Chapter 797: Probing for Partnership (V)

“Let us speak of the present, if not the future, Commander Li,” Chen Yao snapped. “The City of Supernaturals and three great organizations are a grave threat to you too. I’m sure that you need some helpers. The martial masters of Silver Moon cannot always fight for you because the province needs heavyweights in residence as well.”

“So what?” Li Hao sipped his wine with a smile. “The Inspectorate is ranked among the top three of the nine ministries and the Chens are extremely strong. Why tie yourself to my sinking ship? You’ll drown at any time.”

“I...” Chen Yao was well and truly angered now. “Does Commander Li not have any desire to be courteous to the wise?? I come with sincerity, why must you show me such a dismissive attitude?”

“It is indeed a rare sight that the third ministry of the nine wants to join my side.” Li Hao sat up straight. “I hadn’t anticipated this possibility... but even if I wish to find helpers, I want those with clear goals and resolute attitudes. I do not want those who waver in determination and hesitate over what course to adopt. Moreover, I do not want those who turn hostile as soon as differences in opinion or weaknesses appear. These types of people are even more dangerous than enemies!”

“Do you mean to say that this is what the Chens are?”

“Correct!” Li Hao answered brusquely. “In my eyes, this is precisely what the Chens are! If you truly wanted to ally, you would’ve come out in the open, not skulk around in the shadows and look around furtively. That’s a lack of sincerity!”

“I am responsible for the Chens and the Inspectorate!” Chen Yao boomed. “I do not operate by myself, do you think I’m like Southern Fist and the others who feed their entire family if they themselves are full? You must know that there are 176 members in the Chen family and I have thirty-seven siblings alone...”

Li Hao’s jaw dropped.

The hell?! How do you have so many siblings? You’re joking! This is more proliferate than Thunderleg... How does your dad sire so many kids?

“Don’t look at me like that, they’re not my children! They’re my siblings!” Chen Yao thundered. “I tell you this to show that partnership between factions is different from that of individual people. Southern Fist and the rest only need to look out for themselves. And me? I need to think of the future. Otherwise, we’ll be like the Hus of today and easily destroyed.

“You need to at least give me some hope if you truly wish to obtain my family’s support. Take Yao Si, for example. You must have given him some hope for him to be willing to swear fealty to you. Otherwise, with his personality, would he easily give the Night Watchers to you?”

Li Hao blinked and turned over the man’s words. That... made sense. Since Silver Moon martial masters didn’t usually haggle, that meant he automatically disliked the inspector general. At the same time, Chen Yao made sense. The man led a large family and it would be all of their deaths if he picked the wrong team.

“I cannot give you any promises.” Li Hao shook his head. “Because I myself don’t know what is to come. What do you want me to say? Lie to you? Is there any meaning in that? The only thing I can say is... come if you’re willing to fight for the same goals! As for the rest... Minister Chen should consider it for yourself.”

Chen Yao sighed. If one said Li Hao was an honest fellow... well, that he was. He was unwilling to breathe a hint of anything even at a time like this.

But this puts me in a very difficult spot!

After hesitating over his course of action, the man said, “Then I have one request. If you agree, the Inspectorate will put its full force behind you!”

“Let’s hear it.”

“As long as you can seize their ruin.” Chen Yao looked at the Hus’ former rear residence. “No matter the method, so long as you can take it, then the Inspectorate will assist you with everything we have! The Chens do not go back on our word!”

Li Hao thought it over and nodded with a smile. That worked too! It was a demonstration of strength. Being able to seize the ruins meant that he could do the same to the others. He would also expose all of his trump cards and foundation in the process of doing so since the plant spirits in the ruins were currently at the Apex level.

Chen Yao’s worries would be dismissed if Li Hao could handle everything, and taking the ruins was already part of the young man’s plans. In that case, he would push his boat along the current. As for whether or not the Inspectorate really would put their full force behind him... Li Hao didn’t care. “Alright!

“Very well!” Chen Yao’s expression flickered with the young man’s swift agreement. “In that case, my Chens do not practice a miserly style. I can arrange two Arcanus to help you in the meantime. They keep a low profile and are a token of our sincerity!”

“You’re being so generous?” Li Hao laughed.

“It’s also so that you do not think too little of us!”

“Very well, then my thanks,” Li Hao smiled. “But I’ll say this beforehand, I will not pay them a salary. And my commands are law. I’ll kill them if they give me any trouble. Is that acceptable to you?”

“Of course!” Chen Yao rose without further discussion. “I await your good news!”

Li Hao sent him off for a few steps before falling back. He smiled at the interesting encounter. It likely wouldn’t matter to the Chens even if those two Arcanus died. They just wanted to see if his side could really claim the Hu ruins.

“Why didn’t you give him more hope?” Deputy Zhou walked out softly.

“The nine ministries annoy me!”

Alright then.

The deputy had nothing to say to that. The young man’s martial world blood was very apparent at times. But it was good enough that he’d accomplished what he had in such a short period of time. There was no need for criticism. If they really took the Hu ruins, then the Chens would also make the right decision of whether to partner with Li Hao or await extermination.

“Then the Hu ruins...”

“We’ll have a meeting about it first!” Li Hao had put the ruins on his to-do list as well.

First, he wanted to rule out the possibility of the Hus from having any powerhouses hidden within. Second, why not? There might be treasure inside. Third, he wanted to see if he had the capacity to kill a plant spirit. Yes, kill. He’d never considered the possibility of cooperation. What for? He just wanted to try killing one!

Fourth, was the Hu ruin part of the Skystar ruin? That would be interesting if it were. That the nine ministries could suppress the old Skystar King through the ruins, it was food for thought that these ruins were all interconnected. Their potential interface was the key. He wanted to undermine the royal family’s foundation!

What royal family, the Skystar Mine was Li Hao’s!

Are you going to awaken a second time if I dig it up ahead of time? You’ll awaken when I say you can!

The Hu ruins were an opening. Li Hao wouldn’t have let them be even without Chen Yao.

......

The others arrived after Chen Yao left.

“What did that little thug want with you?” He Yong was the most curious.

“......” Li Hao blinked. Who was he talking about?

“Chen Yao!” He Yong laughed at seeing Li Hao look blankly at him. “You don’t know? Don’t be fooled by his age—prior to taking over from his old man, he was the biggest thug in Skystar City. He lived it up and did anything he wanted. After he succeeded his father, he still continued in the same style. His old man’s the same as him, but I’m not too familiar with the older guy. Apparently, he was also a thug back in the day...

“His reputation was worse than mine in the martial world eighty years ago!” He Yong ended with a chuckle. That declaration drew various glances from the group.

“What you looking at??” he groused. “You’re the ones who built my bad reputation! I can’t be bothered to argue with you anymore!”

No one said a word.

So you also know that your reputation is poor! We thought you didn’t know!

“Then the one at the Inspectorate... is still a thug?” Li Hao burst out laughing.

“Of course. Don’t be fooled by his appearance like a gentleman now, apparently he passed himself off as a scholar in later years. He looks refined and genteel, but can’t read all that well. The books he reads are comic books with pictures in them!”

The group looked at him with meaningful looks, roughly grasping He Yong’s meaning. He Yong rolled his eyes again.

I don’t mean it that way! I mean actual comics! Do you understand me or not? What are you all looking at me like that for?

“So Martial Uncle He means to say...”

“That this family comes from the streets and is good at analyzing the times, but they’re not reliable in true times of need!” He Yong assessed brusquely. “He came skulking through the shadows, probably because he sensed an opportunity...”

The group stared at him again.

So... you’ve met your own kind, huh? It takes one to know one, you should be on good terms with the Inspectorate then!

He Yong wanted to weep from weariness!

This is all because my reputation was sabotaged! My reputation is great! I’m a very loyal guy! I stick out my neck for my brothers and can sacrifice myself for them. I bare my heart to my friends! What are you guys looking at me for?!

“Just be careful. The Chens are reliable when you’ve got momentum on your side, but they’ll run faster than anyone if the tides seem to be turning!”

The group stared at him again; He Yong really was ready to fly into a rage.

“What

are

you guys looking at me for?!” he scowled. “I’m going to start hitting if you lot keep staring at me!”

Stop looking at me! Why are you always looking at me??

𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

The group returned to quiet and stopped regarding Southern Fist.

So start hitting. You’re the weakest among us, do your hits mean anything? We just can’t be bothered to fight you since it’s embarrassing to fight a thug.

Li Hao smiled and waved everyone to a seat. The tiny pavilion was immediately crowded with people. He Yong, Hou Xiaochen, Deputy Zhou, Light Sword, Hong Yitang, and Sky Sword were all present. Sky Sword hadn’t left yet—he seemed different from his previous aloofness.

In actuality... Li Hao surmised that Sky Sword’s presence had something to do with the young man’s own changes. More likely than not, Sky Sword was waiting to see if Li Hao would say certain things.

Yao Si was at the Night Watchers and hadn’t had time to come over yet. Manager Yu was assisting Liu Long and the rest of the Demon Hunters to reorganize the Judgment Guard. Apart from Yang Shan and his wife, Qin Lian, almost all heavyweights were present in the pavilion.

Silver Moon hadn’t sent that many martial masters for this occasion—mostly because Li Hao made his move before the Silver Moon martial masters arrived. By the time he emerged, the other side was completely dead. Hence, the martial masters from the province might’ve turned back halfway. They could also have slowed down their pace to reach Skystar City or decided not to show up at all. Li Hao didn’t mind.

They didn’t need to support him at first light upon each occasion. He didn’t voluntarily request support either. Coming once was already an enormous favor. He wouldn’t be put out just because they didn’t arrive within three days on the second time.

“Let’s sit and chat!” Li Hao began and turned to Hong Yitang. “Martial Uncle Hong, people need to be killed and business needs to be conducted. Killing is secondary and conducting business is key. The dead of winter will be upon us soon. It's cold now, but it’s not the coldest...”

“So you mean...?” Hong Yitang asked softly.

“It’s almost December and the new year. The academy needs to open its doors before the turn of the year.”