Chapter 236: Hard Indicators

Chapter 236: Hard Target

"Need me to come over personally?"

Elder Dog seemed not to have heard clearly, asking once more.

He didn't believe a Transcendent-stage instance clearance could warrant his personal presence, even if it were S-rank.

Fu Qingyang's tone was grave: "Yes!"

Upon hearing this, Elder Dog let out a dignified "Mm," and hung up the phone.

His thoughts hadn't changed, but based on his understanding of Fu Qingyang, Elder Dog decided to make a trip over.

Fu Qingyang put down the handset and returned to the reception sofa. At this moment, Li Dongze was stroking the ghost doll, repeating in astonishment:

"Oh heavens, oh heavens, it's actually a Rule-type artifact.

"As expected, only A-rank instances and above produce Rule-type artifacts. This is the second time I've touched a Rule-type artifact with my own hands."

Seeing Fu Qingyang return, Li Dongze raised a hand to his lips, coughed once, and regained his elegance.

Fu Qingyang's eyes, dark and lustrous like black gemstones, fixed upon Zhang Yuanqing:

"Tell me about the crisis inside the instance."

As he spoke, his gaze swept over the three artifacts.

Zhang Yuanqing pointed at them, saying: "These are the biggest crises inside the instance, well, excluding the Big Boss."

Guan Ya looked at the exquisitely carved Yin Jade Doll: "It's the most dangerous, right!"

After all, it was a Rule-type artifact.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Yuanqing shook his head: "No, it's the least dangerous. Because as long as you decipher its rules, the crisis can be resolved. The other two, however..."

He recalled the terror of facing the Paper Man, and his complexion instantly turned grim.

It seemed Yuanshi had been scared into a psychological shadow by this instance... The three Scouts "observed words and expressions," seeing through Yuanshi Tianzun's lingering fear, and gained a deeper, clearer understanding of Mute Village's danger.

The Rule-type artifact was actually the simplest; then the other two artifacts either exceeded the limits of Transcendents, or were unsolvable.

Ling Jun picked up a thin slice of ready-to-eat ham, eating as he asked:

"What kind of existence is the Mute Village Big Boss?"

"It's a Ming Dynasty Commandery Princess!" Zhang Yuanqing said.

Ling Jun's eyes lit up: "Is she pretty?"

Zhang Yuanqing's eyes lit up: "Beautiful beyond measure. And..."

Guan Ya inserted a sentence with a smile that didn't reach her eyes: "And what?"

And I suspect she was taken advantage of by the Demon Lord; that guy simply isn't human... Zhang Yuanqing nearly blurted out the Demon Lord's heir's identity, and hurriedly changed his words:

"And she has a pair of eyes similar to Sister Guan Ya's, lively and bright, just like the most dazzling gemstones in the world."

When he spoke the last half-sentence, he was looking into Guan Ya's eyes.

Ling Jun nodded with gratification; his teachings by word and deed had borne fruit.

"Hmph!" Fu Qingyang cleared his throat, his face devoid of expression.

Guan Ya was delighted; the little brother-in-law was furious.

At that moment, the brown double-leafed wooden doors emitted a heavy *thud-thud* of knocking.

Fu Qingyang glanced over and said, "Enter!"

The bunny girl pushed the door open and stood at the threshold, her gaze lowered at a forty-five-degree angle, bowing in a gesture of invitation.

A curly-haired Teddy bear dog, pacing with steady, deliberate steps, walked along the red carpet into the study.

Everyone in the reception room rose in unison, their voices respectful:

"Elder Dog!"

Elder Dog dipped his head slightly, his eyes like black buttons scanning the room. When his gaze fell upon the three artifacts on the tea table, he paused, then shifted his eyes to Yuanshi Tianzun, chuckling heartily:

"I told them long ago—a problem the Demon Lord cannot solve might be child's play for you."

Guan Ya and the others all wore the expression of *You never said that, but I dare not argue.*

Zhang Yuanqing bowed his head to the floor: "Many thanks for the Elder's high regard, many thanks for the Elder's nurturing!"

*This sycophant...* Ling Jun silently turned his face away.

Elder Dog was quite pleased, smiling as he spoke:

"These three artifacts—you obtained them in the instance? The rewards are generous indeed. Hm, no time to waste. Tell me, what strangeness lurks in this instance that I simply *had* to come?"

He had barely finished when he saw the juniors present all turn their gazes toward the artifacts in unison:

"See for yourself, Elder!"

Elder Dog lifted a paw and waved lightly; the three artifacts rose of their own accord, arranging themselves neatly before him.

Elder Dog placed his paw upon the Yin Jade Doll's head. Then, all present clearly saw the Teddy's canine face reveal a startlingly human look of astonishment.

Next, Elder Dog swiftly moved his paw to the silver rouge box, his eyes holding a thread of anticipation. Seconds later, having read the box's information, he drew a deep breath and pressed his paw onto the bronze mirror.

After reviewing all three items, Elder Dog's jet-black eyes lifted to fix on Zhang Yuanqing:

"You brat... every time you enter an instance, you stir up some fresh chaos."

His tone sounded both like gratified admiration and helpless complaint.

Zhang Yuanqing, standing by, chimed in opportunely: "If there's a walkthrough, one can practically clear the Mute Village without a scratch."

Elder Dog exhaled slowly:

"This matter... must be reported to Headquarters!"

...

Inside the pet shop.

Two cats traded clumsy blows on the cat tree, their bodies teetering on the high shelves yet always maintaining a miraculous balance, like acrobats of consummate skill.

Beneath the cat tree, a small French bulldog slept in lazy abandon, its snores shaking the heavens.

Suddenly, a black-and-white husky came charging from the distance, crashing headfirst into the cat tree and collapsing it; chaos erupted instantly, cats and dogs yowling in unison.

Farther off, by the dog bowls, a border collie sat crouched, watching it all in silence, as if observing a troupe of mentally deficient children.

At that moment, the toy poodle by the desk spoke in a deep voice:

"Silence, all of you!"

The clamorous pet shop fell instantly quiet; cats and dogs lay prone on the floor, daring not to stir, the husky included.

Once the shop was quiet, the Dog Elder opened his contacts and dialed "Confused Old Sun."

*Beep... beep...*

The phone rang for a long while before connecting; Old Sun’s voice came through the speakerphone:

"Have you decided on a price?"

The Dog Elder said, "Old Sun, regarding the strategy for Mute Village, a complication has arisen. I lack the authority to decide; I must report to Headquarters."

Silence stretched for a few seconds on the other end before Old Sun probed tentatively:

"What is so special about the Secret Realm instance of Mute Village?"

The Dog Elder relayed the clearance rewards, and the difficulty tiers with and without a strategy.

The moment he finished, he heard a slightly ragged breath through the receiver.

...

The Capital, a Siheyuan courtyard.

Beneath the pagoda tree, Old Sun sat ramrod straight in his rocking chair; the call had ended, yet he maintained the posture of listening.

Old Sun’s gaze fixed blankly on the corner of the courtyard, his eyes not vacant but rather burning bright.

He held this pose for over ten seconds, then tossed his phone to the middle-aged assistant. "Summon all Elders immediately in my name. Meeting at Mount Wuliang."

"How do I explain it to the Elders?" the assistant asked.

"Tell them the Mute Village strategy may be the greatest opportunity since the founding of the Taiyi Sect."

With that, he transformed into a streak of golden light and vanished into the sky.

...

In a spacious conference room, soft lighting illuminated a brand-new table; heavy curtains were drawn tight, blocking any view of the outside.

The decor appeared exceptionally high-end—high-end to the point of resembling a meticulously crafted showroom. From furnishings to equipment, every detail exuded luxury and sophistication, yet it was immaculate, as if it had never been used since its installation.

*Ding-dong.*

On the ceiling, ten metal probes brimming with black-tech aesthetic flashed yellow light simultaneously.

Immediately, beams of light descended, coalescing into imposing, reserved figures: a handsome youth, a stunning woman, a weathered elder, a dignified middle-aged man.

And non-humans, too—such as a curly-haired toy poodle.

Seated at the head was a middle-aged man of about forty years. His features were ordinary, unremarkable, yet he bore an indescribable noble air, like a sovereign calm and gentle.

He possessed neither towering stature nor bulging muscles, but he was exceptionally solid; merely sitting there, he conveyed a sense of mountainous magnitude, a ponderous weight.

Those gathered before the conference table looked toward the middle-aged man and intoned in unison:

"Great Elder!"

The Great Elder of the Five Elements Alliance—Di Hong!

He was the son of the Alliance Leader of the Central Court; "Di Hong" was also the Lingjing ID personally bestowed upon him by that Alliance Leader.

A Level 9 Ruler, one of the strongest beneath the five Alliance Leaders of the Five Elements Alliance.

This meeting was convened by the Great Elder Di Hong. Each of the five major organizations sent two elders, ten elders in total. Within the Five Elements Alliance, a meeting of this caliber was known as the "Council of Ten Elders."

It was the highest-specification, highest-level meeting beneath the Alliance Leaders' Council (only the Alliance Leader could summon all elders of the Five Elements Alliance).

The Council of Ten Elders was not convened lightly; once convened, it signified a major affair. A major affair was not necessarily an urgent one, nor a bad one, but it was certainly a troublesome matter involving controversy that required deliberation.

The elders were pondering the purpose of today's meeting when they heard the Great Elder Di Hong speak:

"Yuan Shi Tian Zun of the Songhai Branch has just returned from the Lingjing, bringing back the dungeon walkthrough for the Night Tour God exclusive instance 'Mute Village.' This meeting requires everyone to deliberate a result."

He paused, then spoke slowly: "Whether to sell this walkthrough to the Taiyi Sect."

Yuan Shi Tian Zun of the Songhai Branch? At these words, the elders exchanged silent glances, each seeing surprise reflected in the others' eyes.

Among them, some knew Yuan Shi Tian Zun through the Arena Tournament; others had only heard rumors.

But regardless of which, none could fathom why a mere Transcendent Night Tour God would prompt the Great Elder to convene the Council of Ten Elders.

—One of the highest-level meetings of the Five Elements Alliance.

And the reason the Great Elder called the meeting was merely the sale of a Transcendent walkthrough?

Di Hong looked toward the curly-haired Teddy, his tone gentle:

"Elder Dog, you explain."

The elders turned their gazes to the only non-human present.

Elder Dog maintained a crouching posture, speaking unhurriedly:

"The rumors on the forum yesterday, you all surely know. The instance Yuan Shi Tian Zun entered, Mute Village, is rather strange."

"We knew that nonsense long ago. Get to the point." A red-haired burly man urged impatiently.

Elder Dog acted as if he hadn't heard, continuing at his own pace:

"According to Yuan Shi Tian Zun, it is a bug-tier instance that has transcended the Transcendent category. Ordinary Night Tour Gods entering it face certain death, but with a walkthrough, the instance becomes exceedingly simple."

"But just that alone wouldn't warrant a special meeting for discussion. There should be a more important reason, no?" An elder of the White Tiger Legion smiled.

Elder Dog nodded:

"The crux lies in the instance rewards. Simply by completing the tasks step by step, one can obtain three items: one Rule-class, and two Saint-quality items... Night Tour God profession, Saint-quality items!

"Though they are replicas, each item can be used three times."

As the words fell, the quiet conference room was already echoing with voices; the elders, so dignified and calm a moment ago, now voiced their opinions one after another.

"We cannot sell! It would shake our standing."

"Few can enter an A-rank Secret Realm, but stretch the timescale long enough, and someone eventually will; in a few years, a dozen years, the Taiyi Sect will have accumulated a certain number of replicas."

"If we sell to them, Transcendent-rank Night Tour Gods will hold an overwhelming advantage against evil professionals of the same rank; this might be the opportunity to shift the current landscape—in ten years, the evil organizations' strength will shrink drastically."

"Agreed. Grassroots Walkers are the most numerous, the cornerstone of every major organization; to strangle Transcendent-rank evil professionals is to sever their roots."

"But if we do, the Taiyi Sect will seize the chance to grow, inevitably contending with us for power. Civilian organizations, Secret Realm clans—they will all gravitate toward them; even the government would lean toward supporting the Taiyi Sect."

"I think we can sell, but we must decide *how* to sell…"

...

At ten-thirty in the evening, Sun Miaomiao, fresh from her shower, sat before the computer, a dry-hair towel wrapped around her lustrous black locks, clad in cartoon pajamas, brows furrowed as she browsed the Taiyi Sect's official forum.

From yesterday to today, she, a lover of surfing the net, had witnessed the sect's Night Tour Gods discussing the Primordial Heavenly Venerate incident—shifting from furtive schadenfreude to a duck-stiff denial of "he's got nine lives" and "the dungeon wasn't that hard anyway."

She had also witnessed and participated in the forum flame wars, the mutual spraying of vitriol, between the Five Elements Alliance and Taiyi Sect members.

"Honestly, still at it? Everyone's hostility is off the charts…"

The verbal brawl had raged for a day; the cause was the Night Tour Gods' sarcastic remarks, screenshotted and posted to the Five Elements Alliance side.

This morning, the Primordial Heavenly Venerate returned in force, slapping everyone in the face; Five Elements Alliance members howled as they swarmed the Taiyi Sect's forums and chat groups, launching a fierce war of words.

The Alliance's trolls mocked the Taiyi Night Tour Gods to their hearts' content, repeating on loop, "The face-slap really hurts."

Unable to refute on this front, the Night Tour Gods pivoted, counter-mocking: "Aren't you just working for our Taiyi Sect?" "Spend a little cash and you'll obediently hand over the guides."

Sun Miaomiao sighed. Good grief, these guys were usually refined and courteous, humble and polite, but online they were like outlaws beyond the law, completely letting loose.

Thinking thus, Sun Miaomiao logged into her alt, ID "Sun Wukong," and hammered out replies with clattering speed:

"Five Elements Alliance, you dumb dogs!"

"I'm the Primordial Heavenly Venerate's mother!"

"Primordial Heavenly Venerate stronger than the Demon Lord? What a f*cking joke; this old lady can't even—why don't you say the Primordial Heavenly Venerate is the Lord of the Secret Realms."

"I'm truly done."

It wasn't that Sun Miaomiao deliberately targeted the Primordial Heavenly Venerate; she just loved to fight. In reality, she was a clever, adorable, sweet, and docile little princess, with everyone watching her every word and deed.

Only online could she maneuver strategically, strike left and right, vanquishing enemies a thousand miles away amidst the clatter of her keyboard.

If Sun Miaomiao went a day without flaming someone, she felt awful.

Happening upon this clash of titans, a spectacle laid bare before her—how could she possibly miss it?

"Refreshing!" Sun Miaomiao halted her flying fingers on the keyboard, one hand gripping the mouse to refresh the page, the other lifting her cup to drink, as if she hadn't just sprayed tons of saliva across the screen.

Suddenly, she refreshed to a new post, the title reading:

#Just saw this on the Five Elements Alliance forum, real or fake?#

What? Sun Miaomiao clicked the post, curiosity piqued.

The post content was reposted from the Five Elements Alliance, the original title read:

#Reliable Intel: High-Ranking Officials Convene the Council of Ten Elders to Debate Whether to Sell the Mute Village Guide to the Taichi Sect#

"The Five Elements Alliance convenes the Council of Ten Elders to debate whether to sell the Transcendent-stage dungeon guide?"

Sun Miaomiao nearly burst out laughing; even fabricating lies requires a semblance of logic.

She was just preparing to head over to the Five Elements Alliance side to mock them when she suddenly saw the comments below:

[Ling Jun: Sigh, it's true! You don't understand, the Mute Village dungeon is vital to the Taichi Sect.]

[Zhao Chenghuang: @Ling Jun, I see. No wonder the Grandpa went to Mount Wuliang for a meeting and hasn't returned yet. What's so special about the Mute Village dungeon?]

[Ling Jun: No matter who it is, once they get the guide and enter the dungeon, they can thrash you upon exit—no exaggeration! And the quantity is unlimited.]

[Maoshan Sorcerer: Unlimited quantity? I don't believe it. @Ling Jun]

[Ling Jun: Little brat, believe it or not, stop your yapping. Right now we're the ones begging them to sell, but the Five Elements Alliance might not be willing. Sigh, if Elder Sun hadn't agreed to Fu Qingyang back then, this guide would belong to our Taichi Sect.]

Sun Miaomiao's expression froze instantly, suddenly losing the fun of being a troll.

This post caused a massive sensation on the Taichi Sect forum.

They didn't believe the Five Elements Alliance's post, but the words of Ling Jun and Zhao Chenghuang—they had no choice but to believe.

Emerging from Mute Village able to thrash Zhao Chenghuang? What a joke. Wouldn't that mean anyone could become the most peak existence of the Transcendent stage... So, so the Five Elements Alliance convened the Council of Ten Elders?!

In an instant, the hearts of all Night Wanderers burned hot; so Mute Village was this special.

They had to, absolutely had to, get their hands on the Mute Village guide.

Simultaneously, they realized that now was the time the Taichi Sect had to watch the Five Elements Alliance's face.

They watched the face of Yuan Shi Tianzun.

...

That same night, in the bedroom, Zhang Yuanqing sat in a 3,000-yuan ergonomic chair, spraying saliva as he spoke:

"Recently, that pervert sex maniac called the Demon Lord has raped and murdered three young girls in the bloom of youth and six beautiful young wives. Faced with a heinous superpowered criminal, the peacekeepers were powerless, so they handed it over to our Superpowered Special Agent Team.

"I led the team to ambush the Demon Lord for a whole night, and finally, just as he was about to make a move on a bar girl named Zhu Rong, I struck decisively, battling the Demon Lord fiercely, ultimately bringing this unforgivable villain to justice."

Auntie sat by the bed, listening in a daze.

Waiting for her nephew to finish, Auntie gazed with starry eyes, her face full of admiration:

"So amazing~

"Yuanzi, from now on you're the great hero in Auntie's heart."

Zhang Yuanqing nodded solemnly: "Protecting the weak is what we of this ilk should do. In our organization, there is a great figure codenamed Yuan Shi Tianzun who once said, 'With great power comes great responsibility.' Superpowered beings must forever remember to take it as their duty to suppress the strong and aid the weak, and to regard benefiting society as their creed."

Auntie sighed with emotion:

"His sentiment commands respect."

The truth was this: the day before yesterday, Auntie discovered her nephew missing, leaving only a cell phone he had left behind in the room.

The sharp-witted aunt immediately guessed her nephew had received orders from the Organization and departed on a mission. Without betraying a flicker of emotion, she covered for him, fobbing off his parents with a nonexistent girlfriend.

Right after getting off work today, the aunt finished dinner with practiced nonchalance, then bolted straight for her nephew's bed. She chattered away, spilling the whole story from start to finish, before asking if he really had been on a mission last night.

And so came the scene just now.

The aunt pursued the matter with keen relish:

"Is that Demon Lord dead?"

"Dead, of course!"

"And that bar girl, Zhu Rong? Did you manage to rescue her?"

"Sigh. We got her out, but she suffered a massive mental break. Later, a complete psycho flayed the skin right off her face."

"Yikes! Terrifying. What's that psycho's name?"

...

June 12th.

The Saint-rank arena tournament concluded on schedule, without surprise, without a dark horse. Just as everyone expected, Fu Qingyang claimed the championship, suppressing Jiang Ju, Yin Ji, and the Fengdu Ghost King.

This should have been a sensation commanding all eyes. Instead, the uproar over the "Mute Village" instance strategy guide diverted the bulk of the attention and discourse.

The Taiyi Sect and Five Elements Alliance forums were flooded with discussions of the Mute Village instance; only the occasional stray post could be found congratulating Fu Qingyang on his victory.

Regarding the Mute Village strategy guide, the Five Elements Alliance member "Petty Success" was clamoring that they wouldn't give it to Taiyi Sect even if they threw it in the water. They repeatedly invaded the Taiyi Sect forum to whip the corpse and mock them.

Taiyi Sect members, meanwhile, suddenly lost their pride, lost the courage to flame back. They could only seethe in silent resentment: Elder Sun is senile!

Fu Family Bay Villa, Study.

Fu Qingyang sat sprawled in a brown genuine leather sofa, a cigar pinched between his fingers. On the coffee table before him sat pastries, desserts, fruit, sliced ham, and two bottles of whiskey.

"The elders argued for two days. Finally, a result." Fu Qingyang glanced at his empty glass, signaling his trusted lieutenant to pour.

"Sell or not?" Zhang Yuanqing understood instantly, filling the Centurion's glass to the brim.

He knew that these past few days, the elders had been in session (fighting). Rumor had it that at the height of the row, the Chihuo Gang elder declared he wanted to take everyone present on in a real-life duel.

The opponent: everyone in the room.

In short, because of a single strategy guide of his, the elders had met for two full days.

"Sell!"

"How?"

Fu Qingyang said: "Two conditions. One: both parties sign a contract. As long as a Taiyi Sect member clears Mute Village, all drops must be split fifty-fifty with the Five Elements Alliance. Two: Taiyi Sect must hand over every A-rank and S-rank strategy guide for Level 4 instances from their archives."

The second condition was tailor-made for me... Zhang Yuanqing asked: "Taiyi Sect agreed?"

Saint-rank instance guides, especially A-rank and S-rank, each one was worth a fortune.

Fu Qingyang lifted his cup, took an elegant sip, and chuckled softly:

"Naturally, they were unwilling. But Headquarters took a hard line. Taiyi Sect had no choice."

He set down his wine cup and said:

"In three days, the Slaughter Dungeon will open. Your Yin Corpse was lost in the Spirit Realm; by tomorrow at the latest, I will hunt a Level 3 Bewitching Fiend's corpse for you.

"As for anything else you need to prepare, handle it yourself without delay."

Zhang Yuanqing felt both anticipation and tension; he nodded vigorously.

The Slaughter Dungeon was his chance to ascend to Sainthood; once a Saint, he could begin investigating Brother Bing's disappearance.

Fu Qingyang set down his wine cup and continued:

"Tonight, the Five Elements Alliance and the Taiyi Sect will hold an online conference. All members intending to enter the Slaughter Dungeon will attend, and you must participate as well."

"A mobilization meeting?" Zhang Yuanqing asked.

Fu Qingyang nodded. "Every year at this time, evil organizations summon their members to discuss plans for hunting Order-class professionals. At the meeting, Saints will share their experiences within the Slaughter Dungeon, so you may understand the habits and methods of evil organizations."

...

Jinshan City, the outskirts.

Two electric scooters rode abreast, finally stopping at a logistics company tucked away in a remote location.

Kou Beiyue, dressed in a food delivery uniform, propped himself on one foot, glancing at the logistics company that had rented an abandoned factory as its grounds, and said enviously:

"I know logistics pays well; you really have the touch."

His companion was a baby-faced youth who spoke with utter nonchalance:

"It's all funding allocated by the organization; I'm just the manager.

"From now on, this place will be the gathering point for the Spirit Ability Association's Jinshan District branch, as well as the black market operated by the Association. If you need to gather intelligence, buy or sell artifacts and materials, just come here. Though few are willing to trade here now, I believe that will change in time."

This man was a subordinate of the Gu King, his Spirit Realm ID — Human Flesh Bun.

Joy surged in Kou Beiyue's heart; the reason he hung around Human Flesh Bun was to establish a stable channel to help Xiao Yuan gather intelligence and send and receive missions.

"But isn't this too conspicuous? I thought evil organizations usually met in brothels or casinos."

Human Flesh Bun guffawed:

"Kid, have you been watching too many movies? We're rats crossing the street as it is; running brothels and casinos is just begging the Enforcers to find us.

"Generally, the best venues for us are bars, hotels, and places like logistics companies—high traffic, yet unlikely to arouse suspicion. Also, 'evil organization' is the official label for us; don't keep 'evil' on your tongue, or you'll get beaten when you meet peers."

Oh, no wonder Xiao Yuan wanted to buy a hotel back then... Kou Beiyue suddenly realized, and asked again:

"Any recent intelligence?"

Human Flesh Bun glanced at him, draped an arm over Kou Beiyue's shoulder, and sighed:

"Beiyue, before asking that, you'd best have the cash ready. But I know you're broke, so on account of our shared interests, I'll give you two pieces of intel for free.

"First: that Primordial Heavenly Venerate returned alive from the dungeon. Damn it, the guy is truly formidable; this time we all thought he was done for. The old saying holds true: the good die young, but a scourge lives a thousand years."

Hearing that from the mouth of an evil professional feels weird... Kou Beiyue barely suppressed the urge to retort, and asked:

"And the second piece?"

“As for the second piece of news, word has it this year's summit of all major organizations is set in Jiangnan Province. Yuanshi Tianzun and Fu Qingyang are the two key figures at this gathering. In the mid-year Slaughter Dungeon, one of them has to die—that’s a hard quota handed down from on high.”

……