Chapter 366: Ji Daosheng's Strength
Chapter 366: Ji Daosheng's Strength
"Your Excellency."
Ji Xinghuo did not answer immediately, merely greeting him.
Zhao Manying was meeting Ji Daosheng face-to-face for the first time and felt nervous, but seeing Ji Xinghuo remain calm, she also relaxed and called out, "Your Excellency."
Shi Hongyi also flew over from a distance and landed amidst the ruins on the rooftop. He said indifferently, "Greetings, Your Excellency."
Both sides knew that they couldn't continue their fight, and the tense atmosphere immediately eased.
Ji Daosheng nodded.
Ji Xinghuo sensed an invisible wave sweep over the Shi Ying Group building, emanating from the Emperor himself. His originally displeased expression relaxed a little, "Fortunately, there were no casualties, otherwise, both of you would have to give an explanation."
Shi Hongyi glanced at Shi Renzhong, who was unconscious on the ground, and hesitated. Wasn't his son considered a person?
"Baoguo, maintain order," Ji Daosheng ordered.
"Yes!"
Luo Baoguo immediately sprang into action.
The security bureau's police force had already arrived, clearing the onlooking crowd from the ground and using caution tape to establish a safe area to prevent injuries from falling debris.
Several airborne fighter jets hovered around the building, prohibiting civilian aircraft from approaching.
Shi Hongyi also called for medical attention for Shi Renzhong. Although Ji Xinghuo hadn't delivered a fatal blow, with Super Human recovery abilities, Shi Renzhong would be mostly fine soon, but his right palm had suffered a crushing fracture and would need some time to heal.
The situation was resolved in just a few minutes.
Everyone remained on the spot.
"You two, one a King and the other the First Legend, completely disregarding the safety of the people and fighting in Chang'an. Do you not place me in your eyes?" Ji Daosheng hummed, "Explain yourselves, what is going on?"
"I was the one who made the first move, Your Excellency," Ji Xinghuo admitted frankly, "Manying's younger brother has gone missing, and I came to find Director Shi for answers."
"If someone goes missing, you report it to the police. What does it have to do with me?" Shi Hongyi said angrily.
What he said made sense.
However, those present who knew Ji Xinghuo were aware that he wasn't the type to make a fuss without reason, and he must have had a motive for his actions.
Ji Xinghuo was about to explain, but his use of his privileges to find someone was something that couldn't be revealed. So, glancing at the Minister of Security, Sima Hanzhang, who had just arrived, he said, "After my investigations, Zhao Zanging was last seen in Asuncion."
Sima Hanzhang immediately pulled up the tracking system and quickly confirmed this.
He reported, "Your Excellency, Zhao Zanging has indeed gone missing."
"And then?" Ji Daosheng asked.
"Zhao Zanging didn't disappear alone. Someone was with him, and it was Director Shi's granddaughter, Shi Buzheng," Ji Xinghuo said.
Shi Renzhong immediately shouted, "Impossible!"
Disbelief was written all over his face.
Shi Hongyi's expression also changed, and he said in a deep voice, "How dare you come to me for answers when the two of them disappeared together? Couldn't it be that Zhao Zanging abducted Buzheng? You are simply unreasonable and make no sense!"
Ji Daosheng also frowned. In his opinion, it seemed like a young couple had eloped, entering the Star Realm through the Asuncion Stargate.
Such things were not uncommon, and Ji Xinghuo had no need to make such a fuss over it.
He was about to ask further when he noticed Zhao Manying.
As the sister of the person involved, Zhao Manying had remained silent throughout, leaving Ji Xinghuo to take the lead. This was illogical.
Ji Daosheng looked at the "Sword Immortal" and happened to meet Zhao Manying's gaze. In that instant, Ji Daosheng immediately read a wealth of information, and combined with Ji Xinghuo's behavior, he guessed that there was something hidden behind this incident.
However, he couldn't say it now, especially not in front of Shi Hongyi.
"Xinghuo."
Ji Xinghuo suddenly heard the Emperor call his name, and he turned his head, only to feel a moment of dizziness.
Immediately, the whole world fell silent.
It was as if the pause button had been pressed on the rooftop of this building. The air stopped flowing, sounds disappeared, and the people around him became like sculptures, not moving a muscle, their eyes unblinking, their thoughts frozen. Only he remained conscious.
No, there was one other person who could move.
Ji Xinghuo was shocked to see the Emperor smile at him, "Don't worry, this is within the mental realm, and it won't affect reality. Our time is limited, so tell me what you know."
Mental realm?
Ji Xinghuo's mind trembled. Whose mental realm was this? His own, or the Emperor's?
"It's your mental realm," the Emperor answered as if he had heard Ji Xinghuo's thoughts. "Can you speak now?"
Ji Xinghuo turned to look at Zhao Manying beside him, hesitating. The Emperor said, "I've also entered her mental realm and am communicating with her. Rest assured, I won't pry into your secrets. We'll only discuss information related to today's incident."
At this point, the Emperor suddenly exclaimed in awe, "Your mental realms are both very unique, and the connection is especially challenging. There's even a protective mechanism deep within your minds. In my life, I've rarely seen a few superhumans like you. If an ordinary mental hacker were to encounter you, they would have met their bane."
Er...
Ji Xinghuo controlled his thoughts, trying not to think of anything else.
"Your Excellency, Shi Hongyi is Manying's father's killer..." Ji Xinghuo began.
As soon as he spoke, related information flashed through his mind, and Ji Daosheng nodded, "I understand.
The moment was fleeting, and the exchange with the Emperor felt almost like an illusion.
Ji Xinghuo and Zhao Manying exchanged glances, both seeing the astonishment in each other's eyes. They confirmed that it wasn't a hallucination but a real exchange with the Emperor in a mental realm, while only an instant had passed in reality.
The most powerful mental hacker in all of humanity, his strength and mystery far exceeded imagination!
At this moment, Ji Xinghuo felt that the Emperor was unfathomable.
Ji Daosheng, however, remained unchanged, his expression giving nothing away as he said, "Hongyi, this was a misunderstanding, and now that it's been talked out, that's the end of it. You two, call it quits. Xinghuo, you compensate Director Shi for his property losses, and Hongyi, you don't need to pursue this further to avoid causing unnecessary public opinion influence."
"Yes, Your Excellency," Ji Xinghuo immediately agreed.
The Emperor already knew the reason for the incident but chose not to press the matter further, obviously considering something else.
Shi Hongyi felt dissatisfied. Was he and his son supposed to just take this beating?
Moreover, the headquarters of the Shi Ying Group had lost an entire floor. This incident would definitely spread online, and it was a slap in the face for him.
Compensation for property damage was insignificant.
The Emperor seemed fair on the surface, but he was clearly biased towards Ji Xinghuo.
"Director Shi?"
Ji Daosheng asked again, his gaze still calm. But the change in address put immense pressure on Shi Hongyi, who hesitated for a few seconds before finally nodding, "I will follow the Emperor's arrangement."
Beside him, Shi Renzhong clenched his fists in anger, unintentionally aggravating his freshly healed wounds.
He lowered his head, afraid to speak, stealing glances at Ji Xinghuo from the corner of his eye.
However, Ji Xinghuo didn't even spare him a glance.
Ji Daosheng then ordered, "Hanzhang, have someone look into Zhao Zanging and Shi Buzheng's whereabouts and give me a report as soon as possible."
He didn't say that they must be found, as Asuncion was a foreign country outside the jurisdiction of the Security Bureau. Even though the Asia-Pacific Community indirectly controlled Asuncion, he couldn't say that in front of so many people.
"Yes, Your Excellency," Sima Hanzhang replied.
"You may all disperse now."
After speaking, Ji Daosheng boarded an airborne fighter jet, followed by Luo Baoguo, Luo Yimeng, and the Titanium-Cobalt Dragon Man.
Ji Xinghuo put his arm around Zhao Manying's waist and flew off in another direction.
Soon, only the Shi father and son were left on the rooftop.
"Dad..."
Shi Renzhong looked in the direction where Ji Xinghuo had left and cautiously asked, "Are we just going to let this go?"
Shi Hongyi didn't answer.
It wasn't until Ji Xinghuo disappeared from view that he suddenly turned and scolded, "Incompetent!"
Shi Renzhong shrunk his neck, his lips moving but no sound coming out.
On the other side.
Ji Xinghuo landed several kilometers away from the Shi Ying Group building, and together with Zhao Manying, they boarded a maglev car. Zhao Manying asked, "Where are we going?"
"To see the Emperor, of course."
Ji Xinghuo set the destination and then said, "Did you communicate with the Emperor in the mental realm just now?"
Zhao Manying nodded.
"A mental hacker at the King level, truly formidable!" exclaimed Ji Xinghuo.
Mental hackers were a rare profession, and while he had encountered a few, the only one he had faced in direct combat was 'Black Dream' Elorin from the Unfallen City. She was only a Superhuman, her strength not even a hundredth of the Emperor's, making her practically useless.
This made Ji Xinghuo wary.
From now on, he would have to be even more cautious around mental hackers; their ability to strike without being noticed was incredibly difficult to guard against.
Zhao Manying was also deeply shaken and had yet to recover from the shock.
Soon.
The two met with the Emperor again, this time in Ji Daosheng's office. Zhao Manying was nervous, as it was her first time there.
"Take a seat and relax."
Only Ji Daosheng was in the office, his face kind. Once they were seated, his expression turned serious, and he said, "Manying, your brother won't be found in the short term."
Zhao Manying's pupils flickered, but she remained calm.
"Just now, I not only communicated with you in the mental realm, but I also entered the mental world of a third person," Ji Daosheng said.
"Shi Renzhong!" Ji Xinghuo blurted out.
"That's right." Ji Daosheng nodded. "He wasn't involved in Zhao Zanging's kidnapping and didn't know about it, but he anticipated today's events. Several months ago, Shi Hongyi told him about the grudge between him and Zhao Ke."
"It was him, as I expected," Zhao Manying said calmly, though beneath her tranquil exterior, Ji Xinghuo could sense her surging anger, so he held her hand to comfort her.
Ji Daosheng continued, "Shi Hongyi didn't admit to killing your father. He told Shi Renzhong it was an accident, but of course, he might be lying. However, your father's death is definitely related to him."
"Why did he kidnap my brother?" Zhao Manying asked, though she already had her suspicions. "Zanging doesn't know the truth."
"Of course, it's to threaten you," Ji Daosheng replied.
(End of Chapter)
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