Chapter 138: Zhou Yi Arrested

More than ten people checked into the inn and spent the entire day inside without ever stepping out. When evening fell, Baozi returned, his head hung low; it was clear from his expression that he had failed to see Dongnuo.

Zhou Yi couldn't help but ask, "What happened? You didn't see her?"

Baozi pursed his lips and nodded. "There were too many Miao people; I couldn't get close."

"How many Miao people could there be that you couldn't even find a moment to speak?" Mu Chen asked in confusion.

Baozi poured himself a bowl of tea, took a sip, and grimaced. "There were at least fifty or sixty of them, sealing off the potter's field so tight not even a drop of water could pass through. You go and see if you can manage to get a word in with her!"

Zhou Yi felt a wave of suspicion. When they had clashed with Ji Lang last time, there were only twenty or so Miao people. In such a short time, how had that number swelled to fifty or sixty?

He recalled the "Seven Stars Alignment" the Miao had mentioned, and as he connected the recent events, a thought struck him. Yuan Tingyu had once said that the Seven Stars Alignment was a moment when heaven, earth, yin, and yang converged—a time when ghosts and spirits from the underworld would emerge in abundance.

When he tied this into the strange occurrences that had happened in the Zhuolu region, Zhou Yi felt a chill. He dared not believe his own deduction, but if it were true, then a catastrophe for all mankind was truly at hand.

"Brother Yi, what’s wrong?" Baozi asked, noticing Zhou Yi’s strange expression.

Zhou Yi shook his head, frowning to signal that the teahouse was no place to talk.

Just then, the group of ten people finished resting and left the inn. Zhou Yi sensed something was amiss. "Baozi, count how many of them came out."

Baozi counted and turned back. "Exactly ten!"

Mu Chen also noticed something was wrong. "Two people are missing?"

"You two follow them. I’m going to see where those two went. Be careful!" Zhou Yi said before heading straight into the inn across the street.

Inside, Zhou Yi called over a waiter and tossed two silver dollars into his palm. "I only want to know what happened after those twelve people checked in."

The waiter’s eyes lit up at the sight of the silver, but he paused, puzzled by the number. "It wasn't twelve; it was ten!"

"Ten?" Zhou Yi exclaimed in shock. He had tailed them all night; how could he have miscounted? He had seen all twelve enter the inn that morning. Where had the other two gone?

"It was definitely ten. They asked for ten premium rooms the moment they walked in. How could I be mistaken?" The waiter’s gaze turned greedy as he looked at the money in Zhou Yi's hand.

Zhou Yi smiled faintly and handed over the silver, which the waiter happily accepted.

"Didn't they come out to eat? You served their meals and brought the utensils; you should know!" Zhou Yi pressed on, fearing the waiter might have been misled.

"They ate in their rooms. I delivered the food, and it was indeed for ten people," the waiter said, hesitating for a moment before continuing. "The dishes and chopsticks were for ten. I only brought the food to the door; they came out to collect it themselves."

Before he could say more, new guests entered, and the waiter rushed off to greet them.

Zhou Yi went to check the room where the group had stayed. The waiter had already cleaned it, leaving no clues. The window was open, and as Zhou Yi looked down, he saw a narrow alleyway below.

He vaulted through the window and landed on the back courtyard wall, which was built of gray bricks with an openwork pattern of tiles along the top.

Zhou Yi crouched to examine the wall; some of the tiles were loose. Looking up at the second-floor window, he realized that anyone jumping down would naturally land on this spot.

The loose tiles were surely caused by those two people jumping down. He hopped off the wall and leaned against it, pressing his temples.

This group was acting with such caution—what were they afraid of? And where had the two missing men gone?

Zhou Yi was now certain these people were involved in the missing children case, though whether they were the perpetrators or merely pawns, he did not yet know.

Zhou Danjiang had been missing for two days now. A newborn infant was incredibly fragile. The thought of his safety made Zhou Yi increasingly agitated.

He exited the alley and found the marks left by Baozi and Mu Chen. He followed them for a stretch, but eventually, the trail vanished.

Where had Baozi and Mu Chen gone? Were they captured by the twelve men, or had they fled? Regardless, their presence had clearly been exposed.

Zhou Yi cursed under his breath and slapped the back of his head hard. "Damn it, I've been played!"

"We didn't play you; you walked right into our trap yourself. Don't blame us for that," a voice said. No sooner had Zhou Yi finished speaking than five men in black emerged, surrounding him in a fan formation.

With a two-story building at his back, the five men stood in a position that left no gaps. Zhou Yi’s only options were to fight to the death or flee. He could certainly escape, but if he did, he would never uncover their true purpose.

To get to the truth, Zhou Yi made a daring decision. He wore a smile and squinted. "Where are my two brothers?"

"Your brothers are fine. Don't worry, you’ll all be together soon enough," one of the men in black sneered.

Zhou Yi nodded, his smile remaining. This was exactly what he had expected.

The five men closed in, and the two on his flanks reached for ropes, preparing to bind him.

People are most prone to carelessness when they believe their target is within reach. Zhou Yi saw the gleam of success in the eyes of the man in black.

Now! Zhou Yi drew his dagger, *Lihuo*, from his waist and thrust it toward the man in front of him. The man had never expected a sudden attack; unable to dodge, he took the blade straight in his right shoulder.

Zhou Yi didn't linger to fight. He made a dash for an opening, but after only two steps, he was intercepted by the rest of the group. Now, all ten were present.

The wounded man clutched his shoulder and pulled a pistol from his waist, ready to fire, but another man stopped him.

"Wait, I’ve seen this guy before."

Zhou Yi turned to look at the speaker. The face seemed vaguely familiar, though he couldn't place where he had seen it.

"You’ve seen me?" Zhou Yi retorted with a cold laugh.

"If you don't know who I am, that's even better. Take him!" As the words fell, a Miao man behind him threw a burlap sack over Zhou Yi’s head, and he felt himself being hoisted onto someone’s shoulder.

Who was that man? Zhou Yi searched his memory, but the face remained elusive.

Trapped in the sack, he lost all sense of direction. He checked his watch—he had been carried for over an hour. The ride was steady, meaning his captor wasn't moving quickly.

An hour later, he heard the sound of leaves crunching underfoot; they had reached a forest. Once inside, the group grew larger. Based on the surrounding presence, there were at least thirty people.

"Why did you bring back a grown man?" someone asked.

"A meddler. Made me carry him for half an hour!"

"If he's a meddler, just finish him off right there. Why bring him back?" As soon as Zhou Yi heard this, he heard the distinct click of a gun being cocked. His heart skipped a beat; these people were truly ruthless, intending to kill him on the spot.