Chapter 310: What’s Going On? "It seems that the Captain you recommended this time might be a big shot." Before boarding the plane, Bai Jing stuffed a document into the hands of the hook-nosed man. "A Controller about to advance, eh?" The hook-nosed man had already seen the news on the website and casually folded the document to put it away. "These things?" "Every new Controller that appears is a key resource that the company needs to focus on," Bai Jing said indifferently, "I have had someone gather all the data and combat achievements we can find about Mr. Captain over the years. You might want to take a closer look. However..." At this point, Bai Jing revealed a satisfied smile. "This candidate was recommended very well, nicely done. Our Antarctica mission requires the addition of top-level combat strength." The hook-nosed man sighed. "Let’s see if he survives Electric General first... By the way, has the company contacted Electric General? When is the duel scheduled?" "It will certainly be in the near future. Rest assured, I think if all goes well, he should be in time for our Antarctica mission. After all, gathering supplies and summoning manpower both take time. Make good preparations for your tasks!" As she finished speaking, Bai Jing forcefully poked the hook-nosed man’s shoulder. After speaking, the old lady, who seemed frail, climbed into the transport helicopter. The hook-nosed man quickly stepped back, and minutes later, the helicopter slowly rose into the air and flew away. Standing in the strong wind, the hook-nosed man finally unfolded the document to take a closer look. After a while, his brows furrowed. Emmmm... It looks very ordinary. There’s nothing outstanding or remarkable about his strength. And the Abyss Organization... Compared to combat strength, isn’t this organization best at making money? It’s said that this organization has been keen on making money for many years, setting up many moneymaking proxies around the world, called Gold Diggers. The sky was overcast with dark clouds, and the wind began to gather strength. The sky had already darkened, and soon, flashes of lightning could be seen in the clouds. Fortunately, a private plane, a Gulfstream 4S, had already landed on the runway. After taxiing, the cabin door opened. Chen Nuo held a Gray Cat in his arms and glanced sideways at the old man sitting beside him... Alright, the Son of the Sun still looked like a middle-aged Caucasian. "Alright, old man, we’ve arrived. Time to get off the plane," Chen Nuo sighed. Only then did the Son of the Sun lazily stretch, yawning as he asked offhandedly, "Right, that little commission you mentioned, it’s in Jinling, isn’t it?" "Yes, yes, in Jinling. It can be done locally." "Is the target just a minor character?" "Right, a minor character. You could crush him with one finger." The Son of the Sun frowned. "I was drunk when I agreed to it last night. Now that I think about it, something seems off... If the opponent is so weak, why don’t you do it yourself?" "I’m injured," Chen Nuo answered righteously, "The incident in Brazil left me badly injured. I haven’t fully recovered even now..." "You can’t even handle a minor character?" "Taking action would exacerbate my injuries," Chen Nuo continued to lie brazenly. "Exactly what level is the opponent?" The Son of the Sun suddenly felt something was amiss. Damn it, did I agree too easily to this kid last night? He bought me off for just a few bottles of Romanee-Conti. Chen Nuo deliberately paused. "..." "Tell me the truth, kid, or I’m turning around and leaving right now!" threatened the Son of the Sun. "...Alright," Chen Nuo sighed helplessly, his tone seemingly carrying a hint of worry. "I’ll tell you the truth. You, sir, shouldn’t blame me; I had no choice." "Hmph!" The old man laughed smugly. "Go ahead, let’s hear it." "...In fact, this opponent is quite strong." "If you don’t tell me, I’m leaving right now." "No, no, no!" Chen Nuo looked as if his weak point had been grasped, helplessly spreading his hands. "It’s... a Destroyer." "Hmph!" The Son of the Sun sneered. "I knew it wasn’t going to be that simple. If he were just a minor character, you wouldn’t have needed to ask for me. A Destroyer, huh? What level of Destroyer are we talking about?" "Just an entry-level Destroyer..." "Don’t try to deceive me! Tell the truth, kid!" Chen Nuo looked like a defeated rooster. "Alright, alright, you have a keen eye, sir. It seems I really can’t hide anything from you... It’s a Destroyer who’s almost reached the peak level, just a tiny bit less powerful than someone like Sea Monster." The old man laughed heartily, his gaze laced with sarcasm as he looked at Chen Nuo. "That’s more like it. I knew you, you sly dog. You wouldn’t come to me if it wasn’t for some trouble." On the shuttle bus after getting off the plane, Chen Nuo still didn’t forget to ask the old man, "Son of the Sun, have you been following any news from the Underground World these past couple of days?" The old man waved his hand with an air of indifference. "Why should I care about that when I’m on vacation?" 「Just a few hours earlier, Electric General had posted a message on the Octopus Monster website.」 [I accept the challenge. Please PM me to arrange the time and place. I hope your ability matches your challenging behavior. I won’t hold back!] Well, those were some harsh words. Apparently, Electric General was very displeased with the challenge. So, Chen Nuo immediately used the "Captain" account to send Electric General a private message on the Octopus Monster website: [The sooner the duel, the better. I’m in a rush. How about within three days?] He quickly received a reply from Electric General: [OK. And the place?] Chen Nuo responded immediately: [How about Huaxia? Choose an exact location, and I’ll let you know.] After sending the message, Chen Nuo waited a bit. When there was no reply, he had no choice but to shut down the computer and trick the Son of the Sun into heading to the airport. Twenty years later sure was better, with the convenience of logging into websites directly from a cellphone. Now it’s 2001, and the only way to log into a website is by using a computer to go online, which was too inconvenient. 「Captain awkwardly held chopsticks, eating a plate of stir-fried noodles...」 Captain awkwardly held chopsticks, eating a plate of stir-fried noodles from a disposable takeout container; the noodles had gone cold. There was no other way; in 2001, there wasn’t much of a takeout industry to speak of. For these stir-fried noodles, Captain had to find a nearby noodle shop and promise to pay extra per order before the owner was willing to have a helper deliver them. The room had also been rented by Captain. It was located just across the street from Fang Lin’s residential complex, in a cheap, small hotel room with a window directly facing Fang Lin’s apartment building. To complete the task given by Yama, Captain had to have all three meals in the room. Truth be told, it had been many years since he’d done such a low-level task as "stalking." He had previously been a leader of the Abyss Organization, after all. Now, having to personally take on such a low-level stalking task was initially somewhat novel, but by the second day, he was already getting impatient. However, the fear of Lord Yama in his heart still forced him to continue. He twisted open a bottle of soda, took a couple of gulps, then set down the half-eaten stir-fried noodles and moved closer to the telescope to take a look. Across the way, it seemed like Fang Lin and her mother were about to leave their home. In the living room, the mother and daughter were chatting while changing their shoes. Captain sighed, stood up, put on a jacket, and grabbed a baseball cap to wear. A few minutes later, Fang Lin and her mother left the complex and hailed a taxi. Behind the taxi, on the side of the road, Captain opened an inconspicuous, old Santana that had been parked there for several days, got in, started the car, and slowly followed. The taxi weaved through the streets, heading eastward out of the city, soon leaving the main urban area and going into increasingly remote locations. Captain could only follow. Curiosity stirred in his heart. Why exactly did Lord Yama want him to secretly protect this mother and daughter? Could it be... that young girl was Lord Yama’s sweetheart? It didn’t seem likely. The young girl looked quite ordinary; surely, Lord Yama wouldn’t have such poor taste. A while later, the taxi in front came to a stop. Captain slowly pressed down on the brake, glancing at the roadside and surroundings. He couldn’t help but be puzzled. "What the heck! Where is this place?!" 「The sound of thunder rumbled faintly, but the rain was yet to fall.」 Fang Lin and her mother walked along the pine-tree-lined path, uphill and up the stairs. Fang Lin was clearly dozing off, yawning continuously and looking around. Her mother, however, looked solemn, her hand tightly gripping a large cloth bag. "Section B, Row Sixteen... This is it." Fang Lin’s mother looked at the stone marker beside the road, sighed softly, and led her daughter through the central aisle. They passed several tombstones and finally stopped in front of a marble one. The tombstone looked weathered, with some cracks from years of exposure to sun and wind. Fang Lin’s mother had a complex look in her eyes. She stood in front of the tombstone, gazing silently for two seconds, and then gently caressed it. The name on the tombstone was strikingly: Fang Yuanchao. "Mom, stop zoning out. Let’s hurry up; it’s going to rain soon," Fang Lin urged, glancing up at the sky now and then. Fang Lin’s mother was a woman with neatly combed hair, looking around fifty years old. After hearing her daughter, she sighed deeply. "Lin’er, you only come to visit your dad twice a year. Today is your father’s birthday; please be patient." After pausing, she put down the cloth bag she was carrying, took out several kinds of fruits and arranged them neatly. Then she took out a bottle of good Maotai, a pair of chopsticks, and a wine cup. "Pour a cup of wine for your dad," Fang Lin’s mother said softly. Fang Lin looked like she wanted to say something, but seeing her mother’s eyes reddening, she shut her mouth, took the bottle, twisted it open, and poured a cup. "Here, Dad, Mom and I came to see you. It’s your birthday today, so I wish you... well, ’fortune as vast as the Eastern Sea’ doesn’t seem appropriate. I just wish you’re happy and things go smoothly for you down there. Ah, right, and may your spirit in heaven bless my mom with good health! Emmmm... and also bless me to get rich soon, and to find a super, super handsome boyfriend!" Having said that, she poured the wine onto the ground. Fang Lin’s mother gave her a look. "Such childish talk! What ’get rich soon,’ what ’handsome boyfriend’! Our family doesn’t need you to make a fortune; just try not to cause trouble, and that’ll be enough. As for boyfriends... What’s the use of looks? Reliability is what counts." "Oh, Mom! If he’s not handsome, it’d be hard to even look at him! Of course, he has to be good-looking! He has to be! Dad, you’ve got to look out for me! He should be as handsome as Louis Koo, or as handsome as Nicholas Tse!" Sighing with resignation, Fang Lin’s mother pulled a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes from her pocket, opened it, and handed one to her daughter. "Here, light one for your dad." Fang Lin’s eyes lit up as she took it. She first lit one and took a couple of drags to burn it thoroughly before placing it in front of the tombstone. Then, with a giggle, she took another cigarette from the pack for herself, lit it, and said grinning to her mother, "Don’t glare at me. I’m just sharing a cigarette with Dad." Fang Lin’s mother shook her head, not bothering to chide her daughter any longer. "If you want to smoke, go over there, out of my sight." "Got it!" Fang Lin responded cheerily, cigarette in her mouth, as she walked to a spot not too far away. Fang Lin’s mother sighed, her gaze falling back on the tombstone. "Old Fang... you see, your daughter is doing well; she’s grown up. "All by myself, with no one to lean on, I’ve raised your daughter and tended to your mother until her dying days. My own leg got crippled, and now it aches whenever it rains. "Your daughter, although she has some bad habits, is generally headed in the right direction and hasn’t lost any limbs. She’s a bit stubborn and doesn’t love studying... But you were quite the wild child yourself back in the day, and she takes after you in that regard. "As for me... I’ve done right by your Fang family." Pausing, the woman took a deep breath and gently caressed the tombstone with her fingers. Her voice dropped even lower. "I... since I never saw your body, I’ve always harbored a sliver of hope. "I always felt that maybe, just maybe, you weren’t actually dead but were trapped somewhere because of some circumstance. "But so many years have passed... that hope of mine has slowly, slowly faded until even I can’t convince myself to believe it anymore. "If you are dead... if only you’d come to me in a dream, ah... "I mean, just in case... if you’re still alive, you better hurry back to see your daughter. As for me... "I’ve done right by your Fang family, but I fear I don’t have much time left to watch over your daughter." As she spoke, the woman leaned in close to the tombstone and whispered softly. "It seems I’ll be joining you soon. "Last week’s medical test results weren’t good... Mhm, lung cancer, already in the late stages. "I haven’t told our daughter; I don’t want her to worry... "Ah, forget it, never mind. "If I have any complaints, I’ll wait until I’m dead. Once I’m down there, I’ll confront you with my grievances..." "Mom!" Fang Lin called out from a distance. "Hurry up! It’s about to rain!" The woman waved to her daughter and then heaved a sigh, chuckling bitterly. "Old Fang... don’t blame your daughter for not feeling close to you. You left us when she had just been born, so little she has no recollection of you at all. It’s just one of those things that couldn’t be helped..." After finishing her words, the woman gently touched the tombstone, then pulled out a handkerchief from her bosom to wipe the dust away. She collected the wine bottle, bowls, chopsticks, and fruit offerings into her cloth bag and slowly made her way toward her daughter. 「The Captain stood behind a pine tree, watching the mother and daughter after they had finished their tribute.」 He observed them with curiosity as they left the grave and slowly walked towards the cemetery’s gate... At that time, the cemetery was empty. It was neither Qingming Festival nor the Ghost Festival, and with no holidays, there were no other visitors. In the vast cemetery, it appeared there were only the two of them. The Captain followed them to the entrance of the cemetery and suddenly felt something was amiss! Outside the cemetery, as they passed the parking lot, the taxi that the mother and daughter had arrived in had already driven off. And in the parking lot, two black Mercedes-Benz vans slowly pulled up, blocking the path of the mother and daughter. The vast parking lot was empty, yet those two vans were heading straight for them! Several men with Asian faces quickly jumped out of the vans, blocking their way. The Captain hesitated for a moment, not immediately stepping forward. He remembered that Lord Yama had instructed him: If anything happened, don’t act rashly; call him. Watching as the mother and daughter let out a few cries of alarm, they were forcibly pushed into one of the vans. Fang Lin seemed to curse a couple of times but was abruptly grabbed by the shoulder and rudely shoved into the vehicle. The Captain’s phone was already dialing the number, but the call was not going through. After a moment’s hesitation, the Captain quickly rushed forward! Suddenly, two curtains of water appeared in the air, forcefully repelling the man who had pushed Fang Lin! Then, a large number of water droplets condensed out of thin air, forming several water globes. Before the assailants could react, their heads were encased, as though each had a bag of water pulled over their face, making it hard for them to breathe. They struggled in vain to remove the water globes, staggering and falling back. The Captain had already leaped in front of the van. Seeing the driver about to close the door, he laughed coldly, snapped his fingers, and BANG! Four water arrows appeared and instantly punctured all four tires of the vehicle! HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS... He slapped the windshield, and a fist seemingly condensed from water materialized inside the van, striking the driver’s chest and knocking him unconscious. Captain sneered as he pulled the mother and daughter out of the van, one in each hand. Before they could scream, he pulled them behind him. "Don’t yell! Someone asked me to protect you!" The mother and daughter were completely stunned, their eyes wide and mouths agape, as if they had no idea what was happening. "Move back. Don’t run. I’ll protect you." Captain had just finished speaking when his expression suddenly changed! The water globes encasing the faces of the men on the ground, whom he had subdued with his Water Element abilities, were suddenly drawn off, floated into mid-air, and then dissipated into mist! Captain frowned. "Eh? An Ability User?" From the other van, several men jumped out, each holding a gun aimed at Captain. With a contemptuous sneer, Captain flicked his fingers, and a curtain of water appeared before him. "Alright, put your guns down. It’s very disrespectful to draw weapons against an Ability User." A voice came, sonorous and metallic in timbre, deep and commanding. From the van, a middle-aged man in a black coat alighted. He was of medium build and slim. What stood out immediately were the bright red, totem-like tattoos that covered part of his head, stretching from beneath his chin down to halfway across his neck. The tattoos spread like branches with an indescribable, eerie beauty. With a single sentence from the man, his subordinates put away their guns and quietly backed off. Even the men on the ground who had just broken free from the water restraints and were gasping for air obediently moved behind him. The man took a few steps forward, standing outside the water curtain, seemingly smiling as he looked at Captain and lightly raised his eyebrows. Captain huffed. "You too, right?" "Indeed, I am." The man’s tone was casual. "So, as per the rules, let’s exchange identities, shall we? Who are you?" Captain answered confidently, with a cold laugh, "The Abyss’s Captain!" His subordinates: "..." Captain eerily noticed that the other man’s gaze suddenly turned extremely odd! Hmm? What’s with that look? It’s like... like being caught red-handed by someone? That’s not right! Aren’t they afraid? I am Captain, after all! The notorious Destroyer! Finally, after a few seconds. "You... are the Captain?" the man’s tone turned even stranger. The man took a deep breath. "You... are in such a hurry? You chased me all the way here?" "How did you find me? Hm... right, you must be quite powerful. To track me down is not too surprising." "So, are you that eager for this duel?" The man took another deep breath, and his gaze suddenly became serious. He looked at his subordinates, furrowing his brows. "Step back." The subordinates took a few more steps back. The man watched Captain closely, pondering. "Does it have to be here? Right now? If... I asked you to wait one day, would that be okay? I have some personal matters to handle today." No! Why is everything he’s saying sounding more and more wrong? Brother, I can’t understand a word you’re saying! "..." Seeing Captain not responding, a sharpness appeared in the man’s eyes. "Hmm? Not willing?" Captain: (Willing what? Not willing what??) The man’s face showed a growing gravity. "Well... if you insist, then fine!" With that, the man took a deep breath. "Everyone, leave." "BOSS?" one subordinate asked. "This is a duel of honor between us." The man slowly shook his head. "You all leave here first." The subordinates exchanged glances, and then, without a word, all got into their vehicles and sped away! Even the van with punctured tires was driven off forcefully, grinding on its rims! The rıghtful source is 𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚕·𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚎·𝚗𝚎𝚝 The man glanced at Fang Lin and her mother behind Captain, furrowing his brows. "What about them?" "Ah?" Captain felt even more that something was amiss. "Them?" "If we start fighting, these ordinary people won’t be able to withstand it. And... these two are very important to me. How about we let them leave first?" "I have already agreed to your terms. So there’s no need to use them as hostages to threaten me now," the man said coldly. "The Abyss’s Captain, surely you don’t conduct yourself so poorly?" Wait, hold on... Can someone tell me what on earth is going on??? "I, Electric General, never go back on my word. Let them leave first." Electric General... Huh???!!!! Suddenly, Captain’s face froze! Electric General? The... Controller? The top boss??!! Just as Captain’s legs turned to jelly, Electric General spoke again. "Captain, I formally accept your challenge to ascend to godhood through proof of power! Today! Right here!" As he spoke, thunder rumbled in the sky above, and a bolt of bright lightning shone down! Electric General was already floating gently. "Let’s go. This is a graveyard; let’s find a more spacious place to do this!" Fight? Ascend to godhood? Challenge? Me?? Challenge a Controller?? Captain’s mindset shattered completely!! Can someone please tell me what the hell is happening? I’ve still got a plate of stir-fried noodles back home!!! At that moment... Captain’s phone in his pocket rang. Chen Nuo frowned, put down his phone, shook his head, then rapidly pulled the Son of the Sun into a sedan sent by Li Qingshan to pick them up from the airport. The car sped along the airport expressway towards the city center. At this moment, Chen Nuo’s phone suddenly rang. He glanced at it. He pressed answer, and Chen Nuo said with a smile, "What’s up? Was the reception bad just now, you..." He hadn’t finished speaking when he heard Captain’s weak voice coming through the phone. "Boss... save... me..." Chen Nuo immediately sat upright. Then, another voice came through the phone. Cold, with a sonorous metallic timbre, deep and authoritative. "Who are you? Are you this clown’s accomplice? This charade of a challenge you’ve staged, are you mocking me?" He’s speaking English? This voice... familiar, I recognize it. "Sir..." Chen Nuo took a deep breath and responded in an equally cold voice. "Are you with them? Using such a farce to defy a Controller’s authority? Hmph!" Electric General’s tone was filled with cruelty and scorn. Damn it... how did Captain get captured so quickly? Huh? That’s not right! This guy must have gone after Fang Lin and her daughter! "Speak. Who are you?" Electric General said coldly. "You dare to play such mocking tricks on me? With such audacity, surely you’re not afraid to reveal your name." Chen Nuo’s eyes darted. Suddenly, he burst into laughter. "The Cultivator Association’s Wizard!" Chen Nuo said coldly, "Care to meet in person?" Electric General was silent for a few seconds, then he seemed somewhat cowed but roared in anger, "Wizard! You bastard, to trick me ! As a fellow Controller, how dare you look down on me so much!" Chen Nuo pursed his lips. "Just tell me if you dare to meet or not!" "...Afraid of you? Come! Am I, Electric General, afraid of you, Wizard?!" Electric General retorted, though his voice lacked some conviction. "Enough empty talk. Give me the address. I’m coming to see you right now. Don’t you dare run!" Chen Nuo pressed. Electric General was silent again. He was clearly a bit intimidated, but with anger clouding his judgment, he seemed unwilling to show weakness. Gritting his teeth, he spat out an address. After hanging up, Chen Nuo turned his head to see the Son of the Sun staring at him with a grim face. "You little rascal! What exactly did you deceive me about!!!!" Emmmmmm... hold on, old guy, I’m making it up as I go... Chen Nuo took a deep breath. "Alright, old guy, I’ll tell you the truth. I need to deal with that Electric General." "Then I’m out!" The Son of the Sun, true to his title of "the most cowardly Controller," immediately began to protest. "I agreed to this to earn a little extra on the side while on vacation! You tricked me into helping you fight a Controller?! Why don’t you go fight him yourself!!" "Old man! Don’t panic!" Chen Nuo grabbed the Son of the Sun’s clothes, saying confidently, "It’s just Electric General! I know he’s a Controller. Just one Controller. But there are three of us!" "Yeah, three! You, plus me..." "Didn’t you say you were seriously injured..." "I was fooling you. I can battle you for three hundred rounds right now, believe it or not?" "...Who’s the third?" The Son of the Sun’s eyes finally lit up. "The Star Sky Empress is joining in?" "But that’s not right! You, along with the Star Sky Empress, are more than enough to take down Electric General. Why trick me into coming?" "After all, he’s a Controller. If he’s determined to flee, we might not be able to stop him. With you, the three of us, he can’t escape." Chen Nuo pressed on, "Old man! Think about it! What kind of lineup is that when the three of us team up? We could even take down a Seed! We’ll wipe the floor with Electric General." "You’re not really lying to me this time, are you?" "The Star Sky Empress, she...?" "She’s my wife. Of course, I’m sure she’ll be there!" Chen Nuo said seriously. "But when we fight, you can’t hold back. We have to grind that Electric General into the ground!" "...Alright!" The Son of the Sun was reassured. This was the reunion of the three giants who could take down a Seed. If they could take down a Seed, what was one Electric General? 「Not far from the graveyard, in a wilderness area.」 The brief battle had caused no significant environmental destruction. In fact, the fight between the Controller and the Destroyer was an absolute rout; Captain had been subdued without any chance of retaliation. Electric General, with a gloomy face, gently crushed his phone and tossed it onto the ground. He glanced at the barely alive, completely charred Captain but didn’t finish him off. After all, he’s Wizard’s dog... no need to kill him. But why did that bastard Wizard set up such a scheme to humiliate me? I’ve never bothered him... As he was thinking, suddenly, Electric General’s body jolted!! He turned his head... Across the wilderness, a small figure slowly walked over. At first glance, it seemed to be a hundred meters away; on the second look, only fifty meters; on the third glance, less than ten meters! It wasn’t a high-speed approach but rather... As if the figure was leaping by stepping on the nodes of space. With each step, it seemed to effortlessly break through the boundaries of space. And yet, what was eerie was that Electric General couldn’t sense any energy fluctuations from the figure! Curly hair, small stature, eyes shiny black and gleaming...