The Ancient Gods' Whisper

Tang Ling glanced at him as well.

The two of them stayed silent for a moment, then suddenly burst out laughing.

Gu Jianlin rarely smiled, but today's events were too exhilarating—and, most importantly, successful.

Tang Ling's vermilion lips curved with an increasingly captivating charm. She also understood what today's accomplishment meant for them.

It carried the thrill of secretly pulling off something mischievous.

And the joy of taking a big step toward their goal.

"But are you sure there won't be any problems later?"

Tang Ling asked.

"Relax."

Gu Jianlin replied calmly, "In the end, the narrative will be directed to say that this was the work of a traitor within The Order of the Hidden."

Tang Ling was momentarily stunned; she hadn't expected such a twist. "I didn't know you were so slyly wicked."

Gu Jianlin raised an eyebrow. "Who says that? I've always been kind to others."

Meanwhile, a violent explosion thundered from the horizon, faintly stirring the sensation of an immense domain being erected, encompassing nearly half a city block. Countless vehicles and pedestrians scattered in panic.

Even at this distance, the oppressive force could be distinctly felt.

Suddenly, Tang Ling noticed a little note on the dashboard.

"Go for it! Try to get those two ladies on maternity leave as soon as you can. I believe in you!"

She read the text aloud, "Who left this? Your nanny and babysitter?"

Gu Jianlin thought to himself, what kind of nonsense was this? "Yeah, Captain Lu and Sister Chen Qing. They went to heal their injuries earlier and completed a breakthrough ritual along the way. Now Captain Lu is a Fifth Rank World King, and Sister Chen Qing is also a Fourth Rank Spiritualist. Minister Lu assigned them here to provide cover for the two of us."

Looking at the explosions in the rearview mirror, Tang Ling remarked, "Captain Lu doesn't seem like someone who just advanced to the Fifth Rank—and he's likely integrated some form of growth-oriented Mythical Weapon."

Gu Jianlin nodded slightly. "Apparently, Captain Lu was a gifted Omega candidate in his youth. After years of meticulous preparation, it's only natural for his combat power to have surged. Who did the Judgement Court send?"

Tang Ling let out a cold snort, "Presumably Councilman Zhang and Li Hanting."

Gu Jianlin pondered for a moment—it turned out to be two Fifth Ranks.

But Fifth Rank World Kings were notoriously tough and durable to deal with, so it was likely manageable.

Otherwise, Minister Lu wouldn't have arranged things this way.

"So, starting today, you've roped me into your pirate ship?"

Tang Ling's vermillion eyes glanced toward him, suddenly speaking, "Tomorrow night, you won't come telling me something like… 'Miss Tang, wouldn't you also prefer that the Judgement Court doesn't find out you helped me launch an assault on a superior?'"

Gu Jianlin's eye twitched slightly.

"Otherwise, during synchronization earlier, why were you thinking about my legs? Do you think they're nice?"

Tang Ling's outfit today was undeniably trendy—a white off-shoulder casual top paired with a black camisole underneath. The hem of her shirt barely concealed the edge of her shorts, leaving her snowy-white legs strikingly apparent.

Gu Jianlin hesitated briefly, suddenly at a loss for how to explain.

Wait, why would he need to explain?

He'd just picked an eye-catching detail to focus on, nothing more.

"Alright, I won't tease you anymore. I know you're not that kind of person—you're just burdened by too many thoughts."

Tang Ling shifted gears in tone, her playful gaze becoming increasingly mischievous. "But hey, if my legs can attract even someone like you to take a couple extra glances, shouldn't I feel a little proud?"

Gu Jianlin didn't want to respond anymore.

Memories of being bossed around by that girl at home came flooding back.

"Thanks."

Tang Ling said sincerely, "Thank you for trusting me. In an environment rife with traitors, where you can never be sure who's reliable, choosing someone as your teammate is a huge gamble."

"I don't mistake people after spending enough time with them."

Gu Jianlin replied casually.

Tang Ling raised her right hand. "Pleasure working with you."

Gu Jianlin glanced at her fair, delicate hand and lightly clapped against her palm.

Without a doubt, their goals were aligned.

Tang Ling wanted to investigate The Order of the Hidden due to matters concerning her great-grandfather.

Gu Jianlin was driven by the issues surrounding his father and Uncle Mu.

At that moment, twilight painted the coastline in shimmering golden hues.

Tang Ling casually turned on the car's music system, humming along happily.

"Drive, head toward the city's edge, roll down all the windows…"

Gu Jianlin leaned against the car window, watching the girl's expression through the rearview mirror.

As they entered the bustling city streets, the car slowed down to avoid being pulled over by traffic police.

"Want to grab some food later?"

Tang Ling suddenly thought of something, asking with interest, "I remember there's a nice Japanese restaurant ahead, but I've never gone alone—it feels too wasteful."

Gu Jianlin chose this moment to ask the one thing he'd been wondering all along: "Does the Sword Tomb really run out of money?"

Mentioning it, Tang Ling's eyes flashed with a hint of disdain. She replied, annoyed, "Do you know what the Sword Tomb really is? It's my teacher's private domain, a 4,000-meter-high snow-capped mountain. The Sword Tomb is filled almost exclusively with ascetics who've renounced all worldly attachments, living like ghosts."

"Among my fellow disciples, ten of them together couldn't even scrape together one mother."

She added coldly, "As for material needs, they don't have any—they spend all their money buying extraordinary resources and leave nothing behind. They're as broke as ghosts."

Gu Jianlin couldn't wrap his mind around how these people existed in the 21st century and quipped, "Then yeah, you're definitely different from them."