The Xiahou Father and Son

"Got it!"

Zhang Yuanqing responded obediently, but in his heart, he couldn't help thinking of the phrase "unworthy to be a father," and of Master Wuhen, who had taken him in for cultivation in a desperate attempt at self-redemption.

The wicked sought redemption, yet the so-called law-abiding could start a battle for personal vendetta, dragging innocent civilians into the crossfire.

Sigh… There was no such thing as pure good or evil. Human nature was inherently complex… Zhang Yuanqing now understood even more deeply what Li Dongze had said before: "Lawful does not mean kind."

As for how the division leaders were handling this matter—though the Palace Master had acted in self-defense rather than initiating the conflict, it had still caused property damage and cost lives. Arresting her was the right move.

What punishment awaited her was another matter, one he had no opinion on. But when it came to how the Xiahou family was being dealt with—well, that was no surprise.

On one hand, the Xiahou family was a powerful and deeply rooted spiritual realm clan. The authorities couldn't possibly fall out with such a major player just over a few civilian casualties.

Sometimes, those in power only saw the big picture. They couldn't—or wouldn't—see the ants under their feet.

On the other hand, the Xiahou family had intricate ties with the official organization. The authorities, after all, were a tangled web of factions—there were good people, but inevitably also bad ones.

Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that everyone simply had their own interests. If one had to reduce the official organization to a single concept, it wouldn't be "justice" or "kindness," but "order."

These were truths Zhang Yuanqing had understood as a child, listening to his grandfather curse the corrupt former director of public security.

In the end, the Xiahou family, being deeply connected to parts of the official organization, was bound to receive preferential treatment.

Seeing him nod, Guan Ya gave a satisfied smile. Yuan Shi wasn't a naive hothead; he was shrewd and sophisticated for his age—a good sign. Such a person could survive and thrive within the system.

Just then, Li Dongze came out. "Guan Ya filled you in, didn't she?"

"Squad leader, I leave it in your hands," Zhang Yuanqing said at once.

Li Dongze chuckled. "Guan Ya and I will shield you. Selling out an informant is not something a gentleman would do. Besides, the Xiahou family's grudge with the Palace of Slaughter has nothing to do with us—don't get involved."

He tapped his cane, his tone turning serious. "Their motto is 'end war with war, end killing with killing.' They're extreme. If you sell them out today, they'll take revenge tomorrow. And the Xiahou family won't cover your ass."

"Understood," Zhang Yuanqing nodded.

Li Dongze glanced at Wang Tai, who was busy working. "Yuan Shi, come to my office. I'll update you on the Black Impermanence case."

Wang Tai wasn't part of the investigation team, so protocol forbade discussing sensitive info in front of him.

Now we're getting to the real business... Zhang Yuanqing quickly got up and followed Li Dongze.

Once inside the office, he closed the door. Li Dongze went to his desk and pulled a file from the drawer.

"Cola?"

He opened the minibar.

With my current net worth of 650,000, I should be drinking 1982 Lafite... Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "Light on the ice!"

Li Dongze shrugged, dropped a few cubes into a glass, poured in cola and whisky, then returned to the sofa.

"Remember the list you gave us last time?"

"Of course."

"We identified their real-world identities. So far, we've arrested one and killed two. One of the dead was a subordinate of the Gu King."

The Gu King—another vice president and rival to the Judgement-Eyed Arbiter.

That was fast. Only a few days, and three witch doctors from the Spiritual Energy Guild have already been dealt with. The Five Elements Alliance really isn't holding back. Zhang Yuanqing now understood just how difficult it was to track spiritual realm walkers among the masses.

If they had a disguise artifact like the Disguise Ring, they were practically untraceable.

For the authorities to kill three in such a short time—they were clearly going all out.

Li Dongze took a sip of the strong drink and said, "After a spirit interrogation, we uncovered some useful clues. Black Impermanence is still in Songhai—for some other reason."

Some other reason... Zhang Yuanqing nodded in realization.

"I always thought it strange. If I were him, being hunted by both the authorities and the Gu King, why wouldn't I relocate? Do we know why he's hiding in Songhai?"

Li Dongze shook his head. "Only Black Impermanence knows for sure. But we can deduce that it must be incredibly important—important enough to risk his life."

Zhang Yuanqing frowned. "Shouldn't he be inheriting the Judgement-Eyed Arbiter's legacy? Wait, what's his level?"

"Level 6, peak Saint."

Witch doctors were top-tier combatants. A level 6 witch doctor could even overpower level 7 lawful classes. Unless a council elder got involved, Black Impermanence would be nearly impossible to bring down.

Zhang Yuanqing sighed inwardly. Big Brother Bing, you're asking the impossible. I'm just a level 2 Night Wanderer—he could crush me with a finger.

Li Dongze then handed him the file. "Take a look."

Zhang Yuanqing flipped through it. It was a personal dossier. The man in the ID photo was around thirty, with a lean face, sharp brows and eyes, thin lips—he exuded a piercing intensity.

"Spiritual Realm ID: Rampant Tyrant… real name: Zhu Jingyao… Level 3 witch doctor… financial criminal, former securities firm employee, exploited his position for illicit gain…"

Zhang Yuanqing scanned the profile and said, "I remember this name—it was on the list I gave you."

Li Dongze nodded. "Two days ago, Captain Qingteng of the Hundred Flowers Association received a tip that he was spotted in Kangyang District, but he vanished shortly after. We're now responsible for tracking him."

Too bad we don't have his DNA. Otherwise, the Red Dancing Shoes could finish him off in no time… Zhang Yuanqing lamented.

Still, having a target was better than stumbling around blindly.

Knock knock!

There was a tap on the glass door. Guan Ya's voice followed:

"Squad Leader, the Xiahou family is here."

Li Dongze and Zhang Yuanqing exchanged a look. The latter put away the documents as the former said in a low voice:

"Let them in."

A few seconds later, Guan Ya entered with two men. One was a middle-aged man in formal wear, cropped hair, erect posture, and a sharp, energetic demeanor. Average looks, but his eyes were a bit small.

The other was a young man in his mid-twenties, wearing a white shirt with an unbuttoned collar and untucked hem, giving off a devil-may-care attitude.

He resembled the older man but was more handsome. With long, messy Korean-style hair and silver earrings, he was the kind of roguishly handsome guy who would draw all the attention in a nightclub.

"I'm Xiahou Xin. This is my son, Xiahou Tianyuan," the older man said with a smile.

"Welcome, welcome," Li Dongze's moustache twitched as he smiled. "Mr. Xiahou, please, have a seat."

He shook hands warmly with Xiahou Xin, invited them to sit, and asked Guan Ya to make tea.

Xiahou Xin waited until the tea was served, then said calmly, "I believe Squad Leader Li knows why I'm here. The Palace of Slaughter went too far—nearly killed my eldest son. This blood debt must be paid. We've tracked a Palace of Slaughter member, a doctor named Wang Tai at Pingtai Hospital. He fled when we moved in. Our records show he's your informant. We hope you'll help us draw him out. The Xiahou family will reward you handsomely."

So the Palace Master beat up Xiahou Xin's son? I heard from Xie Lingxi that he's the Xiahou family's heir. That means Xiahou Xin is high-ranking... Zhang Yuanqing gave the man a closer look.

At that moment, he noticed Xiahou Tianyuan shooting him a condescending glance.

"This..." Li Dongze forced a smile. "The Palace Master was indeed excessive. But after last night's battle, they're on high alert. It's not that I don't want to help—it's just beyond my power."

Xiahou Tianyuan shot another sidelong glance at Zhang Yuanqing and snapped, "It's simple. Just send Wang Qian a message saying someone inside the Five Elements Alliance doesn't like the Xiahou family and wants to help the Palace. Lure him out. If you won't do it, give me your phone."

Once they connected with Wang Qian, they had plenty of ways to bait him out. What they lacked was a trusted intermediary.

Li Dongze sighed. "Fine, I'll speak frankly. We don't want to get involved in your grudge with the Palace of Slaughter. Sorry—we can't help."

"What did you say?" Xiahou Tianyuan stared in disbelief.

In his eyes, the Kangyang District's second team was a minor unit. They should be eager to curry favor with a spiritual realm aristocratic family like his.

It wasn't arrogance—it was reality. There were countless small teams, but only a few clans like the Xiahous.

It was like a city management team refusing a favor from a red-backed conglomerate.

Guan Ya rolled her eyes. "Don't understand? Want me to translate it into a foreign language for you?"

"You…" Xiahou Tianyuan's face darkened. Since when did random female clerks dare talk to him like this?

Pretty girls had no privilege in his eyes.

Xiahou Xin gave Guan Ya a cold look, then stopped his son with a sharp glare and said sincerely, "This matter is very important to the Xiahou family. I hope you'll reconsider."

Though he addressed Li Dongze, his eyes were on Guan Ya.

Li Dongze looked troubled. Refusing once was his limit. Any more and he risked retribution. Now was the time for Guan Ya to step up.

"The Xiahou family's business has nothing to do with us," she said coldly. "Just because it's important to you, we have to help? If the Palace retaliates against my colleague, will your family protect him 24/7? Or are you just trying to pressure us into using our people as tools? One line about 'great rewards' and you expect us to take the risk? Nice try. You want us to lure out Wang Qian? Fine—ten artifacts in exchange."

"Are you insane?" Xiahou Tianyuan laughed in fury. "Who the hell do you think you are? Ten artifacts? You couldn't handle even one."

Guan Ya sneered. "Say another word, and I'll put a bullet through your head."

Xiahou Xin silenced his enraged son with a murderous glare. He gave Guan Ya a deep look and said:

"Sorry for disturbing you."

Xiahou Tianyuan stared at his father in shock.

But Xiahou Xin merely rose with a cold face and walked out.

His son gave Guan Ya a furious glare and followed.

Li Dongze let out a long sigh of relief and stretched, suddenly relaxed. "Well, that's that. These aristocratic families are really a pain..."

He quickly added, "In the system, you constantly have to deal with things like this. Compromise and keeping the peace—that's the ultimate rule of survival."

No need to explain to me, Squad Leader. The Xiahou family doesn't seem so domineering after all—or maybe... Guan Ya's background is just that deep? Zhang Yuanqing realized he might have underestimated the sultry captain.

Anyone who wasn't blind could see Xiahou Xin—this core member of a major clan—was clearly wary of her.

So this supposedly savvy Squad Leader is really hiding behind Guan Ya's skirt, huh?

But wait, he didn't recall any major "Guan" clan among the spiritual realm families. Oh, right—Guan Ya was just her spiritual ID, not her real name.

"Sigh, forget marrying into the Xie family. I suddenly feel like joining her family," Zhang Yuanqing said half-jokingly, half-testing.

The sultry captain ignored the bait, gave him a once-over, and clicked her tongue.

"You're not good enough. Too small."

Zhang Yuanqing refused to yield. "You've never seen it. How do you know I'm small?"

"Alright then, let's go to the restroom and find out."

"Let's go!"

"Let's go!"

Li Dongze leaned on his cane, shaking his head slightly. One's never had a boyfriend, the other's never had a girlfriend—yet their mouths are unstoppable.

Zhang Yuanqing had lunch at the office and hung around until 1 PM. Remembering he had a specialized course later, he slung on his backpack and left the Public Security Bureau. He rented a shared bike and started pedaling slowly toward the university.

Just after crossing a traffic light, a black sedan sped up beside him and forced him to the curb.

In the backseat of the car sat the Xiahou father and son.