Crisis of Exposed Identity

Zhang Yuanqing began typing a message: "What happened? Can you share—" His fingers paused over the screen. He muttered to himself that he really must have had too much to drink. If Asano Ryo hadn't explained what was going on, it meant she couldn't disclose it. He deleted the text and re-edited his message: "Is it urgent?" Asano Ryo replied in an instant: "Extremely urgent! Desperately urgent, a dire emergency! Yuanshi-kun, I slipped away secretly, and I don't have much time. If I go back too late, they'll suspect something." Zhang Yuanqing's brow furrowed slightly. He glanced down at his future mother-in-law in his arms, then summoned the bunny girl attending the table. "Take her back to her room." Fu Xue raised her flushed face, gazing at him with misty, unfocused eyes, giggling softly. "No... not her. You take me back to my room..." Zhang Yuanqing stared coldly at her for a few seconds, then abruptly brought the edge of his hand down in a sharp chop against her carotid artery. With a soft whimper, Fu Xue slumped unconscious. Zhang Yuanqing handed her over to the bunny girl and said expressionlessly, "Take her to her room." *Honestly, how did Guan Ya end up with such a flirtatious mother? What, do you fancy yourself Li Longji?* Watching the bunny girl support the unconscious Fu Xue away, he pulled back his gaze and turned his focus to Asano Ryo's dilemma. For anyone else, Asano Ryo's request would have been practically impossible to fulfill. But for Zhang Yuanqing, temporarily evading the power of a covenant was quite simple, so long as he had the Perfect Human Skin. The issue wasn't the difficulty of the task, but whether he was willing to lend the item. The Perfect Human Skin was no ordinary item. It was a causality-type item, prized even higher than rule-based items. The people in this world to whom he would willingly lend the Perfect Human Skin could be counted on one hand, and Asano Ryo was not among them. Yet she seemed to be facing a desperate crisis. As her guild leader, he couldn't simply sit by and do nothing. When he had recruited this Japanese schoolgirl into the guild, aside from expanding his network, it was because he recognized her genuinely pure and decent nature. When it came to character, Asano Ryo was trustworthy. *Let Stargazing decide, then...* Zhang Yuanqing snapped his fingers, Star Warping onto the balcony outside Fu Qingyang's bedroom. He retrieved the Daluo Astrolabe and opened his Star Eyes. Two to three minutes later, he extinguished the starlight in his eyes, withdrew the Perfect Human Skin from his inventory, and deposited it into the guild storage. "Apply to borrow the human skin item in the guild storage," Zhang Yuanqing sent. "Then borrow the Yata no Kagami from Kobe Ichiro. Have the avatar created by the mirror wear the skin to bear the price of breaking your oath in your place." *** Ginza, the grand izakaya. Clutching her phone tightly in her hand, Asano Ryo hurried down the retro-styled corridor with quick, delicate steps. She had been away for long enough; returning any later would easily arouse suspicion, even though the guests from Heaven's Punishment ought to feel at ease after having her sign the covenant. Heaven's Punishment was well aware of the Thousand Cranes Group's foundation and capabilities, knowing full well they possessed no means of nullifying such a covenant. *Ding!* Her phone chimed. Asano Ryo swiftly unlocked the screen, skimmed Yuanshi-kun's message, deleted the chat history, and slipped the phone into the inner pocket of her kimono with a sigh of relief. Having done all this, she arrived right outside the Oyama Room. "Excuse me, I'm back!" Asano Ryo slid open the door and returned to the Enforcer's side. Sitting up straight, she quietly assumed her role as a decorative presence, occasionally pouring drinks. After several rounds of toasts, Demon Hunter spoke up. "Group Leader Kobe, Heaven's Punishment sent me to Japan this time with a favor to ask of you." Kobe Ichiro hastened to respond, "Lord Enforcer, the Thousand Cranes Group is at Heaven's Punishment's service at all times!" Demon Hunter nodded in satisfaction. "An A-rank wanted criminal of Heaven's Punishment recently slipped into China. We would like to apply for an extradition and arrest through the Thousand Cranes Group to the Five Elements Alliance." Kobe Ichiro came to an abrupt realization. Heaven's Punishment and the Five Elements Alliance had never signed an extradition treaty, meaning Heaven's Punishment members could not legally arrest criminals on territory administered by the Five Elements Alliance. However, the Thousand Cranes Group and the Five Elements Alliance did possess an extradition treaty. This wasn't because of particularly warm relations between the two, but due to a very practical reality: Japan and China were simply too close. From China to Japan, even an Extraordinary-stage Water Ghost could easily swim across, to say nothing of Saints. Without an extradition treaty, Japan would likely become a safe haven for evil classes fleeing from the Second District—an outcome neither side wanted to see. This applied not just to Japan; virtually all countries neighboring China had signed extradition treaties with the Five Elements Alliance. As for smaller nations lacking official Spirit Realm walker organizations, no treaties were needed—larger factions simply entered and seized fugitives as they pleased. Kobe Ichiro said, "I understand. Please rest assured, Lord Enforcer. I will handle this matter first thing tomorrow." A smile appeared on Demon Hunter's face. "May the friendship between the Thousand Cranes Group and Heaven's Punishment endure forever." Host and guests raised their glasses, draining them in one gulp. The drinking session dragged on until midnight. Kobe Ichiro escorted the honored guests from the Oyama Room and into the elevator to their guest quarters. The Thousand Cranes Building had rooms specifically designed for entertaining distinguished guests, appointed to five-star hotel standards. Once the guests retired into their rooms, Asano Ryo looked at the group leader and said in a soft, delicate voice, "Leader, I'll head back to rest now." Kobe Ichiro nodded. After a moment's thought, he pulled her into a quiet, deserted stairwell and whispered, "Ryo-chan, does Yuanshi-kun truly have none of the Demon Lord's items on him?" Asano Ryo shook her head slightly. Kobe Ichiro breathed a sigh of relief. Taking the opportunity, Asano Ryo asked, "Leader, why does Heaven's Punishment suspect Yuanshi-kun is the Demon Lord's successor?" Kobe Ichiro's eyes flickered. "Months ago, the Taiyi Sect summoned their disciples to search for the Demon Lord's successor. The Demon Lord was a fallen Night Wanderer. If Yuanshi-kun really is his successor, Heaven's Punishment can eliminate him with full justification. Neither does Heaven's Punishment wish to see the Five Elements Alliance gain another demigod." Enlightenment dawned on Asano Ryo. She asked, "Were you also required to swear an oath?" Kobe Ichiro nodded. "After you left, all the executives swore oaths as well." *So there really are no loopholes to exploit...* Asano Ryo nodded. After pondering for a moment, she said, "Leader, if Heaven's Punishment intends to deal with Yuanshi-kun, then... should we continue investing in him?" Kobe Ichiro spoke with stern righteousness: "Then we can only abandon Yuanshi-kun. Heaven's Punishment is the Thousand Cranes Group's greatest and most steadfast patron. Ryo-chan, you must remember that." Asano Ryo nodded earnestly, then took her leave. She took the elevator down to the underground parking garage and got into her car. Just as the driver pulled out of the garage, her phone chimed with a message from Kobe Ichiro: *Heaven's Punishment's enemies are not necessarily our enemies. Maintain good relations with Yuanshi-kun. Delete this message.* "I knew that wasn't what you really thought, Leader," Asano Ryo muttered quietly under her breath, then deleted the message. Upon arriving home, without even stopping to change out of her kimono, she kicked off her wooden geta while tapping away on her phone: "Yuanshi-kun, I'm home! It's safe now. I would like to apply to use Little Red Riding Hood, as well as the yin corpses inside your hat." A few seconds later, Yuanshi Tianzun replied: "You're quite demanding. Are you trying to empty out my entire arsenal?" Asano Ryo didn't reply. Waiting a moment, she opened the guild storage and found Little Red Riding Hood sitting in one of the slots. She smiled sweetly and submitted requests to withdraw both Little Red Riding Hood and the Perfect Human Skin. The Spirit Realm notification rang in her ears, and immediately two items materialized in her hands. Asano Ryo stored them into her inventory to establish ownership, then shook Little Red Riding Hood. Nine yin corpses tumbled out of the hat's internal space. The moment Greed Divine General emerged, a glint of intellect flickered in his ferocious, chaotic eyes. A raspy, grating voice rasped out: "What's going on?" As he spoke, Greed Divine General scanned the Japanese-style bedroom—neat, elegant, with the faint, delicate fragrance unique to a young woman's room drifting through the air. Asano Ryo jumped in shock, snapping her posture upright. "Yuanshi-kun? Wh-why are you here?" *Of course I came over. Most of my valuable assets are in your hands...* Zhang Yuanqing gave a nod. "I was worried about you, so I came to check. What happened?" When he had seen Asano Ryo asking for a yin corpse to bear the backlash, his initial reaction had been to refuse. But on second thought, if a yin corpse was delivered to her, he could use the mental connection between his true body and the corpse to project himself onto the scene, which felt much safer. *Yuanshi-kun really is a good person...* A surge of warmth filled Asano Ryo's heart. "I can't say it aloud yet." Asano Ryo picked up the Perfect Human Skin, her gaze wandering over the yin corpses. Zhang Yuanqing pointed to a middle-aged corpse. "Use that one." Asano Ryo tossed the Perfect Human Skin over. The paper-thin skin melted on contact with the yin corpse, wrapping around it. In the blink of an eye, the pale middle-aged corpse transformed into a graceful, lovely high school girl. "This is a long story. I'll write it out for you in a memo," Asano Ryo said, terrified that the moment she opened her mouth, the backlash for breaking the covenant would descend and waste the yin corpse for nothing. She opened the notes app on her phone, knelt by the table, and bent her head. Her slender fingers flew across the screen as she meticulously documented everything that had transpired at tonight's gathering. She wrote a full thousand words, and Zhang Yuanqing waited for an entire half hour. "I'm done, Yuanshi-kun." Asano Ryo handed the phone to him. Zhang Yuanqing took it and focused his gaze. Almost the very next second, a blinding, blazing golden light erupted from between the eyebrows of the yin corpse wearing the Perfect Human Skin. It collapsed rigid onto the floor, reduced thoroughly to dead flesh. Asano Ryo watched the yin corpse that had just borne the price in her stead and swallowed nervously. *Heaven's Punishment has arrived in Japan? Led by Enforcer Demon Hunter? Never heard of him...* Zhang Yuanqing skimmed the text rapidly. As he read on, his pupils constricted violently. *Heaven's Punishment received a tip-off claiming conclusive evidence that I am the Demon Lord's successor?!* What followed was even more horrifying: Asano Ryo had seen the disguise ring and the Gale Gloves in their dossier. *She knows I'm the Demon Lord's successor...* Zhang Yuanqing snapped his head toward the Japanese schoolgirl. The yin corpse possessed neither breath nor heartbeat, but far away on the mainland, his true body's heart was pounding frantically, adrenaline surging through his veins. Aside from Fu Qingyang, with whom he shared a tacit understanding, this was the very first time someone had discovered his identity as the Demon Lord's successor. A chilling wave of panic washed over him at having his secret laid bare. Startled by his piercing glare, Asano Ryo straightened her back in a knee-jerk reaction. "I will never betray Yuanshi-kun! Never!" Zhang Yuanqing steadied himself, forcefully suppressing the churning turmoil within, and finished reading the latter half of the text. The second half detailed the discussion regarding the extradition treaty. Bright light illuminated the bedroom. Asano Ryo kept her face taut and sat frozen, terrified to make a move. Clutching the phone, Zhang Yuanqing was equally motionless, as still as a statue. After a long silence, his raspy, grating voice broke the quiet: "The power of your covenant has been eliminated. The oath's power was only at the Saint stage, so it has been completely exhausted. You can speak freely now." As he spoke, he swept the yin corpses and the Perfect Human Skin back into Little Red Riding Hood, leaving only Greed Divine General. "Did Heaven's Punishment use any lie-detecting items on you? Was there a Scout present at the dinner tonight?" Zhang Yuanqing asked in a heavy voice. "They didn't use any lie-detecting items. My teacher is an upright swordsman who dislikes fawning over guests from Heaven's Punishment, so he didn't attend the banquet," Asano Ryo answered truthfully. *No lie detector, no Scout...* Zhang Yuanqing felt a slight wave of relief. After pondering for a few moments, he said, "They were bluffing. Heaven's Punishment doesn't have conclusive proof against me. If they held irrefutable evidence, why would they bother asking you?" He paused for a few seconds before continuing, "Interrogating you on such a critical matter without even bringing a lie detector suggests they were just casting a wide net, hoping for an easy catch. They didn't actually pin any hopes on you to begin with, which is why they were so careless." "Huh?" Asano Ryo was bewildered. This was completely different from what she had assumed. "They have no evidence proving you're the Demon Lord's successor, and aren't even truly suspicious, so why go to all this trouble?" "Because their true target was never me—it was Pluto," Zhang Yuanqing explained. "I was just an afterthought." Asano Ryo understood now. "They were just trying to deal with you in passing?" Zhang Yuanqing gave an affirmative grunt. "I rose to prominence not long after the Demon Lord fell. Unlike the Five Elements Alliance, Heaven's Punishment never tested me with the Tiger Tally. In their eyes, could a Night Wanderer who suddenly emerged with unbelievable talent possibly be the Demon Lord's successor? "As long as the possibility exists, they might as well probe. It costs them nothing either way. It just so happened that a blind cat almost stumbled across a dead mouse tonight. Fortunately, you kept your wits about you." "Th-there's something I must remind you of, Yuanshi-kun." Asano Ryo raised a hand timidly. "H-how could you use the Demon Lord's items so frequently? You've used that glove in front of many people! Last time we entered Takamagahara, you used it right in front of the group leader and the others." The corner of Zhang Yuanqing's mouth twitched. Asano Ryo added in a small voice, "Heaven's Punishment doesn't know you've been to Japan or that you've interacted with the group leader, so in their eyes, the other executives of the Thousand Cranes Group have no connection to Yuanshi-kun and are completely irrelevant. That's why they didn't show them the dossier. But if they ever see that dossier, you'll be finished!" Zhang Yuanqing's mouth twitched again. Asano Ryo added, "Don't worry, though. The group leader values the friendship between the Thousand Cranes Group and you very much. Even if he found out, he would most likely cover for you... Well, I can't say for certain, but he shouldn't actively look into this matter." Zhang Yuanqing pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a pounding headache. *Among the Demon Lord's items, I rarely use the disguise ring. Even when I did, I wore gloves over it—except during the killing trial, where I didn't have gloves. Asano Ryo and Peony Fairy must have noticed it back then.* *Peony Fairy is an insignificant nobody. No one would seek her out for no reason, and nobody even knows she ever saw the disguise ring.* *The Endurance Spray has always been tucked away in my inventory; even Guan Ya has never seen it.* *I've always been very cautious with the Elvis Speaker. Even when taking it out, I keep it hidden inside my waist pouch. Others can only hear the sound, never see its appearance.* *I haven't used the Charm Ring in public yet.* *That electronic watch without item information is likewise shelved away in my inventory.* *Only the Gale Gloves have been used frequently. It's just too useful an item... I was too careless. Far too careless...* Zhang Yuanqing mentally counted the number of times he had used the Gale Gloves in public. Most of the time, he had used it simply to travel quickly, so there was no need to worry about being spotted. Yet on several occasions, there had been witnesses—witnesses who were still very much alive. Once was during the arena matches at Wanbao House, when he used it to kill that swordsman; once was when he helped the Thousand Cranes Group hunt down traitors, using the gloves to disperse the fog; once was when he teamed up with the Thousand Cranes Group executives to explore Takamagahara; and once was during the Five Elements Chaos trial, where he had used it right in front of Huang Taiji. Most recently, he had used it during the Mohist Sect Machinery City trial. *At Wanbao House, I was in disguise. Aside from the Zhao family and Lian Sanyue, no one knew I was Yuanshi Tianzun.* *In the Northeast, the witnesses were patrol squad members and evil classes. Heaven's Punishment could never question evil classes, not to mention those minor lackeys might not even remember a pair of gloves.* *Huang Taiji is a problem...* *As for the members of Return of the Dead, they're still inside their trial. As soon as they come out, I'll immediately start the final trial. Under no circumstances can they be allowed to meet anyone from Heaven's Punishment.* *No, there are still too many loopholes...* Zhang Yuanqing sighed inward. *Heaven's Punishment has a dossier, which means our domestic official organization almost certainly has an illustrated dossier of the Demon Lord's items as well. It's just that I've usually kept things well-concealed and avoided exposure, with the Gale Gloves being the sole exception.* *From the looks of it, the Demon Lord must have obtained this Wind Mage item overseas. He probably treated it as a little toy, played with it a few times, and stashed it away.* *That's why domestic Spirit Realm walkers don't know about the Gale Gloves. But if Heaven's Punishment makes that dossier public, I'll be exposed.* *Heaven's Punishment came to China primarily to apprehend Pluto. Investigating the Demon Lord's successor was merely incidental. Failing to get a satisfactory answer from Asano Ryo, they might shelve the matter for now. Without tangible evidence, they won't necessarily dig down to the bottom.* *No, that's not right. The Demon Lord's character card holds a Fragment of Taiyin Origin, and the Sun, Moon, and Stars are tied to the prophecy of the Compass of Light.* *Heaven's Punishment understands the Demon Lord's importance.* *The major factions across both the First and Second Districts are investing in Night Wanderers. Could Heaven's Punishment have refrained from doing the same? They must have their own Night Wanderers backed by their organization.* *If so, the importance of the Demon Lord's successor skyrockets. Heaven's Punishment will definitely want to seize the Taiyin Origin for their own invested Night Wanderer.* *Questioning Asano Ryo tonight was merely the first step to gauge how suspicious I am. Once they reach the mainland, they will undoubtedly seek confirmation.* *They might even release the dossier directly to our officials.* *It feels like there's no way out. What do I do? What should I do...?* Zhang Yuanqing's nerves stretched taut as a bowstring.