The Qiaos

Throughout the afternoon, Li Hao visited several places. Nearly every stop was handled with blatant perfunctoriness. He would show his face, deliver the notice, make a brief log, and even when encountering places that seemed to warrant scrutiny, he merely went through the motions with a cursory glance. Wang Ming was practically fuming! *That's it?* *And you claimed we were going to make merit!* *Investigating the strongholds of the Three Great Organizations, my foot!* By now, he strongly suspected Li Hao's true purpose was simply extortion and bribery. Indeed, while this guy didn't accomplish much of anything, he had collected quite a haul of gifts. They weren't particularly valuable—just local specialties, tea, and fruit presented by various enterprises and martial arts dojos—yet Li Hao hadn't refused a single one! He had accepted them all! Inside the car. Their next stop was the final destination of the day: Qiao's Mining. Wang Ming wore a frost-cold expression. He despised Li Hao's conduct and had grown unwilling to speak to him the entire ride. Li Hao, however, took the initiative to strike up a conversation. "Old Wang, don't be angry. The tea leaves that last place gave us are quite good. I'll split half with you later." "Keep it!" Wang Ming snapped icily. As a formidable Full Moon Lunar Nether expert, he hadn't accompanied Li Hao on this trip for a handful of tea leaves. He wanted to achieve merit, not borrow the prestige of the Night Watchers to engage in this kind of petty nonsense! If you were brazen enough to extort tens or hundreds of cubes of mysterious energy, I might at least respect your ambition. Instead, you were pocketing trinkets, tea, and fruit. How humiliating was that? Li Hao chuckled. "You don't understand. Only when we accept their gifts will they feel at ease. If you refuse, they'll become anxious and uneasy. Silver City is a small place; everyone crosses paths sooner or later. There's no major offense here, so there's no need to make things unpleasant. That's just how grassroots work is done." "Bullshit!" Wang Ming fumed, "Remember, you're not a Third-Class Inspector anymore—you're an Inspecting Commissioner! You are the deputy director of the Night Watchers' Silver City Branch, one of Silver City's top leaders! There are no more than five people in this entire city with a higher rank than you! Acting like some petty hooligan—if you don't find it humiliating, I do!" Wang Ming barked angrily, "The Ancient Academy was one thing; your teacher teaches there, and it's a hall of scholarship and learning! Being polite there was fine. But what are these small dojos and commercial firms? In the eyes of the Night Watchers, they're nothing!" Li Hao grinned. "You can't look at it that way. Even after becoming a supernatural, one shouldn't look down on ordinary people." "Get lost, I don't want to talk to you!" Wang Ming drove glumly, thoroughly sour. Li Hao smiled again and murmured, "Don't misunderstand. I'm also doing this to lower their guard and gather more clues." "Heh!" Wang Ming sneered. "And what did you discover? Enlighten me!" Li Hao sighed, pulling out his notebook. "This afternoon, we went to the Ancient Academy, six martial dojos, and one major enterprise, Galaxy Group—eight places in total. We registered one Hundred-Breaker martial master, twenty-four Ten-Slayer realm combatants, and two Starlight Masters, correct?" Over the afternoon, twenty-seven supernaturals and martial masters had been registered. The Ancient Academy accounted for eight Ten-Slayer martial artists. The remaining locations accounted for nineteen extraordinary figures, while the Hundred-Breaker martial master and the two Starlight Masters all came from a single entity: Galaxy Group. Galaxy Group was a massive conglomerate, by no means inferior to Qiao's Mining. Their primary business wasn't mining, but automotive manufacturing. Silver City wasn't their headquarters, merely a regional branch. Even so, they boasted a Hundred-Breaker martial master, which went to show the deep foundations of such major corporations. A Hundred-Breaker martial master possessed formidable strength. Wang Ming nodded slightly, yet remained dissatisfied. "That's only what was registered. Are you certain they disclosed everything? Take Galaxy Group alone—they are one of the top enterprises in Silver Moon Province. Even if this is just a branch, I refuse to believe they don't have a single Lunar Nether supernatural. Only two Starlight Masters? Would you buy that?" He certainly didn't! Lunar Nether was not weak, but that was relative. This time, three Lunar Nether Night Watchers had been dispatched to Silver City. A massive corporation like Galaxy Group lacked neither money nor connections. In this era, petty cash was useless, but immense wealth could move even gods. Galaxy Group even cooperated with the Night Watchers' headquarters. For their Silver City branch to house merely two Starlight Masters? He didn't believe it for a second! Yet Li Hao hadn't conducted a thorough inspection at all. When Wang Ming had proposed taking a closer look around and suggested deploying the supernatural detector, Li Hao had refused outright, nearly driving Wang Ming mad with frustration. Wasn't this just sloppy deception? Though Wang Ming didn't entirely agree with Liu Long's agenda and felt that thoroughly probing every faction's strength might not necessarily be wise, since they had taken on the task... they shouldn't just cut corners. *What a righteous fellow!* Li Hao chuckled inwardly, keeping his face composed as he said softly, "Relax. You don't understand—we're just the vanguard sent to draw attention! We have other arrangements in place. Our job is to attract their focus while someone else carries out the actual investigation." "Really?" Wang Ming eyed him with suspicion. "Are you lying to me?" *Who are you trying to fool?* *I didn't sense anything out of the ordinary at all. Don't try to pull a fast one on me.* *Besides, in our entire team, not even Liu Long could soundlessly infiltrate these large corporations. Many of them have installed supernatural detectors of their own.* *Martial masters are harder to detect, but their capabilities are limited; they can't fly or tunnel through the earth like supernaturals. With slightly tightened security, martial masters are usually blocked out.* "Really!" Li Hao nodded solemnly. "Of course, this is a secret. You kept complaining, so I had to disclose it to you. This matter originally had nothing to do with you and wasn't under your purview. "But now that I've spoken, you're the third person to know. If you leak this secret... Wang Ming, you'll be branded a traitor!" Wang Ming's heart skipped a beat, feeling uncertain. "What do you mean?" "Our Night Watchers branch actually has a tenth member!" Wang Ming froze. *A tenth member?* "On the surface, there are only nine of us, but in the shadows, there is a high-level covert operative. I cannot disclose their identity. You only need to know that this person exists." Wang Ming was still skeptical; he wasn't so easily hoodwinked. Frowning, he asked, "Is that true? I'm a deputy director—how could I know nothing about this?" "Judge for yourself!" Li Hao replied placidly. "I'm telling you this inside this car, but once we step outside, I won't admit to a word of it! Even if you tell others I said so, I'll deny it. Otherwise... I would be the guilty party! This tenth member has a special identity and cannot appear openly, but they possess vast capabilities and excel at intelligence gathering. "According to their investigation, some factions did conceal their assets today. For instance, inside Galaxy Group, there are Lunar Nether Masters—and more than one. A full three Lunar Nether Masters!" Wang Ming's face shifted, and he lowered his voice. "Are you serious? How did you communicate with them? I didn't notice a thing. Li Hao, are you pulling my leg?" "It's true!" Li Hao nodded with absolute conviction. "As for how we communicate... I cannot say! We have our own methods. You aren't considered our confidant yet. You must realize, you've only been here a few days; telling you this much already violates discipline!" Wang Ming came to an understanding! *A covert operative from the original Demon Hunting Squad!* *Still... could they really be so capable?* He found it hard to believe. Looking at Li Hao again, he couldn't stop frowning, prompting Li Hao to remind him, "Watch the road!" Wang Ming snapped back to his senses and refocused on driving, though he was still stunned. "Are you telling the truth? Does Galaxy Group truly harbor three hidden Lunar Nether Masters? Honestly, while there are quite a few Lunar Nether experts nowadays, they are mostly concentrated within the major organizations. Unaffiliated ones are rare. Having one in a branch office seems normal, but three... that's definitely unusual." "It's true!" Li Hao pondered for a moment and added, "Moreover, one of them possesses strength comparable to yours." Mainly, the size of the orb of light had been similar. Li Hao had discovered that as long as an extraordinary individual wasn't too far from him, he could see their light orb. Of course, the visible range varied depending on the target's strength. For a Three Sols expert, he could spot them from several thousand meters away; he still vividly remembered that massive orb of light. For Solar Radiance, he could see it within roughly a thousand meters. For Lunar Nether, the range shrank considerably—he had to be within about a hundred meters to perceive the orb of light. As for Starlight Masters... Li Hao likely had to get quite close to detect their faint, starlike flicker. Because their glow was so dim, ordinary supernaturals couldn't easily escape his notice. Galaxy Group indeed harbored three Lunar Nether Masters, and one of them was at the Full Moon stage. Wang Ming's brow remained knit, but he no longer thought Li Hao was bluffing. Perhaps Li Hao truly was deliberately drawing attention to create opportunities for the hidden tenth member. Yet one question still puzzled him. "What level of strength does this person have to rapidly assess their power without alerting them? Could they be a supernatural specializing in detection? They must be at least at the Lunar Nether level!" *That's the bare minimum!* *When did the Demon Hunting Squad establish ties with such a supernatural?* Supernaturals specializing in detection were highly valued, and many organizations eagerly recruited them. Among supernaturals, pure offensive combatants were actually less prized simply because there were plenty of them; specialized supernaturals garnered far more attention. For instance, Li Meng and Hu Hao were both held in high regard. Though their status was lower than Wang Ming's, they were considered rising talents within the Night Watchers. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been assigned to protect an important figure like Yuan Shuo. Li Meng possessed the Heavenly Eye; opening her third eye allowed her to perceive things invisible to others. Hu Hao could fly. Supernaturals with flight abilities saw their strategic value diminish somewhat after reaching the Solar Radiance realm, but prior to that, they remained premier strategic assets. Supernaturals at the Solar Radiance level could generally fly under normal circumstances. Of course, they couldn't fly very far. Only upon reaching Three Sols did mysterious energy become so abundant that flight posed virtually no challenge. Now that Li Hao claimed to have a supernatural skilled in both stealth and detection on his side, Wang Ming naturally took it seriously. This was intelligence that higher-ups might not even know about. He felt a bit uneasy. *This Li Hao... is remarkably candid, daring to disclose anything.* *If Liu Long found out about this, it would cause no small trouble.* *Of course, I, Wang Ming, am no gossipmonger.* Li Hao murmured, "I can't reveal too many specifics. All I know is that this person can provide us with a great deal of intelligence! Old Wang, don't ask for more details. I'm only telling you this because we get along well and because you're a righteous man... If this leaks, I'll be in deep trouble." "Don't worry!" Wang Ming nodded, though he still sought confirmation. "Are you certain the intelligence is accurate?" "One hundred percent!" Wang Ming drew a sharp breath. "Fuck!" A single branch of Galaxy Group concealed three Lunar Nether experts, including one at the Full Moon stage. What were they plotting? When Huang Yun had sent him here, he had mentioned that trouble might be brewing... but Wang Ming hadn't taken it entirely to heart. Suddenly, Silver City felt exceedingly dangerous. "Solar Radiance experts are high-ranking figures in every major faction and won't take reckless risks! Those at the Moon Overflow stage are striving to break into Solar Radiance. Therefore, the strongest combatants actively operating out in the open are generally capped at the Full Moon stage!" He shared this knowledge with Li Hao and added briskly, "If there truly is a Full Moon expert... Galaxy Group must harbor impure motives! Merely protecting themselves would require just one Lunar Nether; under normal circumstances, no one would recklessly attack such a major conglomerate!" Li Hao nodded. Wang Ming fell silent now. Li Hao didn't speak further either. The car slowly came to a halt. They had arrived at the headquarters of Qiao's Mining. *** At the reception desk. There was no scene of Li Hao and his partner being barred from entry. A single phone call from the receptionist brought Qiao Peng and several staff members downstairs to receive them. "Commissioner Li!" Qiao Peng appeared to be in his thirties, still relatively young. Ignoring the awkward state he had been in yesterday when handcuffed by Liu Yan, he looked quite like a polished young achiever. Currently dressed in formal attire, tall and smiling, Qiao Peng greeted Li Hao before turning to Wang Ming. "May I ask this officer's esteemed name?" Li Hao dropped the cordial demeanor he had displayed at earlier stops and said rather rudely, "Director Wang! A prominent figure from White Moon City! General Manager Qiao, your Qiao's Mining is well-informed—surely you haven't failed to notice?" Wang Ming was somewhat surprised. Li Hao was usually mild-mannered; he had been polite at the previous stops, showing no reaction even when Galaxy Group concealed their information. Why did he pull a long face the moment he arrived here? Qiao Peng didn't mind, smiling amiably. "Commissioner Li, my Qiao's Mining only has roots in Silver City. White Moon City is a grand metropolis, and our standing there is quite ordinary... How could we know much about a supernatural organization like the Night Watchers? You overestimate me." Seeing Wang Ming's puzzled look, Qiao Peng promptly explained, "There's a bit of a misunderstanding between Commissioner Li and me, primarily involving Captain Liu. I'm in my thirties, and my father keeps nagging me to marry. My standards happen to be... slightly high. In all of Silver City, truth be told, the only woman who caught my eye was Captain Liu. Alas, the falling flower yearns, but the flowing stream is indifferent! Captain Liu was rather displeased with me yesterday, and Commissioner Li happened to witness it. He probably thought I was being a shameless pest, which was quite embarrassing." He spoke candidly, and Wang Ming felt as though he understood. *Liu Yan and Li Hao... During dinner yesterday, there was indeed an unusual dynamic between them, and the things Liu Yan said often left room for wild imagination.* Now he understood why Li Hao was in a foul mood. He smirked inwardly. *Li Hao, oh Li Hao, you rascal... Liu Yan must be around thirty by now, while you're only twenty. You really have an appetite for older women... Well, men are like that; mature women have their charms.* Believing he had grasped the crux of the matter, Wang Ming smiled. "General Manager Qiao, it's fine! As long as the pursuit is proper and reasonable... Of course, I trust you won't do anything inappropriate. Captain Liu is one of our Inspectorate's finest. If anyone crosses the line, we won't let it slide!" With that, he gave Li Hao a gentle nudge, signaling him to drop it. Li Hao's expression remained dark. Without elaborating, he said coldly, "Fine, that's between you and Sister Liu; I won't interfere! But let me warn you: don't think you can act lawlessly just because you're the vice general manager of Qiao's Mining! Times have changed, as you well know—wealth doesn't call the shots anymore. You'd better behave yourself!" Qiao Peng spread his hands helplessly. "Now this really is a misunderstanding. Of course, if Commissioner Li finds it inappropriate... should I back off? But... that wouldn't be right. In matters of romance, fair competition is best, don't you think?" Li Hao's face chilled. "Who's competing fairly with you? Keep spouting nonsense and see if I don't teach you a lesson!" "Then take it as nonsense, don't be angry!" Qiao Peng chuckled. "Commissioner Li is young and promising, and we're both Silver City locals. There's no need for this. If I've done anything wrong, I'll host a banquet whenever you're free, and we can settle everything over drinks!" "We'll see!" Li Hao replied bluntly. In a harsh tone, he demanded, "I need to register the details of all martial masters and supernaturals under your employ. Qiao's Mining is a massive enterprise—don't try to claim you have none! Furthermore, I am conducting a full inspection: every store, mining site, and office building under Qiao's Mining will be examined! I've already arranged for a supernatural detector to be brought over, so don't dream of slipping through the cracks! "Every single one must be logged on the register. Anyone unlisted will be treated as a criminal!" "..." Qiao Peng cursed inwardly at this petty display of derived authority! He had inquired about the other stops; this guy had merely gone through the motions everywhere else. Yet here, he brought up comprehensive inspections and supernatural detectors. Still, youthful arrogance and reveling in newly gained power seemed natural enough. *And all for Liu Yan!* Indeed, young men like this found it hardest to resist a fully ripe woman like Liu Yan. He sneered internally, wondering if the wretched pair had already jumped into bed together—disgusting! Yet precisely because of this, he concluded that Li Hao lacked any real depth. All his grudges were written plainly on his face! Such people were actually easy to deal with. If Li Hao had greeted him with a smile and brushed off past grievances, Qiao Peng would have been suspicious. As a man, he understood men all too well. If another man relentlessly pursued his woman... he wouldn't be cordial either! The more hostile Li Hao acted, the more relieved Qiao Peng felt. It also proved that Liu Yan truly knew nothing. Otherwise, she would have advised Li Hao not to antagonize him openly; scheming in secret was the proper way. With these thoughts running through his mind, Qiao Peng maintained a composed facade, merely showing a trace of helplessness. "Commissioner Li, is this really necessary? We're all locals here. I heard that when you visited Galaxy earlier..." Li Hao snapped, "Galaxy is Galaxy, and Qiao's is Qiao's! General Manager Qiao, your stalling gives me reason to suspect you might be harboring fugitives! As a local, I know mining sites all too well. Mines are deep underground, sealed off from strangers year-round—prime locations for hiding criminals! "Keep arguing, and I will designate Qiao's as a primary surveillance target!" With authority in hand, Li Hao didn't hesitate to turn hostile toward the heir of this major conglomerate. Qiao Peng had reviewed some intelligence on Li Hao, yet he couldn't help cursing inwardly again. *A dog flaunting its master's might!* *He seemed meek and honest before, but now that he's gained power, he turns hostile faster than turning a page—fickle as a dog!* Allowing a faint trace of displeasure to show, Qiao Peng nodded reluctantly. "Fine, inspect as you wish! But let me remind Commissioner Li: Silver City isn't a place where certain individuals can cover the sky with one hand... Commissioner Li wouldn't want to tarnish the Night Watchers' reputation!" Li Hao scoffed, snorting in disdain. Without further chatter, he stepped straight into the elevator and called out to Wang Ming, "Director Wang, keep watch down here. Don't let anyone leave! I'll inspect floor by floor using the supernatural detector. We'll sweep their headquarters first before checking their mines and retail outlets." Turning to Qiao Peng, he added, "You're coming with me!" Qiao Peng frowned but said nothing, boarding the elevator alongside a few staff members. The headquarters of Qiao's Mining was very tall, spanning thirty floors. In Silver City, it ranked among the very tallest structures, as the city had few high-rises and was mostly dominated by five- to six-story buildings. They headed straight for the top floor. Li Hao produced a supernatural detector. It was fairly large, slightly bigger than a watermelon, equipped with a display screen that showed red dots whenever supernatural fluctuations were detected. Li Hao flipped the switch. Operating this device consumed mysterious energy, so it wasn't deployed lightly. The moment it powered on, Li Hao frowned. "There's a response!" Qiao Peng said helplessly, "Commissioner Li, Qiao's never claimed we had no supernaturals. We have them, and more than one—three Starlight Masters in total. I had no intention of concealing this; you simply refused to listen." Li Hao looked slightly sheepish, but his cold facade returned instantly. "I merely noted a response. Why get so worked up?" With that, he glanced at the detector screen, his brow furrowing slightly. "You have three Starlight Masters?" "Yes!" "Then why does this screen show eight red dots...?" Qiao Peng chuckled. "Commissioner Li, do you take me for an idiot? This supernatural detector can only sense fluctuations within range; it cannot distinguish individual heads... Eight red dots? Are you sure you aren't seeing things?" Li Hao grew even more irritated. "What do you know! This is the Night Watchers' latest detector. If I say there are eight, there are eight! Qiao Peng, wipe that smirk off your face—I've got my eyes on you!" "Suit yourself!" As they spoke, the elevator chimed, arriving at the top floor. This floor held only two large offices: one belonging to Qiao Peng, and the other to his father. Li Hao strode straight toward the office of the senior head of Qiao's. Qiao Peng frowned. "That's my father's office. He's busy with official business. Li Hao, don't push it too far..." "Cut the crap!" Li Hao sneered, radiating the arrogance of a petty man drunk on power. Lowering his voice, he hissed, "Qiao Peng, we had no grudge between us! Your mistake was harassing Sister Liu repeatedly! Her husband died at your mine—I won't even bring that up, but after causing a man's death, you still have the nerve to target Sister Liu? Just you wait!" Qiao Peng cursed inwardly, his brow knitting. "Don't throw wild accusations around, Li Hao. Don't fling mud at me. That was an accident; the Inspectorate closed the case long ago." "Hmph!" Li Hao shoved the door open. Inside, an elderly man looked up at Li Hao. He then looked at Qiao Peng with an inquiring glance. Qiao Peng stepped forward quickly and whispered a few words. The old man rose and smiled warmly. "Commissioner Li, greetings! Young and promising indeed. Your teacher, Professor Yuan, and I are old acquaintances. I never expected to meet Commissioner Li here. You truly live up to being Professor Yuan's prized pupil." "You're too kind!" Li Hao replied perfunctorily. Holding the detector, he paced around the room without engaging in further pleasantries. The old man didn't stop him, merely watching him with a genial smile. At that moment, however, monstrous waves crashed through Li Hao's heart! Outside, he hadn't detected a thing. He had noticed that the Qiaos possessed an expert—he had spotted them the moment he entered the building. The fellow was bold, lingering near Qiao Peng: a Lunar Nether Master who felt slightly stronger than Wang Ming, likely at the Moon Overflow stage. Even so, Li Hao hadn't lost his composure. Yet right now, he nearly lost control of his expression. Fortunately, he masked it under the guise of an intense inspection, furrowing his brow and gritting his teeth so it didn't look out of place. The source of his shock was the old man before him—Qiao Peng's father. The legendary figure of Silver City's business world: Qiao Feilong. A legendary entrepreneur past seventy who had built Qiao's Mining from scratch with his bare hands. Even before pushing the door open, Li Hao had remained calm. Yet the instant his eyes fell upon the man... cold sweat broke out across his back. An orb of light! Yes—an orb of light virtually invisible through the door. The moment the door opened, Li Hao felt almost blinded by its brilliance. *Fuck!* This orb of light gave Li Hao the impression that... while perhaps slightly weaker than Divine Master Duantian from that day, it wasn't far behind at all. *Three Sols?* *Or peak Solar Radiance?* Why hadn't he sensed it outside? An orb of light wasn't blocked by physical matter; it was an aura of radiating energy that Li Hao's vision could pierce. Yet he hadn't seen it earlier! What did that mean? It meant this old man had completely concealed his energy fluctuations. Only when Li Hao laid eyes on him did the energy inside the man's body become visible—and even then, none of it leaked outward. His control and concealment of energy had reached the level of a martial master. Yet a martial master's energy came from internal cultivation, making it naturally unobtrusive. A supernatural's energy, on the other hand, was nearly all drawn from external sources; achieving such flawless concealment was impossible... unless shielded by an extraordinarily potent supernatural item! *Qiao Feilong is actually a peak Solar Radiance or even Three Sols realm powerhouse!* Incredible! Li Hao had never imagined this. He had assumed that even if Qiao's Mining served as an outer affiliate of Yama, Qiao Feilong was merely an instrument for amassing worldly wealth. Yet reality proved it wasn't that simple. Would a peak Solar Radiance or Three Sols expert act as a mere moneymaking tool? And he concealed himself so flawlessly! Li Hao continued pacing with the detector, calculating rapidly in his mind, thoroughly shaken. *Aside from Qiao Feilong, there's a Moon Overflow expert, plus the three Starlight Masters on the surface... And this is only the headquarters. What about their other sites?* The Qiao family was far stronger than anticipated. By Li Hao's earlier guess, housing a single Lunar Nether expert would have been impressive, and that peak Moon Overflow figure would have been their trump card. With Yuan Shuo present in the city, Li Hao hadn't feared them at all. "Commissioner Li, are you finished inspecting?" Qiao Peng appeared somewhat impatient now. If Li Hao provoked him this blatantly and he remained entirely unfazed, it would look too artificial. Li Hao snapped, "What's the rush?" With that, he turned to Qiao Feilong. "General Manager Qiao, as a junior, I shouldn't be so brash! But you are a legendary figure in Silver City. It seems to me you've been so busy with your career that you've neglected your son's upbringing!" Qiao Feilong smiled genially. "What does Commissioner Li mean by that? Please, speak plainly." "This Qiao Peng!" Li Hao pointed directly at Qiao Peng. "He has quite the nerve! Liu Yan is the leader of our Night Watchers' Action Team, a high-ranking official holding the rank of Inspecting Commissioner! Yet in broad daylight, this Qiao Peng spoke to her with frivolous banter, mocking and teasing her repeatedly!" Li Hao appeared indignant. "Does he think bullying a widow brings him honor? Our Night Watchers branch may have just been established, but wiping out your Qiao family wouldn't take much effort at all! In this era of rising supernaturals, Qiao's has vast assets. If you don't act cautiously and instead indulge this fool to stir up disaster, ruin will come sooner or later!" Qiao Feilong's expression remained steady. After a pause, he nodded slightly. "A valid reprimand! Qiao Peng was indeed spoiled growing up... So that is what this is about. Rest assured, Commissioner Li, after today, Qiao Peng will no longer bother Captain Liu!" "Dad!" Qiao Peng protested, but Qiao Feilong cut him off sternly. "You're in your thirties, yet you display no sense of propriety whatsoever! Commissioner Li may be young, but what he said today makes complete sense! In this age of supernaturals, instead of finding ways to advance into the supernatural realm, you spend your days courting trouble over women!" Turning back to Li Hao, he said, "Enmities are better resolved than sustained. Qiao Peng acted without decorum, and Captain Liu may not wish to see me. I apologize to her on Qiao Peng's behalf, and I trouble Commissioner Li to convey my words. In addition, I have prepared a modest gift..." Li Hao waved his hand. "Forget it, no need!" "Hear me out before deciding, Commissioner Li," Qiao Feilong said with a smile. "Qiao's is a prominent local enterprise, and the establishment of the branch in Silver City serves to protect local businesses! Furthermore, I know a little of Captain Liu's past. Her husband died in an accident... yet he was an employee of Qiao's. For him to die so unjustly weighs heavily on my conscience. "I know Captain Liu has been seeking a breakthrough to advance into the supernatural realm. Qiao's has dabbled little in the supernatural domain, so our inability to help her advance has been a deep regret! However, some time ago, we procured ten cubes of mysterious energy from White Moon City, originally meant for Qiao Peng's advancement. But seeing how lacking in restraint he is, I worry that advancing him might only invite greater trouble... It would be far better to present this as a gesture of goodwill to Captain Liu, as a token of my sincerity!" Li Hao had intended to refuse, but hearing this, an awkward expression settled over him. After a long moment, he stammered, "Ten cubes? Isn't... isn't that too valuable?" "Human life is weightier than the heavens!" Qiao Feilong sighed. "This is merely a meager effort to grant my conscience some peace!" "Well... Sister Liu might not accept it..." Li Hao hesitated. "That does not matter. If Captain Liu refuses... Commissioner Li may simply throw it away!" Qiao Feilong sighed. "The Qiao family can afford this much, and we can bear the loss. I only hope Captain Liu can find peace of mind, and allow this old man some solace as well." Li Hao wrestled with the dilemma for a moment. Qiao Feilong signaled with a gesture, and soon, an attendant carried in a case. "This case is an energy storage box brought from the Central Region! It preserves mysterious energy and features an internal ice crystal structure. The ten cubes of mysterious energy are all contained within, though they are of the fire attribute; I know not whether they suit Captain Liu." Li Hao took it reflexively. It wasn't heavy, yet his arms dipped slightly as if reluctant to let go. With an ambivalent look, he said, "This... well... should I accept it? If Sister Liu doesn't want it... I'll return it to you?" "No need. If she doesn't want it, simply discard it!" Li Hao grinned, looking somewhat bashful. "Then... I'll hold onto it for now. If she doesn't want it, I'll throw it away..." "Do as you see fit!" Li Hao's face broke into a broad smile, and he said hurriedly, "Then I won't disturb you further today. General Manager Qiao is my role model; I was truly out of line earlier! In the future, as I carry out official duties in Silver City, there will be much I'll need to rely on you for... As long as Qiao Peng stops bothering Sister Liu, I won't make things difficult for Qiao's... In truth, I never intended to cause trouble; it was just that Qiao Peng crossed the line!" Beside them, Qiao Peng cursed incessantly in his heart. *How did I cross the line?* *This bastard's eyes light up at the sight of money!* *Wasn't this all about a woman?* *You had to make so many excuses, and now that you've got the goods, you still pretend I was the one who provoked you. Unbelievable.* *So young, yet already a master of official doublespeak.* *As expected of someone from Silver City Ancient Academy—smooth-tongued to the core.* Qiao Feilong chimed in with pleasantries and a chuckle. Li Hao then said with slight awkwardness, "Well... the mines still need to be inspected, but rest assured, General Manager Qiao, it will just be a formality. Qiao Peng can accompany me, and I'll just take a look from the outside. Orders from above require an inspection! There's no need to bring the supernatural detector; I trust General Manager Qiao wouldn't put me in a difficult spot." "Naturally!" Qiao Feilong smiled. "Commissioner Li is a delightful fellow. Feel free to visit Qiao's anytime in the future; I welcome you wholeheartedly!" "Then I won't impose any longer!" Beaming, Li Hao strode out, calling over his shoulder, "Qiao Peng, learn a thing or two from your father! I'll wait for you downstairs. Old Master, don't lecture him too harshly." "Hahaha, of course, of course, I'll discipline him properly!" Qiao Feilong laughed heartily. He watched Li Hao depart and waited until he entered the elevator and descended before wiping the smile from his face. Glancing at Qiao Peng, he frowned slightly. "Even acting requires restraint! You knew full well this Li Hao had designs on Liu Yan, yet you had to meddle—isn't that deliberately making an enemy? Go, accompany him to the mines. Remember: don't let him wander about, and keep yourself in line as well!" "Understood!" "Go!" Qiao Peng dared not say more and hurried out. Once he was gone, Qiao Feilong pondered for a moment before speaking aloud. "Did you sense anything unusual about him?" "Nothing. He seemed completely ordinary, though he has likely absorbed mysterious energy. His constitution appears solid, and his skin exhibits good resilience... He may have stepped into the Ten-Slayer realm." "Normal!" Qiao Feilong dismissed it casually. "He is Yuan Shuo's student and has absorbed mysterious energy. With the New Book of Five Animals in hand and supposedly practicing the Five Animals Breathing Art, entering the Ten-Slayer realm was only a matter of time!" The hidden voice murmured, "Does the Boss think... there is anything special about his blood?" "Perhaps it isn't simple blood, but a so-called bloodline... It may require extraction rather than mere bloodshed!" Qiao Feilong said a few words, then waved a hand. "Enough, set it aside for now! Silver City is unstable; do not stir up trouble. Await our opportunity!" "Understood." The exchange ended there. *** Meanwhile. Li Hao arrived downstairs, his face glowing with smiles, yet his heart remained deeply shaken. *Is he a Three Sols expert?* *Now that Teacher lacks the sword's energy, can he kill a Three Sols powerhouse?* *Furthermore, if we kill this Three Sols expert, can we harvest a massive quantity of mysterious energy?* *What attribute does he wield?* His thoughts were somewhat chaotic. He hadn't expected the old fellow to hide so deeply. *He must possess a treasure!* Li Hao thought. Otherwise, concealing mysterious energy fluctuations so thoroughly—to the point where not a shred leaked out—would be impossible. *I've hooked a big fish!* Li Hao thought. This was undoubtedly a massive fish. Moreover, the man had remained in Silver City all this time. Logically speaking, even a Heaven-Blessed Divine Master would struggle to break through without venturing out to battle and travel. Take Yuan Shuo, for instance: he had roamed far and wide in his youth, which allowed him to break through to Thousand-Battler in one fell swoop. Not just anyone could simply sit and absorb mysterious energy to become a Solar Radiance or Three Sols expert. *Could it be... benefits reaped from my family's ancestral graves?* At this thought, an intense pang of heartache struck Li Hao! *Bastard!* *This fellow must have looted my ancestral graves to obtain advantages, allowing him to advance directly in Silver City to peak Solar Radiance or even Three Sols! Damn it, he stole what was mine!* The likelihood was immense. Their mining site was a hundred percent suspect. Unfortunately, now was not the time to alert the snake in the grass. Still, this visit hadn't been in vain. He had uncovered Qiao Feilong's true strength and obtained ten cubes of mysterious energy as an unexpected windfall. That was plenty. "Li Hao!" Wang Ming glanced at him, his gaze falling upon the case in his hands. His eyes shifted slightly. "An energy storage box?" "You recognize it?" "Of course!" Wang Ming frowned. "You took another gift?" Minor trinkets were one thing, but taking mysterious energy was another. He had completely forgotten his earlier thought that Li Hao was petty-minded and ought to extort tens or hundreds of cubes if he was going to take anything at all. Li Hao lowered his voice. "It's not for me—it's for Sister Liu. She needs this, and they offered it as compensation. You don't understand; this is blood money!" "You're making decisions for Liu Yan?" Wang Ming was astonished. *You dare take this?* Li Hao grinned. "It's fine. Free stuff is free stuff!" Would Sister Liu accept it? Normally, she wouldn't. But Li Hao believed that with a few words of persuasion from him, she would. Using an enemy's gift to boost her strength and then slaying the enemy for vengeance... why wouldn't she take it? Wang Ming sneered inwardly. *Good grief, their relationship... really isn't ordinary.* *Li Hao looks honest on the surface, but deep down, he's a closet rogue.* Having accepted someone's favor, they naturally had to put on a good show. The group drove toward the mining site outside the city. Li Hao didn't even step inside; he merely took a look at the entrance before happily returning to the car to leave. He seemed eager to rush back, clutching the mysterious energy without setting it down once. Once Li Hao and Wang Ming departed, Qiao Peng spat on the ground! "Shortsighted fool!" He cursed Li Hao. That fellow had sounded so righteous and unyielding earlier. Yet the moment he received benefits, the promised mine inspection was abandoned—fearing he might dirty his shoes, he merely glanced from the outside and bolted without stopping. "The Night Watchers were truly blind to make this guy a deputy director!" He cursed again, but on second thought, it was convenient. At least it saved him a great deal of trouble. *** Meanwhile, in the car. Li Hao's smile gradually faded. He looked at Wang Ming and finally asked, "Old Wang, is Solar Radiance truly considered powerful?" "No shit!" Wang Ming replied, exasperated. "Do you know how many Solar Radiance experts the Night Watchers have in the entire Silver Moon Province? A Solar Radiance expert corresponds to a Thousand-Battler among martial masters—one person matching a thousand! Who among them isn't a regional titan?" Li Hao nodded silently. Yet he cursed inwardly: *Really?* *Fuck!* *Deep in that mine, I saw three orbs of light—three Solar Radiance experts!* *Add Qiao Feilong, and that's possibly one Three Sols and three Solar Radiance experts!* *Are you kidding me? You tell me Solar Radiance experts are top-tier powerhouses, rarely seen?* *I've only been involved in this world for a few days, yet I've already encountered several Three Sols experts—Hao Lianchuan, Duantian, and now likely Qiao Feilong—along with the Solar Radiance expert killed last time, Huang Yun, and now three more lurking in the shadows!* *The Qiao family!* Shivers ran through him. Was the Qiao family merely Yama's mundane moneymaking tool? *Don't kid yourself!* If Yama were truly that powerful, Li Hao felt Red Moon and the Night Watchers wouldn't stand a chance against them. Who would station so many powerhouses in a mere commercial front? *It must be relics of the Eight Great Families that allowed them to advance... Absolutely, one hundred percent!* At this moment, Li Hao was certain. The Qiao family was far from simple; they had surely discovered something and likely kept the spoils for themselves. Otherwise, the Qiaos could never be this strong. For a conglomerate in a remote border town like Silver City to produce so many powerhouses—wouldn't that be looking down too much on organizations like the Night Watchers? Wang Ming said Solar Radiance experts were powerful, and they certainly were. Yet the thought of the Qiaos reaping those benefits made Li Hao's heart ache terribly. Had they emptied out the ruins entirely? Liu Yan's husband had died years ago, meaning they had discovered the ruins years ago. Over these years, they might have plundered an immense treasure trove. *The Qiao family has kept a low profile, and Yama hasn't made any big moves either—I haven't heard of them taking major actions in Silver City... Are the Qiaos and Yama truly working together? Or are the Qiaos secretly operating behind Yama's back?* Suspicion took root in his mind. Otherwise, Yama wouldn't just have Qiao Feilong here; other Three Sols experts would have arrived to lurk in the shadows and reap the benefits. At the very least, there should have been checks and balances! *I need to find Teacher!* Li Hao felt both terrified and exhilarated. Perhaps this time, they could strike it rich... provided they didn't get killed first. Beside him, Wang Ming eyed him strangely. This guy's expression shifted constantly—was he a chameleon? *So thrilled over receiving mysterious energy?* *Did they give him that much?* For a moment, Wang Ming felt tempted himself, but he quickly dismissed the thought. *I'm not Li Hao. That guy is petty-minded and takes bribes; I'll report him sooner or later!* *Of course, if he shared a little with me... Bah, I, Wang Ming, would rather die than split dirty loot with him!* With all sorts of thoughts swirling in his mind, Wang Ming stepped on the gas and accelerated considerably.