Chapter 89: Underworld Case Files

Noon.

The sun hung high, warm sunlight streaming through the windows.

Suddenly, a gap opened, and Wu Xian dragged Dogtail back to his territory.

The damn dog didn’t want to leave Lihentian; Wu Xian had to hold its tail to drag it away, and as soon as they got home, its ears drooped—its unhappiness plain to see.

Wu Xian’s home was an old, low-rise shop building, decades old.

Only two floors plus a basement.

The first floor was a large living room for clients, along with a kitchen and dining area; the second floor held bedrooms, a study, and a bathroom; the basement was Wu Xian’s personal doomsday bunker.

As soon as he got home, Wu Xian headed for the bedroom.

“The information on the case files can only be seen by the Favored Ones—this prevents leaks if the notes are lost.”

At that moment, the doorbell rang.

Jing Ke snatched the most perfectly shaped rib.

Wu Xian, flattered by the praise, instantly felt better; moreover, he truly wanted to delay things, to find an excuse to avoid eating Bai Gu’s dinner, so he replied with a hint of boasting.

Wu Xian woke up hungry.

Qi Zhiyong had once said they were the “Tenets.” He’d planned to investigate the organization later, but they’d come to him first.

“Then consider it worth it.”

Wu Xian’s expression turned strange.

Upon hearing Wu Xian’s reply, Jing Ke dialed a phone right in front of him.

“This is Jing Ke. I’m looking for Qi Zhiyong.”

Wu Xian nodded: “I understand.”

“Let’s get to the main matter first. I ask, you answer. Then I’ll answer a few of your questions.”

“None.”

“Woof!”

Wu Xian fell silent again: “I don’t know.”

Bai Gu sniffed the leftovers, took a cautious sip, then immediately grimaced and let out a disgruntled whine.

After tricking the pet, Wu Xian felt much better and fell into a deep sleep.

But once a Favored One attains the Dao, they can use artifacts in the real world—Jing Ke merely needed to perform divination to easily pinpoint Wu Xian as the mastermind behind it all, so his ability to find Wu Xian wasn’t a technical issue, but a metaphysical one.

Gurgling…

Wu Xian sighed in relief and hurried downstairs to open the door.

“Little Lin, you can let the person go. The compressed file is harmless—just delete it… No thanks, we’ve worked together before…”

“Just eat what’s here for now. I’ll buy dog food tomorrow.”

“How did you find me?”

He caught a faint scent, pushed open the door, and followed it—finally spotting a full table of dishes in the first-floor dining area.

“Woof!”

When creating the compressed file, Wu Xian spent considerable effort erasing all links to himself.

“Closed down long ago.” Wu Xian waved his hand. “Go east, turn left—there’s another detective agency there.”

“No, those are all mediocrities. The person I’m looking for, only you can find.”

Wu Xian guessed it was hungry, so he went to the fridge, pulled out yesterday’s leftovers, and dumped them into a stainless steel bowl.

Bai Gu panted eagerly, eyes hopeful, as if urging Wu Xian to taste it.

“If you want to eat, help yourself—don’t be polite.”

Wu Xian cackled oddly and ran back to his bedroom, slamming the door shut.

Wu Xian looked down and saw Bai Gu staring at him with wide eyes, tongue lolling, tail wagging—its neck tied with an apron.

“Does the compressed file contain information about the Favored Realm?”

“Well, aren’t you going to invite me in?”

The master’s cooking was terrible, so the pet made four dishes and a soup overnight?

Wu Xian’s mind was flooded with complaints.

After asking those two questions, Jing Ke seemed to relax instantly. His eyes fixed on the four dishes and soup: “Your home cooking is excellent. I’ve been running around for your sake and haven’t eaten a thing.”

Braised ribs, sweet and sour fish, dry pot bamboo shoots, stir-fried bok choy, mushroom chicken soup—standard four-dish-one-soup, far better in presentation than Wu Xian’s own cooking.

Ding dong!

Only half a day had passed in the real world since the Favored Realm, but much longer had passed within it—Wu Xian was utterly exhausted. Now back in his safe, warm home, he just wanted to sleep.

Wu Xian looked at the dog, then at the food, sat down blankly, and didn’t touch his chopsticks for a long time.

“Those guys are dumb, but decent. Tell me—who are you looking for?”

Jing Ke cheerfully opened the rice cooker, scooped himself a full bowl of rice, and, under Bai Gu’s fierce stare, eagerly devoured a large piece of fish belly.

Outside stood a tall man, dressed in jeans, a white T-shirt underneath, a silver chain around his neck, stubble on his face, messy hair, looking disheveled.

But after days of wild partying, he now looked a bit unkempt again.

Wu Xian had spent money tidying him up.

“I’m the least polite person!”

First he checked his phone—the time was 8 p.m.

The leftovers were from two days ago, when he’d tried inventing a new recipe.

“So you’re sure I know the cause of Qi Zhiyong’s death because of my Dao?”

“Alright, second question: Was Qi Zhiyong’s death worth it?”

“No, it’s because of the notes.”

…

How did this dog cook? Can dog-cooked food even be eaten? Is it unhygienic? Did it wash its paws? Is there dog saliva in the food?

Looking into the big black dog’s pleading eyes, Wu Xian couldn’t voice his impolite doubts.

“Also, no destroying the house, no urinating anywhere, if you want to go out, walk yourself—don’t disturb my sleep. Annoy me, and I’ll drain your blood.”

Bai Gu blocked Wu Xian.

“Yes.”

“Where did this food come from…”

Jing Ke strode in casually, sat down at the table without invitation, reached out to pat Bai Gu’s head—and nearly got bitten, so he hastily pulled his hand back.

Wu Xian’s face darkened instantly.

“Don’t rush—I’m thinking.”

“This is a detective agency, right? I’m looking for someone.”

“The notes issued by the Tenets are modified from blank ‘Underworld Case Files’ brought out of the Favored Realms by former Tenets.”

If the food tasted good, would it still be left in the fridge?

Wu Xian fell silent for a moment, then stepped aside.

“When you gain Dao, you’ll understand how I did it.”

After a brief business exchange, Jing Ke hung up.

“First question: Did you create the compressed file in Lu Yuzhu’s phone?”

How should this be understood?

“Did you make this?”

Wu Xian ventured: “Can I ask questions now?”

Wu Xian’s pupils trembled again—he realized the Tenets were connected to the organization that abducted Huo Gai. He thought of many possibilities, then finally spat out a single dry word.

“These notes are also our Tenets’ identity markers. Anyone close enough can sense each other. You’re not a Tenet, and the only recently deceased member in Fuyuan City was Qi Zhiyong, who just joined.”

“Therefore, I conclude you and Qi Zhiyong participated in the same Favored Realm, and he gave you the notes before he died.”

(End of Chapter)