Goodnight

However, just as he raised his hand halfway, he froze.

He saw a beam of moonlight pierce through the clouds, shining through the window at just the right angle and spilling across the wooden floor at his feet... Shadows danced, and two characters slowly appeared.

"Go back."

Beneath those two characters was the image of a playing card.

It was a gray Joker, a gray [King].

The instant Chu Muyun saw the card, his pupils contracted. He immediately lowered his arm, and the dagger slipped into his sleeve like a swimming snake, vanishing from sight.

A gray-black cloud drifted over with the wind, obscuring the hazy moonlight. The line of characters on the floor vanished with it, as if it had never appeared.

Chu Muyun gave the sleeping Chen Ling a deep look before turning to leave.

As he gently closed the bedroom door, the room fell into dead silence.

A few seconds later,

from the shadows in the corner,

Chen Yan, dressed in pajamas, slowly stepped out.

The boy's scarlet eyes were fixed on the direction of Chu Muyun's bedroom. At some point, a bloodstained Bone-Slicing Knife had appeared in his hand.

Once Chu Muyun's bedroom door had fully shut, the boy lowered his eyelids and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the chilling killing intent had already been buried deep within his gaze.

Ethereal aurora surged beyond the window. Chen Yan turned his head slightly and looked at Chen Ling, sleeping on the bed.

"Goodnight... Brother."

He murmured to himself.

As his voice faded, his figure silently passed through the wall and returned to his own room.

At the same time.

Third District, Enforcers Headquarters, office.

"Brother Ma, there's news from Ice Spring Street." A Three-Pattern Enforcer hurried over.

Ma Zhong raised a brow. "What did they say?"

"Uh..."

The Enforcer hesitated for a moment. "They cursed us out pretty badly."

Ma Zhong:?

"Why? Because the lockdown hasn't been lifted yet?"

"No. They said you have no sense of honor. Not only did you fail to keep your agreement, you even sent someone over to insult them." The Enforcer added, "It was that Reserve Seat you assigned to support Ice Spring Street... Apparently, he beat up the people from Black Axe Tavern, and Bone Knife is about to explode with rage."

"The Reserve Seat?" Ma Zhong asked in confusion. "Who was it again?"

"One was called Wu Youdong, and the other was Chen Ling. Wu Youdong was scared stiff by that bunch and voluntarily withdrew from the Enforcers exam. The one who did the beating was Chen Ling."

"I think I remember... Was he that Frost Street kid whose parents were scared senseless by Calamity?"

"Yes, it was him."

"He beat up that bunch from Black Axe Tavern?"

"I don't believe it either, but that's the truth." The Enforcer paused, then carefully asked, "Brother Ma, do you think... he might have received God's Blessing?"

Ma Zhong did not answer. He frowned and put a cigarette between his lips, and the Enforcer immediately stepped forward to light it with a lighter.

"Could the Third District... be getting another Law Enforcer?" Ma Zhong exhaled a cloud of smoke.

"There are currently five Law Enforcers in the Third District, and three of them are our people... But if another one appears, that'll be troublesome." The Enforcer muttered, "He beat up the people from Ice Spring Street, so he must know something. He probably won't be willing to join our side...

Rather than let him grow into Han Meng's support, why don't we strike first and take care of him..."

The Enforcer narrowed his eyes and drew a hand across his throat.

Ma Zhong sneered. "Chang Lin, Chang Lin... Your vision still needs a lot more tempering."

The Enforcer called Chang Lin was taken aback.

"Was I wrong?"

"You were right, but your perspective is too narrow." Ma Zhong flicked away some ash and said flatly, "Even if that kid has received God's Blessing, he's only first-rank right now. It will still take a long time before he can threaten us.

Rather than making a move against him, we should change targets... and solve the problem at its root."

"You mean... Han Meng?"

"Before Han Meng came, the Third District was our territory. Back then, our business was the largest among all seven districts. Even Ice Spring Street now was only half our size... But ever since that brat was dropped into the Third District as chief, he purged the district and cut off our source of income, forcing us to rebuild our connections in Ice Spring Street."

Ma Zhong's eyes gradually turned cold as he stubbed his cigarette into the ashtray.

"He's the Chief Law Enforcer of the Third District. Normally, we have no chance to act against him, but now it's different..."

"Why is it different?"

"Under what circumstances would a Four-Pattern Enforcer die in the Third District?"

Chang Lin pondered for a moment, then seemed to realize something. His eyes suddenly lit up. "Calamity?"

"The Chief Law Enforcer of every district holds an important position. If something happens to one, Aurora City will definitely send someone to investigate. Normally, we can't touch him, but now we have a ready-made 'culprit'... A 'culprit' that happened to descend upon the Third District, once defeated Han Meng head-on, and then vanished without a trace!"

Ma Zhong spoke with a cold laugh. "Kill Han Meng and make it look like he died together with Calamity in an attack. Not only will we get rid of this major threat hanging over our heads, we'll also be able to lift the Third District's lockdown openly and restore trade with the Second District immediately... That way, the anger from Ice Spring Street will die down as well."

"But what if that Calamity shows up again after everything is over?"

"Who can prove that the one that shows up later is the same one?"

Chang Lin froze for a moment, then could not help but sigh.

"It still has to be Brother Ma!"

"Han Meng was injured by Calamity, and his strength is no longer what it used to be. As long as we arrange things properly, he's as good as dead." Several traces of killing intent flashed through Ma Zhong's eyes. "Call Old Tao over too. We'll discuss this carefully..."

"Alright... Oh, right, what about Chen Ling?"

"He..." A sharp gleam flashed in Ma Zhong's eyes. "Don't let him have any more contact with those people from Ice Spring Street, lest he anger them again... Find an excuse to let him join the Enforcers first. Once Han Meng is dealt with, we'll be his superiors.

By then, won't we be free to do whatever we want with him?"

"Understood."

"Morning, Brother."

As Chen Ling pushed open the door, he saw Chen Yan sitting in the living room, turning back with a smile to greet him.

"You're up so early?" Chen Ling asked in surprise.

"I couldn't sleep last night, so I got up early to memorize some lines." Chen Yan raised a handwritten script in his hand and spoke earnestly.

Chen Ling nodded. Just as he was about to wash up and head out, Chu Muyun also opened his door and stepped out.

"Today it's your turn to sleep in."

"...Yeah."

Chu Muyun answered casually. There were dark circles under his eyes, and it looked like he had not slept all night either.

"Does your exam end today?" Chu Muyun seemed to remember something.

"Yeah, today's the last day."

"Good luck, Brother!" Chen Yan made a cheering gesture. "You'll definitely become an Enforcer!"

"I hope so." Chen Ling smiled.

After what had happened yesterday, Chen Ling no longer held much hope of passing the Enforcers exam... For ordinary people like him and Wu Youdong, becoming Enforcers through their own efforts was harder than reaching the heavens.

What was more, he had beaten up those people from Black Axe Tavern yesterday, thoroughly making an enemy of Law Enforcer Ma Zhong from the Third District. The other side definitely would not let him advance.

But even if he couldn't become an Enforcer... going to Ice Spring Street to harvest some Expectation Value wouldn't be bad either, right?

Chen Ling stroked his chin and thought just that.