Everyone was startled, turning toward the sound to see a woman clad in furs, remarkably beautiful, the soft down of the animal hide brushing against her skin in an alluring way, showcasing a captivating figure. This slender woman was carrying a handsome man draped in wolf pelts; the man’s face was pale, entirely drained of color, half his body slumped against hers as if devoid of bones.

On her other side, she was leading a disheveled middle-aged man by his pale wrist. His beastly attire was extensively torn, making him look utterly wretched, and one of his arms hung broken at the wrist.

Ye Chen paused when he saw the woman’s appearance. It wasn’t her beauty that stunned him, but the realization that this woman was none other than Jing Yu’er, accompanied by Fang Zhuo, whom he had previously exposed and who had fled. The middle-aged man, naturally, was Jing You. His expression now was grim, his head hung low, his body limp and powerless; he staggered with every step, likely falling several times were he not being supported.

Under the gaze of the crowd, Jing Yu’er walked fearlessly toward Ye Chen, bringing her beloved and her father along. Turning her back to the onlookers, she gave Ye Chen a meaningful look and whispered, "I can testify for you and clear your name! But you must hand over the antidote for the Seven Fragrance Powder to save my husband." Though she and the handsome Fang Zhuo were not yet married, they privately addressed each other as husband and wife.

Ye Chen regarded her with cold indifference. "Aren't you afraid I'll suddenly strike and kill you, then frame someone else?"

Jing Yu’er let out a soft laugh, showing no fear, and replied calmly, "Of course, I’m afraid. But if you are a smart man, you absolutely won't do that. The moment you move, I will simply tell them I personally witnessed you detonating the explosives. Your charges will be impossible to clear."

Ye Chen gazed at her for a long moment, then asked placidly, "Is this truly your father?"

"Yes," Jing Yu’er answered, her expression composed, though a flicker of resentment danced in her eyes. "Aren't you surprised that I would betray my own father just to save my husband? Heh, are you calling me inhuman, worse than a beast?"

Ye Chen’s reply was detached. "If that's how you choose to see it, there's nothing I can do."

As if struck on a raw nerve, Jing Yu’er spat onto the ground with a harsh sound, venom coating her voice. "Never mind doing it for my husband, I would sell out this heartless wretch even if he were my enemy! My mother, born in the countryside, left her home for the city, only to be tricked into some wretched place. One night, while drunk, he broke into that den of iniquity and defiled my mother. Then, with smooth words, he seduced her and they became lovers!"

As she spoke, the hatred in her eyes intensified, tears now streaking her face. She ground her teeth, "He took all the money my mother had painstakingly saved, claiming he'd open a company, promising my mother a good life, a bright future! But what happened? He succeeded! And then he abandoned my mother, letting her die from her illness without even seeking treatment! Do you have any idea what it felt like, watching my mother struggle for her life before my eyes when I was only three years old?"

Ye Chen's eyes shifted slightly as he glanced at Jing You beside him. Seeing him hanging his head in utter shame, Ye Chen suspected the story held truth and sighed inwardly.

Jing Yu’er’s tears flowed like springs, wetting the corners of her eyes. She stubbornly wiped them away and looked directly at Ye Chen. "Are you willing to trade?" It turned out that the porcelain bottle Ye Chen had casually thrown at the back of Fang Zhuo's head contained the Seven Fragrance Powder. This bottle had originally been placed on the stone platform by the couple after they poisoned Jing You. Unexpectedly, their plot backfired; when the bottle shattered, Fang Zhuo inhaled a small amount of the white powder, thus suffering from the Seven Fragrance Powder poisoning himself!

The two had burrowed into the earth and quickly carved out a tunnel. Fang Zhuo, heavily poisoned, eventually collapsed from exhaustion and could not walk. She did not venture far. On their return route, she spotted her father, Jing You, scrambling out of a crevice in a rock face. She was startled, then flooded with a bizarre relief. She rushed forward, activated her Superman state, and subdued her father, who had already deactivated his own. In her desperation, although she suspected her father likely held no antidote, she still grabbed him and demanded it!

If Jing You had flatly denied everything, perhaps he would have only endured some torment before being released. But seeking revenge for Ye Chen severing his wrist, he revealed the existence of the antidote, hoping his daughter would seek it from Ye Chen. Then, during the ensuing fight, he cared little who died.

Jing Yu’er recognized his scheme. For the sake of her beloved, she had no choice but to drag him along while searching for Ye Chen. They then encountered members of the various Guilds arriving behind them. She figured Ye Chen might not be up there, but if he wasn't, they could at least check if those two monsters were dead and perhaps gain some advantage. Thus, as they proceeded, they happened upon Ye Chen being misunderstood and attacked by the crowd. Greatly alarmed, she rushed out.

Ye Chen glanced at Jing Yu’er, then turned to look at the disheartened Jing You. Seeing the remorse etched on his face, Ye Chen shook his head and stated, "Agreed."

Jing Yu’er felt a rush of joy and her eyes darted around. "Then you must hand over the antidote first."

Ye Chen reached into his breast pocket and pulled out the yellow paper packet containing the Seven Fragrance Powder, his voice icy. "Don't try any tricks. Clarify the situation first, or there’s nothing to discuss!" His demeanor held an imposing authority, like a monarch whose word was law, startling Jing Yu’er. Knowing Ye Chen was a man of his word, she hesitated for a moment before nodding, "Fine, I agree to your terms."

Saying this, she turned to face the assembled heroes watching them and proclaimed loudly, "Everyone, please listen to me! This man did not set off those explosives; it was him, this villain!" She pointed at Jing You, her eyes filled with resentment. "This man devised this treacherous plot to cripple the Huaxia Base City and all your Guilds! His crime is unforgivable! We tried desperately to stop him, but he ignited the explosives anyway. In a fit of righteous fury, this man severed his wrist, though he ultimately managed to escape. Fortunately, Heaven’s net is vast; though the weaving is loose, nothing escapes!"

Everyone turned to look at Jing You. Seeing his face contorted in anger but hearing no denial, they concluded he must have been overcome by rage after being captured. They realized they had gravely misunderstood Ye Chen; the coldness in their eyes toward him shifted into furious glares directed at Jing You. Unlike Ye Chen, they felt no restraint regarding this man. One of them shouted fiercely, "Old man, who are you, to be so vicious?"

"Kill him!"

"This bastard actually used explosives to kill so many members of our Guild!"

Amidst the shouts and curses, Jing You’s face turned ashen. He looked toward his daughter, finding her facial contours suddenly so familiar. In a haze, he seemed to see his beloved wife, diligently working at home when he was first establishing his career. The resentment in his eyes suddenly receded like a tide, replaced by a touch of weary age, and a slow, tender affection welled up in his gaze. His lips moved, but in the end, he remained silent.

Seeing that he still refused to speak, Ye Chen frowned slightly. Looking closer, he noticed a trace of blood at the corner of Jing You's mouth, along with a thin string of crimson. Ye Chen’s eyes widened in shock—Jing You’s tongue had been cut out, which explained his inability to defend himself.

"Die!" A young man, his face contorted with ferocity, rushed forward, raising his blade and bringing it down squarely on Jing You’s head. Jing You made no move to dodge or resist, allowing the strike to land. The blade sliced through, splitting his skull in two. He collapsed onto the ground.

Blood quickly soaked the earth...

Beneath the bright, warm sunlight, the temperature in that spot felt like ice.

Jing Yu’er glanced at the fallen Jing You. There was a complex mix of hatred and frustration in her eyes—it was unclear whether she resented that the man she had hated since childhood died too easily, or that she hadn't been the one to kill him herself.

"Thud, thud!"

Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed from the opposite hillside. Several figures, leading several teams, approached. The man on the left was handsome as jade, but a terrible, nail-like claw mark marred his forehead. He was cloaked in furs, exuding an imposing air, his glance treating everyone present as mere ants, possessing the bearing of a king.

"Wu Hao, President of the Brilliant Guild!" Someone in the crowd exclaimed in shock. They hadn't expected the leader of the Brilliant Guild, one of the three major powers in the Base City, to appear in person.

On the right stood a solidly built man whose muscles rippled, his face sharply chiseled, his eyes like flashing thunder, emanating a fierce aura. He wore a blood-red fur armor and carried a massive, blood-red broadsword on his back—five feet long, a hand's breadth wide, as if forged from countless droplets of blood, radiating a palpable killing intent.

This man was the President of the Iron Blood Guild, known simply as 'Blood Blade'!

And positioned in the center was a man in yellow robes, his skin fair, his fingers long and elegant, his eyes holding a hint of nobility, radiating an air of refined power. On his back rested a sword engraved with the mark of sovereignty, radiating overwhelming dominance—this was Long Zhixiang of the Dragon Soaring Guild!

The Huaxia Base City hosted numerous Guilds, but these three were the most powerful. They had been registered since the Base City's founding, holding transcendent status. Some even said that if these three allied, they could challenge the Huaxia Base City, illustrating their immense prestige!

Now, the presidents of these three great Guilds had all arrived here!

The crowd instantly erupted, astonished that those two monsters had managed to attract the leaders of these three formidable Guilds. A fierce battle royale seemed imminent!

All three led a team of Superman subordinates, each a trusted confidant protected during their vulnerable post-Superman state. Each confidant had been administered a highly toxic drug, ensuring death if they betrayed their master and the antidote was withheld. Moreover, even if one defected, the others would not necessarily follow suit; this system of mutual constraint made betrayal extremely unlikely, and even if it occurred, it offered no real benefit—a losing proposition no one would undertake.

It was standard practice for such high-ranking Guild leaders to travel with a loyal entourage, much like ancient emperors on procession; even an emperor, dependent on the allegiance of an empire, needed protection against assassination.

Ye Chen's expression remained unchanged by the arrival of the three, as if three random passersby had merely walked by.

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