Ten minutes ago, after Horus was just killed and the Divine Temple emerged within the desert…

As Riche was walking behind Chen Xiaolian, heading towards the Divine Temple, he was also using his guild channel to talk to Hillghost.

“Arrange our formation and be on standby beside the hill. Without my order, no one is to take even half a step. Also, be sure to keep an eye out for those fellows from Starfall Guild. Be careful, they might try something. Once I give the order, everyone is to immediately kill them off. Also, find that Titan… … something fleet guy. Be sure to doublecheck what he said earlier!”

“Affirmative.” Hillghost accepted the order without hesitation. Turning, he then walked towards a crowd of participants located outside Thorned Flower Guild’s camp. The crowd consisted of several smaller guilds.

“You, come.”

Hillghost made a finger-hooking gesture at a thin fellow there. “Follow me.”

“Yes.” The thin fellow he called did not have a large stature. He also did not appear strong. Seeing Hillghost calling for him, he immediately nodded his head, got up and followed Hillghost.

Hillghost led him several hundred metres into the desert before turning around and said, “Sit down.”

The thin fellow obediently sat down.

“From this moment onwards, you will answer whatever questions I ask, understand?”

“Understand.” The thin fellow nodded his head obediently.

The thin fellow came from a small and insignificant guild. It was not even qualified to be compared with a behemoth like Thorned Flower Guild. Even though Hillghost was just a member of a small team from Thorned Flower Guild, albeit a high-ranking combat member, the thin fellow had no qualifications to resist him.

“Your name and guild?”

“Jung, Third Captain of Titan Glory Fleet.”

“You participated in the Battle for Zero City? What position did you have back then?”

“Yes, I had participated in the Battle for Zero City. Back then, I was just an ordinary member and our Guild Leader was the red bearded Captain Scola.”

“You are certain you met that fellow back in Zero City? What is his name?”

“I am certain!” Hearing Hillghost mention ‘that fellow’, Jung’s face immediately grew agitated. “I am 100 % certain! Back then, he was the one who killed off almost everyone from our guild! Even Captain Scola! I will never forget his face! Never!”

“In other words, if it weren’t for him, you wouldn’t have been able to rise up to your current status as… … captain.” Hillghost looked at Jung, his voice filled with a ridiculing tone. “Don’t hate him. You should love him. Enough, continue! Back then, what was he wearing? What skills did he use? What fighting style did he display? And most importantly… … what is his name?”

“He wore… … an ordinary protective suit. The grade of the suit is not bad, but it is not a top-grade suit.” Jung recalled the incident and said, “He wielded a sword. When he swung it, he released a golden sword beam! Captain Scola, Bigfoot and Porsche… … they were standing in front. All of them were hacked into two by that fellow! He killed six members from our guild! All six were the elite powerhouses of our guild! Before Captain Scola died, he had asked the fellow for his name. I remember it very well. The name he gave, was Chen Xiaolian!”

“What about you? Why didn’t you die?” Hillghost sneered.

“I… I fled.” Jung trembled and a remorseful expression appeared on his face. “However, it made no sense for me to run forward at the time! That fellow is too strong! Even Captain Scola was killed with just one slash. If I run forward, I would simply be sacrificing myself for nothing. By living on… at least… … at least I can maintain an ember for Titan Glory Fleet!”

“Enough, shut that mouth of yours.” Hillghost cast a cold stare at Jung. “Firstly, that Captain Scola of yours is just a minor character. A very ordinary character that is not worth mentioning. Killing him with one move? I can easily do that as well. Thus, it cannot prove how strong he is. Secondly…”

He crouched down and patted Jung’s head, a smile appearing on his face. “Trust me, whether or not your shitty Titan Glory Fleet can leave behind any embers means absolutely jackshit. No one would give a rat’s ass about you fellows, understand?”

“Un… understand.”

Hillghost stroked Jung’s head. On Jung’s side, he could simply purse his lips and nod his head vigorously.

“All right. Head back, then. Remember, the things I asked you earlier and your answers, every single word must not be mentioned to anyone. Or else…”

Hillghost stared intently at Jung and saw him nod hastily. Then, he revealed a satisfied smile.

Watching Jung walk through the sandy dunes, Hillghost quickly accessed his guild channel.

“Captain, it’s confirmed. That fellow is not lying. He did indeed see this Mr Moonless in Zero City before.”

“Really? That is very interesting.” Riche, who was on the other side, smiled. “His details?”

“A sword user, capable of releasing sword beams. In Zero City, he killed off that Glory… something Fleet’s captain in one slash. That red-bearded Scola is a pawn that our Guild Leader set up. Looking at it that way, that fellow’s level of strength should be at least [A-]. His upper limit is still uncertain.”

“Do we have this person in our database for Zero City’s Awakened ones?”

“No. I am certain.” Hillghost replied confidently. “Our list of veterans from all the permanent guilds in Zero City is the most comprehensive. That is especially so for those at [A-] class and above. We have a very detailed record for every one of them. Their appearance, age, combat styles, not a single one is a match. Additionally… … back then, the name that this Mr Moonless gave was, Chen Xiaolian!”

“Chen Xiaolian?” Riche smiled again. “Good, very good. Looks like our Thorned Flower Guild may have encountered a theatrical swindler.”

“Are you… … certain?” Hillghost was feeling somewhat apprehensive. “He did kill off Anubis with one attack, after all. Besides, even if we go with the statement from that whatever fleet guy gave us, his level of strength should be at [A-] or more.”

“I am still not 100 % certain. However, this suspicion is already enough for me to take some probing actions.” Riche harrumphed. “Do you not feel puzzled as to why he did not take any actions from the start until the end?”

“I did find it strange. However, for a master, he might care about his identity…”

“Yes.” Riche interrupted Hillghost. “If our Guild Leader is here with us today, he too, would not take the initiative to kill that Horus. However, if the monster charged towards our Guild Master, making it all the way before him, even going so far as to attack him… do you still think that he can remain so composed?”

Hillghost thought about it for a moment. Instantly, his body shivered. “Impossible! Absolutely impossible!”

“That’s right.” Riche snickered. “So… … let’s have a good look and see who this Chen Xiaolian kid is.”

…

“What are you trying to say, Riche?” Chen Xiaolian stopped moving forward. His brows furrowed slightly and he turned to look at Riche.

“I am simply feeling curious. If I did anything to offend you, please don’t take offence.” Riche raised both his hands up, his faced filled with sincerity and fear. “You know, we from Thorned Flower Guild and those from Zero City have fought one another for who knows just how many times. The Storage Watch that you are wearing, I have seen that very model many times before. It is considered a high-grade item amongst the equipment from Zero City. It has a total of 16 storage spaces. However… … the storage equipment used by the top characters from Zero City are better. Your strength is far, far superior compared to the experts from Zero City’s resident guilds. For you to be wearing this item, I just think… … it is unbefitting of your identity.”

After saying that, Riche immediately pulled out a ring from his hand. Next, he used both hands to respectfully hold it before Chen Xiaolian. “This is my personal storage equipment. The storage space is five times that of the storage space of your current storage equipment. Although it is still not of a high enough grade, it is still comparatively bigger than yours. If you don’t mind, please take it.”

Chen Xiaolian stood still and stared coldly at the ring on Riche’s hands. “Are you showing off the fact that your equipment is better?”

“I absolutely, absolutely, have no such intentions.” Riche laughed and put the ring back on his finger. “However, can you help answer a question of mine?”

Chen Xiaolian grew silent.

This Riche fellow was far different compared to his appearance of a gruff and stupid fellow.

It was such a minor detail. And yet, he managed to notice it?

Clearly, this Riche fellow was trying to sound him out.

However, Chen Xiaolian still did not know how much he knew and how doubtful he was.

“It is fine if you are unwilling to answer.” Riche raised his head and stared directly into Chen Xiaolian’s eyes. “For a great person like you, my curiosity is something that is simply negligible. Isn’t that right, Mr Chen, Xiao, Lian?”

“Who?” Chen Xiaolian asked nonchalantly.

Although he was very fast, that very instant, Riche had managed to notice the light contraction within Chen Xiaolian’s pupils.

Riche abruptly took a few steps backwards. Both his palms slid against one another to give rise to two small fire dragons, which swirled around him.

“Enough! Stop pretending, Mr Chen Xiaolian.” Riche sneered as he assumed a combat stance. However, he did not take the initiative to charge forward to attack. “Rather… … if you are really known as Moonless, an old friend of our Guild Leader Shen, a character so powerful you can kill off this instance dungeon’s BOSS in one hit, you should be able to instantly kill off someone as disrespectful as me, right?”

“If so, do it, Mr Moonless! Just like how you killed off Anubis earlier, reduce me into a fog of bloody mist!”

As he was talking, Riche rubbed his palms to create even more fire dragons, which swirled around him ceaselessly.

Although he was 99 % certain of the speculation in his mind, he was still feeling apprehensive.

At any rate, if that 1 % chance of error were to pop up…

He would truly be killed off by this old monster in one hit.

Beads of sweat were secretly oozing out from Riche’s forehead as he awaited his fate.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

…

From Riche’s perspective, every second felt like an extremely long time. However, as time ticked by, he grew increasingly calm.

Finally, Riche heard Chen Xiaolian give a soft sigh.

“You are very different from how you look. You are very smart.”