Chapter 88: Mind Your Own Business?

"Refuse?" The man chuckled, "I'd like to see how you refuse."

As his words fell, he casually took out a paper talisman from his pocket and waved it towards Chen Ling. The four large characters on the paper immediately glowed brightly—

Edict: Follow

A beam of light shot from the talisman into Chen Ling's body. Chen Ling's body jolted, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move an inch.

What kind of skill from the Book God's Way was this?

Chen Ling's face was extremely grim. Although he couldn't move his body, his speech seemed unrestricted, and he spoke in a cold voice:

"Illegally detaining an enforcer of the Aurora Realm, you are committing a crime."

"Illegal detention? Who saw it?"

Hearing this, the two enforcers behind him immediately turned around, their gazes fixed on the sky above Winter Port, as if completely oblivious to everything happening inside the house.

"Kid, don't be so naive... This world isn't so reasonable." The man glanced at him, then turned and walked out of the house.

Chen Ling felt as if his body was being pulled by strings, following involuntarily. A bone-chilling wind blew into Winter Port from the Frozen Sea, and Chen Ling, dressed only in thin clothing, slowly walked into the snow.

Chen Ling frowned, glancing around with his peripheral vision. The enforcers who had originally surrounded Winter Port, making it impenetrable, had left at some point. Only a few still-busy enforcers remained, and upon seeing this, they instinctively turned their heads away and walked around.

Chen Ling's heart sank... Although he had guessed that the Guild of Stars' influence was immense, he never expected them to openly defy Aurora City's rules and take him directly from Winter Port.

The order and rules of the Aurora Realm were far more chaotic than he had imagined.

Chen Ling followed behind the man like a puppet, his mind racing, trying to find a way out of his predicament. Unfortunately, at this moment, he couldn't even move a single finger.

He followed the man like this, through the bustling streets of Winter Port, to a simple train station platform.

"Two K15 tickets to Aurora City, please."

The man approached the ticket booth and spoke politely.

The ticket agent glanced at him and Chen Ling behind him. "You can buy tickets, but entering the city requires qualification; otherwise, you'll be forcibly sent back... You know that, right?"

"We know."

Seeing the man nod calmly, the ticket agent said no more, handing two tickets to the man.

He led Chen Ling onto the platform to wait for the train. There were other passengers on the platform, but they merely gave the two a casual glance and paid no further attention.

Chen Ling and the man were both in casual clothes. To the others, they were just two ordinary passengers, no different from anyone else.

Chen Ling looked at the surrounding passengers, about to call out something, when the man in front of him slowly said:

"I advise you not to try to call for help... Otherwise, I won't mind killing everyone here."

Chen Ling's eyes narrowed.

He had indeed thought of calling for help just now. After all, he couldn't move his body and could only rely on his voice to find a way out. Since the officials and enforcers were unwilling to oppose the man, it wouldn't be as easy for the man to take him away if there were more witnesses...

Unfortunately, this man's bottom line was horrifyingly low.

"Are all people in Aurora City butchers like you?" Chen Ling asked coldly.

"Of course not," the man calmly replied. "However, if you're going to be someone's dog... you naturally have to be prepared to get your hands dirty."

Clack—clack—clack—

As the two spoke, a steam train rumbled towards them. Accompanied by a screeching deceleration, the steel beast slowly came to a halt in front of them.

"K15 to Aurora City, all aboard!" The conductor's call rang out.

The man brushed dust from his overcoat and walked straight into the carriage. Chen Ling stiffly lifted his leg and followed closely.

This train to Aurora City only ran once a day, as very few people took it... The vast carriage was empty; besides the two of them, there were no other passengers.

The man casually picked a window seat and sat down, taking the latest newspaper from a metal rack and beginning to read.

"Sit," the man said without looking up. "It takes about four hours from here to Aurora City. Cherish your last moments."

At that moment, Chen Ling felt as if two mountains were pressing down on his shoulders, forcing him into the chair opposite the man.

"...I need to use the restroom."

Chen Ling thought for a long time, only managing to come up with this cliché line, common in countless films and TV shows.

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do."

"Do you think I can't control your body to go to the restroom? All I need to do is make you walk there, unbutton your pants, and then..."

"...Never mind, I don't."

Chen Ling abandoned this clumsy escape plan.

The train whistle shrieked, echoing through the sky. The steel beast, previously crouching on the tracks, slowly began to move, and the low clatter of its wheels returned... Chen Ling's heart was filled with intense frustration.

It was almost impossible for him to escape from this Rank 4 individual on his own. He could only wait until they entered Aurora City, then try to find a way for the Twilight Society to rescue him... But how exactly could he do that?

Just as Chen Ling was deep in thought, a gunshot, like a clap of thunder, rang out from outside the carriage!

Bang—!!

Immediately afterward, the drive wheels at the bottom of the train exploded. Chen Ling felt the carriage jolt violently, then tilt to one side.

The newspaper rack next to the man toppled over instantly, a hot teacup shattered on the floor, and the conductor's startled cry sounded from outside the carriage. The entire train screeched to a halt amidst violent shaking!

The man's expression changed. He gripped the fixed table to steady himself and turned to look out the window... Dazzling sparks burst forth on the white snow, and a figure slowly emerged from them.

"Sir!" The conductor from the platform rushed over. "You're..."

"Shut up!"

Bang—!

The carriage door was kicked open!

A cold wind mixed with snowflakes swirled into the carriage. A figure in a black trench coat stepped onto the carriage floor... He held a gun in his right hand, its dark barrel still emitting smoke.

Seeing the familiar face, Chen Ling first froze, then his pupils constricted violently!

"Chen Ling, Enforcer of District Three." The man stood amidst the shattered glass, speaking unhurriedly. "Coming out of the Ancient Martial Arts Repository and not reporting to District Three immediately... Where are you going?"

"Han... Meng?" Chen Ling's eyes were filled with astonishment.

He never expected to encounter Han Meng here... After all, this wasn't Han Meng's jurisdiction, but Winter Port, several hours away from District Three!

The man's brow furrowed tightly. He slowly stood up, facing Han Meng from opposite sides of the carriage, locked in a standoff.

"Where he goes, you probably can't control." The man tilted his head slightly. "Which district's enforcer are you? Do you dare try to snatch someone President Yan wants?"

Han Meng didn't speak, simply raising the smoking barrel of his gun and pointing it at the man's forehead.

"I'm taking my subordinate back... What's it to you?"