The next day, after waking up, Yang Ning left Ziyun Pavilion.
As the saying went, a golden nest or a silver nest was no match for one's own doghouse. The nanmu bed in Ziyun Pavilion had been far too hard, and even the pillow had been made of wood with no give at all. He hadn't gotten a decent night's sleep; it felt as if every bone in his body was protesting.
When he woke at dawn, Yang Ning's back was stiff and his neck ached, as though someone had beaten him up.
But by the time the sun rose, Yang Ning had slung the slightly worn Urea Bag over his shoulder. Inside were the dishes containing the results of last night's experiments in the morgue. He returned to the Myriad Things Come shop.
He pushed open the familiar door and carefully put the Urea Bag in the freezer, then checked the generator connected to it. After finishing, he let out a long breath. He was just about to return to his soft Simmons bed for a little more sleep when an untimely knock sounded at the door.
Yang Ning frowned and had no choice but to turn around and go outside.
Qiao Bin was once again planted at the shop entrance, wearing his familiar smile.
Qiao Bin cupped his hands with a grin. "Brother Ning, I promised last night I'd find someone to carry you back myself, so I waited at the foot of the slope below Ziyun Pavilion from early this morning. But one of the disciples guarding the mountain gate found me and said you'd already made it back on your own." He rubbed his hands together, looking somewhat apologetic. "Sorry for disturbing your rest last night. I came especially to apologize."
"Oh, got it." Yang Ning's tone was flat as he started to close the door.
Quick as a flash, Qiao Bin grabbed the doorframe. With his other hand, he presented a small jade bottle resting in his palm. "Brother Ning, wait. The Hall Master specifically told me to bring this to you today. She said to take good care of yourself and get plenty of rest."
Yang Ning glanced at the bottle of pills, and his expression softened a little. He sighed and took it, his tone easing. "Thank your Hall Master for me." Then he turned and went into the shop.
Qiao Bin hurried after him and slipped inside. "Also, Brother Ning, I asked the Hall Master this morning about the overtime pay you mentioned yesterday. She agreed. From now on, whenever official business requires you at night, you'll get an extra five Spirit Stones each time."
As he spoke, he untied the Money Bag at his waist and carefully lined up five Spirit Stones on the counter, one by one.
At the sight of the five Spirit Stones, Yang Ning's mood brightened considerably, and the corners of his mouth lifted. "I never thought I'd get overtime pay just for making an offhand complaint." As he made polite conversation, he briskly gathered the stones in front of him.
Qiao Bin smiled even more obsequiously. "Of course! How could I, Qiao Bin, ever take something you say lightly, Brother Ning?"
Yang Ning nodded with satisfaction and dropped the stones into a basket beneath the counter. The next moment, the Spirit Stones vanished from the basket, and at the same time, a pleasant notification sounded in his ear, audible only to him: "Spirit Stones +5."
"By the way, there's something I need you to take some people and handle." Yang Ning nudged the basket farther beneath the counter with his foot and looked up at Qiao Bin.
Qiao Bin immediately straightened up. "Brother Ning, just say the word! I'll do anything you ask!"
Yang Ning then explained in detail his plan to spread rumors through the shop's channels. It included, but wasn't limited to, wildly embellishing the "crimes" of the Undercover Agents captured yesterday:
The Undercover Agent from Dan Peak had tried to steal the sect's treasured Nine Revolutions Returning Yang Pill Formula; Artifact Peak had its eye on the Lan Cang Sword; someone from the Library Pavilion had wanted to burn the Sword Sect Historical Records; Beast Taming Peak had plotted to seize the Kirin Essence Blood; and the one from Jade Maiden Peak was to be portrayed as a lecher who had tried to prey on the female disciples there...
All these earth-shaking plots had ultimately been thwarted only because the Law Enforcement Hall had been sharp-eyed and acted decisively.
After listening, Qiao Bin immediately understood Yang Ning's deeper intent: he wanted to elevate the Law Enforcement Hall's credit and prestige for capturing the Undercover Agents to the very peak, so that everyone in the sect would remember the Hall's kindness and capability.
He turned to Yang Ning, a trace of hesitation on his face. "Brother Ning, this..."
"What is it?" Yang Ning raised an eyebrow. "You're hardly an upstanding gentleman yourself. Don't put on airs in front of me."
Qiao Bin hurriedly waved his hands. "No, no, I wouldn't dare put on airs with you... It's just... Brother Ning, have you reported this to the Hall Master?"
Yang Ning nodded.
Qiao Bin had just breathed a sigh of relief when Yang Ning continued, "But she didn't agree."
"What?" Qiao Bin's eyes went wide.
"But," Yang Ning said, smoothly changing tack, his tone relaxed, "I made it clear to her that no one from the Law Enforcement Hall needs to get involved. I'll spread the word myself through my shop. I'm not an official disciple of the Law Enforcement Hall, so she can't control me. Besides, if this works, your Law Enforcement Hall will be the one to benefit in the end. So, tell me—are you in or not?"
Actually, Yang Ning was doing this partly to help Yun Zishan, but also partly for his own sake. His Level 2 System Mall had been open for several days already, and the shop's earnings were nothing special. Reaching 100,000 Spirit Stones to unlock the Level 3 Mall was going to be a long, hard road.
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