Chapter 623 - 391: The Long-Awaited Reunion (Part 2)
Under such a tight security network, how did Fenrir manage to escape?!
Moreover, the intelligence reports say Fenrir led an attack on the Celestial Gate Patrol Station, indicating she has already regained her combat ability. How did she accomplish this?!
There’s no point in questioning the reasons now, because the World Government is facing a terrifying situation—Fenrir is about to defect to the Land of No Master.
It’s not scary for an ordinary Extraordinary Being to defect to the Land of No Master; it’s happened many times before. After all, small fry can’t cause a storm, at most we just can’t catch them, and both sides continue as they were.
A Divine Protection Level Blood Code Carrier isn’t scary either, because any Extraordinary Strong Person reaching this level would be bound by ultimate insurance by major corporations, ensuring their allegiance and quick eradication upon disloyalty.
But a Divine Protection Level extraordinary strong person defecting to the Land of No Master without ultimate insurance is an extremely dangerous affair.
Without ultimate insurance means no means to eradicate them when necessary, completely uncontrollable.
And a blood code at the Divine Protection Level at Fenrir’s young age—ascending to the highest level of "Black King Level" is likely a matter of time.
At that time, it’s not about whether we can kill her, but whether she has enough power to upend the table.
The Capital City is too far from the Celestial Gate Patrol Station, unreachable, and the Upper Court Council has issued over a dozen urgent orders to Luo, instructing her to handle it swiftly.
Luo immediately accepted the order, mobilizing over a thousand top elite guards from the Upper Court Guard in New Moon City, personally leading them to the Celestial Gate Patrol Station to intercept Fenrir.
After Luo left, the troops remaining in New Moon City were leaderless, and seemed very chaotic, with everyone unsure what to do, anxiously awaiting news.
Amidst this turmoil, in an unnoticed hidden corner of the city, Qi Ling and Zhao Yiming met privately.
Earlier, Qi Ling breached the electronic system of the Heaven-Reaching Tower, not only intercepting Zhao Yiming’s tattling but also erasing all the evidence forwarded by Zhou Hanyan on his device.
Of course, Zhao Yiming had means to continue tattling, like casually passing the information to a subordinate, who would pass it to others, and eventually, it would reach headquarters.
But it was useless because the evidence was gone.
With Zhao Yiming bearing guilt, in the eyes of headquarters, he was a disposable pawn, used until he’d be discarded.
Whereas Luo was a trusted special envoy, regardless of her methods of concealing herself, headquarters had placed trust in her.
As a bearer of guilt, to accuse the appointed envoy?
Without evidence?
What a daylight fantasy.
Moreover, Qi Ling had already controlled assassination robots to aim their gun at his head, leaving no chance to report.
However, Zhao Yiming knew he wasn’t without recourse.
He’s a calculating strategist, the piece to overturn the situation had been laid long ago.
In a deserted alley corner, Zhao Yiming leaned against his car, smoking a cigar.
As per the agreement, Zhao Yiming brought no guards, Qi Ling brought no companions; they met face-to-face, directly conversing.
Qi Ling dressed in a thin gray sweater, wearing simple flat shoes beneath her long skirt, a stark contrast to her formerly youthful attire, now more mature and cerebral.
Seeing this Qi Ling, Zhao Yiming smiled briefly and remarked jokingly, "Being a mom sure changes things, even the way you dress."
Qi Ling replied coldly, "Did you call me here just to talk nonsense?"
Zhao Yiming shrugged and spoke calmly, "Firstly, I admit to my negligence. While watching Luo, I didn’t expect you to also keep an eye on me. A classic mantis stalk the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind."
"But this little oriole didn’t see that there’s something behind her too—do you know what I did to you during those 8 hours I asked of you?"
Qi Ling directly responded, "You used the Ring of Secret Gazing on me to probe my three most vivid memories."
Admiration appeared in Zhao Yiming’s eyes; he spoke in an uplifting tone, "Su Mo is impressive, not only did he cure you of the Silencer poison but is also knowledgeable about such high confidentiality company equipment like the Ring of Secret Gazing."
"Then can you guess what I saw inside the Ring of Secret Gazing?"
Qi Ling didn’t speak, clearly unable to answer.
The Ring of Secret Gazing acts on deep subconsciousness; one can clearly articulate some thoughts but cannot reveal what’s in one’s subconscious. If it could be said, it wouldn’t be subconscious.
A mysterious smile appeared on Zhao Yiming’s face: "Qi Ling, I saw your encounter with Su Mo. I confess he treated you well, and I sensed your inner turmoil then."
"But don’t you find it a bit childish to devote yourself to him because of those things? Warmth~ Redemption~ Love~ God, even middle schoolers don’t fall for these nowadays. I can’t imagine how someone as strong as you could be emotionally moved by these."
Qi Ling said nothing, directly drawing a gun from her coat aimed at Zhao Yiming, with cold ruthlessness hidden in her amber eyes.
Zhao Yiming seemed not at all nervous, with a smile still on his face, even cooperatively raising his hands, "Alright, I won’t interfere in your personal business."
"But now, you probably have to consider a question, whether you love the Su Mo you’ve known for less than six months more..."
He purposely paused here, stirring up Qi Ling’s anxious emotions.
Then, with a sinister smile on his face, he said meaningfully, "Or do you love Xiaoqi, who accompanied you throughout your childhood, even more?"
Qi Ling frowned, not understanding what Zhao Yiming meant by this question.
Even if she had an answer internally, even if forced to rank them, what did it matter to Zhao Yiming?
Xiaoqi died long ago, what’s the point of bringing up the dead?
It was as if Zhao Yiming saw through Qi Ling’s heart; he walked to the rear trunk, with a hand on the door, speaking leisurely, "Among the Ring of Secret Gazing, I also saw your childhood."
"Zero, a persecuted monster, you were supposed to rot in a place like Eden Garden, lonely until death."
"But because of the arrival of that girl, Xiaoqi, an angelic girl who used her life to bridge the path to your freedom, allowing you to escape Eden Garden, eventually becoming who you are today."
"Thud." The back door opened.
Zhao Yiming’s sinister smile grew intense, "After all these years, the most unforgettable for you must be this childhood companion, she’s an irreplaceable regret of yours."
"But today, I brought back this old friend... to you."
A figure stepped out of the trunk; when Qi Ling saw her, her pupils unfocused and dilated, leaving her breathless.
It was a beautiful girl, about the same age as Qi Ling, with gem-like bright eyes.
Memories sealed by time came flooding back.
While Qi Ling stared at this girl dumbfounded, the girl also gazed at her, tears unconsciously welling up in her eyes, murmuring incredulously, "Little Monster?..."
Time seemed to stop at that moment; Xiaoqi’s breathing became urgent, her eyes widened, unable to believe what she saw, she stood still, slightly leaning forward as if to confirm her eyes weren’t deceiving her.
It was unclear how much time passed before, when everything was confirmed to be real, uncontrollable emotions surged in her, and Xiaoqi stumbled forward to Qi Ling, embracing her tightly.
"Ling... Little Monster... it’s really you?!"
Xiaoqi reached out trembling fingers wanting to touch Qi Ling’s face, but retracted midway, as if afraid of touching a phantom.
Once she finally touched Qi Ling’s cheek, warmth and reality from the fingertips brought her tears flooding, sliding down her cheeks, as her mouth broke into a radiant smile.
"Little Monster... you’ve grown so much..."
"Remember back in Eden Garden, you were only as tall as this, small and skinny, not much flesh on your face... Now, you’re so beautiful... truly beautiful..."
Xiaoqi was tearful, clinging to Qi Ling, feeling her heartbeat and warmth, her small hand gently stroking her back like soothing, or confirming this real long-broken reunion.
Then she tightly clutched Qi Ling’s clothes, afraid that once she loosened her grip, everything would disappear.
After many years, the two girls who shared suffering in Eden Garden were reunited.