Chapter 526 - 359: Identity Exposed, Requesting Permission

Chapter 526: Chapter 359: Identity Exposed, Requesting Permission

It was too fast, the angle too difficult for an ordinary person to even register the moment. But for the woman called Butterfly, it was more than enough.

Her "antennae" instantly locked onto the blurred image. Like the most brilliant of artists, she began using astounding computational power to reconstruct the target’s features from subtle clues—light and shadow, silhouette, gait, and residual energy signatures.

"Got him," Butterfly murmured, a playful smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

Her consciousness delved deeper, an invisible blade slicing through layer after layer of data barriers.

Permissions were meaningless before her; firewalls were like tissue paper. Soon, a name and its corresponding file were retrieved.

"Wu Liangchen. An outsider Martial Cultivator. Magic, Level Four... or is it a Divine Sight Realm Martial Artist?"

Reading this, a flicker of surprise appeared in Butterfly’s eyes. ’A Divine Sight Realm Martial Artist this young is a rare sight. And an outsider Martial Cultivator, no less? That’s even rarer.’

Her interest piqued, she continued to dig.

"The annihilation of the Sun family in Qing Province... the work of a single person?"

When she saw the incident report, marked as top secret, even Butterfly couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

’To single-handedly wipe out a major family that had been entrenched in the region for years? This wasn’t something any ordinary, talented Martial Artist could accomplish.’

"No wonder that Schiller fellow ran into trouble," Butterfly chuckled. With a flick of her fingertips, she packaged the compiled data—including several relatively clear profile images of Wu Liangchen that had been algorithmically reconstructed—and sent it to Schiller.

She attached a brief comment: "Your little mouse has very sharp teeth. Be careful it doesn’t bite your throat out."

...

「Inside the temporary command post at the abandoned factory.」

Schiller stared at the data on the holographic screen, his expression dark and uncertain.

’Wu Liangchen!’

The name, that young yet sharply defined face, and that shocking record—they all sent a chill down his spine.

’Divine Sight Realm! Single-handedly annihilated the Sun family of Qing Province!’

’No wonder!’

’No wonder he could so easily take care of the Heavy Hammer Squad and still escape a massive encirclement with such ease!’

’This isn’t a mouse at all—it’s a ferocious tiger that’s snuck into the sheepfold!’

Still, having a concrete target made the next steps much easier.

With the backing of the colossal Dome Group, tracking one person’s movements in Zhongjing was child’s play.

Consequently, Wu Liangchen’s activity patterns were quickly analyzed, with two locations flagged for emphasis.

"The Black Tile Inn, the Cyber Temple..."

A vicious glint flashed in Schiller’s eyes as he looked at the two locations.

"Relay my orders! Team One, to the Black Tile Inn, now! Bring me back that fat man, Liangzi. Team Two, lock down the Cyber Temple. This time, I don’t care if you have to dismantle those metal monks piece by piece—find him!"

"Sir!"

The orders were given, and the Dome Group’s armed forces once again surged forward like a tide.

Half an hour later, however, Schiller was met with two pieces of bad news.

"Report, Mr. Schiller! The Black Tile Inn... it’s deserted. The fat man named Liangzi is gone. All that’s left is an empty inn!"

"Report, Mr. Schiller! The Cyber Temple is also empty! All the metal monks have vanished!"

BANG!

Schiller slammed his fist onto the metal table in front of him. The sturdy surface instantly spiderwebbed with cracks, sending sparks flying.

"They got away again?!" he snarled, veins bulging on his forehead.

’First the target himself, and now even his potential accomplices and contacts have vanished without a trace, right under my very nose!’

This was a blatant humiliation!

"The underground! They must have all fled into the underground tunnels!" Schiller’s head snapped up, his eyes gleaming with a mad light. "They think hiding in that maze of a rat’s nest will keep them safe? How naive!"

He immediately sent Wu Liangchen’s file back up the chain, along with his own request.

"I need authorization for a full lockdown and sweep of Zhongjing’s underground sectors."

He had assumed that requesting authorization on such a massive scale, an action that could cause huge turmoil, would require a tedious process of reviews and negotiations.

However, to his surprise, the reply was unusually swift and decisive.

"Authorization granted. Director Schiller, the Group offers its full support for your operation. Reinforcements and technical experts will arrive shortly to assist you in completing your mission."

’This speed... it’s abnormally fast.’

Schiller froze for a second, then a wave of elation washed over him.

’It seems the higher-ups place far more importance on this Wu Liangchen than I ever imagined! It’s probably not just because he disrupted the order in Zhongjing, but because he’s tied to some deeper secret.’

But none of that mattered. What was important was that he now wielded unprecedented power!

Soon, just as the message promised, large numbers of elite Dome Group troops—better equipped and emanating a far fiercer aura—began to assemble.

To Schiller’s surprise and delight, a technical expert in a silver-white uniform with a cold, detached expression arrived along with the reinforcements.

"Director Schiller. I am ’Beacon.’ I have been ordered by the corporation to assist your operation," the man said with a slight nod. His tone was flat, yet it held a confidence born from technical superiority.

He handed over a data drive.

"This contains the corporation’s detailed map data of Zhongjing’s subterranean pipe network and ruin zones, including some unpublicized schematics—even structural diagrams from the old era."

Schiller took the drive and plugged it into his terminal. As the map of the underground structures—so complex it made his scalp tingle—slowly unfurled on the screen, a fervent light erupted in his eyes.

’With this, and with our absolute military superiority, that rat and everyone connected to him will have nowhere left to run!’

"The boss also asked me to pass on a message."

Hearing the word "boss," Schiller immediately straightened up, his face turning serious as he looked at the man.

"If possible, capture him alive. The boss is very interested in this Wu Liangchen’s body," Beacon stated flatly.

Schiller’s expression froze for a moment before he nodded. "Understood."

「Meanwhile, deep within the abandoned pipe network of the third subterranean level.」

The safe house Liangzi had set up was now uncomfortably crowded.

In the cramped space, besides Wu Liangchen and Song Ling’Er, there was now Master Jie Nian, Alina, Jian Yi, and the portly innkeeper, Liangzi, himself.

As for the monks from the Cyber Temple, the safe house simply couldn’t hold that many people, so they were forced to stand guard outside.

The air was stuffy, a mix of the smell of compressed biscuits and the faint scent of antiseptic.

Liangzi’s plump body was squeezed into a corner, his expression one of calm resignation.

’Things have already come to this; no point saying anything else.’

In fact, if his information network hadn’t been so good and his mind so sharp, Schiller’s men would have likely already captured him.

Thankfully, at the last possible moment, he had decisively abandoned the inn and hidden in the underground tunnels.

Having regained some mobility, Jian Yi leaned against the wall, gently wiping his longsword.

Though his eyes could not see, his expression was uncharacteristically gentle, as if he were polishing not a sword, but his lover.

Master Jie Nian sat cross-legged, his expression as tranquil as ever, as if the storms of the outside world had nothing to do with him. And yet, a flicker of imperceptible worry would occasionally cross his deep-set eyes.

Everyone understood that while the safe house was well-hidden, it was no long-term solution.

Especially with so many people gathered in one place, they were too large a target, their supplies would drain quickly, and they were far more likely to be exposed.

Most importantly, now that the Dome Group was onto them, it was only a matter of time before they were found here.

They had to move.

But the question was, where to?

The underground tunnels were incredibly complex, but that also meant danger lurked around every corner.

Mutated creatures, a hostile environment, and unstable structures made this place a death trap where ordinary people could not survive.

Just then, Master Jie Nian suddenly spoke.

He softly chanted a Buddhist phrase and looked to Wu Liangchen. "Benefactor, if you have nowhere to go, this humble monk knows of a place."

All eyes in the room instantly fell upon Master Jie Nian.

"Please tell us, Master," Wu Liangchen said, opening the eyes he had closed in thought to look at the ascetic monk.

Master Jie Nian’s gaze grew distant, as if it were piercing through layers of rock and darkness to peer into some faraway, ancient place.

"Deeper underground, there is a forgotten region. That place... was once the site of a temple ruin from an ancient era."