"Otherwise, I can't guarantee I won't receive a mission to hunt you down one day."
Li Chonglou merely glanced back at him indifferently. Hua Zi felt as if he were being stared down by a peerless ferocious beast, an indescribable sense of dread rising from the depths of his heart.
Just how strong is this guy!
Li Chonglou was the first person Hua Zi had ever met who felt unfathomably profound in his senses! Even the big shots in his own base, no matter how strong their aura, could generally have their limits gauged.
But Li Chonglou was completely different!
He knew for a fact that the opponent's strength couldn't possibly be too high, at most around the sixth or seventh level. Yet, he felt that even if he himself broke through to the sixth level now, he would have no chance of victory against Li Chonglou! .oγg
This was one of the reasons he was willing to wait for Li Chonglou to return.
He was already an anomaly among the 'Blackies', and Li Chonglou gave him the same feeling. This difference now brought a sense of understanding, as if he had found a kindred spirit.
If their statuses weren't completely different, Hua Zi reckoned he might have followed such a powerful figure himself.
Until Li Chonglou, along with the two, completely departed, there was no further exchange between them, nor were any future meeting places arranged.
Yet, both parties felt it was perfectly natural.
It was just that Hua Zi stared in the direction Li Chonglou had left for a long time, his expression profound, as if contemplating something.
After leaving the cave, Li Chonglou didn't rush off. Instead, he first set the two down and released the pressure points on them.
Soon, the two gradually opened their eyes one after another. Before they could even get a clear view of their surroundings, they heard Li Chonglou's voice.
"Two seniors, quickly use your internal energy to protect your noses and ears. The Black Spirit Phase hasn't passed yet." Xiong Da was the first to react.
Moreover, this was an elder, and it wasn't his first time experiencing a death storm. Without his guidance back then, Li Chonglou might very well have been goners.
After protecting himself with internal energy, Xiong Da immediately sprang up, surveying the surrounding environment.
"Little Li, where are we? How many days have passed?"
Despite his completely recovered appearance, Xiong Da felt his brain was incredibly sluggish. Mei Niang beside him voiced his thoughts.
"Damn it, why do I feel like I've slept for a long time? My whole body is starting to ache?"
After both of them got up, they exchanged a glance, then immediately looked at Li Chonglou.
"Kid, how come you seem completely fine? What happened? Where is this place?"
Mei Niang's barrage of questions was met with Li Chonglou's smile, "I never slept. You fell unconscious for some reason during the death storm."
Then, Li Chonglou recounted the events of the past few days in broad strokes, only mentioning that to protect them, he had led them to hide in a cave for a long time, and only came out to find an opportunity when he could no longer bear it.
As for how they reached the area outside the safe zone, he naturally concealed it vaguely. However, he did mention encountering Old Wang.
After all, they were all from Red Coast, and this matter definitely couldn't be kept secret.
"You're saying Old Wang also came in?"
The two exchanged a look, seeing the confusion in each other's eyes.
If it were just a normal mission period, Old Wang joining later would be unsurprising. But this was the Black Spirit Phase, and within the Black Spirit Zone, to prevent humans from competing with them for resources, the 'Blackies' heavily guarded not only the camp's surroundings but also the sole exit!
So how did Old Wang get in?
Or was he lying to them?
These two seasoned veterans were naturally full of vigilance after their sudden unconsciousness for so many days. And now, with Li Chonglou uttering words that defied common sense, their vigilance instantly shot to the highest level!
Li Chonglou sighed helplessly, "Forget it, I can't explain it clearly to you. I'll take you to see Old Wang."
With that, he turned and left directly. The two exchanged another glance, and finally, Mei Niang whispered, "Let's follow him and see. If Little Li really harbored ill intentions towards us, why didn't he act when we were unconscious?"
Her words held some truth. Xiong Da thought about it and then nodded.
Afterward, the two quickly followed. At this moment, within the safe zone, with Bai Zhanfei and others having mobilized entirely, and with only a few hours left in the Black Spirit Phase,
Even without the beast tide, the 'Blackies' had already retreated.
Therefore, the three had a relatively unimpeded journey and soon returned to the outside of Camp Three, which was the prearranged rendezvous point with Elder An.
"It really is you, Old Wang."
"Xiong Da, Mei Niang? Why are you two here?"
Upon meeting, the three felt an amplified sense of familiarity, like old friends reuniting. At the same time, they consciously moved aside to communicate privately.
Li Chonglou took this opportunity to say to Elder Tie, "I won't go in. I'll head out directly."
Elder Tie had originally intended to introduce Li Chonglou to Sword Master and Bai Zhanfei at this opportunity. But upon second thought, considering Bai Zhanfei's current attitude towards him, it might backfire.
It was better to give instructions personally.
With this thought, Elder Tie nodded, "It's good that you're leaving soon. Although you've delivered the mission objective, you know the situation here. The rewards from the General Bureau might not necessarily be yours. You should report back first."
Speaking of this, Li Chonglou also remembered the bet he had made with others. He had thought that as long as he delivered the target back to the camp, it would be considered complete.
"That won't do. If it weren't for this guy, why would I have risked all these dangers! Enough said, I'm heading out!"
With that, Li Chonglou was about to bolt. His words made Elder Tie mistakenly believe that the previous adventure was purely to capture Wei En.
After all, what one subconsciously says at a time like this is bound to be the truth from the heart. Coupled with Li Chonglou's remarkably genuine reaction, Elder Tie was about to nod.
But then he saw Li Chonglou stop again.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, I wanted to ask, is it possible to leave directly now? Are there any restrictions?"
Elder Tie thought for a moment, "According to my time, there weren't any. As long as you have a pass..."
Before he could finish, Li Chonglou directly interrupted, "Uh, I just don't have a pass yet. They only helped me get a功石 (gōng shí - merit stone). Does this count?"
Elder Tie's brow furrowed slightly, "Didn't you need to obtain a pass first when you came in for the first time? Who brought you in?"
Just then, Xiong Da's voice chimed in from the side, "It's like this, Elder Tie. Little Li is an executor arranged by the higher-ups, so we prioritized him for mission completion. We'll sort out his identity after all this is done."
The two turned their heads and saw the three of them walking over with bright smiles.