Chapter 152: Midnight Intruders

The old steward's efficiency was not slow; he quickly learned the full story behind the events.

Bai Xiaohe's husband had suddenly died two days ago, which in itself was no great matter, but his mother suspected foul play.

The neighbors also wondered how a healthy young man could simply vanish.

After some encouragement, his mother reported the case to the authorities that same day.

At first, the authorities paid it no mind and merely sent a coroner to examine the body.

But the results were shocking.

He had died of arsenic poisoning.

Bai Xiaohe was immediately arrested, tortured, and eventually confessed to having an affair with Yang Wenju and being instructed by him to poison her husband.

Guo Ming heard the entire account; had it not been for the torture, the story would have been entirely plausible.

During the sealing of the Yang household, Guo Ming had questioned the kitchen staff, all of whom insisted Bai Xiaohe had barely seen Yang Wenju a handful of times.

"Big Brother Chu, do you really think Master Yang had an affair with that Bai Xiaohe?" Wei Chu asked, uncertain.

Guo Ming was about to answer when he saw Da Bao creeping silently toward the window.

He and Wei Chu had rented a guesthouse; it was already eight at night, and darkness had long fallen.

A figure clad in nightclothes quietly opened the window and flipped inside.

The intruder was furtive—clearly up to no good.

Da Bao was positioned in the blind spot, directly in the man's line of sight's Sijiao.

"I haven't even gone to bed yet, and you're already breaking in? How brazen," Guo Ming said.

The man sneered: "A strong dragon doesn't overpower a local snake. Your background may be unusual, but this is Lin Yuan City."

"I advise you: finish whatever you came to do, then leave quickly."

"Stay out of Yang Wenju's affair. Otherwise, you'll anger someone you shouldn't—and even your bones won't return home."

Guo Ming had assumed the man came for money; after all, the fellow didn't look poor, so robbery or theft made sense.

But he never expected it was about Yang Wenju.

That meant the adultery charge was merely a pretext—there was a deeper motive at play.

So far, unless higher powers intervened, Yang Wenju had no chance of redemption.

Yet someone still felt uneasy enough to send a threat.

Guo Ming could guess the threatened weren't just him.

"I'd rather know who's behind you," Guo Ming said.

Da Bao reached out his palm and seized the man's crown of the head from behind; his claws hung down, blocking the man's vision.

The man swallowed hard, Buganqingjuwangdong.

The claws merely pressed against his skin, yet he felt their sharpness—he knew the man could crush his skull with ease.

Wei Chu, seeing this, swiftly yanked the black cloth covering the man's face, revealing his true identity.

"It's you—Chen Gou of the Green Dragon Society!" Wei Chu recognized him at once.

He was a minor leader of the Green Dragon Society, in charge of their street.

His methods were tyrannical; many wished to peel his skin and eat his flesh.

But due to his position and formidable martial skill, no one dared touch him.

Chen Gou, seeing his identity exposed, said: "Esteemed sir, the Green Dragon Society fears no one in Lin Yuan City except the officials."

"Treat me as if I never came. Tomorrow I'll come to apologize in person."

Guo Ming smiled sweetly: "How do you know I'm not an official?"

These words instantly turned Chen Gou's face pale.

He had, in fact, considered this possibility when he first saw Guo Ming's bearing and demeanor.

But he hadn't heard of any official about to leave office.

No one leaves office—then where would the new official take residence?

Yet he couldn't tell whether Guo Ming was lying or telling the truth.

"If you're an official here, then I've spoken out of turn and offended you," Chen Gou said, unable to prove Guo Ming was lying, yet unable to prove he was telling the truth.

"Your arrival here must mean you have a stake in this."

"By meddling in Yang Wenju's case, you're not just smashing your own purse—you're smashing the purses of other officials."

"If you turn a blind eye now, before you even take office, you'll earn the support of other officials when you're promoted."

Chen Gou spoke at length, yet revealed little useful information—he was still threatening, just more subtly.

"You believe everything I say? You're a naive little leader," Guo Ming chuckled.

There was more to the Yang Wenju case.

Either Bai Xiaohe's husband discovered a secret that dragged Yang Wenju into it, or Yang Wenju himself uncovered something capable of threatening Lin Yuan City's high-ranking figures.

"So what? You're an official—you need us."

"If you're not an official, who would believe you?" Chen Gou wasn't foolish—he left himself an escape route.

As a minor gang leader, he had his own way of surviving.

"True," Guo Ming acknowledged. "But that's not your concern."

"Tell me everything you know. I'll spare your life—escape under cover of night."

Chen Gou remained silent.

It wasn't loyalty—he simply knew little, and his wife and children were still here.

One man could flee, but a whole family couldn't escape the city.

"Give me a hint. I'll let you leave the guesthouse safely," Guo Ming sighed, showing leniency.

Chen Gou thought for a moment, then said: "I only know that every fifth day of the month, at the end of the Hai hour, three ships dock, and depart by the end of the Chou hour."

"Beyond that, I know nothing. I was only assigned to stand guard once—I didn't know what they were transporting."

"Yang Wenju's imprisonment and Ge Da's death may be connected to this."

"As for why I was sent to warn you—it was ordered from above. I merely repeated the script they gave me," Chen Gou's information carried hidden intent.

The monthly fifth-day shipments weren't just Green Dragon Society's; officials were involved too.

Only a few core personnel knew the truth; most were stationed on the periphery as lookouts.

If Guo Ming stormed the place, he wouldn't survive.

"That's all?" Guo Ming asked.

Chen Gou shook his head: "That's all."

He had said what he could. The rest he dared not speak.

Otherwise, it wouldn't be just him who died—it would be his entire family.

"Fine. Go back the way you came," Guo Ming said. Da Bao immediately withdrew his hand from Chen Gou's head.

Chen Gou exhaled in relief and bowed: "Since my message is delivered, I'll take my leave."

He slipped out the window.

After he left the guesthouse, Guo Ming summoned several Ghost Wailing Infants.

"Wait until he reports back, then clean it up properly," Guo Ming said. The Ghost Wailing Infants immediately followed Chen Gou.

Breaking a promise? No.

If Chen Gou had told everything, Guo Ming wouldn't have killed him.

But he only gave a hint—so Guo Ming kept his word and let him leave the guesthouse safely.

The promise was fulfilled the moment Chen Gou left the guesthouse.

He had broken in to threaten him—if he hadn't had some skill, the man would've killed him and looted the place.

Guo Ming couldn't let him go unpunished—he'd see if he could trace this to someone higher up.

Guo Ming wasn't afraid of alerting the snake; the Green Dragon Society was a large organization—where could he run?

Roughly three hours later, the Ghost Wailing Infants returned.

They chattered excitedly, babbling to Guo Ming.

Guo Ming didn't understand infant speech, so he relied on Da Bai, also an infant, to translate.

With translation and gestures, Guo Ming quickly grasped what the Ghost Wailing Infants meant.

Basically, everyone had been dealt with—tomorrow's court session would seal their guilt.

Second, retrieve the sea map from Yang Wenju as soon as possible.

"Smuggling. Sea map." Guo Ming narrowed his eyes. What else could ships moving under cover of night be doing besides smuggling?

Especially since Chen Gou mentioned purses.

【Side Quest: Overturn the verdict in court within seven days and clear Yang Wenju and Bai Xiaohe's names】

【Trial Difficulty: A-rank (Hero）】

【Trial Reward: Paradise Points ×10000, Attribute Points +4】

【Trial Failure: Paradise Points -20000, Random Attribute -1】

Thoughts surfaced—the Paradise Quest appeared, and it was A-rank.

Guo Ming instinctively reached to accept—then paused, realizing how troublesome it was.

Overturn a verdict in court? Clear their names??

He could handle fighting and killing, but this kind of legal reversal? Hard.

The difficulty lay in the words "court"—otherwise, overturning the verdict or clearing their names wouldn't reach A-rank.

This matter involves the interests of Lin Yuan City's high-ranking officials; he is not facing a single corrupt official, but an entire interest group.

It requires not only sufficient martial strength to safeguard himself, but also sufficient influence and networks to carry out the task.

Summoning Guo Ming to resolve it by force may not succeed—this mission does not seem at all like one suited to brute force.

Clearly, the Paradise had taken into account Chu Danqing's ally Guo Ming, a force exceeding Yubeiyi -level power, and thus imposed corresponding restrictions.

Upon completion, this side quest will substantially supplement the trial mission and surely bring tangible progress to Chu Danqing's evaluation.

For instance, clues to the Nine Tripods Map.

"I still believe the saying: those who follow the Dao gain much support; those who stray from it gain little." Chu Danqing thought, and chose to accept.

Martial force cannot solve it directly, but can solve it indirectly—deterrence through martial power is never outdated.

"The Yang family's people will definitely retract their statements tonight after being threatened and bribed."

"I'm an outsider—I can't make them tell the truth."

"Even if I do convince them, I cannot guarantee their safety."

"We must break the deadlock from another angle." As Chu Danqing spoke, Wei Chu, beside him, gazed thoughtfully at the candlelight upon hearing these four sentences.

(End of Chapter)