What We Are Investigating Is...

Donggua lowered her head slightly, casting a gentle sidelong glance at Lin Luoyu sitting across from her.

In her gaze, Lin Luoyu remained calm, though her expression occasionally betrayed subtle hints of wariness.

At present, their traveling companions were only Xigua, herself, and Lin Luoyu’s junior brother. It went without saying who that wariness was directed at.

Surely it couldn’t be aimed at Cui Hao, who was outside driving the carriage?

A man brimming with righteous aura was different from a simple good-natured fool—he was a troublesome figure.

When someone was on guard, the best course of action was not to disturb them, and especially not to show undue kindness. Whether your intentions were good or bad, to a suspicious mind, any gesture could be seen as preparation for something nefarious.

The wisest strategy was to appear as harmless as possible.

Besides, Donggua didn’t truly need Lin Luoyu’s approval—she only needed to manipulate Cui Hao. That chatterbox Cui Hao would naturally seek out his kind-hearted senior sister.

Donggua withdrew her gaze and turned to the young man slumped in the corner, his body reduced to half.

Missing an arm, a leg, and part of his abdomen, the boy leaned against the wall with closed eyes, struggling to suppress the stubborn blood energy raging inside him.

Well, at least he was alive.

Xigua had truly risked his life to buy her a chance to escape. Someone willing to sacrifice themselves for you in a moment of crisis would do so again.

And right now, Donggua needed someone like that.

Her connection with the higher-ups wasn’t two-way—it was strictly one-sided. Only they could reach out to Donggua to check on progress or provide what she needed. Xigua had no way to contact them directly.

The advantage of this arrangement was secrecy. Even if she were captured, the higher-ups’ safety wouldn’t be compromised.

In short, if Donggua succeeded, she was a valuable asset. If she failed, she was expendable.

So, to re-establish contact, she had to make sure they knew she was neither dead nor captured. The key lay in the experimental Rule Crystal still in her possession.

As long as its effects continued to spread correctly, someone from above would eventually come to verify the situation.

And it had to be done quickly.

Donggua’s right hand brushed over her left arm, sensing the presence of the [Life Gate]—something only she could perceive.

She hadn’t fought tooth and nail just to build a prosperous era that excluded her.

To pull this off, she’d have to rely on Cui Hao and Lin Luoyu.

After all, Li Xingtian had already seen the Rule Crystal in her hands. With the higher-ups unwilling to reveal themselves, the only way to keep their enemies at bay was to wield the deterrent of a renowned orthodox sect.

A swirl of complicated emotions rose within her, but Donggua forced them down.

Emotions made people irrational—they led to mistakes, slips of the tongue, fatal errors.

Suddenly, the sound of the carriage curtain being pulled aside broke the silence.

Cui Hao leaned halfway in, his gaze sweeping the interior before settling on the silent, half-bodied Xigua. With concern, he asked,

"How are you holding up? Feeling any better?"

Xigua quickly nodded. "I’ll manage. Thanks for your help, fellow cultivator."

Cui Hao studied him for a moment, then adopted a slightly more serious tone.

"I’ve got a question that might be a bit rude—mind if I ask?"

Donggua’s eyes flicked over, her expression seemingly calm, though inwardly, she tensed—was Cui Hao not as easy to fool as he seemed?

Xigua maintained his composure. "Go ahead."

Cui Hao stroked his chin, frowning slightly.

"Now that you’re only half a person… do you feel lighter?"

Xigua blinked. What kind of question was that? That wasn’t just rude—it was downright bizarre.

Donggua’s expression faltered as she averted her gaze. Clearly, she’d overestimated Cui Hao—thinking he’d ask something serious.

Xigua could only wave his remaining left hand. "Not really. If anything, it just feels strange, like the other half is still there somehow."

Cui Hao nodded sympathetically before pressing further. "Well, at least we’ve both stepped onto the immortal path. Even missing half your body, you’re still stronger than an ordinary mortal, right?"

"Of course," Xigua agreed, then hastily fabricated his cultivation level. "After all, I’ve just reached the early Golden Core stage."

That was the perfect claim—non-threatening to Lin Luoyu, who was also at the Golden Core stage, yet still useful enough.

"In that case," Cui Hao grinned, "how about you take over driving for a while? I’m only at the Foundation Establishment stage—even with one arm and one leg, you could probably beat me. Driving shouldn’t be a problem, right?"

Xigua stared. This guy didn’t just treat him as half a person—it was like he didn’t see him as human at all.

"Alright…" Xigua balanced on his one leg, preparing to head out.

Donggua stole a glance at Lin Luoyu, but the woman remained impassive, showing no intention of stopping her junior brother from ordering a still-recovering cripple to work.

Someone with such righteous aura shouldn’t ignore something like this.

Was this another test?

Donggua quickly stood and pulled Xigua back. "He still needs rest. If you’re tired, Cui Hao, come inside. I’ll take over driving."

Cui Hao hesitated, his tone suddenly hypocritical.

"But you’re a woman, and our guest besides. Having you drive feels a bit inappropriate."

Donggua raised an eyebrow. Was this guy… interested in her?

Had he never seen a woman in his sect before?

How pathetically shallow.

Lin Luoyu finally stirred. "Enough. I’ll drive."

Cui Hao’s eyes widened. "Senior Sister, that’s too much to ask!"

"Spare me the politeness. At least this way, I’ll have something tolerable to look at."

Without another word, Lin Luoyu grabbed Cui Hao’s sleeve and yanked him fully into the carriage before stepping outside to take the reins.

Cui Hao’s act was flawless—he played the brainless fool to perfection.

But it was so grating it felt like torture to witness. A few more words or glances would’ve been unbearable.

Besides, Cui Hao clearly had ulterior motives. Letting him have his way was a relief for everyone.

Once Lin Luoyu was outside, Cui Hao cleared his throat, smoothed his sleeves, and casually plopped down beside Donggua.

Xigua glanced over, then discreetly shrank further into his corner.

Donggua offered an awkward smile under Cui Hao’s gaze.

He grinned back before saying,

"Don’t mind my senior sister. She’s always wary of outsiders for no reason. Hope you’re not offended."

Donggua nodded. "After being saved by you both, how could I possibly take offense?"

"Ah, she’s not usually like this. It’s just… this mission is special." Cui Hao sighed, then lowered his voice with a hint of pride.

"This time, we’re investigating something related to the Taidao Sect’s past dealings at Mist Mystic Temple…"

Donggua was taken aback, his eyes widening in anticipation of what Cui Hao would say next.

But the very next moment, an angry shout from Lin Luoyu cut through from behind the curtain:

"Cui Hao!"

The sharp reprimand instantly silenced Cui Hao, freezing the words on his lips.

Meanwhile, Donggua struggled to maintain his composure, suppressing the overwhelming shock surging within him.