Chapter 198: A Government Commission, Only Xue Jing is Qualified (4K)

Chapter 198: A Government Commission, Only Xue Jing is Qualified (4K)



In the Hidden Dragon Dojo, within the Meditation Room, Xue Jing knelt in an inconspicuous corner, his head slightly bowed, his entire body devoid of any aura leakage.

This corner was his instinctive choice for the 'best hiding spot' after he had scanned the room upon entering.

With [Stealth] activated, he had subconsciously learned this skill.

In any given space, he could instantly identify the areas with the least noticeable lighting, the spots that were easiest to overlook, and the places that would cause others to subconsciously avert their gaze.

He became like a sculpture seamlessly integrated into the room, without the slightest hint of incongruity.

It was as if he were a cardboard box left in a warehouse, a mop and bucket tucked away in a bathroom corner, or a book resting on a shelf—his presence exuded a natural sense of 'belonging,' as if he had always been a part of this place.

Thus, when Li Qi opened the door to the Meditation Room and wheeled himself in, he didn't notice the figure of his disciple hiding in the corner.

Neither did Chen Fuguang, who entered right behind him.

The two began conversing right in front of Xue Jing, unaware of his presence.

"...If we don't find it soon, there will be big trouble. The government is already anxious. Chief Councilor Chi Liangyun is retiring next year, and he just wants a peaceful transition. In recent years, under his control, Qingcheng has been relatively calm, with no major incidents. But now, it seems that things are coming to a head..."

Chen Fuguang reported to Li Qi.

Li Qi narrowed his cloudy, elderly eyes slightly. "...I've heard some rumors. It seems that Qingcheng has become a pawn in the struggle between two factions from above. And it's not just Qingcheng; in recent times, the outer cities of the Fifth Urban Circle have also started to experience disturbances."

"The Golden Wind Dojo has been completely disbanded. Most of the direct disciples have been killed by Xiao Jing, except for the old man Jiao Hongyuan, his senior disciple Yan Xiangweng, and Li Chengxuan, whose whereabouts are currently unknown..."

"It's rather suspicious that we haven't found anything despite a city-wide carpet search."

Chen Fuguang scratched his head in thought. "Although it's called a city-wide search, there are still some places we haven't checked thoroughly..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Li Qi suddenly raised his hand to interrupt him. Turning his head sharply, he stared at the corner, and his cloudy eyes suddenly sharpened. "Who's there?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he recognized the figure hiding there and paused in surprise. "Xiao Jing?"

Xue Jing glanced at the panel, which showed [Stealth Experience +366], and stood up, dusting off his knees.

"Master, Senior Brother Chen." He greeted them with a wave.

"Junior Brother, what are you doing hiding there?" Chen Fuguang scratched his head in confusion. "You hid so well that neither Master nor I noticed you even after we came in."

Xue Jing smiled and said, "I just learned a technique to hide my aura, so I wanted to test it out. I didn't expect that even Master couldn't detect me directly."

Li Qi glared at him and said, "No killing intent, no hostility, and no movement. You're like a ghost. I'm not a god; how could I see you?"

Xue Jing flattered, "You're too modest, Master. In my eyes, you're a living god."

Hearing this, Chen Fuguang winked and gave Xue Jing a thumbs-up, expressing his admiration.

Li Qi raised an eyebrow and humbly scratched his balding head. "Now, now, I've told you before—being too honest isn't always a good thing. You should learn to hold back on such blunt truths, my boy."

Xue Jing echoed him with an 'aye' and replied, "Yes, Master, I'll keep that in mind."

After some casual banter, Chen Fuguang turned to Xue Jing and said, "By the way, Junior Brother, your timing is perfect. We just received a special commission that specifically requested you, and we wanted to ask if you're interested."

"A special commission for me?" Xue Jing asked, puzzled.

Ever since he had become famous in the Fengcheng Tournament, the Hidden Dragon Dojo had received numerous requests specifically asking for him. However, most of these commissions had ulterior motives, and the rewards were not particularly attractive. So, Xue Jing had asked the dojo to turn them down on his behalf.

But now, Chen Fuguang was asking for his opinion on a commission, which suggested that this one was somehow special.

"You remember that sparring partner commission you took before? The client for this new commission is the same as last time, and the reward is quite substantial..." Chen Fuguang explained.

"The last time..." Xue Jing thought for a moment before recalling the details.

Previously, Pei Youguang's older brother, Pei Tiancheng, had requested a sparring partner through the dojo, which led him to their home and his encounter with the White Crow's mountain spirit.

So, this time, it was another commission from the Pei brothers? Xue Jing thought to himself. He took out his phone, opened his contacts, found Pei Youguang's name, and gave him a call.

As if he had been holding his phone, waiting for a call, the phone was picked up as soon as it rang.

"Hello, Youguang speaking."

Xue Jing said.

"Ah, yes, Brother Jing, it's me."

Pei Youguang's nervous voice came through the receiver.

Xue Jing smiled and said, "What are you panicking about? Calm down and speak."

"I think I received a commission from your side at the dojo. Why, is there something you can't say directly over the phone and have to beat around the bush about?"

He asked curiously.

"Brother Jing, it's not me. It's my father who wants to see you," Pei Youguang said softly.

"He said he has an important matter that he needs your help with and wants to meet you, but he doesn't want to impose by visiting or asking you to come over, so he thought of using the form of a commission like last time..."

Xue Jing put down his phone and turned to Chen Fuguang, asking, "Senior Brother Chen, how much is the commission fee they offered?"

Chen Fuguang held up his index finger: "Ten million."

Xue Jing raised an eyebrow, picked up his phone, and said, "Looks like it's a big deal."

Pei Youguang said, "I'm not sure either, but my dad does seem quite anxious."

Xue Jing thought for a moment and said, "Then, I'll come to your house this afternoon to meet your father, but whether or not I'll take on this commission will depend on the specifics of the matter after I hear him out."

Pei Youguang nodded repeatedly, "That's how it should be... The afternoon works, so I'll have my dad wait for you at home then."

After chatting a little longer, Xue Jing hung up the phone.

...

In the afternoon.

Xue Jing maintained his Qi Concealment state and took a route that would minimize the chances of being spotted by anyone along the way. He continued to train in [Stealth] as he made his way to Pei Youguang's home in the North District.

He had spent the entire day training in [Stealth], in addition to his usual martial arts and cultivation practice.

He began the morning by activating the skill through teaching his junior disciple and then sneaking into the Meditation Room to eavesdrop.

By the time he arrived at Pei Youguang's grand villa, his [Stealth] had reached Level 4 (76/1200) with the prompt, [Experience +311].

This skill not only granted him the ability to conceal his qi, but it also enhanced his spatial hiding techniques.

Additionally, his control over his physical body and sensory perception, especially his hearing and smell, had improved.

It was an incredibly useful skill, second only to fundamental skills like [Fitness] and [Wellness].

Xue Jing approached the grand villa without making a sound, as if he were walking into plain sight.

The two guards at the entrance were clearly keeping watch, but they only noticed Xue Jing after he had already taken three steps inside.

"Eh?"

"Mr. Xue!"

"Mr. Xue!"

They had seen Xue Jing before, and since Pei Youguang had mentioned that he would be coming, they immediately recognized him and greeted him respectfully.

Hearing the commotion, the two men chatting in the front yard also turned to look.

One was Pei Youguang, and the other was a slender middle-aged man with elegant features and a big back-combed hairstyle.

"Brother Jing!"

Pei Youguang blinked and nudged the middle-aged man beside him.

Without needing the prompt, the middle-aged man walked swiftly towards Xue Jing as soon as he saw him and extended his hand, smiling as he said:

"Mr. Xue, nice to finally meet you. Indeed, you are very handsome. No wonder ever since you came here last time, I often hear the maids muttering your name in their sleep when I get up at night. It scared me, and I thought they were possessed."

"But now that I've seen you in person, I completely understand why they would do that!"

Xue Jing shook his hand and did not respond to his flattery. Instead, he smiled and asked, "You are Youguang's father. May I call you Uncle Pei?"

The man, named Pei Xiao'en, had a voice that seemed to be intentionally trained. It was deep and magnetic, very pleasant to hear.

"Come, Little Jing, let's go inside and talk."

Pei Xiao'en gestured with his hand, inviting them in.

The group walked into the villa, and as Xue Jing passed by Pei Youguang, he smiled and patted his shoulder:

"Let's go, Youguang."

Pei Youguang was stunned for a moment before replying, "Oh, okay."

Seeing this, Pei Xiao'en's eyes narrowed, and he seemed to be pondering something.

He quickened his steps and also patted Pei Youguang's shoulder, his tone gentle as he said, "Youguang, go prepare some tea. Use the tea from the top cabinet in my room, and bring it to my study after it's brewed."

It had been a long time since Pei Youguang had seen his father treat him with such gentleness, and his plump face showed his surprise as he repeatedly nodded, "Okay, I will!"

"This way, please.

Pei Xiao'en turned to Xue Jing and led the way.

The two men turned left and right, arriving in a room filled with ancient charm and adorned with four large bookshelves.

After seating themselves in wooden chairs, they chatted for a while. Pei Xiao'en was quite the conversationalist, knowledgeable about a wide range of topics, including martial arts, and maintained an attitude of seeking guidance from Xue Jing, satisfying the latter's desire to confide in someone.

Xue Jing was fairly eloquent himself, but he couldn't help but feel outclassed by Pei Xiao'en.

After a while, Pei Youguang brought in two cups of tea, and the two men sipped their tea as Pei Xiao'en shared some interesting facts about tea and subtly hinted at the rarity of the tea they were drinking, indicating his importance to Xue Jing. Only then did he get down to business.

"Little Jing, the reason I invited you here today is actually about a very important matter, one that concerns the very existence of Qingcheng. I need your help with this." Pei Xiao'en set down his tea cup and spoke with a solemn expression.

Xue Jing raised an eyebrow. "Please, go on."

Choosing his words carefully, Pei Xiao'en continued, "To be frank, I am Secretary to Chu Minyi, Councilor Chu, and this request actually comes from Councilor Chu himself..."

"Little Jing, you're probably aware that there's a 'Heavenly Insect Queen' in Qingcheng, right? After all, you personally dealt with several of the 'cockroaches' born from that queen."

Xue Jing nodded.

Lowering his voice, Pei Xiao'en continued, "In fact, the origins of this Heavenly Insect Queen involve some very complex factors, the specifics of which even I am not privy to. Let's put that aside for now. The current situation is... we can't find the queen."

"According to experts' speculation, after this period of reproduction, the Heavenly Insect Queen has likely given birth to a swarm of insects that could threaten the entire city..."

"If we don't find her soon, the longer we wait, the more terrifying the number of insects we'll have to face."

"However, during this period, the government has mobilized all available resources in Qingcheng to conduct a city-wide search, practically turning the city upside down, but we still haven't been able to locate the queen."

Xue Jing asked, "Could it be outside the city?"

Pei Xiao'en shook his head. "While that's a possibility, the queen wouldn't be able to achieve the desired effect of those 'certain people' if she were located outside the city."

"If she were truly outside the city, things would be much simpler, as the insect swarm wouldn't be able to directly attack Qingcheng."

Xue Jing nodded. "So, what do you need me to do?"

"Although we conducted a city-wide search, there are still a few places we haven't searched..." or rather, "couldn't search."

"Those places are the homes of the thirty ruling councilors in the North District."

Xue Jing raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't seem very likely, does it? These thirty individuals have the most vested interests in Qingcheng. Why would they do something that would bring about the city's destruction?"

"It does seem improbable, but that's the only possibility left. Regardless, we must confirm it." Pei Xiao'en stated.

"Little Jing, I know this is a difficult request, but can I ask you to look into this matter?"

He pleaded.

Xue Jing thought for a moment and asked, "Why me?"

"Because you're the only one in Qingcheng who's qualified," Pei Xiao'en affirmed.

Xue Jing was taken aback. "Me?"

Pei Xiao'en nodded. "That's right. You're a member of the 'Sixth Agency,' an organization with the privilege of 'acting first and reporting later.' The ruling councilors are the highest-ranking individuals in Qingcheng, but you have the legitimate authority to investigate them."

Xue Jing scratched his head. "Then why don't you just find anyone from the Agency... Why does it have to be me? Surely you have some connections there."

Pei Xiao'en smiled bitterly. "Actually, we don't, or at least not anyone reliable... Investigating the ruling councilors is a dangerous task."

"'Agency' members don'tend to disregard us local government officials, especially those with high positions and strong capabilities."

"As for you, Little Jing, although I'm not privy to the specifics, I know that you're highly regarded within the Agency and are more than capable of handling this task."

Pei Xiao'en stood up and bowed to Xue Jing, pleading, "Little Jing, I beg you, for the sake of Qingcheng, for the sake of your hometown's safety, please accept our request."

Xue Jing looked thoughtful, not rushing to give an answer, while Pei Xiao'en maintained his bowing posture.

After a while, Xue Jing slowly spoke, "Whether I accept this request or not can wait... Let's talk about the reward first."

...

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end