Chapter 79: Reasoning Always Comes After the Meal

Wu Jue rushed to the third floor at his fastest speed, heading straight for the room Xiao Yang had identified. Before he reached the door, he saw that it was ajar.

A familiar scent wafted from inside. Without hesitation, he kicked the door open and stormed in.

Unfortunately, the room was already a wreck. Everything was strewn about, the computer had been wiped, and there was no sign of anyone.

Xiao Yang entered right after, disappointment written across his face. "We were a step too late. They got away!"

Wu Jue replied, "Not necessarily. Whose room is this? Check the corridor cameras; there might be a clue. I'll stay here to see if there’s anything suspicious left."

Xiao Yang agreed and headed downstairs. Wu Jue circled the room, imprinting every detail of its arrangement in his mind for future comparison.

As he was investigating, footsteps sounded on the stairs. Wu Jue cautiously approached the doorway, intending to see who it was.

The familiar face of the innkeeper appeared, startled to see Wu Jue. "What’s going on? Master, you vanished earlier—I thought you'd disappeared again. How did you end up here?"

Wu Jue breathed a sigh of relief. "There was a minor incident. I saw someone suspicious come up here, so I followed. By the way, whose room is this?"

The owner looked inside, embarrassed. "Why is it such a mess? This is Jack’s room. He’s always been the cleanest. I didn’t see him at breakfast this morning and wondered about it. Could there be some misunderstanding?"

"Jack?" Wu Jue recalled he hadn’t seen this person since last night.

The innkeeper explained that Jack was a partner in the inn, a close friend of Mike, the proprietor. The two had invested in the inn before the apocalypse and later fled here together, establishing a miraculous, Eden-like settlement. Jack, however, was reserved, seldom showing himself publicly in the inn; Mike handled most matters for him, so outsiders knew little about Jack.

Wu Jue said, "It seems something happened to him long ago. Perhaps, like the chef, he was infected by the virus from the Heaven Punishment clan. We need to find out what happened to the two missing people as soon as possible. Let’s return to the first floor and start searching for clues."

"You suspect someone on the inside?" Mike sensed Wu Jue’s unease, walking downstairs with him while asking.

Wu Jue replied nonchalantly, "Actually, I've gathered a few clues. We’ll know more once we ask around."

They entered the lobby and gathered everyone together. Wu Jue addressed the group calmly: "Everyone, I have some bad news. Xiao Yang just checked the surveillance footage on the second floor and found it had been sabotaged. It’s very difficult to figure out what happened."

"How could this happen?" The group murmured in concern.

Wu Jue seized the moment: "The situation is clear. There’s a Heaven Punishment clan spy among us. Please write down, in detail, where you were before and after breakfast. Do not compare notes with others. The culprit will inevitably reveal themselves."

"Is it really that magical?" one person objected. "What, are we acting out a detective drama? You can’t just guess the culprit by talking. Let the evidence speak for itself."

"Exactly. Don’t we have the most advanced equipment upstairs? Any clue or evidence can be analyzed."

Mike shook his head. "Unfortunately, all those tools have been destroyed. We must use the most primitive methods now. Please cooperate."

Wu Jue glanced deliberately at the maid, who, along with Mike, began soothing the crowd and urging them to follow Wu Jue’s instructions.

Meimei and Lily, the sisters, were the first to cooperate. They found seats, took up pen and paper, and began writing, helping Wu Jue out of a tight spot.

Wu Jue watched everyone silently. Besides the maid, he had another suspect—now he waited for them to reveal themselves.

Everyone started writing down their actions, any unusual occurrences, and observations about those around them. Wu Jue scanned the hall, covertly observing each person’s breathing. In moments like these, a person’s demeanor best reveals their state of mind.

Those with guilty consciences would inevitably be nervous, even if they didn’t show it outwardly—their inner turmoil was detectable. Wu Jue, attuned to breath, could sense the changes.

He was certain that besides his two suspects—the maid and another person—at least three others might already be infected by the virus. They might not realize it yet, but they were carriers.

Wu Jue collected everyone’s statements and began reviewing them. Xiao Yang returned, and his findings matched Wu Jue’s.

They were about to stage a drama where the culprit would reveal themselves.

Wu Jue signaled to Xiao Yang and, holding several statements, said, "I’ve reviewed everyone’s notes. Most are consistent, but some details don’t add up."

He walked to the dining table and pointed out, "When the chef had his incident, he was sitting here. Notice, this is closest to the kitchen. It’s likely the chef, last to leave the kitchen, always sat here for meals, making his seat rather fixed."

"Therefore, if someone were to poison the food, this would be the ideal spot." Wu Jue placed a plate on the table. "But how would someone administer poison in plain sight?"

"The real issue," Xiao Yang continued, "is that the chef wasn’t poisoned by someone. He was already infected with the virus and chose a specific moment to let it erupt. So, the toxin in the food appeared because the chef’s saliva contaminated it during his meal."

"This was a deliberate misdirection, meant to confuse us while the real goal was carried out in secret," Xiao Yang explained.

He then walked to an empty seat, asking, "Did anyone notice where Xiao Han, the missing person, was sitting?"

Meimei, quick to respond, said, "Yes, right where you’re standing now—I was talking to him then."

"Exactly. Xiao Han was here before he disappeared," Xiao Yang continued. "So, who was most likely to notice where he went? Naturally, his companions."

"Meimei was on his right, but who was on his left?" Wu Jue picked up the thread, standing beside the suspicious maid. "Was it you, miss?"

She was startled by his accusation, hesitated, then replied, "Yes, but I was too nervous to notice what Xiao Han was doing. I truly don’t know."

"That’s not true! You lied," Xiao Yang interrupted, blocking her way. "Meimei saw you lead Xiao Han away, but you claim you didn’t notice anything. The surveillance footage was tampered with. You’re lying, and you’re a Heaven Punishment clan spy under their control."

Everyone was shocked. How could such an innocent-looking maid be a traitor?

The maid protested, "Don’t frame me! Words mean nothing—who’s to say you’re not setting me up? Mike, help me! How could your friends treat me like this?"

Mike, his face uneasy, stepped forward. "I think you two are misunderstanding. If you say the footage is missing, how can you judge our staff with just your words?"

"It’s not a matter of suspicion—it’s a matter of imminent danger," Xiao Yang said, shaking his head. "The truth of the matter is clear. Xiao Han’s disappearance wasn’t an accident—it was the ultimate goal. The Heaven Punishment clan infiltrated here to infect new targets. Xiao Han was their next selection, followed by Wu Jue, myself, and even the new sisters."

"You established this inn to secretly choose suitable candidates to infiltrate humanity and gain information you couldn’t otherwise obtain, right? Heaven Punishment clan’s inside man!"

At that moment, Wu Jue launched a sudden attack, leaping before Mike and striking dozens of acupuncture points in rapid succession.

Mike froze at a distance, unable to move. The maid cried out, "Ah! Murder! Someone’s going to die!"

Xiao Yang seized her, covering her mouth. "What, you want to throw a tantrum now?"

Suddenly, three undercover agents in the crowd began to mutate, causing chaos.

While others scrambled in confusion, Lily grabbed a bench and knocked out one would-be mutant, shouting, "What are you waiting for? Strike first!"

The others immediately responded, attacking the two remaining would-be zombies with sharp wooden sticks.

Seeing his plans unravel, Mike’s mouth stretched wide, his body splitting open to reveal his grotesque true form—an evolved reptilian creature.

He glared at Wu Jue and Xiao Yang with emerald eyes, hissing, "You wretched fools! Ruined everything! Try to kill me—I’ll make you join the others!"

Wu Jue wasted no time, drew his pistol, aimed at the creature’s head, and fired. "Jack saw through your plot and was killed, wasn’t he? I’ll avenge him now."

The End of Days Divine Warrior 79: Reasoning Always Comes After the Meal—chapter complete.