233: Chapter 233 Guards, Testing

A night passed.

Chen Ran stood by the window, watching the sky outside gradually brighten, his eyes calm.

Last night, he noticed people monitoring outside his courtyard. Those people watched for a while but didn't make any moves, just keeping watch the entire night.

Therefore, he wasn't in a rush to act.

Since the other party was holding their ground, he was happy to remain at leisure.

After the sky fully brightened, Chen Ran simply left as usual, heading straight toward the Demon-Slaying Squad.

Those secret gazes monitoring him from behind remained, like flies that couldn't be shaken off.

However, they maintained a reasonable distance and did not get too close.

...

In a hidden corner of the capital.

Several men wearing City Defense Army uniforms gathered together. One of them lowered his voice and reported, "Boss, that Chen Ran has left the house and is heading toward the Demon-Slaying Squad."

The leader was a middle-aged man with a sinister face. He narrowed his eyes, his fingers tapping lightly on the tabletop.

"Should we make a move?" a subordinate asked.

The middle-aged man shook his head. "There are too many eyes and ears right now. With so many people on the street, it's too easy to leave traces if we act."

"The superiors specifically told us to act quickly and not cause a scene."

He paused, then said coldly, "Keep watching. Wait until nightfall. If there are no surprises, we will act then. The day is too crowded; night is better for getting things done."

"Yes!"

The men acknowledged and dispersed.

...

At dusk.

The setting sun slanted westward, painting the horizon with a layer of blood-red sunset clouds.

After slaying a demon as usual, Chen Ran finished his day's training and walked out of the Demon-Slaying Squad's entrance.

The street remained lively, with pedestrians bustling back and forth, shoulder to shoulder. The sounds of hawking and bargaining rose and fell, looking no different than usual.

He wore a calm expression as he strode down the street.

Passing by a lamb offal shop, the air was filled with the pungent aroma of mutton, and the shop assistants were busy attending to customers.

Click.

Chen Ran stopped. He suddenly realized the sunlight in front of him had been blocked.

A tall, dark shadow had appeared before him at some unknown moment, blocking his path.

It was a burly man, over two meters tall, with a square face and an aura of a wild beast emanating from him.

Yet Chen Ran remained calm, showing no reaction whatsoever to the person before him.

The surrounding pedestrians seemed not to notice this person who had suddenly appeared, continuing about their own business.

The dark-shadowed man lowered his voice, his tone deep and hoarse: "Someone is monitoring you."

Chen Ran paused slightly.

"I know," he said calmly.

The dark figure continued, "What do you plan to do next?"

The big man seemed to be a man of few words, only popping out one or two sentences at a time.

Chen Ran looked up at him and recognized this as the guard the Lin family had originally arranged for him, who seemed to be called "Grey Wolf."

This guard was certainly dutiful.

He thought for a moment and said calmly, "Handle it."

Grey Wolf was slightly taken aback, then nodded, "Understood."

There was not a shred of unnecessary chatter.

Chen Ran turned and continued walking forward, while Grey Wolf's figure vanished into the crowd, as if he had never appeared at all.

The street remained bustling; no one noticed what had just happened.

After winding through several alleys,

Chen Ran walked back to his courtyard, pushed the door open, entered, and closed it behind him.

The courtyard was quiet.

He sat inside the room, poured a cup of tea, and drank it slowly.

The sky outside gradually grew dark.

...

Night fell.

The nights in the capital were always especially quiet.

Especially in the area where Chen Ran lived, which was relatively remote and seemed even more deserted after nightfall.

In a dark alley.

Those men resembling the City Defense Army gathered together once more.

The middle-aged leader looked toward Chen Ran's courtyard, a cold light flashing in his eyes.

"We've watched all day. That kid just went back to his courtyard to sleep, and there are no experts nearby. It looks like a good opportunity."

He turned to his subordinates, "Let's move. Quick and decisive."

"Yes!"

The men acknowledged, their figures flashing as they crept toward Chen Ran's courtyard.

Their movements were fast and stealthy; they were clearly well-trained.

Within a few breaths, they had reached the outside of the courtyard wall.

The leader raised his hand, signaling his subordinates to surround the place.

Just then.

A faint chill emanated from behind them.

The leader's heart skipped a beat, and he turned abruptly.

Only to find no one behind him.

"What's going on?" He frowned deeply.

His subordinates also felt that something was wrong and began to guard themselves.

"Who's there?"

One person hissed.

No response.

Only the rustling of the night wind through the leaves.

Just as they were nervously looking around, a tall, pitch-black figure appeared beside them at some unknown moment.

The figure was over two meters tall, shrouded in a black cloak, nearly blending into the darkness of the night.

The City Defense Army men turned their heads sharply, and upon seeing the dark figure, their pupils constricted suddenly.

"Who are you?" the leader barked.

The dark figure did not answer.

The next moment.

A flash of cold light.

Squelch—

Blood splattered.

The leader didn't even have time to react before his throat was slit by a sharp blade, and warm blood flowed down his neck.

His eyes were filled with terror. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but could only emit an indistinct gurgling sound.

With a thud, his body collapsed limply to the ground.

The others were greatly alarmed.

"Enemy attack!"

But before they could even shout it out, the dark figure moved again.

The speed was astonishingly fast.

Almost in the blink of an eye, the dark figure rushed before them.

The cold light flashed again.

Squelch! Squelch!

A series of sounds of flesh tearing rang out.

The City Defense Army men didn't even have time to draw their weapons before they were cleanly and efficiently had their throats slit by the dark figure.

The entire process took less than ten breaths.

Clean, neat, without the slightest hesitation.

The dark figure stood amidst the several corpses, shook the sharp blade in his hand, and blood droplets were shaken onto the ground.

He looked up toward the courtyard, then his figure flashed and vanished into the night.

...

Inside the courtyard.

Chen Ran sat inside the room, holding a teacup, his expression calm.

He closed his eyes, his Mental Energy spreading out, taking everything in the surroundings into his perception.

He saw everything that had just happened outside clearly.

"Resolved."

Chen Ran opened his eyes and said calmly.

Under his perception, most of those City Defense Army men were at the Fifth Grade Realm, which was quite decent among ordinary Martial Artists.

But if compared to the guard sent by the Lin family, they were much weaker.

Chen Ran put down the teacup, stood up, and walked to the window.

The night was deep, the moonlight like water.

The nights in the capital still seemed so quiet.

As if nothing had ever happened.

Only a faint smell of blood drifted toward the front, carried by the night wind.

"City Defense Army..."

Chen Ran narrowed his eyes. Although these City Defense Army men had decent strength, they were not considered dangerous at all.

It seemed the people behind this hadn't given up, sending the City Defense Army to monitor him, and even intending to make a move.

"Unfortunately, if they want to move against me, they have to see if they have the capability..."

Chen Ran turned, returned to the table, sat back down, and continued drinking his tea.

The matter outside had nothing to do with him anymore.

As for how to handle those corpses, that was Grey Wolf's business; the Lin family would certainly handle it.

However, judging from this attack, the people behind it were merely probing.

They likely wouldn't be able to find any useful clues.