"Let me tear apart the heaven and earth of dawn and dusk within a hundred and fifty meters, as three feet of azure radiance spins and washes away the smoke and dust~"
Outside Star Engraving Dance Hall, the speakers placed by the entrance, resembling two black coffins, blared a hoarse male voice. The distant singing spread to every corner of Mirror Lake Road. Peddlers and laborers occasionally stopped to listen, but soon had to return to their busy work.
Le Yu watched one human-powered tricycle after another weave through the streets, feeling as though he had arrived in a new city. Although the wealthy district was separated from the main urban area by only Mirror Lake, they were practically two different cities. For example, one could not see any human-powered tricycles in the main urban area, but here in the wealthy district, they were a common means of transportation.
The reason behind this was not difficult to determine: for the Radiant People, "riding slow transportation" was a false need. During the day, the Radiant People received the sun's blessing, so walking normally did not tire them at all. Even traversing the city left neither their waists sore nor their legs aching. As for nighttime, everyone had already gone home to rest—who would still go out? Besides, an ordinary person could certainly walk faster than someone pulling a tricycle. If they really wanted to move quickly, riding a tricycle would only be slower.
Thus, human-powered tricycles never appeared in the main urban area. Only after night fell did many commoners who worked part-time at carriage firms pull their vehicles to Mirror Lake Road to wait for business. Their customers were the young masters unwilling to walk and the wealthy merchants who threw money around like dirt.
Le Yu sighed. "It's actually this lively... I thought this place would become deserted after the city lockdown."
"They suffered the greatest losses, but they were also affected the least."
A delicate voice came from behind Le Yu. "The more unusual the circumstances, the more one should indulge in pleasure. Can staying at home really reduce the losses? It would be better to come out and enjoy yourself."
That made sense. Sometimes, when I'm playing on my phone, I suddenly remember that I haven't done my homework, then feel so guilty that I continue playing on my phone... Le Yu turned to look at the beauty behind him, but still could not help letting out an "Eek."
A white off-shoulder blouse, a light pink pleated skirt, camel-colored knee-high boots, long black hair cascading over her shoulders, fair cheeks flushed with color, and curved brows and eyes—anyone who saw her would have to praise her as "such a pure yet charming young girl."
It was just that her chest was larger than Le Yu's.
The straight-haired girl behind him was naturally Yin Yinyin.
When Le Yu had first seen Yin Yinyin, he had felt that he was rather thinly built. He had not expected him to really be able to fit into women's clothing.
Later, Yin Yinyin brought out a makeup case, a hairnet, a wig, and false eyelashes. Le Yu had nearly wanted to roar, "Why are you so skilled at this?" Yet Yin Yinyin had blocked all his questions with a single sentence:
"Do you think I dare show my face outside?"
Only then did Le Yu remember that Yin Yinyin was a practitioner of the forbidden technique, Hidden Sword Combat Arts. His hair, beard, and eyelashes were all pale white. If he wanted to show his face outside, he either had to shave his head and eyebrows clean or master the art of disguise. Otherwise, the moment others saw his white hair, they could hack him to death without breaking the law—and even receive a little red flower from the government for their troubles.
Once Yin Yinyin had put on the wig to conceal his white hair, he transformed into a fresh-faced, flat-chested, long-haired beauty. Only then did Le Yu ask him why he did not simply shave his head. Wouldn't that mean he would not need to wear women's clothing?
"Two men, one of them bald—are you hoping everyone will stare at us? Avoiding attention is basic knowledge for espionage operations."
Le Yu felt that Yin Yinyin was talking nonsense. He simply did not want to shave his head.
On top of that, the women's clothing he had bought seemed to be this year's hottest style, and he was also proficient in mixed-voice techniques. The feminine voice he produced was flawless. Le Yu strongly suspected that he had some unspeakable special fetish.
Wait.
Hidden Sword Combat Arts required the lights to be turned off.
Approaching the target as a woman and making the ambiguous request to turn off the lights—few men would refuse.
And then...
Le Yu did not even dare continue thinking about it. He suddenly shuddered and turned his head, only to see Yin Yinyin gripping his wrist.
"W-what are you doing?"
"Going inside." Yin Yinyin looked puzzled. "Hurry up. The sooner we finish the job, the sooner we can go home and rest."
The way he put it, one would think they were going to slaughter a pig.
Le Yu could only pull himself together and walk toward Star Engraving Dance Hall with Yin Yinyin. The two tall and sturdy doormen at the entrance glanced at them. Le Yu gave them a quick look and felt a faint heat at the back of his neck, instantly putting away his contempt.
After so many days, Le Yu had also mastered a little trick for judging an opponent's strength. When an opponent openly revealed their aura, if the back of Le Yu's neck grew hot, it meant their Mental Power was lower than his, and they were most likely weaker than him. If the back of his neck prickled with pain, it meant their Mental Power was around the same as his, making the outcome difficult to determine. If the back of his neck showed no reaction, then either the opponent was completely useless—or he was completely useless in the opponent's eyes.
The spine at the back of the neck was where the Radiant Stone chip was implanted, so the feedback from Mental Power appeared there first. Le Yu had spent a long time learning to read the signals from his neck. He always felt as though there were someone inside the back of his neck driving him.
The combat strength of these two guards was probably about the same as Gao Jin's. But Gao Jin was a top student of Star Engraving Military Academy. If these two guards could match Gao Jin, they might well be retired soldiers from the Coastal Army.
That was the difference between Mirror Lake Road and Eighteen Streets. The gangs on Eighteen Streets did not dare provoke people from the Statistics Department, while practically any guard on Mirror Lake Road possessed the combat strength of a Statistics Department operative... Le Yu handed over a Star Radiance Card. The guard took it, glanced at it, pulled out a nail punch, and punched two holes into the card before returning it respectfully. "Mr. You, I wish you a wonderful evening."
Star Engraving Dance Hall operated on a membership system and did not receive outsiders. One card per person, with the card matching its holder. The card in Le Yu's hand alone was worth ten Gold Coins—enough to cover all the expenses of the Qian siblings for an entire year, with money left over.
Heaven knew where Yin Yinyin had obtained this card. Perhaps it belonged to some unlucky fellow who had seen Yin Yinyin dressed as a woman.
Le Yu now wore a mustache, had a layer of powder on his face, and had been made up so thoroughly that even Qian Yuya would not have recognized him. He wore an extravagant silk formal suit. In the guard's eyes, he was a middle-aged wealthy merchant bringing an ignorant young girl to dance.
Upon entering the dance hall, Le Yu was greeted by a vast hall filled with gaudy lights and wine. A male singer dressed like a peacock sang onstage, while men and women embraced and intertwined on the dance floor. Red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and violet lights flashed and turned, giving Le Yu the feeling that he had returned to a karaoke bar.
There were tables and chairs for resting around the dance floor, bars serving alcohol on both sides, and private rooms on the second floor. Le Yu glanced at the dozens of guests on the dance floor beneath the dim lights and exchanged a look with Yin Yinyin.
"How do we find him?" he asked. "I've never seen Dong Heng. Are there any obvious features?"
According to Yin Yinyin's information, Dong Heng was a passionate dancer who came to the dance hall every Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday to dance. Today was Friday, one of those days.
"His left eye is blind, and he wears an eyepatch," Yin Yinyin said. "I'll search from the left, you search from the right. Once you find him, come back here and meet up."
So he was a blind dancer too—a model of perseverance in the face of disability... Le Yu had no objections, and the two immediately split up.
After walking for a while, Le Yu noticed several security guards watching from around the dance floor. He did not dare stop and stare around randomly, so he moved slowly while swaying his body. He walked all the way around the bar but still did not find the target.
Le Yu sat down at the bar, and a server immediately came over to ask, "Sir, what would you like to drink?"
"Do you have Honey Five-Flower Tea?"
"Do you have Honey Five-Flower Tea?"
Two voices rang out at the same time. Le Yu turned his head and met the gaze of a girl with braided hair. After staring at each other for several seconds, the girl with braided hair giggled. "Uncle, how old are you that you're still drinking Honey Five-Flower Tea?"
"Not only am I drinking it, I'm adding ice." Le Yu said to the server, "One iced Honey Five-Flower Tea, and some peanuts."
"I want some too!" the girl with braided hair shouted.
Le Yu accepted the Honey Five-Flower Tea. As he drank, he turned around to look at the dance floor, his eyes constantly moving as he tried to find Dong Heng's figure.
"You came here without drinking alcohol or dancing. What did you come here for, Uncle?"
The girl with braided hair began shouting again.
"Good question. You don't drink or dance either, so what did you come here for?"
"How am I not dancing? I'm going to dance later. When I do, I'll definitely captivate the dance floor, and all the handsome men will fight to become my servants beneath my skirt."
Le Yu pushed the dish of peanuts over. "Don't just drink. Have some peanuts."
"Ah... oh, thank you." The girl with braided hair began eating them with great relish.
At that moment, the singer changed to a woman, who began singing a slow song. This allowed Le Yu to observe the surroundings more easily. The girl with braided hair began shouting again. "Uncle, you must dance terribly, which is why you don't dare dance."
"By the same logic, do you also dance terribly, which is why you don't dare dance?"
"I... I..." The girl with braided hair suddenly lowered her voice. "I've never danced before, so I don't know whether I'm good at it..."
"You definitely dance terribly. Forget about it."
The girl with braided hair fell silent. Wasn't he supposed to comfort her at a time like this? She angrily said, "Hmph, if I play here for a day or two, I'll definitely become very good at dancing."
"Yeah, I think so too." Le Yu replied casually. "There's nothing worth comparing about having fun. Who can't dance when it's so simple? If you want to compare something, compare your studies. You should be in middle school, right? How are your Combat Arts Class grades?"
The girl with braided hair countered, "What about you, Uncle?"
"When I was your age, I was first in the entire class."
"Liar!"
"If I'm lying, I'll make you acknowledge me as your father."
The girl with braided hair brightened. "Sure. Say it once first, and I'll believe you."
"Say what?"
"Dad!"
"Heh. Good girl."
The girl with braided hair blinked. She finally understood, but she was not angry. She huffed, "My dad is very good at fighting. If you want to be my dad, he'll beat you to death if he finds out."
"Are you afraid of your dad?"
"...I am."
"Why are you afraid? Does your dad hit your butt?"
"My studies are bad." The girl with braided hair finished her Honey Five-Flower Tea and said gloomily, "My dad doesn't hit me, but he gets... very disappointed. He found so many teachers to teach me, and even personally taught me Combat Arts, but I still can't learn it."
"That's normal. Geniuses like me are rare; most ordinary people have brains that aren't very good, like yours." Le Yu babbled nonsense before suddenly changing the subject. "Since you can't learn your current Combat Arts, have you considered switching to another style?"
"No... Our family's Combat Arts are inherited."
"Being inherited doesn't make it the best. Does your family still keep an ancestral chamber pot?" Le Yu clicked his tongue. "Is there no Combat Arts style you want to learn?"
"...Ethereal Combat Arts." The girl with braided hair lowered her voice. "I like the feeling of flying around."
"Then go practice it."
"My dad won't let me."
"Then practice it in your spare time without telling him. Before bed, at the academy—the time you students have is like a butt crack; you'll have plenty even without squeezing. First practice until you achieve something, then show your dad. Maybe he'll allow it afterward."
"What if he still doesn't allow it?"
"If he doesn't, then he doesn't. You've already practiced it—can he really break your legs?" Le Yu said. "It's still better than wasting time at a dance hall."
The girl with braided hair blinked and fell silent for a long while before slowly asking, "Uncle, after saying all that, were you actually trying to persuade me not to come to the dance hall?"
(⊙o⊙)...
Were Radiance's middle school students this sharp...?
Le Yu had originally seen an inexperienced young girl dazzled by the prosperity of the world. Driven by his conscience, he had taken a roundabout approach to advising her to stay away from a place with such complicated social relations. He had not expected her to see through him instantly.
It felt as though he had been showing off a magic trick, only for the other person to suddenly reveal its secret.
It was a little embarrassing.
"Hehe, actually, tonight is my first time here. My dad brought me to meet an uncle. I normally wouldn't come to a dance hall." The girl with braided hair giggled.
What else could Le Yu say? He stood up, drained the Five-Flower Tea, and prepared to slip away.
After searching for several minutes without finding Dong Heng, Le Yu suspected that Dong Heng might be working overtime because of the city lockdown. He would have to find Yin Yinyin and discuss it with him.
"Hey, Uncle, what's your name?" The girl with braided hair grabbed his hand and asked.
Le Yu did not want to forcefully pull free, so he replied, "My name is You... Nieruo. This dance hall is boring. I'm leaving too. Goodbye forever, goodbye forever."
The girl with braided hair suddenly brightened. "Your name sounds a lot like mine!"
What?
Le Yu suspected that he was being flirted with by a middle school girl—how could such a ridiculous name possibly resemble hers?
This was completely unreasonable. Qian Yuliu's normal appearance frightened both spirits and gods away, yet after dressing as an uncle, he could attract a middle school girl? Did Radiance's girls have such refined tastes?
The girl with braided hair still wanted to say something, but then a stern voice rang out from the rear passageway:
"Nian Ruo!"
Le Yu froze. That voice... sounded somewhat familiar.
The girl with braided hair immediately trembled all over, put both hands neatly at her sides, turned around, and shouted, "Dad!"
Two figures emerged from the stairwell leading to the second floor in the passageway. One had a hooked nose and wolfish eyes, with a long braid hanging to his waist and swaying conspicuously as he walked.
The other was broad-backed and heavily built, with a face full of scars and an eyepatch over his left eye. He looked ferocious.
"Nian Ruo, we're going home."
The girl with braided hair cast a worried glance at Le Yu before obediently following the two men.
When the man with the long braid passed Le Yu, he turned his head and gave him a glance. Le Yu instantly felt as though a long needle the thickness of a finger had pierced through the back of his neck. An invisible pain shot through his nerves, making him let out a muffled groan!
"Dad!" the girl with braided hair could not help shouting.
The man with the long braid snorted and strode toward the entrance of the dance hall.
Le Yu leaned against the bar, both arms trembling violently, his back drenched in cold sweat. Yet his eyes remained fixed on the backs of the three people!
He had found Dong Heng!
However, beside the target was an extremely troublesome enemy—
The Deputy Director of the Statistics Department, Kui Zhao!
P.S. Two chapters, 8,000 words. This makes up for yesterday's missing chapter.
Before you continue