Hearing the voice over the speakerphone, Fu Qingyang's stern face froze. He wondered if he had misheard, or if Teng Yuan was bold enough to play a prank on a superior.
After a few seconds of silence, a note of anticipation colored his deep voice: "Yuanshi killed Hei Wuchang?"
At that moment, Fu Qingyang looked dead serious, focusing all his attention on his hearing, fixed entirely on the small phone.
Up on the school building's rooftop, the curly-haired toy poodle possessed extraordinary hearing and caught the voice from the phone as well. Paws resting on the roof ledge, it poked its head down, deep button-like eyes staring unblinkingly.
"Yes, and he killed him single-handedly. By the time we rushed over, Hei Wuchang was already dead."
Decurion Teng Yuan's voice was still listless, yet to the ears of Fu Qingyang and Elder Gou, it sounded like heavenly music.
Elder Gou lowered his head further and said at once, "Ask him if he got the Fallen Holy Grail!"
Fu Qingyang nodded slightly. "Did he get the Fallen Holy Grail?"
As the words left his mouth, he heard Yuanshi speaking from not far away over the speaker: "Seeing the tides had turned, Hei Wuchang bowed his head, knelt, and offered up the Fallen Holy Grail, begging me to spare his life. But I was furious and refused to forgive him..."
Fu Qingyang automatically tuned out the rest of the boast. A rare look of joy appeared on his cold face.
Over the phone, however, his tone maintained the detached reserve of a leader: "Understood. Send me the location; I'll head over right now."
Teng Yuan said, "We're already heading back toward the school. We'll be there in three minutes."
Fu Qingyang could only suppress his surging excitement, answering faintly, "Fine!"
Hanging up the call, he turned his head toward his feet. At some point, Elder Gou had teleported down from the rooftop.
"You aren't leaving yet?" Fu Qingyang asked in surprise.
Apart from the deacons under his command, Elder Gou rarely met with official Walkers, yet from this posture, he clearly intended to stay and wait alongside him.
Elder Gou chuckled. "How could I head back in peace without seeing the Fallen Holy Grail with my own eyes? Besides, I should meet the Five Elements Alliance's rising star.
"Heh, Elder Sun was truly muddled. Once he emerges from the Spirit Realm, I'll have to thank him properly.
"Qingyang, Yuanshi Tianzun was recruited by Li Dongze under your command. The more and greater merits he earns, the more beneficial it is to you. When headquarters assesses an individual's accomplishments, the merits of their subordinates are factored in as well."
Fu Qingyang gave an acknowledging hum. "I plan to recruit him into the White Tiger Guards and focus on cultivating him."
Elder Gou pondered for a moment. "That works, but the premise is that he passes the grand health check."
As they spoke, a group of people hurried over beneath the moon and stars, shielding a young man in their center.
Elder Gou immediately fell silent.
Once Teng Yuan led the team into the school grounds, Fu Qingyang looked at the pale-faced Zhang Yuanqing amid the crowd and gave a slight nod. "How are your injuries?"
Zhang Yuanqing grinned. "I was poisoned, but it's mostly neutralized by now."
Only then did Fu Qingyang feel relieved. He added, "Have Captain Qingteng check your pulse later to purge whatever toxins remain."
With that, he looked at Teng Yuan.
The middle-aged man pushed up his glasses and said, "I had people arrange transport for Hei Wuchang's corpse; it will be brought over shortly. Also, during Yuanshi's fight with Hei Wuchang, an elderly man was unfortunately poisoned by Gu venom. I've already handed him over to the nearby Public Security Bureau."
Having heard the report, Fu Qingyang turned back to Zhang Yuanqing, intending to ask about the Grail.
Suddenly, he saw the kid trotting cheerfully toward Elder Gou, squatting down, and vigorously scrubbing the dog's head, full of praise:
"Centurion, is this your dog? You even bring a dog to a fight? I know folks from Baihui can command animals in battle. Did you use some kind of item?
"This dog looks quite human, doesn't it? It seems annoyed that I'm petting its head—it's actually giving me side-eye!"
Qingteng, Bailong, and the others didn't think much of it, but Guan Ya, who knew the truth, was dumbfounded, staring at the spectacle in utter despair.
Fu Qingyang glanced at Elder Gou, whose head was being rubbed back and forth, then at the thoroughly amused Zhang Yuanqing. He said flatly, "You like petting animals that much?"
"Not really, but this little guy looks so stiff and stern, I couldn't resist. It can't be an ordinary poodle, right? What abilities does it have?"
"He has the ability to strip you of your post, expel you from the Five Elements Alliance, and issue a martial-world kill order on you."
"Huh?" Zhang Yuanqing's hand froze. He sensed something was wrong.
"This is one of the five Elders of the Songhai Branch, my direct superior. Why are you on your knees?"
"My legs went weak... no, Centurion, what are you talking about? Shouldn't subordinates welcome the great Elder with reverence?" Zhang Yuanqing bowed low. "May the Elder live for thousands of autumns and myriad generations, unifying the martial world!"
The curly-haired poodle gave him a sidelong glance and spoke in human tongue, its voice raspy and weathered: "No one has dared touch my head in nearly twenty years. You're an amusing kid. Bring out the Holy Grail."
Zhang Yuanqing immediately opened his inventory and summoned the Fallen Holy Grail.
He had no intention of keeping this rule-based item for himself. For one, circumstances didn't allow it; street surveillance cameras and his distress call to Decurion Teng Yuan meant it was impossible to conceal the matter.
Moreover, his target had been the roster, not the Holy Grail.
On top of that, the Grail was already damaged. Repairing a high-level rule-based item was something he wouldn't be able to achieve for a very long time.
In that case, trading the Grail for merits, cash, and item rewards was clearly far more worthwhile.
Everyone's eyes immediately fell upon the exquisite, crack-covered crystal chalice.
Gazing at the empty crystal vessel, Elder Gou narrowed his button-like eyes. After pondering for several seconds, he said:
"Well done, Yuanshi... I'll just call you Yuanshi. Your moniker is rather awkward to say aloud. Mm, you killed Hei Wuchang and secured the Grail. The principal merit belongs to you. The organization will reward you."
"Thank you, Elder!" Zhang Yuanqing bowed low.
"A genius should possess backbone," Elder Gou couldn't help remarking.
"The Elder is entirely correct! May the Elder live for thousands of autumns!" Zhang Yuanqing bowed low once more.
Elder Gou extended a paw. The Fallen Holy Grail flew over of its own accord, vanished with a faint flash of light, and disappeared from sight.
Elder Gou glanced at Fu Qingyang and said, "You handle the aftermath."
With that, a shroud of green light enveloped it and then dispersed.
Fu Qingyang assigned tasks in an orderly manner, including locking down the school and scrubbing the nearby surveillance footage.
Finally, he looked at Zhang Yuanqing and said, "Yuanshi, come with me."
One behind the other, the two walked deeper into the campus.
The others went about their duties, with only Guan Ya's gaze following after them.
***
At two in the morning, in the Fujia Bay villa.
Sitting upright before a widescreen monitor, Fu Qingyang watched as the five Elders came online one after another.
Once everyone was present, Elder Gou spoke in a weathered, steady tone:
"The Holy Grail incident is settled. Hei Wuchang's death is confirmed, but the matter has not concluded. I have already distributed the names of the Fallen recorded in the roster to all local branches, urging them to carry out manhunts.
"Additionally, two members of Dark Night Rose intervened during this operation: a Dominator Realm Day Wanderer and a Saint stage Fire Master."
The Elder from the Scarlet Fire Gang snorted, speaking in a coarse voice: "I will report this to the Alliance Leader and launch an investigation into the Saint stage deacons. If confirmed to be a member of the Scarlet Fire Gang, I will personally smash that treacherous bastard's dog head."
Elder Gou said with displeasure, "Mind your phrasing. Furthermore, there is more to the Fallen Holy Grail incident than meets the eye. Qingyang, you speak."
Fu Qingyang gave a concise report:
"The Elders are already aware of what transpired at Songhai Third Primary School, so I will not repeat it. I will explain why Yuanshi Tianzun discovered Hei Wuchang: he possesses a treasure-seeking item.
"While keeping watch at the convenience store, the item resonated with the Fallen Holy Grail, and he followed its guidance to locate Hei Wuchang.
"On this point, I believe there is no need for suspicion. Surveillance along the route shows he indeed searched his way there step by step, and I have tested him with lie detection. Furthermore, the fact that he immediately called for reinforcements upon spotting Hei Wuchang proves he did not know in advance that Hei Wuchang was hiding there."
At this moment, a mature, magnetic woman's voice spoke, carrying a slight chill: "A treasure-seeking item? How does he possess an item from the 'Void' class?"
Fu Qingyang said, "I only needed to confirm that he was not lying. I believe a subordinate's privacy should not be infringed upon."
After pausing a few seconds and seeing that the Water God Palace Elder did not object, Fu Qingyang continued:
"As for Hei Wuchang's death, it was not directly related to him. Hei Wuchang was killed by a mysterious person... Yuanshi Tianzun was covered by the red bridal veil at the time and did not see the mysterious person's appearance. Surveillance footage corroborates his account, but the cameras failed to capture the mysterious person. The footage shows only that after a brief standoff between the two, Hei Wuchang inexplicably died."
The Central Court Elder said gently, "It is normal for surveillance not to capture it. Everyone, what are your thoughts on the exchange between Hei Wuchang and the mysterious person?"
That chilling yet magnetic female voice remarked:
"He clearly knew Hei Wuchang, but what did 'time' and 'location' mean? A Night Wanderer's ability to peer into fate? That doesn't seem quite right either."
The online conference room fell silent. After a dozen seconds, Elder Gou said:
"Let us set that question aside for now. I have already reported it to headquarters to see what the Alliance Leaders say. I am far more interested in the mysterious person's identity.
"He erased Hei Wuchang's spirit body, clearly unwilling to reveal his identity. Yet the safer course would have been to silence Yuanshi Tianzun as well, but he did not."
The Scarlet Fire Gang Elder asked bluntly, "Are you saying the kid knows the mysterious person?"
Elder Gou: "It could also be intentional, or simply disdain for killing him... Qingyang, you have closer contact with Yuanshi Tianzun. Have you noticed anything unusual in your daily dealings?"
The Elders remained quiet, awaiting Fu Qingyang's response.
After a few seconds of silence, Fu Qingyang said calmly, "I have found nothing unusual."
The five Elders moved past the topic at once. Fu Qingyang was a Scout; if a level 2 Night Wanderer truly had issues, he could never hide them from him.
Since he said there was nothing unusual, there was nothing unusual.
The Elder from the White Tiger Battalion pondered aloud:
"He took away what the Demon Lord left behind, yet disdained the Fallen Holy Grail. This person's level is certainly not below ours. Is the Demon Lord truly dead?"
Elder Gou said, "The Taiyi Sect Master confirmed the Demon Lord's demise; there can be no mistake. Heh, if he were mistaken, nothing in this world would be right."
The White Tiger Battalion Elder continued:
"Then the matter of the Demon Lord's death need not be questioned. I wasn't questioning his demise; my point is that since the Holy Grail incident holds deeper secrets, we cannot merely fixate on the aftermath of Hei Wuchang fleeing with the cup. We must consider the battle that saw both the Deceitful Eye Judge and the Demon Lord perish."
Fu Qingyang chimed in, "I am also curious why the Demon Lord insisted on killing the Deceitful Eye Judge. According to the Elders' deductions, the Demon Lord was only half a step from reaching the peak. What reason forced him to kill the Deceitful Eye Judge first?"
***
Inside his bedroom, Zhang Yuanqing stood before the full-length mirror by the window in his boxers, toweling off his wet hair.
It was already two in the morning. After returning home and washing away his exhaustion, his spirits felt revived.
Thanks to the medicinal efficacy of the Baihui pills, the remaining toxins in his body had been flushed out ahead of time. Apart from a lingering physical weakness, he felt no discomfort.
"The Prudent Orb is shattered, and the red dancing shoes are tainted. Sigh, I'll ask Fu Qingyang tomorrow if there's any way to cleanse the defilement. The rewards from the organization should make up for my physical, mental, and equipment losses..."
He wasn't worried about the red dancing shoes; purifying corruption was a forte of Night Wanderers. Asking the Taiyi Sect for assistance through the Five Elements Alliance would suffice.
Instead, it was the mysterious figure from earlier that lingered in his thoughts.
The appearance of that enigmatic powerhouse signaled that the Fallen Holy Grail incident held far deeper secrets.
"That little sun inside the Grail... my intuition tells me it was something extraordinary. Forget it. At my current level, obtaining it would only bring danger. Sigh, it wasn't meant for me..."
After drying his hair, Zhang Yuanqing flopped lazily onto the bed and summoned Little Doubi.
While petting the child's little head, he took out the straw doll.
This item was his war trophy, kept back rather than surrendered along with the Grail and the roster.
Gripping the straw doll, item information popped up in his vision after a few seconds:
[Name: Cursed Straw Doll]
[Type: Special Item]
[Functions: Defilement, Curse]
[Description: A puppet woven from wild grass grown in cursed lands. It harbors malice toward all things in the world, tainting the objects around it and dragging them into the abyss of corruption.]
[Remark: If one day you find a sow looking delicate and pretty, that's right—congratulations on becoming a member of the Fallen.]
*Fuck, I suddenly understand why Hei Wuchang's tastes grew weirder and weirder...* Zhang Yuanqing seriously considered whether he should keep this item.
He felt that pretty girls in black stockings were a beauty worth pursuing, not sows in black stockings.
Zhang Yuanqing hurriedly stashed the straw doll back into his inventory as if it were scalding hot.
*Time to sleep. Once I wake up, I'll hand this junk over and exchange it for an item with a less horrifying drawback...* Pulling up the quilt, Zhang Yuanqing closed his eyes.
Right at that moment, the Cat King Speaker resting inside the desk drawer emitted a crackle of static.
Zhang Yuanqing immediately threw off the covers, sat at the desk, pulled open the drawer, took out the Cat King Speaker, and placed it on the desk.
Over time, Zhang Yuanqing had gradually grasped the contraption's patterns: during the day, it would sing without warning, but rarely played anything related to the Demon Lord.
Yet in the dead of night, whenever it crackled with static, it meant it was about to replay an audio clip from the past.
The static persisted for a few moments before heavy panting came through the speaker.
A man's panting.
Mixed into the breathing were groans of agony, as though the speaker's owner were enduring immense torment.
*What's going on? Good thing Grandma is already asleep. If she heard this, she'd become even more disillusioned with society...* Zhang Yuanqing held the speaker quietly and activated Night Walk.
After a long while, the heavy panting faded, followed by a familiar, deep voice:
"The Grail's corruption is growing stronger and stronger. I'm becoming less and less like myself. I've begun to crave slaughter, crave toying with women... No, this isn't the real me."
"I don't believe the Grail's control is inescapable. I will certainly find a way to break free of it."
"Deceitful Eye Judge, I will kill you. One day, I will definitely kill you..."
This was the voice of the Demon Lord.
Chapter 109