"I’m fine," his senior brother whispered. "Go, quickly."

Qin Fang was decisive. With a nod, he turned and sprinted away without a word.

In the blink of an eye, he had vanished.

Watching his junior brother’s speed, a sharp glint flashed in Zhou Xing’s eyes. ’So fast!’

’He really has reached the Anjin realm!’

To move so silently... A Mingjin Martial Artist could never manage that.

Just then, angry shouts came from within the city gate. The next moment, someone had thrown the gate wide open.

Zhou Xing calmly turned his head to see a group of city guards lighting torches. Walking in their midst was none other than An Changyu.

An Changyu’s gaze was fiery. He quickly swept his eyes over the gate area, and then his brow furrowed...

Other than Zhou Xing, there was no one else in sight!

An Changyu’s gaze finally settled on Zhou Xing’s face.

Zhou Xing wore a look of surprise. "An Shouzheng? What wind blew you here?"

A flicker crossed An Changyu’s eyes. He then threw a cool glance at Sun Peng, who was standing nearby.

Sun Peng didn’t dare to meet his gaze, standing to the side with his head bowed.

"As a Guard, I am inspecting the four city sectors on official business. But as for you, Coroner Zhou... leaving the city after it has been sealed? For what purpose, I wonder?"

An Changyu asked calmly.

Zhou Xing said lightly, "I heard someone was looking for me, so I came to see... But it seems I’ve been played for a fool. There’s no one outside the city."

"You don’t know who was looking for you?"

"There’s no one outside the city. How would I know?" Zhou Xing said, spreading his hands. "I suppose I was just being messed with."

An Changyu looked out beyond the city gate, his expression grim. After a long silence, he said coolly, "Whether it was a prank or not, Coroner Zhou, having the gates opened after they’ve been sealed... I’m afraid that isn’t proper, is it?"

After speaking, he turned to the others and barked in a low voice, "Who opened the gate for Coroner Zhou? Haven’t I given repeated orders that the gates are not to be opened without my command after being sealed? Who gave you the right and the nerve?"

The few guards on duty looked dumbfounded by the scolding, then subconsciously glanced at Sun Peng.

Seeing no way to avoid it, Sun Peng raised his head, about to speak.

But Zhou Xing had already cut in, saying mildly, "It is indeed the rule that the gates are not to be easily opened after being sealed. However, it is also the rule that when I am on official business and wish to leave the city, no department is to obstruct me. An Shouzheng, if you have something to say, say it to me. Why make things difficult for these brothers?"

Hearing this, although the city guards weren’t entirely sure what was happening, they still looked at Zhou Xing with subconscious gratitude.

This made An Changyu’s expression turn even uglier.

"Then were you leaving the city on official business?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Nope."

"Hm?" Zhou Xing’s reply stunned An Changyu for a moment.

"But I just have this special privilege. You don’t like it, An Shouzheng? Go complain to the County Magistrate. Have him revoke my special privilege to leave the city," Zhou Xing said with an indifferent shrug.

The calm expression An Changyu had struggled to maintain instantly darkened.

He stared daggers at Zhou Xing.

But Zhou Xing paid him no mind, letting out a sneer before saying, "Alright, I won’t disturb An Shouzheng’s inspection of the four city sectors any longer. I’m starving. I have to go get something to eat."

"Gentlemen, I’ll buy you all a drink in a couple of days."

Zhou Xing ignored An Changyu’s dark face, instead smiling and greeting the few city guards.

The men didn’t know whether to laugh or not, their expressions extremely awkward.

Then, without giving An Changyu another glance, Zhou Xing clasped his hands behind his back and brazenly walked right through the middle of the troop of torch-bearing constables led by An Changyu.

An Changyu’s face was black, but he couldn’t utter a single word.

After a long moment, someone beside him whispered, "Chief An, now..."

An Changyu snapped back to his senses. He whipped his head around to glare fixedly at Zhou Xing’s retreating back, then turned and shot a cold look at Sun Peng.

Bitterness filled Sun Peng’s heart. He knew the man had most likely come to resent him. There was no one outside the city, which meant they must have left during that short window of time. With An Changyu’s intelligence, he would naturally deduce that Sun Peng must have said something to Zhou Xing.

Only that could have alerted Zhou Xing.

But An Changyu said nothing at that moment. He turned, watched Zhou Xing’s retreating figure, and suddenly narrowed his eyes. "Get someone to tail Zhou Xing, and don’t lose him. The more he acts like this, the more it proves something is wrong..."

’If there’s nothing wrong, what’s the big deal about meeting openly?’

’Why be so secretive and furtive?’

"Yes, sir!"

Someone accepted the order and began to follow Zhou Xing from a distance...

After leaving the South City Gate, Zhou Xing entered True Martial County. He wandered around for a bit before arriving at a restaurant.

"Well, if it isn’t Master Zhou! What can I get for you today?"

A waiter saw Zhou Xing and hurried over to greet him enthusiastically.

...In True Martial County, Zhou Xing was, to some degree, a person of some renown.

"One of your house specials. Also, have Monkey come see me."

"Right away!~"

The waiter called out his acknowledgment, and Zhou Xing found a seat.

"Master Zhou."

Then, Monkey, dressed as a waiter, came striding quickly from the back kitchen, a smile on his face when he saw Master Zhou.

...Qin Fang had told him to find Zhou Xing after coming to True Martial, and to have Zhou Xing find him a job and not return to Fishermen’s for the time being.

Monkey was obedient, so Zhou Xing had arranged for him to be a waiter at this restaurant.

Although it wasn’t a life of great wealth, the restaurant’s business was good, the waiting job wasn’t tiring, and there was even a storyteller performing every day. The lively atmosphere was something Monkey quite enjoyed.

...A big restaurant like this wouldn’t just hire any common person as a waiter; you needed connections.

Monkey was originally just a village boy, and it was incredibly difficult to find stable work in the county seat. Otherwise, he never would have joined a gang.

For him, this life was already very good.

Zhou Xing didn’t waste any words. He whispered to Monkey, "In a bit, take this token and leave the city. Go to the place where you and my junior brother boarded the boat last time you came to True Martial. Find my junior brother... and see what he wants to say."

Monkey was stunned for a moment, but then his eyes lit up.

"Master Qin is here?!"

Zhou Xing nodded and slipped something to Monkey under the table.

After another moment of shock, Monkey quickly put it away... It was a paper exit permit.

...Constables from the Government Office occasionally had to leave the city for cases. Especially recently, with the constant Demon troubles, the County Magistrate had issued a large number of these exit permits to make it easier for the constables to conduct their investigations.

The permit itself granted passage, regardless of who held it; anyone with one could leave the city.

"Is there anything else you want me to tell Master Qin?" Monkey asked in a low voice.

Zhou Xing thought for a moment, then quietly gave Monkey a rough summary of what had just happened... He was afraid Qin Fang would worry.

After listening, Monkey confirmed that Zhou Xing had no other orders, then secured the exit permit and left quickly.

...After all, his job had been arranged by Master Zhou. Since Master Zhou was here, he would naturally inform the owner.