Chapter 72: Scheming
Zhang Yuanqing peeled off his jacket—its sleeves had been scorched beyond saving—and tossed it into the basket of his bicycle. He then headed back to the Public Security Bureau and had one of the clerical staff issue him a new SIM card.
The SIM card registered under "Yuanshi Tianzun" could only be processed through the Bureau's own clerical personnel. Zhang Yuanqing told them his phone had accidentally fallen into a storm drain and he couldn't be bothered to fish it out, so he wanted a replacement.
He had no intention of telling Guan Ya or Li Dongze about what had happened. If the conflict became common knowledge and one party suffered some kind of "accident" right after the fight, standard investigative logic dictated that whoever had a dispute with them would be subject to a routine inquiry, regardless of how likely a suspect they were. And both of them knew he controlled a rule-type item.
By the same reasoning, his retaliation could not come immediately. It would have to wait.
After getting the new SIM card sorted, he made a trip to a nearby phone shop and purchased a domestic-brand smartphone for around three thousand yuan. He used his own ID to register a separate, personal number while he was at it.
At a café not far from the Public Security Bureau, Zhang Yuanqing sat at an outdoor table, sipping iced coffee and contemplating how to get back at Xiahou Tianyuan.
Provoking the Xiahou family had never been his intention, but he'd been given no choice. The father and son had made their position perfectly clear: cooperate and be rewarded, or refuse and have your phone taken by force. A nobody like him simply didn't get the luxury of saying no.
It wasn't surprising, really. It would be fantasy to think that a powerful family with vast resources would swallow their pride and walk away when turned down by some low-level employee. The only exception would be if the matter was too trivial for them to care about.
"This is what Mom always used to talk about, the ruthless grinding wheel of power. Never thought I'd get to experience it firsthand," Zhang Yuanqing muttered under his breath.
He needed to formulate a proper plan.
I have Xiahou Tianyuan's blood. I could activate the Red Dancing Shoes and send them after him, hunting him until one of us is dead. But that approach is too crude. The Red Dancing Shoes leave an obvious signature when they kill, and while only a handful of people know I control them, it's not zero.
Besides, the Xiahou family is a noble Spirit Realm Walker family that specializes in crafting items. They're not like ordinary official Walkers or freelance Walkers. They might have ways to oppose or counter the Red Dancing Shoes. I cannot act rashly without knowing my enemy. I should ask Xie Lingxi for some information on the Xiahou family first.
He took another sip of coffee and continued thinking.
The Xiahou family is hunting for members of Slaughter Cessation Palace. I can fish in troubled waters. Use Slaughter Cessation Palace as a shield while disrupting the Xiahou family's operation, and kill two birds with one stone.
Wang Qian knows my face. Intervening in this matter with my real appearance wouldn't be wise. Perhaps I can make use of the Disguise Ring.
A rough plan began to take shape in his mind. He started by sending his cousin Chen Yuanjun a message.
Zhang Yuanqing: Bro, I need an unregistered SIM card. Remember to get me one after work.
His cousin didn't reply, but Zhang Yuanqing knew he would take care of it. His cousin had never said no to him since they were children, as long as the request wasn't unreasonable. He had always pitied his younger cousin, who'd lost his father at a young age and grew up starved of a mother's love.
After that, Zhang Yuanqing dialed Xie Lingxi's number.
***
Swimming complex, on the 48th floor of the Huayu Hotel.
Sunlight poured through the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating a rectangular pool. Azure water rippled gently, scattering light into shimmering fragments across its surface.
Xie Lingxi lay on her stomach on a deck chair, eyes half closed, savoring the pleasant languor that followed a swim. She wore a pink waterproof jacket that barely reached the tops of her thighs. Her fair, slender legs were pressed together, long and straight. Give them a few more years, and they would fill out into a truly stunning pair.
Her female assistant sat nearby, focused on cutting fruit.
A phone rang. Xie Lingxi had barely opened her eyes before the assistant wiped her hands clean and brought the phone over. Xie Lingxi perked up instantly when she saw the caller ID display "Yuanshi Tianzun." She snatched the phone, pinched her throat, cleared it with a soft cough, and only then answered the call.
In a syrupy voice that made the assistant's hair stand on end, she cooed, "Bro Yuanshi~"
—I heard some experts from the Xiahou family got into a conflict with the Palace Master of the Slaughter Cessation Palace. Is that true?
His tone carried some mild curiosity.
Xie Lingxi's face crumpled with exaggerated hurt. "Bro Yuanshi, you're calling me just to gossip about that? That's so sad."
—Speak normally, and stop being so passive aggressive. What's wrong with your voice?
"This is just how I sound~"
—Huh, weird. My speaker seems like it's about to start singing again.
"Ahem!" Xie Lingxi quickly cleared her throat and reverted to her natural, clear voice. "I told you yesterday morning. Sis Palace Master crippled the Xiahou family's eldest son, so of course they're not going to take that lying down. Bro Yuanshi, are you thinking of helping the Xiahou family capture members of Slaughter Cessation Palace and force Sis Palace Master out?"
—No, I'm just curious. Do you know how many people the Xiahou family sent to Songhai this time?
"I'm not sure of the exact number. The one leading them is Xiahou Chi, Xiahou Tianwen's grandfather. He was already a Level 6 Scholar many years ago, though I'm not sure if he's advanced since then. Apart from Xiahou Chi, there are two more members of the main branch of the Xiahou family: Xiahou Xin and Xiahou Tianyuan. The former is Xiahou Tianwen's father, while the latter is his younger brother. Xiahou Tianwen is the one who was crippled by Sis Palace Master."
If the Palace Master could fight a Level 6 Scholar to a draw, she had to be at least that tier herself.
—Do you know much about the Xiahou family?
Xie Lingxi lay sprawled on the deck chair, her little bottom sticking up as she idly rubbed her legs together. "Of course!"
The female assistant frowned. What kind of pose is that?
Fortunately, the entire swimming complex had been reserved for private use. If outsiders had witnessed the Xie family heiress in such an unladylike position and word got back to the family, the assistant would be the one paying the price.
"The Xiahou family is an old noble Spirit Realm Walker family with a long lineage. They have a huge number of members and complicated internal factions. If you want to understand how a noble family is structured, let's set aside the ordinary members and focus only on the Spirit Realm Walkers.
"First, the Xiahou family has a Great Ancestor, said to be one of the very first Spirit Realm Walkers. I'm not clear on his exact level. Below the Great Ancestor is the Elder Council. The Xiahou family has three elders, all at the Sovereign tier. Those three are the real power holders of the family.
"Below them are the Enforcement Squad and the provincial representatives. The Enforcement Squad's job is to cooperate with officials in hunting down Evil-class Walkers, and to discipline family members who break the law. The captain of the Enforcement Squad is Xiahou Chi.
"The provincial representatives manage the Xiahou family's industries across the country. Think of them as feudal governors. They're usually Level 6 Spirit Realm Walkers too. Our Xie family has a similar structure. My dad is the Great Ancestor's great grandson and holds the position of family head, but there are still elders above him, and on the same level there are provincial representatives. My dad spends every day scheming against those uncles and cousins of his."
Zhang Yuanqing groaned inside. Little girl, have you never heard the saying that family scandals shouldn't be aired in public? You really don't need to tell me all this?
—What level is Xiahou Xin?
Xie Lingxi let out a sly little giggle. "Probably Level 4. The infighting within the Xiahou family is brutal. Now that Xiahou Tianwen's been crippled by Sis Palace Master, there are surely countless members of the family who are secretly celebrating."
—What's the Xie family's stance on all this?
"Xiahou Chi may be from the main branch, but he cannot fully represent the Xiahou family. Our Xie family isn't afraid of him. As for the Five Elements Alliance, well, the Xie family can't afford to offend the official organizations, so they just said they don't wish to get involved and won't look into it."
If you can simply choose not to participate, that says everything. Wanting others to respect you still comes down to having the strength to back it up, Zhang Yuanqing mused.
He chatted with her for a few more minutes, then hung up.
***
7:30 PM at the dinner table.
Zhang Yuanqing took a sip of soup and glanced at his aunt, whose complexion looked healthy and rosy. "Little Aunt, your period's over already? That was fast."
"I still feel a little uncomfortable," Jiang Yu'er replied with a dismissive wave.
Seeing she had no interest in their usual banter, Zhang Yuanqing turned his attention to Chen Yuanjun with a halfhearted look.
"Bro, where's that SIM card?"
"In my briefcase. I'll give it to you after dinner." His cousin took a sip of soup and furrowed his brow deeply. "Grandma, you put in too much ginger."
The quiet dinner came to an end, and Zhang Yuanqing got the SIM card from his cousin. He hurried back to his room, opened the messaging app on his phone, and sent Wang Qian a voice message.
"I know about the situation between Slaughter Cessation Palace and the Xiahou family. The Xiahou family approached me today, hoping I'd help them lure you out. I refused. That's the most I can do.
"I have an informant. He's quite capable. If you need help, you can reach out to him. His number is..."
After sending the message, Zhang Yuanqing waited for a long time, but no reply came from Wang Qian.
Quite the cautious one, he grumbled to himself.
The core of his plan hinged on the Disguise Ring and Wang Qian's trust. Under normal circumstances, Wang Qian would never trust a stranger so easily. But if he found himself trapped in a crisis with no other options, that would be a different story entirely.
Of course, if Wang Qian stubbornly refused to seek help, Zhang Yuanqing could always change his plan and go after Xiahou Tianyuan on his own. He'd just lose Slaughter Cessation Palace as a convenient scapegoat.
***
Late at night. A riverside apartment.
A cold, eerie wind pushed its way past the hanging curtains and drifted into a bedroom so dark, one would not be able to see a hand in front of their face. It swirled in lazy circles beside the bed.
The person sleeping there jolted awake, their eyes snapping open to reveal slitted amber pupils.
"Relax!"
At the center of the ghostly vortex, a translucent figure coalesced. Its features were blurred and indistinct, yet despite having no physical body, it managed to produce sound.
Brilliant light from a streetlamp outside the open window crept into the room. In that faint glow, the features of the man on the bed were revealed: sharp, upturned eyes, sword-straight brows, and a gaunt face, radiating a cold and menacing aura.
Rampaging Recklessly stared at the spirit hovering beside his bed, secretly on guard, and said, "You've finally come. Where is your leader?"
The hazy spirit smiled. "And where is Black Wuchang? Trust is the foundation of cooperation. It seems neither of us trusts the other enough just yet."
"I don't know where the boss is," Rampaging Recklessly said in a low voice. "Nobody does."
After a pause, he added, "We've been under a lot of pressure lately. We lost several brothers, and the boss nearly ended up on Fu Qingyang's radar."
"Fu Qingyang is the most outstanding talent among the younger generation of the White Tiger Legion. Very few below the Sovereign tier can beat him. If he's locked onto Black Wuchang, even he might not escape. You can't just keep hiding forever. You need to fight back."
"Hmph, easy for you to say," Rampaging Recklessly replied coldly. "The Five Elements Alliance isn't the only one after us. The Hex King's people are hunting us too. How exactly are we supposed to fight back?"
The spectral figure smiled. "That's why I came to find you. You have two options. First, you can wait for the Fallen Ones listed in the Registry to lose control one by one. That would scatter the Five Elements Alliance's attention. But the Fallen Ones are spread across the country, and your enemy is the Songhai Branch specifically.
"The second option is to gather the Fallen Ones near Songhai, bring them under your control, and launch counter-raids against the official Walker squads. Create enough trouble for the Songhai Branch to relieve the pressure on yourselves."
"Easy for you to say," Rampaging Recklessly scoffed. "The prerequisite for any counter-raid is adequate intelligence."
"As a show of sincerity," the spectral figure said, "I will share the deployment and operational plans of the official Walkers with you."
Rampaging Recklessly wavered. "I need to report this to the boss!"
***
The next morning, Zhang Yuanqing woke and instinctively reached for his phone to check his messages. Wang Qian still hadn't replied.
He got out of bed feeling disappointed, washed up, had breakfast, and took a taxi to the Bureau.
He had barely sat down to discuss certain important matters with the open-minded lady when Li Dongze emerged from his office, dressed sharply in a black vest and white dress shirt.
"Yuanshi, Guan Ya, come with me," he commanded, glancing at his watch as he spoke. "The Kangyang District search team has a meeting at nine. We've found Rampaging Recklessly's trail."
Zhang Yuanqing's spirits surged.
