The pale-faced man flitted through the narrow alleys, his earlier composure gone, his gaze cold and sinister.
He had traveled hundreds of miles from the provincial capital to Linjiang Prefecture expressly to seize the Sea-Calming Alliance for the organization, then bring the talented Hong Yuan into its fold.
Now he was returning empty-handed without even having seen the man himself. Naturally, his mood could hardly be good.
"That Corpse Puppet was abnormally powerful. It was probably refined from a top-tier martial expert!"
"The sorcery, materials, and rituals aren't so easily obtained. Without deep resources, it simply can't be done."
"The information the organization collected on Yi Twelve's nephew was incomplete. He's not so simple. We'll need to make new arrangements if we want to bring him to heel."
"Hmph! He's grown far too capable!"
The pale-faced man muttered to himself.
With a soft snort, he moved as swiftly as a ghost, crossing several streets in mere moments before gradually slowing. He slipped into a bustling market and ascended a stone arch bridge at an unhurried pace.
"Hm?!"
Standing on the bridge, the pale-faced man showed a trace of surprise. He raised his right palm, and tiny insects as densely packed as black ants crawled out from beneath his flesh.
Only a close look revealed that his entire arm was covered in holes smaller than pinpricks, allowing the insects to pass in and out.
Now those minute insects seemed restless in his palm, making sounds that only he could hear.
The pale-faced man's pupils suddenly contracted. He thrust his head forward and looked down at the rushing river beneath the bridge.
A small boat drifted downstream.
It was a black-canopied boat with no boatman at the helm, but the pale-faced man fixed a lightning-sharp gaze on its cabin.
A flicker of