Alerted by her sister, Yan Qi spotted the middle-aged man sneaking down the street below, clutching something suspiciously as if trying to avoid detection. Unsure why he was here, she couldn’t help but frown.
“Should we go down and get him to leave? This place is still dangerous.”
Assuming the man was just an uninformed civilian, Yan Yu turned to Yan Qi with concern.
“Of course we’ll make him leave—but first, we need to confirm who he is and why he’s here.”
“Confirm his identity and purpose? You think he’s a cultist?”
“Yeah, I do. The authorities already evacuated everyone from this area. For him to still be here? That’s not something a normal person would do.”
After considering Yan Qi’s reasoning, Yan Yu nodded in agreement.
“You’re right. His presence alone is suspicious.”
“Enough talk—let’s head down.”
“Okay.”
With that, the two descended toward the man’s location.
“Damn it, what’s with the city’s sudden ‘emergency drills’ today? Almost couldn’t get in. Lucky I managed to slip past those Anomaly Bureau goons—otherwise, failing the Bishop’s mission would’ve been the end of me.”
Muttering under his breath, the middle-aged man—a member of the Plague Lord’s cult—shuffled through the eerily empty streets, still irritated by his earlier encounter with the authorities.
“What mission would get you killed if you failed?”
“Huh—what the—?!”
Startled by the sudden voice behind him, the man whirled around—only to freeze at the sight of an ethereal beauty in flowing cyan robes, her presence both regal and icy.
“The Daoist Empress?! Why are you here?!”
Recognizing the famed figure from the internet, his face paled.
“You don’t need to know why I’m here,” Yan Qi replied coolly. “Answer my question. What’s this mission that’s worth your life?”
Realizing his earlier mutterings had been overheard, the man’s stomach dropped. He knew he stood no chance against someone who could slay two-star abyssal beasts—but revealing the mission meant certain death either way.
Gritting his teeth, he yanked a strange glass vial from his coat and smashed it on the ground. A sickly green mist billowed out, and with a surge of his power, he hurled it at Yan Qi.
Watching the toxic fog rush toward her, Yan Qi scoffed. Azure flames erupted from her body, reducing the mist to nothing in an instant.
The man’s eyes bulged. “H-How?! That plague strain took me months to cultivate!”
“Pathetic tricks won’t work on me,” Yan Qi said, crossing her arms. “Now talk. Or you won’t like what comes next.”
Panicked, the man spun on his heel and bolted—only to skid to a halt as Yan Yu materialized in his path, her aura just as oppressive as Yan Qi’s.
“Going somewhere?” Yan Qi’s voice drifted from behind him, calm and unhurried.
“Dammit! Why won’t you just let me go?!” the man snarled, desperation twisting his face. “Push me too far, and I’ll take you both down with me!”
Yan Qi laughed. “You? Threaten us? Don’t make me laugh.”
“You—! Fine. You want to underestimate me? Then eat this!”
With a roar, he gathered his power, ready to self-destruct if it meant dragging them into oblivion.