However, after several cries of "Requesting support!" chaotic and terrified screams erupted from the other end of the communicator.

"Ah..."

"No, you're not human!"

"I'm going to kill you!"

"Ahhhh..."

Jiang Fulong snatched the microphone, his voice urgent.

"Skull 9, report your status! Answer me, now!"

"Skull 9, do you read me!"

"Respond if you copy!"

A moment later, a new voice crackled to life over the communicator.

"Don't worry, your turn is next."

There was a long ZZZT... sound as the communicator on the other end was clearly ripped out by force.

"Fuck!"

Jiang Fulong was so furious his teeth ground together audibly. "This never ends, does it? You little shit! I swear, I'll make sure you die without a grave!"

His roar echoed inside the lead vehicle of the Black Skull convoy.

「」

Meanwhile, at the rear of the convoy...

CRACK!

The sound of several necks snapping echoed. As if wringing the necks of chickens, Chen Pingchuan effortlessly snapped the spines of the men in the car.

Instead of continuing the chase, he slowly pulled the car over to the side of the road. He then nonchalantly opened the trunk, only to find it empty save for two bottles of drinking water.

"Broke-ass losers."

Chen Pingchuan scoffed in disdain before hopping onto the trunk, his gaze vacant as he stared down the long road.

A few dozen seconds later, the figures of Liu Haofeng and Gelieza materialized in the distance, growing from tiny dots into recognizable shapes in Chen Pingchuan's vision. They moved so fast that they seemed to tear the very air apart. The wind whipped against their faces, stinging and bone-chillingly cold.

But Liu Haofeng paid it no mind, gulping in air as he ran and shouting at the top of his lungs, "Boss! We're here! We're coming, wait for us!"

Sensing the sheer joy radiating from Liu Haofeng, Chen Pingchuan couldn't help but feel a flicker of warmth in his own heart.

Whether it was due to the influence of the parasitic seed or his own charisma, this pure, unadulterated emotion was truly infectious.

Another ten-odd seconds passed before Gelieza and Liu Haofeng finally reached Chen Pingchuan, panting heavily. Seeing the unconcealable fatigue etched on their faces, Chen Pingchuan knew it couldn't have been easy for them to catch up.

After all, they'd both been in the previous battle, and not everyone was an inexhaustible god of war like him.

Gelieza bowed slightly, his attitude even more humble than before as he spoke respectfully.

"Boss."

Chen Pingchuan nodded lightly.

"Mm, good work."

Then he turned to Liu Haofeng, the corners of his lips twitching up as he ordered, "Xiaoliu, you're driving."

「」

The car sped down the silent highway, wind roaring in Chen Pingchuan's ears. Once again, his gaze went vacant as he stared at the sky, letting his mind drift into the ether. He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Azure sky, white clouds... We are not souls returning home, just passers-by on a long road."

"Hahaha, Big Brother, you're so profound."

Although Liu Haofeng didn't quite understand what Chen Pingchuan meant, he knew flattery was always the right move.

Chen Pingchuan's tranquil state was broken. He chuckled and chided, "Bootlicker. I never realized you had that in you."

"Er... Big Brother, could it be that we just haven't known each other that long?"

The moment the words left his mouth, Liu Haofeng himself was taken aback. It was true. Their bond had grown this deep, yet they had known each other for less than a month.

When did I...

Just as the question began to form in his mind, it went completely blank for a moment.

Huh? What was I just thinking about...

He tried to recall his fleeting thought, but it was gone. Feeling that his mind wasn't at its sharpest, Liu Haofeng silently comforted himself.

Whatever. It's not important. I probably just haven't been sleeping well. My brain feels fried.

Unaware of Liu Haofeng's strange lapse, Chen Pingchuan just agreed, "That's right. It's only been half a month."

But another thought surfaced in his mind.

These simulated experiences feel just as real as the world, constantly changing my perception, even my very mindset.

Chen Pingchuan suddenly realized he no longer felt like a young man in his twenties, but more like an old man with one foot in the grave. This temporal chaos in his memories was like a poison clinging to his very bones, slowly aging his spirit.

Realizing there was something wrong with his state of mind, Chen Pingchuan found himself subconsciously asking, "How do you think a person can feel young again?" It was a question born from a passing sigh, driven by a momentary sense of confusion and bewilderment. He didn't actually expect an answer.

To his surprise, however, the two men in the front burst out laughing as if they'd just heard the funniest joke in the world. Their teasing laughter made Chen Pingchuan feel a pang of irritation. He wasn't joking in the slightest, and his brows furrowed.

The silence from the back seat radiated a pressure that could only be described as anger, freezing the laughter on their faces. Liu Haofeng and Gelieza exchanged a silent glance, neither willing to be the first to speak.

As the atmosphere in the car grew heavy, Gelieza was the first to crack under the pressure. From the passenger seat, he turned to face Chen Pingchuan, feeling forced to speak. After all, he knew his relationship with their boss wasn't nearly as close as Liu Haofeng's.

"Boss, that question of yours... well, how should I put this... it's really easy to solve, but... but..."

"But what?" Chen Pingchuan's tone was laced with impatience.

"But if I say it, you can't get mad. I swear I don't mean anything disrespectful."

"Just say it. I won't get mad."

Chen Pingchuan was completely mystified.

What the hell are they hiding? It's as if they share some secret understanding, and I'm the only one left in the dark.

"Ah, well, I'll just say it then. Boss, you're probably just... pent up. Find a woman and blow off some steam, you'll feel better..."

"What?"

Chen Pingchuan was stunned by Gelieza's crude words, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"Is that the solution you two came up with?"

"Ah, yeah. That's right."

"Don't knock it just because it sounds simple. It's a crude but effective method that gets right to the root of the problem."

Gelieza looked completely serious. "If you don't believe me, ask Xiaoliu."

This time, before Chen Pingchuan could even ask, Liu Haofeng chimed in, "It's true, Big Brother. He's right."

"My father always told me that being with young women is what keeps him feeling young."

Liu Haofeng's words left Chen Pingchuan stunned into silence in the back seat. He suddenly recalled the two times in the mine when he'd lost control and reached out to touch Nightingale's face. At that moment...

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