That Man Is Utterly Insane!

Stepping out of the minister’s office building, Li Hao felt wonderfully refreshed. Giving Yao Si a thorough cursing had been profoundly satisfying. Right now, Li Hao was disgusted with these high officials who held high offices while doing nothing, his heart burning with indignation. As for Yao Si... Li Hao did not know the man well and could hardly pass sweeping judgment, but the Night Patrol was indeed in a rotten state. Even so, it still seemed slightly better than the other nine departments. Only slightly! As the head of a law enforcement agency, Yao Si’s inaction stoked immense displeasure within Li Hao. He had caught the underlying meaning in Yao Si’s words. Yao Si had said, *I thought you would need my help.* Yao Si had been implying that he seemed willing to lend a hand to Li Hao and the others, but Li Hao had told him... it was unnecessary! Because even if you help, it is nothing more than your duty. Moreover, it isn’t help at all! I am enforcing the law! I represent the Night Patrol in enforcing the law, in strictly upholding discipline. You, Yao Si, are actually the very person who ought to be doing this. How could you possibly believe you are doing anyone a favor? That was entirely wrong! Li Hao’s pent-up fury had vented precisely over this. When the leader of a law enforcement agency considered intervening to assist subordinates who faced danger while executing the law to be a form of charity and favor, it was fundamentally wrong—wrong to the core! "Hmph!" Downstairs, hearing the crash of breaking objects from above, Li Hao sneered and walked away with a lighter step. Of course, he didn't care about the consequences. A callous person wouldn't care. If he had spoken those words to Director Liu and his ilk, the response would have been nothing more than chuckles, forgotten the moment they turned their heads. The fact that Yao Si still flew into a rage meant he still cared. Such heartfelt words, such probing challenges to one's conscience, had zero effect on pure politicians. Only those who still possessed a heart could be moved to self-reflection. "Yao Si... do you still have a heart?" Li Hao walked to the side and stopped dwelling on it. Perhaps... he no longer did either. Who could truly remain faithful to their original aspiration? Even I... do I still remember mine? People change. Everyone does. Yao Si would, and so would I. Perhaps today I cannot bear this darkness, this filth, this dog-eat-dog era, but maybe a year from now, three years, five years... I, Li Hao, will become one of them too. The thought flashed across Li Hao's mind. In this era, merely maintaining one's personal integrity already made one a good person. To bring salvation to the world was the mark of a saint. *** Putting all this behind him, Li Hao returned to the adjacent station of the Martial Guard Army. The round trip hadn't even taken twenty minutes. With nearly a thousand men in the Martial Guard Army and over two thousand storage rings, each soldier had only two or three rings to go through, which was just about enough for everyone to finish the tally. When Li Hao arrived, every soldier in the Martial Guard Army seemed immersed in the joy of counting money. Divine energy stones were piled into a small mountain. It stood right in the center of the courtyard. Another squad came forward carrying a large sack of divine energy stones, swallowing hard as their leader reported, "Ten thousand!" Mu Lin recorded the tally and called out, "That brings the total to 1,760,000. Any more?" "There's still a bit left, hold on..." Over there, another squad of guardsmen approached carrying a large bundle. "Nine thousand two hundred and seventy-one over here..." Just as that squad was about to dump them into the pile, Li Hao pressed down with his hand. "Halt!" Everyone looked at Li Hao in confusion. At this moment, most eyes held a complex mix of envy, jealousy, adoration, and greed... Emotions ran tangled. There was also a touch of numbness. Counting nothing but divine energy stones had left nearly a thousand men feeling weak in the wrists. 1,760,000 stones! And that didn't even include the special, larger, high-energy ones, which had all been set aside and treated as a different category of resource. "Is that all the divine energy stones?" "Yes!" Mu Lin nodded. "1,760,000 standard divine energy stones. No, wait, plus the 9,271—not a single one missing. Rest assured, Governor-General Li, I guarantee not a soul would dare pocket a single stone!" Li Hao nodded. After a moment of thought, he frowned slightly. "Paupers!" "..." Mu Lin was taken aback. What did he mean? Li Hao sighed. "Over a dozen Rising Lights, three Transmutation stage experts, plus the wealth of the Four Seas Corporation, the Heavenly Star Colosseum, and several thousand nobles... and the result is only 1.76 million?" If they weren't paupers, what were they? That made no sense! Li Hao was somewhat bewildered. How could it be so little? Those were two extraordinarily wealthy establishments. Even if the majority had been handed over to the Department of Finance, the two syndicates couldn't possibly have kept nothing for themselves. The Colosseum aside, the Four Seas Corporation's share was truly far too meager. Could a Four Seas Corporation really fall that far behind the Xu family? Furthermore, there were so many nobles! What kind of noble went out carousing without carrying a few hundred divine energy stones on them? And great nobles like Mu Xiaorong certainly wouldn't have carried less. With thousands of people, even an average of ten stones per head would be tens of thousands, and a hundred stones each would amount to hundreds of thousands... Calculated that way, the spoils per capita were truly not that impressive. Li Hao wasn't suspecting the Martial Guard Army of embezzlement, of course; he was simply wondering whether the Department of Finance had confiscated the lion's share beforehand. The divine energy stones he had seized earlier had all been handed over to Yang Shan to take back. This stash was to be his entire operating fund moving forward. Besides, he couldn't keep it all for himself. Hou Xiaochen and the others definitely needed a cut. Eating alone was never wise, and Hou Xiaochen had over a thousand Martial Guard soldiers to feed, bearing immense pressure of his own. Beyond that, Li Hao might even have to surrender a portion to the Night Patrol... if only as a token gesture. Hence, he felt it was remarkably little. Mu Lin hurriedly said, "We have more over here—military-grade divine energy stones from the ruins. One of these is worth ten standard ones, and there's quite a lot of them, around twenty thousand." Li Hao nodded. "So altogether, it comes out to around two million, right?" "Right!" Li Hao smiled. "If you exchanged that at the Nine Dragons Pavilion for the Spring of Life, it would only get you twenty drops." Mu Lin clicked his tongue. That expensive? He immediately added, "We also inventoried the Spring of Life. Since it's quite precious, I kept it separate. There are twelve drops in total, mostly recovered from a few specific storage rings." Li Hao nodded; he had a good idea of which ones. Mu Xiaorong and the Transmutation stage experts. Only people of that caliber were qualified to possess it; ordinary Rising Lights simply didn't make the cut. Twelve drops was by no means a small amount. From his earlier stash, Li Hao had given four drops to Southern Fist, and one each to Yang Shan and Qin Lian, leaving him with only three. With this replenishment, his reserve was significantly bolstered, reaching fifteen drops. Yet in Li Hao's eyes, the true value of a drop of the Spring of Life was only ten thousand divine energy stones—though if he were to sell it or have it snatched away, he would naturally value it at a hundred thousand. "Also, there are quite a few Origin God Armaments—twenty-two of them... but... almost all are Yellow tier... rather low grade. There are only two Mystic-tier pieces, and not a single Earth-tier in sight..." He glanced at Li Hao. Li Hao smiled faintly. "Some were shattered in battle, and some... are still inside people's bodies. Seizing storage rings is one thing, but we can hardly slice people open to gouge out Origin God Armaments. That would cross a line." Mu Lin was rendered speechless. *That wasn't what I meant.* *I meant, with this many, are you sure you don't want to return a few?* Yet to his astonishment, Li Hao had interpreted his comment as a complaint about the quantity—assuming that people like Mu Xiaorong still held armaments within their bodies that were inconvenient to forcibly extract without dissecting them. "Twenty-two... not bad, I suppose!" Li Hao remarked, then shook his head with another sigh. "Still paupers. As expected, unless you rip a major faction out by the roots, the harvest will always be underwhelming. Squeezing so many people only yielded this pitiful amount, barely a fraction more than what the Xu family gave us... No, strictly speaking, it might not even match up." After all, the Xu family had possessed three Earth-tier divine armaments. Not to mention the Heavenly Gold Lotus and the mirror fragments... Those were treasures beyond mere monetary value. Factoring in the Sky-tier divine armament consumed by the little sword, the total worth of the Xu family's treasury probably hadn't been less than this haul. Such was the drawback of failing to uproot a faction entirely. Be it the Four Seas Corporation or the Heavenly Star Colosseum, their primary wealth was never kept on their person; it resided within the Department of Finance. This showed just how absurdly wealthy the Department of Finance truly was. For these individuals, keeping even a single year's earnings on hand was an achievement; by year's end, it all had to be handed over to the treasury. Mu Lin continued, "There are also quite a few treasures, but many of them are beyond our ability to identify. I gathered them all into a single storage ring. In addition, there are several enlightenment ancient weapons of mediocre quality, which I also stored separately..." Saying so, he handed Li Hao a few storage rings. Finally, he looked toward the mountain of divine energy stones. "Should we collect these as well? I noticed several of the storage rings are exceptionally large, with enough internal space to take them all in at once." Li Hao nodded, then turned his gaze toward the martial masters leading the squads. He smiled. "The remaining nine thousand-odd stones can be divided among everyone! Consider it a small token of appreciation, a little bonus. We eat the meat, and everyone gets some soup!" Mu Lin started to say something, but the martial masters were already thrilled, roaring in unison, "The Governor-General is generous!" With over nine thousand stones, each man would receive around ten. Although Li Hao's pile of divine energy stones looked like a mountain, it didn't belong to them. For Li Hao to dole out such a reward left them overjoyed. Coupled with the fact that each of them had received a storage ring, their excitement soared even higher. A massive haul! Mu Lin didn't know whether to laugh or cry and held his tongue. In the past, nine thousand-odd stones would have been an astronomical figure, but staring at that miniature mountain of divine energy stones, he suddenly thought... *Well, it's just that much.* *I've gotten cocky!* Mu Lin reflected. Having laid eyes on such staggering wealth, divine energy stones suddenly seemed ordinary. Just look—he had personally counted two million of them today! Li Hao was the one who was truly terrifying. In the span of a single month, the wealth he had seized across various battles exceeded three million divine energy stones and over fifty Origin God Armaments. Yet during this same month, over twenty Rising Lights had perished by his hand. Even several Transmutation stage experts had fallen. Reaping such a bounty seemed only natural in light of that. If one factored in treasures like the Spring of Life, Li Hao's total income easily surpassed ten million divine energy stones—a haul more astonishing than plundering a decently sized ancient ruin. Clearly, this era was still exceedingly wealthy. The only ones living in poverty were those at the very bottom. Those at the top were practically dripping with grease. Just look at Yao Si. He hadn't managed affairs in years, yet he still drank tea diluted with the Spring of Life. A single cup of that tea at the Nine Dragons Pavilion went for over a hundred divine energy stones, proving that Yao Si was far from poor. Saying nothing more, Li Hao drew all the divine energy stones into a storage ring. His load felt significantly lighter now, though Mu Lin soon presented him with over a thousand empty storage rings. These were the leftover ones. The rest had already been distributed. Meanwhile, Li Hao still carried over a hundred rings on his own person from previous plunders. Looking at the long string of storage rings, he couldn't help but smile wryly. Since when had having too many storage rings become a headache? After a moment's consideration, he accepted them all. Better to keep them for now. The armor had compartments for stowing items; while it made things a bit crowded, it hardly mattered. Next, Li Hao swept his gaze across the soldiers of the Martial Guard Army. Previously, the Martial Guard Army possessed around a hundred Hundred-Breaker culmination experts, while Thousand-Battlers were few—only nine centurions, along with Golden Spear, Mu Lin, and the others, plus Golden Spear's personal guard captain, Mad Saber's disciple, and Kong Jie's daughter. However, those last two were nowhere to be seen this time, their whereabouts unknown. It was said that Mad Saber had accompanied them as well, yet he was nowhere in sight either. Even so, after spending a month in the Central Region, these men seemed to have improved somewhat. The number of Hundred-Breaker culmination experts was approaching two hundred, and a few more Thousand-Battlers had emerged in their ranks. Li Hao observed them for a moment, pondered, and spoke up: "Life in Heavenly Star City hasn't been easy for you all, has it?" Mu Lin looked sheepish. It was indeed tough. Back in Silver Moon, things had been great; the Martial Guard Army held formidable power. A single hundred-man company could handle a Three Suns expert without trouble, and when united in a thousand-man formation, excluding their top experts, they could even clash with a Rising Light. Yet... in Heavenly Star City, what did that amount to? Not a damn thing! Strictly speaking, the Hundred-Breaker culmination was merely on par with the Full Moon stage, falling short even of Solar Flare. Of course, they also had the black armor—over five hundred suits of it. Back when the thousand-man Battle Heaven Army had fallen, Hou Xiaochen had claimed the largest share, Li Hao had taken a hundred suits, and the rest had been divided among the Three Great Organizations. However, none of them possessed the authorization to fully activate the black armor. As a result, it provided little more than sturdy defense. Li Hao still possessed over a thousand suits of Sky-Breaker armor, but so far he hadn't found a way to activate them either, unsure whether it was due to insufficient authority or something else. At Li Hao's question, Chen Jin, heir of the Mountain-Cleaving Axe, spoke with a trace of frustration: "It is what it is. After all, this is the Central Region—there are simply too many supernaturals here. Solar Flares and Three Suns are everywhere, and Rising Lights aren't rare either... Compared to ordinary armies, our Martial Guard is naturally invincible! But compared to the elites nurtured by major factions, who boast superior numbers, bottomless wealth, and terrifying reserves of resources... we still fall short!" A tiny place like Silver Moon couldn't support so many soldiers. Yet the Central Region gathered the wealth of the entire world, far outstripping anything Hou Xiaochen and his peers could provide. Li Hao had once thought the Martial Guard Army's benefits were astonishing. Later, he realized... they were truly mediocre. Without visiting the Central Region, one could never fathom its boundless prosperity. Mu Lin sighed as well. "It's actually not bad. The mysterious energy here is far denser. Although martial artists don't rely on mysterious energy, having more of it around still speeds up our daily cultivation. "As you can see, we have quite a few new Hundred-Breaker culmination experts, and several have stepped into the Thousand-Battler realm..." He smiled broadly. "At the very least, when we made our move against the Heavenly Star Colosseum, we still packed quite a deterrent!" Li Hao smiled, looked at the crowd, and suddenly said, "How about everyone considers something? I will soon be establishing the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office. Would you all be interested in coming over to help me out?" "..." Everyone froze. Mu Lin was stunned as well, managing after a long pause, "Um... what about the Minister?" "The Minister?" Li Hao stroked his chin and chuckled. "He's the principal governor-general, and I'm the deputy. Naturally, the Minister is still the boss." "Then... isn't that practically the same thing?" He eyed Li Hao warily. *What are you getting at?* Li Hao grinned, baring his teeth. "There's a slight difference. The elites among the Martial Guard Army, in addition to being Martial Guard members, can concurrently join my Demon Hunt Corps to enjoy extra perks and benefits... Of course, numbers will be limited—around five hundred at most! "The overall structure won't change, but my Demon Hunt Corps might expand. A corps-level unit consists of a thousand men to a regiment..." Mu Lin's jaw ached with tension. He stared up and down at Li Hao for a long time without uttering a word. Li Hao smiled warmly. "Think it over, everyone. We're all on the same side, no rush. Oh, right, the perks of joining the Demon Hunt Corps are endless. For instance, the black armor can be fully activated, drastically boosting its defense—that's just the first thing! Second, your chances of breaking through to the Thousand-Battler realm will skyrocket! Third, once you reach Thousand-Battler, you'll have an immense certainty of breaking through to the Spirit Accumulation realm... Yes, my teacher has completely grasped the Spirit Accumulation realm... and everyone will be able to cultivate it. "Fourth, I possess a unique battle formation: a five-man formation that dramatically amplifies combat power! Right now, a hundred-man company can only handle a Three Suns expert. After joining the Demon Hunt Corps, I can guarantee that a single squad will be able to handle an early-stage Rising Light with ease! "And that's based on your current strength. Once your power improves, I guarantee a hundred-man company will be able to challenge enemies across at least two major realms! "For example, if every member reaches the Thousand-Battler realm, they would individually only rival Solar Flare experts. But with proper coordination... Divine Powers aside, they could surround and slay even a Transmutation stage expert!" A hundred Thousand-Battlers striking as one, their blood-qi fusing together and their armor fully activated... Did they have a shot against a Transmutation stage expert? They absolutely did! Li Hao understood this clearly. Furthermore, once they reached Thousand-Battler, his guidance would allow them to swiftly enter the Spirit Accumulation realm, at which point their power would become even more inconceivable. Too few members of the Demon Hunt Corps had remained in Silver Moon! Earlier, Li Hao had had no desire to expand recruitment, but... he had come to realize that strength lay in numbers. Individually, what use was a mere Hundred-Breaker? Yet what about a hundred? A thousand? Ten thousand? Hadn't Liu Yunqing claimed that the hearts of the common people amounted to nothing? What a joke! If one hundred thousand ordinary people were all armored, their blood-qi aligned, and trained in basic circulation arts—since every human possessed blood-qi—then one hundred thousand ordinary people could slay a Rising Light! And that was speaking of ordinary mortals! What about a million? Ten million? Hundreds of millions? In this world, the one thing never in short supply was ordinary people! Of course, equipping them with armor was a massive hurdle. Li Hao had few suits of black armor left on him, merely several dozen, while the Martial Guard Army still held over five hundred. And that calculation had applied to ordinary mortals. Li Hao wouldn't actually dispatch untrained commoners to slay Rising Lights. Anyone with a bit of foundation and martial training, who didn't need to start from scratch, could easily reach the Ten-Slayer and Hundred-Breaker realms in this era. Before reaching Hundred-Breaker culmination, there were no true bottlenecks. In that case, ten thousand Hundred-Breaker martial masters would be more than enough to effortlessly suppress Transmutation stage experts, and perhaps even contest with Divine Powers! Liu Yunqing's words had left Li Hao unconvinced and unwilling to yield! Who said the will of the people was useless? Nonsense! It was useful! As long as they dared, as long as they were willing, ordinary people could still stage a counterattack and rise up. He even harbored an idea: the thousand men before him were far from weak, with a cluster of Hundred-Breaker culmination experts among them. If they all mastered the Ten Rings Mountain-Sealing Formation and channeled their blood-qi into his body... with Li Hao acting as the core of the array, he would dare to challenge even a Divine Power expert! He had previously thought these fellows were unreliable. Looking at them now, they seemed decent enough. At least they were far more trustworthy than outsiders from beyond Silver Moon. Li Hao's ambitions had shifted; he wanted to seize command... no, he wanted to help Hou Xiaochen support his army. Old Hou seemed rather strapped for cash. As for why he hadn't cleared it with Hou Xiaochen first... Li Hao couldn't be bothered to explain. Hou Xiaochen was standing right outside the courtyard wall, listening in. From the look of things, he seemed quite tempted to come in and give him a beating. ...Hearing Li Hao's words, several men grew flushed with excitement, their breathing turning ragged. Advancing to Thousand-Battler, entering the Spirit Accumulation realm, special formations, armor activation... Heavens above! Even Mu Lin felt a surge of excitement. Snapping back to his senses, he bared his teeth in a strained, difficult smile and refused, "This... isn't our decision to make. Governor-General Li, you... you should ask the Minister, ask Boss Golden Spear... We... we can't do this..." Following his refusal, the eyes of many soldiers dimmed, yet none spoke up. Indeed! They yearned to grow stronger, but they had been nurtured by Hou Xiaochen's own hands. How could they show ingratitude and betray their former master? Of course, they only entertained the thought because it was Li Hao who proposed it. Li Hao was part of their own system—a Silver Moon martial artist, acting chiliarch of the Martial Guard Army, and deputy director of the Night Patrol... On top of that, he had a good relationship with Hou Xiaochen. Otherwise, none of them would have been swayed. Li Hao chuckled. "Won't you reconsider? As for the Minister, he won't object if you come over. For now, I don't want everyone, just half—only those with armor can join... Those who wish to stay can pass their armor to those who want to leave... Aren't we all still eating from the same bowl?" Mu Lin said awkwardly, "Um... we should still ask for the Minister's opinion!" Li Hao smiled. Outside the gate, someone chuckled softly. "Li Hao, what kind of mischief are you stirring up now?" Hands clasped behind his back, Hou Xiaochen strolled in accompanied by Chief Steward Yu. A faint smile played on his lips as he looked at Li Hao, his gaze carrying a hint of... a look that said he wanted to murder someone. *Good grief, what are you playing at?* "Minister!" Everyone snapped to attention! The Minister had arrived. Li Hao, however, laughed heartily. "Minister, I'm just planning a future for the brothers! As the Minister knows, we've seized quite a haul recently. I have more money than I know what to do with, and money is only money once it's spent—otherwise, it's just plain rocks! I was just thinking that since we're all comrades, why not secure some perks for everyone?" "Then why don't you just give it to them?" Hou Xiaochen said with a half-smile. Li Hao sighed. "I want to! But Silver Moon martial artists aren't the type to accept handouts. I know our brothers, I understand them. If I give it away for free, how could they live with themselves? It would leave an inner demon!" Within their hearts, the crowd screamed in silence: *No, it won't!* *We won't develop any inner demons!* *Just give it to us!* Yet with those words already spoken, what else could they say? Could they truly abandon all shame and admit they loved free handouts? If everyone did that, wouldn't they all be Southern Fist...? Ahem, even Southern Fist didn't eat for free. If you called him for a fight, he would deliver—so long as you paid. Hou Xiaochen was equally at a loss for words. What could he possibly say? Mu Lin chimed in with an awkward chuckle, "Yes, Governor-General Li is right. None of the brothers are that kind of person. Only through toil does one reap rewards; upholding the ancient martial spirit, every gain demands an effort!" Li Hao spread his hands, looking utterly helpless. "Minister, you heard him. How could I possibly disregard everyone's martial resolve?" "..." Hou Xiaochen stared at him for a long while before speaking: "You could give it to me..." "Giving it to the Minister would be a waste!" Li Hao sighed. "Even if the Minister receives divine energy stones, they won't do much good. You can't convert them into combat strength in the short term; it takes time, and time is the one thing we lack!" Hou Xiaochen nearly rolled his eyes! This bastard just wanted to abduct his Martial Guard Army! He pondered the matter, weighing the options, before speaking slowly: "Are you truly intent on establishing an independent Governor-General's Office?" "Hmm?" Li Hao paused. "Minister, wasn't that what you suggested earlier?" Hou Xiaochen was speechless. He had only tossed that out casually, never intending for him to actually open an office—it was merely meant to be a title on paper. From the sound of it, Li Hao genuinely planned to make a grand showing and stay put without ever leaving! Hou Xiaochen fell silent for a moment, then said, "For now, my energy must remain focused on guarding against certain powerhouses... I don't have enough time to oversee all these affairs. Over the coming days, both the Nine Departments and the imperial clan will experience unrest..." He glanced at Mu Lin and the others, thought it through, and said slowly, "If they are willing... there is no harm in them joining your Demon Hunt Corps." After another pause, he added, "However, you must promise me one thing..." "What is it?" "Do not let them die in vain..." He looked at Li Hao. "You are too high-profile. That can be a good thing, but it is also a danger! Your current strength is not yet sufficient to back such blatant arrogance. When crisis strikes, you can flee... but they... cannot!" In truth, following Li Hao was genuinely a great prospect for these men. Li Hao possessed wealth, methods, and could even impart the true path of Spirit Accumulation. The path Hou Xiaochen and his peers walked was ill-suited for widespread adoption. That was a path reserved strictly for the elite! Only the cream of the crop among martial masters could practice it, whereas the path of Spirit Accumulation... since Li Hao had spoken of it so confidently, it could likely be popularized. Hou Xiaochen didn't particularly care about Li Hao poaching his men, but... this brat made enemies at an alarming speed. Li Hao could run, but the Martial Guard Army could not. Having said that, he added calmly, "Up until now... you have essentially been a lone wolf. Aside from your master, you have no attachments, leaving you completely reckless! Li Hao, a true general... never abandons his comrades! You led troops in Silver Moon, even if only a few dozen men... Yet you left them behind, left them in Silver Moon. You must have known in your heart the danger of the enemies you were provoking... "Once you truly command a thousand men... you must remember that they are human beings, martial masters, comrades, and colleagues—not merely your subordinates or disposable tools. You must account for their future and their safety... and perhaps, that will become a constraint upon you!" Was it a blessing or a curse? Li Hao merely smiled. "The Minister worries too much! I see things very clearly. In this era, if you want to achieve something, if you want to rise above the masses, if you want to shatter social strata... you have to put your life on the line! If the brothers are willing to risk their lives, they are welcome to join; if not... then they shouldn't! I will look out for them, but I am no babysitter. Taking risks is inevitable... If I am routed, I will do my utmost to settle everyone... but if the situation truly becomes hopeless... I might just run for my life..." Hou Xiaochen watched him, his brows furrowing slightly. Li Hao said placidly, "A desperate gamble for a future! I don't know what tomorrow holds, I don't know if the road ahead will remain this pitch-black, and I don't know what fate ultimately awaits Li Hao... Be it good or ill, generalship is forged over ten thousand rotting bones! Minister, someone is bound to die. It all comes down to whether they deem it worthy!" He turned toward the martial masters. "In the Silver Moon martial arts world, martial artists are free, untamed, and relentless in their pursuit of strength! Yet martial artists also possess hearts. If you have the heart for it, then give it a shot; if you fear death, then do not even try!" Silence fell over the courtyard. Hou Xiaochen looked at Li Hao for a while before saying, "Then let them decide for themselves; I will not interfere with anyone! Becoming a deserter is forbidden, for Silver Moon paid no small price for you to reach this day. But if you wish to go to the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office, to join the Demon Hunt Corps... that is perfectly fine." "Suit yourselves, everyone!" Li Hao smiled. "I won't force anyone either! What matters is your own heart. A twisted melon never yields sweet fruit. For instance, right now, even if Chief Steward Yu wanted to join, I wouldn't accept her..." Chief Steward Yu blinked, glanced at Li Hao, then looked at Hou Xiaochen, her eyes fixing firmly on Hou Xiaochen without wavering. *As if I ever would!* The onlookers stifled their chuckles. Hou Xiaochen was speechless. They had been discussing serious business, yet this scoundrel insisted on dragging Little Yu into it. What was he playing at? He said no more on the matter. "Deal with the situation regarding those nobles first!" "No problem!" Li Hao burst into laughter. At this moment, standing before Hou Xiaochen, he could converse with effortless ease. It was a manifestation of confidence, as well as a clear mind! From the moment he had chosen to step out of Silver Moon and enter Heavenly Star City, he had felt as though he no longer feared anything. Be it danger or death, he seemed to see the road ahead clearly in his heart. He knew what he ought to do. Therefore, he had no reason to fear. So long as he remained true to himself and faithful to his conscience, he had no need to fear anyone. If he didn't even fear death, what else was there to dread? Nothing! *Master, perhaps it is just as you said: there is no need to care about what others think. So long as I desire it, that is enough.* *Everyone walks their own path.* *Living freely and seeking untamed vengeance might be a path, but... along the way, perhaps I, Li Hao, also wish to leave something behind. When I die, perhaps someone will still remember that Li Hao of Silver Moon was quite a figure!* *Perhaps the next time I return to Battle Heaven City, that commander of the Ninth Division won't leave behind such terrible remarks about me.* *Perhaps the next time I meet Hong Yitang, I can stand tall and tell him with serene composure: Little Hong, you're lacking. You cowered in Silver Moon, while I, Li Hao, roamed the world. I speak not of salvation, only of clarity of heart. My heart yearns for the light; slaughter and hatred have never dragged me down into hell.* What magnificent pride would that be? What supreme glory? *** Li Hao strode forward, moving with the commanding pace of dragons and tigers. No longer shrinking back, no longer the cautious, timid man lurking in the shadows. It was as though a ferocious tiger possessed his form—leaping through mountain forests, looking down upon the peaks. At this moment, Hou Xiaochen watched him relentlessly, watching him walk away... His heart churned with mixed emotions. In just a short month, Li Hao had changed too drastically. Back when he had urged Li Hao to come along, Li Hao had weighed the matter back and forth, deliberating endlessly... before ultimately choosing to stay behind. Hou Xiaochen had felt a twinge of disappointment and helplessness then. Yet a month later, when Li Hao arrived, he seemed an entirely different person. At this moment, it was Hou Xiaochen who felt a touch of bewilderment. Chief Steward Yu watched the departing figure as well, suddenly murmuring, "He resembles someone..." Hou Xiaochen started. "Who?" "Yuan Shuo! The Yuan Shuo of twenty years ago..." Chief Steward Yu whispered, "Back then, Yuan Shuo was just like this—domineering and peerless, roaming the world unhindered. Perhaps my strength is not the greatest under heaven, but I... dare to battle heroes from all four directions! A real man visits this world without fear of life and without dread of death... This master and disciple... are growing more and more alike!" *Yuan Shuo?* Hou Xiaochen was dazed, searching his memories. *Was he?* He had nearly forgotten. *Had Yuan Shuo truly been like this back then?* As he was musing, Chief Steward Yu added, "Oh, he has one thing on Yuan Shuo, though..." "What's that?" Chief Steward Yu thought for a moment before saying, "He's slightly better looking than Yuan Shuo..." Hou Xiaochen froze, shooting her a look, before speaking after a long pause: "Between me and Ying Hongyue, who do you think is better looking?" "..." Chief Steward Yu stared at him, feeling baffled and caught off guard. *Has the Minister gone mad?* *Of course you're not as handsome as him...* Naturally, she immediately adjusted: "The Minister is masculine and resolute, while he is feminine and soft. Of course he doesn't compare to the Minister!" Hou Xiaochen pondered this silently. *Is that so?* *Yet... if I remember correctly, my moniker is the Bedridden Ghost. Everyone says the Bedridden Ghost is peerlessly sinister and effeminate. When did I become masculine and resolute?* *That sounded utterly fake!* *** Meanwhile. Li Hao returned once more to the Night Patrol headquarters. At this moment, the rear building—not particularly tall—along with its sprawling courtyard, was packed to the brim with people. Only a handful of Night Patrollers stood guard, all greeting Li Hao with faces full of reverence. The courtyard was teeming with people, all of whom looked at Li Hao with sheer terror. "Governor-General Li, may we leave now?" Someone asked anxiously. Day had broken. They had been locked up all night. Going without food and water was one thing, but many were reeking of sweat and filth. There was nowhere to bathe or change clothes, nowhere even to relieve themselves, because the sheer crowd left no room for basic necessities. The stench here had become nauseating. How could noble ladies ever have experienced such treatment? At this point, they were on the verge of breakdown, covering their faces or wrapping their heads, terrified that someone might smell the stench on them or recognize who they were. That would be an unbearable humiliation. Sorting through several thousand people was an immensely difficult task. Moreover, Li Hao lacked a fully established intelligence network. These people had confessed to some things on their own, but who would ever portray themselves as utterly vile and irredeemable? Yet keeping thousands of people locked up here was hardly a solution either. Li Hao didn't waste words, getting straight to the point: "As the saying goes, kill the chicken to scare the monkey. I've only just arrived, and gaining a foothold in Heavenly Star City isn't easy! Be it the Four Seas Corporation or the Heavenly Star Colosseum, they are too far removed from ordinary people—hardly enough for me, Li Hao, to make a name across the realm and establish my authority! "I am a direct man. If I were to execute all of you, some would undoubtedly be wronged! But if I executed nine out of ten, some guilty scoundrels would definitely slip through the net!" At these words, many faces drained of color. Li Hao said ruthlessly, "I cannot be bothered to screen you, so you will screen yourselves. Right now, exactly four thousand people have been detained! Pick one hundred among yourselves; I intend to publicly behead them as a warning to all! You all hail from prominent clans, equipped with channels, manpower, and resources. The choice is yours! Select one hundred people—and don't you dare pick employees from the Heavenly Star Colosseum, nor those powerless figures from Four Seas Island... Every single one must be a noble! "I want ironclad evidence demanding their execution! The kind with complete witness testimony and material proof, documentation so thorough that anyone looking at it will know this person deserves to die without mercy! Then, I will drag them to the vegetable market execution grounds and lop off their heads... The rest of you may go home!" "..." A sudden hush fell over the crowd, followed immediately by sheer panic. Someone shrieked, "You want to kill us?" Li Hao said coldly, "Remember, only one hundred will die! The evidence must be indisputable... Don't even think about fabricating it. With too many people, I can't be bothered to verify every detail, but for a mere hundred, I certainly possess the means to verify the facts. Pick them yourselves... I won't participate. If you fail to choose one hundred... then all of you can rot here and see whether your backers can escort you out alive!" At these words, some turned pale, some were horrified, and others trembled in utter panic. Li Hao's tactic was venomous! He was forcing them to select the victims themselves! Even Mu Xiaorong couldn't hold back, crying out in terror, "If you do this, won't those of us making the choices offend an entire hundred families...?" Li Hao smiled and nodded. "Indeed! Did you only just realize that?" Mu Xiaorong's face shifted dramatically. "Do you have any idea that by doing this..." "I'll offend a hundred families, right?" Li Hao smiled. "I'm not afraid. If they have the guts, let them come seek revenge against me! Naturally, you are the ones making the selection... It's not as though I'm insisting on killing them specifically. Besides, executing them is because of their crimes—they brought death upon themselves. If you don't choose now, once I investigate each person thoroughly, more than a hundred might end up dead, and some might find no way out!" Terror, fury, and even murderous impulses surged through the crowd! This madman Li Hao—it wasn't enough that he made enemies himself; he wanted to drag them down with him! Once the selection was made, the families behind those executed would inevitably despise Li Hao, but they would hate the survivors just as much, if not more! *Why was it my son, my daughter who died, while yours survived?* *Why did you push my child forward as a scapegoat?* Anyone with half a brain understood the nightmare that would follow. Faces turned deathly pale, and some could barely keep their balance, terrified to the extreme: "Governor-General Li... if it comes to this... how could small families ever resist the prominent clans...?" Li Hao said calmly, "With conclusive evidence, if you are an upright person and a prominent clan frames you, I will stand up for you! But if you are a villain... villains are not distinguished by the size of their family. If you are evil, you deserve to die—is there any problem with that? At most, a few guilty fish might slip through the net, and some worse than you might escape. No matter. What happens once can happen twice. Those of you who walk free, mind your step. As long as I live, don't cross my path, or death will still find you!" "Governor-General Li, are you truly not afraid of death?" Someone, their eyes flickering with the terror of mortality, shouted with hollow bravado, "For years, no one in Heavenly Star City—not in the entire Heavenly Star Dynasty—has ever dared to execute a hundred nobles at once!" "Now someone does!" Li Hao pointed at himself, flashing a brilliant smile. "I dare! So spare me your threats. In a moment, I will return your communication jades. Contact your families, your parents, your connections... dig up the evidence. I want a hundred heads lopped off... Unless I die before then. You're welcome to have your families send Divine Powers to assassinate me. If no Divine Powers show up, so be it; but if they do... I shall eagerly await them!" The crowd stiffened instantly. Send Divine Powers... to kill him! Li Hao's sheer arrogance was peerless. Mu Xiaorong completely lost hope, speaking no more. She merely sighed. This time... there was likely no stopping him. Divine Powers? At this stage, which Divine Power expert would dare take such a risk? Or perhaps send several together? Yet with Li Hao acting this brazenly, did he possess some trump card or hidden assurance to embolden him? Who would volunteer to be the sacrificial vanguard? The Department of Finance had already rolled over; the Three Great Organizations, including Red Moon, dared not rashly enter the city, wary of ambushes by the Nine Departments; the Nine Departments and the imperial clan kept each other in check... Where could one even gather multiple Divine Powers to launch a coordinated strike against Li Hao? Thus... Mu Xiaorong understood clearly that this time... Li Hao was determined to take those heads! Crucially, he was borrowing their own hands to carry out the deed. Once the communication jades were returned and the news spread, Heavenly Star City would likely erupt into chaos. If the various families couldn't deal with Li Hao, their first thought would be who should die—as long as it wasn't someone from their own house! Even close friends might turn against one another! Many could no longer stand steady, their faces stark white. They knew what stains marred their records, knew their families might not be able to shield them, and knew that many clans present wielded far greater influence. Under such circumstances, people would undoubtedly single out the lesser families first, ensuring minimal fallout. After all, it wasn't the head of a family being executed, merely a son or daughter. With conclusive evidence provided... whether they lived or died, the overarching powers wouldn't care. It was the choice of least resistance. Realizing their impending doom, someone gritted their teeth and roared furiously, "And what if Mu Xiaorong is chosen? Would Governor-General Li dare kill her as well?" Li Hao laughed. "Cast your votes! If she ends up among the hundred, backed by conclusive evidence... I'll chop her head off for all of you to see—she'll be the very first! Even if her father comes, even if her grandfather comes, I'll execute her right before their eyes... I'd love to see just how many Divine Powers the Department of Internal Affairs truly possesses. Do you care to test me?" "..." Silence reigned. Mu Xiaorong's face turned deathly pale. Then, she suddenly smiled. "Governor-General Li, I fear none of this! True nobles... do not necessarily break the law as you imagine... You are right: an innocent person has nothing to dread!" Li Hao scoffed dismissively, paying her words little mind. Without another word, he casually tossed out a pile of communication jades, turned, and strode away, his voice echoing back: "Three days. Three days at most to give me an answer! If there is no result after three days... more than a hundred may very well die... Consider the consequences yourselves!" Li Hao was gone. In the next instant, shouting, cursing, and hysterical roars erupted across the courtyard. Some even tried to flee! Yet they quickly realized... escape was impossible. The number of Night Patrollers surrounding them had suddenly surged. The Night Patrollers who had once cowered before them seemed transformed today. Some wore gloating sneers, some gritted their teeth in resentment, and others... cast fearful glances toward the distant, departing figure of Li Hao. They didn't dare let a single person slip away. Li Hao had decreed that if one captive escaped, a guard would take their place in the grave. Who would dare let anyone go? *** On that day, the news spread like wildfire, throwing Heavenly Star City into an uproar! "He's mad!" "He's truly lost his mind!" "That beast... does he intend to make an enemy of the entire dynasty?" "No, my daughter cannot die! She did nothing wrong, our family had nothing to do with it... The guilty ones are others, on what grounds are they seizing my daughter?" "Go to the Nine Departments! Go to the imperial clan! Demand justice! Li Hao cannot be allowed to do this!" "..." In an instant, the entirety of Heavenly Star City was thrown into turmoil. And on this day, the tidings began to circulate—with so many people privy to the matter, keeping it secret was impossible. By that very afternoon, nearly all of Heavenly Star City's tens of millions of citizens knew of the development. Everyone was utterly flabbergasted! Three days from now, the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office would publicly execute one hundred criminal nobles... One hundred! Good heavens! Nobles... were actually going to be executed? Demon Sword Li Hao, Governor-General Li Hao of Heavenly Star... He intended to execute a hundred nobles! This piece of news was even more earth-shattering than the downfall of the Four Seas Corporation and the Heavenly Star Colosseum. Throughout the streets and alleyways, the day was dominated by chatter of Li Hao. "This Marquis of Heavenly Star is far too reckless... Executing nobles? I'm afraid... he won't meet a good end!" "Over the past several decades, barely any nobles have even been arrested, let alone beheaded!" "Could this truly be real? Perhaps he's merely making threats. The nobility possesses immense power—would he really dare?" "He'd better dare! Well slaughtered! Who knows how many atrocities those scoundrels have committed... In my opinion, they deserve to die!" "Easy for you to say—why don't you go kill them? If he truly executes them, I wager this Marquis of Heavenly Star... will find death inescapable!" "Alas, it's hard to be a good man... Nobles rule the dynasty. This northern barbarian... is truly... truly far too rash. Slaying two or three would have sufficed, why insist on killing so many... What a pity!" At this moment, the term "northern barbarian" carried no derogatory bite. It merely expressed pity and regret. A single man pitting himself against the ruling class of an entire dynasty—they had no faith in his odds. They believed Li Hao would not live for much longer. And the news continued to spread in all directions. Three days from now... that would likely be the moment that decided Li Hao's life and death, rather than the fate of those nobles.