Night had fallen. Under the cover of darkness, Mu Nianbing and Tang Yue arrived outside the military supply compound.
"Are we… really going to do this?"
Tang Yue's voice trembled slightly. As a judge, she knew that sneaking into a military compound was no trivial matter—it was a serious crime.
Mu Nianbing looked at her, speechless.
If it weren't to clear the Totem Black Snake's name, he wouldn't be here in the first place.
"Teacher Tang Yue," he said with a sigh, "we've come this far. Are you really going to back out now? This might be our only chance to prove the Black Snake's innocence."
His tone was calm but firm. She's beautiful, but sometimes her nerves are slower than her spells.
If not for the limited time duration of his Demonic Meteor Boots, he would've gone in alone.
After a moment of hesitation, Tang Yue finally nodded.
Her body melted into the shadows, and she slipped silently into the compound using her Shadow Escape technique.
Mu Nianbing waited patiently outside.
The Shadow Escape ability of the Demonic Meteor Boots could only last around ten minutes—and it wasn't nearly as subtle as Tang Yue's natural concealment.
If he went in, he might have been spotted by the guards instantly.
Five minutes later, Tang Yue reappeared beside him like a ghost, holding several sealed plastic bags filled with crimson liquid.
"This is the blood potion from the warehouse," she whispered. "I took one sample from each area just in case we grabbed the wrong one."
Mu Nianbing raised an eyebrow in approval. Not bad, Teacher Tang Yue. Maybe you're not as useless as I thought.
She was a judge, after all—she had to have some skill. Still, sometimes she really did fit the "big-breasted, brainless" stereotype a little too well.
"For the next couple of days," Mu Nianbing said, taking the blood samples from her, "find a secluded spot to stay hidden. I'll take these for testing."
Tang Yue frowned. "If we already have evidence, why hide?"
"This isn't evidence yet," Mu Nianbing replied.
"Until we know the truth, it's too dangerous for the Black Snake to appear again. Zhu Meng won't listen until we show him undeniable proof."
Tang Yue hesitated. "So… I should stay here?"
"No," Mu Nianbing said, shaking his head. "If you stay, you'll definitely be discovered. I'll take you into the mountains. It's safer there."
To him, the Black Snake's safety came before anything else. As long as it remained unharmed, there would still be a chance to turn things around.
Zhu Meng had definitely sent pursuers. Staying in Bai Town was suicide. The mountains were their best option.
Once he had gathered all the proof he needed, he would expose Luo Mian and the others for what they were.
After escorting Tang Yue and the sealed Totem Bead into the safety of the mountains, Mu Nianbing sent a message to Lingling and then mounted the Cangming Jiao, flying swiftly back toward Hangzhou.
Because he had left the city with Tang Yue, he was now officially on Zhu Meng's wanted list.
Fortunately, Zhu Meng hadn't expected him to return to the city so soon, so the walls weren't heavily guarded.
Using his Demonic Meteor Boots, Mu Nianbing slipped through the shadows and entered the city unnoticed.
Since Lingling wouldn't arrive until the next morning, he found a quiet hotel to rest for the night.
At around ten the next morning, Mu Nianbing's communicator buzzed with a message.
Lingling: "I'm here. Meet me at the café."
"As expected of Lingling," he muttered with a smile. "Efficient as always."
He hailed a taxi and made his way to the address she sent.
Half an hour later, Mu Nianbing walked into a cozy café filled with the aroma of roasted beans.
Near the window sat a young girl typing on her laptop, her snow-white legs crossed and swinging lazily beneath the table.
Without looking up, she muttered, "You're slow."
Mu Nianbing chuckled and walked over, deliberately pinching her cheek.
"Asshole! I told you not to pinch my face!"
Lingling puffed out her cheeks in frustration, glaring up at him with her crystal-clear eyes.
"I'm used to it," Mu Nianbing said with a smirk.
Lingling shot him a look of pure disdain. If he weren't her regular partner on missions, she would have kicked him out long ago.
"Where's the blood potion?" she asked bluntly, shifting immediately into professional mode.
Mu Nianbing pulled a small box from his space ring and set it on the table. "Right here."
Lingling carefully examined one of the vials, then nodded slightly. "The color's off. It might be contaminated—but I'll need to run proper tests."
"How long will that take?" Mu Nianbing asked.
"By this afternoon," she replied. "If it's really tainted, I'll forward the results straight to my sister."
That "sister" was none other than Leng Qing, who could directly report to Chief Judge Li Tian. Lingling knew this wasn't just any case—it affected the safety of an entire city.
"Good idea," Mu Nianbing agreed. "It'll be faster that way."
Even with proof, it would be nearly impossible for him to speak to Councillor Zhu Meng directly.
Having Leng Qing and Li Tian involved would be much more effective.
Before parting, Mu Nianbing also asked Lingling to look into the secret dealings between Luo Mian and Deputy Chief Judge Wang Yi.
The profits behind the blood potion were massive, and Mu Nianbing knew Luo Mian wasn't working alone.
They needed concrete evidence linking him to Wang Yi and others if they wanted a full conviction.
Lingling's investigative skills were top-tier—if anyone could find the truth, it was her.
After they separated, Mu Nianbing returned to his hotel to cultivate.
As a wanted man, staying hidden was the safest move.
Hours passed quietly until his communicator buzzed again around mid-afternoon. It was a message from Leng Qing.
"Come to the Magic Association."
Before heading out, Mu Nianbing stopped by Lingling's place to retrieve a document she had prepared—a full dossier detailing the transactions between Luo Mian, Wang Yi, and several other officials.
With this in hand, he felt ready.
This was Mu Nianbing's second visit to the Magic Association Building. Though still unfamiliar, he remembered the way clearly.
As soon as he entered the conference hall, his eyes met Leng Qing's.
She was standing in a corner, calm as ever, her long hair falling over one shoulder. When she saw him, a faint smile curved her lips, and she gave a small wave.
Mu Nianbing returned the smile and walked over.
"Lingling already told me everything," Leng Qing said softly, leaning close enough for her breath to brush against his ear. "You did well this time."
Mu Nianbing chuckled. "Then I'll try to do even better next time."
"Bah, bah—be serious!" Leng Qing said, rolling her eyes.
...
Author's Note:
Versatile Mage: Heir of the Frozen Throne — Part 1 is now fully completed and available on my Patreon!
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1.Dragon Ball: Oolong's Sex Adventure
2. Elements of Lust – ATLA & Korra Mixed Smut
3. Doraemon: Filtering with Nobi Tamako
4. The Naive Me Who Became Someone's Everyday Secret
5. High School DxD: Rias Gremory, the Phenex Bride
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