Chen Nuo was ordering food.

He had been rushing here since the afternoon, riding a motorcycle for over eighty kilometers, followed by a fierce battle.

It was almost mealtime, yet Lord Yanluo's dinner situation remained unresolved.

"We can have a bit more sea urchin. Sushi and the like can be skipped; a simple eel rice will do. As for sashimi, I like salmon.

Um... And prepare some miso soup."

Chen Nuo sat on a small cushion as he ordered.

Outside the courtyard entrance and along its periphery, several hundred fully armed members of the Truth Sect had the place completely surrounded.

Yet not a single person dared to rush in.

The middle-aged man in charge on the scene was named Masaoki Daisho. His official position within the Truth Society was "Master of True Enlightenment."

The one who entered the courtyard to take Chen Nuo's order was a so-called negotiation representative sent by the Truth Society.

Of course, Chen Nuo paid him no mind.

The other side raised many probing questions and even offered numerous conditions.

Chen Nuo's response was just one line: "Hungry, want food."

After the negotiation representative left the courtyard, he was quickly summoned to Masaoki Daisho's side.

To put it this way, the internal hierarchy within the Truth Society roughly went like this:

Sect Hierarch (arrested by the Government) — Master of True Greatness (Kobayashi Hirokawa) — Master of True Enlightenment (Masaoki Daisho) — Master Instructor — Master — Sand Chief — Novice — Ordinary believer.

With the first-generation leader arrested by the Government and the second-generation leader held hostage by Chen Yanluo, this Masaoki Daisho, who was originally the third-highest individual within the Society, now temporarily managed all affairs.

"What did he say?"

"Master of Enlightenment, the other party refused to discuss any issues and only requested food," the negotiation representative said, a helpless look on his face.

"You..."

"I tried all possible ways to communicate, but the other party did not respond."

"..." Masaoki gritted his teeth and waved his hand. "Get out!"

"Then, the food he requested?"

"Do as he requests!"

Afterward, a man dressed in a homemade combat uniform approached. This person was clearly one of the leaders of the Truth Society's armed forces.

"How is it?" Masaoki asked gravely.

"Sniper positions have been prepared... Since the Master of True Greatness's courtyard was originally designed with security in mind, there are no tall buildings around, leaving little choice for sniper spots... The only option is the roof of the main cathedral, which overlooks the courtyard. My men have gone there, three hundred meters away, in a good sniping position; they have begun testing the wind speed and direction after getting into position..."

"Still no clue about this guy's background?"

"...No. The other party ordered Lord Kobayashi to command Hashimoto in Tokyo to immediately send over someone captured today. Apart from that, we have no other way to ascertain this person's identity for the time being."

After a pause, a fierce glint flashed in the man's eyes. "That female captive definitely knows this person's identity. Your Excellency, do you think we should have Hashimoto in Tokyo begin an interrogation?"

"...Are you insane!" Masaoki barked. "Hashimoto is already on his way with his men, right? Instruct him not to harm that female captive! You damn fool! How can you suggest such a reckless idea? Master Kobayashi is still in the enemy's hands! Do you not care for Master Kobayashi's safety?!"

This man, clearly a radical within the sect, bowed his head after being scolded.

"Get the snipers ready!" Masaoki gritted his teeth. "Just in case!"

"Yes!"

「At this very moment...」

Inside the courtyard, Chen Nuo sat on a cushion, drinking tea.

The tea had been brewed earlier by Kobayashi and the now-deceased Mr. Tree.

Although there were no cups left, Chen Nuo didn't care and directly lifted the pot, drinking a few mouthfuls from the spout.

He usually didn't care for tea and couldn't tell good from bad. But presumably, the tea enjoyed by the second-generation leader of the Truth Society would not be ordinary.

Kobayashi was still on the ground. He had gotten up but was now kneeling there, his body hunched and trembling non-stop.

His left thumb was gone, but the bleeding had stopped; a strip of cloth torn from his clothes was hastily wrapped around it.

He had bandaged it himself; Chen Nuo hadn't stopped him.

After the initial panic, Kobayashi had somewhat calmed down—after all, to manage taking control of the vast Truth Society after the founder was arrested, he couldn't be a fool.

Having calmed down, his true colors as a formidable figure returned, and he even tried to communicate with Chen Nuo, hoping to negotiate something.

"Perhaps this whole thing is just a misunderstanding."

"With your formidable skills, our Truth Society has no intention of making an enemy of someone so powerful."

"The arrests in Tokyo were carried out independently by those handling Tokyo affairs and do not represent the highest decisions of the Truth Society."

"The Truth Society is the most powerful organization in all of Japan. With a strong individual such as yourself, why don't we sit down and have a proper discussion?"

"The Truth Society has always been eager to befriend the strong! Someone like Mr. Tree, for example, enjoyed esteemed treatment within the Truth Society, and your strength far surpasses his..."

He rambled on for quite a while, but his message essentially boiled down to one thing: Big Boss, perhaps this is all a misunderstanding. We can talk!

Kobayashi firmly believed one thing: whether it was a misunderstanding or not, as long as he offered sufficient bargaining chips and enough benefits...

Even if it isn't a misunderstanding, it can be treated as one!

After the Sect Hierarch was arrested, I effectively became the de facto second-generation leader, controlling the vast Truth Society and its assets worth one hundred billion yen... I haven't had enough of these days; I don't want to die so soon.

After he had rambled on for a long time, Chen Nuo initially didn't respond, just drinking his tea.

However, finally...

After a while, when Kobayashi was parched from speaking, Chen Nuo suddenly spoke.

"Does your hand hurt?"

"Huh?" Kobayashi paused, thinking he had finally made a breakthrough, and quickly replied, "It's just a finger! For the Truth Society to have offended such an eminent person as yourself, it's only right that I pay a price! As long as you're willing to sit down and talk, we can cooperate. There's no need for fighting and killing..."

"No," Chen Nuo said with a laugh, his voice, though slightly muffled by the helmet, still clear. "What I mean is, ten minutes are up."

"...?!"

Kobayashi's face changed. Before he could react, Chen Nuo waved the wooden piece in his hand.

SNAP! With Kobayashi's scream, his left index finger also flew off!

Kobayashi, after all, was an old man in his fifties. He instantly writhed on the ground, clutching his hand in agony.

The armed members of the Truth Society surrounding the courtyard heard the scream from inside and were immediately alerted, some pushing the security line forward.

Chen Nuo, seeing the Truth Society personnel at the gate seemingly eager to rush in, immediately stood up.

"Want to go to war?" Chen Nuo laughed loudly.

"Back off! Back off!!" Masaoki roared from outside the gate. "Everyone, fall back!"

「Atop the Truth Society's headquarters church.」

In the attic, two armed Truth Society snipers had taken their positions.

The sniper rifles were set up, and the sniper peered into the courtyard through their scope. Through the scope, the man who had kidnapped Lord Kobayashi was already targeted.

The spotter next to him quickly reported the wind speed measured by the equipment.

The sniper remained motionless, only reporting through his earpiece, "Sniper in position. Visual on target is good. Awaiting orders to engage."

Masaoki stood outside, protected by layers of guards, and shouted from a distance, "No one move! Fall back!"

At this moment, his armed leader approached again, saying rapidly, "The sniper is ready to fire at any moment! Sir! Please give the order!"

"Are you certain?"

"...Yes!" the man said fiercely. "Our sniper is retired from the Self-Defense Forces! An exceptional talent! At this distance and with this level of difficulty, it's a shot he'd make easily in training! He's absolutely confident he can make it a kill shot!"

"But the target is an Ability User..."

"Ability Users aren't immortal!" the other man continued to urge. "We can try! Sir..."

As he spoke, he glanced around and lowered his voice. "Even if it fails... Sir, Master Kobayashi, as a Master of True Greatness of our sect, should be prepared to die for the sect at any moment! Even without the Master of True Greatness, the sect still has you."

Masaoki understood the implication.

He looked intently at his trusted subordinate, exhaled deeply, and gave a slight nod.

The sniper's finger rested lightly on the trigger.

His experience serving in the military instilled great confidence in making such a shot at this distance and position!

Through the earpiece came the long-awaited order.

"You have permission to fire!"

Without any fluctuation in emotion, the sniper didn't even change his breathing, but a flash of determination crossed his eyes...

BANG!!!!

A 300-meter distance, a high vantage point for sniping, clear visibility, and very low wind speed. Moreover, there were no obstructions around the target. Such a shot, both the sniper and the spotter felt, was absolutely foolproof!

The gunshot startled everyone inside and outside the courtyard.

The armed members of the Truth Society outside seemed agitated; the prepared assault teams began to charge in recklessly!

People also immediately started scaling the walls to enter!

Then...

Chen Nuo was still standing.

The sniper's bullet, as if in an ultra-slow-motion shot, slowed drastically in mid-air. By the time it reached the courtyard, it seemed to pass through layers of ripples, its time distorted by an invisible hand...

Chen Nuo smiled, took a couple of slow steps forward, and then gently reached out. He plucked the nearly suspended bullet from the air, holding it between his fingers.

Then... with a gentle flick...

An armed member of the Truth Society who had just rushed through the courtyard gate was shot through the forehead, falling dead on the spot!

After piercing his head, the bullet tore through the chest of the second man behind him, then the shoulder of a third...

By the time the bullet finally lodged itself in the wall, the first four assailants who had charged through the gate were all lying on the ground!

Six men had jumped down from two different positions on the wall.

Chen Nuo simply stood in place and waved his hand gently... The pine tree in the courtyard suddenly snapped in half!

The trunk flew to the left, instantly crushing three of the wall-jumpers against the courtyard wall!

One of them spewed blood from his mouth; the other two didn't even groan as their ribs shattered under the massive impact!

The three men were flattened by the tree trunk!

The three men on the right, terrified, opened fire.

Chen Nuo's body seemed to twist in place. His ghost-like figure instantly dodged the bullets, reappearing before the three men!

He punched one, sending him flying backward into the wall, creating a large circular crater. Then, with a backhand grab, he seized another by the chest!

His fingers pierced straight through the man's bulletproof vest! Blood gushed from the man's mouth, and he collapsed on the spot.

The third man frantically fired at Chen Nuo, who just stood there watching him...

The bullets hung in the air, one by one, halted by an invisible force...

Chen Nuo waved his hand...

Several bullets instantly broke their stasis and flew back in reverse...

With a few soft THWIPS, the man's upper body was riddled with bullets, and he fell.

Chen Nuo slowly walked back to the center of the courtyard and glanced at the collapsed Kobayashi.

"It seems your men don't want to play nice, do they?"

As he spoke, Chen Nuo turned his head and looked at the Truth Society's main cathedral in the distance.

He extended his right hand, took a deep breath, and made a grasping motion in the air...

BOOM!

Under the violent compression of invisible forces, the top of the cathedral twisted and buckled! Then, amidst a series of rumbles, the cathedral building crashed down!

The snipers inside were, of course, buried like mummies...

「"Anything else you'd like to try?" Chen Nuo said with a smile, looking towards the courtyard gate.」

The entire area was dead silent!

"No? Then hurry up and get my dinner ready!"

Chen Nuo sat back down on the cushion, then suddenly remembered something. "By the way, Kobayashi, who's that commanding outside the gate? Seems to me they're eager to see you die quickly, wouldn't you say?"

Kobayashi, on the ground, suddenly erupted in fury, shouting, "Masaoki! You bastard!! Who authorized you to act on your own initiative?! Get out here!!!"

Outside the courtyard gate, amidst an uproar, Masaoki, surrounded by several people, appeared about a dozen steps away.

"Your Excellency, Master of True Greatness!"

"You idiot! Masaoki, I ordered you not to act recklessly!" Kobayashi seethed.

Masaoki stammered, unable to speak, pretending not to hear Kobayashi. Instead, he shouted to Chen Nuo, "Your Excellency, please don't be angry! We can still talk things over."

"Oh? Talk, you say?" Chen Nuo suddenly smiled. "Well then... come on in and we'll talk together."

With that, Chen Nuo's figure flickered. Before anyone could clearly see, he had darted about, a series of afterimages marking his path, and then vanished from his spot, reappearing outside the courtyard!

Before Masaoki and his men could react, Chen Nuo had kicked one of the Truth Society members aside and seized Masaoki by the neck, lifting him like a chick.

Masaoki's trusted armed leader had drawn his pistol, but before he could pull the trigger, Chen Nuo glanced at him. Then, his form flashed, and he was in front of the man. With his left hand, he snatched the dagger from the man's belt and plunged it straight into his throat!

These movements were as swift as a specter. By the time the armed members of the Truth Society outside finally reacted, Chen Nuo had already dragged Masaoki back into the courtyard.

SMACK!

Masaoki was thrown to the ground, landing right beside Kobayashi!

"Alright, whatever you want to discuss, let's discuss it now."

Masaoki struggled to get up. Seeing the situation outside spiraling out of control, with the chaotic Truth Society militants looking like a leaderless mob ready to charge in...

"Nobody move!!!"

Masaoki quickly roared at the top of his lungs!

After a period of chaos, the Truth Society members outside finally restored order. Several key leaders stepped in to quell the turmoil, and soon, a new commander was chosen.

However... this time, the newly chosen leader didn't dare approach the courtyard. Instead, he stood far behind the encircling armed members, commanding from a distance.

"I'm starving..." Chen Nuo sighed. "Isn't dinner ready yet?"

Kobayashi glared at Masaoki through gritted teeth. "Masaoki! Were you trying to get me killed just now?!"

Masaoki, though terrified internally, maintained a respectful expression. "How can you say such a thing, Master Kobayashi! The earlier action was solely to rescue you! Besides, it was the operations team that acted without authorization."

Kobayashi snorted, his face ashen, knowing this wasn't the time to assign blame.

Chen Nuo watched with a smile as the two old men glowered at each other like fighting cocks...

Suddenly, he felt a slight stir within him.

The commotion outside, which had been raucous moments ago, had suddenly fallen silent.

The chaotic militants, as if they had found their resolve again, retreated further but reformed their encirclement.

"Hm?" Chen Nuo glanced outside, curious.

Kobayashi and Masaoki exchanged a look, their faces also showing a complex emotion.

"It's suddenly gone quiet. What's going on?" Chen Nuo smiled.

From outside the gate, the distant voice of a woman carried in.

"To the gentleman inside! Please, do not harm the two hostages! The food you requested will be delivered shortly!"

After a pause, the woman added, "The person you wish to see is also on her way! I guarantee she has suffered no further harm. She was injured during today's arrest operation, so we have dispatched a medical ambulance to transport her here! Please, remain calm!"

The woman's voice sounded quite composed and even carried a hint of authority.

Chen Nuo smiled. "Who's that speaking outside the gate?"

"I am Ishii Hisako! Head of External Affairs for the Truth Society!" the woman's voice came again, still remarkably calm. "I can take full responsibility for communicating with you on behalf of everyone here!"

Chen Nuo smiled.

He knew the name Ishii Hisako!

This woman... was extraordinary.

「Ishii Hisako had been the personal secretary to the Truth Society's Sect Hierarch, who was now arrested.」

In the Truth Society, she didn't seem to hold a prominent position like Master of True Greatness or Master of True Enlightenment.

But in reality, her status within the Truth Society had always been exceptionally special.

She was more than just an imperial confidant; Ishii Hisako was also the Sect Hierarch's most trusted person.

Bar none!

She had always been solely responsible for managing the Truth Society's assets, worth nearly one hundred billion yen.

One could say she held the position of Minister of Finance.

Even after the Sect Hierarch's arrest, this woman maintained a uniquely special status within the Truth Society. She didn't align with or pledge loyalty to a second-generation leader like Kobayashi but naturally maintained an independent stance.

More importantly, having been the personal secretary to the Sect Hierarch, within the Truth Society, she was considered by the common followers to be... the person closest to the true God.

And she possessed great prestige.

Chen Nuo had heard of this woman because, in his previous life...

after the Truth Sect Hierarch was sentenced to death...

and the second-generation leadership collapsed due to internal strife...

it was this Ishii Hisako who stepped forward to clean up the tragic mess, reunify the fragmented Truth Society, and, while controlling its vast fortune of one hundred billion yen, ensured the Truth Society's continued existence.

One could say she was the third-generation leader of the Truth Society.

It could be said that this woman's capabilities, intelligence, and IQ made her an incredibly formidable individual.

Hearing this, Chen Nuo smiled and suddenly said, "Since it's Miss Ishii... I wonder, do you have the courage to come in so we can talk face-to-face?"

"..." There was a moment of silence from outside before Ishii Hisako replied, "Since Your Excellency extends such a sincere invitation, I naturally wouldn't dare to refuse."

As she spoke, a woman appeared outside the gate, dressed in casual clothes. Though a large number of armed militants were behind her, she simply waved her hand, took a deep breath, and slowly, step by step, walked into the courtyard.

Chen Nuo smiled as well.

Indeed, she was a character.

Ishii Hisako was around forty years old, slightly thin, with an ordinary face, slender eyebrows, and a composed expression. She walked up to Chen Nuo and made a slight bow.

Chen Nuo looked at this true successor in the Truth Society and said with a smile, "Aren't you afraid I'll detain you as well, making you the third hostage?"

"No," Ishii Hisako said, shaking her head. Though her expression was somewhat tense, she showed no panic or fear. She spoke slowly, "I've thought it through. With your level of strength, killing all of us here would likely not be an issue for you. You captured Kobayashi and Masaoki not because you needed hostages to counter the Truth Society, but rather... you simply wanted to ensure Miss Xicheng Xun's safety. Therefore, given your power, the Truth Society's mere few hundred armed personnel here are utterly insufficient to oppose you. So... whether I hide outside or am in this courtyard makes no real difference to you. If you wished to capture me... even if I were outside the courtyard, you could bring me in at any moment. That being the case, rather than being dragged in disgracefully, it is better to accept your invitation and enter openly. Isn't that so?"

This time, Chen Nuo genuinely nodded.

This woman... Smart!