Chapter 16: After the Glory

The deafening cheers gradually subsided, and the smell of gunpowder had yet to dissipate. Ji Chen and Ceng Yue stood side by side amidst the ruins, bathed in the admiring gazes of the crowd.

This feeling is damn good!

"Heroes! Heroes!" The deafening shouts rang out once more. The corners of Ji Chen's mouth lifted slightly. Ceng Yue remained expressionless, but the slight upward curve of her lips betrayed her mood at that moment.

However, this hard-won peace did not last long.

A few days later, on an ordinary afternoon, the sunlight spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto Ji Chen, feeling warm and cozy.

He was enjoying a rare moment of leisure when suddenly, a call from an unknown number interrupted the tranquility.

"Mr. Ji Chen, the higher-ups of the Supernatural World would like to invite you and Ms. Ceng Yue to discuss an important matter," a low voice said from the other end of the line.

Ji Chen and Ceng Yue exchanged a glance; a sense of foreboding welled up in their hearts.

Upon arriving at the conference room of the Supernatural World's higher-ups, the atmosphere was exceptionally heavy.

Several elders sat with solemn expressions and deep eyes, as if they could see through everything.

"Two heroes, please sit," an elder said slowly, his voice low and powerful. "We invited you here today because there is an important mission we must entrust to you."

Ji Chen and Ceng Yue felt their hearts tighten; sure enough, it was nothing good.

"Clean up the old forces of the Supernatural World," the elder said in a heavy tone, enunciating every word.

"Old forces?" Ji Chen frowned slightly.

"Yes," another elder took over. "These old forces have run rampant in the Supernatural World for many years. They are deeply rooted and seriously hinder the healthy development of the Supernatural World."

So that was it. Ji Chen and Ceng Yue instantly understood the gravity of the situation.

"We accept this mission," Ji Chen said firmly.

However, they had underestimated the stubbornness of the old forces.

When Ji Chen and Ceng Yue began their operation, the leader of the old forces—a burly man with a face full of flab—openly resisted.

He sat on a grand armchair carved with dragons and phoenixes, his eyes filled with disdain and provocation.

"You two little brats dare to challenge my authority?" He sneered, his tone extremely arrogant. "You don't even know your own weight!"

The air instantly froze, and a tense atmosphere filled the space.

"It seems you prefer the hard way," Ji Chen's eyes turned cold, and a powerful energy surged within his body.

"Hmph! Just based on you two?" The leader of the old forces sneered disdainfully and waved his hand abruptly. "Get them!"

Before the words had even faded...

Before the words had even faded, the lackeys of the old forces swarmed up like a pack of hungry wolves. The light of various Supernatural Abilities flickered in the narrow space, dazzling the eyes.

Wind Blades, Fireballs, Ice Spikes...

These attacks came like raindrops, so dense they made it hard to breathe.

Ji Chen and Ceng Yue stood back-to-back, like two indestructible fortresses.

Ji Chen's eyes were as sharp as a hawk's. Every move he made carried the force of thunder. His fist wind was fierce; wherever he went, lackeys fell to the ground one after another, their wails rising and falling.

Ceng Yue moved with grace, weaving through the crowd like a ghost. Every time the Ice Blade in her hand swung, it took away a spray of blood. The cold air was biting, making people shudder.

However, there were simply too many opponents, and their attack methods were extremely insidious.

Caught off guard, a lackey's dagger slashed Ji Chen's arm, and fresh blood instantly stained his sleeve.

Ji Chen frowned and cursed inwardly: Damn it, insidious!

He could clearly feel the stinging pain from the wound, but this minor injury meant nothing to him.

The surrounding Ability Users stopped to watch, none daring to intervene easily.

They were like spectators at a play, holding an attitude of "not my business," unwilling to wade into these muddy waters.

After all, the reputation of the old forces still held a certain deterrent power in the Supernatural World.

As the battle continued, the old forces, seeing that brute force wasn't working, actually began to use hostage tactics.

Several lackeys dragged out a group of trembling Ability Users. They held daggers to the hostages' throats and shouted arrogantly at Ji Chen and Ceng Yue: "Stop right there! Otherwise, I'll make them bleed on the spot!"

Looking at those terrified faces, Ji Chen felt conflicted.

These people were innocent; he could not watch them get hurt.

But if he stopped now, how could he complete this mission?

The surrounding atmosphere became exceptionally oppressive, as if the air itself had frozen, making it hard to breathe.

Just when everyone thought Ji Chen would choose to compromise, he suddenly grinned, a hint of madness flashing in his eyes: "Heh, interesting..."

Ji Chen's smile made the leader of the old forces' heart skip a beat; a sense of foreboding welled up.

The next second, Ji Chen moved.

He was as fast as lightning. Before anyone could react, he had already reached the lackeys holding the hostages.

No one saw how he did it; they only felt a blur before their eyes, and those lackeys collapsed to the ground one after another, their daggers falling limply to the floor with a crisp sound.

The hostages were dumbfounded, looking at everything that had just happened as if they were still in a dream.

"Damn! What's going on?"

"What happened? Am I seeing things?"

The surrounding Ability Users whispered among themselves, all stunned by Ji Chen's god-like operation.

The leader of the old forces turned pale; he realized he had kicked an iron plate. This Ji Chen was much more powerful than he had imagined!

He shouted in terror: "Quick! Get him! Kill him!"

The remaining lackeys, though afraid, bit the bullet and charged forward.

However, in front of Ji Chen and Ceng Yue, they were like a rabble, unable to withstand a single blow.

Ji Chen used both fists and feet, every strike carrying immense power. The lackeys were beaten until they cried for their parents, fleeing in all directions.

Ceng Yue was like an Ice Queen; the Ice Blade in her hand danced dazzlingly, and every swing brought forth a chorus of screams.

Seeing that the situation was lost and knowing he had failed today, the leader of the old forces turned to flee, but Ji Chen grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up like a chick.

"Want to run? Not that easy!" Ji Chen sneered and smashed a fist hard into the leader's face. The leader saw stars, and blood gushed from his nose.

Seeing the crushing defeat of the old forces, the surrounding Ability Users cheered.

"Heroes! Heroes!"

The deafening cheers rang out again. Ji Chen and Ceng Yue looked at each other and smiled, their hearts filled with a sense of accomplishment.

However, just when they thought it was all over, Ji Chen inadvertently noticed a badge with an ancient design that had fallen from the leader of the old forces.

He picked up the badge and examined it carefully; a strange energy fluctuation emanated from it.

This badge...

It didn't seem simple.

"What... is this?" Ceng Yue also noticed the badge and asked with a frown.

Ji Chen shook his head, feeling a faint sense of unease.

He always felt that behind this badge, a greater secret was hidden...

"Perhaps..." Ji Chen muttered to himself. He gripped the badge tightly, a powerful determination surging in his heart. ===== CHAPTER 17 =====