Chapter 319 - 305: Now... I Can Only Rely on Myself
The room fell silent in an instant.
But the silence didn’t last long.
After his initial shock, the young man with the sharp, simian features showed a hint of displeasure. Stiffening his neck, he said sarcastically, "Well now, Miss Liu, what’s the meaning of this? We’re just anxious, you know? Besides, if you don’t want this business, there are plenty of others in the city who do!"
"Exactly!" the woman beside him immediately chimed in. "If we don’t come to you, you think we can’t find anyone else?!"
Just as the atmosphere was about to turn hostile, the frost on Liu Yue’s face melted away in an instant, replaced by an apologetic smile.
"Oh, listen to me!" She quickly stood up and personally refilled their teacups, her tone becoming exceptionally warm. "Please, everyone, don’t take it to heart. It’s just that I’ve been on edge lately and lost my temper for a moment. I apologize to you all."
She raised her teacup in a toast-like gesture toward the group. "I hope this little incident won’t affect our future cooperation. After all, you all know what I’m capable of. If this matter were handed to someone else, it might not be handled as cleanly and efficiently as I can, right?"
Seeing her soften her stance, their expressions eased considerably, and the room once again filled with chattering.
"However," Liu Yue’s tone shifted, her expression turning serious again, "everyone, we still haven’t figured out the deal with that Immortal from the Guixi Sect. If you act so rashly now, aren’t you afraid of everything being exposed?"
"Tch, an Immortal?" the sharp-faced young man said dismissively. "Immortals are high and mighty. Why would they bother with the petty affairs of us mortals? How bored would he have to be to come dispense justice for a bunch of nobodies like us? He must have nothing better to do."
His words immediately drew a chorus of agreement. In their minds, a celestial chasm separated Immortals from mortals. The sordid deeds they were involved in were not significant enough to attract an Immortal’s attention.
But Liu Yue was skeptical. "Are you really sure he won’t get involved?"
Her gaze swept across the group. "Don’t forget, this Immortal was born and raised right here in Anhe City. Besides, if there’s such a divide between Immortals and mortals, why would she go to all the trouble of organizing that ’Heaven-Ascending Run’ for the city’s mortals? How can you be so sure that if something really happens, she won’t get involved?"
Seeing their hesitant and dismissive expressions, she continued to persuade them. "Everyone, why can’t we just wait a little longer? We can act after we’ve figured out what this Immortal is all about. There’s no need to rush."
As soon as she said this, the room erupted into chatter again as the group split into several factions.
"I think Miss Liu has a point. We have to be wary when it comes to Immortals. What if she’s right, and this Immortal actually likes meddling in our mortal affairs? If we act now, wouldn’t we be walking right into the line of fire?"
"What’s there to be afraid of?! So what if he’s an Immortal? Does that mean he doesn’t eat or shit? You think he can watch our every pathetic move all day long? The way I see it, he’s just bored and organized that ’Heaven-Ascending Run’ for fun! We should just do what we’ve been doing. We’ll mind our business, and he’ll mind his!"
"Exactly! I can’t wait any longer! If my brothers-in-law come back and cause a scene demanding a piece of the pie, won’t all my efforts have been for nothing?!"
Some of them fell into deep thought, feeling there was some truth to it; others remained completely unconcerned. Looking at the rabble before her, Liu Yue felt a headache coming on.
She couldn’t manage Ma Tietou’s side, and her own side... was just as difficult. These people were, after all, just partners, not her subordinates.
She could only suppress her irritation and say in a calm, composed voice, "Fine. I will naturally do what I promised you all. However, I hope you will all try to be more restrained lately. If... anyone is simply too impatient to wait, then please, handle it yourselves. But if something goes wrong, don’t you dare come looking for me."
Just then, a young man dressed as a servant rushed in from outside, looking flustered.
"Miss! Something’s happened!"
"What is it?!" Liu Yue, already irritated, snapped.
"M-Miss An’s body... it’s been stolen! The rumors outside are all saying... it was that storyteller, Mu Ling! He... he even carried the body to the Su Mansion for some reason!"
The moment she heard this, Liu Yue’s pupils contracted violently. A bone-chilling fear shot up from the soles of her feet to the crown of her head!
’Run?! Right now?’
The thought screamed instinctively in her mind, but she forcibly crushed it in less than half a second.
She glanced at her so-called "partners," who were all staring at her in astonishment.
’If I turn and run right now without a word, won’t that be as good as openly telling these scumbags that I have a guilty conscience and am definitely involved in this?!’
’These are people who would harm their own family for money. If anything really happened, they wouldn’t hesitate to sell me out. They might even tear me to shreds with their own hands...’
’And even if I managed to escape Anhe City, when my superiors investigate...’
’No... I can’t run!’
She took a deep breath, forcing down the fear that threatened to make her collapse. ’There’s still a chasm between Immortals and mortals. Things... might not have reached the worst-case scenario just yet.’
’First, I’ll go see what’s happening!’
When she looked up again, her face had transformed, now wearing an expression of shock and fury.
"What?! That Mu Ling!" she cursed, gritting her teeth. "When Yao’er was alive, I never saw him care about her that much! Now that she’s gone, he’s stealing her corpse?! Does he even have the right?!"
As she spoke, she straightened her clothes. "This won’t do! I have to go see! I will not let that hypocrite defile the peace Yao’er deserves in death!"
With that, she strode quickly out the door.
However, just as she reached the doorway, she stopped, turned her head, and let her gaze sweep slowly over the so-called "partners" in the room, each with their own ulterior motives.
"Everyone, I still want to offer one last piece of advice. Lately... it would be best for all of you to be more restrained. I’ve said all I have to say. You’re on your own now." Leaving them with these words, she disappeared into the night without a backward glance.
...
Meanwhile, at the entrance to the Su Mansion.
Using her Divine Sense to perceive the ever-growing crowd outside the gates and listening to their clamorous chatter, Su Ling’er felt completely overwhelmed and was panicking internally.
’Sigh, Senior Brother... why did you have to run off?! What on earth am I supposed to do now to keep the investigation going?!’
Outside the gates was a dense sea of people. Not only were there figures acquainted with Miss An, like Mr. An, Mr. Wang, and Liu Yue, but also countless curious onlookers. Even City Lord Zhao Decang and his advisor were there with Government Officials, maintaining order!
Su Ling’er took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm her pounding heart.
’Senior Brother isn’t here. Right now... I can only rely on myself! Calm down! I have to stay calm!’