The sky was as black as ink, so thick it seemed to swallow the whole world. On the desolate path, the man had just hidden the kidnapped "Ma Hehua" and was feeling smug, preparing to rest for a while before heading back to the evil headquarters.
He glanced at his watch; it was past two o'clock. The minute and second hands ticked away, as if playing a triumphant symphony for him.
"Hmph, everyone says the Ma family is very capable, but they were easily manipulated by me!"
The man's lips curled into a smirk as he boasted wildly, his voice crashing into the deathly silence of the night, yet failing to elicit a single echo.
The birdsong and animal cries that had been hidden in the shadows had fallen silent at some point, and the only sound around him was his heavy breathing. It was as if an invisible giant hand had wound up the world and pulled away all the noise.
"You think I'd let you kidnap my daughter right under my nose?"
The cold female voice was like an ice pick, piercing the eerie silence. The man shuddered, his neck stiffening as he turned to see Ma Linghua's slender figure standing behind him.
"No...it's impossible, how did you catch up with me?"
The man's eyes widened, his face filled with panic, and he unconsciously took a step back, as if trying to distance himself from this menacing figure.
Ma Linghua scoffed lightly, her red lips curving slightly, the smile not reaching her eyes: "The Ma family's martial arts have been passed down for a hundred years, how can you underestimate them? Besides, I have informants in your den of thieves."
With that, she slowly drew a dagger from her waist. The dagger gleamed coldly in the moonlight, as sharp as the scythe of the Grim Reaper in the dark.
"Who's the mole? Tell me!" the man roared, his voice trembling violently.
Ma Linghua raised an eyebrow, rolled her eyes, and said with disgust, "Tell you? I'm not stupid! The time has come, it's time to send you to your death!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she moved with lightning speed, her dagger whistling through the air. Like a dragon emerging from the sea, she lunged straight for the man's throat, her cold and ruthless intent spreading wildly in the dark night, chilling everyone to the bone.
The man, like a felled tree, crashed straight onto the dusty ground, his eyes wide open, the shock and doubt still lingering in them as if he were still pondering why his carefully planned scheme had failed so miserably.
His face was contorted with shock, his mouth was half-open, he wanted to shout but no sound came out, as if his soul had been taken away, leaving only his body to be trampled on in this cold moonlit night.
"Hmph, like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. With your pathetic skills, you dare to try and outsmart me? You're just asking for death!"
Ma Linghua's eyebrows furrowed, her almond-shaped eyes filled with murderous intent, and her slender hand moved like lightning, reaching into the man's arms and grabbing the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda.
The Demon-Suppressing Pagoda shimmered with dark light, exuding a chilling aura, yet it trembled slightly in her palm, as if echoing her anger.
"Lotus, Lotus, are you alright?" She leaned close to the tower and called out urgently, her voice trembling with worry, but there was only deathly silence in the tower.
Ma Linghua was a little worried and was about to call out again when suddenly, a strange sound of "cracking, cracking, puffing... groaning... hissing..." rang out. The snoring sound was sometimes high and sometimes low, sometimes intermittent, extremely abrupt in the quiet night, just like an old bellows straining to breathe.
"Lotus, you rascal, how can you still be sleeping at this hour!"
Ma Linghua was both angry and anxious. Her eyebrows furrowed into a knot, and she gripped the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda tightly with both hands, shaking it violently.
The tower was shaken and tilted, its runes flashing and buzzing in protest, but the snoring inside continued unabated.
"You wretched daughter, what kind of situation are you in, how can you be so carefree? Wake up!"
She scolded him, her eyes and brows filled with disappointment and frustration, yet also with lingering fear and doting affection at having regained what she had lost.
Ma Linghua looked up at the inky night sky, where the stars were hidden and only the lonely moon emitted a cold, ethereal light, just like her complex emotions at that moment.
A breeze swept by, carrying a slight chill, but she paid it no heed. With a flick of her finger, she summoned a communication talisman, and in an instant, a phantom light screen appeared, connecting her to Char Siu Bao's voice call.
"Haha, I was right!" Char Siu Bao's loud and boastful voice was the first to hit our ears, full of pride.
"That idiot Wang Jin, he's got no brains. He got all hot-headed and kidnapped someone, so he had to show off first before he even started to move back. See? You caught up with him!"
His words were full of boasting about how accurate his predictions were.
"Stop rambling and get down to business."
Ma Linghua frowned, her tone cold and sharp, "Is the Church of Light secretly watching us? Don't spout nonsense."
"Huh? I really don't know."
Char Siu Bao's voice faltered for a moment, then he put on a fawning smile again, "However, we have to make this clear from the start. I'm the captain now, so you absolutely can't forget the relic you promised."
"Hmph, a mere relic is not worth your concern. You've never seen anything like it."
Ma Linghua chuckled, her tone revealing a hint of generosity, "As long as you handle things efficiently, you'll have plenty of treasures to offer in the future, and I'll never treat you unfairly."
"Wow, that's generous of you! I love doing business with you!" Char Siu Bao raised his voice, full of excitement. "Don't worry, with our relationship, I'll definitely get you the latest intelligence, I guarantee you'll be satisfied."
After hanging up the phone, Cha Siu Bao's smile gradually turned cold. He fiddled with the captain's badge, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes.
He gained this captaincy by stepping over countless former comrades. In this arena of interests, he has no loyalty to the Church of Light, only profit-driven, and is nothing more than a pawn used to cross the river by money.
As for that stingy Ma Linghua, he didn't believe it either, but... this time Ma Linghua seemed to have gone all out, so he was determined to get this relic.
With the relic, there would be a chance to break free from the Church of Light. He smiled slightly, his eyes filled with cold light.
Ma Linghua gripped the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda tightly, her gaze fixed on the few yellowed talismans at the pagoda's entrance. A smirk played on her lips, and with a resolute air of disregard, she raised her hand and tore the talismans apart with a "ripping" sound.
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