Chapter 403: Zhao Henian’s Whereabouts

Wan Ze stood by the window, watching for a while.

A lot of things were on his mind.

The coffin in Huangliang Village, the Blood Evil Celestial Net, the surge in his Stealing Celestial Secret, Zhai Yu and Zhai Jia’s skewed Perception of time, the comparison of Xiao Yunkai’s handwriting, the Mo River Forest, the Three Pills Transformation Breathing Technique…

So many things were waiting for him to deal with.

But they couldn’t be rushed.

Wan Ze lowered the curtains, walked to the bed, and lay down.

He reached for the switch on the nightstand and pressed it. CLICK. The light went out.

The room was plunged into darkness.

The blackout curtains blocked all outside light, making the room so dark you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face.

The clock on the wall was still running. TICK, TICK, TICK. The sound was exceptionally clear in the darkness.

Wan Ze closed his eyes.

His breathing began to slow, growing lighter and lighter until it was nearly inaudible.

「The next morning.」

Wan Ze rolled out of bed.

Calling it “sleep” was being generous. He had closed his eyes for three hours at the absolute most.

The sky had yet to fully brighten. ‘Forget it, I’m not sleeping anymore.’

Wan Ze briskly threw on his clothes and headed for the backyard.

The backyard of the exhibition center was an open space paved with flagstones. A few wooden training dummies stood in a corner, large patches of paint knocked off their bodies from repeated strikes.

The dampness of last night’s dew still lingered in the air, carrying a cool chill.

Wan Ze stood in the middle of the yard, first loosening his shoulders and neck. Then, he sank his waist and dropped his hips, his feet planting themselves as if rooted to the ground.

He began.

He performed a set of the most basic Dragon Eagle Fist forms, his movements slow and heavy.

Wan Ze’s expression was calm, his body operating with extreme precision.

He finished one set of the forms.

Without stopping, Wan Ze went through it again.

This time, he added explosive force.

His fists were no longer pushed out slowly. Instead, they tensed in an instant, exploding forward with concussive power. The surface of his fist smashed against the air, creating a short, piercing THWAP.

As he was practicing his third set, the sound of footsteps came from the end of the hallway.

The steps were shuffling, accompanied by a loud yawn. “Whoa—Ah Ze, you’re—”

Zhai Jia appeared from around the corner, rubbing his eyes. He leaned against the doorframe, still half-asleep.

He wore a white T-shirt, and his hair stuck up in several places like a bird’s nest. He looked completely drowsy.

In the yard, a large patch on the back of Wan Ze’s shirt was already soaked with sweat, the fabric clinging to his shoulder blades and outlining the shape of his muscles.

“You’re really going all out,” Zhai Jia remarked sincerely, then let out another yawn. “I thought I was up pretty early, but have you even slept at all?”

“I slept. Just woke up early. It’s a habit,” Wan Ze said as he concluded his practice. He slowly pressed his palms down from his chest and exhaled a long, turbid breath.

A jet of white vapor shot out before quickly dissipating.

He casually wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked at Zhai Jia. “Where’s Brother Yu?”

“Still on the phone,” Zhai Jia said, taking a couple of steps into the yard. “There’s news from the docks. I’m not sure about the details, but I heard him talking in his room when I passed by just now. His tone didn’t sound very relaxed. We’ll see what he says later.”

He paused, then slapped his forehead as if he’d just remembered something. “Right, I’m going downstairs to buy breakfast. Anything you don’t eat? No cilantro? No scallions?”

“Buns and fried dough sticks are fine. No restrictions,” Wan Ze replied casually.

“Got it.” Zhai Jia made a gesture and turned to leave.

The SLAP, SLAP, SLAP of his slippers echoed down the hallway, followed by the sound of the main door opening and closing.

The yard fell silent again.

Wan Ze didn’t rush back inside. He stood there for a while longer, carefully sensing his body.

The morning breeze drifted over the surrounding wall, feeling chilly against his skin.

Wan Ze’s physical body completely ignored the cold. He focused entirely on his own state, clenching and unclenching his fists.

‘So this is the Power of the Refining Viscera Late Stage?’

Wan Ze smiled, satisfied.

Then he turned and went back inside.

The RUSHING sound of water from the bathroom lasted for less than five minutes.

A moment later, Wan Ze emerged, drying his hair. He changed his clothes and stepped out. Just as he rounded the corner of the hallway, he ran into Zhai Yu.

Zhai Yu was leaning against the hallway wall, a communicator in his hand. He was wearing a dark gray shirt with the sleeves rolled up to mid-forearm, revealing a pair of lean forearms.

Completely unlike Zhai Jia’s boisterous personality, Zhai Yu was not the least bit flamboyant. If Zhai Jia was a hammer, Zhai Yu was a blade in its sheath. Everyone knew the weight it would carry once drawn, yet he remained sharp and understated.

Seeing Wan Ze, Zhai Yu straightened up and said, “Ah Ze, we got news from the docks… Based on all the clues, Zhao Henian probably isn’t dead.”

Wan Ze’s hands, which were adjusting his clothes, paused for a second. He then resumed drying his hair, his expression unchanging. “No wonder Xiao Ya called him a loach. Can you find him?”

“Not yet.” Zhai Yu shook his head. “All entrances and exits to the Holy City are currently under lockdown. The docks, the stations, the highway entrances, including the forks on several provincial roads—they’re all covered by my men. The moment Zhao Henian shows his face, he’ll be locked onto.”

He paused, as if choosing his words carefully.

“But since he hasn’t appeared yet, there are only two possibilities. Either he’s injured, and seriously so, and is now holed up in some corner recovering. Or he’s worried about being spotted the moment he appears, so he’s simply staying hidden. Regardless, it at least shows that he’s in a very passive position right now.”

Wan Ze listened, then said thoughtfully, “If he’s still alive, he’ll probably contact me in the next two days.”

Zhai Yu’s brow twitched. “Are you sure?”

“Not sure.” Wan Ze looked up and smiled. “But Zhao Henian’s current situation, to use your words, Brother Yu, is very passive. A passive person will definitely try to find a way to take the initiative. And in the Holy City, the only person he can currently find, the only one who might be able to help him…”

He didn’t finish the sentence, but Zhai Yu already understood. “You want to wait for him to contact you?”

Wan Ze nodded. “Rather than trying to fish a loach out of the entire city, it’s better to wait for him to squirm out on his own. It saves time and effort. Besides, if he really does contact me, it means his situation is so dire that he has no choice but to take the risk. By then, the initiative will no longer be in his hands.”

Zhai Yu nodded, looking at Wan Ze with a hint of admiration for his intelligence. He always managed to hit the nail on the head and identify the crux of the problem. It was hard to imagine how young Wan Ze was.

He took a deep breath and couldn’t help but ask, “Then, what about Lingyun Manor…?”