Desperate people, accept the seed of my soul!

In the northern suburbs of Changning City, on the top floor of an ordinary-looking office building, lies the headquarters of the Changning branch of the Five Mountains Association.

Huo Kun sat behind his mahogany desk, spreading a stack of photos on the table.

The photos were taken from surveillance footage at the airport and the Huike Building. Although they weren't very clear, they were enough to clearly show Li Su's figure floating in the air.

The 59-year-old man squinted, picked up one of the photos with two fingers, and brought it close to his eyes to examine it carefully.

He was well-maintained, with his hair neatly combed and wearing a dark Chinese-style jacket.

He looks like a respectable businessman.

But in reality, he controls one-third of the underground order in Changning City.

Or rather, it was once in his hands.

"Chen Hui is dead."

Huo Kun's trusted subordinate, a middle-aged man named Song He, stood across the desk and said in a low voice.

"Duan Changming is also dead. His body was found on the mountain road, buried in the mud. Fang Zhizhong and Qian Shoucheng's bodies have also been found. All four of them, none of them escaped."

Huo Kun put down the photo and tapped his fingers lightly three times on the table.

"Two of my lines were killed overnight."

His voice was calm, but Song He could hear the anger in it.

Chen Hui and Duan Changming, one was in charge of the overt operations of Huike Biotechnology, and the other was in charge of the covert transportation of experimental subjects.

These two individuals were key pieces in Huo Kun's long-term strategic planning in Shanyang City.

Chen Hui, in particular, possessed all the financial transaction records between Huike Biotechnology and Wuyuehui.

Now that the person is dead, those records have also disappeared without a trace.

If it falls into the hands of the authorities, Huo Kun will be in a very passive position.

"What do we do now?" Song He asked. "Should we notify headquarters?"

Huo Kun remained silent for a few seconds, then shook his head.

"No rush. Headquarters has suffered heavy losses in Lieyang and Jeolla provinces. Zhong Lin is dead, and Wang Hongyuan is dead too. If I report this now, I'll only be seen as incompetent."

He stood up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and looked at the city in the distance.

"An awakened individual, all alone, without organization or support. She can fight, but how long can she fight? Her mental energy will eventually run out."

"But she killed so many people in one night, including the security personnel arranged by President Chen and Fang Zhizhong's driver. Our regular manpower is probably no match for her."

Song He reminded him.

Huo Kun turned his head, a smile playing on his lips.

"So, we won't compete with her using conventional methods."

He walked back to his desk and picked up another photograph.

In the photo, Li Su is holding the silver-gray metal box in her arms.

"She appeared twice, each time carrying a box. That box is very important. Find out what's inside. Also, the people she killed were all on Hui Ke's network. Do you know what that means?"

Song He thought for a moment: "She's seeking revenge, and she has a clear list of targets to take her revenge on."

"Yes. Her targets for revenge are Huike's shareholders and executives. And these people are all connected by different networks. Chen Hui and Duan Changming are my people, Fang Zhizhong's backer is Zhou Zhengde, and Qian Shoucheng and Song Mingxi each have their own connections."

Huo Kun sat back in his chair and began tapping his fingers on the table again.

"An awakened individual has become prey that everyone wants to devour. The authorities want to arrest her for research, I want to arrest her to atone for my mistakes, and the forces behind Qian Shoucheng and Song Mingxi will not let it go."

"Should we still move?" Song He hesitated. "With this kind of monster, our men would just be throwing their lives away."

Huo Kun's gaze turned cold.

"Chen Hui and Duan Changming are my men. If they die and I do nothing, how will I maintain my position in the organization? My territory, my goods, my money—they'll all be taken by others. So, I have to take action. But not now, and not directly."

He paused for a moment and took a business card out of the drawer.

"Contact 'Tiangongfang'; they specialize in making special equipment. Those devices that can interfere with mental energy should already be available on the market. Also, collect all the research data related to Huike in Shanyang and Changning."

This woman's awakened ability is related to the area of ​​research Huike is conducting. She seeks revenge and will most likely continue investigating the experimental data. We'll use the data as bait.

Song He took the business card and nodded.

"I'll take care of it right away."

Huo Kun looked out the window at the city again, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

"Even the strongest person has weaknesses when they're all alone. Her weaknesses are the box she's carrying and the inextinguishable fire in her heart. Once we find them, we can pull her down."

When he said this, there was a greedy ruthlessness in his tone.

Like an old wolf spotting its lone prey.

------

Meanwhile, in the Shanyang City government building, Mayor Zhou Zhengde did not sleep all night.

His eyes were bloodshot, and the ashtray on his desk was piled high with cigarette butts.

Fang Zhizhong is dead.

This news was like a knife hanging over his head, and now it has finally fallen.

Fang Zhizhong was his front man, holding Huike's shares on his behalf and managing his shady funds.

Now that Fang Zhizhong is dead, the clues to those accounts are still there.

Officials are already investigating.

Previously, the National Center for Response to Abnormal Affairs intervened directly, and the Disciplinary Committee also sent people down.

Zhou Zhengde knew that if Li Su hadn't suddenly appeared, he might have already been taken away.

But Li Su's appearance made the situation more delicate.

As he was thinking, there was a knock on the office door.

The secretary pushed open the door and came in, her voice low: "Mayor, Director Cheng from the Emergency Response Center has arrived."

Zhou Zhengde's heart sank.

He stood up, straightened his collar, and strode towards the door.

Cheng Yanqiu stood there, with only one person following behind him.

She was wearing a navy blue trench coat, her hair was tied back, and her face was so calm that no emotion could be seen.

"Director Cheng, what brings you here in person?" Zhou Zhengde forced a smile and stepped aside. "Please come in."

Cheng Yanqiu walked into the office, glanced at the ashtray, and then sat down on the sofa.

"Mayor Zhou, I've come to inform you of a few things."

Her tone was calm, but Zhou Zhengde could tell that the previous aggressive tone was gone.

"Please speak," Zhou Zhengde said, sitting down opposite her, his hands unconsciously resting on his knees.

Cheng Yanqiu looked at him, remained silent for a few seconds, and then spoke.

"First, the investigation into Huike Biotechnology and the Research Center will be temporarily taken over by the Abnormal Affairs Response Center. The members of the Disciplinary Committee will be withdrawn today."

Zhou Zhengde's heart skipped a beat.

But he didn't rush to speak; he simply nodded.

"Secondly, the public security systems of Shanyang City and Changning City will coordinate with the response center starting today. I will be directly responsible for all police deployments related to the Li Su case."

Cheng Yanqiu continued.

Zhou Zhengde nodded again.

"Third, you will remain where you are for now. But you have one thing to do."

Cheng Yanqiu's gaze fell on his face, like two thin blades.

"Cooperate with us to lure Li Su out."

Zhou Zhengde's throat was dry.

"Director Cheng, I... how can I help? I don't have any armed forces, and I don't know how to deal with that kind of thing..."

"You don't need to deal with her," Cheng Yanqiu interrupted him. "You just need to continue doing what you normally do. Attend meetings when you need to, cut ribbons when you need to. I'll have people protecting you. If she comes looking for you, we'll handle it."

Zhou Zhengde understood.

He is the bait.

He gritted his teeth, and the muscles in his face twitched.

"Director Cheng, my family..."