“Hmm… This should be safe now.” After running with Melissa for nearly ten minutes, Zhang Wen finally slowed his pace, cautiously glancing behind him. “I haven’t noticed anyone following us yet. Still, we can’t afford to be careless.” He pulled Melissa into his arms, pretending to be a pair of affectionate lovers.
“Phew… phew…”
Melissa gasped for breath, her chest heaving violently. Her ample bosom was mostly spilling out of her collar, as if her outfit—one size too small—might burst at any moment!
In fact, Melissa was too exhausted to even speak.
Although her body had mostly recovered from the effects of suffocation, the mental energy drained by the primal stone showed no sign of returning. Running purely on physical strength for over ten minutes was an experience Melissa had never had before! Combined with the oppressive feeling from her tight clothing, Melissa felt so miserable that she nearly thought she would suffocate and faint again.
Therefore, when she noticed Zhang Wen’s intimate gesture, Melissa not only refrained from resisting, but readily leaned into him. As she transferred most of her body weight onto Zhang Wen, she raised her head and looked at him questioningly with her eyes.
Why are we running away in such a hurry?
“Heh… that’s quite a long story,” Zhang Wen helplessly smiled. He leaned close to Melissa’s ear and recounted in detail everything that had happened from the moment he left Thoth Academy until rescuing Melissa.
“So, you originally captured an assassin definitely connected to the Black Viscount, but now she’s gone.”
“Yeah. At first, I thought Vicky had escaped on her own, but now it seems like someone must have rescued her. Moreover, the person who rescued her must be someone quite confident and powerful—and impatient too. Vicky knows I’d go to TK Group’s headquarters, so he didn’t have the patience to wait for me to return and instead took Vicky to find me. Once they arrive at TK Group and find I’ve already left, they might immediately return to the inn. I really don’t want to run into them at that moment.”
“If they return to the inn and still can’t find you, they might continue waiting for a while or search around,” Melissa’s eyes suddenly sparkled with excitement. “If what you said is true—that the assassin you subdued was that strong—and the person who came to look for Vicky seems to have the confidence to defeat you… Then he might very well be the high-level bodyguard who always stays by the Black Viscount’s side.” She whispered, tightly clenching her fist.
“Ha! Your luck has come!”
“No, our luck has come,” Melissa smiled and corrected Zhang Wen’s slight slip of the tongue.
“Then what are we waiting for? Time is precious.” Zhang Wen used his own words from not long ago again. “Where are we going now?”
“The arena!” Melissa confidently declared and then whispered seductively into Zhang Wen’s ear, “The Black Viscount has never liked having a fixed hideout. Whenever he arrives on a new planet, he quickly finds a partner to exploit. Usually, the Black Viscount stays in his partner’s headquarters, letting the partner handle any problems that arise. I previously searched TK Group’s headquarters but didn’t see your friend. Since they aren’t there, they’re likely with the Black Viscount himself at another place the Black Viscount frequents.”
“The arena? Indeed, a great place for bounty fighters to hide.” Zhang Wen’s lips curled into a smile, his tone carrying a double meaning.
“I’ve told you everything I know. Now, how exactly do you plan to deal with that guy? Just now, I’ve been thinking too—what method do you have that allows me to investigate the Black Viscount alone? You’re not just trying to use me, are you?” Melissa suddenly raised her head suspiciously.
“Oh, so the Countess only has this much confidence in someone who can make her heart flutter?”
“Being flattered is one thing; being cautious is another,” Melissa naturally replied.
“Don’t worry. I have a clever plan that won’t disappoint you.” Zhang Wen smiled, pulling from his pocket a small vial and a button-shaped mental communicator he had just taken from the female bounty hunter’s suitcase.
“Apply this to the back of your hands and your neck,” he said, hiding the button in his palm while handing the vial to Melissa.
Melissa opened the vial and lightly sniffed it, then furrowed her brows suspiciously.
“Perfume?”
Smack! Zhang Wen suddenly slapped Melissa’s firm, round butt, immediately earning a furious, blushing glare from the beautiful countess. Her tender, delicate bottom had never before suffered such an impolite violation from a man!
After all, Melissa had been born into a noble Alliance family and held the title of countess. Though later she became a secret agent for the Alliance, mingling among the aristocrats of the Empire and the Federation, using the unique methods of a beautiful woman to extract intelligence, her status meant she could never stoop to the level of lower female spies who shamelessly used their bodies.
Women who stripped naked at the slightest provocation, shamelessly acting like wantons, would only be despised by everyone in Melissa’s circle. Especially among the aristocrats of the Empire, men raised under the Empire’s harsh, militaristic education viewed women who only flaunted their beauty as dull, uninteresting toys.
It was the allure of coy restraint and ambiguous distance that the nobles, already tired of straightforward approaches, found most enticing.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that all the sacrifices Melissa had made while navigating the Empire’s elite circles combined didn’t amount to the liberties Zhang Wen had taken with her that night!
“Quickly do as I said. Don’t get distracted, or I’ll make your butt bloom,” Zhang Wen, unfazed by the countess’s indignant glare, whispered threateningly into her ear.
If it had been another time, with another person, facing such an insult, Melissa might not have dared to storm off but would have certainly tried to embarrass the offender. However, at this moment, Zhang Wen’s suggestive threat didn’t provoke any resistance from Melissa; instead, it stirred an unusual thrill within her.
The tingling sensation on her bottom where Zhang Wen had slapped her felt like an electric current, making Melissa feel as if she had returned to her girlhood, blushing furiously with embarrassment.
“Hmph!” After a long while, the beautiful diplomat huffed coldly, feigning displeasure as she followed Zhang Wen’s instructions and applied the perfume to her slender neck and the back of her hand.
Despite her still-blushing face, the careful manner in which Melissa applied the perfume made it hard to believe she was truly reluctant.
“Alright, I’ve done as you said. What else do you want me to do?” After finishing, Melissa asked with mock irritation.
Zhang Wen didn’t answer. He buried his face into Melissa’s neck and took a deep breath.
“It really smells nice.” When Zhang Wen lifted his head with a teasing smile, the “button” he had hidden in his right palm was already gone.
…
A few minutes later, outside the Kemal Arena in the heart of Babylon City, a stunningly sexy and regally elegant beauty appeared.
As this sexy beauty, dressed in a low-cut casual outfit, passed through the arena’s entrance, the heads of the customers queuing at the arena’s entrance turned like magnets drawn to iron. The ticket-checking supervisor was completely stunned!
He didn’t even notice whether the sexy beauty had a ticket in her hand, staring blankly at her body, his eyes nearly sucked into the deep cleavage between her soft, white, voluptuous breasts!
It wasn’t until the sexily enchanting beauty had long disappeared from sight that the supervisor, his neck almost twisted 180 degrees, finally turned his head back amidst the curses of several female customers. But judging from his dazed expression, he clearly hadn’t yet recovered from that shocking visual impact.
“Hey! Finally made it in safely…” Passing through the arena’s entrance, Melissa softly exhaled and glanced around.
Even though the first-floor lobby of Kemal Arena was always bustling with people, the sexy and beautiful Melissa still became the center of attention. She was like a magnet, firmly capturing everyone’s gaze. Even many women couldn’t resist the charm of this noble lady, frequently turning their heads to look at her.
Good, Melissa silently nodded. She didn’t mind the glances from the surrounding people, smiling gracefully as she walked up to the second floor.
For the Kemal Arena, the small commotion Melissa caused on the first floor wasn’t particularly noticeable. However, for certain observant individuals, the attention Melissa attracted was enough for them to notice this woman’s presence.
Not long after, a knock sounded again at the luxurious private suite on the top floor of the Kemal Arena where the Black Viscount was staying.
“Come in,” the Black Viscount said, somewhat surprised that the TK Group’s thugs would disturb him at such a time.
“Viscount, I apologize for the intrusion. I think you might find this matter interesting,” said Sandaru, who was usually arrogant but dared not show any disrespect before the Black Viscount. He carefully spoke, only opening the mental screen hanging in the center of the suite after receiving the Black Viscount’s permission.
A pale blue mental energy flashed, and the mental screen lit up. Sandaru stepped forward again, inputting a bit of mental energy into the controller. The mental screen then displayed a scene that surprised the Black Viscount.
“Alliance spy?” The Black Viscount dropped his habitual smile, showing a hint of astonishment.
“This woman is someone you specifically instructed us to watch. Just now, Berkeley from the third floor suddenly came up to report that he saw her. I immediately came to inform you. She should still be in the Hall of Honor on the fourth floor. This is the Kemal Arena, after all, and the other four factions are watching us closely. We can’t directly take action against her… What would you like us to do?” Sandaru asked softly.
“Hmm… Didn’t Shaya and the others say this woman had already been taken care of? It seems there’s an interesting twist here.” Looking at Melissa’s figure, the Black Viscount gradually smiled again. “Can you confirm that she entered the arena alone? No companions with her?”
“Absolutely none. I can be certain of that,” Sandaru answered firmly.
“Fascinating! What does she hope to achieve by coming alone to find me? Does she think that with her Saint-tier ability alone, she can take me on? No… It can’t be that simple! Sandaru, please go invite her up! Since she wants to play a dangerous game, how can I not join in? Haha! Interesting! This is really interesting!”
In the end, the Black Viscount burst into laughter.
To be honest, in terms of pure strength, dealing with someone like Sandaru, who had barely reached the ninth tier, Melissa could crush him with just a finger. However, after hearing Sandaru’s purpose, Melissa showed no resistance at all. The two of them exchanged greetings like old friends who hadn’t seen each other in years, and then Melissa followed Sandaru to the Black Viscount’s room.
“Hehe! Countess Melissa, it’s been a long time. Your visit truly graces my humble abode,” the Black Viscount laughed heartily as he performed a standard Imperial noble bow upon seeing Melissa.
“Viscount Black, indeed a long time,” Melissa also smiled faintly and returned the bow.
“Countess Melissa, what brings you to personally visit me? Was my friend’s previous hospitality lacking?” the Black Viscount continued, feigning warmth.
“My friend’s hospitality was impeccable. Of the eight high-level spies who visited your home, I was the only one to survive. I came especially to see you, just so I wouldn’t die without even knowing what my opponent looked like.”
“Haha! Countess Melissa, you flatter me too much!” the Black Viscount sat down, smiling as he picked up his wine glass. “The reason you’ve humbled yourself to visit me at this time is no doubt to try and turn the tables. However, judging from your current state, Countess, I don’t think you can possibly turn the tide on your own. So, you must be relying on your companions, right?”
“You’re too kind,” Melissa smiled faintly, revealing no hint of her thoughts.
“Haha!” the Black Viscount continued shaking his head and laughing. “Countess Melissa, if I were to ask Mr. Sandaru behind you to throw you out that window right now…” he pointed to the window behind him, “I wouldn’t have to care about whatever purpose you have.”
“But, I don’t plan to do that,” the Black Viscount laughed, interrupting Melissa before she could speak. “What I love most is dangerous games. That’s because I have absolute confidence that in my games, no one can ever beat me. Miss Melissa, let’s make a guess. I wonder who your mysterious ally might be.”
“He agreed to help you against me, a dangerous opponent, which shows he has a strong sense of justice. And you believe his strength can turn the tide, meaning he must indeed be a formidable force. However, your friend must have realized he couldn’t escape unscathed from a Super-tier opponent, hence sending you alone to gather intelligence. Making such a rational decision in front of someone as beautiful as yourself proves this person is extremely calm and intelligent.”
“Clever, calm, possessing considerable justice, and with power somewhere between Saint-tier and Super-tier… In all of Babylon City, there is indeed one person matching these descriptions, someone who has had a minor conflict with me and has sufficient reason to help you against me.”
“The former Mithril Hunter, Andrei Stein, the Ruby Serpent. Oh, that’s right! Mr. Andrei Stein is now the representative martial arts instructor at the Almeyth Academy. He even gave himself a strange name, something like Zhang Wen, if I recall?”
At this, the Black Viscount smiled faintly and fixed his gaze on Melissa. He eagerly anticipated seeing panic on the countess’s face, which would be the ultimate affirmation and proof of his intellect, bringing him immense satisfaction.
However, the Black Viscount soon realized with surprise that his delightful expectation had vanished!
Clap! Clap! Clap!
After the Black Viscount’s speech, Melissa did not flinch in the slightest, instead smiling gently and applauding lightly.
“Brilliant, absolutely brilliant! To be honest, I’ve always thought of myself as a smart woman. Yet compared to you people, I’m as naive as a newborn baby.” Melissa sighed softly while shaking her head.
“Oh? ‘Us’?” The Black Viscount raised his eyebrows. There was still no sign of disappointment on his face.
“Yes, us!” Melissa lowered her hands, still smiling calmly. “Before I came to see you, Zhang Wen told me that as soon as I appeared before you, you would know he was here. However, even if you uncover our plan, you won’t find him. That’s the key point. What do you think, my lord Viscount?”
“Exactly. A worthy opponent. Ha ha! After manipulating pawns for so many years, it’s been a long time since I’ve encountered someone qualified to join the game! Ha ha!” The Black Viscount laughed loudly, his right hand trembling with excitement as he held his wine glass.
“My lord Viscount, I think we should kill this woman. Our grand plan is about to begin, and if anything unexpected happens now…” Feeling the Black Viscount’s gradually intensifying madness, Sandor finally couldn’t help but cautiously speak up.
The plan the Black Viscount was carrying out this time had an enormous impact on TK Group, enough to determine the life or death of this massive organization that held significant power on Filamen Five. No matter how much Sandor feared the Black Viscount, he couldn’t allow this intelligent monster to gamble with TK Group’s survival!
“No! We cannot kill her! Sandor, I’m very calm now! I’ve never been this calm before!” The Black Viscount drank all the wine in his glass in one gulp, loudly stopping Sandor, who was about to move forward to seize Melissa.
“But…” Sandor wanted to argue again but was once more waved off by the Black Viscount.
“If we kill this woman now, we’ll never find that man’s whereabouts. Compared to him, the plan we’re currently executing is just a minor issue! Even if we fail tonight, with the strength of Leica and the others, we still have the chance to eliminate the other forces on this planet. However, if that man escapes, even if we succeed today, when he appears next time, he will still bring you and me catastrophic disaster! Sandor, this is a game that must be continued. Besides, on this gambling table, it’s our lives that are the most crucial stakes! Compared to the lives of two Mithril Hunters, what is your TK Group?”
The Black Viscount smiled faintly, showing no attempt to hide his contempt for the TK Group. As a top-tier crocodile in the vast Mithril organization and a terrifying man who had once dominated the governments of several planets at his peak, the Black Viscount naturally had the qualifications for such arrogance!
“Then what do you suggest we do with this woman?” Sandor suppressed his anger and asked the Black Viscount again.
“Send her to the room where Shura and the others are. Let Saya and all of them wait in that room for our guest to arrive.” Saying this, the Black Viscount stood up and walked to Melissa’s side. “Hehe! My lady Countess, Zhang Wen must have sent you to help him find his friend, right? I’ll make him get what he wants, as long as he can walk away unscathed from six Saint-tier experts.”
“My lord Viscount, since you know Zhang Wen will come looking for this woman, why not keep them separated for surveillance?” Sandor couldn’t help but ask his third question.
“Hehe! Miss Melissa, don’t you think it’s precisely because there are so many fools in this world that the value of wisdom becomes evident?” The Black Viscount first smiled at Melissa, then shaking his head at the angry and flushed Sandor, he continued, “Zhang Wen already knows this woman and her companion are in the arena. As soon as he finds this woman, Zhang Wen will know our strength. Separating them for surveillance would only scatter our forces. What’s the point?”
“This…”
“Don’t think all confrontations are like those in dramas, full of twists and turns. Most of the time, decisive battles are like today. Neither side can hold back, and everything must be staked at once. Whether to win or lose will be decided in a single round.”
“Yes, I understand.” Sandor nodded with a cold expression. No matter how much anger he felt towards the Black Viscount, he still dared not be careless regarding the major operation that concerned TK Group’s survival.
As Sandor led Melissa out of the Black Viscount’s room, Zhang Wen had already infiltrated the arena and hidden himself among the crowd in the arena’s main hall.
“It doesn’t sound like a trap.” Standing in a nearly unnoticed corner, Zhang Wen smiled and removed a special communicator from his ear, casually tossing it into a nearby trash bin.
“The next step is to find that woman…” Zhang Wen whispered to himself, heading toward the stairs leading to the upper levels.
Zhang Wen was well aware that once the Black Viscount discovered Melissa, he would immediately have TK Group’s people tighten their security. However, when Zhang Wen previously visited the Babylon Arena, he had already roughly figured out the respective spheres of influence of the five major organizations controlling the arena.
Among these underground forces, there was absolutely no concept of mutual assistance. Therefore, as long as Zhang Wen carefully avoided the areas controlled by TK Group, he hardly had to worry about being discovered.
Of course, besides avoiding TK Group’s surveillance, Zhang Wen also paid attention to keeping a low profile. After all, Zhang Wen was also one of the bounty fighters from the Kasares planet. Although the other underground forces wouldn’t specifically target Zhang Wen, the henchmen and enforcers under those major organizations weren’t pushovers either if Zhang Wen appeared too conspicuously.
With the Spring Water Combat Technique fully activated, Zhang Wen’s five senses were several times more acute than usual. This was sufficient for Zhang Wen to avoid most people’s attention and silently search the entire arena.
“He was willing to help you deal with a dangerous opponent like me, which shows he possesses a considerable sense of justice. And since you believe you can turn the tables with his strength, he must indeed be a formidable figure. However, your friend isn’t confident enough to face a super-tier powerhouse unscathed, which is why he sent you alone to gather information. The fact that he could make such a wise judgment in the presence of a beauty like you proves that he is both calm and intelligent.”
“Intelligent, calm, with a strong sense of justice, and possessing power somewhere between saint-tier and super-tier… In all of Babylon City, there is indeed one person who fits these descriptions and has a slight grudge against me, giving him enough reason to help you deal with me.”
“The former Mithril Hunter, the Ruby Serpent, Mr. Andre Stein. Oh, right! Mr. Andre Stein is now the representative teacher of the Physical Arts Department at the Almisus Academy. He even gave himself a peculiar name, something like Zhang Wen, wasn’t it?”
As he spoke, the Black Earl smiled faintly and turned his gaze toward Melissa. He was eagerly anticipating seeing a look of panic on the Countess’s face. That would be the greatest affirmation and proof of his wisdom, and it would bring him immense satisfaction.
However, the Black Earl soon realized, to his surprise, that his delightful expectation had been dashed!
Clap! Clap! Clap!
After the Black Earl finished his speech, Melissa not only showed no sign of distress but instead smiled and gently applauded.
“Brilliant, truly brilliant! To be honest, I’ve always considered myself a clever woman. But in the presence of people like you, I feel as naive as a baby less than a year old,” Melissa shook her head in admiration.
“Oh? ‘People like us’?” The Black Earl raised an eyebrow, his face still showing no trace of disappointment.
“Yes, people like you!” Melissa put her hands down, still smiling calmly. “Before I came to you, Zhang Wen told me that as soon as I appeared before you, you would know he was here. But even if you figured out our plan, you wouldn’t be able to find him. That’s the key. What do you think, Your Lordship?”
“Indeed. A worthy opponent. Ha! After playing with pawns for so many years, it’s been a long time since I’ve encountered someone qualified to join the game! Ha!” The Black Earl laughed heartily, his right hand holding the wine glass trembling with excitement.
“Your Lordship, I think we should kill this woman. Our grand plan is about to begin, and if something unexpected happens now…” Sensing the Black Earl’s increasingly manic demeanor, Sandru finally couldn’t help but cautiously speak up.
The Black Earl’s current plan had too great an impact on the TK Group, enough to affect the survival of this massive organization, one of the five major powers on the planet Fila. No matter how much Sandru feared the Black Earl, he couldn’t let this brilliant monster play with the TK Group’s fate!
“No! We can’t kill her! Sandru, I’m very calm now! I’ve never been this calm before!” The Black Earl drained the wine in his glass and loudly stopped Sandru, who was about to seize Melissa.
“But…” Sandru wanted to argue but was once again silenced by the Black Earl’s wave.
“If we kill this woman now, we’ll never be able to find that guy again. Compared to him, our current plan is just a minor issue! Even if we fail tonight, with the strength of Leka and the others, we still have a chance to sweep away the other forces on this planet. But if we let that guy escape, even if we succeed today, when he reappears, he’ll bring disaster to both you and me! Sandru, this is a game that must be played. And on this gambling table, my life and his are the most crucial stakes! Compared to the lives of two Mithril Hunters, what is your TK Group worth?”
The Black Earl smiled faintly, not hiding his disdain for the TK Group. As a top-tier figure in the colossal Mithril organization, a man who had once dominated the political landscapes of several planets, the Black Earl certainly had the right to such arrogance!
“So, how do you wish to handle this woman?” Sandru suppressed his anger and asked the Black Earl again.
“Take her to Shura’s room. Have Saya and the others wait there for our guest to arrive.” The Black Earl stood up and walked over to Melissa. “Heh! Countess, Zhang Wen must be using you to find his friend. I’ll grant his wish, as long as he can escape unscathed from six saint-tier powerhouses.”
“Your Lordship, since you know Zhang Wen will use this woman to find us, why not keep them separated?” Sandru couldn’t help but raise his third question.
“Heh! Miss Melissa, don’t you think it’s precisely because there are so many fools in this world that wisdom becomes even more valuable?” The Black Earl first smiled at Melissa, then shook his head at Sandru, whose face was red with anger. “Zhang Wen already knows this woman and his companions are in the arena. Once he finds this woman, he’ll know our true situation. Separating them would only weaken our strength. What’s the point?”
“This…”
“Don’t think all confrontations will be as dramatic as in plays, with endless twists and turns. Most of the time, life-and-death struggles are like today. Neither side can hold back; they must stake everything in one move, win or lose, in a single round.”
“Yes, I understand.” Sandru nodded coldly. No matter how much anger he felt toward the Black Earl, he dared not be careless in a mission that concerned the TK Group’s survival.
As Sandru led Melissa out of the Black Earl’s room, Zhang Wen had already infiltrated the arena, blending into the crowd in the main hall.
“It doesn’t sound like a trap,” Zhang Wen murmured, standing in a nearly unnoticed corner. He smiled as he removed a specially designed communication device from his ear and casually tossed it into a nearby trash bin.
“The next step is to find that woman…” Zhang Wen whispered to himself as he walked toward the stairs leading to the next floor.
Zhang Wen knew very well that once the Black Earl discovered Melissa, he would immediately have the TK Group tighten their security. However, during his last visit to the Babylon Arena, Zhang Wen had already familiarized himself with the territories controlled by the five major organizations that ruled the arena.
Among these underground factions, there was no such thing as mutual assistance. Therefore, as long as Zhang Wen carefully avoided the areas controlled by the TK Group, he had little to fear about being discovered.
Of course, besides avoiding the TK Group’s eyes, Zhang Wen also made sure to keep a low profile. After all, Zhang Wen was also one of the bounty fighters from the planet Cassares. While the other underground factions wouldn’t specifically target him, if he drew too much attention, the thugs under those organizations wouldn’t just sit idly by.
With the Spring Water Technique’s combat energy fully activated, Zhang Wen’s senses were several times sharper than usual. This allowed him to evade most people’s notice as he silently searched the entire arena.
In fact, Zhang Wen didn’t spend much time on each floor of the arena. He merely moved cautiously around the perimeter of each hall, glanced at a device on his wrist that resembled a watch, and then decisively proceeded to the next floor.
This search continued for nearly half an hour. It wasn’t until Zhang Wen entered the 70th-floor hall that the small device on his wrist suddenly lit up with a soft yellow glow.
Thus, Zhang Wen’s search continued for about half an hour. Until he entered the main hall of the seventieth floor of the arena, the small device on his wrist suddenly emitted a soft yellow glow.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage