Chapter 80 The Plan of the Owl

The Madam's expression froze for a moment.

She didn't speak, but lowered her eyes... This question was not so easy to answer.

"A few days later, there will be an internal nomination within the council. I've already arranged the trivial matters regarding the vacant seat in the Capital... All you need to do is give your speech and state your position in an orderly manner." Zhao Xilai said softly, "Prepare well after you return. You should understand what I mean."

"...Yes."

The Madam took a deep breath.

"Little Cui, take Gu Shen to see the 'New World' tomorrow." The old man left his final instruction, but as he turned his wheelchair to leave, he suddenly thought of something and whispered again, "Regarding the case of the Evergreen Foundation... Zhou Jiren, I hope you resolve it as soon as possible."

Shu Xian Sheng said calmly, "Don't worry... I won't leave the Capital until I catch that big fish."

Cui Zhongcheng pushed the wheelchair and slowly left.

Shu Xian Sheng held Gu Shen's shoulder, watching the two of them leave.

The Madam didn't leave, seemingly lost in thought, remaining at Jiang Xin.

Lu Nanzhi slowly closed her umbrella. At this moment, she no longer seemed like the aloof Madam feared by the Capital, but like a kind and approachable older sister, her tone gentle and sincere, "Tonight... I thank you on behalf of Song Yingji."

Gu Shen was stunned.

He remembered what Song Ci had said to him earlier.

If he was willing to help Crow tonight... then after tonight, he would earn the Madam's trust.

"Thank you," the Madam said again, "If you need my help in the future... please don't hesitate to ask."

It wasn't until Zhou Jiren patted Gu Shen's shoulder hard that Gu Shen belatedly realized what was happening. He quickly bowed slightly to show his respect and said earnestly, "Thank you for your promise. I will cherish it."

The Madam reopened her umbrella and left.

Only the master and disciple were left alone at Jiang Xin.

"I don't understand... about Chen Mei..."

Gu Shen looked at the vine-entwined human coffin and cut to the chase, "Was this your arrangement, or was someone else involved?"

He wanted to know the truth behind this matter.

Because he almost fell into Chen Mei's hands.

And having won tonight's gamble, Gu Shen wanted to know if it was because he was lucky, or if he had bet on the right chips.

"Just a few hours ago, Tang Qingquan proposed to the council that the cases be handled together... Since the request was made by the renowned Oceanic Grand Judge, and with Zhao Xilai's full support, the council immediately passed the proposal and established a special task force for the case, with me as the commander-in-chief." Zhou Jiren glanced at Gu Shen and said calmly, "Arresting 'Chen Mei' tonight is just the first step."

Gu Shen's expression was somewhat complicated.

Special task force... if he remembered correctly, Zhou Jiren had just applied to transfer himself to this special system, which usually wouldn't receive orders unless something happened.

After the Yandan Street Mist, a "special task force" was directly established to counter the Evergreen Foundation's conspiracy.

And obviously, Zhou Jiren was the commander-in-chief.

He... couldn't escape being a member.

"Congratulations, you've become a member... of the special task force." Shu Xian Sheng patted his beloved disciple's shoulder, "I've also selected several young people from the Third Division, all of them outstanding talents. If a similar incident to the Yandan Street Mist occurs again, you won't be fighting alone anymore."

What an old fox.

He had just been transferred to the special task force and encountered a rare joint mission.

Gu Shen now suspected that Zhou Jiren was also secretly planning a grand scheme.

"I know what you're thinking..."

Zhou Jiren saw the somewhat resentful look in his beloved disciple's eyes and said with a wry smile, "You must be cursing me as an old fox in your heart."

"Not at all..." Gu Shen would never admit it, but said with a forced smile, "Aren't you afraid of the 'Ruler of Truth' being exposed by transferring me to the special task force?"

"Do you have the ability to expose it?" Unexpectedly, Zhou Jiren asked in return.

This question stunned Gu Shen.

"Zhao Xilai is investigating the 'Ruler of Truth'... because he believes it to be an incredibly powerful supernatural sealing object. But what is it in your hands?" Zhou Jiren casually raised questions one after another, "Which of the transcendents who can pass the layers of review and selection, be valued by me, and finally join the special task force doesn't have some adventures, doesn't have a few trump cards to save their lives? Even if your 'Ruler of Truth' is used in a mission... will it really attract the attention of others?"

Gu Shen fell silent.

"I thought that you transferred me to the special task force... so that I could concentrate on my cultivation." He lowered his eyes and said softly, "And that the next period would be a peaceful life, so I could hone my Jingzhe Breathing Technique."

"If it weren't for that compass, it might have been like that."

Zhou Jiren said slowly, "But the current situation is right in front of you... Do you want to become the second 'Zhou Yu'? If you want to live a peaceful life, you have to accept dying silently."

Gu Shen's eyes trembled.

"The Deep Sea has issued an analysis report. It believes that the owner of the compass, that is, the mastermind behind the Evergreen Foundation, has been carrying out a plan all these years... not to destroy, but to feed, or rather, to hunt." Zhou Jiren said softly, "Zhou Yu back then was a quasi-'s' level transcendent. He was already a pillar of a major district, but he died just like that. The case file that was classified and sealed was only reopened today. If it was artificially created, then everything happened too perfectly. The person who created this accident must have been planning it for a long time."

"Feeding... hunting..."

"Yes. Seeking geniuses to eat, hunting those transcendents with top talents and powerful potential." Zhou Jiren said softly, "That guy's sense of smell is extremely keen, and he's unusually cautious, only acting in the 'dark night' when the Tribunal is unprepared... so I call him..."

"Owl."

Night owl, a predator in the dark night, silently hunting prey.

Yes, this was indeed in line with the characteristics of the compass's owner...

"Relax." Zhou Jiren patted Gu Shen's shoulder and took out a small, exquisitely packaged box from his pocket, "We are the owl hunters standing in the light, each bullet eliminating a monster."

"...What is this?"

Gu Shen took the box. It was unexpectedly light. When he opened the box, it was a snow-white bullet, pure and flawless.

"The review report said that your marksmanship is very good, perhaps due to the mental power assisting aiming... In that case, you should accept 'Bengxue' (Crashing Snow)." Shu Xian Sheng said softly, "As long as you shoot accurately, you can use this bullet to kill anyone in the Capital you want to kill."

After hearing these words, Gu Shen suddenly felt that the box was very heavy.

There was a hole at the end of the bullet, and there was also a red rope in the box. This seemed to be an ornament.

Indeed, Bengxue looked white and flawless, like a delicate jade pendant.

"This is a gift from an old friend a long time ago... But my marksmanship is very poor, and I'm not used to carrying a gun." Zhou Jiren said softly, "I've always carried this bullet with me, considering it a talisman, perhaps because of my thoughts, it has protected me for many years. Now I'm giving it to you."

"This is too precious..." Gu Shen shook his head, "I can't accept it."

Bengxue, according to Zhou Jiren.

This bullet, as long as it hits, can kill anyone in the Capital.

Obviously... that also included Zhou Jiren himself.

Gu Shen was too clear about the premise of "killing"... Qi Lu's purple-silver bullet had the possibility of deviating even when hitting him. In the fight between transcendents, it was really too difficult to hit a fatal bullet.

But aside from these, this was, after all, a bullet that could kill a titled expert!

"Accept it."

Zhou Jiren said softly, "The fire case back then tricked you into the Tribunal, made me your teacher, but I haven't even started teaching you, and then I threw you into the Capital... I always feel guilty. Giving you this bullet is to tell you that what I said to them tonight, I was serious about it."

"You are my closed-door disciple."

There was a glimmer of light in Shu Xian Sheng's eyes. He was rarely gentle, patted Gu Shen's shoulder, and looked at the Jiang scenery, "I'm serious."

...

...

After Shu Xian Sheng left with the wooden coffin.

Only Gu Shen was left alone.

He threaded the red rope through the heart of Bengxue, and then hung it in front of his neck. With this "talisman," he actually felt a sense of peace for no reason.

He hoped that he wouldn't need to use this bullet in the future.

And he hoped that when he fired, he wouldn't miss.

After doing all this, Gu Shen squatted down, scooped up a handful of water with both hands, and washed his face vigorously. He looked at the tired face reflected in the Jiang scenery and realized that his "mission" had lasted too long. He had been in a state of high tension for the past few hours, to the point that he had ignored the time.

A cold wind blew.

Jiang Xin was lonely.

He walked towards the Jiang shore. The lights in the distance were all turned off, and the sounds were also turned off. The whole world fell into absolute silence, all the quarrels were extinguished, and all the fights were also extinguished.

This Jiang was still turbulent.

Still clear as a mirror.

Every water drop that splashed out of the Jiang surface reflected the lonely figure of the young man walking away in the long night.

Until a voice rang in his ear.

Gu Shen's world was no longer a completely washed-out black, but regained a touch of color.

"The current time is November 26th, zero o'clock, zero minutes, zero seconds."

Chu Ling, who hadn't spoken for a long time, spoke again.

This wasn't the first time she had broadcast the time during tonight's operation.

All along, Gu Shen had spent many such days, fulfilling, busy, perhaps no day as stimulating and tense as today.

But the ending was the same, returning to loneliness.

Until this moment.

Chu Ling reminded him of the meaning of today.

"Gu Shen, Happy Birthday."