Although the Anti-Black and White Alliance had a rather tacky name, its rules and regulations were quite professional, proving it was no ragtag bunch, but a bona fide grassroots organization. Zhang Yuanqing pondered for a moment and replied, "No problem!"
After sending the message, he walked over to the window and looked down at Cao Qianxiu on the sidewalk.
The girl looked up, and their eyes met. She nodded with a serious expression, then reached over to swat her little brother on the head, scolding, "Still watching the show? Come on, let's catch the bus at the stop."
Eight-year-old Cao Chao hung his head like a beaten dog and followed his sister toward the bus stop five hundred meters away.
They had taken only a few steps when a shout came from upstairs. "Wait!"
Cao Chao's eyes lit up, and he obediently stopped.
Zhang Yuanqing pulled his head back inside. A dozen seconds later, he leaned out again and tossed down a large bag of snacks.
The parcel landed with a soft thud. Eight-year-old Cao Chao bolted over like an unleashed hound and shoved the snack-stuffed bag into his backpack without even looking.
When their mother was arguing, her focus was absolute—a state of oneness with heaven and earth—and she would never notice him. Hoisting his little backpack, Cao Chao pumped his short legs as fast as they would go and scurried off like a wisp of smoke.
Down on the street, Cao Qianxiu shot the young tenant a helpless glare before striding after her brother.
Zhang Yuanqing rested his hands on the windowsill, watching the siblings' receding backs with a smile. The morning sun bathed his face in a warm, jade-like glow.
Today was Friday, his seventh day in the Free Federation. Over the course of the week, he had successfully completed thirteen low-level missions in succession, finally amassing 60 Bronze points. He was only forty points away from becoming a Silver Hunter.
The bounty hunter app's backend evaluation for him was: *Exceptionally gifted!*
Furthermore, relying on his stellar social skills, he had gotten very well acquainted with the landlord's family. Both Mr. and Mrs. Cao thought the young man was upright, handsome, and delightful to talk to.
Little brat Cao Chao also adored this big brother next door because he would sneak premium snacks into his backpack whenever his parents weren't looking. Cao Chao would then stride into the classroom with his head held high and chest puffed out, pulling out the snacks under the envious gazes of his classmates.
The boys yielded before the power of the treats, falling over themselves to follow his lead.
The girls loved hanging out with him too, asking bashfully, "Cao Chao, can I have some of your snacks?"
In the words of the big brother next door: *Securing mate-selection priority at such a tender age!*
Once the Cao siblings vanished from sight, Zhang Yuanqing left the window and went to the bathroom to wash up. Standing before the mirror brushing his teeth, he pondered whether to continue playing 'Little Tadpole Looking for Mama.'
In truth, given Chen Shu's ordinary-human status, his own Stargazing abilities, and the bond between mother and son, he could easily deduce her location through Stargazing.
Yet after discovering that Chen Shu was backed by the Merchant Guild—backed by a demigod—he suddenly felt reluctant to seek her out.
By now, most things had become clear: where his headaches came from, where his mother's little blue pills came from, and why she had gone abroad in the first place—to lean on a major organization that could protect his father's avatar. The causes and effects had all fallen into place.
The only remaining mystery was whether the relic his father left behind was truly a shard of the Compass of Light.
Zhang Yuanqing had originally assumed his headaches were caused by a core shard of the Compass of Light tearing his soul apart.
However, Master Wuhen had explicitly stated that the core shard of the Compass of Light was not on Zhang Yuanqing.
That left two possibilities: First, the core shard had departed after tearing his soul.
Second, his father's relic was not the core shard.
This matter could only be clarified by Chen Shu. Zhang Yuanqing had even prepared himself to "force" a confession out of his mother using dreamscapes and illusions if she refused to cooperate.
Now that he had abruptly learned Chen Shu was in league with the President, forcing the issue would be pointless—if a demigod did not want you to know something, coercion was futile.
Zhang Yuanqing felt somewhat disheartened.
*I'll put finding Chen Shu on the back burner. For now, my objectives are: First, advance to Gold Hunter within a month to satisfy my backer's demand. Second, wait quietly until the end of the year to advance to Dominator. Third, figure out a way to subdue Winnie and obtain the Demon Lord shard. Fourth, hunt as many First District Spirit Realm walkers as possible to collect items. Fifth, clean up this filthy Free Federation.*
Among the five mini-goals, the second and third were linked. If he wanted to subdue Winnie, he would need to become a Dominator first; taking on a Level 8 Dominator as a Saint was simply too far-fetched.
The Demon Lord's treasure map was not an urgent necessity. Scheming against a Level 8 Dominator while still in the Saint stage offered an entirely disproportionate risk-to-reward ratio—it was unwise.
The first, fourth, and fifth objectives were interrelated and could be pursued together.
As for the execution, he needed to take on more missions and broaden his channels and network. He couldn't afford to be blind, which made joining the Anti-Black and White Alliance all the more necessary.
*I can alter my aura and appearance, so I can easily maintain multiple identities, each controlling a few channels...*
*I can be Batman, Spider-Man, and Superman all at once. If needed, I can even be Thanos. The Illusionist class really is fun. Night Walkers are exceedingly rare in the First District, and without Astrology, seeing through my true identity is practically impossible.*
***
At six in the evening, Zhang Yuanqing carried a bottle of Château Lafite to Room 401, knocking on the door upon invitation.
"Hi, big brother!" Cao Chao shouted happily as he opened the door, his eyes filled with adoration.
Every boy had once looked up to an older brother figure.
Zhang Yuanqing ruffled the boy's hair and walked past the entryway into the living room. Mrs. Cao and the domestic helper were busy in the kitchen, while the landlord, Cao Qing, sat on the sofa watching television. He wore a black polo shirt with an upturned collar, his slight beer belly protruding.
"Why did you bring wine?" Cao Qing rose to greet him. His gaze flicked over the wine label, and the smile on his face instantly deepened. He chuckled, "Oho, a 1990 Lafite! A fantastic vintage. How did you know I love red wine?"
*You don't love red wine; you love expensive red wine.* Zhang Yuanqing put on a smile as well. "Just a casual gift. I'm glad you like it, Brother Cao."
Cao Qing was a slick, profit-driven businessman. To a businessman, a valuable gift was the best gift of all.
It was simply catering to his tastes.
Cao Qing guided Zhang Yuanqing to a seat, patted his son's head, and instructed, "Tell your sister to come out and brew tea. Use the Pu'er I've been saving, in the third compartment of the tea cabinet in the master bedroom."
Once Cao Chao scurried off into the hallway, Cao Qing sighed with feeling.
"Songhai University is a great school—a top-tier institution. Brother, I'm entrusting Xiu'er's grades to you. If she doesn't listen, scold her directly. If she still won't listen, tell her mother. That girl has been stubborn as a mule since she was little; nobody can tame her, but she's terrified of her mom.
"One roar from her mother, and the wretched girl folds completely."
*Makes total sense. Bloodline suppression plus suppression from a higher-tier entity of the same profession...* Zhang Yuanqing muttered internally. Saturdays and Sundays were his scheduled tutoring sessions, but because the landlord's family was going on a trip tomorrow, the lessons had been moved up.
An hour and a half tonight, and an hour and a half tomorrow night.
As they chatted, Cao Qing suddenly lowered his voice and said, "Chinatown hasn't been peaceful lately. Remember to lock your doors and windows at night."
Zhang Yuanqing shrugged. "Has the Free Federation ever been safe at night?"
Cao Qing froze for a second before bursting into laughter. "Xiao Zhang, you really get comedy! Hahaha, that's right! Nights in the Free Federation truly aren't safe. So, do you know why Batman exposes half of his face?"
It was worth mentioning that the landlord loved telling jokes—specifically, dark humor and deadpan jokes.
Zhang Yuanqing played along and asked, "Why?"
Cao Qing said with a deadpan expression, "So the police officers can see he's white."
Zhang Yuanqing was stunned for a moment before catching the landlord's punchline.
A pitch-black joke indeed!
With the joking over, Cao Qing turned serious. "Down in Lower Manhattan, around this Chinatown, over a dozen homicides have happened."
Zhang Yuanqing wiped the smile from his face and frowned. "What kind of homicides? What did the police say?"
"Say? They haven't said a thing!" Cao Qing shrugged. "The police only ever tell you that the case is under investigation and offer 'no comment.' In fact, starting half a month ago, people around Wall Street have been turning up dead one after another. As of yesterday, there have been eleven cases and seventeen victims in total. But because all the deceased were ethnic Chinese, the media only gave it a brief mention. No major coverage, no organized push to pressure the precinct."
Such a brutal serial killing case, yet Zhang Yuanqing hadn't heard a whisper about it. Of course, he had been leaving early and returning late all week, busy grinding bounties. His focus hadn't been on Chinatown, and since he never read New York's news or newspapers, his information was inevitably delayed.
Moreover, the Chinatown in Lower Manhattan spanned over forty blocks with a population close to two hundred thousand. Spread across that area, it amounted to roughly one case every three streets.
Without actively paying attention, it was very easy to overlook.
Still, for a serial murder case to remain so quiet spoke volumes about the media's indifference.
Cao Qing suddenly dropped his voice further. "I heard some rogue Maoshan Daoist is refining jiangshi in Chinatown."
Zhang Yuanqing matched his tone, feigning astonishment. "Is there any proof?"
Cao Qing lowered his voice even more. "I've got a few friends with connections in the precinct. The word on the street is that the corpses were turned bluish-green all over, their fingernails pitch-black—not normal bodies at all. Higher-ups in the department issued a strict order: once a victim from these serial murders is found, the body must be cremated that very night, no preservation allowed. You know Haas Street Precinct, right? The one six kilometers away? The medical examiner there disobeyed orders and insisted on keeping a body for an autopsy. He ended up getting killed by the mutated jiangshi, drained completely dry of blood! This is classified info—don't go spreading it around."
"Classified, my foot..." Cao Qianxiu sneered as she walked over carrying two cups of tea. "If it's classified, how would you know? Jiangshi? Hah, why don't you buy a few jin of glutinous rice to ward off evil at home?"
Zhang Yuanqing turned toward Cao Qianxiu.
The young girl feigned disdain, but a flicker of gravity crossed her eyes.
Cao Qing coughed awkwardly and gestured, "Drink tea, drink tea."
Dinner was ready shortly after. Zhang Yuanqing sat with the landlord's family around the dining table, eating and chatting—Mrs. Cao disliked Annie and never invited her to eat.
Taking Zhang Yuanqing's tastes into account, Mrs. Cao had prepared two Songhai dishes tonight: braised spring bamboo shoots and pan-fried pork buns with chicken broth.
Cao Qing took a bite of a bun and frowned repeatedly.
"Oh heavens, how could you put so much oil in this? Are you trying to invite an invasion from the Free Federation military?"
Mrs. Cao didn't get the reference. "What nonsense are you babbling about? Eat it or leave it."
Cao Qing looked at Zhang Yuanqing in disappointment. Zhang Yuanqing remarked solemnly, "I don't plan on eating this dish."
"Why?" Cao Qing asked.
Zhang Yuanqing replied deadpan, "Because I don't want too much oil accumulating in my stomach. It might summon the Free Federation military."
Cao Qing clutched his belly and roared with laughter. "Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! Xiao Zhang, your comedic timing is on par with mine!"
Cao Qianxiu and Mrs. Cao looked utterly bewildered, staring at the two men as if they were idiots.
***
After dinner, Zhang Yuanqing entered Cao Qianxiu's bedroom.
At Mrs. Cao's insistence, the door remained open, facing directly toward the living room.
The two sat on the bedroom sofa with textbooks spread out across the round glass table. Cao Qianxiu said coldly, "I suspect you're not a Scout."
Zhang Yuanqing asked calmly in return, "What makes you say that?"
"Because a serious Scout wouldn't get my dad's terrible jokes," Cao Qianxiu replied.
*Your dark jokes aren't far behind your dad's,* Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself.
He glanced toward the living room, then said, "You're just venting, not genuinely suspicious. You plan to observe my skills and combat prowess during the upcoming trial mission... Those are my observations."
Cao Qianxiu gave a slight nod, offering a fair assessment. "Your Insight is quite sharp. All right, let's talk about the trial mission. Do you know about the Chinatown serial murders?"
Zhang Yuanqing replied, "I just heard your dad mention it. Of course, I don't buy that nonsense about Maoshan sorcerers."
Cao Qianxiu nodded. "Of course it's not a Maoshan sorcerer. Barring any surprises, it's a Night Walker! That's the conclusion our Anti-Black and White Alliance reached after gathering evidence and analyzing it. You came from the Second District, so you should know about Night Walkers."
At this point, her expression turned solemn. "Among the Orderly professions, that's the only one perched at the pinnacle of combat power."
A 'pinnacle of combat power' referred to a profession that would unfailingly prevail at the same level, assuming neither side held an advantage in items or terrain.
Zhang Yuanqing said in a deep voice, "Night Walkers are exceedingly rare. Why would one appear in Chinatown?"
"You're a Scout—why are you in Chinatown?" Cao Qianxiu retorted, casually explaining, "In New York's Chinese communities, Second District Spirit Realm walkers are rare, but not nonexistent. Some immigrated from the First District, while others accidentally became Spirit Realm walkers while visiting their hometowns for travel or family reunions."
She didn't delve deeper into the topic and continued, "The higher-ups of the Anti-Black and White Alliance take these serial murders very seriously. If we let that Night Walker carry on, more innocents will fall victim. Those who died are all ethnic Chinese, our own compatriots. We have to root out the killer as quickly as possible."
"Why not hand it over to Heaven's Punishment?" Zhang Yuanqing asked.
As soon as the words left his mouth, he saw disdain flash through Cao Qianxiu's eyes.
"Because Heaven's Punishment doesn't care to get involved," she said.
*They don't care to get involved... What a ridiculous yet realistic answer.* Zhang Yuanqing shook his head with a self-deprecating smile. "I'm not very familiar with the First District."
Cao Qianxiu hummed in agreement and elaborated, "First of all, Heaven's Punishment has never wanted to interfere in Spirit Realm walker incidents in Chinatown. Call it indifference or call it laziness—at the end of the day, they just don't care.
"After all, the dead aren't Black or white, so it won't generate massive public outrage. Shootings and robberies happen countlessly every day in New York. A Spirit Realm walker who kills only eleven people in two months is practically gentle in Heaven's Punishment's eyes. Besides, Night Walkers are elusive; hunting one down is mostly a thankless chore.
"Secondly, Chinese affairs are handled by the Chinese themselves without causing trouble for them—that's the tacit understanding forged between the local Chinese Spirit Realm walker organizations and Heaven's Punishment.
"Heaven's Punishment tolerates our existence, and in return, we maintain order on their behalf. What happens internally—whether we fight to the death among ourselves—they don't care, as long as it doesn't disrupt their stability and order."
Zhang Yuanqing remarked, "All right, that's an eye-opener."
This was completely different from the Second District. The Five Elements Alliance's style was to keep everything firmly in its grasp. Grassroots organizations or Spirit Realm clans alike had to submit to the Five Elements Alliance's management and supervision; the Alliance insisted on absolute authority.
The systems of the two official organizations each had their pros and cons. The Five Elements Alliance's governance model was more stable and secure, resulting in far fewer heinous incidents. The downside was that the Ten Elders themselves were the systemic flaw.
When confronted with injustice and tyranny, one had no choice but to yield—or flip the table like he had, dragging Cai Qinhe down to perish together.
The turmoil surrounding the Tribunal was the direct fallout of the Five Elements Alliance's systemic flaws.
As for the flaws in Heaven's Punishment's model, there was no need to say more. Spirit Realm walker organizations were chaotic and convoluted, with major and minor warlords running rampant. Add the evil faction into the mix, and it was a wonder public security wasn't even worse.
Cao Qianxiu took out her phone, opened a messaging app, and downloaded a document.
"Our Anti-Black and White Alliance has compiled extremely comprehensive files and clues copied directly from the police precinct. Now, here is your first test: based on these materials, deduce the suspect's next area of operation."
Cao Qianxiu handed over her phone, anticipation gleaming in her pretty eyes.
Chapter 660