Up and Down

As Ronan's two bodyguards, Qin Yikun and Gao De were undoubtedly loyal and conscientious, with clearly defined duties. Gao De stood outside the office as the Door God; Qin Yikun stayed in an inconspicuous corner inside, guarding at close range to prevent a powerful enemy from sneaking in to assassinate him.

To be honest, Qin Yikun had felt somewhat off tonight. Standing in the room, he was always vaguely uneasy, as if something extra had appeared nearby. He had confirmed it with Gao De several times, yet neither of them had found anything.

That only made them more tense.

At that moment, he noticed Bamboo Pole's remarks in the Task Channel and felt a pang of sympathy—perhaps what had happened earlier was an illusion stirred up by Sage Ronan's "Silent Thundercloud"?

They knew full well that the "thundercloud" in the surrounding void had been raised by Ronan and bore them no ill will. Yet after remaining within it for so long, a martial artist's most vital senses had all been suppressed to varying degrees. Especially since they were both on duty and needed to stay fully focused, they were even more sensitive to its effects. Whenever the room became extremely quiet, even the sound of their own breathing resembled the lingering echoes of distant thunder, seeping into their souls and rumbling endlessly.

Bamboo Pole asked Ronan to "withdraw his divine powers," and Qin Yikun was naturally relieved. Yet a few seconds later, Ronan replied:

"Wait a little longer."

Bamboo Pole sent a question-mark emoji in the Task Channel. In reality, Qin Yikun also turned to look at Ronan in surprise. This reaction was somewhat unlike Ronan's usual character.

Behind the desk, Ronan still had his elbow propped on the tabletop, his posture virtually unchanged, looking as though he had been