"We're here. This is Shadow Society's secret research base, a place I stumbled upon by chance."
He Mu stepped out of the car, explaining how he discovered this location. He had stolen something from the Shadow Society and while escaping, he happened upon a notebook detailing the location of another Shadow Society research base. The notebook also contained information about their research, and within those details, He Mu found clues related to Yao Ji.
Old Zhang hurriedly pushed open the car door and stumbled to the side, violently vomiting.
It wasn't due to old age, but the recent journey had turned his stomach upside down. It felt like boiling water about to erupt, and he could no longer contain it. The moment he opened his mouth, everything came gushing out.
"Are you alright?" Lin Fan asked with concern, gently patting Old Zhang's back. He didn't know what was wrong with Old Zhang; he just got out of the car and started throwing up, making Lin Fan quite worried.
Old Zhang waved his hand, "I'm fine, just ate a bit too much."
Just then, a commotion came from the trunk.
Bang!
The Evil Chicken and Ginseng flew out.
Ginseng was furious, its tendrils waving menacingly. "Damn chicken, I'll tear you to shreds!"
He could tolerate the chicken eating his boogers and excrement before, but he couldn't tolerate it taking advantage of the enclosed space in the trunk to nibble on him. This was unacceptable.
The Evil Chicken, satisfied with its successful snacking, was frightened by Ginseng's ferocious appearance and immediately took off running.
The chicken ran, the ginseng chased.
The scene was quite harmonious for a moment.
Lin Fan was taking care of Old Zhang and didn't have time to pay attention to them; he didn't take their antics to heart.
He Mu's expression was grave. Their playful chase could easily expose them.
No… perhaps they'd already been discovered.
Gradually, the Evil Chicken felt a power swelling within it. It stopped, its feathers standing on end as if electrocuted.
"Cluck…"
It crowed with its head held high, its muscles visibly expanding. No longer an ordinary Evil Chicken, it could now be called a Muscle Chicken.
Its thin chicken legs bulged.
Its skinny body was a size larger than before.
Its chicken eyes gleamed.
Ginseng lunged at the Evil Chicken, but suddenly, as if possessed by Bruce Lee, the Evil Chicken, with its back to Ginseng, executed a spinning kick. A single chicken claw sent the unprepared Ginseng flying.
The movement was fluid and seamless.
The Evil Chicken felt the surging power within it and proudly raised its head, exuding dominance, as if to say…
"I, the Evil Chicken, have finally risen!"
Its vision broadened, the world became brighter, everything was under control. All that was once unattainable would now submit to its mighty chicken power.
At this moment, the Evil Chicken's cultivation base soared.
A few levels?
That would be an insult.
Ginseng, humiliated and robbed of a significant portion of its essence, which was absorbed by the Evil Chicken, watched as the chicken became a Town-Level powerhouse in the blink of an eye.
In the cultivation hierarchy of the Starry Sky Great Clan, this was equivalent to the Golden Body Realm.
With its newfound power, the Evil Chicken completely let loose.
What was Ginseng?
What was Old Zhang?
What was Lin Fan?
From now on, I, the Evil Chicken, will never lay another egg. Although I am an undercover agent, even undercover agents have self-respect and dignity. No one can decide my fate.
Ginseng's tendrils transformed into whips, lashing across the Evil Chicken's face, leaving a burning mark.
The Evil Chicken shrieked, knocked to the ground by the single whip. It was stunned, as if it had seen a ghost.
It was already so powerful.
How could this be the outcome? This was the most unacceptable thing.
"Little Chick, you've gone too far. You dared to kick me? This is something your Ginseng Bro cannot tolerate." Ginseng walked towards the Evil Chicken step by step, its powerful aura making the Evil Chicken feel like it had just kicked a steel plate. It also gave the chicken a deeper understanding.
Even if I'm strong now, I'm still weak.
With a strong survival instinct, the Evil Chicken's mind raced with a thousand ways to survive.
In the end, it chose the most effective method.
The Evil Chicken pathetically tucked its wings, squatting obediently on the ground with its head buried.
"Cluck!"
It whimpered pitifully.
"Ginseng Bro, my body was out of control just now. It must have been an evil spirit possessing me. Thank you, Ginseng Bro, for saving me with that whip."
Striking first, it shifted all the blame onto an evil spirit.
It had nothing to do with me.
I'm innocent.
Ginseng was prepared to teach the Evil Chicken a lesson. As your Ginseng Bro, I've treated you well, and you dare to kick me? If I don't leave a mark of shame on you, you won't know how mighty your Ginseng Bro is.
However, the Evil Chicken's proactive surrender appeased Ginseng's anger slightly.
Of course, for the Evil Chicken, you might have profited, but I, the Evil Chicken, definitely didn't lose out. As expected, fortune favors the bold. The amount it just consumed in the trunk would have taken a lot of boogers and excrement to match.
At this time, Lin Fan walked over and looked at the Evil Chicken in surprise. "Hen, you seem to have grown bigger?"
"Cluck!" The Evil Chicken rubbed its head against Lin Fan's leg, acting affectionately. It was also a message to Ginseng: You can't do anything to me. I'm his beloved pet. If something happens to me, they won't have any eggs to eat.
Lin Fan squatted down and stroked the Evil Chicken's head. It was much sturdier, really good.
He Mu was shocked.
He knew this chicken was an evil creature, but its power had increased to this extent in the blink of an eye. He looked at Ginseng suspiciously, his heart filled with astonishment. It was enough to cause a tsunami of shock within him.
Ginseng thought it was safe, but now it seemed it had thought too much.
Among those he knew, only Lin Fan and Old Zhang didn't have any designs on him. Everyone else wanted to consume his… essence.
"Let's go. We've entered the research base's perimeter. We might have already been discovered."
He Mu stopped observing Ginseng. It had nothing to do with him. If it were an unclaimed treasure, he would certainly be interested, but it was clearly Lin Fan's possession, and he wouldn't think he could snatch anything from Lin Fan.
Yao Ji was eager to save her sister.
She didn't want to waste a single moment.
Inside the research base, the Shadow Society's security was tight. It appeared to be a desolate wilderness, but there were surveillance systems everywhere. The moment their car entered the perimeter, they were noticed.
Alarms blared.
A voice came from the corridor speakers.
"All personnel, prepare yourselves. Security forces, arm yourselves and intercept the intruders."
"All personnel…"
"All personnel…"
Quickly, a group of security personnel armed with advanced weapons prepared to confront the intruders.
Outside, Lin Fan looked at the surroundings. It was a good thing he didn't bring Little Treasure. The area was indeed uninteresting, the scenery not beautiful at all.
If the evil creatures hadn't driven humanity into the cities, forcing them to develop the suburbs and wilderness, it would have been a different scene, beautiful and prosperous.
A gust of wind blew.
Yellow sand filled the desolate wilderness.
"Careful, we've been discovered," He Mu warned.
Mu Qing and Yao Ji became alert, while Lin Fan and Old Zhang remained as before, calm and unperturbed. For them, being discovered or not seemed to make no difference.
Thump, thump!
Heavy footsteps approached.
Fully armed security personnel appeared from the distance, as if out of thin air, but in reality, they emerged from underground.
"Targets acquired. Five humans, two evil creatures."
"Target locked!"
"Fire!!!"
Before Lin Fan could even speak, the security personnel pulled the triggers. Flames erupted from the muzzles, sweeping towards Lin Fan and the others.
He Mu stood alone at the front, flicking his wrist. Several talismans danced in the air, transforming into golden lights that surged towards the security personnel. The golden lights moved swiftly, weaving through the ranks.
"Bind!!"
The security personnel were bound by ropes, their limbs immobilized, all collapsing to the ground.
In the blink of an eye, the security personnel were completely defeated.
He Mu didn't kill them. These ants had no real power, relying solely on their weapons. Once their movements were restrained, they had no chance of resisting.
"Amazing," Lin Fan praised.
If he didn't know Lin Fan's true strength, He Mu would have responded with a boastful remark.
"Just a small trick, nothing worth mentioning."
But now, he thought, compared to you, it really is nothing worth mentioning.
Soon,
"This is the only passage to the underground research facility. However, this entrance is made of a special alloy. Even a nuclear explosion wouldn't be able to open it. I can only rely on you," He Mu said.
The path beneath their feet was blocked by a massive alloy plate.
Lin Fan squatted down, flicking his finger against the alloy plate. A dong, dong sound resonated, crisp and clear.
"I'll give it a try, not sure if I can lift it."
Such a humble person.
He raised a single finger and poked it towards the alloy plate. With a titter sound, the alloy plate, like tofu, was pierced, creating a hole. His finger, now inside the hole, bent, effortlessly lifting the entire alloy plate.
"Turns out it's quite light," Lin Fan said with a smile.
He Mu didn't really want to speak. He found that the amiable Lin Fan had a knack for showing off in a way that left him speechless. He could effortlessly boast in a way that was both earth-shattering and understated.
They stood at the edge, looking down.
It was a vertical shaft.
Very deep.
At least, they couldn't see the bottom.
An elevator was parked there. They stepped onto it, and He Mu pressed a button. The elevator rapidly descended.
"Alert!"
"Alert!"
"Intruders detected! Intruders detected!"
Red lights flashed within the research base. The personnel were shocked. For so long, no one had ever reached this place, and now such an alarm was sounding. Who could it be?
He Mu was here for the first time and was unfamiliar with the layout, but he knew that the Shadow Society's secret research base was definitely not simple. Danger was inevitable, and countless threats likely awaited them.
Of course…
These dangers would only exist if he came alone.
Looking at Lin Fan beside him, these dangers he feared seemed like nothing more than a harmless game.
"Be careful," He Mu reminded.
Although he knew it was nothing to Lin Fan, he still gave the warning, just to assert his presence and to prove that this place was indeed dangerous.
"Okay," Lin Fan replied.
He Mu felt that Lin Fan was truly different from other powerful individuals.
Other powerhouses, when faced with such a situation, would inevitably smirk, revealing a disdainful expression, and snort, showing their disregard for the place.
That kind of arrogant, condescending aura was definitely unimaginable for ordinary people.
Soon, the elevator came to a smooth stop.
"This passage might not be so easy to pass through," He Mu said. Their arrival had been detected, and there would definitely be attempts to stop them. This seemingly ordinary passage likely concealed terrifying dangers.
"I'll go first."
Lin Fan walked in the front, letting everyone follow behind him. If any danger arose, he could withstand it all.
Inside the control room:
"I want to eliminate them all within this passage. That damned He Mu, betraying the organization and bringing outsiders here, deserves to die!" A bald old man in a white lab coat glared at the screen, watching the group's movements and waiting for the opportune moment. When the time was right, he slammed a button.
When designing this underground research base, they had anticipated attacks from special departments, so they had placed deadly traps everywhere. Even city-level powerhouses could be caught off guard and perish here.
Within the passage:
Originally unremarkable, a dense network of lasers suddenly appeared ahead, completely covering the passage. Anyone touching these beams would be sliced to pieces. Even the powerful bodies of Buddhist cultivators would be useless against these rays, capable of cutting through special alloys.
"Careful..." He Mu exclaimed as Lin Fan reached out to touch the incoming lasers. However, he quickly realized his warning was unnecessary.
The lasers enveloped Lin Fan, but caused him no harm.
"Hmm, this thing needs to be destroyed." Lin Fan pondered, noticing something moving in the side walls. In a flash of inspiration, he extended his arms and slammed his fists into both walls.
Boom!
The entire research base seemed to shake.
Huge craters appeared where his fists had struck, and the operating lasers instantly vanished.
"Alright, let's continue," Lin Fan said.
He Mu stared, dumbfounded. Overwhelming power truly was terrifying. Unable to solve the immediate problem, Lin Fan addressed the root cause—a truly effective method.
Inside the control room:
"Damn it, how is this possible? How is he unharmed?" The bald old man shrieked, as if seeing a ghost. "Those lasers can cut through special alloys! I specifically prepared them for those powerhouses from the special departments!"
Immersed in his research, he paid no attention to the outside world. If he had watched the news more, he would have known who was leading the charge.
Anyone with a bit of sense, seeing Lin Fan arrive in person, would have surrendered immediately, not dared to provoke a conflict. That would be suicide.
Mu Qing felt proud of Lin Fan's strength. She thought about how Shadow Society could possibly be his opponent. The idea of them trying to control Lin Fan, as they had in the past, now seemed laughable.
She was very curious. Lin Fan wasn't that old; how had he cultivated to such a realm?
If she knew that Lin Fan spent a considerable amount of time each month in a mysterious realm and cultivated daily, she would understand that the result of centuries of cultivation was terrifying.
As the saying goes: One should look at someone with new eyes every three days.
As for Lin Fan, it was more like: Don't underestimate someone you haven't seen in a month.
Along the way, there were various traps. Ordinary powerhouses would have been scrambling, perhaps even falling prey to them. Unfortunately for the base, these were mere toys in Lin Fan's eyes. Even Old Zhang watched with amusement, clapping and enjoying the show.
In the research base's training room:
A man sat cross-legged, two Tang-sword-like blades resting on his knees.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes.
The two swords hummed and trembled.
"It's been a while since I've warmed up. Time to deal with these guys."
This was Sword Demon, the top assassin of Shadow Society. He had undergone scientific gene mutation and lived for fifty years, but still looked young. This was the benefit of the mutation. Not only did it preserve youth, but it also enhanced strength.
The only drawback was a lifespan limited to sixty years. It was all fueled by burning life force.
"Sword Demon, need any help?" A super-sized man, over two meters tall and with rock-hard muscles, asked as he lifted equipment several times his size. When he spoke, the heat from his breath scorched the floor red.
"No need," Sword Demon said indifferently.
He then left with his two swords.
There were several other powerhouses similar to Sword Demon in the training room. They were interested in the intruders, eager for bloodshed after so long.
Unfortunately…with Sword Demon dispatched, there likely wouldn't be anything left for them.
At this moment, He Mu felt that this place was not so simple. There were definitely unknown dangers awaiting them.
Gradually, they passed through the passage and arrived at a bright, enormous indoor area, the size of a basketball court.
"You've arrived. I've been waiting for you for a long time," a figure standing in the center, with two swords on his back, slowly said.
His voice was cold and emotionless, radiating a chilling aura.
He Mu frowned. The aura emanating from the figure made him uneasy, as if his movements were restricted. He had never encountered such a murderous aura before.
Shadow Society had such powerhouses? Unbelievable.
"Really? Do you know us?" Lin Fan asked curiously.
Waiting for a long time, knowing they were coming, and even coming to greet them – that was something only an acquaintance would do.
Although the aura the figure emitted was somewhat off-putting, as long as the other party was hospitable, Lin Fan would face them with a smile.
"I don't know you," Sword Demon said.
Lin Fan replied, "Then let me introduce myself. My name is Lin Fan, this is Old…"
Just as Lin Fan was about to introduce everyone, Sword Demon vanished, reappearing in front of Lin Fan in an instant. He placed a sword against Lin Fan's throat, his eyes cold as he said, "I'm not interested in who you are, because you will soon be dead by my sword."
He Mu was shocked. Such speed! He had only seen a blur. If it were him facing this guy, he would have been easily killed. Such a powerful individual!
He recalled his previous thoughts of single-handedly raiding this place. His back was now drenched in cold sweat. Fortunately, he hadn't acted impulsively, or he wouldn't be alive.
"You shouldn't play with such dangerous things. It's very dangerous," Lin Fan warned. "I thought you seemed like a hospitable person. Why are you different from what I imagined? We're here to find someone's sister. If you know her, please hand her over to us."
He then raised his hand, attempting to push the sword away.
Sword Demon quickly retracted his sword and blinked back to his original position.
He twirled his swords, creating a flurry of sword flowers. Such skilled movements clearly showed his mastery of swordsmanship, far beyond what ordinary people could imagine.
Now, Sword Demon seemed to be burning with a dark aura.
"Hehe!" A sinister chuckle escaped his throat.
His lips curled into a ferocious grin.
"Die."
With these vicious words, Sword Demon vanished again. In his eyes, these people were prey for him to toy with.
His twin swords flashed with a demonic light as he swung them at Lin Fan's head. He eagerly anticipated the sight of Lin Fan's head splitting into three, blood spraying everywhere. It would be a beautiful scene.
He Mu's eyes darted around, trying to locate Sword Demon. So fast, too fast to follow!
He had a rough idea of what this research facility was studying. Could this be the product of their research?
Sword Demon appeared beside Lin Fan, swinging his twin swords.
"Bleed…"
Clang!
The swords struck Lin Fan's head, but the expected spray of blood didn't happen.
"Huh?"
Sword Demon's ferocious expression faded, replaced by shock and disbelief, as if he were hallucinating. This wasn't how it was supposed to go.
"I told you not to play with dangerous things, especially not at people. When I spar with others, I use my bare hands, not like this." As Lin Fan spoke, he reached out and grabbed Sword Demon's blades, intending to take the dangerous weapons away.
Sword Demon snapped out of his shock, realizing that Lin Fan was trying to disarm him. Such an act was unacceptable.
"Ridiculous! You can't take my swords."
Sword Demon twisted his wrists, attempting to crush Lin Fan's hand.
Lin Fan felt Sword Demon's strength, the intent to rotate. He knew that with the opponent's strength, it was impossible. He feared that if he let Sword Demon continue, he would injure himself. Wanting to avoid harming him, Lin Fan also rotated his wrist.
Sword Demon, gripping the hilts, felt an irresistible force.
What happened next was…
A human windmill began to spin.
Sword Demon rotated at high speed.
So fast!
So exaggerated!
Such a strong wind!
And there was a sound, like the whirring of a helicopter's rotor blades.