Ark Chess Player.

“I won’t drink it. There’s nothing here that’s worth my attention, even the tea is of inferior quality.” The man in the suit shook the tea box on the office reception table, his face full of disgust. “I’m telling you, you’re supposed to be a successful person, how come you’re still drinking this muddy water? Aren’t you disgusted?”

The man released his grip in a sarcastic tone, letting the box fall onto the table. The deliberately loosened lid was shaken open, causing the tea leaves to spill out.

Wenger's anger surged to his head. He slammed his hand on the table. In his drawer lay a 33mm hunting rifle. It was with this very rifle, capable of killing large predators with a single shot, that he earned bounties, built Silverwing Security Contractors, and rose to where he was today.

But he held back. Even if he killed this repulsive young man in a fit of rage, it would only bring Silverwing Corporation one step closer to destruction. The power behind the other party was not someone he could afford to offend. How could a mere security guard like him dare to defy someone who could casually throw around 30 million Lungmen Dollars?

"This era is one where you can acquire everything through strength, and it is also an era where the loser loses everything."

The fierceness in Wenger's eyes gradually faded. He strode over to the reception table and stood the tea canister upright.

"Born in hardship, die in comfort." Wenger gently brushed the scattered tea leaves on the table, twirling a small cluster between his fingers, savoring the familiar touch and the lingering bitter taste, and sighed, "For people like us with blood on our hands, the day we retire from the trade is the day we die. No matter how much money we make, we must never forget our roots, otherwise we won't even know how we died."

Chapter 255 Staring Directly at the Ancient God (4K)

"Retire from the criminal life? How did we get onto this topic?"

The handsome man narrowed his eyes slightly; he could hear another layer of meaning in Wenger's words.

"What, are you worried that the target of this mission will catch up? Is it really that serious? They're just a bunch of kids."

The man in the suit chuckled smugly. He clapped his hands lightly, and behind him, illusory figures appeared. When he waved again, the swaying silhouettes in the shadows vanished, as if nothing had happened.

"This is the headquarters of your Silverwing Corporation. As one of the top security contractors in Lungmen, do you really lack confidence in your own company's foundation? According to our intelligence, you hired experts from Raytheon Industries three years ago to participate in the reconstruction and renovation. Even if those armed infected actually breached the outer ring of Lungmen, they wouldn't be able to break through here. Moreover, you have so many mercenaries stationed here. Unless..." The man in the suit considered another possibility, took a deep breath, and said in a deep voice, "What exactly are you afraid of?"

"If you do nothing wrong, you won't be afraid of ghosts knocking on your door in the middle of the night."

Wenger released his grip, letting the tea crumbs fly between his fingers, and said calmly, "I've done too many bad things in the past, so I feel like anyone who comes to kill me. What, is that not allowed?"

“If you could be killed so easily, we wouldn’t have come to you for cooperation.” The man in the suit tugged at his collar, feeling a bit stuffy, and pulled his red tie down. “Even we wouldn’t just casually throw away thirty million Lungmen dollars to feed dogs.”

Wenger gave a cold laugh. He knew what the other person was implying, but he wasn't in the mood to explain.

“We will do our best according to the contract. If the mission fails, the contract fee will be returned in full. Now, please leave.” Wenger issued an order to leave, his tone becoming somewhat impatient.

"Alright, alright, I didn't come here to exchange pleasantries. I just wanted to ask..." The man in the suit unbuttoned two buttons and exhaled a sullen breath, "All the listening devices we placed in the Rhodes Island building were destroyed, and we have no intelligence whatsoever about how things unfolded. In the end, Wei Yanwu stopped our people and let that woman, Beatrice Swire, clean up the mess. I originally wanted to take care of that woman as well, but doing it so directly would be too obvious. So... why is it so hot here?! Not only is there no decent tea, but now you've even turned off the air conditioning?"

The handsome man cursed loudly. For someone like him, who had always lived a life of luxury and never stepped out of his comfort zone, even a slight change in temperature was enough to trigger hives.

Wenger also noticed that the indoor temperature was not right; the central air conditioning seemed to have stopped working, and with the blazing sun outside, it was rather stuffy.

But he didn't want to say more, because it was rare for him to serve this master.

Who knows, Silverwing Security Contractor might go bankrupt today, then why would I worry about your 30 million?

After his inquiries yielded no results, the handsome man waved his hand, his sweaty face filled with disgust: "Forget it, I can't stand this godforsaken place for another minute. One last question for you, how strong are those people from Rhodes Island?"

"...Compared to the information you provided, Rhodes Island's strength is far greater than you imagine. If you still consider them just an ordinary pharmaceutical company, I hope we will never have the opportunity to cooperate again. Don't underestimate Rhodes Island, that's my advice." Wenger opened the door, letting in the sweltering air, which made him frown unhappily. "The last people to underestimate Rhodes Island were us, and we paid the price for it."

"Really? I've heard a little about their fight against the Infected from the Reunion Movement, but it's nothing special. A bunch of rabble, what's so great about them?" The man left through the main entrance with a dismissive wave of his hand, looking nonchalant.

Wenger didn't say anything more; he knew that no matter how much he said, it would be like casting pearls before swine.

Only after the man's figure disappeared from sight did Wenger's face show a solemn expression.

"Have the engineering department check it out to see if it's a mechanical malfunction or a system problem. Also, gather all the men here and double the manpower on each floor." Wenger pressed the communication device hidden in the openwork wall within the mural and relayed the order directly to his subordinates.

The mercenary leader's intuition told him that something bad was on its way.

"Tsk, he's just a security guard, what's with the attitude?"

The man in the suit strode with an arrogant air, grinning wickedly at the receptionist, and headed towards the parking lot.

If it weren't for that good-for-nothing Charlott losing contact, and considering the possibility of mission failure, he wouldn't have personally come to such a remote place as the outer ring of Lungmen.

"Although Wenger didn't say it outright, it's clear they've messed up this time. Otherwise, he wouldn't have that bitter look on his face, like his wife ran off with one of his men. Knowing that old fox's temperament, if things had gone smoothly, he would have boasted about how difficult things were, trying to extort more money. Is Rhodes Island really that hard to deal with?"

The man murmured, his exaggerated expression gradually fading.

Soon, a red luxury car parked at the side gate of Silverwing Company came into view.

The man in the suit froze, almost reflexively raising his arm. The ring-shaped Originium Arts trigger glowed red, and two blurry humanoid silhouettes separated from his shadow, gradually becoming three-dimensional and guarding his left and right sides.

The butler who should have been standing here is nowhere to be seen.

No matter the weather, his bodyguard and nanny's butler would always be there waiting for him to return.

According to the agreement between master and servant, there is only one possibility that the steward is missing: he is dead.

"who are you?"

The handsome man asked with a serious expression.

“Alexander Anlongdor, the second son of Eagle Pulse Company, whose elder brother is Alexander Swell, a senior superintendent of the Lungmen Guard Bureau.” A man shrouded in a black overcoat stepped out of the red luxury car, his face obscured by a rather bulky helmet. His tone was as warm and cheerful as that of a long-lost friend, “Oh, fellow countryman, you have a sister after all.”

"...You know who I am, yet you still dare to sit in my car? Are you tired of living?"

Alexander Anlongdor's face was grim. He put his hands behind his back, trying to call for support using a communication terminal.

In order to avoid revealing his whereabouts, Anlongdor did not bring many people with him on this secret trip, only sending his old butler, who had taken care of him since childhood, along.

Even so, the old steward was one of the most capable guards in the Alexander family.

This was one of his trump cards, but he didn't expect it to be exposed so easily by the other side.

Although Anrondor was reluctant, he knew the best course of action was to contact Wenger and have him send someone over. He figured he would likely be humiliated by Wenger, given that he had recently given him the cold shoulder.

Never mind, my life is more important.

At worst, I'll get ridiculed. No matter how much I suffer now, I'll get my revenge later.

Anlongdor thought to himself, but he still couldn't reach Wenger through the communication terminal he had placed behind him.

"If you're trying to call for help, give up. I've blocked all signals in the area. From now on, this is a true lawless zone."

The hooded man said this as he walked toward Anlongdor.

Although he had no weapons in his hands, he exuded a sharp, piercing aura.

Anlongdor panicked a little; his pupils contracted in his cloudy eyes, almost turning into a single point.

He saw a trail of blood flowing and spreading under the open door of the luxury car.

Whose blood could it be?

...The answer is self-evident.

"Charge! All of you, charge!"

The humanoid silhouette that emerged from the shadows attacked the hooded man, and the shadow guards, exuding a strong aura of malevolence like demons, instantly appeared in front of him.

"Noisy."

The hooded man waved his left hand, directly scattering one of the shadow guards.

Anlongdor felt a sharp pain in his head; he had lost control of the Shadow Guard!

That's impossible! His Originium Arts, Bishezha, are immune to sword thrusts, punches, fire, and ice! Neither close-quarters combat nor Originium Arts can harm these formless shadows, how could they possibly be killed with a single slap?!

To nurture these shadow guards, Anlondor fed them no shortage of flesh and corpses. Even his father was unaware of the extent of the filth and hidden, overwhelming sins lurking deep within Anlondor's private mansion.

The mysterious hooded figure retreated several steps to avoid being pursued by another shadow guard.

A blurry humanoid silhouette swung a thick arm, smashing the luxury car into a massive crater. Windows shattered, glass raining down. In less than three seconds, the luxury car was a total wreck—the kind that would make the insurance company laugh out loud, because they don't cover this kind of thing.

The hooded man and the shadow guard seemed to be dancing a close dance, with the shadow guard launching a frenzied attack but never managing to touch a single hair on his head.

After several attempts, the hooded man seemed to have gotten tired of it, and his left hand, which radiated an orange-red glow, slapped the shadow guard on the forehead again.

They parted ways in an instant.

Anlongdor covered his head with both hands and let out a wail of agony.

It was as if two blood vessels in his brain had ruptured, causing the invisible threads connecting him to the Shadow Guards to break, resulting in severe mental confusion.

"Wait, wait!!"

Anlongdor stretched out his right hand to try to stop the powerful and mysterious man in front of him, while his left hand gripped his scalp tightly to distract himself and relieve the persistent, intense throbbing pain in his head.

"Who sent you? Or are you one of the young masters' men? Maybe we can have a chat."

"is it?"

The hooded man stopped in his tracks and said, word by word, "I come from Rhodes Island."

Rhodes Island?!

Anlongdor stared wide-eyed at his blood-red eyes.

Impossible, impossible! How could such a capable person exist in a mere parasitic company that lives off others?!

The eldest brother wasn't saying that this troublesome infected company was full of useless people who, under the guise of helping the Guard Bureau resist the Reunion Movement, were plotting to exploit Lungmen to the point of exhaustion. Not only did they make numerous unreasonable demands, but they also fantasized about establishing an area in Lungmen to serve the infected.

A bunch of inferior people, daring to mess with every inch of precious land in Longmen? Dream on!

If it weren't for the interesting medical resources that Rhodes Island possesses, these infected people wouldn't even deserve to be taken seriously.

The mission entrusted to Silverwing Company mainly involved infiltrating the slums, disguising themselves as infected members of the Reunion Movement, and kidnapping or killing the group of idiotic rich kids in Lungmen Newcomer, which involved even greater interests.

Destroying Rhodes Island and obtaining information on medical resources was merely a side effect; they never took it seriously from the beginning.

What no one expected was that this insignificant Rhodes Island would become such a hateful stumbling block!

"Master, master, spare my life! If you want money, everything is negotiable. I can pay one million to redeem my life! No, three million Lungmen dollars!!" Anlongdor said hurriedly, his eyes were bloodshot, red rashes appeared on his handsome face, and his voice trembled slightly.

Anlongdor looked quite terrified, like a rich kid in danger; problems that can be solved with money aren't problems at all.

The young masters who were lured to the slums by Huang Laogou to participate in the hunt for infected people cried out in the same way before they died.

They acted just like it was real.

In fact, Anlongdor's Originium Arts can control more than just himself as a shadow.

The Originium ring on the middle finger of his right hand emitted a faint red light as the Bishezh spell was quietly cast.

The hooded man stood beneath the Silverwing Company building, his shadow stretched long by the blazing sun overhead.

The illusory humanoid silhouette struggled incessantly within his shadow, convulsing in agony as if falling into hellish lava.

Something unexpected happened: the Originium Arts he had unleashed backfired, and the magical framework he had constructed in his mind shattered.

"Ahhh, ahhhh..."

A small figure appeared before Anlongdor's eyes, with long silver hair and emerald green eyes, as exquisite and beautiful as a doll. Despite appearing so harmless, it caused his SAN value to plummet and his madness value to surge wildly.

"Don't disturb my home."

The tiny silver-haired girl spoke inside Anlongdor's skull.

Anlongdor's handsome face flushed red, and every vein bulged, writhing like a small snake.

He staggered forward two steps, constantly scratching his cheeks as if he was incredibly itchy.

"Ahhh, ahhhhh!!!"

Anlongdor scratched a faint scar on his forehead, and his engorged blood pressure finally found an outlet, gushing out a large amount of blood. But it wasn't enough; he felt it wasn't enough. He had to keep scratching until everything in his head was drained.

Lin Lu watched him quietly, without saying a word.

Anlongdor knelt on the ground, scratching his head like a madman. When there was nothing left to scratch on his face, he began to scratch his hands. Then he started climbing, tearing his expensive custom-made suit and scratching his arms until they bled, followed by his chest, abdomen, and back.

Anlongdor writhed on the ground like a fish about to suffocate after being pulled out of the water, his fingernails breaking off one by one as he scratched desperately.

Finally, as if he had realized something, Anlongdor covered his face with his hands and gouged out his own eyes.

The world seemed to have become quieter.

Chapter 256 Thank you for your cooperation (4K)

"..."

Lin Lu stood before the dead Alexander Anlongdor, his hooded face revealing a slightly speechless expression.

As he expected, Anlongdor, the second young master of the Eagle Pulse Group, was still somewhat useful. Even if he wanted to execute him, he wouldn't have acted so quickly. If the other party had been more honest and hadn't harbored any evil intentions, perhaps his death wouldn't have been so gruesome; now he looks like a skinned corpse.

“Ibitas”.

Lin Lu said softly, his cobalt blue eyes gleaming with a deep, mysterious light.

Within the spiritual realm, the silver-haired ancient goddess's young daughter hid behind the AI ​​maid, Silver Lotus. She peeked out, her emerald green eyes appearing somewhat inorganic, but now possessing a newfound intelligence; at least it was clear she was somewhat afraid.

This is what it feels like to do something bad with good intentions, right?

"Doctor, Ibitas-chan did nothing wrong; that guy came looking for her himself!"