Chapter 419: Spying in Secret

From such a great distance, it wasn’t easy to make out the other person’s expression, but the animosity between the two males was palpable.

Baili Jing raised an eyebrow, showing no intention of backing down.

As the two men faced off in silent opposition, Jiang Qingli grew puzzled when Baili Jing stopped talking. "What’s wrong?"

She looked up, following his gaze, but saw only the swaying shadows of the trees.

"It’s nothing." Baili Jing retracted his gaze, cupped the girl’s face, and gently kissed the corner of her lips with a lingering intimacy. "I was just thinking about what delicious meal I should make later to reward our dear Advisor Jiang."

"Can you even stay?"

Jiang Qingli was a little worried. After all, Baili Jing’s presence here was a violation of the rules.

"It’s fine, don’t worry. The military district won’t pursue the matter." Baili Jing was nonchalant. "I’ve already submitted a request to him to leave tomorrow."

As Baili Jing said this, his tone deepened slightly.

Jiang Qingli noticed and asked, "Was it that simple?"

"Not exactly difficult, I suppose?" Baili Jing smiled. "I agreed to do one thing for him."

"What was it?"

Baili Jing turned his head, his eyes on the leaves rustling in the wind.

Light filtered through the gaps in the canopy, dappling his face with dazzling spots.

After a moment of silence, Baili Jing said, "Lü Xin’s case implicates Qin Yu and several other families. It needs to go before a military tribunal. I promised Marshal Yuan I would appear as a witness."

Jiang Qingli’s heart tightened.

The moment Baili Jing appeared before the military tribunal, he would essentially be standing in opposition to the Baili family. At the same time, the other implicated families would see him as a thorn in their side.

Not to mention, Baili Jing was a celebrity. Once this news got out, public opinion would surely explode. Even if he was the victim, countless people would still try to sling mud at him...

Jiang Qingli gripped his hand. "I can be the witness. The evidence is more than enough."

Baili Jing asked with a smile, "Are you worried about me, baby?"

Jiang Qingli glared at him, annoyed. "What do you think?"

"Don’t worry. I was already prepared when I agreed," Baili Jing said slowly. "I also want to bring this matter to a proper conclusion."

Since he had already made his decision, Jiang Qingli couldn’t very well stop him.

After a moment’s thought, she said, "Then I’m going with you."

Baili Jing paused, then his smile slowly widened. "Okay."

-

Lü Xin’s lab wasn’t very large, and concerned about agitating the surrounding Mutant Beasts, the group returned to the military district at noon.

On the way back, Yuan Liang and Jiang Qingli went over the details, briefly analyzing the incident.

It was common knowledge that Mutant Beasts always submitted to the strong, but Spiritual Mutant Beasts were an exception.

Spiritual Mutant Beasts weren’t particularly powerful in combat, but their status among other Mutant Beasts was quite high. This was mainly because they used their spiritual power to soothe other Mutant Beasts when they went berserk. This was similar to human males, which was why the forest had been relatively stable before.

Lü Xin had recently captured a large number of Spiritual Mutant Beasts to experiment with controlling even more Mutant Beasts.

With a large number of Spiritual Mutant Beasts missing, the lower-level Mutant Beasts that needed their soothing would naturally go on a rampage.

Yuan Liang slapped his thigh. "It all connects! It all connects! Now if we can just figure out how to solve this Spiritual Mutant Beast problem, the Roaring Forest might not become tame, but at least it could return to how it was decades ago, when we each kept to our own business."

The more he spoke, the more excited he became, as if he wanted to go and birth a litter of Spiritual Mutant Beast cubs himself.

Jiang Qingli leaned against the back of her seat. During a lull in the conversation, she glanced out the window.

’How strange,’ she thought. ’Why do I keep feeling like someone is watching me?’

...

The moment she returned to the military district, Jiang Qingli received a hero’s welcome.

After Yuan Liang had left that morning, he had intermittently signaled the military district for reinforcements, and the story of how Jiang Qingli had uncovered the conspiracy the night before had spread throughout the insular military district.

A crowd surrounded her as if she were a huge celebrity who had just won an award. Some people even asked for her autograph.

It wasn’t until Marshal Sun appeared and grimly told them to scram that the crowd finally dispersed.

Marshal Sun lowered his voice. "Advisor Jiang, Her Majesty called earlier. She asked that you call her back when you have a moment."

Jiang Qingli hadn’t expected the news to reach the palace so quickly. She hurriedly grabbed her terminal and dialed back.

Qin Shiyi offered a few words of comfort, her tone filled with unrestrained admiration. She said she was looking forward to meeting her in the First District, where she would personally present Jiang Qingli with an honor.

After hanging up, Jiang Qingli returned to her quarters, planning to catch up on some sleep.

Baili Jing was going to wait for Jiang Qingli to finish her work so they could return together. He needed to register with the military district, so after walking her to the entrance of her building, he rushed off to do so.

Before leaving, he also reminded Jiang Qingli to make sure her doors and windows were all locked.

Jiang Qingli just thought he was being overly worried. "I know, I know! I will!"

Back in her room, Jiang Qingli bolted the door and slipped into the bathroom.

Although her combat suit was waterproof, she couldn’t avoid getting nutrient solution and blood in her hair during the fight. Jiang Qingli washed it out meticulously before sinking into the bathtub.

She rested her arms on the edge of the tub and casually pulled up a screen.

A single red dot glowed in the depths of the Roaring Forest. It was the tracker she had placed on Ye Linyuan.

’It’s still working. Ye Linyuan probably hasn’t found it, right?’

Jiang Qingli zoomed in to look at the nearby geography for a while, wondering when she should go and bring him back.

But after watching for a moment, she suddenly felt something was wrong.

’This red dot... why isn’t it moving at all?’

’Don’t tell me Ye Linyuan already found the tracker I planted and just tossed it on the side of the road?’

stated, "That thing is the size of a grain of rice and self-adhering. Under normal circumstances, it’s impossible to find."

Jiang Qingli replied, "...Do you think Ye Linyuan is a normal person?"

After a few seconds of hesitation, 030 suddenly said, "It’s moving! It’s moving!"

Jiang Qingli looked at the screen. Sure enough, the red dot had started to move.

Relieved, she set the screen aside and sank into the warm water, enjoying a comfortable soak.

After her bath, Jiang Qingli glanced at her terminal, replied to messages from her two Beast Husbands and friends who were far away in the First District, and then fell onto the big, soft bed, wrapping herself in the plush covers.

Her tense nerves finally relaxed. She needed to sleep.

Jiang Qingli closed her eyes, and her breathing soon became even.

But as her consciousness drifted into a haze, that intense feeling of being watched from earlier that afternoon vaguely returned.

A searing gaze, inch by inch, slithered like a snake up the girl’s pale white calf and disappeared beneath the hem of her skirt.

Something seemed to wrap around her waist. A large palm stroked up her spine. A cool touch landed on the side of her face, then traveled down her neck to her back...

Jiang Qingli wanted to open her eyes, but her consciousness was too fuzzy. She could only manage a flutter of her eyelashes.

A breath fell on the side of her neck. Something gently brushed against her eyelashes, as if observing her reaction.

Her consciousness struggled for a long time before Jiang Qingli’s hand shot out and grabbed something.

The approaching breath hitched. Jiang Qingli slowly regained her senses and finally opened her eyes.

She looked at the uninvited guest who had suddenly appeared in her room and was now holding her.