"Back in the day, the Celestial Punishment team secured two fragments of the compass. One of them was crafted into a piece of equipment known as the 'Mirror of Prophecy,' which is itself a rule-based item—indeed, the compass fragments are inherently rule-based." Anne spoke of this item with serious and solemn expression: "This item possesses three prophetic functions: first, it foretells any misfortunes that befall the holder within a single day; second, it predicts any favorable events that occur to the holder within a single day; third, it reveals the holder's primary objectives for the day." "Really, that's incredible!" Sheng Lingxi and the Queen stared, their expressions stunned. "Drive carefully," Zhang Yuanqing reminded. "Oh, right...," the Queen said, focusing on driving, yet still unable to conceal her awe and admiration. "It's like a game-changer—having something like this would be amazing. Your Majesty, what exactly is the Light Compass?" "A top-tier treasure, so revered that the half-gods have fought and sacrificed for it. Each of its fragments is rule-based, and the core fragment is even more extraordinary—though I must confess, I don't know how Zhang Yuanqing paused, lost in thought. He was concerned about one thing: in the celestial observation calculations, his fragments of the Yin Origin Source showed perfectly normal performance—no shielding, no counter-observation of the stars. The Yin Origin Source fragments possessed a kind of causal influence, so even the most accomplished high-ranking night-wanderers could not detect any anomaly in him. Then what about the prophecy? Could the Prophecy Mirror foresee anything about him? If so, would it be a normal prediction, or would it simply block all references to him, thereby causing the prophecy to fail? If it were the latter, that would be awkward indeed. The Hunted Heroes might wonder: why could a mere Yuan-Shi Tianzun alone block the prophecies of rule-based artifacts? Clearly, something was amiss. After a moment's reflection, Zhang Yuanqing asked, "What is the cost of the Prophecy Mirror?" Since the Heavenly Judgment had granted the Hunted Heroes the right to use the Prophecy Mirror, it was evidently a frequently used artifact. With the diplomatic acumen of the Beauty Association officials, uncovering its detailed information would not be difficult. Nothing was beyond the reach of a good night's rest. If there is, then let the president sleep. Indeed, Anne's information is thorough. She said, "The two costs are: 'Those who play with fate will ultimately be played by it'; and each day, only one use is allowed, with each use limited to choosing among three—favor, disaster, or a specific target." Hmm, the first cost is favorable to me. Even if the prophecy about me proves false, I can attribute it to 'being played by fate.' The prophecy mirror's scope is limited to one day, which means the hunt mage cannot directly foresee specific outcomes or events in the process of capturing the King of the Dead, since he cannot advance the situation to that point within a single day. This same limitation implies that the divine punishment cannot immediately and decisively lock onto the King of the Dead in the short term—thus, I should be able to outpace them. Zhang Yuanqing said, "I'll skip the meat dumplings, Your Majesty. Before dark, I'll head to Ke City to deal with several minor subordinates." ... Three days later, an unremarkable white sedan arrived at the outskirts of Yuanming City, in the southern part of Ba Gui Province. The night was just falling. The car rolled along a gray highway, flanked by rice fields and mountain ranges, with a deep blue-black sky above, stars sparse and quiet. "There are so many mountains in Baigu Province—everywhere you look. Annie, your landscapes in Baigu Province are truly outstanding. I'll show you around soon." Xie Lingxi leaned against the window, gazing out. "Zhang Yuanqing said, 'Your Majesty, please pull over.' The white sedan gradually slowed and came to a stop by the roadside. Zhang Yuanqing activated the Star Dashing Technique, ascended to the roof, settled into a meditative posture, and placed the Great Luo Star Disk before him. This premium artifact, which places his stargazing skills on par with the celestial officials who specialize in stellar energy, has become his indispensable tool. Without it, Zhang Yuanqing would absolutely be unable to pinpoint the King of Pluto. With his star-eyed gaze open, he channeled celestial energy to activate the Great Luo Star Disk, then raised his head to gaze at the stars. After fifteen minutes, the starlight within his eyes gradually subsided, and a pleased expression appeared on his face. 'Annie, we've arrived at our destination,' he said. The car doors opened instantly, and the tall, graceful blonde woman leapt down, beaming at Zhang Yuanqing. 'Is the King of Pluto hidden in Nancheng City?' Zhang Yuanqing nodded. 'It's within this area, but we haven't been able to pinpoint his exact location. He might be in the city itself, or perhaps in one of the county towns, or even On the national map, Nanzheng City is merely a speck as small as a sesame seed or a green bean. Yet in reality, finding a single hidden, malevolent profession within it—like searching for a needle in a haystack—is no easy task. Let's check the situation in Nanzheng City using Guanyi's account... Zhang Yuanqing returned to the carriage and said, "Lingxi, here's the computer." Xie Lingxi promptly handed over her laptop to her brother. Zhang Yuanqing took the computer and logged into the official database using Guanyi's credentials to search for the Nanzheng City branch. The information appeared quickly: the Nanzheng City branch falls under the Qinghe branch and is managed by a senior steward known as the "Pursuer of Toxins." The branch currently has a total of 32 Lingjing Travelers, organized into six small teams. A brief note outlines the city's situation: since Nanzheng City lies within the jurisdiction of the Lingneng Association's Western Regional Branch, its Wugui practitioners are particularly active and dominant. Moreover, as it is a border city, the city hosts a diverse mix of criminal groups—drug cartels, foreign fugitives, domestically wanted spiritual travelers, and the malevolent factions from the Western Division of the Spiritual Energy Association—making law and order quite challenging. These criminal organizations engage in illicit activities such as drug trafficking, human smuggling, and telecom fraud, generating substantial profits. Not only do they show little fear of official institutions, but they often assert themselves by actively investigating and arresting the residences of official spiritual travelers from Nanming City. Their behavior is so bold and aggressive that it becomes truly alarming. Whenever the Qinghe Branch deploys personnel for a major cleanup operation, these groups immediately retreat across the border and seek refuge abroad. Among all the official spiritual travelers in the Qinghe Branch, Nanming City has the third-highest mortality rate—significantly more difficult than the prosperous and stable Songhai City. "This doesn't make sense," Zhang Yuanqing remarked, frowning. "Qinghe Branch should be the strongest branch of the Five Elements Alliance. After all, the ancestral lineage of the Qinghe Clan has even been known to engage in direct confrontations with the Central Court's main figures." He paused, then deleted "Nanming City Branch" The information uncovered in this search left him astonished—the official mortality rate of the Qinghe branch ranked among the top three out of all provincial branches within the Five Elements Alliance. According to the records: senior captains are frequently replaced, and senior officers remain consistently vacant. This means that senior spiritual realm practitioners often make the ultimate sacrifice, the number of saints is insufficient, and there are no willing candidates stepping into the officer positions. "This doesn't make sense," Zhang Yuanqing murmured. The spiritual realm practitioners in the Ba Gui Province are in a state of profound disorder, significantly complicating the efforts to capture the冥King. Meanwhile, the difficult circumstances faced by his colleagues at the Qinghe branch also stirred his confusion and frustration. Though he had been at odds with headquarters, this issue was unrelated to other branches. Seeing how difficult his colleagues' situation had become, he instinctively felt a sense of solidarity and shared resentment. "The more chaotic the place, the more essential the local leaders' support. Let's head over to the Nanzheng City branch first, reach out to our local colleagues, and find out what's going on with the entire Qinghe branch. Border cities naturally face turmoil, but the situation here is especially dire—given Qinghe's capabilities, it's hard to believe such a level of disruption should occur." The white sedan started up and continued along the national highway. Half an hour later, it entered the city, and after another thirty minutes, following the official database records, they arrived at the Nanzheng City Public Security Bureau—the Nanzheng City branch headquarters. It was a building with a classic, well-worn appearance, its walls faded and weathered, exuding the character of a mid-tier, smaller city. Zhang Yuanqing led the three women, each with a distinct grace, into the administrative building and ascended three floors via stairs to reach the office space of the Nanzheng City branch. It was now eight o'clock in the evening, and the third floor was brightly lit. Clerks moved in and out with serious expressions, hurrying from one task to another. Zhang Yuanqing heard someone mention that the arrests would begin The Nanming branch appears to be conducting some kind of operation, so everyone there is working overtime. Nanming is located in the southwest, close to the border, and its residents differ slightly in appearance and demeanor from the Songhai people—having darker skin and slightly smaller frames, yet more agile and robust. "Who are you?" A dark-complexioned, slim man noticed them and approached proactively, his gaze critically assessing these unexpected visitors. He did not ease his vigilance despite the striking beauty of the three women, his eyes sharp and cautious. "This is the internal area of the Public Security Bureau. Non-staff members are not permitted entry. Please register your case at the main lobby on the first floor." Zhang Yuanqing replied, "Colleagues, we're from the Songhai branch. We've come to carry out a special mission." The queen cooperated, opening her handbag and handing over a document. This document is a guarantee issued by the Songhai Branch, confirming Zhang Yuanqing as a member of the Songhai Branch on an overseas assignment for confidential duties, thus requiring the protection of his identity. We kindly request cooperation from all regional branches. In addition to the written statement, it is sealed with Fu Qingyang's official stamp and a series of task codes. Any official envoy can enter the code into the central database to locate the Songhai Branch's case file. He specifically asked Fu Qingyang for this guarantee, with the intention of being able to engage with local authorities when needed. However, he must remain anonymous—Master Yuanshǐ has numerous adversaries, and both the evil organizations and internal officials within the administration harbor ambitions to eliminate him. Once he leaves Songhai, he must operate with discretion, which is why he has employed Yi Chuan Mei's art of disguise to alter his appearance. The lean man, initially skeptical, receives the document, reads it carefully, and immediately his tone and expression improve. He says, "You go ahead and take a seat in the reception room. I need to verify this further." Indicated the direction of the reception room, then hurried off with the documents. Zhang Yuanqing and the others remained in place, waiting for about ten minutes until a middle-aged man in a formal suit emerged from the office area and approached briskly. "You must be colleagues from the Songhai branch," said Xing Jianwei, the team leader of the Third Unit in Nanning City, extending his hand warmly. As Zhang Yuanqing reached out, he observed the man closely. Unlike typical Nanning residents, this well-dressed middle-aged man was broad-shouldered, with a round face and fair complexion, suggesting he was not a native-born resident. Based on the strength of his handshake, muscle tone, and skin firmness, he either was a musician or a scholar; the spiritual ID profile indicated he was most likely a scholar. "We're currently conducting a major arrest operation and are a bit short on personnel," apologized Xing Jianwei. "We'll be less than accommodating. Please take a seat in the reception room while you wait." He led four colleagues from the Songhai branch into the reception room and personally poured tea—warm water from the water dispenser. After serving the tea, Xue Hai Wuya pulled out a chair and sat down, saying, "The Executive in charge of the Pursuit of the Toxic has personally led this operation and is not based at the Public Security Bureau. If you have any matters to discuss, please share them with me. Whatever I can provide, I will do my best to fulfill." "Looking at this young man carefully, I'd say he's ordinary in appearance, lacking the aura of someone in a high-ranking position—probably a captain-level officer. He managed to secretly apprehend a fugitive with only three subordinates, suggesting he's still relatively inexperienced, perhaps at the early stage of level 3. A fully experienced level-3 captain typically commands up to ten subordinates." "Just let me know what you need," said Xue Hai Youya with a smile. "The Qinghe clan has pledged loyalty to our official administration, yet they remain largely autonomous—indeed, their patriarch actively restricts contact between the clan and the outside world. We simply can't count on them." "Sounds just like feudal lords," remarked the young green tea. "More or less," said Xue Hai Wu Yao, shrugging. "When Qinghe first pledged allegiance, it was anything but enthusiastic. Subsequently, they claimed they would only guarantee the stability of the Eight Prefecture region, positioning themselves as the 'pillars of stability.' Yet in reality, their noble professions are bound by merit-based obligations—so even if they wanted to destabilize the region, they simply couldn't. Honestly, these Qinghe folks are quite shrewd. The headquarters allocates funds each year, and they take away eighty percent—doing absolutely nothing while quietly profiting. Our colleagues give their all, yet earn only six thousand yuan a month..." He paused suddenly, clearing his throat with a chuckle. "Well, that was a bit of a misstep. Just let it pass—please, don't take it to heart, and certainly don't mention it outside. Otherwise, I’ll be quite embarrassed." "Telling these stories to a few colleagues I've only just met—clearly, I've been harboring resentment for a long time. The Qinghe clan truly has gone too far. Zhang Yuanqing furrowed his brows, "Does headquarters know about this?" He'd heard of the Qinghe branch's unique circumstances, but hadn't expected things to be this serious and so egregious. "Headquarters certainly knows," said Xue Hai, smiling with a very professional, yet clearly resigned air. "But what can they do? The Qinghe clan has faced hardships before—living deep in the mountains of ten thousand li, they've always struggled financially. Their regular revenue streams simply aren't enough, so they've had to resort to unconventional methods. These days, they're doing quite well—basically, they're paying us annually to keep them stable. After all, stability is paramount." "Yet," Zhang Yuanqing mused, "I've read that evil organizations are increasingly active. At times, they even come after you?" "That's something the spiritual energy guild does. Their headquarters is right across the province in Yunnan, and our region is also within their sphere of influence. The official forces along the border are indeed a bit weak, but we've grown used to that—we just need to stay low-key and steady." The evil organization has been gaining strength in border cities, able to step out of national borders at will and operate quietly in small Southeast Asian nations, making them particularly difficult to handle. "In recent years, things have been steadily improving. The headquarters sends elite personnel to the border provinces every year, and as the spiritual energy guild diversifies its revenue streams, conflicts, though frequent, are no longer as intense as before. Back then, it was truly dire—local official agents often had their entire families killed by the guild or international criminals. One of our branch colleagues hasn't dared to return home in ten years; his family believes he's dead." "Local colleagues are now working hard to save money, setting aside funds so they can send their families out of the province—thus eliminating their personal ties and burdens." Colleagues transferred from outside the region mostly don't stay for more than three years. Many have been here for no more than three months before they start writing endless transfer applications, eager to leave. Zhang Yuanqing observed him. "You don't seem to be from around here." "Oh, I came from another province—ten years now," Xue Hai said. "Why haven't you transferred?" Zhang Yuanqing asked. "I originally intended to leave. I hold a bachelor's degree and have always wanted to focus on academic research and scholarship—I don't enjoy the constant political struggles and administrative battles. Within a month of arriving, I was already planning to leave. But then, I found myself unable to go." "Why can't you leave?" "My comrades have all died here—batch after batch. I now have to stay and watch over them." Zhang Yuanqing paused, briefly setting aside this point. "They've been fighting organized crime, drug trafficking, human smuggling, and telecom fraud. So, do you not feel a sense of accomplishment in their work?" "The sea of learning is boundless—right away, you know this is a newcomer." "They have methods to erode their moral credits. First, instead of directly tackling powerful criminal forces, they position themselves as protectors, helping these groups fend off enemies they can't handle on their own, then charge them massive protection fees. This indirect approach allows them to gradually reduce their moral credits. "Then, they establish numerous charitable organizations overseas, channeling the profits earned domestically to these international institutions, thereby accumulating substantial moral credits. In the spiritual realm's assessment, charity transcends national boundaries. Southeast Asian nations, in turn, are eager to grant them favorable treatment—provided they make generous donations, they're always willing to cooperate and support them." "Although most of their earnings eventually go overseas to offset moral credit losses, the business remains highly profitable. Additionally, the Spiritual Energy Council also engages in various benevolent activities abroad—arresting criminals and upholding justice—demonstrating that there are indeed many ways to earn moral credits, as long as one is committed. The only difference is that the accumulated merits are realized overseas." "It's not just the Spiritual Energy Association—many evil organizations and grassroots groups do this too; it's nothing new." After a few minutes of conversation, Zhang Yuanqing had gained a detailed understanding of the Nanming branch's situation. As they were chatting, a female employee hurriedly pushed open the frosted glass door of the meeting room, looking anxious and saying, "Captain, our leader has just gone offline—someone has blocked his signal. He needs support."