After being blamed, Cui Canxun also realized that this matter could not really be blamed on anyone else. So he asked, "Then what do we do?"
The white-robed woman was somewhat anxious, "Stop blaming each other and hurry up and withdraw the undercover agents who are still in the Ministry of Justice in District 7! If they stay there, they could be exposed at any time!"
Cui Canxun shook his head, "You think I didn't think of that? It's too late."
"What do you mean, too late?"
"All the Ministry of Justice officials who followed Sun Linshou to District 7 have just lost contact with the outside world."
The white-robed woman was startled, "Could it be that the Zhao family has taken control of them?"
"Of course," Cui Canxun's expression was unpleasant, "That's District 7, the Zhao family's home base, where experts are everywhere. The Church's branch in District 7 has already been completely wiped out by the Zhao family. Everyone carrying out assassination operations can only rely on themselves. The only Wan Tongwei you sent who had embarked on the path of a believer has already disappeared to God knows where. Do you think those remaining cats and dogs can get out?"
The white-robed woman immediately panicked and grabbed Cui Canxun by the sleeve, "Then what do we do? Not everyone has the anti-detection [Samsara Divine Seal] in their minds!"
Cui Canxun pondered for a moment and shook his head, "It's fine. From beginning to end, they only followed your arrangements and don't know my identity. I shouldn't be exposed. At the very least, there is no memory related to the Church and me in their minds."
The white-robed woman became even more anxious, "They don't know you, but they know me! I brought all of them from the Church. They know everything about me and will definitely expose me! If I'm exposed, you'll be the same..."
However, before the white-robed woman could finish speaking, a thick stream of black smoke suddenly rose from her throat. The smell was extremely unpleasant, like inferior rubber being roasted over a fire.
"You... you?!"
The white-robed woman's voice was hoarse, her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief.
She had no idea what had happened at all.
As black smoke drifted out of the white-robed woman's mouth, she collapsed onto the ground and rolled around in pain, one hand clutching her throat and the other pointing at Cui Canxun.
"You! You actually..."
Cui Canxun took a pair of smooth, transparent gloves from his pocket and efficiently put them on.
"Don't blame me. There's a saying: 'Husband and wife are originally birds of the same forest; when disaster comes, they fly their separate ways.' The relationship between the two of us is at most that of lovers. We haven't reached the level of husband and wife."
"Now that you're destined not to escape, you'll be found out by the United Government or the Zhao family sooner or later. Why not offer your life and preserve my identity through your death? It can also count as your final contribution to the Church and the Samsara God."
"I'm at least a ministerial-level official of the United Government. As long as there is no hard evidence proving that I'm a member of the Church, I can't possibly have any trouble. Your death isn't without value."
The white-robed woman tightly grabbed Cui Canxun's trouser leg, her face twisted in rage.
Clearly, Cui Canxun's ability to persuade people was not very good. He could not erase the intense hatred in the white-robed woman's heart.
"Fuck! Cui Canxun... you... piece of trash! We've been together for ten years! Ten years! And you actually attacked me?! You killed me... Protector... Protector won't let you off!"
As she spoke, black smoke continued to pour from her mouth, her throat like split firewood, producing a hoarse and shrill voice.
Cui Canxun's gaze was cold, "Protector? Don't tell me you mean your lover, [Fusheng]?"
After hearing this, the white-robed woman's hand gripping Cui Canxun's trouser leg suddenly loosened, her eyes filled with astonishment.
"Although my feelings for you have long since been as sincere and devoted as they were when we were studying, at least I can say I treated you fairly. What about you?"
Cui Canxun's gaze suddenly became venomous, "Don't think I don't know. Every time I'm handling matters in the United Government and leave you alone in the Church, you get as slutty as the whores on the streets of Jiangzhong District."
The white-robed woman was still struggling in pain, but deep fear filled her eyes.
"Curious about how I know about the two of you?", A cold smile appeared at the corner of Cui Canxun's mouth, "I'll tell you the truth. The sweet words I used to trick you into bed were taught to me by your old lover, Protector [Fusheng]. If it weren't for him, I would still be fantasizing about having a Platonic affair with you. So, you expect him to avenge you?"
Cui Canxun disgustedly waved away the thick black smoke rushing toward his face.
"In the eyes of Protector [Fusheng], you're nothing more than a toy."
"Fuck! You! You... are all... trash!!"
The woman's final painful growl did not last very long.
Cui Canxun bent down and gently wiped his palm across the white-robed woman's face. Her skin and flesh immediately cracked and collapsed, countless fissures spreading and expanding across her entire body.
Red sparks flickered within the cracks, like lava during a volcanic eruption, and soon swallowed her entire body.
The woman reached out, trying to struggle, but the instant her fingers touched Cui Canxun's body, they turned to ash.
All that remained on the ground was a neat, smooth white robe and a pile of ashes.
Cui Canxun looked at the mess covering the ground and remained silent for a moment.
A trace of melancholy flashed through his eyes, but it quickly disappeared.
After cleaning up the scene, he took out a small pure-white phone, found [Fusheng]'s contact information, and prepared to make a call.
Just as his thumb was about to press the call button, he thought better of it and put the white phone away.
Then he took out the phone he used every day and dialed another number.
["Hello, Minister Cui. I heard that there was a major case involving the assassination of a deputy minister in your Ministry of Justice, and the entire department is busy running around. You still have time to call me? If there's something, please tell me."]
"Minister Xiao, I want to cooperate with you, Chairman Jiang, and Professor Gu. Could you help introduce me to them?"
["Cooperate? Cooperate on what?"]
"Cooperate to bring down our common enemies, the Zhao family and Qin Siyang!"
["Minister Cui, stop joking with me. Not to mention that Chairman Jiang, Professor Gu, and I are merely acquaintances, our relationships with the Zhao family and Student Qin Siyang are quite harmonious. Since when have you and the Zhao family been enemies? Who in the entire United Government doesn't know that you have a close relationship with the Zhao brothers, Zhao Longteng and Zhao Longfei?"]
"Things were different then. Sun Linshou isn't dead, and the Zhao family has protected him. My relationship with the Zhao family has undergone a 180-degree change."
Xiao Zhigang was silent for a moment before asking, ["So, the Samsara Church criminals who assassinated Sun Linshou were sent by you?"]
"Of course not. But this blame has landed on me, and I can't shake it off. Minister Xiao, if you're willing, find a time for us to meet and talk."
["I'm in my office in District 2. If it's convenient for you, come find me."]
"And what about Chairman Jiang and Professor Gu? Will you help explain things to them for me as well?"
["That will depend on whether our conversation goes smoothly."]