Chapter 55: Enemy? Ally?

Outside the mysterious room, Number Nine finally felt his heart drop from his throat after stepping into the heavily guarded territory.

Following his earlier observations, he mimicked the actions of the face's original owner, methodically performing his duties.

He feigned patrolling near the secret-laden room, lingering by the door.

His mind kept repeating, "Ke Lu, Ke Lu, Ke Lu, can you hear me?"

"I can hear you," Ke Lu replied. She suddenly found Number Nine rather talkative, marveling at his ability to focus on chatting even in such a tense situation.

Number Nine paid no heed to Ke Lu's thoughts, exclaiming incredulously, "Holy crap! That was a high-level detection device, and you just slipped past it like nothing? That's insane!"

Ke Lu had to cut him off from further idle chatter, transmitting urgently into his ear, "Check the door lock, but don't be obvious."

"Got it," Number Nine responded. Despite Ke Lu's earlier show of skill, he still trusted her implicitly. This kid already has so many tricks up her sleeve at such a young age. What will she be like in the future?

A shiver ran down Number Nine's spine. He could already foresee the next era's ruler among the martial artist community.

Martial Artists of this caliber emerged periodically, casting a shadow over all other geniuses of their era.

Tsk, tsk, tsk, Number Nine thought, already relishing the tragic fate of the younger generation.

Leaning against a nearby building, he pretended to rest, blending in with the crowd of similar figures. His gaze periodically swept over the door lock, while he tried to probe the interior.

Suddenly, a hand clapped him on the shoulder. "Hey."

What the hell? How did I not notice him?

Number Nine's heart jolted with surprise. As an Expert-level Martial Artist, he should have been acutely aware of his surroundings, yet he hadn't sensed the slightest hint of the other person's approach.

If the person were truly an ordinary individual, such a feat would be impossible.

The only explanation: their Power Level far surpassed his own!

Number Nine turned around with feigned nonchalance, revealing a middle-aged guard in uniform.

"Ah, it's Old Zhong." The guard seemed well-acquainted with the character Number Nine was impersonating, another guard of roughly the same age. This "Old Zhong" lit a cigarette and offered it to Number Nine.

Number Nine didn't like it, but he couldn't refuse. He took the cigarette, inwardly worried whether this guard would see through his disguise.

How can I get rid of this guy as soon as possible? he wondered.

The lock on the door wasn't complicated—nothing compared to the heavy guard outside. Moreover, the hut itself was made of ordinary wooden planks, not any particularly sturdy material. Perhaps the Underground Black Market operatives, having focused so heavily on external defenses, deemed additional security here unnecessary.

If this hut weren't situated in such a heavily guarded location, anyone would mistake it for an ordinary person's cottage.

As Number Nine pondered these thoughts, the guard beside him suddenly sighed, "I wonder when I'll ever get to go outside and see the world again."

So, he hasn't been out in a long time, Number Nine thought to himself.

He replied casually, "There'll be a chance someday."

Since Number Nine didn't know Old Zhong's original manner of speaking, he stuck to the principle of saying as little as possible, keeping his words vague.

To Number Nine's surprise, the guard slapped his thigh and glared at him. "Stop talking nonsense!"

Hold on, you asked me if you could leave. Am I being unreasonable for saying yes? Number Nine was slightly speechless.

He quickly grasped the situation. The people here could be roughly divided into two groups: those who could come and go freely, and those who were confined to this place, never seeing the light of day.

This information gave Number Nine a spark of motivation. If I can't get rid of this guy, why not try to pry some information out of him? It might come in handy later.

Before Number Nine could react, the guard continued, "Old Zhong, next time you have a chance, could you check on my son for me? I haven't seen him since we were arrested."

The middle-aged guard took a deep drag of his cigarette, as if trying to inhale all his worries into his lungs with that single puff.

His sorrowful gaze and the words he spoke completely shattered Number Nine and Ke Lu's initial assumptions.

"This man... was arrested?" Number Nine exclaimed in shock.

Ke Lu's voice rose several notches in his ear: "I'll check his identity."

Ke Lu's approach was direct: he contacted Numbers Eight and Eleven, who were on Mobile Support.

The Knight Order undoubtedly maintained a complete roster of all members. Since Number Nine was unavailable, contacting others was the logical next step.

The two operatives swiftly complied with Ke Lu's instructions and began their investigation, though it would take some time.

Given Number Nine's presence inside the enemy's headquarters, he decided to shelve the topic for the moment. He lacked a deep understanding of the base's operations, and continuing the conversation would only increase the risk of making mistakes.

He shifted the conversation to the core of their mission: "The woman who was imprisoned here just a few days ago—I heard she was a teacher before her capture. Where is she now?"

Number Nine knew that Vice President Chen's wife had been imprisoned only a few days prior, making his question pointed yet seemingly innocuous. This would also avoid revealing his unfamiliarity with the camp's layout.

Besides, this place probably can't hold me anyway, he thought.

After all, this was a newcomer. Even if Number Nine couldn't recall her name or assigned number, it wouldn't raise suspicion.

Moreover, the guard's earlier remark had sparked an idea in Number Nine's mind. If this man was imprisoned yet still forced to work, could Vice President Chen's ex-wife also be laboring somewhere? He had initially assumed she was confined to a room, falling into the trap of conventional thinking.

But... this man might be even stronger than me. How could such a powerful martial artist be captured?

Doubt gnawed at Number Nine.

The moment he voiced his question, he sensed a subtle shift in the middle-aged guard's aura. The guard's casual demeanor suddenly turned grave. This subtle change was only perceptible to Martial Artists who had reached a certain level of cultivation.

Sensing danger, Number Nine maintained his composure and asked, "What's wrong?"

The guard abruptly closed the distance, gripped Number Nine's hand, and pulled him toward a more secluded area.

What the hell is he doing? Number Nine mentally complained to Ke Lu about the guard's bizarre behavior.

Outside, Ke Lu watched every move inside through Number Nine's eyes.

Her fingers tapped the table as she prepared for the worst: if this man discovered Number Nine's identity and intended to harm him, she would use Imperator's Majesty to temporarily overwhelm the entire room.

Based on Number Nine's previous encounter with the King chess piece, Ke Lu believed this should still be reasonably effective.

In a deserted corner, where no one passed by, the middle-aged guard finally stopped, facing Number Nine directly. "You're not Old Zhong," he stated with absolute certainty, without a trace of hesitation.

"Why?" Number Nine countered, naturally refusing to confess. "How dare you suspect me?"

The middle-aged guard chuckled, genuinely amused.

At that moment, Number Eight transmitted information to Ke Lu.

One glance and Ke Lu understood everything.

This man was none other than the Principal of Beihai Experimental High School, while Old Zhong was the Dean of Academics.