Chapter Thirty-Seven: Disappearance

"You bunch of idiots, wasting your days away, gathering only to curse or brawl. Spineless fools, only brave against your own kind."

"Cowards."

The speaker was Xia Liuqing, a figure of considerable seniority within the All-Nature faction. At his words, silence fell over many present.

Bian Min, known as Fat Bian, snorted coldly but dared not continue his bravado, slinking away with his tail between his legs.

Bian Min wasn't truly afraid of Xia Liuqing, nor did he hold much respect for him. He was just a troublemaker, but he gave Xia Liuqing face simply to avoid making enemies. All-Nature valued spontaneity, not stupidity—plus, the old man Xia Liuqing was formidable in battle; there was no need to provoke him.

With Xia Liuqing's intervention, Xia He refrained from saying more, returning to his seat.

After Xia Liuqing stepped in, the fight was naturally avoided. The crowd, drawn by the commotion, began to disperse. Lingering served no purpose.

Xia He fiddled with his phone, bored to death.

Suddenly, a voice rang out.

"Old Xia, what does that brat want, calling us from every corner of the country?"

The speaker was an elder of All-Nature. The "brat" he referred to was none other than the current acting leader of All-Nature, Gong Qing.

Xia Liuqing stroked his beard and replied indifferently, "You'll know when it's time."

His words only fueled the others' curiosity. More gazes turned his way.

Even Lü Liang and Shen Chong looked over, though Xia He seemed utterly uninterested.

This time, the summons issued by Gong Qing had caused quite a stir—even Xia Liuqing, an old master, appeared in person. Who could believe it wasn't something big?

Everyone wondered.

All-Nature hadn't moved on such a scale in ten years—the last was the campaign against Zhang Xilin.

As the crowd murmured, the gathering hall's doors were suddenly pushed open from outside. A short figure, cloaked in a black robe, entered before all eyes.

He walked through the crowded aisle without pause, heading straight for the high platform at the back. As he went, he glanced around, his voice playful:

"Wow, quite a turnout."

Upon reaching the platform, he slowly removed his hood, revealing his face.

"He's just a kid."

"And wearing a Daoist robe, no less."

Though Gong Qing was the acting leader of All-Nature, many saw him for the first time and couldn't help but exclaim.

But Gong Qing paid no mind.

He brushed dust from his robe and spoke,

"It's not easy for me to show up, so I'll get right to the point. The target of our operation this time is Dragon Tiger Mountain—the Celestial Master's Residence."

...

...

Old Liao, that unreliable fool, had vanished without a trace, with no news at all.

Ye Yan still hadn't seen Chen Duo. After her bath, she locked herself in her room, ignoring Ye Yan's attempts to reach her.

Ye Yan was at a loss, so he found a spot to sleep, drifting off in a restless slumber.

The next morning, before dawn, he was woken by a ringing phone.

It wasn't his mobile.

It was the landline in the living room.

Groggy, Ye Yan stumbled over and answered it.

He was instantly alert.

"Old Liao is missing."

No elaborate explanation, just a single phrase.

"What happened?" Ye Yan was instantly anxious.

But the person on the other end was even more urgent. "You're not Chen Duo—who are you?"

Ye Yan suddenly remembered he was at Chen Duo's home, using the landline dedicated to temporary workers by the company.

He hurriedly introduced himself, "My name is Ye Yan, I'm a friend of Chen Duo and Old Liao."

"Ye Yan?" The caller paused briefly, then his tone shifted.

"The Ye Yan?"

"The Night Watchman."

"Understood!"

...

Silence on the other end.

Ye Yan grew more anxious.

"Please, tell me—what happened to Old Liao? How could he just disappear?"

"I'm sorry, that's confidential business. We can't share it with outsiders. If Chen Duo is nearby, please have her come to the phone."

The words were polite, but Ye Yan felt uneasy.

Still, he understood—Old Liao and Chen Duo both had unusual backgrounds, and the caller's identity was clearly exceptional as well.

But his concern for Liao Zhong was greater.

Given the circumstances, Ye Yan took a deep breath and spoke again:

"Sorry, I was too hasty."

"Let me introduce myself properly. I'm also an employee of the company—North China division, direct superior is Xu Si. If what you want to say concerns company business, I believe I have clearance to hear it."

Though he hadn't yet signed a contract, he and Xu Si had reached a tacit understanding.

"North China division..." The caller was silent for a moment. "How can I trust you're telling the truth?"

"If you don't believe me, you can verify my identity with Xu Si..."

"Wait a moment."

The silence returned, but Ye Yan's keen hearing caught faint whispers and the sound of papers being shuffled.

He waited anxiously, watching the clock on his phone.

After a while,

The caller spoke, "Your identity has been confirmed. You are indeed with the North China division."

Ye Yan breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly asked, "About Uncle Liao..."

But before he could finish, the caller interrupted sharply,

"This is too serious to discuss over the phone. You're at Chen Duo's residence, correct?"

"Yes," Ye Yan replied instinctively.

"Good. We'll talk in person in thirty minutes."

Before Ye Yan could respond, the line went dead.

He put down the receiver, unsettled, and looked up to see Chen Duo had appeared behind him without warning.

No sign or sound.

"Duo Duo, you—" Ye Yan began, but was interrupted again. "Teacher, what's happened to Uncle Liao?"

Frustrated, Ye Yan scratched his head, realizing Chen Duo must have overheard some of the conversation. He explained everything to her.

A flicker of anxiety appeared in Chen Duo's eyes—a feeling Ye Yan had never seen from her before.

"Duo Duo, don't panic. Whatever happens, we must stay calm. Once we understand the situation, we can decide what to do."