A Chance Encounter with Su Mengyao at the Night Patrol Bureau!

At the entrance to the Qingtian District branch of the Night Patrol Bureau, Zhou Chen halted and looked up at the pitch-black doorframe before him. It resembled a monster's gaping maw. Two red lanterns hung on either side, but their glow was not the warm yellow of ordinary lights—it carried an eerie dark-red tint.

These lanterns were called Mist-Repelling Lanterns. When the Night Patrol Bureau's night patrol guards went out on patrol late at night, they had to light one. They contained special spices that could drive off Mist Monsters and, to a certain extent, keep Black Mist from seeping into one's flesh. Nearly everyone leaving the city bought a lantern and a few taels of lamp oil, making this one of the Night Patrol Bureau's steady sources of income.

Zhou Chen strode through the doorway, stated his purpose, and was quickly led into a side room to fill out forms, leave his mark, and pay the silver. The procedures were efficient. Once he handed over five taels of silver, a heavy Night Guard Token was placed in his hand.

If he made several trips out of the city and returned empty-handed every time, those five taels would be like tossing money into the water without even hearing a splash.

He secretly drew a deep breath and comforted himself. "It shouldn't be that unlucky."

Zhou Chen then bought a lantern and a flask of lamp oil.

The lantern-selling attendant gave him a reminder. "Sir, spending the night outside Black City is far less safe than staying inside. Unless absolutely necessary, it would be best to return before nightfall. If you truly cannot make it back in time, light this lantern. This flask will burn for an entire night. So long as you do not encounter a Mist Monster of too high a rank, it should keep you safe until dawn."

Zhou Chen nodded. He had not expected the lamp oil to have such a use. Still, he had no interest in spending the night outside. Everyone knew that Black Mist became exceptionally violent after dark. Staying beyond the city walls then was no different from laying oneself on a chopping block.

One lantern could guarantee a night's safety? The man dared to boast, but Zhou Chen did not dare stake his life entirely on a flask of oil.

Though he was curious about the sights outside the city, it was already too late today. It would be safer to head out early tomorrow morning and return by evening.

Just as Zhou Chen turned to leave, the corner of his eye caught a cool, aloof figure passing through the side corridor.

The figure wore a plain-colored long robe, her body graceful and slender, her steps unhurried. An air of distance surrounded her. Wherever she passed, even the air seemed to dim by several shades. Many people instinctively averted their eyes, unable to summon even the thought of looking at her twice.

It was not merely because they felt inferior to her, but because her identity left them unable to entertain any covetous thoughts.

"Second Senior Sister?"

The newcomer was Su Mengyao. Zhou Chen gave her a slight nod in greeting.

On second thought, it made sense. Most Martial Warriors in the city held positions here, so it was not strange to encounter Su Mengyao. What surprised him slightly was that, as a young lady of the Su Household, one of the Four-Family Alliance, she still had to venture out of the city personally?

Then he recalled Ye Lingtian mentioning that Su Mengyao was not born of the main branch. Competition for resources within great families was often even crueler than outside. It was only natural that she would come out to earn some extra money.

Su Mengyao glanced at Zhou Chen and nodded slightly in return. Zhou Chen had long grown accustomed to her frosty temperament, so he simply passed by her and left.

Su Mengyao, however, suddenly seemed to notice something. She turned to look at Zhou Chen's retreating back and murmured, "His Blood Vitality burns like fire. When did he break through to First-Rank Major Accomplishment?"

For a disciple born into poverty to make such progress in such a short time was truly unbelievable.

But Su Mengyao's surprise lasted only an instant before she suppressed it.

Zhou Chen's innate physique was poor. He was destined to be unable to break through the Second-Rank Realm Barrier. Perhaps his rapid progress in Blood Vitality came from diligence and one or two lucky opportunities, but the threshold of Second-Rank Martial Artist was not something one could cross through hard work alone.

Even with her talent and her family's support, she had needed two attempts to break through to Second-Rank Martial Artist. If she failed three times, it would damage her foundation, and she would never again have a chance to enter Second-Rank Martial Artist.

Naturally, Zhou Chen had no idea what assessment his ever-frosty Second Senior Sister had made of him. As he walked alone down the street, his brows suddenly furrowed.

Someone was following him.

His steps paused slightly. Zhou Chen pretended not to notice, then turned into a narrow alley. The young man tailing him saw Zhou Chen disappear inside and hurried after him. Yet when he looked in, only a few rats stealing garbage scattered in all directions in fright. There was no sign of Zhou Chen anywhere.

"Where did he go? Where did he run off to?"

The young man scratched his head and turned around in confusion, intending to leave. But the moment he turned, his entire body slammed into something like a solid wall.

He cried out and staggered back two steps. When he looked up, his face turned deathly pale. At some unknown moment, Zhou Chen had silently appeared behind him. In the dim alley, his eyes gleamed with cold light.

"Tell me honestly." Zhou Chen stared coldly at the young man. "Why are you following me?"

"Who—who's following you?" The young man instinctively tried to put on a tough front, but his voice had already weakened as he attempted to argue.

Before he could finish, Zhou Chen gave a cold snort. His five fingers clamped down like iron pincers around the young man's arm, then twisted. With a crisp crack, the entire arm was instantly wrung into the shape of a twist. Bone fragments pierced through beneath his clothes along with blood.

"Aah!"

The young man's face twisted in agony. His mouth had only opened halfway, and before he could let out a scream, Zhou Chen's other hand had already seized his throat. His grip was perfectly measured—enough to keep him from making a sound, yet enough to leave him gasping for air.

"I'll give you one more chance."

Zhou Chen's voice was ice-cold.

A madman.

This man was a madman!

That was the only thought crashing around in the young man's head.

He had never encountered someone who attacked at the slightest disagreement, who crippled a man's limbs and bones the moment he struck, without wasting a single extra word.

This was a true ruthless bastard!

"I—I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!" The young man completely abandoned any hope of getting lucky. Like beans pouring from a bamboo tube, he spilled everything he knew about how Yin Mengbo had ordered him to follow and watch Zhou Chen.

"Clear River Gang..." Zhou Chen frowned after hearing him out.

He had expected the Clear River Gang to come after him.

When he killed Zhang Mingfei, his methods had not been particularly meticulous. It was not surprising that those old hands who roamed the underworld had followed the vine to the melon and guessed the truth.

The young man explained everything clearly. Yin Mengbo not only wanted to kill him, but also abduct his younger sister!

He kept trying to explain, saying that the Clear River Gang had always secretly trafficked girls who had never known a man. He also believed such deeds were utterly devoid of conscience, but he had no choice but to obey.

Only a ghost would believe that!

Before the fear of death, people would dare tell any lie, and what Zhou Chen hated most were liars!

Zhou Chen crossed his hands and efficiently snapped the man's neck.

The young man's corpse crumpled limply to the ground. With a thud, it fell into the depths of the alley, splashing up a small patch of muddy water.

"They even dared set their sights on my sister..."

That had touched his reverse scale!

The fury in Zhou Chen's chest was like a pile of firewood drenched in oil, erupting into flames that he could not suppress.

The Clear River Gang had long been a thorn lodged in his heart. He simply had not dealt with it because his strength was not yet sufficient.

After all, Yin Mengbo was a First-Rank Perfection Martial Warrior, and he had a deputy gang leader whose strength was only slightly inferior to his own. With Zhou Chen's current power, even if he activated Crimson Baleful Transformation, he certainly would not be able to deal with Yin Mengbo quickly. If the deputy gang leader led the others to surround and attack him, he would be in deep trouble.