# 134
**Chapter 134: Hidden Stakes**
Training camp.
The half of the camp that had been blown away by missiles had now been fully restored. Even the road signs had been repainted. If not for the scorch marks still visible on some buildings, no one would believe this place had suffered a major catastrophe.
The once-crowded cafeteria was now empty of recruits. Only a dozen or so instructors sat leisurely around a long table, eating lunch.
“Honestly, now that the recruits are gone, life feels a bit dull,” one instructor sighed.
“Missing the feeling of yelling at people, huh?”
“Hahaha, if you put it that way… maybe a little.”
“Speaking of which, I haven’t seen Han Li in ages. Where’d that kid run off to?”
“No idea. Not just him—several instructors have disappeared. Said they’re on a secret mission.”
“Secret mission?” One instructor raised an eyebrow. “You think it’s related to the previous attack?”
“No clue. But I’ve been feeling something off lately…”
“Off how?”
“Can’t quite explain it. Just a weird pressure in the air…”
“You’re overthinking it.”
“…”
The instructors chatted casually. Just as they were finishing their meal, two figures entered the cafeteria.
Seeing the man in the lead, all the instructors stood and saluted.
“Chief!”
“Good morning, Chief!”
Yuan Gang’s face was grim as he walked slowly toward them. His eyes locked onto one of the instructors, a silent authority radiating from him.
Behind him, Instructor Hong carried several documents, his expression calm.
Under Yuan Gang’s gaze, the instructor’s face turned pale. He pressed his lips together, his saluting arm trembling slightly.
The others sensed the tension and held their breath.
“Why?” Yuan Gang asked slowly.
The instructor opened his mouth, voice hoarse. “Chief… what do you mean…?”
“Li Yaoguang. You enlisted in 1989. I remember you. When I was still a captain, you were under my command.” Yuan Gang calmly spoke his name.
“Chief…”
“Why?”
“…” Li Yaoguang’s body trembled uncontrollably. He lowered his head, his face drained of color.
“Li Yaoguang.” Instructor Hong, standing behind, opened the file in his hand. “On November 14th, at 9:42 PM, the southeast gate surveillance captured you sneaking out of camp. Where were you going?
On November 26th, during the third field training, you disappeared from footage for two hours. Where were you then?
On December 7th, two suspicious transfers were made to your parents’ bank accounts—two million and three million. Where did that money come from?
On the day of the attack, you sent two encrypted messages via satellite phone. Thirty seconds later, another three million was deposited into your account. You—”
“Stop!”
Li Yaoguang suddenly shouted, his strength drained, face pale as paper. He covered his face with trembling hands and sobbed:
“I didn’t want to… I didn’t… they took my parents in my hometown, I…”
Yuan Gang stared at him for a moment, then looked away. “Save it. You’ll have plenty of time to explain at the Night Watch tribunal in Shangjing City. If nothing unexpected happens, you’ll spend the rest of your life in the Purification Chamber.”
Before anyone could recover from the shock, Yuan Gang spoke two more names.
“Wang Gui. Wu Ruotong.”
The two instructors froze, their faces turning ashen.
“Unbelievable… a mere recruit training camp, and they managed to plant three hidden stakes. What a grand gesture.”
Yuan Gang sneered.
The other instructors turned sharply, eyes wide with disbelief. Wang Gui and Wu Ruotong exchanged a glance—and then struck!
Clang—!!
Two short blades flashed in their hands, stabbing toward Yuan Gang’s throat like lightning!
Their movements were too fast. The other instructors didn’t even react. Only afterimages remained in the air.
Yuan Gang snorted. A golden ripple exploded from his body like a shockwave. The force slammed into Wang Gui and Wu Ruotong like twin hammers, sending them flying.
They crashed into tables and chairs, toppling dishes with a clatter. Struggling to rise, they coughed up blood.
Yuan Gang stood with hands behind his back, his eyes as cold as a frozen lake.
“Heh…” Wang Gui staggered to his feet. Despite the overwhelming power gap, there was no despair in his eyes—only madness.
“Yuan Gang, Lord Yiyu asked us to deliver a gift…”
Wang Gui and Wu Ruotong grinned grotesquely. Their bodies ballooned like inflating balloons. A strange red light burst from within!
Yuan Gang’s eyes narrowed. He stomped the ground. A golden ripple surged upward, forming a bell-shaped barrier that sealed the two inside.
Pop—!!
Their bodies exploded in a flash of red. Flesh and blood splattered against the golden bell. The red shockwave raged within but couldn’t break free. It finally vented downward, carving a deep circular pit into the ground.
When the red light faded, Yuan Gang waved away the golden barrier. Blood and gore slid down the pit walls. A foul stench filled the air.
The surrounding instructors’ faces turned pale.
“Yiyu?” Instructor Hong frowned. “So they were brainwashed… When did the Church of the Ancient Gods get to them?”
Yuan Gang stared at the bloody remains, fury blazing in his eyes, his chest heaving.
He snorted coldly and turned toward the cafeteria exit. His eyes shimmered with faint gold. A crushing pressure erupted from him, making it hard to breathe.
“This farce has gone on long enough. It ends now.”
He walked out step by step. Though his pace was unhurried, afterimages trailed behind him.
In moments, Yuan Gang vanished from sight.
Instructor Hong watched his departure and muttered:
“The Chief… is angry.”