Chapter 1003: Staking Out
The Quicksand Four-Leaf Flower—its name sounds decent enough, but its appearance leaves much to be desired. At least, Yang Haoran had yet to see a plant so utterly ghastly.
“This is just how it looks. Can you not make such a fuss? ” Xiang Chuan said with a chuckle.
“Its name isn't exactly beautiful, but it's not unpleasant either. However, its appearance certainly defies my expectations,” Yang Haoran replied, smiling.
“Does a pleasant name guarantee a beautiful appearance? If your name wasn't Yang Haoran but ‘Handsome Yang,’ would you then shed that ordinary face and become a dashing man like me? ”
Xiang Chuan's words once again struck a nerve with Yang Haoran.
“Let's just hurry up and find it. Once we do, we're leaving immediately. I'm a busy man. ”
Yang Haoran stared at Xiang Chuan for several seconds before finally uttering that remark.
After speaking, Yang Haoran ignored Xiang Chuan and began searching the vicinity on his own.
“Although the Quicksand Four-Leaf Flower grows deep within the desert, if you search blindly, who knows when you'll ever find it? ”
Hearing this, Yang Haoran stopped, looked at Xiang Chuan, and smiled faintly.
“If you have a method, just use it. Don't waste my time. While I rarely get angry, that doesn't mean I never get angry. ”
Yang Haoran's expression didn't change in the slightest; he still wore a faint smile as he spoke. However, Xiang Chuan wasn't foolish. He knew Yang Haoran was already becoming somewhat displeased, so he didn't deliberately tease him further.
“Oh, come on, look at you, so impatient! I was just joking. Heh heh, of course there's a method, but I'll need to trouble you to act, Big Brother,” Xiang Chuan said with a laugh.
“How do you want me to help you? ” Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
“The Quicksand Four-Leaf Flower feeds once every day at noon. When it feeds, it emits a unique scent that is fatally alluring to nearby venomous insects. They will instinctively swarm towards the location of the Quicksand Four-Leaf Flower. At that time, you'll only need to sense where a large number of venomous insects are gathering, and we can follow the trail to find the Quicksand Four-Leaf Flower. ”
At this point, Xiang Chuan paused, then chuckled before continuing.
“Big Brother, your strength far surpasses mine, and naturally, your sensing abilities are beyond compare. Not only is your range wider than mine, but your accuracy is also higher, so I'll have to trouble you with this. There's still some time until noon, so if you're truly tired, you can rest here. I'll remind you when the time is right. ”
Hearing this, Yang Haoran's face settled into an expression of speechlessness.
“Since this Quicksand Four-Leaf Flower only feeds at noon, why did you rush us to the depths of this desert now? Don't tell me you deliberately don't want me to get a comfortable rest? ”
Yang Haoran's words made Xiang Chuan immediately put on an aggrieved expression.
“My Big Brother, you've truly wronged me this time! Firstly, the Quicksand Four-Leaf Flower only grows deep within the desert. Secondly, its feeding time is very short. To avoid missing it, I decided to arrive early in the desert's depths, ensuring we can immediately begin sensing as soon as noon arrives. ”
Xiang Chuan's expression was aggrieved, his tone exaggerated, as if he had truly suffered an immense injustice.
Yang Haoran couldn't be bothered to argue with him. He floated cross-legged in the air on his own. This time, however, he didn't close his eyes. Instead, he took out the Underworld Iron Tome from his personal space and began to peruse it carefully.
Seeing Yang Haoran ignore him, Xiang Chuan chuckled, not bothering to explain further. He imitated Yang Haoran, floating cross-legged in the air, then took out a pill formula to study.
As he had said before, tearing space apart—that strenuous task—had been entirely Yang Haoran's responsibility throughout their journey. Thus, Xiang Chuan had expended no energy and naturally didn't need to rest. However, as there was still some time until noon, and with nothing else to do, he simply took out a pill formula to study.
Just as Xiang Chuan was meticulously studying a pill formula, Yang Haoran, who was perusing the Underworld Iron Tome in his hands, noticed a slight change in his expression.
Among today's announcements from the Underworld Office, it explicitly stated that Yang Haoran was being transferred to the Gu Mo City Underworld Division to serve as an Emissary of Death, while also overseeing the Lecheng Underworld Division.
Logically, seeing such an announcement shouldn't have evoked any reaction from him; after all, it was a perfectly normal matter.
However, this time, the situation was different. When Huo Feihong was transferred, the Underworld Office made no announcement regarding it. So why was there an announcement in the Underworld Iron Tome about Yang Haoran's transfer?
The change in his expression at this moment was precisely due to this.
After a brief consideration, a guess formed in his mind: his transfer was a normal reassignment, hence there was nothing to conceal. Therefore, Luo Yao had reported the matter to the Underworld Office.
Conversely, Huo Feihong's transfer might not have been a normal reassignment, which is why Luo Yao didn't report it to the Underworld Office. Or perhaps it was reported, but the Underworld Office chose not to announce it, keeping the matter confidential for some reason.
With such a speculation brewing in his heart, Yang Haoran couldn't help but wonder what mission Huo Feihong had been assigned to. Although he couldn't guess the exact nature of the mission, one thing was certain: the task Huo Feihong was undertaking had to be far more dangerous and important than his own transfer to Gu Mo City.
Of course, if Huo Feihong succeeded in completing the mission, the rewards he would receive would undoubtedly be astonishing.
When Luo Yao appeared yesterday, Yang Haoran had the opportunity to ask him about Huo Feihong, but he didn't. He wouldn't be so foolish as to do so, for a very simple reason: if it was a secretly executed mission, then they certainly wouldn't want others to know about it. If Yang Haoran had inquired with Luo Yao, not only would he not have received the desired answer, but he might even have caused Luo Yao to develop a negative impression of him. Therefore, despite his curiosity, he didn't ask about the matter.
“It seems I can only investigate this matter slowly,” Yang Haoran thought to himself. “As long as you're still alive, you'll eventually show yourself; it's just a matter of time. And the debt I'm owed, I'll certainly collect it from you. ”
Yang Haoran thought this, while also secretly remaining vigilant, wary of Huo Feihong secretly trying to set him up.
Time quickly advanced to noon. During this period, Yang Haoran's mind was entirely occupied with thoughts of Huo Feihong, so he paid no attention to Xiang Chuan.
Xiang Chuan, meanwhile, was wholly engrossed in studying the pill formula in his hand, and likewise didn't bother Yang Haoran.
As soon as noon arrived, Xiang Chuan sighed, a wry smile appearing on his face. He then put away the pill formula in his hand. From his expression, it seemed he hadn't fully comprehended the formula, leading to a hint of helplessness.
“Big Brother, it's time. We can start working now. ”
Xiang Chuan temporarily cast thoughts of the pill formula aside. He looked at Yang Haoran and said with a smile.
Yang Haoran didn't deliberately waste time. Although he didn't speak, he nodded decisively.
Following this, Yang Haoran closed his eyes and began to sense. His invisible sensing ability spread out rapidly from him like a vast net, swiftly expanding in all directions.
However, a moment later, he opened his eyes, a hint of confusion visible within them.
“Xiang Chuan, you're not messing with me, are you? Why am I not sensing a large gathering of venomous insects? ”
Yang Haoran looked at Xiang Chuan and asked with a faint smile. Hearing this, Xiang Chuan couldn't help but roll his eyes at Yang Haoran.
“I say, Big Brother, can't you just sense for a bit longer? Do you arrive precisely on the dot, down to the second, when you're going to eat? ”
Xiang Chuan's retort stumped Yang Haoran. He gave a wry smile and remained silent, instead closing his eyes once more to sense carefully.
After roughly a few minutes, Yang Haoran slowly opened his eyes again. This time, however, there was no confusion on his face; instead, he appeared perfectly natural, as he did on any given day.
Before Yang Haoran could speak, Xiang Chuan, who had been observing him, quickly interjected.
“Well? Did you find anything? ”
Faced with Xiang Chuan's eagerness, Yang Haoran didn't play coy. Under Xiang Chuan's gaze, he nodded lightly.
“I sensed a large number of life fluctuations converging towards a single location. As for whether these life fluctuations are venomous insects, as you described, I can't guarantee that. ”
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