Chapter 455: I Need A Warm Up

"What does that mean?" Nan Hua’s voice returned to its earlier light and calm tone.

"To sacrifice for one’s country, to face death as if returning home."

This was the creed of every member of the Dragon Group. But reciting this line didn’t necessarily mean the person belonged to the Dragon Group.

In the tangled web of factions within Haijing City, the Dragon Group faced relentless challenges even with national support. Especially after the establishment of the Wanmao District, foreign powers had grown fiercely hostile toward the Dragon Group. They had launched dozens of targeted purges, forcing the group to retreat underground in recent years. On the surface, they had vanished entirely.

Survival had become even harder for the Dragon Group. A massive, coordinated operation against them had begun to tighten its net. Nan Hua hadn’t heard that phrase spoken in a long time.

After her brief lapse in composure, she quickly masked her reaction by continuing to undress. She slipped off her cheongsam, revealing a delicate white undershirt that hugged her chest.

The soft fabric was stretched taut by her ample curves. Her snow-white, flat abdomen glistened faintly under the dim light, adorned with a small green gemstone set into her navel. Her long, shapely legs were equally stunning. As she slipped off her high heels, the slight tilt and lift of her legs created mesmerizing curves, filling the room with an air of ambiguous allure.

It was a scene that could drive any man to madness. Any man would’ve been consumed by desire and lunged at her like a starving tiger. But not this time.

Instead of pouncing, the boy casually pulled up the bed sheet. The pristine white sheet enveloped Nan Hua’s body, covering her entirely.

"Don’t worry, I’m one of your own," Li Xiaofei said as he revealed his Dragon Scale Token. "From Xiajing City. You should know... the mission file mentioned you as my contact."

Wrapped in the bedsheet, Nan Hua exhaled a long sigh of relief. The moment she saw the Dragon Scale Token, her tense demeanor visibly relaxed. It was as if the taut string of a bow, moments from snapping, had been suddenly released.

"Greetings, Special Envoy," Nan Hua said, clasping her hands in a formal salute.

In the motion, the sheet wrapped around her slipped to the ground with a soft whoosh. As she leaned slightly forward, the snowy white and alluring curves of her figure were fully exposed. Li Xiaofei, still seated in the chair, turned his gaze toward the window.

"Put your clothes back on." He said calmly.

"Yes," Nan Hua replied.

She quickly donned her cheongsam once more and walked barefoot across the room. Her jade-like feet left faint, delicate imprints on the cold floor, each step revealing her lithe elegance.

She prepared tea for Li Xiaofei and respectfully handed it to him before speaking. "When Team Leader Xiao left, he mentioned that a Special Envoy would be sent to Haijing City to clean up the aftermath. We’ve been waiting a long time for you to arrive."

"What’s my mission?" Li Xiaofei asked directly.

This was the question that mattered most to him.

"Your mission?" Nan Hua hesitated for a moment, her brows furrowing slightly.

Is it possible that the Special Envoy sent from above doesn’t know his own mission?

Li Xiaofei said, "Team Leader Xiao mentioned that after making contact with you, you would inform me about the mission I need to execute here in Haijing City."

Nan Hua frowned. Her beautifully shaped, dense black brows arched slightly in thought.

The mission...

She carefully recalled what Xiao Bieli had said before his departure and considered the long-standing objectives of the Dragon Group’s operations in Haijing City.

"If we’re talking about the mission, it’s to help the Dragon Group stabilize the situation in Haijing City," Nan Hua said slowly. "And, if possible, eliminate a few of the Dragon Group’s key adversaries."

Li Xiaofei frowned as well. This mission was not what he had imagined. It was vague and broad. It didn’t have the typical precision he expected from the Dragon Group. Still, if this was what Nan Hua had to say, he had no choice but to accept it for now.

"The Dragon Group still has adversaries in Haijing City?" Li Xiaofei asked. "This is Great Xia’s territory... Explain the current situation of the Dragon Group."

Nan Hua sighed lightly and began, "Since the establishment of the Wanmao District and the influx of foreign military and forces into Haijing City, this is no longer purely Great Xia’s territory. Nationals from Jiepeng, Yiggs, Bayer, and other foreign powers have poured in. They also brought the organizations they were tied to, who have infiltrated the city bit by bit. These people are unruly, treating the people of Great Xia as less than human. The Dragon Group has been fighting them covertly and initially had the upper hand. But then... the Inquisition appeared, and we ran into a massive problem."

The Inquisition!

Li Xiaofei's expression darkened as he heard the name again. He had encountered the Inquisition back in Liuhe Base City when he had battled against their Realm of Traces team. Later, he had crossed paths with experts from the Blade of Verdict.

At that time, Li Xiaofei’s strength had not yet reached its current level. He had been forced to tread carefully and maneuver with caution. But it was those very encounters that had earned him his place within the Dragon Group.

Li Xiaofei harbored deep hatred for the Inquisition, the foreign organization bent on extinguishing the martial legacy of Great Xia and eradicating its ancient roots.

The Inquisition was an organization officially under the Star Council that claimed to unite humanity against demonic heresies. However, it had long since fractured and decayed from within, with many of its members becoming heretics themselves.

According to Nan Hua, the Inquisition had entrenched itself in Haijing City, deploying teams like the Realm of Traces, Hand of Judgment, and Blade of Verdict.

"Their main objective is to destroy the Dragon Group," Nan Hua explained. "They’ve also assassinated Great Xia officials. Many civilian martial artists who refused to collaborate with them have been butchered at their hands."

"The Haisha Gang are the Inquisition’s pawns in the slum. They’re used to facilitate human trafficking, organ trading, and all manner of heinous crimes. They’re their loyal dogs. The Inquisition’s overseer in Haijing City is a man by the name of Tsukiha Tensō, a Saint-level powerhouse from the Jiepeng Empire and a member of the Star Council."

"Under their suppression, combined with the betrayal of certain treasonous officials in Haijing City, the Dragon Group has suffered devastating losses. At least two-thirds of our members have been killed or captured. In the past month, the Dragon Group have been forced to cease all operations in Haijing City and retreat underground."

Nan Hua spoke in detail, her voice steady but heavy with the weight of her words.

As Li Xiaofei listened, fury burned in his heart.

In Great Xia’s own territory, its official organization, the Dragon Group has been forced to hide because of the persecution of a group of foreign powers? Is there no justice? No law?

"I’m here now. My comrades no longer need to stay underground." He declared, "There are many issues to address. Tell me, what is the most urgent matter we need to deal with right now?"

Nan Hua thought for a moment before replying, "Special Envoy, your first priority should be ensuring your survival while the Haisha Gang hunts you."

"The Haisha Gang?" Li Xiaofei sneered. "Hunting me? Ha! I’ll erase the Haisha Gang from the slums in three days."

Nan Hua was startled by his words.

"Special Envoy, you must not be reckless." She cautioned, sensing his overconfidence. "The Haisha Gang is not a small power. Qin Xiaotian, with his Golden Body Realm cultivation, didn’t even rank in their top ten. Their leader, Hai Tiankuo, is at the Dao Union Realm and is ranked third in Haijing City’s slums. He’s incredibly dangerous."

Li Xiaofei smiled faintly and replied, "Just a bunch of chickens and dogs."

As his words fell, an alarm blared within the room. Nan Hua’s expression shifted as she activated her portable light core.

A holographic projection sprang to life, displaying a feed from outside the apartment. Swarms of combat-ready power armors buzzed through the air like locusts. On the ground, countless figures in jet-black Haisha Gang uniforms moved into position. There were thousands of them, surrounding the building from every direction.

"The Haisha Gang is here," Nan Hua said, her face filled with urgency. "Special Envoy, they have too many people. This isn’t the time for a direct fight. Let me use the hidden passage to get you out of here."

Li Xiaofei stood abruptly.

"Why would I leave?" He laughed, and his eyes burned with a murderous intent as hot as molten lava. "There is nothing I despise more than traitors who sell out their own nation and wag their tails before foreigners while ruthlessly oppressing their own people. Perfect. Let’s start with them. I need a warm-up."