National Guardian's Gone and We're Done

Under the dim moonlight, the construction site was deathly still.

Only a few dim, yellow lamps swayed in the wind,

casting mottled shadows across Zheng Qifeng’s anxiety-ridden face.

He stood in a secluded corner, clutching his phone as if it were his only lifeline.

His finger hovered over the dial button, trembling slightly.

Beads of sweat trickled down his cheeks,

dripping onto the dusty ground and vanishing instantly, leaving only a tiny wet mark.

His breathing was ragged and heavy, his heart pounding violently in his chest.

The THUMP-THUMP sound was like a frantic drumbeat,

hammering against his eardrums again and again.

Zheng Qifeng knew he was standing at a dangerous crossroads.

One wrong step, and he could be doomed beyond recovery.

The White-Red Empire’s malicious intentions were crystal clear.

They intended to use him and his compatriots from the Great Xia Empire as worthless cannon fodder,

ruthlessly pushing them into this place of great misfortune, a land shrouded in an ominous haze,

to test the depths of its unfathomable dangers.

But Chu He’s words had been like a ray of hope,

piercing through the heavy fog and showing him a chance to turn the tables.

’Time to turn defense into offense...’

Zheng Qifeng muttered the phrase to himself, a look of resolve gradually hardening his gaze.

He understood what they had to do now:

They had to give the White-Red Empire a taste of its own medicine, to feel what it’s like to be thrust into the eye of the storm,

forcing them to send their own people into danger to uncover the earth-shattering secrets hidden within this mysterious land.

After all, he and Xiang Xiufang’s family had left their home and traveled far, enduring hardships,

all for the sake of earning a stable income so their family could live a better life.

But the White-Red Empire had sinister motives; they were scheming for nothing less than the future destiny of their entire nation.

This was a cruel game of life and death.

If this operation failed, the White-Red Empire would surely be plunged into an abyss from which it could never recover,

with no chance of ever rising again.

For the higher-ups of the White-Red Empire, this was undoubtedly their last lifeline.

If they could grasp it tightly,

they might find a sliver of hope to turn their desperate situation around.

But if they made the slightest mistake, a tragic fate of being carved up at will was all that awaited them.

Zheng Qifeng took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

He kept psyching himself up, telling himself to stay calm and follow Chu He’s plan.

The moment his finger finally pressed the dial button,

his heart leaped into his throat.

His pulse quickened, feeling as if it would burst from his chest.

The call connected, and a cold, unfamiliar voice came through the line.

Suppressing his anxiety, Zheng Qifeng spoke. "Hello, it’s me, Zheng Qifeng. Something’s happened at the construction site..."

To his surprise,

he didn’t even have a chance to use the carefully crafted phrases he had rehearsed over and over in his mind.

He had only given a simple, brief description of the terrifying events at the site,

but the person from the White-Red Empire on the other end agreed without a moment’s hesitation.

Their tone carried an undeniable authority. "Don’t be afraid. Stay calm. We’ll send someone over immediately to handle it."

Zheng Qifeng hung up and let out a long sigh of relief, feeling a quiet sense of gratitude.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead, his expression a mixture of confusion and relief.

’It seems Chu He was right. This land must be extraordinarily important to the White-Red Empire—so important that they can’t even stop to consider whether this is a trap. They just want to find out the truth and get control of the situation as quickly as possible.’

Zheng Qifeng considered it carefully. If the land was truly this critical,

then even if they knew there might be a conspiracy ahead,

the White-Red Empire would probably dive in headfirst at any cost.

After all, when facing a matter of life and death, even the slightest glimmer of hope is enough to make one go all in.

Barely ten minutes later, a low rumble broke the silence of the night.

Zheng Qifeng looked up.

A pitch-black bus, like a great beast charging out of the darkness,

was slowly approaching from the distance.

The dust coating its body was starkly visible under the lights.

The bus slowed to a stop at the construction site’s entrance,

letting out a dull screech of brakes as its wheels kicked up a cloud of dust.

The doors hissed open, and a group of people filed out.

Zheng Qifeng subconsciously counted them. There were more than ten.

The moment they stepped off the bus, they exuded an aura that sent a chill down one’s spine.

Half of them were dressed in the typical attire of White-Red Empire Samurai.

Their black garments were embroidered with intricate gold patterns,

gleaming with a cold light. The scabbards of the Samurai Swords at their waists were also covered in mysterious Runes.

They stood tall and straight, their steps steady and powerful, each one seeming to carry immense weight.

Their eyes held an innate arrogance and ruthlessness, as if they believed themselves masters of the world, with all things under their control.

The other half were dressed as Ninja, completely wrapped in tight-fitting black clothes,

leaving only their eyes exposed. Those eyes were like a venomous scorpion’s, glinting with a cold, dangerous light,

daring anyone to meet their gaze.

As they moved, their bodies were as light and ethereal as ghosts.

It was as if they weren’t walking, but were shadows writhing in the darkness,

creating a bizarre and unsettling sight.