Vol. 2 - Chapter 70 - Poison King Xue Ming

“Seems Zhang Shun’s got some fame here in Yuhang County.”

“Or rather,” muttered Xiao Zhou, his rough hemp shirt rustling as he walked, “he’s got some status.”

Xiao Song’s lips curved faintly as he replied under his breath, “Zhang Shun’s a good-looking man… maybe he’s even more famous than we imagined.”

A thought flashed in Xiao Zhou’s eyes, glinting sharp.

“A handsome man like that—anywhere he goes, people notice him.”

Xiao Song nodded slowly, a small grin tugging at his face. “Exactly.”

“And no matter where a beautiful man walks,” he added, “young girls can’t help but look twice.”

“Not just young girls,” Zhou corrected, shaking his head.

“Any woman, when she sees a man like that… will sneak another glance.”

The two exchanged looks, and a laugh broke between them.

Still smiling, Xiao Song drew out the rolled portrait once more.

Walking along the stone-paved street, he stopped at a small roadside stall.

The stand sold handwoven baskets; behind it sat an old granny and a young girl.

Xiao Song crouched down, unfurling the portrait with an easy grin.

“Old Madam, forgive the bother,” he said lightly.

“My brother swears he’s so famous here in Yuhang.”

“Says there’s no one who doesn’t know him. I bet him a tael of silver it’s nonsense.”

“Would you mind looking—do you know this man?”

The old woman and the girl peered at the portrait together.

The girl’s eyes lit up in surprise. “Isn’t that Sun Sheng?”

A flash of heat surged through Xiao Song’s chest at the name.

Sun Sheng.

Found him.

Suppressing his excitement, Xiao Song put on an exaggerated look of shock. “Well I’ll be damned!”

“My brother’s that famous here?”

The old woman chuckled warmly. “Oh, your friend’s name carries plenty of weight in Yuhang.”

The young girl chirped in, “He’s even called the Most Handsome Man of Yuhang!”

Xiao Song’s smile deepened. He had what he needed.

He tucked the portrait away with a laugh. “Ah, thank you both… seems I’ve lost that silver tael.”

He pulled a face of mock heartbreak, drawing more giggles from the two.

Before leaving, his gaze swept the stall and he bought a basket at random, earning the old granny’s grateful thanks.

With the intel secured, he strolled back toward the street, basket swinging from his hand.

Leaning against a nearby wall, Xiao Zhou had been watching it all.

“Well?” Xiao Zhou asked as Xiao Song approached.

Xiao Song’s lips curved slyly. “That ‘River Rogue’ Zhang Shun? Just an alias.”

“His real name is Sun Sheng.”

Xiao Song couldn’t help but laugh softly. “And apparently, he’s Yuhang’s Most Handsome Man.”

“Who would’ve thought the cold-blooded, noble-robbing water bandit of Taihu Lake… would be a local heartthrob?”

Xiao Zhou only smiled thinly.

“Now that we’ve got his real name,” Xiao Zhou said, “this will be easy.”

The two strolled casually into an old shop. Buying a few small items, they struck up idle chatter with the shopkeeper—soon learning that Sun Sheng was an orphan from the Yuhang Orphanage.

Exiting the shop, Xiao Zhou’s tone turned amused. “An orphan from the Orphanage… now that’s interesting.”

Knowing Sun Sheng’s roots, their spirits lifted.

“The nursery’s nearby,” Xiao Zhou noted. “Not far from the Yuhong Brothel.”

“Left Envoy’s orders were to seize Zhang Shun’s relatives.”

“With a second-rank powerhouse like him, and a disciple of the South Sea Sect…”

“If we can pull him into Qilin Pavilion, that’s as good as it gets.”

Xiao Zhou’s voice held a trace of excitement.

Xiao Song nodded.

Completing this mission meant another month’s antidote back at headquarters.

In Qilin Pavilion, if you wanted to live, you never stopped taking assignments.

Only successful missions earned you the medicine that kept you alive.

“Come on,” Xiao Zhou said with a grin. “Let’s finish this and head home early.”

The two informants in yellow hemp turned toward the Orphanage.

…

Back on the long stone street…

Xiaofu clutched maid Sidu’s hand, her big black-and-white eyes blinking curiously.

Another figure caught her attention.

An old man, hunched, hair streaked white, face dark and scowling.

He moved stooped, small beady greenish eyes fixed on the ground, searching for something.

Xiaofu tilted her head, staring unblinking.

“Damn it…”

“Where’d it go…”

The old man muttered under his breath as he shuffled along.

Poison King Xue Ming’s tiny eyes flicked rapidly, his face ugly with worry.

He was searching for a poisonous creature of his own making.

For over a decade, Xue Ming had scoured the land for rare insects and venomous plants.

With southern tribal Gu arts, he’d spent eighty-one days refining a single toxic worm.

Then, placing these worms together, he made them battle to the death—

Another eighty-one days passed before he produced a refined Gu worm.

Dozens of such refined Gu were then pitted against each other, devouring venom, merging poison.

Priceless toxic herbs were fed to them, with perfect timing, weather, and temperature…

At last, after years of hellish labor, a King Gu—a creature unmatched in rarity—was born.

But on the very night of its creation, the King Gu popped the lid off its container and escaped.

This Gu’s venom was perfectly restrained, its essence drawn from hundreds of poisons—a treasure beyond compare.

If lost, Poison King Xue Ming would be sick with grief.

“Strange…”

“Where the hell did it crawl off to?”

Xue Ming turned in frantic circles on the street.

He could feel the Gu nearby… yet it eluded him completely.

Xiaofu’s bright eyes followed him, curiosity unhidden.

Too intent on his search, Xue Ming didn’t notice the child watching.

Then—

A tickle on Xiaofu’s scalp.

She instinctively reached up to scratch.

Her fingers met something cold.

From her hair, she pulled down a finger-length, snow-white centipede.

Its body gleamed hard and translucent under the sunlight.

Xiaofu’s eyes widened in wonder.

The little centipede writhed violently in her grasp, thrashing like it faced a mortal enemy.

She squeezed gently—it didn’t squish.

Poison King Xue Ming suddenly froze mid-step.

Out of the corner of his eye, he glimpsed something—

He snapped his head around.

And there it was—his prized King Gu, clutched in the chubby fingers of a child…

The child was even trying to pinch it, giggling!

Xue Ming nearly fainted on the spot, his soul leaving his body.

“Little brat! Let go of my baby!”

He lunged, face twisted with panic, voice cracking with desperation.

Startled by the shout, Xiaofu turned, seeing the grumpy old man blur toward her.

His gloomy face was lined with anguish, eyes wet with distress.

Head tilted, Xiaofu loosened her fingers.

The snow-white centipede sprang free.

It arched, then shot forward—

—straight into Xiaofu’s mouth.

She jumped in shock, gulping reflexively.

Gulp.

A cool wave slid down her throat into her belly.

Xiaofu: “???”

Xue Ming: “???”