626: Uncovering a Plan

Uncovering a Plan

2She made no effort to hide her presence, taking loud heavy steps that Ming Yue heard almost immediately. 

"They're coming!"

Looking down at her hands, she quickly put away the papers she had been reading before searching for a place to hide. However, the office was as spacious as it was open, and with the Bai Meng coming closer, Ming Yue did not have a place to hide in. 

"Where? Where? Where?"

Her eyes darted from one place to another until she saw the shadow of a figure standing before the door. With a hand on it, there was a sliding sound as it opened to which Bai Meng looked straight ahead before stepping into her office. 

But there was no change in her expression as all seemed to be well. The office was just the way she had left it earlier, empty and organized. The woman stood there in her nightgown, looking around the room as she closed the door behind her. 

She furrowed her brows, sensing that something was amiss but nothing was out of the ordinary. 

In the end, Bai Meng let out a heavy sigh before walking to her desk and sitting down. 

"Maybe I am too tired", she muttered to herself. 

Taking a moment to breathe, the branch leader began sifting through papers, checking them a reading them. Unbeknownst to her, Ming Yue was in the same room, looking down from the ceiling. She hid in the corners, hanging from the support beams. 

The cultivator looked down, listening in on Bai Meng.

"Yao Lu really is coming, damn it."

Hearing this, Ming Yue showed a surprised expression. 

"Yao Lu? Isn't that one of the other Branch Leaders? To think they're coming as well, I should tell Grandpa Meng." 

But there was still more. 

"Mm, it seems like the barrier is nearly finished along with the formation. That's good, once everything is in place, things can begin. Unifying Redmist Sanctuary won't be so far off."

That was even more shocking to her. 

"To think Bai Meng would think of unification, is she planning to take control of everything?!" 

Ming Yue looked down at her. With one hand hanging onto the ceiling frame, her other hand reached for Blood Moon. However, she stopped herself. 

"Killing her now wouldn't be beneficial, not when the Nightmist Parade hasn't begun yet", she thought.

Letting go of her sword, she continued to watch from above. Unfortunately, Bai Meng had little else to say, she just continued going through one document after the next. There wasn't much for Ming Yue to take away so she thought about her current dilemma.

How was she going to leave without notice? 

With the doors closed and no clear openings, it seemed quite difficult for her to leave undetected. She glanced from one place to the next, thinking of what she could do.

"Maybe I could distract her somehow? Blow the doors open and make a big enough mess?" 

Planning something elaborate, Xue Yue suddenly interrupted her thinking with a few ill-tempered words. 

"Why don't you just knock her out? It's quick and easy, I mean, she's only in the Earth Realm and you're in the Sky Realm. Just a good knock on the head or a little shock to the body should be enough", she said. 

Ming Yue was quiet, looking at her sword before turning back to Bai Meng. 

"You're right. I could just do that." 

Letting go of the ceiling frame, she jumped down right behind the branch leader and smacked the back of her head. 

"Wha-"

Bai Meng couldn't even turn around before blacking out, faceplanting onto the desk with a loud bang. There wasn't even enough time for her to speak, let alone see who her attacker was. 

Ming Yue looked at her. 

"Simple enough." 

But outside, she could hear voices echoing. 

"There was a noise in the office! Quickly check! There might be an intruder!"

"Sound the alarm! Make sure that Miss Bai is safe!" 

Dozens of footsteps ran about along with the clanging of weapons and armor.

"Damn it, I shouldn't stay here any longer."

Ming Yue quickly moved, leaving the office before running off into the garden where she hid and watched from a distance. Soon enough, a dozen armored guards shuffled out and stood together as a group. They faced the closed office doors before entering, opening up to see what had happened. 

There were collective gasps all around as they saw Bai Meng knocked out on her desk. 

"What happened here? Did someone attack Miss Bai?!"

"Branch Leader! Are you okay?! What happened?"

The one leading the group rushed in, calling out to her. She tapped her shoulder, trying to wake the woman. 

Seconds later, there was a groan coming from her as she suddenly sat up, rubbing the back of her head. As she opened her eyes and looked at her surroundings, there was a confused look on her face. 

"What happened here?" she asked them, "Why are you all here? Dressed like that?" 

The guards gave each other looks while the leader made her report. 

"We heard a loud noise coming from the office and thought that there was an intruder. When we came in, we saw you fainted on her desk."

Bai Meng took a moment to think, feeling her face as the pain from faceplanting settled in. 

"Ugh, What happened? Was I really attacked earlier? Or was I just too sleepy and nodded off?" she wondered.

Either way, it was embarrassing to happen. Thinking to herself, she looked at the guards with an upset look, giving them orders. 

"Increase the patrols, more than likely those attending the Nightmist Parade are getting more than a little brazen. Enforce the rules, I'll be patrolling the city as well. I might not be the strongest of the Fourteen Evils but I am one of them for a reason. We have to make sure that they know this, now go. I don't want to be disturbed for the rest of the night", she said to them. 

"Yes, Miss Bai!" 

They lowered their heads in response before leaving. This time, however, there were two guards standing at the sides of the doors as her orders were passed down to everyone. 

As for Bai Meng, she leaned against her chair and rubbed her temples. 

"Ugh, this headache." 

Looking down at her desk, she noticed a letter, massaging her head while picking it up. Turning it around, she furrowed her brows while reading the same written on it. 

"Huxian Qie? Who is this?" 

There was a look of confusion on her face as she opened the letter and read it. 

Meanwhile, more patrols began and many of them went through the garden. Unfortunately for them, Ming Yue was long gone. 

Hopping over the wall, she fled the area, arriving back at the Lucky Cat Inn just as the sun was peeking out. Once she reached her room, she walked in before closing the doors behind her, sitting down on her bed, and resting both swords against the wall. 

"Alright, so another branch leader is going to be a part of the parade, Grandpa Meng needs to know that. I suppose it's a good thing, now I can kill two instead of just the one. The Nightmist Auction might be the best time if they come again", she thought. 3

Planning the next few days, Ming Yue moved between Mist Valley and Luan City, relaying information and killing a few evil cultivators. 

Soon enough, it was the day of the auction, just before the parade would officially begin. It was then that Redmist Sanctuary was crowded with people. It had come to a point where there weren't any more rooms available and many had to camp outside. 

As for the auction, the entrance could be found within a small building for it took place underground and there were lines coming outside of it. 

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