Only when the cold metal tightly handcuffed their wrists and their energy was subtly suppressed did these distinguished elderly guests finally catch their breath from the fear of death and feel a sense of relief after surviving a catastrophe.
At least... I've survived for now.
And it seems that as long as the ransom is paid in enough, their lives can be saved.
For them, this ransom was really nothing.
Now they can only hope that this 'hero' will keep his promise and release them after receiving the ransom.
Li Yu's gaze swept over the group of "human money bags," as if he could already see them constantly "spitting out money," with all kinds of wealth and a continuous stream of resources flowing into Kangcheng.
Thinking of this, he nodded with satisfaction, then turned to Zhao Dezheng behind him, whose eyes still gleamed with a frenzied "justice".
Zhao Dezheng also noticed the change in atmosphere and asked, somewhat bewildered:
"Li Yu, aren't we going to kill these scumbags?"
"Keeping these scumbags around will cause endless trouble! How can you believe what they say?"
His tone suggested dissatisfaction with the failure to "cleanse the filth".
But he managed to restrain himself when facing Li Yu.
"No rush." Li Yu waved her hand, as if she had seen something deeper:
"They are more useful now that they are alive than when they are dead. Only by living can they continue to generate value."
"As for whether or not to believe their promises..." Li Yu smiled coldly:
“I have plenty of ways to get the forces behind them to pay the ransom voluntarily.”
Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent.
Zhao Dezheng was taken aback at first, then a strange and excited light burst forth in his eyes.
He nodded vigorously and repeatedly, even bursting into laughter:
"Hahaha--!"
"Great! The ransom idea is excellent!"
"This is more satisfying than killing them outright! It's much smarter!"
"Let these old things make the most of their remaining energy! Let's squeeze out their last bit of value."
"Li Yu, you've thought of everything!"
Zhao Dezheng nodded repeatedly, as if he finally understood.
The Black Brothers: "..."
This young master's thought process is indeed beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.
After a brief moment of stunned silence, the group of distinguished guests turned deathly pale, as if they had fallen into an ice cave!
Did they fall for it? Was the ransom just an excuse?
The old men exchanged glances and finally realized that the seemingly calm young man before them was probably even more terrifying than the mad Zhao Dezheng!
After his laughter subsided slightly, the chaotic fanaticism in Zhao Dezheng's eyes faded, replaced by a morbidly focused sense of "mission." He then asked Li Yu again:
"So what's the next step? Should we just completely destroy this stronghold?"
He straightened his back and stretched his body, which had just recovered:
"If you ask me, now that I've regained my strength, how can I just sit idly by? Let's just uproot the stronghold!"
Li Yu suddenly remembered what Zhao Dezheng had said before. He remembered every location and route clearly, as if he knew this stronghold very well.
So he stopped beating around the bush and directly stated the true purpose of his trip with the Hei brothers:
"According to the intelligence from the Thunder Bureau, a small, mobile orbital cannon is hidden inside this Changshengmen stronghold."
"A star-track cannon?!"
Zhao Dezheng was taken aback at first, then his eyes widened suddenly, and his face was instantly covered with an almost ferocious anger.
"These heartless parasites actually dared to hoard strategic weapons!"
"Are they planning a rebellion!?"
Zhao Dezheng gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and uncontrollably released energy from his body, forming a fierce vortex:
"They're practically courting death! They deserve to die a thousand deaths! They're utterly wicked!!"
"Organizations that threaten the security of Central State must be completely eradicated! Leave no trace of them!"
"The Star Orbit Cannon is such a dangerous weapon that it must be found and destroyed immediately! It absolutely cannot remain in their hands! This is extremely irresponsible towards Central Continent! It is a heinous crime!"
"Bang!"
He slammed his fist into the thick alloy wall next to him, creating a deep dent.
"The Immortal Cult! A heretical sect! A terrorist organization! How dare they!"
"His intentions are despicable!"
Zhao Dezheng was furious and trembling with excitement.
They seem to have an absolutely zero-tolerance attitude towards any behavior that "endangers the security of Zhongzhou".
His sudden, extremely "righteous" outburst, combined with his body that had just been rescued by the Changsheng Sect, created an absurd and intense contrast.
But this scene left the Black brothers speechless, utterly dumbfounded, filled with an indescribable absurdity and eeriness.
Hei San's lips twitched violently, and he almost shouted out his true feelings:
"Brother! You yourself only survived thanks to the Longevity Gate, and now you look like you want to devour it whole and grind its bones to dust."
This is too weird!
Has he lost his mind?!
Black One and Black Two looked at each other, speechless.
I thought to myself, this young master Zhao must be suffering from a rather severe case of schizophrenia...
Moreover, judging from Zhao Dezheng's furious appearance, it was not an act at all; he was genuinely and unusually angry about the illegal possession of the Star Orbit Cannon.
This double standard is just too much...
However, Li Yu remained calm, seemingly unsurprised by Zhao Dezheng's state, and calmly continued the conversation:
"Therefore, we must find this orbital cannon as soon as possible to ensure that it is not used to endanger the security of Central Continent, or falls into the hands of more dangerous people."
"While we're at it, we'll also wipe out any remaining members of the Changsheng Sect who are trying to rebel in this stronghold."
Upon hearing this, the flames of anger and the chaotic light in Zhao Dezheng's eyes were temporarily unified by a kind of obsessive "sense of mission," and he nodded emphatically, saying:
"It is my duty!"
"Li Yu, let's set off now! Find the weapon and destroy it completely."
"I remember those passageways deep inside the stronghold; that might be where important items are stored. Let's go check that out first."
"Come with me."
Zhao Dezheng turned around abruptly, exuding a righteous and chilling aura, and pushed the door open as he left.
Li Yu turned around and gestured, and the three Hei brothers, together with the five healing-type awakened individuals, immediately escorted the group of handcuffed "distinguished guests" out.
As soon as the group left the core medical area and turned into a main passage, they ran into a group of four Changshengmen guards who were on patrol.
The guard captain's expression changed drastically when he saw such a large group of people suddenly pouring out of the medical area. He shouted loudly:
"Halt! Password!"
He looked at the distinguished guests and healing-type awakened individuals, feeling they were somewhat familiar, but the first few were clearly not members of the stronghold. He immediately questioned them sternly:
"Who are you people?! How did you get out of there...?"
Before the words were finished, a cold announcement suddenly rang out:
Those who aid and abet evil shall die!
A cold glint flashed in Zhao Dezheng's eyes, and he moved like lightning to strike first!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
