Chapter 433: A Brand-New Challenge

The night was like ink, so thick it could not be dissolved, shrouding the entire world in a deathly stillness. Li An moved alone through a dim, narrow alley, his steps hurried yet steady. His face was full of exhaustion, but his gaze was unusually resolute; in his hand he gripped tightly a tattered map—the clue he had barely managed to find regarding the hostage's place of confinement. In the previous chapter, he had successfully resolved the crisis within the Reaper's ranks, and now once again he had to face an entirely new challenge.

"Guo Yao, you must be safe." Li An murmured softly, a faint, barely perceptible tremor in his voice. The thought that Guo Yao might be in danger sent a powerful unease surging through his heart.

At last, Li An arrived before an abandoned factory. The factory stood on a stretch of barren open ground, weeds growing wild around it, its crumbling walls casting eerie shadows under the moonlight. The factory's great gate was tightly shut, radiating a sinister air. Li An drew a deep breath and slowly stepped forward—he knew the hostages were very likely being held inside.

As he approached the gate, he suddenly sensed a strange presence. He warily halted his steps and carefully observed his surroundings. On the walls flanking the gate, faint, strange lights flickered, as if concealing some mechanism.

"Just as I thought—it won't be that easy." Li An frowned, a quiet wariness rising within him. He carefully circled the factory once and discovered it was riddled with all manner of mechanical traps. Some stone slabs on the ground looked ordinary, but the moment one was stepped on, they triggered spikes to shoot up from below; hidden in the cracks of the walls were concealed bolts, and the slightest misstep would get one shot.

Li An crouched down, carefully studying the mechanisms on the ground. Fine beads of cold sweat broke out on his forehead as he tensely pondered a way to disarm them. The surroundings were terrifyingly quiet—only the faint whir of the mechanisms, as if taunting him.

"These mechanisms are extremely cleverly designed; it seems this mysterious organization is no simple matter." Li An muttered to himself, a hint of gravity showing in his eyes. He closed his eyes, rapidly sifting through the knowledge he had learned in his mind, trying to find a way to dismantle the traps.

Just then, the sound of light footsteps came from behind him. Li An's eyes snapped open and he spun around swiftly—only to see a group of lackeys of the mysterious organization, clad in black uniforms, closing in from all sides.... Their faces were covered by black masks, revealing only a pair of icy eyes; weapons in hand, they radiated a murderous air.

"You're Li An?" the leader of the lackeys spoke coldly, his voice dripping with contempt. "We've been waiting for you for a long time."

Li An looked at the enemies before him, an intense pressure welling up in his heart. He knew that although these lackeys were not individually strong, they were numerous and worked in seamless coordination—breaking through their encirclement would not be easy.

"Where have you hidden the hostages?" Li An demanded coldly, a flash of anger in his eyes.

"Want to know where the hostages are? Get past us first, then we'll talk." The lackey leader let out a cold laugh 2.0 and waved his hand; the lackeys behind him immediately launched their attack on Li An.

Li An swiftly drew the weapon at his waist and charged straight at the enemy. The battle erupted in an instant, a tense atmosphere filling the air. The lackeys' attacks came surging like a tide; Li An dodged left and right, constantly searching for openings in the enemy's defense. His figure weaved through the crowd like a bolt of black lightning..