Chapter 143 : Chapter 143
Chapter 143
“What a troublesome situation.”
After hearing Ji Qing’s account, Feng Youyou gave that evaluation with a troubled expression.
The situation was even more troublesome than she had imagined.
Although she had been active in Xucheng not long ago, Feng Youyou had not needed to deal with gangs back then, nor had she needed to deliberately guard against the informants they had spread throughout Xucheng. At the time, Feng Youyou had considered the consequences if she herself were ever driven into such a dead end, but she had never expected You Xingluo to reach that point before she did.
Perhaps this was the side effect of power and status… Feng Youyou thought to herself.
“Actually, there is something I do not quite understand.” Xie Chang’an raised a hand, looking puzzled. “Why are they keeping such a close watch on You Xingluo? Just the fact that they can leave the city in the middle of the night already sounds terrifying enough…”
“The reason for that is rather complicated.” Feng Youyou rested her chin on one hand, looking troubled.
That reaction made Ji Qing glance at her a few more times, and Feng Youyou’s gaze naturally met his.
Both of them understood the unspoken meaning behind the other’s behavior.
“So you already knew,” Ji Qing said with an involuntary laugh.
Ji Qing thought calmly: no matter how much Feng Youyou knew, what he needed to do now was simply follow the direction of her words. Although Ji Qing felt that, aside from himself with the system, no one should be able to piece together all of You Xingluo’s identities.
You Xingluo, you damned man of a dozen aliases.
“I really am sorry.” Hearing that, Feng Youyou hurriedly pressed her palms together and said apologetically, “It is mainly because my father also works in the news industry. When I was little, he often took me with him to news scenes, so I suppose I have seen Classmate You before.”
“At first, I never expected him to enroll in the Third Ability Academy.” Feng Youyou scratched her cheek awkwardly. “As for when I figured it out… it was probably during the Team Competition. The way Classmate You spoke back then felt a lot like that person. But—”
“Please rest assured, Ji Qing! My ability to keep secrets is world-class!”
Ji Qing merely smiled in response.
It certainly was world-class, because even he could not tell which of You Xingluo’s many identities Feng Youyou was talking about. Ji Qing felt that any one of You Xingluo’s aliases was important enough to appear in the Federation’s news reports. How was he supposed to know which one she meant?
But that was fine. Xie Chang’an was right here, after all.
Xie Chang’an looked around blankly. “Huh? Knew what? Why can I not understand anything?”
Well done, Xie Chang’an, Ji Qing applauded inwardly.
So Ji Qing shook his head with feigned helplessness and looked toward Feng Youyou. “Why don't you explain it to him? I have done quite a bit of talking already. I would like to rest for a moment.”
“All right, Ji Qing.” Feng Youyou picked up the conversation at once.
Turning to Xie Chang’an, Feng Youyou explained in an earnest tone, “The real reason is that You Xingluo’s identity is special. This time, his kidnapping by the gang happened precisely because of that special identity.”
“Identity?” Xie Chang’an frowned instinctively. “So it is because You Xingluo is from a Noble House?”
But that did not seem right either—
Among the students Xie Chang’an had seen at the Third Ability Academy, You Xingluo was hardly the only one from a Noble House.
“Yes and no,” Feng Youyou said seriously. “Compared with the others, Classmate You’s identity is a little more special. The You Family places great importance on Prophecy, so when a child appears within the family whose gift far surpasses that of the rest of the same generation, they are more willing to hand power over to that person.”
“…Could it be?” Xie Chang’an’s expression gradually turned grave.
At that moment, the only possibility he could think of was that You Xingluo was the Young Master of the You Family, the next Clan Head of the You Family. That would indeed fit the “special identity” Feng Youyou was talking about, but what did that have to do with the gang keeping such close watch on him?
Did You Xingluo’s enemies hate him that much?
But if they hated him that much, would they not want him dead even more?
Feng Youyou suddenly shifted the subject to the Federation’s recent state of affairs. “Have not many members of Noble Houses and Federal Council Members been assassinated lately?”
“I know about that.” Xie Chang’an’s tone turned serious. “It has already been confirmed that many of those cases were the work of the Dawn Society.”
Because of his own hidden identity as one of the Infected, Xie Chang’an had always kept an eye on news related to the Infected, especially the Dawn Society’s movements. His gaze darkened slightly. Li Yuan had probably taken part in the Dawn Society’s assassinations as well; he just had not appeared in the news…
But this still did not seem to have much to do with the kidnapping at hand.
After all, the Dawn Society’s targets were mostly Noble House figures with real power or elderly Federal Council Members. They had no connection at all to the young Young Master of the You Family.
Sensing that Xie Chang’an’s thoughts were drifting farther and farther off course, Ji Qing spoke up to prompt him. “There are disputes between Noble Houses as well.”
Xie Chang’an froze.
He turned to Ji Qing. “…Then is the mastermind a hostile Noble House?”
“It is not only that…” Leaning half her body against the corner of the wall, Feng Youyou said with half-closed eyes, “Classmate You’s status is that of a Clan Head. He is more likely to be targeted than the other members of the You Family. And there are quite a few people at present who want to take advantage of the turmoil stirred up by the Dawn Society…”
“As for whether this matter has anything to do with the Dawn Society, I think it is still too early to say.”
But it really had nothing to do with them at all… Ji Qing smiled inwardly.
Not only did You Xingluo have nothing to do with the Dawn Society, but the Azure Dragon Gang’s kidnapping had nothing to do with the Dawn Society either. The only person truly connected to the Dawn Society had always been Ji Qing, yet at present not a single person thought he had anything to do with them.
He truly had no idea what kind of expression these two would wear if they ever learned the truth.
Xie Chang’an stared in astonishment. “Huh?”
“What? Did I not explain it clearly enough?” Feng Youyou frowned instinctively. She felt that she had already explained herself very clearly. After all, not everyone would believe that one of their classmates could be the Clan Head of a century-old Noble House, which was why she had tried to ease him into it first.
As for the kidnapping itself, she felt it was difficult to determine who the mastermind was.
Feng Youyou never took the initiative to make contact with the Infected, so she could not judge the deeper meaning behind the Dawn Society’s actions. She was only looking at the matter from the perspective of a Federation reporter and felt that You Xingluo might have been dragged into this storm.
Xie Chang’an looked dazed. “You Xingluo is the Clan Head?”
“Yes.”
Xie Chang’an’s eyes widened at once. “I thought at most he would be the Young Master. Why is he the Clan Head?”
“…Ah.”
Feng Youyou’s mind blanked out for a moment. She realized that she had made a major assumption, and Xie Chang’an might not have followed her line of thought from the very beginning. After all, no normal person would think a high school student was qualified to become the head of an entire clan.
Feng Youyou muttered gloomily, “Why do I feel as though I need to start by explaining how Prophecy differs from other Abilities…?”
“There is no need to make it that complicated.” Ji Qing interrupted her with a smile.
He turned to Xie Chang’an and explained calmly, “You only need to know that this kidnapping happened because of You Xingluo’s status as Clan Head. And because of the turmoil caused by the Dawn Society, he is unable to ask either the Federation or his family for help.”
“That is precisely why I need the two of you here.”
Ji Qing cleared his throat and stressed seriously, “Also, I have already spoken with You Xingluo about the situation in advance. The people from the Azure Dragon Gang do not know that he is the Clan Head of the You Family. They probably think he is merely the You Family’s young master, so we cannot reveal that either.”
“Understood,” said Feng Youyou.
“I understand.” Xie Chang’an nodded.
Although he was still somewhat troubled by You Xingluo’s identity, he could now finally understand why You Xingluo was being pursued so relentlessly. The Azure Dragon Gang was after money, while the mastermind was after the value of You Xingluo himself.
The most gifted Seer in the You Family at present—an identity like that was certainly enough for the mastermind to abduct You Xingluo at any cost.
Combining that with what Feng Youyou had said earlier, Xie Chang’an instantly sorted out the facts in his mind.
But when he recalled something Feng Youyou had said, Xie Chang’an hurriedly asked, “Wait. You said You Xingluo is the Clan Head? Then does he actually hold power, or not?”
Feng Youyou replied, “He does.”
“Damn, he is incredible.” Xie Chang’an praised him sincerely at once, then added seriously, “Then it really is hard to judge whether the Dawn Society has a hand in this.”
Ji Qing, who had been listening from the side, gave a stiff smile.
How had even Xie Chang’an gotten led down that path?
But when Ji Qing calmed down and thought about it, he realized that Feng Youyou’s view did have some logic to it.
As a Federal Council Member, the Clan Head of the You Family, and the person directly involved, You Xingluo had a more thorough understanding of the Federation’s current turmoil. That was why he could quickly rule out the Dawn Society and immediately realize that someone from within the You Family had taken part.
But Feng Youyou and Xie Chang’an were not in the same position.
Although Feng Youyou understood that the matter might be connected to the recent unrest, her identity as a civilian reporter would always impose certain limitations on her. Reporters, truth, justice… the very words Feng Youyou constantly spoke of had never been tolerated by the Noble Houses that held power.
Compared with You Xingluo, the information she could obtain was certainly more limited.
As for Xie Chang’an… better not to speak of him.
The foolish boy knew next to nothing about the Dawn Society, and he certainly did not know much about the current unrest either. The fact that Feng Youyou’s reasoning had led him astray so easily could only be called fate.
Ji Qing spoke helplessly, “Personally, I do not think this matter has anything to do with the Dawn Society.”
“Hm?” Feng Youyou said in surprise. “Please, Ji Qing.”
“If the Dawn Society had made the move, You Xingluo would not be under a gang’s coercion right now.” Ji Qing spoke calmly. “The current situation looks more like the mastermind could not reveal their identity, so they could only put out a bounty through outside forces.”
Feng Youyou understood immediately after hearing that.
“That makes sense.” She lowered her voice in thought. “The Dawn Society’s traces have already been discovered, so they have no need to deliberately conceal their movements. Then the likely masterminds would be other Noble Houses, or people hostile to the You Family…?”
Yet there was a problem with that as well, Ji Qing thought helplessly.
Ji Qing quietly glanced at the time. It was now 5:07 in the afternoon. Although he had already made his explanation as brief as possible, the three of them had still spent far too long on the background of the rescue operation.
Just as Ji Qing was about to steer the conversation elsewhere, Feng Youyou spoke again. “Ji Qing, one last question. How did you find Classmate You?”
Ji Qing looked toward Feng Youyou instinctively.
Feng Youyou’s gaze was extremely earnest. She was clearly thinking seriously about the matter. Although the timing of the question was rather abrupt, Ji Qing remained perfectly calm, because he had already prepared his response before meeting You Xingluo.
And he and You Xingluo had already agreed on their story.
So Ji Qing said steadily, “You Xingluo was the one who called me here. And his identity was something he chose to reveal to me himself.”