Just as the gunshots rang out.

Tong Shan, wearing sunglasses at the end of the bodyguard lineup, sighed and snapped his fingers. Instantly, the steel nail that had just left the gun barrel lost its target and veered towards the sky.

The assailant shouted, roared, and pulled the trigger again.

Still to no avail.

After firing two steel nail bullets, through the dissipating smoke, seeing Xu Chaoxian unharmed, he was stunned for a moment and instinctively swung the modified gun like a hammer, charging towards the podium.

Unfortunately, there was no longer any chance.

No, there was never a chance from the start.

Security and bodyguards at the scene had already pounced on him, pinning him to the ground. Layer by layer, under the pressure, the assailant's mask came off his face, revealing scars like acid erosion, ugly and wretched.

He lifted his head desperately, glaring at Xu Chaoxian, protected in the middle by subordinates, his eyes bloodshot.

With repeated roars and struggles.

"Lackeys!!!"

He hissed indistinctly, as if crying tears of blood: "You bunch of lackeys!!! Xu Chaoxian, sooner or later, you'll die miserably! Damn you..."

His mouth was covered.

Dragged away.

Tong Shan's eye twitched slightly, his gaze lowered.

A silent sigh.

Lackeys...

Inside, the brief chaos soon settled, seemingly already accustomed to such incidents, from Xu Chaoxian to his subordinates, none were surprised.

"The enthusiasm from our friends on the scene seems rather excessive, sports should not be aimed at spectators, or you'll be penalized..."

The Governor still stood on the podium, elegant and continuing his speech, humorously referencing the recent event, triggering a wave of canned laughter.

Among those enthusiastic or indifferent faces, many still bore undisguised regret.

What a pity.

Why didn't you die?

Ji Jue lowered his gaze to his phone screen as Isis reported, "Sir, communication anomaly."

His eyebrows raised and furrowed again, he reached out to the stunned Lu Ma: "Let's go, it's too chaotic here, it'll be hard to leave when it's over."

He picked up his third sister too, pulled Lu Ma, and walked towards the exit.

Before his eyes, the intercepted and decoded messages from Isis appeared, two temporary numbers.

"That waste, failed!"

"It's up to you now, Ajay. Everyone will remember your sacrifice."

"Don't forget what you promised me."

"Don't worry, White King Eternal, my brother, we shall reunite in Paradise."

"White King Eternal!"

In less than a minute, the brief messages flashed before Ji Jue's eyes, the signal lock was completed, and in the aisle, Ji Jue turned abruptly, looking at the stands opposite.

Among the surging crowd.

A man with a bushy beard hesitated, biting his lip, his expression changing, suddenly stood, and opened his coat, revealing tangled wires and explosives.

Yelling towards the live camera:

"—White King Eternal!!!"

The detonator was pressed!

Bang!

At that moment, the loud explosion roared.

Above everyone's heads, just as he stood and shouted, Tong Shan turned abruptly, his telekinesis had already detected abnormal clues, he snapped his fingers and telekinesis stirred the air in the arena's midsection, producing a sudden thunderclap.

Attracting everyone's attention.

And the man covered in explosives was frozen on the spot, motionless, unable to even blink, layers of telekinesis enveloping him, creating an invisible barrier, sealing him.

The hand clutching the detonator broke off mid-air, suspended, even maintaining the pressing motion.

Then swiftly disassembled from bottom to top.

"It's useless."

Ji Jue remarked, recognizing the specific structure with just a glance: "Besides active triggering, there's also countdown and remote control..."

His whispered words akin to murmurs, yet he knew Tong Shan could hear.

Hence, the gaze cast his way grew increasingly helpless.

"Help out."

Tong Shan sighed: "I owe you one."

"Brother Shan, don't be like that."

Ji Jue shook his head, helpless.

In an instant, Mechanical Descent, the tightly wrapped cables and tape around the assailant's explosives disassembled, detonators fell off, and ceased to respond.

Not only that, the phone in the assailant's pocket lit up, tracing records, soon appearing on Tong Shan's phone, showing two different seat numbers, seemingly unrelated photos of a man and a woman, two outside mobile coordinates, and a vehicle parked on the street outside Tianmen.

Hmm, actually a new Coast product, classic reboot small van.

Thanks for the support!

Ji Jue tapped his phone twice, directly turning off the engine.

After putting down the phone, a wave of disgust welled up in his heart, finally understanding the discomfort Tong Zhiwu had long grown accustomed to: the helplessness of disliking a certain scumbag but unable to let him die on the street due to various connections.

No choice.

Xu Chaoxian cannot die for now.

At least he can't be bombed to death here...

Otherwise, half the arena would be buried with this scumbag, and this lousy match was sponsored by himself!

You bunch of scumbags, hardly any consideration for the place.

Next, with Ji Jue opening the full map and wall hack, the Security Bureau's efficiency soared, quickly apprehending most of those involved before the chaos occurred.

Yet, there were always unexpected outcomes.

The Chosen One from the Security Bureau who went to arrest at the front-row stand returned with a guilty expression, lowering their head: "Team Tong, one got away."

"What's going on?" Tong Shan frowned.

"I, I don't know either..." The Chosen One stammered: "Just, just a brief distraction, he, no, she... Anyway, that person was gone!"

Unable to clearly determine whether the seat was occupied by a man or woman, old or young, what characteristics they had, or what they looked like.

It wasn't just him; even Tong Shan, who should monitor the whole situation, oversee everything, had missed them, hadn't noticed...

"Heart Core?" Tong Shan frowned.

"Heart Core indeed."

In the darkness at the exit of the passage not far away, Ji Jue suddenly felt emotional.

There's nothing more troublesome than finding a Heart Core from a large group of people, even worse than picking out a slice of ginger from a pot of shredded potatoes. At least you can gobble up all the shredded potatoes, but you can't kill all these people, can you?

Moreover, this 'ginger slice' would disguise itself as the taste of potato shreds to deceive you...

This bunch are experts at stealth skills, maxed out on everything, and even carry a Blessing Sequence that decreases their presence or renders them invisible. They're shady as hell.

Before he's willing to reveal his true self, he'll seem more like an ordinary person than any ordinary person, and might not even be present in person; it could just be a Puppet.

Thinking of this, Ji Jue felt a headache coming on.

Such a bother...

If only he knew, he wouldn't have come. What's it to him whether Xu Chaoxian lives or dies?

Unfortunately, the lousy character doesn't have the slightest awareness and clings persistently. Just as they reached the exit and turned the corner, Xu Chaoxian came up with a hearty laugh, striding forward, both hands reaching out, warmly greeting, "Is this Mr. Ji? Oh, it's our first meeting; truly promising, truly promising!"

"Heh heh."

Ji Jue glanced at the outstretched hands, merely smiled politely, "Good for you to know."

He withdrew his gaze, turned, and left.

Unmoved.

Xu Chaoxian was taken aback but smiled indifferently, shrugging self-deprecatingly, "Looks like my job as Governor really doesn't make me popular."

Tong Shan behind him remained silent, pretending not to hear.

Just glanced at the back of his head.

You actually know too?!

.

.

When Ji Jue saw Tong Shan again coming out, it was half an hour later.

He was sitting in the shade on the steps, playing with his phone when he heard familiar footsteps behind him, turned back and laughed, "Finished with the busy stuff?"

"Just started, really."

Tong Shan sighed, "There's a ton of troublesome stuff ahead, writing reports, and capturing that Heart Core... It's likely another heap of messy business."

"What happened just now?" Ji Jue wondered.

"Those Central Earth people?" Tong Shan loosened his tie and took a breath, "It's the revival organization from White Country, some fanatics from the Southern Holy Unity Alliance, planning to give the Federation another dose of traditional Central Earth surprise in retaliation because the Military Department caught one of their sacrificial priests recently."

Ji Jue shook his head, "I'm talking about the previous one..."

Suddenly, Tong Shan fell silent.

Instinctively touched his pocket but restrained the urge to smoke, finally helplessly shaking his head, "Just a poor soul with nowhere to turn."

An accident, a chemical contamination, a behind-the-scenes deal, a scapegoat as a sacrifice and unfortunate soul, a blow more devastating than expected, a family torn apart, the death by cancer of family members... And a shell that has no meaning in living.

"That's enough."

He sighed wearily.

Ji Jue said nothing, silently watching the long-unseen scenery of Tianmen Square.

In the brief silence, Tong Shan's phone vibrated again, reporting progress.

Glimpsing at his phone, before leaving, he suddenly asked, "Are you free tonight? Shall we gather?"

"You're treating? Quite rare indeed."

Ji Jue was stunned, grinning wryly, "Is this finally your conscience speaking after you and your sister ate at my expense so many times? Aren't you afraid of getting reported for extravagance?"

"I'm leaving the day after tomorrow; reporting me wouldn't matter."[paragraph break]

Tong Shan shrugged as if relieved, cracked a smile, "Are you coming? Unlimited steak and seafood."

"Yes!"

Ji Jue nodded without hesitation, "Definitely coming."

"I'll send you the address later."

Tong Shan walked away without looking back.

Left Ji Jue sitting on the steps, watching the gradually glowing sunset, stunned and bewildered, sighed long after.

Thought it rare that Tong Zhiwu was being generous for once, looking forward to the future, but it turns out there's no future?

Too fast.

Just leaving like that, too quick for anyone to react.

In reality, when counting the time, it's been quite slow; the transfer order came down over a month ago, and now, with everything handed over, Tong Shan is leaving Cliff City Security Bureau.

From now on, Xu Chaoxian's life or death will have nothing to do with him.

It's liberating.

Truly something to celebrate!

But who's going to make up for all the meals owed to me, huh? Fool! Don't blame me for playing with your sister!

Ji Jue sighed, stood up, dusted off his pants, walked towards Lu Ling and the others waving to him from the steps below.

Let's buy a good bottle of wine later.

.

.

In the end, wine was bought.

Tong Zhiwu didn't drink a single drop!

Ji Jue's wine was put on the table, while the appetizers hadn't even made a round, already consumed by the group from the Northern Mountain District who arrived first.

"It's rare for you to be so considerate."

Wen Wen slapped the table, standing up, grabbed the wine bottle with great bravado, "Come on, let me show off for everyone..."

Bam!

A flick knocked the bottle cap off, downing it in seconds, then leisurely sighed, sat down, "You guys just feel free, feel free, eh!"

Then another box of strong liquor was brought up, directly distributing a bottle to each person to rinse their mouths first.

Suddenly, there was applause, mostly from the top with 'Tolerant Letter' gaining an immunity to alcohol privilege, plus underage Xiao An holding juice looking bewildered.

"..."

Feeling the intense atmosphere, Ji Jue's eye twitched, realizing there's no chance of walking out upright tonight.

Seeing her so unrestrained, Ji Jue immediately winked at Old Zhang across the table, lips moving silently: How long has she been off alcohol recently?

Old Zhang made a gesture of seven, Ji Jue instantly relaxed, relieved, then saw him gesturing another seven...

And then another...

Twenty-one days!

Ji Jue's vision went dark.

Holy crap, how fierce is the rebound going to be?!

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