Time shifted slightly, returning the perspective to the Bureau of Anomalous Investigations. As it turned out, they had barely any time to prepare before the Martyr arrived once more.
Beneath the brim of his black hat, the Martyr's face appeared somewhat gaunt. He calmly strode through the Bureau's entrance, his gaze sweeping over the heavily armed agents who eyed him warily. In a composed tone, he remarked, "It seems the ability I used on that young lady has been neutralized. You've uncovered my identity."
"In other words," Zhong Wanhong said, "your nation's special task forces are already on their way, correct?"
Zhong Wanhong, Lü Heng, Yu Lin, and Artyom remained silent, raising their weapons and aiming them at the figure before them.
Yet none made the first move. After all, stalling for time was unequivocally in the Bureau's best interest.
"I sincerely apologize, officers of the Dragon Nation's Bureau of Anomalous Investigations," the Martyr unexpectedly said, catching everyone off guard. "I never intended to draw attention to myself. I merely wanted to retrieve an item and leave."
"It's the same now. I have no intention of being your enemy. Ling Huai is here, isn't he? I simply need his help with something, and I assure you, I won't harm him."
Notably, the Martyr spoke directly in Chinese, without using a translation earpiece. Yet the agents from the Bureau of Anomalous Investigations detected no genuine emotion in his voice. He seemed to be apologizing, but there was not a hint of remorse in his tone.
"No intention of being our enemy?" Zhong Wanhong frowned. "Your actions suggest otherwise. You secretly infiltrated a foreign nation, attacked their Bureau of Anomalous Investigations, brazenly stole their property, and now you're demanding we hand over a citizen of the Dragon Nation? That's impossible!"
It was like a bandit who had just robbed a bank walking into the police station to demand a civilian, claiming they wouldn't hurt him. But who could possibly trust such a promise? No one knew what this "bandit" was truly thinking.
Don't believe everything you hear. Even in the most extreme scenario—if the Martyr genuinely had no intention of harming "Invincible Bro"—handing him over was a matter of principle. It simply couldn't be done!
A battle could erupt at any moment, potentially wiping out the entire Bureau of Anomalous Investigations team. Even if Martyr still managed to capture Invincible Bro afterward, the outcome would appear the same, with the only difference being the added cost of human lives. But even that price was unacceptable.
Should one simply give up when failure seems inevitable?
Abandoning the task might be the rational choice, but persevering despite the odds is a testament to one's conviction and courage—qualities the Bureau team had never lacked.
Martyr retrieved the Surprise Box. For the first time, his tone shifted from its usual composure to a fervent intensity. "This artifact and that person's Ability are truly vital to me! Regardless... is there absolutely no room for negotiation?"
"Absolutely none!" Zhong Wanhong's voice remained unwavering.
"Hmph..." Martyr lowered his head and sighed softly. In that instant, without warning, everyone within the Bureau's perimeter—not just the four individuals present—was plunged into an Illusionary Realm of the past.
In the blink of an eye, the surrounding scenery abruptly transformed. Zhong Wanhong stared in disbelief at the familiar yet foreign front door before him—his home in Fancheng from ten years ago.
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a dark key, and skillfully inserted it into the lock. With a soft click, the door swung open.
"Daddy!" A little girl with pigtails, about seven or eight years old, came running to the entrance hall, drawn by the sound of the door, and threw herself into Zhong Wanhong's arms.
Then came another voice, one he had often heard in his dreams—a tender voice that said, "You're home? Go wash your hands quickly. Dinner's almost ready!"
Listening to his "wife's" words, Zhong Wanhong slipped into his slippers and headed straight for the bathroom. In the mirror, he saw a remarkably young face.
His hair was neatly styled, his beard freshly shaven—it was himself as an ordinary office worker from ten years ago. The only difference was the faintly glowing feather prominently displayed in the chest pocket of his shirt.
"Is this... an illusion?" Zhong Wanhong muttered to himself.
Without washing his hands, he left the bathroom and walked into the living room. His gaze fell upon his wife, who stood with her back to him, serving dinner. He scanned the room, noticing his father-in-law and mother-in-law watching television, and his daughter, who had been clinging to him just moments ago but now sat to the side, engrossed in her phone.
Undoubtedly, this scene was immensely tempting. Yet he sighed, walked over to his wife, and gave her a brief hug.
"I'm sorry... I have to leave."
"Leave? Is something urgent at work?"
"Sort of..."
"Then hurry. Work comes first, right? Go quickly and come back soon. I'll keep your dinner warm."
At that moment, his father-in-law turned from the TV, a puzzled expression on his face. "If it's just overtime, why didn't you call? Why come all the way back here?"
Faced with his father-in-law's question, Zhong Wanhong lowered his head, his face filled with deep regret. He didn't answer, only repeating softly, "I'm sorry..."
If Robin were here, she would instantly recognize Zhong Wanhong's father-in-law as the younger version of Xiao, the "Owl" of the Fuguang Society, whom she had previously encountered.
Zhong Wanhong clutched the feather tightly in his hand. Though he desperately wanted to stay in this warm, happy home, he knew he had a duty to fulfill—a more important task to complete—than indulging in this illusion.
In the next instant, everything around him shattered into a web of hairline cracks, like fractured glass. Then, just as suddenly, the illusion vanished, and Zhong Wanhong found himself back in the painful reality he had been trying to escape.
The moment his eyes snapped open, Zhong Wanhong didn't hesitate. He pulled the trigger on the dark-clad figure standing before him.
Bang!
Simultaneously, Lü Heng and Yu Lin also broke free from the Illusionary Realm and launched their own attacks.