Completely Satisfied

By the time he left the Ancient Academy, it was already past four in the afternoon. It was the afternoon of July 14. The weather forecast said that on the 18th, Silver City would enter a prolonged rainy season. "Three days left," Li Hao muttered silently as he pedaled his bicycle. Because it would start raining on the 18th, that day couldn't be counted, which meant time was running short. As for its accuracy, the weather forecasts in Silver City were remarkably reliable. With his mind occupied, Li Hao returned to the Inspectorate. Punching out for the end of the workday was still something he needed to do. Besides, Wang Ming had insisted on treating him to dinner tonight. As a bachelor and the resident nice guy of the Confidential Records Office, Li Hao wouldn't refuse. To decline would break character. *** Inside the Confidential Records Office. Seeing Li Hao return, Wang Ming, who was learning how to process documents with Chen Na, showed a subtle gleam in his eyes. Curiosity flickered across his gaze and vanished in an instant. However, Li Hao, who had been watching him closely, caught it clearly. If one didn't pay attention, it would easily go unnoticed, but with deliberate observation, it was not hard to detect. Evidently, this Wang Ming was not a seasoned schemer. He was likely genuinely young—perhaps, like Li Meng, a Night Watcher who had only recently started going on missions. Li Hao guessed that Wang Ming might have already learned about Yuan Shuo injuring Li Meng earlier. Otherwise, when Li Hao had left at noon, Wang Ming hadn't seemed nearly so curious. Perhaps the guy was also wondering what secret art Yuan Shuo had taught him, given that Yuan Shuo's pretext had been passing on a secret technique. "Brother Hao, you're back!" Wang Ming was remarkably courteous, dropping all pretension and calling him "Brother Hao" with easy familiarity. Li Hao smiled and nodded. "Yeah, finished up my errands." Chen Na looked up and giggled. "Finished errands? More like you didn't want to cook and came back to sponge a free meal! It's right around clocking-out time and you rush back—you've definitely got your eye on Xiao Ming's dinner!" *Xiao Ming!* Li Hao wanted to laugh, but held it in. He had called Wang Ming that earlier, and Chen Na must have overheard, as she was now calling him Xiao Ming as well. A look of resignation flashed in Wang Ming's eyes, but he didn't protest, accepting Chen Na's moniker. He quickly nodded and said, "I've already picked a place. We can head over right after work. I just don't know if it'll suit your tastes." "I eat anything, so it doesn't matter to me." Chen Na was easygoing, and Li Hao was naturally even more accommodating, though he still asked, "Just the three of us?" Wang Ming hurriedly said, "I'm treating just the two of you today since I've troubled you both all day. I'll treat the other colleagues tomorrow!" Li Hao said nothing more and returned to his desk, swiftly processing a few files. After a brief period of busywork, it was time to clock out. *** At five thirty, by the main gate of the Inspectorate. Wang Ming stared at Li Hao's bicycle, momentarily dazed. He couldn't help asking, "Brother Hao, we're riding bikes there?" He hadn't brought a car when coming here, nor had he found time to buy one. Li Hao had politely offered to give him a ride, only to roll up a moment later on his beat-up bicycle. Although Wang Ming had seen Li Hao ride out at noon, how could he have imagined that this guy really only owned a bicycle! "It's not far!" Li Hao smiled. "Just up ahead, ten minutes by bike. Or would you rather take a car? Sister Na has one..." "Why don't we both ride in Sister Na's car..." "That won't do!" Li Hao shook his head. "I have to go home tonight. If I leave my bike here, I'll have to walk back. That's too much hassle!" Wang Ming almost cursed aloud! This guy was stubborn as a mule! At such a young age, why did he act like some pedantic old scholar—riding a bike everywhere, reading newspapers at work? He was a graduate of the Silver City Ancient Academy, yet he had zero ambition. Though thoroughly dissatisfied with the bicycle, leaving Chen Na to drive alone while Li Hao rode his bike felt awkward. After weighing his options, Wang Ming decided to ride with Li Hao. Besides, Li Hao was the person he wanted to understand better anyway. *** Perched on the back of the bicycle, Wang Ming's long legs had nowhere comfortable to rest, making him feel exceedingly awkward. He had no choice but to hold onto Li Hao's waist, which was quite a novel experience for him. After holding on for a while, he couldn't help saying, "Brother Hao, what do you have in your pocket? It's poking into me." If it hadn't been right at Li Hao's waist, his thoughts might have wandered in strange directions. It was rock-hard! He was a man, after all... Of course, being at the waist, he was surely overthinking things. "Oh, I almost forgot." Li Hao pedaled onward without turning his head, his tone light and cheerful. "An old family heirloom. Our neighborhood hasn't felt very peaceful lately—the dogs have been barking like crazy at night. I was afraid of losing it, so I shoved it into my pocket." Wang Ming's eyes instantly lit up! *An old heirloom? Family heirloom?* His interest flared, and he asked with feigned nonchalance, "What kind of heirloom? Shoving it in your pocket like that without worrying about damaging it—Brother Hao, you're pretty careless." "No way!" Li Hao chuckled. "It's not porcelain. It's a little metal sword. Even if it hits the ground, it won't break. I don't know how many times I dropped it when I was a kid." "A little sword?" With Li Hao's back turned to him, Wang Ming's eyes shone with an alarming brightness! *To think it comes so effortlessly without lifting a finger!* The Li family sword was actually on Li Hao's person, tucked right in his pocket—and he could reach out and take it this very second. He found it unbelievable, yet on second thought, it seemed completely natural. If the neighborhood wasn't safe, of course one would carry valuable possessions with them. He simply hadn't expected to see the Li family sword so quickly. Within the Night Watchers, there was actually a dossier regarding this sword. Naturally, it was quite vague; the Night Watchers had been established too recently, so they had merely compiled a rough summary based on fragmented clues. The Eight Great Families of Silver City might have an ancient heritage dating back hundreds or even thousands of years, making exact tracing difficult now. But according to the Night Watchers' assessment, the weapons mentioned in the nursery rhyme were at least at the Solar Radiance level! The supernatural domain, which had emerged relatively recently, graded these supernatural items according to supernatural power levels. Solar Radiance corresponded to a powerhouse on the level of a Thousand-Battler martial master. And a Solar Radiance-level weapon was an exceedingly rare treasure even to supernaturals. Wang Ming felt a stir of temptation and couldn't help asking, "Brother Hao, a little sword that's a family heirloom... Could I take a look? I've always been interested in old antiques..." He added, "I've collected quite a few old things back in White Moon City. If you like, once the holidays come, I can bring some from home for you to play with." "No need for that," Li Hao said with an innocent laugh. "Go ahead and take it yourself; there's nothing special to look at. Just don't break it. It might not be worth much, but it's an heirloom. After my parents passed away, this sword became the most cherished keepsake in the family." "Don't worry, I won't." Having obtained Li Hao's permission, Wang Ming was overjoyed! *Effortless beyond belief!* Although he couldn't simply take it away right now—after all, the Night Watchers needed more intelligence on the mastermind behind the scenes—getting a first look was already a huge gain. Dropping any further hesitation, he reached directly into Li Hao's pocket and drew out the small sword. The moment he held the silver miniature sword, a jolt of shock washed over Wang Ming's eyes. *It really is a supernatural item!* Even though the mysterious energy within it was minuscule—so faint that it was undetectable through clothing—the instant he held it in his hand, he clearly felt a distinct resonance. The mysterious energy within his own body suddenly grew active! *What a magnificent treasure!* A trace of greed surfaced in Wang Ming's eyes. Any supernatural who saw and felt this would likely covet it. The supernatural era had developed for too short a time. It was not yet possible for every supernatural to possess their own supernatural item. In fact, even within the Night Watchers' ranks, a portion of Solar Radiance powerhouses did not own supernatural weapons of their own. And he was merely at the Lunar Nether stage. Compared to those senior figures, acquiring such treasures was even harder. Soon, Wang Ming suppressed his greed. This item wasn't so easy to take. As he turned the small sword over in his hands, he faintly sensed a chilling murderous aura. This sword was definitely extraordinary, appearing far more mysterious than other supernatural items he had encountered. *It seems to be sealed!* He had a faint impression that the sword was in a sealed state. No wonder no one had noticed the weapons of the Eight Great Families in the past. Perhaps only with the rise of supernaturals in recent years had these weapons resurfaced, their seals gradually loosening to reveal something extraordinary, which was then perceived and exposed. *That explains why the enemy hasn't simply snatched the sword away yet. They probably need specific steps to unseal it!* Wang Ming deduced inwardly. He was no fool and quickly pieced together several crucial points. Glancing at Li Hao's back, he felt a twinge of pity. This young man really might be the descendant of an ancient supernatural powerhouse. What a shame! As times changed, the treasure left by his ancestors had instead turned into lethal poison. Among the Eight Great Families, the Night Watchers had investigated and found that the only true direct descendant remaining might be Li Hao alone—assuming Li Hao was indeed the heir from the line of the Li family sword. While they hadn't been a hundred percent certain before, at this moment... Wang Ming was entirely convinced. The Li family sword was resting right in his hands! "Brother Hao, this sword looks really nice!" Wang Ming spoke up, wearing an intrigued expression. "Brother Hao, are you willing to sell it?" "Not a chance!" Li Hao refused outright. "Don't get any ideas about this sword. It's my family heirloom. If I dared to sell it, my dad would crawl out of his grave and beat me to death! Besides, I've had it appraised myself—it's just iron and not worth much..." "You can't look at it that way. Everyone has their own hobbies and tastes. If you ever want to sell it, Brother Hao, I happen to be very interested. I can't promise more, but I can easily cough up a hundred or two hundred thousand!" "That much?" Li Hao sounded utterly astounded. "One or two hundred thousand?" Seeing his pedaling slow down, Wang Ming sighed inwardly. People who lived in different worlds truly had vastly different horizons. One or two hundred thousand? If this truly was a Solar Radiance supernatural item, those Solar Radiance powerhouses wouldn't blink at paying a hundred times that amount. What did ten million star coins matter? In the entire Silver Moon Province, with a population near a hundred million, how many Solar Radiance figures were there? Every single one of them craved such treasures and wouldn't bat an eye at spending some mere star coins. Of course, he wouldn't offer too high a quote; otherwise, Li Hao wouldn't just be tempted—he would become suspicious. "Yeah, one or two hundred thousand is completely negotiable. If you sold this sword, Brother Hao, you could probably buy an apartment." Li Hao nodded eagerly, doing rapid mental arithmetic, and took a sharp breath. "You'd better not be teasing me. Right now in downtown Silver City, near our Inspectorate, apartments are only around three thousand per square meter. If it really sells for two hundred thousand, that's enough for a brand-new two-bedroom!" Thinking Li Hao had taken the bait, Wang Ming smiled and said, "Of course! Naturally, I don't have that kind of cash on hand right now. When I head home for the holidays, I'll ask my family for it. In the meantime, Brother Hao, you can tell me more about where this sword came from." He couldn't take it away right now. Li Hao was still needed as bait. Later on, if Li Hao survived and the sword remained in his hands, they could talk about buying it. As for taking it by force... the Night Watchers wouldn't stoop to that. Under normal circumstances, there was no need. At this point, Wang Ming felt that more than half of his mission was already accomplished. He had confirmed Li Hao's identity, verified that the Li family sword truly existed, seen it with his own eyes, held it in his hands, and confirmed it to be a supernatural item. That made it a hundred percent certain that Li Hao was the enemy's next target! Amidst their chatter, they arrived at the restaurant. Wang Ming got off the bike and went ahead to reserve a private room and order dishes while waiting for Chen Na, while Li Hao went to find a spot to park his bicycle. *** By the roadside, Li Hao parked his bicycle, pulled out his communicator, and dialed a number. "Speak!" Liu Long answered, cold and proud as always. Li Hao, however, sounded tense. Lowering his voice with hesitation and anxiety, he whispered, "Boss, could our communication be tapped?" "No!" Liu Long replied, succinct as ever, though he already sensed something was off. "Where are you?" "Yuhe Restaurant!" "What happened?" Li Hao grew intensely agitated, his voice dropping to a near-inaudible whisper. "Boss, I... I think I've been targeted by a supernatural! Not from afar—he's right next to me! A newcomer arrived at our Confidential Records Office named Wang Ming! Just now, I gave him a ride on my bike so we could grab dinner together. I... I have an old heirloom from my family that I always keep on me. He insisted on taking a look. I figured he was just an ordinary person, so letting him see it wouldn't hurt. But... when he touched my heirloom... I faintly felt a burst of mysterious energy erupt from him!" *An heirloom.* Liu Long understood instantly—the Li family sword! And Wang Ming had triggered a resonance with the supernatural item, releasing mysterious energy that Li Hao detected. *A supernatural!* Liu Long's brows furrowed, though he swiftly regained his composure. "Stay calm! Don't be afraid! If he's only trailing you, there's no immediate danger. If he wanted to kill you, he would have done so already." He added, "Do not show any signs of panic. I trust you can keep your nerve!" "Boss, I'm worried..." "No need to worry!" Liu Long reassured him while swiftly analyzing the situation. A supernatural had appeared in the Inspectorate... A plant from the Night Watchers? Highly likely. Annoyance flared in Liu Long's chest. The Night Watchers had sent someone and kept him in the dark. Their motives were clear as day—they wanted to observe silently and use him as a stepping stone. Even though he had known this all along, the fact that the Night Watchers had inserted an operative without informing him rubbed him the wrong way. And the Chief Inspector—it seemed he was dissatisfied with Liu Long as well, wasn't he? Otherwise, the Night Watchers couldn't have hidden this from the Chief. After weighing the possibilities, Liu Long judged it was most likely the Night Watchers, though an enemy could not be entirely ruled out—that probability was relatively low. While Liu Long was pondering, Li Hao's panicked voice came through again: "Boss, I'm really scared... But this guy said he'd pay cash to buy my sword... Boss, what if I just sell it to him? That way... would I be safer?" Li Hao explained softly, "I was just thinking, what if he's a Night Watcher? If he is, and I sell the sword to him, wouldn't that pit the Night Watchers against the enemy? We could just sit back and watch them fight, and I'd even get a pile of cash..." *Sell the sword?* Hearing this, Liu Long grew furious and snarled in a low growl, "Absolutely not! Are you short on cash? Sell? Sell my foot!" "I am short on cash, Boss! I was wondering if I could trade it for some mysterious energy instead. I was thinking that if I absorb more mysterious energy, I might grow stronger and have a better chance of surviving..." "Trade for what!" Liu Long snapped in irritation. "You're not trading it! Remember, you are a member of the Demon Hunting Squad, not the Night Watchers. Furthermore, we haven't confirmed his identity yet. Even if you sell the sword, you might still end up dead!" "But if I don't sell it, I might die anyway. How about I just trade it for a few units of mysterious energy to boost myself first..." "Shut up!" Liu Long felt exasperated. This kid was way too stubborn! After a moment's consideration, he sighed and spoke again. "The squad still has a stockpile of mysterious energy. It's not that I'm unwilling to give it to you—I'm worried that absorbing too much will cause permanent damage! You might even explode and die. What's left right now is elemental mysterious energy... How about this: before the rainy weather arrives, if you feel you can handle it, I can give you two more units of elemental mysterious energy. Selling the sword is out of the question. If you sell it, no matter how much mysterious energy you get, you won't be able to absorb it in time!" A flicker of delight passed through Li Hao's eyes. *Just as expected.* He had known Liu Long wouldn't let him sell the sword. Otherwise, if the Night Watchers stepped in directly, Liu Long would be cut out of the action entirely. With risk came opportunity! Liu Long wanted to advance to the supernatural realm. Even though slaying a supernatural was dangerous, Liu Long didn't care about the peril—he cared about securing greater benefits. "I knew it..." Li Hao calculated in his mind. Two units was fine. As for whether elemental mysterious energy posed any risks, he would find out once he absorbed it. "Al... alright then. Thank you, Boss. I won't sell it. I was just worried about everyone's safety. If the Night Watchers stepped in directly, it might be safer." "It's fine, as long as you understand!" Liu Long felt somewhat relieved and cautioned, "Don't expose yourself! If he truly is a Night Watcher, our chances of success for this plan are even higher, and our safety is better guaranteed. Snatching chestnuts from the fire is what we martial masters chasing the supernatural realm must do!" "Understood!" *** After exchanging a few more words, Li Hao hung up the communicator. His expression was entirely composed. There was no trace of the nervous agitation he had displayed moments before. His acting hadn't been bad. While Liu Long was technically helping him, Li Hao genuinely needed to learn more about mysterious energy and acquire more of it. With Liu Long's stingy nature, promising only a few units of mysterious energy if they succeeded in killing the Red Shadow... Li Hao wasn't satisfied with that meager reward. That was far too little. Leaving it stored was just a waste. If it sat in storage, it meant the others couldn't use it, so he might as well absorb it and give it a try. As for the claim that everyone had a limit and absorbing too much was dangerous, Li Hao had no such issue—starlight energy was the perfect counteragent to neutralize mysterious energy. *Exposing Wang Ming increases my safety regardless of his true allegiance.* *Securing two extra units of mysterious energy is another nice bonus.* *More importantly, shifting everyone's attention toward the sword makes the chance of my jade pendant being exposed exceedingly slim.* Li Hao ran through the numbers, feeling quite satisfied with his performance. Of course, compared to his teacher, he was still lacking. His teacher had beaten someone half to death, yet the other side was scrambling to help heal him out of fear that he might die. Comparing the two, Li Hao felt he still had much to learn from his teacher—that was a true role model. His teacher probably wouldn't even look twice at two units of mysterious energy. *A heavy burden and a long road ahead!* *** Li Hao returned to the private dining room. Wang Ming truly showed himself to be a man of means. For just three people, he ordered more than a dozen dishes, some of which Li Hao had never even heard of. Compared to Wang Ming, Li Hao realized he was indeed just a penniless pauper. Midway through the meal, Chen Na suddenly leaned in with a conspiratorial air. "Xiao Ming, you're from White Moon City, which is a major metropolis. Be honest—did you come to Silver City with some special objective?" Wang Ming froze. *Did I expose myself? That shouldn't be possible!* Seeing his reaction, Chen Na looked as if she had seen right through him. Glancing at Li Hao's bewildered face, she sighed. "Li Hao, you really are something. You graduated from the Silver City Ancient Academy, yet you don't understand the crucial details at all! I heard rumors, you know? They might be selecting a batch of people from Silver City to go to White Moon City!" Li Hao asked, looking baffled, "For what? Training? Or a promotion?" "Neither!" Chen Na glanced at Wang Ming and sighed with a shake of her head. "You don't know, but Xiao Ming definitely does! Every year toward the end of the year, a few young people from the Silver City Inspectorate might vanish to White Moon City to take part in a selection! If they succeed, they might become... legendary figures!" At that moment, Wang Ming secretly let out a sigh of relief. He understood. *The Night Watchers selection!* She had scared him half to death; he had actually thought he was exposed. Li Hao understood as well. It was about the Night Watchers selecting candidates in Silver City to undergo energy induction—with a success rate of only one percent. Liu Long had mentioned this before. Clearly, Chen Na had misunderstood. She assumed Wang Ming had come from White Moon City because the competition there was too fierce, hoping to secure a spot here in Silver City instead. Li Hao continued feigning ignorance. "Sister Na, what on earth are you talking about? Legendary figures?" "I told you that you wouldn't get it! What a pity... Li Hao, you could actually ask your teacher to see if there's a chance. Xiao Ming, you know about this, right?" Wang Ming nodded and smiled. "A little bit." "See, what did I tell you!" Chen Na said smugly. "You big-city folks are full of schemes! Xiao Ming, while you were in White Moon City, did you ever actually see those legendary figures?" *Legendary figures...* Wang Ming was somewhat speechless. After a moment's thought, he decided to say a few words; after all, since they assumed he had come to compete for a spot, claiming total ignorance would be unbelievable. "I've seen them, but never had any deep interaction." Noticing that Li Hao seemed to have a faint understanding, Wang Ming figured the guy had probably heard bits and pieces from Liu Long. He knew he shouldn't say too much, nor make it sound too fabricated. "It's actually an organization that transcends ordinary people. In truth, it's also part of the Inspectorate system. But their numbers are few. Every year, they select a handful of people from the grassroots to take part in the trials, then induct them into the organization!" Li Hao looked curious and hurriedly said, "Hearing you say that, I think I vaguely know what you mean. My teacher mentioned something like that in passing before! Today... today at my teacher's place, I actually saw someone like that! I'm afraid no one will believe me if I say it, but it's true—a man who could fly... I was completely stunned! Xiao Ming, a figure like that must be a top-tier big shot even in White Moon City, right?" He watched Wang Ming attentively. Wang Ming surely knew about what had happened at Yuan Shuo's place, so there was no need to hide it. Li Hao simply wanted to see Wang Ming's attitude toward Hu Hao. Was it respect? Contempt? Or something else? That way, he could gauge Wang Ming's status and strength. This was Li Hao's clever little tactic. From what he knew, Hu Hao was a Lunar Nether supernatural. According to his teacher, Hu Hao wasn't particularly powerful, possessing only a specialized ability, making him a newcomer among the Lunar Nether tier. In a fight against Liu Long, he might even be slain by Liu Long. So what about Wang Ming? Since the Night Watchers had sent him to investigate covertly while Liu Long remained in the open, was this guy stronger than Liu Long? Wang Ming failed to notice the trap. Hearing the question, he smiled and said, "A big shot? To us, all of them are big shots! Being able to fly... that's impressive! But since you saw him at your teacher's place, I doubt he's truly that formidable. Otherwise, your teacher definitely would have introduced him to you. Did your teacher introduce him?" "No, he didn't." "There you have it, then." Wang Ming chuckled. Li Hao nodded as well, understanding dawning within him. Hu Hao's status was inferior to this guy's. Wang Ming held a higher position and was likely stronger as well. He might not be at Solar Radiance, but within the Lunar Nether tier, he was probably quite formidable. Wang Ming had no idea that in just a few casual exchanges, he had practically laid bare his entire background to Li Hao. *** By the end of the meal, everyone was completely satisfied. Wang Ming shared many interesting anecdotes from White Moon City, while Li Hao and Chen Na explained several things to watch out for in the Confidential Records Office. For Chen Na, it was just idle chatter, but Li Hao felt he had gained a tremendous amount. The greatest harvest was that Wang Ming, unaware that his cover was blown, had casually mentioned that he might not be able to come to work on time the day after tomorrow because an elder from his family was coming to Silver City to visit him. The moment those words were spoken, Li Hao took immediate note. *An elder!* Was it a genuine elder, or a powerhouse from the Night Watchers? Were the Night Watchers about to dispatch an even stronger presence to Silver City? And on a clandestine mission, no less. It was just a pity they had paired with an idiot like Wang Ming. It was fortunate that Li Hao wasn't an enemy, but an envoy of justice; otherwise, this fellow would have been beaten to death long ago for leaking secrets. Before parting ways, Li Hao patted Wang Ming on the shoulder and offered a few words of concern. In truth, he simply felt that the supernatural before him wasn't all that terrifying after all. He seemed rather dim-witted! A complete blockhead who still thought himself clever. *Supernaturals... seem to be just like this. Slightly better martial prowess, but lacking in brains. They don't even feel as intimidating as Liu Long.* Riding away on his bicycle, Li Hao's dread toward supernaturals had diminished considerably compared to before. Time to head home! Along the way, while nobody was watching, he would take out the stone saber and see if he could extract some saber-soaking water. The starlight energy on the jade sword was potent, so what about the stone saber? Would it contain the same starlight energy, or something else? At this moment, Li Hao was brimming with anticipation. In front of the restaurant, Wang Ming watched Li Hao ride away with a slightly strange expression. When Li Hao had parted with him just now, he had acted like a caring older brother. For a brief moment, it had given Wang Ming the bizarre illusion that he was genuinely a foolish, naive rookie, and that this guy truly considered him a newcomer to the Confidential Records Office. *It seems the students of the Silver City Ancient Academy aren't any smarter than anyone else!* Wang Ming shook his head. *Li Hao, oh Li Hao, do you have any idea that the danger hanging over you is greater than you can possibly imagine? It might even be a Solar Radiance-level entity that wants to kill you!* *Fortunately, an even stronger figure will arrive soon to lurk in the shadows. Even if the enemy is also at Solar Radiance, a surprise strike will resolve it!* Wang Ming was immensely pleased with himself. Once that person arrived, reporting what he had seen of the small sword today would count as a major merit. At this moment, both Li Hao and Wang Ming were thoroughly content. Having finished their meal, both felt that their camaraderie had deepened considerably.