Huang Hongtian held a pen in his hand, the tip dragging a black line across the white paper. He watched it silently for a long time before speaking, "How did you find out?"
The staff member presented several documents and said after careful consideration, "There were coincidental factors involved."
"You asked us to elevate the attention level of some civilian awakeners. Among them, the strongest hunter, 'Xing Jinglei,' had an attention level second only to that of Xinhuo, in the highest tier."
"While monitoring, an investigator from Anmen City discovered... well, this Xing Jinglei and that Black Blade entered the same hotel."
"This could also be due to their friendship. There's no definitive evidence yet, but didn't you say to make bold inferences and proceed with caution?"
Huang Hongtian flipped through the documents. The content was still scarce, with only some clues pointing in certain directions.
For example, the Pei Corporation was establishing a security company, and its business dealings had numerous connections with a company owned by Bai Jiang, a company under An Jianyou's name.
The information about the tall woman from Yincheng was even scarcer, shrouded in mystery, yet her methods were incredibly effective.
Much like Black Blade when he first appeared.
The information currently gathered lacked conclusive proof. Xing Jinglei and Pei Hongjing were the most likely candidates, almost certainly... Xing Jinglei's last recorded itinerary was alighting at Shuize South Station.
The tall woman and Yi Luoxi were currently only hinted at by some clues.
Bold speculation.
But,
Huang Hongtian thought carefully. When he connected all the unscientific and exaggerated events to Xinhuo, it seemed... nothing was unreasonable.
The possibility was high; boldness was unnecessary.
Indeed, his understanding of Xinhuo now was more than double what it was before.
It was just that this was not the kind of understanding he desired!
Director Huang tapped his desk lightly, contemplating for a while. "The investigation must continue, but remember to stay strictly within conventional means. Whether it's yes or no, more or less, is no longer that important."
"Let's arrange a direct conversation with Xinhuo, with that mentor."
"I will personally pay them a visit. Besides that..."
This was a personal visit, and he certainly couldn't go alone. He needed to select suitable personnel from the bureau to go to Xinhuo's stronghold.
It wasn't just a visit; if there was an opportunity, he also wanted to engage in more in-depth exchange and learning.
In that case...
Huang Hongtian circled some names.
Those adept at communication, those with powerful strength... Since it was a planned exchange, strength was very important, and they couldn't be looked down upon by Xinhuo. He selected some excellent experts.
After a moment's thought, he also circled Zhou Hai and Bai Xue from the Baijiang sub-bureau.
...
Xinhuo Secret Realm, Base Level One.
Clang—
Xing Jinglei was sent flying backward, tumbling twice before crashing into the energy wall, baring his teeth in pain.
"No more, no more! You're like a monster."
"Logically, you're carrying weights, so your speed shouldn't be much faster than mine. How can I not avoid you?"
Xing Jinglei was bewildered.
He couldn't defeat Black Blade yesterday, to be precise, he would be defeated within ten moves. This was during a sparring match; in a life-or-death battle, he might not even last three or five moves.
Today, Black Blade had awakened for the third time, his speed and strength soaring. He wanted to spar but didn't want to get beaten, so he asked Black Blade to wear the specially provided weighted vest and wristbands in the training ground.
Black Blade actually agreed.
He even wore exceptionally heavy weights. They had tested their speeds on the super-speed track, and at full burst, he was slightly faster than Black Blade wearing weights.
Yet, he was still crushed, utterly defeated.
Furthermore, this formidable individual, Black Blade, hadn't used his awakened abilities to their full extent.
"What level has your swordsmanship reached?"
He couldn't help but ask.
His fist technique was at an expert level, his power application incredibly refined, and his moves varied infinitely. He himself often marveled at it, but in front of Black Blade, he felt like a toddler learning to walk, full of openings. Even with superior speed, the entire combat process was completely dictated, placing him within Black Blade's rhythm.
He was firmly controlled, unable to act on his own!
When he would lose, and in what posture he would lose, seemed to be all within Black Blade's manipulation.
More terrifying than yesterday, infinitely more terrifying!
"Peak Mastery."
Black Blade whispered, removed the weights, and reached for his saber's hilt. The massive saber was slowly drawn outward with his movement.
The speed was not fast, yet a bright saber light burst forth, filling the spacious training ground and lingering for a long time.
Dozens of meters away, Xing Jinglei's eyes widened, and he touched his cheek.
He felt a sharp energy sweep across his face.
If he had faced it directly, he feared his entire being would have been split from a spiritual level.
Too terrifying.
Can't afford to provoke, can't afford to provoke!
You are the boss.
But Xing Jinglei couldn't suppress his curiosity and began asking about Black Blade's awakened abilities after his third awakening.
When Black Blade sparred with him earlier, his abilities were still at yesterday's level.
Clearly, he had held back.
He added, "This isn't a sparring match, just testing abilities... Go easy."
As soon as the words fell, an invisible storm emanated from Black Blade, and a terrifying killing intent washed over him.
Awakened Ability: Icy Killing Intent!
Xing Jinglei had experienced it before.
But this time was different. The invisible killing intent felt almost tangible, choking his throat. His vision was tinged with a faint blood-red hue, and figures wielding blades and spears, filled with deadly intent, charged at him. He felt as if he were in a bloody battlefield, with soldiers charging at him, like a tide, like an ocean.
It was far more terrifying than the Cthulhu tide!
"Hoo~ hoo~"
Xing Jinglei panted heavily. With his abilities and resistance, he wouldn't immediately collapse before this killing intent, but he still trembled all over, his combat strength reduced by sixty to seventy percent.
Anyone weaker would likely fall in large numbers as the icy killing intent spread.
With each breath, the terrifying killing intent gradually receded.
However, the invisible power did not dissipate. Instead, it lingered around Black Blade, gradually turning a faint black that could be seen with the naked eye.
Gathering, compressing; gathering, compressing.
Xing Jinglei's eyes widened as he saw the killing intent, which had been formless, transform into form under its agitation. Little by little, it spread over the black clothing, gradually forming a suit of black armor, with a dark, lustrous sheen.
Beneath the sheen, a soul-stirring killing intent.
"What is this move called?"
"You haven't named it yet? Then let's call it Killing Intent Armor, it's cool!"
Xing Jinglei exclaimed with admiration and envy.
But Black Blade didn't share his excitement. He turned and went back to training on his own.
No way!
You're already this strong, and you're still pushing yourself so hard. Are you trying to exhaust me to death!
Damn it!
Xing Jinglei punched a special sandbag with all his might. The sandbag contorted and deformed, with shockwaves rippling outward in circles. The training ground was filled with a continuous series of thuds and booms.
Suddenly,
"Ding-dong!"
"Ding-dong!"
A mechanical prompt sounded in the minds of the two people who were training non-stop.
...
"The main personnel to be received this time are tentatively set as Pei Hongjing, An Jianyou, and Black Blade."
Of course,
Black Blade was taciturn, and An Jianyou was just a college student and a rich girl. The true leader responsible for hosting, communicating, and engaging in in-depth exchanges and transactions with the Investigation Bureau would still be Pei Hongjing.
Not only these three, but Fang You also selected others from the peripheral members to form this reception team.
"If these individuals perform well, we can use them as a foundation to establish a management department."
"Currently, internally, with Xiao Huan around, tasks are organized, resources are categorized, and personnel are arranged. Everything is orderly, and she can even free up time for other work."
"But Xinhuo will eventually need to interact with external forces and establish branches. This time is just the beginning."
He also looked forward to exchanging with the Investigation Bureau.
Cooperation would be beneficial to both parties. The Investigation Bureau and the Special Operations Team possessed things that Xinhuo did not.
...
The next day,
Early in the morning, several high-end yet low-key official vehicles departed from Shuize City, heading towards the outskirts of the city, to a once-popular upscale resort.
"As expected, Pei Hongjing is a member of Xinhuo. Perhaps the entire Pei Corporation is."
Yesterday, they had contacted An Jianyou, asking her to convey the message on their behalf.
Soon, exciting news arrived: the incredibly mysterious and elusive Xinhuo mentor had agreed to meet them!
The location was not their office in Baijiang City, but the Xinhuo training base outside Shuize City.
"According to the information we've gathered, this training base has also been renovated not long ago. It's certainly not Xinhuo's true headquarters, but it's likely a relatively important base for Xinhuo."
"Arranging it here is a good start," said a man wearing glasses.
He was Huang Hongtian's deputy, an important figure within the Investigation Bureau, and one of the top special investigators.
Xinhuo was an organization that upheld justice in the darkness, silently fighting against the Cthulhu. Its members were warriors to be respected. Considering this, Director Huang had selected almost all awakeners for the accompanying personnel this time, all of whom were frontline special investigators.
This would earn them more favor from Xinhuo and facilitate deeper exchanges.
In the car, Director Huang said, "Since Xinhuo has opened up this training base to us, it's very likely that they'll allow us to tour it."
"The purpose of this visit, besides establishing formal contact with Xinhuo, is primarily for exchange and learning."
"You are all skilled individuals from my Investigation Bureau. If you have the opportunity this time, you must seize it firmly."
As he spoke,
The mountains and buildings, shrouded in a light mist in the distance, appeared in the sight of everyone.
The Xinhuo base was almost here.