Chapter 53 – Xu Qianqian: Isn't It Fine to Suck a Little Blood from Him?

Nighttime in Huaming District wasn’t a place for casual strolls.

As this area was about to become a battlefield, and the Base City was racing against time to construct defense lines, Huaming District at night was no less bustling than during the day. Soldiers were still running about, military vehicles were on the move, and armed helicopters flew incessantly overhead. The atmosphere was thick with the aura of a military base.

In such a place, patrols were stationed at regular intervals, and checkpoints were set up to stop vehicles and pedestrians. Unless one presented a license for computer scanning to confirm they were on a mission, the guards wouldn’t let them pass.

As the saying goes, extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Huaming District had clearly become such a heavily guarded place.

Yet, after Su Ming and Xu Qianqian left the Academy District, they sped along in an off-road vehicle without encountering any obstructions. It was as if someone had given prior instructions—checkpoints were opened just before Su Ming and Xu Qianqian’s vehicle approached, allowing it to maintain its speed without slowing down.

“As expected of the Young Miss of the Xu Family.”

Su Ming, sitting in the passenger seat, watched all this and marveled inwardly.

He didn’t doubt for a second that Xu Qianqian was behind this.

Before they set off, she had made a phone call. Though it lasted only a few seconds, Su Ming was convinced that call was the reason they could move unimpeded through this militarized zone.

“Is this what they call having privileges?”

Su Ming wouldn’t admit he was envious.

Xu Qianqian, for her part, offered no explanation. Her hands gripped the steering wheel, and her foot never left the accelerator for even a second. Her driving skills were so impressive—even more adept than Lei Hao’s—that Su Ming, who had never learned to drive and was a road hazard, felt an urge to try speeding himself.

It was then that Xu Qianqian spoke.

“Are you sure the Suspicious Group is in Huaming District?”

She brought up the matter.

“Not sure,” Su Ming replied, an answer that might have provoked her anger. But he quickly added, “However, based on the methods I’ve deployed, I’m certain they’ve been here.”

Since the bees had appeared here, it meant they had detected the Spirit Power of the Sorcerer from the Suspicious Group.

Thus, it was almost certain the group had been in the area.

And if they had been here, it was highly likely they hadn’t left yet.

“Huaming District is now isolated from the outside. Only Professionals can enter, and only civilians are allowed to leave,” Su Ming analyzed. “I don’t know if the group members have registered as Professionals with the Base City or obtained licenses, but regardless, leaving Huaming District wouldn’t be easy for them.”

If they had registered as Professionals, they definitely couldn’t leave Huaming District.

Even if they hadn’t registered, civilians attempting to leave would have to undergo Base City escort and scrutiny, possibly even being sent to testing facilities for physical examinations.

History had shown that the appearance of the Spirit Demon Abyss could affect human Physiques, causing humans to undergo Awakening and develop Spirit Power, and might even lead to unknown mutations in some individuals.Now that the entrance to the Spirit Demon Abyss is about to appear in Huaming District, with even the energy flow detected by the surveillance department, the effects of the Spirit Demon Abyss on human Physique can already take effect at this moment.

Therefore, the original residents of Huaming District will all be sent to testing facilities for physical examinations first.

And those people would never accept such examinations.

After all, once they do, the fact that they aren’t ordinary humans would be immediately exposed.

At that point, the Base City Executives behind them who have been raising these private soldiers might find themselves in serious trouble.

Based on this consideration, Su Ming could confidently say that as long as members of that Suspicious Group appear in Huaming District, they definitely won’t be able to leave easily.

“Unless the Base City Executives behind them can even influence policies during emergency situations and use their influence to send these people away.”

This was Su Ming’s firm belief.

To this, Xu Qianqian gave a definitive answer.

“No matter which Base City Executive it is, during such critical times, their influence couldn’t possibly be great enough to allow their private soldiers to move freely in and out of the current Huaming District. Not even the mayor could do that.”

Xu Qianqian had the standing to make such a statement.

Her understanding of Base City Executives far exceeded that of ordinary people, so she naturally knew very well how complex the power structure of a Base City truly was.

A Base City wasn’t governed by any single person’s decree – the Base City Executives were composed of numerous large and small factions and politicians. Even the mayor, who held the highest position in a Base City, couldn’t act arbitrarily due to constraints from other executives.

Therefore, while minor influences might be tolerated, major influences couldn’t be freely exerted by any single Base City Executive because others would be watching them closely.

Precisely because of this, even if a certain Base City Executive dispatched private soldiers with ulterior motives and was secretly scheming something, he would eventually attract the attention of other executives, prompting them to take measures.

Wasn’t this exactly why Xu Qianqian had been assigned the task of investigating the Suspicious Group?

In light of this, Xu Qianqian agreed with Su Ming’s assessment that the Suspicious Group was still currently in Huaming District.

What this meant was clear to both Su Ming and Xu Qianqian.

“The target they’re after has likely entered Huaming District.”

Xu Qianqian voiced this thought.

“That’s what I think too.”

Su Ming nodded in agreement.

Only if their mission target had broken into Huaming District would that Suspicious Group have followed them into the area.

“I just wonder if this is purely coincidental or not.”

Su Ming expressed doubt about this point.

“It probably isn’t a coincidence.” Xu Qianqian shook her head while continuing to press the accelerator, making the off-road vehicle speed forward wildly. “That mysterious Phantom Demon being hunted might have detected that the entrance to the Spirit Demon Abyss would appear in this area, which is why it fled here.”

“You mean that Phantom Demon wants to escape back to the Spirit Demon Abyss?” Su Ming tightened his grip on the door handle, struggling to maintain his position against the violently speeding vehicle while feigning calm. “That makes sense. Being constantly hunted like that, any Phantom Demon would want to flee back to the Spirit Demon Abyss.””The members of that Suspicious Group pursued us all the way to Huaming District, clearly unwilling to give up.” Xu Qianqian spoke with extreme calmness: “But now that we’ve entered Huaming District, it’s impossible for them to act as recklessly as before.”

Despite Xu Qianqian’s seemingly unrestrained behavior—relying on her backing to breeze through checkpoints without being stopped for inspection—her confidence stemmed from having nothing to hide.

In contrast, even if the Suspicious Group had support from high-ranking officials in the Base City, their previous pattern of frequent pursuits and creating major disturbances would inevitably draw attention from the upper echelons.

Under these circumstances, their operations within Huaming District would be constrained.

“They wouldn’t dare act randomly anymore, letting their targets run wild.” Su Ming picked up where Xu Qianqian left off: “This place is filled with Professionals and military personnel. A Phantom Demon rampaging here would be suicidal.”

If their secret target became common knowledge in Huaming District, hunted by all Professionals like a rat crossing the street, their mission would be over.

Considering all this, Su Ming believed he had truly cornered them this time.

“I previously set up tracking methods, but only found combat sites where they’d taken action.” Su Ming explained: “This time, since they can’t act freely, my detection measures have a high chance of locating them directly.”

This was why Su Ming felt confident about tracing the Suspicious Group.

Xu Qianqian evidently trusted Su Ming’s methods.

“By detection measures, do you mean those little bees?”

Xu Qianqian glanced at the bees flying persistently ahead above them.

Given they could keep pace with their speeding off-road vehicle, she knew these weren’t ordinary bees.

“Actually quite useful.” Su Ming said seriously: “Though this is my first time using them.”

Xu Qianqian’s hands on the steering wheel paused almost imperceptibly before resuming normal control.

Then she said:

“Regardless, let me bite you first later.”

Xu Qianqian spoke these words flatly.

“Why?”

Su Ming couldn’t help but be startled.

“No particular reason.” Xu Qianqian replied expressionlessly: “I get tired too.”

Having completed missions all day, she was already nearly exhausted. Being called out in the middle of the night made fatigue inevitable.

Coupled with Su Ming’s recent revelation, what had seemed somewhat reliable suddenly felt questionable again.

Under these circumstances, taking some of his blood didn’t seem unreasonable, did it?

His blood should restore much of her vitality and alleviate considerable fatigue, shouldn’t it?

Thinking this while smelling the tantalizing scent beside her, Xu Qianqian unconsciously licked her lips.

Witnessing this clearly, Su Ming felt his vision darken.

Good heavens! There’s a female vampire here craving someone’s body!

……

Huaming District, Warehouse Street.

As the name suggested, this was the warehouse street within Huaming District.Massive shipping containers were lined up like long dragons, stretching forward in rows, transforming the area into a vast warehouse.

The off-road vehicle, which had been speeding along, came to a halt here. Its headlights were turned off, and the two passengers got out.

“Are you okay?”

Xu Qianqian supported Su Ming, her face glowing with vitality. The exhaustion from earlier had completely vanished, as if she had been thoroughly rejuvenated, radiating energy.

“I-I-I-I’m fine…!”

Su Ming shouted this, but his face was pale and his steps unsteady, looking completely drained.

In his heart, he was undoubtedly filled with grief and indignation.

(End of Chapter)