154: Drawing water with a bamboo basket, burning with anger

“Bang!”

“Cough, cough… cough…”

Bedrock coughed violently, each breath pulling at the sharp pain in his chest.

He struggled to prop himself up, leaning against the damp, slippery wall.

Where… was this?

The light was dim; it seemed to be an abandoned underground passage.

“Good luck, back to the anchor point!”

He looked around, the narrow passage extending forward, disappearing into deeper darkness.

Only after confirming there was no immediate danger did Bedrock slightly relax.

He looked down at his backpack.

Inside, it held the treasure he had yearned for—the flame heart crown!

“Lu Yuan… is finally dead!”

“For the sake of this crown, what if my identity is exposed?!”

“As long as I get it, my great cause in the ‘Fire Seed’ organization will advance further!”

He licked the blood from the corner of his mouth, a smile appearing on his face.

He succeeded!

He succeeded!

The flame heart crown was his!

Bedrock leaned against the wall, staggering to his feet.

He had to leave here as soon as possible and return to his secret hideout.

His injuries were too severe and required immediate treatment.

Moreover, regarding the crown, the longer he waited, the more complications could arise.

He fumbled his way along the passage, his steps unsteady.

He had walked this path more than once.

Soon, a heavy iron door appeared ahead.

Bedrock extended his right hand and pressed it into a groove in the center of the iron door.

“Buzz…”

Energy patterns faintly lit up, and a blue electronic light scanned his palm.

“Identity verification passed.”

A mechanical voice sounded.

The iron door slid open to one side.

Behind the door was an even sturdier alloy door.

He repeated the process, passing through three concealed checkpoints, each identity verification and energy scan being extremely stringent.

Finally, the last door opened.

Faint sounds of chatter and music drifted out.

Bedrock took a deep breath, tidied his tattered clothes, trying to make himself look less disheveled.

He stepped inside.

The scene before him suddenly opened up.

This was, unexpectedly, a bar hidden deep underground.

The lighting was dim, and smoke swirled.

Guests, in twos and threes, were scattered in various booths, conversing in low voices, their expressions varied.

The auras emanating from most of them were unfathomable.

This was one of the most important secret strongholds of the ‘Fire Seed’ organization in Canglan Province, the “Xinshuo Bar.”

Bedrock ignored the glances from others, walked straight through the bar hall, and headed towards a corridor deeper inside.

He had his own exclusive lounge.

He pushed open an inconspicuous wooden door and stepped inside.

He locked it from the inside.

“Hoo…”

Bedrock let out a long, heavy breath, his taut nerves finally completely relaxing.

He was safe.

He eagerly took off the backpack from his back and carefully placed it on the table in the center of the room.

The flame heart crown!

That legendary primordial sacred artifact!

He reached out.

His breathing grew heavy.

As long as he got it, he would be able to… The zipper was pulled open with a “swish.”

Bedrock’s gaze was fixed on the opening of the backpack.

He could even imagine the crown, burning with eternal flames, exuding an aura of dominion over the world.

However—

The backpack was empty.

No, it wasn't completely empty.

A few scattered low-level cards, a few bottles of ordinary recovery potions, and some… compressed biscuits and drinking water?

The ecstasy on Bedrock’s face instantly froze.

“Huh?”

He blinked, thinking he had seen wrong.

Still invisible?

That shouldn't be!

He abruptly inverted the backpack and shook it vigorously.

“Clatter, clatter—”

A pile of miscellaneous items scattered across the tabletop.

Some low-level material cards, a few changes of clothes, a worn-out notebook, a few fragments of unknown minerals… It was gone.

It was really gone.

The flame heart crown, which he had yearned for and was willing to pay any price to obtain… had vanished!

“Where’s the crown?!”

“Damn it!”

Impossible!

Absolutely impossible!

He clearly saw Lu Yuan transform the crown into a phantom and put it into his pocket!

Although he didn't know what method was used, he would never mistake it!

“Where is it?! Where on earth is it?!”

Bedrock, like a madman, turned every compartment and every corner of the backpack inside out.

He even used Source Power to meticulously search, not letting go of any trace of abnormality.

Nothing!

There was nothing!

Sweat instantly drenched his clothes.

Not because of pain, but because of immense fury!

He couldn't figure it out!

How did the crown disappear?!

Could it be… could that brat Lu Yuan have hidden the crown somewhere else at the last moment?

Where the hell would he hide it?

And in that situation, how could he have had the chance?!

Or… A terrifying thought suddenly flashed through Bedrock’s mind, recalling Lu Yuan’s various actions.

And the moment he was struck by the strange Frost Flame Power!

That power… was too bizarre!

It completely exceeded his understanding of Lu Yuan's strength!

A dreadful idea took root.

Lu Yuan… could he not have died completely?!

Or, did he have some special means to protect the crown at the moment of “death,” and even… himself?

“No… impossible…”

Bedrock slumped onto the chair, distraught, muttering to himself.

Everything he had meticulously planned, his betrayal at immense risk, the heavy price he had paid… could it all, in the end, be for nothing?!

“Ah ah ah ah—!!!”

Bedrock suddenly raised his head and let out a roar!

“Bang!”

He slammed his fist heavily onto the hard mahogany tabletop!

“Crack!”

The thick tabletop shattered in response! Wood chips flew!

“Lu Yuan!!!”

He gritted his teeth, squeezing out these two words.

He had calculated everything!

He even exposed his identity as a core member of the ‘Fire Seed’ organization and personally intervened to intercept and kill him!

And the result?!

All his efforts were in vain!

And he got himself into a lot of trouble!

This was tantamount to betraying two people?

That Old Flame Spirit would never let it go!

He knew better than anyone what the loss of the flame heart crown meant to the Flame Spirit race!

Once the Old Elf traced it back to him… Bedrock shivered.

Even more troublesome was the organization… If they found out that he, for the sake of secretly keeping the flame heart crown, not only failed the mission but also might expose the stronghold… and even tarnish the organization’s reputation… the consequences would be unimaginable!

He was only a core member!

Not a high-ranking member of the ‘Fire Seed’!

For a long time.

Bedrock pondered, then slowly said:

“Lu Yuan…”

“Even if you really survived, so what?”

“The flame heart crown must be mine!”

He would not give up!

Never!

He closed his eyes, carefully recalling everything that had happened in the spatial turbulence.

Every detail.

Lu Yuan’s expression, his movements, the changes in his Source Power… And… Bedrock’s eyes suddenly snapped open!

That’s right!

That little thing!

That Flame Sprite!

Later, when he killed Lu Yuan and snatched the backpack, he casually… stuffed that little sprite into the side pocket of the backpack!

He suddenly pounced on the pile of miscellaneous items, grabbing the tattered backpack.

In an inconspicuous small pocket on the side, he fumbled.

He found it!

A warm, furry little thing!

It was hiding there, trembling!

Bedrock pulled out the little thing.

It was precisely that Flame Sprite, Little Red.

At this moment, Little Red looked listless, its tiny body curled into a ball, and its flame-like fur was dim.

Seeing Bedrock, it let out a faint “chirp, chirp” sound.

Bedrock’s face showed ill intent.

“Little thing…”

He pinched Little Red’s neck with two fingers, lifting it to his eye level.

“There must be some special connection between you two, right?”

Little Red struggled in terror, but it couldn't break free from Bedrock’s grip.

“Tell me…”

“Where is he?”

“Don’t try to deceive me. The secret arts of my ‘Fire Seed’ are not something a little thing like you can resist.”

He was preparing to use a highly sinister tracking secret art from the organization.

Using the soul of a living creature as a guide to trace its deepest bond.

The cost was not small, but for the flame heart crown, everything was worth it!