One person: Starting with the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, his grandmaster uncle emerges from seclusion.

Kato, who had been following behind like a shadow, suddenly stepped forward.

He lowered his head, his voice hoarse:

"General, Lord Abe. We have just received a message from the outer sentries."

"A sentry post ten miles to the southwest has lost contact. Signs of a struggle were found at the scene."

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere on the viewing platform momentarily froze.

Kenichi Tokugawa frowned, his hand resting on the sword at his waist:

"Have anti-Japanese guerrillas sneaked in?"

“No.” Kato Tori shook his head.

"There were no signs of a gunfight at the scene. The sentries reported that the bodies left behind... were all killed instantly by some kind of force."

"Furthermore, scorch marks, suspected to be from a lightning strike, were found on the nearby muddy ground."

Lightning strike?

Abe Masaya stopped waving his folding fan.

He turned his head and met Tokugawa's gaze.

A while ago.

They were naturally aware that the Yin-Yang Bureau had been hunting down a white-robed Taoist priest in North China and the Qinling Mountains.

It is said that the man wielded a domineering thunder technique and was extremely ruthless.

"It seems that some uninvited guests have followed the scent here."

Abe Masaya closed his folding fan and tapped it in his palm.

There was no worry on his face; instead, he seemed eager to try.

“In these deep mountains and forests, there are always some self-important Chinese cultivators who like to act as chivalrous heroes.”

Tokugawa Kenichi sneered: "Kato Tori, send two more teams to sweep the outer perimeter. If you encounter any suspicious individuals, kill them without mercy."

“A regiment of the Imperial Army is stationed here, along with a tight net laid by Kenji Tsuchimikado. I’d like to see who dares to cause trouble in this Fulong Sinkhole.”

Kato Bird accepted the order.

With a flash, the figure disappeared into the shadows of the plank road.

Meanwhile, Yan, who had remained silent the entire time, was standing nearby.

The eyes beneath the mask narrowed slightly.

Lightning strike?

There are only a handful of sects in China that are proficient in thunder magic, and those that have managed to fight their way all the way to the heart of Sichuan without being wiped out...

A name suddenly surfaced in Yan's mind.

But he didn't say anything.

He simply tucked his hands back into his wide sleeves and quietly remained an observer.

"Go ahead and fight, the more chaotic the better."

Yan was secretly making plans in his mind.

He came today not just for that half-scroll of martial arts manual.

The divine power that is about to gather at the bottom of this sinkhole, and that unburied body...

This is a wonderful thing that defies the laws of nature.

Since we're here, we should at least find a chance to grab something and leave so as not to lose out.

"Let's go, everyone."

Yan took the initiative to start walking, his tone revealing a leisurely, spectator-like air:

“Let’s go check out Zero. I can’t wait to see what the rough gem I picked out has become.”

Each of the four had their own thoughts.

Following the plank road, we walked step by step into the depths of the sinkhole.

Chapter 436 Mother, I Might Not Be Able to Go Back

Bottom of Fulong Tiankeng.

The main control platform is built on a protruding rock halfway up the mountain.

Kenji Tsuchimikado was holding a data report, his brows furrowed as he carefully checked it.

I heard footsteps behind me.

He turned around and saw Tokugawa Kenichi and his entourage approaching.

The fatigue on his face faded slightly, replaced by a smile.

"Shogun Tokugawa, young master Abe."

Kenji Tsuchimikado bowed slightly, then fixed his gaze on Yan, nodding with a hint of reserve.

"Mr. Yan, thank you for coming all this way."

"Lord Tsuchimikado, you're too kind."

"If you're paid to do a job, you have to come and see if the goods satisfy the client."

Kenji Tsuchimikado turned around and pointed to the huge bronze octagonal platform below.

"The body provided by Mr. Yan is of unexpectedly high quality. The soul is pure and innocent."

Kenji Tsuchimikado's tone carried a hint of expert appreciation:

"This natural container is practically tailor-made for spirit possession. You might not find another one like it anywhere else in East Asia."

Tokugawa Kenshin lit a cigar, exhaled a puff of smoke, and interrupted the two men's polite exchange:

"Save the pleasantries for the victory celebration. Kenji, how are the ceremony preparations going? The military is only concerned with when we'll see results."

"Everything is ready, General."

Kenji Tsuchimikado raised his wrist to check his watch, his expression serious:

"The auspicious time is set at dusk, the time of encountering demons, when yin and yang meet."

"The Dragon-Suppressing Nail is in place, and all tests have been passed. Now we are just waiting for the original body to be placed in the formation."

Abe Masaya closed his folding fan and gently tapped his palm.

His gaze followed the thick iron chain bridge to the Zero Barracks in the distance.

"Then we'll wait for good news."

……

Feng Baobao felt that her eyelids were very heavy.

The scene from just a few hours ago was still lingering in her mind:

The man in the white coat waved his hand coldly, and she was then forced onto the cold iron bed by the female adjutant.

A sharp pain shot through the back of my neck as the medication was injected into my bloodstream.

Her consciousness then plunged into complete darkness.

Now, she finally regained some consciousness.

But my body felt like it didn't belong to me anymore.

My limbs felt weak and limp, and even raising my hands was extremely difficult.

She opened her eyes in a daze.

My vision was blurry for a while before the image gradually became clear.

Feng Baobao discovered.

She was dressed in a clean, embroidered cheongsam.

"Mother..."

The little girl called out softly in her heart, her eyes slightly stinging.

She tried to move her toes, which were freezing cold.

She was wearing ill-fitting white socks and wooden clogs.

Even the slightest movement caused a sharp pain from the hardwood edge.

She still remembers.

These past few days, my mother has been sitting under the eaves, using the daylight to sew her a new pair of cloth shoes.

Grandma said.

When winter comes, I can wear new shoes and walk in the snow without getting my toes cold.

"My mother's shoes aren't finished yet, I might... not be able to wear them."

She sniffed, forcing herself not to let the tears fall.

Not just my mother.

She recalled the image of her older brother in the cellar of her own kitchen, who had a high fever and whose body emitted a strange glow.

"Big brother should be awake by now... I wonder if his wounds still hurt..."

In this cold, unfamiliar barracks, filled with the aura of death.

This girl is about to be sacrificed and have her soul erased.

The people on my mind are still all other people.

"drop--"

Two fully armed soldiers walked in.