Chapter 88: Searching for the Missing

Chapter Eighty-Eight

“I can order my people to help you, but all the rewards we previously negotiated with the Sitou family will be canceled. Do you agree?” Ling Feng adjusted his glasses, looking at Sitou Huang as he spoke.

“Half! If you’re not willing, forget it!” Sitou Huang hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and replied.

He knew Ling Feng was not someone who would take a loss, but he couldn’t let the Sitou family work for nothing either. After all, Ling Feng had promised the three families much more generous compensation than any mercenary squad, and now with it gone, the Sitou family wasn’t just working for free—they’d be losing out.

“Alright, deal!” Ling Feng agreed without hesitation.

He then turned to the others and said, “If any of you are willing to help, the other half of the Sitou family’s reward will be divided among everyone present. How does that sound?”

Most of those present were instantly tempted. They had risked their lives for this mission in hopes of obtaining the ability upgrade and awakening serums provided by the Dragon Ascension Base. Now that there was a chance to earn even more, how could they refuse?

Motivated by Ling Feng’s offer, everyone stood up, gathered their things, and prepared to search for the missing people.

With such commotion, Mei naturally heard it as well. Although she didn’t want to meddle, she needed to confirm whether this so-called new energy was truly the Source of Darkness. The opportunity was perfect, so she stood up to join in.

“You’re going too? I’ll go with you!” Mo Chen knew Mei wasn’t someone who liked to interfere casually. Her decision to act meant there were other reasons, so he got up as well.

“Chen, stay here! The rest of you stay, too!” Mei shook her head and glanced at Bai Qing, signaling that they still had their own mission to focus on.

Whether their mission would succeed depended entirely on one person. Such an important matter—how could she entrust it to others?

Mo Chen was reluctant but understood the importance of the mission. After all, Mei and Ling Feng were bound by contract, and failure would bring punishment. He could only abandon his idea of following her.

“Be careful!” Mo Chen urged.

“Mm, I’m just going to take a look. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine!” Mei nodded and headed toward the elevator.

As soon as she moved, Ye Jingxuan, who hadn’t spoken at all, followed her closely.

“Ye?” Mei turned back, her expression full of disapproval.

Ye Jingxuan remained silent, but his determined gaze made it clear he was going with her, no matter what.

Mei wanted to persuade him further, but Mo Chen spoke first: “Let him go with you! That way we’ll feel more at ease.”

The others nodded in agreement. Having another person meant more support. Even though Mei was strong, one could never be too careful—if anything happened, how could the mercenary squads or the families feel reassured?

Seeing this, Mei could only nod, agreeing to let Ye Jingxuan join her.

The two first went up to the second floor to assess the situation, discovering that Xiao Keran was unharmed, crying in Xiao Kefeng’s arms, while the other three had vanished. Mei couldn’t help but praise her luck.

Someone had already asked Xiao Keran about the other three. After entering, two went to shower while she chatted with Sitou Qing, but soon fell asleep from exhaustion. When Xiao Kefeng woke her, the others were already gone, and she had no idea what had happened.

Finding no useful information from her, the group could only team up and search for clues.

Mei circled the second floor, then went with Ye Jingxuan to the third basement level.

The third basement was much deeper than the previous two. The elevator ride took a full five minutes before they arrived.

Here, Mei saw Sitou Qing’s brother leading the Sitou family and Teng Huang Squad in a search.

There was no familiarity between the groups, only a nod as a greeting.

The layout wasn’t complicated—one vast space divided into inner and outer sections. The inner area was surrounded by special glass, and the outer area split into several rooms. Mei paid no mind to the purpose of those rooms; as soon as she approached the glass wall, she saw what she was looking for.

A black crystal floated above a peculiar-looking device, which sprouted five energy emitters. Yellow beams enveloped the black crystal.

With one glance, Mei knew the so-called new energy was none other than the Source of Darkness.

She had finally found another piece!

Mei was a little excited.

But how could she take the Source of Darkness without anyone noticing? According to Dr. Bai, the device was deeply embedded underground; removing the Source would trigger an earthquake or even a volcanic eruption. Such chaos would be impossible to hide. Moreover, even if she obtained it, how could she escape?

Mei pondered how to steal the Source unnoticed, but her intense focus had already attracted attention. Ye Jingxuan, standing beside her, seeing her interest in the new energy, began considering how to help her take it.

Not far away, Sitou Huang also noticed her actions and shifted his gaze to the Source of Darkness. He didn’t know its exact use, but anything classified as 3S-level by the government was bound to be valuable. If he could get it, the Sitou family would benefit greatly.

With that in mind, Sitou Huang began searching for a way inside, soon finding a staircase in a nearby room leading to the inner area.

Out of caution, he didn’t go down immediately, but sent members of Teng Huang Squad first to check for danger.

They soon reported back, but it wasn’t a safety signal—they had found Sitou Qing and the others below!

Sitou Huang hadn’t expected Sitou Qing to be down there. He hurriedly led his family inside.

Seeing the Sitou family descend, Mei was reluctant to leave with the Source so close, even though she hadn’t yet figured out how to take it.

“Ye, let’s go down and take a look!” she said, knowing he would insist on following her.

She believed she could protect him—even if an earthquake or eruption occurred.

“Alright!” Ye Jingxuan knew she was interested in the new energy and would have suggested it himself even if she hadn’t.

They descended the stairs to the inner area, finding a vast space—about two-thirds the size of a soccer field. After entering, they were still about twenty meters above the ground and had to use another staircase.

Once below, Mei saw Sitou Qing, unconscious and in poor condition, wrapped in a blue-purple substance with only her head exposed.

Sitou Huang and his people stood ten meters away, trying to rescue Sitou Qing, but were held back by some unseen force.

Mei had no intention of helping; instead, she moved toward the machine, planning to take the Source of Darkness first and deal with other problems later.

But just because she didn’t wish to help didn’t mean others would leave her alone.

Seeing Mei and Ye Jingxuan descend, Sitou Huang immediately signaled his people to approach them.

Mei frowned, anger rising within her.

If they wanted to drag her into trouble, it would depend on her willingness!

“Stop right there. Come any closer and I won’t be polite!” Mei casually unleashed a beam of light, leaving a deep mark on the ground nearby.

“Miss Mei, we’re companions, after all. Are you really going to abandon us?” Sitou Huang asked darkly.

“Companions? Are we really…” Companions?

She didn’t finish her sentence, for Ye Jingxuan suddenly called out, “Careful!” and she sensed danger, instinctively leaping aside.

Just as she moved, a bolt of lightning struck where she had stood.

Turning her head, she saw a swarm of winged ants, each the size of a grown man’s fist, staring at her and Ye Jingxuan.

Seeing those blue-purple ants, she realized the creatures that had been chasing Sitou Huang’s group were also ants, though they were wingless, while the ones ambushing her had wings!

Now, there was no avoiding a fight.

As she fired light beams, coordinating attacks with Ye Jingxuan against the ants, Mei couldn’t help but feel frustrated.

Sitou Huang saw the two also under attack by the electrically-charged ants, which seemed more troublesome than the ones his group faced, and he abandoned his plan to approach them, focusing on the ant swarm before him.

Though small and not particularly powerful individually, the ants’ electric currents combined to form an invisible field. Anyone who ventured too close was instantly paralyzed and unable to move, forcing the group to attack from a distance.

Each attack killed swathes of ants, but countless more emerged from the nest, making it impossible to exterminate them all.

Sitou Huang realized that if this continued, not only would they fail to rescue Sitou Qing—they wouldn’t escape at all. No longer bothering to conceal his strength, he stomped heavily, causing the ground to shake and the soil to churn, burying the ants underground.

He repeatedly used earth abilities to clear the area, then had his wind ability users blow the ants off Sitou Qing, successfully rescuing her. As for the two female ability users trapped like Sitou Qing, he simply ignored them.

Seeing Mei and Ye Jingxuan entangled with the winged ants, Sitou Huang quickly ordered his people to take Sitou Qing and leave. He himself, after a moment’s hesitation, moved toward the large machine.

He didn’t know how to operate it, so he resorted to brute force, tearing apart the internal circuitry. The energy emitters ceased, and the yellow light enveloping the black crystal faded.

Sitou Huang immediately tried to climb the machine to seize the black crystal.

But as the light vanished, the Source of Darkness transformed into a streak of black light, striking Mei as she fought the mutant ants.