Lin Qian lit a candle, then settled at the table where her husband and friends were already engaged in conversation.
"It's dark already. The General hasn't returned. Maybe something happened to him?" Zhao Zhi voiced his concern.
"Don't be absurd, Shixiong. Have you forgotten who he is? He is THE God of War," Xu Yun scoffed, half-mocking him. She continued, "He is far stronger than all four of us combined. These humans wouldn't even have the chance to think about hurting him, let alone harm him."
"Xu Yun is right. But I also understand your concern, Zhao Zhi Xiong. The General is not like how the rumors paint him to be," Lei Wen added, patting Zhao Zhi's shoulder lightly. "I imagined the God of War to be too noble, too powerful, too unapproachable. Instead, I found him calm, collected, smart, decisive—but also humble and low-profile. Almost... harmless."
"And surprisingly patient! Remember before entering the city? The way he interacted with Miss Ling Yu? The whole time I was holding my breath, afraid he would explode!" Zhao Zhi recalled.
"He was already patient when he first met us. But I agree. I was nervous too," Xu Yun admitted.
Lin Qian smiled gently. "I have a feeling that this isn't the last time we'll see Miss Ling Yu. Who knows, maybe a little dose of 'Miss Ling Yu' is good for the General," she added with a laugh.
The other three joined her in laughter.
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Cold, damp air clung to the stone walls. Chains rattled faintly in the stale silence, some empty, others holding prisoners too weak to move. The scent of sweat, blood, and decay hung thick in the air—unchanged, as ever.
CRACK!
A thick stone table split clean in two.
A man cowered on the floor, his breath ragged, his eyes wide with terror.
She stood over him, power radiating in furious waves.
"Stupid fool!" Her face contorted in pure, unrestrained rage. "You let another one escape!" Her voice thundered, shaking the very walls.
The man dared not speak. His body trembled violently, his lips quivering around unspoken pleas. Urine slowly pooled beneath him.
"Disgusting. Incompetent. Useless." She spat each word like venom, her disgust palpable.
With a flick of her wrist, Spirit Energy surged, cleansing the air of the rancid stench. Her fury remained.
Unable to restrain her anger, she directed her Spirit Energy at a nearby chair. The sturdy wooden frame shattered instantly, reduced to nothing but splinters.
She exhaled sharply, visibly trying to rein in her fury. Wasting Spirit Energy on furniture was pointless—she needed to focus. Another missing person meant another replacement had to be found.
Her gaze snapped to the two men standing in rigid silence. "Contact Zhang De. Tell him we need another one. We cannot miss the delivery."
"Yes, My Lady!" Both answered in unison.
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At Zhang Residence, Xuan Tian continued to follow the young man, trailing him toward the courtyard where the low-ranking servants resided. The young man moved briskly, his shoulders tense, as if still unsettled from his earlier exchange.
He entered a modest room, and Xuan Tian, using his abilities, slipped in silently, blending into the shadows.
The room was simple—a large stone bed occupied most of the space, with six beddings arranged neatly on top. The young man exhaled sharply, pausing by one of the beddings before sitting down. He rubbed his hands together, lost in thought.
After a moment, he glanced around, realizing the room was empty. Where is everyone? Then it hit him—Oh, right. It's dinner time for the masters.
He reached beneath his pillow, pulling out the small money pouch and put in the money he had received earlier. After a quick inspection, he carefully tucked them back and stood up, heading toward the door once more.
Xuan Tian stepped out of the shadow and followed him.
The young man passed three people standing in the garden. He stopped and saluted, "Good evening, Head Butler."
Zhang De, the Head Butler, gave a slight nod before saying, "Go to the stables. Make sure the new horse is taken care of. I don't want any mishaps."
"Yes, Sir," the young man saluted and headed toward the stable.
Xuan Tian was about to follow when he heard Zhang De speak in a hushed, sharp tone to the other two men. "Another one?" he hissed. "It's too dangerous! There are already three people missing in the last seven days! We haven't even found a replacement yet. We also have one less doctor." His eyes flicked toward one of the men, accusingly. "We cannot risk another disappearance!"
One of the taller men shifted uneasily. "You haven't found a replacement for the doctor?"
Zhang De sighed. "Finding a competent doctor who doesn't ask questions is not easy. And we need to find one before anything else. Without a skilled doctor, the chances of securing a suitable candidate are slim."
Hearing these words, Xuan Tian halted in his tracks. He silently retraced his steps, slipping into the shadow of a nearby tree, listening intently.
The two men exchanged uneasy glances. Lady Xianren had given them an order, and disobedience led to severe punishment. They had seen firsthand how cruel she could be. However, Zhang De was right—three people had already vanished within a week. The risk was too high.
Seeing their hesitation, Zhang De continued, "The Zhang Patriarch has ordered an expansion of the clinic—he needs more doctors. I will use this opportunity to recruit one for our purposes. Go back and inform Lady Xianren."
The shorter man hesitated. "But in two days—"
Zhang De cut him off. "This is the best I can do. Unless you'd rather risk attracting attention from Ziyu and the palace?"
The two men exchanged reluctant nods. "Understood." They said their goodbyes and proceeded to leave the residence.
Zhang De turned and walked toward a courtyard.
Xuan Tian faced a dilemma — follow Zhang De or track the two men?
In a split second, he made his decision. He would follow the men. He needed to know exactly who they were reporting to.
Xuan Tian once again found himself among the streets of Baishan City, focused on following the men.
The eruption of Spirit Energy struck him like a whip—wild, urgent. His head snapped toward the source. The inn.
It was coming from the direction of the inn.