Chapter 456
Chapter 456
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 456
>Chapter Title: Trouble
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Chapter 456: Trouble
“Hmm, crowded places are too annoying, so I wanted to find somewhere remote to settle down.”
“No worries, what’s our relationship? Don’t worry, since you claimed this turf, I’ll just say the word back there, and this land and village will be yours. No one will have a thing to say about it.”
“It was yours to begin with anyway. That whole nest of White Lotus Cultists—wasn’t it you who burned them all to death? Since you killed them, it’s only right their territory goes to you.”
Though Liu Zongyuan seemed to be giving Li Huowang face, the words stung a little in his ears.
Liu Zongyuan glanced cautiously at the door, then leaned slightly toward Li Huowang, deliberately lowering his voice. “Hey, did you hear about what happened in the capital? Things are really unsettled inside the Bureau right now.”
“Yeah, I heard. Sounds like Sitting Oblivion Dao screwed us over.”
“It’s more than that. Word is, they fought for three days and nights inside the palace! Even our emperor got badly wounded by Sitting Oblivion Dao and is on the verge of death. They might not even have time to build his mausoleum. But Sitting Oblivion Dao didn’t get off easy either—they lost more than half their people, and even one of the dice guys bit the dust!”
“Hmm? Is the intel solid?”
“What kind of question is that? You looking down on me? Forgot I’m with the Moon Gate? Who in Jiangnan Province has better sources than me?”
Li Huowang’s brow furrowed slightly. It seemed that after he’d left the capital, the two sides hadn’t backed down at all. Instead, they’d gone at each other tooth and nail.
Seeing Li Huowang’s expression shift, Liu Zongyuan quickly reassured him. “Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing major—just an emperor kicking the bucket. The crown prince is ready and waiting. Soon as he’s gone, the next one steps right up. We keep doing what we’re doing.”
“You’ve got it wrong, Brother Liu. I’m not fretting over those big shots. Whether they live or die has nothing to do with us. I just think the world’s gotten way too chaotic.” Li Huowang picked up his teacup and took another sip.
“Yeah, chaotic. All because people keep stirring up trouble. What are these bigwigs even thinking? Can’t they just live their lives in peace? One word from the top, and we’re running our legs off down here. If I wasn’t hooked on the perks in the Bureau, I’d have quit ages ago, screw it.”
“Erjiu, you’ve got the right idea—hole up in some backwater village like this, skip the assignments, dodge the summons. The new registrar probably thinks you don’t even exist.”
After quickly weighing it in his mind, Li Huowang decided it was worth cozying up to this Bureau guy. Having a friend inside the Surveillance Bureau could only help, and who knew when that connection might come in handy.
“Brother Liu, hearing from you that Sitting Oblivion Dao took such heavy losses really hits the spot. Don’t go yet—I’m buying. We drink till we drop!”
“Sounds good! I’m starving anyway. Wasn’t planning to stand on ceremony—just waiting for you to say it.”
At Li Huowang’s order, Yang Kid pulled out all the stops. He even brought out that jar of Zhuangyuan Hong. By the end of the meal, Liu Zongyuan was stuffed and sloshed.
At the tail end of the drinking, the thoroughly drunk man threw an arm around Li Huowang’s shoulders, looking ready to slaughter a chicken, burn some paper, and swear brotherhood.
But Li Huowang noticed the Ten Emotions and Eight Sufferings on his body didn’t match the act he was putting on.
Sitting Oblivion Dao always believed everyone had multiple faces—some awakened, some not.
Li Huowang didn’t care about Liu Zongyuan’s two-faced nature. Hadn’t he done the same?
After a night of heavy boozing, Liu Zongyuan rose early the next morning. He waved off Li Huowang, who’d come to see him off.
“Brother Er, that’s far enough. Head back. You really not taking any assignments? Go too long without one, and your token’s rank drops.”
Li Huowang shook his head slightly. “Think about how many people have died lately. The world out there’s a mess right now. Better to lay low for a bit. Brother Liu, let me give you some advice: don’t push too hard. Your life’s your own—once it’s gone, it’s gone.”
Liu Zongyuan pondered this seriously, then solemnly cupped his hands to Li Huowang and pulled several curved bamboo slips from his robe—engraved with phases from half-moon to full.
“Brother Er, take these. If you need to reach me, tie one to a pigeon—it’ll find me for sure. The fuller the moon, the faster it goes.”
“Got it. I’ll be in this village for a while. If you need me, just come straight here.”
Watching Liu Zongyuan vault into the woods and vanish, Li Huowang pulled out his own Surveillance Bureau token and looked it over.
Seemed this identity still had its uses. Otherwise, today’s mess might not have wrapped up so neatly.
“The Great Liang emperor’s dead again? That’s the second one already. They sure cycle through them fast.”
Li Huowang’s mind flashed to that Great Liang emperor he’d never actually seen. He’d seemed so majestic and commanding back then. Never imagined he’d go down that quick.
But the thought faded fast. Li Huowang turned and headed toward Oxheart Mountain.
The life and death of everyone else in this world meant nothing to him. He just wanted to safeguard his little patch in this mad realm and live out his days in peace.
Li Huowang had zero interest in the immortality everyone here obsessed over—even though, as a heart elemental, he could pop Yang Lifespan Pills without limit.
But if it was endless pain and torment, what was that eternal life but the eighteenth layer of hell?
The thought of him still drawing breath while everyone he cared about was gone—that scenario was worse than death.
Not long after Li Huowang left, Bai Lingmiao poked her head out from a house, Second God in tow. She said with relief, “Good thing Li Huowang was here. Without him, the Surveillance Bureau wouldn’t have been so easy to fool.”
“But looks like he’s got some serious pull in the Bureau. Should we tell him about the threat from the immortals? Maybe he could find a fix through his connections there. What do you think?”
At Bai Lingmiao’s words, the red veil atop Second God’s head swayed side to side with her shake of the head.
“What? Still don’t want to bother him? Wait till it blows up big, then tell him—that’s when it’ll really be trouble! Some things don’t need hiding.”
“What about your eyes, then?”
Second God’s words gave Bai Lingmiao pause. She gently raised her hand, gazing at her pale, jade-like palm with those pinkish-white pupils.
In her vision, she could only make out three fingers. Everything else was blocked by a hazy white blur.
Bai Lingmiao’s tone was utterly calm. “My parents asked around long ago. Folks like me—albino Sha—our eyes always go blind eventually, and we don’t live long either.”
“They tried everything back then, but nothing worked. Guess that’s just my fate. Who asked me to draw the short straw?”
(End of chapter)