The Opportunity of the Era

The numerous big shots seated at the long table stared coldly, a hint of displeasure surfacing in the depths of their eyes. The atmosphere suddenly grew oppressive. Such subtle expressions would be nearly impossible for an ordinary person to detect.

Unfortunately, they could not escape Wu Tao's eyes.

Facing the skepticism that filled the room, he did not particularly mind.

After all.

In the worldview of the Blue Star, eliminating that many Phantoms was a monumental challenge on par with a war between two nations.

Otherwise, they would not have used this matter as a condition for their exchange.

Too lazy to explain further, Wu Tao simply stood up slowly and cast an indifferent gaze over the entire room.

"I will give you one hour. You can personally verify the matter regarding the Northern Restricted Area."

"In an hour, I am going to set off immediately to find Sister Han."

Leaving those words behind, he turned and walked away with calm indifference.

Even though he was clad in nothing but shorts and slippers, with the added weight of the recent tsunami incident, no one present dared to stop him. Despite their current displeasure, they could only swallow it for now.

It was only after Wu Tao left.

The conference room erupted into a storm of anger, the imposing aura overwhelming!

"Smack!"

"What sheer arrogance!"

"I think he is full of hot air and frivolous in his manner. He is completely untrustworthy!"

"I also feel there is something off about this guy. He certainly does not look like a true master!"

Listening to their angry criticisms, the leading old man revealed a look of deep contemplation in his eyes.

After a few breaths, he finally looked at the few people sitting beside him.

"What do you all think?"

The individuals beside him were noticeably calmer than the rest, and their words were far more cautious.

"In my opinion, since this man was capable of performing the miracle of stopping a tsunami—even if that matter remains somewhat doubtful—the fact that he dares to make such a claim means he is likely not just spouting empty talk. We might as well issue an order to investigate and verify it first!"

"Indeed."

"Yes, I share this perspective. Facts are the ultimate basis for judging anything. Only after we investigate the situation in the Northern Restricted Area can we make an accurate judgment!"

"I agree with this approach!"

After hearing these successive remarks, the old man, who was already half-believing and half-doubting, nodded with a heavy voice.

"Yes, that makes sense!"

"Issue the order immediately. Command the personnel from the Demon Hunting Department branch stationed at the Northern Restricted Area to report the on-site situation in real-time and initiate a video conference right away!"

With the strict order issued, it was relayed down the chain of command in just a few minutes.

Soon, an image appeared on the large screen in the conference room. Whether their faces bore indignation or held a glimmer of anticipation, everyone present sat quietly and watched, their expressions varying.

Merely a few seconds into the broadcast, everyone's expressions began to align.

Their eyes widened, brows furrowing as they stared intently!

On the screen, the terrifying swarms of Phantoms that used to send chills down people's spines were completely gone, replaced by an endless sea of corpses!

In an instant, the conference room plunged into absolute silence!

As the footage continued to play, even the few who had previously harbored suspicions quietly raised their eyes to look closer. The more they watched, the more shocking and eye-catching it became. They unconsciously sat up completely straight!

The old man at the head of the table was so shocked that he hastily blurted out a question!

"What is the situation?!"

A nervous reply echoed from the video. The speaker seemed so shaken that they even skipped the standard protocols of etiquette!

"We do not know either!"

"As soon as we received the order, we immediately dispatched drones to investigate, and this is what we saw. There is not a single Phantom left alive in the entire restricted area. It is as if they were suddenly slaughtered and driven to extinction!"

Swish!

Everyone sprang to their feet in shock at those words, their faces filled with unimaginable disbelief and awe!

"The restricted area was massacred?"

"What that Mr. Wu said earlier was actually true?!"

"This is simply unbelievable!"

"He was clearly right here! How on earth did he accomplish such a feat?!"

Suddenly, the conference room practically exploded!

A clamor of shocked and heated discussions broke out. Even though everyone present was a prominent figure, they were so astounded that they could hardly control themselves, profoundly shaken by the truth they had just witnessed!

Just as the room was about to descend into chaos.

The leading old man, though his eyes trembled, managed to retain a sliver of composure. He signaled the secretary with a glance to terminate the video feed, then immediately slammed his hand on the table and stood up!

"Smack!"

"The video conference ends here. Everything that transpired today is classified as top secret. No one is permitted to leak a word of this!"

His deep voice echoed, and the entire room fell dead silent!

Even so, the excited expressions on everyone's faces could not be suppressed. Even the leading old man's eyes were trembling. Everyone's worldview had been completely shattered.

There was no need for verbal communication; everyone understood the profound significance of today's events.

If this Mr. Wu could so effortlessly resolve the crisis in the Northern Restricted Area, then the previous reports about the tsunami had to be absolutely true. Discovering the existence of such a being in this world meant they were perhaps on the brink of entering a brand new era.

Almost simultaneously, a powerful, instinctive thought surfaced in everyone's minds.

No matter what...

They had to get on Mr. Wu's good side at all costs!

This was both the sharp intuition of those in power and the primal instinct of living beings.

The leading old man hastily adjusted his appearance and composure, then turned to his secretary!

"Where did Mr. Wu go?!"

The secretary had never seen the old man so agitated before, and his voice trembled with nervousness as he replied.

"Mr. Wu is... he is taking a stroll in the flowerbed."

As soon as those words fell.

The old man flew into a rage and immediately led everyone to rush out the door!

"This is outrageous!"

"How could you neglect an existence like Mr. Wu in such a manner?! Quickly notify the entire staff! Everyone is to go and respectfully welcome the gentleman! Prepare everything immediately to escort Mr. Wu to find that Sister Han!"

The frantic orders echoed throughout the headquarters as a crowd of people swarmed toward the flowerbed!

Meanwhile, at the flowerbed.

Wu Tao was aimlessly wandering around in his slippers. Looking at the various strange flowers and plants, he genuinely found it hard to appreciate them. Even though he had been constantly exposed to such things while by his master's side, he still could not fathom why mortals were so fond of plants. There were even those who managed to attain the Dao through flowers...

That concept was just too damn absurd.

Just as he was wandering about in boredom, a flurry of hurried footsteps suddenly echoed from a distance.

Hearing the noise, he cast a sideways glance.

The old man came sprinting over, panting heavily with a crowd of people trailing behind him, completely disregarding his status and age. As soon as he reached Wu Tao, he offered an excited, sycophantic smile, though an indescribable anxiety lurked in the depths of his eyes.

"Mr. Wu, Mr. Wu..."

Taking one look at their demeanor, Wu Tao immediately knew the reason.

With a faint smile, he casually offered a word of reassurance.

"There is no need to be so polite."

"We are all humans. Exterminating a few Phantoms is nothing worth making a fuss over. You just need to honor our agreement and take me to see Sister Han."

Upon hearing this, the old man and the crowd were overjoyed, nodding repeatedly in agreement.

"Yes, yes, yes! We are all humans, there is no need to be strangers!"

There was no need for Wu Tao to say another word; everything had already been prepared. A helicopter quickly landed on the lawn just outside the flowerbed. Without a second thought, the old man extended his hand in an inviting gesture!

"Mr. Wu!"

"Let us depart right now to find Sister Han!"

Looking at the superfluous mode of transportation, Wu Tao could not be bothered to say anything. As long as he could find Sister Han, let alone enduring a bumpy ride for a while, he would even be willing to ride in an ox cart.

The helicopter took off smoothly, its rotors sending the nearby flowers and grass fluttering into the air.

As it soared into the distance, it took mere hours to fly over several towering mountains in the north before landing near a glacial rift valley. The freezing winds howled, and the landscape was cloaked in silvery white snow.

Wu Tao, however, did not feel anything in particular. The mundane shifts in weather and seasons no longer had any effect on him whatsoever.

In their rush to fulfill their promise, the old man and his companions had not bothered to put on any extra winter clothing. They quickly turned blue from the freezing cold. Fortunately, the secretary had come prepared and hastily pulled out a few down jackets for them to wear, which finally brought a little color back to their faces.

Looking out at the endless expanse of glaciers, Wu Tao turned his head in confusion.

"Sister Han is in a place like this?"