Chapter 88 – When the Roses Bloom (6)
◎ Breathtakingly beautiful ◎
Who was going to attend the Hero Banquet?
That was a good question.
“I’ll go,” Song Ke said confidently.
“No way!” Lin Youyou, Su Cha, Fang Zhixu, and Xu Xing vehemently objected.
“Why?” Song Ke felt deeply affected. Did her companions really lack faith in her?
Xu Xing, hands behind his back, sighed like a little adult. “If you go, you’ll definitely end up in a fight.”
Surprisingly, the rest of the group nodded in agreement, thinking Xu Xing made a valid point.
Lin Youyou added, “And if you act recklessly and take down that warlord, our entire plan will be ruined.”
Su Cha coldly echoed, “That’s right.”
Song Ke couldn’t believe it. “Is that even possible?”
She was so mature, so composed in her actions. How could she easily get into fights with others? Well… she shouldn’t, right?
Faced with everyone’s “It’s possible” gaze, Song Ke inexplicably felt a bit insecure.
This Hero Banquet organized by Mu Qin had a participation threshold of Level 3 cystral. Inside, not to mention hidden dragons and crouching tigers, there would be numerous awakeners. It could very well be a trap. Among the V587 team, Zhuang Qingyan and Lu Xiaoyu had mobility issues, Lin Youyou and Fang Zhixu leaned towards support abilities and lacked offensive capabilities, while Xu Xing, despite being clever, was young and prone to nervousness in big situations. Calculating all this, Song Ke and Su Cha were the most suitable candidates.
Su Cha excelled in lurking and gathering intelligence covertly. For instance, during the Death Prison incident, he was very suitable to come forward. However, in this forthcoming mission, where actions would be out in the open, and participants would be under scrutiny from various parties, Su Cha’s skills were not advantageous. Him going or Song Ke going made little difference fundamentally.
Song Ke also had her own considerations. In the absence of any knowledge, the individuals sent by V587 would undoubtedly face enormous risks. Compared to her companions, her abilities were more suited to taking on risks: “I’m the team captain. With the current uncertainty, whatever happens, at least, I can handle it.”
Song Ke raised two fingers, solemnly promising, “Alright, I’ll try… not to fight. If things don’t look good, I’ll run.”
The others still seemed hesitant.
Song Ke turned to Zhuang Qingyan, gazing at him expectantly with watery eyes, silently asking for support. ‘Speak for me quickly.’
Zhuang Qingyan cleared his throat lightly, “You can go.”
Everyone looked at him in surprise, assuming that Zhuang Qingyan’s had the biggest opinion among them. However, he surprisingly became the first to agree?
“The situation at the Hero Banquet is constantly changing, and everyone’s concerns are valid. The fear is that you might not… cough, cough, might have a change of heart,” Zhuang Qingyan said, “So the best solution is to bring an assist inside, such as an external brain.”
“What?” Song Ke was completely bewildered.
Zhuang Qingyan turned to Lu Xiaoyu, not mincing words as he poked his wheelchair with his cane. “Hey, last time you needed so many materials, there should be leftovers, right? The money came from our team captain.”
Speaking of the list Lu Xiaoyu had compiled…
When Fang Zhixu returned with the bill to claim expenses from Song Ke, she almost ended up in tears while holding her money pouch.
Regarding the people Song Ke had gathered, their abilities were extraordinary, but their pockets were quite meager.
The wealthiest was Xu Xing, but it was his inheritance from Xu Weiguo. Song Ke couldn’t possibly spend his money. Next were Lin Youyou and Su Cha. After Su Cha paid off the hefty fine of 130,000 in Death Prison, his savings were wiped out, leaving him with nothing.
The rest was a sorry state: Fang Zhixu turned destitute, practically homeless. His original accounts were unusable. Lu Xiaoyu and Zhuang Qingyan didn’t even have legitimate identities, let alone a cent… No wonder from having no concept of money, Song Ke was now reluctant to spend even a penny; she was toughened up by these people.
Lu Xiaoyu’s mechanical arm flexed agilely, blocking Zhuang Qingyan’s cane with a click. “What do you need, just say it.”
“Trackers, detectors. I need to know all the details about Mu Qin’s main residence. Also, a portable micro communication device that can’t be detected by any surveillance,” Zhuang Qingyan listed one by one.
“Although the team captain is going alone, if we can see real-time situations, we can advise her,” Lu Xiaoyu added.
“Can you do it, 5.0?” Zhuang Qingyan deliberately teased him with the stellar academic record Lu Xiaoyu had boasted about.
Lu Xiaoyu’s icy eyes shimmered; the pride of a genius couldn’t be trampled upon. “Of course.”
*
Two days later, Song Ke arrived alone at Mu Qin’s family estate.
The buildings here were distinctly characteristic of the local style, with vast stretches of bamboo houses forming a grand estate. At the center of the estate were luxurious villas, while on the outskirts, there were strict patrols composed of mercenaries with supernatural abilities.
Song Ke adjusted her black collar discreetly, reaching for the slight bulge on her neck where a tiny microphone was hidden.
“Hello, hello, can you hear me? Can you hear me speaking?” she nervously inquired, feeling a sense of unreality.
A slight electric buzz sounded in her earpiece, followed by the magnetic voice of a man, [I can hear you.]
Zhuang Qingyan chuckled, as if a breeze flowed into Song Ke’s ear, [Don’t be nervous.]
Song Ke’s face inexplicably grew warm again.
[Sister, sister, I can hear it too!] a playful child’s voice suddenly erupted.
Tap! Xu Xing received a thump on the head.
[Ah! Don’t hit my head!] He touched his head and jumped up irritably, tipping over his chair, creating a noisy commotion.
The brief moment of tenderness disappeared without a trace.
Song Ke maintained a neutral expression. “Guys, keep it down!” Her ears felt like they were about to explode.
To enter the main residence, one had to register and complete an on-site check-in.
Song Ke went to the side entrance where a middle-aged man in a private security uniform was meticulously verifying the identities of each registrant. On the floating screen beside him, the number of entrants had reached 26. After a quick refresh, the number suddenly increased by 3.
“Southern District Freelance Mercenary, Wild Wolf.”
“Southern District Worker, Lo Sang.”
“Western Street Corporal, Mandaya.”
“They need their identities verified,” Song Ke stepped back a few paces and quickly reported to her companions in a corner.
After a while, Lu Xiaoyu’s unwavering voice sounded, [I’ll handle this, don’t worry.]
Song Ke followed the queue forward, presenting the azure Level 3 crystal.
Su Fengsa, the man responsible for verification, wearing gloves, accepted the crystal stone from Song Ke and gently placed it into the adjacent transparent device. Several rows of gleaming Level 3 crystal stones were already laid out, one of them particularly unique, with a serene blue hue subtly tinged with a hint of blood-red.
“Please show your identification information.”
Song Ke pressed the terminal against the connector, causing a momentary flicker on the floating screen, a brief disruption in the data flow that went unnoticed.
Su Fengsa glanced at the screen. “Western Street Freelancer, Song Ke.”
“That’s me,” Song Ke raised her head confidently, exuding a righteous aura.
“Welcome. I wish you a successful day today,” Su Fengsa nodded slightly towards her.
As Song Ke was about to step forward—
“Su, Su Fengsa, something’s happened up front!” A mercenary responsible for patrolling hurried over.
“Such a fluster, so unseemly!” Su Fengsa reprimanded with a stern face.
“At the main entrance, Lord Miao Lun has arrived!”
Su Fengsa’s expression froze. The Hero Banquet was held early this year, and Mu Qin hadn’t invited Lord Miao Lun. What could his sudden appearance mean?
“You go report to the Lord,” Su Fengsa turned and pointed to a few mercenaries, “You guys, come with me.”
Seeing Song Ke still standing in place, Su Fengsa patiently said, “Mercenary, kindly go inside. Just follow the signs.”
“Alright, no problem,” Song Ke replied eagerly.
After entering through the side door, Song Ke glanced around to ensure no one was watching. She flicked her cuff, and several clever mechanical spiders dropped to the ground, dizzily spinning around a few times before scurrying in all directions, swiftly vanishing into the shadows.
These were miniature detectors concocted by Lu Xiaoyu. After his reprogramming, they possessed basic artificial intelligence, enabling them to move autonomously and capture images as they passed through areas, facilitating Zhuang Qingyan and the others in understanding the situation on-site.
“I’ve released the spiders. Can you see them?”
[Yes, take a few more rounds and release the detectors.]
“Alright.”
Overhead were massive directional signs, but Song Ke paid them no heed, pretending to be lost and started wandering aimlessly within the estate.
A few steps here, releasing a few spiders; strolling a couple of circles near the pool, releasing a few more spiders.
“How’s it going?”
[We’re building the model. Progress is at 45%.]
…
In an apartment several kilometers away, the entire layout of Mu Qin’s estate gradually filled the model, and real-time visuals were transmitted back. Zhuang Qingyan and the others focused, gazing at the projection.
Suddenly, Lu Xiaoyu paused, his fingertip tapping on the screen, and made a soft “tsk.”
“Here,” he pointed to a corner, which was the direction Song Ke was about to advance, “There’s a strong hyper-frequency band. The risk rating should be at H level (high-risk area). The signal from Song Ke’s microphone will be detected.”
…
In the surveillance room of the estate, the mercenary responsible for maintaining site security noticed something amiss. They pulled up Song Ke’s feed and placed it at the center.
“What is this person up to? Acting all suspicious, and she’s about to reach the restricted garden.”
Another person immediately brought up Song Ke’s registration information. “She’s here for the Guard Unit recruitment. Could she be lost?”
“Even if she’s lost, she can’t wander aimlessly. That area is close to where the two lords are discussing matters. Quickly, get the patrol to chase her away!”
Song Ke dodged the guards on patrol and was about to enter the courtyard when Zhuang Qingyan’s voice came through her earpiece.
[Song Ke, danger ahead. Turn off your microphone and listen to my instructions.]
Song Ke touched her collar, disabling the microphone, switching to one-way input mode.
In this mode, she could hear Zhuang Qingyan’s instructions, but her voice wouldn’t transmit back.
Danger ahead? Song Ke thought for a moment, abandoned the main route, and instead opted to climb the wall and leap onto the roof.
But then, her movement abruptly halted—
By the side of a pool in front, there stood a graceful figure, gently lifting her head, gazing towards the tightly shut window in the distance.
The woman wore a simple dark green long dress, accentuating her fair skin. Her luscious and soft black hair cascaded over her shoulders. Her waist was slender and elegant, captivating with a touch of femininity. Though she didn’t seem particularly young, no one could deny her beauty, especially her profile, simply breathtaking. Her features seemed enshrouded in a mist of charm and vulnerability, making it hard for anyone to avert their gaze.
Unfamiliar with such a sight, Song Ke was left dumbfounded.
“Hey, get her down! Grab her!”
“Don’t let her in!”
Clamorous footsteps approached from behind as several mercenaries lunged towards Song Ke.
Startled, the woman turned her head upon hearing the commotion and directly faced Song Ke.
Wow, she’s even prettier from the front…
Song Ke was captivated by her beauty, her mind went blank, and instinctively, she smiled at the woman, dimples forming on her cheeks.
“Stop her!” shouted the pursuing mercenaries.
Swiftly, Song Ke flipped and dodged their attacks, landing on the ground, then raised her hands. After releasing the spiders and with Zhuang Qingyan’s model built, she had no intention to flee.
The mercenaries swiftly surrounded her. “Who are you? Who sent you here, and why are you here?”
Song Ke honestly replied, “I came to attend the Hero Banquet.”
“The Hero Banquet isn’t here at all! Didn’t you see the signs?” The interrogating mercenary spoke sternly.
Gritting her teeth, Song Ke resolved to come clean, “I… I can’t read. I don’t understand.”
The mercenaries collectively were incredulous. In this day and age, in the Alliance, who would believe that someone couldn’t read?
“Even if you can’t read the signs, it doesn’t explain why you’ve ‘lost your way’ to this place. Tell us honestly, who instructed you to come here?” The lead mercenary sternly pressed on, not buying into Song Ke’s pale attempt at deception.
Song Ke was momentarily at a loss; she genuinely had no idea where she was.
The menacing barrels of guns were instantly aimed at her.
“It was me who brought her here.”
In the deathly silence, the woman standing by the pool suddenly spoke up.
The wind gently lifted her skirt in the hall, making her seem like a pure white rose blossoming gracefully in the dark.
“She’s my friend. I’m the one who brought her here.”
What a good person! Song Ke was close to tears.
