"Rumble, rumble..."
The sound of heavy rollers echoed in the darkness, growing louder, as if something heavy was being pushed on a cart.
Mu Ye Xingchen and the scientists in white coats behind him quietly watched the dark corridor ahead, awaiting the arrival of the behemoth from the darkness.
As the pale light illuminated the approaching entity, everyone's eyes widened.
Several figures in black military uniforms stood beside a flatbed cart, upon which rested a colossal, thick, silver metal sarcophagus.
This metal sarcophagus was two meters tall, square, and entirely covered in metal, its contents hidden.
From its tightly sealed, patina-covered seams, it appeared to have been locked and then sealed with molten metal.
Above the square metal sarcophagus, only a youth’s head was visible, his eyes closed, unconscious.
"This is Gu Ya, the clone of that mysterious youth from Xianxia," Mu Ye Xingchen introduced in a low voice. "To capture him, we lost a hundred thousand, two thousand, three hundred and eighty mechs. Merely a clone cost us so dearly."
"And in the end, our all-knowing and all-powerful Grand Commander Xingchen obtained him! Hahahaha," a wizened scientist chuckled in admiration.
The other scientists surrounded the sarcophagus, gazing up at it, murmuring amongst themselves.
Mu Ye Xingchen looked at Gu Ya, a subtle smile gracing his lips. He turned to his assistant and said, "Have them study it thoroughly." He then turned and left.
The scientists and guards slowly guided the flatbed cart into a two-hundred-square-meter cargo elevator. The metal grille door slammed shut with a sharp clang.
Moments later, the elevator began its descent.
Mu Ye Xingchen did not head to the command center but returned directly to his small resting room, where Hong Lian Zhiwu was waiting for him on the sofa.
Accompanying Hong Lian Zhiwu was Fu Ya Fang, though she was bound and half-reclining on the sofa.
Hong Lian Zhiwu clearly harbored intense hostility towards this unidentified woman. Even upon seeing Mu Ye Xingchen, her vexation and displeasure did not subside.
"What is this woman? Why is she here?" Hong Lian Zhiwu questioned in a low, demanding tone, her gaze fixed on Fu Ya Fang with narrowed, dark eyes.
Mu Ye Xingchen stepped onto the changing platform. Several robotic arms began to help him remove his coat. He then poured himself a glass of bitter grass wine and stated calmly, "An important pawn still in cultivation."
Hearing his reply, Hong Lian Zhiwu’s focus shifted. She adopted a charming and seductive smile, crossed her legs, twirled a strand of her wavy hair between her fingers, and asked softly, "Brother Xingchen, I helped you complete such an important task, how will you thank me?"
Mu Ye Xingchen replied calmly, "I will compensate you. From now on, you will not be deployed for combat. Stay by my side and supervise the progress of Gu Ya's integration with 'Hei Yang'."
"Besides you, I have no one else I can trust," he added, glancing at Fu Ya Fang from the corner of his eye.
Upon hearing this, the two women on the sofa displayed different expressions.
Fu Ya Fang lowered her head, her long hair obscuring her face. Beneath the cascade of hair, her eyes were filled with astonishment.
"Gu Ya is Liu Feng's brother, and he saved me twice along with Liu Feng. How could he be here?" Fu Ya Fang mused inwardly.
"Combining what Mu Ye Xingchen said earlier about 'Hei Yang,' along with 'studying Gu Ya' and the 'Hei Yang' integration, if I piece these clues together and deduce step by step..."
Fu Ya Fang suddenly arrived at a shocking conclusion: they intended to merge Gu Ya with "Hei Yang" to fully awaken "Hei Yang."
This meant Gu Ya's strategic value was immensely significant!
And now, they had captured Gu Ya! Right here!
Fu Ya Fang, possessing exceptional professionalism and high intelligence, understood these matters almost instantly. This was an extremely dangerous and critical piece of intelligence for Xianxia!
"Wait, I must remain calm, calm!" Fu Ya Fang mentally urged herself. These clues alone were insufficient to grasp the complete picture.
For Xianxia, she had to do something. She had to transmit this intelligence to her superior.
And now, she faced two dilemmas.
The first dilemma was that she had already adopted a stance of defiance, vowing to never surrender to Mu Ye Xingchen. If she were to exhibit a drastically different attitude upon hearing the name "Gu Ya," it would undoubtedly arouse suspicion.
The key to resolving the first dilemma lay in her ability to act. Her attitude had to be cautious and gradually transform, earning Mu Ye Xingchen's trust step by step.
Achieving this was incredibly difficult. From their previous interactions, Fu Ya Fang knew Xingchen to be an exceptionally perceptive and cautious individual who missed no detail.
Only by gaining Mu Ye Xingchen's trust could she extract information about Gu Ya.
The second dilemma was that for nearly two months, Shanhai City had been conducting operations to capture Xianxia agents. Xianxia's intelligence network was almost entirely destroyed, and contact with both superiors and subordinates was lost. Moreover, she was imprisoned. Even if she obtained the intelligence, how could she transmit it?
And then there was a crucial factor: time. The research on Hei Xing had undoubtedly begun. She had to transmit the intelligence before Gu Ya was integrated!
Difficult!
Despite the overwhelming "difficulty," Fu Ya Fang made an almost instantaneous decision. Even if it meant climbing a mountain of impossibility, she would complete this task.
In contrast to Fu Ya Fang's composure and subtlety, Hong Lian Zhiwu appeared exceptionally frivolous.
She stood up gently, placed a hand on Mu Ye Xingchen's shoulder, took a small sip from the wine glass in his hand, and said, "Brother Xingchen, in the end, I am the one who treats you well. Will you grant me one request then?" After speaking, Hong Lian Zhiwu glanced at Fu Ya Fang and said menacingly, "Let this woman die."
An opportunity has arrived! Fu Ya Fang exclaimed inwardly.
"Hahaha..." Fu Ya Fang chuckled softly and said, "Fine, kill me then. I couldn't wish for anything more. What kind of ridiculous 'Hei Xing' is this? Disgusting."
This statement was a high-stakes gamble!
Fu Ya Fang was betting that Mu Ye Xingchen would not kill her! She had already spent enough time by his side. Coupled with Xingchen's previous words, he valued Fu Ya Fang's strategic worth greatly and would not easily abandon a Xianxia agent he was halfway through turning.
If she won the bet, Fu Ya Fang's value to Mu Ye Xingchen would increase.
If she lost, she would die for her country.
As for the intelligence about Gu Ya, she could do nothing more.
But if she didn't gamble, she would be waiting for death. She didn't know how many more opportunities she would have to see Mu Ye Xingchen, and she had to seize every possible chance!
And opportunities often hid within the most ordinary conversations.
Every word, even a sigh, was an extremely important and critical opportunity!
Hong Lian Zhiwu cast a contemptuous glance at Fu Ya Fang.
But Mu Ye Xingchen discerned another meaning in Fu Ya Fang's words. He closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then opened them and said calmly, "Have you come to an understanding?"
Just as she suspected!
Fu Ya Fang rejoiced inwardly. Her gamble had paid off!
When dealing with Mu Ye Xingchen, one absolutely could not think like a normal person. He could extract a hundred meanings from a single sentence and gradually filter out the most probable one.
Such an exceptionally intelligent person often understood one's intentions with just an insignificant remark.
This was a terrifying level of comprehension, a "killing weapon" in itself.
However, this ability was a double-edged sword, and Fu Ya Fang had gradually mastered the art of wielding it.
With a method, one could control the opponent and, according to one's wishes, alter their strategy.
And this time, it was Fu Ya Fang's first step in launching a counterattack. Her next words would be the key to truly solidifying this understanding!
Fu Ya Fang let out a soft哼, saying coldly, "Killing me is merely a matter of your word. I've had enough of this place. What is it to me to sit here listening to your secret mumblings? Besides, it's uncertain whether your plan will succeed. Heh, I have a classmate also named Gu Ya. I don't know if it's the person you captured. Honestly, I think you're quite idiotic, letting a Xianxia agent sit in your private lounge, listening to you flirt with your subordinates. Don't you claim to be exceptionally intelligent? Doing something so foolish is embarrassing."
Too many elements, confusion, provocation, misdirection, plus a not-so-bright subordinate.
Fu Ya Fang thought to herself that now it was time to see the other woman's reaction.
Hong Lian Zhiwu was about to retort to Fu Ya Fang but was stopped by Mu Ye Xingchen.
He slowly walked in front of Fu Ya Fang, raising his hand to elegantly tilt her chin, bringing their gazes to meet.
Xingchen's incredibly beautiful face was calm and mysterious. "How can I tame you? With blows? Humiliation?" He shook his head, a slight smile playing on his lips, and said softly, "No, I understand you."
"Brother Xingchen, why waste words with her? Didn't we just give a dose of hallucinogens to Xianxia agents we'd turned before? It's time-saving and effort-saving! If you ask me, just give her a shot!" Hong Lian Zhiwu said with a slight frown and a hint of anger.
"No..." Mu Ye Xingchen's smile deepened as he slowly said, "This time, I want to try a different approach. I will do it myself."
With that, Mu Ye Xingchen made a gentle gesture.
Hong Lian Zhiwu's eyes widened instantly, and she cried out in panic, "Wh-why!? Brother Xingchen, you, you..."
"Leave..." Mu Ye Xingchen said calmly.
Hong Lian Zhiwu trembled with rage, turned her head sharply, and stormed out.