A False Alarm

Several cameras were also hidden on the flagpole that served as the radar support.

The cables were disguised as bundled ropes, and the supports and gimbals were like reinforcing structures, all concealed within orc-style paintwork.

The telephoto camera it's equipped with can clearly see targets up to ten kilometers away.

In conclusion, a new investigation system was established.

Watching the surveillance footage refresh on the screen, Su Ming finally felt a little more at ease.

Until he saw in the video that a large contingent of Cloud Fang City Guards was gathering in a square in the city.

The leader was none other than Anrelo.

"What is he doing now?" Su Ming couldn't help but sigh.

The Chihuo zoomed in and observed the image carefully for a while.

"This is preparation for a major search."

"It seems that Anrelo has indeed lost something very important."

Su Ming called Yuye, and they left the Raccoon Dog Dream Theater, heading towards where the city guards were gathered. When the two arrived, the area was already surrounded by orcs, with hushed whispers and uneasy expressions everywhere.

Su Ming and Yuye blended into the crowd, keeping a low profile and observing what was happening.

Anrelo the high platform in the small square and began his public address:

"Some people have been so audacious as to collect and hide the remains of the Evil God Alchemical Beast."

"Beiweier died suddenly because he was tainted by the curse of the evil god;"

"I hereby declare that before the sun reaches its zenith, anyone who voluntarily surrenders the remains of the evil god and comes to turn themselves in will only suffer ten lashes, and all past transgressions will be forgiven!"

Anrelo did not specify what the consequences would be if the items were found.

But some of the orcs' ears and tails immediately tensed up.

Seeing that Beiweier was collecting the remains of the "alchemy beast," some well-informed orcs assumed he had discovered something and quickly followed suit, hoarding some as well.

Some orcs continued digging the next day, intending to exchange these items for money, and they still have them in their possession.

Soon, some orcs came over carrying the wreckage of the rocket.

The speed at which it happened made Su Ming suspect that it was a stooge arranged by Anrelo. After interrogating the person who came to surrender and confirming that there were no suspicious points, Anrelo ordered the soldiers to whip him ten times in public.

The muffled thuds echoed across the small square. The orc who had been whipped knelt on his knees, gritting his teeth and screaming in agony.

After the whipping, Anrelo actually kept his word and released the person.

This put the other orcs who were also hiding their remains at ease, and they all came out to surrender, carrying earthenware pots, wooden boxes, or rags.

Anrelo interrogated her carefully, trying to find clues.

There weren't many "criminals," since news of Beiweier's death had already spread the next day. There weren't any suspicious individuals among them.

Anrelo had no choice but to release them and then dispatched a search party to begin searching house to house.

****

In the Raccoon Dog Dream Theater, Jinxiu piled up materials that might arouse suspicion and cast a shaping spell.

The material softens and stretches, taking the shape of a tile, with a rough texture appearing on its surface.

After it hardened, Yise quickly applied the color until it looked indistinguishable from the real tile.

The Yugan nimbly climbed up the roof, blending these "tiles" into the existing roof tiles. "Is this alright?" Yise asked through the communicator.

"I have a rough idea of what method Anrelo is using to search," Su Ming replied in a low voice. "It should work."

He followed a group of guards heading towards the Raccoon Dog Dream Theater, observing the details along the way and confirming his guess.

Nearly an hour later, the search team arrived near the theater.

Su Ming bought some things casually from a street vendor and returned early.

In the courtyard, the orc employees continued to create the set, while more people took turns rehearsing.

The sound of wooden hammers striking the strings mingled with the sounds of lines being practiced, creating a bustling scene.

Hebana stepped forward, as if to say something.

Su Ming stopped him, glanced at the roof, and saw that the Yugan had already finished their work.

"Yuye, go and help your brother prepare lunch for the theater staff." Su Ming ruffled Yuye's hair and carefully instructed, "Just pretend nothing happened."

Yuye nodded.

"Don't worry, we'll just keep our heads down and get to work." Yuye ran off with her younger brother into the kitchen.

Su Ming and Yise exchanged a discreet glance, then went upstairs and tucked the Jinxiu into the Faerie Dragon scale on their foreheads.

"How is the situation?" he asked from behind.

"No 'Plundering Clock ' personnel of high rank were found near," the observer replied.

Those listed as key personnel are either the Clock Hand or the Full Quarter Hand of Pseudo-Saint Rank combat power.

"That's good," Su Ming said.

A few minutes later, the search team arrived at the Raccoon Dog Dream Theater.

The Hebana quickly stepped forward to strike up a conversation, his face beaming with smiles.

A shaman entered the courtyard with an arrogant expression and began his investigation magic.

The ripples passed by easily, fooled by the half-cat disguises worn by Su Ming and Yise.

With concealment items made of Saint Rank materials and a superior level of power, these people are far from qualified to sense their true strength.

Instead, it was the "ordinary" fluctuations that Su Ming deliberately released that were detected by the shaman.

The shaman glanced at Su Ming and realized that the other party was actually a peak level four magic swordsman. Immediately, the arrogant expression on his face faded a little.

This level of skill is not someone he can reprimand.

The shaman continued casting the spell, this time an unknown detection spell.

The second wave swept across, the thin net slowly passing through the floor, corners, and gaps between tiles.

The shaman closed his eyes, sensed for a moment, and then opened them.

Everything is normal.

He nodded slightly to Su Ming, then looked at Hebana.

"Get back to rehearsals; Cloud Fang City hasn't had a play in years."

"Thank you for your kindness, sir!"

The shaman then led the group away.

Jinxiu was carefully analyzing the spell she had just sensed—the second detection magic. [It seems theirs is specifically designed to target the outer shell of the Star-Patrolling Missile?]

Su Ming nodded slightly.

[The missile casing is covered with runes designed to resist magical interception; these were developed by Newman and Zijin and are quite unique.]

Jinxiu realized what was happening.

[Anrelo must have analyzed the characteristics of those runes, so she launched a targeted search.]

Su Ming chuckled softly.

Unfortunately, all I took were the internal electronic components.

In Anrelo's mind, the outer shell engraved with an expensive new type of defensive magic array was the most valuable part of the wreckage.

If we grasp this key point, tracing the "culprit" will be no problem at all.

Unfortunately, in Su Ming's eyes, they were nothing more than aluminum sheets.

Anrelo did try very hard, but he could never have imagined that it would be a thief like Su Ming.

Jinxiu breathed a sigh of relief, [It was all a false alarm!]

Footsteps approached; it was Yise.

She lifted her skirt and went upstairs.

"Brother," she whispered to Su Ming, "Have we hidden everything?"

Su Ming's eyes narrowed slightly.

I'll keep the gold coins.

"Is there anything else that you can't show to others?"

He asked, his expression one of genuine bewilderment.

"No, I was just worried," Yise chuckled.

"Go to rehearsal," Su Ming said gently. "Once the performance is over, we need to head home."

"Okay, sure!" Yise replied and went downstairs.

"[What is this?]" Jinxiu also noticed the anomaly. Su Ming gently shook his head.

As "Yise" entered the staircase, halfway up, her skirt, hair color, and even the outline of a young girl scattered like a reflection on water, only to be replaced by standard armor and an ordinary face in the next moment.

The man transformed back into the image of a guard.

He naturally caught up with the departing group and continued on to the next destination.

Meanwhile, on the rehearsal stage, the real Yise was still silently reciting his lines.

Su Ming walked to the window, and only after the other person was a little distance away did he activate "Silent Vision".

In the field of vision of the eye technique, the disguise on the other party's body faded away, revealing a true face—a half-fox person with a broken tail.

"Anrelo!" Su Ming said softly.

Upon seeing the other person directly, he finally remembered this half-fox.

That dates back to when he and Zijin sailed the White Triangle to the Storm Sea around Water Chestnut Island to investigate a sea monster incident.

Among the pirates they captured, Anrelo used his excellent illusion magic to blend in with the prisoners on the ship, interfering with Su Ming and Zijin's management of the pirates and Life and Wrong.

Now, eager to find something, Anrelo went so far as to personally infiltrate the search team to investigate. Su Ming picked up a cup of tea, his gaze passing over the steam to land on Anrelo as she entered the next place to investigate, his eyes gradually hardening with coldness.

This guy's getting in the way!

He is skilled in illusion magic, and judging from the teams he dispatched and the use of signature-based search magic, either Anrelo has powerful helpers at his disposal, or he himself is highly accomplished in magical development.

Su Ming made up his mind:

I didn't go all out then, so there's no need to show mercy now.

****

After the search team left, the Hebana came looking for them again.

"Boss, thirty days isn't enough!" he advised.

When the Hebana came over in the morning and saw the eye-catching words "Premiere in 30 days" on the advertising banner, its tail froze.

"My sister and I can't stay here for long," Su Ming said decisively. "Let's proceed according to this plan!"

"Preparing for a stage play is a complicated process," Hebana said earnestly. "The script this time is really good, and the cast is excellent."

He paused. "All the theaters in Cloud Fang City have been gradually closed."

"The news of the new play that will soon be staged here has spread throughout the city, and everyone is looking forward to it."

"Mr. Hebana, don't get it wrong, my sister isn't a real actress," Su Ming sneered.

"Brother!" Yise walked over, angrily saying, "If I'm going to act, I have to do it the best!"

Su Ming said helplessly, "The schedule for going home cannot be changed."

He thought for a moment and then gave instructions to Hebana.

"Hire ten more people to do miscellaneous tasks."

"Give the other actors more time to rehearse!"

After considering it, Hebana realized that by hiring more people, the work of making sets and costumes could be outsourced, which would indeed free up a lot more rehearsal time for the core actors.

"Yes, boss," he could only reply.