When the Battle of Yanjing ended, the armies from various regions gradually returned. As Shen Feng left Yanjing, only Li Keyi came to see him off. The other ability users were not present. Li Keyi was not a member of the Ability Administration Bureau, and her actions were relatively free.
The people from the Ability Administration Bureau had not turned against Shen Feng; rather, they had encountered a crisis, an unspeakable crisis!
After the war victory, countless people were incessantly promoting the team that decapitated the Corpse King, especially the Ten Heroes, who were all treated as role models of the era. Many ability users subsequently became arrogant. Shen Feng had Chu Chaoyan to pour cold water on him, but the people in the Ability Administration Bureau, under constant praise, had become conceited. Although they didn't say it aloud, in their hearts, they had already attributed the victory in the Yanjing battle to themselves.
"If it weren't for us beheading the Corpse King and causing the corpse tide to collapse directly, the battle for Yanjing might still be ongoing!" This was the thought of most ability users who participated in the decapitation operation.
The people from the Heavenly Selection Bureau then began their follow-up plans. Regardless of the danger of the missions, they all praised the people from the Ability Administration Bureau, leading the headquarters to often assign these dangerous tasks to the Ability Administration Bureau. Thus, whether it was the mutated beasts in the northern forests or the zombies and wolf packs on the grasslands, the Ability Administration Bureau was responsible for them, while in reality, the Ability Administration Bureau had to face various dangers and hardships.
Zhang Jue was also dispatched to the grasslands under such circumstances. The grasslands had iron ore and coal mines, and the wolf packs on the grasslands had increased exponentially after a year of breeding, making them extremely dangerous.
Zhang Jue sensed the danger on the grasslands and thus entrusted his sister, Zhang Xixi, to Shen Feng. If he could return alive, it would be good, but if he couldn't survive, then Zhang Xixi would have to be cared for by Shen Feng. At least, there were no people from the Heavenly Selection Bureau in Yuzhou!
Zhang Jue was able to sense that something was wrong, thanks to his cowardly nature. He immediately took action upon discovering something amiss, entrusting his sister to Shen Feng's care. He himself then headed to the grasslands with his wife. As for the others, they hadn't even realized what was happening.
As Mu Ying slowly recounted the events, Ke Yiming immediately became suspicious. "Could it be that the Heavenly Selection Bureau is really behind these things?"
After Mu Ying finished speaking, she leaned against the wall and said, "How pitiful. You people, who joined the Ability Administration Bureau earliest, accepted the most dangerous missions, yet a bunch of children of high-ranking officials received ability potions without earning any merit, easily obtaining resources that should have belonged to you. And you people couldn't even see through their methods of inflated praise. Truly pitiful."
Ke Yiming fell silent. Shen Feng, meanwhile, thought to himself, "So, power struggles are this terrifying. Even among ability users, there are so many entanglements. Fortunately, I didn't join the Ability Administration Bureau and won't be ambushed by these people."
After a moment of contemplation, Ke Yiming suddenly looked at Old Li beside him and said directly, "You heard nothing of what was just said, understand?"
Mu Ying clapped her hands and praised, "That's right. Silence is golden. We can't let more people know. So, what are you going to do with me now?"
Ke Yiming said calmly, "I will pretend I heard nothing of this matter. As for your presence here, I will also pretend I didn't see you. We mind our own business. After all, whatever happens to those people from the Heavenly Selection Bureau is none of my concern."
"Is that so? I thought you would quietly inform the people in the Ability Administration Bureau and retaliate against the Heavenly Selection Bureau. I didn't expect you to tolerate this." Mu Ying said with a smile.
Ke Yiming's tone gradually turned cold, and he said, "The decisions of the Ability Administration Bureau have nothing to do with an outsider like you! Your gossiping here is useless."
Ke Yiming also did not expect that the people currently carrying out missions for the Ability Administration Bureau were being harmed by people from the Heavenly Selection Bureau. When he received this news, he was shocked, and his attitude towards the Heavenly Selection Bureau subsequently worsened. However, he did not want to be easily instigated.
Mu Ying smiled and stopped talking. Then, she turned to Shen Feng and asked, "Brother-in-law, is my sister doing well with you? And how is my cute little nephew?"
Ke Yiming looked at Shen Feng in surprise and asked incredulously, "What, you're her brother-in-law? Are you kidding me?"
Shen Feng's head immediately started to ache. He quickly explained, "Don't listen to her nonsense. I was framed. What kind of person am I? I am loyal to my two wives and would never have any improper thoughts. I am merely taking care of her cousin and have never made any inappropriate moves!"
"That's a real shame," Mu Ying said, shaking her head with a hint of regret. "I heard you like older women, and that your preference is for married women and mature, dominant women. It seems the rumors are false. You could resist making a move on my senior, who is so intellectually beautiful."
Shen Feng shook his head helplessly, too lazy to bother with Mu Ying, who specialized in bringing up sensitive topics.
Mu Ying looked at Shen Feng and Ke Yiming and then said in a low voice, "I heard you are hunting the Yangtze River Dragon King but cannot find him. I can help you now, but you also have to help me with something. What do you say?"
Upon hearing this, Ke Yiming immediately understood and said, "So you came specifically to find us. I really thought you were pretending to be a beggar to escape pursuit."
Shen Feng, however, asked, "What do you want me to do? Let me hear your conditions."
Mu Ying said slowly, "Help me kill a scumbag, the lord of a nearby small city. I am also living there now. If you are willing to accept this condition, I can also help you find the Dragon King!"
Ke Yiming scoffed and said directly, "You can find him just by saying so? I don't believe you! Besides, if I help you kill someone, won't I become an accomplice? You are also an ability user, why don't you do it yourself?"
Mu Ying said faintly, "I have a subordinate who is also an ability user. Her combat power might not be great, but she is very good at finding people. If you keep chasing after the Dragon King, you might never find him in your lifetime, and I can help you."
At this moment, Shen Feng nodded in agreement and said directly, "Alright, I agree. Since he's a scumbag, I'll kill him! But you must help us find the Dragon King."
Ke Yiming became anxious and grabbed Shen Feng, saying in a low voice, "Shouldn't we discuss this matter? How can you agree to this without any consultation? It's not appropriate, is it?"
Shen Feng leaned closer to Ke Yiming's ear and said, "I don't have time to wander around the lower reaches of the Yangtze River with you. My wife is pregnant, and there are still mutated beasts to deal with in my territory. My home affairs are a mess. Why should I be aimlessly wandering around outside with you?"
Ke Yiming nodded helplessly. He also knew very well that Shen Feng was the main combatant, and his abilities were not very effective on water. It was better to listen to Shen Feng now.
Mu Ying pointed to the small city in the distance and said, "Then, the four of you, please follow me."
Shen Feng and the other three stood up and followed Mu Ying back into the heavy rain. The floodwaters had not reached this area, but there was still a lot of standing water in the low-lying places. Walking in such conditions, even with raincoats, they would be soaked immediately.
Mu Ying led the four of them to the outskirts of a small city called Linwu. As they saw the city walls from a distance, Mu Ying asked everyone to stop.
Then, Mu Ying dug out a clump of mud from the ground and extended it towards Shen Feng's face, causing Shen Feng to immediately retreat.
"What are you doing?" Shen Feng retreated nervously. The dark mud on the ground, even in the rain, emitted a foul odor. If this stuff were smeared on one's face, who could bear it?
Mu Ying explained, "Information about every ability user appears instantly across the globe. Both of you are very famous ability users, especially Shen Feng. Once you appear, the enemy will be on guard."
Mu Ying needed to disguise everyone, and the easiest way was to smear mud on their faces, making them harder to identify, just as Mu Ying was doing.
Shen Feng looked at Ke Yiming, who also couldn't accept it and immediately started shaking his head.
However, Lu Kaiwen saw the low city walls in the distance. It was just a small city, so there weren't many people to build the walls. The walls were about two meters high, enough to block zombies, and even then, a slightly larger group of zombies could break through.
"With such low walls, we can just jump over them. Why go through the city gate and be inspected?" Lu Kaiwen asked in confusion.
Mu Ying explained, "Don't underestimate these low walls. Behind them are many surveillance cameras. Jumping over means being discovered."
Shen Feng patted the paraglider on his back and said confidently, "I can fly, I can fly in!"
Mu Ying gave Shen Feng a look and said, "If you fly in, it will be even easier to expose yourself. There are only a few flying ability users. Do you think that if you fly in, others won't guess you're here?"
Ke Yiming asked helplessly, "Miss, why do we have to be so secretive? It's just killing one person. Why not just charge in and use brute force? Killing someone is so simple!"
Mu Ying shook her head and explained, "Small figures have their own ways of survival. The lord of this small city is good at disguising himself. If you charge in directly, you won't find anything. Punishing without instruction is tyranny. Even if you are from the Ability Administration Bureau, you will face disciplinary action. But if we sneak in, no one will know it was us after the deed is done."
Shen Feng thought for a moment and quickly said, "How about this, I'll go and destroy the surveillance cameras. Then I'll notify you, and we'll climb over the wall together. That should be fine, right?"
Mu Ying thought carefully. Doing so also carried the risk of exposure, but the people in front of her were clearly unwilling to smear mud on themselves. They looked like they had a洁癖 (germophobia). She could only nod in agreement. Shen Feng immediately went to act, destroying the surveillance cameras behind the wall.
Suddenly, Mu Ying noticed movement in a ditch by the roadside and immediately crouched down and reached out to grab. She actually caught two fish from the ditch.
Mu Ying didn't mind. Even fish from a ditch were protein, and it would be a waste to discard them.
Ke Yiming and the others saw this scene, and their mouths twitched uncontrollably. They thought, "These are ability users. No matter where they are, aren't they all respected? They get money, houses, and even women are sent to them. Yet, now this powerful ability user is scooping fish from a smelly ditch. How miserable has life become?"
Mu Ying noticed their gazes. While tying the fish with grass, she explained, "You guys don't need to look at me like that. I'm used to this kind of life. Even if I become an ability user later, it's not much. I can endure hunger, but my sisters cannot!"
Ke Yiming shrugged and did not stop Mu Ying.
Shen Feng soon successfully destroyed one of the surveillance cameras behind the wall, creating a blind spot. It was raining, and there were no guards on the city walls; they were all hiding indoors sleeping.
Therefore, Shen Feng's action of destroying the surveillance camera went smoothly. He quietly approached the top of the wall, and a gust of wind blade flew out, immediately shattering the surveillance camera.
The group of five successfully entered the small city. Linwu City was filled with flowing sewage. The sewers not only failed to drain but were also spewing water. In the low-lying areas, even the houses had sewage. The wealthy lived in high-rise buildings and had no worries about flooding. Mu Ying led the four of them through winding paths to a low-rise residential area.
"Creak—" The door was pushed open, and Mu Ying led them inside.
"Sisters, come and prepare these two fish. Let's fill our stomachs first," Mu Ying called out as she entered the house.
Shen Feng looked inside the house and was immediately shocked. The entire house was filled with standing water, and the furniture was all submerged in water. People were standing or sitting on the tables and chairs. These people were all women, but they were disheveled and devoid of any vitality.