Zhang Lexuan said seriously,
"The rules of the Shrek Inspection Team are there to prevent anyone with ulterior motives from abusing the process. Aside from dealing with Evil Soul Masters directly—where we'd rather kill the wrong person than let one go—when it comes to old disputes between officials like this, the team members have to verify the information themselves."
Lin Yun muttered under his breath,
"No wonder our academy's so inefficient. They don't even let the person who provided the information decide how to handle it."
Zhang Lexuan smiled, not taking issue with Lin Yun's complaint. She simply said seriously,
"This isn't some minor matter. It involves an Earl who was only recently promoted."
Lin Yun pursed his lips, then said,
"In that case, I'll let Dean Yan know first. My two teammates will be under a lot of pressure while I'm away. I can't hold them back."
Zhang Lexuan nodded, approving of what Lin Yun had done.
"We should definitely tell him."
After all, the investigation into and handling of that Dou Ling noble's affairs had been arranged by Yan Shaozhe's teacher, Dragon God Douluo Mu En. Yan Shaozhe didn't hesitate in the slightest; he almost immediately agreed to Lin Yun's request.
"In that case, go without worry. Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, right? I know those two students. I'll have Du Weilun keep a special eye on them. I won't let them be taken advantage of."
Once all that was settled, Lin Yun set out on another mission with Zhang Lexuan.
The outskirts of Dou Ling City, Dou Ling Empire.
Zhang Lexuan and Lin Yun landed as soon as they crossed into the Dou Ling Empire. Using the Soul Power-concealing Soul Tool she carried, they disguised themselves as ordinary people with no Soul Power at all.
The two checked into a relatively rundown inn on the outskirts. According to Zhang Lexuan, it served as a covert outpost for the Shrek Inner Court's Inspection Corps. It was an easy place to stay without drawing too much attention.
As usual, Lin Yun took meticulous care of Zhang Lexuan, enough to make her briefly lose track of the age difference between them.
Now, though, Lin Yun was eager to get to the bottom of the family's situation. He said,
"Sister, with my current strength, I can protect myself among marquises for a while. A chaotic Earl who took over someone else's family estate should be even less of a threat."
"Let's split up. You can ask around at places like taverns about this so-called Earl's reputation. I'll go inside and take a look."
Zhang Lexuan hesitated, then said to Lin Yun,
"Why don't you stay out of it? The academy hasn't completely ruled out the possibility that you're connected to the Evil Soul Masters. But I trust you now, and I don't want you putting yourself in danger."
Lin Yun smiled at her.
"Big Sister, you're worrying too much. I'll disguise myself as someone without Soul Power and apply for a servant's job in the mansion. No one will pay me any mind. I came from the common folk, and I've dealt with places like this plenty of times while following my father around."
Zhang Lexuan hesitated, then tucked her emergency signal into Lin Yun's chest and lightly tapped his chest with her jade finger.
"In that case, I trust you. Take this with you. If anything goes wrong, set it off and I'll come right away. Don't try to be a hero."
Lin Yun grinned and joked,
"Don't worry, Sister Lexuan. I'm very sensitive. One touch and I'll explode. Besides, I doubt he'd dare make trouble for someone from Shrek Academy. At worst, he'll yell at me and kick me out."
Zhang Lexuan patted Lin Yun on the shoulder and warned him seriously,
"Don't let your guard down. Don't underestimate your opponent. Treat him as a true enemy—as the most terrifying Titled Douluo, no matter what level he's at. That's how you stay alive."
Lin Yun nodded, his words meaningful.
"If all the seniors in the Inner Court had your mindset, the Shrek Inspection Team's reputation would be even greater."
Zhang Lexuan smiled, then patted Lin Yun on the back.
"All right. You've made up your mind, so let's split up. Go see what's going on inside. I'll wait outside and ask how the other townspeople feel about this Earl."
Lin Yun nodded, took the Soul Power-concealing Soul Tool Zhang Lexuan had given him, and approached the Earl's Mansion's main gate from another direction.
As soon as he reached the main gate of the Earl's Mansion, two spears of forged iron pointed at him.
"What are you doing here? Don't you know what place this is? Are you blind?"
Lin Yun quickly put on a smile and hung a small money pouch on the tip of the guard's spear. He gave the two men a sheepish grin.
"I'm a very good person, I am. I'm here to apply for a kitchen-helper job. Could you let me through?"
The two guards' expressions eased. One weighed the pouch in his hand, then kicked Lin Yun and sent him flying. The man swore at him,
"You bastard! So you're just some poor schmuck looking for work. You think you're good enough to use the main gate? Get in through the side gate!"
Lin Yun cursed inwardly. Just you wait. After that kick, even if your master really is innocent, I'll still kill you.
It wasn't that Lin Yun was naturally vicious and cruel. He was currently posing as a skinny, hard-laboring, undersized kid who looked like he hadn't eaten a proper meal in days.
Lin Yun had Soul Power protecting him. If someone else had been kicked like that while seeking work at the Earl's Mansion, that blow could have killed them.
The two guards didn't care in the least. They even seemed to enjoy it. They'd taken his money and still treated him like dirt.
It was clear no one had ever disciplined them.
Thinking this over, Lin Yun walked through the side gate.
The steward in charge of hiring was a grinning old man. That is, he looked like one, if not for the necklace of teeth from various creatures encircling his neck.
Lin Yun applied for the Earl's Mansion's overnight cook position. It was one of the easiest jobs around, mostly involving being on call in case one of the concubines, one of the young masters, or the Earl himself suddenly got hungry in the middle of the night, or a guest arrived after dark.
The job barely kept him busy a few times a year. If the previous cook hadn't been so tired while chopping meat that he'd lost focus, slipped, and cut his own wrist—only to succumb to an infection afterward—Lin Yun wouldn't have gotten the chance to take over.
The steward tested Lin Yun's cooking skills with a few dishes. Lin Yun had known how to make some simple home cooking in his previous life, and after combining that knowledge with the original owner's memories, he also understood the cuisine of the Douluo World. Naturally, he managed to win the steward over.
That night, Lin Yun carried a food box and strode boldly around the Earl's Mansion.
That was why he'd chosen this position. The job gave him a major information advantage. During the day, he could show his face within certain areas, and the young masters and ladies often didn't want anyone spreading word that they'd had a late-night snack, so they'd simply send the cook a note.
As Lin Yun walked, he heard a faint sob...
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