Chapter 1025 - 373: Barbecue Chef, You’re Awake!~

However, just as the icy wind at noon was at its most bitter, with swirling snowflakes nearly obscuring the view.

Something peculiar slipped into the edge of Fang Qingyu’s perception.

Fang Qingyu abruptly opened his starry eyes.

Through the fluttering snowflakes, he precisely locked onto the target.

A palm-sized white paper, steadily moving against the chaotic and violent cold wind, drifted unerringly towards the top of the ice mound where he stood.

Fang Qingyu furrowed his brow slightly.

Instantly surveying his surroundings.

But saw no titles.

Nor was there any other life aura in his perception.

This paper seemed to have appeared out of thin air and accurately found him.

Ten meters... five meters... three meters...

The white paper finally settled lightly into Fang Qingyu’s palm.

Fang Qingyu slowly lowered his head.

His gaze fell on the white paper in his palm.

There was only one line of words on it.

Life Ghost wants to assassinate you.

Fang Qingyu looked on calmly.

No ripple stirred in his expression.

Life Ghost wants to assassinate him?

This was within his expectations.

Since the world-shocking battle of divine decay in the City of Injustice.

His name was destined to appear in the sight of the Life Ghost leadership.

So the matter of Life Ghost attempting assassination.

Was no surprise.

Fang Qingyu was curious as to who delivered this message to him!?

It was clearly someone who had received accurate information to send this note.

And this person can’t be from the Federation.

Otherwise, if it were something the Federation knew, Old Man Hong would have promptly warned him.

Thus... the note’s sender must be from the Life Ghost’s side.

And as for Life Ghost’s side, the only one barely human...

Seemingly...

Only that person?

The sky turned utterly black.

Like thick ink splashed onto the ice plain.

The biting cold wind not only didn’t weaken but grew more ferocious, whipping the ground’s accumulated snow into a frenzy.

Only a dozen high-powered floodlights temporarily set up beside the City of Dawn construction site lit the coastal ice zone and a small nearby sea area as bright as day.

The large hoisting platform emitted a muffled sound, and the massive mechanical arm slowly retracted.

The last fifty-meter-long, over ten-meter-diameter black "anchor sink".

Sank steadily into the ink-blue Ice Sea under the glaring beams of the floodlights.

Leaving only thick cables connecting to the fixed stakes onshore.

Shen Zhou, wrapped in a thick coat, stood at the edge of the floodlight’s halo, yelling hoarsely into the communicator, his voice pulled apart by the wind: "Good! Good! Data stream returned normally, anchoring strength meets standards, eighteen in total, not one less, brothers! The first stage is complete!!!"

Cheering instantly overpowered the roar of the wind and snow.

Everyone’s face radiated with relieved excitement.

The successful deployment of these eighteen anchors meant the City of Dawn on this wild Ice Sea.

Had finally taken its first step.

After shouting, Shen Zhou wiped off the fluid on his face, red from the cold, whether sweat or snow, and breathlessly walked quickly to Fang Qingyu and Wei Banmeng, his face a mix of exhaustion and joyous complexity: "Captain Fang! Ms. Wei! Today’s mission is complete, but... tonight is critical."

He pointed at the cables connecting the anchors, taut and straight.

And the shore’s newly completed foundational structure, "The newly deployed anchors need time for the stabilization system to achieve initial balance with the seabed deep geological stress. The shore foundation’s freshly poured rapid-setting special concrete also needs at least eight hours to reach preliminary design strength."

"During this time, any large vibrations, impacts, or disturbances from Life Ghost could nullify today’s achievements! Tonight, someone has to guard here! Guard it without leaving a step!"

His gaze fell on Fang Qingyu’s face.

Fang Qingyu was the backbone for everyone.

With him around, there was a sense of security.

Fang Qingyu looked at the cables submerged in darkness and waves, without hesitation: "Don’t worry, I’ll stay."

"Let me do it."

Wei Banmeng’s cold voice almost simultaneously sounded.

She stood by Fang Qingyu’s side, meeting his gaze coming over, "Xiaojiang hasn’t woken up, you should go back to check on him."

She paused, her gaze sweeping past the thousands of Cyan Dragon Gang elites standing solemnly in the cold wind.

"We have people here, as long as no Abyssal Level personally launches a strong attack on the positions, we can hold it. If such a level did come... your time to assist from here wouldn’t differ much from coming from the Great Wall."

Fang Qingyu looked at the pair of cold eyes glittering under the floodlights from Wei Banmeng.

Silent for a few seconds.

Finally, slowly nodded.

Wei Banmeng’s capability and the Cyan Dragon Gang’s strength.

He trusted enough.

"Alright. I’ll leave it to you then," he said deeply, his gaze sweeping over the Cyan Dragon Gang leadership present, "Everyone, follow Captain Wei’s orders."

"Yes!"

Uniform, synchronized low growls answered.

Fang Qingyu no longer lingered, turned around, and waved a big hand: "Regroup! Return to the city!"

The team of over ten thousand people regrouped in the biting night wind.

They withdrew silently and orderly from the ice-bound construction site that was as bright as daylight.

Along the tracks they came, they slowly vanished into the dark depths of the ice plains.

The wind and snow soon consumed their silhouettes.

Wei Banmeng stood alone at the edge of the spotlight beam, watching the team depart, until the last point of light vanished at the horizon.

The cold wind tossed her ink-colored hair and the hems of her clothes, outlining a slender yet upright figure like a pine.

She slowly turned around, her gaze returning to the surging dark Arctic Ice Sea.

And the few cables disappearing into the darkness.

Her cool face held no expression.

Just a frozen austerity.

"Fortify! Take turns! All surveillance equipment at full power! Not a single Life Ghost approaches our anchor point!"

Her command instantly ignited the entire temporary camp’s state of readiness.

...

The warmth inside the Arctic Great Wall.

And the biting cold of the ice plains outside, like two different worlds.

Fang Qingyu, Lu Jiuyuan, Liu San, and others properly settled the returning team in the allocated military camp area.

Only after ensuring everyone was settled.

They dragged their weary bodies back to the secluded small courtyard.

Opening the courtyard gate, a warm yellow wall lamp glowed in the living room.

Su Wanqing wrapped in a thin blanket, curled on the sofa in the living room, holding a book in her hands.

But her thoughts were clearly not on the book.

Hearing the door, she immediately put down the book and stood up: "Still hasn’t awakened, breathing has been steady, like sleeping deeply."

Fang Qingyu nodded.

His gaze swept over Lu Jiuyuan and Su Wanqing: "You both go rest, I’ll keep watch."

The two hearing this did not say more, each nodded.

Walking to their own rooms.

The small courtyard completely quieted down.

Only the cold wind swept past the eaves outside the window.

Fang Qingyu walked to Jiang Wei’s room door and gently pushed it open.

The room was unlit, only the faint light from outside barely penetrated through.

Fang Qingyu lightened his steps to reach the bedside.

By that weak light, he saw the person on the bed clearly.

A girl, oh no.

At this moment, it should be said a young woman was quietly asleep.

Fiery red hair scattered across the white pillow.

That face had shed the last traces of childishness, the contours becoming clear and flawless.

Skin glowed with luster in the dim light, nose straight and beautiful, lips elegantly lined.

A face in sleep, holding a beauty transcending the mundane, indistinguishable from a Drought Fiend.

Only that familiar aura between the eyebrows, belonging to Jiang Wei.

Let Fang Qingyu confirm.

This was still the girl he had protected since childhood.

Only, she had grown up.

Fang Qingyu slowly sat down on the chair beside the bed.

Just quietly watching her.

Watching this face simultaneously familiar and strange, a stunningly beautiful face in sleep.

Reaching out, carefully brushing a stray strand of fiery red hair from her smooth forehead.

No idea how much time passed.

Fang Qingyu leaned back on the hard chair back, consciousness gradually blurred, slowly fell asleep.

The next time awareness returned.

A tickling sensation came to his nose tip.

Fang Qingyu’s lashes trembled slightly.

Abruptly waking from light sleep.

Starry eyes opened, instantly regaining clarity.

Coming into view, was a face incredibly close, with a gentle, smiling expression of stunning beauty.

Fiery red hair like excellent silk, slipped from her shoulder.

The tips playfully swiping across his nose tip.

Those clear eyes like red rubies, now filled with the laziness of waking and a hint of mischievous laughter.

Gazing at him unblinkingly.

She was still pinching a lock of her own hair, evidently the earlier prank was her handiwork.

Seeing Fang Qingyu awaken, her smile deepened.

Her red lips lightly parted, voice like the sound of a clear spring flowing, pleasing to the ear:

"Awake?"