# 533
**Chapter 533: Walkie-Talkie**
Shangjing City.
Night Watch Headquarters.
A crisp ringtone echoed through the office, drawing everyone’s attention. Ye Fan, seated at the head of the conference table, frowned slightly and glanced down at his phone, a flicker of confusion in his eyes.
After a moment of silence, he stood up slowly, phone in hand.
“This meeting has gone on for nine hours. It’s time for a final decision...
I believe I’ve made the stakes abundantly clear.”
Ye Fan’s gaze swept across the room as he spoke calmly:
“This is the final vote on whether Night Watch Commander-in-Chief Ye Fan shall be granted absolute authority—command, control, and full resource allocation—over all combat-capable forces of the Night Watch across Great Xia during the impending crisis.”
In the hushed conference room, the seven other senior Night Watch officials hesitated briefly before slowly raising their hands.
Five in favor.
One against.
One abstention.
Ye Fan nodded slightly and said in a deep voice, “Then, from this moment on, I will assume full control of the Night Watch. All personnel and resources will obey my orders without question...
Meeting adjourned.”
Ye Fan exited the conference room with his phone and documents in hand, walking to a corner window on the same floor before answering the call.
“Hello?”
“Commander Ye, this is Lin Qiye,” came the voice from the other end.
“Mm.” Ye Fan glanced at the time. “You should’ve arrived in Shangjing by now?”
“We’re here.”
“The 006 team stationed in Shangjing City still has a lot on their plate. You’re free to move around the city for today. The final match will be held tomorrow morning. The 006 team will send someone to brief you on the format.”
“Commander Ye, I didn’t call about that.”
Ye Fan raised an eyebrow. “Then what is it?”
“I want to know where the Sword Saint went.”
Ye Fan froze.
“Why are you asking?”
“For certain reasons, I received a premonition about his future...” Lin Qiye paused, then said solemnly, “He’s in great danger. He... might die.”
Ye Fan’s hand holding the phone trembled. His pupils contracted as he stood motionless like a statue.
After a long silence, he spoke slowly:
“He’s... in the fog.”
“The fog?” Lin Qiye’s voice rose slightly. “Why would he go into the fog?”
Ye Fan briefly recounted the events over the phone.
“Wind God, Anta County, Fengdu, the fog...” Lin Qiye murmured. “How long has he been gone?”
“32 hours.”
Lin Qiye fell silent for a moment. “Commander Ye, can we... postpone the final assessment?”
“Postpone the assessment?” Ye Fan frowned. “And then what? Do you want to go into the fog to save the Sword Saint?
Anta County has been in the fog for 32 hours. Do you even know where it is now?
Even if you did, how would you survive in the fog?
How would you catch up to it? Are you faster than the Sword Saint?
And if you do catch up, what then?
With your current strength, what help could you possibly offer?”
“...” Lin Qiye was speechless.
“This matter is far more complicated than you think. It’s not just about one city... It concerns the safety of all Great Xia.
Even if you were already a special team, you might not be qualified to get involved.”
Ye Fan’s voice was grave.
“You are not Great Xia’s top combat force. You are the seeds of that force.
And seeds... are the future.
What you need to do now is grow under our protection. One day, you will replace us and become the shield of Great Xia.
But not today.”
Ye Fan hung up.
He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, his gaze fixed on the city outside the window, his expression complex.
Zuo Qing, who had been standing silently beside him, sighed.
“Though your words make sense, your tone was a bit harsh.”
Ye Fan stared out the window for a long time, then shook his head. “I just don’t want them to end up like the Blue Rain squad... They’re too young.”
“Regardless, you’ve secured absolute command,” Zuo Qing shrugged. “Are you confident?”
“Perhaps.” Ye Fan said calmly, “Great Xia has no other choice now.”
“What about Zhou Ping?”
“Do you believe in Zhou Ping?”
Zuo Qing was stunned. “He’s the Sword Saint. Of course I believe in him, but...”
“Then do you believe in me?” Ye Fan turned to Zuo Qing, his eyes more serious than ever.
“I do.”
Zuo Qing didn’t hesitate.
“Good.” Ye Fan nodded slightly. “Then trust me—no rescue mission for Zhou Ping will be dispatched.”
“But what if...”
Ye Fan gave him a look, and Zuo Qing fell silent.
“Go to the central server room and send a message to Guan Zai—tell him to come out of seclusion immediately.
Notify all Human Apex, except Zhou Ping, to head to the Great Xia border at once.
Also...
Awaken Special Team 001.”
Ye Fan issued several commands in succession, his expression grave.
Zuo Qing’s face changed at the final order. “Is it really that serious?”
“This concerns the fate of the nation. We must prepare in advance.”
“Understood.”
Zuo Qing nodded and hurried off.
Once Zuo Qing was gone, Ye Fan stood in place for a moment, as if deep in thought...
Finally, as if having made a decision, he turned and walked down the corridor.
He pushed open the door to the Commander-in-Chief’s office, stepped inside, locked the door behind him, and sat at his desk.
He bent down, pulled a key from his pocket, inserted it into the bottom drawer, turned it gently, and opened it.
Inside the drawer was a palm-sized mini safe.
He placed the safe on the desk and entered a twelve-digit password. With a soft click, it popped open.
From the safe, he took out a walkie-talkie.
It wasn’t large, but its design was peculiar—its surface looked like it was built from tiny pixel blocks. More like a Lego toy than a communication device.
Ye Fan adjusted it slightly, and a crackle of static came through.
The pixel-style walkie-talkie was fully functional.
He pressed the talk button.
A red indicator light turned on.
Ye Fan held the device in his hand, paused for a moment, and spoke slowly:
“It’s time to repay the favor you owe me...”