Chapter 295: Race Against Time

Secretary Song emerged from the Starry Sky Hotel before quickly getting into his car and driving off. Li Xiaofei watched the sedan disappear into the distance, deep in thought.

Probably some last-minute tasks that Old Tan had assigned him to wrap up.

Still, it was quite late. Li Xiaofei’s motorcycle roared like a black dragon as it vanished into the vast darkness of the night. A hundred meters away, Hu Yuer appeared atop a streetlamp. A faint, illusory pink fox tail swished behind her. Her beautiful eyes shimmered with a faint pink glow, like liquid light.

"What a pity," she murmured. "That crazy woman, Ye Liuying, broke through to the Golden Body Realm. Now I’ve got to be extra cautious not to reveal myself or use my charm technique."

She licked her lips. Her eyes, swirling with pink energy, gleamed with greed.

"But still, this careful, calculated hunt... it’s so much fun. Hehe, Li Xiaofei, your strong body and powerful vitality must belong to me."

Hu Yuer’s figure blurred, dissolving into a phantom before vanishing into the night.

***

The next day, Li Xiaofei arrived early at the City Government Compound. Secretary Song led him inside and brought him to the helipad. The specially designed Disguiser IV Weave Bird Hunter aircraft was already powered up, ready for takeoff at any moment.

This aircraft was modeled after the flying star beast known as the Weave Bird. It could simulate and emit the bird’s frequencies and even mimic its appearance, ensuring its safety in the wilderness. Only high-ranking government officials and important figures were allowed to ride in it.

Aside from the twenty armed guards stationed around the helipad, no one else had come to see Tan Zhenwei off. Li Xiaofei was the only exception. Tan Zhenwei patted Li Xiaofei on the shoulder, offering no further words.

He turned to Secretary Song and said, "You're still young, no need to rush. Keep a steady mindset. Once you get through this difficult time, the future holds great promise for you."

With that, he boarded the aircraft. The wings began to hum and vibrate as the Weave Bird aircraft slowly lifted off. It resembled a large bird spreading its wings as it ascended into the sky, heading due east.

"Let’s circle the city for a while," Tan Zhenwei said.

The pilot slowed down, guiding the aircraft in a loop around Liuhe Base City. As Tan Zhenwei gazed down at the city below, his heart filled with reluctance. He had devoted over ten years of his life to building and nurturing this place. It was almost like a second home to him. But now, he was being forced to leave.

There was no telling if he would ever have the chance to return. The era of Liuhe Base City belonging to him had come to an abrupt and bittersweet end. Tan Zhenwei was fully aware of how his successor would handle this city, but there was nothing he could do about it.

In the martial world, a person’s fate was often not in their own hands. But the entanglements of the martial world, as fleeting and inconsequential as children’s games, were nothing compared to the vast, unfathomable depths of the political arena.

"Let’s go," Tan Zhenwei said.

The Weave Bird aircraft soared higher until it became a mere black dot that disappeared into the distant sky. Li Xiaofei watched the aircraft vanish, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. Just then, he noticed Secretary Song’s body trembling slightly.

"What’s wrong?" Li Xiaofei asked.

Secretary Song gave a bitter smile and replied, "I just can’t bear to see the leader go..."

He took a deep breath and said, "Now I feel like a monkey who’s lost its tree to lean on, all empty inside and filled with anxiety and uncertainty. A new leader means new officials, and I don’t know what fate awaits us, the old guard, when the new city leader arrives."

Li Xiaofei patted him on the shoulder comfortingly. "Don’t worry about the road ahead. As long as there’s someone who understands you, you won’t be alone. If you run into trouble, you can always come to me."

Secretary Song smiled and said, "Li Xiaofei, you should be careful too. The base city won’t be the same place it once was."

Li Xiaofei responded confidently, "There’s nothing to fear with a clear conscience."

Secretary Song stood there, stunned by Li Xiaofei’s words. Li Xiaofei turned and walked away. Everything else was just noise.

I need to make the most of my time. Cultivation and improving my strength must be the top priority.

After leaving the government compound, Li Xiaofei hopped on his bike and headed toward Red Flag High School. But just a short while into his ride, he suddenly received a LightChat message from an unknown number.

Tan Zhenwei is in danger.

Those five words stopped Li Xiaofei in his tracks. His mind buzzed.

Old Tan is in danger? What kind of danger?

He immediately dialed the number that had sent the message. But it came up as disconnected. Li Xiaofei's eyes shot toward the eastern sky where Tan Zhenwei's aircraft had disappeared.

Li Xiaofei quickly realized that someone might be planning to ambush Tan Zhenwei during his journey. The Weave Bird aircraft was now in the wilderness, with only twenty guards accompanying it. If they encountered a top-tier martial artist, high-grade star beasts, or even a hidden enemy attacking from another aircraft, Tan Zhenwei would be in grave danger.

The horde of star beasts gathering just a hundred miles east of the city only made the situation worse. Panic surged in Li Xiaofei’s heart. He revved up his bike and sped toward the eastern city wall.

Liuhe Base City was already under lockdown, and the east gate was closed. When Li Xiaofei tried to scan his face to leave the city, he was denied access. Out of options, he had to call Commander Ding Longao’s personal number. After much persuasion, he was finally granted permission to exit.

As for his reason for leaving the city? Li Xiaofei explained that he was heading out for a trial run—a personal cultivation challenge. After exiting the city, Li Xiaofei sped off at full throttle. The modified motorcycle roared, reaching its maximum speed of 251 kilometers per hour. But the terrain in the wilderness was rough.

In many places, there were no roads at all. Li Xiaofei quickly abandoned the bike, opting to leap forward like a supercharged kangaroo as he bounded eastward. With his superhuman strength, each leap covered a full kilometer, moving faster than the motorcycle ever could.

***

Boom!

The blinding explosion engulfed the Weave Bird aircraft in a massive blaze of fire. Piercing, frantic alarms rang through the air as the aircraft spiraled violently downward. It crashed violently, throwing up trees and vegetation within a hundred meters.

Thousands of meters away, Kuramaki Kazuki lowered the missile launcher from his shoulder, a twisted grin spreading across his face.

"Look at that. What a beautiful fireworks display," he murmured, almost in awe.

He gestured sharply and the Jiepeng power armor squad beside him sprang into action. Their shadows blurred as they raced toward the crash site.

𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"We should go too," came the nearby voice of Tan Tianwei. "I must see Tan Zhenwei's corpse with my own eyes to ensure he’s really dead."

"Agreed," Kuramaki Kazuki replied.

He was standing on the shoulder of a sixty-meter-tall heavy mech. Tan Tianwei stood on the opposite shoulder. At Kuramaki Kazuki's command, the massive mech moved forward, its steel feet thundering like a giant striding across the wilderness.

Moments later, the Jiepeng power armor combat formation had completely surrounded the crash site like hunting hounds. The Weave Bird aircraft was reduced to little more than twisted wreckage. A few charred bodies could be seen amid the smoldering debris.

"You think Tan’s body is among the burned corpses?" Kuramaki Kazuki asked.

"No," Tan Tianwei said firmly. "To you, he may seem like nothing more than a gray-haired government official, but to me, he was once the brightest martial arts prodigy of the Tan family. Never, ever underestimate him."