"Are you sure the intelligence is correct?!"

Rong Zhenyu looked at the young clerk, asking for confirmation, his voice laced with disbelief.

"There’s absolutely no mistake. I’ve double-checked it. Besides, the entire Giant Spirit Army in Guangdong Prefecture has been mobilized. They’re searching everywhere for Zhao Qi. You only need to ask around a little to find out. It’s impossible for this to be wrong."

The young clerk nodded with absolute certainty. When he first received the report, he’d also thought it was a mistake and had made a point to double-check it.

After all, the intel was simply too incredible to believe.

Hearing the young clerk’s words, Rong Zhenyu and Sun Yunyong exchanged a look, the disbelief on their faces growing even stronger.

"Shan, you can leave us for now."

Rong Zhenyu took a deep breath and said to the young clerk.

The clerk nodded and left the room. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Inside the room, Rong Zhenyu and Sun Yunyong looked at each other, neither speaking for a long time.

"Five of the Ten Heroes... two dead, three injured. And that’s not even the scariest part. The scariest part is that Zhao Qi captured both Zhou Lie and Melissa. This means they both must have fought him, but they still suffered a crushing defeat."

"Zhou Lie may be young, but he’s already reached the realm of Qi Circulation Throughout the Body and has achieved Breaking Extreme in multiple areas. He’s considered one of the top practitioners in the entire Divine Land, even among all Cross-Training experts. And on top of that, he had support from Melissa’s Illusion Fist. I simply can’t imagine how Zhao Qi could have possibly won—let alone won so decisively."

"I can’t see through him, I just can’t. This goes beyond what ’exceptional potential’ can explain. He said he has the ambition to become a Divine General... Perhaps there’s truly a glimmer of hope?"

Sun Yunyong said in a low voice. He asked himself, ’If it were me, could I have accomplished something like this?’

"Regardless, this is a good thing. Zhao Qi escaped, he wasn’t captured, and he’s holding two key figures. That’s very important for us. Our top priority is to make contact with him. Otherwise, with the Giant Spirit Army searching the entire city, I’m afraid he won’t be able to stay hidden for long,"

Sun Yunyong continued.

"The Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall doesn’t have extensive connections in Guangdong. Now that Weng Xiaolin has been captured, none of his public connections can be used. We, on the other hand, will become the only force he can rely on. He’ll surely find a way to contact us."

"The Guanghai South Road location is too exposed; it will be hard for him to get close. We must activate our other intel posts. Fortunately, we already arranged a code in our previous letters. I’ll go make the arrangements right now."

Rong Zhenyu nodded. Just as he was about to leave the room, the sound of even more hurried footsteps came from outside again.

BANG!!

This time, without even knocking, the young clerk burst into the room, looking winded. He said to the two men, "He’s... he’s here!!"

"Who’s here?"

Rong Zhenyu and Sun Yunyong looked completely baffled.

"Zhao Qi! Zhao Qi came to us! He gave the correct code, and I’ve already arranged for him to wait in a hidden side hall."

The young clerk said, catching his breath.

"What?"

Rong Zhenyu and Sun Yunyong both shot up from their seats.

...

...

Rong Zhenyu and Sun Yunyong hurried to the side hall, where they saw a man dressed as a farmer, a bamboo hat on his head. He was sitting in the hall, sipping tea. Beside him stood two large bamboo baskets, each half a man’s height.

"Are the ones in charge here?"

Seeing the two men enter, Zhao Xuanqi slowly set down his teacup, removed his bamboo hat, and rose to his feet.

"Zhao Qi, we just got the news. We were just about to figure out how to contact you, and here you are."

Rong Zhenyu said, taking a deep breath.

"If I want to leave, the Giant Spirit Army can’t keep me here."

Zhao Xuanqi said calmly.

"However, I have other business to attend to and need your help. When this is over, I’ll owe you a favor."

He then bent down, opened the lids of the two large bamboo baskets beside him, and hauled out two people, tossing them onto the floor.

The two were covered in blood, their faces were twisted and deformed, and their limbs were bent at unnatural angles. The horrifying sight of their injuries made Rong Zhenyu’s skin crawl. With wounds like those, anyone but a powerful Martial Artist would have already been dead.

"This is..."

Although he had already guessed their identities, Rong Zhenyu couldn’t help but ask Zhao Xuanqi. After all, their faces were currently an unrecognizable mess.

"The True Inheritance of the Giant Spirit Sect, Zhou Lie. And the daughter of the Jili Empire’s Director-General, Melissa. These two should carry some weight, I imagine."

Zhao Xuanqi said.

Looking at the state of the two captives, Rong Zhenyu and Sun Yunyong understood just how brutal the battle must have been. It also made them realize just how significant it was that Zhao Xuanqi was standing before them, completely unscathed.

"We understand what you mean. The moment we got the news, we sent an urgent wire to our comrades in Celestial Sea. First, to have them notify Liu Changfeng at the Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall to prepare for what’s coming. Second, to immediately move Zhao Qin to a secure location. The operation should already be underway. We expect to hear back soon."

"Furthermore, our intelligence network in Yuehai is now fully active, trying to determine Hall Master Weng’s current situation. These two are indeed very useful, especially Melissa. The relationship between the Jili Empire and the Giant Spirit Army is delicate right now. Having her gives us plenty of room to maneuver."

Rong Zhenyu told Zhao Xuanqi.

"Also, my master’s daughter, Weng Qiuman, is at Guangdong University. I need your help protecting her, too."

Zhao Xuanqi added.

"We’ve already thought of that. Weng Qiuman is a progressive student. Our comrades at Guangdong University found a way to notify her immediately."

Rong Zhenyu nodded.

Hearing Rong Zhenyu’s arrangements, Zhao Xuanqi’s expression finally softened and relaxed. His gaze toward Rong Zhenyu and Sun Yunyong grew much gentler.

’If he were on his own, it would have been absolutely impossible to get back to Celestial Sea. The people of the Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall and Zhao Qin would have been in grave danger.’

’Rong Zhenyu was, after all, an influential figure throughout Yuehai. His arrangements were thorough and sound. This time, he truly owed the National Salvation Association a favor.’

"This fabric store is too exposed. We could be subject to a massive search at any moment. We should move to a nearby safe house, lay low, and wait for more concrete news,"

Sun Yunyong suggested.

The group wasted no time, immediately beginning to move Zhou Lie and Melissa to a new location.

...

...

「Seven in the evening.」

Celestial Sea Prefecture, 22 Haitian Road.

Night had fallen. Zhao Qin had finished her classes at the women’s academy for the day and returned to her small Western-style house, where she was now cooking dinner for herself as usual.

Suddenly, however, she heard a chaotic clamor from outside the house. The noise ended abruptly, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps rushing into the courtyard.

She froze in the middle of her cooking, her heart lurching in shock. After the last attack on Zhao Xuanqi, she had become extremely jumpy.

Soon, two figures burst into the room, and Zhao Qin was finally able to see who they were.

"Mr. Li, what are you doing here?"

Zhao Qin stared in surprise at Li Wenwei and the towering He.

"There’s no time to explain. You need to come with us right now, or you’ll be in danger."

Li Wenwei said to Zhao Qin in a low, serious voice. He had come in person precisely so that Zhao Qin would trust them enough to leave with them.

Clearly, he held a great deal of authority in Zhao Qin’s eyes; the moment she saw him, her guard had already dropped.

"This..."

Hearing this, Zhao Qin froze in place.

However, a series of shouts erupted from outside, followed by a torrent of chaotic footsteps. "Quick! Quick! Surround it! Don’t let anyone get away!"

The color instantly drained from Li Wenwei’s and He’s faces.