National Guardian's Gone and We're Done

...

The man who had warned Zheng Bolan hung up and casually tossed his phone aside, letting it bounce a few times on the worn, mottled table before he stood up.

The rental unit he was in was small and cramped, the light dim and gloomy, like a forgotten corner of the world.

The water stains on the walls resembled hideous, grinning faces and gave off a damp, musty smell.

A subtle tension showed in his eyes as he began to meticulously inspect the cramped space.

First, he strode over to the window.

He forcefully shut the rickety window with both hands, then carefully checked if the lock was securely fastened,

as if countless spying eyes were hidden outside.

Next, he turned and went to the door, giving it a hard shove to make sure it was sealed tight.

Then he picked up a dirty burlap sack from the corner

and carefully scattered the already-dried peanut shells from inside onto the floor.

His movements were as gentle as if he were setting up an intricate trap.

After doing all this, he brought over a dilapidated chair,

stood on it, and hung a wind chime above the door.

The wind chime seemed particularly out of place in the silent room; it was his only warning system against dangers from the outside world.

As he hung it, he thought to himself,

’If someone tries to break in while I’m resting, the sound of this wind chime will definitely wake me up instantly,

’giving me a chance to escape.’

Once he finished his checks and confirmed there were no oversights,

the man’s frayed nerves finally relaxed a little.

During this time, he had been acting as cautiously as a startled bird to evade potential assassins.

He had rented several of these simple units alone,

hiding them in the north, south, east, and west of the White-Red Empire, like a cunning rabbit with four burrows.

He was certain that absolutely no one knew about these four hiding spots.

Even if someone happened to discover one of them, finding his other locations amidst the vast sea of people

would be no easy task and would undoubtedly consume a great deal of time and energy.

But he had no idea that, in the eyes of Zheng Bolan’s side,

he was nothing more than a pitiful tool, a pawn to be manipulated at will.

No one truly cared about him.

All his clever little plans and defensive measures were nothing but a self-deceiving farce.

...

As for Saito Sonosuke, after ending the call, he slowly put the phone back into the inner pocket of his clothes.

His movements were mechanical and sluggish.

Immediately after, the strange, peach-blossom color in his eyes receded as quickly as a tide, vanishing without a trace.

Once that mysterious color completely faded from his pupils,

Saito Sonosuke’s gaze instantly became vacant and confused.

It was as if his soul had been ripped from his body, leaving him standing there in a daze.

"I... I feel like I just did something... But why can’t I remember what it was?"

His brows furrowed tightly, a hint of confusion and struggle in his eyes,

as he desperately searched his mind for the memory that had just been erased, but he found nothing.

After a moment of thought, he shook his head in resignation,

as if to shake the inexplicable annoyance from his mind.

He then resumed his mechanical patrol

and continued to wander around the mansion as if nothing had happened at all.

...

A luxury van slowly came to a stop on a vast, open construction site.

The dust kicked up by its wheels swirled about wildly.

Chu He, Xia Chengli, Yumizakura, Zheng Bolan, Zheng Xuezhen,

as well as Zheng Qifeng and Xiang Xiufang, stepped out of the vehicle one by one.

Before them was a massive construction site, shrouded in dust that blotted out the sky.

Many large construction vehicles were roaring as they worked, their huge mechanical arms swinging through the air,

demolishing the original buildings on the land.

The RUMBLING was deafening, like the furious roar of the earth itself, making the very ground beneath their feet tremble.

Strangely, however, upon their group’s arrival,

it was as if everyone around had fallen under a mysterious spell, completely oblivious to their presence.

The busy workers continued their toil with their heads down.

Even Zheng Qifeng’s usual right-hand men seemed completely unaware; they remained seated leisurely at a table,

calmly sipping tea and casually supervising the workers.

This scene struck everyone present as indescribably bizarre.

It completely defied logic, as if their group was transparent and didn’t exist on this land at all.

"Before our vehicle even arrived,

"I had already used my Charm Technique to influence all of them.

"So, no matter what we do here now, it won’t attract anyone’s attention.

"This also prevents word of our arrival from getting out.

"After all, who knows if there are any moles planted by other factions among these workers."

Yumizakura said softly, lifting her chin slightly.

Amidst the noisy construction site, her voice carried a special magic, allowing it to reach everyone’s ears clearly.

Chu He stood tall on the dusty, open ground.

His sharp gaze seemed to pierce through the chaotic air,

taking in everything around him. He spoke with a look of certainty, "There’s no need to wonder.

"There is definitely someone around here, secretly watching our every move."

He paused and turned to look at Yumizakura, his eyes full of admiration. "You did an excellent job this time."

"Thank you for the praise, Master!"

Hearing this, Yumizakura’s stunningly beautiful face broke into a smile as radiant as spring blossoms.