A Sword from Behind / The Truth

A moment later, Yu Shuying entered the house. Si Ming briefly explained the situation, then said to the man, "My companion here has the ability to distinguish between truth and falsehood. You mustn't lie, or I can't guarantee you'll return unscathed."

He deliberately held back, not revealing that Yu Shuying's ability was Mind-Reading Technique. If the other party hadn't specifically inquired about the information, they could easily be misled.

"Please rest assured, sir, the information I bring is absolutely genuine. The spreader of the Rust Disease has cooperated with us before; he seems to be trying to extract some kind of antibody by infecting Rust Disease. Of course, that's not the main point. The main point is that he's planning a major operation soon. He wants to spread the Rust Disease throughout the city via drinking water, infecting everyone with the virus."

Chapter 251 One Sword from Behind

Si Ming gestured to Yu Shuying with his eyes, asking if what the man said was true or false.

Yu Shuying didn't answer, but instead sneered at the man, saying, "No wonder you were willing to leak the information to us in advance. If we didn't give you the rubbing of the 'Sea-Upholding Demon Dragon Art,' you would have greatly hindered our search operation, wouldn't you?"

The man chuckled twice, his shifty-eyed face making him appear particularly sleazy and cunning. He said, "Please understand, this is merely an insurance measure we've implemented to protect our own interests. As long as everyone shows sincerity and the transaction proceeds smoothly, this insurance measure won't have a chance to take effect; you can simply ignore it."

Yu Shuying said, "Sincerity... but you don't seem to have shown much sincerity. You said it's through drinking water, but what exactly do you mean by drinking water? Do you mean tap water or bottled water? If it's bottled water, which company's bottled water is it?"

The man said, "If you want to know the answer, you can exchange it for the 'Sea-Upholding Demon Dragon Art'."

"That won't do. What if you gave us false information? Once you get the Cultivation Method, you can just disappear anywhere, and who will we be able to complain to? Here's what we'll do: we'll give you half of the 'Sea-Upholding Demon Dragon Art.' You just need to tell us the address. If it turns out that the information you gave us is true, we'll give you the other half."

The man shook his head and said, "How can that be? What if you catch the person and then refuse to keep your promise? Where will we go to seek justice?"

Si Ming, "If neither side can trust the other, won't the deal fall through?"

The man said, "I have a suggestion. You give me the 'Sea-Upholding Demon Dragon Art,' and I will take you to our destination. If you find the target, you can arrest them on the spot, and I will take the Cultivation Method and leave. If the target is not there, you can take the 'Sea-Upholding Demon Dragon Art' back from me."

After listening, Si Ming thought the method was quite reasonable, taking into account the interests of both parties and achieving a balance based on mutual distrust. He was about to ask Yu Shuying's opinion when he noticed her slightly furrowed brows, so he asked, "What's wrong? Is he lying?"

After saying that, he clenched his fist, which startled the other person, who immediately wiped away cold sweat.

Yu Shuying said, "He wasn't lying. This method is quite thoughtful. It seems he was prepared in advance and had already thought of his excuse before coming. It inevitably gives people the feeling of a trap—what if the destination is an ambush?"

The man hurriedly replied, "I'm in your hands. If there's an ambush, you can kill me anytime. How can I risk my life like this?"

Si Ming thought for a moment and said, "That's true, but just in case, I need to take a few people with me. With Senior Zhu accompanying us, no matter how skilled you are at escaping, you won't be able to escape the grasp of Spirit Transformation Grandmaster."

The man said, "Bringing people is fine, but not too many. Firstly, to avoid making a big fuss and alerting the enemy, and secondly, to give me a chance to slip away."

Si Ming remained noncommittal, telling him to go and wait, then asked Yu Shuying, "What do you think?"

"His suggestion is good. Although I could guide him to think about the target's location, then use Mind-Reading Technique to find out the address, and then we could leave him behind to verify the truth ourselves, it's not as safe as his method. What if he has companions outside to meet him? If they see he hasn't come out, they'll rush to notify the target to escape, and then we'll be shooting ourselves in the foot. Of course, it depends on how much you value the 'Sea-Upholding Demon Dragon Art' and whether you're willing to give them the Cultivation Method?"

"That's alright. I've read the contents of 'The Sea-Upholding Demon Dragon Art.' Although it's indeed very skillful, it's just a combat-oriented martial art. It doesn't have the effect of cleansing the marrow and bones to accelerate the evolution of Demon Beast. Moreover, only Demon Beast that have taken human form can cultivate it. It can't change the fate of Demon Beast, so it's fine to give it to them."

"Since you are sincerely willing to reach a deal, why not take their advice? It would put their minds at ease."

Si Ming nodded. "Then let's not bring too many people, but we need to ensure our strength. Senior Zhu Hao and the Lin siblings are basically the most powerful experts I know. Qingqing can also go; she might be able to produce unexpected results."

Yu Shuying suggested, "I'll go with you to prevent this guy from playing any tricks, and I can also return the favor. In addition, we can also invite Wei Chunxi. Since the opponent is good at making viruses, we naturally need someone who knows how to detoxify them."

"The list is finalized. I'll go find the people now and set off immediately, lest anything unforeseen happens."

"It's this Wa Ha Ha Mountain Spring Drinking Water Company."

The rat demon pointed to a drinking water processing plant in front of them. The company had also designed a majestic and dignified mascot, a four-legged green toad wearing sunglasses.

"Strange, it's deserted inside. Are they all on holiday?"

The people here are mostly experts, capable of sensing a wide range of energy. Even without knowing the techniques, the sheer silence of the entire factory is enough to arouse suspicion. Therefore, after exchanging glances, everyone secretly became more vigilant.

After entering the factory, the group headed towards the water storage area, the easiest place to make their move. Along the way, they encountered people, but all of them were infected with Rust Disease and were in its late stages. They stood motionless against the walls like statues, showing no reaction to the group's entry, only their eyes following the movement. This gave them a feeling of being watched, similar to the scene in a ghost movie where people are monitored by armored figures while walking through a castle, which was quite eerie.

After his entire body was covered in rust spots, the person lost his aura as a living being, which is why no one could sense any life force in him.

Liu Qingqing sighed, "This is too much, how could they do this..."

Si Ming, "It seems they deliberately poisoned all the factory workers to prevent the news from leaking."

After examining one of them, Wei Chunxi said, "The poisoning occurred five days ago. The virus seems to have become stronger, and the incubation period has been greatly shortened. In the past, it would take two or three months for the virus to spread throughout the body after infection."

Lin Qingxiang's face also tightened, radiating a hint of murderous intent. "No matter who it is, I will never let him get away with it!"

Zhu Hao questioned the rat demon man, "Do you know the inside story?"

Being targeted by a Spirit Transformation Grandmaster, the immense pressure made the rat demon man cry out, "I really don't know, but this just proves that the information I brought is correct; the person you're looking for is very likely inside."

Lin Qingtong said, "That's right. Let's hurry over there and block all the exits to prevent him from escaping."

No one objected, and they quickened their pace to walk inside. Along the way Yu Shuying looked serious, feeling that something was wrong, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She looked at the rat demon man to confirm that he wasn't lying.

Upon arriving at the water storage room, they found it completely empty.

Si Ming asked in confusion, "That's strange. Did they get wind of this and run away beforehand?"

"Wait a minute!" Yu Shuying suddenly realized the problem and turned to stare at the rat demon man. "If the goal is to poison the entire city through drinking water, but all the factory workers have contracted Rust Disease, who will he rely on to transport the bottled water out?"

Just as the rat demon was about to explain, Liu Qingqing suddenly swayed and said, "I feel a little dizzy..."

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately realized that they might also be poisoned. They hurriedly circulated their True Qi to examine their entire bodies. However, as soon as they circulated their inner energy, the hidden toxins immediately took effect, and even Zhu Hao felt his inner energy stagnate.

Pfft!

The thick blade pierced through Zhu Hao's chest. He turned his head in surprise and looked at his disciple behind him.

"I'm sorry, sir, you're blocking my way."

Chapter 252 The Truth