"An important figure?" Cheng Ming slightly frowned.
His heart couldn’t help but feel a little nervous... Had someone already noticed his abnormalities?
It made sense; he had been a Hunter for so many years, always performing mediocrely... But after experiencing the "Blood Feast," it was as if he had become a different person. Anyone with even a slight sense reviewing his information would realize something unusual.
Was it Dubhe Tower?
How would they handle him? How would the mysterious girl respond?
With this uneasy feeling, Cheng Ming boarded Chen Jing’s helicopter.
However, when Cheng Ming saw the "important figure" Chen Jing talked about, he was completely dumbfounded.
He had imagined many scenarios and even thought about the possibility of being directly executed... But what was happening now was something he had not anticipated at all.
The "important figure" in front of him looked exactly like the young man formed by the strange entity at the bottom of the pit!
Cheng Ming parted his lips, wanting to ask something, but didn’t know how to start.
"You seem very surprised to see me?" The "important figure" asked Cheng Ming with a smile, sitting on the hood of a heavy-duty off-road vehicle and shaking a half-full can of soda like a street thug.
"Yes... very surprised." Cheng Ming slightly regained his composure, nodded slightly, and replied cautiously, "I didn’t think that the ’important figure’ mentioned by the eldest son of the Chen Family would be so young."
"Your expression just now..." Sun Hang jumped off the hood, "Rather than being surprised at my youth, it’s more like... ’seeing a ghost’."
"..." Cheng Ming pressed his lips tightly, not answering.
At this moment, he really hoped the mysterious girl would give him some guidance again, but ever since he left the collapsed area, the mysterious girl’s voice had disappeared entirely, like sinking into the sea, not even a hint of that faint laughter.
Speak less to avoid loss; Cheng Ming continually reminded himself internally. He decided that as long as the other party didn’t actively ask, he would remain silent, avoiding saying any unnecessary words.
"Were you... hiding your strength before?" Sun Hang asked again.
Cheng Ming pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "No... After experiencing the ’Blood Feast’ incident, I found my strength had increased significantly, and I unlocked some new abilities I hadn’t had before."
"So, your current state is related to the ’Blood Feast,’ then?"
"If there is any research work that needs me, I will fully cooperate," Cheng Ming said.
Just when he thought this young "important figure" would delve into the matter, the other party suddenly waved his hand: "That’s a headache for those wearing lab coats; I don’t care about it at all. I came to you just for one thing."
Cheng Ming looked at the other party, waiting for him to continue.
"There’s a high difficulty mission, oh, and of course, a high mortality rate." Sun Hang said, "I need a group of elite elites to carry it out with me. I don’t know if you’re interested."
"What mission?" Cheng Ming asked.
"Before I tell you the mission details, I need to perform some ’checks’ on you." Sun Hang walked over, raised his arm, and pretended to place his palm about ten centimeters above Cheng Ming’s head, "During this check, you’ll feel something seemingly invading your brain. Don’t resist; it’s a normal sensation and won’t harm you. You just need to answer my questions normally."
Sun Hang glanced into the distance; Candle Dragon and Charles helped to send everyone else away, even Ya Qiaoxi and Chen Jing were prohibited from approaching. At this moment, the only people around Sun Hang, besides Cheng Ming, were Xue Yue, who was sitting in the passenger seat of the off-road vehicle, eating snacks to herself.
Sun Hang asked several questions in succession, and Cheng Ming "answered truthfully" to all... The result of the mind probe told Sun Hang that even Cheng Ming himself didn’t know why he became like this.
During this question and answer process, Cheng Ming clearly felt many invisible tendrils probing into his thoughts. He had already guessed that this might be some sort of mind reading technique. Whether this ability came from the "important figure" himself or was assisted by some strange artifact was unknown, but to Cheng Ming, it was already unimportant.
Just when Cheng Ming thought his secrets were no longer hidden, the questioning ended, and all those probing tendrils withdrew.
Cheng Ming took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly.
He took a full fifteen seconds to sort out his chaotic thoughts before he realized what had just happened.
During the questioning, a mysterious force altered his perception, making him believe all those "lies" as truths, which is why the opponent’s mind probe didn’t discover the secrets hidden within Cheng Ming.
As the saying goes, to make everyone believe your lies, you must first thoroughly believe them yourself.
First "deceive oneself" to "deceive others."
"I’ve asked what I needed to; do you have any questions?" Sun Hang finished the remaining soda in the can in one gulp and said to Cheng Ming.
"That mission you mentioned, what is it about?" Cheng Ming hesitated, "Do I have the right to refuse?"
Cheng Ming had already guessed that the mysterious girl’s purpose was to make him participate in this mission. Joining the hunting group of the three major families and eliminating the strange entity at the pit bottom was at best a "pledge of allegiance," but to avoid arousing suspicion, he couldn’t agree too eagerly.
"You can refuse, but if you participate in this action, I will ensure your mother receives the best treatment and living conditions," Sun Hang said, "the kind that money can’t buy."
Cheng Ming is known for his filial piety, recognized by everyone who has come into contact with him.
"...What about the mission details?"
"Go to Egypt, hunt the Sphinx."
"Egypt? Sphinx?" Cheng Ming’s mind short-circuited for two seconds, "Egypt... isn’t a Surrendered Area."
"That’s why the mission is very difficult, and the mortality rate is very high," Sun Hang replied matter-of-factly.
"From my geographical knowledge, that place, Egypt, doesn’t border the current Federation Control Zone... how do we get there?"
"Fly there," Sun Hang pointed upwards, "We’ll traverse near-earth orbit."
[P.S. Thanks to the reward and blessings from the elder living to 99, may they have good health and smooth living.]