Treasures were incredibly rare even in the Mortal Rejection realm, and if they knew Liu Yilin possessed one, they would undoubtedly try every means to snatch it from her.
While this possibility was slim, caution was necessary. Currently, only six Mortal Rejection individuals were known, all controlled by Ning Beichen. Logically, there shouldn't be any danger.
However, no one knew how many Mortal Rejection individuals were lurking in this world. For instance, the woman Ning Beichen encountered last time with a leopard – if there was one, who could guarantee there wouldn't be a second?
Furthermore, Ning Beichen recalled his master's situation.
If...
His master had also come from the Mortal Rejection realm, it implied that Mortal Rejection individuals had existed in this world long before, not just appearing now.
Perhaps some Mortal Rejection individuals, like his master, were hidden silently in some corner of this world. As long as they didn't bare their fangs, no one would know their identity or profession.
Just as Ning Beichen and Liu Yilin were studying the function of the carved bird, Ning Beichen suddenly received a call from an old friend.
"James, what's the matter?"
Ning Beichen asked him.
"Ning, I'm in trouble, and I need your help."
A man's voice came through the phone.
"James, what happened?"
Ning Beichen quickly asked him.
"My team is in big trouble in Greece. Some things can't be explained over the phone; I suspect someone is listening in. I need you to come help me immediately."
The man's voice on the phone was urgent, indicating his precarious situation.
"Alright, give me the address."
Ning Beichen didn't refuse him and agreed immediately.
James had helped him greatly in the past, and Ning Beichen felt obligated to repay this favor.
After the man on the phone gave him an address, the call was disconnected. Ning Beichen wasn't sure if James had hung up or if something unexpected had happened, which made him anxious.
When Ning Beichen tried to call back, he found James's phone was switched off. No matter how many times he dialed, it wouldn't connect.
"Beichen, what's wrong?"
Liu Yilin asked him, noticing Ning Beichen's expression.
"A friend called asking for help, and I need to go assist him."
Ning Beichen said.
"Do you need me to go with you?"
Liu Yilin asked.
"No, the journey is too far, and your research is at a critical stage. I'll go alone."
Ning Beichen shook his head and told Liu Yilin.
"Alright then, be careful. Call me when you get there."
Liu Yilin said with concern.
"Don't worry, I will. You know my abilities; there aren't many things in this world that can threaten me."
Ning Beichen said confidently.
Liu Yilin nodded. She knew Ning Beichen wasn't one to boast; when it came to caution, few could match him.
Since he didn't know what had happened to James, and it seemed quite urgent, Ning Beichen didn't waste any more time. After giving some instructions, he immediately booked a flight for the same day.
A few hours later, Ning Beichen was already in the air.
However, as there were no direct flights, Ning Beichen had to transfer in a third country. The earliest he could reach the address James had given him was by tomorrow evening.
The flight was scheduled to be over ten hours long. Ning Beichen was worried about James's situation and wasn't in the mood for anything else. He closed his eyes and lay back in his seat.
But beside him, there was an unruly presence.
This fellow seemed to be a celebrity, quite famous, and was constantly causing trouble in his seat.
One moment he'd complain about the flight attendants' service, the next he'd say the plane was old and broken, then the in-flight meal was unpalatable, causing the flight attendants to run back and forth ceaselessly.
In other words, he was acting like a diva, afraid people wouldn't know he was a star.
This greatly annoyed Ning Beichen, who was sitting next to him. With a subtle flick of his finger, the fellow finally quieted down, restoring peace to the cabin.
As they were about to land, the person Ning Beichen had silenced for the entire journey was suddenly able to move and speak again, immediately starting to shout and throw a tantrum inside the cabin.
Ning Beichen simply flicked his finger again, silencing him instantly.
When Ning Beichen disembarked from the plane, he saw the celebrity being carried out on a stretcher, presumably being sent to the hospital for treatment.
Ning Beichen paid him no mind. In fact, Ning Beichen had only sealed a pressure point on him; he would have recovered within ten minutes at most.
Not long after, Ning Beichen found himself on another plane, heading to a different destination.
It wasn't until eight o'clock in the evening that Ning Beichen finally arrived at the address James had given him over the phone.
Therefore, Ning Beichen didn't even have time to look for a hotel. As soon as he left the airport, he immediately took a taxi to the address James had mentioned.
This was the third largest city in Greece, where many ancient buildings were still preserved. The address James had given Ning Beichen was a church located on the west side of the city center.
After dropping Ning Beichen off, the taxi driver quickly drove away, and before leaving, he kindly advised Ning Beichen not to linger in this area.
Before Ning Beichen could figure out the taxi driver's meaning, he was suddenly surrounded by a group of petty thugs.
The thugs, holding spring-loaded knives, threatened Ning Beichen to hand over his wallet, luggage, and other valuables. This made Ning Beichen want to laugh and cry.
Facing the thugs' threats, Ning Beichen cracked his knuckles. Then, with lightning speed, a series of crackling sounds echoed as all the thugs fell to the ground, begging for forgiveness.
Ning Beichen swaggered over them and entered the church.
The church was empty, but lit by candlelight. James had told him to find the priest, saying that he could contact him once he found the priest.
Ning Beichen entered the church but saw no priest. He then went to search the rooms at the front.
There was light in the room, but the door was closed.
Ning Beichen knocked, but there was no response from inside, nor was the door opened. This made Ning Beichen frown, feeling that something was not quite right.
Ning Beichen pushed hard, forcing the door open, and walked in.
Then, Ning Beichen saw a man dressed as a priest lying in a pool of blood, a dagger plunged into his chest.
Without getting close, Ning Beichen could sense that the priest had no signs of life.
James had asked him to come here to find the priest, and the priest was dead. Was this a coincidence, an accident, or a deliberate act?