World's No. 1 Swordsman-Chapter 50: Beyond the Plan

"Routine report. No anomalies in Zone A."

"No anomalies in Zone F."

"No anomalies in Zone B... The Sword has entered the school grounds, and the students' reactions are normal."

In the room where Wang Sheng had previously stayed, Mou Yue, now serving as the temporary commander for the operation, stood with her arms crossed, watching the constantly changing images on several computer screens.

Bulldozer and a few others were studying the school's map, while several locked-frequency walkie-talkies transmitted intentionally hushed male and female voices.

Although the makeshift surveillance network was somewhat rudimentary, they had done their best to ensure complete control over the campus environment.

Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan never left Mou Yue's field of vision.

"How are the arrangements inside the school?"

"Everything is ready. No errors will occur."

Mou Yue nodded. "Good; that's reassuring."

Staring at the surveillance screens, she got lost in thought. She considered how much of a negative impact this operation could have on the captain if it turned out to be a false alarm.

Although the Hua Republic had granted the Special Investigation Unit broad authority, in reality, they had yet to achieve any significant results.

Simply put, they had no accomplishments to their name.

At such an awkward juncture, using so many resources due to personal feelings would be a minor issue. The real concern was that her superiors might question her abilities.

"What do you all think of how our captain treats us every day?"

Busy with their tasks, the others were momentarily taken aback.

The young woman who had helped pick out Mu Wanxuan's outfit softly answered, "She's very nice. Although we haven't been working together for long, she has been very considerate of us."

Bulldozer added, "I agree; the captain has been good to us. You can say she's shown us great trust and recognition."

"In that case, let's all stay sharp for this mission," Mou Yue said as she gently pushed her glasses up. "With Daoist Priests Wang Sheng and Bu Yu present, we have to do our best to stand out."

Everyone was intelligent enough to understand the implications of her words. They all nodded with serious expressions and quickly returned to their tasks.

***

As Wang Sheng expected, Mu Wanxuan caused a bit of a stir when she entered the campus. After all, she was extraordinarily striking and breathtakingly beautiful. Fortunately, compared to her previous descent from the mountain, she seemed less otherworldly, avoiding the kind of overwhelming sensation that would cause an uproar.

Had she strolled across the campus in an ancient-style gown and a flowing tassel hairpin, she might have completely disrupted the scene.

With the Special Investigation Unit covertly clearing the way, the initial phase of the operation went smoothly.

Wang Sheng led his senior sister to the academic affairs office, where they reported to a department head. The department head had clearly received some instructions and efficiently handled the procedures for the two young people. He didn't even bother to carefully verify their documents.

With the stamp of an official seal, Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan were formally registered as art exchange students at the university. Their personal information, 90% of which was fabricated, was swiftly entered into the school's database.

Though it seemed simple on the surface, the procedure was highly complex in reality. It fully showcased the Special Investigation Unit's exceptional skills.

In Wang Sheng's opinion, he and his senior sister wouldn't stay at the school for long—two or three days at most. These arrangements were merely a temporary cover to blend in with the students and facilitate their activities.

The operation was progressing steadily.

No one knew how the Special Investigation Unit's technical staff had done it, but as soon as they finished registering, Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan were immediately assigned dormitories. Even their beds and bedding had already been prepared.

Mu Wanxuan's room was on the same floor as their junior sister's, which set up opportunities for encounters.

Wang Sheng's room was in the male dormitory building, which was less than sixty meters away from the female one. It was close enough for him to sneak into the girls' dormitory at night to conduct investigations.

Apart from the two "main players," the Special Investigation Unit had also stationed over ten teams inside and outside the university campus. They posed as new janitors, cafeteria servers, street food vendors, tourists staying nearby, and more.

The scale of the operation far exceeded mere small-scale meddling.

Wang Sheng's roommates in the four-person room were three third-year students from the automation department. Having heard that a newcomer was arriving today, the three enthusiastically waited in the room.

After exchanging a few greetings, they swapped YouChat contacts and agreed to hang out for meals or games. Their friendship began to form through casual chatter.

On the other hand, Mu Wanxuan, who faced a language barrier, took out a prepared notebook with her written self-introduction.

Establishing friendships was far more complicated for women than for men. Mu Wanxuan's roommates, all second-year students, already had their fixed social circles. Moreover, her innate charm made girls who wanted to approach feel a subtle sense of intimidation, making them hesitate.

The three girls politely greeted her and offered some helpful introductions to the notable landmarks on campus, but the conversation didn't go much further. Even so, she felt that they were quite kind. She also found the natural sense of distance between people surprisingly comfortable.

Mu Wanxuan had never attended school. From a young age, she had followed her master in cultivating the Dao and studying literature. In her eyes, university students were exceptional individuals who had elevated their education after twelve years of compulsory schooling.

She knew that she wasn't here to experience life, though. After tidying her bed, she went for a walk and found her junior sister's room.

Using her spiritual consciousness, she scanned the room. It was empty, most likely because everyone had gone to class.

Mu Wanxuan closed her eyes. Her spiritual consciousness swiftly enveloped the entire floor like flowing water.

Soon, she lightly frowned but maintained her composure as she walked to the window at the end of the hallway. She took out her phone and sent her junior brother a message.

Mu Wanxuan: Potato, Potato, calling Potato, do you copy? freeωebnovēl.c૦m

Buzz! Buzz!

Wang Sheng quickly sent a reply.

Wang Sheng: What is it, Sis?

Mu Wanxuan: I detected residual primal qi fluctuations in our junior sister's room. There are nine talismans scattered across four drawers. What's the plan? Should I retrieve the talismans?

Talismans?

Wang Sheng, who had been lying on his bed, was momentarily taken aback.

Wang Sheng: Act like you didn't notice anything. Don't alert anyone for now. If you see our junior sister, try to find an opportunity to introduce yourself.

After sending it, Wang Sheng pondered for a few seconds before deciding to inform Mou Yue about his senior sister's discovery.

He hadn't even had time to check his phone when a meme image popped up on the screen. It was an anime girl saluting with a line of text at the bottom.

Sweet Potato received. Potato, please remain concealed.

Wang Sheng chuckled a bit. His senior sister seemed to have fully embraced the role and was having fun with it.

Soon, he sent a report to Mou Yue about his senior sister's findings. He had no idea that the message would feel like a calming pill—a source of reassurance—for Mou Yue.

He then opened his phone's gallery and looked at a few photos of a young girl.

His junior sister was called Chi Wen, sharing their mistress's surname. She was a few months younger than Wang Sheng and a second-year college student who majored in economics and trade.

Considering their master's and mistress's handsome and beautiful looks, Wang Sheng had no doubt that Chi Wen would be quite attractive. As if proving him right, since the moment Chi Wen had started college, she had become the subject of many seniors and batchmates' admiration.

Compared to Mu Wanxuan's ethereal and goddess-like demeanor, Chi Wen had an adorable, girl-next-door charm. Each had their unique appeal.

In Wang Sheng's opinion, though, his senior sister was still the prettier one.

At 6:30 PM, he met up with Mu Wanxuan in front of the male dormitory. Before the envious and heartbroken gazes of others, Mu Wanxuan took the initiative to link arms with Wang Sheng.

The campus was crowded with students, either eating in the cafeteria or heading there.

The two headed to the cafeteria that their junior sister frequented the most. Halfway there, they received a message from Mou Yue.

Mou Yue: Target spotted in the cafeteria.

Wang Sheng leaned in to whisper, "Senior Sister, ready for your introduction?"

"Umm..." Mu Wanxuan hesitated a little, looking slightly conflicted.

"No pressure. Just think of her as our master's only daughter. Don't see her as an outsider."

Mu Wanxuan just sighed softly.

Wang Sheng glanced at her curiously. Was she jealous of their junior sister?

She really wasn't good at hiding her feelings; her thoughts were plainly written on her face.

In her heart, Qing Yanzi filled the roles of both father and mother. Naturally, Chi Wen—Qing Yanzi's biological daughter—made her feel a little uneasy.

Wang Sheng understood how she felt, but he didn't know how to comfort her. All he could do was stay close to her and give her a sense of support.

Seeing the bustling scene in the cafeteria, Wang Sheng couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia and wonder at how much things had changed.

He and Mu Wanxuan acted like a normal college couple, getting food and finding seats together. They "casually" sat at an empty table not too far from Chi Wen, quietly observing her.

That's our junior sister?

Chi Wen was chatting happily with her dormmates with a smile on her face, showing no signs of any potential danger. She was certainly a bright and charming girl who left a good impression at first glance.

Nevertheless, Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan simultaneously frowned a little. Wang Sheng turned serious, while Mu Wanxuan looked puzzled. Chi Wen and her three dormmates all had faint but uneven traces of true essence circulating within them.

Their impure true essence was all too familiar to Wang Sheng; it closely resembled the kind that he had cultivated in his past life by piecing together methods found online.

This wasn't as simple as some cultivator trying to run a pyramid scheme on campus.

After a bit of thought, Wang Sheng decided to act quickly. He had to meet with Chi Wen and investigate the source of her cultivation method.

"Sis, change of plans. Let me try approaching her first."

"Mm!" Mu Wanxuan made a cheering gesture.

Wang Sheng chuckled and stood up. Instead of lowering his voice, he casually asked, "Sis, want anything to drink? I'll check the vending machines over there."

Mu Wanxuan simply shook her head, seamlessly playing along with her junior brother.

Wang Sheng's plan was simple and rather old school. He intended to walk past Chi Wen and bump into her accidentally, creating an opportunity to talk. He just required an encounter—a very natural one.

As he approached Chi Wen, Wang Sheng kept running through possible scenarios and thinking of how to respond to whatever she might say.

A group of female students looking for seats walked past him, chatting and laughing. As they brushed by, Wang Sheng felt a faint sense of strange and subtle familiarity. However, he had his full attention on his junior sister and how to execute his plan. He didn't notice one of the girls—a rather pretty one—giving him a puzzled look and staring at him as they passed.

After a few steps, he had put himself within arm's reach of Chi Wen.

Wang Sheng discreetly wrapped his phone with true essence, preparing for it to accidentally fall to the floor as he passed by Chi Wen.

With the true essence protecting it, there was no worry about damage.

Unexpectedly, someone called out to him from behind, their tone filled with uncertainty and hesitation.

"Wang... Sheng?"

Huh?

Caught off guard, Wang Sheng turned around in surprise. His fingers, still in motion from earlier, subconsciously flicked the phone, causing the device to slip from his pocket.

Standing a few meters away from him was a girl in a light blue dress, holding a tray. Her ponytail, slender neck, and familiar, beautiful face made a memory resurface in his mind.

"Senior Sister Qianlin[1]?!"

Plak!

Judging by the sound, his phone likely hit the ground screen-first.

1. A different senior sister he's related to academically. ☜