Starting to Gain Experience from Push-Ups Chapter 1188 - 577

"Hello?"

After removing his mask, Fang Cheng tapped the answer button and raised the phone to his ear.

"Brother Cheng, is everything alright on your end?"

Lin Chuqiao’s gentle voice filtered through the speaker, heavy with an urgency she struggled to conceal.

"I am perfectly fine, of course, nothing is amiss."

Fang Cheng replied with a laid-back air.

"Uh..."

Taken aback by his casual demeanor, Lin Chuqiao was briefly at a loss for words.

Witnessing this rare crack in her composed, usually efficient facade, Fang Cheng allowed a small smile to form as he queried: "Did you sense something just now?"

"Indeed."

Lin Chuqiao composed herself, took a breath, and organized her thoughts: "I had just finished bathing and was preparing to review some files, when suddenly my heart began to hammer against my ribs, as if you were beckoning me."

"Concerned, I dialed your number to see if you required assistance."

"Yet, you didn't answer after I called three times. I was quite frantic, unsure of the situation."

"In my distress, I couldn't quiet my mind, so I attempted the meditation technique you provided to try and reach you."

Her voice faltered, as if reliving an unnerving experience: "As I entered the meditative state, I was met with total darkness. The sun that symbolizes your consciousness was being consumed by blood-red clouds, much like a total eclipse."

"Terrified that you were in peril, I silently called out to you, but there was no response."

"Suddenly, the light from the obscured sun erupted, turning the sky into a tapestry of flames."

"I snapped my eyes open, feeling dizzy and mentally drained, as if I had overexerted my spirit with constant precognition."

"After that moment, I lost all sense of you..."

Her tone turned deeply anxious: "Brother Cheng, what exactly is happening over there?"

Fang Cheng gave a subtle nod in acknowledgment, his understanding clear.

It appeared the supernatural conflict in the inner world had bled into her consciousness.

To fend off the intrusive power of the Lord of Slaughter, he had been forced to consolidate the spiritual energy of every Believer via the Sun Heart Net.

While he successfully repelled the intruder, the massive energy drain inevitably rippled through those with a spiritual link to him.

These thoughts registered quickly, yet Fang Cheng kept his voice smooth and reassuring: "Do not fret. Some insignificant fool attempted a spiritual ambush, but I have already dealt with the matter."

"Was it someone from the Ideal Land?"

Lin Chuqiao’s voice trembled with alarm.

"No."

Fang Cheng walked to the window, gazing out at the quiet street: "Just a transient foreigner without any connections to the East Capital, who didn't even speak our language. Just an outsider mixed up with the criminal underworld."

At the mention of an outsider, Lin Chuqiao’s nerves visibly settled.

If this was merely a random encounter with a foreign individual, the implications were far less dire.

At the very least, such a person would lack the local influence or ties to established factions within the East Capital or Xia Country.

"That’s good... that’s wonderful..."

She whispered, exhaling in relief.

Fang Cheng could picture her on the other end, draped in silk, knitting her brows and calming her heart with a hand to her chest.

He lightened his tone: "It is quite late; are you still working?"

"Oh, and whose fault is that, you lazy slacker!"

Lin Chuqiao’s voice took on a playful, grumpy edge: "The construction of the new Illuminati bases, the security setups, and the ledgers... the workload is drowning me. I’m exhausted."

"And yet, you, the illustrious leader, are wandering about and having all the fun."

Her comment carried the distinct bite of a neglected wife complaining about her busy husband.

Fang Cheng chuckled and followed her lead: "Have Xu Kuan and Jiang Yun not been assisting you?"

"Them?"

Lin Chuqiao huffed with a hint of lazy exhaustion: "Xu Kuan is diligent, but he lacks initiative and only does exactly what he is told."

"As for Jiang Yun, she is far too slippery and cunning. I dare not trust her with the accounts, so I must handle them myself."

"It has been difficult for you."

Fang Cheng’s voice softened with sincerity: "Once this busy phase concludes, I will grant you an extended leave, and we shall go away together."

"You promised! Do not even think about backing out!"

His simple vow lifted her spirits, bringing a smile to her voice.

She paused for a second, seemingly flipping through papers, before pivoting: "By the way, speaking of foreigners... that Red Hair individual is taking a turn for the worse."

"What is the issue?"

Fang Cheng’s demeanor hardened: "Did the Professor not claim the operation was a success and that he would regain consciousness in a few days?"

"The surgery did succeed."

Lin Chuqiao’s voice grew grave: "But he suffered three gunshot wounds to his chest and abdomen, and the shrapnel inflicted massive internal hemorrhaging."

"Although the surgeons repaired the damage, the excessive blood loss triggered traumatic shock."

"He is currently suffering from multi-organ failure, his vitals are erratic, and his blood pressure and pulse are in a downward spiral."