“Alright, tomorrow, we make our move.”
“Should Yan Qiuren go?”
“Mm.”
Duan Chen mentally sketched a rough route based on the path Jun Wuchen had taken.
“Currently, the agents in the secret realm have gathered. They should be safe for the time being.”
“If they don’t look for trouble, I’m afraid trouble will find them,” Tian Qi sneered.
“That’s quite possible,” Xier nodded.
“What do you mean?”
Duan Chen gave a wry smile. “Have you forgotten? The tectonic plates within the secret realm are constantly shifting.”
Their expressions changed.
Duan Chen was a man of action. The next day, he intended to ask for leave from the two elders, Jun Youguang and Qin Youliang. To his surprise, these two old men had a sudden, unforeseen engagement, saving him the trouble of asking.
In Jun Wuchen’s office, Yan Qiuren was processing documents when she suddenly received orders from Weilbenya.
Her eyes flickered.
“Master, I’ll go find this agent.”
“Have someone else go,” Jun Wuchen said, taking a sip of coffee.
Yan Qiuren smiled wryly. “Everyone else is on a mission. I’ll go myself then.”
“Mm, be back quickly, there’s still so much left to do.”
Jun Wuchen trusted Yan Qiuren implicitly and didn't suspect a thing.
“Okay.”
She had barely left when Ming Yan entered.
“President Ming, is there something you need?”
Jun Wuchen was surprised. At this hour, Ming Yan should still be at the Spirit Hunting Guild in Sucheng. How did she end up in the capital?
“It’s like this, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”
“Of course, please sit.”
In the training hall.
“When did you…”
The moment he saw Ming Yan, Duan Chen’s heart lurched. After thinking about it, he realized only Jia Yunlian could have contacted Ming Yan.
“Mm, we had a brief chat, and I didn’t expect it to be so useful.”
Jia Yunlian stroked her chin, her tone casual.
“So, Sister Ming Yan knows everything?”
“That’s right.”
“You’ve helped me a great deal,” Duan Chen smiled.
Meanwhile, Yan Qiuren had arrived at the underground level of the entire Spirit Hunting Guild. This area had always been a restricted zone set up by Jun Wuchen, inaccessible to anyone but himself and Yan Qiuren.
Ignoring the surveillance, Yan Qiuren entered her password and walked into the underground passage.
With her fingerprint and facial recognition, Yan Qiuren could bypass all the security measures. As soon as she entered, she headed straight for a certain underground room.
At this moment, an unforeseen event occurred.
“Boom!”
A deafening sound echoed in the underground chamber, startling Yan Qiuren greatly.
Not only her, but Duan Chen also jolted up from his chair.
“What’s going on?!”
Fortunately, the entire underground area was equipped with a soundproofing system, so the noise didn't reach Jun Wuchen. However, he keenly felt the vibrations.
“President?”
Ming Yan had obviously sensed it too, but Duan Chen’s current situation could not afford any mistakes.
She had to stall Jun Wuchen.
Thinking of her unruly younger brother, Ming Yan couldn't help but feel helpless.
The first time she saw Bai Se, she felt an inexplicable familiarity with the man. Despite never having met him before, Ming Yan had a keen intuition that something was amiss.
When she returned to the Sucheng Spirit Hunting Guild, she saw a woman.
This woman was no stranger to her; she was from the Watcher Organization, and one of Bai Ye’s subordinates.
Jia Yunlian.
Indeed, after first visiting the Sucheng Spirit Hunting Guild, she had then rushed to the capital without delay.
The woman spoke plainly, directly pulling her into an office and explaining the whole story.
At first, Ming Yan didn’t believe it. But Jia Yunlian’s earnestness, coupled with her inherent distrust of Jun Wuchen and that sense of familiarity she felt towards Bai Se, made her reconsider.
Ming Yan couldn’t help but believe. After two days of contemplation, she resolutely came to the capital and sat opposite Jun Wuchen.
If Duan Chen were standing before her now, she would have given him a stern lecture.
How could he be so impulsive, acting without consulting her, the president, first?
And he had roped in Xier and the Ice City Spirit Hunting Guild…
The former was acceptable, but the latter, Ming Yan had no idea how Duan Chen had gotten involved with Ice City.
She felt like she was worrying herself sick over this younger brother of hers.
“It’s nothing, let’s continue,” Jun Wuchen sighed, exhaling.
In the underground chamber, Yan Qiuren stared blankly at the metal door behind her.
The metal door was the first layer of defense for the underground passage, requiring Jun Wuchen’s or Yan Qiuren’s facial recognition to unlock. Yet, it had been blasted open!
Who could it be?
Duan Chen also wanted to know.
“Cough, cough… Such a lot of smoke! I say, can’t we be a bit more gentle?”
“You be gentle! Go and negotiate with Jun Wuchen and Yan Qiuren, ask them to give us their faces so we can enter the basement?”
“Sigh… Don’t say it like that. We’ve been old partners for years, give us some face.”
“What face? There’s no one else here… or is there?”
Jun Youguang also stared at Yan Qiuren in astonishment.
Shouldn't this woman be by Jun Wuchen’s side right now?
How could she be here?
Qin Youliang also appeared within Yan Qiuren’s line of sight, looking at her with equally surprised eyes.
“We’re doomed…”
“I told you not to act rashly, look at this mess now,” Qin Youliang scratched his head, his tone full of helplessness.
“How did you end up here?” Jun Youguang demanded, hands on his hips, sounding as if he were the one in charge.
Meanwhile, Duan Chen, having recovered his senses, quickly sent a message to Weilbenya.
“I…”
“You what? Since you’re here anyway, why not just tie her up and disable all those troublesome security measures!” Jun Youguang bellowed, attempting to grab Yan Qiuren by the neck.
“I think that’s a good idea,” Qin Youliang sighed.
Having resolved to come here, they had nothing left to lose and were not afraid of anything.
“I am Bai Se!”
“I don’t care if you’re black or white… Bai Se?” Jun Youguang suddenly found the name familiar.
“Oh my… isn’t that the kid from Ice City?”
Jun Youguang and Qin Youliang exchanged glances, seemingly pondering the truth of this statement.
Yan Qiuren stamped her foot. “I really am Bai Se!”
“Then what is your purpose for being here?” Qin Youliang asked tentatively.
“My purpose for being here is likely the same as yours, elders. In any case, we don’t have much time for pleasantries. My people are monitoring Jun Wuchen outside. We need to act fast.”
“Oh? How would you, a newcomer, know that Jun Wuchen’s basement has something suspicious going on?”
Duan Chen’s heart settled. It seemed these two elders only knew that Jun Wuchen’s basement was suspicious, but likely knew nothing about the specifics.
At this moment, Qin Nanyuan interjected.
“Uncle Liang, it’s Qin Nanyuan.”