Chapter 360: Balance Seal

Late at night, Chen Zhangrui led a dozen key members of the Dark Star Bureau—Datou, Mijian, Zhui Zi, Banzhuan, Huajia, Ju Zi, Wo Wotou, Hai Tang Guo—and others—to Yuezhou Third Hospital.

These key members were handpicked by Chen Zhangrui; Xiao Zheng was uneasy about them—he didn't trust a single one, and he wanted to come himself, but he couldn't leave the Dark Star Bureau.

He had already used the Balance Seal, and now he must bear its cost.

For the coming period, if he wished to retain his status as a Balanced One, he must obey every directive from the Bureau.

Besides these key members, Old Chen also brought along several team members with growth potential and training value.

These included Tangyuan, Zhong Er, Dengpao, and Mingxing.

On the way, Mijian couldn't help complaining: "Tang Kuai isn't high-ranked or especially capable—why does the higher-ups praise her every day? Why isn't she here?"

Zhui Zi sneered: "The higher-ups meant overall capability, not combat ability—but judging by your condition, your overall capability shouldn't be worse than Tang Kuai's."

Mijian's condition was indeed excellent—her appearance and figure far surpassed Tang Kuai's.

She sniffed: "I'm a proper person."

Ju Zi chuckled: "You say that, but isn't Tang Kuai a proper person too?"

Chen Zhangrui coughed: "He Jiaqing's rank is not low. For this operation, everyone must strictly follow the battle plan."

"Tangyuan, you all are future core members of this team. Tonight's mission is observation and learning—no one is to participate without my order. Understood?"

Tangyuan was extremely excited; she treasured this learning opportunity.

Dengpao was nervous, mentally replaying the hospital's layout, wondering if he could find a viable escape route if something went wrong.

Mingxing was depressed because Team Leader Chen called him a future core member.

These key members before him all shared one trait: they were highly skilled in combat, yet held low ranks.

Zhong Er Qin Minghui stared blankly at a newspaper.

As they neared the hospital, Chen Zhangrui reiterated: "He Jiaqing's rank is high. Everyone must strictly follow the battle plan."

Hai Tang Guo asked: "Team Leader Chen, the highest level for Dark Energy users is Level Seven—is He Jiaqing Level Seven?"

Chen Zhangrui did not answer.

According to Dark Star Bureau regulations, the highest level for Dark Energy users is Level Seven.

Five hundred meters from the hospital, all team members disembarked and took their positions.

Datou lightly touched the button on his sleeve.

…

Mijian and Hai Tang Guo took the elevator to the inpatient ward, dressed as nurses, holding thermometers and record books, heading toward He Jiaqing's room.

In the room, they saw no He Haisheng—only He Jiaqing lying in bed.

Hai Tang Guo shook the thermometer three times—this was a signal to Chen Zhangrui.

He Jiaqing is here. He Haisheng is not.

Chen Zhangrui contacted Huajia, who sprouted eyes all over his body, extending them outward to observe every corner of the hospital.

"Team Leader Chen, I've spotted He Haisheng smoking in the back courtyard." Huajia sent the message.

Chen Zhangrui ordered Huajia to keep watching He Haisheng. Meanwhile, Datou and Banzhuan took positions in the corridor, Zhui Zi and Ju Zi stationed at the stairwell, Wo Wotou—the rover—fast on foot, led the others into position downstairs.

According to the battle plan, Mijian and Hai Tang Guo would act first.

Mijian was the Restrainer, capable of restraining He Jiaqing instantly.

Hai Tang Guo was the Sleeper, able to plunge He Jiaqing into deep sleep rapidly.

Once this was done, their mission was complete—Datou and Banzhuan would handle the capture.

Datou carried a forbidden item: a hunting net. No cultivator below Level Seven could break free.

Banzhuan carried another forbidden item: a brick perfectly suited for his hand. If struck directly on He Jiaqing's head, it would render him unconscious for half a minute.

If no direct strike was possible, throwing it worked too—hitting He Jiaqing's head would still cause unconsciousness, though shorter in duration, but with high accuracy—normally over eighty percent.

After successful capture, all would coordinate to transport He Jiaqing back to the Dark Star Bureau.

If capture failed and He Jiaqing fled via the stairs, he'd fall into Zhui Zi and Ju Zi's ambush; if he jumped out a window, Wo Wotou's ambush would catch him.

If capture failed, Banzhuan, Zhui Zi, and Wo Wotou all carried highly lethal forbidden items—they would kill He Jiaqing on the spot.

Huajia would monitor He Haisheng throughout; they didn't need to capture him, but they couldn't let him interfere with the operation.

All preparations complete, Hai Tang Guo approached He Jiaqing, took his temperature—she had already activated her technique, plunging He Jiaqing into sleep.

Mijian appeared to be observing the monitor's data, but had also activated her technique, binding He Jiaqing to the bed.

Both succeeded. Datou and Banzhuan rushed into the room.

Datou pulled out the hunting net. Banzhuan swung the brick.

Boom!

He Jiaqing exploded, bursting into a spray of flesh and blood.

Hai Tang Guo froze in place, drenched in blood—partly He Jiaqing's, partly her own; she was injured, wounded by flying bone fragments.

Mijian, slightly farther away, suffered minor injuries and quickly rushed forward to support Hai Tang Guo.

Datou and Banzhuan stood stunned in the room, at a loss.

Zhui Zi and Ju Zi heard the explosion, guarding the stairwell, awaiting Chen Zhangrui's command.

Everyone's attention was drawn to the explosion in the room—including Chen Zhangrui.

Only Huajia kept watching He Haisheng.

"Team Leader Chen, He Haisheng escaped!"

Team Leader Chen also froze.

He Haisheng escaped…

His focus wasn't on He Haisheng—he was still thinking about the explosion in the room.

This wasn't part of the battle plan.

"Which way did he run?"

"The hospital's back gate!"

Chen Zhangrui didn't move rashly—he ordered everyone to remain in position, and went alone to pursue He Haisheng.

He pulled a lighter from his pocket, flicked the wheel with his thumb—the flame ignited, and Chen Zhangrui's speed suddenly surged.

This was a forbidden item for a Rover. Under its effect, Chen Zhangrui reached the back courtyard and still faintly saw He Haisheng's silhouette.

He Haisheng burst through the back gate.

Dengpao and Zhong Er were observing at the back gate.

Chen Zhangrui wasn't worried about Dengpao—but he feared Zhong Er.

If Zhong Er attacked He Haisheng, he would die instantly.

Zhong Er made no move—he watched coldly as He Haisheng fled the hospital.

Chen Zhangrui continued chasing He Haisheng, pursuing him down one street until the lighter's flame went out.

He failed to catch He Haisheng.

He Haisheng's figure dissolved into thick smoke and vanished. Chen Zhangrui put away the lighter and returned to the hospital.

Nothing else happened in the room—only He Jiaqing's shattered, bloody remains remained.

But many things happened in the hospital.

Hai Tang Guo and Mijian were taken for treatment; Datou and Banzhuan set up a cordon.

The explosion was heard throughout the hospital; many were frightened. Ju Zi and Zhui Zi were liaising with hospital staff, trying to maintain order.

Chen Zhangrui sat in the room, staring at the bloody mess, lost in thought.

Were these He Jiaqing's remains?

Impossible—how could He Jiaqing blow himself up?

This must be a puppet.

But if it were a puppet, how did I not see through it?

Did He Jiaqing escape long ago?

Why didn't He Haisheng flee? Why did he wait until now?

Chen Zhangrui pressed his forehead, replaying the entire mission.

After thinking for over ten minutes, he bent down, picked up a piece of flesh, and sniffed it.

There was the smell of blood, of char, and of smoke.

Not burnt smoke—cigarette smoke.

Why did He Jiaqing's remains smell of cigarettes?

Chen Zhangrui stared in shock as the clues slowly connected in his mind.

He Jiaqing had escaped long ago, but the Dark Star Bureau detected nothing because a puppet still lay in the room.

But how could the puppet deceive Chen Zhangrui—he was a high-level observer.

This was He Haisheng's trick—the puppet was saturated with smoke, controlled by He Haisheng, and it was precisely this smoke that deceived Chen Zhangrui's eyes.

Once the operation began, everyone's attention focused on "He Jiaqing"—only Huajia monitored He Haisheng.

After "He Jiaqing" exploded, even Chen Zhangrui forgot about He Haisheng, giving him the chance to escape.

He Haisheng escaped—that's fine. The Bureau's mission was to capture He Jiaqing.

But where do we find He Jiaqing now?

We don't even know when he escaped!

Chen Zhangrui prided himself on having the most experience in the Dark Star Bureau.

He firmly believed the team he brought out were the best.

Before the high-ranking figures of Pulu Province, they appeared utterly naive; their seemingly foolproof operation plan was riddled with flaws.

What should we do next?

…

"Next, they'll be celebrating their victory."

He Haisheng lit a cigarette and tossed one to He Jiaqing.

He Jiaqing said: "Will they put out a warrant for you?"

He Haisheng shook his head: "No. Their target was to capture you—if they couldn't, they were ordered to kill you. Now you're dead, and that pile of blood and flesh is proof."

"They can run DNA tests—the tissue matches yours. The mission is complete. They won't do anything extra."

"Especially after causing such a commotion. The Waizhou Society will do everything to quell it. No one cares what the truth really was."

He Jiaqing sighed: "I haven't spent enough time in the outer provinces. I still don't understand the people out here."

"Understanding them isn't hard. They're far simpler than the people of Pulu Province. I'm not worried about the Anxing Bureau—I'm worried about the Border Warden."

"Xiao Zheng is a Balancer. Judging by this, he's already used the Balance Seal. Our business is going to suffer."

"Only Auntie can handle this."

He Haisheng shook his head: "She can't handle it."

"Then why don't you go back and see?"

He Haisheng gave a bitter laugh: "Go back and do what? Wag my tail for the Border Warden?"

"I've wagged it for years—I'm done."

"Jiaqing, you're right. We have to live with dignity."

…

At the He family mansion, He Yuxiu extinguished her cigarette and stared at the hundred-odd people in the hall.

These hundred-odd people included He family blood relatives and loyal subordinates—all gathered to do something monumental with He Yuxiu.

All day yesterday, the Border Warden sent men to seal the He family's businesses and freeze their accounts at every bank.

The Border Warden gave no explanation. He Yuxiu, through Duofang inquiries, gathered some rumors.

This was tied to the Jiangxiang Gang—two of its halls had been wiped out, and the Border Warden had moved to shut down the He family.

"What the hell is the Jiangxiang Gang? Their halls are gone—what's that got to do with us? Why are they targeting our business?" He Yuxiu raged.

She didn't know Xiao Zheng was a Balancer. She had no concept of Balancers or the power of the Balance Seal. She only knew the He family's fortune was being destroyed—and it couldn't end on her watch. She had to reclaim it!

Dozens of blood relatives from the main branch had come.

Many from the extended family, tough and loyal, had also arrived.

He Yuxiu now intended to lead them all into the Border Warden's office and demand an explanation from the Border Warden.

As everyone prepared to leave, Lu Chunying ran to the mansion and blocked He Yuxiu's path.

"Sister Xiu, listen to me—you absolutely cannot go!"

He Yuxiu brushed her fingers through Lu Chunying's hair: "Girl, I like you a lot. Go home. I didn't ask you to come—this won't drag you down."

Lu Chunying looked up at He Yuxiu, knowing exactly how to speak to her:

"Sister Xiu, I'm saying this plainly: if you storm the Border Warden's office, I'm going with you. If I back down, I'm a cowardly dog!"

"But you can't go today. The Chu family is already waiting inside with armed men. If you show up, Chu Master will ambush you."

"If you don't believe me, let's go together—I'm ready to die with you today!"

"Chu Master? Chu Huaijun? Why is he working for the outer provinces?" He Yuxiu couldn't comprehend it.

Ma Wu said: "Sister Xiu, the Border Warden promised Chu Huaijun: if they pull this off, half of the He family's business goes to the Chu family."

"The Chu family is now fully loyal to the Border Warden. Chu Huaijun might even send men to storm the He family's gates!"

PS: Chu Huaijun's father once died at the hands of the Border Warden—but he didn't seem to care much.

(End of Chapter)