Danger Closing In!

The bus driver was Chen Chen, a deputy team leader from the Second Group.

He was a slightly chubby young man with a kind face. Smiling, he said, "This is your first time in Black Cloud Stronghold, right? Be careful, everyone. Don't go off on your own. We're heading to an inn to rest and complete the handover."

The group nodded, put away their phones, and looked around.

Gu Jianlin was also curiously taking in his surroundings. Whenever he arrived somewhere new, the most important thing was to gather information.

According to the records on the Deep Sky Network, Black Cloud Stronghold had formed as a Forbidden Zone eight years ago. At the time, Kirin Immortal Palace hadn't fully descended yet, but the dimensional rifts had already opened, allowing the aura of the prehistoric world to pour in.

It was said that back then, the Ascenders on the East Sea coast of Feng City had looked up to see enormous cracks appear in the sky. Black clouds had poured down like a flood, and towering waves had surged across the sea. It had been like the end of the world.

From that point on, time and space had overlapped in the area shrouded by dark clouds.

The past, lost to history, had returned to the present.

If an ordinary person drove across the sea bridge and took a turn, they would enter a newly developed district.

But anyone with spiritual perception would see a collection of run-down buildings from the 1950s, shrouded in dark clouds. In recent years, large numbers of wild Ascenders had flooded into the area, turning it into a lawless stronghold.

Hence the name, Black Cloud Stronghold.

As the bus entered the stronghold, the feel of a bygone era swept over them. The roads were full of potholes, and withered old trees lined the sidewalks. Sand covered the ground; not a single brick was intact. The buildings along the street were dilapidated apartment blocks, their corridors cluttered with laundry and odds and ends. It looked as if a gust of wind could topple them.

There were little shops around, their signs crooked and their walls smeared with grease.

There was also a run-down garbage dump that reeked.

Some people pushed carts selling snacks.

A few of the narrow streets were lively, lined with open-air food stalls.

Gu Jianlin glanced around, carefully noting the traces of life around him, especially the people passing by.

A child crouched by the roadside, playing marbles.

A beggar sat on the street, a dagger hidden in his arms as he glared coldly at the passing bus.

A tattooed man drank beer outside an open-air food stall. A vicious scar like a giant serpent ran across his back.

A mother pushed a stroller. One sleeve hung empty where her hand should have been, but she had two pistols at her waist.

An old man selling fried chicken strips stood by the road. Gu Jianlin couldn't tell what ability he was using, but a towering ancient warrior appeared behind him.

He was clearly on the Ancient Martial Arts Path.

This was the full spectrum of humanity.

Gu Jianlin had never imagined Black Cloud Stronghold would be like this. It looked as if he'd traveled back to the 1950s, yet most of the people here were far from ordinary.

His Life Perception now covered a hundred meters, allowing him to hear countless rhythms.

He could sense all kinds of people.

Those people, those traces, all held stories.

The bus stopped in front of a run-down inn.

"The mission starts now. Stay alert."

Chen Chen reminded them, then led the team off the bus.

A hotel attendant came out and exchanged a few words with him, head bowed, before making a call.

Then several burly men came out of the inn and unloaded the cargo from the back of the bus without a word.

The so-called forbidden items were actually materials from the supernatural world. Some had been excavated from prehistoric ruins around the world, while others were man-made drugs or alchemical products.

No one spoke during the handover.

Yan Ye swept his cold gaze over the group, then fell in behind them like an underling.

After arriving in the stronghold, everyone was clearly shaken. They stayed alert, looking around in every direction.

Just then, Gu Jianlin received a new WeChat message.

"Take a good look and take it all in. Your father spent many years here too."

—Lu Zicheng

Gu Jianlin fell silent.

This was the first time he'd come so close to the traces that man had left behind.

Suddenly, Cheng Youyu sidled up to him, looking furtive. "Brother Lin."

Gu Jianlin turned to look at the chubby young man.

"What's your relationship with Team Leader Lu?"

Cheng Youyu asked curiously, "Why did he suddenly decide to lead a team?"

Gu Jianlin was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

Cheng Youyu looked surprised. "You didn't know, Brother Lin? Team Leader Lu wasn't supposed to lead a team. He came back to the country this time purely because the Lu Family wanted him to rest and have his sister look after him. They say a mission years ago ended in terrible casualties, and he was badly injured too. It'll be very difficult for him to advance to the next rank in this lifetime."

Gu Jianlin was silent for a moment.

From his time with Lu Zicheng, he'd already sensed that the man had a story.

As for anything else, Lu Zicheng hadn't said much, and Gu Jianlin hadn't asked.

After all, even though Lu Zicheng looked out for him, they hadn't spent much time together.

"I understand."

Gu Jianlin said, "Thanks."

Cheng Youyu waved a hand. "Don't mention it. I know that because of... that reason, most of the people on the team are biased against you. Don't take it to heart. A lot of people in the association are out of their minds. I remember that you saved my life last time. No matter what happens on this mission, Xiangsi and I—and Brother Cheng—will help you!"

By the bus, Zhang Cheng put on a stern face. "Can you stop calling me Brother Cheng?"

Nie Xiangsi smiled a little awkwardly. "Um... we'll protect you."

Gu Jianlin glanced at the three of them and gave a slight nod. "Thanks."

He suddenly remembered something and looked toward the white-haired girl in the corner. "By the way, who is she?"

Cheng Youyu shushed him. "Don't talk about Thunder. I can only tell you this in private. Most people don't know, either. I got the information from my dad. That woman was sent by headquarters, and she has connections beyond your wildest imagination. Whatever you do, don't mess with her."

Gu Jianlin pondered this.

Once Chen Chen had finished the handover, he raised a hand and gestured for them to go upstairs and rest in their rooms.

"Something's off here. I think we should form an alliance."

"Agreed. There's strength in numbers, and we can watch each other's backs."

"Anyone else want to join?"

Of the seventeen people present, many had sensed the danger. Even members of different teams were beginning to cooperate. Openly or otherwise, they all treated the First Group as the center. It was a simple case of gravitating toward strength.

They even chose rooms right next to one another.

Yan Ye, Yan Feng, and Mu Ziqing made the strongest group and were undisputed leaders.

As for Gu Jianlin, he was naturally ignored. Ever since the mission began, he'd often felt wary, hostile gazes from every direction. It was probably because he was the son of a Fallen.

Of course, he wouldn't have joined an alliance like that anyway.

Most of those people had thrown him under the bus during the last operation.

A rabble.

There was no denying the strength in numbers.

But the more people there were, the harder it was to escape when they started dragging you down.

After receiving her instructions, the white-haired girl ignored everyone and walked straight to the room at the far end of the second floor.

Gu Jianlin chose a room that was a little out of the way.

In the corridor, Nie Xiangsi watched his door close and pressed her lips together.

"Xiangsi, didn't you say you knew him?"

Cheng Youyu asked curiously. "Why don't you go talk to him?"

Nie Xiangsi lowered her head and said softly, "We only knew each other as children. He might not remember me now. Besides... I looked into what happened to him. My uncle is a bad person to him now."

She knew what her uncle had done.

She just didn't know how to stop him.

Or how to help that boy.

"What Deacon Nie did was definitely out of line. But that has nothing to do with you."

Zhang Cheng said, "Find a chance to talk it through with him if you really want to help."

The old inn room was truly bare-bones. There was only a bed and a clothes rack. The bathroom was pitifully small, with a squat toilet and a rusty shower next to an old-fashioned water heater.

It was reasonably clean, but there was a used condom in the trash can.

For someone like Gu Jianlin, who was a neat freak, it was a nightmare.

But now wasn't the time to worry about the room.

Gu Jianlin deliberately chose a room whose window faced the street, so he could keep an eye on things.

During that time, another bus pulled up and stopped at an inn across the street.

Gu Jianlin sensed twelve Life Rhythms, all of them familiar from the Deep Sky Technology Building.

The team leaders must have arrived.

He drew the curtains, and a notification from the Deep Sky Network appeared on his phone.

"Dear Grade D Investigator Gu Jianlin, please open your supply box."

Aside from the Desert Eagle he carried and a few dozen rounds of ammunition, Gu Jianlin had only two Mythic Armaments.

Well, that sounded a little like bragging.

He took out the supply box and unlocked it with his fingerprint.

Inside were two bottles of medicine. The liquid in the vials surged like ocean waves, clear and transparent.

"Azure Blood, a secret medicine that temporarily replenishes spiritual energy. May only be used twice per week."

Good stuff!

Even for Gu Jianlin, this was invaluable. Being able to recover spiritual energy during a fight was incredibly useful.

Next was a bottle of pills.

"Purification Stone. Take it within five minutes of being exposed to spiritual contamination to cleanse the contamination."

Gu Jianlin paused. This seemed to be related to the Forbidden Zone's properties.

The area had been corrupted by an Ancient God's spirit, and dimensional rifts opened from time to time.

Not everyone who lived in Black Cloud Stronghold was an Ascender.

Some people came here hoping to awaken by taking advantage of the frequent dimensional rifts.

Of course, living here also meant a much greater risk of being contaminated.

There was also a weapon made with alchemical techniques.

An Alchemy Dagger.

An Alchemy Bulletproof Vest.

A medical first-aid kit, and more.

To be cautious, Gu Jianlin put on the bulletproof vest beneath his shirt and strapped the dagger to his back.

Then he sat by the window, patiently watching and waiting.

A lot of interesting things happened during that time.

For example, one of the two Divine Priests went downstairs to smoke while playing on his phone.

A boy walked past him, snatched the phone without a word, and vanished.

The Divine Priest was furious and shocked, but he didn't want to alert the thief, so he went back to find his teammates.

He contacted Deep Sky, and they immediately erased all the data on his phone.

For another example, nearly everyone staying there had several people knock on their doors.

Some handed out little cards, others begged for money, and some asked if they wanted to visit a bootleg bar.

It was easy to see how chaotic Black Cloud Stronghold was.

Gu Jianlin never opened his door, as if the room were empty.

At lunchtime, Yan Ye even used the Deep Sky Network to set up a group chat. Most people joined, keeping an audio call running around the clock in case anything unexpected happened.

One thing worth mentioning was that Yan Feng carried food and fruit to the room at the far end of the corridor and knocked.

He called out for a long time, but no one opened the door.

That evening, he came back with food again and said something at the door.

Gu Jianlin heard every word from the room next door. It sounded like he was asking after her and saying a few caring things.

"Yan Feng seems interested in Thunder."

Gu Jianlin shook his head. Thunder didn't look like an easy person to pursue.

A lovesick fool had no chance.

Gu Jianlin skipped lunch and dinner. He just kept eating candy, using his Life Perception, with its hundred-meter range, to monitor the street and stay alert.

The people in the rooms next door acted like bored underlings after handing over the forbidden items.

They chatted idly about pointless things without revealing anything.

Everyone had gathered together, and they seemed safe enough.

Gu Jianlin silently counted the time.

He knew this operation wasn't airtight.

There was a huge flaw.

The leak in their intelligence.

On the top floor of the Deep Sky Technology Building,

Lu Zijin stood behind the glass curtain wall with her arms crossed, gazing at the brightly lit city beneath the night sky.

She was looking toward the East Sea coast, her beautiful eyes full of amusement.

"Don't you think we're overdoing it this time?"

Chen Bojun sat on the sofa, smoking and exhaling clouds of smoke.

"What's there to feel sorry about? We weren't always fledglings hiding under our captains' protection back then. Besides, they're about to enter the Kirin Immortal Palace. If we're not ruthless with them now, they'll only be walking to their deaths once they get inside."

Lu Zijin gave a cold laugh. "I just hope the Association's undercover traitors don't disappoint me."

Chen Bojun smiled faintly.

The Ether Association was a global organization of Ascenders, with a vast number of members.

High-ranking officials defecting, members losing control—none of that was anything new.

There wasn't much you could do about it.

It was an objective fact that Ascenders were prone to losing control, and there was no solution to the problem.

All they could do was investigate, again and again.

And kill, again and again.

"But the problem is, these are all children."

Chen Bojun laced his hands behind his head, a cigarette between his fingers. "Isn't this going too far?"

Lu Zijin replied indifferently, "In the supernatural world, there's no distinction between adults and children. The vast majority of them represent their families' interests. If their families sent them out here, then they should be prepared for the consequences. After all, if we meet on the battlefield, do you expect me to play house with them?"

"Fair enough. Anyone with desires must bear their weight."

Chen Bojun said, "This was their choice."

"By my calculations, those Fallen should be making their move soon."

Lu Zijin glanced at the time on her phone. "In their eyes, those captains and their team members are probably just a bunch of immature, bloodless, foolish enforcers, aren't they?"

"No wonder you insisted my brother delay the next mass screening. You wanted those undercover traitors to leak the encirclement plan. But if you ask me, most of the rookies in your Feng City jurisdiction are no good."

Chen Bojun took a deep drag from his cigarette. "Only a few have decent potential."

Lu Zijin narrowed her beautiful eyes. "I want absolute elites. Otherwise, when the Kirin Immortal Palace opens, they won't stand a chance—not against those monsters from the Ancient God Race, or even against rookies from other jurisdictions."

She paused. "Taixu, report."

Taixu's maid-clad figure appeared, and her soft, alluring voice sounded. "Heart rate report... Of the seventeen rookies, eight have entered deep sleep, and six have entered light sleep."

Chen Bojun raised an eyebrow at that.

Lu Zijin chuckled. "Heh. Who are the three still awake?"

Taixu replied, "Grade C Investigator Yan Ye, Grade B Investigator Tang Ling, and Grade D Investigator Gu Jianlin."

At that, Lu Zijin nodded, somewhat satisfied.

"Interesting."

Chen Bojun asked, "What are they each doing?"

Taixu answered gently, "According to the phone surveillance, Yan Ye is keeping watch for his teammates."

She paused. "Tang Ling... is sharpening her blade."

"At least she's alert."

Chen Bojun asked again, "What about Gu Jianlin?"

Taixu seemed to hesitate.

"Gu Jianlin is hiding by the door. It looks like he's preparing to ambush someone."

At that, Chen Bojun froze. "How did he notice?"

"Why else do you think he managed to kill Joker?"

Lu Zijin said with a beaming smile, "The show's about to begin. Let's have the captains die first."

·

·

In the dead of night, Gu Jianlin stood behind the door, a dagger in his hand.

He held his breath.

His heartbeat was faint.

He was like a ghost that didn't exist, hidden in the darkness.

Because just moments ago, his Life Perception had sensed two groups of people entering two separate inns.

At this very moment, those twisted, strange rhythms of life were drawing closer.

The Fallen!

My Ancient God Blood!