Su Wan had always thought this wasteland was chaotic and disorderly.
Ruins were everywhere, vagrants were everywhere, and Aberrants and Death Tides were everywhere.
In her eyes, the City Defense Force was merely a local armed force in Panshi City, no fundamentally different from organizations like the Panshi Company or the Gray Rat Guild.
But Cold Wind’s words completely overturned her understanding.
“You mean... the City Defense Force in Panshi City is just a branch of the Dawn Federation in this small city?”
“Yes.” Cold Wind’s answer was concise and certain. “Every City Defense Force commander in every city is an official appointed by the Dawn Federation, governed by the superior City Defense Force.”
“Above the commander is the Sector Chief, above the sector is the Area Chief, above the area is the Provincial Chief, and above the province is the Federal City Defense Headquarters.”
“Layer upon layer, all linked together.”
Su Wan fell silent for a moment.
The Dawn Federation.
Seven major provinces.
Countless sectors.
Hundreds, even thousands of cities.
Panshi City, where she was located, was merely the most insignificant point in this massive system.
Cold Wind continued, “A hidden operative is a special individual trained by a mysterious department under the Federal City Defense Headquarters.”
“This department has no public name; within the City Defense Force, it is only referred to as the ‘Dark Department.’”
“The Dark Department specializes in training those who operate in the shadows—assassins, spies, infiltrators, killers...”
“These people are selected from a young age and undergo the most rigorous training. They have no names, no identities, and no records in any files.”
“They do not belong to any sector, area, or province.”
“They belong only to the Dark Department and only execute the orders issued by the Dark Department.”
Su Wan’s breathing hitched slightly.
Trained from childhood, no identity, no records.
Executing only orders.
Such people were indeed the best candidates for secret missions.
Su Wan nodded. “How much do you know about this hidden operative?”
Cold Wind fell silent for a moment, seemingly organizing his words. “Only a very few within the City Defense Force know of the existence of hidden operatives. I only know some general information.”
“Speak.”
Cold Wind paused, his voice dropping even lower. “These people have extremely dark personalities. They act cruelly and are habitually bloodthirsty.”
“According to my guess, the one sent this time is most likely ‘Butcher,’ because only he has come to Panshi City recently for a secret mission.”
Cold Wind was, after all, a Level 3 Mid Stage Ability User. Within the City Defense Force, he was privy to many secrets, especially regarding Ability Users.
He had made this deduction based on various scattered clues and fragments of information.
Su Wan’s brow furrowed slightly.
Butcher.
That alias did not sound like someone easy to deal with.
“What is his ability? Do you know?”
Cold Wind shook his head. “I don’t. Butcher never leaves anyone alive. Everyone who has seen him use his ability is dead.”
Su Wan was silent for a moment before asking, “Anything else?”
Cold Wind thought for a bit. “It’s said that he is small in stature and unremarkable in appearance. If you threw him into a crowd, you would never be able to pick him out. This look makes him very suitable for assassination and infiltration.”
“Moreover, he never shows mercy. Whether the opponent is an elderly person, a woman, or a child, he kills them all without exception.”
“There are rumors within the City Defense Force that during one mission, he slaughtered all hundred-plus people in a settlement, not even sparing the infants in their swaddling clothes.”
Su Wan’s fingers curled slightly.
“Master.” Cold Wind’s voice carried a hint of hesitation. “This subordinate has something to say, though I do not know if it is my place.”
“Speak.”
“This person is a true Level 4, not comparable to the Level 3s from before. Furthermore, he acts without any bottom line and will use any means necessary.”
“Although Master’s strength is great, you are, after all, only at the Level 3 Late Stage...”
Cold Wind did not finish, but his meaning was clear.
He was worried.
In his understanding, a Level 3 Late Stage had almost no chance of winning against a Level 4.
Not to mention the opponent was a well-trained, experienced, and unscrupulous killer.
But what he didn’t know was that within the range of the Terminal Station, let alone a Level 4, even a Level 5 or Level 6 would have to kneel.
“There is no need to worry,” Su Wan’s voice was calm and certain.
Cold Wind fell silent.
Su Wan could feel complex emotions churning in his consciousness—doubt, worry, and a faint sense of unease.
But in the end, he did not ask further.
“Yes, Master.” Cold Wind’s voice regained its composure. “This subordinate will continue to gather intelligence from within the City Defense Force.”
“Good. You two just look after yourselves. You don’t need to worry about things here at the Terminal Station.”
“Understood.”
The connection cut off. Cold Wind looked up at the closed iron door.
This was a room at the end of the hallway on the fifth floor of the City Defense Force branch’s secret detention center.
The door was locked from the outside, the windows were barred with iron rods, and the furnishings in the room were pitifully simple.
A bed, a table, a chair, and a crude sink in the corner.
Cold Wind sat cross-legged on the bed with his eyes closed, the Ability Core within his body rotating slowly.
Ever since the 3rd Mobile Brigade returned, he and Iron Bone had been confined here.
On the surface, it was for “recuperation and healing,” but Cold Wind knew in his heart that this was house arrest.
The suspicion toward them within the City Defense Force was even deeper than he had expected.
Footsteps echoed outside; someone passed by at regular intervals.
They were the patrolling guards.
Cold Wind knew that he could do nothing right now.
He couldn't leave the room, couldn't contact the outside world, and even had to be careful while cultivating to avoid drawing unnecessary attention.
He took a deep breath, and the Ability Core in his body began to rotate faster.
The energy of his ice manipulation flowed slowly through his body like a cold underground river.
He guided this energy, washing through his meridians again and again, consolidating his Level 3 Mid Stage foundation.
Cultivation was the only thing he could do now.
Time passed minute by minute.
After an unknown amount of time, Cold Wind suddenly felt a chill down his back.
It was the instinctive intuition for danger of a Level 3 Ability User.
His body suddenly tensed, and the Ability Core in his body instantly entered a combat state. Ice energy condensed into a thin layer of Ice Armor on the surface of his skin.
But just as he was about to turn around—
A hand silently came to rest on his shoulder.
The hand was cold and withered, like the hand of a dead man.
Cold Wind’s body froze instantly.
He was clearly cultivating, his mental power was in a state of high concentration, and any movement within a hundred meters should not have escaped his perception.
But when did this person enter?
He hadn't sensed them at all!
“Don’t move.”
A raspy voice sounded in his ear, low and slow, like sandpaper rubbing against glass, making his scalp tingle.
Cold Wind did not move.
It wasn't that he didn't want to move, but that he couldn't.
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