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"I saw it."

Xiao Sa put down his binoculars and answered in a low voice.

He didn't lose his composure like Xu Hao; only his slightly twitching eyelids revealed the same shock in his heart.

Despite having witnessed firsthand the president's terrifying combat power, which was like that of a god descending to earth, outside the Noah Building that night.

But witnessing such extraordinary battle scenes again still fills me with excitement.

After all, just six months ago, he was a low-level gangster who roamed the streets and was looked down upon by everyone.

Now, however, he has made a dramatic transformation and has become a core member of a mysterious organization.

What I usually hear and see are either all sorts of bizarre and extraordinary events, or this kind of earth-shattering scene that looks like gods fighting.

His worldview was completely refreshed, gradually deviating from the cognitive scope of normal people.

"Haozi, don't make a fuss."

Xiao Sa took a deep breath, trying to remain calm, and said in a deep voice:
"This is the chairman dealing with the enemy. Don't you know his abilities?"

"Of course I know! I've been following the boss for much longer than you."

Xu Hao chuckled, turned his head, revealing a mouthful of white teeth:
"Back in the day, the president and I went to the bathhouse together, and we beat up the Noah Organization and the Special Investigation Team together. Our relationship was rock solid!"

"I still remember the first time I met him. We were practicing boxing in the ring, fighting back and forth, neither of us gaining the upper hand..."

Getting carried away, he casually pulled a cigarette out of his pocket.

I was about to light it when I remembered I was on a mission, so I could only reluctantly clip it to my ear and enjoy the sensation.

Then, he continued to hold up his binoculars, looking at the building in the distance where the explosion had occurred, and muttered about his past acquaintance with the chairman.

Seeing Xu Hao's excited, childlike appearance, Xiao Sa couldn't help but feel a sense of bewilderment.

If it were a week ago, he would never have imagined that he would one day be on friendly terms with this guy who talks nonsense.

Although both belonged to the Red Tiger Gang and often met at gang meetings, they generally kept to themselves.

They only know each other's names and identities, and have only spoken a handful of words to each other.

In Xiao Sa's eyes, Xu Hao was just a brainless, foul-mouthed brute.

In Xu Hao's eyes, Xiao Sa was nothing more than Chen Chen's follower, a spineless pretty boy who only knew how to talk big.

Until that nightmarish night arrived.

The two were inexplicably thrown into a mental hospital filled with all sorts of terrifying monsters.

There, there is no identity, no status, only endless darkness and a cycle of death.

In their quest to complete the task that popped into their minds, they failed time and time again, relentlessly pursued by the attending physician wearing a bird-beak mask, like stray dogs.

Until the very last time, Xiao Sa suddenly felt a surge of power from nowhere and risked his life to block the giant syringe.

Driven by a bloodlust, Xu Hao grabbed an iron pipe and smashed the monster's head open.

The bond forged in the face of adversity is far more genuine than the friendship built over hundreds of tons of alcohol at a dinner table.

I still can't forget how dashing he was.

When they were covered in blood, supporting each other as they pushed open the door to the dean's office, thinking they were about to face the final boss.

What I saw was Fang Cheng sitting calmly in a leather chair.

After the chairman explained the situation, the two learned the truth about the whole thing.

This terrifying dark world, this mental hospital that tormented them for several nights, was merely a testing ground casually created by the chairman to test them.

Having cleared the dungeon and completed the mission, the two had earned the guild leader's approval in terms of both skill and character.

He then naturally joined the Illuminati and became one of its core members.

Afterwards, Xiao Sa and Xu Hao were shocked to see each other's true appearances and learn each other's real identities.

They turned out to be old acquaintances who looked down on each other.

However, with this comrade-in-arms bond forged in life-or-death situations, the minor disagreements between the two had long since vanished.

Their relationship quickly warmed up, becoming as close as brothers who had been separated for over a decade.

As he got a few years older, he naturally became known as "Brother Xiaosai".

Xu Hao, on the other hand, is shameless and likes to act young. He called out to them so smoothly, as if he had gotten a great deal out of them.

"Drip-drip-"

A soft electronic buzzing suddenly interrupted Xiaosai's reverie.

His eyes narrowed, and his gaze quickly shifted to the flat panel display mounted on the center console.

"There is a situation!"

At the edge of the screen, a red dot is flashing rapidly and rhythmically.

A nimble finger hovers above the screen, ready to press the communication key to issue an alarm at any moment.

But after a few seconds, the red dot gradually moved out of the warning range, the flashing frequency slowed down, and it eventually returned to the green color that represents safety.

Xiao Sa's tense nerves relaxed slightly, and he breathed a sigh of relief:

"It's nothing, just passing vehicles, not heading this way."

That road is the only way from the city center to the unfinished building area in the eastern suburbs.

Before going into hiding, they deployed a dense array of infrared sensors in the surrounding area, forming a temporary surveillance network, based on blueprints provided by another Illuminati member, Monkey.

The patch of overgrown grass where they were located was on slightly higher ground, offering a wide view.

Under this dual surveillance, any outsider who enters this area will absolutely not escape their notice.

Xiao Sa carefully checked the data again, and only after confirming that it was correct did he look up at his partner beside him and remind him:

"Haozi, don't get so caught up in watching the show that you neglect your business."

"This is the first time this is the first time we've officially carried out a task in the meeting, so we absolutely cannot mess it up."

"If something goes wrong because of negligence, where will we put our faces in the guild when facing Big Hammer and his gang?"

"I know, I know, Brother Xiaosai, you can rest assured!"

Xu Hao waved his hand impatiently, but his body betrayed him by sitting up straight.

“With those electronic gadgets watching us, plus our two pairs of eyes, even if a fly flies in, I can guarantee I can tell its sex.”

Even so, he reluctantly moved the camera away from the exploded building in the distance and cautiously scanned the dark grass around him.

He instantly perked up, his face seemingly radiating the words "duty-bound".

In his mind, this was no simple sentry duty.

This is to uphold his dignity as a founding member of the Illuminati.

In terms of seniority, I am only one level below Miss Lin and Crow.

After all, one of them is a woman of devastating beauty, clearly the chairman's exclusive mistress.

The other one, needless to say, is the chairman's maternal uncle, who is a member of the royal family and someone you shouldn't mess with.

As for that eccentric professor?
At most, they're on the same level as themselves.

After all, he was getting on in years and was a cultured man. The chairman valued him highly, so he gave him some face.

As for the newcomers who joined later, such as Monkey, Hammer, and Nightingale?
Hey, according to the rules, you have to call yourself "senior"!

Now that the organization is in its early stages and needs manpower, he must seize the opportunity to make more contributions.

In the future, the Illuminati will grow and become a behemoth that controls the world.

With his veteran status and illustrious military achievements, becoming a minister would be a piece of cake.
In time, I can be like those big shots in the movies.

He went out in a luxury car, followed by a group of henchmen in black suits, holding red wine in their hands, with... hehehehe.

"Boom——"

Another loud bang came from a distant building, abruptly shattering Xu Hao's beautiful fantasies about the future.

The towering flames instantly illuminated half the night sky, startling him so much that he shrank back, and the bulging muscles in his arms instinctively tensed.

This explosion was significantly more terrifying than the previous ones.

The dull tremor even traveled along the ground to a car nearly two kilometers away, making the car windows buzz.

"My dear..."

Xu Hao looked through the binoculars at the scene of destruction that seemed like the end of the world, and his Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty.

After the initial excitement of watching the spectacle wore off, an overwhelming sense of worry gradually welled up inside me:

"What happened? Is the chairman alright?"

"The commotion over there is terrifying! This isn't a fight, it's like they're bombarding the ground with rockets! No, it's more like they're conducting a nuclear test!"

"Even that night at Noah Building, there wasn't this much of a commotion."

His carefree gaze had long since shifted from the monitor screen, now fixed on the distant building swaying precariously in the night through the car window. He didn't answer immediately, but instead took a deep breath, as if calming the turmoil within him.

After a moment, he spoke, his voice soft but carrying an almost reverent tone:

"Haozi, have you forgotten?"

"Three days ago, when the president led us out of that mental hospital after we passed the test... what did we see?"

Xu Hao was stunned, and the image in his mind froze instantly.

That kind of shock will never be forgotten.

When that decaying door was pushed open, the darkness and bloodshed that had enveloped the world instantly receded like a tide.

Instead, the earth is bathed in golden sunlight.

It is a majestic, continuous green mountain range, and a rushing, ever-flowing river.

And in the distance, there was a magnificent palace floating above the clouds, radiating golden light.

That world was magnificent, with lush vegetation, so real that it made you want to kneel down and worship.

That was not an illusion, not a dream.

Rather, it was a divine kingdom of souls created by the president in a single thought.

With a cool, intense gaze, he stared at the building completely engulfed in flames and said in a deep voice:
"No matter when or where, the chairman is invincible."

The words were brief, yet remarkably powerful, as if stating an eternal truth.

This is an unreserved, fanatical worship, an absolute faith born from witnessing miracles.

Upon hearing this, Xu Hao seemed to be affected by his words, and the worry in his eyes instantly disappeared.

Yeah, how could a monster like the president possibly lose?

Is there any creature in this world more perverted than this man?
"Damn, you're right! Why the hell am I worrying about this?!"

Xu Hao grinned, raised his binoculars again, and continued to look at the battlefield, his eyes shining brightly.

At this moment, his gaze seemed to pierce through the thick darkness and smoke.

I saw that god-like figure standing atop the ruins, looking down upon all living beings.

....................................

Rumbling--

Because of the loss of load-bearing columns, the floors of several stories collapsed one after another in a chain reaction.

Like dominoes being toppled, they fell layer by layer with a devastating force.

The sky was filled with smoke and dust mixed with huge pieces of concrete, like a meteor shower carrying Fang Cheng and Gui Lian down into the abyss.

At this moment, gravity seemed to become the most ferocious beast, tearing everything apart.

The broken steel bars, like twisted tentacles, lashed mournfully in the wind, emitting a teeth-grinding creaking sound.

All around were falling rocks and howling winds, and there was no foothold to hold onto.

At the center of this chaotic vortex, Fang Cheng's figure was like a fallen leaf.

As the air currents churned rapidly, he covered his head with his arms, curled up his body to minimize the area of ​​impact, and maintained his balance.

"The opportunity has come!"

Oni-Kiri, who was also in free fall, suddenly had a ruthless glint in his eyes.

This environment, neither above nor below the sky, is a dead end for those who rely solely on physical strength.

But for him, who possesses long-range capabilities, it is the perfect shooting range.

He endured the intense dizziness from the fall, adjusted his posture in mid-air, and focused all his energy.

"C3, shaped charge armor-piercing projectile!"

Two gray lines suddenly shot out from his fingertips.

It was a highly compressed, specially made clay explosive that rapidly shaped into two cones in the air and shot directly at Fang Cheng, who was on the opposite side.

There were no dazzling fireballs, nor any earth-shattering shockwaves.

At the moment the explosives detonated, the enormous energy was forcibly focused by the cone-shaped shield, ejecting two extremely thin and bright high-temperature rays.

This is a metal jet generated using the Monroe effect, with speeds exceeding Mach 10, which is more than 10 times the speed of sound.

Its terrifying destructive power is enough to melt through the armored side panels of a main battle tank in an instant.

call out!call out!
Two beams of death light tore through the darkness and smoke, arriving in an instant.

With nowhere to grab onto while suspended in mid-air, Fang Cheng was like a live, upside-down target.

But his eyes behind the mask showed no sign of panic.

At this critical moment, that body, honed through countless trials, displayed astonishing control.

Without any support, Fang Cheng actually relied on the twisting of his spine to forcefully perform a contortionist move that defied the laws of physics, "Shrimp Walk," in mid-air.

The core muscles exploded instantly, and the hip joint incredibly folded to one side.

The person was thus moved several centimeters sideways in mid-air.

"laugh!"

The first jet of metal grazed past his mask, silently slicing through the falling precast concrete slab behind him like cutting tofu.

The cut was a deep red, and molten concrete dripped down like lava.

Fang Cheng's movements didn't stop at all; almost simultaneously, he performed a backflip that was extremely difficult.

But the second attack aimed at the abdomen was ultimately too fast.

Despite Fang Cheng's best efforts to twist his body and avoid vital organs at 10 times the speed of sound, he managed to do so.

The terrifying beam of death still pierced through his right thigh.

Before the blood could even splatter, it was instantly evaporated by the high temperature.

"Hit!"

A look of wild joy flashed in Oni-scythe's eyes.

With a sudden movement, he found a side pillar that was not completely broken amidst the chaotic falling rocks.

His limbs gripped the concrete surface firmly, as if they had grown barbs.

He looked like a black bat, hanging upside down in the shadows at the edge of the ruins.

Looking down at the area engulfed in smoke and dust, Oni-Scythe panted, a cruel sneer curling at the corner of his mouth.

This level of metal jet could penetrate even a heavy armored vehicle.

Bai Xiao, no matter how tough your body is, it's still flesh and blood. With your femoral artery severed, what can you use to fight me?

"boom--"

The last floor slab crashed down, sending up clouds of dust.

After a violent collapse, the ruins fell into a brief period of deathly silence.

Fang Cheng's figure, along with the concrete block, crashed heavily onto a slope on the 29th floor that had not yet completely collapsed.

Smoke and dust filled the air, blurring visibility.

Ghost Scythe's eyes were fixed on that direction, waiting for the sight of its prey collapsing from blood loss.

However, as the smoke and dust that had obscured his vision gradually dissipated, the scene that was revealed made his heart leap.

A strange chill ran straight up to the top of my head.

On that messy concrete slope, a tall figure stood out.

He didn't collapse to the ground as I had imagined, nor did he wail in pain.

Fang Cheng slowly emerged from the shadows.

Beneath that ghastly white demon mask, his eyes gleamed with a chilling crimson light, like a demon returned from hell.

He looked down at the gaping hole in his right thigh, which was bloody and translucent.

That was the wound left by the instantaneous penetration of the metal jet, its edges charred black, completely cooked.

You can even see the stark white leg bones and broken tendons inside.

"The metal jet produced by the energy blast... It's quite powerful and can definitely penetrate defenses."

He spoke as if he were evaluating an insignificant toy, his tone so flat it was infuriating.

However, when Oni-Kama's gaze focused on that wound...

But his pupils suddenly contracted as he discovered a scene that sent chills down his spine.

He saw it: countless fleshy buds, like a swarm of insects, were writhing wildly. (End of Chapter)