The office sign read: Safe Deposit Box Services Department.

The manager was a portly, blond middle-aged man with a receding hairline. High-calorie food and a lack of exercise had severely distorted his figure.

"Open a safe deposit box?" The middle-aged manager quickly stood up and invited Zhang Yuanqing to sit on the sofa in the reception area.

A receptionist poured two glasses of warm water and then left.

Zhang Yuanqing took a sip of the warm water and glanced at the middle-aged man's chest, where a name tag read "Carl Parker." He smiled and said, "Manager Parker, I'm here to open a safe deposit box. The box number is..."

Parker nodded. "Please show me your identification."

Customers could inspect and use their safe deposit boxes at any time, but they were required to carry identification each time the box was opened and sign a record after opening it.

"You've already seen my identification," Zhang Yuanqing said, staring into Manager Parker's eyes.

The latter seemed to waver for a moment, then stood up enthusiastically and said, "Please come with me."

Zhang Yuanqing followed him out of the office and deeper into the bank, taking an elevator to the basement. They passed through a passage leading to the vault. Parker and a bank employee took out keys and opened a 30-centimeter-thick security door.

Finally, they opened an iron gate, arriving at the personal safe deposit box hall.

Here, the safe deposit boxes were like the walls of a temple filled with ash urns, row upon row.

Manager Parker led Zhang Yuanqing to section 00 and stopped in front of box 42. "Please help yourself," he said before leaving.

Zhang Yuanqing entered the password, then faced the pinhole camera next to the keypad. After a few seconds, he heard the "iris recognition successful" prompt.

Box number 42 unlocked.

He immediately opened the box. Inside lay a square wooden box.

"Click!"

Zhang Yuanqing opened the wooden box and saw a fan-shaped bronze piece. Its complete form should have been a bronze disc, divided into four pieces.

The surface of the fan-shaped bronze piece was engraved with tadpole-like runes. Just looking at it, Zhang Yuanqing felt dizzy, his consciousness drawn into a deep vortex from which he couldn't escape.

He quickly closed his eyes, stopping his gaze, and grasped the bronze piece in his hand, trying to read its information.

A few seconds later, Zhang Yuanqing opened his eyes, stunned.

No item information...

"Strange, the Pope's relics must be items of The Way of the Extraordinary, so why is there no item information?"

The lack of item information was a headache because he couldn't define the item. Like the Demon Lord's treasure map fragments, the item information directly provided details such as "a total of six pieces" and "the Yuhua Immortal Gate Treasury."

The direction of the treasure hunt immediately became simple and clear.

"Anything that makes me dizzy can't be ordinary, but no item information... There's only one explanation: this thing isn't an item of The Way of the Extraordinary; it's something passed down from ancient cultivators."

Zhang Yuanqing suddenly remembered a rumor: the Vatican possessed a complete lineage of ancient cultivators. In the Dark Ages, the Vatican's knights charged on the front lines against werewolves, witches, and vampires.

So it was reasonable for the Vatican to possess items passed down from ancient cultivators.

"I just don't know if the Pope's relic is this bronze disc itself, or if the disc is just a key. Gathering them all might yield the real Pope's relic."

This fan-shaped bronze piece was clearly incomplete.

Zhang Yuanqing took out the fan-shaped bronze piece, put the wooden box back into the safe deposit box, and turned to leave the hall.

Leaving the bank building, Zhang Yuanqing changed his appearance several times, altered his clothing, and disguised himself as a handsome blond man. He didn't return to the red brick building but instead took a taxi to Kings County, a district with a more chaotic atmosphere and a large immigrant population.

On the way, he thought to himself:

"Now it depends on the reactions of the Heavenly Punishment and the Hunter Association. If the Hunter Association is looking for me, then the organization planning the serial murder case is the Covenant of Freedom, and I can take the opportunity to infiltrate the enemy's ranks."

"Conversely, if it's the Heavenly Punishment, I can ignore it and focus on dealing with the Pope's relic."

An hour later, Zhang Yuanqing arrived in Kings County. The urban development here was noticeably inferior to Manhattan. The streets and residences had a sense of age, and the buildings weren't tall enough.

Zhang Yuanqing had a reason for coming to Kings County: he was preparing for the possibility that the mastermind was the Covenant of Freedom.

If the Covenant of Freedom was behind the serial murder case, then after he submitted the "Zong Cheng Mission" application, the Hunter Association would definitely pay attention to him and look for him.

In an international metropolis like New Covenant City, the best way to find someone was to use high-tech means of location, such as through hunter positioning.

Returning to the red brick building at this time would be like revealing his location. Although he could avoid tracking and positioning by turning off his phone, he wouldn't be able to contact the Hunter Association.

"If the Covenant of Freedom values the Pope's relic, then they will definitely contact me today. Well, they need some time to find out that 'Jia Feizhang' took the items from the bank safe deposit box. I'll wait a little longer..."

He wandered aimlessly through Kings County.

Kings County was the most populous district in New Covenant City's five boroughs. Its lawlessness was comparable to that of the Bronx, which was filled with African Americans.

Lawless places had one thing in common: they were gathering places for vagrants and prostitutes.

Zhang Yuanqing had only been wandering for a moment when he saw a blond woman in a tight-fitting dress, carrying a bag, and dressed seductively approach him.

"Sir, although it's still a long time until dark, I can't wait to indulge with you," the blond woman said, showing off her figure.

"For just two hundred dollars, you can have me. For another two hundred federal coins, you can have me tonight too."

Two hundred federal coins? In New Covenant City, where prices were high, that was cheap and affordable. She wasn't bad-looking. Many men must have had you. Sorry, I don't have the habit of squeezing onto the subway... Zhang Yuanqing politely refused.

"Lady, the price I can accept is federal coins, um, for the whole night."

The blond woman sized him up and smiled charmingly. "For the sake of your handsome face, one hundred federal coins will do."

Sorry, I don't have the habit of squeezing onto cheap subways... Zhang Yuanqing walked away.

Two hours later, he ate African American fried chicken on the street in Kings County and watched street dancing, young people playing skateboarding and basketball.

He felt that the law and order here wasn't as bad as the rumors said. Of course, it might be because it wasn't dark yet.

"Kings County and the Bronx are havens for evil practitioners. Should I sense emotions to find evil practitioners? Hmm, indiscriminately sensing everyone's emotions would be too much of a burden for me. There's no need to torture myself..."

Thinking this, Zhang Yuanqing took out a spare phone, turned it on, and opened the Hunter app. Before he could check the background, he saw two unread emails in his inbox.

One was a notification that the mission had been completed, and the other was from the Hunter official.

"Dear Hunter 'Tongtian Jiaozhu,' your outstanding performance has attracted our attention. For excellent hunters, we have professional training programs, as well as favorable treatment in terms of commission and bonuses. Please report to the New Covenant City Hunter Association branch before 6:00 PM today."

Tsk, sure enough, the Covenant of Freedom planned the serial murder case... Zhang Yuanqing narrowed his eyes after reading the information and immediately made a judgment.

"This information is clearly intended to lure me to the Association branch. They must have chosen this inferior strategy after failing to locate me. According to the President's deduction, the Hunter Association should tolerate me, but if I refuse to hand over the Pope's relic, it's hard to guarantee that the Hunter Association won't kill me for the treasure. I have to be prepared."

"Yin corpses are the best cannon fodder, but no matter how well the Yin corpse's aura is disguised, it can't hide from the eyes of a high-level Extraordinary. To be safe, let the Eight Mirrors' clone go."

Just as Zhang Yuanqing made up his mind, the phone he normally used rang.

The caller was Cao Qianxiu.

She? Why would she be looking for me... Zhang Yuanqing answered the phone and said calmly, "Strange, this is the first time you've called me during class."

Cao Qianxiu on the other end of the phone went straight to the point: "The organization's high-level wants to see you. There's something very urgent and important."

"What is it?" Zhang Yuanqing was stunned. He thought that even if it was urgent, it wouldn't be his turn. In terms of level, he was only a Saint. The Anti-Black and White Alliance didn't lack high-end combat power.

In terms of relationship, he was just a swordsman who had just joined the organization. At the end of the day, he was still an outsider.

"I'm not sure, but it should be related to last night's events. I've already taken leave and am at home. Come back, and I'll take you to see the Alliance Leader and the Elders," Cao Qianxiu said.

As soon as Zhang Yuanqing heard that it was related to last night's events, he retracted his intention to refuse and said, "Okay, I'll be waiting for you at home."

He immediately took out the Eight Mirrors, created a clone in a secluded place, and parted ways with the clone, each acting on their own.

………

One o'clock in the afternoon.

In the wealthy townhouse district of Chinatown, Cao Qianxiu led Zhang Yuanqing to a villa and rang the doorbell with a video intercom at the gate.

"Alliance Leader, I'm Judge Cao from Group Six. The person beside me is the Carefree Swordsman from the Second District, and also a new member of Group Six," Cao Qianxiu said in a serious manner.

After speaking, the iron gate clicked open.

Cao Qianxiu looked back at Zhang Yuanqing and said, "Let's go in."

The two passed through the garden and were led by a maid to a Western-style living room. Zhang Yuanqing looked at the two people sitting on the sofa.

One was a middle-aged man with thick eyebrows and big eyes, and a domineering aura. The other was a refined middle-aged man with a scholarly air.

The one with thick eyebrows and big eyes should be the Alliance Leader, and the other one is Elder Tao? Zhang Yuanqing silently analyzed the identities of the two. On the way, he heard Cao Qianxiu say that the Anti-Black and White Alliance had one Alliance Leader and two Elders.

The Alliance Leader was a Thunder Mage, and the other two Elders were a Wind Mage and a Siren.

The temperaments of the three major professions were easy to distinguish.

"Judge Cao, go to the side hall for some tea," Deng Jingguo said without waiting for the two to speak.

Cao Qianxiu obediently went to the side hall.

Deng Jingguo sized up Zhang Yuanqing as he gestured for him to sit down. He opened his mouth in a deep voice: "What level swordsman are you?"

"Level five peak!" Zhang Yuanqing replied.

Deng Jingguo and Tao Siming exchanged glances. This answer surprised and delighted them a bit.

Tao Siming smiled: "We want to ask you for a favor."

Help? I definitely won't take on missions that involve death... Zhang Yuanqing asked: "Please tell me."

Tao Siming said seriously: "You are a scout, best at tracking and investigating cases. We want to ask you to find a person, a bounty hunter whose The Way of the Extraordinary ID is Tongtian Jiaozhu."

Hunter Association Branch.

"Anyway, I'm just a clone. It doesn't matter if I die. I'll just try it out for the main body."

"If the people from the Covenant of Freedom directly kill me, then the President's plan won't work, and I'll have to change my identity and infiltrate the enemy..."

In the Hunter Association's conference room, Zhang Yuanqing held a teacup in both hands, lost in thought.

Soon, he heard footsteps.

Then the door of the conference room opened, and a woman wearing a workplace uniform walked in.

She had a rare head of gray short hair, was about thirty years old, had a full chest, a slender waist, and round hips. Her two alluring long legs exuded the sweet fragrance of a ripe peach.

Her facial features were exquisitely carved, beautiful and flawless, and her light gray eyes were hazy and charming, hiding amorous feelings.

Zhang Yuanqing only glanced at her and felt his head swell, his mouth dry, and the desire in his heart surging like a raging fire. He couldn't wait to pin this woman down and whip her to his heart's content, letting her experience the elite night wanderer's three-A attack speed per second.

Zhang Yuanqing immediately restrained his emotions, trying to calm his lust and drive out the evil fire, but as a level six peak Illusionist, he was somewhat out of control at this moment.

This is a Ruler!

He had considered the possibility of the Covenant of Freedom killing people to seize treasures, and even prepared to sacrifice the identity of Tongtian Jiaozhu and open another account.

But he never thought that the other party would be so despicable and shameless, sending a Ruler-level Lust profession.

Yes, having a Lust profession act was the most stable and effective choice. It could both control the target and avoid large-scale fighting!

Today, he might end up losing both the person and the goods. His mind was full of playing Mario! Starting with a beauty trap, the Covenant of Freedom was a little lacking in martial ethics, Zhang Yuanqing thought, gritting his teeth inwardly.