Jiangning City, Military Department Governor's Mansion.

Hou Changfeng's plump Face was covered with an unprecedented gloom.

The atmosphere in the office was so oppressive it felt like water could drip from it.

"Jiang Haicheng still isn't answering the phone?"

His voice was deep, like a lion about to erupt in rage.

The assistant standing nearby wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and cautiously shook his head.

"Governor, this is already the twenty-third call."

"City Lord Jiang's side... has been unanswered."

Bang!

Hou Changfeng slammed his hand on the table!

The desk, made of centuries-old agarwood, actually had clear cracks appear from his single palm strike!

He, who was always known for his good temper, was now trembling with rage!

"Zhou Family!"

"They're truly insane!"

"Are they trying to rebel?!"

Just last night, Li Gang reported a piece of news that infuriated him beyond measure.

After more than half a month of continuous, sleepless excavation,

the Military Department's earth-elementalist professionals finally found the Secret Realm entrance hidden by the Zhou Family, nearly a thousand meters underground in the wilderness of Donghai City!

At the same time, they also unearthed thousands of cold skeletons in that area!

Those were all innocent professionals who had been lured into the Secret Realm by the Zhou Family with the promise of high salaries, only to serve as forced labor!

They just wanted to find a way to make a living and support their families.

But they ended up with no remains!

What angered Hou Changfeng the most was that

he immediately ordered Li Gang to take people to Donghai City overnight to apprehend all Zhou Family members involved in the case!

However, as soon as the Jiangning City Military Department's convoy arrived at the foot of Donghai City, they were informed that the entire city was under martial law!

Even the city's protective array, which was rarely activated, had been fully engaged!

The city gate official's reason was that the City Lord had given an order, and no one was allowed to enter or exit!

This clearly meant that someone had leaked the Military Department's operation in advance, giving the Zhou Family ample time to respond!

Now, Jiang Haicheng, the City Lord of Donghai City and a high-ranking official of the Military Department, had suddenly gone incommunicado.

There was only one possibility.

He had already been controlled by the Zhou Family!

That's why Hou Changfeng felt that the Zhou Family was simply insane!

Imprisoning a City Lord and opposing the Military Department!

By what right did they do this? 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Also, the Liu Family's attitude was extremely abnormal.

According to intelligence personnel embedded in the Imperial Capital by the Military Department, the Liu Family had recently dispatched a large number of experts, secretly infiltrating Donghai City.

What exactly did they intend to do?

Was a Secret Realm truly worth such a huge cost to them?

Hou Changfeng paced back and forth in his office, his mind racing.

Suddenly, an extremely terrifying thought, like a flash of lightning, streaked across his mind!

His ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) plump body trembled violently, and his eyes widened!

He suddenly slapped his plump belly and let out an urgent roar at his assistant!

"Quick!"

"Call Li Gang here for me!"

...Shortly after.

Li Gang, dressed in military uniform and with a tall, straight figure, hurried into the office.

As soon as he entered, he eagerly asked first.

"Governor, is there news from Donghai City?"

Hou Changfeng shook his head, his small eyes fixed on Li Gang, and asked in return.

"When you were an undercover agent in that Secret Realm then,"

"did you ever see anything... out of the ordinary?"

"Uh... what do you mean by out of the ordinary?"

Li Gang was a little bewildered by Hou Changfeng's abrupt question.

Hou Changfeng took a deep breath.

"For example, seeing any special characters, runes, or... ancient architectural-like things in the Secret Realm?"

Upon hearing this, Li Gang fell into deep thought.

He frowned, trying hard to recall.

After a while, he suddenly seemed to remember something and slapped his thigh!

"Now that you ask, I think I do have some impression!"

"At that time, I was exhausted from moving magic crystals in the Secret Realm, and I felt a bit urgent in the middle, so I just found a pile of rocks to relieve myself."

"While urinating, I noticed that there seemed to be some scribbled, ghost-like drawings carved on that pile of rocks."

"I thought it was just some thoughtless fellow who was bored and doodling on it, so I didn't pay much attention."

As soon as these words came out, Hou Changfeng, who was sitting in his chair, suddenly stiffened!

His already small eyes instantly widened into perfect circles.

The next second.

He seemed to be struck by a clap of thunder, and his entire being suddenly awakened!

As the Governor of Dongning Province, his knowledge far surpassed Li Gang's!

He knew what those so-called "ghost scribbles" actually represented!

"So that's it!"

"So that's it!!!"

He murmured to himself in a daze, and a layer of fine cold sweat even seeped from his forehead!

Now, everything made sense!

No wonder the Zhou Family and the Liu Family were so insane!

No wonder they would rather be enemies with the Military Department than let go of that Secret Realm.

Because that was not an ordinary Secret Realm at all!

But... a Ruin!

It was a Ruin left behind by an ancient civilization tens of thousands of years ago!

It was a forbidden place... where legendary Divine Artifacts might exist!

"Li Gang!"

Hou Changfeng's voice suddenly rose by eight octaves, resounding like thunder in the office!

It startled Li Gang.

"Governor? You... what's wrong?"

Hou Changfeng took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the tumultuous waves in his heart.

An unprecedented solemnity appeared on his plump Face.

"Now, what's the situation at the Secret Realm?"

Li Gang quickly replied.

"A vanguard team has already been arranged to go in and investigate, but the mist inside is too dense, and the exploration progress... is a bit slow for the time being."

"Not enough!"

Hou Changfeng interrupted him decisively!

"Immediately! Right now! Dispatch the most elite unit from the Jiangning City Military Region to enter the Secret Realm and conduct a carpet search!"

"If I'm not mistaken, the people from the Zhou Family and the Liu Family must still be in the Secret Realm!"

"Be sure to capture all of them!"

"The operation must be fast!"

Seeing Hou Changfeng's rarely serious expression,

Li Gang also felt a premonition of ill omen.

He stopped asking questions, straightened his back abruptly, and gave a standard military salute!

"Yes! I guarantee the mission will be completed!"

...At the same time.

Donghai City, Zhou Family old residence.

Zhou Ting sat calmly in the main seat of the living room, leisurely sipping the fragrant tea in his cup.

As if all the disturbances of the outside world had nothing to do with him.

Sitting opposite him was Jiang Haicheng, the City Lord of Donghai City.

At this moment, Jiang Haicheng's Face was so gloomy it felt like water could drip from it.

Burning anger blazed in his majestic eyes.

"Zhou Ting... you truly have enormous guts..."

His voice was cold, every word seeming to be squeezed from between his teeth.

"I helped your Zhou Family several times out of respect for the Liu Family's Face!"

"Now... you actually dare to imprison me?"

"Zhou Ting, your Zhou Family, are you all insane?!"

Zhou Ting's expression remained unchanged upon hearing this.

He didn't even lift his eyelids, simply taking another slow sip of tea.

Only after the hot tea slid down his throat did he slowly begin to speak.

"I'm truly sorry, City Lord Jiang."

"We actually didn't want to go this far."

He paused, slowly setting down the teacup in his hand with a crisp clink.

"However, you don't need to worry."

"As long as today passes, everything... should come to an end."

Jiang Haicheng immediately had a bad premonition.

"What do you mean by that?"

Zhou Ting did not answer.

He just smiled coldly.

His deep eyes were as calm as an ancient well.