Chapter 194 - 194 176 Missing

Words : 1731 Updated : Sep 29th, 2025

194: Chapter 176: Missing 194: Chapter 176: Missing “Goodbye, no need to see you off.” Lazily tossing his phone into a passing cab, Lu Ping’an headed towards another alleyway. Thanks to Xia Qin’s timely warning, Lu Ping’an managed to evacuate with his phone in time… Even if things had truly collapsed, he would have had a way out. He just didn’t want to reveal it in front of Fang Wen. Standing amid the dark ruins, Lu Ping’an felt a bit helpless. The Bird Cage had been lifted. The scene of devastation sprawled out not far from him marked the end. The Special Service Team was indeed efficient. Some people pulled out flying tools, saving most of the hostages on the upper levels. But it seemed like the entire middle Administrative District had been wiped out. The leaders of the Special Service Team were still talking to the two sixth-tier big shots. But those guys kept using bureaucratic language, saying things like ‘voluntary labor’, ‘didn’t see, ‘didn’t notice’, suggesting that investigation would be extremely difficult. Given the outcome, this was a great victory, far more triumphant than anticipated. “Lu Ping’an, Lu Ping’an…” His walkie-talkie, which he hadn’t turned off, began to sound again, still relaying anxious calls from the other end. After a moment’s thought, Lu Ping’an simply crushed it. This was an opportunity for Lu Ping’an to “die” during the case. For Lu Ping’an, disappearing from the public eye might be the only chance for survival. “Perhaps it’s safer to go it alone rather than stick with the transparent Special Service Team.” As for the insider in the Special Service Team, Fang Wen didn’t mention. Lu Ping’an suspected she might not know either. The fact was proven that the Special Service Team was incapable of protecting the hostages. So, after returning, the so-called protection would only become a restraint and limitation. At this point, Lu Ping’an didn’t wish for his actions to be restricted, just passively waiting for the results. “…But I need an insider in the Special Service Team to pass on official information to me. It’s high time to use you, Lei Shuiyun!” “…You!” The cat thrown out by the scruff of its neck was enraged, but didn’t refuse after listening to Lu Ping’an’s explanation. Now, the two parties were strongly tied together. The cat’s debt was so massive that she didn’t dare to calculate it. After parting with the cat, Lu Ping’an picked up a piece of red cloth and draped it around himself like a refugee’s cloak. Disguised, he blended into the fleeing crowd and left the neighborhood. But the rag he wore was not just a piece of ordinary junk. “Robbery Fire Feather Robe’s Red Chain Woven Cloth (fragment)” “The complete version is a sixth-tier pollutant, now just quality material for enchantments and artisans (between third and fourth-tier), contains the opposing concepts of Withering Aging and Blood-Draw Revival.” It seemed to be a part of a war machine Fang Wen had, a trimmed corner, perhaps a part of a bedsheet. From the description alone, it was clearly a high-level material, but Lu Ping’an had no means to process it. Of course, this was not all Lu Ping’an had gotten. There were more goods in the “Courtyard”, waiting to be settled later. “Open the door.” But this time, the Secret Realm Lu Ping’an chose was not the Courtyard, but the “steam factory”. He needed some time and space to complete the final task. “Strength, only strength can fight for the right to survive in front of the strong…” Fang Wen blatantly traded with Lu Ping’an, making no effort to hide her side’s in-depth knowledge about him. Maybe, in their eyes, Lu Ping’an was a little dish that they could swallow whenever they wanted. Having really observed the traces of a sixth-tier battle, Lu Ping’an thought their ideas were not wrong. If a sixth-tier stood in front of him, he would have no chance of resistance at all. Perhaps, in Fang Wen’s eyes, instead of breaking the deal and attacking Lu Ping’an at great cost, stirring up the attention of other competitors, it would be better to “free-range” him, deal with the “main dish”, then handle the “late-night snack”. “… It’s about time, I should advance as quickly as possible. I hope the Life Bank can give me a pleasant surprise.” It was already half past ten. This time they had switched to a more remote establishment. Just after checking in, Lu Ping’an was surprised to find that the low-grade inn, which usually had few guests, was almost fully occupied today. “Something seems to have happened outside. Some people say the Ancient City isn’t safe lately, and many people are flocking here with their families.” The innkeeper’s words reminded Lu Ping’an of a certain Historical Secret Realm, where those with the capability to do so often fled quickest in times of crisis. For the current Lu Ping’an, this was a good thing. A large influx of new residents provided him the perfect camouflage for his own identity. As for the city outside… his parents were already safely tucked away in their old hometown. “… It’s just a temporary solution, not addressing the root of the problem. If we can’t solve all the issues this time, no matter how far we run, it would be meaningless. This isn’t some honorable martial arts tournament where the rules stipulate that families are off-limits. These people won’t hesitate to involve them.” If it really came to that, the only option Lu Ping’an could think of was to bring his parents to his “courtyard” in advance. But this would mean completely severing ties with the authorities, probably forcing him to lurk in the grey zones as a fugitive… At this moment, he began to understand Cat’s mentality somewhat. The “Ark of Doomsday” was indeed quite useful when needed, at least as a safety net. Shaking his head, he dismissed these thoughts. He hadn’t reached that point yet. With the life countdown still hanging over him like a guillotine, complete isolation would mean a slow death. Lu Ping’an cleared his mind of these distracting thoughts and focused on more pressing matters. He made another trip outside, touching base with Cat to get an update on the situation and the outcome of the battle. “Meow! Those two old farts, meow! They’re super unreasonable, meow! Not saying anything and even trying to take the spoils! Sister Xia and the big sister are so angry, meow, but don’t even have the right to speak!” The heavy use of “meow” in Cat’s dialogue clearly conveyed her frustration. From Cat, Lu Ping’an learned about the progress of the Special Service Team. In every respect, it was a major victory. Just identifying the three infiltrators from the cult was a great success. However, when the two officials requested to “meet” or “console” the brave fighters who obtained the information, they were gently refused with the excuse that “he has already disappeared”… In all aspects, these two officials didn’t trust this kind of handover of information on paper. Their overt distrust further deepened the divide between the two sides… “…Heh, as if there was any trust between the two sides in the first place. Some Churches and wanted cults are just one thought apart,” Lu Ping’an knew very well. The Gourmet Church and the Mother Goddess Church shared a fairly good relationship and were strategic partners. Considering that many deals were still ongoing, and the Mother Goddess Church was a remarkable “ingredient supplier”, maybe even the term “were” could be omitted. At this moment, there were three clearly defined parties from Lu Ping’an’s perspective. The Special Service Team and local defenders wanted the outsiders to perish and their city to quickly return to peace. They wouldn’t want secret realms to blossom everywhere, turning the entire city into a playground for professionals. The scumbags from the Mothers Goddess’s cult had “recreating the Ascension Ceremony” as their main course, while “Lu Ping’an who may possess high-level life talent” or “Lu Ping’an who may know some secrets” as their side dishes. And the foreign Three-Life Church organization that had been lured here, were opportunists looking to seize whatever they could. If they got the chance, they would surely claim the “recreated Ascension Ceremony” as their grand prize. The interests of the three parties were intertwined, with some hostile to each other, but also with occasions of cooperation. “Now the foreign Church and the Special Service Team are busy clearing out the newborn secret realms, aren’t they?” Although their specific targets were different, their actions were mutually helpful. “Yes, sister Xia just returned from a meeting. We’re about to head for the wild secret realm in the west of the city. I heard that it’s quite terrifying there, meow. I, as I am now, am not qualified to be there, meow, so I can only do logistical work as backup…” There was some unease in Cat’s voice as she seemed to intuit that something was wrong with her brother, and was visibly worried. However, Lu Ping’an shook his head. A week ago, Cat would indeed only qualify as backup, but with her current abilities… if he took her lightly, it would surely end up disastrously for him! “So, does anyone believe that I’m dead?” “No meow, nobody even mentioned it.” Lu Ping’an smiled. It was as expected. His life buff hadn’t expired, so naturally, as a “Curser”, he hadn’t died. Some things could be done, but not spoken about. Speaking it aloud would put the other party in a difficult position, forcing them to choose between ‘betraying a friend’ and ‘violating professional rules’. Of course, Lu Ping’an wouldn’t put himself in such a foolish situation. His decision to stay away was already hinting at the fact that the “Special Service Team was now an open and vulnerable target” Having produced the list of infiltrators and making a significant contribution, Lu Ping’an had already fulfilled his duty as a member of the Special Service Team. “The time is about right now. Let’s hope I can reap my investments this time and meet the criteria for the 2nd-tier. I also hope that the Life Bank won’t disappoint me… Whether I can turn things around or not, it all depends on them now…”

Chapter 194 - 194 176 Missing

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