C9 Ghost Fox' Zhou Mo

Lau Ruyan made her way back to the apartment through the original window, and Lin Hann emerged from her shadow.

"Hann, you've truly mastered this ability to its fullest," Lau Ruyan marveled. She was familiar with Shadow Escape, yet she had never managed to use it with Lin Hann's effortless grace. The key difference lay in the ability to switch places between shadows. Without Lin Hann's help, Lau Ruyan would have been reluctant to reveal her identity, and snatching the jade plate from Liu Tianlin would have been far from easy.

Lin Hann handed the jade plate to Lau Ruyan, asking, "Ms. Yan, what's this?"

Earlier, on the outskirts of the city, Lau Ruyan and Lin Hann had been on a hillside, out of earshot of Zhou Mo and the others' conversation. Consequently, they were clueless about the significance of their spoils.

Taking the jade plate, Lau Ruyan examined it closely for a moment before saying with some uncertainty, "The design on this seems to be an ancient Huaxia totem, from the era before the Great Xia, when people revered nature and created these symbols."

Unsure of its purpose, Lau Ruyan decided Lin Hann should keep it for the time being.

After securing the jade plate, Lin Hann mentioned, "By the way, Ms. Yan, I've replicated Liu Tianlin's superpower."

Intrigued, Lau Ruyan nodded. "Show me," she urged.

Lin Hann focused on the progress bar for Elemental Fire in the Spirit Space. Channeling Spiritual Energy, he conjured a ball of orange flame in his hand. Remarkably, the flame was merely warm to the touch, causing no discomfort. Lin Hann then skillfully morphed the flame into various shapes: fire guns, fire bows, fire swords...

Lau Ruyan watched Lin Hann's playful display, shaking her head in amusement. It wasn't until he seemed satisfied with his creations that he dispersed the flames from his palm.

Then, Lau Ruyan posed a question, "Hann, do you know why the capital's four great clans, and other powerful families like the Ye family, have remained so strong over the years?"

Lin Hann shook his head, puzzled by the sudden inquiry.

Lau Ruyan cleared her throat and began, "The reason our prestigious families have stood the test of time is due to the immense power of our inherited abilities. As long as our lineage persists, we can always make a comeback."

Lin Hann was skeptical and posed a question, "But an elder of mine once said that there's no hierarchy of strength when it comes to superpowers. The true strength lies within the wielder of the superpower."

Lau Ruyan, aware that Lin Hann was referring to the Dark King, smiled and responded, "Your elder isn't wrong. However, consider the might of the person who made that statement. At his level, his word is law. But how many can actually reach such heights? Without the power to dominate all, there is indeed a spectrum of strength among superpowers."

Lin Hann nodded, beginning to grasp the concept. "I see your point. So, what makes your family's superpowers so formidable?"

Lau Ruyan explained, "Take the Liu family's superpower, for instance. Theirs is 'Elemental Fire.' Once a Liu family disciple awakens this superpower, they command all aspects of the Fire Element. Yet, there are many other fire-based superpower users out there whose abilities pale in comparison. They might only possess a fraction of the power, like mere fire control, Fire Element immunity, or fire transformation. The Liu family, however, controls the full spectrum of the Fire Element!"

Lin Hann now fully understood Lau Ruyan's point about the varying strengths of superpowers. For example, a superpower user with the ability to control fire would stand no chance against Liu Tianlin, assuming they were of similar skill levels. Liu Tianlin would be completely immune to their Fire Element attacks, while they would not, giving Liu Tianlin a decisive advantage.

"Our superpowers are incredibly versatile, offering both potent offensive capabilities and robust defenses. There's a reason our families have upheld these traditions for generations," Lau Ruyan remarked with a touch of nostalgia.

Inspired, Lin Hann gained a new perspective. With Lau Ruyan's mentorship, he resumed his superpower training with renewed vigor.

While Lin Hann and Lau Ruyan were deep in conversation, another part of Hui City was far from peaceful.

At the Zhou family estate, in Zhou Mo's study, three people were seated and enjoying tea: Zhou Mo, Liu Tianlin, and a striking woman in her thirties.

"Aunt, Uncle, we simply cannot let this slide with the Lee family! How dare they oppose our Liu family!" Liu Tianlin banged his fist on the table, clearly struggling to come to terms with the evening's defeat.

Zhou Mo took a leisurely sip of tea and said calmly, "Tianlin, the Lee family certainly won't let this go. But have you noticed anything odd about tonight's events?"

"Do you mean..." Influenced by Zhou Mo's composure, Liu Tianlin also began to settle down. The night's events were supposed to be covert. How could the Lee family have gotten wind of it and ambushed them?

"Furthermore, Tianlin, do you know who ultimately made off with the jade plate?" Zhou Mo was particularly interested in this detail.

Liu Tianlin shook his head, "They didn't show their faces. All I know is that it was a man and a woman. The woman didn't use any spiritual energy, but the man's abilities were peculiar, resembling Shadow Escape, yet far more agile."

Zhou Mo chuckled, "Tianlin, don't you find it odd that the woman didn't use her abilities? And yet, she easily evaded the Liu family's Fire Element control. She's clearly well-acquainted with the Liu family and cautious about revealing her powers. My guess is that she's most likely Lau Ruyan from the Lau family! And it's no coincidence that the Lee family's involvement is somehow connected to her."

Zhou Mo had pieced together the situation from just a few hints from Liu Tianlin, showcasing the shrewdness that had enabled him to establish the Zhou family's legacy. Lau Ruyan's experience in the martial world was evidently too limited; she had underestimated Zhou Mo.

Liu Tianlin had an epiphany upon hearing Zhou Mo's analysis and couldn't help but feel a newfound respect for his uncle by marriage. Recalling how his father and grandfather had insisted he heed his uncle's advice before departing, he had initially dismissed it. Now, he understood why his uncle had earned the moniker 'Ghost Fox' in the martial arts world—it was well-deserved.

His speech unintentionally took on a respectful tone as he inquired, "Uncle, what do you think our next move should be?"

Zhou Mo, cleaning his glasses, responded, "All we can do now is wait quietly." His tone was tinged with resignation. "The Ye family really calls the shots in Hui City. We can get away with minor disruptions, but any major upheaval won't be tolerated by them."

"That means confronting the Lee family and Lau Ruyan head-on is unlikely. I need to devise a careful plan."

Liu Tianlin nodded in agreement. At this point, he had no choice but to depend on Zhou Mo; a misstep could drastically alter his family's perception of him.

Zhou Mo was an exceptional individual with enhanced cognitive abilities. Though his physical prowess was significantly above average, it was his intellectual development that truly set him apart. He could discern the core of many issues at a glance. While not a formidable fighter, his strategic value often surpassed that of those with combat-oriented powers. He was reminiscent of the strategist Gongjin from the Three Kingdoms period, who could effortlessly change the course of events.

He revisited the details he had previously overlooked and suddenly recalled seeing Lau Ruyan at the Ye family gathering with a young man. Their interaction suggested a close bond.

"This could be the breakthrough we need," Zhou Mo mused.

Neither Lau Ruyan nor Lin Hann could have imagined that Zhou Mo would piece together Lin Hann's involvement from such fragmented clues.

Zhou Mo promptly had someone dig up information on Lin Hann. Turning to Liu Tianlin, who still looked troubled, he offered reassurance.

"Tianlin, there's no need to dwell on this matter," Zhou Mo said with a reassuring smile. "Our objective tonight was to locate the key to the ruins, and we've done just that. It's merely in Lau Ruyan's possession for the time being, but it will inevitably end up back in our hands. Take this time to unwind in Hui City. With me here, the Lau family's young lady won't be able to stir up any significant trouble."

With his glasses on, a confident glint shone in Zhou Mo's eyes.

Early the next morning, Lin Hann's information was already laid out on Zhou Mo's desk.

As Zhou Mo ate his breakfast, he perused Lin Hann's file, finding it increasingly peculiar.

In essence, Lin Hann's life before the age of 14 was a complete blank, with no records from Hui City or before—it was as if he had materialized from nowhere. From the age of 14 until a month ago, he was nothing more than an extraordinarily average poor kid. According to the assassin who attempted to kill Lau Ruyan, Lin Hann was also at the scene that night, but merely as an ordinary person.

"So, Lin Hann has only recently had the stroke of luck to awaken his abilities, and his involvement with Lau Ruyan was purely accidental?" Zhou Mo mused. He had an intuition that Lin Hann was far from simple, certainly not as ordinary as he appeared.

Zhou Mo was aware that for people like him, intuition was no longer mere speculation, but rather a reflection of facts his subconscious had pieced together.

"I just wonder how deep Lin Hann's ties are with Ye Botao of the Ye family. What a nuisance..." Zhou Mo felt a headache brewing. He hadn't anticipated this young man having connections with the Ye family patriarch, especially since Hui City was under their influence. If not for that, he would have simply taken the boy into custody.

The thought of Lee Haoxuan crossed Zhou Mo's mind, and with it, a plan began to take shape.

Meanwhile, Lin Hann was in Lau Ruyan's room, engaged in 'training.'

"Turn up the heat! Is this the best you can do?" Lau Ruyan called out.

In the kitchen, Lin Hann was sweating profusely. At Lau Ruyan's command, he was using the Fire Element in his right hand to grill a steak for her.

Moments later, Lau Ruyan stepped closer and infused the steak with a touch of pure energy from the Wood Department, foregoing any other seasonings.

Lin Hann extinguished the flame and plated the steak. Lau Ruyan savored a bite, chewing thoughtfully before remarking, "Indeed, the most natural flavors are the most exquisite!"

Lin Hann continued to gaze at Lau Ruyan until she felt uneasy under his stare.

Putting down her fork, Lau Ruyan exclaimed, "Oh, come on, I only asked for a small favor. Do you really need to stare at me like that?" With that, she handed Lin Hann a letter.

Lin Hann opened it with curiosity and, after reading, fell into deep thought.