Heaven Official's Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu (Novel) Vol. 2(31)

That retreating silhouette—it was the Waning Moon Officer.

Xie Lian recalled the cursed shackle on the officer’s wrist; it had been on his mind. He was about to call out to him when the silhouette disappeared. From the way the man moved, it seemed he was wary of being discovered. Thus, Xie Lian soundlessly followed after him.

Making his way to the corner of the building behind which the officer disappeared, Xie Lian clung to the wall and stealthily gazed over. That youth moved swiftly and was constantly on the lookout around him, extremely cautious and indeed afraid to be seen.

Xie Lian wondered, The Waning Moon Officer should be one of San Lang’s subordinates, so why is he sneaking around inside San Lang’s territory?

Xie Lian suspected this man could possess ill intent, so he also hid himself and followed. The Waning Moon Officer made a number of turns through the hallways, but Xie Lian held his breath and was always within a dozen steps behind. They rounded a corner and came to a long hallway, and at the end there was a set of large, beautifully decorated doors.

If he turns around now, there won’t be anywhere to hide, Xie Lian thought.

Unexpectedly, just as the thought crossed his mind, the Waning Moon Officer stopped and turned his head.

Xie Lian knew he was in trouble the moment the Officer paused. Hastily, Ruoye flew out and wrapped itself several times around the wooden beam overhead, pulling Xie Lian up to the ceiling where he clung to the beam.

The Waning Moon Officer didn’t see anyone behind him and didn’t think to look up, so he turned around again and continued on his way.

Nonetheless, Xie Lian still didn’t dare to let himself down too soon. He remained pressed against the ceiling as he inched forward silently, thinking that he resembled a gecko as he moved. Good thing the other party didn’t go far and stopped before a set of doors. Xie Lian stopped too, to observe.

Before this door was a statue of a woman, wily and beautiful. Of course, from Xie Lian’s angle, all he could see clearly was her round head and a shallow, round jaded plate in her hands. The Waning Moon Officer didn’t move to open the door first but instead turned to the statue and tossed something into the jaded plate. It made a crisp, clacking sound.

Dice? Xie Lian guessed.

It was a sound he’d heard many times today, and not one he’d forget for a long time. Sure enough, when the masked youth removed his hand and Xie Lian looked, it was indeed two dice in the jaded plate, both revealing six red dots.

The Waning Moon Officer tucked the dice away before opening the door. It was surprisingly unlocked, and when he entered through the doors and closed them behind him, Xie Lian didn’t hear any sound of locks or latches either. He waited for a moment before he fluttered down to the ground as quietly as a piece of paper and crossed his arms as he examined the doors.

This room didn’t appear to be that big, and whatever the Waning Moon Officer was doing inside should make noise. Yet once he entered, there was not a sound from within. Xie Lian decisively raised a hand and pushed.

Sure enough, when he opened the door, there was not a soul inside. From the looks of it, this was a perfectly normal, if quite luxurious, little room. Everything inside was in order at a glance, and there was no possibility that there was a secret path.

Xie Lian closed the door and looked thoughtfully at the female statue and at the jaded plate in her hands. It seemed that the mechanism lay in that jaded plate and the two dice.

The room was still locked—not with a physical lock but a magic one. A key was required to open this lock, or an authorization incantation. The dice must roll two sixes in that plate for one to see the real destination behind those doors.

But Xie Lian rolling two sixes right then and there was something that would never happen. He could only gaze at the door and sigh. After he paced for a bit in front of the doors, he withdrew and returned from whence he came. After walking for a while, he stopped abruptly. Walking toward him from the other end of the path was a tall, red-clad figure, with a slender and long silver scimitar hung at his waist. It was Hua Cheng.

He walked over with his arms crossed. “Gege, I’ve been looking for you.”

He looked exactly as he did when he left, the only difference being that the scimitar on his waist was out of its scabbard. It, along with the scabbard, clattered against him, clanking as he walked, painting a picture of arrogance. However, that silver eye on the hilt of Eming was closed.

Xie Lian composed himself and said, “I was going to go see the child, but I didn’t realize your house was so big. I got lost.”

At first Xie Lian was going to tell Hua Cheng about what had just happened, but when the words came to his lips, they turned around and he swallowed them.

The reason he had come to Ghost City was to investigate the missing heavenly official. Any signs of suspiciousness must not be ignored. And who knows, maybe the missing official was imprisoned in that room. It’d be best if he could find a way to go through those doors first. If the two matters were unrelated, Xie Lian would report to Hua Cheng about his subordinate’s suspicious actions. But if the two matters were related…

Hua Cheng spoke as he led Xie Lian back to the main hall.

“If you want to see that boy, I can send someone to bring him to you. There’s no need for you to seek him out yourself.”

It was probably because Xie Lian had something to hide, but the way he spoke to Hua Cheng unconsciously became more docile.