Chapter 256: Shocking change

Xu Chuyao did not expect it, Wen Shengqing did not expect it, and Chu Cang did not expect it either.

However, what Chu Cang was thinking about at this moment was something else entirely.

But the one who was most caught off guard had to be the witness who had been escorted over 1,000 miles from Center City.

In the back of the black SUV, he sat trembling with fear, as if he were watching an action movie from the Pre-Spirit Age.

“Die Hard.”

“Never seen it, shut up,” Yu Jing replied coldly before dialing a number.

“Xu Chuyao, we’re surrounded.”

“Hold on, I’ll be right there!”

***

Since there were no further orders, the vehicles that arrived first only surrounded them without taking any aggressive action. This gave Xu Chuyao time to arrive.

She slammed the accelerator to the floor, speeding all the way before stomping on the brakes, nearly colliding with a sprinkler truck on the side of the road.

Xu Chuyao pushed open the door and got out, shouting to the bewildered driver, “Sir, what’s your job?”

“I… I’m in cleaning,” the driver pointed to the water tank. “I come to spray water every morning.”

“Not today. Just leave, and don’t worry about the truck.”

The driver froze for a moment, glanced at the situation in front of him, and decisively jumped out of the truck to run away.

This salary wasn’t worth risking his life.

Xu Chuyao walked over to the sprinkler truck, patted the water tank, and winked at Shen Ning. “A gust of wind — a big one.”

Shen Ning was stunned for a moment. “Aren’t you a Lightning Element?”

“The wind needs to be strong.”

“We aren’t Water Elements either…”

“You really need to brush up on your basic science,” Xu Chuyao rolled her eyes. “Water conducts electricity.”

***

Just then, Peter Mo brought Wen Shengqing’s order: “Take them down!”

Almost at the same instant, a powerful gust of wind swept up the sprinkler truck’s water tank, smashing it heavily into the center of the crowd.

*Splash!*

Water sprayed everywhere.

The next second —

*Sizzle, sizzle!*

Deep blue electric lights danced across the surface of the water, bursting into dangerous arcs of electricity.

Peter Mo sneered. “Miss Xu, we can’t listen to you today.”

He took a step forward, attempting to leap across the water —

“Ah! … Ah — !”

The first cry was from the static electricity in the air.

The second cry was after he fell into the electrified water and was shocked again.

The damage wasn’t great, but it was extremely embarrassing.

“Sorry, everyone.”

Xu Chuyao walked slowly out from behind the convoy, her voice calm. “Are you sure you want to snatch someone from my hands?”

Peter Mo took two steps back, leading the others in a retreat. Only then did he realize the situation.

This wasn’t the Council.

There was no power or background here, only strength.

The girl in front of him… was already at the Fourth Rank Peak.

When did that happen?!

“Miss Xu, you’re just one person — “

Before he could finish, soft footsteps sounded on the water.

Shen Ning walked out and stood beside Xu Chuyao.

Then, Yu Jing also got out of the car with Morris in custody, standing by their side.

“Three.” Peter Mo grit his teeth. “There are six of us!”

Furthermore, there were dozens of accompanying personnel.

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

***

At the same time.

Chu Cang did not show himself.

Hidden in the shadows, he muttered under his breath.

“Loss comes with gain… even if it’s just the loss of one arm.”

He knew very well.

Before he lost his arm, Wen Shengqing’s gaze had always been locked on him.

After losing the arm —

That gaze had shifted.

It shifted toward Xu Chuyao.

When a beast loses its claws, its threat level naturally drops.

“Against him, we only have one opportunity.”

“…One is enough.”

***

On the battlefield.

Three against six.

It seemed like a disadvantage.

But the true weakness was Morris.

A Third Rank Peak was as fragile as porcelain in a Fourth Rank battlefield.

He couldn’t be killed; he had to be captured.

Add to that Xu Chuyao’s identity —

No one dared to use lethal force.

The situation reached a stalemate.

***

In the distance.

The Old Speaker watched the battle quietly.

“At least they have some restraint…” he muttered to himself.

When he heard that Wen Shengqing had sent people to meet the flight, he didn’t move.

When he heard that Chu Cang had also set out, he didn’t move.

But when he heard that Xu Chuyao had rushed to the scene —

He stood up with a snap.

“Don’t let the child get hurt!”

Fortunately, this group still had some restraint.

— Except for Xu Chuyao.

She completely ignored the rules.

With Lightning in hand and electric light overflowing, she fought with full strength from the start.

“This child…”

The Old Speaker sighed.

But there was admiration in his eyes.

The two girls coordinated perfectly.

One main, one support.

Just like Wen Shengqing and Chu Cang in the old days.

Except —

Those two were of one mind.

You two are fighting among yourselves.

“Sigh…”

***

In the middle of the battlefield.

Morris was about to cry.

On his left was ice, on his right was fire.

The air was filled with aftershocks.

“Miss Xu! Why didn’t you just teleport me away!”

“Don’t ask,” Xu Chuyao replied with only two words.

Of course she could have taken him away directly.

But —

Then there would be no “chain of evidence.”

No “process.”

No “accident.”

And now —

Everything was happening.

“Who is Wen Shengqing?” Morris couldn’t help but ask.

“The person you’re going to accuse later,” Xu Chuyao pointed. “That one.”

***

The crowd suddenly stopped.

Wen Shengqing had arrived.

Peter Mo hurried forward. “Marshal, they — “

“Shut up.”

Wen Shengqing pushed him aside and stepped into the center of the field.

The air instantly became oppressive.

“Miss Xu.”

His voice was cold to the extreme.

“Don’t do anything unnecessary. Hand the man over to me.”

Xu Chuyao stopped talking.

She quietly reached into her pocket, gripping a Soulstone while giving Shen Ning a look.

— Get ready to retreat.

But Shen Ning didn’t see it.

Wen Shengqing, however, did.

“Then don’t blame me.”

He raised his hand.

*Boom!*

Countless Steel Thorns grew wildly from the ground, lunging toward them.

***

Meanwhile.

Morris was still listening.

He heard a voice whispering in his ear.

“You’re terrified, aren’t you?”

“But you… don’t need to be afraid anymore.”

From a puddle of water, a hand suddenly reached out —

And gave a violent push!

Morris was sent flying!

Then, he saw a cluster of metal spikes just breaking through the soil, and he plummeted headfirst into them.

*Pfft!*

The steel spikes were a complete dimensional suppression against a Third Rank Spirit Power User. In that instant, his head was pierced like tofu, and he didn’t even have time to scream.

This sudden scene stunned everyone present.

Xu Chuyao first looked at the mangled heap of flesh and steel in the distance, then looked up at the pale-faced Wen Shengqing in shock. “You actually killed him? He’s a witness! I reported his presence in front of everyone!”

Shen Ning didn’t speak; she just quickly reached into Xu Chuyao’s jacket pocket, took the Soulstone, and held it in her hand, ready to take her and flee at any moment.

Wen Shengqing remained silent as well.

His move just now was only intended to restrict movement.

As for the person dying… he was dead, nothing more than a minor Third Rank character.

However —

Why did a growing sense of unease rise in his heart?

“Pfft!”

The crowd’s expressions changed again.

They saw Wen Shengqing cough up a mouthful of blood in public.

“Marshal!”

Wen Shengqing looked down at the blood in his palm, his face full of disbelief.

“How is this possible…”

“Nothing is impossible, my best friend.”

A short figure, missing one arm, crawled slowly out of the Black Tide Water behind him, coiling around him like a venomous snake.

Chu Cang.

“You abandoned our Oath long ago. I’ve always known.”

“But this time, you were the one who did it personally.”

Chu Cang’s eyes held an uncontrollable excitement, as if he had finally caught his prey.

Black Tide Water poured out of Wen Shengqing’s mouth and nose, mouthful by mouthful.

“Cough… *cough cough*! That man… *cough cough cough*! He was also from the Ghost Party… *cough*!”

“We changed our name later,” Chu Cang whispered in his ear, his voice chilling. “It’s called the Supreme Society.”

The scene was dead silent.

Wen Shengqing’s condition was clearly deteriorating rapidly, but no one on the scene dared to step forward.

Because the person who had acted —

Was another Fifth Rank.

Peter Mo didn’t dare, and the others dared even less.

“General Chu… when did he…”

“How could he do it so secretly…”

Questions swirled in everyone’s minds.

Wen Shengqing himself was also thinking about this question.

“You should ask yourself that, my old friend.”

Chu Cang’s voice sounded slowly against his ear.

“You were the one who sent me to deal with the vulnerabilities in the Equator Defense Line.”

“During those few days, I dealt with many dangerous species…”

He paused.

“Until finally, I encountered a snake.”