The next day, at Lingyue Mountain Villa.
Han Lang and the others enjoyed a rare day of leisure, taking this opportunity to further reward Tang Geng, the great hero who annihilated the Gou family's base.
"Hey, Han Lang! You really don't need to be so polite. We cultivators have long transcended the mundane world in our state of mind, and we don't seek such superficial things!"
After fighting side-by-side once and spending this period together, Tang Geng had become much more familiar with everyone. They had largely shed the polite forms of address from their first meeting and began calling each other by their names.
"Transcending the mundane world is you! I'm a very vulgar person. I smoke, drink, chew betel nuts, and do whatever makes me happy! If you don't like it, then go eat with the kids!"
Ma Long chimed in with a tease, "Exactly! You're being all prim and proper like a lady. Should we just switch your drink to juice?"
Tang Geng immediately took offense, "Hey, Ma Long! Is that what I meant? I can drink this wine! But you all toasting me together, calling me the greatest contributor to taking down the mutant ability user base, I feel undeserving of such praise..."
"Eh~" Before Tang Geng could finish, Tang Qin immediately said, "Unworthy of praise? It's the truth! If you hadn't killed that mutated D-class mutant, our operation might not have succeeded. You deserve this credit!"
Tang Geng retorted, "If you put it that way, then the credit shouldn't go to me at all! If it weren't for Han Lang's chocolate beans, I wouldn't have been able to unleash 'Cloud Piercing Sword' twice in a row. If anyone deserves credit, he's number one!"
After speaking, he frowned and stared at Han Lang, asking, "Speaking of which, I do have some doubts! I've been pondering this for the past few days. What kind of chocolate beans can have such great spiritual energy? If I hadn't reacted quickly, my veins would have burst and I would have died. So Han Lang, don't you owe us an explanation for this?"
The crowd burst into laughter upon hearing this.
Before Han Lang could reply, Ma Long solemnly took out a Spirit Gathering Pill from his pocket and playfully offered it to Tang Geng.
"Take a good look at this. Do you think this thing is a chocolate bean?"
Tang Geng carefully stared at the Spirit Gathering Pill in front of him. Although it looked no different from a chocolate bean from afar, when he brought it closer and smelled it, the rich medicinal fragrance and the overwhelming spiritual energy "boomed" in his mind!
"My goodness! This... this couldn't be... a pill, could it?"
The others all smiled and remained silent.
Tang Geng became even more certain.
Just as he was about to take it to examine it more closely, Ma Long deliberately teased him and quickly put the Spirit Gathering Pill away.
Tang Geng immediately feigned anger, "Ma Long, what are you doing? Let me see it again!"
Ma Long insisted, "That won't do! You know how precious this item is. Those two pills last time were given to you for free by the young master because the situation was urgent. Now, if you want to examine it properly, it's not that simple!"
Tang Geng became anxious, "Then what do I need to do?"
Ma Long slyly smiled, "How about... you have a good chat with us about the martial skill you used last time?"
Tang Geng wasn't foolish; he immediately understood that Ma Long was coveting his sword control technique. He, in turn, rolled his eyes and replied, "Oh! So you want to learn my sword control technique? This thing is very precious and generally cannot be passed on!"
Now it was Ma Long's turn to be anxious, "Don't be like that! I'll trade you three Spirit Gathering Pills for it!"
"Spirit Gathering Pills?"
Tang Geng quickly realized the name of the pill. Just as he was about to bargain with Ma Long, Han Lang stopped them in time!
"Alright, Brother Ma! Coveting another's cultivation techniques and martial skills is not the act of a true gentleman!"
Saying this, he took out ten more Spirit Gathering Pills and handed them to Tang Geng, saying, "Tang Geng! We've fought side-by-side as comrades. And after this period of getting along, I also feel that you are a loyal and trustworthy friend. Therefore, consider this a token of my appreciation!"
Looking at the ten Spirit Gathering Pills in his hand, and then at Han Lang's kind smile, Tang Geng was filled with disbelief.
"For me? So many?"
Tang Qin immediately grew impatient and repeatedly urged, "Alright, alright, just accept it quickly! What if they change their minds later!"
Upon hearing this, Tang Geng also became anxious. He quickly stuffed the Spirit Gathering Pills into his embrace and repeatedly said, "How can that be! What's given is given, there's no reason to take it back! However, since I've accepted your gift, I'll also make you a promise! If you want to learn my sword control technique after you break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, I will teach you every single detail! Give and take, that's what brothers are for!"
Ma Long immediately got excited, "You said it, Tang Geng! You can't go back on your word!"
Tang Geng laughed heartily, "Haha... I won't go back on my word, absolutely not! Haha..."
Just as they were chatting happily, Tang Qin's phone suddenly rang.
Taking it out and seeing who it was, she quickly said to everyone, "I need to take a call," and then hurried out of the room.
A moment later, when she returned, her expression had become unusually grim.
The people who were still joking around immediately sensed that something was wrong and quieted down to inquire.
"What's wrong?"
Tang Qin took a deep breath, "Gou Feng and Gou Xingzhi were killed while being escorted to Xingcheng for trial!"
"What?"
Everyone was shocked.
"Who did it?" Tang Geng asked first.
Tang Qin replied, "According to the colleagues present, it was that foreigner who confronted us at the Wang family villa that night!"
Han Lang questioned, "No, weren't the two escaped mutant ability users from Dr. Sim's group? But Gou Feng had already confessed what he knew! What is the purpose of taking such a big risk to intercept and kill them now?"
Han Kang, with his quick thinking, immediately followed up, "Perhaps Gou Feng didn't truthfully reveal all the secrets!"
Tang Qin agreed, "Exactly! This is the only explanation for now! However, with the deaths of Gou Feng and Gou Xingzhi, our clues are almost all gone!"
Everyone fell into silence.
After a long period of thought, Han Lang suddenly said, "No! We still have one clue!"
Everyone's gaze immediately turned to Han Lang.
"Gou Feng previously mentioned that after his base was operational, Dr. Sim transferred all the mutant ability users belonging to him in Leshan County. Now that Dr. Sim's mutant ability users have reappeared, it means they never escaped! In other words, they are very likely to have returned to their previous base, which is Leshan County! And the reason he wanted to kill Gou Feng might just be because he was worried Gou Feng knew the exact location of his Leshan County base?"
Han Lang's analysis clarified everyone's thoughts.
Although this speculation was not entirely accurate, Wang Shan and Jin Chunfeng would never have imagined that it was through such a misstep that the Special Investigation Bureau's attention would once again be drawn to Leshan County.
"Han Lang, you're right! Since Dr. Sim hasn't left Lecheng, he must need a place to stay. So, whether your guess is true or not, we should thoroughly investigate Leshan County again!"
Tang Geng also agreed, "In that case, our time is running out. What if Dr. Sim also realizes that the base is unsafe and decides to relocate? Moreover, if we are to conduct a thorough search, it will also take a lot of time!"
Tang Qin immediately realized the seriousness of the situation and stood up.
"I'll go and gather the colleagues from the Investigation Bureau right away!"