When I went out today, I didn't hear Chu Meng's questions.
She must have gotten used to me going out every day.
Elsewhere.
Chen Residence.
From a certain courtyard, muffled sounds of agony frequently echoed.
"Gu An, you deserve to die, you truly deserve to die! How dare you injure me like this?"
"The moment I recover will be the moment of your demise."
"I may not be your match today, but after some time, you'll be groveling before me."
The sounds of pain and curses didn't cease.
Inside the room, Yang Shi's face was twisted in rage, though the injuries on his body weren't much.
In a month or so, they would heal completely.
But the resentment in his heart remained, leaving him restless.
He had to vent, tear Gu An apart limb by limb—only then could his thoughts be settled.
Cursing was his way of making himself feel better, preventing him from succumbing to madness.
Knock, knock!
As he cursed, there was a sudden knock at the door outside.
"Didn't I say not to approach this courtyard?" Yang Shi shouted angrily.
Crunch!
As Yang Shi yelled, the door suddenly creaked open.
A shadowy figure entered, then gently closed the door behind them.
Along the way, they affixed a soundproofing talisman.
The unexpected turn of events left Yang Shi momentarily stunned. "Who's there?"
The figure now walked closer.
They stood quietly beside the bed.
The moonlight was good tonight, providing ample illumination.
At the sight of the visitor, Yang Shi froze.
He was incredulous.
"Leader Yang, we meet again," Gu An said softly, standing by the bed.
"You, how did you get in here?" Yang Shi asked, visibly nervous.
"Walked in from outside," Gu An replied, his tone calm.
"Why would the Chen Family allow you in?" Yang Shi questioned, unable to believe it.
"The Chen Family's defenses are mediocre at best," Gu An said, hinting at something deeper.
At those words, Yang Shi was shocked, his disbelief growing. "You..."
Gu An stepped closer, gazing at him. "To be honest, I don't particularly enjoy killing people."
"You wouldn't dare!" Yang Shi, feeling Gu An's chilling indifference and murderous intent, trembled in terror and shouted, "I am a Talisman Maker, someone the Chen Family is grooming, and soon to be wed to Miss Chen! You kill me, and there's no escaping..."
Before he could finish, Gu An had already approached.
He swiftly gripped Yang Shi's throat.
Yang Shi's body stiffened as the suffocating sensation filled him with panic and dread.
"Please...don't kill me," he begged desperately. "Boss, just...just give me another chance. I won't, I won't..."
Gu An stared at him, his gaze devoid of any emotion. "Relax, it will all be over soon. There won't be any pain."
"No, spare..."
Crunch!
Yang Shi's plea was cut short as Gu An snapped his neck.
The difference between the Fifth Layer and the Third Layer of Qi Refining was vast.
After finishing the deed, Gu An pulled out a dagger and stabbed him twice in the chest.
Once on the left, once on the right.
No matter where the heart was, death was unavoidable.
Pausing briefly, he recalled hearing recently that the heart was located in the center, so he stabbed there as well.
With that, Gu An finally felt assured.
He checked Yang Shi's clothing and retrieved two Spirit Stones along with several talismans before retreating.
Moments later.
The room held no trace of Gu An's presence, nor the soundproofing talisman.
Silence enveloped the space.
Until dawn.
Back at home, Gu An washed his hands and prepared breakfast.
Yang Shi couldn't be allowed to live.
If left alive, the Chen Family might take certain actions.
After all, as long as a person lived, they could stir trouble, sow doubts, and shift decisions based on interests.
But once the person was dead.
Everything became settled.
And him, merely at the Third Layer of Qi Refining, seemed highly unlikely to storm into the Chen Residence and commit murder.
Though suspicions might arise, it was definitely better than having Yang Shi around to fan the flames of conflict.
Why Yang Shi hated him so much, Gu An never asked.
Knowing or not knowing wouldn't change the final outcome.
Thus, he decided not to ask for now.
He feared that he might lose his resolve, that some soft corner of his heart might spare the other man.
If so, he might someday pay for it with his life.
Sighing heavily, Gu An carried the breakfast to the living room.
Plain porridge.
Each person received a bowl, and Gu An began to eat.
It was ordinary rice. Spirit Rice—such crops—were luxuries most couldn't afford.
Chu Meng looked at Gu An and said:
"Last night, I thought something through."
"What is it?" Gu An asked casually while eating.
"I think you should be more polite to me," Chu Meng said.
Hearing this, Gu An raised his brow and looked at her. "I think I've been quite polite."
"No, not polite enough," Chu Meng replied earnestly, staring at Gu An. "You don't quite understand the relationship between us, do you?"
Gu An regarded her with some surprise, waiting for her to explain.
"First, you're that bitch's secret agent, which should've stayed confidential since common folks aren't supposed to know about it." Chu Meng continued, staring at Gu An:
"Then, because I know about you, I wouldn't ordinarily be allowed to live. But that bitch insists on having me captured alive, which means I have enough utility value. She likely won't kill me; instead, she'll make me her subordinate.
This means that if I agree to switch sides, we're technically on the same team. And given that you're on the outer fringes while I'm part of the Sect—
it's highly probable my status would be higher than yours.
So, is this how you should treat me? I'm not even asking for you to fully heal me, but shouldn't I at least eat something decent?"
Gu An's mind was full of disbelief.
Though he was just a pawn on the chessboard,
she had made one thing clear: her value was undeniable if she was required alive.
Considering her cultivation level and background, she far surpassed him.
If she indeed aligned herself with that woman...
She could easily have him under her thumb.
"So, would Senior choose to switch sides?" Gu An asked.
"That's none of your concern," Chu Meng replied, staring at Gu An seriously. "You only need to know that I have enough value and leverage to suppress you, got it? Three meat buns a day—is that too much to ask?"
"Not too much at all. So, Senior, are you sure that's all you want?" Gu An asked.
"If I asked for more, would you agree?" Chu Meng retorted.
Gu An shook his head.
As long as she lived, she would always be a problem.
Unfortunately, her life or death wasn't his choice to make.
Besides, he himself already stood on the brink of death.
The contact person still hadn't appeared.
After everything was settled, Gu An headed to the Spirit Tree Garden.
This time, there were only four people.
Gu An resumed his logging, eager to boost his progress.
The Fifth Layer of Qi Refining was still insufficient for self-preservation. Manager Chen's aura from yesterday could absolutely crush him.
Whether the Chen Family would ultimately vent their anger on him remained uncertain.
Manager Chen, at least for now, seemed unlikely to act; with Shang Yundong now missing, any fallout would require Manager Chen to take responsibility.
For the moment, things were safe.
Watching the silent and busy Supervisor, Gu An sighed again.
The number of people was steadily dwindling.
...
Chen Residence.
In the center of a room stood an elegant young lady.
She was dressed in a luxurious silk gown, its hem dancing lightly in the breeze.
Chen Yu, the eldest daughter of the Chen Family.
At this moment, she stood in Yang Shi's room, staring at the lifeless body, her brows furrowed.
Soon a middle-aged man rushed in.
The instant he saw the corpse, he was visibly enraged. "Who did this?"
"Someone slipped in silently, killed him, and left without a sound. This person isn't simple," Miss Chen said aloud.