Old Gu, driven mad by the disconnected network, uploaded everything he owed the moment the connection stabilized.

...

"Move aside, move aside!" "What are you doing loitering in the middle of the road? Get to the side!"

A squad forcefully parted the bustling crowd, flanking in from both sides to swiftly surround Ye Chen and his group of six. A path cleared through the squad, and a young man stepped out. His eyes were piercingly cold, his demeanor sinister, like a drawn blood-blade, radiating an aura that dared not be met directly.

"Stop right there!" The young man looked at Ye Chen and his group's backs and spoke coldly, as if an emperor were commanding a beggar.

Most people would instinctively obey when faced with the captain of the Nangong Guild’s Elite Squad, due to fear. Yet, Ye Chen’s party actually halted, which caused the young man’s eyes to show a flicker of satisfaction, feeling his authority greatly enhanced among the surrounding onlookers. He then ordered, "You will come with me."

Ye Chen turned his head, glanced at the young man, and remarked, "The flies have arrived."

Bai Long was itching for a fight. "I'll clean them up!"

Yue Heng glared angrily. "It's always you. It’s my turn this time!"

"Can you handle it?" Bai Long’s disdain was unconcealed.

Yue Heng rolled his eyes. "Next time we go to the Virtual Combat Tower, watch me thrash you!"

Bai Long curled his lip. "The night gave you a pair of dark eyes, and you use them to roll them? What a waste. Hmph, if I hadn't been out chasing girls, I wouldn't fear your amateur skills in the least."

Yue Heng declared proudly, "Say whatever you want. I’m doing it this time!"

"I want a turn too!" Zhuge Fan chimed in excitedly.

"Kid, go stand aside." Bai Long shot him a sharp look.

The onlookers, who had been pointing and whispering, instantly fell into dead silence.

Were these people insane? Facing the encirclement by the Nangong Guild’s Elite Squad, they dared to banter like this?

The young man’s lips twitched slightly, his fists clenched, his murderous intent seeming sharp enough to pierce Ye Chen. Only then did he realize why Ye Chen’s group had stopped: not out of fear, but to deal with him!

Deal with him? He laughed in extreme anger, his killing intent turning bone-chillingly cold!

Just then, after a bout of verbal sparring, Bai Long and the others finally reached an agreement.

Rock-Paper-Scissors to decide!

Mo Feng and Ye Chen stood aside, looking completely relaxed; they weren't even interested in dealing with these petty minions. Ye Zhu watched Bai Long and the others with curiosity, seemingly wanting to see who would win the hot potato task.

"One, two, three!"

The two men showed an unprecedented level of focused solemnity.

Yue Heng extended his hand: "Rock!"

"Scissors!" Zhuge Fan thrust out his hand and immediately burst into tears, defeated instantly.

The observers nearly spat blood—could they be any more childish?

Best of three, Bai Long ultimately claimed victory, his face beaming with pride, as if he'd won a million-dollar lottery, completely ignoring the murderous glares from a dark-faced Yue Heng and Zhuge Fan beside him.

"Click!" Bai Long curled his fingers, cracking his knuckles. The joints snapped crisply. He then strode forward, chin held high, looking down at the young man, and boasted, "Kid, let Dragon Lord teach you what fighting really means!"

The young man’s face turned ashen. He roared at his subordinates, "Charge!"

The thirty-odd elite warriors surrounding Ye Chen’s group glared fiercely at Bai Long and rushed forward with snarls. Some quickly found their positions, leveling their Type-3 Sniper Rifles at Bai Long’s temples, waiting for an opportunity to fire when least expected.

A mischievous, infuriating smile curved Bai Long’s lips. Facing the charging men, he reached out with an empty hand, striking faster than his opponents. He snatched the collar of the nearest man, slammed a punch that caved in his nose bridge, and casually flung him away like trash toward a nearby building, shattering the window glass.

Against a group attack honed over dozens of days, Bai Long moved as if strolling through a garden, weaving through the chaos. With a pull or a push of his palm, he sent these battle-hardened warriors flying, leaving the watching pedestrians gaping in shock.

Zhuge Fan pouted. "Show-off."

"He wins every time!" Yue Heng was still preoccupied with the Rock-Paper-Scissors outcome, clearly unwilling to concede.

Ye Chen glanced a couple of times, shook his head, and turned to walk away, waving without looking back. "You guys play on. We’re heading out."

Yue Heng and the others turned and left with perfect synchronicity, showing not a shred of lingering attachment. Bai Long, currently wrestling amidst the crowd, shoved one warrior away, shouting, "Hold on a sec!" Seeing no response, he chased after his retreating friends.

"Where do you think you’re going!" the young man roared in fury, giving chase.

Bai Long rolled his eyes, unleashing an unrestrained tirade of curses: "Go where? You clueless fool, watch me crush you!" Saying this, he spun around and plunged back into the throng.

Ye Chen and the others walked slowly toward the distance, maintaining an unhurried pace.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, Ye Chen’s brow twitched. He stopped dead, his hand shooting out like lightning. With two fingers, he snatched a bullet streaking toward his sister’s temple. A flicker of killing intent crossed his normally placid eyes, and with a flick of his finger, the bullet shot back, its speed even greater!

"Ah!" A shrill cry echoed from behind a building not far away.

Ye Chen’s gaze swept coldly over the spot. Seeing that the sniper was already dead, he retracted his gaze and looked toward the distance, spotting dozens of warriors manning a checkpoint at the city entrance several kilometers away, each bearing the Nangong Guild insignia on their chests.

Yue Heng saw them too and muttered angrily, "They must be tired of living. I’ll go kill them."

Ye Chen shook his head slightly, halting his steps and turning back, his gaze turning ice-cold. "Since they’ve invited us for tea, it would be impolite not to go!" As he uttered the word "polite," the air temperature seemed to drop significantly.

Yue Heng and Zhuge Fan exchanged a look. Instead of stopping him, they smiled, a hint of schadenfreude playing on their faces.

They knew that stray bullet had already ignited Ye Chen's killing intent. Coupled with these endlessly annoying flies, it was more than enough to sign the death warrant for the entire Nangong Guild!

They were also eager to see what kind of power could raise a son to be so unrestrained even in this brutal apocalypse.

As Ye Chen and the others returned, Bai Long’s fight was nearly over. Only the Elite Squad captain remained, beaten into a pulp resembling a grotesque pig’s head.

"Don't kill him." Ye Chen stood beside Bai Long, his voice indifferent but brooking no argument.

Bai Long paused, sensing the unusual tone, and stopped joking, releasing his grip. Ye Chen looked coldly at the young man. "Where is the Nangong Guild headquarters?"

The young man looked at him, slowly hesitating. Ye Chen nodded slightly. "You don't have to say it." He placed his hand on the young man’s head, unleashed his power, and like a black abyss, began frantically draining the man's vital energy.

The man shrieked, a sound so piercing it made one’s scalp crawl. His skin blackened visibly, wrinkling rapidly, like a flower withering away.

This bizarre spectacle silenced the entire street, as if a demon had descended, choking the breath from everyone present.

Ye Chen casually dropped the corpse, raised his head, and looked at the crowd on the street, speaking coldly, "Where is the Nangong Guild?"

Swish!

Everyone simultaneously raised their hands and pointed east, quickly clearing a path with unprecedented coordination.

Ye Chen said nothing more and walked in that direction. Bai Long and the others exchanged bewildered glances, then relaxed, whistling as they followed. Everyone felt the sense of an impending storm, instinctively trailing behind Ye Chen’s group, eager to see what would unfold.

Ye Chen swept his hand, opening a Rune Space and pulling out several masks. These were essential gear for assassinations and transactions. He tossed them to Bai Long and the others. Since entering the base city, he had noticed no one recognized Bai Long’s group, suggesting the base city’s communication equipment was poor, far inferior to China's base cities.

Moreover, Hohhot was extremely distant from Hubei Province; even if spies gathered intelligence, it would be relayed only to the ruling echelon. Therefore, the ordinary people on the street did not recognize them, and the spoiled young master Nangong Qiao certainly wouldn't bother paying attention to such "national affairs."

Thus, up to this point, their identities remained unknown.

The ruling powers recognized them but had not broadcasted their identities, merely assigning spies for closer observation without involving the common populace—much like China wouldn't plaster photos of the US President on every street corner.

After Bai Long and the others donned their masks, Ye Chen subtly altered his appearance to match his true form: Killing God Ye Chen. His severe facial structure, combined with his immense power, caused many girls on the sidewalks to gaze at him with shining eyes.

The onlookers following behind were startled when they saw the Rune Space, wondering what such a thing was, yet they didn't overreact too much. The vast universe held too many wonders—there were viruses that could instantly cover the globe, and ruins of prehistoric civilizations existed; what was impossible?

When they saw Ye Chen change his appearance, many were utterly shocked, realizing facial structures could be altered at will. If iris scans weren't used, wouldn't that allow someone to commit murder with impunity?

Ye Chen knew that after causing trouble, Bai Long’s group would soon be exposed. After some investigation, their identities would be linked. At that point, his true identity being associated with the high-ranking officials of the Brightness Base City would inevitably lead people to connect the identities of "Wolf Emperor" and "Killing God" as the same person.

However, during the siege battle, the "Wolf Emperor" had activated his Superman Mode twice, a fact well-known to the high command in both China's base cities and Hohhot. Given this "reality," any testimony from people on this street who recognized Bai Long's group's appearance would have limited credibility.

Even if they were believed, Ye Chen, with his current strength, feared nothing. He had fabricated the "Wolf Emperor" identity previously because the name "Killing God" had caused too much upheaval in China's base cities, and building a base city under that name would invite unnecessary complications. Now that the base city was successfully built, he no longer feared exposure.

Furthermore, complete exposure might not even happen; at worst, it would only lead to suspicion. This could actually benefit the Brightness Base City: when people realize the Killing God and the Wolf Emperor are "friendly," their apprehension toward the Brightness Base City will only deepen.