When the three reappeared in the office, Qian Xiong was nowhere to be seen.
Chen Li looked at the shadow beneath Jiang Mian's feet and instinctively swallowed.
Just moments ago, he had watched Qian Xiong get swallowed by that shadow and vanish without a trace.
He had probably been "eaten" outright.
Generally speaking, low-tier Calamities or Aberrants couldn't devour targets of a higher tier than themselves.
If they tried to force it, they wouldn't be able to digest their prey—instead, they'd burst apart and die.
To completely devour a Sixth-tier in one go while being only Fifth-tier was truly horrifying.
As expected of a pinnacle Calamity...
Jiang Mian brushed nonexistent ashes from her skirt.
That mad dog from earlier had been easy enough to deal with; she'd taken care of him with a little effort.
But Qian Xiong had been tough as old boots. Even after being dragged into the shadows, he had somehow held out against her flames for over ten seconds.
For ten of those seconds, he'd even been rigid from being hard-controlled.
"Regretting that you got on my 'pirate ship'?"
Chen Li shuddered at her words and bowed, clasping his fists.
"No, no!"
"Don't be nervous. I ate him because he didn't know when to quit. You chose a side just now, so you're one of mine now."
Jiang Mian looked at him and smiled lightly.
"I'm not like those mindless Calamities. You can rest easy."
Those words only made Chen Li more nervous.
The fact that she had a mind—and was a pinnacle Calamity at that—made her all the more unfathomable.
He forced himself to stay calm, wiped the cold sweat from his brow, and ventured, "Then... Alliance Master Xu, what will you..."
Jiang Mian walked behind the desk and spread a layer of solidified shadow