Chapter 39: The Thief

With the help of her maid, Yu Qiqiu boarded the carriage. As it pulled away from the Princess’s estate, she let out a soft sigh. It had been an exhausting day, and now a new worry weighed on her mind. Although Qi Shunting’s concern was merely to spare the old matriarch from distress, Yu Qiqiu knew she had to get to the bottom of the matter. If a real crisis were brewing, she needed to prepare a strategy early.

With less than a decade remaining until the great alliance on Hailong Island, all the major islands were making meticulous preparations.

I die, and this world doesn't even deem me worthy of hatred; who, after all, can ascend to heaven? There is no way to change it.

Chenyang Middle School was situated in the borderlands between the Zhongxing Society and the Xingyao Gang, leaning slightly toward the former. Wu Chenghai’s branch headquarters happened to lie on the edge of the Zhongxing Society’s territory, not far from the school. In other words, his stronghold sat right on the fringe of the zone bordering the Xingyao Gang.

Meng Qianxun’s gaze shifted, meeting Hua Duanchen’s eyes once more. Seeing the near-maniacal ruthlessness within them, her heart sank, and a sudden decision took root.

Dark clouds churned in the sky, and jagged lightning shattered the pitch-black firmament from time to time. A dense, violent downpour unleashed its full fury upon the earth.

"Rest assured, Master. I understand the importance of cultivation and will meditate upon the heavens daily, never failing your expectations," Lei Ming replied solemnly.

Having made up his mind, Chu Shan dragged his weary body toward the vines, reached out to pluck a cluster of vermillion fruits, and popped one into his mouth.

"Zhan Fei!" The mere mention of the name made Meng Zhao’s blood boil; it felt as if old grudges and new grievances had collided at once.

Matters had reached such a point that further discussion was futile, so Lin Ying had no choice but to get into the car.

How could the avatars of Talos just give up? They might be able to freeze a few lightning spears, but they couldn't possibly stop them all. Thus, the avatars reached repeatedly into the void, manifesting one lightning spear after another, which were then launched toward the Pope of the Solon Church.

The old man did not mind in the slightest; instead, he patted Li Tian on the shoulder. "Still angry with me?" he asked.

"When I left the ecclesiastical court, Vishaka’s strength was already that of a Great Swordmaster. He has likely improved since then, but he shouldn't be too formidable," Claude replied.

The dark dragon essence was no gentle water element; once it entered the man’s body, it began to wreak havoc.

However, no god was aware of Demogorgon's encounter in the Ao plane. The gods, including the demon lords, assumed Ao’s strength was only slightly superior to Demogorgon’s. Otherwise, how could Demogorgon have engaged Ao in a stalemate for months in the Ao plane?

The system's attack paused for a moment; Lin Lei could even sense something akin to surprise.

Han Jun’s series of actions, which functioned like a "signal transmitter," made the Haixin Group appear both incredibly easy and impossibly difficult to breach.

The doctor immediately understood what Lin Lei meant and felt encouraged, as this indicated that the patient’s consciousness was clear and orderly.

Considering his good friendship with Zhang Shun, Liu Xiaoyu thought it over and decided to let it go. He shared some strawberry seedlings with Zhang’s parents and told them they didn't need to wait for next year; they could stop coming now.

Before long, he reached the pond. Liu Xiaoyu found a spot to sit, baited the water in front of him, threaded an earthworm onto his hook, and with a light flick of his arm, cast the line into the pond.

The thin-faced man followed Li Diquan into the shop and, pointing to the cabinet, confirmed that it was indeed the one they were discussing.

Night devoured the last traces of twilight, draping over the land like an endless, dark green net. Lanterns had been lit before the homes of a few wealthy families, but most of the streets remained dark and cold. Only the occasional bark of a dog broke the silence, highlighting the stillness of the night.

"Aunt, I really can't entrust this to anyone else..." Mu Wanqiu seized the opportunity to hold her hand. "It’s nothing difficult; you and Uncle just need to help me keep an eye on the spices and the silver, just to make sure no one cheats me..." Downplaying the responsibility, Mu Wanqiu kept her request simple.

One must know that the Jing Prince’s mansion was not the only noble estate in the capital. Even if he chose not to involve himself in affairs, he was still aware of certain things.

"Give me a bag; I want to fill the jar, and the rest can be placed on the shelf in the main room. If it runs out, we can refill it. Take the remaining bags to Auntie and ask her where she wants them kept," Lian Zhu said with a smile as she took a bag.

"There are many stone caves on Qiling Mountain, most of which are carved with murals like this..." Li Jun said, and seeing Mu Wanqiu rise to walk toward the stone wall, he followed.

Yet, why was that laugh so light? Could a beautiful hope for the future also become a source of discord between sisters?

Lian Zhu found these matters impossible to comprehend; if things were truly like this, she could not accept what these people were doing.

"I’ve told you how many times—you never learn your lesson! Stop bowing to me!" Hai Kui retorted with displeasure, backhanding Wang Ao across the face from five or six meters away. A clear handprint appeared on his cheek.

Feeling limp and exhausted, Luo Fei really didn't want to go out. She asked Shouyang and the others to tidy up the bed and change the linens, then curled up, eyes half-closed, to finish her morning nap.

Jing Yi looked at the road ahead, then at the road behind. She needed someone to lead her out; otherwise, she feared she might never escape this labyrinthine old district.

Just as they were all so anxious they were on the verge of tears, a voice filled with both heartache and reproach came from the doorway of the flower hall.

"That poison is not lethal, but it can turn a person into an imbecile, or even a cripple," Yu Ping said slowly, her eyes still fixed on the door.

Liu Cheng hugged Dong Jiajia as they entered the room. Before they could even turn on the lights, he pressed her against the wall, and a torrent of kisses descended upon her.

Thus, if someone unfamiliar with the truth were to enter the Forbidden City, they would certainly assume it to be a place of laughter and harmony. Therefore, it was truly remarkable that Consort Chun could so carefully perceive the events described in these letters while within the palace.

Another day passed. In the morning, after getting ready, Qi Chisu drove her car to the dance studio as usual. Halfway there, she sensed something wrong. She tried to stop the car, but no matter how hard she pressed the brakes, the vehicle continued to surge forward at the same speed.