Stranger Danger

Chapter 473: The Clouds Look Like Fire

“Eunuch Zhou, I need to speak to you about Ye—”

Chu Qingge stepped forward with a determined look on her face, but the Harmony King interrupted her before she could finish, “The adults are talking, Qingge. Return to your place.”

The Harmony King’s eyes were normally clouded with indulgence and foolishness, but right here and now, it was perfectly clear. He was also wearing a strong, dignified expression on his face.

Tu Yulei and Hong Jianglong were also shaking their heads at Chu Qingge. Since Zhou Dongchao had shown up with a personal message from Emperor Jin Run himself, it meant that they wouldn’t accept any deviations to the plan. Bringing up the fact that Ye Qing was framed would be akin to objecting to the plan and potentially provoking Zhou Dongchao into taking action.

Zhou Dongchao paid no attention to their soundless gestures. He simply smiled and greeted Chu Qingge, “Long time no see, Your Highness. The first time I met you, you were just a wee little girl running round and round master like a cute little kitten. Time really does fly.”

“Oh right, I almost forgot. Master also told me to inform Your Highnesses to pay him a visit at the capital when you’re free.”

“We are honored by His Majesty’s concern,” Both the Harmony King and Chu Qingge thanked him.

Everyone knew that this was the emperor’s compensation to his uncle.

Suddenly, Zhou Hengshan asked, “If I may ask, do you know if Ye Qing is alive or dead, director?”

“Unfortunately, I have no idea.” Zhou Dongchao shot Lei Xiaodan a smile. “But I’m sure that Lord Lei would find out the truth.”

“I will carry out my duty,” Lei Xiaodan responded with a salute.

“Well, I’ve wasted enough time here. It’s almost lunchtime, and I need to head back and serve my master. I shan’t bother you all any longer.” Zhou Dongchao saluted everyone. “See you another day, everyone.”

“Until then, director!” Everyone in the room returned the salute.

A kind, ordinary-looking old man abruptly stepped out of the servant’s body. Then, he leaped into the sky. Every time he took a step, a blue cloud would appear underneath his feet. Just a few breaths later, he had vanished into the horizon.

“His will touches the heavens, and his feet cross the horizon in the span of one thought. He must be a Sage, isn’t he?” An Yifang exclaimed in surprise.

“I would think so,” Tu Yulei responded.

“Please return to the earth, people. What shall we do with Ye Qing?” Lei Xiaodan looked at the group and asked.

“Director Zhou has given you full power over the matter and forbidden us from getting involved, so just do as you please, Lord Lei,” An Yifang replied.

“As he says, you may do whatever you want with Ye Qing. We, the Pacification Bureau, promise that we won’t get involved,” Tu Yulei replied in an indifferent tone while clasping his hands behind his back.

“Your Highness?” Lei Xiaodan looked at the Harmony King next.

The Harmony King sighed. “I will obey Eunuch Zhou’s will.”

Zhou Hengshan shook his head as well. He was unwilling to leave things at this, but he didn’t dare to defy an order from the emperor himself either. He turned around and left the room without a room.

Lei Xiaodan nodded. “In that case, I shall be taking my leave. Goodbye, everyone.”

“Goodbye.”

“See you later, Lord Lei.”

......

The Hidden Dragon Meet and the final match that would decide its champion had been the main gossip of the entire prefecture for the past couple days. But not anymore. A certain incident had replaced it completely, and it was none other than the murder of Chu Qingli.

On one hand, Ye Qing was the Qing Emperor Junior and the rising star of the Pacification Bureau.

On the other hand, Chu Qingli was an imperial prince and the son of the Harmony King himself.

Their paths should never have crossed one another’s, and yet somehow they did and created an epic storm.

Ye Qing had killed Chu Qingli. The Qing Emperor Junior had killed the son of the Harmony King.

The reason behind this wasn’t a secret either. The Intelligence Department stated that it was because the two had an argument regarding the incident where the Wine Are Songs Boat was shut down, and Ye Qing lost control after one too many scathing insults from the prince.

Since neither the Harmony King nor the Pacification Bureau objected to this answer, it meant that they agreed with this version of the story as well.

Knowing the cause and effect, it was easy to decide his punishment. According to the laws of Chu, Ye Qing not only killed a prince by accident, but also resisted arrest. Normally, he and his family would be exterminated to the nine generations, but since he performed brilliantly in service for the people during his time in the Pacification Bureau, he and only he was sentenced to death. He was also stripped of his position as the Patrolman of the Pacification Bureau.

For the public, almost everyone was satisfied with this sentence. Although few people had a good impression of Chu Qingli—the guy was just an ignorant, incompetent and hedonistic good-for-nothing, and it was he who taunted Ye Qing first—it was also a fact that Ye Qing had killed him. As Chu Qingli was a member of the imperial family, it was perfectly normal for his murderer, Ye Qing, to be executed for his crimes.

Equality did not exist in this world. Some people were higher than most, and some murders carried more weight than other murders.

If anything, the people actually liked the fact that the emperor had not gone through with the nine familial exterminations even though that was the expected capital punishment for the crime of murdering a member of the imperial family.

Of course, some people lamented the fact that a rising star with a bright future ahead of him was damned because of the actions of a hedonistic bastard.

Most people were kind, but they were also cowardly. It was one thing to talk about this in a private setting, but no one actually dared to do anything about it.

There were also rumors saying that Ye Qing was actually framed, and that he had killed a lot of Hengshan soldiers during his escape, but they were suppressed almost as soon as they appeared. As a result, they failed to leave an impression whatsoever.

Wine must be drunk, food must be eaten, and life must go on. The incident had started with Chu Qingli and Ye Qing, and it had ended with just the two of them as well. Nothing more, nothing less.

......

“These people are so stupid you can’t help but sympathize with them. It’s one thing to listen to such rumors, but to believe it?”

At the Western Wind Restaurant, a smiling Fugong remarked while listening in on the gossip of the diners at the lower floors.

“Most people are foolish,” Fang Muyun said in a clear, silvery voice after sipping his tea, “but there’s nothing wrong with being foolish. If anything, a fool often leads an easier and happier life.”

“Besides, this situation is probably his design. From his perspective, it would be an affront to his dignity if the matter is blown up. That is why he made it so that this incident begins and ends with Ye Qing.”

“You see, there is no one in the entire world who cares more about his reputation and dignity than him.”

Fugong smiled but didn’t say anything. That man wasn’t someone he could remark on. So, he changed the subject, “You know, it’s surprising that not a single person in this restaurant—and probably everywhere else for that matter—is asking if Ye Qing is actually dead.”

Fang Muyun said slowly, “That’s because everyone thinks that Ye Qing is already dead.”

“That’s true.” The Hengshan Army had caused a huge commotion and mobilized hundreds of men yesterday, and Ye Qing was just a Spirit Purifier. It was unthinkable that there could be any other outcome.

In reality, Ye Qing was still alive, and Fang Muyun knew this because the Blood Bond Grass in his lap was still alive.

“To be connected in flesh and blood, to live and die together.” That was how the people described the Blood Bond Grass. A Hatred-class Stranger, it could form an invisible bond with the person whose blood it ate. If the person lives, then it would live. If the person dies, then it would die as well.

Not only that, the Blood Bond Grass could detect its bonded person’s location almost like they were physically tethered to each other. Hence the name.

As the imperial envoy of the Hidden Dragon Meet, it was all too easy for him to acquire a drop of Ye Qing’s blood. If not for the Blood Bond Grass, he would’ve believed that Ye Qing had died as well. After all, who could imagine that the young man, a mere Spirit Purifier, could escape the death trap the city had laid for him and even survive Zhou Hengshan, a Grandmaster? As if that wasn’t enough, almost everyone had fallen for his trick and believed that he was dead.

Ye Qing’s strength and cunning both impressed and shocked him. If managed to grow into his full potential, then his only limit would be the infinite skies.

Unfortunately for him, he made an enemy out of Fang Muyun.

A firefly was pretty, but how could it ever hope to compare with the bright moon?

Therefore, Ye Qing would never grow into his full potential. He would join his fellow mud and dirt and be squashed underfoot.

“I wonder what their expressions would look like if they learn that Ye Qing is still alive. The Intelligence Department would lose a lot of face, wouldn’t they?”

“They won’t.”

Fang Muyun looked out of the window where the clouds were floating without a care for the world. “Lei Xiaodan is a cautious, meticulous man. Every time he does something, he always makes sure to leave himself an out. If you read the official statement closely, you would notice that it only says that Ye Qing is sentenced to death. Nowhere did it say that Ye Qing has already been executed for his crimes.”

“If Ye Qing is dead, then all is well. If not, then they can track him down in secret and kill him. Should they fail to capture him, and the fact that Ye Qing is still alive somehow gets to the public, he can argue semantics and claim that he never said that Ye Qing is already dead. This would still damage the Intelligence Department’s reputation to an extent, of course, but it wouldn’t be a crippling blow or even a serious one.”

“Lei Xiaodan truly is a formidable man,” Fugong paid a compliment before asking, “Should we inform him that Ye Qing is still alive and tell him his whereabouts? Ye Qing could not survive the Intelligence Department, and this would keep our hands clean.”

“He is already doing our dirty work for us, isn’t he? It would be folly to press him further.”

Fang Muyun explained, “You said it yourself that Lei Xiaodan is a formidable man. I’m sure he already suspects that Ye Qing’s murder of Chu Qingli is not as simple as it seems. Besides, don’t forget that we’ve tried to kill Ye Qing twice. Although we haven’t left behind any clues, Hong Jianglong and the Pacification Bureau must be investigating this in secret. If we inform Lei Xiaodan about Ye Qing’s status and whereabouts now, then it would confirm that Ye Qing is indeed framed, wouldn’t it?”

“Lei Xiaodan is not to be trifled with, and the Intelligence Department even more so. It would be troublesome if they were to turn their ire on us.”

“The situation is already fixed. We should allow it to run its course peacefully.”

“You’re right. I should’ve known better.” Fugong saluted Fang Muyun once before asking, “What do we do about Ye Qing then? Are we going to just ignore him?”

“Of course not.” Fang Muyun shook his head. “I didn’t want to dirty my hands earlier because he is the rising star of the Pacification Bureau, but he is no longer that, is he? Now, he is just a mouse that anyone can kill.”

“I’ll be counting on you, Fugong. Please kill Ye Qing for me.”

“As you command, mister.” Fugong clasped his hands solemnly.

“Make sure you don’t alarm the Intelligence Department,” Fang Muyun said while continuing to admire the distant clouds. “Everyone already thinks that Ye Qing is dead. He might as well disappear from this world forever.”

The sun was setting near the horizon. The clouds looked as orange as fire and as red as blood.

And with that, we've arrived at the end of our first arc, and I present to you... a new cover page!

Here's also a version where the first and second cover page are combined!

Many, many thanks for Yuuko for coming up with this amazing art! She's the cover artist for WW, and without her I could never have engineered the AI to produce a cover art that is even remotely close to what I wanted. For that, I am eternally grateful!

For those who want the full resolution cover pages, do contact me on discord.

Also, obviously the cover page won't actually be up until the free readers catch up. It would be spoiler otherwise, yeah?

One thing I really want to point out now that we're at this point of the novel, is that this ending... didn't have to be Ye Qing's ending. If Chu had treated him fairly, he could've gone on to marry Chu Qingge and become royalty. There is obviously great chemistry and attraction between the two, especially since Ye Qing was not-so-subtly turned down by Feng Qingyou. He could've become the greatest warrior Chu has ever seen and secured their dynasty for the next thousand years to come.

But in the end, human nature ruined it all. The royal (literally) road was shut down because Chu Wangsun couldn't look past his pp for a second, and Fang Muyun decided that his personal vengeance was worth the fate of the entire realm. After all, no matter how talented Ye Qing was, he's just a commoner. A Spirit Purifier. A lowlife. Scum of the earth.

They drove him into the abyss. They succeeded.

And soon, the abyss is going stare back.

I'll leave it to you all to figure out what the moon in the cover page means. I promise it's quite simple.

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