indeed reached the realm Song Ge mentioned.


    At this moment, Ling Chen felt a deep sense of powerlessness wash over him. Although his own strength had improved significantly recently, it seemed so trivial in front of Han Yu.


    Hovering on the edge of life and death for so many years, having experienced countless battles, none felt like today, where he couldn¡¯t see even a glimmer of hope.

 Chapter 470 - 466: Desperate Fight to the Death (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 470: Chapter 466: Desperate Fight to the Death (Part 3)</h4><h4></h4>


    A battle without hope is the most despair-inducing.


    Ling Chen is now engulfed in such despair. If courage, perseverance, and boldness could make up for everything, Ling Chen would certainly not be stingy. The problem is, in the face of absolute power, everything can be rendered irrelevant.


    Looking at the silent Ling Chen, the smile on Han Yu¡¯s face grew even more smug, as if relishing the feeling of being the center of attention once again.


    In the gaze of everyone present, Han Yu took steps towards Ling Chen, the tip of the Longquan Sword scraping faint sparks from the ground, emitting a crisp nging sound reverberating across the entire venue.


    "Tell me, how do you wish to die? This is yourst choice to make; I advise you to treasure it."


    Hearing Han Yu¡¯s voice rise above the arena, Qiu Yong and others in the seated area were restlessly poised, eyes fixated on Han Yu, ready to leap in for a rescue at any moment. Beside them, Song Ge gripped his sword hilt, his eyes sharp and ready to strike.


    Ling Chen had once aided him, and now that Ling Chen was in danger, he would definitely not stand by and watch him perish.


    "Han Yu," Zhou Qi, standing at the edge of the arena, open his mouth to say: "Mercy to the merciful; there are some things you shouldn¡¯t take to extremes."


    Han Yu turned to nce at Zhou Qi, sneering as he said, "Elder Zhou, I don¡¯t need you to teach me how to conduct my affairs."


    With these words, Han Yu¡¯s gaze returned to Ling Chen, his steps closing in once more.


    Feeling the oppressive force approaching him, Ling Chen tightened his grip on his longbow, his flickering gaze gradually bing steely and fearless.


    Having seen life and death, Ling Chen had long since put concerns of mortality aside. He was not afraid of death; he just loathed a pathetic end. At this juncture, other than fighting to the death, there were no other options left.


    In the blink of a thought, Ling Chen, having made his resolve, slowly raised his head, staring directly at Han Yu¡¯s cold gaze, striding forward without any hint of retreat.


    "Humph!" His action caught in Han Yu¡¯s eyes, instantly turning into a disdainful sneer.


    "Impatient to die, are you? Fine, I¡¯ll oblige!"


    In a sh, the sword light burst forth, with Han Yu¡¯s wrist propelling the Longquan Sword to resonate sharply, its piercing wail enveloping the entire arena, aiming straight for Ling Chen¡¯s neck.


    As the sword tip rapidly erged in his pupils, Ling Chen lightly tapped his toe, cing thest sharp arrow on the bowstring, facing the thrust of the Longquan Sword without flinching.


    What is he trying to do?


    Is he courting death?


    At this sight, everyone stood up from their seats, eyes glued to Ling Chen, expressions of shock on their faces.


    At that moment, the edge of the Longquan Sword was less than a foot away from Ling Chen¡¯s body, its speed zing fast, potentially piercing through Ling Chen¡¯s throat at any moment. At such a close distance, even if Ling Chen wanted to dodge, he couldn¡¯t.


    Suddenly, Ling Chen spread his arms wide, raising the longbow in his hands, the bow fully drawn in a semicircle shape, pointing directly at Han Yu, his Mo Che-like pupils devoid of fear.


    So that¡¯s how it is!


    At this moment, the crowd understood Ling Chen¡¯s intentions.


    He knew he was no match for Han Yu and it was unlikely that he would leave the arena alive, so he chose the most extreme course of action.


    Either mutual destruction or a shared demise.


    Within a distance of less than two meters, even if Han Yu¡¯s Longquan Sword pierced through Ling Chen¡¯s body, he wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid that sharp arrow¡¯s lethal blow.


    Seeing Ling Chen charging straight at him, the cold smile on Han Yu¡¯s face stiffened. All the things that everyone else could understand, how could he not? For a moment, a flicker of hesitation appeared in his eyes.


    Concerning his own life, he dared not gamble; it was too risky. What¡¯s more, he held a significant advantage and could have toyed with Ling Chen until death¡ªthere was no need to take such a risk.


    Thinking this, Han Yu¡¯s advancing footsteps paused slightly, and he shifted to the side, avoiding Ling Chen¡¯s head-on approach.


    He actually gave up!


    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief in unison, relieved that Ling Chen had narrowly escaped disaster for the time being.


    Sometime along the way, everyone began to worry about Ling Chen¡¯s safety. As for Han Yu, although the strength he demonstrated was astonishing, there were few who genuinely wanted to apud and cheer for him.


    At this moment, Ling Chen stood motionless in the center of the arena, his gaze following Han Yu¡¯s steps, constantly changing positions.


    Byparison, Han Yu seemed much more rxed, wandering around Ling Chen as if strolling leisurely in a garden. Suddenly, Han Yu explosively elerated mid-stride, like a gust of wind, and instantly closed the distance to Ling Chen.


    Seeing the flickering figure before him, Ling Chen didn¡¯t even think; he immediately aimed his arrow at the target. However, at that moment, the figure in front of him vanished with a swift shift, disappearing from sight. Before Ling Chen could react, a searing pain suddenly emanated from his arm.


    He turned to look and saw a new sword mark on his left arm, blood seeping through the sleeve and streaming down profusely.


    Turning back to Han Yu, he was already standing three meters away, his face cold, and a mocking smile ying on his lips.


    "I initially wanted to finish this quickly, but since you want to y, I¡¯ll keep youpany till the end." With that said, Han Yuunched another attack, pressing forward.


    Watching Han Yu¡¯s non-stop movement and shifting positions, a heavy feeling settled in Ling Chen¡¯s heart, a tinge of urgency showing on his otherwise calm face. Han Yu was fast, with nimble footing and movements swift as the wind. Every time Ling Chen locked onto a position, Han Yu was already at the next spot, making it impossible to predict his actions.


    When Han Yu approached again, Ling Chen hadn¡¯t yet pinpointed his direction when he felt another pang of pain in his right arm, and another blood mark appeared before his eyes.


    In an instant¡ª


    In less than two minutes, Ling Chen was covered incerations and bloodstains. Facing the ghost-like Han Yu, Ling Chen had no ability to resist, like a fish on a cutting board,pletely at the mercy of another.


    Blood flowed from Ling Chen¡¯s arms and legs, dripping down onto the stage, stark and ring, wrenching at the hearts of onlookers.


    As the duel progressed to this point, many people no longer wished to witness it. In everyone¡¯s minds, this had be a battle with no suspense.


    "Han Yu, if you want to kill him, then kill him. What¡¯s the point of this?"


    Han Yu nced at the person speaking in the stands and nodded, "Since everyone is impatient, let¡¯s end this here." Then, turning to look at Ling Chen in the center of the arena, he said with a mockingugh, "Do you still have the strength to draw your bow?"


    Ling Chen remained silent, his face paling from excessive blood loss. His limbs trembled slightly under the intense sting of his wounds, blood seeping through his fingertips, staining the bow¡¯s grip red.


    As Han Yu took steps toward Ling Chen, Qiu Yong and others in the audience rose from their seats.


    If they didn¡¯t intervene now, Ling Chen would truly be beyond saving.


    However, just as everyone was prepared to rescue Ling Chen from Han Yu¡¯s clutches, a piece of bright red cloth one meter wide, with unknown origins, suddenly appeared in everyone¡¯s line of sight.


    The red cloth flew directly onto the stage, passing between Ling Chen and Han Yu, acting as a distinct boundary separating the two.


    What¡¯s going on?


    Faced with this sudden turn of events, everyone was stunned, their faces full of confusion.

 Chapter 471 - 467: Accident on the Arena

    <h4>Chapter 471: Chapter 467: ident on the Arena</h4><h4></h4>


    At this moment, the number of red cloths increased, shooting towards the stage from all directions, almost enveloping the entire tform.


    At the same time, bright red cloths crisscrossed in midair, converging together, filling the entire venue with vivid colors, giving a surreal feeling.


    At this time, Zhou Qi, who was outside the tform, looked at the changes before him with furrowed brows, ready to shout orders. But before he could speak, a beautiful woman suddenly approached Zhou Qi and whispered a few words in his ear.


    Whatever she said, Elder Zhou¡¯s face instantly changed, bearing aplex expression.


    After the woman left, Zhou Qi shouted towards the noisy stands, "Everyone, please calm down. Take your seats and don¡¯t panic. Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will handle this." After finishing his words, Zhou Qi turned to look for Han Yu and Ling Chen on the stage. However, the stage was surrounded by red cloths, and no one could be seen.


    "Ling Chen, Han Yu, respond if you can hear me."


    "I¡¯m here."


    "I am here too." Ling Chen¡¯s weak voice followed.


    "Both of you stay put. The martial artspetition is suspended. Without my permission, no one is to act rashly. Han Yu, did you hear me?"


    Han Yu replied indifferently, "Elder Zhou, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not in a hurry. Let¡¯s let him live a little longer."


    At this moment, in the center of the tform, surrounded by red cloths, Ling Chen sat down on the ground gasping for air. Since no one could see him, he didn¡¯t need to care so much.


    But, these mysteriously appearing red cloths baffled Ling Chen, with no clue as to what was happening.


    Just as he was pondering, the red cloth above Ling Chen suddenly split open. Before Ling Chen could react, a delicate jade hand reached through the split and grabbed his shoulder, lifting him off the ground.


    "Who..." Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed, about to rebuke, but a hand covered his mouth.


    Smelling the faint fragrance at the tip of his nose and feeling the smooth hand, Ling Chen instantly determined that it was a woman beside him.


    "Stay quiet."


    The familiar voice sounded, and Ling Chen turned his head only to see an exquisitely wless face before his eyes.


    "Porridge girl?"


    Recognizing the person, Ling Chen was momentarily stunned, asking with a look of surprise, "Did you do all this?"


    Porridge girl nodded gently, her beautiful eyes examining the injuries on Ling Chen¡¯s body. Her brows slightly furrowed, and her pale, pretty face showed clear concern.


    "Porridge girl, what are you doing?" Ling Chen curiously looked at her and asked.


    "Stop asking, I¡¯ll treat your wounds first." Saying this, porridge girl took out a porcin bottle from her pocket. She opened the lid, tilted the bottle towards Ling Chen¡¯s wound, and gently shook her wrist.


    As the white powder from the bottle sprinkled on the wound, Ling Chen felt a cool relief. It not only stopped the blood but also eased much of the pain.


    "What medicine is this? It¡¯s quite effective."


    "Golden Cicada Powder, an ancient Chinese medicine form."


    After speaking, porridge girl put away the bottle and looked at Ling Chen seriously, "You¡¯re no match for Han Yu."


    "I know." Ling Chen shrugged his shoulders. At this stage, he had no other options and could only brace himself. To live is luck; to die is fate.


    In his view, thetter was more likely, given the huge gap between him and Han Yu.


    Sensing the concern in porridge girl¡¯s eyes, Ling Chenughed wryly, "It doesn¡¯t matter. If ites to it, I¡¯ll just die."


    "No!" The porridge girl shook her head, speaking firmly, "You can¡¯t die, at least not now."


    Ling Chen grimaced and said, "Do you want me to admit defeat? You¡¯ve also seen Han Yu¡¯s attitude; he would never ept my surrender. By proposing a fight to the death, he intends to kill me. I thought I had the strength to fight him, but little did I know he had hidden his power so deeply."


    "I¡¯m not asking you to admit defeat."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen looked at the porridge girl in confusion and asked, "Then what do you..."


    "I know that unless one of you dies, this battle will not stop. Therefore, you must defeat him."


    "How can I win?" Ling Chen sighed, feeling helpless as he spoke, "Mere belief won¡¯t change anything."


    The porridge girl was silent, gazing at Ling Chen with luminous eyes glittering mysteriously. Suddenly, she changed the subject and asked, "I heard that the Inner Strength mental method you practice is the Prajnaparamita Sutra?"


    Ling Chen nodded, his look towards the porridge girl bearing a trace of surprise.


    "How did you know? I don¡¯t recall mentioning it to you."


    "I have my ways of finding out things. That...Prajnaparamita Sutra..." As she spoke, a faint blush crept across the porridge girl¡¯s pretty face, and her bright eyes filled with shyness, she hesitated, unsure of how to continue.


    Seeing her silence, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but press on, "What about the Prajnaparamita Sutra?"


    Forget it!


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s voice, the porridge girl bit her thin lips and sighed inwardly.


    He was going to find out sooner orter.


    With this in mind, the porridge girl nced at Ling Chen, whoy on the red cloth, and took out a pill from her pocket, presenting it to him while speaking indifferently, "Eat this."


    "This medicine...ugh..."


    Before Ling Chen could finish, the porridge girl had already forcibly stuffed the pill into his mouth.


    As soon as the pill entered his mouth, it was immediately swallowed with his saliva. Ling Chen stared at the porridge girl, dumbfounded, and asked, "What medicine did you give me?"


    No sooner had he spoken than Ling Chen felt his hands and feet go numb, as if he had lost all sensation, bing incredibly stiff, even unable to move his fingers. Noticing the change in his body, Ling Chen was instantly rmed.


    "Porridge girl, you..."


    "Don¡¯t talk."


    The porridge girl gestured for silence and then took out her handkerchief, gently covering Ling Chen¡¯s face and masking his eyes.


    At this moment, Ling Chen had a myriad of questions racing through his mind, clueless as to what the porridge girl was up to. Between drugging him and covering his face, her actions were shrouded in mystery, utterly baffling. Though he hadn¡¯t known the porridge girl for a long time, Ling Chen believed that she would never harm him.


    As he pondered, the porridge girl quietly unfastened the buttons of her clothes, slipping off her garment amidst the vivid red cloth.


    As her tops fell away, a snow-white body was suddenly revealed in full glory; her graceful figure, willowy waist, and a pair of slender and fair legs radiated an alluring charm.


    Through the veiled fabric, Ling Chen could vaguely make out the porridge girl¡¯s movements, and that wless, delicate body.


    For a moment, Ling Chen¡¯s mind went nk, and he waspletely entranced.


    What...what is she doing?


    Could it be...


    Lost in wild thoughts, the porridge girl¡¯s jade arms were already reaching towards Ling Chen. Tenderly and with a hint of intoxicating shyness, she began gently to unfasten Ling Chen¡¯s clothes.

 Chapter 472 - 468 Dedication

    <h4>Chapter 472: Chapter 468 Dedication</h4><h4></h4>


    At this moment, if Ling Chen still did not understand what porridge girl wanted to do, he would be unworthy of being a man.


    However, facing the actions of porridge girl, Ling Chen was not only shocked but even more puzzled. He couldn¡¯t understand why porridge girl would do such a thing. He remembered that when porridge girl was sparring with He Ziyun, she had told him that she was engaged.


    If she had a fianc¨¦, then why would she still do such a thing? Didn¡¯t she consider her fianc¨¦¡¯s feelings?


    "Porridge girl..."


    Ling Chen was about to speak, but porridge girl¡¯s finger had alreadynded on his lips. Without letting him say anything more, a warm body leaned against him, her impressive bosom pressing tightly against his chest, soft and silky.


    Porridge girl¡¯s face blushed, biting her thin lips, her arms soft as tender lotus roots wrapped lightly around Ling Chen, burying her cheeks in his chest, her eyes brimming with shyness.


    "Why?" Ling Chen swallowed, struggling against the temptation, but his body involuntarily reacted instinctively.


    Porridge girl¡¯s eyebrows lowered, a blush rising on her fair and beautiful face, enchanting and moving, a faint blush spreading over her soft body.


    Watching Ling Chen whose eyes were covered by a cloth strip, porridge girl leaned into his ear and whispered softly, "Don¡¯t ask anymore, you¡¯ll know one day."


    Apanied by a faint moan, their bodies intertwined closely, filled with the aura of spring.


    In the fiery red silk, like the festive candles in a wedding chamber, it witnessed the union of the newlyweds.


    ...


    At this moment, within the venue, everyone was looking at the area around the ring, and the red silks crisscrossed overhead, buzzing with discussions. No one knew exactly what had happened, only seeing members of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion under Zhou Qi¡¯s direction, encircling the ring tightly, preventing anyone from approaching.


    Meanwhile, in an inconspicuous corner of the venue, a masked woman lifted her head and gazed at the gently swaying red silk above, her beautiful eyes unwillingly shimmering with shyness and a hint of hidden bitterness.


    In the blink of an eye.


    A quarter of an hour had passed.


    Everyone was waiting patiently.


    Suddenly, the delicate woman who had appeared next to Zhou Qi reappeared. After a brief conversation, Zhou Qi waved his hand andmanded, "Take down the red silks."


    At themand, the members of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion promptly pulled down the red silks surrounding the ring. Soon, Han Yu and Ling Chen, who had been on the ring the whole time, reappeared before everyone¡¯s eyes.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, there was a little ident just now which the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has resolved. Now, thepetition will continue."


    As Zhou Qi¡¯s voice fell, everyone¡¯s attention refocused onto Han Yu and Ling Chen. Regardless of the incident just now, what people cared about most was the result of thispetition.


    Han Yu held the Longquan Sword in one hand, his cold gaze fixed on Ling Chen across from him, a faint cold smile hooking at the corner of his mouth: "You should be content for having lived this long."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen nced up at Han Yu, remaining silent, his sharply contoured face showing no signs of emotional fluctuation, like a pool of dead water, filled with a deathly stillness.


    Switching his gaze, Ling Chen looked around, his obsidian-bright pupils shining withplex lights.


    She¡¯s gone!


    Porridge girl had left quietly without a word, which made him feel somewhat forlorn.


    Here and now, it felt like everything that had just urred was like a dream, wonderful, yet not real, his thoughts still immersed in that dream.


    "Be careful!"


    Suddenly, a shout from the stands startled Ling Chen awake. Looking up, he saw Han Yu, holding the Longquan Sword, charging towards him rapidly, closing in within two meters in the blink of an eye.


    Seeing the sharp tip of the sword approaching, Ling Chen lightly tapped his toes, swiftly retreating a few steps backward. Following that, he raised his right hand, drew a bow and aimed an arrow straight at the oing Han Yu.


    Hmph!


    Han Yu sneered, looking disdainfully at the longbow in Ling Chen¡¯s hands, showing no signs of retreat; instead, he quickened his pace.


    Three meters... two meters... As Han Yu kept closing in, Ling Chen still stood tall, maintaining his bow-drawing posture, unflinchingly staring at Han Yu.


    As Han Yu stepped within two meters of Ling Chen, the Longquan Sword he held aloft, plus the length of his arm, put the sword tip less than half a meter from Ling Chen¡¯s face.


    What is he doing?


    Seeing this scene, everyone present was stunned. In such a perilous situation, a matter of life and death was about to be decided, and yet Ling Chen still held his bow and arrow without any intention of dodging.


    Just as everyone was dumbfounded, Ling Chen¡¯s fingers suddenly released.


    Whoosh!


    The long-awaited arrow finally shot out.


    ng!


    Apanied by a crisp sound, the sharp arrow directly hit the tip of the Longquan Sword.


    At that moment, Han Yu, who held the Longquan Sword, had a change in expression. Looking at the slightly trembling de, his face showed a hint of shock.


    What surprised him was not Ling Chen¡¯s uracy, but the Inner Strength contained in the arrow. That force actually traveled through the de and transmitted to his palm, numbing it.


    Impossible!


    Han Yu couldn¡¯t believe it. He thought he had fully assessed Ling Chen¡¯s abilities; with injuries, it was impossible for Ling Chen to exert such powerful strength.


    While in shock, Ling Chen suddenly leaped up from the ground, swiftly closed the distance, and his steel fist thunderously shot out, bringing a roaring wind.


    Seeing the fist closing in, Han Yu immediately gathered his focus, staring intently at the fist, and took a small step back with both feet. Considering the distance between him and Ling Chen, this step would be enough to make Ling Chen¡¯s steel fist miss.


    Indeed!


    Ling Chen¡¯s steel fist stopped less than two inches away from Han Yu.


    "It¡¯s my turn now."


    Han Yu curled the corners of his mouth, and with a light flick of his wrist, the Longquan Sword swiftly sliced towards Ling Chen¡¯s arm.


    However, just then, a strong force suddenly burst out from Ling Chen¡¯s fist. It traveled through the air and fiercely struck Han Yu.


    Caught off guard, Han Yu¡¯s body jerked backward and he instantly flew out,nding awkwardly on the tform.


    Such an unexpected turn of events stunned everyone.


    Is this... the external release of Inner Strength?


    How is that possible!


    Just a moment ago under Han Yu¡¯s attack, Ling Chen seemed powerless and was covered in wounds. But in such a short time, Ling Chen¡¯s strength had erupted to this level, almost reaching the realm of externalizing Inner Strength.


    Could it be... like Han Yu, Ling Chen had been hiding his true strength all along?


    At this moment, the most emotionally fluctuating ones must be Qiu Yong and the others. Seeing Ling Chen suddenly grow stronger, everyone was both shocked and thrilled. Regardless of what changes had urred in Ling Chen, at least they saw a glimmer of hope.


    "How... How did you do this?" Han Yu incredulously looked at Ling Chen, his eyes flickering uncertainly.

 Chapter 473 - 469: The Number One Rookie

    <h4>Chapter 473: Chapter 469: The Number One Rookie</h4><h4></h4>


    "Wanna know? Beg me."


    Upon hearing Ling Chen¡¯s teasing words, Han Yu¡¯s expression suddenly turned cold.


    He dared to propose a deathmatch to Ling Chen because he was confident in his own strength. With his hidden prowess, he could easily annihte Ling Chen. But now, the situation was wildly beyond his expectations.


    Ling Chen¡¯s martial arts realm had actually reached the level of projecting inner strength externally, which dealt a great blow to his confidence.


    Who would have thought that this guy was concealing even more deeply than himself? From a sure win to a fifty-fifty situation, how could he not be worried?


    During his contemtion, watching Ling Chen approach step by step, Han Yu¡¯s eyes shed fiercely, his expression as somber as water.


    "Come on, continue."


    Ling Chen hooked his finger, gesturing Han Yu to make a move.


    "Don¡¯t be arrogant in front of me, you¡¯re not worthy." As the words fell, Han Yu let out a thunderous shout, pushed off the ground suddenly with both feet, and leaped up high like a great roc spreading its wings, rushing towards Ling Chen at breakneck speed.


    Seeing the Longquan Sword stabbing down from above, Ling Chen lightly moved his feet, shifting positions while dodging the long sword¡¯s attacks.


    After several strikes missed, Han Yu¡¯s face grew uglier and uglier. Without waiting for Ling Chen to counterattack, he advanced with his sword again, pressing step by step, not giving Ling Chen a chance to fight back.


    Seeing Ling Chen continuously retreating under Han Yu¡¯s onught, the crowd couldn¡¯t help but worry.


    Although Ling Chen¡¯s sudden burst of strength was eye-catching, he was at a disadvantage in terms of weaponry. And his arrows were all used up; he only had a longbow in hand, which was of no use. If he couldn¡¯t solve this problem, the risk Ling Chen was facing would undoubtedly be far greater.


    Just then, a scene that yed out on the stage made everyone stand up in unison, their faces showing disbelief and shock as they looked at Ling Chen.


    Under Han Yu¡¯s frenzied offensive, the originally disadvantaged Ling Chen suddenly seized the opportunity and used the bowstring of the longbow to entangle the de of the Longquan Sword.


    The Longquan Sword was sharp indeed, but the longbow in Ling Chen¡¯s hands was personally forged by the master artisan Guo Liang, even a simple bowstring was tempered through a thousand hammerings.


    "Release!"


    Ling Chen softly shouted and pulled hard on the longbow, forcibly yanking the Longquan Sword from Han Yu¡¯s hands.


    With the long sword snatched away, Han Yu¡¯s face instantly turned pale as he hurriedly closed in, trying to take back the Longquan Sword. However, Ling Chen, having finally seized the sword, was not about to give him the chance.


    Not allowing Han Yu toe close, Ling Chen twisted on the ball of his foot, unleashing a sweeping leg kick that forced Han Yu back several steps.


    It¡¯s over!


    Everyone gloated over Han Yu¡¯s predicament.


    Without the Longquan Sword, Han Yu¡¯s advantage had vanished. Everyone knew that Han Yu¡¯s greatest strengthy in his swordsmanship, not hand-to-handbat. On the other hand, Ling Chen, especially in the previous fights, such as the deathmatch with Yi Shuiyan, demonstrated his brutal and ruthless hand-to-hand skills, filled with malice and murderous intent.


    If it came down to just hand-to-handbat, Han Yu would likely be no match for Ling Chen.


    As everyone anticipated the turning of the tables, Ling Chen, with one hand holding the bow and the other wielding the Longquan Sword, looked at Han Yu with a calm gaze.


    "Come again!"


    Faced with Ling Chen¡¯s provocation, Han Yu stood at the edge of the stage with a darkened face, hesitating and lingering, not daring to make a move.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen took a big step forward and actively walked towards Han Yu.


    Seeing Ling Chen closing in step by step, Han Yu finally lost hisposure, retreating continuously around the edge of the tform.


    Suddenly, Han Yu clenched his teeth, turned around violently, and leaped off the tform, sprinting away from the event.


    "I concede defeat in today¡¯s battle. Ling Chen, mountains remain unchanged, rivers flow forever, remember this!"


    As Han Yu¡¯s words echoed throughout the venue, everyone present was stunned. They had not expected Han Yu to act so shamelessly, not only giving up the duel but also fleeing directly.


    Watching Han Yu¡¯s retreating figure, Ling Chen silently ced the Longquan Sword on his bow, drawing the bow fully.


    Whoosh!


    Apanied by a whooshing sound, the Longquan Sword shot out instantly.


    "Young Master, be careful!"


    The Han Family members who came with Han Yu saw Ling Chen¡¯s sudden move, their faces changed dramatically, and they quickly cried out in warning.


    By this time, Han Yu had no idea what was happening behind him. Hearing the voice of his family from the back, he instinctively turned around, only to see a sh of sword light.


    Before he could react, the sword light pierced directly through his chest, impaling his body.


    Looking at the Longquan Sword in his chest, Han Yu¡¯s face gradually turned pale. He lifted his head, looking nkly towards Ling Chen on the tform, his mouth twitching slightly as if he wanted to say something. However, before he could speak, his body fell straight down, eyes wide open, motionless on the ground.


    Dead?


    For a moment, the venue was dead silent. Although no one had much affection for Han Yu, the shock was undeniable when they saw him killed by Ling Chen.


    There had never been a death in the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony before, but this session had undoubtedly broken precedent.


    "Ling Chen, how dare you kill our young master, I¡¯ll fight you to the death."


    Several Han Family members in the seating area red at Ling Chen, with hatred in their eyes, they rushed to the tform, determined to kill Ling Chen to avenge their young master.


    "Stop!" At this moment, Zhou Qi¡¯s cold voicemanded, "Han Yu¡¯s death was his own doing. Agreeing to a fight to the death, you should have anticipated this oue. Anyone who dares to disrupt the rules and seek private revenge against Ling Chen, don¡¯t me Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion for being merciless."


    With these words, the faces of the Han Family turned very ugly.


    Zhou Qi¡¯s intent was clear; they could not seek revenge against Ling Chen now or even after the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony ended. Otherwise, it would be opposing the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    They were well aware that Zhou Qi¡¯s sudden show of force had a lot to do with Han Yu¡¯s death. Had Han Yu lived, his future in martial arts would have been boundless, and the talent-valuing Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion would naturally have granted certain concessions. Now with Han Yu dead, there was no need for the pavilion to give any face to the Han Family.


    "Get down!"


    Hearing Zhou Qi¡¯s scolding, the Han Family members looked poisonously at Ling Chen, wishing they could y him on the spot. However, facing the intimidation from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, the Han Family ultimately did not dare to act, sadly descending from the tform and removing Han Yu¡¯s body from the venue.


    After they left, Zhou Qi stepped onto the tform, looked around at the audience, and announced aloud, "I dere that Ling Chen is the victor of this battle; he will face Song Ge in the final duel..."


    "Elder Zhou."


    Song Ge rose from his seat, smiling as he said, "As everyone has seen the duel just now, I think there¡¯s no need to continue."


    Zhou Qi, with a surprised look, asked, "You¡¯re giving up?"


    "Indeed," Song Ge nodded, "First ce, Ling Chen truly deserves it."

 Chapter 474 - 470: Mr. Yun Crashes the Conference (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 474: Chapter 470: Mr. Yun Crashes the Conference (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Alright then." Zhou Qi hesitated for a moment and said, "Since this is your decision, I respect your choice." As he finished speaking, Zhou Qi turned to look at Ling Chen and smiled, "Mr. Ling, congrattions on winning the championship of the rookiepetition in this Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony."


    Ling Chen smiled lightly, gratefully ncing at Song Ge. He was indeed surprised by Song Ge¡¯s voluntary forfeiture.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, the top three neers have been determined. First ce, Ling Chen. Second ce, Song Ge. Given Han Yu¡¯s death, this rookiepetition will only have the top two. ording to the rules of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, and the agreement between Ling Chen and Han Yu, the rewards for both the first and third ce will go to Ling Chen."


    Hearing this, everyone envied Ling Chen. One man receiving two generous awards was unprecedented.


    "Ling Chen."


    At this moment, Hu Fei, sitting next to Qiu Yong, waved at Ling Chen on the stage, a look of urgency on his face.


    "Elder Zhou, I¡¯ll be right back." After saying that, Ling Chen quickly returned to his seat and asked Hu Fei, "Fatty, what¡¯s wrong?"


    "There¡¯s been an incident."


    Hu Fei fiddled with theptop on hisp, whispering, "Remember I told you the other day that someone hacked into the ship¡¯sputer system? Just now, that person logged into the system again and shut down the ship¡¯s signal jamming device."


    "Did you find the person¡¯s location?"


    "Wait!" Hu Fei rapidly typed on the keyboard, bringing up a series of codes. After a moment, Hu Fei, who was intently staring at theputer screen, suddenly changed his expression, rubbing his eyes as if he doubted what he saw.


    Unable to restrain his impatience, Ling Chen urged, "Did you find it?"


    "Found it." Hu Fei nodded, but his tone was somewhat odd.


    "Where?"


    "The cockpit."


    "What?" Ling Chen was taken aback. The cockpit was staffed by personnel hired by Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion; an outsider would certainly be detected unless... Realizing the potential situation, Ling Chen felt uneasy.


    "Fatty, you and Zhou Jun hurry to the cockpit and check it out."


    "Okay." Hu Fei and Zhou Jun responded in agreement.


    However, just as they were about to get up and leave, a well-dressed, refined middle-aged man suddenly appeared outside the venue, followed by more than thirty people.


    Seeing the middle-aged man leading the group, Ling Chen¡¯s pupils constricted, his face showing a hint of shock.


    It was him.


    Mr. Yun!


    How could he appear here? Could it be... Recalling Hu Fei¡¯s words, Ling Chen¡¯splexion turned. Could it be that the cockpit was already under the control of Mr. Yun¡¯s men?


    At this moment, Mr. Yun, strolling leisurely, walked into the venue surrounded by his subordinates. Facing the gaze of everyone present, Mr. Yun said with a mild smile, "What a lively event. I heard that the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony is a grand gathering in the Martial Arts of Huaxia, and indeed its reputation is well-deserved."


    Zhou Qi frowned at Mr. Yun and his followers, and said sternly, "Who are you?"


    "People call me Mr. Yun, and you may do the same."


    "Mr. Yun? Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion did not invite someone like you. How did you get on board?"


    "I have my ways." As he finished speaking, Mr. Yun nced over everyone present, his gaze finally settling on Ling Chen, his smile neither warm nor genuine, "Ling Chen, we meet again."


    Upon hearing this, everyone turned their eyes towards Ling Chen, not expecting them to know each other.


    Zhou Qi asked, "Ling Chen, do you know who he is?"


    "He is from the God Organization."


    God Organization!


    Zhou Qi¡¯s expression shifted, his aged eyes suddenly shing with sharpness and vignce as he looked at Mr. Yun.


    "Our Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has always kept to itself, separate from the God Organization. What are you up to?"


    "Nothing much, I just want to make a deal with Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and with everyone present."


    "Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion rejected your proposal many years ago, we have no interest in cooperating with you. Please take your people and leave immediately. Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion does not wee uninvited guests."


    Mr. Yun said with a smirk, "What if I don¡¯t leave?"


    "Then don¡¯t me me for being impolite. Guards!"


    At themand, Zhong Yang immediately arrived with more than a dozen members of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    Seeing the other party ready to take action, Mr. Yun¡¯s subordinates immediately raised their weapons, aiming at the foreheads of Zhong Yang and his men. Zhong Yang instinctively stopped in his tracks, not daring to move forward.


    They were unarmed, how could they confront these people with force? Even with skill in martial arts, they dared not to act recklessly.


    Mr. Yunughed triumphantly, "Gentlemen, I advise you not to act recklessly, otherwise my little devices don¡¯t have eyes. If someone gets hurtter, don¡¯t me me for not warning you."


    Zhou Qi spoke coldly, "Are you bullying us because you think Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has no one capable?"


    "No, no!" Mr. Yun shook his head, "I absolutely do not mean that. On the contrary, I know the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is full of talented people. If it wasn¡¯t for this reason, I wouldn¡¯t have put so much effort intoing here to see all of you." He paused, then continued, "I admit, the virus incident a while ago was caused by me, but I had no intention of harming anyone. Even if Ling Chen hadn¡¯t found a solution, I would not have let you die."


    "What exactly do you want?"


    "It¡¯s simple, I want to cooperate. Additionally, let me make it clear that you would be working with me, not with the God Organization."


    Zhou Qi, frowning, said, "I don¡¯t see much difference between the two."


    "Of course, there¡¯s a difference, but you don¡¯t need to know right now." As he spoke, Mr. Yun looked at everyone present, his lips curling into a slight smile, "I know you are all unhappy with my previous actions, but no worries, I believe you will agree to my proposal."


    "Mr. Yun, do you think you can threaten us with these people?" Ling Chen spoke up.


    "No, I am well aware of everyone¡¯s abilities; these people are only here to ensure my safety, not to target you. However, let me be frank with you all, I have installed six bombs on this ship. If I detonate them, no matter how skilled you are, you won¡¯t be able to escape. So, I hope you consider carefully whether you want to live or be buried at sea. The choice is yours."


    The crowd was taken aback by these words, and the calm on their faces vanished in an instant.


    "Ling Chen."


    Hu Fei said quietly, "I just checked, and there are six unknown signals under the ship, which must be the bombs he mentioned."


    "Is there a way to disarm them?"


    "Those bombs are controlled by signals. They hacked into the ship¡¯s system to shut down the signal jamming device, to avoid interfering with the explosives¡¯ signals."

 Chapter 475 - 471 Mr. Yun Crashes the Conference (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 475: Chapter 471 Mr. Yun Crashes the Conference (Part 2)</h4><subtxt> "Fatty, is there a way to continue blocking the bomb signal?"


    "It¡¯s possible, but only if I can take control of the system on the ship to reactivate the signal blocking device," said Hu Fei, staring intently at hisptop screen with a troubled look. "However, they have already taken control of the system, and taking it back from them might take some time."


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "Go ahead and do it, and I¡¯ll try to buy you some time."


    In the midst of speaking, Zhou Qi¡¯s voice came from the stage, asking in a deep tone, "What kind of cooperation do you have in mind?"


    Mr. Yun replied with a faint smile, "I hope you can help me with a few matters. Once everything is settled, I will certainly not let you down. Whether you desire fame or profit, I¡¯ll do my utmost to satisfy all of you. How about that?"


    "Not interested."


    The voice emerged, and Mr. Yun turned to look at Ling Chen in the audience seating, saying with a mocking smile, "Ling Chen, I¡¯m afraid you don¡¯t have the luxury to refuse right now, unless you want to die here."


    "Mr. Yun, have you ever considered your daughter in your actions? If she learns what you¡¯ve done, her character suggests she will nevere to terms with it."


    Shaking his head, Mr. Yun retorted, "You don¡¯t need to pressure me with her, as I have never regretted choosing this path. Plus, I don¡¯t care whether she understands me or not." Turning to face Zhou Qi, Mr. Yun continued, "I¡¯ll give you three minutes to think. If you can¡¯t give me a satisfactory answer, don¡¯t me me for being ruthless."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen frowned silently, his gaze sweeping across the fully armed team members, pondering his options.


    Over thirty people, each armed with guns. Their positioning showed they were experiencedbatants, keeping Mr. Yun protected in the center, watching everyone on the stage. Any sudden movements would be immediately noticed.


    Capturing them all in a short span of time was a daunting task. Moreover, even if they subdued Mr. Yun, it would do nothing to resolve the current crisis. As long as the bomb remained active, their lives were in constant danger.


    Mr. Yun had likelye to terms with life and death by showing up in person.


    To fail was to perish.


    "Fatty, how¡¯s it going?" After much deliberation, Ling Chen could only ce his hope in Hu Fei. If the signal-blocking device could be reactivated, other concerns wouldn¡¯t matter as much.


    Hu Fei wiped the sweat from his forehead, his fingers flying across the keyboard. Suddenly, his expression changed, and he cursed, "Damn it."


    "I¡¯ve been discovered."


    "What?"


    "They¡¯ve found out that I¡¯m trying to take control of the system, and they¡¯ve taken the entire ship¡¯s system offline. I can¡¯t even log in now."


    "What should we do?"


    Hu Fei gave a wry smile and said, "No choice, unless we can get into the cockpit and reboot the system."


    After a moment of thought, Ling Chen turned to Zhou Jun and asked, "Are there any other exits in this hall?"


    "Yes," Zhou Jun replied, pointing towards the back. "That door there leads to the serving room. There¡¯s a freight elevator in the serving room that goes straight to the cargo hold."


    "I¡¯ll find a way to distract those men. You hurry to the cockpit," said Ling Chen, still somewhat uneasy. After all, the cockpit was under the control of Mr. Yun¡¯s men, who likely had heavy firepower. Zhou Jun and Hu Fei alone might not stand a chance. Thinking it over, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but turn his gaze towards Song Ge.


    Understanding his intention without a word, Song Ge nodded and said, "I¡¯ll go with them."


    "Be careful," Ling Chen responded.


    Then, Ling Chen stood up, flipped over the seating area, and headed straight towards Mr. Yun.


    "Stop!"


    Seeing Ling Chen approach, a fewbatants looked at him warily, aiming their guns at his forehead as they shouted sharply.


    Facing the dark muzzles, Ling Chen remained fearless and continued towards Mr. Yun.


    Bang!


    A crisp gunshot rang out, and a spark flew up right beside Ling Chen¡¯s foot.


    "If you dare to take one more step forward, the next bullet won¡¯t miss," the other party dered coldly.


    Ling Chen pointed to his forehead with a challenging expression and said, "If you dare, shoot here."


    "Enough!" Mr. Yun waved his hand to signal his men to hold their fire. He then looked at Ling Chen and said, "I don¡¯t want to hurt you, but don¡¯t push your luck. To me, your worth lies only in ensuring my daughter¡¯s safety. And you¡¯re not my only option. If you die, I will find someone else to protect my daughter, so you¡¯d better behave."


    "You keep mentioning your daughter. Have you ever thought about what will happen to her if your identity is exposed? Given your status, you must have a lot of enemies. And if she finds out what you¡¯ve been up to, she¡¯ll likely never forgive you. Also, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t care¡ªif you truly didn¡¯t, you wouldn¡¯t be going to great lengths to ensure her safety. You gave us three minutes to think, and now I will give you three minutes to consider your options. Either leave with your men, and I¡¯ll act as if nothing happened. Otherwise, if I leave here alive, I will surely tell her everything."


    Mr. Yun¡¯s face became stern as he said, "Are you threatening me?"


    "You can take it that way."


    "Fine," Mr. Yun replied, his tone icing over. "In that case, don¡¯t me me for not beingpassionate. Kill him!"


    At hismand, a team member quickly aimed at Ling Chen¡¯s forehead, his finger lightly squeezing the trigger.


    "Hey!"


    However, at that moment, anguid voice suddenly came from the satellite phone in Ling Chen¡¯s hand behind his back.


    Hearing that familiar voice, Mr. Yun¡¯s expression shifted, and he quickly pressed down the muzzle of the gun.


    Ling Chen grinned and brought the satellite phone in front of him, speaking casually, "Wanqing, do you know who I¡¯m with right now?"


    "Who?"


    "Mr. Yun. I just found out. Mr. Yun has another identity. Do you want to know what it is?"


    "What identity?"


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s voice came from the satellite phone, causing Mr. Yun¡¯splexion to turn sour as he coldly ordered, "Take his phone away."


    On hismand, twobatants rushed towards Ling Chen, reaching to snatch the satellite phone from his hand.


    Seeing their actions, a sharp gleam shed in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, apanied by a chilly coldness.


    "Wanqing, I have something to do, I¡¯ll talk to youter."


    The moment the call ended, Ling Chen tossed the satellite phone straight at the face of one of the men. Then, without waiting for them to react, he quickly struck out with his fists,nding heavy, solid punches on both men.</subtxt>

 Chapter 476 - 472: Zhu Hong Reappears

    <h4>Chapter 476: Chapter 472: Zhu Hong Reappears</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen, now sessfully promoted to the Dragon List, is unmatched in closebat. Even more than thirty people together are not his opponent, let alone two. Those two didn¡¯t even have the chance to shoot before Ling Chen easily subdued them. Moreover, all of this happened in the blink of an eye, not giving them a chance to react.


    "Stop!"


    When the crowd turned around and saw theirpanions subdued by Ling Chen, severalbat team members immediately rushed forward with their guns and shouted coldly: "Let them go now."


    If Ling Chen hadn¡¯t been blocked by hispanions, they would have shot without hesitation.


    "Rx, I won¡¯t harm them, but..." At this point, Ling Chen¡¯s lips curled into an intriguing smile.


    ng!


    A crisp sound came from the ground. Thebat team members looked down and saw a grenade rolling from Ling Chen¡¯s feet.


    "Get down!"


    The pupils of the men sharply contracted as they yelled and threw themselves to the ground.


    Boom!


    The floor immediately exploded, creating arge hole, with mes sttering everywhere, sending numerous wooden splinters flying. Fortunately, the explosion was more than ten meters away from the stands, so the st wave did not harm the spectators.


    Right at the moment of the explosion, Mr. Yun was quickly covered by his subordinates, thus avoiding any injuries. However, those closer to the explosion weren¡¯t so lucky; they were left wounded and disheveled by the wooden splinters.


    Before the crowd could recover from the st, two smoke grenades were tossed in, falling from the sky into the crowd. In an instant, thick white smoke enveloped everyone.


    In the midst of the dense smoke, Zhang Zhongfeng stood up from his seat, holding his longbow horizontally, his eyes half-closed. Meanwhile, Yang Chen pricked up his ears, listening attentively to the sounds in the smoke before rying the position to Zhang Zhongfeng.


    As the smoke gradually dissipated, three members of thebat squad raised their heads and hurriedly helped Mr. Yun to his feet.


    "Boss, are you alright?"


    Mr. Yun frowned, shook his head, and scanned the surroundings. When he saw over twenty dead bodies before him, his facial expression changed drastically.


    So many subordinates killed silently. Moreover, most of them had arrows stuck in their bodies.


    "Mr. Yun, your people are almost gone, aren¡¯t you going to surrender?" Zhou Qi asked coldly.


    At this, Mr. Yun suddenly smiled, pping his hands in appreciation: "Not bad, truly formidable. My choice was not wrong. If you join me, I can indeed be much stronger."


    Zhou Qi snorted lightly: "I advise you to stop dreaming. No one here will submit to you."


    Mr. Yun calmly said, "I dared toe here today already prepared to face life or death. If I can¡¯t seed, I¡¯m ready to die together. Having you as my funeralpanions would make my death worthwhile." After saying this, he nced at his watch, "You have one minute left to make a decision."


    While they were talking, Ling Chen scanned the seats and noticed that Song Ge, Zhou Jun, and Hu Fei had already disappeared.


    One minute, hoping they could make it in time.


    Meanwhile, the trio of Song Ge was in the cargo elevator heading to the cargo hold.


    With Zhou Jun who knew the area leading, they saved a lot of time and quickly headed for the cockpit.


    On the deck, as they ran, the three suddenly heard a buzzing sound from mid-air. Zhou Jun looked up and saw a helicopter flying towards them. Beneath the helicopter, somethingrge, about two meters tall and shining with metallic luster, was dangling from a rope.


    "What is that?" Zhou Jun murmured to himself.


    Song Ge nced and said in a serious tone, "Never mind that, we have more important things to do. I¡¯ll take care of those in the cockpit first, you guys hurry over." Saying this, Song Ge lightly tapped his toes and swiftly climbed up the side of the ship.


    In the venue, Ling Chen looked directly at Mr. Yun, surrounded by the members of thebat team, and asked, "You said earlier that this cooperation represents you personally, not the God Organization. What does that mean?"


    "Don¡¯t you think you ask too many questions?"


    Ling Chen shrugged and said, "Since we¡¯re all going to die, you might as well satisfy my curiosity before I die."


    Mr. Yun responded indifferently, "You don¡¯t need to know that."


    During their conversation, a person suddenly appeared at the entrance of the venue. To be precise, it was a person d in armor. The body, limbs, and head were all covered by armor tes, obscuring any real features, resembling a humanoid machine, stepping into the venue one stride at a time.


    As the humanoid machine entered the venue, everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to it.


    "Is this a new type of weapon developed by your God Organization?" Ling Chen asked, frowning.


    "No, he became like this, thanks to you."


    "He?" Ling Chen¡¯s mind stirred, thoughtfully looking at the humanoid machine, pausing after each word: "The ¡¯he¡¯ you mentioned, could it be..."


    "Ling Chen, we meet again."


    Before Ling Chen could finish speaking, a hoarse voice suddenly emanated from the humanoid machine. Even though the voice had changed significantly, Ling Chen felt a sense of familiarity.


    Thinking of the owner of the voice, Ling Chen¡¯s face slightly shifted, his tone filled with disbelief.


    "It¡¯s you? Zhu Hong!"


    How is this possible!


    Back then on that ind, the entire ind was obliterated by the explosion. Under such circumstances, the chances of escaping were almost nil, yet Zhu Hong had survived.


    He had assumed Zhu Hong was dead all this time. For this, he had always felt guilty every time he saw Zhu Xiaozhu, unsure how to face her.


    After a brief moment of stupefaction, Ling Chenposed himself and looked at the humanoid machine, saying, "Since you¡¯re alive, why not show your true face? Hiding in that armor, are you ashamed to be seen?"


    "You¡¯re right, he indeed has no face to show now," Mr. Yun added. "When I found him, his body was severely burned and badly damaged. Not only was his appearance ruined, but he also lost the ability to walk, so I had a special suit of armor made for him that he could survive with the help of the Life Support System inside."


    "Living like this, if it were me, I¡¯d rather die."


    "You¡¯re right," Zhu Hong said coldly. "I thought about dying, but until I¡¯ve exacted my revenge, no matter the cost, I will keep living."


    "Revenge?" Ling Chen narrowed his eyes and nodded lightly: "Alright, since you want revenge on me, I¡¯m ready to confront it to the end."

 Chapter 477 - 473 Zhou Qi’s Strength

    <h4>Chapter 477: Chapter 473 Zhou Qi¡¯s Strength</h4><h4></h4>


    "Revenge is only a matter of time, but I don¡¯t want you to die yet, that would be too easy for you. I want you to watch firsthand as your friends die one by one in front of you, to taste the pain and torment that I¡¯ve endured," Zhu Hong said through gritted teeth, his tone filled with immense hatred.


    Ling Chen furrowed his brows and said in a deep voice, "You¡¯re forcing me to kill you."


    Zhu Hong smirked coldly, "Do you think you have the ability to kill me now?"


    "Let¡¯s find out." As soon as he finished speaking, Ling Chen lightly tapped with the tip of his foot and charged straight towards Zhu Hong. When he got close, his fist tightened, Inner Strength converged, and he fiercelyunched a punch, hitting the armored surface.


    However, under Ling Chen¡¯s full-force blow, the thick armor surface only dented slightly and did not cause serious damage. This oue immediately surprised Ling Chen, thinking about how hard the armor was. He had originally thought it was just ayer of iron sheet, not expecting it to be this terrifyingly hard.


    Watching Ling Chen¡¯s astonished face, Zhu Hongughed triumphantly, "This armor is made from tank armor, did you really think your fists could break through its defense? Hah! Wishful thinking. And thanks to that exoskeleton armor, this armor is the ultimate weapon created based on it."


    ng!


    Right after Zhu Hong finished speaking, a sharp arrow suddenly flew from mid-air, striking the armor, prating three inches deep, and directly tearing through the armor¡¯s defense.


    Seeing this scene, the crowd couldn¡¯t help but exim and turned their gazes towards Zhang Zhongfeng.


    The fact that an arrow could prate the armor was truly unbelievable; the force needed to do so must have been immense.


    "It seems that your armor isn¡¯t much after all," Ling Chen said mockingly.


    Zhu Hong, frustrated and agitated, said, "Fine, I want to see how capable you all really are." After speaking, a gun barrel suddenly extended from the side of his mechanical arm and aimed at the eight entrics in the seating area.


    As the gun barrel slowly turned, a string of fire snakes instantly spat out, and bullets crazily shot towards the seating area.


    In the blink of an eye, the front rows of seats were filled with numerous dense bullet holes. Thankfully, just before Zhu Hong opened fire, Qiu Yong and the others had already dodged to the sides, crawling on the ground, avoiding being hit by bullets. However, although they narrowly escaped, the people sitting in the back rows were not so lucky; their bodies were instantly prated by bullets, blood flowing freely.


    "Stop!"


    Hearing Mr. Yun¡¯s voice, Zhu Hong stopped firing and sneered, "Who else wants to try?"


    "Very well!" Zhou Qi stared coldly at Mr. Yun, holding back his anger, "Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion originally did not want to engage in a conflict with you, but since you hold no regard for Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and dare to act recklessly on our territory, don¡¯t me us for being impolite."


    As soon as he finished speaking, without waiting for Mr. Yun to respond, Zhou Qi suddenly shed, disappearing from his spot. By the time everyone realized what happened, they heard a loud ¡¯bang¡¯ near their ears.


    Immediately after, the humanoid armor Zhu Hong wore suddenly flew up, crashing heavily to the ground with a loud ng of metal.


    This sudden change immediately covered Ling Chen¡¯s face with shock. He had been standing right next to Zhu Hong, so he felt it most vividly. By his estimation, the armor on Zhu Hong weighed at least a thousand pounds, but in the light attack by Zhou Qi, it was directly blown away; such strength was certainly not something a Dragon List expert possessed.


    Could it be... Thinking of his spection, Ling Chen looked at Zhou Qi with a trace of awe in his eyes.


    Earthly List expert!


    The Zhou Qi in front of him was definitely an Earthly List expert.


    It makes sense, seeing as the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony is such an important event, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion would surely arrange for someone capable of keeping the peace to preside over it. No wonder that reckless Zhou Jun could act without a care, having a grandfather who is an Earthly List expert backing him, who would dare not show him some respect.


    Watching Zhu Hong climbing up from the ground, Ling Chen sneered secretly. This guy was asking for trouble, of all people to provoke, he had to provoke a master from the Earthly List.


    Seeing Zhu Hong stand up again, Zhou Qi snorted coldly and walked over again.


    "Stop!" Mr. Yun¡¯s face hardened, fearing the situation would spiral out of control, he quickly shouted aloud.


    Zhou Qi looked at him expressionlessly and said word by word, "I¡¯ll tell you, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has never been afraid of threats. Anyone who dares to do this has only two ends, either death or a death without a ce to be buried. You have already vited the taboo of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. For people like you, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will neverpromise."


    Hearing this, Mr. Yun no longer had the pleasant demeanor he had earlier, and said sternly, "Do you want us to perish together, to exchange so many lives for mine?"


    "I can¡¯t decide for them; it¡¯s their business how they choose to act. Even if they are willing topromise with you, I have nothing more to say, I¡¯m just telling you the stance of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. No matter what the oue is today, you will face the furious retaliation of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    "Well said." Ling Chen pped his hands and looked at Mr. Yun, whose face was ashen, "You probably didn¡¯t expect the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion to be so tough before you came, did you? Mr. Yun, I admit you are a capable man, but your tactics do not work on everyone; the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion won¡¯t buy your act. It¡¯s still not toote to surrender, don¡¯t wait until yourst card is yed before you regret."


    "What do you mean by that?"


    Ling Chen was about to speak, but at that moment, Zhou Jun walked in from outside the venue and gave Ling Chen an ¡¯OK¡¯ sign.


    Ling Chen grinned and turned to Mr. Yun, "Your trump card is nothing more than the bombs installed under the ship. How about this, I give you a chance to detonate the bombs."


    Mr. Yun frowned and said, "Are you forcing me?"


    Ling Chen shook his head and replied, "I¡¯m not forcing you, I just want to tell you that your trump card has been invalidated. If you don¡¯t believe it, you might as well try it."


    Mr. Yun¡¯s expression changed, and he immediately pulled out a walkie-talkie from his pocket.


    "Team three, respond."


    "I hear you, but I¡¯m not your team member; they¡¯re all lying on the ground, probably can¡¯t respond to you."


    Hu Fei¡¯s mocking voice came through the walkie-talkie, making Mr. Yun¡¯s expression turn extremely ugly.


    "You guys are tough, I admit defeat this time."


    Mr. Yun took a deep breath, threw the walkie-talkie on the ground, and said indifferently, "Since I¡¯m in your hands, kill or do whatever you want with me."


    Without saying another word, Zhou Qi immediately lifted his hand ready to strike towards Mr. Yun¡¯s neck.


    "Wait!"


    Seeing Zhou Qi¡¯s action, Ling Chen quickly intervened.


    "What, do you want to do it yourself?"


    "No. Elder Zhou, his identity is not simple, and he still has great use. Better hand him over to me for disposal."


    Mr. Yun, being a high-ranking member of the God Organization, certainly knew a lot of intelligence. Moreover, more importantly, he was, after all, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s father; he couldn¡¯t just watch him die before his eyes.

 Chapter 478 - 474: The Cunning Mr. Yun

    <h4>Chapter 478: Chapter 474: The Cunning Mr. Yun</h4><h4></h4>


    "Do you intend to spare his life?"


    "Elder Zhou, rest assured, I will not let him threaten the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion again. After the ship docks, I will imprison him for life."


    Zhou Qi hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "Alright, for your sake, I¡¯ll spare his life today. Zhong Yang, take him away and confine him somewhere."


    "Yes!"


    After Zhong Yang escorted Mr. Yun away from the venue, Zhou Qi pointed to armored Zhu Hong and said, "This man must be handed over to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion for disposal."


    "No problem."


    Zhu Hong had killed a guest invited by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion; naturally, the pavilion would not let him go. Initially, I intended to deal with him personally, but now it seems there is no need. Even Zhu Hong himself probably did not expect things to turn out this way, thinking he was fully assured of his actions.


    As per tradition, it should have been a celebration after thepetition for neers. However, due to this unexpected incident, everyone lost the mood, so they quickly dispersed, leaving only a few members of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion to clean up the bodies at the scene.


    Back in his room, Yuan Yun sneered, "That Mr. Yun is really bold, daring to confront the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion directly. I really don¡¯t understand what he was thinking."


    Xia Yue chimed in, "What I find most surprising is Elder Zhou. He¡¯s actually a top expert on the Earthly List."


    While everyone was discussing vigorously, Qiu Yong saw Ling Chen sitting on the sofa, silent and deep in thought, and couldn¡¯t help asking, "Ling Cheng, what are you thinking about?"


    "Mr. Yun¡¯s actions this time were somewhat strange," Ling Chen thoughtfully said. "From his past actions, it¡¯s evident he is a cautious person and would not take risks lightly. This action doesn¡¯t seem to fit his style."


    Qiu Yong took over the conversation, saying, "Maybe he was too confident."


    "Perhaps," Ling Chen nodded, but a trace of doubt still lingered in his mind.


    Night fell.


    The night deepened, and past midnight, everyone had gone to their rooms to rest early.


    Ling Cheny on the bed, head on his arms, legs crossed, continuously swinging his toes.


    After much thought, Ling Chen felt no sleepiness at all and simply got up from the bed and walked straight out of the guest room.


    Leaving the room, Ling Chen took the elevator directly down to the cargo hold, where he saw Zhong Yang and several members of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion guarding an iron door.


    "Mr. Ling," Zhong Yang greeted with a smile and asked, "You¡¯re not sleeping thiste?"


    "I couldn¡¯t sleep, just taking a walk. Mr. Zhong, can I go in and see him?"


    "Elder Zhou instructed me that others may not, but there¡¯s no issue with you, Mr. Ling." With that, Zhong Yang signaled to his subordinates, who immediately unlocked the door.


    "Mr. Ling, if you need anything, just call me."


    "Thank you!"


    Entering the small room in the cargo hold, inside was a simple folding bed and an untouched dinner on the floor. Mr. Yun sat on the bed with his legs crossed, his eyes slightly closed, appearing as though he was dozing.


    "Looking for me sote, is there something you need?" Hearing the approaching footsteps, Mr. Yun opened his eyes and looked at Ling Chen.


    "I have some questions that keep me awake if I don¡¯t clear them up."


    "What would you like to know?"


    "Earlier today at the venue, you said the coborator this time was you, not the God Organization. Why? Since you are a senior executive of the God Organization, this operation should represent them. Could it be that you intend to go it alone, leaving the God Organization behind?"


    Mr. Yun, with a smile that was not quite a smile, said, "You¡¯re quite clever."


    "Now that we havee this far, aren¡¯t you going to say anything?"


    "Mr. Ling, do you think I lost?" Mr. Yun shook his head meaningfully, "If you think so, you are wrong. Regardless of the oue, I am the winner."


    A winner?


    Ling Chen furrowed his brow,pletely not understanding his meaning. In such a predicament, he couldn¡¯t see where Mr. Yun could possibly be winning.


    Mr. Yun seemed to perceive Ling Chen¡¯s thoughts, smiling and saying, "From your perspective, I might have lost. But from mine, I have won. Moreover, let me give you a heads-up: after the ship docks, you¡¯d better be careful and arrange for some people to meet you. Otherwise, you could be in big trouble."


    Upon hearing these words, the previously perplexed Ling Chen immediately understood.


    "You¡¯ve be a traitor."


    Mr. Yun smiled, said nothing, and simply closed his eyes, ignoring Ling Chen.


    Leaving the cargo hold, Ling Chen returned to his room alone and then picked up a satellite phone to dial a number.


    After talking with Mr. Yun for a few minutes, Ling Chen was sure of the situation. He could confirm that Mr. Yun had betrayed the God Organization. As for his reasons, only he would know.


    The God Organization must have discovered Mr. Yun¡¯s betrayal, hence forcing him to make this move.


    If the operation went smoothly and he sessfully negotiated a coboration with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, Mr. Yun could use the pavilion¡¯s power to protect himself and make the God Organization wary of him. Even if the operation failed, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about his life being threatened, as he had pre-calcted everything.


    As long as he was on this ship, given his rtionship with Nanrong Wanqing, he would definitely not stand by and watch him being killed. Moreover, Mr. Yun was aware that he would definitely hand him over to the Ghost Organization for custody. With the Ghost Organization¡¯s protection, he could also escape persecution from the God Organization. Thus, as Mr. Yun had said, no matter the oue, he was the winner.


    Having figured this out, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but admire Mr. Yun, who had calcted every move in advance, thus daring to appear without any hesitation.


    Just then, there was a sudden knock at the door.


    Ling Chen got up and opened the door, only to see Zhou Qi and Zhou Jun, the grandfather and grandson, standing outside.


    "Elder Zhou, why are you here? Pleasee in!"


    Once inside the room, Zhou Qi got straight to the point, "Ling Chen, we just received a message from someone iming to be from the God Organization."


    "What did the message say?"


    "They¡¯re demanding we immediately release Mr. Yun. Moreover, they¡¯ve sent a helicopter to pick him up."


    Trouble!


    Ling Chen silently cursed, surprised by the God Organization¡¯s swift action.


    "Elder Zhou, what are you nning to reply?"


    "I wanted to ask your opinion. After all, I¡¯ve handed him over to you, so it¡¯s your call on how to handle this."


    Ling Chen thought for a moment and said, "Elder Zhou, I definitely need to take him with me, but... I¡¯m worried about involving the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    Zhou Qi waved his hand, "You don¡¯t need to worry about us; the God Organization wouldn¡¯t dare mess with us easily. Also, their talk was negotiation, not a forceful demand to hand him over. However, we can protect you on this ship, once off the boat..."


    Before Zhou Qi could finish, Ling Chen interrupted, "Elder Zhou, once off the ship, it bes my concern."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll get back to them as soon as possible."

 Chapter 479 - 475: Reunion with Tea Girl

    <h4>Chapter 479: Chapter 475: Reunion with Tea Girl</h4><h4></h4>


    "Right!" Zhou Qi suddenly shifted the topic and said, "There¡¯s one more thing I almost forgot. Mr. Ling, you were the champion of this year¡¯s neers¡¯petition. As a reward from the ceremony, you will be a member of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. I wonder when you will have time. We can keep it simple, just go through the formalities for you and Mr. Song. Once you join the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, we all be one family. No matter what happens, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will provide you with protection, just like this time. If acting under the name of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, even the God Organization won¡¯t dare to touch you. Although the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion fears the God Organization, they also dare not lightly provoke us."


    Mr. Ling¡¯s eyes sparkled, this sounded quite good. If he had the backing of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, he could probably walk more confidently in the future, who would dare provoke him.


    "Elder Zhou, are there any other benefits to joining the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    "Benefits?" Zhou Qi said with a smile, "There are plenty of benefits. Since you were the champion of the neers, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will definitely cultivate you vigorously. Within a few years, your strength will significantly improve."


    "How will they cultivate me? Do I have to stay at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion all the time?"


    "Of course. The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion possesses the richest resources, where else could you go if not there."


    Hearing this, Mr. Ling hesitated. Being stuck in the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion all the time meant no freedom anymore. Thinking this, he asked, "Elder Zhou, after joining the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, am I not allowed to move freely?"


    "The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has its rules. Free movement is allowed, but most of the time you must stay in the Pavilion, unless your strength reaches a certain level, then you could be permitted to go out freely."


    "What level?"


    "It¡¯s best to be a master on the Earthly List. With your capabilities, as long as you cultivate diligently, you could break through your current limits and reach that rank within at most five years."


    Five years?


    Mr. Ling was startled. Spending five years in the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, given his temperament, he couldn¡¯t sit still for that long. Besides, the outside world was waiting for him; he didn¡¯t have so much time to waste in the Pavilion. In five years, by the time he became an Earthly List master, Nanrong Wanqing might have married someone else.


    "No, this won¡¯t work." Mr. Ling shook his head and said, "Elder Zhou, if that¡¯s the case, then I can¡¯t join the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Sorry, I still have many personal matters to attend to, and I probably don¡¯t have time to stay in the Pavilion."


    Zhou Jun, who was beside them, couldn¡¯t help but persuade, "Mr. Ling, this is a rare opportunity, you really shouldn¡¯t miss it. Think about it, after five years, when you be the youngest Earthly List master, how glorious that would be, right?"


    "What use is glory?" Mr. Ling said dismissively, "There are always higher skies beyond the skies, and other people beyond people. The Martial Arts world of Huaxia is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, you never know how many unknown masters are out there. Even if one¡¯s martial skills are strong, they will eventually be surpassed by others, and I don¡¯t want to be an obsessive martial artist. Besides, my personality isn¡¯t suitable. I¡¯d rather go back to my colorful world and be an ordinary person."


    "As you wish." Zhou Qi finally spoke, "This kind of thing depends on your own will; the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion won¡¯t coerce. Alright, if there¡¯s nothing else, then I¡¯ll go and respond to the people from the God Organization."


    As Zhou Qi and Zhou Jun turned to leave, Mr. Ling seemed to think of something and quickly called out to Zhou Qi.


    "Mr. Ling, is there anything else?"


    "Elder Zhou, you remember Dongfang Yu, right? Initially, your people from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion saved him from our hands, and you promised us some convenience during the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony. I won¡¯t argue about the convenience, but you from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion should at least give us a reason, not let us suffer losses without knowing."


    "Dongfang Yu... I remember now, there indeed was such a matter. Sorry, if it weren¡¯t for your reminder, I almost forgot about it. The reason the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion intervened on behalf of Dongfang Yu is that he is a master on the Earthly List. Mr. Ling, in Huaxia¡¯s Martial Arts world, let alone the Heavenly List, even Earthly List masters are quite scarce. Therefore, as long as it¡¯s not too excessive, our Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will extend some leniency and privileges to them, giving them a chance to reform. If they don¡¯t heed the advice of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and continue to act recklessly, the Pavilion won¡¯t provide any further protection."


    Mr. Ling nodded, "Since you put it that way, I won¡¯t pursue it. But if Dongfang Yues to trouble us again..."


    "You have nothing to worry about. If he dares to harm you, you won¡¯t need to lift a finger; the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will take care of it."


    "That¡¯sforting. Gentlemen, have a good journey, I won¡¯t see you out."


    The next day.


    Morning.


    When Mr. Ling got up, the port of Jinhai City was already in sight.


    Due to the event that urred yesterday, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion decided to end this voyage early, sending everyone back tond to avoid further unexpected incidents. After all, the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony was already finished, except for the final celebratory ceremony which wasn¡¯t held as usual, everything else went smoothly.


    After packing up, Mr. Ling went to Qiu Yong¡¯s room to greet him, then he headed alone to the deck.


    Standing in front of the cabin door marked with warning signs, Mr. Ling hesitated for a moment, and finally gathered the courage to push open the door.


    His main purpose here was not to meet the mysterious Tea Girl, but to inquire about the whereabouts of Porridge Girl. Since Porridge Girl left yesterday, he hadn¡¯t seen her again. Mr. Ling had searched almost the entire ship but found no trace of Porridge Girl. Thus, he pinned hisst hope here.


    That night, he had seen through the surveince video that Porridge Girl had entered and exited the room where Tea Girl resided. It was evident that the two women knew each other, and perhaps Tea Girl knew where Porridge Girl was.


    Entering the cabin, before Mr. Ling reached the door of Tea Girl¡¯s room, he saw a delicate-looking womaning towards him, blocking his way.


    Yesterday at the venue, Mr. Ling had seen this delicate-looking woman, knowing only that she was a member of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, but not her exact identity.


    "Mr. Ling, I¡¯m very sorry, but this area is not open to outsiders, please leave as soon as possible."


    "I¡¯m here to find the owner of that room. Could you please send a message for me, tell her I have something very important to discuss?"


    "Please wait a moment."


    Shortly after, the person came out of the room and said indifferently, "You may enter, but you have only five minutes."


    "Thank you!"


    Walking into the room, it was arranged just like thest time, with a curtain separating the middle. Behind the curtain, a delicate silhouette could be vaguely seen.


    "Have a seat."


    Tea Girl¡¯s pleasant voice came from behind the curtain.


    "What important matter do you have for me?"


    "You know someone called..." Mr. Ling was about to directly mention Porridge Girl, but then he thought that the name ¡¯Porridge Girl¡¯ was only his nickname for her, and Tea Girl might not know who he was talking about.


    He quickly changed his words: "The other night, a woman with a covered face came here, I need to know her whereabouts."


    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 480 - 476: A Pile of Business Cards

    <h4>Chapter 480: Chapter 476: A Pile of Business Cards</h4><h4></h4>


    "Sorry, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to disappoint you. I do indeed know that masked woman you mentioned, but before she left, she specifically instructed me not to reveal a single word if you came asking about her whereabouts. That was her request, and I must keep my promise."


    Ling Chen touched his nose and said helplessly, "Can you at least give me a hint?"


    Tea Girl replied indifferently, "That¡¯s not possible either. Apart from this question, I can consider other inquiries, so don¡¯t bother wasting your effort."


    Seeing that she refused to talk more about the porridge girl, Ling Chen had no choice but to change the topic: "Then tell me, what¡¯s her rtionship with your Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    "There¡¯s not much of a rtionship, just that her master has some connections with our Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    "Her master?" Ling Chen¡¯s interest was piqued. In all the time he had known porridge girl, she had never mentioned her master. Considering how capable she was, her master must be a remarkable person.


    "Do you know who her master is?"


    "I do, but I won¡¯t tell you. It¡¯s better for her to tell you herself."


    This woman!


    Ling Chen was speechless, always so secretive about crucial matters as if it were some big secret.


    Seeing that Ling Chen remained silent, Tea Girl seemed to read his mind and said, "Some things are destined; you can¡¯t force them. I¡¯m not telling you because it¡¯s not yet time for you to know."


    After a pause, Tea Girl continued, "I have two things here for you, consider them a reward for helping the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion through its crisis." As she spoke, a file bag slid out from under the curtain andnded on the coffee table.


    Ling Chen picked up the file bag, about to open it, but heard Tea Girl say, "Look at it after you go back."


    "Then I won¡¯t be polite, bye! Hope to see you again." After speaking, Ling Chen got up and left the room.


    Stepping out of the cabin, Ling Chen stood on the deck, gazing at the approaching port, a faint smile ying on his lips. After so many days out, he could finally return.


    "Mr. Ling."


    In contemtion, several middle-aged men walked over side by side, smiling amicably and greeting Ling Chen, who politely responded.


    "Mr. Ling, this is my business card, please visit me if you get the chance, don¡¯t forget to call me so I can show you hospitality."


    "Mr. Ling, this is my business card, please keep it."


    "And mine..."


    With such enthusiasm, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t refuse and epted all the business cards offered to him. While receiving the cards, he nced at them casually and was surprised.


    These attendees of the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony looked unremarkable, quite ordinary, but besides being skilled masters hiding their prowess, they all run their own businesses across the country, each one bearing the title of chairman.


    Wow!


    These days, even martial artists are turning into entrepreneurs.


    Perhaps because it was almost time to leave, many people specifically came over to thank Ling Chen. In less than half an hour, his pockets were stuffed with hundreds of business cards, his smile almost stiffening.


    It wasn¡¯t until the luxury cruise ship reached the port that Ling Chen was finally relieved.


    "Mr. Ling."


    At this moment, Zhou Qi and Zhou Jun appeared on the deck with Mr. Yun.


    "Elder Zhou." Ling Chen greeted.


    "I¡¯ll leave him in your care, remember to be extra careful after getting off the ship, don¡¯t let anything happen."


    Yuan Yun smiled and said, "Just rest assured, Zhou Qi, with us eight entrics here, anyone whoes looking for trouble is asking for it."


    Zhou Qi bowed with sped hands, "Gentlemen, then I won¡¯t see you off any further, have a safe journey, take care!"


    "Until next time."


    Just when Ling Chen was about to disembark, he suddenly remembered something and turned to ask Zhou Qi, "Elder Zhou, I almost forgot, wasn¡¯t there a prize for the first ce? I should be able to get something."


    Before Zhou Qi could reply, Zhou Jun couldn¡¯t help butugh, "Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t miss out on your prize. Because this ended quite abruptly, we didn¡¯t have time to prepare it; we will notify youter and take you to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion to receive your prize."


    "Really?" Ling Chen grinned and nodded, "Alright, then I¡¯ll wait for your news."


    Although he couldn¡¯t join the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, visiting it would still be an interesting experience.


    "Hey! Elder Zhou, does that mean I¡¯ll meet the Pavilion Master there?"


    "The Pavilion Master? Haven¡¯t you already met her?" After saying that, Zhou Qiughed loudly, and together with Zhou Jun, left the deck.


    I¡¯ve met the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master?


    Ling Chen was a bit confused.


    When did this happen, and how did I not know?


    Could it be... Suddenly, a thought struck Ling Chen, and his mouth gaped open in surprise.


    No way, she is the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    Damn! No wonder everything was so secretive, not willing to reveal her true identity; so that¡¯s why.


    Ling Chen sighed regretfully, realizing he should have interacted more with her had he known earlier. Ah! Such a good opportunity wasted.


    After disembarking, Ling Chen followed the footsteps of Qiu Yong and others, apanying Mr. Yun and Hu Fei to the port exit.


    At the gate, five ck Chevrolet SUVs drove up one by one and parked along the roadside. The leading Chevrolet¡¯s door opened, and a young man in a suit and sunsses jumped out.


    Seeing Ling Chen waiting at the exit, the young man¡¯s handsome face immediately brightened with a happy smile, and he shouted, "Tang Yuan."


    "Old Tang, you sure are punctual," Ling Chen greeted with a smile.


    "Got your callst night, the General immediately sent me with people toe here overnight, prepared to assist you," Tang Yuan said, then nced at Hu Fei beside him and joked with augh, "Fatty, long time no see, you¡¯ve gained more weight; be careful or no woman will fancy you."


    "Get lost, I don¡¯t care about women, as long as I have money," Hu Fei remained true to his nature.


    "Old Tang, is everything arranged on your end?"


    Speaking of business, Tang Yuan immediately stopped joking, his expression serious, "This time, I specifically transferred a squad of special forces from the military, over thirty people, all fully equipped. Additionally, I contacted the local police, and they will assist us all the way to ensure we reach the airport safely." Pointing to the five Chevrolets, Tang Yuan added, "All equipped with bulletproof ss, even rocketunchers can¡¯t prate."


    Ling Chen nodded. The more thorough the security preparations, the more reassured he felt, but still, he cautioned, "Just be careful, the people from the God Organization are not to be underestimated; they will also be fully prepared."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I know, let¡¯s get everyone on board."


    Mr. Yun was the key protection target this mission, for his safety, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan nked him on either side, riding in the same vehicle, while Qiu Yong and others took other vehicles.

 Chapter 481 - 477: Hunting the Traitor (Part One)

    <h4>Chapter 481: Chapter 477: Hunting the Traitor (Part One)</h4><h4></h4>


    At this moment, Hu Fei swung open the passenger door of the Chevrolet and plunked himself down.


    "What are you doing here?" Ling Chen looked at him with suspicion.


    Hu Fei chuckled: "I feel safer with you."


    "Get lost!" Ling Chen cursed with a smile: "You¡¯re not a woman. Why are you looking for a sense of security here? Old Tang, let¡¯s hit the road."


    Tang Yuan nodded, picked up the walkie-talkie, and began coordinating with the vehicles ahead.


    Five Chevrolet SUVs entered the road, gradually picking up speed. Through the window, Ling Chen saw that nearly every intersection they passed had police officers. The intersections would only resume normal traffic flow after their convoy had passed.


    Soon, the convoy maintained a speed of 120 miles per hour toward the airport.


    A speed of 120 miles per hour was the standard for mission execution; this way, they could immediately detect if anyone was following them.


    "Don¡¯t worry, God Organization¡¯s people won¡¯t make a move in the urban area," Mr. Yun, seated in the center, spoke up.


    Ling Chen nced at him and said indifferently, "For your life¡¯s sake, you¡¯d better pray that we reach the airport without trouble."


    "We can¡¯t hide forever. God Organization¡¯s people will find us sooner orter. It¡¯s up to you guys to handle them," Mr. Yun said, then looked up at the sunroof as if searching for something.


    Seeing his actions, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan exchanged nces and both looked up to the sky.


    "There!" Suddenly, Hu Fei sitting in the passenger seat pointed to the right side of the convoy and said, "See that? There¡¯s a drone over there."


    "Old Tang."


    Tang Yun immediately understood, handing over a pair of binocrs to Ling Chen. Ling Chen raised the binocrs to look into the distant sky. Indeed! A quadcopter drone hovered in the air, its camera aimed directly at the convoy¡¯s position, following their slow movement.


    "Old Tang, pass the word along, tell everyone to be on alert."


    "Understood."


    After putting away the binocrs, Ling Chen turned and asked, "Mr. Yun, you¡¯ve been with God Organization for so long, you must be very clear about their operations. What do you think they will do?"


    "Methods? Hmph! God Organization always resorts to any means necessary. As long as it serves their goal, they would do anything. You better just look out for yourselves."


    "Tang Yuan, three minutes before we leave the city and enter the airport expressway."


    Ling Chen nodded, his eyes shed a faint light as he looked ahead at the approaching tunnel.


    After passing through nearly a hundred-meter-long tunnel, the five Chevrolet SUVs finally entered the airport expressway at a sudden increase to 150 miles per hour.


    At this moment, through the hovering drone¡¯s camera, the live feed was transmitted into a mobilemunications vehicle.


    Watching the screens that appeared on herputer, a statuesque, seductively dressed beauty tapped lightly on the keyboard,ughing softly, "Target has entered the airport expressway, reaching the interception point in five minutes." After speaking, the long-legged beautyzily stretched and with a flirtatious look turned to the silent man behind her, her voice dripping with charm, "Captain, can I take a few days off after this mission?"


    "Let¡¯s talk after the mission," the man stared unwaveringly at the screen and suddenly ordered: "Rewind the footage to twenty seconds ago."


    "Captain, is there a problem?" the long-legged beauty asked, while rewinding the footage.


    The man watched the convoy entering the tunnel, silently counting numbers. When the convoy emerged from the other end, a barely perceptible cold smile appeared on his face.


    "Bring up the blueprints of the tunnel."


    "Yes."


    As the tunnel¡¯s structure diagram appeared on-screen, the man stood up and said, "Inform the people at the interception point to withdraw a squad and head to the tunnel to meet me immediately."


    The long-legged beauty asked in confusion, "Why?"


    The man earnestly exined, "They¡¯ve been maintaining a speed of 120 miles per hour, but the tunnel is less than a hundred meters long. I just calcted; they only needed about twenty-three or twenty-four seconds to pass through, but they took a few seconds longer. There¡¯s definitely a problem. Besides, you¡¯ve seen the tunnel¡¯s structure diagram. From there, one can go through the sewer and directly reach the subway. I suspect they¡¯re nning to split their forces and divert our attention."


    After a pause, the man continued, "Of course, these are just my guesses, which can¡¯t bepletely certain. In any case, we can¡¯t let our guard down. That Ling Chen is not simple. Whatever happens, we mustplete the task given from above. The traitor must die!"


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the gloomy sewer, Ling Chen carefully led Mr. Yun forward. The foul stench in the sewer caused both of them to cover their noses.


    "Ling Chen, do you think we can fool them this way?"


    "I¡¯m not them; how would I know?" Ling Chen turned back to look at Mr. Yun and asked: "I¡¯ve always been curious, with your status and position, why would you betray God Organization? There are only two of us here, you might as well tell me."


    Mr. Yun replied indifferently: "God Organization does not allow personal agendas. Everything must be for the core goals of the organization."


    "Do you have a personal agenda? Are you trying to usurp the throne and take control of God Organization?"


    Mr. Yun shook his head: "I don¡¯t have such big ambitions. Everything I¡¯ve done has been purely for myself and for Wanqing. Ling Chen, what you¡¯ve been targeting is the power I¡¯ve amassed in secret, not God Organization. Twenty years ago, I joined God Organization and after ten years, I became the manager of God Organization in Asia. Officially, I¡¯m a senior member of God Organization, but actually, among all the seniors, my position is the lowest."


    "Why?"


    "God Organization¡¯s focus has always been overseas, and it wasn¡¯t until I took over Asia that God Organization¡¯s influence began to slowly prate here. However, with decades of establishment overseas, their roots are deep and far beyondparison to Asia. A region¡¯s strength dictates the control and influence one has in God Organization. As the weakest branch of God Organization, my position naturally wouldn¡¯t be very high. Of course, this also has to do with my own actions. Over the years, I¡¯ve been secretly building my force and hid a lot from God Organization, which is why I¡¯ve never been promoted."


    Ling Chen frowned and asked, "You don¡¯t want to work for God Organization, so what do you want to do?"


    "I told you already, it¡¯s for myself and Wanqing. I joined God Organization to use their resources to expand my influence. Moreover, only by infiltrating their ranks can I conveniently conduct my investigations."

 Chapter 482 - 478: Hunting the Traitor (Part Two)

    <h4>Chapter 482: Chapter 478: Hunting the Traitor (Part Two)</h4><h4></h4>


    "An investigation?"


    Mr. Yun¡¯s words immediately piqued Ling Chen¡¯s interest, who asked, "Investigate what?"


    "You don¡¯t need to know. Ling Chen, there are many things in this world that seem unrted on the surface, but are actually intricately linked and closely connected. Some things you are better off not knowing. The more you know, the worse it is for you. If I were you, I would stay out of it and not attract trouble."


    Hearing Mr. Yun¡¯s caution, Ling Chen changed the topic and asked, "You¡¯ve been with the God Organization for so many years, you must know who the leader of the God Organization is."


    "He is Asian, that¡¯s the only information I¡¯ve managed to get over the past twenty-plus years. Besides that, I don¡¯t even know whether he¡¯s male or female, let alone seen him in person. He always appears as a virtual image in meetings, and even his voice has been altered. To my knowledge, no more than three people in the entire God Organization know the leader¡¯s identity."


    "How were you exposed this time?"


    "Because of you." Mr. Yun looked at Ling Chen and said, "Because of the obstacles you created, I failed to handle several matters assigned by the God Organization. The higher-ups are dissatisfied with me, thinking that my capabilities are limited and wanting to push me out of my position. Moreover, they have already started investigating me secretly. Once they discover the secrets I¡¯ve kept over the years, all my efforts will have been in vain; thus, I have no choice but to make ast stand."


    "Do they know your identity, including your rtionship with the Nanrong Family?" Ling Chen asked. This was critical¡ªif the God Organization knew that Nanrong Wanqing was Mr. Yun¡¯s daughter, they certainly wouldn¡¯t let the matter rest.


    "Don¡¯t worry about that. Before I joined the God Organization, I had already forged a new identity,pletely unrted to the Nanrong Family. If it wasn¡¯t to protect them, I wouldn¡¯t have started using the name ¡¯Mr. Yun.¡¯"


    "That¡¯s good." Ling Chen quietly sighed in relief.


    Walking along the sewer for a few hundred meters, Ling Chen pulled out his phone, looked at the distribution map on the screen, pointed to a passage on the right, and said, "Take this way, the subway station should be about four hundred meters away."


    Before long, they could hear the whooshing sound of the subway from beyond the sewer walls.


    Seeing the light appearing ahead, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up, and he quickened his pace, urging Mr. Yun to keep up.


    The light was at the end of the sewer, next to a metal door. Ling Chen nced at it and his expression suddenly changed. Next to the metal door was a smashed lock. Judging from the remaining marks on the door, it seemed to have just happened. Moreover, there were footprints around the metal door.


    Could it be...


    Ling Chen was startled, and before he could express his concern, he heard a noise from behind.


    Without hesitating, Ling Chen quickly turned his head and saw two people suddenly jump out of the mud on both sides of the sewer, wielding knives, lunging towards Mr. Yun.


    "Watch out!" Ling Chen shouted, his body reacting instantly, moving in front of Mr. Yun. Before the two men could get closer, Ling Chen kicked out twice in session, sending the two men flying, who were attempting to assassinate Mr. Yun.


    "Run!"


    Ling Chen vigntly watched the surroundings, shielding Mr. Yun behind him, quickly retreating towards the metal door.


    "Nice skills."


    Suddenly, a cold voice echoed through the sewer.


    Hearing that voice, Mr. Yun¡¯splexion drastically changed, he said in a deep tone, "It¡¯s him!"


    "Do you know him?"


    "He¡¯s called the Magician, specifically responsible for eliminating traitors within the God Organization. No one targeted by him has ever survived."


    "Mr. Yun, since you know so much about me, how dare you betray the organization? You should know that no one who betrays the organization has ever escaped its pursuit. Given your high position within the organization, you must have dealt with many traitors; have their fates not taught you a lesson?"


    "Enough!" Ling Chen said impatiently, "Cut the chatter, as long as I¡¯m here, you can¡¯t harm a hair on his head."


    "Ling Chen, I know you are highly skilled. But even the most formidable person has weaknesses."


    Ling Chen frowned and scanned the surroundings of the sewer, hoping to locate the source of the voice. However, the voice shifted unpredictably from left to right, making it difficult to pinpoint.


    "Ling Chen, be careful. The reason he is called a magician is that his methods are bizarre and difficult to guard against."


    Hearing Mr. Yun¡¯s caution, Ling Chen nodded silently. He was not afraid of a direct confrontation, but he was worried about sneaky tricks.


    Looking around, Ling Chen pointed towards a corner next to the iron door. Mr. Yun immediately understood and retreated alone to the corner, pressing his back against the wall.


    With Ling Chen guarding in front, and a wall at the back, even if the magician¡¯s tactics were ingenious, it would be impossible to silently kill Mr. Yun.


    At this moment, the magician¡¯s voice had disappeared in the sewer, nowhere to be found.


    Ling Chen perked up his ears, listening intently to the movements on both sides. Some things can¡¯t be seen with eyes, but can be heard with ears.


    Suddenly, Ling Chen¡¯s slightly squinted eyes burst open, then he turned and looked at the mud on the ground. Immediately after, his right hand plunged into the mud.


    As he pulled his hand out of the mud, he was holding a colorful little snake.


    The Gabon Viper!


    Ling Chen¡¯s pupils shrank, his face colored with a hint of horror, and he quickly threw the viper against the wall and punched it squarely on the head. Under the impact of the Inner Strength, the viper¡¯s head exploded instantly, sttering blood everywhere.


    That was close!


    Ling Chen took a breath of relief. It was a Gabon Viper, one of the top ten deadliest snakes in the world, known for its camouge and potent venom. A bite would undoubtedly be fatal.


    The magician¡¯s skills were indeed superior, capable of controlling the viper. If it weren¡¯t for his keen hearing and quick reflexes, he might have already fallen victim to the attack.


    While pondering, a smoke suddenly surged through the sewer passage.


    Seeing the smoke approaching, Ling Chen immediately stepped back, shielding Mr. Yun behind him, to prevent the magician from taking advantage of an ambush.


    However, just then, a subway train suddenly roared past outside the wall, creating a tremendous noise.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen thought to himself that this was bad. The sound of the subwaypletely drowned out all other sounds in the sewer, making it impossible for even his keen hearing to distinguish anything.


    "Ling Chen."


    Mr. Yun¡¯s voice rang out, and Ling Chen instinctively replied, "What¡¯s up?"


    But as soon as he spoke, he immediately realized something was wrong. Mr. Yun was supposed to be behind him, yet the voice came from his side.


    In a sh of thought, a strong sense of crisis surged from the depths of Ling Chen¡¯s heart. Without hesitation, Ling Chen raised his steel fist and sted it out, his Inner Strength surging wildly.


    Eh?


    As the steel fist thundered, a look of surprise shed across Ling Chen¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 483 - 479: First-Class Acting

    <h4>Chapter 483: Chapter 479: First-ss Acting</h4><h4></h4>


    The moment he threw his punch, Ling Chen clearly felt a touch feedback from his fist, as if it struck something, yet it was light andcked force. To protect Mr. Yun¡¯s safety, Ling Chen dared not strike rashly and had to stay put, lest the magician should attack again.


    Seconds and minutes passed by, the sound of the subway gradually faded, and the smog in the sewer also began to dissipate.


    Ling Chen looked intently and saw a piece of discarded clothing on the ground.


    So that¡¯s how it is!


    Ling Chen nodded inwardly, that punch just now must have hit the clothing. Unexpectedly, the magician had some skill, using the tactic of Golden Cicada to dodge his attack. Unfortunately, had that punch hit its target, the opponent would have been dealt with.


    Ling Chen was very confident in his current fighting abilities.


    Seeing that the magician didn¡¯t appear after a long time, Ling Chen gestured to Mr. Yun behind him, signaling him to leave through the iron gate.


    The sewer was too cramped, and if the opponent used weapons of mass destruction, it might endanger both their lives, so Ling Chen had to be cautious.


    However, as Mr. Yun walked up to the iron gate and pushed to leave, a loud ¡¯bang¡¯ suddenly came from outside the gate, with sparks flying and the pungent smell of gunpowder filling the air instantly. At the same time, Mr. Yun was blown back by the st, mming heavily into the wall, and then fell into the foul-smelling sludge, face down, motionless.


    "Mr. Yun!"


    Ling Chen¡¯s face changed drastically, he hurried over and lifted Mr. Yun from the mud.


    At this moment, Mr. Yun¡¯s eyes were tightly closed, breathless, covered in numerous wounds, a ghastly sight to behold.


    "Mr. Yun." Seeing his miserable state, Ling Chen felt a surge of urgency. It was all because he had been too careless, failing to notice the trapid by those people at the gate.


    If he had been the one to open the gate just now, probably it would not be Mr. Yun lying here.


    "Mr. Yun, wake up, you can¡¯t die now... Mr. Yun... Mr. Yun..."


    Ling Chen was pping his cheeks hard, trying to wake him. However, Mr. Yun showed no reaction at all, his head limply hanging in Ling Chen¡¯s arms, lifeless.


    "Damn it! You beasts, wait for me, I swear I won¡¯t stop until you are dead." Ling Chen roared angrily, his voice echoing in the sewer for a long time.


    Composing himself, Ling Chen picked up Mr. Yun¡¯s body, covered his face with a coat, and then walked through the sted iron gate, striding towards the subway station. Along the way, he made a phone call.


    Exiting the subway station, two police cars were already waiting by the side of the road for Ling Chen¡¯s arrival.


    Ling Chen sat in the back seat of the police car without uttering a word, and once the car started, he nced out of the window, then removed the coat covering Mr. Yun.


    "It¡¯s okay now, no need to pretend anymore."


    As soon as he spoke, Mr. Yun¡¯s tightly closed eyes immediately opened, showing a faint, weak smile and asked, "He didn¡¯t notice?"


    "Your acting was good, you should have fooled him." Ling Chen said with a smile.


    Mr. Yun replied weakly, "I really almost died."


    "Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t die, you¡¯re wearing a bulletproof vest, the explosion didn¡¯t hit your vitals."


    When Mr. Yun was blown away earlier, Ling Chen immediately rushed to his side and checked his pulse, knowing there was no danger to his life. But Mr. Yun¡¯s appearance was really tragic, looking utterly deceased, so Ling Chen took the chance to deceive the magician.


    Fortunately, Mr. Yun¡¯s cooperation was good, and the two performed a scene together. From the sewer all the way out, the magician never showed up, probably deceived into thinking Mr. Yun was dead.


    Half an hourter, escorted by police cars, Ling Chen, apanied by Mr. Yun, smoothly arrived at the Jin Hai City airport.


    On the airne, Tang Yuan, who had already received the notice, had prepared the medical team. Watching Mr. Yun being carried onto the stretcher, Ling Chen secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Regardless, he had managed to deliver Mr. Yun to the airport without incident.


    "Old Tang, I¡¯m leaving him in your care. Be extra careful."


    "Aren¡¯t youing back to Beijing with us?"


    Ling Chen shook his head and said, "No, I am only responsible for handing him over to you. You guys can handle the rest. Mr. Yun, being a high-ranking member of the God Organization, definitely has a lot of intelligence. This is a great opportunity for you guys."


    "If that¡¯s the case, then I won¡¯t keep you." Tang Yuan patted Ling Chen on the shoulder and said, "Wish you a safe journey."


    "You too."


    "Mr. Ling." At this moment, a medical staff member in a white coat came out and said, "The patient is asking for you. He has something to tell you."


    Ling Chen nced at Tang Yuan, then followed the medical staff member into the room.


    Lying in the bed and ready to receive treatment, Mr. Yun waved to Ling Chen, gesturing for him toe closer. Ling Chen got the hint and quickly moved closer to Mr. Yun.


    "Keep Wanqing safe; she... she is the key."


    The key?


    Ling Chen looked at Mr. Yun with a puzzled face and asked, "What key?"


    Hearing his question, Mr. Yun silently closed his eyes, evidently not wishing to answer.


    "Mr. Ling, please step out for a moment, we need to treat the patient."


    The medical staff¡¯s voice came through, and Ling Chen reluctantly left the room. He knew that if Mr. Yun didn¡¯t want to talk, no amount of coercion would work. Now he could only ce his hopes on the Ghost Organization to see how much they could extract from Mr. Yun.


    Leaving the special ne to Beijing, Ling Chen, apanied by Hu Fei and Qiu Yong among others, bought tickets for a flight to East Sea City and then waited in the departure lounge for boarding.


    "Big Brother, did you encounter any resistance on your way here?"


    "Just some small fry, all dealt with."


    After speaking, Qiu Yong changed the topic and said, "Ling Cheng, what are your ns when we return to East Sea City?"


    "Carry on with life as usual. Big Brother, do you have any ns?"


    Qiu Yong nodded and said, "We eight oddballs have always felt at home everywhere and rarely stay in one ce for long. We¡¯ve stayed in East Sea City this long only because of you, breaking our norm. Now that there¡¯s nothing pressing, we want to travel, visit some famous mountains and rivers."


    Ling Chen looked troubled and said, "Big Brother, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t join you. You know, in East Sea City..."


    "It¡¯s okay! No need to exin." Xia Yueughed and interjected, "We know you¡¯ve got a lot on your te, so we didn¡¯t n to ask you to join us. Just letting you know. Without us to help you, take care of yourself."


    Yuan Yun added, "Xia Yue is right. Ling Cheng, if you run into any trouble, just give me a call. We¡¯ll definitelye back to help you."


    "Thank you, everyone!" Ling Chen expressed his gratitude.


    The eight oddballs, although diverse in temperament, were utterly sincere and selfless when it came to their own brothers.

 Chapter 484 - 480: Safe Return Home

    <h4>Chapter 484: Chapter 480: Safe Return Home</h4><h4></h4>


    At two o¡¯clock in the afternoon, the flight carrying Ling Chen finally arrived at East Sea International Airport.


    Stepping out of the airport, Qiu Yong and the others went straight back to their amodations to pack their luggage, ready to leave. Ling Chen had wanted to see them off, but Qiu Yong said that there would be plenty of opportunities in the future, and as they were all easy-going people, there was no need for such formalities.


    After seeing Qiu Yong and his group off in a taxi, Ling Chen patted Hu Fei on the shoulder and said, "Fatty, I owe you big time for this, thanks!"


    Ling Chen¡¯s thank you was heartfelt; if it weren¡¯t for Hu Fei¡¯s timely arrival, he would have been buried at sea by now.


    "Alright! No need for thanks, just remember what I¡¯ve done for you."


    "Right!" Ling Chen switched topics, asking, "What¡¯s going on with that Secret Society situation, any results yet?"


    "You mean the Snake King?" Hu Fei also looked puzzled when mentioning this, saying, "It¡¯s a strange situation. The Snake Kingined to the Secret Society about me, saying I vited the middleman¡¯s rules. ording to the rules, the Secret Society should investigate me, but months have passed and there¡¯s been no action, I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯ve forgotten about it."


    "What about the Snake King?" Ling Chen inquired, "Any news of him?"


    "Nothing. I¡¯ve been keeping an eye out for him, but these past few months, he hasn¡¯t appeared at all. I¡¯ve also asked other connections, and no one has any news of him ¨C the guy seems to have vanished into thin air."


    "Keep an eye out. I don¡¯t think he¡¯d give up that easily."


    "Got it, I¡¯m heading back then. We¡¯ll touch base when we have the chance."


    After watching Hu Fei leave, Ling Chen also took a taxi toward the headquarters of Hongyu Group. Nanrong Wanqing should be at the office by now.


    Sitting in the cab, Ling Chen was still thinking about the Snake King.


    Originally from what Kaelina had told him, the Snake King¡¯s real name was Nanrong Zhengqing, the brother to Nanrong Yong and son of Nanrong Gang, also the uncle of Nanrong Wanqing.


    Based on his guess, something unpleasant must have happened between the young brothers Nanrong Yong and Nanrong Gang, resulting in Nanrong Gang leaving the Nanrong Family, leading a lonely life, and ultimately dying in a foreignnd. Nanrong Zhengqing, as the son of Nanrong Gang, tried to assassinate Nanrong Wanqing multiple times, undoubtedly seeking vengeance for his father.


    Although the specifics of their grudges were unclear, from his perspective, these were old grievances of the previous generation, and it wasn¡¯t necessary to involve the next generation. Especially Nanrong Zhengqing, it was too much for him to harm his own niece.


    Regardless, Ling Chen had to capture Nanrong Zhengqing before he could strike again and ensure that he would not endanger Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s safety.


    Lost in thought, the taxi arrived at its destination.


    After getting out of the cab, Ling Chen, with a backpack slung over one shoulder, strode straight into thepany lobby.


    "Hey! Isn¡¯t that Ling? Tsk tsk! Ling, haven¡¯t seen you for more than ten days, where have you been gallivanting without saying hello to your brother?"


    Seeing Wei Jun approaching with a smile on his face, Ling Chen responded with augh, "Wei, I could never be as carefree as you. Look at how radiant you look, have you struck it lucky with love or hit the jackpot recently?"


    Wei Jun smiled proudly and said, "Can¡¯t say I struck the jackpot, but I did make a little fortune. How about it, I¡¯ll treat you tonight, take you out for some fun?"


    "No thanks, better to save that offer for someone else."


    Having hung around Wei Jun enough, Ling Chen knew exactly what the man was into; from gambling to women, everything but drugs. Ling Chen had been considering whether to keep his distance to avoid being led astray.


    "Wei, where¡¯s the chairman?"


    "She should be in her office. Are you looking for her?"


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "I¡¯ll go greet the chairman first, thene to your officeter."


    "Okay, I¡¯ll wait with tea ready."


    Taking the elevator to the top floor of thepany, he saw the secretary Wang Lan holding a cup of milk tea, wearing headphones, and watching theputer screen with relish,pletely unaware of Ling Chen¡¯s arrival.


    Ling Chen silently chuckled, stealthily moved behind her, and attempted to y a prank on her.


    However, when he got behind her chair, he realized that an erotic movie was ying on theputer screen. And this girl, fearing she¡¯d be caught, had minimized the video window.


    Getting closer, he could even hear the moaning and panting from the headphones.


    Tsk tsk!


    Who would have thought, this girl who usually seems so quiet and demure, has such a hobby.


    "Ah!"


    At that moment, Wang Lan caught sight of a reflection on her screen and was startled, almost spilling her milk tea.


    Seeing her frantically trying to close the video, Ling Chen suppressed hisughter and said with a straight face, "Lan, you¡¯re cking off during work hours. Be careful or the chairman might dock your pay."


    "Ling... Mr. Ling... I... um..." Wang Lan¡¯s cheeks blushed as she stammered, "When did you get here?"


    Ling Chen teased, "I¡¯ve been here since the couple in the video was switching positions."


    Hearing this, Wang Lan¡¯s face turned as red as an apple, both cute and tempting.


    Seeing her embarrassed and coy demeanor, Ling Chenughed heartily, "Alright, I¡¯ll stop teasing you. Honestly, are you longing for a man? It¡¯s about time at your age to find a boyfriend."


    Wang Lan, with her head down, said embarrassedly, "I have a boyfriend now."


    "Really? When did this happen? Last time I asked Wanqing, she said you were still single."


    Wang Lan said, blushing, "I just started dating him a few days ago."


    "No wonder..." Ling Chen said with a meaningful drawl, "Well, you keep on learning. I won¡¯t bother you. But as someone with experience, I think these things require more practice."


    "Mr. Ling!" Wang Lan was so embarrassed she wished she could vanish into thin air.


    "All right, all right, I¡¯ll stop," Ling Chen ceased his teasing and asked, "Is the chairman in the office?"


    "Yes. Do you want me to notify the chairman?"


    "No need, I¡¯ll go in myself." With that, Ling Chen walked towards the office. After a few steps, he turned back, whispered to her, "Lan, if someonees looking for the chairmanter, just say the chairman is busy." After speaking, he even winked at Wang Lan.


    "Got it." Wang Lan nodded with a red face, understanding Ling Chen¡¯s meaning.


    Pushing open the door to the chairman¡¯s office, Ling Chen peeked in to see Nanrong Wanqing sitting at the desk, busy with paperwork. Seeing that she hadn¡¯t noticed him, Ling Chen quietly shut the door and tiptoed over.


    It had been about ten days since hest saw her. Nanrong Wanqing was as beautiful as ever, with delicate features, silky smooth skin that made one yearn to bite into it. Below her fair neck, she wore a modest one-piece woolen sweater, whichpletely concealed any hint of allure at the neckline.

 Chapter 485 - 481 Ling Gengqiu (1)

    <h4>Chapter 485: Chapter 481 Ling Gengqiu (1)</h4><h4></h4>


    It¡¯s often said that focused individuals are the most charming, and indeed, that¡¯s no lie.


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s arms were resting on the desk, with her right hand holding a pen, scrutinizing each word in the document before her, diligently making annotations,pletely oblivious to Ling Chen standing by the side of the desk.


    Perhaps she had been reviewing for too long. After a few minutes, Nanrong Wanqing put the pen down and rubbed her somewhat sore arms, her gaze instinctively drifting upwards. Suddenly, her movements stiffened, and she stared dumbly at Ling Chen in front of her, taking a long while to react.


    Seeing her dazed appearance, Ling Chen broke into a grin and said, "What¡¯s the matter, not recognizing your own man after just over ten days?"


    Hearing the term ¡¯your own man,¡¯ Nanrong Wanqing couldn¡¯t help blushing, her pretty face turning as red as a freshly bloomed flower, bright and captivating.


    Ling Chen smiled as he walked over to Nanrong Wanqing, wrapped his arms around her neck, and drew her close into his embrace, whispering softly, "I missed you."


    "Mhm." Nestled against Ling Chen¡¯s broad chest, Nanrong Wanqing closed her eyes, basking in the warmth of his arms, and let out a soft hum through her nose.


    "Mhm what, you mean you didn¡¯t miss me?"


    Nanrong Wanqing answered bashfully, "I never said that."


    "So you did miss me? That sounds more like it. I thought I was the only one pining." Ling Chen chuckled, resting his head on Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s shoulder, cheek pressed against her smooth skin, inhaling the faint scent of her body, as his hands unconsciously began to wander downwards.


    "Stop it!"


    Catching sight of where Ling Chen¡¯s hands were reaching, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she protested coquettishly, "Cut it out the moment you get back, and we¡¯re not even at home. What if someone saw us?"


    Ling Chen said with a mischievous smile, "Are you implying that at home, you¡¯d let me..."


    "Don¡¯t you dare say it." Nanrong Wanqing swatted away Ling Chen¡¯s hands, hugging her chest protectively as she voiced her flusteredint, her face still red, "We haven¡¯t seen each other for more than ten days, and you¡¯ve be more shameless. You must¡¯ve been up to no good while you were away."


    "Who says?" Ling Chen defended himself. He had aplished quite a few good deeds on his trip, having saved the lives of several hundred people on a ship. However, when it came to misdeeds, his thoughts immediately drifted to the ¡¯porridge girl.¡¯


    That woman had done so much for him, only to leave without a word, denying him the chance to express his gratitude. Every time he thought of it, a sense of guilt gnawed at him.


    Seeming to sense the shift in Ling Chen¡¯s mood, Nanrong Wanqing turned her head towards him, noticing the flicker in his eyes, and asked with concern, "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "Nothing." Ling Chen gave a slight smile, putting thoughts of the porridge girl temporarily aside. Since he didn¡¯t know her whereabouts, he decided to wait for a chance encounter with her in the future.


    "You¡¯ve just returned, why don¡¯t you rest for a bit? Once I finish with my work, we can go home together."


    Ling Chen nodded in agreement. For some reason, his heart felt exceptionally warm when Nanrong Wanqing mentioned ¡¯home.¡¯ Perhaps, having often drifted from ce to ce, being rootless and alone, he had developed an inexplicable yearning for home.


    Looking at Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s enchanting face, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t resist embracing her neck and leaning in for a kiss, savoring her cherry-like red lips.


    After a long moment, they parted lips.


    """"


    Meeting Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s autumn-water-like beautiful eyes, Ling Chen smiled and said, "Don¡¯t tire yourself out, make sure to rest."


    Nanrong Wanqing obediently nodded, "Understood."


    After leaving the office and seeing Ling Chene out, Wang Lan immediately lowered her head, seemingly afraid to look directly at Ling Chen, worried he would tease her about the earlier incident.


    Returning to the security department, Ling Chen greeted Zhong Wei and the others.


    Sitting in his office, Ling Chen leaned back in his chair, legs crossed, savoring the green tea Wei Jun had brewed while casually pulling a document envelope from his backpack.


    This envelope was handed to him by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master when he disembarked, iming it contained two very important pieces of information.


    Opening the envelope, Ling Chen took out two documents. With his experience, he could tell at a nce that the documents were copies, each bearing the seal of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and stamped with the word ¡¯treasured.¡¯


    Documents categorized as treasures by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion were bound to be extraordinary.


    Ling Chen put down the tea cup, unable to wait any longer, and started to read one of the documents word by word.


    After spending more than ten minutes reading the document, Ling Chen¡¯s mood couldn¡¯t calm down for a long time. The document detailed the secret history of the Martial Arts world hundreds of years ago, to be exact, it was the legendary life of a martial artist. And this person was none other than the creator of the Prajnaparamita Sutra.


    Ling Gengqiu!


    That was the name of the man.


    Ling Chen chuckled to himself, never expecting this legendary figure to be his kinsman.


    ording to the records, Ling Gengqiu was born into a Martial Arts family. Not yet twenty, he was already among the top masters of the younger generation, unbeaten among his peers. However, Ling Gengqiu had the character of a prodigal son, handsome and unrestrained, unbound by family rules, often breaking them. After several warnings, Ling Gengqiu simply ran away from home to indulge in pleasure-seeking and live a carefree life.


    With his good looks and martial arts prowess, Ling Gengqiu naturally won the hearts of many women. But he was too fickle, never spending too much effort on any one woman, fleeing immediately after winning her over, leaving behind many resentful women.


    When Ling Gengqiu was in his forties, he finally met a woman who drove him mad with passion. But the woman was just in her twenties, much younger than him. Nheless, Ling Gengqiu did not care at all. When it came to the women he desired, no one could escape his grasp.


    With years of experience in the game of love, unsurprisingly, Ling Gengqiu seeded in capturing the woman¡¯s heart. Although they did not marry, they lived together and even had a child. Such behavior was uneptable by the norms of the time. When the Ling Family learned about this, they were furious, considering Ling Gengqiu¡¯s actions disorderly and a disgrace to the family name. Hence, in anger, the Ling Family Patriarch ordered Ling Gengqiu to be expelled from the family.


    To this, Ling Gengqiu was indifferent; having been away from home for many years, he had no deep feelings for the Ling Family.


    So, Ling Gengqiu spent a few peaceful years with his woman and child. However, as the saying goes, it¡¯s hard to change one¡¯s nature. Ling Gengqiu was not a man to settle down, so he secretly met with other women behind his own woman¡¯s back.


    Until one day, his woman identally discovered this and was infuriated.


    However, considering the years of affection, she chose to forgive Ling Gengqiu. But to her dismay, not only did Ling Gengqiu not reform, he escted his behavior, sometimes staying away from home for months at a time, whichpletely disheartened her.


    As it is often said: deep love begets deep resentment.


    A woman turned hateful from love is the most terrifying.

 Chapter 486 - 482: Ling Gengqiu (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 486: Chapter 482: Ling Gengqiu (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    When Ling Gengqiu returned home after half a year of wandering, his woman, as usual, silently prepared a table full of food for him, including a pot of his favorite Daughter Wine.


    Ling Gengqiu mistook his woman¡¯s silence forpromise and forgiveness, never suspecting that she would poison his food and drink.


    Upon waking, Ling Gengqiu was terrified to discover that he had lost not only his manhood but his wife and child had also vanished without a trace.


    From then on, Ling Gengqiu lived in deep mncholy and eventually decided to be a monk, while his wife and child disappeared after that night, never to be heard from again.


    The Prajnaparamita Sutra was the Internal Cultivation Method Ling Gengqiu created during his monastic life.


    The document detailed Ling Gengqiu¡¯s licentious life as well as his profound martial arts skills. Despite his frivolous and unruly character, it was undeniable that he was a martial arts prodigy.


    Before his monastic life, there were few in the world who could match him.


    After examining the document, Ling Chen felt that the woman both ruined and made Ling Gengqiu.


    Had that woman not destroyed Ling Gengqiu¡¯s phndering ways, he would not have devoted himself to studying martial arts, nor would he have brought forth the Prajnaparamita Sutra. Furthermore, ording to the secret manuals found by Ling Chen, aside from martial arts, Ling Gengqiu was also adept in medicine, Buddhist philosophy, and astronomy, proving him to be a true genius.


    However, Ling Chen remembered the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master had once told him that Ling Gengqiu had fought a match with the Pavilion Master, with neither able to best the other, ending in a draw. Why wasn¡¯t this recorded in the document?


    With that in mind, Ling Chen carefully reviewed the document again. Soon, he noticed that thest section of the document seemed to have no conclusion, as if there should be more to follow, but the rest was missing. It was unclear whether the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master had printed one page too few or intentionally concealed the subsequent events.


    Regardless, Ling Gengqiu¡¯s life could indeed be called legendary. Merely by his affairs with so many women, he could evoke envy, jealousy, and hatred in countless men.


    Having put away the document, Ling Chen opened another, and his gaze was deeply captivated just by the introduction.


    After reading through the document in one breath, Ling Chen felt enlightened, understanding much all at once.


    So that¡¯s how it was.


    Ling Chen secretly smiled, feeling obliged to say that the two documents gifted to him by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master were exceedingly precious and greatly beneficial, especially thest one, which would be of great help to his future martial arts cultivation.


    At five-thirty, Ling Chen packed his things and prepared to pick up Nanrong Wanqing. As he left the office and saw the off-duty crowd, his gaze suddenly brightened, a teasing smile curving at the corner of his mouth.


    He saw Wang Lan and Ji Beizhao walking hand in hand, chatting andughing as they left.


    Wang Lan had told him before that she had a boyfriend, but Ling Chen never expected it to be Ji Beizhao, which was quite the surprise. Ling Chen had dealt with Ji Beizhao a few times and knew that he was a man prone to shyness, sometimes blushing more easily than a woman. However, Ji Beizhao had a good character, was humble and honest, likely the homemaking type of man; it would be a good thing if Wang Lan ended up with him.


    By the time he returned to Wealthy Manor, it was already past six in the evening.


    It must have been Nanrong Wanqing who hadmunicated with Nanny Wang beforehand, as Nanny Wang had specially prepared a sumptuous dinner to wee Ling Chen¡¯s return. Not only that, but there were also two red candles and a bottle of red wine on the dining table. Under the dim lights, a romantic ambiance naturally emerged.


    Looking at the setup on the dining table, Ling Chen took Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s hand, his face adorned with a warm smile, and asked, "Did you prepare this?"


    With a shy nod, under the candlelight, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s tender white cheeks seemed to bloom with two little red flowers, exquisitely charming.


    "Thank you! I should have been the one preparing this for you."


    Nanrong Wanqing smiled sweetly: "It¡¯s alright, next time it¡¯ll be your turn to prepare."


    As they were about to sit down and enjoy this delightful moment, a mood-shattering loud voice came from outside the door: "Chen, you¡¯re back!"


    With a darkened face, Ling Chen turned to look towards the entrance, only to see Nanrong Hao quickly running in, eximing joyfully, "Chen, I¡¯ve missed you so much."


    "Can¡¯t you pick another time to visit? Can¡¯t you see that people are having dinner here?" Ling Chen said irritably.


    Noticing the red candles on the table, Nanrong Hao immediately realized the situation and awkwardly chuckled, scratching his head and saying, "Uh... Sister, Chen, you two enjoy, I won¡¯t disturb you anymore."


    After saying this, Nanrong Hao didn¡¯t forget to give Ling Chen a thumbs-up and a knowing wink.


    "Scram now, and close the door behind you," Ling Chen said with a cursing smile. The great atmosphere was spoiled by this tactless guy.


    "Yes, yes," responded Nanrong Hao, chuckling and hurriedly backing out.


    Once Nanrong Hao had left, Ling Chen picked up a ss of red wine and made a toasting gesture through the air, looking at Nanrong Wanqing across the table and said, "This ss is to you, thank you for giving me the warmth of home. Before, I was homeless, wandering from ce to ce, not knowing where I would be tomorrow after today. Especially during the New Year¡¯s reunion dinners, seeing other families¡¯ joy, my heart was filled with envy. I¡¯ve always longed for my own home. But back then, home seemed like an unattainable existence to me. It was not until I met you that right here, right now, I had this feeling. During my time away, I was constantly thinking about you, wishing I could fly back to your side immediately. I think only when a person has something to care about can they feel the warmth of home. So, I want to thank you, for giving me what I¡¯ve always dreamed of."


    Nanrong Wanqing chuckled and said, "If that¡¯s something to be thankful for, then shouldn¡¯t I be thanking you as well. You know, I lost my parents when I was young, and it was my grandfather who raised me by himself. But because of Nanrong Hao, because of the responsibilities and pressures of the Nanrong family, I¡¯ve always been learning to be a strong person, to protect my family. It wasn¡¯t until I met you that I knew what it felt like to be cared for. As long as you are by my side, I can let go of all pretense and burden, and truly be myself."


    "As long as you are willing, I will protect you for a lifetime, that¡¯s my promise to you, and also..." Ling Chen¡¯s words abruptly stopped.


    "And also what?"


    Ling Chen shook his head with a smile, "It¡¯s nothing."


    He would not tell Nanrong Wanqing that he had once promised her father he would spare no effort to ensure her safety.


    "Wanqing, have you ever thought about what kind of man your father was?"


    "He..." Nanrong Wanqing swirled the red wine in her ss and spoke softly, "I don¡¯t know how to describe him, my understanding of him is limited to what Nanny Wang has told me. However, I hope that he was a man like you, brave enough to take responsibility."


    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 487 - 483: Ghost Under Attack

    <h4>Chapter 487: Chapter 483: Ghost Under Attack</h4><h4></h4>


    Willing to take responsibility?


    After learning about Mr. Yun¡¯s actions, Ling Chen really didn¡¯t know how to judge him. Although Mr. Yun repeatedly said it was for himself and Nanrong Wanqing, he never revealed his true purpose.


    Ling Chen felt that Mr. Yun had set up such a big game, spent twenty years secretly building a huge force, and the things he wanted to do were definitely not simple.


    "Ling Chen, where¡¯s your father?"


    "Hm?" Ling Chen was momentarily stunned, looking up at Nanrong Wanqing, he absentmindedly said, "My father?"


    "I¡¯ve never heard you talk about your parents."


    "They..." Ling Chen said with a bitter smile, "To tell you the truth, I don¡¯t have much of an impression of either of them, I¡¯m not even sure if they¡¯re still alive. My childhood memories are very blurry. I only remember being born in a very lively family with many family members. But,ter, for some reason, my father took me and left. I spent very little time with my father, and when I was a bit older, he sent me to the army. Before he left, he told me he had a very important matter to handle, and that he woulde back for me after it was done. I¡¯ve waited many years for his promise, but he never appeared. Later, I lost heart and stopped expecting anything; after all, I got used to being on my own."


    Nanrong Wanqing asked curiously, "In your memory, what kind of person was your father?"


    "It¡¯s hard to say, ever since we left home, I never saw him smile again, he always looked preupied with worries, and sometimes it was hard for me to exchange even a few words with him over half a month."


    Nanrong Wanqing said, "Your dad must have had his troubles, and those things were very important to him."


    Ling Chen shrugged his shoulders, dismissively saying, "It doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s been so long, with or without him it¡¯s the same."


    Hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing said with a gentle smile, "Is it that all you men like to say things you don¡¯t mean, always wanting to show your strong side to others?"


    "Why do you say that?"


    "I¡¯ve been to your room. You¡¯ve always kept your father¡¯s photo there. That photo is very old, and the fact that you¡¯ve kept it in good condition shows that you care about him deep down. I understand how you feel, over time the expectations you have in your heart gradually turn into resentment. To put it bluntly, that¡¯s all childish behavior. It¡¯s not just you, sometimes I do the same, alwaysining about my parents, why they left and haven¡¯t been willing toe back to see me for over twenty years."


    Ling Chen looked meaningfully at Nanrong Wanqing, asking, "If you could see your father, what would you want to say to him?"


    Nanrong Wanqing thought for a moment, then gently shook her head, saying, "I don¡¯t know. I have imagined this scenario countless times in my mind, with hatred, resentment, but then I came to a realization. No parent wants to leave their own flesh and blood unless there¡¯s apelling reason. So, if I get the chance to see my parents, I would choose to forgive them."


    "It¡¯s good that you can think this way." Ling Chen smiled, not continuing the topic.


    When there¡¯s a chanceter on, he would tell Nanrong Wanqing about Mr. Yun¡¯s matter.


    After enjoying a candlelit dinner, Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing snuggled on the living room sofa. They turned on the TV but didn¡¯t watch much, more focused on chatting. However, at this moment, Ling Chen¡¯s attention was suddenly captivated by the scene being broadcast on the TV.


    "Dear viewers, this evening, a severe fire broke out at a manor in the northern suburbs of Beijing, apanied by multiple explosions during the incident. After hours of rescue efforts by firefighters, the ze was finally brought under control, but the number of casualties is still unclear and is currently being tallied. ording to official reports, the fire was caused by a gas leak..."


    "Ling Chen... Ling Chen..."


    Nanrong Wanqing called out a few times to bring Ling Chen back to his senses. She asked, puzzled, "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "Nothing... nothing." As he said that, Ling Chen got up from the sofa, adding as he walked away, "I¡¯m going to make a call in my room."


    Back in his bedroom, Ling Chen¡¯s expression turned grave in an instant; he hurriedly took out his phone and dialed Tang Yuan¡¯s number.


    The scene of the fire broadcast just now was precisely the location of Ghost Base; this was definitely not a coincidence. Ling Chen thought that God Organization had confirmed Mr. Yun¡¯s death, but now it seemed that things were not as smooth as he had imagined.


    "Beep... beep... beep..."


    The call to Tang Yuan connected, but no one answered for a while, which made Ling Chen anxious, worried that something had happened.


    "Hello!"


    Just as he was thinking, the call finally connected.


    "Old Tang, how are you, is everyone alright?"


    "You saw the news?" Tang Yuan¡¯s voice had a trace of weariness.


    "I just saw it. What¡¯s the situation there?"


    Tang Yuan sighed, saying, "It¡¯s a long story, if you have time, it¡¯s best toe over tomorrow, there are some things I can¡¯t say over the phone."


    "Okay, I will catch the morning flight to Beijing. Take extra care, don¡¯t let anything else happen."


    Coming out of the bedroom, Ling Chen looked at Nanrong Wanqing sitting on the sofa and said with a guilty face, "I have to go to Beijing tomorrow. Old Tang has run into some trouble there, I need to go help him."


    "Then it¡¯s perfect, I¡¯ll go with you."


    "You¡¯re going too?" Ling Chen was startled.


    "It¡¯s almost New Year, and the Beijing branch office is going to hold an annual meeting. How can I, as the chairman, be absent? The itinerary is all arranged, I was nning to go in a couple of days. Since you¡¯re in a hurry to go, I¡¯ll ask Lan to move the schedule forward."

 Chapter 488 - 484: Shocking Bad News

    <h4>Chapter 488: Chapter 484: Shocking Bad News</h4><h4></h4>


    The next morning.


    Before seven o¡¯clock, Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing boarded a private jet to Beijing. There were not many people apanying them, only Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui.


    Half past eight.


    The nended on time at Beijing International Airport.


    Leaving the airport, Ling Chen first dropped Nanrong Wanqing off at the hotel, then hurried by car to the Ghost Base.


    When Ling Chen arrived at the manor, the once bustling estate had turned into ruins, with broken walls and rubble everywhere, the site scorched ck. Over a dozen firefighters were cleaning up and clearing the debris.


    Ling Chen frowned and took a quick survey of the surroundings. Then, he walked alone towards a detached vi two hundred meters away.


    There was more than one entrance to the Ghost Base; the manor was the main entrance, while the vi in front of him was an emergency exit. Arriving at the vi, Ling Chen pressed the doorbell.


    Soon after, the door opened, and a tired Tang Yuan appeared in front of Ling Chen.


    Seeing Ling Chen rush over, Tang Yuan squeezed out a faint smile and said, "You got here quite fast."


    "Cut the chit-chat, how is everyone doing? Are General and Mr. Han alright?" Ling Chen asked impatiently.


    "They¡¯re all fine, it¡¯s just that..." Tang Yuan¡¯s voice trailed off, as if choked, unable to utter another word, and he fell into silence.


    Ling Chen, unable to restrain himself, urged, "Just what? Come on, spit it out."


    With his head hung low, filled with sorrow, Tang Yuan¡¯s voice choked up as he said, "When the manor exploded, Uncle Mu and Mrs. Chen were in the room... they... they didn¡¯t make it out in time..."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen felt as if struck by lightning, nking out instantly and standing dumbfounded at the door for a long time, unable to snap back to reality.


    Tang Yuanposed himself, looked at the dazed Ling Chen, and said softly, "Tang Yuan..."


    "They... they¡¯re dead? No! That can¡¯t be. They can¡¯t be dead. Old Tang, you must be lying to me, right? Tell me, are you lying to me?" Ling Chen cried out, grabbing hold of Tang Yuan¡¯s cor, shouting hoarsely.


    "Tang Yuan, I wish I was lying to you, but..."


    Ling Chen, pale-faced, released his grip as if sapped of all strength, his legs weak, leaning helplessly against the door frame, the color of grief spilling uncontrobly from his eyes.


    "Uncle Mu, Mrs. Chen... why did it have to be you..."


    Ling Chen muttered to himself, tears streaming down uncontrobly. At this moment, all his strength had crumbled, leaving only boundless sorrow in his heart.


    Mu Zhiyuan and Chen Ping, a married couple, both retired secret agents of the Ghost Organization, were responsible for guarding the ess points of the Ghost Base and were the base¡¯s first line of defense.


    After Ling Chen joined the Ghost Organization, he often received care from Mu Zhiyuan and Chen Ping. This couple even treated him like their own family member, providing meticulous care. Before meeting Nanrong Wanqing, this couple gave Ling Chen his first taste of warmth, akin to a family.


    All members of the base knew that Ling Chen had a very close rtionship with the Mu couple, and referring to them as family was no exaggeration.


    Therefore, Tang Yuan was well aware of how devastating the death of the Mu couple was to Ling Chen, and the grief he bore was far greater than that of anyone else.


    "Tang Yuan, a person can¡¯te back to life after death; don¡¯t be too hard on yourself," Tang Yuanforted.


    Ling Chen wiped away his tears and looked up to ask, "Where have Uncle Mu¡¯s and others¡¯ bodies been kept?"


    "They are inside the base. The General knows that you had a deep rtionship with Uncle Mu and the others, so he wanted you to see them onest time."


    Ling Chen nodded, gathered his emotions, and followed Tang Yuan in a secret elevator to the underground base.


    Arriving at the base, Ling Chen noticed that the interior had been damaged to varying degrees, and there were still uncleaned bloodstains on the ground.


    "Old Tang, what happened here?"


    "We¡¯ll talk about itter."


    While speaking, Tang Yuan brought Ling Chen to the outside of a room and pointed to the door, "You go in by yourself; I¡¯ll wait for you outside."


    Pushing open the door, Ling Chen saw two bodies covered with white cloth lying on the bed, an overwhelming sadness filled him, and his eyes moistened.


    Standing in front of the corpses for a long time, Ling Chen¡¯s expression wasplex, filled with sorrow and rage. After a while, he slowly raised his right hand, his tone resolute as he spoke, "Uncle Mu, Mrs. Chen, rest assured, I will make the murderer pay this blood debt with their own blood."


    Coming out of the room, Ling Chen looked at Tang Yuan and asked, "Old Tang, tell me what exactly happened?"


    "Yesterday evening, the base was attacked by the God Organization. There were over thirty people, all agile, specially trained individuals, and they had also taken enhancement drugs. Less than a minute after the invasion began, Uncle Mu, who was responsible for the first line of defense, sounded the rm, but when the internal personnel tried to lock down the base, they found a system malfunction, unable to seal off the entrances and exits."


    "Traitor!" Ling Chen said coldly, clenching his teeth.


    "Exactly," Tang Yuan nodded and said, "Without an insider working with them, they couldn¡¯t have breached our defenses so easily, and moreover..."


    At this point, Tang Yuan¡¯s expression suddenly turned ugly.


    Ling Chen frowned and asked, "And what?"


    "There¡¯s more than one traitor." Tang Yuan let out a self-mockingugh, saying, "We always thought that Ghost Organization¡¯s security measures were very tight, but what happenedst night told us that Ghost had long been infiltrated by outsiders; we just didn¡¯t know."


    "Have the traitors been identified?"


    "One is Wu Jun, another is Yang Tao."


    "Them?" Ling Chen was shocked. He knew Wu Jun, a veteran within the Ghost Organization. As for Yang Tao, he was even more familiar. Back then, when Yang Tao¡¯s mission failed, he and Tang Yuan risked their lives to rescue him from Cyprus. He didn¡¯t expect him to be a traitor.


    Tang Yuan exined, "Wu Jun is an operative for the God Organization, but Yang Tao was bought by Mr. Yun. The primary responsibility for this attack on the Ghost Base lies with Wu Jun; Yang Tao isn¡¯t rted to this incident."


    "How was he exposed?"


    "Because of Mr. Yun. Mr. Yun was captured by the Ghost Organization, and Yang Tao worried that he would betray him, jeopardizing his future. So, he sneaked into the prison intending to kill Mr. Yun to eliminate the threat, but was discovered by the patrolling staff."


    "Where are they now?"


    Tang Yuan said helplessly, "Wu Jun fled with the people from the God Organization, and Yang Tao has been captured by us, but... Mr. Yun was severely injured and is currently undergoing emergency treatment, it¡¯s uncertain if he will survive."


    After speaking, Tang Yuan changed the topic, "Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to meet the General. Since its establishment, Ghost has never suffered such a severe blow, you can imagine how the General feels. Later, try to console him well."

 Chapter 489 - 485: The Ghosts Disband

    <h4>Chapter 489: Chapter 485: The Ghosts Disband</h4><h4></h4>


    Arriving at Qiao Zhen¡¯s office, Ling Chen saw Qiao Zhen standing with his back towards the desk, staring at a calligraphy painting on the wall. The painting bore four vigorous and bold brush strokes that read "a heavy responsibility and a long way to go!"


    Through the brush techniques, Ling Chen realized that the characters were identical to those he had seen outside Qingyun Martial Arts Hall, undoubtedly written by He Ziyun.


    Hearing the noise from behind, Qiao Zhen slowly turned around, facing Tang Yuan and Ling Chen walking toward him and sat down with a solemn expression.


    "Have you seen them?"


    Ling Chen knew the question was directed at him and immediately nodded.


    Qiao Zhen sighed deeply and said sorrowfully, "Old Mu and Chen have been the pirs of the Ghost Organization, dedicating their lives to it. Yet, they were betrayed by their own people, and I fear they rest uneasily even in death."


    "General, rest assured, I will not let the murderer of Uncle Mu and Mrs. Chen get away," Ling Chen promised earnestly.


    "I believe you will," Qiao Zhen said, visibly relieved.


    "General, how is the investigation into Wu Jun¡¯s matter going?"


    Qiao Zhen pointed at the documents on the desk, saying, "I¡¯ve reviewed all the missions Wu Jun has undertaken, and indeed, there are significant problems. ording to records, Wu Jun conducted ten missions rted to the God Organization. During the initial missions, he was missing for a day and returned with severe injuries. We assumed it was due to the dangerous nature of the missions and didn¡¯t think deeper. The Ghost Organization always adheres to the principle of trusting our people without doubt, and would not suspect our members easily. However, based on this incident, I believe that Wu Jun was unfortunately exposed during his initial contact with the God Organization and captured by them. Moreover, he must have reached an agreement with the God Organization to return alive. After that incident, every mission rted to the God Organization conducted by Wu Jun waspleted without errors, umting much merit. Due to his merits, his authority within the Ghost Organization has been increasing."


    "Just takest night¡¯s incident, for instance; less than ten people have the clearance to enter the central control room of the base; Wu Jun was one of them. If it wasn¡¯t for him sabotaging the defense system of the base, external enemies couldn¡¯t have possibly breached the Ghost Base. This shows that the God Organization has been secretly assisting Wu Jun, enhancing his position within the Ghost Organization."


    At this point, Qiao Zhen looked at Ling Chen and said, "Honestly, this crisis is indeed a major blow to the Ghost Organization, but I am actually very relieved."


    "Relieved?" Ling Chen asked in confusion, "General, why say this?"


    "You know that I am already of age. Although I wish to continue serving the country, my energy is limited, and I can¡¯t do as much. I originally wanted to groom you as my sessor, but you insisted on leaving, so I had to look for others. After I step down, Han Bing will take over my position, but his position will need someone else to fill. With Wu Jun¡¯s merits, capabilities, and experience, there¡¯s no one in the Ghost Organization more outstanding than him, naturally making him our consideration. Imagine, if Wu Jun became second inmand of the Ghost Organization, how much disaster would it bring in the future? Honestly, I can¡¯t imagine, so I am relieved that this crisis has surfaced all the traitors within the Ghost."


    Ling Chen silently nodded, Qiao Zhen¡¯s concerns were valid; indeed, if that were the case, the Ghost Organization would likely face destruction.


    "General, how do you n to handle this situation?"


    "I¡¯m still waiting for news. Han Bing is currently in Beijing reporting to the higher-ups. However, from what I know, this incident might bring great trouble to the Ghost."


    Ling Chen asked worriedly, "How severe?"


    "The Ghost... might be facing the risk of dissolution."


    Hearing this, the expressions on Ling Chen and Tang Yuan¡¯s faces changed abruptly, puzzled, they asked, "Why? The Ghost has achieved so much, has given so much blood and sweat for the country, why would it be disbanded?"


    "Because the higher-ups don¡¯t trust the Ghost," Qiao Zhen replied helplessly. "Only two traitors were found this time, which has deeply shocked the senior executives. They think, what if there are still traitors within the Ghost? They can¡¯t bear the loss and responsibility."


    Tang Yuan frowned and said displeasedly, "The Ghost has been established for so many years, we¡¯ve only encountered a crisis once, why wouldn¡¯t they trust us?"


    "It¡¯s simple," Ling Chen chimed in. "The Ghost has always been the most mysterious organization in the world, even less understood by the public than the God Organization. A problem within such an organization is not just severe but also deadly."


    "You¡¯re absolutely right," Qiao Zhen nodded. "That¡¯s the main reason for the higher-ups¡¯ concern. Actually, they¡¯ve already had a private phone call with me discussing the disbandment of the Ghost Organization. However, they will preserve the existence of Lonely Wolf. After all, those who join Lonely Wolf have all been personally vetted by me, totally trustworthy, with no issues in loyalty." He paused, then continued, "You two are insiders, so I might as well be frank with you, the higher-ups are giving Lonely Wolf a chance, considering my many years of service to the country. If Lonely Wolf encounters problems too, it will face the same fate as the Ghost."


    Ling Chen silently sighed, no one wanted to see such an oue.


    "General, after the Ghost is disbanded, how will the members of the Ghost be handled?"


    "There¡¯s still no conclusion, it will be known after consultations. However, they are all talents nurtured by the nation; even if the Ghost is disbanded, they won¡¯t be discharged. My guess is, they will probably be sent back to the military to act as instructors."


    Instructors?


    Ling Chen and Tang Yuan gave a wry smile. Instructors, that sounds respectable, but in reality, it meant sidelining them, not nning to use them actively.


    After serving the country for so many years, shedding blood and sweat, fighting to death, to meet such an end, it is truly not worth it for them.


    Seeing the thoughts of the two, Qiao Zhen said, "I know it¡¯s hard for you to ept, but we can¡¯t help it, our organization values trust; without trust, we have nothing. If you must me someone, all the responsibility should be on Wu Jun; he single-handedly destroyed the Ghost."


    Ling Chen furrowed his brow and spoke, "General, please help find Wu Jun. I will make sure he pays dearly."


    "He left with the people from the God Organization, and he probably won¡¯t show up for a while. I will have the Lonely Wolf keep an eye out for him and will inform you immediately once there is any discovery."


    "Thanks!" Having said that, Ling Chen turned the conversation and looked at Tang Yuan, asking, "Didn¡¯t you just say Mr. Yun had an ident? How is he, is it serious?"

 Chapter 490 - 486: Mr. Yun is Seriously Injured

    <h4>Chapter 490: Chapter 486: Mr. Yun is Seriously Injured</h4><h4></h4>


    "His situation is veryplicated." Tang Yuan replied: "His primary target is the God Organization, although we tried our best to ensure his safety, he still got shot."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen immediately became tense and hurriedly asked, "Is his life in danger?"


    Qiao Zhen interjected, "The bullet hit his head, we brought in the best doctors, and his life was saved, but... he has fallen into a deepa. ording to the attending physician, he might remain in this state indefinitely, bing a vegetative person, or he might suddenly wake up in a few months. Right now, no one can tell, we can only wait."


    "That¡¯s still good."


    Ling Chen secretly breathed a sigh of relief, at least Mr. Yun¡¯s life was preserved. As long as he is alive, there is hope.


    "General, how much intelligence did you extract from Mr. Yun?"


    Qiao Zhen said indifferently, "They are all dispensable pieces of intelligence. I originally wanted to make a deal with him, but before we could discuss it, this happened. However, from the reaction of the God Organization, it¡¯s evident that Mr. Yun definitely holds many important secrets, otherwise, the God Organization wouldn¡¯t spend such a huge cost to eliminate him."


    "Right!" At this moment, Ling Chen seemed to remember something, his eyes suddenly brightened, and he hurriedly said, "Mr. Yun mentioned to me that the mysterious leader of the God Organization is likely an Asian."


    "Asian?"


    Qiao Zhen and Tang Yuan exchanged nces, their expressions slightly changed, and they inquired, "He said an Asian? Could it be that person..."


    Before they could finish, Ling Chen had already understood their implication and nodded, agreeing, "My guess is the same as yours, I suspect that the Asian Mr. Yun mentioned is a native of Huaxia."


    Qiao Zhen thoughtfully said, "Within the Ghost Organization, there is a list containing all those posing potential threats, and half of them are Huaxia people. Whether our guess is true or not, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to check and see if those people are suspicious." After saying this, Qiao Zhen changed the topic and looked at Tang Yuan, "You go first and see how the cleanup outside is doing, I want to talk to Ling Chen alone."


    "Yes, General."


    Once Tang Yuan left the office, Qiao Zhen stood up from his office chair, hands behind his back, paced in front of Ling Chen, and asked, "Do you know the true identity of Mr. Yun?"


    Ling Chen nodded, "I do."


    Mr. Yun is Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s father, very few people know about this, Ling Chen has never told anyone else, including Qiao Zhen. Because he had his reservations, given his rtionship with Nanrong Wanqing, if Mr. Yun¡¯s true identity were revealed, to avoid suspicion, Qiao Zhen would definitely not allow him to be involved.


    Now that Mr. Yun has fallen into the hands of Ghost Organization, there¡¯s no need to keep concealing it any longer, it¡¯s better to just confess.


    Qiao Zhen spoke as if to himself, "Mr. Yun, originally named Nanrong Yuan, born in ¡¯68, forty-nine years old this year, disappeared twenty years ago, nothing heard ever since. He has a wife named Jiang Yue¡¯e, who is from the Jiang Family in Yangcheng, also disappeared, whereabouts unknown until today." After saying this, Qiao Zhen looked at Ling Chen and asked, "This family is quite interesting, having lived with the Nanrong family for so long, how much do you know about their affairs?"


    "General, to be honest, I am as curious as you. Mr. Yun... no, Nanrong Yuan, why Nanrong Yuan and Jiang Yue¡¯e suddenly disappeared, is a secret of the Nanrong and Jiang families, very few people know, even Wanqing doesn¡¯t know. However, judging from the timing, Nanrong Yuan probably joined the God Organization a few years after his disappearance. Additionally, his joining the God Organization seems to hold some unspeakable secrets, I¡¯ve tried to probe a few times, but he never wanted to reveal his real intentions."


    "Never mind, it¡¯s their private matter after all, I won¡¯t inquire further. However, be more cautious while you¡¯re at the Nanrong family, don¡¯t invite trouble."


    "I understand."


    "Alright, I¡¯ve said all I needed to, you can go back now. Tomorrow, I will hold a simple funeral for Old Mu and his wife, don¡¯t forget to attend."


    "Yes."


    Before leaving Ghost Base, Ling Chen made a special trip to visit Nanrong Yuan. Tang Yuan had mentioned that Nanrong Yuan was shot in the head, fortunately his life was spared as the bullet didn¡¯t hit any vital parts but was caught by the skull. Now, Nanrong Yuan is in a severea, no medical measures are effective, and all they can do is patiently wait for him to awaken.


    Back at the hotel, Ling Chen headed straight to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s guest room and silently sat on the sofa, staring out the window at the towering skyscrapers in a daze.


    Just then, Nanrong Wanqing, who had juste out of the bathroom after a bath, wearing a bathrobe exposing her tender, fair shoulders and her delicate face still flushed from the steam, looking as adorable and enticing as a rosy apple, walked towards Ling Chen.


    However, Ling Chen didn¡¯t notice her approach, his eyes like ink staring into the distance as if frozen, unmoving for a long time.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s dyed reaction, Nanrong Wanqing felt a bit disappointed. More than disappointment, she was puzzled and confused.


    Knowing Ling Chen as she did, in the past, if she had made such an advance, he would not have been able to resist, which was not the case now. Additionally, she had never seen Ling Chen this distracted, especially the look in his eyes, all the luster drowned in the ck of his pupils, devoid of any sparkle.


    "Ling Chen," she called softly.


    Hearing the voice of Nanrong Wanqing, Ling Chen finally snapped out of his daze, turned his head to look at Nanrong Wanqing beside him, his handsome face showing a forced smile.


    "Sorry, I was distracted just now."


    "What¡¯s wrong? You look unhappy, did something happen?" Nanrong Wanqing, adept at reading expressions, asked.


    Ling Chen hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Do... do you have time tomorrow?"


    "I have a meeting to attend."


    "Can you postpone it? I would like you to apany me to a funeral tomorrow."


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s expression changed slightly. No wonder Ling Chen was feeling low, it was because of this. After thinking for a moment, she lightly nodded her head, then picked up the phone from the coffee table, and said, "I¡¯ll call them to let them know."


    She didn¡¯t ask whose funeral it was, as smart as she was, she could tell from Ling Chen¡¯s mannerisms that the person who had died must have been very important to him.


    After making the call, Nanrong Wanqing went back to the bedroom to change clothes. At that moment, Ling Chen¡¯s cell phone rang.


    Ling Chen took out his phone, nced at the caller ID, and answered the call listlessly, asking, "Fatty, what¡¯s up?"


    "I¡¯ve found Snake King¡¯s whereabouts."

 Chapter 491 - 487: Funeral

    <h4>Chapter 491: Chapter 487: Funeral</h4><subtxt> "Are you sure?" Ling Chen¡¯s spirit lifted.


    "I found an alias once used by Snake King. Just half an hour ago, this alias appeared at Beijing International Airport."


    "He¡¯s alsoe to Beijing?" Ling Chen muttered to himself, "Could this be a coincidence... Fatso, I got it, thanks!"


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen pondered for a moment, then stood up and walked to the window, dialing a number on his cellphone.


    If Snake King hase for Nanrong Wanqing, this would be a perfect opportunity to capture him once and for all.


    The next day.


    At nine in the morning, Ling Chen drove with Nanrong Wanqing to a public cemetery in the suburbs of Beijing.


    The sky was unkind today, drizzling, and the gloomy weather mirrored Ling Chen¡¯s somber, mncholic mood.


    Entering the cemetery, Ling Chen held a ck umbre, walking quietly beside Nanrong Wanqing, his expression solemn. Soon, near a gravesite, stood several men in ck suits. Leading them were Qiao Zhen, Han Bing, and Tang Yuan, positioned on either side, standing straight with raindrops hanging from their hair and faces.


    "Take this."


    Ling Chen handed the ck umbre to Nanrong Wanqing and walked over to Tang Yuan, silently staring at the freshly erected tombstone.


    Looking at the two ck-and-white photos on the tombstone, Ling Chen felt as if something was blocking his heart, making him unbearably ufortable.


    "Salute!"


    Following Han Bing¡¯s light shout, everyone neatly gave a military salute.


    After the salute, Qiao Zhen took out two military medals from his pocket, ced them in front of the tombstone, and muttered, "Old Mu, rest assured, I will not let the murderer go unpunished. The blood debt must be repaid with blood."


    Having said that, Qiao Zhen stepped back, turned to Ling Chen, and said, "I have other things to attend to, you stay and apany them a bit longer."


    "I will."


    Tang Yuan patted Ling Chen on the shoulder, nodded at Nanrong Wanqing, and then left the cemetery with Qiao Zhen and the others.


    After they left, Ling Chen took Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s hand, walked up to the tombstone, and pointing at the two ck-and-white photos said, "This is Uncle Mu and Mrs. Chen. Though not rted by blood, they were like family to me. I am grateful for their care over the years. In my heart, they have always been my closest people. I originally wanted to take you to meet them sometime, but s, fate had other ns, and this tragedy happened."


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s words, Nanrong Wanqing finally understood why he had brought her to attend the funeral; it was undoubtedly a recognition of her status.


    Back in the car, Ling Chen drove Nanrong Wanqing straight back to the hotel. The death of the Mu couple was a huge blow to him. Although ustomed to life and death, it was the first time someone so close had passed away. Before his mood could clear, he wanted nothing more than to stay quiet and still.


    In the afternoon.


    Nanrong Wanqing greeted Ling Chen, then left the hotel apanied by Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui, driving to the Beijing branch office.


    She had wanted Ling Chen to apany them, but considering he had just gone through a life and death separation, Nanrong Wanqing hoped he would rest well, so she didn¡¯t ask him toe.


    At that moment, the sky was still overcast with continuous cold wind howling. With the year-end approaching, the temperature in the north was bing colder. The frail Nanrong Wanqing, dressed in a wool coat and wrapped in a scarf, walked into thepany escorted by Zhong Wei.


    At that time, across the street from thepany, a modern sedan was parked. Inside the car, a middle-aged man held binocrs, watching Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s disappearing figure, his lips curling into a sinister smile. Then, he drove the car into thepany¡¯s underground parking lot.


    Two hours passed, and the annual summary meeting finally ended.


    "Chairman, there is apany g tonight, would you like to join us?" The branch manager keenly sent out an invitation.


    "No, thank you." Feeling tired, Nanrong Wanqing rubbed her temples and politely refused, "I have other matters to attend to, maybe next time." After saying this, Nanrong Wanqing turned to Zhong Wei and said, "Let¡¯s go back to the hotel."


    "Yes, Chairman." Zhong Wei nodded, and gave Liang Zhao Hui a look, signaling him to go get the car.


    A few minutester, a Mercedes sedan stopped at thepany¡¯s entrance.


    Zhong Wei, guarding beside Nanrong Wanqing, quickly walked to the rear seat of the car and opened the door. After Nanrong Wanqing got into the car, Zhong Wei closed the door and prepared to sit in the passenger seat.


    Click!


    But at this moment, a light noise suddenly came from the Mercedes.


    Zhong Wei was slightly startled, pulled the car door, and found that it was locked and could not be opened.


    Not good!


    In an instant, Zhong Wei realized what was happening, hurriedly raised his elbow, trying to break the car window. However, before he could break the window, the Mercedes had already started and quickly rushed onto the road, disappearing at the intersection in a blink of an eye.


    Zhong Wei hastily took out his cell phone and dialed Ling Chen¡¯s number.


    "Hello! Ling Chen, the chairman has been kidnapped, and Liang Zhao Hui is missing too... Okay, I¡¯ll go look for him first." Saying this, Zhong Wei quickly ran towards the underground parking garage.


    Soon after, in a corner of the underground parking garage, Zhong Wei found Liang Zhao Hui, who had suffered a severe head injury and had passed out. Fortunately, Liang Zhao Hui¡¯s injuries were not fatal, just bleeding a little.


    Holding his wound, Liang Zhao Hui asked, "Captain Zhong, what should we do now?"


    "Ling Chen told us not to panic, to go back and meet him at the hotel first."


    At this moment, the escaped Mercedes slowly drove into an open-air parking lot in the city.


    After parking the car, the driver in the front seat turned around, looked at Nanrong Wanqing in the back seat, and said with a cold smirk, "Finally caught you. You should remember who I am, right?"


    Nanrong Wanqing stared directly at him, her expression cold, "I remember, Snake King. You are an assassin, why didn¡¯t you just kill me directly? Why bother bringing me here?"


    "If it were before, I would have definitely killed you without hesitation, but I¡¯ve changed my mind now. Before you die, I must retrieve something that belongs to me from you."


    "What is it?"


    Snake King picked up a document bag from the co-driver¡¯s seat, threw it into Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s hands, and said, "Everything I want is in here, you just need to sign it."


    Hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing took out a few contracts from the document bag, nced through them, then looked up at Snake King with slightly furrowed brows, "You want me to transfer the shares of Hongyu Group?"


    "Hongyu Group was never yours to begin with; I¡¯m merely taking back what belongs to me... no, to be precise, what belongs to my father. Is there anything wrong with that?"


    Nanrong Wanqing casually threw the contracts onto the seat and said indifferently, "Sorry, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t satisfy your request."


    Snake King¡¯s expression turned cold, and he viciously said, "You better not test my patience, otherwise Nanrong Hao and Nanrong Yong will both die."


    Unruffled, Nanrong Wanqing unwrapped her scarf and said indifferently, "I¡¯ve told you, I can¡¯t satisfy your request, because I am not Nanrong Wanqing."</subtxt>

 Chapter 492 - 488: Luring and Capturing the Snake King

    <h4>Chapter 492: Chapter 488: Luring and Capturing the Snake King</h4><h4></h4>


    Not Nanrong Wanqing?


    Snake King looked stunned, his gaze suddenly drawn to a part of the other person¡¯s body. As he clearly saw the protruding part, his face changed dramatically, and he quickly pushed the car door open. But before Snake King could run out of the car, the ¡¯Nanrong Wanqing¡¯ sitting in the back seat had already wrapped a scarf around his neck, firmly restraining him in the driver¡¯s seat.


    At the same time, the door of the Mercedes-Benz sedan was opened by someone from outside. Following that, Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui pounced in like ferocious wolves, jointly overpowering Snake King and binding his hands with the ropes they carried.


    Within the cramped driver¡¯s seat, no matter how skilled Snake King was, he had no chance to escape from the three men. Soon, he was subdued by Zhong Wei and others, thrown into the backseat where both Zhong Wei and ¡¯Nanrong Wanqing¡¯ kept watch over him.


    "Who exactly are you?" Snake King red at ¡¯Nanrong Wanqing¡¯, his teeth gritted as he asked.


    Thetter pointed at his Adam¡¯s apple and replied seriously: "Of course I am a man."


    "Disguise Skills... Impressive!" Snake King snorted coldly. He saw the Adam¡¯s apple only after the other party removed the scarf and realized he had captured the wrong person. Unfortunately, his reaction was still a beat too slow to escape.


    At that moment, ¡¯Nanrong Wanqing¡¯ removed a thin, skin-like mask from his face and then took off the wig, revealing a masculine visage.


    Seeing the true face of the other, Zhong Wei raised his thumb and praised with a smile: "Amazing, if Ling Chen hadn¡¯t alerted me in advance, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to distinguish between the real and fake."


    The man before them was none other than Bai Huanjun, who had been missing for a long time.


    Initially, Bai Huanjun was injured and it was Ling Chen who had saved his life, and also given him two million. Later, fulfilling his promise, Bai Huanjun settled his affairs and returned to East Sea City as soon as possible.


    All along, Ling Chen had arranged for Bai Huanjun to stay near Nanrong Wanqing, secretly ensuring her safety. He would not show himself unless absolutely necessary.


    Learning that Snake King had arrived in Beijing, Ling Chen decided to use trickery, having Bai Huanjun impersonate Nanrong Wanqing to capture Snake King¡¯s attention. Ling Chen had seen Bai Huanjun¡¯s Disguise Skills, which were incredibly lifelike, making it difficult for even acquaintances to discern the truth.


    Of course, setting up this n wasn¡¯t guaranteed to entice Snake King, Ling Chen could only try to create opportunities and lure Snake King into action. This was also the main reason he didn¡¯t apany them. If he appeared beside Nanrong Wanqing, Snake King would likely be cautious and not dare to act rashly.


    Twenty minutester, the Mercedes-Benz sedan arrived at an abandoned warehouse in the suburbs.


    Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui escorted Snake King out of the car, then followed behind Bai Huanjun into the warehouse.


    In the vast warehouse, thick dust covered everything, and there was a chair ced in the middle. Ling Chen stood with his hands behind his back, watching Zhong Wei¡¯s party approaching with a slight smile on his lips.


    "Snake King, long time no see."


    Snake King, with a cold face, silently watched Ling Chen, his icy and venomous gaze as if he wished he could carve Ling Chen up with a thousand cuts.


    "Sit down!"


    Zhong Wei uttered sharply, forcibly pushing Snake King into the chair, while Liang Zhao Hui immediately used zip ties to bind Snake King¡¯s hands and feet, rendering him immobile.


    "Just kill me, why waste time," Snake King said coldly.


    "Do you really want to die?"


    "Since I dared to be an assassin, do you think I¡¯d be afraid of death?"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen gave a slight smile and turned to signal with his eyes to Zhong Wei and the other two. Getting the message, they turned and exited the warehouse.


    After Zhong Wei and the others left, Ling Chen paced around Snake King and asked, "Should I call you Snake King or should I call you Nanrong Zhengqing?"


    The moment the four characters of ¡¯Nanrong Zhengqing¡¯ entered his ears, Snake King¡¯s ashen face instantly changed color. He violently raised his head, looking straight into Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, and asked with furrowed brows, "How do you know my true identity?"


    "There are no walls in the world that can keep out the wind. Truth be told, I didn¡¯t expect you to be so ruthless. Nanrong Wanqing is your niece, rted to you by blood, yet you have the heart to kill her."


    "We¡¯ve been brought down to this state by their family. Shouldn¡¯t I seek revenge?"


    Ling Chen shook his head and said, "Whatever feud your father had with Nanrong Yong, it was between the older generation. Wanqing knows nothing of these affairs, why trouble her?"


    "The debt should be repaid by Nanrong Yong and his son Nanrong Yuan. Unfortunately, Nanrong Yuan has been missing for many years. As the daughter of Nanrong Yuan, with her father gone, the debt should be repaid by her." Having said that, Snake King let out a coldugh and continued, "I¡¯ve already been more than fair to their family. ording to my n, I intended to kill Nanrong Wanqing and Nanrong Yong, leaving Nanrong Hao with a chance at life. Nanrong Hao is a male descendent of the Nanrong family, as long as he lives, the Nanrong family¡¯s line continues."


    "Heh! By the sound of it, should I praise you for your mercy?" Ling Chen mocked.


    Snake King replied coldly, "No matter what you say, I will not let my father die with his eyes closed." After saying that, he looked at Ling Chen and asked, "Do you even know what Nanrong Yong did to my father? If you don¡¯t, you¡¯re not qualified to judge me."


    Ling Chen waved his hand and replied, "I¡¯m not interested in the grudges of the older generation, it¡¯s none of my business. Moreover, you¡¯re right about one thing, I¡¯m not qualified to judge your rights and wrongs. From your perspective, you may think you¡¯ve done nothing wrong, but from where I stand, anyone who dares to harm a member of the Nanrong family is my enemy."


    "Then why don¡¯t you kill me now?"


    "No! I have no intention of killing you," Ling Chen said. "No matter what you¡¯ve been through, that doesn¡¯t change the fact that you¡¯re a part of the Nanrong family."


    Snake King asked with an unpleasant expression, "What do you want to do?"


    "I¡¯ll take you back to East Sea City and let Nanrong Yong deal with you. The affairs of the Nanrong family should be settled by the Nanrong family themselves. I, an outsider, shouldn¡¯t intervene."


    "Good, I¡¯d like to ask him face to face why he treated my father that way back then."


    After leaving the warehouse, Ling Chen looked at the three people, Zhong Wei and the others, waiting outside, and spoke, "Captain Zhong, you two follow me back."


    "What about the assassin inside? Should we call the police?"


    Ling Chen pointed at Bai Huanjun and said, "He will handle it, no need for you to worry." With that said, Ling Chen turned to Bai Huanjun, smiled slightly, and said, "I owe you this time. Thanks!"


    "No need to be polite, I¡¯d never go back on a promise."


    Ling Chen nodded and instructed, "Find a way to bring him back to East Sea City, lock him up somewhere for now, and we¡¯ll discuss the rest when I¡¯m back. Be careful on the way."


    "Understood."

 Chapter 493 - 489: Visiting the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion

    <h4>Chapter 493: Chapter 489: Visiting the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion</h4><h4></h4>


    On the way back to the hotel, Ling Chen suddenly received a call from an unknown number.


    The call connected, and Ling Chen greeted, only to hear a familiar voice on the other side: "Ling Chen, it¡¯s me."


    "Zhou Jun?" Ling Chen recognized the voice and asked with a smile, "What made you think of calling me?"


    "This time, it¡¯s on behalf of my old man; I specifically called you. Hey, are you free these days? Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion would like to invite you over as a guest and give you the reward we owe you."


    "That might be a bit inconvenient; I¡¯m in Beijing, maybe..."


    "You¡¯re in Beijing?" Zhou Junughed loudly: "That really is a coincidence."


    Ling Chen was slightly taken aback and said with a tone of surprise, "From what you¡¯re saying, could it be that the headquarters of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is in Beijing?"


    Zhou Junughed and replied: "Where else did you think it was? Since you¡¯re in Beijing, there¡¯s no better day than today. Where are you? I¡¯lle and pick you up."


    Ling Chen thought for a moment and then told Zhou Jun the address of his hotel.


    When Ling Chen arrived at the hotel, Zhou Jun was already waiting in the lobby for his arrival.


    "Ling Chen, it¡¯s been a few days. How have you been?"


    Although the two had not known each other for long, they had fought side by side, and both admired each other and deliberately befriended one another, thus their rtionship was quite good.


    "Just so-so, the usual."


    "Let¡¯s go. The old man is waiting for you there so he doesn¡¯t end up calling to rush us."


    Ling Chen nodded, gave a few instructions to Zhong Wei to ensure the safety of Nanrong Wanqing. Now that the Snake King was captured, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s safety was temporarily secured even if Ling Chen was not by her side.


    As they exited the hotel¡¯s main entrance, a silver Porsche was parked by the roadside; Zhou Jun pulled out his car keys and walked over.


    Getting into the car, Ling Chen chuckled: "Does everyone in Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion have as much money as you?"


    Zhou Jun pursed his lips and said, "I¡¯m not bragging, but Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion never cares about money. We don¡¯t have sries here, only bonuses. Adding together the bonuses from holidays, let¡¯s not exaggerate, but one million is guaranteed."


    Ling Chen was somewhat surprised; he knew Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was wealthy, but he didn¡¯t realize it was to this extent. But then again, considering Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has a history of hundreds of years with profound heritage, it made sense they had umted substantial wealth.


    After a drive of more than ten minutes, Zhou Jun drove the Porsche into an underground parking garage.


    "Are we here?" Ling Chen looked at Zhou Jun, his face full of astonishment. He had thought the headquarters of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion would be in a quiet ce in the suburbs. Yet here he was, in the bustling center of Beijing, the most vibrant part of the city.


    Zhou Junughed and retorted: "Where did you think the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion would be?"


    Ling Chen touched his nose and said, "I thought it would be in a very secretive ce."


    "There¡¯s an old saying, ¡¯The greatest secrets are hidden in in sight¡¯. The best way to avoid discovery is to blend in."


    In the meantime, the two walked side by side into the parking garage¡¯s elevator.


    This luxurious office building had sixty-six floors, and ording to Zhou Jun, it was entirely funded by Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and had been standing for about a decade now. The headquarters of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was located on the top floor of this luxurious office building, covering an area of more than 2,000 square meters, while the rest of the floors were rented out. Just from this rental ie alone, the earnings were substantial.


    Ding!


    As the elevator doors opened, Ling Chen stepped out to see a spacious reception hall wherein several attractive young women in professional attire respectfully stood on both sides, their faces adorned with gentle smiles that made people feel veryfortable.


    Under Zhou Jun¡¯s lead, Ling Chen passed through the reception hall and went straight into the lounge. Along the way, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes never rested, carefully observing the surrounding environment.


    What amazed Ling Chen was that the headquarters of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion weren¡¯t much different from a regrpany; each employee had an individual cubicle, and all work waspleted viaputers, a uniformly modern setup. If Zhou Jun hadn¡¯t stressed on it several times, Ling Chen wouldn¡¯t have believed that this ce was indeed Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    Upon reaching the lounge, Zhou Qi was seen holding a tea cup, waiting inside.


    "Mr. Ling." Zhou Qi greeted with a smile, stood up, and approached Ling Chen with an extended hand: "Wee to Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    "Elder Zhou." Ling Chen politely shook hands.


    "Mr. Ling, as Zhou Jun probably told you, the main reason for inviting you here is to deliver the reward we promised you. Zhou Jun, go fetch the items."


    "Alright!" Zhou Jun responded and left the lounge.


    "Mr. Ling, please have a seat."


    "Elder Zhou, no need to be so formal; I¡¯m friends with Zhou Jun, just call me Ling Chen."


    "That¡¯s fine." Zhou, smiling, nodded his head, then suddenly shifted the conversation: "Did you encounter any trouble on your way backst time?"


    "Ran into a bit of minor trouble, but it wasn¡¯t a big deal."


    "That¡¯s good. After you left, I knew the God Organization wouldn¡¯t give up easily, so I¡¯ve been worried about your safety. Seeing that you¡¯re alright, I can rest easy now."


    "Thank you for your concern, Elder Zhou." After saying this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but ask: "Elder Zhou, is this ce really the headquarters of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?" Although Zhou Jun had confirmed it several times, Ling Chen was still somewhat disbelieving.


    "It is." Zhou Qi exined with a smile: "Previously, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was located in deep mountains and forests where transport andmunication were very inconvenient. With the advancement of the time, the Pavilion Master decided to keep up with the times, abolishing old rules and giving Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion aplete makeover. Thus, we built this new building, serving as the headquarters. All of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯s documents were uploaded to the server, and the originals are preserved at Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯s old site."


    "The Pavilion Master of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion..."


    "Of course, the Pavilion Master resides in the old location; it¡¯s the foundation of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯s centuries-old inheritance and can¡¯t just be abandoned. Also, that old site is entwined with many of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯s secrets, so it must be guarded."


    So that was the case!


    Having heard Zhou Qi¡¯s exnation, Ling Chen finally understood. Zhou Jun wasn¡¯t wrong, but this ce could only be considered the modern headquarters of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion; the real main base was still at the original location.


    He had thought he might be able to visit Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion to broaden his horizons, but it seemed there would be no chance now.


    Lost in thought, Zhou Jun came in holding several exquisite wooden boxes.


    "Ling Chen, these are all Heavenly Mechanism Pills; four top-quality Heavenly Mechanism Pills plus one ordinary Heavenly Mechanism Pill. Take care of them." Zhou Jun said while handing a tablet to Ling Chen.


    "What¡¯s this for?" Ling Chen asked, puzzled.


    Elder Zhou said: "Your reward includes an Internal Cultivation Method; the tablet contains a directory, browse through it first and see if there¡¯s anything you¡¯re interested in."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen skimmed through it quickly, and his eyes widened more and more in amazement.

 Chapter 494 - 490: Visiting Guo Liang (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 494: Chapter 490: Visiting Guo Liang (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    Within the tablet¡¯s directory, there were nearly a hundred different Internal Cultivation Methods, virtually epassing those of every sect and school, which was truly astonishing.


    For someone practicing martial arts, this was no less than a treasure trove. Ling Chen silently marveled; the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion truly deserved its reputation as a centuries-old power with such profound heritage, no wonder it was esteemed as the leader by all major sects.


    "Ling Chen, have you made your choice yet?"


    Hearing Zhou Qi¡¯s question, Ling Chen put down the tablet, looked at Zhou Qi, and said, "Elder Zhou, to be frank, I¡¯m not particrly interested in these Internal Cultivation Methods."


    He had already cultivated the Prajnaparamita Sutra; other Internal Cultivation Methods were simply superfluous for him and of no use. Moreover, the two sets of information given to him by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master provided him with a deep understanding of the Prajnaparamita Sutra. Not to say that it was stronger than all other Internal Cultivation Methods, but at the very least it was no weaker than any of those listed in this catalog.


    "As expected!" Zhou Qi said with a smile: "The Pavilion Master once mentioned to me that you might not choose an Internal Cultivation Method, and it seems he was quite urate in his judgment. How about this, since you¡¯re not interested in these Internal Cultivation Methods, why don¡¯t you make a request? As long as it¡¯s reasonable, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion won¡¯t refuse, and we¡¯ll consider it aspensation for your reward."


    "This..." Ling Chen scratched his head, not sure what to request. After thinking for a moment, his eyes lit up, and he made up his mind.


    "Elder Zhou, I know that the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has powerful intelligence capabilities. Could you help me find someone?"


    "That¡¯s not a problem, but I need to ask clearly first, who are you looking for?"


    "Ling Kun." With that, Ling Chen took out his wallet from his pocket, fished out an old, yellowed photo, and handed it to Zhou Qi, saying, "This person, this is his photo from his youth, he should be around fifty years old now."


    Zhou Qi scrutinized the photo and asked, "May I ask, what is your rtionship with this man?"


    "He¡¯s my father, and I haven¡¯t heard from him for many years. Elder Zhou, I wonder if the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion could fulfill my request?" Ling Chen¡¯s tone carried a hint of hope.


    "We can." Zhou Qi nodded, "But I can¡¯t guarantee it one hundred percent."


    "That¡¯s fine, do the best you can."


    "In addition to this, the rewards from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion also include a weapon personally forged by Master Guo Liang. When the timees, contact Master Guo Liang yourself, exin your requirements, and he will forge a weapon for you ording to your wishes."


    "Alright."


    Even if Zhou Qi hadn¡¯t mentioned it, Ling Chen would have sought out Guo Liang. Thest time at the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, Guo Liang mentioned to him that there was an unknown secret hidden in the Tianling de, and Ling Chen was keen to get a clear exnation from Guo Liang.


    "Elder Zhou." At this point, Ling Chen changed the subject and asked, "What has happened to Zhu Hong since you took himst time?"


    "He¡¯s not dead. However, he will have to pay for his actions for the rest of his life."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen tactfully refrained from asking further. Zhu Hong, having fallen into the hands of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, would likely not have an easy life ahead.


    After some casual conversation, Ling Chen left the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion headquarters with Zhou Jun¡¯spany.


    "Ling Chen, you¡¯re always wee to visit when you have the chance. I spend most of my time in Beijing."


    "Sure, I¡¯lle to find you when I¡¯m free."


    Ling Chen waved his hand and watched as Zhou Jun drove off, then he turned and entered the hotel.


    Back in his room, looking at the Heavenly Mechanism Pill inside the wooden box, Ling Chen¡¯s face showed a faint smile. Of all the rewards from the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, the most precious was undoubtedly the Heavenly Mechanism Pill, especially the four top-quality ones. If he were to put them out there, who knows how many people would be green with envy.


    Having stored everything properly, Ling Chen headed directly to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s guest room.


    Upon entering, he saw Nanrong Wanqing had just finished a phone conference, sitting on the sofa resting.


    "Tired?" Ling Chen walked behind Nanrong Wanqing, asking with concern, his hands on her shoulders, gently kneading, helping to ease her fatigue.


    Nanrong Wanqing lifted her head, looking up at Ling Chen with the corners of her lips slightly raised, bearing a shallow smile, blissful and contented.


    "There¡¯s another meeting tomorrow, if all goes well, we can go home the day after."


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "No rush, you should rest well. I will take you to meet someone tonight."


    Night fell.


    After dinner, Ling Chen took Nanrong Wanqing out of the hotel, driving into the street.


    After more than half an hour of driving, Ling Chen arrived at his destination, an ancient Siheyuan. This Siheyuan, situated deep within the alley, had a history of at least a hundred years, quiet and serene, making it a perfect ce for retirement.


    Ling Chen took Nanrong Wanqing by the hand to the entrance, and gently knocked on the door.


    Thump, thump, thump!


    Not long after, the vermilion gate opened from the inside, and a young man around twenty peeked out, scrutinizing Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing politely, saying, "Who do you wish to see?"


    "Good day, I¡¯m here to see Mr. Guo. Could you please let him know that Ling Chen hase to visit?"


    "Ling Chen?" The young man¡¯s eyes lit up, his face brimming with an enthusiastic smile, said, "So you are Mr. Ling, pleasee in!" Saying so, the young man stepped aside to let Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing into the Siheyuan.


    "You recognize me?" Ling Chen followed the young man, asking as they walked.


    "My Master mentioned Mr. Ling to me, I heard that Mr. Ling is the champion of the new martial artspetition, so I remember it clearly."


    As they talked, the three of them arrived at the main hall of the Siheyuan.


    "Please take a seat. I will go and call my Master."


    After the young man left, Nanrong Wanqing asked with curiosity, "Ling Chen, what was thepetition he talked about just now?"


    "Oh, nothing much, just martial artists challenging each other." Ling Chen casually replied.


    Martial arts affairs were too extensive to exin in a moment. Nanrong Wanqing, unfamiliar with this circle, would not understand even if he exined.


    In the middle of their chat, the silver-haired Guo Liang, supported by his disciple, came walking in from the outside with faltering steps.


    "Mr. Guo!" Ling Chen promptly stood up, greeting politely.


    Guo Liangughed heartily, "Sit down, no need to be so formal here." With that, Guo Liang turned to look at Nanrong Wanqing, smiling kindly, "Ling Chen, who is thisdy?"


    "She¡¯s Nanrong Wanqing, my girlfriend."


    "Very good." Guo Liang nodded, smiling, "Truly a match of talent and beauty."


    Once everyone was seated, Guo Liang inquired, "Did youe to see me about making a weapon?"


    "That¡¯s not urgent. My main purpose for visiting is to inquire about the secret of the Tianling de."


    "I mentioned to youst time that the Tianling de was personally forged by my ancestors of the Guo Family. My ancestor was once entrusted to hide a secret within the weapon; as for what that secret is, probably no one knows except for my ancestor and that client."

 Chapter 495 - 491: Visiting Guo Liang (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 495: Chapter 491: Visiting Guo Liang (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Mr. Guo, I have to be honest, ever since you mentioned this to mest time, I¡¯ve repeatedly studied the Tianling de but didn¡¯t find anything. Additionally, I¡¯ve scanned it with instruments, and there¡¯s nothing inside the de either."


    "I¡¯m not clear on that," Guo Liang said. "The one thing I am sure of is that there¡¯s definitely a secret hidden within the Tianling de. As for where they¡¯ve concealed it, that remains unknown. Ling Chen, the wisdom of the ancients far exceeds our imagination, you can¡¯t usemon logic to specte on their thinking."


    At this point, Guo Liang stood up and said, "Come, let me take you on a tour."


    Leaving the hall, Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing followed Guo Liang into a room next door locked with arge padlock.


    As they entered, Ling Chen saw the room neatly arranged with more than ten kinds of tools: Furnaces, bellows,rge anvils, and many hammers of various sizes¡ªall the forging tools needed in ancient times for ironworking were there.


    "These tools are all inherited from the Guo Family ancestors; they¡¯ve been here for hundreds of years, always kept dust-covered in this ce. That Tianling de was forged with these tools," introduced Guo Liang.


    Ling Chen asked with interest, "Mr. Guo, may I take a look around?"


    "Of course, no problem."


    With Guo Liang¡¯s permission, Ling Chen walked around the room, looking here and there, asionally touching things with his hands. Suddenly, he noticed in the corner of the room, there was a pile of rusty scrap iron sheets. These sheets were not ordinary, each one incredibly thin and etched with different shapes and lines, looking quite bizarre.


    "Mr. Guo, what are these used for?" Ling Chen asked.


    "These are what my ancestors left behind. ording to Guo Family records, our ancestors were not only skilled at forging weapons but also enjoyed engraving, especially micro-engraving, such as carving text and pictures on grains of rice; it was among his hobbies. Those iron scraps you see were used for practice."


    Skilled at engraving?


    At these words, Ling Chen¡¯s heart stirred, as if he had thought of something, and a sh of brightness passed through his eyes. However, he quickly concealed that sh.


    After the visit to the old tools, Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing followed Guo Liang back to the hall.


    After discussing the weapons that Ling Chen wanted to forge, it was already half-past nine in the evening. Seeing that it was gettingte, Ling Chen, not wanting to disturb Mr. Guo¡¯s rest, took his leave and stated that he would visit again when he was free.


    Upon leaving the Siheyuan, Ling Chen seemed unable to wait. The journey that usually took over half an hour waspleted in less than twenty minutes back to the hotel.


    Back in the room, seeing the busy Ling Chen, Nanrong Wanqing asked curiously, "What are you doing?"


    Ling Chen cracked a smile and said mysteriously, "You¡¯ll know soon."


    While talking, heid a piece of white paper t on the table and ced the ink he had just bought from the roadside next to the paper. After everything was ready, he took out the Tianling de, evenly coated its surface with ink, especially on the areas engraved with patterns.


    With the applicationplete, Ling Chen ced the Tianling de on the white paper and gently rolled it. Soon after, tiny characters began to appear on the paper.


    Indeed!


    Ling Chen was excited. It looked like his guess had been correct¡ªthe secrets of the Tianling de were all hidden here. It was fortunate he had visited Mr. Guo¡¯s home, otherwise, he never would have thought of this method.


    Looking at the hundreds of characters revealing themselves on the paper, Ling Chen immediately felt a headacheing on. These characters were smaller than flies, ancient text, and the ink made the script rather blurry, making it difficult to discern the content.


    "Wanqing,e take a look."


    Nanrong Wanqing leaned over the paper and studied it carefully, then shook her head and said, "The handwriting is too unclear."


    "Then never mind."


    Since he had found the secret of the Tianling de, he only needed to decipher these characters. When he returned to East Sea City, he would have Hu Fei use instruments to scan these characters.


    ...


    After staying in Beijing for another two days, waiting for Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s conference to end, the group took a private ne back to East Sea City.


    After resting at home for a day, life returned to normal.


    That day.


    After dropping Nanrong Wanqing off at the Hongyu Group headquarters, Ling Chen drove back to Wealthy Manor.


    He arrived outside of Nanrong Yong¡¯s study, knocked gently on the door, and after hearing a response, he pushed the door open and went in.


    Inside the study, Nanrong Yong was standing in front of a writing desk, his hand brandishing a brush, practicing calligraphy on rice paper.


    Seeing Ling Chene in, Nanrong Yong put down his brush and asked with a smile, "Weren¡¯t you apanying Wanqing to thepany?"


    "Elder, I have something to discuss with you."


    "Sit down and talk."


    After sitting down, Ling Chen cleared his throat and said, "Elder, when you asked me to investigate Nanrong Gang¡¯s matter, although results have been found, the situation is not as simple as we imagined. Nanrong Gang is dead, but he has a son."


    Hearing this, Nanrong Yong¡¯s expression changed slightly, and he asked eagerly, "Are you sure?"


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "Elder, do you remember the assassin Snake King who attempted to assassinate Wanqing a few months ago? He is Nanrong Gang¡¯s son, Nanrong Zhengqing."


    Nanrong Yong was stunned, his face turning red with rage, his eyes fiery as he said sternly, "Why would he attack his own niece so viciously?"


    "ording to him, he did it purely for revenge."


    "Revenge?" Nanrong Yong snorted coldly. "Against whom, me? If he wants revenge, he shoulde at me directly. Why involve Wanqing? He..." Before he finished his sentence, Nanrong Yong suddenly stopped and looked at Ling Chen. "You said you heard it from him, have you seen him?"


    "Not only have I seen him, two days ago in Beijing, he intended to harm Wanqing again, but he was captured by me and is now imprisoned in East Sea City. Elder, this is a feud within the Nanrong Family, so I wanted to ask for your opinion on what to do."


    Nanrong Yong pondered for a moment, then said, "First, take me to see him."


    "Alright."


    Leaving the Nanrong Family home, Ling Chen drove Nanrong Yong to an abandoned factory.


    As they got out of the car, they met Bai Huanjuning towards them.


    "How is he doing?"


    "Still quite meek."


    "You wait outside; we¡¯ll go talk to him."


    Inside the factory, they saw Snake King tied to a chair, his hands and feet restrained, with fast-food containers and water bottles scattered around.


    Perhaps hearing the footsteps of two people behind him, Snake King turned his head, his fierce eyes immediately locked onto Nanrong Yong.


    Nanrong Yong looked at Snake King and asked, "So you¡¯re my brother¡¯s son?"


    "Shut up!" Snake King said coldly. "You¡¯re not worthy to call my father ¡¯brother¡¯."

 Chapter 496 - 492: Nanrong’s Past

    <h4>Chapter 496: Chapter 492: Nanrong¡¯s Past</h4><h4></h4>


    Nanrong Yong waspletely indifferent to the Snake King¡¯s rage, saying lightly, "He is my elder brother, a fact that can¡¯t be changed by anyone. No matter how you deny it, you cannot negate our blood rtionship."


    He paused for a moment, not waiting for the Snake King to speak, Nanrong Yong continued, "Over the years, I have always thought that it was your father who secretly hired an assassin, intending to harm the Nanrong Family, but what I didn¡¯t expect was that he had long passed away, nor did I expect that he would have a son. Wanqing is your niece, how could you bear to have her killed?"


    The Snake King sneered, "Why don¡¯t you ask yourself why you treated my father so cruelly back then? I¡¯m merely repaying tooth for tooth, an eye for an eye."


    Nanrong Yong shook his head and said, "I think you¡¯ve misunderstood; I have never done anything to wrong your father. If anyone is to me, it¡¯s your father himself. His downfall was entirely of his own making. Unfortunately, he neither realized nor repented, but instead med everyone else entirely, never reflecting on whether he had done anything wrong."


    "Shut your mouth!" the Snake King said coldly, angrily shouting, "Don¡¯t you nder my father!"


    "I am merely stating the facts, not a single word of falsehood. If you don¡¯t believe me, there¡¯s nothing I can do. My father, who is also your grandfather, had some reputation locally. When your father and I grew up, the old man gave each of us a substantial amount of funds to start our own businesses. In addition, he set a rule that whoever could create the most wealth in the shortest amount of time would inherit the position of Family Head of the Nanrong Family."


    "Your father was capable, but he was too eager for quick sess and easily trusted others. In less than half a year, the funds he had were almost gone, either lost in failed investments or swindled by others. At the time, I took the money and contracted a pier. Although the profit wasn¡¯t much, it was at least steady. Your father, as the eldest son, couldn¡¯t bear to lose face in front of the old man, so he turned to me, hoping I could help him. Out of brotherly love, I gave him all my profits from the past six months, hoping he could start over."


    "Regrettably, your father couldn¡¯t change his impatient nature, always looking to make the biggest profit with the least money. Such businesses did exist, but they were all illegal activities. Later, under the guise of transportation, your father used my port for smuggling, and not only that, he also started to traffic drugs through the cargo ships. By the time I found out about this, it was toote; no matter how much I tried to dissuade him, he wouldn¡¯t listen. In the end, I had no choice, not wanting the reputation of the Nanrong Family to be tarnished by his actions, so I secretly informed the old man, telling him everything your father had done."


    "After learning of this, the old man was uncontrobly furious, and he personally reported it to the police. Your father was imprisoned for five years because of this. For this matter, your father utterly hated me and the old man, believing that we were the ones who had wronged him. Especially me¡ªhe thought I was jealous of him, afraid that he would take the position of Family Head from me, so I snitched to the old man and even instigated him to report to the police. It¡¯s undeniable that I am partly to me for not considering the potential consequences. But most of the responsibility still lies with your father. If it hadn¡¯t been for his delving into the illegal business, none of this would have happened."


    "Actually, your father didn¡¯t know that with the crimes he hadmitted at the time, he was facing at least twenty years. It was the old man and myself who ran about asking for favors, which reduced his sentence to five years. After he was released from prison, he didn¡¯t even enter his own home but left East Sea City immediately. Since then, I never saw your father again. Even when the old man passed away, he didn¡¯te back to see him onest time."


    "I know your father hated me, but I didn¡¯t expect him to pass that hatred onto you. Ling Chen, the cycle of vengeance has no end¡ªyes, I am responsible for what happened back then, but I have no regrets. If your father had continued down that path, once his crimes came to light, he would not merely face imprisonment, but execution. I don¡¯t expect you to understand, but I hope you can see the truth clearly and not be blinded by your father¡¯s selfish hatred."


    After hearing Nanrong Yong¡¯s words, the Snake King fell into silence.


    After a while, he finally spoke, "My father is dead, there can be no verification. How do I know what you¡¯re saying is true?"


    "I really have no proof, I just want you to know, no matter what happens, he will always be his elder brother, and you are my nephew, people of the Nanrong Family will never turn on each other."


    With that said, Nanrong Yong looked at Ling Chen and said, "Untie him."


    "Master..."


    "Let him go. I¡¯ve said everything I needed to say. If he¡¯s still deluded, still determined to take revenge for his father, there¡¯s nothing I can do." As he spoke, Nanrong Yong paused, then turned to the Snake King and said, "If you still wish to take revenge, juste at me, don¡¯t go after Wanqing anymore. She knows nothing about the past. I only hope that after I die, the grudges between our two families can finally end."


    Ling Chen silently untied the bindings around the Snake King, then stood beside Nanrong Yong, vigntly watching the Snake King in case he intended any harm to Nanrong Yong.


    The Snake King stood up, nced at Ling Chen, and asked, "Do you have a cell phone I could use?"


    Without much thought, Ling Chen took out his phone and threw it to the Snake King. The Snake King then walked to the other end of the warehouse, dialed a number, and was seen quietly talking to someone.


    Several minutester, the Snake King returned to Ling Chen and Nanrong Yong with an expressionless face, saying, "I believe what you just said."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen and Nanrong Yong looked at each other, puzzled by the sudden shift in the Snake King¡¯s attitude.


    "I just spoke to my mother on the phone and asked her about my father¡¯s past. What she told me was much the same as what you said. My mother was pregnant with me when my father divorced her, and then he left the country. Shortly after I was born, my mother remarried. All this time, I was led to believe that my stepfather was my biological father untilter when I found an old photo while going through my mother¡¯s belongings, and then I learned who my real father was. Perhaps for my sake, my mother never spoke ill of him; whenever she mentioned him, she praised his good qualities, and I never had any reason to doubt her."


    "One year, by sheer coincidence, I met someone and entered the profession of an assassin. Once I had enough ability, I started looking for my father¡¯s whereabouts. Persistence pays off. After three years, I finally found him. Unfortunately, by that time, he was gravely ill and near death. I stayed with him for three days until he died. While he was alive, he told me a lot about the Nanrong Family. He said that it was because of you that he ended up in such a hopeless situation, that you ruined him. Thus, I vowed over his corpse that I would avenge him."

 Chapter 497 - 493: Elder Cousin Brother

    <h4>Chapter 497: Chapter 493: Elder Cousin Brother</h4><h4></h4>


    "You¡¯re right, my father truly was a selfish man. If it weren¡¯t for you telling me the truth, I would probably still be in the dark, deceived and used by my father."


    Nanrong Yong sighed and said, "Regardless, he is your father after all. Besides, he¡¯s already gone. There¡¯s no need to hold a grudge against him anymore."


    Snake King nodded, about to say something. But at that moment, his expression abruptly changed, and he said in a deep voice, "Not good!"


    ...


    Hongyu Group headquarters.


    Nanrong Wanqing handed a document to Wang Lan and instructed, "Hurry and deliver this to Manager Chen."


    "Yes, Chairman."


    Leaving the office, Wang Lan was about to enter the elevator, but then she heard her cellphone ring in her pocket. She took it out, and a blissful smile instantly bloomed on her face when she saw the caller ID. She quickly answered the call.


    "Hello! Calling me during work hours, be careful that your manager doesn¡¯t find out and dock your pay... No, the Chairman asked me to deliver a document downstairs... Okay, then wait for me, I¡¯ll be over soon."


    A few minutester.


    The elevator doors opened, and Wang Lan returned to the office, followed by a young man¡ªit was Ji Beizhao.


    "Beizhao, why do you insist on speaking with the Chairman in person, is it something I cannot convey?" Wang Lan asked curiously.


    Ji Beizhao spoke with a grave tone, "This matter is of great importance; I¡¯d better tell her myself."


    As they spoke, the two arrived at the door to the Chairman¡¯s office.


    Knock, knock, knock!


    Hearing the knock, Nanrong Wanqing, who was dealing with documents at her desk, looked up and said, "Come in!"


    With the office door pushed open, Wang Lan walked in with Ji Beizhao following closely behind. Seeing the arrivals, Nanrong Wanqing put down her work and asked Wang Lan, "Who is this?"


    "Chairman, his name is Ji Beizhao, an employee from the marketing department. He says he has something important to report to you."


    Hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing scrutinized Ji Beizhao and said indifferently, "You should be clear about thepany¡¯s policies. I don¡¯t meet with staff below the Manager level, nor should employees bypass their superiors to report directly, unless there¡¯s an exceptional situation. Tell me, what¡¯s the important matter?"


    Ji Beizhao briskly walked to the desk and ced the folder he was carrying on it.


    "Chairman, please take a look at this first."


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded slightly, ready to open the folder to review it. But at this moment, the cellphone by theputer suddenly rang, showing Ling Chen¡¯s number on the caller ID.


    "Wait a moment," said Nanrong Wanqing to Ji Beizhao, gesturing with her hand as she picked up the phone. However, before she could answer the call, Ji Beizhao, who stood in front of the desk, suddenly lunged forward without a word, smacking the phone out of her hand to the ground.


    His unexpected action stunned Nanrong Wanqing momentarily. Behind her, Wang Lan¡¯s face changed dramatically; she did not expect her boyfriend to act so boldly and out of line.


    "Beizhao, what are you..."


    Before she could finish, Ji Beizhao let out a cold sneer, his eyes glinting menacingly as he leaped over the desk tond beside Nanrong Wanqing. Immediately after, he reached to his waist, and a sharp dagger was swiftly drawn, pressed against Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s delicate neck.


    Seeing this scene, Wang Lan¡¯s face turned ashen, her voice shaking as she said, "Be... Beizhao, what... what are you doing?"


    "Shut up!" Ji Beizhao shouted coldly.


    Nanrong Wanqing lifted her head, looking straight at Ji Beizhao with a calm demeanor, "Are you an Assassin?"


    "Assassin? If I were an assassin, you¡¯d be dead by now."


    "So what do you want?"


    "It¡¯s simple. Prepare a contract for me to transfer Hongyu Group¡¯s shares to me."


    "You think that¡¯s possible?" Nanrong Wanqing spoke, "Even if I agree, I don¡¯t have the authority. The shares of Hongyu Group aren¡¯t in my hands; they¡¯re all under my grandfather¡¯s name."


    Ji Beizhao frowned and was about to speak. However, at that moment, there was a ¡¯bang¡¯, and the office door was kicked open from the outside. Immediately, Zhong Wei and others rushed in, shouting, "Ji Beizhao, release the Chairman at once."


    Seeing Zhong Wei and his people closing in, Ji Beizhao¡¯s expression shifted slightly, and he hastily shouted, "Don¡¯te any closer, take one more step, and I¡¯ll kill her right away."


    As Ji Beizhao held the dagger tightly against Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s neck, Zhong Wei immediately spread his arms, signaling the others not to make any rash moves. Then, he took out his cellphone from his pocket, dialed a number, and put it on speaker.


    Du-du...


    The phone rang a few times before quickly being picked up, and a familiar voice followed, "Beizhao, stop this now, don¡¯t continue making mistakes."


    "Ling Chen?" Ji Beizhaoughed coldly, "It¡¯s toote for me to stop now, there¡¯s no turning back."


    "Beizhao, stop it, won¡¯t you listen to me anymore?"


    As a voice full of maism emanated from the phone, Ji Beizhao froze, incredulously saying, "Dad, you... you¡¯re still alive, I thought you..."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine. Listen to Ling Chen and release Nanrong Wanqing. We were wrong to me them for that incident."


    Hearing this, Ji Beizhao pleaded, "But..."


    "No buts. Release her now, won¡¯t you even listen to me?"


    Ji Beizhao hesitated for a moment, his eyes flickering as he looked at Nanrong Wanqing. After a while, he stepped back and threw the dagger to the ground.


    Seeing this, Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui rushed forward, subduing Ji Beizhao who had given up resisting.


    "Beizhao..."


    Watching Ji Beizhao being led away, Wang Lan¡¯s color was drained from her face, and she mumbled as if she couldn¡¯t believe what had just unfolded.


    "I¡¯m sorry," Ji Beizhao said softly, his eyes filled with remorse.


    By the time Ji Beizhao was taken away, it hadn¡¯t been twenty minutes before Ling Chen and Nanrong Yong hurried back to the Hongyu Group headquarters.


    "Wanqing, are you alright?" Ling Chen rushed to the Chairman¡¯s office, deeply concerned.


    "I¡¯m fine. Ling Chen, who was that Ji Beizhao just now?"


    "He is..."


    "He¡¯s your cousin," Lian Zhao Hui cut in before Ling Chen could finish.


    "Cousin?" Nanrong Wanqing was taken aback, asking in confusion, "When did I get a cousin?"


    Nanrong Yong sighed softly, and said with mncholy, "It¡¯s a long story that dates back to my younger days."


    "Grandfather, Wanqing, you guys talk, I will go down to check on Beizhao."


    As Ling Chen turned to leave, Nanrong Yong quickly called out to him, saying, "Ling Chen, he was just misled and didn¡¯t truly mean to target the Nanrong Family. I hope you can help."


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "Grandfather, don¡¯t worry, I know what to do."


    Leaving the office, Ling Chen took the elevator straight to the security department.

 Chapter 498 - 494: Thawing Former Resentments

    <h4>Chapter 498: Chapter 494: Thawing Former Resentments</h4><h4></h4>


    In the security department¡¯s reception room, Ji Beizhao sat quietly on a chair, with Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui standing guard on either side of him, watching him closely to prevent escape.


    Seeing Ling Chen enter, Zhong Wei nodded in greeting and asked, "Do you want me to call the police?"


    "No need," Ling Chen said. "Captain Zhong, you two step out for a bit, I have something to discuss with him alone."


    "Alright, we¡¯ll be outside if you need us." With that, Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui stepped out of the reception room.


    Once they were gone, Ling Chen pulled up a chair and ced it in front of Ji Beizhao, saying, "I know all about you. To be honest, you yed your part well, even I was fooled. If not because of your father, you probably wouldn¡¯t have exposed your own identity."


    Ji Beizhao spoke up, "A few days ago in Beijing, he contacted me by phone, saying he was ready to make his move, but then I heard nothing for days. At that time, I knew something had happened to him."


    "So, you decided to go all in," Ling Chen shook his head andmented, "Lucky for you, your father understood your nature, knew you wouldn¡¯t just give up; otherwise, you could have caused a great disaster."


    "Enough with the nonsense. Just get to the point and tell me how you n to deal with me."


    "Based on your actions, I should turn you over to the police. However, the Nanrong Family has decided to let bygones be bygones, out of consideration for past rtions, and will not further pursue your wrongdoings." With that, Ling Chen pointed to the door of the reception room and said, "Go on, your father is waiting for you outside. Remember, don¡¯te around to disturb the Nanrong Family¡¯s life again."


    Hearing this, Ji Beizhao gave Ling Chen a deep look, and then, without a word, stood up and walked straight out.


    Watching Ji Beizhao¡¯s silhouette disappear at the door, Ling Chen let out a sigh of relief to himself¡ªfinally, it was over. It was a good thing that Snake King was sensible and had stopped Ji Beizhao in time; otherwise, with such a person lurking nearby, who knows what could have happened.


    Returning to the chairman¡¯s office, Nanrong Yong and Nanrong Wanqing were still talking. From the shocked expression on Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face, it was clear she hade to understand the ins and outs of the affair.


    "Ling Chen, where is Ji Beizhao?" Nanrong Yong asked.


    "I let him go."


    Nanrong Yong nodded and said, "Let the past be the past. The Nanrong Family hasn¡¯t suffered any loss, and it¡¯s best if this matter is considered an internal conflict within the Nanrong Family and not publicized."


    During the conversation, a gentle knock sounded at the door. After receiving Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s permission, Wang Lan entered and handed a resignation letter to Nanrong Wanqing, her eyes red as she said, "Chairman, I¡¯m sorry."


    "What are you doing?"


    "It¡¯s all my fault," said Wang Lan ashamedly. "If I hadn¡¯t broken the rules and brought him up here, you wouldn¡¯t have been put in danger."


    "This has nothing to do with you; don¡¯t take it to heart. Besides, you were used by him, it¡¯s not your fault," Ling Chenforted.


    Nanrong Wanqing echoed, "Ling Chen is right, I don¡¯t me you, and I won¡¯t ept this letter of resignation. You go back and rest for a few days, ande back to work once you feel better."


    Holding back her tears, Wang Lan gratefully said, "Thank you, Chairman!"


    ...


    Night fell.


    After finishing work and having dinner with Nanrong Wanqing at home, Ling Chen was ready to head to the bedroom for a bath and rx his body.


    But upon entering the room, he saw Liu Kun and Hu Feiing in from outside.


    Seeing Hu Fei, Ling Chen was momentarily startled and immediately knew the reason for his visit. After thanking Liu Kun, he quickly pulled Hu Fei into his own room.


    "Chubby, have you cracked it?"


    Hu Fei put down his backpack, took out the Tianling de, and handed a piece of A4 paper filled with content to Ling Chen, saying, "I¡¯ve scanned the text on it, it¡¯s all in ssical Chinese, and given your level of education, I reckon you wouldn¡¯t understand, so I had someone trante it for you."


    Without heeding Hu Fei¡¯s teasing, Ling Chen eagerly took the A4 paper and read it intently.


    The ancient text engraved on the Tianling de was hundreds of words long, tranting into over a thousand words, filling the entire A4 paper.


    After reading the content on the paper, Ling Chen sat on the bed, staring nkly at the floor, his expression vacant for a long while withouting back to his senses.


    "Ling Chen, Ling Chen!"


    Hu Fei waved his hand in front of Ling Chen and, seeing no response, patted his shoulder, finally rousing him.


    "What are you dazing off about?"


    Ling Chen looked up, holding the piece of paper in his hand and asked Hu Fei, "Did you see the content on this?"


    "Nonsense, how could someone as curious as me not read it? But, though I read it, I didn¡¯t understand it, I don¡¯t know what it means. Hey! Can you exin it to me?"


    "Forget it." Ling Chen, forgoing his usual light-hearted demeanor, said seriously, "Besides you, has anyone else seen this?"


    "The person responsible for the trantion?" Hu Fei waved his hand, "Don¡¯t worry about that, I¡¯m always careful with my work. I was afraid of the content getting out, so I split it up and had several different people trante it. Except for you and me, no one knows the full content."


    "That¡¯s good then." Ling Chen nodded, got up, took out a lighter from the drawer, and burned the A4 paperpletely.


    "Chubby, do me a favor, grind off all the text engraved on the Tianling de, don¡¯t leave a single word."


    "Exactly what secret do these texts hold, and also, who is the Ling Gengqiu mentioned there?" asked Hu Fei, curious.


    "Don¡¯t ask. You wouldn¡¯t understand even if I told you."


    Seeing Ling Chen reluctant to say more, Hu Fei didn¡¯t bother to inquire further. After packing up, he left the Nanrong¡¯s.


    Once Hu Fei was gone, Ling Chen sat alone in the bedroom, staring at the ashes remaining in the trash can, frowning to himself. Never had he imagined that the Tianling de would hold such earth-shattering secrets.


    Moreover, this secret was rted to Ling Gengqiu from hundreds of years ago.


    Initially, from the materials given to him by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master, Ling Chen had learned about Ling Gengqiu¡¯s life, including the origins of the Prajnaparamita Sutra. He had always thought Ling Gengqiu was just a fleeting genius in the martial world, never expecting the man¡¯s identity to be soplex.


    At this moment, all Ling Chen wanted was to find his father as soon as possible, or meet with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master, to understand the full story.


    During his contemtion, the bedroom door was pushed open by Nanrong Wanqing.


    Seeing Ling Chen sitting on the bed, lost in thought, Nanrong Wanqing smiled faintly and asked, "What are you thinking about?"


    "Nothing."


    "Take this, answer the phone first."


    Seeing the phone that Nanrong Wanqing handed him, Ling Chen asked, "Who¡¯s calling?"


    "Su Lin."


    A smile spread across Ling Chen¡¯s face¡ªit was that girl.

 Chapter 499 - 495 Ling Family Secrets

    <h4>Chapter 499: Chapter 495 Ling Family Secrets</h4><h4></h4>


    Su Lin had been out for an apprenticeship for over half a month now; with that girl not at home, the home felt much colder than usual, and Ling Chen rather missed her. But that girl knew her own mobile number, why didn¡¯t she just call him directly instead of bothering Nanrong Wanqing?


    Picking up the phone, Ling Chen answered with a hello, only to hear Su Lin¡¯s sweet voice from the other end of the phone: "Future brother-inw, I¡¯m not at home. Are you and Wanqing enjoying your time alone together?"


    "That we are." Ling Chen replied with augh: "If it were up to me, you wouldn¡¯te back and disturb us at all."


    Hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing gave him a reproachful look.


    "You wish. Let me tell you, this youngdy will be back in a month. You¡¯d better cherish the time you have alone with Wanqing, and don¡¯t me me when I interrupt your duo¡¯s world."


    "Alright, just be safe out there."


    After a bit of idle chat, Su Lin seemed to have somethinge up suddenly on her end and had to hang up the phone.


    "Su Lin said she¡¯lle back in a month."


    "That¡¯s just around Chinese New Year; it¡¯s time toe home."


    Chinese New Year!


    A thought struck Ling Chen, had it not been for Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s reminder, he would have almost forgotten about it. Since his childhood, he had never really had a concept of celebrating the New Year. When he lived with his father, festivals were just like any other day, with simple meals and no distinctions. After joining Ghost, he was always performing tasks outside, never getting the chance to enjoy the festivities.


    Involuntarily, Ling Chen found himself looking forward to the uing festival.


    After taking a bath, Ling Chen watched an entertainment program in the living room with Nanrong Wanqing. At ten o¡¯clock, after escorting a sleepy Nanrong Wanqing back to her room, Ling Chen changed into fresh clothes and left the Nanrong house alone, wandering in the garden of Wealthy Manor.


    The night was as dark as ink, decorated with stars.


    Ling Chen strolled on the gstone path, his thoughts drifting to recent events, and a bitter smile appeared on his well-defined face.


    He had thought that after leaving Ghost, he could wave goodbye to his past life and return to normalcy, but some matters are hard to disentangle once involved. For him, leading an ordinary life had almost be a luxury.


    Moreover, the circumstances he was facing now plunged him into profound confusion, as if everything were veiled inyers of fog, obscuring the truth.


    While wandering, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze suddenlynded on a pavilion in the garden.


    Sitting with his back to a stone bench in the pavilion was a man. Due to the dense night, only his slender silhouette and dense hair were faintly visible, his simple suit outlined his form, and ording to Ling Chen¡¯s judgment, the man appeared to be in his forties or fifties.


    The man sat alone in the pavilion, with a jug of wine and two cups on the stone table, pouring and drinking by himself as if he hadn¡¯t noticed Ling Chen¡¯s presence.


    Ling Chen looked twice and guessed that the man was probably brooding over some troubles, thus drinking alone here. Thinking it over, Ling Chen decided to take a detour to avoid disturbing him.


    "Since you¡¯re here, why not join me for a drink?"


    The voice came from the pavilion. Before Ling Chen could react, a whooshing sound suddenly emerged.


    Ling Chen focused his eyes, his brows slightly raised; he quickly reached out and caught the iing object. Looking at the wine cup in his hand, its contents not spilled, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes narrowed with interest, sizing up the man in the pavilion.


    "Are you specifically waiting for me here?"


    "Is that important?" the man countered.


    "If you want to drink with me, at least tell me who you are."


    "These things are not important." The man in the suit said indifferently: "What¡¯s important is that I can answer the doubts in your heart."


    "How do you know I have doubts?"


    "Because I know you, whether it¡¯s your time with Ghost or the things you¡¯ve experienced in East Sea City, I know it all clear and clear. I believe you must have many questions in your mind. Since you left Ghost, you¡¯ve been living aimlessly, clueless about which direction to take."


    Ling Chen said with a smirk, "Do you know then?"


    "Your father once asked me to secretly watch over you and ensure your safety. His intentions were clear, hoping that after you left Ghost, you could live an ordinary human life, carefree for the rest of your life. Unfortunately, fate does not always follow one¡¯s wishes, and the more you try to avoid some things, the harder it is to stop them. Many troubles will find you even if you do not seek them out."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed slightly, and he quickly walked towards the pavilion. However, before he could get close, the man in the suit waved hisrge hand, and the stone bench on the ground immediately flew up,nding in front of Ling Chen, blocking his path.


    "Don¡¯te closer, I do not wish to reveal my identity."


    Ling Chen stepped back two steps, impatiently asking, "Do you know my father?"


    "Of course. I came to find you at his behest. He knows you¡¯ve been using Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯s intelligence capabilities to find him, and due to some reasons, he cannot show himself right now, so he had me meet you instead. You can ask whatever questions you have, and I will try my best to answer them."


    Ling Chen paused for a moment and said, "Since you know my father, then you should be aware of my origin and background."


    "You mean... the Ling Family?" Upon hearing this, the man in the suit chuckled, adding, "Your father had predicted you would be curious about your own ancestry. Since you were young back then, he didn¡¯t tell you, but now that you are an adult, it¡¯s time to tell you the truth."


    "You were born into the Ling Family, a grand family that has been passed down for hundreds of years, with dozens of siblings. You and your father both belong to a coteral branch of the Ling Family, which for hundreds of years, has only had a single descendant per generation. Due to the actions of several of your ancestors, your line has not been well-liked in the Ling Family, often neglected. However, given that you both have the blood of the Ling Family, they have not done anything too outrageous to you or your father, until an incident more than a decade ago thatpletely severed rtions. After that incident, your father took you and left the Ling Family, moving far away."


    After listening to the man¡¯s words, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but say, "Can you rify? You¡¯re telling me so much it¡¯s like you¡¯re saying nothing."


    "You must already know about Ling Gengqiu."


    "I know about his deeds, all that happened hundreds of years ago."


    "Correct, but what you do not know is that Ling Gengqiu is actually your ancestor."


    "What?"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen waspletely shocked.


    "Back then, Ling Gengqiu was secretly poisoned by his wife, which led him to be a monk. After that, Ling Gengqiu¡¯s wife sent his only son to the Ling Family, then quietly disappeared, leaving no trace. Later, it was the Ling Family who raised Ling Gengqiu¡¯s child, which led to your line¡¯s existence."

 Chapter 500 - 496: Blacklist

    <h4>Chapter 500: Chapter 496: cklist</h4><h4></h4>


    So that¡¯s how it is!


    Ling Chen nodded to himself. Just a few days ago, he was evaluating Ling Gengqiu as a winner in life, having toyed with so many women throughout his days. Unexpectedly, he turned out to be his own ancestor, a transformation that was truly bewildering.


    "What happened afterwards?"


    "When Ling Gengqiu was alive, due to his indiscretions, he brought great shame to the Ling Family and caused a lot of trouble, which severely impacted them. Consequently, the Ling Family took a dim view of his descendants. Imagine, a child who¡¯s lost his parents and is all alone, growing up in such an environment, surrounded by cold eyes and subjected to people¡¯s scorn daily. If you were in his shoes, how long do you think you could endure? Therefore, it wasn¡¯t easy for our lineage... your lineage to survive."


    After a pause, the man in the suit continued: "Although the Ling Family has a martial arts heritage, as times progressed, the martial arts tradition gradually declined, and the Ling Family decided to abandon martial arts in favor of business. Fortunately, with their vast family fortune and rich heritage, it took them less than fifty years to build a business empire, bing the wealthiest in the south, at the pinnacle of their power."


    "No wonder I didn¡¯t see any members of the Ling Family at the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony this time."


    "No, you¡¯re wrong. It¡¯s not that they don¡¯t participate, but that they disdain to do so. Even though the Ling Family has shifted from martial arts to business, they haven¡¯tpletely forsaken martial arts. Also, the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony is just a grand event for the masters on the Dragon and Tiger List."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen was taken aback. The implication was clear¡ªthe Ling Family didn¡¯t participate in the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony because they had already surpassed the Dragon and Tiger List in strength.


    Could it be... the Ling Family¡¯s power has reached the Earthly List?


    "Knowing this much about the Ling Family is enough for you. I advise you, don¡¯t think about tracing your ancestry or seeking affinity with the Ling Family. The rtionship between the Ling Family and your father has deteriorated over a decade ago. Between you and them, there¡¯s only enmity, not kinship. Do you hear me?"


    "Enmity?" Ling Chen asked, puzzled. "What enmity?"


    "That you don¡¯t need to know, nor do you need to intervene. Your father will take care of it himself. In short, don¡¯t provoke the Ling Family; they¡¯re not a force you can shake. The Hongyu Group is at best a huge enterprise dominating East Sea City, but the Ling Family owns the entire south. The difference between them is like night and day. To the Ling Family, the Nanrong Family is nothing. Besides, there¡¯s another matter."


    "What¡¯s that?"


    "It¡¯s about the God Organization. You¡¯ve dealt with the God Organization for so many years and should be well aware of their strength. However, I need to remind you that if you think the God Organization¡¯s strongest forces are overseas, then you are sorely mistaken. Many years ago, the God Organization began to infiltrate Huaxia, developing covertly. Around the world, their power in Huaxia is the strongest. Over the years, they have deceived you, making you believe that the God Organization¡¯s influence hasn¡¯t fully prated Huaxia, thus rxing your guard and shifting your focus abroad. In fact, all these are smokescreens set by the God Organization to facilitate their growth and expansion within Huaxia."


    Ling Chen frowned and said, "Since you know so much about the God Organization, how much do you know about their leadership?"


    "He¡¯s from Huaxia. That¡¯s all I can tell you for now; there are some things I haven¡¯t fully investigated, so I can¡¯t make arbitrary conclusions. The main reason I came to see you is to remind you that you¡¯ve been listed on the God Organization¡¯s cklist, and they perceive you as a target that must be eliminated."


    "Me?" Ling Chen was stunned and asked, "Why?"


    "The man in the suit replied, "Because you¡¯re too high-profile in your actions, having confronted the God Organization head-on several times, causing them significant losses. Besides that, there¡¯s another crucial reason¡ªMr. Yun, also known as Nanrong Yuan, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s father."


    "What does he have to do with this?"


    The man in the suit sneered, "Do you really think the God Organization is oblivious to Nanrong Yuan¡¯s identity? That¡¯s just Nanrong Yuan being too clever by half, thinking he could deceive the agents of the God Organization. There¡¯s no absolute trust within the God Organization; everyone is scheming against each other. At least a dozen people around Nanrong Yuan are spies nted by the God Organization, constantly monitoring his every move. All his secrets are well known to the God Organization."


    "Then, if the God Organization is aware of Nanrong Yuan¡¯s intentions, why do they let him be?"


    "Like I said, the God Organization is good at creating smokescreens to blind everyone, including Nanrong Yuan, who is one such significant distraction. Initially, the God Organization intended to keep Nanrong Yuan around, but then they discovered that the power he was secretly building up had be uncontroble. From what I understand, the new technology Nanrong Yuan has mastered poses a serious threat to the God Organization, which is why they are determined to eliminate him, despite the cost. In fact, all the power and efforts Nanrong Yuan has umted will end up benefiting the God Organization. Once Nanrong Yuan is dead, they will easily take over those forces."


    After a moment of silence, the man in the suit continued, "I¡¯m not sure what new technology Nanrong Yuan has mastered, but the God Organization ces great importance on it. You¡¯ve had contact with Nanrong Yuan, and given your connection to Nanrong Wanqing, the God Organization believes it¡¯s highly likely that Nanrong Yuan would have shared that new technology with you."


    "So, that¡¯s why they put me on the cklist?"


    "Exactly."


    Injustice, what an injustice!


    Ling Chen sighed inwardly. Nanrong Yuan hadn¡¯t mentioned any new technology to him; he¡¯d only said... the key!


    That¡¯s right!


    Ling Chen suddenly realized. When Nanrong Yuan was injured, he had said something to him.


    Nanrong Wanqing is the key!


    At the time, he had been at a loss, unable to grasp the meaning of these words. Now thinking about it, there might be a connection between the two.


    Could it be... the new technology Nanrong Yuan mastered is in the hands of Nanrong Wanqing?


    As he pondered, the man in the suit at the pavilion slowly stood up, his back facing Ling Chen, and said, "I¡¯ve said all that needs to be said. Take care of yourself. Here¡¯s a phone with a number saved in it; if you need any information, you can call this number, and the person on the other end will try to help you."


    Seeing the man was about to leave, Ling Chen hurriedly called out to him, asking, "You know my father; can you tell me his contact information?"


    "There¡¯s no need for that. When your father wants to see you, he¡¯lle looking for you. Until then, just focus on keeping yourself alive. Oh, and... your father told me to pass along this message: he finds his future daughter-inw quite satisfactory. However, as the saying goes, ¡¯When flowers bloom, they should be picked at once; don¡¯t wait until there are no flowers and just empty branches to break.¡¯ The descendants of Ling Gengqiu, each one is a phnderer; hardly any of them has been faithful from start to finish, including your father. So, don¡¯t worry too much about what others think, just go with the flow. Ling Gengqiu used to say, a true man should drink the strongest liquor, enjoy thepany of the finest women¡ªthat¡¯s the only way to live a life without regrets. You might as well learn a thing or two from him."

 Chapter 501 - 497: Such Fast Speed

    <h4>Chapter 501: Chapter 497: Such Fast Speed</h4><h4></h4>


    Study Ling Gengqiu?


    Ling Chen touched his nose; he certainly had no such intentions. With Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s temperament, he had no idea what consequences would ensue if he dared to do so.


    "Right, about that... eh?" Before Ling Chen could finish speaking, he discovered that the man in the suit who had been in the pavilion had vanished without a trace, leaving behind only a mobile phone and a bottle of wine on the stone table.


    Such impressive speed!


    Ling Chen inwardly marveled at the feat. Before he could even react, the man had already disappeared into thin air.


    Walking into the pavilion, he picked up the mobile phone and scrolled through the saved phone numbers, then slipped the phone into his pocket and turned to head back to the Nanrong Family.


    Having learned so much important intelligence from the man in the suit, he needed to think carefully about how to guard against the God Organization.


    The next day.


    It was the rare asion of a Saturday, meaning no work, so Ling Chen slept in and didn¡¯t get up until eight o¡¯clock.


    After breakfast, he saw Nanrong Hao running over excitedly, grinning and saying, "Chen, do you have time today? Everyone wants to invite you out for a gathering."


    Ling Chen, holding a toothpick and picking at his teeth, eyed Nanrong Hao warily and said, "If it¡¯s to some shady ce, then don¡¯t call me. I¡¯m not interested. If your sister finds out, neither you nor I will have a good time."


    Nanrong Hao chuckled, "Chen, don¡¯t be like that, rx. I, your little nephew, definitely wouldn¡¯t set you up. This time, we want to invite you to join a celebration."


    "Celebrate what?"


    Nanrong Hao sold the suspense, mysteriously saying, "You¡¯ll find out when we get there."


    Ling Chen nodded half-convinced: "Alright then."


    When it was almost eleven o¡¯clock, Ling Chen followed Nanrong Hao out of the house, then drove towards the city center.


    After spending more than half an hour on the road, they finally arrived at a resplendent luxury restaurant. Even from thevish exterior decorations, it was clear that this ce was not cheap.


    Ling Chen shook his head, seriously criticizing, "You guys are getting more and more materialistic. You can¡¯t just squander money even if you have it; don¡¯t let wealth corrupt you."


    "Yes, yes, but since you, Chen, have joined us, we can¡¯t lose face, so we chose a slightly more upscale ce. Usually, we just grab a bite at roadside stalls."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help butugh and curse, "Who would believe you."


    Entering the restaurant, with a server¡¯s guidance, Ling Chen and Nanrong Hao arrived at the top floor¡¯s panoramic suite, the most luxurious one in the establishment, offering sweeping views of the bustling city for a hundred meters around.


    Of course, the consumption of this suite was not low, priced at two thousand yuan per hour.


    When Ling Chen arrived, Jiang Hao, Zhao Zhengxiong, and Jiang Yunkai were all already seated, just waiting for the two of them.


    "Chen."


    "Chen."


    Seeing Ling Chen appear, everyone got up to greet him.


    "Alright, sit down, you guys. We¡¯re all friends here, no need for formalities."


    Saying this, Ling Chen took a seat beside Jiang Hao. Seeing everyone looking at him with smiles, Ling Chen touched his face and asked curiously, "Why are you all staring at me? Is there something on my face?"


    Jiang Hao said with a beaming smile, "Chen, we invited you here mainly to give you a surprise."


    "What surprise?"


    "We¡¯ve taken over North City District." Zhao Zhengxiong excitedly announced.


    "Really?" Ling Chen gave a thumbs-up and praised with a smile, "Well done."


    Nanrong Hao smiled, "It¡¯s all thanks to Hao, Xiong, and Kai, otherwise it wouldn¡¯t have been so smooth."


    Zhao Zhengxiong modestly said, "You can¡¯t say it like that. Everyone made efforts, and the merit belongs to us all."


    "Enough with the mutual praise. Tell me whats going on now," Ling Chen interjected. He had been busy attending the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony recently, and afterwards went to Beijing. He knew nothing about the developments with Jiang Hao and the others.


    "Chen, here¡¯s the thing," Zhao Zhengxiong took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, and started exining, "Over in North City District, the people there were extensively engaged in illegal gambling and drug activities. After our report, the policeunched a rigorous crackdown, shut down many of their venues, and arrested a number of their mid-level backbones. We took advantage of their weakened state, quietly amassed our manpower, and directly took out their stronghold."


    Ling Chen nodded. He knew all too well that despite how effortlessly Zhao Zhengxiong put it, achieving this victory must have cost them a great deal of blood and losses.


    Surviving in this line of work meant genuinely risking one¡¯s life¡ªthere wasn¡¯t much room for trickery.


    "Chen, now that we control the turf of all six districts of East Sea City, we would like to hear your thoughts."


    Ling Chen looked at Jiang Hao, who posed the question, and instantly understood that this was probably the real reason they invited him. Now that Jiang Hao and the others had triumphed and seized such a big piece of cake, how to share it was the most critical issue. It was vital to strike the right bnce in who gets how much. If one couldn¡¯t maintain control, conflicts could easily arise among certain individuals.


    After pondering for a moment, Ling Chen asked, "What are your thoughts?"


    "This..."


    Jiang Hao and the others looked at each other, none speaking out at first.


    After a while, Jiang Yunkai spoke up, "I don¡¯t want a share of the turf. I don¡¯t have the energy to manage it either; running three securitypanies is already keeping me busy."


    Ling Chen gave a faint smile¡ªhe was well aware of Jiang Yunkai¡¯s nature. Yunkai was never that interested in this line of business andcked ambition, which made him the easiest to deal with.


    "I have no objection," Zhao Zhengxiong spoke first.


    "I also have no objection."


    Nanrong Hao said with a smile, "Chen, I¡¯ll listen to you."


    "That settles it then. Since none of you have any objections, let¡¯s decide this matter now," Ling Chen announced, ncing at the four present, and continued in a serious tone, "But before that, let me make one thing clear. Even though the territories are divided, we are still all on the same side. In the future, do not start conflicts with each other. If I find out anyone has broken the rules, don¡¯t expect me to be lenient. Just as I can lift you up, I can also pull you down. Moreover, no illegal activities are allowed on your turf."


    Jiang Hao and the others unanimously responded, "Chen, rest assured, we¡¯re all good brothers for life, and would never do anything to betray our own people."

 Chapter 502 - 498: The Pretty Boy (1)

    <h4>Chapter 502: Chapter 498: The Pretty Boy (1)</h4><h4></h4>


    "I hope so too, I don¡¯t want any unpleasantness among us either." Having said that, Ling Chen picked up his teacup and continued, "Since everyone is here, I have a favor to ask. I want you to firmly secure control over East Sea City¡¯s territories in the shortest time possible."


    Jiang Hao curiously asked, "Chen, why?"


    "I¡¯ve run into some trouble; someone is out to get me, and they¡¯re a force to be reckoned with. However, their influence hasn¡¯t extended to East Sea City yet. Before it does, I hope you can keep an eye out for any suspicious individuals making an appearance."


    Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhengxiong and the others exchanged nces, with a trace of unease flickering in their eyes.


    Seeing that no one spoke, Ling Chen continued, "I know this is a difficult task, but right now, you guys are the only ones I can count on, so..."


    "Chen," Nanrong Hao interrupted Ling Chen, adding, "We didn¡¯t say we¡¯re not going to help you. In fact, we¡¯ve been prepared for such a situation and have been nning for a long time."


    "What do you mean?"


    Jiang Hao said with a smile, "Chen, weren¡¯t you always wondering why we insisted on opening courierpanies? It¡¯s not just courier services, but also the taxi industry; we¡¯re involved in it all. Once we¡¯ve organized all the territories, half the city¡¯s taxipanies will be under our control. Both couriers and taxis interact with thergest number of people and are the quickest ways to acquire information. Our initial idea was to build aplete intelligence system. Each courierpany is an information outpost, with couriers specifically tasked with gathering intelligence, which is then filtered through multipleyers to retain valuable data. With this system, as long as it¡¯s in East Sea City, we can be the first to know about anything that happens."


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up as he listened to Jiang Hao¡¯s exnation. If it weren¡¯t for his normal sexual orientation, he would have felt like kissing Jiang Hao right then. This news was undoubtedly the best surprise for him; having his own source of intelligence would make many things much more convenient in the future.


    "Good job, well done," Ling Chen said with a grin, "I hadn¡¯t realized you had such foresight."


    Nanrong Hao bragged boastfully, "Of course, we¡¯re all people who handle big matters."


    "Chen," Zhao Zhengxiong chimed in from the side, "Even though we¡¯ve established a fairlyplete intelligence system, there¡¯s still a major issue we haven¡¯t solved."


    "What¡¯s the problem?"


    Zhao Zhengxiong said resignedly, "We¡¯re all rough and tumble guys. We can handle fighting and killing, but managing intelligence is really not our forte. We need to find someone meticulous and analytical to handle the intelligence."


    Ling Chen thought for a moment, and a name immediately popped into his mind.


    Hu Fei was in the intelligence business; he would be the perfect candidate to bring onboard. With that thought, Ling Chen smiled and said, "Don¡¯t worry about the candidate, I¡¯ve got it arranged."


    With the big matter settled, everyone enjoyed their meal immensely.


    During the meal, Ling Chen discreetly handed a regr Heavenly Mechanism Pill to Jiang Yunkai and exined its use, filling Yunkai with both excitement and gratitude.


    Ling Chen knew what Yunkai was after, so this regr Heavenly Mechanism Pill was undoubtedly the best reward for him.


    After a satisfying meal, Ling Chen helped the drunken Nanrong Hao out of the restaurant, following the others as they left.


    After throwing Nanrong Hao into the car, Ling Chen closed the car door and then walked over to Zhao Zhengxiong¡¯s newly bought BMW, gesturing to Zhao Zhengxiong who was in the driver¡¯s seat.


    After getting into the car, Zhao Zhengxiong, belching from fullness and with a flushed face, asked, "Chen, did you want to see me for something?"


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "There were things I couldn¡¯t discuss in front of everyone just now. Now that it¡¯s just the two of us, I want to have a serious talk with you." After saying that, Ling Chen looked meaningfully at Zhao Zhengxiong and asked, "Do you know why I agreed to let you divide the territories among yourselves?"


    Zhao Zhengxiong answered, "Well... Chen, I don¡¯t quite understand what you mean."


    "In both life and work, one should always look far ahead, that¡¯s what I think..."


    Five minutester.


    Ling Chen stepped out of the BMW, and in the driver¡¯s seat, Zhao Zhengxiong watched Ling Chen¡¯s departing figure with a solemn expression and ultra-clear eyes.


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, it had been a week since the return to East Sea City. These past days had been peaceful without any trouble from the God Organization, and Ling Chen had been enjoying a few rare days of tranquility.


    That day after work, Ling Chen got in the car with Nanrong Wanqing, preparing to drive back to Wealthy Manor. Halfway there, as she watched the traffic outside the window, Nanrong Wanqing suddenly said, "Let¡¯s take a detour to Huamei Mall."


    Ling Chen gave a slight smile, "Feeling like shopping today?"


    "You don¡¯t want to go?"


    "How could I not? You¡¯re the boss here, wherever you say we¡¯ll go." Saying this, Ling Chen nced at Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s voluptuous chest and wore a teasing smile on his face.


    Feeling the burning gaze from Ling Chen, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red, and she lightly tapped his arm, her eyes reproachful as she said in both embarrassment and annoyance, "Don¡¯t stare rudely."


    Ling Chen leaned in close to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s ear and whispered, "I hand-raised this myself, can¡¯t I even take a look?"


    Hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing instantly blushed even deeper, her face as red as an apple, endearingly cute and enchanting. If it weren¡¯t for Zhong Wei sitting in the front, she would have loved to give Ling Chen a good scolding.


    This damn guy is getting bolder and bolder, not considering the situation at all.


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s hand stretch toward his thigh, Ling Chen¡¯s face changed and he quickly sat up straight, looking forward with undistracted eyes, and said solemnly, "Captain Zhong, to Huamei."


    "Understood."


    The car turned into thene and after more than twenty minutes, the convoy finally arrived at the underground parking garage of Huamei Mall.


    Getting out of the car, Nanrong Wanqing turned and said, "You guys stay in the car, no need to follow. Having Ling Chen with me is enough."


    They took the elevator up, arriving directly at the top floor of the mall. This ce was lined with international luxury brands, and the clientele who shopped on this floor were all rich and prestigious.


    Stepping out of the elevator, Ling Chen wrapped his arm around Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s slender waist, strolling on the floor¡¯s mirror-smooth surface, perusing clothing and purses from various big-name brands.


    "Let¡¯s go check that out."


    Ling Chen turned his head to look in the direction Nanrong Wanqing was pointing to, and saw it was a boutique specializing in custom-made menswear. While the store was small, it had a steady flow of customers, some entering excitedly but leaving looking disappointed and dejected.


    "Are you buying clothes for me?" Ling Chen quickly caught on.


    Nanrong Wanqing retorted, "Is that a problem?"


    "No problem at all, but... I heard that brand¡¯s suits are pretty expensive, the cheapest starting from two hundred thousand."


    Nanrong Wanqing gave Ling Chen a look, without another word, pulled him towards the store.

 Chapter 503 - 499: Pretty Boy (2)

    <h4>Chapter 503: Chapter 499: Pretty Boy (2)</h4><h4></h4>


    The shop was small but fully equipped, with an endless queue of waiting customers.


    Most of the people whoe here to buy suits are from rich households or are sessful business people. As such, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s arrival quickly drew everyone¡¯s attention, and the scene became quite noisy for a while.


    Especially when they saw Nanrong Wanqing confidently holding Ling Chen¡¯s arm as they entered, it triggered a lot of discussion and spection.


    Feeling everyone¡¯s unusual gazes converging on him, Ling Chen suddenly felt a bit ufortable. That feeling was like being a kept man, which was really annoying.


    Although he often jokingly says he doesn¡¯t mind being a kept man, that¡¯s just a joke. For a macho man with his personality, the idea of really bing a kept man would make him want to die.


    At this time, some people who knew Nanrong Wanqing approached one after another, greeting her. However, during their conversations, their gazes kept sizing up Ling Chen, as if they were very interested in his background.


    "Miss Nanrong, and this gentleman is?" Finally, someone asked about Ling Chen¡¯s identity.


    Nanrong Wanqing casually replied, "He¡¯s my boyfriend, Ling Chen."


    Upon receiving Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s straightforward response, a burst of gasps rose from the crowd, surprised by her candid admission.


    "So it¡¯s Mr. Ling." A middle-aged man smiled and extended his hand politely, greeting him. Then, he changed the subject,vishly praising, "Mr. Ling is truly a man of looks and talent, to have won Miss Nanrong¡¯s heart must mean you are quite capable. May I ask what high position Mr. Ling holds?"


    Hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing turned to look at Ling Chen, her pretty face adorned with a light smile.


    Ling Chen touched his nose and grinned, "Nothing high-profile, I¡¯m just a security guard scraping a living."


    "A security guard?"


    As soon as these words came out, everyone was stunned, their faces filled with surprise and disbelief.


    The middle-aged manughed a bit awkwardly, "I would not have guessed, Mr. Ling seems to enjoy joking."


    Ling Chen spread his hands and said, "I¡¯m not joking. I work as a security guard at Hongyu Group. If you don¡¯t believe me, feel free to ask her. She is the chairman of Hongyu Group, and she knows best."


    Seeing everyone looking at her, Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t say a word, just lightly nodded her head.


    It was actually true!


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s acknowledgment immediately set off a frenzy among everyone present. No one expected the chairman of the mighty Hongyu Group, a billionaire heiress, to actually have a security guard as a boyfriend.


    For a moment, everyone looked at Ling Chen with a mix ofplicated feelings in their eyes, including envy, jealousy, disdain, and contempt. Some even couldn¡¯t wait to take out their phones, eager to spread this sensational news to their friends.


    Watching their actions, Ling Chen inwardly gave a wry smile. Without a doubt, by tomorrow morning, he was bound to be a ¡¯celebrity.¡¯


    No helping it, Nanrong Wanqing was too well-known. As the golden flower of East Sea City, almost everyone was specting which talented young man could pluck this beautiful, thorny flower.


    If it had been a young man with status and background, it would probably not have been a surprise to anyone. After all, a matching social status is of utmost importance. But Nanrong Wanqing had to choose a "good-for-nothing" security guard, which was enough to make it a hot news topic.


    Faced with the whispered exchanges and pointing fingers of the crowd, Ling Chen gently tugged Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s arm, signaling her to leave quickly.


    "What¡¯s the rush? We haven¡¯t bought the clothes yet," Nanrong Wanqing said softly, seemingly unconcerned with the discussions around her.


    Ling Chen, resigned, could only wait in line with Nanrong Wanqing.


    After about half an hour, the tailor finally took their measurements, and they paid a hefty deposit, only waiting to pick up the suit in a few days.


    Under the gaze of the onlookers, Ling Chen took Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s hand and fled the shop.


    Seeing Ling Chen drenched in sweat, Nanrong Wanqing couldn¡¯t help butugh: "What are you so nervous about?"


    Ling Chen said sullenly: "Did you do it on purpose? Knowing there were acquaintances around, yet you still dragged me over."


    "Are you unhappy?" Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s words carried a hint of apology.


    "It¡¯s not that I¡¯m unhappy, it¡¯s just so sudden. I wasn¡¯t mentally prepared at all. Since you wanted to expose our rtionship, you should have at least given me a heads up. With this, who knows how many reporters might show up at Wealthy Manor¡¯s door tomorrow."


    "It¡¯s okay, at most they¡¯ll be a nuisance for a few days."


    After calming himself down, Ling Chen looked at Nanrong Wanqing somewhat puzzledly. He was not against Nanrong Wanqing making their rtionship public; since Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t care about it, as a man, he cared even less.


    Returning to the underground parking, Ling Chen, seeing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s empty hands, couldn¡¯t help but ask: "Didn¡¯t youe to go shopping? Howe you didn¡¯t buy anything?"


    "Didn¡¯t I buy clothes for you?"


    Ling Chen was taken aback: "You came just to buy me clothes?"


    "Yep." Nanrong Wanqing said with a beaming smile: "What else did you think?"


    Ling Chen was a bit confused. There was nothing happening at home, so why buy a suit for him? Could it be that she was nning to bring him to some sort of gathering?


    With doubts, the two took a ride back to Wealthy Manor.


    At home, Ling Chen sneaked off to Nanrong Hao¡¯s vi alone, only to see Nanrong Hao sitting on the living room sofa, joystick in hand, engrossed in a video game. It was hard to imagine that the once idle yboy of a wealthy family had now be a prominent figure controlling two major districts.


    "Chen!"


    Seeing Ling Chen approaching, Nanrong Hao quickly greeted him with a smile: "Chen, take a seat. Want something to drink?"


    "No need for that trouble." With that, Ling Cheny down ungracefully on the sofa, legs crossed, hands propping his head, and looked at Nanrong Hao: "Get some people to block the entrance to the manor tomorrow, don¡¯t let the reporters in."


    "Chen, what happened?"


    "I just went shopping with your sister and our rtionship got exposed. I guess we won¡¯t have any peace for the next few days."


    "Really?" Nanrong Hao said with a happyugh: "That¡¯s good news. If my sister is willing to do this, it shows she¡¯smitted to you. Hey, speaking of which! Chen, what gift did you prepare for my sister?"


    "Gift?" Ling Chen looked puzzled and asked, "What gift?"


    Now it was Nanrong Hao¡¯s turn to be surprised: "Chen, you can¡¯t be unaware, can you? In a few days, it will be my sister¡¯s birthday, and there will be a birthday banquet. Didn¡¯t she tell you?"


    Birthday?


    So that¡¯s it!


    Ling Chen instantly realized why Nanrong Wanqing had taken him to get a tailor-made suit¡ªit was for this very reason.


    "If you hadn¡¯t mentioned it, I really wouldn¡¯t have known." Saying this, Ling Chen sat up and asked earnestly: "What does your sister usually like?"


    Nanrong Hao spread his hands and said: "How would I know." As soon as the words left his mouth, seeing Ling Chen¡¯s stern gaze, Nanrong Hao quickly exined: "Chen, I really don¡¯t know. My sister is always busy with work, and aside from work, I haven¡¯t seen her pursue other hobbies or interests."


    Seeing Ling Chen deep in thought, Nanrong Hao said with a smile: "Chen, you¡¯ve lived with my sister for so long, and she¡¯s your girlfriend, don¡¯t you know what she likes?"


    "Nonsense, of course, I know what she likes."

 Chapter 504 - 500 Kaelina Attacked

    <h4>Chapter 504: Chapter 500 Kaelina Attacked</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen pointed to his own nose and said, "The one your sister likes is me."


    Uh... Nanrong Hao turned his head away, struggling to hold back hisughter.


    "What¡¯s wrong? Am I not speaking the truth?" Ling Chen red at Nanrong Hao.


    "No no no." Nanrong Hao hurriedly waved his hand and said, "Chen, you¡¯re not wrong, my sister does like you, but that¡¯s a different story. You can¡¯t just wrap yourself up as a gift for her, unless..." At this point, Nanrong Hao¡¯s face revealed a sly smile.


    "Unless what?" Ling Chen pressed on.


    Nanrong Hao leaned in close to Ling Chen¡¯s ear and whispered, "Unless you deliver yourself to her bed. My sister would definitely be satisfied."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen ¡¯smack¡¯, pped Nanrong Hao on the head, reprimanding him irritably, "Is my sister that kind of person?"


    Nanrong Hao rubbed his head, muttering, "I don¡¯t know about my sister, but you definitely are that kind of person."


    Ling Chen red at Nanrong Hao. It was pointless to ask him; not wanting to waste his breath, he simply got up and left the vi.


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s birthday, this was a big deal, and with it being a birthday banquet, there would definitely be many attendees. Being her boyfriend, if he didn¡¯t prepare a stunning gift, it wouldn¡¯t only let down Nanrong Wanqing, but it would also reflect poorly on himself.


    Sigh! No choice, all men are creatures that care about face.


    The next day.


    As expected by Ling Chen, the outside of Wealthy Manor was filled with reporters who hade to interview. Fortunately, Ling Chen had prepared early and had Nanrong Hao arrange manpower in advance to block all those reporters outside Wealthy Manor.


    However, even so, news about Nanrong Wanqing and her new boyfriend still flooded all major newspapers and news channels, even entertainment news covered it.


    The most attention-grabbing was still Ling Chen¡¯s identity.


    A mere security guard actually managing to win Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s favor amazed countless people, even the tale of a sparrow turning into a phoenix was applied to Ling Chen.


    And at this moment, the main character Ling Chen, wearing a face mask, was strolling alone in the mall, selecting a gift for Nanrong Wanqing.


    Rings, nes, bracelets, from tens of thousands to several hundred thousand, Ling Chen looked over each one, but none caught his fancy. In his view, it was not about how expensive the gift was, but its significance.


    With Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s wealth, even the most expensive gifts would be considered clich¨¦, and Ling Chen naturally didn¡¯t want to fall into that trap.


    In the blink of an eye, the morning passed.


    After wandering around for most of the day, Ling Chen found a seat in a fast-food restaurant across from the mall, ready to fill his stomach and continue shopping in the afternoon.


    While eating, Ling Chen suddenly felt a whiff of fragrance hit him. He looked up to see across his seat, a blonde girl wearing tight leather pants, draped in a coat, sexy and charming, her figure graceful, walking on high heels towards him, then sat down beside him.


    Ling Chen took a brief moment of surprise, then smiled, holding up his c cup and said, "Do you want something to eat? My treat."


    The blonde woman brushed her bangs from her shoulder and spoke indifferently, "I really admire you, still having the appetite to eat right now."


    "As eating is crucial for survival, as long as the sky hasn¡¯t fallen, one needs to eat; we can¡¯t starve ourselves. Tell me, what brings you to me?"


    "I think you should be clear on why I¡¯m seeking you out." Kaelina said, "Initially, I made an agreement with Ghost to cooperate and take on the God Organization together. However, a few days ago, I received a notice saying our cooperation is over, with no reason provided, just a unteral termination of the agreement. Since you¡¯re our go-between, of course I have toe to you for an exnation."


    "This matter is not Ghost¡¯s fault. Recently, Ghost had an unforeseen disaster and suffered a heavy blow. As far as I know, Ghost has received orders to disband. From now on, Ghost no longer exists in this world, and their ceasing of cooperation was also out of necessity."


    "Why?" Kaelina furrowed her brows.


    "Apart from the God Organization, do you think there could be any other reason? The God Organization had long infiltrated the inner workings of Ghost, but we had always been kept in the dark until just recently." With that said, Ling Chen pivoted the conversation and asked, "When you first proposed the cooperation, you told me that before Blood Wolf was killed, he gave you some documents containing secrets about the God Organization. That document was your only chip for cooperating with us. Now that Ghost has disbanded, what are you nning to do with that document?"


    Kaelina picked up a french fry, her bright red lips parting slightly to reveal her pearly white teeth, and the glint in her beautiful eyes betrayed the hesitation within her.


    After a moment, Kaelina nced at the crowded clientele of the fast-food restaurant, stood up, and said, "Meet me at the library downtown in half an hour."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll be there on time."


    Having finished eating, Ling Chen nced at the time and saw it was almost time, so he set out for the library.


    Upon reaching the library¡¯s entrance, Ling Chen was about to enter when an ambnce suddenly drove up from the roadside. Subsequently, several medical staff rushed towards the library with a stretcher at a brisk pace.


    Seeing the ambnce, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but feel an ominous premonition in his heart and hurriedly followed the medical team inside.


    On the third floor of the library, he saw a crowd gathered at the entrance, all talking amongst themselves, with no one daring to enter.


    Without thinking too much, Ling Chen swiftly pushed through the crowd and entered the library. In a short while, between two rows of bookshelves, he found Kaelina.


    Seeing the blood scattered on the ground and Kaelina lying in a pool of blood, Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed. He cursed silently to himself, rushed over in a panic, and cradled Kaelina in his arms to check her wounds.


    However, seeing Kaelina¡¯s abdomen bleeding profusely, Ling Chen¡¯s face instantly contorted with grimness.


    Whoever was behind this had very precise moves, clean and to the point, striking a vital area at once. Moreover, the assant intentionally didn¡¯t deliver a fatal blow right away, instead letting Kaelina slowly endure the tormenting pain until death. It has to be said, the perpetrator was incredibly ruthless.


    During his contemtion, Ling Chen nced around, his brow furrowing instantly.


    Kaelina was attacked in this ce, with no signs of struggle nearby, indicating the assant¡¯s action was very swift, leaving Kaelina with no chance to defend herself. To easily wound Blood Spider, ranked third on the assassin list, the perpetrator must be far from ordinary.


    "Kaelina, wake up!" Ling Chen gently patted Kaelina¡¯s cheek, hoping to rouse her.


    But Kaelina, having lost too much blood, had already sunk into aatose state, her face pale, and she could die at any moment.


    At this point, the medical team had swiftly arrived on-scene with a stretcher.


    "Sir, please move aside."


    Ling Chen nced at them and said sternly, "There¡¯s no time for the hospital, she needs immediate on-site treatment."

 Chapter 505 - 501: Five Thousand Years

    <h4>Chapter 505: Chapter 501: Five Thousand Years</h4><h4></h4>


    Before the medical staff could speak, Ling Chen had already torn open Kaelina¡¯s clothes, exposing the wound, a knife gash that was a full three inches wide. At this moment, fresh blood was ceaselessly pouring from the wound, staining Kaelina¡¯s abdomen red.


    "Give me a knife."


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s outstretched hand, the medical staff were momentarily stunned.


    "What are you dawdling for, it¡¯s a matter of life and death, hurry up," Ling Chen urged anxiously.


    Seeing that Kaelina was barely hanging on, looking as if she could die at any moment, the medical personnel finally snapped to attention. They quickly opened the medical kit and handed Ling Chen a scalpel. Following that, one of the medical staff ced an oxygen mask over Kaelina¡¯s face.


    Holding the scalpel, Ling Chen concentrated intently on the wound, then carefully made a few centimeter-long incisions at both ends of the wound, widening it.


    "Hemostats."


    As Ling Chen¡¯s words fell, a medical staffer immediately handed him the hemostatic forceps.


    Ling Chen frowned, trying several times in session but failing to locate the exact source of bleeding.


    "The light is too dim, I can¡¯t see clearly," Ling Chen said, turning his head to look around, hoping to find a more brightly lit area. At this time, he noticed that there were quite a few people at the entrance of the library using their cell phones to record.


    "Call those people over, have them turn on all the shlights on their phones."


    In no time, more than a dozen onlookers hurried over, focusing the lights of their phones on Kaelina¡¯s wound.


    With everyone¡¯s help, it didn¡¯t take long for Ling Chen to locate the source of the bleeding. After mping off the bleeding point, Ling Chen had the medical personnel do a simple treatment to stop the bleeding for now. Then, they lifted Kaelina onto a stretcher and transported her to the ambnce.


    There was blood stored on the ambnce. Given Kaelina¡¯s current condition, she just needed to replenish the blood she had lost to stabilize and get out of life-threatening danger.


    However, Ling Chen still felt uneasy letting Kaelina go to the hospital alone, so he followed the ambnce and left the library.


    No matter who the assant was, if they knew Kaelina was still alive, they certainly wouldn¡¯t let it go.


    Once at the hospital, after an hour of surgery, Kaelina was moved to the intensive care unit.


    Seeing the normal values disyed on the monitor, Ling Chen quietly breathed a sigh of relief, d to have saved Kaelina¡¯s life. It was fortunate that Kaelina¡¯s constitution was stronger than that of an average person, and that he had arrived in time. If it had been a few minutester, not even a deity could have saved her.


    As for the person who made the attempt on her life, the God Organization was the most likely suspect. They probably realized that Kaelina knew too much about their secrets, hence the ruthless attempt to eliminate her.


    Had Ling Chen not arrived in time, they would have seeded.


    "Sir."


    At that moment, a nurse walked in from outside the ward, handing Ling Chen a transparent stic bag.


    "This was found inside thatdy¡¯s clothes, you¡¯re her friend, please keep it safe for her."


    "Okay, thank you!"


    Once the nurse left, Ling Chen looked at the items in the transparent bag¡ªa cell phone, a wallet, some change, and a few receipts.


    Huh?


    Ling Chen suddenly noticed that among the receipts were several expired library borrowing vouchers. He had originally thought Kaelina had asked him to meet at the library as a convenient ce to talk, but now it seemed that Kaelina frequented that library.


    With that thought, Ling Chen took out the borrowing vouchers and examined them for a moment. He quickly noticed a problem.


    Each of these vouchers showed that Kaelina always borrowed the same book, "Five Thousand Years."


    Considering Kaelina¡¯s personality, she shouldn¡¯t be interested in this type of book.


    After pondering for a while, Ling Chen took out his cell phone and dialed a number.


    Before long, Jiang Yunkai arrived at the hospital with more than twenty suit-d security personnel.


    "Kai, help me keep an eye on her. Anyone approaching her must be personally vetted by you, including the doctors and nurses of this hospital," Ling Chen instructed.


    "Understood."


    Leaving the hospital, Ling Chen hurried back to the library. When he arrived, he saw several police cars parked outside.


    An attack at the library; the police would certainly not ignore it.


    Upon reaching the third floor of the library, he saw several uniformed officers busy searching the scene, questioning the library staff and witnesses.


    "Mr. Ling."


    Then, a policeman noticed Ling Chen¡¯s arrival and greeted him friendly.


    Ling Chen had cooperated with Xia Mutong on many cases and had frequented the police station, so many people there recognized him.


    Ling Chen smiled and waved his hand, asking, "Is Officer Xia here?"


    "Right there!"


    "Okay, got it, go on with your work, I won¡¯t disturb you." After speaking, Ling Chen scanned the people around him, quietly approached the bookshelf, searched for the call number, and found the book "Five Thousand Years" that Kaelina often borrowed.


    After flipping through it, Ling Chen didn¡¯t find anything unusual. However, knowing Kaelina, she wouldn¡¯t do anything meaningless. Thinking this, he sneakily hid the book under his clothes, then, pretending to be an innocent bystander, left the bookshelf area and walked straight towards the exit of the library.


    "Stop right there!"


    Just as he reached the door, Ling Chen heard a familiar voiceing from behind.


    This girl... he had intended to leave quietly, but still couldn¡¯t escape her sharp eyes.


    Turning around, Ling Chen looked at the stern-faced Xia Mutong and grinned, "Officer Xia, long time no see."


    "What are you here for?"


    "I wanted to borrow a book to read, but ran into you police conducting an investigation. Seems like I can onlye back next time... You go ahead with your work, I won¡¯t disturb you."


    "Borrow a book?" Xia Mutong scoffed, her tone icy, "I think you mean stealing a book."


    Hearing this, the smile on Ling Chen¡¯s face stiffened, and he said somewhat unnaturally, "Not at all. Officer Xia, please don¡¯t wrong me."


    Xia Mutong pointed at the surveince cameras installed in the corners and said with annoyance, "Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you just did. Fess up, what¡¯s your rtionship with that wounded woman?"


    "Friends, just ordinary friends."


    "Really?" Xia Mutong¡¯s tone carried a trace of disbelief.


    "If you¡¯re her friend, why aren¡¯t you at the hospital with her, and instead back at the library? Could there be something here more important to you than your friend?" As she spoke, Xia Mutong reached out her hand in front of Ling Chen, saying, "Hand over that book, I want to see what kind of trick you¡¯re pulling."


    Ling Chen looked troubled and said, "Officer Xia,e on, we¡¯re all friends here, you..."


    "If you keep rambling, do you believe I¡¯ll take you back to the police station?"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen immediately shut his mouth. He knew Xia Mutong too well; she was someone who would definitely follow through with her words.


    "Officer Xia, I¡¯m not going to lie to you, the contents of this book are very important to me."


    Xia Mutong¡¯s eyes brightened, and she said with a half-smile, "That makes me even more curious."

 Chapter 506 - 502: Tracking the Killer

    <h4>Chapter 506: Chapter 502: Tracking the Killer</h4><h4></h4>


    Seeing Xia Mutong unwilling to let him go, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but give a bitter smile. If it weren¡¯t for Xia Mutong being able to find him at any time, he would have considered running away.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s troubled face, for some reason, Xia Mutong felt incredibly annoyed. She had clearly seen through the surveince footage how Ling Chen saved the blondess, his anxiety and concern clearly showed that he knew the blonde, and that their rtionship was deep.


    Moreover, she couldn¡¯t help but think of the newspaper and news she saw this morning, which were filled with expos¨¦s about Nanrong Wanqing and Ling Chen¡¯s affair.


    The man in front of her, she didn¡¯t know what charm he had that attracted so many women.


    The more Xia Mutong thought about it, the angrier she became, her eyes almost spitting fire as she red straight at Ling Chen. She had helped him numerous times, yet he treated her like an outsider, unwilling to reveal anything. Thinking of this, besides being angry, she felt more sad and was beset by an indescribable emotion that was tough to bear.


    Sensing theplex emotion in Xia Mutong¡¯s eyes and the anger overtaking her exquisite face, Ling Chen cursed inwardly.


    This girl must be angry.


    Did I really do something to merit this?


    In the blink of an eye, Ling Chen, with a smile, said: "Officer Xia, I have an urgent matter. How about... how about I treat you to a meal next time?"


    Looking at Ling Chen¡¯s cautious face, Xia Mutong sighed inwardly. Forget it! He has nothing to do with her, why bother making a big deal out of it and ruining her mood.


    However, her face still wore a frosty ¡¯keep away¡¯ expression.


    "Follow me."


    "What for?" Ling Chen looked at Xia Mutong warily. She couldn¡¯t be giving up on soft tactics and nning to go hard, could she?


    As he pondered, he only heard Xia Mutong say angrily, "Just follow me, no need for so much nonsense." Saying that, Xia Mutong couldn¡¯t bother to deal with Ling Chen anymore and turned to walk back to the library.


    Dammit!


    This girl is really angry.


    Ling Chen was somewhat baffled, but his legs honestly followed Xia Mutong back. Not to mention the past rtionship he had with Xia Mutong, as a friend, he couldn¡¯t just walk away, especially when Xia Mutong was angry.


    Soon, the two arrived at the library¡¯s security room.


    Xia Mutong didn¡¯t even look at Ling Chen, she just gestured to the staff in front of theputer to pull up the surveince footage.


    Soon, under the skilled operation of the staff, theputer screen disyed a scene.


    The surveince footage showed the time two hours ago, which was when Kaelina was attacked. Ling Chen stared fixedly at the screen, watching Kaelina approach a bookshelf in the library alone, casually flipping through books and asionally checking her watch.


    Suddenly, a man in a down jacket and wearing a hood appeared in the surveince footage.


    The man¡¯s face was hidden by the hood, making it impossible to see his features, only revealing his slightly slender build. The man lingered in front of the nearby bookshelves for a few minutes, waiting until no one was around before quietly approaching Kaelina.


    When the man was about three meters away from Kaelina, she finally noticed him. However, at that moment, an unbelievable scene urred. In the surveince footage, the man¡¯s body suddenly turned into an afterimage, and almost imperceptibly, he sessfully carried out the attack and then swiftly left the library.


    Throughout the entire process, Kaelina didn¡¯t even have the chance to react, copsing into a pool of blood. Moreover, the man moved so fast that even his knife-wielding motion was unseen; the entire attack happened in a sh.


    "See that?" Xia Mutong turned to look at Ling Chen and asked.


    Ling Chen nodded, his expression growing solemn. No matter who the attacker was, he was clearly a master, and his strength was no less than those on the Dragon List; otherwise, not even the most skilled assassin could achieve this.


    "The killer is very professional, his route was entirely within the blind spots of the surveince cameras, and he kept his head down the entire time, making it impossible to see his face, so we can¡¯t ascertain his identity. You¡¯re more experienced, so I wanted to ask for your input, see if you have any good suggestions."


    Ling Chen thought for a moment and asked, "Have you checked the surveince outside the library?"


    "We did, but he disappeared right after leaving the library. The person is a professional, he wouldn¡¯t make such a rookie mistake."


    Ling Chen frowned secretly, this was a tricky situation. The killer was not only professional but also highly skilled; even if Xia Mutong and her team could track him down, they likely wouldn¡¯t capture him and could potentially lose many officers.


    "Officer Xia, I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help, but I¡¯m also powerless. If you really want my suggestion, I rmend you send someone to the hospital to properly protect the victim. If the killer knows the victim isn¡¯t dead, he definitely won¡¯t let this go easily and will surely find a chance to attack again."


    "Do you want us to wait in ambush?"


    "That¡¯s the only way."


    Xia Mutong thought for a moment and reluctantly sighed, "That¡¯s all we can do." After saying that, she red at Ling Chen, and said not too kindly: "Why are you still standing here? Do you want me to send you out?"


    Hearing that, Ling Chen felt relieved and hurriedly left the library. Honestly, he was really worried that Xia Mutong would interrogate him about the secrets of that book.


    Sitting in the car back to the hospital, Ling Chen was still thinking about the killer. His suggestion to Xia Mutong to guard the hospital wasn¡¯t really to capture the killer, but for the safety of Xia Mutong and other police officers.


    The killer was a very dangerous character; once someone¡¯s strength reaches the Dragon List, ordinary people can hardly handle them.


    "Chen, want a cigarette?"


    Hearing the taxi driver¡¯s words, Ling Chen was slightly startled, then looked up at him and asked, "Do you know me?"


    The driver smiled in response, "Hao showed us Chen¡¯s photo, and he specifically told us to greet you warmly if we see you."


    "So you¡¯re one of Jiang Hao¡¯s men."


    Ling Chen suddenly understood. Jiang Hao had mentioned that they had bought up nearly half of the taxipanies in East Sea City to establish an information system; he didn¡¯t realize they had progressed this quickly.


    As he pondered, Ling Chen¡¯s attention was suddenly drawn to the dash cam installed in the taxi.


    "Guys, do all your cars have these installed?"


    "Yeah, it¡¯s apany-wide requirement. There are too many scammers these days; having a dash cam saves a lot of trouble."


    Got it!


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. If he was lucky, perhaps they could really find the assant who attacked Kaelina.

 Chapter 507 - 503: Lucifer Experiment

    <h4>Chapter 507: Chapter 503: Lucifer Experiment</h4><h4></h4>


    After getting out of the car, Ling Chen thanked the driver, then took out his cell phone and dialed Hu Fei¡¯s number.


    After the call, Ling Chen had already arrived outside the hospital room where Kaelina was staying. Jiang Yunkai, following Ling Chen¡¯s instructions, had been standing guard inside the room, ensuring Kaelina¡¯s safety.


    Seeing Kaelina lying on the hospital bed, herplexion gradually improving, Ling Chen felt slightly relieved. Then, he went alone to the next room of the special care ward.


    After closing the door, Ling Chen eagerly took out the "Five Thousand Years" and began to examine it carefully. Kaelina had borrowed this book several times for a reason; perhaps secrets unknown to others were hidden inside.


    Minutes passed, and the eagle-eyed Ling Chen noticed that the book¡¯s cover was unusually thick with remnants of re-gluing at the edges. He found a small knife in the room and carefully cut along the edge. Once he made a slit in the cover, Ling Chen picked up the book and gently shook it a few times.


    Instantly, an SD card fell out from the opening.


    Sure enough!


    Ling Chen smiled to himself, it seemed his guess was correct; Kaelina had hidden secrets inside the book.


    This SD card waspatible with both cell phones andputers. Ling Chen immediately took out his mobile phone and inserted the SD card.


    Once the phone rebooted, he essed the files on the SD card, which included more than a dozen photos, some documents, and a video of several dozens of megabytes.


    Without a second thought, Ling Chen clicked on the video within the SD card.


    As the video yed, a miserable scream immediately came from the phone, almost startling Ling Chen. He hurriedly turned down the volume and watched the content of the video closely.


    This video appeared to be secretly filmed with a mobile phone, the camera was constantly shaking. In the footage, a man wearing just boxer shorts was tied to a machine, his arms and legs spread out in an X shape. His body was filled with various intravenous tubes, purple, blue, red¡ªseveral different colored liquids being infused into his body simultaneously.


    Dozens of seconds passed, and as the man screamed, his body started to mutate. His limbs became grotesquely swollen, his skin turned a terrible shade of purplish green as if countless things were squirming under the skin, a horrific sight to behold.


    Suddenly, with a loud ¡¯bang¡¯, the man¡¯s body instantly turned into a mist of blood, bursting violently, sttering blood all around.


    "Test subject number three failed, bring in number four," a voicemanded.


    As the sound came, the video ended there, and the rest of the footage was just chaotic light, nothing discernible.


    Ling Chen frowned. This video only recorded the experiment process of the God Organization; it was unclear which experiment. Overall, the intelligence value wasn¡¯t significant.


    Just as he thought this, a deep voice suddenly emerged in the video: "This is the ¡¯Lucifer¡¯ experiment of the God Organization. None of these subjects are ordinary¡ªthey all have immense strength. Up to now, twenty-five attempts have failed, and without exception, all the subjects perished. Once the experiment seeds, the God Organization will quickly establish a formidable force. Unless it¡¯s the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion from the mystical Easternnd, no one will be able to contend with them. To my knowledge, the God Organization has already begun to plot, preparing to eliminate the only threat to them."


    "Kaelina, although I am an assassin, at least I have humanity. The God Organization, on the other hand, is utterly inhumane. To achieve their goals, they use every cruel means possible. I¡¯m deeply involved and can¡¯t leave; the moment I harbor any disloyal intentions, they won¡¯t hesitate to kill me. To protect myself, I have no other choice. Kaelina, my only purpose in leaving these things behind is to seek redemption, to lighten the sins I¡¯vemitted. If I die, you can do whatever you want with this information."


    With these words, the video ended.


    Although the man didn¡¯t show his face, Ling Chen recognized that the voice was indeed Blood Wolf¡¯s.


    Reflecting on Blood Wolf¡¯s words, Ling Chen fell into deep thought.


    He didn¡¯t know when the video was recorded, but it contained many important pieces of intelligence. First was the experiment code-named Lucifer, and then the subjects of the experiment. Blood Wolf stated that none of these subjects were ordinary; they were strong individuals.


    Immensely strong... Suddenly, something urred to Ling Chen, and he hurriedly reyed the video.


    That was it!


    Ling Chen¡¯s brows furrowed tightly. The test subject in the video appeared to be Asian, potentially from Huaxia. In addition, from his observations, just from the exterior characteristics of the man, he should have undergone long-term training, and his physical condition was very good.


    If his guess was correct, these subjects might be martial artists, which is why Blood Wolf emphasized that they were individuals with immense strength in the video.


    An ordinary person, after taking the God Organization¡¯s enhancement drugs, could have their strength, speed, and reaction capacity instantly increased several times. If it were a martial arts expert, the power unleashed would be even more terrifying.


    With this thought, a chill ran down Ling Chen¡¯s spine.


    Blood Wolf also mentioned that only the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion from the mysterious Easternnd had the capability to contend with such forces. This suggested Ling Chen¡¯s guess was not unfounded.


    This was trouble!


    If the God Organization was nning to make a move against the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, he must notify them as soon as possible.


    After thinking it over, Ling Chenposed himself and continued to look through the other materials on the SD card.


    After spending over an hour, Ling Chen finally finished examining all the materials. It had to be said, these materials were precious, all stolen by Blood Wolf from within the God Organization at great risk.


    A few documents repeatedly mentioned the Lucifer experiment, but they did not specify what it entailed, only indirectly describing the horror of the Lucifer experiment.


    Right now, what Ling Chen urgently needed to ascertain was whether or not this so-called Lucifer experiment had been sessful.


    As he pondered, a gentle knock came from outside the door.


    Ling Chen got up to open the door and, seeing Jiang Yunkai standing there, asked, "What¡¯s up?"


    "The patient woke up; she wants to see you."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen hurriedly went to the special care ward. By the bedside, he saw Kaelina half-opening her eyes, still somewhat pale.


    Seeing Ling Chen appear by her side, Kaelina said weakly, "The book..."


    "I know, I have found that SD card. Kaelina, do you know when that video was recorded?"


    "A year ago."


    Good!


    Ling Chen sighed in relief inwardly. With one year passing, the God Organization¡¯s Lucifer experiment might not have been sessful yet.


    "How much do you know about Lucifer?" Despite knowing that Kaelina was weak, it was a matter of urgency, and Ling Chen had to ask.

 Chapter 508 - 504: The Identity of the Killer

    <h4>Chapter 508: Chapter 504: The Identity of the Killer</h4><h4></h4>


    "I... I know..."


    "What do you know?" Ling Chen asked eagerly.


    But as soon as the words left his mouth, he saw Kaelina close her eyes and fall back into a deep sleep.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but let out a wry smile. At times like this, he couldn¡¯t force Kaelina to say too much.


    Just then, Jiang Yunkai walked into the hospital room from outside and said, "Ling Chen, the police have arrived."


    "Got it."


    Leaving the hospital room, Ling Chen saw Xia Mutong standing in the corridor with more than a dozen police officers, each armed with a gun. It was clear that after watching the murderer¡¯s violent actions, Xia Mutong understood the danger and had made preparations in advance.


    "Officer Xia." Ling Chen stepped forward to greet him.


    Xia Mutong pointed at the security guards in suits and asked, "Are these people arranged by you?"


    "That¡¯s right."


    "Have them step back. From this point on, thatdy¡¯s safety is fully the responsibility of the police."


    "Okay." Ling Chen nodded and replied with a smile, "Then I¡¯ll leave it to all of you."


    With these armed police officers for protection, Kaelina should be safe. No matter how fierce the killer was, he would not be faster than bullets, especially with so many police officers around.


    On the way out of the hospital, Ling Chen noticed inclothes officers positioned all around the hospital¡¯s hallways and corridors; it seemed Xia Mutong had the whole hospital under surveince.


    "Kai, you take everyone back first. I¡¯ll contact you if there¡¯s any trouble."


    "Alright."


    After watching Jiang Yunkai and the others drive away, Ling Chen hailed a cab by himself, nning to return to Wealthy Manor.


    But just then, his cellphone rang in his pocket.


    "Hello! Fatty, got any leads?"


    "I¡¯m in the Old City,e quick."


    "I¡¯ll be there within half an hour."


    After hanging up, Ling Chen immediately took a cab to a courierpany located in the Old City, which was Jiang Hao¡¯s main intelligence station in Old City. All intelligence gathered would be processed here.


    After going through severalyers of security, Ling Chen walked into the office as if familiar with the ce. Hu Fei was sitting at a three-meter-wide desk, focusing on sixputer screens, typing rapidly on the keyboard.


    "Fatty, did you find the person?" Ling Chen leaned in and asked.


    Hu Fei pointed at one of the screens and said, "Following the method you provided, I had the taxipanies reach out to the drivers who picked up fares near the library at noon today, and I¡¯ve collected all the footage from their dash cams. And wouldn¡¯t you know it, your method actually worked. Look! A taxi just happened to pass by the library entrance at that time and caught this on camera."


    As he spoke, Hu Fei zoomed in on the footage, locking the cursor on a person.


    "You said before that the person was wearing a grey down jacket and a hood, and it should be this person here."


    Ling Chen stared at the image of the murderer on the screen, who blended into the crowd and disappeared into an alley in the blink of an eye.


    "Is that all?"


    "Don¡¯t rush it, keep watching." Hu Fei said, "I checked the map for that alley¡¯s exits and it connects directly to the street opposite. You reminded me that this individual is very professional in his actions, and since I consider myself somewhat of a professional as well, I theorized from a professional standpoint that the person would have changed his appearance as quickly as possible after entering the alley, including his clothes. As I expected, my men went to check the alley and, sure enough, they found a grey down jacket in a trash bin."


    Continuing, Hu Fei brought up another image, grinning and saying, "That guy thought he could disappear without a trace, but he still missed a step. Across from the exit of that alley, there was an ATM. This is footage from that ATM, take a look, this is the only person who came out of the alley at that time, and the timing matches perfectly."


    Watching the erged image on the screen, Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curled into a smile as he patted Hu Fei¡¯s shoulder, "Fatty, nicely done."


    With a look of pride, Hu Fei said, "Of course, who do you think you hired?" After a pause, his tone shifted, "But speaking of which, those few people you trained are pretty good, smart enough to use the courier and taxipanies to establish an intelligencework. If it weren¡¯t for the dash cam footage, we wouldn¡¯t have found the murderer so quickly."


    "Their ideas are good, but they are not professionals. Since you specialize in intelligence work and have experience, I brought you in this time in hopes that you could help refine it and prevent any leaks."


    "Don¡¯t worry, give me a month, and I¡¯ll have the intelligencework covering the whole East Sea City, but well..."


    Hearing Hu Fei¡¯s tone at the end of his sentence, Ling Chen could guess what he was going to say next without even thinking.


    "Ling Chen, clear debts make close friends. You brought me in for this job, so don¡¯t skimp on themission. Also, setting up the intelligencework is going to need a significant investment, you can¡¯t expect me to foot the bill."


    "Cut it out, you won¡¯t be left short. I¡¯ll call Jiang Hao in a bit, just ask him directly for whatever financing you need; he¡¯ll fully support you."


    Ling Chen knew the importance of intelligence and couldn¡¯t be stingy in this aspect; he was willing to spend whatever it took.


    After chatting for a bit more, Ling Chen got back to the point, "Fatty, can you help me find out where the killer is?"


    "I¡¯ve checked the person¡¯s background. His name is Jiang Xinwu, thirty-eight years old. Ten years ago, he invested in opening a Martial Arts Academy in a northern city, but for some reason, he suddenly disappeared without a trace, and even his family reported him missing, but he was never found. Yearster, the police concluded that Jiang Xinwu might be dead and stopped the search."


    Ten years ago...


    Ling Chen mulled over it for a moment and then said, "First, help me find out where this person is living. Also, look into how many people have gone missing across the country in the past ten years, and how many of those missing are martial artists. I don¡¯t need an exact figure, just an estimate."


    "Holy crap!"


    Hu Fei¡¯s eyes bulged as he eximed, "Are you trying to run me into the ground?"


    "Cut it out." Ling Chen joked, "Gross, who¡¯s trying to run you into the ground? That¡¯s a woman¡¯s job, and I¡¯m not about that."


    "No, it¡¯s just..." Hu Fei rushed, "Do you have any idea how many people go missing in the country every year? Trying to look that up like you suggested, I¡¯ll work myself to death. I won¡¯t do it, even if you kill me..."


    "One million."


    "Don¡¯t write checks you can¡¯t cash."


    "OK! No problem." Ling Chen grinned, understanding Fatty¡¯s character all too well - as long as there¡¯s money involved, everything is negotiable.


    "Alright then, get going if there¡¯s nothing else. Don¡¯t disturb me while I¡¯m working."


    Leaving the courierpany, Ling Chen strolled along the street, looking up at the darkening sky. It was almost evening.


    He had initially set out to pick a birthday gift for Nanrong Wanqing, but instead, he ran into all these troubles, which was really worrisome.


    "Ling Chen!"


    While pondering, a pleasant voice suddenly came from the side of the road.

 Chapter 509 - 505: Encounter with Leng Feifei (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 509: Chapter 505: Encounter with Leng Feifei (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    Upon hearing that familiar voice, Ling Chen didn¡¯t need to look to guess who it was.


    Leng Feifei!


    Ling Chen turned his head and saw Leng Feifei standing across the street, waving at him.


    Perhaps due to the cold weather, Leng Feifei wrapped herself up like a zongzi, wearing a thick down jacket that extended to her knees, with a fluffy scarf around her neck, from which hung two pink pom-poms, adding a touch of cuteness and charm.


    Ling Chen smiled and waved back, then crossed the traffic and quickly made his way to Leng Feifei¡¯s side.


    After some time not seeing her, Leng Feifei looked the same as before, with a rosy, apple-shaped face that was irresistibly tempting, making one desire to take a bite. Though she was dressed warmly, it couldn¡¯t hide her proud figure, puffing up her down jacket, causing Ling Chen to take a few extra nces.


    "Feifei, what are you doing here?"


    "I¡¯m working."


    "Working?"


    Ling Chen instantly realized, Leng Feifei and Su Lin were in the same school year, both were senior students; Su Lin was interning, so naturally, Leng Feifei was no exception.


    However, because of Leng Feifei¡¯s experiences, she matured earlier than other students and had more work experience, directly skipping the internship phase and officially started working.


    "Where do you work?"


    "I¡¯m designing at an advertising agency over there, still on probation. After a month, based on my performance, they¡¯ll decide whether to hire me."


    "With your capabilities, it definitely won¡¯t be a problem."


    While talking, Ling Chen looked around and then pointed to a Starbucks not far away, "It¡¯s cold outside, let¡¯s sit inside."


    "Okay." Leng Feifei happily agreed.


    It was the peak of rush hour, Starbucks was full of people; Ling Chen and Leng Feifei were lucky to find seats that had just be avable.


    After they sat down, Ling Chen ordered two cups of cappino and casually asked, "Are you still living at school?"


    "No, I moved out a while ago. Thepany provides amodation, it¡¯s just around the Old City area, only a ten-minute walk. When you have time, you shoulde over and visit, I¡¯m usually there alone."


    Ling Chen smiled and said, "Don¡¯t just stay at home all the time, go out more when you have time, maybe you can find a boyfriend."


    Hearing this, Leng Feifei¡¯s face turned slightly red. She lowered her head to look at the coffee cup in front of her, gently stirring the foam on the surface with a small spoon, asionally stealing nces at Ling Chen with the corners of her eyes, her bright eyes filled with an unspeakable shyness.


    "Feifei!"


    At this moment, a familiar voice came from the door. Ling Chen and Leng Feifei turned to look and saw a group of young men and women in their twenties appearing in the Starbucks, smiling and greeting Leng Feifei.


    "Why are you guys here too?" Leng Feifei asked.


    "It¡¯s too cold outside, we came in for a hot drink, to warm up," replied a pretty girl, wearing a skirt with ck cotton stockings paired with a casual leather jacket and just a thin top inside, the neckline slightly open, revealing a fair neck.


    Dressed like that in this weather, no wonder she felt cold. Ling Chen shook his head internally; nowadays, women pursue beauty at too great a cost, he still preferred women who were more down-to-earth.


    "Feifei, who is this handsome guy?"


    As they spoke, the group of young men and women turned their attention to Ling Chen.


    One of them teased, "Feifei, we just asked you to join us for KTV and you refused. Turns out you were here meeting your boyfriend."


    "No, that¡¯s not it." Leng Feifei blushed and retorted, "He¡¯s my friend, Ling Chen. He has a girlfriend, so don¡¯t talk nonsense." Then, Leng Feifei introduced them to Ling Chen, "These are all my colleagues from thepany."


    Ling Chen politely said, "Hello."


    "Alright! Feifei has a handsome guy with her, let¡¯s not disturb their time together." A beautiful female colleague joked.


    "Hu Yan, Feifei just said Ling Chen is just a friend, stop teasing her. Since it¡¯s still early for KTV, let¡¯s sit down and have some drinks." A male colleague suggested.


    Hu Yan looked around at the fully upied seats and said helplessly, "All the seats are taken. Xu Dong, let¡¯s just leave."


    "Why leave? Look, Feifei has a few empty seats here. We are all friends here, squeezing in a bit is fine." After saying this, the male colleague named Xu Dong smiled at Ling Chen and asked, "Mr. Ling, you don¡¯t mind, do you?"


    "We are all Feifei¡¯s friends which make you my friends too. I¡¯m more than happy to wee you all. Please, take a seat." Ling Chen stood up to relinquish his seat and moved a few chairs from nearby, politely inviting everyone to sit down.


    Leng Feifei bowed her head, hiding her discontent while forcing a strained smile on her face.


    She wished to be alone with Ling Chen, but unfortunately, someone was being inconsiderate.


    With this thought, Leng Feifei nced at Xu Dong out of the corner of her eye, her beautiful eyes showing a hint of displeasure.


    She understood Xu Dong¡¯s intentions; since joining thepany, Xu Dong had shown some interest in her. Although he never explicitly stated his intentions, he had hinted at them many times, to which she always feigned ignorance. After all, she was new to thepany and did not want to disrupt the rtionship between colleagues by making things awkward.


    A smart person would know that this was a subtle way of rejecting him, but Xu Dong did not see it that way. In his mind, persistence would eventually lead to sess.


    Unfortunately, not all women felt the same.


    "Mr. Ling, what do you do?" Hu Yan, trying to avoid an awkward silence, proactively asked Ling Chen.


    Ling Chen replied with a light smile, "Security."


    Security?


    Hearing this, Hu Yan and the others exchanged nces, their eyes filled with wonder as they looked at Leng Feifei. From what they knew, Leng Feifei was a top student from a prestigious university; it was strange for her to be associated with someone in such a profession.


    In their eyes, security was a low-level job. For office workers like them, who enjoyed air-conditionedfort and worked in front ofputers, such low-level upations were generally looked down upon.


    Learning that Ling Chen worked as a security officer, Xu Dong¡¯s face revealed a faint smile of delight, relief, and disdain.


    "Mr. Ling, didn¡¯t you go to university? How did you end up in this line of work?"


    The moment Xu Dong made this remark, Leng Feifei immediately felt offended, as it was clearly an insult towards Ling Chen.


    Xu Dong could belittle anyone, but never in front of her, especially not Ling Chen. Ling Chen had not only helped her but also saved her several times. In her heart, Ling Chen¡¯s position was irreceable.


    Leng Feifei opened her mouth intending to retort, but heard Ling Chen saying, "I joined the army before, so I didn¡¯t have the chance to attend university."


    "That exins it," Xu Dong slightly lifted his lips and said with a smile, "These days, everyone needs technical talent. People like you who have military backgrounds, without any special skills, find it hard tond a good job. But being a security guard isn¡¯t bad, at least it¡¯s a stable job that can solve basic living needs, much better than those begging on the streets."

 Chapter 510 - 506: Encounter with Leng Feifei (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 510: Chapter 506: Encounter with Leng Feifei (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    Xu Dong¡¯s remarks suddenly made the atmosphere among everyone a bit awkward, as they didn¡¯t know how to continue the conversation.


    Everyone, as colleagues who see each other day and night, naturally knew Xu Dong¡¯s intentions, but they didn¡¯t expect him to be so merciless. No one would be happy hearing those words.


    Seeing everyone silent and the conversation cooling down, Hu Yan forced a smile and changed the topic, saying, "Mr. Ling, your name sounds familiar to me."


    Ling Chen replied indifferently, "There are many people with the same name, nothing strange about that."


    "Hey! Ling Chen, how much do you make a month as a security guard?" Xu Dong spoke up, not even using ¡¯Mr.¡¯ anymore, directly addressing him by name.


    Hearing this, Hu Yan and others frowned. Even as colleagues, they felt Xu Dong was being too much. After all, Ling Chen is a friend of Leng Feifei, and one should respect the friend for their friend¡¯s sake. Disrespecting Ling Chen in front of everyone would surely not please Leng Feifei.


    After what happened today, does Xu Dong still think he can chase after Leng Feifei? It¡¯s like a fool¡¯s dream, they are lucky not to get pped.


    At this moment, Leng Feifei, who had been silent, couldn¡¯t listen anymore. Xu Dong repeatedly took the opportunity to humiliate Ling Chen, angering even the usually gentle Leng Feifei. She looked at Xu Dong with an angry face, opened her mouth to scold him, but before the words came out, a big hand suddenly reached out from under the table, gently patting the back of her hand.


    Leng Feifei turned to look at Ling Chen beside her, seeing him giving her a look, signaling her not to rush. Thinking of Ling Chen¡¯s capabilities, Leng Feifei forcefully suppressed her anger, swallowing the words she was about to say.


    Ling Chen looked at Xu Dong with a half-smile, stating, "My sry isn¡¯t high, certainly can¡¯tpare to a top talent like Mr. Xu."


    "There¡¯s truly noparison." Xu Dong replied unmodestly.


    "I suppose Mr. Xu¡¯s monthly sry must be quite high then."


    "Not much, just seven or eight thousand, barely managing a middle-ss lifestyle," Xu Dong said, unable to hide the smug look on his face.


    Ling Chen nodded, "Seven or eight thousand isn¡¯t much, but no worries, young people have room for improvement. Work hard, and maybe you could earn over ten thousand a month."


    Xu Dong was momentarily taken aback, as Ling Chen¡¯s tone made it seem as if Xu Dong was the security guard living at the societal bottom. Annoyed, Xu Dong scoffed, "Enough about me, how much do you earn a month?"


    "Not much, this much." Ling Chen held up two fingers.


    "Only two thousand?" Xu Dong looked disdainful.


    "You missed a zero."


    "Twenty thousand?"


    At this, not only Xu Dong, but even Hu Yan and others were stunned. A security guard earning that much? They must be kidding.


    Xu Dong derisively said, "Ling Chen, be realistic. If it¡¯s two thousand, say two thousand. iming twenty thousand when no one is mocking you here."


    Ling Chen shrugged, unconcerned, saying, "Whether you believe me or not is not my problem. Nowadays, many people think highly of themselves, thinking they¡¯re superior. In reality, to others, such people are merely clowns, not worth mentioning."


    Hearing this, Xu Dong¡¯s face turned ugly, clearly understanding Ling Chen¡¯s implication. Although not naming names, Ling Chen¡¯s words were obviously directed at him.


    "Hu Yan, I think we should leave. There¡¯s nothing good to talk about with this kind of person."


    Leng Feifei responded coldly, "I never asked you to stay. You¡¯re the one who insisted on staying."


    "You..." Xu Dong¡¯s face turned pale, surprised at Leng Feifei¡¯s blunt rejection.


    "What¡¯s wrong, did I say something incorrect? Ling Chen is much more capable than you. He just doesn¡¯t want to stoop to your level, yet you keepparing yourself to him, how childish."


    "Capability?" Xu Dong felt angry, scornfully looking at Ling Chen, scoffing, "What capabilities can a security guard have? Feifei, everyone in thepany knows I like you, I want to chase you, but now I realize, we¡¯re just not the same. Your standards are too low, actually seeing something in this kind of person."


    "You..." Leng Feifei was furious.


    "Feifei, don¡¯t bother arguing," Ling Chen said, cutting her off, "Why stoop to arguing with his sort." After saying that, he nced at Xu Dong, speaking indifferently, "Mr. Xu, you think highly of your capabilities?"


    "At least more than you."


    "Good, hope you won¡¯t regret this." Saying so, Ling Chen kicked the table over, making a loud ¡¯ng¡¯ sound.


    This move shocked Xu Dong and the others; they didn¡¯t understand what he was nning.


    As everyone was confused, a male store manager quickly came over, asking, "Sir, what¡¯s the matter?"


    Ling Chen said lightly, "I¡¯m here to cause trouble."


    The male manager smiled nervously, "Sir, is there some kind of misunderstanding?"


    "You don¡¯t understand my words. I said, I¡¯m here to cause trouble."


    The manager frowned slightly, "Friend, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you, this ce is not where you cause trouble. Doing this, you¡¯re just asking for trouble."


    Ling Chen waved his hand impatiently, "Less nonsense, call someone if you can. I know people from Old City all pay protection money."


    "This is self-inflicted." With that, the manager quickly pulled out his phone and stepped aside.


    "What are you doing?"


    Leng Feifei looked anxiously at Ling Chen, whispering, "I heard Old City is controlled by a gang with great influence. Even ourpany has to pay protection money on time, not daring to defy them."


    Ling Chen smiled slightly, giving her a reassuring look, "Don¡¯t worry, I know what I¡¯m doing."


    As they spoke, more than ten burly, muscr young men burst into the Starbucks.


    The leader shouted as he entered, "Which blind fool dares to cause trouble in Old City."


    Seeing the neers, the store manager quickly went up, pointing towards Ling Chen and whispering a few words.


    "Ling Chen, let¡¯s see how you wrap this up." Xu Dong stood by, arms crossed, looking forward to the scene.


    Just then, the leader and his menacing gang approached Ling Chen.


    Onlookers stepped aside, fearing being caught in any potential violence.


    However, after taking a good look at Ling Chen, the leader¡¯s expression subtly changed. Then, under everyone¡¯s gaze, he did something surprising.


    "Chen."


    The leader bowed, appearing extremely respectful.


    "Chen." The followers echoed in unison.


    Ling Chen smiled, saying, "We¡¯re all friends here, no need for such politeness."


    "Chen, what do you need us to do?"

 Chapter 511 - 507: Jiang Xinwu

    <h4>Chapter 511: Chapter 507: Jiang Xinwu</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen nced at Xu Dong, whose face was full of surprise, and spoke, "Go to theirpany tomorrow and tell their boss that I take a strong dislike to this person. If he knows what¡¯s good for him, he should know what to do."


    "Understood."


    "Also, spread the word that as long as it¡¯s within East Sea City, anypany that dares to hire him cannot offer a sry higher than two thousand. If anyone dares to go against my wishes, don¡¯t me me for being unkind. Did you get that?"


    The young man replied, "Very clear."


    After listening to Ling Chen and the young man¡¯s conversation, Xu Dong¡¯s face turned pale in an instant. His mouth opened and closed a few times, but he couldn¡¯t utter a single word.


    "Feifei, let¡¯s go."


    Having dealt with the trivial matter, Ling Chen stood up and walked towards the door. When passing by Xu Dong, Ling Chen stopped and said, "Mr. Xu, since you¡¯re more capable than me, I believe you will surely find a satisfying job in East Sea City."


    Leaving Starbucks, the outside cold wind grew sharper. Ling Chen wrapped up his cor and looked at Leng Feifei, whose cheeks were red, and said with concern, "I¡¯ll take you home first."


    "It¡¯s not necessary, you go about your business. My home is nearby." After speaking, Leng Feifei bit her lip, her expression shy and bashful as she said, "Ling Chen, sorry for the incident just now, don¡¯t take it to heart."


    Ling Chen smiled lightly, "It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m not that narrow-minded."


    "I¡¯m going back then, let¡¯s chat again when you¡¯re free."


    "Okay."


    Watching Leng Feifei¡¯s retreating figure, Ling Chen did not linger long in the Old City District and took a car back to Wealthy Manor by himself.


    Upon arriving at the gates of the manor, he saw many reporters still outside, having stood there all day refusing to leave. With no other option, Ling Chen had to enter the Nanrong Family through the side gate of Wealthy Manor.


    It was already seven o¡¯clock in the evening when Ling Chen entered his home, and the fragrance of dinner instantly filled the air.


    Nanrong Wanqing, who came down from upstairs, saw Ling Chen return and asked, "Where have you been today? Haven¡¯t seen you all day."


    "A friend had an ident, and they called me to help."


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded and did not ask any further.


    The next day.


    Just after noon, when Ling Chen was about to take a nap, he received a phone call from Hu Fei, who said that he had some leads on the investigation he was asked to look into.


    Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Ling Chen immediately drove to the Old City District.


    At the courierpany, Ling Chen walked into the office and asked, "Fatty, got any results?"


    "You asked me to look into the cases of missing persons over the past ten years, right? I spent the whole night on it, and though I haven¡¯t finished looking through everything, I think there¡¯s no need to continue."


    "Why?"


    Hu Fei picked up a rough set of data he hadpiled, "I essed the database at the Ministry of Public Security and started looking back from ten years ago. I¡¯ve only gone through two years¡¯ worth of missing person cases so far. ording to my investigation, out of these missing persons, there are over a hundred martial artists from different regions and cities, and without exception, they all disappeared without a trace, as if they vanished into thin air."


    "So many martial artists missing in just two years can¡¯t be a coincidence. Moreover, whoever is behind this is very cautious. They only strike once in each city and will never do so again in nearby cities to avoid drawing suspicion from the authorities."


    After hearing Hu Fei¡¯s report, Ling Chen furrowed his brows. It seemed his guess was right; the experiment codenamed ¡¯Lucifer¡¯ was using martial artists as basic test subjects. If the transformation of the test subjects was sessful, their strength would increase significantly.


    No wonder Blood Wolf said in the video that only Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion had the power to stop this.


    A Tiger List expert undergoing the experiment could potentially approach the strength of a Dragon List expert. By extension, what level of power would an Earthly List expert reach if theypleted the experiment?


    At this thought, Ling Chen¡¯s back broke out in a cold sweat.


    "Fatty, have you found out anything about Jiang Xinwu¡¯s whereabouts?"


    "Not yet, that guy is hiding deep. Unless he shows himself, it¡¯s hard to pinpoint his location."


    "We must find a way to track him down."


    Ling Chen said. From the video left by Blood Wolf, it was evident that the Lucifer experiment had not made progress a year ago. But now, a yearter, with Jiang Xinwu reappearing in East Sea City as one of the missing persons, could it mean that the Lucifer experiment had seeded?


    This was crucial intelligence; he had to rify it.


    "By the way!"


    At this moment, Hu Fei seemed to recall something and handed a piece of information to Ling Chen, saying, "I¡¯ve done a deeper investigation on that Jiang Xinwu¡¯s information. His parents, as well as his closely acquainted friends from before, are all recorded in this document. Have a look, it might be useful to you."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen carefully flipped through the document. Soon, his gaze was arrested by a name on the paper.


    What a coincidence!


    "Fatty, you keep busy, I¡¯m going out to make a call."


    Leaving the office, Ling Chen walked alone to the balcony and took out his mobile phone to dial a number.


    Beep... beep...


    The call connected, and a hearty voice immediately came from the other end of the phone, "Ling Chen, howe you have time to call me today?"


    "Mr. Ye, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to consult with you about."


    Ye Liangyong asked, "What¡¯s the matter?"


    "Do you know someone named Jiang Xinwu?"


    "Jiang Xinwu... yes, I know him, but that was a long time ago. Xinwu was a promising youngster, trained in martial arts from a young age, and had solid foundations. I met him at a local martial arts exchange and we hit it off, so we kept in touch. Later, I even invited him to my home as a guest. It¡¯s just unfortunate that Xinwu disappeared ten years ago and has been missing ever since. Sigh, after so many years, he¡¯s likely in grave danger."


    Ye Liangyong sighed, then curiously asked, "Ling Chen, why are you suddenly asking about him? Did you run into him?"


    "Jiang Xinwu is not dead; not only is he in East Sea City now, but he has also injured my friend. Luckily I arrived in time to save my friend¡¯s life."


    "That¡¯s impossible! Xinwu would never do such a thing."


    "Mr. Ye, you haven¡¯t seen him for ten years. People change, and moreover... I suspect he has something to do with the God Organization."


    "Are you sure?" Ye Liangyong asked gravely.


    "I only suspect it at the moment; there¡¯s no proof yet. Mr. Ye, when you knew Jiang Xinwu, how skilled was he?"


    "He was about on par with me. With his talent, as long as he worked hard, he could have advanced to the Tiger List in ten years."


    Tiger List...


    Ling Chen nodded to himself. Judging from the footage from that day, Jiang Xinwu¡¯s demonstrated ability was enough to contend with a Dragon List expert.


    It was evident; Jiang Xinwu¡¯s formidable strength after ten years could only be attained by unusual means.


    Could it be... the God Organization¡¯s Lucifer experiment had already seeded?

 Chapter 512 - 508 Intelligence from the Secret Society

    <h4>Chapter 512: Chapter 508 Intelligence from the Secret Society</h4><h4></h4>


    After chatting with Ye Liangyong, Ling Chen hung up the phone, turned around to return to his office, greeted Hu Fei, and then left the courierpany alone.


    Half an hourter, Ling Chen drove to the outside of Qingyun Martial Arts Hall.


    He felt it necessary to talk to He Ziyun about this matter; moreover, he had some intelligence to share with He Ziyun.


    Standing outside the gate, Ling Chen knocked on the door. Soon after, the gate opened, and Little Hua poked her head out. Seeing Ling Chen outside, she eximed with joy, "Big Brother!"


    Ling Chen smiled and intended to pat Little Hua¡¯s head, but remembering her true identity, his hand hanging in midair stiffened abruptly. He gave an awkward smile, subtly pulled his hand back to his pocket, and asked, "Is Mr. He in?"


    Pouting, Little Hua said with displeasure, "Big Brother, every time youe, it¡¯s to see my Master, you nevere just to see me."


    Ling Chen hastily corrected himself: "This time, I primarily came to see you and then to talk to Mr. He."


    Little Hua humphed twice, dissatisfied, "Since you came to see me, why didn¡¯t you bring me a gift? That¡¯s insincere."


    Uh...


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but give a bitter smile; this little girl was quite demanding.


    "I forgot this time; I¡¯ll definitely make it up next time," Ling Chen promised.


    "You better not forget it next time," Little Hua replied, batting her huge, adorable, and charming eyes. If outsiders saw her, they might find it hard to believe that this seemingly five or six-year-old girl was actually in her twenties.


    Ever since learning the truth, whenever Little Hua acted coquettishly around him, Ling Chen felt somewhat unsure how to respond.


    Entering Qingyun Martial Arts Hall, Ling Chen casually asked, "Has Xiaozhue back recently?"


    "Xiaozhu has been quite busytely; she said she needs to stay with her master and doesn¡¯t have time toe back."


    Ling Chen nodded. The incident on the luxurious ship must have dealt a great blow to Shi Su; as Zhu Xiaozhu was her disciple, she needed to stay by her side and take good care of her.


    As they spoke, the two entered the main hall of the Martial Arts Hall.


    "Here you are!"


    He Ziyun nced at Ling Chen and pointed to a seat nearby, "Take a seat." Then turning to Little Hua, he said, "Girl, go brew two cups of tea for us."


    Obediently, Little Hua nodded and then turned to leave. Once she was out of sight, He Ziyun started, "Li¨¤ngyong just called me, he mentioned Jiang Xinwu¡¯s matter. Do you think it¡¯s rted to the God Organization?"


    "Mr. He, please look at this first," Ling Chen said as he handed his smartphone to He Ziyun, ying a video recorded by Blood Wolf from start to finish.


    After the video ended, Ling Chen put away his phone and said, "This Lucifer experiment is an important research project of the God Organization; they started over ten years ago. I had Hu Fei check for me, and starting ten years ago, every year dozens of martial artists in Huaxia mysteriously disappear without a trace. I suspect they were abducted by the God Organization as experimental subjects, and Jiang Xinwu is one of them. A few days ago, Jiang Xinwu appeared in East Sea City; I suspect that the Lucifer experiment has been sessful."


    He Ziyun¡¯s expression turned grave, "If that¡¯s the case, it indeed poses a troublesome issue."


    "Exactly!" Ling Chen changed the tone, "Mr. He, there is another very important matter. I received information from a reliable source that over these years, we have been deceived by people from the God Organization."


    "What do you mean?"


    "All this time, we thought the main forces of the God Organization were concentrated overseas, but that¡¯s not the case. The main force of the God Organization has long been rooted in Huaxia; this is their main base. For many years, they have used many smokescreens to confuse us. Unfortunately, they have indeed seeded in diverting our attention and made us overlook the most critical ce."


    "Are you sure?" He Ziyun¡¯s face slightly darkened, seriously saying, "This is no joking matter."


    "I believe the person who gave me the information wouldn¡¯t deceive me."


    He Ziyun pondered for a moment and then sighed, "It seems that we have all underestimated that mysterious leader of the God Organization. The most dangerous ce is the safest ce; we thought our defenses were strong enough to prevent the invasion of the God Organization, but we were careless. To put it precisely, we didn¡¯t lose to the God Organization, but to our own arrogance. Ling Chen, do you have any other intelligence about the God Organization?"


    "There¡¯s one thing: the mysterious leader of the God Organization can be confirmed as a person from Huaxia, but his identity is not very clear."


    He Ziyun chuckled, "If it was so easy to figure out the identity of the opponent, we wouldn¡¯t have been struggling against the God Organization for decades." After speaking, He Ziyun paused thoughtfully and asked, "Who gave you these pieces of information?"


    "I don¡¯t know; that person didn¡¯t tell me, but he imed to be a friend of my father."


    "Secret Society."


    "What?" Ling Chen didn¡¯t catch on for a moment.


    "That person who gave you the information must be from the Secret Society. When ites to the ability to gather intelligence, no organization in the world surpasses the Secret Society. If there¡¯s anyone who could understand the God Organization so thoroughly, it would only be the Secret Society. Ghost has always imed to be the world¡¯s most mysterious organization, but in reality, the truly mysterious ones are the Secret Society and the God Organization, as nobody knows where the main bases of the Secret Society and the God Organization are located, nor who the leaders of these mysterious organizations are." Saying this, He Ziyun sighed, "Since Ghost Base was invaded, all of Ghost¡¯s mysterious aura has been stripped away. I heard from Qiao Zhen that the higher-ups have officially issued an order to disband Ghost."


    "Mr. He..." Ling Chen opened his mouth, unsure of what to say.


    Ghost was an organization founded by He Ziyun; he was the creator of Ghost. Now that Ghost was disbanding, probably no one felt worse than him.


    He Ziyun gave a somewhat forced smile, "No organization can consistently endure; for me, the disbanding of Ghost was inevitable, I just didn¡¯t expect it toe so soon."


    "Mr. He, even though Ghost has disbanded, isn¡¯t there still Lonely Wolf? The members of Lonely Wolf were all selected from Ghost; in a way, Lonely Wolf is just a recement for Ghost, so you don¡¯t have to feel too sad."


    He Ziyun shook his head, "I¡¯m not sad about that; it¡¯s just that I feel it¡¯s unworthy for the members of Ghost. They have shed blood and sweat for the country for many years, but in the end, this is their fate. It¡¯s a pity."


    With that, He Ziyun perked up and said, "Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore and instead focus on how to deal with the God Organization. Based on what you just said, Jiang Xinwu should be a key figure."

 Chapter 513 - 509: Locking Down the Criminal

    <h4>Chapter 513: Chapter 509: Locking Down the Criminal</h4><h4></h4>


    "Correct." Ling Chen nodded, "I¡¯ve already had people searching for Jiang Xinwu¡¯s whereabouts. All the stations and airports in East Sea City are under close surveince, so he should not be able to leave. Moreover, I don¡¯t think he will leave East Sea City so quickly."


    "Why?"


    "I think his next target is likely me. The Secret Society informed me that I have been ced on God Organization¡¯s assassination list. They will try every possible means to kill me. So, Jiang Xinwu¡¯s presence in East Sea City probably has more than one target."


    He Ziyun asked worriedly, "If hees for you, can you handle it?"


    Ling Chen smiled slightly, "Mr. He, don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m the top of the Neer List, my self-preservation abilities are still strong."


    "That¡¯s true. But God Organization members are always cunning, they act solely to achieve their goals and never hesitate to be ruthless. If Jiang Xinwues for you, he certainly won¡¯t y by any rules."


    "I¡¯m aware of that. The so-called means are nothing but techniques of killing. It¡¯s still uncertain who would lose or win when ites to a showdown. Mr. He, my visit this time is mainly to remind you, God Organization is definitely nning something big. It¡¯s best if you alert the General and especially those above, have them prepare their defenses. My words carry little weight, they might not believe me, but it¡¯s different with you. You are, after all, the founder of Ghost, your words carry more weight and with the General and others supporting you in the background, those above will surely take it seriously."


    "I understand. Don¡¯t worry, I will get in touch with them."


    Leaving Qingyun Martial Arts Hall, Ling Chen got into his car and headed straight back to Wealthy Manor.


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, three days passed.


    That evening, Ling Chen, sitting in a Rolls-Royce with Nanrong Wanqing, watched the flowing traffic outside the window, his eyes revealing deep thought.


    "Ling Chen."


    Hearing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s voice beside him, Ling Chen turned his head and asked, "What¡¯s the matter?"


    "The suit we orderedst time has been delivered. Try it on when you go backter. Also... there¡¯s a party tonight at Yulong Mansion. You¡¯ll apany me."


    "Okay." Ling Chen nodded.


    Although Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t say it explicitly, Ling Chen had already learned from Nanrong Hao that today was Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s birthday. However, what worried him was that he hadn¡¯t prepared a gift even now.


    These past few days, he had been so preupied with the gift that he hadn¡¯t gotten a good night¡¯s sleep. After all, this birthday party was extremely important, both for Nanrong Wanqing and for Ling Chen.


    That day at Huamei Mall, when Nanrong Wanqing publicly revealed her identity, it was just to set the stage for tonight¡¯s birthday party. Tonight, he would appear in an official setting as her boyfriend for the first time. Given Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s identity and status in East Sea City, such a move undoubtedly meant public recognition of him. If he failed to impress, it would inevitably lead to disappointment.


    In reality, Ling Chen knew very well that Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t care about the gift. But as a man, he certainly didn¡¯t want to be seen as a gigolo clinging to a wealthy woman. Therefore, his gift had to be dazzling, to astonish everyone.


    Back home, Ling Chen tried on the suit, which fit perfectly. Worth hundreds of thousands, as a bespoke item, both the materials and the craftsmanship were top-notch.


    The party was scheduled to start punctually at 8 o¡¯clock. Ling Chen checked the time; there was still an hour to go. Just enough time for dinner, a bath, and then head out.


    But then, his phone in the bedroom suddenly rang.


    Ling Chen nced at the iing number on the disy and hurriedly answered the call.


    "Hey! Ling Chen, get over here quickly." Hu Fei¡¯s voice came from the other end of the phone.


    "What happened?"


    "That Jiang Xinwu, there¡¯s news on him."


    "Can it wait?" Ling Chen was conflicted as he was about to leave for Yulong Mansion, and leaving now would certainly mean missing the party.


    "Wait? How can we wait, opportunitiese and go in an instant. I finally found out his whereabouts, if you dilly-dally, he might vanish. Enough talk, hurry up, I¡¯m waiting for you at the usual ce."


    Before Ling Chen could say more, Hu Fei had hung up the phone.


    This fatty... Ling Chen shook his head, feeling helpless.


    After careful consideration, Ling Chen decided to prioritize the more important issue. Jiang Xinwu was key in the fight against God Organization, and he had to find out more.


    Changing his clothes, Ling Chen left the bedroom, went upstairs to inform Nanrong Wanqing. He didn¡¯t mention where he was going, just said he had something urgent to attend to and asked her to head to Yulong Mansion first, assuring her that he would arrive on time.


    Nanrong Wanqing considerately didn¡¯t say much, only reminding him to be careful.


    Leaving Wealthy Manor, Ling Chen immediately drove to the Old City.


    At the courierpany¡¯s office, Hu Fei was already prepared, pulling Ling Chen directly into the car.


    Seated in the passenger seat, Hu Fei cradled aptop, typing on the keyboard, and said, "Let¡¯s go to Vanke Road."


    Vanke Road... such a familiar name!


    A thought struck Ling Chen. Wasn¡¯t that the road outside Wealthy Manor?


    "Fatty, is Jiang Xinwu hiding on Vanke Road?"


    "Half an hour ago, the surveince camera on Vanke Road caught Jiang Xinwu. Though it was just a profile shot, facial recognition software analysis says there¡¯s an eighty-five percent chance it¡¯s him."


    "Then it must be him."


    Saying this, Ling Chen started the engine and sped towards the destination.


    Along the way, Ling Chen took back roads to avoid traffic lights. In less than fifteen minutes, they arrived at Vanke Road.


    "There." Hu Fei pointed at a Western restaurant by the road through the car window, "The surveince caught Jiang Xinwu entering that ce. Don¡¯t know if he¡¯s still there now."


    "You wait in the car. I¡¯ll go take a look."


    Exiting the car, Ling Chen concealed the Tianling de he carried and stepped into the Western restaurant.


    It was dinner time and the restaurant was crowded with customers. Ling Chen entered, ncing around the hall in search of Jiang Xinwu. He had seen a photo of Jiang Xinwu from ten years ago, and even after a decade, his appearance wouldn¡¯t have changed much and would be easy to recognize.


    "Sir, how many are in your party?" A smiling waiter asked.


    "I¡¯m looking for my friend. By the way, do you have private rooms?"


    "Yes, they¡¯re on the second floor. Would you like me to take you there?"


    "No need to trouble yourself, I¡¯ll go up on my own."


    Not seeing Jiang Xinwu in the hall, Ling Chen figured the man might be in one of the private rooms. After dismissing the waiter, he climbed the stairs to the second floor.


    Walking down the corridor, he listened to the soundsing from behind the private room doors, eliminating them one by one as suspects.


    After a moment, Ling Chen stopped in front of the private room at the end of the corridor, his gaze fixed on the door, eyebrows slightly raised. Then, he reached for the Tianling de, took hold of the doorknob with his other hand, gently turned the lock, and prepared to enter.

 Chapter 514 - 510: Encounter in a Dead End

    <h4>Chapter 514: Chapter 510: Encounter in a Dead End</h4><h4></h4>


    However, the moment Ling Chen was about to push the door, his hand suddenly stiffened, and his eyes gradually became solemn. The Tianling de was already drawn halfway from his waist.


    Although the door to the private room wasn¡¯t opened yet, Ling Chen could sense that the person inside had also grasped the door handle at the same time he did. Moreover, not only did Ling Chen feel the presence of the other party, but the person inside must have also be aware of his presence. For a moment, both parties silently held onto the door handle, neither making a rash move.


    Ling Chen clenched the Tianling de tightly, his breathing slowly evening out as he listened intently to the soundsing from behind the door.


    Despite the barrier of a door, Ling Chen could faintly hear a breathing sound.


    Jiang Xinwu!


    It must be him behind the door.


    Just as Ling Chen was silently contemting his next move, a waiter delivering food happened to pass by. Seeing Ling Chen standing quietly at the door, motionless and with a grave expression, the waiter asked with concern, "Sir, do you need any help?"


    Ling Chen opened his mouth, about to send the waiter away. However, before he could speak, he suddenly heard a loud ¡¯bang¡¯ next to his ear, as a fist punched straight through the door panel, aiming a blow toward the outside.


    This sudden change caused Ling Chen¡¯splexion to shift slightly as he hastily retreated two steps back to avoid the punch. Immediately after, without waiting for Jiang Xinwu to rush out from the private room, Ling Chen swiftly closed in with a forceful kick to the door, kicking it open, and then charged in wielding the Tianling de.


    Eh?


    After entering the private room, Ling Chen was surprised to discover that the room was empty. And on the left side of the room, the anti-theft outside the window had been broken, revealing arge opening¡ªJiang Xinwu must have escaped through there.


    Without a moment to spare, Ling Chen crawled out through the anti-theft and leaped, jumping directly from the second-floor down to the ground.


    This was an alley located behind the Western restaurant, with two streets connected to its left and right sides. At this moment, Jiang Xinwu had long since vanished without a trace, and it was unclear which street he had fled down.


    Ling Chen frowned slightly, the alley paved with concrete offered no way to determine the direction based on footprints. After pondering for a moment, Ling Chen took out his cell phone and dialed Hu Fei¡¯s number.


    "Fatty, Jiang Xinwu has escaped. He should be nearby; help me look for him."


    "Received!"


    After hanging up the call, Ling Chen randomly chose a direction and went from the alley onto the street, observing the pedestrians on the roadside in hopes of discovering Jiang Xinwu¡¯s whereabouts.


    Several minutes passed, and there was still no news from Hu Fei¡¯s side, indicating that he was unable to find Jiang Xinwu on the surveince cameras either.


    What a pity!


    Ling Chen sighed inwardly; it wasn¡¯t easy to have located the target, only to let him escape.


    With no other choice, Ling Chen took out his cell phone, ready to tell Hu Fei to withdraw for now. But at that moment, a strong sense of crisis suddenly surged in his heart.


    Almost instinctively, Ling Chen swiftly turned his head to look behind him. And at that instant, he saw a dagger with a cold gleam thrusting straight at him, its speed incredibly fast.


    Not good!


    Ling Chen¡¯s pupils contracted as his body quickly dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the dagger¡¯s attack. Had he been a second slower, his waist might have been pierced by the dagger.


    Seeing Ling Chen evade the sneak attack, the man wielding the knife was slightly taken aback. Without any hesitation, he immediately turned and sprinted toward an adjacent alley.


    Watching the silhouette of the fleeing figure, Ling Chen¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile, and he let out a soft chuckle.


    Let¡¯s see where you can run to!


    With that, Ling Chen stretched his legs and quickly pursued Jiang Xinwu.


    The small paths in the alley were intricate and crisscrossing. Ling Chen closely followed behind Jiang Xinwu, maintaining a distance of more than ten meters. Jiang Xinwu¡¯s choice of escape routes indicated that he was not familiar with this area and was blindly selecting his path.


    Several minutes passed, and Jiang Xinwu, who was in flight, suddenly stopped in his tracks, slightly furrowing his brow at the high wall in front of him.


    A dead end!


    Ling Chen, who was chasing from behind, saw this scene and immediately smirked.


    "Jiang Xinwu, surrender, you can¡¯t run away."


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s voice, Jiang Xinwu slowly turned around, facing Ling Chen with a calm demeanor and said deliberately, "Don¡¯t celebrate too soon. You should only speak after you manage to defeat me."


    Ling Chen drew out the Tianling de, leisurely saying, "Jiang Xinwu, I know you¡¯re now working for the God Organization. If you¡¯re willing to cooperate with us and provide intel about the God Organization, I can plead on your behalf to lessen your sentence."


    "Thanks for the kind offer, but I don¡¯t need it. I advise you to worry about yourself instead¡ªwhether you can walk out of here alive is still an uncertainty."


    Seeing Jiang Xinwu¡¯sposed and fearless appearance, Ling Chen felt a surge of doubt. This guy was not at all scared, either he had enough confidence in his own skills, or he had some backup.


    Thinking this, Ling Chen¡¯s expression suddenly changed, and he cursed inwardly.


    He had been so focused on finding Jiang Xinwu that he had overlooked something very important.


    If he remembered correctly, when he burst into the private room, there seemed to be three sets of tableware on the round table.


    Could it be... there wasn¡¯t just Jiang Xinwu in the private room at that time?


    As thoughts shed through his mind, a series of footsteps approached from behind.


    Ling Chen turned his head just in time to see two unfamiliar men walking toward him from the left and right, forming a triangr pincer with Jiang Xinwu.


    Just as he suspected!


    Ling Chen frowned slightly, realizing that there wasn¡¯t just one person, but three.


    Jiang Xinwu spoke with an indifferent tone, "Did you think I would face you alone? You¡¯re different from Kaelina; at best, she¡¯s just an assassin with some mediocre skills. But you¡¯re the top expert on the Neer List, I naturally can¡¯t treat you the same way as her - that would be far too disrespectful."


    Ling Chen smiled faintly, "So, should I thank you for taking me so seriously?"


    "Jiang Xinwu, stop wasting time with him, let¡¯s kill him quickly. The higher-ups are waiting for our report," urged a middle-aged man.


    Ling Chen sized up the two men and asked, "I haven¡¯t had the pleasure of knowing your names."


    "He Chen."


    "Huang He."


    Hearing these two names, Ling Chen immediately recalled the missing persons list Hu Fei had given him. He Chen and Huang He¡ªthese two names were indeed on the list; they were the people who had disappeared at the same time as Jiang Xinwu.


    Thinking, Ling Chen nced at his phone. It was already 7:40, and Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s birthday dinner would start in twenty minutes.


    Time was of the essence. He needed a quick resolution.


    Apanied by a streak of cold light, the de of the Tianling de shed out.


    "The three of you, I¡¯m in a hurry. Let¡¯s all fight together."


    As those words fell, Jiang Xinwu and the others exchanged nces, each drawing their weapons and slowly advancing towards Ling Chen.


    Sensing the palpable intent to kill emanating from them, Ling Chen stood still, his gaze sweeping over each of the three before finally locking onto Huang He.


    Among the three, only Huang He carried the most peculiar weapon¡ªarge pair of scissors as long as an arm with very sharp des. Moreover, among the three of them, Huang He was the most oppressive, likely being the strongest.

 Chapter 515 - 511: The Fierce Battle (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 515: Chapter 511: The Fierce Battle (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Kill!"


    With a cold shout, Jiang Xinwu swung two one-foot-long des and leaped towards Ling Chen, striking from both sides. At the same time, He Chen and Huang Heunched their attacks from behind, pincering Ling Chen in a way that left him with no retreat.


    Seeing his escape route blocked, Ling Chen¡¯s eyebrows knitted slightly. With a light flick of his wrist, the Tianling de pierced through the air, meeting the oing assault from Jiang Xinwu.


    Surrounded by the three assants, he had to find a way to break through; once trapped, the danger to him would grow exponentially.


    ng!


    Apanied by a crisp ringing sound, the two des held tightly by Jiang Xinwu trembled, his hands numbed, and the weapons almost dropped to the ground.


    Seeing this, Jiang Xinwu¡¯s face immediately changed, and he shouted urgently, "The target¡¯s tough, be cautious!"


    Hearing Jiang Xinwu¡¯s cry, Ling Chen¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly, and the intensity in his eyes rxed a little. He had thought Jiang Xinwu¡¯s strength to be formidable, but after the recent exchange, he realized that Jiang Xinwu¡¯s prowess would rank around the eighth on the Dragon List at most, posing no threat.


    With an understanding of Jiang Xinwu¡¯s strength, Ling Chen immediately locked onto the direction for his escape, paying no heed to Huang He and He Chen closing in from behind, and charged directly at Jiang Xinwu.


    First to take down the weakest, then deal with the other two.


    In that moment of rapid thought, a whooshing sound suddenly came from above. Ling Chen looked up, only to see Huang He leap over him from above andnd steadily beside Jiang Xinwu.


    Then, Huang He turned around, and therge scissors in his hand sprung open, reaching straight for Ling Chen¡¯s head.


    Without time to think, Ling Chen immediately halted his forward rush. The edge of the Tianling de gently tapped the side of therge scissors. Instantly, Huang He¡¯s arms trembled slightly, and the scissors deviated from their course.


    "Indeed, the top expert of the Neer List does have some skill," Huang He said with a smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes.


    "Thanks for thepliment!"


    "It¡¯s just a pity..."


    "What¡¯s the pity?"


    "The pity is that you won¡¯t survive tonight." Huang He sneered.


    Ling Chen replied indifferently, "Who lives and who dies is still uncertain, don¡¯t be so quick to conclude."


    "You will undoubtedly die tonight because too many people want you dead."


    As soon as the words fell, Ling Chen suddenly heard footstepsing from the alley. He turned his head and saw two middle-aged men and two old men walking side by side, appearing in his line of sight.


    When their eyes met, he immediately felt the venom and resentment emanating from their gaze.


    For a moment, Ling Chen had a bad premonition.


    "Who are they?"


    "People from the Han Family; I suppose you are no stranger to them."


    The Han Family!


    Ling Chen¡¯s mind raced, and he internally cursed, realizing the predicament.


    Back at the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, he fought a life-and-death battle with Han Yu, resulting in Han Yu¡¯s tragic death at his hands. The Han Family approaching him now was likely seeking revenge for Han Yu.


    "Ling Chen, I¡¯ve finally found you," the leading old man said coldly. "You killed my grandson, and today you¡¯ll pay with your life, without a proper burial ce."


    Ling Chen faced his opponent squarely and said, "The Han Family really has some guts, daring to collude with the God Organization. Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you, you are courting destruction."


    "It¡¯s none of your business what the Han Family does."


    Huang He boasted with a proud smile, "Ling Chen, all thanks to you. Without you, the Han Family would never have so readily epted our conditions. They knew you had the protection of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, so they didn¡¯t dare touch you. But with our God Organization backing them, what is the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s heart sank to rock bottom. If it were just the three of them, he might have a chance to break out. But now, with the addition of the Han Family. Against seven, he truly had little confidence.


    Fatty!


    Thinking of Hu Fei, Ling Chen stealthily reached into his pocket and blindly pressed on his phone, trying to call Hu Fei for help.


    But at this moment, the sharp-eyed He Chen noticed his action and immediately roared. In an instant, Huang He, Jiang Xinwu, and others quickly moved their legs toward Ling Chen, preventing him from seeking help...


    Yulong Mansion.


    A Rolls-Royce pulled up at the entrance, Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui got out first, and opened the rear car door.


    Then, Nanrong Wanqing gracefully stepped down from the car, dressed in a snow-white evening gown. For tonight¡¯s birthday party, she had deliberately worn a diamond-encrusted tinum tiara to match her pristine white dress, looking like a princess standing proudly among the flowers, drawing all eyes to her.


    Getting out of the car, Nanrong Wanqing walked up the steps with Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui¡¯s escort. When she reached the entrance, she stopped, turned her head to look behind her with a trace of anxiety in her clear, beautiful eyes.


    The banquet was about to start, but Ling Chen hadn¡¯t appeared, which was a cause for concern. The banquet was not only for celebrating her birthday but more importantly, to formally reveal her rtionship with Ling Chen. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have gone to the trouble of hosting such an event, inviting so many dignitaries.


    "Zhong Wei, give Ling Chen a call, ask him how much longer he¡¯ll be."


    "I understand, Chairman."


    Saying so, Zhong Wei took out his phone and dialed Ling Chen¡¯s number.


    A minute passed, Zhong Wei put down his phone and shook his head, "I called twice, no answer. Chairman, all the guests are here; perhaps you should go in first, Ling Chen might be on his way."


    "Alright then," Nanrong Wanqing nodded lightly.


    At that moment, in the deserted alley, Ling Chen stood at the corner, breathingboriously, his arm holding the Tianling de trembling slightly, his face pale.


    So strong!


    With the Han Family joining in, Ling Chen waspletely outmatched. Seven experts from the Dragon List, with Huang He¡¯s strength reaching the level of projecting Inner Strength outside his body; he alone was enough to match Ling Chen, not to mention the other six Dragon List level masters to assist.


    During his heavy breathing, the phone in his pocket rang again. Without thinking, he knew it was Nanrong Wanqing calling to hurry him.


    Sadly, he had no time to answer. Facing the encirclement of seven masters, he could not afford to be distracted.


    "Ling Chen, surrender, there¡¯s no need to struggle like a trapped beast, you can¡¯t escape. It¡¯s better to give up rather than wasting energy, perhaps I can grant you a swift end," Huang He said.


    Ling Chen breathed heavily, silently staring at his opponents.


    Suddenly, his eyes slowly closed, and his whole body seemed to rx, his breathing gradually steadied.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s actions, Huang He sneered and gave a nce to Jiang Xinwu beside him. Thetter understood and, holding two sharp des, immediately walked forward.


    However, just as Jiang Xinwu was about to approach, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes suddenly snapped open, shining with a cold light that startled Jiang Xinwu, causing him to hastily retreat.

 Chapter 516 - 512: The Fierce Battle (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 516: Chapter 512: The Fierce Battle (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    At this moment, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes emitted a cold and gloomy light, as if all emotional fluctuations were erased, leaving only a bone-chilling coldness, like a bloodthirsty and brutal beast lurking in the darkness.


    For some reason, gazing upon Ling Chen¡¯s bloodthirsty eyes, Huang He and the others felt an involuntary chill in their hearts. At their level, such emotions were rare. Yet, facing Ling Chen, this feeling waspletely uncontroble.


    "Stop wasting time, let¡¯s go together and kill him," He Chen said coldly.


    Instantly, Huang He wielding thatrge pair of scissors, took the lead, charging towards Ling Chen, the others followed closely, cornering Ling Chen against a wall, all kinds of weapons greeting his body.


    Seeing the various weapons attacking, Ling Chen¡¯s face showed no emotional fluctuation, his expression cold and indifferent, like an unmelting iceberg, chilling and bone-piercing.


    Suddenly, the still-standing Ling Chen finally reacted. His body leaned forward, rapidly advancing with his feet. Following that, his waist twisted, a nimble change of direction, slipping through the gaps between two weapons.


    "Where do you think you¡¯re going!" Jiang Xinwu roared, immediately moving to the back, blocking Ling Chen¡¯s retreat, his two des thrusting straight at Ling Chen¡¯s neck.


    As the des approached, Ling Chen did not dodge, but instead moved closer to the two des. However, as he closed in, the Tianling de, held horizontally in the air, aimed directly for Jiang Xinwu¡¯s vital spot.


    The de of the Tianling de was three feet long, while Jiang Xinwu¡¯s de was only one foot long. Inparison, even if the Tianling de pierced Jiang Xinwu¡¯s body, his de could not reach Ling Chen.


    Seeing the disadvantage, Jiang Xinwu knew his weapon was inferior and hastily retreated backward, avoiding a direct confrontation with Ling Chen.


    As he stepped back, four skilled members of the Han Family immediately filled his spot, sealing Ling Chen¡¯s escape route, continuing to trap him in the corner.


    Hiss!


    At that moment, Huang He¡¯srge scissors exerted force, taking advantage of Ling Chen being restrained by the Han Family, silently approaching from the side,unching a sneak attack and inflicting a wound on Ling Chen¡¯s thigh.


    In an instant, blood gushed from the wound, quickly staining his trouser leg red.


    However, Ling Chen seemed not to feel the pain in his leg, his movements were not affected at all, his attack speed even increased, making it hard to guard against.


    "Get out of the way!"


    In the melee, a member of the Han Family seized the opportunity, leaped forward, his long sword thrusting fiercely from the crowd, aiming straight for the back of Ling Chen¡¯s neck.


    Hearing the whooshing sound by his ear, Ling Chen instantly reacted, forcing He Chen and others back a couple of steps, then striking back with his sword.


    But before the Tianling de could hit its mark, arge pair of scissors suddenly extended, mping tightly onto the de, making the Tianling de immovable.


    Seeing this, that member of the Han Family sneered: "Ling Chen, meet your death!"


    As the opponent¡¯s long sword drew close, a sharp glint suddenly burst forth from the sinister gaze in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes. Immediately afterward, a scream was heard, and the Han Family member who had leapt towards him fell from mid-air, his chest bleeding profusely, his body twitching uncontrobly, soon bing unresponsive.


    Seeing one of their own killed, the other three Han Family members were instantly filled with shock and rage, their faces twisted with hatred as they madly rushed forward, wanting to tear Ling Chen to pieces.


    "Be careful!"


    Huang He slightly furrowed his brows, fearing something might happen to them, and quickly voiced a warning.


    Others might not know how that Han Family member died, but he was crystal clear about it. Although he had mped the Tianling de¡¯s edge with hisrge scissors, Ling Chen¡¯s Martial Arts level had reached a point where he could project Inner Strength externally. Just now, that Han Family person was pierced through the chest and killed instantly by the Inner Strength emitted from the tip of the de.


    Unfortunately, the Han Family members had already been overwhelmed by their rage, casting rationality aside. No one cared about Huang He¡¯s warning as they desperately sought to kill Ling Chen.


    Seeing three Han Family members charging towards him, Ling Chen, with a stern expression, flicked his wrist and retrieved the Tianling de from Huang He¡¯srge scissors. Immediately after, he pointed the de tip, and the handle of the Tianling de instantly extended, transforming from a sword into a long spear.


    The first Han Family member who rushed in didn¡¯t even react before he was pierced by the suddenly elongated de.


    Another person dead!


    At this, the other two Han Family members finally calmed down, hastily retreating, fearful of bing the next corpse.


    At this moment, Huang He gestured to everyone not to be hasty. The chaos just now had allowed Ling Chen to kill two people.


    "This guy is problematic, it feels like he has be a different person, have you noticed?"


    Hearing He Chen¡¯s question, Huang He didn¡¯t say a word, just nodded in acknowledgment. He too had noticed a significant change in Ling Chenpared to before.


    Jiang Xinwu frowned and snorted coldly, "We have so many people, are we still unable to handle him?"


    "Don¡¯t be too careless. This kid has been acknowledged by Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, he must not be simple. Leave the frontal engagement to me, and you guys look for opportunities from the sides," Huang He said.


    "Understood!"


    He Chen and the others nodded, then dispersed to both sides. At the same time, Huang He stepped forward alone, drawing Ling Chen¡¯s attention.


    "Go!"


    As his words fell, Huang He swung hisrge scissors, aiming straight for Ling Chen¡¯s head. However, a longer weapon has its advantages, and with the long spear in hand, Ling Chen simply pointed it and deflected Huang He¡¯s attack.


    Not waiting for Huang He to strike again, Ling Chen stepped forward aggressively, his long spear creating a multitude of spear shadows.


    Seeing that Ling Chen¡¯s focus was solely on Huang He, Jiang Xinwu and He Chen exchanged nces and immediatelyunched a surprise attack from the side. In a blink of an eye, the two men closed to within two meters around Ling Chen.


    Seeing hisrades engaging, Huang He slightly rxed, finally alleviating some pressure from the front.


    But just then, Huang He realized his miscalction.


    Facing the surprise attack from Jiang Xinwu and He Chen, Ling Chen didn¡¯t bother about them at all, not even distracted to counter their strikes, but instead focused all his energy on Huang He, intent on defeating him.


    This course of action resulted in several new wounds on Ling Chen¡¯s body. However, it seemed like Ling Chen felt no pain. Not only that, but after each injury, his speed and strength appeared to significantly increase.


    "Help me, quickly help me!"


    At that moment, Huang He, who was fighting directly against Ling Chen, cried out loudly, urgently asking Jiang Xinwu and He Chen for help.


    He had mistakenly thought Ling Chen would be distracted by Jiang Xinwu and He Chen¡¯s side attack, thus he had rxed his guard, only to find that Ling Chen paid no attention to them, instead increasing his attack¡¯s intensity.


    In a moment, his defense was precarious, possibly copsing at any moment.


    "Die!"


    Suddenly, Ling Chen roared explosively, his spear seeming to contain endless power, unstoppable, thrusting directly towards Huang He¡¯s throat.

 Chapter 517 - 513: The Fierce Battle (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 517: Chapter 513: The Fierce Battle (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    Seeing the long spear thrusting towards him, Huang He¡¯s pupils constricted, and he quickly raised therge scissors in his hands, locking the de around the spearhead to halt its advance.


    Dangerous!


    Looking at the sharp spearhead less than two inches away from his throat, Huang He silently congratted himself.


    Just then, Jiang Xinwu, who had caught up from behind, swung two sharp des viciously towards Ling Chen¡¯s back.


    In an instant, both des plunged deep into Ling Chen¡¯s flesh, piercing right through his chest.


    Sess!


    Jiang Xinwu let out a loudugh, filled with pride. However, his smile did notst long before he was shocked by the scene before him.


    Far from copsing from his severe injuries, the cold severity in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes only intensified. With a single shove of his arm, the spearhead, originally locked by therge scissors, broke free from its restraints and thrust swiftly forward, piercing directly through Huang He¡¯s throat, with hot blood spattering everywhere.


    Huang He¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at the spearhead, his mouth slightly agape as if he wanted to say something. But before hisst words could escape, his body fell straight down, devoid of life.


    Retracting his long spear, Ling Chen nced at Huang He¡¯s corpse and then shifted his gaze to Jiang Xinwu and the others.


    Feeling the icy chill radiating from Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, Jiang Xinwu felt a shiver crawl from the soles of his feet, involuntarily taking a step back.


    "How is this possible?" He wondered silently.


    To have received such grave injuries yet still be capable of killing; moreover, Ling Chen didn¡¯t seem to show a trace of weakness, as if he were someone brimming with vigor.


    Watching Ling Chen approach step by step, Jiang Xinwu and He Chen unconsciously stepped back, fear evident on their faces.


    Now that Huang He was dead, they trulycked confidence.


    "What are you two doing standing there? Hurry up and get him!"


    He Chen nced at the Han Family members beside him and urged them.


    "He¡¯s so badly injured, he couldn¡¯t possibly still have the strength," said a member of the Han Family, though the remark sounded more like selffort.


    "Go, kill him!"


    Thereupon, two members of the Han Family no longer hesitated; the more they did, the more unsettled they became.


    As they charged at him, Ling Chen flicked his wrist, and the long spear instantly transformed into a blur of shadows, piercing through the necks of the two men, giving them no chance to react.


    "Run!"


    Seeing the two Han Family members fall easily to Ling Chen¡¯s hands, Jiang Xinwu and He Chen no longer hesitated, immediately turning and running towards the alley¡¯s exit.


    However, just as they turned, a person suddenly flew overhead¡ªLing Chen. He lightly stepped on their shoulders with the tips of his feet, using the momentum to rise andnd steadily in front of them, blocking their escape route.


    Seeing this, He Chen and Jiang Xinwu¡¯splexions changed.


    "Split up!"


    Making a rapid decision, Jiang Xinwu bolted towards Ling Chen¡¯s left side. Simultaneously, He Chen moved his legs and ran straight to the right.


    As the two split up, Ling Chen, without a moment¡¯s thought, went straight for He Chen, pouncing on him like a hungry tiger, intercepting the fleeing He Chen.


    Bad luck!


    He Chen¡¯s expression shifted slightly, not expecting his luck to be so poor. Ling Chen didn¡¯t go after anyone else but targeted him instead.


    "Xinwu, save me!"


    Hearing He Chen¡¯s plea for help, Jiang Xinwu looked back. Seeing that He Chen was stopped by Ling Chen, he hesitated for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "You¡¯re on your own now."


    After speaking, without waiting for He Chen to speak again, Jiang Xinwu¡¯s figure had already disappeared at the entrance of the alley.


    Damn it!


    He Chen silently cursed, watching Ling Chen who was steadily approaching. He swallowed his spit and tried to cate, "Ling Chen, I was just following orders, I didn¡¯t want to kill you. If you let me go, we can talk things over, I can tell you about the secrets of the God Organization, and also... Eh..."


    Before he could finish speaking, the tip of the spear unmercifully pierced through He Chen¡¯s throat.


    As He Chen¡¯s body fell to the ground, Ling Chen put away his spear, leaving behind six corpses, and turned to walk outside.


    However, not far after stepping out, with a ¡¯thump¡¯, Ling Chen¡¯s body suddenly copsed on the ground, passing out.


    ...


    It was hard to tell how much time had passed when Ling Chen slowly regained consciousness in a daze.


    "Ling Chen, how do you feel, any better?"


    Hearing the familiar voice next to his ear, Ling Chen moved his lips weakly and asked, "Fatty, what time is it now?"


    "It¡¯s almost nine o¡¯clock."


    Nine o¡¯clock... shit! Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s birthday party started at eight, and he was already an hourte. Upon that realization, Ling Chen struggled to get up and said, "Hurry up and take me to Yulong Mansion."


    "Have you lost your mind!" Hu Fei red and said, "Do you realize how severe your injuries are? If you don¡¯t go to the hospital now, you might not even survive."


    Ling Chen waved his hand impatiently, "Cut the crap and hurry up, these injuries won¡¯t kill me."


    While talking, he tore open his shirt to reveal his chest wound, which had been simply bandaged. Fortunately, Jiang Xinwu¡¯s des had not stabbed through any vitals; otherwise, he would already be dead.


    "Fatty, how did you find me?"


    "I called you and no one answered. Worried that something happened to you, I had to use the phone signal to determine your location. It¡¯s a good thing your phone wasn¡¯t switched off; otherwise, I would¡¯ve been clueless. Hey, weren¡¯t you going to see Jiang Xinwu, what happened with those bodies?"


    "They were all sent by the God Organization to kill me, but unfortunately, Jiang Xinwu got away," Ling Chen said with a hint of regret.


    However, as much as he regretted it, he was even more relieved.


    It was lucky that Jiang Xinwu had escaped; otherwise, he would have killed Jiang Xinwu along with the others. By then, he wouldn¡¯t have left a single survivor.


    Back then, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master had given him two pieces of information ¨C one was about Ling Gengqiu¡¯s life records, and the other was an introduction to the Prajnaparamita Sutra.


    The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master had once said that the power of the Prajnaparamita Sutra was rted to feminine allure and killing. The killing she referred to wasn¡¯t the general sense of murder but reaching a selfless state of mind.


    In such a state, one could forget the pain and only retain the most primitive desire to kill. Moreover, the greater the pain endured inbat, the more it could stimte one¡¯s potential and disy even greater strength.


    Without this reliance, it would have been difficult for him to survive the siege of Huang He and the others today.


    This killing state was strong but somewhat uncontroble. Once entering this state, one would be indifferent to all rtionships, striking down anyone without hesitation.


    "Hey! Are you really going to Yulong Mansion?"


    "Stop talking nonsense, start the car. Oh! And call Haozi to go home and grab me a set of clean clothes."


    "You and your... barely holding onto life, and yet insisting on celebrating a woman¡¯s birthday, I¡¯m astounded by you."


    "Wait until you have a girlfriend, then you won¡¯t say such things. But with a face like yours, I guess not many women will fancy you."

 Chapter 518 - 514 Miss’s Birthday Banquet (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 518: Chapter 514 Miss¡¯s Birthday Banquet (Part 1)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Pfft!" Hu Fei said disdainfully, "Women these days are too materialistic, as long as you have money, what kind of woman can¡¯t you find? Fat Daddy here has nothing else in spades but cash, and believe it or not, with a pile of cash thrown down, countless women woulde begging to spend their lives with me."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen bursts into a smile, unreservedly retorting: "Just looking at you, I can tell you¡¯ve never been in love. What¡¯s so great about women who chase after material things? Besides, not every woman is a gold digger like you say. Look at me, when I first came to East Sea City, I didn¡¯t have a penny to my name, yet now... the richest woman in East Sea City has been conquered by me. So you see, it¡¯s not a question of money, but personal charm. If you had my handsome looks and charm, you would have been off the market a long time ago."


    Frustrated, Hu Fei retorted, "Don¡¯t get so smug with me, I really can¡¯t see how Nanrong Wanqing could fall for someone like you."


    "Alright, enough joking around. Let¡¯s talk business. Jiang Xinwu is still on the run, and we must find his whereabouts before he leaves East Sea City."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already given the orders, the intelligence department¡¯s members will be keeping an eye out at all times. The moment Jiang Xinwu shows up, we will definitely find him."


    While talking, Ling Chen, who was sitting in the passenger seat, took out his cellphone and started browsing through his contacts.


    Hu Fei nced over and asked casually: "Who are you nning to call?"


    "Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. The people who ambushed me today included members of the God Organization and the Han Family. Since the Han Family is in cahoots with the God Organization, I must inform Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion to deal with them."


    The ability of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion to maintain its impartial standing in the Martial Arts world is not just due to its formidable power, but more importantly because it has always upheld justice in the Martial Arts world. The Han Family, being a martial arts family, has colluded with evil forces and vited the rules of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, who will certainly not turn a blind eye.


    ...


    Yulong Mansion.


    Nanrong Wanqing was holding a stem ss, the semi-transparent champagne swirling gently in the ss like crystal, a few droplets spilling onto her hand without her noticing. Her mind had already wandered far from the party.


    Mingling among the crowd, as the protagonist of tonight¡¯s banquet, wherever Nanrong Wanqing went, she would hear a string of blessings. Yet those blessings only elicited a forced smile from her.


    It was already nine o¡¯clock, and Ling Chen still hadn¡¯t appeared. His phone was unreachable too, which dampened her mood. Given her personality, she didn¡¯t need to hold a banquet at all. In previous years, she would stay at home, only spending her birthday with Nanrong Hao and Su Lin, humble yet cozy.


    This year, the main reason she held a birthday banquet and invited so many guests was for Ling Chen. She hoped to dere her rtionship with Ling Chen to everyone on such an important day. Yet, so much time had passed without seeing the man of the hour.


    What¡¯s more, several guests she bumped into just now had alluded to Ling Chen, curious as to why he wasn¡¯t present. In fact, a good portion of the attendees came for Ling Chen; they wanted to see the man who had won Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s favor for themselves.


    "Miss Nanrong."


    At that moment, a gentle voice sounded from her side.


    Nanrong Wanqing turned her head, looking at the person speaking. She slightly lifted her lips and raised the stem ss in her hand as a greeting.


    "Miss Nanrong, if I may ask so boldly, why has your malepanion not yet arrived after all this time?"


    Nanrong Wanqing replied indifferently, "He was dyed by some urgent matters and might bete."


    "Any urgent matter should not be more important than Miss Nanrong¡¯s birthday, unless..."


    Nanrong Wanqing looked directly at the person, asking, "What are you trying to say?"


    "Nothing, just... We are all specting, is Miss Nanrong doing this, perhaps, to shake off the pursuit of others?"


    "Pursuit? What do you mean?"


    "I know that Miss Nanrong¡¯s suitors are not few, and you must have grown tired of their harassment, which is why you made such a decision ¨C to find any man to pose as your partner temporarily, so as to let others give up hope. Otherwise, with Miss Nanrong¡¯s esteemed status, why would you choose a security guard as your boyfriend? That would beughable."


    As the two spoke, a number of the young guests around them pricked up their ears, eavesdropping on their conversation. They too wanted to know if Nanrong Wanqing really did what the other person suggested ¨C using a man as a decoy. If that was the case, they all still had a chance.


    Being a golden daughter of East Sea City and the chairwoman of Hongyu Group, whether it was her looks or her family background, she was a prime choice, and few men could resist her allure. Remember, when Nanrong Wanqing first took up the position of chairwoman, there were two secretaries arranged for her, one of whom was specifically responsible for dealing with the abundance of date invitations.


    In a single day, she would receive at least thirty to forty bouquets sent by men, as well as invitations, all of which were politely refused by Nanrong Wanqing. Over time, some gave up knowing it was hopeless, no longer harboring thoughts about Nanrong Wanqing. However, there were still some who refused to give up.


    It wasn¡¯t until Zhu Hong appeared a while ago that many suitors felt ashamed and left Nanrong Wanqing be for a time.


    Now, with Zhu Hong gone from East Sea City, those former suitors inevitably started getting ideas again. The primary reason everyone epted the invitation to today¡¯s birthday banquet was to catch a glimpse of this young man named Ling Chen, to see what outstanding qualities he had to win Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s heart.


    Nanrong Wanqing gazed at her interlocutor, her delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed and a hint of displeasure in her beautiful eyes.


    The man in front of her was Li Gang, also one of her many suitors and one of the most persistent. For three years, apart from holidays, there wasn¡¯t a day he didn¡¯t send her roses and a handwritten card, each with different words.


    Moreover, Li Gang¡¯s family was also not to be underestimated; they had a good reputation in East Sea City and were considered well-matched with the Nanrong Family.


    Because of his perseverance, his actions left a deep impression on Nanrong Wanqing.


    "Mr. Li, if we have to talk about matching social ranks when ites to love, wouldn¡¯t that defeat its purpose?"


    "It¡¯s true what you say, but we must be rational when ites to love, not overly sentimental. Miss Nanrong, you should consider more on behalf of the Nanrong Family and Hongyu Group. You need not only affection but also a support, someone who can share the burden with you. That Ling Chen, I don¡¯t think he has what it takes. So, I hope you will think it over and not make any rushed decisions."


    "Mr. Li, I appreciate your concern, but this is my private matter, and none of anyone else¡¯s business. I hope you enjoy your evening."


    Seeing that Nanrong Wanqing was about to leave, Li Gang hurriedly reached for her wrist and said, "Wanqing..."

 Chapter 519 - 515: The Young Lady’s Birthday Banquet (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 519: Chapter 515: The Young Lady¡¯s Birthday Banquet (Part 2)</h4><h4></h4>


    Before Li Gang could finish speaking, Nanrong Wanqing frowned, lightly shook her arm, and struggled free from Li Gang¡¯s grasp, saying with dissatisfaction, "Mr. Li, please respect yourself."


    "Sorry, Wanqing, I didn¡¯t mean anything else, I just wanted to tell you that I..."


    "What do you want to say? Just go ahead and let everyone hear it."


    The voice came through, and both Nanrong Wanqing and Li Gang were startled, turning their heads to look. In an instant, they saw Ling Chen approaching with confident strides, dressed in a sharp suit, his handsome face wearing a faint smile, apanied by Nanrong Hao.


    Seeing Ling Chen arrive, a smile finally appeared on Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s pretty face.


    "So, you are Ling Chen?" Li Gang looked at Ling Chen expressionlessly, his disdain evident in his words.


    "Yes, I am. And you are?"


    "Li Gang, General Manager of Dongyu Group, the Chairman is my father."


    "Oh!" Ling Chen nodded with a lifted lip, "So you¡¯re a second-generation rich."


    As he spoke, Ling Chen wrapped his arm around Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s slender waist, pulling her close to his body, and whispered in her ear, "Sorry to keep you waiting, something came up on my end that caused a dy."


    "It¡¯s okay." Nanrong Wanqing expressed her understanding.


    Watching their affectionate behavior, Li Gang¡¯s expression turned ugly, especially after hearing the phrase ¡¯second-generation rich,¡¯ which irked him.


    "I heard Mr. Ling works as a security guard at Hongyu Group?" Li Gang spoke up. When he mentioned ¡¯security guard,¡¯ he specifically raised his voice to make sure the surrounding people could hear clearly.


    Ling Chen smiled slightly: "I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a secret. Everyone here should be aware of it."


    Li Gang¡¯s smile was forced and unpleasant as he said, "Mr. Ling is really something, a mere security guard able to win Miss Nanrong¡¯s favor. A toad wanting to eat swan¡¯s meat, it seems that this saying isn¡¯t wrong."


    "Everyone is a person, there is no need to judge a person¡¯s worth by their upation. Although I am a security guard, at least I make a living with my own hands, unlike some people born with a golden key in their mouth, relying on their parents, not having to do anything, just enjoying the benefits."


    Upon hearing this, a dark shade shed in Li Gang¡¯s eyes, and his face fell. He could clearly understand the implication in Ling Chen¡¯s words, that a mere security guard dared mock him as a do-nothing rich second-generation, truly ignorant of how high the sky and how deep the earth is.


    Contemting, Li Gang quickly changed the subject, "Mr. Ling, today is Miss Nanrong¡¯s birthday. Everyone has prepared a gift. Since you are Miss Nanrong¡¯s boyfriend, I¡¯m sure your gift must be more precious than others. Why not show it to everyone, so we can all gain some insight?"


    Nanrong Wanqing said displeasedly, "Mr. Li, I have already received Ling Chen¡¯s gift, there is no need to disy it here. As long as I like it, that¡¯s all that matters."


    Li Gang scoffed, he didn¡¯t believe a word Nanrong Wanqing said. Either Ling Chen hadn¡¯t given a gift, or it was something embarrassing, that¡¯s why Nanrong Wanqing offered an excuse for him.


    "That¡¯s really a pity." Saying that, Li Gang took out a delicate box from his suit pocket and presented it to Nanrong Wanqing with both hands. Then, under everyone¡¯s gaze, he gently lifted the lid off.


    Instantly, a beautiful ne set with various colored diamonds came into everyone¡¯s view.


    "Miss Nanrong, this is a birthday gift I had custom-made for you, with a total of ny-nine diamonds. I hope you will like it."


    Seeing the gift Li Gang had prepared, an exmation of surprise arose unanimously from the guests.


    Ny-nine diamonds, not to mention the implied meaning, but the value alone was extraordinary. Indeed, as the heir of the Dongyu Group, his generosity was evident.


    Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t even take a second look and said indifferently, "Mr. Li, thank you for your gift, I appreciate the thought, but this gift is too precious, I cannot ept it. Please take it back."


    "That¡¯s not eptable, you can¡¯t just take back a gift that¡¯s been given. If Miss Nanrong doesn¡¯t like it, then just throw it away. I¡¯ll prepare another giftter to make up for it."


    With those words, Li Gang walked toward a nearby trash can, looking like he was about to throw the ne in his hand into it.


    Seeing his action, Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t say a word and showed no intention of stopping him.


    At this moment, Li Gang stood in front of the trash can. Seeing that Nanrong Wanqing still didn¡¯t speak up, he couldn¡¯t help feeling embarrassed. He had wanted to provoke Nanrong Wanqing, but she didn¡¯t say a word, leaving him no face.


    However, since he had already spoken, he had no choice but to throw the ne in his hand into the trash can with a heavy heart.


    Millions simply gone down the drain.


    Noticing the gloominess on Li Gang¡¯s face, Nanrong Hao couldn¡¯t help but snicker: "Chen, this guy is really dumb, putting on an act all the way to this point."


    Ling Chen shrugged and said, "He brought it upon himself. Who can he me?"


    "Hey! Chen, what gift did you prepare for my sister?" Nanrong Hao asked curiously.


    "You¡¯ll know in a bit."


    During the conversation, Li Gang returned to their group, still wearing a smile on his face as if the ne he had just thrown away wasn¡¯t his, acting as if nothing had happened.


    "Mr. Li, enjoy your time, we have other guests to entertain so we won¡¯t apany you any longer."


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing about to leave, Li Gang suddenly became anxious. He had nned to show off in front of Nanrong Wanqing and overpower Ling Chen, but she didn¡¯t give him the chance.


    Before Li Gang could speak, a huge image suddenly appeared on the big screen in the banquet hall.


    As the sound from the image filled the room, everyone¡¯s attention was captured by the big screen.


    Nanrong Wanqing looked up at the big screen on the wall. The screen was showing a live broadcast from the local TV station with a cameraman sitting in a helicopter, filming the night view of East Sea City; the buzzing of the helicopter¡¯s rotor des was clearly audible.


    "What is this about?"


    "Did the banquet hall staff put on the wrong video?"


    For a moment, there was a flurry of spection.


    "Sis, I¡¯ll go find the manager and have him turn it off right away." Saying that, Nanrong Hao turned to leave.


    "Haozi, there¡¯s no need."


    Nanrong Hao looked at Ling Chen, puzzled. "Chen, why not?"


    Ling Chen chuckled slightly: "I arranged it." As he finished, he turned to Nanrong Wanqing by his side and said, "This is the birthday present I prepared for you. I hope you like it."


    A gift?


    Upon hearing Ling Chen¡¯s words, before Nanrong Wanqing could respond, Li Gang couldn¡¯t help but sneer: "Hiring some TV crew to shoot some night scenes as a gift? Mr. Ling, that reallycks sincerity."


    "Mr. Li, why the rush? This is just the beginning. Just watch, the real show is yet toe."


    As soon as Ling Chen spoke, everyone watched the big screen intently, looking forward to the climax of the event.

 Chapter 520 - 516: The Eldest Miss’s Birthday Banquet (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 520: Chapter 516: The Eldest Miss¡¯s Birthday Banquet (Part 3)</h4><h4></h4>


    Several minutester, the helicopter soared high into the sky, the camera capturing the entire splendid and bustling night view of East Sea City.


    At that moment, a striking red light suddenly appeared in everyone¡¯s view on the screen. Following that, the cluster of red light spread swiftly along the street like dominoes, forming a long frame hundreds of meters in length.


    Simultaneously, in the middle of the frame, countless groups of red lights lit up on the streets and then extended in various directions, eventually intertwining with each other. Seeing this magnificent scene, the guests could not help but exim in astonishment. However, everyone was still in the dark, not knowing the significance of these red lights.


    Just as everyone was puzzled, the helicopter ascended further. As the camera¡¯s shooting range increased, the lights on the street converged into a set of English letters, "i, love, y".


    At the same time, around those English letters, dazzling rays continuously flickered, forming a massive, spectacr frame.


    Seeing those letters form in an instant stunned everyone; they incredulously looked at Ling Chen, their eyes filled with admiration.


    This gift might seem simple, but among so many people present, probably none could have achieved it.


    Using the entire East Sea City as a canvas and the lights as ink is not something anyone could do. After tonight, the creativity of this gift will probably spread wildly nationwide.


    Ling Chen secretly smiled and turned his head to look at Nanrong Wanqing beside him, asking, "Do you like it?"


    Nanrong Wanqing gently nodded, her hands tightly clinging to Ling Chen¡¯s arm, her eyes brimming with excitement and thrill.


    What woman doesn¡¯t love romance? Ling Chen¡¯s gift undoubtedly hit women¡¯s soft spot.


    Seeing the smile on Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face, Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to rx. For this gift, he had put a lot of thought into it, not only borrowing over a thousand people from Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong but also employing hundreds of taxis.


    For nning all these, he had hardly slept well for several days. Fortunately, Jiang Hao and the otherscked everything but manpower, otherwise, his n would have been difficult to aplish.


    Now, seeing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s smile, Ling Chen felt all the hardship was worth it.


    In contemtion, Ling Chen nced at the stunned Li Gang, smiling and asking, "Mr. Li, how do you like my gift?"


    Hearing this, Li Gang finally came back from his shock, his face looking ugly.


    "Nothing special," Li Gang snorted disdainfully and turned to walk into the crowd.


    "Thank you!" Nanrong Wanqing said softly, "This is the best gift I¡¯ve ever received in my life."


    "A lifetime is still very long; who knows, there might be even more surprisester."


    Nanrong Wanqing sweetly smiled, saying, "I¡¯ll be waiting."


    ...


    At ten o¡¯clock in the evening, the birthday dinner finally ended.


    "Captain Zhong, you guys take Sister home first, Chen and I have some business to take care of."


    Nanrong Wanqing looked at Nanrong Hao suspiciously and asked, "Where are you going sote at night?"


    "That... well, it¡¯s a very important private matter. Sister, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t abduct your future brother-inw," Nanrong Hao joked.


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face slightly blushed as she cautioned, "Don¡¯t stay out toote."


    "Got it." With that, Nanrong Hao quickly pulled Ling Chen and walked outside.


    Watching their departing figures, Nanrong Wanqing noticed that Ling Chen¡¯s walking posture was a bit odd. Moreover, with each step he took, a faint red imprint was left on the ground.


    "Zhong Wei, what is that?"


    "I¡¯ll go check."


    Zhong Wei walked forward, touched the red imprint left on the ground, and then sniffed it. A familiar scent came to his nose, and his expression suddenly changed.


    It¡¯s no wonder Nanrong Hao dragged Ling Chen away, so that¡¯s what happened.


    "Chairman, it¡¯s nothing, it must be that Ling Chen¡¯s shoes got stained with alcohol. It¡¯s gettingte, let us take you back first."


    Outside Yulong Mansion, Nanrong Hao supported Ling Chen, and hurried to a car.


    Seeing the two of theme out, Hu Fei, who was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, quickly got out of the car, helped open the door, and got Ling Chen into the back seat.


    At this moment, Ling Cheny in the back seat, weak all over, consciousness gradually bing hazy, already half-unconscious.


    "Hurry, to the hospital." Nanrong Hao urged anxiously.


    Hu Fei nodded, without a word, quickly started the engine, and drove towards the hospital.


    In less than half an hour, Hu Fei ran through more than ten red lights and finally got Ling Chen into the operating room.


    Looking at the red light on outside the operating room, Hu Fei muttered, "This guy really suffers for the sake of face; if he hade to the hospital earlier for treatment, it wouldn¡¯t have gotten this bad."


    "Chen went to great lengths for my sister¡¯s birthday; if it were you, you wouldn¡¯t miss it either."


    "Alright, alright, forget I said anything, I just hope he¡¯s okay."


    The surgerysted for more than an hour, and only then was Ling Chen moved to a special care ward. Lying in the hospital bed, Ling Chen looked pale and very weak, just having undergone surgery.


    Earlier at the dinner party, although the wound had been treated simply. However, standing with Nanrong Wanqing for so long and moving around caused the wound to rupture. Fortunately, they made it to the hospital in time, or he might have nearly lost his life.


    "Haozi, call your sister and tell her we¡¯re upied tonight, and we¡¯ll return tomorrow."


    "Chen, the doctor said your injuries are serious, you need to stay in the hospital for observation for at least a week."


    "Figure out a solution, just make sure your sister doesn¡¯t find out, to avoid her worrying."


    As they were speaking, the hospital room door was pushed open from the outside. Then, Xia Mutong walked in.


    "Officer Xia?"


    Seeing the visitor, Ling Chen was slightly startled, then remembered that the hospital he was in was where Kaelina was staying.


    "I just met Hu Fei outside, heard you were injured, so I came to see how you are."


    Ling Chen forced a slight smile: "Thank you for your concern, Officer Xia."


    Xia Mutong kept a stern face and said: "No need for thanks, tell me what really happened."


    "It¡¯s nothing, just identally got hit by a car." Ling Chen casually said.


    "Hmph! I knew you wouldn¡¯t confess honestly. I just went and asked the hospital, you were injured by a sharp weapon, clearly from a fight. I advise you not to y dumb with me, better exin clearly."


    Ling Chen internally grimaced, originally nning to brush it off with an excuse, not expecting Xia Mutong to consult the doctor.


    Just as he hesitated whether to tell the truth, Hu Fei suddenly rushed in from outside, excitedly shouting: "Ling Chen, I found the person, that guy is at... uh, Officer Xia, you¡¯re here too."


    Seeing Xia Mutong in the room, Hu Fei¡¯s expression shifted slightly, quickly correcting himself.


    "Go on, who did you find?"


    "This... I..." Hu Fei stammered, looking at Ling Chen, unsure what to say.


    "Fatso, tell her."


    Seeing Ling Chen speak up, Hu Fei immediately reported the situation about Jiang Xinwu.

 Chapter 521 - 517: Capturing Jiang Xinwu

    <h4>Chapter 521: Chapter 517: Capturing Jiang Xinwu</h4><h4></h4>


    After Hu Fei finished exining the situation in detail, Xia Mutong looked at Ling Chen irritably and said, "Since you already knew the suspect¡¯s information, why didn¡¯t you inform me?"


    Ling Chen replied helplessly, "I wasn¡¯t sure if it was him, so I dared not tell you."


    Xia Mutong said incredulously, "I don¡¯t believe you." Then pointing at Hu Fei, she said, "You,e with me."


    "Me?" Hu Fei was stunned.


    "Hurry up, I don¡¯t have time to waste here." As she finished speaking, Xia Mutong grabbed Hu Fei and dragged him out of the hospital room.


    After they left, Ling Chen asked Nanrong Hao to bring a cell phone and then called He Ziyun. Xia Mutong was going to arrest Jiang Xinwu, and he was worried. He asked He Ziyun to secretly follow her to prevent any mishaps.


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Cheny back with his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.


    The encounters tonight with Huang He, He Chen, and Jiang Xinwu, who were all missing persons from years ago, now choosing to pledge allegiance to the God Organization, seemed unbelievable. Does the God Organization really have such allure?


    Besides, one thing was certain: Jiang Xinwu and the others had sessfullypleted the Lucifer experiment.


    For now, he hoped that Xia Mutong could sessfully capture Jiang Xinwu and extract some valuable information from him.


    While pondering, Ling Chen felt sleepy and soon his head was foggy, and not long after, he fell into a deep sleep.


    ...


    "Chen."


    Hearing Nanrong Hao¡¯s voice, Ling Chen opened his eyes and rubbed them, questioning the figure beside his bed, "What¡¯s up?"


    Nanrong Hao handed the phone to Ling Chen and said, "It¡¯s Hu¡¯s call."


    Hu?


    A thought struck Ling Chen¡¯s mind, and he quickly took the phone and greeted, "Ling Chen, we¡¯ve settled things here."


    "Did you catch him?"


    "Thanks to Mr. He for helping, otherwise we might have lost even more men."


    "Were there many casualties?"


    "Two seriously injured, three lightly injured, but fortunately, no fatalities."


    "That¡¯s good." Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Where is he being held?"


    "At the police station, I¡¯m here with Officer Xia. They¡¯re preparing to interrogate Jiang Xinwu, and I wanted to stay but Officer Xia kicked me out."


    "Stay there, I¡¯ll have someone contact you immediately. And don¡¯t let them interrogate Jiang Xinwu."


    "Okay, I¡¯ll try to stall them, hurry up."


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen immediately dialed General Qiao Zhen¡¯s number. Jiang Xinwu was a member of the God Organization, and he didn¡¯t want Jiang Xinwu to reveal any information about the God Organization to the local police. The existence of the God Organization has always been a secret, not to be disclosed to unauthorized personnel.


    After finishing his conversation with Qiao Zhen, Ling Chen struggled to sit up in bed and then directed Nanrong Hao, "Get my clothes."


    "Chen, what are you..."


    "Stop talking, just go."


    Unable to argue with Ling Chen, Nanrong Hao obediently followed his instructions. Taking advantage of the time Ling Chen was dressing, he ran to the hospital front desk to handle the discharge procedures for Ling Chen, to avoid wasting timeter.


    Leaving the hospital, Ling Chen got into the car and said, "Head to the police station immediately."


    Nanrong Hao started the car and asked with concern, "Chen, are your injuries okay?"


    "It¡¯s fine."


    The wounds had been stitched up, and although there was still some pain, he could endure it. The most important thing right now was Jiang Xinwu; everything else could be ignored.


    Half an hourter, Ling Chen smoothly arrived at the entrance of the police station.


    "Wait for me outside." Dropping these words, Ling Chen hurriedly pushed open the door, got out of the car, and rushed to the police station¡¯s office building alone.


    It wasn¡¯t Ling Chen¡¯s first time at the police station, and before long, he deftly found the interrogation room located on the third floor. Before he even entered, he saw two policemen locking Hu Fei¡¯s arms and dragging him out of the interrogation room.


    "Stop!"


    Ling Chen shouted loudly, rushing to stop the actions of the two policemen.


    Seeing Ling Chen appear, Hu Fei seemed to see a savior, urgently crying out, "Ling Chen, save me quickly, these guys are bastards, the orders have been issued from above, yet they dare to defy them."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen quickly stepped to the front of the interrogation room, pushed on the door, but found it locked and unable to open. Seeing this, Ling Chen frowned, directly kicked the door open with his foot, and then rushed in.


    Inside the interrogation room, Jiang Xinwu was handcuffed to a chair, his hands and feet bound by chains. Nearby, Xia Mutong and another male police officer were taking notes, preparing for the interrogation.


    "Ling Chen?"


    Seeing Ling Chen break in, Xia Mutong was slightly startled, her face immediately fell, and she asked with a furrowed brow, "What are you doing?"


    "I should be asking you that. What are you doing? Don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t received the orders from above, you have no right to interrogate this person. Officer Xia, what you are doing now is an abuse of power, and you should know the consequences if this gets escted."


    Xia Mutong tossed her head, her expression coldly said, "I don¡¯t know any orders, I only know this guy has injured several of my colleagues. No matter what, he must confess here."


    "No, I must take him away." Ling Chen said gravely, "Officer Xia, considering our friendship, I¡¯m giving you a heads-up, you better stay away from some matters, it¡¯s for your own good."


    Saying this, Ling Chen walked straight to the desk, extending his hand towards Xia Mutong and said, "Give me the handcuff keys."


    "No," Xia Mutong defiantly said, "Not unless you let me participate in his interrogation."


    "No."


    "You..."


    Xia Mutong was furious, her face turning red. When she had received the orders from above earlier, she became interested in Jiang Xinwu¡¯s identity. Since he was of such importance to the higher-ups, surely uncovering something significant was possible, and she also wanted to seek justice for her injured colleagues.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected Ling Chen to show up at this moment and be so upromising.


    Seeing that Xia Mutong was reluctant to release him, Ling Chen simply shifted his gaze to the other male police officer.


    He took out a credential from his wallet, ced it on the table, and said seriously, "I now order you, in my capacity as a special military envoy, to release him immediately."


    The male police officer took a look at the credential, his expression suddenly changed, and he quickly stood up saying, "Yes, sir."


    A special military envoy?


    Xia Mutong looked at Ling Chen in astonishment; she¡¯d always thought Ling Chen was just an ordinary civilian, a retired soldier. She never knew he had such a status.


    How much had this guy hidden from her?


    In thought, the male officer had already unlocked Jiang Xinwu¡¯s handcuffs, and obediently handed the suspect over to Ling Chen.


    "Officer Xia, I know you want to serve the people, but rules are rules, you must obey. I won¡¯t pursue this matter any further, but I hope it doesn¡¯t happen again."


    After speaking, Ling Chen escorted Jiang Xinwu out of the interrogation room.

 Chapter 522 - 518: Jiang Xinwu’s Intelligence

    <h4>Chapter 522: Chapter 518: Jiang Xinwu¡¯s Intelligence</h4><h4></h4>


    From the police station, Ling Chen and Hu Fei took Jiang Xinwu to Nanrong Hao¡¯s car.


    "Where to?" Hu Fei asked: "Shall we go to my ce? I have plenty of torture tools there, anything you need."


    "Forget it, what era are we in, still needing torture tools." Saying this, Ling Chen patted Nanrong Hao on the shoulder and said, "To Qingyun Martial Arts Hall."


    Nanrong Hao nodded without a word, immediately started the car, and drove towards Qingyun Martial Arts Hall.


    On the way, Jiang Xinwu was sandwiched between Ling Chen and Hu Fei, silent and expressionless, staring straight ahead as if he didn¡¯t feel the impending crisis, not worried about his safety at all.


    Upon arriving at Qingyun Martial Arts Hall, Ling Chen asked Nanrong Hao to go back first, to inform Nanrong Wanqing that he would be homete.


    After sending Nanrong Hao away, the three of them entered the Martial Arts Hall.


    Beforeing, Ling Chen had specifically informed He Ziyun. Somehow, He Ziyun managed to keep Little Hua quietly in the room, noting out to disturb them handling important matters.


    The group went to the warehouse at Qingyun Martial Arts Hall, Ling Chen nced around and picked out a dusty, worn chair from a pile of misceneous items for Jiang Xinwu to sit on.


    "What do you want to know?"


    Before Ling Chen could start the interrogation, Jiang Xinwu suddenly raised his head and took the initiative to speak.


    Ling Chen gestured towards He Ziyun beside him and said, "Let me introduce you first, this is Ye Liangyong¡¯s master. I know you and Mr. Ye are friends, for the sake of past rtionships, I hope you can confess honestly. As I know, you disappeared ten years ago, I want to know whether it was the God Organization people who kidnapped you, or you cooperated with them willingly."


    "Kidnapped."


    Ling Chen asked doubtfully, "Since you were kidnapped, why are you willingly working for the God Organization after ten years?"


    Before Jiang Xinwu could reply, He Ziyun jumped in, "His willingness to work for the God Organization is driven by benefits. As a martial artist, everyone seeks stronger power, and the God Organization just happens to meet his needs."


    "Pretty much." Jiang Xinwu didn¡¯t deny it.


    "I have a question, hope you can answer truthfully, what do you know about the Lucifer experiment?"


    "The Lucifer experiment is the top secret of the God Organization, it took over twenty years to sessfully develop. Anyone who undergoes the Lucifer experiment can increase their strength multiple times. However, the experiment has high risks and uncertainties, out of five people, at most only one seeds, the mortality rate is extremely high. To my knowledge, within less than a year, the number of deaths has reached over a hundred."


    "So it appears that you too have undergone the Lucifer experiment."


    "That¡¯s correct." Jiang Xinwu nodded straightforwardly, "Not just me, but also Huang He and He Chen whom you encountered before, are those who undertook and survived the Lucifer experiment."


    Ling Chen asked, "Is there any more detailed information?"


    "I¡¯m just an experiment subject, not a researcher, that¡¯s all I know."


    After hearing Jiang Xinwu¡¯s words, He Ziyun spoke, "Your willingness to cooperate with us is a good start, I believe you must know more about the God Organization than this. Later, I will take you to a ce where I hope you can cooperate well with our work."


    "Cooperate?"


    Jiang Xinwu sneered and said, "Who wants to cooperate with you?"


    "So you..."


    "Do you think I told you so much because I wanted to cooperate? Sorry, you might have misunderstood; I had no such intention. The reason I told you is because I am not afraid of letting you know. If the God Organization was worried about leaks, they would have taken measures long ago. Since you want to know about the Lucifer experiment insider information, I might as well tell you some secrets. People like us are merely the God Organization¡¯s pawns, easily receable by dozens, and not a pity if dead. The real masters are hidden in the dark, not making a move unless it is crucial. As far as I know, the people who undergo the Lucifer experiment are divided into three levels, people like us are at the lowest level. Being martial artists, you probably understand what I mean."


    Three levels!


    Jiang Xinwu¡¯s strength was enough to be listed on the Dragon List, yet he was ranked at the very bottom, could it be said that... the top two levels correspond to the Earthly List and Heavenly List? Thinking this, Ling Chen¡¯s face changed.


    Not just him, even He Ziyun was shocked.


    "How many people are there at the highest level?" He Ziyun asked.


    "How would I know that? I haven¡¯t got the clearance to touch that kind of secret. However, I heard that there are more than five people at the highest level."


    More than five people... Ling Chen and He Ziyun¡¯s faces suddenly looked quite grim.


    They were well aware of what this implied; if what Jiang Xinwu said was true, they would face big trouble.


    Ling Chen thought for a moment and then asked, "I heard that the God Organization wants to take action against the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, how much do you know about this?"


    Upon hearing this, Jiang Xinwu suddenly burst into a sinister smile.


    Seeing his inexplicable smile, Ling Chen slightly frowned and asked unhappily, "What are youughing at?"


    "Nothing, I just think you asked this question toote. If I¡¯m not wrong, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is currently facing a huge crisis."


    That¡¯s bad!


    A thought shed through Ling Chen¡¯s mind, could it be... could it be that the God Organization has already made a move against the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?


    His thoughts racing, Ling Chen quickly pulled out his phone and dialed Zhou Jun¡¯s number.


    However, the call ended with a notification that the phone was switched off.


    When he contacted Zhou Junst night, the call went through, and moreover, Zhou Jun didn¡¯t sound like something was happening; could it be that the God Organization nned to strike against the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion today?


    "Ling Chen, if the God Organization targets the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, they will definitely use all their strength, and the probability for Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is more likely to be dire," He Ziyun couldn¡¯t hide the worry in his eyes.


    "Mr. He, what do you think?"


    "If what he just said is all true, then the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is a powerful ally against the God Organization, and they must not be allowed to fall into trouble. We must do our best and think of a way to stop the God Organization."


    "Mr. He, didn¡¯t you say you had previously visited the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, then you should know the exact location of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    "I do."


    "We should hurry there, and see if we can prevent the God Organization¡¯s actions."


    "Alright." He Ziyun nodded, "I will immediately contact people in Beijing to dispatch support." After saying this, He Ziyun quickly left the warehouse.


    "Fatty, this person is left to you, keep a good eye on him, don¡¯t let him escape," Ling Chen instructed.


    "Don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t get away. Hey! You all be careful, especially you, your wounds haven¡¯t healed yet, don¡¯t push yourself."


    "I¡¯ve got it."

 Chapter 523 - 519 Heading to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion

    <h4>Chapter 523: Chapter 519 Heading to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion</h4><h4></h4>


    An hourter, Ling Chen and He Ziyun had already boarded a temporarily arranged private jet, rushing towards the headquarters of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    They left at 8:30 AM and only arrived at the airport at 10:00 AM.


    After getting off the ne, Ling Chen and hispanion left the exit without stopping. Outside the airport, two SUVs were already parked at the entrance, waiting for their arrival.


    Just as Ling Chen was about to get into the car, his phone suddenly rang in his pocket.


    He took out the phone, nced at the number on the caller ID, and quickly answered the call.


    After the call, Ling Chen said to He Ziyun beside him, "Mr. He, let¡¯s wait, someone else ising."


    In less than five minutes, seven people came out of the airport exit one after another, including men, women, and children.


    Seeing them, Ling Chen quickly walked up to greet, waving his hand, "Big Brother."


    "Ling Cheng."


    The seven people who came out of the airport were none other than the eight entrics led by Qiu Yong.


    Ling Chen was aware of the urgency of the situation, knowing that he and He Ziyun alone were not enough to handle this crisis. Therefore, he had made ast-minute call to Qiu Yong to exin the situation and hoped for their assistance.


    Without hesitation, upon his brother¡¯s request, Qiu Yong agreed immediately.


    "Big Brother, time is pressing, let¡¯s talk in the car."


    "Okay."


    Once everyone was in the car, Ling Chen and He Ziyun made brief introductions. In fact, introductions were unnecessary as He Ziyun was already familiar with the reputation of the eight entrics. Moreover, they had encountered them in a fight before and knew each other.


    "Ling Cheng, is there no news from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?" Yuan Yun spoke up.


    He Ziyun continued, "Since God Organization hasunched an attack on Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, they would have certainly prepared in advance. All messages and signals will be blocked, not allowing Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion any chance to contact the outside."


    Qiu Yong frowned and said, "That sounds like the situation could be very bad."


    "No matter what, we should prepare for the worst," Ling Chen replied helplessly. At this point, there wasn¡¯t much they could do except worry. If it weren¡¯t for Jiang Xinwu passing on the information, they wouldn¡¯t have been aware of the situation at all.


    Ling Chen med himself internally. From the information left by Blood Wolf, this matter was mentioned, but he hadn¡¯t expected the God Organization to act so swiftly, leaving no time to inform Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    In the heavy atmosphere, the two SUVs left the city area and headed towards the suburbs.


    ording to He Ziyun, on the outskirts of the city, there was a dense forest. Someone had bought the forest privately, and without permission, no one was allowed to enter the mountains.


    It was obvious that the mysterious buyer had to be Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Only a rich and influential organization like Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion could afford to buy an entire forest.


    When the two SUVs reached the edge of the forest, they couldn¡¯t continue any further. The road ahead was winding and rugged, full of stones and bushes, making it impossible for vehicles to pass, so everyone had to get out and walk.


    Entering the forest, the group followed He Ziyun for several hundred meters. Suddenly, He Ziyun, who was leading the way, stopped in his tracks, looking around with a hesitant gaze.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Mr. He, what¡¯s wrong?"


    He Ziyun gave a bitter smile, "I forgot the way. Thest time I came to Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was many years ago. Times have changed, and the surroundings have changed significantly, I can¡¯t recognize it."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen felt even more depressed. If they couldn¡¯t find the way, how could they assist Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. After thinking for a moment, Ling Chen turned to Qiu Yong and the others and asked, "Big Brother, does anyone know the location of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    "This..."


    Qiu Yong and the others looked at each other and shook their heads: "We¡¯ve never been to this ce."


    "Let¡¯s go deeper." He Ziyun paused briefly and said, "If I remember correctly, the base of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion seems to be deep in the forest."


    "Let¡¯s go." Ling Chen took the lead, running swiftly through the dense foliage, racing against time.


    It was uncertain how far they had gone when Yang Chen, who was following behind, spoke up: "There¡¯s a noise."


    "Where?" Ling Chen knew Yang Chen¡¯s keen hearing would not be mistaken.


    Yang Chen stretched out his hand towards the east and whispered, "Footsteps, about six or seven people." He paused, then added, "Their steps are light; they must all be experts."


    "Let¡¯s go check it out, Ling Cheng, you and the seventh brother stay here." With that, Qiu Yong took big steps and quickly ran towards the east. He Ziyun and Yuan Yun followed closely behind.


    Watching the group disappear from sight, Ling Chen clenched his fists and waited for news.


    If it weren¡¯t for his injuries, he would have already followed them.


    Not long after, a sharp whistle came from not far away.


    Yang Chen looked up and said, "It¡¯s third brother¡¯s whistle."


    "Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s have a look."


    When Ling Chen and Qiu Yong and the others regrouped, they saw six bodies lying in the bushes, all killed with a single strike. Besides that, they left one survivor, a man in his thirties, dressed in a tight suit with more than ten hidden weapons attached to his waist. Between his two fingers, he was holding a flying knife. Unfortunately, before he could throw the knife, he was knocked unconscious.


    He Ziyun looked at the bodies on the ground and said in a solemn voice, "It seems that Jiang Xinwu¡¯s information was correct. God Organization has indeed made a move and used considerable force. Judging from the earlier skirmish, these men are all no weaker than those on the Dragon List."


    Qiu Yong concurred, "Luckily He was here, otherwise, just us alone would take much longer to deal with them."


    The implication was clear: it was praise for He Ziyun¡¯s strength.


    Ling Chen nced at the unconscious man, then walked over and kicked him twice.


    Soon, the unconscious man woke up.


    Before he could make any other move, Yuan Yun swiftly swung his arm, and a cold sh of the de instantly crippled the man¡¯s limbs without any mercy.


    Looking at the man, who was now showing a face full of pain, Ling Chen squatted down and asked, "Tell me, how many people did God Organization send to siege Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion this time?"


    The man clenched his teeth enduring the pain, his voice trembling as he said, "I... I don¡¯t know..."


    "It seems you don¡¯t want your life anymore." Ling Chen¡¯s tone grew colder.


    "You... killing me is useless, no one can save Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion now. Going there would only mean collecting their corpses for them."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s expression subtly changed.


    Has Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion already been breached?


    Thinking this, Ling Chen¡¯s heart sank, he suddenly grabbed the man by the cor and said coldly, "I¡¯ll ask again, how many men did God Organization dispatch. If you don¡¯t tell me, do you believe I can make you endure the agony of being cut by a thousand knives?"


    Feeling the chilling aura emanating from Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, the man shivered uncontrobly.


    "There are more than a hundred people."


    More than a hundred people... Ling Chen was secretly shocked; he hadn¡¯t expected God Organization would send so many people, showing they were determined to seed this time.

 Chapter 524 - 520 Crisis at Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion (1)

    <h4>Chapter 524: Chapter 520 Crisis at Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion (1)</h4><h4></h4>


    "They are all skilled, why didn¡¯t you participate in the operation?" He Ziyun asked.


    The man honestly replied, "We are in charge of patrolling the surrounding area to prevent any unexpected situations."


    "Who ismanding the operation for the God Organization this time?" Ling Chen asked. For such a crucial matter concerning the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, the God Organization would definitely send senior executives to oversee the operation on site.


    "I... I¡¯m not sure, we have always been receiving orders via radio, never seen him in person. However, based on the ent, it should be a southern person."


    A southern person... Ling Chen¡¯s mind stirred, suggesting that the leader in charge of the operation was from Huaxia. If that was the case, it could mean serious trouble for them. Judging from the people killed, nearly all members of this operation were from Huaxia, which would make identifying the mysterious leader not an easy task.


    While mulling over this, a heavily ented male voice suddenly came from the man¡¯s radio: "Team three, how is everything on your end?"


    "That¡¯s him, we all follow hismands," the man said.


    Ling Chen pointed to the radio andmanded, "Tell him everything is normal here."


    The man dared not disobey, quickly picked up the radio, and responded to the other side.


    "Continue patrolling, and alert me immediately if anything happens." After that, the voice from the radio disappeared.


    Taking the radio, Ling Chen grabbed the man¡¯s cor, hoisted him off the ground, and said, "Take us to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    Seeing hisrades¡¯ corpses, the man remained silent, obediently leading Ling Chen and his group deep into the forest. Before long, Yang Chen could hear a lot of noisy soundsing from not far ahead.


    Ling Chen made a gesture for silence, signaling everyone to be quiet. Then, he crept forward alone, pushing aside some branches and leaves. Suddenly, he saw an ancient building standing majestically at the edge of a cliff.


    The interconnected buildings stretched as far as the eye could see, with dozens of buildings,rge enough to house a thousand people. Among these buildings, a tower several dozen meters tall stood out in the center, most conspicuous, with an ancient que hanging at the top, inscribed with the words "Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion" in bold, strong calligraphy that carried the remnants of history.


    This ce was the historical headquarters of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    However, at this moment, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was surrounded by nearly a hundred people, with barbed wire set up around the perimeter, enclosing all the buildings.


    The range covered by the barbed wire revealed all buildings with their doors and windows shut tightly, no people in sight.


    That¡¯s good!


    Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief. They hadn¡¯t arrived toote; the Pavilion might have been surrounded by followers of the God Organization, but it hadn¡¯t been breached yet.


    It made sense; the centuries-old Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion wasn¡¯t easily conquered.


    Observing the scene, Ling Chen noticed more than a dozen members of the God Organization moving bodies. They dragged the corpses to the cliff¡¯s edge and then threw them over.


    It seemed both sides had undergone several battles, but the God Organization had not breached the Pavilion¡¯s defenses, even losing quite a few operatives.


    After gathering the information, Ling Chen rxed slightly. It seemed the situation wasn¡¯t as dire as they had imagined. Moreover, the God Organization hadn¡¯t brought any heavy weapons, using only cold weapons instead.


    After all, this was Huaxia, and even the audacious God Organization wouldn¡¯t dare to brazenly use military equipment. Gunfire could attract the government¡¯s attention, jeopardizing their n to besiege the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    "Ling Cheng, what should we do now?"


    Hearing Qiu Yong¡¯s voice, Ling Chenposed his thoughts and said, "From the current situation, it seems the God Organization will unlikely take down the Pavilion anytime soon. Moreover, they¡¯ve just lost quite a few men; they probably won¡¯t continue the assault immediately. If I weremanding this operation, I would surely try to secure a significant advantage."


    Xia Yue seemed to understand the deeper meaning of Ling Chen¡¯s words and added, "You mean... the God Organization will send reinforcements?"


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "They brought so many people but still couldn¡¯t take down the Pavilion; they will definitely send more forces. Also, I¡¯m concerned about whether the God Organization will deploy their mysterious top fighters."


    He Ziyun¡¯s pupils narrowed as he said in a deep voice, "Experts from the Heavenly List?"


    "ording to Jiang Xinwu¡¯s statement, after Lucifer¡¯s experiment seeded, the God Organization divided their members into three levels. Jiang Xinwu¡¯s strength is sufficient for the Dragon List, yet he is at the bottom, indicating that the God Organization likely has experts from the Heavenly List. Furthermore, Jiang Xinwu mentioned that there are more than five people qualified for the highest level, so we must bear this in mind."


    With that, Ling Chen paused, looked around at hispanions, and continued, "Although these are only our spections, what we need to consider is that the God Organization dares to wage open war against the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion because they must have some reliance."


    After hearing Ling Chen¡¯s analysis, everyone¡¯s expressions grew serious.


    Experts from the Heavenly List!


    This illustrious title had always been mentioned in conversations, but very few had actually seen an expert from the Heavenly List.


    If it were as Ling Chen suspected, the appearance of an expert from the Heavenly List would be a disaster for both them and the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    He Ziyun pondered for a moment and said, "We must find a way to establish contact with the people of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    Yuan Yun shook his head and said, "The perimeter of the Pavilion is guarded by people from the God Organization; we can¡¯t get past the barbed wire. Unless we wait until night to see if there¡¯s a chance to sneak in."


    "Mr. He, when will the reinforcements you contacted arrive?" Ling Chen asked.


    "They should be here soon, I told Qiao Zhen the address, and he will send people directly."


    "In that case, why don¡¯t we wait until everyone is here before taking action?"


    "That makes sense."


    However, less than half an hour had passed before Qiao Zhen¡¯s reinforcements could arrive, when Ling Chen noticed the God Organization beginning to prepare for a new offensive.


    Under the cover of dense jungle, Ling Chen observed the enemies nearby, his sharp gaze scanning over each individual, searching for the target person.


    The high-ranking official from the God Organization responsible for the operation was certainly hidden among the crowd, but the man was deeply concealed, and no suspicious targets had been identified yet.


    "Ling Cheng, look over there."


    At that moment, Yuan Yun¡¯s exmatory voice rang out.


    Ling Chen looked where he indicated and saw more than a dozen fully armed men carrying bulging backpacks, preparing to descend the cliff using ropes.


    Qiu Yong frowned slightly, puzzled, and said, "What are they up to?"


    Ling Chen thought for a moment, and his expression suddenly changed. Oh no, could it be... that¡¯s bad!

 Chapter 525 - 521 Crisis at Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion (2)

    <h4>Chapter 525: Chapter 521 Crisis at Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion (2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "No, we must stop them."


    Upon hearing the urgency in Ling Chen¡¯s voice, He Ziyun asked, "What happened?"


    "They want to use explosives to destroy the rocks beneath the cliff," Ling Chen said anxiously. The high-rise buildings of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion are established on top of the cliff, and blowing up the foundation stones below would cause the entire cluster of buildings to copse. By then, the God Organization could easily destroy the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion without lifting a finger.


    Qiu Yong said in a deep voice, "They are forcing the people of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion into a do-or-die battle."


    During the conversation, the door of a nearby high-rise suddenly opened. Following that, led by Zhou Qi, more than ten men appeared in everyone¡¯s view.


    Standing under the que of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, Zhou Qi coldly surveyed the surrounding enemies, his steel de emitting a fierce chill.


    "Those who offend the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion shall be killed without mercy!"


    With a light exhale, Zhou Qi lightly tapped with his foot and, covered by more than ten men, he quickly ran toward the cliff, apparently trying to stop those who were cing the bombs.


    "Stop them at all costs, don¡¯t let them get near."


    At this moment, a voice from the crowdmanded the members of the God Organization to quickly act, and a squad of more than twenty people rapidly assembled and headed toward the path where Zhou Qi and his men were moving.


    However, before the two groups could sh, from the cluster of high-rise buildings belonging to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, suddenly, seventy to eighty people burst out, including men, women, elderly, and children, who furiously charged toward the enemies outside the wire fence.


    In the dense forest, Ling Chen hid in an inconspicuous spot, covertly observing the battlefield. Suddenly, a familiar figure caught his attention.


    Song Ge!


    Song Ge, wielding a sharp sword, moved like a dragon through the enemy¡¯s ranks, weaving in and out, and with every attack, he imed one to two lives.


    Under the frenzied counterattack by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, the members of the God Organization kept retreating, powerless to resist, their formation gradually bing disordered and momentarily losing control.


    Seeing this situation, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but curl his lips in disdain, thinking these people were so formidable earlier, yet now they seem mediocre, wondering how they had managed to push the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion to such an extent before.


    Just then, a buzzing noise suddenly came from overhead.


    Ling Chen looked up to see several helicopters swiftly passing overhead towards the direction of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    Reinforcements had arrived!


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes brightened, as the old general¡¯s reinforcements had arrived quite timely.


    "Not right!"


    Seeing those helicopters, He Ziyun¡¯s brows furrowed slightly.


    "That doesn¡¯t look like military aircraft."


    As soon as his words fell, the door of a helicopter hovering low opened. Following that, a middle-aged man appeared at the door, and without any hesitation, he jumped down.


    A nearly ten-meter drop was effortless for the middle-aged man, whonded steadily in the midst of the crowd. Looking at the chaotic scene before him, the middle-aged man¡¯s face was slightly cold as he stepped towards the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    However, the appearance of the middle-aged man had already attracted the attention of the disciples of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Before he could approach the high-rise of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, several youths quickly jumped out from the crowd, blocking the middle-aged man¡¯s path.


    "Kill!"


    With a light shout, several youths wielding weapons charged forward and shed towards the middle-aged man.


    Facing the attack from the disciples of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, the middle-aged man¡¯s expression remained unchanged, and he didn¡¯t stop his footsteps, continuing to move in a straight line. As the two sides were about to collide, the middle-aged man¡¯s speed suddenly increased, moving like a blur, and he slipped through the gaps between the bodies of the several youths.


    Along with his movement, the bodies of those young men seemed to be fixed in ce, standing stiffly on the spot without moving, their faces pale and ashen.


    Suddenly, a stream of blood burst from the bodies of those young men, with their heads and bodies instantaneously separated.


    Seeing this shocking scene, Ling Chen¡¯s expression froze, and it took him a while to react.


    Is this... is this still a human?


    He didn¡¯t even see the middle-aged man¡¯s movements clearly, only a blur, and those young men were beheaded. Moreover, the middle-aged man¡¯s hands were empty the whole time, not using any weapons.


    This terrifying strength, Ling Chen had never seen before.


    "Mr. He... Could he be..."


    "No, he isn¡¯t. It¡¯s rumored that masters from the Heavenly List kill invisibly, but that man was traceable, so his martial arts realm has not yet reached the Heavenly List. However, judging from his techniques just now, even if his strength is not at the level of the Heavenly List, it should not be far off. If I were to guess, that man¡¯s strength might be among the top three on the Earthly List."


    Top three of the Earthly List, that¡¯s no small matter.


    Ling Chen thought to himself. As far as he knew, He Ziyun¡¯s strength was ranked seventh on the Earthly List. Although both ranks belong to the Earthly List, each level is a significant divide, and the gap is huge. If He Ziyun¡¯s guess is correct, with the middle-aged man¡¯s martial arts realm, even three He Ziyuns together may not be a match for him.


    During these thoughts, the middle-aged man had already crossed multiple obstacles and smoothly entered the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    At the same time, more than ten men sessively jumped from the other two helicopters and joined the melee.


    With their addition, the originally one-sided battle gradually tilted, and the offensive of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Disciples began to beprehensively suppressed, retreating step by step.


    Ling Chen secretly marveled, those who had just joined the battle were all Earthly List experts, no wonder the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion couldn¡¯t hold them off.


    "Mr. He, Song, we probably can¡¯t wait any longer, that man has already entered the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, I am afraid something might happen."


    Qiu Yong nodded and said, "Ling Cheng, you go directly to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion with Mr. He and the second brother, I and the others will stay to help deal with the outsiders."


    "Okay, everyone, be careful."


    At this time, in front of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, Song Ge and dozens of disciples were forcefully resisting the enemy¡¯s attack. After continuousbat, the de of the sword Song Ge held had already been stained with fresh blood.


    "Song, we can¡¯t hold on much longer," a disciple of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion urgently said.


    "We must hold on, no one is allowed to retreat."


    With a light shout, Song Ge flicked his wrist, and the de of his sword instantly pierced through an enemy¡¯s body.


    Pulling out the steel sword, Song Ge looked at the enemies madly attacking in front of him, eyebrows slightly raised, ready to continue into the fight. But at that moment, a sharp sense of crisis suddenly surged in his heart, as if targeted by a venomous snake.


    This is bad!


    Song¡¯s face slightly changed, and he quickly shifted his gaze. Instantly, he saw a man lunging from the crowd, wielding two steel des, chopping directly towards his head.


    An Earthly List expert!


    Feeling the aura emitted by the opponent, Song¡¯s pupils constricted, and he involuntarily stepped back.


    "Die!"


    The opponent coldly smiled, the two des carrying immense power, the sword force fierce and unstoppable, instantly transformed into a sky full of de lights, enveloping over Song¡¯s head.


    Under immense pressure, Song clenched his teeth, his eyes devoid of any fear, and bravely met the attack head-on.

 Chapter 526 - 522: Crisis at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion (3)

    <h4>Chapter 526: Chapter 522: Crisis at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion (3)</h4><h4></h4>


    However, just as the sword and de were about to collide, a stream of blood suddenly burst forth from the forehead of the Earthly List expert. Witnessing the arrow piercing through the adversary¡¯s forehead, Song Ge was slightly taken aback, his heart overwhelmed with shock.


    He originally thought he would meet his demise, yet such an unexpected turn of events urred.


    Arrows...


    Under the heavens, there is perhaps only one person capable of killing an Earthly List expert with a single arrow.


    The God of Archery, Zhang Zhongfeng.


    Could it be them?


    Song Ge looked up to see, not far away on a hill, Zhang Zhongfeng holding a bow in his left hand and cing an arrow with his right, aiming directly at those Earthly List experts.


    Next to him, Yuan Yun was wielding his steel de, joining Qiu Yong and others in the fray, valiantly cutting down the enemy.


    Seeing this scene, Song Ge¡¯s face rxed. With the Eight entrics showing up, Ling Chen must have arrived as well. With this thought, Song Ge¡¯s gaze shifted, quickly locating Ling Chen.


    Perhaps sensing Song Ge¡¯s gaze, Ling Chen turned his head and greeted Song Ge¡¯s look with a smile.


    "Ling Chen, keep up."


    At the urging of his second brother, Xu Ming, Ling Chen hastened his footsteps and quickly arrived at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯s entrance.


    Entering the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, Ling Chen nced around to see several corpses on the ground, their heads separated from their bodies and blood flowing everywhere - clearly the work of the middle-aged man just now.


    This was Ling Chen¡¯s first visit to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion; the architecture here had been preserved in its state from hundreds of years ago, which was apparent even inside the building. It was imbued with ancient charm, filled with an aura of antiquity everywhere.


    It¡¯s just a pity that this ancient ce had been defiled by blood.


    Under the guidance of He Ziyun, the trio kept moving deeper inside. Before long, they faintly heard screams echoing ahead.


    Without a word, He Ziyun immediately sped up, rushing towards the source of the sounds.


    Along the way, they discovered several grisly corpses. Ling Chen frowned silently at the cruelty of the assant¡¯s methods. As he was contemting, Ling Chen suddenly felt a gust of wind approaching from behind. Without time to think, he twisted his waist and swiftly turned to face the attacker.


    When the assant entered his field of vision, Ling Chen was startled for a moment, then said with a look of surprise, "You?"


    The ambush had not been carried out by a stranger, but by Dongfang Yu, whom the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion had previously rescued. Strange, Dongfang Yu was a dignified Earthly List expert; instead of confronting external enemies, what was he doing here?


    "Ling Chen?"


    Recognizing the neer, Dongfang Yu immediately withdrew and asked coldly, "What are you doing here?"


    "Spare me the nonsense, with things as they are, do you really think we¡¯re here for sightseeing?"


    Dongfang Yu replied coldly, "How am I supposed to know whether you are in league with those outside?"


    "You..."


    "Ling Chen?"


    Before Ling Chen could finish speaking, Zhou Jun emerged from a side door. Astonished at first sight of Ling Chen, Zhou Jun¡¯s handsome face soon broke into a smile as he patted Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder, saying, "Goodd, what brings you here?"


    "Heard there was danger at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, so we came to have a look and lend a hand." After finishing, Ling Chen shifted his tone and pointed behind him, "Someone just went that way. The person is quite formidable. We better find him and prevent any harming to the Pavilion Master."


    Zhou Jun looked in the direction Ling Chen was pointing to and asked with a meaningful expression, "Are you sure that person went that way?"


    Ling Chen nodded and replied, "I saw it with my own eyes."


    "Then... let him be, don¡¯t bother with him."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen asked in confusion, "Why?"


    "That path only leads to one ce, and heading there would be signing his own death warrant. We don¡¯t need to worry about him."


    "That person¡¯s strength..."


    Zhou Jun waved his hand, interrupting Ling Chen, and said, "No matter how formidable he is, it¡¯s a dead end for him there. Come on, I¡¯ll take you to see the Pavilion Master first." As he spoke, Zhou Jun turned to Dongfang Yu, "Old Master, go on with your business."


    With Zhou Jun leading, Ling Chen and the two others quickly arrived at the tall tower standing at the center of the buildingplex.


    Following the stone stairs, Ling Chen trailed behind Zhou Jun, asking, "When did you get back? I was going to call you, but I couldn¡¯t get through."


    "Last night we received news that the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was under attack; all personnel were ordered to return immediately. By the time we arrived, we realized the signals nearby were jammed and couldn¡¯t contact the outside world."


    "How significant are the Pavilion¡¯s losses?"


    "It¡¯s manageable; not many lives were lost, which isn¡¯t crippling for the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. The God Organization came prepared this time, but sadly, they still underestimated the Pavilion. Hmph! Those self-important fools think we¡¯re easy to bully? At most, we¡¯re just ying with them now; if we really wanted to fight back, we would¡¯ve struck back long ago and not given them the chance to jump around. It¡¯s a rare asion that people are delivered right to your doorstep to be killed."


    "So that¡¯s how it is!"


    Ling Chen immediately understood; no wonder Dongfang Yu wasn¡¯t sent out. Thinking about the battle outside, he asked, "Isn¡¯t the Pavilion Master worried about their safety?"


    "This world is about survival of the fittest; the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion doesn¡¯t keep useless people. If they die, it¡¯s their fault for not mastering their skills. However, if they truly have talent, even in peril, someone will secretly help them; they won¡¯t be in life-threatening danger."


    As he spoke, Zhou Jun looked at Ling Chen and said, "Don¡¯t me the Pavilion Master for being harsh. The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion hassted all these years not just because of its heritage. For a power tost, it must discard the dross and preserve the essence."


    Ling Chen nodded; he understood the rationale but felt some resistance deep down. The reality was always cruel.


    As they talked, they reached the top floor of the high tower.


    Zhou Jun approached the door and knocked. Shortly after, the door opened, revealing an elegant woman who instantly appeared before Ling Chen¡¯s eyes.


    Is it her?


    Ling Chen recognized her at first nce, the woman he had seen several times on the luxury cruise; she must be the close guard of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master.


    "Qin, could you please inform the Pavilion Master that Ling Chen has arrived?"


    "Just a moment!"


    The elegant woman returned after a short while and said, "The Pavilion Master¡¯s order: only Ling Chen is to enter, others wait outside."


    "This..." Ling Chen nced at He Ziyun and Xu Ming, hesitant.


    Xu Ming spoke up, "Little brother, go ahead, we¡¯ll wait for you."


    "Alright."

 Chapter 527 - 523: Meeting the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master Again

    <h4>Chapter 527: Chapter 523: Meeting the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master Again</h4><h4></h4>


    Upon entering the room, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze was immediately captured by the white gauze hanging within.


    The spacious and bright room was adorned with white gauze, embroidered with various exquisite patterns, splendid and breathtaking, intertwined into a beautiful scroll. Throughyers of gauze, indistinctly, one could see a person seated in the center of the room, precisely the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master.


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly, this Pavilion Master was still as mysterious as before, unwilling to show their true face.


    "We meet again," Ling Chen took the initiative to greet.


    "Thank you for traveling from afar to aid Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion," came a clear, pleasant voice, making Ling Chen feel refreshed and extremelyfortable.


    "Don¡¯t mention it, we sharemon goals and should assist each other." Saying this, Ling Chen sat down in the chair and asked, "Last time on the boat, why didn¡¯t you tell me directly that you are the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master?"


    "What difference would knowing make? Sometimes, it¡¯s better to remain ignorant about certain things."


    "True, but I still want to sincerely thank you. The two pieces of information you provided were of great help to me." As he spoke, Ling Chen¡¯s tone shifted, meaningfully asking, "I¡¯ve closely studied the information about Ling Gengqiu, and it seems there is a part omitted intentionally. Are you afraid I¡¯ll discover something?"


    "Ling Gengqiu has some grievances with Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. There¡¯s no need for an outsider like you to know these things."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen shrugged his shoulders, suppressing his curiosity and not pursuing the topic further.


    At this moment, an elegantly dressed woman entered from outside, saying respectfully, "Pavilion Master, the enemy¡¯s offensive has been repelled."


    "Let everyone rest. God Organization will not give up easily."


    "Yes, Pavilion Master."


    Once the person left the room, Ling Chen spoke, "Pavilion Master, I¡¯vee here not only to help solve the crisis at Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion but also to discuss potential future cooperation. I wonder if you¡¯re interested?"


    "Let¡¯s hear it."


    "Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has always secluded itself in the mountains, never getting involved in external conflicts. However, based on the intelligence I¡¯ve gathered, God Organization now sees Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion as a thorn in its side, determined to eliminate it. Once you are destroyed, God Organization can clear the path and continue expanding its power. Therefore, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion cannot remain uninvolved."


    "You want Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion to join in the fight against God Organization?"


    "Exactly. You must be well aware of the situation outside. Over the years, God Organization has recruited numerous masters and, with their unique methods, they can quickly assemble an army with formidable martial power. In the whole of Huaxia, apart from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, there¡¯s no other force that can match them."


    The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master thought for a moment, then said, "Things are not as simple as you think. Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has always maintained neutrality, never participating in any power struggles. It is because of this that Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has preserved its legacy for so many years. Many choose Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion because it provides them a peaceful environment. Once we dere war, not only will it break the long-standing rules of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, but I believe many people will also choose to leave."


    Ling Chen frowned and said, "Are you just going to watch as Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is oppressed by others?"


    "For Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, the most beneficial approach is to negotiate, to try and end the conflict."


    Ling Chen, displeased, said, "I always thought Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was a spirited organization, but it seems I¡¯ve overestimated you."


    "Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion follows the middle path. Especially in these times, surviving is the most crucial thing. Ling Chen, no matter how dissatisfied you are with Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, there¡¯s nothing that can be done about it. If you were in my position, I believe you would also make a cautious decision. After all, I have to consider not just myself, but also the future of tens of thousands."


    After hearing this, Ling Chen sneered and stood up, saying, "If that¡¯s what you think, then there¡¯s nothing left for us to discuss. However, I want to remind you, having fought against God Organization for so many years, I know very well what they are like. If Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion chooses to negotiate with an unscrupulous force like God Organization, I just want to say, from now on, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion should stay out of the Martial Arts world and should also refrain from talking about ¡¯justice.¡¯ It¡¯s not that you aren¡¯t qualified, but that you don¡¯t deserve to."


    After saying these words, Ling Chen turned around and left the room, unwilling to stay even a moment longer.


    The attitude disyed by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master not only disappointed him, but was utterly disheartening.


    Upon exiting the room, He Ziyun and Xu Ming, who had been waiting outside, came up and asked, "How did your talk go?"


    "Don¡¯t even mention it." Ling Chen spoke with obvious dissatisfaction. "We shouldn¡¯t havee here."


    "Why?"


    Ling Chen ryed the intentions expressed by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master, and after hearing it, He Ziyun¡¯s aged face immediately fell.


    "The grand Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is truly unworthy of its position and reputation in the Martial Arts world."


    "Forget it," Xu Ming interjected, "What they want to do is their business, we can¡¯t force them. Since we can¡¯t count on Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, we can only rely on ourselves."


    Zhou Jun quickly added, "Gentlemen, don¡¯t get angry just yet. I believe the Pavilion Master will make the right choice. Besides, she only mentioned negotiation; we don¡¯t know yet if God Organization is willing to negotiate. It might be that talks fail and we end up crossing swords after all."


    Ling Chen indifferently said, "Who knows what the future holds. Let¡¯s head back."


    "Wait!" Zhou Jun stopped Ling Chen¡¯s steps, saying, "It¡¯s a rare visit for you all toe to Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, and you¡¯ve given us great help, so please rest awhile."


    "No..."


    As Ling Chen was about to refuse, he saw Zhou Qiing over with a few people.


    "Ling Chen, don¡¯t decline the offer. Stay with us for a couple of days. You¡¯ve provided great help this time, and Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will show proper hospitality."


    "Elder Zhou, I..."


    Zhou Qi interrupted Ling Chen, saying, "Come on! No more words. You, Zhou Jun, and Song Ge are friends. For the sake of friendship, can¡¯t you stay a bit longer?"


    Ling Chen was about to politely decline but heard He Ziyun whisper in his ear, "Stay for now. Later on, you can find another opportunity to talk with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master and see if you can change her mind."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "Alright then. Since Elder Zhou insists, I shall graciously ept."


    "That¡¯s more like it." Zhou Qi smiled, patted Ling Chen on the shoulder, and turned to Zhou Jun, "Arrange a room for Ling Chen and hispanions, and make sure they are well taken care of. Don¡¯t neglect our honored guests."


    "Understood," Zhou Jun replied cheerily.

 Chapter 528 - 524: Zhu Hong in the Cell

    <h4>Chapter 528: Chapter 524: Zhu Hong in the Cell</h4><h4></h4>


    Arriving at the room arranged by Zhou Jun, Ling Chen pulled open the window and looked outside, directly at the front gate of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. At that moment, dozens of corpses were lying outside the pavilion; members of the God Organization were in the midst of cleanup.


    The forceful attackunched by the God Organization moments ago had not achieved its intended effect, but instead had resulted in substantial losses.


    Ling Chen was somewhat puzzled by this. The God Organization came prepared and should have been fully ready. And yet, a whole day had passed with no progress. Was it that Lucifer from the God Organization wasn¡¯t as fearsome as imagined, or did they underestimate the strength of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?


    However, given the God Organization¡¯s intelligence capabilities, they should have had a good estimate of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯s strength and not be entirely in the dark. The current situation was truly perplexing.


    Just as Ling Chen was lost in thought, the room¡¯s door was pushed open. Soon after, Song Ge, having changed his attire, walked in.


    "Big Brother Song." Ling Chen broke into a smile and stepped forward to greet him.


    "Ling, we meet again."


    "You two chat; I¡¯ll have someone prepare some drinks and dishes," Zhou Jun said.


    After Zhou Jun left, Ling Chen and Song Ge sat down and talked about recent happenings.


    "Big Brother Song, you¡¯ve been at Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion for quite some time now, how do you feel?"


    "It¡¯s barely passable," Song Ge replied. "Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has many rules. Usually, I have to stay here for specialized training and almost never have time to go out."


    Ling Chen grinned and said, "Then you must be progressing quickly."


    "It¡¯s not bad. Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion indeed has a system for nurturing and advancing martial arts, but it¡¯s just too restrictive on freedom. With your personality, if you were to stay here for a month, I bet you wouldn¡¯t be able to stand it."


    "That¡¯s why I wisely chose not to join." Saying this, Ling Chen seemed to recall something and asked curiously, "Someone broke into Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion just now, and Zhou Jun told us not to interfere; why? Aren¡¯t they afraid something will happen?"


    "Are you referring to that Earthly List expert?" Song Ge smiled slightly: "I¡¯ve heard about it. Just when I wasing to find you, I happened to see his body being carried out."


    A body?


    Ling Chen was startled.


    "The ce he went to is off-limits within Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, an area we are generally prohibited from entering."


    Ling Chen pressed on, "What ce is that?"


    "Those who live there are elders of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion; I¡¯ve heard it said that their average age is over a hundred years. They joined Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion when they were young and contributed much to it. When they got older, they remained in the pavilion to live out their days. Besides the Pavilion Master, they wouldn¡¯t meet anyone else. Not only are these elders Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯s most precious asset, but they are also itsst line of defense. Of course, unless Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion faces a critical life-or-death situation, these elders would not easily intervene. It is said among these elders exist experts from the Heavenly List, so for an Earthly List expert to venture there is simply seeking death."


    Experts from the Heavenly List!


    Whenever he heard the term ¡¯Heavenly List,¡¯ Ling Chen was immensely curious. It wasn¡¯t that he aspired to be a Heavenly List expert himself; rather, whenever someone mentioned Heavenly List experts, there was always a boundless yearning in their tone. Thus, he was very eager to witness firsthand how formidable a Heavenly List expert truly was.


    While they were talking, Zhou Jun came into the room carrying several bottles of wine and a few appetizers.


    After downing three sses of wine, Ling Chen looked at Zhou Jun and asked, "Is Zhu Hong imprisoned here?"


    "Do you want to see him?"


    "Is that possible?"


    Zhou Jun hesitated for a moment and then said, "ording to the rules of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, outsiders are not allowed to meet prisoners privately. However, since you¡¯ve helped the pavilion this time, I¡¯ll speak to the elder about it, and perhaps an exception can be made for you to meet him."


    "Alright, I would appreciate that."


    ...


    An hourter.


    Led by Zhou Jun, Ling Chen arrived at a dark and damp cave. This cave, built at the base of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, had a history of several hundred years and was used to imprison criminals or Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Disciples who had vited the rules.


    The prison cells here were simplyrge holes dug out of stone with iron bars installed on the outside, rudimentary but very sturdy.


    Walking through the prison, a pungent foul odor immediately assaulted their noses. Ling Chen covered his nose and followed Zhou Jun all the way to the end of the jail.


    "Here we are."


    Zhou Jun pointed to thest cell and said, "He is locked in there. Do you want me to stay with you?"


    "No need, I want to talk to him alone."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll wait outside for you; just call me if needed." With that, Zhou Jun turned and left.


    When Zhou Jun was gone, Ling Chen approached the iron bars and peered into the gloomy cell, where he saw a person lying on a simple wooden bed against the wall, covered with a dirty cotton nket, huddled into a ball, shivering in the covers.


    Such cold weather, coupled with the dampness underground, made the temperature in the prison extremely low.


    Seeing Zhu Hong¡¯s pitiful living conditions akin to that of a beggar, Ling Chen involuntarily sighed. His sigh was not out of sympathy for Zhu Hong but for Zhu Xiaozhu. Zhu Hong¡¯s descent to his current plight was entirely of his own doing and he had no one else to me. If he had corrected his ways in time, he might have been redeemable. Unfortunately, having killed so many people, now no one could save him.


    "What are you doing here?"


    At that moment, a cold, hoarse voice came from within the covers.


    Ling Chen said indifferently, "Nothing much; just wanted to see how you were."


    "See how I am?" Zhu Hong sneered, his tone cold and unable to suppress the bitterness in his heart, he gritted his teeth and said, "You came to see me, surely to mock me, tough at my misfortune. Ling Chen, spare me your pretense of benevolence. If you think I¡¯ll beg you, you can forget it. Even if I die here, I won¡¯t beg you."


    "You¡¯re overthinking it. I never intended to let you out. If you do wrong, you must pay the price. I came just to tell you, no one will rescue you from here. Mr. Yun is in no position to help himself now, let alone you."


    "I don¡¯t need his help," Zhu Hong said coldly. "One day, I will escape from here, and when that timees... Hmph! Ling Chen, remember this, as long as I¡¯m alive, you will never have peace."


    Ling Chen shook his head and said, "Even now, you still don¡¯t repent. It seems you are beyond salvation. Well, take care; this will probably be thest time we meet."


    With that, Ling Chen said no more and turned to walk out of the prison.


    Listening to Ling Chen¡¯s footsteps fading away, Zhu Hong, curled up in the nket, suddenly threw it off, rushed to the bars, and revealed a terrifying face marred by burns. Then, with a grim expression and an exhaustive roar, he shouted, "Ling Chen, one day you will die by my hands. I will kill you and take back everything that¡¯s mine."

 Chapter 529 - 525 Little Hua is Missing

    <h4>Chapter 529: Chapter 525 Little Hua is Missing</h4><h4></h4>


    From prison back to his room, Ling Chen had barely sat down when he heard news from Zhou Jun that the God Organization¡¯s people had retreated.


    Pushing open the window, Ling Chen looked around only to see no trace of the members of the God Organization; their whereabouts unknown.


    "Ling Chen."


    He heard a voice, turned his head, and saw He Ziyun entering the room, asking, "Mr. He, what¡¯s up?"


    "The reinforcements sent by Qiao Zhen have already arrived and are resting in the woods. Do you want to go see them with me?"


    It turns out the reinforcement troops had arrived, no wonder the God Organization¡¯s people had retreated.


    This time, Qiao Zhen deeply understood the severity of the situation and thus dispatched quite a number of people, nearly a hundred all armed special forces, with Tang Yuan as the operation¡¯s overallmander.


    Unfortunately, before they arrived, the God Organization had already received advanced notice and retreated from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Otherwise, this operation could havepletely wiped out the dispatched members of the God Organization.


    After meeting with Tang Yuan and because the crisis at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was resolved, Tang Yuan did not stay long and led his troops back to Beijing.


    ...


    In a blink of an eye, Ling Chen had stayed at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion for two days. During this time, he wanted to find an opportunity to talk again with the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, hoping to persuade them to join in the fight against the God Organization. However, his every attempt to meet was refused.


    "Ling Chen, do you really have to leave? Since there¡¯s nothing pressing back home, why not stay a few more days?" Zhou Jun tried hard to keep him.


    "No. The crisis at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has just been resolved; I¡¯m sure you all have a lot to deal with. I won¡¯t disturb you any further. There will be other opportunities in the future when we can get together properly."


    Ling Chen was not unwilling to stay a few more days, but the attitude of the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion really annoyed him. The Pavilion Master, who managed the entire martial artsmunity and had countless experts at their disposal, was now being bullied yet thought of negotiating instead of retaliating, which wasughable.


    He also didn¡¯t understand how the former Pavilion Master thought when they chose a woman as the Pavilion Master, who is indecisive andcks daring and vigor. If it weren¡¯t for Zhou Jun and Song Ge, Ling Chen really wanted to scold her.


    After bidding farewell to Zhou Jun and others, Ling Chen and his group directly drove to the airport.


    "Big brother, are you and I returning to East Sea City together, or..."


    "We won¡¯t be going. Your fourth brother still has some private matters to attend to. Once we¡¯re done, we¡¯lle to find you."


    "Alright then, take care while you¡¯re out."


    After watching Qiu Yong and others¡¯ flight depart, Ling Chen and He Ziyun boarded the flight to East Sea City.


    ...


    Upon returning to East Sea City, Ling Chen dropped off He Ziyun at Qingyun Martial Arts Hall and then drove alone to Wealthy Manor.


    However, not long after Ling Chen had left by car, he received a call from He Ziyun.


    "Mr. He, what¡¯s up?"


    "Little Hua is missing." There was an urgency in He Ziyun¡¯s tone.


    "Missing?" Ling Chen¡¯s heart sank, feeling a sense of foreboding.


    "Mr. He, don¡¯t worry. Could it be that Little Hua went out?"


    "No way, her phone is still at home. I just checked her room, there are signs of an intruder."


    "Wait for me, I¡¯ming right over."


    After hanging up, Ling Chen hurriedly asked the driver to turn around and rush back to Qingyun Martial Arts Hall.


    In no time, Ling Chen rushed into the Martial Arts Hall and found He Ziyun in Little Hua¡¯s room.


    After meeting, Ling Chen nced at the bed, noticing the disheveled sheets and a pillow on the floor, alongside a shattered ss.


    Terrible! Could it be the people from the God Organization kidnapped Little Hua?


    He Ziyun said solemnly, "I had called Little Hua before boarding the ne, she was fine then."


    Ling Chen pondered silently; this meant Little Hua disappeared within thest three hours.


    Three hours... Such a duration, the kidnappers could have taken Little Hua far from East Sea City.


    What can we do now?


    "Mr. He..."


    He Ziyun stood there with a grave expression, silent, seemingly deep in thought. Momentster, He Ziyun said, "It must be the people from the God Organization who kidnapped Little Hua, only they would be interested in her identity." He sighed and med himself, "It¡¯s all my fault for leaving her alone at home."


    "Mr. He, it¡¯s not your fault. Besides, discussing it now is useless, let¡¯s quickly think of a way to get Little Hua back."


    He Ziyun forced a smile, "How to find her? The God Organization¡¯s bases are spread across the country; we have no clues at all, who knows where they might have taken her."


    Ling Chen thought for a moment, then his eyes suddenly lit up, saying, "Perhaps someone can provide us with clues."


    "Who?"


    "Jiang Xinwu."


    "You¡¯re right!" He Ziyun¡¯s spirits lifted, he said, "Call Hu Fei, have him bring Jiang Xinwu here immediately."


    "Alright."


    After calling Hu Fei, Ling Chen was about to put away his phone. However, his attention was drawn to a number in the phonebook.


    That mysterious man in a suit who had approached him earlier had left a phone number. If he ever needed assistance, he could call that number.


    Thinking this, Ling Chen stepped out of the room and dialed the number.


    Dial tone...


    After a few rings, the call connected, and a sweet voice came from the other end, "Mr. Ling, hello, what can I help you with?"


    Ling Chen got straight to the point and said, "A friend of mine has been kidnapped by the God Organization, I want to know where she¡¯s being held."


    "Mr. Ling, describe your friend¡¯s physical features to me, I will try my best to help you find her."


    "Okay, thanks!"


    After hanging up, he saw He Ziyun walking out of the room, expressionless, and saying, "Ling Chen, you go back first, I¡¯ll notify you when I have news."


    "It¡¯s okay, I..."


    "Go back. I want to interrogate Jiang Xinwu alone."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen immediately understood He Ziyun¡¯s intentions.


    "Alright then. Mr. He, call me directly if there¡¯s anything, I¡¯ll keep my phone on 24 hours." Pausing, Ling Chen reassured, "Don¡¯t feel too bad, the God Organization knows Little Hua¡¯s uniqueness; they won¡¯t harm her easily, we still have a chance to save her."


    "I know."


    Sensing the restrained anger in He Ziyun¡¯s eyes, Ling Chen sighed inwardly, it seemed Jiang Xinwu was about to suffer.


    Leaving Qingyun Martial Arts Hall, Ling Chen drove straight back to Wealthy Manor.


    Upon entering, Ling Chen saw the TV in the living room turned on, broadcasting entertainment news. On the sofay a person, d in a sleeping robe, with slightly exposed snowy white beautiful legs, indescribably enticing.


    Ling Chen¡¯s lips curled slightly as he quietly approached the sofa. Without waiting for the person to notice his presence, Ling Chen flipped over onto the sofa, pinning the person down, his hands expertly climbing onto those two sacred peaks of Jade Peak.


    However, as soon as he touched the peaks, Ling Chen immediately sensed something was amiss.


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s breasts didn¡¯t seem quite this big.

 Chapter 530 - 526: Rescuing Little Hua (1)

    <h4>Chapter 530: Chapter 526: Rescuing Little Hua (1)</h4><h4></h4>


    As Ling Chen was feeling puzzled, a shrieking scream suddenly came from below him. He focused his gaze and realized, lying beneath him was none other than Su Lin.


    At this moment, Su Lin was staring with wide eyes, looking at him in disbelief, frozen in ce, unmoving.


    Once he recognized her, Ling Chen was dumbstruck.


    How could it be this girl? Didn¡¯t she say over the phonest time that she wouldn¡¯t be back for another month?


    "You... you can get off me now." Su Lin red at Ling Chen, and seeing that he didn¡¯t move, her pretty face blushed red as she spoke with restrained annoyance.


    Reminded by her words, Ling Chen finally snapped back to reality, quickly scrambling off the sofa, awkwardly looking at Su Lin, saying, "That... I didn¡¯t know it was you, I thought it was..."


    As he was speaking, he saw Nanrong Wanqing walking down the staircase. Seeing Ling Chen return, a faint smile drifted across Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face.


    "When did you get back? I was about to call you." As she spoke, Nanrong Wanqing moved to the living room, nced at Su Lin whose face was flushed red, and then at Ling Chen who looked uneasy, curiously asking, "What¡¯s going on with you two?"


    "Nothing, nothing at all." Ling Chen quickly waved his hands. Not letting Nanrong Wanqing press further, he shifted the topic, asking, "How long has Su Lin been back?"


    "She came back a couple of days ago."


    "I initially nned to take some time off to celebrate Wanqing¡¯s birthday, but there was a sudden issue, so it got dyed by two days. Hey! Where have you been these days? You weren¡¯t even seen around, not staying home to apany Wanqing. Is this how you act as a boyfriend?"


    Facing Su Lin¡¯s questioning, Ling Chen hurriedly exined, "I ran into some urgent matters, so I had to leave for a few days."


    "Alright!" Nanrong Wanqing chuckled softly, saying, "He¡¯s got his own things to handle; no need to me him. Oh, it¡¯s perfect timing for your return, Lin mentioned she wanted to go shopping at the mallter; you should join us."


    "OK!" When the girlfriend speaks, Ling Chen dared not refuse and immediately agreed.


    "You two sit for a while, I¡¯m going to change clothes."


    "I¡¯ll go too."


    Seeing the two head upstairs, Ling Chen went back to his bedroom alone, took a shower, and changed into clean clothes.


    Returning to the living room, he saw Su Lining down first. Still like always, the girl was wearing pure cotton stockings, showcasing her long beautiful legs openly, paired with a casual denim jacket, her long hair draped over her shoulders. Her delicate face lightly powdered, wearing eyeshadow, with pink lips exuding an endless allure, tempting one to take a bite.


    Tsk tsk!


    This girl... really is a seductress, killing without a trace of guilt.


    Seeing that Nanrong Wanqing hadn¡¯te down yet, Ling Chen, fearing that the earlier incident would cause awkwardness between them, took the initiative to ask, "What have you been doing during your internship?"


    "Archaeology." Su Lin said disinterestedly, "I thought archaeology would be interesting, but it turned out to be not fun at all, totally boring, just cleaning dirt every day, not even allowing me to go down and y around."


    "y? y what?"


    "Going into ancient tombs. The archaeological team discovered a group of ancient noble tombs in the mountains and dug there every day. With my limited experience and as an intern, they didn¡¯t allow me to enter the tombs, only to stay on the ground clearing the broken pots they excavated. I was utterly bored." Su Lin pouted her sexy red lips as she spoke.


    Hearing Su Lin¡¯s words, Ling Chen couldn¡¯tprehend why this woman would enjoy dealing with corpses, wasn¡¯t she afraid?


    Just thinking, he saw Su Lin nudge his arm, smiling yfully, saying, "Hey! I heard during Wanqing¡¯s birthday banquet, you prepared a very special birthday gift for her. Not bad, it¡¯s all over the inte, that video clip is spreading like wildfire."


    "It¡¯s not as good as you say, just average."


    "Don¡¯t be modest. Howe I never realized before? It turns out you¡¯re a romantic guy." A twinkle sparkled in Su Lin¡¯s eyes.


    Ling Chen grinned, "That just means your eyesight is poor, not appreciating me."


    Hearing this, Su Lin rolled her eyes at Ling Chen in a yful tone, "Someone like you, probably only Wanqing can appreciate."


    While they spoke, Nanrong Wanqing, having changed her clothes, came down the stairs.


    That afternoon, Ling Chen apanied the two women, earnestly ying the role of a porter around several major malls. Only when the evening fell did the two women contentedly return to Wealthy Manor.


    Just after getting home and before Ling Chen could rest, he received a call from Hu Fei: "Hey, Ling Chen, you bettere over quickly."


    "What happened?"


    "If you don¡¯te soon, Jiang Xinwu probably won¡¯tst much longer."


    Ling Chen was shocked; he had already guessed the reason He Ziyun had asked him to avoid the scene. At that time, He Ziyun was furious, so he didn¡¯t say much, letting He Ziyun cool off, but he didn¡¯t expect the other party to be so cruel.


    "Wait for me, I¡¯ming over right now."


    After hanging up, Ling Chen immediately drove towards Qingyun Martial Arts Hall.


    Arriving at the academy, Ling Chen went directly to the warehouse. Upon entering, he saw Jiang Xinwu half-dead, lying on the ground, covered in blood, barely breathing, not far from death.


    On the side, He Ziyun was coldly pulling Jiang Xinwu up, cing him on a chair, continuing to demand the whereabouts of Little Hua. Seeing Jiang Xinwu remain silent, He Ziyun did not hesitate and punched out, knocking Jiang Xinwu to the floor again.


    "Mr. He."


    Unable to watch any longer, Ling Chen quickly spoke up to intervene.


    He Ziyun nced at Ling Chen, frowning slightly, "Why are you here?"


    "Mr. He, I know you¡¯re worried about Little Hua¡¯s safety, but this approach won¡¯t help." Speaking of which, Ling Chen shifted the conversational tone, asking, "Did he provide any clues?"


    "He said he knows nothing."


    "I think he really might not know." Ling Chen said, "He¡¯s at most a henchman for the God Organization, ignorant of those secrets. Even if you kill him, it might not help save Little Hua. We should think of another way."


    "What way?"


    "I..." Just as Ling Chen was about to speak, his phone in his pocket suddenly rang.


    He pulled out his phone, nced at the caller ID, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he quickly answered the call.


    "Hello, Mr. Ling, we¡¯ve made some headway on the matter you entrusted to us."


    "Really?" Ling Chen¡¯s heart leapt, eager to know, "Where is she?"


    "In the sky."


    In the sky?


    Hearing this response, Ling Chen paused, it took a moment for him to react.


    "Do you mean on an airne?"


    "Yes. To be precise, it¡¯s supposed to be the God Organization¡¯s mobileb. As far as we know, the God Organization has a secretb built on an airne, usually in the air, making it hard to pinpoint its location."

 Chapter 531 - 527: Rescuing Little Hua (2)

    <h4>Chapter 531: Chapter 527: Rescuing Little Hua (2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Since you were able to locate her whereabouts, you should be clear about the position of that airne."


    "ording to the intelligence we have, in twenty hours, that airne will make a fifteen-minute stop at an airport to refuel. Fifteen minutester, the airne will take off again, and no one knows where it will go. If Mr. Ling wishes to take action, you only have fifteen minutes to infiltrate that airne."


    Fifteen minutes!


    Ling Chen frowned inwardly; infiltrating the airport and blending into that airne within fifteen minutes was an extremely urgent timeline.


    "Send me the location of the airport and the model of that aircraft."


    "Sure. Mr. Ling, do you need any other assistance from us?"


    Ling Chen asked casually, "Any kind of assistance?"


    "Just give the word, and we will try our best to meet your needs."


    "Good, then thank you in advance!"


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen looked at the information that had been sent to his mobile phone, and said, "Mr. He, I¡¯ve found Little Hua¡¯s whereabouts, it¡¯s just..."


    "Just what?"


    Ling Chen shrugged helplessly and said, "I¡¯m afraid we have a long journey ahead."


    He had intended to stay at home for a few more days, taking the chance to spend more time with Nanrong Wanqing, but from the current situation, he probably didn¡¯t have time to linger in East Sea City for too long. Luckily, Su Lin had already returned home, and with Su Lin¡¯spany, Nanrong Wanqing wouldn¡¯t be too bored.


    "Mr. He, let¡¯s get ready. We set off at four o¡¯clock tomorrow morning."


    "Okay."


    ...


    The next day.


    Before dawn, after resting for a few hours, Ling Chen slung his backpack and left Wealthy Manor alone. In less than forty minutes, he arrived at the international airport of East Sea City by car.


    In the waiting hall of the airport, Ling Chen met He Ziyun, who had already arrived there to wait.


    He Ziyun carried simple belongings, one of which was wrapped in a long cloth, and without looking, one would know what was inside.


    The two went to Hangar Three, where a small Boeing passenger ne was parked inside, undergoing final checks.


    Once on the ne, an attendant with a delicate face came over and asked with a smile, "Would you two like some coffee?"


    "No need." Ling Chen waved his hand, sending her away.


    "Ling Chen, did you arrange this flight?"


    "Sort of."


    He had asked the woman on the phone to arrange this flight, and when he put forward the request, she had readily agreed.


    ...


    After more than ten hours of flight, the ne finallynded at a simple airport in the desert.


    From here, Ling Chen had to switch to driving to reach the destination. After all, the airne was too big a target and easily noticeable.


    The vehicles for this operation had all been prepared by the Secret Society. The driver was a middle-aged man, a native of Huaxia over forty years old, with a weathered face. Perhaps because he had spent years in the desert, his skin was often sunburned, making it somewhat dry.


    For reasons of secrecy or other reasons, the middle-aged man stated his name as Sang Ji.


    Sitting in the car, Ling Chen chatted with Sang Ji nonchntly, hoping to get some information about the Secret Society from him. However, Sang Ji was tight-lipped; whenever the topic rted to the Secret Society came up, he would keep his mouth shut, acting as though he heard nothing.


    After traveling for several hours, Ling Chen noticed armored vehicles passing by the roadside, as well as a group of armed militants carrying AK47s.


    ording to Sang Ji, the thousands of miles nearby were all desert, awless zone where many mercenaries and terrorist organizations rooted themselves and established strongholds to train soldiers. However, he mentioned that as long as one didn¡¯t provoke trouble with others, nobody would bother them.


    The God Organization had chosen to stay here precisely because there were no restrictions, and there was no need to worry about idents.


    Ling Chen looked at the time and discussed with He Ziyun in a low voice. Seeing that they had not yet reached their destination, he leaned back against the seatback and closed his eyes to rest, conserving energy for the uing operation.


    "Mr. Ling."


    In a drowsy state, Ling Chen heard Sang Ji¡¯s voice. He rubbed his eyes and yawned, looking at the pitch-dark sky outside, and asked, "Have we arrived?"


    Sang Ji pointed ahead and said, "Two more kilometers and we will reach our destination. The ne willnd in two hours."


    "Let¡¯s rest for a bit, no rush."


    "We can only rest for an hour at most; you must hurry over in advance. I¡¯ve investigated, and there is a mercenary base nearby, heavily guarded. Just infiltrating the base will take a substantial amount of time."


    "Okay."


    As the operation approached, Ling Chen filled his stomach and built up his energy. When the time was almost right, he and He Ziyun got off the car and walked toward the mercenary base.


    Before long, a base that resembled a military fort appeared within their view.


    The base was surrounded by barbed wire, covering thousands of square meters, with many tents erected inside, and a runway running through the middle of the base.


    Ling Chen carefully observed for a while and saw that each of the four corners of the base had watchtowers and searchlights, with three to four mercenaries on each tower and several patrols around.


    The airne was half an hour away from arrival. Ling Chen and He Ziyun decided to wait until the nended before taking action. With their capabilities, infiltrating the base was just a matter of minutes.


    After lying in wait near the base for several minutes, He Ziyun suddenly tapped Ling Chen on the shoulder and pointed to the sky, saying, "Here ites!"


    Ling Chen raised the binocrs and saw multiple dazzling lights twinkling in the night sky. Soon, arge passenger ne appeared in their line of sight, approaching from afar.


    Finally!


    The ne appeared unremarkable and even bore the logo of an airlinepany, but that was all for deception.


    As the nended on the runway, Ling Chen didn¡¯t say a word; he immediately packed up and moved towards the base.


    A barbed wire fence over two meters tall was no challenge for Ling Chen, and in no time, they quietly infiltrated the interior of the base.


    "Mr. He, there!"


    Ling Chen pointed, and He Ziyun immediately focused his attention on a fuel truck. Without much talking, He Ziyun understood Ling Chen¡¯s intention.


    Immediately, they carefully avoided the guards and stealthily approached the fuel truck.


    However, the area around the fuel truck was heavily guarded, and Ling Chen didn¡¯t dare to get too close to avoid detection. After waiting for a few minutes, the fuel truck finally started moving. As the truck passed by the roadside, Ling Chen and He Ziyun rushed forward from both sides, rolled on the ground, and slid right under the truck.


    Then, Ling Chen grabbed onto the truck¡¯s undercarriage with both hands, hanging mid-air, following the fuel truck¡¯s movement.


    Soon, the fuel truck reached the side of therge passenger ne.


    At this moment, the ne¡¯s cabin door opened, and two armed men came down, directing the mercenaries on the fuel truck to help refuel.

 Chapter 532 - 528: Leading You into the Urn

    <h4>Chapter 532: Chapter 528: Leading You into the Urn</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen took a deep breath and, seeing that no one noticed him, quietly lowered his body to the ground, avoiding the guards¡¯ line of sight, and slipped in front of the aircraft¡¯snding gear. Above thending gear, there was a secret door leading to the interior of the airne, and Ling Chen, without much effort, sessfully snuck inside the aircraft.


    Not long after he entered the ne, He Ziyun followed closely from thending gear.


    "Let¡¯s split up and search."


    "Okay." Ling Chen nodded and reminded: "Mr. He, be careful."


    "You should worry more about yourself."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but touch his nose. It seemed true; He Ziyun was a top-ranked fighter from the Earthly List, much stronger than himself. What he really needed to be worried about was his own safety.


    ording to the n they had made, they intended to find Little Hua within fifteen minutes, take her off the ne, and then meet with Sang Ji who was waiting outside.


    Time was of the essence, and Ling Chen dared not dy. He quickly entered the cargo hold from the bottom of the ne. Once in the cargo hold, Ling Chen was startled by the contents inside. Everywhere he looked, there were weapons and chemical supplies, including many experimental devices.


    Snap!


    At that moment, the cargo hold door was suddenly opened, followed by a series of footsteps.


    Ling Chen had no time to think, and immediately hid behind the door. Suddenly, a fully-armed guard walked in.


    "Hey!" Ling Chen waved to greet him. As soon as the guard¡¯s gaze turned, he pounced fiercely, his fist smashing violently into the guard¡¯s nose. Blood sttered everywhere, the guard¡¯s nasal bridge was directly smashed, and he didn¡¯t even make a sound before copsing to the ground, unconscious.


    After dealing with the guard, Ling Chen searched the man¡¯s body, found a pass card and a wireless headset. After securing the items, Ling Chen moved the body to a discreet corner and then headed to the top level of the ne.


    This was the cargo hold; theboratory must be located in the core area of the ne.


    It must be said, the security on the ne was very tight, with identity recognition devices installed at each cabin door. Fortunately, Ling Chen had obtained a pass card, which allowed him unhindered ess.


    In less than five minutes, Ling Chen entered the top level of the airliner.


    As expected, theboratory was set up in the middle section of the ne, surrounded by transparent ss, creating a dust-free environment. However, although he had found theboratory, Ling Chen also encountered a significant problem.


    At the entrance of theboratory, there were six fully-armed guards. With his abilities, dealing with these men would not be a problem. However, taking such action would surely alert the others, increasing their vignce.


    Moreover, they were currently in a mercenary base, and revealing their identities would inevitably lead to being surrounded by hundreds of mercenaries. By then, no matter how skilled they were, escaping would be next to impossible.


    What to do?


    Faced with this situation, Ling Chen fell into deep thought, indecisive.


    He also wondered how Mr. He¡¯s search was going.


    While Ling Chen was contemting his next move, he suddenly felt the aircraft¡¯s body start to shake slightly.


    Oh no!


    Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed slightly; the ne was about to take off!


    He checked the time; only ten minutes had passed. ording to the information provided by the Secret Society, the other party was supposed to stay for fifteen minutes.


    Amidst his thoughts, a voice came from the headset: "Attention everyone, we just received orders to return to the base within two hours. Please prepare yourselves; the ne is taking off immediately."


    Ling Chen cursed under his breath, realizing it was impossible to get off the ne at this point.


    In the blink of an eye, Ling Chen gritted his teeth, making a silent decision in his mind.


    There was no other way now.


    As the ne ascended, Ling Chen, hiding in the shadows, locked his gaze on the security personnel in front of theboratory.


    Suddenly, a cold gleam shot out, instantly piercing the throat of a security guard. Before the others could react, Ling Chen sprang forward, grabbing the hilt of the Tianling de and pulling the de from the guard¡¯s throat, turning it towards the others.


    In just the blink of an eye, six security guards were killed without even a chance to resist.


    Following the death of the six guards, a piercing rm immediately sounded on the ne.


    Ling Chen nced at the surveince cameras hidden in the shadows, then withdrew his gaze and walked towards theboratory. The most important thing now was to find Little Hua, everything else was negligible.


    Da Da Da!


    At that moment, a burst of rapid gunfire came from the other end of theboratory. However, the gunfire did notst long before it turned into screams.


    Without a doubt, it must have been He Ziyun who made his move.


    Moving through theboratory, Ling Chen looked around for Little Hua, while being wary of any security personnel who might appear on the ne.


    "Ling Chen."


    After a while, He Ziyun approached from another direction of theboratory.


    "Mr. He, did you find Little Hua?"


    "No. Not just Little Hua, I didn¡¯t see anyone in theboratory at all."


    Not a single person?


    Ling Chen frowned secretly, could the information provided by the Secret Society be wrong?


    "Let¡¯s go to the cockpit," Ling Chen said. "The pilot must know where they are kept."


    As they spoke, the two hurriedly headed towards the front of the ne. However, as they were about to reach theboratory exit, the transparent ss doors at the exit suddenly closed, trapping them inside.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate and raised his Tianling de, striking at the ss door.


    Dang!


    With a crisp sound, the edge of the Tianling de was bounced back, and the ss door was unmarked.


    This... Ling Chen was taken aback, looking at the ss door in disbelief.


    "Let me try," He Ziyun said in a deep voice.


    With that, He Ziyun held a three-foot sword, stepped in front of the ss door. Then, flicking his wrist, his eyes burst with sharpness, and he suddenly struck with his sword, releasing his Inner Strength, ferociously striking the ss door.


    However, the ss door remained intact, without a trace of damage.


    Just as Ling Chen was stunned, a voice suddenly emanated from theboratory¡¯s loudspeaker: "Gentlemen, don¡¯t waste your energy. Thisboratory was specially prepared for you; all the doors and windows are made of the hardest materials, you won¡¯t be able to destroy them."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s face subtly changed.


    "Specially prepared for us? What does that mean?"


    "Mr. Ling, you are a smart man, surely you understand what this means? Everything was prearranged by us, the person you¡¯re looking for is not on this ne at all. But don¡¯t worry, I will take you to see her soon."


    Trapped?


    Ling Chen felt a sinking feeling, turning his head to look at He Ziyun beside him, he said: "Mr. He, I..."


    "You don¡¯t have to exin, I believe this is not your fault, it seems we were deceived by the information provided by the Secret Society."


    Ling Chen frowned, afraid it was more than just deception. The Secret Society¡¯s actionspletely betrayed them.

 Chapter 533 - 529: Experiment Base Number 2

    <h4>Chapter 533: Chapter 529: Experiment Base Number 2</h4><h4></h4>


    "Both of you, just stay inside peacefully and don¡¯t think about escaping." As the voice from the loudspeaker faded.


    Ling Chen¡¯s face looked somewhat unpleasant as he stared at the thick ss door. He had meticulously nned but hadn¡¯t anticipated this to be a trap. He didn¡¯t understand why the members of the Secret Society would do this. Since the mysterious man was acquainted with his father and they were friends, there was no reason he would betray him, unless... unless there were spies from the God Organization within the Secret Society.


    Sigh! Ling Chen exhaled, casting aside the clutter in his mind, no longer indulging in theseforting reasons.


    Now that he had fallen into the hands of the God Organization, thinking more was useless.


    More than two hourster, Ling Chen noticed that the airne was finally beginning to descend. Looking out the window, he saw a vast expanse of blue sea, endless and boundless.


    An ind!


    It seems that the people of the God Organization like using inds as their secret bases. Indeed, these inds located in the middle of the sea are most secretive and hard to locate.


    As they thought, therge passenger ne slowlynded on the runway.


    When the airne steadied and the cabin door opened, more than ten fully armed men, led by a man in his forties, a Caucasian with a full face of flesh, a beard, and a very sturdy build at a height of about 1.9 meters, appeared imposing.


    "Mr. Ling, Mr. He, please cooperate, put down your weapons, and don¡¯t make futile resistance."


    Facing over ten dark gun muzzles, Ling Chen shrugged his shoulders and without saying a word, directly threw his Tianling de on the ground.


    Once He Ziyun threw down his sword, the Caucasian man gestured to his subordinates. Soon, the ss door opened to either side.


    "Gentlemen, please raise your hands and turn around."


    With guns pointed at them, Ling Chen and He Ziyun dared not disobey and sincerely did as told. In such a cramped space, even if their skills were excellent, they couldn¡¯t ensure they¡¯d evade the bullets one hundred percent.


    Under the directions of the Caucasian man, two team members bound Ling Chen and He Ziyun¡¯s hands and feet with specially-made chains, restricting their movements.


    "Gentlemen,e with me."


    Following the Caucasian man, escorted by the others, Ling Chen disembarked from the ne, observing the surroundings with great attention.


    This ind wasrger than the one where they had previously rescued Nanrong Wanqing. The ind was filled with vegetation and at the very center, there was a towering mountain with rugged rocks. Besides, the keen-eyed Ling Chen also noticed several radar devices set around the mountain, hidden among the trees.


    Walking along, Ling Chen became increasingly rmed; this ind was definitely a major base of the God Organization. It was not only equipped with radar but also had many fortresses, all installed with heavy weaponry.


    Such a heavily defended base must certainly conceal many secrets.


    Before long, Ling Chen and He Ziyun reached the base of the mountain under the guidance of the Caucasian man, where there was a man-made tunnel withid tracks, and a rail vehicle big enough to fit more than twenty people was parked.


    Getting on, the rail car slowly started moving, traveling inward along the track. After moving forward more than ten meters, Ling Chen noticed that the rail car began to tilt slightly. It seemed that the secret base of the God Organization was built underground.


    The speed of the rail car wasn¡¯t very fast, moving at twenty kilometers per hour. Even so, it took just over a minute to reach the end of the tunnel.


    "Gentlemen, once you enter here, don¡¯t think about getting out again," the Caucasian man said with a coldugh. "There is only one entry and exit path, and the tunnel inside is equipped with cameras and Dark Posts. No one can escape."


    Ling Chen frowned tightly, remaining silent. He knew the Caucasian man wasn¡¯t lying; when he came in, he had checked the tunnel, which was full of traps. Without outside help, it would be difficult to escape this ce.


    At the end of the tunnel was a massive iron door. As the door, one foot thick, opened, Ling Chen felt a bright space open before his eyes, revealing a huge underground base.


    The Caucasian man scanned the stunned Ling Chen and said, "Wee both of you to the secondary experimental base of the God Organization."


    Passing through the iron door, Ling Chen and He Ziyun followed the Caucasian man, their eyes sweeping incessantly around, seeing hundreds of workers busy transporting goods. In one corner of the base, there were dozens ofrge shipping containers.


    It was hard to imagine how they managed to transport these items here.


    Ling Chen looked at the busy workers and asked, "Are these all the subordinates you recruited?"


    "No," the Caucasian man shook his head. "We rarely recruit externally, it¡¯s too dangerous, who knows if there could be spies among them. There are many homeless orphans in the world, we take them in, train them from a young age, and when they grow up, theye directly to the base to serve us. To them, we are like a big family, no one would betray us."


    "Training?" Ling Chen snorted lightly. "More like brainwashing."


    "Feel free to interpret it as you wish. You only need to know, these people are extremely loyal to the God Organization and will never defy our orders."


    "How many such bases does your God Organization have?" He Ziyun, who had not spoken till now, asked.


    "That¡¯s confidential, not convenient to disclose to outsiders. However, I feel you eventually won¡¯t be leaving this ce, so revealing this doesn¡¯t matter. The God Organization has two bases of this size; one is the main base, the other a backup base. The one you are in now is the backup."


    No wonder!


    Ling Chen silently nodded. This base must have taken decades to build. The God Organization pouring so much effort into it, it must be of vital importance.


    However, the more this was the case, the heavier Ling Chen¡¯s mood became. By telling them this information, it seemed they were not intended to leave alive. If this base were exposed, it would be a significant blow to the God Organization.


    At that moment, the personnel escorting from behind nudged Ling Chen, indicating for him to hurry up and walk ahead.


    Passing through a corridor, Ling Chen and He Ziyun were taken to two separate cells.


    "Gentlemen, take a rest first, recuperate well, as there¡¯s much more we¡¯ll need your help withter," said the Caucasian man, instructing his subordinates to close the cell doors before he and the others turned and left the cells.


    After they left, Ling Chen looked toward He Ziyun, who was in the adjacent cell, and asked, "Mr. He, what do you think they want to do?"


    "They kept our lives, probably to experiment on us, just..."


    "Just what?"


    "Don¡¯t you find it strange? Seeing how they behave toward us, they seem to value us highly. If they merely wanted us as experimental subjects, they wouldn¡¯t need to do this."

 Chapter 534 - 530: The Mysterious Person Who Helps in Secret

    <h4>Chapter 534: Chapter 530: The Mysterious Person Who Helps in Secret</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen nodded, agreeing with He Ziyun¡¯s spection. The God Organization had already cultivated masters of the Earthly List and might even possess masters of the Heavenly List. It was unnecessary to focus on them; there had to be something amiss.


    Thinking it over, Ling Chen suddenly let out a bitterugh, pping his forehead. He didn¡¯t even know whether he could leave this ce alive, so why bother with these concerns? What good was knowing more if he was still doomed to die in the end? Instead of guessing the motives of the God Organization, it would be better to think of a way to escape from this damned ce.


    While pondering, he heard a light tapping noiseing from the cell next door. Looking through the ss window in the cell, Ling Chen turned and saw He Ziyun knocking on the wall of his cell.


    "Mr. He..."


    Before Ling Chen could finish his sentence, He Ziyun shook his head and said, "No use, these walls have steel tes inside them; brute force won¡¯t break them."


    Ling Chen shrugged his shoulders; he had suspected as much. Their captors wouldn¡¯t fear them trying to escape if they dared to lock them up here.


    Their only hope was if someone could rescue them from this ce.


    ...


    At this moment, far away in the Huaxia country.


    In a bright room, a middle-aged man in a suit, looking dashing, walked in from outside.


    "Mr. Ling."


    Seeing the visitor, the delicate girl working in front of theputer immediately stood up to greet him.


    "No need for formalities, take a seat," the middle-aged man said as he walked behind the girl. Looking at the content disyed on theputer screen, he asked, "Tell me about the situation over there."


    "Just as we predicted, Ling Chen and He Ziyun were both captured by the people of the God Organization."


    "That¡¯s good," the middle-aged man said, relieved, and nodded with a smile.


    "Mr. Ling..." The girl hesitated, looking as though she had something to say but stopping herself.


    "Speak your mind, there¡¯s no need to hold back in front of me."


    "Mr. Ling, is it really good to do this to Ling Chen? You didn¡¯t even give him a heads up, and directly let him fall into the most dangerous situation. What if... what if something bad happens to him? No matter what, he¡¯s still your..."


    "There¡¯s no need to worry about him," the middle-aged man interrupted the girl, saying, "I¡¯ve already made arrangements, the God Organization won¡¯t just kill them offhand. Moreover, everything that is happening now is within my n. As long as there are no deviations, their lives won¡¯t be in danger."


    The girl, still visibly anxious, said, "But... if he finds out that it was you who did that thing, I¡¯m afraid..."


    The middle-aged man smiled slightly, "Do you think I¡¯m too cruel, or perhaps I¡¯m too scheming, to even calcte against my own son? I¡¯ve always wanted to let him live an ordinary life, but unfortunately, things haven¡¯t turned out as I wished. Many matters are not under my control. Since he has already gotten involved in this, let him lend me a hand, I believe he won¡¯t refuse. Now let¡¯s not talk about this, keep a close watch on the moves of the God Organization and report to me at all times. I have someone to meet."


    "Yes, I understand."


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, two days passed, and Ling Chen and He Ziyun were still locked in their cells. Apart from the regr meals delivered thrice a day, no one else came to see them.


    "Mr. He, do you think they¡¯ve forgotten about us? It¡¯s been two days and not a single person hase to interrogate us."


    "Who knows what they are plotting." He Ziyun sat cross-legged on the ground, meditating with his eyes closed, not at all worried about what might happen next. At his age, he had learned to let go of many things. His only concern was the safety of Little Hua.


    Seeing that He Ziyun was reluctant to talk further, Ling Chen didn¡¯t speak either, sitting alone against the wall, quietly awaiting the unknown.


    At that moment, a young man came to the front of the cell and slid a tray of food through the slot at the bottom of the cell door.


    Ling Chen picked up the te and saw ck pepper steak, spaghetti, and a cup of juice on it. He couldn¡¯t help feeling sentimental. Though a prisoner, the treatment was pretty good, different dishes for every meal, and the taste was excellent,parable to a star chef¡¯s cooking skills.


    Taking the knife and fork, Ling Chen cut off a piece of the ck pepper beef and put it in his mouth, chewing slowly, savoring the tenderness and vor of the steak. This might be hisst meal. If he could enjoy it, he would¡ªthe point wasn¡¯t to die hungry.


    When the ck pepper steak was half-eaten, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze was suddenly drawn to something in the steak.


    "What is this?"


    Curious, Ling Chen quickly set down his knife and fork and pulled out the thing hidden inside the steak.


    A key!


    This... Ling Chen was momentarily taken aback, his eyes inevitably shifting to the cell door. Could this be... the key to the cell door?


    Thinking this, Ling Chen immediately stood up, walked to the door, reached his hand through the small window of the cell door, and inserted the key into the keyhole on the outside.


    Click!


    With a light sound, the cell door unlocked.


    It really was!


    Ling Chen¡¯s heart leaped with joy, and he ran to the next cell to release He Ziyun.


    Looking at the cell door key in Ling Chen¡¯s hand, He Ziyun asked with a mix of surprise and doubt, "Where did you get this key from?"


    "Found it inside the steak, it seems someone wants to help us escape secretly."


    "Who? This base is full of people from the God Organization. We know no one here; who would take such a big risk to help us?"


    "Could it be General¡¯s men?"


    "Impossible, Ghost and Lonely Wolf haven¡¯t infiltrated this deep; they don¡¯t even know about the existence of this base." After pondering for a moment, He Ziyun spoke gravely, "Regardless, we need to be cautious, in case it¡¯s a trap."


    "Understood."


    Leaving the cell, Ling Chen, using his memory of the route from that day, cautiously made his way out, ready to find an opportunity to escape the base with He Ziyun.


    However, they had not gone far when they stopped and dared not proceed any further.


    Around the corner in front, within a stretch of corridor less than twenty meters long, there were three 360-degree surveince cameras installed. Approaching them would surely alert the God Organization.


    Ling Chen frowned slightly. Besides this route, there was no other path unless they turned back. But that would only lead them deeper into the heart of the base, with no chance of escape.


    "Ling Chen."


    "What is it?"


    "When we came in, you saw it too; the guards outside are strict. We can¡¯t possibly sneak past the God Organization¡¯s surveince. The only way to leave here is one method."


    "What method?"


    "Capture the leader first."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up, instantly grasping He Ziyun¡¯s idea. They would capture the one in charge here and then use that as leverage against the others. Though risky, it was still a n. Besides, they didn¡¯t have any other choice now.

 Chapter 535 - 531: Perils at Every Turn

    <h4>Chapter 535: Chapter 531: Perils at Every Turn</h4><h4></h4>


    Having made up their minds, Ling Chen and He Ziyun no longer hesitated and immediately ran in the opposite direction.


    No matter who was in charge here, they definitely lived in the core area of the base.


    Soon after, Ling Chen realized that entering the core area of the base was a difficult task. Along each corridor of the base, aside from the 360-degree surveince cameras, there were also personnel patrolling, covering almost every corner of the core area.


    Listening to the footsteps approaching, Ling Chen took a deep breath, made eye contact with He Ziyun, signaling him to get ready to take action and deal with the security guards nearby.


    He Ziyun nced over, locking all three security guards within his sight. Then, he lightly tapped his toes without making a sound, and like a sh of lightning, he disappeared around the corner.


    Before Ling Chen could make his move, by the time he reacted, the security guards were already down on the ground.


    "Let¡¯s go!"


    He Ziyun uttered sharply, not slowing his pace and continuing deeper into the area.


    At this moment, they could not afford any dys. By killing the three security guards, they were essentially telling the personnel of the God Organization that they had escaped from the cell. It wouldn¡¯t be long before the entire base would be searching for them. Therefore, the situation called for urgent actions.


    Beep! Beep! Beep!


    Indeed, as the guards were killed, a piercing rm immediately red throughout the base.


    As they moved, Ling Chen only heard a series of quick footsteps approaching from afar, appearing on their path.


    "There, catch them."


    "Break out!"


    Undeterred, He Ziyun surged forward. As he came closer, he sprang up like arge bird spreading its wings, swooping down from above directly into the crowd, wreaking havoc.


    Taking this opportunity, Ling Chen quickly nced out of the corner of his eye, then rolled on the ground to pick up a pistol that had fallen, quickly pulling the trigger.


    Bang! Bang!


    Several consecutive gunshots rang out, and with Ling Chen¡¯s precise shooting, the following security personnel were instantly neutralized.


    "Ling Chen, take this."


    He Ziyun threw an assault rifle to Ling Chen, then drew several knives from the bodies, urging Ling Chen to keep moving.


    ...


    In the control room of the base, a Caucasian man stood in front of over a dozen monitors with his arms crossed, issuing orders coldly, "Tell them to evacuate from the central area, close the channels to the central area, and prepare to release poison gas."


    "Yes."


    After speaking, the white man pointed to an aide beside him and said sternly, "Go check the cell; I want to know how they escaped."


    "Understood!"


    ...


    "Mr. He, the passage here is sealed." Ling Chen said, frowning. Just a moment ago, they had intended to enter through here, but before they could reach it, an automatic iron gate had fallen, closing off their path. Without the password, no one could open this gate.


    "Let¡¯s check other ces."


    During the conversation, they tried several other entrances in the corridor but, without exception, all were sealed.


    Ling Chen gave a bitter smile: "Mr. He, what should we do now?"


    He Ziyun was about to speak, but just then, a stream of green gas suddenly appeared from the ceiling, quickly spreading around.


    Seeing this, the expressions of Ling Chen and He Ziyun changed unavoidably.


    "It¡¯s poison gas!" Ling Chen quickly covered his nose and mouth, swiftly moving out of the range of the green gas. However, the source of green gas appeared in multiple ces, filling the area fast. Soon, the entire enclosed area would be enveloped in poison gas.


    At this critical moment, a door nearby suddenly opened.


    "Mr. He, over there." After saying this, Ling Chen hurriedly charged towards the doorway.


    Once the two of them passed through the door, it sealed shut again, blocking all the green gas. Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief internally, thankful that the door was still operational; otherwise, he and He Ziyun would have perished inside.


    However, amidst the relief, Ling Chen was even more puzzled about who was helping them secretly. That door wouldn¡¯t have opened without reason; someone must have tampered with it.


    Recalling the cell key he had obtained earlier, Ling Chen¡¯s curiosity deepened, wondering who the mysterious person was.


    "Ling Chen, look at this."


    At that moment, He Ziyun pointed at the architecturalyout map on the wall and said, "We are here now, and right ahead is the residential area of the base. Anyone living in this area must hold significant status, and the person we¡¯re looking for is likely here."


    Ling Chen, holding the gun in his hand, smiled faintly: "Whether we can leave alive is still uncertain; if you ask me, killing one is enough, killing two is profitable. Let¡¯s just eliminate everyone living in this area, leaving no survivors."


    As he spoke, they heard a ¡¯click¡¯, and a door that was initially closed suddenly opened.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen¡¯s mind stirred, could it be the person who just helped them indicating the way?


    Thinking this, Ling Chen looked at He Ziyun and walked towards the door.


    Before long, Ling Chen was surprised to find that whenever they passed through a gate, the next one would automatically open. Although he did not know where the other party wanted to guide them, Ling Chen believed that they harbored no ill intentions towards them. Otherwise, there was no need to save them earlier.


    Bang!


    In the monitoring room, apanied by a gunshot, a technician¡¯s brain burst, dying instantly at the workstation.


    The Caucasian man put away his pistol, looking coldly at the silent staff around him, and said coldly, "Can anyone tell me why they were able to escape from the enclosed area, why our surveince failed, why someone tampered with the system without any of you noticing? The organization trains talents, not wastes; give me a satisfactory answer within fifteen minutes, or this person¡¯s fate will be yours."


    Hearing this, everyone¡¯s faces turned slightly pale.


    "Tea... Team leader, only someone with the right authority could log into the system, modify systemmands," a cautious staff member spoke.


    The white man sharply countered, "Are you suggesting that I am assisting their escape?"


    "No, not at all, I... There are only eight people in the base who have such authority. Maybe..."


    The white man pondered for a moment, then ordered, "Send someone to their residences immediately, bring them all here; I want to question them myself."


    "Yes."


    ...


    At this moment, guided by the mysterious helper, Ling Chen and He Ziyun arrived outside a room.


    "What is this ce?" Ling Chen pondered internally.


    As he was contemting, the room door suddenly opened, revealing a familiar face instantly within his view.


    As soon as Ling Chen clearly saw who it was, he was stunned on the spot, unable to recover for a long time.

 Chapter 536 - 532: Seeing Liu Xiyao Again

    <h4>Chapter 536: Chapter 532: Seeing Liu Xiyao Again</h4><h4></h4>


    It¡¯s her!


    Ling Chen never expected to encounter her here. In an instant, he realized that it was this elegant and luxurious woman who had provided the key to their cell and helped them avoid a disaster just now.


    Liu Xiyao!


    Ever since he learned about Liu Xiyao¡¯s connection with God Organization, Ling Chen had little contact with her, trying his best to avoid her. There was no helping it, every time he saw Liu Xiyao, Ling Chen was reminded of her betrayal. No matter how prominent her identity or how beautiful she was, Ling Chen wouldn¡¯t show her a friendly face.


    With his temperament, it was already very generous of him not to have killed Liu Xiyao.


    "Why are you here?" Ling Chen asked.


    "Don¡¯t ask so many questions now, hurry in," Liu Xiyao nced left and right down the corridor, and after making sure no one was around, she weed Ling Chen and He Ziyun into the room.


    After closing the door, Ling Chen looked around at the environment. Although this was an underground base, the conditions here were no worse than those of a five-star hotel. The luxury of the ce was indicative of Liu Xiyao¡¯s status and identity here.


    "Follow me," Liu Xiyao hurriedly led Ling Chen and the other into the next-door storeroom after they entered. She moved the piled-up items in the corner, revealing a square floor tile.


    At Liu Xiyao¡¯s gesture, Ling Chen lifted the floor tile. Suddenly, below was a narrow and enclosed space.


    "The people outside wille looking soon; you¡¯d better hurry and hide in here," Liu Xiyao urged anxiously.


    Ling Chen said helplessly, "Such a small ce can¡¯t fit two people." With that, he turned to He Ziyun, "Mr. He, you go in first; I¡¯ll find another ce."


    "You should go instead, I..."


    He Ziyun was about to refuse when he heard Liu Xiyao say, "Stop going back and forth. Old man, please go in, I will find another ce for Ling Chen to hide."


    Hearing this, He Ziyun didn¡¯t hesitate anymore and quickly jumped down. The space here was small, but there were porous venttion ducts installed inside. Even if the floor tile was closed, it wouldn¡¯t cause suffocation. Moreover, there was amp inside, as well aspressed biscuits and mineral water; food and drink were all avable. It was like a simple shelter.


    Once He Ziyun was ready, Ling Chen immediately put the floor tile and other items back in ce. This way, no one would be able to tell that there was a person hidden there.


    Leaving the storeroom, Ling Chen asked curiously, "How can you have such a ce here?"


    "When this base was first built, many factors were considered, including invasions from outside. If the base is destroyed and there¡¯s no chance to escape, we can hide inside and wait for rescue."


    So that was it!


    Ling Chen nodded, then asked, "You haven¡¯t answered my question yet. Howe you¡¯re here?"


    "Do you still remember what I told you before?"


    "I remember."


    Liu Xiyao had once told him that she was a bastard child and her father was a member of a significant family. Due to various reasons, she had suffered a great deal of humiliation. Later, she met a kind person who took her around different countries and raised her. That person¡¯s identity was a high-ranking official within God Organization.


    "Are you saying that person brought you here?"


    "I¡¯ve been here for several months now."


    No wonder!


    During this time in East Sea City, Ling Chen hadn¡¯t heard a single piece of news about Liu Xiyao; it turns out she had been brought here.


    As he pondered, Ling Chen had a thought and asked, "The person you mentioned, wouldn¡¯t happen to be the person in charge of this base, would they?"


    "He indeed is; I only found out this time. He never revealed his identity within the God Organization before."


    "Do you know where he is right now?"


    "He had to leave because of some business and might not return for a couple of days."


    "Aren¡¯t you afraid that he will punish you for helping me like this? The God Organization has always been ruthless towards those who betray them, never showing any mercy."


    Miss Liu sighed softly and said in a mncholy tone, "He saved me years ago and made me who I am, for which I am grateful. However, this gratitude is only towards him personally, not for his actions. I have never fully understood the doings of the God Organization and didn¡¯t wish to get too involved. But while staying at the base recently, I¡¯ve seen too many uneptable things. Although I hate to admit it, I can¡¯t sever my ties to the God Organization. Therefore, I hope to do something to make amends."


    "When you were captured the other day, I received the news and have been thinking of ways to rescue you. Luckily, that man trusts me enough to grant me significant authority. However, I fear I can¡¯t hide this for long; they will eventually trace it back to me."


    "Don¡¯t worry, as long as I can get away, I¡¯ll take you with me."


    While they were talking, a ¡¯thud thud thud¡¯ knocking sound came from outside the room.


    With a look of concern, Liu Xiyao said, "They¡¯vee looking; you¡¯d better find a ce to hide."


    Hide?


    Ling Chen looked around the room but found no suitable ce to conceal himself.


    As the knocking outside got increasingly urgent, Liu Xiyao, anxious, pulled Ling Chen into her own bedroom and then pointed at therge bed, "Hurry up and get in there, hide under the quilt."


    As she spoke, Liu Xiyao started to strip off her clothes.


    Seeing her actions, Ling Chen was momentarily stunned, his face filled with confusion as he watched her, not understanding her intentions.


    Feeling Ling Chen¡¯s gaze, Liu Xiyao¡¯s cheeks blushed a deep red. Feeling embarrassed, she quickly turned her body away, no longer facing Ling Chen directly.


    "Don¡¯t... don¡¯t look..." Liu Xiyao murmured softly.


    Though her body had been seen by Ling Chen before due to an ident, stripping in front of him now was different. No matter how worldly she may be, as a woman, she still felt the innate shyness stirring within her.


    With a light cough, Ling Chen forced himself to look away from her fairplexion. He then lifted the quilt, slid into it, and covered his body. However, even though he was concealed, the obvious rise in the quilt made it clear someone was underneath.


    At this moment, Liu Xiyao finished stripping down to a set of attractive lingerie and then took a nightgown from behind the door and put it on. Once done, she approached the door.


    Before opening the door, Liu Xiyao tousled her hair purposely, feigning the disheveled look of just having woken up.


    As the door opened, a Caucasian man stood outside, apanied by two of his men.


    "Miss Liu."


    Seeing Liu Xiyao¡¯s attire, the Caucasian man was taken aback for a moment, quickly lowering his eyes to the floor, unable to face her directly for fear of being impolite. He was well aware of this woman¡¯s status in that man¡¯s eyes; in the entire base, she was the one woman he dared not offend.

 Chapter 537 - 533 Escape Plan

    <h4>Chapter 537: Chapter 533 Escape n</h4><h4></h4>


    In the past, because someone gave Liu Xiyao a few extra nces in front of that person, he was killed. Since then, everyone knew the status of Liu Xiyao in that person¡¯s eyes, and no one dared to provoke her easily.


    "Louis, what do you want to see me for?"


    "Miss Liu, two prisoners have just escaped, and we are concerned about your safety, so we came to check on you."


    Liu Xiyao yawned, her demeanornguid and alluring as she said: "I have been sleeping the whole time; I know nothing of any escapees. If you wish to search, feel free. Just don¡¯t disturb my sleep."


    Having said that, Liu Xiyao turned around and walked back to the bedroom, casually closing the door behind her.


    Watching Liu Xiyao¡¯s departing figure, Louis signaled with his eyes to the two subordinates behind him, who immediately understood and quickly entered the room to search.


    A moment passed, and the two subordinates returned to Louis, shaking their heads, "We found nothing."


    "Have you checked everywhere?"


    "Everywhere, only..." one subordinate hesitated, his eyes ncing towards Liu Xiyao¡¯s bedroom.


    Louis immediately understood, he walked to the bedroom door, raised his right hand, and made a knocking gesture. However, after hesitating for a long time, his hand ultimately did not knock.


    "Forget it, there¡¯s no need to check here, Miss Liu probably has nothing to do with this. Let¡¯s go and check elsewhere," Louis said.


    At this moment, inside the spacious bedroom, Ling Chen was curled up in bed, surrounded by a faint fragrance that made him feel drowsy. Especially with the presence of a snow-white delicate body lying beside him, the temptation was immense, making him want to hold the beauty tight and sleep deeply.


    Lost in wild thoughts, he heard Louis¡¯s voice from outside the bedroom: "Miss Liu, we¡¯re heading back now. We apologize for the intrusion, and hope you won¡¯t be offended."


    Liu Xiyao did not respond, merely replying with azy nasal sound to their words.


    Only when the sound of the door closing echoed from outside did Liu Xiyao¡¯s tense face gradually rx. She took a deep breath, lifted the covers, and spoke softly, "Get up; they¡¯ve left."


    Watching Liu Xiyao get up and disperse the fragrance, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help feeling a pang of regret. He wondered if it was due to his progression in the Prajnaparamita Sutra, as his resistance toward women seemed to be growing weaker. Just seeing any modestly pretty girl would provoke a reaction from his body, let alone an exceptional beauty like Liu Xiyao.


    Standing by the bedside, Liu Xiyao smoothed her bangs, wrapped her sleeping robe tightly around her, and looked at Ling Chen, who was still lying under the covers, asking, "Why aren¡¯t you getting up?"


    "Well..." Ling Chen replied with an awkward smile, "I was rather tired just now, I¡¯d like to lie down a little longer. Could you please get me a ss of water?"


    "Okay, just wait!" Liu Xiyao, unsuspecting, turned and left the bedroom.


    As he watched her leave, Ling Chen silently heaved a sigh of relief. If he didn¡¯t find an excuse to make Liu Xiyao leave, his bulging part might have embarrassed him.


    Once his body returned to normal, Ling Chen got out of bed, walked straight into the living room, and then released He Ziyun who was hiding in a storage room.


    "Liu, having stayed at this base for so long, you must know how to get out, right?"


    With a bitter smile, Liu Xiyao shook her head, "Leaving this ce is not as simple as you imagine. The base¡¯s security is extremely strict. It¡¯s easy toe in, but very difficult to get out. Anyone who wants to leave must be apanied by Louis; he is the only pass allowed here. Even I can¡¯t defy the rules they have set. It¡¯s too troubling, so I spend most of my time in my room and rarely go out."


    At that moment, Liu Xiyao seemed to remember something and added, "Right! Aside from the route you took toe here, there is another waterway for leaving. To my knowledge, arge entranceway has been carved out on the other side of the mountain, which has been turned into a port where all cargo shipse and go. Inside the base, there¡¯s a designated path that only leads to the port. However, there is a special guard post at the entrance to that path, and only personnel responsible for the port¡¯s cargo handling are allowed in."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s mind stirred, asking, "Can you get a pass for that guard post?"


    "No use. Like I said, this base doesn¡¯t use passes. To prevent theft, they canceled all use of passes and ID cards. Here, each checkpoint uses the most primitive method¡ªfacial recognition. To my knowledge, the base employs over two hundred workers, more than forty researchers, and over a hundred security personnel, nearly five hundred in total. Members of each department are familiar with each other, and checkpoint officers have a deep impression of these workers. They use their eyes to verify identities before allowing passage. So, you basically can¡¯t fake it."


    After Liu Xiyao finished speaking, Ling Chen and He Ziyun exchanged a nce, both revealing a solemn look in their eyes.


    The God Organization¡¯s regard for this base far exceeded their expectations. If it really was as Liu Xiyao described, their chances of escaping were almost nil. As soon as they left this room, they would be instantly detected by the other side.


    While pondering, Liu Xiyao spoke again, "Actually, there is a way, but it¡¯s very risky."


    "Let¡¯s hear it."


    "I have ess to login to the system, and through that ess, I can shut down the entire system. Once the system is shut down, they will definitely reboot it, which takes three minutes. In short, we need to escape within those three minutes."


    "Three minutes..." Ling Chen pondered for a moment before saying, "That shouldn¡¯t be a big problem for us."


    "You¡¯re thinking too simplistically," He Ziyun interjected. "Don¡¯t forget the Lucifer experiment. Since this base is so important to the God Organization, do you think they won¡¯t have top experts stationed here? Once these experts appear, three minutes is nowhere near enough time for us to escape."


    Liu Xiyao interjected, "What I just mentioned is only the first step of escaping the base. The second step is to leave this ind. There are only two types of transportation on the ind avable for us to use: one is the airne, and the other is a ship."


    After some thought, Ling Chen said, "It shouldn¡¯t be too difficult to get a motorboat."


    "No use. Do you know our current location? As far as I know, the ind we are on is surrounded by hundreds of miles of ocean with nond in sight, just a few deste inds. We cannot possibly reachnd with just a motorboat unless it¡¯s arge cargo ship. Additionally, that airne only arrives at the ind at specific times to deliver supplies and doesn¡¯t stay long."


    Listening to Liu Xiyao¡¯s words, a profound sense of powerlessness surged within Ling Chen¡¯s heart.


    In that case, they had no chance of escape at all.

 Chapter 538 - 534 The Whereabouts of Little Hua

    <h4>Chapter 538: Chapter 534 The Whereabouts of Little Hua</h4><h4></h4>


    Liu Xiyao looked at the pensive Ling Chen and said, "In two more hours, that airne willnd on the ind. You better make a decision quickly. I¡¯m worried that after Louis reports to that person, he will revoke our privileges."


    Ling Chen turned to He Ziyun and asked, "Mr. He, do you have any suggestions?"


    "Since there are no other options, we can only take a risk. Ling Chen, when we act, you take Miss Liu and leave first."


    "What about you?"


    "I¡¯ll go look for Little Hua and try to take her with us. Also, I¡¯ll draw their attention to prevent you from getting ambushed."


    "That won¡¯t do." Without even thinking, Ling Chen immediately refused: "Mr. He, if we¡¯re leaving, we should leave together. How can we leave you alone to take risks?"


    "I¡¯m old, dying is just dying. It¡¯s different for you; you¡¯re still young and have a long future ahead. If my old life can exchange for both of your lives, then it¡¯s worth it."


    "Mr. He..."


    "Enough! Let¡¯s settle on that. We have two hours left; take the time to rest." After speaking, He Ziyun got up and walked into the guest room arranged by Liu Xiyao.


    After He Ziyun left, Ling Chen sat silently on the sofa, his eyebrows tightly furrowed, his eyes flickering with anger like Mo Che.


    If anything goes wrong this time, the Secret Society is undoubtedly to me. Without their betrayal, he and He Ziyun wouldn¡¯t have ended up in this situation.


    Taking a deep breath, Ling Chen calmed down and looked at Liu Xiyao beside him, asking, "Liu, I have a question. Who is that person you mentioned? What is his name?"


    "His name is Lin Guodong."


    "A Huaxia person?"


    "Yes, he should be over fifty this year, but he looks like he is in his thirties, quite young-looking."


    "Lin Guodong..." Ling Chen muttered the name, with no impression. He had always thought that besides Mr. Yun, the other high-level members of the God Organization were foreigners. But now, it seems this is not the case. To be in charge of this contingency base, his influence within the God Organization must rank within the top three.


    This is a big fish!


    If he can leave here alive, he must capture this guy.


    "Ling Chen, can I ask you a favor?" Liu Xiyao hesitated for a moment before asking.


    "Tell me, as long as I can do it, I will not refuse."


    "If... I mean, if one day Lin Jiadong is captured by you, I hope you can spare his life. No matter what, I owe him too much in this life. He was once married, and his daughter died from a strange illness at the age of five. He took me by his side mainly because I look like his daughter. Over the years, he has always treated me as his own daughter; I don¡¯t want him to get hurt. Ling Chen, I know my request is excessive, but..."


    "You don¡¯t have to say anymore," Ling Chen interrupted Liu Xiyao, saying, "Since you¡¯ve spoken, I¡¯ll try my best to spare his life."


    "Thank you!"


    "Thank me for what? Let¡¯s escape first."


    As they were talking, the phone in the room suddenly rang.


    Liu Xiyao nced at thendline on the cab, stood up, and picked up the receiver. Whatever the person on the other end said, Liu Xiyao¡¯s face slightly changed. After a while, she forced a smile and replied softly, "Okay, I understand."


    After hanging up, Liu Xiyao returned to Ling Chen¡¯s side and said with a bitter smile, "Our ns might need to change."


    "What happened?"


    "He just called, saying there is a very important transaction today, but he can¡¯t make it back in time, so he asked me to stand in for him, in one and a half hours."


    "A transaction?" Ling Chen asked, "What transaction?"


    "He didn¡¯t say; he just told me to go with Louis, and the guest will arrive in an hour."


    Ling Chen pondered for a moment, his lips suddenly curling up with a light smile.


    Liu Xiyao, puzzled, asked, "What are you smiling at?"


    "This is a rare opportunity for us. Since there are important guests, it will be easier for us to cause chaos. Moreover, the guest will certainlye by ne, which we can take advantage of." After that, Ling Chen changed the topic, "By the way! Do you have anymunication devices here? It would be convenient to contact us at that time."


    "No. All wireless signals inside the base are blocked, except for thendline phones, all othermunication devices are useless."


    "Is that so..." Ling Chen thought for a moment and then said, "You are more familiar with this ce than I am;ter, you help me draw a simple map, so I can find you."


    "In the base, there is a special guest reception room, they will definitely take the guests there," Liu Xiyao took out paper and pen, and while speaking, she drew the route to the guest reception room.


    ...


    An hourter, a small Boeing jet flew in from the sky and slowlynded on the runway of the ind.


    At that moment, at one end of the runway, Liu Xiyao, dressed in a flowing purple gown, wearing snowy white pearl earrings and a pendant, her skin fair as snow, exuded an ¨¦l¨¦gance and noble aura, giving off a stunning impression.


    Standing beside Liu Xiyao was a Caucasian man, none other than Louis.


    The two, one on the left and one on the right, quietly awaited the arrival of the guests, escorted by over a dozen security personnel.


    After a while, the cabin door opened, and a middle-aged man in a suit briskly walked down. Following him were three subordinates, two men and one woman, all around thirty years old, the woman wearing a mask, her specific age unclear.


    Seeing the middle-aged man approaching, Liu Xiyao greeted him with a warm smile and a polite greeting, "Mr. Tang, hello, wee to the ind."


    The middle-aged man returned the greeting with a gentle smile, slightly bowing in a gentlemanly manner, "You must be Miss Liu."


    "Mr. Tang, pleasee inside!"


    Without much ado, they took a track vehicle into the base.


    Once in the guest room, Liu Xiyao sat discreetly to the side, not saying much, but giving Louis the floor.


    "Mr. Tang, did you bring your goods?" asked Louis.


    The middle-aged man gave a faint smile, "Mr. Louis, this isn¡¯t my first time dealing with the God Organization, so I know it¡¯s sometimes wise to hold back. If I brought the goods directly, wouldn¡¯t that be a loss? Since it¡¯s a business, both sides need to respect integrity." As he spoke, the middle-aged man gestured, and the woman standing behind him immediately stepped forward, handing a tabletputer to Louis.


    Louis casually opened the video, and a girl around five or six years old appeared on the screen, curled up in a corner, hugging her knees, a pitiful sight.


    If Ling Chen were here, he would certainly recognize that the girl in the video was none other than Little Hua.

 Chapter 539 - 535 Mr. Tang

    <h4>Chapter 539: Chapter 535 Mr. Tang</h4><h4></h4>


    "Mr. Louis, this is the person you wanted, isn¡¯t it?" the middle-aged man asked with a smile.


    Louis nodded and said, "Exactly. Where is she, and when can I see her?"


    "Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s in a very safe ce. After weplete the transaction, I will definitely hand her over to you. Mr. Louis, isn¡¯t it time for you to let me meet the person I want?"


    Louis put down the tablet he was holding and said, "Mr. Tang, I¡¯m very sorry!"


    "What do you mean?" The middle-aged man¡¯s smile froze slightly as he asked.


    "We had captured Ling Chen and another person, but there were some problems, which led to their escape. However, you don¡¯t need to worry. Though they have escaped, they are still within this base, and sooner orter we will find them. Before that, I hope you can give me a day or two, I will settle things as quickly as possible."


    The middle-aged man frowned and said displeasedly, "Mr. Louis, since the person isn¡¯t in your hands, you should have informed me in advance. Had I known earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have traveled all this way, wasting time."


    "Mr. Tang, please cool down. It¡¯s only a dy of a day or two, it won¡¯t take too much of your time. Besides, Mr. Lin has instructed me that he will try his best topensate for your loss in this matter."


    After pondering for a while, the middle-aged man asked, "When can I meet Mr. Lin?"


    "Mr. Lin has some personal matters to deal with, and he probably won¡¯t return for a few days. If Mr. Tang has the time, why not stay for a few more days? Once Mr. Lin is back, he will certainly take good care of you."


    Hearing this, the middle-aged man hesitated for a moment, then nodded, "Alright, I do have some matters I would like to discuss with Mr. Lin in person." After finishing his words, the middle-aged man changed the topic, "There¡¯s another matter, Mr. Louis, remember our agreement, I want Ling Chen and that person alive. If they die, don¡¯t me me for canceling our deal."


    "Mr. Tang, if I may be so bold to ask, do you have some personal grudge with Ling Chen?"


    "That¡¯s my personal affair, you¡¯re better off not knowing."


    "In that case, I won¡¯t ask anymore." After finishing speaking, Louis beckoned over a subordinate, instructing, "Take Mr. Tang to their amodation, remember to treat them well, do not neglect our honored guest."


    "Mr. Tang, this way, please!"


    After seeing the guest off, Liu Xiyao slowly rose to her feet and said, "If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be leaving."


    "Miss Liu."


    Louis called out to Liu Xiyao who was about to leave, catching up to her, "Miss Liu, don¡¯t rush off. I have something to discuss with you, pleasee with me."


    Liu Xiyao nced at the clock on the wall, a trace of worry shing in her beautiful eyes. ording to their n, Ling Chen was about to take action in a minute or two. Leaving with Louis at this time would make it very difficult for her to meet up with Ling Chen.


    With these thoughts, Liu Xiyao felt at a loss for a moment.


    "Miss Liu, what¡¯s wrong? Do you have something even more important to do?" Louis asked with a meaningful tone.


    "No... nothing." Liu Xiyao, fearing arousing Louis¡¯s suspicion, said calmly, "Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s get things done quickly, I still need to go back and rest."


    Meanwhile, in the room where Liu Xiyao was staying, Ling Chen was sitting on the sofa, fiddling with aptop. Theputer was already connected to the base¡¯s system; he just had to press the enter key to shut down the entire system.


    "Ling Chen, the time is almost up, we can start now," He Ziyun reminded him from the side.


    Ling Chen nodded and ced his finger on the enter key. However, just as he was about to shut down the system, a rustling noise suddenly came from the door.


    Someone!


    A thought crossed Ling Chen¡¯s mind¡ªcould it be Liu Xiyao? This idea was immediately dismissed by Ling Chen. Judging by the sounds outside, there was more than one person.


    Had their location been exposed?


    As thoughts raced in his head, Ling Chen quickly got up and dashed into the bedroom. Simultaneously, He Ziyun swiftly retreated to the utility room, leaving the door ajar, secretly watching the movements at the entrance.


    After a while, the door opened, and several fully armed men stepped inside.


    Ling Chen, hiding in the bedroom, heard the footsteps approaching closer and his brow furrowed instantly. The presence of these men at this moment suggested only two possibilities: either the enemy had started to suspect Liu Xiyao, or Liu Xiyao had betrayed them. In his heart, Ling Chen hoped it was the former possibility. But given Liu Xiyao¡¯s past actions, Ling Chen¡¯s mind swung with uncertainty.


    Backed against the wall, Ling Chen held his breath, listening intently to the steps of the opposition. Soon, a hand pushed open the bedroom door.


    The moment the door opened, Ling Chen, without saying a word, spun around and threw a punch, knocking the man down to the ground.


    At that moment, He Ziyun, hiding in the utility room, leaped into action. In the blink of an eye, the men in the living room had been taken down without firing a single shot.


    Looking at the several unconscious men on the floor, Ling Chen walked up, picked up the guns from the ground, and put several grenades into his pockets.


    Once everything was ready, Ling Chen checked the time and went straight to theputer, pressing the enter key.


    In an instant, the living room lights went out. But just a few secondster, the emergency lights came on.


    "Go!" He Ziyun said sternly.


    They had only three minutes; every second counted.


    As the system shut down, allputer-controlled doors in the base opened. Along the way, Ling Chen and He Ziyun had a clear path, heading swiftly towards the exit.


    "That¡¯s far enough, Ling Chen."


    Hearing He Ziyun¡¯s voice, Ling Chen nodded and cautioned, "Mr. He, be very careful."


    "You too."


    After speaking, He Ziyun tapped his toes lightly and dashed like a breeze down another corridor.


    As per their original n, He Ziyun would go to find Little Hua¡¯s whereabouts and meanwhile distract the enemies¡¯ attention to give Ling Chen ample time to escape.


    After seeing He Ziyun off, Ling Chen pulled out the crude map drawn by Liu Xiyao and located the reception room, then hurried over.


    Bang!


    Suddenly, a gunshot rang out, a bullet flew past Ling Chen¡¯s side, hit the wall, and sparked.


    Seeing the security personnel ahead blocking his way, Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate¡ªimmediately pulling a grenade from his pocket and tossing it forward.


    Boom!


    The explosion rocked the corridor, with fire and smoke billowing everywhere.


    Ling Chen, with a gun in hand, didn¡¯t stop for a second, continuing his race to the destination. For him, the pressing priority was to find Liu Xiyao and escape the base as quickly as possible.

 Chapter 540 - 536: Breaking Through the Encirclement

    <h4>Chapter 540: Chapter 536: Breaking Through the Encirclement</h4><h4></h4>


    At this moment, in a luxurious guest room within the base, the middle-aged man who called himself Mr. Tang slightly furrowed his brows, pacing back and forth in the living room with a tinge of worry in his eyes.


    Beside him, the young girl wearing a mask gazed at the doorway, her anxious feelings inly evident in her clear eyes.


    Just then, the door opened, and two men, one after the other, hurried in.


    Seeing the neers, the middle-aged man couldn¡¯t wait to ask, "What¡¯s the situation outside?"


    "We¡¯ve just checked; the base¡¯s systems have been shut down, and there¡¯s been a firefight in the residential area."


    "Is it Ling Chen?"


    The two men looked at each other and said, "Other than him, we can¡¯t think of anyone else."


    "This guy..." The middle-aged man felt somewhat helpless.


    "Master, what should we do now?" asked the girl with the mask. "With Ling Chen acting like this, our n is probably not going to work."


    After a moment of contemtion, the middle-aged man immediately made a decision: "Find Ling Chen, and let¡¯s all leave this ce together."


    ...


    At this point, Ling Chen had already reached the reception room following the simple map drawn by Liu Xiyao. However, the room was already empty, and Liu Xiyao was not there at all.


    Checking the time, there was less than two minutes left. Ling Chen was secretly anxious; time was limited, and Liu Xiyao¡¯s whereabouts were unknown, making it anybody¡¯s guess where to find her. For a moment, Ling Chen found himself caught between a rock and a hard ce.


    If he went to look for Liu Xiyao, there definitely wouldn¡¯t be enough time, and they would all get trapped in the base. Alternatively, he could try to find a way to escape by himself, leaving the ind first. After all, he knew the location of the ind and could contact Qiao Zhenter to send arge force to rescue the others.


    However, his only concern was whether He Ziyun and Liu Xiyao could hold out that long.


    As thoughts raced through his mind, Ling Chen gritted his teeth and made an instant decision.


    Leaving the reception room, Ling Chen hadn¡¯t gone far when he heard a flurry of hurried footstepsing from nearby. Without any time to think, he pressed himself against the wall, hiding his body. Soon after, he saw an armed team pass by him.


    Judging by the direction this team was heading in, they seemed to be nning to go to the area where He Ziyun was located. He Ziyun had said he would try to draw the enemy¡¯s attention, and it seemed he had seeded.


    As the team was about to move away, Ling Chen suddenly took a quick stride and swiftly pounced, hugging thest member of the team. Without letting the person speak, he covered their mouth firmly and dragged them into a corner.


    "If you don¡¯t want to die, you¡¯d better keep quiet," Ling Chen said in a cold voice, pointing his gun at the man¡¯s forehead.


    Seeing the personply, Ling Chen asked, "Tell me, where is Liu Xiyao?"


    "I don¡¯t know."


    At this response, Ling Chen¡¯s brows furrowed, his finger poised to pull the trigger. Seeing his action, the man was startled and quickly pleaded, "I... I really don¡¯t know."


    Ling Chen thought for a moment and simply changed the question: "Then where¡¯s Louis?"


    Liu Xiyao had disappeared, so she must be with Louis.


    "At a time like this, he should be in the Control Room."


    After finding out the location of the Control Room, Ling Chen nodded and said, "Since you¡¯ve cooperated, I¡¯ll spare your little life," and then he raised his hand high and smashed the butt of his gun into the back of the man¡¯s neck.


    With the information provided by the man, Ling Chen quickly made his way through the corridors. Along the way, he encountered many security personnel, all heading towards another district.


    What on earth had Mr. He done to attract everyone over there? Ling Chen wondered to himself.


    As he pondered, Ling Chen halted his steps, his gaze drawn to a firmly locked door.


    Finally found it!


    Seeing over twenty security personnel guarding the door, Ling Chen pulled out thest two grenades from his pocket and threw them over.


    "Grenades! Run!"


    As the grenades tumbled from mid-air, the dozens of security guards¡¯ faces instantly changed color as they dived towards the ground.


    Boom! Boom!


    In the midst of the loud explosions, the floor was instantly sted open with tworge holes. The shockwave from the grenades sent countless fragments flying, piercing into everyone¡¯s bodies.


    For a while, the scene was filled with agonizing cries, with limbs and severed arms everywhere, blood flooding the floor.


    Ling Chen walked past, giving a final shot to any severely wounded guards who were not yet dead, ending their lives.


    Standing in front of the Control Room¡¯s door, Ling Chen looked around and discovered that the door was controlled manually rather than electronically, requiring it to be opened from the inside. Moreover, the door was extremely solid, made of steel tes more than ten centimeters thick; even grenades might not be enough to st it open.


    At that moment, inside the Control Room, a security personnel anxiously reported, "Mr. Louis, we¡¯re under attack outside."


    Louis nced at the locked door and sneered coldly, "Don¡¯t bother with it. They won¡¯t breach our defenses." Then, turning to the busy operatives in front of theputers, he asked, "How much longer until the system reboots?"


    "Thirty seconds."


    "Good." Saying this, Louis looked toward Liu Xiyao beside him and with a half-mocking tone said, "Miss Liu, you haven¡¯t said a word this whole time. Judging by your expression, you seem worried about something."


    Liu Xiyao replied indifferently, "The base is under attack. Shouldn¡¯t I be worried?"


    "Do you really think that?"


    "What¡¯s that supposed to mean?" Liu Xiyao said displeased, "If you¡¯re suggesting something, juste out and say it. There¡¯s no need to beat around the bush."


    Louis withdrew his gaze and spoke with emphasis, "Mr. Lin instructed me that you are to stay with me at all times until he returns. Whether it¡¯s eating or sleeping, you must remain within my line of sight."


    Hearing this, Liu Xiyao¡¯splexion slightly changed, a hint of tension flickering in her beautiful eyes.


    "The system has rebooted."


    At this moment, an excited voice came from a worker in front of theputers.


    Louis nodded and methodically issuedmands: "Connect me to the surveince of Sector C. I want to know the situation there."


    "Yes."


    Within moments, several surveince feeds appeared on therge screen.


    In the footage, an old man was surrounded by dozens of security personnel. Despite the fierce gunfire, the old man moved agilely and with ease, not at all daunted by the bullets. It wasn¡¯t long before the old man found an opportunity to charge into the crowd, and in the blink of an eye, several guards were killed.


    Seeing this, Louis¡¯s expression turned sour.


    "Issue my order for everyone to fall back."


    Fall back?


    The worker hesitated and asked, "Are we giving up the defense of Sector C?"


    "Who said we¡¯re giving up." Louis said with a cold smile, "We¡¯ll leave him be; naturally, someone else will deal with him."


    "Yes." Without further hesitation, the worker carried out themunication and ryed the orders.

 Chapter 541 - 537 Wei Quan

    <h4>Chapter 541: Chapter 537 Wei Quan</h4><h4></h4>


    "Mr. Louis."


    At this moment, a staff member reported, "Mr. Tang has disappeared."


    "Disappeared?" Louis¡¯s expression changed slightly as he spoke in a deep tone, "What happened?"


    "I don¡¯t know. Their room is equipped with surveince cameras, I just checked, and there¡¯s nobody inside. Mr. Tang and his entourage have all vanished."


    Louis sneered to himself, "It seems those guys weren¡¯t sincere about working with us. Activate all surveince, we must find their whereabouts at all costs."


    "Yes."


    ...


    District C.


    He Ziyun watched the retreating security personnel, yet he couldn¡¯t rx. With his years of experience, he faintly sensed a whiff of unease.


    As he pondered, a series of crisp footsteps suddenly echoed in the corridor. He Ziyun looked up and saw a person appearing at the end of the passage. To be precise, it was a man in his forties. His stride was strong, his posture upright, and a sharp light shone in his eyes.


    As the man approached, He Ziyun immediately felt an overwhelming aura.


    A master!


    He Ziyun¡¯s pupils contracted slightly. The man before him was not just a master, but a master ranked on the Earthly List.


    No wonder those security guards had withdrawn, it turned out a master had been dispatched.


    "He Ziyun." The man spoke coldly, "I know you, ranked seventh on the Earthly List."


    "Who are you?"


    "Wei Quan."


    "As a Huaxia national, you assist the God Organization in targeting your own countrymen, don¡¯t you feel ashamed?"


    Wei Quan¡¯s lips curled slightly, his smile cold as he said, "I don¡¯t care about that. As long as I can be stronger, I¡¯m willing to do even the most shameful things. A year ago, I was just an obscure figure, unknown in the Martial Arts world. But today, a yearter, I¡¯ve be a master of the Earthly List. For me, this ce is and of fortune, it is where I was reborn."


    "People like you, even with high Martial Arts skills, are still the scum of the Martial Arts world."


    "Is that so? Well then, I shall see for myself who is the scum."


    As his words fell, Wei Quan sneered, suddenly leaning forward with the power of his legs. In an instant, he had closed in on He Ziyun, his fist hurtling towards the face.


    He Ziyun stepped back, his waist bending backwards, dodging Wei Quan¡¯s fist. Then, he shifted his feet lightly, moving to Wei Quan¡¯s side, his palm slightly raised and slowly pressing out. His movement seemed slow, but the Inner Strength it contained reached a terrifying level. Once hit, it would not necessarily kill, but could at least cause Wei Quan serious injury.


    Sensing the powerful force in the palm, Wei Quan¡¯s face changed in surprise. He tapped his feet rapidly, swiftly evading He Ziyun¡¯s attack range. As He Ziyun¡¯s Inner Strength dispersed in the air, Wei Quan once again closed the distance, throwing punches from left and right, channeling his Power into them and bringing about a gusting sound.


    Through their brief exchange, He Ziyun had gauged Wei Quan¡¯s strength, both of them evenly matched. Now, without avoiding any further, He Ziyun raised his palm, attacking with full force, ready to sh with Wei Quan¡¯s assault.


    But, at that moment, two fierce bursts of wind shot out suddenly from Wei Quan¡¯s sleeves, aiming straight for He Ziyun¡¯s face.


    This sudden change surprised He Ziyun.


    With less than a meter between them, it was impossible for He Ziyun, even with his swift reflexes, to avoid the attack from the sleeve arrows.


    Swoosh!


    In an instant, a deep cut appeared on He Ziyun¡¯s left cheek, his face instantly stained with fresh blood.


    "You are nothing more than this," Wei Quan said with a smirk of triumph.


    "Despicable!"


    "The victor is king; the vanquished is the bandit, what¡¯s wrong with being despicable?"


    After saying that, Wei Quan sneered coldly and pounced on He Ziyun once again.


    Watching the approaching Wei Quan, He Ziyun¡¯s face turned somewhat unsightly. To think that a high-ranking fighter from the Earthly List would resort to such vile tactics. It was truly difficult to guard against an opponent of equal strength using such means.


    Seeing He Ziyun retreating step by step, not daring to confront him head-on, Wei Quan couldn¡¯t help but scoff, "What¡¯s the matter? Scared?"


    After speaking, Wei Quan advanced his steps, ready to continue his aggression. But at this moment, a strong gust of wind suddenly struck from behind.


    "Who is it?"


    Wei Quan¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he swiftly turned his head to look back. Instantly, he saw a fist rapidly erging in his field of vision.


    "How dare you!"


    Wei Quan roared furiously, quickly shifting his target and swiveled his waist, sweeping his leg in ash.


    As Wei Quan directed his attention behind him, He Ziyun didn¡¯t say a word, his toes lightly tapped the ground, quickly moving closer to Wei Quan and mmed his palm forcefully.


    Trapped between attacks from both front and back, even with Wei Quan¡¯s speed, there was no way to deal with assaults from both sides simultaneously.


    After a brief hesitation, Wei Quan quickly made a decision and focused his attention on He Ziyun. After all, being a powerhouse of the same caliber, the threat from his opponent was far greater than from others.


    Bang!


    Apanied by a muffled sound, a powerful punch smashed harshly onto Wei Quan¡¯s back.


    Instantaneously, Wei Quan¡¯s face turned pale as he felt his internal energy roiling, almost unable to refrain from spitting out blood.


    Strike while the enemy is sick, take their life!


    Seeing Wei Quan wounded, He Ziyun didn¡¯t hesitate at all, immediately intensifying his attack, his palms striking out in rapid session. Caught off guard, Wei Quan¡¯s chest was hit solidly by a palm, his body flying out and heavily crashing to the ground.


    "You... You¡¯re despicable!"


    Wei Quan endured the pain, shouted angrily with blood in his mouth.


    "The victor is king; the vanquished is the bandit, what¡¯s wrong with being despicable?" He Ziyun spoke, "Those words, they seem to be yours, right?"


    "Mr. He, why bother talking nonsense with him, just kill him quickly." Ling Chen urged from the side.


    Originally, Ling Chen wanted to find Liu Xiyao, but the main control room¡¯s door was tightly locked, and he alone had no way to open it. Moreover, the system had already restarted, and there was no point in him staying there. After some thought, he simply came to find He Ziyun to discuss their next move.


    After dealing with Wei Quan, He Ziyun looked at Ling Chen and asked, "What¡¯s your idea?"


    Ling Chen pointed towards the passage ahead and said, "Just now, Louis sent many people to besiege you. I suspect the reason he did this was not because he values you, but because he values the security of this area."


    Hearing this, He Ziyun¡¯s mind stirred, and he said with a hint of realization, "You mean..."


    "This area must be hiding the secrets of the God Organization. Given that we can¡¯t escape for the time being, in my opinion, we might as well look around."


    "That¡¯s a good idea." He Ziyun nodded, agreeing with Ling Chen¡¯s suggestion.


    The two then followed the passage to the end, where they came across arge door sealed with a yellow warning sign.


    "Wei Quan came out from here just now."


    Ling Chen looked around the door and noticed a biometric device that included both fingerprint and retinal recognition on the side.


    "Do you have a way to open this door?"


    Upon hearing He Ziyun¡¯s question, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze shifted and looked at Wei Quan¡¯s corpse, his eyes suddenly lighting up.

 Chapter 542 - 538 Lucifer’s Laboratory

    <h4>Chapter 542: Chapter 538 Lucifer¡¯s Laboratory</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen dragged Wei Quan¡¯s corpse, cing his hand on the fingerprint scanner. After the scan, the red light instantly turned green. After passing the firstyer of authentication, Ling Chen pried open Wei Quan¡¯s eyelids and continued with the retina scan.


    After the dual identity verification wasplete, Ling Chen stared intently at the st-proof door, waiting for it to open. However, more than ten seconds passed without any reaction from the door.


    Could it be that this st-proof door requires additional identity verification? Ling Chen thought to himself.


    During his contemtion, there was a light ¡¯click¡¯ sound, and the st-proof door suddenly cracked open in the middle. Following that, the door slowly opened.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief.


    Finally, it¡¯s open.


    However, at this moment, in the main control room, Louis was watching Ling Chen and He Ziyun enter through the st-proof door via the surveince camera, a cold smile spilling over his lips.


    "Mr. Louis, is it really a good idea to let them in?" a staff member asked with concern.


    "What¡¯s there to be afraid of. Since they want to go in and have a look, let them go," Louis said unconcernedly. Little do Ling Chen and the others know, if it wasn¡¯t for him remotely operating in the main control room, inputting the final permissions, they would have never been able to enter.


    Such a core area of the base is not that easy to enter.


    At this moment, Ling Chen and He Ziyun were oblivious to what was happening in the main control room; their attention was captured by the equipment behind the st-proof door.


    Behind the st-proof door was a hugeboratory, filled with precision instruments and equipment. However, the most eye-catching was the circr machine in the center.


    The machine looked like a ring with a diameter of about two meters with a support on each side, mping the ring to the floor. On the surface of the ring were many tubr objects, likely infusion tubes, which were connected to various devices.


    Ling Chen noticed that the majority of the equipment in theb seemed to be serving that ring-shaped machine.


    He Ziyun looked at the machine intently and asked in confusion, "What is this machine?"


    "Mr. He, you¡¯ve seen this kind of machine before."


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s words, He Ziyun was surprised, "I¡¯ve seen it? Howe I don¡¯t recall..." Before he finished speaking, He Ziyun seemed to remember something, showing a sudden realization, and nodded slowly, "I remember now."


    Actually, Ling Chen was also curious about this machine when he first came in. But the more he looked at it, the more familiar it felt, as if he¡¯d seen it before. It wasn¡¯t until just now that he remembered this machine had appeared in the videos secretly recorded by Blood Wolf.


    This was exactly the equipment needed for Lucifer¡¯s experiments.


    Unexpectedly, they stumbled into such a secretive ce.


    Coming to aputer, Ling Chen pressed a few buttons to start the equipment. As dialog boxes popped up on theputer screen, Ling Chen began to browse through the files stored on theputer. Since he was there, he wanted to find data rted to the Lucifer experiments. If he could take this data with him, he could undoubtedly deal a heavy blow to the God Organization.


    However, after Ling Chen found a few hidden files, he discovered they were all locked and needed passwords to open. Although he knew a bit aboutputers, he wasn¡¯t capable of doing such technical work; it would have been easier if Hu Fei was here.


    Thinking this, Ling Chen moved behind theputer screen, following the monitor¡¯s cables to the wall.


    On the wall was a rectangr metal cab embedded in the wall. Many wires split from the bottom of the metal cab, neatly lined up together.


    ncing at the password lock on the metal cab, Ling Chen clenched his fist tightly and threw a punch at the surface of the cab.


    Bang!


    A crisp sound rang out, and Ling Chen instantly punched a fist-sized hole into the metal cab.


    In the surveince video, Louis looked at Ling Chen¡¯s actions with a bit of confusion, not understanding what Ling Chen was up to. He leaned closer to the surveince monitor, carefully watching Ling Chen¡¯s every move.


    When Louis saw Ling Chen forcefully pull something out of the metal cab, his expression finally changed.


    Damn! He nearly forgot about that crucial thing.


    "Contact the people in Zone C immediately, tell them to act at once, they must kill that man. Quick!"


    "Yes."


    At this time, Ling Chen, holding theputer hard drive he had just torn out, tucked it into his pocket. If there was a chance to leave this damned ce, he could ask Hu Fei for help to check the secret data stored on the hard drive.


    "Ling Chen."


    At this moment, He Ziyun¡¯s voice came from behind.


    Ling Chen, still focused on organizing theputer hard drive, asked without turning back, "Mr. He, what¡¯s wrong?"


    "Ling Chen!"


    He Ziyun¡¯s voice rose again, with a trace of gravity.


    Feeling a change in He Ziyun¡¯s tone, Ling Chen immediately turned around, opening his mouth to speak. But before he could say anything, his gaze was captivated.


    In front of He Ziyun, more than a dozen men had appeared out of nowhere, all in their thirties or forties, each with sharp eyes and a menacing aura.


    Seeing those people closing in, Ling Chen¡¯s heart sank, and he cursed internally.


    There was no need to think about it, these were definitely the Transformed People who had been strengthened through the Lucifer experiments.


    Indeed, how could such an important experimental site not be guarded by experts. They had been too careless; they should have expected this.


    As the dozen or so people surrounded them from all directions, Ling Chen immediately moved towards He Ziyun, backing against him to prevent any surprise attacks.


    "Ling Chen, I¡¯ll try to hold them off for as long as I can. You need to get away quickly."


    As He Ziyun¡¯s words fell, the st-proof door suddenly closed, sealing the only exit of theboratory.


    It¡¯s over!


    Ling Chen silently sneered to himself, as now not even thest hope of escape remained.


    "Kill them all, leave none alive."


    With those words, two men locked their gaze on Ling Chen.


    "Do you choose to end it yourself or shall we make the move?"


    Ling Chen shrugged, silently watching them.


    "Alright, I understand."


    The two men nodded, stepping towards Ling Chen. As they moved, their pace gradually quickened.


    As the two were about to approach within five meters of Ling Chen, who had been standing still, he suddenly reached toward his waist. Before anyone could react, two ¡¯bangs¡¯ rang out, and the two men fell to the ground, each with a hole in their forehead, blood pouring out.


    Seeing theirpanions dead, the others were stunned for a moment, taking a while to recover from the shock.


    "You... despicable!"


    The group red furiously at Ling Chen, their eyes sharp enough to tear him to pieces.


    Ling Chen looked at the gun in his hand and innocently said, "Why are you all looking at me? Is there a rule that says guns can¡¯t be used?"

 Chapter 543 - 539: No Escape

    <h4>Chapter 543: Chapter 539: No Escape</h4><h4></h4>


    Upon hearing Ling Chen¡¯s words, everyone fell silent, as if no one had said guns were off-limits.


    "You, as a martial artist, what skill is there in using a gun?" a man coldly shouted.


    Ling Chen chuckled and retorted, "So it¡¯s skillful for so many of you to bully the two of us?" As he spoke, he nced at the crowd and wryly said, "There are eleven of you left, and my gun should still have seven bullets. Whoever wants to taste a bullet, feel free toe at me."


    "Don¡¯t waste words with him, let¡¯s all go at him together; with so many of us, are we still afraid of him?"


    "Go!"


    However, although more than ten people shouted aggressively, not one dared to step forward, all somewhat wary of the gun in Ling Chen¡¯s hand.


    The two who were just gunned down were Dragon List experts. Though they ranked at the bottom, they were still Dragon List experts and didn¡¯t even have a chance to evade. With this lesson before them, the others were all somewhat frightened, fearing they would be the next to be gunned down.


    Seeing that no one dared to make a move, Ling Chen impatiently said, "Are you going to fight or not? I don¡¯t have time to dawdle with you. If you don¡¯t take action, then we¡¯re going to leave, okay?"


    Saying that, Ling Chen signaled He Ziyun with his eyes, and the two of them, back to back, slowly moved towards the st-proof door.


    A man coldly said, "This door has been locked tight; I¡¯d like to see where you can run."


    "I..." Ling Chen was about to speak, but before he could finish, a sudden loud ¡¯boom¡¯ came from outside the st-proof door. Apanied by the roar, the door vibrated violently.


    What¡¯s going on?


    Ling Chen looked at the st-proof door in surprise, inwardly puzzled.


    Just as he was astonished, the st-proof door was hit again, exploding outward from the outside, with both iron doors deformed, revealing a narrow gap. Although it was tight, it was just wide enough for an adult to squeeze through.


    "Mr. He, let¡¯s go!"


    After a brief moment of shock, Ling Chen quickly reacted, urging loudly.


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s shout, He Ziyun hesitated no longer and quickly ran toward the st-proof door.


    Seeing the two ready to escape, a group of masters did not dare to hesitate any longer, and they all started moving, racing towards Ling Chen and He Ziyun, trying to intercept them.


    As the opponents closed in, Ling Chen quickly nced using his peripheral vision, and with a flick of his wrist, he fired a shot.


    Bang!


    A man who was at the forefront instantly fell into a pool of blood, hit directly between the eyebrows, with deadly precision and without any deviation.


    Looking at the body on the ground, the corners of Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curved up into a proud smile. Although he hadn¡¯t used a gun for a long time, his marksmanship had not regressed; on the contrary, it was even more precise than before, which might be due to his increased strength, making his reactions and vision sharper.


    In the future, as long as he carried two guns, which Dragon List expert would dare to mess with him?


    One shot, one kill.


    As he was thinking this, he heard He Ziyun¡¯s voice from behind: "Ling Chen,e quickly."


    Ling Chen shifted his gaze and saw He Ziyun had already crawled through the st-proof door. Without another word, he immediately followed. At this time, the group of masters stood hesitantly, not daring to act rashly. After witnessing Ling Chen¡¯s precise shooting, it would be a lie to say they were not afraid.


    Seizing the opportunity, Ling Chen quickly squeezed through the gap in the st-proof door.


    After leaving theboratory, Ling Chen then realized that besides He Ziyun, there were two unfamiliar men with them. Curiously he asked, "Who are you?"


    "Don¡¯t ask so much now; this is not a ce to stay for long, let¡¯s hurry up and go," one of the men urged.


    Ling Chen asked, "Do you have a way to escape?"


    "Just follow us."


    After speaking, the two men no longer lingered and quickly headed towards the outside of the base.


    "Worthless! A bunch of worthless trash!"


    In the control room, Louis saw the performance of that group of experts through the surveince footage and got infuriated. So many skilled fighters, yet scared stiff by a mere gun, failing to subdue even two people. He really wondered why the organization had spent so much to train these wastes.


    "Mr. Louis, what should we do now?"


    Hearing the staff¡¯s question, Louis took a deep breath, trying to suppress the anger in his heart, and said solemnly, "Send everyone out, no matter the cost, they must not be allowed to escape the base." After he finished, he paused, then coldly added: "Tell those wastes that the God Organization has no use for useless people, if they can¡¯t capture them, then they should go to die."


    "Yes!"


    At this moment, Ling Chen and He Ziyun, following the two men, marched rapidly through the corridors. Before long, the group of four arrived at the site where the railcar was parked.


    Walking along the way, Ling Chen noticed something odd ¨C no one wasing to stop them, as if they were allowed to leave freely.


    "The railcar has been shut down; we can only walk out." one of the men dered after checking the railcar.


    "Let¡¯s go."


    Looking at the pitch-ck tunnel, Ling Chen did not hesitate and took off running. Once through this tunnel, it would mean seeing daylight again.


    However, they hadn¡¯t run a third of the distance when they saw a heavy gate, weighing a thousand kilograms, drop in front of them, sealing the entire tunnel.


    When he first entered, Ling Chen had heard Louis mention that the tunnel was rigged with many traps, making it impossible for anyone to escape. This thousand-kilogram gate must be one of the contingency measures.


    Faced with the heavy gate, Ling Chen turned his gaze to the two unfamiliar men, hoping they had a solution. However, they just shook their heads, making a gesture of helplessness.


    Ling Chen felt somewhat helpless; he had thought these two guys could lead them out.


    Just as he was contemting, two people suddenly rushed from behind in the tunnel. Turning his head, Ling Chen¡¯s expression became peculiar. The two, a man, and a woman, were wearing masks as if afraid of being recognized.


    Moreover, the woman¡¯s eyes dodged upon seeing him, as if she dared not meet his gaze. Even when she approached, she remained behind the suited man, never revealing herself.


    Strange!


    Ling Chen thought to himself that at a nce, the woman felt oddly familiar. However, he wasn¡¯t sure if his feeling was real.


    It was probably the Prajnaparamita Sutra from therge building at work.


    "Are you all in this together?"


    The suited man who had caught up nodded and asked, "We¡¯ve dealt with most of the pursuers, and no one should catch up for now. What¡¯s your situation?"


    No wonder the path was so smooth; they had been helping.


    Ling Chen immediately understood. Pointing at the heavy gate, he said, "This gate has sealed the tunnel; we can¡¯t get through."


    Hearing this, the suited man walked up to the gate, touched it, and seemed to be checking its thickness.


    "This gate is very sturdy. It¡¯s unlikely to open with just human strength."


    "What do we do then?"


    Just as Ling Chen finished speaking, Louis¡¯s voice came through the loudspeakers on both sides of the wall: "Gentlemen, I advise you to stop wasting your efforts. Just surrender peacefully, and maybe I can spare your lives."

 Chapter 544: Episode 540: The Irked Ling Chen

    <h4>Chapter 544: Episode 540: The Irked Ling Chen</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen sighed inwardly, having spent so much effort and still unable to escape. The defenses of this base were too solid; there were no holes to exploit.


    Forget it!


    At this point, all he could do was a desperate attempt.


    Not just him, everyone else felt the same.


    At this moment, in the control room, Louis watched the people disyed on the surveince screen, a cold smile hooking at the corner of his mouth.


    "Send someone over now, arrest them all. Anyone who dares to resist, kill without mercy."


    "Yes!"


    A staff member responded and was about to ry Louis¡¯smand.


    But at that moment, Liu Xiyao, who had been standing to one side, suddenly charged at a security guard with his back turned to her. Before he could react, she snatched a pistol from his holster and aimed it at the people present.


    Seeing Liu Xiyao¡¯s actions, Louis coldly said, "Miss Liu, what are you doing? Put down your gun right now."


    "Sorry, Louis, I can¡¯t do that," Liu Xiyao said, then suddenly swung the gun around and pulled the trigger.


    Bang!


    The gunshot rang out, and the bullet went straight into the control room¡¯s server.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Several sessive shots hammered home, destroying the control room¡¯s mainframe and servers, sparks flying;puter screens instantly turned blue and lost all images.


    A staff member urgently said, "Mr. Louis, the system has crashed."


    Louis¡¯s face darkened as he red at the gun-wielding Liu Xiyao andmanded coldly, "Miss Liu, you¡¯d better put down your gun now, or don¡¯t me me for not being courteous."


    As he finished, Louis drew his pistol, aiming it at Liu Xiyao¡¯s forehead. If Liu Xiyao dared to shoot again, he would not hesitate to pull the trigger.


    Facing the dark muzzle, Liu Xiyao didn¡¯t resist and obediently dropped the pistol she held.


    "Take her away, lock her in a cell first, and wait for Mr. Lin toe back and deal with her."


    Escorted by two security guards, Liu Xiyao left the control room without a word. She had done what she could; whether Ling Chen and the others could escape was now up to their luck.


    Meanwhile, Ling Chen and the others trapped behind the thousand jin gate were prepared for a desperate fight. However, minutes passed without seeing anyone, and instead, the heavy gate behind them opened.


    Without time to think, the group immediately ran towards the outside.


    Until they reached the tunnel entrance, they encountered no danger; it seemed as though all the tunnel¡¯s devices had stopped.


    Regardless, it was at least good news for them.


    "The ne¡¯s over there; you guys go ahead, we¡¯ll cover the rear," the man in the suit said.


    Ling Chen nodded and quickly followed the other two men towards the small Boeing ne. Once on board, one man hurried to the cockpit and notified the pilot to prepare for takeoff.


    Taking advantage of this moment, Ling Chen sat by the window, watching the men and women covering their retreat. After dealing with more than a dozen pursuers, they finally boarded the ne. At the same time, the ne¡¯s speed surged, leaving the security personnel who rushed out of the tunnel far behind. As the ne¡¯s nose lifted, its body swiftly climbed, and soon the aircraft entered the clouds.


    Safe atst, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief, finally allowing himself to rx.


    However, the thought of Liu Xiyao, still trapped in the base, made it impossible for him to feel happy. He had promised to take her with him when leaving, but in the end, he hadn¡¯t kept his promise.


    Thinking of the events that had just transpired, Ling Chen suspected Liu Xiyao might have been involved. Otherwise, why would the thousand jin gate open without reason? Moreover, with so many heavy weapons set up outside the base, all of which failed to fire, it was evident someone was helping them from the shadows to escape.


    While mulling it over, Ling Chen looked at the two men sitting opposite him and asked, "What about those two, where did they go?"


    "Mr. Tang? He¡¯s resting inside."


    "Isn¡¯t it time you tell me your identity now?"


    "We are members of the Secret Society."


    "The Secret Society?" Ling Chen¡¯s expression darkened as he stood up abruptly, saying coldly, "Is it you guys? Good, I was just about to settle the score with you."


    "Mr. Ling, please calm down. It¡¯s not what you think it is."


    "Are you saying the Secret Society didn¡¯t betray me?"


    One of the men exined, "Mr. Ling, you might have misunderstood. We never thought of betraying you. The reason we did this was solely to coordinate with our n."


    "n? What n."


    "It¡¯s like this." The man spoke patiently, "We knew all along about the two secret bases of the God Organization, but since the bases¡¯ locations are highly confidential, we had no way of finding out. We came up with this n to use you as bait to discover the base¡¯s location. You and Little Hua; you¡¯re both part of the n."


    Hearing this, He Ziyun suddenly raised his head and asked word by word, "Little Hua was taken by you?"


    "Yes... We didn¡¯t tell you because we feared you might leak the information and alert the God Organization. Knowing Little Hua¡¯s importance to the God Organization, we used her to negotiate, to pique their interest. ording to the n we originally set, we intended to use Little Hua to trade for you. This way, your safety would be assured."


    "What about Little Hua?" Ling Chen frowned and asked, "ording to your n, are you going to hand Little Hua over to the God Organization?"


    "This..." The man hesitated for a moment before saying, "We had two approaches. We demanded to go to this secret base to carry out the trade. If the God Organization didn¡¯t agree, then we nned to hand over Little Hua as agreed upon and get you back. You¡¯re a former agent with rich experience. As long as you¡¯ve been to that secret base, you should be able to identify its approximate location, which helps us find it. As for Little Hua, the God Organization values her, so she won¡¯t be at risk for her life in the short term; we have plenty of opportunities to rescue her."


    "On the other hand, if the God Organization agreed to our demands, then there¡¯s no need to hand over Little Hua to them since we would already know the location of the secret base. If you hadn¡¯t caused such amotion in the base, we wouldn¡¯t have exposed ourselves so easily. ording to the n, after today¡¯s meeting, we would leave first, then notify the Secret Society¡¯s field agents to strike at the secret base, getting you all out."


    Ling Chen sneered, "You people of the Secret Society are really something, keeping us all in the dark."


    In a grave tone, the man said, "Mr. Ling, we did this to deal a heavy blow to the God Organization, we hope you can understand."


    "Sorry! I am ayman, I understand but I¡¯m not pleased. What do you think of me, that I can be used at your will?"


    "Mr. Ling, no, listen to me..."


    "Shut up!" Ling Chen interrupted coldly.

 Chapter 545 - 541 Petty

    <h4>Chapter 545: Chapter 541 Petty</h4><h4></h4>


    "After the nends, hand over Little Hua immediately. If anything happens to her, none of you will live."


    The man hurriedly said, "Mr. Ling, rest assured, I can guarantee that Little Hua is very well and has not been mistreated." He paused for a moment and then continued, "I know that our n was not thorough enough this time, and I hope you will not take it to heart."


    "I hate being used by others the most in my life. Your Secret Society has investigated my background, so you should understand my character. This is the first and thest time; if anything simr happens again, don¡¯t me me for being ruthless. Now, you two had better disappear from my sight, I don¡¯t want to see you again."


    The two men looked at each other, shook their heads helplessly, and had to get up and leave.


    In the resting room at the rear cabin of the airne, a middle-aged man and a girl wearing a mask were sitting on the sofa, chatting softly.


    When his two subordinates entered, the middle-aged man asked, "Did you make things clear to them?"


    "Mr. Ling, I did tell them, but... Ling Chen seemed very unhappy. He said he doesn¡¯t like being used. I¡¯m worried that this operation might cause him to reject the Secret Society."


    The girl spoke up, "That¡¯s just the way Ling Chen is. Once he knows our identitiester, I believe he won¡¯t mind what happened before."


    "Mr. Ling, why don¡¯t you tell him your identities directly?"


    The middle-aged man shook his head and said, "It¡¯s not time yet." With a slight smile, he continued, "Wouldn¡¯t have thought the kid had quite a personality. Well, let him have his way for now, after all, we were in the wrong this time. As soon as we arrive, take Little Hua to him, then send the three of them back to East Sea City."


    "Yes!"


    ...


    Waking up from sleep, Ling Chen rubbed his eyes and looked out the window to find the airne had already reached the airport and was descending.


    Once the ne stopped in the hangar, Ling Chen and He Ziyun disembarked, only to see a Cadic slowly driving up. When the car came to a halt, a man dressed in a suit and wearing sunsses jumped off from the passenger side and reached out to open the back door.


    Then, Little Hua jumped out of the back seat.


    "Little Hua!"


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up and he hurriedly waved and called out.


    "Big Brother!"


    Seeing Ling Chen and He Ziyun, Little Hua¡¯s face burst into joyful smiles as she bounced over and hugged Ling Chen¡¯s arm affectionately.


    He Ziyun couldn¡¯t helpughing and said, "You girl, do you even remember I¡¯m your master?"


    "Master," Little Hua sweetly said, "you can rest assured, I haven¡¯t forgotten you."


    Ling Chen habitually stroked Little Hua¡¯s little head and asked with a smile, "They didn¡¯t give you a hard time, did they?"


    Hearing this, Little Hua pouted, her face full of grievance, "They locked me in a dark room and didn¡¯t give me anything to eat. I¡¯ve been hungry for days."


    "Is that so?" Ling Chen¡¯s expression turned cold, and he turned to look at the two men who had juste down from the ne, his sharp eyes like a freshly unsheathed de, revealing its edge.


    Feeling the murderous gaze from Ling Chen, the two men felt a chill down their spines as if a cold breeze had swept over them.


    "What¡¯s the matter... Mr. Ling?"


    "How could you have the face to ask me?" Ling Chen hummed coldly and suddenly raised his fist, smashing it into the man¡¯s nose. Immediately, blood gushed crazily from the nostrils, and the nose bridge was broken.


    The man screamed in pain, holding his bleeding nose with both hands, tears about to flow out.


    "Mr. Ling, what are you...?" The other man looked at Ling Chen, terrified, and involuntarily stepped back, fearing he might be the next victim.


    Ling Chen coldlymanded, "Didn¡¯t you say Little Hua would be well taken care of? But what I¡¯m hearing from her seems quite different from what you told me."


    "This... Mr. Ling, I assure you there¡¯s no such thing, could there be some misunderstanding?"


    "I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s a misunderstanding. She¡¯s right here; you can ask her if you don¡¯t believe me." After saying this, Ling Chen looked at Little Hua and said, "Tell them what you¡¯ve experienced these past few days." After finishing, Ling Chen winked at Little Hua without leaving a trace.


    Smart as Little Hua was, how could she not understand Ling Chen¡¯s intention, and she immediately began toin, "They locked me in a dark room and didn¡¯t give me any food."


    Ling Chen stared coldly at the man and hummed lightly, "Did you hear that?"


    The man hastily exined, "Misunderstanding, Mr. Ling, it must be a misunderstanding, I... ow!" Before he could finish, Ling Chen had kicked him in the abdomen, knocking him to the ground. With intense pain, the man¡¯s face turned pale, and sweat beaded on his forehead.


    "Remember, I won¡¯t pursue it this time, but there won¡¯t be another. Let¡¯s go!"


    After saying this, Ling Chen, holding Little Hua¡¯s hand, walked out of the hangar with He Ziyun.


    When Ling Chen and the others were gone, the middle-aged man and the girl came down from the ne.


    Looking at the sorry state of his two subordinates, the middle-aged man chuckled bitterly and asked, "Are you guys alright?"


    "Mr. Ling, he is making things up. We never mistreated the girl," one manined.


    "I know," the middle-aged man said helplessly, "He just wanted to find an excuse to vent his dissatisfaction. This kid, he really holds a grudge over the smallest things. Forget it, don¡¯t take it too personally, I apologize to you on his behalf."


    "Please don¡¯t say that, sir; we¡¯re not worthy of such an apology from you."


    "Alright, you two go and rest for a bit. There¡¯s still important business to handleter."


    Once the two men left, the middle-aged man turned to the girl beside him and said, "You should manage him better in the future and correct this bad habit of his."


    "Master, it¡¯s not like he¡¯s without anyone to discipline him."


    "Apart from you, I doubt anyone else could handle him."


    ...


    At three o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Ling Chen and his party finally arrived at East Sea International Airport.


    After taking He Ziyun and Little Hua to Qingyun Martial Arts Hall, Ling Chen didn¡¯t stay long and went straight to the Old City in a car.


    Arriving at the courierpany, Ling Chen saw Hu Fei busy working in the office. Besides Hu Fei, Ling Chen was surprised to find that the office now included several young and pretty women, all in their early twenties, with sweet appearances and graceful figures ¨C if not top ss, they were certainly among the best.


    "Fatty, what¡¯s this about?" Ling Chen asked.


    Grinning from ear to ear, Hu Fei said, "Didn¡¯t you promise mest time to let me recruit some people? Here they are."


    Hearing this, if not for the presence of thedies, Ling Chen truly wanted to give him the middle finger. This damn guy actually used the money to bring in so many women, it was unclear whether it was for work or for pleasure.


    Muttering a few words, Ling Chen pulled out a hard drive from his pocket, ced it in front of Hu Fei, and said, "Help me decrypt this and see what kind of data is inside."

 Chapter 546 - 542: Blood Dripping Device

    <h4>Chapter 546: Chapter 542: Blood Dripping Device</h4><h4></h4>


    Hu Fei picked up the hard drive, examined it briefly, then connected it to theputer and said, "Ladies, time to get to work."


    As soon as the words were out, a beauty immediately brought a freshly brewed coffee to Hu Fei. Two other beauties stood behind him on either side, gently massaging his shoulders, and another beauty with freshly washed grapes crouched beside him, feeding him the seedless and peeled grapes from time to time.


    Witnessing this scene, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes widened.


    This fatso... damn, he¡¯s treating himself like an emperor. He¡¯d never enjoyed such treatment in all his years.


    At this moment, Hu Fei¡¯s fingers danced on the keyboard, typing rapidly. After a while, he shook his head and said, "No good!"


    "Why not?"


    "The data on this hard drive are encrypted with something special; it¡¯s going to be pretty tough to crack. How about this, why don¡¯t you leave the hard drive with me, and I¡¯ll try to break into it?"


    Ling Chen asked uneasily, "Are you sure you can handle it?"


    Hu Fei replied discontentedly, "Do you even know who I am? Special encryption is only a bit of a hassle, it¡¯s not easy to stump me. Give me seven or eight days, and I¡¯ll contact you once I have results."


    "Alright then." After saying that, Ling Chen changed the topic, "Oh, one more thing, help me find someone, Lin Guodong, in his fifties, with a square face and a southern ent when he speaks."


    Lin Guodong, the person in charge of the second experimental base; this personal information was provided by Liu Xiyao. Assuming no idents urred, this intel should be enough to find data rted to Lin Guodong.


    "Got it, you head back and wait for my message," said Hu Fei.


    Ling Chen had wanted to stay a bit longer, but seeing Hu Fei¡¯s enjoyment, he really felt like punching him a few times. However, recalling that he needed Hu Fei¡¯s help, he repressed the urge, deciding out of sight, out of mind, and left the office.


    By the time he left the courierpany, it was already past four in the afternoon.


    Having been out of touch for several days, Nanrong Wanqing must be worried sick. Ling Chen hailed a taxi by the roadside and headed straight for Wealthy Manor.


    Once home, Ling Chen entered and saw the empty living room, then he remembered¡ªit was Wednesday, and Nanrong Wanqing would definitely be at work. He should¡¯ve gone directly to Hongyu Group instead ofing home.


    ng!


    While he was thinking, Ling Chen suddenly heard a crisp noise from the rooftop, as if something heavy had fallen to the ground.


    Is there someone else in the house?


    That¡¯s right, it must be that girl Su Lin at home.


    With that thought, Ling Chen walked up the stairs, arrived at Su Lin¡¯s bedroom door, and knocked.


    "Who¡¯s there?" Su Lin¡¯s voice came from inside the room.


    "It¡¯s me."


    "Wait a moment!"


    After about half a minute, the door finally opened, and a blushing Su Lin peeked through the crack, looking at Ling Chen outside and asking, "What do you want?"


    "Nothing, I just heard some noise from your room, so I came to check. Hey, are you okay? Why is your face as red as a monkey¡¯s buttocks? You weren¡¯t..." Ling Chen halted there, choosing not to continue.


    He still vividly remembered the incident of Su Lin¡¯s online purchase ofrge bananas. The girl was alone at home, probably couldn¡¯t bear the loneliness, so... Ling Chen smirked mischievously to himself.


    Seeing the bad smile on Ling Chen¡¯s face, Su Lin¡¯s pretty face turned even redder. Knowing well what the scoundrel was thinking, she fought back the embarrassment and said irritably, "Don¡¯t let your imagination run wild."


    "Who¡¯s fantasizing? We¡¯re all adults here; I can understand. Uh... you carry on, I won¡¯t disturb you," said Ling Chen as he turned around, ready to leave.


    "Stop right there!" Su Lin hastily called out to Ling Chen. She definitely didn¡¯t want Ling Chen¡¯s assumptions to cause any misunderstandings and damage her dylike¡¯ image.


    "What¡¯s up, is there something else?"


    "You..." Su Lin hesitated for a moment and then said, "Come in first."


    Into the room?


    Ling Chen was slightly stunned and asked cautiously, "Is it... appropriate for me to enter now?"


    Su Lin grew anxious and said angrily, "Ling Chen, if you... if you keep talking nonsense, do you believe I¡¯ll goin to Wanqing about you?"


    "Alright alright! I¡¯ming in, isn¡¯t that enough?" Ling Chen, speechless, had to follow Su Lin into the bedroom.


    Once inside the room, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze was immediately drawn to something on the floor.


    This is...


    Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed slightly, and he looked at Su Lin in surprise, asking, "Is this real or fake?"


    "It should... probably be real," Su Lin nced at the object, a hint of fear in her eyes.


    Seeing the reluctance on Su Lin¡¯s face, Ling Chen said helplessly, "You study archaeology; it¡¯s just a skull, is there a need to be so scared?"


    Saying this, Ling Chen picked up the skull that had fallen on the floor, and examined it closely in front of him.


    And sure enough, the skull was not only real but also seemed rather old.


    "Where did you find this thing?"


    "I was bored today, so I went to an auction. I saw an ancient weapon and thought it looked cool. Plus, it was cheap, so I simply bought it, nning to make it a collectible. Who knew... who would have guessed that a skull would suddenly fall out from it."


    "And why was your face all red when you opened the door?" Ling Chen asked curiously. Anyone who saw her like that just now would probably have the wrong idea.


    Su Lin pointed to some food on the table and exined, "When I left the house, I bought some southern specialties, not knowing they would be so spicy." Saying this, she red at Ling Chen with annoyance and chided, "You think everyone¡¯s mind is as dirty as yours, always thinking about unhealthy things."


    Ling Chen gave a small cough to cover his embarrassment and quickly changed the subject, "Uh... let¡¯s not talk about that. By the way, what weapon did you buy?"


    "There! In the box," Su Lin said, pointing to the cardboard box by the bed.


    Ling Chen walked over to the bed, lifted the lid off the box, and saw something that resembled the shape of antern, with several sharp des attached to the bottom, forming a lotus-like shape¡ªquite cool-looking.


    This is...


    Looking at the weapon in front of him, Ling Chen¡¯s mind stirred, and immediately a name came to him.


    The Blood Dripping Device!


    The legendary weapon specifically designed for beheading.


    No wonder there was a skull hidden inside; probably only the Blood Dripping Device could have done this.


    As he pondered, Ling Chen lifted the Blood Dripping Device out of the box and then carefully ced it on the table.


    The bottom of the Blood Dripping Device should have been sealed by the des, but Su Lin had triggered the mechanism, causing all the des toe apart, which led to the centuries-old skull falling out.

 Chapter 547 - 543 Strong Army Plan

    <h4>Chapter 547: Chapter 543 Strong Army n</h4><h4></h4>


    However, Ling Chen found it strange that since the Blood Dripping Device had be an auction item, it should have been inspected. Why did no one discover the skull inside? Could it be that the device¡¯s mechanism went unnoticed?


    After thinking for a while, Ling Chen cast aside the distracting thoughts in his mind and decided not to dwell on it any further. Some things are just like that, hard to figure out what exactly happened in between.


    Putting the skull aside, Ling Chen picked up the Blood Dripping Device and began to study it seriously. This was an ancient hidden weapon, and as far as he knew, very few of the Blood Dripping Devices that existed today were well-preserved.


    The Blood Dripping Device in front of him, both in terms of exterior appearance and internal structure, waspletely intact without a single crack, and could almost be described as perfect.


    "Eh! You just said this thing wasn¡¯t expensive, how much did you pay for it?"


    "Over seven hundred thousand. Someone bid over two hundred thousand, but I couldn¡¯t be bothered to haggle, so I just added five hundred thousand."


    Tsk tsk!


    Rich people are really different, so capricious.


    "What do you n to do with this thing, keep it at home as a collectible?"


    "I don¡¯t know, if you like it, I¡¯ll just give it to you." Perhaps because the skull had fallen out of it, Su Lin was less interested in it, even feeling a bit disgusted, and couldn¡¯t wait to get rid of it by handing it over to Ling Chen.


    "Alright, since you¡¯re so generous, I won¡¯t be polite." Ling Chen didn¡¯t refuse, packing the Blood Dripping Device into a cardboard box and also took the skull with him. From Su Lin¡¯s expression, it was clear she definitely wouldn¡¯t keep the skull in her room as an ornament.


    Back in his room, Ling Chen stuffed the skull into a cab and then started ying with the Blood Dripping Device.


    He had only seen this kind of hidden weapon on television before and was not very familiar with it, nor did he know how to operate it. After several attempts, he was unable to deploy the Blood Dripping Device. Its operation was difficult, and without extensive practice, it was hard to control its direction and force.


    Forget it! He would study it more when he had time in the future.


    By six o¡¯clock, apanied by Zhong Wei and others, Nanrong Wanqing finally returned.


    Having disappeared for several days without any news, Ling Chen naturally had to find an excuse. Fortunately, Nanrong Wanqing was quite familiar with his background, so she didn¡¯t ask too much, only reminded him to be careful outside and not to get into trouble.


    After dinner, Ling Chen sat with Nanrong Wanqing on the living room sofa, talked about love, expressed feelings, and also took some small advantages, which made Ling Chen quite happy.


    However, despite taking advantages, Ling Chen did not dare to be too presumptuous. It wasn¡¯t that Nanrong Wanqing was unwilling, but Ling Chen was afraid he couldn¡¯t control himself.


    Around ten o¡¯clock, Nanrong Wanqing, who had been at work all day, felt sleepy and directly cuddled into Ling Chen¡¯s arms and fell asleep.


    Looking at Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s delicate face and her skin pale as snow, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but lean in closer, inhaling her faint body fragrance and gently kissed her cheek.


    When Nanrong Wanqing was fast asleep, Ling Chen took her to the bedroom on the second floor, then returned to his own room, ready to have a good night¡¯s sleep.


    However, not long after hey down and was about to drift off, Ling Chen was awakened by the urgent ringing of his cellphone.


    Picking up the phone, Ling Chen nced at the caller ID and immediately answered, asking, "Fatty, calling me sote, could it be that you¡¯ve got some news?"


    "No news, I¡¯m calling to remind you, you¡¯re in big trouble."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen sat upright on his bed and asked, "What trouble?"


    "I¡¯ve just received intelligence that there have been a lot of suspicious people at East Sea City¡¯s airport and train stations. Additionally, an old acquaintance of yours has also arrived in East Sea City."


    "Old acquaintance? Who?"


    "Yi Shuiyan."


    "Is it him?" Ling Chen was startled and asked, "Do you know the purpose of his visit to East Sea City?"


    "You wouldn¡¯t guess it, just over ten minutes ago, Yi Shuiyan met with those suspicious people I mentioned, and that¡¯s why I¡¯m calling to remind you to be careful."


    "Besides this, is there any more specific intelligence?"


    "Those people are likely members of the God Organization. I¡¯ve just checked, and some of them are individuals who disappeared over a decade ago, with experiences matching those of Jiang Xinwu and others. Hey, I wonder if they could being for you?"


    "I¡¯m afraid so."


    Louis knew that he had taken the hard drive from theb, and if the information on it was especially important, the God Organization would definitely do everything possible to retrieve it.


    However, for Yi Shuiyan to be interacting with those people, could it be... Yi Shuiyan has also joined the God Organization? Since Yi Shuiyan is a disciple of the Dangyang Sect, if he has joined, perhaps the Dangyang Sect is also involved.


    If it was before, Ling Chen might not have considered this possibility. But, with the precedent set by the Han Family, Ling Chen thinks this kind of thing is very likely.


    With less than a month until the New Year, he had hoped for a peaceful celebration, but now it seemed this year might not be so quiet.


    "Fatty, keep an eye on those people, especially Yi Shuiyan. I need to know his every move."


    "You don¡¯t need to tell me; I¡¯ve already instructed my people to do so."


    Hanging up the phone, Ling Chen sighed and once againid back down to sleep.


    ...


    The next day.


    Ling Chen drove Nanrong Wanqing to herpany, then hurried to the West District of East Sea City.


    Upon reaching his destination, he parked the car by the roadside and walked alone into a nearby office building.


    Reaching the thirteenth floor of the office building, as soon as he stepped out of the elevator, he saw ¡¯Dongming Security Company¡¯ in golden letters, with an emblem representing thepany next to it.


    Seeing Ling Chen appear at thepany entrance, a receptionist immediately approached him with a gentle smile on her delicate face, asking, "Hello, sir, how may I help you?"


    "I¡¯m here to see Kai... oh no, I mean President Jiang. Tell him Ling Chen is here to see him for business."


    "Yes, Mr. Ling."


    After the receptionist hung up the phone, shortly after, Jiang Yunkai appeared at the entrance. Before approaching, he began to wave and greet.


    "What brings you here today?"


    "I came to discuss something with you."


    "Come, let¡¯s talk in my office."


    Once in the office, Jiang Yunkai handed Ling Chen a cup of freshly brewed tea and asked, "So, what¡¯s up?"


    "How many staff do the three securitypanies currently have?"


    "Over five hundred in total, but only fifty can be considered elite; the rest are just average. Why, do you need manpower?"


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "I might face some trouble soon, although I can ask others for help, I prefer to rely on my own strength rather than depend on outsiders. I still have a long road ahead, and I can¡¯t always depend on outsiders for help."


    "That makes sense. What¡¯s your n?"


    "I¡¯ve already got the people, what Ick now is equipment. No matter how inexperienced the person, as long as they¡¯re well-equipped, they can form a significant force. What do you think?"

 Chapter 548 - 544 Difficult Trade (1)

    <h4>Chapter 548: Chapter 544 Difficult Trade (1)</h4><h4></h4>


    "You are right about that, but the problem is, if we were to equip them with firearms, it would vite the country¡¯sws. You know full well that the country has very strict gun control, and there are no loopholes for you to exploit."


    "I am aware of that." Ling Chen gave a slight smile and said, "The weapons and equipment I¡¯m referring to are not firearms. We live in an era of advanced technology, our options are not limited to guns; there are many alternatives."


    Jiang Yunkai asked, "What do you suggest, then?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s lips curved upwards, his face bearing a hint of a mysterious smile as he spoke deliberately, "Exoskeleton armor."


    "Exoskeleton armor?" Jiang Yunkai replied, full of curiosity, "What is that?"


    "It¡¯s thetest cutting-edge technology which allows the wearer to multiply their abilities several times over in a short period. However, since the exoskeleton armor is ssified as a secret project by the state, we need to ensure the loyalty of our subordinates, which is the most important point. All members of the three securitypanies were handpicked and nurtured by you; you should know best in this regard."


    Jiang Yunkai nodded and said, "That shouldn¡¯t be a problem, I know who can be trusted."


    "That is for the best. Determine the personnel as soon as possible, then submit me a list."


    "Alright."


    After finalizing the n with Jiang Yunkai, Ling Chen did not stay long and left the securitypany on his own.


    Exoskeleton armor was a recent idea that Ling Chen hade up with. The intelligencework in East Sea City had been fully established, but intelligence alone was not enough; what he needed most at the moment was manpower. He had considered recruiting some experts, but given his circumstances, he doubted many would be willing to serve him. Thus, after much thought, Ling Chen settled on that exoskeleton armor.


    He had personally experienced the power of the exoskeleton armor. If he could use it to build a team, they would be more than capable of handling crises, and he himself would have an easier time.


    Although the technology for the exoskeleton armor was traded to the military, Nanrong Wanqing still retained the core technology of the exoskeleton armor. As long as they kept a low profile, he believed the military would not discover it. Besides, with the old General secretly looking out for him, there should not be any problem.


    On the way back, Ling Chen suddenly received a call from Tang Yuan.


    "Hello! Old Tang, how are things progressing on your end?"


    "Let¡¯s not even talk about it. By the time we got there, that base had been destroyed, not a soul was found, not even bodies. Someone must have been there before us."


    "Really?" Ling Chen was taken aback. The only people who knew about that secret base were he and the members of the Secret Society. If someone had gotten there ahead of them, it had to be the Secret Society.


    "You didn¡¯t find anything?" Ling Chen asked with reluctance.


    "Nothing. All indications are that the people from the base had evacuated a while back, even the equipment was gone."


    "Forget it! They probably knew their location had been exposed, so they left early. I¡¯ll let you know if there¡¯s newster. Oh, and one more thing, do you have any leads on Lin Guodong?"


    "Nothing so far. We¡¯ve searched the national archives, and there are many people named Lin Guodong, but their identities are all clean, without suspicion. I¡¯m beginning to wonder if Lin Guodong is a made-up name, it might not be his real name."


    "Maybe. Ok, let¡¯s not talk about that now, we¡¯ll be in touchter."


    After hanging up, Ling Chen drove his car, intending to go to the Old City to see Hu Fei and ask about Yi Shuiyan and others.


    But as he was driving, before he had entered the Old City area, Hu Fei called.


    "Ling Chen, where are you?" Hu Fei¡¯s voice had a tinge of urgency.


    "I was just about toe to you, what¡¯s up?"


    "You better hurry back to Hongyu Group, I just got word that those people are on their way there by car."


    Hongyu Group?


    Ling Chen was startled. What were they doing at Hongyu Group? Could it be they were looking for him?


    In a sh of insight, Ling Chen changed direction without another thought, speeding towards Hongyu Group.


    On the way, Ling Chen called Zhong Wei and ordered him to immediately gather a team to protect Nanrong Wanqing. He made his way as fast as he could, and a little over ten minutester, Ling Chen finally arrived at the Hongyu Group headquarters.


    Upon entering the elevator, Ling Chen held his phone and asked, "Fatty, where are those people now?"


    "Five minutes ago, they entered the underground parking lot but haven¡¯t been seen since. They¡¯re probably already in the building."


    "How many?"


    "Five. Have your security department connect their surveince system to thework, so I can remotely control the surveince throughout the entire building."


    "Got it, keep in touch, and inform me immediately if you spot them."


    In the midst of their conversation, Ling Chen took the elevator up to the top floor of Hongyu Group.


    Pushing open the door to the Chairman¡¯s office, he saw Captain Zhong and Liang Zhao Hui inside. After confirming Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s safety, Ling Chen secretly breathed a sigh of relief. However, the infiltrators who had entered the building had not been found yet, and the crisis was still at hand, allowing no room forcency.


    "What¡¯s going on, Ling Chen?" Nanrong Wanqing asked.


    "I received intel that there are several criminals inside the building, their purpose is not clear yet. For safety¡¯s sake, have all the staff in the building evacuated immediately."


    Nanrong Wanqing did not doubt Ling Chen¡¯s words and, without a second thought, immediately picked up the inte phone, instructing her secretary Wang Lan to ry the order.


    "Captain Zhong, have the vehicles ready to take the Chairman back first."


    "Understood."


    "Aren¡¯t youing back with us?"


    Looking into Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s eyes, which shone like brilliant stars, Ling Chen smiled faintly and said, "I¡¯ll return after handling the situation."


    "Alright then." Nanrong Wanqing advised him with concern, "Be careful yourself."


    Watching the convoy leave the parking lot through the ss windows, Ling Chen went directly to the security office, watching Wei Jun who was busy and asked, "Wei, have all thepany¡¯s employees left?"


    "Everyone¡¯s gone; I¡¯m arranging for the floor check to ensure no one is left behind."


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "After you finish checking, you should head home as well."


    "We¡¯re not standing guard?"


    "No need. The Chairman said all staff have the day off today."


    Wei Jun grinned and said, "That¡¯s good news. It¡¯s almost Chinese New Year; I can finally go out and buy some new year¡¯s goods for the house."


    Half an hourter, the entire building had been checked; Wei Jun said goodbye to Ling Chen and left for home.


    Once all the members of the security department were gone, Ling Chen was left alone to lock down the entire building.


    "Hello! Fatty, have you found those people?" Ling Chen called Hu Fei.


    "Wait a moment; I¡¯m still searching. There were so many employees leaving just now; I¡¯m not sure if those few people could have blended in with the crowd."

 Chapter 549 - 545 Difficult Trade (2)

    <h4>Chapter 549: Chapter 545 Difficult Trade (2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "You needn¡¯t worry about that; they¡¯re certainly still in this building," Ling Chen said.


    Before the employees left, they all swiped their cards, and there were security department members assisting in the inspection; if any strangers appeared, they would have known.


    "I couldn¡¯t find their whereabouts in the surveince, I guess they¡¯re hiding somewhere."


    "We need to find a way to force them out."


    Ling Chen pondered for a moment before turning back to the security room, picking up the walkie-talkie, and connecting to the building¡¯s PA system.


    "Now it¡¯s just you and me. Do you not even have the courage to face me?"


    For a moment, Ling Chen¡¯s voice echoed throughout the entire building.


    "I¡¯ll be waiting for you in the lobby on the first floor. I hope you won¡¯t make me wait too long." After speaking, Ling Chen put down the walkie-talkie and walked into the lobby.


    After waiting a few minutes, suddenly footsteps came from the security staircase of the lobby. Ling Chen turned to look, just as the door was pushed open by a hand. Following that, a young man in casual clothing and ordinary appearance walked out alone.


    Looking at the young man approaching, Ling Chen slightly raised the corner of his mouth and said with a faint smile, "You finally decided to show up. Where are the others?"


    "Just me is enough," the young man spoke, "Our target this time isn¡¯t you, so we have no interest in fighting you."


    "Not me?" Ling Chen narrowed his eyes and asked, "Then who is your target?"


    "Ling Chen, you¡¯re a smart man. Some things I don¡¯t need to spell out; I trust you can guess," the young man said, then his tone shifted yfully, "I heard Nanrong Wanqing is your girlfriend?"


    "Is there a problem?"


    "It¡¯s not that there¡¯s a problem, just that... I quite envy you."


    "Envious that I found a rich and beautiful girlfriend?"


    "No!" the young man said, "I just envy your luck with women. Ling Chen, you haven¡¯t forgotten about Liu Xiyao, have you? Unfortunately, you¡¯re safe now, but her fate is not as good as yours."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze hardened as he said in a deep voice, "What have you done to her?"


    "When in the base, Liu Xiyao betrayed Mr. Lin and let you escape; what do you think her treatment would be? You should know, the God Organization never shows mercy to traitors. I heard Mr. Lin has locked her up in a cell, nning to let his men enjoy her as a treat. Tsk tsk! Such a top-quality beauty, one would be willing to die ten years early for a taste. Don¡¯t you think so, Ling Chen?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s expression turned icy as he pressed, "Where is she now?"


    With a coldugh, the young man said, "Why should I tell you? How about this? Hand over Nanrong Wanqing, and I¡¯ll immediately have someone bring Liu Xiyao to you, unharmed. What do you say?"


    "Don¡¯t even think about it," Ling Chen tly refused the offer.


    "If that¡¯s the case, then we have nothing further to discuss," the young man said, pulling out his mobile phone from his pocket and pointing the screen at Ling Chen. Suddenly, Liu Xiyao appeared on the screen, dressed simply with what appeared to be whip marks all over her body, covered in numerous scars, looking pitifully heart-wrenching.


    At that moment, apart from Liu Xiyao, two muscr men with bare upper bodies also appeared in the video.


    Seeing the two men approaching, a look of fear immediately covered Liu Xiyao¡¯s face as she continuously stepped backwards, her back pressed against the wall as she said in a panicked voice, "What... what do you want to do?"


    "Miss Liu, don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t do anything, justing over to have some fun with you," a man chuckled sinisterly.


    "No... don¡¯t!" Liu Xiyao shook her head, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears, pleading desperately, "Please, I beg you, let me go."


    "Sorry, Miss Liu, your words are useless to us, unless Mr. Lin is willing to let you go."


    Watching the two men closing in, ignoring Liu Xiyao¡¯s resistance as they grabbed her arms and forcefully pushed her to the ground, Ling Chen¡¯s rage boiled over as he roared, "Stop! Tell them to stop!"


    "Ah! How pitiful." The young man feigned sadness and sighed, "Miss Liu is risking her own safety to save you, but you do nothing to help. If she finds out, who knows if she will regret her initial decision."


    "Shut up!" Ling Chen¡¯s face was livid as he said, "Let her go, I can agree to anything except handing over Wanqing."


    "Nanrong Wanqing is the only condition, if you can¡¯t ept that, then we have nothing to discuss."


    Hearing Liu Xiyao¡¯s screams emanating from the phone, Ling Chen clenched his fists, veins throbbing on his forehead in anger, wishing he could kill the other party. Taking a deep breath, he struggled to control his fury and after a moment of contemtion, he finally made up his mind.


    "Fine, I agree to your terms, just get those people to stop now."


    "Haha!" The young manughed triumphantly, "Ling Chen, it seems you do have a conscience. Here¡¯s the deal, tomorrow night, I¡¯ll call you with the location, bring Nanrong Wanqing along, remember, just the two of you. If I find out you¡¯ve been tampering secretly, don¡¯t me me for being ruthless."


    "Let¡¯s go!" As the young man¡¯s words fell, four people sessively exited through the emergency passage.


    Watching them disappear from sight, Ling Chen frowned in puzzlement, somewhat perplexed. He originally thought that the God Organization sent these people to snatch the hard drive, but it now seemed that was not the case.


    He couldn¡¯t understand, was the God Organization not worried about the contents of the hard drive being leaked?


    And also, why did they kidnap Nanrong Wanqing? Could it be for... At this thought, something clicked in Ling Chen¡¯s mind, realizing the crucial point.


    Previously, Mr. Yun, who is Nanrong Yuan, had told him that Nanrong Wanqing was key. ording to him, Nanrong Yuan had developed a new technology that the God Organization feared, hence they were determined to eliminate him at any cost.


    Ling Chen had been specting, could the tip from Nanrong Yuan mean that his new technology was rted to Nanrong Wanqing?


    Now that the God Organization had decided to take action against Nanrong Wanqing, they must have grasped certain intelligence. Or perhaps, they already knew that Nanrong Wanqing was Mr. Yun¡¯s daughter.


    After pondering for a while, Ling Chen set aside these misceneous thoughts. For him, the most important thing now was to rescue Liu Xiyao. Given that Liu Xiyao was captured because of him, he couldn¡¯t stand idly by.


    Returning to Wealthy Manor, when Nanrong Wanqing saw Ling Chen entering, she stood up and walked over, asking, "Is everything alright with thepany?"


    Ling Chen managed a smile, "You can rest assured about my handling."


    Noticing Ling Chen¡¯s preupied appearance, the perceptive Nanrong Wanqing asked with concern, "What¡¯s wrong, are you troubled by something?"


    "There¡¯s nothing, maybe just too tired, I¡¯m going to take a shower first." After speaking, Ling Chen went into the bedroom alone.


    Closing the door, Ling Chen leaned against it. Thinking about the transaction the next night, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to feel happy.

 Chapter 550 - 546 Difficult Trade (3)

    <h4>Chapter 550: Chapter 546 Difficult Trade (3)</h4><h4></h4>


    The next day.


    Everything at Hongyu Group had returned to normal, with employees going about their business as usual. However, today, Nanrong Wanqing was the only one absent, iming illness and resting at home.


    In the evening.


    Ling Chen, who had been staying at home the entire time, finally received a phone call.


    "Okay, I got it, I¡¯ll be there on time."


    After hanging up, Ling Chen nced at Nanrong Wanqing beside him and asked, "Are you ready?"


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded gently, but her beautiful eyes couldn¡¯t hide the color of nervousness. Holding the corner of her dress, she asked, "What do I need to do when the timees?"


    Ling Chenforted her, "You don¡¯t have to do anything. Just peacefully stay by my side. Don¡¯t worry, with me protecting you, nothing will happen to you."


    Once Nanrong Wanqing was ready, Ling Chen took her and left the Nanrong Family home, driving out of Wealthy Manor together.


    They drove for over forty minutes until Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing arrived in the North City District of East Sea City. North City District was a development area still in progress in East Sea City, where many ces still retained their look from decades ago. Compared to other districts, the prosperity level of North City District was somewhat behind.


    By now, it was already past seven o¡¯clock.


    Ling Chen checked the time; there were about twenty minutes left until the agreed upon moment. At this time, his phone rang again, still from the same young man.


    After a few words of conversation, Ling Chen hung up the phone, looking somewhat displeased. Nanrong Wanqing, who was sitting in the passenger seat, asked, "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "They¡¯ve changed the location."


    "Where?"


    "Old City."


    In the blink of an eye, more than two hours had passed. Each time Ling Chen arrived at the agreed location, the other party would change the meeting address, causing Ling Chen to run around tirelessly.


    After switching locations three or four times, Ling Chen was starting to get impatient. He knew very well that the other party was doing this only to confirm if anyone was following them.


    When the other party made another call, before the man could speak, Ling Chen said, "Friend, my time is valuable. If you keep ying this game, I won¡¯t apany you any longer."


    "Don¡¯t be hasty, we¡¯ll be right across from you soon."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen immediately saw a car not far ahead blink its high beams. Then, putting away his phone, he turned to Nanrong Wanqing and instructed, "Later, you don¡¯t have to say anything, just do as I tell you."


    "I understand." Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face was taut. Though she had Ling Chen by her side, she couldn¡¯t control the nervousness inside her heart.


    After getting out of the car, Ling Chen walked straight towards a Chevrolet off-road vehicle. Meanwhile, a person also got out of the car across from them; it was the young man they had seen yesterday at Hongyu Group.


    "Did you bring the person?"


    Ling Chen pointed to the Audi parked behind him and said, "She¡¯s in the car."


    "Good." The young man smiled and said, "I suppose you won¡¯t mind if I verify her identity."


    "Of course not. But have you forgotten something?"


    "You¡¯re referring to Miss Liu? Don¡¯t worry. After I receive Miss Nanrong, someone will naturally bring her to us."


    Ling Chen nodded, then turned and gestured to Nanrong Wanqing in the passenger seat. Soon, Nanrong Wanqing got out of the car and stood close beside Ling Chen.


    The young man looked over Nanrong Wanqing, his smile faint as he said, "Miss Nanrong, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Liu Wei. If there are any offenses in a while, please don¡¯t take it to heart."


    Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s brow was slightly furrowed as she asked, "What are you trying to do?"


    "Nothing much, just verifying Miss Nanrong¡¯s identity. I wouldn¡¯t want any issuester on, getting scolded by the higher-ups." With that, Liu Wei waved his hand toward the Chevrolet off-road vehicle.


    Shortly after, a woman in her forties came over. At Liu Wei¡¯s signal, she approached Nanrong Wanqing and started inspecting her body closely, inevitably touching some sensitive areas.


    Even though the other party was a woman, Nanrong Wanqing still felt ufortable with her cheeks blushing slightly as she looked at Ling Chen and asked, "Didn¡¯t you say you were taking me out to meet someone, what are they doing?"


    Hearing this, Liu Wei asked with interest, "What, Ling Chen didn¡¯t tell you?"


    "Enough!" Ling Chen sharply ordered, "No need for you to prattle."


    Liu Wei spread his hands and simply stopped talking. After a moment, the middle-aged woman finished her inspection and nodded to Liu Wei to indicate there were no problems.


    "You¡¯ve confirmed her identity, now it¡¯s your turn." Finishing his words, Ling Chen turned his head to Nanrong Wanqing and said, "You go back to the car first."


    "I..."


    Nanrong Wanqing wanted to speak but was interrupted by Ling Chen.


    "Listen to me, don¡¯t ask so much, I¡¯ll exinter."


    Once Nanrong Wanqing returned to the car, Liu Wei said with augh, "Ling Chen, I really admire you. For another woman, you¡¯ve delivered your own. She seems to be unaware of the deal between you and me."


    "That¡¯s none of your concern. Where is she?"


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m a man of my word, without fail."


    As he spoke, three people alighted from the Chevrolet off-road vehicle, one of whom was Liu Xiyao. Under the watch of two men, Liu Xiyao hobbled over, her legs appearing to be injured. Her fair face bore several fresh wounds.


    "The person you wanted is here, shall we make the exchange?"


    Seeing Liu Xiyao and confirming her identity, Ling Chen stepped aside, allowing the two men to pass by him and head towards the Audi car.


    After opening the door, the two men showed no sign of tenderness or mercy as they pulled Nanrong Wanqing out of the car. Ignoring her resistance, one of the men pulled out a syringe from his pocket and plunged the needle into Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s arm.


    In an instant, the struggling Nanrong Wanqing quickly calmed down, and as if losing all strength, she was dragged back to the off-road vehicle by the two men.


    "Alright, the deal is done; we should leave too. Ling Chen, Mr. Lin asked me to convey a message to you, as long as you don¡¯t oppose the God Organization in the future, we won¡¯t bother you. Conversely, if you¡¯re willing, we¡¯d very much like to be friends. Mr. Lin values a talent like you highly."


    Ling Chen replied indifferently, "Being friends is unnecessary, I can¡¯t afford to be involved. I just hope that you won¡¯t appear before me again." After speaking, Ling Chen supported Liu Xiyao, walking back step by step to the Audi car.


    Once in the car, Ling Chen immediately started the engine and drove away from the scene.


    Watching the Audi car drive away, Liu Wei sneered and then headed back to the off-road vehicle.


    "Head to the airport, call Mr. Lin and tell him that everything is progressing well. Also, inform the people at theb to get ready, we¡¯ll bring the person over in two hours."


    "Yes."

 Chapter 551 - 547: Capturing Liu Wei

    <h4>Chapter 551: Chapter 547: Capturing Liu Wei</h4><h4></h4>


    In the Audi, Liu Xiyao, sitting in the passenger seat, looked at the focused Ling Chen driving, hesitated to speak several times, but ultimately could not get the words out.


    "Just say what you want to say," Ling Chen finally spoke.


    Liu Xiyao opened her mouth, a look of disbelief on her face, "You... Did you really exchange me with Nanrong Wanqing?"


    Seeing her incredulous expression, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, "You are sitting right here, isn¡¯t it obvious?"


    "No, I mean..."


    Before Liu Xiyao could finish, Ling Chen interrupted her question, "Do you think I would carelessly hand over my own woman?"


    "Then who was the woman you took just now?"


    "She is the genuine Wanqing."


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s answer, Liu Xiyao was immediately perplexed,pletely failing to grasp what Ling Chen meant.


    Noticing her puzzled face, Ling Chen turned around and said towards the back seat, "Wanqing, no need to hide anymore,e out."


    As his words fell, the back seat lifted from above. Soon after, Nanrong Wanqing emerged from beneath the seat with a smile on her face.


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing suddenly appear, Liu Xiyao was dumbstruck and took quite a while to gather her wits.


    "You... Howe you¡¯re here, weren¡¯t you..."


    Nanrong Wanqing spoke with a smile, "I¡¯ve been in the car all the time."


    Liu Xiyao was entirely baffled, her mind seemed to short-circuit, astonishingly puzzled about what had just happened.


    Ling Chen exined, "Actually, there¡¯s nothing surprising, the person who initially underwent the inspection was indeed Wanqing herself, however, I arranged another person in the car. After Wanqing returned to the car, the two of them secretly swapped identities, and that Liu Wei had no clue at all."


    "Then who did they take away?"


    "A friend," Ling Chen replied. In fact, the person impersonating Nanrong Wanqing wasn¡¯t just anyone, it was Bai Huanjun. Bai Huanjun was an expert in Disguise Skills, and he had experience pretending to be Nanrong Wanqing before, making him the most suitable candidate.


    After driving for several kilometers, Ling Chen pulled the Audi off to the side of the road. Shortly after, a Range Rover slowly approached and stopped beside the Audi.


    "You go back first, I¡¯lle to find you after I¡¯ve settled things."


    "Be careful on your own," Nanrong Wanqing cautioned, worried.


    Ling Chen gave a slight smile and gave Nanrong Wanqing a reassuring look, indicating her not to worry.


    Liu Xiyao had been rescued, but Bai Huanjun was still in the hands of the enemy. He couldn¡¯t just ignore Bai Huanjun¡¯s safety, that would be too disloyal.


    Watching Nanrong Wanqing and Liu Xiyao get into the Range Rover, Ling Chen gave a hand gesture to Zhong Wei in the driver¡¯s seat, then turned around and drove onto the road.


    While driving, Ling Chen connected his phone to the car¡¯s Bluetooth and called Hu Fei.


    "Hello!"


    "Fatty, have you locked onto the target?"


    On the other end of the phone, Hu Feiughed proudly, "Rest assured, you doubt my work? I¡¯ve had someone on their tail all along. Those guys are very cunning, constantly changingnes out of fear of being followed. Hmph! As if these little tricks could fool me, thinking I¡¯ve been idle all these years. They surely won¡¯t expect that the dozen or so taxis behind them are our people. No matter how they change their route, they won¡¯t escape from my sight."


    "That¡¯s enough! Stop boasting, and just intercept them quickly."


    "Just a small matter; just you wait and see."


    After hanging up the call, Ling Chen immediately headed towards Bai Huanjun¡¯s location, following the information provided by Hu Fei.


    ...


    Meanwhile, inside the swiftly moving Chevrolet SUV, Liu Wei kept ncing at the rearview mirror, searching for any suspicious targets.


    However, aside from a few taxis that were constantly changing, there was no other vehicle tracking them. It was quite normal to have a high number of taxis as they were on the road to the airport.


    Assured that no one was following them, Liu Wei finally rxed, leaned against the passenger seatfortably, and closed his eyes to rest.


    Bang!


    But just at that moment, a loud crash suddenly came from the front, instantly awakening everyone inside the car.


    "What happened?" Liu Wei violently opened his eyes and looked through the window at the front.


    "It¡¯s a car ident," the driver said.


    Liu Wei slightly furrowed his brows, only to see a series of taxi cabs involved in a pile-up, blocking the entire road about twenty meters ahead. Cars could not pass at all. Moreover, all the cars were blocked by the taxis from behind, there was no way to back out; they were trapped in the middle of the road.


    "Such bad luck," Liu Wei cursed discontentedly.


    "You, go down and check. Get them to move the cars quickly, don¡¯t dy our schedule," Liu Wei ordered, pointing at one of his subordinates in the rear seat.


    At this moment, drivers from the surrounding cars had all disembarked and walked towards the site of the ident, pointing and discussing fervently,pletely surrounding the road.


    Several minutes passed, and an impatient Liu Wei cursed under his breath, "Why hasn¡¯t it cleared up? What is that guy doing, not a word from him for so long."


    Cursing, Liu Wei pushed open the car door and instructed the driver, "I¡¯m going to have a look. You guys keep a close watch on Miss Nanrong."


    "Yes, Mr. Liu."


    After getting out of the car, Liu Wei quickly walked towards the crowd. Pushing through the crowd, Liu Wei looked around for his subordinate. However, among the dozens of onlookers around, there was no sign of his subordinate, as if he had disappeared.


    Useless trash... Liu Wei scoffed coldly, then turned his attention to the several drivers who were pushing me onto each other, incessantly arguing.


    "Gentlemen," Liu Wei approached and said, "Can you please move your cars first? Don¡¯t obstruct others; we are in a hurry to get to the airport."


    "Mr. Liu, why the rush to the airport? Since you¡¯re in East Sea City, why not stay a few more days? It would be nice for me to y the gracious host."


    Suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind, immediately changing Liu Wei¡¯splexion. He whipped around, seeing Ling Chen, whose face was brimming with a yful smile. Liu Wei¡¯s pupils suddenly narrowed, eximing, "You... how did you..."


    Ling Chen spoke with a teasing smile, "You want to ask why I am here? Didn¡¯t you know that I have my informants throughout East Sea City? No matter where you run, you can¡¯t escape my eyes."


    Hearing this, Liu Wei¡¯s heart sank. He hurriedly rushed towards the Chevrolet SUV.


    However, before Liu Wei could squeeze through the crowd, Ling Chen¡¯s hand had alreadynded on his shoulder. Then, a burst of strong force passed through the hand, flipping him to the ground.


    At the same time, several men burst out from the crowd, tying up Liu Wei with ropes they had prepared earlier.


    "Take him and lock him up in the car."


    "Yes."


    The men dragged the struggling Liu Wei, pressed his head down, and shoved him into amercial vehicle parked by the road.


    Inside the car, Liu Wei realized that the subordinate he had sent out earlier was also tied up and thrown onto the vehicle.

 Chapter 552 - 548: Crisis of the Pavilion Master of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion (1)

    <h4>Chapter 552: Chapter 548: Crisis of the Pavilion Master of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion (1)</h4><h4></h4>


    Having dealt with Liu Wei, Ling Chen approached the Chevrolet SUV alone. Before he could open the door, Bai Huanjun, disguised as Nanrong Wanqing, stepped down from the vehicle first.


    Seeing the fresh blood on Bai Huanjun¡¯s hands, it was clear without asking that those guys in the car were definitely dead.


    "Hard work!"


    "No big deal, no need for formalities." Bai Huanjun smiled indifferently and said, "If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll head back first."


    "Rest well, I¡¯ll contact you in a couple of days."


    After Bai Huanjun left, Ling Chen instructed several of his subordinates at the scene to take care of the bodies in the Chevrolet. Then, he boarded the van with the others.


    Looking at Liu Wei, who was tied up tightly, Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curved into a smile and he asked, "Mr. Liu, you didn¡¯t expect us to meet again so soon, did you?"


    Liu Wei coldly said, "Ling Chen, I¡¯ve told you, as long as you don¡¯t oppose the God Organization, we wouldn¡¯t trouble you. Sadly, you didn¡¯t cherish the opportunity. Just wait, the God Organization will never let you go."


    "I¡¯ve had grievances with the God Organization not just for a day or two. Even if you spare me, I won¡¯t spare you. Tell me, who exactly is Lin Guodong?"


    "Ling Chen, I advise you to give up any illusions. I won¡¯t say a word."


    "Is that so?" Ling Chen smiled lightly and said, "Many people have been as defiant as you, but in the end, they all chose to cooperate. Liu Wei, if you are smart, you¡¯d better cooperate willingly and not suffer unnecessarily."


    Liu Wei sneered, "Bring whatever you have. If I get scared¡ªWhat are you doing?"


    Before he could finish speaking, Ling Chen took a sharp dagger from the driver, ying with it in his hand. Seeing the malicious smile curling on Ling Chen¡¯s lips, Liu Wei suddenly had a very bad feeling.


    "Liu Wei, don¡¯t me me for not giving you a chance." Ling Chen grinned, which made Liu Wei feel a shiver down his spine.


    At that moment, the van stopped beside a deste street. Once the vehicle halted, a young man sitting in the passenger seat handed Ling Chen a bottle of disinfectant alcohol. Immediately after, two men next to Ling Chen forced Liu Wei¡¯s arms and body down by folding down the back seats.


    Subsequently, one of the men, with a sinister smile, reached out to unbuckle Liu Wei¡¯s belt and pulled down his pants.


    Seeing the man¡¯s actions, Liu Wei¡¯s heart raced, and he couldn¡¯t help but shout, "Ling Chen, what... what are you trying to do?"


    "Nothing much, just offering you a free sex change surgery," Ling Chen said lightly. "However, my skills might not be that refined, so you¡¯ll have to endure the painter."


    Hearing this, Liu Wei¡¯s face instantly changed. Seeing the man now pulling down his underwear, Liu Wei immediately panicked and twisted his body frantically trying to break free. But his hands and feet were tied with ropes, and no matter how much he struggled, it was futile.


    "Stop... stop!"


    Seeing Ling Chen approaching with the dagger, the terrified Liu Wei hastily yelled, "No, I... I¡¯ll talk, isn¡¯t that enough?"


    Seeing him yield so quickly, Ling Chen felt somewhat disappointed. It was over before it even started; how boring.


    "Speak, how much do you know about Lin Guodong?"


    "Mr. Lin¡¯s identity is very secretive. I only know he¡¯s from the south," Liu Wei replied honestly.


    Southerner?


    Ling Chen was struck by a thought. Thest time he helped at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, a high-level member of the God Organization in charge was also from the south. Could it be the same person?


    Thinking this, Ling Chen asked, "The recent attack on the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, was it led by Lin Guodong?"


    "Yes, I was also present then."


    "Then you must be very clear about the God Organization¡¯s ns."


    "That attack on the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was just a probe, not an actual war with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Mr. Lin only wanted to force the Pavilion Master topromise."


    "Compromise?" Ling Chen asked, puzzled. "Compromise what?"


    "Mr. Lin had dealt with the Pavilion Master several times before, showing intentions for cooperation, but was rejected by the Pavilion Master each time. Mr. Lin is adept at manipting people¡¯s hearts and predicting their thoughts, mostly urately. Hence, based on his understanding of the Pavilion Master, he devised that n. He knew that as long as the Pavilion Master wasn¡¯t pushed too far, they wouldn¡¯t easily resort to arms. On the contrary, the Pavilion Master would definitely initiate negotiation discussions themselves."


    "Every move of the Pavilion Master was actually anticipated by Mr. Lin. Before that, Mr. Lin had already set up a trap, ensuring that once the Pavilion Master shows up for the negotiations, she would never be able to return."


    Having listened to Liu Wei¡¯s words, Ling Chen¡¯s eyebrows knitted together and he asked, "Are you saying... the God Organization ns to kill the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master?"


    "Correct. Once the Pavilion Master dies, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will certainly fall into chaos, and it wouldn¡¯t take us much effort topletely take down the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    "When will the negotiation between the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and the God Organization take ce?"


    "They will meet tomorrow in Jinhai City. I am not very clear about the exact location; the higher-ups haven¡¯t informed me yet. However, as far as I know, the people from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion have already arrived in Jinhai City tonight. While we are talking, they might already be facing a crisis."


    Without another word, Ling Chen immediately pulled out his phone and dialed Zhou Jun¡¯s number. If it was as Liu Wei said, he had to notify the Pavilion Master. However, the call went through to a shutdown tone.


    Shutdown?


    Ling Chen was inwardly anxious. Among the people he knew at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, he only had Zhou Jun¡¯s number. After pondering for a while, Ling Chen found another phone number from his contacts and hesitated briefly before making the call.


    Soon, the call connected, and a sweet voice came through, "Mr. Lin, hello, how may I assist you?"


    "You all from the Secret Society should have many ways to contact the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, do me a favor and tell them that the meeting in Jinhai City is a trap set by the God Organization, and they must be cautious not to fall for it."


    "I understand. Mr. Lin, thank you for the warning."


    After hanging up, Ling Chen silently prayed, hoping it wasn¡¯t toote.


    Collecting his thoughts, Ling Chen looked at Liu Wei lying on the seat and asked, "Let¡¯s set aside the matters of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion for now. Why did you receive orders to capture Nanrong Wanqing and bring her back?"


    "Mr. Yun had mastered a new technology. Since Mr. Yun¡¯s death, we have captured all the people associated with him, but none knew where Mr. Yun hid that technology. Later, Mr. Lin learned about Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s rtionship with Mr. Yun, so he suspected that Mr. Yun might have entrusted that technology to his daughter for safekeeping."

 Chapter 553 - 549: The Crisis of the Pavilion Master of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion (2)

    <h4>Chapter 553: Chapter 549: The Crisis of the Pavilion Master of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion (2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "What kind of technology?" Ling Chen asked. He only knew that Nanrong Yuan mastered a technology, but he knew nothing about it. However, given that the God Organization was so interested in it, that technology must not be simple.


    Liu Wei said, "I¡¯ve heard Mr. Lin mention, if the God Organization gets hold of that critical technology, then the Lucifer experiment will be phased out, reced by even more advanced technology."


    Ling Chen was startled¡ªstronger than the Lucifer experiment? No wonder the God Organization was so keen.


    "Last time, when you were at the spare base, you stole theboratory¡¯s hard drive. Mr. Lin, knowing the risk of confidential information leakage, thus shifted the focus to that critical technology. Once it¡¯s in their hands, even if the Lucifer experiment is cracked, the God Organization need not worry."


    During the conversation, Ling Chen¡¯s cellphone rang. He nced at the iing number, saw it was from the Secret Society, and immediately answered the call.


    "Mr. Ling, we just made contact with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, but unfortunately, the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion had already left for Jin Hai City. Additionally, they suddenly lost contact two hours ago; we now have no news at all."


    That¡¯s not good!


    Ling Chen frowned secretly; the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion losing contact could mean the God Organization had already acted.


    If that was indeed the case, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion would face a grave crisis.


    The phone had just hung up, and before Ling Chen could put away his phone, it rang again, this time from an unknown number. Upon answering the call, he heard Song Ge¡¯s voice: "Hey! Ling."


    "Song?" Ling Chen asked, surprised, "How did you get my number?"


    "Just got it from the people at the Secret Society, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion asked me to check with you, to see how much you know about the situation."


    "I¡¯ve captured a member of the God Organization, all the information came from his mouth. The God Organization set up a trap in Jin Hai City, deliberately luring the Pavilion Master there to eliminate her. Theck of contact on your end doesn¡¯t bode well," Ling Chen paused, then asked, "By the way! Song, who apanied the Pavilion Master to Jin Hai City?"


    "Zhou Qi and Zhou Jun went, and there are more than ten apanying personnel. Moreover, for the Pavilion Master¡¯s safety, a top-ranking Heavenly List expert is secretly protecting her. However, we now can¡¯t even locate that Heavenly List expert," Song Ge said, clearly worried.


    "Wait a moment, let me see if I can get more information, and then I¡¯ll notify you."


    "Okay. Ling, this is a critical matter, I hope you can help us."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I will."


    After hanging up, Ling Chen turned to Liu Wei and asked, "The Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is missing, do you have any way to determine her current location?"


    "The operations in Jin Hai City aren¡¯t my responsibility, asking me won¡¯t help."


    "But you are part of the God Organization, I think you should have ways to obtain information." As he spoke, Ling Chen fished out a cellphone from Liu Wei¡¯s pocket, indicating to the people nearby to untie Liu Wei.


    "I don¡¯t care how you do it, help me get information on the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. If you can¡¯t do it, I¡¯ll keep this dagger for you."


    Liu Wei nced at the sharp dagger, his face turned exceptionally pale, and hesitated. He then picked up the cellphone, found a number, and dialed it.


    "Turn on the speakerphone." Ling Chen, cautious of Liu Wei¡¯s potential tricks, demanded he turn on the speakerphone to clearly hear their conversation.


    Soon, the call connected, and a cheerful voice rang out: "Hey! Liu, what¡¯s up for calling me at this time?"


    "My task here is done, and I¡¯m just bored, so I called to check in. Hey! Aren¡¯t you in charge of the operations in Jin Hai City? How¡¯s everything going?"


    "Don¡¯t even mention it. Although we captured a few people, the most crucial one ran away."


    "Are you talking about the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    "Who else could it be? But no big deal, I¡¯m leading my men to chase her. She¡¯s alone, she shouldn¡¯t be able to get far."


    "Then you carry on, I won¡¯t bother you. When you¡¯re back at the base, let¡¯s get together properly."


    "Definitely, definitely!"


    Having finished, Liu Wei hung up the phone and looked at Ling Chen, saying, "You heard it, besides the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, everyone else got captured."


    "Ask about their location."


    "No, that would make him suspicious."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen fell into deep thought. Zhou Qi and the others were caught, and whether they could save their lives was still uncertain. The Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was fleeing alone, it was hard to know if she could escape the hunt.


    After thinking, Ling Chen immediately called Song Ge back and shared the information he had learned.


    "Ling, don¡¯t hang up yet."


    "Okay."


    Holding the phone, Ling Chen could hear many people discussing strategies on the other end. After a while, Song Ge¡¯s voice came through again: "Ling, where are you?"


    "In East Sea City. What¡¯s up?"


    "East Sea City isn¡¯t too far from Jin Hai City, could you possibly..."


    Before Song Ge finished, Ling Chen understood his intention.


    "You want me to rush to Jin Hai City?"


    "Ling, I know this is a tough ask, but we have no choice. You know, it would take at least four to five hours to get to Jin Hai City from here, by which time it would be toote. But if you leave from East Sea City, it would take just over an hour at most. You¡¯re in the closest location, so we can only ask for your help. Rest assured, if you agree to help, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will not let you go unrewarded."


    "This..." Ling Chen hesitated, unsure whether to agree to their request.


    "Ling, for the sake of friendship, please help me?" Song Ge pleaded over the phone.


    Ling Chen sighed helplessly and replied, "Alright, I¡¯ll head over now. But let me be clear upfront, I¡¯ll go, but I can¡¯t guarantee anything."


    "I understand, just do your best."


    Putting away the phone, Ling Chen said, "You guys escort him to Hu Fei¡¯s ce, be careful on the road."


    "Chen, rest assured, nothing will go wrong."


    Stepping out of the business car, Ling Chen was about to close the door when something seemed to ur to him. He looked at Liu Wei sitting inside the car and asked, "Among the several people who came to East Sea City, besides you, there¡¯s someone named Yi Shuiyan; why haven¡¯t I seen him appear?"


    "Yi Shuiyan?" Liu Wei¡¯s expression shifted as he asked, "How do you know that I had contact with him?"


    "I¡¯ve said it before, the entire East Sea City is under my control; there¡¯s nothing I don¡¯t know about. Speak up, where is he?"


    "We just had a temporary meeting, discussing some cooperation matters. He said he needed to think it over, that he¡¯d give me an answer after some time."


    Ling Chen frowned and asked, "Is he representing himself or the Dangyang Sect behind him?"


    "Dangyang Sect."

 Chapter 554 - 550: The Ambition of the Dangyang Sect

    <h4>Chapter 554: Chapter 550: The Ambition of the Dangyang Sect</h4><h4></h4>


    Hmph!


    Truly so.


    With a cold snicker, Ling Chen realized that Yi Shuiyan was likely representing the Dangyang Sect this time to negotiate with the God Organization, discussing the conditions for both parties. It¡¯s baffling how a renowned and legitimate martial arts sect would collude with nefarious forces in secret. What was Dangyang Sect¡¯s Sect Leader Zhu Jin thinking?


    Aren¡¯t they afraid of trouble from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?


    Or is it that... Suddenly, an idea popped into Ling Chen¡¯s head.


    So that¡¯s how it is!


    Ling Chen instantaneously had an epiphany and grasped the crux of the matter. In fact, it had always been simple. The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion had long been the leader within martial arts; no other force could surpass its influence.


    However, everyone has their own ambitions and desires, which are bound to inte and breed beyond control. Sadly, for many years the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has dominated the scene, keeping even the most ambitious at bay, forever denying them their opportunity to rise.


    Therefore, the God Organization became an excellent opportunity. Just like what the God Organization is undertaking this time, if they can eliminate the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master sessfully and leverage the God Organization¡¯s formidable power to take down the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. By then, the Dangyang Sect could use the momentum to ascend and take hold of the authoritative voice within the Huaxia martial arts world.


    Liu Wei had said earlier that Yi Shuiyan expressed he needed to consider further. This so-called consideration was nothing but waiting for an oue. As long as the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master is killed, the Dangyang Sect will surely dere their position immediately.


    As he closed the car door and watched the business van disappear from view, Ling Chen immediately called Nanrong Hao to send a good car over.


    From East Sea City to Jinhai City, there was a distance of over two hundred kilometers. If he took the expressway and drove fast enough, just over an hour would suffice to make it there.


    Before long, a beastly roar approached from a distance and swiftly arrived in front of Ling Chen.


    The car door opened, and Nanrong Hao emerged from the driver¡¯s seat, patting the car beside him with a grin, "Chen, you wanted a good car, so I brought it to you. What do you think, not bad right?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes brightened as he smiled, "Your cousin is quite generous."


    The car in front of him was none other than Su Lin¡¯s Maserati.


    Nanrong Haoined, "My cousin thought I was borrowing the car and tly refused, but when she heard you needed it, she didn¡¯t hesitate to throw the keys to me. Such different treatment... I don¡¯t even know who¡¯s her real family anymore."


    "That¡¯s because your cousin trusts me. Enough! I¡¯ve got important things to deal with, you can take a taxi back on your own."


    Settling in the driver¡¯s seat, Ling Chen started the car and gently tapped the elerator. The front of the car surged forward, speeding off like a sh of lightning and vanishing at the end of the street.


    ...


    Jin Sea City.


    It was nearing midnight now. The streets were deserted, with scarcely a few silhouettes visible, save for the asional taxi whizzing by.


    At this hour, in a side alley by the street, a person curled up wearing a hood. In the dim light, their entire face was shrouded in shadows, indiscernible.


    However, in the quiet alley, one could hear the person¡¯s frantic breathing. After a while, a series of disordered footsteps came from the other end of the alley. As the sounds drew closer, the person quickly got up from the corner and hurried towards the exit of the alley.


    Out of the alleyway and under the streetmp light, one could see strands of hair hanging down from either side of the hood. Within the hood was a face so beautiful it was trembling. The paleplexion, a slightly raised nose, and lips soft as cherries were alluringly pink.


    Above them, a pair of clear and spirited eyes sparkled like stream water, as if all the spirit was contained within. Two fine eyebrows, damp with sweat from the forehead, quivered slightly with her panting.


    Hearing the footsteps behind her drawing closer, a hint of urgency flickered in her eyes as she looked around, hoping to find a ce to hide. However, apart from the alley she had juste from, there was only a straight street with no other way out.


    What to do now?


    Just then, a taxi sped towards her from a nearby intersection.


    Without a second thought, she rushed into the middle of the road and frantically waved her hands, signaling for the taxi to stop.


    Screech!


    Apanied by the piercing sound of a sudden brake, the taxi stopped less than two meters away from her. Immediately afterward, a head poked out from the driver¡¯s window and cursed without mercy: "Are you crazy? Do you have a death wish?"


    "Driver... I¡¯m sorry, could you give me a ride?" she approached and pleaded desperately.


    The driver was about to continue scolding her, but when he saw her stunningly beautiful face, the words died in his throat and the anger on his face was instantly reced by an enthusiastic smile.


    "Get in!"


    "Thank you!" she said gratefully.


    Once in the car, the driver asked, "Beauty, where to?"


    "I don¡¯t know."


    "You don¡¯t know?"


    "Just anywhere but here is fine."


    Hearing this, the driver grinned and said: "Well, that¡¯s easy to handle." With that, he started the car and drove on.


    As the taxi was about to reach the crossroads, more than ten men hurried out of the alley they were in before, searching the area for the woman.


    "There are two people in that taxi."


    A sharp-eyed man pointed towards the taxi at the intersection and shouted loudly.


    "Some of you stay here and see if she¡¯s hiding somewhere else, the reste with me to chase that taxi," a man quickly gave the order.


    Twenty minutes passed, and the taxi driver pulled over on a deserted street.


    "Beauty, we¡¯re here, forty-eight dors."


    Money?


    Her heart skipped a beat¡ªshe had no money on her. As the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master, she always had everything arranged for her; she didn¡¯t even need to carry money during outings - Zhou Jun would take care of it.


    "Driver, I... I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve forgotten to bring money. Could I owe you this time and pay you backter?"


    "No money?" Hearing her words, the driver¡¯s face immediately soured.


    "Beauty, we work hard for our living. You have the cheek to run up a tab for over forty bucks? If you didn¡¯t bring cash, surely you have a bank card on you. How about this, I¡¯ll take you to a nearby ATM, and you withdraw a couple hundred dors. How does that sound?"


    "I didn¡¯t bring my wallet, or... maybe you could give me your phone number, and I..."


    "That won¡¯t do." The driver outright rejected her suggestion, saying, "How would I know you won¡¯t just run off? I¡¯ve seen plenty like you, promising to pay next time, but once you get out of the car, you vanish into thin air. Where am I supposed to find you? Look, you must have something valuable on you. Leave it as coteral, and when you bring the money, we¡¯ll swap back. That way, no one loses out."


    "But... I really didn¡¯t bring anything with me."


    Dissatisfied, the driver said, "You dare to hail my car without bringing anything? I¡¯ve heard of people dining and dashing but never riding and running. Let me tell you this, if you don¡¯t pay me today, then don¡¯t think about getting out of the car." As he spoke, the driver locked all the car doors.

 Chapter 555 - 551 Su Mei (1)

    <h4>Chapter 555: Chapter 551 Su Mei (1)</h4><h4></h4>


    Seeing the driver¡¯s adamant attitude and his refusal to listen to any words, she couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. As the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master, she had never suffered such treatment.


    At this moment, the driver in the cab eyed her with malicious intent, curling up a sinister smile at the corner of his mouth, and said, "Beautifuldy, I have a suggestion that could cover your cab fare."


    "What suggestion?"


    "You don¡¯t have any money, and you don¡¯t have anything valuable on you to pawn, but, a pretty girl like you has plenty of assets to offer, as long as you... hehe, you¡¯re smart, you should understand what I mean."


    Seeing the ferocity flicker in the driver¡¯s eyes, she clearly understood his intent and her pretty face instantly changed. Overwhelmed with shame and anger, she scolded, "Shameless!"


    "Shameless?" The driver sneered and said, "It¡¯s you who owes money in the first ce, any request I make is not excessive. Luckily for us, there isn¡¯t anyone around here, convenient for ¡¯handling our business¡¯." Saying so, the driver reached out toward her.


    "Stop!" Startled, she quickly ced her hands in front of her chest, leaning back to avoid his harassment.


    "Let me out."


    While calling out, she tried to pull the door locks to leave the taxi. But the doors were locked, and no matter how hard she tried, they wouldn¡¯t budge.


    At this time, the driver was leaning closer to her, almost pressing down on her body.


    Smelling the tobo reek from him, she panicked, iling her arms desperately trying to stop his actions.


    At this moment, she deeply regretted getting into this car. She would have rather been captured by the people from the God Organization than fallen into the hands of such a vile person.


    Regrettably, time cannot be rewound; at this moment, all she could do was resist by all means possible to avoid disgrace.


    "Come on, beautiful, don¡¯t be shy. It¡¯s the modern age, no need to be bashful. Rest assured, I¡¯ll make sure you experience unparalleled pleasure," the driver said, exhrated.


    Hiss!


    In the midst of speaking, the driver grabbed her clothing and violently tore it open.


    Looking at her disheveled attire, the driver could not help but swallow his saliva, his primal instincts raging, dying to overwhelm the beauty before him.


    "Don¡¯t..."


    She fiercely guarded her vital parts, tears filling her pleading eyes, desperately hoping he would stop. However, the driver¡¯s mind was already corrupted by evil thoughts, and the more she begged, the more excited he became.


    As she saw his body pressing down on her, she bit her lower lip and couldn¡¯t help but close her eyes, tears rolling slowly down her cheeks.


    ng!


    Just then, a crisp sound suddenly rang out, snapping both the man and woman in the car back to reality. Looking up, they saw the car window ss had been smashed at some unobserved moment.


    Before the driver could react, arge hand reached in through the broken window, grabbed the driver by the hair, and forcibly dragged him out through it.


    "What are you doing? Let go, let me go!" The driver shouted loudly, clinging to that hand.


    Apanied by a scoff, therge hand swung fiercely, tossing the driver onto the ground, followed by a fierce kick to his abdomen.


    Instantaneously, the driver screamed, his face turning pale as he clutched his belly, writhing in pain on the ground.


    "It¡¯s okay now,e out."


    Hearing the voice beside her, she looked up to see the man outside the car window, momentarily stunned, taking quite a while to recover.


    "What¡¯s wrong, do you want me to carry you out?"


    "You... how did you find me here?" she asked, full of confusion.


    "Don¡¯t ask so much for now, we need to hurry. Those people are about to catch up," Ling Chen said as he opened the car door, urging her into the adjacent Maserati.


    No sooner had they driven off than several Land Rovers quickly arrived and halted next to the taxi.


    Driving along the road, Ling Chen nced at the woman beside him from the corner of his eye, his gaze filled with amazement. Noticing his subtle movements, she couldn¡¯t help but speak, "Have you not looked enough?"


    Ling Chen grinned: "If I don¡¯t look properly now, I¡¯m afraid I might forget what you look liketer."


    Hearing this, she fully understood Ling Chen¡¯s implications, her face immediately showing a hint of embarrassment. Previously on that luxury cruise, Ling Chen had caught a glimpse of her true face. In order to prevent the disclosure of her identity, she secretly drugged the tea, induced Ling Chen to drink it, which caused him to forget her appearance.


    "We¡¯ve known each other for a while now; isn¡¯t it time you told me your real name?" Ling Chen asked.


    "My name is Su Mei."


    "So, you are Miss Su." Ling Chen nodded, finally knowing her name. When they had first met, he used ¡¯Tea Girl¡¯ as a substitute for her name.


    Su Mei curiously asked, "You still haven¡¯t told me, how did you find me?"


    "I have my ways," Ling Chen said. After he arrived in East Sea City, he had Liu Wei contact his friends in the city with a mobile phone, then Hu Fei used the phone¡¯s location services to lock on her position. This significantly narrowed down the search area.


    Moreover, when Liu Wei spoke with her over the phone, she unintentionally mentioned a taxi. Using this clue, Hu Fei utilized East Sea City¡¯s surveince system and quickly found the target.


    It was for this reason that Ling Chen was able to arrive in time when Su Mei was in danger.


    "Where are we heading now?"


    "I¡¯m taking you back to East Sea City. The people from the God Organization are still searching for you in East Sea City, it¡¯s not safe for you here. East Sea is my turf; I¡¯ll contact the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilionter and have them meet directly in East Sea City."


    Saying this, Ling Chen changed the subject and asked, "How were you attacked before? Song told me that there was a Heavenly List expert secretly protecting your safety; was he also subdued by the people of the God Organization?"


    "I don¡¯t know." Su Mei shook her head and said, "ording to the original n, we were going to stay in a hotel and then meet with the people from the God Organization the next day. But we ran into trouble shortly after we checked in. The hotel we stayed in was already under the control of the God Organization, from the inside out, everyone was their person. Elder Zhou and the rest didn¡¯t realize it in advance, so we walked into an ambush. By the time we reacted, most of our people had been captured. Later, thanks to the efforts of others, I was able to escape from the hotel. I intended to contact that Heavenly List expert, but he never appeared from beginning to end, I don¡¯t know if something happened to him."


    At the end of her words, Su Mei couldn¡¯t hide the worry in her eyes and said, "Elder Zhou and the others are still in the hands of the God Organization, their fates are uncertain. Ling Chen, can you help me save them?"

 Chapter 556 - 552 Su Mei (2)

    <h4>Chapter 556: Chapter 552 Su Mei (2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Save them?" Ling Chen shook his head and said, "Miss Su, you can¡¯t even protect yourself now, you should take more care of yourself. I¡¯ve advised you long ago that this wouldn¡¯t have happened if you hadn¡¯t insisted on negotiating with the God Organization. All in all, you¡¯re just too naive. I¡¯ve dealt with the God Organization for so many years, I know them better than you do. In their eyes, there is never apromise, either submit or perish, there is no other choice."


    "I understand all that you¡¯re saying, it¡¯s just... sigh!" Su Mei sighed and said: "I just didn¡¯t want the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion to get involved in the strife. The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has been inherited for hundreds of years, it has some foundation, but I don¡¯t want it to be consumed so quickly."


    "In this era, the middle ground is long outdated. What you¡¯re doing will only hasten the downfall of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. There¡¯s a saying that goes, ¡¯If you don¡¯t advance, you will fall back.¡¯ Seeking self-preservation will only speed up the decline of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. The God Organization is targeting you precisely because only you are capable of threatening them. If you still think about coexisting peacefully with the God Organization, then everything is over."


    "You¡¯re right." Su Mei said with shame: "I was too naive. If it weren¡¯t for me, Elder Zhou and the others wouldn¡¯t have had this trouble."


    "Alright! You don¡¯t need to me yourself too much. It¡¯s not toote toe to your senses now. Elder Zhou and the others have only been captured, there¡¯s no immediate danger to their lives, don¡¯t worry too much. Once I¡¯ve taken you to a safe ce, I¡¯ll figure out a way to save them."


    While speaking, Ling Chen nced at Su Mei, seeing the exposed white skin on her chest, he quickly averted his gaze, not daring to look any further.


    "Right!" Ling Chen coughed lightly, trying to shift his attention, and asked: "As the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, how can you not handle even an ordinary person?"


    Su Mei countered with a question: "Who said that the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has to learn martial arts?"


    "With no strength, how could they willingly support you as Pavilion Master?" Ling Chen was puzzled.


    "Why not. You ask that because you don¡¯t understand the rules of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. The Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is not elected, but inherited from generation to generation."


    Upon hearing Su Mei¡¯s exnation, Ling Chen eximed in surprise: "From what you¡¯re saying, isn¡¯t the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion just like those martial arts family ns, only passing it down to their own people."


    "Exactly."


    Su Mei nodded and said: "The first Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilionid down the rule that the position of Pavilion Master can only be passed to descendants, and if there are no heirs, the position can be passed to disciples. Thus, every Pavilion Master, when of age, gets married and has children, regardless of sex, they are appointed as the next Pavilion Master. I was frail and sickly when I was born, so my parents did not let me practice martial arts, but focused on various ssics, widely read books, learning how to manage the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    "What if someone betrays you?" Ling Chen asked: "Without the power to deter the masses, who will follow you? There are so many members of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, I don¡¯t believe that every single one of them is loyal."


    "Because I have a backer, no one dares to harbor ill intentions."


    "What kind of backer?"


    "Although I haven¡¯t learned martial arts, both my parents are top-notch experts. With them backing me up, who would dare to mess around. Moreover, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion venerates many elders, they uphold the rules of the Pavilion and are only loyal to the Pavilion Master. With them sitting at the helm, no one dares to challenge the authority of the Pavilion Master."


    So that¡¯s how it is.


    Ling Chen finally understood. With her mom and dad supporting her from behind, indeed nobody would dare to mess around, no wonder this woman could secure the position of Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡ªthe Pavilion inherited family style.


    Su Mei was barely in her twenties, her parents were probably only in their fifties, not to mention behind her, on top of her parents¡¯ support, there might still be grandparents... Thinking of this, Ling Chen realized the hidden power behind this woman, it was too terrifying.


    "What do your parents think about your decision?" Ling Chen asked.


    "I don¡¯t know, I haven¡¯t asked them. After they passed the position of Pavilion Master to me, they went off to travel and seldom return, only if the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is facing a life-and-death crisis would they intervene. Being a Pavilion Master, if I rely on others for help in everything, how can I grow?"


    That makes sense! Ling Chen nodded, agreeing with what Su Mei said.


    After driving for several kilometers, Ling Chen driving the Maserati was about to enter the highway section. However, just at that moment, several Land Rovers suddenly burst out from the intersection behind them, following closely behind them.


    This is bad!


    Ling Chen looked at those Land Rovers getting closer through the rearview mirror, thinking to himself that it was bad.


    Didn¡¯t expect those guys to be so fast.


    "Hold on!"


    As he spoke, Ling Chen floored the elerator, and the Maserati burst forward, the speed getting faster and faster, approaching 160 mph.


    As the Maserati sped up, the several Land Rovers behind immediately increased their speed, maintaining a distance of less than fifty meters, gradually closing in.


    On the streets of Jin Hai City, 160 mph was almost the limit, if he drove any faster, an ident could easily ur. Even for an experienced driver like Ling Chen, he wouldn¡¯t dare to drive too fast on roads full of crossroads.


    Seeing that the Land Rovers were getting closer in the rearview mirror, Ling Chen suddenly stepped on the brakes, controlled the car with a deft drift, and turned into an alley by the road.


    The few Land Rovers behind did not expect Ling Chen to change direction, they missed the moment and rushed past the entrance of the alley. By the time they turned around and came back, the Maserati had already disappeared.


    At this moment, inside the alley, Ling Chen and Su Mei sat in the driver and passenger seats, waiting patiently.


    Outside the car, Ling Chen covered the entire car with an old canvas found in the trash bin, to avoid being tracked by the God Organization.


    About ten minutester, seeing no activity around, Ling Chen got out of the car, lifted the canvas from the car, and drove the Maserati out of the alley again.


    Back on the open road, Ling Chen continued towards the highway entrance. Once on the highway, it would be easy to shake off the pursuers.


    1:30 am.


    Ling Chen finally arrived at the highway entrance driving the Maserati. Yet, before entering the toll booth, Ling Chen immediately stopped the car, frowning at both sides of the entrance.


    At the entrance, there were two Land Rovers parked on each side. Clearly, the people sitting in those cars were from the God Organization. The opponents had probably anticipated their escape through the highway and had arranged manpower to guard in advance.


    Four Land Rovers¡ªit would be undoubtedly difficult to break through their defense line.


    While pondering, Ling Chen saw the big lights of the four Land Rovers not far away light up; the dazzling beams converged, shining on the body of the Maserati. At the same time, those four Land Rovers gently pressed on the elerator,ing over slowly, forming a siege.

 Chapter 557 - 553: Mate Selection Criteria (1)

    <h4>Chapter 557: Chapter 553: Mate Selection Criteria (1)</h4><h4></h4>


    "What should we do?" Su Mei asked Ling Chen, who was in the driver¡¯s seat, with a hint of nervousness in her beautiful eyes.


    Ling Chen cocked his head to one side, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly in a smile before asking, "What are your standards for choosing a spouse?"


    "What?" Su Mei was taken aback, momentarily failing to grasp the situation.


    "Weren¡¯t you just saying that the Pavilion Masters of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion all marry and have children? So, you¡¯ll have to find a man in the future too. Since that¡¯s the case, you must have some standards for choosing a spouse, or... do you already have someone in mind?"


    Su Mei stared nkly at Ling Chen. At a time like this, he still had the mind to ask about this? Didn¡¯t he see the crisis before us?


    Just as she was thinking this, Su Mei suddenly felt the car lurch forward, speeding towards the four Range Rovers ahead. As the hood of the car was about to collide with the Range Rover, Su Mei¡¯s face turned pale, and she couldn¡¯t help but close her eyes, her hands gripping the armrests tightly.


    Screech!


    Apanied by a harsh sound of tires rubbing against the pavement, the Maserati executed a 180-degree spin on the spot, reversing the positions of the car¡¯s front and rear. Then, Ling Chen shifted gears with his right hand, pressing the elerator to the floor with the tip of his foot. Before the four pursuing Range Rovers could react, the Maserati had already burst forth, leaving them far behind in an instant.


    However, at this moment, a Range Rover suddenly charged out from a side street and mmed into the side of the Maserati with extreme force. Under the powerful impact, the Maserati flipped onto its side and continued to roll along the ground until it slid to a halt against a road column at the edge of the road, where it was trapped and slowly came to a stop.


    Groggy, Ling Chen shook his head, rubbing his throbbing forehead. He looked at Su Mei in the passenger seat and saw that she had fallen unconscious.


    "Miss Su, Miss Su..." Ling Chen called out several times, but Su Mei remained unresponsive, her head limply hanging over her right shoulder.


    At this moment, the sound of footsteps approached from afar, reaching Ling Chen¡¯s ears. Through the shattered car window, Ling Chen turned his head and saw more than a dozen men hastening over, less than twenty meters away.


    This is bad!


    Ling Chen frowned to himself, disregarding his own difort. He quickly kicked the deformed car door open, then dragged the unconscious Su Mei from the passenger seat onto himself, ready to escape from the car.


    However, Ling Chen suddenly noticed that just outside the car door was an incline by the roadside. With the pursuers closing in, there was no time to think. Clutching Su Mei¡¯s delicate body in his arms, he jumped out of the car and sprinted down the slope.


    The enemy was numerous and powerful, and although Ling Chen was not afraid of those men with his strength, the unconscious Su Mei by his side was a concern. Having to deal both with the pursuers and ensuring Su Mei¡¯s safety made it difficult to act freely. Instead of such a struggle, it was better to avoid the sharp edge for the time being and take Su Mei to a safe ce first.


    Moreover, there was another reason for Ling Chen¡¯s reluctance to fight. Su Mei had previously mentioned that there was an expert from the Heavenly List secretly protecting her. However, so much time had passed, and that expert had not yet appeared, which certainly indicated a problem. It may well be that among the pursuers there were other experts hidden. For this reason, he had to be as cautious as possible.


    The slope was over twenty meters high. After descending, there was no suitable ce to hide, the surroundings open and empty. Having no other choice for fear of being caught by the people following, Ling Chen had to continue running while holding Su Mei in his arms.


    Luckily, Ling Chen was in good physical condition. Despite the violent collision just now, he had only a mild headache and had not sustained any major injuries.


    After a few hundred meters, the trees on both sides became denser, with the asional house standing among them. With the cover of night, Ling Chen was able to put more distance between himself and the pursuers.


    At this time, Ling Chen saw a small western-style building not far away,plete with a courtyard behind it and surrounded by a wall.


    After hesitating for a moment, Ling Chen carried Su Mei on his back, with one hand supporting her rounded buttocks to prevent her from falling. Then, with a single leap, he grabbed the top of the surrounding wall with one hand, leveraging his body over it.


    Climbing over the wall, Ling Chen nced around at the environment; it was pitch-dark, a small sedan was parked in the center of the courtyard, its body covered with post-rain filth, seeming as if it hadn¡¯t been cleaned for a long time.


    Seeing this situation, Ling Chen walked to the back door of the small western-style house and rummaged through a pile of misceneous items to find two thin pieces of wire, which he used to pick the lock on the back door.


    After the door was opened, Ling Chen didn¡¯t switch on the lights, to avoid drawing the attention of the pursuing soldiers outside.


    He went straight to the living room, ced the unconscious Su Mei on the sofa, and then went upstairs alone to check every bedroom. As he had suspected, nobody was living in this small western-style house. If there had been someone, the small sedan in the courtyard wouldn¡¯t be so dirty that nobody cared to clean it.


    He finally found a ce to hide.


    Ling Chen took a deep breath, took a cup and filled it with water from the tap, and gulped it down. After wiping the water from the corner of his mouth, Ling Chen filled an electric kettle with water and ced it on the stove to boil.


    Taking this opportunity, Ling Chen checked Su Mei¡¯s physical condition. Thankfully, there was nothing seriously wrong.


    When the water boiled, he found a clean towel and wiped Su Mei¡¯s face with it. Perhaps feeling the warmth of the hot towel, the unconscious Su Mei moved slightly, her eyshes quivering gently.


    "Miss Su."


    Ling Chen called out softly. After a while, Su Mei slowly opened her eyes, rubbed her throbbing forehead, sat up from the sofa, and asked, "Where is this?"


    "Inside a civilian residence, don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s no one living in this house for now." With that said, Ling Chen stood up, brought over a cup of hot water, and offered it to Su Mei, "Have some water first."


    "Thank you!"


    "Nothing to thank me for." Ling Chen smiled slightly: "You rest for a bit, I¡¯m going to check outside."


    A few minutester, Ling Chen came back into the house and said, "The pursuers have gone past us, they did not discover our tracks."


    "What should we do next?"


    "There¡¯s a car outside, we¡¯ll drive awayter." As he spoke, Ling Chen looked at the time; it was already close to 3 o¡¯clock in the morning, and reinforcements from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion should be arriving soon.


    "Why not stay here?" Su Mei asked, "Isn¡¯t this ce quite safe?"


    Ling Chen shook his head and exined, "Don¡¯t think of those people as fools. The surroundings here are too simple, there are only so many ces to hide. If they don¡¯t discover our whereabouts after a while, they will certainly suspect that we¡¯re hiding in a civilian house."


    "I didn¡¯t realize you had so much experience in this area."


    Ling Chenughed: "You should know what I did before. Without a trick or two, I¡¯d have lost my life long ago." As he said this, Ling Chen changed the subject with a smile, "You haven¡¯t answered the question I asked you before; isn¡¯t it time to tell me now?"

 Chapter 558 - 554 Choosing a Mate (2)

    <h4>Chapter 558: Chapter 554 Choosing a Mate (2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "What¡¯s the problem?"


    "Your criteria for choosing a spouse. You¡¯re already in your twenties; don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve never thought about this." Ling Chen said with a smile: "Since there¡¯s no one else here, feel free to share. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll keep your secret and won¡¯t tell anyone else."


    Facing Ling Chen¡¯s gaze, Su Mei¡¯s cheeks immediately flushed with a faint blush, involuntarily turning her head away and shifting her eyes elsewhere. Her shy demeanor seemed to indicate she dared not look directly into Ling Chen¡¯s eyes.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but tease: "Why, are you feeling embarrassed?"


    "Who says I¡¯m embarrassed? I¡¯m worried you would be."


    "Me?" Ling Chen paused, pointing to his nose and chuckling: "How does this rte to me?"


    "Aren¡¯t you asking about my standards for choosing a spouse? My standards are simple: excellence. As the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master, I usually stay within Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and rarely have time to go out. The men I know are limited to the Pavilion¡¯s members, so my choices are very limited. Hence, the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony has be one of my criteria for selection. If a young and outstanding man wins first ce in the New Talent Competition, he will be considered a priority candidate."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen touched his nose, concealing his embarrassment. No wonder Su Mei was reluctant to borate; it turned out to be about him. He gave a light cough andughed to himself: "Then I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to disappoint you. If we had met six months earlier, you might have had a chance."


    Su Mei¡¯s pretty face turned red, and with a huff, she gave Ling Chen a displeased nce: "Who fancies you."


    "If you don¡¯t fancy me, someone else will," Ling Chen retorted casually. Without waiting for Su Mei to speak, he stood up and said, "Enough joking around, it¡¯s about time we left."


    With that, Ling Chen led Su Mei to the courtyard and opened the door of the small car. He checked the vehicle after getting into the driver¡¯s seat. Lucky for them, there was half a tank of gas left, enough for their escape.


    Starting the car, Ling Chen slowly drove out of the courtyard, and after determining the direction, he immediately headed towards the road.


    There were people from the God Organization monitoring the highway entrance; they had to find another way to leave.


    After driving for more than ten minutes, Su Mei looked out of the car window and asked, "Where are we going?"


    "We can¡¯t take the highway, so we¡¯ll have to take the national road." After replying, Ling Chen put down his phone and said, "I just contacted Song. They are still on the ne and will probably arrive in about an hour."


    "One hour..." Su Mei nodded slightly, her tense expression visibly rxed. As long as they rendezvoused with the main force of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, her safety would be assured.


    "Ling Chen, we..."


    "Not good!"


    At that moment, before Su Mei could finish speaking, a cry of rm came from Ling Chen. Su Mei looked up and saw that a person had appeared on the road ahead out of nowhere, standing directly in the path of the fast-moving car, less than ten meters away.


    At this point, the car was traveling at the speed of 120 kilometers per hour, even with Ling Chen¡¯s quick reaction to hit the brakes in time, the inertia of the car¡¯s body would still hit the person. Moreover, at such a speed, if he were to forcefully turn the steering wheel, it would only cause the car to lose bnce and lead to an ident.


    As the car¡¯s hood was about to strike the person, Ling Chen¡¯s heart leaped to his throat, his hands tightly gripping the steering wheel, staring intently ahead.


    Suddenly, the person standing in front of the car did not appear to move, but in an instant, vanished without a trace.


    Screech!


    Apanied by a piercing sound of tire friction, the car finally came to a stop.


    Ling Chen took a deep breath, quickly shifted his gaze, and peered through the car window, scanning for traces of that person. However, there was no one around the car.


    Could it have been a trick of the eye?


    There had clearly been a figure standing in front of the car just moments ago.


    While still in shock, Ling Chen suddenly caught a glimpse of a figure shing before his eyes. Right then, in front of the sedan, another person appeared. Under the illumination of the headlights, Ling Chen finally made out the true face of the individual.


    An old man, beyond his seventieth year, with silver-white beard, a face full of wrinkles, and cloudy old eyes, looked like he was one foot in the grave. Yet, it was this very ordinary-looking elderly man that made Ling Chen¡¯s heart skip a beat.


    An inexplicable chill rose from the bottom of his heart for no apparent reason.


    This person... was dangerous!


    In the blink of an eye, Ling Chenbeled the elderly figure before him.


    Not only dangerous but extremely so.


    "Ling Chen, he..." Su Mei pointed at the old man, ready to ask a question, but before she could finish her sentence, she saw Ling Chen shifting into reverse, steering the sedan swiftly backward.


    However, the car had barely moved back two meters when the old man in front reached out his hand, grabbed the front bumper of the car. Before Ling Chen could react, the entire front of the vehicle was lifted, both front wheels off the ground.


    As a front-wheel-drive sedan, without the front two wheels, the car instantly lost its driving force and was unable to continue reversing.


    Impressive!


    Ling Chen watched the old man through the car window, a look of shock stered on his face.


    This sedan weighed at least a ton, and for the old man to lift its front end effortlessly was a testament to his formidable strength. Although there were many strongmen both domestically and internationally who could do it, this old man had done it with just one hand, without showing any sign of effort, his face not flushed, his breath not short. To achieve this level, the old man¡¯s strength should not be underestimated.


    "Get out of the car."


    After a moment of shock, Ling Chen made a swift decision.


    The space inside the car was cramped, leaving him unable to cope with any situation that might arise.


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯smand, Su Mei didn¡¯t hesitate, hurriedly pushed open the car door, and prepared to get out from the passenger side. But at that moment, the old man at the front of the car suddenly exerted force, flipping the sedan upwards with a single hand. Instantly, the entire car flipped over in mid-air,pleting a three hundred and sixty-degree spin, thennded on the ground with a ¡¯bang.¡¯


    Ling Chen and Su Mei, who hadn¡¯t managed to get out in time, only felt their whole bodies jolt, shaking uncontrobly. Fortunately, they had both fastened their seat belts and were firmly strapped to their seats. However, Su Mei, not as physically strong as Ling Chen, felt dizziness and disorientation from the violent shaking.


    Seeing Su Mei¡¯s pale face, Ling Chen didn¡¯t have the luxury to think further, kicked open the car door, swiftly unfastened Su Mei¡¯s seat belt, and then dragged her out from the passenger side.


    Stepping away from the sedan, Ling Chen shielded Su Mei, his eyes alertly fixed on the old man, and he said in a deep voice, "Are you from the God Organization?"


    However, the old man didn¡¯t even nce at him, his gaze remained locked on Su Mei.


    "Hand her over, and I¡¯ll let you live," the old man said slowly, his voice hoarse, with a hint of cold and fierce murderous intent in his tone.


    Seeing the old man closing in step by step, Ling Chen furrowed his brows, turned to Su Mei, and said, "Miss Su, I¡¯ll hold him off in a moment; take the chance to run first."


    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 559 - 555 Mr. Ji

    <h4>Chapter 559: Chapter 555 Mr. Ji</h4><h4></h4>


    "That¡¯s for you?"


    "Don¡¯t worry about me, I..."


    "What¡¯s all this nonsense?"


    Before Ling Chen could finish speaking, the old man suddenly snapped coldly. As his words fell, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze shifted, only to see a flickering figure before his eyes. Immediately after, a gust of wind hit his face. Before he could react, the gust turned into a powerful force and struck him fiercely.


    Puff!


    In an instant, Ling Chen felt a sweetness in his throat, and blood spilled from his mouth. His legs lifted off the ground and he heavily crashed onto the floor.


    "Ling Chen!"


    Seeing this, Su Mei¡¯s face changed drastically. She hurried to Ling Chen¡¯s side and helped him up from the ground.


    "How are you?" Su Mei asked with concern.


    "I... I¡¯m fine." Ling Chen endured the pain in his chest and said with a pale face.


    Although he said he was fine, he was very aware of how severe his injuries were. At least three ribs had been broken at the front of his chest; at the moment, even a slight movement sent a fierce pain throughout his limbs.


    In one move!


    Ling Chen hadpletely lost his ability to resist.


    As a master on the Dragon List, probably only a master from the Earthly List could render him incapable of fighting back. Looking at the old man before him, Ling Chen¡¯s eyebrows were tightly knit, and he was out of ideas.


    This old man¡¯s strength was too formidable; he was no match for him. Even if he had not been injured, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to defeat him.


    At that moment, the old man slowly walked over, grabbed Su Mei¡¯s left shoulder, and yanked her to his side.


    "Miss Su." Ling Chen reached out, trying to snatch Su Mei back. However, before his fingertips could touch Su Mei, the old man kicked him away, causing him to fall to the ground.


    Blood, once again, flowed from his mouth.


    "Ling Chen!"


    Su Mei looked at Ling Chen with a pained expression and worry.


    "Let¡¯s go!" The old man snapped, holding Su Mei with one hand and lightly tapping the ground with his foot. In the blink of an eye, the two disappeared into the thick night, leaving no trace.


    After they left, Ling Cheny on the ground gasping for breath. Once the pain in his body eased slightly, he struggled to get up from the ground.


    Back in the car, despite his injuries, Ling Chen started the sedan and immediately chased in the direction where the old man had disappeared.


    No matter how skilled the old man was, he couldn¡¯t be faster than a car. Ling Chen took a deep breath, remained calm, organized his thoughts, and checked the roads on both sides.


    He was on a main road with no branch intersections. Judging by the direction the old man left in, he must have headed towards the downtown area.


    Thinking of this, Ling Chen took out his phone and called Hu Fei, nning to repeat an old trick by having Liu Wei make a call to his contacts to locate the old man. Logically deducing, the old man would definitely meet up with those people.


    In Jinhai City.


    In the underground parking lot of a five-star hotel, three Range Rover off-road vehicles were parked.


    Not long after, two people walked towards the entrance of the parking lot; one was an old man over seventy years old, and the other was Su Mei, who had previously been captured.


    Seeing the old man appear, a middle-aged man immediately stepped out of a Range Rover. He was holding a phone in his hand and walked while saying, "Hello! Liu, I still have things to handle, I¡¯ll talk to youter."


    As soon as he hung up, the middle-aged man quickly walked towards the old man.


    "Mr. Ji." The middle-aged man greeted respectfully.


    "The person is here, you can take her back and report in."


    "Yes, Mr. Ji, thank you for your hard work." Saying that, the middle-aged man took Su Mei from the old man¡¯s hands and asked, "By the way! Mr. Ji, wasn¡¯t there someone else with her, did you find him?"


    The old man disdainfully said, "He¡¯s a useless loser, why bother wasting thoughts on him."


    "Is he dead?"


    "He¡¯s not worthy of dying by my hands." With those words, the old man closed his mouth and turned to walk outside the car park.


    After seeing Mr. Ji leave, the middle-aged man hastily pushed Su Mei into the car.


    As three Range Rovers drove out of the underground parking lot, the middle-aged man instructed, "Head to the port."


    Halfway through their journey, Su Mei sitting in the backseat asked, "What did you do to them?"


    "Don¡¯t worry, they are all doing well, their lives are not in danger for now. But, this is under the condition that you cooperate with me..."


    Boom!


    Suddenly, a loud noise erupted as the Range Rover in the middle was instantly rammed into the roadside. The sedan that hit it had its frontpletely wrecked, and its windows shattered, scattering ss all around.


    Faced with this sudden turn of events, the Range Rovers in front and behind immediately stopped, and several men sprinted from their vehicles to check on the people inside.


    "Damn! Can¡¯t you fucking drive? Are you blind or what?" A man cursed at the sedan¡¯s driver while walking to the car door, he reached in to pull the driver out.


    But just as the car door opened, a hand suddenly reached out, grabbed the man¡¯s cor, and violently pulled him in. Instantly, the man¡¯s head hit the car door¡¯s top, knocking him unconscious.


    "Who is it?"


    Amidst the shouting of the surrounding men, Ling Chen quickly rushed down from the driver¡¯s seat and charged directly at the men near the Range Rover.


    In a short span, five men were down at Ling Chen¡¯s feet. Taking advantage of the dy before others could encircle him, Ling Chen hurriedly opened the door of the crashed Range Rover, nced inside, and saw that the two men in the front passenger and driver seats were unconscious, while the two men in the back responsible for guarding Su Mei were still groggy.


    Because those two men served as a human shield, Su Mei in the middle wasn¡¯t much affected.


    Seeing Ling Chen at the car door, Su Mei showed a hint of joy. Before she could speak, she heard Ling Chen say, "Stay seated and don¡¯t move."


    After giving instructions, Ling Chen pulled all the men in the back out, followed by the people in the driver and passenger seats, and threw them onto the ground. Without waiting for the others to catch up, Ling Chen quickly jumped into the driver¡¯s seat and restarted the Range Rover.


    Fortunately, the Range Rover¡¯s quality was solid. Despite enduring the collision, only the body¡¯s side skirt was slightly deformed, which did not affect driving.


    "Hold on!"


    As his words fell, Ling Chen floored the elerator, breaking through the crowd.


    "Miss Su, where is that old man who captured you?" Ling Chen asked.


    He must rify the situation about that old man, the greatest threat.


    "I¡¯m not sure; he left after handing me over to those people."


    That¡¯s a relief! Ling Chen quietly breathed a sigh of relief. However, as soon as he rxed, he immediately felt a sharp pain through his body. The wounds on his body had not yet recovered, and just now he had forcefully rescued Su Mei. Now the pain red again making him utterly ufortable, even his vision started to blur.

 Chapter 560 - 556 Heavenly List Expert

    <h4>Chapter 560: Chapter 556 Heavenly List Expert</h4><h4></h4>


    Seeing Ling Chen sway the Land Rover from side to side, Su Mei asked worriedly, "Ling Chen, how are you?"


    "I¡¯m... I¡¯m fine." Ling Chen saidboriously. Under intense pain, he bit down on his tongue tip forcefully, and immediately, his mind cleared up significantly. Taking a deep breath, Ling Chen looked at the rearview mirror, only to see another Land Rover quickly catching up from behind, speeding faster and faster.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen controlled his speed and gradually slowed down. Shortly after, the pursuing Land Rover quickly caught up and drove alongside his.


    As the two Land Rovers were side by side in a straight line, Ling Chen suddenly turned the steering wheel, veering the car sharply to the left.


    Bang!


    With a loud crash, the two vehicles collided fiercely. Under the impact controlled by Ling Chen in the Land Rover, the other vehicle slightly shifted to the side. Conveniently, there were several cars parked on the roadside, blocking the pursuing Land Rover¡¯s path which, unable to dodge timely, crashed into the rear of a parked car, billowing white smoke.


    Having shaken off the other Land Rover, Ling Chen finally breathed a sigh of relief. He then sped up and drove the Land Rover into a nearby open-air parking lot. After that, he abandoned the Land Rover and randomly stole another car in the parking lot, continuing the escape with Su Mei.


    Over ten minutester, feeling increasingly weak, Ling Chen had no choice but to stop the car on the roadside, then found a simple motel to rest for a while.


    When paying, the motel owner, seeing the beautiful like celestial Su Mei then looking at Ling Chen, revealed a meaningful smile in his eyes.


    "302." The motel owner handed the room key to Ling Chen and leaned closer to him, chuckling lowly, "That room has better soundproofing, you two can enjoy yourselves to the fullest."


    Although the motel owner spoke quietly, Su Mei still heard him clearly from the side, her pretty face blushing deeply, her eyes unable to hide her embarrassment.


    Ling Chen, uninterested in exining, quickly dragged Su Mei up the stairs.


    In room 302, Ling Chen sat on the bed leaning against the wall, panting heavily.


    "Here, drink some water first." Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s injury seemed severe, Su Mei quickly opened a bottle of mineral water provided in the room.


    After taking a few sips and soothing his throat, Ling Chen felt much morefortable, though the pain in his chest was still intense.


    "When will Song Ge and the others arrive?"


    Hearing Su Mei¡¯s question, Ling Chen shook his head, took out his mobile phone, and said, "You call him yourself. Give them our address and ask them to hurry over, I can¡¯t hold on much longer."


    Su Mei nodded, took the phone, and dialed Song Ge¡¯s number.


    Once the call connected, Su Mei spoke urgently, "Song Ge, it¡¯s me, you... what?" Not knowing what was said from the other end, Su Mei¡¯s face slightly changed.


    "Okay, I understand, be careful."


    After Su Mei hung up the call, Ling Chen asked, "What happened over there?"


    "They were attacked right as they left the airport." Su Mei couldn¡¯t hide her worry while saying this, "Song Ge told me that the attacker was an old man, likely the same one who injured you."


    Ling Chen frowned and said, "Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion sent so many experts over, can¡¯t they take down that old man?"


    Miss Su sighed, "I¡¯m afraid things are not as simple as you imagine. That old man... is a Heavenly List master!"


    What?


    Ling Chen¡¯s pupils shrank, his face revealing shock.


    Heavenly List master!


    No wonder Song Ge and the others were stopped; it turns out that old fellow is a Heavenly List master. Ling Chen secretly felt fortunate that when he encountered that old man previously, the man probably disdained killing him; otherwise, even ten lives wouldn¡¯t have been enough to survive.


    That said, the Heavenly List master secretly protecting Miss Su¡¯s safety must have been unable to help because of that old man.


    "Miss Su, are there no Heavenly List masters among the reinforcements sent by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    "Do you think there are many Heavenly List masters in the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion? Aside from our own people, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion only has two Heavenly List masters. One is solely responsible for my safety; the other stays in the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion to fend off foreign enemies." At this point, Su Mei suddenly changed the topic, continuing, "The old man who hurt you before, I think I know who he is."


    "You know his identity?"


    Su Mei nodded and said, "I¡¯ve heard people calling him Mr. Ji. Among the Heavenly List masters I know of, there is an old man surnamed Ji, whom I have never met; I can¡¯t believe he was recruited by the God Organization. If I remember correctly, his name should be Ji Gang, and he¡¯s already over eighty years old. Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has always wanted to contact him to maintain good rtions, but he is elusive and has no fixed abode, so we have always been unable to reach him."


    Ling Chen was somewhat surprised, saying, "I thought he was a Heavenly List master ¡¯manufactured¡¯ through the Lucifer experiment; turns out he¡¯s real."


    "The Lucifer experiment I learned about is actually the development of one¡¯s own potential, guided by effective scientific technology,bined with medicinal enhancements, which instantly enhance one¡¯s strength multiple times. However, these ¡¯manufactured¡¯ Heavenly List masters, no matter how powerful they are, can¡¯t surpass those who break through limits by their cultivation. Moreover, everyone¡¯s potential has a limit; even if the experiment is sessful, it will greatly reduce their lifespan."


    "I see."


    While talking, Ling Chen suddenly felt a heaviness in his chest, barely catching his breath, and his face turned unsightly.


    Seeing his difort, Su Mei said, "We should still go to the hospital to check; your injury can¡¯t be neglected for too long."


    "No need." Ling Chen shook his head, "Going to the hospital could likely expose our whereabouts." With aputer expert Hu Fei by his side, God Organization surely doesn¡¯tck such experts.


    "How about... we call the police?" suggested Su Mei.


    "No." Ling Chen directly rejected Su Mei¡¯s suggestion. He knew too well the style of God Organization; even if they sought help from the police, God Organization would neither fear nor show mercy, only causing more innocent casualties.


    "You don¡¯t need to worry too much about me; I¡¯ll be fine with some rest. It¡¯s unlikely that the God Organization¡¯s people will find this ce anytime soon, and we can rest assured."


    Su Mei, with a worried expression, said, "I wonder how Elder Zhou and the others are faring?"


    "It¡¯s a pity we don¡¯t know their whereabouts; otherwise, we could think of a way to rescue them first."


    Hearing this, something seemed to ur to Su Mei, and she said, "The people who captured me previously said they were sending me to the port; could this be a clue?"


    The port?


    Ling Chen¡¯s mind stirred. Yes! Located by the sea, they must be nning to leave by boat.

 Chapter 561 - 557: Port Rescue (1)

    <h4>Chapter 561: Chapter 557: Port Rescue (1)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Stay here, I¡¯m going out for a bit," said Ling Chen as he got up, ready to leave.


    "What are you going to do?" Su Mei quickly caught up to Ling Chen, obstructing his path and asked.


    "Elder Zhou and the others must be trapped on the ship, I¡¯m going to scout out the situation and see if I can rescue them."


    "No! You¡¯re so severely injured and can barely take care of yourself, how can you go and rescue them? Don¡¯t end up risking your own life too."


    "It¡¯s okay, no need to worry about me. People from the God Organization know that the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has sent reinforcements, most of their manpower must be intercepting Song Ge and the others, the manpower at the port should be less, this is a good opportunity, we cannot miss it."


    "But..." Su Mei still hesitated. Her hesitation mainly stemmed from her concern for Ling Chen¡¯s safety. He was covered in wounds, and she did not want his condition to worsen. As the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master, she had some knowledge in medicine and knew very well that as a martial artist, if one cannot control their injuries, the condition might worsen and possibly lead to long-termplications.


    "Right!"


    At that moment, Ling Chen seemed to remember something, hurriedly reaching into his pocket, rummaging left and right, and finally pulled out something wrapped in stic paper.


    "I have this."


    "What is that?" Su Mei asked curiously.


    Ling Chen smiled as he peeled off the stic wrapper, revealing a small white orb, immediately dispersing a faint fragrance throughout the room.


    "Heavenly Mechanism Pill!"


    As the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master, Su Mei would naturally recognize it.


    Ling Chen nodded, the pill in his hand was a quality Heavenly Mechanism Pill, obtained from the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony. There are three types of Heavenly Mechanism Pills: ordinary, quality, and superior. However, only those who have reached the level of Dragon List could consume the quality Heavenly Mechanism Pills. Ling Chen, who was previously ranked in the Tiger List, had used an ordinary Heavenly Mechanism Pill before and found it effective, but he had never used the quality ones.


    After securing the first ce in the recent rookiepetition, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion awarded him four quality Heavenly Mechanism Pills. He kept three at home and carried one all the time, just in case.


    He had just recalled that he still had one with him.


    "Heavenly Mechanism Pill isn¡¯t a healing medicinal pill, at most it can only alleviate your pain, not have much effect on the injuries," said Su Mei.


    "Alleviating the pain is enough." With that, not waiting for Su Mei to say anything more, Ling Chen swallowed the quality Heavenly Mechanism Pill.


    As soon as the pill entered his mouth, its effect began to work in his body. The quality Heavenly Mechanism Pill indeed had a much stronger effect than the ordinary ones. Soon, the pain in his chest was significantly alleviated.


    "Alright, I¡¯m fine now, I¡¯ll head out now," Ling Chen patted his chest, showed Su Mei an OK sign, and then turned towards the door. Reaching the doorway, Ling Chen pped his forehead, quickly turned around, took out his phone, and ced it in Su Mei¡¯s hand.


    "Keep the phone so we can easily stay in contact."


    "Then take care of yourself."


    "I know."


    After leaving the hotel, Ling Chen drove the stolen car straight to the Jinhai City port.


    In less than half an hour, Ling Chen arrived outside the port. He parked the car at the roadside, stood outside the gate, and nced around. Although it was already 4 a.m., many workers were still loading and unloading goods.


    It is normal for a major port to operate 24 hours with staff working shifts. Ling Chen observed for a while, but did not notice any suspicious individuals or questionable ships.


    Right then, Ling Chen slipped past the workers and quietly went into the port management center. While nobody was paying attention, he picked up a work uniform and put it on, ensuring that his identity would not be discovered.


    In the harbor, arge area is piled with containers. Ling Chen wore a work cap, pulled the brim down, and discreetly moved among the workers, searching for the whereabouts of Zhou Jun and hispanions.


    At this moment, arge group of workers were operating machinery, loading cargo onto a cargo ship, and more than tenrge containers were sessively transported to the ship.


    After spending more than ten minutes, Ling Chen walked a big round in the harbor. He searched every suspicious ce, but still came up empty-handed.


    Strange!


    Ling Chen frowned secretly, wondering if he hade to the wrong ce.


    Just as he was thinking, his eyes were suddenly drawn to several vehicles parked side by side not far away.


    Range Rover!


    It was indeed here!


    Ling Chen thought to himself. If he had any doubts before, he was sure now that Zhou Qi and his people must be detained somewhere in the harbor.


    However, apart from a cargo ship, there were more than ten fishing boats and several yachts around the port. He had checked the fishing boats and yachts and found no signs of anyone, all dark and deserted.


    Cargo ship!


    Ling Chen looked up at the cargo ship not far away and nodded secretly. Except for that ship, he had checked everywhere else. However, searching such arge ship might be problematic.


    After thinking for a while, Ling Chen blended in with the port workers, picked up a woven bag, and followed the team quickly onto the cargo ship.


    Once on the cargo ship, Ling Chen carefully observed the people around him. Soon, he identified several suspicious targets. Although these people were dressed in work clothes, they were not working. Instead, they stood around, monitoring the actions of others.


    Moreover, under their clothes around their waists, Ling Chen saw bulges, likely lethal weapons.


    Having identified the targets, Ling Chen pressed his cap down, lowered his head, and walked towards a man. Approaching him, Ling Chen nced around, noticed that no one was paying attention to them, and without hesitation, he took action, knocked the man down to the ground, covered his mouth, and dragged him behind a box.


    "If you don¡¯t want to die, you better cooperate with me." Ling Chen coldly threatened.


    "Tell me, where are all the people you¡¯ve captured?"


    The man quickly raised his hand and pointed to a stack of containers not far away.


    "Are you sure?"


    The man hastily nodded, indicating he was not lying.


    "You better not be lying to me; otherwise, I¡¯lle back for you."


    With that, Ling Chen raised his left hand, turned it into a knife-hand, and severely chopped at the man¡¯s neck, knocking him unconscious. To avoid detection, Ling Chen pulled a cloth from nearby and covered the man¡¯s body, hiding his tracks.


    He then continued to disguise as a worker on the cargo ship, walked through the busy crowd, and headed straight towards the containers.


    Upon reaching the area, Ling Chen walked past the containers, carefully listening to any noise inside.


    "Hey, what are you doing over there?"


    Suddenly, a man in charge of patrol noticed Ling Chen¡¯s actions and hurriedly called out reprehensively.

 Chapter 562 - 558 Port Search and Rescue (2)

    <h4>Chapter 562: Chapter 558 Port Search and Rescue (2)</h4><h4></h4>


    As the man shouted, everyone¡¯s attention instantly focused on Ling Chen.


    Darn it!


    Ling Chen cursed under his breath, that guy¡¯s eyes were too sharp.


    At this moment, he couldn¡¯t care about hiding his identity and yelled loudly, "Elder Zhou, where are you?"


    Right after his words, Ling Chen heard a ¡¯bang bang¡¯ noise. Following the sound, Ling Chen immediately locked his gaze on one of the containers.


    So they were all locked up in here.


    Before Ling Chen could release Zhou Qi and the others, the nearby duty personnel already rushed over, each reaching for their waists.


    Seeing those people preparing to draw weapons, Ling Chen immediately changed direction and dived towards a nearby metal box. Behind the metal box, Ling Chen nced inside and found it was filled with arge number of screws. These screws and nuts, specially made for the cargo ship, were veryrge and heavy.


    Looking at those screws and nuts, a glint appeared in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes. He casually picked up a few and threw them as hidden weapons. With the help of his wrist, all the screws hit the targets urately, knocking them to the ground.


    After continuously taking down five duty personnel, Ling Chen saw the deck was clear and immediately rushed to the container, ready to release Zhou Qi and the others.


    However, when he saw the locks hanging outside the container, his brows involuntarily furrowed.


    There were a total of three locks on the outside of the container, each as thick as a thumb, and it was impossible to break them by force alone. Seeing this, Ling Chen anxiously looked around, hoping to find tools to open the locks.


    At this moment, after the recent conflict, all the deck workers had escaped from the cargo ship, and no one was to be found. However, there were plenty of noisesing from outside the cargo ship, likely members of the God Organization.


    What to do now?


    Ling Chen thought hard to himself, having finally located Zhou Qi and the others, he couldn¡¯t just abandon them and escape alone. Amidst his contemtion, Ling Chen suddenly noticed the crane set up in the port, and his eyes lit up.


    There¡¯s a way!


    Without waiting for pursuers from outside the cargo ship to arrive, Ling Chen tapped his toes lightly, speeding swiftly, and leaped straight off the ship¡¯s deck,nding firmly on the ground. He then continued to run at full speed.


    Soon, he reached the base of the crane.


    With his agile skills, Ling Chen grabbed the supports with both hands and quickly made his way up. In less than ten seconds, he reached the crane¡¯s control booth, thirty meters high.


    Upon entering the booth, the operator inside looked at Ling Chen in surprise and said, "Who are you? Get down from here; this ce doesn¡¯t allow outsiders." As he spoke, the man tried to drive Ling Chen away.


    Watching the man¡¯s approaching hand, Ling Chen, without saying a word, swiftly grabbed the operator¡¯s wrist and gave it a gentle twist. Instantly, the worker let out a cry of pain.


    "Behave yourself, you better do exactly as I say," Ling Chenmanded while pointing at the deck of the cargo ship. "Get that container down for me."


    The operator, sweating coldly, said with difficulty, "This...this is against the rules."


    "Friend, you know best how high up we are here. If you identally fall, you¡¯ll lose your life. Your life is almost gone, and you¡¯re still worried about breaking the rules?"


    Upon hearing this, the operator felt a chill rise from the soles of his feet.


    "Don¡¯t...don¡¯t kill me, I¡¯ll do as you say."


    Under the control of the staff, the crane slowly operated, moving from mid-air above the deck of the cargo ship. Then, the iron hook hanging from the crane armtched onto both sides of the container, slowly pulling it up and moving it toward the port.


    Taking advantage of the moment when the staff were operating the crane, Ling Chen scanned the control room and saw a pile of tools in the corner, including a wire cutter.


    "Bring the container over here." As soon as he finished speaking, Ling Chen picked up the wire cutter, stepped outside the control room, and watched the slowly moving container.


    As soon as the container neared, Ling Chen immediately extended the wire cutter in his hand, cutting all three locks on the outside.


    As the doors of the container swung open, it revealed Zhou Qi, Zhou Jun, and over ten members of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, all bound tightly and with their movements restricted.


    "Elder Zhou."


    Ling Chen hurriedly jumped into the container, helping everyone to untie their ropes.


    "Ling Chen, how did you get here?" Zhou Qi asked, puzzled.


    "We¡¯ll talk about thatter. This is not a safe ce to stay, let¡¯s leave quickly." Saying this, Ling Chen walked out of the container, returned to the crane control room, and signaled to the staff member to lower the container to the ground.


    However, at that moment, Ling Chen, standing at a high vantage point, suddenly saw several Land Rovers approaching rapidly from outside the port gate. Besides that, the sharp-eyed Ling Chen also noticed a rapidly moving figure following behind the Land Rovers. Due to the high speed, he couldn¡¯t see clearly. But, knowing the skills that person possessed, he knew who it was.


    Ji Gang.


    A master from the Heavenly List!


    "They arrived so quickly." Ling Chen frowned secretly. In his expectation, Ji Gang and his men should be intercepting the reinforcements from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion; they shouldn¡¯t have managed to return so quickly. But now, it seemed things weren¡¯t going as smoothly as he thought.


    Seeing that the people from the God Organization were about to arrive, Ling Chen rushed out of the control room and shouted to the people in the container, "Elder Zhou."


    "What¡¯s wrong?" Zhou Qi poked his head out and asked.


    "Quick, go that way," Ling Chen pointed in another direction of the port, urging them anxiously.


    "What about you?"


    "Don¡¯t worry about me. Go first, I¡¯ll meet up with youter. Hurry, if we don¡¯t go now, it¡¯ll be toote."


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s anxious face, Zhou Qi didn¡¯t dare to dy any longer. Without waiting for the container to touch the ground, he led the others to jump from nearly ten meters high and then sprint towards the direction Ling Chen had pointed.


    Seeing Zhou Qi and the others leaving, Ling Chen immediately returned to the control room, pushed aside the staff member, and operated the crane himself, moving the container towards those Land Rovers.


    When the leading Land Rover was about to pass right beneath the container, Ling Chen mmed the button down hard. Suddenly, the container hanging in mid-air fell directly, smashing the Land Rover t. Under such heavy pressure, there was no chance for anyone in the car to survive.


    As the first Land Rover was destroyed, the subsequent few Land Rovers, being too close to stop, collided into each other.


    Seeing this scenario, Ling Chen¡¯s lips curved in a slight smile, giving a soft chuckle.


    He had finally bought some time for Zhou Qi and the others to escape.


    "Nicely done."


    Ling Chen patted the staff member¡¯s shoulder, then quickly sprinted out of the control room. With Zhou Qi and the others gone, it was his turn to leave.


    However, as Ling Chen climbed down from the crane, preparing to flee the port, he saw a sh before his eyes, and an old man suddenly appeared in front of him.

 Chapter 563 - 559: The Fisherman

    <h4>Chapter 563: Chapter 559: The Fisherman</h4><h4></h4>


    Ji Gang!


    Ling Chen¡¯s pupils shrank, and he couldn¡¯t help but retreat. Facing a master from the Heavenly List, such a reaction was not shameful. Ling Chen knew well that he was vastly inferior to the old man before him. If he fought against him, he would undoubtedly die.


    Still a step toote!


    I should have fled earlier, but still, this old fellow caught me.


    "You really don¡¯t know what¡¯s good for you," Ji Gang said coldly. "I spared your life, and yet you daree here to cause trouble."


    "Elder Ji, right," Ling Chen said while looking at Ji Gang. "I can¡¯t understand, why would a distinguished expert from the Heavenly List join the God Organization and assist tyrants in their oppression? Didn¡¯t your Master teach you that martial artists should follow the righteous path?"


    "The righteous path?" Ji Gang scoffed dismissively and said, "What is the righteous path, and what is the path of evil¡ªit¡¯s not for you to define. As long as I have enough power, the path of evil can be the righteous path. Kid, I¡¯m over sixty years your senior; it¡¯s not your ce to lecture me. Opposing me is a death wish!"


    At the utterance of the word ¡¯death,¡¯ Ling Chen immediately felt an overwhelming presence rush towards him. Even before moving, the force was already exerted. Feeling the pressure emanating from Ji Gang, Ling Chen¡¯s throat felt as if it were being strangled, breathing became difficult, and his entire bearing waspletely suppressed, unable to lift his head.


    Of the thirty-six stratagems, retreating is the best.


    Flee!


    If I don¡¯t flee now, I really will lose my life here.


    Choosing his direction carefully, Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate¡ªhe immediately started sprinting with all his might.


    "Trying to escape?" Watching Ling Chen¡¯s retreating figure, Ji Gang let out a sneer, lightly tapped his toes, and chased after him with lightning speed.


    After a frantic rush of several dozen meters, Ling Chen was getting closer and closer to that cargo ship.


    Almost there!


    Hope was within reach, and Ling Chen¡¯s eyes gleamed brighter. The docks offered no means of escape except the sea. Once in the water, under the cover of the dark night, the other party wouldn¡¯t be able to find him.


    However, just when Ling Chen was less than five meters away from the water, a strong gust of wind suddenly swept towards him from behind. Ling Chen¡¯s heart sank. He didn¡¯t need to look back to know who it was. In that moment, he clenched his teeth and gathered all his strength into his legs, shooting forward at his top speed.


    But even though he was fast, Ji Gang was faster.


    Three meters... Two meters... As the distance closed, Ling Chen leaped into the air, arms raised high, fingers joined together, plunging straight towards the water. But at that moment, a powerful force brutally struck his back, and the potent Inner Strength prated his skin, instantly spreading throughout his body.


    Pff!


    A mouthful of fresh blood spewed out, and Ling Chen lost consciousness, plummeting into the pitch-ck sea. Apanied by a ssh, Ling Chen¡¯s figure immediately disappeared.


    ...


    Hotel.


    In room 302, Su Mei was holding a teacup, her brow furrowed with worry as she sat restlessly, waiting for news of Ling Chen.


    Knock knock knock!


    At that moment, a crisp knocking on the door could be heard. Su Mei quickly got up and walked to the door, opening it.


    "Ling..." Before she could finish, Su Mei swallowed back her words and instead said, "You¡¯ve finally arrived."


    "Pavilion Master, we apologize for our tardiness," Song Ge said with remorse.


    "It¡¯s okay, didn¡¯t you say you were attacked on the way? How is everything?"


    "Not too bad, we didn¡¯t suffer heavy losses. Pavilion Master, we should escort you away first."


    Su Mei nodded and asked, "Do you have any news about Ling Chen?"


    "Elder Zhou just made contact with Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. They have escaped safely, but as for Ling Chen... there is still no news of him, and Elder Zhou didn¡¯t borate."


    Hearing this, a gleam appeared in Su Mei¡¯s beautiful eyes, and the worry in them diminished significantly. Zhou Qi and the others being rescued meant that Ling Chen¡¯s operation was sessful. Since Zhou Qi was alright, Ling Chen should have also escaped unharmed.


    "Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s meet up with Elder Zhou and the others first."


    "Yes, Pavilion Master."


    ...


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t know how long had passed when he groggily opened his eyes, struggling to sit up. However, as soon as he moved, a wave of severe pain swept through his entire body, causing him to involuntarily moan.


    Damn it!


    His limbs wouldn¡¯t obey him.


    Ling Chen vaguely remembered being hit hard by Ji Gang as he fell into the sea. But the fact he could still feel pain now meant that he had survived.


    Where is this?


    He struggled to turn his neck, surveying his surroundings. He found himself lying on a crude wooden bed, surrounded by mud walls cracking in many ces as if they would copse at any moment.


    The roof above was covered with thickyers of thatch, and many dried small fishes were hanging from the beams, filling the hut with a pungent fishy smell.


    Through the walls, Ling Chen could faintly hear the sound of waves crashing. If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, he must be by the sea, and the owner of this house was possibly a fisherman.


    As he pondered, a person walked into the cabin, an old man around seventy or eighty years old, with a gaunt face and a slender figure, wearing a conical hat, carrying a basket of fish in his left hand. Through the gaps in the basket, more than ten fresh fish could be seen.


    Perhaps sensing Ling Chen¡¯s gaze, the old man turned his head and said indifferently, "You¡¯ve finally woken up."


    "Old man, how long have I been unconscious?"


    "Two days," the old man replied. "Two days ago, while I was out fishing, I found you lying on the beach, so I rescued you. You¡¯re lucky to still be breathing; otherwise, not even a deity could have saved you."


    "Thank you!" Ling Chen expressed his gratitude. If it weren¡¯t for this old man, his life would have been long gone.


    "Old man, do you have a telephone here? I want to make a call to a friend."


    The old man gestured towards the room¡¯s furnishings and counterquestioned, "Do you think I have such a thing?"


    Ling Chen took a quick nce and realized that the room really didn¡¯t have any electrical appliances, not even amp; the lighting was done with old-fashioned kerosenemps.


    "Old man, if you don¡¯t have one, could you help me borrow one from someone else?" Ling Chen asked, not giving up hope.


    The old man shook his head and said, "I¡¯m the only one living in this ce, there are no outsiders, and I don¡¯t wish to interact with outsiders. You better just stay here peacefully until your injuries heal, then you can leave on your own."


    Ling Chen felt helpless and pleaded, "Old man, I really have an urgent matter. Please help me, I¡¯ll be sure to repay you generously after this is all settled."


    "Forget it, I have no interest in your gratitude," the old man paused, and before Ling Chen could say anything more, he continued, "Your injuries are very serious. You can¡¯t leave bed for five days, and even if you contact your friends, you¡¯ll still have to stay here for five days."


    Saying that, the old man walked over to an old wooden table, pulled out several bottles and jars from underneath, then took out a porcin bowl, poured contents from the bottles and jars, mixing them together.

 Chapter 564 - 560: Goddess Meets Goddess

    <h4>Chapter 564: Chapter 560: Goddess Meets Goddess</h4><h4></h4>


    Before long, a bowl of some unknown liquid was ready.


    The old man carried the porcin bowl to the bedside, propped up Ling Chen¡¯s neck with one hand, then brought the bowl to his lips and said, "Drink up, this stuff is good for your injuries."


    Ling Chen wrinkled his brow slightly at the pungent smell emanating from the bowl and asked, "What kind of medicine is this?"


    Although the old man before him had saved him, he didn¡¯t let his guard down. Being cautious never hurts, no matter the situation.


    "This is a traditional remedy; rest assured, I have no reason to harm you. If I wanted to harm you, why would I bother saving you? Just drink it quickly."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen thought it made sense, and without further hesitation, he braved the assault on his taste buds and downed the unknown medicinal liquid.


    As the medicine went down his throat, Ling Chen immediately felt his head grow heavy and he drifted off to sleep. It wasn¡¯t long before he fell into a deep slumber.


    Watching Ling Chen asleep, the old man mumbled to himself, "Lucky for you, you have a strong life force. You took the Heavenly Mechanism Pill and it kept you breathing; otherwise, you¡¯d be long gone."


    ...


    East Sea City.


    Wealthy Manor.


    At this moment, Nanrong Wanqing and Liu Xiyao were sitting in the living room, staring at the entrance, hoping that Ling Chen would appear in their line of sight the next second. However, having waited for two or three days, there was still no sign of Ling Chen returning.


    "Could he... could he have had an ident?" said Nanrong Wanqing, filled with anxiety.


    Ever since the night Ling Chen asked her and Liu Xiyao to return, she had lost contact with him, without a single piece of news. What worried her the most was whether Ling Chen had been captured by those people, or worse... There was another possibility, but she dared not even think it.


    At that moment, Nanrong Hao walked in from outside.


    Seeing Nanrong Hao, Nanrong Wanqing immediately couldn¡¯t sit still. She quickly got up to meet him, asking impatiently, "Did you find him?"


    Nanrong Hao shook his head and said, "I asked the guys, they said Chen went to Jin Sea City a few days ago and hasn¡¯t been heard from since."


    Liu Xiyao asked with confusion, "What¡¯s he doing in Jin Sea City?"


    "I¡¯m not too sure."


    "Nanrong Hao, call the police right now," said Nanrong Wanqing, after deep deliberation.


    "Call the police?" Nanrong Hao hesitated.


    "What are you dazed for, go and make the call now," Nanrong Wanqing urged.


    "Oh!" Once Sister had spoken, Nanrong Hao did not dare disobey and quickly took out his phone to dial the emergency number.


    "Wanqing, don¡¯t be too anxious," Su Lin, seeing the urgency on Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face, couldn¡¯t help but console her, "You know how capable Ling Chen is. Anyone who confronts him is at a disadvantage, he won¡¯t be in trouble."


    Nanrong Wanqing sighed lightly and said, "I hope so, too, but it¡¯s been two or three days with no news at all, how can I not worry?"


    At this point, Nanrong Hao, who was standing by the window, put down his phone and said, "Sister, I¡¯ve made the call. The police will be here soon."


    Less than half an hourter, Xia Mutong, in a neat police uniform, came in with two subordinates.


    "Miss Nanrong," Xia Mutong greeted and asked, "Was it you who called in the report just now?"


    Anxious, Nanrong Wanqing got straight to the point, "Officer Xia, Ling Chen is missing, and I would like you to help me look for him."


    "Disappeared?" Xia Mutong slightly startled, doubting whether she had misheard.


    That scoundrel could actually disappear, what a strange urrence. Knowing Ling Chen as she did, she assumed the scoundrel must be so enthralled by someone¡¯s tender affections that he had forgotten to return.


    Her mind wandered for a moment before Xia Mutong dismissed the distractions, and spoke seriously, "Miss Nanrong, you say he is missing, what evidence do you have to prove this? Perhaps he¡¯s just gone out for fun and forgot to get in touch with you."


    "That¡¯s impossible, he¡¯s not that kind of person."


    Xia Mutong said with difficulty, "You can¡¯t provide any clues. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s going to be hard for me to help you."


    "I..."


    "We don¡¯t need you to intervene in Ling Chen¡¯s affairs."


    Before Nanrong Wanqing could finish speaking, an agreeable voice came from the entrance. In an instant, everyone¡¯s attention was focused on the doorway.


    At the entrance of the room, a gracefully contoured woman walked in, her wrist adorned with an exquisite silver bracelet, a delicate ne of an unknown material around her soft neck, shining brightly with dazzling multicolored hues.


    Even though the woman¡¯s face was obscured by a thin veil, the elegant figure, the faint outline visible behind the veil, and the temperament she disyed in her bearing made it clear that this woman was exceptionally striking.


    Moreover, she was apanied by an elder and several men, who were vigntly guarding their surroundings.


    "Who are you?" As the owner of this vi, Nanrong Wanqing asked.


    "You may call me Su Mei," the woman replied indifferently.


    Xia Mutong scrutinized the other party and asked, "You just said to not intervene in Ling Chen¡¯s matters, what do you mean by that?"


    Su Mei replied unapologetically, "This is something your police can¡¯t handle, so it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t interfere, to avoid hindering us."


    Hearing that, Xia Mutong was inwardly furious. This woman had the audacity to belittle the police.


    "Miss Nanrong."


    Without hesitation, Su Mei walked up to Nanrong Wanqing, extending her hand and said, "This is our first formal meeting. I¡¯m very pleased to meet you."


    Looking at Su Mei¡¯s outstretched hand, Nanrong Wanqing asked, "Do you know me?"


    "I¡¯ve heard about you. Don¡¯t forget we have a mutual friend, Ling Chen."


    Ling Chen?


    For some reason, when Su Mei mentioned his name, Nanrong Wanqing felt a pang of difort. She sensed a whiff of hostility from this woman.


    However, thinking of the missing Ling Chen, Nanrong Wanqing immediately discarded the strange thoughts and asked, "Do you happen to know where Ling Chen is?"


    "I¡¯m not certain yet, but rest assured, I¡¯ll do everything I can to find him." After speaking, Su Mei scanned the onlookers and said, "I have matters to attend to, if you¡¯ll excuse me. Miss Nanrong, I believe we will have many more opportunities to meet in the future. Goodbye!"


    After the words fell, Su Mei, surrounded by Zhou Qi and the others, turned and left the living room.


    Watching Su Mei¡¯s departing figure, Su Lin spoke discontentedly, "Who is this woman? She has no manners at all, acting as if this is her own home. Coming and going as she pleases."


    "Forget it!" Nanrong Wanqing interjected, "It doesn¡¯t matter who she is, as long as she can help us find Ling Chen."


    "Miss Nanrong, rest assured, our police will certainly help you find Ling Chen," Xia Mutong spoke earnestly. Herpetitive nature was already piqued, Su Mei¡¯sments earlier had made her feel slighted, and she found it very ufortable.


    She was determined to see who could find Ling Chen first.

 Chapter 565 - 561 Su He

    <h4>Chapter 565: Chapter 561 Su He</h4><h4></h4>


    In the blink of an eye, three days had passed.


    These days, Ling Chen had been staying in the room, lying on the bed unable to move. The fisherman woulde daily at a fixed time to administer traditional remedies to treat his injuries.


    So many days had passed without a word from him, and he guessed that Nanrong Wanqing and the others were probably worried sick.


    With no other choice, Ling Chen sighed, knowing he shouldn¡¯t have given his cellphone to Su Mei; it would have been much better to keep it for his own use.


    Lost in his thoughts, the door of the room was pushed open, and the old fisherman walked in carrying a fish basket. Seeing Ling Chen looking at him, the old man spoke, "Would you like to go outside and sit for a while?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes brightened, and he nodded eagerly. Having been cooped up in bed all these days, the opportunity to breathe some fresh air was more than wee.


    Immediately, the old man helped Ling Chen up from the bed, then supported his arm and slowly moved him outside. It had been several days, and this was Ling Chen¡¯s first time stepping out.


    Outside the house, there were several bamboo poles used for drying fish and clothes, and next to them, there was a wicker chair.


    Sitting on the wicker chair, the old man took a thick nket from one of the bamboo poles and covered Ling Chen with it to prevent him from catching cold. By now, it was nearing evening, the sky gradually darkening, and the sea breeze was howling, bringing a slight chill.


    "Thank you, Elder Su."


    After spending a few days together, Ling Chen had learned the old man¡¯s name was Su He, a fisherman who had lived in this ce for many years, leading a life almost isted from the world, self-sufficient, and seldom interacting with outsiders.


    Ling Chen admired him; if he were asked to live alone in such a ce for decades, he would rather die quickly.


    "Elder Su, don¡¯t you have children?"


    "I do."


    "Why don¡¯t you reunite with them? It¡¯s almost the New Year, and I believe your children would wish for the whole family to be together."


    "I am not particr about that," Su He said indifferently: "They have their lives, I have mine, and we do not interfere with each other. The hearts of people in this world are too chaotic nowadays; it¡¯s better to live quietly alone."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen seemed to understand something. Su He having lived in solitude for these many decades must have experienced some kind of setback in his youth, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have chosen this way of life.


    Looking around at the environment, lush greenery and facing the sea, it indeed was a great ce to retire.


    "How were you injured?"


    At this moment, Su He suddenly popped the question.


    "Well..." Ling Chen hesitated and then made up an excuse, "I identally fell into the sea when I was on a boat and got swept away by the waves." Saying this, he smiled and continued, gratefully: "I thought I was definitely going to die, but it seems that fate still takes care of me."


    Su He looked at him and said tly, "There¡¯s no need to lie in front of me; I know how the injury on your back was caused."


    "You know?" Ling Chen was taken aback, looking at Su He with a surprised face.


    "You were severely injured by someone using Inner Strength, and the person who did it is very powerful, likely a high-ranked expert from the Heavenly List. You survived not because fate took care of you, but because you had once consumed a Heavenly Mechanism Pill. The effects of the Heavenly Mechanism Pill lingered in your body, which is why you were able to save your life." After speaking, Su He looked at Ling Chen with a profound expression: "Since you were able to obtain a high-quality Heavenly Mechanism Pill, it seems you have a deep connection with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    Hearing Su He¡¯s words, Ling Chen was immensely shocked, the old man could deduce so much just from his injuries.


    Master!


    The word spontaneously popped into Ling Chen¡¯s mind.


    "Elder sir, you..."


    "You haven¡¯t answered my question yet, what¡¯s your rtionship with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    Ling Chen thought for a moment and said, "I suppose we could be considered friends. I know the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master and have helped the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion out a few times with minor matters."


    "Was the Heavenly Mechanism Pill given to you by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    "Not exactly, the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony was just held recently."


    "The Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony?" Su He had an enlightened look and nodded, saying, "I almost forgot about the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony. Given your age, you must have participated in the Neerpetition."


    "Indeed."


    "What ce did you achieve?"


    Ling Chen gave a slight smile: "I was fortunate enough to win first ce."


    Su He waved his hand and said, "Those who win first ce don¡¯t rely on luck. Well, to be young and already top of the Neer List shows you are a promising individual." He paused a moment, then suddenly changed the topic, asking, "You just mentioned that you know the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master?"


    "Yes, I believe I could be considered a friend in her eyes."


    "Friend?" Su He smirked and murmured to himself, "The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master¡¯s age... she must be in her twenties by now, so that¡¯s the case... Hmph! What a fateful connection."


    Ling Chen, puzzled, asked, "Elder Su, what fate are you talking about?"


    "It¡¯s nothing." Su He changed the subject and asked, "Who injured you?"


    "Ji Gang."


    "Was it him?" Su He¡¯s expression changed slightly, an expression of astonishment appearing in his cloudy old eyes.


    "Elder Su, do you know Ji Gang?"


    "I¡¯ve heard of him." Su He seemed reluctant to say more, and before Ling Chen could speak again, he said, "Stay here and recover for the time being. Don¡¯t rush back. Once you¡¯ve healed, I have something to tell you."


    After saying this, Su He turned and walked back inside the house, leaving Ling Chen alone, gazing out at the sea in a daze.


    ...


    Two dayster, Ling Chen¡¯s injuries gradually healed. Though his back still ached a bit, it no longer affected his ability to walk.


    That day, as the sun rose, the sea shimmered under the glow of the dawn sky, radiantly fiery red.


    After finishing the breakfast prepared by Su He, Ling Chen followed him out of the house and onto a fishing boat by the seaside.


    Once on the boat, Su He gestured for Ling Chen to sit at the bow. Then, he rowed the oars, steering the fishing boat towards the middle of the sea.


    "Prajnaparamita Sutra is an extraordinary Internal Cultivation Method. Through the ages, besides Ling Gengqiu, you are the second person to practice this mental method. Since you are already familiar with the Prajnaparamita Sutra, I won¡¯t waste words. Today, I will tell you how to effectively enhance your strength."


    For the past two days, Ling Chen had disclosed nearly all his matters, except for his rtionships with several women; Su He was almost fully aware of his past experiences.


    "Elder Su, aren¡¯t there only two ways to enhance the Prajnaparamita Sutra?" Ling Chen said.


    The information given to him by Su Mei had mentioned that the most effective ways to enhance the Prajnaparamita Sutra were through ughter and lust, so he was curious about the method Su He mentioned.


    "That¡¯s correct, unless you want to be a womanizing yboy like Ling Gengqiu, or a ruthless killer who does not blink an eye? Those two methods are unorthodox. If it were me, I would never use those harmful methods to increase my power."


    "So, what should be done?"


    "The method I am going to teach you today is generally used by martial artists. However, I have added my own understanding and innovations to make it more efficient."

 Chapter 566 - 562: Teaching the Profession

    <h4>Chapter 566: Chapter 562: Teaching the Profession</h4><h4></h4>


    "What method?" Ling Chen asked humbly for guidance.


    During these past days of their acquaintance, although Su He had never revealed his true identity, Ling Chen secretly spected that this elder must be a hermit of great attainment. Otherwise, how could he have such an intricate grasp of so many secrets?


    Thinking it over, he felt his luck hadn¡¯t been too bad this time. Although he had suffered serious injuries, fortune often follows misfortune, letting him encounter a true master. If he could obtain guidance from him, perhaps it would enhance his strength.


    Su He spoke slowly and deliberately: "Every master¡¯s strength is rted to their potential. The greater the potential, the higher they can reach; the two are directly proportional. Therefore, it¡¯s less about the increase in strength and more about the development of potential. The God Organization understands this very well, so they pour all their efforts into developing potential, thereby strengthening their power. It¡¯s undeniable; the sess they have achieved is extraordinary. Through tireless effort, they are unmatched in this respect."


    "However, the development of potential needs to be progressive and not rushed. It¡¯s like a cup that was originally only able to hold one liter of water, but you insist on pouring in two liters. Unless you can change the size of the cup, pouring in more water is pointless. Simrly, our bodies are like a cup; we must continually expand its capacity to embrace myriad rivers and to reach the highest realm."


    "The reason why your Prajnaparamita Sutra has teaued is because you don¡¯t know the right method. Apart from killing and lust, you can¡¯t effectively cultivate this mental method. This is your biggest deficiency."


    Ling Chen asked earnestly, "Then what should I do?"


    "Watch closely."


    As his voice fell, Su He put down the oar in his hands, lightly tapped the tip of his foot, and his body skimmed out of the fishing boat like a great roc spreading its wings.


    Following that, his feet touched the sea¡¯s surface, light as a dragonfly skimming the water, causing gentle ripples.


    But what shocked Ling Chen the most was that Su He was now standing upright on the sea surface without any sign of sinking.


    Seeing this scene, Ling Chen felt his mind wasn¡¯t quiteprehending. This spectacle he¡¯d only seen in movies was now being yed out before him in reality.


    For a while, Ling Chen was immersed in shock and couldn¡¯te back to his senses.


    At this time, Su He gently lifted one leg and lightly tapped the sea surface, his body immediately zipping out, running swiftly around the fishing boat as if on t ground.


    After a moment, Su He bent one leg into a ¡¯Golden Rooster Standing on One Leg¡¯ pose, then pressed his whole body down, sitting cross-legged on the sea surface as if merging with the seawater, swaying with the wind.


    "Did you see?"


    Ling Chen nodded, finally waking from his astoundment.


    "Elder Su, how do you do that?"


    "Control. Once your realm reaches the Heavenly List, you will encounter such techniques. Why are masters in the Heavenly List strong? Because they are adept at controlling their own strength, turningplexity into simplicity. Speaking of this to you now is premature; this state of being can only be understood intuitively, not conveyed in words."


    "Elder Su, then please talk about something within my grasp."


    "Rest assured, I will teach you the correct way to develop potential. Besides that, I want you toprehend ¡¯Control¡¯."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen doubted if he heard correctly and hurriedly said, "Elder Su, didn¡¯t you just say that only masters in the Heavenly List could understand that level? I haven¡¯t even reached the Earthly List yet, how can Iprehend such a profound level?"


    Su He patiently exined, "ording to my understanding, ¡¯Control¡¯ is less a realm and more a technique. As long as it¡¯s a technique, there is a way to master it, the learning process may just be harder. In the next few days, focus solely on this; I will impart it to you as much as I can. As for how much you can grasp, that depends on your aptitude and fate."


    At this point, Su He changed the topic back, saying, "The development of human potential is stimted by external pressure. However, the key is to grasp the extent of this. As long as you can handle this well, your strength will steadily improve. Starting today, I will train you in two steps, one is the development of potential, and the other is the mastery of ¡¯Control¡¯. I hope you take it seriously."


    Ling Chen nodded with full confidence, "No problem."


    Ling Chen was very clear in his heart that this was a rare opportunity for him. It¡¯s not just any person that can meet a hermit. He too had gained a blessing through misfortune.


    Jin Hai City.


    Inside a presidential suite of a five-star hotel, Su Mei stood before the panoramic window, gazing at the towering high-rises outside, her beautiful eyes twinkling with a soft glow of anticipation and hope.


    Knock knock knock!


    At that moment, a crisp knocking sound came. The elegantdy standing behind Su Mei immediately walked to the door and opened it.


    "Elder Zhou." The elegantdy nodded to the elder, then stepped aside to wee him in.


    Zhou Qi quickly walked up behind Su Mei, slightly bowed and respectfully said, "Pavilion Master."


    Su Mei turned around to look at Zhou Qi, awaiting orders, and asked, "Elder Zhou, is there any news about Ling Chen?"


    "Not yet. I¡¯ve dispatched more people, searching around the port for Ling Chen¡¯s whereabouts, but..." Zhou Qi hesitated as if he had more to say.


    Su Mei frowned slightly and asked, "But what?"


    "Pavilion Master, that night Ling Chen told us to escape first and stayed behind by himself. It¡¯s been almost a week now without any news; no sign of him being alive, no body if dead, I feel... I feel that he might not have escaped that night."


    Hearing this, Su Mei¡¯s delicate face immediately turned a shade paler. She bit her lip and stared intently into Zhou Qi¡¯s eyes, uttering deliberately, "Are you trying to tell me that he... is dead?"


    With his head bowed, Zhou Qi said, "Pavilion Master, no one hopes for anything to happen to Ling Chen, but we must face reality. Moreover, you¡¯ve drawn so many people from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion to Jin Hai City just to find someone unrted, and many within the Pavilion have someints about your actions."


    Su Mei¡¯s expression darkened, and she said coldly, "You better rify your words, what do you mean by someone unrted?"


    "Pavilion Master, to us, Ling Chen is a lifesaver, but in the eyes of others, they won¡¯t think so. Moreover, Ling Chen is not one of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. With such a fuss being made over this, there¡¯s bound to be discontent."


    With a frosty face, Su Mei responded, "You tell those people, if anyone is dissatisfied, let theme to me personally. I want to see who has the courage. Elder Zhou, you pass down mymand, have the people continue to search. In short, we must see him alive, or find his body if he¡¯s dead. No one can leave Jin Hai City without finding Ling Chen. Also..."


    "Order the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion to activate all its intelligence capabilities and find every secret base of the God Organization in Huaxia. With tooth for tooth, eye for eye; since the God Organization wants to start a war, I¡¯ll see it through to the end."

 Chapter 567 - 563: Retaliation of the Two Great Powers

    <h4>Chapter 567: Chapter 563: Retaliation of the Two Great Powers</h4><h4></h4>


    Zhou Qi¡¯s heart tightened as he looked at Su Mei and asked, "Pavilion Master, are you really preparing to go to war?"


    "When they¡¯re bullying us to this point, if we continue to retreat, where will the face of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion lie? Ling Chen is right; the God Organization will never rest content. Since that¡¯s the case, we might as well strike first."


    "Pavilion Master, going to war with the God Organization is no small matter. Don¡¯t you want to discuss it with the elders of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    "There¡¯s no need," Su Mei said indifferently. "I am the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master, my word is themand. Who dares to disobey? Elder Zhou, remember, I don¡¯t need others to give me advice when I do things."


    Feeling the cold frost in Su Mei¡¯s gaze, Zhou Qi quickly bowed with sped hands and respectfully responded, "Yes, I understand. Please rest assured, Pavilion Master, I will immediately ry the orders." Having said this, Zhou Qi turned and left the presidential suite.


    After he departed, the graceful woman who had been standing by Su Mei¡¯s side pulled out a continuously vibrating cell phone from her pocket, hurriedly answered the call, and passed it to Su Mei.


    Su Mei¡¯s furrowed brows slightly rxed after hearing whatever was said on the phone; she replied with an "I know" and then hung up.


    "Pavilion Master, what¡¯s happened?"


    "It¡¯s Elder Qin. He¡¯s finally sent a message," Su Mei let out a sigh of relief.


    Elder Qin was the Heavenly List expert who had been secretly protecting her. Having heard no word from him for an entire week, she feared he had met with an ident. The importance of a Heavenly List expert goes without saying; even for Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, a Heavenly List expert is an invaluable asset. So, knowing the Heavenly List master was unharmed, Su Mei could finally rx.


    "Pavilion Master, what exactly happened to Elder Qin? Why hasn¡¯t there been any news for so long?"


    "He was found by Ji Gang, and after a fierce battle, he was seriously injured by his opponent and nearly died. Luckily, he managed to escape and save his life. Due to the severity of his injuries, he had no time to contact us. He¡¯s been hiding and healing in a safe ce these days."


    Hearing this, the graceful woman expressed her shock: "Is Ji Gang really that powerful?"


    Su Mei nodded lightly and said, "Ji Gang was promoted to the Heavenly List more than thirty years ago, while Elder Qin has been in it for less than ten years, there¡¯s definitely a gap. Within Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, probably only that one person can deal with Ji Gang."


    "You¡¯re talking about him?" The graceful woman immediately guessed who Su Mei was referring to.


    Thinking of that one person, Su Mei couldn¡¯t help but sigh and said, "Let¡¯s not talk about this. As long as Elder Qin is fine, that¡¯s good enough."


    Now, only Ling Chen¡¯s safety remained a concern.


    After hesitating for a moment, Su Mei picked up the phone, scrolled through the contacts to find a number, and hesitated to dial out.


    Forget it!


    Sooner orter, she would have to face it.


    With that thought, Su Mei directly dialed the number.


    Beep... beep... After a while, the call connected, and a cool voice came through: "You¡¯re looking for me for something?"


    ...


    The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was extremely efficient at handling affairs. Following Su Mei¡¯s orders, in less than a day, the intelligence organization of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion had dug out over ten secret strongholds of the God Organization spread across the country.


    Overnight, all the strongholds had been subjected to devastating strikes.


    "Pavilion Master."


    Inside the presidential suite, Zhou Qi was reporting the results ofst night¡¯s battle.


    "All thirteen secret locations of the God Organization have been destroyed. Thirty-four people were killed, forty-one captured. I have assigned Zhou Jun to take charge of the interrogation of those people to see if we can dig up more information."


    "Very good." Su Mei nodded her head, affirming the actions taken.


    "By the way! Pavilion Master, there¡¯s another thing."


    "Go ahead."


    "Last night, during our operation, our people encountered another group. They had the same goal as us, to destroy the secret strongholds of the God Organization. However, those people were ruthless, not leaving a single survivor. I have notified the intelligence agency to investigate the origins of the other party."


    "There¡¯s no need to check. I know their identity. They are not our enemies, no need to worry."


    Curious, Zhou Qi asked, "Then who are they...?"


    "Secret Society," replied Su Mei.


    She had called the porridge girl yesterday to exin Ling Chen¡¯s situation. She was well aware of Ling Chen¡¯s background and his rtionship with the Secret Society. Now with Ling Chen¡¯s whereabouts unknown and his life or death uncertain, the Secret Society would surely take action.


    If Ling Chen were truly dead, the Secret Society would probablyunch a frenzied retaliation.


    Zhou Qi said in surprise, "The Secret Society has always been neutral. Why would they suddenly sh with the God Organization?"


    "That¡¯s not for you to worry about. Just do your part."


    "Understood."


    ...


    At this moment, on the calm sea surface, Ling Chen stood upright with concentration. However, in less than a second, his body immediately sank into the sea.


    After sshing around a few times, Ling Chen emerged from the surface, and looking at Su He on the fishing boat, said with a distressed face, "Elder Su, I can¡¯t do it."


    "It¡¯s not that you can¡¯t do it; you haven¡¯t grasped the correct method. I¡¯ve told you, when you control your Inner Strength, you must cast aside all distractions, be calm and serene, and integrate yourself with everything around you. Imagine yourself as part of the sea, not thinking about how to stand on its surface."


    Ling Chen gave a wry smile. After several days, he had failed countless times, having to soak in the icy seawater for at least a few hours every day. Even with his constitution, it was almost unbearable, and he had thought of giving up several times. Yet, when Su He became serious, he was even stricter than the strictest mentor, giving Ling Chen no chance to retreat and always forcing him to continue.


    After listening to Su He¡¯s guidance, Ling Chen had no choice but to climb back onto the boat and continue trying.


    At this moment, he was unaware that due to his disappearance, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and Secret Society, these two mysterious forces, had alreadyunched a furious retaliation against the God Organization.


    Taking a deep breath, Ling Chen cleared his mind of all distractions, stood at the bow of the boat with eyes slightly closed, feeling the cold sea breeze blow against him.


    Integration!


    Thinking of Su He¡¯s teachings, Ling Chen let go of his reservations, felt the raging sea breeze around him, listened to the surging waves, and then visualized these scenes in his mind, immersing himself in them.


    Gradually, he felt as if his body was light and airy, as if turning into a breeze, merging with the wind and drifting along with it.


    At that moment, he seemed to forget the existence of his body, allowing his consciousness to soar.


    After a moment passed, Ling Chen maintained steady breathing, quietly drawing up the Inner Strength from his Dantian, slowly channeling it through his body, finally gathering it in his legs.


    As Inner Strength gradually concentrated, Ling Chen stepped confidently off the bow of the fishing boat onto the sea surface without hesitation.


    The moment his feet touched the sea, his body suddenly sank down sharply.


    Ling Chen had experienced this feeling many times before, and every time at this moment, he couldn¡¯t help but panic, fearing he would sink into the water again.

 Chapter 568 - 564: The Identity of Su He

    <h4>Chapter 568: Chapter 564: The Identity of Su He</h4><h4></h4>


    However, with Su He¡¯s reminder and the lessons of the past few days, Ling Chen began to realize some key points. It was normal for his body to sink, but each time it was because of this reason that he would be flustered, leading to the failure of his attempts.


    Having learned from his mistakes, Ling Chen immediately made changes, letting his body sink without interfering, focusing solely on maintaining his ethereal state without thinking about anything.


    When his body had sunk a few centimeters, Ling Chen felt it suddenly stop, as if he had found his footing.


    Sess!


    Ling Chen felt a surge of joy in his heart.


    This excitement immediately disrupted the state he had barely managed to maintain, and his body lost control, sinking into the seawater once again.


    Emerging from the surface, Ling Chen looked at Su He on the fishing boat and said excitedly, "Elder Su, did you see that? I seeded."


    With a faint smile, Su He nodded in affirmation and said, "Not bad, although you only maintained it for one second, it¡¯s at least a good start. The progress you¡¯ve made in just a few days indicates that your aptitude is quite decent. Keep up the effort, as long as you can learn to control and use your own Inner Strength, your power will increase by several levels."


    "I owe it entirely to Elder Su¡¯s cultivation," Ling Chen expressed his gratitude.


    The morning¡¯s training ended, and Ling Chen took the fishing boat back to shore with Su He.


    The lunch was simple, a few roasted sweet potatoes, plus a few steamed fish and a wild vegetable. Su He¡¯s food was always self-sufficient, and although it wasn¡¯t luxurious, it was natural and had a unique vor.


    While eating, Ling Chen nibbled on a sweet potato, his eyes asionally ncing at Su He, his face contemtive.


    "Kid, what are you looking at me for?"


    Seeing his fidgeting noticed, Ling Chen awkwardly smiled and said, "Elder Su, if I may dare to ask, in the past..."


    Before Ling Chen could finish speaking, Su He immediately raised his hand to stop him.


    "Don¡¯t inquire about my past; anyhow, it¡¯s none of your business. Finish your food and take a good rest; we have special training this afternoon." With that said, Su He pulled out a dagger from his waist and cut a hot roasted sweet potato in half.


    Ling Chen¡¯s gaze unintentionally swept over the dagger and suddenly froze, unable to move for a long time.


    Noticing Ling Chen¡¯s action, Su He spoke dissatisfiedly, "Didn¡¯t I tell you to stop looking?"


    "It¡¯s not that... Elder Su, this..." Ling Chen stretched out his hand, pointing at the de of the dagger, a look of surprise on his face.


    There was a broken sword pattern engraved on the de of the dagger. Ling Chen was very familiar with this pattern; it was the unique symbol of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    Su He carrying a dagger marked with the symbol of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion ¨C what did this imply? For a moment, Ling Chen spected on Su He¡¯s identity.


    He clearly remembered that when Su He had saved him, he had mentioned that he had survived because he had taken a Heavenly Mechanism Pill.


    But he only thought of Su He as a hermit and thus did not ponder why Su He knew he had taken the Heavenly Mechanism Pill. Now looking back, only someone very familiar with the Heavenly Mechanism Pill would know what medicine he had taken.


    The Heavenly Mechanism Pill, along with this dagger bearing the mark of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, suggested that Su He¡¯s identity might have a significant connection with the Pavilion.


    Su He unremarkably put the dagger away, his tone indifferent, "This was a gift from a good friend of mine who is with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion; no need to make a fuss over it."


    Hearing this far-fetched exnation, Ling Chen nodded half-believingly and did not continue to press further. He knew that even if he kept on asking, he would not get any more information, and he might even anger Su He, thus losing more than he would gain. Hence, Ling Chen smartly chose to remain silent.


    ...


    Beijing.


    In a nondescript house located in the center of the city, a middle-aged man sat in a wicker chair by the window, holding a cup of coffee in his hand, gazing into the distance, enjoying the bustling view outside the window with great contentment.


    After a while, the door to the room opened, and a young man with amanding presence quickly walked in and then stood firm behind the wicker chair.


    "What is it?" the middle-aged man in the wicker chair asked.


    "Mr. Lin, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and the Secret Society have destroyed more than thirty of our secret bases, affecting over two hundred individuals. They were either taken away or killed; none were left behind. If those captured cannot withstand torture, our secret bases established in Huaxia will be increasingly exposed."


    The middle-aged man asked with keen interest, "I can understand the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion seeking revenge, but the Secret Society... We have no feud with them. We¡¯ve even cooperated a few times before. Why are they targeting us? Could it be that they have been won over by the Pavilion?"


    "I¡¯m not quite sure about the motives of the Secret Society. Mr. Lin, how do you n to handle this crisis?"


    "Crisis?" The middle-aged man chuckled lightly, his tone unconcerned, "This is hardly a crisis. It¡¯s merely minor disturbances from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and the Secret Society. Let them destroy those secret bases and take the people; after all, they¡¯re just insignificant small fries, no need to fret for them."


    "Yes, I understand what to do." After speaking, the young man turned to leave.


    "Wait!"


    Hearing the middle-aged man¡¯s voice from behind, the young man quickly turned back and asked, "Mr. Lin, do you have any further instructions?"


    "Last time I dispatched Liu Wei in charge of the operation in East Sea City, but now there¡¯s no sign of him, not even a message. I guess he¡¯s noting back. Mr. Yun¡¯s technological skills are crucial and of great use to us. Now that we have fallen out with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, it¡¯s time to speed up the process. Send a few reliable people to East Sea City, and make sure to bring Nanrong Wanqing back."


    "Yes, I will attend to it immediately."


    "Also, has there been any response from the Dangyang Sect?"


    "Not yet. Our operation failed, and we couldn¡¯t eliminate the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master, so the Dangyang Sect is naturally hesitant to throw in their lot with us. Hmph! Human nature, I can understand. Unfortunately, they have forgotten whom they are dealing with. You,e here."


    The young man promptly brought his head closer to the middle-aged man.


    After a low-voiced conversation, the middle-aged man asked, "Did you get it all?"


    "Understood."


    "Good, do as I say, and it won¡¯t be long before the Dangyang Sect willingly joins us." Saying this, the middle-aged manughed with pride.


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, another three days passed, with only a week left until New Year.


    However, the Nanrong Family, which should have been immersed in the festive atmosphere, could not find joy.


    So many days have passed, and Ling Chen was still nowhere to be found. Even Nanrong Wanqing, who was firmly convinced that Ling Chen was still alive, couldn¡¯t help but shed tears every day, her eyes swelling with crying.


    "Wanqing,e out for a moment, someone is looking for you outside."

 Chapter 569 - 565 Wu Jun

    <h4>Chapter 569: Chapter 565 Wu Jun</h4><h4></h4>


    Hearing Su Lin¡¯s voice from outside the door, Nanrong Wanqing picked up a tissue, wiped away the remaining tears at the corners of her eyes, got up with red and swollen eyes, walked to the door, and opened it.


    "Wanqing..." Seeing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s haggard look, Su Lin couldn¡¯t help but sigh softly, her face full of concern, consoling her, "Wanqing, don¡¯t be too sad. No news doesn¡¯t mean something has happened to Ling Chen. Maybe he¡¯s fine and just dyed because of some matters."


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded lightly and asked, "Who did you just say was looking for me?"


    "The person said he¡¯s a friend of Ling Chen."


    "Let¡¯s go,e with me to take a look."


    Arriving in the living room, they saw a man in his thirties sitting on the sofa, gentle and refined, with an exceptional demeanor.


    Upon seeing Nanrong Wanqinging downstairs with Su Lin, the man promptly stood up and said politely, "Miss Nanrong, hello!"


    Nanrong Wanqing examined him with a puzzled face and asked, "May I know who you are...?"


    The man smiled and replied, "My name is Wu Jun, I¡¯m a friend of Ling Chen."


    "Howe I¡¯ve never seen you before?"


    "Miss Nanrong, I don¡¯t know if Ling Chen has told you, but he used to serve the country in a secret military unit."


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded, "I¡¯ve heard about it."


    "I am his formerrade-in-arms, only recently discharged from service. It¡¯s normal that you haven¡¯t met me."


    "I do know one of hisrades-in-arms."


    Wu Jun smiled, "The one you¡¯re talking about must be Tang Yuan. Old Tang has been through life and death with Ling Chen for many years; their rtionship is the strongest."


    After listening to Wu Jun, Nanrong Wanqing felt more trust in his identity and asked, "Mr. Wu, why have youe to find me this time, if I may ask?"


    "Miss Nanrong, to tell the truth, I¡¯m here because of Ling Chen. I believe you¡¯re aware that Ling Chen has been missing for many days, and his life or death is uncertain. However, what I want to tell you is that he hasn¡¯t really disappeared."


    "Then where is he?" Nanrong Wanqing asked impatiently.


    "He..." Wu Jun hesitated and then said, "He¡¯s currently in a very dangerous situation, at risk of losing his life at any moment. I¡¯m here to see you at his request."


    Nanrong Wanqing became anxious, "What exactly happened to him?"


    "Recently, our organization called us old members back to carry out a very important secret mission. Although the mission waspleted, we suffered heavy casualties. Ling Chen got seriously injured trying to save his teammates. Doctors say his condition is very unstable, and it¡¯s hard to say whether he can pull through. Yesterday, when Ling Chen regained consciousness, he entrusted me to see you. Also, having heard the General speak of your rtionship, I thought perhaps your presence might help him."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll go with you." Nanrong Wanqing agreed without a second thought.


    Su Lin tugged at Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s sleeve and whispered, "Wanqing, don¡¯t be so hasty to agree. Everything he said just now is just his word; who knows if it¡¯s true or false."


    "He knows Tang Yuan and the General; I believe he¡¯s not lying."


    "That doesn¡¯t mean anything for sure. You better be careful not to fall for a trap."


    Upon hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing thought for a moment and then asked, "Mr. Wu, there are two very close contacts of Ling Chen in his former organization, do you know who they are?"


    "Mu Zhiyuan and Chen Ping." Wu Jun smiled and said, "Not only is Ling Chen close with them, but I also consider them family. We have all received much kindness from this couple, it¡¯s just a pity... Ah!" Wu Jun sighed, his expression turned sad, "Good people don¡¯t live long; they left us too soon."


    Nanrong Wanqing nodded, trusting Wu Jun¡¯s identity a bit more.


    "By the way! Mr. Wu, why didn¡¯t the General send Tang Yuan?"


    "During our secret mission, Tang Yuan was also unfortunately seriously injured. His condition is simr to Ling Chen¡¯s, and he is currently undergoing treatment at the base, still not conscious." After saying this, without waiting for Nanrong Wanqing to ask anything more, Wu Jun added, "Miss Nanrong, we¡¯re pressed for time. I hope you can apany me there as quickly as possible."


    "Wanqing..."


    Before Su Lin could finish speaking, Nanrong Wanqing had already stopped her with a look.


    "Mr. Wu, I¡¯ll go with you."


    Seeing that Nanrong Wanqing was insistent on going, Su Lin chimed in, "I¡¯lle too."


    Wu Jun shook his head and said, "Miss Su, I¡¯m very sorry, but I was ordered to only take Miss Nanrong. The ce has a high security level; it¡¯s a national military secret base. If it wasn¡¯t for considering Ling Chen¡¯s safety, we would never make an exception to bring Miss Nanrong there."


    "I understand." Nanrong Wanqing turned to look at Su Lin and said, "Don¡¯te, just stay at home peacefully."


    "But... but you be careful."


    "It¡¯s okay. Mr. Wu, let¡¯s hurry."


    "Alright." Wu Jun responded with a nod and took the lead towards the door.


    Watching Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s departing figure, Su Lin quickly took out her mobile phone and dialed a number.


    Leaving the Nanrong family, Wu Jun led Nanrong Wanqing to a Mercedes-Benz van.


    Apart from them, there was a male driver in his twenties in the van.


    As the Mercedes-Benz van started, it slowly drove out of Wealthy Manor and merged into the traffic flow.


    At this time, at the entrance of Wealthy Manor, two Land Rover vehicles followed behind the Mercedes-Benz van, maintaining a distance of more than thirty meters.


    Sitting in one of the cars, Nanrong Wanqing looked at the route the Mercedes-Benz van was taking and asked, "Where are we going? Aren¡¯t we going to the airport?"


    Wu Jun smiled, "Don¡¯t worry; we still have to go through some security measures."


    During the conversation, the Mercedes-Benz van drove directly into a nearby underground parking garage.


    "Follow them."


    Zhong Wei, sitting in the passenger seat, said.


    Liang Zhao Hui nodded and immediately followed the Mercedes-Benz van into the parking garage.


    Reaching the second level of the underground parking garage, Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui searched for the position of the Mercedes-Benz van outside the car window.


    Before long, Liang Zhao Hui pointed to a Mercedes-Benz van not far away and said, "There!"


    "That¡¯s not it." Zhong Wei shook his head and pointed to another Mercedes-Benz van parked in the corner, "That one."


    When the two men clearly saw the license tes of those two Mercedes-Benz vans, their expressions suddenly changed. The license tes of the two Mercedes-Benz vans were exactly the same.


    "Captain Zhong, look, there¡¯s another one."


    Very quickly, Liang Zhao Hui with sharp eyes noticed that there were at least five Mercedes-Benz vans of the same model and with the same license tes in the underground parking garage.


    Damn it!


    Zhong Wei said gravely, "The chairman has been deceived!"


    Just as they spoke, they saw the Mercedes-Benz vans driving out one after another.


    "Zhong Wei, which car should we chase?" Liang Zhao Hui asked urgently.

 Chapter 570 - 567: Assistant

    <h4>Chapter 570: Chapter 567: Assistant</h4><h4></h4>


    Zhong Wei looked left and right but even he couldn¡¯t determine which Benz business van Nanrong Wanqing was sitting in. Watching those vans gradually driving away, Zhong Wei casually pointed and, following his intuition, said, "It should be that one."


    "Got it." Liang Zhao Hui immediately started the Land Rover, closely following the designated Benz business van.


    "Notify the second team to find a car and follow too."


    "Understood."


    This time, only two Land Rovers were sent out while the other party had five Benz business vans, so they could only choose two vans to tail. A forty percent chance isn¡¯t too great, but it¡¯s not too low either.


    As the cars pulled out of the parking lot, Zhong Wei and Liang Zhao Hui locked onto their target and followed the Benz business van to the downtown area. Since there were too many pedestrians around, the Benz business van had to stop on the roadside.


    After a while, the driver¡¯s door opened, and a man wearing a peaked cap jumped out of the vehicle and quickly melted into the crowd, disappearing in the blink of an eye.


    Zhong Wei didn¡¯t have time to think and hurriedly chased after him. Looking at the empty Benz business van, Zhong Wei muttered under his breath, "This is bad," and immediately picked up the walkie-talkie: "Calling the second team, have you got anything?"


    "Captain Zhong, the driver fled, and there¡¯s no one in the car."


    Hearing the news from the second team, Zhong Wei¡¯s face copsed.


    "Captain Zhong, what should we do?" Liang Zhao Hui rushed over and asked urgently.


    "Alert the police, lock down the airport."


    Before Zhong Wei had finished speaking, his phone started ringing. He took it out and saw an unknown caller ID, then immediately answered the call.


    "Hello, who¡¯s this?"


    "There¡¯s no need for you to bother with Miss Nanrong¡¯s matter, nor to call the police. We¡¯ll handle it."


    Zhong Wei said in a deep voice, "Who are you?"


    "Don¡¯t ask. Just stay at homefortably, and I¡¯ll ensure Miss Nanrong is safely returned home." Before Zhong Wei could ask anything more, the caller had already hung up.


    ...


    East Sea City.


    Old City.


    At this moment, Hu Fei sat in his office with thepany of numerous beautiful women, his fingers flying rapidly over the keyboard, enteringmand aftermand on theputer screen. With his actions, the surveince footage on the disy next to him kept changing, always locked onto a Benz business van.


    More than ten minutes went by when the Benz business van drove into a motel. After a moment, the Benz van disappeared and, instead, an Audi sedan drove out of the motel, slowly merging into the traffic.


    Seeing this, Hu Fei immediately picked up his mobile phone and dialed a number.


    "Hey! They¡¯ve switched cars; their current location is toward the suburban outskirts, possibly preparing to leave the city. Take down the license te number and follow them, but don¡¯t get noticed."


    "Why make it so troublesome? Just stop their car directly and rescue the person."


    "No!" Hu Fei said immediately, "Going there would only mean death. Don¡¯t make any rash moves for now."


    "That person is quite capable?" the person on the phone asked.


    "He was formerly a member of the Ghost Organization; he won¡¯t be that bad in any case, so it¡¯s better to be cautious. Ling Chen mentioned him to me before¡ªWu Jun, a traitor of the Ghost Organization, responsible for the death of manyrades. Ling Chen even asked mest time to help locate him. I never expected this guy to be so bold as to dare to run to the Nanrong Family. It¡¯s fortunate you called to inform me in time, or we¡¯d be in big trouble."


    "So what do we do now? I promised Ling Chen I would ensure Miss Nanrong¡¯s safety. Are you telling me to just do nothing?"


    "That¡¯s not what I mean. Ling Chen¡¯s whereabouts are unknown at the moment, and we can only rely on ourselves. You follow them first and see where they go. I¡¯ll try to think of a way to find more people to help."


    "Alright then."


    After hanging up the call, Hu Fei pushed the women aside and stood up from his office chair.


    ...


    "Do you want to ask me to go save Nanrong Wanqing?"


    "That¡¯s right." Hu Fei nodded and said, "We have people, but they are just street thugs. We can¡¯t ask them to sh with the people from God Organization. Apart from you, there aren¡¯t many others in East Sea City we can find. Last time Ling Chen saved you from death¡¯s door, you owe him one."


    "I didn¡¯t say I wouldn¡¯t help. When do we leave?"


    "Very soon. I¡¯ll contact a few more people, and we¡¯ll get going once everyone is here."


    "Okay."


    ...


    In the quiet alley, Hu Fei stood at the entrance, looking at a small restaurant not too far away with indecision, seemingly struggling to make up his mind.


    At that moment, a dark-skinned man walked out of the small restaurant. He was holding a trash bag, ready to take out the trash.


    "Mr. Hu?"


    The man noticed Hu Fei hesitating at the entrance of the alley and waved with a smile, then approached Hu Fei and asked, "Mr. Hu, why didn¡¯t youe inside? What are you doing just standing out here?"


    Hu Fei looked at the dark-skinned man before him, hesitated to speak, opened his mouth several times, but ultimately the words failed toe out.


    Seeing the troubled expression on Hu Fei¡¯s face, the dark-skinned man¡¯s smile faded, and he couldn¡¯t help asking, "Mr. Hu, what¡¯s the matter?"


    Hu Fei let out a helpless sigh and said, "Liu, I promised you before that I would help you leave behind your past life so you could lead a peaceful life like a normal person. But... I¡¯ve run into some trouble..."


    Hearing this, Boss Liu grinned and said, "Mr. Hu, thanks to you, I had the opportunity to be amon man. For me, you are my benefactor. Don¡¯t worry, whatever the trouble is, I will help you resolve it, even if it costs me my life."


    "Thank you!"


    "What¡¯s there to thank me for."


    ...


    Half a day passed.


    In front of the express delivery office in the Old City, a sedan car slowly parked by the roadside. Then the car door opened, and a tall, graceful, sexy and attractive blonde got out of the car and walked straight into the expresspany.


    Following the blonde¡¯s arrival, a taxi closely followed suit, stopping next to the expresspany.


    "Miss Kaelina, thank you foring over."


    In the spacious and bright office, Hu Fei expressed his thanks.


    Kaelina looked around and asked, "Didn¡¯t you say there were more people? Why is it just us two?"


    "Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯ll be here soon."


    No sooner had he finished speaking than the office door was pushed open, and a dark-skinned man strode in.


    Kaelina eyed the man, her beautiful eyes sparkling, and asked, "Hu Fei, who is this?"


    Hu Fei smiled and introduced, "His name is Liu Dongsheng, my friend. He owns a small restaurant in East Sea City. Miss Kaelina, my friend is a good cook; you should try his food sometime."


    Hearing that, Kaelina¡¯s gaze towards Liu Dongsheng became more interested.


    After some small talk, another person came in from outside.


    Hu Fei pointed at the neer and said, "This is Jiang Yunkai. Let¡¯s all get acquainted."

 Chapter 571 - 568 Yinan Village

    <h4>Chapter 571: Chapter 568 Yinan Vige</h4><h4></h4>


    "Just the four of us?"


    Hu Fei waved his hand and said, "Don¡¯t count me in. I can only provideputer assistance. Killing and rescuing people is something you need to handle."


    Kaelina frowned slightly and said, "How can just a few of us fight against the people from the God Organization? By the time we supposedly rescue someone, we might be dead without even seeing them."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I have already made arrangements. We¡¯re running out of time, let¡¯s discuss it on the way."


    Leaving the Old City area, Hu Fei led everyone into a car and drove straight to the airport.


    By the time the group arrived, a private ne was already prepared at the airport. It was provided by Hongyu Group. After a phone call with Nanrong Hao, everything was arranged immediately.


    As the ne ascended into the sky, Hu Fei opened hisptop carried with him and projected the screen onto the ne¡¯srge built-in disy.


    "Everyone here is a friend of Ling Chen. Currently, since Ling Chen is missing, rescuing Miss Nanrong relies solely on all of you. Let me first exin the situation to everyone."


    As he spoke, Hu Fei tapped on his keyboard, and immediately, an image appeared on therge screen.


    Looking at the image, everyone in the room exchanged puzzled nces.


    "Hu Fei, what¡¯s the situation with this vige?" Kaelina asked.


    "I¡¯ve done some investigation; this vige is called Yinan Vige, a southern vige with over a hundred years of history. ording to my intelligence, after Wu Jun took Miss Nanrong, they arrived at Yinan Vige by car. Wu Jun is a traitor of the Ghost Organization and now works for the God Organization. Wu Jun¡¯s presence in Yinan Vige suggests there¡¯s a big issue there. That¡¯s all I know for now; any other information will be provided once we arrive there."


    An hourter, Hu Fei led everyone out of the airport and by car to a town near Yinan Vige.


    Before the trip, Hu Fei had already booked a hotel. Although the hotels in the small town were simple, everyone was not picky.


    Upon entering the hotel, Hu Fei went directly to Room 109 and knocked on the door.


    The door opened, and a middle-aged man appeared in front of everyone.


    "Come in."


    Entering the room, Hu Fei put down his luggage, sat down on the sofa, and introduced the middle-aged man, "Let me introduce everyone, this is Bai Huanjun, a friend of Ling Chen, specifically responsible for covertly protecting Miss Nanrong. We were able to find Yinan Vige thanks to his help."


    After he finished, Hu Fei changed the topic and asked, "How¡¯s the situation in Yinan Vige, can you tell us?"


    "I¡¯m not very clear about the situation inside the vige. I tried to investigate, but I found that the surroundings are heavily guarded with many concealed sentries making it impossible to approach undetected. Also, I¡¯m most worried about the vigers of Yinan Vige. Before you arrived, I took a closer look, and although those vigers seem like ordinary people, the way they walk and their stature doesn¡¯t seem normal, leading me to suspect those vigers are disguised members of the God Organization."


    Hu Fei asked, "How many vigers does Yinan Vige have? Have you counted?"


    "I¡¯m not sure of the exact count, but definitely not less than a hundred people. Including the surrounding sentries, there could be around two hundred."


    As he spoke, Bai Huanjun spread a map on the table and continued, "The geographical location of Yinan Vige is very advantageous, situated by mountains and water, and there is arge bamboo forest nearby. This environment can hide a lot of things."


    Kaelina nced at the map and asked, "Have you checked that bamboo forest?"


    "No, the bamboo forest is installed with many motion-sensing devices. Any disturbance is immediately detected. I didn¡¯t dare to enter. But the stringent defense there indicates that there¡¯s something significant hidden within."


    Jiang Yunkai frowned and said, "If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s not just about rescuing Miss Nanrong; even getting in is a problem."


    "No, there are ways," Liu Dongsheng, who had been silent up until now, spoke up.


    Seeing him speak, everyone eagerly asked, "What do you suggest?"


    Liu Dongsheng pointed at the map and said, "He just mentioned that Yinan Vige is by the mountains. Since it¡¯s by the mountains, we can approach from the other side of the mountain and directly infiltrate Yinan Vige from the mountaintop."


    Bai Huanjun speak in a grave tone, "That mountain peak is a hundred meters tall, steep, andpletely bare all around providing no cover at all, making it easy for the enemy to spot us."


    "That¡¯s not a problem," Liu Dongsheng confidently smiled and said, "Leave it to me. However, I need to go there first before we act."


    "No problem," Hu Fei nodded and said, "It¡¯s already nighttime, a perfect opportunity. Let Bai Huanjun apany you there. Since the enemy is numerous and powerful, direct confrontation is out of the question. First, we need to locate where Miss Nanrong is being held, then we can n the rescue."


    Under the pure moonlight, Yinan Vige was silent, all the houses darkened, unable to see any light, only the asional bark of a dog could be heard.


    "Miss Nanrong, I advise you to cooperate with us and tell us the information Mr. Yun left you. This way, you can avoid a lot of pain."


    In a brightly lit room, Wu Jun paced back and forth in front of Nanrong Wanqing with his hands behind his back.


    On the side, Nanrong Wanqingy on a bed, her hands and feet bound with belts, rendering her unable to move. Multiple thin wires connected her head to various devices.


    Hearing Wu Jun¡¯s question, Nanrong Wanqing, looking pale, said, "I don¡¯t know any information. Killing me would be futile. Yes, I know Mr. Yun, but I¡¯ve only met him once or twice, we¡¯re not close. Do you think he would share critical information with a stranger?"


    "Stranger?" Wu Junughed and looked at Nanrong Wanqing, "Miss Nanrong, are you really unaware or just pretending in front of me? Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know Mr. Yun¡¯s real identity."


    Nanrong Wanqing tried to defend herself, "I only know he is called Mr. Yun, I know nothing else, you must have mistaken."


    Wu Jun shook his head and replied, "Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s no mistake," he paused, continuing, "Since you im not to know Mr. Yun¡¯s identity, let me tell you then. ¡¯Mr. Yun¡¯ is just his pseudonym, his real name is Nanrong Yuan. Does that name sound familiar to you?"


    Nanrong Yuan!


    So he is...


    At this realization, Nanrong Wanqing looked dazedly at Wu Jun, her mind nk. This news was a bolt from the blue for her, making it hard to ept.


    All these years, she had been searching tirelessly for her father¡¯s whereabouts. But, what she didn¡¯t expect was that she had already met her father before.


    Why?


    Why did he lie to me?

 Chapter 572 - 569 Disadvantageous Start (1)

    <h4>Chapter 572: Chapter 569 Disadvantageous Start (1)</h4><h4></h4>


    Watching the stupefied expression on Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face, Wu Jun said with a half-smile, "Miss Nanrong, do you now know the true identity of Mr. Yun?"


    Nanrong Wanqing slowly turned her head, and replied indifferently, "What does it change, knowing that? I still stand by what I said earlier, he gave me nothing. You might as well save your effort."


    Hearing this, Wu Jun frowned slightly, his eyes fixed on Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s clear and beautiful eyes. With his years of experience, Wanqing did not seem to be lying. While pondering, he nced again at the data disyed on the machine. Just as he deduced, the lie detector¡¯s readings were normal.


    Could they really have targeted the wrong person?


    Just as he was thinking, a person in a whiteb coat came in from outside. The individual walked straight up to Wu Jun and whispered a few words in his ear.


    Whatever was said, Wu Jun¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up.


    "If that¡¯s the case, I will leave her in your care." With that, Wu Jun turned and left the room.


    After Wu Jun had left, the person in the whiteb coat approached Nanrong Wanqing, took a syringe and a bottle of the drug from the table.


    Seeing the person roll up her sleeve, Nanrong Wanqing struggled desperately, asking anxiously, "What are you doing?"


    Without a word, the person in the whiteb coat plunged the needle into Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s body. As the drug from the syringe was injected into her, Nanrong Wanqing felt a wave of weakness wash over her, and her consciousness gradually blurred. Within two minutes, she had deeply fallen unconscious.


    ...


    At this moment.


    On a mountain surrounding Yinan Vige, two figures climbed rapidly under the cover of night.


    After a while, the two figures, one after the other, sessfully reached the summit of the mountain. From the top, they had a clear view of the entire Yinan Vige.


    Liu Dongsheng stood on the edge of the mountain peak, and after a few nces downward, he saw that one side of the mountain was as smooth and t as if cut by a knife, almost vertical to the ground, with no ce to leverage against.


    "I told you, it¡¯s impossible to descend from here," Bai Huanjun said.


    "There¡¯s nothing impossible," Liu Dongsheng replied ndly.


    After observing the surrounding environment, Liu Dongshengmitted several positions to memory and then returned to the hotel with Bai Huanjun.


    Around four o¡¯clock in the morning, Kaelina, Liu Dongsheng, Jiang Yunkai, and Bai Huanjun climbed the mountain again.


    Upon reaching the summit, Liu Dongsheng took off his backpack and pulled out a bundle of thin metal wire.


    "Crossbow."


    Without a word, Kaelina immediately handed over the crossbow she had just assembled.


    Liu Dongsheng connected the metal wire to the tail end of the arrow, then inserted the arrow into the crossbow. On the edge of the mountain peak, he raised the crossbow with both hands, aimed at a spot in the corner of Yinan Vige, and gently squeezed the trigger.


    Whoosh!


    With a whistling sound, the arrow shot out with the metal wire attached, flying directly from the mountaintop to the ground, piercing through the middle of a tree trunk.


    The range of a typical crossbow is at most a few dozen meters, but to meet their needs, Liu Dongsheng and the others had specially modified the crossbow to increase its tension, extending the range from a few dozen meters to over a hundred.


    After setting down the crossbow, Liu Dongsheng tugged on the metal wire, and seeing that it was sessfully secured to the tree trunk, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.


    "I¡¯ll go down first, wait for my signal."


    After speaking, Liu Dongsheng hooked a carabiner onto the metal wire, used it to bear his weight, and slid down directly.


    Two minutes passed, and the metal wire gave a slight shake. Seeing this, Kaelina and the others subsequently used the metal wire to leave the summit.


    Once on the ground, the four regrouped, and Liu Dongsheng put on his earpiece and established contact with Hu Fei outside Yinan Vige.


    "We¡¯ve entered."


    "Be careful."


    "Understood!"


    Liu Dongsheng pointed towards the east side of Yinan Vige and said, "Let¡¯s split up and search. If we¡¯re discovered, you know what to do."


    Kaelina and the others nodded. They had considered all possibilities before the action and formted corresponding strategies.


    After splitting up, Bai Huanjun quietly approached a house. He pushed the door and found it shut tight. He immediately pulled out a dagger from his waist and lightly scraped it through the door crack.


    With a soft noise, the door opened as if on cue.


    It was pitch-dark inside the room, hard to see even one¡¯s own fingers. Bai Huanjun controlled his breathing and moved lightly, trying his best to avoid making any sound that could reveal his presence.


    Upon entering, Bai Huanjun looked around, frowning instantly¡ªthe whole house was empty. However, the bedroom bedding was neatly folded, and the ce was spotless¡ªa clear sign that someone lived there.


    "Did you see anyone?"


    At that moment, Jiang Yunkai¡¯s voice came through the earpiece.


    "No."


    "Neither have I."


    "I checked two rooms, no one¡¯s there."


    Hearing everyone¡¯s response, silence fell in the earpiece.


    Bai Huanjun had observed during the daytime that there must be over a hundred people in the vige, but now not a single one was in sight¡ªan obviously abnormal situation.


    Right then, lights suddenly lit up in the pitch-ck room, illuminating everything.


    The abrupt change made Bai Huanjun¡¯s face turn pale. He spun around, looking at the door, only to hear a ¡¯bang¡¯¡ªthe door locked instantly.


    Following that, a green gas began to emanate from a corner of the room and quickly spread, engulfing the room in a blink of an eye.


    Bai Huanjun covered his nose with one hand and pressed the earpiece with the other, saying in a heavy voice, "Can anyone hear me?"


    However, not a single response came through the earpiece.


    Damn!


    A sense of dread sank in Bai Huanjun¡¯s heart¡ªhe had a bad feeling.


    No response meant that there was a good chance something had happened to the others.


    Without hesitation, Bai Huanjun hurried toward the door.


    Bang!


    With the impact of his body, the door burst open, and Bai Huanjun tumbled to the ground. Before he could get up, several burly men rushed over from both sides and pinned him to the floor.


    "Don¡¯t move!"


    Feeling the cold de of the dagger, Bai Huanjun didn¡¯t utter another word and gave up resisting.


    Ten minutester, the hood over Bai Huanjun¡¯s head was lifted, and the bright light immediately flooded his surroundings.


    Looking around, Bai Huanjun saw Liu Dongsheng and the others next to him. And Hu Fei was also captured, head drooping and looking dejected.


    "Ha ha! Having friends visit from afar is a delight. Wee, everyone."


    Laughter echoed as they looked up to see Wu Jun striding in from outside the door.


    Hu Fei furrowed his brow and asked, "How did you know we were here?"


    "That¡¯s a good question," Wu Jun said with a smug smile. "Did you really think no one knew of your whereabouts? Let me tell you the truth, we¡¯ve known you were here since you checked into the hotel."


    Hearing this, the faces of Hu Fei and the others turned sour.

 Chapter 573 - 570 Disadvantageous Start (2)

    <h4>Chapter 573: Chapter 570 Disadvantageous Start (2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "I underestimated you."


    Hu Fei helplessly shook his head. They had been careless, initially believing that the God Organization¡¯s influence was confined to Yinan Vige, but now it seemed the situation was not so simple, as even the surrounding towns were likely infiltrated by the God Organization. Hence, their presence was exposed as soon as they arrived.


    At this thought, an inexplicable horror filled Hu Fei¡¯s heart.


    The God Organization must have been operating in this locale for decades, otherwise, their influence wouldn¡¯t have prated so deeply.


    Wu Jun smiled and said, "It¡¯s not that you underestimated, it¡¯s that you do not understand the God Organization. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have made such foolish decisions."


    "Where is Miss Nanrong being held?" Kaelina asked.


    Upon hearing this, Wu Jun sized up Kaelina with a yful smile: "Miss Kaelina, I think you should be more concerned about your own safety right now. You were lucky to escapest time because your life was spared by chance. If I were you, I¡¯d have found a deserted ce to hide long ago, unlike you, who actually came here seeking death."


    After speaking, Wu Jun¡¯s gaze swept over Bai Huanjun and Jiang Yunkai. When his eyesnded on Liu Dongsheng, he asked with interest, "I know the others, they have more or less some connections with Ling Chen. What about you? Why are you muddying the waters here?"


    Liu Dongsheng answered indifferently, "For friends."


    "Friends?" Wu Junughed out loud, "I too was once for my country, for my friends, but what did I end up with? Endless life-threatening missions only earned me some worthless medals that can¡¯t be shared with outsiders,pletely useless. I used to live for others, but now I¡¯ve learned to live for myself."


    "Enough talk. What are you nning to do with us?"


    Wu Jun nced at Kaelina who had spoken and said, "Originally, I nned to kill you directly, but you¡¯re lucky, we¡¯ve just discovered a new technology and need test subjects. You¡¯ll have the honor of witnessing the miracle."


    "Take them away and lock ¡¯em up."


    ...


    Sunrise, the dawn sky ame like fire.


    Ling Chen looked out at the distant sea level, took a deep breath, rxing his body and spirit, savoring the essence of nature.


    Right then, a ship appeared on the calm sea, slowly moving towards him.


    Ling Chen stood up, observing the gradually approaching ship, and quickly made his way towards it.


    Coast Guard boat!


    When Ling Chen recognized the symbol on the boat, his expression froze. Why would a Coast Guard boate to such a ce?


    As he wondered, Ling Chen suddenly noticed someone at the bow of the boat waving, faintly hearing a voice calling his name.


    Who could it be?


    Ling Chen looked intently, but the Coast Guard boat was too far away to clearly see the person¡¯s features, he could only tell by the voice that it was a woman.


    Due to the shallow coast, the Coast Guard boat couldn¡¯te closer and stopped dozens of meters away at sea. Shortly after, a motorboatunched from the Coast Guard boat and headed straight for shore.


    When the motorboat drew closer, Ling Chen could finally see who was on board.


    Xia Mutong.


    It was her!


    As the motorboat reached the shore, Ling Chen hurried forward, his face filled with surprise and eximed, "Officer Xia, what brings you here?"


    "It¡¯s to find you," Xia Mutong said with teary eyes.


    Since that day after meeting with Su Mei, Xia Mutong felt displeased by Su Mei¡¯s attitude and thus contacted the police in Jinhai City to ask them for assistance in searching for Ling Chen.


    Over the past few days, she had been searching along the coastline by boat. Hard work pays off; she finally found Ling Chen.


    Seeing Ling Chen safe and sound in front of her, Xia Mutong angrily asked, "You¡¯re fine, why didn¡¯t you return? Do you know how many people are worried about you?"


    Embarrassed, Ling Chen touched his nose and said, "I¡¯m sorry for making you worry."


    In fact, he had wanted to return to East Sea City long ago, but Su He wouldn¡¯t allow him to leave. Moreover, he rarely got the opportunity to be mentored by a master, and he wanted to learn more, which is why his return was dyed for so many days.


    "Officer Xia, did something happen that you came to find me?" Ling Chen asked.


    He felt it strange in his heart. He had thought of many possible people who woulde to find him but never expected Xia Mutong. Thus, he guessed if something might have happened in East Sea City.


    Xia Mutong said irritably, "Can¡¯t Ie to find you if there¡¯s nothing wrong?"


    "No, no, no," Ling Chen quickly waved his hand saying, "That¡¯s not what I meant."


    "Alright, you hurry up and pack up ande back with me. I got a message the day before yesterday, Miss Nanrong has disappeared."


    "What?" Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed.


    "Wait for me, I wille right away." After speaking, Ling Chen quickly rushed into the house.


    At that moment, Su He was inside the house, cleaning the fish that had just been caught. Seeing Ling Chen rushing in, without waiting for him to speak, Su He pointed to a bottle on the table and said, "That is the medicine I prepared for you. Take it three times a day, for two or three days. Your injuries won¡¯t cause major issues."


    "Elder Su..."


    "Enough, you don¡¯t need to say anything. Just go back, and don¡¯te looking for me anymore. I¡¯ve taught you all I can. Whether you canprehend it is up to you."


    "Elder Su, thank you!" Ling Chen said gratefully.


    Su He waved his hand, not saying much more, and continued with his tasks.


    Having secured the bottle, Ling Chen turned and walked to the door, then turned back, bowed deeply to Su He, and then pushed the door open and left.


    Back on the boat, Ling Chen borrowed Xia Mutong¡¯s phone to call Bai Huanjun. Bai Huanjun was responsible for secretly protecting Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s safety, and since she was missing, he should be the most informed.


    However, after dialing the number, there was no response for a long time.


    Ling Chen frowned, and then dialed Hu Fei¡¯s number. But the result was the same; all showed that the phones were turned off. After some thought, Ling Chen entered Nanrong Hao¡¯s phone number.


    "Hello! Haozi."


    "Chen?" Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s voice, Nanrong Hao immediately eximed excitedly, "Chen, we finally got news from you, we were almost worried to death."


    "Alright, never mind that, where is Wanqing?"


    "Big Sister disappeared; it¡¯s been several days with no news. Chen, you should hurry back, everything here is in chaos."


    "Don¡¯t panic, tell me clearly how exactly Wanqing disappeared."


    "I heard from my cousin that a man named Wu Jun came the other day. He said he was yourrade-in-arms. He told Big Sister that you had been seriously injured and it wasn¡¯t convenient for you toe back, and he would take Big Sister to see you. Worried about your safety, she didn¡¯t even think and just agreed to go with him."


    Wu Jun!


    Hearing this name, Ling Chen¡¯s pupils shrank, and a raging fury instantly surged from the bottom of his heart.

 Chapter 574 - 571 Changling City

    <h4>Chapter 574: Chapter 571 Changling City</h4><h4></h4>


    The traitor finally showed up.


    "Haozi, where¡¯s the fatty? Have you seen him?"


    "You mean Big Brother Hu? No, I went to the Old City to look for him. They said Brother Hu left two days ago, I don¡¯t know where he went. Oh, that¡¯s right! When Brother Hu left that day, there was also Kai and Miss Kaelina; there were five of them in total."


    Five people?


    Ling Chen was struck with a thought; Hu Fei must have gathered everyone including Kaelina probably to rescue Nanrong Wanqing. However, it¡¯s been two days without any news, something might have happened.


    "Haozi, are you really sure you don¡¯t know where they went?" Ling Chen asked, unwilling to give up.


    "I... Eh! I almost forgot, the day Brother Hu and the others left, they asked me to prepare a ne. Hold on, let me ask the pilot and see where they went that day."


    "Good, as soon as possible."


    When they reached the port, Ling Chen rushed anxiously towards the junction.


    "Ling Chen, where are you going?" Xia Mutong called out from behind.


    "Officer Xia, you go back first, I have something else to handle." Saying this, Ling Chen stopped a taxi and got straight in.


    "You..."


    Watching the taxi speeding away, Xia Mutong stomped her foot angrily and cursed: "Bastard."


    He himself had worked hard to find him, and he didn¡¯t even say thank you.


    Oh no!


    Suddenly, Xia Mutong¡¯s face changed slightly, remembering that her cell phone was still on Ling Chen. Thinking of the information stored in her phone, Xia Mutong¡¯s pretty face turned red.


    After more than half an hour¡¯s drive, Ling Chen finally arrived at the airport. Nanrong Hao had already called to inform him of the location where the nended, a city in the southern part of Huaxia.


    Boarding the ne, Ling Chen took out his phone and dialed a number from memory.


    "Hello!"


    The call connected, and a sweet voice immediately came through.


    "It¡¯s me."


    "Mr. Ling?" The person on the line eximed joyfully: "Great to hear from you. Where are you now?"


    "I¡¯m on a ne to Changling City. Do you have anyone in Changling City? I need help."


    "Please wait a moment; I will arrange something for you now." After a while, the woman on the phone said: "Mr. Ling, I¡¯ve sent the number to your phone. Once you arrive, contact this person directly, and he will provide you with all the help you need."


    "Good, thanks!"


    Two hourster.


    Changling City airport exit.


    Ling Chen walked out alone from the passage and looked around by the roadside, then took out his mobile phone, ready to make a call.


    But then, a hand suddenly rested on Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder from behind.


    Ling Chen sharply turned around, his fist clenched, ready to strike. However, when he saw the face of the person, he paused, looking surprised, and asked: "Why is it you?"


    The other person chuckled: "Why can¡¯t it be me?"


    Looking at Zhou Jun in front of him, Ling Chen asked: "Who else came from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    "Quite a few people. Come on, I¡¯ll take you to meet them."


    Once in the car, Ling Chen, sitting in the passenger seat, asked with confusion: "How did you know I woulde here?"


    "The Secret Society notified us. We knew Nanrong Wanqing was missing, and your rushing to Changling City means you must have obtained some clues."


    Ling Chen shook his head and said: "Can¡¯t say there¡¯s a clue; I only know my friends came to Changling City and they all lost contact."


    "No worries, you¡¯ve greatly helped Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, and the Pavilion Master has already ordered to assist you fully in rescuing Miss Nanrong."


    "Thanks!"


    "We¡¯re brothers, no need for thanks."


    Soon, Zhou Jun drove to a five-star hotel in Changling City.


    Entering the presidential suite, Ling Chen immediately saw Su Mei standing by the window.


    "Miss Su?" Ling Chen was surprised; he hadn¡¯t expected her toe here personally.


    Su Mei slowly turned around, her beautiful eyes looking directly at Ling Chen, and smiled: "I thought something had happened to you."


    "I¡¯ve always been lucky."


    Saying this, Ling Chen also greeted Zhou Qi and Song Ge.


    "Miss Su, how much intelligence have you gathered?"


    "Not much, our intelligencework in Changling City is limited and we can¡¯t gather detailed information. But don¡¯t worry, someone else knows better."


    "Who?"


    As Ling Chen spoke, there was a knock on the door.


    "Speak of the devil."


    Zhou Jun quickly walked to the door and opened it. Instantly, a man in his thirties with a weathered face walked in.


    "Mr. Ling, hello, we meet again."


    Seeing the visitor, Ling Chen was slightly startled, and surprised he said: "Mr. Sang Ji? Weren¡¯t you abroad, when did youe back?"


    "The organization needed me, so they called me back."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen nced at Sang Ji and then at Su Mei, understanding suddenly. It seemed the Secret Society and Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion have a good rtionship. With two forces helping him this time, he felt much more confident.


    "Mr. Sang Ji, do you know where the territories of the God Organization are?"


    "That¡¯s exactly what I want to talk about, Mr. Ling, this operation might be troublesome. ording to the intelligence from our Secret Society, the God Organization has been establishing its influence in Changling City for many years, deeply rooted. Our Secret Society has always believed that the headquarters of the God Organization is actually established ind, but over the years, we have never identified the exact location. Untiling to Changling City, we were certain that this ce must be the core base of the God Organization."


    Ling Chen, unable to wait, asked: "Where is the base?"


    "We¡¯re not clear yet, but don¡¯t worry, the Secret Society has already sent people to gather intelligence. If nothing goes wrong, I believe we will find their location soon."


    Meanwhile, the hotel¡¯s internal phone rang suddenly.


    Zhou Qi picked up the receiver and greeted. It was unclear what was said, but Zhou Qi looked at Ling Chen with a strange expression and said: "It¡¯s for you."


    "For me?" Ling Chen walked over curiously and asked: "Who is it?"


    "Don¡¯t know, he just said for you to take the call."


    Ling Chen took the receiver and put it to his ear, saying: "This is Ling Chen, who is this?"


    "Little brother Ling, you remember me, huh."


    Hearing theughter from the other end of the phone, Ling Chen¡¯s face immediately turned cold, and he spoke deliberately: "Wu Jun, it¡¯s you!"


    "Haha! Looks like you still remember me."


    Ling Chen coldly said: "You killed Uncle Mu and Mrs. Chen; I will eventually settle this score with you."


    "Uncle Mu and Mrs. Chen were good people; I didn¡¯t want them to die either, but sometimes, to win, you must pay a price. Alright, Ling Chen, I didn¡¯t call to reminisce. I know you¡¯ve arrived in Changling City. If you want to save Nanrong Wanqing, you better do exactly as I say. Otherwise, you will only find her corpse."

 Chapter 575 - 572 Wu Jun’s Conditions

    <h4>Chapter 575: Chapter 572 Wu Jun¡¯s Conditions</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen, suppressing the rage in his heart, gritted his teeth and said, "What do you want me to do?"


    Wu Jun said with a smile over the phone, "Don¡¯t rush. I hear you have quite a few friends with you. How about we find a time to meet? We can all sit down and have a chat. What do you think?"


    "You set the time and ce, I¡¯ll be there punctually."


    "Good, you¡¯re as straightforward as ever. That¡¯s settled then, wait for my notification."


    After finishing, Wu Jun hung up the phone.


    Putting down the receiver, Ling Chen looked at the people present and said in a deep voice, "It¡¯s Wu Jun, he knows we¡¯ve arrived in Changling City."


    Zhou Jun slightly frowned and asked, "What does he want?"


    "He¡¯s arranged to meet us. Not just me, all of us. Miss Su, Mr. Sang Ji, representing Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and Secret Society respectively, it¡¯s up to you whether you go or not, I will not force you."


    Sang Ji, unconcerned, replied, "Since I¡¯vee, I won¡¯t leave empty-handed. Mr. Ling, rest assured, Secret Society hasmanded me to assist you fully. No matter the danger, I¡¯ll stand by your side."


    Ling Chen nodded, expressed his thanks, then turned his gaze to Su Mei, asking, "Miss Su, what does the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion think?"


    Su Mei opened her mouth, about to speak. However, before she could, Zhou Qi interjected, "The Pavilion Master¡¯s status is unlike others; she should not easily put herself at risk. Pavilion Master, in my view, you should return to Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion as soon as possible. We few are enough to handle things here in Changling City."


    "This..." Su Mei hesitated.


    "Miss Su, Elder Zhou is right, you are the Pavilion Master of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion; it needs your presence. If something were to happen to you, it would be a devastating blow to Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion," Ling Chen said. "You should listen to Elder Zhou¡¯s advice and head back to the Pavilion."


    "Alright then." Seeing Ling Chen speak up, Su Mei nodded gently, no longer conflicted.


    Night fell.


    After sending off Su Mei, everyone went back to the hotel to wait for Wu Jun¡¯s message.


    When Ling Chen pushed open the door of his hotel room, he saw a note on the floor. He picked it up and examined it, his expression immediately darkening.


    It finally arrived!


    Nine o¡¯clock at night.


    Ling Chen, apanied by Sang Ji, Zhou Qi, Zhou Jun, and Song Ge, drove to a restaurant in Changling City.


    The restaurant was located in the bustling downtown area of Changling City, upying about a thousand square meters. Walking into the restaurant, Ling Chen led the way, only to find it eerily empty.


    "Ling Chen, are we at the wrong ce?"


    Hearing Zhou Jun¡¯s question, Ling Chen shook his head. The details on the note were clear; he couldn¡¯t have mistaken it.


    Just then, the sound of footsteps came from the staircase. Ling Chen looked up to see a man in a suit jogging down from upstairs.


    "Mr. Ling, wee, Mr. Wu is waiting for you upstairs." The suit-d man gestured them to follow him up to the second floor of the restaurant.


    When they reached the outside of a private room, Ling Chen pushed open the door and immediately saw Wu Jun sitting by a round table. He was alone in the room.


    Seeing an enemy inmed him with anger, and Ling Chen was no exception.


    Just thinking about the man in front of him, the killer of Mu Zhiyuan and Chen Ping, a cold glint burst from Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, itching to tear the man apart.


    However, considering Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s safety, Ling Chen had to suppress the hatred inside him and entered with an expressionless face.


    "Elder Ling, wee, wee," Wu Junughed heartily, rising to greet him warmly, "Come, everyone, take a seat. There¡¯s no one else here, no need to be formal."


    Ling Chen, without uttering a word, sat opposite Wu Jun and coldly asked, "Stop the pretense. Since I¡¯m here, let¡¯s talk straight, I don¡¯t have time to dawdle with you."


    Facing Ling Chen¡¯s icy words, Wu Jun¡¯s smile remained, saying, "Elder Ling, don¡¯t rush, we have plenty of time. First, try the red wine I prepared especially for you. This is a rare vintage from Lafite Vineyard, 1982; almost impossible to find on the market. I received it as a special reward from higher-ups for my distinguished service; I¡¯ve never had the heart to drink it. I wouldn¡¯t bring it out for anyone but you."


    Hearing this, a fierce look shed through Ling Chen¡¯s eyes.


    "Killing Uncle Mu and Mrs. Chen, forcing Ghost Organization to dissolve, is this what you call an achievement?"


    "Elder Ling, water flows downwards, people strive upwards, who doesn¡¯t seek better development? I dedicated over a decade to Ghost Organization and ended up with nothing."


    "That¡¯s just your excuse for betrayal."


    "Think whatever you want, but I¡¯m living well now, I can have many things just as I wish." Wu Jun turned his head towards Zhou Qi and others, his smile widening, "Elder Ling, I actually admire you, getting powers like Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and Secret Society to willingly help you. But here, even if the General himself came, what could he do to us?"


    "Wu Jun, don¡¯t forget, this is Huaxia¡¯s territory."


    Wu Jun, smugly, said, "I know, and that¡¯s exactly why they won¡¯t dare to touch us here, unless they want to start a war."


    Sang Ji sternly said, "We didn¡¯te here to listen to your nonsense. Tell us, what will it take for you to release Miss Nanrong?"


    "Are you just here for Miss Nanrong? Elder Ling, don¡¯t you want to save your friends?"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s expression suddenly changed.


    Just as expected!


    Hu Fei and the others had fallen into the hands of God Organization.


    "Where are they?"


    "Rx, they are alive and well for now, but I can¡¯t guarantee they will continue to be. If you want to save them, you¡¯ll need to pay a price."


    "What price?"


    Wu Jun picked up a document from a nearby chair and threw it before Ling Chen, saying, "Weck a rare material developed by Ghost Organization. After the organization was dissolved, everything was moved to a new base. I know you have a good rtionship with the General, so I¡¯m asking for your help. Just bring me these materials, and I will immediately release your friends."


    Ling Chen nced at the document, didn¡¯t even touch it, and directly said, "How can I trust your word? Do you really expect me to trust a traitor?"


    Wu Jun chuckled, pulled out a cell phone from his pocket, and ced it in front of Ling Chen.


    "I don¡¯t need your trust. This is a countdown. If you can¡¯t bring the materials back within the specified time, then sorry, you¡¯ll never see your friends again." After saying this, Wu Jun stood up and walked out of the private room.

 Chapter 576 - 573: The Present Differs from the Past

    <h4>Chapter 576: Chapter 573: The Present Differs from the Past</h4><h4></h4>


    Watching Wu Jun¡¯s retreating figure, Zhou Jun said coldly, "Why go through all that trouble? Just grab him and force him to reveal the whereabouts of those people."


    "No way," Zhou Qi shook his head and said, "Don¡¯t act too rashly. If he dares toe to meet us alone, he isn¡¯t afraid of us resorting to coercion."


    Sang Ji chimed in, "Capturing Wu Jun will aplish nothing." While speaking, he nced at the time disyed on his mobile phone¡ªforty-eight hours left.


    "Two days¡¯ time... Mr. Ling, do you have any ns?"


    Ling Chen said helplessly, "Hu Fei and his team total five people, plus Wanqing, making six of them all in the hands of the God Organization. We¡¯d better not act recklessly."


    "Are you prepared toply with his demands?"


    Ling Chen looked at Zhou Jun, who had spoken, and nodded, "There¡¯s no other way. They have the upper hand now, so I mustply." After a pause, Ling Chen continued, "Conveniently, I have to report the situation here to the old General and see how they n to handle it."


    "That¡¯s good," Sang Ji said, "If the government gets involved, maybe things will get handled more efficiently. Here¡¯s the n: you rush to Beijing, and we¡¯ll stay here waiting for you, meanwhile helping you gather information."


    "Thank you for your trouble."


    "Don¡¯t mention it."


    After the group had agreed, Ling Chen picked up the materials Wu Jun had left behind and immediately set off for the airport.


    At midnight, after a two-hour flight, the ne finallynded at the capital¡¯s international airport.


    Exiting the airport, a familiar figure came toward him, waving his hand in greeting.


    "Tang Yuan."


    "Old Tang."


    Ling Chen nodded at Tang Yuan; beforeing, he had already called him to pick him up.


    Since the Ghost Organization was infiltrated, the old General had ordered the relocation of the base, and its new location was unknown to him; Tang Yuan was needed to lead the way.


    After getting into the car, Tang Yuan started the engine and asked, "What brings you to Beijing at this hour?"


    "I¡¯ve run into some trouble¡ªtake me to see the old General first."


    "This..." Tang Yuan appeared somewhat troubled as he said, "Brother, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to take you to the old General, but..."


    Ling Chen asked, puzzled, "What happened?"


    With a sigh, Tang Yuan said helplessly, "Times have changed. Our days aren¡¯t as good as before. Whether it was the Ghost or Lonely Wolf organization, the old General¡¯s word used to be themand; no one dared to object. But now, things are different. Recently, someone from above was appointed to supervise Lonely Wolf¡¯s operations. Officially, the old General is still in charge, but in reality, a lot of his power is restrained. Everything needs that person¡¯s approval before proceeding. So it¡¯s not just us feeling stifled¡ªeven the old General is. "


    "How does that rte to me seeing the old General?"


    "That person, sinceing to Lonely Wolf, has enforced many reforms, one of which is the security of the base. Unless you are a member of Lonely Wolf, no one is permitted to enter the base, the location must be kept confidential. Anyone who vites the rules is directly expelled and subject to military court punishment. Although everyone knows your rtionship with the old General, rules are rules, and since you¡¯ve retired, I can¡¯t take you to the base." Tang Yuan looked regretfully at Ling Chen and said, "Tang Yuan, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help you, but I truly can¡¯t."


    "So I can¡¯t see the old General?" Ling Chen frowned inwardly.


    Now he understood why Wu Jun had entrusted him with this task¡ªafter Lonely Wolf enhanced security, it was very difficult for the God Organization to infiltrate, hence they asked him to step in.


    "Even if we can¡¯t enter the base, I have informed the old General. He suggested we choose a ce to meet, and he wille to see you."


    "Alright then."


    Half an hourter, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan drove to the city and checked into a hotel.


    Not long after entering the room, they heard a knock on the door.


    Tang Yuan got up and opened the door, quickly stepping aside and saying, "General, Mr. Han, pleasee in."


    Seeing Qiao Zhen and Han Bing enter the room, Ling Chen approached and greeted them.


    Qiao Zhen patted Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder and said with a sigh, "Tang Yuan must have told you. Kid, I apologize. We can only meet outside now."


    "It¡¯s alright. General, Mr. Han, please take a seat."


    Once the four were seated, Han Bing asked, "Did youe to Beijing in a hurry because there¡¯s some important matter?"


    "General, frankly speaking, the situation is like this..." Ling Chen recounted everything sinctly, without any concealment.


    For Ling Chen, whether it was Qiao Zhen, Han Bing, or Tang Yuan, they were not just brothers or superiors and subordinates, but more like family. Therefore, he never concealed things from them.


    After listening to Ling Chen, Qiao Zhen took the materials from him and nced through. His expression slightly changed, and he passed the documents to Han Bing.


    Surprised by the contents recorded in the documents, Han Bing eximed, "They want this?"


    "Exactly, this is the material Wu Jun gave me. General, I¡¯ve looked over these documents on the ne. Is this material very rare?"


    Qiao Zhen nodded and said, "This material is called HZ1, a special fluid with high viscosity. Anything coated with ayer of HZ1 will have its defensive power enhanced, making it bulletproof to ordinary bullets. Additionally, this substance is highly breathable, so covering the entire body with it won¡¯t cause any harm. When we developed HZ1, it was intended to make bulletproof vests. Later, we found it was an overkill for such purposes and ssified HZ1 as a military secret, with ns to use it in the military field."


    Han Bing continued, "HZ1 is difficult to manufacture, hence the base has a very limited stock¡ªless than ten kilograms."


    "General, Mr. Han, you know I wouldn¡¯t ask for help without real need. I truly have no other option. If I can¡¯t meet Wu Jun¡¯s demand, Wanqing and my friends will be in mortal danger."


    Han Bing gave a wry smile and said, "It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t want to help you, in the past, we wouldn¡¯t hesitate at your request, but now it¡¯s different. All valuable items in the base are stored in the warehouse, which can only be essed when both the old General and the supervisor are present. We are willing to talk, but that person is not easily fooled. If we don¡¯t exin the reason, he will never agree to the private use of HZ1. "


    Ling Chen anxiously asked, "What shall we do then? General!" Ling Chen looked to Qiao Zhen for help.


    After pondering for a moment, Qiao Zhen said, "How about this: I¡¯ll talk to that person, exin the situation in Changling City and see what his ns are. If it really doesn¡¯t work out, I¡¯m willing to risk this General¡¯s title to help you. Anyway, I feel stifled as a General, I might as well retire and go home."

 Chapter 577 - 574: The Wanted Criminal

    <h4>Chapter 577: Chapter 574: The Wanted Criminal</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen was well aware of the old General¡¯s temperament, he said so, which meant this matter was very likely under control.


    "General, Wu Jun only gave me forty-eight hours, so we have to hurry and can¡¯t dy for too long."


    "I know that, just stay here for now, I will arrange for Tang Yuan to contact you."


    After seeing off Qiao Zhen and his twopanions, Ling Chen stood alone at the windowsill, gazing at the night scene outside, his brows furrowed as he silently prayed for Nanrong Wanqing and Hu Fei.


    The night passed.


    Ling Chen sat in the room, having spent a sleepless night, he was still patiently waiting for news.


    At seven o¡¯clock in the morning, the ringtone of the cellphone on the desk suddenly sounded. ncing at the iing caller ID, Ling Chen hastily picked up the phone, eager to ask: "Old Tang, have you sorted it out?"


    "Something happened." A deep voice came from Tang Yuan on the phone.


    "What happened?" Ling Chen¡¯s heart jolted, he hurriedly asked, "What¡¯s going on?"


    "The General and Mr. Han have been captured."


    "What?"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s face changed dramatically, he said in a deep voice, "Who dares to arrest them?"


    "Who else but that bastard, the General went backst night to negotiate with him, hoping the bastard would make things easier. Who knew the bastard was totally unmoved and even scolded the General, saying he shouldn¡¯t have protected you. Not only that, he suspected that you might have been bought by the God Organization like Wu Jun, insisting on sending someone to arrest you for interrogation. You know the General¡¯s temper, he couldn¡¯t hold back at the moment, he pulled out a gun and pointed it at that bastard¡¯s head, forcing him to open the warehouse door."


    "And what about you, are you okay?"


    "The General gave me the HZ1 and told me to bring it out for you. I¡¯m on my way to the hotel now, but the situation is a bit tricky, that bastard has sent quite a few people after me, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to meet up with you."


    As Tang Yuan spoke, his voice suddenly became more rushed: "Tang Yuan, there¡¯s no time, hurry to the train station, we¡¯ll meet there."


    After speaking, before Ling Chen could say anything more, the phone was hung up.


    Time was of the essence, without time to think any further, Ling Chen quickly packed up and left the hotel.


    In less than twenty minutes, Ling Chen arrived outside the train station by taxi. Surveying the crowd amidst the bustle, his eyes roamed, searching for any sign of Tang Yuan.


    Suddenly, a shouting voice came from the crowd in front: "Stop, don¡¯t run!"


    Ling Chen¡¯s gaze shifted, only to see Tang Yuan pushing through the crowd, straining to break free, with at least a dozen men in suits following him.


    In the heat of the chase, Tang Yuan¡¯s eyes met Ling Chen¡¯s and, brightening, he rushed over with increased speed.


    The moment they met, Tang Yuan lightly reached into Ling Chen¡¯s pocket without any hesitation, brushing past him and continued racing forward.


    Those men in suits were only focused on Tang Yuan,pletely overlooking Ling Chen at their side.


    At this moment, Tang Yuan, who had struggled out from the crowd aimed for a dash toward the roadside. But he had not run far when he was tackled to the ground by several men in suits who had caught up from the side.


    "Let¡¯s see where you run now!"


    A suit-d man, panting heavily, fiercely kicked Tang Yuan¡¯s midsection. Unsatisfied, he delivered several more kicks.


    Seeing Tang Yuan being brutally kicked, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes instantly turned cold, his fists clenched, ready to step forward.


    However, as Tang Yuan was pulled up from the ground, he noticed Ling Chen¡¯s move and quickly gestured with his eyes for him to stop, gently shaking his head, signaling him not toe over.


    Ling Chen nced and then noticed that the bulges at the waists of these men in suits - they all carried weapons. Moreover, there was a gun pressed against Tang Yuan¡¯s back; if he were to act rashly, it could jeopardize Tang Yuan¡¯s life.


    Seeing those men in suits taking Tang Yuan away by car, Ling Chen could only watch helplessly, unable to do anything.


    The old General, Han Bing, and Tang Yuan could only be rescuedter when another opportunity arose.


    Walking into the train station, Ling Chen reached into his pocket and pulled out a key. The key had been sneakily ced in his pocket by Tang Yuan as he passed by him.


    404!


    Looking at the number marked on the key, Ling Chen quickly located the train station¡¯s storage locker and used the key to open the corresponding locker. Instantly, a ck backpack was revealed inside the locker.


    Unzipping the bag, as expected, inside was a transparent cylindrical container filled with HZ1.


    Shouldering the backpack, Ling Chen turned and left the train station, then hailed a cab to the airport at the roadside.


    With the item in hand, it was time to head back to Changling City.


    The cab moved along the road, with Ling Chen sitting in the back, watching the traffic flow outside the window, his gaze suddenly sharpened, and he thought to himself that something was not right.


    The cab had just passed the hotel where he had stayed the previous night, and he clearly saw several cars parked outside the hotel, with more than a dozen men in suits hurriedly entering the hotel.


    When those people captured Tang Yuan and didn¡¯t find the HZ1, they would definitely suspect him.


    This was trouble!


    As expected by Ling Chen, when he arrived at the airport, there were many more policemen outside, each holding a mobile phone, scrutinizing the surrounding crowd.


    It was clear enough that they had his photo disyed on their phones.


    The airport was locked down, and other ces were surely the same. The HZ1 was so important, they would undoubtedly spare no effort to search for his whereabouts.


    It looked like he could only leave bynd. Luckily, there was enough time, and a dy of a few hours was not a major issue.


    As he was thinking this, Ling Chen suddenly saw several Lincoln Sedans approaching the airport¡¯s intersection.


    When the Lincolns stopped, several airport security guards who had been waiting at the entrance immediately greeted them, surrounding the cars to prevent bystanders from getting close.


    As the car doors opened, Ling Chen was taken aback. To his surprise, the person who stepped out of the Lincoln was Tang Shiyun.


    In addition to Tang Shiyun, Zhu Yansong was present, followed by seven or eight assistants and entourage, carrying bothrge and small bags.


    He hadn¡¯t expected to encounter her here.


    Ling Chen¡¯s lips curved up slightly, and an idea quickly came to mind.


    He nced around, then made his way into the oing crowd. Moving through the crowd, he ended up with a duckbill cap and a scarf, both swiped from someone else.


    Having donned the scarf and cap, Ling Chen quickened his pace, heading straight towards the group where Tang Shiyun was.


    "Sir, I¡¯m sorry, but you cannot go through here," an airport security guard blocked Ling Chen, signaling him to leave.


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t be bothered with him, and shouted loudly, "Girl!"


    Hearing that familiar address, Tang Shiyun, walking in the middle of the group, quickly turned her head, her face full of joy as she looked around, finally fixing her gaze on the waving Ling Chen.


    "Ling!"


    Tang Shiyun let out a joyousugh, her delicate face brimming with happiness.


    With Tang Shiyun speaking up, the security guard naturally did not dare stop Ling Chen any longer, immediately allowing him to pass.

 Chapter 578 - 575 Escape (1)

    <h4>Chapter 578: Chapter 575 Escape (1)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Ling," Tang Shiyun affectionately wrapped her arms around Ling Chen¡¯s arm and asked, "When did youe to Beijing?"


    "I arrived yesterday." As he spoke, Ling Chen looked around, watching the patrolling police to avoid revealing his identity.


    However, he overlooked one thing.


    Being with a highly sought-after celebrity, it¡¯s difficult not to attract attention. Seeing more and more people focusing on him, Ling Chen quickly said, "Are you taking a private jet or amercial flight back to East Sea City?"


    "Thepany arranged a private jet, why?"


    "Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll go back with you."


    "Really?" Tang Shiyun said excitedly, "That¡¯s great."


    "Hurry up." Ling Chen, fearing his cover might be blown, urged Tang Shiyun to leave quickly.


    Having a major star by his side made everything convenient; they entered through the VIP lounge and then were driven directly to the boarding gate.


    After boarding the ne, Ling Chen put down his backpack and breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, he ran into Tang Shiyun today; otherwise, it might have taken several more hours to reach Changling City.


    "Ling, what were you doing in Beijing?" Tang Shiyun asked curiously. "I haven¡¯t seen you for a while, and you weren¡¯t in East Sea City either."


    "I¡¯ve been busy elsewhere," Ling Chen answered casually.


    After chatting for over ten minutes, Ling Chen looked out the window and asked, "Why haven¡¯t we taken off yet?"


    "I don¡¯t know, it was supposed to depart at eight o¡¯clock, and it¡¯s already past time," Tang Shiyun was also puzzled.


    Zhu Yansong stood up and said, "I¡¯ll go ask the pilot."


    In a little while, Zhu Yansong returned to the cabin and said, "Mr. Ling, Tang, the flight is going to be dyed by half an hour."


    "Dyed?" Ling Chen¡¯s heart sank, immediately having a bad feeling. He hurriedly asked, "Mr. Zhu, what¡¯s the matter?"


    "Just now, the control tower ryed a message, all nes leaving Beijing are to be inspected, apparently to catch a fugitive. Ah! What a waste of time, how could there possibly be a fugitive on our ne?"


    Just as he thought!


    Ling Chen¡¯s heart thudded, it seemed that guy wouldn¡¯t rest until he caught him.


    What could he do now?


    Thinking for a moment, Ling Chen stood up from his seat and said to Tang Shiyun and Zhu Yansong, "Girl, Mr. Zhu, let¡¯s talk inside."


    There was a separate bedroom in the back of the airne, and once inside, Tang Shiyun asked, "Ling, what¡¯s going on; what¡¯s so important that we had toe here to talk?"


    Ling Chen confessed, "I won¡¯t hide it from you, the fugitive they¡¯re looking for is me."


    "You?"


    Hearing this, Tang Shiyun and Zhu Yansong were taken aback.


    "Ling, what... what¡¯s going on?" Tang Shiyun looked at Ling Chen, her face filled with disbelief. "How did you be a fugitive?"


    Ling Chen gave a wry smile and said, "It¡¯s a long story, I was trying to save someone. Anyway, I can¡¯t be found by those people, I hope you can help me."


    "Ling, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let those people take you away."


    "Mr. Zhu, what about you?" Ling Chen asked.


    He knew Tang Shiyun would stand by him, but he was unsure about Zhu Yansong.


    Zhu Yansong hesitated for a moment then spoke, "There are only friends on this airne, no fugitives."


    Ling Chen¡¯s lips slightly curled into a smile as he sighed in relief and nodded, "Thank you!"


    If Zhu Yansong had refused to cover for him, he would¡¯ve had to flee and find another way out of Beijing.


    Not long after, several men in suits appeared at the boarding gate.


    Upon entering the cabin, Zhu Yansong immediately stood up to greet them, smiling as he asked, "Gentlemen, is there anything I can help you with?"


    One man in a suit held out a cellphone, swung a photo in front of Zhu Yansong, and asked, "Have you seen this person?"


    Zhu Yansong scrutinized the photo carefully and then shook his head, saying, "Sorry, I don¡¯t recognize this person."


    The man in the suit looked at Zhu Yansong with a mixture of suspicion and disbelief, saying, "Since you don¡¯t recognize this person, surely you wouldn¡¯t mind us checking around, right?"


    "Of course not, it¡¯s just..." Zhu Yansong appeared somewhat troubled.


    "Just what?" the man in the suit frowned slightly.


    "Gentlemen, I mean no offense, but this ne is Miss Tang¡¯s private jet. She is resting in her room, and I hope you will not disturb her."


    "Miss Tang? Which Miss Tang?"


    "Could it be Tang Shiyun?" Another man in a suit took over, his face showing unhideable excitement.


    "Exactly, Miss Tang."


    "Enough talk, hurry up and search," the leading man in the suit impatiently waved his hand, gesturing for his subordinates to check the cockpit and the bathroom.


    "That... sir..."


    The man who was interested in Tang Shiyun patted Zhu Yansong on the shoulder and asked with a ttering smile, "Could you get me an autographed photo of Miss Tang? My daughter is a loyal fan of hers; I hope you can do me this favor."


    "Of course, no problem," Zhu Yansong smiled and said, "Please follow me."


    Instantly, the two men approached the bedroom and gently knocked on the door. After getting a response from Tang Shiyun, Zhu Yansong pushed the door open and went in.


    Before the man in the suit could enter, Tang Shiyun appeared at the doorway, blocking him outside.


    "Mr. Zhu, who is this gentleman?"


    "His daughter is your loyal fan, and he wants an autographed photo from you."


    The man in the suit earnestly said, "Miss Tang, I am often busy and rarely at home with my daughter. Next month is her birthday, so I¡¯d like to prepare a special gift for her. Please help me out."


    Hearing this, Tang Shiyun smiled and said, "Okay, please wait a moment."


    After speaking, Tang Shiyun returned to her room, rummaged through her luggage for a photo, then came back and signed her name in front of the man, adding a few words of blessings.


    "Is this okay?"


    "Yes, yes," the man in the suit nodded excitedly, full of gratitude. "Thank you, Miss Tang."


    "You¡¯re wee! If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m going to rest now."


    "Alright, then I won¡¯t disturb Miss Tang any further."


    With that, the man in the suit turned and left the doorway.


    The leader saw that the man in the suit had returned and immediately asked, "Has that room been checked?"


    "It¡¯s been checked, only Miss Tang is there, no one else."


    "Boss, all clear, no fugitive found."


    "Then we should go."


    "Gentlemen, take care, I won¡¯t see you out."


    After seeing off the men in suits from the ne, Zhu Yansong finally breathed a sigh of relief and quickly returned to the outside of the bedroom, knocking on the door.


    "Mr. Ling, Tang, those people have left."


    Just after he spoke, Ling Chen came out from behind the door. He had been hiding there this whole time, and thanks to Tang Shiyun blocking that person at the doorway, his presence went unnoticed.

 Chapter 579 - 576: Escape (2)

    <h4>Chapter 579: Chapter 576: Escape (2)</h4><h4></h4>


    Fortunately, Zhu Yansong alerted the aircraft crew beforehand and kept them from turning him in.


    Thanks to everyone¡¯s help, he managed to escape capture this time.


    After clearing the suspicions, it wasn¡¯t long before the aircraft finally received the control tower¡¯s permission to take off.


    As the ne ascended, Ling Chen finally felt a weight lift off his chest.


    Returning to Beijing, he didn¡¯t expect to stir up so much trouble. To help him, the General, Han Bing, and Tang Yuan all broke the rules, and he didn¡¯t know what kind of punishment they would face.


    Although he had escaped from Beijing, the HZ1 was still on him; he couldn¡¯t shake off thebel of a fugitive for the time being.


    Ah! What a headache.


    Ling Chen sighed inwardly, Nanrong Wanqing and Hu Fei¡¯s fate were uncertain, still waiting for him to rescue them, and then this problem arose, truly troubling.


    "Ling, what are you thinking about?"


    Seeing Tang Shiyun bring her head closer, Ling Chen pulled his thoughts back and smiled, shaking his head, "Nothing."


    "That..." Tang Shiyun looked at Ling Chen, hesitating as if she wanted to say something.


    Ling Chen smiled slightly; he well understood what Tang Shiyun wanted to ask. However, even if he told Tang Shiyun, she wouldn¡¯t understand.


    "Don¡¯t worry about me, it¡¯s just a misunderstanding; I will prove my innocence soon."


    Hearing this, Tang Shiyun tactfully didn¡¯t ask further.


    "What have you been busy with recently in Beijing?" Ling Chen diverted the subject.


    "I attended several performances, and with the New Yearing up, everywhere is recording programs. I¡¯ve been running around outside every day this month, barely had any rest."


    "Don¡¯t tire yourself out too much, take care of your health," Ling Chen said with concern.


    Tang Shiyun helplessly said, "I know, but sometimes I can¡¯t help it. Before, I thought stars were morous, only now do I realize that the mour is superficial, and in reality, it¡¯s tough. After these two days, I n to go home and spend the New Year with my parents. Ling, why don¡¯t you join us?"


    "Me?" Ling Chen chuckled bitterly and politely declined: "I¡¯d better not. Your mom sees me like an enemy, if I went, your family wouldn¡¯t have a peaceful New Year."


    "That¡¯s true." Tang Shiyun sighed helplessly, pouting, "My mom is just like that, nobody can change her. Thankfully, she has toned it down a bit; she¡¯s not like she used to be."


    "Regardless, she is your mom, you should treat her well." After saying this, Ling Chen turned his head to look out the window at the blue sky and white clouds, his lips curving into a bitter smile.


    He had promised Nanrong Wanqing they would spend the New Year together at home; little did he know such a thing would happen.


    At the moment, all he could hope for was to safely rescue everyone.


    ...


    East Sea City.


    Criminal Investigation Headquarters.


    "Captain Xia."


    A uniformed male officer hurriedly ran into Xia Mutong¡¯s office, handing over a document and said, "Captain Xia, this is a new order we just received, instructing us to immediately lock down the airport and look for an escaped inmate."


    "An escaped inmate?" Xia Mutong asked without looking up: "Which escaped inmate?"


    ording to the superiors, the escaped inmate stole government property and is an extremely dangerous person. Two hours ago, this inmate escaped from Beijing, and the superiors believe he is likely toe to East Sea City."


    "What¡¯s the inmate¡¯s name?"


    "Ling Chen!"


    Upon hearing the name Ling Chen, Xia Mutong abruptly lifted her head and stared at her colleague, pausing between words to ask, "Who did you say? Say it again."


    "Ling Chen."


    After confirming the name of the fugitive again, Xia Mutong quickly flipped open the file. Seeing the familiar photo on it, Xia Mutong waspletely stunned.


    How did he be a wanted criminal in just a few days?


    Such an unreliable bastard! Xia Mutong thought to herself.


    "Captain Xia, the higher-ups want us to take action quickly, what do you think..."


    "Alright, I know. Notify everyone, head to the airport immediately," Xia Mutongmanded, suppressing the doubts in her heart.


    "Yes." The colleague saluted and immediately left the office.


    After he left, Xia Mutong thought for a moment, then picked up the phone on her desk and dialed her own mobile number.


    When she had broken up with Ling Chen, he still had her mobile phone. If nothing went wrong, this number should be able to reach Ling Chen.


    As the call connected, it immediately started ringing.


    Connected!


    A few secondster, the call was answered, and a familiar voice came through, "Hello! Who is this?"


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s voice, for some reason, Xia Mutong felt inexplicably irritated and spoke in a displeased tone, "Guess who."


    "It¡¯s Officer Xia," Ling Chen chuckled awkwardly and asked, "Officer Xia, do you need something from me? Oh, right! I¡¯m borrowing your phone for a few days, I¡¯ll return it when I get back."


    "Stop beating around the bush, what did you steal?"


    "I... how did you know?"


    Xia Mutong snorted softly, "How could I not know? Your warrant has already been sent to my desk. Ling, I¡¯m telling you, you¡¯d better surrender willingly, don¡¯t make mee and arrest you."


    "No way!" Ling Chen¡¯s tone suddenly became serious, "Officer Xia, once I settle my matters, I will definitelye to you and surrender. Until then, I hope you can help me."


    "Are you asking me to break the rules?"


    "You¡¯re in charge of the entire unit, they all follow your orders. Just turn a blind eye this time, I¡¯ll handle the rest."


    "Don¡¯t even think about it, I will never show favoritism. The moment you step into East Sea City, I¡¯ll definitely arrest you." With that said, without waiting for Ling Chen to say anything more, Xia Mutong immediately hung up the phone.


    Leaving the office, Xia Mutong went directly to the technical surveince department and handed over a note, "Track this mobile phone¡¯s signal and report its location to me at all times."


    "Yes, Captain Xia!"


    Ten minutester, the ne finallynded at East Sea City Airport.


    Ling Chen, blending in with Tang Shiyun¡¯s group, walked through the VIP entrance and reached the airport exit. Before he could exit the main door, Ling Chen saw more than a dozen policemen stationed at the door, checking each passing traveler.


    "Miss, you go ahead, I have something else to do."


    Tang Shiyun nced at the policemen at the door and immediately understood. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but say worriedly, "Ling, be careful."


    "I know. I¡¯ll visit you another day, goodbye!"


    Ling Chen waved his hand, then blended into the crowd and disappeared in an instant.


    The police were stationed at all exits of the airport, but this was no obstacle for Ling Chen. Soon, he found an opportunity, and while the police were not looking, he slipped away with the flow of people exiting the airport.


    Once outside the airport, Ling Chen stood by the roadside, raising his right hand, ready to hail a taxi.


    But at that moment, a hand suddenly reached out from behind and rested on his shoulder.

 Chapter 580 - 577: Hu Fei’s Backup Plan

    <h4>Chapter 580: Chapter 577: Hu Fei¡¯s Backup n</h4><h4></h4>


    Who?


    Ling Chen suddenly turned around, his gaze meeting a pretty face filled with a faint anger.


    Uh... Ling Chen was stunned for a moment, squeezing out an awkward smile, and said, "Officer Xia, what a coincidence." Saying this, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes darted around, checking his surroundings to prevent anyone from approaching.


    Xia Mutong red at Ling Chen and hummed softly, "Stop looking. There¡¯s no one else here, just you and me. If I wanted to catch you, you would have been surrounded by now."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen instantly realized. He was carrying Xia Mutong¡¯s phone, she must have located him through the phone signal.


    Seeing that Xia Mutong was alone without any subordinates, Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief. From Xia Mutong¡¯s demeanor, it was clear she wasn¡¯t nning to arrest him.


    "What¡¯s in this backpack?" Xia Mutong asked. As she spoke, she reached out to snatch the backpack.


    Fortunately, Ling Chen was quick and clutched the backpack to his chest. Xia Mutong ended up grasping at air, and her ample chest bumped directly into Ling Chen¡¯s arm.


    Embarrassed, Ling Chen stepped back and said, "Officer Xia, we¡¯re all friends here, help me out."


    "You should at least let me know the reason."


    "This..." Ling Chen hesitated, then confessed the truth, "Wanqing is kidnapped, this thing can trade for her life."


    "Really?" Xia Mutong¡¯s expression loosened, and frowning, she asked, "Then why didn¡¯t you call the police?"


    "If calling the police was useful, I would have done it already. Officer Xia, I¡¯m short on time, I have to go; I¡¯lle back to you after I resolve this."


    Having said that, without waiting for Xia Mutong to respond, Ling Chen quickly dashed towards a taxi at the roadside and dived into it.


    Watching the taxi drive away, Xia Mutong stamped her foot in frustration and muttered to herself, "I¡¯ll see where you can escape to."


    Saying this, a hint of triumph shed in her eyes.


    Sitting in the taxi, Ling Chen turned off his phone to prevent Xia Mutong from tracking his signal again.


    Nowbeled as a wanted criminal, his ID was certainly of no use, and he couldn¡¯t travel by ne, car, or train. He had no choice but to drive to Changling City.


    Arriving at the Old City, Ling Chen used a public phone to call Jiang Hao. Soon after, Jiang Hao arrived in a car.


    "Chen."


    "Give me the car; you take a ride back."


    Jiang Hao stepped out of the driver¡¯s seat and seeing Ling Chen about to start the car and leave, he hurriedly said, "Chen, don¡¯t rush off."


    "You have something else?"


    "There seems to be a problem in Hu¡¯s office; I¡¯ve been trying to contact you, but your phone was unreachable."


    Ling Chen, puzzled, asked, "What¡¯s the problem?"


    "I¡¯m not sure; hisputer keeps showing some messages, and I don¡¯t understand this stuff. Hu has instructed us not to touch hisputer, so I dared not mess with it. Chen, maybe you should take a look?"


    Ling Chen found this strange; Hu Fei had been captured, so how could there be an issue with hisputer?


    After some thought, Ling Chen decided to go with Jiang Hao. Hu Fei¡¯s office wasn¡¯t far from there, and it wouldn¡¯t take much time.


    At a courierpany in the Old City, Ling Chen followed Jiang Hao to Hu Fei¡¯s office. As soon as he entered, he heard a continuous ¡¯beep¡¯ sound from theputer.


    "Chen, have a look, it has been beeping for days now."


    Ling Chen nodded, walked directly to theputer screen, and immediately, a dialog box popped up with options to ept or reject. Without a second thought, Ling Chen clicked ept.


    As the dialog box disappeared, a screen popped up in the center of the monitor, disying several shing red dots.


    "This is..."


    Ling Chen looked at the images disyed on theputer screen, his eyes suddenly brightened, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.


    This chubby guy... had a trick up his sleeve all along!


    "Jiang Hao, I¡¯m leaving first. Keep an eye on the screen for me, don¡¯t let anyone touch it, you hear?"


    "Understood, Chen."


    "Don¡¯t turn off your phone, I¡¯ll contact you at any time."


    Leaving the courierpany, Ling Chen drove alone toward the highway entrance.


    A night passed.


    After a journey of more than ten hours, Ling Chen finally drove into Changling City.


    Having not slept for two consecutive days and nights, he was extremely exhausted at this point. However, it was crucial time, he couldn¡¯t afford to be tired and hurriedly rushed to the hotel to meet with Sang Ji and others.


    "Elder Zhou, I¡¯ve brought the stuff."


    Ling Chen set down his backpack, panting as he spoke.


    Sang Ji shook his head, saying, "We mobilized a lot of intelligence resources, but the information we gathered is very limited, probably not much help to our operation."


    "That¡¯s not a problem; I know where the person is."


    "You know?" Zhou Jun looked at Ling Chen in surprise and asked, "Where are they?"


    Ling Chen brought over a map, spread it out in front of everyone, and then pointed to a location on it.


    "Yinan Vige."


    Zhou Qi and others looked at each other and asked, "Are you sure?"


    Ling Chen nodded firmly and said, "One hundred percent sure. Before Hu Fei was captured, he had taken precautions and carried a tracker on him. Through the tracker¡¯s signal, we can narrow the area down to fifty meters."


    Sang Ji pondered for a moment and said, "Yinan Vige is located on the outskirts of Changling City, even separated by a town. Since they are detained in Yinan Vige, it indicates that the ce is a core area of the God Organization. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have sent the prisoners to such a far ce. I will immediately contact the Secret Society, let them mobilize all forces, and start a search in Yinan Vige to see if they can find any valuable clues."


    Ling Chen looked at the time and added, "There are seven hours left until the deadline set by Wu Jun. You guys better hurry. Also, be very careful, don¡¯t expose your tracks."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I know what to do."


    Zhou Qi, seeing the exhausted look on Ling Chen¡¯s face, couldn¡¯t help but say, "You¡¯ve worked hard too, take some rest first, I¡¯ll call you when it¡¯s time."


    "Alright, thanks."


    Lying on the bed, Ling Chen closed his eyes and soon, thunderous snores began to sound.


    The night deepened.


    Ten o¡¯clock.


    Ling Chen took a shower in the hotel bathroom, then, carrying the backpack with HZ1, went alone to the agreed location.


    It was still that same restaurant fromst time; when Ling Chen arrived, the restaurant¡¯s main hall was destely empty, not a person in sight.


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate, heading straight to an upstairs private room.


    Upon entering, he saw Wu Jun sitting by a round table, holding a wine ss, gently swirling the red liquid inside.


    Seeing Ling Chen striding in, Wu Jun greeted him with a radiant smile, "Ling, you¡¯re very punctual. Did you bring the goods?"


    Ling Chen threw his backpack onto the table and asked, "Here¡¯s the stuff, where¡¯s the person I asked for?"


    "Ling, I apologize, but there might be some changes to the conditions we had agreed upon previously."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s face turned cold, and just as he was about to rebuke, he heard a burst of hurried footstepsing from outside the private room.

 Chapter 581 - 578: Falling into a Trap

    <h4>Chapter 581: Chapter 578: Falling into a Trap</h4><h4></h4>


    Before Ling Chen could react, there was a loud ¡¯bang¡¯ and the door of the private room was forcefully broken open. More than ten men in suits streamed in all holding guns and loudlymanded, "Nobody move!"


    Seeing who it was, Ling Chen felt a jolt of shock. Why is it them?


    Without time to think further, Ling Chen quickly turned his attention towards the backpack on the table. However, the backpack containing HZ1 had already disappeared without a trace. At the same time, near the window of the private room, Wu Jun was holding the backpack in one hand, punched through the window ss with his fist, and directly jumped out, vanishing instantly.


    "Stop!"


    Ling Chen inwardly cursed, hurriedly rushing forward, attempting to chase Wu Jun.


    Bang!


    Just then, a crisp gunshot suddenly rang out, the bullet whizzing past Ling Chen and striking the window sill.


    "Ling Chen, you better stay put honestly, otherwise don¡¯t me my bullets for being indiscriminate."


    Hearing the scolding from behind, Ling Chen furrowed his brows tightly, quickly contemting his strategies in his mind. After careful consideration, Ling Chen ultimately gave up on escaping. With so many people pointing guns at him, any movement could turn his body into a hive of bullets.


    Although he was confident in his own abilities, these men in suits were after all members of the Lonely Wolf. He had heard from Tang Yuan that ever since that supervisor joined the Lonely Wolf, there had been significant changes made to their structure.


    Aside from the original members personally selected by the General, that supervisor had recruited many experienced special forces from the army to join the Lonely Wolf as external members. Ling Chen was well aware of that person¡¯s methods.


    The Lonely Wolf was an organization built from scratch by the General, obedient only to the General himself. With that person joining Lonely Wolf midway, naturally, he had to build his own power to restrain the General andpete for the right to speak in Lonely Wolf.


    Thus, Ling Chen was clear on the capabilities of these men in suits. Though theirbat abilities might not match his, their shooting skills were absolutely impable, honed through rigorous training.


    "Arrest him."


    The sound of footsteps approached, and two men in suits immediately came forward, binding Ling Chen¡¯s hands behind his back.


    "Have you caught him?"


    At this moment, a voice came from the entrance of the private room. Ling Chen turned his head and saw a man in his forties, surrounded by several subordinates, walking towards him.


    The man had a square face, stern facial features, and his lips curved into a subtle, almost imperceptible cold smile, exuding a cunning appearance.


    "Officer, we have caught him, but we lost the item."


    Seeing the middle-aged man approaching, Ling Chen asked, "Who are you?"


    "Tang Guoxiong, currently in charge of overseeing the whole Lonely Wolf."


    Ling Chen raised his eyebrows, his gaze instantly sharp.


    So, this was the man the General spoke of.


    "Ling Chen, you colluded with Qiao Zhen and others to steal government property, you conspired with evil forces, I am now arresting you in the name of Lonely Wolf. You better cooperate nicely, do not resist. You were once a member of the Ghosts, so you should know the rules of Lonely Wolf. If you make any dangerous moves, I won¡¯t hesitate to kill you. Did you hear me?"


    Ling Chen, with a frown, said, "If it wasn¡¯t for you just now, Wu Jun would not have had the chance to escape, and HZ1 wouldn¡¯t have been taken by him."


    "Cut the nonsense, you are a wanted criminal now, you have no right to tell me what to do. Ling Chen, Qiao Zhen and the others are already in a dire situation themselves, you better fend for yourself, don¡¯t expect they wille to save you." After speaking, Tang Guoxiong waved his hand grandly, "Take him away."


    Leaving the restaurant, Ling Chen was roughly escorted by two men in suits to an SUV, then followed the convoy towards the east of Changling City.


    Twenty minutester, the convoy stopped outside arge courtyard.


    After getting out of the car, Ling Chen followed several men in suits closely, passing through arge gate and heading straight into the courtyard.


    Once in the courtyard, Ling Chen noticed that Tang Guoxiong had brought quite a number of people to Changling City. The surroundings of the yard were filled with various boxes, containing everything from electronic devices to military equipment.


    "What are you doing here?" Ling Chen asked.


    "Didn¡¯t you tell Qiao Zhen that God Organization has stationed its forces in Changling City? This time we intend topletely eradicate God Organization."


    Ling Chenughed mockingly and said, "With just these people?"


    "What, you look down on us?" Tang Guoxiong said confidently, "All of these are elites I have carefully selected., The fact Qiao Zhen couldn¡¯t do it doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t. He¡¯s getting old and was embarrassingly beaten by God Organization, it¡¯s time for someone else to take over."


    Seeing Tang Guoxiong¡¯s self-satisfied expression, Ling Chen scoffed, shaking his head, unwilling to respond to him.


    Ignoring Ling Chen¡¯s disdain, Tang Guoxiong smiled and said, "Just wait and see, it won¡¯t take three days before I eradicate the forces of God Organization. Go, lock him up first, and after I handle things here, we¡¯ll return to Beijing together."


    ...


    Sitting in a small dark room, Ling Chen looked at the tiny venttion duct the size of a fist overhead and sighed to himself.


    This was truly unexpected; Tang Guoxiong actually showed up with Lonely Wolf¡¯s men, probably all part of Wu Jun¡¯s conspiracy.


    Knowing he was a wanted man, he secretly disclosed information to Lonely Wolf, leading Tang Guoxiong and his team here.


    Now, instead of rescuing Nanrong Wanqing, he had inadvertently handed Wu Jun an advantage. What a loss.


    Moreover, the issues worrying Ling Chen now were more than just that.


    Given the intelligence capabilities of Secret Society and Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, they would eventually find out he was captured. Once they take action to rescue him, they will be confronting government agencies. Secret Society and Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion have always maintained a distance from the government, which is why the government turns a blind eye to them. If a conflict erupts between the three parties, Secret Society and Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will undoubtedly end up worse off.


    Sigh! Such a headache.


    Bang!


    Just then, a sudden loud noise came from outside the room, like something hitting the wall.


    Immediately afterward, the footsteps outside the room gradually faded away and disappeared.


    What happened?


    Ling Chen got up and approached the door, pressing his ear against it to listen.


    After a while, he heard a faint breathing sound through the door. A few secondster, a ¡¯ng¡¯ sounded as if the chains outside the door were being unlocked.


    Ling Chen took two steps back, keeping his eyes fixed on the door.


    As the door was pushed open, a slender silhouette suddenly appeared in Ling Chen¡¯s line of sight.


    "Why is it you?"


    Recognizing the person¡¯s face, Ling Chen was immediately shocked. He had thought of many possibilities, but never expected it would be hering to rescue him.


    "What are you daydreaming about, hurry up and go."


    Hearing the urging from the other side, Ling Chen quickly came to his senses and hastened towards the door.

 Chapter 582 - 579: Xia Mutong’s Sudden Appearance

    <h4>Chapter 582: Chapter 579: Xia Mutong¡¯s Sudden Appearance</h4><h4></h4>


    Leaving the dark room, Ling Chen sees a wall next to the courtyard has been knocked down, with a vehicle stopped in the middle, and broken stone bricks piled up all over the ground.


    Beside the car door, there also lie two unconscious men in suits.


    "They..."


    "Don¡¯t worry, they are fine, just hit by anesthetic needles."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen breaths a sigh of relief. Luckily it was just anesthetic needles, not harming their lives; otherwise, things could have be very troublesome.


    Taking advantage of Tang Guoxiong and his people not yet returning, Ling Chen doesn¡¯t linger and quickly leaves the courtyard.


    Once inside the car, Ling Chen, looking at the woman in the driver¡¯s seat, asks curiously, "How did you know I was here?"


    The woman smiles smugly and says, "Do you remember when we bumped into each other at East Sea City airport? When I went to snatch your bag, I secretly ced a micro tracker in your pocket."


    Ling Chen is taken aback and quickly reaches into the pocket of his coat. Indeed, he finds a tracker the size of a fingernail.


    An oversight!


    Ling Chen shakes his head helplessly, only concerned about protecting the backpack in his hands; he didn¡¯t expect Xia Mutong to be so cunning as to nt a tracker on him unknowingly.


    "Do you even know who those people you just knocked out are?"


    "Not sure. Whatever kind of people they are, they don¡¯t look like the good kind."


    "You, oh you." Ling Chen chuckles bitterly, not knowing what to say to her; she dared to act rashly without even rifying the identities of those people.


    "Those are members of a special government department, lucky for you that you didn¡¯t reveal your identity, otherwise, you¡¯d be in big trouble."


    "Really?" Xia Mutong is startled and starts to panic, "Doesn¡¯t that mean I¡¯m a fugitive now?"


    Ling Chen nods solemnly, "Mhm."


    "That won¡¯t do, I have to send you back."


    Seeing Xia Mutong trying to get out of the car, Ling Chen hurriedly grabs her arm and says, "Hey! You¡¯re actually considering sending me back? Alright, alright, stop joking. Hurry up and take me to the hotel, I still have important matters to handle."


    "Are you going to rescue Miss Nanrong?"


    "Not just to rescue her, this situation is far more troublesome than I had expected." Ling Chen frowns, his face showing a rare serious expression.


    If it was just Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and Secret Society involved, things would be much easier. But now, with Tang Guoxiong and Lonely Wolf joining in, it undoubtedlyplicates the situation.


    Tang Guoxiong doesn¡¯t understand the power of the God Organization at all. The people he¡¯s brought are at best cannon fodder, serving no real purpose.


    So, this mission isn¡¯t just about rescuing Nanrong Wanqing and Hu Fei and the others; it¡¯s also about stopping Tang Guoxiong, to prevent further loss.


    The car arrives at the hotel, and Ling Chen, taking two steps at a time, hurriedly brings Xia Mutong to the guest room.


    Knocking on the door, Sang Ji and the others see Ling Chen and can¡¯t help but ask in surprise, "How did you escape? We were still discussing how to rescue you."


    Ling Chen points to Xia Mutong standing beside him and says, "Thanks to Officer Xia¡¯s help." After speaking, Ling Chen walks into the room, looks at Zhou Qi and Zhou Jun, and asks, "Elder Zhou, where did Tang Guoxiong and his men run off to?"


    "We just got news that Tang Guoxiong took his men to a town near Changling City by car, which is the necessary route to Yinan Vige."


    Ling Chen says, somewhat perplexed, "How do they know God Organization¡¯s core forces are in Yinan Vige? Even your two intelligence organizations haven¡¯t found it, how could they?"


    Lonely Wolf¡¯s intelligence agency is inherited from the old Ghost¡¯s, so he is very clear about Lonely Wolf¡¯s intelligence capabilities, which cannot be stronger than Secret Society and Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    If it¡¯s not information they gathered themselves, then someone intentionally let it slip to them.


    Realizing this, Ling Chen¡¯s expression suddenly changes.


    Not good!


    At this moment, Sang Ji and Zhou Qi alsoe to their senses and exim in unison, "It¡¯s a trap!"


    Ling Chen nods and says, "The God Organization must have given false information to Tang Guoxiong, luring them there, aiming to capture them all in one fell swoop."


    "If they are seeking death on their own, just let them be; why care about their fate?" Sang Ji states calmly, "It¡¯s actually better this way; with them drawing the God Organization¡¯s attention, our actions will be much easier."


    "No," Ling Chen rejects Sang Ji¡¯s words outright.


    Tang Guoxiong brought with him a force of thirty to forty people; it wouldn¡¯t be right to let them lose their lives for nothing.


    "Elder Zhou, we must rush to Yinan Vige immediately." After thoughtful consideration, Ling Chen quicklyes up with a strategy.


    Zhou Jun asks, "What do you n to do?"


    "Tang Guoxiong and we don¡¯t see eye to eye; if we directly intervene to help, not only will he not appreciate it, but he will also cause trouble for us. So, our only option is to employ a strategy of besieging Wei to rescue Zhao, and directly press on God Organization¡¯s core, making them too preupied to deal with Tang Guoxiong."


    Saying this, Ling Chen looks at Sang Ji and Zhou Qi, saying, "Gentlemen, we are short on manpower; all I can count on now is you. I hope..."


    "Don¡¯t worry." Before Ling Chen finishes speaking, Sang Ji immediately chimes in, "The orders I received are to assist you with all my might, any need you have, I will fulfill. As for manpower, don¡¯t worry, my people will be in position before the action starts."


    "Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will do the same," Zhou Qi adds, "The Pavilion Master said that Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion owes you a favor. Whatever you want to do, we will help you without hesitation."


    "Thanks!"


    At that moment, off to the side, Xia Mutong is feeling utterly confused, having no idea what¡¯s going on.


    Secret Society? Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion? She¡¯s never even heard of such bizarre names.


    "Ling..."


    Just as she¡¯s about to speak up, Ling Chen suddenly turns around and says, "Officer Xia, stay here, don¡¯t go anywhere, I¡¯lle find you once everything¡¯s settled."


    With that, Ling Chen leaves the room with Zhou Qi and the others swiftly.


    Watching Ling Chen¡¯s fading silhouette disappear at the door, Xia Mutong is caught off guard. By the time shees to her senses, Ling Chen and the others are already gone.


    This jerk... Xia Mutong curses resentfully.


    She came all this way, only to be left behind again. Doesn¡¯t he think about who saved him just now?


    If she had known this would happen, she wouldn¡¯t have told Ling Chen about the tracker.


    Right!


    With a sudden realization, Xia Mutong¡¯s eyes light up.


    She repeatedly heard them mention Yinan Vige during the conversation; they must be heading to Yinan Vige.


    Thinking she can be shrugged off so easily, huh? No way.


    Xia Mutong smirks to herself and immediately runs out the door.


    ...


    After nearly an hour¡¯s drive, Ling Chen and the group finally arrive on the outskirts of Yinan Vige.


    Since the vicinity could all be within the God Organization¡¯s influence, Ling Chen proceeds with extreme caution. Before even reaching Yinan Vige territory, they abandon the car and approach the vige on foot.


    Soon, a quiet vige appears in their view.

 Chapter 583 - 580 The Battle of Yinan Village (1)

    <h4>Chapter 583: Chapter 580 The Battle of Yinan Vige (1)</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen stood on a dirt slope, gazing at the vige, capturing every visible person and object. However, due to it beingte at night, Yinan Vige was utterly quiet, not a single light to be seen.


    He took out his phone, looked around, then pointed towards the north side of Yinan Vige and said: "ording to the signal carried by Hu Fei, their location is there, less than five hundred meters away from us."


    Sang Ji said, "God Organization tends to build their bases underground, which facilitates concealment from prying eyes."


    "You¡¯re right. However, the trackers on Hu Fei and his group are still transmitting signals, which means they are on the ground. If they were underground, the signal would probably be blocked."


    Zhou Jun nodded: "Ling Chen makes sense. Let¡¯s not dy. Now that we have located them, we should act immediately without wasting time."


    "When can your people all be here?"


    "They are already here," Sang Ji pointed to the nearby surroundings and said: "They are all ambushed around, ready to move as soon as we do."


    "We are ready too," Zhou Qi agreed.


    "Then let¡¯s go."


    With everything ready, Ling Chen no longer hesitated and immediately moved in the dark towards Yinan Vige.


    However, as soon as Ling Chen approached the outskirts of Yinan Vige, he heard a whizzing sound passing through the air, plunging straight into the bushes ahead.


    Apanied by a muffled grunt, Ling Chen fixed his eyes and saw a man falling in the bush, a dagger stuck in his neck, and blood gushing out.


    That was close!


    Ling Chen touched the cold sweat on his forehead, thankful for the timely discovery, or else their movements would have beenpletely exposed.


    He couldn¡¯t tell who the person who made the move was, but they were somehow able to detect the presence of the Dark Post.


    Having learned from this incident, Ling Chen immediately slowed his pace, vigntly observing his surroundings. There were definitely more than one Dark Post in this area.


    As expected, within a distance of just thirty meters, Ling Chen and Zhou Qi eliminated five Dark Posts, all cleverly hidden.


    With the help of members from the Secret Society and Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, the group steadily advanced, systematically eliminating the Dark Posts.


    In a blink of an eye, more than ten minutes had passed.


    At this point, Ling Chen was less than thirty meters away from the signal transmitted from Hu Fei.


    Looking around, there were only four houses within a thirty-meter radius, and Hu Fei and his group were certainly detained in one of them.


    Then, Ling Chen turned and signaled to Sang Ji and Zhou Qi.


    They immediately understood, and each chose a target, then slowly approached the houses.


    Ling Chen¡¯s target was a house of over a hundred square meters, with doors at the front and back,pletely dark inside, and nothing visible through the windows.


    After circling the house, Ling Chen directly went to the back door, listening closely for a while. After confirming there was no sound inside, he pulled out a dagger from his body, inserted the de into the door crack, and gently pried it up; the door immediately opened.


    Once inside the room, Ling Chen tiptoed forward. Because the room was too dark, with visibility under one meter, Ling Chen had to rely solely on his keen ears to analyze and judge.


    Suddenly, a red light spot appeared in Ling Chen¡¯s sight.


    Almost instantly, Ling Chen quickly lowered his body, rolling forward to take cover behind a row of sofas. The whole movement was swift and smooth, without any noise.


    After a while, Ling Chen slowly raised his head from behind the sofa, looking at the red light spot in the corner and muttered a silent word of thanks.


    Thankfully, he discovered it in time. Unexpectedly, this room was equipped with a motion detection device.


    The device was perfectly positioned, covering the entire house¡¯s entrances and the doors of each room, immediately detecting anyone appearing in this area.


    After a moment of contemtion, Ling Chen picked up a cushion from the sofa, aimed in the opposite direction, and tossed it with a swing of his arm.


    Suddenly, the cushion traced a parab through the air. As the monitoring device detected the cushion, the sensor immediately swiveled in its direction. Seizing the opportunity, Ling Chen powerfullyunched himself with his legs, sprinting like a cheetah into the adjacent room.


    By the time the monitoring device swung back, Ling Chen had already vanished from the living room.


    Entering the bedroom, Ling Chen leaned against the door, intending to catch his breath. However, upon seeing the surveince camera mounted on the opposite ceiling, a wry smile unwittingly spread across his lips.


    Despite all calctions, he hadn¡¯t anticipated another camera inside the room, pointed directly at the door, capturing his every move.


    Damn!


    Ling Chen cursed silently.


    Realizing he had been spotted, he didn¡¯t bother hiding anymore and began openly searching the room for Hu Fei and the others.


    He moved around the room¡¯s furnishings and soon, Ling Chen discovered a ring pull under the bed, attached to a square wooden board.


    Pulling the ring, Ling Chen used both hands to gradually lift it upwards. Immediately, a cell almost five meters deep appeared beneath, resembling a well shaft, its inner surfaces smooth with nowhere to grip. At the bottom, Hu Fei, Liu Dongsheng, and Kaelina were all imprisoned.


    "Ling Chen?"


    Seeing Ling Chen appear overhead, Hu Fei¡¯s eyes lit up as he urgently waved his hand and called out.


    "Hold on, I¡¯ll find something to help you guys climb up."


    After saying this, Ling Chen looked around, tore the bed sheet in half, tied them together, and let them fall from above.


    Once Hu Fei and the other two climbed up, Ling Chen asked, "Why only the three of you, where are the others?"


    Gasping for breath, Hu Fei replied, "Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun were taken away; it¡¯s been almost two days with no word from them. We don¡¯t know if they are dead or alive."


    "What about Wanqing, have you seen her?"


    The three exchanged looks and all shook their heads.


    "Miss Nanrong must be imprisoned somewhere else."


    "Ling Chen, did youe alone?"


    Hearing Hu Fei¡¯s question, Ling Chen replied, "Secret Society and Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion both sent reinforcements." As he spoke, Ling Chen nced at Liu Dongsheng, his expression turning somewhat strange.


    "Boss Liu, why are you..."


    "Don¡¯t ask now, I called him here," Hu Fei interjected quickly, urging, "Ling Chen, we¡¯d better find the others soon. Wu Jun told us that he ns to use us as test subjects. I¡¯m worried about the safety of Jiang Yunkai and the others."


    "Test subjects?"


    A chill ran through Ling Chen, a bad premonition forming in his mind.


    "Ling Chen!"


    Just then, an urgent shout from Zhou Jun came from outside the house.


    Without a second thought, Ling Chen swiftly led Hu Fei and the others as they dashed out the front door.


    Seeing the three Zhou Qi outside, Ling Chen asked, "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "Our presence has been exposed, we¡¯re surrounded by enemies."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes turned icy, and with a chilling tone, hemanded, "Kill them all, spare no one!"

 Chapter 584 - 581 The Battle of Yinan Village (2)

    <h4>Chapter 584: Chapter 581 The Battle of Yinan Vige (2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Ling Chen, the most crucial thing now is to find Miss Nanrong and the others. How about this, we split into three groups: one from the Secret Society, one from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, and us. We¡¯ll expand the search area and save some time," Hu Fei suggested.


    Sang Ji nodded and said, "That¡¯s a good idea. Whoever finds the entrance first should immediately notify the others."


    Zhou Qi patted Ling Chen on the shoulder and admonished, "Take good care of yourselves and be careful."


    Watching Sang Ji and Zhou Qi leave, Ling Chen turned to Hu Fei and asked, "You¡¯ve been here longer than me and should be more familiar with the environment of Yinan Vige. Where should we start looking?"


    Liu Dongsheng pointed towards the nearby bamboo forest and said, "That ce is full of mechanisms. I suspect the entrance is inside there."


    "Let¡¯s go check it out," Ling Chen said without hesitation and immediately headed towards the bamboo forest.


    When they reached the edge of the forest, Ling Chen didn¡¯t think twice before plunging in, weaving through the dense foliage, searching for the entrance.


    As Liu Dongsheng had said, the bamboo forest was packed with motion-detecting devices; the security was extremely tight. Nobody would believe that there wasn¡¯t something amiss here.


    However, the bamboo forest was vast, and finding the entrance amidst it, though not quite like looking for a needle in a haystack, was not far off, and who knew how much time it would waste.


    As they moved, a gust of wind suddenly hit Ling Chen¡¯s ears. Almost instantly, Ling Chen shifted his feet and slightly turned his body, only to see a sharp dagger shing close to his clothes.


    Without waiting for the assant to retract, the quick-reacting Ling Chen swiftly locked the person¡¯s wrist, gently pulled, and immediately threw the person to the ground. Then, Ling Chen squatted and punched the person¡¯s face.


    Bang!


    Apanied by a muffled sound, the assant immediately passed out.


    "Ling Chen, are you alright?" Hu Fei who had caught up asked.


    Ling Chen shook his head and looked into the dark bamboo forest, his eyebrows unconsciously furrowing. Continuing this search was uncertain; perhaps the God Organization had already led Nanrong Wanqing and the others to escape through another exit.


    "Fatso, do you have a lighter on you?"


    "I do." Liu Dongsheng pulled a kerosene lighter from his pocket and tossed it to Ling Chen, asking, "Are you thinking of setting fire to the bamboo forest?"


    "You saw it too, there¡¯s definitely more than one Dark Post in this bamboo forest. Rather than waste time, it¡¯s better to burn it down and force those bastards out."


    With that said, Ling Chen walked straight to a pile of dry branches and ignited them. Fortunately, it had been clear weather recently; the branches were dry and highly mmable. Soon, the fire started spreading quickly through the entire bamboo forest.


    Watching the fierce mes rapidly expand and surge into the sky, Ling Chen turned and said, "Let¡¯s go."


    Leaving the bamboo forest, Ling Chen could only hear shouts of killing around, mainly concentrated in two directions. He wasn¡¯t worried about the safety of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and the Secret Society; with their abilities, some small fry posed no threat to them.


    ...


    At this moment.


    In a spacious room, Wu Jun stood in front of severalrge screens, watching the mes rising into the sky, his expression extremely somber.


    "Mr. Wu, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and the Secret Society have both sent masters, and our ground troops may have difficulty resisting. Should we ask Mr. Lin for instructions to dispatch more people?"


    "What¡¯s the hurry," Wu Jun said coldly. "How¡¯s the situation at theboratory?"


    "The experiment is still continuing, with no results yet. Since it¡¯s the first time conducting such an experiment, it will take a longer time."


    "Tell them not to terminate the experiment without my orders. Also, keep a close watch on Nanrong Wanqing, she is an important bargaining chip."


    "Understood."


    After his subordinate left, Wu Jun picked up his cellphone, walked alone to the corner of the room, and dialed a number.


    At this time, outside the bamboo forest, Ling Chen stared intently at the firestorm, his face emotionless. In less than three minutes, more than ten people had escaped from the ze. Unfortunately, their bodies had already been consumed by the mes; even though they escaped the bamboo forest, they still could not escape death.


    Whoosh!


    Suddenly, a silhouette burst out of the raging mes at high speed, quickly approaching him in the blink of an eye.


    Ling Chen¡¯s pupils shrank; without time to think, he quickly pushed away the people around him and swiftly retreated.


    It was only after he had retreated more than ten meters that Ling Chen steadied himself and looked at the person who had emerged from the fire.


    Ji Gang!


    Recognizing the identity of the other person, Ling Chen¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and his frown deepened. It was this old man!


    "Your life is indeed tough," Ji Gang said coldly as he stared at Ling Chen. "I thought you were dead."


    "How could I be dead if you are not?" Ling Chen retorted unabashedly.


    "Humph!"


    With a cold snort, Ji Gang¡¯s body instantly disappeared from its spot, moving like a gust of wind, rapidly closing in on Ling Chen. In the blink of an eye, the distance of over ten meters between them had shrunk to two meters.


    So fast!


    Ling Chen backpedaled quickly, his eyes closely tracking Ji Gang, trying to lock onto his position. However, Ji Gang¡¯s speed was too fast, almost eluding his sight.


    "Die!"


    A cold shout came, and Ling Chen¡¯s body stiffened, instantly surrounded by an overpowering aura. He felt Ji Gang¡¯s shadow everywhere, momentarily stunned andpletely at a loss.


    Although he had received guidance from Su He, Ling Chen didn¡¯t believe that just a few days of training could close the gap with a Heavenly List master, which was clearly unrealistic.


    In a sh of thought, a cold, sharp light suddenly shot towards him,nding right next to Ling Chen¡¯s foot. At the same time, the pressure around Ling Chen greatly diminished, and he felt as if he had just taken a round trip through hell, covered in cold sweat.


    Taking a breath, Ling Chen looked at the sword embedded in the ground, a hint of surprise shing in his eyes.


    At that moment, Ji Gang stood with his hands behind him to the side, his sharp gaze sweeping around, and coldly spoke, "Qin Chuan, since you¡¯vee, why hide and not show yourself?"


    "Ji Gang, as a master of the Heavenly List, what ability is it to bully a youngster?"


    As the voice sounded, Ling Chen¡¯s sight unexpectedly included an old man, youthful yet with white hair, a face radiant with health, tall and muscr, dressed in a light blue Tang suit, giving an ethereal impression.


    Qin Chuan!


    A thought struck Ling Chen; this was the mysterious Heavenly List master from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion tasked with ensuring Su Mei¡¯s safety.


    Ji Gang responded disdainfully, "A defeated subordinate, what right do you have to challenge me?"


    Unconcerned with Ji Gang¡¯s mockery, Qin Chuan calmly said, "I know your strength, so I do not intend to confront you directly. Today¡¯s battle doesn¡¯t concern us; I just need to hold you off." After speaking, Qin Chuan nced at Ling Chen and said, "Leave this ce to me, you go attend to your matters."

 Chapter 585 - 582: The Eldest Miss’s Old Illness Relapses

    <h4>Chapter 585: Chapter 582: The Eldest Miss¡¯s Old Illness Rpses</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen sped his hands in salute to Qin Chuan, and without another word, immediately led Hu Fei and the others toward the bamboo forest.


    Just now, when Ji Gang emerged from the bamboo forest, Ling Chen had paid special attention to his location; the entrance should be around there.


    Taking advantage of the gradually subsiding fire around them, Ling Chen hurriedly rushed in, his eyes scanning around, asionally stepping on the ground to avoid missing any important clues.


    Before long, the observant Ling Chen noticed that the ground less than five meters in front of him showed signs of disturbance.


    He quickly approached it, wiped away the ash on the ground, and suddenly, a steel te two meters long and one meter wide was revealed before him.


    "This is the ce."


    Ling Chen nced around; there should have been surveince cameras here. However, due to the fire, those devices had already been destroyed.


    Taking out a dagger, Ling Chen inserted the de into the gap of the steel te and then tried to pry it open with all his strength. However, the steel te was too thick, and a single dagger was simply not enough to pry it open.


    Unfortunately, he had nothing else on him besides the dagger. If he had some explosives, it might be possible to try and st the steel te.


    "Mr. Ling, let me give it a try."


    Hearing Liu Dongsheng speak up, Ling Chen immediately got up and gave up his ce.


    Liu Dongsheng crouched down, tapped the surface of the steel te, then ced his ear against it, listening carefully for any sounds from inside.


    While Liu Dongsheng was busy, Ling Chen walked over to Hu Fei¡¯s side and asked quietly, "Fatty, isn¡¯t he the restaurant owner? How did you bring him here?"


    Hu Fei smiled proudly and said, "Not all of the friends I make are ordinary people. Just wait and see, his skills are quite something."


    During their conversation, Liu Dongsheng rolled up his sleeves, revealing his entire arm. Then, he ced his fingertips against his skin and gently pulled outwards. Instantly, a steel wire about ten centimeters long was drawn from underneath his skin.


    Seeing this sight, Ling Chen and Kaelina couldn¡¯t help but be startled.


    Someone had actually hidden things under their skin, this method was truly ruthless. Moreover, looking at Liu Dongsheng, it seemed to be amon practice for him, with no change in hisplexion.


    In addition to the steel wire hidden in his arm, Liu Dongsheng sessively pulled out four more wires from his calf and the back of his hand.


    He connected these special wires together and then inserted them into the gap in the middle of the steel te. After that, he again ced his ear against the steel te, using his right hand to maneuver the wires non-stop.


    It didn¡¯t take long to hear a light ¡¯click¡¯, and the gap in the middle of the steel te slowly began to move apart, revealing a spacious entrance.


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes brightened; he hadn¡¯t expected Liu Dongsheng to actually manage to open the door.


    "How did you do that?" he asked curiously.


    "These steel tes have control devices inside them; you just need to find the right spot," replied Liu Dongsheng casually.


    Ling Chen knew, however, that to achieve this, one must have a wealth of experience and intimate knowledge of various control systems.


    It seemed that Hu Fei was right, the people he knew were no ordinary individuals.


    Having passed through that steel te entrance, Ling Chen and the others finally entered the base of the God Organization.


    Looking at theplexwork of passages inside the base, Ling Chen felt a bit of a headache, unsure of which way to go.


    "Let¡¯s check over there."


    At this moment, Hu Fei pointed ahead and quickly walked over.


    There were many rooms along both sides of the passage, with Hu Fei pushing each door as he passed, seemingly in search of something.


    Before long, Hu Fei¡¯s expression brightened, and he said with a smile, "Found it."


    Once inside the room, Ling Chen realized that what Hu Fei had been looking for was aputer.


    Opening theputer, Hu Fei moved the keyboard in front of him, eyes glued to the screen, fingers flying, he typed rapidly. Boxes popped up continuously on theputer screen as he worked.


    "Done!"


    A few minutester, Hu Fei smirked, his face full of pride.


    "How is it?"


    "I¡¯ve connected to the base¡¯s main system; I can ess all the surveince now." As he spoke, Hu Fei tapped a few keys, and immediately more than a dozen surveince feeds appeared on theputer screen.


    "Look, Miss Nanrong is locked up there." Kaelina pointed to one of the surveince screens.


    "Can you find Jiang Yunkai and the others?"


    "Wait a moment!" Hu Fei focused on the screen, quickly switching surveince feeds. After a while, he shook his head: "Can¡¯t find them, they might be locked up in an area not covered by surveince."


    Liu Dongsheng said gravely: "Wu Jun once said he was going to use us as test subjects, could those two..."


    "There¡¯s that possibility." Ling Chen interjected: "Here¡¯s the n: I¡¯ll go rescue Wanqing, Boss Liu, Kaelina, you two go look for Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun. Fatty stays here, closely monitor their activities. After fifteen minutes, regardless of whether we¡¯ve found them or not, everyone meet back here. Any questions?"


    Liu Dongsheng and Kaelina nodded.


    "Be careful."


    After speaking, Ling Chen turned and left the room.


    Following the route provided by Hu Fei, Ling Chen went straight down the corridor, encountering several security doors. However, with Hu Fei¡¯s help, he hardly ran into any trouble.


    Soon, Ling Chen arrived at the area where Nanrong Wanqing was detained.


    Seeing the surveince camera in the corner, Ling Chen made a gesture, then leaned against the wall. A few secondster, under Hu Fei¡¯s remote control, the door immediately opened.


    As the door opened, Ling Chen¡¯s legs powered up, and he surged forward, quickly passing through the doorway.


    Before the guards inside could react, Ling Chen had already charged up close, his steel fists thundered out. In no time, several guards were knocked to the ground.


    "Ling Chen?"


    At this moment, Nanrong Wanqing, who was imprisoned in the cell, finally snapped back to reality, her face radiant with surprise as she saw Ling Chen, her beautiful eyes shimmering with excitement.


    "Are you alright?" Ling Chen asked with concern.


    Nanrong Wanqing shook her head.


    "Wait, I¡¯ll get you out first."


    Ling Chen searched the guards, found a key.


    When the cell door opened and Ling Chen saw Nanrong Wanqing sitting on the bed, he extended his hand to her and said, "Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you out of here."


    Hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s charming face immediately showed a trace of a bitter smile.


    "I... I can¡¯t move."


    Ling Chen was slightly taken aback, not understanding what she meant, and asked, "Are you injured?"


    "No, my legs are numb, it¡¯s like it¡¯s gone back to how it was before."


    "How could this be?" Ling Chen was shocked, puzzled. Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s legs had obviously been healed, why would this issue recur?


    "They seem to have conducted some kind of experiment on me, by the time I woke up it was already like this."


    Ling Chen¡¯s brow furrowed slightly,forting her: "Don¡¯t worry, it might just be temporary. I¡¯ll get you out first."


    With that, Ling Chen hoisted Nanrong Wanqing onto his back and strode outside.

 Chapter 586 - 583: A Move to Insult the Enemy

    <h4>Chapter 586: Chapter 583: A Move to Insult the Enemy</h4><h4></h4>


    However, just after leaving the cell, Ling Chen encountered several people blocking his path ahead.


    Seeing the man standing at the front, a sh of surprise crossed Ling Chen¡¯s eyes. But it soon turned cold, his gaze sharp and wild as that of a beast.


    "Yi Shuiyan." Ling Chen enunciated every syble of the other¡¯s name, "I really didn¡¯t expect to run into you here." After speaking, Ling Chen nced at the Dangyang Sect disciples behind Yi Shuiyan and said with a mocking smile, "So the Dangyang Sect is willing to ypdog for the God Organization. I¡¯m not at all surprised."


    "Ling Chen, cut the nonsense. It¡¯s not your ce to judge the actions of the Dangyang Sect," Yi Shuiyan said with a ferrous face. "I do admire your courage for barging in here, do you not fear death?"


    "Death?" Ling Chen said mockingly, "Yi Shuiyan, don¡¯t forget, you were defeated by me. To deal with you, one hand is enough."


    After saying this, Ling Chen, supporting Nanrong Wanqing with one hand, slowly stretched out his right hand, palm up, and curled a finger at Yi Shuiyan, making a provocative gesture.


    Seeing his action, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s face grew even uglier, his eyes filled with raging anger, as if he wished to brutally ughter Ling Chen.


    However, he wasn¡¯t hot-headed. He knew how to contain his anger, especially considering the lesson fromst time; he was well aware of Ling Chen¡¯s strength. Now, he indeed wasn¡¯t Ling Chen¡¯s match.


    "Do you think that just because you imed the top neer spot, you can look down on everyone?" Yi Shuiyan spoke coldly.


    Ling Chen shook his head and replied, "I¡¯ve never thought that. There are skies beyond skies, people beyond people. Huaxia is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers; there are many more powerful than me. But right now, it¡¯s just you and me. In my eyes, you¡¯re someone I¡¯ve defeated before, is there a problem with that? If you want to turn things around, rely on your own skills and stop wasting time with words. I remember you used to be forthright; howe you¡¯ve be so nagging now? Could it be that after the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, you took a trip to Thand?"


    "Shut up!" Yi Shuiyan bellowed in anger, his barely constrained rage ring up again.


    "Enough talk. If you want to fight, let¡¯s get on with it. Don¡¯t waste my time," Ling Chen said impatiently. He had only fifteen minutes as agreed with Kaelina; if dyed further, he might not make it to the rendezvous point in time.


    "Disciple, since Mr. Ling wishes to fight, apany him for a few moves."


    At that moment, a voice suddenly came from behind Yi Shuiyan.


    Ling Chen focused his gaze, and his expression changed instantly.


    Zhu Jin!


    Sect Leader of the Dangyang Sect.


    He didn¡¯t expect this guy to be here too. Ling Chen inwardly voiced his rm. If it was just Yi Shuiyan, he wasn¡¯t afraid at all, but with Zhu Jin as well, things were gettingplicated.


    Although he hadn¡¯t fought Zhu Jin before, as the Sect Leader of the Dangyang Sect, he couldn¡¯t be that weak.


    Hearing his master speak, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s courage was greatly bolstered, and he immediately drew the steel de he carried, stepping towards Ling Chen.


    "Ling Chen..." Nanrong Wanqing looked at the approaching Yi Shuiyan, her beautiful eyes full of concern.


    Ling Chen gently patted her hand, reassuring her, "It¡¯s okay, I can handle this, trust me."


    With those words, Ling Chen ced Nanrong Wanqing in a corner of the corridor, against the wall. Then, he straightened his waist and strode forward to meet Yi Shuiyan.


    As they approached each other, Yi Shuiyan flicked his wrist, and the steel de, like a windmill, shed through the air, seemingly with the force of ten thousand acres, aimed straight at Ling Chen¡¯s head.


    As the de wind approached, Ling Chen did not dodge, his sharp eyes looking straight ahead, showing no intention of evasion.


    In the moment the de was about to strike, Ling Chen¡¯s fingers swiftly struck out, hitting the steel de dead center.


    The instant his fingertips touched the de, the steel knife was deflected as if it had been struck hard, springing away, and even Yi Shuiyan¡¯s arm was thrown off course.


    This sudden turn of events startled Yi Shuiyan, his face full of shock. He had never expected that his de, carrying his full strength, would be easily neutralized by Ling Chen with just two fingers.


    Could it be... in just a few short months, Ling Chen¡¯s abilities had advanced to the Earthly List?


    No, that¡¯s impossible!


    Yi Shuiyan stared nkly at Ling Chen, the steel knife in his hand hesitating to rise again.


    "Shuiyan!"


    Seeing his disciple¡¯s dazed expression, Zhu Jin couldn¡¯t help but yell out.


    Regaining his senses, Yi Shuiyan looked at Ling Chen in front of him and couldn¡¯t help but involuntarily step back, a hint of hesitation in his eyes.


    Feeling the gap between them, Yi Shuiyan had already lost the courage to make a move.


    At the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, under the watchful eyes of the public, he was defeated by Ling Chen.


    Now, he didn¡¯t want to experience another failure.


    For a martial artist, being defeated twice by the same person would undoubtedly cause a significant obstacle to his future cultivation.


    Yi Shuiyan knew this well, so he didn¡¯t dare to make a move lightly.


    "Useless." Zhu Jin snorted coldly, walked forward, and left Yi Shuiyan behind him.


    "Ling Chen, you think you¡¯re so great, then let me see for myself how capable you really are."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze slightly hardened. His body tensed up, and he stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Nanrong Wanqing.


    Back at the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, he had already seen the shamelessness of the Dangyang Sect. Therefore, he had to be on guard against Zhu Jin to prevent others from taking the opportunity to attack Nanrong Wanqing.


    Ling Chen was not very familiar with Zhu Jin¡¯s strength, but he had heard from Qiu Yong that Zhu Jin was also a high-ranking master on the Dragon List; as to which rank, he wasn¡¯t sure.


    However, to be the Sect Leader of the Dangyang Sect, his strength couldn¡¯t be toocking.


    In the blink of an eye, Ling Chen leaned slightly forward, with his shoulders facing Zhu Jin, ready to defend against any attacks.


    However, to Ling Chen¡¯s surprise, Zhu Jin did not immediately attack, but instead retreated two steps, increasing the distance between them.


    Seeing the other¡¯s action, Ling Chen was filled with confusion and puzzlement, not understanding what Zhu Jin was up to.


    Not only that, but Yi Shuiyan and the others originally behind Zhu Jin also retreated, as if they knew what was going to happen next.


    This scene caught Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, making him even more surprised. His gaze towards Zhu Jin carried a hint of caution and care.


    "Are you ready to take the hit?"


    Zhu Jin¡¯s voice came, Ling Chen remained silent, his expression stern, fully focused on his opponent, his right arm slightly leaning back. From this position, he could ensure he draws his dagger at the fastest speed.


    Observing Ling Chen¡¯s tense appearance, a sly smile suddenly appeared on Zhu Jin¡¯s face.


    At the moment the smile appeared, his long-brewed attack was finallyunched.

 Chapter 587 - 584 Battle with Zhu Jin

    <h4>Chapter 587: Chapter 584 Battle with Zhu Jin</h4><h4></h4>


    Generally speaking, all attacks have techniques to follow. Breaking techniques with techniques is amon practice for all Martial Arts practitioners.


    But when Zhu Jin made his move, there were no techniques.


    Or rather, his techniques were not techniques, but countless needles!


    Covering the sky and flying all over.


    Instantly filled the entire corridor.


    Watching the dense flying needles, Ling Chen¡¯s pupils suddenly constricted, and he involuntarily stepped back. However, when he thought about retreating, he remembered Nanrong Wanqing behind him.


    If he gave way, those flying needles would surely hit Nanrong Wanqing.


    At this moment, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s legs were injured, rendering her unable to move, so he had to consider her safety.


    Thinking this, Ling Chen clenched his teeth, took a big step forward, and his Inner Strength burst forth.


    In a split second, the flying needles met an invisible wall, their speed instantly slowed. Seizing this opportunity, Ling Chen reached for his waist, quickly drew out his dagger, and blocked all the flying needles in front of him.


    Seeing this scene, Zhu Jin¡¯s face involuntarily changed.


    Inner Strength released externally!


    He almost forgot, Ling Chen¡¯s realm had already reached the level of releasing Inner Strength externally. However, his own realm had also reached the level of releasing Inner Strength, but controlling it precisely like Ling Chen was not something everyone could do. Even he could not easily do it.


    As the flying needles were deflected, Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment, lightly tapped his toes, and took the initiative to attack.


    Seeing Ling Chen charging at him, Zhu Jin flipped his palm up, and five flying needles instantly lodged between his fingertips. Then, with a flick of his wrist, at high speed, the five flying needles shot out instantly, heading straight for Ling Chen¡¯s face.


    As the flying needles approached, Ling Chen still maintained a straight line, showing no intent to change direction. Suddenly, in the midst of his charge, Ling Chen paused his step, twisted his waist, and made a 360-degree spin.


    With his movement, the five flying needles immediately flew past beside him. Not waiting for Zhu Jin to make another move, Ling Chen flipped his wrist, tightly gripping the dagger in his hand, and violently threw it out.


    At this moment, the distance between the two was less than three meters. With the force added, the speed of the dagger was like a sh of lightning, bringing a burst of piercing sound, heading straight for Zhu Jin¡¯s forehead.


    Hmph!


    Zhu Jin sneered, lightly shifted his feet, and agilely dodged the dagger¡¯s attack.


    However, as he dodged, Ling Chen seized the opportunity, quickly closing in. In just one step, Ling Chen had already pressed Zhu Jin within half a meter.


    sping his fist tightly, Ling Chen shouted loudly, with a punch fast as wind, carrying a whistling Qi Force, fiercely bombarding Zhu Jin.


    Due to the close distance, Zhu Jin had no time to dodge and had to endure it directly. Instantly, he raised one palm, his Inner Strength gathered and shed towards Ling Chen¡¯s steel fist.


    At the moment of contact between fist and palm, an abrupt ¡¯bang¡¯ sound erupted, Inner Strength burst forth, and their bodies, like two colliding balloons, immediately retreated.


    Watching the sh between the two, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s face suddenly changed.


    He was shocked to discover that his Master had actually been forced back four steps, whereas Ling Chen only three, immediately revealing the gap between them.


    Zhu Jin incredulously looked at Ling Chen, not hiding the shock in his eyes. His own strength was enough to rank in the top three of the Dragon List, and Ling Chen was so young yet able to surpass him.


    Back then, during the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, Ling Chen¡¯s strength had just entered the fifth rank of the Dragon List; in such a short time, his progress was unimaginably vast.


    At this moment, he finally understood why Yi Shuiyan dared not make a move lightly.


    Now, Yi Shuiyan indeed was no match for Ling Chen!


    "Shuiyan."


    Hearing the Master¡¯s call, Yi Shuiyan quickly walked to Zhu Jin¡¯s side and asked, "Master, what are your orders?"


    Zhu Jin nced at him and said nothing, but the coldness in his eyes conveyed everything.


    Before Yi Shuiyan could say anything else, suddenly, Zhu Jin pointed his toes and leaned slightly forward, his legs moving continuously, gliding over the ground like a dragonfly skimming the water, heading straight for Ling Chen.


    Just as Zhu Jin made his move, the previously motionless Yi Shuiyan suddenly drew his steel knife, its de sharp and fierce, heading straight for Nanrong Wanqing behind Ling Chen.


    Seeing Zhu Jin and Yi Shuiyan approaching from different directions, Ling Chen furrowed his brows. His sharp gaze wandered back and forth between the two, his expression hesitating, unsure whom to defend against.


    Guarding against Zhu Jin meant he could not protect Nanrong Wanqing. If he blocked Yi Shuiyan, he would definitely be attacked by Zhu Jin.


    For a moment, Ling Chen found himself in a dilemma.


    Zhu Jin!


    Yi Shuiyan!


    He could only choose one.


    In a sh of thought, Ling Chen pivoted on his feet, turned, and ran towards Nanrong Wanqing, pulling her up from the ground and carrying her on his back. This way, Yi Shuiyan and Zhu Jin could only target him alone.


    However, carrying Nanrong Wanqing made Ling Chen¡¯s movements very inconvenient.


    As the de came shing, Ling Chen moved his legs back and slightly leaned back, narrowly dodging Yi Shuiyan¡¯s assault.


    But the danger was far from over.


    As Yi Shuiyan withdrew his de, Zhu Jin seized the opportunity to close the distance, one palm facing up, the other holding more than ten flying needles, attacking consecutively, giving Ling Chen no chance to catch his breath.


    With the flesh palm approaching, Ling Chen didn¡¯t even think, and threw a punch, deflecting Zhu Jin¡¯s attack. But the real trouble was Zhu Jin¡¯s subsequent move.


    Seeing the flying needles about to be released, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes suddenly turned cold. Following that, he made a move that surprised everyone.


    Instead of waiting for the flying needles, Ling Chen threw Nanrong Wanqing up high with both hands. Then, he slid his feet and moved sideways to close distance with Zhu Jin, his fists like dragons emerging from the sea, fierce and powerful, aimed directly at Zhu Jin¡¯s vital points.


    At this range, even if Zhu Jin released the needles, he couldn¡¯t avoid Ling Chen¡¯s attack. It would at most result in mutual destruction.


    At this moment, Ling Chen had to gamble.


    As expected, Zhu Jin, concerned for his own safety, did not dare to fight Ling Chen directly. He quickly retreated, dodging Ling Chen¡¯s punches, moving out of his attack range.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen secretly breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly caught the falling Nanrong Wanqing in his arms.


    "Attack together!"


    Seeing that thebined attack of the two did not threaten Ling Chen, Zhu Jin¡¯s face turned incredibly ugly, his eyes zing with anger.


    At this moment, he no longer cared about the rules of the Martial Arts world. As long as he could kill Ling Chen, nothing else mattered.


    As Zhu Jin¡¯s words fell, several observing Dangyang Sect disciples stepped forward, lined up, and joined the battle.


    Ling Chen furrowed his brows, his gaze slightly lifting and sweeping towards the surveince camera in the corner.


    "Attack!"


    Apanied by a light shout, Zhu Jin and the others did not hesitate and immediatelyunched an attack.

 Chapter 588 - 585: Protection Mechanism

    <h4>Chapter 588: Chapter 585: Protection Mechanism</h4><h4></h4>


    However, just as Zhu Jin and his men were about to make their move, a sudden ¡¯ng¡¯ sound came from the ground. Everyone turned their heads and saw a cylindrical fire extinguisher rolling on the ground. Moreover, the spray nozzle of the fire extinguisher had been opened, and a white gas burst out instantly, filling the entire corridor.


    Seeing this scene, Ling Chen felt a sense of relief and immediately ran forward with Nanrong Wanqing through the lingering smoke.


    Under the cover of the smoke, Zhu Jin and others could only hear the sound of footsteps nearby but could not see Ling Chen¡¯s figure.


    "Stop him, don¡¯t let him get away," Zhu Jin shouted loudly.


    However, by the time he shouted, Ling Chen had already escaped far away under the cover of the smoke.


    "Mr. Ling."


    After passing through the corridor, Ling Chen immediately heard a familiar voice beside him. He turned his head and saw Liu Dongsheng emerging from a corner.


    "Thanks!" Ling Chen said gratefully.


    "Don¡¯t mention it, Mr. Hu saw through the surveince that you were in danger, so he asked me toe and lend a hand."


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "Let¡¯s hurry, it would be troublesome if they catch up with us."


    As they moved, Ling Chen looked at Liu Dongsheng and asked, "Did you find Jiang Yunkai and the others?"


    Hearing this, Liu Dongsheng¡¯s face turned somewhat gloomy.


    "We found them, but we can¡¯t rescue them."


    "What happened?"


    "You¡¯ll see in a moment."


    While talking, the three of them hurried to the meeting room.


    At this moment, Kaelina and Hu Fei were in the room. Liu Dongsheng closed the room door, locked it, and then brought Ling Chen to Hu Fei¡¯s side.


    "Is Miss Nanrong alright?"


    "She¡¯s fine." As he spoke, Ling Chen ced Nanrong Wanqing on a chair nearby and asked, "Fatty, how are Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun doing?"


    Hu Fei pointed to theputer screen and said, "You should see for yourself."


    Hearing that, Ling Chen immediately went to theputer and stared at the surveince footage on the screen.


    "There! I just found this," Hu Fei said, pointing to one of the screens.


    In that surveince image, Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun were each lying on a bed, with their hands and feet bound by straps, immobilized. From their looks, they seemed to have been injected with anesthetic and were in a deep sleep.


    Next to the beds, several men in white coats were using various instruments on Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun, asionally injecting them with some type of drug.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen knew something was wrong in his heart. It was clear that those in white coats were preparing to use them for experimentation.


    "Do you know their location?" Ling Chen asked.


    Hu Fei replied, "Miss Kaelina and Elder Liu found their location, but there are twoyers of ten-centimeter-thick st doors outside theboratory. Even a bomb would do no good. The only way is to take over the main control room of the base; otherwise, there¡¯s no other way."


    "Where¡¯s the main control room?"


    Without another word, Hu Fei pulled up a building n from theputer and marked the location of the main control.


    "This is the main control room, right in the center of the base. But that¡¯s not the biggest problem. I just reviewed the base configuration; this ce has a protective device installed."


    Ling Chen, puzzled, asked "What protective device?"


    "There¡¯s a safety protection system inside the base, once the base is under attack, it will trigger the defensive mechanism, sealing all passageways and isting the core area of the base. By then, no one will be able to get in or out. Moreover, I understand that thisyer of protection can withstand a nuclear explosion."


    "A nuclear explosion?" Everyone was taken aback.


    Hu Fei nodded and said, "It may be an exaggeration to say a nuclear explosion, but there¡¯s no doubt about its solidity. If you guys enter the area of the main control room, you¡¯ll likely be trapped inside."


    Ling Chen frowned and said, "Is there no way to prevent it?"


    "No, that protective system uses an independent control system, and it¡¯s not connected to anywork; I can¡¯t hack into it from here. If I¡¯m not wrong, the control system for that protective device must be in the main control room."


    Liu Dongsheng chimed in, "That means, if we can take over the main control room, we can lift the base¡¯s protective mechanism."


    "That¡¯s true, but the key question is, can you do it?"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen fell into thought.


    He had broken into numerous God Organization bases, but none had ever been equipped with this protective device. It was clear that this base was of great importance to the God Organization. Perhaps this was the main base of the God Organization.


    However, as Hu Fei said, whether they could take over the main control room was the key.


    With Zhu Jin and others in the base, aside from them, who could guarantee there were no other experts here? Among their group, only he was powerful enough to contend with Zhu Jin. Kaelina and Liu Dongsheng, although capable, were not martial artists.


    Thinking this, Ling Chen struggled to make a decision for a moment.


    If they abandoned Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun, not caring about their lives or deaths, they would have a hundred percent certainty of leaving. However, abandoning friends was not something Ling Chen could do. Besides, they were captured while trying to help him. If he were to leave them behind, it might dishearten the others.


    His thoughts raced, and Ling Chen immediately made a decision.


    "Fatty, you guys take Wanqing and leave first."


    "And you?"


    "I¡¯m going to save Kai and the others."


    Hu Fei was stunned, his face full of surprise: "You alone? No! You must be crazy, it¡¯s pure suicide."


    "It¡¯s settled, don¡¯t worry about me; I know what to do. Kaelina, Boss Liu, ensure their safety, we¡¯ll meet outside." Having said that, Ling Chen left the room without waiting for Hu Fei to speak again.


    "This guy... always trying to act tough." Watching Ling Chen¡¯s retreating figure, Hu Fei shook his head helplessly.


    "Elder Liu, let¡¯s get moving."


    As he spoke, Hu Fei¡¯s fingers flew over the keyboard rapidly.


    Seeing his actions, Kaelina asked, "What are you doing?"


    "What else could I be doing? Of course, I¡¯m giving that guy onest hand. I¡¯ll shut down all the surveince systems of the base in a moment, and then nt a Trojan in the system. It will take them at least a few minutes to reboot the surveince. Although it¡¯s not much time, Ling Chen should be able to reach the main control room with his ability."


    Leaving the room, Ling Chen recalled the building n he had just seen and took another passage toward the core area of the base.


    Along the way, Ling Chen encountered almost no obstacles; it was surprisingly smooth.


    Before long, Ling Chen arrived in front of a st door. ording to theyout of the building n, the main control room was just behind this st door.


    Taking a deep breath, Ling Chen looked up and began to search for a way to enter the st door.

 Chapter 589 - 586: The Death of the Traitor

    <h4>Chapter 589: Chapter 586: The Death of the Traitor</h4><h4></h4>


    However, at this moment, with a ¡¯click¡¯ sound, the originally tightly closed explosion-proof door suddenly opened, leaving Ling Chen astonished.


    Ha! His luck was really good.


    He didn¡¯t know that if it weren¡¯t for the Trojan horse imnted by Hu Fei that disrupted the base¡¯s control system, this explosion-proof door would never have opened.


    After passing through the explosion-proof door, Ling Chen came straight to the outside of the main control room. Listening to the sounds inside, Ling Chen stretched his hand to push the door open a crack, then peeked inside.


    The main control room wasrge, with thirty or forty staff members. However, what caught Ling Chen¡¯s attention the most was Wu Jun.


    When enemies meet, their eyes ze with hatred.


    Upon seeing Wu Jun, Ling Chen immediately disregarded everyone else.


    Bang!


    Bursting through the door, Ling Chen strode forward, rapidly rushing towards Wu Jun.


    Hearing the noise at the door, Wu Jun turned his head, his face suddenly changing as he saw Ling Chen approaching quickly. He hastily retreated, his right hand reaching towards his waist, seemingly wanting to draw a weapon.


    However, his speed could never match Ling Chen¡¯s. In the blink of an eye, Ling Chen had already reached Wu Jun. Not waiting for Wu Jun to draw his weapon, Ling Chen reached out with one hand, grabbing Wu Jun by the cor, and fiercelyunched his steel fist, brutally hitting his abdomen.


    Puh!


    A mouthful of fresh blood spewed out, instantly turning Wu Jun¡¯s face pale. Seizing the moment, Ling Chen let go, grabbed both of Wu Jun¡¯s arms, and twisted gently. There were two ¡¯crack¡¯ sounds followed immediately by a scream of agony that echoed throughout the main control room.


    Wu Jun, with both arms broken, seemed to lose all strength and copsed directly to the ground, unable to even climb up.


    At this moment, the surrounding staff finally reacted. One of the staff quickly pulled a key hanging around his neck and inserted it into a device. Following that, he opened a transparent cover and forcefully mmed the red button beneath it.


    Suddenly, a series of sounds came from outside of the control room, as if some heavy objects had fallen.


    Ling Chen nced and immediately locked onto that red button. Instantly, he lightly tapped his toes, moving swiftly like a gust of wind, rushing over to seize the key controlling the protective device.


    However, before he could get close, a fierce gust of wind suddenly shot towards him from the side.


    Ling Chen nced out of the corner of his eye, his heart sinking instantly, and he immediately stopped his forward charge, leaning his body backwards, just in time to dodge the approaching steel knife.


    But this dy lost him a perfect opportunity. At this time, Zhu Jin and Yi Shuiyan had already hurriedlye close, blocking his path.


    "Ling Chen, surrender yourself, you can¡¯t escape," Zhu Jin said coldly.


    Ling Chen snorted lightly, picking up Wu Jun who was struggling on the ground with one hand.


    "Zhu Jin, you better step aside. Later, I can speak well on your behalf in front of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, and spare you some pain."


    "Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?" Zhu Jin scoffed disdainfully, "Do you think I still care about Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion? With the God Organization behind me, I will sooner orter destroy Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and take its ce."


    "Just you?" Ling Chen found it amusing, shaking his head: "Greed overreaches itself, Zhu Jin, what capabilities and qualifications do you have to rece Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion? Even if you destroy the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, you are nothing more than apdog of the God Organization."


    "How dare you!" Yi Shuiyan yelled coldly.


    Ling Chen spoke indifferently, "Yi Shuiyan, I used to respect you as a real man, but now I realize, you¡¯re nothing more than a beast, not even sparing your own junior sister."


    Hearing this, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s face darkened instantly.


    "You... don¡¯t talk nonsense."


    "Is that so?" Ling Chen said with a mocking smile, "Whether I¡¯m talking nonsense, you know best in your heart."


    When he was on that luxurious cruise ship, Ling Chen had seen Qin Wu in utter despair. From her demeanor, it was evident that she had been vited by Yi Shuiyan against her will.


    Since then, Ling Chen had an even lower opinion of Yi Shuiyan.


    Listening to their conversation, Zhu Jin nced at his disciple and then refocused his attention on Ling Chen.


    "Ling Chen, there¡¯s no need to bring up the past. Release her quickly, and maybe I¡¯ll spare your life, allowing you to serve some purpose."


    "You want to use me as a test subject?"


    "Your two friends are undergoing the greatest experiment in history. If sessful, they will undergo a transformative change. They will not only not hate us, but will also be grateful to us, for we have given them a new life."


    "I think they would rather be ordinary people."


    "It¡¯s toote!"


    At that moment, Wu Jun, enduring pain, let out a coldugh, "Look over there, the experiment has already started, and you can¡¯t save your friends."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed slightly, and he immediately turned his attention to the nearby screen. On the screen, Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun were being injected with an unknown drug. As the drug took effect in their bodies, their skin immediately turned a strange color.


    At the same time, Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun began convulsing simultaneously, foaming at the mouth, appearing very critical.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes zed with rage.


    "Release them immediately!"


    "The experiment has already begun, no one can stop it now. Give up that thought, Ling Chen," Wu Jun said with a smugugh.


    Ling Chen, gritting his teeth, coldly said, "If anything happens to them, none of you here will live."


    With those words, Ling Chen grabbed Wu Jun with one hand and rushed towards Zhu Jin and Yi Shuiyan, intent on seizing the key that controlled the security system.


    Hmph!


    Zhu Jin flicked his wrist, and more than ten flying needles shot out piercing through the air.


    Seeing the needles approaching, without thinking, Ling Chen immediately used Wu Jun as a shield. Instantly, all the needles pierced into Wu Jun¡¯s body.


    "No!"


    Wu Jun screamed in pain.


    As the needles entered his body, Wu Jun¡¯s skin quickly turned a pale purple. Clearly, the needles contained poison.


    Ling Chen had anticipated Zhu Jin would pull such a move, which is why he used Wu Jun as a human shield.


    "Forget about him, kill!" Zhu Jin, without regard for Wu Jun¡¯s safety,manded sternly.


    Hearing the Master¡¯s order, Yi Shuiyan didn¡¯t hesitate, flipping his wrist and bringing down his steel sword towards Ling Chen¡¯s head.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen exerted force with one hand, flinging Wu Jun¡¯s body directly at Yi Shuiyan¡¯s steel sword.


    In an instant, the Sword Force burst forth, splitting Wu Jun¡¯s body in two, blood sttering everywhere.


    Wu Jun probably never imagined he would die at the hands of his own people.


    Uncle Mu, Mrs. Chen, your revenge is finally avenged!


    Ling Chen silently recited, refocusing his attention on the key.


    However, just as he was about to make his move, suddenly, a loud ¡¯boom¡¯ came from outside the control room, and the floor even trembled slightly.

 Chapter 590 - 587: Mutation

    <h4>Chapter 590: Chapter 587: Mutation</h4><h4></h4>


    What¡¯s going on?


    With the sound of that explosion, everyone in the control room was stunned, looking at each other, clueless about what had just happened.


    Suddenly, the sharp-eyed Ling Chen noticed that the surveince feed monitoring theboratory had turned to static, while the other feeds were still functioning normally.


    Could it be... could it be that there¡¯s been an incident in theboratory?


    In the blink of an eye, Ling Chen nced around and saw that Zhu Jin and Yi Shuiyan were both distracted by the loud noise. He immediately moved his legs at a high speed, dashing between the gap of Zhu Jin and Yi Shuiyan, and pressed his hand on the red button.


    Before Zhu Jin and the others could react, Ling Chen quickly pulled out the key and then retreated swiftly.


    "Don¡¯t let him get away!"


    Zhu Jin shouted angrily, reaching out to grab Ling Chen.


    Hiss!


    Instantly, a rip appeared in Ling Chen¡¯s shirt. Noticing his shirt being pulled, Ling Chen flung his arms, quickly shedding his shirt and immediately rushed towards the exit of the control room.


    Upon leaving the control room, Ling Chen casually closed the main door behind him, blocking Zhu Jin and Yi Shuiyan¡¯s pursuit, and quickly fled outside.


    After crossing a passage, Ling Chen abruptly halted his rapid steps, frowning at the smoke filling the air in front of him.


    On both sides of the corridor, cracks had formed on the walls, the venttion duct had broken, and smoke billowed through the space. Moreover, faintly, one seemed to hear screams from the end of the corridor, creating a terrifying atmosphere.


    Could the explosion just now be rted to this ce?


    Ling Chen thought to himself.


    If he remembered correctly, this corridor should lead to theboratory. Perhaps an ident urred there, causing this mess.


    In a sh of thought, Ling Chen cautiously moved forward, paying attention to the changes in his surroundings.


    As he entered the smoke-covered area, the alert Ling Chen immediately noticed a pool of blood on the ground. The blood hadn¡¯t coagted yet; it must have been fresh. However, there were no bodies nearby.


    "Kai!"


    Ling Chen called out loudly, hoping to get a response from Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun.


    But the surroundings were silent, dead silent.


    At this moment, the sound of hurried footsteps came from not far away. Ling Chen turned to look behind him, thinking to himself that this was not good¡ªZhu Jin and Yi Shuiyan had caught up.


    Without hesitation, Ling Chen quickened his pace, running straight ahead through the corridor.


    After about twenty meters, Ling Chen¡¯s expression suddenly turned sharp with a hint of amazement. He saw a person in a whiteb coat lying next to the corridor, drenched in blood, with disheveled hair, already dead. There was arge hole in their chest, through which blood was pouring out¡ªa fatal wound.


    Ling Chen observed for a moment, his face looking rather uneasy. The hole seemed to have been made with a blunt instrument, even the breastbone had caved in.


    And judging by the twisted expression on the person¡¯s face, they must have endured inhuman torture before death.


    What on earth happened here?


    Full of suspicion and confusion, Ling Chen didn¡¯t know who had killed these scientists, or why the methods were so brutal.


    While pondering, Ling Chen cocked his ear to listen, as the footsteps behind him gradually slowed down. Clearly, Zhu Jin and Yi Shuiyan had both noticed something off about this ce, which was why they did not dare to quicken their pace and chase after him.


    He let out a sigh of relief in his heart, Ling Chenposed himself, and continued walking forward.


    In the short distance of just over ten meters, Ling Chen saw one after another, six to seven corpses, including those of scientific researchers in white coats and security personnel in suits. Without exception, all of them had died horribly, with some having half of their heads smashed in, brains scattered all around.


    Seeing the sorry state of these dead, Ling Chen¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but leap to his throat, his gaze bing increasingly grave.


    Without a doubt, the deaths of these people were definitely man-made.


    As he walked on, Ling Chen arrived in front of a st-resistant door that had been broken open.


    Entering the st door, he saw a spaciousboratory inside. However, perhaps due to a short circuit, the lighting inside was flickering on and off, creating the kind of terrifying atmosphere one might find in a horror movie.


    Eh?


    At that moment, Ling Chen suddenly noticed that in the center of theboratory, there were two bedsid out with bloodstains on them. And at the corner opposite the beds, a surveince camera was installed. However, for some unclear reason, the surveince camera had been damaged.


    That¡¯s it!


    Ling Chen immediately remembered the scene he had seen on the security monitor. At that time, Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun were both bound on the two beds, unable to move.


    Now, the staff in theboratory were all dead, with only Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun missing. Could it be that they, too, had encountered some misfortune?


    No, that¡¯s not right! Ling Chen shook his head secretly. If Jiang Yunkai and others had faced danger, why weren¡¯t their bodies found?


    With this thought in mind, Ling Chen immediately left theboratory and walked straight along the corridor. He had not encountered Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun on the way he hade, and with no one in theboratory, they should be ahead.


    While moving forward, it wasn¡¯t long before Ling Chen suddenly heard a rustling noiseing from up ahead. The sound was very strange, like the low growl of a wild animal, sending shivers down one¡¯s spine.


    Ling Chen took a deep breath, trying to tread as lightly as possible, and moved toward the corner ahead. As he got closer, the sound became clearer and clearer.


    At the end of the corner, Ling Chen reached for his waist, only to find that there was nothing there.


    He had almost forgotten that during the confrontation with Zhu Jin, he had thrown his dagger away.


    Without a weapon, Ling Chen had no choice but to steel his nerves, clenched his fists, and stealthily cast his gaze around the other end of the corner.


    Instantly, under the dim light, he saw two bloodied figures standing in front of the wall, their backs to him, shoulders twitching slightly, doing something unknown.


    Gazing at the two¡¯s silhouettes, Ling Chen carefully stepped closer, and softly called out, "Kai..."


    As soon as his voice sounded, without waiting for Ling Chen to call out Bai Huanjun¡¯s name, the two people standing in front of the wall turned around abruptly, their cold eyes fixed on Ling Chen, their beast-like, icy gaze causing Ling Chen¡¯s heart to skip a beat, and he couldn¡¯t help but take a couple of steps back.


    The two people in front of him were Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun, but their conditions seemed somewhat peculiar.


    At this moment, they appeared to have lost their senses, their eyes cold and filled with a bloodthirsty desire, especially the intense murderous aura emanating from their bodies, chilling one to the bone.


    "Kai... it¡¯s me, don¡¯t you recognize me?"


    Ling Chen backed away while speaking. Unfortunately, Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun seemed deaf to his words, showing no response at all.


    Growl!


    All of a sudden, a low growl came from their throats, their legs lightly sprung, and their bodies instantly soared more than two meters in the air, pouncing straight towards Ling Chen.

 Chapter 591 - 588: Unfilial Disciple

    <h4>Chapter 591: Chapter 588: Unfilial Disciple</h4><h4></h4>


    Damn!


    Ling Chen cursed under his breath, as those two actually started treating him as their prey.


    Without time to think further, Ling Chen swiftly kicked out at both Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun, hoping to push them back and buy himself some time to escape.


    However, to his surprise, Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun didn¡¯t dodge at all; they lunged straight at him,pletely disregarding his attack.


    Instantly, Ling Chen¡¯s kicksnded solidly on the two men.


    Huh!


    With the impact, Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed drastically. He was astonished to find that his strength hadn¡¯t managed to push Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun back. Moreover, their bodies felt as hard as steel tes.


    He knew too well the capabilities of these two men; this was utterly impossible. Yet, they had just proven it possible.


    Fuck!


    What is going on here?


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he watched Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun lunge at him again. Without time for further thought, he hurriedly ran back the way he came.


    However, Jiang Yunkai and hispanion closely followed, relentlessly pressuring him. Feeling the rapid breathing behind him, Ling Chen didn¡¯t dare to look back, using all his might to sprint desperately.


    Just then, Zhu Jin and Yi Shuiyan appeared in his line of sight.


    Seeing Ling Chen rushing over, Zhu Jin¡¯s eyes brightened, a cold smile ying on his lips.


    He had been looking for him and hadn¡¯t expected Ling Chen toe to him instead.


    "Disciple, act now, don¡¯t let him escape again!"


    Hearing the Master¡¯smand, Yi Shuiyan immediately drew his steel knife and was ready to strike. However, he quickly realized that Ling Chen didn¡¯t care about them at all; instead of slowing down, his speed was increasing even more.


    Those two people... Suddenly, Yi Shuiyan and Zhu Jin¡¯s expressions shifted slightly as they focused their gaze on Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun.


    They knew very well about these two test subjects.


    However, what puzzled them was why Ling Chen looked so panicked.


    Just as they were pondering, Zhu Jin suddenly felt like he was being targeted by a wild beast. He nced over and saw Jiang Yunkai¡¯s bloodthirsty eyes, sinister and terrifying, which unconsciously sent chills from the soles of his feet.


    "Master..."


    Yi Shuiyan had barely spoken when they heard a low roar, followed by a shadow pouncing at them, knocking him to the ground.


    "Get off!"


    In a panic, Yi Shuiyan hastily waved his arms, positioning his steel knife across his chest to fend off Bai Huanjun. Then, bending his legs, he kicked fiercely upwards, sending Bai Huanjun flying away.


    Seizing the opportunity, Yi Shuiyan quickly stood up, turning his attention towards Zhu Jin. At that moment, Zhu Jin was entangled with Jiang Yunkai, busily countering his attacks.


    However, after a few exchanges, Zhu Jin felt as if all his moves were being stifled. Jiang Yunkai¡¯s body seemed as tough as a steel te, impervious to des and spears, and his own thrown needles had no effect whatsoever.


    More than that, Jiang Yunkai seemed to be devoid of pain receptors, unaffected by the severity of the attacks. Moreover, his strength could almost be described as terrifying. Even for someone of his level, it was disconcerting.


    At this moment, Zhu Jin and Yi Shuiyan finally understood why Ling Chen was running away. Faced with such mutated beings, they werepletely helpless, without a single solution at hand.


    Bastards!


    Zhu Jin and his disciple couldn¡¯t help but curse.


    Just now, when they were entangled by Jiang Yunkai and his partner, Ling Chen had already seized the opportunity to slip away. At this point, they had no idea where he had fled to, and it was impossible for them to catch up. Moreover, Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun were constantly keeping them locked on, leaving no chance for them to attend to anything else.


    "Master, what should we do?"


    Yi Shuiyan stood behind Zhu Jin with a steel saber in one hand, looking at the menacing Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun with a particrly ugly expression.


    Zhu Jin¡¯s gaze shifted, and he said in a deep voice, "You stay here to hold them off, I¡¯ll go after Ling Chen. Hang tight, I¡¯ll call for someone to support you immediately."


    Yi Shuiyan nodded and said, "Okay."


    As Yi Shuiyan¡¯s voice fell, Zhu Jin¡¯s expression suddenly changed, looking at his own body in disbelief. Unknown to him, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s steel saber had already pierced through his abdomen, covered in fresh blood.


    "Shuiyan, you..."


    Yi Shuiyan said with a cold smirk, "Master, you wanted to leave me here to die while you make your escape, huh! Did you really think I would be so easily deceived? You are the Master, you are my elder, you should be taking care of your disciple. Don¡¯t worry, after you die, I will make sure the Dangyang Sect flourishes and will not fail your expectations."


    "You..." Zhu Jin trembled, pointing at him with a deathly pale face, "You unfilial disciple, you dare to..."


    "Enough, save your breath; might as well conserve your energy, you might still have a chance to escape." After saying that, Yi Shuiyan turned around and chased in the direction that Ling Chen had left.


    Watching Yi Shuiyan¡¯s retreating figure, Zhu Jin tried to move his feet to follow, but the moment he moved, he aggravated the wound in his abdomen, causing unbearable pain.


    Roar!


    At this point, whether it was the smell of blood that provoked them or not, the eyes of Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun became more ferocious, and they stepped closer towards Zhu Jin.


    "No... don¡¯t... don¡¯t kill me!"


    Zhu Jin staggered backward, with blood dripping through his fingertips, drop by drop, onto the ground.


    Roar!


    Amid the roar, Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun simultaneously pounced, pinning Zhu Jin to the ground.


    For a moment, the entire corridor was filled with Zhu Jin¡¯s screams.


    ...


    Following the way back from the base, Ling Chen could only hear Liu Dongsheng¡¯s voice, "Mr. Ling, this way."


    Ling Chen quickly hastened his pace, making his way over in a few quick steps. After meeting with everyone, Hu Fei nced behind Ling Chen and asked, "Where are Kai and the others?"


    Ling Chen shook his head, helplessly saying, "I found them, but I couldn¡¯t bring them out."


    "Why?"


    "They... I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s happened to them, they¡¯re acting like wild beasts now,pletely lost to their own nature. I was lucky to have escaped in time; otherwise, I would have lost my life to them."


    "Forget it!" Hu Fei sighed and said, "Since it¡¯s like this, let¡¯s not worry about them for now. Oh, and I just received a message from Zhou Jun; he told us to evacuate as soon as possible."


    "What about them?"


    "The people from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and Secret Society will stay behind to cover our retreat. We don¡¯t need to worry about them."


    "Then let¡¯s go."


    Saying that, Ling Chen took Nanrong Wanqing from Kaelina¡¯s hands and quickly headed towards the outskirts of Yinan Vige.


    Reaching the parking spot, the group immediately got into the car, driving straight for Changling City.


    However, just as they were about to leave the vicinity of Yinan Vige, Ling Chen suddenly noticed several SUVs heading their way. Moreover, these vehicles were advancing in a fan-shaped formation, seemingly intending to block their path.

 Chapter 592 - 589: Rescuing Wanqing

    <h4>Chapter 592: Chapter 589: Rescuing Wanqing</h4><h4></h4>


    "That looks like... Tang Guoxiong¡¯s men." Hu Fei¡¯splexion changed, and he hurriedly called out, "Elder Liu, don¡¯t let them surround us, run now."


    Liu Dongsheng nodded and immediately shifted into reverse, pulling the car out from the encirclement of several off-road vehicles.


    However, Tang Guoxiong had no intention of letting them go and kept driving the off-road vehicles in pursuit, relentlessly chasing after them.


    Hu Fei could not help but curse, "Is that guy sick or something? Instead of going after the real bad guys, he¡¯s stubbornly targeting us."


    Ling Chen nced at the car window behind him and said, "I can¡¯t understand why those above would appoint such a person to watch over Lonely Wolf. He¡¯s ruined what was once a good organization."


    Hu Fei looked around and his eyes suddenly lit up, he said with a mischievous grin, "Ling Chen, I say... why don¡¯t we take this opportunity to get rid of him for good? No one will know. What do you think?"


    Upon hearing Hu Fei¡¯s suggestion, and you know what, Ling Chen was truly tempted for a moment.


    But that was it, just tempted. He quickly dismissed the idea in his mind.


    With so many members by Tang Guoxiong¡¯s side, eliminating the possibility of information leaking would require dealing with all of those men, something he definitely could not do.


    "Boss Liu, find a way to shake them off."


    "Okay." Liu Dongsheng responded with a nod, immediately flooring the elerator.


    Ling Chen was clear in his mind, if Tang Guoxiong knew he was in this car, he certainly wouldn¡¯t let the matter rest.


    Liu Dongsheng was an excellent driver, and with the winding narrow roads surrounding Yinan Vige that were in poor condition, it wasn¡¯t long before they had left those off-road vehicles far behind.


    A little over two hourster, the group drove back to a hotel in Changling City.


    Back in the hotel room, Ling Chen put Nanrong Wanqing on the bed and asked with concern, "How are you feeling, are you tired?"


    Nanrong Wanqing spoke softly, "I¡¯m fine, you¡¯ve been tired for so long, you should rest early."


    Ling Chen shook his head and said, "The people from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and Secret Society haven¡¯t returned yet, I need to wait for them." After speaking, Ling Chen looked at Nanrong Wanqing and asked, "During your time at the base, you really don¡¯t remember anything they did to you?"


    "I have no recollection."


    "Then forget it, you rest first, I¡¯ll go check the room next door."


    "Mm."


    Arriving at the room where Hu Fei and the others were staying, Ling Chen saw Liu Dongsheng and Kaelina, and everyone¡¯s expressions were rather grim. After all, although they had safely escaped back, Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun were left behind at the base, their fate uncertain, and it was unclear what they would face.


    "Fatty."


    Ling Chen went up to Hu Fei, pointed at Liu Dongsheng resting on the sofa, and asked softly, "Who is he, really?"


    "Why do you ask that?"


    "Just curious."


    Hu Fei waved his hand and said, "You better not ask. I promised him I would never reveal his former identity."


    Seeing him say this, Ling Chen no longer pressed on.


    After waiting around in the room for about half an hour, Sang Ji, Zhou Qi, and Zhou Jun finally returned.


    Fortunately, although everyone looked tired, no one was injured, and it was an escape with their whole bodies.


    "Mr. Sang Ji, Elder Zhou, are all your people alright?" Ling Chen came forward and asked.


    The operation had relied heavily on the help of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and Secret Society. Without their involvement, diverting arge number of enemies above, he would not have been able to infiltrate the base so easily and rescue Nanrong Wanqing.


    "We¡¯re fine, just some minor injuries. Mr. Ling, has everyone been rescued?"


    "There are two friends who couldn¡¯t be brought out." With that, Ling Chen recounted the situations they had encountered inside the base.


    "Is that so?" Zhou Qi eximed in surprise.


    Zhou Jun curiously asked, "What kind of experiment could turn a person into that? If it¡¯s really like what you said, isn¡¯t that too twisted? Who would be able to stand against the God Organization in the future?"


    "That¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking too. However, I believe that even though the experiment is twisted, the God Organization hasn¡¯t fully mastered it yet. Otherwise, Jiang Yunkai and the others wouldn¡¯t have ended up in that condition."


    As they talked, Ling Chen thought of Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s father, Nanrong Yuan, who previously went by the alias Mr. Yun.


    Undoubtedly, Nanrong Yuan had used some method to hide all the secret information he had grasped within Nanrong Wanqing. The God Organization must have found rted information from her this time, which is why they were able to carry out such experiments.


    However, since Nanrong Yuan was shot and has been in aa since then, if he were to regain consciousness, he might be able to tell Ling Chen about the contents of those secrets.


    "Regardless, at least Miss Nanrong has been rescued," Zhou Qi said. "Mr. Ling, if there¡¯s nothing else, we should leave now. I still have to report the situation here to the Pavilion Master."


    "I will leave as well," said Sang Ji.


    "Okay." Ling Chen nodded, said with cupped hands, "I deeply appreciate everyone¡¯s efforts this time. My thanks can¡¯t be expressed in words. If there¡¯s anything you need help with in the future, just ask, and I won¡¯t refuse."


    "Don¡¯t mention it."


    After some pleasantries, Ling Chen escorted Sang Ji and the others out of the room.


    As soon as the door closed, Hu Fei immediately asked, "Why did you let them go? Kai and the others haven¡¯t been rescued yet. Are you really going to disregard their well-being?"


    Ling Chen replied helplessly, "You think I want to let them leave? They¡¯ve already done me a huge favor; I can¡¯t brazenly make more demands. Besides, to help rescue Wanqing, they even deployed a master from the Heavenly List. That they would do this much is already showing me great face. How could I have the nerve to ask them to stay?"


    Liu Dongsheng chimed in, "Mr. Ling is right."


    "What about Kai and the others?"


    "We can only rely on ourselves now. Furthermore, the situation with Jiang Yunkai and the others isplex. Even if they are rescued, it¡¯s pointless if they can¡¯t return to normal. In my view, we must take things slowly and not rush. Fatty, start by finding a way to gather some information."


    "Got it. I¡¯ll get on it right away."


    "Miss Kaelina, Elder Liu, after dawn tomorrow,e with me for another visit to Yinan Vige. With such a major incident tonight, the God Organization will certainly take some action. Perhaps we can find some clues at the scene."


    "Okay." Kaelina and Liu Dongsheng both agreed.


    After arranging everything, Ling Chen returned to his room alone.


    Inside the room, Nanrong Wanqing sat quietly on the bed, not resting and lost in thought.


    Hearing the door, Nanrong Wanqing lifted her head and saw Ling Chen walking towards her. She asked, "Did you already know who my father was?"


    Ling Chen was slightly taken aback, not expecting Nanrong Wanqing to ask such a question.


    Could it be... that she already knew Mr. Yun¡¯s true identity?


    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 593 - 590: Returning to Yinan Village

    <h4>Chapter 593: Chapter 590: Returning to Yinan Vige</h4><h4></h4>


    "Wanqing, I..." Ling Chen looked at Nanrong Wanqing, unsure of what to say for a moment.


    "Why are you hiding it from me?"


    Faced with Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s questioning, Ling Chen pondered for a moment before saying, "Wanqing, it¡¯s not that I intended to keep it from you, it¡¯s just...some things I fear you can¡¯t ept right away. After all, these matters are tooplicated, you..."


    "What about me? He¡¯s my father; shouldn¡¯t I know about his affairs?"


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s growing agitation, Ling Chen took her small hand into hisrger one and said, "I know you¡¯ll be angry with me, and I don¡¯t want to say that I did this for your own good. From my perspective, doing this seemed like the best approach, but I never considered your feelings, which is my mistake."


    "My father...where is he? Can you take me to see him?"


    "This..." Ling Chen hesitated for a moment and then, shaking his head, said, "It¡¯s better not to see him for now. He was injuredst time and is still recovering. I¡¯ll take you to see him once he¡¯s all better."


    "Injured?" Nanrong Wanqing asked anxiously, "Is it serious?"


    "Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s nothing major."


    Ling Chen did not dare tell Nanrong Wanqing the truth, for fear she would worry. Nanrong Yuan¡¯s condition was highly unstable at present, and there was a very real possibility he would be vegetative. Furthermore, Nanrong Yuan was being watched and supervised by Lonely Wolf. Previously, he could visit Nanrong Yuan at Lonely Wolf¡¯s convenience, but not anymore.


    Now that the old General had vited military rules, even Han Bing and Tang Yuan had been captured, and Lonely Wolf had be a force controlled solely by Tang Guoxiong. He could no longer enter as easily as before.


    "Ling Chen, tell me... why won¡¯t my dad acknowledge me?" Nanrong Wanqing lowered her head, ying with the hem of her clothes, her delicate face tinged with worry.


    Seeing her like this, Ling Chen fully understood her thoughts and reassured her, "Don¡¯t overthink it; I can tell you that your father has always cared about you. In his heart, he¡¯s always seen you as his cherished daughter; he told me this himself. It¡¯s just that for some personal reasons, he¡¯s afraid of implicating you, so he dares not acknowledge you."


    Hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s frown rxed considerably.


    "Ling Chen, since you¡¯re so close to my dad, tell me, is he a good person or a bad person?"


    "This...I believe that whether he is good or bad, to you, he remains your father; that¡¯s an unchangeable fact. You don¡¯t need to think too much, just remember that he is your father." Before Nanrong Wanqing could say anything more, Ling Chen continued, "Alright, stop worrying so much. Get some rest now, we have a lot to do tomorrow."


    After getting Nanrong Wanqing to sleep, Ling Chen leaned back against the headboard, looking down at the sleeping Nanrong Wanqing cradled in his arms, his clear eyes filled with affection.


    Nanrong Yuan...such a headache!


    Ling Chen sighed internally. With what Nanrong Yuan had done, even if he didn¡¯t die, he would have to spend the rest of his life in jail.


    There was no way around it, consequences must follow mistakes.


    The next day.


    Early in the morning, Ling Chen drove Nanrong Wanqing to the airport in Changling City.


    At that moment, Nanrong Hao and Jiang Hao were both waiting at the airport. Last night, Ling Chen called Nanrong Haost-minute to have theme to Changling City early to take Nanrong Wanqing back home.


    There were still unresolved matters in Changling City, so Ling Chen had to stay. Currently, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s legs were not mobile, and with no spare manpower to look after her, sending her back to East Sea City was the best choice.


    After meeting with Nanrong Hao and Jiang Hao at the airport, Ling Chen gave them a few words of caution. Only after watching them enter the departure gate did Ling Chen turn to leave, heading back to the hotel.


    Before eight o¡¯clock in the morning, Hu Fei and his group had already made preparations to depart.


    Hu Fei, adept atputer use, remained in the hotel to provide information support for Ling Chen and hispanions.


    Once again arriving outside Yinan Vige, Ling Chen parked the car and, along with Liu Dongsheng and Kaelina, walked towards a nearby hillside. Surveying thendscape, he took in the entire vige at a nce.


    Looking around, the traces ofst night¡¯s battle could still be seen throughout the vige, visible everywhere. However, there were no bodies to be seen, leaving one to wonder who had taken care of them. Furthermore, outside Yinan Vige, Ling Chen also spotted over ten patrolling men in suits, all members of the Lonely Wolf.


    Since Lonely Wolf¡¯s men were here, it meant that God Organization had already evacuated.


    After observing for a while, Ling Chen pointed to the burnt bamboo grove next to Yinan Vige and said, "Let¡¯s go in and take a look."


    "I¡¯ll stay outside," Kaelina suggested. "This way, I can notify you if there¡¯s any special situation."


    Ling Chen nodded and slid down the hillside. In no time, the two of them managed to avoid the patrolling men in suits and reached the entrance to the base.


    Afterst night¡¯s fire, the bamboo grove surrounding the entrance had been turned to ashes, with burned debris everywhere, concealing the entrance. Ling Chen took a quick look and mentally noted "good." Tang Guoxiong and his men probably hadn¡¯t discovered this base¡¯s location yet, as there were no signs of anyone entering or exiting.


    Lifting the steel te, Ling Chen took the lead and entered the base through the entrance.


    Walking through the quiet corridors, Ling Chen looked around carefully, not daring to be careless, not knowing if any danger remained.


    Along the way, Ling Chen encountered quite a few bodies, lying in all positions in the corridors, some still breathing faintly. However, as soon as Ling Chen lifted them up to ask questions, those people breathed theirst.


    "Mr. Ling, look over there."


    Suddenly, Liu Dongsheng noticed something and called out.


    Ling Chen turned his head and his expression changed immediately. To his surprise, he found a severely mutted corpse lying ahead. However, from the clothes and facial features, Ling Chen could still recognize the person¡¯s identity.


    Zhu Jin!


    Sect Leader of the Dangyang Sect.


    He was actually dead... Ling Chen was astonished.


    Looking at the ferocious wounds left on his body, they likely resulted from the attacks of Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun.


    Eh!


    What¡¯s this?


    Suddenly, the sharp-eyed Ling Chen noticed a neat wound on Zhu Jin¡¯s abdomen, one that didn¡¯t seem to be caused by brute force, but by a sharp weapon.


    Judging by the size of the wound and the surrounding marks, Ling Chen unconsciously thought of the steel knife used by Yi Shuiyan, as the size of the wound matched the de perfectly.


    Moreover, with Ling Chen¡¯s medical experience, this wound was the fatal one. The other injuries were mostly inflicted after Zhu Jin died.


    Tsk tsk!


    Who would have thought that Zhu Jin was betrayed by his own disciple?


    Immediately, Ling Chen took out his cell phone and photographed Zhu Jin¡¯s body. Seeing his actions, Liu Dongsheng asked in confusion, "Mr. Ling, what are you doing?"


    "Collecting evidence," Ling Chen replied offhandedly.

 Chapter 594 - 591: Trapped in the Base

    <h4>Chapter 594: Chapter 591: Trapped in the Base</h4><h4></h4>


    After taking photos of the corpse, Ling Chen and Liu Dongsheng continued to move forward, first visiting the main control room and finding, as expected, that it was deserted with all hard drives destroyed and devices shut down.


    Having spent over half an hour, the two searched the entire base but found no clues, including the whereabouts of Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun. However, this gave Ling Chen some relief.


    No bodies of Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun were found in the base, which suggested they were still alive and had likely been taken away by the God Organization.


    Although Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun had mutated, the God Organization also had a master from the Heavenly List, Ji Gang. Capturing Jiang Yunkai and the rest was not difficult with him involved.


    Watching Ling Chen searching everywhere, Liu Dongsheng asked, "Mr. Ling, what are you looking for?"


    "A secret passage," Ling Chen exined. "Last night when we left, Tang Guoxiong¡¯s people had just arrived, if the God Organization¡¯s people evacuated at that time, they would definitely run into Tang Guoxiong¡¯s men. However, as we¡¯ve seen, Tang Guoxiong¡¯s subordinates are all unharmed, untouched by any attacks, yet everyone from this base has vanished. It¡¯s clear, there must be a secret passage in this base leading somewhere else. If we can find the location of this passage, perhaps we can trace where Jiang Yunkai and the others have gone."


    Hearing this, Liu Dongsheng looked at the time and said, "It¡¯s still early, how about we split up and search, to save some time."


    Ling Chen nodded: "Sounds good, just be careful on your own."


    After separating from Liu Dongsheng, Ling Chen returned to the main control room. Looking at all the unused equipment, Ling Chen suddenly remembered the key he had snatched from the main control room the day before.


    Immediately, he searched his pocket, found the key, walked over to a device, inserted it, and gently turned it. Instantly, all theputers in the control room turned on and data went back online.


    Heh!


    Ling Chen smiled secretly to himself, surprised that this key had such a function to control all the equipment in the main control room.


    Little did he know, this key not only controlled the base¡¯s defense system but also activated the entire base¡¯s backup power supply, serving as a contingency measure.


    As the machinery all started up, Ling Chen took out his cellphone and dialed Hu Fei¡¯s number¡ªthis kind of thing still relied on Hu Fei.


    Following Hu Fei¡¯s instructions, Ling Chen set up thework, allowing Hu Fei to remotely control these devices. Once the connection was sessful, Ling Chen lifted his hands from the keyboard. Now, everything was under Hu Fei¡¯s control to see if he could find any useful clues.


    Minutes passed, and Hu Fei¡¯s voice came from the loudspeaker in the main control room: "Ling Chen, those guys erased all the data before they left, no useful information was found."


    "There should be an escape route in this base, can you help me find it?"


    "Hold on."


    A momentter, Hu Fei¡¯s voice came again: "I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to disappoint you, I¡¯ve searched the entire facility of the base and there are no escape routes." He paused, then added, "I can be hundred percent certain."


    Impossible!


    Ling Chen internally frowned. With so many staff at this base, they couldn¡¯t have vanished into thin air; there must be another way out.


    "Fatty, please check again carefully, maybe you missed something," Ling Chen said unwillingly.


    "I¡¯ve checked it three times already."


    While talking, Ling Chen¡¯s cell phone suddenly rang.


    Taking out his phone, Ling Chen saw it was Kaelina calling¡ªhe quickly answered, asking, "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "Tang Guoxiong has arrived, he brought arge force and is now searching that bamboo forest."


    "Can we still get out?"


    "I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s no chance now, they¡¯ve already found the entrance to the base. You better find a ce to hide, they have more people and firepower, don¡¯t confront them directly."


    "Understood."


    After hanging up, Ling Chen immediately contacted Liu Dongsheng to have him get to the main control room quickly. When Liu Dongsheng arrived, Ling Chen watched through the surveince footage as Tang Guoxiong brought his people, and couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    It seemed Tang Guoxiong had requested local support, bringing several members of the Flying Tiger Team, all fully armed, together with the unregistered personnel of Lonely Wolf, totaling around forty to fifty people.


    "They are about to reach the main control room," Liu Dongsheng said in a solemn voice.


    Ling Chen nodded, hesitating for a moment, then put his hand on a red button and pressed it lightly downwards. In a sh, the entire base¡¯s defense system was reactivated, with thick explosion-proof doors descending and sealing all core areas of the base.


    "All set."


    Watching Tang Guoxiong and the others being blocked outside, Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief. Regardless, at least they were temporarily safe.


    "Hey! Ling Chen, have you gone mad? The base¡¯s defense setup has been triggered, they can¡¯t get in, and you can¡¯t think of getting out either. Do you really want to be trapped in there forever?"


    Hearing Hu Fei¡¯s voiceing through, Ling Chen replied, "What else can we do? They¡¯re so many and well equipped, we can¡¯t just confront them head-on. This base should have plenty of food and water archived, don¡¯t worry about us. Oh! Fatty, contact Kaelina and see if she cane up with a n to lure Tang Guoxiong and his men away."


    "Okay."


    More than ten minutester, Hu Fei¡¯s voice came through the loudspeaker of the main control room again: "Ling Chen, things might have gottenplicated."


    "What happened?"


    "I¡¯ve just received a message from Miss Kaelina, the military has stationed in Yinan Vige."


    "The military?" Ling Chen¡¯s heart sank.


    "Fatty, how many people havee?"


    "I¡¯m not exactly sure, but Miss Kaelina said it¡¯s not less than two hundred people, even armored vehicles were brought in. Look, Ling Chen, you probably can¡¯t leave from there anymore."


    Ling Chen pondered for a moment and asked, "Is there any surveince connected to the outside here?"


    "Yes."


    As soon as Hu Fei finished speaking, a screen disyed a scene with more than ten military trucks slowly arriving and stopping around Yinan Vige. Then, soldiers in uniforms carrying weapons began jumping down from the trucks.


    As these soldiers arrived, everyone immediately got busy, setting up tents and establishing a temporarymand post. In just over ten minutes, Yinan Vige had turned into a temporary military zone, with strict guards and sentinels around.


    This is bad!


    Ling Chen frowned. With the military stationing in Yinan Vige, the base would definitely be tightly controlled, and by then, they wouldn¡¯t have any chance of leaving.


    "Ling Chen, what do we do now?"


    "Let Kaelina go back and meet up with you, make sure Tang Guoxiong doesn¡¯t find her. We¡¯ll stay here for now and see if there¡¯s any chance to escape."

 Chapter 595 - 592: Small Harvest

    <h4>Chapter 595: Chapter 592: Small Harvest</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen was indeed a bit frustrated. He originally came to search for the whereabouts of Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun, but who knew he would encounter such an incident, resulting in being trapped inside the base.


    "Ling Chen."


    Hearing Hu Fei¡¯s voice, Ling Chen asked, "What is it?"


    "The signal corps outside is searching for the base¡¯s channel. They probably want to talk to you. Should I patch the signal through?"


    "Go ahead, I want to hear what they have to say."


    It wasn¡¯t long before Tang Guoxiong¡¯s voice came through the loudspeaker of the control room: "Everyone inside,e out and surrender immediately, and I can ensure your safety."


    Ling Chen shook his head and smiled wryly, signaling Liu Dongsheng to respond. He had had dealings with Tang Guoxiong before, and the other party would definitely recognize his voice, so it was safer to let Liu Dongsheng do the talking.


    Taking the cue from Ling Chen, Liu Dongsheng said, "What if we refuse to surrender?"


    "Then you¡¯ll never get out."


    "No problem, if we can¡¯t get out, you can¡¯t get in either."


    "Fine, I will let you know what it¡¯s like to oppose me." After speaking, Tang Guoxiong angrily cut off themunication.


    "Boss Liu, let¡¯s rest for a while. It looks like we can¡¯t leave for the time being," Ling Chen said.


    Exiting the control room, Ling Chen walked around. As expected, in a spacious room, he found arge supply of water and food, enough tost them two or three months.


    After the activation of the base¡¯s defense system, the core areas were sealed off, including the control room, theboratory, and an equipment management room. Inside there were not only weapons but also a variety of equipment.


    As Ling Chen was browsing, his eyes suddenly lit up. Among the pile of equipment, he actually found the Tianling de. The God Organization had confiscated it back at the backup base, and he hadn¡¯t been able to retrieve it. He never expected them to transport the Tianling de here, a pleasant surprise indeed.


    Besides the Tianling de, he also found He Ziyun¡¯s steel sword.


    Finally, there was a suitable weapon at hand.


    After securing the Tianling de, Ling Chen, holding He Ziyun¡¯s steel sword, headed straight back to the control room.


    Just after taking a seat, Hu Fei¡¯s voice came through the speaker: "Ling Chen, we have a problem."


    "What¡¯s the problem?"


    "Someone has entered the system just now."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen sat up straight and asked, "Are you sure?"


    "There¡¯s no mistake," Hu Fei stated. "I¡¯ve taken over the entire base system and set up threeyers of firewalls. If someone was to break in, I would definitely notice. However, I just checked, and there is no trace of firewall intrusion."


    "Then how did the other party get into the system?"


    "If it was via remotework, they couldn¡¯t bypass the firewalls I set up unless they connected through the internalwork."


    "Internalwork?" A thought urred to Ling Chen, and he said, "You mean... there are other people inside this base aside from the two of us?"


    "Exactly."


    "Impossible." Liu Dongsheng chimed in, "We¡¯ve already searched and found no one. The base is only so big; we couldn¡¯t have missed anyone."


    "Nothing is absolute. It¡¯s best that you check again," Hu Fei reminded them.


    "Okay, I got it."


    Ending the call, Ling Chen and Liu Dongsheng searched again, leaving no corner unchecked. But after more than half an hour, they still found nothing. Not a person, not even a ghost shadow.


    "Mr. Ling, could Mr. Hu be mistaken?" Said Liu Dongsheng.


    Ling Chen thought for a moment and responded, "The fatty is always meticulous; he shouldn¡¯t make a mistake." As he spoke, a glint shed in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, and he quickly returned to the control room.


    Seeing Ling Chen take down a fire ax from the wall, Liu Dongsheng asked puzzledly, "Mr. Ling, what are you doing?"


    Without a word, Ling Chen went straight to the side of the wire box in the control room, then raised the ax in his hand and chopped down fiercely.


    Bang!


    The cover of the wire box was immediately smashed by the ax, revealing all the wires inside.


    Ling Chen dropped the ax and crouched in front of the wire box, pulling out the wires one by one to differentiate them. Seizing the opportunity, he exined to Liu Dongsheng, "Hu Fei just mentioned that the intruder used the internalwork to enter the base¡¯s system. If it¡¯s an internalwork, it must be through a wired connection. All the lines in the control room converge here; if we can find the right cable, we can trace it back to the person who infiltrated the system."


    Liu Dongsheng pointed to the wires in the box and said, "These cables are buried in the walls, how are we supposed to find them?"


    "We have plenty of time, let¡¯s search slowly; there¡¯s no rush."


    For the next half-day, Ling Chen and Liu Dongsheng busied themselves sorting out the cables, looking for the ends of each one. Although those cables were buried in the walls, with the help of an ax, Ling Chen saved himself a lot of trouble.


    In one afternoon, Ling Chen cleared five cables, all of which were ruled out as suspects.


    "Mr. Ling, look at this."


    Hearing Liu Dongsheng¡¯s voice, Ling Chen approached the screen and raised his eyebrows slightly at the image on the monitor.


    In the surveince footage, Tang Guoxiong was seen leading more than a dozen soldiers, transporting a machine into the base. The machine was equipped with a huge drill bit, and by their demeanor, they were obviously nning to bore through the explosion-proof steel tes of the base.


    "Fatty, do you hear me?"


    "I¡¯m here, what¡¯s up?"


    "The machine they are using, is it possible for it to drill through the steel tes?"


    Hu Fei calcted for a moment on the other end and replied, "Sure, it can definitely drill through. But the protection devices in the base are made of special materials, very sturdy. By my estimate, they will need at least two to three days to get through."


    Ling Chen frowned; he was originally nning to hold out in a war of attrition against Tang Guoxiong. It seemed now that their time was very limited.


    ...


    For the next two days, Ling Chen and Liu Dongsheng were busy trying to find that person who had infiltrated the system.


    After several consecutive ax chops, a crack immediately opened in the wall. Liu Dongsheng grabbed the cable and pulled with force, dragging it out from inside the wall.


    "Mr. Ling, there seems to be something wrong with the arrangement of this cable."


    Ling Chen nodded; he also noticed the issue. This cable stretched towards the end of the corridor, where there was no room, just a wall. Installing a cable here seemed quite superfluous.


    After two days of hard work, there was finally some yield.


    The two of them dug along the cable all the way forward. At the end of the corridor, the cable suddenly changed direction, heading straight down underground.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze brightened, and he said with a smile, "Boss Liu, it seems my guess was not wrong. There is a secret passage hidden inside this base; those people must have escaped through here."

 Chapter 596 - 593: The True Base

    <h4>Chapter 596: Chapter 593: The True Base</h4><h4></h4>


    Having located the spot, Ling Chen and Liu Dongsheng searched the vicinity but found no mechanisms; even when they chopped at the walls with an axe, no hidden devices appeared.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen spat on his hands and rubbed them together, then said to Liu Dongsheng: "Boss Liu, let¡¯s not waste our energy searching anymore; let¡¯s just go in forcefully."


    Liu Dongsheng nodded, ran to a nearby spot, grabbed a fire axe, and joined Ling Chen in action. In no time, the floor was riddled with countless cracks.


    As the cracks grew, the floor began to cave in.


    ng!


    Suddenly, a crisp sound reached Ling Chen¡¯s ears. Hearing it, Ling Chen and Liu Dongsheng immediately stopped chopping and crouched down on the floor, peering inside. Instantly, they saw a thick steel te under the floor. With such a thick steel te equipped at the bottom of the floor, it was hard for anyone to believe there wasn¡¯t something amiss.


    "Ling Chen!"


    At this moment, Hu Fei¡¯s voice came through the speakers in the passage: "How are things on your side?"


    Ling Chen smiled and said, "We should have found the secret passage of the God Organization."


    "You better hurry up; Tang Guoxiong and his group will be able to drill through the st-proof steel te in at most an hour."


    Hearing Hu Fei¡¯s reminder, Ling Chen dropped the axe in his hand and said to Liu Dongsheng, "Boss Liu, you wait here, I¡¯ll be right back." After saying this, Ling Chen quickly ran to the equipment storage room at the base.


    Fortunately, the base had a lot of stored equipment of various kinds. In no time, Ling Chen found some suitable weapons and hurried back to Liu Dongsheng.


    "Detonating caps, fuses, bullets..." Liu Dongsheng took them one by one and said, "Mr. Ling, let me handle this."


    Ling Chen looked at Liu Dongsheng with some surprise; he had initially wanted to do it himself, but Liu Dongsheng was eager to take over. Ling Chen had searched the entire equipment storage room earlier and hadn¡¯t found any stic explosives, so they had to make a temporary one.


    Now, Liu Dongsheng pulled the bullets out of their casings and slowly poured out the gunpowder, a little adding up. Then, he found some suitable steel pipes, poured the gunpowder into them, and then connected the fuses and detonating caps properly. His calm andposed demeanor clearly showed his extensive experience.


    In less than half an hour, four bombs were made.


    Liu Dongsheng ced each of the bombs in the four corners of the steel te, and once everything was set up, the two immediately retreated to more than twenty meters away.


    Boom!


    A loud explosion followed, and the ground was immediately engulfed in mes. Even at twenty meters away, Ling Chen could still feel the st of the explosion.


    As the mes dissipated and the passage filled with thick smoke, the air was tainted with the acrid smell of gunpowder.


    Ling Chen and Liu Dongsheng quickly approached the sunken floor, only to see that the steel te at the bottom had blown open a hole. Though the hole wasn¡¯trge, it was just big enough to fit an adult.


    "I¡¯ll go down first." After speaking, Ling Chen carefully squeezed through the gap and jumped down.


    Ten secondster, having received Ling Chen¡¯s signal, Liu Dongsheng immediately followed.


    After passing through the gap, Liu Dongsheng walked up to Ling Chen, nced around at the surroundings, and asked, "Mr. Ling, is this ce..."


    Before Liu Dongsheng could finish, Ling Chen shot him a deep look, corners of his mouth carrying a faint smile, and said with an underlying meaning, "Boss Liu, we might have hit the jackpot."


    "Hit the jackpot?" Liu Dongsheng was stunned for a moment, not immediately grasping Ling Chen¡¯s implication.


    Ling Chen pointed to the passages ahead and behind, as well as the walls on both sides, and said, "I originally thought this ce was an escape tunnel for the base, but now it seems, this ce is probably more than just that. Look at these walls, all built with steel tes, whether the ground or other ces, all meticulouslyid out. If this were merely an escape route, would there be a need to make it this borate?"


    "You mean..." Liu Dongsheng suddenly seemed to realize something, his eyes shing with surprise.


    "Below here is the true base of the God Organization; the surface is just a disguise," said Ling Chen.


    Truthfully, Ling Chen admired the people of the God Organization for being able to construct such a massive building beneath this. It must have taken an enormous amount of manpower and resources. If they hadn¡¯t stumbled upon this ce by mistake, no one would have suspected that the real base was actually hidden below. No wonder they had not discovered where those people had gone before; it turned out they had all run down here.


    "Boss Liu, let¡¯s be careful."


    Liu Dongsheng nodded, and followed Ling Chen as they walked forward into the passageway.


    After about several tens of meters, arge door appeared at the end of the passage. Liu Dongsheng nced at it several times, then suddenly stopped, saying, "I remember this ce."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen expressed surprise: "You remember?"


    "If I¡¯m not mistaken, our current location should be underneath that mountain."


    Mountain?


    Upon Liu Dongsheng¡¯s reminder, Ling Chen immediately recalled. Yinan Vige was built against a mountain, and that mountain peak was right underneath them.


    To think they¡¯d built the base inside a mountain.


    Ling Chen inwardly clicked his tongue, gaining a deeper understanding of the vast power of the God Organization.


    Arriving at the door, Liu Dongsheng knocked here and there, then pulled out several pieces of wire, inserting them through the door¡¯s gap. It wasn¡¯t long before a soft sound came from inside the door. Immediately after, Liu Dongsheng stuck his hands into the door gap and forcefully pushed both sides, causing the door to open immediately.


    Passing through the door, Ling Chen and Liu Dongsheng stood in a spacious, brightly-lit corridor, their eyes showing a trace of astonishment as they looked at the transparent ss on both sides.


    Behind that transparent ss stood numerous containers, each about two meters tall, filled with a light yellow liquid. Within the liquid, soaked various oddly shaped people, mostly deformed, giving off a rather disgusting feel.


    "What is this?" Liu Dongsheng asked.


    "These are probably failed experiments," Ling Chen frowned, puzzled why the people of the God Organization would ce these things at the entrance. Could the head of this base be a pervert?


    In the midst of his rapid thoughts, Ling Chen suddenly heard footsteps not far away.


    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Ling Chen and Liu Dongsheng quickly ran to a corner, concealing their tracks. Before long, several men and women in white coats passed by. Each was holding a document, walking and chatting, discussing something with excited expressions.


    Watching these people walk away, Ling Chen stood up, looking at the backs of those in white coats, his face disying a serious expression.


    When those people had passed by moments ago, Ling Chen had faintly heard the content of their conversation, which seemed to be rted to Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun. It was evident that both Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun had been brought here.

 Chapter 597 - 594: False Identity

    <h4>Chapter 597: Chapter 594: False Identity</h4><h4></h4>


    Looking at Ling Chen, who was deep in thought and silent, Liu Dongsheng asked, "Mr. Ling, what should we do next?"


    "Jiang Yunkai and his group are all here; we¡¯ve found the right ce, but..." At this point, a trace of worry appeared in Ling Chen¡¯s clear pupils.


    "But what?"


    "Boss Liu, you don¡¯t need toe in with meter. Tang Guoxiong and his people will soon destroy the protection devices above the base. It won¡¯t be long before they discover this ce. Find a safe ce to hide, and once Tang Guoxiong enters here, look for an opportunity to escape."


    "What about you?"


    "I¡¯ll stay behind to see if there¡¯s any chance to rescue Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun."


    Liu Dongsheng shook his head and said, "How can that be eptable?"


    Ling Chen patted Liu Dongsheng¡¯s shoulder and seriously said, "Boss Liu, you¡¯ve already been a great help to me. There¡¯s no need for you to take risks with me. Follow my arrangement; if things be impossible, I¡¯ll find a way to escape."


    It wasn¡¯t that Ling Chen looked down on Liu Dongsheng¡¯s abilities, but rather he was considering Liu Dongsheng¡¯s safety. Since this was God Organization¡¯s main base, Ji Gang and the members of the Dangyang Sect surely were here. The Dangyang Sect was one thing, but the main concern was Ji Gang. With a master from the Heavenly List present, Ling Chen wasn¡¯t very confident. Hence, he didn¡¯t want to drag Liu Dongsheng into a risky situation.


    "Alright then."


    Seeing that Ling Chen was adamant, Liu Dongsheng didn¡¯t insist, but he cautioned, "Be careful yourself."


    After Liu Dongsheng left the way they came, Ling Chen immediately walked towards the direction of the several people in whiteb coats. Passing through a door, he stealthily slipped into an unupied office. Seeing several whiteb coats hanging on the wall, he casually pulled one on, then put on a face mask and picked up a file folder to carry in his hand.


    After disguising himself, Ling Chen opened the door and continued walking further inside.


    Before long, Ling Chen saw an elevator not far away. Since the main base was built inside the mountain, it definitely had more than one floor.


    However, there were two security guards by the elevator; to enter, one must pass their identity check.


    As the distance between him and the two security guards closed, Ling Chen looked around, constantly thinking of a n in his mind. Suddenly, his sharp eyes noticed a surveince camera beside the elevator. If he were to use force, it would definitely expose his movements.


    Havinge this far, turning back now would only arouse suspicion from the two guards.


    Sure enough, when Ling Chen arrived at the elevator entrance, the two security guards immediately reached out to stop him, signaling for him to take off his mask for inspection.


    Ling Chen nced at the surveince camera in the corner, feeling hesitant for the moment. If he took action by force, once his movements were exposed, he would definitely be pursued by Ji Gang.


    Just as Ling Chen was at a loss, a piercing rm suddenly rang out in the base.


    What¡¯s going on?


    Before Ling Chen could react, a voice sounded through the base¡¯s broadcast, "All scientific personnel, please immediately proceed to the third-floorboratory, I repeat, all scientific personnel, please immediately proceed to the third-floorboratory."


    Apanied by the urgent voice, a burst of footsteps came from afar, quickly approaching from behind.


    Ling Chen turned to look and saw three or four scientific personnel in whiteb coats hastily arriving at the elevator entrance, pressing the elevator button directly.


    "Zhang He, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and get in."


    One of the scientists in a whiteb coat saw Ling Chen standing there dumbfounded and couldn¡¯t help but urge him.


    Zhang He?


    Hearing this unfamiliar name, Ling Chen was slightly startled. However, in just a second, he recovered from his stupor. The whiteb coat he was wearing had an ID badge attached to it, which had the name ¡¯Zhang He¡¯ written on it prominently.


    Immediately, Ling Chen swiftly responded and squeezed past the two security guards into the elevator. Perhaps due to the emergency situation, the two security guards only gave Ling Chen a nce without hindering him.


    As the elevator doors closed, Ling Chen secretly breathed a sigh of relief, happy that his luck held and his identity wasn¡¯t exposed.


    Inside the elevator, several researchers were discussing the possible emergency situation, but Ling Chen remained silent, afraid that speaking up would give his identity away.


    "Zhang He, why aren¡¯t you saying anything?"


    Despite that, Ling Chen¡¯s odd behavior still drew the attention of the others.


    Seeing everyone¡¯s gaze on him, Ling Chen deliberately lowered his voice, disguising his tone: "I¡¯ve caught a cold, my throat is a bit sore."


    "Take care of yourself," one of the researchers kindly advised. "After we finish up here, make sure to get some rest. Don¡¯t wear yourself down."


    Ling Chen nodded and fell silent again.


    Ding!


    As the elevator reached its destination, Ling Chen followed behind the group, moving toward theboratory with careful steps.


    However, when the group arrived at the entrance to theboratory, they were stopped by several security guards.


    "Wait outside for now. The situation inside is very dangerous. We¡¯ll let you in after we¡¯ve handled it."


    During this exchange, more than ten fully armed security guards arrived at theboratory entrance and filed in. Ling Chen noticed that instead of lethal weapons, the guards were all carrying stun batons.


    After the guards entered theboratory, before long there were intermittent ¡¯thump, thump¡¯ sounds as if something was smashing against the walls.


    The chaossted for about ten minutes before theboratory gradually quieted down.


    At that moment, a few guards reached out through their wireless earpieces for updates and immediately opened theboratory door, rushing in. Soon after, they were seen carrying several horrifically mutted bodies out of theboratory.


    Ling Chen nced at them, frowning slightly¡ªthe bodies were those of the same security personnel who had entered theb with stun batons. Their deaths were extremely gruesome, covered in blood, some with their heads blown apart, indicating just how terrible the situation inside must have been.


    "Alright, you can go in now."


    Given permission by the security personnel, Ling Chen immediately followed the group in white coats into theboratory.


    Upon entering, his gaze was immediately drawn to Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun.


    Just as he expected, they were indeed trapped here.


    At this moment, both Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun had their hands and feet tied up with ropes, secured to the ground. However, due to their immense strength, they were continuously struggling,pelling the security guards to asionally shock them with stun batons, attempting to keep them subdued.


    "Zhang He, quickly administer the sedatives to them, and don¡¯t be stingy with the dosage."


    Hearing the voice of one of the researchers, Ling Chen didn¡¯t say another word, and swiftly went to the medicine cab, taking out two bottles of sedative and syringes.


    Fortunately, he had learned some medical skills before, so he was familiar with these simple procedures, and thus, no one suspected his identity.


    After administering the sedatives, Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun finally calmed down and fell into a deep sleep.

 Chapter 598 - 595: Return to the Long Province

    <h4>Chapter 598: Chapter 595: Return to the Long Province</h4><h4></h4>


    With the help of several security personnel, everyone moved Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun back onto the bed. They were originally secured with belts, but considering their abnormal strength, chains were used instead to tightly bind their hands and feet to prevent them from breaking free again.


    "Alright, there¡¯s nothing for you here now."


    A person in a whiteb coat waved their hand, signaling for all the security personnel in theboratory to withdraw.


    When only a few researchers remained in theboratory, Ling Chen visibly rxed. He nced at the others and asked, "What exactly is going on with these two?"


    "They are the first batch of test subjects. The experiment was still in its preliminary exploration phase and wasn¡¯t fully sessful, but the higher-ups insisted on trying it out, which resulted in creating two monsters. However, although their minds are greatly affected, their bodies hold significant research value. As long as we identify the cause of their mutations and make improvements, we can perfect our experimental procedures and produce sessful test subjects."


    After listening to one of the researchers, Ling Chen nodded slightly, then inquired, "Is there a chance they can revert to their original state?"


    That was the real concern for him; he didn¡¯t want his friends to remain monsters forever.


    "This will require further research; we can¡¯te to a conclusion just yet. However, as long as we find the cause, any mutant can be restored to their original state." The researcher then said, "Zhang He, don¡¯t ask too many questions for now, draw some blood samples from them and run some tests, and show me the resultster."


    "Alright." Ling Chenplied, drawing several milliliters of fresh blood from Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun as instructed.


    After pretending to be busy for a while, Ling Chen walked straight to theboratory door and stepped out.


    "What are you doing?" asked a security officer outside.


    Ling Chen pointed towards the nearby restroom without saying a word. Seeing this, the security let him pass and Ling Chen proceeded to the restroom.


    Once inside the empty restroom, Ling Chen took off his mask and washed his face with cold water.


    Although he had used Zhang He¡¯s identity to deceive many, that identity wouldn¡¯tst long. As soon as the real Zhang He showed up, he would be immediately exposed, which is why he hurried out of theboratory to avoid being surrounded.


    Having located Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun, he now just needed to find an escape route to rescue them.


    While pondering, Ling Chen took out his cellphone and checked the time; half an hour had passed. With the efficiency of Tang Guoxiong and his team, they should soon discover this main base.


    Once they arrived and diverted the attention of Ji Gang and the base¡¯s security personnel, he would be able to take action.


    Thinking this, Ling Chen found Hu Fei¡¯s phone number and dialed it. However, it seemed that the main base had blocked the signal, and his cellphone could not connect.


    Nevermind!


    He put away his phone and found a stall in the restroom where he could calmly wait for the right moment.


    ...


    Ten minutes passed in the blink of an eye.


    People came and went in the restroom, but no one noticed Ling Chen hiding in the stall.


    Bang!


    Suddenly, a loud noise came from below.


    Following that, the main base¡¯s rms red brightly, and a piercing sound filled the air.


    They¡¯re finally here!


    Sitting on the toilet seat, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes brightened, and he got up and walked to the restroom entrance, sneakily peering outside.


    At that moment, outside theboratory, several anxious security personnel were urging the researchers to evacuate quickly. Soon, the researchers in whiteb coats were seen pushing the beds carrying Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun out of theboratory. Under the escort of several security officers, the group hurried towards the freight elevator.


    Trying to leave?


    Ling Chen¡¯s lips curled up into a faint smile. Immediately, he put his mask back on, quickly followed them, and rushed into the freight elevator.


    "Is it you again?"


    At this moment, one of the researchers pointed at Ling Chen and started shouting, "It¡¯s him impersonating Zhang He."


    "You¡¯re pretending to be me? Quick, arrest him."


    Hearing the shouts, Ling Chen finally noticed the presence of a strange man. So that was Zhang He!


    Seeing several security officers rushing towards him, Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate and swung his fists forcefully. It took less than ten seconds to take down all the security inside the freight elevator.


    In an instant, the researchers looked at Ling Chen fearfully, huddling in a corner, their faces pale, and not daring to move an inch.


    "Everyone stay put, and you might just spare your lives."


    As he finished speaking, the freight elevator reached the bottom floor. As the doors opened, Ling Chen gestured for the researchers to move Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun out of the elevator, saying, "You should know the evacuation route, lead the way. And remember, don¡¯t try any tricks."


    The researchers meeklyplied, not daring to say a word, and hurriedly moved ahead through the hallway.


    With the researchers leading the way, Ling Chen saved a lot of time and hassle. After a few minutes in the corridor, the group arrived at a garage.


    Ling Chen scanned the area and walked directly to a Jeep Grand Cherokee. He opened the door, found the keys were still in the ignition, and the fuel tank was full.


    "Put them in the back seat."


    Under Ling Chen¡¯s direction, the researchers promptly moved Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun into the car.


    "You!" Ling Chen pointed at the man called Zhang He and said, "You sit in the passenger seat."


    "Me?"


    "That¡¯s right, you. Less talking, hurry up and get in."


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s impatient urging, Zhang He dared not hesitate and reluctantly sat in the passenger seat.


    "You guys find your own way to escape."


    After speaking, Ling Chen got into the car, started the engine, and drove straight ahead. With Zhang He directing the way, Ling Chen didn¡¯t take long to sessfully escape the main base and arrived a kilometer north of Yinan Vige.


    There was a wild forest here, and the main base¡¯s escape tunnel was built inside it.


    Upon leaving the tunnel, Ling Chen took out his phone and called Liu Dongsheng to check on the situation on his side. Fortunately, just as he had arranged, Liu Dongsheng had slipped away when Tang Guoxiong led a raid on the main base.


    After hanging up, Ling Chen parked the car behind a hillside. After waiting for a few minutes, Liu Dongsheng quickly ran over from behind the hillside, opened the passenger door, and dragged Zhang He out.


    Once in the car, Liu Dongsheng nced at the back seat where Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun were lying, his eyes brightened, and his previously furrowed brows finally rxed.


    "Let¡¯s go."


    Ling Chen nodded and immediately drove the SUV towards Changling City.


    Although the mission encountered some dys, overall, it was smooth, and fortunately, no one was lost. However, the situation with Tang Guoxiong was uncertain.

 Chapter 599 - 596: Pang Jiuling’s Phone Call

    <h4>Chapter 599: Chapter 596: Pang Jiuling¡¯s Phone Call</h4><h4></h4>


    Returning to Changling City, Ling Chen brought Liu Dongsheng, Hu Fei, and Kaelina to meet up, and the four of them switched to a single vehicle, taking Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun with them as they headed along the highway towards East Sea City.


    Before departing, Ling Chen specifically instructed Hu Fei to prepare arge quantity of sedatives to prevent Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun from regaining consciousness during the trip. With their current clouded minds, if they were to wake up, it was unknown how much trouble they could cause.


    After more than ten hours of driving, Ling Chen and hispanions finally reached East Sea City.


    Without regard for their fatigue, Ling Chen drove straight to the Old City area. When they arrived at the courierpany, Jiang Hao had already been waiting with his men at the entrance.


    After getting out of the car, everyone helped to carry Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun down, passing through the courierpany, all the way to the backyard.


    "Jiang Hao, have you prepared everything I asked you to?" Ling Chen inquired.


    "Chen, rest assured. After receiving your call yesterday, I arranged for people to dig a big pit overnight. It¡¯s been lined with soundproof panels and should suffice for temporary use," Jiang Hao assured.


    Ling Chen nodded; he had confidence in Jiang Hao¡¯s ability to get things done.


    In the center of the courtyard was a two-meter wide hole, with adder ced inside. Around the hole, there were piles of freshly dug earth.


    With the help of Liu Dongsheng and Kaelina, Ling Chen gradually moved Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun into the hole. At the bottom of the hole was a roughly thirty-square-meter space, the floor covered with wooden boards, and soundproof panels erected all around, creating a closed-off room.


    In one corner of the room, there were two makeshift beds put together.


    Ling Chen ced Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun on the beds, then used thick chains to bind their hands and feet, securing them to the beds.


    "Fatso, you¡¯re going to have to work hard for a bit, keep a close watch on them and don¡¯t let them cause any trouble," Ling Chen instructed.


    His greatest concern at the moment was Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun; he¡¯d already witnessed their destructive capabilities. Precisely for this reason, he had Jiang Hao dig out a dungeon underground, specifically to confine them.


    "Don¡¯t worry, leave it to me, nothing will go wrong," Hu Fei patted his chest, giving his word.


    After a pause, Hu Fei changed the subject, asking, "Ling Chen, it¡¯s not a long-term solution to just keep them locked up. We should think of a way to handle this."


    "I¡¯m aware of that. We¡¯ll keep them locked up for a few days, then I¡¯ll contact some people toe and help," Ling Chen replied.


    Coming out from the dungeon, Ling Chen wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "These past few days have been tough on everyone, get some rest. Jiang Hao, seal up the hole, and you personally watch over it for me. This is no joking matter, no cking off."


    "Chen, I understand," Jiang Hao responded.


    Leaving the courierpany, Ling Chen did not go anywhere else, but instead, directly drove back to Wealthy Manor.


    Entering the vi, Ling Chen saw that there was no one in the living room, so he went upstairs to the bedroom. As expected, both Su Lin and Nanrong Hao were in Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s bedroom.


    "Wanqing."


    Looking at Nanrong Wanqing, who was half-reclining on the bed, Ling Chen felt an immense sense of heartache. He had thought that Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s legs hadpletely recovered, but unexpectedly the old injury had rpsed. It was all his fault for not being able to protect her, letting her suffer so much for no reason.


    Feeling the guilt in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, Nanrong Wanqing extended her hand and gently ced it on the back of his, softly saying, "It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ve long been ustomed to this kind of life."


    "No, as long as I am here, I will not allow anything to happen to you. You should use that exoskeleton armor first..." As the words left his mouth, Ling Chen immediately realized that the exoskeleton armor specially made for Nanrong Wanqing had already been discarded at the base of the God Organization.


    "Su Lin, stay at home with Wanqing these next few days, don¡¯t go to thepany for now," Ling Chen instructed. "I¡¯ll figure out a way to get another set of exoskeleton armor."


    Nanrong Wanqing asked worriedly, "Will they give it to us?"


    Ling Chen replied with a smile, "Of course, they will. Don¡¯t forget, we¡¯ve signed a contract with them."


    In reality, he only said this tofort Nanrong Wanqing. If Lonely Wolf or the old General were still in charge, everything would be negotiable, but now it was Tang Guoxiong¡¯s world. Moreover, he was a wanted criminal at the moment¡ªshould he show himself, Tang Guoxiong would definitely arrest him without mercy.


    Aftering out of the room, Ling Chen sat on the sofa in the living room, pondering over the next steps in his n.


    A trip to Beijing was definitely on the cards, not only for the old General, Han Bing, and Tang Yuan, but also for that exoskeleton armor. He had once discussed with Jiang Yunkai about setting up a special force, equipping everyone with exoskeleton armor.


    However, while he possessed the technology to make the exoskeleton armor, hecked the materials and could only ¡¯borrow¡¯ some from Lonely Wolf.


    "Chen."


    At that moment, Nanrong Hao ran down from upstairs, holding his phone and said, "Someone is looking for you."


    "Looking for me?"


    Ling Chen took the phone, greeted with a "hello," and asked, "Who¡¯s this?"


    "It¡¯s me."


    Hearing the familiar voice, Ling Chen immediately recognized the person on the other end.


    Pang Jiulin, his former instructor at Phantom Special Forces, whoter joined Lonely Wolf. When he went to Cyprus for a mission a while back, it was in cooperation with Pang Jiulin.


    "Instructor Pang, how did you know Nanrong Hao¡¯s number?"


    "Your phone was unreachable, so I had to try other means to contact you. Anyway, that¡¯s not important right now¡ªyou better leave Nanrong Family as soon as possible. Tang Guoxiong has sent members of Lonely Wolf to look for you."


    "Where are you now?"


    "I¡¯ve just arrived in Yinan Vige. The situation here is quite serious. Tang Guoxiong has led people into a conflict with the God Organization, and the casualties are heavy. All members of Lonely Wolf have been called back. However, based on thetest information I got, key members of the God Organization have already evacuated, only some small fish were caught. Tang Guoxiong is ordering a search of the base."


    "I¡¯ve just got home, how did he know I¡¯m back in East Sea City?"


    "Tang Guoxiong is cunning and deceitful, he has long nted spies in East Sea City. Anyway, be careful. Times have changed; Lonely Wolf has now be his sole domain, with no one to restrain him. And I¡¯ve heard Tang Guoxiong has a strong backer; probably no one can touch him. The only way to bring him down is to find solid evidence."


    Evidence...


    Hearing Pang Jiulin¡¯s words, Ling Chen started to scheme.


    "Ling Chen, there¡¯s one more thing. Nanrong Yuan has woken up."


    "Woken up?" Ling Chen asked eagerly, "When did this happen?"


    "Yesterday. If it weren¡¯t for the situation in Yinan Vige, Tang Guoxiong would have already rushed back."


    "Right! Instructor Pang, how are the old General and the others?" This was the question Ling Chen cared most about.


    "The old General, Mr. Han, as well as Tang Yuan are all detained. Considering the old General¡¯s merits, they don¡¯t n to punish him; at most, they¡¯ll discharge him from military service and let him retire at home. But Mr. Han and Tang Yuan aren¡¯t so lucky, especially Tang Yuan. He secretly transported government property, which is a severe crime, and Tang Guoxiong probably won¡¯t let him off easily."

 Chapter 600 - 597: A Bad Idea

    <h4>Chapter 600: Chapter 597: A Bad Idea</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen said in a low voice, "With so many old members of Lonewolf, isn¡¯t there anyone pleading for Old Tang?"


    "s!" Pang Jiulin let out a sigh and said, "Everyone who could have spoken has done so, but Tang Guoxiong doesn¡¯t buy it. Not only can no one plead for him, but if anyone speaks too much, it might arouse Tang Guoxiong¡¯s suspicion, making him think we¡¯re in cahoots with Tang Yuan."


    "Where are they being held now?"


    "Lonewolf Base."


    "Instructor Pang, I know your rules that no one is allowed to reveal any information about the Lonewolf Base to outsiders, but given our past rtionship, could you do me a favor?"


    "This..." Pang Jiulin said helplessly, "Ling Chen, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help you, but... I hope you can understand my difficulty."


    "I understand. Instructor Pang, anyway, thank you for the reminder."


    "Be careful yourself. Tang Guoxiong is looking for us, I¡¯m going to hang up."


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen threw the mobile phone to Nanrong Hao and then returned to the bedroom alone.


    It¡¯s not that he mes Pang Jiulin for not willing to help. As Pang Jiulin said, he was in danger himself within Lonewolf and nobody dared to make a mistake, for fear of giving Tang Guoxiong a handle.


    Thinking of Pang Jiulin¡¯s reminder, Ling Chen dared not take it lightly. His own status as a fugitive had not yet been cleared, and if he continued to stay at the Nanrong Family, he might implicate Nanrong Wanqing. He quickly packed a few clothes, greeted Nanrong Hao, and left Wealthy Manor with a backpack on his shoulders.


    For Ling Chen, as long as he was in East Sea City, he was not worried about not having a ce to stay.


    Just one phone call, and Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong would arrange everything properly.


    Leaving the Nanrong Family as expected, just like Pang Jiulin had said, Tang Guoxiong had arranged many spies. Along the way, there were at least two groups of people secretly tailing him, monitoring his whereabouts.


    After spending about an hour continuously switching buses and subways, walking through crowded ces, he finally managed to shake off the tails behind him.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Ling Chen returned to the courierpany in the Old City.


    Entering Hu Fei¡¯s office, he saw Hu Fei concentrating on theputer screen, carefully going through some files. What was rare was that there were no beauties apanying him today; the spacious office was silent, with only him in it.


    "Chubster."


    Hu Fei looked up at Ling Chen who came in and said, "You¡¯vee at the right time,e over here, and I¡¯ll show you something."


    Ling Chen walked over and asked, "What have you found?"


    Hu Fei, pointing at the content on the screen, said, "The hard drive you found from the backup base, I¡¯ve cracked it. This is all the confidential information stored inside. I just went through it, and most of it is rted to the Lucifer experiment. With this data, we could replicate the Lucifer experiment¡¯s method and create Enhanced People."


    "Forget about that," Ling Chen said with little interest. He didn¡¯t want to do unthinkable things like the God Organization.


    "I know you¡¯re not interested, so I¡¯m just mentioning it, don¡¯t take it to heart. However, that¡¯s not the main point I want to say."


    "What is it then?" Ling Chen looked curious.


    "I found a document among these secret files. It seems that, although the Lucifer experiment is deemed sessful in our eyes, to the God Organization, it¡¯s considered a failure."


    "A failure?"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen was a bit confused and asked, "Why would it be a failure?"


    "This is what I don¡¯t understand either. The Lucifer experiment can enhance a person¡¯s potential by several times, creating countless experts. From anyone¡¯s point of view, this is a sessful and significant experiment. Yet, the God Organization deemed it a failure, indicating only one thing."


    A light seemed to dawn upon Ling Chen as he captured a glimmer of insight and said, "The result of that experiment is not what the God Organization wanted."


    "Exactly, that¡¯s also how I understand it," nodded Hu Fei.


    "What do they want then?"


    "For a long time, few people have known the God Organization¡¯s true purpose. Apart from that mysterious leader, few are clear. However, the God Organization has suffered a significant setback this time. Their main base, which took years to build, was destroyed. Although the key members escaped, years of effort was ruined, which I believe would not please that mysterious leader. Given the God Organization¡¯s modus operandi, I doubt they will concede easily."


    "You¡¯re saying... they¡¯ll seek retaliation?"


    "Very likely. You¡¯re well aware of the power of the God Organization. If they decide to retaliate against the government or society, the resulting damage would not be small."


    Ling Chen pondered for a moment and said, "That¡¯s just right, as long as they dare to make a move, the more strength they reveal, the more we can take this opportunity to clip their wings."


    "Hah!" Hu Fei scoffed mercilessly, "Clip their wings? With just you? Don¡¯t expect us to help you. You had the support of an old General previously, but now even Lonewolf is your enemy. What do you have to fight the God Organization with?"


    "Well, there¡¯s also the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and the Secret Society. I get along well with them. As long as I make them see reason, I believe they won¡¯t stand by idly."


    "That¡¯s not certain, they were willing to help out this time, mostly as a return for your favors. Besides, you must remember, the conflict between the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and the God Organization is a matter between two great powers, it has nothing to do with you. In other words, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, you are you; don¡¯t expect the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion to fully support you. In their eyes, at best, you might be a friend, but it¡¯s very difficult to be a partner, as you don¡¯t have the standing to be on equal footing with them."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but nod. Undeniably, what Hu Fei said made a lot of sense.


    "Hey! Ling Chen, I do have a good suggestion. As long as you seize the opportunity, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will definitely stand firmly behind you," Hu Fei chuckled slyly.


    Seeing his cunning look, Ling Chen asked warily, "What suggestion?"


    "The Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is a woman, and a great beauty at that, and she seems quite concerned about you. As long as you two... you know what I mean, I don¡¯t have to spell it out. By then, when two families be one, and you¡¯re the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master¡¯s son-inw, how could the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion not stand up for you. Right?"


    "Get lost!" cursed Ling Chen angrily, "Alwaysing up with such rotten ideas."


    Hu Fei shook his head helplessly and said, "How is this a rotten idea? It¡¯s killing two birds with one stone: getting the girl and gaining support from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. It¡¯s a pity I¡¯m not Miss Su¡¯s type, otherwise, I would have devoted myself already."


    "Forget it, I¡¯m not going to argue with you. I¡¯m staying here tonight, go find a hotel for yourself."


    While they were talking, the office door was pushed open by Jiang Hao.


    "Chen, there is a visitor outside looking for you."

 Chapter 601 - 598: The Furious He Ziyun

    <h4>Chapter 601: Chapter 598: The Furious He Ziyun</h4><h4></h4>


    "Guest?"


    Ling Chen paused, what guest.


    Right! Ling Chen immediately remembered who hade. He had almost forgotten that it was he who made the call, just not expecting the other party to arrive so quickly.


    Leaving the office, Ling Chen hurried to the reception room. Pushing the door open, he saw Zhu Xiaozhu sitting in a chair at first nce.


    Zhu Xiaozhu had not changed much after several days, still as stunning as before.


    Today, Zhu Xiaozhu was dressed simply, in a beige coat and light-colored jeans, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, ck and soft, highlighting her fair skin. Her autumn-water-like eyes seemed to contain all the spirit. Her thin cherry lips exuded a beauty of gentleness and virtue.


    "Xiaozhu."


    Ling Chen smiled slightly and greeted her.


    Seeing Ling Chen approaching, the corners of Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s lips unconsciously curled into a beautiful arc.


    "How have you been recently? Is everything alright with your master?" Ling Chen asked.


    Back at the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, Shi Su had stolen his credit and shamelessly humiliated him, which resulted in a loss of face and he was too embarrassed to show his face. Since that night, Zhu Xiaozhu had left the luxury ship with Shi Su, and had not been seen for some time.


    Zhu Xiaozhu nodded lightly and said, "Alright, my master... is also fairly well."


    "I thought it would be a few days before you arrived."


    "You said there was urgent business and needed my help, so I took a flight from Beijing overnight." At this, Zhu Xiaozhu asked, "What¡¯s the matter?"


    "Come with me."


    Leaving the reception room, Ling Chen took Zhu Xiaozhu directly to the courierpany¡¯s backyard. Opening the dungeon hatch, Ling Chen leaped down from the edge of the hole.


    Entering the dungeon, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s face was filled with surprise and confusion at the sight of Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun lying unconscious on the beds.


    "What happened to them?"


    "I injected them with a sedative; only by doing this can we prevent them from harming others." After a pause, Ling Chen briefly exined the situation of Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun, omitting the intervening events.


    "Mutations?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu was taken aback, curiosity shing in her beautiful eyes, and she walked directly to Jiang Yunkai¡¯s side, cing her hand on his pulse.


    "The pulse is stable, no different from a normal person," Zhu Xiaozhu murmured to herself.


    Ling Chen chimed in, "I¡¯ve checked all that and there¡¯s nothing unusual. I was thinking, since you know many medical authorities, maybe you could help them recover normally."


    Zhu Xiaozhu thought for a moment, then said, "How about this: I¡¯ll take some blood and cell samples to my friend for analysis first, and after we have the results, we can n ordingly."


    "You¡¯re the expert in this area; I¡¯ll leave the arrangements to you."


    Although Ling Chen knew a bit of medicine himself, he was well aware of his own limitations, so it was still better to find someone reliable to help. All things considered, Zhu Xiaozhu seemed to be the only option.


    After extracting the blood and cell samples, Ling Chen escorted Zhu Xiaozhu to the courierpany¡¯s entrance and asked, "Are you staying at Qingyun Martial Arts Hall?"


    "Yes! I¡¯ve told Mr. He, I¡¯m going to stay there tonight."


    Hearing Zhu Xiaozhu mention He Ziyun, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but p his forehead.


    Seeing his gesture, Zhu Xiaozhu asked curiously, "What¡¯s the matter?"


    "Nothing, let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to the Martial Arts Academy."


    With that, Ling Chen borrowed Jiang Hao¡¯s car keys and drove Zhu Xiaozhu directly towards the direction of Qingyun Martial Arts Hall.


    When the two arrived at the Martial Arts Academy, it was already past ten o¡¯clock at night.


    Little Hua had already gone to sleep, only He Ziyun was still in the hall, reading by the light of amp.


    "Mr. He."


    "Why have youe sote?"


    "I¡¯ve brought something for you." Ling Chen smiled faintly and presented the precious sword from the Han Dynasty with both hands to He Ziyun.


    "This is..."


    He Ziyun suddenly stood up, his cloudy old eyes shining with brilliance, and hurriedly took the precious sword, caressing the scabbard dearly.


    "How did you find it?"


    "I¡¯ve found the main base of the God Organization, and the weapons we lostst time were all thrown in their warehouse."


    "Oh?" He Ziyun¡¯s interest was immediately piqued, and he asked eagerly, "What have you achieved?"


    "Don¡¯t mention it." Ling Chen sighed and recounted the events that had urred in Yinan Vige, including the experiences of the old General and his group.


    After listening, He Ziyun¡¯s face turned frighteningly somber, the cold light in his old eyes bursting forth, carrying a chill as biting as the December wind. Vaguely, there was even a hint of murderous intent.


    "Good, very good!"


    He Ziyun spoke with deliberate emphasis: "I must meet this Tang Guoxiong and see what he¡¯s capable of. Even though I¡¯ve been out of the Ghost organization for many years, this old skeleton of mine can still be of some use."


    Hearing this, a thrill shot through Ling Chen¡¯s heart. His purpose ining to the Qingyun Martial Arts Hall was to ask He Ziyun toe out of retirement. Although retired for many years, He Ziyun¡¯s identity was significant; he was well acquainted with many high-ranking officials and a national hero with considerable influence. As long as he was willing to act, matters would be much easier to handle.


    "Ling Chen, just go ahead with this matter, I will bear all the consequences for you."


    "Understood. I heard from Instructor Pang that Nanrong Yuan has regained consciousness, Tang Guoxiong will definitely return to Beijing, and I will rush over as soon as possible."


    "The sooner the better. In any case, we can¡¯t let anything happen to Qiao Zhen and the others."


    "I know."


    ...


    After leaving the Qingyun Martial Arts Hall, Ling Chen got into his car and took out his phone to dial a number. After the call, looking at his phone, Xia Mutong¡¯s image involuntarily popped into his mind.


    Xia Mutong was also in Changling City two days ago, but when they returned to East Sea City, she was nowhere to be seen. He guessed she probably got bored there and came back earlier. That girl didn¡¯t even notify him.


    In any case, Xia Mutong had given him considerable help in Changling City. He should invite her out for a meal to show his appreciation when he got the chance.


    Since it was midnight, there was little traffic, and the streets were very clear.


    Ling Chen drove the car, listening to the songs ying on the car radio, heading towards the Old City.


    However, at that moment, three Buick cars suddenly sped out from a crossroads, one leading and two following, boxing in Ling Chen¡¯s Volkswagen in the middle, with nowhere for him to escape.


    These guys... just won¡¯t give up haunting me!


    Ling Chen frowned, having thought he had already shaken them off, only to be found by them so quickly.


    Bang!


    With a loud noise, the Buick driving behind elerated fiercely and mmed hard into the rear of the Volkswagen.


    Instantly, hit by the collision, the Volkswagen swayed uncontrobly. Seeing this, Ling Chen quickly straightened the steering wheel, trying to stabilize the car. But the Buick car did not give any chance and rammed again.


    In a sh, the Volkswagen was thrown sideways and hit the roadside guardrail, with a loud ¡¯bang¡¯, the body of the car was instantly deformed.

 Chapter 602 - 599: Entering Lonely Wolf

    <h4>Chapter 602: Chapter 599: Entering Lonely Wolf</h4><h4></h4>


    As the three Buick cars stopped, six or seven men in suits got out and carefully approached the Volkswagen to check the situation inside.


    In the driver¡¯s seat, Ling Chen¡¯s head rested on the steering wheel, his forehead bruised from a severe impact, and his cheeks still bore scratch marks from which blood profusely flowed, dripping down his neck.


    "He¡¯s passed out."


    One of the men in suits sighed in relief and gestured to hispanion to pry open the deformed car door, then they dragged Ling Chen out of the driver¡¯s seat and transferred him to a Buick car.


    ...


    It was unknown how long had passed when the groggy Ling Chen finally came to. He opened his eyes and struggled to sit up, looking around to observe his surroundings.


    This was a small dark room, less than ten square meters, with an iron door at the entrance that featured a service window in the middle, but it was now closed. The room was pitch-ck and dimly lit, but fortunately, Ling Chen¡¯s vision was good enough to see clearly.


    He moved his arms and legs, noticing that his wrists and ankles were shackled with heavy chains. One end of each chain was connected to a wall fixture, and they were only two meters long, just enough to reach the iron door.


    It seemed he had been detained at the Lonewolf Base.


    In the darkness, Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curled into a faint smile. Regardless, his n had been quite sessful.


    Pang Jiulin refused to disclose the location of the Lonewolf Base, so Ling Chen had thought it over¡ªif he couldn¡¯t figure out the exact location of the base, he might as well let the Lonewolf people bring him in. After all, he was a wanted criminal, and Tang Guoxiong was eager to capture him.


    Previously in East Sea City, it would not have been so easy for the Lonewolf people to catch him if he hadn¡¯t made a phone call with specific arrangements.


    Pulling on the chain he held, Ling Chen turned his left hand over, then pinched the skin with his fingertips. With a motion of his arm, a thin wire was extracted from under the skin. This trick he learned from Liu Dongsheng: hiding a wire underneath the skin where nobody would notice.


    When deciding to execute his n, he had already made thorough preparations.


    With the wire in hand, Ling Chen located the keyhole of the chain lock, inserting the wire and gently maneuvering it. Shortly after, the lock clicked softly, and the lock opened. After unlocking the handcuffs, he used the same method to unlock the shackles on his feet as well.


    Now free, Ling Chen stood up from the bed, walked over to the iron door, and pressed his ear against it to listen carefully to the sounds outside.


    Despite the barrier of the iron door, Ling Chen could still hear breathing, indicating someone was guarding the door.


    Just one person... Ling Chen felt relieved and nodded silently.


    If there were multiple guards, it might be troublesome, but one guard... that made things much easier.


    Immediately, Ling Chen took a couple of steps back, then forcefully kicked the iron door. Instantly, the door made a loud ¡¯ng¡¯ and trembled slightly. Ling Chen did not pause, continuously kicking the door, creating sufficient noise.


    Finally, after a minute or two, the guard outside became impatient, pulled open the door¡¯s service window, and looked down into the dark room shouting, "Behave yourself."


    However, as the guard¡¯s head appeared outside the window, Ling Chen swiftly extended his arms through the window, tightly gripped the man¡¯s neck, and forcefully pulled back, pinning him against the iron door.


    For a moment, only hoarse screams could be heard from the guard as he frantically struggled, trying to break free from Ling Chen¡¯s grip. Unfortunately, facing a prominent fighter on the Dragon List, he was no match.


    "Hand over the keys," Ling Chen leaned in and said coldly.


    The moment the words fell, seeing that the guard remained indifferent, Ling Chen increased the force in his hands a bit more.


    "Hand over the keys in exchange for your life, isn¡¯t that worth it?" Ling Chen coaxed.


    No one doesn¡¯t cherish their own life, even the members of Lonewolf cherish life. Finally, unable to endure the pain, the guard reached towards his waist, unclipped the keys, and handed them to Ling Chen.


    After receiving the keys, Ling Chen pulled the man¡¯s hands toward him, causing the back of the man¡¯s head to smash against the iron door, knocking him out cold.


    As he escaped from the dark room, Ling Chen nced at the corridors on both sides, and stepped toward the left. Lonewolf Base was different from the previous Ghost Base; it was his first time here, and he had no understanding of the environment, so he could only try his luck.


    However, Ling Chen hadn¡¯t gone far when he heard a voiceing from one of the dark rooms.


    Someone?


    Ling Chen approached, knocked on the iron door, and asked, "Who¡¯s in there?"


    "Is that you, Tang Yuan?"


    Hearing the voice from the dark room, Ling Chen¡¯s spirits lifted, and he quickly took out the keys to unlock the iron door.


    Indeed, the person imprisoned inside was Tang Yuan.


    "Old Tang!" Ling Chen eximed with a smile: "I finally found you."


    "Forget about catching up, let¡¯s get this thing off me first," Tang Yuan pointed towards the chains on his wrists and feet with his mouth.


    A few days had passed, and Tang Yuan¡¯s face looked somewhat haggard, but his eyes were bright and gleaming with energy. Judging by his bruised face, it seemed he had endured brutal torture.


    "Old Tang, are you okay?" Ling Chen asked with concern. If it weren¡¯t for him, Tang Yuan wouldn¡¯t have had to suffer this way.


    Feeling Ling Chen¡¯s guilty gaze, Tang Yuan nonchntly patted his shoulder, smiling, "Do I look like I¡¯m in trouble? Come on, stop looking at me that way; although we are close, I¡¯m not into that sort of thing."


    "Get out of here."


    After joking for a moment, Ling Chen put on a serious face and asked, "Old Tang, where are Mr. Han and the General? Where are they?"


    "Mr. Han was imprisoned next to me but was taken away yesterday and hasn¡¯t returned since; as for the General... I don¡¯t know his whereabouts, he wasn¡¯t imprisoned with us. The General¡¯s identity is different from ours; even if he did something wrong, Tang Guoxiong wouldn¡¯t dare treat him as amon prisoner."


    "You¡¯re more familiar with this ce, what should we do next?"


    Tang Yuan thought for a moment and then said, "Let¡¯s go find Mr. Han first. Tang Guoxiong is a vicious bastard, and I¡¯m afraid he might brutally torture Mr. Han. I can withstand it, but Mr. Han can¡¯t endure that kind of torture."


    Ling Chen nodded: "You lead the way, I¡¯ll follow."


    Leaving the cell, Ling Chen closely followed behind Tang Yuan, heading directly toward the secure passageway. Along the way, the observant Ling Chen noticed that there were few surveince cameras in the base, with only a few important junctions equipped with cameras, which undoubtedly made their operation more convenient.


    After hearing Tang Yuan¡¯s exnation, Ling Chen learned that since the base was newly constructed, security measures had not yet fully covered the area. It was precisely because of this that they had so many loopholes to exploit.

 Chapter 603 - 600 Scapegoat

    <h4>Chapter 603: Chapter 600 Scapegoat</h4><h4></h4>


    With Tang Yuan, a person familiar with the environment, leading the way, Ling Chen and hispanion saved a lot of time. Not long after, they arrived at the second floor of the base. ording to Tang Yuan, the interrogation room was located here.


    Previously, in the basement cells, there weren¡¯t many people around, just a few guards, easy to avoid. However, the second floor of the base was different; the hallways were bustling with office workers in suits, among which were formal members of Lonely Wolf, many of whom Ling Chen and Tang Yuan knewrades they had fought alongside.


    Hiding in a corner, they waited until a group of office workers nearby had left, then Ling Chen and Tang Yuan hastened their steps, darting toward the interrogation room.


    However, before they reached the door of the interrogation room, Ling Chen, with his keen hearing, detected the sound of footstepsing from around the corner ahead.


    Without time to think, Tang Yuan shoved open the closest room door and pulled Ling Chen inside.


    Upon entering, the room fell immediately silent, all eyes fixated on Ling Chen and Tang Yuan.


    Seeing the few people inside smoking, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan¡¯s faces were instantly filled with embarrassment, momentarily unsure of what to do.


    "Uh..." After being startled for a moment, Ling Chen forced a stiff smile on his face and raised his hand, saying, "Long time no see."


    Hearing his greeting, the few people in the room looked at each other, a hint of amusement in their eyes. Then, they continued to smoke and chat, ignoring Ling Chen and Tang Yuan altogether.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen felt a warmth in his heart and his tension eased considerably.


    Luckily, the few people in the room were former members of the Ghosts,ter promoted to Lonely Wolf by the Old General. They were all acquaintances. By acting this way, they were undoubtedly helping them indirectly.


    "Tang Yuan, the people outside have gone."


    Ling Chen nodded and turned to leave. But at that moment, he heard someone whisper from behind, "Be careful of Tang Guoxiong."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s brow furrowed.


    Of course, he knew to be wary of Tang Guoxiong, but his formerrade¡¯s particr warning suggested that the situation was not so simple.


    Leaving the room, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan hurried to the front of the interrogation room and pushed the door open to enter.


    Upon entering the interrogation room, Ling Chen didn¡¯t have time to check the situation before he was stunned by the scene before him.


    In the interrogation room, Han Bing was tied to a chair, wearing a special device with his right hand raised, holding a gun pointed directly at his own head. Due to the constraints of the special device, his position was forcefully fixed, and he had no way to struggle free.


    What¡¯s more, his finger was on the trigger, and with a slight pull of a string by someone else, his finger would pull the trigger, sending a bullet into his own brain.


    All of this was no doubt set up to fake a suicide scene!


    How cruel!


    Seeing this, Ling Chen was furious, his pupils instantly recing the rage with icy coldness.


    "Bastards!" Ling Chen shouted thunderously, immediately rushing forward, knocking down two men in suits on the side.


    "Mr. Han."


    Tang Yuan hurriedly went to Han Bing¡¯s side and began to remove the special device from his body.


    "Ling Chen, Tang Yuan... you¡¯ve arrived just in the nick of time. If you were anyter, my life..." Here, Han Bing¡¯splexion was pale, and he was clearly still frightened.


    Ling Chen frowned and asked, "Mr. Han, what exactly happened? You just vited Lonely Wolf¡¯s rules, there¡¯s no need to kill you, right?"


    Han Bing sighed and said, "Tang Guoxiong wants a scapegoat."


    "Scapegoat?" Ling Chen and Tang Yuan exchanged a nce, full of confusion as they asked, "What do you mean?"


    Han Bing exined, "Although they found the main base of the God Organization this time, they got nothing out of it and instead lost a lot of personnel. When the higher-ups found out about this, they were furious, believing that the leadercked leadership ability, not only missing a good opportunity but also causing so many deaths and injuries. You should know that the leader of this operation was Tang Guoxiong himself. If he¡¯s held ountable, not only will he lose his current position, but he will also be held responsible and investigated. So, he needs someone to take the fall for him."


    "Elder Han is staunch and with his General title, Tang Guoxiong doesn¡¯t dare touch him lightly, so he had to choose me as the scapegoat. They wanted to forge my suicide scene, and then im that I led poorly, causing the death of so many colleagues, so I swallowed a bullet. This way, all the me would be on me, and they would be off the hook."


    After hearing Han Bing¡¯s words, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help clenching his fists, veins on his forehead throbbing, wishing he could find Tang Guoxiong right now and tear that bastard to pieces.


    To dare use such a treacherous method, calling him scum would be apliment.


    "Mr. Han, where is Elder Han?"


    "I don¡¯t know, Elder Han is personally detained by Tang Guoxiong, only he knows Elder Han¡¯s whereabouts. Ling Chen, you better be cautious, don¡¯t act rashly without solid evidence," Han Bing warned.


    Tang Yuan spoke up, "Mr. Han, don¡¯t you count as a witness?"


    Han Bing said with a bitter smile, "What good am I? Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m currently deemed guilty. If I step forward to testify, it will be ineffective and Tang Guoxiong could bite back, iming I am framing him. In short, to topple Tang Guoxiong, we must find evidence."


    Evidence!


    Ling Chen shook his head silently to himself, easy to say, but someone as cunning as Tang Guoxiong wouldn¡¯t easily reveal anything.


    "Old Tang, take Mr. Han to a safe ce first."


    Tang Yuan said helplessly, "The base is full of Tang Guoxiong¡¯s people, there¡¯s no such thing as a safe ce."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen thought for a moment, and a sh of inspiration struck him.


    "Follow me."


    After leaving the interrogation room, Ling Chen took Han Bing back to the same room they had mistakenly entered before.


    Seeing Ling Chen and Tang Yuan return and even bringing Han Bing with them, several members of Lonely Wolf were dumbfounded.


    "Ling Chen, what are you doing?"


    "Gentlemen, for old times¡¯ sake, do me a favor and let Mr. Hany low here. Once Old Tang and I get things settled, we¡¯lle back for Mr. Han."


    "This... This is a bit troublesome, isn¡¯t it?" Everyone seemed a bit troubled.


    Tang Yuan red, disgruntled, "We¡¯rerades who¡¯ve been through life and death together. Now that Elder Han and Mr. Han are in trouble, are you really unwilling to help out even a little? Don¡¯t forget how Elder Han has treated you, are you all a bunch of ingrates?"


    After being rebuked by Tang Yuan, several Lonely Wolf members blushed and nodded, "Alright then, leave Mr. Han here, we¡¯ll do our best."

 Chapter 604 - 601: Tough Measures

    <h4>Chapter 604: Chapter 601: Tough Measures</h4><h4></h4>


    After tending to Han Bing, Ling Chen and Tang Yuan expressed their thanks and then left the room.


    "Old Tang, where is Tang Guoxiong¡¯s office located?"


    "The very top floor. Why, are you thinking of going straight to him?" Tang Yuan shook his head and said, "I advise you to drop that idea. Tang Guoxiong is more cautious than any of us. Outside his office, there are designated people responsible for security, and they are all armed. When Tang Guoxiong took over, no one was allowed to enter the top floor without his orders."


    "Carrying weapons inside the base?" Ling Chen seemed surprised.


    Tang Yuan shrugged and said, "Tang Guoxiong knows that Lonely Wolf was established by the General himself. He¡¯s worried about internal dissatisfaction towards him, hence such security measures to protect himself. Not to mention, do you know how many people he has transferred from the military to join Lonely Wolf? Over two hundred, and all are special forces, battle-hardened and experienced. He intends to use this force to secure his position in Lonely Wolf and rece the General¡¯s influence."


    "Fear nothing," Ling Chen said nonchntly. "I¡¯ve already informed Mr. He, and he told me to just go for it and that he would bear all consequences."


    "Really?" Tang Yuan¡¯s eyes lit up and he grinned, saying, "Since Mr. He¡¯s got our back, then we need not worry too much. Good, I¡¯ve suffered enough from him recently; I need to give him a good thrashingter. Come on, I¡¯ll take you to his office."


    With those words, the two went straight to the elevator and stepped inside.


    As the elevator reached the top floor of the base, Ling Chen leaned against the elevator¡¯s side wall, watching as the elevator doors slowly opened without stepping out immediately.


    At that moment, a man in a suit peeked into the elevator from outside, intending to check the inside. Seeing Ling Chen and Tang Yuan hiding, his expression suddenly changed, and he hastily reached for his waist and opened his mouth to shout.


    However, Ling Chen reacted faster. Before he could yell, Ling Chen, with quick reflexes, threw a punch that harshlynded on the man¡¯s cheek, forcibly silencing him.


    Pfft!


    Apanied by a spray of fresh blood, the suited man fell rigidly at the elevator entrance, unconscious, with the elevator doors opening and closing, pressing against his body.


    Stepping out of the elevator, Ling Chen nced down the corridor, over forty meters long. In this forty-meter-long corridor, there were more than thirty men in suits.


    At that moment, those suited men had already noticed Ling Chen¡¯s appearance, each moving towards the sides of the walls, seeking cover.


    Hearing the sound of bullets being chambered, Ling Chen raised his eyebrows and his expression turned stern as he said in a low voice, "Old Tang, stay inside, I¡¯ll handle this."


    As soon as he finished speaking, Ling Chen tapped his toe and his body shot forward like a gust of wind, moving so fast that only a blur could be seen when he reached full speed.


    Bang!


    The crisp sound of a gunshot rang out. Sitting in his office, Tang Guoxiong immediately jumped up from his chair and asked the staff beside him, "What¡¯s happening?"


    The staffer picked up the internal phone, asked a few questions, and hurriedly replied, "It¡¯s Ling Chen, he¡¯s stormed up here."


    With a dark expression, Tang Guoxiong said, "Wasn¡¯t he locked up? How did they let him escape? Hmph! Truly a bunch of good-for-nothing trash. Pass my orders, whether it¡¯s Ling Chen or anyone aiding him, kill on sight, no one spared." After a pause, he changed his tone and asked, "What about the matter with Han Bing? It¡¯s been so long, why haven¡¯t I received any news?"


    "Yes, I¡¯ll call right now to ask about the situation."


    "No need to ask."


    With that said, a hand pushed open the office door.


    Seeing Ling Chen walking in vigorously, Tang Guoxiong was startled and quickly pulled open the desk drawer, ready to grab a gun. However, before he could pick up the gun, he heard a ¡¯bang¡¯. A bullet instantly flew past his arm and into the wall behind him.


    "Tang Yuan?"


    Seeing who the shooter was, Tang Guoxiong¡¯s face immediately turned extremely unsightly.


    "Tang Guoxiong, I advise you to behave yourself, don¡¯t make any rash moves, or the next bullet won¡¯t miss," Tang Yuan walked through the door, speaking as he moved.


    "You... you..." Tang Guoxiong pointed at Ling Chen and Tang Yuan, with a fierce face he cried out: "Do you know what you¡¯re doing? This is a national secret agency, you dare to openly oppose me, this is mutiny. Someone! Someone, arrest them!"


    "Enough, stop shouting, save your saliva," Ling Chen said indifferently, "Don¡¯t count on those people outside."


    What?


    Hearing this, Tang Guoxiong¡¯s face was full of horror.


    He had arranged more than thirty people outside his office, each armed. From the first gunshot to Ling Chen entering, how much time had passed? Could it be that he has taken care of all the security?


    Is he even human?


    Ling Chen nced at the stunned Tang Guoxiong, then casually walked to the front of the desk and sat down, crossing his legs and said: "Don¡¯t worry, they are all fine, they¡¯ll just be bedridden for a few days. But just because they¡¯re fine doesn¡¯t mean you are. Tang Guoxiong, Lonely Wolf was originally the backbone of resistance against God Organization, yet you¡¯ve turned it into a mess, do you admit your guilt?"


    Tang Guoxiong sneered and said, "What crime have Imitted? The guilty ones are you. Ling Chen, don¡¯t me me for not reminding you, I am the appointed leader of Lonely Wolf by the authorities. If you dare touch a hair on my head, none of you will have a good end."


    "Is that so?" Ling Chen said with a smirk, "I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve lost quite a few operatives in this operation, and the higher-ups are very much doubting your capabilities. So you sought a scapegoat to have Mr. Han take the me for you, didn¡¯t you?"


    Tang Guoxiong narrowed his eyes, and said coldly, "Ling Chen, don¡¯t nder people, there¡¯s no such thing."


    "You are a man with a status, only in charge of giving orders, but someone has to deliver these orders for you, right?" As he finished, Ling Chen, ignoring Tang Guoxiong¡¯s sudden change of color, turned his gaze to another man in the office and said, "You are his close aide, you must know the most about his deeds. Just cooperate with us and turn state¡¯s witness, and I can plea for your sentence to be reduced or exempted."


    The man waved his hands quickly, "I haven¡¯t..."


    "Don¡¯t rush to answer me," Ling Chen slowly said, "Friend, I advise you to think this through, this has to do with your future. Let me put it this way, whether you admit it or not, Tang Guoxiong is doomed today. If you¡¯re smart, you¡¯ll take this opportunity, don¡¯t regret it when it¡¯s toote."


    "Ling Chen!" Tang Guoxiong couldn¡¯t sit still anymore, he shouted angrily, "You dare to threaten my people."


    "So what? If you are capable, you can threaten me too."

 Chapter 605 - 602 Trial

    <h4>Chapter 605: Chapter 602 Trial</h4><h4></h4>


    "You..."


    Before Tang Guoxiong could finish speaking, Ling Chen, impatient, waved his hand and interrupted him, saying, "Old Tang, take him down. Let me have a good chat with this friend."


    Tang Yuan nodded, pointed a gun at Tang Guoxiong, and gestured for him to walk outside.


    With the ck muzzle pointed at him, Tang Guoxiong, no matter how courageous, didn¡¯t dare disobey and had to obediently leave the office.


    After Tang Guoxiong and Tang Yuan left, Ling Chen got up, walked to the coffee machine, ground some coffee beans, and then brewed himself a steaming cup of coffee.


    Watching Ling Chen leisurely making his coffee, the man felt somewhat uneasy, neither sitting nor standing, feeling as though there were needles on his seat.


    Holding the coffee, Ling Chen savored it by himself, showing no intention of chatting with the man.


    "Um... Mr. Ling..."


    Finally, the man, feeling the oppressive atmosphere, couldn¡¯t help but speak.


    Ling Chen, with a nted nce, looked at him and asked, "What is it?"


    The man, trying to ingratiate himself, said, "Mr. Ling, I... I don¡¯t know much, everything was ordered by Tang Guoxiong, it has nothing to do with me."


    "And so?"


    "I¡¯m willing to turn state¡¯s evidence and help you testify against Tang Guoxiong. I know clearly about the matter of him making Han Bing take the fall; it was all orders delivered by me, and moreover..."


    "That¡¯s enough." Ling Chen waved his hand and said, "I don¡¯t want to know so many details, nor am I interested. You should save those words for the higher-ups."


    After speaking, Ling Chen put down his coffee cup, stood up, and walked to his desk, casually flipping through the items on it. Soon, a maic card caught Ling Chen¡¯s attention.


    He picked up the maic card and asked, "What¡¯s this?"


    "That¡¯s Tang Guoxiong¡¯s identity card, which grants ess to any area within the base."


    Hearing this, a sharp glint shed in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes as he subtly pocketed the maic card and then turned to leave the office.


    With Tang Guoxiong¡¯s subordinate as a witness, even the formidable backing behind Tang Guoxiong couldn¡¯t reverse the situation. But this time, it still turned out to be a win for Tang Guoxiong. Given Ling Chen¡¯s temperament, he really wanted to kill that bastard and avenge the General and Han Bing. However, some matters must follow legal protocols, and personal punishment must be avoided, or it would eventually bring harm to oneself.


    Considering Tang Guoxiong¡¯swork, Ling Chen could foresee his end. Lonely Wolf certainly couldn¡¯t stay, and even if he went to prison, it wouldn¡¯t be for long.


    Reaching the second floor of the base, Tang Yuan was escorting Tang Guoxiong in the interrogation room, quietly waiting for Ling Chen¡¯s arrival.


    "Old Tang, have you found out where the General is?"


    "I asked. The General isn¡¯t in the base; he was taken to the military headquarters for interrogation."


    Military headquarters?


    At least, he wasn¡¯t in Tang Guoxiong¡¯s hands.


    "Old Tang, keep an eye on him. I¡¯ll contact Mr. He to wrap things up here."


    "Alright."


    After leaving the interrogation room, Ling Chen found a cell phone and called He Ziyun to inform him of the situation. Fortunately, after meeting with He Ziyun the night before, He Ziyun had arrived in Beijing the next day and was currently in a high-level meeting discussing the matters concerning Lonely Wolf.


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen did not return directly to the interrogation room but instead went alone to the third floor of the base.


    The third floor of the base was vital withbs and storage, shielded by several thick steel doors. However, this was no issue for Ling Chen. He took out the maic card he had found in Tang Guoxiong¡¯s office, swiped it gently on the reader, and the tightly closed door immediately opened.


    After passing through three doors, Ling Chen finally entered the storage area of the base. Following the signs posted inside the warehouse, it took only a few minutes for Ling Chen to find several heavy boxes.


    Upon opening the boxes, he saw that they neatly housed more than a dozen square metallic objects, emitting a faint luster.


    Atst, they were found!


    A glimmer of joy appeared on Ling Chen¡¯s face; these were the materials needed to make exoskeleton armor. However, the materials were too numerous and cumbersome to carry. He could not realistically walk out with several boxes to Lonewolf Base without raising suspicion.


    After much deliberation, Ling Chen found some bags nearby and stuffed all the metallic materials into them.


    After he had packed everything, Ling Chen dragged the bags out of the storeroom, securely closed the gates, and then found a rtively safe room to temporarily store the materials. He nned to transport themter when the opportunity arose.


    He Ziyun arrived quickly, and besides him, about forty or fifty military personnel came.


    Watching Tang Guoxiong being escorted from the interrogation room, He Ziyun sneered coldly, and without saying anything, pped Tang Guoxiong squarely across the face.


    p!


    Apanied by a loud p, Tang Guoxiong¡¯s left cheek immediately swelled up, and blood trickled down from the corners of his mouth. Had He Ziyun not controlled his strength, that p could have been fatal.


    "Take him away. Do not let him appear before me again," He Ziyun said coldly.


    With a resentful re at He Ziyun, Tang Guoxiong spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva and was escorted away by several military personnel.


    Once they had left, Ling Chen asked, "Mr. He, what about the general? Why didn¡¯t you bring him back?"


    He Ziyun sighed and shook his head, "Couldn¡¯t bring him back."


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "Rules are rules. With Qiao Zhen assisting you in stealing government property, he has breached military regtions. No matter what Tang Guoxiong has done, it does not change the fact that Qiao Zhen vited the rules. I just came from there; the military has already judged him. He¡¯ll retain his general title but retire from active duty. He won¡¯t lead Lonewolf anymore."


    Ling Chen was shocked and quickly asked, "Then who will take charge of Lonewolf?"


    "It¡¯s not clear yet, but they asked for my opinion, and I suggested they choose someone from the inside. After all, only Lonewolf¡¯s own people understand it best and won¡¯t mess things up like Tang Guoxiong did."


    That¡¯s good!


    Ling Chen nodded; there were very few people at Lonewolf Base qualified to rece the old general, and they were all trustworthy people. Whoever it was, they would be more reliable than Tang Guoxiong.


    "Ling Chen, if you don¡¯t have anything else, you can go with me."


    Hearing He Ziyun speak, Ling Chen hesitated for a moment and said, "Mr. He, I haven¡¯t caught up with the brothers for a long time. You go ahead, and I¡¯lle to find youter."


    "The choice is yours," He Ziyun wasn¡¯t insistent.


    After sending off He Ziyun, Ling Chen immediately found Old Tang and pulled him into the room where he stored the metallic materials.


    "Old Tang, we are brothers; you have to help me this time."


    Old Tang asked suspiciously, "What is it?"


    Ling Chen chuckled mischievously, rummaged through a corner, and pulled out severalrge bags, then started taking out the metallic materials.


    "This is..." Old Tang¡¯s face changed, surprised, he said: "You¡¯re stealing?"

 Chapter 606 - 603: Financial Difficulties

    <h4>Chapter 606: Chapter 603: Financial Difficulties</h4><h4></h4>


    "What theft? Don¡¯t put it so harshly, I call it ¡¯borrowing¡¯," Ling Chen emphasized.


    "What¡¯s the difference?"


    "You don¡¯t have to return what you steal; borrowed items have to be returned. Alright, stop asking so many questions; this thing is very important to me. We¡¯re brothers, please do me a favor and help me get this stuff out."


    Tang Yuan, rubbing his forehead, said helplessly, "You kid... I don¡¯t even know what to say about you. Fine, fine, fine, it¡¯s my bad luck to have a brother like you. Let¡¯s hurry and go before we¡¯re discovered."


    Ling Chen grinned, he knew Tang Yuan would help.


    With Tang Yuan leading the way, it didn¡¯t take long for Ling Chen to arrive at another exit of the base with severalrge bags, where a few Lonewolf special off-road vehicles were parked.


    Leaving the Lonewolf Base, Ling Chen sat in the car, looking back at the base¡¯s exterior, finally knowing where this new base was located.


    In the suburbs of Beijing, there was a military camp, and the Lonewolf Base was built behind the camp. With so many soldiers for protection, the defense of the base was impregnable, nearly impossible for God Organization to threaten unless they wanted to fight a tough battle.


    "Drop me off here."


    Tang Yuan drove the car into Beijing city and pointed to the taxi parked not far away, saying, "You better be careful, kid. Don¡¯t let anyone discover you; I don¡¯t want to take the fall for you again."


    "Rest assured with my work. Thanks!"


    After saying this, Ling Chen cheerfully transferred the severalrge bags of metal materials from the off-road vehicle to the taxi. This metal material definitely couldn¡¯t pass the airport security check; it had to be transported back via the highway.


    Without dy, Ling Chen called He Ziyun, mentioning only that he had urgent matters to attend to in East Sea City and didn¡¯t have time to meet. He Ziyun didn¡¯t suspect anything, told him to take care, and then ended the call.


    ...


    A dayter, Ling Chen arrived back in East Sea City.


    Traveling day and night, the exhausted Ling Chen didn¡¯t even bother to eat upon reaching the Old City area and headed straight for the couch. In less than ten seconds, his snores filled the entire room.


    He slept until the next morning when hefortably stretched and left the office.


    Just out the door, Ling Chen saw a beautiful figure in his sight.


    "Xiaozhu?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s lips curled into a smile as he quickened his pace and cheerfully asked, "When did you get here?"


    "Just arrived."


    While speaking, Zhu Xiaozhu set down her suitcase on the table, opened the lid, and handed two reports to Ling Chen, saying, "These are the test reports of your two friends; take a look for yourself."


    Ling Chen waved his hand and said, "I won¡¯t look at them; I don¡¯t understand all those technical terms. Just tell me the situation directly."


    "The test results are the same as your guess. Both of your friends¡¯ blood and cells have undergone varying degrees of mutation, which is very rare in medical history. Although there have been cell mutations before, those were within controble limits."


    "You¡¯re saying their mutations are uncontroble?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu nodded gently and said, "That¡¯s roughly the meaning. Their bodies¡¯ cells have a miraculous self-healing capability; damaged cells heal rapidly. Others might need ten days or half a month to recover from injuries; they only need a few hours or even minutes. Such cases have never appeared before from ancient times to today. I personally feel they¡¯ve stepped beyond the realm of normal humans."


    Hearing Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s serious tone, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but worry about the safety of Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun, asking, "Do they still have a chance to recover?"


    "It¡¯s difficult. Even if they can return to their former state, it¡¯s a massive and lengthy task. We must thoroughly research their bodies first, then devise strategies and create the appropriate drugs. It might take a year or ten; nobody can promise. Moreover, even if someone is willing to participate in this research, it would require a substantial amount of funding."


    Ling Chen frowned. Funds and time were things hecked. Could it be that there was really no hope for Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun?


    As he pondered, he listened to Zhu Xiaozhu asking, "Ling Chen, what exactly did your two friends go through to end up like this? If you know the cause, perhaps it could reduce our research time."


    The cause...


    Hearing this, Ling Chen smacked his forehead. Darn! He had almost forgotten; there was a very important thing he didn¡¯t do during his trip to Beijing, which was to meet Nanrong Yuan. He had been so focused on quickly transporting the metal materials back that he had neglected this matter.


    If he could meet Nanrong Yuan, perhaps he could tell the cause.


    At this thought, Ling Chen immediately took out his phone from his pocket and dialed He Ziyun¡¯s number.


    This matter still required He Ziyun¡¯s help.


    After exining for a while, Ling Chen was almost out of breath, but He Ziyun finally agreed to help and would temporarily transfer Nanrong Yuan to East Sea City. However, Nanrong Yuan was a major criminal; transferring him from Beijing to East Sea City would require a lot of procedures and probably take three or four days.


    Regardless, as long as Nanrong Yuan could be brought to East Sea City, that was enough.


    In this matter, Ling Chen had his own personal motives; he hoped to take this opportunity to let Nanrong Wanqing meet with her father and fulfill one of her wishes.


    After discussing Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun¡¯s matter with Zhu Xiaozhu, since Zhu Xiaozhu had other urgent matters and couldn¡¯t stay long, Ling Chen had to see her out and set a time for their next meeting.


    Now that Tang Guoxiong had been captured, the warrant for Ling Chen had been revoked, and he no longer had to worry about anyone harming him.


    Having been away from home for a few days, Ling Chen originally wanted to check on Wealthy Manor, but he was too busy with urgent matters and had to put off going home for another time.


    ...


    "Chubby, I¡¯ve given you the data, how is it, any problems?"


    In the office, Ling Chen was eating steaming hot instant noodles while looking at Hu Fei busy in front of theputer.


    Hu Fei gave an ¡¯OK¡¯ gesture and said, "No problem, the data is very detailed. As long as we follow the process and add the metal materials you brought back from Beijing, I¡¯m 90% confident we can produce exoskeleton armor, but..."


    "Alright!" Ling Chen immediately gestured for Hu Fei to stop and said, "I know what you want; I¡¯ve already talked to Jiang Hao and the others. If you need money, just ask them."


    "I¡¯ve estimated that we need at least thirty million to set up a production line for exoskeleton armor, and that¡¯s excludingbor costs."


    "That much?" Ling Chen was stunned. He thought a few million would do, but it turned out to cost ten times more.


    "Nonsense, what do you think! We must purchase high-end precision equipment to make exoskeleton armor, and if it weren¡¯t for my connections and rtions, thirty million wouldn¡¯t be enough even at current market prices."

 Chapter 607 - 604: The Fastest Way to Make Money

    <h4>Chapter 607: Chapter 604: The Fastest Way to Make Money</h4><h4></h4>


    Thirty million!


    Ling Chen was truly shocked by this figure.


    If it were just a few million, he wouldn¡¯t care at all. Jiang Hao and his crew had controlled the underworld in East Sea City for some time now, and pulling together a few million was easily feasible. However, thirty million was equivalent to all of Jiang Hao¡¯s current assets.


    Whether it was Jiang Hao or Zhao Zhengxiong, they operated many storefronts and needed arge amount of capital for turnover. It was already not easy to pull out a few million, so thirty million was undoubtedly a challenging problem.


    ording to Hu Fei, the thirty million was only for the cost of purchasing equipment, and it did not even includebor and venue costs. If all were counted together, it might be about forty million.


    Ling Chen touched his nose, staring nkly at the instant noodles in front of him.


    Thirty million, where to get that!


    There was not no solution, as long as he asked Nanrong Wanqing for help, she would definitely not refuse. However, unless absolutely necessary, Ling Chen did not want to seek help from Nanrong Wanqing for this matter, as it would only make him appear ipetent as a man.


    "Fatso, you¡¯re always full of bad ideas, do you have any good solutions?" After a lot of thinking, Ling Chen finally had to ask Hu Fei for help. This guy had wide connections and might be able to find a way to make money quickly.


    Hu Fei¡¯s eyes lit up, and he chuckled: "I do have a way to make money. We can start tonight, and if all goes well, we should be able to gather thirty to forty million by tomorrow."


    "Really?" Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up, and he asked impatiently, "What way?" As the words came out, he suddenly became wary and looked at Hu Fei, saying, "You¡¯re not suggesting anything illegal, are you? I must say in advance, I won¡¯t touch anything illegal, that¡¯s my bottom line."


    "Come on! Everyone knows you¡¯re a righteous person," Hu Fei retorted sarcastically, then switched back to the main topic, "There are many ways to make money, but if we are talking about the fastest and most convenient, there¡¯s only one way, gambling!"


    "Gambling?" Ling Chen immediately shook his head, "No, that¡¯s not possible, I¡¯ve emphasized to you, we can¡¯t do anything illegal."


    "Hey hey!" Hu Fei expressed his displeasure, "Gambling also varies between illegal and legal. In our country Huaxia, there are many legally protected forms of gambling, like the lottery and sports betting, which are actually a form of gambling just under a nicer name."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen showed interest and asked, "Do you have a way to guarantee winning?"


    "That¡¯s not the case, gambling is purely about luck, unless you cheat. Many ces offer horse betting, sports betting, and there are legitimate casinos; I think we can give those a try. With your abilities, winning a few million shouldn¡¯t be a problem. It¡¯s a decent option, you should consider it. From what I know, there¡¯s a luxury cruise ship around East Sea City¡¯s coastal area that primarily focuses on gambling and is frequented by the wealthy. This luxury cruise ship will dock at the port at five o¡¯clock in the afternoon and depart at six-thirty, returning to the port the next morning. There¡¯s still time now, if you¡¯re going, you need to prepare early."


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate much and agreed quickly. As long as it wasn¡¯t illegal, earning money through a legitimate casino was indeed an option.


    "Hey! Fatso, lend me some of your bank savings. If I win tonight, I¡¯ll return it to you with interest."


    "Come on! Why don¡¯t you ask Jiang Hao and them for money? That¡¯s all my hard-earned money, what if you lose?" Hu Fei was clearly reluctant.


    This guy... Ling Chen shook his head helplessly. When it came to money, this fatso just transformed into a different person.


    "Cut the crap, just prepare five million, and you¡¯lle with me." After saying that, without waiting for Hu Fei to refuse, Ling Chen had already picked up his instant noodles and left the office.


    Afternoon.


    Three o¡¯clock.


    Ling Chen, dressed in a crisp suit and apanied by Hu Fei, drove to the port of East Sea City.


    Just as Hu Fei mentioned, a luxury cruise ship was docked at the port, with luxury cars parked, and men in suits with apanyingdies streaming continuously, boarding the cruise ship.


    Ling Chen and Hu Fei arrived at the boarding ramp, ready to board. However, they were stopped by a staff member.


    "Gentlemen, you seem unfamiliar, is this your first time here?" The staff member asked politely, with a smile.


    "That¡¯s right."


    "Are you gentlemen familiar with our rules?"


    Ling Chen puzzled, asked, "There are rules?"


    "Of course, we only ept clients introduced by acquaintances, do you gentlemen have a referral?"


    Ling Chen turned his head to look at Hu Fei, why hadn¡¯t he mentioned this. Hu Fei innocently shook his head, indicating he wasn¡¯t aware either.


    "Can¡¯t you make an exception?" Ling Chen asked hopelessly.


    "Sorry, these are the rules, we don¡¯t have the authority to make exceptions, please understand."


    Just as he said that, Ling Chen sighed quietly, thinking his idea of getting rich through gambling might not work out.


    "Let them on, I¡¯ll vouch for them."


    Just then, a hearty voice came from behind.


    Ling Chen and Hu Fei turned their heads, looking at the middle-aged man who spoke, a smile immediately appearing on their faces.


    "President Yang, long time no see," Ling Chen greeted with a smile, quickly moving forward.


    The middle-aged man in front of them was none other than Yang Chengfeng, the chairman of Silver Star Entertainment. Ling Chen had met him a few times; though not very close, at least they weren¡¯t strangers.


    "Mr. Ling, it has indeed been a while since west met, I¡¯ve been waiting for you to visit me," Yang Chengfeng said politely.


    "I¡¯ll definitelye and bother you next time. President Yang, are you a regr here?"


    "I suppose, the pressure is too much sometimes, I asionallye here to rx. Mr. Ling, I haven¡¯t seen you here before, howe you suddenly became interested today?"


    Ling Chen casually replied, "Just bored, so I came to y with a friend."


    "Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s rare to meet friends. I¡¯ll cover tonight¡¯s expenses... however, I¡¯m not shouldering the gambling, haha!"


    Amidughter, the three of them stepped onto the luxury cruise.


    Since it was a luxury cruise, it naturally lived up to the ¡¯luxury¡¯ name. Upon entering the lobby, it immediately dazzled visitors, much like a splendid pce, with crystal chandeliers, marble floors, and gold walls as reflective as mirrors, everywhere exuding luxury. No wonder this ce was popr among the wealthy, it truly was a ce to unt one¡¯s status.


    Ling Chen took a ss of champagne from a passing waiter and followed Yang Chengfeng around, exploring the types of gambling avable.


    Being a major casino, it epassed almost every type of gambling, a feast for the eyes.


    "Mr. Ling, which type are you interested in?"


    Ling Chen looked around, then pointed to a gambling table not far away, saying, "I¡¯ll y the simplest one."

 Chapter 608 - 605: Losing Control in Anger (1)

    <h4>Chapter 608: Chapter 605: Losing Control in Anger (1)</h4><subtxt> Ling Chen chose the ckjack table, a rtively simple gambling game that mainly relies on luck, with not much skill involved.


    "Fatty." Ling Chen patted Hu Fei on the shoulder and said, "Go get me two million in chips."


    With a face full of resentment, Hu Fei nced at Ling Chen. Out of consideration for Yang Chengfeng who was still beside them, he suppressed his heartache, didn¡¯t say a word, and obediently ran to the chip exchange to get two million in chips.


    Seeing Ling Chen exchange so much in chips at once, Yang Chengfeng couldn¡¯t help but advise, "Mr. Ling, small bets make for good fun, but big bets harm the body. It¡¯s fine to y, but there¡¯s no need to bet so big."


    "President Yang, what¡¯s the usual bet size here?"


    "It depends on the person. There are ones in thousands, tens of thousands, andmonly in hundreds of thousands. If it¡¯s winning or losing over a million, then you have to go to the VIP room. There, the minimum bet starts at a million, with no ceiling. As long as you have money, you can bet as big as you want. However, to y in the VIP room, you must receive an invitation from the host. My usual betting is around several hundred thousand, I¡¯ve never been to the VIP room, and I¡¯m not interested in burning money in that kind of ce."


    After hearing Yang Chengfeng¡¯s exnation, Ling Chen immediately lost interest in the game before him. Winning or losing just tens of thousands, when would that be enough to gather forty million? Since he was here, he had to bet big.


    Hu Fei could understand Ling Chen¡¯s thoughts and said, "Try your luck first, and if it¡¯s not working out, I¡¯ll take over."


    "Alright then." Ling Chen nced at the just-started betting round on the table, and casually threw down a chip. Fifty thousand!


    The dealer dealt the cards, one face-up and one face-down.


    The face-up card was a King, and the face-down card was a seven, totaling seventeen points. Although not yet twenty-one, it was not far off, neither good nor bad.


    ckjack is about who has the total value of cards nearest to twenty-one, and going over means busting out, losing straight away.


    After dealing two cards, Ling Chen, as the yer, could choose to draw more cards or not. After some thought, he decided to pass, not taking any more cards. Seventeen points was already quite high; now it was just a matter of what the dealer had.


    When no one else wanted more cards, the dealer began to reveal his hand: a ten, a three, and another seven, totaling twenty points, higher than all the other yers at the table.


    In less than two or three minutes, fifty thousand was gone, causing Hu Fei, who was watching, to feel incredibly pained.


    In less than half an hour, Ling Chen yed five rounds, losing each and every one without a single win, whittling down the two million in chips by two to three hundred thousand.


    "Why don¡¯t I take over, your luck is awful." Hu Fei couldn¡¯t stand to watch anymore; at this rate, two million wouldn¡¯t be enough to lose.


    "Enough, stop nagging. If you didn¡¯t talk so much, would I lose?" Ling Chen responded, clearly irritated.


    With that said, not waiting for Hu Fei to say anything more, Ling Chen, clutching the remaining chips, headed straight for the one hundred thousand betting table.


    He threw down two hundred thousand in chips without even blinking and immediately asked the dealer to deal the cards.


    However, even after changing tables, Ling Chen¡¯s luck didn¡¯t turn, and he continued to lose. In less than half an hour, the chips had dwindled by four-fifths.


    Looking at the mere thirty thousand chips he had left, Ling Chen gritted his teeth and threw them all onto the table.


    "Don¡¯t do it..."


    "Shut up!" Ling Chen snapped at Hu Fei.


    Damn it! His luck today was truly terrible. He¡¯de here aiming to win money, but kept losing instead; even the usuallyposed Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but get anxious.


    Hu Fei held no hope for Ling Chen¡¯s rash move, staring intently at Ling Chen¡¯s hand. A nine and a seven, totaling sixteen points, a very small chance of winning.


    Ling Chen swept a nce at the calm croupier and said in a deep voice, "Deal again!"


    The croupier smiled faintly and passed a card over to Ling Chen. The card was revealed¡ªa Queen. That made twenty-six points, busted. Two million all lost in an instant.


    "Damn!" Ling Chen raised his fist and hammered down hard on the table, cursing, "I just can¡¯t believe I can¡¯t win even a single hand today. Go, get me another three million."


    Hu Fei couldn¡¯t help but advise, "Maybe you shouldn¡¯t, your luck today..."


    Before he could finish speaking, Ling Chen suddenly raised his foot and kicked fiercely at Hu Fei while cursing angrily, "Just go when I tell you to. What¡¯s with all the nonsense? If you keep whining, do you believe I¡¯ll p you?"


    For a moment, the attention of everyone in the casino was drawn by Ling Chen¡¯s voice. Everyone looked over, pointing and discussing animatedly.


    Seeing Ling Chen red-eyed from his losses and picking a fight with his friend, Yang Chengfeng hurriedly said, "Mr. Ling, it¡¯s just for fun, no need to get angry. You¡¯ve been ying for so long; you must be tired. How about we sit at the bar for a while, and have a drink to quench your thirst?"


    "I¡¯m not going!" Ling Chen raised his arm and brushed Yang Chengfeng¡¯s hand away, pointing at Hu Fei and continuing to scold, "I¡¯m giving you one minute to bring me ten million in chips. If you give me any more lip, don¡¯t me me for turning on you. President Yang, how much I lose is my business, it¡¯s not for you to worry about."


    Hearing this, Yang Chengfeng¡¯s expression stiffened, surprised by Ling Chen¡¯sck of courtesy.


    At this moment, Hu Fei patted the spot where Ling Chen had kicked him and, with a dark expression, walked over to the chip exchange. Shortly after, ten million in chips were delivered to Ling Chen.


    "Another round!"


    Ling Chen shouted at the croupier, directly tossing down a million in chips.


    "This..."


    The croupier said embarrassedly, "Sir, the maximum bet for this table is five hundred thousand. We can¡¯t take a million."


    "Damn! What are you trying to say? Say that again." Ling Chen bellowed, face flushed with anger, "I¡¯ve got plenty of money. I¡¯ll bet as much as I want. If you can¡¯t handle it, then don¡¯t run a casino here and just get the hell out."


    After being berated by Ling Chen, the croupier¡¯s face turned quite sour. He had seen gamblers lose their cool before, but never one socking in manners.


    At this point, the other gamblers around were watching themotion with interest, wondering how the casino would handle it.


    "President Yang."


    At that moment, a genial middle-aged man approached with a smile,ing up to Yang Chengfeng.


    "Manager Luo."


    Recognizing the neer, Yang Chengfeng immediately identified him as the person in charge of the casino, Luo Haiou.


    "President Yang, I¡¯ve been told by the staff that the gentleman is a friend you brought?"


    Yang Chengfeng nodded with an embarrassed look, apologetically saying, "Manager Luo, I¡¯m really sorry. My friend has a bit of a temper, I hope you can forgive him."


    "It¡¯s okay," Luo Haiou said with a smile, "I¡¯ve seen many guests like him. President Yang, your friend looks familiar; I feel like I¡¯ve seen him somewhere. Could you introduce me?"


    "He¡¯s Ling Chen, he works for the Hongyu Group."


    "Ling Chen..." Luo Haiou muttered to himself, a glint of recognition shing in his eyes, as the smile on his face grew even brighter.


    "Is he the boyfriend of Miss Nanrong, the Chairman of the Hongyu Group, Ling Chen?"</subtxt>

 Chapter 609 - 606: Losing Red-Eyed (2)

    <h4>Chapter 609: Chapter 606: Losing Red-Eyed (2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Yes," Yang Chengfeng nodded and asked, "Manager Luo, you also know him?"


    "Of course I do. Miss Nanrong is so famous, who hasn¡¯t heard of her boyfriend? It¡¯s just that I never had the chance to meet him." After saying this, Luo Haiou looked at Ling Chen, who was still arguing with the dealer, took a few steps forward, and smiled, "Mr. Ling."


    Ling Chen turned around, looked at Luo Haiou who was speaking, and said displeasingly, "Who are you? Move aside, don¡¯t disturb me from gambling."


    Luo Haiou didn¡¯t mind Ling Chen¡¯s tone at all, and said amiably, "Mr. Ling, the maximum bet at this table cannot exceed five hundred thousand. There¡¯s no need to make it hard for him. How about this, if you want to gamble big, I can take you to the VIP room, how does that sound?"


    "VIP room? What ce is that?"


    "The minimum stake there is one million, as long as you have the money, you can bet as much as you want," Luo Haiou said with a smile.


    "Money?" Ling Chen snorted lightly, "Do I look like someone whocks money?"


    Hearing the dialogue between Ling Chen and Luo Haiou, Yang Chengfeng¡¯s expression became a bit strange. He had clearly exined the rules of the VIP room to Ling Chen, why would he pretend not to know in front of Luo Haiou, could it be that he... Suddenly, Yang Chengfeng seemed to understand something.


    Luo Haiou said with a smile, "Of course Mr. Ling doesn¡¯tck money. This way, please, let me take you to the VIP room." After speaking, Luo Haiou turned his head to look at Yang Chengfeng and asked, "President Yang, do you have any interest in joining for fun?"


    "ying is out of the question, but to see and learn is possible."


    "Then pleasee along."


    Under Luo Haiou¡¯s lead, Ling Chen, Yang Chengfeng, and Hu Fei arrived at the luxurious cruise ship¡¯s VIP room. The so-called VIP room was actually not much different in decoration¡ªjust that the stakes were higher than outside. Moreover, there weren¡¯t many gambling tables here, only five in total. After all, not many people were eligible to gamble here.


    Upon entering the VIP room, Ling Chen nced around casually, and his gaze was immediately captured by a young man in a suit.


    Li Gang!


    Ling Chen narrowed his eyes, a faint smile ying at the corners of his mouth. Although he had met this man only once, he had a deep impression of him. During Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s birthday banquet, Li Gang had tried to embarrass him several times. If he remembered correctly, this guy seemed to be the son of the chairman of Dongyu Group, a wealthy second-generation, very rich.


    While Ling Chen was sizing up Li Gang, thetter also felt his gaze, slowly raised his head, and met Ling Chen¡¯s eyes. Eyes locked, Li Gang¡¯s expression darkened, and a cold glint shed in his eyes. After staring each other down for a few moments, Li Gang concealed his expression and continued ying cards without betraying anything.


    "Mr. Ling, the minimum bet here is one million, no upper limit, you can enjoy to your heart¡¯s content. If you need any help, just speak up, and I will try my best to meet your needs," Luo Haiou said with a smile.


    Ling Chen waved his hand impatiently, "Alright, I know." After saying that, he walked straight to a nearby gambling table. Hu Fei nced at Yang Chengfeng and hurriedly followed.


    Standing in front of the table, it was still ckjack.


    "Ling Chen, let¡¯s try a different game," Hu Fei whispered, "You¡¯re not lucky with this, you¡¯ve already lost several million outside and haven¡¯t won a single hand."


    Although he spoke softly, it was loud enough for everyone around the table to hear. For a moment, everyone turned to look at Ling Chen, their eyes filled with intense interest.


    "Why so much nonsense, get back up where you fell down. I refuse to believe that I can¡¯t win even one hand tonight." After speaking, Ling Chen directly threw two million worth of chips.


    "Deal."


    Two cards were dealt to him, Ling Chen looked at the face-up card, Old K, then held his breath, both nervous and anticipant, as he flipped over the face-down card.


    It was a Queen of Hearts!


    The two cards together added up to exactly twenty, infuriatingly close to twenty-one.


    Seeing this hand, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but grin with confidence. Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s smugughter, the surrounding gamblers couldn¡¯t resist shaking their heads and snickering to themselves.


    This kid really doesn¡¯t know how to y cards; even if he gets a good hand, he shouldn¡¯t show it off. Otherwise, if the dealer notices, it would only decrease his winnings substantially.


    Sure enough. Watching the radiant smile on Ling Chen¡¯s face, the dealer with an expressionless face flipped over his hole card and subtly furrowed his brow. Clearly, the number on that hole card was less than ideal.


    "Reveal!" Seeing no one else wanted a card, Ling Chen immediately called out, then eagerly flipped over his two cards for everyone to see.


    "Twenty." Ling Chen said with a grin, "Anyone have more than me?"


    The other idle yers didn¡¯t show much reaction, having anticipated Ling Chen¡¯s cards. It wasn¡¯t twenty-one, but it was still very good.


    "Reveal your cards, what are you waiting for?"


    Seeing the dealer hesitating to reveal his card, Ling Chen urged him immediately. Suddenly, everyone¡¯s attention focused on the dealer¡¯s hole card.


    The dealer¡¯s face-up card was a ten; if his hole card was a face card, then he would tie with Ling Chen.


    Feeling everyone¡¯s gaze, the dealer, expressionless, suddenly smiled, reaching out and flipping over his hole card.


    Ace of Spades!


    In an instant, the smile on Ling Chen¡¯s face froze and Hu Fei beside him started sweating profusely, continuously wiping his forehead with his sleeve.


    In ckjack, an Ace can either count as one or eleven, without any restrictions, and one can freely choose the value. Therefore, with this Ace and the ten, the dealer scored exactly twenty-one, decisively beating Ling Chen.


    Furthermore, by hitting twenty-one, the bet doubles. Ling Chen had ced two million, so he owed the dealer four million, instantly losing half of his ten million chips.


    "Dammit!" Ling Chen cursed unhappily, "Go again! Bet bigger this time." Saying so, he threw all six million onto the betting table.


    "Are you crazy!" Hu Fei¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Ling Chen. This guy just bet all his remaining chips.


    "Deal."


    Ling Chen ignored Hu Fei, his gaze fixed intently on the cards dealt to him, fingers tapping lightly on the table surface to ease his inner tension.


    Dozens of seconds passed.


    Ling Chen flipped his cards: twenty-two points, busted. In just two rounds, he had lost all ten million.


    "Damn it, I don¡¯t believe this bad luck." Ling Chen grabbed at his hair, his face flushed red as he said, "Go get me another twenty million."


    Hu Fei said with a troubled face, "We... didn¡¯t bring that much money."


    Ling Chen annoyed, "Don¡¯t you even have a card on you?"


    "How would I know you¡¯d lose this much?"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t be bothered with Hu Fei anymore and turned his head to Yang Chengfeng, saying, "President Yang, can you help me out? Lend me a few million first. I¡¯ll pay you back after we get off the boat."

 Chapter 610 - 607: Won a Game

    <h4>Chapter 610: Chapter 607: Won a Game</h4><h4></h4>


    "This..." Yang Chengfeng hesitated for a moment, unable to read Ling Chen¡¯s intentions, so he dared not agree casually.


    At this moment, Luo Haiou came over from the side and said with a smile, "Mr. Ling, if you didn¡¯t bring that much money, it¡¯s okay, we can provide some loan."


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up, and he asked, "How much can I borrow?"


    "With Ling Chen¡¯s status, naturally, as much as you want, but, we need to issue an IOU."


    "Okay, give me eighty million first."


    "No problem." Luo Haiou agreed very readily, immediately had someone bring over eighty million in chips, and handed over the prepared IOU for Ling Chen to sign and put his thumbprint on.


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t say anything further, he signed his name directly and pressed his red thumbprint. Afterpleting the IOU, carrying a tray with eighty million chips, he squeezed back to the gambling table, ready to throw a five million chip onto the table.


    Seeing this, Hu Fei hurriedly grabbed Ling Chen¡¯s arm and said with a pained expression, "Don¡¯t bet so much at once, your luck isn¡¯t good now, start with less, don¡¯t lose it all in one go."


    After hearing this, Ling Chen seemed to think it made sense, and he reduced the chips from five million to two million.


    However, in three consecutive rounds, Ling Chen lost them all, not winning even once.


    The gamblers around shook their heads secretly, with a look of staring at a fool on their faces. Knowing his own bad luck and still continuing to bet, and betting more and more, this is nothing if not foolish. Anyone with a bit of intelligence and self-control would not do this.


    At that moment, only to see Li Gang make his way through the crowd, he leaned on the gambling table and said with augh, "Mr. Ling, since you are in such a mood tonight, how about I join you for a game?"


    Ling Chen nced at Li Gang, and asked indifferently, "How do you want to y?"


    "Just the two of us alone bet, others can bet freely on either of us, how¡¯s that?" Li Gang looked provocatively at Ling Chen. He had seen Ling Chen continuously losing and he also heard that Ling Chen hadn¡¯t won a single game outside, having very bad luck. It just so happened that he had lost several tens of millions himself, and if he could win the chips from Ling Chen¡¯s hands, it would indeed make up for his losses.


    "Fine." Ling Chen agreed without thinking.


    Seeing Ling Chen agree so readily, Li Gang cautioned, "Let¡¯s get it straight first, no one is allowed to default on their debtster."


    "Don¡¯t worry, if anyone is going to default, it would be you, not me," said Ling Chen, as he pointed at the clock on the wall and continued, "It¡¯s eight o¡¯clock in the evening now, let¡¯s y till ten. Until the game ends, no one can withdraw. Do you have the guts?"


    Li Gang was slightly stunned, not expecting Ling Chen to set that condition.


    "Hmph!" Ling Chen scoffed disdainfully, "If you don¡¯t have the guts, just get lost, stop embarrassing yourself in front of me."


    Upon hearing this, Li Gang frowned, stood upright, and said coldly, "Let¡¯s do it, I¡¯m not afraid of you."


    "Good, deal the cards."


    As soon as his words fell, more than ten gamblers immediately pushed their chips towards Li Gang. All these people knew about Ling Chen¡¯s bad luck and thought of trying their luck to make a few million.


    Fortunately, everyone was just trying out, the bets ced weren¡¯trge, only a million or two each. Together with Li Gang¡¯s own stake, the total bets on the table were eighteen million. If Ling Chen lost, he would have to pay out eighteen million at a one-to-one rate. Conversely, if he won, he could take all eighteen million.


    The profit was huge, but the risk was equally great.


    Two minutes passed.


    The chips in Ling Chen¡¯s tray were reduced to less than forty million, having lost over thirty million in just two rounds.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s money was so easy to earn, the surrounding onlookers couldn¡¯t help it and sessively ced their bets on Li Gang¡¯s side.


    In the blink of an eye, the bet in front of Li Gang had reached over 40 million.


    This scene caught the eye of Luo Haiou, who immediately called an underling and whispered something into his ear. Soon, the underling was waiting nearby with chips and IOUs. If Ling Chen lost this round, these chips and IOUs would be sent over immediately.


    After all, with Nanrong Wanqing backing Ling Chen, Luo Haiou wasn¡¯t worried about Ling Chen defaulting on his debts.


    "Open! Open! Open!"


    At this moment, everyone held their breath, intently watching the face-down card in Li Gang¡¯s hand. As the corner of the card was flipped, a picture card was revealed.


    Twenty points!


    Seeing this score, everyone rxed. Now there was nothing to do but wait to collect the money.


    Ling Chen, with a solemn expression, picked up the face-down card on the table, pressing it into his palm, and gently lifted a corner with his thumb. Hu Fei, with a tense expression, leaned in trying to get a clear view of the card. However, before he could even see it, Ling Chen pressed the card back down to the table.


    "I don¡¯t want a card."


    Hearing Ling Chen speak, Li Gang smiled and said, "I don¡¯t want one either." With that, he flipped over his face-down card andugh proudly: "Twenty points, time to collect the money."


    Luo Haiou nced at Li Gang¡¯s card, a slight smile curling at the corners of his mouth, and he winked at his underling to pass over the chips that were prepared ahead of time.


    However, as the underling approached the table and was about to speak, Ling Chen suddenly grinned andughed: "Twenty points is high, but unfortunately, I have just a bit more than you."


    With that, Ling Chen flipped over his card underneath.


    A King and an Ace, exactly twenty-one points.


    The bet doubled, and the 40 million in front of Li Gang instantly increased to 90 million.


    With just one hand, Ling Chen not only recouped all his losses but also won several million more.


    Looking at the twenty-one points on the gambling table, Li Gang¡¯s face instantly turned sour. Not only him, but the other gamblers were also stunned. What was thought to be a guaranteed win was turned around by Ling Chen.


    However, although Ling Chen won this hand, nobody felt regretful. After all, they had won two to three hundred million just a while ago, and now it was as if they were simply returning it to him. There was still plenty of time and opportunities to turn the tables.


    As the game started again, there were still over 30 million in bets in front of Li Gang.


    Adjusting his state, Li Gang pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and said to the dealer, "Deal."


    One face-up card and one face-down card, three and nine, making twelve points in total¡ªtoo low for a strong chance to win. Holding his cards, Li Gang looked around at the people beside him, as if asking whether to continue drawing cards or not.


    "Draw."


    Almost everyone shouted in unison.


    Li Gang nodded and signaled the dealer, who promptly delivered a card to him.


    However, as soon as the card was revealed, Li Gang¡¯s eyes widened and his face became extremely ugly.


    It was a King!


    Direct bust.


    Seeing this, Li Gang forced himself to stay calm, looking at Ling Chen across the gambling table. If Ling Chen also bust, then it would be a tie for everyone.

 Chapter 611 - 608: Mr. Li Asking for Trouble

    <h4>Chapter 611: Chapter 608: Mr. Li Asking for Trouble</h4><h4></h4>


    However, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment often is.


    Ling Chen revealed his hidden cards, totaling eighteen points. Though not high, it was enough to beat Li Gang.


    In a blink, Ling Chen¡¯s te weed another thirty-plus million.


    Looking at the chips piling up in front of him, a smile blossomed on Ling Chen¡¯s face. It seemed Hu Fei was right; this really was the fastest way to make money. In such a short time, not only had he made the needed forty million, but he also had several million surplus, enough to assemble a production line.


    "Let¡¯s continue," said Ling Chen with a smile as he nced at Li Gang.


    "Don¡¯t be smug, thosest two rounds were just dumb luck," Li Gang said coldly.


    But even if it was dumb luck, it was still luck. And ckjack is all about luck. Seeing Ling Chen win two rounds in a row, the people following his bets had halved, leaving only over ten million in front of Li Gang.


    Of course, that was not the point. Witnessing Ling Chen¡¯s luck in the first two rounds, some gamblers began to try their luck by cing their bets on Ling Chen. Before long, there were nearly ten million in bets in front of Ling Chen.


    Seeing those chips, Li Gang¡¯s forehead involuntarily broke out into a cold sweat. At this point, how could he not be tense? If he lost this round, he would be down over ten million¡ªthat was no small sum.


    Li Gang took a deep breath, turned over the hidden cards in his hand, and said, "Neen points."


    "Sorry, but it¡¯s twenty-one again." Ling Chen flipped over his cards with a grin.


    In that instant, Li Gang seemed to freezepletely, watching Ling Chen¡¯s points in disbelief, his mouth agape, unable to utter a word.


    Twenty-one points meant he had to pay double the bet, nearly thirty million.


    Looking at the less than ten million in chips he had, Li Gang¡¯s face turned very unsightly. At this time, a staff member brought over a tray of chips and a promissory note to Li Gang. This was originally prepared for Ling Chen, but now it was used on Li Gang.


    With no other choice, the cash-strapped Li Gang had to sign the note, taking the eighty million in chips to clear his debts, still left with over fifty million in hand, enough to y a few more rounds.


    However, in less than half an hour, Ling Chen¡¯s luck only seemed to improve, not having lost a single hand. Gamblers who were initially betting on Li Gang all switched sides to Ling Chen.


    In a mere half-hour, Luo Haiou had ordered his men to deliver money to Li Gang twice, reaching over a hundred million, all on credit.


    Li Gang wiped the sweat from his forehead and checked the time. There was still more than an hour until ten o¡¯clock. If this continued, God knows how much he would lose. Even worse, the bets on Ling Chen were getting bigger and bigger, with almost every round wagering sixty to seventy million.


    Just two more wins and he could clear all his debts!


    Li Gang thought to himself.


    "Another round!" Li Gang gritted his teeth in determination and told the dealer to continue dealing cards.


    But once again, the scales of good fortune tipped in favor of Ling Chen. Not only did he win, but he also hit twenty-one points.


    At this moment, everyone was overjoyed. ying a game and cashing in hundreds of millions¡ªit¡¯s not something that happens every day.


    "Manager Luo, he¡¯s already borrowed almost three hundred million; are we still going to lend to him?" asked an underling in a low voice.


    "What¡¯s there to fear," Luo Haiou responded lightly, "Don¡¯t you know Mr. Li is the son of Dongyu Group¡¯s chairman? Dongyu Group is worth over ten billion; this bit of money is nothing. Keep lending, as much as he wants, we¡¯re not afraid he won¡¯t pay it back."


    At this time, Hu Fei, surrounded by mountains of chips, could not stop grinning. With so much money, not just one, but three production lines wouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    Ling Chen, with a hand on his nose, watched the unaffected Li Gang with a smile and asked, "Mr. Li, what¡¯s wrong? Not ying anymore? It¡¯s still early, just after nine o¡¯clock, don¡¯t forget our agreement."


    Heated upon hearing Ling Chen¡¯s mocking words, Li Gang suddenly looked up, pointed at Ling Chen, and yelled, "You¡¯re cheating."


    "Cheating?" Ling Chen was momentarily taken aback, but his smile grew wider as he replied, "Mr. Li, you can eat anything you want, but you can¡¯t just say anything. Which eye saw me cheating? Besides, with so many people around me, they would¡¯ve noticed if I were cheating."


    "That¡¯s right. Mr. Li, when you lose, you lose. The Li Family isn¡¯t short on money; don¡¯t lose your integrity too," someone immediately echoed from behind Ling Chen.


    With one person taking the lead, naturally, there followed a second. They had all made money thanks to Ling Chen, so of course, they sided with him¡ªwho would be foolish enough to help Li Gang? That would be utterly self-defeating.


    As the crowd began to berate him with variousments, Li Gang, holding back his rage, barked with a dark face: "If he isn¡¯t cheating, how could he possibly win every round? Even if his luck is good, it can¡¯t be to this extent." After speaking, Li Gang turned to Luo Haiou and said, "Manager Luo, you¡¯re the one in charge here, make a fair judgment. Do you think that¡¯s likely?"


    Luo Haiou said with a smile, "Gambling naturally involves winning and losing. I¡¯ve been watching you two gamble just now. Although my gambling skills are average, I¡¯m confident in my eyesight, and if anyone dares to cheat in front of me, they absolutely can¡¯t get past me. Mr. Li, I assure you, Mr. Ling has not cheated unless his cheating skills are so advanced they¡¯ve gone beyond what my eyes can detect."


    Li Gang, not willing to concede, shouted, "If he¡¯s that skilled, wouldn¡¯t that mean I¡¯m at a disadvantage?"


    "There¡¯s nothing that can be done about that. If Mr. Ling¡¯s cheating has reached that profound level, then you have to ept your loss. Oh, right! Mr. Li, I forgot to remind you that it was you who suggested betting, not Mr. Ling. Since you¡¯ve said it, you can¡¯t go back on your word. There¡¯s still an hour until ten o¡¯clock; you can keep ying. If you need money, just tell me. With Dongyu Group¡¯s wealth, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to loan you ten billion."


    "No, I¡¯m done ying. It¡¯s clear you¡¯re just after my money," Li Gang took two steps back, vigorously shaking his head, and shouted angrily, "I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m not that easy to deceive." After saying this, Li Gang flung his sleeves and walked out indignantly.


    "Mr. Li, where are you going?" Luo Haiou advanced two steps, blocking Li Gang¡¯s path, his smile unwavering. But those familiar with Luo Haiou knew that Li Gang was about to be in trouble.


    Li Gang, frowning, said, "Get out of my way, Luo, I want to get off this boat."


    "Mr. Li, we value integrity on this gambling boat. If you break your promise, you¡¯ll be added to the list of unwee guests."


    "Tch!" Li Gang scoffed, his face full of disdain as he said, "You think I care about ying here? Move! Don¡¯t block my way like a dog in the manger."

 Chapter 612 - 609: Making a Fortune

    <h4>Chapter 612: Chapter 609: Making a Fortune</h4><h4></h4>


    For Li Gang¡¯s insults, Luo Haiou didn¡¯t take them seriously; with a fake smile, he said, "Mr. Li, you can leave, but pay off the debt note from earlier first, then we can be clear."


    Seeing Luo Haiou¡¯s subordinate handing over five debt notes, Li Gang¡¯s face changed, and he snatched those notes, about to tear them. However, seeing his action, Luo Haiou swiftly grabbed Li Gang¡¯s wrist and twisted it gently.


    Crack!


    Apanied by a crisp sound, Li Gang¡¯s right arm was instantly dislocated.


    Ah!


    Amidst the screams, Li Gang¡¯s face turned pale, and he was in so much pain that tears were about to flow. As a wealthy second-generation, he had never experienced such pain from childhood to adulthood.


    Luo Haiou snorted softly, let go of his hand, and Li Gang¡¯s body immediately copsed to the ground.


    "Mr. Li, if you don¡¯t find a way to settle the debt tonight, don¡¯t think about leaving this ship," Luo Haiou said coldly, leaving no room for negotiation.


    "Drag him away, and release him only when the money is transferred."


    Several staff members didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately picked Li Gang up from the ground and dragged him out of the VIP hall.


    Watching Li Gang¡¯s screams disappear outside the VIP hall, Ling Chen looked at Luo Haiou in surprise; he didn¡¯t expect this guy to be a martial artist. Moreover, given the speed of Luo Haiou¡¯s actions, his skills were clearly strong. It¡¯s really surprising that a manager of a gambling ship had such capabilities.


    "Mr. Ling, everyone, I apologize for earlier, and thank you for your understanding," Luo Haiou said with a smiling face and a pleasant tone.


    Ling Chen politely said, "Not at all, we should be thanking Manager Luo for your help."


    "Mr. Ling, pleasee this way, I¡¯ll take you to exchange the chips."


    "Thanks!"


    After exchanging the chips, Ling Chen realized that during his bet with Li Gang earlier, he had won more than one hundred million. It hadn¡¯t taken long, yet arge sum of money had been credited to his ount. However, this was all thanks to Li Gang. If it weren¡¯t for his proposal to bet, letting others ce their bets even with his good techniques, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to win such arge amount of money so quickly.


    Of course, Hu Fei was the happiest. This guy is just a money lover, especially when it¡¯s such arge sum.


    "Mr. Ling, your chips have been exchanged into cash and deposited into your bank ount. Please check your phone."


    "No need." Ling Chen said with a smile: "I trust Manager Luo wouldn¡¯t deceive me."


    "Mr. Ling, if you don¡¯t want to continue gambling, I can arrange a guest room for you to rest overnight, and the ship will be docked early tomorrow morning."


    "Can¡¯t we leave now?"


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t really want to stay on this luxury cruise ship; since his goal had already been achieved, staying any longer would be a waste of time.


    Luo Haiou smiled slightly: "If Mr. Ling wants to return, I can prepare a speedboat for you."


    "That would be great, thank you."


    "Mr. Ling, please keep this well, if you ever want toe back, just show this card, and our staff will surely take good care of you."


    Ling Chen nced at the VIP card handed by Luo Haiou, didn¡¯t refuse, and simply pocketed it. Whether he would return in the future didn¡¯t matter; he would keep it just in case.


    Not long after, Ling Chen, Hu Fei, and Yang Chengfeng boarded the speedboat prepared by Luo Haiou, and headed straight for the port of East Sea City.


    "Mr. Ling, what was today¡¯s performance all about?" With no outsiders present, Yang Chengfeng spoke much more freely. Plus, he had also made a fair amount of money by betting with Ling Chen. Although it was only a few million, it was still a happy asion.


    Winning money makes everyone happy.


    "President Yang, you really can¡¯t escape your keen observation," Ling Chen said with a smile.


    Previously on the luxurious cruise, both he and Hu Fei were acting. Of course, he didn¡¯t inform Hu Fei beforehand; it was a spontaneous decision. Luckily, Hu Fei was smart enough to quickly catch on and cooperated with him in the act.


    Their initial quarrel was just to draw people¡¯s attention; subsequently, Luo Haiou being attracted was also within expectations. Later, when they entered the VIP room, Ling Chen deliberately showed weakness, losing every round just to arouse others¡¯ greed, making them think that his money was easy to win.


    As for Li Gang¡¯s proposal, that was unexpected. However, it yed right into Ling Chen¡¯s hands, making his earnings even easier.


    "Mr. Ling," Yang Chengfeng hesitated and then couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Is your luck really that good, to win every time?"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen smiled without responding.


    Luck?


    He was here to make money; relying solely on luck would have likely left him broke long ago. Without some tricks, how could he have been so sessful?


    As an expert on the Dragon List, secretly switching cards was a skill everyone should have. As long as one¡¯s hand speed and some concealment techniques were good enough, no one could detect it. Although Luo Haiou was also skilled, fortunately, his capabilities were far from matching his own, so there was no need to worry about being exposed.


    "President Yang, who owns that gambling boat?"


    Yang Chengfeng shook his head and said, "I really don¡¯t know, the gambling boat has been operating for a long time. All I know is that Luo Haiou is the manager; as for the shadowy owner behind the scenes, no one has ever seen him."


    While they talked, the motorboat was already approaching the port of East Sea City.


    Yang Chengfeng had apany car for pick up and drop off, while Ling Chen drove himself. After saying goodbye to each other, Ling Chen and Hu Fei immediately took a car back to the Old City.


    Upon entering the office, Hu Fei immediately sat down at theputer, eagerly opened his ount, and gawked at the eight-figure sum,ughing foolishly.


    "Fatty, transfer ten million out as repayment for my previous debt; use the rest to purchase equipment. Remember, this matter cannot be dyed, it must be handled quickly, I urgently need that equipment."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I know." After saying that, Hu Fei happily transferred ten million to his own ount.


    After sleeping in the courierpany for one night, early the next morning, Ling Chen drove back to Wealthy Manor alone.


    Now that his arrest warrant had been withdrawn, he no longer had to worry about Lonely Wolf¡¯s people harming him.


    Upon entering the vi, there was no one in the living room. Ling Chen called out twice, but neither Nanrong Wanqing nor Su Lin responded.


    Strange, why is there no one at home, where have they all gone?


    Ling Chen thought to himself, noticing even Nanny Wang was nowhere to be seen.


    Right away, Ling Chen went to the vi next door where Nanrong Hao lived. He knocked on the door and saw Nanrong Hao leaning against the sofa, feet up on the coffee table, holding a game controller and ying video games.


    "Chen?"


    Seeing Ling Chen enter, Nanrong Hao dropped his controller, stood up with a face full of surprise.


    "When did youe back?"


    "Just entered. By the way, where are your sister and the others, why is there no one?"


    Nanrong Hao said in surprise, "Chen, don¡¯t you know?"


    "What should I know?"


    "Oh!" Nanrong Hao pped his forehead and said with an embarrassed smile, "I nearly forgot, you weren¡¯t at home these past few days, you might not know about this."

 Chapter 613 - 610: Technology Transfer

    <h4>Chapter 613: Chapter 610: Technology Transfer</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen looked at Nanrong Hao with a puzzled expression and asked, "What¡¯s the matter? Make it clear."


    "They¡¯ve all gone to thepany. I heard from my cousin that it seems a very important guest has arrived at thepany, and they got there yesterday. Since yesterday until now, both sister and cousin have stayed at thepany and haven¡¯te back."


    Upon hearing this, Ling Chen thought it odd. What could be so important that neither of them has gone back home.


    "I¡¯ll go to thepany to check on them. Do you want toe with me?"


    "Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll drive."


    Leaving the Nanrong residence, Ling Chen and Nanrong Hao got into the car and drove straight out of Wealthy Manor towards the headquarters of Hongyu Group.


    In about half an hour, the two arrived at the underground parking garage.


    Ding!


    The elevator doors opened, and Ling Chen, with Nanrong Hao, arrived at thepany¡¯s top floor, only to find the office desk by the wall empty. Usually, Wang Lan works there, but today is not Sunday, nor is it mealtime yet¡ªWang Lan was unexpectedly missing, with no clue where she might have gone.


    As they pondered, the two approached the CEO¡¯s office door and reached out to push it open. However, at that moment, the door of the office was opened from the inside.


    "Mr. Ling, Mr. Nanrong!"


    Ling Chen looked at Wang Lan inside the door, cracked a slight smile, and said, "I thought you had taken the day off. Is the CEO and Miss Su in there?"


    "Miss Su is tending to matters with the guest; the CEO is resting in the room," replied Wang Lan, stifling a yawn and rubbing her dark circles, "We¡¯ve all been busy overnight and hardly slept. Miss Su is worried about the CEO¡¯s health, so she let her rest first."


    Ling Chen curiously asked, "What guest?"


    It must be a significant matter if they were busy all night.


    Wang Lan shook her head, "I don¡¯t know who that person is, but the CEO is being very polite to them, not daring to offend at all. Moreover, that person is so rude, acting as if this ce belongs to them, bossing people around without any disregard for the CEO."


    Hearing Wang Lan¡¯sints, Ling Chen grew even more curious about the guest¡¯s identity. Who could it be that even Nanrong Wanqing would show deference to and not dare to offend?


    After a moment of thought, Ling Chen said, "Haozi, you wait outside for a bit; I¡¯ll go in and check on your sister."


    With that, Ling Chen pushed the door open and went into the office, heading straight for the private rest area at the back. Upon opening the room¡¯s door, he saw Nanrong Wanqing lying on the single bed, covered with a thin nket, beside which a wheelchair was ced.


    ording to Wang Lan, Nanrong Wanqing had not been resting for long and was already deep asleep, indicating she must have been extremely tired the night before.


    Ling Chen walked on tiptoe to the bedside and admired the delicate features of Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s beautiful face. The sleeping Nanrong Wanqing looked just like a three-year-old child, with rosy cheeks like tempting red apples, inciting the desire to take a bite.


    Listening to her faint breathing, Ling Chen pulled the nket up a bit to cover her exposed body and then took a few fleece coats out of the wardrobe toy over the nket, preventing Nanrong Wanqing from catching a cold.


    Originally, he wanted to ask Nanrong Wanqing for a clear exnation, but seeing that she was already asleep, Ling Chen didn¡¯t have the heart to disturb her. After a night of hard work, she deserved a good rest.


    Leaving the rest area, Ling Chen stepped outside the office and asked, "Lan, where did Miss Su take the guest?"


    "It seems like they went to the finance office."


    Ling Chen nodded, then called Nanrong Hao and went straight to the elevator to the floor where the finance office was located.


    Before entering the finance office, Ling Chen saw Su Lin through the transparent ss of the finance office. At that moment, Su Lin was talking non-stop beside two middle-aged men in suits and leather shoes. Nearby, several finance staff members were typing on their keyboards, printing documents.


    Nanrong Hao took the lead, pushed open the door of the finance office, and weed Ling Chen in.


    "Ling Chen?"


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s arrival, Su Lin was a bit surprised and hurried over, asking, "What brings you here?"


    "I heard you¡¯ve been busy all night and haven¡¯t gone home, so I brought Haozi to check on you." After speaking, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze shifted, sizing up the two men in suits. At that moment, they were also observing him, their eyes revealing a sharpness.


    "Who are these two?"


    "They are from the military."


    The military?


    Ling Chen was taken aback, a hint of surprise shing in his Mo Che-like pupils. What were military people doing here?


    With thoughts racing, Ling Chen strode forward and asked, "Gentlemen, which department do you belong to?"


    One of the men in suits looked down his nose at Ling Chen with an air of arrogance, responding indifferently, "What¡¯s it to you?"


    "The chairman of Hongyu Group is my future wife, so tell me, does it concern me?"


    "So, you are that Ling Chen."


    "You know me?"


    "Not personally, but when we came here, we were instructed that if we encounter you, to convey a message: don¡¯t meddle in things you shouldn¡¯t. We are handling national affairs. If you do something harmful to the national interest, don¡¯t me us for not being polite."


    "National interest?"


    Ling Chen frowned and looked back at Su Lin, asking, "What are they trying to do?"


    Su Lin didn¡¯t say anything, just handed a document to Ling Chen. After skimming it for a moment, Ling Chen¡¯s face fell. He turned back sharply to face the two men in suits, his tone growing colder as he said, "This is your so-called national interest? This looks more like robbery to me."


    Originally, under Ling Chen¡¯s intermediation, Hongyu Group and the military had signed a contract to share exoskeleton armor technology. ording to the contract, the military allowed Hongyu Group to build a military factory to produce exoskeleton armors for military equipment. However, for some reasons, Nanrong Wanqing abandoned the idea of establishing the military factory and instead transferred the production rights to the military, with Hongyu Group only responsible for collecting a certain profit each year.


    But the document Su Lin had just given to Ling Chen was a transfer contract. Hongyu Group was transferring all the rights to use and produce the exoskeleton armor technology to the military, essentially letting the military buy out this technological patent in one go. If the military¡¯s price was reasonable, Ling Chen would have no objections. But the problem was that the price on the transfer contract was just a few billion. Given the advanced nature of the exoskeleton armor technology, this price was practically daylight robbery.


    "No, I cannot ept this."


    One of the men in suits coldly said, "Ling Chen, whether you ept it or not doesn¡¯t matter to me. What¡¯s key is that Miss Nanrong has already agreed."


    Agreed?


    Ling Chen looked at Su Lin baffled, asking, "Is this true?"


    Su Lin nodded helplessly and said, "Wanqing did indeed agree." As she spoke, Su Lin nced at the two men in suits, leaned slightly forward, and whispered faintly, "Originally Wanqing didn¡¯t agree, but I don¡¯t know what they said, and she actually epted."

 Chapter 614 - 611 Military Threats

    <h4>Chapter 614: Chapter 611 Military Threats</h4><h4></h4>


    "Do you know what they told Wanqing?"


    "I¡¯m not sure, they sent me away at that time. Later, I went to ask Wanqing, but she didn¡¯t mention a word about it, and there was nothing I could do."


    Ling Chen frowned secretly and his gaze towards the two men in suits turned very unfriendly, with a faint glint of cold light in the depths of his eyes.


    Threat!


    These two bastards must have threatened Nanrong Wanqing to force herpliance with their demands.


    Feeling the chill in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, one of the older men in suits spoke up sharply, "Ling Chen, don¡¯t forget your previous identity. As a soldier, even though you are now retired, you should still prioritize national interests."


    Ling Chen said indifferently, "I have neverpromised national interests, but if it really was the intention of the nation, I believe they wouldn¡¯t be so stingy. Wanqing has agreed to your terms, but as long as the contract hasn¡¯t been signed, nothing is final. Haozi!"


    "Chen, what do you need?"


    "Take them to the reception room, get Wei to send a few people over, make sure to keep a close watch on these two. Without my permission, no one is allowed to let them go." After speaking, Ling Chen turned and walked towards the finance office.


    Watching Ling Chen¡¯s departing figure, the two men in suits looked at each other with somewhat ugly expressions, and in the depths of their eyes, there was a hint of panic.


    "Ling Chen, stop right there!"


    However, Ling Chen seemed deaf to their rebukes and mmed the door shut with a ¡¯bang¡¯.


    Back in the chairman¡¯s office, Ling Chen didn¡¯t want to disturb Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s rest, but he couldn¡¯t let her unknowingly transfer the exoskeleton armor technology at a throwaway price. Over the years, Nanrong Wanqing had invested enormous sums of money in this technology; even several billion in transfer fees wouldn¡¯t cover the costs.


    "Wanqing." Ling Chen gently pushed her, whispering her name in her ear.


    In a daze, Nanrong Wanqing fluttered her eyshes, her eyes glittering like stars slowly opened, and seeing Ling Chen¡¯s distinctively featured face, her sleepiness vanished mostly at once, and she sat up in bed, eximing with surprise, "You¡¯re back!"


    Ling Chen nodded and asked, "Let¡¯s not talk about that first. I heard from Su Lin that you¡¯re nning to undersell the patent rights for the exoskeleton technology?"


    "They are from the military..."


    Hearing this, before Nanrong Wanqing could continue, Ling Chen waved his hand and said, "What about the military? Does being in the military justify cheating and deceiving? If we¡¯re doing business, we should be sincere. Whatever the price should be, it should at least not cause us to lose money. You have been the chairman for so many years, don¡¯t you understand this?"


    Nanrong Wanqing said softly, "It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t understand, it¡¯s just..."


    "Just what?"


    Nanrong Wanqing hesitated for a moment, then shook her head, "Nothing."


    But her hesitating expression couldn¡¯t escape Ling Chen¡¯s eyes. Seeing that she was reluctant to speak, he said, "Su Lin told me that those two men had a private conversation with you, what exactly did they say to you?"


    "I can¡¯t say."


    "Why? Is there something you can¡¯t say in front of me?"


    "No, I didn¡¯t mean that," Nanrong Wanqing said anxiously, "Just don¡¯t ask, I¡¯ve already agreed to it. Besides, whether it¡¯s several billion or tens of billions, for Hongyu Group, it¡¯s just a drop in the bucket, the amount doesn¡¯t matter."


    "That¡¯s uneptable."


    Ling Chen could see that there was definitely a problem with this situation, but Nanrong Wanqing refused to say. Clearly, whatever made her do this was not simple.


    Threat!


    A thought shed through Ling Chen¡¯s mind. It must have been those two men threatening Nanrong Wanqing, making her fearful and unwilling to disclose it to him.


    Thinking this, a wave of nameless anger surged in Ling Chen¡¯s heart.


    Damn it! Having spent so many years with the Ghosts, I was part of the military, and now they¡¯re bullying me? Do they really think I don¡¯t have a temper?


    "Wanqing." Ling Chen looked directly into Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s eyes, pausing on every word, "Tell me the truth, what exactly did they say to you?"


    "I..."


    Before Nanrong Wanqing could finish, Ling Chen cut her off, saying sternly, "Just remember, no matter what they said, it¡¯s not enough to threaten you or me."


    After speaking, Ling Chen watched Nanrong Wanqing, quietly waiting for her to speak.


    After a while, Nanrong Wanqing, deep in thought, finally chose to be honest.


    "They came to me and said, if I didn¡¯t agree to their demands, they would have you arrested."


    "Arrest me?" Ling Chen felt amused and asked, "Did they mention why?"


    "They said you were guilty of murder. Recently, many bodies were discovered in East Sea City, and apparently, they¡¯re all rted to you. They told me they have sufficient evidence to prove that you killed those people."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen immediately understood.


    Recently, the God Organization had repeatedly sent people to cause trouble, all of whom he had dealt with. Murder, he indeed hadmitted, but those he killed were deserving of their fate. Previously, with the old general¡¯s protection, even aftermitting murder, no one dared to touch him. Now that the old general had stepped back, it seemed someone was using this as an excuse to trouble him.


    Who could it be?


    Ling Chen thought to himself. He knew most of the high-ranking officials in the military, although he hadn¡¯t interacted much with them, he at least had a rough understanding; there was no reason for those people to trouble him.


    After thinking, Ling Chen took out his phone and directly called Tang Yuan.


    "I wasn¡¯t aware of this; I haven¡¯t even heard about it," Tang Yuan expressed surprise over the phone after learning of the situation.


    "Tang Yuan, are you sure those two are people sent by the military?"


    "That shouldn¡¯t be a problem. I checked their IDs; they are all genuine. With my eye for detail, if the credentials were fake, I could spot them instantly; there¡¯s no way they could deceive me."


    "That¡¯s strange then; we didn¡¯t receive any news on our end. Besides, the coboration with Hongyu Group was initiated by the Ghosts, and although Ghosts have disbanded, Lonely Wolf is still around. If there¡¯s any negotiation to be done, it should be Lonely Wolf taking the initiative, not some military personnel acting on their own. Hang on, let me go find Mr. Han; he was the person who negotiated initially, he might know the situation."


    "Alright, hurry up, let me know once you find out anything."


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen looked at Nanrong Wanqing and said, "Don¡¯t worry about this matter; just rest here peacefully, I¡¯ll handle it."


    Nanrong Wanqing, concerned, said, "Try not to conflict with them, I don¡¯t want you to get into trouble."


    "There¡¯s no need to worry for me. Those two guys... huh! They¡¯re not worthy enough to conflict with me."

 Chapter 615 - 612 Where Did It Go

    <h4>Chapter 615: Chapter 612 Where Did It Go</h4><h4></h4>


    After leaving the rest room, Ling Chen went straight to the reception room. Upon entering, he saw the two men in suits whispering to each other at the long table under the supervision of Wei Jun and others, discussing something unknown.


    When they saw Ling Chen entering, the two men in suits immediately looked up, their faces disying their displeasure at his arrival.


    "Ling Chen, we are military officials. By arbitrarily restricting our freedom, we canpletely sue you, you..."


    "Shut up!" Ling Chen snapped coldly. After speaking, he gestured with his eyes to Wei Jun and Nanrong Hao to take the people out first.


    Once they left, Ling Chen brought a chair over and sat down in front of the two men in suits. He asked, "Speak, who exactly instructed you to do this? Don¡¯t give me any talk of national interest, those lies might deceive others, but not me."


    The slightly older man in a suit frowned and said, "Ling Chen, what kind of attitude is this? Don¡¯t think that just because you spent a few days in the military before, you can act recklessly in front of us. I¡¯m telling you, you¡¯d better be polite, otherwise don¡¯t me us for not being courteous."


    "Is that so?" Ling Chen¡¯s mouth curled into a half-smile as he looked at them both, saying, "In that case, I¡¯d like to see what exactly you n to do to me."


    "You..." The man¡¯s face darkened as he suddenly stood up and red at Ling Chen, as if he was about to reach out and grab Ling Chen¡¯s cor. However, before his hand touched Ling Chen, hispanion stopped him. Thepanion grabbed his hand and shook his head at him, indicating he should not act rashly.


    With hispanion¡¯s reminder, the man seemed to realize something and his gaze shifted towards Ling Chen, now tinted with a hint of fear.


    Seeing the other party sit down again, Ling Chen said with a hint of disappointment, "I thought you guys were more capable than that." Before Ling Chen could speak again, a pleasant ringtone suddenly rang out from his pocket.


    Pulling out his phone, Ling Chen looked at the iing caller ID and immediately smiled. Standing up from the chair, he walked over to the window of the reception room and answered the call.


    "Tang Yuan, I just inquired with Mr. Han."


    "What¡¯s the situation?"


    "The military highmand didn¡¯t make this decision and did not send anyone to East Sea City to talk to Miss Nanrong."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s frown deepened and he said, "But I¡¯ve checked their IDs and documents; they¡¯re all real."


    "I looked into it for you. Those two you mentioned, one is called Wang Tong and the other, Tang Wei, have worked in the military office for many years. They took leave the other day, iming they were going home to visit family."


    "Going home turns out to being to East Sea City? Heh! How interesting."


    "Tang Yuan, this matter is probably not simple. Those two are just cannon fodder; the real mastermind must be someone else. I think, to get their hands on legitimate documents, there must be a person of immense power and influence backing them."


    "Old Tang, you¡¯re not suggesting..."


    "You should understand what I mean."


    "Got it."


    In a sh, Ling Chen understood what Tang Yuan was implying.


    God Organization!


    Ling Chen was all too aware of the capabilities of the God Organization. In other countries, the organization¡¯s influence had already prated both military and political spheres, but only Huaxia had been covertly on guard, hence avoiding infiltration so far. However, considering the current situation, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but suspect that the mastermind behind all this might be the God Organization.


    What puzzled Ling Chen, however, was that by doing this, the God Organization would expose itself. Besides, the God Organization already had the technology for exoskeleton armor, so why go through all this trouble? It didn¡¯t make sense.


    Thinking it over, Ling Chen nced at the two men in suits and asked, "How should we deal with these two guys?"


    "I¡¯ve notified the police. Leave it to them, and you don¡¯t have to worry about it. When it¡¯s time, they will be brought back for Lonely Wolf to interrogate."


    "Okay." After that, Ling Chen suddenly remembered something and asked, "By the way! One more thing, has the leader of Lonely Wolf been chosen yet?"


    "Not yet, a few candidates have been selected, but they need to pass the scrutiny of the higher-ups."


    "Mr. Han must be on the list, right?"


    "No," Tang Yuan replied with a hint of resignation. "Mr. Han didn¡¯t make any major mistakesst time in helping you, but there was still a misstep. Considering this, the upper echelons revoked his candidacy. I guess he might continue as the second-inmand."


    Ling Chen sighed, "I let him down."


    "Stop worrying about it, Mr. Han doesn¡¯t me you. He was willing to help you. Alright, that¡¯s it for now, I have other matters. We¡¯ll talkter."


    After ending the call, Ling Chen put his phone back into his pocket and turned to leave the reception room.


    "Ling Chen!"


    Wang Tong and Tang Wei, seeing Ling Chen ignore them and leave directly, couldn¡¯t help but call out. However, Ling Chen didn¡¯t stop at all, and as the door closed, their voices were left behind inside the room.


    Since Tang Yuan had already rified the truth, there was no need for him to waste further words on these two men.


    Back at the lobby of the Hongyu Group headquarters, Ling Chen saw several policemen arriving from outside. Tang Yuan was efficient; he must have informed the police even before giving him a call.


    Seeing the leading policeman walking towards him, Ling Chen greeted him with a smile.


    Ling Chen had been to the police station quite a few times, and the policeman in front of him often apanied Xia Mutong, so he recognized him.


    "Officer Xiao, why are you leading the team today? Where¡¯s Officer Xia?"


    "I don¡¯t know, we haven¡¯t seen Captain Xia for quite a few days."


    "Not seen her?" Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed abruptly, asking, "What do you mean, didn¡¯t she go to work?"


    "No, I¡¯ve tried contacting Captain Xia everywhere, but she hasn¡¯t shown up, and nobody¡¯s at home, don¡¯t know where she went. Captain Xia has been on duty for many years and has never taken leave. Suddenly disappearing like this, everyone¡¯s worried."


    This was new!


    Ling Chen frowned, thinking... had Xia Mutong not returned to East Sea City after their trip to Changling City? If that were the case, then where did she go? Surely, someone like her couldn¡¯t just get lost.


    This thought caused Ling Chen to be concerned.


    It had been a week since he came back from Changling City, which meant Xia Mutong had been missing for a week.


    "Officer Xiao, as far as I know, Officer Xia went to Changling City a while ago. Maybe you should check with colleagues there and see if you can find any clues."


    "Changling City? Okay, I got it!"


    Returning to the chairman¡¯s office, Ling Chen¡¯s mind was still preupied with Xia Mutong¡¯s matter. Xia Mutong had helped him a great deal; if anything happened to her, he would be to me.

 Chapter 616 - 613 Genetic Mutation

    <h4>Chapter 616: Chapter 613 Gic Mutation</h4><h4></h4>


    "Ling Chen, what about those two people?"


    Upon hearing Su Lin¡¯s inquiry, Ling Chen snapped back to reality and casually said, "Those two were swindlers and have already been taken away by the police."


    "Swindlers?"


    Ling Chen nodded, "Enough about them. You¡¯ve been busy all night, better get some rest."


    As he spoke, his phone rang again from his pocket.


    Looking at the iing caller ID, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes brightened as he quickly answered, "Mr. He, have you returned? Good, I understand, I¡¯ll be there shortly."


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen turned to Nanrong Hao and said, "Haozi, take care of your sister, I need to step out for an urgent matter."


    With those words, Ling Chen hurriedly ran out of the office and took the elevator straight to the underground parking garage.


    Half an hourter, Ling Chen drove quickly to Qingyun Martial Arts Hall.


    Upon entering, he saw several fully armed men in suits walking around the spacious courtyard, securing the entirety of the Martial Arts Hall tightly.


    As Ling Chen appeared, the suited men scrutinized him and after ensuring there was no threat, they let him pass.


    Entering the main hall, Ling Chen looked at He Ziyun, sitting there, and asked, "Mr. He, what¡¯s the deal with those men outside?"


    "They are here to protect Nanrong Yuan. Although I was allowed to bring Nanrong Yuan to East Sea City, he¡¯s a high-risk criminal and they don¡¯t fully trust the security here, thus they sent protection. Let¡¯s not worry about them for now,e with me, I¡¯ll take you to meet Nanrong Yuan."


    Following Mr. He, soon Ling Chen found himself outside a room. Observing the security stationed at the door, he thought to himself how seriously they were taking Nanrong Yuan¡¯s security, which likely meant Nanrong Yuan would struggle to regain his freedom.


    Entering the room, Ling Chen nced around and his gaze instantlynded on Nanrong Yuan.


    At the moment, Nanrong Yuany on a bed covered with a thick nket, looking somewhat pale with an IV needle in his hand.


    Around his head, a bandage was wrapped, indicating his injuries weren¡¯t fully healed.


    "Mr.... Mr. Nanrong," Ling Chen almost called him Mr. Yun, but quickly corrected himself after remembering Nanrong Yuan¡¯s true identity.


    "Take a seat," said Nanrong Yuan, pointing to a chair nearby. Though he looked weak, he appeared to be in good spirits.


    "How¡¯s Wanqing?"


    "She¡¯s fine."


    Nanrong Yuan smiled in relief, "That¡¯s good to hear. I was told by Mr. He that it was you who requested to transfer me from Beijing to East Sea City?"


    "Yes, there¡¯s something I need to consult you about."


    "Go ahead."


    "When you defected from the God Organization, it was because they discovered you had developed a new technology and wanted to seize it for themselves."


    "That¡¯s right."


    "Where did you hide that technology¡¯s data? Is it on Wanqing?" Ling Chen asked, looking at Nanrong Yuan.


    Nanrong Yuan nodded, "I¡¯ve warned you before, Wanqing is the key, and I think you might have guessed it." He paused, then continued, "Do you remember, a few months ago, I tricked Wanqing onto that ind and injected her with a serum that cured her legs?"


    "I remember."


    "Actually, by that time, I had already mastered that new technology. For safety, while Wanqing was unconscious, I had someone imnt that technology into her body. This way, as long as my identity remained hidden, no one would discover the new technology."


    "Unfortunately, you miscalcted," Ling Chen remarked.


    Hearing this, Nanrong Yuan¡¯s expression changed, and he straightened up from his reclined position.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Not long ago, the God Organization captured Wanqing and conducted some sort of experimentation on her. By the time I rescued her, her legs had reverted to their original state. Not only that, but the God Organization also conducted a new experiment on two of my friends, causing them to lose their minds and turn into terrifying killing machines. So, I believe the God Organization must have obtained the data of that new technology. You are most familiar with it since it was developed by your team."


    Nanrong Yuan pondered for a while and then said somberly, "If that¡¯s the case, you might be in great danger. Although the technology is powerful, it still has its ws. Of course, these ws are only in terms of what my technology could perfect. The God Organization is different; they¡¯ve been researching this area for decades and are far more experienced, with far superior facilities and team. Given enough time, they could perfect that new technology."


    "After all this discussion, you haven¡¯t told us what this new technology is used for."


    "Gic mutation."


    Gic mutation?


    Ling Chen and Mr. He exchanged nces, both filled with shock.


    "Human weakness mainly arises from gic issues. If genes are enhanced, it unlocks limitless possibilities. However, gene fusion has always been an insurmountable challenge that few have seeded in oveing. Untilst year, my research team discovered a molecule that could neutralize human genes with other genes, achieving a breakthrough in gene fusion."


    Continuing, Nanrong Yuan picked up a cup of tea, took a sip, and went on, "To put it simply, human genes and animal genes are difficult to merge, but after searching millions of organisms, we finally found a special gene variant in a deep-sea worm. This gene could act as a neutralizer, perfectlybining the two types of genes. As genes are fortified, human physical capabilities can be significantly enhanced. Now do you understand the key point of this new technology?"


    Ling Chen nodded, his expression turning grave.


    "Mr. Nanrong, if someone undergoes this gic mutation experiment, can they ever revert to their original state?"


    "This... I cannot be certain. When this new technology was first developed, I conducted a few experiments. Although the subjects sessfully underwent gic mutation, all of them died during our attempts to reverse the procedure, so I cannot guarantee recovery."


    "From what you¡¯re saying, does that mean my two friends are beyond help?"


    "I can¡¯t give a definitive answer. However, I personally believe that if anyone could reverse the experiment, it might only be possible by the God Organization."


    The God Organization again!


    Ling Chen frowned, considering his and the God Organization¡¯s rtionship, they were unlikely to help him.


    What a troublesome matter.


    In contemtion, he suddenly heard Nanrong Yuan ask, "Ling Chen, about Wanqing now..."


    "She already knows about your identity."


    Upon hearing this, Nanrong Yuan¡¯s face changed instantly, and he asked nervously, "Then... did she say anything?"

 Chapter 617 - 614: Strange Incoming Call

    <h4>Chapter 617: Chapter 614: Strange Iing Call</h4><h4></h4>


    Facing Nanrong Yuan¡¯s expectant gaze, Ling Chen was at a loss for words momentarily.


    "Mr. Nanrong, you and Wanqing are father and daughter. Regardless of whether she can understand your actions, I believe she will forgive you," Ling Chen considered his words for a moment before speaking.


    "Then... when can I see her?"


    "Don¡¯t worry, when the timees, I¡¯ll naturally bring her to you." As he said this, Ling Chen¡¯s tone shifted, asking, "Mr. Nanrong, what other intelligence do you have about the God Organization?"


    Nanrong Yuan thought for a while, then shook his head and said, "That¡¯s all, I¡¯ve said everything I know. But the God Organization is cunning with many hideouts, especially that mysterious leader, whose real identity no one has discovered to this day. Without finding him, it would be difficult topletely eradicate the God Organization."


    "However, apart from knowing that this mysterious leader is Huaxian, we have no other information. Even with numerous intelligence agencies at our disposal, we don¡¯t know where to begin." After speaking, Ling Chen seemed to think of something, his eyes suddenly brightening, and he hurriedly asked, "Right! There¡¯s one more thing. There is a very important high-ranking member of the God Organization named Lin Guodong. Do you remember him?"


    "Lin Guodong?" Nanrong Yuan nodded, "I know him, I¡¯ve spoken with him a few times on the phone. You¡¯re right, among the high-ranking members of the God Organization, he¡¯s indeed an important member. Back when I was with the God Organization, unless there were particrly important matters, generally, it was he who represented the leader in presiding over phone conferences."


    "If that¡¯s the case, then you should know what he looks like," Ling Chen pressed further.


    "He¡¯s about one meter seventy-five tall, has a southern ent, about forty years old, with very fair skin..."


    Listening to Nanrong Yuan¡¯s description, Ling Chen hurriedly cut him off, saying, "Wait a moment, I¡¯m going to call someone over."


    Half an hourter, Hu Fei arrived at Qingyun Martial Arts Hall, clutching aptop.


    With Nanrong Yuan¡¯s description, Hu Fei started to model and simte on theputer. In about ten minutes or so, Hu Fei had constructed a rough facial model.


    Ling Chen, unable to wait, picked up theptop and held it in front of Nanrong Yuan, asking, "Is this the man?"


    Nanrong Yuan examined it closely for a moment and nodded, "That¡¯s about right, it¡¯s him."


    "Fatty."


    "Got it, I¡¯ll handle it." Hu Fei took theptop, expertly tapping on the keyboard, uploading the portrait to the matching system, searching for the man¡¯s identity.


    "How soon can we get a result?" Ling Chen appeared somewhat anxious. Finally having a lead on Lin Guodong, he was eager to arrest the other party. If he could deal with Lin Guodong, it might be possible to capture the entire core high-ranking members of the God Organization, including that mysterious leader.


    "That¡¯s hard to say, I¡¯ve already essed the Ministry of Public Security¡¯s system. To locate that person among all the nationwide records might take a long time. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll let you know as soon as we have results."


    Because Nanrong Yuan¡¯s injuries had not yet fully healed, Ling Chen didn¡¯t linger too long. After rifying Lin Guodong¡¯s appearance, he left the room with Hu Fei and He Ziyun.


    "Mr. He, you are going to be quite busytely."


    "It¡¯s no trouble, no one dares to cause trouble here anyway."


    "If there¡¯s nothing else, we will be on our way back."


    "Alright, be safe on the road."


    Uponing out of the Qingyun Martial Arts Hall, Hu Fei, sitting in the passenger seat, looked at Ling Chen and asked, "The God Organization has always believed that Nanrong Yuan is dead. If they find out he¡¯s still alive, will they take action?"


    "No. Nanrong Yuan has told us everything he knows, and that new technology has also fallen into the hands of the God Organization. They don¡¯t need to go through more trouble. What I¡¯m concerned about now isn¡¯t Nanrong Yuan¡¯s safety, but rather..." Thinking about what could happen when Nanrong Wanqing meets Nanrong Hao, Ling Chen suddenly grew worried.


    After dropping Hu Fei off in the Old City, Ling Chen called Nanrong Hao and found out that Nanrong Wanqing had returned home. He immediately drove towards Wealthy Manor.


    Back at the Nanrong Family¡¯s home, Ling Chen felt an involuntary twinge of pain inside as he saw Nanrong Wanqing seated in a wheelchair.


    He had already urged Hu Fei to quickly set up the production line and start manufacturing the exoskeleton armor.


    "What were you just doing?" Seeing Ling Chen return, Nanrong Wanqing asked.


    "I had some things to take care of."


    Ling Chen hesitated for a moment but still did not mention Nanrong Yuan. Given all the events that had unfolded recently, it was best to give Nanrong Wanqing a chance to recuperate, waiting for the right moment to tell her this news.


    ...


    A day went by.


    The next day.


    At eight o¡¯clock in the morning, just as Ling Chen had woken up, he received a call from a stranger.


    "Ling Chen?"


    "Yes. Who is this?"


    "One hour from now, I¡¯ll be waiting for you at East Sea City¡¯s port. Remember,e alone."


    After the call disconnected, with the tone sounding through the line, Ling Chen sat up from his bed and frowned as he looked at the unfamiliar number. The voice on the phone was very unfamiliar, definitely not someone he knew.


    Thinking it over, Ling Chen dialed the number back. However, the line indicated that the user had already powered off their phone.


    Whatever, I¡¯ll check it out first.


    It was still early, and after washing up, Ling Chen had breakfast with the early-rising Nanrong Wanqing. About half an hour before the appointed time, he left alone by car.


    East Sea City port.


    It was now nine o¡¯clock in the morning, and the port was a bustling hub of activity, crowded with people. Ling Chen, wearing a baseball cap he¡¯d just bought on the side of the road, weaved through the crowd, his sharp gaze sweeping around, searching for any suspicious targets.


    Several minutes passed, and Ling Chen checked his phone for the time. An hour on the dot. Just as he was about to put his phone away, the screen suddenly disyed an iing call ¨C it was that same unfamiliar number.


    After answering, Ling Chen got straight to the point: "Who are you?"


    "The address is in your pocket. See you there." With that, the other party hung up again.


    In my pocket?


    Ling Chen was startled and quickly reached into the pocket of his jacket. Indeed, there was a boat ticket inside.


    Impressive!


    Looking at the boat ticket in his hand, Ling Chen¡¯s expression turned serious. He hadn¡¯t noticed anyone approaching him while moving through the crowd, which meant the other party was very quick, quick enough to escape his detection.


    Considering this, Ling Chen became even more cautious.


    The ticket showed a time of ten minutes past eight. After waiting a few minutes at the port, Ling Chen saw a boat slowly approaching the shore.


    After boarding the boat, Ling Chen nced around before taking a seat.


    Not long after, when the tour boat was full, it left the port, heading into the blue ocean.


    "Nice weather today."


    Suddenly, a voice came from behind Ling Chen.


    Without thinking, Ling Chen instinctively turned to look back, but before his gaze could settle on the person¡¯s face, he was stopped by the other party.


    "Don¡¯t move!"

 Chapter 618 - 615: Suspect

    <h4>Chapter 618: Chapter 615: Suspect</h4><subtxt> Ling Chen isn¡¯t the type to simply listen to what others say. Even though the man had spoken, Ling Chen still turned his neck, trying to get a clear look at the person behind him. However, just as Ling Chen¡¯s gaze was about to meet the man¡¯s face, he suddenly felt a gust of strong wind sweep across his face.


    Then, the brim of his t cap was pressed down, blocking his line of sight.


    "I advise you to listen to me, do not look at my face. Otherwise, our conversation ends here."


    The man¡¯s voice came again.


    A thought crossed Ling Chen¡¯s mind, and through this voice, he instantly thought of the man¡¯s identity.


    Thest time he was wandering around Wealthy Manor, Ling Chen unexpectedly met a middle-aged man in the garden who imed to be a friend of his father and also a member of the Secret Society. He never expected it to be him.


    Now sure of the man¡¯s identity, Ling Chen finally rxed a bit.


    "If you wanted to meet me, a phone call would have sufficed. Why go through all this trouble?" Ling Chen asked, puzzled.


    "The circumstances are different now, the situation at the Secret Society is quite dangerous."


    "Dangerous? What¡¯s going on?"


    "God Organization has started targeting the Secret Societyprehensively. These few days have been a disaster for the Secret Society, with over sixty percent of its bases destroyed. Hundreds have either been killed or injured, effectively crippling both arms of the Secret Society. This danger isn¡¯t limited to the rank and file¡ª even the higher-ups are constantly at risk."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen spoke in a deep voice, "Someone¡¯s tracking you?"


    "Correct. God Organization has already dispatched additional manpower to find my whereabouts, and you know the person too¡ª Ji Gang."


    Ji Gang!


    Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed; dispatching a top ranker of the Heavenly List to hunt someone meant this person had a very high status within the Secret Society.


    Could it be...? Suddenly, a thought popped into Ling Chen¡¯s mind.


    "What¡¯s the reason you wanted to meet? Is it because you want my help?"


    "With just you alone, what help could you offer?" the man indifferently said, "I asked you here mainly to share some confidential information with you. This information concerns not only you but also God Organization. I am concerned I may not survive this crisis, so I had to find an outsider to pass on these secrets, to prevent my long years of effort from being wasted."


    Ling Chen nodded, "Speak, I¡¯m listening."


    "First about God Organization, I think you should know, decades ago, God Organization was defeated by a ghost, their leader killed, causing their forces to scatter across the world, barely surviving. But not many know how the originally weakened God Organization managed to rise again. ording to what I know, more than twenty years ago, remnants of God Organization in Huaxia formed apany to mask their real identities. Later, they met someone. When that person learned about God Organization, he showed great interest and agreed to fund the rebuilding of God Organization."


    "It was because of that person¡¯s involvement that God Organization¡¯s remnants regrouped and progressively regained strength until today. However, that person acted very cautiously, fully aware of God Organization¡¯s background, thus he protected his own identity well. Once God Organization grew sufficiently, that person arranged for all members who knew his identity to be killed, leaving behind only a few loyal subordinates. Since then, that person has retreated from the public eye, and apart from a very few, no one else knows of his identity."


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Who is that person?"


    "With over a billion people in Huaxia, finding that person without any clue is undoubtedly difficult. However, after over a decade of investigation, I¡¯ve found some traces. You know the magnitude of God Organization, reviving such a force requires substantial funds. This funding is certainly not just a few billion ¡ª even arge conglomerate like Hongyu Group wouldn¡¯t have the means to finance God Organization. Therefore, the financier not only has money but is extremely wealthy. Through this point, the scope can be narrowed down significantly."


    "I carefully investigated the people on the Huaxia billionaire list and found one particrly suspicious."


    "Who?"


    "Strictly speaking, it¡¯s not one person, but a family. This family is deeply connected to you ¡ª the Ling Family."


    "The Ling Family?" Ling Chen¡¯s pupils shrank, he asked incredulously: "Are you sure?"


    "Can¡¯t say with one hundred percent certainty, but at least sixty percent. Because of this, over the years I have focused my investigation on the Ling Family."


    "What findings did you have?"


    "I once told you, the Ling Family were originally a Martial Arts family andter switched to business, developing into the leading enterprise in the south in just a few decades, with assets spread across all cities in the south and very substantial funds. Compared to the Ling Family, Hongyu Group is nothing, not even half its equal. The Ling Family¡¯s business developed rapidly, but starting twenty years ago, their growth suddenly slowed down. I spoke to an employee who served in Ling Family¡¯s corporation back then; he told me that at that time, the Ling Family hadid out many business ns involving another few hundred billion in funds. But for some reason, the ns that were already finalized were all overturned, nearly all ns were shelved."


    "I wonder if it might be that the Ling Family used that money to fund God Organization, thus having to halt business ns to alleviate financial pressures."


    Hearing the man¡¯s analysis, Ling Chen nodded and said, "What you said does make sense, but it¡¯s just a guess, there¡¯s no evidence to prove it."


    "I know. It¡¯s just one part, and there are many aspects that corroborate my suspicions. Hence, among all those I¡¯ve investigated, the Ling Family carries the greatest suspicion. As I said, I can¡¯t be one hundred percent certain, but there¡¯s sixty percent confidence."


    "Are you telling me this because you want me to continue investigating the Ling Family?"


    "No. The reason I¡¯m telling you this is quite the opposite, I¡¯m warning you to avoid dealing with the Ling Family in the future. If I didn¡¯t tell you the reason, you wouldn¡¯t believe it."


    Ling Chen was stunned and frowned, "Then am I supposed to ignore everything?"


    "That¡¯s right. Some things are better left untouched, someone else will handle them. I know a bit about the things you¡¯ve done in East Sea City. From now on, don¡¯t put yourself in danger; just mind your own business. So long as you keep tight control over East Sea City, God Organization won¡¯t easily provoke you. They have more important issues to deal with than targeting you."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but ask, "You knew?"</subtxt>

 Chapter 619 - 616 Research Base

    <h4>Chapter 619: Chapter 616 Research Base</h4><h4></h4>


    "What do you know?" The man retorted.


    "God Organization has already obtained the new technology from Nanrong Yuan and is currently conducting experiments. My two friends are victims." Saying this, Ling Chen recounted the experiences of Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun.


    "Is that so?" The man¡¯s tone instantly became grave.


    "Where are those two friends of yours?"


    "I¡¯ve already had them brought to East Sea City. ording to my friend, their condition is quite troublesome, and recovery seems difficult unless there is sufficient financial and facility support."


    "I can help you with the funds and equipment." As he spoke, Ling Chen immediately felt something extra in his pocket. He reached into his pocket and found an additional bank card.


    "Although there isn¡¯t a lot of money in here, it should suffice for your research. Moreover, Secret Society has a research base in East Sea City. I will have it evacuated and let you use it."


    Ling Chen was grateful, but he couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Why are you helping me?"


    "Because your father was a friend of mine. If I don¡¯t help you, then who will? Remember, be very careful. You¡¯ve destroyed both the primary and backup bases of God Organization, resulting in huge losses. If you pressure them too hard, be wary of their retaliation."


    "I understand." After a pause, Ling Chen added, "What about Secret Society? If you have such good rtions with Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, why not seek their help?"


    "There is a cooperative rtionship between Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and Secret Society, but we can¡¯t rely on Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion for this matter. God Organization has already set their sights on us, we can¡¯t just hide in Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Moreover, they have already offered their help; I can¡¯t ask for too much. Alright, I¡¯ve said all I need to, take care of yourself."


    "Hey!"


    Ling Chen hurriedly turned around, wanting to stop the man. However, when he turned back, he found nobody behind him, the man had disappeared.


    He¡¯s escaped again!


    Ling Chen sighed resignedly. He still had many questions to ask, but the man had left so quickly.


    Returning to the port, Ling Chen got into his car and phoned Hu Fei. After giving his instructions, Ling Chen recalled the man¡¯s words as he drove towards his destination.


    At noon.


    A truck slowly drove along the road, stopping outside a five-story building in the city center of East Sea City.


    This building was a residential building, quite old with faded walls and several cracks scattered throughout.


    As the truck stabilized, two people, Jiang Hao and Hu Fei, jumped down from the driver and passenger seats, respectively. They approached the rear of the truck, opened the cargo bay, and then climbed up to bring down two stretchers.


    The stretchers were carried to the entrance of the residential building. With a beep, the iron door immediately opened. Following Jiang Hao and Hu Fei inside, the iron door shut once again.


    "Everything went smoothly? No one tailing us?"


    At that moment, Ling Chen appeared from nowhere, took over the stretcher from Hu Fei, and asked.


    "You can count on me." After saying this, Hu Fei looked around curiously and asked, "Ling Chen, what ce is this?"


    "A research base provided by the Secret Society."


    As they spoke, the three of them carried the two stretchers straight upstairs. On the second floor, Ling Chen stood in front of a door, lifted a corner of the Buddha painting on it. Suddenly, a metal cylinder slowly extended from behind the painting.


    Ling Chen brought his eye close for a retinal scan, and immediately a numeric keypad popped out in the middle of the door.


    After entering a long string of passwords, the tightly shut door finally opened.


    Entering the room, Jiang Hao and Hu Fei were instantly dazzled and shocked.


    This... Hu Fei stared nkly around, too surprised to even speak.


    Watching their stunned expressions, Ling Chen grinned. He had reacted the same way when he had first arrived.


    From the outside, this was a five-story residential building. But in reality, the inside of the building was an integrated whole, the exterior merely serving to deceive others.


    The building, covering thousands of square meters, was filled with various kinds of facilities, from medical to military equipment, and was very well-resourced.


    "Great ce!" Hu Fei eximed, dropped the stretcher, looked around excitedly, his face full of thrill.


    "Ha ha!"


    Hu Feiughed, pping Ling Chen on the shoulder, and said, "After hanging around for so long, we finally have a decent base."


    "Enough! Don¡¯t get too excited yet. I¡¯ve told you, this research base is lent to us by the Secret Society and will need to be returned eventually."


    "Think they¡¯d want it back once it¡¯s in our hands? No way. Since you have good rtions with the Secret Society, just let them gift this ce to you."


    Without waiting for Ling Chen to speak, Hu Fei had already rushed to the main control room of the base and started up the mainputer.


    Looking at the list disyed on the big screen, Hu Feiughed joyfully: "Not bad, the folks from the Secret Society are quite generous, they left us quite a few good things."


    "Here, this is for you." Ling Chen threw a bank card at Hu Fei.


    "What is this?"


    "Funds provided by the Secret Society. I¡¯ve checked it; not much, just 230 million. Considering Kai and their condition, it¡¯s unclear how long their recovery might take. You¡¯ll need to be frugal and not spend it all at once."


    Hu Fei¡¯s eyes gleamed as he nodded, "Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry."


    "I am worried about your money-loving ways, that¡¯s why I mentioned it twice," Ling Chen said gruffly.


    "Chen, should I bring more people to secure this ce?" asked Jiang Hao.


    Hearing Jiang Hao¡¯s question, Ling Chen shook his head, "No need. The location of this research base is very secret, and it¡¯s difficult for ordinary people to find. Plus, the more people know about it, the less secure it bes. I¡¯ve considered this; this research base will be our main headquarters in the future, and we must ensure its safety and secrecy. Unless absolutely trustworthy, it¡¯s best not to let anyone else know."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll call Xiong and Haoziter and have theme over for a visit."


    "No." Ling Chen stopped him: "Just call Haozi, don¡¯t call anyone else."


    Jiang Hao paused, puzzled, and asked, "Why not invite Xiong, he..."


    Before Jiang Hao could finish, Ling Chen red at him, discontentedly saying: "Just do as you are told, why ask so many questions. Remember what I said, don¡¯t tell anyone about this ce without my permission."


    "Okay." Although full of questions, Jiang Hao didn¡¯t dare to ask further because of Ling Chen¡¯s firm words, and justplied.


    "Fatty, go ahead and get busy, someone willeter to take over the research of Kai and Bai Huanjun."


    After finishing the instructions, Ling Chen left the research base alone, ready to drive back to Wealthy Manor. However, just as he got into the car, Ling Chen received a phone call. After listening for a few moments, his expression suddenly changed drastically, and his eyes emitted an intense brilliance.

 Chapter 620 - 617: News about Xia Mutong

    <h4>Chapter 620: Chapter 617: News about Xia Mutong</h4><h4></h4>


    "If you dare to touch a single hair on her head, don¡¯t me me for being impolite." Ling Chen gritted his teeth and said.


    "Do you think I care about your threats? Ling Chen, you overestimate yourself. In my eyes, you are nothing but a pawn that still has some usefulness. In conclusion, I have made my conditions clear, whether you can fulfill them is up to you. That¡¯s all I have to say, as for what to do... think it through carefully. Don¡¯t forget, you don¡¯t have much time."


    The person on the phone finished speaking and immediately hung up.


    Putting down his phone, Ling Chen¡¯s face turned extremely livid, rage burning in Mo Che¡¯s pupils.


    After a while, Ling Chen took a deep breath, slowly calming the rage in his heart, his gaze regaining itsposure.


    These past few days, his worries had finally be reality.


    Last time in Changling City, he thought Xia Mutong had returned, but didn¡¯t expect that she had sneaked off to Yinan Vige alone. Unfortunately, on the way there, she encountered members of the God Organization who were evacuating and was captured.


    He didn¡¯t know how the God Organization knew about his rtionship with Xia Mutong, but they even called to threaten him.


    After pondering for a moment, Ling Chen started the car and returned directly to Wealthy Manor.


    ...


    Three days passed in the blink of an eye.


    During these days, Ling Chen had not a moment to rest, spending all day at the research base, busy with this and that. After three days of hard work, the production line for the exoskeleton armor was finallypleted. Simultaneously, the research personnel hired by Hu Fei had also arrived and started working.


    For safety and confidentiality, Hu Fei used his connections to recruit seven or eight researchers from abroad. To attract these people, Hu Fei offered a very generouspensation. If not for the money, those researchers would never have crossed the ocean toe here.


    Besides the exoskeleton armor production line being operational, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s medical research team had also started working.


    Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯swork was vast, and responding to Ling Chen¡¯s request, not only did she personally get involved, but she also invited several authorities from the medical field. Their goal was clear: to help Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun recover.


    In addition to this, Ling Chen centralized the intelligence agency at the research base, with Hu Fei responsible for overseeing and coordinating.


    Although a broad intelligence system was established in East Sea City, due to various reasons, this system was somewhat loose and could not be tightly connected. This time, Ling Chen, coborating with Hu Fei, selected suitable personnel for intelligence work, expanding the team and perfecting the entire intelligence system.


    Medical research, technology equipment production, intelligence system¡ªthese three areas were nearly established, marking a slight leap forward, significantly enhancing the overall strength.


    After a day of testing and various adjustments, the first set of exoskeleton armor was finally produced.


    Ling Chen donned it and tested it for himself; it was quite good, not much different from the exoskeleton armor previously made by Ghost. This set of exoskeleton armor was not equipped with a weapon system because it was meant for Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s use, so it didn¡¯t need to be soplicated.


    "Miss Kaelina, you¡¯ll have a hard time ahead."


    Before leaving the research base, Ling Chen found Kaelina and expressed his gratitude.


    Since Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun had both lost control and were unconscious, there weren¡¯t many capable people around Ling Chen. Therefore, to make up for the shortage of manpower, Ling Chen invited Kaelina in the name of friendship, hoping she would help manage the security of the research base and ensure everyone¡¯s safety.


    More than one trantionestimated:"You don¡¯t need to be so polite; remember, I¡¯m not helping for free."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen cracked a smile and nodded, saying, "Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t be shortchanged."


    Leaving the research base, Ling Chen hastily rushed back to Wealthy Manor and delivered the set of exoskeleton armor to the Nanrong Family.


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing standing up again, Ling Chen finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although he couldn¡¯tpletely cure Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s legs, Ling Chen wasn¡¯t in a hurry. Since Nanrong Yuan had a way to treat Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s condition with a strengthening serum, Ling Chen was sure he could find another way.


    The night fell!


    After taking a bath, Ling Chen sat on the living room sofa in loose pajamas, apanying Nanrong Wanqing by her side, holding her hand, watching the entertainment program on TV.


    "Ling Chen."


    Hearing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s voice, Ling Chen turned his head, looked at her delicate face, and asked, "What¡¯s wrong?"


    Nanrong Wanqing blinked her beautiful eyes, looking worried, and said, "I don¡¯t know why, but I¡¯ve been feeling restlesstely, like something big is going to happen."


    Ling Chen smiled faintly, gently patting her soft hand,forting her, "You¡¯re overthinking. I know some unpleasant things have happened recently, but don¡¯t worry, all that¡¯s behind us now, no one will threaten you in the future."


    After finishing his words, Ling Chen pointed at Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s eyes and said, "Look at you, even bags under your eyes are almost showing. You must have been worrying too much, not resting well. How about..."


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s speech dragging on, Nanrong Wanqing curiously asked, "How about what?"


    Ling Chen blinked, leaned closer, and chuckled, "How about I stay with you tonight? That way, you won¡¯t have the mind to think about other things."


    Teased by Ling Chen, a rush of blush rose on Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s pretty face, as radiant and enchanting as flowers. Enduring the shyness, she lightly pounded Ling Chen¡¯s arm, reprimanding him, "You¡¯re never serious, having known each other for so long, yet you¡¯re still as bad as before."


    Ling Chen grinned and said, "Why be so serious. Besides, what era are we living in now? Being honest only makes one suffer, only being bad has a future, how about we go to your room and discuss in-depth just how bad I am?"


    "I don¡¯t want to." Saying so, Nanrong Wanqing pulled her hand from Ling Chen¡¯s, intentionally leaning away, her face blushing as she said, "Stay away from me in the future, I don¡¯t talk to bad people."


    "No matter, I¡¯ll do the talking." Ling Chen, wearing a mischievous smile, closed in again, ignoring Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s struggles, and hugged her petite body tight into his arms.


    "Protes... Mmm!"


    Before she could finish her sentence, Nanrong Wanqing felt her lips invaded by a passionate heat.


    Feeling Ling Chen¡¯s tenderness and passion, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s body instantly yielded, falling into Ling Chen¡¯s hands, letting him caress as he pleased.


    Mmm...


    A series of soul-stirring moans resounded, like sparks igniting Ling Chen¡¯s passion.

 Chapter 621 - 618: Battle in the Darkness

    <h4>Chapter 621: Chapter 618: Battle in the Darkness</h4><h4></h4>


    At this moment, Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing were both immersed in a sea of desire, forgetting everything around them. Even when Su Lin appeared at the staircase entrance, neither of them took notice.


    Looking at the intimate scene between Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing, Su Lin felt her pretty face turn red, her beautiful eyes filled with shame that she couldn¡¯t hide.


    These two... if you¡¯re going to be affectionate, at least go to your own room. How can they just make out in the living room as if nobody else is around? Don¡¯t they care about being seen by others? Su Lin thought to herself.


    Then, faint moans began to reach her, causing Su Lin, who had never been with anyone, to feel hot all over, even her breathing became rapid. She, who had only ever watched little movies, had never seen such a real scene before.


    At this moment, Ling Chen, who wasying on top of Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s delicate body, seemed to notice Su Lin¡¯s presence. A nce from the corner of his eye, and the blushing Su Lin immediately came into his view.


    This girl... Ling Chen felt a bit embarrassed in his heart, not knowing when she had appeared. Could she not at least have made some noise?


    A few seconds passed, and seeing Su Lin still standing motionless at the staircase entrance, not intending to leave but rather watching them with interest, Ling Chen began to feel ufortable, losing the pleasure he had just now.


    Immediately, Ling Chen, while holding Nanrong Wanqing in his embrace, tilted his body, his gaze passing over the sofa and directly meeting Su Lin¡¯s at the staircase entrance, he blinked gently.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s action, Su Lin was momentarily taken aback. The next second, she immediately realized the teasing look in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, and her cheeks instantly zed with heat, burning intensely.


    Bastard!


    Su Lin cursed inwardly and dared not stay any longer, hurrying back to the second floor.


    Finally, she¡¯s gone!


    Ling Chen smiled secretly to himself, this girl really didn¡¯t know the mood. She clearly saw him and Nanrong Wanqing being affectionate, yet she did not avoid them, instead watching with great interest. Well, the girl is in her twenties, it was the age of springtime yearnings.


    While he was pondering, a buzzing vibration suddenly came from the coffee table.


    Nanrong Wanqing opened her eyes and looked at the mobile phone on the coffee table, asking, "Is that for you?"


    Ling Chen nodded, reluctantly letting go of Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s delicate body, and picked up the phone. After ncing at the content of the text message, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and he stood up and said, "I need to step out for a bit, I¡¯ll be backter."


    "Be careful."


    "I know." With that, Ling Chen put the phone in his pocket, leaned forward, cupped Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face with both hands, and gave a light peck on the corner of her lips, softly saying, "Rest early, don¡¯t stay up toote."


    After leaving the Nanrong family¡¯s house, Ling Chen drove down the road, then made a call to Hu Fei.


    "Hey! Fatty, have you confirmed the target?"


    "Rx, it¡¯s definitely the right one, do you want me to send a few more people to assist you?"


    "No need, I can handle it myself."


    After the call, Ling Chen drove straight to a residential area in North City District of East Sea City.


    North City District was one of the more economically backward districts in East Sea City, and the residential district Ling Chen was looking at was actually a slum area in East Sea City, with old houses from decades ago, all run down, not even one decent building, even worse than the Old City.


    Most people living in this ce were migrant workers. Because the rent here was rtively cheap, only a hundred or two hundred RMB a month. Therefore, there were more mixed characters here than in the Old City, with all kinds of people.


    When Ling Chen arrived, it was already 9:30 at night.


    At this time, most people had already rested, with only a few setting up folding tables on the road, bottles of beer with a dish of peanuts, and a group of young men ying poker, with five and ten RMB notes on the table.


    As he walked into the slum area, Ling Chen¡¯s appearance immediately attracted a lot of attention. In this kind of ce, Ling Chen, with his clean attire, clearly stood out.


    Entering the poor district, a young man leaning against the wall immediately approached and walked up to Ling Chen.


    "Chen."


    Ling Chen nodded and asked, "Where is the person?"


    The youth pointed and said, "Go this way, after fifty meters there¡¯s an alleyway. Enter, take a left, and it¡¯s the third house where the person lives."


    "I got it. You go back first. No matter what happenster, don¡¯t interfere."


    "Understood."


    Now, East Sea City was under the control of Jiang Hao, Zhao Zhengxiong, and Nanrong Hao¡¯s forces, including this poor residential area where informants were ced everywhere. If they wanted to find someone, it was almost effortless.


    Following the route provided by the youth, Ling Chen wove through the poor district. Before long, he arrived at an old and dpidated door.


    If the intelligence was correct, the person he was looking for should be inside.


    Standing at the doorway, Ling Chen did not act rashly, but instead, he pressed his ear to the door, listening for any movement inside. After a few minutes, the room remained deadly quiet, without a sound.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen took out a piece of wire from his pocket and gently inserted it into the keyhole. After fiddling for a bit, the door lock clicked open.


    He pushed open a crack of the door, Ling Chen peered inside, but the room was pitch-ck, too dark to see anything clearly.


    Hesitating, Ling Chen heightened his alertness and cautiously pushed the door open, stepping into the room.


    Upon entering the room, Ling Chen noticed that because all the window panes were cracked, they were patched with newspaper, preventing any outside light froming in. The room was devoid of light, forcing him to rely on his acute hearing to make judgments.


    The rooms in the poor district were all small, with a bedroom, a living room, and apact kitchen and bathroom.


    Ling Chen crossed through a narrow doorway and arrived in the living room, searching for the whereabouts of his target.


    Squeak!


    Suddenly, a sound came. In the dark, Ling Chen identally bumped into a chair.


    With that noise, a fierce gust of wind appeared out of nowhere, striking towards Ling Chen¡¯s back.


    Fortunately, Ling Chen was prepared. The moment the gust hit, he quickly turned around, stepping back with his legs, as his steely fist forcefully shot out.


    Bang!


    Immediately, it seemed like Ling Chen¡¯s fist was caught by a palm, emitting a muffled sound.


    As fist met palm, Ling Chen felt a surge of powerful force, pushing his body backward.


    Impressive!


    With just one move, Ling Chen could tell the strength of his opponent was formidable, and not at all inferior to himself.


    What rotten luck¡ªwhat he thought was a simple task turned out to involve a skilled opponent. There was no time for further thought; his opponent pressed on relentlessly, every palm strike deadly.


    Ling Chen did not dare to be careless. He used his ears to discern the sound of the wind, judging the position of his opponent¡¯s moves.


    In a blink, the two had exchanged over a dozen moves.


    In the darkness, Ling Chen furrowed his brows, his fists continuously swinging, fending off the opponent¡¯s attacks, while his mind raced to think of a strategy.

 Chapter 622 - 619 Got Beaten Up

    <h4>Chapter 622: Chapter 619 Got Beaten Up</h4><h4></h4>


    Bang!


    Suddenly, Ling Chen felt a sharp pain in his chest as the opponent¡¯s palm harshly struck him. A powerful force surged, lifting Ling Chen¡¯s legs off the ground and throwing him backward against the wall, then crashing heavily onto the floor.


    Before Ling Chen could recover from the pain, a hand swiftly reached out, grabbed his cor, and tossed his body into mid-air.


    Bang! Bang!


    Two palms struck in session, hitting Ling Chen in the back again. Fortunately, he didn¡¯tnd on the ground this time but on a sofa, where the foam cushioned the blow, preventing additional injuries. However, after two severe impacts, Ling Chen felt as though his bones were about to fall apart, and he had no strength left.


    Damn it!


    Ling Chen cursed silently. Who on earth was this person, and why were they so formidable? He had thought he could handle the opponent, but instead, he found himself easily subdued without a chance to fight back.


    No matter who the opponent was, they were definitely a master from the Earthly List, Ling Chen thought to himself.


    If it had been a master from the Dragon List, even if he couldn¡¯t win, he wouldn¡¯t have been defeated so quickly. Moreover, since he had learned a little about ¡¯control¡¯ techniques from Su He, even if the number one from the Dragon List appeared before him, he still had a fighting chance.


    Gasping for breath, Ling Chen heard footsteps approaching again and immediately shouted, "Stop!"


    As soon as he spoke, the footsteps actually stopped.


    "Um... friend, let¡¯s talk this through. We¡¯re all civilized people, there¡¯s no need for violence. I think there might be some misunderstanding."


    "Misunderstanding? Are you not here to kill me?"


    "No, no, no." Ling Chen quickly denied: "I just heard that a suspicious person had arrived here, so I came to check it out. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself; I am a police officer, currently in pursuit of a fugitive."


    "Police have such good skills? Who are you trying to fool?"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen was about to respond. But upon reflecting, he suddenly felt something was off. The voice sounded strange, and there was even a hint of a faint smile.


    "Who... who are you?"


    As he finished speaking, the lights in the living room immediately turned on.


    Under the light, stood a refined and beautiful woman with soft long hair draped over her shoulders, a melon-seed face, fair skin, sparkling eyes like stars, and thin lips slightly curving up with a faint smile.


    Seeing the stunning woman who appeared before him, Ling Chen¡¯s expression was momentarily stunned, and it took him a while toe back to his senses.


    "You... porridge girl?" Ling Chen abruptly sat up from the sofa. However, this abrupt movement immediately aggravated his injuries, causing him to grimace in pain.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s pale face, the porridge girl looked at him with a touch of pity and quickly walked over, speaking with a coquettish tone, "Don¡¯t move, let me check on you."


    "Porridge girl, what are you doing here?"


    "I have my reasons for being here, but you, what are you doing here? Don¡¯t tell me you really came to kill me?"


    "I wouldn¡¯t dare." Ling Chen protested, "If I knew it was you, I would havee in openly, not sneaking around like this." As he spoke, Ling Chen changed the subject and asked, "By the way! Where have you beentely? I¡¯ve been looking everywhere for you."


    The porridge girl flicked her head and looked at the wall, "What do you want from me?"


    "I was looking for you..." Before he could finish speaking, Ling Chen suddenly froze, unsure how to respond to the question. Since the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony ended, he hadn¡¯t seen porridge girl again. All along, he had been pondering how he would face her if they met again. After all, something had happened between them during the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony.


    Seeing Ling Chen hesitating, a faint dimness shed in porridge girl¡¯s eyes.


    Unfortunately, Ling Chen did not notice the change in her expression.


    "Okay, let¡¯s not talk about this." Porridge girl said, "Tell me, what are you doing here?"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen sighed, and said helplessly: "God Organization has captured Xia Mutong. They called me, saying that their enemies had infiltrated East Sea City and asked for my help to deal with them. If Iplete the task, they will release Xia Mutong."


    "You should know, with God Organization¡¯s way of doing things, even if you do it, they won¡¯t easily let people go."


    "I understand that. But as long as there is a glimmer of hope, I can¡¯t give up." After a pause, Ling Chen said, "I think I know why they want me to handle it. East Sea City is under my control, and if God Organization¡¯s people enter East Sea City, they will not escape my eyes. With the grudges I hold against them, I won¡¯t let them run amok in East Sea City, so they use Xia Mutong to threaten me."


    "It¡¯s good that you are aware of it."


    "What about you?"


    "I am here for refuge. Didn¡¯t Master contact you? You should know about the crisis that Secret Society is currently facing."


    Ling Chen was startled and said in surprise, "You are a member of Secret Society? That person is your Master?"


    Porridge girl nodded, "A few days ago, I lost contact with Master. I tried every method, but there has been no news from him, and I suspect he might have encountered misfortune. After all, the person hunting him is Ji Gang, a Heavenly List master. Although Master is powerful, he is no match for Ji Gang. Since losing contact with Master, God Organization has locked their main target on me. These past few days, to escape God Organization¡¯s pursuit, I have been fleeing and finally hid in East Sea City."


    "Since you are in East Sea City, why didn¡¯t youe to find me?" Ling Chen frowned, with a hint of reproach.


    "I didn¡¯t want to trouble you. Moreover, since God Organization is after me, I didn¡¯t want to involve you."


    Ling Chen said unhappily, "You¡¯re being too distant with that. You are my friend, no matter how difficult it is, I will help you."


    "You can¡¯t even defeat me, how can you help me?" Porridge girl replied indifferently, "I can protect myself, you don¡¯t need to worry."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen didn¡¯t know how to respond. Although he was not convinced, porridge girl was not wrong. After all, she was a Earthly List master, and he, merely a Dragon List master, was powerless.


    After thinking for a moment, Ling Chen said, "Let¡¯s do this, follow my arrangement and stay in East Sea City for now. As long as you are within the jurisdiction of East Sea City, God Organization¡¯s people can¡¯t touch you. If they dare toe, I will make sure they regret it."


    Porridge girl hesitated for a moment, then nodded, "Okay then."


    "Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to the research base first, it¡¯s safer there." Saying this, Ling Chen stood up, ready to leave.


    However, as soon as his legs stood up, he felt his knees weaken and copsed back onto the sofa.


    Feeling the soreness and pain throughout his body, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but give a bitter smile and said, "You really went hard just now."


    "How can you me me, I thought you were an assassin, of course I had to hit hard."


    "What should we do now?"


    "You have internal injuries, it¡¯s best not to move around for ten days or half a month."


    Ling Chen shook his head and said, "That won¡¯t do, I don¡¯t have that much time to waste." After saying this, and seeminglying up with something, he looked up at porridge girl with a mischievous smile and said, "You caused this injury, you should take responsibility."

 Chapter 623 - 620 Primal

    <h4>Chapter 623: Chapter 620 Primal</h4><h4></h4>


    "I¡¯m responsible?" The Porridge Girl was taken aback and didn¡¯t catch on immediately. But seeing the mischievous smile tugging at Ling Chen¡¯s lips, she was instantly reminded of the incident during the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony.


    Back then, Ling Chen was dueling with Han Yu, seriously wounded and unable to continue the fight. At that moment, she gave him her ¡¯first time¡¯, and through Ling Chen¡¯s cultivation of the Prajnaparamita Sutra, his injuries healed rapidly, and his skills increased tremendously.


    Now, as Ling Chen mentioned the word ¡¯responsible¡¯, coupled with his meaningful look, The Porridge Girl couldn¡¯t help but recall that intimate moment. Even the usually calm and collected her felt ripples stirring in her heart, and a faint blush crept onto her fair cheeks.


    Seeing The Porridge Girl not speaking, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but touch his nose. Feeling the awkwardness in the air, he let out a dryugh and quickly changed the subject, saying, "Um... do you mind helping me out?"


    With her face still flushed, The Porridge Girl nodded gently and supported Ling Chen¡¯s arm with both hands, walking him out step by step.


    Back in the car, Ling Chen, enduring the pain in his body, started the vehicle, and headed straight for the research facility.


    On the way, The Porridge Girl, looking at Ling Chen focusing on driving, couldn¡¯t help but say, "Actually..." However, after two words, hesitation flooded her eyes, and she did not continue.


    "Actually what?" Ling Chen turned his head, curious.


    Facing Ling Chen¡¯s gaze, The Porridge Girl, with her head lowered as if struggling to meet his eyes and her face reddened, said, "Actually, the Prajnaparamita Sutra only works the first time. After the first time, its effects aren¡¯t very noticeable."


    The first time?


    Ling Chen was stunned for a moment, then immediately understood The Porridge Girl¡¯s meaning.


    So that¡¯s how it is... Ling Chen came to a realization. He had thought that every intimate encounter would increase his strength; he didn¡¯t expect there to be a limit.


    Sigh!


    Ling Chen sighed in frustration, feeling somewhat disappointed. He had hoped to use this as a pretext to advance his rtionship with The Porridge Girl. Now it seemed that even this one excuse was gone.


    By the time they returned to the research facility it was already midnight. Apart from Hu Fei, who was still busy working through the night like an owl, everyone else had already rested.


    There were dozens of bedrooms inside the research facility, specifically provided for the staff.


    "I¡¯ll arrange a room for you."


    "No need, I know where the rooms are," The Porridge Girl declined Ling Chen¡¯s offer, saying, "Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m a member of the Secret Society, and I¡¯m more familiar with this research facility than you are. You should head back to rest soon, don¡¯t let your injuries worsen."


    The Porridge Girl¡¯s reminder would have been fine, but it made Ling Chen suddenly aware of the soreness and weakness throughout his body.


    After watching The Porridge Girl leave, Ling Chen immediately ran towards Hu Fei¡¯s office, intending to spend the night there. But before he could reach the office door, Ling Chen¡¯s legs suddenly gave out, and his body plunged forward, falling t on the ground, his forehead turning blue from the impact.


    Damn!


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but curse.


    Just then, the door of a nearby room opened, and Zhu Xiaozhu, dressed in pajamas, stepped out, looking down at Ling Chen sprawled on the ground with a puzzled expression, "What are you doing here?"


    "Xiaozhu, good evening," Ling Chen said, forcing his head up and greeting Zhu Xiaozhu with a strained smile despite her astonished face.


    Then, he propped himself up with his hands on the ground, trying to muster all his strength to rise. However, just as his arms pushed halfway up, a sour swelling sensation struck him.


    Bang!


    With a muffled thud, Ling Chen¡¯s body once again made intimate contact with the ground.


    "Ling Chen!"


    Seeing this, Zhu Xiaozhu was immediately startled and hastily helped Ling Chen up from the ground.


    "Let¡¯s go sit in my room."


    After entering Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s room, Ling Chen was supported to sit on the bed, leaning against the headboard. At this moment, Ling Chen didn¡¯t even want to move, feeling soreness and swelling all over his body, and even lifting his fingers seemed incredibly strenuous.


    Is the gap between a Dragon List expert and an Earthly List expert really thatrge? Ling Chen thought to himself.


    "Ling Chen, what¡¯s happened to you?"


    Hearing Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s concerned inquiry, Ling Chen forced a smile and said, "It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯m probably just a bit too tired recently. A few days¡¯ rest should do the trick."


    "Let me have a look." Saying this, Zhu Xiaozhu ced her hand on Ling Chen¡¯s pulse to check his condition.


    After a while, Zhu Xiaozhu said, "Your condition is a bit troubling. Did you get into a fight with someone before?"


    "How did you know?" As soon as he spoke, Ling Chen knew he had asked a redundant question. Although Zhu Xiaozhu didn¡¯t understand martial arts, she had studied medicine with Shi Su for many years. Shi Su came from a family with a strong background in traditional Chinese medicine, and had many dealings with martial arts families. Consequently, Zhu Xiaozhu was definitely knowledgeable about internal injuries.


    There was no hiding it from her.


    "You..." Zhu Xiaozhu nced at Ling Chen, her beautiful eyes carrying a trace of me, and said, "You¡¯re an adult now, yet you still don¡¯t know how to take care of yourself. Who was it that hurt you so badly?"


    Ling Chen touched his nose and showed a silly smile, since he couldn¡¯t possibly tell Zhu Xiaozhu that the person who injured him lived within the research base.


    "Wait here, I¡¯ll get you some medicine."


    With those words, Zhu Xiaozhu bent over to rummage through her luggage under the bed. However, she didn¡¯t notice that when she bent over, the most attractive scene for a man was inadvertently revealed right before Ling Chen¡¯s eyes.


    Ling Chen felt a warmth in his nose, almost to the point of bleeding. He secretly swallowed and tried to look away. However, it was as if he was maically drawn to the scene, involuntarily swallowing again and again.


    At this time, Zhu Xiaozhu was still searching under the bed,pletely unaware of Ling Chen¡¯s reaction.


    "I¡¯ve found it... I..."


    Zhu Xiaozhu raised her head with a smile, ready to speak. However, her gaze just happened to fall on Ling Chen¡¯s face. After a moment of stunned silence, her pretty face turned red ¡¯whoosh¡¯, her beautiful eyes filled with barely concealed shyness.


    Seeing Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s blushing face, Ling Chen felt a heat in his heart, unable to control himself, and longing to pounce on the beautiful girl in front of him.


    "Ling..."


    Her voice broke out, and as those cherry-like tender lips full of temptation opened, the rity in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes was swallowed in an instant, leaving only the most primal instincts of a primate.


    Before Zhu Xiaozhu could finish speaking, Ling Chen let out a tiger roar, supported Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s delicate body with his hands, and pushed her down, his entire body pressing onto her.


    "Don¡¯t, don¡¯t do this... Ling Chen... Stop!"


    In panic, Zhu Xiaozhu frantically waved her hands, trying to struggle out from under Ling Chen. But no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn¡¯t break free from Ling Chen¡¯s hold.


    Wuu wuu!


    Suddenly, seizing the moment, Ling Chen plunged his head forward and kissed Zhu Xiaozhu fiercely.

 Chapter 624 - 621: The Whereabouts of Lin Guodong

    <h4>Chapter 624: Chapter 621: The Whereabouts of Lin Guodong</h4><h4></h4>


    This moment, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s mind seemed to explode, and she instantly went nk,pletely losing her ability to think.


    From childhood to adulthood, she had never felt this way before, nor had any person of the opposite gender touched her body. That feeling, indescribable yet beautiful, wanting to resist but also reluctant, powerless to resist, left her feeble all over.


    ******


    However, at this critical moment, a ringtone of a cell phone suddenly sounded, instantly pulling the two immersed in bliss back to reality.


    Under the bright lights, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s pretty face instantly turned crimson like she was on fire. Especially when her eyes met Ling Chen¡¯s unwilling gaze, she felt exceedingly shy. Without time to think further, she quickly turned her head away, fixing her disheveled clothes.


    At this moment, the cell phone continued to ring incessantly. Zhu Xiaozhu picked up her phone, looked at the number disyed, and said with her head lowered, "It¡¯s a call from my family."


    "That... I... I¡¯ll step out first." Ling Chen, feeling somewhat awkward, climbed up from the bed, daring not to take another nce at Zhu Xiaozhu, and hurriedly escaped the room.


    Bang!


    The door closed, and Ling Chen leaned against the wall, unable to help but exhale. Damn! Almost lost control again, he thought distressedly. If not for that timely phone call, he might have already proceeded with Zhu Xiaozhu.


    Sigh, what a pity, such a good opportunity missed.


    Inside the room, Zhu Xiaozhu regted her breathing, her hand covering her flushed cheek, answered the call and asked, "Dad, what¡¯s the reason for calling sote?"


    Whatever the person on the other end said, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯splexion suddenly changed, she asked in disbelief, "You... are you serious? ...Yes, I understand... Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll figure out a way."


    After hanging up, Zhu Xiaozhu looked up towards the door, her beautiful eyes shimmering withplexity.


    Leaving the room, Ling Chen headed straight to Hu Fei¡¯s office. Nowadays, Hu Fei was considered a big boss in one department. Besides himself, he had over twenty people in charge of intelligence work. Intelligence work was continuous, hence personnel were on duty 24 hours.


    Arriving at the office, Ling Chen poured two sses of in water to cool himself down. Then, holding a teacup, he approached Hu Fei¡¯s busy desk and asked, "What are you busy with sote?"


    Hu Fei nced up at Ling Chen and said with a smug smile, "I¡¯ve got some great news for you, I found him."


    "Found him?" Ling Chen didn¡¯t catch on immediately and curiously asked, "Found what?"


    "Lin Guodong. Remember thest time at Qingyun Martial Arts Hall, Nanrong Yuan provided Lin Guodong¡¯s appearance? I uploaded his photo into the Ministry of Public Security¡¯s system for matching, and finally got results."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes brightened, excitedly saying, "Really?"


    Hu Fei said nothing and started typing on the keyboard. Soon, theputer screen disyed a middle-aged man¡¯s details.


    "Look, this person¡¯s real name is Lin Jiawei, a Southerner, previously engaged in overseas trade, has a criminal record for fraud and extortion, then suddenly disappeared for more than ten years. I think he must have joined the God Organization more than ten years ago and gradually became a high-ranking member."


    Ling Chen nodded, "Climbing to such high ranks in over ten years, he must be really capable."


    "Nonsense. The financial frauds he did require brains; without intelligence, such schemes couldn¡¯t be pulled off. Also, I checked his other details; he¡¯d been married once but divorcedter, no children, both parents deceased, no siblings. However, he does have a grandfather over ny years old living in East Sea City. More interestingly, his grandfather has no social security or pension, yet lives a luxurious life in a vi served by three housemaids and a dedicated medical team, certainly someone financially supports him."


    "It seems Lin Jiawei still has some filial piety."


    "That¡¯s beside the point," Hu Fei continued smilingly, "I checked Lin Jiawei¡¯s entry and exit records; he returns to East Sea City at the beginning of every month, stays for two or three days, then leaves. ording to the records, each visit is to see his grandfather."


    Ling Chen nced at the calendar; today was exactly March 2nd.


    "So you mean he will be back these next few days?"


    "Exactly, I¡¯m currently checking the entry records. As soon as he shows up at East Sea International Airport, I¡¯ll definitely spot him."


    "Great, looks like we¡¯re finally making headway. Fatty, keep an eye out, and notify me immediately if there¡¯s any news. And, give me his grandfather¡¯s address; I¡¯ll spare some time tomorrow to check out the surroundings. No matter what, we must capture Lin Jiawei; we can¡¯t let him escape."

 Chapter 625 - 622: Capturing Lin Jiawei

    <h4>Chapter 625: Chapter 622: Capturing Lin Jiawei</h4><h4></h4>


    The next day.


    After a night¡¯s rest, Ling Chen woke up feeling sore in his lower back, a condition that seemed worse than the night before. He shook his head helplessly, realizing that the porridge girl was right; with the injuries he had sustained, it would probably take at least ten days to a half month to fully recover.


    Coming out of Hu Fei¡¯s office, Ling Chen yawned, preparing to go to the restroom to relieve himself. Walking down the hallway, he happened to encounter Zhu Xiaozhuing towards him. Their eyes met, and Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s pretty face turned red in an instant. She quickly lowered her head, not daring to meet Ling Chen¡¯s gaze.


    "Xiaozhu..." To avoid prolonging the awkwardness, Ling Chen opened his mouth to greet her. After all, he was in the wrongst night. As a man, he should be more magnanimous, apologizeter, and ask for forgiveness.


    But before he could finish speaking, Zhu Xiaozhu walked right past him without saying a word, not even a nce.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen touched his nose and let out a bitter chuckle to himself, understanding that Zhu Xiaozhu was too shy to face him. Forget it! He would wait a couple of days for her mood to improve before apologizing.


    As he listened to the fading footsteps, the bowing Zhu Xiaozhu suddenly turned her head, looking at the receding figure of Ling Chen with sparkling eyes, clearly deep in thought.


    There was still plenty of time. Ling Chen made the time to meet with porridge girl, then drove off from the research base. Apanying him was Kaelina.


    Traveling along the road for roughly forty minutes or so, Ling Chen and Kaelina finally reached their destination - a manor on the outskirts of East Sea City.


    Through the car window, Ling Chen, seated in the driver¡¯s seat, observed for a moment, then nodded to himself, "Here we are."


    "Should I go, or will you?" Kaelina asked.


    Hearing Kaelina¡¯s question, Ling Chen replied, "Let¡¯s split up. You take care of the outside, and I¡¯ll handle that three-story building." After that, Ling Chen picked up a backpack from the backseat and got out of the car.


    The manor wasn¡¯t veryrge, covering only a bit over five hundred square meters. However, owning such a manor in East Sea City would cost at least tens of millions, which showed that Lin Jiawei was quite filial to his grandfather.


    Ling Chen went around the manor¡¯s perimeter wall until he noticed there were no security cameras inside, which somewhat reassured him. Then, he climbed over the wall from a corner andnded steadily on thewn.


    At this point, it was half-past eight in the morning, yet there was no one outside the small building. Ling Chen approached the building quietly, with his backpack slung over his shoulder, then climbed up the pipe step by step.


    Before long, Ling Chen had smoothly reached the second-floor balcony.


    Looking through the window ss, Ling Chen checked to make sure no one was inside. Once certain, he gently pushed open the door and slipped in.


    This bedroom seemed to be uninhabited, with all its furniture covered with dust cloths. Putting the backpack down, Ling Chen took out a pinhole camera and installed it in a corner of the wall.


    "OK!"


    Hearing Hu Fei¡¯s voice through the earpiece, Ling Chen walked to the door, listened for any noise outside, then cracked the door open to check the corridor conditions. Instantly, he saw two maids carrying breakfast and toiletries enter a bedroom some ten meters away.


    That must be the master¡¯s room.


    As soon as the maids entered, Ling Chen darted out, installing pinhole cameras in various hidden spots to monitor every move within the rooms.


    All told, it took about ten minutes to install more than twenty pinhole cameras Ling Chen had brought, covering the entire house under their surveince.


    "Kaelina, how are things on your end?"


    "All set."


    Receiving Kaelina¡¯s response, Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Time to go!"


    Back in the car, Kaelina asked, "Are you sure Hu Fei¡¯s information is reliable?"


    Ling Chen, full of confidence, smiled and said, "The fat guy might not be good at other things, but his intel in this area is absolutely solid. Don¡¯t worry, ording to his predictions, Lin Jiawei will return in these two days. All we need to do is set up our. When the timees, we¡¯ll capture him all at once. As long as we get Lin Jiawei, we might even be able to follow the trail and directly pull out that mysterious leader."


    Hearing this, Kaelina said indifferently, "It¡¯d be great if things will go as smoothly as you say."


    Ling Chen¡¯s lips curled up in a half-smile but said nothing more. Regardless, Lin Jiawei must be captured. This was not only for himself but also for Xia Mutong. Now that Xia Mutong was still in the hands of the God Organization, capturing Lin Jiawei could enable them to exchange him for Xia Mutong.


    ...


    In the blink of an eye.


    Two days passed.


    East Sea International Airport.


    Ling Chen, the porridge girl, and Kaelina sat in an Audi, their eyes fixed on the airport exit, searching for the target.


    "The fatso just sent a message; Lin Jiawei has entered the country and could show up at any moment. Everyone, keep your eyes peeled and don¡¯t miss him."


    "That one, do you think it¡¯s him?"


    Right after Ling Chen finished speaking, Kaelina immediately pointed out of the car window. Following the direction of her finger, Ling Chen picked up the binocrs he carried and saw Lin Jiawei, in a suit, emerging from the airport surrounded by four bodyguards with impressive builds, carrying a suitcase.


    As he reached the roadside, two Mercedes-Benz SUVs promptly came. Once Lin Jiawei and his entourage got into the cars, Ling Chen started the Audi and followed behind the two vehicles as they all left the airport.


    Since the opposing security personnel were professionals, Ling Chen did not dare to follow too closely, fearing that he would expose his whereabouts. Throughout the journey, he kept a distance of tens of meters, using the other vehicles on the road as cover, to hide his tracks.


    However, upon entering the ring road, the two Mercedes suddenly elerated, their speed instantly exceeding a hundred miles per hour.


    Ling Chen frowned and abandoned the idea of continuing the chase. The other party¡¯s purpose for speeding up was clearly to prevent being followed; if he sped up to keep up, it would be tantamount to exposing his own trail.


    Since they knew where Lin Jiawei was headed, there was no need to hurry too much.


    Before long, Ling Chen drove up once again to the manor in the suburbs.


    Looking at the two Mercedes parked at the entrance, Ling Chen picked up his binocrs to observe the situation.


    "Two guards at the entrance, Kaelina, I¡¯ll leave them to you. Porridge girl and I will go directly in through the window, capture Lin Jiawei quickly, and without dy, head back to the car to regroup."


    "Understood!"


    After making their ns, Ling Chen and the porridge girl got out of the car and went to the spot where Ling Chen had sneaked into the manorst time. After checking the time, Ling Chen nodded to the porridge girl, then leapt onto the wall.


    As the two of them began their operation, Kaelina had already approached from the other side of the manor, swiftly charging towards the two guards at the entrance.


    As the third-ranked assassin on the assassin list, Kaelina, holding a dagger, showed no mercy and thrust directly at the vital points of the two guards.


    However, the moment the dagger was swung, one of the guards raised his hand to block, and with a ¡¯ng¡¯ of a crisp sound, the dagger was immediately deflected. Then, that guard threw a punch with the speed of the wind, fiercely hammering it towards Kaelina, sending her flying in an instant.

 Chapter 626 - 623 Lin Jiawei

    <h4>Chapter 626: Chapter 623 Lin Jiawei</h4><h4></h4>


    Ling Chen and porridge girl just climbed over the wall and happened to see this scene, and were immediately stunned.


    Kaelina, after all, is ranked third on the assassin list, and although her strength is not as good as those on the Tiger List or Dragon List, her killing skills are absolutely top-notch. However, the unremarkable-looking security guard punched Kaelina and sent her flying, which clearly showed the strength of the opponent.


    Could it be a master from the Tiger List or Dragon List?


    In a sh of thought, Ling Chen felt this possibility was very likely. After all, Lin Jiawei¡¯s identity and status were there, being an important figure in the God Organization, there definitely would be masters around him.


    At this moment, Kaelina, lying on the ground, covered her chest and palely stood up from the ground. Facing the approaching security personnel, Kaelina nced at the dagger not far away, her expression slightly grave.


    No good!


    Ling Chen silently cursed, realizing that Kaelina could be in mortal danger given the strength of the security personnel.


    "I¡¯ll go help her." As soon as he finished speaking, Ling Chen tapped lightly with his toes, elerating instantly to his maximum speed. Like a gust of wind, he took three steps in two strides, quickly rushing towards Kaelina. However, as Ling Chen was about to reach her, another security guard outside the door noticed his approach and immediately stepped in front of him, blocking his path.


    "Get out of the way!" Ling Chen shouted loudly, his fist clenched with steel, whistling through the air, and he ferociously struck out, aiming directly at the man¡¯s face.


    Seeing Ling Chen make a move, the security personnel stood still, not dodging at all. As the steel fist approached, the security personnel suddenly raised his fist and shed head-on with Ling Chen.


    When the fists collided, Ling Chen felt a powerful force surge through the back of his hand, causing his body to step back instantly.


    Huh?


    After a brief exchange, there was a hint of surprise in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes as he looked at the opponent.


    When their fists had made contact, Ling Chen noticed something odd¡ªhis fist seemed to have hit something hard, not the opponent¡¯s fist.


    Upon closer inspection, Ling Chen immediately realized what was going on.


    He had thought these security personnel were masters, but it seemed that was not the case. These two security personnel were simply equipped with exoskeleton armor enhancing their strength and speed, which allowed them to unexpectedly defeat Kaelina.


    With this realization, Ling Chen rxed. As long as they were not masters, he was not concerned about just an exoskeleton armor.


    "Another go!"


    With a roar, Ling Chen thrust his legs, leaping high, like a roc spreading its wings, striking directly at the opponent¡¯s head.


    Hmph!


    The security personnel sneered, tapped the ground with one foot, and his body shot up two meters high, jumping even higher than Ling Chen. Seeing this, Ling Chen¡¯s expression remained unchanged, his clenched steel fist smashed down again.


    Bang!


    Apanied by a dull sound, as Ling Chen¡¯s steel fist was about to make contact with the opponent¡¯s body, a burst of dark force suddenly exploded, violently impacting the body of the opponent, directly knocking him flying. The security personnel, losing his bnce, had not even time to react and heavily fell to the ground.


    Without waiting for the opponent to rise, Ling Chen leaned forward, his toes forcefully propelled him forward, and he rapidly closed in like a cheetah, his elbow swiftly smashing down directly on the opponent¡¯s forehead.


    Pff!


    A spurt of fresh blood sprayed out, and that security personnel immediately fell to the ground, unconscious.


    However, although one security guard was dealt with, Kaelina was now in a dire situation, held by the cor and lifted mid-air by the other security guard. Moreover, from the sleeve of that guard, a dagger had emerged unknowingly, stabbing straight towards Kaelina¡¯s heart.


    "If it had hit her, Kaelina would have definitely lost her life."


    Without time to think further, Ling Chen quickly scanned the area; his body rolled forward, single-handedly picked up the dagger that had fallen to the ground, and, with a quick flick of his wrist, threw the dagger.


    In an instant, the dagger passed through the back of the security personnel¡¯s head, piercing through the forehead, and blood gushed out.


    Seeing the man fall, Ling Chen quickly rushed forward, steadying Kaelina who was about to fall.


    "Are you all right?"


    Looking into Ling Chen¡¯s concerned eyes, Kaelina gently shook her head and said, "I¡¯m fine, but I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t participate in the next part of the mission."


    "It¡¯s okay, we can handle it. You go back to the car and rest, and we¡¯lle to meet you after we¡¯ve captured Lin Jiawei."


    "Be careful on your own!"


    Watching Kaelina leave, Ling Chen turned and walked to the door, reaching out to push it open. However, at that moment, Hu Fei¡¯s urgent voice came through the earpiece: "Don¡¯t go in!"


    Ling Chen slowed his movement and asked, "What happened?"


    "Porridge girl is in trouble."


    "In trouble?" Ling Chen was shocked. He knew the strength of porridge girl best; as one of the top figures on the Earthly List, could she really be in danger? With this thought, Ling Chen pressed the earpiece, and called, "Porridge girl, respond if you hear me."


    But after several calls, there was no response through the earpiece.


    When he had intervened to save Kaelina, porridge girl had already broken through the window and entered the building. Several minutes had now passed without any noise from inside, he had thought that porridge girl had seeded. Now, it seemed that the situation was probably not optimistic.


    "Fatty, what¡¯s the situation inside?"


    Before Hu Fei could reply, Ling Chen heard a voice from inside the building: "Ling Chen,e in. I know you¡¯re outside. If you don¡¯t want your friend to get hurt, it¡¯s best not to y any tricks."


    "Don¡¯t go in!"


    Hearing Hu Fei¡¯s warning, Ling Chen frowned, speaking in a stern tone: "No, porridge girl¡¯s safety is at stake, I must go in." With this, not waiting for Hu Fei to speak again, Ling Chen pushed open the door and strode in.


    In the spacious and bright living room, Lin Jiawei was sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed, holding a cup of tea in his hand, a faint smile on his face, watching Ling Chen enter.


    Behind Lin Jiawei stood two security personnel in suits, their eyes sharp, expression stern, following Ling Chen¡¯s moves closely to prevent any sudden action.


    "Mr. Ling, I¡¯ve long heard your reputation, and now we finally meet," Lin Jiawei said with a smile, gesturing to the sofa opposite him in a polite manner: "The guest hase, please have a seat!"


    Ling Chen surveyed his surroundings calmly, and asked, "Where¡¯s my friend?"


    "Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s not in immediate danger, but her safety depends on how much you cooperate with me."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen nodded, and walked over to sit down on the sofa. At the same time, a housekeeper came over and ced a cup of tea on the coffee table in front of Ling Chen.


    "Mr. Ling, I believe you are clear about my identity, so I won¡¯t introduce myself."


    "Lin Jiawei, alias Lin Guodong, a high-ranking member of the God Organization."


    Lin Jiawei chuckled, waving his hand, "No, you are mistaken."

 Chapter 627 - 624: Chips

    <h4>Chapter 627: Chapter 624: Chips</h4><h4></h4>


    "Wrong? Where is it wrong? Are you not the person I¡¯m looking for?"


    "I don¡¯t want to deceive you, but you really got the wrong person. My name is Lin Jiawei, I¡¯ve never used an alias or changed my name. However, the Lin Guodong you mentioned does exist, and he is indeed a high-up in the God Organization."


    Ling Chen was puzzled and asked with a baffled face: "Then why..."


    Lin Jiawei said cheerfully: "You want to ask why you ended up finding me? Actually, it¡¯s very simple, Mr. Ling, since you know that Lin Guodong is an important high-up of the God Organization, do you think he would be so easily found by you? Now that you are here, I won¡¯t hide it anymore. Let me tell you the truth, actually I am Lin Guodong¡¯s body double. If Lin Guodong needs to make a personal appearance somewhere, I rece him. In this way, anybody tracking Lin Guodong will end up on me. To put it simply, this is a defense mechanism, I¡¯m just a target to attract the enemy¡¯s attention. If someone wants to harm Lin Guodong, they will trace the lead to this ce, and then it¡¯s up to us to handle them. What I didn¡¯t expect was that the person who found this ce would be you."


    Having said this, Lin Jiawei looked at Ling Chen with a meaningful smile: "Mr. Ling, you are an experienced agent, do you really think you can easily catch an important figure of the God Organization? If it were so, then you would be too na?ve."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen frowned and asked: "What do you want?"


    Lin Jiawei, as if he hadn¡¯t heard Ling Chen¡¯s question, went on saying: "Mr. Ling, you see, you don¡¯t have any direct grievances with our God Organization, so why oppose us. Putting yourself in danger each time, do you find this interesting? In my opinion, why don¡¯t we bury the hatchet, from now on you take your sunny path, I¡¯ll cross my log bridge, we don¡¯t cross each other¡¯s paths and live peacefully."


    "I also want to live a peaceful life, but you shouldn¡¯t haveid hands on someone close to me."


    "Are you talking about Nanrong Wanqing?" Lin Jiawei shook his head and said: "Mr. Ling, I think you might be mistaken, our confrontation with Nanrong Wanqing is because of Nanrong Yuan. A daughter paying off her father¡¯s debts, if we must me someone, it can only be Nanrong Yuan who dragged his own daughter down."


    Ling Chen coldly said: "You should know, she is my woman, if you touch her, it¡¯s the same as opposing me."


    "Alright!" Lin Jiawei put down the teacup in his hand and, with his legs crossed, said: "Mr. Ling, let¡¯s talk about something serious."


    "What serious matter?"


    "Both of your friends are in my hands, if you want to save them... let¡¯s make a deal."


    Hearing this, a heavy feeling sank in Ling Chen¡¯s heart, immediately giving him a bad feeling.


    "Mr. Ling, you must be very familiar with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, I know you are good friends with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master,st time you risked your life to save her, tsk tsk tsk, such loyalty is truly rare."


    As soon as Lin Jiawei uttered these words, Ling Chen¡¯s face changed instantly, and he said in a deep voice: "You want me to help you against the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    "Correct." Lin Jiawei seriously said: "The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is the only existence that the God Organization is wary of. For many years, the God Organization has been trying to infiltrate the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Regrettably, the Pavilion is too cautious, and our people are either hardly able to get in, or are exposed by the Pavilion not long after. Since Mr. Ling is friends with the Pavilion, you are our best candidate."


    Ling Chen, squinting his eyes and smiling on the surface but not smiling inside, said: "Lin Jiawei, have you lost your mind? Since you know the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and I are friends, you still want my help?"


    Lin Jiawei said indifferently: "Mr. Ling, I believe you are a person who valuesmitment and loyalty. Would you really allow your two friends to die for you?"


    At that point, Lin Jiawei made a hand gesture to his security personnel behind him.


    Thetter understood, immediately brought over a tabletputer, and ced it in front of Ling Chen. As the screen lit up, an image immediately appeared before Ling Chen¡¯s eyes.


    Seeing the person in the image, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze sharpened, an icy intent suddenly bursting forth.


    In the image, Xia Mutongy on an iron bed, bound by straps on her hands and feet, even her mouth was gagged, rendering her silent. Beside her, two men in whiteb coats stood by, holding syringes filled with purple liquid as if waiting for something.


    "Lin Jiawei, you..."


    Lin Jiawei smiled slightly: "Mr. Ling, don¡¯t rush to get angry, listen to me finish speaking slowly. You should know, we recently acquired a new technology, but at the moment, it¡¯s still in the refinement stage. Before the technology is perfected, we still need a lot of test subjects, and your friends happen to be suitable candidates. I have given them a heads-up that at ten o¡¯clock they will inject the drug promptly. Now, there are eight minutes left until ten o¡¯clock, you can think it over slowly. I believe you will make the correct choice."


    "Are you threatening me?" Ling Chen looked at Lin Jiawei, his eyes brimming with a frosty coldness.


    "Mr. Ling, how can this be a threat? I am clearly negotiating with you." Saying that, Lin Jiawei took out a bottle containing blue liquid from his pocket and ced it on the coffee table.


    "What is this?"


    "This is a toxin developed by the God Organization, rest assured, this toxin will only make people lose their strength, it¡¯s not fatal. Just pour this toxin into the drinking water of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, then coordinate with us from the inside out, by then, we can easily settle the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Mr. Ling, I¡¯ve figured out the method for you, what do you say, have you considered it clearly?"


    Ling Chen frowned, silent, his eyes shing with indecisiveness.


    "Of course, Mr. Ling, I¡¯m just making a suggestion, how specifically you do it is your business. I don¡¯t question the process, only the oue."


    After speaking, Lin Jiawei seemed to remember something and said: "Mr. Ling, how much do you know about the Yangxin Pavilion of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    "Yangxin Pavilion?" Ling Chen paused, then came to an understanding immediately. Zhou Jun once mentioned the Yangxin Pavilion to him. Yangxin Pavilion is where elderly people are enshrined, mostly consisting of elders living there in retirement. They are highly skilled, an importantponent of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    "The biggest obstacle of the God Organization is Yangxin Pavilion. Without solving those people, it¡¯s difficult to destroy the Pavilion. Therefore, Yangxin Pavilion will be your primary target. Just incapacitate them, and it will be easy to settle the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. By then, not only will I release your friends, but I will also consider you a friend of the God Organization and offer you certain assistance."


    Ling Chen said indifferently: "Do you think I care?"


    "Mr. Ling, regardless of whether you care or not, time is almost up, have you decided?"

 Chapter 628 - 625: Difficult Choices

    <h4>Chapter 628: Chapter 625: Difficult Choices</h4><h4></h4>


    Watching the time inch closer to ten o¡¯clock, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but clench his fists tightly, intently watching Xia Mutong on the screen, with eyes filled with hesitation.


    If he didn¡¯t agree, both Xia Mutong and the porridge girl would die. Or, he could make a desperate attempt to rescue the porridge girl, sacrificing Xia Mutong in exchange for the safety of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. But in doing so, his conscience would be troubled for life.


    Both the porridge girl and Xia Mutong were women who had been involved with him. Just on this point alone, he could not disregard their life and death. As Ling Chen was deep in thought, Hu Fei¡¯s voice suddenly came through the earpiece: "Found the porridge girl. She¡¯s in a room on the second floor to the left, but... I think the chances of rescuing her are slim. There¡¯s an old man watching over her, he¡¯s the one who subdued the porridge girl just now."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s heart sank, and he immediately abandoned the second n.


    Even the porridge girl was no match for that person, let alone himself.


    "Mr. Ling, you have one minute left. Have you made up your mind?"


    As Lin Jiawei¡¯s voice rang out, Ling Chen looked up, met his gaze, and nodded: "Fine, I agree with you."


    "Haha!" Lin Jiaweiughed and pped his hands: "I knew Mr. Ling wouldn¡¯t disappoint me. Very good, then I¡¯ll ce my hopes in Mr. Ling." As the words ended, a security staff member brought over a ck briefcase and ced it in front of Ling Chen.


    "Mr. Ling, take good care of this. It contains the equipment you¡¯ll need. Oh, and one more thing! Let me remind you, don¡¯t y any tricks on me. If you dare to deceive me, I assure you I will use all of God Organization¡¯s power against all the friends you know, including Nanrong Wanqing. So you better keep it in mind, and make no mistake."


    After hearing the other person¡¯s words, Ling Chen secured the bottle with the blue liquid and then picked up the ck briefcase, leaving without a word.


    Back in the car, Kaelina, sitting in the passenger seat, couldn¡¯t help but ask when she saw Ling Chene back alone: "Where¡¯s your friend?"


    Ling Chen shook his head and opened the ck briefcase by himself. Suddenly, aplete set ofmunication equipment wasid out in the case.


    "Where did thise from?"


    In the face of Kaelina¡¯s question, Ling Chen simply replied: "I just made a deal." With that said, Ling Chen pressed the earpiece and spoke: "Fatty, keep an eye on those people for twenty-four hours; I want to know their every move."


    "Understood."


    Leaving the manor, the two of them headed straight back to the research base. On the way, Kaelina didn¡¯t ask anything more. Just by looking at Ling Chen¡¯s grim expression, she could guess what had happened. At times like this, it was better to let him have some quiet time.


    Arriving at the research base, Ling Chen greeted Kaelina before heading straight to Hu Fei¡¯s office.


    The moment he entered the door, Ling Chen immediately called out: "Fatty, how¡¯s it going?"


    "Everyone¡¯s still in the house, not a single person has left."


    Ling Chen approached theputer screen and said, "Bring up the surveince footage of the porridge girl."


    Without a word, Hu Fei¡¯s hands rattled across the keyboard. Soon enough, an image appeared on the screen.


    In the footage, the porridge girl was bound with her hands behind her back, thrown in the corner of the room. Besides her, there was an old man in the room. But as Ling Chen got a clear look at the man¡¯s face, his expression suddenly changed.


    Ji Gang!


    It¡¯s this old fellow again. Wasn¡¯t he after the Secret Society? Why is he here? Could it be... the mysterious man who had spoken to himst time had been killed by Ji Gang?


    After thinking for a while, Ling Chen pushed the distracting thoughts aside and said, "Fatty, you have a widework, is there any way you can help me find Xia Mutong¡¯s location?"


    "Find her?" Hu Fei was stunned for a moment, then said with a bitter smile, "I¡¯m no god, how would I know where she¡¯s being held? Besides, mywork is all about the Assassin business. I can hire Assassins, but finding people is not something I can do. If you ask me, it¡¯s better to find someone familiar with God Organization."


    A reliable person!


    Ling Chen frowned, and several names shed through his mind in an instant. Nanrong Yuan and Liu Xiyao had deep connections with God Organization. But he had already asked them, and Nanrong Yuan and Liu Xiyao had told him all they could, without providing any clues.


    If he couldn¡¯t find Xia Mutong¡¯s location, then he could only follow Lin Jiawei¡¯s orders to scheme against Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    On one side was his woman, and on the other were his friends.


    The thought of having to choose between them gave Ling Chen an immense headache; he simply did not know what to do.


    After a moment of thought, Ling Chen pulled out his phone and dialed the exclusive number given to him by the Secret Society. However, though the call connected, no one answered. It seemed the porridge girl was right, the Secret Society had been under such severe pressure from God Organization recently, that most members had gone into hiding to save their lives.


    "Ling Chen, look."


    While he was deep in thought, Hu Fei suddenly tugged on Ling Chen¡¯s sleeve, pointing at the screen and saying, "He seems to have realized something."


    Ling Chen looked up to see Lin Jiawei appearing on the surveince footage, his mouth opening and closing as if he was saying something.


    "Turn up the volume."


    Soon, Lin Jiawei¡¯s voice came clearly from the speaker: "Mr. Ling, I forgot to tell you, this matter needs to be done quickly. It¡¯s been dyed for too long, and we don¡¯t have that much time to waste. To give you more motivation, I¡¯ve decided to give you a deadline, ten days. If you can¡¯t achieve the goal within ten days, then don¡¯t me me for being rude."


    As Lin Jiawei¡¯s voice faded, all the surveince screens turned to gray and white.


    "The signal¡¯s cut off," Hu Fei said helplessly.


    "Send someone over, we can¡¯t let them escape our sight."


    Leaving the office, Ling Chen walked to the outside of theb. Through the ss, he saw Zhu Xiaozhu discussing with several medical professors about the conditions of Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun.


    It had been several days since they started their research, and Zhu Xiaozhu and her team still hadn¡¯t made any progress. Although Ling Chen understood, he still couldn¡¯t help but worry.


    At that moment, Zhu Xiaozhu in theb seemed to notice Ling Chen¡¯s gaze and looked back at him.


    Ling Chen waved his hand and squeezed out a faint smile. However, to his surprise, Zhu Xiaozhu looked away immediately after a nce, showing no expression at all on her face.


    This indifferent reaction made Ling Chen freeze.


    What¡¯s wrong?


    Although he was wrong that night, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s character shouldn¡¯t be like this, he thought. Reflecting on the past few days, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s behavior had been somewhat abnormal, feeling as if she¡¯d changed into a different person, with no exnation.


    Never mind!


    After some thought, Ling Chen shook his head and temporarily set aside Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s attitude. Right now, he needed to focus on the problems at hand.

 Chapter 629 - 626: Indirect Intimacy

    <h4>Chapter 629: Chapter 626: Indirect Intimacy</h4><h4></h4>


    "Ling Chen, what are you nning to do?"


    In the spacious office, having learned of the situation, Hu Fei asked.


    Ling Chen shook his head and sighed softly, "I really don¡¯t know what to do. Both sides are my friends; I can¡¯t hurt either of them. Lin Jiawei only gave me ten days, if I don¡¯t figure out a solution quickly, both porridge girl and Xia Mutong will be in danger."


    "If only we could find Xia Mutong¡¯s location."


    "It¡¯s useless," Ling Chen said with a bitter smile, "Even if we rescue Xia Mutong, we still have porridge girl. She¡¯s currently being watched by Ji Gang. No one can rescue her from his clutches unless..."


    "Unless what?"


    "Unless we can find a Heavenly List master to help. But, while there are many experts in the world, very few are on the Heavenly List. Even if we find one, they might not be willing to help... Wait!" At this point, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up, bursting with a sharp glint.


    Feeling the change in Ling Chen¡¯s gaze, Hu Fei asked, "What is it, got an idea?"


    Ling Chen¡¯s lips curved slightly, revealing a faint smile, and he nodded, "I think I know who to seek out. Fatty, drop everything else these days and help me pinpoint Xia Mutong¡¯s whereabouts. If all else fails, we may just have to forcefully intervene to rescue them."


    "What about you?" Hu Fei asked, "Are you still going to Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    "I definitely need to go. I¡¯m watching Lin Jiawei, and he¡¯s also having someone watch me. If I do nothing, it would definitely arouse his suspicion. So, no matter what, I must go to Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Help me book a flight ticketter, I¡¯ll be leaving tomorrow morning."


    "A flight to Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    "No, I¡¯m heading to Jinhai City first, then from there to Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    Jinhai City?


    Hu Fei looked at Ling Chen skeptically, not understanding why he wanted to go to Jinhai City.


    ...


    The next afternoon.


    Departing from Jinhai City Airport and after more than two hours of flight, Ling Chen finally arrived at his destination.


    Exiting the airport, a Cadic was already parked by the roadside waiting. As the car door opened, Zhou Jun hopped out from the driver¡¯s seat and hurriedly weed Ling Chen with a warm hug.


    "Ling Chen, good to see you again."


    "Thanks for driving all the way out here to pick me up."


    "No need for formalities among brothers. Come on, get in the car. I¡¯ll take you to get something to eat first, then we head back to Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    After enjoying a hearty dinner, Ling Chen and Zhou Jun directly drove to the forested area where Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was located.


    Since Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was in a remote location surrounded by woods, the vehicle couldn¡¯t proceed further, and they had to continue on foot.


    Walking through the dense woods, Ling Chen chatted sporadically with Zhou Jun. Along the way, Ling Chen clearly noticed that the security had tightened, with dark posts everywhere. It seemed that since thest attack by the God Organization, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion had enhanced their defenses.


    After about a half-hour walk, Ling Chen and Zhou Jun finally arrived at Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. By now, it was already past eight in the evening.


    Seemingly aware of Ling Chen¡¯s arrival, Song Ge had already been waiting at the entrance. Naturally, greetings were exchanged between friends.


    "Ling, I¡¯ll take you to meet the Pavilion Master first."


    "Okay."


    Zhou Jun joined in, "Then you go ahead with that, I¡¯ll help Ling Chen arrange his room. See youter."


    Following beside Song Ge, the two matched their steps and soon arrived outside the room where the Pavilion Master lived.


    "Ling, go ahead, I¡¯ll wait for you outside."


    Ling Chen nodded, he and Su Mei were old acquaintances, there was no need for such courtesy. With that, he pushed open the door and strode into the room.


    In the elegantly ancient room, with ayer of dark wooden flooring that creaked underfoot. The south-facing window was slightly open, revealing a sliver of a gap, through which a cool evening breeze passed, wandering around the spacious room, bringing a hint of chilliness.


    Ling Chen turned his head and focused his gaze towards the curtain in the center of the room. Indistinctly, he could barely make out the silhouette of a person emerging from behind it. Moreover, a rich aroma of tea drifted from behind the curtain, mingling in the air and permeating the entire room, invigorating one¡¯s spirit.


    "Miss Su, long time no see," Ling Chen said with a smile as he approached the curtain.


    "Please sit down!"


    Su Mei¡¯s gentle voice came through, with a lightugh. Clearly, she was very weing of Ling Chen¡¯s visit.


    Ling Chen nced at the curtain blocking his view, his right hand hesitated for a moment, but ultimately he couldn¡¯t resist and lifted the curtain, fixing it to one side. Instantly, Su Mei¡¯s beautiful face came into his view.


    "You!" Su Mei looked at Ling Chen somewhat irritably, her tone tinged with a hint of reproach: "How bold of you, no one has ever dared to lift this curtain before."


    Ling Chen chuckled, "Miss Su, we are old friends who have been through life and death together, why stand on ceremony? Besides, I¡¯m not ustomed to speaking to someone with a curtain in between. It¡¯s so inconvenient." Saying this, Ling Chen made himselffortable sitting next to the coffee table.


    Without waiting for Su Mei to speak, Ling Chen casually picked up a cup of tea and took a detailed sip, shaking his head hemented, "Hmm, not bad, tastes better than thest time. Seems like your skills have improved."


    However, it seemed Su Mei didn¡¯t hear Ling Chen¡¯spliment, as her beautiful eyes stared intently at the teacup, her fair and delicate face unconsciously flushing with a hint of pink.


    Noticing the change in Su Mei¡¯s expression, Ling Chen curiously said, "Miss Su, what¡¯s wrong? It¡¯s just a cup of tea, wasn¡¯t it made for me to drink?"


    "You..." Su Mei red at Ling Chen, swallowing back the words that reached her lips.


    That cup of tea was originally brewed for her own drinking, she had only taken a small sip and hadn¡¯t finished, yet Ling Chen had drunk it all. Most importantly, the bastard had drunk exactly where her lips had touched.


    Indirect kiss!


    The thought alone turned Su Mei¡¯s cheeks even redder, a trace of shyness shing through her beautiful eyes. Thinking that as a woman, she couldn¡¯t bring this up directly, as it would only embarrass her.


    Then, she quickly changed the subject, "If you think it¡¯s good, feel free to drink more."


    "Sure, sure." Ling Chen took the kettle without any hesitation and filled his cup. He had eaten something greasy outside with Zhou Jun earlier and was a little thirsty, so this was the perfect chance to quench his thirst.


    "What brings you to Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion this time?" Su Mei shifted the topic, asking, "You¡¯re not here to seek my help again, are you?"


    "Look at you saying that, as if my purpose here is only to seek help. We are friends after all, Zhou Jun and Song are my friends too, can¡¯t Ie to see my friends?"


    Su Mei gazed deeply at Ling Chen and said, "I don¡¯t think your intentions are that simple."


    "Alright, I know I can¡¯t hide it from you." Ling Chen said helplessly: "You must have heard about the issues with the Secret Society, I¡¯m here for that."

 Chapter 630 - 627: Night Talk

    <h4>Chapter 630: Chapter 627: Night Talk</h4><h4></h4>


    "Howe, has the God Organization threatened you again?"


    "That¡¯s not the case. Recently, the God Organization hasunched a cleansing operation against the Secret Society, destroying many of their strongholds and causing heavy casualties. Even the higher-ups of the Secret Society have lost contact,pletely silent. As far as I know, the God Organization sent Ji Gang to hunt down the high-ranking members of the Secret Society. With a master from the Heavenly List taking action, I¡¯m afraid those people will have a hard time escaping."


    Su Mei nodded and said, "I am aware of this. ording to intelligence from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, the power of the Secret Society has shrunk by at least half. This is indeed a heavy blow to them. At present, there are almost no active members of the Secret Society, they have all gone underground. I have tried to contact the high-ranking members of the Secret Society, and as you said, all of them have gone silent, their lives are probably in great danger."


    "Why has the Secret Society, a major world force, suffered such a severe setback this time?"


    "You only are aware of the situation in Huaxia, butpletely ignorant about what¡¯s happening abroad. For the sake of the Secret Society, the God Organization employed a lot of power this time, including their infiltration within governments worldwide. The reason why the Secret Society suffered such heavy losses is mainly due to covert operations by individuals within governments of various countries, utilizing governmental power to suppress the Secret Society, which led to the massive losses."


    Governmental power?


    Ling Chen was surprised. So, that was it, no wonder! The members of the God Organization lurking within government agencies are the most terrifying.


    "If the Secret Society falls, the next target the God Organization will deal with is surely our Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    Hearing Su Mei¡¯s words, Ling Chen felt a jolt in his heart and quickly covered up the difort in his eyes, pretending to be serious as he asked, "Why are you so certain?"


    "Do I even need to think about it? If there is any other power in this world that could threaten the God Organization, it would only be Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Furthermore, the God Organization has repeatedly tried to kill me, it shows that they are determined to destroy Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. However, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is not as easy to deal with as the Secret Society. Just like you said, the forces of the Secret Society are spread all over the world, and the God Organization only needs the power of various governments to easily destroy it. But it¡¯s different for Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion; there is only one Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, based in Huaxia, and the God Organization¡¯s influence has not yet prated the interior of Huaxia, so we don¡¯t have to worry about the God Organization using governmental power against us."


    Su Mei spoke confidently: "If it¡¯s just the God Organization, don¡¯t expect them to easily break through Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Our heritage of several hundred years relies not merely on luck."


    "Let¡¯s hope so!"


    "What, you don¡¯t have confidence in us?"


    Ling Chenughed: "Not at all, I have full confidence in Miss Su. Besides, even if I weren¡¯t confident in you, I have absolute faith in those elders from Yangxin Pavilion."


    "That¡¯s true. Their presence is what has maintained Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯s status for a century. Alright, you have been tired from the journey, you should head back to your room to rest. We can talk about anything else tomorrow."


    "Okay, then I won¡¯t disturb you anymore."


    Coming out of the room, Song Ge, who was waiting outside, took Ling Chen to the guest room arranged by Zhou Jun.


    As soon as he entered the room, Ling Chen smelled a strong fragrance of wine.


    In the center of the room stood a wooden table, with several side dishes for drinking set out, and two jars of wine next to it, the aroma of which was emanating from there.


    Song Ge said with a smile: "Zhou Jun, you are quite good at arranging things."


    "Of course." Zhou Jun smiled proudly: "These two jars of wine are pinched from my old man, twenty years of pure brewing, he usually doesn¡¯t care to drink it much, but today he let me bring them here. Come on, let¡¯s not stand around, sit, tonight the three of us brothers won¡¯t call it quits until we¡¯re drunk."


    A night passed.


    The next day, Ling Chen licked his lips as he woke up from his sleep. Touching his slightly throbbing head, he chuckled bitterly at the mess on the table fromst night¡¯s drinking. They had gone through two urns of wine, and he couldn¡¯t even remember when he passed out. Getting up to pour a cup of tea, Ling Chen walked to the window, pushed it open to look outside and saw more than twenty youths with long swords on their backs, standing in two rows on a nearby hill, listening intently to their instructor¡¯s guidance.


    On another side, several middle-aged men, bare-chested, stood in front of wooden posts, their muscr bodies vigorously striking the posts, sweat flying like rain.


    Further in the distance, some elderly men were sitting cross-legged, seemingly practicing Internal Cultivation Methods.


    Seeing this scene, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but feel moved. It was worthy of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, the cream of the crop in Martial Arts. Just this diligence alone was enough to maintain the Pavilion¡¯s transcendent status in Martial Arts, irreceable.


    Closing the window, Ling Chen locked the door and then opened the backpack he had brought with him, taking out a briefcase.


    Looking at the variousmunication equipment arranged inside the briefcase, he casually picked up a wireless receiver and switched it on. At once, a row of red lights appeared on the top of the receiver, shing continuously.


    After a while, the red light disappeared, turning into a green one, indicating that the signal was sessfully connected.


    Putting on the headset, Ling Chen spoke softly, "Pheasant Hawk calling."


    "Eagle received, all normal."


    After testing themunication equipment, Ling Chen put the wireless receiver and headset back into the briefcase.


    The person outside responsible for receiving signals was a member of the God Organization. Because Lin Jiawei was worried Ling Chen would be deceitful, he required that Ling Chen checks in once a day to report on the progress of his activities.


    Leaving the room, Ling Chen walked straight to the martial arts training field outside Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. On the way, he happened to meet Zhou Jun who was on his way to find him. Seeing Zhou Jun¡¯s disgruntled expression, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help butugh and ask, "What¡¯s wrong, who provoked you?"


    Zhou Jun replied gloomily, "It¡¯s that old man at home. It was just his two urns of wine, did he need to give me an earful? He doesn¡¯t think about the fact that I am his own grandson. After a hundred years, he will still need me to take care of hisst rites."


    "That¡¯s enough! Getting a scolding isn¡¯t too bad, at least he didn¡¯t hit you. Come on, join me for a stroll."


    Arriving at the training field, Ling Chen looked at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion members diligently practicing martial arts and asked, "Where¡¯s Song?"


    "He¡¯s over there. Come, I¡¯ll take you to see him."


    Crossing two hills, Ling Chen stopped and looked up at Song Ge standing on the peak of the mountain. Song Ge held his sword one-handed, his posture straight as an arrow, dressed in white, fluttering in the breeze.


    Suddenly, Song Ge flicked his wrist, and the longsword became as agile as a Spirit Snake, an extension of his arm, naturally flexible. Combined with his nimble body and footsteps, he seemed to merge with the wind around him, ethereal and elegant, a pleasure to watch.


    Bang!


    At that moment, Song Ge changed his sword move, his arm slicing forward, and a stone weighing over a hundred pounds was instantly split into two, rolling down the hill.

 Chapter 631 - 628: Disciple of Yangxin Pavilion

    <h4>Chapter 631: Chapter 628: Disciple of Yangxin Pavilion</h4><h4></h4>


    Seeing this scene, Ling Chen waspletely stunned.


    So impressive!


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief watching Song Ge, this... this progress is too rapid.


    If that sword had touched the stone, Ling Chen wouldn¡¯t have been surprised. The key point is that Song Ge used his Inner Strength to split the stone in half, and that¡¯s a significant difference. Back at the beginning of the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, Song Ge hadn¡¯t even reached the level of emitting Inner Strength, and now he could effortlessly use it to split the stone.


    Tsk, tsk! Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but admire.


    As expected of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, they really do excel at nurturing talents.


    "Song, you¡¯re amazing, probably no one in the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has made faster progress than you."


    At this moment, a voice drifted over from the side. Only then did Ling Chen notice that on the mountaintop, aside from Song Ge, there were two other people, both around twenty-something and very young.


    "Not at all." Song Ge said modestly, "My progress has been slow." As he spoke, Song Ge noticed Ling Chen and Zhou Jun down the hill, immediately greeted them and brought the twopanions over.


    "Ling, you awake?" Song Ge said with a smile, "Last night you were the drunkest of us all, looks like you need to work on your alcohol tolerance."


    "Song, who is this?" The two young men sized up Ling Chen and asked.


    "This is Ling Chen whom I¡¯ve mentioned to you before, he¡¯s much more impressive than me." Song Ge introduced, "Ling, let me introduce you. These two are Liang Zheng and Song Yi, friends I¡¯ve made in the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Don¡¯t be fooled by their young age, they¡¯re both far from simple. Had they participated in the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, it would have been difficult for us to rank."


    Liang Zhengughed, "Song is being too modest, we¡¯re not that impressive." Then, turning to Ling Chen, he bowed with sped hands, "So you are Ling Chen, I¡¯ve long admired your reputation."


    "You¡¯re too kind." Ling Chen returned the courtesy.


    "Ling Chen, Song just said you¡¯re even more impressive than him, why not show us a few moves? Liang Zheng and I are also curious to see how amazing the top of the Neer List really is."


    The speaker was Song Yi, his appearance was ordinary, but there was a trace of arrogance between his brows. It seemed like he didn¡¯t ept what Song Ge had said.


    "Alright, Song Yi, Ling has just woken up from his drunkenness, don¡¯t trouble him. There will be plenty of opportunities for you to see for yourselfter," Song Ge said with a smile, intending to defuse the situation for Ling Chen.


    "Really?" Song Yi looked at Ling Chen with a meaningful and half-smiling expression, "If that¡¯s really the case, we won¡¯t insist, to avoid someone losing faceter."


    "Hey! Watch how you speak." Zhou Jun immediately expressed his discontent, reproaching, "Mr. Song, didn¡¯t your Master teach you how to speak politely? You show no manners at all."


    Song Yi nced at Zhou Jun and replied coolly, "What my Master teaches me is his business, why do you care so much? If you have issues, go find my Master."


    "You..."


    "Alright, let¡¯s stop here, we are all friends, no need to get angry," Ling Chen hastened to intercede for fear that Zhou Jun would cause displeasure because of him.


    <sub>f.re(e) w.e(b)nov el.c.om</sub>


    "Song, you guys go ahead with your business, Zhou Jun and I will take a stroll elsewhere. It¡¯s rare to visit the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, I should broaden my horizons." Finishing, Ling Chen took Zhou Jun and prepared to leave.


    "At least you are aware of your own limitations, knowing that youck knowledge."


    Hearing Song Yi¡¯s voiceing from behind, Ling Chen¡¯s brows involuntarily furrowed. This young man named Song was quite rude considering Ling Chen hadn¡¯t provoked him in any way. Even for someone with a non-confrontational nature, this was starting to irk him.


    At this point, even Song Ge found it hard to listen, saying lightly, "Song Yi, Ling Chen is my friend, speak with some courtesy."


    Song Yi shrugged, "Alright, consider I haven¡¯t said anything just now."


    Liang Zheng, trying to smooth things over, said with a smile, "Song, you¡¯re not unaware of Song Yi¡¯s personality, he¡¯s just straightforward and speaks his mind. Ling Chen, please don¡¯t take it to heart."


    "Don¡¯t worry, Ling¡¯s tolerance is greater than yours, he won¡¯t stoop to your level," Zhou Jun coldly interjected, then led Ling Chen away towards the practice field, not wanting to stay a minute longer.


    "Ling!"


    Just as they returned to the practice field, Song Ge hurried over from behind, looking apologetic, "Ling, I¡¯m really sorry about earlier, I apologize on behalf of Song Yi."


    Ling Chen smiled indifferently, "It¡¯s nothing, do I look like the nitpicky type?" He then changed the subject, asking curiously, "Song, who were those two just now?"


    "They are from the Yangxin Pavilion."


    Yangxin Pavilion?


    Ling Chen¡¯s mind was stirred, and he asked in surprise, "Isn¡¯t the Yangxin Pavilion a ce for the elderly, howe those two are so young, do they have the qualifications to enter the Yangxin Pavilion?"


    Zhou Jun added, "You don¡¯t understand. The Yangxin Pavilion indeed is a ce for the elderly, however, which of those old folks doesn¡¯t wish to pass on their lifetime of Martial Arts? So they choose exceptionally talented individuals to take on as personal disciples. Liang Zheng, Song Yi, they were both found by those old folks and have lived in the Yangxin Pavilion from a young age, learning martial arts from their Masters. Although I don¡¯t really like their arrogance, I have to admit, their abilities are indeed strong. Aside from Liang Zheng and Song Yi, the Yangxin Pavilion has many more like them."


    "If they are so strong, why didn¡¯t they participate in the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony?"


    Song Ge exined, "They¡¯re already part of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion once inside Yangxin Pavilion. The Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony is hosted by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, and it would look silly for its own members to participate. But, I wasn¡¯t wrong in what I said before. If they had participated in the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, the rankings on the Neer List would have needed a big overhaul."


    Upon hearing this, Ling Chen inquired in astonishment, "Are they really that formidable? They look about my age."


    Zhou Jun shook his head, "You can¡¯t judge by age alone. You should consider that they have been raised from childhood by masters from the Earthly List and the Heavenly List. Not to mention, the weakest sparring partners they have had are masters from the Earthly List. With such upbringing, do you think they¡¯ll be weak?"


    "That makes sense." After saying that, Ling Chen nced at Zhou Jun, "The way you talk, I feel like you don¡¯t really get along with them."


    "That¡¯s normal," Song Ge added, "People from the Yangxin Pavilion have always been quite arrogant, Liang Zheng and Song Yi are considered better among them. I¡¯ve also interacted with others from the Yangxin Pavilion, and to be honest, I can¡¯t stand their arrogance. Moreover, with the backup from the group of old folks in the Yangxin Pavilion, no one dares to offend them. Except for the Pavilion Master who has some deterrent power, they usually walk around the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion openly and without fear, not caring about anyone. Because of this, there aren¡¯t many of the same age in the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion who like to associate with them."

 Chapter 632 - 629 Tong Nan (1)

    <h4>Chapter 632: Chapter 629 Tong Nan (1)</h4><h4></h4>


    After listening to Song Ge and Zhou Jun¡¯s exnation, Ling Chen gained a deeper understanding of Yangxin Pavilion. He originally thought that Yangxin Pavilion was just an ordinary ce for the elderly, but he didn¡¯t expect it to have so manyplexities. From Zhou Jun¡¯s attitude, it was clear that he didn¡¯t have a favorable impression of the disciples produced by Yangxin Pavilion.


    "Song, your martial arts skills have really improved quickly. In such a short time, you¡¯ve already reached the level of projecting Inner Strength externally." Ling Chen changed the subject, avoiding further discussion about Yangxin Pavilion.


    "I have to admit, my progress isrgely thanks to Liang Zheng and Song Yi."


    Ling Chen, puzzled, asked, "What do they have to do with your progress?"


    "Don¡¯tugh at me for saying this, but if it weren¡¯t for Liang Zheng¡¯s guidance, avoiding many misguided paths, I probably wouldn¡¯t have reached this level."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed slightly. Liang Zheng and Song Yi, both appearing young, were capable of advising Song Ge, which indicated their formidable strength. Could it be that... the disciples from Yangxin Pavilion were really that impressive?


    With this thought, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Song, the Liang Zheng and Song Yi you just mentioned, have they reached the level of the Earthly List?"


    "Not quite," Song Ge shook his head and said, "Their overall strength barely ranks in the top three of the Dragon List; they still have some distance from reaching the Earthly List." Ling Chen gasped in astonishment upon hearing this.


    Now he finally understood what that meant.


    If the disciples of Yangxin Pavilion participated in the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, the rankings on the Neer List would likely bepletely overturned.


    Initially, Ling Chen didn¡¯t want to continue discussing Yangxin Pavilion, but Song Ge¡¯s words piqued his interest again.


    "Song, do all disciples from Yangxin Pavilion have strength like that of Liang Zheng?"


    "No."


    That¡¯s a relief! Ling Chen secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that all disciples from Yangxin Pavilion were as exceptional as Liang Zheng and Song Yi. However, this thought was immediately crushed by Song Ge¡¯s next words.


    "Among the disciples of Yangxin Pavilion, Liang Zheng and Song Yi¡¯s strength ranks at the bottom because they joined Yangxin Pavilionter, so their Martial Arts skills are somewhat lower than others. From what I know, almost all other disciples are on the Earthly List."


    Uh...


    After hearing Song Ge¡¯s words, Ling Chen was momentarily stunned. All were on the Earthly List? Damn! Had the standards for being a master lowered so much these days?


    At this moment, Ling Chen finally understood why Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion ced so much importance on the existence of Yangxin Pavilion. Even the word "abnormal" was not sufficient to describe it.


    "How many disciples does Yangxin Pavilion have?"


    "Not many, only seven or eight."


    Ling Chen was somewhat surprised and asked, "So few?" He had thought there would be at least ten or twenty disciples in Yangxin Pavilion.


    Zhou Jun chimed in, "Did you think Martial Arts prodigies were easy to find? Finding seven or eight is already quite difficult. Since there aren¡¯t many prodigies with excellent talents, the elderly folks in Yangxin Pavilion often shed fiercely over recruiting disciples, leading to many conflicts. Later, it was the previous Pavilion Master who stepped in and resolved the conflicts of Yangxin Pavilion. Since then, the elderly have agreed that two or three of them will teach a disciple together. Simply put, the disciples trained by Yangxin Pavilion are an amalgamation of strengths from various experts."


    So that was it!


    Ling Chen nodded. It¡¯s difficult not to be formidable when several masters simultaneously train a single talent.


    As he spoke, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze was suddenly drawn by a young man not far away. In one corner of the martial arts field, a young man aged around twenty-seven or twenty-eight stood tall and straight, like a javelin, hands behind his back, his eyes gazing slightly upwards at a 45-degree angle towards the blue sky.


    The mountain breeze brushed gently over his forehead¡¯s hair, coupled with his handsome face and elegant demeanor, he looked extremely suave.


    "Damn!" Zhou Jun cursed unhappily, "That guy from Yangxin Pavilion is showing off again."


    "Do you know him?"


    "His name is Tong Nan, a disciple of Yangxin Pavilion, the most handsome among them. He alwayses out to show himself off and charm the women of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. That guy is simply a scoundrel. Countless women in our Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion have willingly been deceived by him, even if they are desertedter, they still have no regrets, just like those crazy fans outside," Zhou Jun¡¯s tone was harsh, clearly disliking Tong Nan.


    "So he¡¯s a yboy."


    While murmuring to himself, the nearby Tong Nan suddenly turned his head, observing leaves swept up by the mountain wind into the air. His right hand extended from behind and rose into the air, his wrist subtly rotating.


    In an instant, the floating leaves, like lostmbs finding their way, unexpectedly changed direction in mid-air, flying towards Tong Nan and swirling around him with the breeze.


    Ling Chen was stunned, watching agape. He had only seen such scenes in martial arts movies. He never imagined someone could really do it, and it was quite incredible.


    Soon, Tong Nan¡¯s performance captivated the attention of the people around. Some young women in their twenties excitedly and adoringly gathered around Tong Nan, while other men looked on scornfully and jealously.


    Suddenly, the leaves swirling around Tong Nan congregated to form the shape of a rose.


    Seeing the glowing eyes of those women, Tong Nan¡¯s lips curved into a light smirk, and he gently snapped his fingers. Instantly, the leaves scattered and were swept back into the air by the mountain breeze.


    "Dammit, why doesn¡¯t lightning strike that bastard dead," Zhou Jun cursed irritably.


    "Calm down, he hasn¡¯t provoked you."


    As soon as Ling Chen spoke, beside him, Song Ge subtly tugged at his sleeve. Ling Chen turned his head, puzzled at Song Ge, not understanding his gesture.


    In a low voice, Song Ge said, "Previously, Zhou Jun fancied a girl and wanted to pursue her, but she was captivated by Tong Nan and was even deceived into giving herself to him, so..."


    Realizing the situation now.


    Ling Chen suddenly understood. No wonder Zhou Jun was so disdainful of Tong Nan; it was because of this reason.


    "Song, Tong Nan is quite formidable; he must be an expert from the Earthly List."


    Song Ge nodded and replied, "Indeed. However, the technique he just disyed isn¡¯t very impressive. Once someone reaches the Earthly List, their control over Inner Strength improves significantly. As long as you learn to control your own Inner Strength well, you can easily do it."


    Control?


    A thought struck Ling Chen; that was exactly the technique Song He had taught him.


    Although he had already encountered these skills, he had never tried to use Inner Strength to control the direction of leaves like Tong Nan had. If given the chance, it might be worth a try. Although it¡¯s a bit showy, it¡¯s still good for impressing others.

 Chapter 633 - 630 Tong Nan (2)

    <h4>Chapter 633: Chapter 630 Tong Nan (2)</h4><h4></h4>


    "Tong, hitting on girls again?"


    At this moment, a teasing voice came over.


    Tong Nan turned his head to look and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as he waved and greeted, "Liang Zheng, if you two are jealous, just say it. How about it, want me to introduce a few women to you? Look at you, grown men and still virgins, isn¡¯t that losing face for us guys? How about I arrange something tonight and let you fully evolve into men?"


    Song Yi waved his hand and said, "Tong, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not blessed to enjoy that. You know that I practice Child Skill. Master has instructed that I can break anything, only not lust."


    "Well then, forget about it. Seems you won¡¯t enjoy the pleasures of being a man. How about you, Liang Zheng, any interest?"


    Liang Zheng smiled and said, "Tong, you enjoy it yourself; I prefer to find my own."


    "Fine! Then pretend I never said anything just now."


    During their conversation, the three had gathered together, speaking in lower and lower voices, with the content of their discussion unknown. However, their gazes asionally drifted to Ling Chen, apanied by various gestures.


    "Ling Chen, let¡¯s go." Zhou Jun grabbed Ling Chen, ready to leave.


    However, they hadn¡¯t gone far when they heard Tong Nan¡¯s voice again: "Zhou Jun, where are you going? It¡¯s rare to see you at the martial arts field, why not stay and have some fun?"


    With the sound of footsteps approaching, Ling Chen turned to see Tong Nan, Liang Zheng, and Song Yi walking over together.


    "Ling Chen, right?" Tong Nan sized up Ling Chen, a yful smile curling at the edge of his mouth.


    Ling Chen looked at Tong Nan unflinchingly and asked, "What¡¯s the matter?"


    "I just heard from Song Yi that you are the one ranked first in the Neer List, able to manifest Inner Strength externally at such a young age. You seem to have good aptitude, so I¡¯m rather interested in getting to know you."


    "Now you know me, don¡¯t you?"


    "I do know you, but... I¡¯m more interested to see just how powerful you are, and to find out if the first ce on the Neer List is really well-deserved."


    As Tong Nan spoke, Zhou Jun immediately furrowed his brows, saying gravely, "Tong Nan, Ling Chen is a guest of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion; don¡¯t be too rude."


    "So what? Zhou Jun, don¡¯t forget where we are - this is Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Since we are all martial artists, what¡¯s wrong with making friends through martial arts? Or are you saying... you don¡¯t dare?" Tong Nan¡¯s gaze shifted to Ling Chen, with hisst sentence clearly directed at him.


    Faced with Tong Nan¡¯s challenging look, Ling Chen¡¯s expression was as still as water, watching the other silently without any intention of speaking.


    Song Yi chimed in with a malicious smile, "Ling Chen, you¡¯re the first on the Neer List; don¡¯t you even have that bit of courage? If this gets out, aren¡¯t you afraid of beingughed at?"


    "Song Yi."


    Song Ge frowned, speaking discontentedly, "Ling Chen is my friend; I hope you can show some respect."


    "Song, I didn¡¯t hit him or insult him, how is that being disrespectful? Besides, he¡¯s your friend, but I am also your friend; you can¡¯t be too biased."


    Song Ge responded seriously, "If it weren¡¯t for Ling Chen¡¯s help, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to enter Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. So if I have to choose between the two of you, sorry, I won¡¯t stand by and watch someone being disrespectful to him."


    Hearing this, Song Yi sneered, "In that case, it seems we can no longer be friends."


    "I don¡¯t need a friend like that anyway." Ling Chen said indifferently, "Friends should be as close as brothers, not trouble each other like you do."


    Song Yi¡¯s expression turned cold, and he snorted lightly, "Ling Chen, save your breath, just give me a straight answer; do you dare or not? If you don¡¯t, then get out of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion quick, and stop making a fool of yourself here."


    Ling Chen nced at Tong Nan and the others and said, "Guys, I don¡¯t recall having offended you, so why keep targeting me and purposely troubling me? Do I look that easy to bully?"


    Zhou Jun remarked scornfully, "Everyone in Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion of our age has already been bullied by them; of course, they won¡¯t give up the chance to change targets. Yangxin Pavilion¡¯s people are better, they just unt their Master¡¯s reputation all day without having to do anything."


    This remark caused Liang Zheng¡¯s face to change slightly as he said coldly, "Zhou Jun, watch your words, don¡¯t make things unpleasant for yourself."


    "Am I wrong? Since you entered Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, aside from enjoying its resources, what have you done for the Pavilion? Ling Chen may not be one of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯s own, but he has helped the Pavilion a great deal, even risking his life to save the Pavilion Master. On that ount alone, none of youpare, and now you even have the nerve to bother him; frankly, being part of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, I am ashamed on your behalf."


    After being verballyshed by Zhou Jun, Song Yi became enraged and scolded, "Zhou Jun, you..."


    "Enough!" Tong Nan said curtly, his eyes flickering with a smile yet not quite smiling as he looked at Ling Chen, "I don¡¯t like to force others. If you¡¯re not interested in a spar, just say so, I promise I won¡¯t make it difficult for you."


    At this moment, the others in the martial arts field seemed to have caught the scent of gunpowder between the two groups, and they gathered around with interest to watch the excitement, making variousments.


    "Isn¡¯t that Ling Chen the first of the Neer List? He should be quite capable, why not just agree quickly?"


    "You really have no clue, can a person on the Neer Listpare with a disciple from Yangxin Pavilion? Anyone from Yangxin Pavilion could handle the contenders of the Neer List easily. Ling Chen has the good sense, that¡¯s why he dares not ept the challenge."


    Hearing the surroundingmentary, both Zhou Jun and Song Ge¡¯s faces turned unsightly. Both simultaneously looked at Ling Chen, waiting for his decision.


    "You¡¯re an expert on the Earthly List, and I haven¡¯t even made it to the top three on the Dragon List; do you think such a spar would be interesting?"


    Tong Nanughed, "Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t be me moving against you, you¡¯re not yet qualified for me to take action." Saying this, Tong Nan nced at Liang Zheng and Song Yi, then pointed at Song Yi, "Let it be him. Youpare yourself with Song Yi; he is one of the weakest in Yangxin Pavilion. How about that?"


    "I have no issue," Song Yi grinned, "Just afraid Ling Chen won¡¯t be generous enough to teach."


    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Ling Chen hesitated for a moment, then nodded, "Alright, since everyone is so interested, then I shall try. But let¡¯s be clear, since it¡¯s a spar, we should stop at the first touch, don¡¯t be too hard on each other."


    The moment these words were uttered, the onlookers¡¯ impression of Ling Chen lowered a few notches. Speaking such words before the fight had even begun clearly showed ack of confidence in himself. Defeated before the battle, without a move made, he had already lost in momentum.


    "Ling, be careful," Song Ge warned, "Song Yi¡¯s strength may not yet be on the Earthly List, but it¡¯s not far off. Plus, he practices Child Skill, which makes him strong in actualbat. Don¡¯t take it lightly."


    "I know."

 Chapter 634 - 631: Sparring (1)

    <h4>Chapter 634: Chapter 631: Sparring (1)</h4><h4></h4>


    As the crowd retreated, Ling Chen took off his coat, handed it to Zhou Jun, and then strode to the center of the martial arts field, staring directly at Song Yi opposite him.


    When the two were about to sh, nobody noticed that, not far from the martial arts field, in a room, Su Mei stood in front of a window, quietly observing the situation on the field.


    "Pavilion Master, should I step in to stop them? You know the disciples of Yangxin Pavilion better than anyone; they are heavy-handed and I¡¯m worried they might hurt Ling Chen," Zhou Qi, who was standing behind Su Mei, said.


    "It¡¯s toote to stop them now. If you step in at this point, everyone would know that Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is protecting Ling Chen, which could inevitably lead to dissatisfaction among the disciples of Yangxin Pavilion."


    "But... the discipline of the disciples of Yangxin Pavilion is deteriorating. They even dare to provoke a guest of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. If we don¡¯t intervene, I fear they will be even more unruly. Pavilion Master, as you know, within Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, aside from you, people like Tong Nan don¡¯t take anyone seriously. Because of this, many within the pavilion are displeased, believing that you are showing too much favoritism towards the people of Yangxin Pavilion."


    "So what can be done?" Su Mei sighed lightly, her tone revealing a hint of helplessness, "Elder Zhou, you¡¯re not unaware that Yangxin Pavilion is the most crucial part of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has stood tall in the world of Martial Arts for hundreds of years without falling because Yangxin Pavilion has deterred our enemies. In the past, with grandfather around, the people of Yangxin Pavilion behaved properly. Now that grandfather is gone, it¡¯s inevitable that they¡¯re less restrained. Regardless, as long as the people of Yangxin Pavilion are utterly loyal to Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, in other matters, we should mostly let them have their way."


    "What about this sparring match?"


    "Let¡¯s watch for now. If Ling Chen is in danger, then you can intervene."


    "Yes, I understand."


    At this very moment, on the martial arts field, Song Yi crooked his finger at Ling Chen, tauntingly said, "You¡¯re the guest, I¡¯ll let you make the first move. Come on, use all your strength, don¡¯t worry about hurting me."


    Ling Chen nodded, rolled up his sleeves, and greeted with a fist salute, "Please enlighten me!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes instantly became sharp, bursting with energy, and he charged towards Song Yi like a gust of wind.


    In the blink of an eye, Ling Chen had closed in within five steps of Song Yi.


    Watching Ling Chen rapidly approach, Song Yi¡¯s lips curled slightly, his expression unchanging,pletely disregarding Ling Chen¡¯s attack. When close enough, Ling Chen raised his iron fist with ferocious momentum, directly aiming for Song Yi¡¯s face.


    However, before his fist could extend halfway, without even hitting Song Yi¡¯s body, a palm suddenly struck, instantly enveloping Ling Chen¡¯s fist, blocking its force.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen stepped back, ready to withdraw his fist, but to his surprise, he found that his punch was immovable in Song Yi¡¯s palm and could not advance or retreat.


    Such formidable strength!


    Ling Chen was startled and instantly stepped back, pushing off the ground to pull his fist free.


    "Is that all you¡¯ve got?" Song Yi shook his head with ack of interest, "I thought you were more formidable. It seems that the title of number one on the Neer List is rather inted. Come on, continue, put some more effort into it, I¡¯m not that weak."


    Hearing Song Yi¡¯s mockery, the surrounding crowd shook their heads. Ling Chen¡¯s attack had no pressure at all, and he was simply no match for Song Yi. Moreover, from beginning to end, Song Yi stood in his original ce without moving an inch.


    Outside the martial arts field, Zhou Jun looked at Ling Chen anxiously, his face full of nervousness.


    "s! They shouldn¡¯t have been allowed to spar. If I had known, I would have taken Ling Chen away directly."


    "Let¡¯s not worry yet," Song Ge said reassuringly. "Ling Chen¡¯s strength is not that weak. Even if he can¡¯t win, he won¡¯t be defeated so quickly. Moreover, Ling is a guest of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, and Song Yi, no matter how bold, wouldn¡¯t dare to openly harm him, unless he wants to bear the wrath of the Pavilion Master."


    Watching Song Yi¡¯s easy posture, Ling Chen rubbed his wrists and swung his fists a couple of times. Then, he made a move that surprised everyone.


    Without a running start or eleration, he walked step by step toward Song Yi and stopped right in front of him. Now, the distance between the two was less than half a meter, close enough to touch each other with an outstretched hand.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s unusual behavior, a look of doubt shed in Song Yi¡¯s eyes, having no idea what Ling Chen was nning to do.


    Suddenly, Ling Chen, who had been standing still, threw a steel-hard punch straight ahead without any fancy movements - a punch as simple as could be.


    As the punch approached, Song Yi, without a word, reached out his hand again, trying to envelop Ling Chen¡¯s fist.


    However, the moment the fist and palm met, Song Yi¡¯s entire arm shook violently, and his right shoulder involuntarily skewed backward, as if unable to bear the power from Ling Chen¡¯s punch.


    How could this be?


    Song Yi looked at Ling Chen in disbelief, his face filled with shock.


    During their previous exchange, the power of Ling Chen¡¯s punch had been very weak. Even if Ling Chen had been probing, his strength could not possibly have increased so much in an instant.


    In a split second, Song Yi quickly gathered his thoughts, channeling his Inner Strength, and sent his entire arm forward to counter Ling Chen¡¯s punch.


    For a moment, Ling Chen¡¯s fist and Song Yi¡¯s palm were tightly connected, shing solidly against each other, moving back and forth on either side.


    Witnessing this scene, the onlookers were instantly startled.


    Although there was nopetition in martial techniques, the current spar was even more dangerous, a pureparison of Inner Strength.


    Undoubtedly, both Ling Chen and Song Yi had reached the level of externalizing their Inner Strength. But thepetition of Inner Strength isn¡¯t just about the level; it¡¯s also about the umtion. The stronger one¡¯s strength, the more robust and abundant the Inner Strength.


    Among the disciples of Yangxin Pavilion, Song Yi¡¯s strength might be the weakest, but he was still ranked among the top three on the Dragon List. Compared to him, Ling Chen was at least a few levels behind. After all, Ling Chen¡¯s overall strength had always been hovering around the fifth rank on the Tiger List without any improvement.


    "Overestimating himself," Tong Nan scoffed, looking at Ling Chen with a hint of disdain.


    To actuallypare Inner Strength with Song Yi was like asking for trouble. Leaving aside how strong Song Yi was, he had been cultivating Child Skill since childhood, never once breaking the practice for over twenty years. His Inner Strength was solid and stable, not something ordinary people could match. Even Liang Zheng, whose strength surpassed Song Yi¡¯s, might not be guaranteed a win in a contest of Inner Strength alone.


    "Tong Nan."


    At this point, Zhou Jun quickly walked up to Tong Nan and said in a grave voice, "Stop them immediately. A misunderstanding of Inner Strength can cause serious injuries easily. You were the one who proposed this sparring session. If anything happens to Ling Chen, how will you exin it to the Pavilion Master?"


    Hearing these words, Tong Nan frowned slightly.


    There were others he could disregard, but the Pavilion Master... he truly dared not offend.

 Chapter 635 - 632: Sparring (2)

    <h4>Chapter 635: Chapter 632: Sparring (2)</h4>


    Thinking of the possible consequences, Tong Nan nodded and stepped toward the martial arts field.


    But at this moment, a sudden exmation burst out from the spectators: "Look, Song Yi can¡¯t hold on any longer."


    Upon hearing this, everyone¡¯s gaze immediately focused on Song Yi. Indeed, at this moment, Song Yi¡¯s face was slightly pale, his shoulders trembling slightly as if he was shivering. From his appearance, he obviously couldn¡¯t hold out much longer.


    View the correct content at fre.ewe(bn)ovel.c om


    Byparison, although Ling Chen seemed a bit short of breath, he was in a much better state than Song Yi, his eyes sharp and clear with no sign of defeat.


    Seeing this, Tong Nan¡¯s expression couldn¡¯t help but change.


    This guy... such strong Inner Strength! Just from this alone, his martial arts cultivation is definitely not weak. Has he been hiding his true capabilities all along?


    As these thoughts raced through his mind, a light shout came from the martial arts field: "Let go!"


    As the voice fell, a meaty palm fiercely struck out, hitting right in the middle of Ling Chen and Song Yi¡¯s interlocked hands. Disrupted by the blow, both Ling Chen and Song Yi immediately took several steps back, disengaging frombat.


    Ling Chen gasped for breath and looked at the person who had intervened: "Elder Zhou!"


    Zhou Qi nced at Ling Chen, then turned his gaze coldly towards Song Yi and reprimanded sharply: "Song Yi, you are a member of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Is this how you treat a guest?"


    Song Yi tried to defend himself: "I..."


    "Enough!" Zhou Qi waved his hand impatiently: "I do not wish to hear your excuses. The Pavilion Master has ordered you to reflect on your actions. You are not to leave Yangxin Pavilion for three days. Do you hear me?"


    Seeing Zhou Qi invoking the Pavilion Master¡¯s name, Song Yi immediately wilted like an eggnt hit by frost.


    "Yes, I understand."


    "Elder Zhou, Song Yi was just exchanging pointers with Ling Chen, making friends through martial arts. There¡¯s no need for punishment, right?" Tong Nan suggested with a smile, hoping that Zhou Qi would be lenient and retract the punishment for Song Yi.


    Zhou Qi replied coolly: "These are the Pavilion Master¡¯s direct orders. I am merely the messenger. If you have any objections, you may take them up with the Pavilion Master." After a pause, Zhou Qi added: "Tong Nan, you¡¯re one of the senior disciples of Yangxin Pavilion. You had better think carefully before you act, so as not to cause trouble for the Pavilion Master."


    "Elder Zhou, rest assured, I know my limits." With that, Tong Nan turned to Ling Chen and cupped his hands: "Ling Chen, if there has been any discourtesy, I ask for your forgiveness."


    "You¡¯re taking it too seriously. As you said earlier, it ismon for those in the Martial Arts to spar and exchange pointers. If there is a chance, I would still like to ask for your guidance."


    Hearing this, a sharp cold light shed in Tong Nan¡¯s eyes as he replied with a smile: "I believe there will be an opportunity. Elder Zhou, since you¡¯re here, you go on with your work. I¡¯m going back to see my Master."


    Watching Tong Nan and Liang Zheng leave, Zhou Jun and Song Ge hurried to Ling Chen¡¯s side, asking with concern: "How are you, are you alright?"


    Ling Chen patted his chest and said with a smile: "What could be wrong with me? I¡¯m perfectly fine."


    fre(e)webnove.l.c.om


    "You... you are too bold. To actuallypete in Inner Strength with Song Yi, don¡¯t you know how dangerous that is?" Zhou Qi scolded, but despite the me, there was a hint of admiration in his voice. He was startled earlier when he saw Ling Chen and Song Yipeting in Inner Strength. Such a contest was no joke; the slightest carelessness could lead to a serious injury, and one might even lose all their martial power. That¡¯s why Su Mei had hurriedly called him to intervene.


    Ling Chen said sheepishly: "Elder Zhou, I¡¯ve caused you concern. I will be more cautious next time."


    Relieved to see Ling Chen unharmed, Zhou Jun and Song Ge suddenly became interested and asked eagerly: "We all thought you would lose, but you actually won against that boy Song Yi. How did you manage it?"


    "There¡¯s nothing to ask about. Inner Strengthparisons don¡¯t involve any trickery. It¡¯s entirely a test of one¡¯s own strength. Ling Chen¡¯s victory over Song Yi only proves that he is stronger."


    Upon hearing Zhou Qi¡¯s words, Ling Chen nodded, seemingly agreeing with him.


    In truth, he knew best. When it really came down to sheer strength, it was difficult for him to defeat Song Yi. The reason he won was entirely due to Su He¡¯s guidance.


    Although there were no tricks in an Inner Strength contest, if one mastered the art of ¡¯Control,¡¯ they could maximize the power of their Inner Strength. For instance, during the contest with Song Yi, thetter had been bluntly channeling his Inner Strength outward, trying to overpower him in one go.


    However, Ling Chen was very clever. Knowing that his Inner Strength was inferior to Song Yi¡¯s, he condensed his own Inner Strength to counteract his opponent. In doing so, not only did he enhance the power of his Inner Strength, but he also conserved what would otherwise be wastefully expended Inner Strength.


    That¡¯s why Song Yi¡¯s Inner Strength depleted too quickly and couldn¡¯tst as long as his.


    In essence, Song Yi didn¡¯t lose to him, but to his own pride.


    After leaving the martial arts arena, Ling Chen and the others followed Elder Zhou back to their room.


    Sitting on the bed and feeling a bit tired, Ling Chen rested for a while. After all, he had exhausted so much Inner Strength that he felt weakened.


    It wasn¡¯t until lunchtime that Ling Chen finally recuperated.


    ...


    Time flew by in the blink of an eye.


    Ling Chen had already been at Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion for three days.


    During these three days, Zhou Jun and Song Ge visited Ling Chen¡¯s room every day, sharing drinks, chatting, or strolling around, which was rather leisurely.


    However, when the night was deep and quiet, Ling Chen wasn¡¯t that leisurely anymore.


    Thesest few days, the contact from the God Organization had begun to inquire about the progress of the operation. If he did not make any progress soon, the safety of Xia Mutong and porridge girl would be difficult to ensure.


    Looking at the blue bottle in his hand, Ling Chen, resting his head on one hand, pondered some strategies.


    Lin Jiawei had said that as long as he poured the liquid from the blue bottle into the drinking water of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, it would render everyone there powerless. Then, with an inside-outside coordinated attack, they could eliminate everyone from the Pavilion.


    But as easy as it sounds, it was extremely difficult to aplish.


    During his time with Zhou Jun, Ling Chen had gleaned quite a bit of information indirectly. The food and water of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion were separate from Yangxin Pavilion. Moreover, the Pavilion was very strict about managing their kitchen, not allowing unrted or external personnel to enter the sensitive area.


    Ling Chen had originally wanted Zhou Jun to take him on a tour of the kitchen, but Zhou Jun had told him that not even he was qualified to enter the kitchen, let alone bring someone else.


    If it were Elder Zhou, then it might be possible, as he was the steward of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, in charge of managing many affairs, including logistical work.


    What a problem!


    Ling Chen sighed helplessly, not knowing what to do.


    Lin Jiawei had only given him ten days, and one-third had already passed. If there was no progress, he could forget about ever seeing Xia Mutong and porridge girl again.

 Chapter 636 - 633: Snatching a Disciple (1)

    <h4>Chapter 636: Chapter 633: Snatching a Disciple (1)</h4>


    Headache!


    Ling Chen stared nkly at the ceiling, his face etched with a bitter smile.


    Caught between a rock and a hard ce, he didn¡¯t know what to do. He took out his phone and dialed Hu Fei¡¯s number.


    After a brief exchange, Ling Chen hung up the phone, disappointed. As he expected, there was still no trace of Xia Mutong. Despite Hu Fei¡¯s best efforts, the God Organization was too cunning; not a single clue could be found. Hu Fei was now like a headless fly, scurrying everywhere, gathering information.


    Lost in thought, Ling Chen felt sleep creeping up on him and unknowingly drifted off in bed.


    ...


    He woke up in a daze.


    Ling Chen rubbed his bleary eyes and yawned as he sat up in bed. Just as his feet touched the floor, he heard a series of ¡¯thump thump thump¡¯ knocks on the door.


    "Who is it?" Ling asked, muttering to himself, "Can¡¯t they let one be at peace so early in the morning?"


    "Ling, it¡¯s me, open up quickly."


    Hearing it was Song Ge¡¯s voice, Ling Chen immediately got up and opened the door. Looking at Song Ge standing outside, Ling Chen asked, "Song, what¡¯s the matter? Why the early visit?"


    Without a word, Song Ge grabbed Ling Chen¡¯s hand and pulled him outside, saying as they walked, "Come with me to Yangxin Pavilion quickly."


    "Yangxin Pavilion?"


    Ling Chen was suddenly taken aback and stopped in his tracks, asking curiously, "Song, why go to Yangxin Pavilion all of a sudden? Could it be..." Suddenly, a possibility crossed Ling Chen¡¯s mind, and he frowned, "Could it be that Song Yi¡¯s Master wants to seek revenge on me?"


    "Song Yi¡¯s Master is correct, but it¡¯s not for revenge. As for the specific reason, I¡¯m not too clear myself. All I know is, I¡¯ve just received amand to take you to Yangxin Pavilion immediately. Oh, and themand was delivered by someone sent by the Pavilion Master personally."


    Su Mei?


    Ling Chen let out a sigh of relief. Since the order came from Su Mei, it probably wouldn¡¯t be dangerous.


    Exiting the room, Ling Chen asked Song Ge, "Song, do you know why the Yangxin Pavilion wants to see me?"


    "How would I know that? The Pavilion Master sent someone early this morning to find me and bring you to Yangxin Pavilion; she didn¡¯t tell me the specifics. However, my guess is that it might have something to do with the martial arts sparring you had with Song Yi that day."


    Sparring... Ling Chen frowned to himself, feeling uneasy about the sudden summons from Yangxin Pavilion.


    While he pondered, they arrived at the towering structures behind the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    Having passed through a long and narrow passage, the scenery before Ling Chen suddenly cleared, revealing a spacious Siheyuan, covering an area of over a thousand square meters. The courtyard was not only bright and airy but also nted with numerous trees, flowers, and nts that were lush and bursting with vitality.


    What surprised Ling Chen the most was that he saw many flowers that should only grow in other seasons, blooming despite it being early spring.


    "Song, is this Yangxin Pavilion?"


    View the correct content at fr\eewe.bn(o)v\el.c(o)m


    Song Ge nodded and said, "This is where the elders of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion retire. However, only some of them live here."


    "And the others?"


    "There are also some powerful seniors who live in seclusion in the surrounding mountains and forests; they don¡¯t like to interact with people much, so they choose to live alone. Additionally, although those elders retire in Yangxin Pavilion, they don¡¯t stay there all the time. Most of them are roaming outside and only asionallye back for a visit."


    As the words fell, Song Ge pointed to a house not far away and said, "That¡¯s where Master Song Yi lives. Let¡¯s go in and pay our respects first."


    Under the guidance of Song Ge, Ling Chen followed in his footsteps and made his way directly to the front door.


    Knock, knock, knock!


    Apanied by a series of crisp knocking sounds, the door was opened from the inside. Ling Chen fixed his gaze and discovered that the one opening the door was none other than Song Yi, whom he had defeated the other day.


    Upon seeing Ling Chen, Song Yi¡¯splexion immediately turned a bit unsightly, and he stood at the door without moving.


    "Disciple, is it Ling Chen who hase? Don¡¯t just stand there; invite the guest in quickly."


    Someone inside spoke up, and Song Yi, not daring to dy any longer, quickly stepped aside and made a ¡¯please¡¯ gesture with his hand.


    Stepping into the room, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze was immediately drawn to an old man by the window. The elder was dressed in a light blue robe, extremely thin for the still-chilly early spring, but he seemed unaffected by the cold outside, hisplexion ruddy and spirited.


    As they approached, Song Ge bowed slightly, and with utmost respect, greeted, "Elder Huang."


    Ling Chen did not neglect to show his respect and followed with a bow. Song Ge had already informed him beforehand about the name of Song Yi¡¯s master.


    Huang Zheng. Although he appeared to be only in his sixties, he was actually over ny years old.


    After exchanging greetings, Huang Zheng¡¯s sharp gaze passed over Song Ge andnded on Ling Chen. After a thoughtful look, Huang Zheng slowly spoke, "You are Ling Chen?"


    Just as Ling Chen was about to respond, he felt a sudden fierce gust of wind assault him, pressing in on his face in an instant.


    Ling Chen was not the only one caught off guard by this abrupt development; even Song Ge and Song Yi beside him were not able to react in time. They only saw a blurred shadow sweep past, and then, Ling Chen¡¯s body moved from its original spot, retreating several steps until his back was pressed against the wall.


    Looking at the fist that had stopped in front of his face, Ling Chen secretly swallowed his saliva, a drop of cold sweat rolling down from his forehead.


    "Elder Huang... what is this..."


    The first to recover, Song Ge hurriedly ran over to Ling Chen¡¯s side and was about to plead, only to see Elder Huang suddenly lower his fist, saying, "You are quite strong, but you still fall short of defeating Song Yi."


    With that, Elder Huang turned back to his chair.


    Ling Chen wiped the sweat off his forehead and said to Elder Huang, "Elder Huang, I..."


    "There¡¯s no need to exin, I believe you didn¡¯t resort to any tricks. With Tong Nan watching from the sidelines, if you had used any tricks, he would have most certainly spotted them. Rest assured, I didn¡¯t summon you here for any other reason; I am simply interested in you and wanted to meet you."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief. He had thought that Elder Huang was looking for trouble with him, but it turned out to be a test of his strength.


    "Disciple, go and bring a few chairs over; don¡¯t keep the guests standing."


    "Yes."


    Song Yi obediently replied and quickly brought chairs over to Ling Chen and Song Ge.


    After both were seated, Elder Huang looked at Ling Chen and asked, "Who is your master?"


    "I don¡¯t have a master."


    "Oh?" Elder Huang said with interest, "So young and without a master, yet you have cultivated your martial arts to this realm; it seems you have good potential. Song Yi, did you hear that? Your potential is excellent, but potential is just a basic foundation and doesn¡¯t represent much; it doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll definitely be an expert in the future. Although your progress over the years has been good, there¡¯s still much room for improvement. The reason why you haven¡¯t fully tapped into your potential is that you¡¯re too confident in your own talent, causing you to becent."

 Chapter 637 - 634: Snatching Disciples (2)

    <h4>Chapter 637: Chapter 634: Snatching Disciples (2)</h4><h4></h4>


    After hearing his Master¡¯s teaching, Song Yi lowered his head with an expression of being taught, and said, "Master, rest assured, I will definitely bear in mind your instruction."


    "Alright, you may leave now, I want to chat with Ling Chen and the others."


    "Yes." Song Yi nodded, turned, and left the room.


    Once Song Yi had left, Huang Zheng looked at Ling Chen and said, "Song Yi is my disciple, normally there¡¯s nothing that can¡¯t be said in front of him. But his character is too proud, so I sent him away."


    "Elder Huang, what is it you wish to say?" Ling Chen asked curiously.


    "I would like to take you as my disciple, are you interested?"


    Ling Chen was immediately taken aback upon hearing this, not expecting Huang Zheng to make such a request. Song Ge¡¯s eyes lit up excitedly at Ling Chen¡¯s side. Though Elder Huang was not the most formidable figure in the Yangxin Pavilion, he was still a top expert on the Earthly List with very strong abilities. Bing his disciple was bound to be extremely beneficial.


    Seeing Ling Chen not responding, Huang Zheng asked, "Well, don¡¯t you wish to ept?"


    "That..." Ling Chen touched his nose, hesitating, "Elder Huang, it¡¯s an honor to be acknowledged by you, it¡¯s just... I currently have no intention of taking a master."


    Upon hearing this, Huang Zheng¡¯s face immediately darkened, and he frowned, "By the sound of it, are you looking down on me?"


    "No, no, no!" Ling Chen, afraid of a misunderstanding, quickly waved his hands, "I absolutely did not mean that. Elder Huang, being respected and held in high esteem in the Yangxin Pavilion, your willingness to take me as your disciple is an honor for me. But I genuinely don¡¯t have such thoughts right now. You might not be fully aware of my current situation. I have too many things to deal with and no time to stay at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Song Ge; he knows my situation best."


    Although Song Ge did not understand why Ling Chen was refusing Huang Zheng, he still helped exin, "Elder Huang, Ling Chen indeed has a lot of things he is busy with. When Ling Chen became the top of the Neer List, he originally had the chance to join the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, but he refused because he was unable to leave other duties. The Pavilion Master is aware of this too and thus did notpel him. Otherwise, with how much the Pavilion Master values talented individuals, he wouldn¡¯t have easily let him go."


    Hearing both of their statements, Huang Zheng¡¯s temper settled down a bit, he nodded and said, "Well then, I won¡¯t press the matter. However, I could take you as a registered disciple for now, and when you have timeter on, you can stay at Yangxin Pavilion and receive my guidance. What do you say, is that too much to ask?"


    Ling Chen inwardly sighed with resignation. Not too much? It is indeed too much!


    He had already refused, yet the other party was not willing to let go. Could it be that Elder Huang truly values him that much?


    At that moment, not only did Ling Chen feel it was inappropriate, but so did Song Ge. What Elder Huang said was clearly putting someone in a difficult position.


    Just as Ling Chen was unsure how to reply, the door outside suddenly was pushed open violently. Following steady footsteps, a silver-haired elder appeared within Ling Chen¡¯s line of sight.


    Seeing the elder¡¯s arrival, Huang Zheng¡¯s old face changed, and he barked sharply, "Liang Tian, what are you doing here? Did I agree to let you in?"


    The elder named Liang Tian waved his hand dismissively and coldly said, "Huang, you old man are no good, we agreed to meet together, yet you secretly invited him alone, what¡¯s the meaning of this, are you trying to take all for yourself?"


    "What do you mean ¡¯take all for myself¡¯?" Huang Zheng stood up from his chair, raising his voice, "Liang Tian, this is my home, mind yournguage."


    "You don¡¯t respect our decision, yet you expect me to respect you? No way! Let me tell you, you already have a disciple, don¡¯t even think about Ling Chen."


    After saying that, Liang Tian turned his gaze toward Ling Chen, grabbed his arm, and started walking out.


    "Liang Tian, let go of me!"


    Elder Huang¡¯s voice turned icy as he strode forward, blocking the path of Liang Tian and Ling Chen.


    "Let go!"


    The fierce wind of the punch approached, and Liang Tian¡¯s gaze turned cold as he struck back with a palm, shing hard against Huang Zheng¡¯s steel fist.


    Bang!


    Apanied by a muffled sound, Huang Zheng and Liang Tian¡¯s bodies instantly split apart, each retreating five steps. Hit by the impact of both their internal energies, Ling Chen¡¯s body was sent flying uncontrobly, fortunately, Song Ge was behind him to prevent him from crashing into the wall.


    Seeing that Liang Tian and Huang Zheng were about to go at it, Ling Chen and Song Ge hurriedly stepped back, fearing the implications of their sh. After all, a fight between Earthly List experts is nothing like one between Dragon List masters. The slightest carelessness could result in them getting severely wounded by the stray Qi Force.


    "Stop, all of you!"


    Just then, a low and slightly enraged voice came from outside.


    Hearing that voice, Huang Zheng and Liang Tian, who were about to make their move, immediately stopped and turned their attention towards the door.


    Seeing Huang Zheng and the other man walk out, Ling Chen and Song Ge exchanged nces before quickly following their steps, simultaneously leaving the room.


    Outside, a person stood in the spacious courtyard, or more precisely, a young man.


    Ling Chen examined the youth, who seemed to be in his twenties, with handsome features, fair skin, and fine bangs draped over his forehead, exuding an air of elegance.


    However, what surprised Ling Chen the most was the change in Huang Zheng and Liang Tian¡¯s demeanor upon the youth¡¯s arrival; their eyes even held a trace of wariness when they looked at him.


    How strange!


    Huang Zheng and Liang Tian, as Earthly List masters, why would they be wary of a young man? Could he be an important figure from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion? But he had been dealing with the Pavilion for so long and had never seen this person before.


    View the correct content at fr\eewe.bno vel.c(o)m


    "Song, who is he?" Ling Chen nudged Song Ge with his shoulder and asked.


    Song Ge shook his head in confusion and replied, "I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never seen him before."


    "Huang Zheng, Liang Tian, you¡¯re practically veterans of Yangxin Pavilion. Don¡¯t you even have this much self-control? If outsiders saw this, they¡¯d think the people in Yangxin Pavilion can¡¯t get along. I hope you take this as a warning and that there won¡¯t be a next time."


    free\NovelFire.c o(m)


    Huang Zheng nodded, showing no intention of arguing.


    Watching the youth turn to leave, Ling Chen felt incredibly surprised. What kind of background did this youth have to make Huang Zheng bow his head?


    Once the youth disappeared from sight, Huang Zheng and Liang Tian exchanged nces and each snorted lightly.


    "Ling Chen,e with me." Liang Tian waved at Ling Chen, signaling for him to follow.


    "Listen, Ling Chen, don¡¯t me me for warning you, but if you dare go with him, I won¡¯t be polite with you in the future," Huang Zheng added.


    "Don¡¯t be afraid of him, if he dares to touch you, I¡¯ll back you up."


    "You think you¡¯re capable of that?"


    As he listened to their back-and-forth, Ling Chen¡¯s face was filled with a bitter smile, unsure of what he should do.

 Chapter 638 - 635: Lin Jiawei’s Coercion

    <h4>Chapter 638: Chapter 635: Lin Jiawei¡¯s Coercion</h4>


    Just as Ling Chen was feeling conflicted, Zhou Qi suddenly walked over, politely performing a ceremonial gesture towards Huang Zheng and Liang Tian.


    "Zhou Qi, what are you doing here?" Huang Zheng asked with furrowed brows.


    "Apologies, gentlemen, the Pavilion Master urgently needs to see Mr. Ling. Whatever matters you have can be discussedter," Zhou Qi said and then turned to Ling Chen, "Mr. Ling, please follow me."


    Ling Chen had already wanted to leave, and now with Zhou Qi¡¯s help, he was no longer concerned with anything else. He quickly sped his hands towards Huang Zheng and Liang Tian, and then hurriedly followed Zhou Qi.


    After leaving Yangxin Pavilion, Ling Chen let out a breath and said, "Elder Zhou, thanks a lot just now. Oh, what did Miss Su want with me?"


    "It¡¯s nothing," Zhou Qi said with a smile. "The Pavilion Master knew what Huang Zheng and his group wanted with you. Since Huang Zheng is a veteran of Yangxin Pavilion, the Pavilion Master couldn¡¯t outright refuse him and had to show some respect. Moreover, she guessed you wouldn¡¯t easily agree to Huang Zheng¡¯s request, fearing you couldn¡¯t extricate yourself and thus sent me to help."


    "It¡¯s Miss Su who understands me," Ling Chen grinned and then asked, "Ah, Elder Zhou, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wondering. Why are they so eager to take me as a disciple? Am I really that popr?"


    "Of course, a martial arts student with outstanding talent is popr. But besides your talent, there seems to be another very important reason."


    "What¡¯s the reason?" Ling Chen pressed further.


    "I¡¯m not too sure about that," Zhou Qi shook his head. "That¡¯s something internal to Yangxin Pavilion. I don¡¯t know much about it; probably only the Pavilion Master is aware. If you¡¯re interested, you might want to ask her, though whether she¡¯ll tell you, I don¡¯t know."


    "Elder Zhou," Song Ge intervened. "We saw a young man in Yangxin Pavilion just now, both Huang Zheng and Liang Tian seemed wary of him. What is his story? I¡¯ve been with Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion for such a long time, yet I¡¯ve never seen him."


    "Youth? I don¡¯t know about that, no outsider other than the Pavilion Master usually meddling with Yangxin Pavilion affairs. Even with my significant role in Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, without the Pavilion Master¡¯s permission, I¡¯m not even qualified to step into Yangxin Pavilion casually. What I do know is that Yangxin Pavilion houses hidden dragons and crouching tigers, masters are numerous, many whom you might think inconspicuous might have been top masters ruling the martial world."


    "Okay! If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m going to be busy," Zhou Qi finished and left.


    Following Zhou Qi¡¯s departure, Ling Chen and Song Ge didn¡¯t linger outside and headed straight back to their room.


    Yangxin Pavilion!


    Standing before the window, Ling Chen looked out at the martial arts training ground, his brows tightly furrowed. After today¡¯s experience in Yangxin Pavilion, the challenges he faced had grown even more difficult.


    Huang Zheng, Liang Tian, and that mysterious youth, all were masters among masters. Let alone poisoning, just sneaking into Yangxin Pavilion would likely result in being discovered very quickly. Thus, the mission given by Lin Jiawei proved near impossible toplete.


    Sigh! Thinking about the difficulties, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but let out a helpless sigh, his mind a mess.


    View the correct content at we.bnv\el.cm


    Just six more days, if Hu Fei doesn¡¯t have any leads by then, he dared not think of the consequences.


    Although both porridge girl and Xia Mutong were closely linked to him, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion still had so many lives at stake. He couldn¡¯t just sacrifice so many lives for two, it wouldn¡¯t be worth it. More importantly, once Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was destroyed, the God Organization would be unstoppable, without anyone to prevent them thereafter.


    During these days, Ling Chen had thought it through clearly. If when the deadline came and he still couldn¡¯t rescue porridge girl and Xia Mutong, then he would have no choice but to abandon them.


    Regrettably, although he was extremely unwilling, at this critical moment, he had to make the right decision.


    While pondering, the ringtone of Ling Chen¡¯s cell phone suddenly erupted.


    He took out his phone and nced at the caller ID showing an unfamiliar number, a sense of foreboding sinking in his heart. This call wasn¡¯t ordinary; it was a video call. As the ringtone continued incessantly, Ling Chen stretched his hand and pressed the answer button.


    Instantly, the phone screen disyed an image.


    "Mr. Ling."


    In the video, Lin Jiawei sat on a leather sofa, d in a bathrobe, holding a teacup in his hand, his face still wearing a serene smile.


    "Do you need something from me?"


    "I¡¯ve been informed by my subordinates, it¡¯s been four days and there¡¯s still no headway from your side. What, you¡¯ve changed your mind?"


    "No, I just haven¡¯t found the right moment yet. Rest assured, since I¡¯ve promised you, I won¡¯t go back on my word. There¡¯s still a six-day deadline, what¡¯s the rush?"


    "Of course I¡¯m anxious. After pondering, I thought of a good method to motivate you," Lin Jiawei said with a smile. However, Ling Chen detected a sense of unease from his smile.


    "What are you nning to do?" Ling Chen asked in a deep voice.


    "Just watch." As Lin Jiawei¡¯s words fell, the video screen immediately switched to another scene.


    Ling Chen was very familiar with the scene; it was theboratory where Xia Mutong had been trapped.


    At this moment, two security personnel were seen gripping Xia Mutong¡¯s arms, dragging her into theboratory, then securing her body to the iron bed with belts.


    Subsequently, several researchers in white coats entered, gathered around Xia Mutong, and began injecting her with drugs.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen¡¯s face turned ashen, and he shouted urgently, "Stop! You said you¡¯d give me ten days, you can¡¯t go back on your word."


    "Mr. Ling, it¡¯s not that I want to renege, but you¡¯ve been too passive. I think this will quicken your pace. The experiment has started, you better pray for your friend, that she survives. If not, I¡¯ll send her corpse to your doorstep for you to handle."


    After finishing, the video screen disappeared instantly, along with Lin Jiawei¡¯s voice.


    "Bastard!"


    Smack!


    Ling Chen cursed angrily, smashing the phone onto the ground, the fragile casing instantly shattering.


    Thump thump thump!


    Just as Ling Chen was enduring such torment, a knocking sounded from the door.


    "Who is it?" Ling Chen managed to control his raging emotions as he inquired.


    "It¡¯s me."


    "Miss Su?"


    Recognizing it was Su Mei¡¯s voice, Ling Chen quickly walked to the door and opened it.


    "Miss Su, what brings you here?"


    In just a few seconds, Ling Chen¡¯s expression had returned to calm, his lips curling into a faint smile, as if nothing had happened.


    free\we\bnov(e)(l)


    "Come in, have a seat," Ling Chen warmly weed Su Mei into the room.


    Upon entering, Su Mei walked over to the window, nced at the yet to be cleared shards of the cellphone on the floor, and then turned her gaze to Ling Chen, stating, "I know."

 Chapter 639 - 636: Coming Clean

    <h4>Chapter 639: Chapter 636: Coming Clean</h4>


    "Know?" Ling Chen was startled and asked, "What do you know?"


    Miss Su spoke deliberately, "The real purpose of your visit to Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s face changed slightly, and he said with a forced smile, "Miss Su, are you mistaken? What purpose could I have? I came purely to pay a visit and see friends, nothing more."


    "Really?" Su Mei shook her head gently and said, "I know you too well, as well as the matters around you. You¡¯ve stayed in the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion for four days without any sign of leaving, so I felt something was off. A busy person like you, how could you afford to waste time here? Besides, your woman is still in East Sea City; would you really be willing to leave her for so long? So, after much thought, I can only conclude that you must have a covert purpose foring to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    "To verify my guess, I deliberately sent people to investigate in East Sea City, and the results confirmed my spection." At this point, Su Mei looked deeply into Ling Chen¡¯s eyes and asked, "Am I wrong?"


    Ling Chen gave a wry smile. Since Su Mei had already investigated clearly, there was no point in hiding it any longer.


    "Indeed, I came to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion with a purpose."


    Correct content is on


    "Speak, I¡¯m listening."


    Thereupon, Ling Chen detailed the threats he received from Lin Jiawei. By now, there was no need to keep secrets.


    Looking at the blue bottle handed over by Ling Chen, Su Mei raised her head and asked, "When were you nning to make your move?"


    "I had no intention of taking action. I¡¯ve thought it through these past two days; it¡¯s not worth sacrificing so many for just two lives. The reason I came to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was simply to buy time, allowing Hu Fei ample opportunity to find Xia Mutong, but s..."


    Thinking of the scene he had just witnessed, Ling Chen sighed and shook his head, "It¡¯s already toote."


    "Miss Su, this time it¡¯s my fault. However you choose to deal with me, I have noints."


    Su Mei replied indifferently, "Didn¡¯t you notice I came alone? If I really wanted to settle ounts with you, more than just myself would havee. Fine! Let¡¯s not discuss other matters for now. I understand your character and know you had no ill intentions, so I won¡¯t pursue this matter any further." She paused, then her tone shifted, "Now that Xia Mutong has been used as a test subject, there is still the porridge girl in Lin Jiawei¡¯s hands. You know her whereabouts; I will help you rescue her."


    "If only it were that easy. The one who took the porridge girl is Ji Gang, a master from the Heavenly List. You should be very familiar with him."


    "Him again?"


    Su Mei frowned slightly, a hint of difficulty surfacing on her delicate face.


    "Miss Su, with so many experts in Yangxin Pavilion, can¡¯t you ask a master from the Heavenly List to take on Ji Gang?"


    "It¡¯s not so simple," Su Mei said, "Do you think a master from the Heavenly List can be easily summoned? I¡¯ve told you before, unless the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion faces a life-or-death crisis, the people from Yangxin Pavilion will not just take action. The most important reason our ancestors set this rule was to prevent us from overly relying on the masters from Yangxin Pavilion, thereby neglecting our own cultivation. Besides, the master from the Heavenly List of Yangxin Pavilion is currently not avable and cannot be contacted. So, you have to rely on yourself for this matter; at most, I can assist you from the sidelines."


    "But..." Ling Chen started to speak but was interrupted by a ¡¯beeping¡¯ sounding from under the bed.


    Su Mei looked under the bed and asked, "What¡¯s that noise?"


    Without a word, Ling Chen walked to the side of the bed, bent down and took out the ck briefcase hidden underneath. Opening the lid, the ¡¯beeping¡¯ sound came from a wireless receiver.


    Ling Chen nced at Su Mei, then connected the headset to the external speaker. As themunication signal connected, Lin Jiawei¡¯s voice immediately came through the speaker, "Mr. Ling, I couldn¡¯t reach you by phone just now; I figured you must¡¯ve smashed it, so I switched to radiomunication. First off, I have good news for you: your friend is still alive. The experiment isn¡¯t exactly a sess, but it hasn¡¯t failed either. She remains useful to us, so her life is not in danger for now."


    "What do you want?"


    "Nothing much, just a reminder toplete your task quickly and not to disappoint me again. Also, regardless of any other ideas you may have, it¡¯s best to abandon them early. Your friend is under Elder Ji¡¯s watch 24/7, and no matter how many experts you call in for the rescue, Elder Ji can eliminate your friend in an instant. So, I advise you, don¡¯t do anything foolish."


    "Yangxin Pavilion has too many experts; I can¡¯t even get close."


    "That¡¯s your problem, find a way to deal with it. I believe, with your abilities, it shouldn¡¯t be a big issue. Alright, I¡¯ve said what I needed to say, hope you take it to heart."


    After that, the wireless receiver¡¯s signal immediately cut off.


    "What¡¯s your n?" Su Mei asked.


    Ling Chen shook his head, his mind full of Lin Jiawei¡¯s words. Xia Mutong not being dead was a small constion. However, it seemed that after the experiment, Xia Mutong might have be someone like Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun.


    "Miss Su, the person from the God Organization responsible for contacting me must be near the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Can you help me find them?"


    "That¡¯s no problem, give me a day," Su Mei said and then turned to leave the room.


    Once Su Mei had left, Ling Chen reached into his pocket and took out a bottle containing blue liquid. This bottle was identical to the one he had just given to Su Mei.


    Sorry, Miss Su!


    Ling Chen thought to himself with a stern look, his eyes bing resolute.


    ...


    Night fell!


    Around one o¡¯clock in the morning, Ling Chen, who had been feigning sleep on the bed, opened his eyes, swiftly sat up, slung the prepared shoulder bag on his back, and quickly moved to the window.


    He opened the window, surveyed the outside, and jumped straight out,nding on the ground four meters below.


    Seeing no one around, Ling Chen kept low, blending into the shadows to avoid detection. It wasn¡¯t long before he arrived at the entrance to Yangxin Pavilion.


    Because he hade here with Song Ge during the day, Ling Chen remembered clearly that two Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Disciples were guarding the entrance. If he wanted to sneak into Yangxin Pavilion, he had to get past them.


    Looking at the two Disciples, Ling Chen took out a simple small crossbow from his bag and loaded it with an anaesthetic dart.


    After preparing, Ling Chen picked up a stone from the ground and threw it toward the distance.


    Crack!


    A slight crisp sound immediately drew the attention of the two guards.

 Chapter 640 - 637: Secretly Drugging

    <h4>Chapter 640: Chapter 637: Secretly Drugging</h4>


    "What was that sound?"


    "I don¡¯t know, I didn¡¯t see anyone pass by; maybe we heard wrong."


    "No, better to be careful. We shouldn¡¯t let anything go wrong. You know the Pavilion Master¡¯s temper; if something goes wrong, we¡¯ll both pay dearly."


    "Alright then, you go take a look, and I¡¯ll stay here."


    After the exchange, a Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Disciple left his post and headed straight towards the source of the noise.


    Seeing the other party attracted, Ling Chen smiled in relief and quickly detoured from the side. The stone he had thrown was in a position neither too close nor too far, just right to avoid the line of sight of another guard.


    Taking advantage of the guard¡¯s inattention, Ling Chen suddenly sprang from behind, drew close swiftly, and knocked the man to the ground with a heavy hand-chop to the back of his neck. Instantly, a muffled grunt was heard, and the man immediately passed out unconscious.


    Ling Chen quickly dragged the man¡¯s body and moved him to a dark corner. Then, he pulled out a pre-loaded small crossbow and aimed it at the entrance¡¯s guard.


    Whoosh!


    The tranquilizer dart shot out and struck the guard¡¯s arm urately. These supplies were provided by Lin Jiawei; the tranquilizer developed by the God Organization was exceptionally effective. In less than a second, the guard copsed on the ground, without a chance to even make a sound.


    Having silently dealt with two guards, Ling Chen quietly sighed in relief, swiftly crossed the passage, and entered the Yangxin Pavilion.


    The night was thick, without stars or moon, with a cold mountain breeze howling through the midway, sweeping up countless broken grass and leaves, swirling in the air.


    Returning to the Yangxin Pavilion, Ling Chen covered his face with a prepared bandanna, then cautiously moved through the spacious courtyard, heading towards the rear.


    Generally, the kitchen would be built in an inconspicuous location. Ling Chen¡¯s mission was simple: find the Yangxin Pavilion¡¯s kitchen and dissolve the drug from the blue bottle into the drinking water.


    Once the people in Yangxin Pavilion consume the drugged water, no matter how powerful, they would have to surrender obediently.


    Since many masters resided within the Yangxin Pavilion, Ling Chen dared not be negligent, careful not to make even the slightest sound, treading as lightly as possible. In less than ten minutes, he finally figured out the location of the kitchen.


    The kitchen was unlocked, Ling Chen gently pushed open the door, peeked inside to make sure there was no one around and then stepped inside, leaving the door slightly ajar.


    He turned on the shlight he carried, surveyed the kitchen¡¯s surroundings¡ªit was very basic, still using the old firewood stove. A corner was piled with lots of firewood, and some pots and pans neatly arranged on the stove, while air-dried fish hung from the beams.


    Water... Ling Chen looked around, his gaze suddenly brightened, and he quickly walked to arge tank full of water.


    The water in the tank was clear, presumably the drinking water used in the kitchen for cooking. Without hesitation, Ling Chen immediately took out the blue bottle from his pocket and poured all the blue drug into the tank. Once mixed into the water, the blue drug quickly became colorless and tasteless, showing no signs of contamination.


    "Finally done!"


    After stowing the empty bottle, Ling Chen didn¡¯t linger and turned to walk outside. But, as he reached the door, ready to push it open, he suddenly heard snoringing from above.


    The unexpected noise instantly changed Ling Chen¡¯s expression as he looked up. Immediately, he saw a vague figure lying on the beam. The figure had been obscured by the beam before, which was why he hadn¡¯t noticed it.


    Not making noise earlier norter but precisely at this moment, Ling Chen found it hard to believe it was a coincidence.


    Under his gaze, the person on the beam suddenly stretched, yawned, and sat up. Watching the other¡¯s actions, Ling Chen showed no intention of fleeing, but stood still on the spot. This is Yangxin Pavilion, a ce full of experts, and heaven knows how formidable the person on the beam is. Under the current circumstances, it is best to respond to changes by remaining unchanged.


    In his thoughts, the person on the beam reached for a wine gourd at his waist, pulled out the stopper, and began pouring it into his mouth. After gulping down several mouthfuls, the person contentedly put the wine gourd down.


    "Young brother, would you like to have a drink?"


    Hearing the person address him, Ling Chen casually replied, "No, thanks!"


    As his words fell, the person on the beam flipped over and directlynded on the ground. As he approached, Ling Chen finally got a clear view of the other¡¯s face.


    Sleazy!


    If one had to summarize the other¡¯s appearance and demeanor in one word, it would only be sleazy.


    "Who are you?" asked Ling Chen.


    "Young brother, I should be the one asking you that. Why aren¡¯t you sleeping at home in the middle of the night, and running to the kitchen instead? Are you hungry and came looking for food? Eh! Your features look unfamiliar; you must not be from Yangxin Pavilion."


    "No."


    "Not from Yangxin Pavilion, yet daring toe here, don¡¯t you know the rules of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion? What you are doing could lead to questioning. Young brother, you look young; you should avoid taking the wrong path and try to follow the right one."


    "I walk my path as I wish, I don¡¯t need your guidance. If there¡¯s nothing else, I will be leaving." After saying that, Ling Chen took a few steps back, then turned and ran towards the outside of the kitchen.


    After escaping more than twenty meters and seeing no footsteps following him, Ling Chen slightly rxed.


    "Young brother, since we are so fated, why not stay and have a drink with me to pass the tedious time."


    At this moment, the old man¡¯s voice came again, startling Ling Chen. He was horrified to find that the old man had somehow gotten in front of him, holding the wine gourd and smiling at him.


    "Old man, I¡¯m not really interested in drinking, please find someone else."


    With those words, Ling Chen quickened his pace, trying to bypass the man.


    Hearing this, the old man just chuckled to himself, took another drink, seemingly not noticing Ling Chen passing by.


    Seeing that the exit of Yangxin Pavilion was getting closer, Ling Chen immediately sped up, rushing past and returning to the entrance he previously came through.


    I finally shook him off!


    Ling Chen thought to himself. However, just as this thought appeared, he heard a familiarughter near his ears. Turning his head, he saw the old man with the wine gourd leaning against the wall, grinning wickedly.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen furrowed his brows.


    The old man, who could surpass him silently, definitely should not be underestimated in strength, and was probably not much less formidable than Huang Zheng and the others. He was just unlucky to encounter such a person in the kitchen.


    "Old man, what exactly do you want?"


    Since he couldn¡¯t escape, Ling Chen resigned himself and looked at the other man, asking squarely.

 Chapter 641 - 638 Action Exposed

    <h4>Chapter 641: Chapter 638 Action Exposed</h4>


    "Little brother, I should be the one asking you this. Sneaking into Yangxin Pavilion in the dead of night and poisoning the drinking water in the kitchen¡ªwhat exactly are you trying to do?"


    The counter question left Ling Chen speechless, unsure of how to respond.


    Since he had been caught red-handed, there was no use in trying to escape. With this thought, Ling Chen gritted his teeth and decided to make a move, leaping towards the elderly man. As he drew near, Ling Chen clenched his steel fist, ready to strike.


    However, just as their bodies were about to collide, Ling Chen suddenly changed his tactic. His fist abruptly opened, scattering a handful of white powder straight towards the old man¡¯s face. At such a close distance, there was no way the old man could evade it.


    Seeing this, the corners of Ling Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly, with a sly smile. The white powder had a potent sedative effect; just a small whiff was enough to knock out an elephant for over ten hours. Surely, no person could withstand its power.


    Yet, Ling Chen had underestimated the old man¡¯s abilities. Faced with the oing white powder, the old man showed no intention of dodging; instead, he gently blew a breath of air in front of him. In an instant, the white powder that was supposed to hit the old man changed its course, flying back towards Ling Chen.


    Caught off guard, Ling Chen was engulfed by the white powder in a sh. Before he could react, he had already inhaled a small amount of the powder.


    Instantly, a heavy drowsiness overwhelmed him. Ling Chen didn¡¯t manage to speak a word before he passed out.


    ...


    It was unclear how much time had passed when a groggy Ling Chen finally woke from his slumber.


    He rubbed his throbbing forehead, sat up from the damp ground, and looked around with a bitter smile on his face.


    It was the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯s prison.


    He had been here once before, to see Zhu Hong, but had never imagined that one day he would be the one locked up.


    "Ling Chen, bet you didn¡¯t see thising. Humph!"


    At that moment, a cold snort sounded. Turning his head, Ling Chen saw that across from his cell was the one holding Zhu Hong. Having not seen him for a long time, the once handsome and devil-may-care Zhu Hong now looked like a beggar, disheveled with dirt all over his face, barely recognizablepared to before.


    Unfazed by Zhu Hong¡¯s mockery, Ling Chen responded carelessly, "Everyone has their down times. Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t be long before I leave. As for you... Don¡¯t even dream of seeing the sunlight outside ever again."


    "No!" Zhu Hong clutched the iron bars, his face twisted ferociously as he yelled at Ling Chen, "You just wait, I will get out of this damned ce one day, and when I do, I swear I¡¯ll kill you myself. I won¡¯t spare a single person rted to you."


    "Are you even willing to not spare Wanqing?"


    "Wanqing... Wanqing..." Hearing Ling Chen mention Nanrong Wanqing, Zhu Hong¡¯s face instantly went nk. But itsted only for a moment before his eyes were again filled with deep hatred.


    "If it weren¡¯t for you, Wanqing would have been with me by now."


    "Give me a break! Even without me, Wanqing wouldn¡¯t choose you."


    "Shut up!" Zhu Hong shouted in anger: "You have no right to judge me."


    "I say, have you had enough of arguing? Can you keep it down and not disturb the other prisoners?"


    The voice rang out, and Ling Chen immediately turned his gaze towards the entrance of the cell. He saw Zhou Jun and Song Ge walking in side by side.


    When they reached the cells, Ling Chen touched his nose and said with a face full of apology, "I¡¯m sorry!"


    "That¡¯s enough, don¡¯t apologize to us." Zhou Jun waved his hand and said, "I believe in your character and that you wouldn¡¯t do such a thing without reason. Since you¡¯ve decided to do it, there must be your own difficulties."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen curiously asked, "Do you know what I did?"


    Song Ge continued, "Last night, you sneaked into Yangxin Pavilion, and secretly poisoned the kitchen there. The news has spread; there are hardly a few in Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion who don¡¯t know."


    With that, Song Ge handed a food container to Ling Chen, "You¡¯ve been unconscious so long, you must be starving. Eat something quickly to fill your stomach, you¡¯ll have a tough timeter."


    Ling Chen took out a bowl of white rice from the food container and devoured it with a few dishes of appetizers. It had been hours since he had eaten anything, and the white powder had made him extremely hungry.


    Having finished the bowl of rice, Ling Chen looked up at Song Ge and Zhou Jun and asked, "How are they nning to deal with me?"


    Zhou Jun shrugged and said, "How would we know, but the Pavilion Master will probably interrogate youter. You better prepare in advance and think about how to respond. Although you and the Pavilion Master are friends, you are suspected of plotting against the people of Yangxin Pavilion this time, the crime is too serious. Even if the Pavilion Master wants to protect you, she must consider Yangxin Pavilion. After all, as Pavilion Master, her primary concern is how tomand respect."


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "I understand. Zhou Jun, have you asked Elder Zhou whether he has revealed any news to you?"


    "No, my old man is tight-lipped. I specifically went to ask him when I came, but I didn¡¯t get any news. However, I heard him say that the Pavilion Master is very angry because of this affair."


    It was to be expected; after all, he had deceived her.


    After the meal, not long after Song Ge and Zhou Jun left, several Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Disciples led by Zhou Qi came to the cell and took Ling Chen out.


    On the way, Zhou Qi kept a stern face and didn¡¯t say a word, which gave Ling Chen a bad premonition.


    Soon, the group arrived at a spacious room. As soon as he entered, Ling Chen saw that the room was filled with people. In addition to Su Mei, Huang Zheng and Liang Tian from Yangxin Pavilion, as well as Song Yi and Liang Zheng, were all there, each one staring coldly at Ling Chen.


    Standing in the center of everyone, Ling Chen sped his fists and bowed to everyone.


    Huh?


    At that moment, Ling Chen suddenly noticed that the old man who had caught himst night was not there.


    "Ling Chen, do you admit your guilt?" Su Mei spoke sharply, ring at Ling Chen.


    "I stand by my actions; there¡¯s nothing more to say."


    "You..." Su Mei¡¯s brows furrowed deep, filled with ire. This guy, he won¡¯t even defend himself, at least giving her a reason to mitigate his sentence.


    "Speak, why did you do this?" Huang Zheng asked coldly.


    Ling Chen replied indifferently, "I have already told Miss Su the reason, and she must have mentioned it to you; there¡¯s no need to ask again."


    Huang Zheng snorted, "Ling Chen, mind your attitude. Since the Pavilion Master has agreed to help you, why did you still resort to poisoning in secret? You im to be a friend of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, but do your actions honor the word ¡¯friend¡¯?"


    "Elder Huang, don¡¯t waste your breath. I¡¯ve said everything I have to say, and here I am. Whatever you decide to do with me, I won¡¯tin," Ling Chen stated resolutely.

 Chapter 642 - 639: Caning Punishment

    <h4>Chapter 642: Chapter 639: Caning Punishment</h4>


    "Hmph!" Huang Zheng sneered and said, "Ling Chen, don¡¯t think that just because you saved the Pavilion Master you can avoid punishment. Let me tell you, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has always been clear about rewards and punishments. Your actions have already vited the major taboos of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Not killing you would hardly quell the anger of the Pavilion."


    "Kill me?" Ling Chen was taken aback and looked towards Huang Zheng with a hint of sternness in his eyes. He hadn¡¯t offended him, so why target him? Could it be because he refused his request to be his disciple yesterday? If so, Huang Zheng is certainly narrow-minded.


    "Huang Zheng, stop always shouting about fighting and killing. The Pavilion Master hasn¡¯t even spoken, what are you rushing for?" Liang Tian spoke unhurriedly: "Although Ling Chen is at fault, he was also pushed to the brink. If anyone else were in his situation, I believe they would find it hard to make a choice."


    Hearing this, Su Mei asked, "So, what does Elder Liang suggest we do with Ling Chen?"


    "Mercy beyond thew. Ling Chen¡¯s mistake isn¡¯t a major one. Haven¡¯t you all checked? The poison he used isn¡¯t lethal. It¡¯s evident that he didn¡¯t intend to harm us, and considering his reasons, I think lenient treatment is possible."


    Huang Zheng frowned and said, "Liang Tian, just letting him off like this, isn¡¯t it too frivolous? Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re scheming, I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t even think about it!"


    "Old Huang, you¡¯re at this age, yet so petty, just because Ling Chen refused you. Over such a trivial matter, you actually hold a grudge and seek to put him to death, you¡¯ve lived all these years in vain," Liang Tian unhesitatingly fired back.


    "Enough, Liang Tian, stop making excuses for him. Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re also from Yangxin Pavilion, since when did Yangxin Pavilion¡¯s people start speaking for outsiders?"


    "I¡¯m just speaking based on the facts, stop being unreasonable."


    As their argument grew louder, Su Mei began to speak with a headache, "Both of you, please say less."


    Seeing the Pavilion Master had spoken, Huang Zheng and Liang Tian both obediently shut their mouths.


    "Ling Chen, I consider you a friend, but what you did has disappointed me. Considering you¡¯ve once helped Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, I won¡¯t make things difficult for you. Fiftyshings and expel from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, don¡¯te back here again, you¡¯re not wee."


    Upon hearing Su Mei¡¯s judgment, Liang Tian was visibly disappointed. He shook his head with a sigh and then stood up and left.


    Watching Liang Tian¡¯s departing figure, Huang Zheng¡¯s mouth curled into a smirk of triumph, saying, "Pavilion Master, do you want Song Yi to help you execute?"


    "No need to trouble Elder Huang, let Zhou Jun and Song Ge handle this matter."


    "How could that be?" Song Yi interjected. "Zhou Jun and Song Ge are friends of Ling Chen. What if they go easy on him?"


    Su Mei swept a nce at Song Yi, clearly displeased. She had appointed Zhou Jun to carry out the punishment hoping that Ling Chen would suffer less pain, anyone smart should understand her intentions and give her some respect. But the disciples of Huang Zheng were being deliberately contrary, which naturally upset her.


    "In that case... Zhou Qi, just pick someone to execute the punishment." As she spoke, and seeing Song Yi about to protest again, Su Mei immediately said, "Take Ling Chen to the martial training ground for the punishment, if anyone is concerned, they can go and see." After speaking, without waiting for Huang Zheng and Song Yi to say anything else, Su Mei had already gotten up and left.


    "Ling Chen, let¡¯s go!"


    Under Zhou Qi¡¯s escort, Ling Chen was taken to the martial training ground by several Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Disciples.


    At this time, the training ground was crowded with many people busy practicing martial arts. Seeing Ling Chen being escorted over, they were instantly drawn over, whispering to each other, their gazes towards Ling Chen filled with peculiar expressions.


    "Kneel down!" a Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Disciple barked, and pushed Ling Chen, signaling him to immediately kneel on the ground.


    Ling Chen frowned, turned his head to look at the disciple, his gaze sharp and chilling.


    "You..." sensing the chill in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, the words of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Disciple were immediately swallowed back, not daring to scold any further.


    "Enough!" Zhou Qi waved his hand and said, "Don¡¯t make it hard for him, he¡¯s not from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, there¡¯s no need to adhere to so many rules, just let him stand."


    As he finished speaking, Zhou Qi extended a hand and pointed into the crowd, saying, "You,e out."


    Although puzzled, the man dutifully walked up to Zhou Qi and respectfully asked, "Elder Zhou, what are your instructions?"


    Zhou Qi casually threw a wooden staff as thick as an arm into the man¡¯s hands, then pointed at Ling Chen¡¯s back and said, "You will carry out the flogging."


    "Yes."


    Without another word, the man took themand, immediately went behind Ling Chen, and swung the wooden staff up high, whipping it fiercely down on Ling Chen¡¯s back.


    Thwack!


    With a muffled thud, Ling Chen¡¯s body slightly shuddered, and his fists clenched involuntarily.


    Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!


    After several blows, the veins on Ling Chen¡¯s forehead were exposed and his entire face twisted in agony and ferocity, his legs beginning to tremble uncontrobly.


    Watching Ling Chen¡¯s agonized expression, Zhou Jun and Song Ge felt pity and turned their heads away, unable to continue watching.


    Su Mei had sentenced Ling Chen to fiftyshes; now, not even ten had passed and the pain was already unbearable. If all fiftyshes werepleted, even if Ling Chen survived, severe injuries were inevitable.


    "Hmph!" In the crowd, Huang Zheng coldly smiled and said while watching the punished Ling Chen, "I kindly wanted to take you as my disciple, but s... you bring it upon yourself. Disciple, keep a close watch, I¡¯m heading back now."


    "Yes, Master," Song Yi nodded, respectfully seeing Huang Zheng off.


    Thwack...!


    In the blink of an eye, half of the flogging was done. Ling Chen gritted his teeth, forcing himself not to cry out in pain. Nevertheless, blood still trickled from the corner of his mouth, dripping drop by drop onto the ground.


    At this moment, Ling Chen felt as if his back was almost numb, the pain unbearable, his legs nearly unable to support his body any longer. If he wasn¡¯t holding his breath, he would have already copsed.


    So cruel!


    Ling Chen cursed inwardly, not knowing where Zhou Qi found such a person who exerted that much strength in his blows. After this beating, he feared half his life might be gone.


    On the eastern side of the practice field, Su Mei stood quietly by the window, watching Ling Chen being punished, her delicate teeth biting lightly, and her eyes filled with concern.


    Sigh!


    With a soft sigh, Su Mei withdrew her gaze and closed the window gently.


    Pfft!


    When the flogging reached its end, Ling Chen¡¯s body could no longer bear it, a mouthful of fresh blood spurted out, and his entire body fell limp to the ground, motionless as if dead.


    Seeing this, Zhou Jun and Song Ge were greatly rmed and rushed over, calling out Ling Chen¡¯s name loudly.

 Chapter 643 - 640: Desiring to Impute Guilt

    <h4>Chapter 643: Chapter 640: Desiring to Impute Guilt</h4>


    "Ling Chen."


    Zhou Jun called out as he and Song Ge helped Ling Chen to his feet. Looking at Ling Chen, who was spitting blood and pale as a sheet, Zhou Jun turned his head back and red fiercely at the executioner, saying sternly, "He¡¯s on hisst legs. I need to take him for treatment."


    "The punishment isn¡¯t over; how can it just end like this?" Song Yi spoke up from the crowd.


    Zhou Jun snorted coldly: "If we continue, he¡¯ll nearly be beaten to death." As he spoke, Zhou Jun looked at his grandfather, calling out in dissatisfaction, "Old man, do you really want to kill him?"


    Zhou Qi waved his hand and said, "Take him away."


    Hearing this, Song Ge quickly lifted Ling Chen and hurried toward the room.


    With the punishment over, the onlookers on the training ground also gradually dispersed. Song Yi shook his head and returned alone to the Yangxin Pavilion to report the situation to Huang Zheng.


    ...


    "It hurts... it hurts, gently, gently..."


    Come nightfall, Ling Cheny sprawled on the bed, crying out as if possessed, his handsome face contorted with pain.


    Beside the bed, Zhou Jun and Song Ge held disinfectant alcohol, gently wiping the wounds on Ling Chen¡¯s back, then applying ointment and wrapping them with bandages.


    Although the fifty strokes were notpleted, the forty-odd strokes had left Ling Chen in very bad shape. His back was a mass of scars, and the bedsheet was stained red with blood ¨C an unbearable sight.


    "Bear with it," Zhou Jun said.


    "Dammit! It¡¯s not you feeling the pain, you¡¯re speaking too lightly," Ling Chen retorted in dissatisfaction.


    "Who can you me other than yourself? You went looking for trouble, so you deserve to be hurt."


    Ling Chen turned his head back and asked Zhou Jun and Song Ge, "Didn¡¯t Miss Su order to kick me out of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion? Why am I still here?"


    Song Ge replied, "You were injured like this, if we didn¡¯t bring you back, you would have died out there already. Besides, the Pavilion Master was just talking; do you really think she would be so heartless as to throw you out into the forests alone?"


    Ling Chen grinned, "I knew it. You guys really are friends."


    After bandaging the wound, Zhou Jun put down the alcohol cotton and said seriously, "Ling Chen, don¡¯t me us for speaking out, but what you did this time was indeed wrong. Even the people of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion wouldn¡¯t dare to intrude into Yangxin Pavilion like you did. The Pavilion Master has already shown you a great deal of face by sparing your life."


    "I know."


    As they were speaking, the door to the room was suddenly kicked open. Immediately afterward, Zhou Qi burst in furiously with several people.


    Seeing Zhou Qi¡¯s murderous expression, Ling Chen and the others were taken aback, not knowing what had happened.


    "Old man, what¡¯s going on?" Zhou Jun stepped forward quickly, wanting to find out what the trouble was.


    "Get out of the way!" Zhou Qi pushed Zhou Jun aside without any sympathy, walking straight to the bedside and ring angrily at Ling Chen whoy on the bed, demanding in a deep voice, "Ling Chen, confess honestly! Where did you hide that item?"


    "Item?" Ling Chen asked, puzzled. "What item?"


    Zhou Qi said coldly, "You¡¯re still trying to y dumb with me? You should know best what that thing is. That item has always been kept in Yangxin Pavilion; it was there just yesterday, but today it¡¯s gone. Besides you, the outsider, no one else has entered Yangxin Pavilion. Tell me, if not you, then who could it be?"


    "This..." Ling Chen was at a loss for words. Although he had sneaked into Yangxin Pavilionst night, he did nothing but poison the food in the kitchen; he didn¡¯t go anywhere else, let alone knew what thing Zhou Qi was referring to.


    However, seeing how anxious Zhou Qi looked, that thing must be very important. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have been stored in Yangxin Pavilion, guarded by so many experts.


    "Ling Chen, I¡¯ll ask you onest time¡ªwill you hand it over or not?" Zhou Qi demanded sternly.


    With a bitter smile, Ling Chen said, "Elder Zhou, I really didn¡¯t lie to you. I don¡¯t even know what that thing you mentioned is. What¡¯s more, after I was capturedst night, I was locked up in a cell, and sinceing out, I¡¯ve always been surrounded by people. If that thing were on me, you would have found and taken it by now."


    "Enough!" Zhou Qi waved his hand in impatience, "Quit making excuses. Since you refuse to hand it over, don¡¯t me me for whates next. Guards, lock him up."


    "Elder..."


    Seeing several Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Disciples forcibly dragging the injured Ling Chen off the bed, Zhou Jun couldn¡¯t help but be anxious, opening his mouth to plead with Zhou Qi. But before he could finish, Zhou Qi swept a sharp nce over him, instantly causing Zhou Jun to swallow his words.


    "Zhou Jun, you two listen to me, this is not a trivial matter. From now on, without my permission, you are not allowed to see Ling Chen. Take him away!"


    As Ling Chen was dragged out of the room, Zhou Jun and Song Ge stood by helplessly,pletely at a loss. They had thought everything was over, but who could have expected such a turn of events? Although they didn¡¯t understand what Ling Chen had taken from Yangxin Pavilion, from Zhou Qi¡¯s expression, it was evident that the matter was much more serious than just trespassing into Yangxin Pavilion.


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Zhou Jun and Song Ge finally gave up any thoughts of helping. With Zhou Qi in a fury, it was wiser not to provoke him any further.


    And so, Ling Chen, who had just had his wounds bandaged, was once again thrown into the cell.


    Due to his injuries, Ling Cheny on the bed, immobilized. He wanted to rest, but Zhou Qi did not give him the chance; several guards stationed themselves in the cell, interrogating him non-stop about the whereabouts of the item.


    With no other choice, Ling Chen let out a wry smile and simply closed his eyes, ignoring whatever they were saying as if he hadn¡¯t heard it at all.


    After over ten hours of interrogation, not only was Ling Chen exhausted, but Zhou Qi and the others were tired as well. Eventually, they left a few men to watch over Ling Chen and the rest went to rest.


    "Ling Chen, what exactly did you do to bring such anger from heaven and resentment from people?"


    Zhu Hong¡¯s mocking voice came from the opposite cell, carrying a schadenfreude chuckle.


    Ling Chen nced at Zhu Hong and couldn¡¯t be bothered to even acknowledge him, simplyying down on the bed and falling asleep.


    For two consecutive days, except for eating and less than three to four hours of sleep each day, Ling Chen spent almost all his time facing a barrage of interrogations.


    During this time, Zhou Jun and Song Ge never showed up.


    Finally, after two days of interrogation, Zhou Qi seemed to have tired as well and began to relent in his pressing of Ling Chen. Weighed down by the exhaustion of the past days,bined with his own injuries, it didn¡¯t take long for Ling Chen to fall into a deep sleep.


    ...


    "Ling Chen, Ling Chen... wake up!"


    After an indeterminate amount of time, upon hearing the familiar voice in his ears, Ling Chen drowsily opened his eyes and instantly became alert, quickly sitting up on the bed at the sight of Zhou Jun and Song Ge standing outside the cell.


    However, his sudden movement was too intense and aggravated his wounds, causing him pain and making him grimace.


    "You should stay lying down," said Song Ge concernedly. "Your injuries haven¡¯t healed; don¡¯t get up."

 Chapter 644 - 641: Lure the Snake out of the Hole (1)

    <h4>Chapter 644: Chapter 641: Lure the Snake out of the Hole (1)</h4>


    "No problem." Despite saying this, Ling Chen still obedientlyy on the bed and asked Zhou Jun and hispanion, "How did you guys get here? Didn¡¯t Elder Zhou restrict you from visiting me?"


    Zhou Jun opened the prison door and followed Song Ge inside, saying, "It¡¯s already been two days. Song Ge and I have begged many times, but the old man tly refused us. Today, I got the idea to say that your wound needed changing, so he finally let use to see you. Hey, don¡¯t move, let Song Ge check your injury."


    Ling Chen nodded. Resting his head on his hands, he asked, "How has Miss Su reacted?"


    "I¡¯m not sure. I haven¡¯t seen the Pavilion Master in a few days; everyone has been busy searching for something."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen asked with a puzzled expression, "Searching for something?"


    "Yes. They suspect you stole something very important from the Yangxin Pavilion, but you had nothing on you and never left the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. So, the Pavilion Master and others specte you must have hidden it somewhere. Thesest two days, every corner of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has been searched, but nothing has been found. Well, just between us, can you tell me where you hid it?"


    Ling Chen replied helplessly, "Asking me is no use, I truly don¡¯t know. Besides, do I look like the type who would do something and not admit it? Hey, tell me, what exactly did the Yangxin Pavilion lose?"


    Song Ge and Zhou Jun looked at each other and both shook their heads, saying, "We don¡¯t know. It must be very important to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. I¡¯ve tried to indirectly ask Elder Zhou, although he never said directly, from his few words, I suspect it¡¯s an old artifact from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, possibly hundreds of years old. There¡¯s been a lot of rumors these days about it. Some say it¡¯s rted to the survival of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, but that seems exaggerated; there aren¡¯t many reliable sources."


    After thinking for a while, Ling Chen said, "Could you two do me a favor and tell Miss Su that I really didn¡¯t steal anything from the Yangxin Pavilion, it must have been someone else who framed me?"


    "That... Alright, I¡¯ll pass the message, but whether the Pavilion Master believes it or not is up to her; I can¡¯t guarantee anything," Zhou Jun replied.


    Night fell.


    The gloomy cell was silent, all the prisoners were in deep sleep.


    Bang!


    Suddenly, a light noise echoed. Alert, Ling Chen immediately looked up towards the entrance of the prison cell. Instantly, he saw two guards at the entrance copse to the ground without making a sound.


    Looking at the blood holes remaining on the necks of the two guards, Ling Chen¡¯s brow furrowed immediately.


    Such ruthless tactics, they didn¡¯t leave anyone alive!


    In his thoughts, several dark figures quickly rushed in from outside, heading straight for Ling Chen¡¯s cell.


    ng!


    Apanied by a crisp sound and sparks flying, the lock of the cell was instantly chopped open. Immediately after, those figures walked into the cell in a few strides, lifting Ling Chen from the bed.


    "What are you doing?"


    Ling Chen struggled fiercely, but his severe back wound made him too weak to resist. Soon, he was easily subdued by those men.


    Taking this opportunity, Ling Chen observed these people; their faces were unfamiliar, he had never seen them before.


    "Mr. Ling, I want to ask you about something, and I hope you will tell me the truth," a man asked.


    Ling Chen calmly responded, "What is it?"


    "Where is the item you stole from the Yangxin Pavilion? Tell me the location. As long as I find that item, I will immediately take you away from here."


    "So, it¡¯s about that item."


    "Who are you?"


    At this time, prisoners incarcerated in other cells had been awoken by the noise, each of them pleading, "Friend, please, let us go."


    Frowning, the man nced at them and said coldly, "So noisy. Kill them all, leave no survivors, lest they expose our identitiester."


    "Yes!"


    Two subordinates responded, casually pulling out two daggers and throwing them fiercely.


    Apanied by two screams, the neighboring cell¡¯s prisoners were instantly killed on the spot.


    Seeing a man with a dagger approaching, Zhu Hong¡¯s face changed drastically, and he hastily backed away, leaning against the wall and begging bitterly, "Don¡¯t, don¡¯t kill me, please... I... I¡¯m from the God Organization, I¡¯ll pay whatever it takes just to get out."


    Hearing the words ¡¯God Organization¡¯, the man¡¯s movements slowed, and he looked at Zhu Hong skeptically, "You are from the God Organization?"


    "Yes, yes," Zhu Hong hurriedly responded, "please don¡¯t kill me."


    "Boss, this kid says he¡¯s from the God Organization, should we..."


    Hearing his subordinate¡¯s report, the man pondered for a few seconds and said, "Let him go. Let him fend for himself. At least we would have helped him. Whether he can escape or not is up to his own fate."


    Having said that, the man turned to Ling Chen and pressed, "Mr. Ling, we don¡¯t have much time, you¡¯d better answer my question quickly."


    "I..."


    Ling Chen was about to speak, but before he could, he heard a rush of footsteps suddenlying from the entrance of the cell.


    "Boss, it¡¯s bad, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯s people areing!"


    "Take the people and leave."


    As he spoke, the man, regardless of the injuries on Ling Chen¡¯s body, grabbed his arm and rushed towards the exit.


    However, after taking only a few steps, the man suddenly felt a surge of strength in Ling Chen¡¯s arm, making him unable to pull. Surprised, the man turned around and saw Ling Chen¡¯s mouth slightly curved up, carrying a faint mocking smile.


    "What are you..."


    A sense of foreboding sank in the man¡¯s heart instantly.


    "After so much effort and waiting for so long, I finally lured you out," Ling Chen said with a proud smile.


    In the midst of his speaking, Zhou Qi had already led people rushing into the cell from outside.


    "Break out."


    The man calmly issued the order. The hand that held Ling Chen¡¯s arm casually loosened, and he pulled out a dagger from his waist, aiming to strike Ling Chen¡¯s head.


    As the de approached, Ling Chen leaned back at the waist, nimbly dodging the dagger¡¯s attack. Then, he stepped forward rapidly, closing the distance to the man, and his steel fist thundered out, smashing heavily into the opponent and sending him flying.


    At this moment, the two factions shed together, the scene was extremely chaotic.


    Ling Chen moved to the side, quietly watching the battle. With Zhou Qi and his men intervening, these people had no chance to retaliate. In less than three minutes, the men who had infiltrated the cell were all subdued, kneeling in a row on the ground.


    (Today updating with 4 Chapters, seeking rmendations, favorites, monthly tickets, rewards, andments, if motivation is sufficient, will continue the burst of updates for you over the next few days.)

 Chapter 645 - 642: Luring the Snake out of Its Hole (2)

    <h4>Chapter 645: Chapter 642: Luring the Snake out of Its Hole (2)</h4>


    "Mr. Ling, are you alright?"


    Zhou Qi walked up to Ling Chen, asking with concern.


    Ling Chen grinned: "I¡¯m fine. Elder Zhou, you guys arrived quite timely."


    "I was waiting outside the whole time for them to appear. After receiving the message, I immediately brought people over."


    Ling Chen nodded, looked at those men who had been captured and said, "These should all be members of the God Organization. Interrogate them well; there might be other aplices."


    "You don¡¯t need to worry about that. The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has a legacy of hundreds of years; we have ways to make them talk." Mentioning this, Zhou Qi was brimming with confidence.


    "Bring them! Take them all away, I¡¯ll conduct the interrogation personally." After that, Zhou Qi looked at Ling Chen and said, "Mr. Ling, you¡¯ve also worked hard, go back and rest for a bit. I¡¯ve already talked to Zhou Jun, thatd, to prepare fine wine and dishes in your room."


    "Alright." Ling Chen smiled. The food in the cell these past few days really wasn¡¯t great, so an improvement wasn¡¯t bad. However, as he walked towards the exit, his expression suddenly changed, and he quickly turned back to look at the cell.


    "Mr. Ling, what¡¯s going on?" Noticing the change in Ling Chen¡¯s expression, Zhou Qi asked.


    "Where¡¯s Zhu Hong? Did anyone see him just now?"


    "Zhu Hong?" Zhou Qi shook his head: "I didn¡¯t notice him. Wait, let me call someone to look around."


    However, after several minutes passed, they had searched the entire prison and still hadn¡¯t found Zhu Hong; the man seemed to have vanished.


    Not good!


    Ling Chen frowned inwardly. Surely during the melee just now, because the scene was too chaotic, Zhu Hong must have taken the opportunity to escape.


    "Mr. Ling, don¡¯t worry. This is the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Even if Zhu Hong has escaped, it¡¯s impossible for him to get out of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Give me some time; I will definitely catch him again."


    "Alright, thank you for your effort."


    Since Zhou Qi had given his assurance, Ling Chen wasn¡¯t so worried anymore. After all, this was the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, heavily guarded, and Zhu Hong had no martial skills, so he wouldn¡¯t have much chance to escape.


    Leaving the cell, Ling Chen returned to the guest room where he had previously stayed.


    Upon entering, a fragrant aroma of wine wafted into Ling Chen¡¯s nose. Looking at the wine and dishes on the table, Ling Chen said with a smile, "Thank you for the hard work."


    Zhou Jun waved his hand: "What hard work did we have? The kitchen prepared this. However, you did wrong this time; you even fooled us. Come on, nothing else said, first punish yourself with three cups of wine."


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t refuse, and gulped down three cups of wine in session. Wiping the wine stains from his mouth corner, Ling Chen said, "Both of you don¡¯t me me, I had no choice this time. The fewer people who know, the less likely to reveal any ws."


    Hearing this, Song Ge curiously asked, "Ling, what exactly happened? Tell us about it."


    "Actually, it¡¯s nothing much. It was just a n agreed upon with Miss Su. Not many people knew about this n, other than me and Miss Su, just Elder Zhou knew."


    Thereupon, Ling Chen recounted the execution of the n.


    That evening, when he sneaked into the Yangxin Pavilion to drug the food, it had all been nned. Including the items reported missing from the Yangxin Pavilion, all were fabricated lies. The purpose of this scheme was to draw out the moles of the God Organization.


    Beforeing to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, Lin Jiawei had said that the Pavilion was very careful in its affairs, hence the God Organization could not infiltrate it. Ling Chen never believed such words. So he knew clearly that if he did not resolve the moles hidden inside the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, whatever he did would be inconvenient. Most importantly, if someone secretly informed Lin Jiawei, then he would have been working in vain.


    Therefore, he came up with this n to invent an item of great importance to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and then spread it internally. In this way, the God Organization would certainly be interested in the item he "stole". As for what happened afterward, it all unfolded step by step, exactly as nned.


    After listening to Ling Chen¡¯s exnation, Zhou Jun asked, "Does that mean your injuries were also fake?"


    Ling Chen shook his head: "The injuries are real; they¡¯re just not that severe. Even though it¡¯s a y, it still needs to look convincing to be believed."


    "Regardless, we owe you a great deal this time. Without you, we wouldn¡¯t have realized that the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion actually harbored so many moles from the God Organization."


    Song Ge agreed, "This just provided the opportunity to catch all those spies in one swoop. Ling, you became a hero of our Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion again; I wonder how the Pavilion Master will reward you."


    "Ah! What a pity." Zhou Jun looked at Ling Chen and sighed.


    Holding his wine cup, Ling Chen asked, "Pity what?"


    "If you were single, I could¡¯ve introduced you to the Pavilion Master by my old man. Look, the two of you aren¡¯t far apart in age and both are outstanding; it would be ¡¯talented man and beautifuldy¡¯, a match made in heaven. Song Ge, don¡¯t you think I¡¯m right?"


    "Absolutely right!" Song Geughed heartily. "Ling, why don¡¯t you reconsider?"


    "Enough! You two, stop teasing me. Come on, drink!"


    After the wine feast ended, it was already past one in the morning.


    A drunken Ling Chen saw Zhou Jun and Song Ge out, then directly copsed onto the bed and fell asleep.


    The next day.


    Early in the morning, having taken a shower, Ling Chen changed into clean clothes and left the room on his own.


    Just after he closed the room door, Ling Chen saw Zhou Qi approaching from not far away.


    "Elder Zhou, good morning!" Ling Chen waved and greeted.


    "Mr. Ling, some troubling matter hase up." Zhou Qi¡¯s face looked somewhat serious.


    Ling Chen withdrew his smile and quickly asked, "What happened?"


    "I had people search all night and still couldn¡¯t find any trace of Zhu Hong. I have no idea where he might have escaped to."


    "Did you search the entire Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    Zhou Qi nodded, "We¡¯ve searched every possible ce."


    Having searched everywhere... Ling Chen¡¯s eyes darted and asked,"Did you check the Yangxin Pavilion?"


    "Yangxin Pavilion? He shouldn¡¯t have escaped there. There are guards at the entrance to the Yangxin Pavilion; with his abilities, it¡¯s simply impossible for him to enter that ce."


    "Nothing is absolutely certain in this world. Regardless, it¡¯s best to check."


    "Well, I¡¯ll go ask the Pavilion Master for instructions, see what she thinks. Without the Pavilion Master¡¯s nod, I can¡¯t take people to the Yangxin Pavilion. By the way! Mr. Ling, if you¡¯re free, why don¡¯t you apany me? The Pavilion Master wishes to see you too."


    "Alright."


    Following Zhou Qi, soon, Ling Chen arrived at the room where Su Mei resided.


    As they entered, a faint aroma of tea immediately greeted them.


    Zhou Qi strode forward, bowed with fist in hand beyond the curtain, "I pay respects to the Pavilion Master!"


    "Miss Su."


    "Mr. Ling, please have a seat!"


    Once Ling Chen sat down, a cup of fragrant tea was passed from beneath the curtain and ced in front of him.


    "Mr. Ling, please enjoy the tea."


    "Thank you!"

 Chapter 646 - 643 Zhu Hong Missing (1)

    <h4>Chapter 646: Chapter 643 Zhu Hong Missing (1)</h4>


    "Ling Chen, thanks to your help this time, we from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion have resolved a looming crisis. On behalf of everyone here, I thank you," Su Mei sincerely expressed her gratitude.


    "Don¡¯t mention it; helping you means helping myself. Since we are friends, we should indeed help each other." As he said this, Ling Chen raised his head and looked at Zhou Qi next to him, asking, "Elder Zhou, have those people confessed yet? Besides them, are there any other spies?"


    "I interrogated them all night using various methods and finally forced them to reveal the identities of all the spies and their contact codes with the outsiders."


    "That¡¯s good." Ling Chen smiled and nodded, then asked, "By the way, Miss Su,st time I told you that outside the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, there is a contact person from the God Organization assigned to connect with me. Have you found them?"


    "I found them a long time ago. However, following your advice, I¡¯ve had someone secretly monitor them without making a move."


    "Good, once we¡¯ve handled everything, it will be their turn."


    "Pavilion Master," Zhou Qi began, "there¡¯s one more thing. Last night during the chaos, Zhu Hong managed to escape, and so far, we haven¡¯t located him. Mr. Ling suggested we should check the Yangxin Pavilion, what do you think?"


    "Yangxin Pavilion? Zhu Hong is just an ordinary person; he shouldn¡¯t have the capability to enter Yangxin Pavilion. Ling Chen, aren¡¯t you overestimating him?"


    "Better safe than sorry. Since Zhu Hong hasn¡¯t left the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, he must still be here. Besides, Yangxin Pavilion isn¡¯t very big; it won¡¯t take much time."


    After pondering for a moment, Su Mei agreed, "Alright then. Zhou Qi, take a few men and check Yangxin Pavilion."


    "Miss Su, if it¡¯s convenient, how about I go instead? Elder Zhou was busy all night and hasn¡¯t rested yet; I¡¯m worried about him. How about letting Zhou Jun and Song go with me?"


    "Alright, try not to cause any trouble."


    Ling Chen grinned, "Don¡¯t worry, a straight shooter like me would never stir up trouble."


    "I¡¯m not worried about you, but the people at Yangxin Pavilion. You sawst time, Huang Zheng was very hostile towards you."


    "No worries, he¡¯s not the one in charge here, he can¡¯t possibly kill me." After saying that, Ling Chen stood up and said, "Miss Su, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll get going."


    Leaving the room, Ling Chen met up with Zhou Jun and Song Ge, and Zhou Qi assigned ten more people to their group. They immediately headed towards Yangxin Pavilion.


    With Su Mei¡¯s clearance pass, Ling Chen and hispanions faced no obstacles and entered Yangxin Pavilion with ease.


    At that moment, in the spacious courtyard of Yangxin Pavilion, Song Yi and Liang Zheng were practicing martial arts routines to loosen up their bodies. Seeing Ling Chen appear at the entrance of the courtyard, Song Yi¡¯s expression darkened immediately and he stepped forward, saying, "Ling Chen, this is Yangxin Pavilion; you can¡¯t juste and go as you please, get out now."


    Song Ge furrowed his brows and spoke in a low voice, "Song Yi, watch yournguage."


    "What does mynguage have to do with you? What right do you have to lecture me?" Song Yi snorted lightly, "If you consider Ling Chen a friend but not us, why should I give you face? Get lost, I get annoyed just by seeing you."


    "You..."


    Song Ge¡¯s face turned angry, and just as he was about to retort, Ling Chen put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head at him, signaling him not to be impulsive.


    "Song, let¡¯s go back."


    "Go back?" Song Ge and Zhou Jun were puzzled and asked, "Ling Chen, aren¡¯t we supposed to..."


    Ling Chen spread his hands, a look of helplessness on his face, "What other choice do we have? If the Pavilion Master askster, we¡¯ll say that Song Yi blocked us and even told us to get out. Alright, let¡¯s move quickly and not linger here to annoy anyone."


    After saying that, Ling Chen turned to leave.


    Song Ge and Zhou Jun exchanged a nce, clearly understanding Ling Chen¡¯s intention. The two smiled secretly and quickly followed Ling Chen¡¯s steps.


    Seeing Ling Chen and the others about to leave, Song Yi¡¯s expression changed and he hurriedly called out, "Wait... wait a minute!"


    Ling Chen turned back, looking at Song Yi, "What is it now?"


    Song Yi awkwardly asked, "You just said that you were here on the Pavilion Master¡¯s orders?"


    "Yes, any problem with that? You know the rules of Yangxin Pavilion better than anyone. Without the Pavilion Master¡¯s orders, do you think we could just waltz in here?" As he finished speaking, Ling Chen took his gaze off Song Yi and continued to walk away.


    "Stop right there!"


    Ling Chen stopped in his tracks, impatiently saying, "Look, what do you want? You just told us to get out, and now you¡¯re not letting us leave. What are you thinking? Do you think we¡¯re easy to bully? Damn it, get a grip."


    Faced with Ling Chen¡¯s scolding, Song Yi immediately felt ufortable and his expression turned very sour. If it were any other time, he would have already started a fight. But remembering that Ling Chen carried amand from Su Mei, he had to suppress his anger and said coldly, "Since it¡¯s the Pavilion Master¡¯smand, then you may enter."


    "Heh!" Ling Chen sneered, "Song Yi, you just told us to get out, and now you¡¯re telling us to stay. Do you really think we¡¯re that easily bullied, at your beck and call? Do you think I, Ling Chen, am that kind of person?"


    Song Yi held back his anger, each word punctuated with effort: "Then what do you want?"


    Ling Chen looked up at the sky, talking to himself, "I wonder who it was that just told us to get out, and now won¡¯t even apologize. Sigh! These days, there are too many proud people, always thinking they¡¯re above everyone else."


    "Ling Chen, you..."


    "Alright, everyone, let¡¯s say less."


    At that moment, Liang Zheng came over to mediate.


    "Ling Chen, Song Yi didn¡¯t mean to trouble you; he was just joking. Don¡¯t take it to heart. If it really won¡¯t do, I¡¯ll apologize on his behalf."


    Ling Chen nced at Song Yi, who was barely concealing his anger, and shrugged, "Fine, since Liang has spoken, I must give this face."


    Liang Zheng gave a slight smile, "Thank you! The Pavilion Master¡¯s business is urgent, gentlemen, don¡¯t dy any longer, pleasee in."


    Walking into the spacious courtyard, Ling Chen looked around and instructed, "Search every room. Remember, keep your eyes wide open."


    Hearing this, Liang Zheng¡¯s expression changed and he quickly said, "Ling Chen, what are you doing? Elder Huang and Elder Liang live here. You dare to search their rooms?"


    "Oh!"


    Ling Chen pped his forehead and apologized with an embarrassed smile, "Sorry, thanks for reminding me. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t disturb the two elders, at most we¡¯ll check the other rooms. Liang, would you please inform the two elders, so there won¡¯t be any unnecessary misunderstandingster."


    "Wait! You can search if you want, I won¡¯t stop you, but you should at least tell me the reason. How am I supposed to exin to Elder Huang and the others?"

 Chapter 647 - 644 Zhu Hong Missing (2)

    <h4>Chapter 647: Chapter 644 Zhu Hong Missing (2)</h4>


    "Last night, a prisoner escaped from his cell. We¡¯ve searched everywhere outside and haven¡¯t found any trace of him. We suspect he must have fled to the Yangxin Pavilion."


    After hearing this, Liang Zheng hadn¡¯t spoken yet when Song Yi already sneered, "Ling Chen, do you know where you are? This is the Yangxin Pavilion. There are experts everywhere. Isn¡¯t it suicide for that prisoner to run here?"


    Zhou Jun then interjected, "This is the Pavilion Master¡¯s order. If you have any objections, go find the Pavilion Master instead of wasting words with us." As he finished speaking, Zhou Jun directed his men, saying, "Don¡¯t just stand there wasting time, go and search quickly."


    Song Yi frowned, wanting to say something else, but before he could, he was stopped by Liang Zheng. The two stepped aside, watching Zhou Jun¡¯s team search everywhere. More than ten minutes passed, and different voices emerged from the rooms: "Nothing found!"


    Nothing found?


    Ling Chen was surprised, his face showing a hint of confusion. Could it be that Zhu Hong really just vanished into thin air? Impossible! Zhu Hong didn¡¯t even know basic fighting skills, let alone have the ability to escape.


    While pondering, Zhou Jun came up close to Ling Chen and pointed not far away, whispering, "Should we check over there?"


    Following the direction of Zhou Jun¡¯s pointing, Ling Chen nced over and saw a door in the middle of the surrounding wall of the courtyard, its destination unknown.


    "Where does that lead?"


    "You don¡¯t think this courtyard is all there is to the Yangxin Pavilion, do you?" Zhou Jun said, "Yangxin Pavilion is much bigger than you think. This courtyard is only a small part of it. Past that door, there¡¯s a valley and Lin Zi connected to it. That area all belongs to Yangxin Pavilion."


    "Is that so?" On hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up. He had thought this courtyard was all there was to the Yangxin Pavilion, but he remembered now. That day when he came to visit Huang Zheng, he had encountered a mysterious young man here. Although the young man was young, he was highly regarded by Huang Zheng and Liang Tian.


    If he remembered correctly, that young man had walked towards that door when he left.


    With this thought, Ling Chen nodded and said, "Don¡¯t leave any stone unturned." With that, he took the lead and strode towards the door.


    Seeing Ling Chen leading everyone towards the door, Liang Zheng¡¯s expression finally changed. He quickly stepped forward, blocking their path.


    Ling Chen stopped and asked, "What are you doing?"


    Liang Zheng spoke sternly, "Ling Chen, you¡¯d better stop while you¡¯re ahead. Not just anyone can enter that door."


    "Why? You need to give us a reason. Otherwise, you¡¯re interfering with the Pavilion Master¡¯s orders."


    "Behind that door is a crucial area of the Yangxin Pavilion, which even we don¡¯t dare enter lightly, let alone you. Ling Chen, don¡¯t me me for not warning you; if you stir up any trouble, we won¡¯t take responsibility."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen turned to Zhou Jun and asked, "What do you think?"


    After all, he was an outsider, and Zhou Jun was from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. It was still necessary to seek his opinion on this matter.


    Zhou Jun replied indifferently, "The Pavilion Master said to thoroughly search the Yangxin Pavilion. Liang Zheng, should I exin to you what ¡¯thoroughly¡¯ means?"


    "You..." Liang Zheng was momentarily speechless, unsure how to proceed.


    "Alright!" Liang Zheng huffed and moved aside, saying, "Since you are determined to search, then go ahead, but remember, whatever you stir up has nothing to do with us. Song Yi, let¡¯s go!"


    After Liang Zheng and Song Yi left, Zhou Jun quickly elerated his steps to the door and pushed it open.


    "Ling Chen, hurry!"


    Prompted by Zhou Jun, Ling Chen and Song Ge, along with their group, approached the door, ready to step inside.


    "Wait!" Suddenly, Zhou Jun seemed to remember something and pointed at the more than ten followers trailing behind, instructing, "Wait here at the door; the three of us will go in."


    As they passed through the door, Ling Chen spoke, "Why not bring them along?"


    Zhou Jun chuckled, "Not to hide it from you, but the chance of Zhu Honging here is very low, almost none."


    Ling Chen and Song Ge, confused, asked, "Then why persist?"


    "Didn¡¯t Liang Zheng just say? Behind that door is the real crucial area of the Yangxin Pavilion. I¡¯ve been in the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion for so many years, I¡¯ve always known this ce existed, but never had the chance to visit it. It¡¯s a rare opportunity, so I must take a look."


    "You, rascal..." Song Ge smiled helplessly and said, "Taking advantage of your position for personal gain, if your granddad finds out, he¡¯s probably going to lecture you again."


    "What is there to be afraid of." Zhou Jun said nonchntly, "Isn¡¯t it just following the Pavilion Master¡¯s order? At most, I¡¯ll get scolded a few times."


    While talking, the three men crossed a narrow mountain path and arrived at a lush grasnd. Ling Chen looked around, feeling an instant sense of openness, surrounded by lush green trees and a clearke.


    Around theke, several thatched cottages were covered, with many potted nts nted outside, all fenced in.


    Ling Chen looked around and hesitantly said, "Maybe we should go back, so as not to disturb others."


    "No worries, if anyone asks, we¡¯ll just say we are acting under the Pavilion Master¡¯s orders." Zhou Jun said and marched towards the thatched cottages.


    Reaching the front of the cottages, Zhou Jun was just about to knock when, before his hand could touch the door, he saw it being opened from the inside.


    Following this, a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old boy walked out, looking warily at Ling Chen and the others, and asked in a displeased tone, "Who are you?"


    Zhou Jun, with a cating smile, said, "We are from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, here under the Pavilion Master¡¯s orders to search for an escapee. Young fellow, have you seen any strangers around here recently?"


    Pointing at Zhou Jun, the boy said, "Except for you few strangers, no one else has been here." After a pause, the boy continued, "You should hurry back. The people here don¡¯t like being disturbed, and if you run into some of those with foul tempers, you¡¯re going to be in trouble."


    With that, the boy turned and went back inside the house.


    Watching the door close again, Ling Chen shrugged and said, "Let¡¯s go back, then, before we stir up trouble and cause problems for Miss Su."


    "Just..." Zhou Jun¡¯s mouth opened, just about to speak, but before he could finish, all three heard a loud ¡¯bang.¡¯


    Ling Chen¡¯s gaze shifted, following the direction of the sound. He frowned slightly. Judging by the sound, it shouldn¡¯t be too far from them.


    Just then, the boy who had just gone inside suddenly rushed out of the house, not sparing them a nce, and quickly headed towards the source of the sound.

 Chapter 648 - 655: The Oddball

    <h4>Chapter 648: Chapter 655: The Oddball</h4>


    Watching the youth walk away, Ling Chen nced at Zhou Jun and Song Ge beside him, and curiosity gleamed in all three pairs of eyes in unison.


    "Let¡¯s go and see." Zhou Jun was the first to speak. As soon as he said this, he immediately started moving his legs, following closely behind the youth.


    Immediately, the three men sprinted in the direction the youth had left. In no time, they charged into a dense forest.


    "There he is!" With keen eyes, Song Ge pointed, and the youth¡¯s figure immediately appeared in their sight.


    After pursuing for over a hundred meters, Ling Chen and hispanions finally stopped, their eyes widened in astonishment at the scene before them.


    In the middle of the forest, there was a mountain peak over twenty meters high. At the foot of the mountain, stood a disheveled and unkempt figure. The person was covered in ragged clothes that made him look worse off than a beggar, his face filthy, as if it hadn¡¯t been washed in ages.


    However, what was most astonishing wasn¡¯t this, but the fact that his limbs were bound with chains as thick as arms, the other ends of the four chains each connected to the mountain.


    A prisoner!


    Upon seeing this, the word immediately came to Ling Chen¡¯s mind. However, what he didn¡¯t understand was what serious crimes this strange person must havemitted to be treated in such a way.


    "That chain looks like it¡¯s about to break."


    Hearing Song Ge¡¯s words, Ling Chen fixed his gaze and indeed! One of the chains, where it connected to the mountain, was full of cracks and could break away from the mountain at any moment.


    At this moment, the strange person seemed to go into a frenzy, roaring desperately and constantly moving his limbs, pulling hard on the chains.


    "Keep it down."


    The youth by the side uttered a softmand, his wrist flicking gently, and several steel needles flew out in an instant, closing in on the strange person. However, at that moment, the strange person¡¯s right arm suddenly exerted force, violently pulling the chain out from the mountain.


    Subsequently, he swung the chains, knocking all of the iing steel needles away.


    How impressive!


    Seeing this, Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed slightly, shock coloring his pupils like Mo Che¡¯s.


    Seeing the chains on the strange man¡¯s right arm break free, the youth¡¯s face instantly turned solemn, and he immediately moved back. Because the chain was ten meters long, it posed a threat to the youth. He didn¡¯t stop retreating until he was out of the chain¡¯s range, then he stared coldly at the strange person.


    "If you don¡¯t want to die, you¡¯d better step back."


    Hearing the youth¡¯s warning, Ling Chen and hispanions hastily backed away.


    At this moment, the strange person swung the chain in his hand, smashing it forcefully against the mountain surface, trying to crack the parts of the mountain where the chains were embedded and free his left hand and both legs.


    Seeing more and more cracks forming on the mountain surface, the youth became anxious. He pulled from his bosom with both hands, and ten steel needles immediately appeared at his fingertips.


    Apanied by a whistling sound, the ten steel needles shot out in an instant.


    However, the ten steel needles did not pose any threat to the strange person. With a swing of the chains, all the needles were knocked down, falling to the ground.


    "What you¡¯re doing is useless," Ling Chen offered helpfully.


    "What¡¯s your bright idea then?" the youth retorted with irritability.


    "We¡¯ll help you."


    "Help me?" Upon hearing this, the youth gave Ling Chen a strange look and said, "He¡¯s no ordinary person. You¡¯d better stay back, lest you end up losing your lives."


    Seeing the youth speak so dismissively, Zhou Jun felt irritated and snorted, "If a brat like you dares to confront him, what should we be afraid of?" With that said, and without waiting for the youth to respond, Zhou Jun lightly tapped the ground with his toes and charged straight at the monster.


    As Zhou Jun approached, the monster let out a fierce roar and swung a chain as thick as an arm violently towards Zhou Jun. Watching the chaining at him, Zhou Jun¡¯s face instantly turned pale. Although the chain hadn¡¯t hit yet, just the strong wind it created was enough to tell Zhou Jun that the force behind it was beyond his ability to contend with.


    For a moment, Zhou Jun¡¯s forward momentum slowed as he instinctively started to back away. But he had alreadye within five meters of the monster, and with the chaining in close, there was no chance to escape.


    "Be careful!"


    Ling Chen and Song Ge, seeing that the situation was dire, didn¡¯t dare to dy any longer and rushed over to provide assistance.


    With a jingling sword-cry, Song Ge reached to his waist and drew out a soft sword with a chilling glint.


    Just as the chain was about to hit, Song Ge suddenly increased his speed, thrusting his hand forward and entangling the chain with the body of the soft sword, halting its momentum.


    However, even though Zhou Jun was saved, the monster took advantage of the situation and swung the chain again. Before Song Ge could extricate himself, the chain wound around his arm, pulling his body over.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen didn¡¯t hesitate. He instantly increased his speed to the maximum, took three steps as if they were two, and quickly reached Song Ge¡¯s side, grabbing the chain and pulling it back with all his might.


    "What are you waiting for,e and help!"


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s shout, the stunned Zhou Jun finally snapped out of it and urgently grabbed the chain, joining the efforts of the three of them to withstand the monster¡¯s force.


    "Hold on!"


    Seeing Ling Chen and the others restraining the chain, the youth¡¯s eyes lit up. Once again, he pulled out several steel needles from within his clothes and flung them at the monster.


    But as the youth made his move, Ling Chen felt the force on the chain suddenly surge. Before they could react, an immense force traveled through the chain, pulling all three of them over.


    At that moment, the chain was still wound around Song Ge¡¯s right arm. As the monster swung its arm, it used the chain to control Song Ge¡¯s body in a sweeping motion. In an instant, the steel needles the youth had thrown were all blocked by Song Ge¡¯s body.


    Not good!


    "Brother Song!" Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed as he caught a glimpse of the steel needles that had fallen to the ground out of the corner of his eye.


    In midair, Ling Chen flipped his body and reached down with his hand, tightly grasping the steel needles. Then, he nced at Zhou Jun behind him, pushed off from his shoulders for leverage, and with increased speed, hurled himself directly towards the monster.


    At that time, the monster¡¯s attention was still on Song Ge, not expecting Ling Chen to suddenly speed up. By the time it realized, Ling Chen was already close, wrapping his arms around the monster¡¯s head.


    Before the monster could resist, Ling Chen raised his right arm high and forcefully thrust the steel needles in his fingertips into the creature¡¯s body.


    Ah!


    As the steel needles prated the body, the monster let out a loud scream. Suddenly, Ling Chen felt a powerful burst of Inner Strength exploding from inside out, knocking his body flying away and making him crash heavily to the ground. The pain was so intense that he grimaced and was unable to stand up for quite some time.


    "Ling Chen!"


    Zhou Jun hurried over, asking with concern, "Are you alright?"


    (Continuing with 4 more updates, continuing to ask for rmendation tickets and other support)

 Chapter 649 - 656 Yang Zhe

    <h4>Chapter 649: Chapter 656 Yang Zhe</h4>


    Ling Chen spat out a mouthful of blood-stained saliva and, with Zhou Jun¡¯s help, he stood up again.


    Gasping for breath, Ling Chen once again fixed his gaze on the strange man. By now, the strange man seemed to have lost his strength and suddenly knelt on the ground, his head weakly tilting to one side. After a while, his body leaned forward and he fell to the ground, motionless.


    Seeing this, the few people present all breathed a sigh of relief simultaneously.


    "Song, how are you? Are you hurt?" Ling Chen and Zhou Jun hurried to Song Ge¡¯s side, attempting to help him up. However, Song Gey on the ground, eyes tightly shut, as if he had fallen into aa.


    "Don¡¯t worry about him; he¡¯s just been struck by steel needles and passed out. He¡¯ll be fine once he wakes up."


    At that moment, the voice of a young man came over, bringing a sense of calm to Ling Chen¡¯s tense mood.


    Looking at the motionless strange man, Ling Chen curiously asked, "Who is this person, and why was he locked up here?"


    The young man replied indifferently, "It¡¯s better not to ask about things that you shouldn¡¯t know." Pausing for a moment, the young man looked at Ling Chen and said, "Anyway, thanks for your help this time. If you hadn¡¯t stabbed the steel needles into him in time, things would probably have gotten out of hand. My name is Yang Zhe, and yours?"


    "Ling Chen."


    "Ling Chen?" Yang Zhe thought for a moment, then said, "That name sounds familiar; I seem to have heard it somewhere."


    "He is the top-ranked neer on the Neer List this year. You must have heard about him," Zhou Jun reminded.


    "Oh, right!" Yang Zhe nodded and added, "Now that you mention it, I remember. Tong Nan mentioned you to me a few days ago. Not bad, looks like you¡¯re not as ipetent as Tong Nan described."


    Ipetent?


    Ling Chen touched his nose, guessing that Tong Nan must have spoken very poorly of him, otherwise Yang Zhe wouldn¡¯t have described him as ipetent.


    "Come on, let¡¯s go to my ce and treat your injuries first."


    Returning to the thatched cottage by theke, Ling Chen sat on a wooden chair, observing the interior decorations.


    The decor inside the house was simple, exuding a rustic charm. On the way back earlier, Ling Chen had talked with Yang Zhe and gained a preliminary understanding of him.


    Yang Zhe¡¯s identity was the same as Tong Nan¡¯s; they were both disciples of high-ranking elders from Yangxin Pavilion. However, Yang Zhe was more low-key and spent most of his time in secluded cultivation in Yangxin Pavilion, rarely appearing in others¡¯ sight. Therefore, even Zhou Jun didn¡¯t know about him.


    After treating the wounds, Ling Chen casually asked, "Yang Zhe, where is your master?"


    "My master has traveled far away and it will probably be a while before he returns," Yang Zhe said, looking at Ling Chen. "This time, I owe you a favor. When my master returns, I will definitely tell him everything."


    "No need to be so polite; I am also a friend of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, and it was only right for me to help." Ling Chen then remembered the strange man he had seen earlier and couldn¡¯t help asking, "Who exactly is that person? Can you share a bit of information to satisfy my curiosity?"


    "Well..." Yang Zhe hesitated for a moment and then said, "I can¡¯t reveal his identity. What I can tell you is, he is a criminal from Yangxin Pavilion who has made a grave mistake."


    After hearing this, Ling Chen was somewhat speechless. This statement was as good as saying nothing.


    Forget it! Since it¡¯s a secret of Yangxin Pavilion, as an outsider, it¡¯s better not to inquire too deeply to avoid resentment.


    After resting for a while, Ling Chen got up and bid his farewell. Since Song Ge had been struck by steel needles dipped in a strong anesthetic, it would be a while before he woke up, so Zhou Jun had to carry him back.


    Following the same path back to the courtyard, Ling Chen didn¡¯t stay long and left Yangxin Pavilion directly with hispanions.


    Having checked all the ces he could, and given Zhu Hong was nowhere to be found, he likely had hidden somewhere else. However, as big as Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was, the ce had been thoroughly searched by Zhou Qi¡¯s men, yet Zhu Hong¡¯s whereabouts were still undetected. Where exactly could that guy be hiding?


    ...


    In the room.


    Ling Chen calcted the time; there were still three days left until the deadline set by Lin Jiawei. Currently, the whereabouts of Xia Mutong were unknown, and moreover, she had been transformed by experiments conducted by God Organization, which might make it quite difficult to rescue her in the short term. As for Xia Mutong¡¯s safety, Ling Chen was not too worried. Since she had undergone experimental transformations, she surely held research value for God Organization. Before that, God Organization would definitely not harm her.


    So right now, there was only one person he needed to rescue, and that was porridge girl.


    ording to the informationÌṩ provided by Hu Fei, Lin Jiawei and his group had always been staying in a manor on the outskirts of East Sea City and hadn¡¯t left yet. Therefore, as long as he could find a master strong enough to contend with Ji Gang, he should be able to rescue porridge girl.


    While he was pondering, there came a ¡¯dong dong dong¡¯ knocking at the door.


    Ling Chen got up and opened the door, only to see Su Mei and Zhou Qi standing outside.


    "Miss Su, Elder Zhou, what brings you both here?" he invited warmly.


    Once the three of them were seated, Zhou Qi spoke, "Mr. Ling, we have received a message from God Organization."


    "A message?"


    "God Organization¡¯s spies infiltrated within Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion have been cleared out by us, including their means of contact with God Organization. Last night, after I had finished interrogating them, I sent out a message using their unique method of contact. Just a moment ago, God Organization finally responded."


    "Really?" Ling Chen perked up and eagerly asked, "What¡¯s the message?"


    "I told the people from God Organization that they have obtained that item from you. The message from God Organization stated that they would send someone to meet outside Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. I am thinking about seizing this opportunity to trace the vine to find the melon."


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "We can do that. However, I probably won¡¯t be able to help with this, as porridge girl is still in Lin Jiawei¡¯s hands. I must find a way to rescue her."


    "By yourself?" Su Mei interjected, "You¡¯ve also said that porridge girl is guarded by Ji Gang, and there is a master from Heavenly List watching over; what do you have to contend with him?"


    "No worries, I have my ways. Moreover, I am currently pressed for time. Although Lin Jiawei gave me ten days, he must already be aware of my capture, and I estimate that he won¡¯t continue to waste time on me. So, the longer it drags on, the less secure her safety bes."


    "This..." Su Mei pondered for a moment before speaking, "Should I ask someone to help you?"


    Hearing this, Ling Chenughed and said, "What, are you nning to ask a master from the Heavenly List to assist me?"


    "A few days ago, a respected elder just returned from traveling abroad; perhaps I can ask for his help. How about this: you go back to East Sea City first, and I¡¯ll have him meet up with you there."


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up as he gratefully looked at Su Mei and said, "Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you, Miss Su."

 Chapter 650 - 657: Zhu Xiaozhu’s Transformation

    <h4>Chapter 650: Chapter 657: Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s Transformation</h4>


    Initially, Ling Chen intended to ask Su He to deal with Ji Gang, but now that Su Mei was willing to offer her help, he was naturally happy to ept it. Of course, he was well aware that Su Mei¡¯s willingness to provide assistance this time mainly stemmed from his help in resolving a potential crisis for the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Otherwise, even if their rtionship was good, Su Mei would not have gone out of her way to seek the help of a master from the Heavenly List.


    "Right!" Ling Chen changed the subject and said: "Miss Su, regarding Zhu Hong..."


    Before Ling Chen could finish his sentence, Zhou Qi, who stood beside him, chimed in: "Mr. Ling, rest assured, I will keep this matter in mind. As long as Zhu Hong is still in the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, I will make sure to capture him."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll leave it to you."


    After seeing off Su Mei and Zhou Qi, Ling Chen immediately started packing his luggage, preparing to return to East Sea City.


    Upon hearing that Ling Chen was leaving, Zhou Jun rushed over with the newly awakened Song Ge, apanying Ling Chen to the gate of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    "Ling, do visit us whenever you have the time in the future."


    "Don¡¯t worry, there will be plenty of opportunities."


    After bidding farewell to Song Ge and the other, Ling Chen shouldered his backpack and walked towards the woods outside the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    Passing through the woods, a vehicle arranged by Su Mei was already waiting to take Ling Chen to the airport.


    By the time Ling Chen returned to East Sea City, it was already evening. After leaving the airport, Jiang Hao, who had received a call, was already waiting outside in his car.


    Once in the car, Ling Chen, massaging his sore arm, asked: "How¡¯s everything been recently? All good?"


    "Not bad, just that..." Jiang Hao hesitated, seeming to be holding something back.


    "Just what?" Ling Chen pressed: "Speak up, don¡¯t beat around the bush, why are you acting like a woman?"


    "The base is more or less normal, it¡¯s just that Miss Zhu¡¯s medicalboratory has had a few idents, fortunately without any casualties."


    A sense of concern weighed on Ling Chen¡¯s heart as he asked: "What kind of idents?"


    "I¡¯m not sure about that; I don¡¯t know much about theirb. I¡¯ve only heard they were mistakes made by Miss Zhu herself. Luckily, they were discovered in time each time, preventing major damage."


    Zhu Xiaozhu...


    Ling Chen furrowed his brows. He had noticed during hisst visit to the research base that Zhu Xiaozhu seemed distracted while working, but he had not realized the situation was so serious that it even impacted her job. It seemed he would need to find some time to have a good talk with her after going back.


    Upon arriving at the research base, Ling Chen set down his luggage and first went to see Hu Fei to inquire about the situation, then he headed alone to the medicalboratory. However, he was told by others that Zhu Xiaozhu hadn¡¯t been working for the past few days and was recuperating in her room due to an illness.


    "Sick?"


    Ling Chen hurried to the door of Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s room and knocked.


    "Who is it?"


    Upon hearing Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s voice from inside the room, Ling Chen opened his mouth and replied: "It¡¯s me. Xiaozhu, I heard you¡¯re not feeling well, I came to see you. Can you open the door?"


    After a few seconds of silence, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s voice rose again: "I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not really in a state to meet anyone right now, you... you shoulde back another day."


    Not in a state to meet? Could it be because... that time of the month arrived?


    Realizing this, Ling Chen promptly understood and responded: "Alright then, you get some rest. Call me if you need anything."


    Hearing the retreating footsteps outside, Zhu Xiaozhu, sitting on her bed, bit her thin lips, holding a photo in her hands that she looked at over and over again. Shining tears shimmered in her eyes, finally converging into a stream that trickled down from her eyes.


    "What should I do... What exactly should I do..." Zhu Xiaozhu murmured to herself, sobbing softly with tears falling drop by drop, soaking the bedsheet.


    At this moment, Ling Chen waspletely unaware of Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s situation. After leaving Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s room, he had returned to Hu Fei¡¯s office to work on the strategy for rescuing porridge girl.


    "Fatty, are you sure they haven¡¯t left that manor?"


    "Our people are all around the manor, under uninterrupted surveince twenty-four hours a day. Since you left, no one has entered or left the manor."


    "What if there¡¯s a secret passage inside the manor, considering how cunning the people from God Organization are?"


    Hu Fei spread his hands and said, "If that¡¯s the case, then there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. However, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s very likely." As he spoke, Hu Fei tapped a few keys on the keyboard and pulled up a map.


    "Look, this is theyout of the buildings around the manor. There are only three houses within a hundred meters of the manor. When I arranged for the surveince, I considered your concern, so I included the nearby houses as surveince targets, and no suspicious individuals have appeared so far."


    "That¡¯s good then." Ling Chen nodded his head. He was quite confident in Hu Fei¡¯s work.


    "Oh, right!"


    During the conversation, Hu Fei seemed to think of something, his face lit up with excitement as he jumped out of his chair.


    "Quick,e with me, I¡¯ll show you something."


    Ling Chen looked at Hu Fei, puzzled, wondering what had made him so excited.


    Following Hu Fei to the technical production workshop of the research base, upon entering, Ling Chen was immediately captivated by the equipment neatly lined up along the wall.


    Exoskeleton armor!


    No wonder Hu Fei was so excited; it turned out that the exoskeleton armor had been produced.


    Hu Fei proudly said, "See that? While you were away these past few days, I had the team work overtime to produce twenty sets of exoskeleton armor. Hey! Don¡¯t underestimate these exoskeleton armors. They are different from previous ones; I had them modified to include a number of weapon devices."


    Ling Chen asked curiously, "What kind of weapons?"


    Hu Fei chuckled and said mysteriously, "You¡¯ll find out when the timees. I have already picked twenty people from the candidates you rmended and had them start training in advance. Just give me another day or two, and I will get them ustomed to the performance of the exoskeleton armor, formingbat capability."


    Saying this, Hu Fei couldn¡¯t help but get sentimental, "Having put in so much effort, we finally have our own armed force."


    Ling Chen pped Hu Fei on the shoulder and smiled, "That¡¯srgely thanks to you; you deserve the most credit."


    His words were sincere - without Hu Fei¡¯s connections to bring in production equipment and so many scientific researchers, Ling Chen alone could never have managed all this.


    In the midst of their conversation, a pleasant ringtone from a phone came from Ling Chen¡¯s pocket.


    He took out his phone, nced at the caller ID, and instructed, "Fatty, train them quickly. I will need to put them to use in the next couple of days."


    After speaking, he walked away to answer the phone by himself.


    "Ling Chen."


    "Miss Su, do you need me for something?"


    "The expert from Heavenly List has already set off for East Sea City. He is expected to arrive tonight. I¡¯ll trouble you to meet him at the airport."


    That was quick!


    Ling Chen silently smiled to himself and promised, "No problem, I will make sure to give our distinguished guest the proper wee."

 Chapter 651 - 656: Alcohol Immortal

    <h4>Chapter 651: Chapter 656: Alcohol Immortal</h4>


    It was still early, so Ling Chen took the opportunity to swing by Wealthy Manor. After being away for a few days, he needed to check in at home to keep Nanrong Wanqing and the others from worrying.


    Upon arriving home, he coincidentally ran into Nanrong Wanqing just as she was getting off work.


    However, aside from Nanrong Wanqing, he didn¡¯t see Su Lin at home. Upon asking, he learned that Su Lin had gone for an internship and it was unclear when she would return.


    "Have you been very busytely, noting back for a whole week?"


    On the living room sofa, Nanrong Wanqingy in Ling Chen¡¯s arms, hugging his waist with an intimate gesture. With Su Lin not at home, they didn¡¯t need to be as cautious.


    Ling Chen gently stroked Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s silky hair and said softly, "I¡¯ve been pretty busy with a lot of thingstely, but it will be over soon."


    "Because of the God Organization?"


    Upon hearing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s question, Ling Chen hesitated for a moment but ultimately nodded. He didn¡¯t want to lie to Nanrong Wanqing about this matter since she would eventually find out about it. Rather than making strenuous exnationster, it was better to tell the truth now.


    Getting an answer from Ling Chen, Nanrong Wanqing lifted her head from his chest, her expression filled with concern, "Can¡¯t you just back out of this fight with them? I know everyone from the God Organization are bad people, but even if you don¡¯t act, there will naturally be others who will deal with them. Besides, you aren¡¯t alone now, you should think about the people around you. What would I do if something happened to you, have you ever considered my feelings?"


    "Alright!" Ling Chenforted her: "Don¡¯t worry, I know how to take care of myself, nothing will happen."


    After a pause, Ling Chen continued, "There are things I can ignore, but I¡¯m already involved in this matter, and it¡¯s not so easy to extricate myself. Moreover, we¡¯ve put in so much effort and finally made it this far. It would be too regrettable to give up now. This battle isn¡¯t just for me, it¡¯s for thousands of people. As long as the God Organization still exists, we are all in danger. Perhaps you don¡¯t know, but there are many behind me who will also be in danger if I withdraw. At this critical moment, I cannot abandon them. As a man, I must be brave enough to take on my responsibilities. Do you really want your man to be a coward?"


    "No, that¡¯s not what I mean, I just..."


    "No need to say further." Ling Chen pressed his finger against Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s lips, and said with a smile: "Anyway, I promise you, I will never put myself in danger."


    Having said that, he lifted his finger and moved his lips closer, capturing Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s lips with his own.


    ...


    At eleven o¡¯clock at night.


    Ling Chen sat in the driver¡¯s seat of an Audi sedan, looking at the time disyed in the car, then shifting his gaze towards the exit of the airport.


    ording to the flight information provided by Su Mei, the person should have arrived.


    Just as he was thinking, arge number of passengers appeared at the airport exit.


    Ling Chen pushed open the car door, stood beside the Audi sedan, and scanned the crowd, searching for the figure of the Heavenly List expert.


    As the number of passengers exiting dwindled, the person Ling Chen was waiting for still didn¡¯t show up.


    Strange, why haven¡¯t theye out?


    While pondering, a faint aroma of alcohol suddenly drifted into Ling Chen¡¯s nose. He sniffed around and immediately realized that the scent was emanating from inside the car.


    Startled, Ling Chen quickly leaned into the driver¡¯s cabin, and instantly, he saw an old man who had appeared in the back seat of the Audi sedan.


    "Is it you?"


    Upon recognizing the person¡¯s features, Ling Chen was immediately taken aback. The old man in the car was the same one who had captured him a few days ago at Yangxin Pavilion. Back then, he had been wondering who the old man was, and it turned out that he was a Heavenly List expert.


    Tsk, no wonder. He had been standing outside for half a day and had not noticed how the other had slipped into the car. The fact that the old man had eluded his vignce was a testament to his skill.


    At this moment, the old man was sitting in the car, holding a wine gourd, savoring his drink with relish.


    Ling Chen got into the car and with a smile greeted, "Elder, we meet again. I¡¯ve offended youst time, please be magnanimous and don¡¯t take it to heart."


    The old man waved his hand and said, "Forget it, there¡¯s no need to apologize to me, I¡¯m not holding a grudge. The girl Su Lin has already told me about that night¡¯s events, you did well. It was thanks to you that we could expose those rascals from the God Organization."


    "Elder, may I have the honor to know your name?"


    "I¡¯m Du Kang, people have nicknamed me Alcohol Immortal."


    Du Kang? Isn¡¯t that the name of a liquor? No wonder he¡¯s called Alcohol Immortal, probably a person devoted to his drink.


    "Elder Du, are you hungry? How about I take you for a bite to eat first?"


    Du Kang took a swig, then shook his gourd a few times and with a sigh said, "No more wine."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen clearly understood Du Kang¡¯s meaning and quickly started the car, while taking out his phone to dial Jiang Hao¡¯s number.


    After more than half an hour, Ling Chen brought Du Kang to a restaurant in the Old City area.


    It was almost midnight, and the restaurant at this hour had already closed. However, with Jiang Hao¡¯s intervention, nothing was a problem.


    Entering the private room, the dishes and drinks were already prepared and steaming hot. A few bottles of Moutai were also ced on the table.


    "Elder Du, please take a seat!"


    Ling Chen brought Elder Du to his seat attentively and then opened a bottle of Moutai, filling a small cup and offering it to Elder Du. Looking at the small cup in front of him, Du Kang nced at Ling Chen and then at the Moutai bottle in his hand, hesitating to pick up the cup.


    Ling Chen was puzzled and hurriedly asked, "Elder Du, is this wine not to your taste?"


    "The wine is fine, it¡¯s just this cup..."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen instantly understood and immediately exchanged the small cup for a big bowl, directly pouring a bowl of wine.


    Looking at the brimming bowl of wine, a satisfied smile finally appeared on Elder Du¡¯s aged face, as he praised, "Young man, you catch on quick." With that, Du Kang picked up the bowl of wine and downed it in one gulp, tilting the bowl upside down.


    Seeing the bottom of the bowl, Ling Chen immediately poured another full bowl.


    "Alright, no need to be so formal, I, this old man, am not particr about this, you take a seat too, join me for a few drinks."


    "Yes."


    Ling Chen sat beside him, originally wanting a small cup, but with Elder Du¡¯s gaze on him, he immediately switched to a big bowl as well.


    "Elder Du, I raise this bowl to you, thank you for your assistance."


    "You helped the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, and I¡¯m helping you, it¡¯s only right." Saying this, Du Kang looked at Ling Chen and asked, "How much do you know about Ji Gang?"


    Ling Chen shook his head and replied, "Not very much."


    The mention of Ji Gang brought a tinge of nostalgia to Du Kang¡¯s eyes.


    "Speaking of which, Ji Gang can be considered an old friend of mine too. It¡¯s just a shame... s, fate is unpredictable, I never expected that we would end up as enemies in the end."

 Chapter 652 - 657: Reminiscing the Past

    <h4>Chapter 652: Chapter 657: Reminiscing the Past</h4>


    Ling Chen looked at Du Kang in surprise, not understanding why he would say that.


    "Master Du, did you know Ji Gang before?"


    Du Kang nodded and said, "Back in the days when I was young, I traveled to learn from various esteemed masters. When I went to visit a reclusive expert, I found someone kneeling at the doorstep; it was Ji Gang. Ji Gang hoped that the reclusive expert would take him as a disciple and teach him advanced Martial Arts. But the reclusive expert was unwilling as he felt Ji Gang¡¯s temperament was unsuitable for inheriting his Martial Arts. Ji Gang, however, was not someone who gave up easily; he knelt outside the reclusive expert¡¯s door without eating or drinking for ten full days, eventually fainting from exhaustion."


    "I happened to be there at that time and couldn¡¯t bear to see him perish, so I healed his body. From then on, he was immensely grateful to me and treated me as a friend. However, good times didn¡¯tst long. At that time, the reclusive expert actually took an interest in me, saying he wanted to pass on all his knowledge to me. For Ji Gang, this was a heavy blow. Although he didn¡¯t say it, I could distinctly feel his alienation. Shortly afterwards, Ji Gang took his leave, stating he wanted to continue traveling and learn from different masters. He proposed that once both of us had made aplishments in our martial arts, we wouldpare our skills and see who was superior."


    "After Ji Gang left, I stayed with my master to practice Martial Arts, and before I knew it, over twenty years had passed. I was over forty when Ipleted my martial arts training and never saw Ji Gang during that period. However, when I traveled in the Martial Arts world, I heard many rumors about Ji Gang. After bing a disciple of his master, he immediately challenged the Sect Leaders of various sects, nearly undefeated; even some reclusive experts were no match for him. However, Ji Gang was very ruthless; anyone who lost to him either had an arm severed or their Martial Arts crippled, without exception."


    "Because of this, people in the Martial Arts world were extremely fearful of Ji Gang, especially those with high martial arts skills, for fear that Ji Gang woulde to challenge them. For a time, Ji Gang became a terrifying figure. Although I hadn¡¯t seen him in decades, I thought perhaps based on our old friendship, I could persuade Ji Gang to change. It wasn¡¯t long before I found Ji Gang through friends in the Martial Arts world and tried to talk him round. Yet, I was too na?ve. I thought Ji Gang was still the same person from those years ago. I didn¡¯t realize that more than twenty years were enough to change a person¡¯s heart and temperament."


    "When I tried to persuade Ji Gang, he proposed a challenge, wanting to test his skills against mine. If I won, he would listen to my advice and no longer harm lives easily. Out ofpassion, I agreed to his request, trying my best to persuade him towards goodness."


    Du Kang then took a swig of his drink, sighing heavily, "Unfortunately... I underestimated Ji Gang¡¯s strength, or, perhaps, I ced too much trust in our old friendship. In that battle, I held back and didn¡¯t use my full strength. But Ji Gang showed no mercy at all. Eventually, at the hundred and thirtieth move, I was provoked and adopted a mutually destructive technique. However, at thest moment of executing the move, I still chose to hold back. What I didn¡¯t expect was that Ji Gang did not hold back and instead seized the opportunity to severely injure me, nearly costing me my life."


    "Since then, I¡¯ve realized that Ji Gang had long since ceased to be the brotherly Ji Gang I knew; he hadpletely changed. Fortuitously, at that time, I was severely injured yet saved by passing disciples of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, and that saved my life. However, due to my serious injuries, I was left with a hidden condition that requires alcohol to suppress. That¡¯s why I¡¯m known as the Alcohol Immortal."


    After listening to Du Kang¡¯s story, Ling Chen said solemnly, "I didn¡¯t expect Ji Gang to be so sinister and ruthless."


    "It¡¯s a case of knowing the face but not the heart; I misjudged him and paid a painful price. Therefore, my willingness to help you this time is partly to repay your kindness to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, and partly to settle past grievances."


    After a pause, Du Kang continued, "Ji Gang is a very proud person; no matter what it is, he always wants to be the best. For that goal, he is willing to pay any price. I guess that¡¯s why he agreed to work with the God Organization."


    "For what? To be the number one?"


    Du Kang nodded and said, "To my knowledge, Ji Gang once lost badly to someone. After that, he vanished, his whereabouts unknown. It was around that time that he joined the God Organization."


    Ling Chen curiously asked, "Who did he lose to?"


    "That person... even if I told you, you wouldn¡¯t know; for you right now, that person is too far away. However, I can tell you that this person ranks in the top five on the Heavenly List."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen instinctively gasped.


    Top five masters on the Heavenly List!


    Indeed, such people were unreachable for him.


    "Master Du," Ling Chen changed the subject and asked, "What is your rank on the Heavenly List?"


    "Me? I¡¯m simr to Ji Gang, at the bottom. Huaxia has hidden dragons and crouching tigers. A few years ago, there were less than five people on the Heavenly List, but now, it¡¯s already full. This shows how many masters are hidden in Huaxia. In my view, the number of masters on the Heavenly List is definitely more than the ten listed; many just don¡¯t wish toe forward. Ling Chen, you are still young, and there¡¯s great potential ahead of you; as long as you dedicate yourself to practice, a ce on the Heavenly List will eventually have your name."


    Ling Chen hurriedly waved his hand and said, "Master Du, please don¡¯t say that. I¡¯m not ambitious; as long as I canfortably enjoy life, that¡¯s enough. Someone like me is better off staying in the mundane world."


    Du Kang took a sip of his drink and chuckled, shaking his head, "Many things are not for you to decide. Maybe you don¡¯t want to do something, but reality forces you to."


    "Let¡¯s talk about that when the timees. Master Du,e, have a drink!"


    After downing two bowls of Moutai, a flush appeared on Ling Chen¡¯s face, and his eyes grew slightly tipsy.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s condition, Elder Du smiled slightly, "You can¡¯t handle your drink well; you need more practice."


    "That¡¯s true. You¡¯re the Alcohol Immortal, I can hardlypare to you. I can barely handle one bottle of this drink, no more." Upon saying that, Ling Chen suddenly remembered something. Taking advantage of his slight inebriation, he asked, "Elder Du, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to know. The other day when I went to the Yangxin Pavilion, why did Huang Zheng and Liang Tian rush to take me as their disciple?"


    Du Kang smiled significantly and said, "They rushed to take you as a disciple for their benefit. As for what kind of benefits... you are not a member of the Yangxin Pavilion, so it¡¯s not appropriate for me to tell you. Let¡¯s not talk about it! You didn¡¯t agree to their requests after all, so it¡¯s better not to know about these things. Besides, it¡¯s better you¡¯re not involved, lest you lose your lifeter."

 Chapter 653 - 658 Guidance from a Heavenly List Expert

    <h4>Chapter 653: Chapter 658 Guidance from a Heavenly List Expert</h4>


    "Lost my life?" Ling Chen was stunned and asked in surprise, "Is it that serious?"


    Elder Du solemnly said, "Although Yangxin Pavilion is a part of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, theplexity of Yangxin Pavilion far surpasses that of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Never underestimate Yangxin Pavilion, there aren¡¯t many people, but the internal strife is extremely severe and very few people truly spend their elderly years there. As the saying goes, the sea of knowledge is boundless, and so is martial arts. With effort, improvement is endless. Especially for older people, they wish even more to reach a higher level and enhance their cultivation."


    "Why?" Ling Chen asked, puzzled, "They are already in their eighties or nies, why do they need to be so fierce? They won¡¯t live much longer anyway."


    Hearing this, Elder Du couldn¡¯t help butugh, shaking his head and saying, "Saying this only shows that you don¡¯t yet understand real masters. When you reach that level, you will naturally understand the reasons." He paused, then without waiting for Ling Chen to speak again, Elder Du changed the subject, "Young man, you have good potential, and if you were under the guidance of a famous master, your progress would be even faster."


    Ling Chen touched his nose and said, "Elder Du, do you mean... I should take Huang Zheng and the others as my masters?"


    "Not at all. I spoke of a famous master, not people like Huang Zheng and Liang Tian. They are eager to take you as their disciple not for your sake, but for their own. If you really take them as your masters, once they get what they want, they will kick you away or carelessly teach you a few martial arts techniques and send you off. Young man, reality is cruel, sometimes don¡¯t think people are so good."


    "Then where should I go to find a famous master?" As soon as the words left his mouth, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze immediately locked onto Elder Du. This old man in front of him was a top ranked master on the Heavenly List, iparably stronger than Huang Zheng and the others¡ªif he isn¡¯t a great master, who is?


    Elder Du intentionally mentioned a famous master, could it be he was thinking... As these thoughts shed through his mind, a fiery look suddenly surged in Ling Chen¡¯s dark pupils. If he could be a disciple of a Heavenly List master, wouldn¡¯t he be able to stride across the world?


    Thinking this, the burning desire in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes grew even stronger, he was almost ready to immediately kneel down in front of Elder Du and kowtow three times to acknowledge him as his master.


    "Um..." Ling Chen suppressed his inner excitement and cautiously asked, "Elder Du, do you already have disciples?"


    "Yes," Elder Du nodded and said, "He is my closed-door disciple." As the words fell, Elder Du seemed to guess what Ling Chen was about to say next and continued, "I only n to take one disciple in this lifetime. It¡¯s hard for me, I¡¯m getting old and don¡¯t have the energy like before."


    Upon hearing this, Ling Chen felt extremely disappointed. He had thought Elder Du was considering taking him as a disciple¡ªs, he was excited for nothing.


    Seeing the look of disappointment in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, Elder Du put down the wine bowl in his hand and said with a smile, "You are a good young man. If it were ten or so years earlier, I would definitely take you as my disciple, but now I really can¡¯t. Firstly, I don¡¯t have enough energy and secondly, I¡¯ve bezy. If I took you, I would only dy your future¡ªbut..."


    Hearing thest two words, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes brightened, and he hastily asked, "Elder Du, but what?"


    "Although I can¡¯t take you as my disciple, that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t give you some guidance. Today is our second meeting and we clearly have some fate. Since that¡¯s the case, I might as well teach you a Martial Arts Heart Method I created myself."


    "Really?" Ling Chen was overjoyed and immediately stood up from his seat, ready to kneel in front of Elder Du. But just as he was about to kneel, Elder Du waved his hand and two chopsticks shot out from the table, precisely supporting Ling Chen¡¯s legs and preventing his knees from touching the ground.


    Ling Chen was stunned and asked Elder Du, "Elder Du, what is this?"


    "I¡¯m just giving you a bit of guidance, no need for such grand gestures."


    "This..."


    "Don¡¯t be indecisive." Du Kang said with some impatience. "If you dare to kneel down, then I¡¯ll take back my words."


    "Yes, I understand." Ling Chen, fearing that Du Kang would change his mind, quickly stood up and sat back down in the chair, adopting an attentive posture as he looked at Du Kang, waiting for his guidance.


    "My Martial Arts Heart Method is not a conventional mental method. To be precise, it should be considered a unique cultivation technique. Because I was severely injured by Ji Gang, I developed a hidden ailment and had to rely on drinking alcohol daily for treatment. Over time, I devised a mental method that could temporarily stimte the body¡¯s potential and unleash powerful attack strength. However, this method must be used in conjunction with strong alcohol, the stronger the alcohol, the better the effect." Du Kang took a small gourd from his waist and said, "This is purely brewed liquor, very strong. Do you want to try it?"


    Ling Chen nodded and immediately passed his own drinking bowl forward. However, Du Kang smiled and pushed the bowl away, substituting it with a small cup, filling only half of it.


    "This liquor isn¡¯t something your Moutai canpare to. One bowl of this, and you probably wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it. Come on, try it!"


    Ling Chen took the cup with both hands, tilted his head back, and drank the strong liquor in one gulp.


    The liquor passed through his throat, instantly turning into a fierce fire burning inside him, his internal organs felt as turbulent as a flipping river, an indescribably ufortable taste. Moreover, once the liquor reached his stomach, Ling Chen felt his whole body turn red, with heat emanating outward as if he was in a sea of fire. His head felt dizzy, and he just wanted to copse and sleep.


    After several minutes, Ling Chen¡¯s condition began to improve, and hisplexion gradually returned to normal.


    "How do you feel?"


    Looking at the smile on Du Kang¡¯s face, Ling Chen grimaced and said, "Elder Du, your liquor... It¡¯s indescribable, too powerful. If I were to drink more, I probably wouldn¡¯t be able to go back tonight."


    "I told you, you can¡¯t hold your liquor. If you want to learn this heart method, you must improve your drinking capacity. Drink more when you have the chance to strengthen your body¡¯s resistance to alcohol. Only then can you use this method flexibly."


    Saying this, Du Kang handed the small gourd to Ling Chen, saying, "Consider this gourd of liquor a weing gift, use it sparingly and don¡¯t waste it. If you want more in the future, you can find me at the Yangxin Pavilion; I have brewed quite a bit. Since it¡¯s not convenient to carry a lot when going out, I only bring this little to use for emergencies."


    "I understand. Elder Du, I¡¯m grateful for your guidance."


    "You¡¯re wee. Now, let¡¯s continue drinking!"


    They continued drinking until 2 AM, after which Du Kang left satisfied.


    When he returned to the hotel, Ling Chen,pletely inebriated, was toozy to go back, and directly booked a room for himself. Once inside, the aftereffects of the alcohol surged up, and he felt as though he was floating when he walked, seeing numerous double visions. He didn¡¯t even bother to shower; he immediately copsed onto the bed.


    In no time, he fell into a deep sleep.

 Chapter 654 - 659: Rescuing the Porridge Girl (1)

    <h4>Chapter 654: Chapter 659: Rescuing the Porridge Girl (1)</h4>


    The next day.


    Ling Chen, hungover, didn¡¯t wake up until 10 o¡¯clock in the morning.


    Upon checking the time upon awakening, Ling Chen¡¯s face changed, and he immediately jumped out of bed and hurried out of the room.


    Leaving the hotel, Ling Chen got into his car and, while starting the engine, he took out his mobile phone, ready to dial Hu Fei¡¯s number. However, when he took out his phone, Ling Chen found that there were more than ten missed calls, all from Hu Fei, from 7 o¡¯clock in the morning until just now.


    It must have been that little cup of Du Kang¡¯s wine that caused the trouble.


    Ling Chen thought helplessly. He wasn¡¯t a stranger to getting drunk before, but he had never missed hearing his phone ring like this time.


    He dialed Hu Fei¡¯s number, and it only rang once before being picked up.


    "Hey! Where did you run off to? I¡¯ve practically smashed my phone calling you and still no answer," Hu Fei berated him.


    "Ah, drinking and its troubles. Let¡¯s not talk about it. Tell me, what¡¯s the emergency for looking for me?"


    "There¡¯s been trouble at the manor. A few cars suddenly arrived this morning, all entering the manor, and they haven¡¯t left since. I¡¯m worried that Lin Jiawei and his people might be nning to leave East Sea City."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s heart rxed. If that was the case, there wasn¡¯t as much reason to worry about Porridge Girl¡¯s safety. If Lin Jiawei wanted to leave East Sea City, he would surely use Porridge Girl as a hostage. So, her safety was temporarily ensured.


    "Fatso, you gather people and head over immediately, I¡¯ll join you in a moment."


    After hanging up, Ling Chen stopped the car and went back to the hotel, nning to call Du Kang for help. However, upon reaching Du Kang¡¯s room, he found itpletely empty, the sheets in perfect order without a single sign of having been slept in.


    Where is he?


    Ling Chen stared nkly, full of surprise. He had definitely booked a room for Du Kangst night and had seen him enter, yet there was no sign of him after just one night. Besides, Du Kang had speciallye to East Sea City to help; if he was leaving, he should at least have said goodbye.


    Ah! What a nuisance.


    Ling Chen, anxious, ran his fingers through his hair and hurried back out of the hotel. With Du Kang missing, he had to find another way.


    Half an hourter, outside a manor in the suburbs of East Sea City, Ling Chen drove his Audi rapidly to the scene. Without even taking the time to close the car door properly, he quickly dashed into a box truck parked by the roadside.


    Inside the truck, Hu Fei and a few other staff members sat in front ofputers, monitoring the surroundings of the manor.


    "Fatso, how is it, have they left yet?" Ling Chen asked urgently.


    "Don¡¯t rush. They haven¡¯t left; they¡¯re all still inside the manor. I sent people over but there¡¯s someone guarding all around the manor. I was afraid of revealing their location, so I didn¡¯t dare let them get too close." As he said this, Hu Fei nced behind Ling Chen and asked, "Why are you alone? Didn¡¯t you say you were bringing backup?"


    Mentioning the backup, a bitter smile appeared on Ling Chen¡¯s face. Du Kang had vanished without a trace, and he didn¡¯t even know where to look for him,cking even a phone number to contact.


    "Never mind the backup; it¡¯s the same whether hees or not. In any case, we need to figure out a way to rescue Porridge Girl." After saying this, Ling Chen looked at the surveince footage on theputer screens, observing the situation around the manor.


    Not long after, the gate of the manor slowly opened, and a Cadic took the lead driving out.


    "They¡¯re leaving!"


    Ling Chen¡¯s heart sank and he said, "We need to find a way to stop them."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve been prepared for a while now. I won¡¯t let them escape East Sea City."


    As the first Cadic drove out, it was closely followed by three more Cadics, forming a convoy that sped towards the airport at eighty miles per hour. Hu Fei kept his eyes fixed on the screen, holding a walkie-talkie in his hand.


    As the four Cadics were about to reach the intersection, Hu Fei immediately issuedmands through a walkie-talkie: "Take action!"


    At thatmand, seen through surveince footage, seven or eight vehicles suddenly burst out from all around the crossroads, blocking the Cadics¡¯ driving route. At the same time, several other vehicles came from behind, cutting off their way of retreat.


    With over a dozen cars coborating, all four Cadics were trapped inside, unable to leave.


    "Drive there immediately."


    As Hu Fei¡¯s voice fell, the box truck immediately started moving towards the location of the Cadics.


    "That¡¯s odd."


    Watching the four Cadics on the surveince screen, Ling Chen frowned slightly, feeling a bad hunch.


    "What¡¯s odd?"


    Ling Chen pointed at the monitor and said, "It¡¯s been so long and not a single person has gotten out of the cars. Don¡¯t you find that strange? They should be getting out immediately since they are surrounded, not staying inside." After finishing, Ling Chen spoke gravely, "Fatty, notify everyone to stay alert and tell the people at the manor not to evacuate for now. I¡¯m worried the enemy is trying to draw the tiger away from the mountain."


    "Understood!"


    Soon, the box truck arrived close to the four Cadics.


    Ling Chen pushed open the rear doors of the truck, jumped onto the road, and observed the four Cadics from behind the vehicle. Until now, there was still no sign of movement from the cars.


    Seeing this, Hu Fei issued orders through the walkie-talkie. Two men in western suits got out of a vehicle and cautiously approached one of the Cadics.


    When they got closer, one of the men in suits picked up an iron rod and fiercely smashed it against the car window ss.


    ng!


    With a crisp sound, the window ss shattered instantly. However, at the very moment the ss broke, a dagger suddenly flew out from inside the car, striking the man in the suit directly in the body.


    Seeing this scene, Ling Chen¡¯s face changed abruptly, his body leaned forward quickly, ready to take action for the rescue. However, before he could move, Hu Fei suddenly grabbed his shoulder and shook his head at him, indicating not to move rashly.


    Ling Chen looked at Hu Fei, puzzled, then turned his attention back to the man in the suit.


    Though hit by the dagger, the man in the suit didn¡¯t seem to be in life-threatening danger. He calmly grasped the hilt of the dagger and pulled the de out from his body. The tip of the de had no blood on it, clearly not having prated his flesh.


    "No need to worry about them. I made ample preparations before we came."


    Hearing Hu Fei speak, Ling Chen nodded and then felt relieved.


    At that moment, the man in the suit threw the dagger onto the ground and called out to the people inside the car, "All of you, get out!"


    As his voice faded, the doors of the Cadic finally opened. With the passenger side man descending from the car, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze sharply focused.


    Yi Shuiyan!


    It was him.


    He didn¡¯t expect this guy had actuallye to East Sea City.


    "Be careful!"


    Ling Chen shouted loudly, without hesitation, he quickly started rushing over.


    Even though the men Hu Fei brought were equipped with exoskeleton armor, Yi Shuiyan was no ordinary person¡ªhis strength was such that the exoskeleton armor wouldn¡¯t be much of a deterrent.

 Chapter 655 - 660: Rescuing the Porridge Girl (2)

    <h4>Chapter 655: Chapter 660: Rescuing the Porridge Girl (2)</h4>


    Watching Ling Chen suddenly burst out, a cold light shed in Yi Shuiyan¡¯s eyes. He quickly stepped back to avoid Ling Chen¡¯s assault.


    "Kill them all; leave no one behind!"


    Following Yi Shuiyan¡¯smand, three to four people rushed out of each Cadic, charging toward the men in suits. Seeing this, Hu Fei, who had been watching, sneered and shouted into the inte: "Catch those you can, kill the rest ¨C no need for pleasantries."


    As his words fell, more than a dozen men in suits stepped out of the cars. Together with the two from before, there were exactly twenty.


    "Let¡¯s all charge together and finish those bastards off," Hu Fei bellowed.


    At this moment, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze was fixed on Yi Shuiyan, relentlessly pursuing him. He had let Yi Shuiyan escape in the secret basest time, failing to resolve him. This rare encounter today meant Ling Chen couldn¡¯t easily let go.


    Yi Shuiyan swiftly turned around, brandishing his steel knife and forcing Ling Chen back a few steps.


    "Ling Chen, don¡¯t think you can escape today."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen smiled and replied, "Yi Shuiyan, look around ¨C who exactly can¡¯t escape today, me or you?"


    Yi Shuiyan snorted dismissively, "Do you really think your ragtag bunch can stop us?"


    While speaking, Ling Chen nced around and his pupils shrank. At this moment, he finally understood why Yi Shuiyan was so confident.


    The men Yi Shuiyan brought with him were all Dangyang Sect disciples, each proficient in Martial Arts, unlike ordinary security personnel.


    "Ling Chen, don¡¯t forget, your friend is still in our hands. If you don¡¯t want her to die, you¡¯d better surrender obediently."


    "If you want me to surrender, then let¡¯s see if you¡¯ve got the ability," Ling Chen said. His toes lightly touched the ground, instantly increasing his speed like a gust of wind, pressing Yi Shuiyan in the blink of an eye with a fierce punch that roared out.


    Yi Shuiyan quickly raised his steel knife in defense against Ling Chen¡¯s heavy punch.


    As the fist neared, Ling Chen noticed a sinister smile appearing on Yi Shuiyan¡¯s lips.


    This is bad!


    In a sh, a sense of imminent danger surged in Ling Chen¡¯s heart.


    Without hesitation, he aborted his attack and retreated. As he pulled back, two piercing gusts of wind suddenly attacked, targeting his vital points.


    Fortunately, Ling Chen had sensed the imminent danger early enough to dodge swiftly, thus avoiding injury.


    Having evaded the threat, Ling Chen scanned the area and spotted two middle-aged men, each around fifty, burly with cropped hair, muscles bulging, exuding power.


    Seeing the gravity surfacing on Ling Chen¡¯s face, Yi Shuiyanughed proudly, "Ling Chen, let me introduce you to our Dangyang Sect¡¯s protectors, Wei Bo and Gan Chutian."


    Protectors?


    A heaviness settled in Ling Chen¡¯s heart, his gaze towards the two men growing colder.


    Although they had not yet shed, the aura emanating from the two men indicated that their strength was formidable, likely among the high-ranked masters on the Dragon List.


    As Ling Chen pondered, Yi Shuiyan, Wei Bo, and Gan Chutian closed in step by step, attacking from three different directions, entrapping Ling Chen in the center.


    Feeling the sharp knife wind slicing the air, Ling Chen leaned back, his right leg lifting high in front, kicking precisely at Yi Shuiyan¡¯s wrist, neutralizing the steel knife¡¯s threat.


    At this moment, Wei Bo and Gan Chutian both charged from behind, on either side, with a punch and a palm strike, one external and the other internal, one forceful and one gentle, two different powers violently assailing him.


    Ling Chen turned his head and saw the rapidly approaching enemies, his eyes full of sternness.


    At this point, Wei Bo and Gan Chutian were less than half a meter away from Ling Chen. It was already toote to dodge; the only option was to sh head-on.


    Without hesitation, Ling Chen twisted his body, his hands clenched into steel fists, and he fiercely smashed towards the two men.


    Bang! Bang!


    Apanied by muffled sounds, the three men backed away from each other. However,pared to Wei Bo and Gan Chutian, Ling Chen took five steps back before he could stabilize his footing.


    How strong!


    Ling Chen was shocked, his face filled with astonishment as he looked at Wei Bo and Gan Chutian.


    He had originally thought that these two protectors from the Dangyang Sect were at most masters from the Dragon List, but he had not expected them to be even more formidable than Zhu Jin, the former Sect Leader of Dangyang Sect.


    Seeing Ling Chen at a disadvantage, Yi Shuiyan smiled even more triumphantly,ughing loudly, "Ling Chen, didn¡¯t expect that, did you? I don¡¯t mind telling you, these two protectors are the anchors of our Dangyang Sect. Even my master is respectful in their presence. You think you can handle them... huh! Protectors, on mymand, kill Ling Chen."


    "Yes, Sect Leader."


    Sect Leader? What Sect Leader?


    Ling Chen was momentarily stunned, then immediately realized. The Sect Leader they referred to was none other than Yi Shuiyan. It made sense, after all, with the death of the former Sect Leader Zhu Jin, the Dangyang Sect must have chosen a new leader.


    As Zhu Jin¡¯s direct disciple and a key figure in the Dangyang Sect, aside from being rather young, Yi Shuiyan was indeed the most suitable candidate for Sect Leader.


    No wonder this guy was so confident; he had brought the elite masters of the Dangyang Sect.


    At this moment, the twenty men in suits brought by Hu Fei were engaged in a fierce battle with the disciples of the Dangyang Sect.


    In terms of sheer skill, the twenty security guards trained by Jiang Yunkai were naturally no match for the disciples of the Dangyang Sect. However, with the help of the exoskeleton armor made by Hu Fei, their strength was amplified several times over, making them rival the Dangyang Sect¡¯s disciples in both strength and speed.


    Moreover, thanks to the unique features of the exoskeleton armor, Hu Fei¡¯s men not only avoided defeat but gained the upper hand.


    "Go, smash those bastards."


    Not far away, Hu Fei shouted loudly, cheering on his men.


    "You guys, take care of that fatso." A Dangyang Sect disciple, unable to bear it any longer, directed several Junior Brothers to shift their focus to Hu Fei.


    Seeing them charge over, a tremor went through the fat on Hu Fei¡¯s face, and he hurriedly ran towards the back. However, his bulky figure was far too slowpared to the Dangyang Sect disciples.


    In no time, Hu Fei was caught up by the disciples of the Dangyang Sect, with no escape routes left.


    Seeing the steel sword thrusting towards his head, Hu Fei was frightened, his face turning pale as he desperately pleaded, "Don¡¯t, don¡¯t kill me... I..."


    ng!


    Suddenly, a crisp sound rang out, and the steel sword snapped in two, with the tip falling to the ground.


    Seeing this scene, the Dangyang Sect disciples were stunned, staring dumbfounded at Hu Fei, their faces filled with disbelief.

 Chapter 656 - 661: Rescue Porridge Girl (3)

    <h4>Chapter 656: Chapter 661: Rescue Porridge Girl (3)</h4>


    Facing their shocked stares, Hu Fei let out a smug chuckle, lifted his head proudly, and crooked his finger at several Dangyang Sect disciples, provocatively saying, "Come on, if you¡¯ve got the guts, keeping at me. Like I¡¯m scared of you guys."


    Upon hearing this, the faces of those Dangyang Sect disciples immediately turned exceedingly grim, and they said in a deep voice: "Let¡¯s all attack together; I refuse to believe this fat pig is that incredible."


    As soon as these words were spoken, everyone flicked their wrists, and their long swords thrust straight at Hu Fei¡¯s vital points. The three long swords converged from above, below, and straight ahead, almost leaving Hu Fei no room to fight back. Plus, Hu Fei was just an ordinary person and didn¡¯t know martial arts. Seeing the three long swordsing at him, he had no idea how to dodge and could only watch helplessly as the sword tips drew closer.


    But at that moment, an eerie smile suddenly appeared on Hu Fei¡¯s chubby face.


    Seeing that smile, for some reason, the Dangyang Sect disciples suddenly felt an intense unease.


    Boom!


    Suddenly, there was a loud bang from Hu Fei¡¯s body, like fireworks exploding, and thick smoke billowed from his arms, instantly shrouding his figure.


    With the appearance of the smoke, the Dangyang Sect disciples immediately lost sight of Hu Fei in their vision.


    Where is he?


    Just as they were bewildered, arge suddenly fell from above, trapping all of them inside it. Taken by surprise, the Dangyang Sect disciples immediately struggled. However, the more they thrashed, the tighter the wound around them, making it impossible to escape.


    "Hehe!" A smugugh came, drawing the attention of the Dangyang Sect disciples straight to Hu Fei.


    At this time, Hu Fei walked out from the other side, a wicked grin on his plump face, and said: "Little guys, you really thought you could bully me that easily?" With that, he pulled open his cor and revealed the exoskeleton armor he was wearing underneath, proudlyughing and boasting, "I knew it wasn¡¯t safe, so I prepared a suit of exoskeleton armor for myself. Come on, let¡¯s see how powerful this suit is."


    After speaking, Hu Fei lifted his right arm towards the Dangyang Sect disciples caught in the.


    In an instant, several cold glints flew out, piercing through the bodies of those Dangyang Sect disciples.


    Looking at the Dangyang Sect disciples who fell to the ground and couldn¡¯t get up, Hu Fei snorted haughtily, raised his head proudly, and turned to walk towards the battle that was still unresolved.


    More than ten minutes had passed, and the battle between the two sides had reached a fever pitch. Both sides suffered injuries, but Hu Fei¡¯s side had gained a slight advantage. Although they didn¡¯t kill many, they captured quite a few Dangyang Sect disciples.


    Hu Fei surveyed the battlefield, his mouth brimming with a joyous smile. This exoskeleton armor, after his modifications, had several added features. One of them, the fis, was an unexpected piece of equipment. This fis was made from a special material that was both light and soft, yet extremely tough and hard to cut with ordinary swords.


    Earlier, it was with this fis that they had captured quite a few Dangyang Sect disciples.


    "Boss."


    At this moment, a young man hurriedly jumped down from a box truck, saying anxiously, "Boss, something¡¯s wrong."


    Hu Fei turned his head to look at the young man, displeased, and said, "What are you making a fuss for?"


    "Boss, there¡¯s movement at the mansion."


    "What?" Hu Fei¡¯s expression changed, and he rushed into the box truck, staring at the surveince footage on theputer screen.


    At this moment, a Mercedes-Benz sedan drove out of the mansion and elerated in the opposite direction.


    "Damn it!" Hu Fei said solemnly, "They¡¯re trying to escape. Quick, drive and catch up, tell the people near the mansion to block that car; don¡¯t let them get away."


    Having said that, Hu Fei quickly jumped into the vehicle, and yelled towards Ling Chen who was still inbat: "Ling Chen, Lin Jiawei is trying to escape."


    Hearing Hu Fei¡¯s shout, Ling Chen abruptly turned his head and looked towards the waving Hu Fei, his brow instantly furrowing.


    Lin Jiawei is trying to escape!


    His guess was right; Yi Shuiyan and the others¡¯ appearance was merely to distract their target, and then to draw the tiger away from the mountain, allowing Lin Jiawei to escape from East Sea City with ease.


    Thinking of this, Ling Chen nced at Wei Bo and Gan Chutian who were closing in, lightly tapped his toes, and vaulted over their heads, stepping on the roof of a Cadic and rushing towards Hu Fei¡¯s position.


    "Quick, drive."


    At this moment, Hu Fei, sitting in the passenger seat, urged loudly.


    The driver didn¡¯t dare to dy, quickly turned the van around, stepped on the elerator, and drove rapidly towards the direction of the manor.


    At this time, Ling Chen had already pushed his speed to the limit, weaving through the crowd. Seeing the van gaining speed, Ling Chen gathered all his strength into his legs, and with a powerful push, his hands immediatelytched onto the tailgate of the van.


    "Don¡¯t run!"


    Yi Shuiyan and the other two, seeing Ling Chen speeding away, hurriedly quickened their steps to follow closely behind.


    "Drive faster, even faster..."


    Hu Fei, looking through the rear-view mirror at the pursuing Yi Shuiyan, Wei Bo, and Gan Chutian, kept urging.


    As the van¡¯s speed increased, the distance between it and Yi Shuiyan¡¯s trio quickly widened.


    Seeing this situation, Ling Chen, hanging off the van¡¯s rear door, let out a sigh of relief, having finally shaken off those guys.


    The three from Yi Shuiyan were indeed formidable, but although Ling Chen couldn¡¯t handle them, they also couldn¡¯t injure him.


    Two minutester, the van finally arrived outside the manor. However, the manor¡¯s gates were wide open, already devoid of people.


    "They¡¯re up ahead."


    The passenger, Hu Fei, pointed forward and shouted loudly.


    Ling Chen looked up and only saw a Mercedes sedan parked in the middle of the road, blocked by two other vehicles. However, around the cary seven or eight people, covered in blood, either lifeless or passed out.


    At this moment, in the midst of those seven or eight people, a man with his hands behind his back, sporting a mocking smile, looked down at the people at his feet, then turned and walked towards the Mercedes.


    Seeing the man¡¯s face, Ling Chen¡¯s eyebrows raised, and an inexplicable sense of crisis filled his heart.


    He did not recognize the man, but just one nce was enough to send a shiver up from the soles of his feet.


    This person... must be no ordinary individual!


    As Ling Chen observed the man, thetter also noticed the approaching van.


    Seeing the van nearly reaching him, Ling Chen patted the cargo hold, then ran over the top of the van, leapt to the ground, and looked at the strange man.


    "Ling Chen?" The other party looked at Ling Chen, a smirk ying at the corners of his mouth.


    "Who are you?"


    "Lin Tong."


    "Lin Tong?" Hearing the other person¡¯s self-introduction, Ling Chen frowned, filled with doubt.


    Another Lin... Howe the God Organization has so many people surnamed Lin.


    By now, being closer, Ling Chen could roughly make out Lin Tong¡¯s age¡ªabout twenty-seven or twenty-eight, still a young and handsome youth.

 Chapter 657 - 662: Rescuing the Porridge Girl (4)

    <h4>Chapter 657: Chapter 662: Rescuing the Porridge Girl (4)</h4>


    "Where is porridge girl, hand her over."


    Mr. Lin pointed at the Mercedes-Benz and said indifferently, "The person you¡¯re looking for is inside the car, but it depends on whether you have the ability to take her away." As he spoke, Mr. Lin¡¯s tone shifted, looking meaningfully at Ling Chen, "I¡¯ve heard about you for a long time. They say you¡¯re skilled, ranking first on the Neer List. I¡¯ve always wanted to find an opportunity to test my skills against yours, but there was never a chance. Now that you¡¯re here, let¡¯s see how capable you are."


    With that, Mr. Lin raised his hand and beckoned Ling Chen with a finger, his face full of provocation.


    Ling Chen frowned slightly at Mr. Lin¡¯s mocking smile, turned his head to look at Hu Fei inside the van, and gestured for him to retreat, signaling him to leave quickly.


    Not to mention how formidable Mr. Lin was, there was also Ji Gang, a master from the Heavenly List in that Mercedes. Ling Chen knew Hu Fei and the others staying there would only increase their peril.


    Hu Fei was quite cooperative; upon seeing Ling Chen¡¯s gesture, he immediately urged the driver to reverse.


    However, a ¡¯ng ng¡¯ sound suddenly came from above the vehicle. Before Hu Fei could react, Yi Shuiyan leaped down from the front of the vehicle,nding behind Ling Chen. Along with him, Wei Bo and Gan Chutian also followed. With their addition, Ling Chen was immediately besieged by four men, plunging into an extremely dangerous situation.


    Seeing this, Hu Fei, seated in the passenger seat, could not help but worry about Ling Chen¡¯s safety.


    "Ling Chen, I¡¯d like to see where you could flee today," Yi Shuiyan said with a coldugh.


    Facing the four menacing men, Ling Chen was calm and collected, though the pressure on him surged. Dealing with just Mr. Lin was already uncertain, let alone now with the addition of Yi Shuiyan and the other two, he was undoubtedly in a perilous situation.


    "Mr. Lin, if you don¡¯t mind, why not let us handle Ling Chen?" Yi Shuiyan spoke politely, his tone very courteous yet with a hint of respect. Clearly, Mr. Lin had a not-so-low status in the God Organization. Otherwise, with Yi Shuiyan¡¯s arrogance, he would never use such a respectful title for a peer.


    Mr. Lin indifferently said, "I did want to see the skills of the top ranker on the Neer List, but since you want to make a move, I shall let you."


    "Ling Chen, you murdered the Sect Leader of Dangyang Sect. Today, I must kill you to avenge the Sect Leader."


    Hearing Wei Bo¡¯s ice-cold voice, Ling Chen was momentarily stunned, then turned to look at him, "I¡¯m saying, could you have made a mistake? Zhu Jin wasn¡¯t killed by me. He was already dead when I found him. If you wish to frame someone, you need evidence. Don¡¯t nder me randomly."


    Gan Chutian snorted, "Could he be wrong? Ling Chen, I didn¡¯t expect you to be such a despicable, shameless wretch, daring to act but not own up, still making excuses at this point. When you killed Zhu Jin, Shuiyan saw it all with his own eyes. He is Zhu Jin¡¯s Direct Disciple, would he lie?"


    Yi Shuiyan?


    Ling Chen was startled, his gaze filled with astonishment as he looked at Yi Shuiyan, who was actually pinning the murder of Zhu Jin on him.


    In the blink of an eye, Ling Chen nced at Wei Bo and Gan Chutian, asking, "Are you two here to avenge Zhu Jin?"


    "That¡¯s right! You killed our Sect Leader, and that makes you the enemy of Dangyang Sect. If we don¡¯t kill you, how can Dangyang Sect continue to hold a ce in the Martial Arts world?"


    "That¡¯s trulyughable," Ling Chen shook his head and said, "Dangyang Sect is already colluding with the God Organization, and yet you still care about your reputation in the Martial Arts world. I really don¡¯t know where you get your courage from."


    As his words fell, seeing Gan Chutian preparing to speak again, Ling Chen waved his hand dismissively, speaking with impatience, "Enough! Quit your thering. I don¡¯t know what Yi Shuiyan told you, but what I can tell you is that Zhu Jin wasn¡¯t killed by me; on the contrary, Zhu Jin died at the hands of his most cherished disciple."


    "Nonsense!" Yi Shuiyan bellowed angrily: "Ling Chen, how dare you nder me."


    With a sneer, Ling Chen said, "nder? Have I ndered you? Yi Shuiyan, do you really think that your deeds are unknown to others? That day at the base, after you killed Zhu Jin, you left his body there and just walked away. But you probably didn¡¯t expect that I would find Zhu Jin¡¯s body. I examined his body and discovered a fatal wound in his abdomen, pierced by a steel knife. At that time, only you were with Zhu Jin. Besides you wielding a steel knife, who else could it be?" As he said this, Ling Chen looked at Wei Bo and Gan Chutian and continued, "I knew Yi Shuiyan would not admit it, so I took the liberty of photographing Zhu Jin¡¯s body, intending to keep it as evidence. If you don¡¯t believe me, I can show you the photos."


    Yi Shuiyan¡¯s face darkened as he said, "Ling Chen, you think we would believe your tall tales? What can a photo prove? With current technology, any kind of photo can be fabricated. Protectors, don¡¯t believe his words, he¡¯s trying to sow discord."


    "Enough!" Lin Tong said coldly from the side: "If you¡¯re going to fight, just get on with it. I don¡¯t have time to waste with you."


    Hearing this, Yi Shuiyan said no more, wielding the steel knife in his hand and quickly charging at Ling Chen, raising the knife over his head and striking down towards him.


    However, just at that moment, the door of the Mercedes car suddenly swung open. Right after, porridge girl was seen stepping out from the back seat.


    Seeing porridge girl emerge, Ling Chen let out a breath of relief and hurried to greet her, calling out her name. Yet, before he reached the Mercedes sedan, he stopped in his tracks, his gaze intense as he saw Ji Gang following behind porridge girl.


    Lin Tong looked at Ji Gang in surprise and asked, "Mr. Ji, why did youe down? Don¡¯t worry, leave this to us to handle."


    Ji Gang nced around, seemingly indifferent to Lin Tong¡¯s words, and spoke to himself, "Since you¡¯re here, there¡¯s no need to hide. Come on out."


    As his voice faded, a faint scent of alcohol suddenly permeated the air, drifting towards everyone present.


    Smelling the rich fragrance of the liquor, Ling Chen¡¯s spirits were lifted, and he excitedly scanned the surroundings.


    Du Kang!


    It was Du Kang who had arrived.


    Ling Chen quietly breathed a sigh of relief; he thought Du Kang had disappeared, but unexpectedly, he would appear at this critical moment.


    "Old Man Ji, long time no see."


    That familiar voice rose, and Ling Chen looked up to see Du Kang sitting on top of a wall, holding a liquor gourd in his hand. His wrinkled face was flushed, and the corners of his mouth still had traces of wine spills.


    "Elder Du!"


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s shout, Du Kang smiled and nodded, saying, "Sorry about that, I had somethinge upst night, I saw that you were sleeping deeply, so I didn¡¯t wake you up."


    After finishing his words, Du Kang looked at Ji Gang and said, "Old Man Ji, do you still remember this old friend of mine?"


    With an expressionless face, Ji Gang replied, "Du Kang, so many years without meeting, hope you¡¯ve been well."

 Chapter 658 - 663: Rescue Porridge Girl (5)

    <h4>Chapter 658: Chapter 663: Rescue Porridge Girl (5)</h4>


    Du Kang swayed the wine gourd in his hand and said, "Thanks to you, I¡¯ve lived so many years without dying."


    "What are you doing here today? Could it be that you want to stick up for that kid?" Ji Gang coldly said.


    "Old Man Ji, for the sake of our past friendship, do me a favor and let the girl go. If you¡¯ve got issues, direct them at me."


    "You?" Ji Gang sneered coldly. "Du Kang, this is a personal grudge between the God Organization and Ling Chen. The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion better not meddle. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being rude."


    Du Kang smiled faintly, vaulted over the surrounding wall, and strode towards Ji Gang, saying as he walked, "Do you think I¡¯d be scared? Besides, the grievances between the God Organization and the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion are there for all to see. It¡¯s only right for me toe and stir up trouble."


    "Hmph! It seems today¡¯s battle is inevitable. Good, it¡¯s been many years since we¡¯ve crossed hands. I want to see how much you¡¯ve progressed in these years." With that, Ji Gang pushed the porridge girl towards Lin Tong who was nearby, instructing, "Keep a close watch on her. If she dares resist, kill her on the spot."


    As soon as he finished speaking, Ji Gang¡¯s toes lightly touched the ground, and his body instantly vanished from the spot.


    "Du Kang, since you want to fight, thene with me."


    Looking towards the direction where Ji Gang¡¯s voice came from, Du Kang didn¡¯t say another word, leaned forward, and quickly chased after. Before leaving, Du Kang nced at Ling Chen. Although he said nothing, his concern was evident in his gaze.


    As Du Kang and Ji Gang left, Ling Chen involuntarily took a deep breath. Du Kang had sessfully drawn Ji Gang away; his mission was nowplete. It was time for him to take care of the rest.


    "Do you feel disappointed?"


    Hearing Lin Tong¡¯s mocking voice, Ling Chen asked puzzledly, "Why should I be disappointed?"


    "You specifically invited Du Kang here, hoping he could help rescue your friend, right? But now, whether he¡¯s here or not, it¡¯s the same. Even if Mr. Ji isn¡¯t here, don¡¯t think you can take someone away from me." As he spoke, Lin Tong¡¯s eyes shifted to Yi Shuiyan beside him and said, "I¡¯ll give you a chance. Kill Ling Chen. As long as he dies, I¡¯ll groom you in the future, turning the Dangyang Sect into a leading figure in the martial arts world of Huaxia."


    With these words, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up, exuding an intense sharpness.


    "Mr. Lin, rest assured, today I will definitely spill Ling Chen¡¯s blood right here."


    Yi Shuiyan gripped the steel knife firmly, his eyes brimming with immense confidence. Of course, this confidencergely came from the presence of Wei Bo and Gan Chutian beside him. Without these two, he had no assurance of defeating Ling Chen.


    "Ling Chen, run, don¡¯t worry about me!"


    Seeing Yi Shuiyan and the two others closing in on Ling Chen, the restrained porridge girl couldn¡¯t help speaking out, her beautiful eyes filled with worry. She didn¡¯t want anything to happen to Ling Chen. If he died trying to save her, she would never forgive herself.


    Ling Chen nced at the porridge girl nearby, his lips slightly curling into a faint smile, and he gently nodded, saying, "Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯ll be fine."


    "All right, no more wasting time. I¡¯m in a hurry."


    Upon hearing Lin Jiawei¡¯s voice emanating from the Mercedes sedan, Yi Shuiyan didn¡¯t hesitate anymore. With a tap of his foot, he gripped the knife handle with both hands, raised the steel knife high above his head, and swung it straight at Ling Chen¡¯s head.


    At the same time, Wei Bo and Gan Chutian, one on each side, closely followed Yi Shuiyan inunching their attacks.


    Facing the attack from three sides, Ling Chen stood quietly in ce, his back straight as a javelin, his dark pupils calm and indifferent, showing no trace of fear.


    "Kill!"


    With a light shout, Ling Chen clenched his fists, unstoppable as a bamboo split, charging directly towards Yi Shuiyan.


    However, at that moment, something suddenly flew through the air, aimed straight for the top of Yi Shuiyan¡¯s head.


    This sudden change instantly drew everyone¡¯s attention. Yi Shuiyan looked up, his face showing a hint of confusion as he tried to determine whether the object posed a threat. Just then, with a slight sound, the object split in the middle, turning into a made of fishtail silk and falling towards Yi Shuiyan¡¯s head from above.


    Seeing this, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s face changed abruptly, and he quickly turned to escape to the left. However, the, with a coverage area of five meters, left Yi Shuiyan no chance to escape in such a short time.


    As expected, as the fell, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s entire body was wrapped in it. Moreover, the strands of the wereced with sharp, tiny fish hooks.


    In an instant, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s body was caught by the fish hooks, the tightly adhering to his body, rendering him unable to break free.


    If it was just one hook it would be bearable, but the agony from dozens of hooksbined was beyond what an ordinary person could endure.


    Ah!


    Feeling the pain, Yi Shuiyan roared, his hands rapidly rising, wielding a steel knife to split the entire in two. Although the was made of special material resistant to des, Yi Shuiyan, a high-ranked person on the Dragon List, could ovee it with his powerful Inner Strength, challenging the durability of the.


    However, as he broke free from the, the fish hooks detached from his body, leaving behind numerous wounds, blood streaming, hardly a spot on his body left unscarred.


    Driven by the pain, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s face contorted even more ferociously, wishing he could disembowel Ling Chen immediately, perhaps only that might quell the hatred in his heart.


    Seeing Yi Shuiyan¡¯s furious gaze, Ling Chen immediately waved his hand and pointed to Hu Fei not far away, saying, "Don¡¯t me me, it was him who made the move, it has nothing to do with me."


    Hearing this, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s head turned, his cold gaze instantly locking onto Hu Fei.


    Hu Fei secretly spat, his chubby face bearing a stiff smile, he gradually stepped back, trying to escape Yi Shuiyan¡¯s icy stare.


    "I¡¯ll kill you!"


    Unable to control his rage, Yi Shuiyan roared, brandishing his steel knives and striding forward, rapidly rushing towards Hu Fei, intending to ughter him under his de.


    However, before Yi Shuiyan could get close to Hu Fei, a figure suddenly shed by, instantly blocking his path.


    "Your opponent is me, as long as I¡¯m alive, you won¡¯t touch a hair on him." After saying this, Ling Chen looked back and said to Hu Fei, "What are you stunned for, hurry and go."


    Hu Fei nodded, dropping a ¡¯be careful yourself¡¯, and immediately ran to the passenger side of the box truck, urging the driver to start the vehicle and leave.


    Hu Fei had already left, but worrying about Ling Chen being left behind alone, he returned the way he came, hoping to offer Ling Chen some help.


    Seeing the box truck drive away, Yi Shuiyan finally couldn¡¯t contain his fury any longer, raising his knife and shing towards Ling Chen.

 Chapter 659 - 664 Fierce Battle with Lin Tong (1)

    <h4>Chapter 659: Chapter 664 Fierce Battle with Lin Tong (1)</h4>


    Seeing the steel knife chopping down, Ling Chen didn¡¯t dodge or avoid; he stretched both hands forward, palms meeting the de of the steel knife. Almost in an instant, Ling Chen¡¯s hands mped down on the steel knife. Then, he led with both hands, using softness to counter hardness, his Inner Strength pouring through his palms into the de, gently pushing it aside.


    Suddenly, driven by the force¡¯s inertia, Yi Shuiyan staggered, his body leaning forward, almost falling to the ground.


    "Be careful!"


    Suddenly, Wei Bo¡¯s voice came from behind. Yi Shuiyan quickly turned his head, only to see Ling Chenunching a kick, fiercely striking his buttocks. Impacted by that strong force, the just-stabilized Yi Shuiyan was immediately sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground, his forehead bruising with purple and blue.


    Seeing Ling Chen mock and humiliate the new Sect Leader of Dangyang Sect in such a manner, Wei Bo and Gan Chutian immediately became enraged.


    Seeing the two charge at him, Ling Chen nced over, noticing the steel knife falling from Yi Shuiyan¡¯s hand, casually picking it up and chopping it towards Wei Bo¡¯s body.


    A sharp knife edge approached, and Wei Bo¡¯s face changed with shock, not daring to sh directly, he swiftly retreated to avoid the fatal steel knife.


    Having repelled Wei Bo, Ling Chen twisted his wrist, the de edge quickly changing position, targeting Gan Chutian to his right.


    Watching the steel knife cleave towards him, Gan Chutian had no intention of evading; instead, he stretched out both hands, striking from both sides, attempting to mp the de just as Ling Chen had done before.


    As Gan Chutian¡¯s palms touched the de, Ling Chen felt a subtle forceing through, immediately interrupting the momentum of the knife chop. Seeing this, Ling Chen flipped his wrist, the de rotating, slipping away from Gan Chutian¡¯s grip.


    At that moment, the de edge was mere centimeters from Gan Chutian, with no obstruction, the steel knife drove forward forcefully, chopping down fiercely.


    As the de drew closer, Gan Chutian¡¯s face finally changed. If this strikended, he would definitely not escape unscathed.


    Drawing on his rich experience, the moment the de fell, Gan Chutian forcibly twisted his torso, his upper body swaying slightly. Instantly, blood sttered, the sharp de edge directly cut into Gan Chutian¡¯s shoulder, severing his entire right arm.


    Ah!


    Apanied by a painful scream, Gan Chutian fell to the ground, clutching the site of his severed limb, his face pale, his forehead beaded with cold sweat, enduring the pain without crying out loud.


    Seeing this scene, Wei Bo was instantly horrified, rushing over in a flurry to help Gan Chutian up from the ground and then shielded him behind his back to prevent Ling Chen from taking Gan Chutian¡¯s life.


    "Ling... Ling Chen, you... remember this, today¡¯s vengeance of a severed arm, I will surely repay a hundredfold another day," Gan Chutian said through gritted teeth.


    Ling Chen shrugged, replying indifferently, "Suit yourself, I have no shortage of enemies, one more won¡¯t make a difference. But if you daree again, it won¡¯t be just losing an arm, and next time don¡¯t forget to prepare a coffin for yourself."


    "You..."


    "Enough!" Lin Tong, who had been watching from the side, spoke up sharply: "A bunch of good-for-nothings, utterly useless, can¡¯t even kill a greenhorn, looks like I have to handle this myself."


    Saying this, Lin Tong pushed the porridge girl toward Wei Bo, giving a coldmand, "Take good care of her. If you can¡¯t even watch a person, I¡¯ll kill you first, then him."


    Watching Lin Tong approaching, Ling Chen¡¯s expression became grave. Although he did not know Lin Tong¡¯s true strength, the imposing aura emanating from Lin Tong felt very familiar; it was the presence that only high-ranking Earthly List experts possessed.


    Throughout this period, with Su He¡¯s guidance, although there has not been a significant increase in Ling Chen¡¯s power, his control over techniques has be much more skilled. Relying on his control of Inner Strength, below the Earthly List, there was hardly any expert he was not daring enough to confront, just like Wei Bo and Gan Chutian earlier. These two were Dragon List masters, and their strength was not much weaker than Zhu Jin¡¯s. Despite that, the two of them joined forces but still could not kill Ling Chen; instead, Ling Chen severed Gan Chutian¡¯s right arm.


    However, there is only a one-word difference between the Dragon and Earthly Lists, but the gap in strength is as wide as the difference between clouds and mud, apletely different realm. Moreover, Ling Chen seemed tock any experience in crossing hands with experts from the Earthly List.


    "Ling Chen, be careful of his fingers, make sure you don¡¯t let him touch you."


    At that moment, Porridge Girl¡¯s voice reached Ling Chen¡¯s ears.


    Upon hearing Porridge Girl¡¯s warning, Ling Chen immediately focused his attention on Lin Tong¡¯s ten fingers.


    Indeed, Lin Tong¡¯s fingers looked ordinary, but they were actually somewhat abnormal. The fingers of a normal person would be the same color as their skin, but Lin Tong¡¯s fingers exuded a faint ink-like darkness. If it were not for the Porridge Girl¡¯s reminder, he would not have noticed this detail at all.


    Not to be touched by Lin Tong¡¯s fingers.


    Thinking of Porridge Girl¡¯s words, a hint of doubt appeared in Ling Chen¡¯s heart, not understanding the meaning behind her words.


    Seeing Ling Chen deep in thought, Porridge Girl spoke again, "The martial arts he cultivates is... Ah!"


    Her words were cut off mid-sentence when a sudden cry of pain escaped her, blood spewing from her mouth.


    As Porridge Girl was speaking, Wei Bonded a palm on her back, interrupting her.


    "You¡¯d better shut up," Wei Bo said coldly.


    Lin Tong cast an approving nce at Wei Bo, then shifted his gaze back to Ling Chen, saying, "For our fight to proceed fairly, it would be best if she speaks less, don¡¯t you agree?"


    "Fair?" Ling Chen snorted lightly, "To speak of fairness with me, a grand Earthly List expert. I always thought I had thick skin, but it seems yours is even thicker. Enough! Cut the crap, if you¡¯re going to fight, then make your move. I don¡¯t have so much time to waste with you."


    Lin Tong nodded, stepping closer to Ling Chen, step by step. When they were less than five meters apart, Lin Tong stopped, looked up and stared straight at Ling Chen¡¯s face, not moving an inch.


    Seeing the other¡¯s actions, Ling Chen didn¡¯t dare to be careless, his body slightly tilted, turning to the right side, his right hand gripping the hilt of his steel knife, ready to strike at any moment.


    After staring at each other for more than ten seconds, the motionless Lin Tong finally stretched out his hand.


    Looking at those five fingers tinged with an ink-like darkness, a sense of heaviness fell upon Ling Chen¡¯s heart, feeling extremely uneasy as if he had detected a whiff of danger.


    Porridge Girl¡¯s several mentions of Lin Tong¡¯s fingers suggested that his cultivated martial arts were rted to his fingers. If he could just guard against those fingers during the uing exchange, he might be safer.


    A gust of wind blew by, and Ling Chen only saw a flickering shadow, as Lin Tong appeared instantly in front of him. Before Ling Chen could react, Lin Tong¡¯s index finger was already thrusting toward his face, rapidly erging in his pupils.


    Just as that finger was about to make contact, the steel knife in Ling Chen¡¯s hand finally moved.


    With the slicing of the knife¡¯s wind, it ferociously chopped down towards Lin Tong¡¯s right arm.

 Chapter 660 - 665: Fierce Battle with Lin Tong (2)

    <h4>Chapter 660: Chapter 665: Fierce Battle with Lin Tong (2)</h4>


    Lin Tong¡¯s fingers were fast, but Ling Chen¡¯s steel saber wasn¡¯t slow either.


    If Lin Tong didn¡¯t withdraw his hand, even if he managed to hit Ling Chen¡¯s body, his own arm would be ruined. A high-ranked martial artist of the Earthly List would certainly not risk his body carelessly.


    As expected!


    Seeing the steel saber chop down, Lin Tong immediately pulled back his fingers and stepped back, increasing the distance between the two.


    However, Ling Chen did not let go of such a good opportunity. As Lin Tong retreated, he strode forward, lifting the steel saber high above his head and shing down towards Lin Tong¡¯s crown.


    Feeling the strong gust of winding towards him, Lin Tong took another step backward.


    Yet, what Lin Tong overlooked was a very important point. Ling Chen¡¯s strength had already reached the stage where Inner Strength could be projected outward. Even with a gap as narrow as the width of a finger, the concentrated Qi Force could still inflict injury on Lin Tong¡¯s body.


    Hiss!


    Suddenly, Lin Tong¡¯s chest was riven by a sharp Qi Force, leaving a ten-centimeter-long rip in his clothes with a red mark clearly visible on his skin.


    Unfortunately, Ling Chen¡¯s Power was still a littlecking; otherwise, even if the blow wouldn¡¯t take Lin Tong¡¯s life, it could have severely wounded him.


    Seeing the torn cloth on his chest, Lin Tong¡¯s face immediately revealed a cold and harsh expression, his eyes bursting with a chilling coldness and a surging intent to kill.


    "Good! You do have some skills. It looks like I need to take this seriously."


    With these words, Lin Tong tapped the ground with one foot and leaped high from his position, swooping down like a great roc spreading its wings, his index finger aiming straight for Ling Chen¡¯s brow.


    The same move again!


    Ling Chen flicked his wrist, and the sharp edge of the saber swiftly cut through the air, targeting Lin Tong¡¯s arm. He realized Lin Tong¡¯s deadliest technique was nothing but his ten fingers. As long as he could restrict those fingers, he would prevent Lin Tong from getting close. The rest... he could only hope Du Kang would prevail.


    First, he needed to hold Lin Tong at bay. As long as Du Kang defeated Ji Gang and returned to reinforce him, all difficulties could be smoothly resolved. However, what Ling Chen currently worried about was whether Du Kang could win at all.


    In the midst of his contemtion, Lin Tong¡¯s figure had already closed in. Ling Chen did not back down, brandishing his steel saber and bringing it down with a fierce wind.


    However, just then, Lin Tong suddenly changed his tactic, lightly tapping the de with his index finger. In a sh, Ling Chen felt a powerful force strike the saber, causing his wrist to uncontrolledly deviate to the side, narrowly missing Lin Tong¡¯s body.


    This move from Lin Tong took Ling Chen by surprise; he had not expected the other¡¯s fingers to contain such formidable strength.


    At this moment, there was no time for further thought. Lin Tong¡¯s fingers kept tapping the de, the force transmitting through the saber into Ling Chen¡¯s wrist, making his whole arm feel numb.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen decided to let go of the saber with his right hand. As he made this movement, he also twisted his waist. Before the steel saber hit the ground, his left hand had already caught the hilt, and following the rotation of his waist, the saber swung like a giant windmill, viciously aiming for Lin Tong¡¯s neck.


    If this strikended, Lin Tong¡¯s head would surely be severed from his body.


    Confronted by Lin Tong¡¯s formidable strength, Ling Chen did not hold back at all, exerting his full strength, with all his Power converging on his left arm.


    Just when the de of the steel saber was less than two centimeters from Lin Tong¡¯s neck, the de suddenly came to a halt.


    Ling Chen looked intently, his face instantly turning pale.


    Ling Chen could only stare in disbelief as Lin Tong¡¯s fingers actually managed to grip the de of the sword.


    This... Ling Chen¡¯s face was filled with disbelief as he gazed at Lin Tong¡¯s two fingers.


    This is way too freakish!


    He could actually use two fingers to block his steel sword; were these even human fingers? Though Lin Tong was an Earthly List master, his strength was only at the bottom among those ranked on the Earthly List, and the gap between them wasn¡¯t this terrifying.


    At that moment, Ling Chen finally understood why the porridge girl had warned him to be wary of his fingers. This fellow¡¯s ten fingers must have undergone many years of arduous training to possess such formidable strength.


    While contemting, Lin Tong flicked his fingers, instantly causing Ling Chen¡¯s arm to be stretched out, and his body involuntarily pulled towards Lin Tong. Being dragged by that force, Ling Chen had no choice but to let go of his steel sword and jump back to avoid being hit by Lin Tong¡¯s fingers.


    However, having lost his steel sword, Ling Chen¡¯s position undoubtedly became more perilous.


    Hmph!


    Lin Tong sneered, casually tossing the steel sword behind him, and then began walking toward Ling Chen.


    Facing Ling Chen, who was now without his steel sword, Lin Tong didn¡¯t seem the least bit cautious, moving with a light step,pletely undeterred by Ling Chen¡¯s presence.


    As Lin Tong kept advancing step by step, Ling Chen had no choice but to retreat, quickly considering his options.


    "Ling Chen!"


    Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out. Ling Chen turned to look and saw Yi Shuiyan, who had somehow risen from the ground, picked up his steel sword, and swung it down.


    However, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s attack was not aimed at Ling Chen, but at the porridge girl, who was under Wei Bo¡¯s control.


    Seeing the sharp de about to fall on porridge girl¡¯s body, Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed drastically, he promptly shouted, "Don¡¯t!" As he spoke, he lightly tapped his toes on the ground, instantly elerating to his maximum speed, and charged towards where porridge girl was.


    But before Ling Chen could run a few meters, a powerful force suddenly struck.


    Feeling the fierce wind of the attack, Ling Chen turned his gaze just in time to see Lin Tong quickly close the distance, step behind him in a few strides, and jabbed his finger, hitting the middle of his back.


    In a split second, Ling Chen felt all his strength drain away, a painful sensation wracked his spine, feeling as though it couldn¡¯t support his body, and he copsed to the ground with a ¡¯bang¡¯, unable to get up.


    "You... you attacked me by surprise!"


    Ling Chen clenched his jaw and gasped for air, struggling to prop himself up with his hands, attempting to stand again. However, each movement brought intense pain to his spine, as if it had snapped in half.


    Not only that, but a numbing sensation began to spread over his entire body, even his hands and feet began to disobey him.


    Seeing Ling Chen unable to rise from the ground, his face pale, Yi Shuiyan immediately withdrew his steel sword.


    "Ling Chen!"


    The porridge girl anxiously looked at Ling Chen, her beautiful eyes filled with concern. If her arms and legs hadn¡¯t been tied up, she would have rushed to his aid immediately.


    Hearing the porridge girl¡¯s voice, Ling Chen opened his mouth to respond, but as the words reached his lips, he realized that the numbing sensation also affected his mouth, and he couldn¡¯t utter a single word.


    "Ling Chen, how does it feel? Is it not veryfortable?" Lin Tong yed with his fingers, lifting the corners of his mouth with a smile: "I forgot to tell you, the technique I¡¯ve cultivated is called Five Poison Finger, which requires me to immerse my fingers in poison constantly over the years. Eventually, the poison permeates the blood and bes one with it. Whenever I wish, I can transfer the poison from my fingers into anyone¡¯s body."

 Chapter 661 - 666: Fierce Battle with Lin Tong (3)

    <h4>Chapter 661: Chapter 666: Fierce Battle with Lin Tong (3)</h4>


    Poison!


    No wonder, Ling Chen frowned inwardly, realizing that the tingling numbness must be due to the venom spreading throughout his body via his bloodstream.


    At this moment, he feltpletely drained of strength in his body, his limbs gradually weakened, and he couldn¡¯t even hold himself upright.


    Before, porridge girl had reminded him to be wary of Lin Tong¡¯s fingers, presumably warning him against Lin Tong¡¯s poisonous attack. Unfortunately, it was toote to understand this now. Faintly, he felt the pain in his spine growing increasingly intense.


    Lin Tong nced at Ling Chen, who was lying on the ground, then pointed at Yi Shuiyan not far away, saying, "You were so eager to kill him, weren¡¯t you? I¡¯ll give you this chance. Cut off his head."


    Upon hearing these words, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s eyes lit up, and he hurriedly approached Ling Chen with his steel knife in hand.


    "Ling Chen, I¡¯ve told you long ago, opposing me will bring you to a bad end. This day next year will be your memorial day."


    With that said, Yi Shuiyan raised the steel knife in his hand, ready to sever Ling Chen¡¯s neck with a single blow.


    But at that moment, a scoffingugh suddenly came from the ground. Yi Shuiyan frowned, looking at theughing Ling Chen, and said coldly, "What¡¯s there tough at when death is upon you?"


    "Nothing much, I¡¯m justughing at the fact that there are shameless people like you in this world. Lin Tong, just moments ago, I¡¯m not sure who was iming they wanted a fair fight with me, only to resort to such a despicable ambush. Is this your idea of fairness? And you..." Ling Chen struggled to lift his head, looking at Yi Shuiyan, "You¡¯ve been defeated by me before; without the help of others, what capacity do you have to beat me? I always thought I had thick skin, but I never expected to meet two people even more shameless than myself."


    "Shut up!"


    Yi Shuiyan retorted coldly, "The winner bes the king, the loser the bandit. To lose is to lose; means are also a skill. If you had any tricks up your sleeve, you should have used them."


    Ling Chen nodded weakly and said, "Alright, since you say so, then I..."


    Before he could finish speaking, Ling Chen, who was lying on the ground, suddenly threw his head back, and unexpectedly, a small alcohol gourd appeared in his hand. As the liquid from the gourd poured into his mouth, Ling Chen¡¯s body instantly turned red as if his skin was being roasted by fire.


    Seeing the changes urring to Ling Chen, Yi Shuiyan¡¯s expression changed dramatically. Without another word, he immediately swung his steel knife down at Ling Chen.


    However, the moment the steel knife was about to strike, Ling Chen suddenly rolled on the ground, narrowly dodging the de.


    Before Yi Shuiyan could strike again, Ling Chen sprang up from the ground like a carp leaping over a dragon gate, standing quickly, his face flushed red as he red at Yi Shuiyan, breathing heavily through his nose, appearing like a furious beast ready to tear apart the prey before it.


    "What are you waiting for, attack now!"


    Hearing Lin Tong¡¯s reprimand, Yi Shuiyan immediately snapped back to his senses and charged towards Ling Chen.


    Facing the oing steel knife, Ling Chen roared, and his fist shot out, carrying fierce momentum, and smashed fiercely onto the de.


    ng!


    Apanied by a sharp ng, the steel knife flew out of Yi Shuiyan¡¯s hands,nding on the ground.


    Not only Yi Shuiyan but also Lin Tong were taken aback by this scene. Ling Chen was clearly seriously wounded and poisoned, which should have made him weak. Yet, his disy of strength seemed to have significantly increased.


    At this moment, Ling Chen clenched his fist, his eyes wide with rage, steam continuously exhaling from his nostrils.


    Last night, when drinking with Du Kang, Du Kang had him try a few sips of strong liquor, causing him difort throughout his body until he slept through to dawn. And just now, he had guzzled severalrge gulps. At this moment, the strong liquor was churning in his stomach like a fierce ze, burning his body furiously, as if even his blood had turned scalding hot.


    Originally weak and powerless limbs, under the zing fire¡¯s burning, seemed to be injected with infinite strength, body bursting with energy.


    Taking a deep breath, Ling Chen forcibly maintained his cool head, looking straight at Yi Shuiyan and Lin Tong before him.


    The fiery liquorbined with the mental method taught by Du Kang, Ling Chen¡¯s potential burst forth in an instant. However, time was limited, he had to act quickly, to finish the business before he passed out drunk.


    With a tiger¡¯s roar, Ling Chen strode forward, his iron fist raised high, hurling a simple straight punch towards Yi Shuiyan.


    Seeing Ling Chen charging, Yi Shuiyan was just about to guard. However, before he could act, he saw a figure sh past, Ling Chen¡¯s icy gaze already close at hand.


    Bang!


    Without waiting for Yi Shuiyan to react, Ling Chen¡¯s iron fist had already driven straight in, mming heavily into his chest.


    Crack!


    Gurgle!


    Struck heavily, Yi Shuiyan felt a sweetness in his throat, a mouthful of fresh blood spewed from his mouth. At the same time, a crisp cracking sound was heard; under Ling Chen¡¯s punch, several of Yi Shuiyan¡¯s ribs were broken.


    Watching Yi Shuiyan¡¯s body fly out, Lin Tong¡¯s face finally showed a slight change. As a master of the Earthly List, he could feel that Ling Chen¡¯s strength had greatly improved from before.


    Smelling the strong aroma of liquor from that little gourd, Lin Tong frowned slightly. Was it because of the drink?


    Yet, he had never heard of alcohol enhancing one¡¯s strength before; it was utterly inconceivable.


    While pondering, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze had already locked onto Lin Tong.


    Facing the sharpness and chill in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, Lin Tong gave a cold hum, stepping forward quickly, pointing a finger towards Ling Chen¡¯s vital points.


    Without the slightest hesitation, Ling Chen lifted his iron fist to meet Lin Tong¡¯s index finger head-on.


    Fist and finger shed, both men¡¯s Inner Strength and power erupted instantly, colliding wildly.


    Seeing Ling Chen standing firmly on the spot, not budging, a look of surprise shed in Lin Tong¡¯s eyes. He had originally wanted to test how much Ling Chen¡¯s strength had improved, but from the current situation, Ling Chen now had the power topete with him.


    While Lin Tong was in shock, Ling Chen suddenly roared. The power contained in his iron fist surged fiercely, actually pushing Lin Tong back two steps.


    Seizing the advantage, Ling Chen stepped forward, his iron fist swinging continuously, punch after punch without mercy, as power poured out relentlessly.


    Faced with Ling Chen¡¯s storm-like offensive, Lin Tong was left with only the power to parry, without a chance to counterattack.


    How was this possible?


    After resisting more than a dozen moves, Lin Tong looked at Ling Chen with a touch of shock in his gaze. Lin Tong¡¯s fingers contained poison, and with each exchange, he had been infusing the toxin through Ling Chen¡¯s skin into his body. Yet, so much time had passed, and there was no sign of Ling Chen being poisoned, instead, he was fighting more vigorously.


    Having lost the effect of his greatest reliance, and unable to suppress Ling Chen with strength, he would eventually be defeated if this continued.


    With that in mind, Lin Tong couldn¡¯t help but cast his gaze towards the little gourd of liquor lying forgotten on the ground.

 Chapter 662 - 667: Ling Chen Poisoned

    <h4>Chapter 662: Chapter 667: Ling Chen Poisoned</h4>


    Lin Tong had no idea that at this moment, Ling Chen was like a zing fire, which suppressed the poison that had seeped into his body. Alcohol was known to disinfect, let alone the strong liquor brewed by Du Kang.


    At this time, Ling Chen seized the opportunity and threw a fierce punch, instantly breaking through Lin Tong¡¯s defense. His iron fist charged straight in, heavily bombarding Lin Tong¡¯s left shoulder. Hit by the punch, Lin Tong¡¯s body immediately swayed, losing his footing.


    Seizing this chance, Ling Chen lifted his leg high and delivered a sweeping kick, sending Lin Tong¡¯s body flying out.


    However, when Lin Tongnded from midair, hended right in front of the small liquor gourd.


    Without waiting for Ling Chen to catch up, Lin Tong reached for the small gourd, pulled out the stopper, and guzzled it down his throat.


    Seeing Lin Tong¡¯s actions, Ling Chen was startled. This guy... he¡¯s actually stealing my drink!


    After standing stunned for a few seconds, Ling Chen simply abandoned the idea of making a move, standing still and watching for Lin Tong¡¯s reaction.


    Before long, after tossing the empty gourd on the ground, Lin Tong red at Ling Chen across from him, his nostrils ring with heavy breaths.


    "Now it¡¯s my turn," Lin Tong sneered coldly, his face twisting into a savage grin.


    Hearing this, Ling Chen took two steps back, gazing meaningfully at Lin Tong, a yful smile on his lips.


    As Lin Tong stepped forward, ready to make a move, hisplexion suddenly changed, his originally pale cheeks instantly turning crimson.


    "No... what¡¯s going on?" Lin Tong frantically wed at his chest, a look of intense difort on his face, as if millions of ants were gnawing at his flesh. After struggling for a moment, Lin Tong suddenly copsed to the ground, rolling back and forth, emitting painful howls, his clothes already torn to shreds by his hands.


    "So hot... so hot... water... I need water..."


    Seeing Lin Tong¡¯s painful state, Ling Chen shook his head lightly. Such overestimation of oneself, to down all the liquor from the small gourd¡ªI myself wouldn¡¯t dare to do it. Most importantly, I have the mental method taught by Du Kang to help control the liquor¡¯s effects on the body. Lin Tong, not having learned the method and drinking so much, couldn¡¯t possibly withstand such torment even if he were a master of the Earthly List.


    At this time, Wei Bo, who was responsible for watching over Porridge Girl, saw Lin Tong¡¯s agonized expression and his writhing on the ground. He hurriedly came to his side and helped him up.


    "Water... I need water!" Lin Tong yelled, eyes bloodshot as he grasped Wei Bo¡¯s arms.


    "Yes, yes, I¡¯ll get water right away."


    Wei Bo quickly acknowledged and then hurried to a Mercedes-Benz car to fetch a bottle of mineral water, handing it to Lin Tong.


    As soon as the cap was off, Lin Tong tilted his head back and in a matter of seconds downed the entire bottle of water. However, he had underestimated the potency of the strong liquor. Even after drinking water, the fiery liquor was still burning inside him like mes, unstoppable.


    While Wei Bo¡¯s attention was on Lin Tong, Ling Chen quickly went to Porridge Girl¡¯s side and undid her restraints.


    "Quick, I..."


    Before he could finish speaking, Ling Chen suddenly felt his head grow heavy and lost consciousness, copsing into Porridge Girl¡¯s arms.


    "Ling Chen! Ling Chen, wake up!"


    Porridge Girl anxiously looked at Ling Chen, gently shaking his body and calling his name. But at this moment, Ling Chen appeared to be unconscious, showing no reaction as hey in her embrace.


    Seeing this, Porridge Girl reluctantly gazed at Lin Tong and Lin Jiawei inside the Mercedes-Benz, then turned to leave with Ling Chen.


    If it weren¡¯t for Ling Chen suddenly falling unconscious, Porridge Girl would not have let Lin Tong and Lin Jiawei off easily.


    She had not run far when porridge girl saw a box truck parked on the side of the road. She hurriedly carried Ling Chen over, forcefully knocking on the rear door of the cargo area.


    Sitting in the passenger seat, Hu Fei leapt out of the vehicle upon seeing the two of them, and asked looking at the unconscious Ling Chen, "What happened to him?"


    "Not sure yet, quickly take us back."


    Hu Fei nodded, hastily helped Ling Chen into the vehicle, and urged the driver to head to the research base.


    In less than half an hour, the box truck finally arrived at the destination.


    By now, the medical team, having been notified earlier, was already prepared. As soon as Ling Chen arrived, he was immediately carried into the medical room on a stretcher.


    In the medical room filled with the smell of disinfectant, Zhu Xiaozhu, wearing a neat whiteb coat, looked at Ling Chen lying on the hospital bed, and aplex expression fleetingly crossed her beautiful eyes.


    "Miss Zhu, can we start now?"


    Hearing the voice of a colleague nearby, Zhu Xiaozhu nodded, reached out to check Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, and then examined his pulse.


    "He has been poisoned," Zhu Xiaozhu said with certainty, "Prepare to draw blood for testing."


    "Understood!"


    After more than an hour of busyness, Ling Chen¡¯s physical condition gradually came under control and he was transferred from the medical room to a hospital ward.


    "Miss Zhu, how is his condition?"


    Porridge girl stood by Ling Chen¡¯s side and asked Zhu Xiaozhu.


    Zhu Xiaozhu lifted her head, sizing up porridge girl in front of her and then withdrew her gaze. She had noticed the existence of porridge girl when Ling Chen was brought back earlier. However, at that time, she had been upied with saving Ling Chen and did not have the mind to think too much, only remembering that in yet stunning face.


    At this moment, there was no one else in the ward besides the two of them. Zhu Xiaozhu couldn¡¯t help but take a few more nces, thinking to herself, wondering what the rtionship between this woman and Ling Chen was. The concern revealed in porridge girl¡¯s words suggested that her rtionship with Ling Chen was probably more than just friends.


    With this thought, Zhu Xiaozhu sighed softly, a hint of mncholy shing in her beautiful eyes.


    "Miss Zhu..."


    Seeing that Zhu Xiaozhu did not respond for a while, porridge girl spoke up again.


    "Rest assured, his condition is temporarily stable, there is no serious harm to his body, he¡¯ll be fine after a few days¡¯ rest." After finishing speaking, Zhu Xiaozhu looked at porridge girl and asked, "Are you Ling Chen¡¯s friend? Howe I¡¯ve never seen you before?"


    "I don¡¯t associate with him much," porridge girl replied lightly. Being a woman herself, porridge girl could naturally see Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s concern for Ling Chen. However, her thoughts on this matter were not like other women¡¯s, she wouldn¡¯t overthink.


    "Zhu Xiaozhu, since Ling Chen is all right, I¡¯ll leave him in your care. I¡¯ve got things to do, I¡¯lle back in a couple of days."


    "Okay."


    Once porridge girl left the ward, Zhu Xiaozhu locked the door and then took out a medical box from the side, preparing a syringe and a vial of medicinal liquid.


    Taking advantage of Ling Chen still being unconscious, Zhu Xiaozhu rolled up the sleeve of Ling Chen¡¯s shirt, filled the syringe with the medicinal liquid, and injected it into Ling Chen¡¯s arm.


    As the medicine entered Ling Chen¡¯s bloodstream, Zhu Xiaozhu pulled out the syringe, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and murmured to the unconscious Ling Chen, "Don¡¯t me me..."

 Chapter 663 - 668: Southern Ling Family (1)

    <h4>Chapter 663: Chapter 668: Southern Ling Family (1)</h4>


    In the blink of an eye, two days had passed.


    Ling Chen, who had been in aa, had already woken up. Apart from some physical weakness, he was mostly fine.


    "Ling Chen." Hu Fei¡¯s voice rang out, and the door to the ward was pushed open. Seeing Hu Fei hurry over, Ling Chen put down the newspaper in his hand and asked, "What¡¯s the matter?"


    Hu Fei handed a cellphone to Ling Chen, saying, "There¡¯s a call from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    Hearing ¡¯Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion¡¯, Ling Chen immediately took the cellphone and, after a greeting, asked, "Who is it?"


    "It¡¯s me."


    The familiar, pleasant voice came through the phone, and Ling Chen¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile as he replied, "Ah, it¡¯s Miss Su."


    "How¡¯s your health?"


    "Much better. By the way, Miss Su, has Elder Du returned?"


    "He came back yesterday. Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s fine. He asked me to tell you that Ji Gang¡¯s strength has be even more terrifying than before, even he isn¡¯t fully confident in dealing with Ji Gang. You should be more careful in the future and try your best to avoid any contact with Ji Gang."


    "I understand." Ling Chen then changed the subject, asking: "Miss Su, how are things on your end?"


    "You mean the God Organization? We followed the clues provided by the traitors within, tracked down, and destroyed one of their secret bases. You might find it hard to believe that this secret base was located less than two kilometers from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. We searched the ce, and it was full of intelligence about the Pavilion. From my estimation, that base had been in operation for about five years. Luckily, we discovered its existence, otherwise, the intelligence of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion might have been stolen by the God Organization."


    "In any case, it¡¯s good that we stopped them in time."


    "Alright, I have nothing else, you rest well and we¡¯ll keep in touch when there¡¯s time."


    "Okay."


    After hanging up, Ling Chen tossed the cellphone back to Hu Fei and asked, "What about porridge girl, has she not returned yet?"


    Hu Fei shook his head and said, "Haven¡¯t seen her around these past two days, don¡¯t know where she went."


    "Forget it! She knows how to take care of herself." After saying this, Ling Chen recalled the incident that day and asked, "Where are Ling Jiawei and the others?"


    "They¡¯ve already left East Sea City. Although you seriously injured Lin Tong and Yi Shuiyan, Ji Gang arrived in time and took them away. My men couldn¡¯t stop him. However, we did catch quite a few disciples from the Dangyang Sect."


    "Call Old Tang and hand those from Dangyang Sect over to him for disposal. Those people are just cannon fodder, not worth much." Saying this, Ling Chen appeared pensive, then spoke, "Fatty, don¡¯t you think there¡¯s something odd here?"


    "Odd in what way?"


    "Think about it, a Lin Guodong, a Lin Jiawei, and now a Lin Tong, all these people share the surname Lin and hold high positions in the God Organization. Don¡¯t you find that strange?"


    "It¡¯s just amon surname, nothing to fuss over. I think you¡¯re overthinking."


    "No!" said Ling Chen sternly, "My instincts are very urate, there¡¯s definitely something off here." The certainty in Ling Chen came mainly from the intelligence provided by that mysterious man from the Secret Society.


    That mysterious man had suggested that he suspected the southern Ling Family was the hidden hand behind the God Organization. Though Ling and Lin have different characters, their pronunciations are simr, raising the possibility that those surnamed Lin are actually from the Ling Family, using ¡¯Lin¡¯ as a cover to avoid detection.


    With this thought in mind, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but ponder further.


    "Fatty, how much do you know about the southern Ling Family?"


    "The southern Ling Family?" Hu Fei pondered and said, "I¡¯ve heard of the Ling Family, but don¡¯t know much about them. They are legitimate businessmen, not involved in our kind of business, so I¡¯m not interested in them."


    "Do me a favor, try to dig up everything you can on the Ling Family, especially their family members¡¯ identities."


    "What are you trying to do?" Hu Fei asked confusedly, "You should be investigating the God Organization, not these irrelevant people. It¡¯s time-consuming andbor-intensive. If I were you¡ª"


    "Enough!" Ling Chen interrupted impatiently, snapping, "Just do as I¡¯ve asked, stop with all the nonsense. Hurry up!"


    When Hu Fei left, Ling Chen suddenly remembered the little liquor gourd, and couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit distressed.


    Du Kang had given him some strong liquor to drink, and after only a few sips, it was all wasted by Lin Tong. After experiencing the strength of the liquor, Ling Chen knew how good it was. Unfortunately, there was none left. He couldn¡¯t exactly shamelessly go to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion again to ask Du Kang for more.


    ...


    The next day.


    Ling Chen sat on the hospital bed, flipping through a file.


    This document, recently delivered by Hu Fei, contained information about the southern Ling Family, including the identities of all its members.


    It had to be said, the Ling Family was indeed arge family n, numbering dozens of people, and the enterprises they ran were spread across the nation, particrly in the southern regions; almost every city had a piece of Ling Family property. Compared to the Ling Family, the Nanrong Family paled inparison.


    After reviewing the material, Ling Chen picked up his phone and called Hu Fei.


    When Hu Fei arrived at the ward, Ling Chen looked at him and asked, "The document you gave me mentions that there are more than fifty people in the Ling Family, but I¡¯ve looked through the identity information just now, and there are only forty-three. What about the other seven?"


    "You¡¯re asking about that? I¡¯ve checked it out, the other seven are all dead. Some died from cancer, others in car idents, and it¡¯s been many years, hence no identity information avable for them."


    Ling Chen thought for a moment and then said, "Give me the data on those seven people."


    "Wait a minute!"


    With that, Hu Fei quickly left the ward, and soon returned, carrying aptop.


    In less than a minute, aplete file appeared on theputer screen.


    "Here! These are the seven deceased people."


    Looking at the identity information disyed on the screen, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes narrowed sharply, as he pointed to the data of two young men and said, "Fatty, take a look for yourself."


    Hearing this, Hu Fei immediately leaned his round face close to theputer screen.


    "Ling Guodong... Ling Jiawei... how can this be possible?"


    "Still think it¡¯s a coincidence?"


    "But, they¡¯ve been dead for almost twenty years."


    "In our line of work, as long as we want to, we can arrange an ident anytime to make everyone believe a person is dead. It seems the information that man gave me is correct. The southern Ling Family is likely the covert backer for the God Organization, their substantial funds brought the God Organization back from the ashes. Ling Guodong, Ling Jiawei, the Ling Family arranged for them to die just so they could focus on managing the God Organization. Moreover, even if anyone traces it back to the Ling Family, they can shirk responsibility using the same pretext."

 Chapter 664 - 669: Ling Family of the South (2)

    <h4>Chapter 664: Chapter 669: Ling Family of the South (2)</h4>


    Hu Fei pointed to the photo of Ling Jiawei on theputer screen and said, "Don¡¯t you think there¡¯s a big discrepancy between Lin Jiawei¡¯s appearance and this photo?" As soon as he spoke, without waiting for Ling Chen to chime in, Hu Fei immediately put on a sudden realization expression and said, "Alright, no need to exin, I know, he must have had stic surgery."


    "You still ask even though you know."


    "Hey! Seriously though, what are you going to do if the Ling Family really is the mastermind behind the God Organization?"


    Ling Chen retorted, "What am I supposed to do? What does that have to do with me?"


    "How can it not be rted? Aren¡¯t you also a member of the Ling Family? Even though you were expelled by the Ling Family as a child, your surname is still Ling. You can¡¯t change this blood rtion. Can you really bear toy a hand on them?"


    Ling Chen shrugged and said, "I don¡¯t think as much as you do. Like you said, I was expelled by the Ling Family since I was young and I have no familial ties with them. Besides, if the Ling Family really is the mastermind behind the God Organization, just think about all the bad things they¡¯ve done over the years, how many innocent people they¡¯ve killed. Even if my rtionship with them were close, I couldn¡¯t cover for them. Everything has its price, let alone the heinous acts they¡¯vemitted."


    "Alright!" Hu Fei nodded and said, "I¡¯m just giving you a heads up. Since you¡¯ve thought it through, let¡¯s pretend I didn¡¯t say anything. Tell me, what are your ns next?"


    "I don¡¯t know." Ling Chen was somewhat troubled.


    He did want to delve deeper into investigating the Ling Family, but the mysterious man from the Secret Society had warned him not to meddle with the Ling Family¡¯s affairs lightly. Otherwise, he might get burnt.


    Thus, Ling Chen was unsure whether to continue probing further. Apart from the warning from the mysterious man, there was another very important reason - his own power. At present, his power had just started to take shape, with very few people he could mobilize. If he shed with the Ling Family at such a time, the power he had painstakingly built might be destroyed.


    Considering these two key factors, Ling Chen said, "For now, just keep an eye on the Ling Family and don¡¯t act rashly. Although we have some leads, they can¡¯t serve as evidence. It¡¯d be best to gather more evidence. When the timees, we can join forces with the people from Lonely Wolf to move in."


    "Why not leak this information to Lonely Wolf first and let them investigate in secret while we watch from the sidelines. With the people from Lonely Wolf stirring things up, the Ling Family might expose more ws."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up, and he replied with a smile, "That¡¯s a good idea. Okay, I¡¯ll give Old Tang a callter and fill him in on the situation."


    After Hu Fei left the hospital room, Ling Chen picked up his phone and dialed Tang Yuan¡¯s number.


    "Hello! Tang Yuan, what¡¯s up?" The call connected, and Tang Yuan¡¯s voice immediately came through to Ling Chen.


    "Old Tang, you¡¯ve been busytely and haven¡¯t called me."


    "You know how it is, the old General has retired, Lonely Wolf is being reformed, and I¡¯m swamped every day. I don¡¯t have time to call you. Oh, right! I almost forgot to tell you, the orders from above are in; the new leader of Lonely Wolf has been selected."


    "Who?" Ling Chen eagerly asked. Even though he had left the organization, he was still very concerned about the appointment of the new leader, as it had implications for his own interests. If the new leader was unfamiliar with him, it would be difficult for him to cooperate with Lonely Wolf in the future.


    Tang Yuan said with augh, "Tang Yuan, I have good news for you. The new leader of Lonely Wolf is not only very familiar with you but also has a very good rtionship with you."


    "Very familiar... could it be..."


    "It¡¯s Pang Jiulin, Instructor Pang. He has been appointed as the new leader of Lonely Wolf."


    Just as expected!


    Ling Chen felt a sense of relief, and a happy smile spread across his sharp features. Tang Yuan had mentioned before that because Han Bing had made a mistake, his promotion was canceled and someone experienced within Lonely Wolf would be chosen to seed as the leader.


    Pang Jiulin had been the instructor of Phantom and had been with Lonely Wolf the longest. His experience was naturally unquestionable, and he knew the organization¡¯s internal affairs best, indeed a suitable candidate.


    "Old Tang, convey a message to Instructor Pang for me. Tell him I¡¯m currently indisposed. Next time I¡¯m free, I¡¯ll definitely visit Beijing to offer my congrattions in person."


    "Okay, I¡¯m waiting for you." After he finished, Tang Yuan suddenly changed the topic, "Hey! You didn¡¯t call me just to chit-chat, did you?"


    "There¡¯s something I need to talk to you about..." Right then, Ling Chen filled Tang Yuan in on the situation with the Ling Family in the south.


    "The Ling Family... I know them. Their family-operated enterprises are very famous nationwide, and they have good rtionships with the government. It might be difficult to investigate them."


    "You¡¯re from the Lonely Wolf, I believe this kind of trouble won¡¯t be too much for you."


    "Alright! I got it. I¡¯ll report this to Instructor Pang and see what ns he has."


    After some small talk, Ling Chen hung up the phone, tossed it aside, stretchedzily, and prepared to lie down for a short nap.


    But at that moment, a burst of urgent ringtone suddenly rang out.


    Seeing the iing call number on the phone screen, Ling Chen immediately picked up the phone and answered.


    "Hello! Big Brother."


    "Ling Cheng."


    Hearing Qiu Yong¡¯s deep voice from the other end of the phone, Ling Chen immediately had a bad feeling. Since thest time they parted, he had kept in touch with Qiu Yong and the others. Qiu Yong said they were dealing with some private affairs, but he didn¡¯t borate on what exactly they were, and Ling Chen didn¡¯t ask further.


    In all the time he had known Qiu Yong, he had never heard him speak with such a tone.


    "Big Brother, what¡¯s wrong? Has something happened?"


    "There¡¯s been a bit of trouble. Are you free right now?"


    "Yes." Although he hadn¡¯t fully recovered, Ling Chen wouldn¡¯t refuse once Qiu Yong made the request.


    "We¡¯re all in Jinhai City, and we can¡¯t get away right now. You¡¯d better hurry over. And by the way, don¡¯t you have a friend who¡¯s good at medicine? Bring them along. Your Tang Yuan is seriously injured and must be treated as soon as possible."


    Yuan Yun got injured?


    Ling Chen was shocked, and without asking for details, he quickly got out of bed, put on his clothes, and dashed out of the ward.


    "Xiaozhu!"


    In the medicalboratory, seeing Ling Chen rushing in, Zhu Xiaozhu reproachfully said, "Your body hasn¡¯t recovered yet. Why aren¡¯t you lying in bed? What are you doing here?"


    "There¡¯s no time to exin." Ling Chen grabbed Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s wrist and said while walking, "There¡¯s an emergency. I need your help."


    Zhu Xiaozhu, who hadn¡¯t even had time to change out of her whiteb coat, was pulled out by Ling Chen.


    Leaving the research base, Ling Chen took Zhu Xiaozhu to a car and headed straight for the airport. To save time, Ling Chen also made a call to Nanrong Hao, asking him to arrange a ne.


    Seeing the anxiety on Ling Chen¡¯s face, Zhu Xiaozhu asked in confusion, "What happened?"


    Ling Chen shook his head and remained silent, focusing on the traffic ahead with a tight frown. He knew very well that if Qiu Yong was calling him for help, the situation must be extremely urgent.

 Chapter 665 - 670: Crime Scene

    <h4>Chapter 665: Chapter 670: Crime Scene</h4>


    On the ne, Ling Chen and Zhu Xiaozhu sat in luxury seats, looking out at the runway through the window, neither of them speaking.


    Seeing the troubled expression on Ling Chen¡¯s face, Zhu Xiaozhu opened her mouth several times intending to speak but hesitated and ultimately chose to remain silent, not wanting to disturb Ling Chen¡¯s thoughts.


    As the ne ascended, Ling Chen took out his phone from his pocket and dialed Qiu Yong¡¯s number.


    However, the phone rang a few times then was abruptly hung up. On redialing, the system indicated that the number could not be reached.


    After trying several times without sess, the worry in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes deepened.


    Could something have happened?


    While pondering, Ling Chen turned his gaze towards Zhu Xiaozhu. Since boarding the ne, Zhu Xiaozhu had been silent, fidgeting with her fingers, seemingly preupied with something. Considering her unusual behavior at worktely, Ling Chen asked with concern, "Xiaozhu, what¡¯s been going on with youtely? You seem a bit distracted."


    "Me?" Zhu Xiaozhu looked up, her autumn-water-like beautiful eyes staring straight into Ling Chen¡¯s. Their eyes met, and Zhu Xiaozhu couldn¡¯t help turning her head away to avoid his gaze, softly saying, "I¡¯m fine, I might just be a bit tired recently."


    "Don¡¯t wear yourself out. After we¡¯re done with things in Jinhai City, take a few days off to visit your parents in Beijing and rest."


    "No need, I¡¯m fine," Zhu Xiaozhu replied. "The experiment has reached a critical stage; leaving now would waste everyone¡¯s efforts so far."


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "Alright, just take care of yourself, I don¡¯t want anything bad happening to you."


    ...


    After about an hour of flying, the ne finallynded at Jinhai City Airport.


    Coming out of the exit, Ling Chen and Zhu Xiaozhu took a taxi and headed towards their destination. In less than twenty minutes, the two arrived at a five-star hotel called Splendor.


    Entering the hotel lobby, Ling Chen quickly approached the reception and asked, "Hello, could you tell me the room number for Qiu Yong?"


    "4078."


    "Okay, thank you!"


    After expressing his thanks, Ling Chen, holding Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s slender wrist, took the elevator directly to the hotel¡¯s fourth floor.


    4078, this is it!


    Ling Chen knocked on the door and waited over ten seconds, but there was not a stir inside, not even a response.


    Strange!


    Ling Chen frowned secretly. This was clearly Qiu Yong¡¯s room, why was there no one? Recalling the earlier unresponsive phone call, a sense of unease suddenly surged in Ling Chen¡¯s heart. Could something really have happened?


    With this thought, Ling Chen didn¡¯t think much before forcefully kicking the door open.


    Entering the hotel room, Ling Chen looked around the spacious living room, only to see a conspicuous pool of dried blood on the sofa, indicating it had been there for a while. Additionally, several teacups were ced on the coffee table, suggesting that Qiu Yong and others were in this room back then.


    From the time Qiu Yong called to when Ling Chen arrived at the hotel, only two hours had passed. They must have encountered something in this interval which led to their disappearance without leaving any trace.


    At this moment, Zhu Xiaozhu walked to the sofa, closely examining the blood stain, and said, "Ling Chen, this blood stain must have been left about five hours ago."


    "Xiaozhu, stay here while I check the security room."


    As he spoke, Ling Chen quickly dashed out of the room towards the elevator. The five-star hotel had many surveince cameras installed, including in the elevators, security corridors, and various entrances and exits of the hotel, which might help discover the whereabouts of Qiu Yong and others.


    However, when Ling Chen reached the hotel lobby, he saw several police cars parked at the hotel entrance, with over a dozen uniformed police officersing and going, along with several forensic and medical staff carrying stretchers out of the hotel.


    Seeing the body bags on the stretchers, Ling Chen¡¯s heart sank. Four stretchers, four bodies, it looked like there were even more bodies yet to be taken out.


    Could it be...


    Thinking of that possibility, Ling Chen hurriedly rushed towards where the police were gathered.


    "Sir, sir, this is a crime scene, outsiders are not allowed in, hey..."


    Ignoring the police¡¯s obstruction, Ling Chen forcefully barged into the scene. Suddenly, he saw a room filled with security equipment sttered with blood, with a body lying on the floor and another on a chair, seemingly employees of the security room judging by their attire.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief. He initially thought the deceased were Qiu Yong and the others, which had startled him.


    However, the presence of so many bodies still weighed heavily on Ling Chen¡¯s mood.


    He had intended to review the surveince footage to find where Qiu Yong and others might be, but now all the personnel responsible for the surveince equipment had been killed, clearly no coincidence.


    Whoever was responsible definitely did not want anyone to discover their identity. No need for further investigation to know, those surveince devices must have already been stopped.


    "Sir, please leave immediately!"


    Hearing the police¡¯s warning, Ling Chen nodded and then turned to leave.


    But at that moment, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze inadvertently fell on one of the bodies. Looking at that body, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t take his eyes off.


    Seeing Ling Chen standing motionless at the crime scene for too long, a police officer finally lost his patience and pushed Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder, trying to ¡¯escort¡¯ him out. However, Ling Chen was immovable like a rock, regardless of how hard the police pushed, he remained firmly standing there.


    "You guys... go grab the body bags."


    In the midst of the scene, a forensic in a white coat was examining the bodies, directing the police while leaning closely to observe the marks on the skin surfaces.


    Huh?


    Suddenly, the forensic seemed to notice something, pushed up the sses on her nose and leaned even closer.


    "What caused this wound?" the forensic muttered to herself, a tone of confusion in her voice.


    "That¡¯s from a finger poking a blood hole."


    At the sound, the forensic turned her head, looking at Ling Chen in surprise, and said, "A finger? How is that possible!"


    As the forensic turned her head, Ling Chen¡¯s expression briefly stiffened, surprised to see that the forensic was a young woman, around twenty-five years old, with a ponytail, a fairplexion, wearing ck sses, giving off the impression of an intellectual beauty.


    Ling Chen broke free from the surrounding police, walked up beside the body, and asked, "May I examine the wound?"


    "Who are you?"

 Chapter 666 - 671 Searching for Clues

    <h4>Chapter 666: Chapter 671 Searching for Clues</h4>


    "Miss Zhong, he is..."


    Before the nearby police officer finished speaking, Ling Chen interrupted, "It doesn¡¯t matter who I am, what matters is that I can help you."


    Hearing this, Miss Zhong looked at Ling Chen with skepticism and nodded slightly, "Alright then. Since you¡¯re so confident, tell me why you think this wound was caused by a finger."


    Ling Chen squatted down, looked at the bloody hole above the corpse¡¯s forehead, then picked up a glove and gently pressed it on the corpse¡¯s arm.


    Indeed!


    After confirming his idea, Ling Chen¡¯s face immediately fell, and a gleam shone in his eyes.


    "Hey! I¡¯m talking to you, did you hear me?"


    Miss Zhong¡¯s displeased voice rang out. Ling Chen snapped back to reality, stood up, and said, "Sorry, I might have been mistaken. You go ahead with your work; I won¡¯t disturb you anymore." Then, without waiting for Miss Zhong to speak again, Ling Chen turned and left the crime scene.


    Watching Ling Chen¡¯s retreating figure, Miss Zhong frowned and continued to focus on the body.


    Standing in the elevator heading to the fourth floor of the hotel, Ling Chen¡¯s mind was filled with the name ¡¯Lin Tong.¡¯


    From the wound on the body, it could be deduced that the person was killed by someone poking through the skull with a finger. While any martial artist could do it, Ling Chen also noticed another piece of evidence ¨C the body¡¯s rigidity progressed unusually quickly. Based on his observations and discussions with the police at the scene, these people had died no more than two hours earlier, yet the body was already stiff.


    Having previously sparred with Lin Tong, Ling Chen was familiar with Lin Tong¡¯s capabilities. It wasn¡¯t just his ten fingers that were formidable, but also the poison contained within them. During his days of recuperation, Ling Chen had specifically asked Zhu Xiaozhu about the poison, so he understood quite well. The victim must have stiffened so quickly due to the poison.


    Ling Chen silently frowned.


    Unexpectedly, Qiu Yong and his group got involved with Lin Tong.


    Lin Tong had left East Sea City just a few days ago, probably arriving in Jin Hai City at that time. However, what Ling Chen was most curious about was what exactly Qiu Yong and his group had done to get involved with the God Organization.


    As he pondered, Ling Chen headed straight back to the hotel room where Qiu Yong was staying.


    Inside the room, Zhu Xiaozhu stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, her ample chest heaving, her pretty face pale, as if she had been frightened.


    Noticing her unusual behavior, Ling Chen quickly walked over and asked with concern, "What¡¯s wrong?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu didn¡¯t speak but just pointed towards the bathroom.


    The bathroom?


    Ling Chen walked to the bathroom door and gently pushed it open. Instantly, a strong smell of blood wafted out. Holding his breath, Ling Chen frowned as he looked at the bathtub inside, his expression solemn.


    Inside the snowy white bathtub was filled with fresh red blood, and a corpse was soaking in it. The corpse was facing up, and the wound on its neck was clearly visible.


    Thank goodness!


    After recognizing the face of the corpse, Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief. The deceased was a stranger, not one of the members from the notorious Eight entrics. Looking at the dagger that had fallen on the floor, it seemed likely that this person had attempted to attack someone in the bathroom but was killed instead.


    From the traces of the wound, it might be Xia Yue, known for her swift throat-slitting technique with a sword.


    After pondering for a moment, Ling Chen lifted the corpse out of the bathtub and searched its pockets, hoping to find some valuable clues.


    Right now, the whereabouts of Qiu Yong and his group were unknown; perhaps this deceased could provide some clues.


    Soon, Ling Chen found a wet receipt in the breast pocket of the deceased¡¯s suit. Although it had been soaked in water for a long time, the handwriting was still barely legible.


    Fruit Paradise Supermarket?


    Looking at therge characters at the top, Ling Chen immediately understood the purpose of the receipt.


    Leaving the bathroom, Ling Chen closed the room door, concealing the smell of blood, then pulled out his cell phone and dialed Hu Fei¡¯s number.


    "Hey! Fatty, check for me how many Fruit Paradise Supermarkets there are in Jin Hai City, and tell me their locations."


    In less than five minutes, Hu Fei had news.


    "I checked, the supermarket you mentioned is the only one in the whole of Jin Hai City, and it just opened not long ago."


    "Send me the address."


    After hanging up, Ling Chen immediately left the hotel with Zhu Xiaozhu.


    "Ling Chen, where are we going?"


    Ling Chen stood by the roadside, looked around the area, and pointed to a nearby hotel, "You go there and book a room, take a rest."


    "What about you?"


    "I¡¯m going to look for my friends. You saw what happened just now; they might be in trouble, and I must find them."


    Since this matter was now rted to the God Organization, it was unsafe for Zhu Xiaozhu to be involved, to avoid any danger.


    "Be careful," Zhu Xiaozhu cautioned.


    "You know what I¡¯m capable of," Ling Chen smiled broadly, giving Zhu Xiaozhu a reassuring look.


    After watching Zhu Xiaozhu enter a hotel, Ling Chen hailed a taxi on the roadside and hurried to his destination.


    Before long, Ling Chen arrived outside the Fruit Paradise Supermarket. After getting off the taxi, he observed the surrounding environment, his face turning slightly grim.


    The supermarket was located in the downtown area, surrounded by high-rise buildings. He only knew a rough location but had no clue where those people specifically were. Finding their whereabouts from so many office buildings seemed harder than reaching the sky.


    Pulling out the water-soaked receipt from his pocket, Ling Chen held it up to the sunlight, trying to read the blurred writing.


    After examining it for a few moments and with some good luck, Ling Chen finally found a clue on the receipt.


    Below the receipt were some numbers, probably indicating the time of purchase. ording to the time disyed, that person was at the supermarket buying something at nine o¡¯clock in the morning.


    Knowing the time, Ling Chen looked up at the supermarket¡¯s entrance and exit, each was equipped with a surveince camera.


    Then, turning his gaze to the roadside, Ling Chen¡¯s lips curved up. The downtown area was convenient for everything; every street was installed with surveince cameras.


    Right away, Ling Chen went to a nearby library, found aputer, and then called Hu Fei.


    Hacking into the surveince system was a piece of cake for Hu Fei; soon, with Hu Fei¡¯s remote assistance, Ling Chen¡¯sputer screen disyed an image. To be precise, it was that morning¡¯s surveince footage, which Hu Fei had retrieved from the system.


    Ling Chen adjusted the surveince footage to around nine o¡¯clock in the morning, carefully observing the people entering and exiting the supermarket.


    At 9:03 AM, a man in a suit was finally spotted by Ling Chen.


    That¡¯s him!


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes brightened, finally having found you.

 Chapter 667 - 672 Wansheng Company

    <h4>Chapter 667: Chapter 672 Wansheng Company</h4>


    "Hey, Fatty, it¡¯s this guy. I leave the rest to you, help me find out where he¡¯s been."


    "OK, no problem!"


    After hanging up the phone, about ten minutester, Ling Chen¡¯s cellphone rang.


    "Found it, Building No. 113 on Fumin Road. I¡¯ve only collected this much information, you¡¯ll have to figure out the rest on your own."


    "Got it, thanks for the hard work."


    Having pinpointed the ces the man had visited, Ling Chen immediately headed to Fumin Road. Fumin Road wasn¡¯t far from that fruit supermarket; it figured that person wouldn¡¯t go too far to shop.


    Building No. 113 on Fumin Road.


    Ling Chen stood in front of the luxurious office building, looking up at the rooftop, a trace of bitterness showing on his face.


    Damn!


    This office building had at least eighty floors. He only knew that the man had entered this building, but he had no clue specific which floor. If he had to search from bottom to top, who knew how much time it would take?


    After thinking it over, Ling Chen decided to give Hu Fei a call. Since Hu Fei could ess the external surveince footage, presumably, the building¡¯s surveince wouldn¡¯t be a problem. However, after Ling Chen shared his thoughts, he received a helpless response from Hu Fei.


    "If it were anywhere else I wouldn¡¯t have an issue, but with that building, I really can¡¯t do anything."


    Hearing the helplessness in Hu Fei¡¯s tone, Ling Chen asked in confusion: "What happened?"


    "The building¡¯s security system is very advanced, with several firewalls. I had tried before you mentioned it, and I¡¯ve not even breached the first firewall before being detected. If I¡¯m not wrong, those responsible for the security of that building are hackers not inferior to me."


    A thought shed through Ling Chen¡¯s mind, such stringent defenses on this building, could it be an important asset of the God Organization?


    With that thought, Ling Chen said, "Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this now; I¡¯m going in to have a look."


    Putting away his phone, Ling Chen bought a pair of sunsses and a baseball cap on the roadside, covering his face. Once everything was ready, he walked towards the building.


    No choice, the God Organization knew all about him; if he didn¡¯t disguise himself, he might be discovered the moment he walked in.


    Entering the office building, the employees working there hurried about, each busy with their own tasks. In a corner of the lobby, there was a sign with the floor numbers indicated for eachpany.


    Ling Chen walked up to the sign and looked from top to bottom. Suddenly, his eyes were drawn to the name of one of thepanies.


    Wansheng Financial Co., Ltd.


    Found it!


    Looking at that name, Ling Chen thought silently, yet his face showed no joy; instead, his eyes grew more solemn.


    Not long ago, Ling Chen had asked Hu Fei to investigate the Ling Family¡¯s information in the south. In that information, the name Wansheng Company was prominently listed. ording to the records, Wansheng Company was a subsidiary of the Ling Family, spread across the country.


    If that person was an employee of Wansheng Company, that was enough to prove the close rtionship between the Ling Family and the God Organization.


    Seventy-third floor!


    Looking at the floor where Wansheng Company was located, Ling Chen went straight to the elevator. Entering it, and seeing the row of floor buttons, Ling Chen was just about to press seventy-three. However, after pressing, he realized the seventy-third floor and higher required a card to operate.


    It seems thispany¡¯s security is very well-managed.


    No choice, Ling Chen had to take the elevator to the seventy-second floor of the building.


    The elevator was not an option, but the emergency stairwell was.


    Following the stairwell, Ling Chen quickly reached the entrance corridor on the seventy-third floor.


    However, what frustrated Ling Chen was that the door to the stairwell was locked. Not only that, but the door on the seventy-third floor was unlike the others; it was made of a thick, heavy steel te. Unless he had a key to unlock it, any attempt to force it would only alert the adversaries.


    After pondering for a moment, Ling Chen decided to continue upward, not believing he wouldn¡¯t find a breakthrough.


    Yet, before he reached the seventy-fourth floor, Ling Chen cursed and retreated.


    Damn it!


    He inwardly cursed. There was a surveince camera installed on the stairs above; without Hu Fei¡¯s help, he couldn¡¯t possibly get past it.


    With both routes blocked, Ling Chen was stuck, unable to go further up or down, finding no way to enter.


    Such a headache!


    Ling Chen squatted in the stairwell, pondering his next move. Knowing thepany¡¯s security, sneaking in would not be easy.


    Storming in... as soon as this thought emerged, Ling Chen immediately dismissed it. It wasn¡¯t that he was scared, but he had reservations. If Lin Tong was also there, it would be tough to gain the upper hand, especially since all the strong liquor Du Kang had given him had already been used up.


    Just as Ling Chen was engrossed in strategizing, a harsh rm suddenly sounded from the other side of the security door.


    What¡¯s going on?


    Stunned, Ling Chen quickly stood up from the stairwell. As he was rising, before he could even react, he saw the security door in front of him being pushed open from the inside. Several men in suits rushed out quickly, followed by over twenty employees.


    Seeing these people suddenly appearing, Ling Chen was slightly taken aback and took a moment to grasp the situation. The men in suits were also stunned.


    However, after a brief pause, the men in suits quickly recovered, pulled out batons from their waists, and swung them at Ling Chen.


    "Scram!"


    With a shout, Ling Chen swept a kick, knocking down two of the men in suits instantly. Then, with a flick of his foot, like a tiger entering a flock of sheep, he quickly subdued the rest of the men in suits.


    After taking care of the security, Ling Chen nced at the employees who looked terrified and waved his hand, "Get lost quickly, don¡¯t get in the way here."


    Hearing this, the employees ran towards the stairwell as if they had been granted amnesty.


    Seizing the opportunity, Ling Chen passed through the security door and quickly entered Wansheng Company.


    As he entered, Ling Chen looked up and noticed several internal elevators within thepany. The outeryer of the elevators was transparent, clearly revealing the inside of the elevators.


    At that moment, in one of the elevators going up slowly, stood a person. Although the distance was quite far, Ling Chen still recognized her identity.


    Porridge girl!


    It was her.


    Ling Chen was greatly surprised. Since porridge girl had left a few days ago, he had lost all contact with her and didn¡¯t know where she had gone. Unexpectedly, she hade to this city and even found this ce.


    What was she doing here?


    With curiosity, Ling Chen waved at porridge girl inside the elevator and shouted her name loudly hoping to catch her attention.


    However, as her elevator rose higher and with the soundproof ss in the way, she couldn¡¯t hear Ling Chen¡¯s voice.


    Seeing porridge girl reach the top floor in the elevator, without a second thought, Ling Chen rushed towards another elevator.

 Chapter 668 - 673: The Disappearance of Ling Kun

    <h4>Chapter 668: Chapter 673: The Disappearance of Ling Kun</h4>


    Ling Chen had just stepped into the elevator when he heard a ¡¯bang¡¯ from above, sounding like ss being shattered.


    Then, apanied by a miserable scream, a man fell from high up and hit the ground hard, his brain matter bursting out, a sight too horrific to behold.


    It must have been the work of Porridge Girl!


    Worried about Porridge Girl¡¯s safety, Ling Chen quickly pressed the button for the top floor and hurried up in the elevator.


    Ding!


    The crisp ringtone sounded as the elevator doors slowly opened. Not waiting for the doors to fully open, an impatient Ling Chen squeezed through the gap, searching for Porridge Girl.


    Along the way, he saw several security personnel in suits lying on the ground. Not only that, through the suits worn by these security personnel, Ling Chen noticed they all wore exoskeleton armor. Unfortunately for them, they encountered Porridge Girl. No matter how strong the exoskeleton armor was, it was useless against a master from the Earthly List.


    Following the trail of the fallen security personnel, it didn¡¯t take Ling Chen long to locate Porridge Girl.


    At this moment, Porridge Girl had made her way to the office at the end of the corridor. Faintly, miserable screams could be hearding from inside.


    Ling Chen quickly approached the door, and before he even entered, he heard Porridge Girl¡¯s indifferent voice from inside: "Speak up, where is the person being held?"


    Huh?


    Ling Chen was taken aback, could it be that Porridge Girl was also looking for Qiu Yong and the others?


    As he pondered, an unfamiliar voice followed: "I... I really don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, miss, there must be some misunderstanding, we are a legitimatepany, we¡¯ve never done anything bad."


    "Hmph! Do you think I would believe your lies? If you are a legitimatepany, then why are your security personnel equipped with exoskeleton armor? Let me tell you, stop beating around the bush, if you dare to lie again, I¡¯ll immediately cripple this arm of yours."


    "This... I... Miss, who exactly are you looking for?"


    "Ling Kun!"


    Upon hearing this name, Ling Chen outside the door was stunned.


    Ling Kun, wasn¡¯t that his own father¡¯s name? So Porridge Girl came for him. But how did Porridge Girl know his father? And although he had known Porridge Girl for a long time, she had never mentioned this matter to him.


    "Miss, I really don¡¯t know any Ling Kun, even if you kill me it¡¯s useless, I¡¯m just the person in charge of Tianhai City, I don¡¯t know about anything else." The man pleaded bitterly.


    Porridge Girl coldly said: "Still trying to deceive me? I have already checked; more than ten days ago, Ling Kun was brought to Tianhai City by you guys, since you are the person in charge, how can you not be aware of this matter? It seems like you don¡¯t want this arm anymore."


    "No, no, I... I remember now. More than ten days ago, I received an order from above, saying that an important prisoner would be passing through Tianhai City and to provide full cooperation. When they arrived, I was just responsible for ensuring their safe amodation and supplies, other than that, I know nothing, they didn¡¯t even reveal the prisoner¡¯s identity to me. However, the team escorting the prisoner consisted of top figures from the organization, I think that prisoner is indeed the person you¡¯re looking for."


    "Where are they now?"


    "They left a long time ago, they only stayed in Tianhai City for three days."


    "Do you know where they went?"


    "How would I know that? However, they drove a container truck, heading south from Tianhai City. Miss, that¡¯s all I know, please spare me."


    Porridge Girl coldly spoke: "People from the God Organization deserve to die, and so do you."


    "Stop!"


    In the office, Porridge Girl was holding a stranger by the neck with one hand, and raising her other hand in a chopping motion, ready to strike the man¡¯s vital spot.


    However, at this critical moment, Ling Chen, who had been eavesdropping outside, finally made his appearance and stopped Porridge Girl¡¯s action.


    Seeing the suddenly appearing Ling Chen, Porridge Girl¡¯s expression stiffened, she asked in surprise, "You... how are you here?"


    Ling Chen walked straight up to her, pointing to the stranger, he said: "Let him go first, I have something to ask him."


    Seeing Ling Chen intervene, Porridge Girl reluctantlyplied, releasing the man¡¯s neck and shoving him to the ground.


    "I ask you, where is Lin Tongren?"


    "You mean Mr. Lin? I know this, he¡¯s in the underground parking lot." Pausing, the man continued: "This building¡¯s underground parking has three floors officially, but there¡¯s actually a fourth floor, that¡¯s our base."


    "Did you previously capture several people?"


    The man honestly replied, "Yes!"


    "Good." Ling Chen nodded, saying: "Considering your cooperation, I¡¯ll spare your life."


    Hearing this, Porridge Girl hurriedly said, "Lin..."


    However, before she could finish speaking, she saw Ling Chen¡¯s fist moving swiftly, striking the man¡¯s head. Apanied by a muffled groan, the man¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot instantly, and he fell to the ground unconscious.


    Looking at the man passed out, Ling Chen retracted his fist and said indifferently, "Sparing your life doesn¡¯t mean letting you go, spend the rest of your half-life lying in a bed, and don¡¯t do so much evil in your next life."


    With that said, Ling Chen turned his head, looking at Porridge Girl who was about to speak, and firmly said: "I think we need to have a serious talk."


    "Ling Chen, when... When did you get here?"


    Ling Chen said meaningfully: "When you mentioned the name ¡¯Ling Kun¡¯, since you know Ling Kun, you should know my rtionship with him. I don¡¯t have time to question you now, but after I sort this out, I hope you can give me a reasonable exnation."


    After finishing his words, without waiting for Porridge Girl to speak again, Ling Chen had already left the office.


    He retraced his steps back to the first floor of the building, and Ling Chen, along with Porridge Girl, took the elevator to the third floor of the underground parking lot.


    Looking at the parking lot filled with cars, Ling Chen followed the signs, filtering them one by one. In about five minutes, Ling Chen and Porridge Girl stood in front of a dusty Mercedes-Benz.


    Looking at the license te of the Mercedes-Benz, Ling Chen said, "This is the car the man just mentioned."


    Approaching the car door, Ling Chen swung a punch, directly shattering the car window, then unlocked the car door and bent down to crawl into the driver¡¯s seat.


    It didn¡¯t take much time for Ling Chen to find a button on the Mercedes-Benz¡¯s center console, which he lightly pressed with his fingertip.


    Instantly, a small keypad popped out from the top of the center console.


    After entering the password provided by the man, the Mercedes-Benz¡¯s four wheels immediately started moving, slowly backing away.


    As the Mercedes-Benz moved away from the parking spot, a steel te with a pull handle appeared on the ground.


    "I¡¯ll go in first."


    Porridge Girl took the initiative to speak.


    Ling Chen did not refuse her suggestion. Porridge Girl was stronger than him, and if there was danger below, she would be more capable of handling it.

 Chapter 669 - 674: Another Battle with Lin Tong

    <h4>Chapter 669: Chapter 674: Another Battle with Lin Tong</h4>


    Ling Chen single-handedly lifted the ring, opening the secret door on the ground. As soon as a one-meter-wide entrance was revealed, the porridge girl jumped in without a second thought. Roughly five secondster, the voice of the porridge girl came up from below.


    Confirming it was safe, Ling Chen immediately followed by leaping into the entrance. Below the entrance was a spacious corridor, at the end of which there was a door topped with a hidden miniature surveince camera. After a nce at the monitor, Ling Chen and the porridge girl walked to the door with no regard for the surveince, not even considering it an issue.


    It¡¯s not that they weren¡¯t concerned about exposing their tracks; rather, their movements had long been exposed, so there was no need to hide.


    Hu Fei had warned Ling Chen earlier that the building¡¯s security system was operated by top-notch hackers, so their actions on the top floor must have been known to the other party.


    Upon reaching the door, without Ling Chen doing anything, the door surprisingly opened automatically.


    Ling Chen pushed the door open and entered expressionlessly. Presumably, Lin Tong knew he couldn¡¯t stop them, so he let them through.


    As he passed through the door, Ling Chen immediately saw more than a dozen security personnel, and in the middle of the crowd stood Lin Tong.


    As Ling Chen and the porridge girl approached, Lin Tong said with a sardonic smile, "Ling Chen, you really surprise me. I didn¡¯t expect you to find this ce."


    "Cut the crap, where are they?"


    "Who?" As soon as Lin Tong finished speaking, he patted his forehead, pretending to have just realized, and said with a smile, "You mean them?"


    During the conversation, a light suddenly shone behind Lin Tong. Then, several figures hanging in mid-air appeared in Ling Chen¡¯s view.


    Looking up, a chilling coldness burst in Ling Chen¡¯s pupils.


    Those hanging in mid-air were none other than Qiu Yong and his group. Qiu Yong, Xu Ming, Zhang Zhongfeng, Xia Yue, Yang Chen, Wei Jiahao -- the six people were riddled with injuries, hands bound by ropes, suspended mid-air, each of them pale-faced and weak.


    At a nce, Ling Chen¡¯s heart sank, and he shouted coldly, "What about one more person, what have you done to him?"


    He was most concerned about whether the third brother Yuan Yun was safe; the rest was not seen among the group.


    "You mean that guy named Yuan Yun?" Lin Tong said carelessly, "He¡¯s a burden, so I took care of him."


    Upon hearing this, a towering rage burst from the bottom of Ling Chen¡¯s heart, his eyes seemed consumed by raging mes, tinted with a hint of blood-red.


    "You... killed him?" Ling Chen bit down on his teeth, word by word.


    "Killed him, so what?" Lin Tong lifted his head, his expression proudly, "The God Organization kills as it wishes. Ling Chen, if you¡¯re upset, feel free to seek revenge on me. Though, I doubt you have the capability."


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyebrows rose, and he clenched his steel fists, shouting angrily, "I¡¯ll kill you!"


    As the words left his mouth, Ling Chen¡¯s toes lightly touched the ground, instantly transforming into a blur, charging toward Lin Tong across from him. Seeing Ling Chen make his move, the porridge girl, fearing he might slip up, hurriedly followed, ready to back him up. After all, Lin Tong was a master from the Earthly List, far beyond Ling Chen¡¯s capability, and she had to be prepared.


    Ah!


    However, just as the two were about to confront Lin Tong up close, a scream suddenly came from behind Lin Tong.


    Ling Chen looked up and his face changed instantly, stopping in his tracks. At that moment, Yang Chen, who had been hanging in the air, suddenly plummeted down, crashing heavily to the ground, spewing blood from his mouth. Then the rope tied to his hands slowly retracted, hoisting Yang Chen¡¯s body up again.


    Lin Tong looked at Ling Chen smugly, "Ling Chen, you best not act recklessly; otherwise, they¡¯ll only suffer more unnecessary pain."


    Ling Chen¡¯s face was cold as he gritted his teeth and asked, "What exactly do you want?"


    Lin Tong turned around and pointed at Qiu Yong, who was suspended in mid-air, and said, "Actually, what I want is very simple. As long as he tells me the things I want to know, I can let you all go immediately."


    "Don¡¯t even think about it!" Qiu Yong said coldly: "Ling Cheng, don¡¯t worry about us, take your friends and leave first. Even in death, we won¡¯t say another word."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen felt uneasy. What exactly did Qiu Yong and the others know to attract such attention from the God Organization?


    While pondering, porridge girl gently tugged at the corner of Ling Chen¡¯s clothes.


    Ling Chen turned his head and looked at porridge girl with a questioning look in his eyes, not understanding what she was trying to convey.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s gaze, porridge girl motioned with her mouth towards the security personnel on both sides, then subtly pointed towards the wall on the left.


    Ling Chen looked intently and immediately grasped porridge girl¡¯s meaning. There was a distribution box mounted on the left wall, and if they could damage it, everyone would be plunged into darkness. This would be the best opportunity to make a move. However, they would have only a very brief window of time.


    Ling Chen had noticed that emergency lights were installed all around, which would turn on as soon as the power went out. He estimated that he and porridge girl would have at most five seconds.


    "Go!"


    With a light exhtion, Ling Chen did not hesitate to pounce towards the security personnel on both sides. At the same time, porridge girl grabbed the nearest object and hurled it directly at the distribution box.


    Bang!


    As the distribution box was smashed, a burst of electric light immediately emitted from inside the box.


    In an instant, the surroundings plummeted into darkness.


    Before Lin Tong could react, a series of screams rose and fell around them.


    One second... Two seconds... Three seconds...


    In the pitch-ck environment, it wasn¡¯t until the fourth second that the emergency lights finally turned on, providing a glimmer of light to everyone.


    Only then did Lin Tong realize that the dozen or so security personnel by his side had already fallen to the ground, unconscious, while Ling Chen and porridge girl had disappeared without a trace.


    "Big brother, be careful!"


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s voice, Lin Tong quickly turned to look behind him, and suddenly saw Ling Chen and porridge girl rescuing Qiu Yong and the others.


    With a swoosh, a sharp dagger cut through the ropes, and the suspended Qiu Yong immediately fell down. Ling Chen reached out with both hands, steadily catching Qiu Yong¡¯s body, and then ced him on the ground.


    In the blink of an eye, Xia Yue and Xu Ming were sessively rescued, leaving only Zhang Zhongfeng, Yang Chen, and Wei Jiahao still hanging by the ropes.


    "Don¡¯t even dream of saving people from my grasp!"


    Lin Tong¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, and with a light shout, he rushed towards Ling Chen trying to intervene. However, porridge girl had been watching his movements. Seeing him charging forward, porridge girl immediately stepped up, blocking Lin Tong¡¯s path.


    "Ling Chen, you go save them, I¡¯ll deal with him."

 Chapter 670 - 675: Mysterious Opponent (1)

    <h4>Chapter 670: Chapter 675: Mysterious Opponent (1)</h4>


    Seeing porridge girl blocking the way, Lin Tong¡¯s expression slightly changed. He was very aware of porridge girl¡¯s strength. Although both of them were ranked high on the Earthly List, porridge girl was much more formidable than him. In a one-on-one situation, he had no confidence in defeating porridge girl.


    Seeing Lin Tong steadily retreating, porridge girl opened her mouth and said, "What, don¡¯t dare to make a move?"


    Lin Tong snorted lightly, "I admit I am not your opponent, but don¡¯t get too arrogant. Just because I can¡¯t defeat you doesn¡¯t mean nobody else can." As soon as his words fell, a metallic friction sound suddenly came from around, as if an iron cage had been opened.


    Just when porridge girl was observing her surroundings, a sudden gust of wind approached from behind. As an Earthly List expert, porridge girl¡¯s reaction was very quick. Sensing the gust, she immediately turned around and struck a palm backwards.


    But her palm hit nothing, nothing was struck. Focusing her gaze, porridge girl discovered there was no one behind her.


    Such speedy maneuvers!


    After experiencing the opponent¡¯s maneuvers, a trace of seriousness shed through porridge girl¡¯s beautiful eyes. She was certain that someone had appeared behind her just now, but in less than a second, that person had vanished from in front of her.


    Could this strength be...maybe from one of the top five masters of the Earthly List?


    Thinking of this, porridge girl couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit worried. She knew her own abilities well. Though she was slightly stronger than Lin Tong, her strength was at most ranked sixth on the Earthly List, not high enough to enter the top five. Just like the Dragon List, the fifth spot on the Earthly List was a watershed. Once crossed, it was a different realm.


    At this moment, porridge girl only heard the whistling of wind beside her ears, but her eyes could not lock onto the target at all.


    There was no way; the opponent was simply too fast, eyes alone could not keep up with them.


    "Rescue aplished, let¡¯s go!"


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s voice from beside her, porridge girl nodded and was ready to rush out, paving the way for Ling Chen.


    However, just at that moment, a fierce gust of wind struck head-on, instantly closing in on porridge girl.


    Sensing the sudden crisis, porridge girl¡¯s pupils shrank and she stepped back, raising both palms with Inner Strength infused, pushing swiftly forward.


    "Be careful, that person has a knife."


    Suddenly, Yang Chen next to Ling Chen shouted.


    Hearing Yang Chen¡¯s warning, porridge girl¡¯s face changed slightly and she immediately withdrew her palms. Using this opportunity, her gaze swept around, and a cold and harsh glint abruptly met her eyes.


    Indeed!


    porridge girl breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for Yang Chen¡¯s timely reminder, otherwise, her palm strike would surely have hit that curved de. Even with her strong abilities, her flesh and blood body couldn¡¯t sh with a knife, especially since she did not practice Cross Training in Hard Qi Gong.


    Missing with the knife swing, the person did not hesitate at all, quickly withdrawing and continued to move around the group, seeking an opportunity to attack.


    "You all go first; I¡¯ll cover the back."


    As porridge girl¡¯s voice rang out, Ling Chen turned his head towards Qiu Yong, preparing to lead everyone away, but Qiu Yong shook his head and said, "Third brother has not been found yet, we must rescue him."


    Third brother?


    Ling Chen was shocked; he thought that Yuan Yun had been killed by Lin Tong.


    "Big brother, where is third brother?"


    "He should still be here. He was severely injured earlier. After Lin Tong brought us here, he passed out, and I don¡¯t know where Lin Tong has ced him."


    "Alright, you all wait here; I¡¯ll go look for him."


    "Be careful."


    Ling Chen nodded and turned around to walk towards the back. Not far behind him was a door leading to the rear of the stronghold where Yuan Yun was likely abandoned. Passing through the door, Ling Chen surveyed the surroundings, searching for Yuan Yun¡¯s whereabouts while staying alert for danger.


    To save time, Ling Chen walked swiftly, and soon, he reached the deepest part of the stronghold.


    Huh?


    At that moment, Ling Chen¡¯s sharp eyes were drawn to some traces of blood on the ground.


    Following the trail of blood, Ling Chen quickly found a tightly closed door. He kicked the door open and a strong smell of blood immediately hit his nostrils. Ling Chen nced at the dark environment inside the room and reached out to flip the light switch on the wall.


    As the room lit up, piles of debris immediately came into view around him.


    In those piles, therey a person covered in blood, motionless. Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed slightly, and he hurried over to lift the person up from the ground.


    Indeed, it was Yuan Yun!


    "Brother... Brother!" Ling Chen called out loudly to Yuan Yun, but Yuan Yun didn¡¯t respond at all, as if he were dead.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen quickly checked Yuan Yun¡¯s breathing. Thankfully, he was still breathing, albeit very weakly, barely hanging on. Without immediate medical treatment, Yuan Yun¡¯s life was at risk.


    Without a second to lose, Ling Chen quickly picked up Yuan Yun and hurried out of the room. However, just a few steps out, Ling Chen caught a glimpse of a few items discarded in the corner of the debris room from the corner of his eye.


    A minute passed.


    "Big brother, I¡¯ve found Brother Three."


    Seeing Ling Chen holding Yuan Yun and rushing towards them from behind, Qiu Yong and the others breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Big brother, these were in there," said Ling Chen as he handed over several weapons. These were the personal weapons of Zhang Zhongfeng, Xia Yue, Yuan Yun, and others, clearly confiscated when they were captured and thrown into the debris room. Fortunately, he had spotted them just in time.


    Taking the weapons from Ling Chen, Qiu Yong turned to porridge girl and said solemnly, "Ling Cheng, things don¡¯t look good; your friend seems to be no match for that person."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen immediately turned his gaze towards porridge girl.


    At that moment, porridge girl had a clear wound on her left arm from which blood was profusely flowing, staining her sleeve red.


    That someone could injure porridge girl suggested that this person was extraordinarily skilled.


    "Huh... Where¡¯s Lin Tong?" Ling Chen suddenly noticed that Lin Tong was nowhere to be seen.


    "I haven¡¯t seen him; he probably ran away," replied Qiu Yong.


    Better that he¡¯s gone!


    Ling Chen thought to himself that if there were one more Lin Tong, things could get even moreplicated.


    "Big brother, you all take care of Brother Three for now; I¡¯m going to help porridge girl."


    Qiu Yong tossed the steel knife that Yuan Yun used and said, "Take this; you might need it."


    With the steel knife in hand, Ling Chen felt more confident. He quickened his pace to reach porridge girl and asked with concern, "Are you alright?"


    "Just a minor injury, it¡¯s nothing," she paused before adding, "Be careful, that person¡¯s speed is incredibly fast, I¡¯ve never seen anyone able to move at that level before."


    "Could it be a Heavenly List master?"


    "No. If it were a Heavenly List master, they wouldn¡¯t need to resort to such tactics; they would have killed us straight away."

 Chapter 671 - 676: Mysterious Opponent (2)

    <h4>Chapter 671: Chapter 676: Mysterious Opponent (2)</h4>


    "Ling Cheng, to the left."


    Upon hearing Yang Chen¡¯s reminder, Ling Chen didn¡¯t think, he just shed to the left. In an instant, a gust of wind swept by, as though nothing had ever been there, leaving not a single trace.


    So fast!


    Having experienced the opponent¡¯s speed firsthand, Ling Chen suddenly felt a ridiculous sensation; he thought his opponent didn¡¯t seem human. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be possible for a human to have such speed, unless the opponent had surpassed human limits, but that was almost impossible.


    Moreover, under the surrounding emergency lights, both he and porridge girl couldn¡¯t even see what the opponent looked like, which was incredibly unbelievable.


    In thought, Zhang Zhongfeng observed the surroundings and then pulled an arrow from his quiver, cing it on the bowstring.


    Whizz!


    The arrow flew through the air, instantly destroying an emergency light.


    Seeing Zhang Zhongfeng¡¯s action, Ling Chen immediately understood his intention. The person¡¯s speed was too fast; under the illumination of the surrounding lights, they were nothing but living targets for the opponent to aim at. Thus, plunging everyone into darkness was the only way to have a chance to deal with the foe.


    Following Zhang Zhongfeng shooting out all the surrounding emergency lights, darkness enveloped the area, and the sound of the person moving could be heard.


    In the pitch-ck environment, Ling Chen held his steel knife, closed his eyes, and listened carefully to the sounds around him. Having Yang Chen on their side undoubtedly gave them an advantage.


    "Ling Cheng, be careful, that person has circled behind us."


    Hearing Yang Chen¡¯s voice, Ling Chen and porridge girl quickly moved closer to Qiu Yong and the others.


    This person was quite cunning, knowing that porridge girl was highly skilled and with Ling Chen helping, hence he avoided attacking directly and instead started targeting Yang Chen and the others. Although Qiu Yong and his team were strong, they were all injured and not as formidable as before, easily exposing ws. Once targeted by that person, it could spell trouble.


    "Left."


    Upon Yang Chen¡¯s warning, the sound of slicing air immediately followed. Zhang Zhongfeng reacted swiftly, drawing and shooting his bow the moment he heard the warning.


    This kind of blind shooting, only a master could achieve with ease, was a piece of cake for Zhang Zhongfeng.


    ng!


    As the arrow was shot, a clear ringing sound immediately entered everyone¡¯s ears. Followed by a ¡¯bang¡¯, it seemed like something had hit the wall. Locking onto the direction from which the sound emanated, Ling Chen and porridge girl didn¡¯t hesitate and quickly pursued.


    However, by the time they arrived, they didn¡¯t find anyone. The person¡¯s reaction was very quick; they had already fled.


    "Ling Chen, look."


    Porridge girl pointed at the wall, indicating.


    Ling Chen nced over and noticed a fresh trace of blood on the wall surface. The bloodstain was fresh, likely left just moments ago ¨C it seemed Zhang Zhongfeng¡¯s arrow had hit the person, but it was unknown which part was hit or how severe the injury was.


    ng!


    As they retreated, Ling Chen¡¯s foot seemed to have hit a metal object, emitting a crisp sound. Bending down, Ling Chen picked up the item by his feet, discovering it to be a curved knife.


    "This must be the weapon the person was using just now."


    Hearing porridge girl¡¯s words, Ling Chen nodded. The curved knife had a clear mark on its surface, presumably caused by the arrow hit.


    Now that the person had lost their weapon and was injured, the situation was increasingly favorable for them.


    Back with the group, Ling Chen scanned the surroundings and said, "Let¡¯s go, that person won¡¯t dare to strike again."


    With that, the group cautiously moved towards the exit.


    As expected, the injured person did not appear again, and it was unknown where they had escaped to.


    Passing through the door they had entered earlier, Ling Chen finally led Qiu Yong and the others away from God Organization¡¯s stronghold.


    Back the same way, it was not long before everyone returned to the underground parking lot.


    "Ling Chen, what about this secret base?"


    "Forget about it." Ling Chen said, "I will call my friendster, and let them handle this ce." After saying that, Ling Chen looked at the dying Yuan Yun and said in a deep voice, "Right now, the most important thing is Sange¡¯s life. Let¡¯s go, I called a friend who is good at medicine, and he is waiting for us in Jinhaishi."


    "Okay."


    In order to save time, Ling Chen directly stole a van in the parking lot and then took everyone to the hotel where Zhu Xiaozhu was staying.


    When they reached the hotel, Ling Chen saw two policemen escorting Zhu Xiaozhu out of the hotel and into a police car, which then drove onto the road.


    Seeing this scene, Ling Chen was stunned.


    What¡¯s going on?


    Zhu Xiaozhu was actually taken away by the police.


    "Ling Chen, wasn¡¯t that your friend just now?" porridge girl asked.


    Ling Chen nodded, then started the car and chased after the police car.


    Seeing Ling Chen driving up in front of the police car, blocking its path, porridge girl couldn¡¯t help asking, "What are you trying to do?"


    "Sange¡¯s injuries cannot be dyed; we must get him treated immediately."


    "You want to snatch people?"


    "What else do you think we can do? Do you have any other ideas?"


    Porridge girl responded helplessly, "Don¡¯t you have friends in the government? Just have them make a call. Why be so reckless? Don¡¯t create more troubleter."


    Ling Chen thought about it and felt that porridge girl¡¯s suggestion made sense. If he really tried to snatch people, even if there was no crime, it could turn into having one.


    The call was connected, and after Ling Chen exined the situation to Tang Yuan, thetter agreed immediately without any hesitation.


    In less than five minutes, the police car behind them stopped. Subsequently, a policeman got out with Zhu Xiaozhu and walked her to the front of the van driven by Ling Chen.


    "Are you Mr. Ling?"


    "Yes, I am."


    "Hello, Mr. Ling, I was instructed from above to hand the prisoner over to you."


    "Thank you!"


    Ling Chen, without much idle talk, immediately opened the car door and let Zhu Xiaozhu get in.


    "Xiaozhu, this is my Sange, his injuries are severe, please check him quickly," Ling Chen urged anxiously.


    Zhu Xiaozhu nodded gently, then checked Yuan Yun¡¯s pulse.


    Seeing Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s slightly furrowed brow, Ling Chen, unable to contain his anxiety, asked, "How is my Sange¡¯s condition?"


    "It¡¯s not good. His injuries are severe, and he has missed the best time for treatment. Honestly, if it wasn¡¯t for his physique being much stronger than an average person, with his injuries, he would¡¯ve been dead by now; surviving this long is already quite remarkable."


    Qiu Yong spoke solemnly, "Is there still a way to treat him?"


    "At this point, I can¡¯t do anything, and even if we search the whole world for doctors, there is no guarantee they could save him, but... I do have an idea that might be worth trying."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen quickly asked, "What idea? Tell us, no matter how difficult, we will find a way to solve it."


    Zhu Xiaozhu looked up at Ling Chen, hesitated for a while, then with light lips parted, she uttered four words: "God Organization!"

 Chapter 672 - 677: Method of Saving Lives

    <h4>Chapter 672: Chapter 677: Method of Saving Lives</h4>


    "God Organization?" Ling Chen and Qiu Yong looked at each other, their faces showing a hint of surprise. They had thought Zhu Xiaozhu would have some good methods, but her idea turned out to involve the God Organization. Could the God Organization save Yuan Yun?


    "Xiaozhu, exin clearly, what does this have to do with the God Organization?"


    "The strengthening drug developed by the God Organization contains a special ingredient, which is also the key to sessfully making the drug. If we can obtain that ingredient, we can create a special medicine that will enhance your third brother¡¯s vital signs and then proceed with treatment."


    Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief and said with a slight smile, "That¡¯s simple enough. I¡¯ve confiscated a lot of the strengthening drugs developed by the God Organization before. We just need to separate that ingredient from the drugs."


    Zhu Xiaozhu shook her head and said, "It¡¯s not that simple. Once the ingredient is made into the strengthening drug, itpletely merges with the otherponents and is very difficult to separate. Moreover, even if you can separate it, the amount is very limited and won¡¯t be enough for your third brother¡¯s needs. It would be best to find that ingredient on its own."


    Hearing this, everyone fell into silence.


    Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s words struck like a bolt from the blue, severely impacting everyone¡¯s hearts. Yuan Yun¡¯s life was hanging by a thread; where would they have the time to search for that drug ingredient? By the time they found it, Yuan Yun would probably be long gone.


    Seemingly sensing the helplessness and sorrow in everyone¡¯s eyes, Zhu Xiaozhu spoke, "Everyone, don¡¯t despair just yet; it¡¯s not time for that. His condition is indeed very dangerous, but with my medical skills, I can barely keep him alive for two or three days. However, remember, if there¡¯s no progress within three days, then there truly is no hope for him."


    Three days!


    A me of hope ignited in Ling Chen¡¯s heart.


    Three days, though not much, was a rare opportunity.


    "Alright, give us three days¡¯ time; no matter the cost, we¡¯ll find what you¡¯re asking for," Qiu Yong dered decisively.


    Zhu Xiaozhu nodded slightly and said to Ling Chen, "Take us to Jinhai City People¡¯s Hospital. I know people there. We¡¯ll take your third brother there to stay for a few days. I also need to use their medical equipment to keep him alive."


    "Sure."


    Ling Chen agreed and immediately drove the van towards the hospital.


    On the way, Ling Chen chatted idly with Zhu Xiaozhu and only then did he understand why she was taken away by the police. When they previously went to Qiu Yong¡¯s residence, a body was found there. Later, after the police arrived and conducted their investigation, they eventually locked onto the two of them as suspects.


    No choice about it, as they were thest to leave the room. Because Zhu Xiaozhu had used her ID to check into another hotel, the police quickly came knocking. It was also fortunate that Ling Chen arrived in time and asked Tang Yuan for help, or Zhu Xiaozhu would have been taken away. Otherwise, it would have been troublesome.


    ...


    Two hourster, after Zhu Xiaozhu had settled Yuan Yun, Ling Chen stepped out of the ward only to see Qiu Yong and the others huddled together, discussing something.


    "Big brother, what are you guys discussing?" Ling Chen asked.


    Qiu Yong nced at Ling Chen and said, "Ling Cheng, you, Xia Yue, Ling Kun, and Lin Tong stay at the hospital to look after third brother. Although we¡¯ve escaped, we can¡¯t guarantee that Hu Fei won¡¯te looking, so you guys stay here to protect him. The three of us will try to find the thing Miss Zhu asked for."


    "No!" Ling Chen shook his head, saying earnestly, "They can stay, but I must go with you. I¡¯m more familiar with the God Organization than you are, and besides, do you know where to find that drug ingredient?"


    "This..." Qiu Yong, Xu Ming, and Zhang Zhongfeng looked at each other, none able to provide an answer.


    "Big brother, we only have three days, we can¡¯t just blindly rely on luck."


    "Alright." Qiu Yong nodded, "Since you have a way, then youe with us. The others will stay at the hospital."


    Xia Yue advised with concern, "Big brother, be careful. I know you all want to save third brother, but if we lose anyone else because of this, I don¡¯t think third brother would be happy even if he were saved."


    "I know that. Let¡¯s not dy any longer; let¡¯s get going."


    However, just as Ling Chen was about to leave, he suddenly realized something¡ªthe porridge girl was missing. She was with them just nowing to the hospital, but in the blink of an eye, she was gone?


    After asking Xia Yue and the others, everyone indicated they hadn¡¯t seen the porridge girl. After arriving at the hospital, everyone was preupied with Yuan Yun and hadn¡¯t paid attention to the porridge girl.


    Sigh!


    Ling Chen sighed helplessly. That woman was really... he didn¡¯t even know how to describe her. She should at least say goodbye before she leaves, alwaysing and going without a trace, truly disconcerting.


    Thinking it over, Ling Chen guessed that the porridge girl probably avoided them because she feared being asked about Ling Kun.


    Forget it! Yuan Yun¡¯s issue was more important. He¡¯ll find the porridge girl and ask for rification next time.


    Leaving the hospital, Ling Chen and the others got back into the van.


    "Ling Cheng, you¡¯re the most familiar with the God Organization, where do you think we should look?"


    Hearing Zhang Zhongfeng¡¯s question, Ling Chen replied, "Only the God Organization¡¯s research facilities would store that drug ingredient; those outposts are unlikely to have it, so our search is much narrowed down."


    After saying that, Ling Chen took out his phone and called Hu Fei. After giving instructions, Ling Chen drove the car to the opposite side of the road, towards a caf¨¦, and then led Qiu Yong and the others inside.


    Sitting in a booth, Ling Chen ordered four cups of coffee from the waitress and started fiddling with his phone, staying silent.


    "Ling Cheng," an impatient Qiu Yong couldn¡¯t help asking, "Isn¡¯t it that we¡¯re supposed to look for the God Organization¡¯s research facilities? What are we doing here? Don¡¯t forget, we only have three days, we can¡¯t afford to waste them."


    "Big brother, rest assured, I know what I¡¯m doing, I won¡¯t dy serious matters. The research facilities established by the God Organization in Huaxia are very covert; blindly searching will only waste time and energy. I¡¯ve already exined everything to Hu Fei, he knows what to do. Believe me, it won¡¯t take long before we get urate information."


    Seeing Ling Chen looking very confident, Qiu Yong and the others had to suppress their curiosity and anxiety, waiting patiently.


    After finishing a cup of coffee, Ling Chen put down his phone and looked across the booth at Qiu Yong, asking, "Big brother, there¡¯s something I forgot to ask you."


    "What is it?"


    "Thest time we spoke on the phone, you told me that you were dealing with some personal affairs. Since it was a personal matter, how did you get involved with the God Organization?"


    Qiu Yong gave a wry smile and said, "It¡¯s a long story."

 Chapter 673 - 678: The Reason

    <h4>Chapter 673: Chapter 678: The Reason</h4>


    "Our trip to Jinhai City this time is mainly to deal with your third brother¡¯s personal affairs. Your third brother has a friend in Jinhai City, also an old friend of many years. Aside from us brothers and sisters, he is his only friend. Some time ago, his friend called him, saying he had run into a bit of trouble and was hoping your third brother could help him out. At the time, your third brother agreed without hesitation. Originally, he wanted toe to Jinhai City alone to handle the trouble, but we were all idle at the time, so we might as well apany him over. Who knew..."


    At this point, Qiu Yong sighed lightly.


    Xu Ming continued, "Your third brother¡¯s friend is called Tian Lang, who is also over forty years old. He learned martial arts in the past, which is why he became acquainted with your third brother. However, after getting married and having children, he neglected his martial arts and lived the life of an ordinary person. I¡¯ve heard your third brother mention Tian Lang before; he¡¯s a good man who values personal loyalty. Aftering to Jinhai City, due to his extraordinary skills, he was spotted by apany and became a highly-paid security personnel, specifically responsible for protecting an important figure, traveling everywhere on business trips."


    "You might not believe it, but that important figure is actually a high-ranking member of the God Organization; the corporate executive role is just his cover identity. Because of your third brother, Tian Lang had some understanding of the God Organization. On one asion, Tian Lang overheard the conversation between that high-ranking official and others, which involved a lot of confidential information about the God Organization. Amongst that information, there was a piece that was particrly critical, rted to thetest research experiment of the God Organization."


    Could it be... gic mutation?


    Ling Chen was startled and hurriedly asked, "Second brother, what¡¯s the rtion?"


    "The God Organization has made a breakthrough in theirtest research, and all the rted materials are stored in a USB drive by that high-ranking official. Tian Lang, a martial artist, knows how to discern right from wrong. He was clear that the information was very important. Thus, he took the chance when the high-ranking official was unguarded and secretly stole the USB drive. Unfortunately, less than half an hour after his departure, the theft was discovered. The God Organization sent people everywhere to find his whereabouts, determined to take back the USB drive from him."


    "Tian Lang has his own family in Jinhai City. To avoid involving his wife and children, he fled with his family. It was at that time he contacted your third brother, seeking help. However, by the time we arrived in Jinhai City, Tian Lang had already suffered several attacks. Not only was he badly wounded himself, but his wife and children also met with tragedy. When we found Tian Lang hiding, he was already at death¡¯s door. Despite his severe injuries, the death of his family hit him the hardest, leaving him no desire to live on. Just before he passed, Tian Lang spent a few minutes alone with your third brother, taking hisst breath. Besides your third brother, no one knows where he hid the USB drive. Originally, we intended to retrieve the USB drive and then call you to hand over the information to you. However, before we had the chance to retrieve it, we were discovered by members of the God Organization, led by Lin Tong and that mysterious expert."


    With the end of the exnation, Zhang Zhongfeng said, "With our collective strength as brothers, even with the Earthly List experts, we wouldn¡¯t fear them. But they had too many people and resorted to a lot of despicable means, making them hard to guard against. Because of this, our third brother was seriously injured in the fight and almost lost his life. At that time, we forcibly broke through with our third brother, shaking off the pursuers, and temporarily settled in that hotel. Due to the severity of our third brother¡¯s injuries, our eldest brother called you for help, urging you to rush to Jinhai City as soon as possible."


    "However, not long after our eldest brother made the call, our location was exposed. Knowing it would be difficult to prevail by force, they used a kind of colorless and odorless knockout drug in the drinking water served by the hotel staff, as well as in the venttion ducts of the room. It was our own carelessness, coupled with extreme fatigue at the time, that prevented us from noticing. By the time we realized, it was toote, we had no strength to resist the people from the God Organization, and were ultimately captured by them. Lin Tong kept pressing us about the whereabouts of the USB drive, but aside from our third brother himself, we had no idea where it was. If you hadn¡¯t arrived in time, we would have likely never seen daylight again."


    After listening to the ount of Qiu Yong and the others, Ling Chen nodded his head, gaining a general understanding of the situation. If he could get his hands on the confidential information in that USB drive rted to thetest research by the God Organization, it might be of great help to Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun¡¯s recovery.


    At that thought, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes suddenly became determined.


    No matter what, Yuan Yun¡¯s life must be saved.


    In the midst of his thoughts, the phone on the table suddenly rang. Ling Chen nced at it, saw it was Hu Fei calling, and immediately answered, "Fatty, how¡¯s it going? Did you find anything?"


    "You wouldn¡¯t believe it, but following your method, I really found a few ces. I just checked, and the research base closest to Jinhai City is in Zhongyang City, north of Jinhai City. By ne, it would take at most two hours to get there."


    "Alright, I got it. Send me the exact location in a bit."


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen looked up at Qiu Yong and the others, and smiled faintly, "Eldest brother, found it."


    "Where?"


    "Zhongyang City, I¡¯ll get the ne ready immediately."


    Previously, Ling Chen arrived in Jinhai City on a private jet from Hongyu Group with Zhu Xiaozhu. That jet was currently on standby at the airport, which could save a lot of time.


    After making a call to get the ne ready for flight, Ling Chen drove the van straight towards the airport.


    Upon arrival, after less than half an hour¡¯s wait, the ne obtained control tower clearance and took off for Zhonghai City.


    Zhonghai City is more than eight hundred kilometers away from Jinhai City, and the ne is the most effective and convenient means of transportation. After nearly two hours of flight, the ne finallynded at the airport in Zhonghai City.


    Before disembarking, Ling Chen greeted the pilots and told them to stay on the ne and on standby. As soon as they found the medicine ingredients needed by Zhu Xiaozhu, they would immediately start the journey back to Jinhai City.


    It was now after nine o¡¯clock in the evening.


    The spacious streets were bustling with traffic, and the night scene was dazzling, a spectacle of prosperity and excitement.


    "Ling Cheng, where are we heading now?" Qiu Yong asked.


    "Wait a moment, let me check."


    Saying that, Ling Chen picked up his phone to check the address Hu Fei had sent. Then, he hailed a taxi on the roadside and got in with Qiu Yong and the others.


    "Master, please go to Beijiang Road."


    "Okay!"


    The taxi driver nodded, and without another word, started the car and headed toward the destination.

 Chapter 674 - 679 Zhongyang City

    <h4>Chapter 674: Chapter 679 Zhongyang City</h4>


    Zhongyang City.


    This is a first-tier city. Although not as bustling as East Sea City, it is one of the top metropolises in the nation, easily ranking within the top five. Sitting in the taxi, Qiu Yong looked at Ling Chen in the passenger seat and asked, "Ling Cheng, how did you know that the God Organization¡¯s research base was in Zhongyang City?"


    Ling Chen smiled slightly and exined, "Actually, it¡¯s quite simple. If it were before, I really wouldn¡¯t have any way to know, but now it¡¯s different. At least now we know that the God Organization has significant ties with the southern Ling Family. Therefore, we just need to investigate the industries of the Ling Family and then randomly check ording to the type of industries. By doing so, we can easily pinpoint the location of the research base."


    During the conversation, the taxi slowly stopped at the roadside.


    "Everyone, we¡¯ve arrived!"


    "Thanks, driver." Ling Chen paid the fare and led Qiu Yong and the other two to a building nearby.


    Qiu Yong examined the building in front of them and asked, "Ling Chen, is this the ce?"


    Ling Chen nodded and answered, "This building is a research institute owned by the Ling Family, dedicated to developing chemical drugs for the family¡¯s factories. It¡¯s an official research institute. However, that¡¯s just the public im. In reality, it is a secret research base for the God Organization."


    Zhang Zhongfeng curiously asked, "How are you so sure that this ce is a secret research base for the God Organization?"


    Ling Chen confidently smiled and said, "I had Hu Fei check¡ªthe purchase list of this research institute includes many items that aren¡¯t rted to chemical products. Moreover, the institute publicly ims to have over twenty research staff, yet the amount of food they purchase daily is enough for sixty to seventy people, which is definitely abnormal."


    Upon hearing this, Qiu Yong and hispanions instantly understood.


    "It¡¯s quitete; there probably aren¡¯t many people working inside the research institute right now. It¡¯s the best time to make a move," Qiu Yong said. Then looking at Zhang Zhongfeng, he added, "Fourth Brother, find a high spot when we get inside and block the enemy, and cover our retreat."


    "Understood."


    "Second Brother, Sixth Brother."


    "Big Brother, yourmand."


    "In a moment, the two of you find the drug ingredients Miss Zhu wants, and I¡¯ll distract the enemy. You guys need to move quickly and try to resolve this within half an hour."


    Xu Ming and Ling Chen responded in unison, "Okay."


    After everything was ready, the four of them climbed over the fence outside the research institute and entered the spacious courtyard.


    On one side of the courtyard was a sturdy gate. Next to the gate was an electronic keypad on the wall. Ling Chen looked at it for a moment and quickly approached the device, immediately ripping off the cover with his hands.


    Looking at the red and blue wires inside, Ling Chen quickly picked up a red wire and connected it to a blue one. The moment the two wires touched, a sh of electric light sparkled. Fortunately, Ling Chen reacted promptly and let go, preventing an electric shock.


    As the keypad was disabled, the tightly shut gates slowly moved apart, revealing a spacious entrance.


    Without hesitation, Zhang Zhongfeng drew his bow and arrow, quickly stepping in to inspect the area behind the gate to guard against any enemies.


    "Clear!"


    Upon hearing Zhang Zhongfeng¡¯s voice from inside, Ling Chen and the others immediately entered.


    They moved through the gate and, aided by the dim lighting, Ling Chen observed the surroundings, noting the empty corridors on either side, devoid of anyone.


    Strange!


    Why is there not even a single security personnel here? Ling Chen frowned internally. Hu Fei had told him that this research institute was always operational and wasn¡¯t ever abandoned. If that was the case, why was it empty?


    "Big Brother, be careful, this ce feels a bit odd."


    Qiu Yong nodded, his voice grave, "I also sensed something amiss." He then gestured, and Xu Ming followed him, heading toward the corridor ahead.


    Ling Chen followed behind with Zhang Zhongfeng covering the rear.


    The four walked over twenty meters, seeing through the transparent ss various machines and equipment. Suddenly, Ling Chen stopped in his tracks, staring at a piece of equipment behind the ss, his eyebrows deeply furrowed.


    Seeing Ling Chen standing still, Zhang Zhongfeng inquired, "Ling Cheng, what¡¯s wrong?"


    Ling Chen pointed at the instruments and the iron bed behind the ss, pausing between words, "I¡¯ve seen this ce."


    "Seen it?" Qiu Yong and Xu Ming turned their heads, looking at Ling Chen, "Ling Cheng, have you been here before?"


    Ling Chen shook his head and said, "I haven¡¯t been here, but I saw this ce in an image."


    Originally, when he was in Lin Jiawei¡¯s manor, Lin Jiawei had shown him Xia Mutong¡¯s situation through a tablet using remote video. This ce was exactly where Xia Mutong had stayed in the video.


    This indicated that Xia Mutong was definitely brought here, and the experimentspleted at this research institute took ce.


    Calcting the time, this research base was still operational within half a month, but now it¡¯s empty, which is really baffling.


    "Ling Cheng, there¡¯s a door over there. Let¡¯s go check it out."


    Hearing Xu Ming¡¯s voice, Ling Chen nodded and quickly walked towards the ss door nearby.


    As he opened the door, Ling Chen hadn¡¯t even stepped in when he suddenly stepped back, his expression turning somewhat grim. Noticing his unusual behavior, Qiu Yong quickly asked, "Ling Cheng, what¡¯s going on?"


    Ling Chen pointed at the ss door, his brows furrowed, "People have died here, and many of them."


    Hearing this, Qiu Yong and the others exchanged nces, a hint of shock in their eyes.


    Standing at the doorway, smelling the stench of decay emanating from behind the ss door, Qiu Yong nodded, "This strong decay smell, the people inside must have been dead for at least half a month."


    "Let¡¯s go in and take a look."


    "Be careful."


    Entering theb behind the ss, Ling Chen hadn¡¯t walked far when he heard a ng underfoot as if he had stepped on something round.


    Ling Chen looked down and saw a shlight on the floor. He bent down to pick it up and turned it on, a bright beam of light immediately shooting out.


    With the shlight in hand, Ling Chen shone it around and saw several bodies lying on the floor not far from him; their mouths wide open, eyes bulging, as if they had been greatly terrified before death.


    "Ling Cheng, shine the light on me; I¡¯m going to check their bodies."


    After saying that, Qiu Yong walked over to the bodies and carefully examined them.


    "Ling Cheng, look, their chest cavities have been pierced by a blunt object," Qiu Yong said, puzzled. "Looking at the marks around the wounds, it seems it wasn¡¯t some heavy blunt object."


    "It was an arm."


    "An arm?"


    Qiu Yong and the others lifted their heads, puzzled, looking at Ling Chen, "You mean... they were pierced through by someone¡¯s arm?"

 Chapter 675 - 680: The Mutated Xia Mutong (1)

    <h4>Chapter 675: Chapter 680: The Mutated Xia Mutong (1)</h4>


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "That¡¯s right, I¡¯ve seen simr corpses before. They were all killed by someone thrusting an arm directly through their bodies, dying in a very tragic state."


    Xu Ming chimed in, "Being able to prate a body with an arm indicates that the person has incredible strength. I have no idea who it could be, using such a brutal method."


    "I think I know who it is," Ling Chen said somberly.


    "You know?" Qiu Yong looked at Ling Chen in surprise and asked, "How do you know?"


    Ling Chen shook his head to himself without picking up on Qiu Yong¡¯s question. He was clear in his mind that the one who killed these people was very likely Xia Mutong. Back when they were in the main base of the God Organization, Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun, after undergoing experimental transformations, had exhibited such patterns.


    Therefore, Ling Chen was very familiar with this kind of situation. Back then, Xia Mutong had undergone experiments here, and the urrence of this situation indicated that Xia Mutong had likely lost Control, hence the idental harm to so many people.


    As he was pondering, a noise suddenly came from outside.


    "What¡¯s going on?"


    Qiu Yong and the others were rmed and hurriedly ran out the ss door, looking towards the entrance they hade in through.


    At this moment, three Land Rover off-road vehicles drove in from outside the research institute and stopped outside the entrance.


    As the doors of the off-road vehicles opened, more than a dozen fully armed men stepped down one after the other, each equipped with tranquilizer guns, night vision goggles, and some special capturing tools.


    Hearing the footsteps getting closer, Ling Chen said, "Zhang Zhongfeng, someone¡¯sing."


    Qiu Yong pointed to a dark corner opposite in haste and said urgently, "Go, let¡¯s hide over there first."


    The four had barely concealed themselves when they saw a man leading the group, holding a tranquilizer gun and cautiously approaching the research institute. Ling Chen looked over and furrowed his brows slightly.


    The sharp-eyed Ling Chen noticed that there were mini cameras mounted on the helmets of those men; whoever was on the other end of the camera could clearly see the situation inside the research institute.


    In no time, the group of over a dozen men had all entered theboratory behind the ss door.


    Seeing the cautious inspection of those men, a hint of confusion appeared in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes.


    Wasn¡¯t this ce supposed to be empty? Why would the God Organization still send people here, could it be that they are searching for something? However, looking at their cautious behavior, they did not seem to be searching for things.


    Tranquilizers...s... Observing the equipment those people carried, Ling Chen had a thought that immediately came to mind.


    Judging by the equipment they¡¯re using, they must be targeting a person.


    Could it be... Xia Mutong is still hiding in this research base? Otherwise, why would the people sent by the God Organization be using tranquilizer guns?


    Thinking of this, Ling Chen grew more certain of his spection. If Xia Mutong was still here, he must take Xia Mutong away no matter what.


    "Zhang Zhongfeng, you guys stay here; I¡¯ll go take a look."


    "Ling Cheng, you..." Before Qiu Yong could finish, Ling Chen had already run out of the hiding spot, following behind those men, observing the surroundings.


    Ah!


    Suddenly, a miserable cry rang out, and by the time everyone reacted, they saw a person not far away falling down, with a ferocious blood hole in his chest, blood pouring out from it.


    "Everyone be careful, that person has appeared."


    With a shout, everyone became on high alert, cautiously watching their surroundings.


    At this time, Ling Chen, hiding in the shadows, looked around and listened to the movements, hoping to pinpoint the location of Xia Mutong.


    However, after Xia Mutong killed a person, there was no further appearance and no telling where he had gone.


    Just then, a gust of wind attacked from above. By the time Ling Chen noticed, a man in the crowd vanished in an instant. Ling Chen furrowed his brow, looked up, and then heard a ¡¯bang¡¯ as the missing man fell from the sky.


    "Dead!"


    Seeing their deadrade, a group of men panicked, quickly huddling together back-to-back, holding their breath and focusing, intensely watching their surroundings, raising their tranquilizer guns, ready to pull the trigger at any moment.


    Suddenly, a shadow flew past the wall. Several frightened men immediately aimed their tranquilizer guns in that direction, firing multiple darts. But all the tranquilizer darts hit the wall,pletely missing the target.


    While everyone was searching for the target, another gust of wind attacked again, instantly rushing into the crowd.


    Hearing the cries of shock and screams in the crowd, Ling Chen no longer hesitated and immediately rushed over at full speed, throwing the two nearest people out. Then, he clenched his fist and threw a powerful punch towards the shadow in the crowd.


    Perhaps sensing the fierce wind, the shadow quickly turned its head, staring into Ling Chen¡¯s eyes.


    Their eyes met, and a heavy feeling settled in Ling Chen¡¯s heart. His guess was correct ¨C the person in front of him was indeed Xia Mutong.


    "Officer Xia!"


    Before Ling Chen could finish speaking, he saw Xia Mutong raise her hands, palm striking ruthlessly towards his body.


    Although Xia Mutong¡¯s palms had not yet connected with his body, the wind was ominous, and Ling Chen could feel the terrifying power contained within those palms.


    There was no time to think; Ling Chen hastily backed away.


    He wasn¡¯t afraid of Xia Mutong but was concerned that a direct confrontation would result in her arms getting injured.


    "Who are you?"


    At this point, everyone¡¯s gaze turned to Ling Chen, and they all shouted in chorus.


    Ling Chen nced back and locked eyes with a man¡¯s helmet-mounted camera.


    "Ling Chen, it¡¯s Ling Chen, kill him!"


    Amidst the man¡¯s shouting, everyone collectively raised their tranquilizer guns, aiming at Ling Chen. However, while they locked on to Ling Chen, they neglected the presence of Xia Mutong.


    Ah!


    A dreadful scream rang out as Xia Mutong¡¯s arm pierced through the back of a man, her hands covered in blood, looking ferocious and terrifying, especially under the enveloping dim light, adding ayer of horror.


    The screams of their fallenrade immediately drew the others¡¯ attention. Seizing the opportunity, Ling Chen tapped lightly with his toes, disappearing from everyone¡¯s sight in an instant.


    "Quick, catch Ling Chen, don¡¯t let him escape... ugh!"


    Before he could finish speaking, a sharp arrow suddenly flew in, piercing the man¡¯s throat.


    As the arrow was shot, Qiu Yong and Xu Ming rushed in from outside the ss door, pouncing on the members of the God Organization.


    With Ling Chen¡¯s cooperation, it didn¡¯t take long for the four of them to take down all the members sent by the God Organization.


    "Big brother, stop her!"


    After dealing with the people from the God Organization, Ling Chen immediately focused his attention on Xia Mutong.


    "No problem."


    Qiu Yong responded, leading Xu Ming and Zhang Zhongfeng to encircle Xia Mutong from different directions.


    "Big brother, second brother, fourth brother, be careful, don¡¯t hurt her." Ling Chen reminded them.

 Chapter 676 - 681: The Mutated Xia Mutong (2)

    <h4>Chapter 676: Chapter 681: The Mutated Xia Mutong (2)</h4>


    "Ling Cheng, if I¡¯m not mistaken, this person seems to be your friend," right?"


    Hearing Zhang Zhongfeng¡¯s question, Ling Chen nodded and said, "She underwent an experiment by the God Organization, and now she has lost her mind and doesn¡¯t remember who I am. I must take her away and restore her to her former self."


    "We can all go at her together. There¡¯s no way she can handle so many of us alone."


    As soon as Qiu Yong finished speaking, Ling Chen and his twopanions immediately charged towards Xia Mutong.


    In order not to hurt Xia Mutong, Ling Chen didn¡¯t dare to attack too harshly. Getting closer, Ling Chen turned his fist into a palm, marshaled his Inner Strength, and struck towards Xia Mutong¡¯s neck.


    Feeling the force of the blow closing in, Xia Mutong abruptly turned her head and pped out a palm, meeting Ling Chen¡¯s attack.


    However, before Xia Mutong¡¯s palm could touch Ling Chen, she stumbled on her feet and fell to the ground.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen leaned forward, opened his arms, and caught the falling Xia Mutong in his embrace.


    Before Xia Mutong could struggle, the quick-reacting Xu Ming swiftly picked up an anesthesia gun from the ground and shot it into Xia Mutong¡¯s back. As the tranquilizer dart entered her body, Xia Mutong, who had been struggling fiercely, instantly lost her strength and went limp in Ling Chen¡¯s arms.


    Looking at the unconscious Xia Mutong, Ling Chen removed the tranquilizer dart from her back, clicking his tongue in wonder, "This tranquilizer dart really works well."


    Considering Xia Mutong¡¯s current condition, to be able to take her down with a single shot, it seems the dose in this tranquilizer dart is quite potent.


    Lifting Xia Mutong¡¯s body, Ling Chen ced her to one side and instructed Qiu Yong and the others to watch over her. Then, Ling Chen alone ventured deeper into theboratory and found the medicinalponents needed by Zhu Xiaozhu in the storeroom.


    Once he had what he needed, Ling Chen, carrying Xia Mutong, prepared to leave with thepanionship of Qiu Yong and his two friends. But at that moment, the ringing of a cell phone suddenly echoed through theboratory.


    Ling Chen turned his head and looked at the ringing cell phone on the ground, his brow slightly furrowed.


    Seeing Ling Chen walking towards the phone, Qiu Yong said, "Ling Cheng, you..."


    Ling Chen waved his hand and replied, "Big brother, it¡¯s nothing, just a phone call. Probably someone from the God Organization."


    Saying that, he picked up the phone from the ground and epted the call.


    "Hello! Mr. Ling, how are you?"


    Hearing the unfamiliar voiceing from the other end of the phone, Ling Chen asked, "Who are you?"


    "Mr. Ling, don¡¯t you recognize me? Oh right, even though you¡¯ve been searching for me, you¡¯ve never seen me. Mr. Ling, my name is Lin Guodong, I think you should have heard this name."


    Lin Guodong?


    Ling Chen was startled¡ªit was actually him.


    This was, in fact, the first time he had formally spoken with Lin Guodong over the phone.


    "Speak, what do you want?"


    "It¡¯s nothing much, Mr. Ling. I just want to make a deal with you, and also to give you a word of advice."


    "A deal?" Ling Chen said with augh that was not augh, "Do you think I would make a deal with you? And what gives you the right to give me advice?"


    "The woman in your hands is very useful to me. Hand her over to me, and I can offer you some benefits."


    Ling Chen let out a coldugh and said, "Lin Guodong, do you think I care about your benefits? Besides, I am well aware of the nature of your God Organization. Enough, Lin Guodong, spare me the nonsense, I¡¯m definitely taking Xia Mutong with me. If you have any intentions, juste at me."


    "Ling Chen, I think you¡¯re looking for death!" Lin Guodong¡¯s tone grew colder, and he snorted lightly, "You¡¯ve opposed my God Organization time and time again, killed so many of my men, and ruined our ns several times. I¡¯ve tolerated you again and again, but you¡¯ve be more and more ruthless. If that¡¯s the case, then you can¡¯t me me for being impolite."


    "Tolerating me?" Hearing these words, Ling Chen had a realization, as if understanding something.


    Could it be... Lin Guodong already knows my identity, and that¡¯s why he has been tolerating me? Otherwise, why would he say such things?


    "Ling Chen, I¡¯m giving you onest chance. Are you going to hand her over or not?"


    "I¡¯ve said, don¡¯t even think about it."


    "Fine." Lin Guodong said coldly, "If that¡¯s the case, then don¡¯t me me for not being courteous."


    With that, Lin Guodong hung up the phone.


    Discarding his phone, Ling Chen picked up Xia Mutong and quickly followed behind Qiu Yong, leaving the research base together.


    Outside there was a Land Rover off-road vehicle left by the God Organization. Once in the car, Ling Chen settled Xia Mutong in ce and then drove towards the airport.


    On the road, Ling Chen called the pilot aboard the ne and asked them to prepare for takeoff at any moment.


    By the time they all arrived at the airport, the ne was ready for them.


    After nearly two hours of flight, Ling Chen and the others finally returned to Jinhai City.


    Leaving the airport, Ling Chen hurried along, taking Xia Mutong and Qiu Yong to the hospital.


    "You¡¯re back?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu appeared somewhat surprised to see Ling Chen walking in from outside the ward. Though she had allowed Ling Chen three days, she didn¡¯t believe he could manage it in such a short time. But now, it had only been one day, and Ling Chen had already returned with the item, which was unbelievable to her.


    "Xiaozhu, look, is this the right thing?"


    Ling Chen handed over the medication he had obtained to Zhu Xiaozhu and asked.


    "Yes, that¡¯s it," Zhu Xiaozhu nodded after smelling the substance, "You guys stay with your third brother for a while, and I¡¯ll get the medication ready."


    Seeing Zhu Xiaozhu leave, Ling Chen quickly walked over to the bed and looked at Yuan Yun, who was still unconscious, muttering to himself, "Third brother, don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be well soon."


    Then, Ling Chen turned to Xia Yue in the room and asked, "Fifth sister, did my friende back while I was away?"


    "Friend? You mean the woman called ¡¯porridge girl¡¯?" Xia Yue shook her head, "I haven¡¯t seen her."


    Never mind!


    Ling Chen sighed helplessly.


    Since the ¡¯porridge girl¡¯ was intentionally avoiding him, it seemed it would be difficult to see her for the time being.


    About half an hourter, Zhu Xiaozhu returned with a bottle of medicine.


    "Is it ready?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu nodded, "The medication is fine. After injecting it into your third brother, he just needs to rest for a few days and undergo treatment with other traditional Chinese medicines, and then he¡¯ll recover."


    "Good, I¡¯ll be troubling you."


    While speaking, Zhu Xiaozhu drew the medication from the bottle into a syringe and then injected it into Yuan Yun¡¯s body.


    As the medication was injected, the medical devices connected to Yuan Yun immediately reacted. Watching the rising data, Ling Chen¡¯s heart, that was in his throat, finally settled.


    Vital signs stable, it seems Yuan Yun was out of danger.


    "Xiaozhu, you¡¯ve worked hard these past few days." Ling Chen said with gratitude.


    Zhu Xiaozhu smiled slightly, "Don¡¯t mention it, it¡¯s only right to help out between friends." She paused and then changed the subject, "Ling Chen, when do we go back?"


    Ling Chen thought for a moment, "Tomorrow."


    Now that Xia Mutong was still with him, he had to rush her back to the research base as soon as possible to avoid another out-of-control situation.

 Chapter 677 - 682 The Importance of Xia Mutong

    <h4>Chapter 677: Chapter 682 The Importance of Xia Mutong</h4>


    After a night¡¯s rest, Yuan Yun¡¯s condition had significantly improved.


    Ling Chen, who had kept watch in the hospital room all night, was relieved to see that Yuan Yun was out of danger and, after greeting Qiu Yong, he confidently left the hospital.


    Taking Xia Mutong with him, Ling Chen and Zhu Xiaozhu boarded a ne to East Sea City. During the journey, to prevent Xia Mutong from waking up again, Ling Chen continually administered anesthetics and sedatives, keeping her unconscious throughout.


    Looking at the groggy Xia Mutong who waspletely unaware, Zhu Xiaozhu asked puzzledly: "Ling Chen, what¡¯s wrong with her?"


    Ling Chen sighed, smiled bitterly, and said: "Her situation is the same as Jiang Yunkai and the others; her body has undergone special modifications, losing rationality. This time, when searching for something, I stumbled upon her. It took tremendous effort to bring her back." Continuing, Ling Chen asked, "By the way! How is your medical research going, any progress?"


    "There have been developments, but not significant results; further research is still needed. However, based on the information we currently have, if all goes well, we should be able to find a solution within half a year."


    Half a year!


    Ling Chen frowned. In his opinion, finding a solution within two months would be ideal; half a year was too long. After all, he had to consider the God Organization. With the current pace of the God Organization¡¯s development, who knew what the situation would be like in another half a year.


    "When my third brother wakes up, I¡¯ll have him send over thetest research data from the God Organization. Maybe you could gain a lot of experience from it and speed up your research."


    "Okay," Zhu Xiaozhu gently nodded. After speaking, she looked up at Ling Chen, her eyes sparkling, lips parting slightly, her demeanor hesitant.


    Ling Chen noticed the hesitation in Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s eyes and couldn¡¯t help asking: "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "I... no, it¡¯s nothing," Zhu Xiaozhu said, lowering her head, seemingly unable to meet Ling Chen¡¯s gaze.


    Seeing Zhu Xiaozhu acting this way, Ling Chen didn¡¯t believe she had nothing to say; she was just too nervous to say it. Thereupon, he spoke up: "It¡¯s just the two of us here, just say what you want. Besides, with our rtionship, is there really anything you feel ufortable saying?"


    Hearing this, the scene of their intimate night shed through Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s mind uncontrobly. Her delicate face instantly blushed deeply, turning red like an enticing apple, evoking the desire to take a bite.


    "You..."


    Ling Chen wanted to continue speaking, but before he could finish, he saw Zhu Xiaozhu stand up from her seat, her face flushed as she said, "I¡¯m going to the restroom."


    Watching Zhu Xiaozhu walk away, Ling Chen felt somewhat helpless. Lately, he couldn¡¯t figure out why but felt that Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s behavior was somewhat strange. Every time he asked her about it, she was reluctant to borate. He couldn¡¯t force her and was left with no alternative.


    As the nended at East Sea City Airport, a car had already arrived at the apron to pick them up.


    "Jiang Hao, has everything been alright in the past few days while I was away?"


    Jiang Hao, driving the car, nodded and said, "No worries, with Boss Hu around, what could go wrong?"


    Back at the research base, Ling Chen carried Xia Mutong to the medical researchb and ced her on a specially designed bed, securing her limbs to prevent any issues.


    After finishing up, Ling Chen moved his somewhat sore shoulders and said to Zhu Xiaozhu standing by, "You should go rest first, there will be a lot more for you to take care ofter."


    "Then... I¡¯ll head back to my room."


    After escorting Zhu Xiaozhu back to her room, Ling Chen received a call from Qiu Yong, who reported that Yuan Yun had woken up and disclosed the whereabouts of the USB drive. It had been sent via courier to East Sea City and was expected to arrive tomorrow.


    Returning to theb, Ling Chen stood by the bedside, gazing at the unconscious Xia Mutong, his face showing a trace of deep contemtion.


    During this return, Lin Guodong had called, demanding the handover of Xia Mutong. When Ling Chen had previously rescued Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun, the God Organization had never reacted so strongly. However, the fact that Lin Guodong, a key figure in the God Organization, personally called to demand her suggested that Xia Mutong was extremely important in Lin Guodong¡¯s eyes.


    Yet, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t understand why Lin Guodong ced such high importance on Xia Mutong. Could it be that after the experiments, Xia Mutong¡¯s body had undergone unique changes, making her more valuable for research than even Jiang Yunkai and the others?


    It seemed he needed to urge Zhu Xiaozhu to expedite the research on Xia Mutong¡¯s body as soon as they received the information from Yuan Yun, in order to discover the underlying reasons.


    After organizing everything at the research base, Ling Chen drove alone back to Wealthy Manor.


    It was still noon when Ling Chen arrived at the Nanrong Family¡¯s residence, just in time to find Nanrong Wanqing eating. Since Su Lin had gone out for an internship, the vast dining room was upied only by Nanrong Wanqing herself.


    "Wanqing."


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s voice, Nanrong Wanqing put down her chopsticks, looked up at Ling Chen walking through the door, and a smile of excitement immediately surfaced on her stunning face. She quickly rose to greet him, grabbing Ling Chen¡¯s hands and said, "You¡¯re finally back. Have you eaten? Join me?"


    Ling Chen smiled and nodded, sitting beside Nanrong Wanqing at the dining table, and asked, "Has it been busy at thepanytely?"


    "It¡¯s not too busy now. Thepany is on the right track, and with several professional managers helping, I actually have it much easier. Usually, I just listen to reports. If there¡¯s nothing else, I stay at home. But... it¡¯s too quiet at home. Su Lin used to keep mepany and chat with me, and now even she is gone, and you are often not at home, leaving me all alone..."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen held Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s hands and apologetically said, "I¡¯m sorry, I know I¡¯ve been neglecting youtely. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make more time to be with you from now on." Pausing briefly, he continued, "If I¡¯m not at home, let Haozi keep youpany more often, or invite some of your friends over so you¡¯re not always alone in your room."


    Nanrong Wanqing gave a bitter smile and said, "I would like to, but I can¡¯t think of many friends in East Sea City that I get along with."


    "If you don¡¯t have friends, go make some. When I have time, I¡¯ll apany you to some social gatherings. Isn¡¯t itmon in high society to make friends through banquets?"


    "Forget it," Nanrong Wanqingcklusterly replied, "I¡¯m not interested, and you¡¯ve seen for yourself what those high society people are like. To be honest, I don¡¯t really like them. I prefer staying at home alone rather than dealing with their hypocrisy."


    At this point, Nanrong Wanqing, seemingly interested, asked, "What have you been busy with recently? Why not take me along to see?"

 Chapter 678 - 683: Taking the Young Miss on a Tour of the Base

    <h4>Chapter 678: Chapter 683: Taking the Young Miss on a Tour of the Base</h4>


    "Show me around?" Ling Chen was taken aback, not expecting Wanqing to make such a request.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" Seeing Ling Chen hesitant, Wanqing asked with some disappointment, "You don¡¯t want to?"


    "No, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to, it¡¯s just..." Ling Chen touched his nose, unsure of how to continue. After a moment of thought and facing Wanqing¡¯s expectant gaze, Ling Chen said, "You know I¡¯ve been fighting against the God Organization all along, it¡¯s better for you to see less of these things."


    "Do you think I¡¯m the kind of woman who gets weak at the sight of blood?" Wanqing said dissatisfiedly, "Besides, we¡¯ve been through so much recently, I¡¯m used to dangerous situations. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t interfere with your business, I just want to see what you are doing."


    "This..." Ling Chen thought for a moment and thenpromised, "Alright, I¡¯ll take you for a tour, just to keep you at ease. Come on, let¡¯s eat first, rest for a bit, then I¡¯ll take you around the base."


    "Base?"


    "Yes!" Ling Chen said with a smile, "I¡¯ve secretly prepared a research base, serving as the headquarters in East Sea City, specifically tobat the God Organization. Alright, don¡¯t ask too much now, you¡¯ll know when we get there."


    After lunch, Ling Chen apanied Wanqing to rest at home for a while, then they drove to the research base.


    Upon entering the gate, Wanqing entered the research base and was immediately stunned by the environment inside. She paused for a moment, then looking at Ling Chen, she said, "This base, you..."


    Ling Chen smiled and knowing what Wanqing wanted to ask, replied: "It was given to me by a friend of my father. Otherwise, how could I manage to do so on my own?"


    "Your father¡¯s friend?" Wanqing asked in surprise, "Haven¡¯t you not seen your father for many years? How do you know that person was your father¡¯s friend?"


    "It¡¯s a long story, but his identity is probably no false. Thanks to his help, I had the ce and sufficient funds to build my power." When saying this, Ling Chen thought again of porridge girl. The porridge girl seemed to know a lot about his father, unfortunately, she quietly left to avoid him, without any news.


    Shaking off his thoughts, Ling Chen took Wanqing around the base.


    Currently, the base had basically been remodeled, consisting of four major departments. One being the intelligence department, one theboratory, one exoskeleton armor production area, and one a warehouse for resource storage.


    These four core areas constituted the current research base.


    During this period, Ling Chen had been busy dealing with other matters, and everything in the base was personally handled by Hu Fei. Thanks to Hu Fei¡¯s help, Ling Chen had been quite rxed.


    Arriving at the intelligence department, Ling Chen pushed open the office door, only to see Hu Fei sitting at his desk, staring at theputer screen while eating roast chicken and c, with greasy hands everywhere.


    Hearing the sound of the door, Hu Fei looked up from the delicious chicken, saw Ling Chen and Wanqinging towards him, and his round fat face suddenly showed a hint of surprise.


    "Miss Nanrong..."


    Hu Fei struggled to swallow the chicken in his mouth, quickly put down the chicken leg, grabbed some napkins to hastily wipe his hands and mouth, then got up with a smile to greet them.


    "Miss Nanrong, what brings you here?"


    Although the question was directed at Wanqing, Hu Fei¡¯s gaze was fixed on Ling Chen.


    Wanqing¡¯s presence at the research base must have been approved by Ling Chen. However, he did not understand why Ling Chen would bring Wanqing here.


    "Mr. Hu, hello, Ling Chen brought me over for a tour, to see around. I haven¡¯t disturbed your work, have I?"


    "No no no." Hu Fei waved his hand and said, "I¡¯ve been so busytely that I¡¯ve lost several pounds, just now taking the chance to gain it back."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen mercilessly teased, "Fatso, don¡¯t me me for not warning you, if you keep eating like this, sooner orter you¡¯ll be disliked by all women."


    "Get out, I have money, every woman willinglyes to me. Enough of this! I won¡¯t argue with you anymore, you apany Miss Nanrong around, I still have work to do."


    "Okay then, enjoy your meal."


    After that, Ling Chen left the office with Wanqing and headed directly towards the medicalboratory.


    However, just as they were about to reach theboratory, something suddenly urred to Ling Chen, and he quickly paused.


    Seeing Ling Chen halted, Wanqing, who was walking ahead, paused and asked, "Why aren¡¯t we going anymore?"


    "Well..." Ling Chen scratched his head, hesitant to say, "There¡¯s something I need to tell you in advance, but you have to promise not to get angry."


    "What could make me angry?" Wanqing looked puzzled at Ling Chen, asking, "Unless you¡¯ve done something to upset me?"


    "No no, I wouldn¡¯t dare."


    Hearing this, Wanqing gave Ling Chen a disdainful look and said impatiently, "You dare to do a lot, I see. Just say it, I¡¯ll try not to get angry."


    "It¡¯s... it¡¯s Xiaozhu." Ling Chen said cautiously, "She¡¯s here as well."


    Wanqing and Zhu Xiaozhu were not on good terms, Ling Chen had known this for a long time. However, he never knew the reason, nor did he dare to ask. Moreover, concerning this matter, both Wanqing and Zhu Xiaozhu kept their silence, unwilling to speak.


    Now, knowing Zhu Xiaozhu was working in the medicalboratory, Ling Chen wondered how Wanqing would react. So, he thought it was better to rify things in advance to avoid any unhappinesster.


    One was his future woman, and one his friend; Ling Chen did not want any conflict between them.


    "Zhu Xiaozhu?"


    As Wanqing heard Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s name, her expression instantly became a bit unnatural.


    "What is she doing here?"


    Ling Chen exined, "You know, Xiaozhu majored in medicine, and there were some issues here that needed her help, so I invited her over." He paused, looked at the time, then said, "Xiaozhu should be working in theboratory now, maybe... maybe we should see somewhere else?"


    Given their rtionship, Ling Chen thought it best to avoid their meeting, as he would be the one caught in the middle otherwise.


    Hearing Ling Chen¡¯s suggestion, Wanqing¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile, her words heavy with implication, "Why, are you afraid we¡¯ll end up fighting if we meet?"


    "It¡¯s not that, just..."


    Before Ling Chen could finish, Wanqing cut in, "Since it¡¯s not that, what are you afraid of? Let¡¯s go!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 679: Base 684 had an accident

    <h4>Chapter 679: Base 684 had an ident</h4>


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing stepping forward, Ling Chen, unable to persuade her, hurriedly followed her steps towards theboratory. Upon reaching theboratory door, Ling Chen stretched out his hand in front of Nanrong Wanqing and whispered, "Do you really want to go in?"


    Nanrong Wanqing replied discontentedly, "Do you really not trust me?"


    Ling Chen smirked bitterly to himself, now somewhat regretting it. If he had known this would happen, he should not have brought Nanrong Wanqing to the research base. This was only causing himself trouble.


    Thinking it over, Ling Chen dropped his hand which had been blocking Nanrong Wanqing, voluntarily helped her open the door, and weed her into theboratory.


    Ling Chen had thought it through; instead of preventing Nanrong Wanqing from meeting Zhu Xiaozhu and avoiding conflict, it would be better to let them have a chance to talk and possibly resolve their grudges.


    With this thought, Ling Chen entered theboratory, ready to introduce the situation inside to Nanrong Wanqing. However, at this moment, Nanrong Wanqing stretched out her hand, sping Ling Chen¡¯s arm affectionately.


    Ling Chen was slightly taken aback by Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s action, and then he realized its meaning; apart from a bitter smile, he could express nothing.


    "Ling..."


    At that moment, Zhu Xiaozhu walked into theboratory from the outside. Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s back, she started to speak out of habit. However, as soon as she spoke, she saw Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing turn around.


    When Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s gaze fell on Nanrong Wanqing, her facial expression changed slightly, but it onlysted a moment before she regained her usualposure, with no signs of emotional fluctuation in her calm eyes.


    "So Miss Nanrong is also here," Zhu Xiaozhu said expressionlessly, her tone indiscernible.


    Nanrong Wanqing gave a light smile. "Miss Zhu, long time no see."


    "It has been a long time indeed. After so many years, Miss Nanrong hasn¡¯t changed at all."


    "I haven¡¯t changed much, but Miss Zhu... I¡¯ve heard Miss Zhu is a nationally renowned traditional Chinese medicine doctor, with superb medical skills, congrattions."


    "Don¡¯t tter me, I¡¯m nowhere close to Miss Nanrong. Your Hongyu Group in East Sea City is second to none, iparable to anyone. Compared to you, my achievements are nothing."


    Hearing the two of them exchanging pleasantries back and forth, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy for some reason. Complimenting is justplimenting, but the words between these two women felt terribly awkward, more like they were insulting rather than praising each other.


    Seeing that the two women seemed ready to continue, Ling Chen subtly coughed, quickly interrupting their conversation, and said with a smile, "Wanqing, Xiaozhu has work to keep busy with; let¡¯s not disturb them."


    Upon hearing Ling Chen speak, Nanrong Wanqing, who was about to continue speaking, reluctantly swallowed her words.


    "Xiaozhu, you go ahead with your work, we won¡¯t disturb you anymore." After saying this, Ling Chen, holding Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s hand, walked straight toward the exit of theboratory.


    However, before the two reached the door, suddenly an unusual noise emanated from within theboratory.


    "What happened?"


    Ling Chen quickly turned around, looking through the ss at the busy people inside theboratory, and asked.


    "There¡¯s a malfunction."


    At this moment, one of the researchers stuck his head out from theboratory and shouted loudly towards the doorway.


    Seeing the urgency, Zhu Xiaozhu hurriedly rushed over. However, just as Zhu Xiaozhu entered theboratory, she heard a loud ¡¯bang¡¯ and a white smoke crazily burst out, instantly spreading and enveloping the entire transparentboratory.


    Seeing Zhu Xiaozhu and other researchers engulfed in white smoke, unable to see anyone, Ling Chen became anxious. Without saying much, he quickly pushed Nanrong Wanqing outside the door, then locked the door and rushed into Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯sboratory.


    Upon entering theboratory, a pungent smell hit him, and Ling Chen held his breath, shouting loudly, hoping to attract the attention of others with his voice.


    "Mr. Ling, I¡¯m here."


    Hearing everyone calling out one by one, reporting their locations, Ling Chen immediately rushed over and safely led them out of theboratory.


    One... two... Ling Chen counted the researchers rescued, his eyebrows immediately furrowing.


    All theboratory researchers except for Zhu Xiaozhu were here.


    Xiaozhu... Ling Chen turned his head to look at theboratory engulfed in white smoke and rushed in again, calling Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s name loudly. But Zhu Xiaozhu did not respond.


    Ling Chen persistently called out, searching for Zhu Xiaozhu in theboratory. However, due to the heavy white smoke, the visibility was extremely low, almost impossible to see half a meter ahead.


    Moreover, the white smoke was getting denser andpletely uncontrolled. In less than a few minutes, nothing could be seen in theboratory except the smoke.


    At this moment, Kaelina and Hu Fei, having heard the news, rushed to the outside of theboratory.


    "What are you guys standing around for, hurry up and go help," Hu Fei shouted to his subordinates.


    "Forget it, let theme back," Kaelina said, "The situation inside isplicated, it¡¯s better if I go in."


    Watching Kaelina disappear into the thick white smoke, Hu Fei turned to the few researchers and asked, "What happened in theboratory?"


    "Um..." The researchers looked at each other, not knowing how to respond.


    Seeing this, Hu Fei impatiently said: "So many people, and no one knows anything? At least tell me the reason, so I know how to handle it."


    "Mr. Hu, we were just conducting a body examination for Miss Xia, but I don¡¯t know why, the testing equipment malfunctioned and wentpletely out of control, leading to a system crash. Besides that equipment, other devices were also damaged to varying degrees."


    After listening to a researcher¡¯s exnation, Hu Fei pointed to the white smoke filling theb and asked, "And what is that?"


    "That¡¯s an aerosolized anesthetic, specifically used to anesthetize the subjects. The amount of anesthetic isn¡¯t very high, being in there for a short time won¡¯t affect anyone, but with the continuous spray out of the aerosolized anesthetic, the concentration will only get higher, and the effect on the body will be significant. Mr. Ling and Miss Zhu are still inside, ording to the current situation, if they can¡¯t get out in a minute, they are likely to be affected by the anesthetic and pass outpletely."


    Hearing this, Hu Fei immediately summoned a subordinate and gave him a few orders.


    After the subordinate left, Hu Fei suddenly remembered something and asked, "You mentioned earlier, before the ident happened, you were examining Miss Xia¡¯s body?"


    "Yes."


    "So... is she still inside theboratory?"


    "That¡¯s right. She is restrained on the bed, there should be no problem. Besides, since the concentration of the aerosolized anesthetic is getting higher in theboratory, there¡¯s no way she could wake up."

 Chapter 680 - 685: Trapped in the Laboratory (1)

    <h4>Chapter 680: Chapter 685: Trapped in the Laboratory (1)</h4>


    At this moment, inside theboratory, Ling Chen spread his arms and cautiously felt the objects around him, step by step, he moved forward, calling out Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s name.


    However, theb was very spacious, and visibility was extremely low due to white smoke enveloping the area. Two minutes passed, but Ling Chen still couldn¡¯t find Zhu Xiaozhu.


    At that time, smelling the pungent odor, Ling Chen suddenly felt something unusual with his body, feeling drowsy and unable to muster his energy. He shook his head and muttered to himself in surprise, wondering why he now felt unwell despite being fine just moments ago.


    While he was pondering, he heard Hu Fei¡¯s voiceing from theb¡¯s loudspeaker: "Ling Chen, be careful¡ªthe white smoke is aerosolized anesthetic. The greater the amount sprayed, the higher the concentration. It can easily cause people topse into unconsciousness. Be very careful not to get affected."


    Upon hearing Hu Fei¡¯s warning, Ling Chen finally understood.


    So the white smoke contained the effects of the anesthetic, no wonder he was feeling unwell.


    "Ling Chen, wait a moment, I¡¯ve already sent someone with a gas mask for you."


    As soon as Hu Fei¡¯s voice faded, Ling Chen heard footsteps approaching from his left.


    "Who¡¯s that?" Ling Chen asked, heading towards the direction of the footsteps while reaching out his hand, "Hand it over to me."


    However, as soon as he finished speaking, he heard the footsteps stop. For a long while, there was no response from the person in the white smoke. Seeing this, Ling Chen opened his mouth, ready to speak again. But before he could say anything, he heard a voice not far away, "Mr. Ling, where are you? I¡¯ve brought the gas mask."


    Hearing that voice, Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed abruptly. He had thought the footsteps earlier were from Hu Fei¡¯s subordinate, but now it seemed that was not the case.


    With thoughts racing through his mind, Ling Chen quickly stepped back twice, staring intently at the white smoke before him, he demanded firmly, "Who are you? Speak!"


    But no matter how Ling Chen called out, the other party remained silent.


    At this point, something dawned on Ling Chen, he hastily asked, "Fatty, besides me and Zhu Xiaozhu, is there anyone else in theb?"


    "Uh... oh right, there¡¯s also Miss Xia. When the incident happened in theb, the researchers were conducting a physical examination on her."


    "Xia Mutong?" Ling Chen was startled, could it be that person just now was... As this thought crossed his mind, Ling Chen urgentlymanded, "Everyone get out, immediately!"


    "Hey! Ling Chen, what¡¯s going on?" Hu Fei asked anxiously.


    Before Ling Chen could respond, someone suddenly burst out of the white smoke like lightning, rushing swiftly towards him. When the figure got close, Ling Chen finally confirmed that the silent person was indeed Xia Mutong.


    Damn it!


    Cursing under his breath, Ling Chen yelled, "Fatty, didn¡¯t those idiots inject any anesthetic during the examination?"


    "They did indeed."


    "Mr. Ling, we administered ten milliliters of anesthetic."


    Hearing the voice of a researcher over the loudspeaker, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but curse, "Only ten milliliters? You idiots, I..." but then he didn¡¯t know how to continue.


    It seemed that this incident wasn¡¯t anyone else¡¯s fault. Xia Mutong had only been brought in today, and he hadn¡¯t had a chance to instruct those researchers. Xia Mutong¡¯s condition was different from Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun; she required a higher dosage of the anesthetic, so the normal dose was insufficient.


    The researchers must have neglected the fact, leading to an insufficient dosage of the injection, which is why Xia Mutong woke up midway through.


    Without time to think further, Ling Chen stepped back, blending into the white smoke, disappearing in an instant. Avoiding Xia Mutong¡¯s attack, Ling Chen hurriedly ran towards the back. Currently, the white smoke enveloped the surroundings; he couldn¡¯t see Xia Mutong, and Xia Mutong couldn¡¯t spot him either.


    However, this situation wouldn¡¯tst for long. The white smoke contained anesthetic vaporized into the air, and if he kept breathing it in, he would definitely pass out.


    Therefore, he had to find Zhu Xiaozhu and leave with her while he was still able to stay conscious.


    "Fatty, lock down theb."


    "Lockdown?" Hu Fei said in surprise, "Are you crazy? If theb is locked down, no one can get in or out, you and Miss Zhu will be trapped inside, do you..."


    "Enough, stop wasting time, just do as I say," Ling Chen urged impatiently.


    Thinking of Nanrong Wanqing and everyone else outside theb, Ling Chen had no choice but to make this decision. If Xia Mutong escaped from theb, who knows how much damage would be caused; it would put everyone¡¯s life at risk. After careful consideration, locking down theb was the best course of action.


    Under Ling Chen¡¯s pressing, Hu Fei had no choice but to activate the lockdown procedure for theboratory.


    For a moment, all the ss doors and windows around theboratory were separated with thick steel tes.


    Looking at the locked-downboratory, Nanrong Wanqing outside expressed anxiously, "Ling Chen hasn¡¯te out, are you just going to leave him?"


    Hu Fei, feeling helpless, said, "There¡¯s no choice, it was Ling Chen¡¯s decision, we can only follow suit. Moreover, Miss Xia has woken up, if we let her escape, the consequences would be unimaginable."


    "Miss Xia? Who is that?"


    "Xia Mutong, Miss Nanrong should know her."


    "Her?" Nanrong Wanqing nodded lightly, "I know her, but what danger can she pose?"


    "Miss Nanrong, the matter is a long story, now¡¯s not the time to exin." Having said that, Hu Fei led the people to the office, connected to theboratory¡¯s monitoring system through theputer, and checked the situation inside theb. Unfortunately, too much white smoke billowed in theb, which hindered the surveince cameras¡¯ view distance, making it impossible to locate Ling Chen.


    With no other recourse, Hu Fei had to turn theb¡¯s audio receiver to the maximum, to receive signals from inside and thus determine whether Ling Chen was safe.


    But after a few minutes, theboratory was silent, without a sound.


    "What¡¯s happening, why is there no movement at all after such a long time?" Nanrong Wanqing asked, fraught with concern.


    "Don¡¯t worry, I am aware of Ling Chen¡¯s capabilities; he won¡¯t easily get into trouble," Hu Fei responded.


    "That... Mr. Hu, could it be that Mr. Ling has been affected by the anesthetic, so..."


    Hearing the researcher¡¯s spection, Hu Fei frowned slightly and said, "You¡¯re saying he passed out?"


    "It¡¯s a possibility."


    Kaelina spoke gravely, "How about letting me lead a team inside to find Ling Chen and Miss Zhu?"


    "This..." Hu Fei hesitated indecisively, uncertain whether to send people in or not.

 Chapter 681 - 686: Trapped in the Laboratory (2)

    <h4>Chapter 681: Chapter 686: Trapped in the Laboratory (2)</h4>


    Just as Hu Fei hesitated, a faint noise suddenly emanated from the loudspeaker, sounding like something had fallen to the ground.


    Then, following a few ¡¯bang bang¡¯ sounds, Ling Chen¡¯s roar instantly erupted.


    "Not good!" Kaelina said worriedly: "Ling Chen must have encountered danger." Saying this, Kaelina turned around and dashed out of the office, ready to rush to theboratory to rescue Ling Chen.


    "Don¡¯t be hasty." Compared to Kaelina¡¯s anxiety, Hu Fei was moreposed. He pressed the inte and asked, "Ling Chen, how¡¯s the situation on your end, do you need our support?"


    "No need, just make sure theb is sealed off, don¡¯t worry about the rest."


    Ling Chen¡¯s voice came through the speaker, immediately relieving everyone.


    Hu Fei thought for a moment, then said to Kaelina at the door: "You take a team over there first, stay outside theb, and if Ling Chen needs support, I¡¯ll notify you right away."


    "Okay."


    ...


    At this moment, in the sealedboratory, Ling Chen held his breath, swiftly navigating through the white smoke, evading Xia Mutong¡¯s pursuit. His voice had betrayed his location while he was responding to Hu Fei just now. Now, with Xia Mutong relentlessly chasing after him, he had to escape quickly and find a safe ce to hide.


    After a moment of pursuit, with Ling Chen¡¯s efforts, Xia Mutong eventually lost his trail and aimlessly wandered in theboratory, searching for Ling Chen¡¯s whereabouts.


    Meanwhile, Ling Chen hid behind a machine in theb, silently strategizing.


    Although theb was enveloped in dense white smoke, Ling Chen was very familiar with the experiment¡¯syout. Right now, he could roughly deduce his position through his reliance on that machine.


    If he remembered correctly, the ce where Xia Mutong had been lying was less than twenty meters away from him, where there should be anesthetics. If he could inject the anesthetics into Xia Mutong¡¯s body, she would fall into a deep sleep. In this way, both he and Zhu Xiaozhu could escape the danger.


    Thinking this, Ling Chen did not hesitate, discerned the direction, and immediately moved towards the location of the anesthetics.


    After carefully advancing more than ten meters, Ling Chen¡¯s outstretched hands finally touched a mobile cab ced with medical equipment. Besides medical equipment, there were many bottles and jars of drugs, including anesthetics.


    Picking up the anesthetics, Ling Chen found a syringe and drew twenty milliliters of the anesthetic into it, to ensure there was enough to sedate Xia Mutong.


    Hiding the syringe in the palm of his hand, Ling Chen moved to a position against the wall and gently tapped it, waiting for Xia Mutong to appear.


    Over ten secondster, a gust of wind moved from far to near, heading in Ling Chen¡¯s direction. Ling Chen listened attentively; Xia Mutong¡¯s footsteps were soft, yet they didn¡¯t escape his ears.


    As the footsteps rapidly approached, Ling Chen held the syringe in his hand and stared intently at the white smoke.


    "Ling Chen!"


    However, at this very moment, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s anxious voice suddenly came through the white smoke.


    Xiaozhu... Ling Chen cursed silently; it was bad timing for Zhu Xiaozhu to make a noise. Now, all he could do was pray that Xia Mutong had not been lured by Zhu Xiaozhu.


    But as seconds passed, Xia Mutong never appeared in Ling Chen¡¯s field of vision.


    "No, no, don¡¯t, who are you... let go of me."


    Suddenly, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s panicked voice arose, making Ling Chen¡¯s heart skip a beat.


    Not good!


    Xia Mutong had actually abandoned her to find Zhu Xiaozhu.


    The situation was critical. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Ling Chen dashed toward the direction of the voice.


    Upon approaching, Ling Chen nced over and saw Xia Mutong holding Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s neck with one hand, pinning her entire body against the wall. Under the force of Xia Mutong¡¯s arm, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s body was lifted, her feet off the ground, face flushed red, desperately pping Xia Mutong¡¯s arm, trying to break free from her grip.


    Unfortunately, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s strength was no match for Xia Mutong¡¯s.


    Seeing Zhu Xiaozhu about to give in, Ling Chen rushed forward, ready to assist and rescue her. But at this moment, Zhu Xiaozhu, out of nowhere, pulled out several acupuncture needles and drove them fiercely into Xia Mutong¡¯s shoulder.


    Instantly, Xia Mutong¡¯s arm seemed to lose function, dangling limply and powerlessly.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up. Xia Mutong¡¯s one arm was now disabled, presenting a perfect opportunity. Seizing the moment, Ling Chen pounced from behind, one hand choking Xia Mutong¡¯s neck while the other hand raised a syringe, forcefully stabbing toward her neck.


    However, before the syringe¡¯s needle could touch Xia Mutong¡¯s skin, Ling Chen felt his body being flung with immense force, almost airborne, with only his left hand still tightly choking Xia Mutong¡¯s neck.


    Tsk tsk! What incredible strength.


    Ling Chen was somewhat surprised. He had always known Xia Mutong was exceptionally strong, but this was astonishingly so.


    As Xia Mutong¡¯s other hand reached backward, trying to grab his cor to fling him off, Ling Chen hurriedly pressed close to her body, and directly injected the syringe into her neck. As all the anesthetic from the syringe was injected, Ling Chen finally sighed in relief and let go, preparing to step down.


    However, before Ling Chen¡¯s feet could touch the ground, a strong hand suddenly reached out, firmly grasping his wrist, and with a shoulder throw, flung him toward the opposing wall.


    Bam!


    With a muffled sound, Ling Chen¡¯s body mmed into the wall and then dropped to the floor, grimacing in pain.


    "Ling Chen, be careful!"


    At this moment, Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s scream filled the air. Ling Chen looked up to see Xia Mutong¡¯s hand reaching for him again, easily lifting him off the ground and forcefully pressing him against the wall.


    Facing Xia Mutong, who was incapacitated in one arm, Ling Chen remembered those who had perished at her hands and felt a wave of relief. It was fortunate that Xia Mutong¡¯s other hand was out ofmission; otherwise, his body might have acquired a new bloody hole by now.


    Just as Ling Chen was preparing to struggle and fight back, he felt the strength in Xia Mutong¡¯s hand gradually waning, her eyelids flickering as if she could no longer muster any strength.


    That was close!


    Ling Chen exhaled a breath of air¡ªit seemed the anesthetic was taking effect.


    As Xia Mutong¡¯s body slumped to the ground, Ling Chen copsed on the floor and shouted towards the ceiling: "Fatty, it¡¯s time toe in and clean up."


    The words had barely left his mouth when the sound of ¡¯ck ck¡¯ was heard, and all the steel tes around theboratory lifted. Immediately after, Kaelina led a team of people rushing in.

 Chapter 682 - 687: Microchip

    <h4>Chapter 682: Chapter 687: Microchip</h4>


    "Ling Chen, how are you guys doing?"


    Seeing Kaelina rushing over, Ling Chen smiled and waved his hand: "I¡¯m fine." Saying this, he stood up with the help of Kaelina.


    "Ling Chen..."


    Upon seeing Zhu Xiaozhu approaching from the side, Ling Chen smiled slightly, about to speak, but he noticed a severe bruise on Zhu Xiaozhu¡¯s forehead, as if she had sustained a violent impact.


    "What happened to you?" Ling Chen asked with concern.


    "It¡¯s nothing. I identally tripped when the ident happened earlier, and my forehead hit the floor, knocking me unconscious," Zhu Xiaozhu exined, touching the swollen bruise, "It¡¯s just a minor injury, it¡¯s no big deal."


    "Even minor injuries are still injuries. Kaelina, take Xiaozhu and have her wound treated first."


    "Okay. Miss Zhu, pleasee with me."


    After watching Kaelina and Zhu Xiaozhu leave, Ling Chen turned his gaze to Xia Mutong lying on the ground and heaved a silent sigh.


    He had felt Xia Mutong¡¯s power earlier and found that she was indeed different from Jiang Yunkai and others; at least in terms of strength, Xia Mutong was much stronger than Jiang Yunkai and Bai Huanjun. This indicated that the God Organization had made significant breakthroughs and progress in the experiments on gic mutations. At the moment, Ling Chen only hoped to get that USB drive quickly, to find out what important breakthroughs the God Organization had made recently.


    While contemting, two research staff hurried to theboratory, directing everyone to carefully lift Xia Mutong onto the stretcher.


    Ling Chen, standing aside, quietly watched, not disturbing their work. However, as they prepared to take Xia Mutong out of theboratory, Ling Chen suddenly noticed something unusual about her head¡ªit seemed like there was blood flowing out.


    He hadn¡¯t injured Xia Mutong during their bout, and he hadn¡¯t touched her head, so she shouldn¡¯t be wounded.


    "Wait!"


    Hearing Ling Chen speak, the two research staff immediately stopped and turned to ask: "Mr. Ling, is there something wrong?"


    Ling Chen walked up to the stretcher, parted Xia Mutong¡¯s hair with his hand, and suddenly saw a ten-centimeter-long scar on the top of her head. The scar was stitched up, and judging from the marks, it should be about ten days old and mostly healed. However, it may have been inadvertently touched earlier, causing a slight rupture and blood to seep out.


    Ling Chen looked at the two research staff and asked: "Didn¡¯t you notice this scar when you checked her body before?"


    "No. We didn¡¯t have the chance to perform a full medical exam on her before the ident happened."


    "Okay, you guys go check it out now, take a good look at this scar," Ling Chen said.


    He had some understanding of gic mutation experiments; such experiments mainly relied on drug injections and typically didn¡¯t require surgery on the subject¡¯s body. Moreover, the head is the most critical part of the human body, where even a slight negligence can lead to serious consequences. Therefore, Ling Chen urgently wanted to know why the God Organization had made such a long scar on Xia Mutong¡¯s head.


    When theboratory was cleaned up and after a short rest, Zhu Xiaozhu hurried to theboratory to join the examination of Xia Mutong.


    Because the matter was significant, Ling Chen was not in the mood to apany Nanrong Wanqing wandering elsewhere, so he stayed outside theboratory, quietly watching the busy research staff, waiting for the results.


    "Ling Chen, Miss Xia won¡¯t be in danger, right?" Nanrong Wanqing asked worriedly.


    Just now, Ling Chen had shared with Nanrong Wanqing what had happened to Xia Mutong. Although he omitted many details, it was enough to help Xia Mutong understand the situation.


    "I don¡¯t know," Ling Chen said with a wry smile, hoping that Xia Mutong would not be in trouble. However, the current situation was really hard to say. After all, Xia Mutong had undergone the gic mutation experiment, which could have a significant impact on her body, and whether she could recover was still uncertain.


    Time ticked by, and it was already an hour and a halfter.


    At this moment, Zhu Xiaozhu and several research staff were still in theboratory, checking Xia Mutong¡¯s body. If it were any other inspection, it wouldn¡¯t have taken this much time, but now they needed to conduct aprehensive examination of Xia Mutong¡¯s head. The process was veryplicated, not only requiring the use of a lot of medical equipment but also needing to reopen the scar on Xia Mutong¡¯s head to check the condition inside.


    Approximately two hours passed, and Zhu Xiaozhu, standing by Xia Mutong¡¯s side, took off her whiteb coat and tossed her bloodied medical gloves to one side, then headed outside theboratory.


    As soon as Zhu Xiaozhu came out, Ling Chen and the others quickly went up to meet her and asked, "Xiaozhu, how is she?"


    Zhu Xiaozhu sighed softly and said, "Miss Xia¡¯s condition is moreplicated than we imagined. To be honest, I admire the people of the God Organization; they actually managed to perform such a difficult surgery, which is really remarkable."


    "Alright! Just say it, what¡¯s the situation?" Ling Chen urged impatiently.


    "Her pain nerves have been removed, meaning no matter how much pain she suffers, she won¡¯t be able to feel it. Also, we found a microchip in her head."


    Ling Chen¡¯s expression changed slightly, asking in surprise, "A microchip?"


    "That¡¯s right," Zhu Xiaozhu nodded and said, "We checked carefully, the microchip has its own power supply, able to work continuously for half a year. Additionally, the microchip is connected to Miss Xia¡¯s main nerves, and we haven¡¯t dared to act rashly. Otherwise, one wrong move could lead to brain death."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen frowned and asked, "Do you know what that microchip does?"


    "I¡¯m not sure, all I can confirm is that the microchip has signal transmission capability. As to what type of signal it is, I don¡¯t know; you would need an expert in that field."


    An expert?


    Ling Chen¡¯s gaze shifted, immediately locking onto Hu Fei.


    "Fatso, what are you waiting for? Grab your equipment and go over there."


    "Got it," Hu Fei responded, hurriedly retrieving hisputer from the office and calling someone to bring two precise devices, arranged around Xia Mutong.


    Within ten minutes, Hu Fei lifted his gaze from theputer screen, looked up at Ling Chen, and said, "Miss Zhu is right; the microchip in Miss Xia¡¯s head is indeed transmitting signals. However, the signal is specially encrypted, and we haven¡¯t been able to crack it yet."


    "This is your area of expertise, no matter what methods you use, you must crack the signal," Ling Chen stated. Then, turning to the research staff in theboratory, he instructed, "Everyone, it¡¯ll be tough for the next few days. We need a 24-hour rotating shift until this matter is dealt with. I won¡¯t let you down after it¡¯s over."


    "Mr. Ling, rest assured, we will do our utmost."

 Chapter 683 - 688: Childhood Memories

    <h4>Chapter 683: Chapter 688: Childhood Memories</h4>


    Leaving the research base, Ling Chen took Nanrong Wanqing back to the car and slowly drove onto the road.


    Throughout the journey, Nanrong Wanqing barely spoke, maintaining silence. Seeing this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but ask, "What¡¯s the matter?"


    "It¡¯s nothing," Nanrong Wanqing replied indifferently. "I was just thinking, if it had been me back then, maybe I would be the one who could help you now, not Zhu Xiaozhu."


    Hearing this inexplicable remark, Ling Chen asked in surprise, "What do you mean?"


    "Have you always been curious about why the rtionship between me and Zhu Xiaozhu isn¡¯t very friendly?"


    Ling Chen nodded, this had indeed piqued his curiosity. Unfortunately, whether it was Nanrong Wanqing or Zhu Xiaozhu, neither of them had ever been willing to speak out. Now that Nanrong Wanqing brought it up, could it be that she was preparing to tell him the reason?


    Thinking this, Ling Chen immediately shut his mouth, adopting a posture of listening attentively.


    "You should know that the Nanrong family has a good rtionship with the Zhu Family. When we were little, since our parents weren¡¯t around, my grandfather would be worried about me staying at home alone and getting sick, so every year he would send me to stay with the Zhu Family in Beijing for a while to have Zhu Hong and Zhu Xiaozhu keep mepany. When I was five or six years old, my rtionship with Xiaozhu was very good, like real sisters. As we grew older, our rtionship got even better. However, something happened at that time. It was also then that our rtionship began to crack."


    "What happened?"


    "Xiaozhu was bright and talented, and we both were very gifted. Back then, Shi Su of the Shi Family wanted to take a disciple and specifically approached the Zhu Family. She was impressed by Xiaozhu¡¯s talents and wanted to take her on as a disciple. Coincidentally, I was at the Zhu family¡¯s house at that time. Shi Su originally came looking for Xiaozhu, but that day Xiaozhu happened to be out, and I was the only one ying in the courtyard. Shi Su had never seen Xiaozhu and mistook me for her, and so she struck up a conversation with me."


    "Perhaps my disyed talents swayed Shi Su, and she immediately expressed the wish to take me as her disciple. I had heard of Shi Su¡¯s great name; to call her the number one divine healer in Huaxia wouldn¡¯t be an overstatement, and bing her disciple was naturally a good thing, so I epted her offer. However, I rified my identity to her at the time and told her I was not Xiaozhu. Originally, Shi Su nned to take Xiaozhu as her direct disciple, but because of me, Xiaozhu missed that opportunity."


    Saying this, Nanrong Wanqing gave a bitter smile and continued, "It¡¯s also because I was too young at the time, what could a child of a few years old think of? I was simply amazed by Shi Su¡¯s abilities and wanted to learn something from her, not caring about the consequences. As for the matter of Shi Su taking a disciple, Xiaozhu had already received the news and was eagerly waiting for it. You¡¯ve known Xiaozhu for so long, you should understand her; she isn¡¯t interested in many things, only passionate about medicine. Unfortunately, because of me, she missed the opportunity."


    Ling Chen asked, "If both of you were so exceptional, why didn¡¯t Shi Su simply take you both as disciples?"


    "Whether it is me or anyone else, a master will only take one direct disciple. Although they are both disciples, only the direct disciple is the true heir. Moreover, teaching a direct disciple requires a lot of energy, especially in the field of medicine, which is moreplex than martial arts. Martial arts training is about the master leading you through the door, but the cultivation depends on the individual. However, medicine is different, it requires continuous guidance and teaching, so most famous doctors usually have only one disciple as a direct sessor."


    "It was because of this that my rtionship with Xiaozhu cracked. Since then, she has never contacted me proactively, and because I was busy learning from my master, I didn¡¯t have energy to spare to think too much."


    "So, what happened afterwards?"


    "Afterwards... You can probably guess without my saying. After all, I¡¯m from the Nanrong family and will eventually have to take on the burden of managing the Hongyu Group. My grandfather would never permit me to study medicine. However, to satisfy me, he still let me follow Shi Su for a year. A yearter, my grandfather went to the Shi Family to take me back, initially Master was unwilling, but after some persuasion and at a significant cost, she finally agreed to terminate the master-disciple rtionship with me. From that moment on, I focused on learning enterprise management and never touched medicine again. Many years have passed, and I¡¯vepletely forgotten everything about it."


    "Later, I heard that Shi Su eventually did take Xiaozhu as her direct disciple. At that time, I made a call to Xiaozhu, wanting to congratte her and apologize in passing. But, Xiaozhu never picked up my calls, perhaps she was still mad at me. It is precisely because of this that from then on, our rtionship became like that of strangers."


    After listening to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s ount, Ling Chen felt somewhat puzzled. From what he knew about Zhu Xiaozhu, she was not someone who easily bore grudges; there could be other reasons.


    "Wanqing, since you want to reconcile with Xiaozhu, why do you always have to confront her every time you meet?"


    "That...," Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s face turned slightly red, and she said softly, "If I tell you, you can¡¯t get angry."


    "Don¡¯t worry, do I seem like that kind of petty person?"


    "Back then, I had a childhood friendship with Zhu Hong, but when he left Huaxia, he didn¡¯t even call me, as if he had vanished all of a sudden. At that time, Xiaozhu was at home too. If she really regarded me as a friend, she would definitely have informed me. But she didn¡¯t say a word, and I endured years of unrequited love."


    With that, Nanrong Wanqing spoke sheepishly, "I really wasn¡¯t generous in dealing with this, ming others for no reason. Perhaps, it was because I cared too much at the time, so I..."


    "That¡¯s enough, you don¡¯t need to continue, I understand," Ling Chen said with a smile. "Everyone has their foolish moments, especially women in love. However, hearing all this, I think the misunderstanding between you and Xiaozhu isn¡¯t that serious. The reason you¡¯ve ended up like this is nothing more than pride¡ªyou both do not want to be the first to lower your head, which has led to this stalemate. How about this: when we have time, I¡¯ll arrange for both of you to meet and have a good chat, hoping to clear up the misunderstanding."


    "Do as you please," replied Nanrong Wanqing indifferently.


    "What, you don¡¯t want to reconcile with her?"


    "It¡¯s not that, it¡¯s just... every time I see Xiaozhu, she reminds me of Zhu Hong, and I feel a bit ufortable." Having said that, Nanrong Wanqing looked at Ling Chen and asked, "Do you know about Zhu Hong¡¯s current situation?"


    "I¡¯m not sure, I haven¡¯t heard from him in a long time," Ling Chen answered nonchntly.


    But this was not a brush-off; he really did not know. Back when he was at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, Zhu Hong had suddenly disappeared and has been unheard from ever since; it was unknown whether he was alive or dead.

 Chapter 684 - 689 Base Defense (1)

    <h4>Chapter 684: Chapter 689 Base Defense (1)</h4>


    The next day.


    The USB drive sent by Qiu Yong and his team finally arrived.


    At nine o¡¯clock in the morning, Ling Chen rushed to the research base to check the secret information stored in that USB drive.


    After nearly two hours, Hu Fei finally cracked the password on the USB drive and downloaded all the information to theputer.


    Having reviewed the secret information, the expressions on Ling Chen and Hu Fei¡¯s faces both turned somewhat grim. Through these secrets, they gained a deep understanding of the God Organization¡¯s achievements in gene mutation experiments.


    "No wonder those guys imnted a microchip in Miss Xia¡¯s head, so this was the reason," Hu Fei said.


    Ling Chen nodded with furrowed brows. Through the secret documents, Ling Chen finally understood that the main purpose of the God Organization imnting a microchip in Xia Mutong¡¯s head was to control her actions. The human brain is made up of veryplex parts, and if something goes wrong, it can lead to a vegetative state. However, the God Organization used high-tech means to nt microchips, using this method to control a person¡¯s thoughts and actions, turning them into loyal ves who obey orders without question.


    Moreover, the most important part was that the microchip contained a self-destruct function. Although the destructive power of the self-destruct wasn¡¯t veryrge, the fact that the microchip was located in the head meant that even a small explosion was enough to destroy brain tissue and cause death.


    The God Organization did this merely to add an extrayer of security to prevent any idents.


    "Ling Chen!" While he was pondering, Hu Fei¡¯s rmed voice suddenly rang in his ears.


    "What¡¯s wrong?"


    Hu Fei raised his head with a grave expression and said, "We¡¯ve overlooked a very serious problem. That microchip has the ability to send and receive signals. When Miss Xia first arrived, we didn¡¯t discover the microchip in her head, so the signal has been continuously transmitting. As long as the God Organization locks onto the signal, they can easily find her location."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s face changed slightly, and he said in a deep voice, "You mean... our research base¡¯s location has been exposed?"


    "Exactly, there¡¯s a good possibility of that. Ling Chen, we better enhance our defenses quickly to guard against the people from the God Organization. I remember you said before that Lin Guodong had called you, asking you to hand over Miss Xia. From this, it can be seen that Lin Guodong values Miss Xia highly and is very likely to send people to rescue her."


    Ling Chen thought for a moment, then asked, "How strong is the research base¡¯s defense force?"


    "There are fifty exoskeleton armors ready from the production department that can form abat force. But we have very few real experts, aside from Kaelina, there¡¯s only you. This might be our biggest weakness. Hey! Don¡¯t you know so many top fighters? Why not ask a few toe and preside over the situation."


    "Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll make a call to my brother and ask them toe help. Along with the base¡¯s defense force, we should be enough to deal with the God Organization." After pausing for a moment, Ling Chen shifted the topic and said, "From today on, closely monitor the surroundings of the base. Also, all the stations, bus stops, keep an eye on them. As soon as you spot any suspicious people entering East Sea City, notify me immediately."


    "Understood!"


    After discussing with Hu Fei, Ling Chen left the office and called Qiu Yong and the others to exin the situation. Qiu Yong was very straightforward; without any hesitation, he immediately agreed to his request, saying that he would catch a flight to East Sea City tonight.


    After pondering deeply, Ling Chen also made a call to He Ziyun. Regardless, since He Ziyun is an Earthly List master, if he helped, he could provide additional defensive power to the base.


    Leaving the office, Ling Chen directly went to theboratory. Seeing the busy researchers, Ling Chen found Zhu Xiaozhu and gave her the copy of the secret data that Hu Fei had made. That document contained detailed records of the God Organization¡¯s gene mutation experiments, which might be of great help to Zhu Xiaozhu and her colleagues.


    Watching Zhu Xiaozhu turn to leave, Ling Chen hesitated for a moment before calling out, "Xiaozhu."


    Zhu Xiaozhu turned her head and asked, "What¡¯s wrong, is there anything else?"


    "That..." The words reached his lips, but Ling Chen gave a slight smile and said, "It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just that things might get unstable these next few days. You tell your colleagues to stay inside the base as much as possible, and if there¡¯s no need, try not to go out. If you must leave, remember to let Hu Fei know and have someone apany you, don¡¯t go out alone."


    "Okay, I got it. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go back to work."


    After watching Zhu Xiaozhu leave, Ling Chen let out a sigh. He had originally wanted to talk to Zhu Xiaozhu about the matters concerning Nanrong Wanqing, but then he thought it might not be the right time. So he decided to postpone the discussion and talk about it when he had more time.


    Night fell.


    Around ten o¡¯clock at night, Ling Chen drove and parked outside the airport, waiting for Qiu Yong and his team to arrive.


    Looking at the time, they should be arriving soon.


    While he was thinking, a group of travelers came out of the airport. Ling Chen got out of the car and looked up. His gaze immediately settled on the figure of Qiu Yong and his sevenpanions at the exit.


    As Yuan Yun was still notpletely healed from his injuries, he was in a wheelchair, with Xia Yue pushing from behind.


    "Big brother!"


    Ling Chen smiled and waved his hand, quickly approaching them.


    After a few words of greeting, Ling Chen said, "Brother, let¡¯s get in the car first. I¡¯ll take you to the base to rest."


    After speaking, Ling Chen was about to head off, but at that moment, he suddenly felt a faint gaze cast from not far away.


    Out of curiosity, he turned and nced back. Instantly, a familiar face appeared in his sight. Upon recognizing the person, Ling Chen¡¯s expression turned, and a sharp glint burst forth from his Mo Che-like pupils, his fist unconsciously clenching.


    Noticing something was amiss with Ling Chen, Qiu Yong couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Cheng, what¡¯s wrong?"


    Seeing Ling Chen staring intently at the airport exit, everyone turned their heads to follow his gaze.


    Next to the airport exit, a middle-aged man in a suit stood with his hands behind his back, wearing an ambiguous smile as he looked directly at Ling Chen. Behind him were more than a dozen men, varying ages from early twenties to over sixty, each with a stern face and sharp gaze, all staring at Ling Chen and his group.


    "Cheng, who are they?"


    Looking at the suited man, Ling Chen said with a heavy voice, "He is Lin Jiawei, a man from the God Organization, and those people behind him must be members of the God Organization."


    Hearing this, Xia Yue snorted lightly, "Well, this is quite a coincidence, meeting them here. Cheng, isn¡¯t this why you asked us toe, to deal with them? In that case, why not just settle it here."


    Just as she finished speaking, Lin Jiawei walked over with his men and stopped in front of Ling Chen, a smile brimming on his face, "Mr. Ling, we meet again."

 Chapter 685 - 690 Base Defense (2)

    <h4>Chapter 685: Chapter 690 Base Defense (2)</h4>


    Ling Chen said indifferently, "Lin Jiawei, you¡¯ve got some nerve showing up in East Sea City."


    Lin Jiawei shrugged helplessly and said, "What can I do? Lin Guodong personally called you, hoping you could help out and hand over Miss Xia, but you refused. So, we had no choice but to make a trip here to take Miss Xia back."


    As expected!


    Ling Chen frowned secretly. It seemed Hu Fei was right; with the signal transmitted by the microchip, the God Organization could easily track Xia Mutong¡¯s location. He had intended to keep the research base¡¯s secret a bit longer, but now, despite all the precautions, the base was exposed.


    "Lin Jiawei, even if you know where she is, what then? Do you think I will just stand by and watch her be taken away by you?"


    Lin Jiawei smiled and said, "Of course not. Ling Chen, I know East Sea City is your turf, and your people are everywhere around here. As soon as we step into East Sea City, we can¡¯t escape your watchful eyes. That¡¯s why I came straight from the airport in full view. Since hiding is useless, why bother concealing our movements?"


    At this point, Lin Jiawei looked around at the people nearby and said, "This is a public ce, Ling Chen, do you dare to make a move against us here?"


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s expression turned ugly. Lin Jiawei was right; he really didn¡¯t dare to act in front of so many people, for if innocents were harmed, he would not be able to shirk responsibility.


    "Lin Jiawei, don¡¯t be too smug. As long as you¡¯re on my turf, don¡¯t even think about causing trouble."


    "Alright, let¡¯s wait and see who gets thestugh."


    After saying this, Lin Jiawei got into one of the three Land Rovers parked by the road with his followers.


    Watching the three Land Rovers drive away, Ling Chen and Qiu Yong quickly got into their car.


    "Hey! Fatty, I just ran into Lin Jiawei at the airport. He brought quite a few people. Keep an eye on him for me."


    After giving the instructions, Ling Chen immediately started the car and headed towards the research base. Although he had anticipated that the God Organization would take action, he didn¡¯t expect them to act this fast. And this time, Lin Jiawei¡¯s visit to East Sea City was clearly well-prepared.


    He knew his movements would be exposed, so he didn¡¯t bother with subterfuge and directly entered East Sea City. He was so confident because of the group he brought with him.


    "Big brother, did you recognize any of the people Lin Jiawei brought?"


    "I haven¡¯t seen them before, but judging by their walking, they seem to be professionals. Ling Cheng, we might have a tough fight on our hands."


    Ling Chen nodded, and before he could say more, his phone suddenly rang. It was Hu Fei calling.


    After answering the phone, Ling Chen asked, "Fatty, what¡¯s up?"


    "Where are you guys?" Hu Fei asked anxiously, "You just had me keep an eye on Lin Jiawei. My men followed them, and it turns out, they didn¡¯t go to any hotel or any other ce, but directly towards the base. They¡¯ll be at the base in no more than five minutes. You¡¯d better hurry."


    "What?" Ling Chen was shocked. Lin Jiawei had just gotten off the ne and had already started his operation, which was totally unexpected.


    "Alright, I got it. Have Kaelina prepare the base¡¯s defenses; we¡¯re heading back right now."


    After hanging up, Ling Chen floored the elerator, driving the Mercedes van rapidly towards the direction of the base.


    At that moment, outside the research base.


    The three Land Rovers slowly drove up and parked by the road. Lin Jiawei got out of the car first, looked up at the residential building not far away, and sneered, "This is quite a good hiding spot." Then, he gestured with his hand, and more than ten followers immediately rushed towards the building.


    In less than two minutes, one of the followers came back and reported, "Mr. Lin, we¡¯ve checked, there are two entrances and exits."


    "Block the ce off, don¡¯t let anyone out, I want them all trapped inside," Lin Jiawei said, before turning the conversation, asking, "Have all the others arrived?"


    "They are on their way, expected to arrive in three minutes."


    "Very good!" Lin Jiawei smiled and nodded his head. Then, he pointed to the coffee shop across the street and said, "I¡¯ll sit there for a while. Hurry up with your tasks, and notify me once you find the person."


    "Understood."


    Not long after Lin Jiawei left, several vans arrived one after the other outside the residential building. Soon, the entire building was surrounded by over thirty men in suits.


    At this moment, it was already 11 p.m., the streets were sparsely popted and eerily quiet, with few people noticing what was happening here.


    "Go!"


    ...


    In the research base, Hu Fei was intently staring at theputer screen, his eyes moving back and forth among more than ten surveince screens, observing the situation of the intruders.


    "Attention, someone has infiltrated the roof! Repeat, someone has infiltrated the roof!"


    Hu Fei, holding a walkie-talkie, shouted loudly, alerting the defense personnel inside the base.


    "Received!" Soon, Kaelina¡¯s voice came through the walkie-talkie, responding to Hu Fei¡¯s warning.


    "Liu, take some people to the north side of the base, there are a few people damaging the entrance."


    "Understood, I¡¯m on my way."


    The response came from Liu Dongsheng, who had been specifically asked by Hu Fei toe help secure the base.


    Bang!


    Suddenly, with a loud noise, a thick plume of smoke instantly surged into the base.


    In the choking smoke, Liu Dongsheng, responsible for guarding the north side of the base, quickly covered his nose with his sleeve, tightly clutching a dagger in one hand, his eyes fixed on the movements in the smoke. Before long, a dark figure appeared in the smoke and without a second thought, Liu Dongsheng swiftly pounced forward, plunging the dagger into the neck of the figure.


    In an instant, blood spurted out wildly, soaking Liu Dongsheng¡¯s clothes in red.


    After dealing with one intruder, Liu Dongsheng did not pause, immediately rolling on the ground, using the smoke as cover to move to another spot, waiting for the next opportunity to strike.


    ng ng!


    Suddenly, a crisp noise emanated from the ground, sounding like some metallic object had fallen. Liu Dongsheng, covering his nose, looked intently only to see several cylindrical objects rolling towards him.


    As they neared, Liu Dongsheng¡¯s pupils constricted, he quickly turned his head away, eyes tightly shut, shouting, "Watch out, sh!"


    Right after his words fell, several loud ¡¯bangs¡¯ were heard, and blinding bright lights burst forth instantaneously. Some of the slower-reacting defensive personnel were caught off guard, covering their eyes, incessantly crying out in pain.


    "Kill them, leave none alive!"


    Hearing the cold voiceing through the smoke, Liu Dongsheng internally cursed. The group he brought had at least six or seven people affected by the sh, temporarily blinded, and if he left them unattended, they were doomed.

 Chapter 686 - 691 Base Defense (3)

    <h4>Chapter 686: Chapter 691 Base Defense (3)</h4>


    Seeing the situation, Liu Dongsheng didn¡¯t think too much, his feet slid, and he charged into the smoke again, his dagger aiming straight at the leading man.


    ng!


    However, before the tip of the dagger could touch the man, it was blocked by something hard. As the smoke dispersed, it was seen that the man¡¯s palm had firmly grasped the dagger, showing no fear of its sharpness.


    "Trying to kill me? Get lost!"


    The man looked down on Liu Dongsheng with disdain, scoffed, and simply bent the dagger, kicking towards Liu Dongsheng¡¯s body. Seeing the man¡¯s move, Liu Dongsheng¡¯s steps, in sync with his waist, lightly turned, quickly moving to the right side of his opponent, swinging a fierce punch, hitting the man¡¯s shoulder hard.


    But after taking the heavy hit, the man¡¯s body merely shuddered, not moving at all.


    "Think you can hurt me with that little force?"


    Facing the man¡¯s challenging gaze, Liu Dongsheng¡¯s eyebrows twitched, and he instantly understood.


    Exoskeleton armor!


    Hu Fei had warned him before to be careful of this kind of equipment. A person wearing exoskeleton armor would have greatly enhanced strength, speed, and reflexes. Not only that, but exoskeleton armor could also strengthen the body¡¯s defensive power.


    The man in front of him must be wearing exoskeleton armor, which was why he could resist the hits.


    With this in mind, Liu Dongsheng retracted his fist, didn¡¯t step back, and swung his fist again, aiming directly at the man¡¯s chest.


    Watching the swiftly approaching fist, the man sneered, not attempting to dodge at all. Instead, he puffed out his chest without any sign of resistance, his eyes full of contempt.


    Just as the fist was about tond, the corners of Liu Dongsheng¡¯s mouth lifted slightly, suddenly revealing a faint smile.


    Seeing that smile, for some reason, the man felt a sense of crisis in his heart. But by the time he reacted, it was already toote. Liu Dongsheng¡¯s fist fell heavily, with a strong force, directly knocking the man¡¯s body flying backward, crashing into his approachingpanions, both copsing to the ground in a tangle.


    Hmph!


    Liu Dongsheng chuckled, rolling up his sleeves to reveal a set of exoskeleton armor, and said, "Did you think that only your God Organization would be equipped with this gear?"


    With those words, Liu Dongsheng raised his arms, and dozens of thin needles shot out from his sleeves, instantly piercing through several men who were attacking him head-on. In an instant, the ground was filled with sounds of screams and moans.


    "Liu, how is it, the armor I gave you isn¡¯t too shabby, right?"


    Hu Fei¡¯s smugughter came from the earpiece, and Liu Dongsheng replied with a smile, "Indeed, it¡¯s not bad."


    "That¡¯s the exoskeleton armor I specially designed for myself, not only well-made but also equipped with a lot of gadgets, those bastards can¡¯tpare to me. Alright, I¡¯ll stop talking now, guard the north entrance of the base well; I¡¯m going to help Kaelina."


    Right now, the only two capable experts in the base were Kaelina and Liu Dongsheng. However, to be exact, neither Kaelina nor Liu Dongsheng could be considered true experts; they were just assassins skilled in the art of killing.


    Fortunately, there were fifty members equipped with exoskeleton armor in the base, and with their cooperation, they were barely able to keep the enemies outside the doors.


    "Mr. Yu, the defense inside the base is too strong; our people can¡¯t break through."


    Outside the base, a man in a suit reported to a slightly older middle-aged man.


    "Hmph! A bunch of useless trash. Ling Chen and his group aren¡¯t here, and you can¡¯t even deal with a rabble. I really don¡¯t know what the God Organization is feeding you all for. Alright, tell your men to withdraw. Leave the rest to us. If Ling Chen and his group arriveter, try to stop them. Remember, even at the cost of your lives, you must block them. Don¡¯t let them step into the base before the mission is sessful. Did you hear me?"


    "Yes!"


    ...


    "Sixth Brother, how much longer until we arrive?"


    "Almost there!" Ling Chen looked at the severalrge trucks ahead on the road, his brow furrowed tight as he continuously honked the horn, hoping the trucks would clear the way.


    If it weren¡¯t for these trucks blocking the way earlier, he would have already reached the base by now.


    Shit!


    Seeing that the trucks were not giving way, Ling Chen silently cursed and floored the gas pedal, squeezing through the gap between two of the trucks.


    As Ling Chen¡¯s menacing Mercedes-Benz van rushed forward, the drivers of the two trucks panicked and hit the brakes. Seizing the moment, Ling Chen pushed the van to its speed limit and quickly passed through.


    Thank goodness for his courage¡ªthere was only space for one car between the two trucks. If not for his superb driving skills, he might have mmed into the side of a truck by now.


    Looking at the time, Ling Chen¡¯s heart sank. It took over twenty minutes on the road back from the airport, and he didn¡¯t know what the situation was like at the base.


    Thinking of this, Ling Chen picked up his phone and dialed Hu Fei¡¯s number.


    The call had just connected when Hu Fei¡¯s anxious voice came through: "Hey! Ling Chen, how much longer till you get here? If you don¡¯te back soon, we¡¯re all done for."


    "Has the defensive line been breached?"


    "God Organization has deployed over ten experts; our people simply can¡¯t hold them off. They¡¯ve broken into the base. I¡¯ve moved everyone outside theb to see if we can buy some time."


    "I..."


    Bang!


    Before Ling Chen could finish speaking, he felt a violent shake in the car, which nearly veered off the road and crashed into the curb.


    What¡¯s going on?


    Ling Chen internally sensed trouble and quickly nced at the rearview mirrors on both sides. To his shock, two Range Rover off-road vehicles had appeared out of nowhere, tailing them closely. It was one of these Range Rovers that had hit the tail of their car and nearly caused an ident.


    "It¡¯s from God Organization," Qiu Yong, who was sitting in the passenger seat, said gravely.


    Ling Chen furrowed his brows slightly. It seemed like Lin Jiawei¡¯s n was very meticulous. Knowing that he would rush back to the base from the airport, they set up a mid-way ambush to dy him.


    "Hey! Ling Chen, how much longer?"


    Hearing Hu Fei¡¯s urging voice, Ling Chen replied, "Hold on, I¡¯ve encountered some issue here. I¡¯ll talk to youter."


    After saying this, he didn¡¯t wait for Hu Fei to respond and hung up the phone.


    "Zhang Zhongfeng, I need your help."


    Sitting in the back seat, Zhang Zhongfeng nodded silently, picked up his longbow, and turned to face the rear. At the same time, Ling Chen pressed a switch, and the tailgate of the Mercedes-Benz van immediately opened.


    With the tailgate no longer in the way, Zhang Zhongfeng¡¯s vision became much clearer. He raised the longbow, notched an arrow onto the bowstring, and aimed at the front window of one of the Range Rovers.


    Just then, the Range Rover suddenly elerated, aiming to strike the rear of the van again and cause it to go off the road.


    However, in the nick of time, Zhang Zhongfeng¡¯s fingers rxed slightly, and the sharp arrow shot out, soaring towards that Range Rover.

 Chapter 687 - 692: The True Face of Liu Dongsheng

    <h4>Chapter 687: Chapter 692: The True Face of Liu Dongsheng</h4>


    Arrow God shoots, never missing his mark.


    As the arrowunched, it immediately hit the front windshield of the Land Rover, striking directly at the driver¡¯s seat. Then, the Land Rover suddenly swerved to the side of the road as if it had lost control, brutally crashing into the barrier with a loud ¡¯bang¡¯, the front of the vehicle instantly deformed and thick white smoke billowed from under the hood.


    Having dealt with one Land Rover, another vehicle seemed more cautious, not daring toe closer, quickly slowing down, maintaining a distance of twenty to thirty meters, closely following behind.


    However, they still overlooked Zhang Zhongfeng¡¯s skills.


    The reason he is called the Arrow God is that he can do what others can¡¯t.


    Drawing the bow fully, Zhang Zhongfeng once again ced an arrow on the bowstring, focusing on the ever-shifting Land Rover through one eye.


    Whoosh!


    The arrow cleaved through the air, and the next second, only a ¡¯bang¡¯ was heard as the Land Rover instantaneously flipped onto its side, rolling over the ground for more than ten meters before it finally stopped.


    Both Land Rovers were taken care of, and Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief. Lucky that Zhang Zhongfeng was in the car, otherwise just those two Land Rovers would have taken up a lot of time.


    At the base,


    Hu Fei had already gathered everyone outside theboratory, following the confrontation, only about twenty people remained, adding in Kaelina and Liu Dongsheng, there were fewer than thirtybatants.


    Hu Fei cowered in his office, locking the door tightly, his expression grave as he stared at theputer screen.


    "Attack!"


    At themand, a man in his thirties grabbed two sharp axes and charged into the crowd.


    Seeing the two heavy axes, everyone felt a chill and did not dare to confront directly, hastily retreating. Seeing this, Liu Dongsheng and Kaelina exchanged nces, quickly moved forward together and simultaneouslyunched a counterattack, blocking the man¡¯s assault.


    The man did not step back after the failed strike; he swung the two axes straight down towards the heads of Liu Dongsheng and Kaelina. The axes weighed dozens of pounds, but in the man¡¯s hands, they were as light as feathers, effortlessly handled.


    However, Liu Dongsheng and Kaelina could feel the fierce force of the wind generated by the axes. Before the axes even reached them, two streams of Inner Strength had already closed in, sharp like des, inflicting intense pain on their skin.


    "Retreat quickly!"


    Seeing the dire situation, Kaelina urgently shouted.


    Liu Dongsheng did not hesitate, promptly pulling back just enough to dodge the sharp axes.


    But, although they avoided the heavy axes, they could not escape the fierce force of the wind. Looking closely, Liu Dongsheng was shocked to see that his clothes had been shed open, precisely by that condensed Inner Strength.


    Impressive!


    Liu Dongsheng and Kaelina exchanged looks, their eyes filled with fear.


    True master, this was a real master!


    Had they not been aided by the exoskeleton armor just now, they might have really lost their lives.


    Seeing this, Liu Dongsheng furrowed his brows deeply, his expression somber, and he nced back at the others and spoke in a deep voice: "All of you, go inside."


    Hearing this, more than twenty subordinates hurriedly opened therge door of theboratory and squeezed into theb.


    "You go inside too."


    Kaelina was stunned, thinking she had heard wrongly, and looked at Liu Dongsheng: "You want me to go in?"


    Liu Dongsheng nodded: "Go ahead, I¡¯ll handle everything here by myself."


    "Hey! Liu, are you crazy? Why are you trying to act tough at this time?"


    Hu Fei¡¯s voice came through the earphone, carrying a hint of worry and anxiety.


    "Don¡¯t worry about me," Liu Dongsheng replied indifferently. "I know what I¡¯m doing, Mr. Hu, have you forgotten who I am?"


    Hu Fei anxiously said, "You... that was all in the past, and it¡¯s been so many years now, you now..."


    "It¡¯s okay, trust me. Mr. Hu, you know my character. Since I have promised to help you, I will definitely keep my word. Thank you for your care all these years!"


    With that, before Kaelina could react, Liu Dongsheng grabbed her hand, pushed her into theb, and closed the door behind her.


    Turning around, Liu Dongsheng faced the man holding two axes, took off his coat, and then removed the exoskeleton armor he was wearing and threw it aside.


    Seeing Liu Dongsheng¡¯s actions on the surveince footage, Hu Fei¡¯s expression finally changed.


    It¡¯s over!


    That guy is doomed!


    Ah, Hu Fei shook his head helplessly, after so many years...


    At that moment, watching the bare-torsoed Liu Dongsheng, the man sneered, "What, need to perform some kind of ritual before you die?"


    Liu Dongsheng remained silent, turning around and throwing his clothes on the ground.


    However, as Liu Dongsheng turned, the man noticed a tattoo on his back, resembling a ferocious tiger descending the mountain. But, this tiger was blood-red with emerald-green eyes, exuding a chilling and fierce aura that was extraordinarily terrifying.


    Hmph!


    The man sneered disdainfully at Liu Dongsheng, looking down on him and said arrogantly, "Hurry up and make a move, I don¡¯t have all day to waste with you."


    Liu Dongsheng seemed as if he hadn¡¯t heard the man¡¯s words, standing quietly on the spot, his gaze fixed on the man in front of him, his hands slowly reaching into his pockets.


    When he took his arms out again, everyone noticed that Liu Dongsheng¡¯s fingers were each fitted with a sharp object, resembling long ws, cold and sharp, emanating a faint chill.


    Seeing Liu Dongsheng¡¯s ten fingers, along with the tattoo on his back, Kaelina in theb suddenly seemed to realize something, her eyes widening in disbelief as she stared at Liu Dongsheng, her eyes filled with incredulity.


    "Come, let¡¯s see how capable you are," the man waved the axe in his hand, a provocative look on his face.


    Liu Dongsheng¡¯s lips curled slightly, carrying a hint of a cold smile. Yet, for some reason, both his smile and his eyes exuded a bloodthirsty ferocity, like a fierce tiger weaving through the forest, eyeing his prey, ready to tear it apart.


    "Kill!"


    Seeing Liu Dongsheng not making a move, the man grew impatient, raised his axe, and charged towards Liu Dongsheng, aiming a strike at his head. If this blownded, Liu Dongsheng¡¯s body would likely be split in half.


    Just as the axe was about to hit, the still Liu Dongsheng suddenly bent down, using both his hands and feet, and swiftly moved to the side. Before the man could react, Liu Dongsheng had already disappeared from his sight.


    Where is he?


    The man¡¯s expression changed slightly, hurriedly turning his gaze behind him.


    Indeed! Liu Dongsheng was standing about two meters behind him, staring at him coldly. Moreover, Liu Dongsheng¡¯s pose was quite strange, with his hands and feet all on the ground, almost like an animal.

 Chapter 688 - 693: Blocking the Enemy

    <h4>Chapter 688: Chapter 693: Blocking the Enemy</h4>


    Seeing Liu Dongsheng¡¯s eerie actions, everyone widened their eyes in surprise.


    The man held two axes, his bushy eyebrows slightly knitted. Even though he had been somewhat negligent earlier, the speed exhibited by Liu Dongsheng had caught him off guard. As an expert from the Dragon List, he couldn¡¯t believe he let his opponent slip away¡ªit surely wasn¡¯t just coincidence.


    At this moment, Liu Dongsheng¡¯s limbs touched the ground, slowly moving around the man, his gaze fixed intently on his target, like a beast lurking in the shadows, exuding a chilling aura, always ready to pounce and bite his prey to death.


    Ling Chen...


    Watching Liu Dongsheng¡¯s expressions, for some reason, Kaelina, who was in theb, couldn¡¯t help but think of Ling Chen. She had spent so much time with him and had fought alongside him. She had felt the same chilling cold emanating from him.


    As an Assassin, she knew what such an aura meant.


    It was a special killer instinct, only cultivated through countless dangers at the edge of life and death, after ying countless people. Moreover, the aura emanating from Liu Dongsheng was much stronger than that of Ling Chen, which meant Liu Dongsheng had encountered death far more times.


    Terrifying!


    Even though there were many people present, most of them experts, they were still surprised by the aura emanating from Liu Dongsheng.


    Facing Liu Dongsheng¡¯s gradually blood-red eyes, a chill surged through the man¡¯s feet.


    "Xu Yong, what are you waiting for? Kill him quickly; don¡¯t waste time."


    Hearing hispanion¡¯s urging, Xu Yong no longer dyed. He swung the two axes in his hands and quickly rushed forward, aiming a powerful blow at Liu Dongsheng¡¯s head.


    Seeing Xu Yong¡¯s attack, Liu Dongsheng supported himself with his hands on the ground, suddenly exerting force, his body shot up, and he pounced towards Xu Yong. Simultaneously, Liu Dongsheng extended his hands, his fingers equipped with sharp spikes, resembling vicious ws.


    Facing Liu Dongsheng¡¯s leap, Xu Yong immediately changed his move¡ªboth axes swept horizontally from left and right aiming fiercely at Liu Dongsheng¡¯s wrists, attempting to sever thempletely.


    At this critical moment, Liu Dongsheng¡¯s body suddenly leaned back, his hair narrowly escaping the axes¡¯ des. Dodging the axes, Liu Dongsheng didn¡¯t pause for a moment and continued rushing forward. In the blink of an eye, Liu Dongsheng was already close to Xu Yong, swinging his ws fiercely.


    Swish!


    In an instant, several sh marks appeared on Xu Yong¡¯s chest, blood dripping profusely.


    Landing a hit, Liu Dongsheng did not pursue further but instead performed a backflip, instantly escaping Xu Yong¡¯s range of attack and maintaining a distance of three meters.


    Though it seemed slow, the speed disyed by Liu Dongsheng had surprised everyone present. All the experts watched Liu Dongsheng stupefied, their eyes filled with unconcealed amazement.


    They could sense that Liu Dongsheng was not a martial artist, but his speed surpassed many skilled fighters. Xu Yong was after all an expert of the Dragon List, yet Liu Dongsheng had not only matched him but even managed to wound him, a feat that astonishingly impressed everyone.


    In front of the surveince screen, Hu Fei¡¯s eyes closely followed Liu Dongsheng, moving with him. Hu Fei was well aware of Liu Dongsheng¡¯s true identity, and at this moment, his face showed little concern.


    In theb, Kaelina kept her eyes fixed on Liu Dongsheng, never shifting her focus away.


    Previously, during their joint operations, she had been guessing Liu Dongsheng¡¯s identity, but nothing about his abilities had seemed particrly extraordinary. However, now, seeing the tiger tattoo on Liu Dongsheng¡¯s back, she finally remembered that person who once had a glorious past.


    Never did I expect, in my lifetime, to see him and witness his elegance.


    At this moment, Xu Yong, injured by Liu Dongsheng, had an iron-blue face; it seemed like mes could spurt from his chilling gaze, fuelled by rage.


    "Good, very good!" Xu Yong clenched his twin axes and gritted his teeth, saying, "You¡¯re quite skillful. I want to see how long you canst."


    As his words fell, Xu Yong surged forward, quickly closing the distance to Liu Dongsheng. His ax swung fiercely, whistling through the air. The powerful force burst forth in an instant, giving one the impression of a Powerful sh.


    Feeling the intense pressure all around him, Liu Dongsheng¡¯s eyes narrowed and without hesitation, he swiftly sidestepped, dodging the axes of Xu Yong.


    Not giving Xu Yong a chance to change his tactic, Liu Dongsheng slid his foot and passed underneath Xu Yong in an extremely bizarre posture. Xu Yong only saw a flickering figure before he could capture Liu Dongsheng¡¯s form, and the other had disappeared from his view.


    The next second, a sharp pain surged, nearly making Xu Yong cry out loud.


    Turning around, everyone looked at Xu Yong¡¯s blood-soaked back, involuntarily gasping. They had not expected Xu Yong to be outmaneuvered by Liu Dongsheng again, resulting in severe injuries.


    "Damn it, I¡¯ll ughter you!"


    Xu Yong roared furiously, ring deadly at Liu Dongsheng. He violently threw his heavy axes directly at Liu Dongsheng.


    However, spotting the iing axes, Liu Dongsheng didn¡¯t seem bothered. He moved nimbly, stepping away from the spot before the axes reached, easily dodging Xu Yong¡¯s attack.


    At the same time, Liu Dongsheng tipped his toe, swiftly advancing like a gust of wind, reaching Xu Yong again with a swipe of his w.


    Blood spattered, and new wounds were added to Xu Yong¡¯s body.


    Although witnessing Liu Dongsheng¡¯s attacks nearing, Xu Yong¡¯s defensive moves were somehow always a beat too slow to effectively defend himself.


    Observing Xu Yong¡¯s progressively slowing movements, the experts watching frowned.


    "Big brother, it seems Xu Yong..."


    The slightly older man nodded and said, "That guy¡¯s w must contain poison. Xu Yong¡¯s slowed speed is surely due to the toxin. Enough! Stop wasting time. All of you, attack together, make it quick, don¡¯t keep Mr. Lin waiting."


    "Yes!"


    As soon as the voice fell, seven or eight men stepped forward, each wielding a weapon, and charged towards Liu Dongsheng.


    Seeing these people attacking, Liu Dongsheng¡¯s expression instantly turned solemn, his eyes flickering coldly, radiating a bloodthirsty glow.


    "Kill him!"


    At thatmand, several men immediately quickened their pace. In a few strides, they reached Liu Dongsheng and their sharp swords and knives thrust towards him.


    Facing the group¡¯s offense, Liu Dongsheng suddenly let out a tiger¡¯s roar, leaping high from the ground, instantly dodging the siege. Following that, he deftly tapped the shoulder of one of the men with the tip of his foot, breaking through the encirclement.

 Chapter 689 - 694: Helping Hand

    <h4>Chapter 689: Chapter 694: Helping Hand</h4>


    Liu Dongsheng was smart, or rather, hisbat experience was extremely rich. Facing the siege of many, he knew he was no match and chose not to fight head-on but to maintain a distance, moving within the confined space, keeping everyone tethered outside theb, buying time for reinforcements to arrive.


    Suddenly, Liu Dongsheng fiercely lunged forward, targeting Xu Yong who was not far away.


    By the time the others reacted, it was already toote. With his impressive speed, Liu Dongsheng instantly rushed in front of Xu Yong. At this moment, Xu Yong seemed to be frozen, standing there stiffly, every movement immensely difficult. Facing Liu Dongsheng¡¯s attack, he was utterly unable to resist.


    In a sh, Liu Dongsheng pounced, coiling his legs around Xu Yong¡¯s waist and his arms crossed, locking onto Xu Yong¡¯s neck, ten sharp spikes all embedding into Xu Yong¡¯s skin.


    Seeing this, everyone was shocked, not expecting Liu Dongsheng to target Xu Yong.


    "Stop!"


    Sensing the intense killing intent in Liu Dongsheng¡¯s eyes, a man hurriedly shouted, trying to stop him.


    Unfortunately, as he was shouting, Liu Dongsheng¡¯s hands slightly moved, and warm blood immediately sprayed from Xu Yong¡¯s neck.


    By the time Liu Dongsheng moved away, Xu Yong fell forward rigidly, copsing into a pool of blood, utterly dead.


    Seeing theirpanion killed, fury appeared on the faces of the others, their eyes coldly fixed on Liu Dongsheng, closing in step by step, determined to kill him on the spot to avenge their fallenrade.


    "Kill him!"


    A man, gritting his teeth, waved a steel sword with a sword energy that tore through the air, fiercely aiming a strike at the top of Liu Dongsheng¡¯s head.


    At the same time, several men simultaneouslyunched attacks from four different directions towards Liu Dongsheng,pletely sealing off his escape routes. Seeing this, Liu Dongsheng touched the ground with his hands and feet, using the strength of his limbs to suddenly leap up, trying to leap over everyone¡¯s heads and break out as he did before.


    However, having learned from what just happened, this time, his adversaries were prepared.


    As Liu Dongsheng jumped, one man had already leapt up, a long knife tight in his hand, cleaving towards the flying Liu Dongsheng.


    Seeing the de nearing, Liu Dongsheng¡¯s pupils shrank, urgently twisting his waist, stopping his forward motion. Then, he released all his strength, letting his body fall downward.


    Just as hepleted this movement, the long knife carrying a fierce momentum, shed past the front of Liu Dongsheng¡¯s chest, nearly grazing his skin.


    However, while he avoided that dangerous strike, several others were waiting below for Liu Dongsheng. Before his body even hit the ground, a meaty palm suddenly extended and harshly struck Liu Dongsheng¡¯s body. A surge of Inner Strength burst forth, instantly sending Liu Dongsheng flying, crashing heavily against theboratory¡¯s ss window.


    Fortunately, theb¡¯s windows were bulletproof, tough in material, and did not break.


    "Mr. Hu, quickly seal theb." Liu Dongsheng said gravely.


    Hearing Liu Dongsheng¡¯s voice, Hu Fei frowned, his fingers hovering over the keyboard keys, his eyes filled with hesitation, unsure whether to press them or not.


    "Find the person, now." the older manmanded.


    "Yes!"


    Several responded at once, immediately walking towards theb entrance, with two especially rushing towards Liu Dongsheng, prepared to end his life.


    Having suffered a heavy blow, Liu Dongsheng¡¯s body was greatly affected. At this moment, moving was somewhat difficult for him, his legs trembling, barely able to stand steadily, needing to support himself against the wall to weakly move.


    Watching the two men approach, Liu Dongsheng took a deep breath, clenched his teeth firmly, his expression resolute, prepared for a final showdown.


    "Prepare to die!"


    As soon as he spoke, the two men immediately charged towards Liu Dongsheng, their sharp swords aiming directly at his vital points.


    However, at this critical moment, a fierce gust of Inner Strength suddenly flew between the two men. Before anyone else could react, both men were seen with a fresh cut on their necks.


    Immediately after, with two ¡¯bang bang¡¯ sounds, the men fell to the ground, lifeless.


    This sudden turn of events shocked everyone present, staring in horror at the two dead men. Everything had happened too quickly, and no one had noticed or seen clearly who had made the move.


    "Who is it?"


    People looked around, searching for the person who had intervened.


    "Are you looking for me?"


    Suddenly, a faint voice was heard, immediately drawing everyone¡¯s attention.


    Unbeknownst to them, an old man had appeared among the crowd, holding an unsheathed steel sword, his face gaunt, forehead slightly raised, exuding a calm and steady aura.


    The crowd scrutinized the old man and asked coldly, "Who are you?"


    "He Ziyun."


    He Ziyun?


    Hearing the man introduce himself, everyone present was startled, their expressions drastically changing.


    He Ziyun... Wasn¡¯t he the sixth-ranked master on the Earthly List?


    Thinking of the term ¡¯Earthly List master,¡¯ a hint of fear shed in the eyes of several men, who quickly stepped back.


    "Are you He Ziyun?" The slightly older man stared coldly at He Ziyun and snorted, "This is God Organization¡¯s business, it¡¯s best if an outsider like you doesn¡¯t interfere!"


    He Ziyun smiled faintly, "When did I ever say I was an outsider? God Organization... Don¡¯t you know that my greatest enemy in life is the God Organization?" Pausing for a moment, He Ziyun turned to the man and changed his tone slightly, "I¡¯ve heard of you, if I¡¯m not mistaken, you are Huang Qianqiu ranked eigth on the Earthly List."


    "Yes, I am Huang Qianqiu." The man nodded unabashedly.


    "As a master of the Earthly List, yet you choose to oppress the weak and willingly serve the God Organization, this is truly disappointing," He Ziyun shook his head and sighed lightly.


    Huang Qianqiu, unconcerned, responded, "So what? A wise man submits to circumstances. The God Organization gives me what I want, and I am happy to serve them. If you can satisfy me, I would serve you too."


    "Enough! Since that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s no need for further words." He Ziyun held the steel sword with one hand, and with the other hand stretched out slightly forward chest level, and said to Huang Qianqiu, "If you want to harm them, you¡¯ll have to get past me first."


    Hearing this, Huang Qianqiu furrowed his brow and said solemnly, "He Ziyun, I know your skills are superior to mine, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can defeat me. Don¡¯t forget, I am now a member of the God Organization, and my means are not limited to mere martial arts."


    (Sorry for the special circumstances, updating two parts now, will add more in the afternoon)

 Chapter 690 - 695 Huang Qianqiu

    <h4>Chapter 690: Chapter 695 Huang Qianqiu</h4>


    "Methods?" He Ziyun gently shook his head, utterly unmoved by Huang Qianqiu¡¯s words, and continued on his own: "The methods of the God Organization are nothing new, rarely anything innovative. If you really have that ability, I would actually like to see what benefits you have gotten from the God Organization."


    With those words, He Ziyun raised his hand and curled his fingers towards Huang Qianqiu, signaling him to make a move.


    Faced with He Ziyun¡¯s contempt and provocation, Huang Qianqiu snorted coldly, his hands abruptly swung. Immediately, with a whooshing sound, a long chain appeared in each of his hands.


    The two chains were about three meters long, with a spherical iron ball at the end, roughly the size of a fist. The surface of the iron balls was covered with many protruding edges, possessing great lethal power. If someone were hit by them, there was almost no chance of survival.


    Seeing the weapon in Huang Qianqiu¡¯s hands, He Ziyun¡¯s expression remained unchanged, fearless, staring unwaveringly at Huang Qianqiu, with no intention of drawing his sword from its sheath.


    "Kill!"


    With a cold shout, Huang Qianqiu¡¯s toes pointed, his body slightly leaning forward, his speed instantly increased, charging towards He Ziyun. In the charge, his hands swung the chains like windmills, spinning rapidly with great momentum.


    As the two nearly approached, Huang Qianqiu flung one chain forward, the iron ball at the end fiercely smashing towards the motionless He Ziyun.


    Seeing the iron ball flying towards him, He Ziyun still showed no intention of dodging, standing quietly in ce, his gaze fixed on the iron ball. As the forceful wind neared, just as the iron ball was about tond, He Ziyun stretched out his right hand, his wrist flicked lightly, and the sword sheath struck out swiftly, urately, and fiercely, hitting the iron ball and knocking it off its trajectory. Immediately, the iron ball veered aside, falling beside He Ziyun and smashing into the ground, creating a hole.


    Failing in his attack, Huang Qianqiu¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he swung both arms continuously, controlling both chains to strike simultaneously, targeting He Ziyun¡¯s vital points.


    Though the chains were more than three meters long and weighed about a hundred kilograms, Huang Qianqiu manipted them effortlessly. Moreover, the chains moved like Spirit Snakes, quick in action, mostly in the air with only brief touches to the ground.


    This showed that without strong Inner Strength support, it would be difficult for Huang Qianqiu to achieve this.


    After a round of rapid attacks, He Ziyun still stood quietly in the original ce, stable as a rock, immovable. No matter how strong Huang Qianqiu¡¯s offensive was, he couldn¡¯t force He Ziyun to retreat half a step.


    Just by this, the disparity between the two was clear.


    ng!


    A clear ringing sound emerged, He Ziyun once again swung his sword sheath, neutralizing the attack of the iron ball.


    "Huang Qianqiu, is this all you¡¯ve got? If so, it¡¯s truly disappointing."


    Hearing these words, Huang Qianqiu¡¯s face suddenly turned extremely unsightly. Being the leader of this operation, with everyone watching, if he didn¡¯t demonstrate some real skill, how could he establish himself in the God Organization and earn others¡¯ respect?


    With this in mind, Huang Qianqiu¡¯s expression turned cold, his hands swiftly joined together, connecting the ends of the two chains to form oneplete lock chain.


    Now holding a nearly seven-meter-long lock chain, Huang Qianqiu roared and stepped forward, the lock chain raised over his head, spinning rapidly in his hands like a long stick, creating a whooshing sound of wind.


    Thepanions around watching stepped back to avoid, fearing being hit by the lock chain.


    Seeing the end of the chain getting closer, now less than five meters away, He Ziyun¡¯s right hand finally touched the sword handle, making a gesture of drawing the sword.


    Seeing He Ziyun¡¯s movement, Huang Qianqiu¡¯s lips slightly curled with a cold smile, his hands suddenly rxed. Instantly, the lock chain still spinning at high speed, flew towards He Ziyun on its own.


    Rise!


    As the chain was about to make contact with his body, He Ziyun exerted force under his feet and leaped upwards fiercely. His body instantly shot up more than two meters, jumping right over the chain from above, and thennded steadily on the ground.


    At this moment, there were no chains between He Ziyun and Huang Qianqiu, and the distance between them was less than four meters. Without a second thought, He Ziyun immediately closed the distance. In the blink of an eye, he had forced his way to Huang Qianqiu¡¯s vicinity.


    At this time, He Ziyun¡¯s sword-holding hand slightly lifted, drawing out a section of the steel sword¡¯s de. However, before he could fully unsheathe his sword, a gust of wind suddenly attacked from behind.


    Sensing the change behind him, He Ziyun¡¯s eyebrows slightly furrowed, and he tilted his head to the side, ncing backward with the corner of his eye.


    Suddenly, he saw that the long chain was actually flying back towards him.


    Seeing this, a hint of undeniable surprise appeared in He Ziyun¡¯s eyes. The chain had clearly flown out, and now it was flying back; this was utterly impossible.


    With Huang Qianqiu¡¯s skills or Inner Strength, it was impossible to achieve this feat.


    But, the current situation left no time for He Ziyun to ponder.


    With a flick of his wrist, apanied by a crisp ringing of the sword, the sharp steel sword finally came out of its sheath, and he reflexively thrust backward, striking the iron ball at the end of the chain.


    However, unexpectedly, when the sword tip touched the iron ball, there was a loud ¡¯boom¡¯, and the iron ball exploded in the middle, sending iron fragments and thick smoke scattering in all directions.


    Watching the iron fragments flying towards him, He Ziyun¡¯s aged face finally showed a trace of change.


    Without time to think, he immediately drew back, his right hand swiftly creating several sword flourishes, defending tightly in front of him, preventing the iron fragments from breaking through his defense.


    "Be careful!"


    Just then, Liu Dongsheng¡¯s urgent voice suddenly sounded from behind.


    Hearing the reminder, He Ziyun¡¯s mind shifted, and he instantly realized the situation. He turned around and thrust his sword towards Huang Qianqiu behind him.


    He had been busy defending against the iron fragments and had no time to pay attention to Huang Qianqiu at his back.


    However, although He Ziyun¡¯s reaction was quick, his speed was still a beat too slow. Before his steel sword could hit his opponent, he himself would surely be struck first.


    "Get out of the way!"


    Suddenly, a figure shed from the side, forcefully mming into He Ziyun¡¯s nk, knocking him from his spot. At the same time, Huang Qianqiu¡¯s attack ferociously came down, hitting the figure squarely.


    With a muffled grunt, the figure immediately flew out and crashed against the thick wall.


    With the danger averted, He Ziyun nced around and realized the person who hade to his rescue was none other than Liu Dongsheng, whom he had just saved.


    With impressive speed, Liu Dongsheng forcefully intervened in the fight between two Earthly List experts, taking the hit for He Ziyun. But, as an Earthly List expert, Huang Qianqiu¡¯s strike was far more powerful than ordinary people could withstand.


    After falling from the wall, Liu Dongsheng immediately fell unconscious, lying motionlessly on the ground.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 691 - 696: Kill with One Arrow

    <h4>Chapter 691: Chapter 696: Kill with One Arrow</h4>


    Seeing Liu Dongsheng injured, He Ziyun didn¡¯t miss this grand opportunity. As Huang Qianqiu was in a momentary daze, He Ziyun flicked his steel sword, creating a sonorous ring, and swiftly stabbed toward Huang Qianqiu.


    Swoosh!


    Huang Qianqiu, who hadn¡¯t reacted in time, hurriedly stepped back to dodge the steel sword¡¯s attack. But before he could fully evade, the sword¡¯s edge still grazed his arm, slicing a long wound in his sleeve and causing blood to flow freely, dripping from his fingertips onto the ground.


    "You..." Feeling the pain in his arm, Huang Qianqiu¡¯s face drastically changed. He quickly covered the wound with his hand, and retreated speedily until he was back within his own people¡¯s formation.


    He Ziyun gave a light snort, advanced a few steps, and said coldly, "Huang Qianqiu, are these the tactics you¡¯ve learned from God Organization? I thought you would have something impressive, but it turns out it¡¯s all just despicable moves. Truly a disgrace to martial artists."


    Hearing He Ziyun¡¯s rebuke, Huang Qianqiu¡¯s face turned a mix of green and red, and he roared with humiliation, "Attack! What are you nking out for?"


    As his voice fell, several men from behind rushed forward and surrounded He Ziyun.


    Taking advantage of He Ziyun being entangled with those men, Kaelina stealthily slipped out of theboratory, quickly ran to Liu Dongsheng¡¯s side, lifted him from the ground, and then hurried back into theb.


    "Miss Zhu, please take a look at him for us."


    "Put him down."


    Once Liu Dongsheng was lying on the bed, Zhu Xiaozhu ced her hand on his pulse, then checked his body.


    "Don¡¯t worry, although the injuries are a bit severe, there¡¯s no life-threatening danger. I¡¯ll have someone give him a few shots, and after some rest, it won¡¯t be long before he wakes up."


    "Thank you!"


    Liu Dongsheng was safe for the moment, allowing Kaelina to breathe a sigh of relief. She then turned her gaze to theboratory¡¯s ss window. At this moment, He Ziyun was fighting several men singlehandedly. Not only was he not showing signs of defeat, but he was also bing more valiant as the fight went on, suppressing all the Dragon List experts.


    Seeing He Ziyun easily battling several experts, Huang Qianqiu¡¯s expression involuntarily changed. At this moment, he finally understood why he had been so easily defeated by his opponent. ording to his knowledge, He Ziyun¡¯s strength was ranked sixth on the Earthly List, but from the power He Ziyun had shown, it was evident that he had already entered the top five.


    Although there is not arge gap between fifth and sixth, the difference in strength between the two is like heaven and earth. Everyone knows, whether it¡¯s the Dragon List, the Earthly List, or the Heavenly List, being in the top five is a watershed that represents breaking through limits to reach another level.


    Now, He Ziyun had broken through that level, reaching a higher realm.


    No wonder, if He Ziyun¡¯s strength was still at the sixth ce of the Earthly List, he couldn¡¯t have been defeated so easily.


    Huang Qianqiu frowned tightly, originally thinking that the manpower he brought would be sufficient to deal with all scenarios. What he didn¡¯t expect was a high-ranking Earthly List master popping up halfway and throwing a wrench in their ns.


    With He Ziyun present,pleting their mission would be very difficult. If they continued, they were likely to lose more men.


    Thinking this, Huang Qianqiu said while backing away, "Everyone, retreat immediately."


    Hearing hismand, those who were entangled with He Ziyun didn¡¯t hesitate, immediately withdrawing from the battle and running toward the outside. But just as Huang Qianqiu was preparing to lead his people to escape from the base, suddenly came the sound of ¡¯whoosh,¡¯ a noise of something cutting through the air.


    Right after that, everyone saw Huang Qianqiu at the front halting his steps, his body rigidly falling backward.


    When Huang Qianqiu fell to the ground, everyone saw that there was an arrow lodged in his forehead.


    For a moment, everyone stood there in shock, frozen in ce, at a loss. No one expected that a grand master of the Earthly List would die like this.


    Arrows...


    Upon seeing that arrow, everyone¡¯s mind immediately conjured up one person.


    The Archer God, Zhang Zhongfeng!


    Only the Archer God could, with just a longbow and a single arrow, kill a top expert from the Earthly List.


    With this thought, everyone anxiously looked around, each feeling precarious, their palms drenched in sweat, fearing they would be the Archer God¡¯s next target.


    "Those who don¡¯t want to die better surrender now, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t give you a chance."


    At this time, an indifferent voice reached everyone¡¯s ears. Looking towards the source, they saw Ling Chen leading Qiu Yong and others walking from the base entrance.


    "Th... The Eight entrics..."


    Upon recognizing the neers, the experts sent by the God Organization instantly lost their courage to fight; one by one, they lowered their heads, consciously throwing their weapons onto the ground, and surrendered without resistance.


    The Eight entrics!


    As members of the Martial Artsmunity, there were few who hadn¡¯t heard of the notorious Eight entrics. Now that their only reliance, Huang Qianqiu, was dead, how could they, on their own, muster the courage to fight the Eight entrics? That would undoubtedly be a death wish. Surrendering might still leave them with a sliver of a chance to save their lives.


    Seeing those people genuinely giving up resistance, Ling Chen nodded and snapped his fingers, "Little Eight, tie them all up."


    "Roger that!" Wei Jiahao grinned and pulled out several ropes, dashing over to them.


    With several experts from the Dragon List surrendering, the rest of God Organization¡¯s members naturally did not dare to resist anymore.


    Once everyone was controlled, Ling Chen walked over to He Ziyun with Qiu Yong and others, smiling, "Mr. He, we owe you a lot for showing up just in time today. Thank you!"


    He Ziyun waved his hand, "No need for thanks, it¡¯s what I should do."


    After speaking, He Ziyun greeted each of the Eight entrics in turn.


    At this moment, with the danger averted, Kaelina and others walked out from theboratory.


    Seeing those subdued members of God Organization, Ling Chen raised an eyebrow and asked, "Where¡¯s Lin Jiawei? Didn¡¯t that guye along?"


    Kaelina shook her head, "We didn¡¯t see him; he should still be outside."


    "We¡¯ve dealt with the people outside, but didn¡¯t find any trace of Lin Jiawei." Saying this, Ling Chen sighed helplessly, "He escaped again, I thought we could catch a big fish this time."


    "Ling Chen, how do you n to deal with these people?"


    "Interrogate them first to see if we can get some useful information. I¡¯ll contact the government¡¯s special department tomorrow and hand these people over to them. Then it¡¯s up to them to decide whether to kill or detain them, it¡¯s none of our business." Pausing for a moment, Ling Chen looked at Kaelina, "You¡¯ve had it rough this time."


    "It wasn¡¯t tough on me; the truly hard work was done by someone else. If it wasn¡¯t for Liu Dongsheng lending a hand, the base would probably have been overrun already."


    "That¡¯s right." He Ziyun nodded in agreement, "That guy named Liu Dongsheng even saved my life. I don¡¯t know how he¡¯s doing now. Ling Chen, I didn¡¯t expect that you had secretly hidden a master here."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 692 - 697: Ghost Tiger (1)

    <h4>Chapter 692: Chapter 697: Ghost Tiger (1)</h4>


    "Expert?" Ling Chen asked in confusion, "What expert?" As soon as he finished speaking, Ling Chen suddenly realized something and eximed in surprise: "Are you talking about Liu Dongsheng as the expert?"


    Seeing He Ziyun and Kaelina both nodding, Ling Chen grew even more puzzled. He had fought side by side with Liu Dongsheng, and while it was undeniable that Liu Dongsheng had skills, they were far from reaching the level of a true expert. Moreover, Liu Dongsheng did not show any signs of being a martial artist.


    Therefore, he couldn¡¯t understand why even He Ziyun would consider Liu Dongsheng an expert.


    As he was pondering, he heard He Ziyun say: "Liu Dongsheng even managed to kill an expert from the Dragon List. Isn¡¯t that enough to be considered an expert?"


    Killed a Dragon List expert?


    Upon hearing this news, not only Ling Chen but also Qiu Yong and the others showed a hint of curiosity, and asked interestedly, "Mr. He, could it be that Liu Dongsheng is an expert who has the strength of the Dragon List but has yet to be included on it?"


    "I can¡¯t be sure," replied He Ziyun. "Liu Dongsheng doesn¡¯t seem like someone who has trained in martial arts, but his skills are indeed impressive. Frankly, I really want to know how he does it. If he hadn¡¯t passed out, I would have liked to ask him myself."


    Seeing everyone¡¯s keen interest in Liu Dongsheng¡¯s identity, Ling Chen said, "Wanting to know who he is isn¡¯t difficult, just call over Hu Fei and ask him. He knows the most about Mr. Liu¡¯s background."


    Speak of the devil, and he shall appear!


    As they were talking, they saw Hu Fei briskly heading towards theb.


    "Hey! Fatty, why are you running so fast?" Ling Chen called out.


    Hu Fei didn¡¯t turn back, as if he hadn¡¯t heard Ling Chen¡¯s call, and directly rushed into theb. Seeing this, Ling Chen simply took Qiu Yong and the others to theb as well.


    In theb, Liu Dongsheng was lying on a bed with Zhu Xiaozhu and several other medical researchers treating him.


    After asking a few questions, Hu Fei learned that Liu Dongsheng¡¯s condition was not life-threatening, which relieved him quite a bit.


    "Fatty," approaching closer, Ling Chen looked at the bedridden Liu Dongsheng and asked: "Who exactly is he? You¡¯ve never mentioned him to me before."


    "He..." Hu Fei hesitated, seeming reluctant to reveal Liu Dongsheng¡¯s real identity.


    "You don¡¯t need to keep hiding it for him," intervened Kaelina. "I think I already know who he is." Looking at Ling Chen, she said, "If I mention his name, I believe you must have heard of it."


    Hearing this, Hu Fei chuckled wryly and said: "You¡¯re an assassin, and I knew I couldn¡¯t fool your eyes. Well, since you¡¯ve already guessed his identity, there¡¯s no point in hiding it from you anymore. Liu Dongsheng is his real name, that¡¯s true, but he used to have a nickname, called ¡¯Ghost Tiger.¡¯ Anyone who¡¯s been in this line of work should have heard this nickname."


    Ghost Tiger?


    At this revtion, the expressions of everyone present changed simultaneously.


    It¡¯s actually Ghost Tiger!


    Ling Chen widened his eyes in disbelief as he looked at the unconscious Liu Dongsheng. He had never expected that this unimpressive looking man was actually a world-famous assassin!


    "It¡¯s hard to believe he is actually Ghost Tiger," said Xu Ming with a tsk.


    A surprised Ling Chen asked, "Second Brother, you¡¯ve heard of him too?"


    Xu Ming nodded and said, "Heard of him, yes. That was many years ago. I was just over twenty years old then, probably around his age. At that time, I was just a rookie, while he was already a top-tier world-known assassin."


    Considering this, Ling Chen thought that made sense. Xu Ming and Liu Dongsheng were about the same age, both in their forties or fifties.


    Ghost Tiger! Once the number one on the assassin list. If Blood Wolf is a legend of the assassin world, then Ghost Tiger is the myth of the assassin world. There were so many stories about Ghost Tiger circting in the assassinmunity, and almost every assassin idolized him as their role model and goal.


    Ghost Tiger became the number one assassin in the world before he was even twenty. Ling Chen knew he had killed his fair share of people over the years, butpared to Ghost Tiger, it was likeparing a minor magician to a grand sorcerer with noparison. It was said that by the age of twenty, the number of people who died by Ghost Tiger¡¯s hands had already exceeded three hundred.


    Ghost Tiger was famous for his brutality, ruthlessness, and extraordinary skills.


    The nickname ¡¯Ghost Tiger¡¯ perfectly represented his personality.


    ¡¯Ghost¡¯ described his speed, ghostly and elusive, making him hard to grasp. ¡¯Tiger¡¯ described his ferocity. Facing an enemy, Ghost Tiger showed no mercy, cutting down all, leaving no survivors. However, Ghost Tiger had one principle: he did not kill women and children.


    Sometimes, to deal with a powerful leader, other assassins might opt for assassination, first devising a meticulous n and then executing it. But Ghost Tiger wouldn¡¯t bother with suchplexities; he liked to keep things straightforward and brutal, directly storming into the enemy¡¯s headquarters, ying gods if they blocked his path, and Buddha if they stood in his way. Anyone who dared to hinder his mission had to die.


    Over the next twenty years, Ghost Tiger undertook hundreds, if not thousands, of missions. So, in terms of killing, no one could surpass Ghost Tiger.


    In those days, governments from various countries tried to capture Ghost Tiger, an international fugitive, dispatching countless manpower and resources. But without exception, not only did they allow Ghost Tiger to escape easily, but they also suffered heavy casualties.


    "Ghost Tiger¡¯s skills are incredibly formidable; I have no idea where he learned them from," Qiu Yong remarked.


    Continuing, Qiu Yong adjusted his words and said, "There are some things you might not have heard of. Initially, governments from various countries couldn¡¯t handle Ghost Tiger and had to reluctantly seek help from the Huaxia government, hoping that Huaxia could dispatch some true experts to assist in capturing Ghost Tiger. After all, everyone knew that Huaxia was the real dwelling ce of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, filled with numerous experts. At that time, the Huaxia government agreed to this request and selected a few experts from the Martial Arts world, one of whom was my old friend, who told me about this."


    "At first, the n went very smoothly. They tracked down Ghost Tiger¡¯s whereabouts, secretly followed him, and when Ghost Tiger reached a secluded ce, several experts attacked simultaneously, surrounding him, ready to capture him. You know, the experts from Huaxia are extremely proud when they step outside their country. At that time, those experts didn¡¯t take Ghost Tiger seriously at all, considering him merely an assassin who knew some killing tricks but not martial arts. However, exactly because of this reason, those experts were disastrously defeated by Ghost Tiger, and only my friend barely escaped with his life. Unfortunately, although he survived, both his legs were crippled, confining him to a wheelchair for life."


    Taking a deep breath, Qiu Yong let out a sigh, seemingly feeling sorry for his old friend.

 Chapter 693 - 698: Ghost Tiger (2)

    <h4>Chapter 693: Chapter 698: Ghost Tiger (2)</h4>


    So there¡¯s more to the story.


    Ling Chen nodded to himself, realizing that if it weren¡¯t for Qiu Yong bringing it up, nobody would have known about this past.


    Ghost Tiger had been in the game for over twenty years, with countless kills and innumerable opponents defeated, firmly holding the top spot on the assassin list, and nobody could shake his standing in the assassinmunity. Back then, Ghost Tiger could be described as the emperor of the assassin world. Both the assassin and mercenarymunities viewed him as an unbeatable myth.


    But when Ghost Tiger was in his thirties, for some unknown reason, he suddenly vanished without a trace. Many had looked for clues of Ghost Tiger¡¯s whereabouts but found none, and in the end, they had no choice but to let the matter drop. Rumors circted that Ghost Tiger had been killed in revenge by an enemy, and others said he had been on a ne that had a bomb installed, blowing it out of the sky. Even someone as skilled as Ghost Tiger couldn¡¯t possibly have survived a ne crash. In short, there were many rumors about Ghost Tiger.


    Since then, Ghost Tiger had be a myth in the assassin world.


    Ling Chen still vividly remembered that just a few years after Ghost Tiger¡¯s disappearance, he had started his own career as a "ghost", hence missing the chance to witness Ghost Tiger¡¯s elegance.


    Following Ghost Tiger¡¯s disappearance, Blood Wolf, who had always been second on the assassin list, was moved up to the first position, while Ghost Tiger was subsequently demoted to second. The reason Ghost Tiger was still kept on the assassin list ranking was partly as a sign of respect from his peers, and partly because many assassins still held out hope that Ghost Tiger would return to the Martial Arts World.


    However, nobody would have expected that the once illustrious number one on the assassin list would be a restaurant owner, taking up the chef¡¯s knife himself¡ªan astonishing turn of events.


    Looking at Hu Fei with displeasure, Ling Chen said, "You... you¡¯ve been hiding such a renowned master and didn¡¯t even tell me. If it weren¡¯t for what happened this time, were you nning on keeping it a secret from me forever?"


    Hu Fei helplessly replied, "How can you me me? Liu specifically instructed me to never reveal his identity. If people found out that Ghost Tiger was still alive, especially here in East Sea City, who knows how many enemies woulde knocking on his door."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen nodded. Hu Fei had a point; after all, Ghost Tiger¡¯s identity was significant. If word got out, even Hu Fei could be implicated. Nevertheless, Ling Chen was curious and asked, "Fatso, how did you get involved with him?"


    "That¡¯s a long story. I was one of the early starters in this business, learning from a senior for several years, and so I started my own gig at sixteen. Coincidentally, my very first business deal was with Liu. He contacted me back then, hoping I could help him change his name, conceal his identity, and find a ce where no one would ever find him. At that time, I didn¡¯t know Liu was Ghost Tiger, and I thought, since it¡¯s my first deal, I must do it right."


    "At first, I set Liu up on an ind nation abroad, but it didn¡¯t take long for people to show up, pressuring me to give up Liu¡¯s whereabouts. You know, in our line of work, reputation is everything. Eventually, when I was cornered with no choice left, I had to call Liu for help. I still remember that night, if Liu hadn¡¯t arrived in time, I would¡¯ve been dead. It was also that night when Liu confessed his identity to me, hoping I could help him."


    "I asked him why he needed my help when there were many more capable people in the industry. He told me he wanted someone clean, a newbie, because those veterans had tooplex awork of connections that could easily blow his cover. Since then, I¡¯ve moved Liu around to several ces, finally settling in East Sea City, where I helped him open a small restaurant. As for what happened after, you know the story."


    After listening to Hu Fei¡¯s tale, Ling Chen asked, "Did he ever tell you why he chose to retire?"


    "He said he had killed too many people, became numb, tired; he felt more like a beast than a human. So, he wanted to change his lifestyle, live like a normal person," Hu Fei added, "At least that¡¯s what he told me."


    Qiu Yong interjected, "Even if he has some unspeakable secret, he wouldn¡¯t disclose it. Let it go! Anyway, he did us a huge favor this time; both morally and emotionally, we ought to thank him properly."


    "You¡¯re right." Ling Chen looked around at everyone present and said, "Guys, you¡¯re all my friends. I hope you¡¯ll keep what was just said in mind and not spread it around. I think he wouldn¡¯t want his identity exposed. Otherwise, it would lead to a lot of troubleter on."


    Everyone echoed in agreement, "Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t talk."


    Having discussed Liu Dongsheng¡¯s identity issue, Ling Chen shifted his focus to the recent loss. Thankfully, with the help of Liu Dongsheng and He Ziyun, the casualties among the base personnel were kept to less than ten. However, the death of those security officers still weighed heavy on Ling Chen¡¯s heart.


    After all, these security officers were former thugs, who, under the training of Jiang Yunkai, had grown step by step into their roles. Later on, the base selected dozens of the finest among them and entrusted them with important duties within the base.


    When selecting these security officers, Ling Chen had considered many factors. Facing off against the God Organization, casualties were inevitable. So, he had specifically instructed Jiang Yunkai to make things clear to everyone involved.


    As a result, most of the security officers chosen by Jiang Yunkai were orphans with no parents. In this way, if they were unfortunately killed in action, there¡¯d be no family concerns. Of course, in terms of sry and benefits, Ling Chen was very generous to the base¡¯s security officers, offering them what they couldn¡¯t get elsewhere.


    People risk their lives for your cause; they deserve ample rewards. Ling Chen was very willing in this respect, as he¡¯d been through it himself.


    After spending the whole night cleaning up the base, Ling Chen was toozy to return to Wealthy Manor and chose to sleep over at the base.


    It wasn¡¯t until noon that Hu Fei knocked on his door to wake him.


    Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Ling Chen opened the door and, while yawning, looked at Hu Fei standing outside and asked, "Fatso, what¡¯s up? Are you waking me up for lunch?"


    "Eat, eat, eat, that¡¯s all you ever think about. Hurry up ande with me, we¡¯ve made a big breakthrough this time."


    "Breakthrough?" Ling Chen shook off his grogginess and quickly asked, "What kind of breakthrough?"


    With a mischievous grin, Hu Fei said, "Stop asking so many questions. Juste with me."

 Chapter 694 - 699: Lin Jiawei Captured

    <h4>Chapter 694: Chapter 699: Lin Jiawei Captured</h4>


    Seeing Hu Fei hurriedly walking out, Ling Chen didn¡¯t have time to think further and, without even washing his face, quickly followed him.


    Soon, the two arrived at the base¡¯s solitary interrogation room. Pushing open the door, Ling Chen looked at the man sitting on the chair, his expression instantly froze, and for a long while, he couldn¡¯t recover his senses.


    Hu Fei, with a smile creasing his eyes, patted Ling Chen¡¯s shoulder and grinned, "How about that, the catch is big enough, isn¡¯t it?"


    Ling Chen pointed at the man on the chair, his face full of surprise as he asked, "How did you find him?"


    "Humph! This guy thought he could escape from East Sea City, not realizing whose territory East Sea City is. With the intelligencework I¡¯ve operated here for so long, he seriously thought he could run away, what a fool¡¯s dream." Hu Fei said proudly: "Early this morning, this guy made contact with someone, trying to leave by boat from the port. But what he didn¡¯t know was that the port is filled with our people. As soon as he showed up, he was spotted by my men, then directly stuffed into the trunk of a car, and brought here."


    "Is that so?" Ling Chen smiled, looking at the man in the chair and said, "Lin Jiawei, you didn¡¯t expect to end up in my hands after all that, did you?"


    The person tied to the chair was no other than Lin Jiawei, who was in charge ofst night¡¯s operation.


    During the attackst night, he was sitting in a caf¨¦ across the street monitoring the situation. When he saw the operation had failed, he slipped away at once and contacted members of the God Organization to secretly extract him from East Sea City. Unfortunately for him, he was caught at the port before he could even board a ship.


    "Fatty, well done. This is a great merit for you." Having said that, Ling Chen brought over a chair, ced it in front of Lin Jiawei, and started speaking, "Mr. Lin, first it¡¯s thirty years east of the river, then thirty years west of the river. You didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d have such a day, did you?"


    Lin Jiawei snorted coldly, "Ling Chen, don¡¯t celebrate too early. What can you do with me captured? You dream if you think you¡¯ll get even half a word out of my mouth. You might as well just kill me quickly and save everyone¡¯s time."


    "No rush, no rush." Ling Chen said with a smile, "You should know my background. Back in the days with the Phantom, I¡¯ve dealt with many like you, always believing their mouths were tough and wouldn¡¯t say anything. But, with just a little technique from my side, regardless of who it is, they would all obediently cooperate with me." After a pause, Ling Chen continued, "I know you are with the God Organization, and they must have trained you in case you were caught to avoid leaking secrets. But have you thought about it, I¡¯ve been dealing with the God Organization for so many years, do you think I have no way to deal with you?"


    Hearing this, Lin Jiawei wasn¡¯t moved in the slightest and coldly said, "At most, I¡¯m just a mid-level manager in the God Organization, I don¡¯t know many secrets. You won¡¯t get much from me anyway."


    "Mid-level manager?" Ling Chen shook his head and muttered to himself, "Lin Jiawei, you sell yourself short. I can assert with certainty that your position in the God Organization is not low, it is actually very high."


    Lin Jiawei let out a coldugh and asked, "On what grounds do you believe that?"


    Ling Chen stared into Lin Jiawei¡¯s eyes, saying word for word, "It¡¯s precisely because you are with the Ling Family. Lin Jiawei, being a smart man, you should understand my meaning."


    With these words, Lin Jiawei¡¯splexion finally changed, revealing a hint of shock. Noticing Ling Chen¡¯s mocking smile, Lin Jiawei turned his head away, casting his gaze on the wall, and said in a deep voice, "I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, this Ling Family you mention, I¡¯ve never even heard of it."


    "Alright, no need to deny it. Although I don¡¯t have much information right now, it¡¯s sufficient to prove the connection between your Ling Family and the God Organization. To be honest, even if I split my head thinking about it, I wouldn¡¯t have imagined that the God Organization was secretly funded by the Ling Family. I can¡¯t figure out why your family would do such a thing, with so many industries already, in Huaxia there are few who canpete with your wealth and power. Isn¡¯t it good enough to be the peaceful emperor of the south? Why stir up so much trouble, harming so many people, do you folks in the Ling Family have any conscience at all?"


    Lin Jiawei replied calmly, "That¡¯s all in your head, I won¡¯t acknowledge your words."


    Ling Chen waved his hand, "I didn¡¯t expect you to admit it anyway, but no matter, the evidence I have on hand is already enough to prove what I just said. Once I hand this evidence over to the government, your Ling Family can just wait for your downfall."


    "Suit yourself." Lin Jiawei seemed unfazed, the surprise in his eyes had long been reced with calm, without a ripple to be seen.


    "Lin Jiawei, I advise you to cooperate a little, it will be good for your future. If the judge asks, I can still plead for you, lighten your sentence, so you might see the sun again within your lifetime."


    "Cut it out! Ling Chen, I¡¯m not a three-year-old kid. Do you think I¡¯d fall for that? Don¡¯t waste your time trying to wheedle information out of me, I¡¯m not buying it. If you want to take action, just cut to the chase, stop beating around the bush. I¡¯d love to see what you can possibly do to make me speak."


    Seeing Lin Jiawei¡¯s indifferent demeanor, Hu Fei said unhappily, "You¡¯re really asking for trouble. Alright then, wait and see, I¡¯ll make you regret it."


    With that, Hu Fei turned and walked out of the interrogation room.


    Seeing Hu Fei leave, Ling Chen looked at Lin Jiawei, then stood up and followed Hu Fei.


    Once outside the interrogation room, Ling Chen called out to Hu Fei, "Where are you going?"


    "That guy named Lin is so arrogant, he needs a proper lesson. Just wait, I¡¯m going to get some tools."


    "Alright, you don¡¯t need to be busy with that now, it¡¯s not the time to take action."


    "Why not?"


    "We have him in our hands; we can act at any time. But the most important thing now is not this, it¡¯s something else."


    Hu Fei asked, puzzled, "What could be more important than this?"


    Ling Chen said in a serious tone, "Now that we¡¯ve captured Lin Jiawei, if his position in the God Organization is as high as I say, they will surely not let it go. I¡¯m worried they will attack the base likest night. The location of this research base is already exposed, and our situation is very unsafe, therefore, you will have to work hard for a while, find a way to strengthen the base¡¯s defenses, and make sure that a simr incident doesn¡¯t happen."


    "That does make some sense, but... do you really think Lin Jiawei holds a high position in the God Organization?"


    Ling Chen nodded, "Didn¡¯t you check the informationst time? Since Lin Jiawei is with the Ling Family, they will not let their kin be sacrificed in vain. Besides, I think there are not only problems with this Lin Jiawei, but also very big ones."

 Chapter 695 - 700: The Banquet

    <h4>Chapter 695: Chapter 700: The Banquet</h4>


    "A big problem?" Hu Fei asked confusedly, "Where is the problem? I didn¡¯t sense it."


    Ling Chen shook his head and said, "I can¡¯t articte it clearly at the moment, but it¡¯s a kind of intuition. Think about it, when Lin Jiawei kidnapped the porridge girl, Ji Gang, an expert from the Heavenly List, was also present. If Lin Jiawei¡¯s status in the God Organization wasn¡¯t high, why would they dispatch an expert from the Heavenly List to apany him? That¡¯s one thing. Another point is, thest time Lin Jiawei came to East Sea City, Ji Gang was with him; clearly they were aware that I am not easy to handle, so they sent someone who could hold the fort. But what about this time? Lin Jiawei wanted toe to the base to rescue people, and though he brought a good number of men, there weren¡¯t that many real experts with him. Last time, he was protected by an expert from the Heavenly List, but this time he only had a bottom-ranking expert from the Earthly List. Isn¡¯t the discrepancy too big? That¡¯s why I¡¯m wondering if there might be an issue."


    After listening to Ling Chen¡¯s spection, Hu Fei nodded convincingly and said, "If you put it that way, indeed there seems to be a problem. All right, what do you suggest we do? I¡¯ll follow your lead."


    Ling Chen thought for a moment, then said, "Don¡¯t act against Lin Jiawei for now, let¡¯s see how the God Organization reacts."


    "Not act against him?"


    "Correct, we¡¯ll detain him for the time being and monitor his movements 24 hours a day, and decide what to do after observing for a few days."


    "Okay then." Hu Fei was somewhat reluctant but still followed Ling Chen¡¯s arrangements. Watching Ling Chen turn and walk to the interrogation room, Hu Fei suddenly called out to him, asking, "I say, you are also from the Ling Family. In terms of rtions, Lin Jiawei is your elder, you wouldn¡¯t be thinking of going easy on him, would you?"


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t turn his head back and waved his hand, "Rest assured, we¡¯ve discussed this long ago. If necessary, I will personally deal with him."


    "That¡¯s good."


    Returning to his room, Ling Cheny on the bed, staring nkly at the ceiling, his expression somewhat vacant.


    Back then, that mysterious man told him about the Ling Family and the God Organization¡¯s affairs and repeatedly warned him not to get involved lightly. Presumably, he was considering his identity. After all, no matter how much he denied it, he could never change the blood rtionship he had with the Ling Family.


    When that time came, would he truly be able to steel his heart and deal with everyone from the Ling Family?


    Thinking of this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but feel a headache. He patted his forehead, sat up from the bed, and decided not to think about those annoying matters.


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, a week had passed.


    During these days, Ling Chen stayed at the research base to prevent further attacks from the God Organization. However, to Ling Chen and Hu Fei¡¯s surprise, the God Organization did not make any moves and did not even send someone to contact them to negotiate the release of hostages.


    Ling Chen became even more puzzled by the indifferent attitude shown by the God Organization. Could it be... Lin Jiawei was right, and the God Organization really decided to abandon him as a pawn?


    Amidst his thoughts, a ringtone came from his pocket.


    Ling Chen took out his phone, nced at the caller ID, and immediately answered the call, saying, "Hello! Wanqing, is there something you need?"


    "Are you busy? Do you have time tonight?"


    "I¡¯m not busy. What¡¯s up?"


    "I¡¯ve just secured a big business deal, and the other party has organized a dinner. They invited me, and I couldn¡¯t refuse, so I was thinking of bringing you along. Can you..."


    "No problem." Without waiting for Nanrong Wanqing to finish, Ling Chen immediately agreed. He would naturally not refuse when his girlfriend asked for hispany. Besides, there was nothing to attend to at the research base and no need to stay there all the time.


    "Wait for me at thepany. I¡¯ll pick you up after work."


    After setting a time, Ling Chen hung up the call and checked the time; it was already five o¡¯clock in the afternoon, with half an hour left until Nanrong Wanqing finished work. To save time, Ling Chen said goodbye to Hu Fei and then drove off to Hongyu Group.


    Arriving at the CEO¡¯s office on the top floor of the group, Nanrong Wanqing was already prepared.


    Although she was attending a dinner, Nanrong Wanqing hadn¡¯t dressed up specially, still wearing her usual simple attire. However, even the simplicity seemed exquisite on Nanrong Wanqing, highlighting an exceptional temperament.


    Her fair skin gleamed like snow, and her delicate face and features seemed sculpted by an artist, wless and captivating, like a freshly bloomed exquisite flower, exuding endless charm and fragrance.


    Seeing Ling Chen appear at the office door, Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile. She quickly walked over to Ling Chen, naturally took his arm, and then headed to the elevator.


    On the way, Ling Chen asked, "What big deal did you close today?" He knew well that for Nanrong Wanqing to call it a ¡¯big deal,¡¯ it must not be simple, at least involving billions.


    Sure enough, as soon as she mentioned the business deal, an excited smile appeared on Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s pink cheeks as she replied, "Argepany has just moved into East Sea City, and they want to develop here. Though they have substantial funds, theyck the necessary connections, so they want to coborate with our Hongyu Group, using our resources to help them open channels. I¡¯ve calcted that if this coboration is sessful, Hongyu Group¡¯s annual profits could increase by a few percentage points, which is a significant uplift for the group."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen said with a smile, "That sounds great. Oh! What kind ofpany are they?"


    "They are mainly into pharmaceuticals, besides medical equipment and rted essories. They have been in this field for many years, rich in experience, with coborations with many domestic hospitals. However, their business has always been in the south, and now expanding to East Sea City, they wish to expand their business empire. I¡¯ve thought it through, although Hongyu Group is good, it¡¯s only famous in East Sea City. Looking nationwide, there are too many localrge enterprises like Hongyu Group. To spur the growth of Hongyu Group, we must expand. Fortunately, our Hongyu Group has never touched the southern market of Huaxia, so with this opportunity, I can use their channels to try to develop in the south. It¡¯s a win-win situation for both parties."


    Ling Chen nodded, "You¡¯re better at business than I am, you decide."


    As they conversed, they left the Hongyu Group headquarters side by side and stepped into Ling Chen¡¯s Audi car.


    "Where are we going for dinner?"


    "Head to Hundred Garden, I¡¯ve been there once, go that way."


    Following Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s direction, Ling Chen started the car and drove straight to the destination.


    In the evening, at a quarter past six, Ling Chen and Nanrong Wanqing smoothly arrived at Hundred Garden.

 Chapter 696 - 701 Hundred Garden

    <h4>Chapter 696: Chapter 701 Hundred Garden</h4>


    Hundred Garden is a garden-style restaurant located in a bustling area with an elegant environment. All the buildings in the restaurant are constructed of bamboo, and interspersed among them are artificial mountains and flowing water, giving diners the feeling of being amidst nature.


    In East Sea City, dining at this restaurant is quite expensive. If it weren¡¯t for the fortunate association with Nanrong Wanqing, Ling Chen himself would have been unwilling to spend money here a hundred times over. He already has a research base to sustain and is stretched thin with financial needs everywhere; he simply doesn¡¯t have the extra money to splurge.


    Arriving at the private room reserved by the other party, Ling Chen opened the door, ushered Nanrong Wanqing in, and then followed closely behind her into the room.


    At this moment, two middle-aged men in their forties or fifties sat in the room, dressed in tailored suits with shiny hair and friendly smiles on their faces that made one feel very at ease.


    Seeing Nanrong Wanqing enter the room with Ling Chen, the two men stood up politely and greeted, "Chairman Nanrong, you finally arrived. Please, have a seat!" As he spoke, one of the men eagerly pulled out a chair and invited Nanrong Wanqing to sit down.


    "There¡¯s no need for such courtesy between us. Since the cooperation deal is settled, we are friends from now on," Nanrong Wanqing responded with polite remarks.


    "Indeed, indeed." In the midst of their conversation, the two men finally shifted their gaze to Ling Chen, scrutinizing him before one of them asked with a smile, "Miss Nanrong, may I ask, who is this gentleman?"


    "My name is Ling Chen," he introduced himself, reaching out his hand, "Wanqing is my girlfriend."


    "So, this is Mr. Ling." The middle-aged man shook Ling Chen¡¯s right hand, his smile growing even brighter, "Mr. Ling, it¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you."


    Hearing this, Nanrong Wanqing nced at Ling Chen with surprise and asked, "Do you two know each other from before?"


    Ling Chen shook his head, looking puzzled at the middle-aged man. He was certain he had never seen this man before, so he did not understand the meaning behind his words. With thoughts racing, Ling Chen spoke, "Sir, I think you have mistaken me for someone else; I do not seem to recall knowing you."


    The smile on the middle-aged man¡¯s face remained unchanged as he replied, "What, Mr. Ling doesn¡¯t recognize my voice?" Without waiting for Ling Chen to speak, the man continued, "Never mind! After all, we¡¯ve only spoken over the phone once, so it¡¯s normal for Mr. Ling not to remember me. Let me introduce myself ¨C my surname is Lin, full name Lin Guodong. Now, do you have any impression?"


    Lin Guodong?


    Ling Chen¡¯s expression shifted abruptly, and he swiftly withdrew his hand from Lin Guodong¡¯s grasp, his eyes narrowed with hostility, then he quickly moved to Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s side and shielded her behind him.


    "So, it¡¯s you!" Ling Chen furrowed his brows and said with a stern voice, "Lin Guodong, you¡¯ve got some nerve showing up here. Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll kill you?"


    Lin Guodong remained seated calmly, smiling as he replied, "Mr. Ling, there¡¯s no need to panic. Ie with no ill intentions this time, just a simple wish to meet you. Also, there is something I would like to discuss with you in earnest. Come, have a seat, don¡¯t stand there." Saying that, Lin Guodong pressed a button on the table. Shortly after, a waiter entered the room.


    "Good evening, may I assist you with anything?"


    "The dishes can be served now, and bring another bottle of red wine."


    "Yes, please wait a moment."


    After the waiter left, Ling Chen nced at Lin Guodong and the other middle-aged man and asked, "What are you really up to?"


    "Nothing really. I just want to have a talk with you. Mr. Ling, please feel at ease. I assure you, nothing untoward will happen tonight. Whether or not wee to an agreement, after a satisfying meal, we will go our separate ways, with no troubles between us."


    "Do you think that¡¯s possible? I¡¯ve been looking for you for so long, and now you¡¯ve delivered yourself to me. Do you really think I¡¯ll let you walk away easily?"


    Lin Guodong smiled faintly: "Mr. Ling, you were once deceived by Lin Jiawei. How can you be sure that I am indeed Lin Guodong? Perhaps I am a stand-in, just like Lin Jiawei. If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t act recklessly until I was certain. Otherwise, it would be no good for anyone."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen fell into hesitation. What Lin Guodong said was not false; although the person imed to be Lin Guodong, he could not be sure. Moreover, he did not know if there were any other God Organization members inside Hundred Garden. Of course, there was also the most important figure, Ji Gang. If it were indeed Lin Guodong in person, Ji Gang would surely provide covert protection to prevent any danger to Lin Guodong.


    With these thoughts, Ling Chen pressed down his internal impulse and took a seat next to Nanrong Wanqing.


    At this moment, Nanrong Wanqing was entirely confused by the dialogue between Ling Chen and Lin Guodong. It was supposed to be her attending this dinner, but as things stood, she was not the protagonist of this meal, Ling Chen was.


    "Ling Chen, who is he?" Nanrong Wanqing couldn¡¯t contain her curiosity and asked.


    "Definitely not a good person. Be carefulter, and if anything happens, just run outside. I will ensure your safety," Ling Chen replied, slipping his hand into his pocket and stealthily took out his cell phone, then brought up the camera function.


    At that moment, the waiter pushed the door open and came in with the food cart. As a variety of delicious dishes were set on the table, Ling Chen cautiously lifted his cell phone¡¯s camera above and surreptitiously took a photo of Lin Guodong¡¯s face.


    With the photo captured, Ling Chen immediatelyposed two text messages and sent them out.


    "Mr. Ling, here¡¯s to an infrequent meeting. Let¡¯s have a toast."


    Seeing Lin Guodong raising his ss, Ling Chen put away his phone and responded indifferently, "No need for that. I¡¯m not in the mood for wine today. Let¡¯s talk business instead, to avoid wasting everyone¡¯s time."


    "Alright," Lin Guodong nodded and said, "Since Mr. Ling is so forthright, I¡¯ll get straight to the point ¨C I think... you should know what I want."


    "Lin Jiawei," Ling Chen uttered three words.


    "Exactly. I know that Lin Jiawei is in your hands, and I hope you can return him to me."


    "And if I say no?"


    "Then I have no other choice but to prepare a coffin for him. However, Mr. Ling, I hope you think it through. Even if you don¡¯t consider for yourself, think of yourdy. We are now in a partnership with Hongyu Group, contracts have been signed, and we will inevitably deal with each other in the future. If something were to happen then, don¡¯t me me for not having warned you."


    Ling Chen¡¯s face darkened as he retorted sharply, "Are you threatening me?"


    "No, no, that¡¯s not what I mean. I just want to give you a friendly reminder. Besides, if Chairman Nanrong breaks the contract, there would be a substantial penalty fee to pay. Mr. Ling, you wouldn¡¯t want yourdy to suffer losses for nothing, would you?"

 Chapter 697 - 702 Ling Kun’s Whereabouts

    <h4>Chapter 697: Chapter 702 Ling Kun¡¯s Whereabouts</h4>


    Ling Chen furrowed his brow and said in a deep voice, "Lin Guodong, if you think you can use this matter to threaten me, then I advise you to give up that idea. Don¡¯t forget, your background is not clean, and I can have someone take you away at any time and make sure you never escape from prison for the rest of your life."


    Lin Guodong, unbothered, smiled and said: "Ling Chen, do you think I really care about that? I know you have some leads, but those leads are evidence to you, yet they mean nothing to me, they don¡¯t pose any threat to me. Of course, if you want to y, then I will y along, let¡¯s see who has thestugh."


    After speaking, Lin Guodong sipped some red wine, then stood up from his chair, patted the shoulder of the middle-aged man next to him, and said, "Mr. Ling, I¡¯ve said my piece, I¡¯ll give you one day to consider it. If you agree to my offer and release Lin Jiawei, I guarantee your woman won¡¯t be harmed in the slightest. Otherwise, you will bear the consequences."


    After finishing his statement, Lin Guodong put down his wine ss and turned to walk outside.


    Seeing Lin Guodong approaching the room¡¯s entrance, Ling Chen shifted his body, hesitating and contemting whether to make a move. Just then, Ling Chen felt a buzzing from his pocket¡ªa text message alert.


    Pulling out his phone, Ling Chen nced at the message and his eyebrows raised instantly.


    "What¡¯s the matter?" Nanrong Wanqing beside him asked.


    "It¡¯s nothing," Ling Chen replied, then put his phone back in his pocket, withdrawing his gaze from Lin Guodong¡¯s departing figure, no longer focusing on him.


    After they left, Ling Chen didn¡¯t stay much longer, taking Nanrong Wanqing with him and heading straight to the research base.


    Upon their arrival, already informed by a phone call, Hu Fei was waiting at the entrance. Seeing Ling Chen holding Nanrong Wanqing¡¯s hand, Hu Fei hurried over and eagerly asked, "How did it go, did you catch Lin Guodong?"


    Ling Chen shook his head and said, "It¡¯s no use catching him; he¡¯s not the real Lin Guodong, just a representative."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Absolutely sure."


    Previously at Hundred Garden, Ling Chen had secretly taken a front-face photo of the man and then sent it to Liu Xiyao. If anyone knew Lin Guodong well, it was Liu Xiyao, so he asked for her help. It was Liu Xiyao¡¯s reply confirming the man¡¯s identity that made Ling Chen lose interest in him.


    Regathering his thoughts, Ling Chen changed the subject and asked, "How¡¯s the matter I asked you to handle going?"


    "Elder Qiu and the others are already interrogating Lin Jiawei. Do you want toe and watch?"


    "Sure..." As soon as the word left his mouth, Ling Chen realized it was inappropriate and quickly cut himself off, looking at Nanrong Wanqing and saying, "You go with the fatty for a while, have some food, I¡¯ll join you home once I finish here."


    Without a word, Nanrong Wanqing nodded obediently and followed Hu Fei to his office to rest.


    After seeing the two of them off, Ling Chen rushed alone to the interrogation room. Upon entering, he immediately smelled blood. Looking intently, he saw Lin Jiawei with blood all over his mouth, tied to a chair. Blood was streaming from the corner of his mouth and staining his shirt red.


    "Ling Cheng, you¡¯re back!" Qiu Yong nodded at Ling Chen and said, "This guy is stubborn as hell, won¡¯t open his mouth. I was afraid of threatening his life, so I didn¡¯t dare to be too harsh. Now that you¡¯re back, I¡¯ll leave it to you to handle."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen walked up to Lin Jiawei, looking at him with admiration and said, "I admit, I underestimated you."


    Lin Jiawei ¡¯ptui¡¯ spit out a mouthful of bloody saliva, his mouth corners slightly raised, coldly chuckled and said, "You¡¯ve never thought highly of me, so how could you now underestimate me. Ling Chen, use whatever methods you have, if I beg even once for mercy, then I am not Lin Jiawei."


    "You were never Lin Jiawei to begin with, your real name is Ling Jiawei." After saying this, Ling Chen reached out to grab a few tissues from the table, helping Ling Jiawei to wipe clean the blood stains around his mouth, and said, "Just now, Lin Guodong sent someone to negotiate with me, giving me a day to hand you over."


    "Really?" Lin Jiawei said with a half-smiling expression, "And will you agree?"


    "I could let you go, but... you¡¯ll have to answer me a few questions first. Lin Jiawei, I believe there¡¯s no one in this world who is not afraid of death. Since there¡¯s a chance to continue living, why would you refuse?"


    After contemting for a moment, Lin Jiawei asked, "What do you want to know?"


    "Ling Kun!" Ling Chen pronounced two words, saying, "As far as I know, a man named Ling Kun was captured by your group, passed through Jinhai City recently, I don¡¯t know where he was taken, and I want to know his whereabouts."


    "So you are looking for your father." Lin Jiawei revealed an expression of sudden realization, grinning cynically and said, "Your father is really heartless, tossed you aside, let you fend for yourself, regardless of your life or death... now that he¡¯s in trouble, why should you risk your life for him?"


    "That¡¯s my concern, not yours. Tell me, where is he?"


    "If you want to save him, I advise you to give up that thought. To tell you the truth, your father is in Ji Gang¡¯s hands, if you have the ability, go kill Ji Gang. However, I don¡¯t think you can do that, at most, you¡¯ll just lose another life."


    Ji Gang?


    Ling Chen was startled and quickly asked, "How did he end up in Ji Gang¡¯s hands?"


    "Because your father is very capable, except for Ji Gang, very few can subdue him. Thus, leaving him in Ji Gang¡¯s custody is the safest option." Pausing for a moment, Lin Jiawei continued, "Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you, if you want to save your father, better to hurry. Once he loses his usefulness, Ji Gang will definitely kill him mercilessly."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen¡¯s face changed slightly, he grabbed Lin Jiawei¡¯s cor and demanded, "Quick, tell me, where is he?"


    "How would I know that? Ji Gang directly takes orders from the highest leader of God Organization,


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 698 - 703: Nine Elements Pill

    <h4>Chapter 698: Chapter 703: Nine Elements Pill</h4>


    After hearing Lin Jiawei¡¯s words, Ling Chen was slightly stunned. It seemed that, ording to Lin Jiawei, there was another type of Heavenly Mechanism Pill in addition to the three kinds he knew of.


    Thinking of this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but shift his gaze towards Qiu Yong and the others. They were rtively familiar with the matters of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and must have heard about this.


    However, Qiu Yong and the others looked at each other, all shaking their heads, indicating they had no knowledge of the matter.


    "Could it be... that the rumor is true?"


    At this moment, everyone just heard Xu Ming muttering to himself, standing alone in the corner.


    Ling Chen, curious, asked, "Second Brother, what rumor are you speaking of?"


    "I once had dealings with an expert from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, and during that time, I identally heard him mention something about the Heavenly Mechanism Pill," Xu Ming paused slightly, then continued, "The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion indeed only has three types of Heavenly Mechanism Pills: ordinary, fine, and top-grade, each with its own level. However, there is one exception, and that is the existence of the Pill King."


    "The Pill King?" Hearing this unfamiliar term, Ling Chen and the others were taken aback, as it was the first time they were hearing about the Pill King.


    Compared to Ling Chen and the others¡¯ surprise, Lin Jiawei seemed much calmer, as if he felt no curiosity.


    "Second Brother, please continue," urged Qiu Yong.


    "Yes!" Xu Ming nodded and said, "Pill King is a nickname; its urate name should be Nine Elements Pill. The Nine Elements Pill is not intentionally crafted by the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion; this pill is about chance."


    Xia Yue, curious, asked, "What kind of chance?"


    "When the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion refines top-grade Heavenly Mechanism Pills, if more medicinal herbs are added, there¡¯s a certain chance that a Nine Elements Pill will be produced from the pill concoction. However, this probability is extremely low, less than one percent. Therefore, the Nine Elements Pill is incredibly precious and listed as the most valuable treasure of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, seldom used. It is said that despite many years since the establishment of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, the number of Nine Elements Pills can be counted on one¡¯s fingers. Because this is an internal secret of the Pavilion, very few people outside know about it."


    After hearing Xu Ming¡¯s exnation, Wei Jiahao asked, "Second Brother, if it is a secret, why would someone from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion tell you?"


    "I said, it was by chance," Xu Ming exined, "After I met that person, we chatted casually for a bit and then had a few drinks together. Who knew that person couldn¡¯t hold his liquor well, and after just a few bottles, he waspletely drunk, rambling on and on, including the matter of the Nine Elements Pill."


    "I see."


    While everyone appeared to understand, they all knew clearly that Xu Ming¡¯s story was obviously made up.


    No matter how careless the people of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion were, they wouldn¡¯t easily reveal their secrets to outsiders. Since Xu Ming was unwilling to borate, it wasn¡¯t good to press further.


    "Correct!" Lin Jiawei, who had been silent until now, said, "What he said is right; Ji Gang wants the Nine Elements Pill. Ling Chen, if you can get your hands on the Nine Elements Pill, I can help you reach out to Ji Gang at that time. I believe that as long as you use the Nine Elements Pill for a trade, Ji Gang will definitely agree to exchange Ling Kun."


    Nine Elements Pill...


    Ling Chen frowned silently. Since the Nine Elements Pill was so important to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, it was unlikely that they would easily give it to him. Even though his rtionship with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master Su Mei was good, it wasn¡¯t to the extent where she would hand over such a valuable pill.


    After much consideration, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t think of a suitable approach for the time being.


    "Sixth Brother, why bother with all this trouble, just directly exchange him for your father," Xia Yue suggested.


    Hearing this, Lin Jiawei couldn¡¯t help but smile and shook his head, saying self-assuredly, "If you really want to do that, then I advise you to drop the idea. Compared to Ling Kun, I¡¯m essentially worthless. Exchanging someone worthless for someone valuable, do you think the God Organization would make such a foolish decision?" Lin Jiawei looked at Ling Chen and said, "Trust me, apart from the Nine Elements Pill, Ji Gang will not agree to any trade with you. Instead of wasting time with me, you¡¯d be better off thinking about how to get the Nine Elements Pill. Since you have a good rtionship with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, I think you¡¯ll be able to find a solution."


    "Alright, I have answered your question, is there anything else you want to know?"


    "Lin Guodong," said Ling Chen. "I want to know everything about him."


    "Sorry, I can¡¯t answer that for you."


    "Y-... "


    Before Ling Chen could finish, Lin Jiawei had already cut him off, continuing, "It¡¯s not that I refuse to tell you, but that I don¡¯t know. No one knows the whereabouts of Lin Guodong, including myself, so there¡¯s no point in wasting time here with me. I¡¯ve said before, you won¡¯t get anything out of me, because I simply don¡¯t know, and asking is futile."


    Watching Lin Jiawei speak, Ling Chen wasn¡¯t sure whether he was telling the truth or lying.


    "Do you have any other questions?"


    Ling Chen shook his head; at this moment, his thoughts were on the Nine Elements Pill, worried about his father¡¯s safety. As for other matters, he really wasn¡¯t in the mood to think about them.


    "Big Brother, let¡¯s go out first, andter have Fatty take him to the cell," Ling Chen said as he stepped towards the exit of the interrogation room.


    However, before he could reach the door, Lin Jiawei called out, "Hey! Ling Chen, I¡¯ve told you everything, are you going to let me go or not?"


    "I¡¯ll consider it first."


    Lin Jiawei let out a snort ofughter, "Still considering? Since when did you, such a decisive person, be so indecisive?"


    Ling Chen didn¡¯t bother responding to him and left the interrogation room.


    Outside, seeing Ling Chen immersed in thought and not speaking, Qiu Yong couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Sixth Brother, you¡¯re not seriously thinking of letting him go, are you?"


    Ling Chen nodded and replied, "There¡¯s no other way, even if I can bear the loss to Wanqing, I can¡¯t stand by and watch my father be in danger. Moreover, my father is in the hands of Ji Gang, a master on the Heavenly List; what could I possibly use to fight against him?"


    "But... do you think the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will hand over the Nine Elements Pill to you?" asked Xia Yue, still worried.


    Ling Chen gave a wry smile. Honestly, he had absolutely no confidence, and could even imagine Su Mei refusing him. But since it was up to him to decide, he had to think of a way, and perhaps there might be other routes to explore.


    "Big Brother, don¡¯t worry about this; I will handle it."


    This time, the usually silent Xu Ming said, "If you really intend to ask the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion for the Nine Elements Pill, why don¡¯t we apany you? At the very least, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion should give us some consideration."


    "That¡¯s right, Second Brother has a point," Qiu Yong patted Ling Chen on the shoulder and said, "Sixth Brother, since we¡¯re all brothers, rest assured, we¡¯ll do our utmost to help rescue your father."


    "Thank you, Big Brother."


    "What¡¯s there to thank among brothers? Alright, that¡¯s settled then, just let us know when you decide to go to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."

 Chapter 699 - 704: Reunion with Su He (1)

    <h4>Chapter 699: Chapter 704: Reunion with Su He (1)</h4>


    After handling Lin Jiawei¡¯s affairs, Ling Chen took Nanrong Wanqing directly back to Wealthy Manor.


    On the way back, Ling Chen drove in silence, his thoughts having flown to who-knows-where. Sensing Ling Chen¡¯s unusual demeanor, Nanrong Wanqing hesitated several times, but ultimately resisted the impulse to ask what was on his mind.


    Upon reaching the Nanrong Family home, Ling Chen escorted Nanrong Wanqing back to her room, then turned around preparing to leave. Seeing him about to take his leave, Nanrong Wanqing grabbed his hand and asked, "You¡¯ve been distracted ever since we returned. Are you troubled by something?"


    Ling Chen put on a strained smile and said, "No, I¡¯m just a bit tired these past few days."


    Nanrong Wanqing didn¡¯t believe his words at all. Having spent so much time with Ling Chen, she knew him too well. Normally, once Ling Chen entered her room, he wouldn¡¯t leave so quickly and would certainly hold her tenderly for a while. But today¡¯s Ling Chen waspletely different from usual. It was evident that not only was he preupied, but his concerns were also significant.


    "Is it because of something rted to the God Organization?"


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "Don¡¯t worry, I will handle everything properly." After a pause, he changed the topic, "By the way, I might leave East Sea City for a while after tomorrow. There are some urgent matters to attend to, and I don¡¯t have time to dy." Saying this, Ling Chen, worried that Nanrong Wanqing would be anxious, quickly added, "Rest assured, I¡¯m just meeting a few friends, there will be no danger."


    "No matter where you go, just be careful. I don¡¯t want anything to happen to you," Nanrong Wanqing urged with much concern.


    "I know! It¡¯s gettingte. You should rest soon and don¡¯t stay up toote. You still have to go to work tomorrow."


    ...


    Returning to his own bedroom, Ling Cheny on his bed with themp on, hands cushioning his head, pondering how to get the Nine Elements Pill from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    While deep in thought, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze was suddenly drawn to a skull ced on the decorative cab.


    The skull was positioned directly across from the foot of the bed, its dark hollow eye sockets seemingly staring at him, exuding an inexplicably eerie feeling.


    Despite Ling Chen¡¯s great skill and courage, the skull¡¯s gaze made him feel uneasy. He got up from the bed, walked to the decorative cab beside the wall, and reached out to take the skull down.


    This skull wasn¡¯t merely a decoration, but an actual human skull. Once, Su Lin, who majored in archaeology, attended an auction and purchased an antique weapon, the Blood Dripping Device. This skull was hidden inside the Blood Dripping Device, and it startled Su Lin when she first acquired it.


    Looking at the skull in his hands, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but wonder about the identity of this person. He pondered why someone¡¯s head was severed using the Blood Dripping Device.


    Blood Dripping Device...


    Thinking of this ancient weapon, Ling Chen turned his head and locked his gaze onto the Blood Dripping Device.


    Recently, Ling Chen had been too busy to study this ancient weapon. Regarding the Blood Dripping Device, he had only looked up some information online and didn¡¯t know much about it.


    The Blood Dripping Device was a peculiar weapon, used in ancient times specifically for beheading people, extremely brutal. Once it enveloped someone¡¯s head, the victim would almost certainly be decapitated. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t just a weapon but also a murderous tool.


    Ling Chen put down the skull and held the Blood Dripping Device with both hands, inspecting it thoroughly. At the tip of the Blood Dripping Device was a thin chain, about ten meters long, which could be wound around the wrist, making it highly flexible and convenient to use.


    After fiddling with it for a while, Ling Chen discovered a subtle mechanism at the tip of the Blood Dripping Device. By activating the mechanism, one could retract the device, making it convenient to carry on the waist or in hand.


    Moreover, once the mechanism was mastered, using the device was simple: just control the mechanism and toss it lightly, and the Blood Dripping Device would unfold instantly, assuming itsplete weapon form.


    After several attempts, Ling Chen found it increasingly amusing, and it made him forget about his previous headache-inducing issues.


    However, mastering the use of the Blood Dripping Device was not easy¡ªit required a perfectbination of wrist movements, arm strength, and force. Any slight deviation could cause the Blood Dripping Device to miss its target.


    To train his precision, Ling Chen ced the skull five meters away on the ground and, holding the Blood Dripping Device in one hand, gently threw it towards the skull. Unfortunately, after several attempts, the device kept falling beside the skull instead of urately covering it.


    However, after a few failures, Ling Chen gradually learned to control the strength and technique.


    Thankfully, Su He once guided Ling Chen on the skill of ¡¯control¡¯, so he mastered the control of force quite quickly. After more than two hours of trying, Ling Chen understood the key to using the Blood Dripping Device.


    At around five meters distance, although he couldn¡¯t guarantee one-hundred percent uracy, he could at least ensure about eighty percent, which was rapid progress.


    However, when he extended the distance to six meters, Ling Chen¡¯s uracy dropped to twenty percent, not even half.


    "So that¡¯s how it is," Ling Chen murmured to himself, nodding thoughtfully.


    To urately control the Blood Dripping Device, not only did one need the coordination of technique and strength, but also strong enough Inner Strength to support it. The longer the distance, the harder the control. With Ling Chen¡¯s current ability, it wasn¡¯t difficult to manage within five meters, but beyond that, the difficulty increased dramatically.


    It seems I still need to improve my Inner Strength cultivation, Ling Chen thought to himself.


    Indeed, ever since learning the skill ¡¯control¡¯, his mastery over Inner Strength had greatly improved, and even when facing opponents slightly stronger than himself, he could remain unbeatable.


    However, technique was just technique, and the enhancement of one¡¯s own strength was what truly mattered. It seemed that he still needed to intensify his training to join the ranks of the high-level fighters on the Earthly List sooner.


    Had this been in the past, Ling Chen certainly wouldn¡¯t have such motivation. In his eyes, practicing martial arts was merely for fun, no concern for strength or weakness, without excessive pursuit. But after experiencing so many events recently, Ling Chen felt hisck of power more and more. If only he were stronger, he could handle crises with greater ease.


    Heavenly List top fighters...


    Sigh!


    Thinking of Ji Gang, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh.


    Initially, to rescue the porridge girl, Ling Chen specifically made a trip to Jinhai City, seeking out the reclusive Su He, hoping thetter could lend a hand. However, Su He directly refused his request, indicating he would no longer emerge from retirement.


    It was because of this that Ling Chen had to seek help from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    Thinking of his uing visit to Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, a thought crossed Ling Chen¡¯s mind, and he once again entertained the idea of seeking out Su He.


    If... perhaps there was indeed a chance of sess.

 Chapter 700 - 705: Reunion with Su He (2)

    <h4>Chapter 700: Chapter 705: Reunion with Su He (2)</h4>


    The next day.


    Ling Chen woke up from the bed, and not long after having breakfast, he received a call from Hu Fei, Lin Jiawei had been released.


    Ling Chen had already made his decisionst night, so he was not surprised. Although Hu Fei said that someone had been secretly sent to follow him, Ling Chen did not hold much hope.


    "Right! Ling Chen, when Lin Jiawei left, he left a phone number, he asked me to pass it on to you. Remember to contact him using that number after you get the Nine Elements Pill."


    "Got it." Saying this, Ling Chen changed the topic, instructing, "Help me tell my big brother to go to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion first, I will make haste to meet up with them."


    "You are not going with them?"


    "No, I still have an important matter to handle, I¡¯ll head there afterward."


    After hanging up the phone, Ling Chen and Zhong Wei escorted Nanrong Wanqing to the Hongyu Group headquarters. After saying goodbye to Nanrong Wanqing, Ling Chen drove to the airport alone. By then, Hongyu Group¡¯s private jet was already arranged and waiting for Ling Chen to board.


    After an hour-long flight, the ne safelynded at Jinhai City Airport.


    Leaving the airport, Ling Chen rented a car nearby and spent approximately two hours on the road before finally arriving at Su He¡¯s secluded residence.


    Looking at the dpidated wooden cabin, Ling Chen quickly walked to the door, knocked, but no one responded inside.


    Pushing open the door, unsurprisingly, the cabin was empty. At this time, Su He probably went out to sea fishing.


    Living here, with wilderness all around and not even a power line, let alone electronics and mobile phones, Ling Chen had no way to contact anyone else. No other choice, Ling Chen sat outside the house, gazing at the rolling waves, patiently waiting for Su He¡¯s return.


    By dusk, after waiting for several hours, Ling Chen finally saw a fishing boat approaching from the sea.


    When Su He¡¯s gaunt face came into view, Ling Chen quickly stood up and waved to him.


    "Elder Su."


    As the fishing boat reached the shore, Ling Chen smiled and went up to help Su He with his fish basket and fishing, and also helped drag the boat ashore.


    Su He, unceremoniously, drank water and sat aside to rest.


    Only after Ling Chen finished the chores did Su He speak, "What brings you here this time? I remember I made it very clearst time that I would not leave my seclusion unless it¡¯s something special. If you want me to help you, I advise you to dismiss that thought."


    Ling Chen hurriedly replied, "Elder Su, you misunderstand, I indeed came to ask for your help, but I¡¯m not asking you toe out of retirement."


    Hearing this, Su He¡¯s expression slightly softened, "If that¡¯s the case, I might consider it. Tell me, what do you need help with?"


    "It¡¯s like this." Ling Chen cleared his throat and seriously said, "Elder Su, you must be aware of the Nine Elements Pill."


    At the mention of the Nine Elements Pill, a hint of surprise shed across Su He¡¯s calm face. He put down the water bottle, looked up at Ling Chen, and asked neutrally, "How do you know about the Nine Elements Pill?"


    "It was mentioned by a friend of mine. Elder Su, although you don¡¯t want to talk about your past, I understand that there must be a history between you and the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Hence, I hope you can help me see if there¡¯s a way to obtain the Nine Elements Pill."


    "You want the Nine Elements Pill?" Su He shook his head and said, "I advise you to let go of that thought, it¡¯s impossible. Not just any outsider, even the key members within the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion can¡¯t easily obtain the Nine Elements Pill. Kid, regardless of how you learned about the Nine Elements Pill, you should give up early on."


    Seeing Su He present a stance that leaves no room for negotiation, Ling Chen was forced to speak the truth.


    "Save your father?"


    Ling Chen nodded and said, "Elder Su, not to hide it from you, the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is also my friend, I wouldn¡¯t have asked this if it wasn¡¯t for something extremely important. There¡¯s no other way this time, my father has fallen into Ji Gang¡¯s hands, other than the Nine Elements Pill, there¡¯s nothing else that can exchange for my father¡¯s release. Elder Su, he¡¯s my father, I can¡¯t just watch him die, no matter the cost, I must ensure his safety."


    "This..." Su He pondered for a moment and said, "Since you know that only a Heavenly List expert can consume the Nine Elements Pill, then you should be even more aware that once you give the Nine Elements Pill to Ji Gang, it will greatly enhance his strength. At that time, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will certainly face threats from Ji Gang. You¡¯re only thinking about your father, have you considered the consequences?"


    "As for the consequences, those are matters forter, I can¡¯t even save my father now, how can I think about other things." Saying this, Ling Chen suddenly knelt to the ground, kowtowed to Su He, and earnestly said, "Elder Su, I¡¯ve never asked anything from you, I hope you can help me this time. If there¡¯s ever a day you need me, whether through hell or high water, I will not refuse."


    Looking at Ling Chen¡¯s hopeful face, Su He sighed helplessly and said, "Well, since you put it that way, I¡¯ll help you this time. However, I must rify, even though I¡¯ll help you, whether you can achieve it still depends on your own ability."


    Ling Chen was overjoyed and said, "Thank you, Elder Su!"


    "Don¡¯t thank me just yet, wait until you sessfully obtain the Nine Elements Pill." Saying this, Su He stood up and walked into the house. After a while, Su He returned, approached Ling Chen, and handed over a finely crafted dagger engraved with the character ¡¯He,¡¯ saying, "Take this dagger to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, if I remember correctly, soon there will be a grand event at the Yangxin Pavilion, that will be your only chance to obtain the Nine Elements Pill. With this dagger, they won¡¯t stop you from attending."


    Ling Chen held the dagger with both hands and gratefully said, "Thank you, Elder Su."


    "Remember! Don¡¯t reveal any information about me to anyone asking, including my current whereabouts. If you dare say an extra word, don¡¯t me me for turning my back on past kindness," Su He instructed.


    "Yes, Elder Su, rest assured, I won¡¯t say a word."


    "Good, it¡¯s gettingte, you can make do for the night here, and head to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion tomorrow. Before you go, I still have some things to exin to you."


    As night fell!


    The darkness engulfed the sea, with only the rumbling sound of the waves, surging powerfully, ceaselessly beating against the shore.


    Outside the cabin, Ling Chen and Su He sat in front of the bonfire, under the light of the mes, enjoying the freshly roasted sea fish.


    Ling Chen took a bite of the crispy on the outside, tender on the inside sea fish and asked, "Elder Su, what else do you need to exin?"


    "The grand event at Yangxin Pavilion... I won¡¯t borate on that, you¡¯ll naturally understand when you get there. What I need to tell you is, everyone participating in that event is from Yangxin Pavilion, and everyone will stop at nothing to defeat their opponents and win the final victory, so you must be careful."

 Chapter 701 - 706: Reunion with Su He (3)

    <h4>Chapter 701: Chapter 706: Reunion with Su He (3)</h4>


    "Elder Su, are you saying that everyone from the Yangxin Pavilion will attend that grand event?"


    Su He nodded and said: "That¡¯s correct. You know about the Yangxin Pavilion, and I believe you have some understanding of it. Let me put it this way, people from the Yangxin Pavilion mostly wander outside and seldom return to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. However, when this grand event begins, everyone will rush back. The level of this event is much higher than the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony. Once you are there, no matter who you deal with, you have to be cautious, keep several steps ahead, and be careful not to be deceived."


    "I understand that. I will pay extra attention."


    "Alright!" At this moment, Su He put down the fish bones in his hand, stood up from the wooden stump chair, and then walked to the edge of the wide beach, pointing at Ling Chen and said: "You,e here."


    Ling Chen dared not dy and quickly stepped over to Su He¡¯s side, asking, "Elder Su, what instructions do you have?"


    "In the Martial Arts world, your skills among your peers are not bad. But that¡¯s in the absence of the Yangxin Pavilion. Once you¡¯re in the Yangxin Pavilion, you will meet many people of your age, or even younger, whose strengths are not a bit weaker than yours. If you want to win, relying solely on your current strength and techniques I¡¯ve taught you ispletely insufficient, you must improve yourself in a short time."


    "Elder Su, what should I do?"


    "I have never taken a disciple in my life, and I intended to take all that I¡¯ve learned into the grave. However, considering you will be participating in that grand event, I will make an exception once, and impart to you a few moves. After all, once you¡¯re there, you will represent me, not just yourself. Even if you don¡¯t bring honor to yourself, you can¡¯t embarrass me."


    Hearing these words, Ling Chen felt a secret thrill - to have a Heavenly List master pass on his skills was not something everyone got to enjoy.


    "Elder Su, rest assured, I will certainly not disgrace you."


    "Youngster, first thing I want to remind you is, in the Yangxin Pavilion, you might face many challengers, and then, your opponents will mostly be Earthly List masters. You cannot treat them the way you treat Dragon List masters. There¡¯s a very clear difference between Dragon List masters and Earthly List masters, and that is Hua Realm."


    "Hua Realm?" Ling Chen asked curiously: "Elder Su, what is that?"


    "The so-called Hua Realm is actually a kind of power. The Inner Strength cultivated by Tiger List masters and Dragon List masters, but Earthly List masters call it Hua Realm. After entering the Earthly List, the power gradually changes. It¡¯s not just a quantitative change, but also a qualitative leap. In short, Hua Realm is stronger than Inner Strength, it extends further, and has more lethality. Dragon List masters, at most, can release their Inner Strength to a distance of about two fingers. A bit stronger and it¡¯s three fingers at most. But Earthly List masters are different; they can release their Hua Realm over half a meter. Facing such an opponent, you won¡¯t even have the chance to get close before being repelled by their Hua Realm."


    Half a meter? Hearing Su He¡¯s rification, Ling Chen was somewhat surprised; the gap seemed too big.


    However, when he had fought with Lin Tong some time ago, why didn¡¯t he encounter such a situation? At that time Lin Tong was also an Earthly List master, but his Hua Realm was far from being as formidable as what Su He described.


    Thinking of this, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but express his doubts.


    "The problem you mentioned is actually quite simple." Su He patiently exined: "That person named Lin Tong must have just broken through the bottleneck and hasn¡¯t mastered the use of Hua Realm yet. Once he masters the differences between Hua Realm and Inner Strength, he will be able to perfectly utilize his power." After saying this, Su He changed the subject: "Alright, let¡¯s not talk about that for now, as time is limited, I don¡¯t have so much time to go into details with you. Watch carefully now, I will only do it three times. Learn what you can."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen immediately sat down cross-legged on the ground, intently watching Su He, not daring to miss any detail.


    ...


    Time trickled by, and in the blink of an eye, the morning sun slowly rose from the sea level, gradually dispersing the pitch-ck night.


    At this time, on the beach, Su He stood with his hands on his back, facing the sea. As the morning sun gradually rose, Su He slowly turned his head, looked at the meditating Ling Chen and said, "You can reflect on it by yourself, I¡¯m going to rest now, and you don¡¯t need to say goodbye to meter." After speaking, Su He went back inside the house.


    After an unknown amount of time, Ling Chen finally opened his eyes, stood up facing the sea breeze that carried a hint of seaweed-smell, and looked up at the zing sun overhead, secretly astonished at how long he had been in meditation.


    Recalling Su He¡¯s instructions from the morning, Ling Chen didn¡¯t disturb Su He again and Instead returned to where he parked, and drove towards the airport.


    He had agreed to meet with Qiu Yong and others at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion today, and if he didn¡¯t set off soon, he would probably bete.


    Luckily, with the Hongyu Group¡¯s private jet, when evening fell, Ling Chen sessfully arrived at the mountains and forests outside the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    Just as he stepped into the forest, Ling Chen hadn¡¯t walked far when he heard rustling sounds all around. Ever since undergoing special training with Yang Chen, Ling Chen¡¯s ears had be much sharper.


    Quickly judging the situation, Ling Chen identified the footsteps of four or five people. There would only be so many people here if they were members of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. To avoid misunderstandings, Ling Chen called out loudly: "Everyone, I am Ling Chen, a friend of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    As soon as his voice fell, Ling Chen saw a young man walking out from under the dense foliage nearby.


    The young man came over to Ling Chen, looked him up and down, then greeted him with a fist and palm salute and a smile: "It turns out to be Mr. Ling. Elder Qiu and the others already mentioned that you woulde backter. Mr. Ling, please this way, I¡¯ll take you there."


    Ling Chen politely returned the salute and slightly smiled: "Thank you for the trouble."


    Once at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, Zhou Jun and Song Ge, who had already received the news, stood at the entrance. Seeing Ling Chen approaching, both of them had smiles on their faces and quickly greeted him.


    "Ling," Song Ge waved his hand and took the initiative to call out.


    Friends meeting was a happy moment. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Zhou Jun pulled Ling Chen aside and asked: "Hey! Tell me the truth, what are you doing at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion this time?"


    "Why do you ask that?"


    "If you wereing alone, I wouldn¡¯t think much of it, but you guys are showing up at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion as the "Eight entrics," it¡¯s definitely not just a friendly visit. Spill it, what¡¯s the big deal? Let your brothers know first."


    Ling Chen waved his hand and said: "Don¡¯t ask me, I can¡¯t help you, I¡¯m just here to tag along, the specifics should be asked of my elder brother. Stop being so curious, let¡¯s go, first take me to see my elder brother."


    Seeing that Ling Chen was reluctant to speak, Zhou Jun shrugged helplessly, not good to keep questioning, and had to lead Ling Chen to the room where Qiu Yong and others were.

 Chapter 702 - 707: Seeing Du Kang Again (1)

    <h4>Chapter 702: Chapter 707: Seeing Du Kang Again (1)</h4>


    After meeting with Qiu Yong and the others, Ling Chen made small talk and did not mention the purpose of his trip to Jinhai City at all. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t trust Qiu Yong, but Song Ge and Zhou Jun were also present, and it was better not to let them hear.


    Although Ling Chen still didn¡¯t know exactly what rtionship Su He had with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, being as clever as he was, even if Su He didn¡¯t say anything, Ling Chen could guess a thing or two. Su He¡¯s position in the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion wasn¡¯t just high, it was extremely high.


    At this moment, someone walked towards the door and stepped into the room.


    Seeing the neer, Ling Chen hurriedly sped his fists and slightly bowed, saying, "Elder Zhou."


    Zhou Qi nodded and took the initiative to greet Qiu Yong and the others. Even though Zhou Qi held a high position in the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, the other party was after all among the Eight entrics, and even if the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master Su Mei were here, she wouldn¡¯t dare be negligent.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, the Pavilion Master invites you!"


    Hearing this, Yang Chen smiled and said, "Brother Six, your charm is really great. We didn¡¯t even see the Pavilion Master when we came yesterday, but the moment you arrive, you immediately receive a summons. It seems that our faces are not as big as yours."


    "That¡¯s right, of all of us here, only Brother Six is the youngest and most capable, and handsome and dashing, naturally earning others¡¯ favor," Xia Yue added.


    Ling Chen touched his nose helplessly and said with a bitter smile, "Enough! You two stop teasing me."


    "Everyone, recently the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has an important matter to deal with, so the Pavilion Master has been very busy and couldn¡¯t receive everyone immediately. Please forgive us and don¡¯t take it to heart," Zhou Qi exined.


    "It¡¯s okay," Qiu Yong said indifferently, "We were just joking, nothing serious. Elder Zhou doesn¡¯t need to apologize. Since the Pavilion Master has summoned us, let¡¯s hurry on, so we don¡¯t keep her waiting."


    Walking to the top floor of the Pavilion Master¡¯s tower where the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master resides, Qiu Yong, as the leader of the Eight entrics, was the first to step in.


    Upon entering the room, a graceful figure could vaguely be seen behind the curtain.


    With both hands sped in salute, Qiu Yong greeted, "Qiu Yong and the Eight entrics pay their respects to the Pavilion Master."


    "Please, Elder Qiu, have a seat!"


    "Thank you!"


    After everyone sat down, Su Mei, sitting behind the curtain, asked, "Elder Qiu, may I know what brings the Eight entrics to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion this time?"


    "Well..." Qiu Yong nced at Ling Chen with the corner of his eye and said with a smile, "It¡¯s nothing much, just wanted to ask the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion for a favor. My younger brother was seriously injured recently, was at death¡¯s doorstep, and although he has improved somewhat, his health isn¡¯t fully recovered. I worry about residual health issues, thus I came to ask the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion for a Heavenly Mechanism Pill. I wonder if the Pavilion Master could make an exception and help?"


    "Elder Qiu, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help you, but Ling Chen received many rewards during the Heavenly Mechanism Great Ceremony, including several Heavenly Mechanism Pills. Surely they haven¡¯t all been used up?"


    "If we still had some, we wouldn¡¯t have had to ask the Pavilion Master for help."


    "If it were anyone else, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion wouldn¡¯t easily give out the Heavenly Mechanism Pill, but since Elder Qiu has spoken, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion must show some respect. Zhou Qi, go fetch a Heavenly Mechanism Pill."


    "Yes," Zhou Qi responded and then turned and walked out of the room.


    "Elder Qiu, the Eight entrics rarely visit the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, so since you¡¯re here, why not stay a few more days and let us extend our hospitality," Su Mei warmly invited.


    With a mild smile, Qiu Yong replied, "Since the Pavilion Master has invited, how could I refuse? It would be my pleasure to stay."


    In a short while, Zhou Qi brought a high-quality Heavenly Mechanism Pill and handed it to Qiu Yong. Once the item was received, Qiu Yong led everyone to thank Su Mei and then turned to leave the room.


    Before Ling Chen could leave the room, suddenly, Su Mei¡¯s voice came from behind the curtain, "Mr. Ling, please wait a moment."


    Qiu Yong turned back and looked at Ling Chen with a meaningful expression, saying, "Then we¡¯ll head back to our room first. You can have a good talk with the Pavilion Master."


    Ling Chen nodded and watched as Qiu Yong and the others left before he returned to the room and asked the figure behind the curtain, "Miss Su, did you need something?"


    "Elder Zhou, you may leave as well, let us talk alone."


    "Yes!" Zhou Qi nodded slightly and followed in the footsteps of Qiu Yong and others, leaving the room.


    Once there were no others in the room, Su Mei lifted the curtain and walked out from behind it, graceful and elegant.


    It¡¯s been a while since Ling Chenst saw her, and Su Mei seemed somewhat tired, probably due tock of rest, not as spirited as before.


    "Miss Su, have you been busytely? You don¡¯t seem to look very well," Ling Chen asked with concern.


    "There are many things to handle at the Yangxin Pavilion, and although I as the Pavilion Master have many people tomand, this matter must be handled personally by me, thus I¡¯ve been more tired than usual, but it¡¯s nothing. It¡¯ll be fine after a few days."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen immediately understood. There was no need to guess; Su Mei was surely preparing for the grand event at the Yangxin Pavilion.


    "Ling Chen, did you reallye to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion only for a Heavenly Mechanism Pill?"


    Facing Su Mei¡¯s inquiry, Ling Chen smiled slightly, "Of course. Why, do you not believe me?"


    "It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you, but... if it was just for this, I feel you wouldn¡¯t make such a fuss, even bringing the Eight entrics personally to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Actually, given your rtionship with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, if you had just spoken up, I would have definitely not refused, so I am curious to know if you might have other motives."


    "I won¡¯t hide it from you, I indeed have another purpose. Miss Su, I was wondering if Elder Du is at the Yangxin Pavilion?"


    "Du Kang?" Su Mei nodded and replied, "Since he helped youst time, he has been staying at Yangxin Pavilion. What, you want to see him?"


    "Correct. I want to thank him and also discuss some matters with him. Miss Su, I wonder if you could help me with this?"


    "This..." Su Mei hesitated and said, "It¡¯s not that I¡¯m unwilling to help you, but the rules of the Yangxin Pavilion are many, and also, Elder Du doesn¡¯t really want to be disturbed, I¡¯m not sure if he would be willing to meet you. How about this, let me ask and see what he thinks."


    "That would be much appreciated."


    After some more casual talk, Ling Chen took his leave from the room.


    His earlier mention of visiting Du Kang was just a pretext and did not reveal his true purpose, simply following Su He¡¯s instructions. Before his arrival, Su He had advised him not to reveal the dagger hastily, but to first find Du Kang and have him apany him to the grand event to assess the situation.


    Because this grand event involved a showdown between masters, Su He hoped that after seeing the capabilities of the opponents, he could carefully consider everything before deciding whether to participate or not.


    Once back in his room, Ling Chen stood by the window, stretched leisurely, and quietly awaited Su Mei¡¯s news.

 Chapter 703 - 708: Seeing Du Kang Again (2)

    <h4>Chapter 703: Chapter 708: Seeing Du Kang Again (2)</h4>


    Arriving at Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, a round of drinks was inevitable. With Song Ge and Zhou Jun apanying, they drank until midnight, all three of them drunk and staggering, unable to walk steadily, so they had to spend the night in Ling Chen¡¯s room.


    The next day.


    When Ling Chen woke up, he heard a knocking sound outside the door. Probably disturbed by the knocking, Zhou Jun and Song Ge woke up and got up to open the door.


    As soon as the door opened, before Zhou Jun could react, he felt a pain in his head. He covered the sore spot, looked up, and saw Zhou Qi standing at the door, looking displeased, and gently scolded, "You rascal, how much wine have you stolen this time?"


    Zhou Jun retorted dissatisfiedly, "It¡¯s just a few bottles of wine, old man, do you really need to be so stingy?"


    During this, Ling Chen quickly approached, sped his fists, and said, "Elder Zhou, are you here to find me or..."


    Upon seeing Ling Chen, Zhou Qi immediately turned his attention away from Zhou Jun, saying, "Mr. Ling, the Pavilion Master just sent a message for me to take you to Yangxin Pavilion. Get ready, I¡¯ll wait for you outside in ten minutes."


    Curious, Zhou Jun asked, "What are you doing going to Yangxin Pavilion? Hey! Old man, we¡¯re bored anyway, why don¡¯t you take us along?"


    Zhou Qi replied irritably, "Both of you just stay put; I¡¯ll settle ounts with you when I return."


    After Zhou Qi left, Zhou Jun and Song Ge looked at Ling Chen curiously, wondering what he was going to do at Yangxin Pavilion. Ling Chen naturally wouldn¡¯t reveal his purpose. It was not that he didn¡¯t trust Zhou Jun and Song Ge, but some matters are better kept known to as few people as possible.


    After washing up, Ling Chen came outside alone. At that moment, Zhou Qi was quietly waiting for his arrival. After meeting up, Zhou Qi, without another word, immediately led Ling Chen towards Yangxin Pavilion.


    Along the way, Ling Chen noticed that the number of guards outside Yangxin Pavilion had increased considerably; previously, there were only two at the entrance, but now there were six. Moreover, upon entering Yangxin Pavilion, Zhou Qi had to show the Pavilion Master¡¯s token, or they wouldn¡¯t be allowed entry.


    Upon reaching the spacious Siheyuan, as soon as he entered through the gates, Ling Chen heard noisy chatter. In therge courtyard, there were several children, about six or seven years old, ying. Besides the children, Ling Chen also saw Song Yi.


    Perhaps sensing Ling Chen¡¯s gaze, Song Yi turned back and saw Ling Chen, his face immediately darkened, he snorted, then turned his gaze away.


    "Elder Zhou, I remember there weren¡¯t so many peoplest time I came, why..."


    "There is a grand event being held at Yangxin Pavilion this time, all the roaming people have returned, these kids are the disciples collected by various masters."


    Upon hearing Zhou Qi¡¯s exnation, Ling Chen finally understood.


    They passed through the Siheyuan, and Ling Chen entered the back mountain of Yangxin Pavilion, which truly held importance; many masters resided here.


    On the way, Ling Chen saw many unfamiliar faces. Due to years of martial training, even though these people had ages around seventy or eighty, they appeared only in their sixties, looking quite youthful.


    Regarding Ling Chen¡¯s arrival, not many truly noticed him; most just nced at him and then went about their own business.


    After walking for about ten minutes, Ling Chen finally reached Du Kang¡¯s residence. There was a simple thatched cottage, spanning over a hundred square meters, with dozens of liquor jars ced outside. Even from afar, a rich alcohol aroma was detectable.


    Arriving outside the cottage, Zhou Qi slightly bowed with sped hands, respectfully saying, "Elder Du, Ling Chen is here."


    As soon as he finished speaking, a young man about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old with an ordinary appearance and a stern demeanor stepped out of the cottage. He nced at Zhou Qi and said indifferently, "Hand him over to me, you can go back."


    "Yes!"


    Zhou Qi, without a word more, turned around and left the way he came.


    After Zhou Qi left, the young man shifted his gaze to Ling Chen. After looking him over, he said, "Come with me."


    Ling Chen nodded, following the young man¡¯s pace into the cottage.


    Inside the spacious and bright house, Du Kang was sitting by the window, leaning on a rattan chair, gently rocking, holding a gourd of wine, drinking asionally, very leisurely, humming an indistinguishable tune, looking quite content.


    Seeing Du Kang, Ling Chen quickly approached, respectfully performed a salute, and greeted, "Elder Du, sorry to disturb you."


    Du Kang, with half-closed eyes and a smirk, watched Ling Chen and said, "Have a seat; no need for formalities here." After speaking, Du Kang nced at the young man beside him, saying, "Come, let me introduce you, this is my disciple, his name is Yang Tao, he has been with me since he was four, it¡¯s been over twenty years now."


    Ling Chen immediately sped his fists and called out ¡¯Brother Yang.¡¯


    Yang Tao maintained his indifferent demeanor, not saying a word, just nodded slightly, then went into his room to mind his own business.


    "Don¡¯t mind him; that kid is just like that, not much for talking." Du Kang paused, then changing his tone, asked, "So, what brings you here this time?"


    Without hesitation, Ling Chen took out the dagger given to him by Su He and held it up to Elder Du.


    "Elder Du, please have a look."


    Du Kang took the dagger, drew it from its sheath, and seeing the ¡¯He¡¯ character engraved on the de, his expression slightly stunned, he suddenly stood up from the rattan chair, his murky old eyes gleaming sharply.


    "This item... where did you get this?"


    "Elder Du, since you recognize this dagger, you must know who it originally belonged to."


    "Old Su... it really is you... after all these years, you finally show yourself," Du Kang murmured, slowly sitting back down in the rattan chair.


    After pondering for a while, Du Kang looked at Ling Chen and asked, "Do you know who gave him this dagger?"


    "I don¡¯t know; Elder Su never mentioned it to me."


    "It was I who gave it to him. No wonder that old fellow would have you bring it to me; he knows I recognize this dagger." Saying this, Du Kang sheathed the dagger, handed it back to Ling Chen, and asked, "How is that old man doing?"


    "Elder Su is doing well, however... Elder Su repeatedly instructed me not to disclose his whereabouts, so..."


    "All right, I understand, don¡¯t worry, since he does not want others to know his whereabouts, I won¡¯t bother to ask. If he had you bring this dagger to me, he must need my help for something. Tell me, what is it? Considering that old man¡¯s sake, I¡¯ll help if I can."

 Chapter 704 - 709 Yang Tao

    <h4>Chapter 704: Chapter 709 Yang Tao</h4>


    "I know that the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will hold a grand event in the next few days, and I wish to participate."


    "You?" Upon hearing this, even the alwaysposed Du Kang was startled, and with a face full of surprise, looked at Ling Chen and said, "Was it that old man who asked you to participate?"


    "No. I pleaded with Elder Su to give me this opportunity." Ling Chen paused for a moment before continuing, "I want the Nine Elements Pill."


    Du Kang leaned forward from his rattan chair and said earnestly, "Honestly, I don¡¯t know why he agreed to your request to attend such an event, but what I want to tell you is that wanting the Nine Elements Pill is pure folly; it¡¯s simply impossible."


    "Why?" Ling Chen asked with a face full of confusion.


    "Because you¡¯re too weak; going there would be suicide. Do you know that almost everyone participating in this event is a master from the Earthly List? What do you have topete against those people with? I won¡¯t deny your talent and potential, but some things cannot be changed by courage and audacity alone. The event at Yangxin Pavilion is a contest of one hundred percent strength, not luck."


    Du Kang opened his mouth and said, "Elder Du, I know you have my best interests at heart, but I have no choice. As long as I can obtain the Nine Elements Pill, no matter the risk, I¡¯m willing to take it. I only hope that you can help me this once."


    "You!" Du Kang sighed helplessly, "Why won¡¯t you listen to my advice? That old man too; he actually agreed to let you participate in this event¡ªit¡¯s not helping you, it¡¯s harming you."


    With that, Du Kang stood up from the rattan chair, turned his head towards the inner room, and called out, "Apprentice,e out for a bit."


    Once Yang Tao came out from the room, Du Kang looked at Ling Chen and said, "The two of you,e with me."


    Leaving the thatched cottage, Du Kang led Ling Chen and Yang Tao to a spacious open area and said, "You two, spar here."


    Spar?


    Ling Chen was shocked; he hadn¡¯t expected Du Kang to make such a request.


    Du Kang nced at Ling Chen and said, "You want to participate in that event, right? Fine, I¡¯ll give you a chance. If you canst one minute against my disciple without being defeated, I¡¯ll help you out. If you can¡¯t, then you better go back early and not lose your life here." Having said this, Du Kang turned to his own disciple and instructed, "Use only your left hand."


    "Understood." Yang Tao nodded, then fetched a rope from outside the house, tied it around his right wrist, wrapped it around his waist, and firmly restricted his right hand.


    "Come on!"


    Looking at Yang Tao¡¯s expressionless face, Ling Chen slightly furrowed his brow. He wasn¡¯t sure how strong Yang Tao¡¯s abilities were, but as a disciple trained by a master from the Heavenly List, he couldn¡¯t be that weak. Although Yang Tao was limited to using only his left hand, Ling Chen was aware that Du Kang¡¯s instructions meant he had full confidence in his disciple.


    "One minute," Du Kang said, holding his wine gourd and stepping aside, "Begin. Ling Chen, you may use any method at your disposal."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen didn¡¯t dare to be careless. He drew out the Tianling de. With a flick of the mechanism, a sharp de immediately sprang out, turning into a steel sword.


    Steel sword in hand, Ling Chen stood up straight, his body slightly tilted, his sharp gaze fixed on Yang Tao, looking for the right moment to strike.


    In the blink of an eye, more than ten seconds passed, and seeing Ling Chen had not yet made a move, the still Yang Tao suddenly stepped forward and dashed straight toward Ling Chen.


    Yang Tao¡¯s pace wasn¡¯t fast, and Ling Chen could pinpoint his location urately. As Yang Tao closed in, Ling Chen hesitated no longer. With a flick of his wrist, he thrust his steel sword straight at Yang Tao¡¯s forehead. The sword seemed light and effortless, seemingly without force, but the sword tip was condensed with a magnificent Inner Strength. The sword¡¯s edge was sharp, piercing through the air in an instant.


    Just as the sword tip was about to hit the target, the straight-advancing Yang Tao suddenly leaned backward, then pivoted on his feet, quickly changing position and dodging the sharp sword tip.


    Having missed his strike, Ling Chen swiftly withdrew, avoiding giving Yang Tao the chance to close in. However, at that moment, Ling Chen suddenly felt a surge of powerful energy, like a wall of air, sharply hitting his right shoulder. His retreating steps not quite stable, he was pushed aside by that force.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen quivered his long sword and lightly tapped it against the ground, leveraging that force to prop up his body.


    Simultaneously, Ling Chen¡¯s peripheral vision caught a glimpse of Yang Tao less than a meter away.


    Hua Realm!


    Ling Chen inwardly frowned; he had been hit by the Hua Realm energy unique to the masters of the Earthly List. The Hua Realm was more formidable than Inner Strength, able to harm a person from about a meter away. Just now, his only thought had been not to let Yang Tao get close, but he had forgotten this detail.


    Right now, only twenty-something seconds had passed since Du Kang¡¯s one-minute mark, but after that brief exchange, Ling Chen had already realized Yang Tao¡¯s strength. Indeed, a master of the Earthly List who was proficient in the Hua Realm was not easy to deal with.


    Half a minute left!


    Ling Chen closely watched the advancing Yang Tao, rapidly contemting his strategy.


    Suddenly, a gust of wind rushed at his face. In the blink of an eye, Yang Tao, who had been three meters away, charged forward, now less than a meter from Ling Chen.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen was shocked and quickly retreated, trying to increase the distance between them. But Yang Tao was very fast, like a swift breeze, relentlessly pursuing him.


    Feeling the fierce Hua Realm energy, Ling Chen¡¯s pupils contracted, and with a shake of his hand, he threw the steel sword he was holding, its sharp tip aimed straight at Yang Tao¡¯s face.


    Forced by the steel sword, Yang Tao had no choice but to withdraw and cease his assault. Then he twisted at the waist, raised his right leg, and kicked the flying steel sword away,nding it more than ten meters away.


    Seeing the Tianling de lost, Ling Chen didn¡¯t even think before he lightly tapped with the tip of his foot, quickly moving in the opposite direction of Yang Tao.


    "Trying to escape?" Yang Tao snorted softly, instantly elerating and chasing right behind Ling Chen. In less than ten seconds, the distance between them had already narrowed.


    Ling Chen knew well that once Yang Tao got within a meter, he would inevitably be attacked by his Hua Realm energy.


    As he was considering his options, Ling Chen¡¯s gaze was suddenly drawn to the dozen or so wine jars ced outside the straw hut. An idea shed through his mind, and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.


    Immediately, he increased his speed toward the wine jars outside the straw hut. Upon reaching them, he lifted a wine jar and swung it toward the pursuing Yang Tao.


    As the wine jar fell from above his head, Yang Tao¡¯s expression changed. Instead of dodging, he reached out with both hands, steadily catching the wine jar, and then set it aside. His demeanor suggested he was particrly careful not to damage the jar.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 705 - 710: The Cunning Ling Chen

    <h4>Chapter 705: Chapter 710: The Cunning Ling Chen</h4>


    Noticing Yang Tao¡¯s actions, Ling Chen was instantly overjoyed; he had finally pinpointed Yang Tao¡¯s weakness. With this thought, Ling Chen paid no heed to the iron blue face of Du Kang next to him and kept lifting up the wine jars, smashing them towards Yang Tao.


    In order to ensure the wine jars remained intact, Yang Tao had no choice but to concentrate all his energy on them, to prevent them from being damaged and the wine spilling onto the ground.


    This repetition continued until Ling Chen suddenly turned his head and looked at Du Kang not far away: "Elder Du, has a minute passed?"


    Du Kang looked at Ling Chen displeasedly, then said to Yang Tao, "Alright, stop it both of you."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen breathed a sigh of relief as if he¡¯d been exonerated. Thankfully, he found a method Yang Tao dreaded; otherwise, if he really had tost a minute under Yang Tao¡¯s hands, he likely couldn¡¯t have managed.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s smug face, Du Kang said unhappily, "You still have the face to smile, using such treacherous tactics. If it weren¡¯t for Yang Tao being concerned about the wine I brewed, you would have failed already."


    Ling Chen touched his nose and replied sheepishly, "That... Elder Du, didn¡¯t you say earlier that any means could be used, so I..."


    "Enough! Even if you passed, if you¡¯re seeking death, I won¡¯t stop you. That¡¯s it then, go back first ande find me here in two days. The grand event won¡¯t start for another three days. Rest well these next two days, adjust your condition, and don¡¯t disgrace Old Su when the timees."


    "Yes, I¡¯ll take my leave then." With that said, Ling Chen turned to face the approaching Yang Tao, cupped his fists, and said, "Big Brother Yang, my apologies for earlier. Please don¡¯t take it to heart¡ªI¡¯ll invite you for a drink next time to make amends."


    Yang Tao¡¯s expression was indifferent, and it was unclear whether he had taken Ling Chen¡¯s words to heart.


    Leaving the Yangxin Pavilion, Ling Chen headed straight for his room. Seeing his beaming face, Qiu Yong knew things must have gone really smoothly, so he did not inquire further.


    Returning to his room, Ling Chen kept Elder Du¡¯s instructions in mind, to rest well for the next two days and be in good spirits before the grand event began. Just as Elder Du said, at that time, he would not just be representing himself, but also Su He. Su He had also mentioned this to him.


    To maintain his condition, Ling Chen rejected invitations for drinks from Zhou Jun and Song Ge, spending all his time in his room, meditating in silence.


    ...


    A day passed by.


    While in meditation in his room, Ling Chen suddenly heard a ¡¯dong dong dong¡¯ knocking at the door.


    "Who is it?" Ling Chen asked aloud.


    However, there was no response from outside the door. Ling Chen found it odd and asked again, but still, no one responded.


    "Who could it be so early in the morning?" Ling Chen muttered to himself, climbing off the bed and walking towards the door.


    Opening the door, Ling Chen looked outside only to discover that no one was there. Although he didn¡¯t see anyone, he found a small paper note on the ground.


    Heh! Ling Chen secretly smirked, finding it interesting. He didn¡¯t know who it was, but they were ying such tricks.


    Despite his thoughts, Ling Chen still picked up the note.


    "Meet at the north gate in half an hour."


    Looking at the content on the paper, Ling Chen grew curious. He wondered who had left the note, doing so secretly¡ªcould they not have directlye to his room to talk? As Ling Chen pondered, he took another few looks at the note and noticed that the handwriting was very elegant, likely that of a woman.


    A woman?


    Within the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, Ling Chen only knew one woman, Su Mei. Other than Su Mei, who else would secretly arrange a meeting with him?


    Never mind! Ling Chen shook his head, not bothering to think about it anymore. He would just go to the appointment when the time came. After all, this was the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion; surely no one would dare harm him here.


    After sitting in his room for a while, estimating that it was almost time, Ling Chen tidied up a bit and then headed alone towards the north gate of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    Having toured around the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion with Zhou Jun before, Ling Chen was quite familiar with its surroundings. The north gate was another exit of the pavilion, but it had been sealed off with stones many years ago, and many trees had been nted around it. Now, the north gate had essentially be a garden.


    When he arrived in the garden, Ling Chen searched for any traces of other people. However, even after waiting a few minutes, no one appeared.


    The agreed time had long passed, yet the person had not shown up. Could it be that he had been fooled? This thought made Ling Chen feel indignant, so instead of waiting any longer, he turned around to leave.


    But just after taking a few steps, a faint voice suddenly reached Ling Chen¡¯s ears. He quickly turned around and looked behind him, only to see an elegant figure stepping on the fallen leaves, walking towards him gracefully.


    Seeing who it was, Ling Chen was shocked and eximed, "Porridge girl?"


    He never expected that the person who had arranged to meet him would be the Porridge girl.


    "How... How could it be you?" Ling Chen asked in surprise.


    "I just arrived at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and happened to see that Qiu Yong and Xu Ming from the Eight Odd Men were also here. I thought you might be here too, so I checked, and sure enough, you were, so I called you out."


    "Aren¡¯t you friends with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master? Since you have a friendly rtionship with the pavilion, why all the secrecy? Why not just say what you have to say directly in my room?"


    The Porridge girl shook her head and said, "I can¡¯t do that. The people of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion still don¡¯t know I¡¯m here; I sneaked in."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen was taken aback and asked puzzledly, "Why?"


    "I don¡¯t want people to know I¡¯vee to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. I have an important task this time that may cause a falling out with the pavilion, so it¡¯s better to avoid contact with them as much as possible."


    A falling out?


    Ling Chen was shocked; the Porridge girl was actually saying such a thing. Could it be she was preparing to do something detrimental to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?


    Seeing Ling Chen open his mouth, the Porridge girl beat him to the punch and said, "Don¡¯t ask. It¡¯s my business, and it has nothing to do with you. You¡¯d better not get involved to avoid getting dragged into it."


    "If you didn¡¯t want to involve me, then you shouldn¡¯t have called me here and told me so much."


    "I know. But I thought it through carefully¡ªthis matter is too dangerous, and there might not be another chance to see you. So, there are some things I must tell you. I believe you must also have many questions you want to ask me. If I don¡¯t tell you now, I¡¯m afraid there won¡¯t be another opportunity."


    Hearing how grave the Porridge girl¡¯s tone was, Ling Chen said solemnly, "What exactly do you want to do?"


    The Porridge girl sighed softly, shook her head, and said, "Don¡¯t ask; even if you do, I won¡¯t tell." She paused for a moment and then changed the subject, "Aren¡¯t you curious about what happened to Ling Kun?"

 Chapter 706 - 711: The True Identity of the Secret Leader

    <h4>Chapter 706: Chapter 711: The True Identity of the Secret Leader</h4>


    "Not bad, I really want to know, how do you know my father, and what is your rtionship with him?"


    "Actually... I not only know your father, but I am also very close to him."


    Close?


    Hearing this word, Ling Chen was slightly startled and did not react for a moment. Noticing Ling Chen¡¯s strange gaze, porridge girl realized her choice of words was inappropriate and quickly corrected herself: "No, don¡¯t misunderstand, I mean, your father is my Master, that¡¯s why our rtionship is quite close."


    "He is your Master?" Ling Chen was suddenly taken aback. He had never imagined that there was such a rtionship between his father and porridge girl.


    "Yes. I don¡¯t want to keep it from you, you have actually met your father a long time ago, do you remember? Many times a man iming to be from the Secret Society hase to see you, he is your father."


    "What?" Ling Chen widened his eyes, somewhat unable to believe it all. That mysterious man from the Secret Society who imed to be his father¡¯s friend was actually his father.


    Why... knowing that he had waited for him for so many years, and now being so close, why couldn¡¯t he acknowledge him? Thinking of this, Ling Chen felt a mix of emotions, and it was an unpleasant feeling.


    Seeing the change in Ling Chen¡¯s eyes, porridge girl spoke, "Don¡¯t think too much, Master doesn¡¯t disregard you, on the contrary, he values you so much that he hid his identity and refused to acknowledge you. Unfortunately, he originally wanted you to lead an ordinary life, but you still got involved. Master once said, when everything is resolved, he wille to meet you. But ns can¡¯t keep up with changes, the actions of the Secret Society provoked the fierce retaliation of the God Organization, and even the experts of the Heavenly List were dispatched, which led to Master being captured."


    "You can¡¯t be telling me that my father is the mysterious leader of the Secret Society?"


    Porridge girl nodded and said: "Yes. Although to the inner circle he imed to be a close follower of the leader, in reality, he is the true controller of the Secret Society, and he did so merely to conceal his identity."


    So that¡¯s how it is!


    At this moment, Ling Chen finally understood the things he had been puzzled by before. He had wondered why the Secret Society suddenly agreed to help him unconditionally, it turned out to be because of his father. Including thest time Ling Kun found him and talked about the matters rted to the southern Ling Family. Ling Kun didn¡¯t want him to get involved, as he wanted him to stay away from the family struggles.


    Thinking it over, Ling Chen looked at porridge girl and asked: "Do you know where my father is?"


    Porridge girl hesitated for a moment, then slowly shook her head and said: "Not sure yet."


    "Really?" Ling Chen stared into porridge girl¡¯s eyes.


    Facing Ling Chen¡¯s gaze, porridge girl appeared somewhat ufortable, slightly turned her head away, and said, "I have no reason to lie to you."


    "Well then, you..."


    "I¡¯ve said everything I needed to, don¡¯t ask any further, I still have very important things to do. If I seed this time, it won¡¯t be long before I can reunite you with your father." After saying this, without waiting for Ling Chen to say anything else, porridge girl already ran towards the garden outside, and in a blink, she was out of sight.


    Watching the disappearing back of porridge girl, Ling Chen sighed silently.


    He could see that porridge girl was deceiving him just now. Porridge girl certainly knew Ling Kun¡¯s whereabouts but chose not to tell him. Unfortunately, what porridge girl didn¡¯t know was that he had long known his father was in the hands of Ji Gang.


    Back in his room, Ling Chen¡¯s mind was still pondering the conversation with porridge girl. That mysterious man was actually his father, he originally thought that his father had forgotten about him, but it turns out he had always been watching his every move from the shadows.


    Father...rest assured, no matter the cost, I will definitely rescue you.


    ...


    Into the night.


    In Yangxin Pavilion, a dark shadow swiftly passed over the ground, heading straight for the deep parts of the valley.


    Upon reaching the valley, the shadow looked all around, seemingly in search of something. However, just at that moment, an elderly voice suddenly came from a tree branch: "Young girl, stop looking, you won¡¯t find it."


    "Who¡¯s there?" The shadow was startled and quickly looked up at the branches above. Instantly, an old man could be seen lying on a thick branch, holding a wine gourd with one hand, his face flushed, and a hint of drunkenness in his eyes.


    "You don¡¯t need to know who I am. You just need to know that you won¡¯t find anything in Yangxin Pavilion. Hurry up and leave, while the others haven¡¯t discovered you yet. This ce is Yangxin Pavilion, not the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. If others catch you here, the consequences won¡¯t be pleasant. We never show mercy to those who trespass into Yangxin Pavilion."


    "You..."


    "Stop stalling, go on, don¡¯t make it hard for this old man or for Ling Chen."


    "Ling Chen?"


    "Yes, he already guessed your purpose foring here, so he sent me a message, hoping I could help, to stop you. If you insist on taking action in Yangxin Pavilion, you¡¯d be disregarding his kindness." After speaking, Du Kang jumped down from the branch, took a couple of sips of wine, then strode towards the thatched hut, saying as he walked: "Go on, don¡¯t linger here. Since you¡¯ve managed to get in, presumably you can also get out. I won¡¯t see you off."


    Watching Du Kang¡¯s figure gradually moving away, porridge girl¡¯s expression suddenly became immenselyplicated.


    Could it be... Ling Chen knew about her purpose foring to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?


    ...


    The next morning, Ling Chen got up early, went to the windowsill, and stretched while looking out at the training field.


    Two days had passed, and today was the day to meet Du Kang at Yangxin Pavilion.


    Taking advantage of the early hour, Ling Chen went alone to the training field to loosen up his muscles.


    A day¡¯s n starts with the morning; at this time, the training field was filled with martial artists practicing. Ling Chen chose a rtively high spot, swung a few punches to loosen up his body, then drew the Tianling de, practicing from swordy to swordsmanship, and only stopped when he was drenched in sweat.


    "Yo! Isn¡¯t this Ling Chen, the first on the Neer List?"


    At that moment, a mocking voice came from not too far away.


    Ling Chen looked up and saw that the speaker was none other than Tong Nan. Ling Chen had met Tong Nan once during hisst visit to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and knew him to be a yboy, so the impression was deep.


    After ncing at Tong Nan, Ling Chen shifted his gaze beyond him to Song Yi and Liang Zheng standing behind.


    Liang Zheng remained his usual indifferent self. In contrast, Song Yi¡¯s eyes held a trace of darkness toward Ling Chen, probably because he had lost to Ling Chen in a spar and was subsequently scolded by his master, Huang Zheng, which made Song Yi quite hostile towards Ling Chen.


    Seeing the three approaching, Ling Chen slightly furrowed his brow, then sheathed the Tianling de and turned to leave.

 Chapter 707 - 712 Insulted (1)

    <h4>Chapter 707: Chapter 712 Insulted (1)</h4>


    Seeing Ling Chen about to leave, Liang Zheng called out: "Ling Chen, where are you going? It¡¯s rare for old friends to meet, why not stay longer? Are you afraid of us?"


    Ling Chen turned his head back, and said indifferently: "Please mind your words. We¡¯re not even close to being old friends, not even friends at all."


    Hearing this, Song Yi sneered sarcastically: "Liang, he doesn¡¯t want to be friends with us, why bother offering warmth only to receive coldness in return?"


    "Is that so?" Tong Nan chimed in from the side: "I really don¡¯t know what makes him think he can look down on us, just because he is first on the Neer List?"


    Listening to their mocking words, Ling Chen was toozy to argue and started walking down the hillside.


    However, just as Ling Chen was about to leave, he saw someone approaching from the opposite direction.


    Porridge girl?


    Ling Chen paused slightly, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. Porridge girl¡¯s appearance here meant that her actionst night was unsessful. When porridge girl left, he had guessed her purpose foring to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion might be the same as his, for the Nine Elements Pill. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have left without telling him.


    Therefore, he had made a point to greet Du Kang, hoping he could help so porridge girl wouldn¡¯t get into trouble. Although porridge girl was strong, being an Earthly List expert, Yangxin Pavilion was full of masters and it was easy for her to get into trouble.


    At this moment, seeing porridge girl appear openly in the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, Ling Chen knew that she had abandoned her previous n.


    "You¡¯re here!" Ling Chen smiled and quickly went up to meet her.


    Porridge girl looked at Ling Chen irritably and asked: "Was it you who had someone block mest night?"


    Ling Chen nodded and said: "It was for your own good. Whatever you nned to do, with the masters from the Yangxin Pavilion around, it wouldn¡¯t have been easy to seed. Do you know who stopped youst night? His name is Du Kang, a Heavenly List expert from Yangxin Pavilion. Luckily, I have a good rtionship with him, otherwise if someone else found you, you wouldn¡¯t have been so fortunate."


    "Heavenly List expert?" Porridge girl looked startled, her eyes on Ling Chen filled with a curious glint.


    "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    "After being out of touch for a while, your circle of friends has grown wider, even knowing a Heavenly List expert."


    Ling Chenughed and said: "That¡¯s because of my good character, everyone wants to be friends with me."


    "Look at how pleased you are." Porridge girl, her nose tilted up, huffed lightly and said: "It¡¯s a good thing for you to make connections with a Heavenly List expert; he might be able to help you a lot in the future."


    During their conversation, Tong Nan and the other two had noticed porridge girl¡¯s appearance.


    Suddenly seeing a refined and beautiful woman appear, Tong Nan and the others were instantly captivated. Although they had seen beauties at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, the only top-notch beauty was Miss Su. As Miss Su was the Pavilion Master of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, they could only admire her from a distance, not daring to entertain any disrespectful thoughts.


    However, the beauty before them was equally elegant and beautiful as Miss Su.


    Watching porridge girl talk with Ling Chen, both Song Yi and Liang Zheng had a look of admiration in their eyes. They usually stayed in the Yangxin Pavilion and rarely went out, so they had little chance to meet beauties. Inparison, the yboy Tong Nan was more thrilled.


    He had almost had his fill with the women of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, and it was rare for any to spark his interest. But now a top-notch beauty suddenly appeared, how could he not be moved?


    "Do you two know who that woman is?"


    Song Yi and Liang Zheng shook their heads and said: "We¡¯ve never seen her before. Tong, you know we mostly stay in Yangxin Pavilion and seldom visit Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. She¡¯s likely a guest there, maybe... maybe I should go ask around and find out her identity for you."


    Tong Nan waved his hand and said: "No need for that, just go up and ask directly."


    Hearing this, Liang Zheng quickly said: "Tong, everyone is aware of your charm, but... what if she is an important guest of the Pavilion Master? This casual approach might displease the Pavilion Master."


    "What¡¯s there to be afraid of?" Tong Nan casually said: "So what if it¡¯s impolite? Don¡¯t forget, we are from Yangxin Pavilion. Although the Pavilion Master has the authority to manage the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, if she wants to punish someone from Yangxin Pavilion, she needs the consent of several elders from Yangxin Pavilion. Besides, you know the Pavilion Master is often lenient towards us; even if we make a small mistake, I believe the Pavilion Master won¡¯t fuss over it. Alright, if you two don¡¯t have the guts to go, then stay here. I¡¯ll go by myself."


    With that, Tong Nan walked towards Ling Chen and porridge girl.


    Seeing Tong Nan¡¯s actions, Song Yi and Liang Zheng exchanged a nce, nodded slightly, and followed Tong Nan¡¯s footsteps.


    "Have you met Miss Su?"


    "I have," porridge girl said. "I just went to greet her and n to stay in the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion for a few days. I heard someone say you were training here, so I came to find you."


    "Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s gettingte, let¡¯s go have breakfast."


    Porridge girl agreed, and was about to follow Ling Chen down the hillside when suddenly she heard Tong Nan¡¯s voice from behind: "Beauty, please wait a moment!"


    Porridge girl turned around, sizing up the quickly approaching Tong Nan, her eyebrows slightly raised, her eyes showing a hint of displeasure, and asked: "Do you need something?"


    As he approached, Tong Nan unabashedly admired porridge girl¡¯s beauty, then mboyantly flipped his bangs, a charming smile appearing on his lips, and said: "Beauty, let me introduce myself first. My name is Tong Nan, a disciple of Yangxin Pavilion. May I know how to address the beauty?"


    Seeing Tong Nan¡¯s frivolous demeanor, porridge girl coldly said: "Sorry, I have no interest in telling my name to a stranger. Ling Chen, let¡¯s go!"


    As porridge girl moved to leave, Tong Nan quickly stepped in front of the two, blocking their way.


    Ling Chen furrowed his brow and asked, "Tong Nan, what are you trying to do?"


    "Ling Chen, shut up, this has nothing to do with you, get lost and don¡¯t interfere with my business," Tong Nan said irritably.


    "Tong Nan, she is my friend, you better not have any intentions towards her. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being rude," Ling Chen warned.


    "Ha!" Tong Nan sneered contemptuously, "Is that a reminder or a threat? If it¡¯s a threat, I¡¯m afraid you are not qualified."


    Behind them, Song Yi chimed in: "Ling Chen, don¡¯t think just because you defeated me once you can strut around here. Tong Nan is a genuine Earthly List expert, he could squash you with one hand. I advise you to leave as far as you can and stop making a fool of yourself here."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 708 - 713: Humiliation (2)

    <h4>Chapter 708: Chapter 713: Humiliation (2)</h4>


    "Shut up, all of you!" The Porridge Girl, seeing Tong Nan and Song Yi mocking Ling Chen, could no longer stand it and shouted, "If any of you dares to insult him again, don¡¯t me me for being merciless."


    Tsk, tsk!


    Tong Nan shook his head with a smile, looking at Ling Chen with a face full of mockery: "I thought you were so formidable, but it turns out you¡¯re just a coward who needs a woman to stand up for you, what a disgrace to men."


    "Exactly." Song Yi and Liang Zheng echoed in agreement.


    "Enough!"


    Hearing them continuously mocking Ling Chen, the Porridge Girl appeared very angry, her delicate face covered in frost.


    Feeling the Porridge Girl¡¯s anger, Tong Nan immediately became more restrained, and with a smile said, "Beauty, you¡¯ve misunderstood. We were just joking with Ling Chen, we¡¯re actually all friends."


    "Tong Nan, you might as well stop trying to self-aggrandize, who is your friend?"


    Just then, a voice came their way. Ling Chen and the others looked up to see Zhou Jun and Song Ge walking towards them; the speaker was none other than Zhou Jun.


    As he got closer, Zhou Jun swept a cold nce at Tong Nan and Song Yi, and snorted, "The people from Yangxin Pavilion are bing more and more presumptuous, even daring to flirt with the Pavilion Master¡¯s honored guests. Just wait, I will report this incident to the Pavilion Master exactly as it happened."


    Tong Nan snorted indifferently, said arrogantly, "Zhou Jun, if you want to snitch, go ahead and do it. If I¡¯m scared, I¡¯m not Tong Nan. But, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you. I am a disciple of Yangxin Pavilion, even if the Pavilion Master wants to punish me, she¡¯d have to see if my Master agrees."


    "What of Yangxin Pavilion? It¡¯s still under themand of the Pavilion Master. Do you dare to disobey her orders? Tong Nan, don¡¯t think that just because you are a disciple of Yangxin Pavilion, you can act recklessly in Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. I¡¯m telling you, if you keep this up, you will eventually face severe punishment."


    "So what if I rely on Yangxin Pavilion? At least I count on my aptitude and abilities, unlike some people who neither have the aptitude nor the skill, and only get by with their old man¡¯s position in Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    Although Tong Nan did not name names, everyone knew he was talking about Zhou Jun.


    Upon hearing this, Zhou Jun became infuriated, his face blotchy red with rage as he shouted, "Tong Nan, what do you want exactly? Let me tell you, stop being so arrogant here."


    Tong Nanughed disdainfully, "I am arrogant, and what can you do about it? You can¡¯t beat me in a fight, nor can youpete with my background. What do you have to evenpare with me? Zhou Jun, I know you¡¯re irritated by me. Is it because I¡¯ve been with the woman you like? To tell you the truth, you do have some taste. Despite her usual demure appearance like ady, she¡¯s quite wild in bed, which I quite enjoyed. Oh, right! I dumped her not long ago, so if you go to her now, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll wee you. I have already trained her well, her skills in bed are outstanding, you¡¯ll be able to enjoy her right away, how wonderful!"


    With those words, Tong Nanughed loudly.


    "Tong Nan!" Zhou Jun gritted his teeth, both fists clenched, crackling sounds emitting from them, wishing he could punch Tong Nan to the ground.


    "What, not happy?" Tong Nan sneered, shaking his head, "What can you do about it, dare to take action against me?"


    Upon hearing this, Zhou Jun could no longer restrain his rage and shouted, "Bastard, I¡¯ll kill you!" With that, Zhou Jun grabbed the steel sword from Song Ge¡¯s hand and thrust it towards Tong Nan¡¯s vital spots.


    Seeing this, Song Yi and Liang Zheng shouted in unison, "Zhou Jun, you dare!"


    As Zhou Jun made his move, Ling Chen nced at the indifferent Tong Nan, who stood still and watched Zhou Jun with a smirk, a cold smile on his lips, and a fleeting glimpse of murderous intent in his eyes.


    Not good!


    Ling Chen¡¯s heart startled, mentally cursing the situation. It looked like Tong Nan was waiting to take a harsh action against Zhou Jun.


    Not to mention that Tong Nan had the backing of Yangxin Pavilion and wasn¡¯t afraid of being med, what¡¯s more, Zhou Jun was the first to strike, and if something happened to Zhou Jun, Tong Nan could use the excuse of self-defense to absolve himself of responsibility.


    Thinking of this, Ling Chen¡¯s toes tapped the ground, and he rushed forward, grabbing Zhou Jun from behind by the shoulders, pulling him back.


    With his strike interrupted, Zhou Jun immediately turned his gaze to Ling Chen, frowning, "Ling Chen, what are you doing?"


    "Don¡¯t be impulsive, even if you won¡¯t consider Tong Nan, you should consider yourself. Listen to me, now is not the time to cause trouble, let¡¯s go back first." Saying this, Ling Chen signaled Song Ge with his eyes.


    Thetter immediately understood, hurriedly walking to Zhou Jun¡¯s side and tugging at his arm, "Listen to Ling Chen, let¡¯s go."


    Under thebined efforts of Ling Chen and Song Ge, Zhou Jun was forcibly dragged away.


    Watching the departing trio of Ling Chen, Tong Nan called out with augh, "Zhou Jun, if you want to let off some steam, go find the woman you like, she¡¯s the best at relieving a man¡¯s needs."


    Hearing this, Zhou Jun¡¯s face turned pale, and if not for Ling Chen¡¯s firm grip, he probably would have run back.


    Back in the room, Zhou Jun angrily opened a bottle of wine, taking severalrge gulps. Seeing this, Ling Chen hurried to stop him, lest he get drunk in one go.


    "Alright, alright, stop being so angry," Ling Chen advised, "It¡¯s all in the past, no need to hold grudges against her."


    Song Ge spoke up indignantly, "That Tong Nan is really out of line, relying on his status as a disciple of Yangxin Pavilion, he doesn¡¯t take us seriously at all. No way, I must tell the Pavilion Master, she needs to avenge this humiliation on your behalf."


    Zhou Jun sighed and shook his head, "Forget it! Don¡¯t you know the delicate rtionship between the Pavilion Master and Yangxin Pavilion? Even though the Pavilion Master is in control of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, she always shows great respect to the elders of Yangxin Pavilion, and rarely conflicts with the people of Yangxin Pavilion. So, even if I report this incident to the Pavilion Master, she won¡¯t say much, at most she¡¯ll downy this issue."


    Song Ge thought about it and sighed softly.


    "It¡¯s nobody¡¯s fault but my own for not being strong enough, if I were stronger, I wouldn¡¯t have to endure this humiliation."


    Seeing Zhou Jun looking dejected, Ling Chen patted his shoulder and said, "Enough, stop thinking about it. People like Tong Nan will eventually get theireuppance."


    As they talked, they suddenly heard a knock at the door.


    "You guys sit tight, I¡¯ll get the door." With that, Ling Chen went to the door and opened it, to see a young man around twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old standing outside.


    "Big Brother Yang?"


    Seeing the visitor, Ling Chen was momentarily stunned, then promptly stepped aside to wee him in.


    "Big Brother Yang, pleasee in!"

 Chapter 709 - 714: Valley

    <h4>Chapter 709: Chapter 714: Valley</h4>


    "I¡¯m not going in." Yang Tao spoke up: "I¡¯m here to let you know, Master asked me to find you and told you toe over, he has something to say to you."


    "Elder Du?" Ling Chen quickly nodded: "Okay, I¡¯lle with you right now." As he finished speaking, Ling Chen turned back to give Porridge Girl a gesture and then followed Yang Tao to Yangxin Pavilion.


    Arriving at Yangxin Pavilion, Ling Chen walked into the thatched hut and saw Du Kang leaning against the wall, holding a liquor gourd, drinking mouthfuls of alcohol. When Du Kang saw Ling Chene in, he wiped the liquor from the corner of his mouth and said, "Kid, you finally arrived. Didn¡¯t I tell you toe over in a couple of days? What took you so long?"


    With a smile, Ling Chen replied, "Elder Du, isn¡¯t it just morning? I haven¡¯t even had the chance to eat breakfast."


    "Enough! Don¡¯t bother eating now, let¡¯s go, we¡¯re short on time."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen curiously asked, "Elder Du, where are we going?"


    "You¡¯ll know when we get there." With that, Du Kang said no more and headed straight out of the hut.


    Following Du Kang¡¯s lead, Ling Chen and Yang Tao kept pace behind him, walking deeper into Yangxin Pavilion. This was Ling Chen¡¯s first timeing to this ce, and to his surprise, he discovered that the depths of Yangxin Pavilion were actually a valley.


    Furthermore, the valley was very deep, extending hundreds of meters inward. As Ling Chen walked, he observed the environment on both sides of the valley¡ªthere were many houses built on the surrounding hill slopes. Some houses were spaced tens of meters apart, while others were constructed on the peaks or precarious edges.


    However, those houses were quite old, weathered by years of wind and rain, now dpidated and in disarray.


    Noticing Ling Chen sizing up the houses, Du Kang began to exin, "These houses were once inhabited by the forebears of Yangxin Pavilion, all with histories of several hundreds of years. Only this ce where we are now can be truly called Yangxin Pavilion. Later, because the pavilion was filled with the elderly, the Pavilion Master decided to expand Yangxin Pavilion, epassing the outside area into the territory of Yangxin Pavilion."


    "Afterward, this area became a ce tomemorate the predecessors of Yangxin Pavilion, and since then, no one has lived here anymore."


    After listening to Du Kang¡¯s exnation, Ling Chen asked, "Elder Du, then why have wee here?"


    "Of course, there¡¯s something to be done."


    As they spoke, Ling Chen suddenly heard a cacophony of noisesing from deep within the valley.


    Not far ahead, Ling Chen looked and saw that not too far away, arge group of people had gathered¡ªSong Yi, Liang Zheng, and also Tong Nan, all of them were there, including the elders of Yangxin Pavilion and the experts of the Earthly List like Huang Zheng and Liang Tian.


    Roughly counting, there were at least thirty or forty people, more than half were elderly, while the other half consisted of young people and little children.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen¡¯s interest grew even more. It was not his first time at Yangxin Pavilion, but this was the first time he had seen so many people gathered.


    No wonder Su He had told him that whenever this grand event was held, the wandering elders of Yangxin Pavilion would return.


    "Come this way."


    Ling Chen was eager to move forward, to join the crowd and soak up the excitement, but suddenly Du Kang spoke up, leading Ling Chen and Yang Tao up a different path onto the hillside. At the top of the hillside there was a dpidated pavilion; although the structure was old, the spot offered a great view, allowing one to see everything below clearly.


    Du Kang settled himself in the pavilion, opened the liquor gourd, and started drinking on his own. Yang Tao, as usual, stayed put respectfully behind Du Kang.


    Ling Chen, however, was restless, all the more so now that everything around him piqued his interest.


    Standing on the hillside, Ling Chen watched the crowd below. He saw them gathering in groups, talking animatedly, but it was unclear what they were discussing. At the same time, even more people were arriving from outside the valley. In less than half an hour, the number of people in the valley had grown to fifty or sixty. Still, the young people and children made up the majority, with only a dozen or so older people present.


    However, even having just over a dozen was already quite remarkable.


    After all, apart from Yangxin Pavilion, there is nowhere else that can support so many high-level experts.


    It seems that everyone has almost arrived, as the crowd suddenly became quiet and all turned to look in one direction of the valley.


    Ling Chen noticed that there was a wooden hut in that direction, with its door tightly closed, and it was unknown whether there was anyone living inside.


    Just as he was thinking about it, the door of the wooden hut was abruptly pushed open. And then, a young man walked out from inside. As the young man drew closer, Ling Chen finally saw the other party¡¯s face clearly, and his heart couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.


    It¡¯s him!


    During hisst visit to the Yangxin Pavilion, Huang Zheng and Liang Tian had a big fight overpeting to take him as their apprentice. It was this young man who suddenly appeared, stopped their conflict, and even scolded them.


    Ling Chen remembered clearly, facing the young man¡¯s rebuke, Huang Zheng and Liang Tian didn¡¯t dare to utter any superfluous word, as if they were extremely fearful of the young man.


    Therefore, Ling Chen was very curious about the identity of this young man. What kind of person could make Huang Zheng and Liang Tian feel so wary?


    While he was contemting, the young man had already reached the crowd.


    As Ling Chen was observing the young man, he saw a surprising scene. Huang Zheng and the others bowed their bodies, actually paying respects to the young man. And it seemed as if the young man took such gestures asmonce.


    After everyone had finished paying their respects, the young man walked through the crowd to a stone tform not far away, then took out a wooden box from his person and ced it on top of the tform.


    A wooden box?


    Ling Chen looked at the exquisite wooden box, and couldn¡¯t help but wonder what was inside.


    "Elder Du." Ling Chen turned his head to look at Du Kang in the pavilion and asked, "What is in that wooden box?"


    "Inside there is the Nine Elements Pill."


    Nine Elements Pill!


    Ling Chen¡¯s eyes lit up and refocused his attention on the wooden box. At this moment, not just him, everyone in the valley had their eager gazes locked on the wooden box.


    The Nine Elements Pill is inside there...


    Ling Chen thought to himself, really wanting to rush over immediately and snatch the wooden box into his hands.


    After cing the wooden box down, the young man didn¡¯t say a word, and directly returned to the hut. After watching the young man depart, the other people in the valley gathered around the stone tform, examining the wooden box and chattering amongst themselves. Yet, from beginning to end, no one dared to touch the wooden box.


    Before long, everyone departed one after another, and the valley was instantly devoid of people.


    They left?


    Ling Chen watched the wooden box with a look of confusion on his face.


    Since the wooden box contained the Nine Elements Pill, why did everyone act so strangely?


    "Alright, stop looking, let¡¯s go."


    Hearing Du Kang¡¯s wordsing from behind, Ling Chen turned his head to ask, "Elder Du, are we leaving just like this?"

 Chapter 710 - 715: The Disappearance of Zhou Jun (1)

    <h4>Chapter 710: Chapter 715: The Disappearance of Zhou Jun (1)</h4>


    "Not going back and still staying here for what?" Du Kang replied indifferently, then started walking down the hillside.


    Seeing the two of them gradually walking away, Ling Chen dared not dally and quickly followed their pace, asking, "Elder Du, what¡¯s the matter after all? Since the Nine Elements Pill is there, why does everyone need to leave? Also, who was that young man just now?"


    Du Kang swayed the wine gourd in his hand and shook his head, saying, "You kid, always with so many questions. If the Nine Elements Pill is not brought out, how can this major event continue? The Nine Elements Pill from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is managed by them. In the past, when such major events were held, the ceremonies were very grand. However, over the years, if things can be simplified, they are. Besides, everyone has lost interest in those so-called ceremonies, so they just show up to express the importance of the event. Only after the Nine Elements Pill is taken out can the event continue."


    "What about that young man?" Ling Chen pressed on. He always felt that the young man¡¯s identity was very mysterious; otherwise, why would masters like Huang Zheng and Liang Zheng show such respect for him? Could it be that the young man¡¯s strength was even greater than theirs?


    Ling Chen found this hard to believe from the bottom of his heart. Regardless of how excellent that young man¡¯s talents were, Huang Zheng and the others were, after all, masters who had studied for seventy or eighty years, not to bepared with ordinary people. Therefore, Ling Chen thought there might be another possibility.


    That young man must have a master behind him.


    Du Kang had mentioned before that this valley was the original site of Yangxin Pavilion. After extending Yangxin Pavilion, the valley was gradually abandoned, bing a piece of history for the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, no longer inhabited. However, the young man lived in the deepest part of the valley, which probably had extraordinary significance.


    "You mean that young man?" Du Kang seemed to be talking to himself, murmuring, "That person... it¡¯s better for you to know less." After a pause, without waiting for Ling Chen to speak again, Du Kang suddenly changed the subject, asking, "Did you see all those people who came just now?"


    Ling Chen nodded.


    "Your opponents are among those people, but there are four that you should pay special attention to. Later, I¡¯ll have Yang Tao tell you, and also give you some advice, so you know what to watch out for, to avoid being unable tost even a minute in the ring, which would be too embarrassing."


    "Yes, I¡¯ll trouble Brother Yangter."


    On the way back, Ling Chen looked at the green woods on both sides of the road, and suddenly a thought came to mind.


    "Elder Du..."


    Hearing Ling Chen speak, Du Kang red with impatience and said, "Why do you have so many questions, kid? Spit it out, what is it now?"


    "Well... it¡¯s like this..."


    Some time ago, Ling Chen, along with Zhou Jun and Song Ge, hade to Yangxin Pavilion to search for Zhu Hong¡¯s whereabouts and had by chance met a young man of simr age to himself, Yang Zhe. At that time, they followed Yang Zhe into a forest and discovered a prisoner chained up within. The prisoner had broken free of one arm, and the situation was urgent. Fortunately, they helped Yang Zhe control the prisoner. However, when they asked about itter, Yang Zhe remained silent about the prisoner¡¯s matter.


    Since Elder Du was a Heavenly List master, he must be well-informed about the affairs of Yangxin Pavilion.


    After listening to Ling Chen¡¯s story, Du Kang suddenly stopped walking, staring straight into Ling Chen¡¯s eyes and asked, "You¡¯ve seen that person?"


    "Yes. Elder Du, that person is..."


    "Okay!" Before Ling Chen could finish speaking, Du Kang interrupted him with a wave, saying sternly, "Don¡¯t ask anymore about this matter, and, what you saw that day, pretend you didn¡¯t see it, it¡¯s better forgotten, and don¡¯t mention it in front of others. Otherwise, you might bring trouble upon yourself."


    Seeing how serious Du Kang was, Ling Chen immediately shut his mouth. But the more mysterious Du Kang acted, the more curious Ling Chen¡¯s heart grew. Unfortunately, he was an outsider, and the secrets of Yangxin Pavilion would probably not be shared with him.


    Returning to Du Kang¡¯s residence, Yang Tao, following Du Kang¡¯s instructions, gave Ling Chen a rough idea of the situation.


    When leaving, Du Kang suddenly asked, "I heard that all eight of your odd fellows havee?"


    "They have."


    "Then do this, when youe over tomorrow, remember to bring all the eight odd fellows along, if anyone stops you, tell them it¡¯s my order."


    Ling Chen was slightly startled, puzzled, and asked, "Elder Du, why do you want them toe?"


    Since the event was organized by Yangxin Pavilion, it was not likely to be open to outsiders, yet Du Kang specifically allowed Qiu Yong and the others to attend, which Ling Chen found strange.


    "I¡¯m having theme just to act as witnesses, not forcing you to go to your death. If something happens to you, they can be the proof, so it doesn¡¯t bring trouble for me and the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    Uh...


    Hearing this, Ling Chen secretly smiled bitterly to himself. He thought there was some other reason, but it turned out to be this. It was clear that Du Kang did not have much faith in him. But he understood; after all, a Dragon List masterpeting against Earthly List masters, no one would hold much hope.


    Leaving Yangxin Pavilion, Ling Chen went straight to his room.


    The martial artspetition would start tomorrow, and today was thest day. He must rest well, conserve his energy, and prepare fully for tomorrow.


    After dinner, Ling Chen made a phone call to Nanrong Wanqing, chatting on the phone for over half an hour until the sound of Song Ge¡¯s voice came from outside the door, prompting Ling Chen to hang up.


    Opening the door, and seeing Song with an anxious face, Ling Chen asked, "Big Brother Song, what¡¯s the rush?"


    "Have you seen Zhou Jun? I¡¯ve looked everywhere for him and can¡¯t find him. I don¡¯t know where he¡¯s gone."


    "Zhou Jun? Aren¡¯t you usually together?"


    "This morning after you left, Zhou Jun went back by himself. I wanted to call him for lunch, but he was nowhere to be found. Elder Zhou said he hasn¡¯t seen Zhou Jun all day. I¡¯m worried... maybe he was upset this morning, and so..."


    Ling Chen shook his head and said, "No, Zhou Jun is not that kind of person. People trained by Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion don¡¯t have such weak mental strength. Don¡¯t worry, maybe he has something to do. Let¡¯s wait a bit longer; if he really doesn¡¯te back, we¡¯ll tell Elder Zhou to have someone search for him."


    Song Ge sighed lightly and nodded, "That¡¯s all we can do."


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, it was already midnight. Under the shroud of darkness, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion fell into silence, quiet as a whisper, with only the sound of the mountain wind brushing over the rooftops and whistling through the mountain gaps.


    Inside his room, Ling Chen nced at the time, frowning slightly. Thiste and Zhou Jun had yet to return, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but worry.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 711 - 716: The Disappearance of Zhou Jun (2)

    <h4>Chapter 711: Chapter 716: The Disappearance of Zhou Jun (2)</h4>


    "Ling Chen, it¡¯s sote already. Zhou Jun still hasn¡¯te back. Should we go and inform Elder Zhou?"


    Hearing Song Ge speak, Ling Chen nodded and replied, "We should tell Elder Zhou. If Zhou Jun had somethinge up, he would¡¯ve let us know in advance and wouldn¡¯t just disappear without reason. I think he must¡¯ve run into some trouble."


    Immediately, the two of them left the room and hurried to where Zhou Qi was residing.


    Upon entering the house, Ling Chen got straight to the point and told Zhou Qi about Zhou Jun¡¯s disappearance. After listening, Zhou Qi frowned and said, "I was just wondering where that kid had gotten off to, not showing his face the whole day and not back even thiste." After speaking, Zhou Qi asked, "Mr. Ling, you just mentioned that there was a conflict between you and Tong Nan this morning?"


    "It was just a verbal altercation. Zhou Jun was very angry at the time and couldn¡¯t help but start a fight, but we stopped him. Aftering back, I gave him some advice, and then I had to go to Yangxin Pavilion. ording to Song, Zhou Jun was missing by noon."


    Zhou Qi nodded and said, "Alright, I¡¯ve got it. You don¡¯t have to worry about it; I¡¯ll immediately send someone to find him. As long as he¡¯s still in Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, we¡¯ll definitely find his whereabouts."


    "He¡¯s definitely in Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion." Song Ge chimed in. "I asked the guards responsible for the pavilion¡¯s entrances and exits, and they haven¡¯t seen Zhou Jun enter or leave today." Saying this, Song Ge looked worried and added, "I¡¯m wondering, could he have gone to Yangxin Pavilion to take revenge on Tong Nan?"


    "That won¡¯t happen," Zhou Qi said. "Zhou Jun is my grandson. He¡¯s not that kind of person. Despite seeming clueless and as if he doesn¡¯t take anything seriously, he knows what¡¯s important and what to do and not to do. Tong Nan is from Yangxin Pavilion, and Zhou Jun is well aware of the delicate rtionship between the Pavilion Master and Yangxin Pavilion, so he would never do anything to make it difficult for the Pavilion Master."


    Ling Chen muttered to himself, "Then where could he have gone?"


    "Stop worrying about this matter; I¡¯ll find him." After saying that, Zhou Qi strode out of the room, beginning to summon his subordinates to search for Zhou Jun.


    Although Zhou Qi told Ling Chen and his group to go back, Ling Chen and Song Ge were concerned for Zhou Jun¡¯s safety and did not wish to leave, instead following Zhou Qi out.


    Soon, Zhou Qi gathered more than twenty Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Disciples and began a systematic search of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Ling Chen and Song closely followed the team, checking each room one by one.


    Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion had two high-rise buildings that were specifically for the living quarters of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Disciples, amodating around two hundred people with over one hundred rooms. To search through all these rooms would take a considerable amount of time.


    Fortunately, all those residing in this building were male, and with their cooperation, the search effort went smoothly. In less than an hour, they had finished with one building and found no trace of Zhou Jun.


    "Elder Zhou, shall we check over there?" Song Ge pointed to the high-rise building opposite them and asked.


    "Over there..." Zhou Qi looked hesitant. After all, that building was inhabited by women, and it was strictly forbidden for men to enter. If Zhou Qi brought arge group of men over there, he expected it would provoke manyints.


    He didn¡¯t care much, but the impact wouldn¡¯t be good.


    While pondering, Song Ge spoke up, "Elder Zhou, don¡¯t hesitate. Zhou Jun¡¯s safety is more important. Even if the Pavilion Master finds out, she would surely understand Elder Zhou¡¯s feelings and wouldn¡¯t me you."


    "This..." Zhou Qi thought for a moment, his eyes suddenly filled with determination, and he nodded, "Okay then, Song, you go over first and give notice, to avoid any misunderstandingster."


    "Yes." Song Ge saluted with his hands clenched in a fist and immediately retreated.


    Ten minutes passed, and Zhou Qi arrived with arge group of people at the bottom of that building.


    Seeing Zhou Qi with a stern face, the two female Disciples responsible for guarding the entrance did not dare to hinder him. They stepped aside and weed Zhou Qi in.


    "Start the search from the first floor, and remember, don¡¯t be too reckless," Zhou Qi instructed.


    "Yes!"


    The crowd responded in unison, scattering in all directions.


    Song Ge and Ling Chen followed behind Zhou Qi, ascended the staircase to the second floor, and then stood at the stairwell, waiting for the results of the other¡¯s searches.


    It was at that moment, from one of the rooms on the second floor, that a sharp scream suddenly erupted. Then there was a loud ¡¯bang¡¯ ¨C the door was kicked open from the inside, and a woman with disheveled clothes and hair burst out, crying for help while running towards Zhou Qi and the others.


    As the woman approached, Ling Chen finally saw her clearly. She was rather attractive, with delicate features, long ck hair, and bright eyes. However, at this moment, her cheeks were marked with tear stains, and her eyes were filled with swirling tears. Furthermore, her blouse seemed to be torn, exposing arge area of her fair skin. With her movement, her ample bosom bounced enticingly.


    As the woman came closer, Zhou Qi¡¯s expression turned extremely sour. He stepped forward to block the woman andmanded coldly, "Stop!"


    "Elder Zhou!"


    There was a ¡¯thud¡¯ as the woman suddenly knelt down, clutched at Zhou Qi¡¯s right leg, and wept, "Elder Zhou, save me, please save me."


    Zhou Qi snorted andmanded, "Let go!" With that, he shook his right foot, forcefully freeing her hands.


    Ling Chen found Zhou Qi¡¯s reaction peculiar. He had spent a fair amount of time with Zhou Qi but had never seen him act so callously. Given the woman¡¯s pitiful state, anyone would be moved topassion. Yet Zhou Qi not only disyed no concern; he even kicked her away, which seemedpletely unjustifiable.


    Song Ge, seemingly aware of Ling Chen¡¯s puzzled look, moved closer and spoke softly, "That woman was once a love interest of Zhou Jun."


    "So it¡¯s her!" Ling Chen was startled and suddenly understood. No wonder Zhou Qi showed disdain for the woman; that exined it.


    However, seeing the woman¡¯s disheveled appearance, as if she had been vited, Ling Chen¡¯s expression turned grave.


    Could it be that...


    While contemting, he heard a Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Disciple¡¯s voice, "Elder Zhou, we¡¯ve found Zhou Jun."


    Ling Chen¡¯s gaze followed, noticing the Disciple standing outside a room ¨C the same room the woman had run out of.


    This isn¡¯t good!


    For some reason, a very bad feeling crept into Ling Chen¡¯s heart, and he hurriedly rushed towards the room.


    Once at the door, Ling Chen looked inside, his expression instantly shifting to shock, frozen as he stared at Zhou Jun in the room, momentarily at a loss for words.


    "Ling Chen, what¡¯s wrong?"


    As the questionnded, Song Ge rushed over from behind and cast his gaze inside the room, his face, much like Ling Chen¡¯s, suddenly became nk.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 712 - 717: The Disappearance of Zhou Jun (3)

    <h4>Chapter 712: Chapter 717: The Disappearance of Zhou Jun (3)</h4>


    In the room, Zhou Juny on the bed, his bodypletely bare, covered by a nket from the waist down. Clothes were scattered on the floor beside the bed, along with several empty wine bottles, filling the room with the smell of alcohol. At this moment, Zhou Jun¡¯s eyes were closed, snoring loudly like thunder, having fallen into a deep sleep,pletely unaware of the noise outside.


    "This..." Song Ge looked at Ling Chen, then at the others, his face bewildered: "Ling, what should we do now?"


    Hearing Song Ge speak, Ling Chen finally reacted, hastily asking the others at the door to leave, only keeping himself and Song Ge, then closing the door. He hurried to Zhou Jun¡¯s side and shook him.


    "Zhou Jun, wake up! Come on, wake up!"


    But no matter how Ling Chen and Song Ge shouted, Zhou Jun did not respond, clearly having drunk himself to unconsciousness.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen had no choice but to pull Zhou Jun up from the bed and pped him across the face.


    After several ps, the sleeping Zhou Jun finally woke up. He rubbed his eyes, looked at Ling Chen and Song Ge all groggy, and yawned continuously, asking: "Ling Chen, what... why are you guys... here?"


    Song Ge spoke gravely, "Zhou Jun, you better wake up fast, this isn¡¯t the time to sleep."


    Ling Chen added, "Do you remember what happened earlier?"


    "I... I seem to... have been drinking..." Saying this, Zhou Jun turned his head to look around, his expression slightly changing as he eximed in surprise: "How... how am I here, where is this?"


    Seeing the look of surprise on Zhou Jun¡¯s face, Ling Chen and Song Ge exchanged nces, sensing a hint of trouble from each other¡¯s eyes.


    Ling Chen turned back, his expression solemn, "Zhou Jun, this is no joke; think carefully, what exactly happened earlier? Could it be... did you... with a woman..."


    "Woman?" Zhou Jun asked puzzled: "What woman? Ling Chen, what exactly are you talking about?"


    "Ah!" Song Ge sighed and said, "Zhou Jun, don¡¯t you remember whose room this is? This is Zhu Ying¡¯s ce, haven¡¯t you been here before? Howe you don¡¯t have any recollection?"


    Zhu Ying?


    Zhou Jun¡¯s expression changed, he quickly looked around, and eximed in surprise, "How... how did I end up in her room? I clearly remember drinking alone outside, and then... then..." As he spoke, a look of confusion appeared on Zhou Jun¡¯s face, as if he was struggling to recall what had happened during the day.


    "Right! I remember when I was drinking, I bumped into Zhu Ying, we had a small chat, and then... we drank a few drinks together..."


    Song Ge pressed, "And then what?"


    Zhou Jun shook his head, "I forgot what happened after that. When I woke up, I saw you guys, if you hadn¡¯t told me, I wouldn¡¯t have known this was Zhu Ying¡¯s room."


    "You..." Just as Ling Chen was about to speak, a ¡¯bang¡¯ sounded, and the room¡¯s door was kicked open from the outside. Right after, Zhou Qi appeared at the door with a livid face and strode in.


    Seeing his grandfather appear, Zhou Jun was suddenly shocked, hurriedly got up from the bed. However, just as he moved, he realized he was wearing nothing, his face instantly blushing red, quickly covered his vital parts with a nket, looking awkwardly at Ling Chen and Song Ge, stammering, "You... I... how did I..."


    Ling Chen opened his mouth, but the words at his lips were swallowed back. At this point, saying anything was useless. Many people had seen Zhou Jun¡¯s state, and with Zhu Ying¡¯s recent disheveled appearance, there was no need to ask further; everyone already understood what had happened.


    Once this matter spreads, it will not only cause Zhou Jun to lose face but also leave Elder Zhou with no ce to show his face. When the timees, not just Zhou Jun, but Elder Zhou won¡¯t be able to stay at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion anymore.


    Harsh, too harsh!


    Ling Chen frowned secretly, no need to say, the incident clearly involved someone plotting behind the scenes. As for who it was, he couldn¡¯t determine yet, however, even if he didn¡¯t know, Zhu Ying surely did.


    At this moment, Elder Zhou walked to the bedside, looked at Zhou Jun lying on the bed, his face not looking natural, and snorted lightly, saying nothing more than, "Dress up,e back with me."


    After saying that, Elder Zhou turned around and left the room. Ling Chen and Song Ge exchanged nces, then followed Elder Zhou¡¯s steps, leaving the room together.


    Outside the room, Zhu Ying was draped in a coat, leaning against the wall with her hands covering her face, sobbing non-stop, surrounded by several women, probably friends living next to her,forting her.


    However, no matter what they said, Zhu Ying kept crying non-stop, screaming about seeking justice from the Pavilion Master.


    "Enough, stop crying!"


    Elder Zhou said impatiently, "I will investigate this matter clearly and will eventually give you justice."


    "No, Elder Zhou, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you, but Zhou Jun is your grandson, after dishonoring me like this, aren¡¯t you going to cover up for him?"


    "You..." Elder Zhou¡¯s face turned cold, his fists clenched, feeling an urge to throw a punch. He took a deep breath, his anger subsiding slightly, and said coldly, "Since you are seeking justice from the Pavilion Master, go ahead then." With that, Elder Zhou waved his sleeve and strode towards the outside of the building.


    Not long after Elder Zhou had left, Zhou Jun came out of the room.


    As soon as Zhou Jun appeared, Zhu Ying immediately burst into tears, rushed over and yelled fiercely, "You bastard, you ruined my innocence, I must kill you today!"


    Seeing Zhu Ying¡¯s impulsive action, Ling Chen frowned, immediately stepped in front of her, caught her wrist gently, and just a slight pull made Zhu Ying lose her bnce, suddenly swaying to the side and leaning against the wall.


    "Song, you take Zhou Jun away first."


    "Alright." Song Ge responded, immediately pulling Zhou Jun away.


    "Wait! I..." Zhou Jun wanted to exin, but before he could speak, Song Ge had already dragged him away.


    Only after Song Ge and Zhou Jun had left did Ling Chen let go of Zhu Ying, his expression stern, "I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t think I¡¯m unaware of the tricks you¡¯re ying. It would be wise for you not to stick to this matter any longer, and also, tell the people behind you, if they dare touch a single hair on Zhou Jun again, don¡¯t me me for being unkind."


    Zhu Ying was stunned for a moment, then scoffed, "Are you threatening me? Ling Chen, I know you, what right does an outsider have to interfere in my matters? Moreover, I advise you not to meddle in affairs that aren¡¯t yours, otherwise, you might not know who will end up unlucky."


    "Fine, we¡¯ll see about that."

 Chapter 713 - 718 Resignation

    <h4>Chapter 713: Chapter 718 Resignation</h4>


    Catching up with Zhou Jun and Song Ge, Ling Chen and his twopanions went straight back to their room. Upon entering, they saw Zhou Qi sitting in a chair, his face gloomy, fists clenched, and bulging veins visible on his forehead. Clearly, the events from before had left him very angry. At this moment, he was forcefully suppressing his rage, preventing himself from exploding.


    Seeing his grandfather so angry, Zhou Jun hesitated for a moment, then approached Zhou Qi and said with his head bowed: "Grandfather, I... I am sorry for letting you down."


    Zhou Qi looked up at his grandson, took a deep breath, and a hint of disappointment shed in his eyes. After a while, he sighed softly and shook his head: "Forget it, I know you were framed this time. Besides, what has happened has already urred, and it¡¯s useless to me you now. Let¡¯s think more about how to ovee this difficult situation."


    "Elder Zhou, who do you think is behind the framing of Zhou Jun?" Song Ge asked.


    "How should I know? I¡¯ve been serving the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion for so many years, always diligent withoutint, never making enemies with anyone. I can¡¯t think of anyone who would target me," Zhou Qi replied, ncing at Zhou Jun. "This incident must be rted to you. Think about who you have offended to have provoked someone¡¯s revenge."


    "It must be Tong Nan!" Ling Chen said in a grave tone. "We had a conflict with Tong Nan this morning; it must be his way of retaliating. And that Zhu Ying used to have dealings with Tong Nan. Given their rtion, it is likely that Tong Nan directed her from behind the scenes, plotting for Zhu Ying to frame Zhou Jun."


    Pausing, Ling Chen continued: "Tong Nan is a very cautious man. If we confront him directly, he will definitely wash his hands of this affair. Plus, we have no evidence, so we can do nothing to him. However, we can start with Zhu Ying. No matter what, she is a woman after all, and if we apply certain methods, I doubt she would remain silent."


    Zhou Qi waved his hand dismissively: "You all are oversimplifying the matter. Even as we speak now, Zhu Ying must have gone to plead with the Pavilion Master. Even if the Pavilion Master believes us, too many people saw Zhou Jun in Zhu Ying¡¯s room, and... the most important point is that Zhou Jun did have rtions with that woman. With that connection, no matter how Zhou Jun defends himself, it¡¯s useless."


    "This..."


    Ling Chen and Song Ge nced at Zhou Jun and were suddenly at a loss for words, unsure of what to say.


    When they encountered Zhu Ying before, not only was she dressed in disarray, with various signs of tearing on her clothing. Additionally, the observant Ling Chen noticed that Zhu Ying had many bruises on her body. All these pieces of evidence were sufficient to prove that Zhu Ying¡¯s body had been forcefully vited, not of her own volition. Thus, with just this point alone, as long as Zhu Ying insisted that she was forced by Zhou Jun, Zhou Jun would have no defense.


    Thinking to this point, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Zhou Qi was right; this matter was indeed difficult to handle.


    As he was thinking, a ¡¯knock knock knock¡¯ came from outside the door.


    Song Ge got up and opened the door, only to see a Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Disciple standing outside. He cupped his fists towards Zhou Qi and said: "Elder Zhou, the Pavilion Master requests your and Zhou Jun¡¯s presence."


    "I understand. You may leave now," Zhou Qi dismissed him, then stood up and said: "Let¡¯s go. What is inevitable will eventuallye, we can¡¯t escape it."


    Ling Chen asked: "Elder Zhou, do you want us to apany you?"


    "No need. This is our own family affair; you need not interfere. Besides, at this point, having more people is useless," Zhou Qi replied as he straightened his clothes, then strode out.


    Watching Zhou Qi leave, Ling Chen patted Zhou Jun on the shoulder and said: "Go on, no matter the oue, we will support you from behind."


    Zhou Jun nodded, said nothing, and followed Zhou Qi¡¯s steps, leaving the room together.


    "Sigh." After seeing off Zhou Qi and Zhou Jun, Song Ge sighed helplessly and said: "I really didn¡¯t expect such a thing to happen. Tong Nan is too ruthless; as a disciple of the Yangxin Pavilion, to plot and frame one of his own."


    Ling Chen frowned and said: "Don¡¯t think too much for now. Elder Zhou has served the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion for many years; he has been through hardships even if not meritorious. I believe Miss Su won¡¯t forget past favors. Whatever we say now is useless; let¡¯s just calmly await the oue."


    It was now two o¡¯clock in the morning, and there was a grand event at the Yangxin Pavilion to attend tomorrow. They should have been resting properly, conserving their energy, but the events that had transpired left Ling Chen in no mood to think of anything else.


    After about half an hour, footsteps sounded from outside, and Ling Chen quickly opened the door. As expected, it was Zhou Qi and Zhou Jun who returned.


    "Elder Zhou, what was the oue?" Ling Chen and Song Ge asked eagerly.


    Zhou Jun, head lowered, silently walked into the room, then sat down alone on a chair, his face full of loss and regret.


    Zhou Qi sighed softly and said: "Considering the many years I¡¯ve served the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, the Pavilion Master has decided not to pursue Zhou Jun¡¯s mistake. As for Zhu Ying... the Pavilion Master will find a way to appease her, providing somepensation."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen and Song Ge simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that nothing worse had happened.


    "All right, don¡¯t just sit there, hurry back and pack your things," Zhou Qi said to Zhou Jun.


    "Pack?" Song Ge asked, puzzled: "Elder Zhou, why packing?"


    Zhou Qi replied indifferently: "I have already tendered my resignation to the Pavilion Master. We will leave Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion tomorrow morning and henceforth will have no further association with it."


    "What?"


    Ling Chen was shocked and asked: "Elder Zhou, didn¡¯t you say the Pavilion Master is not going to pursue the matter? Why..."


    "The Pavilion Master may not be pursuing the matter, but having this scandal spread, where would we still have the face to stay at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion? This is the best course of action. Before the matter blows up, it¡¯s better to handle it as soon as possible, so as not to make it difficult for the Pavilion Master." Zhou Qi paused then looked at Ling Chen and Song Ge: "Don¡¯t feel upset on our behalf; this is already the best oue. Having friends like you is fortunate for Zhou Jun. Besides, leaving the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, we can live freely outside without so many restrictions, which can actually be more rxing."


    Although Zhou Qi spoke casually, Ling Chen could feel the helplessness and reluctance in his words. He knew that Zhou Qi had spent decades in the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, almost dedicating his entire life to it. For Zhou Qi, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was his home. Now faced with such a situation, his heart must be ufortable.


    "Zhou Jun, let¡¯s go."


    Zhou Jun nodded, stood up, and looked at Ling Chen and Song Ge. His handsome face forced a smile and he said: "Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯m fine. Ling Chen, if I ever go to East Sea City, I¡¯ll definitely look you up. You¡¯ll have to treat me well then."

 Chapter 714 - 719: The Grand Gathering of Heavenly Secrets (1)

    <h4>Chapter 714: Chapter 719: The Grand Gathering of Heavenly Secrets (1)</h4>


    After Zhou Qi and Zhou Jun left, the one who found it hardest to let go was Song Ge. Ever since he joined the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, he spent every day with Zhou Jun, and the two of them had a great rtionship. Moreover, unlike Ling Chen, he was a man of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and had to abide by its rules. With Zhou Jun gone, he feared there would be few chances to see him again. So, witnessing his friend being treated unfairly was undoubtedly the most distressing for him.


    Ling Chen patted Song Ge¡¯s shoulder andforted him, "Big Brother Song, don¡¯t overthink it. What¡¯s done is done; we can only look on the bright side."


    "I know, it¡¯s just that... sigh, forget it. The more I talk about it, the angrier I get. Ling, it¡¯s gettingte, and you should rest. I won¡¯t disturb you any further." With that, Song Ge stepped out and left the room.


    ...


    The next day.


    Ling Chen woke up early in the morning, ready to see Zhou Qi and Zhou Jun off. But upon reaching Zhou Jun¡¯s room, he only saw several members of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion cleaning out the room. He hastened to the door and peeked inside, only to find that the room¡¯s contents had been cleared out.


    Seeing this, Ling Chen stopped a young man who wasing out and asked, "Where is Zhou Jun?"


    The other man took a look at Ling Chen and said, "Don¡¯t you know? They left the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilionst night."


    Last night?


    Ling Chen was startled, not expecting Zhou Qi and Zhou Jun to leave without saying goodbye. After a moment of thought, he understood. Zhou Jun had caused quite a scandal, losing all face; it made sense that Zhou Qi would not wait until daylight to leave.


    At that thought, Ling Chen sighed. He had wanted to see them off, but now it appeared he would have to seek Zhou Jun out in the future. Fortunately, he still had Zhou Jun¡¯s contact information, so he wasn¡¯t worried about not being able to find him.


    As Ling Chen was leaving, he ran into Song Ge, who, like him, hade to send off Zhou Qi and Zhou Jun. Hearing that the two had already left the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion early, Song Ge¡¯s mood seemed somewhat downcast.


    "Big Brother Song, don¡¯t be too sad. There will always be a chance to meet in the future. I still have things to do, so let¡¯s not chat now. I¡¯lle find you when I return tonight."


    After separating from Song Ge, Ling Chen went straight to Qiu Yong and others¡¯ room and called everyone together. Yesterday, Elder Du had instructed him to bring the eight entrics with him.


    Walking towards the Yangxin Pavilion, Wei Jiahao excitedly said, "I¡¯ve long heard Big Brother mention the Yangxin Pavilion of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, saying it¡¯s the most mysterious ce. Who would have thought we¡¯d get the chance to see it today?"


    Qiu Yong smiled and nodded, "I never expected it either. I heard entry to the Yangxin Pavilion is forbidden to outsiders, and even members of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion have no right to enter unless they have the Pavilion Master¡¯s permission. We¡¯re fortunate to have a chance to broaden our horizons thanks to Ling Cheng."


    Listening to everyone¡¯s conversation, the smile on Ling Chen¡¯s face seemed somewhat strained. Their visit to the Yangxin Pavilion wasn¡¯t for sightseeing, but to witness his contest. If anything were to happen to him during the contest, with Qiu Yong and the others as witnesses, the me would not fall on the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. It must be said, Elder Du really knows how to consider the Pavilion¡¯s interests.


    Upon arriving at the Yangxin Pavilion, Ling Chen led Qiu Yong and the others directly to Elder Du¡¯s residence.


    Coincidentally, just as they arrived, Elder Du and Yang Tao came out of the house, Elder Du holding a wine gourd, seemingly ready to set off for the grand event.


    "Elder Du!" Ling Chen quickened his pace, greeted Elder Du with a fist and palm salute, and then greeted ¡¯Big Brother Yang¡¯.


    Qiu Yong and the others hurried to catch up, with respectful salutes. Beforeing, Ling Chen had briefed them about Elder Du¡¯s status, so everyone was careful not to make a faux pas.


    Elder Du nodded and said, "There¡¯s no need to be so formal with me; this old man doesn¡¯t care for such worldly courtesy. Ling Chen, it¡¯s about time, let¡¯s hurry up and get going. We don¡¯t want to bete and miss the drawing for the lots."


    Thereupon, the group followed behind Elder Du and Yang Tao, making their way to the valley of the Yangxin Pavilion.


    Upon entering the valley, Ling Chen immediately noticed that today¡¯s setup was very different from yesterday. When he came yesterday, the valley was empty with only a few decrepit houses, but today, there were many disciples of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, all fully armed, stationed in various parts of the valley.


    On the slopes on both sides of the valley, there were dozens of gs nted, each bearing the unique broken sword emblem of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.


    The deeper they went, the livelier it became; almost everyone with status in the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion hade.


    Moreover, there was a fighting ring set up at the very depths of the valley. The ring was square, with a diameter of twenty meters, very spacious, and on both sides, there were racks of weapons, all kinds¡ªswords, spears, halberds, and more¡ªeach emitting a chilling gleam, razor-sharp.


    Following behind Elder Du, Ling Chen and Qiu Yong smoothly made their way into the valley.


    At this moment, the area surrounding the ring was crowded, mostly with people from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and Yangxin Pavilion. Ling Chen noticed that on a hillside not far from the ring, a tform had been erected, with over a dozen people sitting on it, including Huang Zheng and Liang Tian. The others were all around seventy or eighty years old, presumably the elders and reclusive experts of the Yangxin Pavilion.


    As a master of the Heavenly List, Elder Du¡¯s arrival immediately drew everyone¡¯s attention, with people respectfully saluting and then moving to the sides to make way.


    "All right!" Elder Du turned his head back and said to Yang Tao and Ling Chen, "You guys stay here; I¡¯ll go up and greet those old fellows. Ling Chen, be carefulter, and if you have any questions, ask Yang Tao; he¡¯ll tell you what to do."


    "Yes."


    Watching Elder Du leave, Yuan Yun asked curiously, "Ling Cheng, what did Elder Du mean by being careful?"


    "It¡¯s nothing." Ling Chen replied evasively, "Third Brother, it¡¯s not often wee here; let¡¯s go around and look first."


    No sooner had his voice faded than a sarcastic voice reached them, "Yo! Isn¡¯t this Ling Chen, the number one on the Neer List? When did you join our Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    Ling Chen turned his head, following the voice, and saw Tong Nan walking towards him with Song Yi and Liang Zheng.


    Seeing the sneering look on Tong Nan¡¯s face, Ling Chen¡¯s eyebrows twitched, and a cold harshness shed through his pupils, reminiscent of Mo Che.


    Approaching, Song Yi looked at Ling Chen¡¯s left and right and asked with a half-smile, "Ling Chen, aren¡¯t you usually seen running around with that kid Zhou Jun? Howe we only see you today and not him?"


    Sure enough!


    Ling Chen narrowed his eyes; he had always suspected that Zhou Jun¡¯s incident might have been engineered by Tong Nan and his cohorts. Now, it seemed highly likely that they were the masterminds behind it.

 Chapter 715 - 720: The Grand Gathering of Heavenly Secrets (2)

    <h4>Chapter 715: Chapter 720: The Grand Gathering of Heavenly Secrets (2)</h4>


    However, although Ling Chen knew it was their doing, he was frustrated by theck of evidence.


    After thinking for a moment, Ling Chen spoke up: "Song Yi, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve done. Remember this: Zhou Jun is my friend, and you schemed against him. I will settle this ount with you sooner orter."


    "With just you?" Song Yi sneered and said, "You..."


    "Enough!" Before Song Yi could finish his words, Tong Nan suddenly cut him off and looked at Ling Chen, "Ling Chen, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, nor do I know what happened to Zhou Jun. In any case, don¡¯t pin everything on us, or else don¡¯t me me for using you of defamation. Let¡¯s go!" With that, Tong Nan waved his hand and left with Song Yi and Liang Zheng, disappearing into the crowd.


    "Do you have a grudge against them?" Yang Tao asked from the side.


    Ling Chen shook his head: "I have no grudge with them, but they framed my friend and forced him out of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."


    "No matter if you have a grudge with them or not, just don¡¯t involve us. We¡¯re not your talisman, nor your backing. Also, you must know the rules of Yangxin Pavilion; people from Yangxin Pavilion absolutely must not fight amongst themselves, or they will face severe punishment. Whether it¡¯s us disciples or the masters, everyone must follow this rule."


    After hearing this, Ling Chen nodded slightly: "I understand."


    Yang Tao¡¯s meaning was clear, he did not want Ling Chen to use Du Kang¡¯s name to pressure others. But even if Yang Tao didn¡¯t mention it, he wouldn¡¯t do such a thing anyway. Bullying others by unting power was not his style; if he was going to bully someone, it would be based on his own capabilities.


    "Ling Cheng, were those people from Yangxin Pavilion just now? They seemed pretty arrogant."


    Ling Chen nced at Xia Yue who had spoken and nodded with a smile: "Can the people of Yangxin Pavilion not be arrogant? They do have the capital to be."


    Xu Ming said indifferently: "Others may have the capital to be arrogant, but so do you. There¡¯s no need to take their attitude to heart too much."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen felt somewhat puzzled. For a long time, Xu Ming had always been low-key, but the words he said today were anything but low-key, in fact, quite the opposite. Ling Chen was very curious about what kind of capital he supposedly had.


    While deep in thought, the bustling crowd gradually quieted down, and everyone¡¯s gaze turned to the stage.


    Ling Chen looked intently and saw Su Mei, escorted by an old man, gracefully ascend the tform. She then stood at the center, her beautiful eyes like water, scanning the people below. When her gaze brushed across Ling Chen, it paused ever so slightly, revealing a hint of surprise as if she found it strange that Ling Chen was here.


    Shifting her gaze away, Su Mei¡¯s lips parted slightly as she spoke, her voice as clear and melodious as that of an oriole.


    "Everyone, today is the once-in-a-decade grand event of Yangxin Pavilion. There are hardly any outsiders here, and I believe you all understand the significance of this gathering, so I won¡¯t waste more time. Next, I will announce the rules: disciples of Yangxin Pavilion who wish to participate in the martial arts tournament must be at least eighteen years old and have strength equal to or above that of the Dragon List. Participants must not exceed thirty-five years of age. Only those Yangxin Pavilion disciples who meet these requirements may participate in the uing matches. Moreover, the tournament will primarily consist of one-on-one duels, with the winners advancing to the next round. Considering that we are all disciples of Yangxin Pavilion, it is inevitable that injuries will ur during thepetition, so I hope everyone will be careful, stop at the right moment, and absolutely not intentionally harm the lives of others. If anyone is found to have vited the rules, no matter their identity or background, they will be expelled from Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Alright! I have said all that needs to be said, the tournament now officially begins."


    As soon as Su Mei left the stage, the quiet crowd once again erupted into a buzz of conversation. Everyone was discussing spiritedly, with lots ofmotion and noise.


    "Ling Chen!"


    At that moment, Ling Chen heard a voiceing from behind. He turned his head and saw Porridge Girl walking towards him.


    "Eh!" Ling Chen asked in surprise: "How did you get here?"


    Porridge girl gave Ling Chen an annoyed nce and said softly, "If you cane, why can¡¯t I?" After a pause, porridge girl still exined, "It was Su Mei who brought me here. She was afraid I¡¯d be bored, so she brought me over to have a look. What about you? Did Su Mei specially allow you toe? Why didn¡¯t I hear her mention it?"


    "She doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m here."


    As they spoke, Ling Chen felt a sharp and unrelenting gaze sweeping over him again and again, prompting him to nce over with the corner of his eye.


    Immediately, he saw Tong Nan at the edge of the crowd, tilting his head and shooting asional nces this way, looking very displeased.


    It¡¯s him again!


    Ling Chen frowned, guessing that Tong Nan was upset to see him staying with porridge girl. No, he had to keep a closer watch on porridge girl. He wasn¡¯t worried about Tong Nan swooping in to charm her away but was concerned that Tong Nan would resort to dirty tricks.


    Having learned from what happened with Zhou Jun, he had to be cautious.


    Just then, the crowd around them suddenly parted. Following that, Su Mei approached, apanied by an elderly man.


    "Ling Chen, how did you end up here?"


    "It was Elder Du who brought me here."


    "Elder Du?" Su Mei nced towards Elder Du Kang on the hilltop stands, a hint of curiosity in her beautiful eyes. Curiosity aside, she didn¡¯t ask further but said, "Since you¡¯re here, why note and sit with me? After all, you are guests, and Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will surely not neglect honored guests."


    Ling Chen nodded, not refusing Su Mei¡¯s invitation, and followed her to a side of the arena. By this time, chairs had already been arranged in a row, waiting for Su Mei to take a seat.


    Once everyone was seated, tea was promptly served, with very attentive service.


    At this moment, a young man emerged from the crowd and strode towards the arena. Upon reaching the arena, the young man folded his hands into fists, bowed to the crowd below as a courtesy, then straightened up, standing tall in the center of the arena, looking straight ahead, silently waiting.


    Yang Zhe?


    Recognizing the young man, Ling Chen was immediately aware of his identity, not expecting him to be the first one taking the stage.


    It was him!


    At this point, the crowd below the arena was abuzz with discussion, seemingly very surprised by Yang Zhe¡¯s appearance. Everyone had thought that the first to enter the arena would be high-ranking Dragon List fighters like Song Yi or Liang Zheng who had yet to step onto the Earthly List, not expecting a heavy hitter to be the first to challenge.


    Ling Chen was also surprised, although he had only met Yang Zhe once. However, from what he had heard from Yang Tao, Ling Chen knew quite a bit about Yang Zhe. Yang Zhe and Yang Tao were brothers, with Yang Tao being the older and Yang Zhe the younger. Both of them were actually quite talented, which is why Du Kang brought them to Yangxin Pavilion and took them on as disciples.


    However, since Elder Du¡¯s time was limited and he only wanted a single direct disciple, Yang Zhe was ced under the tutge of another master in Yangxin Pavilion.


    As far as Ling Chen knew, Yang Zhe¡¯s abilities were close to that of Yang Tao¡¯s, both being Earthly List masters and remarkably formidable among their peers.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 716 - 721: The Grand Gathering of the Heavenly Secrets (3)

    <h4>Chapter 716: Chapter 721: The Grand Gathering of the Heavenly Secrets (3)</h4>


    Several minutes had passed, and it was dead silent below the arena, with no one stepping up to the challenge. It seemed that everyone was aware of Yang Zhe¡¯s prowess and no one of his age wished to cross hands with him.


    In the blink of an eye, ten minutes had gone by. Su Mei, seated on her chair, saw that still no one hade forward and thus stood up and said, "If no one is willing to step up and challenge, then this round will automatically advance Yang Zhe to the next one."


    Upon hearing this, the crowd below started buzzing with discussions, looking at Yang Zhe with great envy. Advancing to the next round without lifting a finger was not an opportunity that came by for everyone.


    After Yang Zhe stepped down, someone immediately leaped onto the arena, cupped his hands towards the crowd, and bowed in greeting. This person had barely been on the stage for a few seconds before several others eagerly jumped onto the arena.


    Ling Chen nced around; these young people were all around twenty years old, quite young.


    He guessed that these individuals were very close in strength, which is why they were eager to take the stage. Besides that, Ling Chen also noticed that among the crowd, Song Yi and Liang Zheng near Tong Nan appeared to be itching to go but seemed hesitant. After a moment of deliberation, they ultimately gave up the thought of going on stage.


    "Yang," Ling Chen turned to Yang Tao beside him and asked, "There¡¯s a big gap in strength among the disciples of Yangxin Pavilion. If a Dragon List master stepped up, wouldn¡¯t they be afraid of an Earthly List master taking advantage?"


    "Even though there¡¯s no rule prohibiting it, nobody would do such a thing. Whoever it is, they¡¯d have to consider their own and their master¡¯s face. An Earthly List master bullying a Dragon List master is something no one can afford to lose face over. Remember, thispetition is not just about the disciples; it¡¯s a struggle between masters. It¡¯s just that the masters are old and their skills are formidable, and using them could easily lead to disputes, so they have their disciplespete on their behalf instead," Yang Tao exined in a low voice, adding, "Now you should understand why the Master is so worried about you. In fact, his concern isn¡¯t really for your safety but for Elder Su¡¯s reputation. Elder Su holds high prestige in Yangxin Pavilion, and nobody dares to disobey him, not even other masters."


    Ling Chen nodded. He had suspected that Su He¡¯s standing in Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion was high, but he hadn¡¯t realized it was that high.


    As he pondered, the arena had cleared out the extras, leaving only twopetitors.


    After a few nces, Ling Chen lost interest in the match. Both contestants were Dragon List masters, and it was indeed rare for someone around twenty to make it to the Dragon List. However, this was Yangxin Pavilion after all, where everyone was a talented individual. What¡¯s more, Ling Chen¡¯s strength was not inferior, capable of matching the top three of the Dragon List, so he was not very keen on watching a duel between Dragon List masters.


    The matchsted for about four or five minutes until, by a narrow margin, a winner was determined.


    Including Yang Zhe just now, a total of two people had smoothly advanced to the next round. Before Ling Chen could react, he saw several individuals rushing towards the arena, including Song Yi and Liang Zheng.


    Seeing others a step quicker than himself, Song Yi huffed softly. With a tap of his toe on the ground for leverage, his body swiftly flew towards the arena. At the same time, he twisted his waist,unching a sideways kick at a young man beside him.


    Caught off guard by Song Yi¡¯s sudden attack, the youth had no time to dodge and was immediately kicked, sent falling towards the ground below the arena.


    Seeing this, the others didn¡¯t hesitate andunched attacks on their nearbypetitors.


    Instantly, a melee broke out among the crowd, even before they had stepped onto the arena.


    Ling Chen was startled and looked at Yang Tao with a puzzled face, asking, "Yang, what are they doing?"


    "There¡¯s no need to make a big fuss; this is quite normal," Yang Tao replied indifferently, "Only eight people can advance to the next round, and the spots are limited. If one misses the chance, there¡¯s no hope left. It doesn¡¯t matter who it is or how powerful your background is; if you miss your chance, there¡¯s no remedy. This is just the beginning. Theter it gets, the more intense thepetition. To fight for the right topete on stage, you have to prove you¡¯ve got what it takes."


    After hearing this, Ling Chen understood the reason behind it.


    "Yang, when do you n to make your move?" he asked.


    "There¡¯s no hurry; let the others have a go first," Yang Tao paused, then changing the subject, he said, "Ling Chen, if you want to take action, you¡¯d better seize the opportunity soon and not dy any further. As thepetition intensifiester on, especially against Earthly List masters, it will be much harder for you to win by then."


    "I understand."


    With Yang Tao¡¯s reminder, Ling Chen turned his full attention to the arena, quietly waiting for the right moment.


    Both Song Yi and Liang Zheng had the strength to rank within the top three of the Dragon List and were only a step away from the Earthly List. Naturally, no one else stood a chance when they made a move. Before long, Song Yi had firmly taken his ce on the arena, alongside another young man.


    Looking at Song Yi¡¯s opponent, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but frown. These two guys were too cunning!


    Such a tactic.


    When the crowd had mored for a chance to get on stage, Song Yi and Liang Zheng must have conspired together. Song Yi went for the opportunity to get on stage, while Liang Zheng took care of the rest. However, while he was helping out, he purposefully let one youth go, allowing him to get onto the arena easily.


    At that moment, the audience below the arena shook their heads, knowing that Song Yi¡¯s opponent was weak and stood no chance of winning.


    Ling Chen shook his head inwardly; this was tant cheating. But since Su Mei didn¡¯t object, even if he had an opinion, it was useless.


    The duel ended in less than two minutes, and unsurprisingly, Song Yi won with ease, advancing to the next round.


    There were now three people who had advanced, leaving five spots remaining.


    After much thought, Ling Chen set his sights on Liang Zheng. His strength wasparable to Liang Zheng¡¯s, and if Liang Zheng took the stage, Ling Chen could give it a try. Although he couldn¡¯t im a hundred percent certainty of victory, at least he held a seventy percent chance.


    As he pondered, a loud ¡¯ng¡¯ suddenly rang from the crowd, instantly drawing everyone¡¯s attention.


    However, it was at this moment that Liang Zheng and another youth from the crowd leaped onto the arena together. By the time the others reacted, both were already securely standing on the stage.


    Damn!


    Ling Chen couldn¡¯t help but curse, "That¡¯s too despicable, using such methods." Turning to Yang Tao with indignation, he asked, "Yang, aren¡¯t they going to do anything about this?"


    "How to intervene? They¡¯re using fair and open measures, not underhanded tricks. Besides, martial arts contests are not just about strength, but also wit. Sometimes, a clever mind is far more important than pure power."

 Chapter 717 - 722: The Grand Gathering of Heavenly Secrets (4)

    <h4>Chapter 717: Chapter 722: The Grand Gathering of Heavenly Secrets (4)</h4>


    Ling Chen was speechless; he hadn¡¯t expected such a trick could be employed. However, he did admire Liang Zheng for deceiving everyone with such a method, easily seizing the opportunity topete on stage.


    "Yang, what¡¯s the deal with that young man?" Ling Chen asked, pointing to Liang Zheng¡¯s opponent.


    "They had conspired beforehand," Yang Tao exined. "There are many elders in Yangxin Pavilion, and some of their disciples, due to their young age or lesser talents, don¡¯t make much progress in strength. Therefore, certain individuals with ulterior motives seek them out for cooperation. This way they not only curry favors but also reap some benefits. Why not do it? Just wait and see. In no more than thirty moves, they will determine the winner."


    After hearing this, Ling Chen turned his gaze towards the stage, watching Liang Zheng and his opponent exchange blows. As Yang Tao had said, although their moves seemed sharp, they were actually feigned, with no intention of causing harm. As the thirtieth move approached, the young man made a slight mistake, allowing Liang Zheng to seize the opportunity and knock him to the ground.


    "Liang Zheng wins!" announced the emotionless referee overseeing the match.


    Liang Zheng, unconcerned by the whispers from the crowd below, left the stage with a broad smile on his face and gave Song Yi a high five in celebration.


    With Liang Zheng and Song Yi both advancing, only five spots remained, and thepetition grew increasingly fierce.


    At that moment, a figure walked out from the crowd and headed straight to the stage. Upon seeing the man standing at the center of the stage, the crowd suddenly fell silent. Not only that, but even those preparing topete halted in their tracks, not daring to step forward.


    Ling Chen looked up and sized up the neer. The young man was about the same age as Yang Tao, around twenty-eight or twenty-nine, with a tall figure of about one meter eighty and a well-proportioned body, with harmonious muscles on his arms and legs. Moreover, his facial features were not bad. Although he wasn¡¯t particrly handsome, he exuded a martial bearing, like an unsheathed sword, brilliance revealed.


    Several minutes passed, and no one approached the stage, seemingly overwhelmed by the man¡¯s presence, they remained obediently in the crowd, looking at each other.


    Seeing this, the referee at the edge of the stage took a couple of steps forward, opened his mouth ready to dere the result. However, just at that moment, Yang Tao, who had been sitting beside Ling Chen, suddenly stood up and strode towards the stage.


    Seeing Yang Tao¡¯s appearance, the words of the judge were immediately swallowed back, and he stepped aside.


    Meanwhile, the young man on the stage watched Yang Tao with a subtly smiling face. As Yang Tao climbed onto the stage, the young man said, "I thought you wouldn¡¯te up."


    "I just didn¡¯t want to disappoint you," Yang Tao replied indifferently. "Wang Hao, a battle between us was inevitable sooner orter. Rather than wait, let¡¯s settle it now. I¡¯m curious to see your progress after two years of seclusion."


    Wang Hao?


    A thought struck Ling Chen. So this was Wang Hao. Yang Tao had previously mentioned the disciples of Yangxin Pavilion to Ling Chen, especially highlighting those with strong abilities, including Wang Hao. ording to Yang Tao, Wang Hao was very powerful. Among the many disciples, he was one of the best. Even Yang Tao admitted he was no match for him.


    Yang Tao had once told him that he had sparred with Wang Hao two years ago and lost after 240 moves. Since then, Wang Hao had been in seclusion, and only emerged today. After two years of solitude, it was unknown how much Wang Hao¡¯s abilities had improved.


    "Mr. Du, do you think your disciple has a good chance of winning?" asked an elder in a nearby spectator stand.


    Du Kang tilted his head back and took a couple of drinks, saying to himself, "How would I know? That kid Wang Hao has been in seclusion for two years, but given his talent and aptitude, his progress shouldn¡¯t be small after two years of dedicated seclusion. Honestly, Wang Hao is indeed an exceptional talent. At just over twenty years old, he¡¯s been able to endure the loneliness and boredom of seclusion for two years, something not all of us old folks could endure with such focus." At this point, Du Kang shook his head and sighed lightly, "It¡¯s just a pity, if Old Man Wei were still alive, perhaps he could have nurtured a top expert."


    Hearing Du Kang mention ¡¯Old Man Wei¡¯, several other elders present sighed collectively, their expressions nostalgic.


    "That¡¯s true. Old Man Wei died too early, but fortunately, before his death, he passed on all of his knowledge to Wang Hao. If someone could offer guidance, Wang Hao would avoid many detours. Eh! Mr. Du, are you interested in taking Wang Hao under your wing to nurture him? You are a master of the Heavenly List; among us all, probably only you are qualified to instruct Wang Hao."


    Du Kang waved his hand and said, "Forget it, dealing with Yang Tao is enough trouble for me. If I took on Wang Hao as well, my legs would be tied to Yangxin Pavilion. You all know I like to roam around when I¡¯m free. If any of you are interested, you might as well take Wang Hao and nurture him."


    The crowd said in unison, "Let¡¯s forget it. Handing over a talent like Wang Hao to us would be a waste." At this, an elder suddenly spoke up, "If Elder Su were still around, he could have taken Wang Hao under his wing."


    Upon mentioning Elder Su, the crowd immediately agreed, "That¡¯s correct, it¡¯s a shame Elder Su left Yangxin Pavilion many years ago, and now we don¡¯t even know where he is. If we could find him, it would be great to let him take on Wang Hao as a disciple."


    Hearing this, a meaningful smile appeared on Du Kang¡¯s face, and his cloudy eyes swept towards Ling Chen¡¯s direction.


    At this moment, everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on Yang Tao and Wang Hao.


    The mountain breeze blew, lifting the corners of their clothes, making a rustling sound.


    "Please!"


    "Please!"


    As the words fell, Yang Tao¡¯s gaze instantly sharpened, his toes tapped the ground, and his body surged forward with a fist aimed at Wang Hao¡¯s face.


    However, midway through the punch, Yang Tao suddenly changed his move, twisting his waist from front to side, his fists turning into palms, striking high and middle simultaneously, while his right leg rose, sweeping towards Wang Hao¡¯s lower body.


    All three attacks wereunched at once, forceful and fierce, with a howling wind.


    Facing Yang Tao¡¯s assault, Wang Hao¡¯s expression remained unchanged, still as calm as a mild breeze. Suddenly, without any discernible movement, his body drifted backwards, like a falling leaf, dodging all of Yang¡¯s attacks.


    Seeing the move Wang Hao executed, everyone, whether below the stage or in the spectator stands, was taken aback.


    This movement technique... could it be that he had already mastered the Shattered Leaf Step?

 Chapter 718 - 723: The Grand Gathering of the Heavenly Secrets (5)

    <h4>Chapter 718: Chapter 723: The Grand Gathering of the Heavenly Secrets (5)</h4>


    Shattered Leaf Step?


    Upon hearing the exmations from Qiu Yong and the others, Ling Chen curiously asked, "Big brother, do you know what Shattered Leaf Step is?"


    Qiu Yong nodded and said, "Shattered Leaf Step is a movement technique that primarily relies on the coordination of Inner Strength and stepping techniques. Anyone who masters this movement technique will move like a drifting leaf, very light and incredibly fast, making it hard for others to anticipate. This movement technique is also considered an Absolute Skill in the Martial Arts world. I didn¡¯t expect it to appear on this young man. Tsk tsk! Worthy of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, none of its people are simple."


    After hearing Qiu Yong¡¯s exnation, Ling Chen¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, shing a faint gleam, his thoughts unreadable.


    "Shattered Leaf Step, who would¡¯ve thought Wang Hao has already learned Old Man Wei¡¯s Absolute Skill. Mr. Du, it seems your disciple is in trouble," an old man chuckled maliciously.


    Du Kang nced at him, his expression indifferent, unbothered.


    "So what? Consider it an opportunity to learn. I brought him here to gain experience, not for the Nine Elements Pill. If he loses to Wang Hao, it might actually be a good thing. It would serve as motivation for him to push harder and progress. As for you, your disciple Tong Nan, I¡¯ve heard quite a bit about him. Young and frivolous, flirting around, without any true learning. Continuing this way, he¡¯ll eventually be surpassed by the other disciples of Yangxin Pavilion."


    "Hmph! Du Kang, I will handle my disciple myself, no need for your nonsense."


    "Alright! Both of you, enough with the talk," interjected several old men nearby, quickly trying to keep the peace fearing they might start arguing.


    At this moment, after witnessing Wang Hao¡¯s performance of the movement technique, Yang Tao¡¯s expression turned serious. His eyes locked on Wang Hao¡¯s legs, he advanced step by step, his punches and palm strikes aiming high, middle, and low simultaneously.


    However, no matter how fierce Yang Tao¡¯s attacks were, Wang Hao remained calm, seemingly unaffected by any threat.


    With the agility of Shattered Leaf Step, Wang Hao controlled his body like a floating leaf, moving around the tform, always maintaining a distance from Yang. Under these circumstances, Yang, despite his strength, couldn¡¯t utilize it effectively.


    After a few minutes of stalemate, Yang Tao finally stopped, quietly standing in a corner of the tform, he looked at Wang Hao and said, "How long will this continue? Since it¡¯s a spar, can¡¯t you fight me openly?"


    Wang Hao slightly smiled, shook his head and replied, "No, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a need to continue."


    Yang Tao, frowning, asked, "Why?"


    "Shattered Leaf Step is just one of the techniques I¡¯ve mastered, and it¡¯s the least of them. If you can¡¯t even counter Shattered Leaf Step, I see no point in continuing. You can¡¯t defeat me."


    Hearing this, Yang Tao¡¯s face shifted, a trace of reluctance in his eyes.


    "Disciple,e down," Elder Du¡¯s voice came from the stands: "He¡¯s right, you¡¯re far from being his match."


    Upon the Master¡¯s call, Yang Tao hesitated no more, silently gave Wang Hao a fist salute, and then turned to leave, walking back to Ling Chen¡¯s side.


    Watching Yang Tao¡¯s expressionless face, Ling Chen opened his mouth, unsure of what to say.


    He had expected a fierce battle between Yang Tao and Wang Hao, yet it ended so swiftly without Yang Tao showcasing his strength. Even Du Kang had spoken up; was Wang Hao¡¯s strength really that formidable?


    "Wang Hao, advances to the next round."


    As the referee¡¯s words fell, Wang Hao stepped off the tform, didn¡¯t even pause, and directly left the valley, disappearing in a blink.


    "Big brother Yang..." Ling Chen hesitated, still couldn¡¯t help calling out.


    "There¡¯s no need to console me," Yang Tao replied: "I¡¯m fine, as a martial artist, one must learn to ept defeat. If one can¡¯t even ept this, then they won¡¯t get far. You should think about yourself. With Wang Hao advanced, there are only four spots left. If you don¡¯t act fast, you¡¯ll miss your chance."


    During the conversation, numerous people rushed to the arena stage. There were exactly six people.


    Originally, the n was to dismiss four people, but at this moment, Su Mei suddenly signaled the referee with her eyes. Thetter immediately understood and announced, "Alright! Since there aren¡¯t many people joining anymore, you six canpete together to save some time."


    Hearing the referee¡¯s words, Ling Chen was stunned for a moment; he had thought it would be one-by-one, and was not expecting six people topete together. With this arrangement, three slots were taken directly, and after ounting for the earlier slots, only one remained.


    Ling Chen touched his nose in frustration and chuckled bitterly to himself. He had nned for numerous scenarios, but he hadn¡¯t anticipated this one. Now, what should he do?


    Watching the six contestants on the stage, Ling Chen was speechless; those people were all Dragon List experts, yet their skills were still not as strong as his.


    The not-so-strong disciples from Yangxin Pavilion were all participating; who could he challengeter?


    During his contemtion, the six contestants on the stage eventually had their oue decided.


    Only one slot was left!


    As the six people left the stage, someone suddenly leaped from the crowd, sprinting towards the arena. At this moment, Ling Chen couldn¡¯t care less who it was, as he instantly sprang from his seat and dashed to the edge of the arena at full speed.


    Seeing Ling Chen¡¯s actions, Su Mei and others were simultaneously stunned.


    What was he trying to do?


    Before anyone could recover, Ling Chen had already leapt onto the stage.


    "Is it you?" Seeing Ling Chen opposite him, Tong Nan frowned slightly and said coldly, "Ling Chen, did you drink too muchst night? Only Yangxin Pavilion disciples are eligible to participate in thispetition; why are you meddling here? Get down quickly and stop embarrassing yourself."


    "Ling Cheng, what are you doing,e back!"


    Yuan Yun¡¯s shouting reached him from behind, but as if he hadn¡¯t heard, Ling Chen kept his gaze fixed on Tong Nan, moving step by step and staring directly at him.


    Seeing that Ling Chen showed no signs of leaving, the referee on the stage quickly approached and coldly demanded, "Aren¡¯t you leaving yet? Must I force you down?"


    "Why would you have the right to force me down?"


    "Simply because you are not a disciple of Yangxin Pavilion."


    Ling Chen looked at the referee and responded, "Who says I¡¯m not?"


    Upon hearing that, not only Tong Nan on the stage, but everyone else who hadn¡¯t known (excluding Du Kang and Yang Tao), were stunned, looking at Ling Chen in surprise.


    He¡¯s a Yangxin Pavilion disciple?


    When did this happen?


    Instantly, everyone¡¯s attention turned towards the stands. Could it be that some elder had taken Ling Chen as a disciple?


    Under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, Du Kang stood up from his chair and walked directly to the edge of the stands.


    Seeing Du Kang rise, everyone was shocked¡ª it was Du Kang!


    Tong Nan looked at Ling Chen with displeasure, thinking that this guy really had unbelievable luck to have been taken as a disciple by Du Kang.

 Chapter 719 - 724: Battle with Tong Nan (1)

    <h4>Chapter 719: Chapter 724: Battle with Tong Nan (1)</h4>


    Cough cough... Du Kang lightly coughed twice, cleared his throat, and said: "Well... I can testify for Ling Chen. He is indeed not wrong; he is a disciple of Yangxin Pavilion."


    "Elder Du, you¡¯re being rather unscrupulous now. You just said that you only epted Yang Tao as a disciple, and now, howe..."


    Before the elder beside him could finish his sentence, Du Kang cut him off and said: "Listen to me first. Although Ling Chen is a disciple of Yangxin Pavilion, he is not my disciple."


    "Elder Du, if he¡¯s not your disciple, then whose disciple could he be? No one here has taken him as a disciple."


    Just as an elder finished speaking, Huang Zheng coldly said: "Mr. Du, don¡¯t try to fool us. Initially, I thought highly of that kid and wanted to ept him as a disciple, but he was utterly unwilling. Now you suddenly say that he is a disciple of Yangxin Pavilion but not yours, how do you expect us to believe that?"


    Swirling his wine gourd in hand, Du Kang smiled and said: "What, you don¡¯t even believe my words now?" Saying this, Du Kang looked towards the people below and continued: "I¡¯ll not deceive you all; not only is Ling Chen¡¯s master an elder of Yangxin Pavilion, but he is also the most senior among them."


    "Elder Du, who exactly are you talking about?" the crowd below asked curiously.


    Smiling, Du Kang uttered two words: "Su He!"


    Su He?


    Upon hearing this name, the people present were momentarily stunned.


    Su He, a name that surely no one was unaware of. Present were either disciples and elders of Yangxin Pavilion or important figures of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, and each one had a profound memory of the name Su He.


    Amongst the crowd, Su Mei was the most shocked. When Du Kang mentioned the name ¡¯Su He,¡¯ Su Mei even doubted her own ears, wondering if she had heard wrongly.


    Su He, a name that had not graced her ears for a long time. If not for Du Kang¡¯s mention today, she would have nearly forgotten this man who was once most important to her.


    Su He... He turned out to be Grandpa¡¯s disciple!


    Since Grandpa left Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, there had been no news of him for many years, and now, atst, she knew his whereabouts. Remembering the past, Su Mei felt her eyes brimming with tears; the next thing she knew, a tear rolled down her cheek.


    After a while, someone finally regained theirposure, looked at Du Kang, and asked: "Elder Du, Elder Su has been gone for so many years now, you can¡¯t just be joking about this."


    ncing at the speaker, Liang Tian, Du Kang replied: "Elder Liang, what¡¯s the matter, you don¡¯t believe my words?"


    "Elder Du, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you, but your words are frankly hard to believe. I wanted to take Ling Chen as a disciple not long ago, and he said in person that he had not yet taken a master. It¡¯s only been so short a time, and now you suddenly say he is Elder Su¡¯s disciple, do you think we can believe that?"


    "It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t believe it, as long as the Pavilion Master believes it." With that said, Du Kang pulled out a dagger from his body, flicked his wrist, and threw it towards Su Mei down the slope. Seeing the dagger falling, the elder next to Su Mei immediately caught it, then handed it to Su Mei.


    "This dagger is Elder Su¡¯s token, and I have confirmed it. Everyone present, surely no one is clearer than the Pavilion Master whether Elder Su¡¯s token is genuine or not, so it¡¯s fair to let her verify. Pavilion Master, please take a good look, whether this dagger really belongs to Elder Su."


    Su Mei nodded lightly, carefully examining the dagger in her hand. Then, she took a deep breath to calm her excitement and said: "Elder Du is right, this dagger is indeed my grandfather¡¯s token, which he always carried with him, rarely parting from it. Since this dagger has appeared in Ling Chen¡¯s hands, I believe he has not lied."


    Grandpa?


    Hearing this, Ling Chen was taken aback. Su He was Su Mei¡¯s grandfather? That meant he was... the former Pavilion Master of Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?


    Ling Chen was stunned, not expecting Su He to have such an identity, and he never mentioned it before.


    At this moment, after Su Mei¡¯s confirmation, everyone¡¯s gaze towards Ling Chen instantly changed.


    The disciple of Su He... This identity was not simple. Given Su He¡¯s status, whether in terms of identity or position, his disciple could walk unhindered in both Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and Yangxin Pavilion.


    Tong Nan, with a displeased expression, stared at Ling Chen, a hint of wariness shing in his eyes. He had thought that Ling Chen was an outsider who could be bullied at will, but who knew, this fellow had such a formidable background and backing.


    Su He!


    Thinking of the elder who once ruled over Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and Yangxin Pavilion, Tong Nan could not help but shiver uncontrobly.


    Over the years, after Su Mei took the position of Pavilion Master, while Yangxin Pavilion outwardly respected her, in reality, some of the elders did not take her seriously. The reason they were so respectful and attentive to Su Mei was because of Su He¡¯s presence. They might disrespect Su Mei, but they couldn¡¯t disrespect Su He; at least eighty percent of the elders in Yangxin Pavilion had received his favor.


    For this reason, when Su Mei affirmed Ling Chen¡¯s identity, the way they looked at him changed.


    Facing everyone¡¯s stares, Ling Chen cast aside the stray thoughts in his mind and looked straight at Tong Nan across from him, speaking indifferently: "Since I am a disciple of Yangxin Pavilion, I wonder if I am eligible to participate in the uingpetition?"


    "Of course." Before Tong Nan could reply, the judge next to him had already nodded in recognition.


    "Hmph!" Tong Nan sneered with disdain, saying: "So what if you are Elder Su¡¯s disciple? If you¡¯re on the stage, you have to rely on your own skills, not your background. Your strength is merely on the Dragon List, what qualifications do you have to fight me? Fine, since you seek humiliation, I¡¯ll apany you all the way."


    "Tong Nan, you plotted against Zhou Jun and forced him to leave Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, I will settle this ount with you."


    Hearing this, Tong Nan sneered and said nothing further, immediately striding with both legs towards Ling Chen.


    As Tong Nan closed in swiftly, Ling Chen did not think twice; he immediately turned and retreated, sprinting towards the edge of the tform. After a short while, Ling Chen reached a rack of weapons.


    With the strong wind from behind approaching, Ling Chen extended his hand, grabbed a Yanyue de, and swung around rapidly. Holding the de high with both hands, he chopped powerfully toward Tong Nan¡¯s head.


    Faced with the iing Yanyue de, Tong Nan¡¯s pupils shrank, and he quickly stopped, then dodged to the side.


    Instantly, the Yanyue de passed closely by Tong Nan¡¯s side and crashed heavily onto the ground, carving out a long crack.


    After the failed strike, Ling Chen did not hesitate; his hands shook, and he gripped the Yanyue de firmly, lifting it slightly upwards. The de spun, sweeping horizontally, and aiming straight for Tong Nan¡¯s neck.


    As the saying goes, an inch longer is an inch stronger. The Yanyue de in Ling Chen¡¯s hands was nearly two meters long, leaving Tong Nan no chance to close in, forcing him to retreat again and again.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!