Blinded

The next day. Early in the morning, Li Hao arrived at work on time as usual. However, Hao Lianchuan had not returned all morning—in fact, he had not returned all of last night either, likely because he was dealing with the slaying of the Three Sols experts. So this morning, Li Hao went to work alone. The supernaturals watching from the surroundings were gone this time. Not a single one remained! A little past eight, Li Hao stepped through the main entrance of the Night Watchers headquarters. The Night Watchers bustling back and forth were all extraordinarily busy. Seeing Li Hao, a few offered words of concern; although he appeared unscathed after yesterday's ambush, everyone still voiced their goodwill and care. Tracking the whereabouts of Red Moon was currently the Night Watchers' highest priority. Everyone was hard at work. The Night Watchers no longer held much dread for Red Moon. After several clashes, Red Moon had suffered grievous losses, and even a powerhouse at the Rising Light level had been slain with ease by their director. Morale throughout the entire Night Watchers was soaring. Hearing that Red Moon had ambushed Li Hao again, calls inside the organization to wipe them out echoed endlessly, everyone rubbing their fists and itching for action. Before stepping inside, Li Hao paused slightly. He glanced toward the sixth floor. Previously, he could see nothing up there. Yet today, the sixth floor gave off an indistinct aura that made it painful to look at directly. He had felt this before—whenever he stood before Hou Xiaochen, sometimes looking at him made his eyes ache. Over the past few days, that feeling had been absent. Because of that, Li Hao had surmised that Hou Xiaochen was not at headquarters. Now, that sensation had suddenly returned. Had Hou Xiaochen come back? Musing on this, Li Hao entered the lobby and headed toward the fourth floor. Just as he reached his office door, Chief Steward Yu stepped out of hers. She glanced at him, her demeanor cool as always. "Li Hao, the director has emerged from closed-door cultivation. He instructed beforehand that you are to see him once he came out." Emerged? Had Hou Xiaochen not been in closed-door cultivation right here? Li Hao could not make sense of the situation either. Was Hou Xiaochen summoning him now because of yesterday's incident? Though the thought crossed his mind, he showed nothing on his face, nodding with a smile. "Understood, Chief Steward." Just as he was about to head in after a moment, he saw Chief Steward Yu watching him. With no choice, Li Hao obediently followed behind her, making his way upstairs. Not just Li Hao—when they reached the fifth floor, Hao Lianchuan, his eyes slightly bloodshot, happened to emerge from his office and head upstairs as well. Seeing Li Hao, he nodded and managed a strained smile. Assuming he had a headache over yesterday's affair, Li Hao said nothing. The three of them went up to the sixth floor together. *** On the sixth floor, there was only a single office. It was immense! Chief Steward Yu knocked, and the door opened. Li Hao looked in and immediately saw Hou Xiaochen sitting in a chair, lost in thought. Hou Xiaochen appeared even frailer than during their last meeting. Coughs racked him from time to time. Seeing them arrive, he gave a slight nod without speaking. "Cough, cough..." Hou Xiaochen coughed a few more times. A handkerchief appeared in his hand, and he dabbed at his mouth; a faint trace of red flashed and vanished. Chief Steward Yu stepped forward hastily. "Director..." "Sit," Hou Xiaochen said with a faint, still gentle smile. Li Hao did not let his gaze wander, taking in the office only through the corner of his eye. There was not much furniture, but two things stood out prominently: a massive screen and a colossal map that covered almost an entire wall. Behind the office was another door, likely leading to Hou Xiaochen's living quarters. Hou Xiaochen let out a soft breath and leaned back against his chair, looking slightly worn. Glancing at Li Hao, he smiled. "You did well yesterday. As martial masters, we strike when it's time to strike—never bullying the weak, yet never fearing anyone!" Li Hao stood. "I caused trouble for the director!" "A trifling matter!" Hou Xiaochen chuckled. "Attacking you in White Moon City is an insult to me. If they're dead, they're dead. What difference does two Three Sols make? If you had the skill to kill two Rising Lights, so what?" Li Hao clicked his tongue inwardly. *I don't have that kind of ability.* Hou Xiaochen turned his gaze to Hao Lianchuan, cleared his throat with a cough, and frowned slightly. "Your reaction time was shockingly slow. Wielding the Fire Phoenix Spear to rush to a battlefield a few thousand meters away—when you already anticipated trouble—and you actually took over twenty seconds? If I sent you to a real battlefield... wouldn't you bungle military opportunities every single day?" Helpless, Hao Lianchuan scrambled to his feet. "Director, I..." "Enough!" Hou Xiaochen cut him off with a cough. "Breaking into the mid-stage of Three Sols is decent enough, but you were still too slow." *Slow?* Hao Lianchuan felt it had been plenty fast. Of course, compared to the director, there was no contest. Hou Xiaochen did not seem overly concerned about what had transpired yesterday. Looking at the three of them, he said softly, "What happened yesterday is in the past. Just step up the pursuit and hunt down Red Moon." Rather than dwelling on it, he brought up another matter: "The four-party summit. Old Hao attended once before, and the talks went poorly. Now that I have come out of seclusion, the other three parties want to talk again... so let us have another round. "Li Hao, you come along as well." "Me?" Li Hao was startled. Sending him to something like that? Even if only tagging along, shouldn't deputy directors handle such matters? He had only arrived a few days ago. "Come along," Hou Xiaochen smiled. "Broaden your horizons. See more people, see more experts. Martial masters cannot afford to look at the sky from the bottom of a well. The sky over Silver Moon isn't exceptionally high, but for you right now, you haven't yet reached its limit. "If not for yesterday's battle, there would be no need for you to go. But since it happened... come with us!" Though surprised, Li Hao did not refuse, promptly responding, "Thank you for thinking highly of me, Director!" "Only right. After all, as you put it yourself, since you demonstrated your worth, I ought to grant you more opportunities, wouldn't you say?" He made a teasing remark, leaving Li Hao no choice but to offer a foolish smile. *Chief Steward Yu really tells this man everything!* Hou Xiaochen stood up. "Let's go. Today's four-party summit is being held at the General Administration Directorate. After all, the General Administration Directorate is the governing authority of Silver Moon." As he walked, he said, "In Silver Moon, the Night Watchers are merely a subordinate agency under the Inspectorate. Remember this, Li Hao: here in Silver Moon, the Night Watchers are not supreme." Li Hao nodded hastily, not caring much about bureaucratic hierarchy. Besides, with Hou Xiaochen being so formidable, who would care about that? Under the respectful and admiring gazes of the staff, the four walked out the front doors. A black car was parked outside. The driver was a man of few words. Li Hao observed him briefly; he was likely a martial master rather than a supernatural, as no cluster of light appeared. As for what tier of martial master he was, Li Hao felt no presence of momentum, so he was probably below Hundred-Breaker culmination. Li Hao did not pay him much mind. Getting into the car, that fat man Hao Lianchuan scrambled straight into the front passenger seat. Li Hao felt miserable! He had not run as fast as the fat man. With Hao Lianchuan in the front passenger seat and the car lacking a third row, Li Hao was forced to squeeze into the back with Hou Xiaochen and Chief Steward Yu. Li Hao cursed inwardly. *That damn fat man is wicked! I wanted to sit in the front too!* Ferocious as he had been yesterday during the killings, Li Hao still had self-awareness: he was definitely no match for Hou Xiaochen right now, and would simply be snuffed out with a single spear thrust. Being near him carried immense pressure. Yet things had come to this, so he had no choice but to sit beside Hou Xiaochen. Hou Xiaochen sat in the middle, Li Hao on his left, and Chief Steward Yu on his right. Hou Xiaochen coughed a few more times. Sitting next to him, Li Hao could see more clearly: a faint trace of red was discernible. A strange thought crossed his mind. *Faking it? At a time like this, with no outsiders around, he's still faking coughing up blood?* As a subordinate, showing concern was proper, so Li Hao spoke up quickly: "Director, have your injuries not healed yet?" "An old wound. Nothing serious, it just won't clear up at the root." Hou Xiaochen smiled faintly, brushing the matter aside, and asked, "Little Li, how much do you know about the Heavenly Star Dynasty?" "The dynasty has Nine Directorates, the imperial family, ninety-nine provinces..." Li Hao recited a few lines. Hou Xiaochen chuckled. "Is that all?" "Er... I never left Silver City before, and some things aren't written in books, so I..." "Your knowledge is lacking!" Hou Xiaochen seemed to reprove him, his tone carrying a touch of criticism. "That fellow Yuan Shuo only cares about the martial world and digging up tombs, paying little mind to anything else. Even though you studied under him for several years, your experience is still too narrow." He gave a cough. "Little Yu, give Li Hao a brief rundown of the dynasty." With that, he closed his eyes to rest, paying Li Hao no further attention. Chief Steward Yu wasted no words, her voice calm and even. "The Heavenly Star Dynasty was founded in the year 1531, 199 years ago. Next year marks the dynasty's bicentennial jubilee. For the first 120 years, the imperial family ruled the realm. Until eighty years ago, in 1650, the Nine Directorates jointly submitted a memorial requesting that the imperial family reign without ruling, whereupon the Nine Directorates assumed governance. "The Nine Directorates are the Administration Directorate, Military Law Directorate, Inspectorate Directorate, Commerce Directorate, Finance Directorate, Penal Law Directorate, Internal Affairs Directorate, Protocol and External Affairs Directorate, and the Merit Directorate, which determines official promotions." Li Hao listened in silence. He had heard of the Nine Directorates before, but had never paid them much attention; Silver Moon lacked some of these agencies entirely, or if present, they had little presence. "The ninety-nine provinces across the realm are broadly divided into five regions: Eastern, Southern, Western, Northern, and Central. The Central Region is vast and populous, with flourishing commerce and concentrated wealth. Generally, twenty-two provinces are designated as the Central Region. "In the Northern Region, Silver Moon is one of them. Across the north, nineteen provinces comprise the dynasty's northern territory!" ... Along the way, Chief Steward Yu briefed Li Hao on this foundational knowledge. Were one to ask common folk outside, most would not know. The realm was simply too vast! In the eyes of many, a single province was the entire world of their lifetime; who would care about matters beyond their borders? Yet as Chief Steward Yu spoke, Li Hao gradually felt the staggering immensity of the dynasty. It was inconceivably vast! The Nine Directorates, the imperial family, the provinces... Silver Moon was merely one of the ninety-nine provinces, a border region at that. Apart from its once-fervent martial ethos in years past, it seemed entirely unremarkable. The car gradually drew near the General Administration Directorate. At that moment, Hou Xiaochen opened his eyes, coughed, and said, "The nineteen northern provinces are relatively autonomous from one another. However, three provinces are rather special. Situated close to the Central Region, these three provinces have been placed under unified military administration for many years due to certain events. "The three provinces are Mist Province, perpetually shrouded in clouds and fog like a city in the heavens; Heyuan Province, home to countless rivers, rife with water bandits, and plagued by severe floods; and Beihai Province, which encompasses vast expanses of sea... serving as the boundary between the Central and Northern Regions. Crossing the natural divide of Beihai brings you to the Central Region." Li Hao recalled the maps of the dynasty he had seen and roughly grasped the locations of these three provinces. They were quite far from Silver Moon. Of course, on a map of the entire realm, the distance seemed modest: crossing neighboring Linjiang Province brought one to Heyuan, and Heyuan, Mist Province, and Beihai formed a triangle. Beihai was the tip of the triangle, while Heyuan and Mist Province roughly formed a line relative to Silver Moon. Setting out from Silver Moon, crossing Linjiang Province, and entering the border between Heyuan and Mist Province, one could travel straight ahead for thousands of li to reach Beihai Province, and only after crossing Beihai would one enter the Central Region. Li Hao only half-understood. Why had Hou Xiaochen gone out of his way to introduce these three provinces? Out of nineteen northern provinces, he had singled out three. Were they that special? The military administration system? Hou Xiaochen continued, "The three provinces form an arrowhead. Pushing south grants entry into the Central Region, while thrusting north projects power across the entire north—stemming the north while overlooking the south. It has always been a zone of utmost concern to the dynasty. "And all three provinces are governed by a single man. The Nine Directorates within those three provinces fall under his command. He also commands an extraordinarily elite army and is formidable in personal combat power. He was titled Grand General Pacifying the North by the imperial family and specially appointed Governor-General of the Three Provinces by the Nine Directorates—the only general in the entire realm entrusted with governing a three-province territory." Li Hao had a vague impression of having read about this in a book. After thinking, he asked, "Director, is this general very strong? Did he become a supernatural after the rise of supernaturals?" "Indeed." *Oh!* Li Hao still could not muster much interest. It felt remote, like reading a history book. Even though he knew those people were alive, what did it have to do with him? Could it be that if Hou Xiaochen planned to rebel, this man was the first one whose suppression he would face? Quite possible! Was this an advance warning to keep him on guard? As they spoke, the car came to a stop. Someone was waiting at the entrance. An elderly man with white hair, refined and scholarly, smiled slightly upon seeing Hou Xiaochen. "Director Hou has arrived." "Director Zhou is too polite... To trouble Director Zhou to wait out here puts me to shame!" Beside them, Hao Lianchuan transmitted his voice to explain: "Zhou Xingdao, Deputy Director of the General Administration Directorate, and the senior-most deputy director at that. He's Director Zhao's long-time partner; the two have worked together for nearly forty years... serving side by side since their days of humble standing. They're Silver Moon's golden duo!" Nearly forty years together—a truly long time. What was more remarkable was that they had risen together to become top figures in Silver Moon. Strictly speaking, the two were Silver Moon's number one and number two. However, the General Administration Directorate was on the decline now; with the rise of supernaturals, the administrative apparatus had suffered severe blows. Li Hao remained quiet; he had no standing to speak here. Yet after greeting Director Hou, Chief Steward Yu, and Hao Lianchuan, the elderly man glanced at Li Hao to his surprise and nodded with a smile. "Li Hao, isn't it? A promising youth, Yuan Shuo's disciple. A strict teacher produces fine students. Yuan Shuo enjoyed immense renown in Silver Moon back in his day, and now that his disciple has grown into fine timber, it is a blessing for Silver Moon as well." Startled, Li Hao quickly responded, "My lord overpraises me!" "A fine young man!" Deputy Director Zhou smiled and said no more, turning to lead them inside. Li Hao raised an eyebrow, keeping his thoughts to himself. His name, it seemed, had spread far and wide. Whether that was good or bad remained to be seen. Beside him, Hao Lianchuan transmitted his voice again: "That old man is never this polite to me, yet he's so cordial to you. Could your master have beaten him up in the past?" "..." Li Hao was speechless. *My master only beats martial masters. This man is a scholar—beat him for what?* As for whether the man was powerful... Li Hao looked over and saw no cluster of light; he was not a supernatural concealing his strength. As for being a martial master, looking at his sagging skin, that seemed unlikely as well. Why would his master beat him? Ignoring Hao Lianchuan, Li Hao followed the group into the General Administration Directorate. It was spacious, with few people in the lobby. Upon seeing them, everyone stepped aside to open a path. There were supernaturals present. Li Hao looked around with apparent curiosity and spotted several light clusters, though none were especially strong. The second floor seemed to have two or three Solar Radiance figures, respectable enough, but to Li Hao, who had slain Three Sols experts, they hardly mattered. If a directorate as vast as this had only a few Solar Radiance practitioners to hold the fort, it would indeed lose its voice. Up on the third floor, however, there appeared to be several larger light clusters—even a presence at the Rising Light level! Li Hao did not think they belonged to the directorate; they were likely from other agencies, perhaps even that Hu Qingfeng whom he had yet to meet. After all, Hu Qingfeng was bound to attend this four-party summit. Blessed with his discerning eyes, Li Hao found it difficult for anyone to hide from his sight. At that moment, a thought struck Li Hao unbidden. Back in the Confidential Records Office, he had seen records of people who had spotted the Red Shadow, only to be swiftly whisked away or to die in accidents. He had assumed he would run into them once he joined the Night Watchers. Yet to this day, he had not encountered a single one. Could those people see these light clusters just as he did? If so... the notion of experts hiding their strength would be a complete joke! Whatever power a faction had hidden, sending one of them to take a look would instantly reveal it. *Where... did those people go?* Li Hao was curious. He had always wanted to ask, but lacked the opportunity and a proper excuse. That fellow Wang Ming clearly knew nothing about it. Li Hao glanced at Hao Lianchuan; perhaps this man knew something. *** The group walked up the stairs instead of taking the elevator. The third floor was not high, and Li Hao had noticed that powerhouses generally disliked elevators, perhaps fearing ambushes in cramped spaces. Third floor. Coming up the stairs, one entered an anteroom where staff members were waiting. Ahead lay a set of massive double doors, behind which was the conference room for the summit. Li Hao glanced at the attendants by the doors: all supernaturals—one Solar Radiance and five Lunar Nethers. Clearly, the General Administration Directorate placed great weight on this meeting. "Director Hou has arrived!" Deputy Director Zhou announced, and the doors swung open. The instant they opened... Li Hao felt as though he had gone blind! Curious, he peered inside the moment the doors parted. The result... he felt his goddamned eyes were scorched blind. Tears welled up and trickled down. Li Hao snapped his head down and wiped them away. He wanted to weep! At this moment, he desperately wanted to cry. *Holy shit!* Even as tears threatened to spill, he was shaken, dumbfounded, entirely dazed. When he looked upon the figures behind those doors, it was just like seeing Qiao Feilong back then... One, two, three... Light clusters he had failed to spot earlier now blazed bright enough to sear his eyes blind. Amidst the crowd, the Rising Light cluster he had sensed earlier seemed almost unremarkable by comparison. Li Hao wondered if he was dreaming! *Where am I? Who am I? Did I wander into somewhere I shouldn't be?* *** Presently, four factions sat within the grand conference room. Aside from the Night Watchers, there were the other three major organizations, along with Hu Qingfeng and his two companions. At the very head of the room sat an elderly man—Director Zhao. To the left sat another elderly man clad in distinctive military uniform—a military powerhouse known to many as Commander Yu. Hu Dingfang and another elderly man were seated behind him, clearly indicating his superior rank over the two. To the right sat the Director of the Inspectorate, a man of burly stature, flanked by several companions. Hu Qingfeng and his group sat on the Inspectorate's side, as the Night Watchers nominally answered to the Inspectorate. And Li Hao's eyes had been blinded the moment he swept his gaze across them! He didn't even know whose light had pierced his eyes... but Li Hao knew this godforsaken place was no place for mortals. What on earth was this? At this moment, he was shaken to the point of trembling. *Holy shit, inconceivable.* He felt as though he were looking at Hou Xiaochen—and what was more, not just one Hou Xiaochen, but... several! "Li Hao?" Beside him, Hao Lianchuan nudged him, puzzled. What was he doing? Going in! Was this fellow standing still trying to draw attention? Li Hao kept his head lowered, behaving timidly like a raw recruit, and mumbled, "Nervous, Director Hao... I... I've never seen such grand scenes. Walk in front of me and shield me, I'm terrified!" *Fuck!* Hao Lianchuan cursed inwardly. This little brat was putting on an act even now. *Put on an act your grandmother! When you slaughtered Three Sols yesterday, I didn't see an ounce of cowardice!* Exasperated, he said nothing and walked ahead of Li Hao. Li Hao trailed behind like a child, cautious and afraid to make a wrong move, following Hao Lianchuan timidly like an innocent maiden. They entered, and the doors closed behind them. Deputy Director Zhou walked over to the opposite side, while Hou Xiaochen took a seat directly across from Director Zhao. There were plenty of chairs; the Night Watchers had brought only four people, so everyone had a seat and no one was left standing. The three sat behind Hou Xiaochen. Li Hao cautiously pulled his chair further back to stay out of everyone's line of sight, hiding behind Hou Xiaochen and even edging Hao Lianchuan aside. Hao Lianchuan was speechless. What was he doing! Why was this kid acting so strange today? Was he afraid Hu Qingfeng had uncovered yesterday's incident? With Director Hou right here, what was there to fear? He kicked Li Hao lightly. At that moment, the dignitaries were exchanging greetings, though Li Hao had no mind to listen. Hao Lianchuan's voice sounded in his ear: "The one across from us, in front of Deputy Director Zhou, is Director Zhao, Silver Moon's top dog. But that old ghost is no good—stubborn as a mule and always opposing our Night Watchers. If you catch an opportunity and no one's looking, feel free to beat him to a pulp!" Li Hao kept his head down and did not reply. He was pondering a question: if someone was stronger than Hao Lianchuan, could they overhear his voice transmission? Voice transmission was merely an application of energy—a specific frequency of fluctuation and vibration. The weak naturally lacked the ability to analyze, discern, and listen in. What about the strong? Li Hao didn't know. Driven by curiosity, he raised his head and looked toward the old man opposite them. At that moment, the old man wore a faint smile, appearing to look at Hou Xiaochen or perhaps in Li Hao's direction. His eyes held no obvious gleam, bearing an air of weariness. Catching Li Hao's gaze, the old man gave an imperceptible nod. Li Hao froze slightly. Then he glanced at Hao Lianchuan, who was still transmitting his voice: "Don't look at that old codger. He looks kind and benevolent, but he's truly vile, always withholding our resources and expenses..." Mid-sentence, sensing a gaze upon him, Hao Lianchuan looked up. Seeing Director Zhao looking his way, Hao Lianchuan flashed a beaming smile, yet continued transmitting to Li Hao: "See that? The old ghost is polite to everyone, but his heart is rotten to the core!" Li Hao kept his mouth shut. *Understood!* Furthermore... Director Zhao could almost certainly hear him, right? *Hao Lianchuan, you... you're truly something!* And not just Director Zhao—Li Hao suspected that more than one or two people present could hear him. Just then, Hao Lianchuan nudged Li Hao with his foot again: "Look to the left. Those three on the left are the military commanders! The one in the middle with white hair is Commander Yu of the Silver Moon Army. That old man is something else—he fought in wars and even crushed a rebellion. But he's arrogant as hell. The twice I've met him, he wore a frosty demeanor. I hate dealing with him!" Li Hao looked to the left and saw the three of them. He noticed Hu Dingfang looking at him and nodding in his direction. Beside Hu Dingfang sat one of those eye-searing presences. The old man was also looking over, seemingly at Li Hao or perhaps Hao Lianchuan, expressionless and grave. Hao Lianchuan transmitted again: "Look right. See that hulking fellow on the right? Massive frame, burly man. That's the Director of the Inspectorate, our nominal boss. His name is Kong Jie—sounds like a woman's name, funny isn't it? Don't look down on the big guy; he's no pushover either. Peak Solar Radiance, and rumors say he's close to Three Sols, only a step behind me... quite decent!" To the right, the burly director looked their way. Addressing Hou Xiaochen in a lukewarm tone, he said, "Xiaochen, next time we convene, don't bring just any random person along. It's unseemly!" "..." Hao Lianchuan transmitted once more: "He's talking about you! He doesn't know how fierce you are, otherwise..." Li Hao kicked him, inwardly lamenting his fate. *Grandpa Hao, stop talking! Shut your mouth! I'm not fierce, not in the slightest! What am I? A nobody! Pure trash! And he wasn't talking about me, he was talking about you! You're done for!* It was a miracle Hao Lianchuan had survived to this day. Indeed, this man... damn it, among those whose radiance had seared Li Hao's eyes earlier, this director was one of them! Heavens above! What on earth was going on in Silver Moon? Every single one of them blinded him, to the point where he couldn't even look at them directly! Calling it a light cluster didn't feel entirely accurate. Calling it momentum didn't fit either. These people gave Li Hao a terrifying impression, yet classifying them purely as martial masters or supernaturals didn't seem quite right. In any case... his eyes were scorched blind, and his mind was completely overwhelmed. Hao Lianchuan assumed his voice transmissions were impenetrable—and normally, that was true; ordinary Rising Light experts could hear nothing. At that moment, he added another transmission: "That blond guy is Hu Qingfeng, sent from above this time. A Rising Light expert, and the strongest person here besides Director Hou. Just be careful around him!" Li Hao looked toward Hu Qingfeng. This time, his eyes weren't blinded! Looking at Hu Qingfeng: yes, a large light cluster, very powerful. And then... nothing more! Hu Qingfeng wore an icy expression, as if the whole world owed him a debt. Li Hao didn't care. He looked at Hu Qingfeng, then glanced back at the others, sighing inwardly. *This fellow actually came to Silver Moon. Only today do I understand a fraction of what Silver Moon really is.* *This place is sheer hell!* Here, the light clusters of Three Sols were like fireflies! Even Hu Dingfang, a late-stage Three Sols, was hardly noticeable. As for Deputy Director Zhou, from whom he had sensed nothing earlier, Li Hao now doubted himself: *Is there something wrong with my eyesight that I failed to notice anything?* Spending a single minute in this place was sheer torture. As for their side, among the four of them, Hao Lianchuan, who had just stepped into the mid-stage of Three Sols... without the Fire Phoenix Spear in hand, Li Hao felt the man didn't even have the qualifications to sit here! As for himself, Li Hao felt he had slightly more right to be here than Hao Lianchuan. Well, at least he was young! "Everyone is here," Director Zhao spoke at last. His voice was fairly resonant, though he sounded sleep-deprived, as if on the verge of dozing off. "This time, we must establish a clear course of action!" Having spoken, Director Zhao glanced at Hu Qingfeng. "Special Commissioner Hu, we will discuss Director Hou's matter in a moment. First, I would like to address the matter of the three northern provinces. You have no objections, I presume?" Hu Qingfeng replied in a low voice, "None!" "Word arrived last night that the Governor-General of the Three Provinces in the north, Grand General Pacifying the North Kou Shiming, was ambushed and slain in his estate!" Director Zhao coughed, speaking with apparent distress: "General Kou rendered monumental service suppressing rebellions across the three provinces, preserving peace and stability across all nineteen northern provinces and halting turmoil. Yet last night, he was ambushed and slain by scoundrels... Cough, cough, cough... Unbelievable, unimaginable—the entire realm is shaken! "Part of our meeting today is to mourn his passing... Without General Kou in the three northern provinces, unrest will inevitably persist and even spread. We must also deliberate countermeasures to handle the turmoil in those three provinces. Although Silver Moon does not border them directly, we are not far from Heyuan. If Linjiang is threatened, the unrest will soon spill over into Silver Moon!" ... In the back, Li Hao was already dumbstruck. Just moments ago, Director Hou had spoken of this very general. Now, the moment he arrived here, he heard news of the man's death—ambushed and slain! And Director Hou had just returned... Shockwaves crashed through Li Hao's heart. *Heavens above, what godforsaken den have I walked into?* Meanwhile, Hao Lianchuan seemed to have realized something as well, his face turning slightly pale. He had heard Hou Xiaochen earlier too! Could it be... the grand general's fall was connected to Director Hou? Nearby, Commander Yu declared sternly, "There is no need for further words. The Three Great Organizations must be held accountable! I shall petition the Nine Directorates to dispatch troops to encircle and suppress the Three Great Organizations, restoring peace to the north!" Over to the side, the Director of the Inspectorate spoke with absolute calm: "The Director need not worry excessively. As of today, the Inspectorate will mobilize its entire force to eradicate the remnants of the Three Great Organizations! We will ensure Silver Moon's safety. As for the Night Watchers, with Xiaochen present, they can provide deterrence as well. This time, we will round up and wipe out the wicked supernaturals of the Three Great Organizations in one fell swoop. It is fortunate that Special Commissioner Hu is here as well; with a Rising Light holding the fort, we are certain to vanquish the enemy in a single stroke and purge Silver Moon of this bandit scourge!" With two top-tier figures speaking, Hu Qingfeng hesitated, opening his mouth only to remain speechless for quite some time. They had decided the verdict just like that! What was clearly the assassination of a grand general had, in the blink of an eye, been framed as hunting down members of the Three Great Organizations and eradicating wicked supernaturals. Director Zhao frowned slightly, nodding after a pause. "Agreed, but exercise restraint. Be careful not to disrupt Silver Moon's public order or disturb its stability. Remember, the Three Great Organizations maintain only branches here! Even if we eliminate them, it merely treats the symptoms rather than the root cause... Fortunately, Special Commissioner Hu and his team are here. Otherwise, without a Rising Light holding the fort—and with Director Hou wounded despite his formidable strength, leaving it questionable how much power he can actually muster..." At that moment, Li Hao's mouth hung open. He said nothing. He only felt that every single one of these people had a heart as black as coal! Black to the core! Without exception, every last one of them. Looking at Hu Qingfeng again, he suddenly felt that this prominent Rising Light figure looked utterly pitiable. An unbidden wave of sympathy washed over him! The three parties—no, the entire province of Silver Moon—seemed to want him to stay here, refusing to let him leave so he would spill his blood for Silver Moon. Li Hao swallowed hard and lowered his head once more. *I heard nothing, I saw nothing. I am blind and I am deaf.* Director Hou had said going out would broaden his horizons. Li Hao felt his horizons had indeed been broadened today. *This was Silver Moon?* *A barren wasteland for supernaturals?* *A weak province where Three Sols could run amok?* Word had it that in the Central Region, even Rising Lights were great figures who dominated a territory. The Central Region was a land where powerhouses gathered like clouds, and a Rising Light like Hu Qingfeng was someone who commanded respect in his own domain. Yet... why did he seem so desolate here? "Cough, cough, cough..." A cough broke out, followed by a chorus of coughing fits. Hou Xiaochen coughed, and among the other dignitaries, aside from the burly Kong Jie who did not cough, several others began coughing in unison. Including Commander Yu. After coughing for a while, Hou Xiaochen spoke: "The Night Watchers will naturally cooperate with Special Commissioner Hu to encircle and suppress the Three Great Organizations..." Having said that, he added apologetically, "However, carrying injuries as I do, traveling far is inconvenient. If operations require venturing out, Special Commissioner Hu will need to shoulder more of the burden. I will have Deputy Director Hao Lianchuan coordinate with you!" "Cough, cough, cough!" Another round of coughs echoed, turning the conference room into something resembling a hospital ward. Li Hao felt an itch in his throat; he wanted to cough too. Hao Lianchuan's face fell. *How did this end up on me?* Yet the other dignitaries seemed in complete agreement. Li Hao strongly suspected they were simply retaliating on purpose! Yes, taking revenge on someone for brazenly transmitting his voice and running his mouth just now! *You're the one!*