Qin Wang didn't dare gamble with his life.
He packed everything immediately, preparing to leave the rented house. The next morning, he planned to thoroughly wash again at the bathhouse and then rent another place.
He currently had over 1640 taels of silver, mostly in banknotes, weighing around thirty catties in total. Along with a travel permit, a precious bowl, and a soul-gathering vessel, he could carry everything with him.
Knowing that Ding Dian had sprinkled tracking powder on him, Qin Wang couldn't stay there for even a moment.
Time passed quickly.
Ten days later, early morning, as the sun rose.
In a secluded courtyard eight miles east of the city, where Qin Wang had previously lived.
"Trying to scheme against me! Let's see if you survive!"
Qin Wang looked in the direction of Tongrentang, his eyes full of anticipation.
He locked the door and headed to the street to have breakfast.
Last night, from 1 AM, he had posted exposés about Tongrentang, the Chen family, the Black River Gang, and Li Tianhe of the Tianhe Association. Each poster detailed their sordid affairs.
[The Omniscient Sage: All-Knowing and All-Seeing]
1) Tongrentang: Alchemist Li Hongfei has been refining medicine for decades, deceiving innocent youths into Tongrentang under the guise of recruiting medicine boys, turning them into drugged humans. He has killed 576 people, and their remains were used to make blood-boosting ointment for sale.
2) Chen Family: The family head, Chen Kun, loses half his strength at midnight and had his finger cut off by Zhang Family's head, Zhang Aofeng. Chen Xia believes his brother, Chen Kun, is unfit to lead the family and was imprisoned for questioning him. The third brother, Chen Feng, and his sister-in-law, Jiang Yuqin, have an illicit affair. The Chen matriarch was poisoned with soft bone toxin at the River God Temple.
3) Black River Gang: Leader Ji Zhang is fleeing to Qingyun County, fearing suspicion from County Magistrate Chen Hao and investigation by the Divine Constables. Over the past ten days, many corpses have been dumped in the Black River.
4) Tianhe Association: Leader Li Tianhe, a close friend of Li Hongfei from Tongrentang, recently requested a compliant boy for a river god sacrifice. Li Tianhe has previously abused and killed 16 boys, dumping their bodies in the Black River.
Qin Wang posted thirty such posters in total, placing them in prominent spots at taverns, inns, and breakfast stalls.
He waited ten days because he noticed the Chen family, the Black River Gang, and the county authorities had withdrawn their nighttime surveillance after failing to find the exposé author.
So, after updating his intel last night, he started posting the previously prepared exposés.
At the street, Qin Wang ordered a bowl of chicken soup noodles at a noodle shop where he had posted one of the exposés, listening to the surrounding chatter.
"My God! Aren't doctors supposed to be benevolent? Tongrentang is a den of demons! No wonder they're always recruiting medicine boys—they turn them into drugged humans! It's horrifying!"
"What's even scarier is that despicable Li Hongfei sells the drugged humans as blood-boosting ointment! Damn it! I've bought and eaten that stuff a few times!"
"The Chen family is a complete mess! The head practices eunuch martial arts, the uncle has an affair with the sister-in-law, and the second brother challenges the head's authority!"
"Li Tianhe from the Tianhe Association likes boys and has killed so many of them!"
"Zhang Aofeng, the Zhang family head, cut off Chen Kun's finger at midnight? These two families are definitely going to clash!"
"Black River Gang's leader Ji Zhang has gone to Qingyun County to suck blood? No wonder there haven't been any recent murder cases here!"
"Who is this Omniscient Sage? How does he know so many secrets?"
"Ten days ago, this Omniscient Sage exposed the Chen family and Ji Zhang. Do they have a grudge?"
"..."
The noodle shop's wall was surrounded by layers of people, all buzzing with gossip.
"Yanyun County is about to ignite!"
Qin Wang sipped his chicken soup noodles, eating while eavesdropping, his heart full of anticipation.
He could foresee that once Chen Kun discovered the masked intruder from ten days ago was Zhang Aofeng, he wouldn't let it slide!
Hopefully, the Chen family's experts would get consumed in the conflict and die!
As for Li Hongfei from Tongrentang, who had planned to drug him and send him to Li Tianhe as a river god sacrifice, he was unforgivable!
He had killed so many people!
The people of Yanyun County wouldn't spare him!
Chen Family
In the main hall.
The head of the family, Chen Kun, dressed in brocade, with a clean-shaven face, sat cross-legged. His right pinky finger, wrapped in white cloth, was shorter.
"Father, the mysterious person who exposed our family's secrets has appeared again!"
"Look!"
"This is what I just found on the street!"
Just then, a tall, young man hurried into the hall, panic in his eyes, handing over a large piece of white paper with bold characters written on it.
"What?"
"That person appeared again?"
Chen Kun's heart skipped a beat. Whenever this mysterious person appeared, it meant trouble!
He quickly grabbed the paper from the young man's hand and began reading.
"The Omniscient Sage?"
"So it was you, Zhang Aofeng! No wonder it felt familiar! You dare sneak into my Chen family's grounds at night? Do you think we're easy to bully?"
"Tianyu, go bring your third uncle here!"
"No need! I'll find him myself!"
Chen Kun's face turned ashen as he read the paper, his body trembling with rage. His robes billowed, and the furniture in the hall was sent crashing into the walls.
The next moment, he vanished.
The white paper was torn to shreds, fluttering like snowflakes.
"Oh my God! Uncle and Mother..."
Chen Tianyu, shocked by the revelations about his uncle and mother, stood frozen for a moment before chasing after his father.
He hadn't wanted to tell his father, but the news was already widespread in Yanyun County. It was better to inform his father in advance to prepare him mentally, though he hadn't expected his father to react so violently.
Tongrentang
Main hall.
Today, because of the Omniscient Sage's exposé, not a single customer came to Tongrentang. Several people who came to complain were escorted away by the shop's guards.
"The Omniscient Sage?"
"How dare you slander me!"
"I will never forgive you!"
Li Hongfei, dressed in green, in his fifties with gray hair and a long beard, stood in the center of the hall, his face livid, his aura expanding furiously.
Around him were over a dozen powerful guards and his disciple, Ding Dian.
"Ding Dian!"
"Spread the word! Whoever catches the Omniscient Sage will be rewarded with a Dragon Blood Pill!"
"Bring me the Omniscient Sage's head, and I'll give two Tiger Blood Pills!"
Li Hongfei roared in fury.
"Yes, Master!"
"At once!"
Ding Dian and the dozen powerful guards bowed respectfully and left.
Tianhe Association
Main hall.
"Brothers, recently, the Black River Gang's leader Ji Zhang has been exposed for practicing demonic blood-sucking techniques. If verified, the Divine Constables will not spare him!"
"So, if the Divine Constables from Youzhou come, Ji Zhang will surely die! The Black River Gang will crumble!"
"That will be our Tianhe Association's golden opportunity to take over the north of Yanyun County!"
Li Tianhe sat at the head of the table, speaking passionately to the two protectors, four hall masters, and several deputy hall masters below.
"Report!"
"Master! This is terrible... look at this!"
At that moment, a member of the Tianhe Association rushed in, respectfully presenting a large piece of white paper with bold characters.
The hall members looked on in confusion.
"What is so alarming?"
Li Tianhe, displeased, took the paper. As he read, his face grew dark, and he asked coldly, "Where did this notice come from?"