Chapter 274: Madmen Have Their Own Madmen to Grind

In the core area of Tianmian City, inside a tall tower, an Engraving of a massive Teleportation Rune Array over twenty meters in diameter, sketched overnight by dozens of rune masters, is etched.

Several guards in Supervision Bureau uniforms stand around the Teleportation Array, their expressions solemn.

When Chi Jinan arrives in stride with a group, the leading squad leader furrows his brow slightly and steps forward to salute.

"Judge Chi, Mr. Min."

The squad leader's gaze sweeps over Ying Duo and the others, his tone respectful.

"The Teleportation Array to the surface will activate in half an hour; per protocol, personnel not on the mission must report in advance and obtain permission........"

Chi Jinan keeps moving without looking, strides straight to the edge of the Teleportation Array, then pulls another token from his pocket and tosses it casually.

"Activate the Teleportation Array now; any extra Source Crystal consumption for the additional people goes on my account."

The squad leader fumbles to catch the token, checks the permissions and seal on it, and a look of difficulty appears on his face.

"Judge, the protocol requires that squads from the Supervision Bureau and the Heresy Tribunal assemble before a unified teleport to ensure safety and energy efficiency........."

"I said, now."

Chi Jinan turns, his pure black pupils staring coldly at the squad leader.

"Do you want to discuss the Church's protocol with me, or personally test the Heresy Tribunal's 'efficiency'?"

The faintly violent glint in his gaze makes the squad leader shiver; protocol? Before true power and a madman, it can be just empty paper.

"........ Yes, Judge."

The squad leader immediately bows his head, dares not speak further, and swiftly turns to order others to begin supplying the Source Crystals needed for the teleport.

The other members of the Supervision Bureau fall silent, none daring to glance at Chi Jinan again.

Shen Zexi watches the scene, his apprehension toward Chi Jinan deepening.

He acts with utter recklessness, daring to break even the Church's internal protocols at will, and seems convinced that no one can truly lay a hand on him.

The key is that Min Tianyou, the only one who previously could sway Chi Jinan, says nothing.

Ying Duo stands quietly at the edge of the Teleportation Array, his golden pupils scanning the busy array masters and intricate Runes, all recorded by the system.

He shows no reaction to Chi Jinan's overbearing attitude; although he doesn't understand the Runes, he lets the system capture them as images.

What if they become useful in the future?

During the few minutes of waiting, Chi Jinan's gaze hardly leaves Ying Duo.

He folds his arms, his posture appearing casual, yet his probing intent remains undiminished.

"Fluorescent green," Chi Jinan suddenly says, his voice clear amid the humming energy.

"Do you like playing with explosives?" Chi Jinan's tone sounds casual, but each word carries a hook.

"It's okay," Ying Duo replies tersely.

"During the Black Stone Mountain Range incident, I heard your squad was almost buried inside? Lucky, huh," Chi Jinan says with a smile at the corner of his mouth, though it looks dangerous.

"Ordinary students facing a collapse of that scale rarely survive."

"The Supervision Bureau arrived just in time," Ying Duo says, his expression unchanged as he credits the authorities.

But of course, if he hadn't gotten out himself, how would the explosives have detonated?

"Really? I heard that during your time in the Black Stone Mountain Range, Co-Absorption only showed two people, and you didn't see the third?"

Ying Duo, however, doesn't seem to consider the question dangerous; after a moment's thought, he answers offhand.

"Maybe, at the time stones were falling everywhere, we were just trying to escape."

In the following time, Chi Jinan continues to probe with seemingly casual questions, ranging from Ying Duo's school background and usual preferences to his view on the Flame City Cannon incident.

Ying Duo's replies are either extremely brief, or fabricated on the spot, or completely off‑topic, essentially a 'you ask me, I answer my own way' approach.

Shen Zexi and Min Tianyou watch from the side, their hearts pounding.

They are accustomed to Ying Duo's deliberately provocative manner of speaking; given his special circumstances and genuine ability, they generally choose to tolerate him.

But this time is different.

Opposite Ying Duo stands Chi Jinan, a truly dangerous, paranoid madman wielding authority.

Ying Duo's 'non‑cooperation,' which could be called 'passive resistance,' is like dancing on a knife's edge, capable of provoking Chi Jinan at any moment.

Yet, contrary to their expectations, although Chi Jinan's gaze grows colder and the temperature‑less smile at his mouth becomes more evident, he actually... does not truly flare up?

Instead, he seems intrigued by Ying Duo's reaction, pressing his questions even more vigorously?

Shen Zexi watches Ying Duo for the Nth time give a generic 'I don't know,' 'I forgot,' or 'maybe' answer to brush it off, and when Chi Jinan still manages to pose another question, a bizarre thought inexplicably surfaces in his mind:

"So this is a case of one thing subduing another?"

"A madman has his own... an even more unfathomable madman to grind against?"

He glances covertly at Min Tianyou, noticing a similarly complex, indescribable expression on his face.

For a moment they both become uncertain who is tormenting whom—whether Ying Duo is torturing Chi Jinan, or Chi Jinan is torturing Ying Duo.

Yet Chi Jinan keeps smiling, and Ying Duo's expressionless face remains his usual routine.

....... and fortunately it's these two who are torturing each other.

Just as Chi Jinan seems about to ask something else, Ying Duo suddenly turns his head, his golden pupils fixed on him:

"Judge Chi, you're annoying."

The hall falls silent for an instant, even the Supervision Bureau staff adjusting the Runes pause their movements.

Shen Zexi nearly loses his breath, and Min Tianyou also looks at Ying Duo in astonishment.

So direct!

Even though everyone may think that, saying it out loud is another matter!

So does this count as a victory? In the end, Ying Duo is the first to buckle under Chi Jinan's harassment?

Ying Duo's blunt declaration of his hatred for Chi Jinan—could this be a case of same‑sex repulsion?

That kid finally has met his nemesis.

Shen Zexi felt a twinge of emotion; how could this not be considered progress?

Fine, a madman's logic indeed cannot be judged by ordinary standards.

In the next few minutes, Ying Duo simply entered the AFK State.

He stood where he was, ignoring the several further questions Chi Jinan threw out.

Seeing Ying Duo truly unresponsive, Chi Jinan's gaze turned slightly cold, yet he did not speak again to press.

But his gaze remained fixed on Ying Duo as if it were substance, as though he wanted to analyze him thoroughly from inside to outside.

Yang Yixie seized the moment, thinking rapidly; he had to figure out how to get the message to Fang Zhiyan or Bai Mu Yun.

Fang Zhiyan had said that to contact him, one could go to the bar, or use that Team Channel.....

But he had already kicked Fang Zhiyan out of the Team Channel, and the bar is now definitely out of reach.