Chapter 77: What? You’re Gao Chong?!
The Imperial Capital Investigation Team fulfilled their earlier promise and brought the two to the hospital, while Gao Chong completed the admission procedures—such injuries were truly terrifying.
“You all stay here. I’ll return to the Diamond Forest to conduct a thorough investigation. Perhaps I can find some useful information there,” Si Lintian instructed the investigation team members.
Previously, he had accompanied them to the hospital so as not to alert their enemies. Besides, if a second battle were to break out, he might not be able to protect these young ones.
Now, without anyone accompanying him, Si Lintian arrived at the Diamond Forest in an instant.
“What a precise and intricate forbidden spell,” he murmured in awe. “If you’re still here, why not come out and fight?”
His voice echoed throughout the entire forest. But not a single response came. The Diamond Forest was now devoid of all living creatures—the ice arrows had indeed wrought such devastation. From now on, the forest within the instance would be completely emptied.
“Are they gone?” Si Lintian hovered in midair, exuding an aura of unrivaled power. As a supreme practitioner of the Heaven-Shaking Grand Technique, he was proud and had never feared battle. Thus, he had the confidence to enter the Diamond Forest alone.
...
“Mr. Gao Chong, please rest here for now. If you need anything, just call me,” the nurse in white said gently.
“Go ahead,” Lin Han nodded.
With all of this concluded, he needed to hurry back to Huiyue City today—there was a deal to be made with Manager Liu tomorrow. He couldn’t afford to waste more time here in Yanyun City. Now, all attention would be on Gao Chong and Yaoguang City; even if they investigated thoroughly, no one would trace anything back to him. Everything had unfolded perfectly.
From now on, things would be completely different—this matter was entirely unrelated to Lin Han. With this thought, he took out his portable teleportation array, set his coordinates, and returned to Huiyue City.
...
As night fell, Du Wanting walked along the shadowed street.
Was it really that mysterious expert? Why did he help me from the shadows? If he only wanted to stop that mage, why waste his time on me?
Puzzling over this, she suddenly spotted a familiar figure on the street.
“Gao Chong, are your wounds all healed? I didn’t expect to run into you here,” Du Wanting greeted him warmly.
“You? Who are you?” Gao Chong replied with disdain.
“You don’t know me? I’m Du Wanting! We were just in the instance together today. Weren’t you resting in the hospital? How did you end up out here?” she asked, puzzled.
Gao Chong’s expression turned odd. “I’ve been sleeping at the hotel all day—who met you in the instance? Honestly, anyone can try to claim a connection these days!”
“If you’re infatuated with me, just say so—no need for these old tricks. Tell you what, I’ll give you a chance to have dinner with me!”
“If there’s anything in Yanyun City you want to eat, just tell me. You’re not bad looking, so I’ll give you this opportunity.”
Slap!
Du Wanting struck him across the face. “Gao Chong, you shameless scoundrel! How could you say something like that? I was so blind—I actually thought you were a decent person!”
Gao Chong was momentarily stunned by the blow, covering his face as he shouted, “You crazy woman! You approached me first—how is this my fault?”
“You come up and claim you know me, and now you’re pretending you don’t?” he continued. “Looks like you need a lesson—let me show you what a second-tier rogue can do!”
At that moment, a group of officers quickly surrounded them.
“Stop! No fighting in the city. If you want to settle things, take it to the trial grounds,” an officer said, separating them.
Gao Chong complained, “She hit me first—what did I do? If you’re going to arrest someone, arrest her!”
“As a man, can’t you be a bit more magnanimous?” the officer sighed.
“Magnanimous? Are you all in cahoots with her?” Gao Chong retorted. “Didn’t expect you to resort to group crime. You know impersonating law enforcement is illegal, right? Watch out, I might teach you a lesson myself—this is about keeping the peace!”
“I’m in a foul mood anyway. Running into the likes of you is the perfect chance to work out my fists—let me show you what I’m made of!”
“He’s crazy! This guy is insane!” the officers exclaimed. They immediately closed in and handcuffed Gao Chong, restraining him.
Du Wanting was bewildered. What had happened? How had Gao Chong’s personality changed so drastically in such a short time? He even pretended not to know her! What’s more, his body—which had been covered in wounds—now seemed fully healed.
Feeling the cold steel of the handcuffs, Gao Chong quieted down and quickly said, “Officer, I was just joking. Please let me go. I’m just a student.”
“What were you thinking earlier?”
“It’s too late now,” the officer replied, unmoved. “The police station is just nearby. You need to cool off and get your head on straight—young people these days really don’t know what’s good for them.”
“No, please, sir, I can pay you—just don’t take me in!” Gao Chong immediately backed down.
...
Meanwhile, at the police headquarters, Si Lintian sat to one side and said, “We must strengthen public security throughout Yanyun City. After these two incidents, strict inspection is necessary—no one can be overlooked.”
“That person didn’t use forbidden spells in the city; both times it was inside the instance. So from now on, we must strictly check everyone entering instances and verify all identities,” the police chief said. “If someone that powerful fought inside the city, we wouldn’t be able to handle it.”
“This situation is indeed quite serious,” Si Lintian admitted with a sigh. “If only I’d arrived earlier, maybe I could have stopped the battle before it started.”
“Senior, you’ve already done your best.”
Staring at the ceiling, Si Lintian mused silently:
Yaoguang City... When did a warrior of such strength emerge from there?