260 had a rather pleasant ring to it. Everything had started to change since he entered Qingcheng. Looking at him now, dressed in the attire Qingcheng had prepared for him, he was indeed quite presentable. At least, he no longer carried that rustic vibe from before.
Suddenly, a voice came from the side, "260, I've been looking for you. What are you doing here with Chen? You have a mission today, you know."
I turned my head slightly—it was Lazy Boy.
Somewhat puzzled, I asked, "What? He just joined Qingcheng, and you're already sending him on a field mission today?"
Lazy Boy nodded, "That's the higher-ups' decision. I don't know why either. It seems they want to test his abilities. A field mission is the best way to showcase his skills. We can't very well have him fight you again, can we?"
I nodded in agreement, then glanced at 260 and said, "Hmm, that works too. Let him get familiar with the surroundings first. But you guys better keep an eye on him, or Ling Xuan will definitely have a word with me."
The two of them soon left, with 260 looking quite excited as he walked away. Before leaving, he even told me that Ling Xuan had recognized him as her godbrother. For someone who had lost his parents at a young age, having such an adorable little sister was undoubtedly a source of happiness.
Naturally, I approved of this arrangement.
The same group from last night was going on the field mission again, the only difference being that Old Eight stayed back at Qingcheng. He had just finished a phone call, and judging by his expression, he seemed quite pleased.
I sat there idly for a while longer until I felt my legs go numb, forcing me to get up and stretch. After a moment's thought, I decided to head out of Qingcheng once more.
The shopping mall downstairs was still bustling with people. Our presence here hadn't impacted it at all. In fact, it even brought more foot traffic to the area. It was just like any ordinary shopping mall—no one knew that above this very building lived a group of eccentric individuals with extraordinary abilities.
I strolled onto the street, enjoying the warmth of the sunlight, and found a small food stall. I ordered a bowl of wontons and leisurely sat there, legs crossed, eating away.
Suddenly, someone caught my attention.
I was sure I hadn't mistaken the man. Even though his hair was now dyed black again, and he wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, looking quite respectable in his suit and tie, I could never forget the image of him drunk and disheveled in a bar. Compared to that, he seemed like a completely different person now. He was Lan, the assassin sent by the Central Command to secretly eliminate Cong Lei.
Could it be that he had already found Cong Lei's location and was preparing to make his move? For some reason, I felt a pang of frustration.
After all, I had almost been destroyed by that woman. I should be the one to settle the score, yet now someone else had beaten me to it. And from the looks of it, they wanted to finish her off in one go.
Cong Lei was no pushover, but Lan, being recruited by Central Command, was certainly no ordinary assassin either. Rationally speaking, I knew staying silent and letting Lan handle it was the best course of action. But deep down, I couldn't accept it. How could Cong Lei die before I got my revenge?
Driven by a strange impulse, I decided to follow him. He led me to a small, unassuming restaurant.
Sure enough, Cong Lei was inside. I could sense her energy, and that unforgettable scent still lingered in the air.
I originally thought Lan would confront her inside the restaurant, but he didn't. Instead, he acted like a regular customer, sitting down and ordering a few dishes and some beer.
The two stayed inside for quite a while, and fearing my identity would be exposed, I could only wait outside. Just as I was growing impatient after nearly an hour, Cong Lei finally exited the restaurant, with Lan following closely behind.
Casting an invisibility spell on myself, I tailed the two of them. Like the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind it, each of us had our own motives as we gradually left the city and arrived at Old Silver Mountain.
Old Silver Mountain wasn't far from the city, and it wasn't particularly high either. Its rocky terrain and winding paths made it a place of interest. But what garnered more attention was the fact that it was the city's only active volcano that had never fully gone dormant.
It was said that the last eruption of Old Silver Mountain occurred during the Ming Dynasty, hundreds of years ago. Since then, it had remained quiet. Over time, people had gradually forgotten its volcanic history and no longer feared it. However, having such a potential risk looming nearby was unsettling, which is why, despite the mountain's scenic beauty, it was rarely visited by people.
As Cong Lei walked, she suddenly stopped. I was startled to see blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. Then I heard her say coldly, "Someone from Qingcheng? I should've known you guys were all skilled. I assume my food was poisoned earlier, right?"
A series of soft thuds followed, and Lan revealed his true form, tossing the beer can in his hand to the ground.
"Hehe, my beautiful lady, you've misunderstood. I'm not from Qingcheng. Let me introduce myself—you can call me Lan," he said, completely shedding the drunken demeanor he had displayed the other night.
Cong Lei sneered, "Do all Qingcheng people resort to such tactics? Poisoning someone's food? Or are all of you this despicable?"
"Nonono..." Lan shook his head, still smiling. "Though Central Command sent me to kill you, it's only because I have a connection with them. It has nothing to do with Qingcheng."
It seemed Cong Lei was seriously injured. She must've been poisoned in the restaurant earlier. If Lan made a move now, she'd likely perish. Yet, strangely, Cong Lei didn't seem the least bit concerned. Instead, she chuckled and said, "I'm poisoned, yes, but you're not exactly in great shape either. Go ahead, touch your nose."
I was shocked again. Her words seemed to hold some magical power because, right after she spoke, blood began to drip from Lan's nostrils.
"I noticed you the moment you walked in. Honestly, you were poisoned even before I was…" Cong Lei said smugly.
Lan's expression changed as if he had just realized something. With a bitter smile, he replied, "I get it now—it was that scent…"
Cong Lei playfully stuck out her tongue. "So, what now? We're both injured. Do you still want to kill me?"
Lan shook his head, "I have no choice. I made a promise."
At that, Cong Lei's face turned dark. Lan snapped his fingers, and the sky suddenly darkened. Dozens of small tornadoes descended from above.
Cong Lei moved swiftly, likely due to her small frame. In an instant, she seemed to split into countless figures, dodging the incoming tornadoes. Soon, I saw all the tornadoes dissipate, leaving Cong Lei gasping for breath, her ample chest heaving.
"That was just an appetizer," Lan grinned wickedly, his hair standing on end as he levitated. His body glowed with a golden hue, and from his outstretched palms, two streams of fire shot out like twin dragons, their fiery maws snapping at Cong Lei.
Her face remained cold as she quickly sidestepped. The fire dragons hit the ground, kicking up clouds of thick smoke. The smoke had a faintly sweet scent, and I immediately covered my nose, suspecting it might be toxic.
Damn it, if that scent is poisonous, I'd better not get caught up in their fight.
The impact of the fire dragons was no small thing. The already rugged terrain was now riddled with even more craters. Cong Lei leaped out from the debris, and suddenly, a bright light flashed in her right hand. A long black whip appeared, perfectly complementing her dark figure, creating a stunning visual.
With a sharp crack, she lashed the whip toward Lan.
Lan, aiming for a quick victory, charged head-on. But as soon as he met Cong Lei's attack, the whip in her hand extended dozens of times its original length. With a shout, she wrapped the whip around Lan's right wrist.
A massive force surged through the whip. Lan hadn't anticipated that someone as seemingly fragile as Cong Lei could wield such strength with a whip. He struggled to free himself, but the whip held firm, like a black lock binding his wrist.
In that moment, Cong Lei used the whip's pull to close in on Lan. With her right hand gripping the whip tightly, her left hand gathered a small black energy ball. Though it was only the size of a shot put, Lan could feel the immense power within it. If it hit him, even if he survived, he'd be gravely injured.
Without thinking, he raised his left hand—the only one still free. Though his left hand wasn't as strong as his right, he figured if he could stall her for just a few seconds, he'd be able to break free from the whip's grip.