My avatar is becoming the final boss

Chapter 382 The Final Farewell, Going Their Separate Ways, Su Wei's Arrival (10,000 words, seeking monthly votes)
Eleven years ago, on that day, the snow fell very heavily, as if it would bury the entire city.

The little beast hid in the alley, eavesdropping on Lin Xingshi's conversation with the man, while looking up at the dark blue sky. Fine snowflakes fluttered down, gliding over the electric fence and landing on his slightly trembling nose.

Even though the little Nian beast wasn't very smart and didn't understand human relationships, he could still tell from their conversation that he had made a big mistake. It was because he had left Haifan Mountain without saying a word and boarded that smuggling ship that the Nian beast king had harmed the people of Haifan City in a fit of rage.

That is why Lin Xingshi's parents died.

But the little Nian beast didn't know what to do. It just curled up there, hugging its knees tightly, staring blankly as its feet sank deeper and deeper into the snow.

It wrinkled its nose, its heart filled with fear and trepidation as it wondered how it would face Lin Xingshi in a little while.
And what kind of expression will she use to look at it?
The little monster felt its thoughts were almost completely jumbled, like a ball of yarn that had fallen from a table to the floor.

The harder it tried to grab it, the more the ball of yarn rolled forward, spreading colorful lines in all directions, yet every single line was slipping away from it.

Finally, he looked back suddenly, gazing in despair at the lines that stretched across the entire world. His mind was blank, as if those tangled thoughts had cocooned him. The little beast scratched its head in self-reproach, its pupils slightly narrowed.

At this moment, under the neon signs, in the shadows of the long street, Lin Xingshi and the man in the floral shirt stood facing each other.

"Sacrificed..."

Lin Xingshi muttered to himself, slowly raising his head and staring blankly at the man's face.

"Yes, your parents sacrificed themselves; they perished together with the Zodiac Team." The man swallowed and said hoarsely, "I've been looking for you for a long time, but I haven't been able to find you. The elders are very worried; they're all waiting for you to come back."

"Sacrifice...does it mean dying?"

Lin Xingshi shook his head and asked again, his eyes filled with confusion as he looked at the man.

The man nodded silently, his face as hard as iron.

“Yes, your parents are gone. They did a good job, but now the whole family is in chaos. The elders need you to go back. You are their designated successor. Come back with me... Little Lion, it will be too late if you don't go back now.”

Lin Xingshi slowly lowered her face, her brows furrowing slightly in confusion. After a moment, fear appeared on her face, but when she finally raised her head, it turned into uncontrollable anger.

"You're lying...you're lying...you're lying!"

The girl spoke haltingly, each word uttered with increasing emphasis, until finally she was almost screaming hysterically.

“These are your parents’ belongings…” the man with the buzz cut said in a deep voice, taking a bracelet out of the pocket of his floral shirt. It was the bracelet that Lin Xingshi’s mother often wore.

Lin Xingshi was stunned. His lips moved, but his words stopped abruptly.

Yes, how could she not recognize this bracelet? Every day, when she was exhausted from practicing martial arts, she would go to her mother and confide in her. When she got tired of talking, she would stare blankly at the bracelet on her mother's wrist, while her mother gently stroked her head.

For many nights, she would fall asleep staring at her mother's bracelet, but now the bracelet was broken in one corner and stained with dark blood.

In the deathly silence, staring at the blood-stained bracelet, tears slowly streamed down Lin Xingshi's face.

She trembled all over, like a little lion with its mane standing on end, and backed away while hoarsely hissing, "I...I don't believe it, you just want to trick me into going back!"

After saying that, she suddenly waved her hand, and a crimson curtain of flames flew out of the air, carrying an invisible lion's roar.

The man with the buzz cut was completely unprepared; he simply raised his arm to protect himself. A wave of heat rushed towards him, sending him flying more than ten meters. His back slammed into a telephone pole, and the bloodstained bracelet shattered.

At that moment, Lin Xingshi shrugged, staring at him with eyes full of resentment. Behind her head, her long, fiery red braid suddenly came undone, her hair cascading down like a waterfall.

But when the girl came to her senses, her pupils reflected a blood-soaked figure. He was hunched over, leaning against a pillar, looking like he was on the verge of death, half of his body burned. The man's lips trembled, as if he were still saying something silently.

Lin Xingshi suddenly froze. The lion shadow that had been looming over her head slowly dissipated, and a sense of panic gripped her heart.

"It's all your fault, don't come looking for me anymore... don't come again." Her lips moved slightly, her voice hoarse with sobs as she murmured.

The girl turned and ran towards the corner ahead, but by the time she stepped into the deep alley, the little Nian beast was nowhere to be seen.

Lin Xingshi stared blankly at the empty alley for a very long time.

"Xiao Nian...where did you go?" She lowered her head, tears streaming down her face, and said, "Where did you go...you said you wouldn't leave me, you're all I have left..."

She pouted, slowly lowered her head, and her eyes gradually became misty. Snowflakes fell on her long hair. She had never felt this winter so cold. Her feet were so cold that she lost all feeling in them. It was as if the whole world was leaving her and turning into a colorless outline.

Suddenly, a figure rushed out, took her hand, and led her to the end of the alley.

Lin Xingshi stared blankly up. The little beast grabbed her hand, held her frozen right hand tightly in its palm, and ran forward without looking back.

After a long while, Lin Xingshi stared at his retreating figure and asked softly:

"...Where can we go?"

The little beast didn't answer. He just ran hard on the snow, panting heavily, as if trying to leave all his troubles behind.

A boy and a girl ran through a white world, their figures seemingly about to be buried by the snow. Yet, with each step they took, they left footprints of varying depths in the snow. The footprints overlapped, stretching forward as if heading into the distance.

After a while, the boy finally stopped and looked up at the old apartment building.

He patted the snowflakes off the girl's head, led her to the backyard, and climbed in through the open window. Then he closed the window and drew the curtains.

The living room was pitch black, the electric fan whirring. Little Nian Beast kept his head down, silent. He still didn't understand how to face her. But when he turned around, Lin Xing Shi suddenly pounced on him and hugged him tightly.

He stood there stunned for a long while, then lowered his head and stared blankly into her eyes.

This was the first time he had seen this girl cry, and the first time he had seen her eyes so dim. Even when he first saw her on that smuggling boat, her face was dirty, like a little beggar, but her eyes were still bright and sparkling. But now it was different, as if everything had changed.

He knew something was different.

Lin Xingshi closed her eyes and pressed her face against his chest. The little beast felt a warm embrace, like holding a small stove. After a while, she said, "It's so good that you didn't leave..."

The little beast paused, then gently touched the tuft of fiery red hair that fell behind her head.

"Aren't you angry with me?" the little Nian beast asked, trembling. "It's all my fault..."

“I don’t know… You didn’t do anything, you just ran away from home like me.” Lin Xingshi said intermittently, “Who should I blame? I can’t figure it out. Maybe we were just unlucky… unlucky, so we had to run away from home… unlucky, so we can’t be together openly, unlucky… so you are the devil and I am the human.”

She paused, then said, "Yes... it was just bad luck."

"Little Star, are we leaving?" The little Nian beast was silent for a long time before whispering, "Let's leave now and hide far away so those people can't find us?"

“I can’t leave.” Lin Xingshi shook his head.

The little Nian beast was stunned.

"why?"

“I…I should go back.” Lin Xingshi shook his head. “That person is injured and no one cares about him. He will die…I will take him to find the family. If I don’t go back, I will despise myself. It’s all my fault. I’m too stupid.”

"You said you were going to kidnap me... You also said you wouldn't leave me," the little beast murmured.

"What are you saying? We'll see each other again in the future, we're just separated for now."

"When?"

"Xiao Nian, listen, you need to run far away, they're all looking for you... If they find you, they'll definitely hurt you..."

When shall we meet?

“You can’t be caught… My family hates you. The Great Khan has killed many people… So… you absolutely cannot be found by them, do you hear me?”

When are you coming to see me?

"Are you even listening to me?!" Lin Xingshi finally couldn't hold back any longer.

She angrily raised her head, staring into his eyes through a layer of tears, and while hitting him with her fist, she shouted hoarsely, "You idiot! Fool! Stupid thing... Why can't you listen to me every time? Why won't you listen? I hate you so much! Do you hear me?!"

The little Nian beast was stunned.

"Did you hear me...? If you get caught... Xiaoxing will hate you for the rest of her life, I will hate you to death, and I will never forgive you." She murmured hoarsely as she gently and weakly pounded on him. The further she spoke, the softer her voice became, until finally it was almost just a sob.

But the little beast just frowned and looked at her in bewilderment. He had never seen Lin Xingshi so angry.

Despite all that Lin Xingshi had said, all he wanted to ask her was, "When are we going to meet?" That was all the little beast cared about, but Lin Xingshi didn't answer him.

But every time he asked, she cried harder and got angrier.

The little beast didn't want to see her like this, so he dared not ask any more questions. His lips trembled, and he kept all the words he wanted to say stuck in his heart. He felt as if a stone was hanging in his chest, making him feel extremely heavy.

In the end, the little Nian beast simply nodded gently and obediently.

Lin Xingshi looked at him and finally felt relieved.

After a long silence, she spoke.

"Okay, that's good..."

Lin Xingshi murmured softly, raised the back of his hand, and wiped away the tears on his cheek, just like when he wiped the dust off his face the first time they met. Then he slowly let go of him and slowly turned around.

She wanted to leave right now, immediately, but she didn't know what she was waiting for. She just kept raising her hand to wipe away her tears. She wanted to punch her legs and ask them why they wouldn't leave.

It took her a long time before she finally took a step.

At that moment, a faint voice suddenly sounded behind her.

"Little Star... don't go, don't go... don't you want Little Nian anymore..." Little Nian murmured, almost pleading.

Lin Xingshi suddenly widened her eyes slightly. Instantly, her eyes reddened, and she froze on the spot. At that moment, she turned around abruptly, hugged the little beast tightly, buried her face in his shoulder, and burst into tears, without any restraint, just like an eight-year-old girl should be.

The living room was quiet except for the girl's hysterical crying.

The little beast's clothes were soaked with her tears. After a long while, Lin Xingshi raised his head and said hoarsely, "Listen carefully, you are not allowed to get caught..."

She wiped away her tears, whispered in his ear, "I will definitely come to find you. When I grow up, we can stand openly on the street, without having to hide anymore... and then we will never be apart again, understand?"

"When are you coming to find me?" The little Nian beast remained silent for a very long time before finally asking this question.

“I don’t know, but I will come to find you someday… Until then, you must take good care of yourself… wait for me, okay?” Lin Xingshi said softly.

After a long while, the little Nian beast nodded and gently wiped away the tears on her face.

"Okay, Xiao Nian promises you." He said softly, the most serious sentence he had ever uttered in his life.

After a while, Lin Xingshi slowly released him, looked into his eyes one last time, and gently kissed his forehead. This time, the girl didn't look back; instead, she ran into the heavy snow outside without looking back.

The little beast stood frozen in place, watching her figure rush away and be swallowed up by the vast white world.

Eleven years later, on August 21st, at night, in a cool, shady spot near the waterfall at Haifan Mountain.

The little Nian beast snapped out of its reverie and looked up at the Nian beast king, who was nodding in deep thought. The Nian beast king hadn't spoken for a while, only listening to the little Nian beast recount its past with the Lin Xing Lion.

It never saw Lin Xingshi again after that. She was gone for ten years.

That winter, the little beast returned to the port. It boarded a ship and left Lijing alone. On the sea, it looked out the cabin window at the brightly lit city and thought to itself, "Lin Xingshi must have returned to his family with those people by now."

Is she alright? Will she be scolded badly? Just then, a biting sea breeze blew by and brushed against the little Nian beast's cheek.

The cabin swayed and rocked. The little Nian beast stood blankly by the window, watching the city grow farther and farther away. It suddenly felt as if it were sitting on a steep cliff, dangerous and lonely, and that it would fall off at any moment and be forgotten by the world.

In the ten years that followed, the little monster traveled all over the world, visiting many countries, eating all kinds of local delicacies, and meeting many humans and demons. The world was still bright, free, and beautiful, and gradually it was no longer as simple and foolish as it used to be.

The little beast had learned a lot about human relationships and seen a lot of the world, but every time it saw those beautiful scenes, it would think that it would be nice if that girl were by its side.

It wanted to share the sky it saw, the aurora borealis in the sky, and the ice floes on the sea with that girl, to see the most beautiful scenery in the world reflected in her bright and dark eyes, and to keep looking at her radiant smile.

But many, many years later, the little monster Nian never returned to China.

Because every time it wanted to go back, it would remember Lin Xingshi's words: "I will come to find you, so you must run far away and never let them find you."

By this time, the little Nian beast had become quite powerful. It felt that no exorcists could bully it anymore, and even if they came, it could drive them all away. But the little Nian beast simply refused to go back, not even once.

It felt like it was sulking, betting that the girl would definitely come looking for it, so it never looked back, just wandered aimlessly in some corner of the world, occasionally looking up at the starry sky, wondering if she was also looking at the same night sky somewhere in the world.

Later, during its travels, it learned from the demons of Northern Europe that Lin Xingshi had inherited the position of Lake Hunter and become the captain of the current Lake Hunter.

The little beast was stunned for a long, long time. When it turned around, it suddenly felt that the whole world was empty.

That proud and rebellious girl with those bright, piercing eyes ultimately did not defy her fate. In the end, only he, the coward, escaped.

She broke her promise and didn't go to see him. The little Nian beast knew it had lost the bet, and it was past the age of holding a grudge. So, the little Nian beast went back to find her.

"I see... So the human friend you mentioned before was her." After a long silence, the Nian Beast King finally spoke in a low voice, sighing with emotion.

"Are you angry, Dad?" The little Nian beast turned to look at it and asked softly.

Two lions, one large and one small, strolled along the lakeside, far from the lights and noise, chatting away from each other.

“I’m not angry… I just want to know, did you come back this time to protect her?” The Great Lord of the Year Beast lowered his voice. “She is no longer the little human girl you knew ten years ago. She is now the leader of the Lake Hunters. She has slaughtered many of our compatriots and has a blood feud with us.”

The little Nian beast was silent for a moment, then shook its head. "No... I haven't seen Lin Xingshi for ten years. How could we still have any feelings for each other?" The little Nian beast paused. "I just missed home, so I came back to visit. The reason I brought these things up with you is because you asked me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have thought about these things at all."

"My son, do you really think so?"

"real."

“I have taught you since you were a child that humans and demons are irreconcilable enemies, and you are ultimately a demon, while she is ultimately a human. One day you will understand.”

After the Nian Beast King finished speaking, he turned around and slowly walked away.

The little Nian beast watched it leave silently, sighed inwardly, and turned its head to look at the brightly lit forest. At this moment, thousands of demons were reveling in the world of flickering campfires. After the Nian beast lord returned, the forest became even more noisy. It was a sleepless night.

The little monster turned around, raised its head to look at the surging waterfall in the darkness, then looked down at the lake, where its indifferent face was reflected.

It raised its paw, creating ripples, as a cool sea breeze blew from afar.

The following day, August 22nd, in the early morning, there were only two days left before the Nian Beast King and the Lake Hunter officially began their war.

That morning, the courtyard of the Lin family mansion was bathed in warm morning light, and a gentle sea breeze was blowing.

The courtyard was planted with osmanthus and ginkgo trees, and deep inside was a wooden bench covered with golden and emerald green leaves. Next to it was a small fountain, and the mouth of a rocking horse opened and closed, squeaking out waves of water.

Meanwhile, Su Zimai and Gu Qiye were sitting on a wooden chair, looking up at the leaves rustling in the wind. The former had her hair tied in a high ponytail and wore a dress, while the latter had her overly long hair trimmed and wore a black coat and jeans.

The four hunters from the lake were still on their way, so they were asked to wait here for a while.

Everyone here knows perfectly well that the group has a world-class hacker, so these days when discussing important matters, they keep all electronic devices far away to avoid leaks and giving the bandits an opportunity to take advantage of them.

So at this moment, they didn't even have phones to play with; they just stared blankly at the scenery in the yard.

"Where's Dad?" Su Zimai suddenly asked.

"He's in the underground training grounds of Lake Hunting, hitting sandbags. There are some demons kept there specifically for training. I reckon he's already killed several," Gu Qiye said in a low voice.

"Dad's already so amazing, what's the point of continuing to train?" Su Zimai asked, puzzled.

"Let him vent his emotions," Gu Qiye said. "He's a bit of a repressed person, and when you try to talk to him, he just wants to be alone."

"Oh, that's true..."

Listening to the sound of flowing water from the rocking horse fountain, Su Zimai remained silent for a while before asking, "Brother, don't you regret it?"

"What do you regret?"

"I regret not having a chat with that little white-haired kid back in Lijing," Su Zimai said seriously. "We might never have the chance again. We'll have to keep hiding like this, maybe until we die of old age."

Gu Qiye paused slightly, lowered her head to think for a moment, and then shook her head. "I don't regret it. Your safety is the most important thing. What if it was actually a trap, and we were surrounded by Rainbow Wing's people as soon as we showed up?"

"Please, why do you always think about others and never about yourself?" Su Zimai said. "If the person I like is right in front of me, and I may never be able to talk to him again, then even if the sky falls, I will definitely talk to him."

She paused, then suddenly pouted slightly, looking somewhat disappointed. "Although... I no longer have a chance, that's why I hope you won't regret it, brother. Don't always think about others, think more about yourself. Your personality is such a disadvantage, you're so stupid."

Gu Qiye was silent for a moment, then put his arm around her shoulder. "Since you're my sister, I have to consider your safety."

"So, you don't deny that you like her?" Su Zimai turned to look at him.

Gu Qiye thought for a moment and shook her head. "I've never liked anyone before, so I'm not really sure."

"You blockhead." Su Zimai rolled her eyes at him.

Gu Qiye hesitated for a moment, "Speaking of which, this little white-haired girl we're talking about almost killed my father before."

"Huh?" Su Zimai was taken aback, then seemed to recall something, "I remember now, that incident was even on the news back then, saying that Dad was punished by Rainbow Wing personnel at Starlight Amusement Park, it turned out to be that little white-haired kid?"

“Yes, I thought she had really killed Dad, and I even wanted to kill her in the car,” Gu Qiye said. “So guess what Dad would think if I really brought her home?”

Su Zimai remained silent.

A moment later, she raised her hand to her forehead and said, "Why does it feel like everyone in our family has such... 'rough' interpersonal relationships?" She didn't know why she used this inappropriate word, but it just came out of her mouth.

"Forget it, let's not talk about this." Su Zimai sighed. "Will Grandpa come?"

“Probably not,” Gu Qiye shook his head. “He’s already tired, so it’s better that he doesn’t come. Let him rest a little longer. Actually, he should have rested a long time ago. If it weren’t for Wenyu, my father and I wouldn’t have known that we had such a great general in our family.”

"I don't know how my brother does it, he always has so many clever and ingenious ideas."

“He was very smart from a young age, but he wasn’t good at expressing himself.”

Su Zimai was silent for a moment, then said, "Speaking of which, are you and Dad really sure you'll be fine dealing with the White Raven Brigade this time?"

“It’s not like we’re going to fight them to the death. My dad and I can handle a few ordinary Calamity-level monsters more than enough. Normal Calamity-level monsters are no match for us.” Gu Qiye paused. “Besides, if we can’t beat them, we can just run away. There’s nothing to worry about… Our mission is just to stall them until the battle between Lake Hunter and the Year Beast Lord is over. Lake Hunter will handle this matter himself then.”

"Sigh, Lake Hunter is so powerful, and he boasts so much, why can't he fight against both the Nian Beast and the Brigade at the same time? Why does he have to drag you and your father into this?" Su Zimai sighed.

"There's nothing we can do about it. The White Raven Brigade is unpredictable, and Lake Hunter is no match for them in a head-on confrontation. But if they ambushe us during a battle, it's a different story; they could easily succeed."

Gu Qiye sat on the wooden chair with his arms crossed, speaking eloquently, "So it was actually something I expected that Mr. Zhuge Hui would come to us for help."

“Alright.” Su Zimai nodded. “Then you and Dad must be very careful. There are twelve of them. If you can’t beat them, run away immediately. Don’t be reckless. At worst, we can go live in the Arctic and we won’t need the protection of the Lake Hunters anymore.”

"Okay, okay, we'll listen to our Xiaomai." Gu Qiye smiled and reached out to pat her head.

"Forget it, how about we invite Grandpa over?" Su Zimai said softly. "I'll have my regimental commander act cute, or I'll act cute myself. Either my adopted daughter or my granddaughter can persuade him."

"I already told you, Grandpa isn't coming, so don't even think about it," Gu Qiye said with a helpless smile.

"Who says I won't come?"

Suddenly, a warm voice came from the entrance of the courtyard.

Su Zimai and Gu Qiye were stunned for a moment, then turned their heads at the same time to look at the corridor made of wooden floor.

There stood a very young-looking, bespectacled, slicked-back-haired, refined-looking man.

He stood with his hands behind his back, a smile on his face, looking at Su Zimai and Gu Qiye through his glasses, wearing a pair of brown leather shoes.

The visitor was none other than Su Wei.

Gu Qiye stared blankly at Su Wei.

After resting for a few days, Su Wei's hair returned to its original black and thick state, making him look nothing like an elderly person, and his complexion was no longer as aged as it had been at the funeral.

Just as Su Wei herself said, it was the result of overusing her ability to "predict the future" and overdrawing her own resources, but she would feel much better after resting for a while.

It was clear that Su Wei looked somewhat haggard, with deeper wrinkles around her eyes and nasolabial folds.

"Grandpa, what brings you here?" Gu Qiye stood up and walked over to greet him.

Su Zimai was also stunned for a moment, then a look of surprise appeared on her face.

She had a chance to chat with Su Wei at the funeral a week ago, but she was preoccupied with Gu Wenyu's affairs, so the two didn't exchange a single word throughout the entire funeral and parted ways as if they were strangers.

But then her grandfather suddenly arrived, and she was at a loss for what to do. The joy and surprise on her face quickly faded, replaced by embarrassment.

Sigh, if only I had half the shamelessness of a big moth, I could immediately go up and try to get close to them. Thinking of this, Su Zimai couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Fortunately, at that moment, another set of footsteps came, and she looked up to see a familiar figure walking up the corridor.

The man was wearing a brown trench coat, a stag hat, and had a pipe in his mouth. His neat, medium-length hair fell over his shoulders.

"Commander!" Su Zimai blurted out.

"MaiMai, I brought your grandpa over. Are you happy?" Ke Qirui asked as they walked.

“I was just thinking the same thing, whether or not you should go and invite Grandpa over. Looks like we’re on the same wavelength,” Su Zimai said with a hum.

"No need for formalities. I just came over when I heard you needed help," Su Wei said with a smile.

Su Zimai looked at him and said, "Grandpa, I haven't even had a proper chat with you yet. Don't leave too quickly this time."

“Okay, I also have a lot to say to you.” Su Wei nodded.

Gu Qiye thought for a moment: "Have you put away all your cell phones, and any other electronic devices that could be tapped?"

"Don't worry, we know there are hackers in the group. We've taken everything that needs to be taken away. We're in a primitive state right now." Ke Qirui took a drag of his cigarette and smiled slightly.

"So, Captain, how's the troupe's situation?" Su Zimai looked at her. "Have you and Lake Hunter tracked them down? Where might they appear?"

"We haven't found them yet, but Lake Hunter has mobilized informants throughout the city for a full-scale search." Ke Qirui said, puffing on his pipe. "It would be great if we found them, but it doesn't matter if we don't..."

"Why doesn't it matter?" Gu Qiye asked curiously.

"Because once the Lake Hunters and the Year Beasts begin their battle, you should not get involved, but simply stay near the battlefield," Ke Qirui said. "This way, if the White Raven Brigade launches an attack, you can stop them immediately and prevent them from interfering with the battle between the Lake Hunters and the Year Beast Lord."

She paused for a moment, then said, "So it means being a bodyguard. Does that sound familiar?" As she said this, she smiled slightly and looked up into Gu Qiye's eyes.

"Hmm...it sounds familiar, but they're all bad memories." Gu Qiye crossed his arms, scratched his forehead, and sighed self-deprecatingly.

Ke Qirui thought for a moment: "By the way, I discussed it with your maternal grandfather, who is also my adoptive father, on the way here... Xiaomai, Xu Sanyan, and I will also participate in this interception operation."

“No, that’s too dangerous,” Gu Qiye interrupted, almost without hesitation.

Su Zimai's eyes lit up slightly, but then dimmed again. She wrinkled her nose, knowing in her heart that her old man brother would never allow her to join the operation.

“I also know it’s dangerous, so we are self-aware,” Ke Qirui said.

"What self-awareness?" Gu Qiye took a deep breath and shook his head. "The opponents are a group of Calamity-level beings, and their combat experience far exceeds that of ordinary ability users. Didn't you see their abilities at the auction?"

"Don't rush, Qiye, let her tell you first." Su Wei waved her hand.

Gu Qiye was silent for a moment, then crossed her arms and said, "Alright, I'm all ears."

“We will be responsible for holding back the weaker members of the brigade,” Ke Qirui said. “With my movie demon, we can transfer them into another dimension to fight, so they won’t be affected by the outside world. You cataclysmic beings fight your battles, and we’ll fight ours.”

"Then how do you know which members of their group are weaker?" Gu Qiye asked.

"Well..." Ke Qirui hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to speak, "When Gu Wenyu revealed to me on the train demon that he was Black Chrysalis, I asked him some questions about the troupe. So he told me all the information about the troupe members."

Upon hearing Gu Wenyu's name from her, the members of the Gu family suddenly fell silent.

After a long pause, Su Wei forced a smile. "Wen Yu's network of contacts is really extensive. Does he even have spies in organizations like this?"

“That’s because… there’s actually an undercover agent in the White Raven Brigade,” Su Zimai said in a low voice.

"Undercover?"

Upon hearing this, Su Wei and Gu Qiye looked at her with a hint of curiosity.

Su Zimai nodded: "Yes, one called..."

“Xiaomai, there’s no need to say it,” Ke Qirui stopped her.

"why?"

“Because even now, I don’t really understand that person’s stance,” Ke Qirui said. “If your family really clashes with him in a few days, there’s no need to show mercy… otherwise, things could easily go wrong.”

“That makes sense,” Su Zimai murmured.

She didn't even dare to imagine how terrible the situation would have been if Gu Qiye, Gu Zhuoan, and Su Wei had held back against Xia Pingzhou during the battle, and Xia Pingzhou had put them in danger in order to conceal his identity.

Thinking about it this way, it would be better not to tell my brother that Xia Pingzhou was an undercover agent.

Anyway, Xia Pingzhou might not help them, and nobody knows what he's thinking. It's been so long, hasn't he found a way to kill Jack the Ripper yet? If he continues to hang out with the Phantom Troupe, he'll eventually become a heinous villain, won't he? Su Zimai thought to herself.

"Are you really not going to tell us who that undercover agent is?" Gu Qiye asked.

Su Wei remained silent. In truth, he knew, but he was just playing dumb.

"No need, just to avoid distracting you," Ke Qirui said. "The Brigade is not an easy opponent to deal with. We're all facing them, how can we have time to worry about anything else?"

After a long pause, Gu Qiye nodded. "I understand. Then we won't investigate the identity of that undercover agent... So, which of the weaker members you mentioned earlier are you referring to? What are their abilities? We must ascertain this before considering sending you into action. I absolutely cannot allow my sister to be in danger."

Upon hearing this, Ke Qirui put away his pipe and said without hesitation, "As far as we know, the weaker functional members in the brigade are Hacker, Robert, Tong Zizhu, and Rukawa Chiba. Their individual combat strength is very weak. Even Xiaomai could exchange a few blows with them, and even slightly win."

"Commander, what do you mean by that?" Su Zimai glared at her.

Ke Qirui ignored her and continued, "Besides that, there's a member named Andrew. I think I can stop him and lighten your load."

“Andrew?”

Gu Qiye murmured the name, suddenly recalling the bullets that shot towards her like meteors at the auction that day, and the cowboy-hatted man carrying a sniper rifle.

“Yes, Andrew is a second-tier exorcist, and Skyward is a sniper rifle. Locking him in the movie screen will also benefit you… Are you listening to me?” As she spoke, Ke Qirui looked up and saw that Su Wei’s expression was a little strange.

Gu Qiye and Su Zimai followed her gaze and looked at Su Wei's face.

"Did you just say a name called 'Tongzizhu'?"

As she murmured the name, Su Wei suddenly froze slightly, her brows furrowing.

“Yes, Black Chrysalis told me this name before.” Ke Qirui nodded, looking at him strangely as she asked, “What? President, do you know her?”

Su Zimai was surprised that Ke Qirui addressed her adoptive father as "Chairman," but she didn't have time to dwell on it.

She looked up at Su Wei, waiting for her reply.

After a while, seeing that Su Wei remained silent, she asked, "Grandpa, who exactly is this Tong Zizhu?"

(End of this chapter)