Be a Good Person

Inside the massive private suite, the dishes were served, and the group set to eating and drinking. Hou Xiaochen's decision to pick a fight with the Department of Finance was clearly no spur-of-the-moment whim. He had merely been waiting for an opportune moment—and now, he believed that moment had arrived. As for whether deeper schemes lay behind it, Li Hao had no way of knowing yet. He simply weighed the gains and losses as he ate and drank. Hou Xiaochen wanted to use him as the blade to break through the deadlock. Why him, though? Were Golden Spear and Jade Rakshasa really that weak? Setting Golden Spear aside, once Jade Rakshasa unsealed herself, she was bound to be formidable. If that was the case, why use Li Hao as the blade? Because he happened to arrive just in time? Not necessarily. Li Hao ate until grease coated his lips, tossing a few scraps to Black Panther as well. He spent half the meal eating and the other half turning the matter over in his mind. Should he act as this blade? Was it worth the trouble? After a long while, an idea began to take shape. Perhaps… if he truly wanted to open his eyes and see the world, he needed to step into the fray himself. At present, he might not see the whole picture clearly. Yet he knew Hou Xiaochen wouldn't dare recklessly throw him under the bus. Yuan Shuo, Hong Yitang, the Bright Light Sword—all of them stood behind Li Hao as his backing. If Hou Xiaochen got Li Hao killed, even if his schemes succeeded, he would gain nothing. It would only tear Silver Moon completely apart, widening the rift between the Silver Moon martial arts world and the Silver Moon authorities beyond repair. With his mind made up, Li Hao emptied his bowl of soup in a single swig, let out a satisfied burp, and looked up with a chuckle. "Chief, just this little task? We take back the Heavenly Star Colosseum for the Night Patrollers and call it a day?" "Naturally not." Hou Xiaochen had finished eating long ago and was leisurely sipping his tea. "Giving them fair warning served two purposes. First, if they obediently surrender control of that sector, that would be the ideal outcome. "Second, if they refuse, they will naturally resist with everything they have—a full counterattack! It will come from every front: the official sphere, the shadows, the common populace, the nobility… It wouldn't even be surprising if the Three Great Organizations sent assassins after you. During their counterattack, you seize the opening and strike them down with thunderous force!" Hou Xiaochen smiled, an icy glint in his expression. "As long as you catch the right opening without leaving any dirt on yourself, you can beat them like a drowned dog. Countless people are just waiting for a chance to tear down one of the Nine Departments! "As for the exact execution, handle it as you see fit! "Whether you contain it quickly, let it spread, drag more people into it, or wrap it up sloppily… any of it works! "Different degrees of action bring different consequences. If your goal is simply to secure a foothold in Heavenly Star City, stick to simple measures: take out their largest stronghold. That will be far easier." Li Hao understood. Hou Xiaochen was gauging how far he could go and how far he was willing to go. Different degrees of aggression would naturally invite different levels of retaliation. And Hou Xiaochen would only step in for anything beyond the Transmutation stage. Evidently, he was also testing Li Hao's limits. After another bite, Li Hao began sipping tea as well. Pondering for a moment, he asked, "What about backup?" "That's up to you. If you can mobilize the Night Patrollers, go right ahead. If you can't… well, that just means you lack the skill. On my end, you already know the Martial Guard Army. Aside from Golden Spear, who has enough strength to lend a hand, we lack top-tier experts!" The Martial Guard Army didn't have many high-level experts. Golden Spear counted as a Rising Light; the others, like Mu Lin, fell a bit short. As for Chief Steward Yu, she was Hou Xiaochen's secretary and naturally had to stay at his side. Thinking of this, Li Hao chuckled and nodded. "Understood!" In other words, no help at all. He was entirely on his own! Old Hou really… really thought highly of him. *** Meanwhile. The news exploded across the capital in an instant. The Demon Sword had entered the imperial city! Li Hao had arrived in Heavenly Star City. Even more shocking was that Hou Xiaochen had declared war on the Department of Finance right inside the Nine Dragons Pavilion! Yes, an outright declaration of war! It was only over the Heavenly Star Colosseum, yet the moment it reached everyone's ears, it sounded like nothing less than an open challenge. It bluntly told the Department of Finance: if you know what's good for you, step down gracefully. If not, we will purge you by force! As the empire's sole legal law enforcement agency, the Night Patrollers held the moral high ground and formal authority. But nominal authority needed real strength to back it up, and the formidable power required to stand as one of the Nine Departments was beyond question! *** Inside the Inspectorate. A high-ranking official, his face somewhat pale, hurried into the grand conference room. The youthful-looking Director of the Inspectorate was already there. Seeing the official's pale complexion, the director chuckled. "Heard the news?" "Y-Yes!" "It's fine. What's there to panic about?" The director laughed softly. "It has nothing to do with us. This is Hou Xiaochen declaring war. Besides… whether he succeeds is another story. What are you panicking for? Hou Xiaochen brought the Demon Sword Li Hao in—how amusing. Does he think Li Hao can suppress everything, or does he think… he himself can cover all the fallout?" At this point, he gave a faint scoff. "Let them play their games! That fellow didn't give any advance warning, just transferred Li Hao over directly. Does he think he can borrow the momentum from Li Hao wrecking the Duke of Dingguo's estate to intimidate everyone? If that's what he's planning… Hou Xiaochen is being far too naive!" He frowned slightly. "The Heavenly Star Colosseum involves far too many things and extends far too wide! Where do the supers and demons inside come from? The countless natural treasures involved are an issue too. The clandestine profits tied to that place are staggering! The wealth there dwarfs what was seized from Xu Qing's stronghold… Aside from the Four Seas Merchant Group, the Heavenly Star Colosseum is Director Liu's largest source of revenue. Back in the day, he even surrendered other privileges just to secure that territory…" Smiling faintly, he added, "Never mind. Let's sit back and watch the tigers fight from the mountain." Below, an expert asked in a deep voice, "Director, what if… we get dragged into it?" The director smiled. "How could we? If they fail… the two of them can take the blame! If they succeed, that's fine by us too. If they can truly run Liu ragged until he can't resist stepping into the ring himself… we'll make our move. Even if we can't wipe out the Liu clan, we can shave off thirty percent of their strength and swallow half the Department of Finance!" The director laughed heartily. "It's a good thing! Think about it—if they fail, we bear no responsibility; if they succeed, we step in to claim our share of the spoils. What is that if not a good thing? "If the Silver Moon martial masters are willing to serve as my blade, I certainly won't complain!" Evidently, he saw through many of the undercurrents. Yet just as Hou Xiaochen had said: as long as the profit was large enough, what did it matter if they were Silver Moon martial masters? They could still be protected! The prerequisite was that they couldn't bring only trouble without any profit. Otherwise, no partnership would ever last. Another voice chimed in grimly, "Over at the Night Patrollers, they approved Li Hao's appointment as Heavenly Star Vice Governor-General. Is our Minister Yao finally growing restless after staying quiet for so long?" "Hahaha, hard to say!" "What about Huang Long?" someone laughed. "Will Huang Long get involved? Even if he doesn't join in, he won't just sit by and watch Hou Xiaochen succeed, will he? If Hou Xiaochen secures his footing, Huang Long's position will become precarious!" Clearly, these people saw everything as plain as day. From the head of the table, the Director of the Inspectorate said casually, "Let them fight amongst themselves! If the Silver Moon martial masters can't even beat Huang Long or take down the Heavenly Star Colosseum… backing Silver Moon would be asking for trouble. We wouldn't need to bother with them." "Director, what ultimate outcome is Hou Xiaochen actually after?" Someone looked toward the director with confusion. Beyond securing a foothold and making a name for himself, did Hou Xiaochen have another objective? Taking such an immense risk to wage war on one of the departments just to establish a foothold seemed far too reckless and hardly worth the price. "The ultimate outcome?" The director smiled meaningfully. "Why does there need to be an ultimate outcome? All he needs to do is get the Nine Departments fighting amongst themselves, let everyone know those Silver Moon barbarians are not to be trifled with, and show people Silver Moon's strength and willingness to brawl. Isn't that enough? Since when did every move require a concrete result?" He gave a soft laugh and stood. "Alright, that's enough fussing over such a small matter. Don't bother me about it again. As for Li Hao… as a member of the Night Patrollers, since he's come to Heavenly Star City… if he isn't afraid of assassination, let him do as he pleases!" "Understood!" The group assented one by one. With nothing left to discuss, they quickly dispersed. *** At the same time. Similar meetings were taking place in many quarters. Inside the Department of Finance. The rotund Director Liu still wore an easy smile as he sipped tea. After a moment of thought, he chuckled. "Picking the softest persimmon to squeeze, are they? It seems Hou Xiaochen thinks my Department of Finance is the fattest and the softest! Li Hao probably thinks he can use us as a stepping stone too… to intimidate everyone, secure their footing, and eventually lure all the other factions in to feast on our meat…" Below him, someone asked in a muffled voice, "Director, how should we respond?" "Yielding is out of the question." Director Liu smiled pleasantly. "At a time like this, we cannot concede! If I yield a single step to Hou Xiaochen today, tomorrow my Four Seas Merchant Group will be gone. The day after that, the tax revenues from the provinces will vanish. And the day after that, I'll be six feet under!" At his level, if you weren't moving forward, you were falling back. Not a single step could be surrendered! The moment he gave ground, the others would swarm like sharks smelling blood and devour him whole! The alluring woman gritted her teeth. "Judging by Hou Xiaochen's intent, he plans to use Li Hao as the blade to tear open a breach… Then we'll kill Li Hao! Li Hao just dismantled the Xu family and his reputation is at its peak. Once he dies, not only will two divine weapons fall into our hands, but also immense wealth and tremendous renown…" Breaking the deadlock was simple. Kill Li Hao outright—or even Hou Xiaochen—and the problem would be solved. Or they only needed to shatter their momentum and expose their weakness; then countless others would move in to swallow them. The rules applied equally to both sides. Whoever showed weakness in this clash would quickly be consumed by the pack of tigers circling around them. As for why Hou Xiaochen had targeted him and chosen the Department of Finance as his whetstone… Director Liu figured it was probably because he came across as too easygoing. Director Liu looked at the woman and smiled. "Are you confident you can take Li Hao down?" "I am!" she answered calmly. "I am at the Transmutation stage. As for him… while he managed to escape from Xu Qing before Xu Qing unsealed his power, showing formidable strength on par with the late or peak stage, his speed is boosted by the Wind-Chasing Boots to the Transmutation level. "Even so, I am confident I can take him down!" Director Liu sank into thought. After a long pause, he said, "Not enough…" Not enough! That simple assessment sent a strange ripple through the room. When dealing with Li Hao, he felt a single Transmutation expert was not enough. Of course, Li Hao had proven himself exceptionally ferocious. Back in the east, he had escaped pursuit from multiple Transmutation experts. The alluring woman nodded. "I understand what you mean, Director. But if he tries to run… the moment he leaves Heavenly Star City, countless ravenous wolves will be waiting outside! Li Hao is in an even worse spot than us—he cannot recklessly leave the city. The moment he dares step outside… he's dead!" Inside Heavenly Star City, everyone had to maintain surface decorum. Whatever happened in the dark, official personnel would not openly attack Li Hao on the surface. However, once he left the city… fate would no longer be in his hands! Everyone wanted a bite of such juicy meat. "So if he thinks he can just flee as he did before, he's mistaken! That's the first point. Second, as a Vice Governor-General of the Night Patrollers, if he fights inside the city and damages buildings or accidentally harms civilians… Director, I believe we have both the right and the duty to demand an explanation from the Night Patrollers—and from the dynasty!" *Clap, clap, clap!* Director Liu applauded with a chuckle. "Well said! Straight to the heart of the matter! Exactly. Compared to the Heavenly Star Colosseum, Li Hao's biggest problem isn't us. It's that he cannot leave the city and cannot accidentally harm civilians. All of these will tie his hands! "Hou Xiaochen wants to use Li Hao to intimidate us, but he's miscalculated. Li Hao will be the one facing the most restrictions!" Li Hao was powerful, but he was encumbered by too many entanglements. A restrained Li Hao would find it exceedingly difficult to unleash the combat prowess he had displayed in the east. "Still, we cannot be careless!" Director Liu smiled, then sent a voice transmission to the woman: "Issue an assassination order to Feitian… not just Feitian; Red Moon and Yama as well. In addition…" He gave a series of instructions until the woman understood completely. "Alright, that's all. Dismissed!" He waved a hand. Once everyone had left, he pondered for a moment and walked toward the back of the Department of Finance. Moments later, navigating through several secret passages, he arrived outside a concealed chamber. "Father." He did not enter, waiting respectfully outside. After a moment, an aged voice sounded from within. "You still feel it isn't foolproof? That you might fail to kill Li Hao?" "Yes!" Director Liu did not hide his thoughts. "People like Li Hao are difficult to kill! With two divine weapons in hand, and Hou Xiaochen ready to step in at critical moments—his strength is formidable. Even I cannot claim a guaranteed victory against him." He paused, then added, "In truth, abandoning the Heavenly Star Colosseum wouldn't be the end of the world. If we could keep a low profile, losing a bit of wealth wouldn't matter… But at this stage, the moment we show such weakness, what we lose won't just be a colosseum. You understand this as well, Father." "*Sigh!*" An aged sigh drifted from the secret room, tinged with weary lamentation. "In the end, none of us can escape the arena of fame and fortune!" Director Liu remained silent. Indeed, who could escape it? They were all mortals after all! The first generation of directors had harbored grand ambitions, but what of them now? Hadn't they all become the very dragons others sought to slay? Shifts in status, the passage of eras, and various other factors had ultimately caused the Nine Departments to lose sight of their original purpose, abandoning reform altogether. At times, it was truly helpless. The aged voice spoke again. "You've come to me. What do you wish for me to do?" Director Liu considered his words carefully. "Against Li Hao, it must be an instant kill! I wish to borrow… a divine power talisman!" A divine power talisman! The moment the words left his mouth, a faint pressure seeped from the secret room. "You know that my divine power has not fully stabilized yet. Stripping away divine power to craft a talisman will inflict immense damage—perhaps… beyond what you imagine!" Director Liu said in a heavy voice, "If we kill Li Hao and seize his divine weapons—two of them!—it will be more than enough to compensate for Father's loss! Precisely because the cost is so high, no one will believe I would ask you to pay such a price right now just to kill Li Hao! "Hou Xiaochen, Yao Si, even that fellow in the Inspectorate will all be watching me in silence… If I make a move, it might give them their opening. That is why I will not step forward myself to give them an opportunity… None of them will expect Father's divine power to strike!" Inside the room, the old man let out a soft laugh. "There is sense in that. A lion uses its full strength even when hunting a rabbit! A person like Li Hao truly cannot be underestimated. Yet a divine power talisman… might not be enough to kill him! As far as I know, he used an origin talisman before. Who knows if he has another… If he does, it will suffice to neutralize the talisman's attack." Director Liu's brow furrowed slightly. Another one? Hardly likely! If he had one, why hadn't he used it when Xu Qing hunted him to within an inch of his life that day? Still, if he did have another… things would turn ugly. "What does Father suggest?" "Since you have made up your mind, eliminate the evil entirely and pull it up by the roots. Be decisive. Rather than paying a price piece by piece, pay a heavier price upfront to settle it once and for all!" The old man's voice sounded exceedingly ancient as he instructed his son: "The Xu clan added oil to the fire drop by drop, and look at the disastrous price they paid. With their lesson before us, how can the Liu clan repeat the same mistake? "A single divine power talisman might not kill Li Hao… A talisman is dead; a person is alive!" Director Liu listened in silence as the old man continued, "Since the bets are already placed, increase the wager… Take the twelve small handheld energy bombs in the Liu clan's treasury. Do not hold them back." Director Liu's heart leaped in shock. Those so-called energy bombs… were the exact weapon Fan Chang had used back then—a single one had forced even a partially unsealed Hong Yitang to retreat! And there had only been one! The Liu clan possessed immense wealth and still kept twelve energy bombs in stock. Every single one posed an enormous threat to a Transmutation expert; a careless slip could mean instant death. While their blast radius wasn't as vast as a city-destroying bomb, their localized destructive force surpassed it. A city-destroying bomb merely covered a wider area, making it easier to carpet-bomb a zone. Twelve energy bombs… Even someone beyond the Transmutation stage could be blown to pieces! Not even an expert of the Divine Power Realm could guarantee survival under such concentrated blast power. "One divine power talisman, twelve energy bombs… along with two Transmutation experts, Wu Yong and Liu Sha, plus the Three Great Organizations, including Feitian…" Director Liu paused, then hesitated. "Father, against an ambush like this, could Li Hao still have any chance of survival?" This wager was staggering! With a bit of luck, taking down someone at the Divine Power Realm wouldn't be difficult. Yet his father was right: once the decision was made, betting bigger ensured that victory would fully recoup their losses. "I do not know." The old man sounded weary. "Anything is possible. But once you have done it, do not look back with regret… Regret will only make you hesitate and waver. Right or wrong, victory or defeat… you have exerted your utmost effort. If it still fails… then Li Hao's destiny is simply not meant to end here!" Treating Li Hao as though they were hunting a Divine Power expert—if even that failed, what else could be done? "I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Father!" "No need… Come retrieve the divine power talisman tomorrow!" "Understood!" Director Liu said nothing more, turning and walking away. Behind him in the secret chamber, an emaciated old man shook his head slightly and sighed. Li Hao… might not be so easy to kill. A bloodline descendant of the Eight Great Families who had survived countless crises and remained lively to this day was never a simple target. Yet at this stage, this was the only path forward. *** While every faction was making its preparations, the group in Nine Dragons Pavilion finished eating and drinking and prepared to leave. Stepping out of the suite, they happened to see several people emerging from other private suites along the corridor. Whether it was truly a coincidence or not was impossible to tell. Hou Xiaochen nodded politely to the gathering, then gave a slight bow. "Greetings, Directors!" Quite a few figures stepped out from the suites. Some nodded politely, smiling without a word. Others ignored them completely, looking Li Hao and his companions up and down before walking straight past. One man gave a bright, playful grin. "Keep it up! Heavenly Star City's public security rests on your shoulders now—do good work!" "..." The directors went their separate ways. Li Hao's gaze swept over each of them, committing their faces to memory. He glanced at Hou Xiaochen, who said calmly, "Four directors: Internal Affairs, Merit Assessment, Criminal Law, and Foreign Affairs." Li Hao nodded and smiled. "Do they count as the weakest four?" The Bureau of Military Law, the Inspectorate, and the Department of Administration were locked in a perpetual struggle for the top spot. The Department of Finance and Department of Commerce were renowned for their immense wealth. The Department of Finance was rich because the tax revenues of every province flowed through their hands, and they held major merchant fleets beneath them. The Department of Commerce didn't handle provincial taxes, but every large corporation and small business had to operate through them. Deciding which was richer was hard to say. In this era, wealth equated to strength. Hou Xiaochen laughed. "Don't get ahead of yourself. However weak they might be, beating you would still be like beating a child!" "I am a child," Li Hao remarked cheerfully. "How old am I, and how old are they?" "You really are something!" Hou Xiaochen shook his head. "Forget it, let's go. Coming out to show your face was enough for tonight." Li Hao nodded. It was time to head back. As for where he would stay… who knew? He'd just stick with Hou Xiaochen for now. Turning around, he looked at the female manager. "Is that drop of the Spring of Life I asked to take to go ready?" The female manager felt intensely awkward. *You actually have the nerve to ask!* Helpless, she could only reply, "Um… that requires payment of one hundred thousand divine energy stones." "Didn't Director Liu say it was his treat?" "Well… when Director Liu left, he mentioned… he said…" Li Hao froze, then couldn't help but curse, "That fatty went back on his word? One of the directors of the Nine Departments—he treats someone to a meal and then reneges?" *Good heavens!* *What kind of person does that?* Promising to treat them to a meal, then backing out—such people actually existed? The female manager lowered her voice. "Director Liu can charge the meal to his account, but… the Spring of Life doesn't actually fall under the category of a meal." She had no choice but to phrase it that way. In truth, she felt she had seen it all today. Li Hao had the nerve to ask, and Director Liu… actually had the nerve to renege. Li Hao felt rather disgruntled. Glancing at Hou Xiaochen, he said, "That director… is quite an interesting character!" A director of a department! Such a prominent figure actually had the cheek to back out on a promise. Truth be told, he hadn't seen that coming! Hou Xiaochen chuckled. Chief Steward Yu giggled as well. She hadn't said much all evening, but now she found it amusing. "Did you think he was an idiot? Handing you a drop of the Spring of Life just so you can turn around and raid his home?" "..." Shamelessness was the correct play here; preserving face would have been utterly foolish. Li Hao sighed with immense regret. "Forget it! I never would have imagined it. To think I was looking forward to it so much, even trying to save him some money by taking only one drop. And in the end… he wouldn't even give me a single drop!" With that, he turned back to the manager. "So how much did we spend tonight?" "Eight thousand divine energy stones!" "Does that count as a high-spending customer?" "…Of course it does!" The manager had no idea what he was getting at and hesitated slightly. *What are you trying to pull now?* "Then give me a souvenir!" "What?" The manager stared blankly. What souvenir? Where on earth was she supposed to find a souvenir for him?! "Your tableware looks quite nice. I've just arrived in town and will probably have to move around a bit… Give me a set to take with me. I'm not the type to just take things without asking, so pack up a set and I'll take it back!" The manager stood dumbfounded. For a long while, her face flushed with embarrassment, but after a moment's struggle, she nodded. "Very well, Vice Governor-General Li, please wait a moment… I… I'll have someone prepare it right away!" She was on the verge of tears. *How can such a person exist?* Once she hurried off, Hou Xiaochen chuckled helplessly, while Chief Steward Yu held her forehead in exasperation. "Can you stop embarrassing yourself?" "Embarrassing myself?" Li Hao looked surprised. "It's a gift! I didn't steal it or rob anyone! I'm a high-value customer; isn't it perfectly normal to receive a souvenir? Chief Steward Yu, I don't care for that kind of talk. Do you have any idea how much grain, how much food and drink these things could buy if they were sold outside? How many people they could feed? You people… you've grown used to looking down from on high. What do you know of the common folk's suffering?" Hou Xiaochen blinked, and Chief Steward Yu was momentarily taken aback. Exchange it for… food and drink? Was he serious? They stared at Li Hao, only for his expression to shift into a cheeky grin. "Just kidding. Attacking you from the moral high ground feels wonderful!" Chief Steward Yu burst out laughing. Hou Xiaochen gave Li Hao a deep, searching look without saying a word. Li Hao laughed along with them, but after a moment, his laughter faded, and he quietly settled into silence. Chief Steward Yu looked at him with curiosity, surprise, and a touch of incomprehension. *What… are you thinking?* Li Hao returned to calm, remaining silent. Yes, Chief Steward Yu didn't understand. Though she had stepped into the world seeking vengeance and slain many foes, she had never been poor or ordinary. She had stepped onto the stage as a martial master, a powerhouse, riding high all the way until she joined the Night Patrollers. These people… were different from him after all. Perhaps they didn't even know that clothes cost money to buy! They didn't know how much a simple breakfast cost, or how much it took to buy groceries and cook for oneself, because they had never had contact with such mundane realities. But Li Hao knew. He knew that one thousand star coins could provide a decent living. He knew that two thousand star coins could sustain a family of three in comfortable modesty—at least in Silver City; in Heavenly Star City, it probably fell short. As for saving face—was face worth any money? Li Hao mused quietly. Of course, before turning eighteen, he hadn't known either. Only after eighteen did he come to understand all of it with crystal clarity. He smiled faintly to himself. *So you aren't omnipotent after all. There are things you know even less about than I do.* When the manager returned with a set of tableware, Li Hao inspected it carefully to ensure it was the genuine article—crafted from divine energy stone. Only then did he nod in satisfaction and stow the pieces into his storage ring. The manager couldn't wait to see them off. These guests—especially Li Hao—made her head throb. Yet Li Hao showed no hurry to leave. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Let me ask you something. You're a broker, right? How much would it cost to assassinate one of the directors of the Nine Departments?" "..." Silence fell. Cold sweat broke out across the manager's back. After a long pause, she managed, "Vice Governor-General Li must be joking." "I'm not joking!" Li Hao smiled. "How about one million divine energy stones? Help me assassinate someone…" "Um… we are a restaurant, not the Feitian organization!" The manager shook her head frantically. "Vice Governor-General Li, you've truly misunderstood!" "I'm being serious." "You've truly misunderstood!" The manager insisted firmly, wishing nothing more than to kick Li Hao out the door. "*Sigh*, forget it then!" Li Hao shook his head. It seemed she didn't dare accept the job—or perhaps she thought they were unreliable and couldn't be trusted. The group of three plus the dog soon descended the stairs. The grand hall was practically empty by now. They stepped into their vehicle. Beneath the manager's strained smile, the engine hummed to life, and the car glided away. Only after the vehicle vanished into the night did the manager let out a long breath. A moment later, a middle-aged man walked over, sending a voice transmission: "How did he seem?" "How?" the manager grumbled. "A real handful! That Demon Sword isn't someone to cross, nor is he any sort of saint. His unpredictable temperament in particular… makes him extraordinarily difficult to deal with!" The man seemed surprised. "Even you found him difficult?" "Of course!" "Is he very powerful?" "It's not about combat strength. Never mind, you wouldn't understand. I'll make a record later and update his profile." "Understood." The man said no more and turned to leave. The manager exhaled, relieved to have finally seen them off. Just as she turned to reenter the building, her body froze solid. Without her noticing… Li Hao was standing right behind her. Her expression stiffened completely! When had he gotten out of the car? When had he come back? "Vice Governor-General Li, what are you…" "Get in!" Li Hao stood by the doorway of a first-floor room, smiling as he gestured for her to enter. The manager was on high alert. After a moment's hesitation, seeing no one around, she walked over. Even here, Li Hao wouldn't dare do anything reckless, would he? *** Inside the room. Li Hao sat down comfortably. Once she entered, he smiled. "I want information on everyone in the Department of Finance—the powerful ones! Along with the Four Seas Merchant Group and the Heavenly Star Colosseum… Give me a friendly discount. The imperial family and the Nine Departments don't see eye to eye; consider me doing you a favor!" "Vice Governor-General Li misunderstands. We are merely a restaurant…" Li Hao gazed at her in silence. After a long moment, he said, "So you won't sell to me?" "That's not what I mean. Vice Governor-General Li, the Night Patrollers have their own intelligence network…" "Does that have anything to do with me?" Li Hao chuckled. "I want yours! And not just from you—I'll be buying intelligence from other channels as well… Give me the truth! Even if it's incomplete, that's fine. But if you give me fakes, I'll tear your establishment apart! Is peak Rising Light supposed to be impressive? Or do you think that Rising Light Transmutation expert on the second basement level is impressive? Or maybe the one standing outside the door right now? Are you planning to do business or not?" A soft chuckle came from outside the door. "Give it to him! One hundred thousand divine energy stones!" "One drop of the Spring of Life should cover it, right?" Li Hao smiled. "Provided it's worth the price! If it isn't… I might not be able to do much to you myself, but unfortunately, I happen to know seven or eight madmen who can all unseal their strength. At worst, that amounts to three or four Divine Power Realm combatants. They might not be able to wipe you out, but they can certainly play around with you!" The voice outside laughed lightly as before. "Rest assured, Vice Governor-General Li. It will be worth every penny!" "That's more like it!" Li Hao chuckled and glanced at the manager. "Your superior has spoken—why aren't you hurrying up? So slow and sluggish. I thought you were fairly pretty and considered making you my secretary to get you on the government payroll, but now… forget it!" The manager forced an awkward smile. *Are you out of your mind?!* *This guy is an absolute lunatic!* Not daring to delay any longer, she quickly hurried away. A moment later, she returned and handed Li Hao a jade talisman. "This is an ancient civilization—" "I know!" Li Hao cut her off dismissively. "I'm not some country bumpkin. I know more about these things than you do. I've seen ancient demonic plants, ancient demonic beasts, and dying ancient grand generals—have you? I've seen supreme experts who could snuff out a Divine Power cultivator with a single breath—have you? Showing off in front of me… move aside!" "..." The manager dared not speak another word, her heart secretly pounding. Was he telling the truth? It might… not be a lie! After all, Li Hao was known to have wielded an origin talisman before. Li Hao remained seated, examining the contents without paying first. If he felt it wasn't worth the price, he wouldn't pay a single stone. And if they tried to force the payment, they were welcome to try. The other party made no move to stop him—perhaps shaken by Li Hao's words, or perhaps entirely confident in the quality of their intelligence. After reviewing the information for a while, Li Hao frowned. "Are you kidding me? The Department of Finance is immensely powerful, yet they can only mobilize two Transmutation experts? What a joke! Even the Xu clan could field a whole pack of them—the Four Generals of Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow, Xu Qing himself, his Divine Power Realm father, and Red Beard the bandit… And you're telling me the Liu clan can only deploy two Transmutation experts?" The manager explained, "The deputy directors in the Department of Finance are official figures who cannot be mobilized openly. As for the Liu clan itself, they certainly have hidden guards, but like the Xu clan, they remain inside the ruins… They will not come out for the time being. "The only ones they can deploy are the leaders from the Four Seas Merchant Group and the Heavenly Star Colosseum… Of course, we cannot rule out the possibility of them hiring Feitian assassins, nor can we rule out the use of large-scale destructive weapons… such as energy bombs." Li Hao grew thoughtful and nodded. "Do you sell energy bombs? What's the price?" "Three hundred thousand divine energy stones…" "Heh!" Li Hao scoffed. *Why don't you just rob someone?* *What a joke!* Even blowing up a Rising Light Transmutation expert wouldn't yield that many treasures. Did they think everyone was as rich as Xu Qing? Flicking his wrist, he tossed out a drop of the Spring of Life. "Barely worth the price, though still far too expensive! Killing a Transmutation expert might not even recoup the cost!" The manager smiled deferentially and said nothing. Stowing the Spring of Life, she felt genuine surprise. This man had actually paid up without a fuss. Considering how voracious Li Hao had seemed earlier, like a mythical taotie beast, he was truly impossible to predict. Li Hao stretched lazily and asked, "Do you offer bodyguard services here?" "What?" "Hiring Transmutation experts or the like—do you take those jobs?" "That… we truly don't… Though for early Rising Light, someone might be willing to take the job, but the price won't be low…" "Forget it then. Too weak!" The manager was left speechless. Was Rising Light considered weak now? Wasn't Li Hao himself merely at the Rising Light level? Seeing that the transaction was complete yet Li Hao still showed no sign of leaving, the manager's headache flared again. "Vice Governor-General Li… is there anything else?" "High-value customer! Don't you understand the concept?" "..." *Damn it!* Having received countless guests, the manager almost never lost her temper, but at this moment, she cursed internally. *Have some shame!* A set of tableware was by no means cheap. Crafted from top-grade divine energy stone, a single set was worth at least two thousand divine energy stones… Yet this man actually had the nerve to demand a second set. Cursing him in her heart, she considered the situation and went to fetch another anyway. *Forget it!* A drop of the Spring of Life made him a major client, its value substantial. If he wanted another set, she would give it to him just to send this jinx on his way. Before long, another set of tableware was delivered. Only then did Li Hao nod in satisfaction! One drop of the Spring of Life cost ten thousand divine energy stones when requested from the little tree. He had walked away with two sets of tableware worth four to five thousand stones, on top of devouring a lavish feast… All told, his losses weren't significant. As he reached the doorway on his way out, he took a fierce, deep inhale of energy from the divine energy stones embedded near the entrance! This single draw drained the glowing stones until their light dimmed substantially. Only then did Li Hao take his leave. Once he was gone, the manager felt thoroughly drained, looking around with lingering paranoia, terrified Li Hao might suddenly appear behind her again. Thankfully, there was no sign of him this time! However, a moment later, a server from upstairs came running down to inform her that inside the grand suite Li Hao had occupied, while nothing was damaged… every single furnishing made of divine energy stone had been turned into an empty decorative shell! All the energy had been completely drained! At that moment, the manager finally couldn't hold back and cursed aloud, "What an absolute scoundrel!" *** Li Hao was oblivious to this, and even if he knew, he would have felt wronged. He hadn't done it! It was all Black Panther's doing. Black Panther's absorption capacity was terrifyingly strong. While Li Hao and the others ate, the hound had been playing around, and in doing so, it had sucked the entire suite dry of its energy. Li Hao refused to take the blame for that. At this moment, Li Hao had not returned to the Night Patrollers headquarters. Beneath the night sky, he wore a bright smile, a top hat perched on his head and a cane in hand, switching into transmission mode: "Company Commander Southern Fist, do you copy? Over." *** Inside the imperial palace. Southern Fist sprang to his feet, cursing loudly, "Fuck! The moment you arrive, you stir up trouble and call me! When it was time to cultivate earlier, you hid faster than anyone… You little bastard…" He had already received the news. Only now was Li Hao contacting him—was he calling him out to fight? *I value my life!* Picking a fight with the Department of Finance wasn't something he dared jump into lightly. Yet… he couldn't resist the temptation of sword energy. After struggling with himself for a moment, he replied, "Where are you?" "Outside the Nine Dragons Pavilion, waiting for you! Martial Uncle Southern Fist, I missed you!" "..." Southern Fist fell silent for a few seconds, unleashed a torrent of colorful profanities, and began striding outward. "Li Hao, act like a decent human being for once!"