# 552
Chapter 553: Leap
“Why are you here?” Chen Han stared at them, stunned. “Didn’t you leave Anta County long ago?”
Lin Qiye smiled. “We came back.”
Chen Han gazed at them blankly for a moment, and fragments of memory suddenly surfaced in his mind.
“I still have a few students… they’re pretty proud of me…”
“Mm, they’re amazing. They’re the fifth reserve team… maybe even the fifth special team by now…”
In that instant, Chen Han felt as if he’d returned to that snowy night.
That same young man had stood in the freezing, dilapidated house, Straight Blade pointed at his nose, declaring:
“I’m Lin Qiye, reserve captain of Night Watch’s fifth special team. It is my sorrowful duty to inform you that Li Deyang, captain of Team 332, died heroically in battle against the Red-Armored Ant Queen…”
A realization struck Chen Han; shock flashed in his eyes.
“You really are the fifth special team! Students of the Sword Saint!”
Lin Qiye sighed helplessly. “You’re only believing us now?”
Chen Han was speechless.
When Lin Qiye had first told him, he hadn’t fully believed it—he’d never heard any news of a fifth special team, so he’d remained skeptical.
Only now did it truly hit him… these people really were Great Xia’s fifth special team.
They hadn’t lied.
“You… couldn’t have come through the fog again, right?” Chen Han asked.
“That’s right.”
Chen Han’s expression turned odd.
Back then he’d doubted them, even drawn his blade on Lin Qiye, and relations had been poor right up to their departure. He never expected that just a few months later they’d cross the fog once more and return to protect the townsfolk.
The situation was… awkward.
Roar—roar—roar—!!
Bestial howls rolled like thunder from the rapidly approaching tide of “mysteries,” echoing across the sky.
Lin Qiye glanced over, his face grave. He exchanged looks with the others, then lowered his head and fastened his mask.
“You’re going to stop those ‘mysteries’?” Chen Han blurted. “I’m coming too!”
Lin Qiye turned, surprised. “You want to charge the beast tide with us?”
Chen Han nodded firmly.
“You’re too weak.” Lin Qiye shook his head. “Per Night Watch regulations, when a local team faces an incident beyond its capability, it may request special-team support. This city’s plight exceeds your limits, and we’re the only special team present. You don’t need to join; protecting this place is our job.”
Chen Han hesitated, then frowned. “But the rules don’t say locals can’t act freely after a special team takes over.”
Lin Qiye pointed at the horde radiating terrifying auras. “The weakest of those ‘mysteries’ is at the ‘Pool’ realm. Rush in and you’ll be shredded in two seconds.”
“I can provide rear-line healing.”
“Why are you so set on facing the beast tide?” Lin Qiye asked, puzzled.
“I’m not ‘set’ on it—I’m upholding my team’s duty. This is Anta County, garrison of Night Watch Team 332, my post. I can’t join the Sword Saint’s battle, but against the tide I can contribute, however small.
Team 332 is Great Xia’s lowest-ranked, smallest, weakest squad.
So what?
Does being weak mean forever hiding behind others, waiting for them to fix everything?”
He pulled out his Coat of Arms and said solemnly, “Ranked last we may be, but we’re still Night Watch, same as you. In whatever way I can, I want to help this city.”
The other teammates looked to Lin Qiye.
Lin Qiye studied the emblem, then Chen Han’s resolute face—clearly matured since their last meeting.
After a moment he smiled slightly.
“Nice speech; you’ve moved me… Qingyu, tie him up.”
Chen Han: ?
An Qingyu flicked a finger; invisible threads bound Chen Han tight.
Stunned, Chen Han stared at Lin Qiye. “What are you doing? Even a special team can’t interfere with a local squad’s actions—”
“We can’t,” Lin Qiye agreed, “but what does that have to do with me tying you up and tossing you back?”
“??? You’re ignoring the rules?!”
Lin Qiye chuckled. “Go ask the Sword Saint when our team ever followed rules.”
He turned away calmly. “Jialan, throw him back.”
Jialan, in deep-blue hanfu, strode up, lifted the trussed Chen Han like a chick, and hurled him toward the city.
Chen Han sailed off in a sorry arc.
“Stay alive,” Lin Qiye called with a faint smile. “Maybe when you get back, you’ll meet that person… If you die, we’ll have a hard time explaining to him.”
Once Chen Han vanished from sight, Lin Qiye faced the onrushing tide of “mysteries.”
He swept a hand through the air; a summoning array flashed, and a snow-white long knife appeared. Darkness spread rapidly beneath his feet.
Beside him—
Baili Pangpang raised a finger; a huge Taiji Eight-Trigram diagram unfurled beneath them.
Cao Yuan rested his hand on his blade.
Jialan, wooden bow on her back, gripped her golden spear.
An Qingyu adjusted his glasses; a gray glint flashed in his eyes.
Shen Qingzhu lit a cigarette, exhaled, and rubbed the black ring on his middle finger.
Jiang Er floated upward, hands lifting; the surrounding magnetic field warped.
“Fifth Special Team!” From beneath the Sun Wukong mask, Lin Qiye’s eyes blazed. He stared at the roaring horde and shouted,
“Leap!!”
—Whoosh!
Beneath the gloomy sky,
seven figures sprang from the shattered rooftop, diving headlong into the howling black clouds,
without hesitation,
they jumped!