【陆: Don't believe Number Nine, don't respond, don't respond, don't respond....】

In the quiet reception room, Xu Qi'an stared at the message, cold sweat breaking out on his back.

Indescribable fear spread in his heart.

He took a sip of tea, feeling dazed for a moment, and then snapped out of the eerie and fearful atmosphere.

This "Number Sixty" should be the light spot I clicked on earlier... What does he mean by this? Is Number Nine deceiving me?

If Number Nine is lying to me, what is the reason? Since Number Sixty knows that Number Nine is lying to me, why didn't he tell me earlier?

If Number Nine is not trustworthy, then Number Sixty is also suspicious.

I don't believe anyone.

Xu Qi'an took a deep breath and typed a message with his finger:

【Three: Who are you? What makes you say Number Nine is not trustworthy? Are you a member of the Heaven and Earth Society?】

【Sixty: Yes.】

He admitted it so readily... Xu Qi'an was silent for a few seconds before typing:

【Three: What do you mean by what you just said?】

【Sixty: The Earth Book belongs to the Heaven and Earth Society, and Number Nine is a member of the Earth Sect. They are a group of ferocious and brutal lunatics who are unreasonable. You must not have any contact with them, or your life will be in danger.】

【Three: How do you know that I have contact with Number Nine?】

Xu Qi'an raised a question.

【Sixty: The Number Three fragment has been sealed by the Earth Sect, cutting off our ability to communicate, and the Earth Sect can lock onto Number Three through the Number Nine fragment.

[This is why Taoist Master Jin Lian abandoned the fragment and gave it to you.]

...So even if I don't trade with Number Nine, he can still lock onto me through Number Nine?

No wonder he wasn't in a hurry to urge me to return the item, and even gave me the initiative to choose the location.

No wonder when I asked Number Nine yesterday if members of the Heaven and Earth Society could use the "Earth Book" to lock onto my location, he changed the subject... Xu Qi'an recalled more details.

No matter what I choose, he will win. If I choose to trade, he can double-cross me. If I don't choose to trade, he can delay until he locks onto my location.

Damn it... Xu Qi'an cursed in his heart with his scalp tingling.

Number Sixty continued to send messages: "But the Earth Book is one entity, and we can still see your communication with Number Nine through the Earth Book, which is extremely helpless. Until you establish a connection with me by shedding blood and recognizing me as the owner."

【Three: What should I do?】

【Sixty: I hope you can return the Earth Book fragment to the Heaven and Earth Society. If you are not at ease, I will give you an address, and you can have someone send it there.】

That five hundred taels of gold... Xu Qi'an stared at the mirror and did not reply.

He didn't trust anyone!

Number Sixty might not be a good person, he might be trying to trick me.

If I'm so easily fooled, then what was the point of going to police school... Xu Qi'an replied: 【Three: The Earth Book is a treasure of the Earth Sect, and Number Nine is a member of the Earth Sect. Does the Earth Sect covet the Earth Book?】

According to internal information from the Nightwatchers, the Earth Book is a treasure of the Earth Sect, and the Heaven and Earth Society is just a Jianghu organization.

But Number Sixty just said that the Earth Book belongs to the Heaven and Earth Society, and the Earth Sect covets it.

If Number Sixty can't give a reasonable explanation, Xu Qi'an will block him.

【Sixty: The Earth Book is a treasure of the Earth Sect, but that was in the past. It now belongs to the Heaven and Earth Society, which was formed by some members of the Earth Sect.】

【Three: What makes you say that?】

【Sixty: This matter involves a secret of the Earth Sect, and I am not a member of the Earth Sect, so I cannot reveal it.】

【Three: I understand. Leave me an address.】

【Sixty: The house opposite Zhang's Silk Shop on Yangshui Street in the inner city, with a loquat tree planted in the courtyard.】At this point, Xu Qi'an had completely regained his composure. He took a sip of tea that had gradually lost its warmth and lightly tapped his fingers on the table.

Currently, he was faced with three choices:

1. Acknowledge Lu Hao and return the mirror, he could hire someone to do it. He wouldn't have to consider Lu Hao's identity or worry about Jiu Hao's lock. He could escape this situation.

2. Trade with Jiu Hao, the downside being the possibility of facing a dangerous situation. The upside would be receiving five hundred taels of gold if he won the bet.

3. Hand over the Earth Book to the Nightwatchers in exchange for merit.

To read the uncut version, go to [p𝘢wread.com].

If he were still a small messenger in Chang Le County's yamen, he would definitely choose the first method for stability.

But now he was a Nightwatcher in the Great Feng capital. Regardless of how powerful the foreign forces were, they couldn't enter the city. He had just joined the Nightwatchers and had no merits or resources. The Earth Book was an ancient treasure that the yamen would definitely be happy to receive. Wei Yuan, the eunuch, would definitely not stand idly by.

Having made up his mind, Xu Qi'an returned the book and retrieved his waist badge from the clerk in charge of the archives. He left the warehouse in a hurry.

In a deserted corner, he took out the items inside the jade mirror: a military crossbow, bone-corroding poison, the Heart-Protecting Mirror, and four hundred taels of silver notes returned by Li Yuchun.

After packing these things, he headed to the highest building in the Nightwatcher's yamen: the Haoyi Tower.

The guards at the bottom of the tower stopped him.

Xu Qi'an took off his waist badge and said in a deep voice, "Quickly report to Wei Gong that Tongluo Xu Qi'an has important news to report."

The guard took the waist badge, confirmed it was correct, and scrutinized him. "Why not find the direct superior, the Silver Gong?"

"The Silver Gong is not here. The situation is urgent. Go quickly," Xu Qi'an was even more resolute.

He didn't plan to let Li Yuchun know about this matter, or more accurately, he didn't plan to let more people know.

The Tiandi Hui or the Daoist Sect were both powerful forces. They might not dare to retaliate against the Nightwatchers, but Xu Qi'an had a family.

This was something he understood as a police officer in his past life.

Xu Qi'an had to downplay his involvement in this matter and make the Tiandi Hui and Daoist Sect ignore him.

Two guards exchanged glances, and one of them hurriedly entered the tower.

A few minutes later, the guard returned and said, "Go in. Wei Gong is waiting for you on the seventh floor."

Xu Qi'an breathed a sigh of relief. The powerful eunuch was willing to see him. This meant that his plan was half successful.

He immediately entered the building, quickly climbed the stairs, and arrived at the seventh floor.

A black-clad clerk was waiting at the stairs, leading him through the corridor to a tea room.

The tea room was empty, and a man in a blue robe was standing in the connected lookout room.

Wei Yuan turned his head and said gently, "What's the matter?"

He had handsome features, a refined temperament, white hair at his temples, and an indescribable sense of vicissitudes in his eyes. He didn't look like a eunuch, but rather a scholar.

Xu Qi'an didn't dare to look him in the eye and lowered his head slightly. "I have discovered something important and came to report it to Wei Gong."

He took out the jade mirror from his chest, raised it with both hands, and said in a deep voice, "This is the Earth Book, a treasure of the Daoist Sect."

Wei Yuan was stunned, staring at the small mirror. "How did you get it?"

Xu Qi'an didn't conceal anything and told the eunuch everything from how he obtained the mirror, how he received information, to what happened in the archives. The eunuch didn't have a negative impression of him.

The blue-robed eunuch smiled mysteriously. "Five hundred taels of gold?"....Boss, are you curious about what I'm doing? Xu Qi'an smiled wryly, "I'm just seeking benefits within a reasonable range."

Wei Yuan smiled gently and looked back at the mirror. At this moment, a line of words appeared on the mirror:

【Jiu: Have you considered when to make the trade?】

The eunuch raised his eyebrows and threw the mirror to Xu Qi'an, "The mirror has recognized you as its owner. Only you can reply. Tell him that the trade will take place in the Guiyue Tower in the inner city, in the elegant room where the phoenixes sing together. It will be one hour from now."

Xu Qi'an immediately replied through the mirror.

【Jiu: Alright!】

Wei Yuan said, "You didn't expose your identity or address, and you handled it well. You can go now. Someone will take care of this matter."

"What about my five hundred taels of gold...I mean, my merits?" Xu Qi'an asked in his heart.

He didn't dare to say it out loud and just bowed, "Yes!"

He didn't take the mirror with him and left the teahouse directly.

After leaving the Nightwatcher's office, Xu Qi'an felt complicated. He felt relieved to have gotten rid of the hot potato, but also heartbroken about losing his treasure and five hundred taels of gold.

As for the merits, although the eunuch didn't mention them, Xu Qi'an could understand his level of classiness. A big shot like him discussing "merits" with a small fry like him would be too cheap.

Anyway, he shouldn't treat me unfairly... Xu Qi'an left the Nightwatcher's office with a heavy heart and planned to go to the Theater to listen to some music and soothe his mood.