Chapter 348: Efficiency Above All

Inside the lounge adjoining the top-floor office of the Special Investigation Unit headquarters.

As soon as Chi Ling opened her eyes, she asked, "Where are Fei Yu and the others now?"

A female secretary immediately stepped forward and reported the situation.

"They are approaching Bijialun. We have already locked onto the two devilish swords hidden there. The local forces of the Light Faction have answered our call and agreed to avoid open conflict, allowing Daoist Master Wang and his team to act without obstruction."

Chi Ling nodded. She walked to the bathroom beside her office, washed her face with cold water, and swallowed a mind-refreshing alchemical pill.

The secretary could not help but softly remind her, "Chief, you've only slept for two hours. You should rest some more."

"Fei Yu and the others are out on a mission. How could I sleep soundly?" Chi Ling put on a coat, pushed open the door, and stepped back into her office. She seemed to carry an inexhaustible force, as if she had never known the meaning of fatigue.

Her desk was her battlefield. Two secretaries approached, holding folders in their arms, and handed over the accumulated documents from the past two hours for her review.

This was her daily routine.

After efficiently dealing with several necessary documents, Chi Ling tapped a few times on the virtual screen before her. A map of the Mediterranean appeared, with several green dots flickering faintly, marking the position of Wang Sheng and his companions.

"How did the Dark Faction react to this matter?"

A young girl beside her reported, "According to reliable intelligence, the Jialington Group has already notified the Dark Faction's higher-ups. They are gathering a large number of experts.

"Daoist Master Wang's seventh destination is Gambi, which is on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean. The Dark Faction has spent great effort laying down preparations in that nation, bringing it to the brink of civil war. Many of its experts have also gathered and gone into hiding there.

"Moreover, three devilish swords are now in the region. One was already there, meant to be nurtured during the war. The other two have just been transported in, most likely to lure Daoist Master Wang and his party."

Chi Ling frowned. As she tapped on the virtual map, she focused on the small kingdom marked "Seven."

"Has this information reached Fei Yu yet?"

"Not yet. He still hasn't destroyed his fifth and sixth targets."

"Raise the priority of this location," Chi Ling instructed. "Have Fei Yu and the others destroy the devilish swords there before the civil war breaks out."

The "Seven" immediately changed into a "Six."

The young girl then hesitantly said, "The Dark Faction has been making preparations in that nation for so long that it's now on the brink of war, Chief. If Daoist Master Wang shows up, the Jialington Group will likely deploy experts from every side to attack him. Gimba will definitely fall into chaos. I suggest we wait for their civil war to begin, then let him step in and fish in troubled waters."

Chi Ling glanced at the girl. Realizing she had spoken too much, the girl quickly lowered her head.

"That's sound reasoning, but it lacks a broader view," Chi Ling explained simply. "The many powers within the Dark Faction are all desperate for war, the Blood Race requires blood and new converts, and the sorcerers skilled in soul manipulation require souls to fuel their craft. The evil cults that cultivate through faith also have to gather more followers for the power of belief.

"Moreover, the Jialington Group requires living subjects for their experiments and to nurture their devilish swords. Once their hunt begins, they will fight desperately to guard their prey. After all, it is already as good as theirs. If a lion charges into the hunting ground before the hunters make their move, swiftly slays one of them, and leaves, it will only intimidate the rest."

The two young girls nodded in realization.

Chi Ling tapped her fingers on the desk. "Continue gathering intelligence. If you find any ancient vampires in the location, report it immediately. Send the information to Fei Yu as well. At times like this, when we can't aid them, all we can do is watch from the sidelines."

The two quickly acknowledged the order and relayed the instructions. On the floors below, countless staff worked tirelessly to ensure that intelligence was exchanged without delay.

Wang Sheng and his companions could operate smoothly and with relative ease thanks to the dedication of every single person in the headquarters.

𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

***

At Wang Sheng's "home."

Although it was still morning in Bijialun, where Wang Sheng was, it was already noon at the lakeside villa. Music blared along with slightly off-key rap-like shouting inside.

In the living room, Mu Wanxuan sat with a helpless expression, silently slicing fruit for a fresh fruit platter, while two young girls bounced around with microphones in hand. No matter how noisy the music became, she maintained her own aura of zither strings, completely undisturbed.

After exhausting themselves, Xiaomiao and Xi Lian ran over cheerfully, eager to enjoy the fruits of Mu Wanxuan's labor.

"Will my brother even be back in half a year?" Wang Xiaomiao asked worriedly. "The world outside is full of treachery, and my brother does not seem the cunning sort. He's bound to be tricked."

Xi Lian rolled her eyes. "How is he not cunning? Your brother has plenty of schemes."

Mu Wanxuan pointed upstairs and wrote with her finger in the air.

I am going into seclusion, but you can continue playing. I will arrange a soundproof formation.

"

Haiya,

stay and play a little longer," Xi Lian urged. "Your junior brother won't be coming back any time soon anyway."

"That's right," Xiaomiao added. "Cultivation shouldn't be rushed. Missing half a day won't matter."

Mu Wanxuan smiled gently and continued peeling and slicing the fruit, arranging them neatly on the platter.

"Senior Sister," Xiaomiao called in a small voice, "what was my brother like when he first came up the mountain?"

Mu Wanxuan's smile softened further as she wrote lightly in the air again.

He was rather dull and awkward.

Xi Lian rolled her eyes and muttered, "If only you all knew how lively he is deep inside. He mostly gets called honest because his skin is not thick enough."

"Big Sister, can you really sense what my brother is thinking?" Xiaomiao asked quickly.

"Of course," Xi Lian said softly. "It is one of the few benefits I earned at the cost of living under the constant threat of death. But if he chooses to block me out, I cannot sense his thoughts. There have been times, though, when I could hear him communicating with that sword of his."

Growing curious as well, Mu Wanxuan listened closely to Xi Lian's complaints.

"Senior Sister," Xiaomiao whispered, "my brother truly loves you, doesn't he?"

"Of course," Xi Lian replied, leaning against Mu Wanxuan's arm. "My Little Xuanxuan is irresistible. Your brother would not dare be insincere."

"Then... has my brother ever let his thoughts drift to someone else?"

"Not that I've noticed."

Xiaomiao sighed in relief. "That's good. At least his shining image in my heart remains intact."

Xi Lian chuckled, while Mu Wanxuan showed no reaction.

As if remembering something, Mu Wanxuan hesitated for a moment but still wrote a line of words in the air.

What do lovers do together?

Xiaomiao and Xi Lian instantly quieted down. Xi Lian frowned in thought, while Xiaomiao, brimming with adolescent knowledge, gave an overly candid answer.

"That depends on age! For someone like me, who's still underage, it just means going to class together, studying, eating, doing homework, and on weekends, maybe strolling through the streets or watching a movie. Physical contact stops at holding hands.

"For adults who are free from parental restraint, it can mean traveling, playing games, eating out, shopping, and watching movies. As feelings deepen, they can grow from small gestures to greater intimacy, though that depends on the couple's principles."

Xi Lian shot Wang Xiaomiao a sharp glare. "How do you know that much at such a young age?"

"

Hehe.

" Xiaomiao shamelessly grinned. "We've grown up online. I've naturally seen plenty of this. The key is to treat it rationally. We can't treat it as taboo or indulge in it recklessly. As our health teacher said, we should face it properly and take a positive attitude. Do not be overly curious or puzzled. Apart from staying rational, we also have to protect ourselves at all times, regardless of gender."

The two cultivators, who had never undergone formal schooling, held their foreheads. Xi Lian lamented that children today knew too much, while Mu Wanxuan simply did not understand. Still, the latter took Xiaomiao's words to heart and quickly wrote another line.

What does 'greater intimacy' mean?

Xiaomiao's face turned crimson. She hugged a cushion and refused to speak.

Xi Lian grew embarrassed as well. Despite her seniority, she had no real experience either. She could only mutter, "Little Fei Yu is never around when you need him!!"

Mu Wanxuan blinked, a trace of worry in her eyes.

I wonder when Junior Brother will return.

"Ten days to half a month at the earliest," Xiaomiao replied softly. "My brother's team seems to be circling the world. Weren't there supposed to be more than ten devilish swords in total?"

Xi Lian and Mu Wanxuan agreed with her.

***

At that very moment, in a chaotic city on the northern continent across the Mediterranean.

Atop a tall building, dozens of corpses lay neatly on the floor, their necks slit open. A blood-soaked sword shattered into fragments, which then quickly drifted into a small pouch.

Snap!

Wang Sheng snapped his fingers. "All done. Let's head back."

The three men behind him gave him faint, joyless smiles, while the beautiful foreign woman in robes remained expressionless, her face as cold as stone.