Volume 1, Chapter 42: Two Million for a Single Shot

"Whew..."
As soon as the video call ended, the room was filled with the sound of people exhaling in relief. Just moments before, everyone had held their breath and remained perfectly still, watching quietly for fear that any noise might be heard on the other end.

"Did it work?" Ah Hai asked me as he took off his headset. Since our employees usually communicated via text and never used voice or video calls, Ah Hai—our most experienced handler—had been the one to handle the video portion to ensure the three-million-dollar deal went through without a hitch. He hadn't dared to leave the task to anyone else.

Recalling the look on the client's face, I hesitated before saying, "Judging by his reaction, I think his suspicions have been cleared." Brother Hu nodded in agreement.

Cui Guan added a reminder: "According to the reports, it seems some scholars from the Qin family threatened to take the life of Fang Chen, which provoked public outrage. Speaking of this wouldn't benefit her, because since she was delivered by Wu Zhi, if she were to reveal his actions, the authorities might not believe he did it intentionally, given he was acting in an official capacity."

Deep in the dark, massive shaft, fire flickered, casting bright jets of flame into the vast, silent vertical tunnel. Sparks splashed outward, illuminating the surrounding rock walls in the shimmering light and revealing the layered, jagged crevices carved into them. What was an imperial official doing keeping a monster of such a high rank?

As they left, Ming He stood up, swaying slightly, a cold sneer playing on his face. The mortal servants of the rebel legion stared at the docking bay, their eyes fixed on the dim hatch shrouded in the darkness of the cathedral, stamped with the Imperial Aquila. The golden eagle appeared somber and obscure in the gloomy space.

Gu Zhan had no idea that the endless stream of demons suddenly appearing was a direct consequence of him taking the Heaven-Opening Axe. After a long while, Xu Hao finally calmed his surging blood and cast a difficult gaze toward the rewards page.

After some back and forth, they finally managed to get all their luggage packed before Wang Hao returned.

"Are you sure I won't be burned to ash or blown to smithereens the moment I touch it?" Vito asked with a wry smile, pointing at the key. Yin Yangna stood before the platform, hands on her hips, watching him coldly.

Xu Mochen was slightly surprised; this was a sword crafted by humans, yet its quality rivaled those of the Immortal realm. Lin Xiao lacked such dauntless spirit, but he admired Bu Shengling, who possessed it.

Yesterday, when he arrived at Brother Tao’s house, the guests had already been invited and the banquet prepared. Firecrackers for the celebration were already hung, waiting for news of Brother Tao’s success in the exams.

"Let me assist you in operating it; I think that should lighten your burden a bit!" Odin Pavo suggested directly. His ability to manipulate machinery was no less than that of Tosla.

Ji Mòmo resembled Song Bijun by seventy percent, but fortunately, her personality was quite different—a fact that made Ji Xincheng very happy. Before Su Changsheng could react, he felt a familiar pulse of his bloodline deep within his spinal bones.

Afterward, Odin Pavo set the navigation coordinates to those they had first appeared at when they left the Time Clan for the Machine Clan’s territory, allowing them to enter the Cosmic Sea and then the turbulent space-time zones.

That afternoon, Liu Haishan arrived. Chen Ming took him to see the fish pond and noticed that he and the couple they had hired seemed quite familiar, their gestures and conversation remarkably intimate.

A waiter came over to ask if they wanted anything else, and Geng Long ordered another cup of coffee for Chen Ming. At this moment, he was the host and Chen Ming the guest.

Having clarified the issue of base currency, Xu Mochen bid farewell to Ning Yifeng and, together with Tang Derun, mounted their flying horses and soared out of the city.

Old Shan asked Luo Li a few more questions about basket weaving before leaving with Elder Yao. Old Shan needed to rally the elders to gather eggs, while Elder Yao had to think carefully and consult with Ta.

Hearing Luo Changtian’s "accusation," everyone except Xing Nian nodded, looking at Xing Chu with shared indignation.

"Who are you? Do I know you?" Jian Hu Moke asked, bewildered by Ye Yun’s move.

A cyan blade-light and a fiery red sword-qi whistled through the air. They flashed across the throats of two men, and jets of blood sprayed out.

Li Yi snorted, his Storm Intent sweeping out, laced with the power of heavenly thunder, forcibly expelling Ling Jian’s sword intent.

Listening to Gong Chuyue, Mu Jinghong suddenly felt she was pathetic. She clearly had Ye Zhengbai in her heart, so why had she done what she did last night?

"One." The cold voice was like the Reaper's scythe, sending a chill to the bone of every Saint-level expert present.

Li Yi already possessed six of the main ingredients: the Wind Heart Fruit, Ice Crystal Fruit, Heavenly Thunder Fruit, Golden Spirit Flower, Fire Spirit Grass, and the Third-Grade Green Lotus. He needed only four more to refine the Hunyuan Golden Elixir.

"Fine." Zhao Dinian was fully prepared this time. As Wang Dong pulled back the cover, an abnormally pale face appeared before him.

"Good, I’d like to see what your last name is worth." Wang Dong replied coldly. Chu Mengfei climbed out of the car and slammed the door shut. Without a second’s hesitation, Wang Dong drove away.

Feeling the energy coursing through his limbs, Li Xiao’s eyes flashed with brilliance before his aura retracted, returning him to the appearance of an ordinary person.

With that single step, a Five-Elements field manifested, and a heavy, mountain-like earth force erupted. In an instant, the ground shook, and the multi-layered power surged, distorting the void for a hundred meters.

"General Wen, since it has already happened, we should look on the bright side. The Emperor is benevolent and surely did not intend for this to happen," Pan Mei said, offering comfort with words he didn't even believe himself.

"And mine!" Jin Shihan, not to be outdone, handed over a red envelope.

"It seems this old priest is fated not to survive. Brother, are you still thinking of handing over the secret manual?" another elder of Dragon-Tiger Mountain asked. But before the White-Headed Old Man could answer, he closed his eyes and walked out of the hall alone.

The spells that he considered powerful had all been neutralized by Lin Chuan using various methods, and he remained completely unharmed from start to finish, which left him feeling utterly amazed.

How to strike it rich without attracting suspicion had become Li Zhuo’s primary mission.

Xi Feng remembered that Nangong Ran was wounded and far from home, and that she had been estranged from her father because of him. Upon hearing the details, he became deeply concerned and kept asking for more.

Xi Feng looked troubled: "This..." He possessed heaven-defying abilities, yet he did not know how to swim. Furthermore, it was the dead of winter; to swim across would be perilous indeed.

Long Si had already rushed close, the Crimson Blood Sword sweeping through the air with such sharpness that it severed the two giant legs of the pincer-worm.

The scenes that had once played out on the evil-defying front in Yuezhou were being repeated on this day in Nanzhou.

"Why did you leave on your own? Didn't we say we were going to the Huajing Villa today!" Leng Qingxuan stepped out of the car and walked toward Jian Qingning, who recoiled in fear with every step he took.