Converging Assault

In the dead of night, the Black Crow Sect lost one ordinary follower, yet it drew no attention whatsoever.

Or rather, the entire Black Crow Sect compound looked like an ordinary residential area. When Chen Mu returned, he still saw nothing unusual. It remained pitch-black, without a single candlelight or suspicious trace of movement.

Chen Mu took another person out for questioning, but he still knew nothing when asked. Chen Mu then realized that the people in this compound were probably all like this. Even if he questioned them one by one, there would likely be no one who knew anything. Perhaps those in the know were no longer here.

But.

From the second man, Chen Mu did learn something: in the eyes of these ordinary Black Crow Sect followers, the sect's Incense Masters and even Vice Leaders often came and went like ghosts, vanishing abruptly and appearing just as abruptly.

This was no bizarre world where people could suddenly appear and disappear. Chen Mu immediately thought of the underground beneath this Black Crow Sect compound. There had to be something going on there—hidden tunnels or secret chambers.

Yet that ordinary follower was utterly baffled and knew nothing at all.

"No wonder every man the Red Gold Gang sent to investigate the Black Crow Sect vanished into thin air."

Chen Mu revealed a thoughtful expression.

At once.

Having made up his mind, he stopped running around. Instead, he quietly crouched beneath the eaves of a relatively tall building and waited in silence. Who knew how much time passed before the sky finally began to pale with the white belly of dawn.

At last, movement arose from a particularly secluded courtyard on the western side of the Black Crow Sect compound. Several figures clad in the sect's black robes rustled out of the house.

Chen Mu had investigated that courtyard before, and he had been certain then that no one was inside. Yet now, more than a dozen people had suddenly emerged, and they were clearly upper-ranking figures such as Black Crow Sect Incense Masters and Vice Leaders. The anomaly was obviously there.

"..."

Chen Mu merely took a furtive glance, memorized the courtyard's location, and quietly withdrew. Before the day had fully broken, he leaped several times and vanished from the Black Crow Sect compound.

Because he had been far away, extremely cautious, and made no sound, none of the Black Crow Sect higher-ups emerging from the courtyard noticed him. They even continued speaking in low voices as they walked.

"...Over in Two Stripes Ward, they caught a government spy last night. The City Guard seems to have set its sights on us. All of you had better be more careful from now on. If you fall into the government's hands, you know what to do."

The several Incense Masters exchanged glances, their eyes all numb and hollow.

The Vice Leader continued in a grave voice, "Keep a close watch on Nine Stripes Ward as well. If the government makes any major move, even if we have to abandon this place, we cannot reveal the main altar's location. We only need a little more time. Once the Guardian God descends, this entire Outer City will be ours. Once we possess the power to perish together with jade and stone, even those big shots in the Inner City will not be able to do anything to us."

"Everything for the Black Crow God..."

The Incense Masters muttered in numb voices, then scattered and left the courtyard.

The intelligence that there was something hidden beneath the Black Crow Sect compound was extremely important. Chen Mu immediately reported it to Min Baoyi. Min Baoyi naturally trusted Chen Mu's intelligence and did not ask where it had come from. Before long, he reported it further to Xu Hongyu at the City Guard Main Division.

Over the following days, Chen Mu did nothing more. He had basically done all he could. He could not possibly risk his life by exploring the Black Crow Sect's underground alone. By providing a clear direction and entrance, he had already greatly reduced the difficulty for those above.

Xu Hongyu was equally decisive and swift.

Only three days later.

An order from the General Office arrived.

Mobilize the three squads of Yamen Runners from the Nine Stripes Ward Guard Office, coordinate with the City Guards from the other two locations, and launch a converging assault to take down the Black Crow Sect compound!

The sky was dim, and a fine, ceaseless rain fell.

The entire Nine Stripes Ward Guard Office was solemn. Nearly two hundred Yamen Runners had gathered here, with all three squads essentially present in full. Some Yamen Runners who did not know what was happening were whispering among themselves, their expressions tense and grave.

Inside the main hall, Runner Office chief Min Baoyi and five Head Runners, including Chen Mu, had all arrived. They stood around a square table, upon which lay an extremely crude and simple map.

On the map.

Parts of Nine Stripes Ward, Two Stripes Ward, and Wutong Ward had been roughly drawn out, with the locations of the Black Crow Sect compounds marked separately. The three compounds could be seen to sit near the edges of their respective wards, adjoining one another.

"According to the intelligence from the General Office, all three Black Crow Sect compounds conceal underground areas. But those underground areas remain completely unknown to us. Judging from the map, it is possible that the three compounds are connected underground by tunnels. Therefore, all three City Guard offices will move together in this operation, ensuring that no one escapes from any of the three locations."

Min Baoyi pointed at the map and spoke in a deep voice.

Wang Gong stared at the map and mocked, "A bunch of rats in the gutter. They really know how to dig holes."

Though his tone was sarcastic, everyone, Min Baoyi included, knew that the Black Crow Sect would not be so easy to deal with. The key lay in that completely unknown underground section.

The aboveground areas could be said to pose almost no threat. The forces of the three City Guard offices could easily flatten them, and the enemy had no power to openly resist them. After all, the General Office could dispatch reinforcements at any time, and Xu Hongyu might even personally oversee the operation.

The problem still lay underground.

How extensive was the underground section? Were the three areas independent, or did they converge into one? Were there more entrances and exits? Had numerous traps and mechanisms been buried there? Those were the truly serious questions.

Once such an underground structure was set with traps like poisonous mist or poisoned water, ordinary Yamen Runners would be helpless. Even someone at Lian Rou Completion like Min Baoyi would have few good options. One careless step, and he could easily fall into the trap.

"The aboveground section is not a problem, but the underground... As far as I know, the Black Crow Sect has existed for at least seven or eight years. If their nest has been hidden underground, with years of preparations, it will be extremely troublesome."

Qin Bei said with a frown.

Zhong Chang nodded as well. "That is why our operation this time is to first seize their aboveground compounds."

In truth, after the people Xu Hongyu had dispatched clearly discovered the Black Crow Sect's hidden underground passages, they had not failed to attempt further investigation. However, every spy who entered those underground passages immediately lost contact.

Under such circumstances, sending more people to investigate would serve no purpose. It also prompted Xu Hongyu to immediately decide upon a full-scale assault.

Based on the intelligence currently known, the missing persons, the Gray-skinned Rats, and the unknown underground structure already constituted a major threat. Once it had been exposed, not only were people in the Outer City alarmed, but even some upper-ranking figures in the Inner City had expressed dissatisfaction. Thus, this operation met no resistance. Even He Mingxuan did not interfere, merely watching coldly from the sidelines.

"If there are no objections, then let us depart."

Min Baoyi said indifferently, "After we take their aboveground compounds, we will discuss the matter of the underground."

As his words fell.

The Head Runners all answered in agreement.

They then left the main hall, each leading the nearly two hundred Yamen Runners. In a mighty procession, they departed the City Guard and headed for the Black Crow Sect compound.