Chapter 133 – The Task Is Complete, Drawn into the Mass Grave’s Ghost Domain - Part 3
A sudden downpour hammered the streets, but just as quickly as it began, it ceased. Twilight deepened, and then, surprisingly, the clouds parted to reveal a bright moon overhead. Its pale light glimmered in the puddles scattered throughout the city, the water reflecting silver ripples.
From his vantage point, Li Yuan noticed a small restaurant across the way and decided on a proper meal, two plates of local stir-fry and a bowl of rice. Halfway through his meal, one of the white finches he’d sent out to keep watch caught sight of a figure whose combat power displayed 350~388. Plus, the person’s short stature was a dead giveaway. It had to be Zhao Xiantong.
Over the past year and a half, Zhao Xiantong’s power level had gone up by 10 points or so—nothing drastic, but a noteworthy increase. Confirming his location, Li Yuan silently commanded the white finch to continue its surveillance. Then he scraped the remaining dishes onto his rice, finished his food quickly, and rose to follow.
Meanwhile, his second white finch was still tailing Ming Shu. The young lady of the Mountain Gang seemed oddly calm as she stood under the moonlight, ignoring the escorts’ anxious demands for her to hurry up and lead them to the vault. No matter how they tried to persuade her, she remained unflappable.
Not long afterward, soft footsteps echoed in a nearby alley. Zhao Xiantong appeared, wearing a catlike grin that suggested he was ready to toy with his prey. He spared a glance at Blood Scissors, who returned a meaningful look. Both men understood they were about to see which way Ming Shu would run.
A flash of recognition flickered across Zhao Xiantong’s face as he saw her. Deep down, there was something oddly familiar about this woman. Having reached sixth rank, his senses and memory had improved significantly. Though not infallible, he could usually remember a face once he’d seen it.
Is it just my imagination, or have I really met her before? he wondered. Yet, with Ming Shu already sprinting away, he didn’t have time to sort through his memories. He chased after her, planning to wait until she revealed the vault before striking.
The rest of her hired escorts trailed closely, eager for their payoff.
Soon, the alley was empty again, until a lone figure appeared, stepping around the pools of rainwater. On his shoulder perched a white finch. Spreading its wings, the bird rose higher to scout from above, revealing the maze of intersecting alleys in a single sweeping view.
Quiet as a phantom, Li Yuan slipped after them.
Step, step... Step, step, step... Their footsteps echoed, soon leading them into the mountains. It made sense; if the Mountain Gang had a vault, it would be hidden deep in the hills, and Zhao Xiantong had braced himself for traps and poisons. Still, he couldn’t shake a nagging question in his mind:
“I’ve met that Ming Shu somewhere before. Where was it?”