The guests below looked at each other, seemingly realizing their earlier agitation was unwarranted.
"You are too kind, Mr. Bai. Without you, we might have perished on the spot. I apologize for my previous words and actions," a noblewoman said, inclining her head slightly.
Her gesture prompted others, and under Duan Chen's nonsensical ramblings, the banquet actually felt less dire.
No one doubted his words; after all, the corpse of the sea demon was still there, and Duan Chen's current appearance possessed a "magical" quality that inspired belief.
"Mr. Bai, you are too polite. You saved us, and we are grateful."
"Indeed, Boss Jia has found a good match for his daughter."
"Envious, truly envious."
As they chimed in, Duan Chen had no time to banter. He arranged for bodyguards to escort them out of the manor one by one.
"Captain, what do we do now?"
"We'll stay here for a while. In a few days, we'll spread the news that Jia Rengui and the others have been turned into sea demons, implying they are dead," Duan Chen sighed.
"Then why didn't you say so just now?" Qin Nanyuan asked, confused.
"Because it would easily make others suspect the captain deliberately killed Jia Rengui. Tomorrow, we'll go to the Ice City Spirit Hunting Guild for authentication, and everything will fall into place naturally," Jun Ci analyzed.
Duan Chen nodded. "Precisely."
The next day, Duan Chen, along with Yuan Qingqing and others, arrived at the Ice City Spirit Hunting Guild. The reception desk was still manned by the same twin sisters.
"Is it you?"
The scene of Duan Chen arriving with a large group of beauties to register a mercenary group that day was so striking that the twin sisters still remembered their faces.
Duan Chen smiled slightly and said, "Yes, it's like this..."
He then explained the entire story. The sisters, having encountered many such situations, promptly made a phone call.
"We're counting on you, Sister Weiwei."
The elder sister of the twins hung up the phone and smiled sweetly. "You've completed a mission before, and we'll likely have many interactions in the future. Let me introduce myself first. I'm Fang Xin, the 'Xin' from 'new.' This is my sister, Fang Yi, the 'Yi' from 'memory.' Please verify your identities, and you can wait over there."
"Okay."
Identity verification required their badges. When Yuan Yuan's large green forehead appeared, the Fang sisters clearly couldn't help themselves. Duan Chen worried they might hurt themselves holding back laughter.
Yuan Yuan's pretty face turned red, then green, then red again. Duan Chen found it quite amusing.
After a while, a woman walked over from a distance, her gaze immediately locking onto their group.
"Is it them?"
The woman had her long hair tied back, wore a simple white shirt, jeans, and canvas shoes. Her delicate face was unsmiling, giving her a very capable aura. Her age... Duan Chen estimated her to be around thirty.
"Yes, this is our Ice City Spirit Hunting Guild's senior agent. She just completed a mission yesterday. Her name is You Jiawei. You can call her Sister Weiwei."
"Hello, I am Bai Se. This is my sister, Bai Xiaobai, Bai Xiaoqing, Bai..."
You Jiawei's face twitched.
Did someone really name their children so carelessly?
Then, her sharp gaze fell upon the chubby little creature in Duan Chen's arms. With Jia Rengui's face, it was hard not to notice.
"Why is this woman staring at me..." The chubby creature shivered in Duan Chen's arms, looking wronged.
You Jiawei: ...
After a lengthy explanation from Duan Chen, You Jiawei finally believed them.
"Alright, we're short on time. Let's go to Jia Rengui's manor."
"No problem."
Duan Chen had already neatly arranged the corpses of several sea demons in the basement.
Even the battle-hardened You Jiawei frowned upon seeing the human-faced sores on the sea demons, realizing from Duan Chen's account how dangerous the situation had been yesterday.
"They are indeed sea demons..."
You Jiawei took out a detector and scanned them, exhaling deeply.
"The Ice City Spirit Hunting Guild will handle the explanation for Jia Rengui's death. You don't need to worry, especially you."
You Jiawei glanced at Duan Chen, knowing his current identity as Jia Mengmeng's fiancé. With the deaths of Jia Rengui's family, he would be the prime suspect.
Duan Chen merely smiled in response.
Jing City, Fiery Altar.
The sea demons formed a circle around the altar. In the center stood a small, slender child wearing a mask, his face obscured. Behind him was a patch of dark shadow.
Opposite the child was Apostle 01.
"How many times do I have to tell you, don't lay a hand on Duan Chen!" Apostle 01 moved with lightning speed, appearing before the child in an instant.
The black shadow behind him trembled, as if mocking.
"Alright, 01, I didn't kill him. I was just saying hello."
The child grinned, his voice a layered sound, one a tender child's voice, the other like a cold, eerie adolescent one.
Apostle 01 snorted.
"What's wrong? Not to lay a hand on Duan Chen? Do you know how many people you've offended with that command? I'm telling you, you're not the only one in charge among the Apostles, otherwise, what are we here for?"
"Bang!"
Apostle 01 didn't hesitate. He delivered a heavy punch to the child's abdomen. Simultaneously, the black shadow let out a pained cry.
"Ah! You—!"
Apostle 05 stumbled back a few steps, clapping his hands. The sea demons in the circle simultaneously advanced towards Apostle 01, looking like rag dolls.
01 merely looked up slightly, then clenched his fist. A terrifying pressure swept out, pressing down on the surrounding sea demons.
"Bang!"
In an instant, a group of sea demons dissolved into green liquid on the ground.
Apostle 05's expression remained unchanged, but the black shadow behind him laughed heartily.
"Oh my—01, I didn't expect you to value that Duan Chen so much. You've truly surprised me."
That disgusting fellow.
Swish!
A slender figure flashed by, and the woman stood in front of Apostle 05, glaring coldly at 01.
"You're here quite quickly. If you could manage him properly, I might be even happier."
The woman shielded Apostle 05 behind her, her voice icy.
"What he wants to do, and what he wants to achieve, is not for you to dictate."
01 pursed his lips. "A family of freaks."
Apostle 05 peeked out from behind the woman and made a playful face.
"Heh heh... Fine. However, I advise you to watch your limits. Don't provoke me, or it won't just be a punch next time."
"And..."
01's gaze fixed on the woman, a faint, knowing smile appearing on his face.
"What will you do when you meet Duan Chen? I'm truly curious."
"Jia Yunlian."
Apostle 01 gradually disappeared from sight. The woman turned, looking at the masked child behind her with a complex expression.
The child tilted his head, his innocent child's voice calling out crisply,
"Mom."