The Central Region was vast, encompassing twenty-two provinces and over a thousand cities and towns of various sizes, with a population far denser than that of the bitterly cold North.
Its registered population exceeded two billion. In truth, censuses in this era were far from thorough. Out-of-the-way corners were never counted at all, and plenty of local officials were notoriously unreliable, so the actual population far surpassed two billion.
The land area of the entire Central Region was equally staggering.
Southern Fist had once told Li Hao that in the Central Region, cities formed entirely of supers had even emerged.
Mysterious energy was dense here, giving birth to an unimaginably large number of supers. It was said that at least one super appeared for every thousand people on average. Of course, that was according to Southern Fist's math, and Southern Fist was terrible at arithmetic, so Li Hao doubted the fellow's estimate was entirely accurate.
Going by that ratio, the Central Region had over two million supers!
Two million supers?
What kind of scale was that?
At the very least, Li Hao had never seen so many supers in his life... Well, the most he had ever witnessed was recently in Battle Heaven City, where supers had converged from across the North, ultimately numbering nearly two thousand.
And that had been drawn from nineteen northern provinces. Even if it hadn't been everyone, plenty of rogue cultivators had shown up, yet that was all they amounted to.
Over two million supers in the Central Region... and the number grew each year rather than staying static. Barring major wars, the rate of increase was rapid, so there might be even more. Wouldn't that mean each province had over a hundred thousand supers?
And that was only counting supers, not martial masters.
In all of vast Silver Moon, how many supers were there?
Even if Silver Moon was an impoverished wasteland, the disparity shouldn't be so absurd.
Thus, carrying a mix of skepticism and curiosity, Li Hao officially stepped into the boundaries of the Central Region from Dongbin.
...
Dongbin itself belonged to the Central Region.
However, the Central Region was divided into tiers. Within its twenty-two provinces was the Circum-Heavenly Star Zone—the sphere radiating outward from Heavenly Star City—surrounded in the four directions by the Four Peaks Provinces:
Dongyue, Nanyue, Xiyue, and Beiyue.
Only upon entering the Four Peaks Provinces did one truly reach the Circum-Heavenly Star Zone. These four provinces served as the gateway provinces to the Central Region's core. As for Dongbin, it was situated too far along the coast.
Right now, Li Hao's destination was Dongyue Province on the periphery of Heavenly Star City.
To the people of the Central Region, only the areas within the Four Peaks counted as the true Central Region in their hearts. Unlike people like Li Hao, who referred to the entire Heavenly Star continent as the Central Region, an elaborate pecking order of disdain existed throughout the dynasty.
Heavenly Star City looked down on everyone. The provinces within the ring of the Four Peaks looked down on those beyond it. Those in the Central Region outside the Four Peaks looked down on the four peripheral lands.
And among the four peripheral lands, the other three joined together to look down on the bitterly cold North.
The North looked down on Silver Moon at its northernmost edge.
Within Silver Moon, people looked down on Silver City at its very, very, very northernmost tip—small, impoverished, and dilapidated...
Once in Silver City, there was no one left to look down on. The Dali Dynasty seemed to have vanished many years ago; otherwise, they might have looked down on the barbarians farther north.
This pecking order left Li Hao utterly exasperated.
So when he walked into a central city wearing northern-style clothes and found himself greeted with contemptuous glances from passersby, their expressions seemed to sneer: *Where did this northern barbarian crawl out from?*
Naturally, Li Hao didn't pay it any mind.
This was practically his first time entering a city in the Central Region and seeing what ordinary life was truly like here.
It was not a large city, feeling comparable in size to Silver City.
Yet it looked considerably wealthier, with numerous tall buildings and a splash of color... Silver City, by contrast, seemed cast in drab shades of gray and white. Silver City was harsh and frigid, though Li Hao thought it wasn't bad—no one froze to death, and no one starved, which was already decent enough.
Compared to this place, however, even this modest little city possessed something of Nandu's bustling prosperity.
And Nandu was the largest port city in Silver Moon.
*Old Hong lied to me.*
The thought crossed Li Hao's mind.
Old Hong had claimed that war had already broken out in the Central Region, that chaos reigned and the common people were destitute. He had painted an impression that the Central Region was in dire straits. Yet here was this little city, looking so prosperous.
A sense of doubt crept over Li Hao.
The coastal areas of Linjiang were wretched—he had seen that with his own eyes.
Officials colluded with bandits, slaughtering innocent civilians to claim rewards; it had been exceptionally bleak.
Yet the Central Region didn't seem wretched at all!
The sympathy he had previously felt for the Central Region and its people evaporated in an instant. Add to that the disdainful looks he was receiving, and Li Hao felt thoroughly misled and deceived by Hong Yitang.
Who claimed the Central Region was suffering?
Even with another thirty years of development, Silver Moon might not catch up to this small city.
Look at them: every single one of them was well-fed and sleek-skinned. Where was the misery?
Li Hao felt like a country bumpkin arriving in the big city. In truth, he was one; even a native of White Moon City coming here would be dismissed as a bumpkin by the locals.
He was strolling along the street, glancing left and right.
To any onlooker, he looked like a greenhorn, likely a northerner down here to scrape together a living.
As for the dog padding beside him, who knew what ditch he had pulled that stray out of? A savage paired with a mongrel—a perfect match.
"Hey there!"
At that moment, a voice called out from behind Li Hao. A chubby middle-aged man was beaming warmly. He gave Li Hao a good first impression, reminding him a bit of Hao Lianchuan.
Fatty Hao was fond of smiling like that too.
"Little brother, you from the North?"
Li Hao naturally didn't recognize him, but since he was a stranger in an unfamiliar place, and traveling ten thousand miles was part of his martial cultivation, he nodded and returned the smile. "Sharp eyes, brother!"
"Hahaha! One look and I could tell you're a northern lad—lean, muscular, clearly capable!"
The fat man chuckled genially and asked with warmth, "First time in the Central Continent? Looking for work? Do you have any acquaintances here?"
"No, just passing through to look around..."
"No acquaintances?"
The fat man chuckled. "Then it won't be easy to make a living, little brother. The Central Region is quite insular. Northerners have a tough time finding jobs here. Having fellow townsfolk to lend a hand makes things a bit better."
At that point, the fat man smiled. "Still, you strike me as an honest young man with plenty of strength. How about coming to work for me? Four thousand star coins a month, room and board included!"
Li Hao inhaled sharply.
That high?
He genuinely meant it.
Back when he worked as a civil servant in Silver City as an inspector, his intern pay was a thousand star coins a month. It rose to two thousand once he became permanent, and only after being promoted to first-class inspector did he reach a salary that high.
Here... any odd job paid four thousand star coins?
"Thank you, but there's no need!"
Li Hao generally held a soft spot for fat people, and this man was enthusiastically offering him a job. Even if it was manual labor and might not be top dollar, it suddenly made him feel that the Central Region was quite a pleasant place.
Of course, asking him to take a regular job was a joke.
Who was he?
A provincial vice-director of the Night Patrollers, a Senior City Inspecting Commissioner. If the top official of this small city came out, there was a ninety-nine percent chance his status wouldn't even match Li Hao's.
Work for someone?
In this lifetime, working a job was out of the question.
Well, currently he was still working for the dynasty.
If Silver Moon ever rebelled, he might have to work for Silver Moon. Still, working for the authorities was comfortable; even if he never showed up and skipped work every day, Li Hao knew his paycheck wouldn't be docked a single coin.
The fat man didn't mind his refusal and asked with a smile, "So little brother's here for sightseeing? Don't go wandering around too much lately. Inside the city is fine, but outside it's a mess. Supers have risen up and run rampant, killing people left and right! Coming down from the North, you must have suffered plenty along the way. To make it here alive is good luck. I heard there's a huge war over by the North Sea too; a few days ago, city-destroying bombs were dropped... turned heaven and earth upside down... Sigh, it's us ordinary folk who suffer."
Li Hao nodded. The Central Region was truly impressive—even people in a small city knew what was happening in the North Sea. Frankly, back in Silver City, he hadn't known jack about the Central Region's affairs.
"If you're sightseeing, I know this place like the back of my hand. Where are you headed? I can drive you."
He pointed toward a car not far away and smiled. "That's my car. I've always had a soft spot for folks from the North—my wife's a northerner, you see. Hop in, little brother, we can chat along the way! Wherever you're going, I'll take you!"
"Really, there's no need!"
Li Hao chuckled. This was the first time he had met someone so enthusiastic.
"Don't be shy! It's on my way, and I'm free right now anyway. I came out to hire a few hands for the factory, but at this hour it's tough to find anyone, so I was about to head back... Where are you going, little brother?"
"I really don't need a ride..."
Li Hao declined again, but the fat man feigned displeasure. "Aren't you being too distant, little brother? Away from home, one relies on friends. Just think of it as making a friend. Or do you look down on your big brother?"
Li Hao was rendered speechless.
*We don't even know each other!*
Yet the man was so hospitable. He thought for a moment and said, "I'm heading south toward the Four Peaks Provinces to see the Circum-Heavenly Star Zone..."
"South?"
The fat man seemed surprised. "That far... Are you a super, little brother?"
"No, I'm not."
Li Hao smiled. "Just a backpacker. My teacher always said that reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles..."
"A student?"
The fat man was even more surprised. "You're a student? A college student?"
Li Hao pondered for a second and nodded. "Sort of. A student from a minor academy."
From the Silver City Ancient Academy.
If he hadn't dropped out, he would be nearing graduation by now.
The fat man beamed. "Pardon my lack of respect! A scholar, no less! I don't have much schooling myself. I know the North—pardon my bluntness, but it's a bitter, impoverished land. For someone to study to your level... that's not easy! Even around here, few get that far."
Sighing in admiration, he smiled again. "Then you really need to be careful. I've heard of scholars traveling the world... but it's dangerous out there... How about this: I'll give you a lift over to the southern district. If you want to leave the city, you can just head straight south from there; if not, you can enjoy yourself around the southern district for a bit..."
"Thank you!"
Li Hao laughed. The man was certainly warm.
He followed the fat man to the parking spot. Opening the car door, he saw another man inside, looking to be in his thirties, seated in the back. The fat man introduced him: "Our factory accountant. Came out with me to recruit workers. What a shame you're leaving, little brother. If you stayed, a college student like you... you could be my cashier, and I'd give you eight thousand a month! Educated people are hard to find these days."
The man in the car gave Li Hao a slight nod and shifted over, freeing up some space on the seat.
Li Hao didn't think much of it at first. A moment later, his brows furrowed slightly—a flicker that vanished instantly. Without saying anything, he got in, and Black Panther climbed in after him.
Seeing Black Panther, the accountant frowned slightly.
Li Hao explained with a smile, "Just a stray dog I picked up along the road. It gets lonely traveling alone, so I brought a dog along. Please don't mind, big brothers. If it's inconvenient, I can get off..."
From the front, the fat man chuckled. "No problem at all! Little brother has a good heart, that's a fine thing! It's just a little dog, looks pretty cute too... Accountant Zhang, make a bit of room for the young man..."
In the back, the man said nothing, merely pressing himself closer toward the door. The car wasn't large, and the back seat had even less room. Black Panther took up some space, and while Li Hao wasn't particularly tall by northern standards, he was quite tall here, making it rather cramped.
The fat man started the car. Accountant Zhang was quiet, but the fat man had plenty to say, chatting amiably as he drove: "Where in the North are you from, little brother?"
"Silver Moon."
"Silver Moon! That's far indeed. I know of it—they used to have martial masters there, rather savage, from what I hear... Of course, that's just hearsay. Are you familiar with martial masters, little brother?"
"Not really," Li Hao said with a smile. "We scholars don't get involved with people like that. We just study in peace, graduate, and find a civil service post. Such matters are far removed from us."
"True enough."
The fat man nodded, his enthusiastic chatter flowing effortlessly. "These days, anyone who can afford an education usually comes from a decent family background. Judging by your looks, little brother, are you from a prominent family back in Silver Moon?"
"Not at all... My grades were decent, so the government provided some stipends, and my family had a little savings left, so I managed to scrape by."
Li Hao humored him with a few replies, but the smile on his face gradually turned slightly peculiar.
At this point, a realization began to dawn on him.
Martial masters, supers, family wealth, friends, hometown connections...
This fat man chatted about anything and everything under the sun. An ordinary person would have been picked clean of every background detail, all while admiring his silver tongue and broad knowledge.
However, why was this car driving further and further out of the way?
Li Hao gazed out the window as the bustle gradually receded.
The clamor steadily faded.
Ah, this prosperous Central Region!
It truly looked nice on the surface.
This fat man seemed nice too, warm and welcoming.
The first impression had given Li Hao a favorable opinion of the Central Region, yet now... a tinge of regret crept in.
"Brother, why aren't we taking the city streets?"
"The streets are too congested. It'd take at least an hour to reach the south district. Taking the outer ring may look longer, but it's much faster..."
Gradually, even the buildings along the sides of the road vanished.
They had reached the outskirts by now, hadn't they?
Li Hao let out a soft breath. Glancing at Accountant Zhang beside him, who hadn't uttered a peep, he smiled and asked, "Brother Zhang, you're an accountant. If there are 81 workers, each earning 3,200 star coins a month, how much in wages do we have to pay out in a month?"
"Huh?"
Accountant Zhang stared blankly, taking a moment to process the question before hesitating. "Does your family own a factory?"
"No, my friend's family does. He always brags about the high wages, so I wanted to calculate how much his family spends on payroll each month..."
Accountant Zhang's eyes darted around. Stammering vaguely, he muttered, "Well... that's not much money really. Eighty-something people, a small factory, there are heaps of them around here..."
*Thump.* The car seemed to jolt slightly.
From the driver's seat, the fat man cleared his throat and smiled. "Accountant Zhang, there's a bottle of water in the trunk. Grab it for me..."
"Oh, right!"
Accountant Zhang twisted around as if reaching toward the back for the water. Li Hao sighed softly and didn't move an inch.
The next instant, a pair of hands wrapped around Li Hao's neck, locking in a death grip with all their might. Gritting his teeth as he strangled Li Hao, he hissed, "Fatty, do we snuff him or take him back? Why strike halfway?"
Without looking back, the fat man driving snarled through clenched teeth, "You idiot! He was already suspicious when he asked you that math question, and you couldn't even give a straight answer... Choke him unconscious and take him back; the mine needs hands! Damn it, those bookworms are full of wicked schemes, and you're too stupid to do simple arithmetic..."
"You think you could do better?" the accountant retorted, his grip surprisingly forceful!
From the look of it, he had some martial training—probably a martial practitioner who hadn't managed to enter the Ten-Slayer realm.
Strangling Li Hao's neck with all his might, he cursed under his breath, "Arithmetic my ass! Little bastard, full of sly tricks..."
Yet gradually, he felt something was wrong.
Why wasn't this guy resisting at all?
It wasn't as if they hadn't done this before. Knocking victims out or killing them en route had happened plenty of times, but people always fought back with whatever strength they had, thrashing and struggling. Yet this one wasn't budging in the slightest.
He leaned down to look at Li Hao's face. The next instant, fright nearly shattered his gallbladder!
Li Hao was staring right back at him with open eyes. Seeing him lean over, Li Hao even smiled. After smiling, he sighed, "What fucking bad luck."
The fat man driving paled and slammed on the brakes!
The next moment, Li Hao reached out and gripped the head leaning over him, crushing it into his palm. Leaning forward simultaneously, his other hand snatched the fat man, who had stopped the car and was about to bolt, dragging him back like a bundle of rags.
With a kick of his foot, he shattered the front seat to splinters.
"Mercy, lord... We're just trying to scrape together a living..."
The fat man wailed in terror, begging for his life.
Li Hao sighed. "Here I was thinking the Central Region was quite nice, so prosperous! The first person I meet is so warm and welcoming, only to find out... this is the business you run."
The fat man frantically pleaded, "Lord, we were wrong, this is our first time—"
"Save it. You two seem plenty experienced."
Li Hao chuckled. As the fat man tried to speak again, Li Hao gave a casual squeeze. *Crack!* The man's hand was pulverized into mush. The fat man screamed, but Li Hao smiled and said, "Scream again, and I'll pop your head like a melon."
The scream choked off instantly. Drenched in sweat and grimacing in agony, the fat man didn't dare make another sound. They were done for!
He knew they had run into a monster.
He had asked again and again: *Are you a super?* No. *Are you a martial master?* No...
*Motherfucker, this brat played us!*
What super or martial master would be this idle?
He had been careful enough!
As for Accountant Zhang, whose skull felt on the verge of splintering, Li Hao casually tossed him to the floor at his feet. The two men ended up piled together, drenched in cold sweat from the pain.
Li Hao frowned slightly. "Speak. Kidnapping and killing people just to mine ore?"
"Y-yes... yes, lord..."
Sweat pouring off him, the fat man stammered through the pain, forcing himself to speak quickly. "Th-this isn't our racket... It's... it's the Inspectorate's racket... The mine is run by the Inspectorate... We're... we're just errand runners..."
"For every person we deliver, we only get... only get two thousand star coins in commission..."
"It's all... all outsiders... Locals... we wouldn't dare touch..."
"Lord... please don't kill us, we're just running errands. You're a great figure, you know what... what the Inspectorate does. There's no need to bring the Inspectorate down on your head over two insignificant bugs like us..."
Li Hao's brow furrowed deeper. "The Inspectorate running a mine? If they open a mine, fine, hire workers! Why abduct people for it?"
The fat man fell silent.
Hearing this, Accountant Zhang hurried to speak up: "To save money! The profit margins are huge... If you kidnap a hundred people, how much is the finder's fee? Just two hundred thousand! But for a hundred people working a mine, could you get away with paying less than three to five thousand a month? That's nearly five hundred thousand in expenses every month... And a hundred people is nowhere near enough. That mine has at least a thousand workers, which would mean millions, tens of millions every month... How much is that in a year? Over a hundred million!"
"Besides, there are plenty of refugees these days. Several cities in the Central Region were destroyed, and refugees are scattering everywhere. The cities are crawling with beggars, thieves, or straight-up bandits... The Inspectorate doesn't have the manpower to handle them all. Rounding them all up to dig in the mines saves money and saves a ton of hassle..."
Li Hao froze.
He asked softly, "Refugees?"
"Yeah! Near us, a city was bombed, leaving at least five hundred thousand people homeless. They had no choice but to flee in all directions... Our place had at least ten thousand flood in... Who has the time to look after them? We can barely handle our own people, and these outsiders are nothing but trouble... Shoveling them all into the mines is good for everyone... They don't starve to death, and we save ourselves the trouble..."
Accountant Zhang was dumber than the fat man, spilling everything in a single breath. Li Hao fell into contemplation. So that was it.
By doing this, the Inspectorate lined its pockets and wiped away trouble in one fell swoop. No beggars, no refugees, no need to provide resettlement, and no headaches over petty crimes throughout the city.
Killing multiple birds with one stone!
No wonder Li Hao had thought this place was so wonderful and wealthy when he entered the city. Back in Silver Moon, there were still beggars, but here... he hadn't seen a single one.
He had even felt public security was exceptional!
How could it not be?
Beggars, refugees, and the like had all been shipped off to the mines.
Li Hao laughed. "The Inspectorate Chief of your city... is quite the talent!"
It was hard to tell whether it was sarcasm or genuine admiration.
A talent indeed!
Naturally, Li Hao wasn't angry. There was no need. He had seen the army colluding with pirates, a ducal mansion keeping pirates as pets, and a governor backing pirates.
What hadn't he witnessed?
This was merely the Inspectorate of a small city whitewashing peace and rounding people up to work in a mine!
And this was just one out of more than a thousand cities in the Central Region.
Perhaps it was merely an exception.
"Where is the mine?"
"Ahead... keep driving... about forty li ahead and you'll reach it..."
Quite a distance.
Li Hao exhaled. Without a word, he stomped down, crushing both men underfoot so hard they couldn't make a sound. Leaning back in his seat, he commanded, "Black Panther, drive. Let's go take a look!"
Black Panther wagged his tail and glanced at Li Hao. Seeing that Li Hao seemed serious... a spark of excitement lit in the dog's eyes. In the next moment, he scampered to the driver's seat, turned the key, ignited the engine, and hit the gas... *Vroom!* The car shot forward!
Black Panther sat up like a human, both paws gripping the steering wheel, looking every bit the veteran driver!
He drove rather steadily.
Li Hao chuckled. Fortunately, no one saw this, or they'd say Li Hao drove worse than a dog.
Even a dog drove better than him!
Truth be told, the dog drove exceptionally well.
As Black Panther drove, he even got into the groove, hooking his tail around the wheel to pull off a drift for Li Hao...
Inside the car, the two men nearly crushed underfoot turned pale with terror, thoroughly petrified.
A demon beast!
A great demon beast!
A great demon beast that understood human speech! People in the Central Region were far more worldly than northerners, and in an instant, sheer panic seized them: this beast was at least at the Solar Flare or Three Suns level!
Li Hao ignored them, sitting silently as if lost in thought.
Half an hour later, with the dog speeding along, Li Hao spotted a mountain. Rather than having the dog continue forward, he had Black Panther stop from a good distance away.
Stepping out of the car, Li Hao waved his hand, and the car vanished.
The two men were terrified!
A storage ring!
That was the hallmark of a true powerhouse.
Li Hao still said nothing. Hoisting the two men by their arms as if handling rags, he gave a firm squeeze, warping their arms like dough so they stayed locked in his grip.
The next moment, Li Hao soared into the sky, while the two men had long since fainted from pain and terror.
...
In midair.
Li Hao gazed down at the mountain. Scanning it, he saw several super guards and possibly a few martial masters. None were particularly strong—either Starlight or Lunar Darkness level; he didn't spot a single Solar Flare.
At that moment, in a settlement area within the mountain:
The area was quite noisy. Li Hao flew closer to take a look; rations were being distributed, and the voices of supers came from here.
A woman was being handed her meal: a single black steamed bun and a bowl of watery porridge.
It would fill a belly enough to keep one from starving.
Yet the woman wept bitterly, wailing to the heavens: "Sir, please give me one more bun... just one... I have three children who are about to starve to death! The oldest can't even move anymore! This little bit isn't enough for four people for a whole day... I won't sleep at night! After washing clothes during the day, I'll work the mines at night... Sir, please, just one more bun..."
"Scram!"
A furious shout rang out. An inspector clad in the uniform of the Inspectorate kicked the woman away, snarling, "Ungrateful wretch! We're giving you a path to survive here; otherwise, your whole lot would have died long ago! Still making demands? Do you think grain comes free? Do you know how expensive grain is right now? What kind of era do you think this is, still trying to raise brats? Three little ones—if they starve to death, so what? If they die of hunger, that's just a few more meals of meat! Out of your damn mind, what are you thinking?"
In the air, Li Hao froze.
He looked down at the scene, thinking to himself: *This is the Central Region, the incomparably prosperous Central Region, the extraordinarily wealthy Central Region.* For a moment, he thought he had heard the voice of a pirate.
When he first encountered the White Shark Pirates, the scene had been much like this.
"Pirates... the garrison... inspectors..."
He turned to look in one direction, toward that small city.
Incomparably prosperous!
Then he looked back here. There were crowds of people, yet it felt as if they belonged to a completely different era.
Here, he saw history—the chaotic times at the end of dynasties recorded in history books, where human lives were treated like weeds.
Yet merely sixty li away stood that bustling little city, bathed in glowing lanterns and wine-soaked revelry.
He shook his head slightly; for a fleeting moment, it felt as though he had traveled across time and space.
"The prosperous Central Region..."
Those words surfaced in his mind.
Then he recalled what Hong Yitang had said: *"The dynasty is about to fall into chaos, the realm is in upheaval, and the people are destitute. This era is beyond saving!"*
Stepping into a city of the Central Region for the first time had taught Li Hao another lesson.
What you see is not necessarily the truth.
Beneath the glittering prosperity lay things too foul to see the light of day.
Those destroyed cities, those fleeing refugees—in the Central Region, they seemed to exist in utter silence.
How many mines like this were there?
How much of this darkness existed?
A faint smile appeared on Li Hao's face. He didn't even know why he was smiling. Again and again, the bottom line was dragged lower; again and again, whenever a flicker of hope ignited within him... it was instantly shattered!
He had thought the Central Region was actually quite nice.
Yet the very next second, these people showed him that the Central Region was darker than he could imagine. The other side of prosperity was malice!
An inspector from the Inspectorate told people not to have children in this era, and if they starved to death, so be it—at least it would provide a few more meals of meat...
Aside from the woman, many people seemed utterly numb!
As if... this place, too, was shrouded in gray.
"Inspectors..."
Li Hao murmured softly, feeling a pang of bitterness. His very first job had been an inspector in the Inspectorate. In truth, he held great affection for inspectors, because those he knew were decent people.
Like Liu Long, Liu Yan, Wu Chao, Kong Jie, Wang Henggang, and so many others...
Back when he wore an inspector's uniform, he had felt proud.
Inspectors drew government pay and didn't have too many worries. Clerical staff did paperwork, while field officers caught thieves and solved cases. The pay was good, and they helped maintain peace in the local area.
The Night Patrollers were far more dangerous, having to battle supers.
Inspectors had it better. While there was still some danger, heinous cases were rare.
Thought after thought drifted through his mind.
In Linjiang, he had thought it was an isolated case because Fan Chang was an evil man.
In Dingbian, where the ducal mansion colluded with pirates, he had thought it was an isolated case because the Xu family was evil.
But here... who wasn't evil?
Was it just this local Inspectorate that was evil?
What about elsewhere?
Taking a deep breath, Li Hao flew away.
Yes, he simply flew off!
What could he do?
Nothing at all.
Kill these inspectors?
What good would that do?
None whatsoever!
Moreover, there were over ten thousand people in the mine! This was the Central Region—could he escort them all back to Silver Moon?
Don't be ridiculous!
So... better to go kill the Inspectorate Chief of this place. If that wasn't enough, kill more—wipe out the higher-ups and let a new batch take over. Who knew if things might improve a little?
At this moment, Li Hao had no idea how to deal with this.
Even with his immense strength!
Facing a mine of over ten thousand people, he was powerless on his own. He couldn't accomplish anything meaningful. Killing the inspectors there might even trigger catastrophic consequences.
He knew what might happen. To cover everything up, perhaps... the entire mine would be collapsed.
Everyone would vanish, buried under a cover-up.
He used to think that was impossible... Now, he knew anything was possible.
The only way was to eliminate those leaders without involving the mine, bringing in a new batch. Perhaps things would be marginally better, and even if not... it could hardly get any worse.
This was the first such place he had seen, but it certainly wouldn't be the last.
Li Hao truly could not manage the life and death of countless souls; he was powerless.
...
That night, a group of people died silently in this small city of the Central Region.
The fat man and Accountant Zhang pointed them out to Li Hao one by one.
Every one of those who did evil, Li Hao killed.
The strongest among them was merely at the Three Suns realm; against Li Hao, none could escape.
That very night, Li Hao left the small city. The fat man and the fake accountant were incinerated into nothingness by Li Hao's flames. He resumed his journey south.
As for the future of that small city, he did not know.
As for what would become of the ten thousand refugees in that mine... he did not know either.
At this moment, he understood Hong Yitang's struggles and agony. Saving one person was easy; the hard part was how to resettle them, how to rekindle their hope.
The hard part was helping thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands...
A single small city had ten thousand people suffering.
How many were suffering across a thousand cities?
The mere thought struck Li Hao with horror!
This dynasty was like a cage.
Hong Yitang actually aspired to be a savior... Just thinking about it made Li Hao shudder with dread. It was terrifying.
He admired the man's great willpower, iron determination, and immense spirit... but he believed there was no hope!
"There is no hope!"
"Seeing the whole from a part, peering at a leopard through a tube... and this is the extraordinarily prosperous Central Region, just a small city of a million people!"
"Old Hong... you're better off staying a simple martial master."
Li Hao mumbled as he walked.
Master had the right idea!
He should learn from Master: roaming the world with a beauty by his side.
Master was right. My urgent priority is still seeking revenge against Red Moon. Leave this grand mission to Hong Yitang.
I'm just a minor martial master!
A few days ago, on the day he slaughtered the pirates, he had felt he had the potential to be a savior. He had killed corrupt soldiers and pirates, then dumped the people on Sword Gate—a job well done.
Yet today... that notion had been thoroughly extinguished.
And yet, at this moment, a fire of rage ignited within Li Hao's chest.
The Inspectorate... how could they act like this?
I'm an inspector myself, and a high-ranking member of the Night Patrollers! How can they do this!
"Did the current head of the Inspectorate grow up eating shit? He can't even manage this!"
"'Upholding public order, preserving peace in the land'... What garbage oaths!"
Li Hao grumbled relentlessly.
That was the oath sworn upon joining the Inspectorate. He had sworn it himself, reciting it loudly alongside a crowd with fervent passion.
"So... I want to go to Heavenly Star City and see for myself!"
Li Hao looked south, looking toward the center.
I want to see what kind of people rule this dynasty, this realm! Right under your noses, are you all blind?
When a great war breaks out in the East, you know of it instantly.
When a single super dies in Silver Moon, you learn of it in a flash.
Your eyes aren't blind!
The moment a ruin appears, you know faster than dogs! When a treasure is unearthed, the whole world knows an hour later! You're so eager to build that useless three-hundred-li cross-sea bridge, yet how can you fail to see right under your noses that black mine where people are driven to eat their own children?
"Heavenly Star City... wait for me!"
Suddenly, Li Hao stopped scouring around for people from Red Moon. He wanted to go to the wealthiest, most powerful, most vibrant place in the world, the place with the largest population and the most experts, and see it for himself.
Was it dangerous?
Extremely dangerous!
Yet... what did it matter?
Teacher had said to step out and see more—that this world was fascinating. Indeed, it was fascinating—so fascinating that the moment he set foot in the Central Region, he had witnessed such a grand drama.
A smile touched Li Hao's face.
Then I... shall go see the most prosperous place in this world, the most fascinating place!
...
At the same time.
Heavenly Star City.
The Inspectorate.
Someone reported, "Over in Yaohai Province, in a small subordinate city called Jiyue City, the Inspectorate's chief, deputy chief, law enforcement captain, and vice captain... were all killed overnight!"
"The report states it was likely the work of a powerful figure, possibly no weaker than Three Suns."
"Oh, noted. Have Yaohai hunt down the killer."
"Understood!"
With just a few simple words, the matter was dismissed, never to be mentioned again. For the immense Inspectorate, this was far too trivial. Overseeing ninety-nine provinces and thousands of cities, the death of a minor city's Inspectorate chief could simply be handled locally; no one cared to ask further questions.
Especially in this era, where human lives were treated like weeds.
Just like Mu Sen being killed in Silver City... at most, Silver Moon might care a little, but in distant Heavenly Star City, who would give a damn?
...
At the same time.
Elsewhere.
Hou Xiaochen flipped through documents and looked up at Chief Steward Yu. "Any news on Li Hao's whereabouts?"
"None."
"That rascal..."
Hou Xiaochen frowned slightly. "Vanished just like that! Hong Yitang and the others aren't even heading back. Word is that Yuan Shuo's whereabouts have been discovered; he's off looking for the Jade Light Sword again. Yet Li Hao... has gone completely missing!"
It was laughable!
The Li Hao watched by the entire world had simply disappeared, and stranger still, not a soul had spotted him, despite numerous factions searching high and low.
Chief Steward Yu remarked, "He might have returned to Silver Moon. He's not stupid; he knows how dangerous it is out there."
Hou Xiaochen nodded slightly, then added with a touch of uncertainty, "The kid vanished near Dongbin. He wouldn't have run off to the Central Region, would he?"
Chief Steward Yu let out a laugh. Rarely one to smile, she couldn't help saying, "How could he? The Central Region is perilous, with countless people wanting him dead. Even you, Minister, walk on thin ice here... If you ask me, the fellow is shrewd enough not to come."
"He ran off to the East before—who would have believed that?"
Hou Xiaochen chuckled as well. After a thought, he said, "Forget it. If he's vanished, so be it. Even if he comes to the Central Region, he won't enter Heavenly Star City. Wandering around the periphery wouldn't be bad either—let him take in the sights of the Central Region... Once he returns, he'll be promoted to Provincial Governor. Old Zhao and the others will most likely have him take over my position, which isn't a bad prospect."
Chief Steward Yu said nothing, though she found the thought of Li Hao taking over Hou Xiaochen's post somewhat awkward.
Of course, that was a matter for Director Zhao and the others, nothing to do with her.
At this moment, even Hou Xiaochen did not believe Li Hao would come to Heavenly Star City.
The very heart of the dynasty!
Here, the Nine Departments, the imperial family, great clans, and divine mountains formed an immensely tangled web of factions, where monstrous Heaven-Blessed Divine Masters roamed. Even someone like him had to tread cautiously; any arrogance had to operate within the bounds of the rules.
Countless people wanted to devour Li Hao alive.
If Li Hao came here, not even Hou Xiaochen could shield him.
Earlier on, there might have been a chance, but now that certain functions of the Li Family Divine Sword had been exposed and Xu Qing had been slain, Hou Xiaochen felt fortunate that the kid hadn't accompanied him to the Central Region. Otherwise, cleaning up his messes might have cost Hou Xiaochen his very life.
Thoughts swirled in Hou Xiaochen's mind as he rubbed his temples.
It was truly difficult here.
Every single step required triple the caution. The waters of Heavenly Star City were too deep.
For now, what was lacking was an opportunity to break the stalemate.
He turned over schemes in his mind: should he push those monstrous geniuses to cross the line?
The only question was... would it work?
Would they dare?
Chapter 201