Translator: CinderTL
Whoosh!!
The aircraft of Jade Biotechnology soared through the sky, and Chen Feng paused for a few moments at the cabin door.
"Hmm?"
Noticing something unusual, Meng Anran, who was beside him, frowned slightly and looked out through his sunglasses.
"What's wrong?"
Chen Feng didn't answer, his eyes flickering as he pondered deeply.
He had never had any conflicts with Jade Biotechnology.
But it was impossible for someone to harbor malice toward him for no reason, even if it was just a faint trace.
Suddenly, he thought of Lin Hao.
"Who was that person just now?"
"Xu Heng."
Meng Anran's tone was calm as he retracted his gaze and said, "He's the son of a major shareholder at Jade Biotechnology and also knows Xiao Lin."
As they spoke, the two of them walked into the cabin together.
The aircraft ascended into the sky, and Chen Feng's heart was filled with confusion.
Knows him?
"It seems Xiao Lin has been keeping quite a lot from you, hasn't he?"
With a faint smile, Meng Anran seemed to have guessed Chen Feng's confusion.
"Xu Heng's father was originally Xiao Lin's father's deputy. The reason he became a shareholder was because of one thing."
Their eyes met, and her tone grew slightly colder.
"They took something that belonged to Xiao Lin."
As soon as these words were spoken, Chen Feng's gaze sharpened.
Recalling Lin Hao's situation in Nanjiang, he began to piece together some key points, and a coldness crept into his heart.
Whoosh!!
In an instant, several aircraft sped through the sky, passing through the Star Ring of Cloud Dream Forest and arriving at the inner city of Yun Port.
The group didn't delay, quickly passing through the skybridge and reaching the high-walled passage.
After the military inspection was completed and the handover was done, they immediately left the inner city and headed straight for Black Crystal Group.
Whoosh!!
The sound of the wind was blocked by the fiberglass, and the world outside the window was a clear, azure blue.
Chen Feng sat in a separate flying car, picked up his phone, and glanced at it. The signal had returned, and several messages appeared.
There were messages from Chen Yun, Lin Hao, and his master.
He didn't rush to open them, instead checking the time.
"Just as I thought."
His brows relaxed, and some of his confusion dissipated.
The normal flow of time corresponded one-to-one with that in Cloud Dream Forest. Only two days had passed.
This was completely different from his second dream experience.
"It seems the ancient civilization ruins are not the same as the secret realm from my second dream."
With this thought, Chen Feng finally opened his phone and read the messages.
[Chen Yun: It's almost New Year, so I should be able to take a few days off and return to Nanjiang. Smile.jpg.]
She had sent a few photos of cityscapes that didn't belong to Yun Port, seemingly feeling a bit homesick.
Chen Feng was also struck by the realization that the year was coming to an end.
Earth had only one Earth calendar, and no matter which country it was, the last day of the year was always celebrated.
"Wait for me to come back."
Chen Feng replied to the message, then looked at the other messages.
[Lin Hao: Come back safely.]
[Master: Send me a message when you get out, my good disciple.]
With a helpless smile, Chen Feng quickly sent messages to both of them, letting them know he was safe.
"Damn, I knew you'd be fine!"
"Did you make a big splash again?"
Lin Hao's laughter on the other end of the phone was filled with relief.
Chen Feng smiled and responded, deliberately adding, "I ran into Jade Biotechnology in the ruins."
As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere on the other end grew quiet.
The flying car continued toward the Black Crystal Group's branch in the outer city. Chen Feng's expression was calm as he waited for Lin Hao's response.
After a few seconds, a somewhat resigned voice finally spoke again.
"So you already know?"
"Yeah, I know a bit."
Chen Feng nodded, hearing Lin Hao sigh on the other end.
"It's all in the past now. It's nothing."
"Is that so?" Chen Feng looked out at the clouds through the window, gazing down at the towering buildings of Yun Port.
"I just wanted to tell you that I owe you quite a few favors."
"If you've made up your mind, you can tell me anytime."
As soon as these words were spoken, the breathing on the other end of the phone paused.
Both of them remained silent, maintaining an unspoken understanding, until finally, Master Li Tong, who had learned of Chen Feng's return from Cao Tong, urgently called and interrupted the conversation.
---
"That guy..."
At the top of Tian Hao Security's building in Nanjiang.
Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a glow on the young man's back as he hung up the call. Leaning on the mahogany desk, his expression was complex and hard to decipher.
How could he not understand what the other person meant? But...
"Young Master?"
Standing in front of the desk, Liu Bo, who had overheard the conversation, hesitated to bring up the matter of Luo Hui.
"Regarding your father's affairs, you just need to make a decision."
"Haven't we been preparing for this all along?"
He smiled kindly, his gray hair neatly combed to the side, wearing a black wool coat that made him look even more gentlemanly.
Hearing this, Lin Hao's expression shifted, and he finally let out a deep breath.
Some things needed to be settled, and justice needed to be served.
So...
"I understand, Liu Bo."
"Please help me contact those people."
---
"Yes, he's already safely out."
The flying car slowly descended, and Chen Feng stepped out of the cabin with his phone in hand, arriving once again at the hotel under Black Crystal Group.
Cao Tong was beside him, carrying a suitcase and opening the car door for him.
"It's good that you're out. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to sleep well tonight."
Li Tong chuckled on the other end of the phone, seemingly aware of the rules of the ancient civilization ruins and not asking about what had happened inside.
After a brief chat, he suddenly changed the topic and asked, "When do you plan to come back?"
"Oh?"
"Old Chu wants to meet with you. He says it's something important related to the city's United Coalition."
As if worried that Chen Feng might overthink it, Li Tong lowered his voice and said, "I did some digging. Because of the investment and business promotion in Nanjiang, the city is upgrading, and the United Coalition has been granted special approval to add five more councilor positions."
"This is something you should take seriously."
Hearing this, Chen Feng's gaze sharpened.
Councilor positions?
Did that mean...
"I understand."
He nodded, already forming some ideas in his mind.
Councilors were a special group protected by the government, with legislative authority in their respective cities. Their status was extremely high, and their influence was significant.
Especially when it came to resource acquisition, they would undoubtedly have an easier time than ordinary people.
And most importantly, Chen Feng thought that with such a status, the matter of the Blue Demon could be officially endorsed, and no one would be able to pursue it further.
With this thought, the aircraft and flying car landed nearby, and Zhou Wuren and the others appeared one after another.
"Seniors, I would like to take my master and leave first."
The middle-aged man from the Lion Heart Sect clasped his fists and spoke, his posture humble.
Although he had regained his composure, his tone still carried a hint of sorrow.
Chen Feng and the others glanced at a separate aircraft where Xie Xiao's body was carefully placed, covered with a white cloth.
"Alright."
He nodded without saying much, only indicating that he would attend the funeral to pay his respects.
Zhou Wuren beside him also nodded, expressing similar sentiments.
Although they weren't particularly close to Xie Xiao, they had shared a life-and-death experience, and as fellow grandmasters who protected their sects, they were somewhat moved.
"Thank you, Seniors!"
The middle-aged man bowed in gratitude, knowing that they were willing to lend their support to the Lion Heart Sect.
Without lingering further, he was given a few more instructions by Zhao Meng and then boarded the aircraft to leave first.
"Ah, Old Xie, what a pity."
Zhou Wuren sighed as he watched the aircraft depart, then turned to look at Chen Feng.
"Grandmaster Chen, I must also take my leave."
"Thanks to your help during this trip to the ancient civilization ruins, I, Old Zhou, owe you a favor. If there's anything you need in the future, just let me know."
His tone was sincere, and Chen Feng nodded calmly, exchanging contact information.
In an instant, the flying car sped away.
Of the three martial arts grandmasters, only Chen Feng remained.
"When are we leaving?" Cao Tong asked.
"Let's wait two more days."
Chen Feng shook his head calmly, glancing at the towering buildings of the outer city.
The blue logo of Skyway Shipping was visible in the distance. He didn't mind staying a couple more days.
---
Two days later.
Boom!!!
A dazzling pillar of fire shot into the sky, engulfing everything within a radius of several dozen meters.
Several cars were sent flying, charred and blackened.
The lampposts were shattered, and the virtual projection devices in the air were also hit, causing the images to blur and disappear.
Shards of broken glass rained down, and the surrounding pedestrians screamed and crouched down. Some were even caught in the explosion, instantly reduced to ashes.
Seeing this, the several Red Guards who had arrived in the air looked grim, and one of them cursed loudly.
"He self-destructed!"
"Damn it!"
Following their gaze, at the center of the explosion.
A deep crater had formed, with dark titanium debris scattered around.
A circular pattern, like blood, had solidified in the area. The scene spread quickly, and within the Yun Port United Coalition, someone shook their head, filled with anger and regret.
"We were so close, but he managed to escape the blockade."
"I suspect someone leaked the information. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so decisive and self-destructed in advance."
"Who was it?!"
Amid the angry shouts, the virtual projection of the deputy council speaker remained expressionless.
He merely glanced at the empty seat of the council speaker in the center, then shifted his gaze to meet Red General Wu's eyes.
In that exchange of glances, the latter understood the unspoken message.
Soon, after the meeting ended, Red General Wu returned to his aircraft, shutting off all other communication and monitoring devices, waiting for the virtual figure to appear.
Buzz!
In an instant, a man in a dark suit, expressionless and with his hands resting on a table, appeared before him.
Though it was just a projection, the aura of authority emanating from him was palpable.
"Have you figured it out?"
"It wasn't Onit."
Red General Wu stood at attention, speaking seriously. "He and that person are quite different. Their augmentation modules aren't the same."
"As for whether he might have switched modules during this time, I think it's highly unlikely. The cost would be too great, and it doesn't align with his usual methods."
"Then was it someone else from Utopia?"
"No."
Red General Wu shook his head and replied honestly, "That person doesn't belong to Utopia. Onit seems to be searching for him too, believing he's been framed and wanting to settle the score."
As soon as these words were spoken, the virtual figure frowned slightly. His hands, which had been resting on the table, now tapped it lightly.
The atmosphere grew silent for a few seconds, with only the rhythmic tapping of fingers breaking the stillness.
"Then who do you think it is?" Luo Wantao suddenly asked.
"I can't be sure yet. This person appeared and disappeared too strangely. The level of his cloaking device must be extremely high, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to evade Sky Eye's detection."
"Additionally, he must have had a team supporting him from behind the scenes. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to leave so easily. I believe he's familiar with the underground routes. I've already sent people to trace his escape path and look for signs of hidden passages. I'm also screening all the surveillance footage in the city..."
"Good."
Luo Wantao nodded, his frown easing slightly. "I'm giving you the highest authority on this matter. By the end of the month, I want an answer."
"Understood." Red General Wu nodded, and then he saw Luo Wantao lean forward again.
"You handled the Onit situation well. Our commander-in-chief must be quite displeased right now."
"Heh..."
In the midst of the cold laughter, Red General Wu lowered his head slightly, not daring to say more.
At the same time.
Inside the Black Crystal Group hotel, Chen Feng stood by the window, frowning as he watched the distant explosion.
Who was behind this commotion?
He had planned to lie low and wait for Zhong Yan these past two days, but now with such a big disturbance, how could he make his move?
Buzz!
Soon, his phone vibrated, and he checked the message.
Meng Anran had sent him a text.
"The timing isn't right. Let's wait a bit longer."
"That bitch is quite good at hiding. She probably guessed I was planning to deal with her and deliberately didn't return."
Meng Anran explained a bit, saying that she had sent people to investigate and found that Zhong Yan was still inside the inner city's high walls, in the garrison area near the Star Ring.
That area was heavily guarded by the military, with strict entry and exit controls. No one dared to act recklessly there, as it was easy to be tracked and identified.
Chen Feng shook his head, feeling a bit disappointed.
But he didn't dwell on it too much. He then asked about the situation just now.
"It was Onit from Utopia. He self-destructed, and the Red Guards failed their mission."
"Rumors say someone leaked the information, letting him know there was no escape. So he chose to self-destruct, returning to the Deep Sea to avoid having his consciousness sealed."
"I heard Council Speaker Li is currently investigating the matter. Anyway, our luck isn't great. We'll have to postpone our plans."
After reading the messages, Chen Feng frowned slightly, feeling the cycle of cause and effect.
He had framed Onit to resolve the Luo Hui situation.
But Onit's sudden self-destruction had also ruined his original plan.
"Alright."
He replied to the message and didn't discuss it further with Meng Anran.
Glancing at his phone, he saw that Master Li Tong had sent him another message yesterday.
Chu Shihong wanted to meet with him in the next two days.
Having already made him wait for two days, Chen Feng knew it wasn't appropriate to delay any longer.
As for the grudges here, he could wait for Meng Anran's notification and deal with them later.
With that thought, he made up his mind.
Chen Feng replied to Master Li Tong with a specific time, then put down his phone and looked at another item in the room.
A cylindrical glass vial, about twenty centimeters long.
Inside was a green liquid that radiated a vibrant, life-filled energy.
Advanced Life Elixir.
An item he had obtained from Meng Anran in exchange for the super-ancient creature serum.
Back when Li Tong was unconscious and severely injured, it was Chu Shihong who had called in favors to bring this elixir, which had repaired all of Li Tong's injuries.
Its effects were undeniably powerful, and its price was exorbitant. On the market, it would cost at least eight million Red Nation currency, and even then, it was nearly impossible to obtain.
Rumors said its core ingredients came from an ancient civilization ruin. Due to government restrictions, even the largest corporations had limited access to it.
Without hesitation, Chen Feng unscrewed the cylindrical vial.
He poured the Life Elixir into his mouth.
All the nutrients transformed into the most fundamental essence, which was absorbed by his body. The flame of his Life Seed grew stronger and stronger.
In an instant, a panel appeared, showing his progress.
[Life Seed Awakening Method: Third Stage (5% → 6% → 7%)]
(End of the Chapter)
---
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