Chapter 664: A Flaw

Han Li was clearly thrown off balance by Li An's sudden change. He scrambled to fend off Li An's attack, but was already struggling. Li An seized an opening in Han Li's defense and brought him down with a vicious side kick.

Han Li lay on the ground, spitting blood, his eyes filled with unwillingness and fury. He struggled to get up, but it was already useless. Li An stepped forward to press the advantage, the dagger in his hand glinting coldly as it thrust straight at Han Li's vitals.

"Stop!" Just then, a familiar voice rang out suddenly. Li An froze and turned to look, only to see a woman in a white long dress walking out from the ruins. Her features were delicate, her eyes filled with gentleness and resolve.

"She is…" Guo Yao caught sight of the woman, a flicker of surprise and doubt flashing through her eyes.

Li An was also stunned; he hadn't expected anyone to appear and stop him at this moment. He gripped his dagger tightly, watching the woman with wary eyes.

"My name is Lin Wan, Han Li's younger sister." The woman walked unhurriedly to Han Li's side and helped him up. Her eyes were filled with hostility and wariness toward Li An.

"What are you doing here?" Li An asked coldly.

Lin Wan drew a deep breath, looked at Li An and said, "I've come to stop this senseless slaughter. I know the grievances between you and the mysterious organization, but I hope you can set aside your hatred and face the coming crisis together."

Li An was taken aback on hearing this; he hadn't expected Lin Wan to say such a thing. He stared at her in confusion, wondering what on earth she was up to.

"What crisis are you talking about?" Guo Yao couldn't help but ask.

The ancient ruins beneath the night were cloaked in a thin veil of moonlight, looking especially mysterious and unfathomable. Li An and Guo Yao gripped their torches tightly, stepping carefully into this land forgotten by time. The air was thick with dampness and decay, as if every inch of earth hid an unspeakable secret.

"An-ge, will there really be what we're looking for here?" Guo Yao's voice carried a trace of uncertainty as her gaze swept the surroundings, trying to catch a sliver of light in the darkness.

Li An drew a deep breath, his gaze firm: "Yao'er, trust me. Since Han Li left the clue here, he must have had his reasons. As long as we stay careful, we'll surely find the key to breaking the deadlock."

Before the words had faded, the stone slabs beneath their feet suddenly trembled, and one after another, sharp stone spikes shot up from the ground, pointing straight at the sky. Li An reacted instantly, pulling Guo Yao into his arms in one motion; the two of them rolled aside, narrowly dodging this sudden attack.

"Looks like our welcome ceremony is quite something." Li An gave a wry smile, yet a light of unyielding defiance flickered in his eyes.

Guo Yao's heart was still racing, but seeing the resolve in Li An's eyes, most of her fear instantly melted away. She gripped Li An's hand tightly, as if she could draw boundless strength from him that way.

"Wang Lei, I know you're here." Li An suddenly called out loudly, his voice echoing through the empty ruins, carrying an undeniable authority.

The moment the words fell, a figure stepped out from the shadows—it was the guardian of the ancient ruins, Wang Lei. A cold smirk played on his face, his eyes brimming with hostility toward Li An.

"Li An, you really came. Lord Han Li has been waiting for quite some time." Wang Lei's voice was icy and mechanical, as if he were nothing but a manipulated puppet.