Several days flashed by in the blink of an eye.
The streets of Muyun City remained bustling; the hawking of vendors and the laughter of children intertwined. Sunlight filtered through the leaves of the plane trees, casting mottled shadows. It looked like a peaceful, beautiful day, as if time itself were calm and still.
Inside the local Ability Bureau, it was equally "lively." The team members were rushing about, their feet barely touching the ground; they were clearly facing a significant challenge.
At this moment, in the bureau chief's office, analysis reports were piled high on the desk.
Director Yanxi, who had been boasting just days ago about how easily she could work for days on end, now looked quite exhausted.
This was all because of the special intelligence Yunli had brought—a destruction notice from a mysterious, anonymous source.
The moment Yunli gave her one-hundred-percent confirmation, Director Yanxi and Captain Chen felt their hearts constrict sharply, and they nearly lost their breath.
Although the other party hadn't clarified the source of the intelligence, Director Yanxi's Special Ability clearly told her that Yunli was not joking; the matter was absolutely true.
There was no time to verify the accuracy of the intelligence right now. Just looking at the recent anomalies within the city, one could conclude that those people from the Church definitely had ill intentions.
The tricky part, however, was that everything had to be investigated from scratch. Digging up substantial clues in such a short time was as difficult as ascending to heaven.
In the office, Director Yanxi rubbed her temples wearily and let out a long sigh.
"First it was the Otherworlders, then the Church, and now they actually want to destroy the city? No wonder I've felt that my luck this year was off. It's almost the end of the year, and we get a mess like this."
Out of trust for Yunli, Director Yanxi had not dared to slack off for the past few days. She summoned every ounce of her energy and ordered her subordinates to conduct a comprehensive search for traces of the Church and the Black Tiger Society.
Unfortunately, the other party acted with extreme secrecy, and despite days of investigation, progress was minimal.
At this moment, Yu Ziqin suddenly spoke up.
"Looking at it this way, the so-called 'City Destruction Plan' is likely nothing more than a fabrication."
When these words were spoken, Director Yanxi's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. She felt a faint trace of displeasure in her heart, but she did not show it.
Because there was no concrete evidence for this matter yet, it hadn't been reported to the superiors, but she naturally still had to inform this person.
Director Yanxi thought about it; Muyun City might truly need the other party's assistance right now, so she began to explain.
"I can be certain that my team member is not lying. Furthermore, things in Muyun City have indeed been off lately. The Black Tiger Society is taking advantage of the situation to cause chaos; there's no guarantee they aren't colluding with the Church."
However, Yu Ziqin was not easily persuaded; her face remained calm and rational.
"First, I have already reviewed the relevant files on the local Black Tiger Society. They clearly do not possess such power."
"Second, even if the Black Tiger Society were truly involved with the Church, the Ability Bureau recently obtained key intelligence—members of the Church are currently concentrated in Canglan City, seemingly plotting something major."
"Therefore, logically speaking, they have no reason to disperse their forces in Muyun City to implement a so-called 'City Destruction Plan.'"
"And the last and most critical point…"
Yu Ziqin gently pushed up the glasses on the bridge of her nose and looked toward Yunli, who had arrived not long ago. Her gaze was incredibly composed.
"Destroying an entire small-to-medium-sized city requires at least the level of a Special Grade Esper. Within the Ability Bureau, only that legend—the strongest Ability User, Flame Heart—could accomplish such a feat."
"It is impossible for the Church to have a powerhouse of this level."
"Director Yan, I believe your subordinate is not lying, but the authenticity of this intelligence likely still requires a question mark."
As her voice fell, the office fell into a long silence; even the air seemed to have solidified.
Director Yanxi bowed her head slightly, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the edge of the document. She said nothing, only her falling hair covering the complex emotions in her eyes.
She could not deny the viewpoint Yu Ziqin had raised, and in her heart, she even felt a faint trace of agreement.
But some intuition deep in her heart was acting up, making her feel uneasy.
"I cannot refute the points you have made."
Just as the silence in the office was about to solidify, Yunli, who was to the side, took the initiative to break the stalemate.
"But you cannot conclude that the Church truly lacks such capability."
"However, we do not need to verify it; instead, we should think of ways to prevent such a thing from happening."
After she finished speaking, Yu Ziqin's face held no expression; she simply stared blankly at Yunli, her eyes carrying a hint of inquiry.
Yunli met her gaze calmly, her eyes placid and unruffled.
About half a minute later, Yu Ziqin suddenly shifted her gaze away and lightly tapped the frame of her glasses.
"You are right; it was my lack of consideration. Regarding the key matters of the intelligence, could I hear you recount it personally?"
But Yunli shook her head without even thinking, refusing straightforwardly.
Hearing this, the other party was stunned for a moment, but then did not continue to press the matter.
"Then I shall take my leave."
With that said, she stood up and opened the door.
Immediately following that, a figure accidentally stumbled in.
Mo Xin: (⊙▽⊙)
"Um, I was actually just passing by. Do you believe me?"
Mo Xin scratched her head awkwardly.
Yu Ziqin shook her head gently: "It is no matter. Are you all right?"
"Ah?! No, I'm fine, I'm great!"
Mo Xin stood up immediately, her back straight.
At this moment, Director Yanxi asked with some confusion, "Little Mo, when did you arrive?"
"Uh… actually, I just got here."
Seeing Mo Xin's nervous expression, Yu Ziqin's face remained unchanged as she raised her hand to gently pat her shoulder.
"Do not be nervous. As a team member, you are not prohibited from knowing the content we just discussed."
"Oh, that's good."
The other party's words had an unexpectedly soothing effect; Mo Xin relaxed significantly in an instant.
"If I recall correctly, you are Mo Xin, right? The Disciple of this Miss Yunli; you truly have an extraordinary temperament."
Mo Xin's face appeared calm, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but lift slightly, carrying a hint of unconcealable pride. "Eh?! Not at all, it's all thanks to Master Yunli's teaching."
"No need to be modest. I have just finished; would you mind chatting for a bit?"
"Um, of course not…"
"Apologies, my Disciple and I have some private matters. Perhaps next time."
Watching the two of them interact back and forth, Yunli stepped forward and decisively pulled Mo Xin to her side, her tone carrying an indisputable sense of aloofness.
"Hm? Would you mind if I listened in?"
As she spoke, Yu Ziqin's gaze signaled toward Director Yanxi, who was to the side; the meaning was self-evident.
Yunli, however, shook her head and refused without any pretense. "Director Yanxi is not an outsider. Besides, weren't you about to leave?"
"…Hm, then I shall take my leave."
Watching Yunli's protective posture, Yu Ziqin raised an eyebrow. She didn't say anything more, turned around, and left straight away.
Director Yanxi couldn't help but click her tongue at this scene.
Meanwhile, Mo Xin was held tightly by Yunli, feeling the soft sensation in her hand, and for a moment, her little face turned flushed.
Mo Xin (⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄): 'Oh?! Could Master Yunli be… jealous? Could it be that she…'
"Ahem."
Director Yanxi gave a light cough, interrupting the interaction between Master and Disciple, her tone carrying a hint of helplessness. "It seems your master-disciple relationship is quite good. However, Yunli, remember to be mindful of the occasion in the future. After all, given the current situation in Muyun City, we still need Yu Ziqin…"
"From now on, all of you should stay away from her."
Before Director Yanxi could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by Yunli.
The two were stunned by the sudden, unquestionable tone; they hadn't expected Yunli to harbor such great hostility and, for a moment, didn't know what to say.
"That's a bit much, Master Yunli. That sister is actually quite nice…"
Mo Xin attempted to defend Yu Ziqin, but before she could finish, she was interrupted again by Yunli.
Yunli looked at her, her eyes full of seriousness. "I am serious. This woman is not as simple as she appears on the surface. You must stay away from her in the future."
Her tone was firm; she clearly harbored deep wariness toward Yu Ziqin.
At this moment, Director Yanxi also noticed that something was off with Yunli.
"What is wrong with this Yu Ziqin?"
Yunli looked deeply in the direction where the other party had left with her golden eyes. "This woman harbors ill intentions. She secretly used her Special Ability on me, with the intention of controlling me."