Chapter 13: The Long Street Slaughterhouse (8)

Apart from the man born in the Year of the Rat, three others arrived one after another to exchange information with Lu Jinchao and Wei Ling. Among them, only one immediately chose to halt the transaction upon hearing Lu Jinchao’s question.

“She must have realized what’s going on, right?” Wei Ling watched the figure leaving and asked, “But that means we’re down one source of information. Are you sure that’s okay?”

Lu Jinchao shook her head. “That’s not the critical point.”

While others naturally guarded their information, the other formidable members of the secret organizations also began to activate identical scrolls, either drawn from their bosoms or storage rings.

Then, she bowed slightly to Lei Xiao and began to explain, “My lord, you may not be aware, but according to my understanding…”

Zheng Xia had just returned to the ground, coughing heavily; she hadn’t yet caught her breath. If there were any light, one could see her complexion was quite pale.

Tsunade imagined the sensation of stepping on Kato Mikaze’s soul body—the peculiar coolness combined with a soft, springy texture.

But who could be in a good mood seeing a shovel-faced man so early in the morning? Still, he could only seize the chance to meet him briefly during breakfast after finishing his self-study.

Jue, following Madara Uchiha’s orders, had journeyed to the Hidden Mist Village over the eastern sea. On the way back to base after completing the mission, he was blown away by the tremendous chakra and deafening explosion emanating from Ohno.

“What’s so unbearable to look at? You just can’t bear to see it! An utterly useless creature parading around here, deceiving everyone! If I’d known you were so unreliable, I would have left you to die out there. What good is it for me to have picked you up?” Grandpa snorted coldly.

The scene fell silent for a moment. Before Shu Ji could offer any explanation, the matter was settled. The shareholders below hadn’t fully processed it, and before anyone could plead, the person was taken away while suspicions and uncertainties lingered.

Though the true identity of the one deliberately muffling their footsteps remained unknown, the bizarre circumstances of three consecutive encounters had confirmed it beyond doubt.

He recalled that when Yu Jian had left, dragging his right leg, he sat at the edge of the field and soon returned to the coach’s office. So he deliberately sat to Yu Jian’s right side, and when Yu Jian wasn’t paying attention, he pulled up his trousers to glimpse the knee beneath the sports pants, hoping to assess the injury.

Lord Si’s face turned pale, and he staggered, ignoring everything else as he hurried into the inner chamber.

Qiao Nan was utterly oblivious. Wei De, who had been outrageously arrogant, was so shaken after a stern reprimand from his father that he forgot who he was and on whose support he owed his current status. The Wei family, who had been basking in complacency, was abruptly doused with icy water in the dead of winter, forcing them to sober up.

If Shao Qi had been stunned but managed to steady himself earlier, Li Yan’s words made him slam his cup down so hard that both cup and tea shattered on the floor.

Sui Xi wore a delicate pale green Su embroidery pleated skirt with a crossed collar, fresh and elegant like pear blossoms kissed by dew. The swirl at the corner of her mouth seemed to hold the warm sunshine outside the window, warming anyone’s heart at a glance.

Qiao Nan showed a somewhat amused, helpless expression. Electricity had reached this mountain area, but she had heard it often went out, especially at night.

The two sisters chatted at the door. Su Qingxiang boarded the carriage, while Su Qingzhi cradled Lin Jinglang and slowly walked toward the Lin residence.

Xia Qiu watched nearby, her teeth trembling violently as the witchcraft chant concluded. Suddenly, the divination cards quivered uncontrollably and silently turned to dust.

After waiting another quarter of an hour, several eunuchs from the kitchen arrived together, carrying food boxes and lifting the large meal trays inside.

After Liang Qiming departed, the meals were delivered one after another. The Tang family cousins and the Su sisters did not separate to different tables but squeezed together at one table to dine.