Chapter 49: A Door Opens, Silence Falls

Stray Dogs Bar, Third Floor.

The advisor, equally anxious, said, “Everyone has agreed to take action, but expecting them to make the first move is unrealistic. The Vigil Keepers are already inside, right downstairs… The higher-ups are still in emergency discussions, but the consensus is that Yan Duoduo is bluffing. If a major conflict truly erupts tonight, it won’t just be him—a mere Black-rank Star Officer—who’ll be held accountable. Even the higher-ups at the Vigil Keepers Headquarters in the ancient city couldn’t bear the consequences.”

The Cripple leaned on his cane, torn with indecision.

Friends from the same faction were all saying they’d support him, but their support hinged on him showing some resolve.

Should he step out first?

That would be risky.

But if he didn’t take the initiative, and a conflict broke out between the Stray Dogs players and the Vigil Keepers, the situation could spiral out of control. If his allies wavered even slightly, the Stray Dogs organization would face catastrophe tonight…

The destruction of the organization would be far worse than being summoned to the Supernatural Arbitration Court for trial. After all, there were still people and matters in this world that the Cripple cared about deeply. He was painfully aware of this.

Yan Duoduo, Yan Duoduo… Are you bluffing, or are you truly out of your mind?

What to do?

The Cripple was deeply conflicted.

…

At the bar’s entrance.

Over thirty Stray Dogs players stood blocking the Vigil Keepers from Qingfu District. Their expressions were playful, their postures relaxed, as if they didn’t take Ren Ye and his team seriously at all.

Step!

Ren Ye ignored them, stepping onto the stairs and heading straight for the hall.

The long-haired Stray Dogs player in the lead blocked Ren Ye again, the Stellar Energy in his body fluctuating even more intensely.

“Are you trying to obstruct a Vigil Keeper in the line of duty?” Ren Ye pressed forward.

“I’m just standing here, not moving. How am I obstructing anything?”

“I advise you not to touch me,” Ren Ye said. Yet as he spoke, he deliberately moved closer to the other man.

“I didn’t touch you, and by the arbitration rules of Shanghai—”

Bang!

Before the man could finish, Ren Ye suddenly took three steps back, bumping into Huang Wei. He shouted, “He hit me!”

Huang Wei, supporting him, froze for a moment.

Ren Ye quickly turned his head and whispered, “Boss, you have to understand what Yan Duoduo is thinking. In a situation this big, anyone who hesitates will end up utterly defeated—crushed to pieces!”

“You think I need you to tell me?!” Huang Wei’s eyes bulged in anger as a fierce aura erupted from him.

“Performance Magic—Binding!”

Almost simultaneously, Gu Nian raised her magic wand.

A gray-white carrier pigeon flew overhead and exploded above the long-haired player’s head.

Swish! Swish!

Four steel rings dropped down, perfectly encircling the player’s body and tightening instantly, restraining him.

“Toxin—Paralysis!” Xu Peng suddenly summoned two emerald green beams of light, which wrapped around the long-haired player’s wrists.

A wave of numbness swept through him, and he instantly lost all sensation in his body. His eyes turned hazy.

Slash!

Slash!

Without hesitation, two heavy swords swung down from both sides.

Huang Wei’s crimson greatsword and Ren Ye’s Nation-Stabilizing Sword cut through without resistance.

Blood spurted onto the ceiling as the long-haired player, immobilized by dual crowd-controls, lost both arms in an instant and collapsed to his knees.

It all happened so quickly, so decisively, that the middle-aged boss hidden in the five-story hotel murmured with contracted pupils, “Are they really going to war?”

Four Vigil Keepers immediately stepped forward, grabbing the long-haired player by the hair and pinning him to the ground.

“This man violently resisted law enforcement and is now officially detained!” Ren Ye shouted, pointing his sword at the bleeding, armless player kneeling on the ground.

At the same time, Huang Wei, transformed into the Red Dog, roared in fury, “Anyone else want to try? Huh?!”

His voice echoed, spreading across half of Tongren Road. The onlookers grew visibly tense.

Inside the bar, a Stray Dogs player shouted excitedly, “If they’re going to ignore Tongren Road’s rules, then let’s fight!”

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

A series of Stellar Energy ripples exploded inside the room. The Stray Dogs players blocking the entrance appeared ready to make their move.

At another entrance to Tongren Road, Chen Hannan shouted anxiously, “Mr. Yan, should we apply more pressure? It looks like things are spiraling out of control!”

Yan Duoduo stood still, gazing intently ahead, saying nothing.

At the bar entrance, Huang Wei’s heart also raced as he looked at the players in front of him, yelling, “Prepare for combat!”

He didn’t want things to spiral out of control. He didn’t want Shanghai to plunge into chaos tonight. But the situation was now like an arrow on a drawn bowstring—there was no turning back.

At his command, the surrounding Vigil Keepers activated their abilities, preparing to engage.

“Everyone, stand down!”

At that moment, under immense pressure, the Cripple emerged from the shadows, walking toward the front door.

His elegant cane glimmered faintly. Behind him followed his advisor and several others as he steadily made his way forward.

When Huang Wei saw his appearance, he secretly sighed in relief. However, Ren Ye, standing beside him, glared with deep hatred. After all, this was the man who had nearly abducted his father and almost harmed his sister.

Feigning laziness, the Cripple’s expression remained calm as he walked to the entrance, positioning himself in the middle of Tongren Road. He looked down at Ren Ye with an air of disdain.

“…A child pushed into the spotlight—do you really have the authority to enforce the law? Can you bear the consequences?”

“Hand me the summons,” Ren Ye said flatly, glancing at him before turning to Huang Wei.

Without hesitation, Huang Wei handed over the summons notification from the Vigil Keepers in the Qingfu District.

Taking it, Ren Ye stood on the steps, surrounded by countless watchful eyes. Straightening his posture, he solemnly opened the summons and read aloud:

“Qian Zheng, leader of the Shanghai Stray Dogs organization, is formally summoned to assist in the investigation of allegations made by two arrested individuals. They accuse him of providing shelter and protection in connection with three recent violent incidents.”

His voice echoed, and silence fell over the scene.

The Cripple glanced at the onlookers out of the corner of his eye, a faint smile appearing on his face. “The accusations of criminals—what credibility or validity do they have? Those people are capable of anything! If someone wants to frame me, they’ll always find an excuse!”

Ignoring him, Ren Ye finished reading, took a step forward, and pointed to the ground.

“Put your hands on your head and get on your knees!”

“???”

The Cripple froze, stunned, unsure how to respond.

Was he really being treated like some low-level street thug? Even if he were truly being summoned, there was no way he would comply with such a humiliating demand in front of so many people on Tongren Road.

He was a Tier 2 player!

This action not only confused him but also shocked many of the observers, including Yan Duoduo, Chen Hannan, and other notable figures watching from the sidelines.

Given the already volatile situation, even if the case were legitimate, there was no need to demand such a public display of submission. Stripping the Cripple of his dignity like this was entirely out of line for a low-profile resolution.

Yan Duoduo’s eyes gleamed as he watched the scene unfold.

“I told you to kneel down!!” Ren Ye’s persistent gaze bore into the Cripple as he repeated the command, pointing firmly at the ground.

In that instant, the Cripple realized something. Ren Ye wasn’t here to arrest him—he was deliberately provoking him. If he allowed himself to be provoked, he might retaliate, which would then escalate into resisting arrest and endangering the lives of Vigil Keepers.

It was clear now: Yan Duoduo and Ren Ye wanted him dead. They wanted to deny him the opportunity to stand trial at the Supernatural Arbitration Court.

A chill ran down his spine as the realization hit him.

He had no choice but to find an opportunity to counter, or he wouldn’t make it out of Tongren Road alive tonight.

“I’ll say it one last time—put your hands on your head, get on your knees, and comply with the investigation!” Ren Ye’s unwavering eyes locked on the Cripple as he reached out, placing his hand on the man’s neck.

Yes, after enduring the near-abduction of his father and the attack on his sister, no one could remain calm—unless they were utterly devoid of humanity.

Ren Ye didn’t know what fate awaited this man in the Supernatural Arbitration Court, but he hoped for one thing: that the man would get angry, fight back…

You care about your reputation, don’t you? You’re the leader of a renowned organization, right?!

“You’re telling me to kneel?” The Cripple sneered, his gaze suddenly turning stubborn and manic.

“Can’t you kneel?” Ren Ye growled, forcing the words through clenched teeth.

“Hahaha!”

The Cripple burst out laughing, his sharp eyes sweeping across Tongren Road. He raised his cane, the motion deliberate, and shouted word by word, “You want me to kneel? Ask these friends living on Tongren Road if they’ll allow it!”

As his voice echoed, the bystanders on both sides of the street began looking toward various spots.

The leader of the Predator Alliance thought for a moment before waving his hand.

Simultaneously, a dozen high-ranking figures from the Chaos Faction nodded silently.

“Rumble!”

The bystanders began moving. Hundreds of people converged on the Stray Dogs bar. There were no shouts, no commotion—only the eerie silence of a ghostly march.

Above, the clouds parted, revealing a bright moon.

From a bird’s-eye view, the 20 or so Vigil Keepers at the bar’s entrance appeared insignificant and helpless as the crowd surrounded them.

“Thud, thud…!”

Rapid footsteps approached as Xu Peng wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Ren Ye is reckless… What do we do now? We’re stuck here!”

Huang Wei ignored him and stepped forward, pointing to the ground from the other side. “Kneel!”

“Boom!”

The Cripple’s body erupted with a sharp, dark aura as his cane emitted a blinding black light. “Kneel?! If the Vigil Keepers no longer abide by the rules of the Supernatural Ordinance, then Shanghai’s stability is irrelevant. My friends, remember this: for those who live in the shadows, we rise and fall together!”

“Boom, boom, boom…!”

Stellar Energy ripples surged from the gathered crowd, their power rolling like waves.

At that moment, Yan Duoduo, who had been watching from the periphery, suddenly pulled his right hand from his pocket and raised it. “Vigil Keepers, bury the stele!”

With that command, Vigil Keepers hidden around Tongren Road simultaneously pulled the Wordless Stele from their belts. Glows ignited across their chests, and inscriptions emerged once more.

For several kilometers, the miraculous began to unfold.

“Bang, bang, bang…!”

Dull thuds echoed from all directions as over 300 Wordless Steles were embedded into the ground.

Suddenly, the entire scene of Tongren Road twisted and blurred. The space was isolated.

As the barrier formed, Yan Duoduo slowly spread his arms wide. Like a deity, he floated several meters above the ground.

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…!”

The air filled with the sound of countless figures appearing. Vigil Keepers from all over Shanghai emerged on rooftops, terraces, and buildings.

A glance upward revealed a sea of yellow uniforms.

Behind Yan Duoduo, specks of starlight began to coalesce, gradually unfurling into a distorted, irregular Stellar Scar Gate.

Earlier, Huang Wei had explained to Ren Ye that players possessing an Ordered Legacy could gain recognition from a Star Gate, granting them exclusive access to their very own.

Coincidentally, Yan Duoduo was one such player—one of the few in the country to hold a high-tier Star Gate.

“Sh-sh-sh…!”

On the ground, Chaos Faction players stared up blankly. When they saw the Star Gate appear behind Yan Duoduo, many showed a flicker of shock in their eyes.

The crowd’s chaotic footsteps faltered, and the once-overwhelming Stellar Energy ripples hesitated momentarily.

Beneath the moonlight.

Hovering midair, Yan Duoduo remained calm and steady. His hand reached toward the sky as he commanded in a voice that blanketed the world:

“Tongren Road, silence!”

“Silence!”

“Silence!”

Suddenly, a tidal wave of voices erupted across the distorted space.

It was the Vigil Keepers, clad in yellow, surging forward once more with unparalleled resolve—undaunted and unyielding!