Chapter 144: Return

"So, that means..."

"Of course, it's not so easy," Chen Muye continued, "This type of contract, one that binds directly on the soul level and influences thoughts, is incredibly rare. Even the Ancient God Church doesn't have many in their collection. Each one is only given to individuals they consider valuable or with potential."

"Moreover, the main purpose of the Ancient God Church in cultivating believers is to address the issue of insufficient numbers. If they were to plant a believer as an undercover agent inside the Night Watch, in a certain sense, it would be a waste."

"Also, this contract isn't absolute control. In some situations, the one being controlled can use subtle suggestions to remind others. Like what Han Shaoyun said earlier about fundamentally solving the problem—that's part of it. So, letting believers infiltrate the Night Watch does carry certain risks."

At hearing this, Hong Ying let out a relieved sigh.

Lin QiYe nodded slightly in agreement. Indeed, if you analyze it like this, planting a believer within the Night Watch would be counterproductive.

However, if the person being controlled held a high position, that would be a different story...

It wasn't that Lin QiYe was being overly paranoid; it was just his instinct to consider the worst-case scenario. "Counterproductive" didn't mean "impossible," and "rare" didn't mean "nonexistent."

It was always best to keep an eye out for any potential issues.

"Anyway, the first battle of the new year is over. This believer ranked thirteenth, plus the Sea Realm target that Yuan Gang took care of, should be the full extent of the top forces behind this assassination. This storm should be over now," Wen Qimo stretched lazily.

"Speaking of which, little brother QiYe, you should be heading back to camp tomorrow night," Hong Ying sighed. "The next time we see you, it'll probably be half a year later."

"By then, he'll be a true Night Watchman," Wu Xiangnan chuckled.

Lin QiYe smiled. "Actually… half a year is quite fast."

The time spent in the training camp felt slow, yet at the same time, it felt like it had passed in the blink of an eye. He still vividly remembered the moment when he first arrived at the training camp, dragging a pink suitcase to the entrance.

"By the way," Chen Muye suddenly paused, as though he had thought of something. "Tomorrow, invite your friends over for dinner at my place."

Lin QiYe blinked.

"Since you and they were both targets before, it wasn't convenient to meet up. But now that things have settled down, you're the host in Cangnan, so it's only right to invite them for a meal."

"But the agency is the Night Watch's base, so it's not easy for outsiders to come in…"

"Come to my house!" Hong Ying patted her chest. "My place is big enough!"

Lin QiYe hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "I'll ask them."

The Next Afternoon

Lin QiYe stood at the front door of the villa, accompanied by Bai Li Pàngpàng, Cao Yuan, and the reluctant Shen Qingzhu.

Bai Li Pàngpàng glanced at the villa, then at Lin QiYe with surprise. "Damn, QiYe, this accommodation is pretty good, huh!"

"This is a friend's house. I'm just staying here temporarily," Lin QiYe shrugged.

Cao Yuan sniffed the air, swallowing hard. "I smell meat…"

The past couple of days, he, Bai Li Pàngpàng, and Shen Qingzhu had been holed up in a love hotel, eating takeout and instant noodles. After months of subpar camp food, he was practically starving.

"Aren't you a monk?"

"I'm not. I just have a Buddha in my heart."

"…"

Shen Qingzhu furrowed his brow, looking at the villa. "Weren't you supposed to invite your friends over for dinner? Why am I here?"

Lin QiYe, Cao Yuan, and Bai Li Pàngpàng all turned to look at him, exchanging puzzled glances.

Bai Li Pàngpàng helplessly rubbed his forehead and walked over to pat Shen Qingzhu on the shoulder. "Don't be so proud. The reason we called you here is…"

"We think you've done a pretty good job as our tool these past few days!"

Shen Qingzhu twitched his mouth, slapping Bai Li Pàngpàng's hand off his shoulder. He said sourly, "You damn fatty, who are you talking to?"

"???"

Bai Li Pàngpàng rolled up his sleeves, exposing his arms covered in watches.

"Alright, Shen Qingzhu, so you've just received your payment, huh? You think you can start acting tough now?"

Lin QiYe sighed helplessly. "Enough, have you finished? Let's go in and eat."

Bai Li Pàngpàng and Shen Qingzhu both huffed, glaring at each other, before heading inside.

"Let me introduce, this is Team Leader Chen Muye…"

"This is Deputy Leader Wu Xiangnan…"

"This is Hong Ying, the owner of this villa…"

"This is Wen Qimo…"

"Xi Xiao Nan…"

"Leng Xuan…"

As Lin QiYe made introductions, every time he introduced someone, Bai Li Pàngpàng would take off a watch from his arm and smilingly hand it to the person.

"Team Leader Chen Muye! You truly have an extraordinary aura. I've been looking for the right watch for a while, and this Rolex should suit your aura. Please accept it…"

"Ah, Xiangnan, I didn't bring anything great, but this green Submariner is for you…"

"Wow, Hong Ying, you're so beautiful! Your wrist is a little bare, so this Van Cleef & Arpels should match your vibe…"

"…"

Watching Bai Li Pàngpàng hand out watches like crazy, Cao Yuan and Shen Qingzhu stood awkwardly with empty hands, feeling increasingly embarrassed.

Wen Qimo, wearing a Rolex, leaned over to Lin QiYe with a strange expression. "Is this… the idiot from a rich family?"

Lin QiYe hesitated for a moment. "Yeah."

"Yeah… I can tell. He's not a bad person, but his brain seems to be a little off..."

"…"

With Bai Li Pàngpàng causing chaos, the atmosphere at the dinner became much livelier. Cao Yuan, however, had turned into a food machine, focused entirely on eating.

As for Shen Qingzhu… he remained seated, stiff and reserved, answering with a smile when spoken to. The arrogance he usually displayed in the camp was completely gone, and he seemed like a shy big boy instead.

After a hearty meal, Lin QiYe grabbed his luggage, said his farewells to Team 136, and headed to the agreed-upon pickup point with the others.

There, several familiar black buses were already waiting.

After handing in the standard Starfall Knives he had taken from the camp, Lin QiYe boarded the bus and sat in the last row.

He gazed out the window at the dark night. The distant outline of the city flickered in and out of view. On top of one of the buildings, he seemed to see a figure sitting alone, holding a sniper rifle, quietly watching him leave…

Soon, the bus slowly started moving, traveling beneath the starlight and nightfall, heading steadily toward the training camp.