Chapter 445: Devotion

"Perhaps not," Chen Ling replied.

"Why?"

"Some people are used to being alone and don't like having others around... especially those from the Twilight Society." Chen Ling’s golden mask looked mysterious and profound in the black-and-gold room.

Liu Qingyan looked at her reflection on the marble floor and said softly, "Are you that kind of person too?"

Chen Ling was slightly startled.

His first reaction was that Liu Qingyan had seen through his true identity, but this thought was quickly dismissed... Not to mention that he was wearing a golden mask and the face beneath it was also fake, he had only met Liu Qingyan twice and they weren't familiar with each other. It was impossible for her to see through his disguise.

"...Yes."

Receiving this answer, Liu Qingyan nodded slightly.

"I understand... Thank you, Special Envoy."

Liu Qingyan pushed the door open and left.

The mottled corridor appeared before her again. Liu Qingyan gently closed the door, her black skirt moving silently through the light and shadow with her light footsteps... Her steps were so soft that they made no sound at all, like a ghost draped in a black dress.

When she reached the middle of the corridor, Liu Qingyan slowly stopped and looked back at the closed black-and-gold door.

In the middle of the empty corridor, the girl faced the door and knelt down on one knee. Her black skirt looked like an ink-colored rose blooming in the light and shadow, her misty hair scattered on the smooth marble floor... She looked like a devout believer praying to a god in a church.

In the reflection of her watery eyes, a red thread that only she could see extended from her heart, connecting straight behind the black-and-gold door.

"If you are unwilling to accept, Qingyan will no longer disturb you... If I could just be your shadow from afar, that would be enough."

She closed her eyes and muttered something in prayer.

Dozens of seconds later, she stood up, lifting her skirt, took one last look at the black-and-gold door, and walked straight out of the auction house.

……

"Come out."

Seeing the door close, Chen Ling took off his golden mask and called out to the side.

The next moment, a head smeared with white ash poked out from behind the sofa, hopped over to Chen Ling, and pointed at the door, gesturing and making "iya-iya" sounds.

"You mean her?" Chen Ling shrugged. "I’m not familiar with her."

"Iya! Iya iya..."

The Jester waved his hands, still pointing at the door, then knelt down in front of Chen Ling with a thud, pretending to say something, then sprang up and turned to walk behind him.

Seeing the Jester’s inexplicable performance, a look of confusion appeared on Chen Ling’s face. He hesitated for a moment, then opened the door to take a look, but the corridor was completely empty.

Seeing this, a look of disappointment appeared on the Jester’s small face, and he spread his hands helplessly at Chen Ling, with the air of "you're too late."

Chen Ling didn't understand the Jester’s meaning, so he simply sat back in the swivel chair and looked at the time on the wall...

"If nothing goes wrong, those two should be back soon."

Chen Ling waited for a while longer, and two figures climbed in through the window one after another—it was Jian Changsheng and his companion.

It was broad daylight, so they definitely couldn't come in through the front door and had to take some side paths. Seeing Jian Changsheng sweating profusely, Chen Ling couldn't help but ask:

"How was it? Did you move it?"

"Done."

Jian Changsheng gulped down a cup of tea and let out a long sigh. "Damn it, you didn't tell me that thing was so big! If our seals hadn't been undone halfway, we really wouldn't have been able to get it out of the restaurant..."

"When we transported it to the warehouse, we happened to run into someone coming to inspect it. Luckily, we ran fast and weren't discovered." Heart of Red 9 thought carefully. "However, their expressions when they saw that Buddha statue were quite something."

"As long as there were no mishaps." Chen Ling nodded slightly.

"However, we did make a discovery!" Jian Changsheng put down his teacup, looking very excited.

"When we were running away, we passed by other warehouses of the Flower Capital Consortium. There were many antiques, paintings, and calligraphy inside. Unfortunately, time was too short to search carefully... But I think if that painting is really in the Red Dust Main City, it’s very likely to have fallen into the hands of the five major consortiums!"

Chen Ling raised an eyebrow, thinking Jian Changsheng made sense.

Although he didn't know what mystery the painting held, since even the Twilight Society was looking for it, it must be special. And the ones in the Red Dust Main City capable of collecting such art should be the major consortiums... Although he couldn't be 100% sure, if they started with the consortiums' treasure vaults, the probability would indeed be higher.

"So what are you planning?"

"Search the treasure vaults!" Jian Changsheng said firmly. "Start with the five major consortiums... I don't believe it, surely I can't fail every single mission?"

"However, there is a difference between a warehouse and a treasure vault." Chen Ling reminded him at the right time. "The treasure vaults of the five major consortiums must be heavily guarded, and there are Divine Dao possessors sitting in them... Are you sure you can sneak in quietly?"

Jian Changsheng was startled and then wilted... while Heart of Red 9 sneered, a cold, murderous glint flashing in his eyes.

"If we can't sneak in, then we'll just rob them! There aren't many in the five major consortiums who can fight. I’ll just wipe them all out... I’m mainly worried that the commotion will be too big and attract those people from [Floating Life Painting]."

Chen Ling: ...

Chen Ling suddenly felt that undoing the seals on these two was a wrong decision... Especially Heart of Red 9. This guy had been stifled while carrying the seal, and now he was like a wild horse off the leash, constantly looking for a chance to have a big fight and release his pent-up frustration. When they had the seals, they could still restrain themselves, but now he was afraid these two would just tear down the Red Dust Main City.

The organization told you to establish a foothold and prepare a base, not to kick a hole in the Main City!

"...How about this, I have a way."

Chen Ling thought for a moment and came up with a win-win solution. "Even if you can turn the consortium upside down and steal the treasure right in front of them, if you keep doing this, the other consortiums will inevitably be on guard, or even set traps for you to walk into, or secretly move away valuable treasures... If you charge into the treasure vault after all that hard work and find a room full of explosives waiting for you, that would be trouble."

Chen Ling tried to guide Heart of Red 9 to regain his reason, and the latter seemed to really start thinking seriously, then replied:

"...They can't blow me up."

Immediately after, he patted the bewildered Jian Changsheng on the shoulder and smiled confidently: "And they can't blow him up either!"