Yue Shi waved to Bai Wanyang, then turned and ran swiftly toward the fog-shrouded Peace Alley.
Bai Wanyang watched him run for a distance, then suddenly blinked, feeling uncertain—Yue Shi’s figure seemed to blur for an instant before vanishing into the grey mist.
He focused his gaze, but could only see the churning fog in that area, making it impossible to distinguish anything. He probably just ran deep into the thick mist, Bai Wanyang told himself.
At that moment, Yue Shi had already activated 【Hidden Black Feathers】. His figure blended completely into the environment like an invisible ghost, maintaining a steady pace as he moved silently across the slick ground.
The rain had stopped completely, and the fog provided the perfect cover. Before long, the silhouettes of the dilapidated buildings of Peace Alley loomed through the haze.
Yue Shi slowed his pace, cautiously approaching the outpost at the open plaza on the outskirts of Peace Alley.
Inside the outpost, several guards were huddled together, chatting and smoking, completely unaware of the invisible observer standing just inches away.
Yue Shi walked past them without any hindrance, stepping once more into the territory of Peace Alley.
He quickly returned to the site of the destroyed milk tea shop. A few residents of Peace Alley were gathered around the ruins, pointing and whispering among themselves.
“It’s over, it’s all over. All the effort the boss put in lately has gone down the drain,” a bald man sighed, shaking his head at a provocatively dressed woman beside him.
The woman stood with her arms crossed, chewing on a mint. Her gaze also fell on the ruins. “There was quite a commotion over at the restaurant just now. The boss is still throwing a tantrum and smashing things.”
“Why?” the bald man asked, surprised. “Didn’t the boss act all polite to those two just now? He even treated them to a meal.”
“It was an act,” the woman scoffed. “The Hive was destroyed; the boss is hurting deep in his pockets.”
Hiding nearby, Yue Shi heard their conversation clearly. The situation was just as he had expected; Zeng San’s warmth and gratitude were entirely fake.
The destruction of the Hive had clearly infuriated the man.
Yue Shi turned and headed toward the restaurant.
Before he even got close, he heard the sounds of heated shouting and the sharp clatter of shattering porcelain coming from inside.
“Useless! A bunch of useless idiots!”
“How did transcendents from the Investigation Bureau manage to sniff their way here?!”
“The Hive is ruined! Those fools responsible for the outer perimeter security are to blame!”
Inside the restaurant, Zeng San’s roars were loud enough to make one’s ears ring. He was slamming his hand on the table, venting his fury.
The place was a mess. The remains of the previously lavish feast were scattered everywhere, mixed with shards of broken dishes.
The subordinates standing nearby looked at the food strewn across the floor, their faces full of silent pain.
Can you please not waste food!
Zeng San shouted for a while, his chest heaving violently, until he finally took a deep breath and forced his anger down. “...At least I managed to get rid of those two jinxes. If they had stayed and discovered anything else, the trouble would have been immense!”
He turned to a burly henchman beside him and barked, “Confirm it immediately—have they actually left?!”
The man nodded, quickly pulled out his phone, and dialed a number. “That Investigation Bureau truck that drove out of Peace Alley—is it gone? How many people were in it?” he asked in a low voice.
A response came from the other end, and the henchman’s expression gradually grew solemn. He hung up and looked at Zeng San. “Our people only saw the car drive away, but the fog is too thick to see how many people were inside.”
Zeng San’s brow furrowed instantly. Those two investigators weren’t easy to deal with. What if... they had sensed something and doubled back?
The thought made Zeng San restless. As the leader of the gang that occupied Peace Alley, he was no brute; on the contrary, he was quite intelligent and had to consider the worst-case scenario.
Better safe than sorry! Zeng San hesitated no longer and decisively gave orders to his subordinates. “Everyone, increase security immediately! Search Peace Alley inside and out. If you find any trace of those two ‘honored guests’...” He paused, his sharp gaze sweeping over the crowd.
“What do we do if we find them?” a subordinate asked.
Zeng San’s voice returned to its usual calm, but it carried an unquestionable coldness. “If you find them, you will ‘invite’ them back with the utmost politeness and respect! You must not let them suspect anything is wrong, and more importantly, you must not let anything happen to them here!”
He knew well that if Yue Shi and the other man had truly returned, a head-on confrontation would be foolish. Keeping them calm and then “politely escorting them out” was the best way to avoid a larger-scale intervention from the Investigation Bureau.
Another subordinate called the outpost to confirm. The guards there swore up and down that they hadn't seen anyone return to Peace Alley.
Zeng San’s tense nerves relaxed slightly. He waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to disperse and patrol the alleyways thoroughly.
Just then, a subordinate standing in the corner who had been hesitating finally plucked up the courage to speak. “Boss, earlier...”
“Speak!” Zeng San’s sharp gaze snapped toward him.
“When those two were leaving and passed by me, it seemed... it seemed like one of them asked me a question.” The man looked somewhat dazed.
“What did he ask?” Zeng San’s heart sank as a sense of foreboding rose.
“I... I don’t remember.” The subordinate rubbed his temples hard, looking bewildered. “I just feel like he asked something, but the specifics... are a complete blank. Even the memory of him talking to me is fuzzy, like a hazy daydream. I didn’t think much of it at first, but considering the situation, I thought I shouldn't ignore any anomalies.”
Zeng San’s face darkened instantly as he realized the severity of the situation. “That wasn’t a dream; it must have been mental interference! They used some kind of method to try and extract information from you.”
A flash of annoyance and ferocity crossed the subordinate’s face. “Boss, I have no idea what I might have leaked. Why don’t we just finish them off to keep them quiet? We have the strength to do it!” He made a throat-slitting gesture.
Zeng San’s eyes flickered as he fell silent for a few seconds. Ultimately, he shook his head in refusal. “No. ‘That plan’ has already reached a critical stage; we can’t afford any complications. We absolutely cannot attract the attention of the Investigation Bureau.”
His tone was grave. Although he didn’t explain further, the mention of “that plan” made everyone around him subconsciously hold their breath. It was clearly a matter of great importance.
“The Queen Bee is dead; that’s an unexpected loss. We must accelerate the progress of ‘the plan’ to make up for the gap left by her loss!” Zeng San sat back heavily in his chair, falling into deep thought.
The restaurant fell into a dead silence. No one dared to make a sound, and the oppressive atmosphere felt almost solid.
The invisible Yue Shi listened quietly. Seeing that they were no longer speaking and that no further information could be gained, he backed out silently.
After a long while, Zeng San suddenly stood up. Without a word, he strode outside and got into his sports car, ordering the driver to go.
Rate on N.U.
