"Steward Chen, Steward Song Ming has come to visit!"
"Senior Brother Song is here?" Chen Qing's heart stirred.
He had come at this time; there should be news from the sect.
Before long, Song Ming strode in. Lean and bronze-skinned, he carried himself with steady composure, his cultivation at the peak of the Initial Stage of Embracing Dan Strength fully on display.
"Junior Brother Chen!"
Song Ming clasped his fists, a trace of gravity and urgency on his face. "The sect's reply has arrived!"
"Oh? What did the sect say?" Chen Qing invited Song Ming to sit, while the others watched with concern.
Song Ming sat down without wasting words. "Elder Zhao reviewed our joint report and agreed that the unusual agitation of the exotic beasts likely originated deep within Qianchuan Marsh. However..."
He paused, emphasizing his next words. "The elder believes the matter is not yet clear and that it would be unwise to make a grand show and disturb the Heart of the Marsh. Orders have been issued for the stewards of several neighboring fisheries to organize our own forces and investigate several key 'Water Eyes' and 'Eddy Zones' near our branch waterways. We must determine the root cause of the exotic beast attacks and report the detailed intelligence without delay!"
Chen Qing asked solemnly, "Senior Brother Song, do you have any ideas regarding the scope and strategy of the investigation?"
"Of course."
Song Ming was clearly prepared. "We'll limit the scope to the places we discussed before: Blackwater Vortex, Trident Eddy, and the Water Eyes near the entrance to Bone Sinking Abyss. These places are nodes in the surrounding waters. If anything has changed, clues will surely show themselves there."
He continued, "As for manpower, there will be the two of us, plus Junior Sister Lin Wei