At the property agency.
The young agent landed another deal.
He brought the client back to the apartment across from where Xia Li was renting.
After finishing his routine introduction, the agent smiled and asked, "This is a high-end community; all the residents here are people of status and means. What do you think, sir?"
The client was a young man of twenty-seven or twenty-eight. His expression was somber and unreadable, and he only said calmly, "Who lives across the hall?"
"Another tenant—a gorgeous beauty. You can tell at a glance she's no ordinary person, probably a martial artist," the agent said solemnly.
The young man smiled faintly, a look of reminiscence surfacing on his face as if recalling things of the past.
"A couple of days ago, a handsome guy came to look at the apartment too, but unfortunately it wasn't meant to be," the agent said.
"Someone came to look at it? Why?" the young man asked.
The agent was taken aback.
When someone comes to view an apartment, of course it's to rent it.
What was there to ask?
Still, the agent had dealt with all sorts of people after all, and he somewhat caught on to the man's train of thought. A smile immediately spread across his face. "This apartment is wonderful, sir. Lots of people come to look at it."
The young man's expression eased slightly, and he felt a bit self-deprecating.
The place was up for rent to begin with.
Wouldn't people be coming to look at it every day?
"Why didn't that handsome guy before me rent it?" he asked.
"Everything about this place is great, except the rent is a bit high—that handsome guy was an elementary school teacher, so he probably felt the price didn't suit him," the agent said.
Hearing this, the young man had no more lingering suspicions.
He couldn't help asking, "How much is it a month?"
"210 credits," the agent replied.
Looking at the agent's cautious expression, the young man couldn't resist a smile.
210 credits.
*Tsk.*
In a rundown little place like this, what was he worrying about?
"It really is a bit expensive," the young man said deliberately.
"Business can always be negotiated. What price did you have in mind?" the agent asked.
"No need for all that. 210 credits, it's a deal," the young man said.
...
"What are your thoughts?" Ye Huan asked.
"I don't know. What do you think? I want to hear your opinion," Luosha said.
"The first option doesn't need considering. Lantie City is on the empire's frontier, close to the wilderness. If you keep staying here, it's impossible to guard against every danger."
"Yeah." Luosha nodded in agreement.
"It mainly comes down to the second and third options."
"—It depends on what kind of life you want to lead: the peaceful life of an ordinary person, or the life of a martial artist."
Ye Huan laid it all out in one breath.
Luosha listened quietly, then asked, "Do I really have talent in martial arts?"
"You really do. The head of the general affairs office at my workplace said you have astonishing martial talent," Ye Huan said.
"But I want to be an ordinary person and live an ordinary life," Luosha said.
"Then choose the second," Ye Huan said.
"Can I really choose the second? Even if I have talent for martial arts, I don't have to cultivate?" Luosha asked.
"You can. I can make this decision," Ye Huan said.
"Thank you so much, Ye Huan. I'll choose option two," Luosha said.
"Have you thought it through? Let me solemnly remind you, choosing the third option gives you a chance to change your life," Ye Huan said softly.
"Ye Huan, for the rest of my life, I just want to live an ordinary life. I don't want to get involved with anything bizarre ever again," Luosha said.
Ye Huan smiled and said, "Alright. Wait a moment, I'll go let them know."
Ye Huan stood up and left.
Luosha silently watched his retreating back.
In truth, she had wanted to choose option three.
Three was the real opportunity to change her destiny.
The reason she claimed to choose two was to see what he would say and do.
—He seemed to think an ordinary person's life was enviable, which was why he had been smiling just now.
Smiling...
He was happy for her.
So—
If she returned to the life of an ordinary person, she would have no utility value whatsoever.
How did he view this matter?
Was he genuinely choosing "two" on her behalf?
Or was he just pretending to step out, choosing three for her, and then coming back to say "I'm sorry"?
After all, a highly talented martial arts "companion" was the most beneficial outcome.
No matter who it was, that would be the most advantageous choice!
Luosha cast her gaze into the void. Instantly piercing through the walls, she began to watch Ye Huan's movements from above.
She saw Ye Huan walk into the office and say, "A choice has been made."
"Is that so? Which option did you choose for her?" the woman asked.
"Send her to a bustling major city and give her a decent job. Let her live a good life," Ye Huan said.
"Alright, I've filled it out here, but Chief Xia instructed that we need to give her a report."
"Go ahead."
The woman began dialing the phone.
Xia Li was reviewing the restaurant's surveillance footage.
—The evidence provided by the Intelligence Division basically aligned with the evidence she had in hand.
He joined the cult as a ritual executor—
The phone suddenly rang.
A woman's voice recounted the situation over the phone.
"What?!" Xia Li said in disbelief. "Put Ye Huan on the phone!"
The woman hurriedly handed the receiver to Ye Huan.
"Sister Li," Ye Huan greeted her.
"How could you choose option two? With talent like hers, she should definitely choose three! Otherwise, she'll regret it in the future," Xia Li said.
"She chose it," Ye Huan said.
Xia Li paused, then asked, "She doesn't want to practice martial arts?"
"Right. She wants to live an ordinary life," Ye Huan said.
"And you're just going along with her?"
"I tried to persuade her, but since she doesn't want to, there's no need to force her, right?" Ye Huan said.
"With her talent, as long as she's willing to put in the hard work, she might become a Baji martial artist in less than five years."
"Ye Huan, you need to understand, knowing a Baji martial artist will do wonders for your future."
Xia Li urged him again.
"I don't care," Ye Huan said.
"Do you have no ambition at all? Are you not pursuing a career in the civil service anymore?" Xia Li's voice rose.
"Sister Li."
Ye Huan's voice softened, and he said in a low voice, "A career or whatever, compared to a companion's wish, is just bullshit, Sister Li."
"What did you say?" Xia Li's voice turned cold as frost.
Ye Huan's voice grew even gentler as he said softly, "She's a companion who went through life and death with me. Now that she's finally escaped the sea of suffering, I'm glad she can go live the life she wants."
"My future is my own business; it has nothing to do with her."
Xia Li listened quietly to the receiver. The corners of her mouth slowly curved upward, but her voice still carried a fierce momentum. "Stupid. I can't even be bothered with you. Both of you are fools."
*Click.*
The call ended.
Ye Huan gave a helpless smile and returned the phone to the woman.
"Option two," he said.
"Understood, it's been recorded," the woman said earnestly.
"I'll go see her again."
"Please, go ahead."
Ye Huan crossed the corridor, opened the safehouse door, and walked inside.
Luosha was sitting on the sofa, her gaze drifting aimlessly over the soap opera on the television.
"How did it go?" she asked softly.
"Congratulations. You'll get to live in a big city from now on—send me a postcard when you have time," Ye Huan said with a smile.
Luosha slowly turned her head and looked at him closely.
She looked at his gentle facial features and those amber, smiling eyes, feeling something twist violently in her heart.
Yet she didn't know what to do.
The orphanage had never taught her.
Her life had never included a lesson like this.
She only knew how to—
"Hey, what are you rummaging through my pocket for? Wait, that pack of cigarettes—"
"You can't have it, and don't buy any in the future either."
"Why?"
"...No smoking. It'll kill you."
"How could it? One or two will never hurt!"
"No leaving things to chance."
...
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Song Fushan whistled as he walked straight into the General Affairs Section office.
"All taken care of?" Xia Li asked without looking up, her hands flying across the keyboard to pull up the safehouse surveillance footage.
With great interest, as if watching a soap opera, she watched everything on the monitor.
"That Du Pont is really something," Song Fushan said.
"How so?"
"I found his vault, and then the secret vault hidden behind it. I was just about to leave, but seeing the odd look on his face and picking up on a few details, I found the hidden hidden vault buried twenty meters underground."
"...How was the haul?"
"After confiscation, ten percent goes to the empire, and the rest is enough for all the bureau's expenses this year."
"That really is rare good news—ah, damn it!" Xia Li suddenly cried out.
"What's wrong?" Song Fushan's expression tightened.
Xia Li stared blankly for a moment, then turned the computer screen toward Song Fushan.
On the screen was the footage of Luosha reaching into Ye Huan's pocket to fish out his cigarettes.
"In broad daylight, am I dreaming... This is way too terrifying..."
Song Fushan looked as if he had seen a ghost.
"Yes, a truly terrifying talent. Section Chief Song, let's split up. We must resolve this matter, and under no circumstances can anyone else find out."
With that, Xia Li had already stood up and was walking out.
"Wait, what should I do?" Song Fushan asked.
"Bring Ye Huan back, explain this to him, and wait for me—I'm heading to the safehouse first."
With that, Xia Li vanished in an instant.
Only Song Fushan was left standing where he was.
He paused in silence for a moment, fished out a cigarette, lit it, and took a few drags before feeling slightly recovered.
"Ether power without going through a ritual... heading straight for the Baji Daozang, and even forming a technique on its own."
"Just what kind of talent could pull that off..."
He shook his head, pulled out his phone, and began dialing Ye Huan.
Chapter 52