Bribing

Tu Gou was extremely nervous. It was his first time reporting to the Dragon King, yet he was the only one who had arrived on time; everyone else was late.

"Old Man Mu asked me to report first. He... he's still following someone."

"Who?" Gu Shenwei was not angry.

"Han Wuxian."

"Why is he following her?"

"It was like this." Tu Gou took a sip of water to calm himself, then recounted what he and Old Man Mu had accomplished over the past few days.

Han Wuxian was not alone. There were clearly people planted by Moonlight Hall in Jade City—people even He Nu knew nothing about. Over the past three days, Han Wuxian had visited seven places: five in South City and two in North City. The length of her meetings varied.

The people she had met included a blacksmith, a brothel madam, a gambling-house keeper, a courtesan, an old swordsman, a merchant, and a noble fleeing from disaster.

"I wrote down all their names and locations." Tu Gou pulled out a sheet of paper.

Gu Shenwei took it and casually set it on the table. "What about the Central Plains man?"

Tu Gou had been worried he would not pass this test. He stammered, "We haven't found him yet. Old Man Mu said Han Wuxian's actions were strange and that there must be a hidden purpose. The Dragon King ought to be prepared."

Gu Shenwei's tone grew slightly stern. He had to put a little pressure on Tu Gou—not much, just enough. "I am not surprised that Old Man Mu acted on his own, but I did not expect you to do the same. This is not how one travels the jianghu. You volunteered to work for me, so you had better follow my orders strictly."

Tu Gou's