Chapter 95 - 94: Proficient in Business, Dog Demon

Considering a direct approach of revealing the woman as a human-shaped demon as the breakthrough point for contact, Li Jing envisioned many scenarios.

He wasn’t worried that the woman would raise an alarm.

She couldn’t afford to be exposed.

At this moment, there were tens of thousands of Disaster Management Bureau personnel in a camp within a radius of twenty kilometers.

Even the one with the lowest cultivation level was at the Three Realm status.

She would have to be out of her mind to raise an alarm.

There would be no resistance or anything else either.

However, the woman’s upfront attitude really discomposed Li Jing.

What do you want?

Money?

Or a person?

This straightforward attitude surprised Li Jing.

The most annoying thing was...

This woman was overly skilled!

Apparently, it didn’t seem like it was her first time being discovered as a human-shaped demon, she was very "professional."

Looking at the woman’s pale face, attempting to maintain her calm, Li Jing’s lips twitched.

A moment ago, he had been wondering how she managed to thrive in the Disaster Management Bureau.

With the current situation, he somewhat understood.

Pressing down his expression, Li Jing whispered.

"It’s not convenient to talk here let’s find a place with fewer people."

The woman showed no signs of resistance and nodded her agreement.

"Let’s go to my tent."

With that, she gave Li Jing a look and turned to lead the way.

...

A short while later.

The two crossed the station and arrived at the rest camp area, finding the tent where the woman had previously entered.

Near the tent, the woman stopped and took out a tablet pretending to check it, whispering in a low voice.

"You go first, and I’ll follow. It’s not good if others see us entering together."

Hearing this, Li Jing shot her a look but thought that she probably wouldn’t play tricks, so he went ahead into the tent.

Just as Li Jing had previously guessed.

The woman had a high position in the bureau.

One could even say that her position was higher than he had imagined.

A large rest camp tent with only one bedspread and a set of tables and chairs.

There wasn’t much inside the tent, just a few personal belongings.

It was evident.

This tent belonged to her alone.

Considering the sheer number of personnel at the Secret Realm’s entrance station, it’s very crowded.

For her to have a tent to herself she would need a lot of power and status, otherwise, she wouldn’t be treated so favorably.

About two or three minutes later, she entered from outside.

On seeing Li Jing, a shadow of unease passed the woman’s face, but it was quickly hidden. She got a talisman and stuck it on the curtain of the tent.

On seeing the talisman, Li Jing looked confused.

A first-order Isolation Talisman.

It could temporarily form an invisible barrier to isolate aura and sound.

The woman was "professional," and it wasn’t her first time.

He had noticed it.

But actually being so generous as to be willing to spend money, it was really a bit much.

The materials needed for making talismans were not only knowledge of the talisman method but also special materials that could carry the power of talismans, these materials were often expensive spiritual objects.

Therefore, as disposable items, the prices of finished talismans tend to be high.

Although the Isolation Talisman only isolates aura and sound and its practical value is not high, its price is at least around a couple hundred thousand.

First-order talismans were entry-level products of the talisman method.

Those who understood advanced talisman methods rarely made them.

Only those who had just entered the study of talisman might attempt to make them.

Ignoring its low production efficiency, there was a high probability of failure which would waste both materials and thoughts, this indirectly resulted in a high price for first-order talismans.

Leaving all these aside.

The woman put up the Isolation Talisman, took a deep breath, turned around, and without a word, began to unbutton her clothes.

Seeing this, Li Jing pulled a face.

"Stop! Don’t take off your clothes!"

"..."

The woman paused, reddening slightly.

"You...prefer it while the clothes are still on?"

"..."

Speechless, Li Jing monotoned,

"Do I look like someone with a special fetish?"

With that, he took a seat on the chair near the table.

"I’ve said before, I mean you no harm. I’m not here to hold you hostage. I just want to understand your situation. If possible, I hope you can assist me."

Upon hearing Li Jing’s words, the woman’s expression was slightly strange.

She had been struggling in the Disaster Management Bureau, things didn’t always go smoothly.

The fact that she was a human-shaped demon had indeed been discovered more than once.

But she was just lucky, every time she was able to settle it with her own means.

Human society had low tolerance towards demons, chiefly presented among those of lower realms.

The fear was the root cause of humans resisting demons.

All starting members of the Disaster Management Bureau belonged to the Three-realms and did not have the fear of ordinary people towards human-shaped demons.

In other words, those with great skill were brave.

Unless they ran into stubborn people who held extreme prejudices against demons and wanted to fight or kill them upon seeing them, they could normally hold conversations without conflict.

Like Li Jing who didn’t want money, nor a person or even to take her hostage. It was the first time the woman had met someone like him.

Looking at Li Jing who sat there, the woman gathered her wits then said,

"I don’t know how you found out about my identity or why you sought me out, but I need to make one thing clear. I have principles. Even if you coerce me, I won’t harm others."

"Don’t worry, I’m not asking you to harm anyone."

Li Jing responded, looking her over.

"I understand that what you’ve achieved so far has not been easy. I won’t force you to do anything, I just hope you can cooperate."

Having said that, Li Jing pointed to the camp bed.

"Sit down and let’s talk."

After putting their cards on the table and elaborating their intentions, the woman had regained her calm to a significant degree and sat on the camp bed as instructed.

Once she settled down, Li Jing said casually,

"You hold a high position in the bureau, I won’t beat around the bush with you. The things I’m about to tell you, it’s better if you know it alone, do not proclaim it. If I hear some rumors, I’ll take it as you have problems."

Hearing this, the woman frowned slightly.

Li Jing finding her, clearly stating that he needed her assistance, certainly meant he was intending to do something clandestine.

She could guess this.

Because of this, she had emphasized that she had principles.

But Li Jing’s words now made her feel puzzled.

Assume she has a problem?

What’s the issue?

Before she could figure it out, Li Jing spoke up.

"I am not part of the Management Bureau, but the Inspection Department."

!!!

The woman looked up in shock, her entire body covered in cold sweat, barely holding herself from jumping up.

How sensitive is the term "inspection" to monsters?

Compared to it, even the Disaster Management Bureau, which is a higher level, is nothing.

After all, their duties are different.

She looked at Li Jing in doubt, confirming he had no intention to harm her, her face gradually serious.

"You’re from the Inspection Department, but you’re wearing our Management Bureau uniform in the Secret Realm. Does that mean there’s indeed a traitor in our station?"

Li Jing raised his eyebrows in surprise when he heard this.

He naturally couldn’t keep silent if he wanted to seek cooperation.

Having revealed his identity, he was pondering whether to tell everything or hide some of it.

Unexpectedly, the woman had proactively mentioned that there was a traitor in the station after learning that he was from the Inspection Department.

Given that the woman had presented it as a question to confirm with him, Li Jing realized that although the high-ranking officials of the station Management Bureau in the Secret Realm were isolated and uninformed about some things, they had already had some thoughts related to it.

Thinking of this, Li Jing silently nodded.

The woman, seeing this, let out a sigh of relief, and said.

"Even though there was no instruction or news from outside, just asking us to stay in the Secret Realm and set up defenses, those of us in the Secret Realm are also not idle. Considering the strange loss of so many personnel, with casualties still appearing even with precautions, the high-ranking officials of the Station Management Bureau have many speculations. The Parasite Insect appears and disappears mysteriously, clearly showing signs of being controlled by someone. It has been speculated that there is an Alien Species in the Secret Realm that breeds and controls the Parasite Insect and that there may be traitors within the Station who are colluding with the enemy."

Having said this, she smiled.

"Our meeting can be said to be due to extraordinary circumstances. Given the sensitive nature of the situation that might impact morale, the high-ranking officials of the Station Management Bureau have secretly set up an investigation team. The number of participants in the investigation is few, and I happen to be one of them."

Li Jing listened to the woman’s words, his face indescribably strange.

So, the high-ranking officials of the Station Management Bureau have already started their own investigation.

Considering she was noticed by him because of her Health Bar, she was actually one of the investigators.

How much more coincidental could it be?

Just as he didn’t know what to say, the woman stood up and stretched out a hand.

"Senior Investigator of Xiang City’s Disaster Management Bureau and Leader of the Feiyan Special Operations Team, Su Qiong."

"Lu Yangcheng."

Li Jing extended his hand and lightly held hers, not paying attention to the two titles that Su Qiong had listed.

Considering Su Qiong’s high position, she certainly wouldn’t lack titles.

If she were to say that she’s a chief or head of a department, Li Jing might be surprised.

But being only a special operations team leader isn’t worth the surprise.

Upon learning Li Jing’s full name and shaking hands with him, Su Qiong’s face relaxed a bit.

"You came in to conduct a secret investigation, meaning the outside has already picked up on some clues and cooperated with the Inspection Department. There must be more than one inspector that came into the Secret Realm. If you need anything, just say it. Within the scope of my personal authority, I will assist you as much as possible. Also, I have some information to provide you."

Su Qiong’s straightforward attitude made Li Jing quite fond of her.

Isn’t this exactly what he needed: someone who could provide assistance?

Now, hearing Su Qiong say that she had information to provide him, Li Jing asked with interest.

"From what you’re saying, your investigation team has already found some clues?"

"To be precise, I personally have found some clues."

Su Qiong responded.

"I won’t hide this from you, I’m a Dog Demon, very good at detecting traces and scents that others can’t find. After the station’s higher-ups established the investigation team, I walked around the entire camp and picked up a faintly disgusting scent in the Research Institute staff’s tent area. This scent is hard to notice, and if it wasn’t for my keen sense of smell and deliberate searching, I might have missed it."

With that, she paused, and continued.

"Through tracking, I found that this disgusting scent came from Academician Liu Yushan. Liu Yushan holds a high position in the Research Institute. All the Research Institute staffers in the Secret Realm are led by him, so I didn’t dare to investigate rashly. After all, it’s not something I can easily explain to anyone."

After hearing her words, Li Jing frowned slightly.

There were quite a few people from the Research Institute coming in and out of the Secret Realm.

But in total, there were only dozens of them.

Academician Liu, he had just met one.

Could it be the one he talked to Chen Jing last night?

After brief contemplation, Li Jing looked up.

"Currently, all staff of the Research Institute should be under the strict protection of the Management Bureau. Can you arrange for me to get close to Liu Yushan?"

"That won’t work."

Su Qiong shook her head as she explained.

"The task of protecting the staff of the Research Institute is handled by the local Management Bureau of Jianghai, and I can’t intervene. However, I can take you to Liu Yushan using the excuse of borrowing survey equipment. Whether or not you can get close to him depends on your own capabilities."

"Alright, take me there first to see the situation."

Li Jing nodded.

The fact that Su Qiong could detect the subtle scent of blood suggested that there might be some strange things around Liu Yushan that he wanted to find when he entered Secret Realm.

He would go to take a look.

If he could see the Health Bar, then he was safe.

If he couldn’t see it, he would try to think of a way to get close to Liu Yushan.

...

Ten minutes later.

Under Su Qiong’s guidance, Li Jing arrived at the barrack area of the Research Institute.

The safety of the staff of the Research Institute was a top priority.

There were two Management Bureau staff guarding each tent.

They walked through the camp.

Finally, Su Qiong stopped in front of a tent that was much larger and more noticeable than the others.

She gave Li Jing, who had stopped beside her, a secret signal, took out her credentials, and turned to the two Management Bureau staff guarding the entrance of the tent.

"I am Su Qiong, the team leader of the Feiyan Special Operations Group from the Xiang City Management Bureau. I temporarily need to borrow the Geological Detector from Academician Liu for a mission. Could you two please inform him?"

The two people in front of the tent were from the Jianghai City Disaster Management Bureau, and they didn’t know Su Qiong.

When they saw her credentials, the two of them exchanged glances, and one of them went into the tent.

Seizing the opportunity when the person lifted the tent curtain, Li Jing took a peek inside.

At that glance, his face instantly changed.

There were many staff members of the Research Institute bustling around the tent.

Among them, he saw Academician Liu that he had met.

Moreover, he saw an extremely long Health Bar above Liu Yushan’s head, with the value as high as 5961!

Sensing that Li Jing’s expression had changed, Su Qiong asked, frowning.

"What’s wrong?"

"Nothing."

Li Jing replied and glanced at Su Qiong while keeping his expression under control.

The Academician Liu with a Health Bar above his head was no doubt Liu Yushan.

There was nothing strange around him.

What was strange was him himself!

A parasite, hardly likely.

Just because Liu Yushan held a high position didn’t mean he could avoid body inspections.

Also, he couldn’t possibly be a human-shaped demon.

Monsters could detect each other when they met.

Since Su Qiong had sensed an abnormal stench and found Liu Yushan suspicious, she kept a close eye on him.

If he was a human-shaped demon, she would have noticed it by now.

While Li Jing was pondering, Liu Yushan, with the Health Bar above his head, came out with the member of the Management Bureau who went in to report.

Seeing Li Jing and Su Qiong after leaving the tent, Liu Yushan looked at them, puzzled.

"The exploration action should have been terminated by now. What does your Feiyan Special Operations Group need a Geological Detector for?"