071 "An Old Friend"

The red warning light flashed incessantly, stirring up anxiety and unease, making one involuntarily furrow their brows.

“Heh~ What did I tell you? Just wait for your doom.”

Ye Zi paid no heed to the pain still throbbing in his wounded forehead. Grinning mischievously, he flaunted his bravado before Si Qingchen.

After a moment, the man opposite suddenly stood up, giving him a deep, lingering look, then turned and strode out.

“Phew...”

Only after Si Qingchen had vanished entirely from the room did Ye Zi finally lose control, forcefully exhaling the breath he'd been holding in his chest.

Now, he had to admit that this man was both dangerous and deadly.

Even just sitting there, he exuded a suffocating heaviness.

The aura about him was oppressive and intense—truly... not to be underestimated.

“He really lives up to his reputation.”

Ye Zi muttered to himself. Though he was reluctant to concede, he couldn't deny it...

The leader of Shadow was indeed an extremely dangerous figure.

On the other side,

In the corridor,

The specially designed bulletproof passage shimmered with a red glow; the pale gray walls revealed a unique metallic texture, appearing and vanishing with the flicker of crimson light.

At this moment, Si Qingchen was making his way outward. Compared to the hurried staff all around him, he remained as composed as ever. Except for the subtle complexity in his eyes, he was almost indistinguishable from his usual self.

Not far away, Si Nan had just turned a corner. Spotting his boss, he strode over.

He handed a black card to Si Qingchen.

“Boss, look.”

Si Qingchen took it, his eyes narrowing slightly.

In his hand was a card all too familiar—a black metal card.

Thin as a cicada’s wing, yet able to slice through iron as if it were mud.

On it, a single letter stood out clearly—“N.”

“She’s here?”

The man toyed with the card, his fingertips brushing lightly over its thin edge, feeling the imminent danger of being cut.

Sharp, leaving no room for compromise.

Just like... a certain someone in his heart.

At this moment, a conflicting desire welled up within Si Qingchen—an urgent need to confirm, yet a fear of alarming the quarry.

He carefully slipped the card into his pocket, pondered briefly, then gave a low command,

“Let’s go. Time to meet an ‘old friend.’”

“Yes, sir.”

Master and servant walked out together.

...

This was not the first confrontation between Shadow and Trace.

But in the past, no matter how Shadow pressed, the leader of Trace always remained elusive.

Except for a few fleeting glimpses during missions, no one had ever truly seen what the leader of Trace looked like—even to this day.

Now, finally about to meet this enigmatic figure, even Si Nan felt a subtle excitement.

Yet, by chance, he glanced at his boss Si Qingchen, who seemed... a little tense.

‘What’s going on with the boss?’

Si Nan didn’t dare ask, so he had no idea just how much anticipation—and anxiety—Si Qingchen was feeling at that moment.

Soon, the two of them arrived at the entrance of the base.

It was already three in the morning.

Shadow’s base was entirely concealed beneath the mountain, with only a single metal door exposed to the outside—not easily found.

When that door slowly opened, a slender silhouette standing beneath the moonlight not far away instantly seized... everyone’s attention!