Chapter 243 - 241: I’ve Always Been Bad

Liu Xi is dead?

The Liu Xi from the Biological Domain, the one with Early-stage True Gang strength, is dead?

Yang Shen heard the shocking news before he even had a chance to put down his bag.

Behind Shen Juanzhou stood Shi Jia, his eyes red and swollen, and a stunned Chen Beiwang. They had obviously just heard the news as well.

After spending so long on the ship together, it wasn’t hard to tell that Liu Xi and Shi Jia were a couple.

Shen Juanzhou said in a cold voice, "After you sent back the intel on the ’Dragon’ from the Noon Realm, we started scouting the nearby area. Sonar and other equipment are functional, but with the complex seafloor topography, it’s still more intuitive for a Martial Artist to dive down."

"Liu Xi, being a Shanshui Martial Artist, also took on related assignments. However, her main task was to test the underwater performance of Curse Engravings, so she only occasionally dived alone to keep an eye on things... and she had a relatively flexible schedule."

"Last night, she dived alone and never came back... This morning, her body was found washed up on the shore. Alongside her was a Pirate Martial Artist from Europe, also at the Early-stage True Gang."

These were two masters at the Early-stage True Gang. Even on Harmony Island, they were considered elite experts. Back in their respective countries, they would be regarded as high-end talent.

To die so silently, and clearly not from drowning or a Sea Beast attack... No wonder Shen Juanzhou’s expression was so grim.

The first possibility that popped into Yang Shen’s mind was... "What about Luo Sheng? Where is he?"

’Whether it was Luo Sheng or not, I might as well cast suspicion on him first.’

He never expected... that he’d actually hit the mark!

Shen Juanzhou took a deep breath, a hint of self-blame in his voice. "Luo Sheng didn’t return to the camp last night either..."

...

Yang Shen had just entered the camp when he was already heading back out to the beach with a few others from the advance team. Liu Xi’s body was still there.

Things on the island weren’t like back home; there weren’t such strict investigative or judicial procedures.

With so few people around, everyone pitched in to help when something happened.

Yang Shen had been in the Noon Realm for so long that he had temporarily forgotten about Luo Sheng. Besides, he had already warned Shen Juanzhou that "there was a big problem with Luo Sheng," doing everything he could.

In fact, Shen Juanzhou had reported it to his superiors immediately, but their judgment was:

Luo Sheng’s merits and demerits back home had nothing to do with the development of Harmony Island.

They were developing an Exotic Realm, competing with multiple nations, 10,000 kilometers from their homeland. Moreover, they weren’t even part of the same system. There was simply no energy to waste dwelling on it.

At most, they sent a letter of inquiry to the Jianghuai Criminal Investigation Team and told Shen Juanzhou to keep a closer eye on him, scrutinizing Luo Sheng’s various reports and work a bit more carefully.

As they rushed toward the beach, Shen Juanzhou said grimly, "I’ve been watching Luo Sheng, but I didn’t have any concrete evidence. Later, I noticed he was always spacing out on the shoreline, so I asked Liu Xi to pay attention and see if he made any suspicious moves."

"Liu Xi loved the sea. She spent more than half of every day soaking in it. It’s highly likely... that I’m the one who got her killed."

Yang Shen sighed at his words.

But he also had a premonition...

Though he didn’t know why Luo Sheng had revealed his hand, they were currently on a deserted island in the Vast Sea, 10,000 kilometers from Yanhua and nearly a thousand kilometers from the nearest inhabited island. There was truly no escape, neither to the heavens nor into the earth.

’If Luo Sheng hasn’t suddenly lost his mind, does he have some kind of escape route?’

Martial Artists were extremely fast, reaching the beach in just a few minutes. Many people were already there, including some foreign Martial Artists who had gathered to watch.

It had been dusk when Yang Shen returned, and now the sky was completely dark. A few people holding flashlights on the shore stood out conspicuously.

Two body bags lay side by side, having clearly been tidied up a bit. Shi Jia knelt shakily beside one of them. The sound of the waves was relentless, and the deep blackness of the sea concealed unknown things.

He unzipped the bag. The half-scalded face inside was particularly striking.

’This doesn’t look like a direct burn from fire... It’s more like... steam or boiling water...’

’Now it really sounds like Luo Sheng.’

As for the other victim, the Pirate Martial Artist from Europe, there was nothing of note to be seen in their body bag.

The bodies had been washed ashore by the waves, and there were no clues nearby. Shen Juanzhou took a deep breath. "Take her back for an autopsy. The rest of us will check the surrounding area."

This wasn’t typically the military’s area of expertise, but on a deserted island, they couldn’t afford to be so particular.

But as soon as the words left his mouth, a squad of European Martial Artists arrived, blocking their path. "That woman, you’ll be handing her over to us as well."

They clearly wanted to take both bodies. It was an instinctive precaution, fearing that once Yanhua took them, there would be no follow-up.

Shi Jia said frantically, "N-No, you can’t! I have to take Liu Xi home."

A European Temple Knight in Half-Body Armor said viciously, "We also had a comrade die without a sound! We now have strong reason to suspect you Yanhua People did it!"

Shen Juanzhou shot back, "What are you trying to say?!"

"What am I trying to say?! News from the Noon Realm has already spread. One of you possesses a special flame. We strongly suspect he’s the one who did this! We’re taking the bodies back for examination, and you will hand over the person who controls that flame."

Yang Shen: ???

’This involves me?!’

’Is this a dog lashing out in desperation, or are they doing this deliberately, trying to get the Rising Sun Flame from me?’

But before he could react, Shen Juanzhou had already drawn the pistol from his waist and pointed it directly at the man’s forehead. "Either take your people and leave, or die here. I don’t have time to waste with you!"

’So-called ’three great powers,’ and they really think they’re hot stuff?’

’Did Yanhua become the strongest on Cyan Blue by boasting? No, it was through arrogance!’

The Temple Warrior placed a hand on the longsword at his waist, his face showing some hesitation... He knew very well how outrageous his proposal was. Yanhua wasn’t some minor country.

If a fight really broke out, it was hard to say who would win this immediate skirmish, but the Yanhu People truly dared to fight... If this escalated into a major conflict, the Europeans were indeed weaker.

This squad of Temple Knights wavered. The idea that they were acting out of camaraderie was pure nonsense; they were just following orders.

In the end, the man in the lead slid his longsword back into its sheath.

He snorted coldly. "You’ll regret this."

Shen Juanzhou said only one word: "Scram!"

A few Yanhua Martial Artists carried Liu Xi’s body back, while Yang Shen stayed behind to investigate the beach with Shen Juanzhou and the others.

In truth... with the power of the waves and the sand, it was impossible to find any tracks, especially at night.

The real secret had to be in the sea...

An hour later, however, two peculiar pieces of news came from the base.

First: Aside from the scalds, Liu Xi’s true fatal wound was caused by a Sailor’s Saber.

A weapon commonly used by Pirate Martial Artists.

Second: Zheng Tao, who had been stationed with the Yin Race in the Noon Realm and should have also returned this evening, had briefly come back to camp before disappearing without authorization...

The situation was becoming more and more baffling.

————

Meanwhile, on the other side of Harmony Island.

On a quiet, reef-lined shore, the salty sea wind howled.

Luo Sheng stood in the shadows, his chest bearing several wounds.

’I have to admit, Liu Xi was extremely difficult to deal with in the water...’

’It was two against one, him and that pirate, and they still lost one.’

’That idiot from Europe...’

Luo Sheng lit a cigarette and took a greedy drag. He probably wouldn’t get another chance to enjoy a smoke tonight...

Although things had happened suddenly, he was on an isolated island. If he didn’t leave now, he’d never be able to. Liu Xi’s death would be discovered sooner or later, or they would trace it back to him through that European idiot.

The only fortunate thing was that Harmony Island’s top experts had all gone to the Noon Realm... They had no mind to pay attention to a trivial matter like him.

’I just hope this is enough to satisfy that big guy...’

’The Dragon... The Dragon...’

Ever since Luo Sheng first encountered that mountain-like behemoth and reached some kind of cooperative agreement, the ambition in his heart had grown uncontrollably.

Harmony Island wasn’t far from the Dragon’s location. Furthermore, a few of the Twelve Clans from the Noon Realm knew the truth, so it was only a matter of time before Yanhua caught wind of it.

If he couldn’t convince that Dragon to leave with him soon, he was afraid he’d lose his chance completely.

It should be his ally, and it *must* be his ally!

Just then, a figure emerged from the reefs behind him.

"Luo Sheng, what in the world are you thinking!"

Luo Sheng didn’t need to turn around to recognize Zheng Tao’s voice.

They had been partners for ten years...

Luo Sheng turned around. His soaking wet body looked a mess, but it also radiated a feral wildness, as if he had broken free from all shackles.

His powerful frame slowly straightened. "You’re a criminal investigator too. Tell me, what are your thoughts?"

Zheng Tao’s expression was even more rugged and grim than the reefs. "You were born in Jinshui County, tested into Jiangti from Nanliang High School, and then entered the police system with outstanding grades... I don’t understand why you got mixed up with the Rebel Species."

"You were supposed to be the one chasing the rats, but in the end, you ended up in the rat’s nest..."

Zheng Tao had his suspicions long ago, even before they went out to sea. The first time they came to the Vast Sea and were run in circles by the Rebel Species, he felt there was a mole on the team.

But he just couldn’t believe it... Although Luo Sheng was gloomy and sometimes went too far, Zheng Tao had never considered that Luo Sheng...

...could be one of the Rebel Species!

They were a bunch of scumbags, dissatisfied with society and always plotting and scheming!

Luo Sheng stretched his body. "First of all, I’m not with the Rebel Species. My standards aren’t that low."

"Secondly, you’re still thinking from your own perspective. You have a wife and kids, and you just want to lie flat and retire. You always think people only turn bad after suffering some great disaster... and that a touching display of brotherly love can turn them good again. That’s why you came to find me alone."

Luo Sheng gave a strange smile and ran a hand through his wet hair. Then, the black strands between his fingers slowly transformed, taking on a multicolored, searing hue.

It looked like a torch in the night:

"Have you ever considered..."

"...that I was always bad?"