The man's smile vanished instantly, and he spoke in a steady tone: "When did he lose contact? What signs were there before that?" Chen Shu shook her head: "There were no signs at all. He had always been under our watchful eye, living a steady life—going to work, dating, settling into daily routines, completely forgetting his origins and firmly believing himself to be a member of the Ji Shi Society. "But yesterday evening, he invited several friends to go fishing at a lake in the suburbs. He didn't return home that morning. Our staff went to the lake to check, but found no signs of struggle, no fishing gear—nothing at all. When we asked Abbe Marshall's friends, they said that Abbe had felt unwell that night and had gone home early in the middle of the night." "Deliberate escape!" the man said with conviction, his voice firm. "He has already been hypnotized by the Lady Director. He cannot regain full awareness on his own and break free from the control." I've reminded you many times that Abe Marshall is a crucial piece—he can help us uncover the truth behind the collapse of Mount March. Without him, our board will be left in a dead zone, extremely disadvantageous." Chen Shu raised an eyebrow. "Are you blaming me?" "Blaming me? Blaming me!" The man quickly apologized, adopting a brotherly demeanor, as if not wanting to compete with his sister. "Abe has been taken. The best outcome is that he's carried off by divine retribution. The worst is that the forces of evil locate him. If it's the latter, once Marshall wakes from his hypnosis, the relationship between the Ji Shi Society and me will be exposed, putting you in danger." After a moment's thought, the man said, "Notify the organizational members to remain hidden for now." Chen Shu frowned. "What about you then? Who will gather intelligence on your behalf, provide funding, quietly build alliances, and secure allies? Who will carry out your tasks and handle the matters that require you to stay out of sight?" "The purpose of Ji Shi Society is to serve this half-god. Without subordinates and an organizational structure, the half-god remains merely a powerful commander without a support base. A half-god without allied forces will inevitably be outmaneuvered and defeated by opposing half-gods, as they will fall behind in intelligence gathering and require constant assistance to orchestrate strategies, execute schemes, and deploy troops. Currently, we're in wartime, and the merchant guilds remain largely untrustworthy. If the Ji Shi Society members don't begin to operate in the background, the president will be effectively half-sighted. 'Listen up, stay hidden—Abbe Marshall has gone silent just when things are at their most critical. I have a bad feeling about this,' the president said, his tone light yet serious. 'Understood. I'll stay in Xiangyue County for a bit longer,' Chen Shu replied without further objection, shifting the topic. 'I met Guan Ya today, and I wasn't entirely satisfied. As you know, the Princess is the wife I personally selected for him. Aside from her, I don't recognize any other woman.' 'It sounds like you're saying he'll listen only if you don't recognize anyone else,' "What did you just say!" Chen Shu raised her eyebrows. "My point is, regarding my disciple's fate—he either becomes the sovereign of the Sun or returns to the Spiritual Realm, settling down with his wife and children in a quiet life. That's not something that exists. If he returns to the Spiritual Realm, who then will you care about as your daughter-in-law? If he becomes the sovereign of the Sun, then as a mother, you'll have to expand your vision—build an entire apartment complex for him, filled with your daughter-in-laws." The man spoke with confidence. Chen Shu scoffed, "My husband can't have three or four wives, nor can my son!" At that moment, the phone in the yellow-pantied pocket of the sleeping man rang. He pulled it out and said, "My disciple has just called. Just keep you and the members of Jishi Society hidden for now—give me at least some time to confirm Abbe Marshall's condition." With that, he tucked the phone back in his pocket and snapped his fingers, vanishing into the hotel suite. ... A vacant house in King's County. The master bedroom on the east side: the dust cloth for the sofa was folded aside. Zhang Yuanqing sat cross-legged on the sofa, frowning, listening to the phone that went unanswered. What was going on? Was the chairman busy and unable to take the call? This was the first time such an unattended call had occurred, and Zhang was beginning to worry. Suddenly, he heard the sound of a phone ringing from behind him. He swiftly turned around to see a man wearing a yellow sleep shirt and a silver mask standing at the window, gazing at the city under the night sky through the interlacing wooden panels. "I was just in New Covenant County—so I came over directly," said the chairman. Zhang Yuanqing exhaled in relief and got straight to the point: "Mr. Chairman, I'd like to report on recent intelligence developments, one of which is particularly significant and important." Upon hearing this, the chairman turned to face Zhang Yuanqing, taking a seat across from him on the sofa, sitting upright and fixing his gaze with calm intensity. Zhang Yuanqing spoke gently and in detail, recounting his recent experiences to the president. Upon entering the Free Covenant's divine realm, he discovered that the divine beings of the evil faction were extraterrestrial visitors from the year 1900. The sole survivor of the Haiyan vessel, Stephen Simpson, carried the magical seed and has been hiding ever since—likely a high-ranking official of the Biological Alchemy Guild. The political maneuvering during the port battle; Channing Lu's betrayal; the hunters' guild's plot to have him woo Tanja; the acquisition of the Thunder God's armor; the final fragment of the Sacred Plate; and the map of the Church's treasure vault—all were revealed, except for the fact that the duplicate had employed a strategy of seduction and had a deep, intimate understanding of Catherine. The president sat silently for a long while, motionless. After about a minute, he sighed deeply, "Your intelligence has resolved many of my uncertainties—particularly the matter of the extraterrestrial visitors. That explains why the Free Covenant has consistently outmaneuvered and outpaced the others: they have a divine being behind the scenes, one who knows all the secrets of the spiritual realm, while the lawful faction lacks such a The true story of Mount March was like this. With the divine beings personally stepping in to guide, the Free Concord naturally stayed ahead, gaining the upper hand in every matter. "Indeed, a bit unceremonious!" Zhang Yuanqing nodded and then asked, "Mount March? The one that shook in 2007?" He had heard of this from the King of Pluto. The Chairman replied, "In 2007, the Marshall family convened leading figures from across the first region at Mount March, claiming to have uncovered a secret powerful enough to reshape the world's landscape. However, on the day of the meeting, Mount March collapsed, and all attendees perished—no one survived. This was the Free Concord's doing, and even today, the major lawful organizations still don't know what secret the Marshall family actually discovered. The Free Concord always moves a step ahead of us. The divine guidance behind the scenes is an advantage the lawful faction cannot match. There are many such instances, and even more remain hidden beneath the veil. Ah, actually, it's the Master of the Stars in the Capital who truly engages in negotiations with the deities. But I simply can't grasp his strategy—over the years, he seems to have done nothing at all, yet at the same time, as if he's accomplished everything. "Well, let's set him aside. I'll keep an eye out for the components of the Thunder God's Set. If they're available within the Spirit Realm, I'll retrieve them directly. If the cost is too high, then I'll simply let them go." Some equipment appears directly within the Spirit Realm dungeons, while others remain hidden until the player meets certain criteria upon completion, at which point they're rewarded during the final settlement. For items that appear directly in the dungeons, he can take them, though at a significant cost. Equipment from the Saint Realm—no, even from the Sovereign Realm—is rather like a side dish for a half-divine being; it's not worth the effort to acquire at great expense, unless the item holds a special significance. "Thank you so much, Chairman!" Zhang Yuanqing beamed with delight, thinking to himself that having a powerful figure as a backer truly makes all the difference. Immediately, he asked tentatively, "Regarding Donna's mission..." The Chairman replied, "What do you think?" This question Zhang Yuanqing had thought through countless times, and he answered without hesitation: "I believe we can use this opportunity to eliminate a key stronghold of the Free Covenant—specifically, destroy the Golden Bed." "But then you'll no longer be able to operate as a double agent within the Free Covenant," the Chairman pointed out. Zhang Yuanqing shook his head. "If the operation is successful, we won't need to remain a double agent. Based on the intelligence provided by Qian Cheng Lu, the Free Covenant began mass recruiting spies only after Ling Tuo ascended to half-divine status and became half-master of the Moon. Their spy management model is one-way control—meaning, as long as we eliminate the sovereigns of the evil faction, we gradually uncover the spies embedded within the lawful organizations. We don't need a list. Chairman, unless you specifically want the list of the elders from that year." "But I think the number of those elders isn't large. After more than a hundred years, most have returned to the Spiritual Realm, passed away naturally, or died in conflicts. Compared to that, destroying the outposts is more important—not only because of that golden bed capable of distorting perception. I heard from Qian Ning Lu that during the Free Alliance gatherings, one can indulge in unrestrained desires. Tangna is the most beautiful woman in the New Covenant County, so many master-level figures will surely attend. If we eliminate these masters along with the golden bed, the returns will be far greater." The chairman listened silently, then said, "Oh." Zhang Yuanqing waited a while, seeing no further response, and asked with mild confusion, "What does 'oh' mean?" "It's just 'oh,' nothing more," the chairman shrugged. "Isn't it supposed to mean 'ah'? You're the future Sun Sovereign. Once you've made your decision, follow your own vision. Don't always consult me. We expect you to be a partner, not a subordinate." Still, the golden patron's opinion must be sought! Zhang Yuanqing said, "Then it's settled!" The chairman smiled and said, "Good night!" Both raised their fingers in unison—one transformed into a streak of starlight, the other vanished instantly. Zhang Yuanqing readily agreed and, in the process, proposed that Tianfa assist in locating the components of the Thunder God's set, securing Chris's approval in return. At 11:30 a.m., shortly after lunch, Zhang Yuanqing received a direct call from the Knight. "Gather your team and head to King District 15 on Pingdao Island. Today's mission: navigate the maze," said Zhai Cai, her voice steady yet full of excitement. "Got it!" Zhang Yuanqing hung up. ... Pingdao Island is a long, narrow strip located at the mouth of the Dese River, surrounded by numerous small islands ranging from several hundred to several thousand square meters. To the east, the renowned "Statue of Liberty" can be seen in the distance; to the west lies part of the New Covenant Port. Pingdao is a tourist destination known for its scenic beauty, featuring wide roads, cable cars, and large clusters of standalone villas, all lush with vegetation. The island operates as a private retreat for wealthy citizens of the Free Federation, with few residents staying here year-round. Yet one property management company maintains a permanent presence on the island to oversee facilities and luxury residences. Zhang Yuanqing, accompanied by Gu Ya, Sun Miao-miao, Zhao Chenghuang, Hong Jiguo, and Tian Xia Gui Huo, arrived by yacht and then took the company's shuttle bus to King's District No. 15. From a distance, Zhang Yuanqing spotted the single-line knight dressed in a black sable coat, calmly waiting at the villa entrance, holding a slender cigarette in his mouth. When the shuttle bus stopped, Zhai Cai extinguished his cigarette and tossed the stub into the trash can at the entrance, then surveyed the members on board. "All here? When shall we begin?" Zhang Yuanqing got straight to the point. Before their arrival, he had already briefed his teammates on the mission's objectives and introduced Zhai Cai to them—his exact words were: "Zhai Cai, a Level 7 Dominator, always wears a sable coat, speaks bluntly, but please don't cross him; after all, he's a Dominator." "First, thank you all for your assistance. Certain sections of the maze require coordinated efforts from multiple participants." But I'd like to remind you once again—Level 4 kids can go home now. Level 5 members are at risk of life-threatening danger, and I can't guarantee your safety, because the villa you're about to enter is known as the Pan God's Labyrinth, a Master-tier rule-based item." Zhai Cai said. "You still have time to turn back." The Pan God's Labyrinth is a property belonging to Wei Ni's grandfather. After retiring from his position as Head of the Divine Judgment, Elder Brent has lived quietly in his villa. Thanks to this item and Wei Ni's status as the granddaughter of the Chief Prosecutor, even the Free Alliance hesitates to trouble him. Seeing no one leaving, Zhai Cai nodded in satisfaction. "This time, we're going to infiltrate Elder Brent's labyrinth to steal items. I only need the fragments; all other items, antiques, and valuables will be yours." Red Chicken and the others were already excited, rubbing their hands. "Not quite! Not quite!" Zhang Yuanqing corrected, "It's the materials and props that Elder Brent no longer needs—those valuable items—that allow us to take them. According to Winny's intelligence, Elder Brent treats the maze as a storage room, always tossing in items, whether useful or not. After all, the inventory slots are limited, while the maze itself offers virtually unlimited space. As a result, there are many treasures in the maze that Elder Brent has long since outgrown—some of which are truly valuable, even of Sovereign quality. These cannot be touched, not only because Elder Brent might become furious and pursue us, but also because the Celestial Lord still retains a certain sense of morality. Taking the fragments of the Sacred Disc is a last resort; gathering discarded items that Elder Brent no longer wants is manageable; but Sovereign-quality materials are beyond our reach. Zhai Cai did not dispute Zhang Yuanqing, adding, "Once the matter is settled, I will personally contribute one million Federal Credits to you all." "Red Chicken Brother's eyes lit up: 'You're really principled, Jumu. This guy in the sable coat isn't as combative as you described.'"