The city of Kangcheng was shrouded in continuous night rain.
Raindrops pattered on the cold, steel cannon, splashing up tiny droplets of water.
Under the seemingly indestructible protection of these massive steel cannons, the night appeared exceptionally calm. However, the number of soldiers patrolling the city walls was extremely small, their scattered figures appearing so frail in the rain, much like the flimsy defenses of Kangcheng.
The atmosphere at the Seventh Regiment stationed in the city was more tense than ever before, like the oppressive calm before a storm.
Contrary to their usual behavior, the members of the Seventh Regiment did not rest peacefully as usual. Instead, they were all unusually vigilant, like taut bowstrings.
Not only were patrol teams and sentries constantly changing positions within the unit, but figures also frequently entered and exited under the cover of darkness, as if conveying some silent but important message.
Heisha, the battalion commander of the Second Battalion who had been on guard duty outside, saw that the time had come and immediately emerged silently from the shadows of a corner of a room, like ink blending into the night.
His deep voice broke the silence in the room:
“Ma Yuanbai, Li Yu has left. It seems he has ventured alone into the restricted area of the monument in the west of the city during the day.”
Ma Yuanbai, who was sitting cross-legged, suddenly shuddered, his tightly closed eyes snapped open, and his gaze flashed with sharp light!
This is the moment we've been waiting for!
There was no surprise in his eyes, only a long-awaited resolve and a desperate madness, as if he had made some great decision.
“Understood…” Ma Yuanbai slowly stood up, his bones cracking slightly, and an extraordinary aura rose from him:
"Go and inform Zhao Xiong and Lin Yong to assemble immediately and prepare to proceed according to plan!"
Black Sand frowned and couldn't help but ask:
"Are you really going to do this? Behind Li Yu's back?"
"It's not about carrying it on your back, it's about being prepared!" Ma Yuanbai's eyes were sharp, yet he remained unusually calm.
"Everything is for the future of the thousands of brothers and their families in the Seventh Regiment... and even more so for Regiment Commander Li Yu!"
His voice was firm and resolute: "I believe he will understand once we succeed."
Ma Yuanbai glanced at Heisha out of the corner of his eye, his voice extremely low: "Heisha, you should have realized that if we want to find out the truth about the destruction of Feiyan District, we have to do this."
"Don't forget that scorched earth, go and inform them."
The tragic scene in Feiyan District flashed through Heisha's mind in an instant—the terrifying power that could destroy the world, the despair of being wiped out like ants.
Having followed Li Yu into Zhongzhou for so long, Heisha had already vaguely guessed that the disappearance of Feiyan District must have been ordered by a big shot in Zhongzhou, otherwise it would have been impossible to mobilize such terrifying and powerful weapons.
However, their current positions are far from sufficient to investigate those who wield such power.
Ma Yuanbai's words were like a key, once again forcefully unlocking the fear and resentment that had been building up in his heart.
"...Understood." The last trace of hesitation in Black Sand's eyes vanished, replaced by a ruthless determination.
His figure once again blended into the shadows and disappeared.
However, Heisha did not expect that Ma Yuanbai would dare to mobilize the Seventh Regiment on his own behind Li Yu's back.
Moreover, it seems that he is not the only one; it appears that all the other battalion commanders of the Seventh Regiment have also been persuaded by Ma Yuanbai.
In this operation, none of the members of the Seventh Regiment put up any resistance.
Hei Sha suddenly remembered the few female combat-type awakened individuals who had just gone to detain Fu Xiyao; he feared that this was also something Ma Yuanbai had arranged long ago.
The entire Seventh Regiment suddenly transformed into a sophisticated war machine, activated by Ma Yuanbai the instant Li Yu left, and began to operate with a roar in an unknown direction.
The city was silent except for the sound of raindrops.
The sound of rain pattering outside the window only amplified the deathly silence inside.
Ma Yuanbai's eyes were filled with complex emotions, but he spoke to the empty doorway: "The time you said has come. Come in."
"Hehehe..." Accompanied by a dry, grating laugh, an old, withered figure pushed open the door and entered:
"Kid, you've got guts! But this time you've come to the right person."
Shi Tuo Yan's cloudy old eyes sized up Ma Yuanbai, a hint of appreciation mixed with amusement:
"Making such a big move behind Li Yu's back? I have to admit I underestimated you before."
Shi Tuo Yan glanced at the numerous jars beside Ma Yuanbai and continued:
"As a support-type awakened being, you dared to take such a risky move. You truly deserve the title of vice-captain of the Seventh Regiment!"
Ma Yuanbai's face showed no joy at being praised, only deep wariness and distrust.
He always felt that Shituoyan's constant acting in order to join the Seventh Regiment must have some ulterior motive.
Ma Yuanbai stared intently at Shi Tuo Yan, his expression serious, and said in an icy tone:
"Shituoyan, I don't care what your motives are for forcibly joining the Seventh Legion. But right now we share the same goal, so you'd better keep your promise, otherwise..."
"Hehehe, don't worry." Shi Tuo Yan interrupted Ma Yuanbai's warning directly, letting out a confident, cackling laugh.
He tapped his head with his withered, claw-like fingers, and the worm in his eye socket vanished in a flash:
"After all, I'm not dead yet."
"A mere forgotten Thunder Bureau branch and a few incompetent juniors are no match for my petty tricks."
"Just as we agreed before, as soon as you send the signal, I guarantee they won't even be able to lift their eyelids!"
Shi Tuo Yan couldn't stop smiling: "Hehe, I'm very skilled at this! I'll never mess it up."
"That would be for the best." Ma Yuanbai, suppressing his discomfort, coldly said as he looked at the three-legged worms crawling in the other's eyes:
"Then let's proceed as agreed. Once it's done, I will fulfill the conditions I promised you."
"Hehe, that was satisfying!" Shi Tuo Yan nodded in satisfaction, turned to leave, but then turned back, forcing an extremely ugly smile onto his withered face:
"Actually, compared to Li Yu, you're more to my liking."
Ma Yuanbai looked at Shi Tuoyan with a wary expression, not understanding his meaning.
Shi Tuo Yan laughed strangely, "Your plan is exactly what I wanted! I never thought that even with my neck buried in the yellow earth, I could still participate in such a good show of 'usurping the nest'."
"I want to see what kind of expression Li Yu will have when he comes back and sees that this place has changed hands."
"Hehe, this is interesting, so interesting!"
As Shitaka Yama chuckled and joked, he turned and left, the three-way worms in his eyes writhing wildly with excitement.
Ma Yuanbai narrowed his eyes slightly. He had personally witnessed Shi Tuoyan's interrogation process and was naturally very clear about Shi Tuoyan's strength.
The tragic state of those two Deepsea Watchers is still vivid in my mind; they are still like two fools, completely at the mercy of others. Therefore, this mission is best left to Shita Yama.
The room fell silent once more as Shita Yama's figure slowly disappeared through the doorway.
Ma Yuanbai stood alone at the door, calculating the time.
"Soon..."
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