Chapter 415 - 377: Reinforcements and Helpers (Part 2)

Chapter 415: Chapter 377: Reinforcements and Helpers (Part 2)

"I’m not sure either. Maybe the only way to know is to find a Parasite and test it on them."

Shi Jingyi’s eyes dimmed at the mention of Parasites.

Guan Tong knew she was thinking about the incident with the academy students, so he tried to comfort her. "Don’t dwell on it. It’s not something you can change."

"Yeah. Guan Tong, tell me what you’ve been up to during your time in Sisiya. I’m actually pretty curious."

"Curious?"

"Yeah. Unlike your rich and colorful life, my days are pretty much a straight line between the academy and my dorm. Heh."

Despite her words, there wasn’t a hint of frustration or resentment in Shi Jingyi’s voice. It was clear she didn’t mind a life others might find monotonous.

In fact, Guan Tong felt the same way. He often found himself missing his old life on Mingdao Mountain. It had been monotonous, but peaceful.

"Rich and colorful... I guess you could call it that."

Guan Tong told her what had happened since he and Shangyuan Zi arrived in Sisiya, but he left out the question he’d asked the Nanomites Swarm.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Shi Jingyi—in fact, she was the person he trusted most at this point.

The reason he didn’t tell her was that he felt the unknown secret must be incredibly important, and dangerous. Until he had more definitive clues, it was best not to let those around him know and risk getting them involved.

By the time they had walked from the garden entrance deep into its grounds, Guan Tong had finished his story.

"It certainly has been eventful," Shi Jingyi said. "So, once you’ve helped Yelena secure her position, you’re planning to work with the Strategy Research Room and go to Fahe Country to take on the Fire Worship Cult’s leadership?"

"I’m not certain yet, but that’s my intention. The Fire Worship Cult is a threat to the safety of all humanity. It’s crucial we get rid of that cancer as soon as possible."

Shi Jingyi nodded. "Those cultists have gotten more radical over time. I remember just over a year ago, they were only gathering to praise the Fire Thief and compiling the Apocalypse Rules into a book they treated as their ’Bible’... I never expected they’d go so far as to collude with Parasites."

"That’s how cults are. They’re like a car flooring it downhill—they just get more and more radical, accelerating until they destroy themselves."

After he spoke, Guan Tong glanced at the "1" point above Shi Jingyi’s head. It was just as he had predicted.

"Speaking of which, Rule North Star has completely banned private duels among competitors this time. Did the academy students have any reaction?"

Guan Tong remembered from his time as a substitute teacher that the students paid close attention to social trends and policies. And since they were stronger than most ordinary people, some of them had an elitist mindset.

Take the murder case at Cangying Ridge, for example. Many students thought the defendant, Shen Yun, was innocent. When the verdict came down, they protested publicly, causing quite a stir.

"A lot of students are definitely talking about it," Shi Jingyi said. "Opinion is split, I’d say. Some students think it’s fair to everyone, while others feel it will only reduce the competitiveness of our country’s strongest individuals."

"What about you? Do you support it?"

"Me?" Shi Jingyi thought for a moment, then nodded. "I support it. The academy is a place for learning and teaching. It needs a relaxed atmosphere, not the constant mental strain of having to be on guard against others. Being under constant stress is terrible for learning."

Guan Tong couldn’t agree more.

It’s true that you can’t really learn anything when you’re always tense. Even if you force yourself, it’s just inefficient cramming without any real understanding.

The two of them talked and walked, and before they knew it, an hour or two had passed.

...

The next day, just as a sliver of pearly light appeared on the horizon and most people were still deep in sleep, a crisis quietly began to unfold.

An assault team of over a hundred loyal elite agents, led by Valery, sped in several vehicles toward Yelena’s estate.

In the car with him, besides a few of the security bureau’s most capable agents, was the reinforcement he had hired.

The man sat in the very back, his arms crossed over his chest. Even as the vehicle swerved and swayed, he remained as still as a statue, a testament to his extraordinary physical control.

"Listen up, everyone."

Valery issued orders to the agents in the other vehicles via his communicator.

"We need to make this quick. Other than Yelena Konia, eliminate everyone on the estate."

"Also, Yelena Konia is a capable fighter herself. Be extremely careful if you run into her!"

As director of the security bureau, Valery knew more than most about the past rivalry between Rijeka and Yelena. He knew that Yelena had survived a seemingly hopeless situation that day not just because of Sikokun’s protection, but because her own formidable combat prowess was a crucial factor.

If she had been even a little weaker, Rijeka’s people would have captured her, and things would never have reached this point.

After giving his agents their orders, Valery glanced in the rearview mirror at the reinforcement he had paid a fortune to hire.

"I’m leaving ’Shadow’ to you. I’m not asking you to kill him, but you must at least keep him occupied so he can’t get to Yelena."

The moment he said that, the man in the back seat scoffed. "Not kill him, just keep him occupied? Are you underestimating me?"

The icy tone sent an involuntary shiver down Valery’s spine.

The mere thought of the man’s ruthless methods and utter disregard for rules made sharing a car with him a nerve-wracking experience. But to deal with a formidable enemy like "Shadow," Valery had no other choice.

"I don’t mean to underestimate you. It’s just... he is ’Shadow’, after all. Many people consider him the world’s number one Ascender, and he does have an impressive track record."

"So what if he’s ’Shadow’? I came here to kill him. Do you really think I’m just here for your money?"

"..."

’If not for my money, why would you have taken the job?’ Valery thought.

Of course, he didn’t dare say that out loud. With this man’s volatile temper, he suspected he’d be the one getting killed.

"Director," Valery’s adjutant called over the comms from another vehicle, "are we not doing anything about Sikokun?"

"Once we have Yelena Konia, what can Sikokun possibly do? Besides, she’s responsible for maintaining order at the competition grounds right now. If we make a move on her there and chaos breaks out, the situation will become unmanageable."

It wasn’t that Valery hadn’t considered focusing his forces on taking out Sikokun, Yelena’s key supporter, first. But there were simply too many competitors at the factory right now.

If he sent his people over and a fight broke out, the competitors at the scene would panic. Some might join the brawl, others would be taking photos and recording videos... There was no telling what would happen. It could trigger a chain reaction that would plunge the entire country of Sisiya into chaos.

His goal was to neutralize the uncooperative Yelena and seize complete control of the country, not to throw it into turmoil—there was nothing in that for him.

"Yes, sir. Understood," the adjutant replied.

"Aren’t we there yet?" the man in the back asked, his voice full of impatience. "I’m going on ahead."

"No!" Though terrified of the man, Valery forced himself to be firm for the sake of the plan. "Don’t forget that I hired you, so you should honor our agreement. Besides, we’ll be there in two or three minutes. Just be patient for a little longer!"

The words had barely left Valery’s mouth when he felt an icy sensation on the back of his neck.

Something sharp was pressed against his skin.

"You dare use a commanding tone with me? Do you have a death wish?"

"Director?!"

"You!"

The other agents in the car were stunned. They started to move, but Valery stopped them with a raised hand.

He said calmly, "There’s no need to kill me over a single sentence you didn’t like. Besides, if you kill me, you won’t get the rest of your payment."

"...Hmph."

The sharp pressure on his neck vanished. Just as Valery breathed a sigh of relief, he heard a deafening CRUNCH!

He whipped his head around to see a gaping hole torn in the roof above the back seat. The man who had been sitting there was gone—he was now flying in the sky!

"You!" Valery was utterly enraged by the man’s actions. "Lucifer!!!"

The reinforcement he had paid a fortune for was none other than the globally infamous Lucifer. Upon hearing that his target was "Shadow," Lucifer had immediately accepted the job and rushed over, clearly nursing a personal grudge.

Having torn through the car roof with his wings, Lucifer now hovered high in the air. He glanced toward the estate, then with a powerful beat of his wings, shot off into the distance.

His face was twisted in a manic grin, and he seemed unable to wait. "’Shadow,’ he roared, ’this time, I’m going to repay the humiliation you dealt me in full...!’"