What a joke! How can someone lay hands on Book of Life and Death?
It is a serious matter that concerns one's rebirth!
I, the unyielding son of King of Hell, will never compromise!
However, the Great Demon King cut my beloved ebony hair!
He even threatened to shave me bald if I refused to hand him the Book of Life and Death!
I might be young, but I'm a self-conscious boy.
Eventually, I surrendered the Book of Life and Death to the Great Demon King...
It was definitely not because I was afraid of him!
My pretty face will be wasted if I'm bald!
However, he could not find the name "Helian Wei Wei" within the Book of Life and Death.
Only three kinds of entities, namely the demons, deities and some special cases, were excluded from the records of hell.
The special cases were certainly not within the hell's jurisdiction.
He recalled how the Exorcising Tribe summoned the Flame of Heaven and Earth to confine the Great Demon King in a mortal shell.
I reckoned that his primordial spirit has been completely destroyed. How is he able to return?
As the son of King of Hell pondered on this question, a man grabbed him by his collar from behind!
In synchrony, the reapers exclaimed, "No!"
"You have not answered my question. Which hand do you want to discard? Why are you trying to run away? Didn't you want her to kiss the back of your hand? Huh? Do you want me to cut off both your hands personally?" Baili Jia Jue picked up the son of King of Hell, as if he was a little chick, to his level and stared into the boy's eyes before he sneered, "Or, perhaps you prefer me to shave your head bald?"
The son of King of Hell quickly cradled his head and replied in a serious tone, "Can't we talk peacefully? I have a family now and I can't just shave my head bald."
The crowd was flustered by the situation.
This kid is only five years old.
And, he has a family?
Elder Xu Wu finally pulled himself together. He stared at Helian Wei Wei before he burst out laughing, "Hahaha! Third Princess Consort, where is this judge you were referring to? Are you trying to hoodwink us with this little kid?"
Helian Wei Wei raised her eyebrows in silence, but her lips curved into a meaningful smile.
The son of King of Hell let out a contemptuous laugh even though Baili Jia Jue was still grabbing him by his collar. He put on a wicked and ferocious expression before he asked, "Who are you calling as a little kid?"
Mouth agape, Elder Xu Wu was glued to the spot as if he was frozen by an unknown force. He could not utter a single word. Following that, his shadow became out of his control as it slowly moved toward the little boy!
Zongzheng Wen Ren was the first person to notice that Elder Xu Wu was acting strangely. He could not comprehend the sudden waves of Qi of Yin. It was more overwhelming and intimidating than the time when 10 judges were summoned at once.
The Peach Blossom Sword in his hand started to shake vigorously. Despite the fact that Zongzheng Wen Ren had utilized all his spiritual power, he failed to suppress it.
"What is happening?"
Apparently, he was not the only one who was affected. The magical instruments in every exorcist's hands were buzzing menacingly as if they were trying to escape from an unprecedented danger.
The perturbed exorcists looked at each other helplessly. What shocked them more was the fact that the person who was wreaking the havoc was the little boy who was standing before them!
"Stupid." The son of King of Hell bared his canines. He had the appearance of a child. However, the Qi of Yin he was born with absurdly threatened everyone, causing them to shudder involuntarily.
Elder Xu Wu had never expected to be restrained by a little boy.
By now, Zongzheng Wen Ren had sensed something unusual about the situation. He put in a strenuous effort to voice his question, "Who are you?"
"Who? Me?" The son of King of Hell could not strike a pose at this moment as he was still lifted up in the air. Therefore, he blew his fringe and smirked. "You will know who I am when you are dead."
"No. Your Highness, you cannot act impulsively here. This is the human world and we're restricted rules and regulations. If you kill someone here, the King of Hell will never allow you to come to the human world again!" The reapers quickly halted him, witnessing how rapidly the situation had progressed. Similarly, they dared not get too close to the son of King of Hell because the Great Demon King was still in proximity. He was extremely terrifying!
Owing to the presence of the huge group of reapers, the temperature in the Great Hall had plunged to near freezing point!
Every witness to this unbelievable scene was completely flabbergasted!
The exorcists' hearts nearly leaped out of their chests. There is... such a huge group of reapers! And... what did they just call that little boy?
Your Highness?
Zongzheng Wen Ren's expression changed abruptly as if he was greatly astounded by the scene. He completely lost his composure when his gaze landed on the word "Yama" word that was written at the top hat on the little boy's head. "You... what is your relationship with the King of Hell?"
"He's my father." The son of King of Hell replied with an indifferent tone. He felt so proud as he spoke for he finally had the chance to boast about his father.
Zongzheng Wen Ren's grip around the Peach Blossom Sword loosened when he heard the boy's words. A loud clang rang when the sword fell onto the floor. He staggered backward and fell into his seat. He mulled over the words. "How is this possible! This is impossible!"
"Nothing is impossible." The son of King of Hell snorted, "It's not strange for me to appear in the human world. So, don't make a fuss about it." He looked at Helian Wei Wei and said, "Woman, can you ask your man to put me down? It is hard for me to pose if he continues to hold me up like this."
Helian Wei Wei was speechless. How can he even think about posing under such circumstances?
Similarly, the exorcists were rendered mute out of shock after they heard what the son of King of Hell said!
In other words, the person Helian Wei Wei summoned was not a judge, but the King of Hell's son!
The exorcists could not even imagine how much spiritual power was required to achieve that and they regretted their acts immensely!
That's right!
They regret for not acknowledging Helian Wei Wei as a powerful woman.
Not only that, they regretted their decision to follow the envoys to the War Dragon Dynasty for the competition!
Even Zongzheng Wen Ren had to concede and acknowledge Helian Wei Wei as a Great Master.
Such astounding cultivation could only be achieved by the members of the Exorcising Tribe.
Their opponent had always secured the triumph since the beginning of the competition.
They felt like a buffoon to have acted conceitedly.
The exorcists wished to hide under the rock as they recalled how disdainful they were toward their rivals.
Wu Jing was pleased to read their expressions. He guffawed and said, "So does this mean that we won?"
"Of course." Liu Yu appeared calm but he failed to conceal his excitement in his tone. "The princess consort has summoned the son of King of Hell. Therefore, nobody should be nitpicking and mocking our princess consort about her exorcising skills anymore."
Zongzheng Wen Ren could no longer argue about it. He felt like he had been punched squarely in the gut. The burning pain of embarrassment was indescribable...
His spiritual aura and Taoist art were no match for Helian Wei Wei's...
Zongzheng Wen Ren placed one of his hands on his forehead as he lowered his head, ashamed to lift his gaze.
He could clearly sense the gazes of the onlookers that were fixed on him.
It got increasingly difficult for him to hide his emotions.
He was like a conceited jester who had been boasting in front of the experts, and eventually, become the one to be ridiculed...
The absolute victory caused the palpable excitement to buzz through the changed air!
Zongzheng Yu Er parted her lips, as though she had something to express. However, she merely made an inaudible voice before she was interrupted.
The exorcist who was standing aside spoke, "Princess, please stop arguing. Helian Wei Wei is prettier and stronger than you. She could defeat the Crown Prince, not to mention you. She will definitely be everyone's preferred candidate. Besides, she is the primary consort who is officially married to the Third Prince. You'll humiliate yourself if you continue to pick on Helian Wei Wei. "
Upon listening to the exorcist's remark, Zongzheng Yu Er's words died in her throat. "Bai Yue, please remember that you are a citizen of Xuanyuan Kingdom, not the War Dragon Dynasty. Do you even know what you are saying? Who do you think you are speaking to!"
"Of course I know who I am speaking to. Your Highness, you are the princess of Xuanyuan Kingdom. You should have given up when you were rejected the first time. However, due to your shamelessness, you have not only humiliated yourself but also the people of the Xuanyuan Dynasty." Exorcists in the Xuanyuan Kingdom had always had high reputation. The more powerful the exorcist was, the more arrogant he or she would be, and Bai Yue was a perfect example.
Zongzheng Yu Er never thought that she would be reprimanded by people of her own nation. She opened her mouth, but no word escaped her throat.
She was surrounded by exorcists from the other countries. They were staring at her with eyes full of apparent disdain, as though she was unworthy of her title as a princess!
Zongzheng Yu Er's face was flushed red as if her heart had been scalded by boiling water. She had never been publicly embarrassed before.
Zongzheng Yu Er looked at Huangzi Nation's messenger expectantly, hoping that he could support her.
However, after he witnessed the commotion, realizing how the exorcists of Xuanyuan Kingdom despised their princess, Lord Wang was unable to argue with them.
He was looking at the big picture.
Since the War Dragon Dynasty had won the competition, their plans to besiege the city had become obsolete.
It would be a better option for them to withdraw themselves immediately and leave the Capital tomorrow.
Then, the Third Prince would probably not do anything to them.
After all, no country would attack visiting envoys violently.
As long as they did not continue to provoke the Third Prince, they would be fine.
This was why Lord Wang agreed to the proposal to lay siege to the Capital.
At worst, they would simply lose the competition.
Little did they know that the war had only started!
At that moment, Nangong Lie, in a worship robe, entered the Great Hall. He scanned the hall with his alluring eyes, and eventually locked gaze with Baili Jia Jue. He wore a grin as he said, "It seems like you are almost done here. I am done with my side too. The tasks you assigned are almost completed. I reckon that we will get the result real soon."
Baili Jia Jue replied with a silent yet nonchalant nod.
Someone as intelligent as Helian Wei Wei immediately understood that they were plotting something.
Is His Highness up to something again?
The exorcists did not understand the meaning behind Nangong Lie's words.
However, they were puzzled by his overdue arrival.
After all, if a worship administrator was present on scene, they would not have underestimated the War Dragon Dynasty.
Just as Nangong Lie finished his words, three people hurried into the Great Hall.
They were wearing military uniforms of different countries. Their collars were drenched in sweat and their faces were gloomy!
"Your Highness."
"Lord."
"Something bad has happened!"
Zongzheng Wen Ren was infuriated when the soldiers knelt before him. "Stand up and tell me what's wrong!"
The soldiers trembled as they replied, "Xuan City, Xuan City has been blitzed. The King has ordered Your Highness to return immediately to lead the troop!"
"What did you say?" Zongzheng Wen Ren could not believe what he had heard. He rose to his feet as widened his eyes in shock!
Xuan City was the capital of Xuanyuan Kingdom.
It was obvious what Xuanyuan Kingdom's destiny would be if the Xuan City was attacked!
The soldiers from the other two countries came with the same news. Their Capitals had also been ambushed!
"Who would attack us at this time ..." Lord Wang had yet to finish his sentence when he abruptly turned to look at Baili Jia Jue!
"Was it... was it you?"
Baili Jia Jue did not deny. He tossed the son of King of Hell aside, tidied his sleeves casually as he replied, "Yes."
Did he just reply with a succinct word without any elaboration?
"Your Highness, do you know that we're alliances and you shouldn't harm the envoys?" Lord Wang enunciated.
Baili Jia Jue replied with a nonchalant and slightly contemptuous tone, "Of course I know. This is exactly why I didn't do anything to you. However, you were stupider than I imagined. Your defense at the borders was so pathetically vulnerable."
Baili Jia Jue was not straightforward but everyone in the room understood the message he was trying to send.
As I can't hurt you, I will attack your Capital directly. You have to pay for what you've done.
Upon hearing this, Lord Wang's legs turned soft. Baili Jia Jue was certainly a ruthless man!
Initially, they thought that they could defeat this newly-appointed Third Prince after they joined forces as three kingdoms.
However, the event was turned when the Third Prince unexpectedly attacked their Capitals.
While they were distracted by the exorcism contest, the man had sent his troops directly to their Capitals.
No one would have expected such a stratagem from Baili Jia Jue.
He did not know about what happened at the other countries. However, as soon as his King heard about his arrival at the capital alongside the exorcists, he was anticipating a victory and did not station much military forces at the southern border...
Subsequently, a gap was formed in the north and it became a weakness for their opponent to breach the Capital...
Obviously, this man has planned everything since the beginning!
Liu Yu did not understand what was going on.
Unlike Liu Yu, Wu Jing had grasped the entire situation. His eyes beamed in excitement. "Why have I not thought of this? The borders, the borders! These people have been trying to abuse us by bringing all their soldiers to our Capital. Therefore, their defense on a certain area of their borders will definitely be compromised. If we attack now, we can definitely take down their Capitals. His Highness is brilliant! He has turned their tricks into a trap for themselves. What a plan!"
Despite his initial confusion, Liu Yu had now understood the situation owing to Wu Jing's explanation.
They attempted to compell His Highness into a political marriage, thinking that he would be forced into marrying the princess.
However, they never expected that, in the midst of their glee, His Highness had already conquered their countries...
The ministers looked at Baili Jia Jue in disbelief.
The two old ministers, who previously knelt before Baili Jia Jue to advocate the political marriage, were especially shocked with their eyes almost popped out of their heads.
Zongzheng Wen Ren appeared to be dumbstruck. He took a few seconds to finally come to his senses. Yet, his expression remained gloomy.
We've lost.
We have been vanquished...
Upon hearing the news, Zongzheng Yu Er paled. "Imperial Brother, what should we do now?"
"We need to leave now!" Zongzheng Wen Ren replied in a muffled voice. "We are the envoys. There is an agreement between the four kingdoms, saying that the envoys cannot be harmed even if both sides are at war."
Zongzheng Yu Er nodded, but there was no emotion in her eyes. Her initially-combed hair was now ruffled.
She arrived in a blaze of glory, but she was now going to leave this place with her tail between her legs.
Zongzheng Wen Ren was right. They would be safe as long as they stayed within the War Dragon Dynasty.
However, once they entered the Xuanyuan Kingdom, they would be put under unprecedented hot pursuit!
Baili Jia Jue was certainly a ruthless and brutal man.
Elder Xu Wu regretted immensely to have provoked such a man. He fell onto the ground, appearing despair. He no longer cared about the result of the game and only wanted to save his neck!
The son of King of Hell stared at him and furrowed his thick brows all of a sudden. "Wait. Something's wrong!"
"What is wrong?" Helian Wei raised her brows as she sensed the sudden change of air.
The son of King of Hell extended his hand and a black notebook appeared on his palm. He flipped the book and stopped at the word "Xu Wu" before he furrowed his brows again. "Xu Wu Chang Kong, born in the year of 14, died at the end of 95. This old man should have died a few months ago. Why is he still alive?"
Upon hearing the son of King of Hell's words, the reapers, who were standing aside, noticed that the light on Elder Xu Wu's head had indeed extinguished. The elders often said that, when a person died, their lights would be extinguished. This statement was not groundless, for every person with a living soul would carry a torch on the top of their head. Of course, it was certainly not visible to human beings, nor demons. Only the administrators of the netherworld, namely the reapers, the judges and the King of Hell, could see it. A bright glow indicated that the person was alive. On the other hand, a dim glow suggested that one's time was about to run out. Immediately after the light was extinguished, one would stop breathing and the reapers would receive a notification to promptly collect his or her soul. As it was a dead soul, it would naturally be governed by the netherworld.
However, at this moment, it was evident that Elder Xu Wu was a dead soul. Yet, he had not been discovered by the reapers and was able to even remain in his mortal shell peacefully. If the son of King of Hell did not take a careful look, he would not have been able to notice the slip.
"What is going on here?" The son of King of Hell would never allow such a terrible blunder to happen under his care.
His dad had promised to let him meet Little Hook if he could successfully achieve the set target.
It was bad enough for a dead soul to stray out of the netherworld. Worse, it was now disguising as a living soul and strolling around the human world. If his father found out about this, he would never get to see his sweetheart ever again!
Terrified by the thought, the son of King of Hell grabbed a reaper by its collar and shook it violently. "Did you guys do this on purpose? Huh? Are you trying to stop me from seeing Little Hook?"
"Your Highness, we draw souls in accordance to the judge's order. I reckon that you have to check with the judge to find out how did Elder Xu Wu escape from us." The reaper appeared more distressed than ever after being held by the King of Hell!
Without hesitation, the son of King of Hell commanded in a sombre tone, "Judge, show yourself!"
Immediately, the judge in long robes appeared.
He hovered in the air as he greeted the son of King of Hell, "Your Highness, how can I help you?"
"Why is he here?" The son of King of Hell asked, gesturing at the Elder Xu Wu.
The judge took a glance at Elder Xu Wu before he furrowed his brows. "I have no idea. But, according to my investigation, it's most probably because of the swamping aura of resentment in the Capital right now. Other than this dead soul, some evil spirits have been stained by the aura of resentment as well. Lord Kasuo and Lord Bing are now clearing these infected souls. These hostile ghosts cannot be allowed into the netherworld. We have to locate and eliminate them while they are in the human realm. Otherwise, once an infected soul enters the netherworld, it will contaminate and cause hostile changes to all the other ghosts in the netherworld. If that happens, not only the human realm, the Hall of Reincarnation of the netherworld will be destroyed too. "
Upon hearing this, the tiger hat on Little King of Hell's head shifted a little and his adorable face grew solemn. "So, the source of the infection came from the human world?"
"Yes. But, I have yet to find out the particular reason behind this. Lord Kasuo has requested for Your Highness to return to the netherworld. You are still young and the human world is a dangerous place. He worries that you might be tainted by the aura of resentment," the judge said in a solemn yet muffled voice.
Apparently, he did not want any outsider to learn about this matter.
However, he failed to hide it from the ears of Baili Jia Jue and Helian Wei Wei. They exchanged looks before their gazes eventually fixed on Elder Xu Wu.
The crowd did not know the content of the son of King of Hell and the judge's conversation. The only thing they understood was that Elder Xu Wu was dead and, almost instantly, a horrified expression was plastered on their faces.
If Elder Xu Wu has died, who's this man standing before us?
The exorcists of Xuanyuan Dynasty were the first to act. They held the yellow runes in their hands as they stared at Elder Xu Wu warily!
The envoys of Huangzi Kingdom were also panicked.
Resembling an old cunning fox, Elder Xu Wu quickly scanned his surroundings before he decided to run away.
However, as soon as he lifted his foot, the corner of his shirt was caught by a hound.
The hound was not here before. It caught everyone by surprise when it materialized within the fog all of a sudden. It bit Elder Xu Wu fiercely with its fangs and tore his flesh!
The soul of Elder Xu Wu was unreservedly removed from his physical body and his physical body turned into a pool of black water in the blink of an eye!
However, the eyes of his soul suddenly began to glow in crimson. He was like a hostile ghost that wore an eerie grin as if he was always ready to attack everyone.
The hound did not give him any chance to infect the others. It opened its mouth and swallowed him as a whole!
The crowd was terrified by the scene.
It was an absurdly eventful day.
They were too overwhelmed and did not know how to react anymore.
The Ministers of the War Dragon Dynasty were undoubtedly thrilled.
On the other hand, the envoys of Xuanyuan Dynasty felt a chill down their spine.
Elder Xu Wu had died a long time ago and had now turned into an evil spirit!
This would indubitably affect Xuanyuan Dynasty greatly!
Zongzheng Wen Ren was no longer bragging as he watched the scene, feeling extremely humiliated.
Meanwhile, the son of King of Hell rubbed his chin before he narrowed his big amber-colored eyes and asked Helien Wei Wei, "Did you see his eyes just now?
"It was crimson." Helian Weiwei said as she beckoned the hound over, "Blackie, come here."
The Alsatian shook its head before it ran toward Helian Wei Wei. Just like before, it stood slightly left before her.
The son of King of Hell threw a glimpse at the Alsatian before he mumbled, "That is a sign of an infected soul. A soul that has been infected by an aura of resentment cannot enter the netherworld as the reapers are incapable of destroying them. You exorcists might be able to do it. But judging the situation, it is a major epidemic of soul infection. My father will definitely decide to close down the netherworld to protect the clean souls there. When that happens, the Path of Reincarnation would be rendered useless and all the unborn babies will become dummies without soul... "
"You are saying that whoever bears a child within these years will give birth to fools?" Helian Weiwei frowned.
The son of King of Hell acknowledged before he flicked his fingers and opened his black notebook. He continued in a serious tone, "Once the Path of Reincarnation is locked down, dead souls will not be allowed to enter the netherworld and living souls will not be able to leave the netherworld or reborn as humans. Every child who's born will remain an empty shell. However, things will worsen if the netherworld isn't closed down. The humans will be wiped out immediately. You saw the infected soul just now that was denied entry into the Path of Reincarnation. To allow an infected soul into the netherworld, it is like releasing a virus into a crowd. The souls in the netherworld will be infected one after another, and none of them will be able to reincarnate. Once the netherworld is closed, we can only reopen it after five years. This is the rule of heaven and earth that no one can alter. You need to find the source of infection before my father returns to handle the turmoil and decides to shut down the netherworld!"
Five years?
Five years may be a short time to the ghosts of the netherworld.
But, how many five years does a human have in a lifetime?
If the Path of Reincarnation is closed for five years, it means that no child will be born within the next five years!
A deep furrow formed on Helian Weiwei's brows. As a human, she could not accept the current situation.
Therefore, she had to figure out a way to change it.
"You mentioned about the source of the infection. Where is it?" Helian Wei Wei twitched the corner of her lips as she made a guess, "Is it within the human world?"
The son of King of Hell nodded. "My subordinates are still looking for its specific source, but there aren't many of them from the netherworld who can sense the same in the human world. Besides Lord Bing and the rest, there are only my father and I..."
"I'll find the source. You only have to take care of the netherworld and don't allow any infected soul into the netherworld." Helian Wei Wei interrupted him in an indifferent tone, "What do you think? Will you work with me?"
The son of King of Hell agreed, "Of course we welcome all aids. However, we do not have much time and you have to act quick! I will keep my father distracted for five days. Five days. We only have five days."
"No problem." Helian Wei Wei nodded after she gave it some thought.
Skeptical, the son of King of Hell raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure you can do that within five days?"
"Well, theoretically, the aura of resentment is generated to affect the seal. Since the Divine Exorcism Seal is in the Capital, the source of infection must be nearby. The two exorcists were only possessed by hostile ghosts after they arrived at the Capital. However, I could not comprehend what happened to Elder Xu Wu. You said that he should have died a few months ago. How had he been living until today?" Helian Wei Wei had analyzed the situation in details.
The son of King of Hell wore a wicked smile as he said, "I might be doubtful about our collaboration. But now, I am positive that you are the best candidate to investigate this case. I agree with you and also believe that the source of the infection is in the Capital. As for Elder Xu Wu, there's nothing strange about his overdue death. If someone has been coveting the Divine Exorcism Seal, they must have planned this from the beginning. Someone must have done something to the elder."
"I understand now." Helian Wei Wei could almost identify the culprit. "Can you find Jing Wushuang's name in the Book of Life and Death? I want to know more about this man."
"Jing Wushuang?" The son of King of Hell flipped the book as he said, "Why does this name sound familiar? I've found it! He is a guardian of the Exorcising Tribe! I dislike the members of the Exorcising Tribe. Other than the Pei family, not a single one of them is stable."
Helian Wei Wei replied in a composed manner, "Hmm, when he will die?"
The son of King of Hell answered, "He will never die. The guardians of the Exorcising Tribe are born to protect the Righteous Path of Heaven and Earth. As long as the Righteous Path exists, he will never die."
"Protect the Righteous Path of Heaven and Earth?" Helien Wei Wei seemed to be unconcerned by these words. "Can't your people locate him?"
The son of King of Hell shook his head. "The netherworld only manages the dead souls, not the living."
"To be honest, what exactly do you do?" Helien Wei Wei was disappointed by his answer.
The son of King of Hell replied proudly, "We kill."
Helian Wei Wei remained silent.
Regardless of the process, they finalized their plan anyway.
After Helian Wei Wei finished, she turned around. Her gaze immediately met Baili Jia Jue's. The ministers were all kneeling behind him. He had finished his task and casually tossed his blood-stained robe to a nearby eunuch. His initial elegance was now replaced by an unruly calmness. His transquil and black eyes carried a different kind of charm. "Come here when you're done. You will become stupid if you mix around with the people of the netherworld too frequently. "
Upon hearing this, the son of King of Hell whipped around and said to Helian Wei Wei, "If you really want to find the source, it's better for you to not bring this Great Demon King along. His appearance will frighten the ghosts, not to mention the humans."
"That's alright. I can conceal his aura." Helian Wei Wei had mastered the trick a long time ago.
The son of King of Hell was flustered. That was why he felt no threat when he was summoned. Now he understood how did the Great Demon King stand there without revealing his aura. They applied their contract to conceal his aura!
"Then, you should bring him along. He can handle everyone." The son of King of Hell paused before he added, "But now, the most important thing is to locate the source of the infection. If you cannot find the source, everything will go in vain. The main culprit might Jing Wushuang, but he might not carry the source of infection. At most, he may be the enchanter. We must find out who he has been messing with..."
The investigation of the source could not be delayed further. After all, five days were not a very long period of time.
As soon as they sent the son of King of Hell off, Helian Wei Wei summoned the minister of Official Personnel Affairs.
The most efficient way to detect any anomalous events in the Capital was to find out the location of the recent deaths.
Others might not come up with this idea.
However, it was not difficult to put two and two together for Helian Wei Wei.
The Minister of Official Personnel Affairs did not expect that the Third Princess Consort would be interested in these. They looked at Baili Jia Jue to seek approval. After receiving a nod from Baili Jia Jue, they handed her the documents.
Helian Wei Wei flipped the pages before she abruptly stopped at one of the pages. "There are missing persons cases on two consecutive days? What is going on?"
The minister exclaimed before he took a glance at the document. Appearing unconcerned, he replied, "Oh, we are investigating these cases. It is probably not a big deal. The person who reported the case was a town crier. He heard someone screaming for help when he passed by the alley. However, when he went to check, he discovered nothing. Apparently, he misheard."
"But, someone went missing that day, right?" Helian Wei Wei chuckled, "Lord Li, don't panic. Just tell me the truth and everything will be fine."
The minister of Official Personnel Affairs wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and glanced at Baili Jia Jue discreetly. Then, he answered with a muffled voice, "After we received the report, my subordinates went to the scene and nothing seemed amiss. There was no trace of struggles in the alley. Coincidentally, there was a couple who were arguing at the time. Therefore, I suspected that the town crier might have been mistaken. On top of that, the town crier confessed that he drank some wine that night and might have made a mistake. To our surprise, the very next day someone came to report that their daughter, who was about to wed, had disappeared. Then, on the third day..."
"Someone else reported about their missing family member too." Helian Wei Wei interrupted and continued to analyze, "And these girls have been to that alley before their disappearances. Not only that, all of them all live somewhere nearby, right?"
Not knowing how to answer, the minister of Official Personnel Affairs mulled over the question. "How do you know?" Although the cases were recorded on the documents, but the details were not mentioned.
"Logically speaking, if the girls have never been to that alley, you would not have specifically jotted down the town crier's report. How did I know that the missing ladies are people from the neighborhood..." Helian Wei Wei said nonchalantly as she picked up the documents again. "Since all the missing victims are girls who are about to get married, that limited the perimeter of their activities. Usually, single women will not travel far. Therefore, they must be from somewhere nearby the alley. "
Minister of Official Personnel Affairs was dazed by Helian Wei Wei's analysis. With a pair of widened eyes, he stared at Helian Wei Wei and before he shifted his gaze to look at Baili Jia Jue.
Shock was plastered on his face. Your Highness, where did you find such a capable woman?
If the Third Princess Consort joined their ministry, all those old and unresolved cases could be elucidated!
Helian Wei Wei did not bother to look at the minister's glistening eyes. She tapped her fingers mindlessly on the table and continued, "Since they have something in common, then the investigation will be easier. You can pass the case to me, but you have to keep it confidential. The Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs should continue to investigate the cases accordingly. But, do not tell anyone that I am involved, and you do not have to help me. His Highness and I will head over to the scene personally. None of your officers or soldiers have seen us before. If you meet us there, please behave naturally and do not let the cat out of the bag."
"His Highness... His Highness will be there too?" Lord Li was concerned about Third Prince's safety. "With the current situation of the imperial court..." He was worried about the chaotic situation of the imperial court and reckoned that it was not the best time for His Highness to leave the palace. However, he quickly recalled how His Highness had just beaten the envoys of the three countries to a pulp. Now, all the people at the borders were especially obedient and were more than willing to offer gifts to the War Dragon Dynasty so that His Highness would spare their lives. The appeals had even reached the Retired Emperor. All the ministers did not dare say anything in front of His Highness again. The entire imperial court was unbelievably peaceful and there was really no reason to stop His Highness from visiting the scene.
But...
"Is it not too dangerous for His Highness to visit the crime scene? Should I make some arrangements in advance?" Lord Li feared that something might happen to Baili Jia Jue. If any mishap occurred, it would not be enough even if he paid with his own life.
Helian Wei Wei smiled and said, "Lord Li, do you think there is anyone in this world can beat His Highness?"
The minister of Official Personnel Affairs was tongue-tied. That... is actually true. His Highness's combat skills had always been superb. Whoever provoked him would be sent to the King of Hell directly.
Helien Wei Wei grinned as she stood up.
The minister of Official Personnel Affairs looked at the elegant yet graceful side profile of His Highness and knew that he should not comment further. However, he was relieved that the Third Princess Consort was taking over this case.
According to his many years of experience, missing person cases were tough to solve.
The first 24 hours were vital in a missing person case.
Once a full day had passed, it would be almost impossible to locate the person.
Four days had passed and no one knew where the missing persons were.
Helian Wei Wei certainly understood the rule. That very night, she dressed up like a commoner and was ready to visit the scene.
When she turned around, she saw that His Highness was still sitting gracefully in his seat. With his long legs crossed, he wore a fur coat around his shoulders as he leisurely read the scrolls.
Helian Wei Wei raised her eyebrows and asked, "Are you not coming with me?" It was unusual for His Highness to allow her to go out alone.
Baili Jia Jue put down the scroll in his hand and looked at her as though she had made an absurd statement. He then reached out and grabbed Helian Wei Wei by her wrist before he gently pulled her into his arms. With a soft voice he commanded habitually, "Let's leave only after our meal."
"Sure." Helian Wei allowed him to caress her hand before she let out a lazy yawn. "I reckon that I've been eating more than usual. Do you think I'm chubbier than before?"
A faint smile painted across Baili Jia Jue's thin lips. From behind, he grabbed her soft bumps with his big hands and whispered under his warm breath, "You have really grown chubbier."
"You..." Helian Wei Wei was lying in his arms and she had nowhere to run, causing her heart to flutter.
However, Baili Jia Jue did not have the intention to let her go. He gently pinched her body with his long fingers while his soft lips brushed across her ear. Then, he began to kiss her slowly along her neck.
Panting, Helian Wei Wei stopped him with her trembling hand.
However, Baili Jia Jue did not stop his move. Instead, he got increasingly aggressive.
It was a little painful, but her body was immediately engulfed by his warmth and went soft...