Guan Ya froze. Her immediate reaction was doubt and disbelief. She clicked open the post and skimmed through it. The content described that Yuanshi Tianzun had suffered an unexpected ambush the previous night and died at home of unknown causes. The details of the process were not described.
Yet the experienced official wanderers immediately understood.
An assassination!
An unknown cause of death and a bizarre demise—it had to be an assassination.
Official wanderers across the Songhai Branch and even various other branches burned with fury after reading the post. They felt a strong sense of empathy regarding a colleague being assassinated.
"Who did it? The Spirit Society or the Xiahou family? Are they picking a fight with our Five Elements Alliance?"
"It can't be the Xiahou family. Yuanshi Tianzun holds a Class B Merit. Has the Xiahou family lost their minds to assassinate him? If they actually did that, the Council of Elders and Alliance Leaders would definitely sanction them."
"Are the people in the Songhai Branch all useless trash? They couldn't even protect a prodigy like him. I just took a look at the Taiyi Sect forum, and it's full of people mocking us, saying our Five Elements Alliance can't even keep a single person safe."
"What does this have to do with Songhai as a whole? It's the people in Kangyang District who are useless."
"Dead just like that? What a pity..."
Guan Ya's expression turned grim. After reading a few comments, she exited the forum. She still refused to believe the post's contents.
Deciding to cut through the noise, she opened her contacts and dialed Yuanshi's number.
If he answered, she would tease him with a laugh, asking wasn't he supposed to be dead, so why was he still alive?
If the call didn't go through... if the call didn't go through...
"Sorry, the number you have dialed is powered off. Please try again later!"
Bit by bit, Guan Ya's expression began to crumble. Blood drained from her face. She stood frozen for a few seconds, then suddenly grabbed her handbag and dashed toward the stairwell, her departing figure staggering in panicked disarray.
She had to go to Yuanshi's home to confirm for herself.
Bursting out of the small glass building, Guan Ya was just about to get into her car when she froze again. She remembered that Yuanshi's cousin, Chen Yuanjun, was a captain of the patrol team at the Kangyang District Public Security Bureau.
She immediately changed direction and rushed toward the Public Security Bureau building in her high heels.
Striding hurriedly into the administration building, she asked the civilian clerk at the reception desk, "Did your captain, Chen Yuanjun, come to work today?"
The clerk clearly recognized Guan Ya. A bit surprised that she was asking about Captain Chen, she smiled and said, "Captain Chen is upstairs right now. Should I call him down for you?"
*Upstairs...* Guan Ya scrutinized the female clerk, then suddenly shook her head. "No, never mind!"
Chen Yuanjun was at work as usual, and the clerk's eyes held curiosity and gossip. As a Scout, Guan Ya immediately realized something was off.
Either Chen Yuanjun didn't know about his cousin's death, or Yuanshi wasn't dead.
She turned and left the Public Security Bureau building. Bathed in warm sunlight, she walked to a secluded spot, took a deep breath, and dialed Fu Qingyang's number.
"What is it?" Fu Qingyang's cool voice came through.
"Where is Yuanshi? Is he dead or alive?" Guan Ya asked in a low voice.
After asking, she held her breath.
"He and I set up a trap. He's faking his death for a few days." Fu Qingyang's voice was calm as always. "I've already notified Li Dongze. Since you know now, play along."
Guan Ya let out a long breath, relaxing completely. "Can I ask why?"
"Your rank is too low. You aren't qualified to know," Fu Qingyang said flatly.
Guan Ya ground her teeth. "I clearly didn't beat you enough when you were little."
"I have work to do. Don't bother me unless it's important." Fu Qingyang hung up.
The sunlight was bright and cheerful. Guan Ya put away her phone, her mood brightening as well, and walked toward the glass building carrying her bag.
Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks, her shapely brows furrowing.
In the entire official organization, the only ones who knew Yuanshi's true identity were herself, Li Dongze, and Wang Tai. Fu Qingyang had informed Li Dongze to coordinate, yet hadn't informed his own cousin...
***
Fu Qingyang set down his phone, propped his elbows on the desk, and laced his fingers under his chin.
His cousin's concern for Yuanshi Tianzun went beyond that of ordinary colleagues...
Over the past period, Guan Ya had frequently praised Yuanshi Tianzun in front of him, saying the young man was talented, capable, and had a sharp mind. At first, Fu Qingyang thought it was within the bounds of normal appreciation.
And it truly had been.
However, he had kept an eye on things quietly, constantly monitoring Guan Ya's attitude toward Yuanshi.
Testing her just now revealed that his cousin's fondness for the kid had gone up another notch.
This was no good thing. The Fu family would never allow Guan Ya to end up with a nobody. The son-in-law his aunt chose would have to come from a family on par with the Fu family.
Looking at it from another angle, if this stimulated his cousin's ambition, it might not be a bad thing.
*Well, Yuanshi might not necessarily be interested in her...* A phrase suddenly flashed across Fu Qingyang's mind: *Unlike me, who only likes black stockings and long legs, a rather shallow preference.*
The corner of his mouth twitched.
***
Guan Ya returned to the office and saw Jiang Jingwei and Decurion Teng Yuan speaking with grave expressions.
Seeing her come up, Teng Yuan pushed up his glasses and said in a heavy tone, "I've already heard about Yuanshi Tianzun. He died for the organization, in the line of duty. I think his family should receive compensation."
Jiang Jingwei also looked deeply upset. "I didn't protect him well enough."
Guan Ya pondered for a moment, then asked, "How much does the Decurion think would be appropriate?"
Teng Yuan said solemnly, "A modest goal—a hundred million. What do you think?"
*Are you out of your mind? No one will pay attention to you...* The corner of Guan Ya's mouth twitched. "Whatever makes you happy. You can try submitting an application."
***
Rarely having a day off at home and with no major classes in the morning, Zhang Yuanqing enjoyed a good sleep. When he woke up, he saw Little Doubi crawling around the room balancing Uncle's wallet on his head, happily amusing himself.
*This silly kid...* He sighed.
*Can't you find me some other treasures? If it isn't Aunt's underwear, it's Uncle's wallet.*
If this kept up, the TV station would come to the house for an interview. The headline would be:
*Aunt's Underwear Frequently Stolen, Uncle's Wallets Repeatedly Missing: Is This the Distortion of Human Nature or the Decay of Morals? Tonight at Eight, Let Us Step into the World of the Deviant Nephew, Zhang Yuanqing!*
Coming into the living room, he found his aunt had already finished breakfast, dressed up beautifully, and was getting ready to head out to work.
Zhang Yuanqing blinked. "Aren't you about to be late?"
Aunt poked her head out to peek into the kitchen and whispered, "Shh! Your hot-tempered grandma just chewed me out. Don't bring it up! If she hears, she'll start nagging non-stop again. It's so annoying."
She had overslept this morning and failed to get up, clutching the blanket with her rear stuck out, sleeping until eight-thirty, only to be smacked awake on the butt by her fiery mother.
Zhang Yuanqing scrutinized his aunt's delicate, jade-like face. Beneath her gentle eyes were heavy bags, though they did not detract from her beauty; if anything, they gave her a delicate, charming air.
"What were you doing last night?" Zhang Yuanqing criticized. "Did you take the chance to practice the Yang-Harvesting and Yin-Replenishing Art?"
Aunt spat playfully and curled her fingers into an orchid gesture. "I was cultivating the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra!"
Zhang Yuanqing said, "Then I shall break your Jade Maiden Heart Sutra with the Dog-Beating Staff Technique I've bitterly cultivated for twenty years!"
The two flailed their fists at each other in the living room like flapping turtles until Grandma stormed out of the kitchen and roared, "Get your butt to work already!!"
Jiang Yu'er wiggled her slender waist and slipped out the door.
After a quick breakfast, Zhang Yuanqing returned to his room, took the wallet off Little Doubi's head, pulled out three crisp red hundred-yuan bills, and instructed, "Put it back."
Come to think of it, that idiot Uncle still hadn't noticed the missing money. No, he probably didn't even realize his wallet was gone.
Watching Little Doubi crawl out of the room, he retracted his gaze and focused on serious business.
*If the operation three days from now succeeds, we will indeed be one step closer to Hei Wuchang. But 'Tiandao Bugong' likely doesn't know Hei Wuchang's hiding place; it will all depend on what intel we can gather from the spirit questioning.*
*Fu Qingyang definitely knows this as well, but I don't know what subsequent plans he has...*
Just then, his phone chimed with an incoming message.
*It's not for Yuanshi Tianzun...* Zhang Yuanqing picked up his phone to check. He had already removed Yuanshi Tianzun's SIM card last night.
Sender: Xiao Yuan.
The phone number linked to this mailbox was an unregistered SIM card Zhang Yuanqing had asked his cousin to get for him.
Naturally, he wasn't foolish enough to contact Auntie Xiao Yuan under the name of Yuanshi Tianzun.
*What information did she dig up?* Zhang Yuanqing perked up and read the contents intently:
"The people under the Spirit Society's other vice chairman, Gu King, have recently placed a bounty on Hei Wuchang and his subordinates in the black market. Gu King might hold intelligence on Hei Wuchang, but I cannot uncover it.
"I managed to get the contact info for one of Gu King's subordinates. His Spirit Realm ID is 'Renxue Mantou', and his contact details are...
"Second, the bounty list drawn up by the evil professions was updated yesterday. On the Saint bounty list, Fu Qingyang and Fire God are tied for first place. On the Transcendent bounty list, Songhai Branch official wanderer Yuanshi Tianzun made the list, ranking at the very bottom. However, I heard that guy is already dead, possibly decapitated for the reward right after the list updated... This information should be useful to you; you can report it to your superiors.
"Third, a few days ago, Level 3 Bewitching Demon Li Xianzong of the Soldier Master Sect single-handedly assassinated a Level 4 Saint of the Spirit Society's Southern District Branch. From this battle alone, his ranking has risen into the top five of the evil professions' Transcendent stage."
*These fifty thousand yuan feel a bit not worth it. Auntie, why don't you consider paying me back with your body instead...* Zhang Yuanqing complained inwardly.
However, upon careful analysis, he felt the fifty thousand yuan had actually been very well spent.
The news of Yuanshi Tianzun's death had appeared in the black markets frequented by evil professions, which proved the intelligence had already spread, adding a few more degrees of certainty to tomorrow night's operation.
In addition, he learned about the bounty lists. As it turned out, official organizations weren't the only ones offering bounties; evil organizations also issued bounties to hunt down elite members of the Five Elements Alliance.
As a Night Wanderer who had cleared two S-rank realms in a row, he had actually made the list—even if only as a brief flash at the very bottom.
*Who are you looking down on? I want to be rank one...* he quipped silently to himself.
*The first piece of information can be put to good use. Even though 'Renxue Mantou' belongs to an evil profession, the enemy of an enemy can also be a friend. When it comes to securing the roster, the official organization and I are both friend and foe.*
Zhang Yuanqing had been fretting over how to snatch the roster, lacking a clear plan. His initial idea was to commission the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter to help snatch it.
Yet because Hei Wuchang was missing and could not be found, he couldn't formulate a detailed plan, leaving him feeling very insecure.
Now, a bold idea suddenly popped into his head. Perhaps beyond having the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter as outside help, he could also collude with the enemy.
Muddle the waters.
The attention of the official faction, Dark Night Rose, Hei Wuchang, and Gu King would definitely all be focused on the Holy Grail. At that moment, if the Ruler-level Palace Master of Halting Slaughter moved to fight for the roster, the resistance wouldn't be too great.
*Let's try contacting Gu King's people.*
Chapter 100