Zhou Zhengde sighed and spoke animatedly on the video call:
"The situation is indeed a bit dire, Mu Liang. You might not realize how serious the problem is."
"The attack you carried out on the forty-ninth floor has successfully caught the attention of the Thirteen Institutes.
"We really didn't expect that Wen Heisen, the third-in-command of the Black Fire Gang, is actually a psychic, and a D-level one at that, specializing in physical enhancement.
"We also didn't expect that you would easily injure him. You destroyed one of his eyes, and the blade you stabbed into his eye damaged some of his nerves, making it impossible for him to hide his injury... that was a huge help!
"Now, the higher-ups are paying close attention to the Black Fire Gang, and the coalition tasked with hunting them down has stepped up their efforts. The person in charge of the Thirteen Institutes at Fortress 76 has been warned directly by the governor.
"You have no idea how satisfying it was for me to listen in on that meeting! It was truly a relief!
"Thank you, my dear comrade!
"However, the person in charge at Fortress 76, who had originally given up on the Black Fire Gang, has just sent a D-level psychic and an E-level psychic into their territory.
"Right now, there are at least two D-level psychics and one E-level psychic in the lower city, with the E-level being relatively weak.
"They're coming to capture you, and the Black Fire Gang will follow their orders. We also have people from the Thirteen Institutes lurking around.
"You really don't have to fight alone, Mu Liang. We have a common enemy and goal. I know you might be worried that the core members of the Black Fire Gang have a good chance of surviving, but that's just the unspoken rule of the fortress. They say the fortress needs these gangs... although I despise this fact, it is indeed the truth."
Zhou Zhengde sighed again, his eyes filled with helplessness:
"Anyway, just come back for now. It's safer that way.
"I had them send you a simple text communicator. If you don't want to come back, you can still send me a message.
"We can discuss what to do in detail. I don't mind letting you take the lead in our cooperation for now because you are truly... unexpectedly powerful.
"Remember to write about the last gift you sent me in the text communicator so I can confirm it's you on the other end. That way, I can safely pay them that hefty final payment."
Beep!
The simple holographic player stopped working and returned to a flickering green glow.
Wang Jixuan's expression was hard to describe.
The Thirteen Institutes were sending psychics to capture him, and the thirteenth floor of the fortress was no longer safe...
He quickly searched through the middle-aged man's belongings and soon found a small square box with a screen and a simple nine-key keypad.
Referring to Mu Liang's memories, Wang Jixuan quickly understood how to operate the device and sent a message to Zhou Zhengde.
[02: Take it with rice soup after burning it.]
'02' represents the network ID of this text chat device.
[01: Wow! Their speed is incredible! They really are the elite mercenary team of the lower city!]
Wang Jixuan thought, why does this text seem to make sounds?
He could almost picture Zhou Zhengde's exaggerated and dismissive facial expression.
Wang Jixuan replied simply.
[02: No need to pay the final payment anymore.]
[01: Why? Did something happen?]
[02: They were ambushed by the Black Fire Gang.]
Wang Jixuan rubbed his forehead with his hand.
Fortunately, in the cultivation world, only those bald monks had rules against lying; they didn't care about such things.
[01: Are you okay, Mu Liang? I'm a bit worried about your situation. I think we can talk in detail; this thing has plenty of power.]
[02: How did you find me?]
Wang Jixuan thought for a moment and added a question mark.
[01: It's simple. Mu Liang, you exchanged other gang coins for Happy Coins too quickly and too frequently. The Happy City gang locked onto your movements yesterday. They approached me, and I provided resources to help you out. Happy City is the gang that sells the most information among the seven gangs.]
Wang Jixuan felt a stroke of luck.
Without the transformation technique, things would be truly troublesome.
However, the transformation technique was an advanced skill that could only be cultivated at the Nascent Soul stage, so it was too early for him.
[01: I can help you. We have a common enemy, and we've fought together before. Do you not trust me?]
[02: Thank you, but I prefer to solve my own problems.]
[01: No, no, no, that's too risky. Your value is immeasurable; we should be more cautious. The Black Fire Gang has now brought in a new D-level psychic. I remember mentioning this before. Didn't you watch the recording I sent you?]
[02: I have watched it. Sitting idle will lead to demise; breaking through the clouds and battling the winds brings opportunities.]
Zhou Zhengde was silent for a while.
Wang Jixuan wasn't in a hurry. He was thinking about what to do next—whether to advance or retreat. A decision had to be made.
Advance, quickly create a simple magical tool, take down the Black Fire Gang's boss and Wen Heisen, and capture Wen Heisen's soul.
This would undoubtedly carry certain risks.
Retreat, go back to the thirteenth floor to cultivate for a few months, wait until his energy was full and he was fully prepared.
But that also had risks and could trap him, while also needing to rely on Zhou Zhengde's power, which would inevitably lead to being controlled by others. He might end up becoming Zhou Zhengde's subordinate... which would be very uncomfortable.
Wang Jixuan heard his master's voice in his ears, as if urging him to prepare more. But after pondering for a moment, he decided to follow his heart.
Then, he would choose the third option!
That is, to advance while retreating.
He would ask Zhou Zhengde for limited help, disguise himself with a mask to hide his identity, and then find a way to infiltrate the forty-ninth floor to investigate the Black Fire Gang's boss and the psychics. He wouldn't act recklessly until he found a suitable opportunity, and later he would return the favor to Zhou Zhengde.
Wang Jixuan thought for a moment and sent a message to Zhou Zhengde.
[02: I need your favor.]
[01: Great! Very good! How many cleanup teams do you need? Or I could directly ask my grandpa to mobilize the defense army!]
[02: No need, just help me create an identity, preferably one that can change my appearance. I want to infiltrate the forty-ninth floor.]
[01: Is that all? (_) ]
Wang Jixuan leaned back, frowning at the character expression.
How did he type that?
It was quite interesting.
A moment later, the box gently vibrated, and a line of small text popped up on the screen.
[01: I'll give you an answer in an hour. I need to help design a new identity for you, one that has a suitable reason to leave the central city and join the lower city's gangs. I also need to find someone trustworthy to take you into the forty-ninth floor... I hope we can talk openly about this later. I feel like I'm becoming your little brother!]
[02: We are peers, Zhou.
[01: Wait for my news, and try to protect yourself. I want to understand the miracles happening to you. I'll send someone to find you as soon as possible. Can you fix a meeting point?]
[02: At the Night Eagle's headshot spot.]
[01: Perfect meeting point.]
The box's screen stopped displaying characters.
Wang Jixuan let out a sigh of relief and put the device into his inner pocket.
He didn't want to make friends.
Cultivators in the Golden Core stage live for three to five hundred years, those in the Nascent Soul stage for eight hundred to a thousand years, and those in the Great Ascension stage can live for five to six thousand years, while ordinary people rarely live past seventy.
If a mortal friend were to pass away, it would cause a stir in his heart.
"There's still a bit of trouble here."
Wang Jixuan glanced at the five mercenaries, thinking slightly.
He would need to find a way to refine tools; it would be better to prepare more Happy Coins... their equipment looked quite good.
"Sorry about that."
...
The next day.
The cleaning staff, upon entering the room, was momentarily stunned to see four men and one woman covered by a blanket on the bed, before shaking the service bell as if it was nothing out of the ordinary.
Hmm? There are a lot of bloodstains on the floor?
"Ah! They're dead... uh, it's not a big deal."
The staff frowned and complained a bit before turning to call for help.
She hated cleaning up blood.
...
Meanwhile.
At the Night Eagle's headshot spot, in a corner of the low-rise buildings.
Wang Jixuan sat in the space between two overlapping rooftops, maintaining a posture of embracing the origin, with a bullet resting in his palm.
He was not in meditation.
If he entered meditation and had any insights, he would easily lose touch with the outside world, immersing himself in the Dao.
Wang Jixuan didn't lack insights into cultivation; he was just using this posture to speed up the circulation of his internal energy and enhance his absorption of spiritual energy.
After several earlier battles, his spiritual awareness had significantly improved, and he could now cover a range of over ten meters around him.
Once he reached the peak of the Qi Refining stage and entered the Spirit Gathering stage, his spiritual awareness would transform into spiritual sense, which would expand as his cultivation improved.
More importantly...
This world has no formations or barriers!
As long as his spiritual sense is developed, enemies will have nowhere to hide, and evil will face its nemesis!
Vroom—
The roar of a motorcycle engine echoed from the main road in the distance, as a bike turned off its high beams and slowly entered the slums.
Over a dozen motorcycles stopped on the main road, gathering under a few streetlights.
Wang Jixuan hid under an eave, watching the situation on the main road.
Under the streetlight, a dozen young women dressed in revealing outfits chatted and laughed while keeping watch. They held submachine guns and wore tactical gear, most of them having dyed their hair in colorful styles.
Wang Jixuan recognized the silver gang insignia tattooed on their shoulders.
Were they watching for the motorcycle ahead?
The person in front... sure enough, she had gone to the Night Eagle's headshot spot.
The Silver Gang had set up a huge billboard there, featuring a headless sniper and a bunch of ghostly graffiti; they had not hesitated to use the most precious electricity from the lower city, shining several spotlights on the billboard.
Wang Jixuan chose this place as a meeting point because the insignia was easy to find, and the surrounding environment was very suitable for concealment.
The female biker, who had already arrived at the meeting point, rode slowly and kept circling.
Hearing the low rumble of the engine, people in the nearby buildings hurriedly shut their doors and windows.
Wang Jixuan stroked his chin, deep in thought.
If he said he wasn't worried this was a trap, that would be a lie.
The female biker had a floating spherical drone above her shoulder, an expensive reconnaissance drone, which was her confidence to act alone.
She rode around the area seven or eight times before finally stopping, balancing on her bike with her long legs wrapped in leather pants. A few indistinct murmurs came from behind her pure black helmet, seeming to say something like "Is he not here?"
She tilted her head and called out, "Boss?"
Wang Jixuan remained still.
The female biker sighed in disappointment, her previously upright posture relaxing.
She raised her hand to pat her back, and at that moment, the area of her abdomen, which was neglected by her tight leather pants and short leather jacket, revealed a subtle bulge.
Wang Daochang focused his gaze.
"Doctor Wei?"
The female biker instantly turned her head, straightened up, and inhaled, elegantly removing her helmet, her freshly curled long hair cascading down.
(End of Chapter)