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Chapter 327 Let us pray faithfully and welcome the early arrival of our God!

Everyone frowned slightly upon hearing Chu Kuanglan's absurd and bizarre description.

What are the reasons for street thug-like conflicts?

That certainly sounds like a lame excuse.

The Wild Bone Gang has been entrenched in the City of Injustice for many years and is one of the top ten gangs. Although they act fiercely and savagely, they are by no means mindless brutes.

Their core leadership member, Gu Yan, is known for his sinister and cunning nature.

How could such a force rashly stir up a hornet's nest like the Heavenly Punishment Society just because of a few words?

"The reason is ridiculous, but the motive is by no means simple."

Lu Jiuyuan's gaze was calm. "I've gathered some intelligence on Gu Yan. He's ruthless and cunning. His initiative in provoking the Heavenly Punishment Society must stem from some deeper scheme we don't know about, or perhaps he's under some kind of pressure that compels him to test them."

Fang Qingyu nodded slightly; Lu Jiuyuan's judgment was in line with his own thoughts.

He looked at Lin Yu and said in a deep voice, "Lin Yu, have the Dawn brothers in the city keep a close eye on the details of the conflict between the Wild Bone Gang and the Heavenly Punishment Society. Focus on collecting information that the Heavenly Punishment Society has revealed, whether it's their fighting style, the characteristics of their personnel, or any clues about their internal structure."

"Since the Wild Bone Gang is willing to act as a stepping stone, we can take this opportunity to observe."

Lin Yu nodded immediately, her eyes flashing with competence: "Understood."

As Dawn's intelligence chief within the city, this was indeed within her job responsibilities.

As they spoke, the outline of a massive arena came into view ahead.

The atmosphere today is noticeably more intense than it was a few days ago.

The flow of people heading to each entrance was like a boiling tide, and the noise almost shook the sky.

The round of 128 has begun, and the real test of strength has started.

Countless contestants who relied on luck or lacked skill in the earlier rounds have been eliminated.

Those who have reached this point are all elites with superior strength, temperament, and luck.

Stepping into the arena, the deafening roar instantly engulfs you.

The stands were packed, a sea of ​​black, with hundreds of thousands of eyes focused on the three enormous arenas in the center, the air thick with excitement, tension, and anticipation.

As the competition progressed, some true geniuses began to emerge and gain fame.

With his unparalleled brute strength and a thick, door-like black iron sword that he only brought out later, Chu Kuanglan blasted away one opponent after another on the arena, earning the title of "Shaking the Mountain".

Wei Banmeng's Xuanchi Twin Blades were described by the audience as "Stunning Beauty".

Lin Yu, Su Wanqing, and several other peak second-tier members of Dawn have also made quite a name for themselves.

Faced with olive branches and tentative contacts from various powerful forces, they all chose to politely decline.

And he claimed that he already had power.

This mystery only adds to their allure.

And over the past few days, there has been much discussion about the masked man with the lightning pattern who created the "Seven Kills" myth on the second-tier arena.

The popularity of "Thor" has not waned; on the contrary, it has risen even higher as the 128-team qualifying round intensifies.

the reason is simple.

This "Thor" doesn't seem to have registered for the subsequent Tier 2 competition at all!
He was like a dazzling shooting star streaking across the night sky, leaving behind his most brilliant moment before vanishing without a trace.

This sense of mystery has sparked countless speculations.

"He must be a modified martial artist! Otherwise, how could he be so strong? He must have used some forbidden methods and dares not show his face again!"

"Bullshit! That power is perfectly legitimate, it's definitely real skill! I bet it's some powerful force's hidden trump card, just showing its face and then going back!"

"Maybe he used some secret technique that overdraws his potential, and he's probably hiding in some secluded corner recovering from his injuries!"

"Whether it's modified martial artists or secret techniques, not daring to continue fighting means you're a coward! How about another ten-game winning streak?"

A variety of voices, some questioning, some praising, and some mocking, mingled in the stands.

Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei sat in their reserved seats, taking in all the discussions.

Fang Qingyu's expression remained calm and unwavering, as if the subject of their discussion had nothing to do with him.

That identity was originally used temporarily to save Su Wanqing.

It's just a pseudonym destined to appear only briefly.

There is absolutely no need to care about the praise or criticism of others.

"It's starting." Jiang Wei's clear voice rang out from the side, carrying a hint of barely perceptible ease.

Lei Meng is not here.

They no longer needed to hide anything and could quietly watch their comrades fight.

On the stage, the competition to narrow down the 128 teams to the top 64 officially began.

Each match represents a clash of higher levels.

The intensity and skill involved in the battles far exceeded those of the qualifying rounds and group stage.

Fang Qingyu's gaze calmly swept over each arena.

I am actually quite satisfied that Chu Kuanglan, Wei Banmeng, and Lu Jiuyuan have come this far.

It should be noted that their actual martial arts cultivation level is generally only at the early stage of the second tier.

He possessed the ability to challenge the peak of the second tier thanks to his extraordinary talent, solid foundation, and rich practical experience.

This in itself is a huge success.

The opponents in the upcoming matches will only be stronger, and the pressure will only increase.

Therefore, Fang Qingyu made the request of them.
There are only two points.

Do your best, as long as you're safe.

Rankings and Chunjing are important, but the safety of everyone is always the top priority.

Fang Qingyu did not want anyone to pay an irreparable price in pursuit of victory.

Just then, in the aisle of the adjacent audience seats...

A small figure ran against the flow of people, stumbling and staggering, towards the direction where Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei were.

In an environment where all the adults around were intently watching the ring and shouting.

Such a child, appearing out of nowhere, was particularly eye-catching.

Fang Qingyu noticed it almost the instant the child turned in their direction.

He tilted his head slightly, his gaze calmly landing on the little boy, who was about seven or eight years old, dressed in ordinary clothes, with a look of panic and urgency on his face.

The boy's goal was clear: he was coming for him.

Fang Qingyu made no movement, not even a change in his breathing.

Because this child is just an ordinary person.

It poses no threat to itself.

Fang Qingyu watched quietly as the little boy ran up to him, panting.

"Brother, brother," the little boy looked up, his face flushed from running, his voice trembling slightly with timidity. He took out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and tried to hand it to Fang Qingyu. "Just now, someone gave me a bag of candy and asked me to give you this piece of paper."

After saying that, the little boy seemed to have accomplished a great task, or perhaps he was afraid of something. Without waiting for Fang Qingyu's response, he immediately turned around, nimbly slipped into the gaps in the crowd, and disappeared in a flash.

The whole process happened extremely quickly.

Several spectators nearby didn't even notice.

Fang Qingyu calmly accepted the note, which still had the slight sweat from the little boy's palms.

Jiang Wei immediately moved closer.

Her clear red eyes held a hint of wariness and curiosity.

Fang Qingyu unfolded the note. The paper was rough, and the handwriting was messy, as if it had been written in a hurry:
[Chengdong District, No. 17 Zhaoyuan Lane, Parking Lot, Block B, Parking Space No. 13.]

Below is a line of even smaller text:
Want to know what the Heavenly Punishment Society really is? Come find me here.

There was no signature, and no extra information.

The address points to the edge of an area in the eastern part of the city.

The content directly points to their core objective for this trip: the Heavenly Punishment Society.

Jiang Wei frowned slightly and lowered her voice, saying, "A trap? Could it be set up by the Heavenly Punishment Society? Deliberately luring us there?"

Her clear eyes were filled with worry.

Fang Qingyu shook his head slightly, a wisp of divine power silently swept across the paper with his fingertip, confirming that there was no residual energy attached to it, then casually crumpled the paper into a ball and put it into his pocket.

"It's most likely not the Heavenly Punishment Society."

Fang Qingyu's voice was calm and composed as he turned his gaze back to the intense battle taking place on the arena.

"The fact that they were able to deliver the note to me so precisely means that they not only knew my location, but also that my identity as 'Su Yu' was a disguise. At the same time, they knew that our goal in coming to the City of Injustice was the Heavenly Punishment Society."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Chu Kuanglan on the arena, who was wielding the Xuan Tie Heavy Sword and forcefully shattering his opponent's violent blade energy. He continued, "Currently in the City of Injustice, the only ones who would bother to investigate us and have the ability to find out this far are the Lingxiao Society and the Huanggu Group. As for the Lingxiao Society, Yan Lin helped us cover it up before, so they shouldn't be able to find out for the time being."

Jiang Wei's eyes lit up, and she instantly understood Fang Qingyu's reasoning: "Is it the Desolate Bone Gang?"

"It must be them."

Fang Qingyu's lips curled into a faint smile, tinged with coldness and understanding. "It seems they have some grudges with the Heavenly Punishment Society. After learning our identities and that our target is also the Heavenly Punishment Society, they want to stand on the same side as us."

"Shall we go?" Jiang Wei asked.

She wasn't afraid; she simply consulted Fang Qingyu's decision out of habit.

“Go.” Fang Qingyu answered decisively, “but not now. We’ll go after we finish watching Lao Chu’s match. Since the Wild Bone Gang wants to stand with us, they’ll have to see if we’re interested. The initiative isn’t in their hands.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wei nodded obediently and said no more.

The two had already developed an unspoken understanding that required no further explanation.

She quietly sat back down, her gaze returning to the ring.

At this moment, Chu Kuanglan's battle on the arena has reached a fever pitch.

His opponent was also a powerful second-tier peak martial arts master, wielding a giant mountain-splitting axe. His blood and qi were abundant, and his moves were wide and sweeping. Every axe strike was accompanied by a deafening roar that tore through the air, making him incredibly powerful.

"Hahaha! That was great! Let's do it again!"

Chu Kuanglan let out a deafening laugh. Facing the giant axe blade that could split mountains, he neither dodged nor avoided it. He gripped the heavy black iron sword, which was thicker and wider than his own height, with both hands. His muscles bulged and his dark red qi and blood smoke rose into the sky like a burning furnace.

"Shaking Mountains, Collapsing Mountains!"

He roared and swung his greatsword upwards with tremendous force, fiercely meeting the descending giant axe!

clang--! ! !
A terrifying, deafening roar, like the sound of a great bell, suddenly exploded out.

A violent shockwave emanated from the point where the two weapons clashed, spreading rapidly outwards and causing the force field barrier at the edge of the arena to ripple violently, emitting a buzzing wail.

A pure clash of brute force! There are no fancy techniques, only the ultimate collision of power against power.

The arena floor beneath Chu Kuanglan's feet cracked inch by inch, but his imposing body remained as firm as a mountain rooted to the earth.

On the contrary, his opponent, the burly man wielding the axe, instantly turned red in the face, his arm trembled violently, his tiger's mouth split open, and blood instantly stained the axe handle. He uncontrollably staggered back three large steps, each step leaving a deep footprint on the hard arena.

"it is good!!!"

"Shake the mountain! Shake the mountain! Shake the mountain!"

The audience in the stands who supported Chu Kuanglan instantly erupted in cheers, shouting his name at the top of their lungs.

Chu Kuanglan pressed his advantage relentlessly, swinging his heavy sword in a wide arc, accompanied by the muffled sound of wind and thunder, launching a fierce attack on his unsteady opponent like a storm.

Each sword strike was powerful and heavy, forcing the opponent to parry helplessly, with no chance to retaliate.

Finally, after enduring Chu Kuanglan's seven sword strikes.

The opponent could no longer hold onto the heavy axe, and the weapon flew out of his hand. Chu Kuanglan seized the opportunity and delivered a powerful shoulder strike to his chest, sending him flying out of the ring like a broken sack.

"On arena number three, number 198, 'Hanyue' wins! Advances to the top 64!"

The referee's loud announcement was drowned out by deafening cheers.

Chu Kuanglan stood in the center of the arena, raising his Xuan Tie Heavy Sword high and swinging it forcefully towards Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei, his large, copper-bell-shaped eyes filled with excitement and pride.

Fang Qingyu nodded slightly in response.

Next, the matches of Wei Banmeng, Lu Jiuyuan, Lin Yu, and others also began one after another.

The battle between the group was not as easy as before.

But Fang Qingyu could tell that they hadn't used their full strength yet.

When their last match ended.

All the participants successfully defeated their opponents and advanced to the top 64.

This means that each of them will receive at least three pure crystals.

This can save them a lot of hard work.

Seeing that all his companions had advanced safely, Fang Qingyu stood up.

He took out his phone and quickly sent a message to Chu Kuanglan:

[Good play. Go back and get some rest, then study your next opponent. Jiang Wei and I have something to attend to, so we'll leave now. Tonight's Cleaner mission is pending; wait for my message.]

After sending the message, he nodded slightly to Wei Banmeng and the others who were looking over, and then, together with Jiang Wei, they quietly passed through the still bustling crowd and left the noisy arena.

Once outside the arena, the noise was shut out by the thick walls, and the air seemed a bit fresher.

Without delay, the two hailed a taxi on the street.

"Master, Chengdong District, Zhaoyuan Lane."

Fang Qingyu gave the address.

The driver was a middle-aged man with a weathered face. Upon hearing this, he glanced at them in the rearview mirror, his eyes carrying a hint of barely perceptible wariness.

Zhaoyuan Lane in the east of the city was a notoriously chaotic area.

The area is a mixed bag, with extremely poor public security.

However, he didn't ask any more questions, just nodded silently and started the car.

Taxis weave through the bustling city center, where the neon lights of skyscrapers are gradually being replaced by low-rise, dilapidated shantytowns.

The streets became narrow and dirty.

The air was filled with a strange smell of rotting garbage and substandard fuel.

Pedestrians on the roadside had blank or wary eyes. The walls were covered with graffiti and gang symbols of various unclear meanings.

"We've arrived at the parking lot."

The driver parked the car at the entrance of a narrow alleyway overflowing with sewage, and pointed to a rusty tin sign deep inside the alley, its lettering almost completely faded.
"It's inside. Section B is at the very back, so be careful." He clearly didn't want to go in.

"Thanks." Fang Qingyu paid the fare and got out of the car with Jiang Wei.

I walked into this dark alleyway, which was filled with the smell of rust and engine oil.

The so-called parking lot has actually been abandoned for many years.

The rusted and broken fence was crooked and uneven, and the ground was full of black, oily wastewater.

The wreckage of abandoned vehicles was piled up haphazardly in various corners, covered with thick rust and vines.

The air was deathly still.

Only the mournful sound of the wind blowing through the broken tin can be heard.

Following the signs, Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei walked through the mountains of wrecked cars in Area A.

We've arrived at the deeper B area.

Parking space number 13 stands alone under a mottled cement wall.

A similarly dilapidated, dust-covered black SUV was parked in the parking space.

Looking around, there was no one there.

Clearly, the person who gave them the note wasn't here at the moment.

Fang Qingyu walked to the SUV.

I tried pulling the door handle in the driver's side.

"Click."

The door wasn't locked and opened immediately.

The car was filled with a strong smell of dust and mold.

The driver's cab was empty. Fang Qingyu's gaze shifted to the back seat.

There was a box there, with no markings on its surface.

There was only a small yellow sticky note stuck to the lock.

The number written on it is: [0427].

Fang Qingyu entered the password directly, and the lid of the box popped open with a "snap".

There were no weapons or dangerous items in the box as expected, only three things.

Two masks, as thin as cicada wings, cool and smooth to the touch, and extremely finely crafted, along with a folded strip of paper pressed beneath the masks, and two sets of black robes.

Fang Qingyu picked up the note and unfolded it:

The mask has been prepared; please put it on. Identity information:
Male: Mo Chuan, Level 3 Deacon of the Heavenly Punishment Society (Field Duty).

Female: Liu Yun, Level 3 Deacon (Internal Affairs) of the Heavenly Punishment Society.

[Remember: Once inside the Heavenly Punishment Society, walk with your head down, avoid eye contact, and do not speak! Simply enter through the gate using your mask, then walk straight ahead, avoiding the core restricted area, to avoid arousing suspicion. Once inside, you will naturally understand what the Heavenly Punishment Society truly is.]

The information on the note was concise and to the point.

Two human skin masks, two identities as deacons of the Heavenly Punishment Society.

And a note on infiltration.

Jiang Wei also leaned over to read the note, her delicate brows furrowing even more: "Could it be that someone from the Heavenly Punishment Society did this?"

“If you don’t enter the tiger’s den, you won’t catch the tiger’s cubs.”

Fang Qingyu picked up the mask that belonged to "Mo Chuan". It was cold to the touch and made of a peculiar material. It was not just human skin. It seemed to be mixed with some kind of fascia from a ghost, making it so realistic that it could be mistaken for a real mask.

"The fact that the other party was able to obtain the mask and identity information of the Heavenly Punishment Society's deacon says a lot of things."

"Whether it's the work of the Desolate Bone Gang or some other force, it at least proves one thing: the Heavenly Punishment Society is not monolithic; there are loopholes within it. What they want us to see might be exactly what we need. Let's go, change our clothes."

There were also two neatly folded black robes in the box.

Their style was exactly the same as those hurried black-robed men they had seen on the outskirts of the Heavenly Punishment Society.

The two moved quickly.

Fang Qingyu put on the "Mo Chuan" mask. The mask fit him perfectly like a second skin, instantly changing his facial features and temperament, turning him into an ordinary-looking middle-aged man with slightly gloomy eyes.

Jiang Wei also put on the mask of "Liu Yun", transforming into a young woman with a somewhat mean and tired look in her eyes.

Then he changed into the wide black robe and put on the hood that was attached to the robe.

He hid most of his face in the shadows.

The two instantly transformed into two ordinary low-level deacons of the Heavenly Punishment Society.

Fang Qingyu got into the driver's seat, and Jiang Wei got into the passenger seat.

The engine of this seemingly dilapidated off-road vehicle could still start, emitting a dull roar.

Fang Qingyu shifted gears and turned the steering wheel.

The SUV rolled over the potholes, drove out of the abandoned parking lot, and headed towards the city center where the Heavenly Punishment Society was located.

The car eventually stopped on the side of the road, one street away from the area of ​​the Heavenly Punishment Society.

The two got out of the car, their large hoods hanging low, completely obscuring their faces.

They blended into the sparse crowd and headed toward the complex of buildings surrounded by tall, thorny, stone walls.

This was completely different from when they last came as tourists.

Last time, these two unfamiliar faces stepped into the commercial street surrounding the Heavenly Punishment Society.

This immediately drew an exceptionally warm greeting from the shop owners and their employees.

That enthusiasm seemed extremely abrupt and eerie in the city of injustice.

This time, he was dressed in the black robes of a deacon of the Heavenly Punishment Society and wore a mask.

They blended into the background.

The people in the shops on both sides of the street were still busy, but when their eyes swept over Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei, they did not stop or greet them. Their eyes were empty and indifferent.

That kind of disregard was even more chilling than the previous enthusiasm.

The two walked through the outer commercial area without any hindrance.

He walked straight toward the heavy archway in the core area of ​​the Heavenly Punishment Society, which was covered with thorn reliefs.

On either side of the archway stood four guards, all dressed in black robes with hoods covering their faces.

Their robes were embroidered with silver thorn patterns along the edges.

When Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei were about five steps away from the archway, the outermost guard silently raised his right hand.

Their movements were stiff and precise, like those of a puppet with a pre-programmed sequence.

Following the instructions on the note, Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei took another step forward without pausing. Then, they simultaneously raised their heads slightly, briefly exposing their masked faces, hidden in the shadow of their hoods, to the guards' view.

The guard who raised his right hand lingered on Fang Qingyu's "Mo Chuan" mask and Jiang Wei's "Liu Yun" mask for less than half a second.

Then, the raised hand fell down naturally, as if it had lost its support.

He stepped aside.

He made an extremely subtle gesture toward the heavy metal archway.

"crunch-"

A heavy metallic scraping sound rang out.

A small side door next to the archway, just wide enough for two people to pass side by side, slid silently inward.

There was no questioning, no inspection, and not even any eye contact.

Simply because the "face" is right.

Without the slightest hesitation, Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei, keeping their heads down and maintaining their steady pace, calmly stepped into the open side door, one after the other.

The metal door behind them went in.

It immediately and silently closed, cutting off the last ray of light and noise from the outside world.

Inside the door was a wide and deep stone passageway, with walls made of huge, roughly cut black stones, the crevices of which were covered with dark green moss.

Dim oil lamps were embedded in the walls at intervals, their flames flickering and casting long and short shadows onto the cold stone wall, like twisted ghosts.

The air was cool and damp, carrying a heavy dust, a mixture of aged incense and a faint, sweet, rotten smell.

The passageway was not empty.

Groups of two or three figures, also dressed in black robes and hoods covering their faces, walked hurriedly.

Their footsteps echoed softly and densely on the stone slabs, sounding particularly clear in the confined space.

No one was talking, no one was looking around, everyone had their heads down.

Silently moving forward in the same direction.

Like a puppet being pulled by invisible threads.

Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei quickly blended into the silent crowd.

Fang Qingyu's gaze swept quickly over the heads of the gray-robed figures he could see as he walked.

The titles are all normal.

It's good to be a martial arts master or a chosen one.

There's nothing special about it.

Fang Qingyu did not change direction and continued walking with the flow of people.

The passageway is not straight, but slopes downwards with a slight curve.

After walking for about three minutes, a huge crossroads-like junction appeared ahead.

Several equally wide and deep passageways extend in different directions, with a wide stone staircase spiraling upwards directly ahead, leading to higher floors.

However, the main direction of the flow of people is towards the hub center.

A stone staircase leading downwards.

Leading underground.

Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei exchanged a glance, then followed the silent group up the stone steps leading underground.

The stone steps spiral downwards.

The air grew colder and damper, and the cloying, rotten smell became even stronger.

The number of oil lamps on the wall decreased, making the light even dimmer.

After descending about three floors, the view suddenly opened up before us.

A vast underground space came into view.

The space seemed to have hollowed out half of the mountain's belly, reaching a height of tens of meters. The dome was hidden in deep darkness, its exact shape obscured.

At the center of the space stood an enormous cross carved from pale white rock!

The cross is over twenty meters tall, entirely white, and emits an ominous glow in the dim light around it.

The cross beams and pillars are carved with countless twisted, tormented, and varied human figures in relief, as if they are struggling and wailing, yet eternally imprisoned on the cold stone.

And at this moment, at the center of the cross.

At the intersection of the horizontal and vertical lines, several black metal chains that gleamed with an eerie light tightly bound a person!

The man was emaciated, his head hung low, and his disheveled long hair obscured his face.

He was wearing a tattered, filthy black robe.

And that person's title.

This was the first time Fang Qingyu had met him.

Three black squares, as if they had been smeared with thick ink!
【■■■】

It was as if an invisible force had brutally erased all traces of this existence.

This was something Fang Qingyu had never seen before.

In front of the huge cross was an extremely empty stone slab ground.

At this moment, hundreds of members of the Heavenly Punishment Society were kneeling densely on this ground.

They were like the most devout believers, dressed in uniform black robes with hoods covering their heads, their bodies bent deeply, their foreheads almost touching the cold ground.

A collective murmur echoed throughout the space.

Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei quietly entered the huge underground space with the last group of people, silently blending into the edge of the kneeling crowd.

They followed the example of others, bending slightly and lowering their heads to conceal themselves in their black robes, their eyes peering through the gaps in their hoods to observe what lay ahead.

They had only been in the same place for less than a minute.

A figure slowly emerged from the shadows beside the base of the cross.

This person was also wearing a black robe, but the robe seemed to be made of a finer material, with intricate golden thorns and some kind of eye-shaped pattern embroidered along the edges.

He was wearing a mask that covered his entire face.

A pure white stone mask with an expression that combines compassion and majesty.

Only two deep, ancient well-like eyes were visible.

He walked to the very bottom of the enormous cross, facing the hundreds of gray-robed men kneeling below, and slowly opened his arms, his movements full of ritual and a peculiar rhythm.

In an instant, the low, muffled collective murmurs in the entire underground space suddenly rose, becoming more orderly and more fervent, like a surging tide!
Beneath the stone mask came a voice filled with utmost piety and fervor.

It resounded clearly in everyone's ears:

Let us pray faithfully—

Welcome!

"Our own gods—"

"May it arrive soon!!!"

(End of this chapter)