Chapter 457: Comical

Chen Ling slowly stood up and walked out of the dining room.

He reached the corridor and, through the glass-like European-style windows, looked into the manor. He saw thick, rolling smoke rising from various places. Aside from the kitchen and the warehouse—the two hardest-hit areas—many of the lawns and rooms that had been strafed by gunfire were also engulfed in flames.

The Zongwen private residence, which had been luxurious and opulent just minutes ago, now looked like a wasteland ravaged by the fires of war, scarred and devastated.

"Is this the power of Red Heart 9..." Chen Ling mused to himself.

As expected of a senior from the Twilight Society starting with the number 9, he had single-handedly shaken the entire defense force of the Huadu Consortium. Not only did he snatch the scroll, but he also fought his way out and escaped unscathed, without even sustaining any significant injuries.

Chen Ling guessed that Red Heart 9’s rank must be above Tier 5, very likely Tier 6... Such a powerful and reckless madman was a nightmare for the human realm. Chen Ling finally understood where the outside world’s reputation for the Twilight Society came from.

"You didn't catch him?! What are you all good for!!"

Inside the devastated manor, Zong Wen was so furious he felt like his head would explode. He pointed at the group of bodyguards, cursing them and ordering them to continue the pursuit.

It wasn't that there were no high-tier individuals among these bodyguards; Chen Ling had even sensed the presence of Tier 5 or even Tier 6 experts among them. However, upon encountering a Red Heart 9 who was also Tier 6 and incredibly insane, they didn't dare to risk their lives to fight him to the death.

At the end of the day, given their ranks, they would be leaving the Huadu Consortium in a couple of years to enjoy a broader life. Naturally, they wouldn't throw their lives away for a bit of money. If the opponent wanted to run, let him run. At worst, they’d get scolded by Zong Wen—it’s not like they’d lose a piece of flesh from that.

"Strange... did the people from [Floating Life Painting] really not make a move?"

Chen Ling was thoughtful. He hadn't expected the Huadu Consortium to stop Red Heart 9 in the first place; after all, bodyguards were just bodyguards and couldn't compare to the proper law enforcement officers of the Aurora Realm. His only concern had been [Floating Life Painting]... but now it seemed no one had gone to trouble Red Heart 9.

Regardless, the scroll was in hand. Chen Ling paused in the corridor for a moment before slowly walking toward the exit.

"Special Envoy, what are you..."

Seeing the Special Envoy suddenly about to leave, the three bodyguards were immediately flustered. After all, Zong Wen’s task for them was to take good care of the Special Envoy and keep him from leaving. They immediately surrounded him, trying to persuade him otherwise.

"Get lost."

Chen Ling didn't even glance at them, speaking in a cold voice.

Once these words were out, the three bodyguards didn't dare to say another word. After all, if they annoyed this Tier 8 Special Envoy, they wouldn't have a good time. They could only stand there in silence, watching helplessly as the black trench coat disappeared at the end of the corridor.

Chen Ling left the private residence just like that, walking straight toward the main gate along the manor roads filled with rolling smoke...

A breeze brushed across the surface of the golden mask, while bursts of exclamations and panicked firefighting sounds echoed in the distance.

The bodyguards along the way, as well as the gardeners and maids frantically fighting the fires, were all slightly stunned to see the black-clad figure stepping through the void toward the gate. They then bowed respectfully, standing as motionless as statues.

Just as Chen Ling was about to reach the manor gate, Zong Wen’s panicked voice rang out from behind:

"Special Envoy! Special Envoy, please stay! This incident was truly an accident. If you stay a little longer, I..."

Zong Wen arrived, sweating profusely, accompanied by two bodyguards. Liu Qingyan followed silently behind. The Chairman Zong, who had been leisurely and indifferent while playing with the world of mortals, now looked utterly disheveled.

"No need." Chen Ling interrupted him. "It seems I came at a bad time today... Let's meet again if fate allows."

As his voice fell, Chen Ling continued forward. His footsteps trod upon the void as if he were riding the clouds, and with a light movement, he stepped out of the Huadu Consortium.

"No... Special Envoy, Special Envoy!"

"This was all the scheme of that old thief Mu Chunsheng!! He wants to bring down our Huadu Consortium, so he’s sowing discord between us..."

"Special Envoy, please stay!! Give me another chance, I still have many top-tier 'collectibles'..."

"Liu Qingyan! Liu Qingyan is still here! Let her keep you company for a while longer..."

Zong Wen was desperate. Yesterday, the Beidou Consortium had gotten along very well with the Special Envoy, but today, with him, it had turned into this... Not to mention anything else, if this matter were exposed by the media, the reputation of the Huadu Consortium would be ruined. And there was no doubt that the Beidou Consortium would seize this opportunity to make a big deal out of it!

The Special Envoy leaving like this was equivalent to a slap in the face for the entire Huadu Consortium, directly turning them into the party at a absolute disadvantage in the war between Huadu and Beidou... And Zong Wen was completely helpless!

Chen Ling acted as if he hadn't heard his calls. Watching that figure disappear completely at the end of the horizon, Zong Wen’s face turned ashen.

……

Meanwhile.

On the roof of a certain building, the short Jester seemed to sense something and looked in the direction Chen Ling had left.

"Yi-hahahaha!!"

"Yi-hahahahaha!!"

"Yi-hahahaha..."

Beside him, the two bodyguards were still laughing crazily. In the flickering sky above, the faint laughter accompanied by dancing thunder became increasingly clear and comical.

They were like actors forcibly dragged into a performance, uncontrollably burning their own lives to display their ridiculous and laughable sides.

But the only audience member at this moment had grown tired of it all. The Jester looked straight at the direction Chen Ling had left and waved his hand, causing the two bodyguards to collapse to the ground with a thud.

At the same time, a figure fell straight down from the empty high altitude, plunging headfirst into the surging fountain.

As the white ash on the three people's faces vanished, the comical laughter seemed to transfer from them to the Jester like an invisible living thing...

The Jester’s originally deep and solemn face suddenly broke into a simple, comical smile, and he began to laugh hysterically at the people on the ground:

"Yi-hahahaha!!"

He clapped his hands while jumping up and down, seemingly finding their performance very funny. The three people were already breathing their last.

The Jester’s bean-like eyes blinked a few times, then he looked back at the direction Chen Ling had left, leaped into the air like a weightless little kite, and chased straight after him!

"Yi-ya yi-ya!"