Intelligence

"Marquis Glorious Light," whose real name was Glory, was one of the few people who could be called Hu Yanbo's "intimate companions" over his long years of cultivation.

Over those long years, Hu Yanbo had comrades who fought beside him and fleeting romantic encounters, but most had eventually parted ways with him as their paths diverged or time brought change, disappearing into the sea of people.

Only a handful remained in contact with him despite the passage of time.

Marquis Glorious Light was one of them.

Hu Yanbo had rescued him on the Outer Domain Battlefield during his World Lord days. Afterward, they had faced life and death together, supporting each other through countless desperate situations and fighting their way out back-to-back.

They were inseparable comrades-and comrades who were "inseparable" in another sense as well.

"Master! What do we do? What do we do?!" Babata's voice shrieked in Hu Yanbo's mind.

"It's Marquis Glorious Light! He... he must be in terrible trouble! His life is in danger!"

Babata was an intelligent life who had followed Hu Yanbo through battle after battle since his humble beginnings.

Babata knew just how deeply, beneath his seemingly cold, hard exterior, Hu Yanbo treasured the very few companions who had truly found a place in his heart.

Over those long years, only a scant few could be called "old friends" and still remained in contact.

And Marquis Glorious Light, who had fought and bled alongside the master on the Outer Domain Battlefield and shared such a close bond with him, was undoubtedly one of the most important!

"He doesn't know how strong you are now, Master!"

Babata was so anxious that the words tumbled out incoherently.

"He still thinks you're barely at the Marquis level!"

"He thinks telling you would be useless and would only drag you into it!"

"That's why he didn't even say where he ran into danger! What do we do? We don't even know where to look for him!"

Hu Yanbo quietly listened to Babata's anxious cries, his face betraying no emotion.

Yet ice thousands of years old seemed to condense in his eyes, and the formerly calm aura around him grew as sharp as an unsheathed blade.

"Babata, calm down."

"He doesn't know my current strength. Don't you?"

Babata's voice stopped abruptly, as though those words had brought a sudden awakening. With a trace of shame and realization, Babata stammered, "I... I..."

"Panicking won't solve anything," Hu Yanbo interrupted, his mind working at lightning speed.

"Since the email was sent through the Virtual Universe Network, there must be some trace of its transmission coordinates."

His eyes flickered, and he instantly made his decision.

"Contact Void True King for me immediately!" he ordered in a low voice.

"Void True King?" Babata paused, then understood.

As a veteran King Rank member of the Universe Mercenary Alliance, Void True King had extensive connections within the alliance and extremely high clearance. He had also dealt with the master before, making him the most suitable candidate at present-and the one most likely to help.

As for the master's teacher, Yuan Huang... Babata shuddered. Disturb a Universe Overlord to investigate an Immortal's private affairs?

"Yes, Master!"

The virtual call soon connected, and Void True King's gentle projection appeared before Hu Yanbo.

"Hu Yanbo?" Void True King seemed somewhat surprised by his sudden call, especially when he sensed the sharp aura Hu Yanbo had yet to fully rein in.

"What has you in such a hurry?"

Hu Yanbo bowed slightly and spoke concisely. "Senior Void True King, forgive the intrusion. An old friend of mine, Marquis Glorious Light, may be in danger. I just received a farewell email from him, but it contained no details."

"Do you know of any way to help locate where the email was sent from? I would be deeply grateful!"

Void True King frowned slightly at this.

"Looking up a member's communication coordinates without authorization is no small matter even within the Virtual Universe Company, let alone for the Universe Mercenary Alliance, which has no authority over the Virtual Universe Network."

Void True King spoke slowly, his tone full of helplessness.

As soon as Hu Yanbo heard this, his heart sank, and an indescribable anxiety welled up within him.

His concern had clouded his judgment. For a moment, he had forgotten that only the Virtual Universe Company's core intelligence department had the clearance to directly trace the transmission coordinates of emails within its network.

It was like the era on Earth: a telecommunications provider's core department could naturally trace the base station and approximate area from which a text message had been sent, but for other departments or organizations to obtain that information was exceedingly difficult, subject to strict procedures and regulations.

In network intelligence, the Universe Mercenary Alliance was indeed far inferior to the Virtual Universe Company.

Feeling a hint of helplessness at this unexpected obstacle, he was about to bow, take his leave, and seek another way.

"Wait." Void True King raised a hand, gesturing for him to be patient, then changed tack. "However..."

He pondered for a moment, seemingly recalling something, then suddenly asked, "This Marquis Glorious Light you mentioned-is he the one from the Gulun Universe Country, famous for his secret technique, 'Aurora Phantom Body'?"

Hu Yanbo's eyes lit up, and he immediately nodded. "That's him! You know him, Senior?"

"So it is him." Void True King's projection nodded slightly. "Then your timing is fortunate. My true body is stationed at the Universe Mercenary Alliance in the Gulun Universe Country."

"I happened to see a piece of information in a recent routine report."

His tone grew a little more solemn. "Several months ago, the Marquis Glorious Light you mentioned teamed up with Marquis Rock, one of the Three Hundred Kings and Marquises of the Ganwu Universe Country, to accept a five-star mercenary mission issued by the Gulun Universe Country. The reward was extremely high, but it was also marked as extremely high-risk."

"Their objective was to enter an ancient secret realm called 'Nether God,' find a particular item, and bring it back."

Hu Yanbo's heart jolted at those words!

Marquis Rock!

Right! How did I forget about that? he thought in frustration.

Glory and Marquis Rock... those two have also been close friends for tens of millions of years, with a deep bond and flawless teamwork!

The Nether God Secret Realm? Countless thoughts instantly surged through Hu Yanbo's mind.

Marquis Glorious Light's farewell email had to be connected to some drastic turn of events during this mercenary mission!

"Thank you for telling me, Senior!" Hu Yanbo said, bowing solemnly. "This information is crucial to me!"

Void True King nodded slightly. "That is all I can do to help."

"However, I must remind you of one thing-the Nether God Secret Realm is not a secret realm controlled by our Human Race. It is a public secret realm located along the border between territories."

"In secret realms like that, the rules are chaotic and the environment is treacherous. More deadly still... the powerful figures active within them are not just humans. There are also large numbers of King Rank and Marquis Immortals from other races, including alien races!"

"The fighting and killing over the resources and opportunities in those secret realms are far more direct and brutal than on the Outer Domain Battlefield!"

"Though you have already reached King Rank, remember this: do not let your sudden increase in strength go to your head and make you underestimate the mighty figures out there. And never underestimate the dangers of a public secret realm."

Void True King gazed at Hu Yanbo, a trace of genuine concern in his words. "I would hate to see a newly risen star of our Universe Mercenary Alliance, a future Peak King, fall in such a chaotic place because of a moment's carelessness."