Chapter 58
At the same time, on the side of the Church.
In the grand and resplendent hall, a long oval table was set in the center, around which twelve black-robed bishops sat in the lower-middle positions.
The first eleven bishops reported on their recent work in sequence.
The last black-robed bishop stood up and began speaking about the information he had just uncovered.
This information was related to the Realism sect.
“Recently, based on leads provided by informants, we tracked down some hidden bases of the Realism sect and sent people to intercept and capture them.”
“However, during the capture of these heretics, we discovered something quite astonishing.”
“Their methods of operation, techniques, coded messages, and evasion tactics are highly sophisticated—far beyond what one would expect from a sect that emerged less than a month ago.”
Three Cardinals sat in the upper positions.
One of them asked, “It sounds like they are hard to deal with. Were you able to capture anyone in the end?”
The black-robed bishop nodded. “We captured some.”
“Although the structure of the sect is mature, the heretics within are indeed novices and often reveal flaws.”
“We interrogated these heretics and learned that only one person among them holds true power: the Pope of the Realism sect.”
The black-robed bishop hesitated before adding, “Moreover, this Pope seems to have an ambiguous connection with the First Base.”
One of the captured heretics, who was in charge of unloading resource crates, had seen the First Base’s emblem on the crates.
The three Cardinals exchanged thoughtful glances.
“The First Base… We never provoked them; why would they come after us?”
“We need to understand their motives.”
A Cardinal posed a critical question, “What do you think could draw the attention of the First Base?”
The bishops looked at each other, puzzled.
Then, all at once, they turned to stare at the young man seated on the coronation throne.
The youth propped his chin with one hand, showing little emotion.
After listening to the black-robed bishop’s report, he nodded slightly, signaling that the bishop could sit down.
“If the First Base intends to make a move on City B, it must be because of me.”
The young fox spoke in a cool tone, his expression unsurprised. “After all, I am a mutant.”
“But you are still the Pope of the Idealist sect!”
At those words, over ten bishops slammed their hands on the table in unison.
Cardinal Shi was the first to react, furiously saying, “The First Base has already taken over the two major cities nearby, and now they want to target other cities? Are they aiming to rule the world?!”
“If they are truly so restless, we must retaliate and show them that City B is not to be trifled with!”
Unlike the others, the young fox wasn’t as indignant. Yet, his eyes glistened like icy blades, sharp with hidden intent.
Before evolution, the mutant body had severe defects and was at the mercy of the bases.
But now, even though he could be influenced by his nature, he was a bona fide S-class complete being.
If the base still thought he could be easily controlled, it would be laughable.
The members of the Idealist sect debated which faction to ally with to confront the aggressive First Base.
Suddenly, someone rushed in from outside.
Dressed in a uniform, he was a member of the patrol team.
The man, panting heavily and unable to catch his breath, hastily saluted the young man and the other bishops.
“Your Holiness, we have detected an elite force stationed just ten miles east of the city outskirts. At least a division strong!”
A division—ten thousand men.
In the post-apocalyptic world, where the population had drastically dwindled, a force of this size was akin to an iron-clad army.
Some fallen cities couldn’t even muster ten thousand residents now.
The gathered people collectively gasped.
Cardinal Shi was the first to react.
“Did you find out where this force came from and who is leading them?”
Another bishop questioned, “We don’t have such a large military presence nearby. Are you sure they aren’t just passing through on a mission?”
The scouts sent to communicate with the military had not returned, and the patrol member had come to relay the news.
He spoke urgently, “There is a large horde of zombies gathered on the eastern outskirts, but this army did not bypass them. Instead, they pushed forward with firepower, advancing toward the city.”
“So we can be sure that their target is City B!”
As he spoke, the scouts brought back more news.
Cardinal Shi asked anxiously, “Who is leading this division?”
“It’s Wen Jingfeng of City A!”
The scout’s face was pale with fear.
“He said there’s no need for more words. He hopes the Idealist sect will recall whether they’ve recently kidnapped someone they shouldn’t have.”
“He will wait for half an hour out of basic courtesy. If the Idealist sect does not hand over the person within that time, then he will… he will…”
He stuttered, and a Cardinal shouted, “Speak up—what will he do?”
The scout steeled himself and clenched his teeth.
“He said he will invite the Pope of the Idealist sect to watch a grand fireworks display!”
The moon shone with a cold, pale light as the night wind howled across the bell tower of the church, echoing like the roar of a beast.
Two figures stood on the bell tower.
One was clad in a black robe, face covered completely.
A flower emblem adorned his chest, identical to the one Tang Qi held.
The other man, wearing the same emblem, stood a few steps behind, bowing respectfully.
These two were members of the Realism sect.
From their vantage point overlooking the east, they could vaguely see the orange-red glow of artillery fire in the distance.
An army was efficiently clearing out surrounding zombies, advancing aggressively toward City B.
Seeing this, the subordinate’s lips moved as if excited to say something.
The black-robed man raised his hand slightly.
“Do not have impulsive thoughts. The entire city is under the surveillance of Mutant 27. It will sense your emotions.”
The subordinate was startled and quickly calmed himself.
Hearing the confident tone of the black-robed man, he couldn’t help but ask in admiration, “Your Highness, how did you know that Wen Jingfeng would attack City A?”
The black-robed man chuckled. “Wen Jingfeng is an ambitious man. No matter what it costs, he will take what he desires.”
“A virus vaccine… it truly is an excellent bait, isn’t it?”
The subordinate’s excitement grew.
The black-robed man was filled with conviction.
However, seeing the assembled army at the base’s entrance, his expression momentarily twisted.
He murmured, “But I didn’t expect him to come and attack the Idealist sect so soon.”
Wen Jingfeng was known for his madman persona, but those who had dealt with him knew that he was meticulously cautious at heart.
In short, he was difficult to deal with.
Such people did not make rash decisions.
Even when taking risks, they would carefully weigh their options.
However, the black-robed man had heard that not long ago, Wen Jingfeng had gone berserk for some reason, cleansing City A entirely.
The result was clear: Wen Jingfeng’s decision had been wise.
The authorities of City A were caught off guard, and in their lack of preparation, they were overwhelmed.
Wen Jingfeng seized this opportunity to consolidate his power, uniting all the factions under his command.
Now, City A was truly ruled by Wen Jingfeng alone.
Other forces, upon hearing this, could only sigh with jealousy or offer a grudging compliment.
The black-robed man still found it unlike Wen Jingfeng to make such a move at this point.
If cleansing City A was the first unexpected event, then attacking the Idealist sect so soon was the second baffling occurrence.
The impact was significant.
In the black-robed man’s plan, Wen Jingfeng was supposed to lie low for at least a year or two to stabilize his newfound power.
This period would allow the Realism sect to grow its influence in City B from the shadows.
Once Wen Jingfeng and Mutant 27 clashed over Zhang Quanyong, the Realism sect would be ready to strike, weakening Wen Jingfeng and seizing Mutant 27.
But now, Wen Jingfeng had come earlier than expected!
The black-robed man was puzzled.
Why did Wen Jingfeng come so quickly?
The Realism sect hadn’t developed enough, nor had they managed to place spies within the Idealist sect.
They hadn’t stirred enough doubt among the members to weaken their belief in Mutant 27.
Let alone seize an opportunity.
The black-robed man was even worried that if these two forces clashed, the fallout could crush the budding Realism sect!
The subordinate, unaware of the black-robed man’s troubled thoughts, respectfully asked for the next step in the plan.
The black-robed man snapped out of it.
Despite the unexpected changes, he hadn’t planned for this crisis to completely destroy the Idealist sect.
After all, Mutant 27 had evolved into an S-class complete being, impervious to weapons.
If Mutant 27 unleashed its full power, City B would fall into an illusionary state, turning thousands into a chaotic nightmare of mutual destruction.
The subordinate trembled. “The Pope of the Idealist sect is that powerful? Then we…”
The black-robed man smiled meaningfully.
“Don’t worry. For it to unleash its full power, it must first release its emotional control over City B. That moment is what I’ve been waiting for.”
If someone forgets their real pain in a dream, how will they react when they wake up and face reality again? Will they be grateful or hate the one who created the dream?
The black-robed man spoke slowly, “Once 27 releases its control, panic will spread among the followers of the Idealist sect.”
“They will no longer revere or love it.”
“They will see it as a monstrous threat, curse it, hate it, and ultimately take up arms to kill it.”
As he spoke, the black-robed man seemed to envision that thrilling scene.
He controlled his emotions to prevent the young fox from sensing anything amiss.
Yet, unable to help himself, he reached out toward the moonlight, raising his voice in delight.
“At that moment, the power I begged for from the First Base will finally come into play!”
“The Idealist sect will be overthrown by the Realism sect, and the all-powerful mutant 27 will become my prisoner, under my command.”
This was prophecy, destiny.
The black-robed man could hardly wait to see it come true.
“No one can stop the glory of the Realism sect from spreading across the land. I am destined to become the supreme Pope, ruling over hundreds of thousands of followers!”
“Now, everything is in place. We just need Wen Jingfeng to act.”
Upon hearing that City B was facing a crisis, Wen Xin became very worried about the young fox’s situation and couldn’t continue asking questions. He knocked out the man in front of him, borrowed a rope from a kind resident, tied up the three unconscious people together, and hurriedly sent them to the patrol team.
There were only a few patrol members left on guard duty.
When they saw Zhao Shouqiang and the other two being thrown in through the door, they widened their eyes in shock.
Wen Xin spoke quickly, “These people are members of the Realism sect. Please take care of them!”
“Hey, wait—”
Before they could finish speaking, the young man had already taken off like an arrow.
Why would an army attack City B?
As Wen Xin ran, he tried to suppress his anxiety and urgency, rationally analyzing the situation.
As a civilian organization, the Idealist sect had little to no dealings with the official military. There was no reason to provoke the military or offend anyone influential enough to warrant an attack.
One possibility was that the attackers saw the Idealist sect as profitable and wanted to seize it for themselves.
Another possibility was that the attack was personal, unrelated to political or military agendas but the hardest to resolve.
After all, mobilizing an entire army without warning was not something that could end peacefully.
As Wen Xin ran, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Running like this was too slow; by the time he reached the front lines, the attackers might have already breached the city!
Luckily, patrol members were nearby with megaphones, shouting for people to assemble.
Someone was driving a car towards the eastern part of the city.
Coincidentally, there was a member of the Idealist sect in the car who recognized Wen Xin.
He asked in surprise, “Mr. Wen, what are you doing here?”
Wen Xin quickly got in the car, barely taking a moment to catch his breath. “Does anyone know where His Holiness is?”
“His Holiness should be at the front lines.”
That made sense. Wen Xin rubbed his aching forehead. “Who is attacking City B?”
The attack had come so suddenly that the patrol members had yet to receive any news.
They looked tense and couldn’t explain the situation clearly in a few words.
Wen Xin stopped asking, placing a hand on the holster at his waist, and closed his eyes to rest.
Thanks to the driver’s quick driving, they soon reached the eastern gate of City B’s base.
But then Wen Xin faced another insurmountable problem.
Looking at the dense crowd in front of him, he realized he couldn’t push through. “…”
Not only that, but the young fox’s pressure had scattered the zombies, and most members of the Idealist sect were just ordinary people.
They had never faced hordes of zombies or had any experience in warfare.
Now, the gathered patrol members were crowding together in disarray, bravely charging forward but blocking each other’s view.
With so many people pushing and shoving in the dark, Wen Xin couldn’t see the situation ahead clearly.
He took a deep breath, telling himself to stay calm and not panic.
The next second, a few patrol members nearby started talking.
“Who’s coming, exactly?”
“I heard it’s that crazy leader from City A, Wen Jingfeng. A while back, he took down the City A Regulatory Council. He must see how the Idealist sect is thriving and wants to swallow it whole!”
“That greedy and brutal man—His Holiness won’t let him get away with it!”
Wen Xin: “…!”
He couldn’t stay calm any longer.
One side was his beloved little fox; the other was his elder brother.
If the two of them fought, the thought of either being hurt made Wen Xin’s heartache unbearably.
He pinched his fingers and rubbed his throbbing temples.
Xiao Qi had a gentle personality; he wouldn’t and didn’t like to provoke others.
Wen Jingfeng, though cold and often severe, was not a warmonger.
It had to be connected to the incident with the pockmarked man colluding with someone inside City A.
But Wen Xin knew it was a misunderstanding. Xiao Qi didn’t know the pockmarked man acted on his own, and he even intended to offer Zhang Quanyong to City A as an apology.
If he could clear up the misunderstanding, there might be a chance for peace.
But how was he supposed to reach the front line?
Wen Xin looked around urgently and suddenly paused.
He spotted a crane not too far away.
Its arm was next to the city wall, seemingly used to repair the wall damaged by the recent rainfall.
The machine was still running, emitting a low rumbling sound, but the operator was nowhere to be seen.
Perhaps they had run off after hearing the commotion or were squeezed into the crowd waiting for battle.
Wen Xin’s gaze shifted to the hook on the crane.
The long iron chain hung from the arm, extending outside the city wall.
A bold but stupid idea began to form in his mind.
*
At this moment, Wen Jingfeng had already come face to face with the young fox.
The floodlights on the city walls turned on, and hundreds of military armored vehicles also switched on their headlights.
Countless beams of cold, white light intertwined, illuminating the dark ground as if it were daylight.
Even the withered wild grass on the ground was lit clearly.
Unlike the chaotic noise in the rear, the atmosphere on the front line was eerily silent.
Neither side’s leaders spoke.
But anyone with eyes could see the tense standoff.
The tension was palpable, spreading like a thick fog that settled on everyone’s hearts.
Wen Jingfeng sat inside an armored vehicle, hidden from view.
His sharp eyes lifted slightly as he studied the young figure standing at the forefront of the Idealist sect’s crowd through the bulletproof glass.
Wen Jingfeng had read in reports that the Pope of the Idealist sect was a teenage boy.
But he did not lower his guard just because of that youthful face.
The range of a standard sniper rifle is between 800 and 1,500 meters; mortars can reach up to 3,000 meters, with tank cannons and shells extending even further.
And yet, this boy stood boldly within the range of countless weapons, showing no fear of their deterrence.
Can a mortal could do this?
Wen Jingfeng’s gaze turned icy.
It might be just as rumored: the Pope of the Idealist sect was not human but a powerful mutant capable of mimicking human form.
On the side of the Idealist sect.
As Wen Jingfeng studied the young fox, the young fox also examined him.
For some reason, this man gave him an uncomfortable feeling.
It wasn’t a mental discomfort but a sense of being subtly suppressed in power.
The young fox felt as though its abilities were somehow affected.
Moments ago, he could sense Wen Xin within the base, but now he couldn’t pinpoint the young man’s location.
The young fox frowned in concern.
He refocused on Wen Jingfeng.
When Wen Jingfeng sent someone to bring Wen Xin back to City A, the young fox had heard his name and knew that this man was Wen Xin’s elder brother.
That knowledge alleviated some of his hostility.
After all, he was an S-class mutant, with innate majesty and pride despite his usually gentle nature. He could not tolerate being threatened.
If any other human army had come to force him into surrendering Zhang Quanyong, the young fox would have cast an illusion first and asked questions later.
Only after a battle would the true outcome be decided.
But now, the young fox already intended to hand over Zhang Quanyong to City A, if only to prevent Wen Xin from being caught in the middle.
Therefore, it didn’t matter whether Wen Jingfeng was forcing his hand or not.
The young fox turned to Cardinal Shi. “I asked you to bring Zhang Quanyong. Where is he?”
Wen Jingfeng had truly come personally to demand the man.
Cardinal Shi was trapped in an inexplicable sense of absurdity but hastily responded to the boy’s question.
“Your Holiness, he should be here soon.”
A few minutes later, a light commotion came from the rear.
“He’s here!”
Those simple words made Wen Jingfeng’s pupils contract as he quickly turned to look.
The members of the Idealist sect stepped aside one by one.
Several church members escorted a disheveled man into the view of both sides.
The man hung his head, his face obscured by the crowd, so most could only see a thin outline.
Wen Jingfeng stared intently.
He noticed that the man’s shoulders were being pressed down by the church members—unmistakably a detained posture.
One of the guards, impatient with the man’s slow pace, shouted at him.
Wen Jingfeng’s expression didn’t change, but his hand clenched, the sound of his joints cracking.
Standing behind Wen Jingfeng, Li Yongming held a loudspeaker and frowned at the sight of the man being brought out.
At first, he had assumed the rescue target was Wen Xin and nearly mistook the man for him.
But now, Li Yongming could tell.
This man, shuffling with a drooping head, was not Wen Xin, who always stood tall and proud.
Who exactly had the Idealist sect brought out?
A moment later, a church member shoved the man, causing him to stumble and nearly fall.
Suddenly, Li Yongming’s vision blurred as the loudspeaker was snatched from his hands by the man next to him.
Wen Jingfeng adjusted the volume to its maximum.
A sharp sound blared from the speaker, and his voice, as fierce as thunder, roared over everyone’s heads.
“Let him walk on his own. Push him again, and I’ll kill you.”
Instantly, the warning reverberated through the open space, cold and merciless.
The young fox froze.
The three Cardinals did not expect Wen Jingfeng to be so audacious, threatening to kill their followers right in front of their Pope. They trembled with rage.
Li Yongming stared at Wen Jingfeng’s furious face, terrified.
It was unwise to question a superior’s decision in the middle of a standoff.
Yet, he couldn’t help but whisper, “Boss, do you know that person?”
Li Yongming ventured, “Or is he, aside from Wen Xin, also the target of our rescue mission?”
Then it dawned on him. “I see now. That man must be Zhang Quanyong!”
Wen Jingfeng: “…”
The church members holding Zhang Quanyong looked up, directly facing the pointed barrels of countless weapons. Startled, they loosened their grip.
Freed from the hands pressing down on his shoulders and head, the man slowly raised his head, revealing a haggard, exhausted face.
Wen Jingfeng: “…”
Even though he hadn’t seen Wen Xin for a long time, he knew enough not to mistake his face.
Wen Jingfeng immediately realized that he might have misunderstood something.
At that moment, one of the church members said nervously, “This is Zhang Quanyong. We’ve brought him as requested.”
Li Yongming confirmed, “As expected, our leader was right.”
He was genuinely impressed.
“This Zhang Quanyong doesn’t seem to have been treated well in the Idealist sect. Your earlier words surely showed him enough respect that he must be filled with gratitude and trust towards us now.”
Wen Jingfeng: “…”
He rubbed his brow. “Stop overthinking. Tell them to take him away.”
Li Yongming promptly complied.
Turning back, he and Wen Jingfeng waited for the Idealist sect to bring out the next person.
But to their surprise, the young fox tilted his head, wearing an expression that clearly said, “I’ve given you the person you wanted. What else do you need?”
Wen Jingfeng held the loudspeaker for ten seconds.
Seeing no further action from the Idealist sect, he slowly furrowed his brow and asked over the loudspeaker, “Where is Wen Xin?”
The members of the Idealist sect, except for the young fox, were stunned.
A Cardinal whispered to Cardinal Shi, “He’s here for Wen Xin? What’s his relation to Wen Xin?”
Cardinal Shi was equally puzzled.
How would he know? He hadn’t expected Wen Xin to be acquainted with Wen Jingfeng!
Wait…
Wen Xin had the surname Wen.
Wen Jingfeng also had the surname Wen.
The three Cardinals realized the key connection at the same time and gasped.
They had always wondered why Wen Jingfeng used the word “kidnap” when Zhang Quanyong was merely rescued by the Idealist sect from a horde of zombies.
Cardinal Shi quickly reported to the young fox.
“Your Holiness, this isn’t good. Wen Jingfeng is probably here not for Zhang Quanyong, but for Wen Xin.”
“There’s a high chance that Wen Xin is Wen Jingfeng’s rumored runaway brother!”
He visibly panicked. “But we don’t even know where Wen Xin is right now!”
The young fox looked at him matter-of-factly. “I know. Wen Jingfeng is Wen Xin’s brother.”
Cardinal Shi was taken aback. “What?”
He stammered, “Then why didn’t you ever mention it?”
The young fox seemed more puzzled than he was. “You never asked me.”
Ignoring the stunned expression of Cardinal Shi behind him, the young fox answered Wen Jingfeng’s question.
“Wen Xin went to see a friend and hasn’t returned yet. Do you want to meet him?”
Li Yongming’s expression changed, and he quickly glanced at Wen Jingfeng’s stony face.
Wen Jingfeng didn’t hesitate for a moment.
“I appreciate the Pope’s care, but my brother has stayed long enough. I’m here to take him home.”
After Wen Jingfeng put down the loudspeaker, Li Yongming whispered hesitantly, “Commander, I noticed something strange. The Pope didn’t use any amplification, yet I could hear his voice clearly.”
Wen Jingfeng was unsurprised. “He’s a mutant.”
As he spoke, the man’s fingers tapped his pocket.
The motion revealed the faint outline of a palm-sized, square box.
This box was a secret weapon Wen Jingfeng had obtained from the First Base at great expense. When activated, it would weaken a mutant.
Once the mutant was weakened, human weapons would become the ultimate tools of dominance.
The device had been proven effective through testing—powerful and decisive.
But Wen Jingfeng hadn’t forgotten the suspiciously eager manner with which the First Base had lent him this lethal tool.
They likely had their own hidden agenda.
Unless absolutely necessary, Wen Jingfeng preferred not to use it.
Li Yongming relaxed a bit, knowing his commander was prepared.
However, he noticed another oddity.
“The Pope seemed very familiar with Wen Xin?”
Wen Jingfeng let out a cold laugh. “So familiar that he took him away while unconscious?”
That point was indeed suspicious.
If they were friends or allies, such a reckless act was out of character.
After all, Wen Xin had not been alone; his teammate Lin Nan was with him when he was taken.
According to Lin Nan, Wen Xin had been forcibly taken, surrounded by a group of foxes.
The young fox could tolerate many things.
He could overlook Wen Jingfeng’s particularly poor attitude and aggressive approach, the large army he’d sent, and his harsh words.
But he couldn’t tolerate Wen Jingfeng’s intent to take Wen Xin away.
This plunged the young fox’s impression of Wen Jingfeng to rock bottom, and his tone grew icy.
“Wen Xin is very well and happy here. He won’t, and cannot, go back with you.”
This declaration, as if staking a claim, left Li Yongming at a loss.
Wen Jingfeng was not outdone when it came to an intimidating voice.
He coldly replied, “It seems the Pope did not hear me. Wen Xin is my brother.”
“My. Own. Brother.”
Wen Jingfeng enunciated each word, “On what grounds do you think you can keep him?”
The young fox retorted with sarcasm in his voice.
“You are indeed Wen Xin’s brother—the same brother who ignored him for over twenty years!”
“Where were you when he was lonely? Where were you when he was hurt and unhappy? And where were you when he cried?”
Wen Jingfeng’s face darkened, and he shouted instinctively.
“He was the one who left me and ran away first, not the other way around! And when did he cry? He’s over twenty years old; isn’t crying shameful?”
Li Yongming: …Is that the point, Commander?!
But just then, he noticed Wen Jingfeng discreetly reach into his pocket.
The man appeared outwardly angry and unstable, raising his voice in an argument with the young fox.
But in reality, he had silently retrieved the box and held it in his hand.
Wen Jingfeng’s sharp eyes examined every detail of the young pope’s demeanor, looking for signs of power use.
The young fox, deeply engaged in the argument, suddenly sensed an overwhelming surge of danger emanating from Wen Jingfeng.
The danger felt like a steel blade, stabbing into his mind.
The young fox’s fur stood on end, his eyes flashing with a red, bloody glow.
An invisible pressure radiated from him, causing many onlookers to become dazed and unfocused.
Wen Jingfeng also felt the intense mental discomfort, though his strong will prevented him from being as affected as the others. He clutched his head in pain.
Seeing Li Yongming standing blankly like a puppet, Wen Jingfeng assumed the young fox had launched an attack.
A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes as he began to pry open the box’s cover.
Just as the box was about to be activated—
Thud!
A figure dropped from the sky, crashing into the armored vehicle’s window where Wen Jingfeng was seated.
Several people nearby, including Li Yongming, snapped out of their stupor at the loud impact.
They quickly drew their guns, their expressions serious as they shouted,
“Who goes there? Everyone on alert, we have an intruder!”
When Wen Xin climbed onto the crane, the situation on both sides was already tense, ready to erupt at any moment.
The young fox’s uncontrolled power rippled out, affecting even Wen Xin.
He felt a wave of dizziness, and immediately shook his head hard to clear it.
Something was wrong with Xiao Qi. He needed to get down there fast!
Ignoring the risk of being shot full of holes, Wen Xin strapped himself into the safety gear from the crane’s cab. He secured one end of the rope to the crane’s hook and swung out, like a pendulum, into the air.
From over fifty meters up, the cold wind felt like countless knives slicing at him.
Wen Xin’s ears rang from the noise, but his sheer determination kept him holding on.
As he neared the ground, he yanked hard on the rope, tucking in his legs and twisting mid-air to increase air resistance and soften the landing.
He landed, but not as gracefully as he hoped, crashing into the armored vehicle’s window.
The scene of confusion followed.
Wen Xin’s legs felt numb from the impact, and his organs jumbled as pain made stars dance in his vision.
Thanks to the safety gear, he didn’t pass out.
Recognizing Li Yongming’s voice, Wen Xin lifted his head weakly and waved, saying, “Officer Li, it’s me, Wen Xin… ah!”
A sharp pain shot through his ankle, spreading the throbbing ache throughout his body. He suspected he had sprained it.
Honestly, a sprained ankle from such a high fall was lucky.
Before he could catch his breath, the car door burst open, and a man stormed out.
Wen Jingfeng grabbed Wen Xin by the shoulders, his expression so fierce he looked almost mad, shouting in his face,
“Did you jump from that crane? Do you have a death wish, Wen Xin?!”
Still dazed, Wen Xin tolerated the yelling, knowing it was out of concern. But eventually, he couldn’t help but snap back.
“I used the crane arm while you two were arguing… I wasn’t trying to take a shortcut, It’s not that I don’t know how to walk properly, and no I didn’t want to be a Powerpuff Girl… are you done, Wen Jingfeng?”
Wen Xin was furious. “I was yelling your name until my throat went raw up there! If either of you weren’t so caught up in your dramatic hissy fit, you would’ve noticed me earlier!”
“I called your name so loudly, but you didn’t even look up. You just used my name as an excuse to start a fight, didn’t you? You never really cared about me!”
Wen Jingfeng’s breath caught.
Wen Xin’s chest heaved with emotion.
He rarely showed such raw feelings, but his anger now cleared his mind.
He had imagined many ways he might reunite with Wen Jingfeng: in silence, with cold sarcasm, or even a bitter disagreement.
But he never pictured this—a battlefield where their reunion was the spark for potential bloodshed.
If it really came to that, if he became the cause of countless deaths, he’d rather die before it happened.
A soft voice called from behind him, “Wen Xin…”
Wen Xin took a deep breath to steady himself.
He turned and saw the young fox looking guilty, his lips trembling as if he wanted to apologize.
Xiao Qi could feel Wen Xin’s anger and humbly admitted fault.
“Wen Xin, trust me. I didn’t want to fight him, knowing you don’t like that.”
He added, casting blame elsewhere with a pout, “It’s because of something he has on him that makes me feel uncomfortable.”
Wen Xin’s eyes flashed as he looked at Wen Jingfeng.
Wen Jingfeng had already composed himself, his expression unreadable. He spread his hands casually, a mocking smile on his lips.
“Your Holiness, what could I possibly have? I’m just an ordinary human.”
“If I really did, why would I bother arguing? I’d use it on you directly.”
The young fox’s gaze darkened. “You were about to use it but didn’t get the chance.”
“So what?” Wen Jingfeng raised an eyebrow. “Will the mighty Pope search me himself?”
“I don’t mind; you can come check.”
The young fox frowned, sensing that approaching this man would bring trouble.
Wen Xin was silent for a moment.
He looked at Xiao Qi, and then at Wen Jingfeng’s defiant expression.
Finally, with a sigh that spoke of reluctant acceptance, he said, “Enough! One is the Pope of the Idealist sect, and the other, is City A’s leader. Arguing like kids in front of so many people.”
Xiao Qi’s expression turned hurt, while Wen Jingfeng smirked.
Wen Xin pressed his temple. “Are you not going to fight now? If not, sit down and talk this out.”
Then he winced, clutching his swollen ankle. “Ah!”
The young fox’s heart sank at the sound.
Seeing Wen Xin rolling up his pant leg to reveal the purple-black bruise, Xiao Qi’s face fell with worry, and he rushed to help him.
“Wen Xin, you’re hurt? When did this happen? Does it hurt? I should have noticed sooner!”
He had been so focused on keeping his inner instincts in check that he hadn’t noticed Wen Xin’s injury.
Wen Jingfeng’s brows knitted in concern.
Wen Xin’s forehead was slick with cold sweat.
He shifted his foot slightly, and the pain surged, turning his face pale as he reached out to Wen Jingfeng. “Brother, help me, please.”
The sight of his brother wincing made Wen Jingfeng’s resolve falter, and he reached out to support Wen Xin.
“Now you realize it hurts? Were you not thinking when you…?”
His voice trailed off.
Wen Jingfeng’s eyes flicked downward.
He saw Wen Xin’s slender fingers resting on his pocket, lightly grasping the small box hidden within.
Their gazes locked, and Wen Xin’s clear eyes shone with a mix of emotions as if he had read Wen Jingfeng completely.
lmao :’))