Otter Goes Fishing for a Qilin; the Willing Take the Bait

Why ask so many questions!?

She reached out and shoved the uniformed Sarkaz.

W executed Oute's orders well. The traces she left behind, which the army group could trace, were neither too many to raise suspicion nor too few to leave the Ursus puzzled.

However, this made the mercenaries feel that they had been doing completely useless work along the way, and they were filled with resentment. Although few of them dared to lose their temper, this anger would eventually explode at some point.

The Sarkaz, his chest bare and collar faded, wore the neatly tailored Rhodes Island uniform with a rugged air. Seemingly oblivious, he "just happened" to dodge the mercenaries' shoves and said, "Say hello, welcome home. I work in the boiler room; you're welcome to come over for a drink sometime."

After saying that, the boiler worker patted the mercenary on the shoulder and walked towards a window, greeting others casually along the way, his back view so carefree.

"Home? That's ridiculous." The mercenary muttered, but she saw a quality in the boiler worker that she greatly admired.

But... she was tongue-tied, her thoughts were muddled, and she didn't even know what she envied.

She shook her head, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw her own head excitedly shouting.

Although the boxed meals at the construction site and the meals served on the ship were basically made by the same group of people, there was naturally a difference between the two. Under the subtle influence of Oute, W unconsciously dragged his team members to the ship to "get special treatment".

"... Stinky otter!"

The Sarkaz girl's keen eyes accurately spotted the young man who resembled Liberi in the crowd.

She quickened her pace, her lower limbs surging as if she were about to leap.

But this sense of dynamism was quickly interrupted—a small black rabbit wrapped its arms around Oute's arm, excitedly introducing Oute to Rhodes Island's cafeteria; the old woman crossed her arms, her face showing a hint of resistance; and on the other side, the new guard, still dressed in that shameless nun's habit, served him on his left.

"..."

It's exactly the same as it was back then.

A mix of anticipation and bittersweetness welled up in W's heart.

If Aegir's guards were replaced by that Sarkaz guard, the scene before her would be strikingly similar to the countless times she had witnessed before...

However, those starkly different details kept reminding W of this.

After losing his memories, the Mind Flayer seemed completely unaware that his race was the most shameful of all, sticking two bird feathers in his hair to reveal his arrogant, handsome face.

The little black rabbit had not only grown up, but its eyes also held a strange emotion.

The old woman's face was getting increasingly sour.

Not to mention the shark that served as the new guard, which practically sprang from a crack in the rock.

There's just one character missing.

There's just one character missing.

W's steps may stop, but her voice cannot return.

Oute turned his head.

The pretentious ear flaps on the Mind Flayer's ears almost fell to the ground.

W said curtly, "My mission is complete."

That's lame.

She screamed inwardly.

Oute nodded, and the hand that had been in his pocket reached out and beckoned to the Sarkaz girl.

W instinctively walked towards him.

She was somewhat embarrassed and annoyed: This must be the Mind Flayer's witchcraft!

As she drew closer, a few strands of hair peeked out from around Oute's neck. They were mostly whitish in color, clearly stuck to the lining and half-buried by the coat that followed.

The Sarkaz girl looked around warily and, sure enough, noticed unnatural wrinkles in Kal'tsit's clothes.

Damn it! I'm out there fighting tooth and nail, and you're inside living a life of debauchery!?

The process was incorrect, but the result was correct.

The wrinkles in the cat's clothes were simply the result of her snuggling into Oute's arms to catch up on sleep while still dressed.

"That... stinky otter really had a good time." She squinted, her hands behind her back, leaning forward.

In her anger, she initially wanted to use the more aggressive and racially discriminatory term "soft-bodied animal," but in the end, she subconsciously protected the "secret" for Oute.

Oute, surprisingly slow to notice, asked, "We haven't started yet, W. What would you like to eat?"

Amiya added, "Ms. W, everyone's still figuring out what to have for lunch today. Would you like to come along?"

Seeing the little rabbit's expectant eyes, W clicked his tongue.

Kal'tsit seemed to realize something, and she turned her head away, deliberately distancing herself as if to say, "Doctor. Oute, you still have a lot of work to do. I suggest you complete the feeding process as soon as possible."

It was a bit too deliberate.

But these words resonated with Oute. He agreed, saying, "Although it's not a tough battle, retreats are inherently unpredictable, so it's best to prepare early."

This abruptly snapped W out of her subtle, bittersweet emotions.

She quickly jumped in front of Oute, stood on tiptoe, and shook Oute shoulder. "Retreat!? What retreat!?"

She seems quite aware that her mercenary group is being used as "cannon fodder."

But this time, she was indeed overthinking it: the Deepwinter Soldiers were far more numerous than the Sarkaz mercenaries.

These battle-hardened Sarkaz mercenaries, who are also loyal to W, may not be considered "rare gems," but they are enough to serve as leverage to tap into Kazdel's "mercenary talent market."

If this time they squander it all, Oute will have to find a new wave.

But the Deepwinter Soldiers are different: the Ursus people, burdened with deep hatred and a tragic fate, are like weeds on the ground, sprouting up wave after wave every winter.

Oute's voice resonated directly in her mind. "I'll tell you the military details later, but you'd better look back now."

Specter's crimson eyes were fixed on W's hand, which had made physical contact with Oute, while her pale hand reached out towards the circular saw.

If you truly considered me an enemy, why did you let me get close?

W, who had fought alongside the Specter in Hamlet, knew that at this distance, she was utterly powerless against this shark.

W said sullenly, "I'll find you after I finish eating."

Chapter 175 Oute Fishing for the Scales, Those Who Are Willing to Take the Bait

Inside the office temporarily requisitioned by the Supervisory Court, three people were gathered around a desk, the cold morning light streaming in through the window and illuminating the floor.

"Young Master Lin, this is martial law, and there is nothing wrong with it." Jie Zhen predicted, looking at Lin Qingyan's expression.

These three officials, who happened to be in Lungmen at this opportune moment due to other matters, were appointed as Wei Yenwu's military supervisors.

"Why do you say that? It's simply a matter of administering the punishment on the spot."

Lin Qingyan did not make a mountain out of a molehill regarding Wei Yenwu's actions in using martial law to suppress the Commercial Union, as Jie Zhen had predicted.

Has that young scoundrel from the Dali Temple changed his ways?

Jie Zhen and Tai He both somewhat surprised.

Regardless of their opinions, Lin Qingyan certainly had his own perspective on all of this.

Once military power was restored, he immediately seized the opportunity to take action against the troublemakers in the city. Duke Wei was even more petty than expected.

She carefully and repeatedly reviewed the towering documents in front of her.

This is the evidence Wei Yenwu used to "prosecute" the merchants from last night. The vast majority of it is true, but in order to protect the Swire Family, Wei Yenwu deliberately reduced some of their crimes.

As expected, the wealthy merchants of the border trading city still didn't employ any new methods of crime.

Just as Lin Qingyan was frowning as she reviewed the document, a report caught her attention.

Besides the Lungmen Guard Department, Rhodes Island was another party that drafted this document. Together, they accused a salt company of taking advantage of the chaos and selling smuggled salt to border cities of Ursus.

Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals?

She felt a sense of destiny, a feeling that seemed to be predetermined.

The past remained a thorn in her side, forcing her to misinterpret this "coincidence" as divine intervention.

Lin Qingyan suddenly looked up and said, "My lords, these documents still need your signatures. There are some suspicious points in this document. I'll go... and talk to Lord Wei."

Jie Zhen and Tai He exchanged a bitter smile.

Lin Qingyan had no intention of deceiving them, but Jie Zhen and Tai He mistakenly believed that Wei Yenwu had slipped up during his "purging of the villains".

"Young Master Lin, please be patient for the sake of the country," Tai He advised kindly.

"... Know."

If you truly understood the meaning of "forbearance for the sake of the country," how could you have ended up in Lungmen?

Jie Zhen and Tai He shook their heads helplessly.

Lin Qingyan was the Vice Minister of the Dali Temple of Judicial Review. Soon after taking office, she "drew up old grievances" and recalled her former superior Yu Cheng, who was "more cunning than corrupt officials" and had fabricated evidence to prosecute a major corrupt official, to the capital for trial.

Former leader Yu Cheng was nominally retired, but in reality, he was ordered to conceal his identity and investigate a cold case. However, shortly after Yu Cheng was imprisoned, the Dali Temple's archives "accidentally caught fire," and a large number of files were reduced to ashes.

Four bloody incidents across four eras, three children, three clues, two major families, two factions, one time period, one mastermind, with no follow-up and no conclusion.

This is a case that cannot be investigated as long as the official remains the Vice Minister of the Dali Temple.

The only remaining clues led Lin Qingyan to Lungmen, to Rhodes Island, and to... Huang.

"Look at these, I'll look at those..." Tai He was about to assign tasks when he saw Jie Zhen start stamping.

"At this critical juncture, if something is discovered, what will happen to the front lines?"

Although nothing is actually going to happen yet, both of them have already decided in their hearts that war is inevitable.

Tai He glared at Jie Zhen: "Then you can at least have a general idea in mind first!"

"If we have everything under control, then these materials won't be able to be stamped before Lin Qingyan returns." Jie Zhen didn't even look up. "If there are no problems, then of course there are no problems."

If there's any major problem and Lin Qingyan discovers it... what if she stubbornly insists on stepping on the scale, and no amount of weight will be able to stop her from gaining weight!

If the frontline commander is implicated in a power struggle and the elimination of dissidents by the military supervisor, how can the battle be fought?

Enough, enough, just merchants.

Tai He sighed, but didn't listen to Jie Zhen's nonsense. He took the document that Jie Zhen had stamped—since it needed two stamps anyway, he would just look at the content that Jie Zhen had reviewed with his eyes closed.