Chapter 449: Chapter 268: Shadow Association, Part 2

Seeing that Fang Yue seemed somewhat tempted, the middle-aged man was delighted and continued, "Director Fang, rest assured, our Shadow Association will absolutely not disappoint you. As long as you join us, we guarantee we will make you the most respected person in the imperial court."

Fang Yue looked at the middle-aged man’s confident face and inwardly sneered.

He knew that everything the man said was just a means to his own ends.

And he was Fang Yue. How could he possibly be deceived so easily?

"Alright, I’ll give it some serious thought," Fang Yue said with a calm nod.

He knew he couldn’t refuse them outright, otherwise he would likely arouse their suspicion.

And once they realized his true intentions, things would likely turn against him.

The middle-aged man was overjoyed that Fang Yue had agreed to consider the offer.

He knew that with Fang Yue willing to consider it, the matter was already halfway to success.

He nodded in satisfaction, then said, "Director Fang, I’m sure you’re a clever man and will make the right choice. In that case, I won’t disturb you any longer. When you’ve thought it over, you can send someone to notify me at any time."

Having said his piece, the middle-aged man turned and left, wasting no time.

Watching the middle-aged man leave, Fang Yue knew this was just a probe from the Shadow Association.

He would not fall so easily into their trap, much less abandon his principles and convictions.

The situation in the imperial court was already complex enough. He could not allow himself to become a pawn of the Shadow Association, to be drawn into an even deeper maelstrom.

However, he also understood that since the Shadow Association had come to him, it meant they had already begun to act.

He had to devise a counter-plan as soon as possible, strengthen the Observatory’s security, and secretly investigate the Shadow Association for clues to get justice for Vice Director Liu.

"Sigh... All I want is to cultivate and live in peace. Why does someone always have to force my hand?"

Fang Yue sighed, the sound only for himself to hear, a hint of resignation on his face.

He then got up, changed his attire, and left the Observatory’s station.

「At the same time.」

The middle-aged man who had just visited Fang Yue arrived at a secluded courtyard in the city.

He pushed open the courtyard gate, walked inside, and then gently closed it.

Inside the courtyard, a man in black stood with his hands clasped behind his back, facing away as if waiting for something.

Hearing the sound of the gate, he slowly turned around, revealing a sinister face.

"How did it go? Did he agree?" the man in black asked coldly.

The middle-aged man shook his head. "He didn’t agree outright, but he didn’t refuse either. He said he needs to think it over."

"Think it over?" The man in black frowned. "Is he deliberately stalling for time, or does he really have misgivings?"

The middle-aged man mulled it over for a moment before saying, "The way I see it, he probably does have genuine misgivings. After all, given his current status and identity, getting involved with our Shadow Association would indeed be a great risk."

Upon hearing this, the man in black sneered. "He thinks he can escape the control of our Shadow Association? How naive! Since he didn’t refuse outright, it means he’s wavering. We just need to add a little more fuel to the fire, and I trust he’ll make his choice soon enough."

The middle-aged man nodded. "Exactly. We can use his enemies in the court to create some trouble for him. When the time comes, he’ll naturally understand that only our Shadow Association is his true ally."

The man in black nodded in satisfaction. "Very good. I’ll leave this matter to you. Remember, it must be done cleanly, without leaving any trace."

The middle-aged man acknowledged the order and departed.

Watching him depart, a cold, sinister smile touched the man in black’s lips.

He knew Fang Yue was already as good as theirs; it was only a matter of time.

~~~~~

’Just as I thought. The Shadow Association’s power in Gongzhou Prefecture wasn’t truly uprooted; a few fish still slipped through the net.’

Staring at the residence before him, Fang Yue felt he had a grasp of the situation.

He knew this residence had to be an important stronghold for the Shadow Association in Gongzhou Prefecture; otherwise, that middle-aged man would not have appeared here.

He did not act rashly, instead observing the surroundings first.

He discovered that although the residence seemed ordinary, its surrounding layout concealed a few tricks.

Hidden lookouts and traps were concealed in unassuming corners, clearly intended to prevent anyone from sneaking in.

’The Shadow Association is certainly cautious,’ Fang Yue thought to himself.

However, this did not make him retreat.

He knew that to completely eradicate the Shadow Association’s forces in Gongzhou Prefecture, he had to take a risk.

He took a deep breath, then gathered his power, preparing to slip into the residence.

Just then, he suddenly sensed a powerful aura emanating from within the residence.

Startled, he immediately suppressed his own presence and hid in the shadows.

A moment later, he saw a man in black walk out of the residence.

This man in black was tall, his features stern, and his eyes radiated a sharp, murderous intent.

He scanned his surroundings, then leaped up and vanished into the night sky.

’What a powerful aura! This man in black’s strength is no simple matter. He’s a Grandmaster at the late Innate Stage,’ Fang Yue thought, inwardly shocked.

The next moment, instead of retreating, Fang Yue charged straight in.

Fang Yue’s movements were agile, and he slipped into the residence as silently as a specter.

He hugged the corners of the walls, carefully avoiding the hidden mechanisms, while his sharp eyes scanned the surroundings for any possible clues.

The layout of the residence was more complex than he had imagined. The artfully placed rockeries, meandering corridors, and ubiquitous plants and trees all formed natural barriers and traps.

Fang Yue had to admire the Shadow Association’s methods of concealment and defense; they were truly exceptional.

He probed forward along a seemingly ordinary stone path, the faint sounds of the wind and chirping insects in his ears seeming to whisper the secrets of the night.

Suddenly, he sensed a faint trace of killing intent coming from ahead, and his heart instantly went cold.

Fang Yue quickly suppressed his presence, pressed himself against a rockery, and slowly peered out.

In a small pavilion not far ahead, he could vaguely make out several figures conversing in low voices.

Due to the distance and the hazy night, he couldn’t see their faces clearly, but from their auras and the way they spoke, he could tell they must be high-ranking members of the Shadow Association.

’Looks like this really is one of the Shadow Association’s secret strongholds,’ Fang Yue thought to himself.

He didn’t act rashly, deciding instead to first ascertain the identities of these people and the content of their conversation.

Fang Yue silently circled around the pavilion to a relatively concealed corner.

He channeled his power, enhancing his hearing to its absolute limit in an attempt to catch their conversation.

Although the distance was considerable, and further muffled by the rockeries and plants, Fang Yue could still make out a few fragments of their conversation.

"...The plan is in place. As soon as Fang Yue makes a move, we’ll act immediately..."

"...We can’t just let the matter with Vice Director Liu go. We must make Fang Yue pay the price..."

"...Our influence has already infiltrated the Ganzhou Prefecture City Guard Army. Once the time is right, we can seize control of the entire situation..."

Hearing these words, Fang Yue was utterly shocked.

He hadn’t expected the Shadow Association’s influence to have penetrated so deeply, to the point of planting their own people inside the Ganzhou Prefecture City Guard Army and plotting something sinister.

Fang Yue understood clearly that he wasn’t just facing the Shadow Association, but a massive organization that had already sunk its roots deep into the imperial court and could potentially influence the entire political landscape.

He could not afford to take such an enemy lightly.

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