Chapter 85: Bai Ye

The Fifth-Rank Law Enforcer’s expression tightened, and he turned back to look at the cabin. Just as the three were about to take action, a faint white light flashed across the sky.

The three were instantly stunned on the spot.

They stood there like statues for a long time, then suddenly spoke again:

“Did I see things?”

“The Ancient Treasury of the Military Path did react.”

“But, but why?”

The Fifth-Rank Law Enforcer thought seriously for a while, as if an idea was about to leap out of his mind, but he couldn’t remember it no matter what.

“It should be that something on this ship attracted the killing intent of the Ancient Treasury of the Military Path... What could it be... The only ones who came out of the Ancient Treasury seem to be...”

Before he could finish, another white light flashed across the sky.

The three’s pupils unfocused again, staring blankly into the void, as if they had lost something.

This time, the three paused for a full ten seconds before they came to their senses:

“What do you think?”

“This incident is too heinous... After we get ashore, we must notify Aurora City immediately.”

“By the way, haven’t the Fire-Tampers always been active in the southern territories? Why did they suddenly run to the Aurora territory?”

“……”

On the deck, the three were eerily repeating their initial conversation. They seemed to have completely forgotten the scene of the Ancient Treasury’s anomaly just now, as well as their suspicion of Chen Ling.

It was as if an invisible hand had quietly stolen that half-minute of memory from their minds.

Steam rose from the ship as it completely sailed out of the black sky of the Ancient Treasury of the Military Path. The dim sunset pierced through the clouds again, spilling onto the surface of the frozen sea.

On a huge, white floating ice, a hand slowly lifted the brim of a white baseball cap, revealing half a face. The silver snake-shaped earring looked like gold in the twilight.

The massive, oppressive ship crashed toward the floating ice like a mountain. A faint smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

The next moment, his figure disappeared from where he stood.

……

“The Bai Qi Token reacted?”

Inside the cabin, Chen Ling frowned as he looked at the token in his palm, confusion appearing in his eyes.

He didn’t know that the ship had just passed the edge of the Ancient Treasury of the Military Path; he only knew that at that moment, the Dao Foundation fragment and the Bai Qi Token had reacted one after another, only to return to normal within a second, as if nothing had happened.

Just as Chen Ling was deep in thought, a white shadow suddenly flashed in his peripheral vision!

Chen Ling was startled and quickly put the token away, looking in that direction... Unbeknownst to him, a slender figure in white was already leaning quietly against the inner wall of the cabin, like a ghost.

Who?!

When did he get in??

Two questions instantly flooded Chen Ling’s mind. He knew that this cabin had one and only one entrance, and the surroundings were thick steel walls; there was absolutely no way for anyone to enter... And Chen Ling was certain that before this, he was the only one in the cabin.

Chen Ling’s brain worked at high speed, and in a flash, he reacted.

He raised his right hand, tapped his forehead, and chanted devoutly and sincerely:

“Usurp the heavens, seize the universe.”

“Fire-Tamper No. 13, respectfully welcomes the Saint of Thieves.”

Cold sweat seeped frantically from Chen Ling’s back.

The man in front of him wasn’t wearing the black trench coat of a Law Enforcer, which meant he definitely wasn’t from Aurora City. And his infiltration hadn’t caused the slightest commotion—either the three Law Enforcers outside had already been slaughtered by him, or his strength was already sufficient to sneak into the cabin in broad daylight without the Law Enforcers noticing...

Either way, it meant this man’s strength was far above that of the three Law Enforcers.

Extremely strong, not a Law Enforcer, and appeared suddenly right after leaving the Ancient Treasury of the Military Path... Either he was the Fire-Tamper’s Saint of Thieves, Bai Ye, or a member of the Twilight Society coming to meet him.

Considering the worst-case scenario, Chen Ling started by reciting the Fire-Tamper doctrine; he couldn’t go wrong.

The figure slowly raised his head. Under the white baseball cap, a pair of sharp eyes locked onto Chen Ling, cold as ice.

“No. 13.” His voice had no emotional fluctuation, “Where are the others?”

“They were all exposed, clashed with the Law Enforcers in the Ancient Treasury, and all... died in battle.” Regret appeared in Chen Ling’s eyes, “No. 8 perished together with three Law Enforcers who had stepped onto the divine path, and I only barely managed to save my life.”

“And the Dao Foundation fragment?”

“...Didn’t get it.”

“Didn’t get it?” He raised an eyebrow, “Then, what is this?”

He pulled his hand out of his pocket. In his palm, a dark red crystal fragment had appeared out of nowhere—it was exactly the one Chen Ling had originally hidden on his body.

Chen Ling’s heart sank to the bottom!

Damn it, how are these thieves’ hands so fast?!

“Dao Foundation fragment?” Chen Ling feigned surprise, “Senior Saint of Thieves, where did you get that?”

“Where? Of course, from you...”

Before the man could finish his sentence, Chen Ling lunged from the bed like an arrow, rushing straight toward the cabin door at an astonishing speed!

Just as his palm was about to touch the door, his vision blurred, and when he came to his senses, he had been moved in front of the mysterious figure.

He had stolen Chen Ling’s position!

Chen Ling reacted extremely quickly. Realizing he couldn’t escape, he simply followed through with a palm strike toward the other’s neck. At the same time, the other person chuckled.

“Your wounds haven’t healed yet, so don’t move around... Heart 6.”

Hearing the last three words, Chen Ling’s palm froze abruptly in front of the other’s neck. A flash of astonishment crossed his eyes.

The man gently raised his hand, and a playing card appeared out of thin air in the void, pinched between his two fingers.

【Queen of Hearts】!

“Human civilization shall never be extinguished.” He said slowly, “I’ve come to meet you, newcomer.”

Chen Ling looked at the red card with the portrait of the queen and was stunned for a long time before he came to his senses.

“You’re a member of the Twilight Society?” Chen Ling asked blankly, “Then... what about the Saint of Thieves, Bai Ye?”

The man looked at Chen Ling and smiled without answering.

“You are the Fire-Tamper’s Saint of Thieves, Bai Ye... and also the Twilight Society’s 【Queen of Hearts】?” Chen Ling finally realized, “You’re also an undercover agent?”

“I’m not an undercover agent. The Saint of Thieves was my original identity; it’s just that I chose to betray them.”

Bai Ye put the playing card away casually, seemingly not intending to explain any further on this issue, “That said, as a newcomer who just joined the society, you completed your mission very well this time.”

“Wait a minute...”

Chen Ling’s brain couldn’t quite keep up, “You are the Fire-Tamper’s Saint of Thieves, and you sent people to infiltrate the Ancient Treasury to steal the Dao Foundation fragment... Then why did you also find me and let me go steal the fragment too?”

“Good question.” Bai Ye had guessed Chen Ling would ask and spread his hands to explain, “But you overlooked one problem. I am the Saint of Thieves, yes, but I am not the boss of the Fire-Tampers... Sending them to steal the Dao Foundation fragment was the boss’s decision; I was only responsible for the pickup.”

“Then why didn’t you wait for them to steal the fragment and then steal it yourself?”

Chen Ling had just asked this question when he thought of the answer himself and said thoughtfully, “I understand... Your status within the Fire-Tampers is too high. If you steal the fragment at this time, you will inevitably be exposed...”

“Smart.” Bai Ye smiled,

“So, I needed you... to play a good show with me.”