A heretical cultivator in Bureau 749, I'm the fiercest at pulling out tendons and skinning peop

To be honest, Ji Zuodao really wanted to bring Li Shuwen under his wing.

Putting everything else aside, just look at this kid's ears that always seem to "coincidentally" overhear crucial information, and his quick wit that gets things right the moment you ask him a question.

He's more than capable of being a gofer, a strategist, and a cunning advisor.

I don't know if it's because I've been in Jinghai 749 for too long, or because I have Deputy Director Liu as my backer.

Ji Zuodao feels he hasn't been using his brain much lately.

This is only a Spirit Palace, yet even an old bald monk in the Divine Power Realm dares to covet it. In the past, that would have been unthinkable.

If this continues, he might really turn into a brute who only knows how to throw punches.

such a pity.

Even if I am an investigator from Bureau 749, I can't openly force ordinary alchemists to "cooperate" with my work, can I?

If this kid has some serious dirt on him, and it just so happens to fall into my hands...

That would save so much trouble.

Thinking of this, Ji Zuodao subconsciously shook the wine bottle in his hand.

empty.

"I'll go get another bottle of wine, you eat first."

He got up, put his hands in his pockets, and walked out.

"Oh, okay, okay, Investigator Ji, you're too kind."

Li Shuwen hurriedly responded, still feeling the exhaustion of surviving a disaster.

As Ji Zuodao approached the canteen's convenience store window, he paused, a thought suddenly popping into his mind:

Or... how about we get that kid drunk, take some "spectacular" photos, and set up a honey trap?

Hey.

It seems somewhat feasible?

"Ma'am," he knocked on the counter, his usual harmless, shy smile perfectly natural, "excuse me, ten cases of beer, please."

"How many?!"

The woman behind the counter thought she had misheard.

"Ten cases." Ji Zuodao repeated with a smile, his tone extremely sincere. "The brothers in the bureau have worked hard, so it's my treat. Everyone, drink to your heart's content."

He picked up the pile of beer crates that looked like a small mountain, turned around, and walked back.

Dogye followed at his feet, wagging its tail. It lazily lifted its eyelids and glanced at Ji Zuodao's slightly upturned lips, knowing exactly what was going on.

That brat, he's definitely up to no good again.

Did they get him drunk to cause trouble?

Dog Master scoffed.

This is a trick that this kid has used to death!

Back then, this despicable, smoking thing could get this innocent old dog completely drunk just to exchange for flower cakes made by those vixens in the back hills, and then kick him into their den!

Damn it, by the time it was dizzy and staggering out of the fox den the next day, its kidneys were practically shrunken!

Forget the past.

Dog shook his head, trying to banish that dark history from his mind.

However, it had no intention of reminding Li Shuwen, who was about to be in trouble.

It's none of your business.

Dog licked its nose, and a glint of excited anticipation flashed in its dark eyes.

It likes to squat on the side and watch other people have fun.

Especially the amusement that Ji Zuodao, that brat, personally came up with.

That flavor is even better than braised pork belly, making it even more appetizing.

"Hey, Lao Li! What a rare guest! Did the sun rise in the west today? What brings you to our 749 canteen for a treat? struck it rich?"

As I was walking, a familiar loud voice came from around the corner ahead.

Dog Master glanced at it and saw it was Liu Ming.

Liu Ming had his arm around Li Shuwen's shoulder, looking like two buddies, and they were making faces at each other.

Li Shuwen chuckled twice, his voice sounding somewhat weak:

"Pshaw, what kind of money am I going to make... someone's treating me, otherwise why would I dare to go into the 749 canteen? I usually just buy a couple of roujiamo (Chinese hamburgers) from a roadside stall and make do."

"Still putting on airs with me?"

Liu Ming nudged him with his elbow, his voice not lowered but rather carrying a hint of excitement at revealing his secrets.

"I've heard about it all! That book you illustrated, 'The Investigator of the Hehuan Sect's Three Thousand Women'—goodness, what a catchy title! It's a bestseller! Orders are booked until next spring!"

He leaned closer, his voice full of a knowing, mocking tone:

"Those three guys in Team Three, who usually act all high and mighty and secretly are now all engrossed in reading this book, each of them holding one in their hands!"

"I noticed they've started eating steamed buns for lunch today—saving their food money to buy your masterpiece, huh? How about it, you made a good profit this time, didn't you? You have to treat us! You absolutely have to treat us!"

"..."

Li Shuwen felt all the blood in his body rush to the top of his head with a "whoosh," and then disappear completely with a "whoosh."

He felt his heart wasn't just about to stop, it had fucking stopped beating.

Especially when, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a head slowly, slowly... peeking out from behind the tall stack of beer crates.

Li Shuwen's vision went black.

A crystal-clear, chilling thought fell like a guillotine:

My life is over.

"Liu...Liu Ming!"

He suddenly raised his voice, trying to make a final, feeble struggle, his tongue almost tied in knots.

"How...how could you slander me out of thin air! My...my admiration for Investigator Ji is like a surging river, endless and unstoppable! Like the Yellow River overflowing its banks, it's unstoppable!"

"How could I do...do such a thing! This is slander! Utter slander! He's slandering me, slandering me!"

It is obvious that the last sentence was addressed to Ji Zuodao.

"Pooh!"

Liu Ming hadn't noticed Ji Zuodao yet, and nonchalantly spat, still with his arm around Ji Zuodao's shoulder, and said with a grin:

"Old Li, that's so lame! We've been playing together since we were kids, we know each other's little tricks all too well, don't we?"

"Putting everything else aside, I know you must have samples of something that sells so well on you, right? Come on, take them out and let your brother have a look..."

As he spoke, he turned his head and looked around, as if searching for someone to share his joy with:

"Hey, Brother Ji? Brother Ji, you've come at the right time! Come and judge this... uh?"

Liu Ming's smile froze when he saw Ji Zuodao's expressionless face, which was fully exposed from behind the beer crate.

The air seemed to freeze at that moment.

The sizzling sound of the cafeteria lady cooking at the window and the distant laughter of the investigators seemed to fade away instantly.

Only a deathly silence remained.

Liu Ming blinked, looked at Li Shuwen, whose face was ashen and eyes were filled with despair, and then looked at Ji Zuodao, who was holding ten cases of beer and whose gaze was calm in a way that was a little frightening.

"Um... well..."

Liu Ming instantly released his grip on Li Shuwen's hand, chuckled dryly, and took a step back.

"I...I suddenly remembered, there's an urgent document waiting for me to deliver to Old Zhou! My memory is terrible! Brother Ji, Old Li, you...you two keep chatting! See you later! See you later!"

"Put the food on my tab, it's on me."

Before the words were even finished, the person had already darted into the adjacent corridor as if riding on wheels of fire, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Li Shuwen was left standing there, frozen in place, facing Ji Zuodao and the ten cases of beer that seemed to exude an ominous aura.

He slowly, desperately, closed his eyes.

Only one thought remained in his mind, roaring and crashing repeatedly:

Liu Ming...

Fuck your grandpa!

You're the biggest liar ever!