Chapter 620: The Vital Core: Unyielding Descent

Book Chapter 620: The Importance of Core Power (Update 3)

The elevator was descending until it reached the first floor. Lin

But it didn’t pause; it kept going down.

After a dozen seconds, the elevator finally ground to a stop.

As the elevator doors opened, Xiao Yu, Wang Dong, Zhou Lie, and the man with a bullet wound on his leg stepped out.

Before their eyes lay a metallic corridor ending in a heavy metal door.

That metal door looked strikingly familiar to Xiao Yu.

He had seen it countless times in the Anxiety Formula of Magic City.

“You just told me he’s inside, right?”

Xiao Yu turned, eyeing the pale-faced man.

Facing life and death, the man revealed everything.

He even disclosed that his ‘boss’ was hidden underground… inside the Anxiety Formula!

At that moment, the faces of the three National Security team leaders darkened considerably.

They all knew that Group Eight might very well be in deep trouble.

Never mind—the damage was done even if it was too late to fix the breach.

Capturing the mastermind could at least help recoup some losses.

If nothing else, it would let them vent their anger!

“Yes, he’s inside.”

Covering the blood streaming down his thigh, the man nodded, his face ashen.

“Is this just a futile, dying last stand?” Wang Dong sneered.

“Not necessarily,” came the reply.

Zhou Lie shook his head. “That man’s connections… make him almost untouchable.”

Indeed, he wasn’t someone to be messed with.

Only a man capable of stirring up chaos in both Magic City and Capital City could have two Anxiety Formulas—and attract so many heavyweight figures to notice.

Just how influential must he be?

Not being untouchable doesn’t mean he can’t be caught.

As long as you nab him red-handed, even a high-flyer is nothing.

At least, that’s the thinking.

Though the Three Wei Leader maintained an impassive face, a surge of crisis burned within him.

Taking action against certain people—even National Security had to weigh their moves carefully.

Wang Dong and Zhou Lie glanced at Little Brother.

“Times have changed.”

Xiao Yu mocked, “Are there not plenty of big tigers getting beaten to death?”

His tone was cocky, but inside he was anything but calm.

He thought to himself: I need to rescue Big Boss immediately—enough of the convalescence; hurry back… save the kid!

“I know the Anxiety Formula well. I can handle this alone.”

With a dismissive wave to the two seniors, Xiao Yu strode toward the metal door.

Taking Wang Dong and Zhou Lie along might add security, but it would also weigh him down like extra baggage.

Once inside the Anxiety Formula, he wouldn’t have time to babysit the seniors.

Places like the Anxiety Formula aren’t won over by simply amassing people.

Unless the mechanism is tampered with, only someone as badass as Xiao Yu could succeed.

Ordinary people—even battle-hardened veterans—

would almost certainly meet their end inside!

Wang Dong and Zhou Lie said nothing further.

They knew well Little Brother’s capabilities.

Yet…

Little Brother’s retreating, forlorn figure

looked like a child abandoned by the whole world.

They knew exactly why.

Even if this case were solved, many more troubles would inevitably follow.

But that would be the high-level game of the big shots—not something for the likes of them.

Just the thought made Wang Dong and Zhou Lie’s hearts grow cold.

If that were so, what a dark and unjust world this would be!

Stopping before the metal door, Xiao Yu took a deep breath and pressed the button.

No surprises—the metal door swung open to reveal a cube-shaped room.

Given Xiao Yu’s cautious nature and deep-seated PTSD from Old Silver Coin,

anything not under his control made him instinctively cautious.

He would always choose to stay under the radar,

even if it meant missing certain opportunities.

After all, anyone who’d stared death in the face cherished life—got it?

Yet, sometimes Xiao Yu would feel fear, or even anger.

And the best remedy for fear was anger.

If anger wasn’t enough, then unleash a full barrage.

When fear and anger collided,

Xiao Yu’s impulsive streak would take over.

In short, he was a mild case of dissociative identity disorder!

A rash move might not kill him… Xiao Yu quipped, though he knew it could cost him dearly!

He activated all his system abilities and skills, readying for an all-out assault.

But then, standing inside the cube room, he found no danger unfolding as he had imagined.

What the heck?

And that wasn’t even the worst of it.

After stepping into the first cube room,

immediately afterward,

the metal door on the left wall swung open on its own.

Xiao Yu: ???

After a brief pause, he walked through the automatically opening door into the second room.

Then a third room opened automatically…

Each time he passed through a room, he clearly sensed that the previous one had shifted out of place.

Were they covering his tracks?

No—it seemed someone was guiding him all along.

… a silent request for flowers…

Was it an invitation to a meeting?

Yet, they didn’t seem to want any interruptions from others.

Could that really be it?

Ah, so some wild man wants to meet. Could it be the same guy from the banks of Daming Lake back in the day? Xiao Yu muttered under his breath as he walked steadily until he reached the twelfth room.

The scene before him changed.

Though it was still a cube-shaped room,

a pane of transparent glass now divided the center.

On the other side of the glass sat a redwood chair.

A refined middle-aged man occupied the chair.

He held a glass of red wine and, meeting Xiao Yu’s gaze, his eyes conveyed both pity and ridicule.

But one had to admit—this was one remarkable middle-aged man.

If he were strolling the streets in the trendy ’90s,

he’d surely attract countless admirers saluting him.

….. …….. …

Xiao Yu stepped up to the glass, extended his hand, and knocked.

Knocking on the glass produced a clear sound.

The thinner the glass, the crisper the tone.

The sound of his knock echoed like a muted tap on steel.

It barely carried to the other side.

The glass was thick—far thicker than one might imagine.

And it was bulletproof.

This pane divided the room,

creating an imposing sense of isolation.

“Useless. Not even a rocket could blow it open,”

The middle-aged man sipped his wine elegantly and glared at Xiao Yu with disdain. “Do you know why I wanted to see you?”

“Oh, and why is that?”

Xiao Yu didn’t look at the man; instead, he inspected the glass intently.

“Because I want to see who messed up my plan.”

The middle-aged man set down his wine. “I never expected National Security’s rising star to be so young!”

“Isn’t youth a good thing?”

Xiao Yu’s gaze shifted from the glass to the middle-aged man as he grinned and retorted, “At least girls prefer young men… core strength is key!”

The middle-aged man was speechless.

His expression seemed to shatter, as if his very character were splitting apart.

It felt like a conversation between two people from different worlds.

Not to mention him.

Even seasoned National Security elders like Wang Dong and Zhou Lie,

when they first encountered Xiao Yu and his cheeky remarks,

were left dumbfounded and at a loss.

“Now, let me ask you,”

Xiao Yu locked eyes with the middle-aged man. “Why did you betray the country?”

Wen

Xue