Gu Jianlin frowned. "Blood fog?"

Tang Ling nodded. "In the blood fog, I saw something indistinct that made me feel apprehensive."

Gu Jianlin pondered for a moment. "Something that can make ten Fifth Ranks disappear at once is indeed worth fearing."

Tang Ling pushed her chair back, crossing her long, pristine legs, her voice clear and melodious. "So this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ruthlessly extort the Judgement Court. Although Director Chen is the one in charge of the Omega Sequence, every one of his actions needs to be reported and approved."

"In other words, the real responsibility lies with the Judgement Court. Right now, the Judgement Court is powerful, but that's only because various forces are investing in them. What do you think will happen if the heirs of those forces die?"

She stirred her hot latte and said, "What's more, Li Hanting is also in their team."

Gu Jianlin hesitated for a second. "Li Hanting? Who was that again..."

Tang Ling glanced at him. "The one you mocked as useless trash. He's Saint Li Qingsong's direct grandson, the so-called genius supported by the Judgement Court within the Omega Sequence."

Oh, now he remembered.

Gu Jianlin wasn't in his best mental state today and couldn't think straight.

"The Judgement Court members value their lives very much. They must be praying right now, hoping the divination results come out soon. If the mission isn't very dangerous, they won't need us but can use someone else."

A trace of mockery curled the corners of Tang Ling's lips. She said, "But if we can prove that this mission is indeed dangerous enough, then they'll have no choice but to compromise with us. After all, their remaining forces are severely lacking. Without you and me, the others won't be much use."

"In that scenario, they would have to pick us."

As if recalling something, she added, "And we can further stir things up on the forums, amplifying the eerie and terrifying atmosphere. Nobody will dare take on this mission. I'm the only one from the Immortal Palace's first team to make it back, so if I act like I've been scared out of my wits, who would dare go?"

Gu Jianlin was dumbfounded.

"A woman's heart truly is the most venomous thing!"

The parrot squawked loudly.

With a thud, Gu Jianlin smacked it onto the dining table and stuffed a spoonful of mashed potatoes into its beak. "Shut up!"

Tang Ling glanced at the parrot and murmured, "This parrot matches you perfectly."

Gu Jianlin's face darkened. "What do you mean? I'm not, I didn't—"

Tang Ling pulled out her phone, opened a mobile game, and began topping up her account to draw more cards. "Do you not know? Your reputation and that of this bird have already spread far and wide. The Ether Association launched a mobile game called *Ancient God Chronicles*. You're the newly added Five-star SSR Human Rights Card, 'Chair Assassin Gu Jianlin.' You come with overpowered damage and taunts. If you max out your bonded pet, it unlocks a full-team taunt ability. I've already spent 24,000 to draw your card today."

Gu Jianlin felt his vision go black. "What the hell is this?"

Even the parrot was stunned.

At this moment, Tang Ling suddenly announced, "Got it!"

She handed him her phone, where the screen glowed with a brilliant golden light.

Gu Jianlin glanced at it and saw an anime-style youth in a dusty shirt and slim-fit pants, holding a chair and emanating an ominous ghostly aura.

Notably, a green-feathered parrot perched on his shoulder.

"Who did this?"

He couldn't help asking.

"Taixu, of course."

After pulling the card, Tang Ling's sharp, beautiful eyes softened with satisfaction as she gleefully upgraded and unlocked skills. Then she read the character's backstory. "Hmm, the backstory is quite realistic, almost enviable. In this game, I'm an SSR too, but clearly not as popular as you."

She commented, "Passive skill: Breaking Limits. Active skill: Be Kind to Others..."

Gu Jianlin rubbed his forehead, wondering if he could blow up Taixu's servers.

"Alright, back on topic."

Setting her phone aside, Tang Ling spoke earnestly. "I really need your help with this matter, which is why I sought you out for collaboration. As for the strategic dossier I want, the most valuable item must be the Destiny Mud Tablet."

Gu Jianlin frowned. "Destiny Mud Tablet?"

This was the first time he'd heard of it.

"Yes, it's a tablet passed down from the Ancient Times, inscribed with the secrets of the Ancient God Clan. No one knows how many fragments exist."

Speaking softly, Tang Ling explained, "The Destiny Mud Tablet is engraved with the mysterious script of the Ancient God Clan, which very few people can understand. Many have attempted to decipher it after obtaining it, only to go insane in the end. Legends say the tablet records the true history and secrets of the Ancient God Clan. Your father once retrieved a fragment of the tablet from the Qilin Immortal Palace and submitted it to the Ether Association for expert analysis."

She paused. "What role did the Qilin Venerable play in history? Which number Ancient Supreme was it to descend upon Earth? What authority did it wield? What has its state been over the past two thousand years?"

Gu Jianlin narrowed his eyes. These were all questions he desperately wanted answers to.

"The Qilin Venerable is shrouded in too much mystery. Perhaps only the Ether Association holds any secrets about it."

Tang Ling's gaze grew sharp. "And they obtained those secrets through their interpretations of the tablet. My mentor once told me that the content deciphered varies based on the individual. Some have even comprehended Forbidden Spells for inheritance paths from the tablet."

Gu Jianlin's heart was shaken. So that's how it was.

He had to admit, this was a crucial lead for him.

He wondered whether the files Old Gu had left behind contained interpretations of the Destiny Mud Tablet.

Knowing Old Gu's personality, they probably did.

"What I want is the original text, the actual Destiny Mud Tablet."

Tang Ling declared, "We can read the results of previous interpretations, but whatever we decipher ourselves doesn't necessarily have to be revealed to them. This could be our private treasure."

Gu Jianlin remarked, "For competition within the Omega Sequence, this is definitely critical."

"After all, if we're risking our lives to save people, we should get some benefits."

Tang Ling lifted her beautiful eyes and extended her delicate right hand toward him. "Now, I need your profiling."

Gu Jianlin stared at her hand, momentarily dazed.

"We can synchronize through a spiritual connection. Haven't you tried it before?"

Tang Ling said calmly, "By holding hands, our spirituality will exchange, allowing you to see images from my mind. There's plenty of time; you can view them repeatedly."

Gu Jianlin thought, So that's how it works. "What about the divination team?"

"I'm a bit shy, so I found a somewhat familiar Fifth Rank Witch to empathize with me."

Tang Ling said nonchalantly, "So it's up to your profiling to find the critical evidence."

Gu Jianlin understood and wordlessly took her soft hand.

Fingers intertwined.

Well, this was his first time holding a girl's hand. It felt nice.

Although she regularly practiced swordsmanship, her hands had no calluses. Must be the effect of secret medicines.

Gu Jianlin started drifting into random thoughts.

Just then, a familiar voice interrupted.

"Yo, Brother Lin. Fancy seeing you here!"

The chubby Cheng Youyu appeared right on cue.

Nie Xiangsi and Zhang Cheng were with him.

In the resulting silence, both Gu Jianlin and Tang Ling turned their heads at the same time.

When Cheng Youyu saw the white-haired girl, he blurted out, "Holy crap!"

Recognizing her, Zhang Cheng immediately bowed in fear. "Senior Sister Tang, good afternoon."

Even Nie Xiangsi gave a slight bow. "Senior Sister Tang."

Suddenly, all three gazes landed on their intertwined hands at the same time.

"Uh, you two are...?"

Instantly, the atmosphere turned awkward.

Like they had just interrupted a date!

Gu Jianlin found himself at a loss for an explanation.

Without batting an eyelid, Tang Ling grabbed her zither case, stood up, and moved to sit beside him, near the deck railing.

Evidently, she was indeed shy around strangers.

[PS: Four thousand words. Next chapter won't be up until likely midnight—no need to wait.]

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