"Also, you’ve already destroyed ten Paradise Bird bases, yet there’s still no news of their headquarters?"
"Please, Mr. Leo, you can’t just rely on alone. Special agents from the International Security Council are all over the world. Countless people are looking, so why are you fixated on ?"
"Because you’re strong! Alright, I won’t rush you anymore. As always, the rits will be recorded. You all have a month’s vacation, so enjoy your ti off."
"Thank you!"
「anwhile, elsewhere.」
The sea’s surface rippled gently underfoot, as flocks of seabirds suddenly soared high before plunging straight into the water.
A mysterious figure hovered in the void, holding Hodlin, who was trembling, his eyes lifeless, froth at his mouth. No one would have expected such a sight: the mighty Star Sea realm expert, the infamous Hodlin, looking as limp and drained as a gutted fish.
Suddenly, the mysterious person lifted Hodlin slowly by the neck. "Speak. Where is the Paradise Bird headquarters?"
"GHK— GHK—" Hodlin opened his mouth, making only aningless, choked sounds.
"Won’t talk, will you?" the mysterious person asked coldly.
I... my throat... Hodlin felt like he was about to be choked to death. How can I speak if you’re strangling my throat?
The mysterious person released Hodlin’s throat, yet Hodlin remained suspended in mid-air, showing no sign of falling.
"Cough, cough, cough—" Hodlin coughed violently. "Who... who are you?"
"? I am an Angel!" the other declared proudly. "Now, tell , where is the Paradise Bird’s headquarters?"
"I cannot reveal the whereabouts of the Paradise Bird’s headquarters."
"Hmph. You think I can’t find out if you don’t tell ? As long as I engrave your mory, what secrets could you possibly hide from ?"
"It’s not that I’m unwilling to talk; it’s that I can’t. My mind has been imprinted with a Skill Form. If I reveal the secret, or if soone attempts to ntally engrave it, the Skill Form will activate, and my head will explode."
"Is that so?" The other sneered, placing a palm on Hodlin’s forehead.
Hodlin’s face changed drastically. Finally resigned to his fate, he closed his eyes. Perhaps the next mont, my head will be turned to mush...
BOOM—
A powerful spiritual power smashed into his mind, instantly shattering the Skill Form.
Far away, in the Paradise Bird headquarters, a silver-haired girl was quietly reading a book in a dimly lit room. Suddenly, her expression changed drastically, a flush of crimson appearing on her pale cheeks.
SPURT— A mouthful of fresh blood sprayed out, staining the pages of her book red.
"The Skill Form—it’s actually been broken!" the girl exclaid in disbelief. There’s actually soone in this world whose spiritual power surpasses mine?
Hodlin’s consciousness was perfectly clear; the sensation of his head exploding never ca. He could distinctly feel the other person reading his mories, yet his mind remained extraordinarily lucid.
Spirit Engraving requires cooperation from both parties. If there’s no cooperation, the one being imprinted becos an idiot. I didn’t cooperate, so how could they engrave my mories without destroying my brain? What kind of god-like ability is this?
Soon, the mysterious person released Hodlin’s head, turned, and vanished.
Hodlin stared blankly in the direction where the mysterious figure had disappeared, his face a mask of bewildernt. They’re gone? Just like that? They let go?
The next mont, Hodlin realized an even more exhilarating fact—the Spirit Engraving in his mind seed to have vanished. In other words, from now on, I, Hodlin, am completely free from Paradise Bird’s control! I...
"I’m free—!"
Suddenly, Hodlin lost his footing, his body plumting from the sky like a teor.
"A month off. What plans does everyone have?" In the camp, under four sun umbrellas, Wang Lan and the others lay on lounge chairs, gazing up at the blue sky and white clouds, feeling quite content.
"We’ve traveled all over the world this year, but there’s one place we haven’t visited." Jiang Xinyu slowly took off her sunglasses, raised an eyebrow at Wang Lan, and said, "White Eagle Country has been getting a bit arrogant lately. I want to go check it out."
"White Eagle Country? Not bad. I haven’t been there either... Let’s all go together."
"I’ll pass," Xu Xiangwen replied lazily, turning over. "My Lingling has been calling every day asking when I’ll be back. If I don’t return soon, I’m worried she might not stay faithful."
"I’ll pass too," Xie Sisi said after taking a sip of her drink. "I haven’t been back in a year. I heard my nephew was born. I want to go hold him."
"Are you two sure?" Wang Lan asked again.
"What’s there to be uncertain about? Why would we tag along just to be subjected to your constant public displays of affection? It’s one thing during missions, but to endure it even on our rare vacation? Do you take for a fool?"
Since Xu Xiangwen and Xie Sisi had decided to go ho, Wang Lan didn’t insist. The way of Star Martial Warriors was generally to make a decision and then act on it. Imdiately, Wang Lan opened his phone and booked two plane tickets to White Eagle Country.
In the evening, Wang Lan and Jiang Xinyu huddled in their dormitory, downloading travel guides. With information so readily available these days, there was no need to plan one’s own travel itinerary. Even without joining a tour group, one could find suitable routes and detailed guides online. The only thing to potentially worry about was money, but for two people who weren’t short of cash, that was no problem at all.
Early the next morning, Wang Lan and the other three drove to the airport. All four possessed personal storage equipnt, so even if they brought many local specialties, they all appeared to be traveling light. The flight to White Eagle Country departed an hour earlier than Xu Xiangwen and Xie Sisi’s flight back to Jade Country, so Wang Lan and Jiang Xinyu checked in and boarded first.
The very mont they finished checking in and boarding, alarms suddenly blared at the National Strategy and Security Bureau in White Eagle Country.
"What’s going on? Is so super-criminal launching a terrorist attack? Tell what’s happening! Have our heroes been dispatched to maintain order?"
"No, sir! It’s an alarm from Wilson Airport!" A Black staff mber skillfully operated a computer. "Two high-priority individuals boarding a flight to Jiade Region triggered the alarm. The plane hasn’t taken off yet."
"What? What kind of important figures could trigger our alarms? Even if another country’s president or King ca..." The supervisor trailed off as two photos popped up on the screen.
"My God—"
"Identity: Fire Phoenix. Affiliation: International Security Council S-class independent Prival Team. Note: Likely exceeds S-class. Team leader: Fire Phoenix. Deputy team leader: Ice Phoenix."
Warning: Extrely powerful, extrely dangerous!
After a ten-hour flight, the plane gradually descended, finally landing smoothly at Jiade Region International Airport.
Wang Lan was dressed in stylish casual wear that managed to be both serious and effortlessly cool. Jiang Xinyu wore a light purple trench coat over a fitted skirt that showed off her long, straight legs...
Alright, her legs couldn’t compare to Xie Sisi’s. But thankfully, Jiang Xinyu had a good figure, so with the right clothes, her legs could also appear long.
Such a handso couple was a rare sight even at this international tropolis’s airport, frequently drawing curious glances. Just as the two walked out of the airport hand-in-hand, three mysterious n in black suits approached them.
The man in the lead was balding, his white scalp already shiny.
"Welco to the land of freedom. May I ask if you two esteed experts are here on a mission, or for leisure?" The man’s attitude was peculiar; he was trying to maintain an authoritative tone of interrogation while simultaneously betraying a fear that his words might displease Wang Lan.
Seeing the man’s strained effort, Wang Lan gave an uncharitable laugh.
"Does White Eagle Country really need to be this anxious? You must be from the CAI, right? We’re not going to eat anyone. Relax a little."
Wang Lan’s words did not ease the man’s tension. He remained serious. "One is Fire Phoenix, leader of the Prival Team, and the other is Ice Phoenix, the deputy leader. How could we not be nervous? Please, tell us your purpose for visiting White Eagle Country."
"Is this an interrogation?" Jiang Xinyu asked, sowhat displeased.
"Of course not, rely a routine inquiry. After all, everyone knows Prival only accepts S-class missions..."
"That’s purely a rumor. Our first assignnt was clearly Class B."
"But that Class B assignnt you took on involved investigating a plot that nearly overthrew a governnt. You are both major figures; White Eagle Country can’t handle the kind of disruption you two tend to cause..."
Seeing the man looked as if he was about to cry, Wang Lan decided not to tease them anymore. "Alright, alright. We’re just here for tourism. For the next month, the Prival Team is on vacation."
"Is that so? Thank you very much for your cooperation. If there’s anything you need, please be sure to call this number." The man scribbled down a series of numbers and handed them to Wang Lan. "Of course, if you happen to have a mission, please also be sure to call ."
"No problem. So, can my friend and I go sightseeing now?"
"Of course! Enjoy your visit. Would you like a tour guide? Free of charge, of course."
Looking at the man’s pleading, puppy-dog eyes, Wang Lan ultimately didn’t have the heart to refuse. It’s better to have them accompany us openly than to have them tailing us suspiciously. Putting myself in their shoes, having an S-class team from the International Security Council in my country would probably keep up at night too.
"But I hope it’s a beautiful tour guide. That would make our sightseeing more enjoyable."
That evening, a Caucasian beauty arrived at the hotel where Wang Lan and Jiang Xinyu were staying. She had long, wavy golden hair, wore a form-fitting, sexy red dress, and approached Wang Lan’s room door with the confident stride of a Victoria’s Secret model.
"Hello, I’m your tour guide, Cagalli. You can tell wherever you want to go. I’ll arrange everything for you perfectly."
"Was your Huaxia language teacher from the Northeast?" Wang Lan almost lost his composure hearing her familiar accent.
"No, he said he was from Hainan, in the south of Jade Country."
"Understood."
Although Cagalli’s accent was sowhat amusing, her efficiency was undeniable. Wang Lan showed her the travel guide he had downloaded. She arranged everything from start to finish flawlessly, making their sightseeing route incredibly smooth. Their timing was impeccable: they’d arrive just as an attraction was available, or a table would free up the mont they were ready to eat. There were no queues, no waiting.
They had initially thought the itinerary would take five days to complete, but they finished it in just three. At this rate, touring the entire White Eagle Country in a month would be no problem at all!
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