Chapter 8

1

On the beach outside a certain apartment building, a girl named Elena wandered along the shore with ghostly footsteps. The people around her became fewer and fewer as it approached midnight, and the passersby were only concerned with returning home.

"Elena?" Purple Li Liu stood in front of her, and Elena looked like she was sleepwalking. Purple Li Liu had a very effective method for sleepwalking in illusionists.

Purple Li Liu kept pointing her finger at Elena's forehead, stimulating her nerves and gradually waking her up.

"Is that you?"

"Why are you wearing such thin clothes at this late hour?"

Elena was wearing a thin nightgown and a flowing skirt that would attract many perverts on any normal day.

"Hah, it's cold... It's you."

"Are you sleepwalking? I've never seen you sleepwalk before."

"I... I just dreamt about something, and it unconsciously led me here." Elena gently held down her skirt and looked around, feeling like she had seen this place in a dream.

But then Elena thought for a moment, "It seems like I've been around here in the evening before."

"I think you're like me, sensing his magic presence. I intentionally ran to this beach, while you came unintentionally."

Purple Li Liu closed her eyes and sensed her surroundings, but the result was fruitless.

"I came because of him? Is that even possible? I'm more inclined to believe that someone is using more dangerous magic that makes us feel threatened." Elena turned her back to the sea, looking at the four buildings facing the ocean.

"Is that so? I did sense a special magic, but it wasn't dangerous. It felt more like hypnotic magic."

Elena remained silent, knowing in her heart that it wasn't because of danger, she just simply wanted to come and see. But she felt that her desire was too foolish.

"Elena, can you do me a favor tomorrow?"

"What is it? Are you going to ask us to clear the innocent person's name in front of the five countries? It's hard for anyone to believe no matter who says it, and I don't have any reason to help with this."

"This matter, I think only he can resolve it himself, but what I need your help with is finding something. Only this thing can help me find him now."

Purple Li Liu came to this place because her illusion eyes couldn't see this place. So she had to step by step sense where the person she wanted to find was.

"Finding something?"

"I need this country's surveillance magic system."

Elena found it strange. She knew what the surveillance magic system was, but she didn't know why Purple Li Liu needed it.

"The country's surveillance magic, shouldn't you use a certain identity to obtain the rightful use for diplomatic purposes?"

"I don't need it to be rightful, nor do I have much time. I can confirm he's here tonight, but it will be difficult to determine his location tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. You should want to find him too."

Purple Li Liu discovered that aside from those masked individuals, even the gods were secretly searching. If she could find the surveillance magic system, she would have a way to search throughout the entire kingdom of Ruhlhan.

Anyone would think of such a permanent solution, but who could obtain the rightful usage from the ordinary channels? Not to mention other countries or gods, not even the indigenous "Raku" could obtain the usage rights. That's why those with masks felt that using large-scale search magic was troublesome and couldn't be done in a short period of time.

"That's really troublesome, but it's okay. I also want to find him, otherwise I don't know when my mission will be delayed."

Dong~~ In the distance, there seemed to be a dull bell ringing. It was the midnight bell, the time when all nighttime activities should cease on Meng Island.

"At this time, someone likes to go out and do some shady things. I wonder if he still has this habit now."

"Will we encounter any dangers if we are outside at this time?"

Li Liu suddenly realized.

"The origin of the midnight curfew on Meng Island dates back to a shipwreck a hundred years ago. It was the attack of the Nicolaus fish, and the species of this fish is still unknown. But at the stroke of midnight every day, the fish would appear around Meng Island, targeting humans for food. Since the curfew was implemented, the fish has never been seen again. However, no one can be sure whether the fish has truly left or not. No one has appeared on the main road of Meng Island at midnight for a hundred years."

"Ah? So we would be attacked as long as we step off the main road. How could this fish called Nicolaus silently come ashore?"

"Because this is a folk legend, many such legends cannot withstand scrutiny. I also don't believe that there is a fish that repeatedly causes trouble and its species is still unknown." Elena didn't care about getting her pajamas dirty and sat directly on the beach.

"I think this kind of legend is a fantasy that arose after a long period of curfew. Because they didn't know why, they kept imagining. The curfew was originally a regulation, but it later became a custom. I'm curious why the people here take it so seriously."

Elena stopped and her gaze fixed on four triangular objects that suddenly appeared vertically in the four corners surrounding them. "Maybe the people here are just easier to deceive."

Li Liu followed Elena's gaze and saw a figure appearing at the edge of the rocky coastline. Elena restrained Li Liu's sensitive reaction.

"We have invisible barriers in all four directions. They can't see or hear us." Elena pointed to the triangular objects beside them, which emitted a strange faint light.

"I seem to know those people."

Through her illusion eyes, Li Liu clearly saw the face of the owner of the shadow. She said she recognized him because this person was also a figure in the empire.

"Situ Nanfu, I've heard of him too. He's a Count even though he's not that old."

"Yes, it's him. What is he doing here?"

In Li Liu's eyes, Situ Nanfu's arrival was very familiar. He wandered around the rocks for two rounds, then, after confirming it was safe, he gave a signal and immediately five or six burly men appeared in the city. Their attire looked like that of Hanan's soldiers, and the leader was a middle-aged man wearing sunglasses.

"Mr. Situ, it's been a long time!" The middle-aged man greeted Situ Nanfu very friendly, and there was a sense of conspiracy between them.

"Not too long, at most it hasn't been more than two months."

"Ever since I last saw you, it feels like ages have passed!"

"I'm not a girl, so that saying doesn't apply to me."

"Oh~ To me, what's in your hands is as desirable as a 'girl'."

Mr. Gui and Situ Nanfu had a camaraderie as if they were good buddies, and the two girls were curious about what "thing" Mr. Gui was referring to.

"What about Miss Situ? I thought she would come with you."

"My cousin is a public figure, so she has to arrive through normal channels. It will be tomorrow when she and the goods arrive."

"Oh, I thought I would be able to see that thing tonight." Mr. Gui showed a disappointed expression.

"The goods are our secret weapon, even I can't touch them. The head of the family has strictly instructed that they must be personally delivered to you by my cousin. I'm just here to see her off. Everything is as quiet as usual here."

"Mr. Sito, you also know that we hide a lot of underground transactions from the Divine Clan every year. Without this practice, there wouldn't be so much buying and selling." Mr. Gui smiled and led the way, walking shoulder to shoulder with Mr. Sito Nanzhou towards the hidden passage in the reef, then disappearing into it.

Elena calmly said, "I can't believe the teleportation array is located there, and it's used for underground transactions. They must be trading weapons."

"What secrets could the Sito family's military industrial complex still have that I don't know about? Are they trying to sell artificial element 'L'?"

"Hehe, it's not impossible. Even the Divine Clan is envious of the artificial element."

"The artificial element is actually going to be released to the public in a few years, and now they're already being traded as experimental products! Duke Sito committed the crime of regicide, and now he's quickly getting involved in selling national secrets."

The more Purple Li Liu thought about it, the angrier she became. She wanted to catch this Sito Nanzhou immediately and make him confess everything.

"Their so-called young miss is probably Situ Liyao. Shall we go tomorrow to disrupt their activities? Or should we let go of these people and find your someone?" Elena looked at Purple Li Liu and saw that she was struggling.

"It's a difficult choice, but I need to find him first. I'll find a way to handle the Sito family's affairs. What about you, the Divine Clan? What's your plan?"

"Forget it, let's not discuss these matters between us. Since nothing terrible has happened on this midnight, let's meet tomorrow."

Just as Elena stood up, Purple Li Liu asked her, "Elena, among the Divine Clan members who came with you, is there a fat man with one eye?"

"A fat man with one eye? I haven't seen him."

"I recently encountered a pervert who can resist my illusionary eyes. If you happen to see him, help me beat him up. As a member of your species, you probably won't be convicted for assaulting someone."

After listening to Purple Li Liu's words, Elena couldn't help but smile and cry. Beating up a pervert is something every girl should do. What's there to fear about being convicted or not?

"Alright, besides being a fat man with one eye, does he have any other distinctive features?"

"Well... he is accompanied by a skinny person. I don't think he's human or divine."

"Is he a monster?"

"I mean, he's not a living creature."

In Purple Li Liu and Elena's understanding, they couldn't possibly imagine that a statue would come to life like this. In their understanding, there must be someone controlling the statue. This kind of laissez-faire situation was the first time they encountered it, and Elena suddenly felt the need to be alert.

2

Early morning of the second day, around six o'clock, Situ Liyao walked out of the VIP channel in the inspection area, surrounded by a large number of fans. The scene was chaotic for a while, but at some point, the chaos suddenly became orderly. Situ Liyao also felt a sense of oppression.

"Senior Yeha." Situ Liyao came to another country far away from home to attend the awards ceremony, and politeness was a must.

"You must be Situ Liyao. You're really beautiful."

The person standing in front of Situ Liyao was elegantly reserved, radiating a dazzling light wherever she went. Although everyone knew she was over a hundred years old, they couldn't help but admire her.

The two popular candidates for the people's choice award are standing together, and at this moment countless journalists are crazily capturing the scene.