Chapter 128: Friend or Foe?

Chapter 128: Friend or Foe?

"Commander, are you certain it’s him?"

"Commander, you couldn't have misidentified him, could you? He was active in the vicinity of Santiago, which is 2,800 kilometers away from our Xiangzhou. He couldn't have made it here so quickly, could he?"

At a crossroads, several members of the Star Sea Adventure Team looked hesitant and confused, their faces etched with deep astonishment. Just moments ago, they had followed Commander Xing Li in a frantic, inexplicable dash to this spot, only to find nothing. When they heard the commander claim that the mysterious outsider adventurer was here in Xiangzhou, they were naturally shocked.

As some voiced their doubts, others retorted.

"2,800 kilometers isn't that far. A flight would get you here in no time."

"Exactly, planes are fast."

"A plane?" Third Commander Bruce smiled faintly, interrupting them. "As adventurers, why would one easily switch territories when they haven't even finished exploring their own vast region?"

"Secondly, many outsiders have now become registered adventurers. According to directives from headquarters, every adventurer has a travel record when moving between regions. If he had really taken a plane, we would have received the information long ago. But the guild station has no such data."

"Thirdly, given the favor President Zhou Hailong has shown him, would he let him leave so casually? If it were me, I would keep him close and nurture his talent."

Bruce’s analysis was logical and well-founded, leaving the men speechless. Even Commander Xing Li, who stood to the side with furrowed brows, couldn't help but nod in agreement.

Yet, his intuition told him he wasn't wrong. The strange, unnatural movement of that person was something no ordinary powerhouse could achieve. Furthermore, Park San-soon’s answers had not satisfied him; the man seemed to be deliberately hiding something.

But where had he gone? And how could he be so fast?

Meanwhile, at a convenience store not far from the Adventurers' Guild, Li Xin emerged holding a bottle of iced cola. He gulped down half the bottle before letting out a satisfied burp.

"Refreshing."

With a hearty laugh, he headed west, moving in the exact opposite direction of Xing Li and his group.

"It seems they discovered me."

"They must have, though I don’t intend to reveal my identity just yet. I can still enjoy some peace before Vice President Rhine’s report arrives."

"This Star Sea commander is quite impressive. He has the strength and a sharp eye, too. Perhaps we might even become friends."

Li Xin muttered to himself, the cola now finished. He walked a few dozen meters before spotting a trash can at a small T-junction.

This was the outer road of the urban forest park; the lighting was dim, and pedestrian traffic was almost non-existent. At first glance, it felt rather eerie.

"How did I end up here?" Li Xin smiled helplessly, recalling the descriptions of this place.

Xiangzhou was a massive city, populous and economically prosperous. However, in this highly technologically advanced metropolis, there were three forbidden zones: the abandoned factory district in the North, Xifeng Park near the West, and the Stone Mountain Cemetery in the South. Rumor had it that ghosts and mysterious creatures haunted these places, preying on the lives of passersby.

The rumors were absurd, and naturally, no one believed them. But after the war between the two major corps began, these strange locations, where deaths had only occurred occasionally, truly became deadly traps. Over thirty people had already lost their lives here.

The public was thoroughly terrified. The police had conducted several clean-up operations and investigations, but they had all ended in failure.

Li Xin was currently standing in Xifeng Park.

He scanned his surroundings quickly—there was no one. Despite being only a street away from the residential complex to the south, this wide road acted like a solid barrier, separating two worlds. On the other side, there was ease, relaxation, and freedom; on this side, it was dark and gloomy, with one’s life constantly challenged by unknown dangers.

With a silent thought, the Universe Light orb flickered in his left hand as Li Xin sprinted toward the trash can. He tossed the bottle and immediately turned back. The time he had agreed to chat with Duan Fei was approaching, and he didn't want to waste even a second here.

Though, he had enough confidence to protect himself.

The wind howled, and the rustling in the woods behind him suggested danger was descending.

Run?

Li Xin paused suddenly. Since he was already here, why bother dodging?

"I’d like to see what kind of terrifying monster is taking lives here," he said with a cold smirk, his aura shifting instantly.

He now resembled a cold, ruthless assassin, his eyes colder and more piercing than before.

He feigned a few rapid steps forward, and the rustling of leaves suddenly ceased. In its place, several dark shadows shot out from the woods, rushing toward Li Xin. Simultaneously, three people emerged from the street to surround him.

The light was too dim to see their faces clearly, but their movements and demeanor were starkly different.

"Two different groups..." Li Xin was slightly surprised.

Were they both targeting him?

After a brief thought, he accelerated again, looking exactly like someone panicking in the face of danger.

"Ah-hoo~~"

"Stop!"

Two shouts came from front and behind, but Li Xin ignored them and sped up again.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Ah-woo, ah-hoo~~~"

Are the ones behind me deaf-mutes? Li Xin froze for a second. The sounds these shadows made were far too strange!

By now, he was surrounded by both groups. The ones in front were the same people who had come to Xiangzhou from the military camp in the same vehicle as him. The ones behind were masked, their figures shorter than the average man.

"Heh, are you comrades here to rescue me?"

Li Xin seized the initiative, catching the three men off guard. To be honest, they really didn't want to intercept Li Xin here; after all, Xifeng Park was haunted at night. But the masked men behind didn't look like ghosts, and after searching for a day and a night, they had finally found their prey at the entrance of the Adventurers' Guild.

They were truly unwilling to let go.

"Rescue you? Yes, we’re here to rescue you. As long as you hand over the good stuff you have, the three of us can spare you," Barton said with a cold, greedy smirk.

This guy had received commendations from the General Operations Department; he must have something valuable on him.

"Truly?" Li Xin asked.

"If I'm lying, I'm a dog!" Sosi quickly replied.

Li Xin nodded with a smile and turned to the masked men behind him. There were five of them, all bobbing their heads as if they were dancing.

"And you lot? What will it take for you to let me go?"

"Ah-woo, ah-hoo~~~" the leader gestured.

"I don't understand."

"Ah-woo, ah-hoo~~~" His movements became even more frantic.

Li Xin frowned, a few doubts rising in his mind. The masked man's actions seemed to be explaining something, or perhaps trying to stop him from doing something? In any case, they didn't seem intent on killing him.

He ignored them and turned back to Barton and his two companions.

"And what about the danger behind me..."

"As long as you hand over something attractive enough, the three of us can take care of them for you."

"There are five of them."

"Hmph, merely five. We wouldn't care if there were a few more. Hand over the goods, quickly." Barton’s face was filled with mockery and disdain; he clearly didn't consider the others a threat at all.

Was that really the case?