Chapter 1280: A Little Pain Is Normal

At a train gate within the South Sea Territory.

Beyond the gate, which glowed with a silvery light, stood an arched steel wall, where a few scattered figures stood on its top, idly yawning.

Unlike other territories, the South Sea Territory is unique. Everything here is enveloped by a steel dome, and apart from a few main gates for territory train access, there are no other entry or exit points. Consequently, border defense duties in the South Sea Territory are the most relaxed compared to other regions.

The only task for the personnel here is to regularly peer through a horizontal slit in the steel dome, checking for any activity on the sea.

“No wonder everyone calls border defense a cushy job; these shifts are incredibly laid-back… We just play cards all day, and our income is the same as the police officers in the city. Man, this is great,” said an officer on the wall, his uniform buttons undone, as he played cards and chuckled.

“That’s why you need connections to get assigned here… How else would ordinary people qualify for this?”

“Exactly! Everyone here got in through connections, so speak boldly! Hahahahaha!”

“Isn’t that Heart 6 in the city doing pre-announced attacks now? It must be exhausting for them.”

“We’re so lucky… All we have to do is check the situation on the sea, but honestly, what could possibly happen out there?”

“Exactly. There are only a few tracks; it’s not like someone could walk along them all the way to the territory gate, right? The worst-case scenario would be a calamity attack, but even world-ending calamities wouldn’t dare provoke the South Sea Territory, which has two demigods overseeing it, would they?”

“Ah, why worry so much? Play your cards, play your cards.”

As they spoke, the radio on a nearby table crackled to life again.

The card players immediately fell silent, preparing to hear what the terrorist had to say… Since they weren't busy, it was quite interesting to listen to what was happening outside.

“This time, I will simultaneously launch terrorist attacks on three locations… Namely, the South Sea Agricultural Base, the Deep Blue Machinery Plant, and Peony Residential Area.”

At this announcement, the few officers froze.

Attacks on three places at once?

“Wait… isn’t that Deep Blue Machinery Plant right near us?”

“I think so. All three locations are quite remote this time… Chen Ling is only one person, so there should only be one actual terrorist attack among these three locations, right?”

“Even if that’s true, we can’t gamble on it, can we? People will have to be dispatched to all three places… Tsk, this Chen Ling is really cunning.”

They had just played a few more cards when a middle-aged man in uniform rushed over!

“Still playing cards?? Button up your uniforms now!!”

“Captain?”

The officers looked bewildered, but they dutifully buttoned up their uniforms. Even though their attire now looked neat, there was still an air of sloppiness about them.

“What’s wrong, Captain?”

“The police department is short-staffed and needs to transfer some of our people to the Deep Blue Machinery Plant to evacuate residents.” The captain scanned the group and pointed, “Old Zhang, Xiao Li, A-Hu… the three of you come with me. Old Huang, keep an eye on things outside, and don’t slack off, understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

Partially bald Old Huang straightened his back and responded with a strong voice, then somewhat gleefully watched his colleagues who had been chosen to leave, relieved that he had escaped.

His colleagues cast envious glances at him, and then hurried away with the captain. Moments later, Old Huang was the only one left at the gate.

Old Huang unhurriedly packed up the card table, first stretching and taking a sip of hot water, before calmly walking over to the observation telescope and peering into it…

A gray sky, a turbulent sea, unchanging railway tracks, and…

Old Huang suddenly narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the end of the tracks. He wondered if it was just his imagination, but many tiny black dots, arranged in a line, were slowly approaching along the tracks…

No,

it wasn't his imagination!

Old Huang abruptly stepped back half a pace, about to run and pull the alarm, but the next moment, his back felt as if it had hit a wall, and he stumbled, nearly falling to the ground.

Old Huang looked up in astonishment, to see a figure wearing a woolen overcoat and a blue scarf, standing eerily on the otherwise deserted wall, gazing at him with a smile…

A skull-crushing hammer gently slid into his pale hand.

“Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid…” Chu Muyun walked towards him step by step, a devilish smile curving his lips.

“It will hurt a little… that’s normal.”

The hammer in his hand was raised high.

Bang—!!

“Well? Have you locked onto Heart 6’s location?” the Patriarch asked in a deep voice.

“Our juniors on the divination path are still working on it… But we’ve already ruled out many places. At this rate, in half an hour at most, we’ll be able to…”

“Half an hour is too long.” The Patriarch immediately shook his head. “Look, he dares to announce three locations at once to mislead us, which means what he intends to do is almost complete. If we delay any longer, finding him will be meaningless.”

“Then…”

“Is there still no movement from Lord Nanhai?”

“No, our people have tried to contact Lord Nanhai many times, but he simply refuses to see anyone.”

“Doesn’t he have a decent oracle by his side?”

“Patriarch, Chen Ling is a Calamity Mock! That oracle wouldn’t dare divine anything related to Chen Ling, otherwise…”

The Patriarch snorted coldly. “When it matters most, none of them are reliable!”

“Patriarch!!”

Just then, a hurried voice came from a distance.

“Patriarch, we’ve found traces of Heart 6!”

Upon hearing this, the Patriarch showed no joy, but calmly countered with a question:

“Where? How was it discovered? Is it him in person?”

“It’s news from the Kite Rescue Society. They reported that a red shadow, taking advantage of the chaos outside, headed towards the Ancient Medical Repository!”

The Patriarch’s gaze hardened.

The Ancient Medical Repository?

Could Chen Ling’s target be the Ancient Medical Repository?

The South Sea Territory has two ancient repositories in total. The Ancient Script Repository is overseen by the Ancestor, while the Ancient Medical Repository has no demigods. If Chen Ling infiltrated the South Sea Territory, it would make sense for his goal to be the Ancient Medical Repository…

But…

“Patriarch, what should we do??”

The Patriarch beckoned, signaling the young man to come closer, then whispered something to him, and the young man immediately nodded.

“Understood.”

“Who… am I?”

Rumble—

Amidst roaring thunder and lightning, Pu Jianyue, draped in a tattered crimson opera robe, looked around in confusion.

He didn’t know where he was or what he was doing. An inexplicable sharp pain emanated from his abdomen, as if something had been forcibly inserted into him. Only fragmented memories remained in his mind at this moment. Through a difficult recollection, he seemed to recall his identity…

“Am I… Heart 6?” he asked, uncertainly.