Chapter 126: If You Dare, Come to the Thieves' House and Beat Me

“You’ll never guess what just happened.” Shang Xinlei spoke as she munched on shrimp dumplings, her face brimming with smiles. Yan Qing even feared she’d spray food out mid-sentence. “You know Xiao Yu, right? My and Jiang Ten’s friend. My father actually took her in as an adopted daughter, cleared her name, and even represented the Shang Family to borrow a Legendary Token from her—he treats her no differently than his own children.”

“And get this, he already sent over the rewards from Mansu Woodland. Xiao Yu got a Third-Stage Token and a Storage Ring. Mine was a martial manual on fist and palm techniques—perfect for my third brother. But that manual is worth more than both of Xiao Yu’s rewards combined. Did he pocket some of her stuff for himself? Or maybe he upgraded mine to a better manual... what do you think?”

“Also, the Rat Monk left first thing this morning—was that your doing? You should’ve had him stay with the Shang Family a few more days! Everyone at home wanted to personally thank him after hearing how he risked his life to protect my father. You should tell him to come back—he’d be showered with benefits.”

Yan Qing looked up and let out a long sigh. I was wrong. I don’t actually want friends. Heaven, I want a refund.

Last night, Shang Xinlei said she’d bring snacks to share, and Yan Qing had half-heartedly agreed—he was feeling a bit peckish. Jiang Ten and Ye Si's barracks meals were all heavy military food: grilled meat by seasoned veterans, oily, salty, carb-loaded. Delicious, sure, but too much of it left Yan Qing craving something light and refined. Jiangnan pastries were just the thing.

He just hadn’t expected Shang Xinlei to talk so much. She’d been going nonstop since she arrived, like a hundred magpies chirping in his ears. Only now did Yan Qing finally understand Shang Xuanwen’s words—no wonder he longed for a quiet dinner with his family. Silence really was golden.

“Do you think the royal family of Great Liang has realized we’re the Immortals behind the Trading Board?” Shang Xinlei suddenly switched tone mid-sip of her Tieguanyin tea, sounding a little worried. “Even though I haven’t heard anything from the palace yet…”

“They definitely figured it out,” Yan Qing replied. “Everything I traded was a gate key. Plus, we looted so much stuff inside. The moment they saw it, they would’ve pieced it together. But don’t worry. Even if they know it was me, it doesn’t matter. They won’t say anything, and they won’t find me either.”

He had spent so long thinking outside the Inner Treasury’s gates not just to tease Shang Xinlei, but to weigh the consequences of using a Treasure-Hunting Token to trade for a gate key. His conclusion: exposure was inevitable—but the aftermath was entirely manageable.

The royal family of Great Liang might know the person behind the Trading Board was a thief, but they wouldn’t make it public. Because revealing that would also expose the keys to their Inner Treasury. That vault only worked as a deterrent against the uninformed. If an intruder came prepared, the Inner Treasury was basically an unguarded public toilet.

More importantly, while they knew the mastermind behind the Trading Board was a thief, they still didn’t know which thief!

Worst case, even if the royal family did leak the news, Yan Qing wouldn’t care. He wasn’t operating outside in the open anyway. The only risk was that Black Wolf and White Fox might connect the dots and realize he was the Immortal of the Trading Board. But even if they came for him, Yan Qing could always escape with a Return Token.

Truth was, Yan Qing never expected to keep the Immortal identity hidden forever. If secrecy were his priority, he wouldn’t be selling anything on the board in the first place. He simply didn’t want attention, but exposure didn’t scare him.

Yeah, I robbed your treasury—so what?

Yeah, I sell stuff on the Trading Board and don’t pay taxes—what are you gonna do about it?

If you’ve got guts, come to the Thieves’ House and beat me!

In fact, Yan Qing secretly hoped the royal family would leak the info. Then he could openly fence stolen goods. Imagine it—he kills their people, puts their Tokens up for trade, and they either have to buy them back or watch helplessly as someone else does. They couldn’t stop the trade, couldn’t retaliate… it was psychological warfare on top of robbery.

Unfortunately, the royal family probably wouldn’t be that reckless. They had too much to lose—unlike Yan Qing, who was broke and had nothing to fear.

They say there are two types of players in online games: the stealthy type who hides everything to avoid attention, and the flamboyant type who wants their every move announced to the whole server. Yan Qing was somewhere in between. He didn’t seek the spotlight, but when the time came to shock the world, he would reluctantly accept the honor.

“But still, don’t go wandering around Jiangnan City at night anymore,” Yan Qing warned. “The royal family is definitely tightening things up behind the scenes. If they catch you, they’ll suspect you’re one of us. Even your father might not be able to protect you.”

“Got~ it~ already~” Shang Xinlei pouted. “You sound just like my brother—so naggy…”

A vein throbbed on Yan Qing’s forehead. Damn it, he hadn’t even complained about her constant chatter, and now that he gave one reminder, he was the annoying one? Talk about ungrateful!

He said nothing, just picked up a glutinous rice chicken and chomped away.

Shang Xinlei went on about family affairs for a while longer. Seeing Yan Qing keeping his head down and not even looking at her, she blinked and fell silent, quietly nibbling on her snacks.

After a while, when she still hadn’t spoken, Yan Qing wondered: wasn’t she the talkative type? Why so quiet now? But of course—no one wants to talk to a cold shoulder. It made sense she’d give up. Still, they were acquaintances. He couldn’t stay cold forever. Through her, he could also get a lot of information…

With that in mind, he decided to break the ice. But just as he turned to speak, he saw Shang Xinlei staring at him with wide eyes.

“You lost!” she immediately declared with a triumphant grin. “You looked over. That means I win!”

Yan Qing froze for a moment, feeling both annoyed and amused. “Childish. I only turned to grab a shrimp dumpling.”

“Heh, excuses mean you’ve lost! A loss is a loss!” Shang Xinlei giggled and pushed over the seaweed rolls. “Try this—it’s delicious.”

Yan Qing took one. It was filled with pork, fish paste, and crab meat. Fragrant and quite tasty.

“Not bad,” he commented.

Shang Xinlei scoffed at him.

Thanks to this little interlude, even though it was still mostly Shang Xinlei talking and Yan Qing listening, the mood between them visibly relaxed.

“Say, do you really have to keep disguising yourself even when eating? This is the Thieves’ House—we’re totally safe here. What, are you really that ugly?” Shang Xinlei complained.

Obviously, eating with a mask on was impossible. He wasn’t Hatake Kakashi. But Yan Qing had prepared for this—just like when he went to Chang’an, he wrapped his face in bandages, leaving only his eyes, nose, and mouth exposed. He looked like Shishio Makoto.

Faced with her teasing, Yan Qing stayed silent. Shang Xinlei poked his elbow with a finger. “Come on, just one look. One peek, okay?”

“No.”

“How many meals before you’ll take it off? Five? Ten?”

Yan Qing felt weird about this. No wonder she was from a wealthy clan—every word out of her mouth sounded like she was trying to coerce a courtesan.

“Even if you knock tomorrow, I won’t come out.”

“Really? I reserved the Supreme Spicy Tofu at Dongjiang Pavilion—six flavors in one. They only sell three a day. You’re really not tempted?”

Yan Qing froze. Suddenly, he really wished the Rat Monk hadn’t left Jiangnan City so soon. If he were still around, Yan Qing wouldn’t have to rely on Shang Xinlei for meals!

“Oh, and I gave you the Essence of the Red Furnace last night. Isn’t it fair to ask to see your face in return?”

“Didn’t you say that was to repay the life-saving debt you owed me?”

“I changed my mind. I’ll repay that later. Right now, I want to trade the Red Furnace Essence to see your face.”

“The life-saving debt can wait. This can’t.”

“Why not?” She leaned over the table, pouting. “Even if you’re hideous, I won’t laugh. There are tons of Tokens that can change your looks. Trust me—you can become a handsome guy!”

“Say whatever you like,” Yan Qing replied coolly. “I’m not afraid of exposing my face. I just don’t see the need. One more secret means one more layer of safety.”

As long as no one had seen his face, he could one day leave the Thieves’ House and vanish without a trace. No one could chase a man whose face had never been revealed.

“Do you wear a mask even when you're with Jiang Ten and the others?”

That was a tricky one... Yan Qing thought it over and gave an honest answer: “They’ve never seen my face.”

Shang Xinlei looked incredulous. “Not even Jiang Ten? Then doesn’t that mean no one in this world has seen the real you?”

Yan Qing blinked and met her gaze.

There was no better answer than silence.

Shang Xinlei’s smile faded. She had meant it as a joke, but Yan Qing’s serious response left her unable to laugh.

“Living like this... isn’t it exhausting?”

Yan Qing shook his head. “Compared to Jiang Ten and the Rat Monk, not really.”

“I think Jiang Ten and the Rat Monk live far easier lives than you,” Shang Xinlei murmured. “They have clear goals and move without hesitation, like they’re walking a straight road with no forks... So I once thought you were the same. Like one of those villainous masterminds in a storybook—plotting world domination with a clear plan, relentless execution, and unwavering resolve.”

Yan Qing blinked. For some reason, her words made him strangely happy. Praise him all you want, he might not react—but compliment his gaming skills? He’d be beaming.

“But sometimes,” Shang Xinlei continued, “I feel like you’re actually lost. You’re always moving forward, more cautious than anyone, always prepared for any obstacle... but it doesn’t feel like you’re chasing something. More like something is chasing you.”

“What did you come to the Thieves’ House for, really?”

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