39. Gathering to Scout the Location

As the group walked along the path lined with green bamboo, their eyes were met with the sight of an academy with white walls and blue-tiled roofs.

“This is the first stop in the Confucian Sect Scenic Area: White Deer Academy,” Chen Shang introduced them in the manner of a tour guide. “The outer disciples of the Confucian Sect usually study here. Tourists can watch them read from a distance.”

As Chen Shang enthusiastically gave his introduction, Chiyo Yasougi asked impatiently, “Are we really just here for sightseeing?”

Unlike Chiyo, Black Callis seemed to be enjoying herself. “It smells wonderful here! Is this the legendary ‘scholarly air’?”

But Chen Shang pointed to a window of the academy and replied, “No, that’s the scent of graphics cards.”

The two looked inside and indeed saw a group of scholars in Confucian robes sitting cross-legged on the floor, each with a computer in front of them.

The disciples chanted in unison, reciting the classics, while their fingers danced rapidly over the keyboards. The speed of their typing was so fast that, through the window, they could hear the cooling fans whirring at full speed, and faint wisps of blue smoke even rose from some of the computers.

After viewing the academy, Chen Shang led the two up Master Kong’s Mountain, narrating as they climbed, “Look, this stone is one of the mountain’s famous landmarks... And this pavilion is a popular spot for photos. From here, you can see the entire Kunlun District...”

“Wow! Amazing! The scenery is so beautiful!” Black Callis exclaimed with the delight of a curious little girl.

Whether this enthusiasm was genuine or a bit of an act, Chen Shang could not say.

Chiyo, however, raised an eyebrow and asked Chen Shang, “You seem very familiar with this place. Have you been here before?”

—Of course. I helped the modeler build this place.

Remembering those sleepless nights working on the project, Chen Shang felt as if the dark circles under his eyes were returning.

The three continued their ascent until their steps halted at a sign:

“Beyond this point is not a tourist area. Visitors, please do not proceed.”

After a moment of silence, Chiyo was the first to speak. “So what now? Do we just go back?”

“Yes, it seems we’ve reached the end without realizing it,” Black Callis replied, a hint of regret in her tone, as if she wasn’t quite ready for the tour to end.

She instinctively looked up and noticed several security cameras hanging from the surrounding trees.

If they tried to sneak in or tamper with the cameras, disciples of the Confucian Sect would arrive immediately to apprehend them.

After pondering for a moment, Chen Shang smiled. “The next tour activity is called ‘Braving the Forbidden Zone.’”

With that, Chen Shang leaped into the forest beside the path.

Chiyo and Black Callis exchanged glances, then followed him.

They navigated the dense, winding forest for a while before coming upon a two-meter-high white wall.

“If we climb over here, we’ll be inside the Confucian Sect’s inner sanctum,” Chen Shang instructed. “Black Callis, help me disable the infrared alarm on top of the wall.”

“On it!” Black Callis pulled a portable computer from her sports bag, her mechanical fingers flying across the keyboard.

“There really is an infrared alarm here—and it’s a top-tier model,” Black Callis marveled. “If it’s tampered with for more than five seconds, it triggers the highest alert.”

“Five seconds is all I need,” Chen Shang replied confidently.

Black Callis fetched a small, jet-black remote from her bag and manipulated it quickly.

“Three... two... one! Jamming now!”

As the remote lit up, Chen Shang heard a faint electromagnetic hum.

Seizing the moment, he leapt up, grasped the top of the wall, and swung himself over.

Chiyo and Black Callis followed suit.

“Miss Chiyo, you really didn’t need to sneak in with us,” Chen Shang said with a shrug and a grin.

But Chiyo didn’t answer. Instead, she stared ahead in shock. “What... what is this place?”

Beyond the wall was not the tranquil academy they expected, but a cluster of steel buildings that looked like military factories.

The air was thick with the scent of metal and gunpowder. Armored robots, two meters tall, hauled massive containers, while patrol vehicles armed with Gatling guns sped past.

“Welcome, Lady Yasougi,” Chen Shang said, gesturing ahead in his tour guide voice. “This is the real Confucian Sect!”

“Incredible...” Chiyo grasped her chin, lost in thought. “So the Confucian Sect is actually a munitions factory?”

The vast majority of Master Kong’s Mountain was closed to tourists; only the White Deer Academy at the foot and a few scenic spots in the hills were accessible.

Most visitors, after seeing the academy, assumed the Confucian Sect was just a gathering place for intellectuals dabbling in technology. Only a few knew its origins as a weapons development company, rebranded as the Confucian Sect to fit Kunlun District’s culture.

The “Vast Book of Righteousness,” which every disciple owned, was one of the factory’s proudest weapon products.

“We’re now in the heart of the Confucian Sect,” Chen Shang said, donning black-rimmed glasses as his expression grew serious. “Black Callis, can you map out the internal structure of this place?”

Black Callis pulled out three mechanical gadgets resembling mice from her bag and set them on the ground.

The mechanical mice’s green eyes whirred as they darted off in different directions.

“In about thirty minutes, they’ll have covered the area,” Black Callis explained. “I’ll use the intel they gather to draw up a map.”

“Well done,” Chen Shang said, slipping on his glasses. His features blurred, obscured.

His plan was to help the Midnight Headsman execute a “Kunlun-district-shattering” act of vengeance in a few days. To do so, he needed internal maps of all three major sects.

Just as the three were about to investigate further, a disciple of the Confucian Sect suddenly shouted behind them, alert and suspicious:

“Who are you?!”

“Damn, we’ve been spotted...” Chiyo quickly drew a katana from her bag.

But Chen Shang swiftly grabbed her hand, signaling for her to put the blade away.

Then, with a confident smile, Chen Shang turned to the disciple and approached. “Pleasure to meet you. I’m Pell Lefoe, a special inspector sent by Radiant Bird Corporation.”

“Radiant Bird Corporation?” the disciple asked, puzzled.

After giving this unexpected name, Chen Shang quickly put his arm around the disciple’s shoulders, laughing. “Exactly! I’m here on behalf of the higher-ups to inspect your operations. Would you mind giving us a brief tour?”

Radiant Bird Corporation was one of Night Axis City’s largest arms dealers. They had been secretly collaborating with the Confucian Sect for decades, though the details were unknown.

For this reason, the disciple had no reason to doubt his story and didn’t even ask for identification.

“And the two behind you?” the disciple asked, pointing at the two young women.

Chen Shang cleared his throat and improvised, “The one on the left is my mechanical secretary. The one on the right... er?”

As if fearing recognition, Chiyo pulled a fox mask from her bag and put it on.

Chen Shang recognized it instantly—it was the one she bought in the Dream Shop in Black Cage District.

Once the mask was on, Chiyo’s body suddenly trembled, as if something had gripped her mind.

“Are you alright?” Black Callis whispered with concern.

In the next moment, an aura of dominance radiated from Chiyo, making her seem every inch the battle-hardened empress, disdainful of all others.

“No... I’m fine,” Chiyo replied, straightening up and squaring her shoulders.

Perhaps due to the mask’s side effects, she was suddenly seized by a desire to conquer everything—this factory, the man before her, even the world itself.

Calm down... This isn’t the time for that, she silently admonished herself, suppressing the urge.

Then, with graceful poise, Chiyo stepped forward and addressed the disciple with perfect composure. “My apologies for the earlier rudeness... I am his superior. You may call me Madam Yasougi.”

Chiyo already exuded the aura of a crime boss, and with the mask’s “Emperor” energy, the disciple felt an urge to kneel before her in reverence.

Having confirmed their identities, the disciple quickly bowed and said respectfully, “Forgive me for not recognizing you. Please, allow me to show you around. This way, honored guests!”