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Chapter 285 The True Redemption!!!
Fang Qingyu looked at the ordinary face with deep wrinkles that he had met once before at the Veterans' Tavern.

And those three glaring scarlet dots above the other person's head.

Even with his composure, he couldn't help but be slightly taken aback.

Old Master Hong Qitian actually invited this person?!
Just to interrogate a few second-order scum.

This is giving those beasts far too much credit.

However, this initial shock was quickly replaced by a great sense of relief.

If beings of the fourth rank or higher personally intervene, there's absolutely no need to worry about whether they can get the truth out of you.

"Excuse me."

Fang Qingyu stepped aside to make way, his voice low and solemn, "May I ask how to address you, sir?"

An elderly man with a hunched back strolled in happily, his movements slow and leisurely, as if he were really just taking a walk after dinner and visiting someone.

He waved his hand casually, his voice slightly husky and lazy: "Don't mention it. A name is just a code. I've been on the ice sheet for so long that everyone calls me 'Antarctica'."

Antarctica?

Fang Qingyu silently memorized the name, nodded, and didn't ask any further questions.

He closed the courtyard gate and led the unfathomable old man toward the stairs leading to the underground training ground.

Inside the training field, on the cold alloy floor.

Those dozen or so desperate criminals, bound by the divine lightning arcs, were frozen stiff like lambs to the slaughter.

He still maintained a terrified expression.

His eyes bulged out of extreme fear, yet he couldn't even move them.

The old man in Antarctica's cloudy eyes swept over the row of "human-shaped sculptures" on the ground, his cheerful expression unchanged, as if he saw not a group of vicious kidnappers, but a pile of pebbles by the roadside.

He didn't even ask Fang Qingyu what he wanted to interrogate.

He simply raised his calloused right hand slowly.

He spread his five fingers and casually waved them in the direction of the dozen or so people.

Om-!
An extremely subtle, almost imperceptible tremor swept through the air.

In an instant.

The faint, cool light, like the glimmer of starlight from the distant polar regions, appeared out of thin air, drifting and floating, as if drawn by an invisible wind, flying with unparalleled precision towards the brow of each kidnapper.

These starlight rays are tiny and swift, reaching the skin in an instant.

It's like a drop of water merging into a sponge.

It silently sank deep into their skulls.

next moment.
The dozen or so pairs of eyes on the ground, bloodshot and darting around in fear, instantly lost all their luster.

The pupils dilated, becoming empty and lifeless.

It was as if his soul had been instantly ripped out, leaving only an empty shell.

The extreme terror and distorted expression on his face froze and stiffened, like a cheap wax figure.

The whole process was incredibly fast.

Silently.

Yet it also possesses a chilling, eerie power.

"All right."

The old man from Antarctica lowered his hand, as if merely dusting off the dust from his sleeve, and turned to look at Fang Qingyu, his tone calm and even, "For the next two hours, whatever you want to ask, they will answer. They will absolutely not lie."

Fang Qingyu stared at the unbelievable scene before him.

Even though I was mentally prepared, my heart still skipped a beat.

Those above the fourth rank indeed possess profound and mysterious abilities!

"Okay! Thank you, senior!"

Fang Qingyu suppressed the shock in his heart and solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute.

The old man in Antarctica grinned, revealing a few sparse teeth: "It's nothing. I'm going for a stroll now, no need to see me off."

As soon as he finished speaking, his hunched figure, like a reflection in water tossed with a pebble, rippled outwards without warning, then quickly became blurry and transparent, and finally disappeared completely from the spot without making a sound, as if he had never appeared at all.

"Spatial teleportation? Or something even more advanced?"

Fang Qingyu's eyes narrowed slightly as he stared thoughtfully at the spot where the old man had disappeared.

But he quickly regained his composure.

Because there are more important things to do now.

His gaze shifted to the dozen or so empty-eyed "shells" on the ground.

The chilling killing intent no longer needed to be concealed.

On the other side, Jicheng Street.

Red Maple Hotel.

The hotel lobby had been cleared out, and Wei Banmeng and his three companions stood guard at the entrance and the stairs, their expressions solemn.

In all the rooms of the hotel and the largest suite.

The dozens of victims, still in shock, were scattered around and housed.

After trekking through wind and snow and taking a short rest, we escaped that hellish ice cave and were able to breathe relatively safe air again.

With the silent protection and occasional comfort from Wei Banmeng and others along the way, they were also able to help.

The mental state of these second-tier grandmasters and chosen ones began to slowly recover.

Although his body was still weak and covered in wounds, and his eyes still held lingering fear and humiliation, the emptiness and numbness had mostly faded, replaced by the bewilderment of surviving a catastrophe, suppressed anger, and deep anxiety about the future.

Among them, Lin Yu and three other male grandmasters whose strength had reached the peak of the second tier were in relatively the best condition.

Zhang Meng was tall and burly, and taciturn.

Chen Shan possessed a ruthless streak.

Li Yan, on the other hand, appeared relatively calm.

Together with Lin Yu, they became the temporary core of this group of dozens of people, doing their best to soothe the emotions of the others.

Footsteps came from the hotel entrance.

Wei Banmeng and the other three immediately looked over and saw Fang Qingyu's figure appear at the doorway as he crossed the street.

His facial expression was unusually calm, revealing no trace of joy or anger.

But the faint chill emanating from him sent a shiver down the spines of those who knew him well.

"team leader!"

Wei Banmeng stepped forward to greet him.

Fang Qingyu nodded, his gaze sweeping over his teammates, and said in a low voice, "Let's go inside and talk."

An empty room reserved in the hotel.

Closing the door shut out the sounds from the outside world.

All four eyes were focused on Fang Qingyu.

Chu Kuanglan, being the most impatient, couldn't help but ask, "Fang Shen, how's it going? Have you managed to get those bastards to talk? Who's behind them?"

Fang Qingyu pulled up a chair and sat down, his brows furrowed. He didn't answer directly, but instead looked at Wei Banmeng and asked, "Do you know the Ji family?"

"Ji family?"

Several people were stunned.

This surname is not particularly rare in the federal government.

Wei Banmeng pondered for a moment, then frowned slightly: "Are you referring to the Ji family, the long-established religious family in Lingqiu City?"

"I heard that their ancestors included powerful beings of the fourth rank or above, but they kept a very low profile and rarely went out. Lingqiu City has always been very peaceful."

Fang Qingyu slowly shook his head: "We are not a family of believers. We are a family of martial arts practitioners."

"A martial arts family?"

Now the group was in a bit of a predicament.

The Federation's territory is vast, and the martial arts families and sects with the surname Ji have countless branches and lineages. Without a more specific focus, it's like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Lu Jiuyuan, being the most meticulous, gleaned the key from Fang Qingyu's expression and the timing of his question, and asked in a deep voice, "Captain, do you mean that the Ji family is the force behind those human traffickers? Are they martial artists?"

A cold glint flashed in Fang Qingyu's eyes, and he nodded heavily: "Yes. Those kidnappers have contacted several key figures, all of whom only had code names, but without exception, they were all martial artists! Moreover..."

He paused, his tone carrying a cold certainty, "They weren't ordinary martial artists. They all shared a very prominent, deeply ingrained characteristic that left a lasting impression on the kidnappers."

"quick!"

Wei Banmeng blurted it out almost immediately, and a look of realization instantly appeared on her usually cold face.

"Yes! Quick!"

Fang Qingyu's voice was resolute.

"His speed far surpasses that of his peers, leaving even these second-tier outlaws no time to react. This speed is definitely not something that a collateral branch of an ordinary chosen family could cultivate! It comes from a martial arts family with a special inheritance, specializing in speed!"

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the room instantly became as heavy as iron!

All the clues matched up perfectly at this moment.

When Lin Yu and his group were ambushed during their mission, the enemy displayed this kind of overwhelming and terrifying speed.

This is a force that no scattered soldiers could possibly possess.

There must be a powerful force behind it with a unique martial arts tradition supporting it.

"Damn it! They really are a family of beasts!"

Enraged, Chu Kuanglan slammed his fist against the wall, the sound echoing loudly. His eyes blazed with fury. "Where are those bastards now? Captain, get them!"

He didn't finish his question, but the meaning was obvious.

Fang Qingyu looked up at him, his expression completely calm, his voice as flat as if he were stating a trivial matter: "Kill them. After making sure that the information they revealed was true and accurate."

Although Fang Qingyu did not describe the process, the chilling killing intent hidden beneath that calm made the four people present imagine the horror that the dozen or so scumbags experienced before their deaths.

Chu Kuanglan felt a surge of anger finally dissipate, and spat fiercely, "They got off too easy! They should have tasted what it's like to be pawned and sent there!"

Fang Qingyu stood up, his gaze sweeping over the four team members before landing on Wei Banmeng: "You all split up immediately to investigate. Screen all martial arts families within the Federation that meet the following characteristics: possess a unique lineage that excels in speed, may be involved in Arctic front affairs, and may act in a rather secretive or even domineering manner. Once the scope is narrowed down, focus on investigating people on the Arctic front, but don't overlook any other possibilities! Notify me immediately of any leads."

"understand!"

Wei Banmeng and the other two responded in unison.

Fang Qingyu finally looked at Jiang Wei: "Little Jiang, come with me. Let's go see everyone."

……

Inside the hotel's largest suite.

The atmosphere was oppressive and heavy.

Dozens of people, some sitting and some standing, crowded the living room.

The heating was on full blast, but many people still instinctively wrapped themselves up in their thin clothes, as if they were still in the cold cave of the Ice Valley.

Silence weighed heavily on everyone's heart like a boulder.

Humiliation, fear, anger, and bewilderment.
All kinds of emotions are intertwined.

The door was gently pushed open, and Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei walked in.

All eyes instantly focused on them, filled with complex expectations, scrutiny, and a hint of barely perceptible dependence.

Fang Qingyu walked to the center of the living room and looked around at the faces that had endured so much hardship.

There was no unnecessary small talk.

Simply take out your phone and connect it to the projector in the room.

"They are already dead."

Fang Qingyu's voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.

The projector lights up.

The footage shows the dozen or so kidnappers.

Their eyes were vacant, like puppets on strings, manipulated by an invisible force, picking up daggers from the ground, even their own fingers.
The movements were stiff yet precise, little by little, piece by piece.
The scene was extremely brutal and bloody, and disgusting.

It was a kind of pain and fear that exceeded the limits of physical endurance.

Clearly visible on their distorted faces, even without sound, one could feel the silent, extreme wailing. The suite was deathly silent.

Someone covered their mouth tightly, their body trembling violently.

Some people stared wide-eyed, tears silently streaming down their faces.

Some people stared intently at the screen, their teeth clenched, their eyes blazing with deep-seated hatred and a sense of catharsis.
As Lin Yu watched the image of the lean leader turn into a blurry mass of flesh and blood, her body suddenly relaxed, she leaned against the wall, tilted her head back, and bit her lip tightly.

They didn't let out the cries of grief and humiliation that had been building up for who knows how long.

Only the shoulders were heaving silently and violently.

These silent images of torture acted like a key, unlocking the door in everyone's heart that had been sealed shut by despair and fear.

All the pent-up emotions found an outlet at this moment.

Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei stood quietly, not disturbing them, just watching silently.

Until the projection ends.

The screen went dark, and only low sobs and heavy breathing could be heard in the room.

It took a long time for my emotions to calm down.

Fang Qingyu turned off the projector, his gaze sweeping over everyone again, his voice gentler than before: "I've already gotten the information, but it still needs time to investigate and confirm."

"Now, I'd like to ask you, what are your plans for the future?"

This question instantly plunged everyone who had just vented their emotions back into confusion.

future?

Do they have a future?
This experience is like a brand, indelible.

Go back to where we started?
How to face family, friends, and former comrades-in-arms?
The shadow of being betrayed by the organization and sold like merchandise will forever loom over them.

In the silence, the first to break the stillness was the woman who had been almost stripped naked in the ice cave and was now wrapped in a large coat.

She lifted her face, still streaked with tears.

The fear that had been there before was gone from those eyes.

Only a near-mad determination remained, staring intently at Fang Qingyu:
"Captain Fang, thank you for everything you've done for us. Thank you so much."

Her voice was choked with sobs, yet unusually clear, "But I can't forget. I can't forget everything that happened in that icy cave! I can't forget the way those beasts looked at me."

Her voice suddenly rose, hoarse with a desperate intensity: "I want to take revenge myself! Captain Fang! Please give me this chance! Even if it means death! As long as I die on the way to kill them, I'll be willing!!"

Fang Qingyu looked into her eyes
He didn't answer immediately, but simply nodded.

Immediately afterwards, a male grandmaster who had been sitting silently in the corner, with a hideous scar on his face, stood up.

He wasn't particularly tall, but he was muscular and had a calm, steady gaze.

He didn't look at the woman, but looked directly at Fang Qingyu:
“Captain Fang, I don’t need to forget this past. It’s etched into my bones, reminding me how I survived.”

He paused, glancing around at his wounded companions. "But I don't want to live with hatred. I want to do something. I don't want to see people like us fall into the same hell again! So, I hope to follow you! My combat strength is decent among those of the same level; being a henchman is no problem!"

His words had barely left his lips when they ignited a wildfire!
"Count me in!"

"And me too! Damn it, I won't rest in peace until I get this revenge!"

"Captain Fang, take me with you! I'm good at reconnaissance!"

"I excel at defense; I can hold the line!"

"I'm also at the peak of the second tier! I..."

One, two, three.
More and more people stood up and raised their hands.

Their voices, whether excited, low, or trembling with sobs, were all filled with unwavering resolve.

The desire for revenge, the redefinition of one's own value, and the simple wish that "no one else should have to go through the same hell."

Like three ropes twisted together.

They were pulled back from the brink of despair and given a new direction.

To Fang Qingyu's surprise.
Within minutes, all of these dozens of victims expressed their willingness to follow him.

No one chooses to start their life anew with a new identity.

Fang Qingyu stared blankly at the faces before him, some young, some weathered, all etched with unwavering resolve.

He had anticipated that some people would want revenge, but he hadn't expected it to be everyone.

Among the crowd, an older, kind-faced grandmaster looked at Fang Qingyu's somewhat dazed expression, a knowing smile appearing on his face, his voice carrying the wisdom gained from years of experience.

“Captain Fang, an organization that has such methods and such courage, and can move and stockpile people on the Arctic front without anyone noticing, is definitely not a small fry.”

"Even if you're incredibly strong, it's impossible for you to overthrow them all by yourself. Please take us with you!"

He looked around at his companions: "We are more afraid of death than anyone else right now!"

Fang Qingyu's gaze slowly swept over each face, and he remained silent for a long time.

Finally, the furrowed brow slowly relaxed.

The corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

Fang Qingyu nodded slightly, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears:

"it is good."

Lin Yu let out a long sigh of relief.

A relieved smile finally appeared on her face as she took out her phone: "Captain Fang, shall we create a group chat?"

"We can't have dozens of people following you around every day. When you need us, just let us know in the group chat, and we'll be there for you no matter what!"

Fang Qingyu smiled and took out his phone: "Okay."

Soon, a group chat named "Dawn" was created.

Group members: Fang Qingyu, and dozens of newly reborn Avengers.

They were there immediately after being rescued.

With Wei Banmeng's assistance, they had already switched to a new communication method.

"Then you can rest here and recuperate, adjust your condition, and take care of your own affairs, but be sure to keep your communication channels open."

Fang Qingyu put away his phone and looked at everyone.

"I will notify you in the group immediately if there is any progress or if you need to take action."

"Understood!" "Don't worry, Captain Fang!"

Everyone responded enthusiastically, their eyes filled with trust.

Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei nodded to everyone again, then turned and left the room.

The door was closed, cutting off the light from the hallway outside.

The atmosphere in the room did not lighten much after Fang Qingyu left.

Someone quietly sat back down in the corner, took out a new phone, hesitated, dialed a familiar number, and said in a low voice, "Just got back from a mission, the signal is bad."

Someone walked to the window, gazing blankly at the ever-burning lights of the city outside, lost in thought.

Some people, like Zhao Tie and Zhang Meng, had already begun to quietly stretch their muscles and feel the slowly recovering power within their bodies.

After a brief silence, a young chosen one, who appeared to be the youngest and whose face still held a hint of naivety and fear, timidly broke the silence: "Do you really think we can do it? Those people are so strong."

Lin Yu walked to his side and gently patted his shoulder.

"We are all people who were just pulled out of the deepest despair by Captain Fang."

“We know better than anyone how cold, how dark, and how suffocating it is to fall into that ice cave.”

"If we don't even believe in ourselves, if we don't believe that the fire we brought from hell can burn through the darkness."

"So what enabled us to persevere in the abyss until we were rescued?"

Her voice echoed in everyone's ears.

It gradually brought some confused eyes back to focus.

……

on the street.

Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei walked side by side.

The dark blue combat uniform cast a long shadow under the streetlights.

The night in Jicheng is still bustling, but this bustle seems to be separated from them by an invisible barrier.

Fang Qingyu's brows furrowed slightly again.

His gaze was fixed on the street ahead, as if he were pondering some difficult problem.

"what happened?"

Jiang Wei's clear voice rang out beside me, tinged with concern.

She turned her head to look at Fang Qingyu's furrowed brows. "Isn't it a good thing that they're willing to step forward and help? More people means more power, and the investigation will be faster."

She knew very well that Fang Qingyu had not chosen to report the matter to the federal government for internal processing.

Instead, they decided to investigate the matter in their own way.

what does that mean.

Next, they won't be able to seek federal assistance as they did before when facing the mastermind behind the scenes.

Because nobody knew they were coming.
Is it someone from the Federation, or someone behind the scenes?

Therefore, there are dozens of experienced second-tier assistants who also hate the mastermind behind the scenes.

The chances of success have undoubtedly increased significantly.

Fang Qingyu didn't stop walking. After a few seconds of silence, he slowly spoke.

"It's good news, but I'm a little worried."

He turned his head and looked at Jiang Wei's red eyes, which appeared exceptionally pure in the night: "I'm afraid that I'll have to lead them to attack another region before I can even catch my breath after pulling them out of that hellish ice cave."

"This is very likely a one-way street. Isn't this too unfair to them? This is the Federation's dereliction of duty, this is the Federation's debt of protection and justice to them, and now they have to risk their lives to get it themselves."

Jiang Wei suddenly quickened her pace, walking lightly in front of Fang Qingyu.

She stopped and turned around to face Fang Qingyu.

She slightly opened her arms, as if to embrace the chilly evening breeze.

The girl's slender figure stretched out under the streetlights, her crimson hair fluttering gently in the wind.

She didn't answer Fang Qingyu's question immediately, but instead tilted her head slightly, looking at the leaden-gray night sky with falling snowflakes, as if she was thinking about something.

A moment later, she turned back.

His gaze was clear and deep as he quietly stared at Fang Qingyu.

Her face showed a thoughtful expression, as if she was trying to organize her thoughts and express a complex and profound feeling.

After a long while, he asked softly, his tone tinged with inquiry:
Have you ever experienced the feeling of taking revenge with your own hands?

Fang Qingyu was taken aback by her sudden question.

After careful reflection, it seems that he really was, both in his past life and this one.
Never before had I felt such a deep-seated hatred, a hatred so profound that I had to personally take blood from my enemy.

So he shook his head and said frankly, "No."

Jiang Wei didn't seem too surprised by the answer.

Those ruby-like eyes shone exceptionally brightly in the night.

She nodded gently and took another light step forward.

She walked alongside Fang Qingyu again and said softly.

"So you underestimated the power of the word 'do it yourself'."

She turned her head slightly, looking at Fang Qingyu's profile, a slight smile curving her lips:
"To watch one's enemy fall before one's eyes, and to use the power in one's own hands to end that pain and humiliation."

"That feeling."

"It is something that no external comfort or belated justice can replace."

Her gaze fell upon the snow-covered end of the street, her voice like a declaration:

"By taking them with you, you're not just leading them back into the abyss."

"You're doing it your way."

“Give them true salvation.”

(End of this chapter)