Chapter 488 - 246: Red King Leads a Team on a Vice Bust

Chapter 488: Chapter 246: Red King Leads a Team on a Vice Bust

About four hours ago.

On a small hill.

Five Passes Temple.

Under the Spiritual Vision triggered by the young man’s inspiration, no mystery could remain hidden.

While Yin Qingqing watched in astonishment, Zheng Xiu strode into the dreaded, pregnancy-inducing Five Passes Temple.

As he stepped into the temple, the lingering scent of incense filled the air. The small, dilapidated shrine had once been ignored, but thanks to a baseless rumor about "praying for a child," the Five Passes Temple had accumulated its fair share of mortal visitors.

A tattered, dark-red gauze curtain hung crookedly, covered in filth and dust, its former vibrant color barely discernible. Behind the hole-riddled red curtain, a bizarrely shaped "wooden statue" rested quietly on the altar.

"HSSS..."

Zheng Xiu had heard from Xi’er how ridiculous this statue was, but seeing it in person made his skin crawl. He felt a deep sense of unease, as if his own moral compass had just shattered on the floor.

’Time for some inspiration.’

He spammed his inspiration ability as if it were free, running a check on the "Wutong God." The result was just as Zheng Xiu had expected: the Wutong God statue showed no trace of anything paranormal. After getting Mo Kuang pregnant, it had become a mere "statue" in the truest sense of the word.

"It’s safe now. Come on in."

Zheng Xiu called out to Yin Qingqing, but an awkward silence lingered outside the temple. As Yin Qingqing hesitated, Zheng Xiu’s lips curved into a slight smile, his tone shifting. "Get in here."

Yin Qingqing gritted her teeth and entered.

She had recognized the indisputable command in the young man’s voice.

Once Yin Qingqing was inside, the young man’s tone softened again, becoming almost boyish. "What’s there to be afraid of? If you really do get pregnant, this Prince will take responsibility."

Yin Qingqing’s expression was placid. "Yes, Your Highness."

She subconsciously touched her flat stomach, resigning herself to her fate.

Zheng Xiu wandered around the empty temple.

To Yin Qingqing, the young man seemed to be simply poking and prodding at things, occasionally touching his forehead. He didn’t seem the least bit worried about the malevolent force that caused pregnancies, looking utterly guileless.

’Perhaps this is what makes the Red King so inscrutable,’

Yin Qingqing thought to herself.

If he were that easy to read, he never would have risen from the Richest Person and Marquis Zhonglie to become Zheng Xiu, the Red King—second only to one and above all others.

What she didn’t know was that while he seemed to be aimlessly wandering, Zheng Xiu had been constantly running Scouting and inspiration checks.

With every check, his experience points for Scouting and inspiration shot up. It was only when they stopped rising that Zheng Xiu, still feeling unsatisfied, finally ceased his ability checks.

Yin Qingqing quietly watched Little Prince Ma dart about, having long abandoned any thought of resistance. In her mind, she had already been in the temple for so long that if she was going to get pregnant, it would have already happened. Protesting was pointless.

She touched her stomach again. She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but she thought she could feel it bulging just a tiny bit.

Time always flies when you’re grinding for experience, and in the blink of an eye, dusk fell.

Zheng Xiu had more or less finished his investigation. He pointed at the "Wutong God" and ordered Yin Qingqing to take it.

"Are you sure?"

Yin Qingqing was taken aback.

"Of course."

Looking aggrieved, Yin Qingqing scraped off a fingernail-sized piece of her own skin and used it to store the "Wutong God."

After they had packed away the Wutong God, Zheng Xiu received a message from Xi’er.

He answered the call from the Eternal World Painting right in front of Yin Qingqing. Xi’er was on the line to report the clues she and Situ Yong had gathered after a full day of investigating the list of widows.

"So that’s how it is!"

Listening to her report, Zheng Xiu had a moment of sudden enlightenment, and many pieces of the puzzle instantly fell into place.

When Xi’er learned that the Red King had personally risked danger by visiting the Five Passes Temple, she worriedly asked if he had gotten pregnant.

Zheng Xiu shot a subtle glance at Yin Qingqing, touched the bump on his forehead, and snapped back, "What a joke. How could I possibly be pregnant?"

The sky gradually darkened.

The two of them rode back on horseback.

On the road, Zheng Xiu held a sullen Orange Cat in his arms, humming a tune to himself. He seemed to be in a delightful mood.

By the time they returned to the inn, the moon was high in the sky.

Zheng Xiu had rented out the entire inn and immediately ordered the kitchen to prepare and send up some fine dishes. In a first-rate room, all the members of the Disaster Prevention Bureau were assembled and waiting for the Red King, making the space feel rather crowded.

Ye and Snake had been assigned to guard the temporary command post at the inn. The first thing they did was report that the day had passed without incident. Mo Kuang was resting peacefully; father and child were both doing well.

"No rush. Let’s eat first, we can talk afterward."

After a short wait, the waiter, who had been well-paid for his service, diligently laid out a table full of dishes.

Snake and Ye hesitated for a moment before removing their veils in front of everyone for the first time.

Ye normally only ever revealed her blue eyes. The moment she took off her veil, the room fell silent. A straight, noble nose, full lips, fair skin, and long, curly golden hair that fell like a wave across half her face. It was a beauty completely different from the traditional aesthetics of the Eastern Land, suffused with an exotic charm that captivated everyone present.

When Snake saw her sister remove her veil, she frowned, hastily ladled some food into a bowl, and turned to leave.

"Snake."

"I’m eating outside," Snake said, pushing the door open and leaving without a backward glance.

A wry smile appeared on Ye’s face as she watched Snake leave. Everyone else in the room looked on in confusion.

Ye offered a small smile. "Snake’s just throwing a fit again. Don’t worry, I’ll go talk to her in a bit."

Zheng Xiu scratched his head, but since Ye had said that, he didn’t press the issue. After a quick meal, the group sat down in the room to sort through all their current clues.

"First, take her pulse."

Zheng Xiu said, pointing at Yin Qingqing and addressing the Elder Divine Doctor.