Xuanqing Guard-Chapter 75: Dual Threads

At dusk, Flying Dragon shuffled out of the back door of the Xuanqing Guard. He glanced back with a complicated expression and let out a long sigh.

"I’m just a middleman... Why the hell are they messing with me like this!"

Thinking of the names and instructions on that slip of paper, Flying Dragon’s heart was trembling.

"I really hope this is all just a dream!"

Sitting blankly in a corner of the alley, Flying Dragon closed his eyes as if he really meant to wake himself up from this suffocating "dream."

"Ah... Guess I’ll just go home."

Reality is hard to resist—if you don’t want to die, you can only go with the flow and gamble for a chance at survival. But after touching the silver notes in his pocket, Flying Dragon’s face regained a bit of color.

Three thousand taels is no small sum. With all his years flipping goods in the Black Market, that’s about what Flying Dragon made in a whole good year—and that was only when business was good. In bad years, bringing in a little more than a thousand taels was considered lucky.

When he’d finally calmed down, Flying Dragon left the alley, putting on a fierce scowl so that passers-by steered well clear of him. He swaggered home, shaking with every third step.

The next day, Flying Dragon left two thousand taels of silver notes at home and headed out. He told his wife to take the kids and go live with her family for a while, saying he’d come fetch them after he finished his business.

After that, nobody knew where Flying Dragon went.

...

On the Black Banner Battalion’s side, Wang Jian and Zhang Liao were both fired up, both determined to crack open a hole in the Li City Population Department that would push the whole case a big step forward.

Actually, Wang Jian and Zhang Liao had some personal friendship in private—otherwise Wang Jian wouldn’t have recommended Zhang Liao to Shen Hao in the first place to be Team B’s Small Banner Officer. But just as Shen Hao said, competition inside the Black Banner Battalion was fierce; everyone had to look out for their own future—nobody would let the other off easily.

So both Team A and Team B recalled all their people scattered outside the city, and secretly targeted every single person in the Li City Population Department—even the servants weren’t spared.

For three days in a row, Wang Jian and Zhang Liao reported the case to Shen Hao in his Public Office, but there was no progress. The Population Department people, whether in background or daily life, were no different from regular Government Office officials—and there was no sign at all they were involved with the hated Evil Cultivators. They had to keep watching.

As a result, the case seemed to be going nowhere.

"No rush—go over everything again carefully. If there’s nothing with the Li City Population Department, then trace along any possible connection points. Our job is to make bold guesses and verify them with caution."

Wang Jian and Zhang Liao kept their heads down, replied in affirmation, and left Shen Hao’s Public Office. They left in silence, both deeply experienced, each instinctively feeling they weren’t on the wrong track, but puzzled as to why they’d found nothing. And before leaving, Shen Hao’s last words seemed to have hidden meaning—both were still turning them over in their minds.

Soon after the two left, a Guard outside reported to Shen Hao that a message had come from the rear entrance—Flying Dragon had arrived.

The meeting with Flying Dragon was still in the Interrogation Chamber. Shen Hao dismissed everyone else as before. After all, the Black Banner Battalion had no detainees needing interrogation lately, so the place was quiet—Shen Hao thought it was perfect for a talk, and he paid no mind to Flying Dragon’s aggrieved little glances.

This time, unlike before, Flying Dragon was in disguise. He wore a conical hat with a black gauze veil, and instead of his usual short jacket, he had on a loose Long Robe. On the street, even his wife would hardly recognize him in this get-up.

"Shen Zongqi, the thing you asked for is already underway—this is all I’ve got so far." Flying Dragon took off the black gauze conical hat, pulling an envelope from his chest and handing it to Shen Hao. Inside were the results from the last two days.

Shen Hao opened the envelope to read, and gestured for Flying Dragon to give a brief account of how things went.

"Zongqi, I didn’t just get anyone for this. Only used five people whose backgrounds I know by heart—they’re bold, all with experience in the Military, and good at tailing and tracking. Sharp heads, tight lips. Just these five cost me two thousand taels to get the job done.

But basically, I’ve got the basics on the six people from your list down.

The Chief Officer, Zhan Wenlin, lives on Tongzi Street in the south of Fengri City—has a big house, a huge family, at least fifty people, young and old. I didn’t see any Cultivators going in or out—just bookish types, all clean and pale-faced.

The Deputy, Yang Kaishi, is also on Tongzi Street, likewise a big house, but few people. The elders in his family stayed in their hometown—at home it’s just Yang Kaishi’s wife, kids, and a couple of slaves and servants. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Two are living on the old street in the west of the city—Wang Da and Zhao Chongwu.

Wang Da is a local to Fengri City, has an older brother and a sister. His sister married off to Hao City, his brother runs a small wine shop.

Zhao Chongwu’s from Yu City—his wife and kids are still back home, and right now he’s just renting a room by himself."

The other two live near the north Market Cross—Xie Huan and Zeng Yong. They both moved here from out of town, small families, just wife and kids, no one else. Like Zhao Chongwu, both are renting."

After reading Flying Dragon’s report, Shen Hao tossed the letter straight into the charcoal brazier. He frowned and asked, "Any unusual habits in these people’s daily lives?"

"Nothing stands out so far. But..."

"Speak. Don’t stall."

"But, Shen Zongqi, do you think you could spare a bit more for expenses? Once those guys found out they were watching officials, they got nervous. Without cash to keep them steady, I’m worried they’ll bail on me."

"Fine." Shen Hao wasn’t stingy—it wasn’t coming out of his own pocket anyway, just the Battalion’s account. Still, he couldn’t give too much, so he had someone send over a thousand taels to pass on to Flying Dragon.

"Do this job well and you’ll get your cut. Now go—watch them closely, don’t let anything slip by. If you’re short on hands, figure it out yourself. But remember: you do everything on your own. This has nothing to do with me or the Black Banner Battalion—I’ll never admit to it, got it?"

The corner of Flying Dragon’s eye twitched and a chill crept into his heart, but he nodded quickly all the same.

"Alright, head back. Keep after them."

"Yes sir. I’ll take my leave then."

As he watched Flying Dragon put his hat back on and leave, Shen Hao mulled over the intelligence he’d just received. Compared to the Xuanqing Guard, Flying Dragon’s efficiency was nothing to boast about, but it was still acceptable. Right now, he was Shen Hao’s lowest-risk option—he could only make do for now.

The good thing about using Flying Dragon was that it was easy to sever ties. If anything went wrong, Shen Hao could just claim he’d never been involved and turn around and have Flying Dragon killed with no fear of reprisal. Killing a middleman from the Black Market posed no moral dilemma for Shen Hao. Plus, the case itself involved Black Market magical artifact trading, so using Flying Dragon as an inside line wouldn’t raise any suspicion.

But how much this move would actually help, Shen Hao still didn’t know. He’d just play it by ear—and if it didn’t work, he’d think of something else.