Su Yuan had learned the metal briefcase's combination several hours earlier, while he was still at home.
Click~ The combination was entered correctly, and the sleek metal briefcase opened without a hitch.
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Inside the briefcase was a jade box, its surface a rich emerald green.
The five-hundred-year-old Tianshan Snow Lotus was inside the jade box.
Strictly speaking, the jade box was valuable in its own right. It could insulate the contents from the outside and slow the loss of the Tianshan Snow Lotus's medicinal potency as much as possible.
As Su Yuan picked up the emerald-green jade box, a chill seeped into his hand. It felt less like jade and more like an iceberg.
"Finally, it's mine."
A smile spread across Su Yuan's face.
He had waited at the Yuan'an Hotel for six or seven hours, all for this five-hundred-year-old Tianshan Snow Lotus.
He put away the jade box. As for the metal briefcase, he tossed it by the roadside.
According to the plan Grey Mirror had provided, he had to get rid of the briefcase, because a miniature tracking device had been installed inside.
Using the tracker, the Chizuru Family could pinpoint the briefcase's location.
"That should do it."
Only then did Su Yuan head toward the Jinshan Villa District.
At the same time, he began reviewing everything in his mind, checking for gaps and oversights.
First, the appearance he had shown from beginning to end was created by altering his bones. It was worlds apart from his real appearance, and even his height and build were completely different.
Second, he had left behind no biological traces—not fingerprints, hair, or anything else.
As a Great Completion of Transforming Force expert with all six attributes in balance, Su Yuan had extraordinary control over his body. He hadn't even left behind a speck of saliva.
Fingerprint and hair were even more obvious traces, of course.
On his way back to the Jinshan Villa District, Su Yuan checked the time.
"In ten minutes, the three Chizuru Family members waiting for the handoff will realize something's wrong."
"Then they'll figure out the Tianshan Snow Lotus was stolen."
Su Yuan thought it over silently.
They were bound to find out sooner or later.
Although Chizuru Qi had never doubted Su Yuan's identity, the three men waiting for the handoff couldn't wait forever. They would inevitably contact the family, and the family would then get in touch with Chizuru Qi. Once all three parties compared notes, the truth would come out.
Yuan'an Hotel, Room 6006.
Three members of the Chizuru Family sat upright.
They were Chizuru Kami, Chizuru Takahashi, and Chizuru Tanaka.
Chizuru Kami was the only Onmyoji among them. The other two, Chizuru Takahashi and Chizuru Tanaka, were Great Samurai.
"When we finish this mission and take the Snow Lotus home, the Chizuru Family's standing is bound to rise considerably."
As they waited, Chizuru Takahashi and Chizuru Tanaka chatted casually.
The Chizuru Family of the Fusang Kingdom was already powerful.
If the family's strongest member, the Great Onmyoji Chizuru Ichiyo, could repair his injured essence and regain the ability to act normally, the family's influence would surely grow significantly.
And all of them, as family members, would rise along with it.
"Don't let your guard down."
"We haven't secured the Snow Lotus yet," Chizuru Kami said.
"Right."
Chizuru Tanaka and Chizuru Takahashi exchanged a glance.
It was always better to be safe. Until they had the Snow Lotus in hand, they had to stay cautious.
Time passed.
Before long, fifteen minutes had gone by.
"What's going on?"
Chizuru Kami frowned. They had arranged to meet Chizuru Qi ten minutes ago.
They had already waited an extra ten minutes in case Chizuru Qi ran into trouble on the way. But another five minutes had passed, and he still hadn't arrived.
"Did Chizuru Qi run into trouble?"
Chizuru Kami immediately stood up. After thinking for a moment, he contacted the family.
Two minutes later.
The Chizuru Family, back in Fusang, sent a reply.
"Chizuru Qi says he already gave us the Snow Lotus?"
Chizuru Kami was bewildered. Chizuru Qi had given them the Snow Lotus? That was what he'd said?
The two Great Samurai beside him, Chizuru Takahashi and Chizuru Tanaka, looked just as incredulous. Since the three of them had arrived at the hotel where they'd agreed to meet, they hadn't seen so much as the Snow Lotus—or even a hair of Chizuru Qi.
In a flash, Chizuru Kami drew a deep breath.
He immediately explained the situation to the family, even calling on Chizuru Takahashi and Chizuru Tanaka to swear on their honor as Samurai and Onmyoji.
The three of them had never seen Chizuru Qi, let alone received the Tianshan Snow Lotus.
After hearing his explanation, the Chizuru Family back in Fusang seemed to be at a loss too. For a while, they didn't know whom to believe.
A full ten minutes passed before the Chizuru Family sent another reply—
"Chizuru Qi says he visited the Yuan'an Hotel half an hour ago and made it to Room 6006 as planned. He met the contact inside, exchanged the password, then spoke with him briefly. After confirming the man's identity, he handed over the Snow Lotus..."
After reading the family's message, the three men fell silent again.
Before Chizuru Kami could say anything, the Chizuru Family in Fusang sent another message—
"Chizuru Qi says he repeatedly confirmed that the contact's identity was correct. He also asks whether the contact currently speaking to the family is an impostor from another faction..."
"Bastard!" Anger welled up inside Chizuru Kami. Chizuru Qi actually suspected that they were impostors?
"I want a video call to verify everyone's identity!" Chizuru Kami steadied himself, forcing down his anger.
"Agreed," the Chizuru Family replied at once.
In truth, the family also wanted to verify the contact's identity again. Chizuru Qi had sworn that he found the right person.
If Chizuru Qi had met the right contact, then who were the people contacting the family now?
Soon, after a video call, the Chizuru Family confirmed that Chizuru Kami and the other two contacts were genuine.
With that established, they could reconsider the whole situation from the beginning.
"Chizuru Qi says he entered the Yuan'an Hotel, took the elevator to the sixth floor, then went to Room 6006 in the left corner. That's wrong. Room 6006 isn't in the left corner by the elevator."
As an Onmyoji, Chizuru Kami had a powerful mind and an exceptional memory. He realized almost immediately that something was wrong.
"I remember there's a suite just to the left when you exit the elevator. Its number is 6009."
"Someone switched the room numbers and led Chizuru Qi into the wrong room."
Chizuru Kami immediately informed the Chizuru Family of his deduction.
Three minutes later.
The Chizuru Family sent another message.
It contained a live location.
"The metal briefcase containing the Snow Lotus has a tracking device inside. Find this location, and you'll find the Snow Lotus."
"Remember: get the Snow Lotus back at any cost. If you can't, destroy it."
After reading the message from the family, Chizuru Kami stood up at once. He took the two Great Samurai, Chizuru Takahashi and Chizuru Tanaka, and hurried toward the location.
Ten minutes later.
The three of them found the metal briefcase abandoned in a roadside flowerbed. It was completely empty.
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