What Is Justice? "I Call Him Major Luo"

A Master Painter? Although he had never heard of any "Master Painter," Bai Zhou was all too familiar with similar titles. The Fine Arts Society—old acquaintances. The relationship between them couldn't be described as loving; "fighting to the death" was more accurate. The kind where, if they crossed paths, they'd want to tear into each other with their bare teeth. During his flight, the most perilous predicaments Bai Zhou had faced had almost all come from the Fine Arts Society—from the primary lapdogs hired with generous bounties by the Major. Yet by the same token, three consecutive "First Painters" of the Fine Arts Society had all fallen at Bai Zhou's hands, without exception. However, a painter was just a painter, a Level 4 Extraordinary. But a "Master Painter"? Behind the KFC family bucket, Bai Zhou blinked. "Lately, when I went out to gather intelligence, I occasionally heard news regarding the Fine Arts Society." The crow on his shoulder cawed twice before speaking. "That notorious assassin organization has managed to maintain a lasting foothold in Tinghai first by stealth, and second because these assassins' cover identities are all prominent figures in their own right, boasting immense wealth. But most important of all is strength—strength capable of silencing their enemies." "Sixteen Painters, Seven Great Painters, Three Titled Master Painters—" "Among them, the so-called Master Painters are the three Level 6 Titled Extraordinaries standing at the pinnacle of the Painter pathway!" With that, Crow shook her head. "In Tinghai, one can only be called a Senior Extraordinary at Level 5, qualifying to hold high-ranking posts in official institutions. But only Level 6 Extraordinaries crowned with a title can become senior directors in official institutions or establish an independent faction of their own." "Cults and societies lacking a Titled Extraordinary are second-rate factions. Only forces overseen by a Titled Extraordinary can make a name for themselves in Tinghai. And the Fine Arts Society's Painter pathway is inherently treacherous and powerful, with a staggering three figures at the titled rank!" "These aren't ordinary Titled Extraordinaries either, but three who specialize in assassination—" "No faction isn't wary of them. That's the fundamental reason why, despite making countless enemies as an assassin syndicate, they remain standing to this day." Bai Zhou understood what Crow meant. Wiping out an assassin organization's lair wasn't difficult. But without certainty of catching them all in one net, scattering these assassins and freeing them from organizational restraint, who could imagine what chaos such stealthy, intractable killers would unleash? Most importantly, a full three veteran assassins of titled rank lurking in the shadows, watching day in and day out for revenge—who wouldn't be terrified? Even Titled Extraordinaries of the same level wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully. Instead, with an organization, their movements left traceable patterns, and the three veteran titled assassins would have reservations, willing to rein themselves in under the official gaze. As long as no existence above Level 6 emerged from their ranks, they could never truly rise to dominance after all. And the Painter pathway had already determined that their ceiling was almost permanently capped at Level 6 Titled, just like standard pathways such as the Special Control Bureau's Mechanical Walker. Yet for Bai Zhou, this was anything but welcome. Because now that this old bastard had stepped into the open with blade in hand, he was likely coming for him— "I think he's coming for you," Crow agreed. "Criminals love returning to the scene of the crime, and law officers inspect crime scenes multiple times. In other people's eyes, since Senior Zhou clearly knew of the demon's existence, he likely visited Yuanmeng Middle School in reality long ago and is very likely to return to investigate, ensuring nothing unusual remains." "Major Luo must have capitalized on this mindset to set an ambush outside the school in advance. Anyone sneaking around would enter their line of sight." Crow's voice was heavy, for she had watched Bai Zhou make his way near the school. Close call! "This girl—" Crow turned to look at the listless Gem Witch not far away, her expression complex. "She took this severe wound in your place!" With that, a trace of wonder surfaced in Crow's gaze toward the Gem Witch. To actually escape with her life from a "Master Painter"? Titled—Level 6 Extraordinaries crowned with a title stood at the end of the first great stage of extraordinary pathways, the peak of the road for most standard and fragmented pathways. They had fully integrated Body, Heart, Qi, Essence, Intent, and Spirit; every single one was a living legend. To escape from someone like that, even if grievously wounded, proved the Gem Witch's extraordinary caliber! "Took a severe wound in my place—" Bai Zhou also felt a lingering dread. Unfortunately, he had no way to openly thank the witch; otherwise, all his earlier disguise and explanations would go to waste. Yet this favor, he noted it in his heart. "That Master Painter... should be someone from the Fine Arts Society assassin syndicate," Bai Zhou said, shaking his head under his Grandpa KFC guise. "Still, to escape from a Level 6 Titled assassin specialized in wetwork, perhaps my stepping in just now was redundant." "...You're definitely mistaken about something." The Gem Witch was silent for a moment before replying, "Actually, those men in black swarmed me, and only when he saw I was about to break through the encirclement did he casually throw a strike my way." "That person seemed wary of something the entire time. His attention wasn't on me at all." She added uncertainly, "I don't know if it was an illusion, but I felt like he was convinced I wasn't alone, that I had companions backing me, and was using me as bait to fish for them." "Fishing?" Hearing this, Bai Zhou's face changed, his nerves instantly taut. Needless to say, in the eyes of Picasso, the Gem Witch was far too weak, definitely not the Senior Zhou he was waiting for—even a Senior Zhou wounded after a duel with a demon. Besides, Senior Zhou wasn't a "Senior Sister Zhou"— Perhaps Picasso only wanted to confirm Senior Zhou's identity, never expecting to kill such an unfathomable existence himself. But the Gem Witch walking right into the snare made Picasso suspect she was connected to Senior Zhou, hoping to use her to draw him out. Harboring malice toward Senior Zhou, yet deeply dreading him at the same time. After all, though Senior Zhou's rumored strength fluctuated wildly, his battle record was verifiable. Then could that titled assassin currently be trailing from the dark, watching him right now?! At the thought of this possibility, Bai Zhou couldn't help holding his breath, expanding his Mind's Eye with everything he had to observe every rustle of wind and grass around them, not missing even the fall of a single leaf— "Don't worry, he definitely didn't follow—that much I can be certain of." Sensing Bai Zhou's tension, the Gem Witch couldn't help smiling faintly, thinking that even this mysterious eccentric had moments when he felt anxious and afraid. "He wanted to chum the waters and use me as bait, so I figured I might as well let him hook a big one. "My relationship with the Black Box Special Administration is decent enough, and I happened to know beforehand that a special team from the bureau had been lingering nearby conducting investigations over the past two days, so I sent them a message." "The one who rushed over was their team leader. Although only a Level 5 Extraordinary, well, it's the Black Box Special Administration—you know how it is." The Gem Witch blinked twice. "That team leader holds a special Black Box, which happened to be enough to hold Picasso back. "The remaining Black Warriors chased me all the way here before I realized it—" The Gem Witch shook her head. "As for those two, their battle drifted further and further away, and in the end, I have no idea where they ended up. "...Still, I don't think the team leader will get much out of Picasso anyway." Hearing this, Bai Zhou was lost in thought. Someone from the Special Control Bureau had also arrived near Yuanmeng Middle School to investigate? It seemed things were moving just as he had anticipated, perhaps even slightly faster. Not only the Major's men, but official institutions and various factions had already set their sights on the real Yuanmeng Middle School. Aside from the Special Control Bureau and the Fine Arts Society, who knew how many other forces were lurking in the shadows, spying on the place. Even if there were no immediate findings within the school, that didn't stop them from waiting patiently by the stump to see if any unexpected windfall would follow. Yet they were all hiding exceptionally well, each unaware of the others' presence. —Until the Gem Witch appeared. Not only had she tripped the wire in Bai Zhou's stead, but she had also inadvertently exposed this critical information to him. In passing, she had stirred the already murky, convoluted waters around Yuanmeng Middle School into a complete mess. "Still, I don't understand." The Gem Witch looked puzzled. "I guessed that Master Painter came from the Fine Arts Society, but that ambush made no sense—do you have any clues about this?" Poor Gem Witch, probably the only person among them kept entirely in the dark, Bai Zhou mused inwardly. "Perhaps their target wasn't you," Bai Zhou replied, as he couldn't speak plainly. "They might have simply misunderstood something—" Unfortunately, the clash between the Fine Arts Society and the Special Control Bureau likely wouldn't result in substantive casualties. There was simply no reason for a battle-hardened veteran assassin to be slain by a Level 5 Extraordinary wielding a Black Box. Through Bai Zhou's eyes, Picasso had merely been constrained by caution, not daring to rashly kill a senior officer of the Special Control Bureau. They shared the same objective, and at this moment, any faction had a reasonable pretext to appear outside Yuanmeng Middle School; besides, anyone could hire the Fine Arts Society. No one would ever imagine that the Major was standing behind the Fine Arts Society, the true mastermind orchestrating the entire demon incident. Perhaps not even the Fine Arts Society itself knew! Thus, it seemed Bai Zhou had no opening to reap the benefits of a fisherman—a regrettable outcome. Yet as this thought crossed his mind, Bai Zhou's eyes suddenly blinked. Was there really no opening? "Since you have a decent relationship with the Special Control Bureau," Bai Zhou asked, observing the witch with his Mind's Eye, "why didn't you act alongside the authorities, choosing instead to investigate alone?" "They're far too inefficient. You have no idea what I went through—" The witch shook her head, abruptly halting on certain topics. She still knew what should and shouldn't be said. So she swiftly changed the subject. "Anyway, if I relied on them, I wouldn't see my bounties in eight lifetimes. "And those serial killers—who knows how many more people they'd have butchered in the meantime! "Take that guy surnamed Bai who set off serial bombings recently. If you've heard the name Gem Witch, you ought to know I'd never sit by and let a bastard like that continue running loose!" Surnamed Bai—Bai Zhou was momentarily rendered speechless. Serial bombings, a wanted fugitive surnamed Bai... you might as well read out my citizen ID from Wancheng. Bai Zhou had no idea when on earth he had provoked such a formidable enemy. If this witch knew that the wanted criminal she couldn't stop obsessing over was standing right in front of her—how would she react? Quietly smacking his lips, Bai Zhou cleared his throat lightly. "Mm, I've heard a bit... Executor of Justice, Guide of Radiant Splendor—" He recalled her self-introduction from their very first meeting, which instantly made the witch's eyes light up. "Executor of Justice? You know that too! Could we have met in the past?" Bai Zhou: "?" What did she mean, "You know that too"? So not just anyone knew about it—that title really was just her own self-proclamation? "Only by hearsay," Bai Zhou grumbled inwardly, while maintaining an unruffled demeanor on the surface, offering only a calm, neutral reply. "I see." The young witch looked somewhat disappointed. "Still—" Bai Zhou hesitated. The witch looked back at him. "What?" Studying her through his Mind's Eye, Bai Zhou weighed his words while his mind raced, balancing the risks and consequences of certain matters. In the end, Bai Zhou spoke in a low tone. "A question occurred to me. I'm somewhat curious about your answer—though I wasn't sure if I should ask." "What question?" Sensing nothing amiss, the witch waved her hand nonchalantly. "Just ask!" Hearing that, Bai Zhou's eyes blinked behind the family bucket. You're the one who told me to ask— "Since you claim to be an Executor of Justice." "Then let me ask you." Bai Zhou said, "In your eyes, what definition should justice hold?" "...Justice?" The witch had thought he might ask about various secrets of extraordinary lore, and out of gratitude to her savior, she had already braced herself for that. Yet she hadn't expected the ultimate question to be this—an inquiry so simple, yet so strangely jarring. It didn't belong here; it belonged on a middle-school civics exam. Appearing on a night littered with corpses, it was like an uninvited guest ruining the atmosphere. Yet while it was an odd question, it was far from meaningless. Because to the witch, "justice" held meaning at all times. Frowning slightly and pondering earnestly for a moment, the witch finally gave her answer in a deep voice: "Though it might sound grand and high-minded, no matter how many times anyone asks me, my answer will always be the same: justice is unwaveringly giving every person what they deserve. "It is precisely because of justice that this society can sustain itself and endure." On a question so prone to hollow rhetoric and mere formality, the witch's answer was surprisingly earnest. "As for myself, ever since stepping into the extraordinary, I have striven toward this, and I take pride in it!" "An expected answer, but—" Bai Zhou's eyes flickered. "Then what if the guilty flourish and ascend to greatness, while the innocent bear wrongful blame and suffer in silence?" "...It happens." The witch pursed her lips and nodded. "Such situations truly exist. The world always has dark corners that the light has yet to illuminate. "Perhaps someone you know suffered this, which is why you ask? "Yet whether you believe it or not, I will say this—" Speaking with growing natural ease and eloquence, the masked witch slowly lifted her half-lowered gaze. "Justice is an eternal sun. No one can delay its arrival. "—If someone tries, that person ought to be slain!" "A fine answer!" Bai Zhou lightly clapped his hands. "I believe your answer came from the heart. "However—" Immediately after, Bai Zhou shifted the conversation once more. Taking measured steps under the pristine moonlight, Bai Zhou drew closer to the witch, his slender shadow stretching across the ground. He bowed his head slightly, lowering his voice: "What if I told you that someone holds a vital post within the authorities, appearing dignified and promising on the surface, rising meteorically—yet secretly commits every conceivable atrocity, serving as the source of countless evils in Tinghai City? "This person's status is exceptionally sensitive, entangled in a labyrinth of conflicting interests. Many willingly serve as his lapdogs, countless people sing his praises, and even if the truth were exposed, hardly anyone would dare make a move—" Bai Zhou asked, "What would you do?" Not good! The Gem Witch wished she could clamp her hands over her ears, scoop out her brains, and erase the memory of what she had just heard. She'd fallen into a trap! The Gem Witch smelled the stench of immense trouble. An invisible, terrifying vortex was steadily closing in on her, carrying the distinct peril of losing her life. This made the Gem Witch grind her teeth, glaring fiercely at the figure before her. Yet Grandpa KFC simply stood there with hands shoved in his pockets, quiet and innocent, as if saying, "You're the one who told me to ask." "..." The witch slowly took a deep breath, the gaze behind her mask gradually turning sharp. "Who?" she demanded in a low voice. "Who is this person?" Now that she had heard it, she couldn't simply sit by and ignore it. Even knowing there was a pit ahead, she had to step right in to see what lay hidden within. A thirst for truth and a heart for justice were the very essence of who the Gem Witch was. "Which cancerous tumor committed such atrocities, yet managed to hide so deeply? "Can a place as small as Tinghai truly harbor such a figure?" Grinding her teeth, her voice ringing with resolve, the masked witch demanded, "—I really want to hear it!" What a gaze. Standing opposite the witch, Bai Zhou quietly observed her eyes through his Mind's Eye. It was that very persistence and sharpness concealed within her gaze that reminded Bai Zhou of being "saved" by her when they first met, along with everything that had transpired during their time together. All indications showed that she was a good person who loved poking her nose into trouble and possessed a sharp tongue. A precious, rare good person. Perhaps— Perhaps she was worth winning over. That man surnamed Luo stood fortified behind the twin bastions of the Special Control Bureau and the Zijing Group, commanding both authority and wealth, wielding power in both the light and the dark. A single word from him was an arrest warrant—such a Major was virtually untouchable. To destroy such an impregnable fortress, the best method was naturally to breach it from within. Let heroes investigate heroes, let warriors contend with warriors. To expose a hero of the Special Control Bureau required an existence similarly close to the bureau. And who could be more suited for such a task than the Gem Witch? Close to the Special Control Bureau, yet unbound by its institutional constraints, fully capable of exercising her own initiative. People wouldn't believe Bai Zhou, a wanted criminal, but they would believe the Gem Witch, an established folk hero. Only an "upright knight" possessing both credibility and strength like the Gem Witch stood any chance of clearing a black sheep like Bai Zhou and unmasking the filthy reality of an illustrious big shot. As for whether the witch was trustworthy— Bai Zhou didn't know the answer to that question, but fortunately, he had nothing left to lose. At the very least, he needed an ally. Even if this ally were to betray him, as long as he maintained vigilance and kept their contact strictly one-on-one, his already desperate plight could hardly get any worse. "His surname... is Luo!" Carefully weighing his words, Bai Zhou scrutinized the witch's reaction, delivering his answer word by deliberate word: "Perhaps you've heard his name. "And you probably know what this surname usually signifies in Tinghai." Beneath the gentle caress of gossamer moonlight, Grandpa KFC gazed across at the masked witch, his muffled voice carrying through the family bucket: "Squandering gold like dirt, boundless in ambition, wielding a Black Box, a rising star devoted to idealism and absolute efficiency, and an industrious young master holding high authority within a corporate conglomerate. "Some call him the Third Young Master, some address him as Officer, some say he is the bane of the Blood Worship Cult, and others call him a hero of the Special Control Bureau—" At that moment, the moon on the horizon was swallowed by heavy, shifting black clouds. Beyond the dim yellow glow of the streetlamps, the nocturnal streets were plunged into profound darkness. Bai Zhou's voice drifted faintly into the witch's ears, causing her racing heart to skip a beat: "As for me, I prefer to call him by another title—" "—Major Luo!"