Chapter 214 Destiny Coin

Jiang Chaosheng returned to the main hall of Antique Shop Zero, walked behind the counter, and sat down.

Despite the long ordeal, he didn’t feel tired.

‘I need to review the trip to Dream Island Resort.’

First, Jiang Chaosheng took the Evil Qilin’s letter out of his pocket, which he had received from the butler at Dream Island.

He read it:

“Respected Mr. Dusk, By the time you read this letter, I trust that I have already failed. Congratulations on obtaining both the Killing Pocket Watch and the Left Eye of Deceit and Treachery. You can imagine what has become of me. You destroyed two of my Ghost Hair avatars, and my soul has been severely wounded. I may not survive this ordeal, but I will strive to live on. Now, to honor my promise. To evade the Anomaly Administration Bureau’s Operation Tenghu, Niu Lang and the Lady are now hiding in Meiqi Country. The Taiping Dao has allies in Meiqi Country, so the Anomaly Investigation Bureau cannot act with complete impunity there.”

Jiang Chaosheng murmured,

‘Niu Lang went to Meiqi Country to hide from the Investigators?’

Jiang Chaosheng fell silent for a moment, then muttered to himself,

‘He certainly understands the Manager, knowing they dislike long journeys.

But… I’m not like the other Managers. I don’t mind traveling far.’

‘If I were Niu Lang, I would have left the Xia Kingdom too.’

After all, with both the authorities and the antique shop targeting him, there was no place left for him in the entire Xia Kingdom.

Jiang Chaosheng fiddled with the letter, his gaze turning grim.

‘You want me to go after Niu Lang, don’t you?

Truthfully, I’m more interested in you… you clever little mouse.’

Jiang Chaosheng set the letter down.

‘With the letter and the Killing Pocket Watch, two items the Evil Qilin has used, plus two strands of his hair… I should be able to use the Homing Mirror to find the Evil Qilin.’

Item No. 3-19, the Homing Mirror, could use a medium to find any living creature still in the Human World.

However, this Taboo Item had been traded away thirty years ago.

Li Qinglian’s journal mentioned it—thirty years ago, a detective named Peng Guanhai traded twenty years of his lifespan for the Homing Mirror.

‘By that count, Peng Guanhai should be sixty years old this year.’

‘I could try borrowing it from him.’

‘It’s just… there’s something else I’m very interested in.’

Jiang Chaosheng took out a notebook and wrote two words on it: “Li Qinglian.”

The incident at Dream Island Resort had cast a shroud of mystery over Li Qinglian.

Why did he go to my hometown—Baiyu Village?

To retrieve a Taboo Item?

However, the journal had no record of Li Qinglian successfully retrieving a Taboo Item in Baiyu Village.

What concerned Jiang Chaosheng most was that Li Qinglian had claimed in the dream to have killed a Hell Demon in Baiyu Village.

Baiyu Village was just a small, unremarkable village. How could there be a Hell Demon there?

‘No matter what, I need to go back to Baiyu Village.’

‘Should I find the Evil Qilin first, or go back to Baiyu Village?’

Jiang Chaosheng was conflicted.

‘After all, both were quite important.’

Jiang Chaosheng stood up and walked toward the back room.

He stopped at shelf number 3.

He glanced at the bird’s nest on the nearby shelf No. 1.

There were still two silk stockings in the nest.

‘Who knows where the Evil Crow is now.’

Jiang Chaosheng turned his attention back to shelf No. 3.

He picked up a coin.

It was a coin with a golden path on one side and a silver path on the other.

Item No. 3-10, the Destiny Coin.

When faced with an uncertain choice, a flip of this coin would reveal the optimal path.

Jiang Chaosheng thought to himself,

‘Heads for the Evil Qilin, tails for Baiyu Village.’

The next second, he tossed the coin into the air.

The coin landed and spun in his palm, an unseen, profound power manifesting upon it.

Jiang Chaosheng snapped his hand shut over it. When he opened his palm again…

Golden.

Finding the Evil Qilin was the optimal choice.

Jiang Chaosheng pocketed the Destiny Coin.

‘From now on, I should carry more of these small, functional Taboo Items when I go out on business.’

‘After all, if it comes to a fight, the Scythe of Death and the Penalty Fire Flintlock Gun are all I need.’

Jiang Chaosheng placed the Nine-tailed Fox Demon Core back on the shelf.

“Go back to your room and rest. You worked hard today.”

Su Daji floated out from the Nine-tailed Fox Demon Core and gave Jiang Chaosheng a graceful curtsy.

“Yes, Husband.”

Jiang Chaosheng watched Su Daji go upstairs, then headed for the door.

Daji had expended too much of her power during the Dream Island incident.

So he wouldn’t bring Daji along this time. The Old Dragon King would be enough.

He was just borrowing a Taboo Item from an ordinary person. It shouldn’t be too much trouble.

He was sure no client would dare refuse the Manager.

…

It was already nine o’clock when Jiang Chaosheng walked out of Antique Shop Zero.

Tourists were already trickling onto Anxiang Street, taking photos to mark their visit.

The weather was pleasant, with a light rain falling.

Jiang Chaosheng liked rainy days.

He held a black umbrella and carried a suitcase as he walked toward another street.

Jiang Chaosheng wasn’t wearing his trench coat.

It was the height of summer, and while he wouldn’t have felt the heat in a trench coat, it would have drawn unwanted attention.

He reached his destination.

Jinmu Cafe.

He had made a promise to the owner, Meng Xing, to show him pictures of Dream Island after he got back.

The cafe was open and already had some customers inside.

They had ordered croissants and cream cakes, enjoying them with coffee for breakfast.

Jiang Chaosheng scanned the cafe but didn’t see Meng Xing.

The proprietress, who seemed to be named Yunyun, stood behind the counter, waiting for the next customer.

Jiang Chaosheng walked to the counter.

“Is Meng Xing in?”

Yunyun paused for a moment.

“He stepped out. He should be back in about half an hour. You can wait if you’d like. I can make you a cup of coffee.”

Jiang Chaosheng shook his head, took a photo album from inside his jacket, and placed it on the counter.

“I’m in a hurry. Please give this to him.”

Yunyun blinked and picked up the album.

“That husband of mine… what has he gone and wasted money on now?”

She didn’t recognize Jiang Chaosheng, as they had never been formally introduced.

When Yunyun picked up the album, her eyes widened in disbelief.

“Dream Island?”

Jiang Chaosheng said,

“Your husband asked me to take some photos for him on my way back from Dream Island. He said it’s your design, and that you’ve never had a chance to see it since it opened.”

Yunyun’s eyes grew red around the rims.

“That man… I thought all he knew was how to pick fights and cause trouble.”

Yunyun looked up at Jiang Chaosheng and said earnestly,

“Thank you. I haven’t been back since I left Dream Island. The tickets are just too expensive, and I’ve been wanting to see what it looks like now.”

Jiang Chaosheng said sincerely,

“Your design is incredible.”

Yunyun smiled.

“Did you have a good time there?”

Jiang Chaosheng pressed his lips together. After a two-second silence, the corners of his mouth slowly curved into a smile.

“I had a wonderful time.”

With that, Jiang Chaosheng turned and left.

…

Luohan Bridge Pedestrian Street was a tourist spot in Jiangchuan City.

The sky was filled with dark clouds, and rain poured down in sheets.

Unseen in a nameless alley, a figure dropped from the sky.

Two stray cats stared in astonishment at the person.

The person casually tossed them the half-eaten piece of bread they were holding.

The two stray cats scrambled madly for it.

When they looked up again, the person was gone.