Chapter 48 – Visiting

Li Zheng was not taken to Yun Xiguang’s home by the Golden-Winged Great Peng. Instead, it dropped him off at an uninhabited area five kilometers away from Yun Xiguang’s residence. The bird chose a blind spot from surveillance cameras to dump him and then transformed into a streak of smoke and flew away.

Li Zheng, who was dumped near a dumpster, was stunned.

Recently, Li Zheng had been quite busy. After the investigation into the Yun family concluded, there were various tedious matters that required his attention.

He had just attended Yun Xiguang’s award ceremony that day and was supposed to return to the Special Affairs Bureau for a secret meeting.

In the past, the Spiritbond World was a tripartite balance of power among the state, the aristocratic families, and the Spiritbond Master Association. These three factions checked each other and maintained a peaceful coexistence.

Now, with the fall of the Yun family, the most powerful force among the aristocratic families, they could no longer be considered a unified power. Many people would inevitably join the Spiritbond Master Association. However, this would cause the association’s power to become disproportionately large.

The Special Affairs Bureau belonged to state power, while the Spiritbond Master Association was more of a civilian organization that possessed incredible strength beyond the reach of ordinary people. If the Special Affairs Bureau failed to regulate the Spiritbond Master Association, some powerful individuals might engage in actions that could disrupt social order.

After the fall of the Yun family, balancing the Spiritbond Master Association became the top priority.

Fortunately, the divine beast Azure Dragon was willing to temporarily work for the Special Affairs Bureau. Its presence was highly intimidating and could exert pressure on the Spiritbond Master Association.

Moreover, the Azure Dragon had indicated that it stayed in the mortal world for Yun Xiguang, implying that Yun Xiguang’s attitude towards the Special Affairs Bureau was crucial.

Li Zheng’s purpose in returning for the meeting was to discuss how to win over Yun Xiguang. The higher-ups wanted to expedite Yun Xiguang’s transition to full-time employment, improve his benefits, accelerate the process of inheriting his parents’ assets, and at the same time, strengthen his ideological education to make him an outstanding employee of the Special Affairs Bureau.

However, halfway through his journey back, the Golden-Winged Great Peng went berserk.

It suddenly appeared, pushed open the car door with its wing, picked up Li Zheng, and flew off.

Mid-flight, it dropped Li Zheng near a dumpster and disappeared who-knows-where.

Dusty and disheveled, Li Zheng climbed to his feet. He used the contract to sense the Golden-Winged Great Peng’s location and checked the specific position using his phone’s navigation system. He found out that the bird was at Yun Xiguang’s house.

At that moment, the Special Affairs Bureau’ helicopter arrived and picked up the ashen-faced Li Zheng.

“Director Li, what happened to the Golden-Winged Great Peng?” asked the inspector sent by the upper echelons to the Special Affairs Bureau, worriedly.

Currently, the situation in the Spiritbond World was complex, and the Golden-Winged Great Peng, as the strongest fighting force of the Special Affairs Bureau, could not afford to have any ideological issues!

Li Zheng, uncertain himself, said, “It might have heard our conversation and decided to do ideological work on Yun Xiguang proactively?”

Li Zheng showed the inspector the bird’s exact location: “Look, it’s right at Yun Xiguang’s house.”

“The Golden-Winged Great Peng is truly a comrade with high ideological awareness,” remarked the inspector. “But it’s too hasty; we haven’t even come up with a plan yet, and it’s already taking action. What’s its usual personality like? Is it somewhat radical? Would it create counterproductive effects due to its impatience?”

Li Zheng dared not confirm that.

In the past, the Golden-Winged Great Peng was a rather Buddhist spirit beast. Li Zheng was the one with a relatively sharp personality, and many times, it was the bird that persuaded Li Zheng.

However, recently, the Golden-Winged Great Peng had changed. Not only did it lose its Buddhist nature, but it also occasionally referred to itself as “Little Peng.” Moreover, it seemed to harbor some inexplicable hostility toward Yun Xiguang.

Li Zheng suspected that the Golden-Winged Great Peng might have gone to force Yun Xiguang to join the Special Affairs Bureau. That wouldn’t be good.

Seeing Li Zheng’s less-than-stellar expression, the inspector consoled him, “You don’t need to worry too much. Let’s see what happens. Xiao Chen, connect to the Sky Eye System and pull up all the surveillance footage from the streets near Yun Xiguang’s home. We’ll see what they’re up to.”

This helicopter could log into the nation’s most advanced Sky Eye System, connecting to the entire country’s surveillance network. Xiao Chen pulled up the surveillance footage of Yun Xiguang’s neighborhood and saw Yun Xiguang leaving his home, carrying a gift box as if he were going to visit someone.

Xiao Chen zoomed in with the high-definition camera and saw that Yun Xiguang was holding a set of hair care products.

“Hair care?” analyzed the inspector. “Has Comrade Yun Xiguang recently gotten a girlfriend?”

“I haven’t noticed anything,” Li Zheng shook his head. “He’s a rather cold person. Because he carries a heavy burden of hatred in his heart, he has never allowed himself to form intimate relationships with anyone. His only friend, Wu Ailang, was recently acquainted, and it was mostly Wu Ailang who took the initiative. Yun Xiguang has always been passive in accepting it.”

“Given his personality, even if he likes someone, he would choose to endure it silently to avoid burdening others,” added the inspector, sharing his analysis of Yun Xiguang.

“That’s true,” agreed Li Zheng.

“So, who is he visiting?” wondered the inspector. “Xiao Chen, follow him and see where he’s going.”

Li Zheng also leaned in to watch the surveillance footage. He saw a little yellow chick perched atop Yun Xiguang’s head, and a black and golden bird squatting on his shoulder. Upon closer inspection, it was his own Golden-Winged Great Peng.

At that moment, the bird was smaller than the little yellow chick, with its neck tucked, obediently lying on Yun Xiguang’s shoulder, and looking particularly docile.

Li Zheng: “…”

The inspector suddenly noticed a detail and instructed, “Xiao Chen, zoom in on Yun Xiguang’s wrist. Did you see his bracelet move?”

After Xiao Chen zoomed in on the wrist, Li Zheng and the inspector saw a miniature version of the Azure Dragon tethered to Yun Xiguang’s wrist, complete with tiny dragon horns.

They watched as the little Azure Dragon moved occasionally, wrapping its tail around its body to prevent itself from falling off while Yun Xiguang walked.

Everyone: “…”

The inspector commented, “It seems the Azure Dragon and Yun Xiguang really have a good relationship. Does this count as walking around with a nuclear weapon?”

Li Zheng gave a bitter smile. He felt that his Golden-Winged Great Peng also looked to have a great relationship with Yun Xiguang. Was Little Peng planning to switch Spiritbond Masters?

Yun Xiguang, seemingly alone but actually surrounded by bodyguards, boarded the subway, causing Li Zheng and company to worry about the safety of the subway line.

Fortunately, an hour later, Yun Xiguang disembarked from the subway safely and headed in the direction of the Zhuzhao Spiritbond Academy.

“It looks like he’s going to the Spiritbond Academy, but the direction is slightly off, as if it’s near the academy. Xiao Chen, simulate a path and predict where he’s going,” ordered the inspector.

Assistant Xiao Chen simulated Yun Xiguang’s path several times based on his direction and presented the result to the two men.

Li Zheng said, “This location… it’s a place where spiritual energy converges, very suitable for recuperation. I remember the Zhuzhao Spiritbond Academy hired someone to set up an array here that can accelerate physical recovery. Many people and spirit beasts injured come here to recuperate.”

“Is Yun Boquan injured? Is he here?” asked the inspector.

Li Zheng shook his head. “Yun Boquan is no longer a Spiritbond Master. His injuries don’t require spiritual energy nourishment, but rather modern medical treatment. Currently, he has just undergone surgery and is awaiting legal punishment in the hospital.”

The same was true for the other members of the Yun family. Even if they were injured, they no longer had the privilege of staying in a specialized healing facility reserved for Spiritbond Masters.

“Among those related to Yun Xiguang, who else is currently recovering from injuries?” asked the inspector.

Li Zheng thought for a moment and said, “Spiritbond Masters recover faster from injuries than ordinary people. Unless seriously wounded, they won’t stay long in healing facilities; usually, they come here for a night and leave. Unless a spirit beast is severely injured, the Spiritbond Master won’t stay here for an extended period. Among the Spiritbond Masters related to Yun Xiguang, and associated with Zhuzhao Academy, it seems only Dean Qin Shu is recuperating.”

The inspector remarked, “After the Golden-Winged Great Peng went to Yun Xiguang for ideological work, Yun Xiguang immediately went to visit Qin Shu… Could it be that he wants to help us gain the support of Zhuzhao Spiritbond Academy? What a good comrade!”

Zhuzhao Spiritbond Academy had cultivated many excellent Spiritbond Masters, and the college as a whole was under the management of the Spiritbond Master Association. If Zhuzhao Academy’s stance was willing to lean towards the Special Affairs Bureau, the Spiritbond World would form a new balance, solving the current concerns of Li Zheng and his colleagues.

Based on Li Zheng’s understanding of the Golden-Winged Great Peng and Yun Xiguang, he didn’t think either of them had the personality to help the Special Affairs Bureau actively court Qin Shu. He wasn’t as optimistic as the inspector.

“But why did Yun Xiguang bring the Hair Protection Trio when visiting Qin Shu?” questioned the inspector.

Li Zheng recalled Qin Shu’s slightly sparse hairline and said, “Perhaps Qin Shu needs it…”

“How about we also pay a visit to Dean Qin? We can’t let Yun Xiguang be the only one putting in effort. We’ll bring some gifts too — how about anti-hair loss sets? What do you think?” asked the inspector.

“Okay, okay,” Li Zheng replied uncertainly.