C49 Min Zhenkang Was a Spy.?

Having fully extended his Spiritual Consciousness, Min Zhenkang could now envelop a third of the Handyman Yard where tens of thousands of servants resided. This small expanse highlighted the lowly status of the servants within the Fang Sect.

Shortly after deploying his Spiritual Consciousness, Min Zhenkang detected someone approaching. "I hope it's the Servant Elder; otherwise, I'm in for a heap of trouble," he thought, keeping his Spiritual Consciousness active as he awaited the newcomer.

"Who are you, and what brings you to the Fang Sect?" demanded the arrival, a gaunt old man with a lengthy goatee.

Upon seeing Min Zhenkang, the elder unleashed his third-level Martial Spirit cultivation, aiming to use his aura to subdue Min Zhenkang. But Min Zhenkang simply brushed off the elder's oppressive force.

"Excuse me, are you the elder overseeing the servants here?" Min Zhenkang inquired with courtesy.

The elder was taken aback, realizing his intimidation had no effect on the young man before him. "I am the elder responsible for this area. Who might you be? You don't appear to be a disciple of our Fang Sect. So why are you here? And why release your Spiritual Consciousness so freely? Is this a challenge to the Fang Sect?"

The elder, sensing Min Zhenkang's unusual origins, deliberately emphasized the Fang Sect's name, hoping to intimidate him, while carefully avoiding any mention of the Handyman Yard.

"I've come to report as a new disciple, but I was unsure of your whereabouts. I stopped a senior brother to seek directions, but he misunderstood my intentions and tried to apprehend me. Thus, I resorted to this tactic," Min Zhenkang explained, pulling out the token given to him by Murong Lin from his Bag of Heaven and Earth.

The elder's eyes narrowed at the sight of the token in Min Zhenkang's hand, yet his wariness remained.

"Throw me the token!"

Min Zhenkang watched the still cautious Elder crack a slight smile and casually tossed the token to him.

The Elder scrutinized the token at length before gradually releasing his imposing aura.

"So, you're the young man who slipped in through the back door. Follow me!" Having verified the token's authenticity, the Elder retraced his steps.

Min Zhenkang trailed behind. The crowd that had gathered dispersed, each returning to their own affairs.

The Elder led the way to a room, with Min Zhenkang following until they stopped at the door.

"This will be your quarters from now on," the Elder said, gesturing to the room before them.

"Thank you, Elder."

Ordinarily, Elders wouldn't bother with such tasks as room assignments for Handyman Yard disciples.

If Elders had to personally oversee room assignments for each disciple, they'd have no time for anything else, given the sheer number of rooms to distribute.

Besides, as an Elder and the head of the disciples' living area, he was accustomed to others serving him.

He was only accompanying Min Zhenkang because his route to the Mission Hall passed this way, so he took the opportunity to allocate a room for Min Zhenkang.

"Come with me to collect your clothes and token."

"Okay." Min Zhenkang noted his room number and followed the Elder to receive his attire and token.

The sect hadn't informed this Elder of Min Zhenkang's identity, or perhaps the Fang Sect's higher-ups themselves didn't know who Min Zhenkang was, only that he was acquainted with Murong Lin.

Thus, when they dispatched someone to brief the Elder, they didn't reveal Min Zhenkang's status.

The Elder assumed Min Zhenkang was a relative of an outer sect disciple who had joined later.

As a result, he didn't show much warmth to Min Zhenkang, nor did he engage in conversation along the way.

Min Zhenkang followed the Elder to a doorway adorned with a plaque reading "Mission Hall."

Disciples frequently entered and exited, their expressions uniform as they went in, but upon leaving, some were joyful while others were downcast.

As the various servants and disciples bustled in and out, they couldn't help but give Min Zhenkang a few extra glances.

However, upon noticing the elder leading Min Zhenkang, none approached to offer greetings; instead, they scurried about their tasks with urgency.

"This is where servants and disciples come to receive their assignments," the elder explained. "From now on, you'll report here each morning to get your mission. If you fail to complete the day's mission, you won't be allowed to eat or rest until it's done."

"Once you've finished, you'll return here to submit your work. It will be inspected, and if it's found incomplete, severe punishment will follow. So, don't count on slipping by on luck alone."

"The nature and difficulty of the daily missions are only revealed when you come to collect them. They're determined by drawing lots. Whatever task you draw is yours for the day; finish it early, and the rest of the time is yours to use as you see fit."

"However, there are areas within the sect off-limits to servants and disciples, such as the peaks reserved for core disciples. You are forbidden from entering these areas at any time, and should you trespass, you'll bear the full brunt of the consequences."

Having reached their destination, the elder briefed Min Zhenkang on the protocol.

"Yes, Elder," Min Zhenkang acknowledged.

"I'm Elder Yin. From now on, you'll address me as such. I'm the sole elder here, and I oversee everything!" Elder Yin stressed the latter part of his statement with deliberate emphasis.

"Yes, Elder Yin," Min Zhenkang responded, seemingly oblivious to the underlying message in Elder Yin's words.

"Hmph, just wait here. Someone will bring your clothes and token shortly." Elder Yin, clearly displeased with Min Zhenkang's demeanor, huffed and left him standing there.

"Elder, there's trouble! A spy has infiltrated our service area!"

This urgent news came from a young man who dashed toward them, his warning cries causing those around, whether on their way to collect or submit missions, to halt in their tracks.

Elder Yin, too, paused upon hearing the commotion, stopping in his steps.

"Elder Yin, we have a problem. I encountered a spy while on a mission just now!" The disciple arrived breathlessly before Elder Yin, gasping for air as he delivered the news.

"Where did you see this spy?" Elder Yin was startled upon hearing that a spy had infiltrated his jurisdiction. The thought of the sect discovering a breach under his watch was enough to make him dread the fallout.

"My cultivation level wasn't sufficient; the spy got away. But I've committed his face to memory!" The disciple responded to Elder Yin's query with a hint of nervousness in his voice.

"Useless! You can't even manage this simple task!" Elder Yin fumed, his beard bristling with irritation.

"Quickly sketch the spy's likeness for me. I need to take this information to the elders immediately."

"Right away, Elder Yin." The disciple hurried off to find paper to draw the portrait of Min Zhenkang.

"Senior Brother, here we are again!" Min Zhenkang, recognizing that he was the subject of discussion, approached and greeted the disciple.

"You... How did you get here? Elder Yin, this is the spy!" The disciple, startled by Min Zhenkang's sudden appearance, quickly sought refuge behind Elder Yin.

"What is the meaning of this? Who are you, exactly?" Elder Yin was thoroughly perplexed.

"Elder Yin, let me explain..." Min Zhenkang proceeded to recount the recent events.

"Do you have any proof that the token is indeed yours? Or explain how you managed to enter the Fang Sect."

Min Zhenkang was at a loss. It wasn't feasible to ask Murong Lin to vouch for him again. Without Murong Lin's corroboration, his words alone were unlikely to convince them.

As Min Zhenkang wavered, Elder Yin's suspicion grew, and he exerted his formidable presence.

The disciple nearest to Elder Yin was overwhelmed by the pressure and collapsed to the ground, too intimidated to move.

"Elder Yin, I... I have something to say," a disciple interjected just as Elder Yin was about to apprehend Min Zhenkang.

"Speak up, then!"

"Elder Yin, I don't believe this Junior Brother is a spy. On my way back from a mission, I saw him in the company of Senior Brother Murong, and they were deep in conversation," the disciple explained, his voice quivering with apprehension.

"Which Senior Brother Murong?" In the sect, the Murong surname was common, especially here at the lowest tier of the Fang Sect's disciples. It was customary to address anyone in the sect as 'Senior Brother.'

Elder Yin was at a loss as to which Senior Brother Murong the disciple referred to.

"It's Senior Brother Murong Lin!"

"What? Senior Brother Murong Lin, the core disciple? Who exactly is this young man?"

"Indeed. If he's acquainted with Senior Brother Murong, why is he stationed with us in the Handyman Yard?"

The disciples nearby buzzed with speculation upon hearing that Min Zhenkang was seen walking and talking with Murong Lin.

The disciple recounted his observations, including witnessing the altercation between Min Zhenkang and Jee Xiang, adding to the intrigue.

With the disciple's account, Elder Yin finally pieced together Min Zhenkang's identity and then turned to address the disciple behind him.

"Imbecile, spreading false alarms! As punishment, you're forbidden from eating tonight!"

The incident was a blow to Elder Yin's pride, having failed to discern whether Min Zhenkang was a spy, which he felt diminished his standing among the Handyman disciples.

Subsequently, Elder Yin entered the Mission Hall, leaving Min Zhenkang standing alone outside.

The reprimanded disciple, facing a dinnerless night, was on the verge of tears.

"Thank you for your assistance, Senior Brother. Might I ask your name?" Min Zhenkang approached the helpful disciple with gratitude.

"No need for formalities, Junior Brother. I merely shared what I witnessed. The name's Gong Ming," Gong Ming replied with a simple honesty.

"Junior Brother, I've got a mission to attend to, so I can't stay and chat. Once I've completed it, we'll have a proper talk."

"Sounds good!"

Gong Ming departed for his mission, leaving Min Zhenkang waiting outside.

The disciple who had accused him of being a spy had vanished, likely off somewhere, weeping in secret.

As people bustled by, they noticed Min Zhenkang was there, yet not a single soul stopped to say hello.

Overcome with boredom, he sought refuge in the coolness of a tree's shadow and promptly fell asleep.

Passersby who glimpsed Min Zhenkang dozing beneath the tree assumed he had finished his mission, and they couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.

Those familiar with Min Zhenkang, however, couldn't help but admire his audacity. To take a nap right at the entrance of the Mission Hall was a bold move, making him an unrivaled figure within the Handyman Yard.

It wasn't until the evening that someone finally emerged from the Mission Hall with Min Zhenkang's clothes and token in hand.

Upon seeing Min Zhenkang still asleep, the bearer approached, unceremoniously dropped the clothes and token onto his face, and then turned on his heel, wordlessly returning to the Mission Hall.

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