I Am Your Natural Enemy

"That one was following Wen Yan, right?" Cai Qidong looked at the photo, his eyelids twitching.

"Yeah, that's the one who's been tailing him."

Our people checked it out. That bird demon and the two civets took a surveillance job from a scam phishing site targeting demon kin.

The first time, they each got five hundred yuan per demon, and if they found valuable intel, they'd get five thousand per job.

The money was transferred through Feixin, the account belonged to an old lady in her eighties.

But that account was only used this one time, and the login was from Yu State.

Also, that device was never used again—whoever it was, they're being extremely careful.

We haven't been able to dig up any valuable leads so far.

Our current guess is that it's a third party."

"Is everything okay on Wen Yan's end?"

"Everything's going smoothly over there. He went straight back to Virtue City Funeral House and followed procedure. He's reliable—already did a special purification in the luxury furnace, once. Judging by the time, he should be at the coast already, starting the sea burial process. Shouldn't be any problems."

"Alright, noted. You're in charge of this—keep me updated."

Cai Qidong glanced back at the chemical plant, his resolve growing even stronger.

Back in the temporary command tent, an internal staffer came up to report.

"Minister, headquarters called—asking you to return their call."

"Okay."

Cai Qidong dialed the number and listened to the voice on the other end, speaking calmly and unhurriedly.

"I don't know how headquarters got this information—even faster than I did.

I just personally confirmed inside the domain.

What I mean is, just let things play out and naturally dissipate as they are now. That's the best outcome.

I came here specifically to handle this, and I have full authority to make the call.

If someone else has a different idea—whether you're trying to snatch credit or whatever your agenda is—

whoever wants it, just step up right now. I'll immediately resign and hand over my position, no hesitation.

If anyone's got the balls to take on this responsibility, go right ahead."

After he finished, Cai Qidong listened to the voice on the other end, face expressionless.

"Mm. I thought headquarters had a problem with me.

No wonder—I thought maybe you'd set up yet another new department.

The intel I personally investigated and haven't even verified myself, and headquarters is already briefed.

With guys that capable around, I honestly feel out of my league. I'd gladly step aside, really."

"No, of course I have no hard feelings. I'm just stating the facts."

"It's fine—just make sure you keep it on speaker."

"The fruit's right at your mouth and you're too scared to take a bite.

You want to gamble everyone's life on whether you can control the Soul Devouring Beast?

But you don't even have the guts to step up—what a useless piece of shit!

If you don't have the guts, just shut your mouth!

Don't let me find out who's been messing around in the dark when everyone else has already put their lives on the line.

If I ever find out, I'll twist your damn head off and use it for a piss pot when I get back.

Fucking playing these little games, you useless waste!"

With that, Cai Qidong slammed the phone down.

The command tent fell silent as a grave.

Cai Qidong took a deep breath, looking around the room.

"Get on with your jobs, what are you standing around for? Never seen anyone chew somebody out before? What, I don't curse you out enough normally?"

Cai Qidong snorted and left, hands clasped behind his back.

The two logistics staff were scared stiff. Only after Cai Qidong left did they exchange glances.

"That sounded just now like the headquarters conference call—all three big bosses were on..."

"Holy shit, our minister is a real badass."

Cai Qidong had always seemed pretty easygoing before—none of them expected he'd dare cuss out the three big bosses from headquarters right to their faces, and even threaten to kill them.

In Capital City, inside the Scorching Sun Headquarters, in a meeting room.

A group of people stared at the phone's dead air, looking at each other in disbelief.

At the head of the table, a white-haired old man held a thermal cup, chuckling softly.

"I thought he mellowed out with age, but turns out he's still got some serious fire. Alright, that's enough—let him handle it himself. Isn't he handling things just fine?"

The old man put the lid on the cup and got up to leave.

At the door, he turned back and glanced around at the more than a dozen people in the room.

"Still, Cai Qidong was right—we really do have a lot of capable people around here."

With that, the old man turned and left.

The two people who'd been sitting to the old man's left and right stood and watched him go.

Once the old man was gone, the one on his left left as well, face grim and silent.

The one on the right glanced around at the remaining folks.

"Whoever made this mess, you'd better clean it up yourself—don't count on anyone else to do it for you."

Before long, in a nearby office, the three big bosses from headquarters sat together again.

The old man with the thermal cup looked at the other two, whose faces were like stone, and smiled a little.

"Isn't it a good thing someone finally stepped forward? Why the long faces? Keep digging, keep handling it just like before.

Figure out exactly how the intel leaked, and who let it slip.

If that leak hadn't happened, none of this shit would've followed.

If you want to save face, then you'd better have this handled before Cai Qidong's free to deal with it himself.

Otherwise, if he comes back swinging and starts killing people, that's on you."

...

At Wen Yan's villa, everyone was crowded around the big dining table.

Wen Yan heard that the thing he'd blessed with yang energy would let Gan Tang actually taste food, so he immediately called everyone over for a meal together.

Sitting in two extra-tall kids' chairs, the Little Zombie and Sparrow Cat sat side by side.