Jiang Yunhan nodded. "It's a mixed bag. I'm not sure what their intentions are... I was happy when they joined. If only they were truly loyal..."
Chen Xiao waved it off casually. "Time bombs don't get to stay. Don't worry — I'll handle it. Since they came for me, I'll just wait for them."
That was absolute confidence, born of absolute strength.
In the apocalypse, Chen Xiao feared no scheme. The only thing he worried about was whether they would be bold enough to come at all. But anyone daring enough to infiltrate his base must have a serious objective. His return that day would surely reach their ears.
After the hot pot, Chen Xiao said goodbye to the brothers and led the women up to the seventh floor of Jianghe Building.
He arranged a room for A Yao next to Tang Shirou's. Unlike the cold and distant Bee Woman, A Yao's easygoing personality meant she would quickly grow close to Tang Shirou and Jiang Chuxue. If anything happened, it would also be easier for them to look after one another.
After that, Chen Xiao went to Jiang Chuxue's room and unlocked the door with a key from the Mountain and River Map.
The moment he stepped in, a figure threw herself into his arms.
Jiang Chuxue was wearing a white nightgown, her long legs and delicate figure strikingly alluring.
"I missed you so much. Why didn't you come back sooner?" she murmured, pressing her forehead against his. Her eyes were full of longing.
Chen Xiao smiled warmly. "I'll take you all on a trip in a few days to make it up to you."
"A trip? In the apocalypse?" Jiang Chuxue blinked.
Chen Xiao chuckled. "Of course. We're going to Cangzhou for the Extreme Dao Grand Selection. It should be fun — the biggest event in the Three Rivers Basin since the apocalypse."
Late that night, at the Jianghe Granary, three figures moved swiftly through the darkness and approached Jianghe Building.
The buzzcut young man in a jacket frowned. "Huang Yiyi, the Mad Ghost Butcher is almost certainly in that building. But it's already so late... won't he think we're being rude?"
The woman in the black embroidered dress scoffed. "Xu Zijun, do you think it would be polite to go looking for him in broad daylight?"
The man in the black robe nodded. "As a ghost, he should be met in the dark. Don't forget the mission."
Xu Zijun was speechless. "Wang Shuo, are you insane? Everyone knows he kills without mercy. If he really slaughters us in the dark, who are we supposed to complain to?"
Wang Shuo sneered. "Coward. Yiyi, use your talent. The patrol awakeners are already heading back."
Huang Yiyi looked puzzled. "Use my talent? For what?"
Wang Shuo said impatiently, "To charm him, of course. Get information out of him. With his strength, he must know all kinds of apocalypse secrets!"
Huang Yiyi hesitated. "What if it fails? He's a major figure. This won't be easy."
Wang Shuo sighed. "Just try. If it doesn't work, we'll reveal our organization. We're not here to kill him — he won't mind."
As the mission leader, Huang Yiyi had no choice but to comply.
She let out a sigh, clasped her hands together, and closed her eyes.
A faint halo rippled from her forehead and spread outward, silently enveloping the entire Jianghe Building in a soft glow.
In an instant, Chen Xiao jolted awake in bed.
"Finally here."
He activated Dragon's Breath and vanished at once, leaving Jiang Chuxue sleeping peacefully behind him.
Wang Shuo grew impatient. "How much longer?"
Huang Yiyi was flustered. "Stop rushing! You know this talent takes time!"
As an Ankang Fish awakener with dual talents, Huang Yiyi possessed an SSS-level reconnaissance talent and the A-rank Light Charm. Anyone caught within her halo for five minutes would lose consciousness and become a mind-controlled puppet, obeying her commands without pain on waking.
Then, suddenly, crisis struck.
"We've been discovered! He's coming!""Be careful — he's absurdly strong!"
Huang Yiyi screamed, eyes wide in alarm.
"Damn it! I told you to speak to him nicely, but you had to mess around!" Xu Zijun cursed under his breath while pushing all his magic power to its limit.
Wang Shuo frowned in disbelief. "Why is the Mad Ghost Butcher awake this late?"
He turned to Huang Yiyi. "Absurdly strong? Is he really—"
Buzz.
Before he could finish, Wang Shuo's face went pale as he was lifted into the air, crushed by a gigantic hand made of water.