Chapter 197: The Evil Qilin of Antique Shop Zero

“The dumplings are here!”

The young man brought over a plate of steaming hot dumplings.

Jiang Chaosheng said,

“Thank you.”

Hearing this, an excited blush rose on the young man’s face.

“Y-You’re welcome. Please, take your time. Take your time.”

Jiang Chaosheng frowned and glanced at him.

‘This Investigator has no tact. Is he just going to stand there and watch me eat?’

The young man got the hint and scratched his head awkwardly.

“Enjoy your meal, enjoy your meal. I’ll go get busy in the back.”

The young man pretended to wipe a table with a cloth.

As he wiped, he ambled toward the back kitchen, his eyes ‘casually’ glancing in Jiang Chaosheng’s direction.

The pass-through window between the kitchen and the dining area opened, and a chef in a white hat peeked out.

The chef pretended to refill the sauce containers, secretly sneaking peeks at Jiang Chaosheng.

They were waiting for something.

Jiang Chaosheng picked up a dumpling with his chopsticks, dipped it in vinegar, and popped it into his mouth with a piece of bird’s eye chili.

He chewed.

The savory flavor blossomed between his teeth. The filling was seasoned to perfection.

He nodded.

‘It really does taste good.’

Jiang Chaosheng picked up another dumpling.

The young man looked at the chef, a look of admiration on his face, and secretly gave him a thumbs-up.

‘Mr. Dusk likes my dumplings!’ the chef thought, his face beaming with pride.

‘I can brag about this until I retire!’

‘This is Dusk we’re talking about!’

The Ghost-Slaying County Magistrate, a Yin Yang Master, the one who slew Lucifer, the Black God Slayer.

And those were just the incidents they knew about. What about the ones they didn’t?

Both Lucifer and the Black God had called Dusk the Human Emperor.

‘The Human Emperor?’

‘What does that even mean?’

‘Isn’t that basically a Guardian God who watches over the Human World and protects its people?’

Countless people in the Barnacle Team had fought tooth and nail for a chance to monitor Dusk!

In truth, they didn’t understand why they had to monitor him. The higher-ups were all wary, as if guarding against him causing chaos.

‘What a joke!’

‘If Dusk hadn’t shown his might these past few times, who knows what kind of disasters would have struck!’

But still, an order was an order, and obeying them was their duty.

Just then, Jiang Chaosheng suddenly put down his chopsticks, placed a hundred-yuan bill on the table, and walked out.

The young man and the chef were stunned.

‘He didn’t even finish. Why is he leaving?’

The chef came out of the kitchen with a frown, picked up a dumpling with his chopsticks, and chewed it carefully.

A moment later.

The chef slapped his thigh in frustration.

“Damn it! I added cilantro! Does Mr. Dusk not like cilantro?”

The young man had already taken out his work phone and began to record diligently:

“Weather: sunny. 8:12 AM. Dusk arrived at Barnacle Team’s third surveillance point. Dusk… enjoys dipping his food in vinegar, dislikes cilantro. Dusk’s appearance—”

He frowned, thinking for a long time, and finally wrote:

“Still can’t remember it.”

The chef suddenly had an idea and bolted out of the dumpling shop.

He stood on the street, his eyes urgently scanning the passing crowd. A few minutes later, he returned, dejected.

The young man asked, “What were you doing?”

The chef sighed.

“Since I can only recall Mr. Dusk’s face when I see him again, I thought if I went out looking for him, I might be able to recognize him. I just tried. There are so many people on the street, but not a single one of them reminded me of what Dusk looked like.”

He paused, his tone complex. “Mr. Dusk… is basically a glitch in the system.”

He didn’t know that this was one of the abilities of the Ring of the Forgetter.

Its wearer can minimize the attention others pay to them—in other words, it reduces their presence to an absolute minimum.

…

「Imperial Capital, Beimang Mountain, Anomaly Administration Bureau.」

Cao Ye received the surveillance report on Dusk.

He opened the file with a bit of anticipation, but a moment later, his expression turned odd.

“Enjoys dipping his food in vinegar, dislikes cilantro?”

He lit a cigarette and fell silent for a moment.

“What is all this nonsense?”

…

The dumplings really were delicious.

But Jiang Chaosheng had left in a hurry because he sensed someone had arrived at Antique Shop Zero.

The dumpling shop wasn’t far from his store, only a ten-minute walk or so.

He pushed open the door and saw a person standing in the main room.

It was a young man dressed in a Tang-style suit.

His features were handsome, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile played on his lips.

Jiang Chaosheng’s eyes narrowed slightly.

‘The Evil Qilin?’

The upper echelons of the Taiping Dao all knew the location of Antique Shop Zero, but no one had ever dared to set foot inside—they treated it as forbidden ground.

Upon seeing Jiang Chaosheng, the Evil Qilin respectfully performed a Buddhist salute.

“Greetings, Mr. Dusk.”

Jiang Chaosheng nodded in acknowledgment.

He walked toward the host’s seat at the tea table, his pace unhurried.

“The Black God incident. You caused it.”

It wasn’t a question, but a statement.

The Evil Qilin nodded honestly, a hint of genuine admiration in his eyes.

“I did. Allow me to first congratulate you, sir, for slaying the Black God and saving the tens of millions in the South Sea. This is a great act of benevolence, comparable to building a seven-story pagoda!”

He assumed Jiang Chaosheng had heard about this from the Evil Jade Flood Dragon—about how he had revived the Spear of Destiny.

There were Taiping Dao moles within the Anomaly Administration Bureau.

The news from there was that his “dear sister,” the Evil Jade Flood Dragon, had already betrayed the Taiping Dao and become one of Dusk’s lackeys.

‘She must have sold me out completely by now.’

But he was wrong about the Evil Jade Flood Dragon.

The Evil Jade Flood Dragon did indeed want to get close to Dusk, but he had never once summoned her.

Jiang Chaosheng had deduced all of this himself.

Jiang Chaosheng glanced at him, his gaze indifferent.

“Your shamelessness is rather interesting. But why didn’t you dare to have your true self come see me? This timid, skulking behavior doesn’t match your arrogance.”

He had seen through it at a glance. This wasn’t the Evil Qilin’s true body, but a clone made of Ghost Hair.

Codename 4-19, Ghost Hair.

A Taboo Item that could increase one’s Life Level.

If an ordinary person used it, at most they would turn into a monster living in symbiosis with the Ghost Hair.

But the Evil Qilin was able to use it to create a complete clone.

It was clearly a “Series 4” Taboo Item, yet he had managed to coax a “Series 3” function out of it.

‘It seems the Evil Qilin’s talent for Cultivation is quite high.’

The Evil Qilin smiled.

“This humble monk carries too many Taboo Items. If my true body came here, wouldn’t I be suppressed and killed on the spot by you, sir?”

Jiang Chaosheng considered this but gave a noncommittal response.

“That’s true. Have a seat. Pour your own tea.”

He was so casual, as if facing an ordinary guest rather than an enemy from an opposing faction.

The Evil Qilin clasped his hands together again.

“Thank you, sir.”

He picked up the teapot and poured himself a cup.

He took a sip—it was cold?

‘Generally, when Longjing tea gets cold, its aroma dissipates.’

‘Mr. Dusk’s taste… is certainly unique.’

He didn’t know it wasn’t a matter of unique taste, but simply that there was no one to brew tea for him.

In fact, the tea was from the day before.

The Evil Qilin set down his cup, his expression turning serious.

“This humble monk would like to make a deal with you, sir.”

Jiang Chaosheng’s reply was concise: “Fine.”

The Evil Qilin was stunned.

He had imagined many possible responses.

Dusk might ask, “What deal?” or perhaps sneer and say, “Are you worthy?”

He truly hadn’t expected Dusk to agree so readily!

‘Doesn’t he even consider that this might be a trap?’

‘Or is he so confident that he doesn’t see me as a threat at all?’

A strange, awkward feeling welled up inside the Evil Qilin.

‘Is he looking down on me?’

He composed himself and continued,

“This humble monk has a property in Peng City, which was quite popular a few years ago, called the Dream Island Resort. While you were busy dealing with the Black God, sir, I had the place… redecorated. If you’re interested, sir, please pay it a visit.”

He stressed the word “redecorated” heavily.

The Evil Qilin took an invitation card from his pocket and placed it on the table.

“It’s free of charge. My treat, sir.”

Jiang Chaosheng didn’t look at the invitation.

“Keep talking.”

The Evil Qilin said,

“If you come, sir, this humble monk will receive you with full courtesy.”

He paused, his gaze locked on Jiang Chaosheng’s face, a provocative smile appearing on his lips.

“If you can make it out alive, sir, I will tell you the location of ‘Niu Lang’.”

He waited.

He waited to see Dusk frown, waited to see him stirred, waited to see him demand, ‘Are you challenging me?’

Or perhaps, Dusk would try to bribe him with Taboo Items.

Jiang Chaosheng raised his eyes. “Are you done?”

The Evil Qilin’s expression froze.

‘This… That’s it?’

The Evil Qilin blinked in astonishment.

“Uh… I’m done.”

Jiang Chaosheng drew the Penalty Fire Flintlock Gun from the small of his back.

He raised his hand.

And pulled the trigger.

BANG.

The bullet struck the Evil Qilin squarely between the eyes.

The Evil Qilin’s eyes widened as he stared in disbelief.

“You—”

‘Why?’

‘Tempted by the information on Niu Lang, threatened by my carefully laid trap, how could he still be so nonchalant?’

‘Doesn’t he want to learn anything more from me?’

‘How could he… just swat this clone of mine like a fly?’

He still had so much more to say, so many more traps to lay, so many more schemes to set.

He believed that as long as a person had desires, they could be deceived and manipulated.

‘But my words didn’t affect him at all?’

‘This Ghost Hair clone was hard to come by.’

‘Fortunately, I only sent the Ghost Hair clone.’

‘Otherwise, I would be the one who’s dead now.’

Jiang Chaosheng picked up the invitation from the table and muttered softly,

“So long-winded and slow.”

The Evil Qilin’s form dissolved into a puff of black smoke.

As the smoke cleared, a single, burning black strand of hair fell to the floor.

Jiang Chaosheng looked down at the invitation in his hand.

Dream Island Resort.

The address was printed clearly.

He was quite curious. Did the Evil Qilin go through all this trouble just to “redecorate” that resort?

This so-called “redecoration” was probably related to Taboo Items.

The Evil Qilin was indeed very skilled at using Taboo Items.

He wondered what kind of Taboo Item was hidden on Dream Island.

Jiang Chaosheng murmured to himself,

“Finally, something to do.”

After recovering the lost Taboo Items, his focus had been on Niu Lang.

But containing Niu Lang was too difficult—he didn’t even know where Niu Lang was.

Now, he had no idea what to do or how to break the stalemate.

Before the ‘variable’ arrived, time was the most precious thing, more precious than any Taboo Item.

Stalling here in Antique Shop Zero would only let time slip away.

He had been wondering what he could do to break this deadlock.

That Dream Island Resort… it was probably very dangerous?

Jiang Chaosheng didn’t care.

He would rather make a mistake than do nothing at all.