073 Exchange

Splash—

Splash—

Neither of them had expected the other to lunge at them.

In the instant their hands grasped each other's arms, their eyes met, exchanging a swift, silent glance.

Then, with an uncanny sense of understanding, they both fell to one side at the same time.

“Are these your people?”

Mu Qingcheng frowned, gripping the man's arm with all her strength. She could feel the solid, taut muscles beneath her palm—this sensation felt... oddly familiar.

But just as she hesitated, the man beside her answered in a low voice, “No. I’m not crazy enough to kill myself just to catch you.”

...

Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat—

Once more, bullets rained down from the sky like a torrential downpour, landing densely around the two of them.

In that instant, the tension rose to its peak.

Si Qingchen quickly glanced back.

Their current position was not exactly close to the base’s entrance.

If they risked everything to dash inside... there was no guarantee they wouldn’t be wounded. Worse, they might reveal the exact location of the entrance.

But if they didn’t go in...

While Si Qingchen hesitated in silence, Mu Qingcheng suddenly stood up.

“Protect my people. In exchange, I’ll grant you a request.”

“Anything at all?”

“Yes, anything you want.”

Without the slightest hesitation, she agreed. Her slender figure became a flash of black lightning, darting swiftly toward the forest at one side.

At the same moment—

“Si Nan, close the door!”

“Boss!”

“Shut the door and guard the base!”

Si Qingchen decisively cut off the communicator.

As that slim figure vanished into the dense woods, he didn't think twice—he raced after her.

...

On the other side—

Si Nan stared in disbelief as the two leaders of their organizations disappeared together, a heavy cloud of doubt settling over his heart.

It felt as if there was a crucial detail he’d overlooked, but for the moment... he couldn’t figure it out.

Yet the situation was too urgent for hesitation.

When he saw the helicopter circling above lowering a rope, Si Nan's eyes narrowed. With his men, he swiftly retreated inside and closed the door.

The entrance to the base was already hidden by the mountain’s contours and hadn’t yet been discovered by their uninvited guests. Now, with the door sealed, there was no trace left of them.

“Activate the jamming and interference systems, Eagle Eye—use everything we’ve got. I want to see exactly what’s happening to the boss.”

“What about the people outside...?”

“Don’t act yet. First, find a way to contact the boss. He must have his own plan.”

“Yes, we’ll get on it right away.”

The staff immediately scattered, hurrying off to their respective offices.

Si Nan paused in thought, then decided to visit the young man still locked in the detention room. Perhaps he could extract a clue or two from him.

****

Meanwhile—

Deep in the forest

Mu Qingcheng sprinted forward with all her might.

At the same time, she activated her defensive mode.

Instantly, her night suit shimmered like a chameleon, shifting into a delicate halo that blended with the surrounding colors, merging her completely into the forest from head to toe.

Behind her, the sound of rushing footsteps never ceased—growing ever more chaotic.

At first, Mu Qingcheng had thought it was the “Shadow” leader pursuing her, but now, listening carefully... it seemed true pursuers had arrived.

'Tsk, who could it be?' Countless thoughts flashed through her mind, but each was dismissed in turn.

She simply could not fathom—who would simultaneously hunt both the “Shadow” and “Trace” organizations?

But running endlessly was not a viable option. Besides, she vaguely remembered that at the exit of this forest...

There was, if memory served, a modestly sized waterfall.