A long afternoon stretched on as the breeze swept through West Sea Crossing.
"Xiao Wu, Yao Jin has already returned to the city. This operation—"
Mu Xin began heavily as he pushed open the courtyard gate.
His voice abruptly stopped.
Mu Xin stared blankly at the scene in the courtyard.
Broken tree shadows fell across Wutuo's body.
The green leaves of the potted plants swayed, and the sea breeze carried a chill... This place was clean, clean in every sense of the word.
There was no blood.
No trace of battle.
Nor was there any breath.
"Grand Elder, I have come to ask for punishment."
Yao Jin sat in his wheelchair and spoke in a complicated tone through the screen.
"I already know about the Gu family delegation."
Beyond the screen lay darkness.
The faint sound of churning liquid could be heard.
The corners of this old attic were piled with mechanical components. Dense rows of blue-silver pipes covered the room, and the sound of churning liquid came from them... It was as if countless streams of water flowed through the pipes and into the world beyond the screen. Almost no one in the Temple knew what lay behind it.
"You lost the gamble. That is normal."
After a long silence, the Grand Elder spoke. "Many people in the Temple have lost gambles, myself included. One failure does not mean anything."
Yao Jin raised his head in slight surprise.
He stared into the darkness beyond the screen and said quietly, "Gu Nanfeng made an unreasonable demand..."
He recounted the details of this operation in full.
The Grand Elder listened patiently.
"You make a mistake, and I apologize for it. That is not an unreasonable demand."
After listening, he smiled and asked, "You seem very angry because Gu Nanfeng