Chapter 317: Oh, So Impressive

Zhuang Xiao laughed.

As expected of an elder, he was so domineering and showed no respect.

With the elder stepping in, things became much simpler. Even if they encountered experts, there was nothing to fear. However, what made him curious was what the elder wanted the natives here to hand over. He hadn't noticed anything earlier.

But it didn't matter. Once discovered by the elder, there was no escape.

"Let's go. I'm a little hungry," Lin Fan said.

Old Zhang agreed, "Yes, I'm so hungry, so hungry."

Xiao Bao held Lin Fan's hand. "I'll have the chef prepare the most sumptuous meal. I came prepared this time."

Thanks to their Mount Tai trip, he had gradually gained a lot of experience, making Xiao Bao particularly attentive to preparations when traveling.

Lin Fan smiled. "Let's go then."

Logically, any normal person encountering this situation would understand that leaving wouldn't be easy. Experts had blocked their path, confronting them directly, demanding they hand over something valuable. Would they be allowed to leave without complying?

The one-eyed man, accustomed to danger while traveling, was quite decisive. He was now following Lin Fan.

With his own strength, he couldn't make it on his own. He had to act submissively in front of anyone.

But now, things were different. With Lin Fan by his side, there were very few places in the world they couldn't go.

"Arrogant! Did I say you could leave?"

Zhuang Yun roared furiously, leaping into the air. He spread his arms, his fingers curved into claws as he lunged towards the one-eyed man, aiming for a fatal blow to the heart while snatching the treasure.

The one-eyed man's hair stood on end, feeling a sense of being controlled.

Was this the might of a true expert?

He had no power to resist.

"Lin Fan, save me!"

He instinctively called out to his boss for help.

Lin Fan glanced at Zhuang Yun. His strength was decent, but everyone was hungry, and he didn't want to fight. He hadn't expected the man to attack someone by his side so unreasonably.

Lin Fan's fleeting glance put immense pressure on Zhuang Yun.

He dismissed it as an illusion, not giving it much thought.

"You're going too far."

Lin Fan threw a punch at Zhuang Yun. It seemed like an ordinary punch, but it contained the essence of martial arts. It lacked earth-shattering power, but it possessed a strange ability to shut down one's senses.

Since arriving on this planet, Zhuang Yun had considered everyone he'd seen to be weak, completely beneath his notice. He had let his guard down, not taking any of the natives seriously.

But now…

A young native dared to attack him. How audacious.

Boom!

After their fists collided, Zhuang Yun was sent flying backward, coughing up blood. The blood arced through the air before splattering on the ground with a dull thud.

"Let's go," Lin Fan said.

He didn't care about Zhuang Yun's condition. It wasn't important to him.

Going back to eat was the priority.

The scene was silent.

A flock of crows flew overhead.

Caw… Caw…

Zhuang Yun lay there, eyes wide open, seemingly stunned. He couldn't accept what had just happened. It was too terrifying. How could such a terrifying being exist?

"What kind of punch was that?"

"Why did this happen?"

He didn't scream in agony but lay there quietly.

Wu Sheng left alone. As he walked away, he glanced at Zhuang Yun lying on the ground. He had warned him earlier, but Zhuang Yun had insisted on humiliating himself. Now he probably understood how powerful the other party was.

Just a little too late.

What a pity.

"Elder…"

Zhuang Xiao muttered, standing frozen, unsure of what to do. Everything had happened so fast, his mind couldn't process it. He hadn't anticipated such an outcome.

Mu Hao frowned. Was this guy even human?

He knew the opponent was strong, but this was too much. The Zhuang Clan elder was sent flying with a single punch. It was beyond his expectations. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he might not have believed it.

Bei Tao, who was with Mu Hao, was worried. He had originally thought that the Starry Sky experts were all-powerful, but judging by the current situation, they were far from it.

Thinking carefully…

Honestly, it seemed like the Starry Sky experts were always getting beaten up. He had never seen them gain the upper hand.

Bei Tao regretted his decision. He felt he had chosen the wrong side.

His initial plan was to cling to the Starry Sky experts and reap some benefits, ideally a collaboration between the Shadow Society and the Starry Sky experts.

But now…

Bei Tao felt it was best to be cautious. The Starry Sky experts needed further observation. He couldn't blindly trust them. At the same time, he was grateful to Lin Fan. He was a true touchstone. If it weren't for Lin Fan, he would have truly believed the Starry Sky experts were invincible.

In the distance…

The chef was busy.

The one-eyed man was thinking about returning to Yanhai City immediately after eating. They had obtained the item, and the fact that it was discovered even while hidden in his embrace meant it was too attractive. Even if hidden deeply, it would still be found.

"We'll go back after eating," the one-eyed man said, savoring the delicious food. After careful consideration, he decided to return.

Xiao Bao cried out in surprise. They had just arrived, why go back so soon? He loved the scenery here and wanted to stay longer. He scratched his head and looked at Lin Fan with pleading eyes.

Lin Fan said, "Xiao Bao likes it here. Let's stay a bit longer."

The one-eyed man said, "It's not that I don't want to stay, but we just obtained something very important. Staying here is risky. We need to send it back for research. This concerns the future of humanity. We can't be careless."

"Lin Fan, you're strong, but remember, one person's strength is limited. Only unity can solve all difficulties. Currently, stronger Starry Sky experts keep appearing. You can handle them for now, but what if one appears that you can't handle? What then? That's why we must seize every opportunity to improve our strength, so you'll have help when the time comes."

The one-eyed man spoke sincerely. As the leader of the special department, he carried a heavy burden.

He knew Lin Fan was strong, but nothing could rely on just one person. Everyone needed to work together to face the impending dangers.

Lin Fan said, "You're right. I can sense the immense pressure buried within you."

Hearing Lin Fan's words, the one-eyed man felt an urge to cry.

My fragile heart has finally been discovered.

But he hid it well, not letting it show.

Old Zhang nodded in agreement. "I can sense it too."

"Xiao Bao, let's go back then. We'll bring you back to play another time," Lin Fan said.

Xiao Bao nodded. "I'll listen to you."

"Good boy." Lin Fan stroked Xiao Bao's head, smiling. He loved obedient children like Xiao Bao. Although he could be a little mischievous at times, he was very obedient.

The one-eyed man's behavior was very conservative. As soon as he got something good, he wanted to send it home, afraid of staying too long and encountering insurmountable danger.

He was overthinking it.

With Lin Fan around, what danger could they encounter? Others should be praying that Lin Fan was a kind person and wouldn't just blow them up.

Yanhai City, Research Department.

Old Chen stared at the one-eyed man in astonishment. He was truly shocked. A trip out, and they returned with a harvest. According to his network, other countries seemed to have gained nothing, constantly struggling. They tried everything to reach Changbai Mountain, enduring hardships and paying the price with lives, but to no avail.

Yet, their leader seemed to be accompanied by the goddess of luck, returning with a full harvest every time.

"What is this?" Old Chen looked at the item the one-eyed man took out. He didn't recognize it, but he knew it was definitely not ordinary, a treasure for sure.

"Dragon Vein Crystal," the one-eyed man said.

Old Chen's jaw dropped as if listening to a myth. "Dragon Vein?"

"Exactly. The essence of the Changbai Mountain Dragon Vein. It possesses immense energy. The effects after consuming it are powerful. I want to know if we can use technology to purify the energy of the Dragon Vein Crystal, making its effects even stronger," the one-eyed man explained.

Old Chen said seriously, "We'll do our best."

Su Qi, standing beside them, felt his knowledge expand. His previous research was based on science, but current developments were gradually deviating from science, yet still closely related. Using scientific methods to research mythical objects was thrilling.

As Old Chen's student, Su Qi was naturally also passionate about research.

"Teacher, can I participate?" Su Qi asked.

After all, what the leader brought back was extraordinary, extremely precious. He was worried that his teacher would consider it too important and handle it personally, preventing others from getting involved.

Old Chen patted Su Qi's shoulder. "You're my most promising student. Of course, you can participate."

"Thank you, teacher," Su Qi said joyfully.

The one-eyed man felt relieved entrusting the matter to Old Chen. He waited outside the research room, guarding it personally. This matter was of utmost importance, and he had to keep watch in case someone tried to steal it.

He would absolutely not leave until the research results were out.

After returning, Xiao Bao followed Lin Fan like a shadow.

In the park…

Lin Fan and Mu Qing walked ahead.

Xiao Bao followed Old Zhang, feeling a pang of jealousy. "That woman is dangerous."

Old Zhang said, "That's Lin Fan's wife, not his girlfriend. They'll be together in the future."

"Oh, okay." Xiao Bao hung his head, then looked at Yao Ji beside him. "What are you doing here?"

Xiao Bao had seen Yao Ji before and immediately recognized that she was definitely not a good person. Despite his young age, he was quite perceptive about women. He had to learn to protect himself at a young age, or he would be swallowed whole. Therefore, he didn't have a good impression of Yao Ji.

Yao Ji felt deep animosity from this group.

She had never experienced such a sense of failure.

If she wasn't attractive, she could understand. But she was clearly beautiful and alluring, capable of stirring a man's heart.

Yet, this group never looked at her directly.

They had clearly met before, yet they still asked, "Who are you?" ... These words stung, leaving her with an indescribable sadness.

"Is something bothering you lately? I can tell from your heart that you don't seem very happy," Lin Fan said to Mu Qing. A familiar person, a familiar scent, but lacking the familiar interactions and expressions.

Mu Qing replied, "Really? I've been very happy. Nothing's bothering me."

Although Lin Fan had come out of Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital, he knew that the Mu Qing he had met in that long 'dream' was real, not a figment of his imagination.

Was the Mu Qing before him the same one?

Perhaps.

Perhaps not.

But he believed it was her. The familiar scent couldn't be wrong.

Perhaps... something had happened.

"I can feel it," Lin Fan insisted. His eyes seemed to be able to see through a person's heart. Ordinary people would lower their heads under Lin Fan's gaze, as it was too penetrating, making them feel as if they were being seen through.

"Feel it? I don't believe it," Mu Qing said.

Lin Fan continued, "Hmm... Your heart is uneasy right now. You have something on your mind. You're definitely thinking about something, but it doesn't feel right, so you're hesitating. Am I right?"

"I'm actually quite perceptive."

He said this with a slightly smug smile.

Mu Qing looked at Lin Fan in shock, clearly surprised. He had spoken the truth. Could he really see through a person's heart?

"What are they talking about? I want to listen too," Old Zhang said.

Xiao Bao replied, "Hmm, I don't know."

The evil rooster was being led obediently, his thoughts a jumbled mess. As an evil hero, his life shouldn't be like this.

The life of an undercover agent was indeed long.

But he really wanted to know where all his compatriots had gone.

Damn it.

He hadn't encountered any of them so far.

The evil rooster was hurt, feeling like an abandoned evil hero. Lurking among humans was dangerous, and more importantly, he hadn't gained any advantage during this time, which he considered quite damaging.

"Let's go eat."

Yao Ji didn't want to be a third wheel, or rather, a negligible presence. Therefore, she actively changed the subject. It was dinner time, and it was perfectly normal to go for a meal.

Night.

At the hotel…

Yao Ji and Mu Qing were together.

"Do you have feelings for that guy?" Yao Ji lay on the sofa in her pajamas, playing with a wine glass, glancing at Mu Qing. She felt something was off about Mu Qing. Although she didn't show it too obviously, she had been lukewarm towards the organization's mission.

It was hard not to be suspicious.

Mu Qing glanced at her, ignoring her question. "How long do you plan to stay here? You're not welcome in this room."

Yao Ji chuckled, continuing on her own, "We're both women. I can see right through you. But you should know, for the organization, what it can't have, it destroys. According to the organization's style, if you break free from their control, they'll expose everything about you."

"Then, how do you think he'll react?"

If Lin Fan were here, he would probably respond like this:

"Oh... My wife is so impressive."