Chapter 3017 Missing

A bustling marketplace—it was nothing short of that.

Even though the merchandise leaned toward the bizarre, Excellency Chaumont's little shop still proved the importance of hiring a shill to drum up popularity.

In the short time they had been inside, new customers had walked through the door one after another.

Though this latest arrival, standing right outside the door, looked even more hesitant than Excellency Logan.

"Welcome."

Fortunately, Excellency Chaumont hadn't hired this shill for nothing. Meeting Yuan Shan's gaze as it landed on him, Fu Qian spoke up once again to welcome the guest, his smile absolutely picture-perfect.

"Professor Fu."

Bolstered by this crucial bit of encouragement, Yuan Shan finally braced herself against the scrutiny of the gathered heavyweights and stepped through the door.

Even though she was a high-ranking regional official, the lineup inside the shop was simply too formidable.

For a moment, she didn't even entertain the thought of finding a seat. Instead, starting with Professor Fu, she dutifully greeted everyone present.

"Looking to buy anything?"

Professor Fu was quite enthusiastic, continuing to drum up business.

"No, I'm good..."

It was a pity that, despite being a shopaholic, Chief Yuan's tastes hadn't gone astray at all.

Her gaze swept across the storefront, yet her eyes didn't light up in the slightest.

"True, this coat I found is probably the only thing in here that's halfway decent."

Fu Qian's professional ethics stopped right there. He readily agreed with her assessment, even taking the opportunity to show off the prime find he had just scored.

"Do you have business with Professor Fu?"

As the atmosphere shifted from merely niche to outright bizarre, Chaumont finally let out a light cough, putting a stop to Fu Qian's desecration of his establishment.

It was obvious that he had abruptly cut off their private conversation earlier because he noticed Yuan Shan's arrival.

And naturally, he didn't for a second believe she was here to shop. No matter how you looked at it, her target had to be the subject of the impending Hongmen banquet sitting right beside him.

He didn't need to know the details to guess the depth of Yuan Shan and Professor Fu's relationship, especially since they had arrived together this time.

"It's not me. It's my teacher."

Questioned by such a heavyweight, Yuan Shan didn't dare dawdle, hurriedly offering a soft explanation.

"My teacher has made a special discovery and felt that you should come take a look."

She then turned toward Fu Qian, indicating that it was actually Old Man Henry extending the invitation.

A special discovery? Not bad.

The old man, who was supposed to be resting, hadn't been sitting idle. His proactive help was truly heartwarming.

With a light sigh, Fu Qian turned and decisively bid Excellency Chaumont farewell.

"I'll head over and take a look, then? We can chat later when we have time."

...

With their transaction complete and two complimentary sessions as a greeter thrown in, Fu Qian's request to leave was undeniably reasonable.

Still, it was obvious that Excellency Chaumont felt this was a bit abrupt.

Had he forgotten something? They had just diagnosed the person sitting next to him with a serious issue, and he was just going to dust off his hands and walk away?

They had barely reached a consensus on the diagnosis; they hadn't even fully discussed the evidence behind it yet.

But Chaumont lacked a solid reason to voice any objections and keep him there. As for his motive for showing up at the Unseen Hill, the man had already provided a perfectly reasonable cover story.

And theoretically, Fu Qian hadn't actually interfered with Logan's healing back then anyway. The problem had always been the treatment plan itself.

"Very well."

In the end, Excellency Chaumont didn't try to stop him, simply nodding for him to go ahead.

Professor Fu had already done enough. His behavior right now perfectly respected the patient's "right to remain ignorant."

Indeed, looking back, it was clear that much had been communicated without a single word—

The faint realization of Logan's abnormalities the moment they met.

The rapid exchange of subtext after arriving at this little shop.

The total lack of suspicion regarding Logan's presence here—never once questioning if he had been specifically summoned.

His proactive request for a private conversation, and his complete lack of abnormal behavior toward Logan after the interruption to avoid tipping him off.

Even his seemingly absurd shopping spree had served as perfect cover for the examination they had just conducted.

In short, underneath his seemingly erratic and abstract behavior lay the benevolent heart of a true healer. There was no reason to demand more of Professor Fu at this point, especially since—

"You arrived earlier than I expected."

Chaumont added earnestly.

'Was that line really inescapable?'

He knew Chaumont was simply expressing extra gratitude for his unprecedented speed in arriving before Logan's condition could deteriorate, but Fu Qian still sighed inwardly at the remark.

"I'll go with you."

As for the other spectators present, given his blatant request for a private chat earlier, they could obviously guess that Professor Fu and Chaumont had exchanged some hidden secrets.

But for Stoss, the promise of safety he had made remained his top priority.

Without dwelling too much on whatever secrets they might have shared, he saw that Fu Qian was really heading over to Henry and immediately offered to accompany him.

"Having Su Gao accompany me is enough."

Fu Qian waved him off, signaling that there was no need for the trouble, and even flashed Karmic Bond.

"Don't forget I still have the gift Excellency Corvos gave me."

...

'That's exactly what I'm worried about...'

Stoss didn't say a word, but his thoughts were written all over his face.

It was obvious that most of the people present didn't think Corvos handing that weapon over to Fu Qian was a good thing at all.

"It would be best if you didn't use that lightly."

Old Man Stoss proved to be the most outspoken of the bunch. After only a moment's hesitation, he offered a blunt warning.

"Understood. Thanks for the heads-up."

Running the sharp, translucent blade lightly against his hair, Fu Qian signaled that he had received the advice.

The Needle Witch had dropped the weapon off and vanished, leaving behind an overwhelming air of detachment.

That was especially true after his conversation with Excellency Chaumont, which had subtly confirmed that Karmic Bond was deeply tied to the Birthday Party.

But detachment did not equate to goodwill. Given their history with one another, a sentiment closer to "die however you want" was far more likely.

Old Man Stoss had stuck his neck out to offer that warning, so a thank-you was definitely in order. Moreover, taking the time to give that warning carried a deeper layer of loyalty—it showed that he had decided to respect Fu Qian's wishes, stepping back to let the professor run off and scheme with Old Man Henry.

Yuan Shan's abrupt invitation clearly meant she had some private matters to discuss as well, giving her the distinct air of a traitor turning her coat.

And considering how hostile the current situation was, Stoss had chosen to respect Professor Fu's privacy, giving him the chance to gather a few more bargaining chips for the trials ahead.

...

"Lead the way."

Without another word, Fu Qian gestured to Yuan Shan, turned on his heel, and walked out with Su Gao in tow.

And the three old men in the little shop stayed right where they were, watching that domineering fur coat disappear into the distance—

"My teacher is missing."

Unfortunately, facts proved that even the best of them stumbled sometimes. This time, Old Man Henry hadn't actually unearthed any special intelligence.

They had barely stepped out of the boundaries of Drifting Street before Yuan Shan anxiously leaned in close to Fu Qian's ear, delivering a piece of very unfortunate news.