Stranger Danger

Chapter 123: The Curtain Rises

Warm sunlight was pouring down a clear, blue sky. A nearby lake was shimmering with serene beauty.

“Oooh… this headache is killing me!”

There was a man lying on a meadow next to the lake. He was motionless until he suddenly sat up, slapped a hand to his forehead, and shook his head violently. He was none other than Ye Qing.

“I’m at… Jade Spring Lake?” Ye Qing was taken aback when he saw the familiar lake. “How did I get here? I’m pretty sure I was at Firewind Valley.”

Ye Qing massaged his forehead some more and tried to remember what happened. He had tried to resist the downpour of Burning Wind but blacked out eventually. He didn’t know how long he was unconscious, but he remembered waking up in a half-lucid state and finding himself lying inside a carriage. There was also a young woman.

He remembered asking, “Who… who are you?”

And she had answered, “I’m your goddess!”

“What?”

The woman shot him a smile before singing,

“Goddess, I know that you are good

You came to rescue me

So please, hear my humble plea

Save me, goddess, save me

I have nowhere else to go…”

When she was done, she said, “I saved your life, so I’m your goddess, right?”

Her voice was melodious and heavenly. Even the afterglow was a dreamlike experience!

The young woman set down her book and shot him another smile. “This is how you should’ve sung the song! You’re a terrible singer.”

That was where his memory cut off. He might have said something, he might not have. He wouldn’t know. One thing for certain though, it was that woman who saved his life and left him here.

“A goddess, huh?”

Ye Qing rested his head on his hands and basked in the warm sunshine. He let out a silly giggle and sang again, “Save me, goddess, save me, I have nowhere else to go…”

“Bah! It really does sound pretty bad… hehehe…”

……

“The practitioner shall walk like a raging stream, smooth yet soundless. They shall punch like they would topple the heavens themselves, terrible yet without a trace. The practitioner would become invisible to the world when they had attained the highest strength!”

Ye Qing was currently walking back to Anyang following the official route, but that wasn’t the only thing he was doing. He was also practicing his stance. His footsteps were as torrential like a river, and yet they were also perfectly soundless. Every punch he threw threatened to punch a hole in the sky, and yet its power was perfectly unrecognizable until the last moment.

The stance he was practicing was called the Cloud Vaporization Stance. It was, of course, a part of the Cloud Vaporization Style.

The Cloud Vaporization Style was an Astral Refinement stage fist art, so it was a lot more detailed than your ordinary fist art. Not only did it teach the techniques, it also taught the breathing method and various know-hows.

The foundation of the Cloud Vaporization Style was the Cloud Vaporization Stance. In martial arts, power came from the earth, force from the body, and intent from the mind, and they could all be learned through the Cloud Vaporization Stance. Only by building a solid foundation could one build a house that wouldn’t topple over at the slightest breeze. Just the same, only by mastering the stance could one master a fist style.

When practicing a stance, one must pay attention to their breathing, their step, the way they channeled their force and so on when practicing a stance. It was why it took him three days to return to Anyang instead of one.

It was worth it though. He had practiced the stance for over fifty kilometers straight, and his punches over three thousand times. As a result, he was now more or less familiar with the Cloud Vaporization Style’s breathing method, force circulation, and technique. He could now say that he was an initiate of the Cloud Vaporization Style.

“I’m finally back!” Ye Qing stopped practicing when Anyang’s tall, wide gates were finally in sight. He let out a sigh of relief, smiled, and started toward the entrance with a smile on his face.

Ye Qing did not head to the Pacification Bureau directly after entering the county. Instead, he went to the Iron Shirt Gang and checked in with Tao Xian about a certain investigation. Then, he went to Endless Horizons and spoke with Faceless for two hours. It was only then he went to the Pacification Bureau and visited Ling Jianqiu.

“You’re finally back, Joyless!”

Ling Jianqiu was dressed in white and wearing an icy expression as usual. The expressionless man was expressionless even after learning about the plight of Jade Spring Village and the death of Xiao Yang. The villagers were one thing, but Xiao Yang was a Patrolman of Luo Shui. And yet, the Chief of Bureau didn’t seem to care about it at all.

“Thank you for your service, Ye Qing. And I’m sorry for all that I’ve put you through!”

“It’s all for the good of the people!” Ye Qing replied humbly.

Ling Jianqiu set down the document he was reading and asked, “There is one thing that puzzles me, Joyless. You mentioned in your secret letter that Xiao Yang is dead, but how did Xiao Yang come to be with you in the first place? What is the chain of events that had brought the two of you together? Please, tell me everything!”

Ye Qing raised an eyebrow. “The day I left the county, Xiao Yang was waiting for me at the entrance. He told me that it was you who sent him to accompany me on the investigation. Was he telling the truth?”

Ling Jianqiu shook his head immediately. “Absolutely not. Xiao Yang did tell me that he was heading out for a bit, but he never told me where he was going or what he was doing. I definitely hadn’t asked him to accompany you to Jade Spring Village either. I would definitely notify you if that was the case!”

“I knew it!” Ye Qing shook his head. He had suspected that Ling Jianqiu had no idea about Xiao Yang’s visit to Jade Spring Village, but it wasn’t until now that he knew for certain that the Astral Refiner was lying. “I trust you, Chief Ling!”

Ye Qing had never suspected that Ling Jianqiu might have something to do with his ambush because there was just no reason for him to do something like this. He took a moment to organize his thoughts before informing everything that had happened during his journey except the “Emperor Fuxi Visualization Method”.

Ling Jianqiu’s lips were pressed into a firm line when he listened until the end. “Xiao Yang is a Patrolman of Luo Shui, and yet he colluded with a Stranger to murder his own kind. He deserves to die. Shen Xian and Li Yuankang also took the side of a monster to further their own self-interest. They too deserve death for their crimes. You’ve done well to rid them from our world!”

“However, I can’t help but notice that you not only survived the ambush of Xiao Yang, Evergreen Ivy, Shen Xian and Li Yuankang, but also slayed Xiao Yang, a mid-stage Astral Refiner. You must have entered the Astral Refinement stage already, am I right?”

Ye Qing nodded. “I just got lucky!”

A rare sigh escaped Ling Jianqiu’s lips. “You’re a promising youngster.”

“You flatter me, Chief Ling!”

Ling Jianqiu fell silent for a moment before he resumed the conversation, “You have nothing to worry about Xiao Yang’s death. As a cardinal rule, all members of the Pacification Bureau are prohibited from colluding with Strangers to commit acts of violence against other humans. Barring exceptional circumstances, anyone who breaks this rule will be handed the capital punishment. No one would defend Xiao Yang for what he did even if he is a Patrolman of Luo Shui, so you may rest easy on that account!”

“As for the Shen Clan and the Li Clan, the situation is even simpler. Without their leaders, the two clans are no more than annoying pests. Feel free to deal with them as you please!”

“The real problem is locating Evergreen Ivy and killing her. If a colony of termites is left alone, it may chew through a foundation and bring down an entire structure. Evergreen Ivy is that colony of termites, except she’s far more dangerous and cunning. First it was Anyang, and now you. If we don’t eliminate her soon, it’s only a matter of time before she causes another disaster that we may not recover from!”

“My sentiments exactly!” Ye Qing nodded. “Besides giving you a report of what happened at Jade Spring Village, it’s also the main reason I’ve come to you today!”

As the man who ruined her plan to bring the Nether Lord to this world, Ye Qing knew full well just how much Evergreen Ivy hated him. He might have survived her ambush this time, but she would surely attack him a second time, a third, a fourth and more. So long as she was still alive, she would never stop coming after him, and there was no guarantee he would be able to survive all of her ambushes.

He did not want to have to watch out for her for eternity. The only way to solve the problem once and for all was to kill her.

Ling Jianqiu was pleasantly surprised to hear this. “Did you find out who she is, Joyless?”

Ye Qing replied firmly, “I think so!”

“Who is she?”

“Now, now, Chief Ling! No spoilers!” Ye Qing chided him jokingly. “Speaking of which, can you round up everyone in the Pacification Bureau, Chief Ling? I have something important to announce.”

Ling Jianqiu was a wise man. He immediately figured out Ye Qing’s subtext and frowned. “Are you suggesting that Evergreen Ivy is hiding in the Pacification Bureau?”

Ye Qing did not give him a yes or no. He simply urged, “Just do as I say.”

“Very well!” Ling Jianqiu agreed after a moment of thought. “Are you sure though, Joyless?”

Ye Qing smirked. “Just sit tight and enjoy the show!”

……

“Say, does anyone know why the chief has summoned us today?”

“Not me. Everyone’s here though. It’s gotta be something big!”

“You don’t say? I just hope that it’s not another big incident like that attack a week ago. Sigh…”

“Me too, man. Me too.”

Every member in the Pacification Bureau—the Pacification Sentinels, the officers and more—were gathered in the main hall of the headquarters, and no one had any idea what was happening.

“Why have you gathered us today, Chief Ling?” Zhao Yunlong glanced at his superior and asked. Ling Jianqiu hadn’t just summoned his subordinates, he had gathered all the higher-ups as well.

Ling Jianqiu slowly swept his gaze across his surroundings. Everyone fell silent as if his pressure was a tangible thing. Satisfied, he began,

“I’m sure everyone here still remembers the invasion from a week ago. You should also know that the masterminds behind that invasion are five intelligent Strangers, namely Rotten Crown, Dark Eye, Old Grass, Faceless and Evergreen Ivy. Four of the Strangers had been executed on the day of the invasion, but the last Stranger, Evergreen Ivy, is still on the prowl.”

He knew the truth about Faceless, but he lied since there was no point in revealing it now.

“Five intelligent Strangers…”

“One of the Strangers hasn't been caught yet? That’s terrible!”

“Evergreen Ivy…”

Everyone was shocked to hear this. They knew the rough outline of the incident, but not the specifics. It was a given that his statement would spark a massive discussion.

“Foster father, have you found Evergreen Ivy’s trail? Have you summoned us to catch the Stranger?” Yun Yan asked.

The crowd immediately turned to look at Ling Jianqiu expectantly. “Is Yun Yan speaking the truth, Chief Ling?”

Everyone here wanted to catch Evergreen Ivy be it for selfish or selfless reasons.

“Yes, and no!” Ling Jianqiu swept his gaze across the crowd once more and said, “I shall leave the specifics to Joyless!”

“Joyless?”

“Warrior Ye?”

“What does this have to do with Warrior Ye?”

As the main hall fell into a commotion once more, Ye Qing stepped out from the backrooms and saluted everyone. “A good day to you all, ladies and gentlemen!”

“A good day to you as well, Warrior Ye!” The group replied just as respectfully.

Yun Yan was the first one to speak up, “Why have you come today, Joyless?”

Ye Qing did not respond to her question. Or rather, he was planning to address everyone at the same time, “I’m sure you’re all curious why I’m here when I’m not a member of the Pacification Bureau. It’s very simple. Because I’m not bound to as many rules and duties as you all, Chief Ling had charged me with the mission of investigating Evergreen Ivy after the investigation was over. And I am happy to announce that my investigation has finally borne fruit!”

“Really?” A fearsome, hot-blooded man abruptly sprung to his feet and yelled loudly, “Where is that bastard right now? I’ll personally lead the charge to cut off their head and avenge our fallen brothers and sisters!”

The speaker was Shi Chong, an Investigator of the Anyang Pacification Bureau. He was mainly responsible for apprehending and exterminating Strangers, and he was a simple and explosive person.

“Do not worry, Lord Shi. You have my word that they won’t escape!” Ye Qing assured him.

Shi Chong tried to curb his impatience by scratching his head. “Sure, but where is that Ever… Ever-something hiding, exactly?”

“Yeah, Joyless. Stop keeping us in suspense and tell us already!”

The others obviously shared his sentiment, so Ye Qing smiled and complied with their request. He said directly, “To tell you the truth, Evergreen Ivy is hiding in this building!”