Chapter 79 - Role Playing the Dark Horse Character

Chapter 79: Actions Speak Louder Than Words "Are the recent disturbances in Zone Three related to you two?" The man in the white uniform asked, his tone precise and formal. Facing him, Li Li smiled, answering, "Yes, is there a problem?" She stealthily signaled something behind her back. Behind her, An Heyu glanced down, his golden eyes sweeping over Li Li's back, as an invisible domain began to expand. An Heyu's ability, "Requiem for the Dead," besides manipulating the undead, had another function—one he used the first time they met. He could detect energy signatures within his domain. Yu Qing once tried to use this ability to verify if the shadow they'd encountered was the real body, only to be outwitted by Li Li. Currently, his S-tier domain encompassed the entirety of Zone Three, with its reach even extending into half of Zone One. When Li Li turned back, he gave her a slight shake of his head. The man truly came alone, at least without any accompanying S-tier presence. "To conquer all of Zone Three with just the two of you and to kill Shu Du, you're quite dangerous," the man in white continued, sounding almost complimentary but with an underlying tone of condescension. It was as if he were praising someone of a lower status, looking down with an air of superiority. Li Li tilted her head slightly, "Do you think you're strong?" If he was suspicious of her, yet came alone... Honestly, for a moment, Li Li felt he was handing her intelligence. The man in the white uniform ignored her question, continuing, "I am skeptical of all unfamiliar matters, including you. The Dyed-eye City shouldn't appeal to a powerful ability user. Its daylight is intolerable for us, except for those who grew up here. You have no reason to come otherwise." He seemed to be drawing conclusions, "You say it's for money, but who knows if that's true." The bright lights of the tall buildings illuminated the path ahead, while distant explosions echoed faintly in the night. "I don't trust you. Your words might be lies, and your appearance could be a facade. I doubt you, and your self-explanations are unnecessary," he said. "It seems you've done your homework," Li Li said with some interest, her expression remaining unchanged. "The chapter president wouldn't engage in actions without monetary gains, nor would he support my hypothesis," the white-uniformed man admitted frankly. He stared at Li Li and the silent An Heyu behind her, "Killing Shu Du proves you're strong, but that's the extent of it." "This is Dyed-eye City, the domain of the Lin family nobles, and I am the Lin Guild's analyst. I shall prove my hypothesis myself," he declared, as eyes appeared beneath his original pair, activating his ability, transforming his hands into long scythes to attack. "Only abilities don't lie; yours will reveal your true identity," he proclaimed. In an instant, a long sword appeared. Li Li effortlessly gripped the hilt, casually lifting her wrist to block the scythe. Her movements were fluid and graceful; she stood still without shifting even the hem of her dress. She even gestured with her free hand to An Heyu, signaling him to remain calm. "It doesn't seem like you're intending to wrap things up here," Li Li remarked casually. The scythe was blocked, and four additional arms spawned from the white; uniformed man, wielding scythes, growing rapidly from his back. His speed was immense; his mimic-type ability adapted his body for combat. As soon as his words ended, another scythe targeted Li Li's defensive blind spot. Yet, the black-haired girl wielding the sword maintained her unfazed smile, her wrist twisting to block the first scythe and simultaneously countering the second. And it didn’t stop there. "If I kill you, it would only please the chapter president." The man in white's speed increased; two types of blades blurred in the air, appearing like remnants of shadows. He was fast, incredibly so, his scythes seemingly capable of slicing through air, leaving momentary voids. "Clang—" Amidst the clash of metal, the man's expression shifted from rigid to wary, to anxious. "Spell-type?" he speculated from his analysis of her creations, yet his tone remained dubious. He attacked, yet his target regarded his attacks as if they were mere feathers, not worthy of her concern. "Have you finished asking?" Li Li inquired. Her true adversary wasn't this A-tier opponent but the enigmatic lord of Dyed-eye City behind him. Who did she meet during the day? Could it have been Lin Ran? If so, then even at night, was she under Lin Ran’s observation? If indeed it was Lin Ran, would she interfere with Li Li taking action against her subordinate? Li Li disliked being passive. When she realized she encountered someone peculiar, she prepared to delve into their mystery. She considered Lin Ran's temperament, assuming the worst—if the one she met were indeed Lin Ran, she might have the ability to observe Dyed-eye City at night. If so, Lin Ran was maintaining order while letting desire run wild. The probability was high that Lin Ran wouldn't disrupt this eternal night, which gave Li Li confidence in testing the waters. Illusory Reality activated, leaving just an illusion in her original spot. "Consider it as you having finished," Li Li countered, evading the scythe and teasingly asked, "Now it's my turn to ask—how's your master sleeping lately?" The long sword flipped, finding its target flawlessly within the span of an instant and plunging into the man's chest. The battle concluded smoothly, almost in the blink of an eye. Lin Ran did not intervene. Whether she permitted it or simply hadn't noticed. "You’re strong," the man in white admitted, retreating a few steps, "But you won't withstand the Guild's retaliation! The Lin's retribution!" Li Li paid him no heed. Contemplating the possible scenarios, she signaled to the illusion. "Little Red," she called. An Heyu, using a slightly hoarse voice, replied, "Understood." Within the domain of Requiem for the Dead, another energy signature appeared, which An Heyu analyzed and dissipated. It's useful to have an assistant who understands my thoughts; in every regard, really. Overall, Li Li felt satisfied. She pondered over the information she had gathered. Currently, there were two possibilities: the 'Lin' she encountered wasn't Lin Ran, or the 'Lin' was indeed Lin Ran. The first possibility suggested the eternal night wasn't under Lin Ran's jurisdiction, and she was resting well at home. The second possibility implied Lin Ran might appear at night, with the eternal night being either a result of her indulgence or a situation beyond her control. Recalling the 'Lin's' poor mental state, Li Li felt the latter scenario was surprisingly probable. Then there were two reasons she didn't prevent her subordinate's death: she either didn't care for their lives, or perhaps Li Li held more significance in her eyes. Recalling 'Lin's' statement, 'I think our relationship has reached the point where we can exchange names,' Li Li couldn't help but feel her counterpart was socially awkward or lacking emotional intelligence. Though that guess was somewhat self-indulgent, Li Li firmly believed there was a high likelihood. The way 'Lin' held onto her clothing and questioned her felt like she was a common person reliant on her rescuer. Contemplating further, An Heyu concluded his analysis. "This man's name is Qin Qian. As he said, he holds the position of analyst within the Ability Guild, but mostly he's utilized by Lin Ruye for monetary analysis," An Heyu explained softly, opening his eyes to meet Li Li's. "Before coming to Zone Three, he mentioned to Lin Ruye that he would return, stating that if he didn't come back by midnight or went to the Lin estate first, then his hypothesis was correct, and he'd be replaced by an illusionist." "He certainly made ample preparations," Li Li noted, checking the time. They had about an hour until midnight, "There's still time." "Wait, hold on a moment," An Heyu raised his hand, signaling for patience. "Could you clarify what exactly you plan to do?" Li Li replied nonchalantly, "I thought you already guessed it—to intrude the Lin estate." An Heyu forgot even to adjust his cloak, letting the night wind lift its crimson fabric. "So, when you inquired about Lin Ran earlier, it wasn't because you planned to in the afternoon, but you wanted to do it at night?" He took a deep breath, still somewhat in disbelief. No, she hadn't planned on going immediately when she asked. Li Li reflected. The fact that events unfolded this way made it a pity not to swing by, and she's been keen on figuring out if Lin Ran truly was asleep. "Can the undead you control be sensed by the Lin's for their abilities?" Li Li asked as An Heyu appeared hesitant. An Heyu shook his head, "I've never tested it. Qu Yan's ability can't track me, but Lin Ran is SS-tier, level suppression—it might be possible." "So it might be unnoticed?" Li Li assessed, feeling confident in their success. "True, you could say so," An Heyu reluctantly agreed. "Let's give it a try," Li Li concluded decisively. If 'Lin' was indeed Lin Ran, then even if she tried to avoid them, she was already within her sight. If 'Lin' wasn't Lin Ran, then they wouldn't be facing an SS-tier at all. Since they needed to return the man in the white uniform, they might as well take this gamble. Ten minutes later, at the entrance of the Lin estate, the fountain continued to function at night, emitting the sound of rushing water. The man in the white uniform, Qin Qian by name, presented his identification. The gate swung open swiftly for him. He then proceeded through the high walls into the serene and well-manicured residence. During the summer, the greenery and fountain in this area rendered the air fresh and moist, while the lit lamps in the residence added a unique ambiance to the tranquility. Perched silently on the shoulder of the white-uniformed man was a crow illusion, concealed by the illusory spell, nodding its small head with every step he took. The only part of the house without lights was the highest attic, shrouded in darkness. As the moon ascended the branches, the maids on duty silently stepped aside to make way for 'Qin Qian.' After he entered the residence, an elderly man, who appeared to be the butler, approached and whispered, "The young master is in the study." 'Qin Qian' nodded in acknowledgment, indicating that he understood.