Getting Fat in a Single Bite

After seeing Yuqi settled in, Li Hao looked into Yun Haoran's dossier through the Night Patrol. Instead of asking anyone else, he went straight to Yao Si, worried that the intelligence apparatus had been compromised. And Yao Si proved surprisingly cooperative this time, having Xiao Ye deliver a massive pile of records. The matter of the Yun family was no minor affair. On the surface, it was merely the destruction of a single household—entire cities had been wiped out in this day and age, and just two days ago, an old director who had founded one of the Nine Departments had been killed without causing the world to stop turning. Still, Li Hao was far more cautious. The Imperial Family and the Nine Departments had joined hands to carry out the slaughter. Handled poorly, this could stir up serious trouble. They clearly did not want the Yun family's affair brought up again, nor did they want the technologies the family had once mastered to be popularized once more. Some things, once set in motion, were exceedingly difficult to rein in. ... In the somewhat dilapidated room, Li Hao leafed through the documents with care. He gained a broad understanding of Yun Haoran's identity and standing. As director of the Heavenly Star Ancient Academy, he had dedicated himself decades ago to popularizing technologies from the ancient civilization. At the beginning, to win the backing of the Nine Departments and the Imperial Family, Yun Haoran had provided them with substantial technical support. This included manufacturing methods for armaments, such as firearms and artillery shells. These helped the Nine Departments and the Imperial Family keep a tight grip over the entire dynasty. Later, he began promoting an electrical power system and an industrial revolution. After all, without a mature industrial foundation, producing firearms and artillery shells was nearly impossible, so pushing forward electrical reforms followed as a matter of course. Li Hao had to admit the man was no mere bookworm; he had a grand vision, letting those in power taste the benefits first before gradually pushing his agenda forward. Gradually, however, he ran into severe constraints. When the communication system was rolled out, much of it was gutted. For example, communications were restricted to within the same city, while devices like the televisions recorded in ancient texts were excised entirely. Smooth communication was permitted within small areas, but never across wider territories. Five years ago, dissatisfied with the status quo, Yun Haoran proposed education reform. Building on the foundation of the Heavenly Star Ancient Academy, he gathered support from numerous ancient academies and prepared to establish more schools, enrolling vast numbers of eligible students—starting with a baseline in the tens of millions. That terrified all the factions. Before long, his entire family, young and old, had been put to the sword. "He took too big a stride..." Li Hao murmured. Having read the records, he felt Yun Haoran had become hasty near the end. Relying on the support of the Imperial Family and Nine Departments, things had progressed smoothly at first; why had he suddenly decided to accelerate five years ago? The Heavenly Star Ancient Academy had run for decades without rushing. Becoming frantic all of a sudden signaled something unusual. Demanding to open tens of thousands of schools all at once and enroll tens of millions of students—it would have been stranger if the Nine Departments and Imperial Family hadn't killed him. After collaborating for so many years, how could he not know what they were thinking? Enrolling so many people in a single year, and making it an ongoing institution? If given eight or ten years, what would be left for the rulers? "Besides... there weren't enough funds, manpower, or material resources, not to mention teachers. For tens of thousands of schools, even with just ten teachers per school, that would require over a hundred thousand instructors. Where would you find that many?..." Li Hao thought to himself. Local authorities would likely have blocked it as well. What had Yun Haoran been thinking in those final moments? He thought back to Hong Yitang. Hong Yitang had constantly brought up the issue of education as well. Was education truly that important? Li Hao was literate and had received an ancient academy education himself, so he didn't feel strongly about it, but he knew that graduating from an ancient academy could change a person's life, giving them a high starting point upon joining the Inspectorate. Thus, Li Hao lacked a vivid sense of how critical the education issue was. Moreover, Silver Moon had never banned such things; if anything, it encouraged them. Li Hao had even received subsidies during his schooling. Silver Moon provided financial aid for impoverished students, meager though the sums were. "Both Yun Haoran and Hong Yitang said the same thing. Clearly, this really is the key step to enlightening the populace!" "The Imperial Family and Nine Departments understand that perfectly well, which is why they will never allow it. They monopolize technology, wealth, martial might, and educational resources..." With monopolies over all of these, the people below had no chance of causing trouble. "Energy infusion to become a supernatural was monopolized as well. In the past, only major organizations or the Night Patrol had the qualification to undergo energy infusion..." One thought after another surfaced in his mind. Li Hao sealed the documents away. He had ideas of his own. At this stage, he could not burn bridges with both sides simultaneously. On the contrary, while the Imperial Family was trying to woo him, even if he did not accept, he could not display open hostility. He needed to play along with the Imperial Family and join forces to rein in the Nine Departments first. Otherwise... he would end up caught in a pincer between both. "I can break the nobles' monopoly, but I cannot sever their foundation for becoming a Human King. They have a bottom line too, and that bottom line is... when the critical moment comes, having the foundation to unify the world and become a Human King..." At this moment, Li Hao saw clearly what both sides needed. If that was the case... promoting education right now was out of the question. The moment he attempted it, both sides would besiege him. "From the Imperial Family's perspective, my killing some nobles is actually a good thing—discarding a few nobles at a crucial juncture can win over the people... So it doesn't touch their core interests. What's more, most of those I've killed so far belong to the Nine Departments..." He quickly saw through the Imperial Family's calculations. At the thought, Li Hao suddenly smiled. Yun Haoran's affair had helped him grasp certain realities, and together with Hong Yitang's words, it gave him a clearer picture of how to maintain the current balance. With that in mind, he abruptly stood up and walked outside. Black Panther promptly followed. Having consumed a drop of the great demon's essence blood, Black Panther's coat was even glossier. As for its strength, Li Hao couldn't tell; the hound was more martial master than a martial master, making its depth impossible to discern. ... Nine Departments Avenue. The moment Li Hao set foot upon the street, powerful auras enveloped the area all at once. Li Hao frowned slightly, looking in every direction. "What is this? Is this Commander-in-Chief not allowed to come here? Having a meal at the Nine Dragons Pavilion—anyone got an objection?" Silence answered him, though the auras remained draped over him. Not bothering to pay them any mind, Li Hao headed straight for the Nine Dragons Pavilion. Auras continued to trail him, but Li Hao paid no heed. Stepping through the grand doors, he was spotted by the female manager, who looked slightly surprised. She hurried forward, beaming. "Commander-in-Chief, you've come!" Her smile felt considerably brighter than before. Li Hao smiled as well. Look at that—the perks of killing people. Once you killed enough, even these haughty imperial secret agents became more polite with each visit. "The usual place... Actually, let's take the Department of Criminal Law's private room. Old Hu was beaten to death by me, so I'll be using his private room from now on!" The words caused a noticeable stir in the hall. Several patrons left at once. Those chatting fell dead silent, while others who had spotted Li Hao earlier had already fled long ago. With Li Hao acting so rampant, who dared provoke him? Of course, people also marveled at his brazenness! This place was surrounded by the Nine Departments—did he not fear being mobbed and slaughtered? What sheer audacity! Most of the Silver Moon martial masters had already left, leaving only a handful behind. Was Li Hao truly fearless? Yet the Nine Departments seemed to have taken it lying down; indeed, they didn't make a move. The more confident Li Hao appeared, the more cautious the Nine Departments became. After suffering several setbacks and losing multiple Divine Powers, who dared recklessly clash with him again? If Li Hao still had hidden cards, wouldn't a whole bunch of them die once more? Without absolute certainty, no one dared lift a hand. The female manager refrained from saying much, hurriedly guiding Li Hao upstairs. As they walked, she whispered, "The Commander-in-Chief resides in the North City, which is quite far from here. If you wish to dine next time, you can contact Nine Dragons Pavilion; we offer delivery, so there is no need for Your Excellency to come in person every time." Coming here was indeed none too safe. Li Hao, however, assumed she was looking down on him and chuckled. "What, think I don't have money? Think I can't afford it? Am I the kind of person who eats free meals? I've killed so many experts; do you really think I lack the coin to spend?" Well, the previous two times, he really had eaten for free. This time... perhaps as well. It was only natural for people to look down on him. The female manager offered only a polite smile and pressed the matter no further, seeing how full of confidence Li Hao was. Moments later, Li Hao reached the ninth floor. It was dead quiet. In the past, several directors would come to dine here every day, but today not a single one was in sight. They were either keeping a low profile or clashing with the Imperial Family, leaving no time to visit. Li Hao entered the private room. Wasting no words, he said directly, "Call your Pavilion Master out for a chat." The female manager showed a hint of embarrassment and said softly, "The Commander-in-Chief may not know, but our Pavilion Master is of imperial royal blood..." "More noble than the Plain King?" "This..." The female manager was puzzled as well. What did Li Hao want with the Pavilion Master? His visit today seemed to be specifically for this. She pondered: could he be planning to cooperate with the Imperial Family? Yet the Imperial Family was hardly benevolent. As an open agent of the imperial court, she knew plenty; the Imperial Family was perhaps far more troublesome than the Nine Departments. Li Hao getting entangled with them might be inviting wolves into the fold. Still, at this moment, she could not refuse. "Then... I shall go report!" "Go on!" Li Hao sat down leisurely. Soon, attendants began serving dishes in generous portions. ... After drinking a few cups of tea and eating some food, footsteps approached the door. A knock sounded. "Come in!" The next moment, the female manager ushered someone in. Li Hao turned to look: a woman who appeared relatively young, in her twenties or thirties, draped in a luxurious brocade robe, her hair tied up simply. Entering the room, the female manager helped her take off the shawl and brocade robe, revealing an impressive figure clad in form-fitting brocade attire. "Marquis of Heavenly Star, your reputation precedes you!" The woman offered a smile, impeccably polished and radiating warmth, but looking at it made Li Hao feel somewhat uneasy. This smile... was identical to the one he had trained himself to put on back in the Inspectorate. A textbook phony smile. The female manager hurriedly introduced her: "Commander-in-Chief Li, this is our Pavilion Master, and Her Imperial Highness the Seventh Princess." Li Hao looked at her, smiled, and signaled Black Panther to move. Black Panther hopped off the chair, vacating the seat. Li Hao smiled. "Your Highness... please have a seat!" "..." The female manager's expression shifted slightly, but the Seventh Princess didn't bat an eye. She stepped forward and sat down without hesitation, seemingly unbothered that a dog had just occupied the seat. Instead, she smiled and said, "It is an honor. I have heard that Black Panther is of direct ancient demon lineage with pure bloodlines. Though the ancient civilization has passed, the bloodline endures; I, too, would like to converse more with Grand Venerable Black Panther." Black Panther lifted its chin and ignored her. Li Hao inwardly marveled at her eloquence. *I had you take a dog's seat, and you can still flatter like that? Why don't you just marry Black Panther?* "There will be chances!" Li Hao gave a chuckle, looking at the Seventh Princess with added vigilance. While other members of the Imperial Family stayed behind the scenes and the Plain King handled external affairs, this Seventh Princess ran the Nine Dragons Pavilion. She was definitely no simple figure. As for her strength... he couldn't gauge it at all! It wasn't something explained merely by being a martial master; she undoubtedly wore something that masked her aura and concealed all energy traces—most likely a powerful aura-masking Origin God Armament, or even a bronze mirror fragment! Li Hao possessed one himself and knew how formidable such objects were. Whenever he entered the Nine Dragons Pavilion before, he had felt as though he were under surveillance. Thus, this place might hold one, or it might be right on the Seventh Princess herself. Before Li Hao could speak, the Seventh Princess smiled and took the initiative. "Two days ago, the Marquis of Heavenly Star eliminated those vermin who undermined the foundation of the state, not in vain of Imperial Father's painstaking intentions. That Uncle Plain King actually colluded with the Nine Departments was truly a disgrace to the Imperial Family. Fortunately, the Marquis slew him; otherwise, outsiders would have thought our Imperial Family was just like the Nine Departments, crawling with vermin!" What a silver tongue! With a single sentence, she framed the Plain King as a rebel who had betrayed the imperial house. Pity poor Plain King: after slaving away conscientiously for the Imperial Family all these years, he met such an end and even bore the crime of colluding with the Nine Departments and betraying his own blood. Li Hao instantly understood that beating around the bush with her was useless; her political experience far outstripped his own. He stopped playing games and got straight to the point: "I won't bother with pleasantries; there's no point. Can the Seventh Princess speak on behalf of the Imperial Family?" The Seventh Princess gave a light laugh. "That depends on the matter. Of course, if it is beyond my authority, I can communicate directly with Imperial Father and have him speak with the Marquis of Heavenly Star. Would that satisfy you, Marquis?" "Satisfied!" Li Hao said in admiration, adding, "Women truly rival men! I thought everyone in the Imperial Family was like Southern Fist... Cough, cough, my mistake. He's a Silver Moon martial master; I almost insulted myself." The Seventh Princess kept her bright smile. "Master He is candid and unpretentious. He has served in the imperial palace for many years and even trained a talent like my Ninth Imperial Brother, embodying the valor of Silver Moon martial masters. Everyone in the Imperial Family is quite fond of Master He." Ninth Imperial Brother? Southern Fist had mentioned that he maintained good relations with an imperial prince over the years; was it this Ninth Imperial Brother she spoke of? When it came to imperial intelligence, Li Hao really didn't know much, knowing only of nine kings and thirty-six dukes—not including external dukes like the Xu family, but those belonging to the royal house itself. Led astray by the topic, Li Hao asked curiously, "Does the Heavenly Star King have many children? You're seventh. How old are you? You don't look old—are you thirty?" "..." The female manager quietly shuffled out of the room at that moment, almost wanting to crawl into a hole. How could he ask such a thing? It was so easy to invite imperial hostility! The Seventh Princess seemed entirely unbothered, chuckling softly. "The Marquis of Heavenly Star is so delightfully straightforward. Imperial Father has twenty-two children..." "Not as many as Thunderbolt Leg!" "..." The Seventh Princess nearly lost her composure, but held it together and continued, "I am ranked seventh. As for my age, let us leave that aside. My Ninth Imperial Brother happens to be twenty this year, the same age as the Marquis." "Twenty... so young!" Li Hao marveled. "So when Martial Uncle Southern Fist first entered the palace, the boy was just born?" Those were digressions. After chatting offhandedly, he steered the conversation back to the point: "Here's the situation. As the Seventh Princess knows, aside from the Inspectorate, the other departments in the Nine Departments wish they could tear me apart and devour me. Who told me to kill five of their Divine Powers at once, including Hu Xiao?" "Staying in Heavenly Star City is actually very dangerous for me right now. But I'm rather stubborn; if you don't want me around, I'll dig in my heels and fight you to the bitter end!" Li Hao sneered. "Besides, I know they're currently in a standoff with the Imperial Family... They wouldn't dare act rashly against me." Seeing him lay it bare, the Seventh Princess dropped her pretenses as well, smiling. "Then what is the Marquis of Heavenly Star's intention in coming here today?" "I won't help the Imperial Family!" "..." The Seventh Princess frowned slightly. Li Hao added, "However, I will continue to target the Nine Departments... So even if I say I won't help you, our objectives align!" The Seventh Princess nodded. Li Hao continued, "They and I cannot share the same sky! Especially the current Director of Criminal Law—he probably wants to chew my flesh and drink my blood... After weighing things carefully, remaining in Heavenly Star City still poses risks for me..." For a moment, the Seventh Princess couldn't grasp his drift and asked with slight confusion, "Does the Marquis mean... the Imperial Family should provide you with protection?" "Not at all!" Li Hao shook his head. "No need for that. Besides, I wouldn't trust your protection anyway. Who knows if you'd try to kill me to seize my god armaments!" "..." She was rendered speechless. Clever as the Seventh Princess was, she truly could not guess Li Hao's angle at this point. She looked at him quizzically: *Then what are you trying to say?* Li Hao stated, "I came to the Imperial Family because there are a few matters requiring your cooperation... or assistance, if you will. Naturally, both sides will benefit!" "Please speak candidly, Marquis!" "Provide me with a complete dossier on the Nine Departments, including the number of experts, Divine Power tiers, peripheral forces... the most comprehensive version, not the redacted public edition. I know you definitely have it! Knowing oneself and one's enemy guarantees victory in a hundred battles; there's no way you don't track these things." Li Hao raised one finger, then continued, "Second, I want to contend openly with the Nine Departments by establishing the Heavenly Star Martial Arts Academy in Heavenly Star City, with the Earth-Overturning Sword serving as dean... I want the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office completely split off, or given an independent establishment. Combined with the Heavenly Star Martial Arts Academy and the Night Patrol, the three entities will form a new organization—or call it the Tenth Department! The Imperial Family only needs to grant me the official title; you don't have to contribute anything material." The Seventh Princess's expression shifted slightly. The Tenth Department! Li Hao... had nerve to even utter it. Of course Li Hao had nerve. Not only that, he wanted to carve the Night Patrol out from under the Inspectorate. This shook the Seventh Princess even more. In a lowered voice, she asked, "Director Yao Si agreed? And what about the Inspectorate..." Li Hao smiled. "Director Yao naturally has no objections. As for the Inspectorate... what does it matter? One more enemy or one less enemy makes no difference. Wouldn't the Imperial Family fear that my close ties with the Inspectorate might lead us to conspire together? Doing this drives a wedge between us instead. The Inspectorate will definitely harbor resentment toward me; isn't that a good thing? If anyone is unhappy, it's the Inspectorate. The Imperial Family should be delighted." The Seventh Princess nodded slightly, still puzzled. "The Heavenly Star Martial Arts Academy... to be named by you as one of the three pillars... is this academy mainly intended to cultivate martial arts students?" Setting aside the Governor-General's Office and the Night Patrol, why did Li Hao want to add the Heavenly Star Martial Arts Academy? Li Hao bared his teeth. "Naturally. That day Liu Yunqing claimed public sentiment counted for nothing; I'll show him how terrifying the will of the people can be! I want to establish an image of being close to the people, so I will recruit ordinary folk and train them. I plan to return to Silver Moon and seek out the ancient existences in Battle Heaven City to provide me with large quantities of Battle Heaven Armor, training an army of martial masters to rival the Nine Departments! Martial masters risen from the common people... to let the Nine Departments see whether I, Li Hao, can slap their faces!" The Seventh Princess was stunned. "You... you can take armor from Battle Heaven City?" "I could before. I don't know about now." Li Hao shook his head. "Now that I've become a supernatural, the grudge is irreconcilable! I don't know if it will still work; supernaturals weren't permitted into Battle Heaven City before. I can only give it a try..." Letting out a sigh, he added, "If it succeeds, so much the better!" The Seventh Princess weighed this swiftly. Founding an academy and enrolling ordinary people wasn't a big deal; cultivating martial masters and building an army... wasn't a threat either. Having Hong Yitang serve as dean was even less of a concern. True, it might cause quite a stir among the common populace—this would probably be the very first martial academy officially open to ordinary folk—yet an extra batch of martial roughnecks didn't really matter. Neither the Imperial Family nor the Nine Departments feared this. In this era, having more martial artists wouldn't change a thing. If he were cultivating scholars, that would warrant caution; incitement and stirring up the populace was often the handiwork of intellectuals. She quickly weighed the pros and cons; it truly had little negative impact on the Imperial Family. In fact, it would provoke Silver Moon and the Nine Departments into even greater hostility! Li Hao continued, "In addition, I'm worried the Nine Departments have ace-in-the-hole experts who haven't shown themselves yet, including some ancient existences. So this time, I want to return to Silver Moon and visit Battle Heaven City to see if I can invite a few ancient experts out... If they push me too far, I'll wage total war against them!" The Seventh Princess's heart stirred. "Has the Marquis... reached an agreement with certain existences?" "What agreement?" Li Hao looked puzzled. "I am a descendant of the Eight Great Families' Li family; they ought to take orders from me by right! Of course, that might not fly now, so I can only negotiate." "Can the existences in Battle Heaven City... walk out?" Li Hao asked in confusion, "Can't they?" The Seventh Princess choked on her words, feeling a wave of exasperation. She could only say, "Then... the Marquis had best inquire clearly. As things stand, these existences... cannot rashly manifest in the world. The superpower recovery has only occurred once: first, the energy density between heaven and earth is insufficient; second, the rules of the Great Dao have shifted somewhat, and they might not adapt to the current changes. All of this must await the second superpower recovery..." "The second?" Li Hao was blank—genuinely bewildered this time. The Seventh Princess did not conceal it, nodding. "Not just these ancient existences—even we require a higher concentration of worldly energy for support... Naturally, being people of this era, we aren't affected as severely. However, the reason the Divine Power Realm is currently unstable is also connected to the thinness of worldly energy. Everyone requires the second superpower recovery. The Marquis is a core figure of Silver Moon; you may not know now, but the second energy recovery will be when all factions step into Silver Moon." To Li Hao, these were secrets; to certain people in Silver Moon, they were not. The Seventh Princess did not care whether Li Hao knew or not. She continued, "Not only us—once the second superpower recovery arrives, those seeking to enter the land of Silver Moon won't just be our factions, but ancient existences as well... They, whether beasts or men, all wish to enter Silver Moon. As for the specific reasons, it is not convenient for me to elaborate." She looked at Li Hao. "The Marquis had best not rashly invite these existences out, or it might trigger unforeseen dangers. That is why no such existences appeared in the previous battle between Silver Moon and the Nine Departments. Otherwise... even the Marquis's master might have been able to summon a few..." Li Hao glanced at her. *She knows quite a lot!* "When will the second superpower recovery occur?" "Unknown." The Seventh Princess shook her head. "Everyone is waiting. Twenty years have passed since the first recovery; it may be soon. Perhaps it is still missing certain catalysts, but I believe it won't be long!" She did not give specific details. Li Hao was speechless, but did not press further. "I don't care about that; I'll go back and ask." Li Hao continued, "Apart from the detailed records on the Nine Departments and carving out the Night Patrol into the three-way organization, I have one more matter requiring your help." "Please speak, Marquis." Li Hao said, "I've heard people say that the current communication system and transmission jade system were developed by... what was it, the Heavenly Star Ancient Academy? I need some technical support. In addition, I heard a group of those people was taken in by Nine Dragons Pavilion back then. Hand those people over to me..." "What?" Li Hao said exasperatedly, "What are you making a fuss about? They're just ordinary people... But I need to construct my own communication network. I can't rely on others forever. Be it the Night Patrol's, the Nine Departments', or even the Imperial Family's—would I dare let you control my comms? I need to build my own intelligence apparatus; what's strange about that?" Li Hao looked thoroughly unamused. "This is just a small matter. I heard Nine Dragons Pavilion can communicate instantly across the world..." "The Marquis can freely borrow ours. I promise we will never eavesdrop..." "Heh!" Li Hao scoffed. "Would you believe that? Just tell me whether you'll lend them or not. My securing a foothold in Heavenly Star City is good for you. You didn't object to anything earlier, yet when I ask to borrow a few people to help set up an intelligence network, you get reluctant?" The Seventh Princess frowned. "Marquis, it isn't that I refuse, but those people... some died, some scattered, and the rest were recruited by various factions. I don't have many on my side either, and I need them to maintain the operation of our relay stations..." It really wasn't easy to lend them out! Among them, some commanded highly advanced technology, while others possessed top-secret knowledge. Furthermore, because that research institute director had died earlier, Nine Dragons Pavilion was currently dealing with its own headaches. Li Hao hadn't come earlier or later, but chose now to borrow these people... To tell the truth, their individual combat strength was negligible, but their importance was irreplaceable! Li Hao frowned. "Does the Seventh Princess mean 'no,' then? You could just say those two words directly!" With that, he stood up and turned to leave. The Seventh Princess's expression shifted, and she rose as well. "Do not be hasty, Marquis. This... this matter, let me discuss it with Imperial Father..." She hadn't needed to consult on any of the previous points, yet this matter required discussion. Li Hao asked dubiously, "Just a few ordinary people, and you need the Heavenly Star King's approval? Are you joking?" "It isn't that..." The Seventh Princess couldn't explain in detail. Li Hao frowned. "Why make it so troublesome? For me, this isn't terribly difficult anyway. Battle Heaven Armor can communicate across a thousand li; stationing one person every thousand li would work too! It's just that as my people increase, I won't have enough suits to station everyone everywhere, and I'd have to worry about them being ambushed... This is merely icing on the cake, not lifesaving aid. If you refuse even this... do you believe my staying won't bring any help to the Imperial Family?" The Seventh Princess paused, realizing what he meant, her gaze shifting slightly. "The Marquis... can activate the armor?" "Nonsense, of course!" The Seventh Princess didn't take offense, but furrowed her brows slightly before quickly resuming her smile. "May I ask... how many suits of armor can the Marquis activate?" "Currently, only one thousand suits." Hearing this, the Seventh Princess breathed a small sigh of relief, her smile returning. "Does the Marquis mean that in the future, you could activate more?" "If Battle Heaven City doesn't reject my status as a supernatural, naturally yes. I only fear..." Speaking of this, he gritted his teeth. "The Nine Departments forcing me to become a Divine Power is a debt I will settle with them sooner or later. Becoming a Divine Power ruined so many of my opportunities!" That was indeed true! The Seventh Princess nodded as well, sighing sympathetically. "Indeed, what a pity! As a Silver Moon martial master, had the Marquis remained purely a martial artist, with your status as the Li family successor in Silver Moon, even if you didn't run rampant across the world, you would have obtained immense fortunes. Now... it is truly a shame!" "Don't bring that up. Are you lending the people or not? If not, forget it." "We will lend them!" Having thought it through, the Seventh Princess smiled. "The Marquis is simply too impatient. I only said I would discuss it, not that I refused... However, there won't be many people. After all, I don't have many at my disposal either. What do you think... of ten people?" "Can they ensure the communication system runs smoothly?" "Absolutely!" "Fine, then!" Li Hao nodded. "By the way, if you have so few people, just train more... Dilly-dallying over a few ordinary mortals with me." The Seventh Princess smiled and said nothing. Li Hao didn't linger on it either. "Then that's settled! Those are the three main things. Once I've secured a firm foothold in Heavenly Star City, just you watch—I'll make the Nine Departments pay dearly!" Speaking to this point, he remembered something and gritted his teeth. "By the way, to keep suppressing the Nine Departments, I might kill another batch of people! There might be Imperial Family members among them. Hand me a list of your discarded pawns or disobedient folks... I'll kill them for you while I'm at it!" The Seventh Princess's expression changed. "This..." "I don't believe for a second that everyone in the Imperial Family is on the same side!" Li Hao said testily. "Do you take me for a fool? Haven't you ever eliminated political rivals? I need heads to establish my authority and chip away at the Nine Departments' influence. Naturally, I can't let people think I, Li Hao, fear the Imperial Family and dare not provoke you... If I kill imperial personnel alongside them, the Nine Departments will think I've gone mad and sit back waiting for us to turn on each other! Did you really think I only know how to be reckless?" The Seventh Princess's eyes flickered. A ripple passed through her heart: this fellow truly wasn't just reckless! If he killed people from both sides, the Nine Departments might try to negotiate with the Imperial Family to join forces against Li Hao. If the Imperial Family took advantage of that to make demands while secretly continuing to cooperate with Li Hao... there might genuinely be unexpected benefits. Of course, doing so would boost Li Hao's personal prestige. But on second thought, in this era... prestige was virtually useless; what truly mattered was strength! She pondered for a moment and nodded. "Agreed... however, this matter must be kept strictly confidential!" "Of course! Do you think I'd broadcast to the whole world that I'm cooperating with the Imperial Family and helping you purge dissidents? You must be joking! One more thing: there must be solid evidence. I, Li Hao, don't kill indiscriminately. Don't throw honest, innocent people at me to execute... I have no interest in being your butcher's knife for innocents!" "Never!" "Then here's to a pleasant cooperation!" Li Hao immediately broke into a smile. "I won't stay any longer. Oh, by the way—send a meal from here to the North City for me every day from now on... As for the bill... settle it all at the end of the year!" The Seventh Princess laughed at once. "That won't be necessary..." "Then many thanks for Your Highness's generosity!" "..." The Seventh Princess was speechless. Was Li Hao really short on such petty money? What's more, she had only been making a polite gesture, and he took it literally! Of course, to her, it was chump change, so she didn't object, smiling and nodding. "Think nothing of it!" Li Hao stayed no longer and walked out. The Seventh Princess didn't see him off. Only after Li Hao was gone did she fall into contemplation. Li Hao was indeed an intriguing character. The conditions he raised weren't overly demanding. If Li Hao truly could establish a firm foothold in Heavenly Star City, it might prove to be a good thing. Reflecting for a moment, she took out a mirror shard. A human face appeared on its surface. "Imperial Father, you heard it as well. What do you think...?" "Li Hao is very interesting," a dignified voice echoed slowly, tinged with a faint laugh. "He wants to build his authority, even hoping to establish great prestige among the common people, to reach a point where a single word from him brings widespread followers... but he overestimates the masses. I do not know if he aspires to be a Human King, but Silver Moon has always been a land refractory to discipline. When the world falls into chaos, it begins in the north! Chaos is fine as well. Is not everything we do today meant precisely for this?" After a few remarks, the voice continued slowly, "Agree to all his requests! He has already become an indispensable part of Silver Moon; Earth-Overturning Sword, the Five Animals King, and the others all share close ties with him... If we want Silver Moon and the Nine Departments to continue waging war, we may well need Li Hao's impulsiveness and ambition!" Impulsiveness or ambition, it didn't matter. Li Hao's temperament doomed him to further clash with the Nine Departments. "We shall also place more restrictions on the Nine Departments, affording Li Hao better opportunities to grow and expand..." The Seventh Princess whispered, "Imperial Father, what if... what if the Silver Moon folk truly establish an unshakeable foothold in Heavenly Star City..." "Do you think that possible?" The dignified voice rang out again. "Previously, had we not tied the Nine Departments' hands, the Silver Moon folk would have suffered. This is Heavenly Star, not Silver Moon! Do you understand?" "Understood!" The Seventh Princess nodded and spoke no more. The figure in the mirror vanished instantly. ... Meanwhile, Li Hao walked out of Nine Dragons Pavilion. The female manager saw him out, as warm as ever, but Li Hao paid it no mind. He was deep in thought. Whatever the Imperial Family's designs, so long as he portrayed himself as someone determined to battle the Nine Departments to the bitter end, backed by Battle Heaven City and Silver Moon, the Imperial Family would surely sit back and watch the tigers fight. For the imperial house to be pushed into stepping back by the Nine Departments meant their strength was either matched or slightly inferior; they might well need his assistance. He also thought about the Nine Departments. Were they really that strong? After stepping into the Divine Power Realm, he felt they were merely so-so. Relying on eighteen directors—now only seventeen—even if all were at the Divine Power Realm and wielded ancient god armaments, could they truly suppress the Imperial Family? With nine kings, thirty-six dukes, twenty-two imperial princes and princesses in this generation, plus the Heavenly Star King himself... could they really not overcome the Nine Departments? Li Hao mused that only after receiving the dossier from the Imperial Family would he truly see the whole picture. For now, the pressing priority was to return. To Silver Moon! He had to visit Battle Heaven City, go see the little tree, and visit Silver City... He had mentioned his departure to the imperial princess; he wondered if anyone would ambuscade him once he left. "Ambush me in secret... they might as well join forces with the Nine Departments to kill me!" Li Hao chuckled. If they did that, their own losses might be heavier, so it made more sense for them to let the Nine Departments' experts do the dirty work. ... Night Patrol Headquarters. Hou Xiaochen frowned slightly. "You're returning to Silver Moon right now?" "Yeah." Hou Xiaochen considered it, his brow furrowing deeper. "Are you coming back, then?" "Of course!" Hou Xiaochen weighed it back and forth, nursing a headache. "I'm worried that once you return to Silver Moon, you'll stir up even greater trouble. Don't act recklessly... Whether Battle Heaven City or anything else, now is not the time for them to emerge! Wherever you go, you cause disturbances... Rather than kicking up a storm in Silver Moon, you'd be better off staying in Heavenly Star City. At least if you tear the sky apart here, it's someone else's territory, whereas Silver Moon is our own backyard." Li Hao said in mock astonishment, "Am I that kind of person? In the Chief's eyes, do I only know how to cause trouble?" *Aren't you?* Hou Xiaochen wanted to scream. *Aren't you? Speak for yourself! Wherever you go, don't you cause enormous messes? First you struck down the Duke of Dingguo, then you took on the Nine Departments—would a normal person dare do that?* A headache was a headache, but he knew Li Hao had business to attend to by returning. After some thought, he said, "Going back is fine, just be careful on the road! In addition... I must remind you again: ancient people are ancient people, and modern people are modern people! The two are not the same, and demons especially cannot be trusted lightly!" "There's one more thing. The Inspectorate mentioned that the Department of Finance conceded a ruin, possibly a martial arts university. Do you want to participate in the exploration? They harbor ill intentions either way..." "We'll talk when I get back!" Li Hao calculated. "I'm fast; I have the Wind-Chasing Boots, and my elements are wind and lightning. Returning to Silver Moon takes just two or three days, and a round trip will only take a week. We can discuss it then. Meanwhile, Chief, you can go talk to Director Yao and have him bring the Night Patrol to join us, making them a subordinate agency of the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office..." "..." Hou Xiaochen felt his head explode. "Go tell him yourself!" "I'm not going!" Li Hao shook his head. "I'm young and hot-tempered; I'm afraid we'd end up trading blows. You are seasoned and prudent, Chief; you can discuss it with him." *Damn it!* Hou Xiaochen felt like punching him. Did this bastard Li Hao have any decency? Yao Si was supposed to be his superior officer, yet here he was trying to swallow him whole! The man had built the Night Patrol system with his own hands, and you want to incorporate him under your banner? Your appetite is monstrous! If I go talk to him... wouldn't that old codger send me flying with one punch? "Maintaining the current state of affairs is actually quite fine..." Li Hao shook his head. "Without the proper title, words carry no weight; sometimes titular status is very important! Otherwise, why would the Nine Departments establish nine departments in the first place? You should understand this better than I do, Chief." *Nonsense! Of course I understand, but do you have any shame? Why don't you go yourself? You know full well that if you go, you might end up fighting Yao Si! Besides, not just Yao Si—the Inspectorate would probably fight you too!* "Those who are capable take on more work!" Li Hao said earnestly. "In my eyes, Chief, you are omnipotent! If you don't believe me, ask Chief Steward Yu." "Chief Steward Yu, can the Chief convince Director Yao?" Chief Steward Yu nodded immediately. "Of course!" "..." *Fuck!* Hou Xiaochen wanted to curse, though he didn't know who to curse at. Little Yu's head... well, he couldn't blame her; she had been like this for years. Jade Rakshasa believed he could do anything, but... but... He was completely speechless! That grandson Li Hao really knew whom to ask. Hou Xiaochen's head throbbed. "We'll see. I'll do my best to try. Also, keep your distance from the Imperial Family. They're no ordinary force. Two hundred years ago, they already possessed the Black Armor Army. You know the inner workings of the Battle Heaven Army, which means two hundred years ago, they had already obtained certain ruin inheritances. Back then, superpowers hadn't revived, yet martial masters always existed. Do you understand what I mean?" Li Hao nodded; he understood. Moreover, the Black Armor Army reportedly numbered more than a thousand. That meant two hundred years ago, the Imperial Family might have produced a division commander-rank officer; otherwise, if they hadn't activated the armor, then having this many Black Armored troops meant their numbers might exceed ten thousand—a full division! Heavenly Star Town was said to have had a garrison of a hundred thousand back then, an army-level unit, a legion. Who knew to what extent the Imperial Family held control now? If someone with high authority emerged who could become an army commander, that would mean their Black Armor Army could reach a hundred thousand! Still, that was unlikely, wasn't it? Li Hao thought to himself. He knew full well how difficult it was unless... the Imperial Family possessed the bloodline of that ancient garrison, just like him, who had almost become a division commander upon entering the city. If he had possessed adequate strength when visiting Battle Heaven City, he would have been at the general tier, a division commander capable of commanding ten thousand men. "Right, take this back and hand it over to the General Administration Bureau..." Hou Xiaochen produced a storage ring and added, "Don't bother peeking; there are no treasures in it, just things Silver Moon needs. Take it back and pass it along!" "Sure!" "Be careful on the road. Though you are swift, beware of the Three Great Organizations." "Mm!" After a few more exchanges, Li Hao said no more and quickly took off. As for whether Hou Xiaochen and the others were safe remaining in Heavenly Star City, it wasn't a major issue for now. The Imperial Family was still present to tie down the other side; otherwise, Li Hao would not have left so readily. ... Not long after Li Hao departed the Night Patrol Headquarters, an earth-shattering boom erupted. Yao Si sent someone flying with a single punch, letting out an enraged roar! Hou Xiaochen let out a sigh and flew back toward his office building. *I knew it!* Li Hao had gotten too big for his boots. Seizing power was one thing, but wanting to swallow them whole and drag the Night Patrol right under his own banner... this was downright bullying. It was already a blessing that Yao Si hadn't chased him down.