Chapter 18: Obeying the Imperial Decree

Three days ago, Liang Dong was only filled with confusion about the future, uncertain about where he should go. Now, however, he brimmed with confidence for what lay ahead. He found a fairly decent restaurant by the roadside, indulging himself for once—he was, after all, quite hungry.

“Living dead? Hmph, I actually prefer you call us mutants,” Ding Peng let out a chilling laugh, unleashing a fiercer killing intent.

Since Gu Xiaobei fell ill, Li Haonan outwardly remained the same as ever. He was still that enigmatic man, impeccable in his gait and attire, flawless in every movement. In business, he was ruthless and decisive, his words brimming with authority.

“Hehe. Because we have the Lotus God, of course we're at ease,” one of the elders said with a fawning smile.

Zhang Xiang clung tightly to Zhou Lisha, whose eyes were filled with unease and terror. Gu Xiaobei, previously composed, now discreetly surveyed her surroundings—if things went wrong, where could they escape?

“Silence! Silence!” Ji Bing shouted loudly. In that moment, he was suddenly seized by panic—how had they discovered the deepest secret he had hidden in his heart?

“What? What did you say?” Zhang Depu and Zhang Linming were both shocked, unable to believe what they had just heard.

Yuan Hai originally had excellent talent for cultivation, but in the past decade or so, after becoming an elder, his mind had been consumed by money and pleasure, causing his skills and training to deteriorate. Now, seeing Lin Xifan dodge his attack, Yuan Hai was deeply astonished.

In life, most are driven by emotions—friendship, kinship, love, even enthusiasm, kindness, malice, greed. These are the forces that sway thoughts and actions.

Liu Yong was unmoved, countering Xun Yu’s maneuver and leaving him empty-handed. Even his manner of address changed, becoming completely formal and polite.

He too was hungry, but he played the role of a eunuch. No matter what, a eunuch could never dine at the same table as a prince. It was fine when no one was watching, but with three outsiders present, he could only suppress his craving.

Before leaving, he chose to leave the Night Demon Black Tiger behind. He could tell Night Demon was reluctant to part from Night Moon, and besides, Night Demon was skilled in various military tactics and formations—perhaps he could assist Ao Jianfeng and the others.

Upon inspection, Du Xi, Yin Li, and Chen Ying all struck nine arrows, but Du Xi's hit was steadier and deeper. Chen Ying was second, and Yin Li fell last.

True Dragon Treasure Art? Xiang Hao paused, but paid it no mind, swinging the Five Element Star and charging straight into battle.

This time, most of what was poured into the Great Microcosmic Cave were weapons—blades, spears, swords, halberds, bows, shields, axes, hammers—everything imaginable. There were also many boxes and chests whose contents were unknown. Old Zhu simply tossed everything inside as if it were garbage.

“No need,” Yun Ting waved his hand. Though there was gratitude for saving his life, gifting a horse meant little. Lü Bu could kill and seize a horse—his strength was such that few could snatch a prized steed from the Xianbei. If it were someone else, perhaps it would have been impossible.

Since Staff Officer Fei Guan agreed, there was no issue. As for the other martial generals, they were largely excluded from the decision-making circle—a normal attitude for the gentry, who always looked down on warriors. No one thought it improper.

Zhou Peilan exited arm-in-arm with the same middle-aged man as before. Her expression remained gloomy, while the man’s face wore a broad smile. Walking in front was Lin Yuanhao, his face full of arrogance and pride, constantly being greeted by others.

Only Yin Xue Tang frowned, for she remembered that Jiang Yu had disappeared in that direction. Her expression suddenly changed.

Looking at the audience present, Zhao Hao couldn’t help but lean over the private box railing and turn to speak.

“Exactly!” Upon realizing the other party was likely the mayor of Peach Blossom Town, Yang Wei’s mind twisted with conflicting emotions—contempt for a mere player, jealousy for the fame he had achieved, and above all, resentment for falling into his hands.

Lin Qianyu sighed, supporting him as they slowly walked along the roadside. The cool breeze was perfect for dissipating the effects of alcohol.

Wang Junmei disliked her, and was fiercely protective. In the end, Lu Hongya’s issue was left unresolved—not that she feared repercussions, since their relationship was already bad, how much worse could it get? Her concern was that Wang Junmei might vent her anger on Ye Ting Shen.

Zhuang Yichen’s defeated spiritual power gathered and formed a shield before him, calmly blocking the lingering force of the middle-aged man’s psychic assault.

The first story in “Five Seconds” was “Cherry Blossom Epilogue.” Frankly, taken alone, it was nothing special—but as it progressed, the sense of being trapped in reality, gradually submerged, powerless to resist the current, became profoundly moving.

Lu Qinglan glanced in the direction of the voices. The reporters who spoke were strangers, each sentence circling around the predetermined champion, trying to stir up the suppressed topic. She looked closer at their badges—they didn’t seem to be from this city.

“No problem. According to regulations, your mercenary team meets the requirements for this mission. However, I advise you to give it up,” the middle-aged man said with a false smile. His final words carried a hint of menace.

Even the airport staff were taken aback when they saw the gate number—private planes were common, but few had ever seen someone treat a massive intercontinental aircraft as their personal jet.

“During war, envoys are not killed,” Zhang Tonggu was startled. Wang Xiu’s threats were nothing new—last time, she was just as murderous. He couldn’t let himself be intimidated, and retorted without hesitation.