The next second after he finished speaking, a figure suddenly appeared in front of him.
The figure was completely wrapped in a black robe, with no features visible at all.
His gaze swept over the surroundings before finally landing on the bearded man.
He said in a low voice:
"Why is it that every time I come to see you, you light only one candle?"
"Are you really that poor? Can't you even afford electricity?"
The bearded man gave a soft chuckle at that and only spoke after a long pause:
"Don't you think... this creates more atmosphere?"
The Black Robe's fist clenched involuntarily. After a moment, he relaxed it and asked the bearded man directly:
"Can you explain why our people were mixed up with the Crimson Tide?"
"The higher-ups at the Law Enforcement Bureau have already noticed this. They're all wondering whether we've joined forces with the Crimson Tide!"
"They may well launch a sweep of Muyang City next!"
"That could affect us. If something goes wrong with the plan here in Muyang City..."
"Have you figured out how you'll bear Lord Jin's wrath?"
At those words, the bearded man's pupils shook violently. As if he had thought of something, his body trembled faintly.
He hurriedly said:
"What's going on? I don't know anything about this!"
The Black Robe glanced at him indifferently, then continued:
"An Outland Walker named Li Yuan died in Mufeng District. Her husband belongs to the Crimson Tide!"
"So, can you tell me why they got involved with each other?"
"Li Yuan?"
"I've never heard of her!"
The bearded man's brow furrowed.
"If you haven't heard of her, couldn't you ask around?"
"How many of the Outland Walkers in our organization do you actually know?"
The Black Robe said coldly.
"Let me ask right now!"
The bearded man answered at once. After a flurry of movements, a pale blue screen appeared in front of him.
He worked the screen for a while, then spoke before long:
"Found him!"
The next second, a pale blue holographic projection appeared in front of the two of them.
The figure was also that of a middle-aged man.
If Qin Chen had been there, he would have noticed that the middle-aged man looked at least eighty percent like He Wu.
"Your subordinate He Wen pays his respects to Lord Scarlet Tiger, and to..."
He Wen knelt on one knee and raised both hands above his head in a salute to the bearded man. Then he looked toward the Black Robe, but was momentarily at a loss for words.
He didn't know who that guy was!
"Enough. Spare me all the formalities!"
"Do you know Li Yuan?"
The bearded man—Scarlet Tiger—waved a hand and got straight to the point.
He Wen inwardly grumbled at that. Who didn't know that the last person who failed to salute him had been killed on the spot?
"Spare me the formalities"? What a hypocrite!
Halfway through his grumbling, He Wen suddenly reacted.
Li Yuan?
He hurriedly cupped his hands toward Scarlet Tiger again, his voice tinged with anxiety.
"She's my wife! My lord, what happened to her?"
"Your wife?"
Before Scarlet Tiger could speak, the Black Robe spoke first, his tone strange.
"As far as I know, her husband is a man named He Wu, isn't he?"
"How did she become your wife?"
"He Wu is my younger brother!"
He Wen answered with just that one sentence, but the Black Robe and Scarlet Tiger immediately understood what he meant. They both glanced at him.
Old rascal, you sure know how to have fun!
But neither of them was interested in their family affairs. What they cared about was...
"Do you know your younger brother is part of the Crimson Tide?"
"What?!"
He Wen's eyes widened. He cried out, his voice full of disbelief.
Throughout this exchange, the Black Robe's gaze had remained on He Wen, while he constantly sensed the changes in He Wen's aura.
In the end, he came to a conclusion:
He Wen really didn't know about this!
"My younger brother is part of the Crimson Tide?"
"I'll go back and kill him right now!"
He Wen's voice brimmed with murderous intent.
"You won't get the chance. He Wu is already dead!"
"Oh, and your wife, Li Yuan, and her son are dead too!"
"What did you say?!"
He Wen jumped to his feet, his voice filled with shock and overwhelming fury.
"Yuan'er, Yi'er! You... how could this have happened to you?"
He Wen staggered back several steps, shaking his head again and again as if he couldn't believe it.
Then, overcome with emotion, he looked at the Black Robe and dropped to his knees before him.
"My lord! Please, tell me who killed them!"
"I'll avenge them!"
He Wen's eyes blazed with murderous intent.
"I don't know who killed them!"
"But what I do know is..."
"If you dare come back to Muyang City and cause trouble, I'll be the first to kill you!"
The Black Robe spoke in a frigid voice. His icy menace made even He Wen's holographic projection shudder.
"Wh... why?"
He Wen swallowed and asked in alarm.
"You don't need to know that much!"
After speaking, the Black Robe glanced at Scarlet Tiger. Scarlet Tiger immediately understood and cut off He Wen's holographic connection.
"Before the plan is carried out, Muyang City absolutely cannot be allowed to descend into chaos!"
"If the Law Enforcement Bureau finds out something's wrong and the plan fails, both of us will be held responsible, even if we die!"
The Black Robe's voice still carried a chill.
"I know!"
Scarlet Tiger nodded.
"I'll keep the people under me in line!"
"Besides, our Sacred Hall has been keeping a low profile lately!"
"If that Li Yuan hadn't been killed, the Law Enforcement Bureau wouldn't have noticed us at all!"
The Black Robe fell silent.
Only after a long pause did he speak:
"I'll secretly investigate who killed them!"
"If it was just an accidental revenge killing, then so be it. If not..."
The Black Robe's voice dropped lower.
"Everyone who gets in the way of the plan must die!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the Black Robe vanished from where he stood.
Only the still-flickering candlelight remained, as if it had something to say.
Scarlet Tiger shook his head helplessly.
"What do you call this? We've been keeping such a low profile, and somehow we still got dragged into it!"
"Forget it!"
"I'd better think about whether to make pork-filled or beef-filled dumplings tomorrow!"
With that, Scarlet Tiger walked slowly into the darkness. Then the candle flame flickered and went out.
The whole place returned to the same boundless darkness as before...
Elsewhere, in a city several hundred miles from Muyang City.
A middle-aged man with a dark expression stood in the hall of a house, his face visibly ablaze with boundless rage.
It was He Wen!
"Yuan'er, Yi'er!"
"Don't worry. I'll avenge you!"
"When the time comes, I'll tear that person limb from limb and grind his bones to dust, so your souls may rest in peace!"
Murderous intent gleamed in He Wen's eyes.
Even with the Black Robe's warning, he would return to Muyang City. He would do so even if it cost him his life!
Before you continue