She had taken the conversation with the leader of the Anti-Evil Bureau seriously. Xu Chuyao had been recruited to work because her level was too high, but she hadn’t expected it to end like this.
Returning to Shengling Academy and lying on the large bed in the Bai residence, Xu Chuyao looked at the six-star medal in her hand and sighed.
Now, she was the highest-ranking official in the entire academy, even surpassing Headmaster Lu’s position in the Education Department. However, this was a hot potato.
‘I won’t be able to slack off now.’
After tossing and turning on the bed for a while, Xu Chuyao decided that instead of suffering alone, it would be better to call her dear companion back to suffer with her.
She went to the display room, gripped a Soulstone, and activated her Spirit Power. *Vroom.*
An unfamiliar silhouette appeared before her.
“Who are you?”
“I… don’t know.”
“Forget it, go back. I’ll send you on your way.”
*Crack!*
A bolt of lightning instantly struck the unknown Aberrant Variant, sending it back to the Strange Stone World. Looking at the fragments on the floor, Xu Chuyao pondered for a moment.
Shen Ning must have been on a business trip, accompanying a subordinate to some place in the world to search for relatives. Since she was already in the Mortal World, she couldn’t be summoned back from the Daystone World.
In that case, she would just have to keep waiting.
During the next half-day, Xu Chuyao tried once every hour. She finally managed to bring the girl back just before dark.
“Shen Ning, you’re back!”
Xu Chuyao immediately threw herself into the other’s warm, soft embrace and said sweetly, “I’ve been waiting for you for so long.”
Shen Ning was slightly stunned and glanced warily out the window. “The sky only just turned dark…”
“You’re annoying! I wasn’t waiting for you to come back and do the kind of things that can only be done after dark,” Xu Chuyao said, giving her a flirtatious glance. “I have serious business.”
By Shen Ning’s ear, her Sexual Suppression Projection raised a hand to its forehead. ‘Fine, when Chuyao acts this coy and virginal, it definitely means nothing good is happening.’
The Tyrannical Projection immediately retorted, ‘You’re being too suspicious.’
The Young Girl Projection lightly lifted the hem of its skirt. ‘Chuyao said she has serious business. Maybe she’s talking about writing the word “Proper” on her thighs.’
‘Don’t make things worse!’
The girl’s handsome face turned slightly red, and three hundred Counter Villain Value points instantly surged, which Xu Chuyao noted with a glance.
‘Strange, did my words really have that much power?’
“What are you thinking? When I say serious business, I mean it. Look at this.”
Xu Chuyao took out the medal and placed it on a nearby plaster bust.
Shen Ning stared at it for a long time, silently counting the stars in her head before realizing the issue. “You’ve been promoted again.”
“Yes, but it wasn’t for free. There’s work to do.” Xu Chuyao turned and went back into the bedroom. After a moment, her voice drifted out, “Come in! Why are you standing there? Wait until I bring the documents for you to see.”
‘What a child. Who discusses serious business in an art display room? Doesn’t she think the human models on the floor are creepy?’
“Fine, I’m coming.”
A few minutes later, Shen Ning sat on the edge of the bed, holding the roster while occasionally looking up at her partner.
“Why are you looking at me?” Xu Chuyao blinked her beautiful eyes. “Look at the document!”
She had taken this from Wen Shengqing. Did Shen Ning know how difficult it was? On the surface, it seemed like no effort was spent, but in reality… it really didn’t take much effort.
But did she know how much courage and insight it required?
“I’ve looked at it…” Shen Ning was a bit helpless. She had already finished reading it.
“Well? Then tell me,” Xu Chuyao crossed her arms. “How strong are these people? How many Fourth Stages? How many Four Defenses?”
“There are no Fifth Stages. They are all Fourth Stages. Among them, three are in the middle stage and four are in the initial stage.”
“You really did finish reading it.”
As long as she read it, that was fine. In short, the situation was what it was, and Shen Ning understood as well. They had received a direct mission from the very top: eliminate the people on this list.
Regarding this, Shen Ning had a doubt. “Are we working for him now? That Wen Shengqing?”
“Yes.”
“Then what is the situation exactly? Are we enemies with him or not?”
Shen Ning’s style over the past year had been straightforward. Encountering this kind of situation made her head spin.
Xu Chuyao chuckled softly. “You make it sound like we have a choice. We can’t beat him, so what initiative do we have? It’s just that he doesn’t consider us enemies right now.”
“I see.”
Shen Ning acknowledged it, but a few seconds later, as if someone had reminded her, she followed up with, “Will he treat us as enemies later?”
“Of course. Look at yourself now.” Xu Chuyao gave a light snort and reached out to tidy Shen Ning’s collar. “In a few years, you’ll be at the Fifth Stage. How could he not be worried?”
Having read the original work, Xu Chuyao knew very well that the main reason Wen Shengqing could tolerate her group was because they were too young. No matter how talented they were, they were at a stage where it would take at least another ten years to reach his level.
A few decades later, Wen Shengqing would have had his fill of power and would likely be preparing to retreat to the second line, so it wouldn’t matter as much.
“That’s what he thinks, but he definitely didn’t expect that you won’t even need ten years to upgrade and become the third Fifth Stage Spirit Power User in the world,” Xu Chuyao said excitedly. “I even think it could happen within the next few years!”
“Really?”
Shen Ning quietly avoided her partner’s burning gaze and glanced at the System Panel. Due to the housework missions she occasionally completed and the new traits she had realized on her own, she was only a step away from the late Fourth Stage.
Did she really need a few years?
“Since that’s the case, do we still need to do this?”
“Yes, of course. Either way, we’re killing. Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill.” Xu Chuyao climbed up from the bed. “Right, I’m going to find the Head Teacher. She will definitely be interested in this.”
Xu Chuyao’s guess was perfect. When Yu Jing returned from the teaching building to her office and saw her student who had been waiting for a long time, she was stunned after hearing the intent.
“You mean… we can start the killing?”
“That’s right. And it’s perfectly legitimate. An order given personally by the one at the top,” Xu Chuyao said, waving the documents in her hand. “He can’t stand those people anymore and decided to bury his own dark history. He gave the task to me.”
“When do we set out?”
Yu Jing walked straight out from behind her desk, her eyes blazing with fire. The temperature in the office rose several degrees, and the air conditioner let out an overburdened groan.
“Calm down, Head Teacher. It’s summer. If the air conditioner breaks, we’ll have to wait in line for someone to fix it.”
As for when they would leave, Xu Chuyao didn’t want Wen Shengqing to think she was slacking off, but she had to make full preparations first.
She and the Head Teacher went upstairs to the Special Team Meeting Room. She used her phone to message Shen Song, Xiao Si Nuo, and the others to gather them. Combined with Cheng, who volunteered to help, they had just enough people.
“Teacher Cheng, you lead the Special Intelligence Team,” Xu Chuyao arranged the assignments. “Work with Xiao Si Nuo and Flower to gather intelligence.”
When it came to assassinating Fourth Stage Spirit Power Users, those who hadn’t reached the Fourth Stage had very limited use.
Cheng was a bit conflicted. He had led Xiao Si Nuo a few times before, but he hadn’t expected them to truly be lumped together now.
“It’s a good thing, Teacher Cheng. Now you can be the man behind the Head Teacher,” Xiao Si Nuo comforted him. “Logistics is still support.”
Cheng laughed, thinking it sounded reasonable, but he soon realized the hidden meaning and swiped a hand toward the boy’s head. “You brat, talking nonsense. You’re working with your girlfriend, so of course you think everything is great.”
Xu Chuyao cleared her throat. “Alright, stop messing around. Let’s discuss this. The first target is very important. Who should we choose?”
She divided the list into several parts and placed them on the desk for the others to see and discuss.
Shen Ning sat next to her partner, not moving an inch. she leaned forward to take a look, realized they were the same ones she saw before, and leaned back.
‘You guys discuss it. I’m just responsible for the killing.’
“Captain, is there a specific reason for the first choice?” Xiao Si Nuo asked.
He felt there was more to it.
Xu Chuyao nodded. “There is. If we choose a Four Defense initial-stage user for the first one, it will be very easy. But after the first target dies, it might alert the others and cause them to unite, making it harder to move later. So, if we choose a Fourth Stage middle-stage target, the payoff will be higher.”
Simply put, they were in the shadows for now while the enemies were in the light. They had the advantage of a surprise kill.
“Then let’s pick a middle-stage Fourth Stage,” Yu Jing said in a low voice. “Maximum benefit, and it will weaken the enemy’s strength.”
With revenge right before her eyes, she tried her best to suppress her emotions so she wouldn’t be overwhelmed by her impulses.
“Then we’ll choose this man named Zhuang.” Xu Chuyao pointed at the roster. “The three of us Fourth Stages are enough.”
Hearing this, Cheng asked in surprise, “Three Fourth Stages? Who else?”
Xu Chuyao folded her arms and leaned back against her chair, letting out two arrogant syllables:
“Me.”
***
Zhuang Shui-zhi, code name Zhuang Hu, formerly a sub-team captain of the Ghost Party’s second team, currently serving as the Deputy Department Head of the Management Department.
The Management Department was indeed a quiet place, essentially a site for exile, but that only applied to mid-to-low-level officials. For high-ranking officials, the actual situation of the department didn’t matter as much; as long as the rank was there, one had the benefits and room for promotion.
For Zhuang Hu, the role of Deputy Department Head was quite suitable. As a middle-stage Four Defense user, he was at least better than the initial-stage Wang Li, but he was clearly not satisfied and frequently made small, secretive moves.
This was information Xiao Si Nuo and the others had spent a few days gathering.
“Zhuang Hu has a hobby: lecturing. Normally, he has nothing to do in the department, so if he runs into anyone, he’ll lecture them for half a day, spewing a bunch of ‘chicken soup for the soul.’ Many people are resentful but don’t dare speak up. Additionally, he only goes to work three days a week. Usually, he is mysterious and no one knows what he does.”
Xiao Si Nuo reported while his hands moved efficiently, hanging a chart he had prepared on the board.
“This is his general schedule during his working hours.”
Shen Ning leaned in to look, then took it and gave it to Xu Chuyao.
[Work hours: Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Sundays might change to Saturdays, but the other two days are relatively fixed.
Arrives at the department building between 9:30 AM and 10:00 AM. 11:30 AM lunch at the department cafeteria. 3:00 PM goes to the café downstairs for a while. 4:00 PM returns upstairs. 5:00 PM leaves work.]
It was a very leisurely work schedule; he practically had ‘slacking off’ written on his face.
After scanning the schedule, Xu Chuyao pondered for a few minutes before making a decision. “We strike before 3:00 PM!”
The others looked over, but no one questioned her, because the Captain’s judgment didn’t need to be doubted. They were just a bit curious.
“Coffee is for mental stimulation, and I bet he doesn’t go there just for the coffee.”
With a few concise words, she left it at that, and the others understood immediately.
“True. Aside from other places, since that café is right below the department building, it definitely sells other things,” said Cheng, who often drank coffee. “Like wine or something of that sort.”
Regardless, they wouldn’t give him a chance to drink anything to sharpen his senses. Thus, the action was set for 11:00 AM, right before lunch.
At that point, Yu Jing thought of a problem. “We’re striking inside the department building? How do we handle the others?”
She wasn’t worried about collateral damage; she was afraid someone unaware would help Zhuang Hu. After all, he was the Deputy Department Head there.
Xu Chuyao took out her six-star medal and slammed it onto the desk.
“Their Department Head is only a five-star general. I’ll tell them to stay back and not interfere.”
As for the date of the operation, the day after tomorrow was Thursday.