In a private room at the restaurant, the table was already filled with all sorts of exquisite dishes.
Ian Song glanced at the clearly still-nervous Howard Gu and said, "Relax, Brother Howard. Have some food first—things will become clear soon enough."
"Let's hope so."
Howard Gu glanced at Ian, still puzzled inside—he couldn't figure out what Ian planned to do.
Ian appeared completely at ease, eating and drinking, but secretly blanketed the entire restaurant and its surroundings with his Clairvoyant Vision.
Under the scrutiny of Clairvoyant Vision, these people inevitably revealed themselves.
For example, there was a waiter who kept circling near their private room.
And across the street, a black-clad youth stood at the window of a residential house, staring unblinkingly at the restaurant entrance.
Besides them, there was also a man who had walked up and down the street several times.
Honestly, these spies were so bad at tailing people that even someone with a bit of experience could spot them at a glance. For Ian, there was no challenge at all.
After about half an hour, Ian turned to the increasingly restless Howard and said, "All right. Just do exactly as I told you."
"Okay."
Howard got up and left the private room, carefully closing the door behind him. Then, acting "panicked," he hurried out of the restaurant.
The waiter loitering near the private room immediately brightened up, glanced around cautiously, and then crept up to the door, peering through the crack. He could just make out someone lying facedown at the table.
Remembering the instructions he'd received—that he had to personally verify whether the guest inside was dead before getting the rest of his payment—the waiter hesitated.
So, after another careful look around, he gingerly pushed open the private room door.
"Sir? Sir? Sir?"
The waiter called out several times, but Ian, slumped over the table, didn't respond. Relieved, the waiter strode over and reached out to check his breathing.
Just then, Ian suddenly sat up and tapped the waiter right between the eyebrows.
Under the Puppet Mastery Divine Art, the waiter confessed everything: someone had paid him a sum of silver to keep watch on this private room, and after the other diner left, he was to come in and check. If the guest inside was dead, he had to report it immediately to a black-clad man at the restaurant's front door.
Meanwhile—
Howard Gu rushed out of the restaurant, and not far away, someone came up to him and whispered, "Follow me."
"How's Yvette?" Howard asked worriedly.
"Shut up. You'll find out when we get there," the man snapped. Howard fell silent and just followed quietly.
The man led Howard on a long, winding route before finally arriving at a rundown house.
Inside, Howard once again saw the black-clad, masked man.
Howard burst out, "I've done what you asked—I poisoned Leon Huang! Now, where's Yvette? Give her back to me!"
"Don't be so hasty!" The masked man waved a hand. "Once my people confirm Leon Huang is truly dead, I'll let you two reunite."
"You'd better keep your word!" Howard said grimly.
Soon, a shadow flickered, and another person appeared in the house.
It was a young man.
"Senior, Leon Huang has been poisoned and is dead!"
Hearing the young man call the masked leader 'Senior,' Howard was visibly shocked.
"Good, very good!" The masked man said happily, then—right in front of Howard—he pulled off his veil, revealing the face of Wynton Wu.
"You're all students from Sanctum Martial Academy?"
Howard demanded angrily. At the same time, he felt a surge of relief—since they'd exposed themselves, it meant they planned to kill him. Luckily, he hadn't actually poisoned Leon Huang; otherwise, his fate would be sealed.
"That's right—we're all advanced students of Sanctum!" Wynton Wu nodded without hesitation.
"So what do you plan to do with me?" Howard pressed.
"Looks like you're not stupid—you know we can't let you live." Wynton Wu said with a smug smile.
Howard's expression returned to calm. "That's right. I figured this would happen long ago. But I have one request—can I see Yvette one last time before I die?"
Wynton Wu thought for a moment, then smirked. "Fine, I'll grant you that wish. Junior sister Yvette, come greet your lover!"
At those words, Howard's eyes narrowed, and his expression turned utterly bleak—Yvette had indeed betrayed him.
"Oh, Senior, you're so cruel!" came a teasing voice. Yvette Hu floated out from the inner room in a snow-white dress, smiling sweetly at Howard. "Howard, I actually didn't want you to know the truth. That way, even if you died, you wouldn't feel so regretful. But Senior just had to expose me—he's so mean."
"Don't say that. I'm just being kind—wanted this kid to die with his eyes open," Wynton Wu said with a sly smile.
Howard ignored the others, staring straight at Yvette. "Yvette, did you ever actually like me?"
Yvette sneered, "People should know their own limits. You can't even beat me, and you think I'd like you?"
"So this whole time, you've just been lying to me?" Howard pressed, unwilling to give up.
"That's right. I've been lying to you all along!" Yvette's face turned cold. "And being with you disgusts me."
Howard gave a bitter smile, then his gaze grew icy. "Good. Luckily, it was all fake between us. Otherwise, I might've hesitated to act against you!"
"Howard, I thought you'd at least remember our past!"
A sudden voice rang out.
In a flash, another figure appeared in the house—it was Ian Song.
Seeing Ian, Wynton Wu and the others were stunned.
Wynton Wu immediately glared at Howard. "You tricked me?"
"You set me up, tried to kill me after it was done—why shouldn't I trick you?" Howard replied coldly, his eyes full of scorn.
"Senior, we can't delay—kill them and let's get out of here!" Yvette suddenly shrieked, her face showing panic.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Suddenly, ten figures flashed into the courtyard of the house.
Seeing these ten figures, Wynton Wu and Yvette's faces instantly turned ashen.
The Academy's Enforcement Squad—all elite late-stage Grandmasters.
Wynton Wu was only a mid-stage Grandmaster; his two attendants were early-stage Grandmasters, and Yvette was even weaker, just a late-stage Master.
With that level of strength, how could they possibly take on ten Enforcement Squad members?
"Surrender and tell the truth, and I might spare your lives!" Ian Song stepped forward, addressing the four.
At that, the four's eyes lit up.
Advanced Student Residential District.
Brothers Easton Yan and Ethan Yan sat together, waiting for news.
"Brother, nothing will go wrong this time, right?" Ethan asked nervously.
Easton replied confidently, "Don't worry, nothing will go wrong this time. I'm sure Wynton Wu will send word soon!"