8. Drugs

The final metal door leading to the top floor of the Xiaozhu Building was thick and sturdy, its surface engraved with intricate and sinister patterns, and it shone with a cold, hard metallic luster in the dim light. The door frame fit tightly against the wall, clearly reinforced for safety. Where the door handle was, a complex electronic lock flickered a faint red light, but in the face of Ah Yan's absolute power, it was all in vain.

"Open it for me!" Ah Yan's roar was like the howl of a wounded beast. The blazing white flames around him madly contracted and condensed inward, finally converging on his right fist. His fist seemed to transform into a miniature white sun, emitting a blinding light and devastating heat that was too intense to look at. The air crackled with the scorching heat, and the surrounding landscape was distorted by the intense heat.

Without the slightest hesitation, he condensed all his strength, anger and despair into his blazing white flaming fist, which slammed into the solid metal door fiercely and without any fuss, like a cannonball!

"boom--!!!!!"

A deafening roar threatened to rip the entire floor apart! The heavy metal door resembled a biscuit struck by a massive hammer, its center instantly twisting, melting, and then completely exploding! Countless twisted, scorching metal fragments scatter inward like a deadly rainstorm, striking the walls and ground with a dense, clanking sound. Some fragments even embedded themselves deeply into the opposite wall. Thick smoke and the acrid odor of molten metal instantly filled the air.

Behind the gate, there was a vast space that was completely different from the ruins outside. It was extremely luxurious but filled with a strong atmosphere of unease and desire.

The three of them were like vengeful Shuras struggling out of the blood pool of hell, with blood stains that had not yet dried, biting murderous aura and burning rage, they suddenly broke through the smoke and dust and broke into this private nest belonging to the owl.

However, the scene before them was like a basin of ice-cold water mixed with boiling anger, which instantly poured over their entire bodies, almost freezing their blood in their veins!

The room was enormous and lavishly decorated. A thick, soft, unbroken animal hide carpet covered the floor, artistic yet darkly themed paintings hung on the walls, an ornate crystal chandelier (though currently unlit) hung from the ceiling, and an exquisite wine cabinet and sofas were placed in the corners. Yet, all this opulence couldn't mask the nauseating scent of expensive perfume, the lust for power, and a certain sense of impending greed.

Right in the center of the room, on the largest sofa covered with some rare black animal skin, Su Lin was lying there powerlessly.

His face was pale, almost transparent, and his black hair, soaked with cold sweat, stuck to his skin. His amber eyes, always clear and gentle, were now dull and lifeless, their focus blurred, and his long eyelashes trembled weakly. It was clear that the effects of the high concentration of the drug had not yet completely subsided. He was in a semi-comatose, weak and unable to resist.

His once pristine white coat had been roughly torn and discarded carelessly on the expensive carpet, like a trampled lily. Several of his shirt's buttons had been ripped open, revealing delicate collarbones and a dazzling expanse of pale skin. The fragile curves of his figure were both alluring and dazzling in the dim light. On his wrists, several visible red marks from the struggle, like brand marks, etched into the delicate skin, silently revealing the resistance and helplessness that had just occurred.

And Xiao, the ruler of the Black Stone Base, was leaning over him.

Xiao's face wore an extremely uncomfortable smile, a mixture of determination, greed, and intimacy. One hand roughly pinched Su Lin's chin, forcing that delicate face slightly upward, while the other hand was about to reach further into the open shirt collar! His eyes were like those of a rare treasure about to be acquired, full of possession and playfulness.

"Asshole! Let him go!" Ah Yan's roar was completely ripped and distorted by extreme anger. The moment he saw this scene, the string of rationality in his brain completely broke! The flames around him shot up into the sky again uncontrollably, the color even more blazing than when he blew open the door! Without thinking, he pounced towards Xiao like a ignited human bomb! At this moment, he had only one thought - to burn this bastard who dared to touch Su Lin to ashes!

Lei Qing and Mu Lin's eyes were bloodshot, their hearts clutched tightly as if by an invisible hand. Boundless murderous intent swept over them like a tsunami! Without any hesitation, or even any communication, the two launched their attacks at the same instant!

Lei Qing's figure vanished into a blurry afterimage, his speed reaching the limit of human speed! The dagger in his hand sliced ​​through the air, piercing Xiao's defenseless back with a sharp whistling sound, precise and ruthless! This strike condensed all his strength, skill, and rage, striving for a single, fatal blow!

Mu Lin's reaction was equally swift. He thrust his hands downwards fiercely! The luxurious animal-skin carpet beneath Xiao's feet was instantly ripped apart. Several thick, sharp, gleaming ice spikes suddenly protruded from the hard marble floor, like the fangs of a giant beast, biting fiercely at Xiao's legs! At the same time, he flicked his fingers, and several razor-sharp, even faster ice spikes condensed from thin air, like living venomous snakes, blocking all possible angles for Xiao to dodge left, right, and above!

Xiao's reaction was astonishingly fast! Far beyond their expectations!

The moment the three men burst through the door, their murderous aura sweeping over them, he'd sensed it! He didn't choose to resist head-on, but instead employed the most cunning and effective countermeasure—he violently thrust the unconscious, defenseless Su Lin like a shield, violently pushing him towards the frantically charging A Yan! Simultaneously, he used the reaction force of this push to retreat with agility and speed that completely belied his massive size!

"Bang!" All of A Yan's attacks came to an abrupt, almost self-destructive halt when he realized it was Su Lin being pushed forward! The raging flames instantly died down. He opened his arms and scooped up the limp, powerless Su Lin, who was about to fall to the ground, into his arms, hugging him tightly, almost as if they were embedded in his bones. The immense force of the attack sent him stumbling back several steps before he could finally steady himself, his heart pounding with fear.

As Xiao retreated rapidly, a powerful, dark energy shockwave suddenly erupted from his body! The energy was visible to the naked eye, appearing an ominous dark grey, and rapidly spreading in all directions with a destructive aura!

boom--!

Lei Qing's determined strike was deflected by the powerful impact, and the sharp tip of the blade only managed to carve a shallow, yet bloody gash on Xiao's back. Mu Lin's ice spikes and ridges, powerful enough to pierce steel, were shattered and shattered like glass under a sledgehammer by this violent energy surge, transforming into a cloud of shimmering ice powder that drifted everywhere.

The energy wave spread out, striking every corner of the room like an invisible giant hand! The luxurious crystal chandelier shook violently, finally unable to withstand the force, shattering with a crash. The frames of the paintings on the wall cracked, the canvases torn. The exquisite wine cabinet collapsed with a loud bang, shattering the precious wines inside. The rich aroma of wine mixed with the smell of blood, forming an eerie odor. Lei Qing, A Yan (who was tightly protecting Su Lin), and Mu Lin were also shaken by the impact, their blood surging and their ears ringing.

"Heh... you're really haunting me." Xiao turned around, his face devoid of the playful composure he'd worn before, only a utterly sinister expression and the fury of having his good deed interrupted. He licked his lips, tasting the blood from the wound on his back. His eyes, fierce as a hungry wolf's, scanned A Yan, who clung to Su Lin like a mother protecting her cubs, and Lei Qing and Mu Lin, who looked on with murderous intent as if they were facing a formidable enemy. "Since you've come seeking death, I'll grant your wish!"

Before he finished speaking, the battle broke out instantly!

Xiao's strength was far beyond the reach of the ordinary guards downstairs, or even the elite men! His ability seemed to be a rare combination of strength enhancement and energy impact, with his speed, strength, and defense reaching astonishing heights!

He actually managed to deflect Ah Yan's furiously swung fireball with his bare hands! His fist, shrouded in dark energy, collided with the fireball with a dull thud, shattering it into a shower of sparks! He casually slammed his fist into the ground, and the solid marble floor cracked like a spiderweb, sending rubble flying! At the same time, visible dark energy ripples continuously vibrated from his body, acting like a disruptive force field, disrupting the attack rhythm and energy concentration of Lei Qing and the other two, causing their coordination to repeatedly stagnate.

Lei Qing wielded his lifelong close combat skills to the utmost, his figure elusive like a ghost, his dagger a deadly flash of cold light, each strike aimed squarely at Xiao's vital points! But Xiao either parried with his energy-coated arms or dodged with incredible speed and reflexes, occasionally even creating a brief shield with energy to withstand the fatal blow!

Ah Yan's flames continued to rage, blazing white waves sweeping towards Xiao again and again, only to be countered and neutralized by the opponent's even more powerful and concentrated dark energy! Explosions continued one after another, and the entire room felt like it had been washed away by a hurricane. Expensive furniture and decorations were reduced to shatters, and the walls were covered with scorch marks and cracks.

Mu Lin pushed his ice control abilities to the limit, constantly attempting to restrict Xiao's movements with layers of ice, disrupt his vision with icicles, and slow his movements with chilling air. Frost spread across the ground and condensed in the air, but Xiao's powerful energy seemed to possess a magical power, often shattering even the most carefully condensed ice crystals with a single burst of energy.

The battle reached a fever pitch! The shockwaves generated by the collision of the four's powers continuously destroyed everything in the room. Xiao, fighting one against three, relied on his strange and powerful energy powers and rich combat experience to hold his own in a short period of time!

However, Lei Qing, A Yan, and Mu Lin came with the determination to die! The tacit understanding between them, forged through life and death, was fully displayed at this moment! More importantly, Su Lin's disheveled, vulnerable and helpless appearance in A Yan's arms was like the strongest catalyst, stimulating every ounce of potential in their bodies to a frenzied explosion! They completely disregarded the consumption of their superpowers, disregarding the possible damage they might suffer. Their offensive was like a relentless storm, wave after wave rising higher and higher!

"Mu Lin!" Lei Qing suddenly shouted in a low voice when they passed each other, and his eyes swept towards Mu Lin sharply.

Mu Lin understood immediately. Without hesitation, he abandoned all attacks and interference, clasping his hands together fiercely, pouring all his supernatural powers and mental strength into it! A biting cold spread wildly from him, instantly draining all the moisture from the air! Countless fine and hard ice crystals, like a living sandstorm, rustled and instantly covered Xiao's legs, rapidly spreading upwards and freezing them! The extreme cold even caused Xiao's energy shield to flicker!

Xiao was caught off guard, and his legs were temporarily imprisoned by the sudden freezing that condensed all of Mu Lin's strength, and his movements were frozen for an extremely short moment!

"Ayan!" Lei Qing's roar was like a starting gun!

"Go to hell!!!!" Ah Yan had already gathered his strength and was ready to go. He madly compressed and recompressed all the violent fire energy in his body, ignoring the danger of backlash, and concentrated it all on the tip of his right index finger! The light was extremely bright white, even beginning to emit a faint blue light, representing the extreme instability and destructive edge of energy!

A blazing white ray, only as thick as a finger but containing terrifying energy that could burn everything, shot towards the owl that was temporarily frozen in place at a speed beyond the visual capture, like thunder tearing through the night sky!

For the first time, true horror flashed in Xiao's eyes! He roared, channeling all the dark energy in his body into his arms, crossing them in front of his chest to form an incredibly solid dark shield!

The blazing white ray and the dark shield collided with a loud bang!

There was no sound—or rather, the sound was so loud that it was beyond the range of human hearing! Only a destructive, silent shock wave spread out first, followed by a delayed, deafening—

Boom—!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A violent explosion occurred! A crisscross of dark blue and blazing white light engulfed Xiao's figure! After a brief moment of stalemate, his condensed dark shield shattered with a bang! The force of the explosion sent him flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily and solidly into the wall behind him!

"Bang!" With a muffled thud, the solid concrete wall instantly caved in, covered in spiderweb-like cracks! Xiao fell to the ground in a heap, one of his arms twisted unnaturally, clearly broken. The clothing on his chest was shredded, his skin charred black, and even flesh and blood could be seen tumbling. He violently coughed up a mouthful of blood, his face instantly turning pale. He was injured! And seriously injured!

How could Lei Qing let go of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? At the moment of the explosion, his presence had already clung to Xiao like a thorn in his flesh! At that moment, like the calmest and most ruthless god of death, he thrust his dagger with unwavering determination, aiming for Xiao's throat as he collapsed to the ground, temporarily unable to resist! This strike, swift, precise, and relentless, was destined to put an end to this threat once and for all!

Xiao's eyes flashed with a trace of incredible shock and anger, as well as desperate malice! At this critical moment, he endured the severe pain and used his remaining hand to slam a button on the wall next to him, which was extremely hidden and integrated into the wallpaper pattern!

Snap!

With a slight sound of a mechanism turning, the wall behind him suddenly flipped inward without any warning, revealing a dark and narrow passage that led to nowhere!

Lei Qing's fatal blow only managed to cut the skin on the side of Xiao's neck, leaving a trail of blood before falling into the air!

Xiao tumbled and scrambled, falling into the dark passage in a miserable state. Just before the walls closed in on him, he suddenly turned his head. His eyes, filled with hatred and madness, were like poisoned daggers, fixed firmly on A Yan, who was clinging to Su Lin. He then glanced at Lei Qing and Mu Lin, and let out a hoarse, hateful roar from the depths of his throat:

"You guys... just wait! I will never let you go! That healing system... will be mine sooner or later!!!"

After the harsh words were spoken, the secret door closed completely with a "click", tightly fitting as if it had never appeared, isolating the fleeing figure of Xiao and the vicious curse together.

"Damn it!" A Yan was enraged, instinctively wanting to rush over and smash the wall to chase him, but a subtle movement in his arms brought him back to his senses. Su Lin seemed disturbed by the earth-shattering explosion. Even in his coma, he frowned and let out a very subtle, painful groan. This made A Yan dare not move any more, and she could only hug him tightly and carefully.

Lei Qing slammed his fist into the now-closed, unmarked wall. A dull thud echoed, but the wall remained motionless. He knew this secret door must be incredibly strong, and likely filled with various traps. Chasing after it without knowing the situation, especially with Su Lin in poor condition, would be extremely risky and could even lead to greater losses.

"Check Su Lin!" Lei Qing made a prompt decision and forcibly suppressed the lingering murderous intent and the urge to pursue in his heart. His voice was extremely hoarse due to the fierce battle and the drastic fluctuations of emotions.

A Yan and Mu Lin immediately gathered around. Mu Lin carefully and gently examined Su Lin's condition, pushing aside his sweat-soaked hair, checking his pulse and temperature, and carefully examining the red marks on his wrist and other parts of his body. After a moment, he breathed a sigh of relief, his brow still furrowed. "Aside from the effects of the drug and the scratches on his wrist, there should...shouldn't be any further abuse." His tone held a hint of uncertainty and fear. If they had arrived a few minutes later, the consequences would have been disastrous.

"We must leave immediately!" Lei Qing's keen ears had already caught the approaching and increasingly loud sounds of footsteps, shouts, and the clash of weapons coming from downstairs—it was obvious that Xiao's men were gathering and rushing up frantically to support him. Although Xiao had been seriously injured and fled, the power he had cultivated for many years remained, and this main building was still a place of danger!

A Yan carefully used the cloth torn from the corner of his relatively clean inner shirt to gently wrap Su Lin's exposed neck and wrists, then picked him up sideways, and with an almost pious posture, tightly protected the light and still unconscious body in his broad and hot arms, as if holding the most fragile and precious treasure in the world.

Lei Qing and Mu Lin guarded A Yan on the left and right, and the three of them exchanged a resolute look.

Without hesitation, they rushed to the massive floor-to-ceiling window on the other side of the room, which overlooked most of the Black Stone Base. Mu Lin waved his hands rapidly, and the moisture in the air quickly condensed, forming a sloping, crystal-clear ice slide that meandered downward outside the window. A Yan controlled the flames, creating a relatively gentle flame buffer at the key points of the ice slide and the possible landing point below.

Lei Qing leaped out first, followed closely by A Yan, holding Su Lin in his arms, and Mu Lin brought up the rear. The three of them followed this makeshift escape route, gliding down from dozens of meters into the chaos and turmoil of the Black Stone Base below without hesitation.

The cold wind whistled in their ears, and below them were scattered sparks of fire and chaotic figures. Although they hadn't been able to kill Xiao with their own hands, to prevent future trouble, they had finally, at the critical moment, from the brink of deepest despair and humiliation, snatched back their precious companion, whom they cherished as their life!