Cheng Shanshi

As time went by, more and more people lined up, and the snow on the ground was melted by the footsteps of people coming and going, mixing with dirty mud and water on the roadside.

With so many people talking, An Ying was having a terrible time. She kept a straight face and kept radiating coldness towards those around her.

Most of these people are just there to join in the fun and try their luck; not many of them genuinely want to join.

At this moment, a young man exuding the fresh scent of grass and trees walked up from the very end of the line.

The man looked no more than eighteen or nineteen, with very delicate features. When he smiled, he revealed two small canine teeth, and his eyes were bright and clear, like those of a mountain stream in the early morning.

He wore a strangely styled short-sleeved shirt full of holes and wear marks, and his short, dark brown curly hair was messily sticking out on his head, tied up in a high ponytail at the back of his head. He also carried a small bamboo basket on his back, as if he had just crawled out of the deep mountains and forests.

The young man gently patted the middle-aged man in front of him on the shoulder and asked in a light tone, "Excuse me, is this the place for the Authorities...?"

The middle-aged man was engrossed in his conversation when he was suddenly interrupted, but he wasn't annoyed. He simply pulled the boy behind him and said, "Yes, yes, this is it! Let's get in line!"

"Thanks."

Cheng Shanshi tightened the basket on his back, stood obediently at the end of the line in his worn-out straw sandals, and looked ahead with curious eyes.

Wow, there are so many people!

The Mountain Master lord had previously instructed him to infiltrate the Authorities forces as a spy, and repeatedly emphasized that this task would not be easy.

He hadn't realized how difficult it was at first, but now it seems this task is really tough.

Cheng Shanshi thought of his companions who were working hard outside. Everyone was working for the Mountain Master to earn money and Points. He also had to complete the mission well!

At least we shouldn't be unable to get through the door, right?

Well... this line is really long.

"When will we ever get a turn?" he muttered under his breath.

Outside the base, in the pavilion erected by the Authorities, Tao Yuan and Tao Yun stood under the eaves looking out. Their gaze followed the long, winding queue, stretching endlessly behind them.

Tao Yuan silently shed a tear of sympathy for An Ying and Wang Ding in her heart.

"Given your team's reputation, whether they're just trying their luck, have ulterior motives, or are truly capable, they'll all want to give it a try." Tao Yun Wristband arms, a heavy black fur cloak draped over her shoulders. The cold wind ruffled her black hair, revealing her worried eyes.

"Mom, are you still troubled by the live stream?" Tao Yuan asked.

"Sheng Qingqiao's existence has ultimately been leaked." Tao Yun said to Tao Yuan, "For ordinary people, this is like an extremely unstable bomb. Although we anticipated this and tried our best to suppress some of the rumors, it's ultimately only a temporary solution."

These days, they've been so busy they haven't even had time to catch their breath. Ever since the live stream accidentally revealed Sheng Qingqiao's identity, the Authorities immediately activated an emergency response plan.

When they made the deal with the organization, they anticipated this day would come. They just never expected it to arrive so quickly and so unexpectedly.

Sheng Qingqiao's identity represents not only himself, but also the Authorities. For now, they can only use the excuse of "the latest Authorities experimental project" to appease the outside world, but no one knows how long this pretext can last.

"Fortunately, the Judgment Office organization still exists. Many of their members are unpredictable. As long as they don't get out of control, everything is still manageable."

Tao Yuan pursed her lips. "We've dragged the Authorities into this."

Tao Yun rubbed her head. "This can't be blamed on you. You were doing it for the Authorities, for humanity. Qin Rang even sacrificed himself for it."

Speaking of Qin Rang, Tao Yuan hurriedly asked, "Mom, have you found out why Qin Rang lost control?"

Tao Yun said, "There are no results yet, only two doubts."

"One is a new member of the organization, Wang. His abilities seem to be related to control, and he's the one we suspect most. It's possible that he controlled Qin Rang and forced him to be corrupted by the Evil Ghost Mask."

"Another possibility is that it's Worship God."

"Worship God?" Tao Yuan exclaimed in surprise, "How is this related to them?"

"We reviewed the live stream frame by frame and discovered that the flowers in the coffin where Qin Rang was lying were Poppy Flower, a type of Weird Object often used by Wen Keke."

Tao Yun's voice was very soft. "But we only have suspicions, no evidence."

Tao Yuan recalled that she had also experienced moments of distraction in the Instance. At first, she was skeptical and wary. However, after rewinding so many times, their perception of time weakened considerably, and they no longer took the earlier distractions seriously, assuming they were due to fatigue.

Even now, when she looks back, her memories are confused and blurry, making it difficult for her to distinguish between what was real and what was false.

Whether it's the Rules of the Instance boss Ravenhall or a conspiracy by the Worship God, the only way to find out is to find a way to meet Wang and Wen Keke, the Worship God.

She shared this idea with Tao Yun agreed with her idea but disagreed with her continuing the investigation.

"The most important thing right now isn't finding out the truth of this matter. You should focus on getting along with your new teammates. Mom will investigate everything else for you."

Tao Yun smiled and said, "You don't need to worry too much. Elder Ju means that the Authorities will cover for you. We have new leads on where those Worship God are hiding, and we will be able to find and destroy them sooner or later."

"Have you found traces of the Worship God?"

"Hmm, it seems some Family Clan has hidden them away."

As the two were talking, suddenly, someone in the group cried out in pain, clutching their stomach and squatting down on the ground in agony.

"What's wrong?" People in line ahead and behind turned around to ask.

"It's nothing, it's probably just an upset stomach from eating something bad this morning."

"Why is someone else feeling unwell? There are already several..."

"Those who are uncomfortable are all standing together. Is there any pollution Rules for this area?"

The woman, clutching her stomach, turned around and looked at the boy standing behind her, saying, "I need to use the restroom. Um, this spot is for you!"

Before Cheng Shanshi could respond, she had already clutched her stomach and run away.

Cheng Shanshi stepped forward, completely ignoring the slight retreat of those around her, and happily went about her own business.

How lucky! He thought the line was so long he'd be waiting until very late, but he got to the middle of the line so easily!

It seems the remaining distance won't be too long.

Tao Yun and Tao Yuan also witnessed this scene, and their eyes lit up.

"Mom, this person has such unique energy!" Tao Yuan exclaimed in surprise. "It feels so comfortable, the energy is so rich yet so relaxing?"

Tao Yun nodded affirmatively and said, "A good prospect. He looks about your age, like a child raised in the Family Clan."

"If it's someone from the Family Clan, how come I've never seen them before?" Tao Yuan asked.

As they were talking, the person in front of Cheng Shanshi suddenly twisted his ankle, fell out of line, and was carried away by his friends for treatment.

So Cheng Shanshi took another step forward, happily watching her goal get closer and closer.

Those around him who had witnessed this happen more than ten times gasped in astonishment. What kind of Weird Object was this, with such heaven-defying Rules?

One or two times could be considered a coincidence, but eight, nine, or ten times, the people standing in front of him have all unfortunately left the group for various reasons. Something just doesn't seem right!