Stronger with Crimson Modifier-Chapter 117: Passage (1)

Once the two were helped inside,

Li Yi, Hu Lemei, and Dai Shu started making dumplings.

Hu Qi wanted to help, but Hu Lemei turned him down.

Time quietly slipped by, and it was soon after midnight.

Outside the window, the sound of fireworks and firecrackers erupted one after another.

Though there had been the occasional sound of fireworks during the day, it was nowhere near as dense as it was now.

Hu Lemei also had some fireworks at home, which Li Yi had bought during the day. However, given the current situation, it was obvious he wouldn’t be setting them off today.

Once most of the dumplings were made, Hu Qi and the others took the fireworks and went downstairs.

Hu Lemei, meanwhile, stayed home to look after Li Zhenguo and Li Yi.

The group left the residential complex. They didn’t set off the fireworks inside, as there was a lot of greenery and parked electric scooters, which could easily start a fire by accident.

Along the way, a faint mist drifted through the nighttime streets.

It carried a pungent smell.

It was the smell of gunpowder mixed with the mist, drifting faintly through every corner of the city.

The three of them didn’t linger and went to an open area in a nearby park.

The place was littered with the debris of firecrackers and fireworks. Colorful scraps of paper, like scattered, chaotic butterflies, were strewn in every corner.

Spent firecracker tubes lay strewn about, some still emitting faint wisps of smoke and a pungent gunpowder smell.

Red, green, and gold wrappers shivered in the cold wind.

Li Yi took a "ground fountain firework" out of the bag and placed it on the ground, while Dai Shu held a lighter, ready to light the fuse.

The two of them fiddled with it, heads bowed. Their focused coordination showed that their relationship had improved considerably after spending the day together.

"Sister Shu, what kind of work is Xiaochi doing now?"

Li Yi glanced at Hu Qi, who was standing in the distance, then looked away and asked in a low voice.

Hearing this, Dai Shu’s movements paused, and her expression turned a bit strange. But because it was dark, Li Yi didn’t notice.

"Hmm, it’s just some confidential work for the Federation. He signed a non-disclosure agreement, so it’s not convenient to disclose the details,"

Dai Shu said after a moment of thought.

Zhu Xi was indeed part of the Federation.

On that point, she wasn’t lying.

"Alright."

Li Yi nodded. She wasn’t too suspicious about it.

As a top student at Anke University, her advisor would occasionally lead students in conducting confidential research experiments for the Xia Federation.

She had participated in one once and knew it really did require secrecy.

’However, what puzzles me is that this kind of work has strict requirements for education and experience. Hu Qi only has a high school education, so how did he find a job like that?’

FZZT!

Just then, the fuse was lit.

A jet of fire shot up from the ground, followed by a gush of golden sparks that rushed into the night sky.

The sparks scattered like countless brilliant stars, twinkling and leaping as they illuminated the surrounding darkness.

Seeing this, she put the thought out of her mind.

"Come on, let’s film a quick video!"

Li Yi picked up her phone, switched to the front-facing camera, and made a V-sign at the lens. Hu Qi’s and Dai Shu’s faces also appeared in the frame.

The screen showed the three of their faces with the fireworks in the background. With a CLICK, the photo was taken.

...

After an hour or two of fun, seeing that it was getting late, Hu Qi and Dai Shu walked Li Yi to the entrance of her residential complex.

Then they prepared to leave.

"Hu Qi," Li Yi suddenly said. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

"About last time, thank you for your help.

I hope you won’t hold what happened before against me. I’m truly sorry!"

After speaking, she bowed deeply and earnestly to Hu Qi.

"It’s nothing!"

He waved his hand dismissively and turned to leave.

Only after watching Hu Qi and Dai Shu get into their car did Li Yi turn to go back.

They got in the car, and before they had driven far, a pleasant ringtone sounded from Dai Shu’s phone, which was mounted up front for navigation.

She slowed the car slightly, keeping one hand on the steering wheel while reaching over with the other to answer the phone.

"Hello? This is Dai Shu. What is it?"

It was unclear what was said on the other end of the line, but after listening, Dai Shu’s previously relaxed expression visibly tensed up.

As she put down her phone and was about to speak, Hu Qi’s voice came from the back seat.

"An Earth Core Passage has appeared in Anshan City?"

"Yes."

Dai Shu nodded.

Dai Shu wasn’t too surprised that Hu Qi could hear the call.

After all, the physique of a Secret Martial Artist spoke for itself.

Just then, the phone chimed with a DING—a data file had been sent over.

Dai Shu glanced at it before handing it directly to Hu Qi.

Hu Qi took it and skimmed the general information, his expression growing grave. ’An Earth Core Passage appearing on the surface of the sea?’

He was, of course, very curious about this so-called Earth Star World.

It was just that his strength had been insufficient before, so he had only ever heard about it.

He never expected an Earth Core Passage to actually appear in Anshan City.

The opening of an Earth Core Passage meant that more Black Blood Species would come to the surface through it.

A situation like this was undoubtedly a disaster for ordinary people.

In his view, the only reason ordinary people could still live normal lives was because Secret Martial Artists were holding the line behind the scenes.

If they could no longer hold them back and the balance was broken, humanity would face a devastating catastrophe.

Of course, there was another possibility: humans would be raised like livestock, a resource for the Black Blood Species to use.

But no matter the outcome, neither would be good for humanity.

Hu Qi had originally planned to rest in Qirong City for two days and persuade Hu Lemei’s family to move to Anshan City. Now, it seemed it would be safer for them to stay in Qirong City.

After a short night’s rest, the two of them drove back to Anshan City early the next morning.

Hu Qi called Hu Lemei to let her know. She naturally tried to persuade him to stay, but since he said he had urgent company business and had to go back to work overtime, she couldn’t press the issue.

...

The Zhu Xi conference room was already full.

Second Senior Sister Helinta, Third Senior Brother Han Yuan, Fourth Senior Sister Lin Yao, and Fifth Senior Brother Lin Tu had all arrived.

Besides them, there were also several figures in sharp suits—other high-ranking members and the think tank of Zhu Xi.

Everyone held a stack of documents, their expressions grave. The atmosphere in the room was momentarily oppressive.

Sitting near the back, Hu Qi kept his eyes lowered. After glancing through the file on the Earth Core Passage, he began to discreetly observe the others.

After his breakthrough to the Martial Arts Family stage, he could retract and disguise his own aura so that others couldn’t detect it.

Furthermore, his perception had reached an unbelievable level.

This allowed him to clearly sense the strength of the others.

Among them, Second Senior Sister Helinta and Third Senior Brother Han Yuan were the strongest, roughly at the Qi Blood Soul Condensation stage of the Late Stage Martial Arts Family.

As for Fourth Senior Sister Lin Yao, he estimated she was equivalent to the Middle Stage of Qi Blood Smoke.

And Fifth Senior Brother Lin Tu was at the Middle Stage of Qi Blood Furnace, even weaker than Hu Qi himself.

’It feels as though the closer someone’s strength is to my own, the more clearly I can perceive it.’

’Regarding this, I had originally thought it was due to my Perfect Essence Element Divine Treasure.’

’Now, it seems the Three-Eyed Primordial Serpent Bloodline might also be a factor.’

But no matter what, this was a good thing for him.