–Our people have been cleared out.-
From Cheng Yunze’s side, someone reported.
–That fast? Not even three days have passed.-
In this cleared-out abandoned meeting room, the crowd murmured among themselves.
Cheng Yunze gestured for everyone to calm down.
–It’s a pity about the pages. But at least we now know what that mental illusion attack is—they’ve got a good treasure.-
–And it’s controlled by a disabled person, huh. They really make use of everyone over there.-
……
As the last Scene Lord fell, the ground sank heavily, and the edge of the void extended outward, like a solid land taking root in the boundless emptiness.
This A-class convergence zone was thus declared fully stabilized.
–Yeah! We really did it! That was fast!- A short guy in the team waved his sword and cheered.
Tong Wenqi cast an envious glance at the Virtual Zero Chronos Battle Gear in Liang Xi’s hand.
When Li Mi applied to headquarters for his help in stabilizing this A-class convergence space, Tong Wenqi—only two years older than Liang Xi—had still wanted to see who was stronger, Moxel ability or elemental secret techniques.
But as soon as he finished stabilizing the second scene of the month, he felt something was off—that kid’s sword was highly suspicious.
The moment he found a chance to touch that sword, all of Tong Wenqi’s Battle Qi Hearts shattered into fragments along with his petrified expression.
–So this is… what it’s like to be backed by a big shot?-
–Heh heh, this sword of mine is just okay.-
Seeing that it was Li Mi’s friend, Liang Xi boasted, –Sister Xue’s sword is even better, but don’t even think about taking her weapon. Otherwise, when Zhao Anlong gets back, he’ll definitely beat you up.-
Tong Wenqi looked at Zhao Xuemei’s longsword and suddenly had a thought—could it be that on the new fate trajectory, there were items –far superior- to those here?
The team of about ten people passed through the gate and emerged under the archway of the silver-white fortified wall of Hub Town.
Chu Qiang gazed at the thin sunlight and said with heartfelt joy,
–Ah, it’s been over a year—I’m finally back! Come on, I’ll take you to rent a place to stay.-
Tong Wenqi curled his lip. –Why bother? Don’t worry, our people here have already arranged everything.-
Amidst footsteps, a tall, slender girl in dark red scale armor with gemstone epaulets like eyes on both shoulders walked out from under the archway, her steps brimming with agility.
–So this is the hub town that Anlong always talked about.-
–Yes, this is the hub town of our Moxel.-
Li Mi led Liang Xi out and stood beside the woman whose temperament had grown more noble, aloof, and enchanting, saying.
Zhao Xuemei’s lively gaze slowly swept over the tranquil buildings in the sunset. Three people from 41 City, who had been waiting nearby, ran over from under a tree with a broad canopy.
–General Manager Li, and Vice Captain Xuemei.-
Zhao Xuemei gave a slight nod.
Li Mi looked a bit puzzled at the three people of varying heights and builds. –General Manager?-
–Headquarters has promoted you. We only got the news just as you were about to enter here.-
–What happened?-
The three of them exchanged furtive glances, and the tall one said, –As expected, General Manager Li, you’re quick on the uptake. You knew something was up, hahaha. Here’s the deal.-
He glanced at Liang Xi, who was slowly chewing with his jaw moving, then leaned close to Li Mi’s ear and whispered.
–Mr. Yang Zicang has entered City 11.-
At the whispered words, the corner of Li Mi’s eye twitched.
–This time, Headquarters hopes that Mr. Li Mi—no, General Manager—can find a way to secure two or three entry spots.-
Li Mi said softly, –There are three types of book pages. We’re not even willing to trade the one with the fewest colors for entry spots, yet you expect me to find a way?-
The three before him looked a bit embarrassed, and one said in a low voice:
–Isn’t this precisely the moment to prove your worth, General Manager Li? Besides, it’s not that Headquarters is unwilling to offer them—they just want to save wherever they can. After all, those book pages seem to concern something very important. I heard City 11 has a very powerful weapon. Yang Zicang is originally from our city, so for the ranking war, we should let more of our people get those weapons.-
Li Mi remained silent.
Liang Xi, chewing his bubblegum, cast a sidelong glance upward. The speaker happened to look over, then quickly averted his eyes awkwardly.
A folded line shot over, and Liang Xi, who had been harboring some doubt, suddenly brightened with joy.
{Liang Xi ma, I finally want to see you ni!}
–Boboli, I’ve been missing you so much! Hahaha, do you have a game console over there?-
{How could I not have one? I’m coming to pick you guys up. Our rooms are really big.}
Zhao Xuemei, holding her long sword in her arms, smiled at Liang Xi and said, –Finally get to meet Yang Zicang’s teammates—I’m so excited. Too bad I won’t get to see Mr. Morri.-
Li Mi turned his head: –Morri told me the general location. Let’s just head there on foot first.-
–Okay.- Several team members behind them picked up their luggage and followed, walking into the bustling town.
……
After work, just as Zoro stepped out of the gate, he saw a young man wearing a frosted leather-textured work jacket leaning against the wall by the entrance.
–Not going to your precious camp today?-
Yang Zicang turned his head, looked at the youth whose scar had faded a little more, and straightened up.
–My friend is busy with something—preparing a big surprise for those who tried to mess with me. Hah, I won’t bother them for these two days. After all, those people wouldn’t dare use the ‘Core’ to snoop for info on the Intersection items. Might as well go play some chess with you.-
Zoro guessed that Yang Zicang might be trying to ask if he had any more information about that bookshelf.
–Going would be pointless. My chess skills can’t possibly surpass the steward’s in just a few days.-
After saying that, Zoro glanced at Yang Zicang, who showed no reaction, then looked around at the departing colleagues and continued:
–But, we’ve got nothing better to do anyway, so let’s go take a look. Come on, let’s eat first.-
After the meal, the two arrived at a pavilion that had a stone chess table.
Zoro touched a stone-carved flower on his right. This was a carving formed by magic pattern variations, showing that the carver’s mastery of magic patterns had reached a transcendent level.
[I have gained the right to use the black stone.]
With the touch, a familiar voice arose in Zoro’s mind.
A phantom hand appeared above the chessboard, holding a white stone made of light between its middle and index fingers.
Clack!
A faint ripple of air reverberated at the very center of the board.
–Even if I open with a move at Tengen, I’m still no match.-
Zoro chuckled unabashedly, and placed his own piece—automatically constructed by Moxel’s polyline—in the intersection near the lower-left hoshi.
The hand of light hovering above the chessboard quickly landed on a certain spot, without the slightest hesitation.
Zoro said: –How many days are left on your ether channel photo?-
–Not many days left. Aren’t you using yours yet?-
–Well, I don’t know what I’d do if I went out anyway, so I might as well save it.-
In less than ten minutes, Zoro sighed, and said to the void above the pavilion: –I lost again.-
The white stone on that hand rapidly dispersed, and the hand vanished as well.
–Seems like even when earning Chronos, this steward does it with dignity,- Yang Zicang said with a half-joking sigh. –It seems that this hundred-year ‘door opening fee’ isn’t so easy to spend after all.-
Zoro turned his head to survey the surroundings.
–The place where that guy kidnapped you last time was a simulation of this spot, right? I’m wondering, why would someone like that come after you?-
A smile spread across Yang Zicang’s face. This guy in front of him really was… but then again, he had insisted on dragging him here today for no apparent reason, so he must have immediately considered this possibility.
After a moment of thought, organizing his words, Yang Zicang said:
–A friend of mine got hold of some intel that changed the future. As a result, he’s in danger, and at the same time…- Yang Zicang rose from the stone bench, paced along the edge of the round table, then turned to face the chessboard and said solemnly, –When he obtained that future intel, someone gave him a piece of information from an even more distant future. That information was buried inside the ‘Complete Stamp Emblem’ world, which I still have one more chance to enter.-
Zoro watched as Yang Zicang gripped the chessboard with both hands, staring down at the squares, while he himself rested an elbow on the stone table and propped his chin.
–Oh. So you were planning to tell me a story all along, huh.-
–Heh.- Yang Zicang shot the young man a mocking glance, –Didn’t you ask first?-
–Mm-hmm. Fine. Go on.-
–After that, it’s simple. That guy, Han Mingxiao, seemed to know earlier than me that something was buried in that Saint-level psychic field. I only found out about it this time when I went out and specifically asked my friend.-
–Oh~ I see.-
Zoro nodded firmly. –In that case, Han Mingxiao, who’s supposedly always in the archive room, must have some way to access intel about this. So you’re saying there could be more of his hidden members mixed in with certain observation rooms at the company?-
–The executives will definitely have thought of that—I shouldn’t need to worry about it.- Yang Zicang also touched the stone petals, activated his psychic hand, and formed a chess piece from his own Moxel polyline at his fingertips, saying:
–I’m just curious what’s inside that buried information that’s drawn their attention. That information seems to hold considerable value, otherwise that guy who’s been lying low for years wouldn’t react so strongly to it.-
–Yeah, that’s the real question.-
Click!
The piece landed.
Yang Zicang glanced at it—it had fallen in a very mechanical way right beside the Flying Star.
Zoro rested his chin on his hand, thought for a moment, then looked at Yang Zicang. –How about you go check it out sometime soon?-
Yang Zicang’s brow furrowed even tighter as he placed another piece on the board. –I’m afraid of what I might uncover—something too big. If I alter the future any more violently at this point in time, my friend might really be in danger. And he won’t be completely free from the backlash of spacetime disruption until three years from now.-
–If we go through the executives…- Zoro rubbed his chin. –But just in case—I’m only saying just in case—things aren’t fully cleaned up. And you’re planning to leave the company in three and a half months, right?-
–Yeah.-
–So basically, you don’t intend to go in and read that information? You want to hand it over? But you’re afraid it’ll fall into the wrong hands.-
The chess piece twirled between Yang Zicang’s fingertips, and after a few seconds, he nodded.
–So, if it were you, Steward, what advice would you give me?–
He put down his own piece.
Snap! This time, a piece from the suspended arm landed directly in front of Yang Zicang, in the center of that row of squares.
Yang Zicang let out a sigh of relief.
Good—he’d delivered his message. Whether the other party was interested was no longer up to him.
Zorro’s eyes flickered. –Damn, you gave me another move! Haha, let me take it—let’s see if we can win this game together.–
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