Chen Gu asked unhurriedly, "Juglans, I've always wanted to ask you, why are you so invested in this? Even if this thing falls into the hands of the Bureau of Mystic Security, it shouldn't worry you this much, right?"
Juglans hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "That thing is very likely the piece from the True Knowledge Sin generator back then."
"That generator was also a bit unusual. We Professionals who came from that generator can be located by it."
"If the True Knowledge Sin gets ahold of that thing and repairs the generator, I won't be able to escape at all!"
Chen Gu asked angrily, "You told me that generator was destroyed! Weren't its critical remains ruined?"
"Of course not," Juglans retorted, full of righteous confidence. "I never said such a thing. The battle back then destroyed the generator, but the critical remains were taken by another prospective Prophet."
"That guy was later found and killed by Wei Jiangqi's people, but they didn't repair the generator. At the time, I thought he had destroyed the remains. I never imagined it would reappear!"
Chen Gu asked through gritted teeth, "How exactly did you find out about our operation?"
Juglans stammered, "I have my own information channels, which I can't reveal. Just stop asking. Trust me, your old man wouldn't screw you over..."
Chen Gu went up and started scuffling with him. After a moment, Juglans sported a black eye, confirming Chen Gu had made rapid progress in hand-to-hand combat and Juglans was no longer his match. He raised his hands high. "Enough, enough! You've let off some steam. Are you really trying to kill your old man?"
Chen Gu reluctantly stopped. Man Suling, wagging her tail to the side, suddenly said, "The scent is getting stronger. That guy isn't far ahead."
All three tensed and quickly moved forward, only to be shocked by the sight of another huge hole in the ground!
"He's escaped to the third level!"
Chen Gu was puzzled. He should be trying to leave the underground world as soon as possible—he entered it just to evade the Bureau's pursuit. After all this time, why isn't he looking for an exit? Why is he continuously fleeing deeper?
「 」 Original content can be found at N0veI.Fiɾe.net
The convoy thundered through, quickly reaching a checkpoint.
A group of thugs immediately fired into the air, threatening, "Get out for inspection! This is by order of His Majesty the Night Demon King."
The convoy slowed. The marksman on the lead vehicle shouted, "His Majesty the Mad Demon King is in this vehicle!"
"So what?" The thug at the checkpoint was fearless. "You may be one of the Ten Kings, but according to our agreement, while on Lord Night Demon King's territory, you must follow our king's rules!"
From the heavy armored combat vehicle in the middle, a languid voice drawled, "Kill them all."
The checkpoint thugs hadn't even reacted when the two light armored combat vehicles in front unleashed a barrage from their weapons!
By the time the convoy reached them, not a single person was left alive at the checkpoint. The thug who had been shouting earlier had his body torn in two by several weapons.
The convoy smashed through the obstacles and sped away.
Several minutes later, another, much larger convoy sped over and thundered to a halt near the checkpoint.
A horde of armed thugs spilled out of the vehicles. Then, the door of a vehicle in the middle, resembling an "armored porcupine," swung open. A burly man, over two meters tall, stepped out. He was just a bodyguard.
After getting out, he stood by the vehicle with a predatory gaze, waiting to welcome the true "king."
From inside the vehicle, an old man, barely 1.7 meters tall, emerged. His face was lined with wrinkles, and his eyes were a cloudy white.
He appeared frail. Any of the armed thugs around him could have easily killed him, yet everyone looked at him with faces full of respect and adoration.
The elder was about to head toward the checkpoint when he suddenly turned. His milky eyes stared into the darkness as he asked indifferently, "Why have you come back?"
Juglans stepped out from the darkness and responded with a non sequitur, "That madman doesn't respect you at all. He killed your men so casually."
The elder—the Night Demon King—was not provoked. His milky eyes fixed on Juglans, filled with wariness as if facing his most formidable opponent. "Do you remember our agreement when you left?"
"I remember," Juglans said casually. "No one is supposed to leave the underground world with so many secrets and live to see the surface. So, the discussions back then were quite unpleasant. Though I left, I also vowed never to return. If I did, I'd have to pay all of you hefty compensation."
The Night Demon King was about to speak when Juglans wagged a finger. "You know what kind of person I am. With my pride, I would never renege on a debt. Otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered to press that button and notify all of you just before re-entering this world."
"Money is no object to me. I'll pay up. But first, I want to make a deal with you: I want to rent the Silent Tuning Fork from you."
The Night Demon King sneered, "Rent? You actually dare to say such a thing."
"Why not?" Juglans said boldly. "As rent, I'm prepared to kill the Mad Demon King for you. Think it over, old man. To get the Silent Tuning Fork, I've decided to kill a 'king.' Whether it's you or him, the choice is yours."
Behind the Night Demon King, the sound of weapons being readied filled the air. Everyone's weapons were pointed at Juglans. The Night Demon King's hulking bodyguard snorted angrily and advanced toward Juglans.
Unexpectedly, with just a casual glance from Juglans, the hulking man seemed to see something unimaginable. He raised his huge fists and repeatedly struck his own temple, spewing blood but continuing unabated.
In the blink of an eye, after seven or eight punches, the hulking man collapsed, bleeding from all seven facial orifices, dead.
The Night Demon King's underlings were shocked. Not understanding what had happened, they instinctively retreated from Juglans.
The underground world was brutally cruel. Even the men around the Night Demon King were replaced frequently. Including the personal bodyguard, all had only started following the Night Demon King in recent years. They had not lived through Juglans' era; otherwise, they would never have been so rash.
"The abilities of the Electric Light Operator are indeed as formidable as rumored," the Night Demon King frowned, saying with some dissatisfaction, "You are quite annoying. Now I have to find a new personal bodyguard, which is truly a nuisance."
Juglans shrugged. "Have you made up your mind?"
The Night Demon King pulled a box from his robes but didn't hand it over. "When will you return it?"
"I'll return it when I'm done," Juglans said, snatching the box impatiently. "You old fogey, always so long-winded."
He turned and walked back into the darkness. "Prepare to take over the Mad Demon King's territory. After today, there will only be nine kings in the underground world."