A Deadly Proposition

Constantine seemed privy to Du Chen's thoughts. Before his figure was even visible, his booming laughter echoed forth. “Are you not curious why Changxi addresses me as Captain?”

The Rebellious Dragon, though always verbose in battle, never spoke idly. His Secret Technique, the Metallic Sonic Wave, derived its lethal power precisely from his ‘loquaciousness’!

Constantine pressed on, “Alex, where is Francis? The Vanishing Snow Sword is here, thus he must be as well... Haha, how utterly preposterous! I worried about ‘beating the grass to startle the snake,’ and deliberately manipulated Changxi to assume the mantle of King of Penance, leveraging his control over the City of Penance for a covert city-wide search for you. Yet, who would have imagined, you’d waltz right into my trap... Hahahaha!”

The elder dragon, true to form, demonstrated his characteristic caution.

Every word, every syllable, struck Du Chen’s heart like a thunderous hammer. And that final volley of maniacal laughter, an invisible wall, tightly enveloped Du Chen from all sides!

Sensing the sonic wall's onslaught, Du Chen paused, momentarily caught off guard. Constantine’s power hadn’t seemingly grown! To Du Chen’s current perception, this sonic wall was, at best, a mere ‘threat’.

“If you are not strong, then allow me to demonstrate!”

“Constantine!” Du Chen’s thunderous roar instantly drowned out Constantine’s voice. Immediately, his left thumb pressed against his four fingers, and with a rhythm akin to plucked zither strings, countless water ribbons vigorously burst forth, their shimmering forms jingling as they shattered every sonic wall Constantine had erected. Then, Du Chen’s right hand mirrored the motion of his left, but its aim, surprisingly, was the heavens themselves!

A torrent of golden-blue water ribbons surged into the hazy, grey clouds shrouding the City of Penance. Du Chen let out a fierce, guttural roar, and with a mighty heave, yanked downwards.

“Aooo...!” To everyone’s astonishment, Constantine, in his colossal dragon form, was forcibly ripped from the clouds by Du Chen, plummeting to the earth with a resounding crash that gouged a crater more than ten meters deep!

“A Titled Battle God’s power! The Thousand Strands of Benevolent Lock!”

“Rebellious Dragon, you, in your current diminished state, dare to contend with me?!” Du Chen’s right hand expertly controlled the water ribbons, while his left hand manifested the Golden Lotus. Amidst the crackling burst of ice shards, Constantine, the Rebellious Dragon and one of the esteemed Five Peaks of Myriad Streams, found himself utterly encased within a resplendent snow lotus!

As the snow lotus bloomed and then withered, the Rebellious Dragon’s life force gradually waned. With a pained ‘Whoosh!’, Constantine spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, which, astonishingly, created a momentary path for him to burst free from his icy confines. He staggered clear, though his gaze upon Du Chen was now a mixture of shock and profound wariness.

“By the Heavens, that dragon is unequivocally a Tenth-rank Battle God!”

“How... how does the Brockman Family possess such an overwhelmingly powerful guest consultant!?”

The surviving allied commanders stood utterly dumbfounded. Meanwhile, Chek let out a triumphant, almost smug laugh, casting a disdainful glance at the assembly. “There is no need for alarm, everyone! This is merely my Brockman Family’s esteemed guest consultant, the Titled Battle God, Alex!”

Chek’s triumphant laughter was abruptly cut short as Steve clapped a hand onto his shoulder, his voice dropping to a low, urgent whisper: “Quietly prepare your retreat and get your people out of here. Once we’re clear, rein in your family’s third generation; ensure he causes no more trouble for me! Xue Ji, don your hood. Constantine’s gaze is currently fixed on my brother, and he hasn’t noticed you yet. By no means must he recognize you!”

Xue Ji started, but instantly grasped Steve’s hidden meaning. She nodded gravely. “Rest assured, I, Xue Ji, will not cause you any trouble.”

Steve offered a cryptic, wry smile. “Take care of yourself. If even a single strand of your hair were to be harmed, my brother would be utterly heartbroken!”

Xue Ji’s cheeks flushed, but Steve had already vanished, reappearing beside Du Chen to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him. The two brothers, their faces grim, stood as if confronting a mortal enemy.

Chek was perplexed. Mr. Alex had clearly achieved victory, yet why did he remain so vigilant? Nevertheless, his trust in Alex prompted him to discreetly ready himself.

At that moment, Constantine staggered upright, gradually reassuming his human guise, his eyes fixed on Du Chen with venomous malice. “I was rash! Seeing that Brook, the foremost Master of Du Chen’s Divine Cult, was absent, I acted impulsively. Who could have imagined that Du Chen’s Divine Cult harbored another Master of your caliber!”

Du Chen’s face showed no trace of triumphant pride. Instead, he spoke with a calm indifference, “In the Labyrinth of Life, you were grievously wounded by Brook and then scorched by flames. Your power is now severely compromised. For me to defeat you in your current state... it would be an ignoble victory!”

Steve’s gaze on the Rebellious Dragon was chilling. “But Constantine, while your squad members have all experienced a Sudden Surge in Power, why have you not only failed to advance, but even your old wounds remain unhealed!?”

Constantine clutched his chest, coughing up several mouthfuls of blood, a cold sneer twisting his lips. “Do you wish to know why?” His eyes, practically devouring Du Chen with untold malice and venomous hatred, nonetheless formed the words, “Do you take me for a fool, to reveal such secrets to you?!”

Du Chen scoffed. “A man with unhealed wounds such as yourself could not possibly have elevated the Changxi Family’s strength to this degree, let alone instruct them in the ancient Fallen Gods’ Formation! And now, you are gravely injured, clearly no match for me, yet you show no haste in fleeing... Come forth, then. Let the puppet master behind you reveal themselves!”

A crisp *clap, clap* echoed. As the applause rang out, the air above the assembly shimmered and distorted, and three figures slowly materialized, casually stepping on air as they sauntered to Constantine’s side!

Black Flat-Top’s Helm and scarlet robes. Du Chen’s heart gave a violent lurch, particularly when his gaze landed upon the central figure: fair skin, a pointed chin, thin lips, and a beardless jaw... Was this not precisely the individual who had annihilated the Shadow Legion and spirited Constantine away on that fateful day? Only at this precise moment did Du Chen fully comprehend: there were indeed two distinct factions identified by the military helmets and flowing robes. One belonged to Jamis and old Bovin; the other, to these ominous figures now before his very eyes!

Thirteen, Fourteen, and Seventeen – these three enigmatic individuals, tasked with capturing Du Chen alive, maintained their hands tucked within their sleeves. Beneath their helms, a faint, chilling glint flickered in their eyes. Thirteen, the central figure, offered a serene smile. “You are Alex? Quite impressive! Truly so!” He then tilted his head, acknowledging Steve. “You are also quite capable!”

Thirteen’s voice was remarkably mellifluous, like a clear mountain spring, soothing the heart upon hearing it. After his brief commendation, he continued, “Eighteen, withdraw with your squad members. This matter is now within my purview!”

Eighteen? As Du Chen pondered this, Constantine softly commanded Changxi and his entourage to retreat alongside him, leaving the field clear for Thirteen. Fourteen and Seventeen likewise withdrew to attend to Constantine’s wounds.

A chilling realization struck Du Chen’s heart. Constantine was ‘Eighteen’—just how formidable must the seventeen individuals preceding him be!? And if Eighteen commanded twenty squad members, then surely the higher-ranked members possessed even larger retinues!

“Just how immense was the power of this organization?!”

Thirteen’s mellifluous voice continued to flow, “Alex, do you truly wish to know why Constantine has made no progress in his cultivation?” He pointedly indicated Du Chen. “You need only ask yourself... for you are the one who absconded with the Secret Lock tailored precisely for him!” That very lock, a small, unassuming trinket, now hung from Du Chen’s belt.

Du Chen let out two dry, awkward chuckles.

Thirteen continued, “Originally, our mandate was to capture you alive. Should any difficulties arise, we were authorized to eliminate you without hesitation! However... having encountered you both, a novel idea has now captivated my interest!”

With a soft *clink*, he unfastened two gleaming iron chains from the belt of his robe, and to everyone’s surprise, declared:

“Are you... perhaps interested in joining our ranks?”

Behind him, Constantine gasped in alarm, urgently interjecting, “Thirteen, my very condition for joining you was that you aid me in eradicating these personal enemies! Are you now contemplating a betrayal of our agreement?”

Thirteen turned, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Eighteen, patience. We shall provide you with a satisfactory explanation!” He then turned his penetrating gaze back to Du Chen and Steve. “And you two, are you perhaps interested?”

Du Chen and Steve exchanged a swift glance. Du Chen then smiled, “Should we join your esteemed ranks, what precisely would we gain, and what, in turn, would we be compelled to relinquish?”

Thirteen chuckled. “Join us, and we can grant you one desire, and furthermore, bestow upon you the power to transcend the Eleventh-Tier! However, your worldly identities will utterly cease to exist. From this day forth, in this world, there shall only be the Captains of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Squads of the Scarlet Army!”

“Scarlet Army? Is that the designation of their organization?”

Du Chen cast a quick glance back at the assembled crowd, a wry smirk playing on his lips. “You’ve uttered the words ‘Scarlet Army’ aloud. It appears that if we refuse your generous offer, you’ll not only silence us permanently, but everyone present who overheard ‘Scarlet Army’ will likely also be...” He finished the sentence with a subtle, yet chilling gesture, drawing his pinky finger across his throat.

Thirteen shook his head, a slight, enigmatic smile on his face. “These inhabitants of the City of Penance will not be silenced, for... they heard absolutely nothing!”

Du Chen and Steve’s expressions underwent a dramatic shift. Unbeknownst to them, the Scarlet Army had already deployed a formidable Sound-Proofing Secret Technique in the vicinity! This clandestine maneuver effectively trapped the two brothers!

“Are you interested? This marks my third, and definitively final, invitation!” Thirteen’s smile remained, though it held a distinct edge of menace.

Du Chen met Steve’s gaze, then shrugged with a wry smile. Steve mirrored his expression. Du Chen strode forward with a confident air. “Given the current... predicament,” he began, taking the chains from Thirteen’s hand, “what recourse do we truly have?” He then added, “What is expected of us?”

Thirteen nodded with utter satisfaction. “Fasten the chains about your persons, ensuring the clasps rest over your sternums, then simply follow us. Your esteemed master will gradually instruct you on your duties henceforward...”

*Click!* Du Chen, without hesitation, was the first to fasten the lock, binding himself. Witnessing this sight, Thirteen nodded, his smile deepening, his conviction absolute.

Steve, however, slowly draped the chains over his shoulders, his hands grasping the lock positioned at his chest. Just as he was about to fasten it, he suddenly let out a lewd chuckle. “My dear beauty,” he purred, “you must be utterly captivating!”

Thirteen froze, momentarily stunned. Had he truly discerned her gender?

At that precise instant, Steve abruptly flung aside the chains, simultaneously spitting a Flaying Knife from his mouth. In almost the same breath, Du Chen let out a crisp *click*, opening the lock that had momentarily lulled Thirteen into a false sense of security, and unleashed the full power of the Precious Lotus Scripture...