Yet Her Majesty the Demon Empress's pleasure did not last long before Daozhen returned and spoiled her mood.
Daozhen reported that everyone sent to capture Wu Jinliang had disappeared.
The Demon Empress was somewhat enraged by the news. "This is what you meant when you told me not to worry? To guard against any mishaps, I gave special permission for the Void-Piercing Divine Arrow to accompany them, and they still failed?"
Daozhen hesitated before saying, "There's something strange about this. Our people stationed nearby to guard against trouble and provide support didn't hear any major sounds of fighting either. By the time they realized something was wrong and went to investigate, troops from the East Victory Royal Court had already reached the scene and begun examining it. The bodies and belongings all fell into their hands.
"From what we've learned, someone reported the incident, though we don't know who. That made it difficult for us to approach and examine the scene. Even the Demon Eye we urgently dispatched was of no use. We still don't know whether that Void-Piercing Divine Arrow fell into the killer's hands or those of the East Victory Royal Court."
"Reported it?" The Demon Empress looked baffled and suspicious. "How bizarre. Someone actually reported a secret killing in a remote mountain? Even the support team stationed nearby didn't notice anything wrong. Where did this phantom reporter come from? Wu Jinliang was captured, so are you telling me the killer was afraid no one would find clues leading back to him and reported it himself?"
Daozhen said hesitantly, "Perhaps there happened to be a witness nearby."
The Demon Empress said, "Then find that witness and dig out everything he saw!"
Daozhen said, "We're already looking, and we're also trying to learn what the East Victory Royal Court's