Chapter 928: Leaving

Chen Ling's pupils contracted slightly.

The Silver King's art of thievery was beyond Chen Ling's comprehension. Even with their hearts removed from their bodies, they remained active, though their beats grew increasingly faint. If the hearts could be returned to Jian Changsheng and the others before they completely died, there would still be a chance for everything to turn around. Chen Ling had no heart and didn't need one, so the Silver King's "gift" was, in fact, the lives of Bai Ye, Jian Changsheng, Sun Bumian, and Jiang Xiaohua.

Join the Torch Bearers, and he would return their hearts; if he refused...

"Are you threatening me?"

"Of course not. As I said, this is a 'gift'," the Silver King chuckled. "Bai Ye is a traitor to the Torch Bearers, so killing him is perfectly justifiable. As for those other youngsters who tried to stand up for him, I merely acted in self-defense. I know Bai Ye is currently your colleague. If Mr. Chen would do me the honor of joining the Torch Bearers, I can grant their lives to you. After all, the life or death of a mere traitor is insignificant compared to Mr. Chen's importance."

The reflections of the three hearts, along with the Silver King's sincere smile, were clearly visible in Chen Ling's eyes. His hands instinctively clenched into fists.

Chen Ling knew very well that the Silver King had never given him a choice. He had no option from the very beginning. Even if he sacrificed the lives of Jian Changsheng and the others and refused the Silver King, the latter could still take them away using the power of the Stolen God's Path. Furthermore, Chen Ling's current Audience Expectation Value was already 72, meaning he couldn't unleash Mocking Calamity even if he committed suicide.

All the Silver King wanted was for Chen Ling to voluntarily leave the Twilight Society. "Didn't your Twilight Society turn the Thieving Saint Bai Ye against us? Then I'll have your Heart of Six leave voluntarily. This way, the Torch Bearers and the Twilight Society will be even. And since he leaves of his own accord, even the Red King and Grey King won't have a valid reason to start a conflict." Despite the Silver King addressing him as "Mr. Chen" repeatedly, Chen Ling knew perfectly well that he was nothing more than a tool in the Silver King's eyes—a tool to unleash Mocking Calamity, and a tool to counterbalance the Twilight Society.

"My sincerity is laid bare... What do you think, Mr. Chen?" The Silver King's voice remained patient, but the three hearts in his palm had nearly ceased beating.

Not far away, Ying Fu calmly watched the scene, covering Ah Qian's eyes with his hand, awaiting Chen Ling's decision.

"Chen... Ling..." A faint whisper emerged. Bai Ye lay on the ground, still retaining consciousness and rationality despite having his heart removed. Unable to move his body, he could only watch with one eye, his gaze filled with gruesome bloodshot veins.

"...That is... the Abyss..."

The large red opera robe silently fluttered in the wind. Chen Ling's gaze swept over Bai Ye, Jian Changsheng, Sun Bumian, and Jiang Xiaohua one by one, finally settling on the void before him... A line of "Audience Expectation Value" flickered there.

"I'll join," Chen Ling's voice calmly stated. "...I will join the Torch Bearers."

Audience Expectation Value: 4Current Expectation Value: 76

Upon hearing his answer, the smile on the Silver King's lips became even more natural and sincere. With a casual wave of his hand, the three hearts vanished into thin air. Simultaneously, Bai Ye and the others groaned, a trace of color returning to their pale faces... Even Jiang Xiaohua, who had been dismembered just moments ago, pieced himself back together limb by limb, lying motionless where he was.

*Clink—*

"Welcome, Mr. Chen." The Silver King raised his hand, gently clinking his glass against the red wine Chen Ling held tightly in his palm, producing a soft *clink*. Smiling, he drained his wine and turned to walk away. His English trench coat swayed lightly like an uncrowned king's robe, and his calm voice, carried by the howling wind, swept across the dark ground.

"Everyone's here. Let's go... back to our 'Wuji'."

Ying Fu wasn't surprised by Chen Ling's choice. After a glance at Chen Ling, he took Ah Qian's hand and departed with the Silver King.

A wisp of flame ignited from the Silver King's fingertip. Within the fire, Chen Ling's Heart of Six playing card was slowly burning to ashes under the Silver King's casual manipulation. The card's ashes drifted past Chen Ling's ear on the wind. He gazed at the Silver King's retreating back, lost in thought.

"Heart!" Jian Changsheng, sprawled on the ground, struggled to slowly get up. "You're not actually going to join the Torch Bearers and go with him to the Wuji Realm, are you? Don't forget what Wuji did back in the Mortal Realm..."

Chen Ling didn't answer. He didn't even look at Jian Changsheng. His large red opera robe billowed as he ascended from the dark ground with nimble steps, moving directly towards the Silver King.

"Heart!!"

"Heart of Six Chen Ling!! I'm talking to you!!"

"Hey!! Chen..."

Seeing Chen Ling walk away without a backward glance, Jian Changsheng felt a surge of indignation. Just as he was about to rush forward and stop him, a hand blocked his path.

"Calm down, Spade." Sun Bumian removed his shattered small round sunglasses. Scratches from his earlier fall still marred his cheek, and crimson blood trickled from the wounds, yet his eyes remained perfectly calm. "Why do you think he joined the Torch Bearers? If you rush up there now, you'll only make things worse for everyone... including Chen Ling."

"I know... but... are we just going to stand here and watch him get taken away? How is this any different from kidnapping?!"

Sun Bumian was about to say more when Bai Ye, coughing violently, slowly rose from the ground. "Don't talk here... Hurry, let's leave this place first!"

Bai Ye's tone was more serious than ever before. Although their hearts had been removed moments ago, their senses remained. They knew Chen Ling had compromised with the Silver King to save them. The most important thing now was to prevent the Silver King from kicking them when they're down and killing them again once Chen Ling was gone. While Bai Ye knew the Silver King well enough to believe he might disdain such an act – as the Silver King himself said, he didn't value their lives at all – it was always better to be cautious.

Sun Bumian and the others quickly nodded and immediately started running towards the Tianshu Realm. In the presence of a demigod like the Silver King, safety was only found by entering a human realm, as that was within the Nine Monarchs' domain.

Bai Ye, Jian Changsheng, Sun Bumian, and Jiang Xiaohua swiftly darted across the dark ground. They were now running with all their might, as if Death himself were furiously pursuing them from behind! The surrounding space was unaffected, and they weren't missing any organs from their bodies.

After an unknown period, the four, having nearly exhausted all their physical and mental strength, finally reached the edge of the Tianshu Realm. Seeing the faint outline of the realm, they breathed a sigh of relief.

"At this distance, we should be safe," Bai Ye said, wiping sweat from his cheek.

"My heart's still there, and my liver too... *Phew*..." Having had his organs removed multiple times in a single day, Sun Bumian was now traumatized. After patting himself all over, he finally relaxed completely. "We've truly escaped from a demigod's grasp..."

"Indeed," Jian Changsheng immediately said. "So, what's next? How are we going to save him?"

The air suddenly fell silent. Bai Ye and Sun Bumian simultaneously turned to look at Jian Changsheng, a hint of confusion flickering in their eyes.

"Save him? Save who?"

Jian Changsheng paused, scratched his head, and after a long moment of thought, murmured, "Right..."

"Who were we supposed to save again?"