area51novel Page 126
Page 126
Lü Liang was so terrified that his soul almost left his body!
His extreme instinct for danger overwhelmed everything. He let out a strange cry and almost tumbled backward as he violently launched himself backward, forcibly interrupting the Bright Soul Technique. The blue Qi light instantly dissipated.
He could even feel the chilling light as it brushed against his arm!
Xia He reacted quickly as well. The moment the cold light appeared, her pink and enchanting Qi suddenly erupted, swirling towards the cold light like countless entwined ribbons, attempting to block its attack.
However, that cold light was extremely sharp, easily tearing apart the seemingly viscous and flexible pink Qi, with its speed hardly affected at all!
The next moment, a figure appeared silently in front of Zhang Chulan, like a weightless ghost, blocking him from Lü Liang and Xia He.
She was still wearing that out-of-place delivery uniform, her face beneath the hat expressionless, her large, clear eyes staring blankly ahead.
But deep within her eyes emanated a pure, chilling killing intent. In her hand, the uniquely shaped dagger gleamed eerily in the dim light.
She spoke, her voice flat and emotionless, yet carrying a chilling undertone:
"Touch him, or I'll bury you."
There were no questions, no warnings, only the simplest and most direct declaration of action.
Before she finished speaking, she moved swiftly and launched her attack!
The blade flashed like spilled mercury, sharp, dense, and seemingly random, yet possessing an almost instinctive deadly precision, completely enveloping Lü Liang and Xia He!
Her attack style was ferocious and direct, completely disregarding her own defense. Every strike was aimed at vital points. Her life-for-life, suicidal fighting style instantly forced Lü Liang and Xia He into an extremely dangerous situation!
Lü Liang and Xia He's expressions changed drastically!
They had only briefly heard of this strange woman's power before, but when they faced her in person, they truly experienced the suffocating pressure and terror!
This is not a battle at all; it's more like facing a natural disaster!
The mission had completely failed. Faced with this terrifying opponent who was beyond the comprehension of common sense, the two instantly reached a consensus.
Almost simultaneously, Lü Liang and Xia He feinted an attack, risking being scratched by the blade's energy, and unleashed their inner Qi, their figures retreating rapidly like ghosts.
In a few flashes, it disappeared into the deeper darkness of the construction site, fleeing in panic and vanishing without a trace.
The abandoned construction site returned to its deathly silence, with only Zhang Chulan breathing heavily and Feng Baobao standing expressionless with her sword sheathed.
The cold light retracted into its sheath.
Chapter 146 First Steps into Nadu
The stench of blood and gunpowder from the abandoned construction site still seemed to linger in Zhang Chulan's nostrils, and his heart was still pounding wildly in his chest, each beat carrying the thrill of surviving a catastrophe and a deep sense of fear.
He slumped to the ground, panting heavily, looking at the girl who had just saved him like a divine intervention—Feng Baobao.
She had already sheathed her sword, her movements as natural as if she had just finished cleaning the kitchen.
Her face remained expressionless, her large, empty eyes staring over as if the thunderous, murderous attack from before had nothing to do with her.
“Bao…Sister Bao’er…”
Zhang Chulan's voice trembled uncontrollably:
"Who...who are they? What exactly is the Quanxing...and the Qi Source Stream? My grandfather...he..."
A barrage of questions choked him, leaving him so confused he was almost incoherent.
Everything that happened tonight completely overturned his understanding; the ordinary world he had carefully protected shattered completely at this moment.
Feng Baobao tilted her head, seemingly processing his question, and after a few seconds, she answered in her characteristic, flat, taut tone:
"Quanxing is a bad group."
She paused, then added, "If you want to know, come with me."
After saying that, she didn't wait for Zhang Chulan's response at all, turned around and left. Her steps were not fast, but they carried an undeniable determination.
Under the desolate moonlight, that thin figure appeared both frail and mysterious.
Zhang Chulan watched her retreating figure, then turned back to look at the desolate battlefield that seemed to still linger with terrifying energy. A tremendous chill ran up his spine.
Stay here? He dared not.
The strange girl in front of me, though frightening, at least... she just saved me.
Moreover, she seemed to know everything.
The hesitation lasted only a few seconds. The desire for the truth, and the fear of their own situation, ultimately overwhelmed everything else.
He gritted his teeth, got up from the ground, and staggered to catch up with Feng Baobao.
Feng Baobao didn't take a taxi or go to any bus stop; she simply wandered silently through the city's intricate alleys and outlying streets.
Zhang Chulan followed silently behind, his mind a complete mess, with countless questions and fragmented memories colliding wildly.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, Feng Baobao stopped at the entrance of an industrial park that looked extremely ordinary.
Several signs were hanging at the entrance, one of which, with white background and black lettering, read "Nadutong Express Co., Ltd. Lubei Branch".
Several trucks bearing the company logo were parked quietly in the yard, looking no different from any other busy logistics hub.
"This is it."
As she spoke, Feng Baobao walked straight inside.
Zhang Chulan forced himself to follow them inside, still muttering to himself:
A courier company? What kind of place is this?
However, when he followed Feng Baobao across the unloading platform, around several rows of shelves, and through a heavy metal door that required card swiping and fingerprint verification, the sight before him made him hold his breath instantly.
Behind the door was not the warehouse I had imagined!
This is an extremely spacious, brightly lit space filled with a futuristic technological feel.
On the huge circular screen wall, countless surveillance images switch in real time, showing the dynamics of various corners of the city and even more distant areas.
The staff, dressed in uniform, were in a hurry, but the faint, varying degrees of Qi fluctuations emanating from them clearly told Zhang Chulan that these people were no ordinary deliverymen.
In the distance, you can even see a dedicated training area where people are practicing together, their Qi colliding and producing a dull sound.
There were sophisticated instruments testing something, emitting a low buzzing sound.
Where is the courier company here?
It is clearly a highly organized and well-equipped base for superhuman operations!
Feng Baobao ignored all of this and led Zhang Chulan directly to the door of an office marked "Manager's Office." Without knocking, she pushed the door open and entered.
The office wasn't large, and the furnishings were simple.
A desk, a few chairs, a huge city map on the wall, and a banner that reads "Serving the whole society, delivering happiness and peace."
Behind the table sat a man who looked to be in his fifties, with a kind face but sharp eyes.
Two young men were standing nearby; one wore glasses and had a refined demeanor, while the other had a cigarette in his mouth and a slightly unruly air.
Upon seeing Feng Baobao bring Zhang Chulan in, all three of them immediately focused their attention on him.
Xu Xiang looked at Zhang Chulan, whose face was pale and whose eyes were filled with confusion, fear, and the last bit of stubbornness, and sighed softly. He pointed to the chair in front of the table and said, "Chulan, you're here? Have a seat."
Zhang Chulan hesitated for a moment, but still sat down as instructed, his hands nervously gripping his knees.
"Chu Lan..."
Xu Xiang spoke slowly, his voice carrying a gentle warmth born of experience:
"Now that things have come to this, there are some things you should know. I've kept it from you for so many years, and it must have been tough on you."
Zhang Chulan's heart jumped.
“Your grandfather,” Xu Xiang said, looking into his eyes and enunciating each word clearly, “wasn’t named Zhang Xilin. His name was Zhang Huaiyi, and he was a disciple of Longhu Mountain.”
"what?!"
Zhang Chulan was struck dumb, leaping up from his chair with wide, staring wide-eyed. "This...this is impossible! My grandfather..."
Xu Xiang gestured for him to calm down:
"Sit down and let me finish."
After Zhang Chulan sat down again, but his body remained tense like a fully drawn bow, he continued:
"Your grandfather did leave you something."
That thing was extremely precious, so precious that… it could even be said to be the ultimate treasure coveted by all extraordinary individuals in the world, regardless of whether they were righteous or evil.
"What is it? Where is it?"
Zhang Chulan pressed on urgently, his voice trembling.
He vaguely sensed that this might be the root of all the chaos.
Xu Xiang slowly shook his head: "I can't give it to you now."
Zhang Chulan was stunned, then a surge of anger at being mocked welled up inside him: "Why?!"
"Precisely because it was left to you by your grandfather, we cannot give it to you now!"
Xu Xiang's tone became more forceful, carrying an undeniable determination, "Your grandfather entrusted it to us for safekeeping with only one condition—"
It must not be entrusted to you until you have sufficient strength to protect it, and to protect yourself!
He stared intently at Zhang Chulan:
"You have no idea what that thing means!"
It brings not power, but endless pursuit and disaster!
The Quanxing you encountered tonight is just the tip of the iceberg!
Giving it to you now is not helping you, it's harming you!
I'll make sure you die a horrible death!
Tonight's events are the most direct proof!
The young man wearing glasses next to him, Xu San, adjusted his glasses and interjected:
"The ones hunting you down are the Quanxing."
A heretical organization of extraordinary individuals with a history spanning thousands of years, whose members are unrestrained and commit all sorts of evil deeds, believing in "preserving one's true nature and not being burdened by material possessions," but in reality, they are just a group of lawless madmen.