What Duan Chen said was executed almost without delay.
Jun Ci sat beside Duan Chen, a little worried, with a hint of anxiety in his eyes.
Duan Chen raised his eyebrows, puzzled, "Seeing you like this, what happened?"
Jun Ci smiled helplessly, curving his lips.
It had to be said, in his current beautiful appearance, his smile was truly captivating, making one's heart ache involuntarily. Looking at the melancholy expression on the beauty's face, one would instinctively want to offer comfort and solutions.
However, Duan Chen was certain that he was a complete straight man and understood the essence beneath this facade.
Moreover, although Jun Ci's endowment wasn't as large as his, he was still a man to some extent.
"I just suddenly realized that with our current identities, it will be very difficult for us to return..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but the unspoken words were easily understood by the listener.
Duan Chen's expression soured for a moment.
He exhaled softly, contemplating.
Indeed, Jun Ci was not wrong.
It would likely be quite troublesome for them to return to the Spirit Hunter Guild with their original identities now.
And how to explain their sudden reappearance was another issue?
It would inevitably expose the existence of Xi Er and the others, which would lead to deeper problems.
Furthermore...
Jun Wu Chen was not as harmless as he appeared. If he were truly that harmless, Jun Ci would not have been forced to flee his home and be relegated to a remote town.
After painstakingly working his way back to his original circle with his talent, he was met with even more severe suppression.
What's more...
Duan Chen was far from arrogant enough to believe he could cover the sky with one hand, relying solely on his fused chess pieces to suppress everyone.
After fusing the chess pieces, his overall capabilities had indeed improved, but that was only in comparison to himself.
He had a certain self-awareness.
Despite his young age and good talent, if he were to recklessly storm into the capital, he might alert those old monsters.
At that point, the gains would not outweigh the losses.
The capital was a deep and treacherous place, and a moment of carelessness could lead to drowning like a fish.
"Duan Chen, what are your thoughts?"
Jun Ci suddenly looked up, staring seriously at Duan Chen beside him.
He exhaled slowly.
Without waiting for Duan Chen to say anything, he began to analyze on his own.
"I originally thought you chose this mission merely as a convenience, and because this place is remote, it would provide a hiding place."
"But now that you've manipulated their corpses to the forefront and spoken those words, I have ample reason to suspect you have other arrangements... What kind of arrangements can't be told to us?"
Jun Ci's gaze was suspicious as he stared at Duan Chen.
Under such scrutiny, Duan Chen showed no change in his expression. He merely smiled helplessly and shrugged.
"I had originally planned to tell you later."
"But since you've brought it up yourselves, there's no harm in saying it now."
"Do you really think that within a few years, we can openly return to our original social circles?"
Qin Nanyuan stroked his chin, analyzing calmly and clearly.
"Within a few years, it might be possible, but in the next two years, the chances are very slim. Jun Wu Chen will not let us off so easily."
With the strength they currently possessed, confronting Jun Wu Chen head-on would be sheer fantasy.
At this point, it wasn't about individual power.
Duan Chen nodded.
"You're right, so we need false identities. Our current false identities require even more backing to truly contend with Jun Wu Chen."
He suddenly smiled.
Duan Chen, sitting by the window, rested his chin on his hands, his elbows on his knees.
He was backlit, making it impossible to discern his expression.
Only his voice echoed in the room.
"Moreover, I suspect how much the Spirit Hunter Guild in the capital has been infiltrated by Apostles. If it's as I imagine, then before we possess absolute strength and influence, we absolutely cannot return easily."
"The Spirit Hunter Guild in the capital is infiltrated by Apostles?"
This sudden, earth-shattering revelation left everyone momentarily speechless. Even Jun Ci frowned in disbelief and subconsciously retorted.
"How is that possible?"
"Even if Jun Wu Chen is truly an unrighteous person, he shouldn't collude with Apostles."
Duan Chen heard this and merely shook his head faintly.
"I also hope that's the case."
"But wasn't that secret realm the best proof?"
"Speaking of the secret realm, it hasn't been long since we emerged from it. You surely haven't forgotten everything inside, and don't forget what Zuo An said before he died."
Everyone fell into silence.
Of course, they hadn't forgotten, and they couldn't forget.
If not for their luck, they too would have perished in the secret realm.
Recalling the events within the secret realm felt like yesterday, and it was extraordinarily absurd and ridiculous.
"But this doesn't make sense..."
Jun Ci subconsciously wanted to say something.
He understood Jun Wu Chen, but as he began to speak, wanting to say he understood Jun Wu Chen, he stopped himself. How much did he truly understand about the man?
"Recognizing reality is always a good thing."
Duan Chen harbored no feelings, or rather, no positive feelings, for Jun Wu Chen.
Regardless of whether the man had actively defected to the Sea Serpent or not, his act of deliberately sacrificing his own talented agents into the secret realm as test subjects was a death sentence.
His years of operating in the human world, his widespread reputation, could not be dismissed with a few words.
If they wanted to contend with Jun Wu Chen, they had to stand on the same level as him.
Therefore...
"We must take Bing Cheng."
Duan Chen suddenly changed the subject, drawing everyone's attention.
Yuan Qingqing hesitated, not entirely understanding.
"Does 'take' mean what I think it means?"
Was this really so daring?
Duan Chen nodded directly.
"With our current identities, to 'take'... only after we possess sufficient power can we completely reveal ourselves and break ties with them."
"We are all too immature right now."
Especially in the past, they only completed missions under the guild; they had never developed their own forces. How could they even talk about contending with Jun Wu Chen?