"Saint Realm Expert!"
He Fangâs complexion turned unsightly as his gaze locked onto Hong Feiyang, flickering with disbelief.
At this moment, Hong Feiyang was emanating an evil aura, his entire being exuding an ominous presence, and the might of the Saint Realm was precisely radiating from him.
Back when he attempted to seize the key from Shi Yanran, Hong Feiyang seemed to have not yet entered the Innate Peak Stage; now, however, he had suddenly broken through to the Saint Realm, his progress akin to shooting up like a rocket.
"How does it feel now, Group Leader He?" Hong Feiyangâs mouth curved up, revealing a sinister smile.
"What must you do to give my son the antidote?" He Fang spoke, aware that forcibly taking the antidote was now impossible. With such a Saint Realm master present, even his Half-Saint Realm offered no chance at all.
"The requirement is quite simple, since your son didnât get the key, surely you, the esteemed Group Leader of the Earth Group of the Special Security Bureau, should be able to get that key, right?" Hong Feiyang spoke.
"Impossible!" He Fang immediately refused.
"Then Iâm sorry, but you can only watch your son suffer a fate worse than death before slowly dying. I presume you have never experienced such a scene, have you?"
Hong Feiyang laughed softly, his eyes shimmering with a chilling light.
"Dad, I donât want to die. I donât want to die, please save me!"
He Kun hastily clutched at He Fangâs hand, begging with fear-filled eyes.
He Fang looked at his only son in such a pitiable state, his expression revealing a trace of disappointment and sorrow, but he couldnât just watch him die.
After much thought, He Fang finally said, "Alright, I agree to help you get the key."
"Very good, thatâs more like it. Then Iâll await your news. You donât have much time left; in five or six hours, your sonâs poison will take effect," Hong Feiyang said, glancing at his watch.
The next day, at the headquarters of the Special Security Bureau, in the Directorâs office.
Zhao Gangâs expression was grim, his eyes sparkled with fury, and standing in front of him were the group leaders from the Earth Group, each with a solemn demeanor.
"Our nationâs secret organization, the Special Security Bureau, which is filled with experts, has actually allowed a theft here, and whatâs worse is that it went completely undetected. This is a slap in the face for the Special Security Bureau."
"This is not the first major mistake made by the Special Security Bureau. Previously, the data on Genetically Modified People was stolen and remains unsolved to date. Now another blunder like this occurs; itâs practically making people question our capabilities."
"The chief is very angry about this situation. According to the analysis, the thief might very likely be someone from the inside, and moreover, from the upper echelons."
As Zhao Gangâs words fell, the eyes of the three group leaders met, their expressions growing stern.
"Now I want you to do everything in your power to find this person for me. Otherwise, for the Special Security Bureau, this is an invisible bomb. Also, that key is of utmost importance; it must be recovered at all costs," Zhao Gang commanded coldly.
"Yes!"
He Fang, Wang Ruofeng, and Sun Wu all nodded in agreement.
In Huaxia, on the grounds of Qingyun Sect.
At this time, a figure slowly made an appearance here, swept his gaze over the majestic Qingyun Sect, and strode forwardâit was Lin Tianhai.
"Halt, who are you?"
Two Qingyun Sect disciples, bearing longswords, abruptly appeared before Lin Tianhai.
"I am Lin Tianhai!"
Five characters flowed from Lin Tianhaiâs lips, yet a hint of confusion flickered in the eyes of these two Qingyun Sect disciples.
They had only been part of the Sect for five or six years, and had no knowledge of Lin Tianhaiâs existence.
"Make way!" Lin Tianhai snapped coldly, emitting a strong aura of authority that immediately made the two Qingyun Sect disciples, who were merely at the Innate Realm, stagger backward continuously.
Lin Tianhai charged directly towards the grand hall of the Qingyun Sect.
"Someone is intruding on the Sect!"
The two Qingyun Sect disciples promptly shouted loudly, instantly alerting all the Qingyun Sect disciples and members.
Powerful presences erupted, as Qingyun Sect disciples appeared one after another, quickly surrounding Lin Tianhai.
"Halt, who dares to trespass into our Qingyun Sect?"
A Qingyun Sect powerhouse at the Half-Saint Realm appeared before Lin Tianhai, wielding a longsword with an imposing presence.
However, as the manâs gaze fell upon Lin Tianhai, his expression became one of shock.
"Brother Lin!"
The man exclaimed, looking at Lin Tianhai with eyes that shimmered with immense surprise, clearly recognizing him.
"Zhuo Lin, I didnât expect that after over a decade of absence, you would have reached the strength of the Half-Saint Realm. I clearly remember you had just broken through to the Innate Realm back then."
Lin Tianhai revealed a smile at the corner of his mouth as he regarded the man.
"Brother Lin, it really is you! Youâve come back!"
Zhuo Lin, whom Lin Tianhaim spoke of, stepped forward briskly, his eyes widening as he stared at Lin Tianhai with an excited expression.
Zhuo Linâs face changed, and he quickly added, "Brother Lin, how could you have returned? Itâs very dangerous for you."
"Thank you, Zhuo Lin. Youâre probably the only person in Qingyun Sect who still cares about me," Lin Tianhai said to Zhuo Lin with a faint smile.
"Brother Lin, if it werenât for the Innate Pill you gave me, I fear I would never have broken through the Innate Realm, let alone reach where I am today. I will never forget your kindness," Zhuo Lin said earnestly.
"Junior Brother, itâs been over a decade since we last met. I didnât expect to see you again."
A cheerful voice suddenly rang out as a man in a white robe, with a scholarly appearance, walked over slowly, exuding the dignity of a superior. It was Lu Zhengfeng, the Grand Disciple of the Qingyun Sect Master and elder brother to Lin Tianhai.
"Greetings to the Acting Sect Master!"
As Lu Zhengfeng made his appearance, the surrounding Qingyun Sect disciples bowed their fists respectfully, calling out to him.
A flicker of unusual light passed through Lin Tianhaiâs eyes as he looked at Lu Zhengfeng, "Elder brother, youâre looking well. It seems youâre indeed extraordinary; over a decade has passed, and youâve actually become the Acting Sect Master."
"Brother Lin, my position as Acting Sect Master is merely due to Masterâs retreat, which left me in charge of Qingyun Sect. However, I never imagined that one day you would appear here," Lu Zhengfeng said, his deep eyes fixed on Lin Tianhai.
"It seems that Elder Brother isnât too keen on having me back," Lin Tianhai remarked lightly.
"Not at all, only Brother Lin, you had violated the rules of the Sect in the past, angered the Master, and eventually fled the Sect committing a great taboo. It might be difficult for you to evade the consequences of those actions now," Lu Zhengfeng said calmly.
At this time, more and more Qingyun Sect disciples had gathered around, among them numerous elders and protectors. Those of a certain age recognized Lin Tianhai.
The younger ones learned of Lin Tianhaiâs existence from the mouths of others, and now everyone was busily discussing him.