In Xia Qingqing’s dictionary, the word “forbearance” simply didn’t exist. So when she heard Ye Qingyi’s boyfriend call her short, she immediately took offense.
Not that she did anything to Ye Qingyi—instead, she muttered under her breath as she ran, “Qingyi, look at the kind of boyfriend you found! How could he call me short… I’m not short, I’m cute, okay?”
The real Ye Qingyi, running beside her, couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation, lightening the otherwise tense moment.
“What are you laughing at? Just because you’re her boyfriend doesn’t mean you can bully me. If I start crying, Qingyi will definitely avenge me.”
Ye Qingyi raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Then go ahead and tell her. Let’s see who she cares about more—you or me.”
Xia Qingqing deflated instantly. “Forget it. She’d obviously side with you. I’d rather save my dignity and get a hot pot meal out of this instead.”
“Are you two seriously this childish? We’re literally running for our lives right now. Can’t the hot pot wait until we get back?” Su Mo, slumped weakly over Ye Qingyi’s back, interjected.
He swallowed a red fruit, and though his spiritual energy was still depleted, his stamina recovered significantly. “Put me down. You’re crushing my chest.”
Xia Qingqing glanced down, pouting as she stewed in silent frustration.
The three of them reached the entrance, finding the spatial barrier but unable to figure out how to break through.
“Are we… going to die here?”
“Don’t jinx it. She did your fortune this morning—it said ‘great luck.’”
“But things change. What if—”
Su Mo cut her off irritably, “Do you want to die that badly?”
“Not really.”
“Then just wait.”
The moment he spoke, darkness swallowed their vision.
“See? What did I tell you? We’re out.”
The brightly lit restaurant reappeared before them, but chaos reigned. The stench of blood and the foul mucus of tentacle monsters filled the air.
Gunfire and the clashing of weapons echoed outside. The three rushed out to find Shen Hong locked in combat with three Celestial Immortals from the Hundred Immortals Sect—all estimated to be C-rank.
The moment the enemies saw Su Mo emerge unharmed, they disengaged and fled, their followers retreating with them.
Suddenly, an ambush came from the side. Ye Qingyi raised her blade to block, but before she could strike, the attacker was impaled by a flash of cold steel and collapsed.
“Jingshu, you’ve opened your Qi Sea?” Su Mo’s eyes lit up as he noticed Huo Jingshu’s significantly enhanced aura—a clear sign of a breakthrough.
“Just now, mid-fight. It just… happened.”
With that, Xia Qingqing became the only one among the four still stuck below D-rank.
“What happened inside? All signals were suddenly cut off,” Shen Hong asked as he approached, visibly relieved to see Su Mo unharmed.
“It was Soul Immortal. He wasn’t dead. He trapped us in a pocket dimension, trying to kill us with those tentacle monsters to fuel his cultivation.”
Shen Hong’s expression darkened. “So he survived. No wonder they sent people to stall me—they were planning to wipe out everyone inside as sacrifices for Soul Immortal’s ritual.”
His words carried multiple implications, the most damning being that this had all been a trap. The promotion banquet, the gathering of the Hundred Immortals Sect’s leaders in Jiangcheng—it was all a ruse. They had lured the Northern Dipper into a slaughterhouse, intending for Soul Immortal to devour them all.
Though the plan had ultimately failed, the Northern Dipper had still suffered heavy losses.
“So how did you escape?”
“I killed Soul Immortal.”
“What?!” Shen Hong’s voice jumped an octave. “He was B-rank—I couldn’t even take him!”
“It’s a long story. I’ll explain everything once things settle down.”
“Fine. Rest for now.” Shen Hong clapped him on the shoulder before turning to the Northern Dipper operatives. “Squads, with me—search for survivors and arrest any fleeing cultists. The rest, hold the perimeter. Huo Jingshu, you’re with me.”
The cleanup lasted until dawn.
Midway through, news arrived from Jingcheng: an unexplained explosion had ripped through a dormitory at Jingjiang Academy, killing and injuring numerous teachers and students—most of whom were from the Supernatural Department.
The incident had alarmed the Elder Council in the capital, prompting an investigative team to rush to Jingcheng overnight.
But before that crisis could settle, another wave struck. Within hours, multiple academies across Chuzhou Province were hit by terrorist attacks—all involving explosions.
Worse still, internal Northern Dipper intelligence suggested the perpetrators weren’t from a single faction. Some were even linked to foreign forces.
The timing was too coincidental—right after the failed raid on the Hundred Immortals Sect, a series of coordinated terror strikes erupted like a stone tossed into a lake, sending ripples of chaos across the nation.
Panic spread like wildfire. Protests erupted in multiple cities, condemning the authorities’ inaction. Despite the Northern Dipper’s efforts to maintain order, the situation only worsened. Under mounting pressure, the military was deployed to enforce full-scale control.
One week later…
The Elder Council, Capital City.
Yang He, the newly appointed acting elder, sat silently in his seat.
The other elders exchanged glances, none willing to break the suffocating silence.
Finally, Yang He stood. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave. A mountain of work still awaits me.”
Suppressing his anger, he turned to leave—only to be blocked at the door.
The figure standing there was a slender young woman, no older than twenty, casually sucking on a lollipop. Were it not for the gravity of the setting, she could’ve passed for a college student.
The moment Yang He saw her, realization dawned—and with it, dread. “Elder Nie… What is this?”
The girl—Nie Yun—pulled the lollipop from her mouth, her bright eyes blinking once. “Yang He, as the Elder Council’s acting administrator appointed by Elder Nangong, your negligence in governance has brought disgrace to the nation. By the decree of the Supreme Council, you are hereby arrested to answer for your failures.”
Yang He’s face darkened. “Arrest me if you must, but grant me a little more time. Let me resolve the current crisis first—”
“Yang He!” Elder Han’s voice thundered from inside the chamber. “How dare you question the Council’s decision!”
Yang He took a deep breath, steadying himself. “Elder Han, as a member of the Elder Council myself, I was unaware of any ‘Supreme Council’ meeting. When was this decided?”
“You think a temporary title makes you untouchable?” Elder Han sneered. “Fine. Let me enlighten you—it was decided just now!”
His gaze swept the room, voice dripping with authority. “Yang He, you stand accused of oppressing colleagues, corruption, dereliction of duty, and—most gravely—treason. By the Supreme Council’s decree, you are hereby stripped of your position and arrested. Any objections?”
A chorus of voices rose in agreement. Though some elders wore displeased expressions, they still sided with Elder Han.
“I support Elder Han’s decision,” declared a man in his thirties—Elder Han’s son-in-law.
“Same here.”
“As do I.”
……
Watching the tide turn against him, Yang He shook his head bitterly. “Give a dog a bad name and hang him… What a farce.”
“So, do you confess?”
“Never.“
“That’s not for you to decide.” Elder Han’s face twisted as he suddenly struck Yang He’s back. The exhausted elder’s bloodshot eyes welled with crimson tears.
“Elder Nie, we’d appreciate it if you handled the arrest personally. The rest of us… may not be his match.”
A flicker of pity crossed Nie Yun’s eyes, but she nodded. With a wave of her hand, Yang He’s body lifted into the air, floating helplessly after her.
Just as she turned to leave, a voice rang out from the chamber—
“Wait!”