Heavenly Star City was vast—immensely vast.
As a newcomer, Li Hao felt like a complete idiot... There was no helping it; he was thoroughly turned around.
He had asked for directions.
People told him which bus routes to take, how to transfer, and which streets to head toward...
Li Hao understood every word.
And then... damn it all, there were too many vehicles and too many people. He ended up dizzy and completely disoriented.
Just as he was wandering in a daze, a petite girl beside him—looking no older than fifteen or sixteen—suddenly winked and asked, "Hey, brother, need a guide?"
"..."
Another fatty?
Li Hao was suddenly reminded of the one he had met before, his brow knitting slightly.
*Do I really look that gullible?*
*Does every single person want to lure me away to kill me?*
*Damn it, is everyone in the Central Region like this?*
*This is the heart of the Heavenly Star Dynasty. Can people like that operate so openly and brazenly even here?*
A trace of killing intent involuntarily surfaced in his eyes.
A kid this small... Even though Li Hao was only twenty himself, seeing a child this young being so rotten to the core instantly filled him with disgust for the city!
The girl wasn't dressed well. Her clothes were worn and somewhat ragged, but they were washed clean. Even the tears had been mended neatly and embroidered with little flowers, though somewhat clumsily...
Seemingly frightened by Li Hao's gaze, the girl muttered, "If you don't want one, just say so. Why glare at me like you want to kill someone?"
Li Hao exhaled.
Once bitten by a snake, ten years afraid of a rope.
When he had first met that fatty, he had been trusting and believed the world was full of warmth, only to almost be tricked into mining labor. Now, he was naturally much more guarded.
Still, considering this was the imperial capital, and the girl looked... well, what the eyes saw couldn't always be trusted.
At this moment, Li Hao truly was disoriented. Even if she was a scammer, he didn't care. He asked, "Do you know how to get to Nine Departments Avenue?"
The girl's eyes lit up!
"Of course! I'm a living map of Heavenly Star City. I know Nine Departments Street like the back of my hand! Are you just going to one place, or visiting multiple spots?"
"Just Nine Departments Street. If I don't find the person I'm looking for, we'll see."
"One hundred star coins! You cover your own travel fares."
One hundred star coins... In the past, Li Hao would have thought that was a lot, but after arriving in the Central Region, he realized it was truly cheap.
As for hailing a cab... fresh out of the backcountry, Li Hao had no concept of taking a taxi.
In fact, one could easily catch a cab nearby.
However, in White Moon City and Silver City alike, cars were reserved for the wealthy, and wealthy folks didn't drive cabs for a living. For the moment, Li Hao simply hadn't wrapped his head around it.
"Deal!" Li Hao nodded.
The girl glanced at him. *Is this guy an idiot?*
*An out-of-towner?*
*Probably!*
When she heard he was going to Nine Departments Street, she had assumed the deal was dead and lost interest, tossing out an arbitrary price of one hundred star coins. In reality, taking a cab there only cost seventy or eighty... yet this fool had actually agreed!
On second thought, an out-of-towner might not know how much a cab cost.
With that in mind, the girl beamed radiantly. "Then follow me... Nine Departments Street is pretty far. I'll find you a cheap way to travel, guaranteed to save money!"
Li Hao didn't mind either way.
He drew a deep breath. He truly hadn't wanted to come to this godforsaken place. It was built so ridiculously huge that he, the renowned Demon Sword, was actually lost inside a city! If word got out, no one would believe it!
He followed the girl away from the bus stop toward the side.
At this point, Li Hao felt no fear.
He had reached Old Hou's turf. If anyone dared try to scam him again, he would cut them all down with a single slash, then toss the mess to Old Hou to clean up!
He knew many people wanted him dead!
Yet Li Hao understood something even better: those major factions still cared about a shred of face. As a member of the Nine Departments and a Senior City Inspecting Commissioner, they wouldn't dare—and couldn't—touch him through official channels!
It was precisely because he had thought this through that Li Hao dared come to Heavenly Star City.
As for underhanded schemes... Li Hao was considering those as well.
With Southern Fist and Hou Xiaochen present, if things truly escalated into a brawl, he would take responsibility for suppressing the seals. Once those two broke free of their constraints, they wouldn't necessarily fear any Divine Abilities stage cultivators.
Mulling this over, he followed the girl into a small alley.
A cold sneer rose on his lips...
The next instant, the smile vanished.
He was utterly speechless!
The girl wheeled out a rather battered bicycle from the alley. Seeing Li Hao's expression, she hastily explained, "Traffic jams! You have no idea how congested it gets on the way to Nine Departments Street! Taking a car takes at least two hours, but biking is super fast—thirty minutes tops... And the fare is low, just give me ten coins!"
"You're giving me a ride?"
"Yeah!" The girl took it for granted. "Of course I'm carrying you! Ten coins is the same as a bus ticket, and buses get stuck in traffic too... I can tell you're from out of town and not familiar with this place. Riding together, I can also introduce Heavenly Star City to you!"
"..."
Li Hao didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
A bicycle... When he used to go to work, he rode a bicycle every day. Poor bike—after all those years of riding, it was now sitting in that big house back in Silver City. He wondered if anyone had taken it over.
"Fine, as long as you get me there!"
Li Hao couldn't be bothered to argue. Riding a bike was fine; he could look around and learn the roads. Otherwise, in this wretched place, if someone hunted him down, he wouldn't even know which way to run.
Even now, Li Hao was already considering his escape routes.
As for why he would be hunted down in Heavenly Star City... who knew?
Overjoyed, the girl hopped onto the bike and patted the back seat. "Get on! Oh, right, you have to hold that dog..."
Then she added, "Where's your luggage?"
"Didn't bring any."
"You don't have any luggage?" The girl was surprised, then quickly understood. "You have a place to stay here, right? You'll have to head back later... You can hire me again on your way back."
Li Hao smiled without replying and sat directly on the rear rack.
He didn't offer to pedal.
He was the paying customer!
Besides, he didn't know the way.
Naturally, judging by her skinny arms and legs, there was a high chance she wouldn't be able to carry him. Between himself and Black Panther, their combined weight was eight hundred jin if not a full thousand.
He hovered slightly above the seat. The girl began pedaling, and after riding for a bit, she turned back. "How come you're so light..."
"Watch the road!"
Li Hao was speechless. A large truck roared past. *Don't you look at the road while riding?*
The girl quickly snapped her attention forward, completely unfazed. She was remarkably bold. Remembering her job as a guide, she lifted her chin. "Look, over there is the most famous place in the Eastern District, the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Hehe... you men all love going there. The whole street is full of them, and I heard the prices aren't bad..."
Li Hao remained impassive.
The girl rode and paused by turns. Even though Li Hao was practically floating, she was thoroughly exhausted. Her physical stamina seemed quite poor. All along the way, she pointed out the surroundings in every direction.
Li Hao listened silently, committing everything to memory.
Soon, the towering high-rises began to thin out.
The girl chattered on, "Nine Departments Street has nine avenues. Which one are you going to? What exact location? Each street is incredibly long... and they lead in different directions."
"The Inspectorate, the Night Patrollers."
"Huh? You're going there?" The girl looked surprised. "That's where the powerful supers stay. Are you looking for someone?"
"Yes."
"Are you a super too?" She paused, then dismissed the thought herself. "Probably not. Supers usually don't dare go over there. Are you looking for a friend or a relative?"
"A friend, you could say."
"Oh, then you better be careful," the girl said, lowering her voice. "I heard a new director arrived at the Night Patrollers a few days ago. He's terrifyingly fierce! Just the other day, he killed a bunch of people... Not only did he kill people, he even went and caused an uproar at the Heavenly Star Academy! That's a royal academy! People say he probably won't live much longer... Your accent sounds like you're from the North. The person you're looking for isn't one of the people he brought along, is he?"
Shuddering slightly, the girl warned, "Let me tell you, you'd better not look for them. The people he brought... folks say none of them should expect to return to the North alive!"
Li Hao frowned. "This is the imperial capital. Are they really that brazen?"
"What about the imperial capital?" The girl scoffed. "Right under the emperor's nose, there are plenty of dark corners! Let me tell you, just last year, a big shot died right outside the imperial palace! They claimed he fell into a sewer and drowned... Hmph, we all know he was a powerful super, who'd believe that! Too bad no one dared investigate. Dead is dead. Word is he was colluding with the imperial family..."
Mid-sentence, the girl clamped her mouth shut. After a moment, she added, "I was just talking nonsense, don't take it seriously. And if you really came from the North, leave as soon as you finish seeing your friend. Your friend isn't a big shot, is he? If he's a nobody, just an ordinary grunt, there probably won't be any trouble."
Li Hao smiled.
This girl had quite the loose tongue.
She dared say anything.
Originally, he had intended to ignore the kid once they arrived, but now he couldn't help asking, "How did you know I needed a guide back then?"
"You look like an out-of-towner at first glance!"
"..."
Was it really that obvious?
Li Hao asked, puzzled, "Is my clothing off? Or what? I thought I looked no different from anyone else at the bus stop."
The girl said dismissively, "There's a huge difference! Other people are either reading the newspaper with their heads down or waiting calmly. Only you were craning your neck in every direction with a look... ahem, a look like you had no clue where to go."
She practically stopped just short of calling him a country bumpkin in the big city.
"And another thing—other people use the crosswalk, but you dashed straight into the street. Looking at you, have you never crossed a road that wide before?"
"..."
Li Hao chuckled. He had been looked down on, but he didn't mind.
"You're this young and already out making a living?"
"Who's young?" The girl puffed up in displeasure, then remembered he was her paying patron and grinned again. "Starting early means earning early to support the family. Isn't that great?"
"True."
"Not going to school?" Li Hao asked. "They say education in the imperial capital is excellent. At your age, shouldn't you be studying?"
"Studying..."
"Tch!" The girl sneered with contempt. "Studying was useful twenty years ago. What good is it now? Unless you get into those super academies, it's useless after you graduate! Becoming an official nowadays doesn't depend on how much you've read or whether you're literate... It depends on how strong you are!"
"If you're powerful, people scramble to hire you! If you're weak, having talent gets you nowhere! Take a teacher from my old school, for instance—the man knew astronomy and geography inside and out, an expert in everything. But the school went bankrupt, and just the other day, I saw him selling vegetables at the wet market."
"Judging by your look, you've read books too? Did you come to the imperial capital looking for a job?"
The girl went on without prompting, "Don't get your hopes too high. Now that supers have risen, ordinary people like us don't stand a chance. Take manual labor—one super can do the work of a hundred of you! For hard labor, they use supers now. In the past, building a house required workers, but now a super gets it done in a couple of moves."
"What's the point of studying? Become a teacher, watch the school go under, and go sell vegetables? Become an accountant? Even if you're great at math, you can't beat a super's hacks. You spend half a day calculating, and they take one glance and know the answer... Hire a super to come once a month, and they'll do a month's worth of your work without charging much."
The girl sighed. "So you see... with the rise of supers, even though there are more high-rises and everything looks more prosperous, people like us have it worse and worse. In the past, we could at least fill our bellies, but now... making a living is too hard!"
Li Hao froze slightly, then nodded.
It was true!
Previously, Hong Yitang had said that super powerhouses ought to do something for the common folk. But now that he was in Heavenly Star City, hearing this girl's words made Li Hao realize that having too many supers actually squeezed the living space of ordinary people.
Manual labor was gone, intellectual work was gone, studying was useless, and putting food on the table was harder than before.
Prices were skyrocketing, and without strength, life could only become more miserable.
Li Hao fell into deep thought.
A moment later, he asked, "Then do you think supers are ultimately a good thing or a bad thing?"
"If I have powers, it's a good thing; if I don't, it's a bad thing!"
The girl didn't hesitate for a second. "Without them, life is miserable! With them, life is comfortable. Those officials ought to restrict these supers instead of letting them steal our jobs!"
"Or find something for us to do. It's not like everyone can become a super... The way things are now, we're all about to starve to death."
Li Hao nodded slightly. That was also true.
By this point, the bicycle had entered an area steeped in an ancient atmosphere.
The girl said, "Get off. In the Nine Departments district, no one is allowed to drive or bike unless they're officials—you can only walk. And don't look around aimlessly, or you might get arrested as a criminal, and then you're done for."
"Oh, and if you see people dressed in fancy clothes, don't stare at them. They're all big shots. If you get hauled off and killed, nothing will happen to them—they'll just pin a charge on you as a member of the Three Great Organizations... No one will right the wrong for you anyway."
Li Hao frowned. "They dare do that right under the nose of the Nine Departments?"
"Of course, as long as they have backing!"
Li Hao's furrowed brow relaxed. True enough, one had to get used to it.
It seemed everyone had already grown accustomed to it.
Privilege had long since seeped into the bones of the people.
Li Hao asked no more questions and stepped down from the bicycle. The girl pushed the bike aside to park it, while Li Hao looked ahead toward a grand thoroughfare leading deep into the district, yawning like a man-eating abyss.
The avenue was remarkably long. There was a street sign at the roadside, but it didn't say Nine Departments Street or Inspectorate Avenue—those were colloquial names.
Its official name was Nine Dragons Street.
Nine dragons spitting pearls, shielding the imperial family.
Of course, what had once been protection had now become encirclement.
Having parked her battered bicycle, the girl quickly jogged back, grinning broadly. "See, I told you it wasn't far! If you had taken a cab, it would've taken at least another hour—the traffic would have choked you to death!"
"By the way, keep an eye on your dog. Don't let it pee or poop here, or there'll be real trouble!"
She gave a few more reminders, pointing ahead. "This is Inspectorate Avenue. Many subordinate agencies of the Inspectorate are located here. The Night Patrollers are up ahead, not far from the Inspectorate headquarters."
With that, she stepped onto the street, keeping to one side rather than walking down the center. She glanced back to remind Li Hao, "Stay on the edge. Only big shots get to walk down the middle. See that? Anyone walking in the center is someone special... Once the day comes when we can walk there, we won't have to live like this anymore."
The sides of the street were somewhat dim.
Aside from government agencies, there were residences and shops here as well. However, in the very heart of this prestigious district, business seemed lackluster and quiet. There were pedestrians along the sides of the road, though many appeared to be tourists like Li Hao, simply coming to gaze at the majestic Inspectorate Avenue.
Meanwhile, Li Hao's eyes were nearly blinded!
So many light orbs!
They were packed so densely that he could barely tell the strong from the weak. The area ahead seemed brighter than broad daylight. He blinked, and the light orbs vanished from his vision.
If he kept looking, he was afraid he might actually go blind.
This was a technique he had only mastered recently. In the past, he could only observe passively, but now he could exert a degree of control, filtering the sight out when he chose not to look.
There were simply too many powerhouses!
It was truly the core of the entire dynasty. This was the headquarters of both the Inspectorate and the Night Patrollers. Who knew how many Rising Light experts were present, perhaps even several Sixth Stage figures.
Yet as Li Hao walked down the street, he also sensed something unusual.
Someone... or rather, some treasure was scanning him.
Was this a surveillance system similar to the one in the Duke's estate?
It made sense. An area this crucial still allowed ordinary pedestrians to walk freely, which meant the Nine Departments possessed enough confidence to resolve any trouble.
However, it was useless against Li Hao.
He was a martial artist, and a powerful one at that.
With the bronze mirror on his person and having absorbed a substantial amount of dark-element mysterious energy, any scan searching him would turn up nothing at all.
He looked around left and right, completely ignoring the girl's advice not to stare.
Having come all this way, curiosity was only natural.
What did a kid know?
The girl didn't seem particularly familiar with the place either. She had a general sense of where the agencies were located, but she clearly rarely visited. Leading Li Hao forward, she whispered cautiously, "This place is full of high-ranking officials and nobles. At the very end is the road to the imperial palace... Don't go wandering off! You can't go over there. The imperial family... just don't go near them, or you're dead meat!"
Li Hao nodded slightly, pulled out two banknotes from his robes, and said, "We've arrived. I know how to get there now. Two hundred star coins—keep the change!"
The girl was overjoyed!
She hastily took the money, patted her pockets, and found she didn't have any change anyway. Blushing slightly, she said, "Then... then I won't stand on ceremony! You're a truly generous brother. If you need anything next time, call on me anytime... Oh, right, my name is Yuqi. I mostly guide clients over in the Eastern District... It's kind of... kind of scary here... If you go to the Eastern District, just ask any kid looking for customers, and they'll know where to find me..."
Without looking back, she spun around and sprinted off, clearly having wanted to flee long ago.
If not to earn a bit of money, who would dare come here?
Li Hao smiled. He had been generous for once—two hundred star coins, after all.
Still, it was rare to meet someone who wasn't a villain, and his mood was quite good. At least she had genuinely guided him all the way here.
He set Black Panther down. Carrying the fellow the entire time was actually quite heavy.
Reaching into his robes, a hat appeared in his hand. He donned the top hat, then flicked his wrist. A sword materialized, instantly transforming into a walking stick... No, a scepter!
Didn't nobles dress like this?
Who knew!
A faint smile appeared on Li Hao's face as he walked toward the distant area where the light orbs had been densely clustered.
There were pedestrians on the avenue as well.
Several inspectors in uniform seemed to be on patrol. Seeing Li Hao's attire and the off-leash Black Panther, they didn't apprehend him as the girl had warned; instead, they simply ignored him.
Anyone walking a dog down Inspectorate Avenue was generally no ordinary person, and no one was eager to provoke them.
Seeing this, Li Hao grew even bolder. He stepped directly onto the center of the avenue, with Black Panther obediently trailing behind.
One man and one dog thus strode down the center of Inspectorate Avenue with complete swagger.
He continued forward for some distance until a massive compound appeared ahead, sprawling over an enormous area. Guards stood on duty outside, wearing the uniforms of the Night Patrollers.
The Night Patrollers' uniforms differed slightly from those of the Inspectorate, but the gap was minimal.
Only a professional like Li Hao could distinguish them at a glance.
Li Hao walked straight toward them. Outside the main gates stood a full six supers on guard duty. Their strength wasn't weak, though not overwhelming either—all at the Solar Radiance stage.
Such a lineup demonstrated the might of the imperial capital.
In Silver Moon, a Solar Radiance expert could serve as a deputy director.
Seeing Li Hao approach with a dog, the supers on duty frowned slightly. Yet seeing how composed and at ease he was, they didn't make a scene. One of them said in a deep voice, "This is a restricted area of the Night Patrollers... unauthorized entry is forbidden! If you have business or a case to report, go to the Inspectorate..."
Li Hao flipped his hand, revealing a medallion—the token of a Senior City Inspecting Commissioner.
Upon seeing the token, the guards froze.
A Senior City Inspecting Commissioner!
That was no low-ranking official. However... this person before them was completely unfamiliar!
Not from headquarters?
From one of the neighboring provinces?
"My lord, you are..."
Someone stepped forward to inquire. Li Hao offered a faint smile. "I'm here to report for duty. The director asked me to come over. Is it too late?"
"The director... May we ask... which director?"
Here to report for duty!
"Director Hou Xiaochen!"
The man paused, then looked startled, not daring to say anything out of line. He hastily said, "Director Hou is working in the Directors' Building!"
He quickly added, "Does my lord require a guide?"
"No need!"
Li Hao declined and strode directly inside. After taking a few steps, he looked back at the guards. "Aren't you going to verify my identity?"
The men at the gate were taken aback. One of them gave a dry chuckle. "No need!"
What a joke!
Who would dare impersonate a Senior City Inspecting Commissioner right at the Night Patrollers headquarters?
If someone did... they would simply be courting death!
Li Hao chuckled as well. Confident enough... but also foolish enough!
If he had truly come to slaughter his way through, even if he died in the end, wouldn't taking down a bunch of them first still pose a threat?
They didn't even verify his identity.
Oh well!
It would be a pleasant surprise for the director.
***
At the very moment Li Hao stepped into the Night Patrollers' compound.
Deep inside, within the Directors' Building.
The chief director, sitting still like a carved Buddha, was currently brewing tea—enjoying Gongfu tea. True to their name, the Night Patrollers operated during the night, so their shifts included working after dark.
However, this chief director had always come in at night merely to drink tea, attending meetings during the day or heading straight home to sleep.
As he was brewing tea, he suddenly lifted his head and looked outside.
A moment later, he tapped lightly on the desk. "Xiao Ye!"
Shortly after, a young woman walked in and said respectfully, "Director!"
The old man continued pouring water over the tea, speaking slowly. "Go check outside and see if Old Qin has arrived. He said earlier he would come over for tea, but I haven't seen him yet... See if something happened to delay him..."
"Understood, I'll go right away!"
The woman didn't argue and walked straight out, though she was puzzled. *Did he?*
*When did Director Qin ever say he was coming for tea?*
*The director is getting senile; his memory is getting worse by the day.*
Leaving the office, she went downstairs and looked outside. Even though she suspected the director had misremembered, she still checked around. Seeing no trace of Director Qin, she was about to check the other directors' buildings when she spotted the figure walking toward her.
In the dead of night... was he insane?
Wearing a trench coat, a top hat, and leaning on a scepter... What was he thinking?
Just as Xiao Ye was mocking him in her heart, the director's voice suddenly drifted down from upstairs. "Xiao Ye, come back up. It seems I misremembered!"
Poking his head out the window, the old man called out. Xiao Ye breathed a sigh of relief. At least he remembered that much.
In passing, the old man glanced toward the walkway ahead.
That single glance caught sight of Li Hao.
A bizarrely styled Li Hao.
The old man was somewhat perplexed and surprised. Looking at the small dog behind Li Hao, his brow involuntarily furrowed slightly. Where had this young man come from, and where had that great demon come from...
Meanwhile, Li Hao also sensed someone looking at him and looked up.
Not far away, in the window of a small building, an old head with graying hair appeared.
Li Hao looked at him and furrowed his brow slightly.
The Night Patrollers were truly not simple!
He didn't see anything unusual, not even with his special vision, but... he could feel it. That... aura of a true powerhouse.
Li Hao gave a slight nod.
In the distance, the old man was astonished. He had sensed him!
Who... was this person?
Entering the Night Patrollers headquarters so openly and brazenly... Looking at his trajectory, he seemed to be heading toward Hou Xiaochen. A martial artist, a great demon, a young man, sword intent...
At this moment, even the old man couldn't help but be shocked!
Him?
No way!
That was impossible!
The remarkably composed old man withdrew his head, feeling disbelief. Returning to his seat, he took a sip of tea, then let out a self-deprecating laugh!
The Demon Sword?
Surely not!
Even he would never have imagined that the Demon Sword would appear openly in Heavenly Star City and walk right into the Night Patrollers headquarters. Yet on second thought, the fellow was a Provincial Governor; by all rights, he was supposed to come here to report for duty.
There was nothing technically wrong with that!
Still... you just caused such a massive disaster in the East...
"Hou Xiaochen, you truly have guts!" he muttered, chuckling silently.
What audacity!
Hou Xiaochen had summoned him here, hadn't he?
Madness!
Not only was Hou Xiaochen mad, but this Li Hao was mad too. Were all these folks from Silver Moon insane?
Summoning Li Hao to Heavenly Star City at a time like this—did they plan to stage a grand war?
Was the death of a former duke not enough? Having arrived here, were they preparing to wage war against every faction in Heavenly Star City?
"His strength doesn't feel weak, and that great demon... isn't weak either! Supposedly a descendant of an ancient demon... But even so, this isn't Silver Moon, nor is it the East!"
Muttering to himself, he took another sip of tea. Secretary Xiao Ye walked back in. "Director, should I contact Director Qin?"
"No need." The old man smiled. "Is Director Huang in?"
"He stepped out."
"Has Dao Sword come out of seclusion?"
"Not yet."
The secretary was puzzled. Usually, the old man never involved himself in administrative affairs. In the past, Director Huang Long presided over everything, and recently Directors Huang and Hou had been clashing. Why was the old man suddenly poking his nose into business?
Something even more astonishing followed. The old man smiled and said, "Later on, tell Director Hou to find some time so we can have a meal together. When he arrived, the department didn't even prepare a welcome banquet... Over the years, I've lacked the energy and neglected these matters, and Xiao Huang was rather negligent as well... A banquet should be held..."
Secretary Ye was completely dumbfounded, but she quickly responded, "Understood. I will go find Director Hou shortly..."
"Mm." The old man nodded slightly. "Wait a little while. Also, bring me all the recent transfer reports and personnel reassignment files."
"Those... are with Director Huang."
"Go ask for them. I want to take a look."
The secretary was astonished beyond measure. What... did this mean?
Despite the endless questions in her heart, she nodded again. "Understood! What if Director Huang's side doesn't agree...?"
The old man smiled. "How could they? Or are you saying... it's time for me to retire?"
The secretary dared not speak another word. An aging tiger still commanded awe.
This man had held the reins of the Night Patrollers for twenty years. It was only in recent years that he had kept silent, doing nothing but drinking tea and reading newspapers, assuming the posture of a retiree. Meanwhile, Huang Long had advanced aggressively, to the point where many Night Patrollers today didn't even know this director's full name.
What was happening tonight?
Filled with endless bewilderment, the secretary took her leave.
Meanwhile, the old man glanced in the other direction and sighed with emotion. It truly was good to be young!
What a terrifying young man!
His strength might not be at the pinnacle, but his sheer audacity was absolutely second to none!
He had even... arrived with a faint, underlying aura of killing intent.
Who did he want to kill?
Who was he planning to slaughter?
Did each generation of Silver Moon martial artists grow madder than the last?
He took a sip of tea. From the liquid, a faint essence of life wafted out. If anyone saw it, their jaw would hit the floor—the Spring of Life!
The old man exhaled in comfort.
Wonderful!
As one grew old, the five viscera suffered terribly. Over these past few years, he had only barely suppressed the damage until now. What relief.
"Just don't make trouble for an old man like me. I'm already at retirement age... That person promoting him to Provincial Governor... truly having nothing better to do!"
He shook his head.
He felt a headache coming on. If a Provincial Governor arrived here, how should he be arranged?
Forget it, let Hou Xiaochen handle it.
*Huang Long, oh Huang Long... It seems you might not be able to accomplish much after all.*
With a soft laugh, the old man closed his eyes to rest his spirit, thinking no further.
The Night Patrollers still bore the surname Yao!
Whether Huang or Hou, both came after Yao. Let the youngsters make their noise!
***
*Knock, knock, knock!*
A knock sounded at the door.
Chief Steward Yu was puzzled. Who could it be?
At this hour!
Meanwhile, Hou Xiaochen's brow knitted slightly. He wasn't entirely certain—or rather, he didn't dare believe it. He simply kept his eyes fixed on the door, his brow tightly furrowed.
*Knock, knock, knock!*
The knocking sounded again.
Chief Steward Yu rose after all. This was the Night Patrollers headquarters, so there was no real danger, but... who would seek out the director this late at night?
She walked over and opened the door.
The first thing that met her eyes was a tall top hat.
Chief Steward Yu froze.
The next instant, her expression shifted abruptly, her body tensing as inner force surged to the surface. Yet a familiar voice rang in her ears.
"Chief Steward Yu, long time no see!"
With that, the person spread his arms wide, stepped forward, and pulled Chief Steward Yu into an embrace, laughing heartily. "I've missed you to death! A day apart feels like three autumns! I imagine Chief Steward Yu missed me terribly as well!"
Chief Steward Yu's entire body went rigid!
She didn't utter a word, struck dumb with shock.
Did... did she hear wrong?
Li Hao!
Was that Li Hao's voice?
Just moments ago, she had been talking about Li Hao, and in the blink of an eye, she heard his voice. This was... an illusion!
The next moment, Li Hao released her, stepped forward, took off his hat, and bowed with grand elegance. "Commander Li Hao pays respects to the Director!"
"..."
Hou Xiaochen picked up his teacup and took a sip, suppressing the flare of temper that had erupted in an instant—or rather, not temper, but an incredible, uncontrollable sense of bafflement and bewilderment.
For a moment, he thought he was back in Silver Moon.
Li Hao... had come!
A man hunted by the entire world had actually come.
Reckless, brazen, and swaggering, he had knocked on the door in plain sight, walked into his office, and announced... he had arrived!
Behind him, Jade Rakshasa rubbed her stiff cheeks.
She moved to close the door and enter the room... only for the door to be nudged open.
A dog looked at her with an innocent expression.
*Are you blind?*
*I haven't come in yet!*
Chief Steward Yu seemed to understand the look. Feeling stiff, she stared at the dog... Black Panther... that descendant of an ancient demon?
But... why had it turned into a tiny puppy?
At this moment, her aloof demeanor was completely gone. Feeling stiff and on the verge of collapse, she retreated silently to her seat. Sitting there, she stared at Li Hao, stared at Black Panther, and stared at the director... *Director, stop drinking tea! Aren't you shocked?*
Having waited without receiving a response, Li Hao straightened up, looking somewhat perplexed. "Was the etiquette improper? Is the director not happy to see me?"
"Happy..."
Hou Xiaochen set down his teacup and smiled, his expression rather stiff. "Quite happy. How did you get here?"
"By vehicle. A bicycle, to be precise."
"Then... have you eaten dinner?"
"Not yet."
"Care to have a bite?"
Li Hao considered it and nodded. "Sure. The director hasn't eaten either, right? My treat—though prices here are quite steep. Having someone ride me over on a bicycle actually cost two hundred coins..."
It was Hou Xiaochen's first time encountering someone like this. For a moment, he was at a loss for words before finally managing, "No matter. Put it on the department's tab!"
"Hahaha, Director, how generous!"
*This counts as generous?*
Hou Xiaochen sighed helplessly. After a long pause, he exhaled. "Your arrival... is truly... truly... a cause for... celebration!"
Li Hao grinned radiantly. "Mm-hmm, I think so too! I knew the director would be thrilled! Even though I'm a month late, I still made it. Seeing the director again instantly gives me such a sense of security!"
"Heh!" Hou Xiaochen laughed.
Chief Steward Yu laughed as well, shaking her head helplessly. What kind of conversation was this?!
The director had probably been thrown completely off balance!
For a time, three people and one dog in the office stared at one another with wide eyes, falling silent.
Li Hao simply waited for Hou Xiaochen to stand up so they could go eat.
There were too many loose tongues around here. Finding a quiet place for a meal was ideal, especially since it could be reimbursed.
Yet... why was he just sitting there?
Hou Xiaochen was digesting the reality, processing his thoughts... After a long while, he smiled.
Since he was already here... could he really chase him away?
It was fine that he had come!
Exhaling a long breath, he looked at Li Hao again, his smile no longer stiff. "Let's go, time to eat! Little Li Hao has arrived, and my heart is deeply comforted! Xiao Yu, make a reservation for a feast... We're going to Nine Dragons Pavilion!"
Chief Steward Yu gasped!
Was he out of his mind?!
What kind of place was Nine Dragons Pavilion?
That was... where the big shots of the Nine Departments went to mingle and seek amusement!
Taking Li Hao there... did he think they didn't have enough trouble already?
Her head throbbed with a splitting headache!
At this moment, she suddenly missed Silver Moon.
Chapter 203