The secret it represented had actually become a matter almost intimately related to the two women in front of him, something he could not escape from. As a result, Wang Zhan could only instinctively try his best to delay. After all, they were natives of Quan State, born and bred! If they knew what was happening, wouldn't they be desperate to fly back immediately and rush to the aid of Quan State?

Don't underestimate them; they were already powerful weapons at the Martial King level. In front of Wang Zhan, the strength they represented was only just that. If Wang Zhan hadn't concealed his strength, forget one—even if two attacked together, they would be no match for Wang Zhan in his burst state. Of course, regardless of whether they would choose this path, from Wang Zhan's perspective, his thoughts had already started to become muddled. Therefore, his instinctive response was to immediately block the news and, as a man, find out what had happened.

For this reason, a large area in his mind had already been sectioned off, constantly calculating the fastest route to Quan State. Meanwhile, another part of his mind was on standby, waiting for Wang Zhan to ascertain the full story from Qin Ying, piece everything together, and uncover the truth.

So, while the two sisters were still wondering if Wang Zhan was too fickle, being constantly questioned by his "main wife" and teased about it, they had no idea that the Wang Zhan standing before them was actually hearing about a matter that would soon shake the entire Federation. He was immediately initiating a brainstorming session, wanting to shield them and grant them peace of mind.

Thus, after Wang Zhan quickly descended from the residential building, he said a single sentence into the phone to Qin Ying and immediately hung up. Immediately after hanging up, he called back using a video call.

The next moment, when he saw Qin Ying on the screen, setting aside everything else, at this moment, when Wang Zhan saw the slightly haggard Qin Ying, her makeup blurred by tears, a pang of genuine heartache arose in him. However, this feeling was quickly suppressed by a matter far more important than personal sentiment. Then, he looked at Qin Ying with a frown and asked, "What exactly is going on? What happened?"

At this, Qin Ying raised her tear-streaked face. She once again unabashedly showed her vulnerability to Wang Zhan, her voice filled with despair as she confessed, "Wang Zhan, do you know? Do you know what it feels like when you see the truth but are powerless to change it? When you can only choose to accept it helplessly, forced to watch fate descend upon you!..."

Wang Zhan fell silent for a few moments, then frowned at her and said, "Then do you know how I felt back at Chu State No. 33 Middle School? Everyone thought I couldn't become a Martial Artist, that I'd be stuck going to an ordinary university for the rest of my life. The helplessness, the resentment, the fury I felt then! I never became a Martial Artist just for the sake of becoming one. I just wanted to show everyone that when faced with certain things, we might think we can't do them, but if we persevere and succeed, that success itself is a perfect achievement!"

Without a doubt, that was how Wang Zhan had started. For him, if it hadn't been for the timely appearance of the System, which had taken him from utter destitution, step by step, to where he was today, perhaps by now Wang Zhan would already be married with children, and he and his sister might have been separated forever, like two people from different worlds. He would have walked his solitary path, and she hers. Not like today, where this young man, who had embarked on the Martial Arts Path less than half a year ago, had already witnessed countless partings of life and death, was now searching helplessly, yet unable to give up, for his sister's whereabouts. Along the way, he also had to engage in various schemes and calculations to satisfy the ambition that naturally arose after becoming a Martial Artist.

And this was the essence of a Martial Artist! A Martial Artist without ambition might not be a bad Martial Artist, but he could never become a truly powerful one.

As for Wang Zhan, in the final analysis, his ambition had begun back when he could only watch helplessly as those high and mighty Martial Artists lived their dazzling lives, while he himself never knew on which day he might die at the hands of Beasts, or through some accident or twist of fate.

But what could Qin Ying do now? It was her appearance that had directly fueled Wang Zhan's ambition; her encouragement had caused it to swell. At the same time, it was her help that had allowed Wang Zhan to become increasingly capable and resourceful, to the point where fewer and fewer people dared to provoke him. Yet, the current situation was that Wang Zhan hadn't fallen. He hadn't fallen despite the various schemes of Quan State, Ming State, and the Southwest states. Instead, the woman before him, the one who had resolved to dedicate her all to Wang Zhan, was utterly shattered by the truth that had suddenly confronted her!

Therefore, all she could do was laugh bitterly. The rouge and lipstick on her face began to blur, tears welling in her eyes. She kept shaking her head, saying, "It's different! It's completely different! What we're facing this time... it's unlike anything we've ever faced before..."

Wang Zhan could see it clearly: she had truly spiraled into a state of near madness, utterly crushed by the terrifying truth. But for Wang Zhan, he had only one simple thought at that moment: to quickly understand all the ins and outs of this affair. Thus, he gazed coldly at Qin Ying, as if looking at a stranger. Then, he spoke in a frigid tone, "Then tell me, what in the world is going on! Qin Ying! Tell me what happened in Quan State. Of course, you can remain silent, but I will only wait five minutes. After that, I'm going to Quan State myself!"

At that, Qin Ying finally reacted. Shaking her head frantically, her gaze pleading, she looked at Wang Zhan and cried, "No, no, no! You can't go! You'll die! You'll die! If you die, what will I do..."

At this moment, this woman seemed to possess even less security than when Wang Zhan had first met her, appearing even more desolate and sorrowful. She was like a piece of duckweed adrift on a vast ocean, constantly tossed about, having found no true anchor for a long, long time.

So Wang Zhan's voice finally softened. He tried to reassure her, saying, "Qin Ying, you know me. The less you tell me, the more curious and anxious I'll become. Besides, I still have arrangements in Quan State, and some of my old subordinates are there. Are you asking me to just abandon them like this? It's not that I absolutely must save them, but I have my principles, my bottom line, and my own capabilities! So, tell me, what on earth happened in Quan State to frighten you so badly?"

This was simply unimaginable. Qin Ying was a leading figure in the Federal Presidential Secretary Office, wielding considerable power and controlling many of the Federation's resources. If even someone like her could be so terrified by the truth before her, it could only mean one of two things: either the disparity in strength was so overwhelming that she had lost the will to fight, or her personal world had been so completely upended that her perception of reality itself was shattered. But regardless of the reason, its existence would make Wang Zhan's attempt to salvage this sudden, unexpected mission exponentially more challenging.

Yes! The very first thought that flashed through Wang Zhan's mind when he heard Quan State was about to be destroyed was: Return to Quan State! Find out what happened and see if there's any chance to salvage the situation.

However, what Wang Zhan could never have expected was that the reason Qin Ying had fallen into such a state was, in fact, all because of him!

Therefore, at this moment, tears streamed down Qin Ying's face. Her large eyes, now bloodshot and watery, fixed on Wang Zhan. Then, Qin Ying burst into sobs before Wang Zhan, crying out, "But do you know what happened right when you left Quan State? The guardian of Quan State is dead! He died in the Underground City! His body wasn't even intact; he was dismembered, torn into eight pieces..."

"What?!" Wang Zhan exclaimed in shock.

The news hit him. BOOM! Like a bolt from the blue, it resounded deep within Wang Zhan's heart. Then, in that instant, Wang Zhan felt an even deeper chill. A cold so profound that even in the depths of the harshest winter, his marrow, which would merely shiver, now felt utterly frozen solid, turned to ice! It was as if countless ants were gnawing at his skin, making him feel trapped in some terrible predicament. Every pore on his body tightened, his instincts screaming in response to an unseen, piercing pain.

Only then, after a moment, did he find the capacity to process the meaning of her words.

The guardian of Quan State was dead!

That enigmatic figure hidden behind the scenes, the one whom even Wang Zhan, with his Martial King's strength, wouldn't have dared to disturb. He was to be approached only by following Wei Daoming's counsel, at a critical moment when the situation was truly beyond control. And such a mysterious, powerful Martial Artist had actually died? Silently, without anyone noticing?

Without a doubt, anyone hearing this would feel their hair stand on end, as if they had just witnessed the most terrifying thing imaginable.

So, Qin Ying continued, her eyes red and brimming with tears, "Right when you left, the Federal Secret Forces' detection equipment picked up an anomaly in Quan State. They immediately dispatched personnel to investigate. That's when they found him... dead in the deepest part of the Underground City, in a dark lair..."

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