The desert was almost entirely open, with hardly any obstacles, and the scorching sunlight beat down relentlessly on the long road.
Kurapika's words had brought a serious tension to the atmosphere inside the jeep.
"I noticed two vans turn onto this road from a side route about ten minutes ago. They've been following us since then, maintaining almost the exact same distance," Kurapika said.
Sheila glanced back nervously. "Kurapika, are you sure you're not overthinking this? Since there's only one road here, it makes sense they'd be driving behind us, right?"
"Maybe I am," Kurapika replied, frowning in doubt. "But I was driving slowly just now, and they didn't pass us. That's what seems odd to me."
Normally, on a clear, flat road, a car following a slower one would try to pass it rather than staying behind.
With no horn honking or attempts to overtake, it did seem a bit suspicious.
Sheila clutched her dress anxiously, her newly bandaged wrist trembling slightly.
Germain looked out the back window at the vans. "They're making a move," he observed.
One of the vans lowered its window, and a familiar face appeared, recognized by Germain, Kurapika, and Bisky.
"Germain! Is that you in the car ahead?" A voice called out through a loudspeaker held by "Monkey" Saiyu. "Stop the car—we need to talk to you."
Bisky frowned. "So Saiyu's dropped the act."
She'd been surprised when Germain first told her Saiyu was working for Beyond. Normally, he didn't show it at all, and she'd always thought he was loyal to the old man (Chairman Netero).
"He knows we're connected now," Germain said. "I know his position, and you do too, so there's no reason for him to hide anymore."
"What's he after?" Bisky asked.
"He probably wants to finish the mission he couldn't complete before," Germain replied calmly. "If I'm not mistaken, Beyond himself is in that van with him."
"Beyond..." Bisky was unsure how to react. This was her first time meeting Chairman Netero's son in person. "Does he have any bad intentions towards us?"
"Not sure," Germain answered.
One of the two vans sped up, drove past the jeep that Germain and the others were in, and blocked the way ahead.
They surrounded the jeep from the front and back, causing it to slow down a bit.
Kurapika turned around: "Teacher..."
"It's okay. Stop the car." Germain knew that Beyond and Saiyu were determined to confront them, and they couldn't avoid this meeting.
So, Kurapika slowly parked the jeep on the side of the road, and everyone got out one by one.
The two vans also stopped, and a group of people climbed out.
The two groups faced each other, with the jeep in between them.
Except for Saiyu, everyone else wore matching uniforms. Two of them were in black uniforms, indicating they were the captain and deputy captain, while the rest wore white uniforms, signifying they were team members.
All these men were tall and strong. Though they were unarmed, they had an intimidating presence that felt more fierce than those with weapons. They clearly had experience in many battles.
They gathered around a man.
This man wore very old-fashioned clothes. He had his hair tied back, a long beard, a long gown, and armor on his arms. He stood tall and straight, exuding a heroic air.
It was clear that he deliberately dressed to resemble Chairman Netero, but the two crossed scars on his face made him look even fiercer and more villainous.
This person was definitely more impressive than Beyond; there was no doubt about that.
Bisky was a bit shocked because Beyond looked about 70% like Chairman Netero in both appearance and temperament.
There was no need for any blood relationship tests; she was sure he must be Chairman Netero's son.
She believed that anyone familiar with Chairman Netero would come to the same conclusion.
"Hahaha..." Beyond laughed heartily as he approached like an old friend returning after a long time. "I finally found you all! You made me search so hard."
"I believe you all know me, right? My name is Beyond. I've been unknown for decades, so not many young people should recognize me, haha..."
Despite his self-mocking words, he acted confidently and didn't seem bothered by the situation at all.
Beyond reached out to shake Germain's hand, but Germain showed no interest in returning the gesture.
Unfazed, Beyond lowered his hands.
"It seems you're still a bit cautious about me, but that's okay. I believe that as we spend more time together, you'll see what kind of person I am and come to trust me."
Beyond waved his hand toward his van. "Come on, get in the car with me. We'll go to our temporary base nearby. It'll take less than half an hour. We can eat, drink, and chat there."
"I'm just too curious," he continued.
"How did you reach the Dark Continent without us knowing? And how did you manage to travel back and forth so safely in such a short time?"
He smiled kindly, his tone leaving no room for doubt, as if this was how things were meant to unfold.
If it were an ordinary person, they might have been confused and gotten on the bus without realizing it.
Kurapika and Sheila were the only two people who didn't understand why the conversation suddenly shifted to the "Dark Continent."
Kurapika was confused, while Sheila was scared.
Sheila was secretly shocked.
"What have I gotten myself into? This is such bad luck..."
Bisky finally reacted.
She exchanged glances with Shizuku, then looked back at Kurapika and Sheila. She reached out and tugged at Germain's sleeve.
"Germain," Bisky whispered, "Let me handle this."
The current situation wasn't suitable for a conflict with Beyond's forces.
Beyond had an inscrutable expression.
Saiyu was also a martial arts expert among the "Twelve Zodiacs."
The group of uniformed men surrounding them were likely mercenaries, known for being decisive and ruthless.
If a conflict or war broke out, Germain and Bisky would surely be at a disadvantage.
Germain looked back at her.
Bisky shook her head and stepped closer to Germain.
Normally, she would act like a delicate and harmless girl, but in this critical moment, as a senior to Germain and the others, she wouldn't hide behind them.
Bisky made herself appear bigger, almost tearing her princess dress. Standing in front of Beyond, she was even half a head taller than him.
She looked down at Beyond, determined not to lose her confidence.
"Beyond, you know who I am, right?"
Beyond smiled and replied, "Of course I know. You are the old man's favorite disciple. I was surprised to hear he actually trained someone. I've wanted to meet you for a long time."
"After all, you must have something he likes... Like this rebellious spirit... Hahahaha..."
He laughed, pointing at Bisky and then at himself.
"Whether it's you who inherited his martial arts or me who inherited his bloodline, we both went against his wishes!"
"This is unavoidable! If he says we can't go to the Dark Continent, and as his son or disciple, you must obey him, then you're not worthy of that title!"
"You did really well; it fits my taste. I see why the old man chose you as his disciple. There's no way he would like a fool who just follows rules and obeys him!"
At this moment, even the knowledgeable Bisky felt overwhelmed by Beyond's presence.
She even felt a bit shy.
Before meeting Germain, even if she was interested in the "Dark Continent," she wouldn't have sought a way to go there like Beyond and Netero did.
More importantly, the aura this man gave off in everything he did sparked a familiar longing in her.
Compared to Germain, he was the kind of man from historical tales who would make people "move mountains and bow down" upon meeting him.
Bisky felt like she was truly seeing Chairman Netero again, remembering how he would touch her head while teaching her the "Nen of the Flame."
This is really...
So scary!
********
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