Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 996 - 616 Brother, I came to you because of my leg

Chapter 996: Chapter 616 Brother, I came to you because of my leg

Accompanied by the rolling heat outdoors, the clear sunlight streamed into the hall, while two figures walked in one after another, their roles distinct.

The man in a black robe stood directly in front of the desk, while Zhou Chen trailed half a step behind and to the left.

Xu Yuan leaned idly against the chair by the desk, his gaze roaming back and forth over the robed man as his Spiritual Vision discreetly probed him.

For a moment, silence reigned.

Zhou Chen had previously reported this man’s negligence, but Xu Yuan hadn’t paid it much mind.

Given the situation in Xize State, the Prime Minister’s Mansion had limited influence here, and without the support of The Imperial Court’s political decrees or parallel institutions like the Tian’an Commerce Assembly, the Black Scale Guards were prone to error if they tried to overreach.

You’re clever, but others aren’t fools either.

An intimidating outsider cannot overpower the locals, much less when the Black Scale Guards in Xize State resemble mere sparrows.

It wouldn’t be surprising if one day, due to excessive expansion, the local forces completely uprooted them.

Xu Yuan had summoned this man purely to assess Chief Mu’s strength for himself.

Within Dayan’s fourteen states, there are fourteen Black Scale Directors—one for each state—and every Director possesses Transcendent Mortal Cultivation.

Cultivators are inherently high on offense but low on defense. In the current turbulent situation, if Mu Qing was strong enough, he might prove useful.

And now, the result was clear—he indeed showed potential.

Surviving an encounter with Mu Xingyi, that crazed Saint from the Mu Clan, surely required significant power.

But the problem lay here:

If Mu Xingchen’s allegations were true, then this man might very well be an internal mole; otherwise, it was inexplicable that Mu Qing bore the Ghost Willow Yin Source.

However, Xu Yuan refrained from rushing to conclusions, as matters involving high-ranking figures like Black Scale Directors demanded caution.

Of course,

the primary reason was that Xu Yuan didn’t trust Mu Xingchen’s so-called "pleas for the people" very much.

The ambush on the Bug Saint—could it be a ruse planted by the other side to sow discord?

Then again,

this seemed like an opportunity to validate Mu Xingchen’s intelligence.

Thoughts flickered briefly in his mind before Xu Yuan chuckled and withdrew his Spiritual Vision.

And at this moment,

the black-robed man standing before the desk broke the silence at just the right time:

"Sir seems to have looked enough—has anything unusual been gleaned from Mu’s humble self?"

The voice was clear and slightly amused, tinged subtly with discontent.

It was clear that Mu Qing had noticed Xu Yuan’s use of Spiritual Vision and was expressing dissatisfaction with the discourtesy.

Xu Yuan wasn’t surprised in the least.

While Spiritual Vision boasts strong concealment properties, it’s ineffective against Transcendent Masters.

With a faint laugh, Xu Yuan smiled and replied:

"Nothing unusual, but I did notice that Mister Mu seems to have ventured out recently with injuries in tow?"

Mu Qing’s upturned eyes flickered with a hint of surprise.

Surprise that the other party could see through his disguise.

With Dao Charm at his disposal, almost no one of the same rank could unmask him.

Untraceably activating his Will-spirit for a sweep over the silken-clad man opposite him, Mu Qing discovered that under his Will-spirit, the man appeared as transparent as air.

Semi-Saint...

His eyes revealed a trace of contemplation. Though Mu Qing’s outward appearance suggested middle age, his smiling and murmuring tone retained an air of unrestrained ease:

"It seems Chief Lou has new plans for the Great Desert."

With that,

Mu Qing raised his arm horizontally and folded his hands, performing a Guest Elder’s salute with solemnity toward Xu Yuan:

"Mu Qing, at your service, willing to exhaust himself in loyal dedication to Chief Lou’s grand ambitions."

"....."

Roughly guessing what the other party was thinking, Xu Yuan opted not to refute it, assuming the mantle of a Prime Minister’s Mansion strongman and lightly tapping the desk:

"We’re all working for the Prime Minister. In terms of rank, I’m merely a humble imperial envoy; as for contributions, I certainly fall short of a pillar like yourself among the Black Scale Guards, Mister Mu."

While his words sounded courteous, Xu Yuan made no move to stand. Instead, his eyes kept darting toward Mu Qing’s chest, where the aura of the Ghost Willow lingered. He smiled and said:

"But speaking of contributions, your injuries look rather serious, don’t they?"

Mu Qing’s lips curved into a helpless smile as he said softly:

"Sir has sharp eyes. Despite my grave injuries, if I employ secret techniques, I can still assist Sir effectively."

Hearing this, Xu Yuan internally chuckled.

Why are all these intelligence operatives so thick-skinned?

Even after the conversation reached this point, he still hadn’t voluntarily disclosed the reasons behind his injuries—and yet, he wanted to probe Xu Yuan’s intentions in the Western Desert instead.

Xu Yuan’s fingers briefly halted their light tapping on the desk, plunging the hall into absolute silence.

After a few beats,

Xu Yuan smiled, narrowing his eyes as he leisurely asked:

"I’ve been here in the Western Desert for several months now. Though this region is tumultuous, the number of individuals who could injure Mister Mu is limited. May I inquire which one it was that Mister Mu encountered during your recent excursion?"

As the words settled, silence descended once more.

Mu Qing keenly sensed the hostility of the inquiry.

Meanwhile, Zhou Chen, listening to the pair’s exchange, wanted to bury his head underground.

Even as an uninvolved observer, he could clearly hear the Third Young Master’s pronounced mistrust of his immediate superior.

What was this situation?

Could his boss’s lack of action be due to... betrayal?

Zhou Chen was already sweating.

But before he could dwell further, Mu Qing sighed lightly and explained:

"Outwardly, I serve as a Guest Elder for the Zhenxi Prefecture. Currently, the Marquis of Zhenxi is engaging the Tatar Chao forces in the Southern Desert Metropolitan Mansion. Not long ago, I was invited to provide support during the standoff. Inevitably, accidents occur on the battlefield."

"The situation here has descended into chaos...."

Xu Yuan murmured softly, his brows furrowing.

Due to the gap in information between the two sides, Mu Qing had already disguised himself as a proverbial iron wolf.

However, his fabricated justification wasn’t bad at all.

Confident that as a "foreign powerhouse," Xu Yuan wouldn’t dare venture near a military formation. After all, once a formation of over ten thousand soldiers takes shape, its general could lock onto a target across hundreds of miles. And even attempts to verify the claim afterward would be thwarted, as the Mu Clan Commerce Guild would assist in covering up for Mu Qing.