Chapter 375: Paper Money

"It seems that Tang Xuanzang is stronger than we thought! Interesting."

Thor's voice rang out within the gray mist.

This was the third time the two sides had "met"; compared to the probing of the first two times, this time was undoubtedly far more candid.

Everyone showed up, and Wen Hanfei also revealed his true face.

Tang Xuanzang, fate format suspected to be Tang Seng, ninety percent chance of being the Sandalwood Merit Buddha after attaining Buddhahood, skilled in consecration and saving people, strength unfathomable.

The currently fully confirmed battle record is defeating the traitor to the martial arts myth, Bian Que.

After that, Bian Que's son, as well as a rising new star of the Gods' Alliance, Bloody Mary, who might become one of the Twelve Main Gods in the future, most likely died at his hands.

In a frontal battle, he defeated the joint efforts of Li Jue and Wei Xin, two Fourth Order God-Demon Walkers — suspected of not having gone all out!

After the Dragon King's death, the new owner of the Dragon King Ship set an "open and aboveboard" trap waiting for the Gods' Alliance to step in.

Extremely confident, one could even say confident to the point of arrogance, of wild arrogance.

The two sides exchanged intelligence regarding Tang Luo and reached a shared conclusion — kill!

For the Gods' Alliance, having a chance to kill the new owner of the Dragon King Ship was absolutely a good thing.

Last time the "trap" flavor was simply too obvious, or the Gods' Alliance might have already acted.

This time there's a traitor, and Tang Xuanzang's enemy; in this mission world, this person has only one companion, in a state of isolation and helplessness.

If they don't make a move now, when will they?

Miss this village, and there'll be no such shop again.

After returning to the real world, wanting to assassinate Tang Xuanzang, the difficulty would be far higher than in the mission world.

As for whether it might be a trap, mutual backstabbing, and the like, everyone has their own ways to resolve it; at the very least they can guarantee that before killing Tang Xuanzang, they are allies to each other.

After killing him, it just depends on each person's luck and ability.

On Thor's side, strength was clearly somewhat stronger, so naturally he feared nothing.

As for how to find Tang Luo.

The two sides conferred and decided to adopt Thor's method; they would not go looking for Tang Luo, but let Tang Luo come looking for them.

One day later, massive numbers of missing person notices were plastered all over the streets and alleys, and there were news broadcasts as well.

All were searching for Tang Xuanzang; of course, there were no photos.

As long as Tang Luo's curiosity remains, as long as he takes action, probes — then the first step of their plan has succeeded.

The rest is just taking it one step at a time… or rather, Wen Hanfei and the others didn't have any perfect plan prepared either.

The more complex and precise the plan, the more a single slip-up pulls the whole trigger, extremely likely to cause a total collapse.

So simpler is better.

The result of everyone's discussion was to first find Tang Xuanzang, then think of a way to separate him from his companion, and fight in an environment advantageous to them.

For example, the harbor.

Don't forget, there's also a Sea God Poseidon in the Gods' Alliance.

The ocean that ordinary people fear — the deep sea — is just like going home for him.

On land, Thor fears Poseidon not in the slightest, even dares say he can beat him.

But in the sea, it is Poseidon's domain; even if three Thors came, they might not necessarily be a match for Poseidon.

After a round of deliberation, everyone felt this wave was very steady.

Even that one by Tang Xuanzang's side, said to have the White Dragon Horse fate format, Ao Yulie, is also Fourth Order level, still no problem.

Saying it again: a God-Demon Walker's strength is largely judged by destructive power.

Compared to a God-Demon Walker's destructive power, they themselves are actually relatively "fragile".

If vital spots like the heart or brain are destroyed, they will die too.

Those God-Demon Walkers with astonishing regenerative ability are a minority among all God-Demon Walkers.

In a God-Demon Walker's battle, when the strength gap isn't especially large, it's always "you have the ability to kill me, and I have the ability to kill you".

So, is the strength gap between Tang Xuanzang and them large?

Based on Li Jue and his wife's description, including the most arrogant Thor, none could thicken their face to say they could beat him.

They could only say: "Maybe, perhaps, if, perhaps a little stronger than me."

But this gap can be bridged; they have a full six Fourth Order God-Demon Walkers!

The others' strength absolutely cannot be considered weak either; all are Third Order.

With such a lineup not daring to act, they might as well buy a block of tofu and knock themselves dead; why be God-Demon Walkers?

While Wen Hanfei and the others were scheming against Tang Luo, what was Tang Luo doing?

Tang Luo and Ao Yulie were together, currently eating at a restaurant, incidentally watching the commotion.

A small restaurant near the residential compound, two rooms for the storefront.

Tang Luo and the others arrived rather late; they were the last table of diners; besides them, there was also a family eating.

The dishes had all been served.

Over at the small counter, the boss and boss lady were saying something; at first they could still suppress their anger, but after a moment they were quarreling quite fiercely.

The mother in the family currently eating put down her chopsticks and asked, "What are you two spouses quarreling about?"

"She says I secretly took money out to spend; I cook here every day, where would I have time to take money out to spend?" the boss responsible for cooking said angrily.

"Then how did the money get less? Nearly two thousand! It can't be the kid who took it, right! It's definitely you secretly stashing private savings." the boss lady said.

The reason the two quarreled was also very simple.

It was just that these past two days when reconciling accounts, they discovered the money was off by quite a lot.

Today after finishing the reconciliation, the result was off again; as they spoke they couldn't hold back their fire and quarreled.

"Alright, alright, stop quarreling…" the family currently eating, clearly regulars at this small restaurant, spoke up to persuade.

After a few words of persuasion, that couple stopped arguing too.

Arguing like that was embarrassing enough to begin with; just now they simply couldn't hold back their temper.

"Right, what's the deal with 302 in the building next door? I went to deliver a meal, and they were all secretive about it." The boss suddenly asked as the group chatted.

"302? Don't know. What happened?"

"I've delivered meals for seven or eight days now. Every time they've already had me leave the dishes outside, and the next time I deliver I collect the money." The boss said, "The first two times they didn't return the bowls either. I knocked until my hand ached. Now they've switched to disposables."

"Not sure, haven't heard anything."

"Could they be up to something?"

The fire of gossip began to blaze fiercely.

Just then they saw that little kid who was eating pout his lips, expressing disdain for this group of bored adults.

"Who knows. That family seems honest enough, they're all old customers. Shouldn't be... seriously, where does all this stuff come from."

The boss's wife opened the cash register and found more dirty stuff inside — looked like ashes from burned paper, filthy.

It's been several days now; every day there's some.

"Hm?" Ao Yulie raised his head, looking at Tang Luo. "Master?"

He sensed a trace of yin qi — extremely faint, extremely faint — and didn't know if it was an illusion.

Luck this good, another strange affair?

"Mm." Tang Luo nodded, stood up, and walked over to the cash register.

"Finished eating?" The boss's wife looked at Tang Luo.

"Mm, boss lady, the money you're missing — why not tally it up and see if it's exactly what that 302 takeout owes." Tang Luo said.

The long white hair was quite eye-catching, but Tang Luo's tranquil, auspicious aura and appearance were enough to make people feel favorable toward him.

The boss's wife checked.

Their small restaurant rarely did delivery; only old regulars would get it delivered.

Only a few orders a day; the total was worked out quickly.

Not checking was one thing; once she checked, it really was the case!

The missing money was exactly these past few days' delivery money — short by two hundred, today's unsettled amount.

"How did you know?" The boss's wife said in surprise. "That's not right though, those payments were all received..."

The boss delivered the takeout, but after returning he handed the money straight to the boss's wife — no "skimming off the top."

"This poor monk reckons the money received must have been spirit money; once the time is up, it turns to ash." He pointed at those ashes as he spoke.

The boss's wife was given goosebumps by Tang Luo's soft-spoken words, and at the same time wondered about this white-haired man's identity.

Poor monk?

Is he a monk? Seems only the Buddhist beads on his wrist indicate his identity a little?

Where is there a monk this handsome, who also keeps white hair?

"Young brother, you mustn't speak recklessly." The boss said, not displeased.

Tang Luo smiled. "I'll go take a look with my disciple; we'll know soon enough."

After settling the bill, Tang Luo and Ao Yulie left, heading toward that 302.

Not only them — the restaurant's boss and boss's wife, and an old security guard from the compound, followed along. Tang Luo didn't mind them tagging along one bit.

This was to better complete the mission.

How to put it — everyone generally feels that finding all sorts of strange events isn't an easy task.

As a "strong contender" among gods and demons walking the mortal world, one naturally acts with more magnanimity.

For instance, shifting from "I look for missions" to "missions find me."

Thor the Thunder God is like this; Tang Luo is also like this.

If he spreads his reputation, creates a "Ghost-Expelling Grandmaster" persona, then when other places have situations, people will naturally come knocking.

Same principle as Tang Luo's Subdue Demons Exorcise Evil · Kai Guang Shrine.

So he doesn't mind an audience at all.

As for identity, that's fundamentally not a problem.

Truth is, right now if Tang Luo finds some VIPs, performs a consecration, displays a miracle in public, he's a guaranteed honored guest.

This is a method for powerful gods and demons walking the mortal world to quickly gain local forces' support. Usually applies to tech-route mission worlds without supernatural powers — at least not on the surface.

For mission worlds where power inherently resides in oneself, doing this isn't impossible, but one must be more cautious.

Of course, Tang Luo doesn't have a fixed plan or scheme to become a "Grandmaster" either; currently it's going with the flow, depending on circumstances.

"Right here." The boss led the way, arriving at 302. He originally meant to reach out and knock, but pulled his hand back.

Carefully recalling the past few days' situation, he felt a bit scared.

The first time was a phone call asking him to deliver takeout there; they even paid. He chatted a few sentences with the boss, said he was playing mahjong with a few friends and couldn't be bothered to go out.

Money was paid too.

The second time was also a phone call, but the situation was different — they just said one line: "Deliver as usual, money next time."

The boss froze for a good while before realizing who it was.

After knocking that time, the door didn't open; a voice came from inside: "Leave it outside."

The third delivery, the money was outside the door. The boss asked: "Leave it outside too?" No sound from inside, so the boss left the food outside and left.

The next several times were all the same.

"I'll do it." That old security guard volunteered, banging on the door hard. Unfortunately, no response from inside at all.

"Why not call the police?" The boss's wife said. Such thunderous knocking and still no response — something's off.

"Right, call the police, call the police." The boss took out his phone, walked aside, and started dialing.

Ao Yulie then stepped forward, extended a hand, and pushed; the inward-opening door was shoved open directly by him.

A wave of freezing cold air accompanied by the stench of corpses wafted out.

Making one want to vomit upon smelling it.