Welcome to the Ability Shop!

Chapter 319 I Can't Leave You

Before the agency's executive team went to this world, Lin Qing arranged to meet Hong Lian once.

The purpose of this meeting was simply to provide the other party with an extra layer of insurance. Lin Qing pretended to contact Shi Xin using her phone, then pointed the camera at her, facilitating a formal transaction between Chen Xuan and her.

He took the green version of "Knowledgeable of the Past and Present" from her and bestowed upon her the ability "Extraordinary Eating Power"... At the time, Honglian was quite resistant to this ability, and only reluctantly agreed after being persuaded by Lin Qing. But for Chen Xuan, the ability itself was not the point; what mattered was that only through a formal transaction could the shop register her as a customer.

In this way, he can summon Crimson Lotus to the shop at any time.

Of course, Chen Xuan would not use this card unless absolutely necessary—once Honglian returned to the shop, it would mean that she would have access to the core of the ability shop.

And you will also come into her field of vision.

Unlike Lin Qing, whose identity could be easily forged and who wasn't afraid of being tracked by cameras, he faced a certain risk if his real name were known to members of the organization.

“I know what you’re worried about,” Lin Qing said again. “But just as I trust you, you should trust me too… Honglian is destined not to be on the same side as the organization, and she deserves our help.”

After a moment's thought, Chen Xuan agreed, "Okay, I'll bring her back right away. You should leave the hotel immediately."

"receive."

After the communication ended, Lin Qing had clearly already taken action.

Chen Xuan also opened the operation bar and found Honglian's name.

"Hehehehe..."

Suddenly, a dry laugh caught his attention. He turned his head and saw that the situation in the hall had changed again—the old demon was already bowing his head and begging for mercy from the two demons when he suddenly laughed.

“You know, Mr. Xiao, I’ve been fantasizing about a scenario: one day I’ll invite all the demons to the Cui Ting Building, and then blow them all up at once, so that their wealth, resources, and puppets will all be mine. Or I’ll be cornered by my enemies, and when they’re feeling smug, I’ll deliver the final blow, shattering all their hopes.”

Xiao Kanong hadn't reacted yet, but Young Master Shang and Zhao Zhilei's expressions changed.

"Old Qi, what are you trying to do?!"

"I... planted a bomb beneath this building a long time ago; its power is enough to reduce half the city to dust. I own many businesses in Jiangcheng and have cultivated a large number of puppets, but since they will soon no longer belong to me, why should I leave them to those who come after me?"

Chen Xuan was taken aback.

A bomb powerful enough to destroy half the city?
...Could it be a nuclear bomb?
Xiao Kanon frowned immediately. The two Arbitration Tribunal members rushed over at the same time, smashing the old man's throat with a palm strike and dislocating his only remaining arm, rendering him unable to speak while searching his entire body.

"No remote control device found!"

Old Qi coughed incessantly, foamy blood oozing from the corners of his mouth. Despite being in great pain, he wore a relieved smile.

Seeing this expression, Chen Xuan's heart sank to the bottom.

"You go into the elevator first!" he shouted to Liuli as he turned around.

"It's a contract!" Zhao Zhilei's panicked voice came from the monitor. "He must have signed a contract, exchanging his death for the freedom of others after they fulfilled the contract! He wasn't the one who controlled the explosion!"

Xiao Kanong couldn't help but yell at them, "Where are the other artifacts? What will happen to them if he detonates the Emerald Court Building?!"

The two did not answer, but their expressions spoke volumes.

Wonder objects are not immortal; their hardness is roughly equivalent to that of their counterparts. If an explosion can destroy buildings and cities, then wonder objects certainly will not be spared either.

"Don't let him die!" Xiao Kanong shouted.

"His heart has stopped beating. Quickly give him a cardiac stimulant."

"He has a capsule in his mouth; it's poison!"

Although the tribunal's ability users tried to save the demon's life immediately, it was clear to everyone that this elderly demon was only a few seconds away from truly dying.

It's too late.

Suddenly, a blinding flash of light pierced the room, illuminating it in pure white. Chen Xuan squinted and turned his head to look. He saw the base of the Cui Ting Building, across the street, being engulfed by a rapidly expanding sphere of light. Even with the slowing effect of the Divine Eye Technique, the sphere's expansion was astonishingly fast. Several buildings adjacent to the hotel began to melt. Before the glass curtain walls were shattered by the shockwave, they were already emitting wisps of smoke under the intense light, turning into flowing lava. The temperature in the rented room was also rising rapidly. Curtains and sheets were ignited by the intense light, and black spots appeared on the pristine white paint. Chen Xuan felt a sudden surge of spiritual energy envelop him, just like when he was in space—the Heavenly Cloud Technique was desperately protecting him from burning him up.

People on the streets weren't so lucky.

Flames first burst from their clothes and hair, quickly spreading to their entire bodies. Yet they remained motionless, maintaining their previous postures: some were jogging, some were listening to music, and some were chatting with acquaintances... It wasn't that they were fearless, but rather that their nerves hadn't yet transmitted the pain signals back to their brains.

—The entire process takes place within milliseconds.

The demon surnamed Qi did not threaten them.

He was telling the truth... the entire city was his weapon, and how many people would die was not even on his radar.

The surveillance footage then disappeared, and the screen was filled with black and white static.

Chen Xuan flicked his finger, simultaneously activating the visitor invitation and the store manager recall.

Before the devastating shockwave appeared, he only felt a blur before his eyes, and the next moment he appeared inside the main store.

Lin Qing also appeared at the same time; she appeared unharmed, but her expression was one of utter shock.

Her eyes darted around blankly until they landed on Chen Xuan, then focused. "You—why did you use the recall on me?"

Even after leaving her room, she could still see the surveillance footage via the hotel's Wi-Fi. Almost the instant she landed, Lin Qing realized what had just happened.

Chen Xuan did not recall Honglian, but instead recalled her!

The ability to invite guests... can only be used once a day!
In an instant, an indescribable emotion surged into her mind. This emotion was so immense that it caused her prosthetic body to become slightly disordered, and her body swayed uncontrollably for a couple of moments.

Chen Xuan took a deep breath; the close call he had just witnessed still left him with lingering fear.

“I’m sorry, I can’t just leave you there, even if the other person is a key figure in changing the future…” He paused slightly, “And don’t worry, my choice is right, Honglian is still on the guest list.”

"What does this mean?" Lin Qing asked incredulously, "She's still alive?"

“Yes, that’s theoretically true.” Chen Xuan said as he walked to the elevator by the bar, took a deep breath, and opened the elevator door.

"Oh, how come you got here before me?" Liuli said with a smile, her hands behind her back.

"Phew..." He was finally completely relieved. Even though he saw the other person enter the branch elevator a few seconds early, he was still worried that Liuli might be left in that world. Now it seemed that this spacious elevator was the only safe zone in the store.

"Did you already guess that Honglian would be alright?" Lin Qing asked impatiently.

“It’s not 100% certain.” Chen Xuan made a cup of coffee for the three of them to calm their nerves. “When that demon said the hotel would be blown to smithereens, Xiao Kanong’s first concern was not his own safety, but the whereabouts of the artifact. This attitude indirectly suggests that the space they were in might not be afraid of the impact of an explosion.”

"But the task force didn't enter the meeting room—" Lin Qing suddenly realized halfway through her sentence, "Was it Zhang Yingzi?"

“That’s right. I suspect that Zhang Yingzi put the entire execution team inside the lounge, so no matter how fierce the fighting was outside, they never stepped out of the room. Because Honglian and the others were no longer inside.”

“…That makes sense.” Lin Qing said thoughtfully. “In that case, Zhang Yingzi can probably carry multiple spatial containers at the same time, so that she can pack different people in batches.”

“That’s what I think too.” Chen Xuan smiled. “Of course, we can’t rule out the possibility that the guess is completely wrong. After all, Xiao Kanong can even summon the ability users of the Arbitration Tribunal. Perhaps there are other experts who can send them away without anyone noticing.”

"Seriously, don't scare me like that again next time." Lin Qing finished her coffee in one gulp. "If you bet wrong, the consequences would be unimaginable."

“It’s not a gamble,” Chen Xuan shook his head, “but I will definitely do it, even if I know that Honglian will be affected by the explosion.”

She froze.

“Like I just said…” Chen Xuan looked at Lin Qing, “Compared to things that will happen in the future, I can’t just stand by and watch you go.”

Their eyes met.

Lin Qing's face flushed red instantly.

(End of this chapter)