Under Surveillance

“What’s wrong, Young Master?” Deboning asked, pausing when he saw a peculiar smile play on Du Chen’s lips.

“We’ve had guests!” Du Chen’s hand pressed onto the double-spring, double-bolt lock on the main door of the attic. In the Battle God World, lock mechanisms were still at a medieval level compared to his previous life. To Du Chen, this double-spring lock, which resembled a child’s toy, was already the most advanced on the market. It couldn’t even begin to compare with a sacred artifact lock; there was at least several centuries of technological disparity between them. This, incidentally, was also why no thief in this world could pick a sacred artifact lock!

Others might not notice, but Du Chen easily spotted two faint scratches on the inner spring of the double-bolt mechanism—unmistakable signs that someone had attempted to pry open the door!

Harry couldn’t pick locks, and Du Chen would certainly never try to pick his own.

What else could it be but a thief? And judging by their skill, compared to the lock-picking techniques of this world, it must have been the work of a rather “expert” practitioner!

Du Chen glanced back at the two tents not far outside the door. The Old Gambler and Old Charlatan weren’t there. But it was nightfall, and many student couples were strolling beneath the weeping willows along the Water River.

After meticulously examining the minute clues on the lock, Du Chen chuckled, “A lock picked by two people working together. There are so many students outside, they couldn’t have used the main entrance, much less flown in from the sky in broad daylight. They must have scaled the wall from the adjacent courtyard! Bah, their technique is abysmal. They needed two people to pick open this toy—utterly amateur!”

As he spoke, Du Chen unlocked the door and stepped inside to inspect. “Strange!”

Although Deboning possessed formidable strength, he was utterly clueless when it came to thievery. He surveyed the surroundings, which appeared completely normal, and asked, “Young Master, did anything go missing?”

“That’s the strange part—nothing is missing!” A lotus blossom materialized in Du Chen’s hand. “In the bedroom, there were only a few dozen gold coins in cash, along with a good number of Beibei’s jewelry toys. Yet, not a single item was touched. If these two thieves weren’t after wealth, then the only other thing on me that could make others green with envy is Philip’s legacy! Too bad for our ‘guests,’ they didn’t know I’d hidden all the good stuff within the Precious Lotus Scripture artifact!”

“Hmph! These two petty thieves think they’re so clever, believing I wouldn’t realize ‘guests’ had visited! But they unwittingly exposed their true intentions!” Du Chen sneered. “If they had left more clues and actually taken some valuables, I might have simply assumed someone, seeing my sudden acquisition of great wealth, had come to ‘borrow’ a few gold coins for spending. But now…heh!”

Deboning nodded, his expression grim. “They’re after what Philip left behind! But Philip’s Alchemy Laboratory was destroyed in a great fire. The only ones who know you received Philip’s legacy, Young Master, are those of the Holy Church!”

“There’s another possibility: some ‘guests’ might know Beibei originated from Philip’s Alchemy Laboratory. From the fact that I adopted Beibei, they could surmise I obtained Philip’s legacy!”

“If that’s the case, then it’s a bit troublesome! Philip’s Alchemy Laboratory was top secret. Anyone who knows Miss Beibei came from there must be extraordinary!”

Du Chen gave a slight nod. “Someone is targeting us because of Philip’s legacy!”

He gnashed his teeth inwardly. This truly was a blessing in disguise. If he hadn’t been a ‘Thief Ancestor’ himself, he would never have detected the ‘guests,’ nor would he have realized that someone, or some organization, was now watching him!

Concealing one’s true strength remained essential. Just like this time—if his opponents knew he was a ‘Thief Ancestor,’ they definitely wouldn’t have employed such crude methods, and he would never have uncovered them.

After a moment of contemplation, Du Chen asked, “How long will it take for you to recover your strength?”

“I can recover sixty percent of my combat power in a month. But to return to my peak, like Flaying, I’ll need three months of secluded cultivation in ‘death seclusion’!”

That was too long! But in his current state, Deboning truly was of no use. He absolutely needed sufficient time to recover his strength.

Du Chen frowned. “Hurry up, then. There’s a cellar right beneath the dormitory; it’s very quiet and suitable for healing! And…Louis is there too!”

Three months. If he could safely endure three months, then with Flaying and Deboning by his side, plus Roland, his nominal master, what would he have to fear!?

After Flaying left, Du Chen went to the courtyard and looked around. The “guests” must have come from next door. His two neighbors were Jason from dormitory number nineteen, and Annie from dormitory number seventeen!

Of course, this Annie was no longer Helen. There truly was a student named Annie, but she had been controlled by Helen using her so-called Soul-Ensnaring Art, confined in the cellar for a long time. Only after Helen left did the unfortunate Annie emerge from the cellar with blank memories, even gaining a reputation for “amnesia.”

Annie couldn’t possibly be involved; otherwise, she wouldn’t have fallen into Helen’s hands. So, it could only be Jason?

Du Chen walked up to the second-floor balcony and glanced at Jason’s dormitory next door. It was brightly lit and bustling with voices. The sociable Jason must have been hosting another student get-together.

Jason’s profile flashed through Du Chen’s mind: youngest son of the Gaia Clan patriarch, a continental magnate; Divine Scion of Rudolph; corpulent; a nascent second-tier Battle Mage in strength; and, within the Student Council, a junior member of the Department of Supervision, essentially a subordinate to Du Chen, who was a squad leader!

He was adept at opportunism and maneuvering, but he possessed genuine talent: proficient in over ten different national languages! A true linguistic prodigy!

Yet, what problem could such a common student—the kind one could find in abundance at Battle God Academy—possibly pose?

However, all clues and analyses indicated that the “guests” had indeed come from Jason’s courtyard. Therefore, whether the “guests” were colluding with Jason or merely used his courtyard without his knowledge, they must have been familiar with him!

“Jason! Heh, I’ll go check on you first!”

Du Chen arrived at the door of dormitory number nineteen and rapped on the knocker.

“Oh dear, it’s Squad Leader Francis! Please, come in, come in!” Jason greeted him warmly, overjoyed to see Du Chen. “My dear friends, Squad Leader Francis is here!”

“Is that Student Francis from the Department of Supervision? Oh, by the Battle God!” The students attending the get-together all emerged, a dozen or so, men and women, all greeting him with smiling faces—at least, they *appeared* very friendly. After all, Du Chen held the title of Squad Leader in the Department of Supervision, wielding significant power over their conduct grades!

Jason clapped his hands. “Squad Leader Francis will speak in Einz Common Tongue. Those who know the language, speak Einz. I’ll translate for those who don’t!”

“Oh no, how could I impose so? I’ve also been studying languages recently and have basically mastered the three common tongues of the Three Continents!” Du Chen inwardly chuckled at Jason’s continued knack for “managing people,” then covertly observed the courtyard’s situation.

Jason’s courtyard and Du Chen’s were of the same style: square, over a hundred square meters, with a flowerbed in the center, and flora surrounding the edges… This was perfectly normal. But!

When Du Chen paid particular attention to the wall closest to his dormitory, he suddenly discovered a few unusual yet common Seablue Grass leaves beneath the weeds and shrubs—Seablue Grass, which could interfere with a Shieb’s sense of smell!

These few leaves were scattered haphazardly in the grass. If not for Du Chen’s ‘thief’s eye’ and his particular attention to such Shieb-interfering plants at Antwerp Port, he truly wouldn’t have noticed them.

There was no doubt. Those “guests” knew he had a Shieb in his home, so they brought Seablue Grass with them for their “visit.” After their “visit,” upon returning to Jason’s courtyard, they must have changed out of their thieving gear here, then brazenly walked out of Jason’s courtyard.

These few Seablue Grass leaves were likely dropped unintentionally when they changed their gear. Or perhaps swept into the pile of weeds while they were clearing the scene!

Du Chen feigned ignorance, walking into the attic as if he were just an ordinary student attending the gathering. “Student Jason, we’ve been neighbors for several months, and this is my first time visiting your dormitory. My apologies!”

“Nonsense, it should be me visiting you, Squad Leader!” Jason laughed, waving his classmates to enjoy their drinks. “Squad Leader, your visit this time is about…”

Du Chen had already prepared his excuse, chuckling, “Well… I’ve actually come to ask a favor. I’ve recently acquired a substantial fortune. While I’m no expert in business management, I do know that money should be used to make more money, not sit idly and suffocate. However, I know very little about business, and my two elder brothers are even less knowledgeable than I am. So, I thought of you, the son of the Gaia Clan, ‘The Coachman of the Great Triangle Route’!”

“Ah, so that’s what it’s about! Easy enough! Squad Leader, I dare not boast about other things, but when it comes to business, our Gaia Clan are all experts!” Jason immediately transformed into a shrewd businessman, his eyes narrowed as he pulled out a small notebook and a quill, jotting notes while asking, “What kind of business do you have in mind, Squad Leader? How large an investment?”

“Do you have any suggestions?”

Jason was mortified. Francis truly understood nothing about business; who asks their collaborator for ideas right off the bat? He was a complete novice at trade. However, Francis was still his squad leader, so it was best to conduct business honestly and not swindle him. “If I were to suggest, the Einz earthquake and floods not long ago present an excellent opportunity. Post-disaster reconstruction will undoubtedly drive the development of the construction materials and transport industries. And you, as a Divine Scion of Sigurd and a Lord of Lanning, possess unparalleled advantages in connections compared to other merchants…”

Soon, Jason drafted a business plan with a trade volume of five hundred gold coins, leaving Du Chen utterly astonished. This fellow actually had some real capability!

“So, this is my plan. Since this is our first collaboration, the trade volume is limited to this amount. However, I believe we’ll have many more opportunities to work together in the future! How about you review my proposal tonight, and we can finalize the details tomorrow?”

Du Chen took the proposal, asking as if casually, “Alright, I’ll look through it in detail tonight. Oh, by the way, have you met my adopted little daughter yet? That girl is just adorable!” He looked just like a father proudly showing off his cute daughter.

“Not yet, but I’ve heard! I was just thinking of preparing some gifts to visit the little one!” Jason’s expression showed no hint of anything amiss.

“Alright, that’s enough for today. I don’t want to spook them prematurely. We’ll play slowly later!”

Du Chen chatted with the other students for a while longer before returning to his dormitory.

Harry had returned and was waiting in the living room on the first floor. While little Beibei was sound asleep on the sofa, he was tidying the room.

“Harry, did you notice anything strange today? For instance, anyone lingering near my dormitory, or asking about Beibei and me?” Du Chen asked.

Harry was startled. After a careful thought, he replied, “Indeed, while I was carrying Miss Beibei around town earlier, a few people inquired about her origins. But they were just street vendors, and they asked casually because they found Miss Beibei adorable. It’s quite normal… Someone’s at the door, I’ll get it!”

So late? Who could be looking for him?

Du Chen followed Harry out. As the main door opened, a middle-aged man in his forties stood outside. He wore a simple noble’s robe, with purple hair, a pale complexion, and a neatly trimmed handlebar mustache. He appeared to be an ordinary minor noble. However, his dark red eyes held a formidable murderous aura, instantly bringing to mind a valiant warrior seasoned by countless battles!

“You are Francis?”