Chapter 275: The Eye of the Siren

Xia Yao chatted aimlessly with Lin Guang while stealing glances at the young man's profile, feeling her ears grow warm and her heart leap with joy.

So what he meant was... she was special to him?

The wooden block had finally bloomed?

Once this thought took root, it spread through Xia Yao's mind like wild grass.

Just as her head was filled with all sorts of wild fantasies, a waiter came up carrying an exquisite appetizer.

It was a small crystal cup set upon an ice-carved tray, containing lightly seared tender shellfish, topped with glistening caviar and a few delicate flakes of edible gold leaf.

Dry ice mist flowed slowly across the tabletop, and a faint, fresh scent of the ocean filled the air.

............

Meanwhile.

Southern Suburbs.

On an elevated highway bridge a few kilometers from the Wulan Research Institute.

Several sorcerers from the Wind Capital Sixth Division stood side by side, gazing into the distance at that building.

The night sky was hazy, with thick clouds nearly blotting out all moonlight. Only a faint sliver of silver managed to pierce through, while the air was thick with the damp smell of earth and moisture.

It looked like rain was about to fall.

And at this moment.

Within a two-kilometer radius centered on the institute, apart from the dim, yellowish glow of street lamps, not a single light from residential buildings could be seen, nor could any car engines be heard.

- This area had been a remote location since its founding, situated at what could be called the very edge of Wind Capital's edge, making evacuation exceptionally easy.

"The Bystander-Repelling barrier has been deployed."

Yan Jing pushed up his round-framed glasses and spoke solemnly into his earpiece.

Chen Yujie was still in that bold bikini outfit, her bare feet stepping on the rough asphalt, though a shimmering layer of blue light separated her from actual contact.

She turned to look at Luo Xi, who was still holding her phone and looking somewhat dejected.

"He didn't agree?"

Luo Xi nodded, looking crestfallen: "Yeah, Brother Lin Guang said he's busy tonight."

"But he also said he called some friends over..."

Chen Yujie raised an eyebrow. "Friends?"

"Whatever, reinforcements are always welcome... though I wonder where they'll be supporting from."

"By the way, what's the situation?"

The golden-haired girl knew what she was asking about. She suddenly closed her eyes, and her small nose twitched slightly a few times.

After a few minutes, she opened her eyes and said with certainty: "I don't smell any first-grade sorcerers in the vicinity."

"But there should be about two or three second-grade sorcerers hiding in the shadows."

"Tch, no chance for sis to make an immediate entrance... Though that makes sense. If there were really high-tier combat power nearby, they'd definitely be staying inside the institute. No reason to be hanging around outside."

Chen Yujie pouted in boredom, hoisting the long-handled harpoon onto her shoulder: "Leave those sorcerers to you guys. I'll hold this elevated bridge and block anyone trying to reinforce them."

"If you can't handle it, call me. I'll back you up."

"Yes!"

Yan Jing didn't reply. He raised his hand to check the time on his wristwatch, then took out a black box from his chest and opened it gently.

On the black cushion lay a eyeball seemingly carved from crystal.

This was one of the artifacts contained by the Sixth Division, the [Eye of the Siren], consisting of a left eye and a right eye.

Anyone who drips blood onto the left eye will have their perspective shared with the one holding the right eye, and can even observe from a god's-eye view.

This observation had limits on time, number of people, and energy level, but it was already an exceptionally practical artifact.

The next moment, Yan Jing raised his index finger and lightly traced it across the blade of his wooden sword.

Chen Yujie wiped it on the tip of her harpoon.

Luo Xi grinned and dragged her thumb across her small canine tooth with force.

The other sorcerers also drew their blood and dripped it onto the crystal eyeball together.

The moment the blood touched the crystal, it refracted a shimmering rainbow of light.

Immediately after, a massive, translucent eye resembling a phantom suddenly materialized in midair above each person's head.

From the micro-earpiece came the voice of Section Chief Qin Shengshi: "Connection complete."

"All units of the Sixth Division, report your status."

"A1 team confirmed in position."

"A2 team confirmed in position."

Reports from various teams rang out in succession over the communication channel.

At this very moment, at various traffic arteries throughout Wind Capital, on top of office buildings, and at key nodes, fully armed field operatives of the Sixth Division stood at the ready.

According to Qin Shengshi's [Divination], the probability that the enemy would panic and cause chaos within the city when the institute came under attack was practically one hundred percent.

Therefore, apart from the few people at the core battlefield, they were prepared to provide city-wide support at any moment.

After confirming everyone's deployment, Yan Jing suddenly spoke up: "Where's the Deputy Chief?"

Luo Xi pouted and pointed her finger toward the pitch-black night sky: "No need to look for him. That arrogant fool got there long ago."

She stuck out her tongue, her pretty face filled with utter disdain: "Hmph... I swear only idiots and cigarettes like being up that high."

.........

At this moment, a thousand meters above the elevated bridge.

Beneath that night sky that seemed ready to rain at any moment.

The pink-haired young man stood in midair, looking like a tiny black dot against the night.

Wu Nuo.

The [Contemporary Strongest] as countless people called him.

Yet he was still in that same unrestrained outfit, wearing a white sleeveless training suit with a worn black belt casually tied around his waist.

His hands were stuffed in his pockets as the fierce winds at high altitude blew his pink hair back. Those indifferent eyes looked down at the institute below at an angle, as if gazing upon ants.

- Let me see...

Just what makes you think you can challenge me.

The next moment.

That inexplicable fluctuation had already wrapped around and covered him perfectly.

[Impermeable] was now deployed.

He stopped maintaining the spatial fluctuation beneath his feet, then leaned forward, head-first, his entire body plummeting straight down like a meteor that had lost gravity.

And then -

Boom-!

Something violently smashed through the reinforced building materials on the institute's top floor.

"Intruder!!"

Amid the shouts, piercing red alarm lights instantly illuminated the corridor, and a shrill siren began echoing throughout the institute.

At the same time, Qin Shengshi's voice sounded in the earpieces of everyone in the Sixth Division.

"All personnel are ready."

"Operation begins."

Inside the institute.

Just as the patrolling security guards instinctively raised their guns, preparing to aim at the smoke.

Shhh-

The next moment, the equipment and firearms on everyone's bodies were sliced apart in an instant.

Wu Nuo's casual voice came from within the smoke: "Don't move."

"It's very hard to control the force needed to step on ants without crushing them."

He walked out leisurely with his hands in his pockets, preparing to get his bearings.

But the very next moment.

All the security guards' pupils instantly turned pitch black, their bodies began to swell, and they roared as they lunged at him.

"........."

Wu Nuo frowned slightly, sensing the curse power fluctuations on them.

- Already eroded to this extent?

Then there was no saving them.

Shhh!