Chapter 1361: The Deal

Early the next morning.

As soon as the sky began to lighten, Xu Rong received an urgent notification. Before the usual work hours, she rushed to the old residential area and brought Wu Tao into the secretive Demon Hunting Department of Pingjiang City.

The yellowed building looked like it had stood for decades, but stepping inside revealed a completely different scene.

Taking the elevator down to the fourth underground level, they arrived at a high-end parking lot filled with various vehicles. Captain Hao had been waiting alone for some time. As soon as he saw Wu Tao, he immediately pressed a button in the hall.

As the green button lit up.

A floating device rose from the center of the parking lot, and a pitch-black car slowly ascended. Under the parking lot's lights, its dark exterior reflected a steady glow.

Looking at the car, Captain Hao nodded with satisfaction.

Then, with a smile, he began to introduce it to Wu Tao.

"Mr. Wu."

"The headquarters has agreed to your visit and is willing to help you find that mysterious entity. However, Pingjiang City is nearly a thousand kilometers away from the main headquarters. You must take this car and travel via a special route."

"Please rest assured, this car has the highest security level in our branch. The body is made of special materials with extremely low visibility, ensuring your privacy is not compromised. It also guarantees your safety throughout the journey."

Listening to the middle-aged man's explanation, Wu Tao remained unmoved.

After examining the high-end car, which didn't even have windows, he casually responded.

"This car does offer a considerable level of secrecy. Not only can people outside not see inside, but even those sitting inside probably can't see the scenery along the way. Quite thoughtful indeed."

His words hit the nail on the head, and Captain Hao's expression turned awkward.

Wu Tao continued, a faint smile on his face.

"This approach is really unnecessary. You don't actually think this thing could be of any use to me, do you?"

As soon as he finished speaking.

Captain Hao's face turned red with embarrassment.

He hadn't expected this gentleman to be so blunt, not only exposing his attempt to protect the headquarters' secrets but also refuting it without mercy. Truly domineering.

As expected of a master, his words and actions showed no restraint.

Facing this gentleman, no matter how awkward he felt, Captain Hao didn't dare show any dissatisfaction. He could only adjust his glasses to mask his discomfort and leaned in to explain with a forced smile.

"Mr. Wu..."

"I know you're no ordinary person, and this approach might seem pointless, but these are the rules. We have to go through the formalities. Otherwise, if the headquarters asks later, I won't have a good explanation."

"Hehe, what do you think..."

Seeing Captain Hao's awkward smile and fidgeting hands, Wu Tao could only respond helplessly.

"Fine."

As long as he could get to the headquarters, there was hope of finding Sister Han. The other conditions didn't matter much, and riding in a car was even less of an issue.

With a casual response, he got into the car and dozed off.

The car started slowly, almost silently, its perfect performance providing an incredibly comfortable experience. In the blink of an eye, it smoothly entered the depths of the underground tunnel.

Watching the car's taillights disappear into the distance, Captain Hao finally let out a long sigh of relief. Xu Rong, standing beside him, also felt a wave of emotion, silently praying that everything would go smoothly.

It must be said, the high-end car was indeed very comfortable.

Wu Tao slept soundly throughout the journey and hadn't even realized they had arrived when the car stopped. The driver, understanding his role, opened the door without needing any prompting.

Still groggy, Wu Tao stepped out of the car and saw a group of well-dressed middle-aged men, led by an elderly man, approaching to warmly welcome him.

"Mr. Wu!"

"Welcome, Mr. Wu!"

In the blink of an eye.

The courtyard of the hidden estate was filled with important figures offering their congratulations. The guards patrolling in the distance couldn't help but click their tongues in amazement, and even the staff passing by upstairs stopped to peek curiously from the windows.

"Who's this big shot?"

"Wow!"

"Even Instructor Liu is dressed so formally and personally welcoming him?!"

"Look, look!"

...

Such a scene was too rare in the Demon Hunting Department's headquarters, inevitably drawing curious glances from all directions.

But when their gazes penetrated the crowd of welcoming dignitaries, they saw that the person at the center was actually a young man in slippers and shorts, looking utterly lazy. To put it bluntly, anyone picked at random would seem more impressive than this guy.

Instantly.

Many people frowned and scratched their heads, their expressions filled with confusion and disbelief!

Who is this guy?

He looks so sloppy and lazy, yet he's being received with such grandeur? It's simply unbelievable!

Before anyone could get a better look.

Amidst the welcoming crowd of bigwigs, the procession had already entered the meeting room. The entrance was heavily guarded, and the atmosphere was extraordinary, causing another wave of astonishment. No one dared to make any further comments.

The slipper-wearing young man they saw today was etched into everyone's memory.

Countless speculations began to brew, and the atmosphere at the headquarters became tense and微妙.

Compared to the nervousness of the uninformed crowd.

Inside the tightly closed meeting room, the atmosphere was warm and pleasant.

The table was laden with rare fruits and, of course, premium tea. The high-ranking officials exchanged pleasantries and chatted as if they were old friends, with bursts of laughter occasionally filling the room.

"Mr. Wu, your presence here at our Demon Hunting Department is truly an honor."

"We've long heard of your extraordinary abilities. Seeing you today, you truly live up to the rumors."

"This is what we call a true master!"

"Exactly, compared to you, we are just ordinary folks."

"Haha..."

Facing all the polite small talk, Wu Tao simply smiled faintly. These people, despite their high status, were still insignificant in his eyes. However, they were experienced and skilled at making conversation, so he didn't need to pay them much attention.

After listening for a while, he cut straight to the point and looked at the elderly man at the head of the table.

"No need for formalities."

"You should know why I'm here. Where is Sister Han? Do you have a way to contact her?"

His soft words fell, and the room fell silent.

Although the smiles on everyone's faces didn't fade, no one dared to speak up. It seemed they hadn't expected Wu Tao to be so direct. All eyes turned to the elderly man at the head of the table.

The elderly man showed no change in expression. After a brief pause, he continued with a smile.

"Mr. Wu."

"To be honest, in the depths of the grasslands near Hohhot in the north, a restricted zone has recently appeared. It's infested with high-level spirits, posing a significant threat to us. The situation is critical and could endanger millions of people. It's quite a棘手 problem."

His words seemed unrelated, but they carried a deep meaning.

Wu Tao nodded slightly.

"Hmm."

He appeared to be lazily lounging on the long chair, but his eyes gleamed with a sharp light, and his mind was actively at work.

Even in the secluded meeting room, he could effortlessly control the outside world. As soon as he finished speaking, ten of his clones appeared in the vast grasslands.

In the blink of an eye, blood mist filled the air!

Back in the meeting room, everything remained calm, even eerily quiet.

Seeing Wu Tao's nonchalant response, many people's expressions darkened. They exchanged puzzled glances, unsure whether he didn't understand the underlying message or was simply playing dumb. Why did he just casually acknowledge it and then say nothing more?

After a few moments of silence, there was still no response.

Finally.

The elderly man at the head of the table couldn't sit still any longer. He cleared his throat and spoke directly.

"Ahem..."

"Mr. Wu, if you can help us eliminate the threat in the northern restricted zone, we will take you to find Sister Han. It's a fair trade, mutually beneficial."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone's eyes turned to Wu Tao.

Their gazes were filled with anticipation and a complex mix of scrutiny, as if they were waiting to gauge the reaction of this mysterious powerhouse and judge his true capabilities.

However.

Wu Tao remained as calm as ever, his tone unchanged.

"Alright, take me to see Sister Han."

His words caused the expressions of many in the room to darken.

The elderly man at the head of the table sat up straighter, his eyes fixed on Wu Tao, suddenly exuding a more commanding presence, as if holding onto his final stance.

"Mr. Wu, perhaps you didn't hear me clearly. This is a transaction. Unless you truly resolve the northern threat, we cannot fulfill our promise. No matter how long it takes, as long as the condition isn't met, we cannot take you to find her."

"Of course, this agreement stands indefinitely."

Hearing this, Wu Tao slowly stood up.

"I understand your meaning, but this matter won't take much time."

"The threat you mentioned has already been resolved."

Huh?

Resolved?!

Everyone's eyes widened in disbelief, their faces filled with suspicion.

Even though they knew this man possessed terrifying abilities, the northern restricted zone was an extremely dangerous place. How could it be resolved so easily? And just based on his words alone?

Moreover, he was still sitting right here.

Wasn't this just using his power to deceive everyone?