"Kill Xuan Qi?"
The three words alone rendered Kuri stunned.
After a long while, he finally spoke, "My Lord, if I'm not mistaken, you came with Xuan Qi, didn't you? Didn't you have a chance to act on the way?"
"If I had the chance, would I still leave him until now?"
Badak retorted coldly, wasn't that a silly question!
He had wanted to get rid of Xuan Qi, but Zi Long had been by Xuan Qi's side all along. Zi Long was a Earth-tier expert. Even if he killed Xuan Qi, he would surely be killed by Zi Long.
Risking his own life was definitely not worth it, so he had to find another opportunity.
Uh...
Kuri paused slightly and said again, "My Lord, I still don't understand. Xuan Qi is just a Profound-tier executive. Is it worth the risk for you?"
Although Kuri had been lurking in the ruins for a long time and didn't know much about what was happening outside, he also knew Badak's status. He was a Purple-robed Cardinal, second only to Nancy, and had a great chance of becoming a Red-robed Cardinal in the future.
With such a status, venturing into a tiger's den for a Profound-tier executive seemed like a bad deal to him.
"It's not your fault that you don't know what's happening outside."
"Xuan Qi is no ordinary Profound-tier executive. He might very well become the next Earth-tier executive of the Dark Association!"
"So, before he grows up, he must be eliminated in the cradle..."
Badak glanced at Kuri deeply and said slowly.
In this operation where the Dark Association attacked the Rattlesnake Mercenary Group, although Xuan Qi ultimately failed, and even risked his troops being surrounded and annihilated, he had to admit that Xuan Qi was quite outstanding in this operation. Even the genius Gui Wu from the Ninja Division was no match for him, which showed Xuan Qi's strength.
Coupled with the Dark Association's exaggerated deification of him, in the eyes of the Temple of Light, it was using Xuan Qi to build momentum for themselves, expand their influence and status in the ruins, and thus recruit heroes from all over the world.
For this reason alone, the Temple of Light would not allow Xuan Qi to live on.
The Temple of Light had already anticipated that after deifying Xuan Qi, the Dark Association would definitely bring him back to headquarters for protection, which was why they sent people directly here.
Hearing this, Kuri bowed slightly and said, "Thank you, my Lord, for clearing my doubts. Your subordinate understands and will do his best to assist you in completing the mission as soon as possible."
"Yes, that would be excellent."
"Go and gather your men. Move them to Ghost City and have them settle down first, ready to receive my orders at any time."
"Also, contact other factions. It's too boring to act alone."
Badak waved his hand, and Kuri immediately responded and then left the room.
...
Ghost City.
After a rapid journey, Zi Long and Ye Cangtian had arrived at Ghost City.
Compared to other cities, Ghost City was larger and also more sinister, as if the air itself was laced with a chilling aura.
This was the largest city in the ruins and the headquarters of the Dark Association.
The two went directly to the central area of Ghost City.
This was an area of buildings. Although the surrounding environment was somewhat sinister, these buildings appeared extremely imposing.
"Greetings, Lord Zi Long!"
The two guards, upon seeing Zi Long arrive, quickly stepped forward to greet him respectfully.
Zi Long nodded in response, then led Ye Cangtian into the headquarters.
"Haha, isn't this my old friend Zi Long?"
"You're back from outside!"
As soon as they entered the headquarters, a voice called out.
Ye Cangtian was taken aback for a moment and looked over. It was a man with fiery red hair. To his surprise, the man was wearing a golden mask.
He was also an Earth-tier expert.
Ye Cangtian instinctively looked at Zi Long, intending to wait for Zi Long to introduce them. However, coincidentally, he saw a flicker of apprehension in Zi Long's eyes.
"So, it's my junior brother Hong Mo! Long time no see!"
"Let me introduce you. This is Xuan Qi, a very promising talent."
Zi Long paused slightly, then quickly stepped forward and introduced Xuan Qi.
"So, this is Xuan Qi!"
"Not bad, very good. Brother Zi Long's judgment is as sharp as ever!"
Hong Mo sized up Ye Cangtian from head to toe, nodding repeatedly.
The headquarters knew almost everything about Xuan Qi through Zi Long's messages.
Upon a closer look, Xuan Qi had reached the peak of the Profound-tier cultivation, which was indeed a promising talent.
"Greetings, Lord Hong Mo."
Through their conversation, Ye Cangtian confirmed Hong Mo's identity and quickly stepped forward to speak respectfully.
At this moment, he felt a little awestruck. A few glances from the other person earlier made him feel as if he had been seen through.
He knew that this feeling had not occurred for a long time.
The reappearance of this feeling could only mean one thing: the other party's strength was incredibly terrifying, possibly far surpassing Zi Long.
"There's no need for such formalities. Work hard in the future and strive to break through to the Earth-tier as soon as possible."
Hong Mo nodded, then turned to Zi Long and said, "Lord Xing Yuan and the others are waiting in the main hall. Take him in, I'm going for a stroll."
"Alright."
Zi Long agreed without asking further questions.
After the other party left, Zi Long whispered to Ye Cangtian, "Don't be fooled by his appearance. He is a ruthless man, and his cultivation ranks first among all Earth-tier executives..."
Just by introducing Hong Mo, Zi Long's eyes showed unconcealed apprehension.
Hong Mo was not only exceptionally skilled but also known for his brutality and ruthlessness.
Those who offended him, whether from other factions or from within the Dark Association, met with extremely tragic fates.
Because of this, Zi Long repeatedly warned Ye Cangtian never to provoke Hong Mo, otherwise, even he would be powerless.
Damn it! He's a ruthless guy!
Listening to Zi Long's warning, Ye Cangtian nodded repeatedly, his mind racing.
Given Hong Mo's ruthlessness and his position as an Earth-tier executive, it was likely not just about his strength.
As they spoke, Zi Long had brought Ye Cangtian to the entrance of the main hall. He tidied his clothes before stepping into the hall.
The decoration inside the main hall was like that of a palace, exuding grandeur and luxury.
A man sat in the center. He was well-built and wore a purple-gold mask. Although his aura was restrained, a single glance made Ye Cangtian's heart palpitate.
That feeling was unprecedented; even Hong Mo hadn't put him under such pressure before.
Besides the man with the purple-gold mask, there were three men and one woman sitting on both sides. They all wore golden masks and were all Earth-tier experts.
However, there was an old acquaintance among them, Qing Dao. He probably hadn't left yet after returning Shangguan Yanran.
My goodness! This lineup...
Ye Cangtian forced a wry smile. He was only a Profound-tier cultivator. Was such a grand display necessary for his first visit?
It felt less like being honored and more like a show of dominance.
With so many experts before him, he truly felt flustered and trembling with fear.