Full-Time Public Enemy

This place was desolate, with not an insect in sight, yet Chen Gu's "Mind Belief" continuously warned him of a great, lurking danger. Chen Gu looked across to the other side, a few hundred meters away, where the opposite wall of the great hall rose vertically, a sheer cliff several kilometers high. Square niches were carved into the wall in densely packed rows. Each niche contained a statue of an Evil God, identical to the one Chen Gu had seen before.

However, these statues were all damaged. Some were completely shattered, while most were merely broken, so they no longer spread their corrupting influence. Even so, a chill ran down Chen Gu's spine. A single statue had already ensnared one of his classmates; this wall held at least a thousand.

Before these statues were destroyed, how terrifying must this great hall have been? he thought. Any creature standing here would have been unable to resist such contamination, surely? It would be like facing an Evil God directly!

But where does this danger come from? Chen Gu silently wondered. Just then, footsteps echoed from an exit beneath that same stone wall.

Chen Gu paused, startled. Human footsteps were distinctly different from those of the Insect Race, and these were unmistakably human. But who else could be here?

Benjamin and the others had said the only way into this subterranean area was through the round hole on the altar. If these people came through there, Zhou Buwu and his team would surely have radioed me, Chen Gu reasoned.

With a quick thought, Chen Gu retreated a step back into the passage he had just exited, simultaneously activating his "Complete Stealth" device.

An armed squad emerged from the exit. They were fully equipped, wearing top-of-the-line Mecha produced by a Confederation arms company. There were seven of them in total: five men and two women. The other six formed a protective cordon around one of the young women in their midst.

The young woman also wore a Mecha, but its faceplate was opaque, evidently crafted from a special material designed to block most scanning devices.

The team was clearly formidable. After entering the great hall, they conducted a meticulous search and only relaxed once they confirmed the immediate area was clear of danger.

A rugged-looking middle-aged man said, "Rest here for twenty minutes. Ghost Ape, you're on guard."

A taciturn male warrior nodded. Flames erupted from his Mecha as he ascended. He selected a niche in the stone wall where the statue inside was already broken. Upon entering, he thoroughly crushed the remaining fragments of the statue, cleared the debris to make space, and then positioned himself within the niche, watching from above.

Below, the other warriors drank water, while some retrieved compressed high-energy military rations, taking the opportunity to refuel.

The rugged-faced middle-aged man, evidently the team leader, pulled out a military canteen and offered it to the young woman they were protecting. "Client, care for some water?"

The young woman shook her head gently.

The rugged man took a swig himself before covertly exchanging glances with his teammates. He then addressed the client, "Now that we've come this far, you should tell us a few things. What exactly are we looking for?"

The other team members appeared to be resting casually, but Chen Gu, observing from the shadows, could see they had subtly positioned themselves to trap the young woman in the center, leaving her no avenue of escape.

Chen Gu, still concealed, frowned. This is a warzone, and these temple ruins are even more perilous. How could a squad like this suddenly appear here?

The young woman spoke, her voice cool and indifferent. "Xulong, are you dissatisfied with the payment for this contract?"

The rugged man, Xulong, shook his head. "Our pay was already high, and you doubled it; we have no complaints there. But in the twenty years since our 'Beast God Seal' mercenary group was founded, we've only lost a total of six members across all missions combined. On this mission alone, we've already lost five brothers!

"The insects here are vastly different from any we've encountered before.

"They don't act like insects... they're more like... Mutants!"

Xulong suddenly stood up, advancing on the young woman. "We in this line of work aren't afraid of dying. Once we take a job, we're prepared for death at any moment. But I want to die knowing why! What secrets does this godforsaken place hide? Why would a girl like you, someone who couldn't even harm a fly, lead us here?

"What is your true objective?!"

Power erupted from Xulong, escalating rapidly until it reached the Sixth Energy Level!

Chen Gu, watching in secret, noted that the other mercenaries, including Ghost Ape on guard above, had all unleashed their powers. They're all professionals! he realized. And their Energy Levels aren't low either. They far surpass Dora's group; the difference is like night and day!

The young woman remained calm and composed, her eyes unreadable behind her mask as she scrutinized Xulong and his team, speaking slowly, "Do you really want to know? Sometimes, knowing too many secrets isn't a good thing. Believe me, keeping you in the dark was for your own protection."

Xulong swung his arm forcefully. "Don't try to fool me! I was slugging it out on the starfields before you were even born!"

"Alright," the young woman conceded with a soft sigh, then continued, "Your mercenary group is called 'Beast God Seal.' Tell me, do you truly believe in the existence of gods?"

Xulong glared with his leopard-like eyes. "What do you mean?"