Stranger Danger-Chapter 1345: Clues

Even Ye Qing had only managed to severely injure the Thousand Hand Buddha of the Night. He wasn’t able to kill it once and for all.

It was, of course, very much within his capabilities to kill the Thousand Hand Buddha of the Night, but he would need to go all out and pay too big a price. That was why he only dealt it a severe blow. In the short term at least, the Thousand Hand Buddha of the Night would not be showing its ugly face anymore.

“Hahaha! As expected of the Mad Lord!” Gu Suitang laughed while still striking Ye Qing’s shoulder.

Gu Suitang’s gesture did not irritate Ye Qing. On the contrary, he felt nostalgic. He still remembered Gu Suitang slapping his shoulder like this back when he first joined the Luo Shui Pacification Bureau. Gu Suitang had not used much strength, but it was almost enough to break him and put him in bed for days. But today, it no longer hurt one bit. In fact, he knew that Gu Suitang could hit him with all his strength and still not injure a hair on his person.

Gu Suitang was feeling nostalgic as well. Just a couple years ago, Ye Qing was still a weak but good-hearted young man who needed his protection and guidance. Now, he had become a titan that even he had to strain his neck to look at. No wonder they said that heroes were made young.

Gu Suitang did not feel jealous toward Ye Qing though. On the contrary, he was filled with pride and happiness for the young man. He said wholeheartedly, “You did well, Joyless... you did really well.”

“Thank you, chief.” Ye Qing saluted him. “Joyless have never forgotten your teachings, and I feel no desire to start now or in the future. That is why Joyless will continue to get better.”

“Good, good.” Gu Suitang sighed and cast a sideway glance at Lin Yuhuai. Then, he said with a clear tinge of disappointment, “Yuhuai, look at him, and then look at yourself! Have you fed all the martial arts you’ve learned to the dogs? You should have become a Trueman by now. How disappointing.”

“You’re right, chief.” Lin Yuhuai let out a bitter chuckle. He was now a late-stage Spirit Master, and in the jianghu, no one could say that he wasn’t a talented youngster. Compared to Ye Qing though? It was no exaggeration to say that he was barely better than dogshit. That was why he could only accept Gu Suitang’s needling without resistance.

“Oh right, where is Chief Fang and Nianjiu, chief? Weren’t you together?”

Ye Qing changed the topic after chatting with Gu Suitang and Lin Yuhuai for a bit.

Gu Suitang shook his head. “We were together, but a Stranger assault broke us apart. I’m certain that Xiaoman and Nianjiu are together though. I was protecting Yuhuai, and he Nianjiu. So, they must be together.”

Ye Qing asked another question, “Do you remember where you’ve split up with each other?”

“Unfortunately, no.” Gu Suitang and Lin Yuhuai both shook their heads helplessly. “After we split up, Yuhuai and I ran into more trouble and were forced into hiding all over the place. Though, I suppose I still remember the rough direction that we came from.”

“As long as there’s a direction.” Ye Qing rubbed his palms in satisfaction. “I’ll tell the men to search in that direction. I’m sure we’ll find them eventually.”

“The men?” Gu Suitang looked puzzled. “I thought you came alone?”

“Kinda. I came with a senior,” Ye Qing replied.

“So, there’s only two of you?” Gu Suitang frowned deeply. “That’s four people in total even if you add us into the mix. When are we ever going to find Xiaoman and Nianjiu?”

Ye Qing smirked. “Don’t you worry, chief, we aren’t the only ones searching for them. A lot of people will be joining in the search.”

“A lot of people?” Gu Suitang looked even more puzzled. “How many are we talking about?”

“A lot.”

Ye Qing’s smirk widened.

......

So, how much was a lot?

When daytime arrived, Gu Suitang found out exactly how much Ye Qing’s “a lot” was.

If the people stood in a straight line, it would not be an exaggeration to say that they spanned from one end of the horizon to the other.

At least tens of thousands of people were working at the behest of Ye Qing right now.

Not only that, a small number of them—only a dozen people or so—boasted strange appearances and even more powerful auras. They were all powerful figures he did not dare to draw attention to himself.

He had made contact with all of them. He knew that they were all ruthless, bloodthirsty bastards who killed for a living. Right now though, they were all acting like meek servants and obeying Ye Qing’s every whim.

After Ye Qing was done giving instructions, and the people were scattering to begin their search for Fang Xiaoman and Chu Nianjiu, Gu Suitang walked over to Ye Qing’s side and asked in a low voice, “How did you make them obey you absolutely, Joyless?”

Ye Qing smiled. “How else? Via strength, of course.”

“That can’t be all,” Gu Suitang remarked while looking at the smiles and happy faces of the crowd departing the area.

If the stick was all Ye Qing used, then these people would still obey him, but they would not be wearing such willing and joyful smiles on their faces.

“I knew you’d find out.”

Ye Qing smoothly paid Gu Suitang a praise before explaining himself, “I promised these people that I would take them away from this place if they aid me in my search.”

“What? You can take them away from this place?” Gu Suitang exclaimed in surprise. “Can you actually though?”

“But of course.” Ye Qing smiled. “I forgot to tell you this, but I can summon the Yin Horse Carriage anytime I want to. It will take us away from this place.”

He had never planned on reneging his promise to these people. After all, why save one person only when you could save a couple, and why save a couple people only when you could save all of them?

“You can summon the Yin Horse Carriage?” Gu Suitang was blown away yet again. “How did you do it?”

Ye Qing explained, “I requested a Yin Carriage Token from the Yin Horse Carriage. It allows me to command the Yin Horse Carriage to provide me with its services.”

“The Yin Carriage Token?” Gu Suitang had never heard of the Yin Carriage Token, but he didn’t care. “You asked, and the Yin Horse Carriage just gave it to you?”

Ye Qing replied, “Yep. It didn’t dare not to give it to me.”

This time, it was in Yuhuai who asked, “Why’s that?”

Ye Qing shot him a smirk before declaring in a domineering tone, “Because I will dismantle it if it refuses.”

“......”

Neither Gu Suitang nor Lin Yuhuai said a word. That logic was perfectly sound.

After that, Gu Suitang and Lin Yuhuai once again bore witness to Ye Qing’s forcefulness and tyranny. Just like yesterday, Ye Qing had sought out some powerful warriors and recruited them to his cause. And how did he do it? Diplomacy before violence. First, he would regal them with reason and logic. If they agreed, then all was well. If not, then he would beat them up until they said yes.

It was that simple and brutal; that forceful and tyrannical.

As simple and brutal as the tactic was, the effects were shockingly positive.

Then again, Ye Qing was the only one who possessed the strength and the skill to use such a tactic. If Gu Suitang or Lin Yuhuai were to try the same thing, the grass before their tombstones would be one meter tall already.

Unfortunately, several hours passed, and the search parties were only growing in size with each passing hour, and still they received no news about Fang Xiaoman or Chu Nianjiu.

“Is there still nothing, Joyless?” Gu Suitang asked with clear worry.

“Not yet.” Ye Qing shook his head. He was going to say something when a palm-sized paper doll suddenly crawled out of his sleeve and landed on his shoulder. Then, it moved closer to his ear and gestured up and down.

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