Chapter 86: Is My Face Real?

Bai Ye could certainly have snatched the fragment stolen by the Fire-Tampers, but if he did that, his identity as the Saint of Thieves would be ruined, and the Fire-Tampers would inevitably pursue him with all their might...

For him, doing so would definitely be a loss that outweighed the gain. But if the fragment was snatched by someone else in the Ancient Treasury, it would be a different story.

Understanding all this, Chen Ling finally breathed a sigh of relief. He returned to the bed and sat down, the last heavy stone in his heart finally falling.

He could control the “performance” within the Ancient Treasury of the Military Path, but once he left the Ancient Treasury, the development of events was beyond his ability... Neither the three Law Enforcers nor the Saint of Thieves, Bai Ye, were existences he could contend with. His only hope was to pin his hopes on that mysterious contact.

But he hadn’t expected that the contact and the Saint of Thieves, Bai Ye, were the same person.

“You acted quite realistically just now.” Bai Ye couldn’t help but exclaim, “I almost thought you had really been swapped by No. 13...”

Chen Ling gave two dry laughs and said nothing.

Bai Ye put the Dao Foundation fragment away and continued, “I’ve stolen the memories of those three Law Enforcers regarding the anomaly of the Ancient Treasury of the Military Path; they won’t suspect you anymore... Can you get away on your own next?”

“Yes.” Chen Ling nodded.

Then, as if remembering something, “By the way, can you do me one more favor?”

“Go ahead.”

“Help me hide these two things on the crossbeam of 128 Frost Street in District 3.”

Chen Ling handed the Bai Qi Token and the red ring to Bai Ye, who took them and looked at them carefully for a few moments, then said in surprise, “This thing has the aura of the Path of the War God. Good stuff... Brought out from the Ancient Treasury?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, anything else?”

Chen Ling shook his head. Bai Ye was about to leave when he suddenly stopped, took a piece of paper out of his pocket with a strange expression.

“There’s one more thing I want to ask you... What does this message you sent me mean?”

Chen Ling took the note in confusion, saw the two blood-red characters on it, and suddenly froze on the spot.

—Go die!

“???” Chen Ling clearly remembered that what he wrote in the grocery kiosk at the time wasn’t this... Was it the audience’s doing again?

“This... uh... is an accident.” Chen Ling explained vaguely.

Bai Ye looked at him strangely, then withdrew his gaze and waved his hand casually,

“I’m off. See you in Aurora City.”

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

See you in Aurora City?

A flash of doubt crossed Chen Ling’s mind... Why were all these Twilight Society members running to Aurora City? Chu Muyun was like this, and so was Bai Ye.

Without the Dao Foundation fragment and the Bai Qi Token, Chen Ling felt light. He lay directly on the bed and closed his eyes to rest.

A few hours later, the ship slowly docked at Winter Harbor. A Law Enforcer helped the “weak” Chen Ling back onto land.

As soon as Chen Ling got off the ship, he saw dozens of Law Enforcers in black and red uniforms already blocking the entire Winter Harbor.

The originally bustling harbor was now left with only murderous intent and coldness. Seeing this formation, Chen Ling knew that Aurora City had already received the news... Of the seventy-plus Law Enforcers Aurora City had pinned their hopes on for the Ancient Treasury trial, only one had survived. For Aurora City, this was undoubtedly an earthquake-level disaster!

“You are Chen Ling?” A Sixth-Rank Law Enforcer walked up and frowned at Chen Ling.

“Yes.”

The Sixth-Rank Law Enforcer gave a look to the surrounding Law Enforcers, “Search him.”

Three Law Enforcers didn’t say a word and rushed to Chen Ling’s side, searching him from top to bottom. They almost made him strip on the spot. Under this level of search, Chen Ling couldn’t hide anything.

Of course, they were destined to find nothing.

“Nothing else.” A Law Enforcer whispered.

“Sorry, Chen Ling.” The Sixth-Rank Law Enforcer said again, his tone brooking no argument, “Next, we need to verify your face to prevent the Fire-Tampers from assuming your identity.”

As soon as these words were spoken, Chen Ling’s eyes narrowed.

To be honest, he had already guessed this face-verification step... Since Aurora City knew that Fire-Tampers had infiltrated the Ancient Treasury of the Military Path, they naturally had to be on guard, especially since he was the only survivor who had walked out.

From the moment he walked out of the Ancient Treasury, Chen Ling was destined to undergo the most rigorous investigation in the entire Aurora territory.

A Law Enforcer pulled a short blade from his pocket and walked slowly to Chen Ling;

before he could make a move, Chen Ling broke free from the Law Enforcers on both sides and pulled his own dagger from his pocket with a backhand motion...

This scene startled the many surrounding Law Enforcers. They instantly went on alert, and the Sixth-Rank Law Enforcer’s gaze also turned sharp.

“I’ll do it myself.”

Chen Ling plunged the sharp edge of the dagger into his cheek without expression, then sliced it open bit by bit... Scarlet blood dripped along the blade, revealing the flesh beneath the skin.

The wailing cold wind blew through the deathly silent harbor. In the nervous gaze of everyone, this young man who was cutting his own face smiled,

his sliced cheek bloody and chilling. He curled the corners of his mouth slightly and asked softly:

“Do you think my face... is real?”

……

District 3.

Law Enforcer Headquarters.

“Meng Ge!! Meng Ge!!!”

A figure pushed the door open hard and ran into the office in a hurry.

“What happened?” Han Meng, who was sitting behind the desk, frowned slightly, “Why are you so panicked?”

“It’s Aurora City! News came from Aurora City!”

“Aurora City?”

Han Meng seemed to think of something, “Did Jiang Qin, Chen Ling, and the others come out of the Ancient Treasury?”

“...They died.”

“What?” Han Meng was stunned.

“They all died!!” The Law Enforcer repeated, “The Fire-Tampers raided the Ancient Treasury of the Military Path. All the Law Enforcers who entered the Ancient Treasury were killed! Except...”

Han Meng’s face turned deathly pale. He stood up from his seat abruptly, and a terrifying pressure instantly filled the room!

“Except what?”

“Except Chen Ling.” He said, “Aurora City said that Chen Ling is the only survivor...”

Han Meng froze on the spot.

“They found Chen Ling among a pile of corpses. When they found him, it is said he had already lost too much blood and was almost dead...”

“And now? Was he resuscitated?”

“He was saved, but it is said he was detained at Winter Harbor, saying he had to undergo investigation and interrogation by Aurora City. Among the Law Enforcers who entered the Ancient Treasury this time, one was the young master of the Star Chamber of Commerce, and another was the son of a Seventh-Rank Law Enforcer... Both families have already sent people to Winter Harbor. I don’t know if they want to...”

Hearing the last sentence, Han Meng seemed to think of something, and his expression changed.

Before the Law Enforcer could say anything more, he pushed the door open and left, his black trench coat disappearing at the end of the snowy field at an astonishing speed!