Chapter 456: 滑稽

Chen Ling slowly stood up and walked out of the dining room.

He reached the corridor and looked out into the manor through the glass-like European-style windows. Thick plumes of smoke were rising from various locations. Besides the kitchen and warehouse, which were major damage zones, many lawns and rooms that had been strafed by gunfire were also ablaze.

Just minutes ago, Zong Wen's private residence had been a picture of luxury and elegance; now, it resembled a war-torn wasteland, scarred and desolate.

"Is this the true power of Hearts 9..." Chen Ling mused inwardly.

As an elder from the Twilight Society, starting with a '9', he had single-handedly overcome the entire defense of the Metropolis Consortium. Not only did he steal the painting, but he also fought his way out and escaped, seemingly without much injury.

Chen Ling guessed that Hearts 9's rank must be above Fifth Tier, possibly even Sixth Tier. Such a powerful and reckless madman was truly a nightmare for the human realm. Chen Ling now understood how the outside world's evaluation of the Twilight Society had come about.

"You didn't catch him?! What good are you all?!"

Inside the devastated manor, Zong Wen was furious, his head practically exploding. He pointed at the bodyguards, cursing them out and ordering them to continue the pursuit.

Among these bodyguards, there were indeed high-ranking individuals; Chen Ling even detected auras of Fifth and Sixth Tier. However, encountering Hearts 9, who was also Sixth Tier and incredibly insane, they simply didn't dare risk their lives by fighting him with full force.

Ultimately, with their ranks, these individuals would likely be leaving the Metropolis Consortium within a couple of years to enjoy broader lives. Naturally, they wouldn't sacrifice their lives for a small sum of money. If the opponent wanted to run, they'd let him. At worst, they'd get a scolding from Zong Wen, which wouldn't hurt them.

"Strange... The people from Fleeting Life didn't intervene?"

Chen Ling was thoughtful. He hadn't expected the Metropolis Consortium to stop Hearts 9 in the first place, as bodyguards were just bodyguards and couldn't compare to the legitimate enforcers of the Aurora Domain. His only concern had been Fleeting Life... but it now seemed no one had gone after Hearts 9.

In any case, the painting was now in his possession. After pausing for a moment in the corridor, Chen Ling slowly made his way out.

"Envoy, sir, are you...?"

Seeing the Envoy suddenly about to leave, the three bodyguards immediately panicked. After all, Zong Wen's instruction was to look after the Envoy and ensure he stayed. They promptly gathered around, intending to persuade him.

"Get out."

Chen Ling didn't even glance at them, speaking coldly.

At that single word, the three bodyguards dared not speak further. Angering an Eighth-Tier Envoy would bring them no good. They stood silently, watching helplessly as the black trench coat disappeared down the corridor.

Chen Ling thus left the private residence, walking straight towards the main gate along the manor roads shrouded in thick smoke.

A light breeze swept across the surface of the golden mask. In the distance, cries of alarm and frantic shouts of firefighters rose and fell.

Bodyguards along the way, as well as gardeners and maids frantically fighting the fires, paused slightly as they saw the black-clad figure walking towards the gate, seemingly treading on air. They then respectfully bowed, standing as still as statues.

Just as Chen Ling was about to reach the manor gates, Zong Wen's anxious voice called from behind: "Envoy, sir! Envoy, please wait! This incident was truly an accident, if you could just stay a little longer, I..."

Zong Wen, accompanied by two bodyguards, rushed over, sweating profusely. Liu Qingyan quietly followed behind him. Chairman Zong, who had previously been so relaxed and nonchalant in his worldly affairs, now looked utterly disheveled.

"No need," Chen Ling interrupted him. "It seems I've come at an inconvenient time today... Perhaps we'll meet again another time."

With those words, Chen Ling continued walking forward. His steps seemed to float on air, as if treading on clouds, effortlessly carrying him out of the Metropolis Consortium's premises.

"No... Envoy, sir, Envoy!"

"This is all old villain Mu Chunsheng's scheme! He wants to bring down our Metropolis Consortium, so he's trying to sow discord between us..."

"Envoy, sir, please stay! Give me another chance, I still have many top-tier 'collectibles'..."

"Liu Qingyan! Liu Qingyan is still here! It would be good for her to keep you company a bit longer..."

Zong Wen grew desperate. Yesterday, the Big Dipper Consortium's interaction with the Envoy had been very smooth, but today, at his own residence, things had turned out this way. Putting everything else aside, if this incident were exposed by the media, the Metropolis Consortium's reputation would be ruined. And undoubtedly, the Big Dipper Consortium would seize upon this to their advantage!

The Envoy's departure was tantamount to a slap in the face for the entire Metropolis Consortium, directly placing them at an absolute disadvantage in the ongoing conflict between Metropolis and Big Dipper. Yet, Zong Wen was utterly helpless!

Chen Ling seemed not to hear his cries. As he watched the figure completely vanish at the horizon, Zong Wen's face turned ashen.

Meanwhile.

On the rooftop of a certain building, the short Jester seemed to sense something, his gaze turning towards the direction Chen Ling had departed.

"Hee-hee-hee-hee!!""Hee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee!!""Hee-hee-hee-hee..."

Beside him, two bodyguards continued to laugh hysterically. In the flickering, overcast sky above, faint laughter, accompanied by dancing lightning, grew increasingly clear and comical.

They were like actors forcibly dragged into a performance, uncontrollably burning their lives away to display their ridiculous side.

But the sole audience member was now bored with it all. The Jester stared intently in the direction Chen Ling had left, then, with a casual wave, the two bodyguards collapsed to the ground with a thud.

At the same time, a figure plummeted straight down from the empty sky, splashing headfirst into a gushing fountain.

As the white ash vanished from the faces of the three individuals, the comical laughter, like an invisible living entity, transferred from their bodies to the Jester.

The Jester's originally deep and solemn face suddenly transformed into a guileless, comical grin. Then, he burst into boisterous laughter at the fallen figures:"Hee-hee-hee-hee!!"

He hopped and clapped for the three, seemingly finding their performance hilarious. Meanwhile, the three individuals were barely clinging to life.

The Jester's beady eyes blinked a few times, then he looked again in the direction Chen Ling had left. With a whoosh, he leaped into the air, like a weightless little kite, soaring directly after him!

"Hee-yah hee-yah!"