Chapter Thirty: Bribing Myself?

Gou Zhen and Qi Hongze exchanged glances, almost reflexively. So, finding Hu Qideng’s Guardian Token was all it took to become the new leader? Was it really that simple?

“Esteemed Guardians, we must restore the Shadow Holy Sect to its former glory. Both of you are among the most powerful figures within our ranks. If a battle for the leadership breaks out, it would only weaken the sect,” Li Changqing said. “My master has recommended this method precisely for the greater good of the Shadow Holy Sect.”

Gou Zhen, lounging on the sofa, narrowed his eyes but soon broke into a smile. “Very well, I accept.”

In truth, this was not much different from simply having the two of them fight—at its core, it was the same. If both found the Guardian Token at the same time, a fierce struggle would still ensue to determine the winner. Yet if someone managed to quietly obtain the token, leave the abandoned factory, and declare victory, it would also be a satisfactory outcome. People always think they will be the lucky one.

Ambition flickered in both men’s eyes.

“What’s your number? I’ll contact you tomorrow,” said Qi Hongshan, rising to his feet. He had no intention of lingering, so after getting Li Changqing’s number, he strode away with his men.

After Qi Hongshan departed, Gou Zhen remained seated on the sofa, unmoving, a faint smile on his lips. “Li Changqing, isn’t it?”

“Since you’ll be placing the Guardian Token tomorrow—”

Li Changqing nodded knowingly, moved closer, and whispered in his ear, “Tomorrow I’ll put it in the dormitory building at the abandoned factory.”

Gou Zhen’s expression grew serious. “Can you be a bit more specific?”

Li Changqing hesitated, a troubled look on his face. “Since this is a contest, it should be fair and impartial, so I—”

Gou Zhen smiled slyly. “Your master is old. He won’t last much longer, and when he’s gone, that Guardian position—”

Li Changqing cursed inwardly. Did he really think he could be bought off with just the promise of that petty Guardian seat?

Gou Zhen kept smiling at him, until Li Changqing finally replied, “I’ll put it on the sixth floor of the middle dormitory building.”

Only then did Gou Zhen rise, satisfied, and give Li Changqing’s shoulder a pat. “You have a bright future ahead, young man.”

Once Gou Zhen left, Li Changqing let out a heavy sigh of relief. He was grateful his identity hadn’t been exposed—it had been a dangerous encounter.

Feeling parched, he returned to the sofa, poured himself a cup of hot tea, and took a sip. At that moment, his phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number.

He could guess who it was. Sure enough, when he answered, Qi Hongshan’s voice came through: “Li Changqing, what did Gou Zhen promise you after I left? Whatever it is, I’ll double it. Tell me where you’ll put the Guardian Token tomorrow.”

“Wouldn’t that be… improper? Elder Gou has already promised me a hundred thousand lang coins. If I tell you as well, wouldn’t that—”

Qi Hongshan’s voice was stern. “I’ll give you two hundred thousand! But I came in a hurry tonight, so I can only give you sixty thousand in cash for now. The rest will be yours after I become sect leader. How does that sound?”

“I am at your service, Guardian Qi. The token will be placed on the sixth floor of the middle dormitory building at the abandoned factory.”

“Excellent. And you didn’t tell Gou Zhen where it will be, did you?”

“He hasn’t paid me yet, so I haven’t said anything…”

Qi Hongshan chuckled coldly. “Just tell him it’s in the toilet of that abandoned factory—let him dig through the filth tomorrow! Ha!”

His hearty laughter echoed through the phone.

After hanging up, Li Changqing finally managed a smile. At last, his risk was paying off. With the money from the Bureau on top, he’d be making a fortune—two hundred thousand lang coins in all!

Guan Wenyan, who had watched the entire exchange from the side, couldn’t help but sneer. This guy really was making money from nothing.

Guan Wenyan took a deep breath. He wanted to lash out at Li Changqing—after all, he’d been playing errand boy for days, serving this man like a lackey. But after some consideration, he decided to hold back. No matter what, Li Changqing was still Hu Qideng’s disciple and a valuable source of intel. If he lost his temper now and offended him, all his previous efforts would truly be wasted.

Watching Guan Wenyan’s face shift from dark to a forced smile, Li Changqing could guess what he was thinking. He’d thought he’d latched onto a big shot, only to find out it was all a sham—anyone would be furious.

“Get some rest. We’ll have to go to that abandoned factory tomorrow,” Lin Fan instructed Guan Wenyan.

Guan Wenyan could only resign himself to sleep in the spare bedroom, vowing that when he got back, no one at the Bureau would ever learn he’d gone undercover with the wrong person.

Li Changqing didn’t go to bed right away. He waited in the living room with Tang Xiaoyu, both of them happily anticipating what was to come. Before long, the money arrived—sixty thousand lang coins in crisp bills, neatly stacked on the table.

“Li Changqing, we’re making money way too quickly,” Tang Xiaoyu whispered gleefully as she held the cash. “Once this Shadow Sect business is done, let’s find another cult to infiltrate!”

“My dear, do you have a death wish?” Li Changqing replied. Cold sweat had formed on his back during the meeting with Qi Hongshan and Gou Zhen. Those two were undoubtedly cut from the same cloth as Hu Qideng—ruthless, murderous cultists. Once this job was done, he swore he’d stick to being a detective.

With that in mind, Li Changqing picked up his phone and sent word to Hu Xiong, telling him that he would be luring Qi Hongshan and Gou Zhen to the abandoned factory the next day. He had wanted to ask about Hu Xiong’s next move. The ideal outcome was, of course, for those two to die in the factory. But what if the evil lurking there was no match for them? If they survived, then what?

That’s why he’d given them both the same location, hoping to pit them against each other. Still, posing as Hu Qideng’s disciple wouldn’t fool them forever—he didn’t know any of the sect’s dark arts and was full of holes. He had only barely scraped through just now, escaping suspicion by a hair’s breadth.

But Hu Xiong hadn’t replied. Li Changqing frowned. Wasn’t Hu Xiong supposed to be watching over him from the shadows? If so, he should have seen Qi Hongshan and Gou Zhen come calling and checked on him immediately after they left.

“Don’t tell me that guy’s slacking off,” Li Changqing muttered, face darkening. Hu Xiong was proving to be unreliable.

Tang Xiaoyu’s suggestion, after all, was mostly in jest. She knew this wasn’t easy money. They retired to their bedroom, Tang Xiaoyu happily stuffing the cash into her wallet before tucking herself into bed.

Li Changqing, meanwhile, went to the wardrobe and checked both the pistol Hu Xiong had given him and the revolver he’d bought himself before finally collapsing into bed.

There was no way he was going to risk entering the abandoned factory to place the Guardian Token—it was far too dangerous. He’d be like a dumpling thrown to the dogs.

If Qi Hongshan and Gou Zhen couldn’t find the token, they’d surely suspect something was amiss. All he could do was hope neither of them made it out of the factory alive.