Chapter 1121: The Stolen Light

After saying that, he handed the ghost monkey a small snack and happily put away his money pouch.

The two petty thieves not only failed to steal from them, but were instead pickpocketed by the ghost monkey.

He Lingchuan smiled faintly and whispered to him: "You've been marked."

For a half-grown brat like this to be stealing, there's surely an adult watching from behind.

"You just want it this way?" Dong Rui deliberately swayed the pouch twice more, and two men followed them out, keeping a distance behind.

Since the road was crowded and they passed a government office, those two didn't rush forward.

After passing the foul-smelling, chaotic dock and the noisy, bustling market, ahead lay a row of restaurants and inns, with signs of varying sizes.

He Lingchuan chose the inn with the brightest sign and cleanest vestibule, "Old Qian's Guesthouse," entered, and requested two upper rooms.

While they were surveying the inn's surroundings, He Lingchuan's soul-capturing mirror in his pocket reminded him: "Someone at the noodle shop across the alley has been watching this place."

What's more? He Lingchuan swept his gaze across the first-floor hall of the inn.

The hall also had three tables of customers. Two men sat facing the main door; whoever entered could not escape their eyes. Though dressed as merchants, their gazes were unusually sharp.

He Lingchuan and his companion, upon arriving at Jinshin Plains, wished to follow local customs, so their attire was especially ordinary, like that of itinerant porters.

Here, dressing luxuriously would be tantamount to writing several large characters on one's face:

Come rob me!

As soon as they entered, those two men never stopped sizing them up, until He Lingchuan's back disappeared upstairs.

Unexpectedly, the rooms in this inn were quite clean, the bedding dry and fresh, with hot water on the table, aside from seven or eight mosquitoes resting on the wall that looked ill-intentioned.

The shopkeeper wore an expression of "love it or leave it," saying that the upper rooms with good conditions were only three left, so each was priced high.

At least twenty percent more expensive than the good rooms in the decent inns of Blade Edge Harbor.

Dong Rui suspected he was boasting—Old Qian's inn had many upper rooms, but how many honored guests could fill them in this backwater of Julu Port?

However, he soon discovered the shopkeeper wasn't lying, for Old Qian's inn had only four upper rooms total, and two were already occupied.

The contact for He Lingchuan's mission this time also stayed here.

The layout of this inn forms the "冂" shape, with the upper rooms all on the second floor.

After settling in, He Lingchuan walked toward the far corner on the other side of the second floor.

But as he approached, the two people originally chatting by the corner reached out to stop him: "Hey, this place is full."

Though these two were dressed as ordinary patrons, their eyes gleamed with precision, their backs ramrod straight, their gaze like an eagle eyeing a chick, instilling silent dread.

He Lingchuan naturally felt no fear, producing a black token from his storage ring and waving it before them: "I seek Jin Bai—this is the token for our meeting."

Though the token bore no character, its surface constantly shifted—sometimes rushing water, sometimes towering mountains, sometimes drifting mist.

Flip the token over, and the landscape tilts with it, reforming anew.

Such divine ability is hard to imitate.

He Lingchuan is not a subject of Mou State, so he cannot use Mou State's official token; thus Wang Xingyi gave him this case token called the "Overturning Cloud Token," which, abroad, can represent an institution subordinate to Ling Mountain.

Ling Mountain belongs to no nation, so the identity token of its envoys does not display elemental power—hence it's no surprise that it shows none at all.

While holding the token, he may style himself as the Overturning Cloud Envoy.

Upon seeing the token, the two were startled; one took it, said "Wait," and walked deep into the vestibule, pushing open a door and entering.

After more than ten breaths, the door opened.

The man's attitude became much more respectful: "Please!"

Three people sat by the table in the guest room; seeing He Lingchuan enter, they all rose to greet him.

The leader, of the same height as He Lingchuan, had a square face and large eyes, his gaze sharp.

He gave the guard who had led He Lingchuan in a glance; the latter immediately returned to the vestibule and resumed his post.

Then, the leader bowed his fist to He Lingchuan and said in a deep voice: "I am Jin Bai, Deputy Commander of the Shadow Fang Guard. How should I address you, Overturning Cloud Envoy?"

A barrier was set up in the room, preventing sound from leaking out.

"He." He Lingchuan also gave his name readily, then reclaimed his Overturning Cloud Token from Jin Bai's hand.

"Please sit!" Jin Bai verified the token was genuine, otherwise he would not have been so courteous to He Lingchuan.

The Shadow Fang Guard beside him served He Lingchuan tea.

Wang Xingyi's file didn't mention it, but Fang Chanran himself explained to He Lingchuan: the Shadow Fang Guard is Mou Emperor's personal armed force, specializing in intelligence gathering, armed apprehension, overseas pursuit, and private trial of serious criminals—thus they are both eyes and fangs.

Simply put, the Mou Emperor assigns tasks inconvenient for the regular army and palace guards to the Shadow Fang Guard.

Hence, this organization is a particularly special presence in Mou State's capital.

Jin Bai is Deputy Commander of the Shadow Fang Guard, his rank not high, but he can "monitor the superior from a humble post." For comparison, he is equivalent to Fan Sheng, Deputy Leader of the Heart Guard of Lingxu City.

A general who attains this position may not have supreme cultivation, but is utterly loyal to the sovereign.

Mou State dispatching the Shadow Fang Guard to escort the Bright Lamp Candle shows how much they value this tribute.

Such caution seems far from unfounded—this time, it was indeed stolen.

Having never met before, Jin Bai naturally couldn't hold much respect for He Lingchuan, but basic courtesy remained.

As a direct subordinate of the Mou Emperor, he clearly knew what the "Overturning Cloud Token" represented.

Otherwise, how could this boy under twenty deserve his second glance? He Lingchuan sat down and first handed him a letter.

The letter was sealed shut; Fang Chanran only told him not to open it, but to deliver it to the contact.

Jin Bai received it with both hands, opened it, and his gaze tightened.

The envelope was ordinary, the paper plain white—only when held to the light could a faint cloud pattern be seen.

This is the Mou Emperor's exclusive stationery, "Plain Cloud Paper."

On the paper are only four flying dragons and dancing phoenixes characters: "Knowledge Without Reservation."

No signature, no seal.

Having served beside the Mou Emperor for many years, Jin Bai instantly recognized whose handwriting this was, and suddenly stood, bowing westward: "I obey the imperial edict!"

The lamp was stolen, he sent word back to the country, and while continuing to search for the treasure's whereabouts, he waited for the ruler's approval.

Whether this group of them stays or leaves, whether they continue to pursue the treasure or return to await judgment, it all depends on a single word from the ruler.

The lost tribute, Emperor Mou will certainly be displeased.

As a result, the King's Preceptor's Envoy of Shifting Clouds arrived, and he also brought the ruler's approval.

He Lingchuan had long since stepped aside, and his first words were: "The King's Preceptor invited me to investigate the case, so I trouble Commander Jin to recall the details carefully."

It was actually the King's Preceptor who summoned him? Jin Bai gathered his thoughts: "Good. We have just found out where the tribute is, and we also know who the culprit is. Mr. He arrived just in time; I had just sent a flying message to the imperial capital for instructions, and we should receive a reply in a few days."

(End of Chapter)