Before the Birthday Banquet

"Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang..."

The seventeen chimes echoed slowly throughout Chongming City.

This is the hourly chime, triggered by sunlight detected at sea level.

Shisui left Reed Pavilion as the melodious bells rang.

As expected, he sensed that some creature was following him.

Like a young person who has just arrived in a new city.

Shisui wandered around various bustling areas, stopping occasionally, while considering what to have for dinner.

Along the way, he passed through crowded places more than once, trying to shake off the spying behind him without leaving a trace.

If the other party hadn't been so confident in their disguise that they hadn't dared to directly focus their gaze on Shisui.

Even Shisui might not be able to confirm that he was being followed.

However, the other party was like a shadow, wandering around Shisui at a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

Wait, the shadow...

Shisui glanced at the dark shadow trailing behind him under the glazed streetlights.

Then, he turned and quietly slipped away from the crowd, entering a secluded alley.

The alley was long and narrow, and the buildings on both sides obscured the view, revealing some of the original darkness of the trench.

Spatial Energy began to spread imperceptibly, Shisui in his eyes faded from its deliberately intensified black, transforming into scarlet Kakugan.

He stopped at the deepest part of the alley, his toes lightly touching the ground, and the Spatial Energy quickly gathered.

Immediately afterwards, a cloud of black mist was forcibly pulled out from the shadows on the ground.

"Huh? You don't have a physical form?"

Zi Sui picked up a small wisp of mist that was firmly fixed in mid-air and observed the creature in front of him with Shisui interest.

It's somewhat like the Spirit Race before they gained physical bodies, no, it's different from the Spirit Race.

The Spirit Race have a soul first, and then their body is formed.

The slightly incongruous object in front of us is clearly a product of modification.

In other words, it is very likely that the soul was dragged out of the body.

Is this technology involving the soul also a masterpiece of the First Research Institute?

If so, then the guy on the top floor of the Reed Pavilion must be someone of considerable importance.

Shisui packed up the unknown creature, created a new Alternate Space for it, and stuffed it inside.

[Spirit Dream Recall] was previously attacked remotely while probing the memories of a researcher at the First Research Institute.

It's still recovering from its injury, so it's not suitable to take it out and use it again.

Moreover, this soul is also suspected to be a product of the First Research Institute, and he will not forcibly probe it again until he confirms its safety.

As for whether taking it away will attract the attention of that person from the Reed Pavilion.

Of course he would, that's why he took it away, isn't it?

Having caught the stalker, Shisui reverted to his previous appearance, with black hair and dark red pupils, and then walked out of the alley.

As he left the alley, a streetlamp drifted by and brushed past Shisui.

Shisui once again blended into the bustling crowd, subtly and slowly changing his appearance.

Then, at a street corner, he transformed into a young man with dark brown hair and black eyes.

No one noticed any of this, including the streetlights that constantly patrolled the skies above Chongming City.

The Ghoul, temporarily disguised, blended into Chongming City, searching for a new identity to take his place.

In Chongming City, the changing of the sun and moon is actually impossible to see.

In fact, most ordinary Sea Race living here will never leave the Profound Grand Canyon in their entire lives.

Therefore, they could only rely on clocks to confirm the current time.

All the clocks in Chongming City follow a standard time.

That is, the time displayed on the Chongming Clock Tower.

"Clang, clang, clang, clang..."

As always, the massive Chongming Clock Tower struck seventeen times, scattering a large school of luminous deep-sea fish.

Below it lies the Dragon Palace Taiping Gate Square, which is the gateway to the core Dragon Palace of Chongming City.

Looking at the top of the clock tower, the date is still engraved on the huge mechanical metal pointer wheel.

Chongming Time: January 7, 1045.

"It's truly magnificent. To be able to create such a precise clock underwater, it seems the Sea Race have quite advanced mechanical manufacturing technology."

Because they were going to the Chancellor's Residence, which was quite close to the Dragon Palace, Lu Qianyu looked out the car window and immediately saw the clock tower.

"Yes, the Sea Race are most famous for their in-depth research on the soul, but they are actually quite good in other areas as well."

"That's why I believe they still covet the land."

Yan Fei has lived here for 23 years, so naturally she knows more.

The Sea Race are secretly researching far more than just the items they actually use.

The vehicle traveled on a wide, smooth dirt road.

Unlike the stone slabs or mud mixtures used on land, this plaster comes from the deep sea, does not crumble when wet, and is exceptionally strong and durable.

Yan Fei had secretly obtained some uncongealed samples from before the road was paved and found that they contained a large amount of sulfur.

As far as he knew, sulfur was related to someone's talent...

"Mr. Yan, Mr. Yan Fei!"

Lu Qianyu's voice pulled Yan Fei back to reality. He turned his head and smiled, indicating that he was alright.

The carriage slowly came to a stop one kilometer outside the Chancellor's Residence, and the two immediately got out.

Behind their car followed another vehicle carrying attendants and gifts.

The attendants alighted from the carriage carrying gifts of various sizes, all adorned with gold thread depicting the Everlasting Gardenia, exuding elegance and grandeur.

Both of them were dressed formally, and Lu Qianyu had a touch of light makeup on her face to brighten her complexion and cover her dark circles.

Before heading towards the Chancellor's Residence, Yan Fei asked in a low voice, "Have you memorized the titles and etiquette?"

"Um."

"Okay, you just need to follow behind me from now on."

Seeing that the servants behind him had finished preparing the gifts, he nodded and then took the lead in walking towards the magnificent mansion in the distance.

Along the way, there were many people heading to the Chancellor's Residence.

They were all dressed in similar attire to Yan Fei, Lu Qianyu, and their group.

Those who arrived an hour early were all officials from commoner backgrounds or young members of aristocratic families without official positions.

The vast majority were "like-minded people" who were on good terms with the prime minister, and many more came to curry favor.

Arriving early allows you to move around before all the important people gather, doesn't it?

As for the actual guests, they will arrive last, and there's still plenty of time.

Shisui, hidden high above, glanced at the prominent figures among the Sea Race gathered in the distance, their bee larvae clustered together.

At his feet, an expensive-looking carriage passed by, heading directly towards the Chancellor's Residence.

"The Qi Family of Chongming City lost both the patriarch and his wife, leaving behind only one son."

"That's certainly good fodder for conversation over tea or after a meal."

The soft murmur faded into the seawater, Shisui vanished from the spot in an instant.