Chapter 920 Female Jonin
Jiang Bai's words caused Hammett's expression to change several times. He then narrowed his eyes and looked at Jiang Bai with some wariness: "Who are you?"
"Isn't that obvious? Of course I'm helping Emma." Jiang Bai immediately rolled his eyes at the other person. Wasn't that obvious?
"So you're planning to go against me?" Hammett's expression was unfriendly.
As he spoke, he moved the gun barrel towards Jiang Bai, as if he would immediately shoot if Jiang Bai dared to say "yes." His appearance was quite ferocious.
"Yes." Jiang Bai replied without hesitation, and casually gave Hammett a look that said, "You're an idiot."
This, however, stunned Hammett, who was arrogant and domineering and known as a madman. He narrowed his eyes, looked at Jiang Bai in front of him, and said in a deep voice, "Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?"
"Kill me? You?" Jiang Bai chuckled, somewhat disdainfully.
A broken gun? You think you can kill Jiang Bai? Dream on!
This attitude left Hammett unsure of Jiang Bai, and after a long pause, he couldn't help but ask, "Who are you?"
"Who it is doesn't matter. I'm giving you a choice now: sit down and tell me what happened. Who instructed you to target Emma, and what was your purpose in doing so?"
"Explain all this to me, and maybe you'll have a way out. Otherwise... hehe, I reckon you won't be leaving here today."
Jiang Bai chuckled, still with that nonchalant expression, leaving Du Tiangong, who was standing beside him, somewhat bewildered.
I don't understand, what's going on?!
He couldn't help but think to himself, "My dear Mr. Jiang, how can you still talk like this at a time like this? I know you're powerful, you're a big shot, but right now we're at their mercy, they're pointing guns at us!"
Although he thought this in his heart, Du Tiangong did not say it out loud, but his face was full of strange expressions.
"Hahaha..." Jiang Bai's words made Hammett pause for a moment before bursting into laughter, as if he had encountered something hilarious, laughing wildly.
Those who know him know that Hammett's loud laughter is when he is at his most dangerous, because it means he has reached his breaking point and is extremely angry. Therefore, the people behind him are all silent and dare not say a word, just standing there staring straight ahead.
"Kid, I'm curious, where does your confidence come from that you dare talk to me like that? I think you're tired of living!"
Hammett didn't answer Jiang Bai's question. Instead, after laughing, he raised his hand, pointed a dark gun barrel at Jiang Bai's head, and said viciously.
"Now, kneel down and kowtow to me right now, and I might consider letting you go. Otherwise, you and your friends will all die today! I guarantee you will die a very, very terrible death!"
"Of course, you've angered me. You're the first person in recent years to make me this angry. Whether you beg for mercy or not, I will kill you. However, if you kneel down and apologize to me, perhaps you can have a whole body."
"Of course, the Emma you mentioned might not be as lucky as you. My men and I will enjoy her to our hearts' content, and of course, Mr. Du's wife as well."
"They are all good quality women."
At this point, a hint of madness and savagery flashed in Hammett's eyes.
But after saying that, he was surprised to find that Jiang Bai did not show the panicked expression he had expected. He stood there calmly, and even had a mocking smile on his face.
While Hammett was speaking, he completely ignored him, lit a cigarette and smoked it, appearing extremely indifferent and not taking Hammett seriously at all.
This made Hammett so angry that he was trembling all over.
Before he could even get angry, Jiang Bai exhaled a cloud of light blue smoke, which landed directly on Hammett's face: "If I were you, I wouldn't do such a stupid thing!"
"I'll kill you!" Hammett felt he had reached his limit of patience. He roared and fired the next second, determined to kill the arrogant bastard in front of him. As for the consequences, they were no longer within Hammett's consideration.
Hammett has never been one to consider the consequences, otherwise he wouldn't have had the nickname "Mad Dog" before. But that was in the past, and no one dares to call him that now.
A gunshot rang out, making everyone's hearts clench. Immediately afterward, a scream rang out, but it wasn't Jiang Bai's scream; it was Hammett's!
Before anyone knew it, a curvaceous woman dressed in a crimson ninja outfit appeared between Jiang Bai and Hammett, and the moment Hammett fired his gun, she severed the woman's wrist.
Blood gushed out like a fountain, but the female ninja remained unmoved. With a wave of her hand, a ball of flame appeared out of thin air and scorched Hammett's wrist, making it sizzle and smoke, which terrified those around her.
This female ninja was none other than Himura Kazuko's junior sister, the strongest Jonin in the Sakura Charming Ninja. After pledging allegiance to Jiang Bai, she became Jiang Bai's most trusted bodyguard.
Last time, because he was going to an appointment with a very important person, someone like Markuz, it would have been inappropriate to bring the girl in front of him along, so Jiang Bai didn't do that and instead let her stay.
Jiang Bai didn't want the Koga ninjas to know that his strength had plummeted, but the one in front of him was reliable enough. The Sakura Charming Ninjas had survived entirely on their own.
He was also someone she would serve for life, so he could use her with peace of mind. Therefore, Jiang Bai transferred her over a few days ago just in case.
She has been hiding in this house for the past few days, but outsiders don't know it.
A Jonin's ability to stealth and hide is truly difficult for ordinary people to detect.
Now that Hammett has attacked her, the female Jonin naturally has to step in.
So he cut off the other man's wrist, preventing him from threatening him anymore.
With a wave of his hand, the other party wisely concealed his tracks at this moment, disappearing again with a "whoosh." However, before leaving, he did not forget to take action and seize all the belongings of everyone in the house.
These people screamed and fell to the ground, all wounded and unable to pick up their weapons again. However, because they did not receive Jiang Bai's orders, they did not kill them.
Otherwise, with her strength, killing a few thugs would be as easy as killing chickens. She is one of the best among the current generation of Sakura Mikoto, a young Jonin!
Chapter 921 Do you know about Valhalla?
After the female ninja left, the room returned to calm, if it weren't for the fact that all of Hammett's men around were injured, and Hammett himself had lost his wrist.
It's hard to imagine that a mysterious woman appeared before this and did these terrifying things in the blink of an eye.
"You, you devil!" At this moment, Hammett, who had lost a wrist, was no longer arrogant and domineering as before. Instead, he looked at Jiang Bai in front of him with fear in his eyes.
"Heh, whether you're a devil or not, that doesn't matter. I'm not interested in wasting my breath on you. Either I kill you now and go find the person behind you and ask them what their purpose is, or you confess to me and I might spare your life!"
"I don't have much patience. You can decide for yourself."
Jiang Bai's words were direct and simple; he simply stood there and offered this choice. This caused Hammett's expression to shift between light and shadow. If Jiang Bai were to use force or enticement instead of bravado, Hammett would not be afraid.
But Jiang Bai didn't do that at all. He just gave himself a choice, which made Hammett realize that he wasn't that important. He could feel that if he dared to say no, he would be beheaded immediately.
The woman I was dealing with just now was definitely a ruthless character who had seen blood and killed people without blinking an eye.
However, it was also a very difficult choice for him to betray the people behind him. If the people behind him found out that he had betrayed them, he would not live long either.
Therefore, he hesitated and didn't know what to choose.
Hammett sadly found himself in a dilemma: whether he spoke or not, he would die, leaving him unsure of what to do.
As if seeing through Hammett's thoughts, Jiang Bai added, "You're a cripple now. If I were your backer, I probably wouldn't use you in the future. If I were you, I'd be smart and tell you what's going on to save my life."
"You've made quite a bit of money these past few years. Take your money and leave immediately, change your ways, and you can live a carefree life in some small country. It's better than losing your head here."
Jiang Bai's words gave Hammett a clue. Although he was a madman and extremely arrogant, he was not a fool. He knew the basics of weighing pros and cons, so he quickly made a decision.
"Let them go out first, and I'll tell you!" Hammett said.
His men were stunned for a moment, then retreated from the room in fear. After hesitating for a moment, Du Tiangong also led his men out. The huge room was left with only Jiang Bai, who was sitting with his legs crossed, and Hamit, whose wrist was broken.
"Now that everyone's gone, you can talk." Jiang Bai chuckled as he watched them leave. He picked up two glasses, opened the wine bottle on the table, poured himself a glass, and then poured one for Hammett as well.
Despite the pain, Hammett drank a glass of wine in one gulp. Fueled by the alcohol, he gritted his teeth and said, "The reason my people are targeting Miss Emma is because she has vested interests with them!"
This left Jiang Bai somewhat stunned. He naturally knew about Emma's situation, so how could she have any vested interests with the person standing behind Hammett?
This is not normal. She is just a young girl living in the slums. How could she have any financial ties with such a person?
Did Emma not tell me the truth before?
Jiang Bai couldn't help but think this to himself, his mind racing as he guessed all sorts of possibilities. But he soon realized he was overthinking it, because Hammett continued, "Miss Emma is unaware of this matter. In fact, she knows absolutely nothing about it."
"It took my people a long time to find out about her background. She wasn't born to her father at all, but to her mother with another man."
"Although that man is dead, his influence is considerable. As his daughter, Emma is qualified to join the power behind me and become a revered saintess."
"She just doesn't know any of this."
"In fact, according to the person behind me, they have already started sending people to search for Miss Emma. They will definitely be able to find this place soon, so he had to order me to take action against Miss Emma."
"If it's possible to kill her cleanly, that would be best. If not, she must at least be defiled, because according to their tradition, only a chaste virgin can become a saint."
"My current status and achievements are all thanks to the person behind me, so I have no choice but to listen to him, even if he is not in Lebanon now, but in some remote mountain village in the north. I cannot disobey his orders."
"However, I also know that getting involved in their struggle will definitely not end well. Killing Emma would be a death sentence for me, and I would definitely have to go down with her."
"Therefore, I used some tricks to find two idiots to defile her, and then I found an opportunity to kill them. As long as they are alive, there will be many stories to tell in the future, and the other side will stop paying attention once they know that the saintess is no longer chaste."
"Then I can survive."
"I just didn't expect..."
Hammett was a straightforward person; since he had already spoken, there was nothing to hide.
Jiang Bai understood his meaning before he finished speaking. However, he did not expect that Emma would run into him and help her, and that he was such a troublesome guy.
That's why things have developed to this point.
"It seems the people behind you have been putting a lot of pressure on you lately, otherwise you wouldn't have personally betrayed them and come here. So, the people looking for Emma are almost here? Or have they already arrived?"
Jiang Bai, sitting there, said noncommittally.
This is the speculation. Apart from this speculation, Jiang Bai doesn't think there's any reason for Hammett, who has always wanted to distance himself from this matter, to actively get involved.
"That's right. They've found enough clues and will be here within three days. The people behind me can't wait any longer, which is why they're forcing me to take the lead and kill Emma before they arrive."
With a wry smile, Hammett said dryly. He knew all too well that if he did this, he would become a scapegoat, but could he not do it? Obviously not.
"What kind of power is behind you?" Jiang Bai couldn't help but ask after hearing this.
"Do you know about Valhalla?" Hammett glanced at Jiang Bai, thought for a moment, and then asked this question.
Chapter 922 Time
Valhalla? Jiang Bai certainly knew about it.
Jiang Bai may not be an expert in ancient and modern times, but he does know about the palaces in mythology.
Having lived to this age, he has come to understand many truths. Myths and legends are certainly not true, but any legend that has been passed down has some truth to it.
Valhalla is the hall in Norse mythology where Odin, the god of the dead, receives the spirits of the deceased.
Inside are the Valkyries, Odin's handmaidens, while Valhalla houses the brave and skilled warriors chosen from the battlefields of the mortal realm.
This name is also quite prestigious and occupies a very important position in Norse mythology.
Jiang Bai knew long ago that this place was not a fabrication, but a real place. Many years ago, in a certain place in the snowy plains of Northern Europe, the Hall of Heroes had already stood there.
It nurtured countless masters. While it was certainly not the scene depicted in myths and legends, it was indeed filled with experts, and in a certain era, it was able to stand tall in the north and face the Holy See.
Jiang Bai had learned about this from a casual conversation with Marcus. In fact, not only Valhalla, but also the Olympus lineage that dominates the Mediterranean Sea is a real entity.
However, as the glory of the Holy See grew ever brighter, these places were suppressed to the point of being unable to raise their heads.
It had already fallen into ruin before the Middle Ages, and for many years it had been lying low, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Even more than a hundred years ago, when the world was resisting China, neither of these two places made any significant contribution; they only sent a few people to make a show of it.
Unexpectedly, this organization has stepped forward at this crucial time.
To be honest, Jiang Bai had absolutely no liking for these religious fanatics and didn't want to deal with them. If possible, Jiang Bai would definitely avoid them.
But now it seems I'm already in the thick of it, and trying to escape is just a joke.
In this situation, even if Jiang Bai doesn't confront the other party, they will eventually come looking for him sooner or later.
Jiang Bai was helpless about his tendency to cause trouble. Why did all the trouble in the world always seem to find him?
Is it the same everywhere you go?
Damn it, I was stranded at the beach and a girl saved me. She's just an ordinary girl, only a bit pretty. The ending wouldn't be if I revealed my true identity and she jumped into my arms, would it be over?
Why did something have to go wrong?
Mishaps are to be expected; in situations like this, it's common for one or two bad guys to appear, which Jiang Bai understands. But... damn it, isn't this bad guy a bit too fierce?
How did we end up getting involved in such a troublesome place as Valhalla?
Jiang Bai was speechless.
However, since things had come to this point, Jiang Bai didn't say anything more. When the time came, he couldn't back down.
"The person behind you has a high status in Valhalla?" Jiang Bai couldn't help but ask. This was actually obvious; the other party must have a certain status, otherwise they wouldn't have supported Hammett. But Jiang Bai still asked.
They wanted to determine what class this unseen enemy belonged to.
"One of the Four Divine Envoys." This was the response the other party gave, which made Jiang Bai give a wry smile.
Jiang Bai had a general understanding of the structure of the Hall of Heroes, though not a complete one. He knew some of it, and the person in charge was called the Pope, who had four divine messengers under his command.
As for their status, well, at the very least, they are equivalent to cardinals of the Holy See, or even a level above them, since the Holy See has a large number of cardinals, at least a dozen or twenty.
However, their strength should be roughly equal. The divine messenger should be slightly stronger, but only by a limited margin.
This also shows how powerful the Holy See truly is; the number of cardinals is the most direct manifestation of this.
Of course, we can't rule out the possibility that Valhalla has some hidden methods or backup plans. But... who can say for sure that the Holy See, which has existed for a thousand years, doesn't have any hidden schemes?
These are things that outsiders can't say for sure.
However, these are not issues that Jiang Bai should be concerned about. What he is really concerned about is how he should face the impending crisis.
It should be noted that this is one of the four divine messengers, equivalent to a cardinal, in other words, a being equivalent to a celestial being. Jiang Bai is currently no match for such a person.
He is far from recovered.
Moreover, even if he recovers, Jiang Bai would not want to provoke such a person unless absolutely necessary. These guys are still connected by blood; if you kill one, a whole bunch of them will come.
Jiang Bai wasn't afraid to go against them, but that would mean he would face endless trouble.
He has become sworn enemies with the Dark Council and the Holy See; going against them would be a fight to the death.
If Jiang Bai were to add something like the Hall of Heroes now, wouldn't he have offended everyone he could?
However, things had already come to this point, and Jiang Bai clearly could not back down; to be precise, backing down would not have made any difference.
Jiang Bai is a man who clearly distinguishes between gratitude and resentment. Emma had been kind to him, and Jiang Bai couldn't just leave her there unattended.
Fortunately, the situation wasn't hopeless. The people behind Hammett didn't dare to act openly against Emma, but instead instructed their subordinates to use such despicable methods.
This clearly shows that the higher-ups of Valhalla have reached some kind of agreement regarding Emma's situation, and this agreement is obviously in Emma's favor.
However, this divine messenger was somewhat dissatisfied, which is why he resorted to underhanded tactics, hoping to resolve the issue through such despicable means.
Since that's the case, Jiang Bai concluded that the other party wouldn't dare to make a big fuss, because doing so would not benefit him at all and would only expose the matter to the public.
This is clearly not the outcome the other party wanted.
Therefore, the other party probably won't act openly, but rather secretly. As long as the divine envoy doesn't come in person, Jiang Bai isn't afraid of anyone.
The other side doesn't know the situation on Hammett's side yet, so we can just keep it up for a couple of days without much of a problem.
Jiang Bai is changing every day, and his strength is improving every day. If my guess is correct, Jiang Bai will be able to recover to his original state in just two more weeks.
Then we will truly be fearless.
All we can do now is stall for time, one day at a time.
From the moment the other party discovers that there is a problem with Hammett, to arranging for people to investigate, and then sending people to find their own people, all of this takes a certain amount of time.
It will probably take at least a week. If it takes that week, Jiang Bai will be basically invincible.
As for whether Hammett would cooperate, Jiang Bai believed he definitely would. Hammett was a selfish man who knew what would happen to him if he went back as a cripple. Even if Jiang Bai didn't confess, Hammett would stall for time to buy time for his own escape.
Chapter 923 Coming and Going Freely
Jiang Bai didn't ask in detail about the grudges and entanglements between one of the Four Divine Messengers and Emma. He only mentioned it briefly. Hammett here stammered and couldn't give a clear answer, so Jiang Bai knew that he didn't actually know about it either.
So Jiang Bai didn't pursue me any further, because asking wouldn't have made any difference.
"Go away, the farther the better. I advise you not to have any wicked thoughts. If the other party can support you, they can certainly support others as well. You are incompetent and have become crippled. Even if you go back now and report what happened here, you will not get any benefit."
"I hope you understand this."
Jiang Bai gave these words and then let the other party leave.
Before leaving, Hammett said to Jiang Bai, "Don't worry, I'm not stupid. I know how to do certain things."
After saying this, he left with his men, presumably to pack up properly and leave the troublesome city of Leba.
He had just left when Jiang Bai whispered an instruction: "Himurami."
As soon as he finished speaking, a muffled groan was heard, and the female ninja, Himura Kurenai, left with him.
Jiang Bai was simply betting that Hammett wouldn't contact the people behind him, betting that the guy would betray him, buy time, and allow him to leave safely.
Logically speaking, this was Hammett's best option, and if he were a smart person, he would have done as Jiang Bai suggested.
However, this is unpredictable; human nature is the most unreliable thing.
There's no guarantee that this guy won't realize something's wrong and turn on him to fight him to the death, which is exactly what Jiang Bai wants.
Therefore, Himura Kurenai became an insurance policy. As the highest-ranking Jonin among the Sakura Ninja, it would be a piece of cake for her to carry out this mission and meet an ordinary person. If Hammet dared to make any unusual moves, they would immediately take his head.
After making some arrangements, Du Tiangong walked in after Hammett left. He stood in front of Jiang Bai without even sitting down, looking somewhat embarrassed, even though he had been boasting and making promises to Jiang Bai earlier.
It seemed like there was nothing he couldn't handle. Hammett's actions just now completely trampled him underfoot, and he was powerless to do anything about it. If Jiang Bai hadn't been prepared, the outcome would have been unpredictable.
Thinking of this, Du Tiangong's face naturally turned slightly red.
I feel a little embarrassed.
Jiang Bai saw through the other party's thoughts, chuckled, offered some comfort, and then found someone to send him away. Du Tiangong was also sensible, knowing that Jiang Bai didn't really want to talk to him right now, so he didn't say much to Jiang Bai, leaving his young wife there to take care of things, and left alone.
When he left, he looked dejected and forlorn. It was clear that Du Tiangong had suffered a great blow from what happened today, and he looked slightly haggard.
He needs to go back and see the realities of society clearly.
After Du Tiangong left, his young wife was very attentive. In the following days, Du Tiangong did not appear in front of Jiang Bai again. After all, this villa in the suburbs was just one of his many properties. Even before, he had not stayed here for long. He only came frequently because Jiang Bai was there.
Now that Hammett's incident has happened, Du Tiangong, feeling he has lost face in front of Jiang Bai and unwilling to appear, has entrusted the whole matter to his young wife, who has been extremely attentive to him these past few days.
Moreover, she dresses up in a flamboyant manner, sometimes seemingly deliberately showing off her sexy side in front of Jiang Bai, and even intentionally or unintentionally expressing some kind of meaning.
Jiang Bai politely declined to comment. He was a normal man, and while it was true that he had desires for beautiful women, he was not a lecherous monster who would not spare any woman.
After all, Du Tiangong is one of our own, and I wouldn't lay a hand on his wife.
So no matter how much the other party provoked him, Jiang Bai pretended not to see it and continued to live there, waiting for the storm to come.
Before they knew it, another week had passed. Hammett had long since disappeared without a trace, supposedly to Yamato or something. Hishimura didn't follow him; he simply watched as Hammett boarded an international flight and then returned to Jiang Bai's side.
Several days ago, mysterious, muscular Nordic men began appearing in Lebanon, secretly investigating something. Despite their efforts, Du Tiangong still managed to get wind of it.
It's not that this once-powerful figure was dealt a blow by Hammett and quickly regained his strength, extending his influence throughout Lebanon; rather, it's that Hammett approached him.
Not only him, but also everyone in both the legitimate and underworld circles of Leba City who had influence and status were approached by the other party.
The other party's goal was very clear: to find only one person, Emma.
As for whether these people were the one standing behind Hammett or someone else, no one knows.
Du Tiangong was also unsure about the matter, which is why he visited again a week later and appeared in front of Jiang Bai.
"Delay it as long as you can!" This was Jiang Bai's instruction. He had not yet recovered to his peak level, but he had already reached the strength of a Great Star, which was faster than expected. Jiang Bai was confident that he would be able to recover to his original state in two or three days.
In this situation, it would be best to stall for a while. Once you reach your peak condition, you won't have anything to fear, and you'll be able to attack or defend as needed.
"This... alright..." Du Tiangong hesitated for a moment after hearing this, but still agreed, even though he himself was not sure if he could really delay it.
After all, there had been a conflict between Hammett and his side some time ago, and his men all knew what Hammett was looking for. Although some of them scattered after Hammett left, and others left at the same time.
However, some of them simply changed owners.
Although they may not know all the details, there's no guarantee that the news won't accidentally slip out from someone's mouth and be guessed by others. So all he can do is keep it a secret for now, and how long that will last is anyone's guess.
But he couldn't refuse Jiang Bai's request. He had already lost face in front of Jiang Bai once. If he couldn't even agree to this small request, how could he face Cheng Tiangang in the future?
Seeing the other party's predicament, Jiang Bai chuckled and said, "There's no need to force this matter. Delay it as long as you can. If it really doesn't work, just tell them it's not a big deal."
"Although my current situation is somewhat special, I don't need to be timid or hesitant. I'll just let things take their natural course."
Jiang Bai was telling the truth. The strength of a Great Star Rank cultivator was not enough to sweep everything away, but self-preservation was no longer a problem.
Who told him to have such abnormal "super regeneration"? If it weren't for that attack last time that pulverized him into dust, he was confident he could come and go freely anywhere.
Chapter 924 You ask me, but who should I ask?
"Clap clap clap~~" Just then, a round of applause rang out.
This caused the expressions of everyone inside the room to change drastically. The female ninja, Himura Kurenai, instantly appeared in front of Jiang Bai, drawing her long sword horizontally and blocking his path as if facing a formidable enemy.
"Hehe, what Mr. Jiang said is true. Where would you, Mr. Jiang, need to hide your face? I heard that you suffered a great loss some time ago, and some people said that you were dead, but now it seems that these are all rumors."
Just then, a tall, burly, middle-aged man with blond hair, wearing gray half-body armor and with a tuft of fur on his shoulder, walked in from outside. His appearance was very special, full of classical charm, especially his full-body armor and the two-handed greatsword on his back, which gave people a strong sense of fantasy.
I don't know exactly where it came from.
However, someone who can appear here so quietly must be no ordinary person.
"Who are you?" Du Tiangong asked warily first.
Unfortunately, the other party completely ignored him, and Du Tiangong was once again spectacularly ignored.
"Help! Help!" Clearly, he didn't understand what was going on, and seeing that the other party was ignoring him, he started shouting for help.
Since that incident, feeling ashamed, Du Tiangong has arranged for at least twenty gunmen in this residence, just in case, so as not to be caught off guard and lose face like last time.
Unfortunately, no one answered after calling for a long time.
The tall, burly classical swordsman standing there had a face full of mockery and disdain. It was Jiang Bai who spoke up to stop Du Tiangong from continuing: "Alright, no need to call anymore, those people have already been dealt with."
"Although I am slightly injured, the fact that I was able to get here silently without being detected by me means that he is no ordinary person. How could your men possibly be a match for him?"
Jiang Bai's words left Du Tiangong speechless. He hadn't thought much about Jiang Bai's arrival or death, nor had he made a special investigation. Ever since the sudden appearance of a female ninja in Hammett's case, he had asked some friends in China to inquire about Jiang Bai.
Hearing some things about Jiang Bai, he broke out in a cold sweat. His young wife had been coming here a lot lately, always dressed so sexily. How could the shrewd and experienced Du Tiangong not see through her intentions?
But why did he pretend to be deaf and dumb? It was because he was afraid that if the two of them really had something going on, he would be in a very awkward position if he exposed them.
Fortunately, things did not develop in an unpredictable direction, and Du Tiangong naturally refrained from saying anything more.
When Jiang Bai spoke up, he naturally shut up. He couldn't afford to offend someone who could speak to Master Jiang like that.
"With Mr. Jiang here, my men won't kill indiscriminately. In fact, they were just knocked unconscious and won't be injured."
At this moment, the other party smiled and said this, which was considered an answer to Du Tiangong. Du Tiangong also knew that the reason why the other party was willing to explain was entirely to give Jiang Bai face, so he wisely did not reply.
He simply stood there, listening quietly. He was quite a figure in Lebanon, having led a Chinese gang to carve out a niche for himself there twenty years ago. In the last ten years, he had retired and entered the business world.
They might not be among the most powerful people, but they were certainly somewhat of a celebrity, so naturally they were people who knew when to advance and when to retreat.
His basic eyesight and other skills are far superior to those of the average person.
"Your sudden arrival seems rather ill-intentioned." Jiang Bai patted Himura Kurenai's shoulder, signaling the female ninja to step back, and stood up, smiling as he addressed the newcomer.
Although they weren't from the same system, Jiang Bai could roughly estimate the opponent's strength. It should be between the level of a legendary warrior and a holy warrior. He would only know the exact level after they fought.
Since they are not part of the same system, it is difficult to judge the other party's specific cultivation level without them making a move.
However, judging from the other party's demeanor and tone of voice, Jiang Bai guessed that the other party was more likely a Holy Warrior, which was equivalent to a Lesser Celestial Realm figure. Otherwise, they wouldn't have the confidence to stand here and joke with him, even though he was already injured.
"No... I have come with good intentions. I know that some people have been making some small moves in Leba City recently, but fortunately our Holy Maiden has been protected by you and is safe and sound. I have come here not only to welcome the Holy Maiden but also to express my gratitude to you. I have no hostility whatsoever."
The other person shook his head and laughed, indicating that he was not in cahoots with the people who murdered Emma.
Jiang Bai neither confirmed nor denied this. Whether it was true or not, it was all said by the guy in front of him. He had no relationship with him whatsoever, so why should he believe him?
However, at that moment, Emma, accompanied by Du Tiangong's young and sexy wife, came out from upstairs and whispered to the people downstairs, "You say you came for me and have no hostility, but how can you prove it?"
Emma was actually present when Hammett brought up that matter; she was listening from a corner on the second floor. She was quite shocked at the time, and it took Jiang Bai several days to calm her down so she could face her own background.
At this moment, after hearing what the other person said, he stepped forward and said this to the person in front of him.
"First-class Heroic Spirit, Gustav greets the Saintess." The other party was taken aback at first, but when he saw Emma appear, a warm smile appeared on his face. He bowed slightly to Emma and then gave these words.
The Holy Maiden of Valhalla is roughly the first person under the Pope of Valhalla, equivalent to the number two figure. Although their cultivation level may not necessarily reach this level, their status is special, and even first-class heroic spirits must show them sufficient respect.
As for what level a first-class heroic spirit is, even without anyone explaining, Jiang Bai could make a rough guess. It should be a warrior of the same level as Lor, the vice-judge of the Religious Inquisition, whom he had fought before.
After all, the opponent's strength is undeniable.
Whether this is true or not, we'll have to investigate further.
"Your Highness can trust me, because I am your father's personal disciple."
After saying this, the First-Class Heroic Spirit Gustav added, "If you don't believe me, you can have Mr. Jiang investigate. I think with Mr. Jiang's abilities, he should be able to verify the truth of what I've said."
Jiang Bai was completely dumbfounded upon hearing this. What the hell? You want me to investigate? Where am I supposed to investigate?
My understanding of your Hall of Heroes is only at the level of having heard about it. How could I possibly know about the backstabbing and infighting within you?
What do you mean by that? Are you treating me like a god, or are you using me as an excuse?
You're asking me this? Who am I supposed to ask?!
Chapter 925 I Understood
"System... Is what this person said true or false?" Jiang Bai couldn't say this out loud, otherwise he would look really bad, unable to even handle a small matter like investigating a person. So he directly sought out the biggest cheat system.
"One thousand prestige points!" the system's voice rang out. Jiang Bai reluctantly agreed and then received a definite answer.
Just then, he saw Emma's questioning gaze and said in a deep voice, "He's right. It is indeed as he said. He is your father's personal disciple."
"As far as I know, you should have some other token, right?" Jiang Bai said this to Gustav, which was naturally told to him by the system.
Saying it now would make him seem mysterious and profound.
Gustav's expression changed immediately. He looked at Jiang Bai with shock in his eyes, first with disbelief, then his expression kept changing. Finally, he took out a grayish copper block. He didn't know what material it was made of, but it looked quite special.
It's probably not an ordinary item.
"This is something passed down from your father. It should be one piece, not broken into two. According to his last words, you should be able to completely trust me once you see this."
Gustav said this, and Emma was stunned when she saw the copper block. Then she quickly came downstairs, carrying a similar copper block in her hand.
The two collided, and the serrations in the middle combined to form a circular bronze disc, which made Emma breathe a sigh of relief: "I want to know what this is all about. My mother gave this to me before she died and told me... if one day someone comes to me with this, I should trust him."
"I originally thought that she was confused because she was sick at that time, but I didn't expect it to be true."
Emma's expression was complicated, which is understandable. Anyone would be unable to remain calm in such a situation.
It took Emma a long time to recover. She sighed and looked at Gustav in front of her, saying, "Can you tell me... what exactly happened? How did he die?"
"A year ago, he died in battle while fighting a master from the Holy See. Although the master was also seriously injured, he still managed to kill your father before he died!" Gustav said bitterly. When he mentioned the Holy See, Jiang Bai could clearly feel a hint of ferocity flash in his eyes.
It seems they hate it quite a bit.
After saying this, Gustav quickly added, "Those despicable fellows from the Holy See, they would never have been a match for your father in a one-on-one fight, but at the last moment of their battle, a vice-inspector from their Inquisition arrived, and the two of them joined forces to kill your father!"
"He was a true hero, never forgetting to deliver a heavy blow to his opponent until the very last moment."
Jiang Bai wasn't particularly concerned about this matter. In fact, he had a particular question in his mind that he had been wanting to answer, but he hadn't found a good answer yet, and it remained unresolved.
However, it seems that Gustav is a good answerer. If the timing weren't wrong, Jiang Bai would have already asked him.
Now, all he can do is keep quiet and listen to Gustav's explanation, while trying to find an opportunity to ask him something.
"Since I'm already dead, and have been dead for a year, why are you looking for me? Wouldn't it be better to let me live a peaceful life?"
After a long while, Emma finally calmed down and asked in a hoarse voice. She had tried her best to calm herself down and had held back her tears and not shown too much pain, but her words still revealed her complicated feelings.
"Finding your successor as Saintess is a last resort. In fact, this matter has been the subject of much debate within Valhalla. The previous Saintess has already left Valhalla to go to... well... in short, she has left. Now we need a new Saintess."
"The selection of a new saintess is extremely rigorous. According to our requirements, the saintess must have Viking blood and can only be selected from the eighteen upper-class Viking nobles between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five. More importantly, she must be a virgin and her appearance cannot be too ugly."
"This seems simple, but it is actually very demanding. Not to mention that the eighteen upper Viking noble families have basically been wiped out, with only a few families remaining, there are also age requirements, making the number even smaller."
"More importantly, she has to be a virgin. You know, in today's society..."
Gustav didn't elaborate, but his meaning was clear: in this society, especially in the West, finding a virgin at this age is simply... damn it.
Don't even think about it, unless you've been born with the intention of being a saint.
The key point is that the saintess's departure seemed somewhat sudden, and no one was prepared for it beforehand. That's why it was so difficult to find a suitable replacement.
"Actually, your father wanted us not to disturb your peaceful life. Before long, you would receive a considerable inheritance from him, but... there's nothing we can do about it."
"According to ancient teachings, you are the only suitable person right now, so we have no choice but to come and invite you back to become a saint!"
"One?" This surprised Emma. She had thought that even if there weren't many, there should at least be a few competitors. But what did it mean that she was the only one?
"Since Emma is the only qualified one, why would anyone want to harm him?"
Emma couldn't ask that question, but Jiang Bai had the nerve to say it.
"Because one of the divine messengers also has a daughter, but she is a bit young, only sixteen years old. Otherwise, she is qualified. If Miss Emma is not available, then she can reluctantly become a candidate."
With a wry smile, Gustav explained the whole story.
Jiang Bai understood. The matter was that someone wanted to compete with Emma for the position of Saintess, but the other party did not meet the requirements, so they could only resort to some despicable means to undermine the necessary conditions for Emma to become Saintess.
It's important to understand that chastity is quite important in any religion, which is why the other party used some underhanded tactics to instigate Hammett.
As for why the other party didn't take action personally, it's because they dared not make a big fuss about this matter. An attack targeting the sole heir of the Holy Maiden could easily lead to a major disaster if someone caught them red-handed, so they couldn't afford to be careless.
That's why everything that happened afterward occurred.
Chapter 926 I refuse!
"Was this what my father asked for on his deathbed?"
Emma, standing there, took a deep breath and asked in as calm a tone as possible.
"As he requested, he wanted you to become an ordinary person!"
"In fact, his marriage to your mother was not recognized. They went on the run for a long time, going to China, Japan, and even the African savanna, but unfortunately... they were eventually found and brought back."
"As his master, I know him well. If you hadn't been born, he wouldn't have been willing to return to Valhalla."
"As for your so-called biological father, who later raised you with your mother, he was actually someone your father saved back then. He and your mother had a fake marriage so that you could have a complete family."
"Actually, when your father held on until the very last moment and returned, his wish was that we would not disturb you, that you could live a normal life, and that you would never know about this!"
"However, things didn't go as planned. The saintess left suddenly, catching us off guard. A new saintess must be chosen, which is a thousand-year tradition of the Hall of Heroes. So we could only find you."
After thinking for a moment, Gustav said something like this.
It doesn't seem like it was carefully considered or prepared in advance, otherwise he wouldn't have said it like that. If it were Jiang Bai, he definitely wouldn't have said something like Emma's father wanted her to be an ordinary person.
Saying such things at this time is clearly inappropriate.
Perhaps the other person had deep feelings for Emma's father and didn't want to say anything that might cause Emma to misunderstand him. However... given his position, wasn't he afraid that Emma might have ulterior motives for saying such things?
As expected, Jiang Bai's guess was correct. Emma's expression changed several times after hearing this, and then she coldly replied, "In that case, I respect my father's opinion, and I refuse to become the saintess of your Hall of Heroes."
Gustav's expression turned quite interesting. He turned pale at first, realizing he had said something, and then quickly added, "Why! You should know that if your father were still alive, he would definitely support you going back."
"Valhalla is incredibly important to him, and Valhalla cannot exist without the Holy Maiden. She is our only bridge of communication with Asgard, and this cannot be interrupted."
"Besides, what's wrong with becoming a saintess of the Hall of Heroes? Saintesses throughout the ages have been blessed by the gods and given divine grace, instantly becoming unparalleled powerhouses with authority and power second only to the Pope."
"To have a long life and a long youth, to enjoy all the riches and glory of the world—this is the dream of countless people. Why would you refuse?"
Unfortunately, Emma remained unmoved by his words, shaking her head firmly and saying to Gustav, "I refuse!"
No matter how much Gustav tried to persuade her, Emma only said one thing: "I refuse!"
Gustav had exhausted all his sweet talk, explaining all the benefits of becoming a saintess, but Emma remained unmoved, which almost brought Gustav to tears.
He hadn't expected Emma to be so difficult before he came.
His biggest mistake was not making adequate preparations.
I thought that as long as I found Emma and explained the matter to her, I would definitely not refuse such an unparalleled honor as a Saintess of Valhalla, and she would agree without even thinking about it.
But he never expected that the other party would refuse so decisively, leaving him at a loss for what to do.
If it were someone else, we wouldn't care whether they wanted to or not; we'd just tie them up.
When the time comes, we'll take her back and use some tricks on her; she won't be able to refuse.
But Emma was his master's daughter, which made it inconvenient for him to make a move.
Secondly, the status of the saintess is special, second only to the pope. Emma is the only suitable candidate. As long as there are no obstacles to her return, she can immediately become the saintess, second only to the pope.
Having received the blessing from the Kingdom of God and become a supreme being, even as a first-class heroic warrior, he could not be disrespectful to Emma.
So now he's a bit stuck, not knowing what to do.
When threats and inducements failed, Gustav, gritting his teeth and standing there, said to Emma, "You know, the person who's going to harm you is not of high status. If you refuse, I'll have to leave, and if I leave, they'll definitely harm you."
"Last time you were able to escape danger thanks to Mr. Jiang's protection, but he was seriously injured and hasn't recovered yet. I don't think he's strong enough to fully protect you. If the other party makes a move next time, you definitely won't be as lucky as you are now."
"So promise me, becoming a saintess of Valhalla is the best choice."
"If you agree, I will stay and protect you at all times, and your safety will no longer be threatened!"
"According to what you said, the other party attacked me because I would become a saintess, and he wanted his daughter to become a saintess. If I rejected your proposal, why did he still attack me?"
Emma was also a clever and quick-witted person. She grasped the crux of the problem in an instant. The reason why someone would take action against her was because she was going to become a saintess and was blocking other people's path.
If she withdrew from the competition and there was no deep-seated hatred between them, why would they want to kill her?
Gustav was speechless at the question, and after a long while, he gritted his teeth and said, "You don't understand that man. Once he makes a move, he won't stop. He won't give up until he achieves his goal!"
"Even if you refuse the position of Saintess, you are still a threat in his eyes. He will never be polite to anyone who can threaten his daughter and his position, and he will definitely eliminate them completely. So you'd better give up this naive idea."
"Cooperating with me and becoming a saint is the safest option!"
Unfortunately, Gustav's words did not sway Emma. He was met with Emma's same lukewarm response: "I refuse!"
Gustav was so frustrated by those three words that he felt like his head was about to explode. He was so tired from talking about them that he had no idea how to persuade Emma. This made Gustav extremely anxious.
There was a subtle sense of impatience and restlessness about him.
If this were an outsider, he would have slapped him to death long ago, instead of wasting his breath here.
Unfortunately, this person is Emma, the only successor to the sainthood, and his master's daughter. What else can he do besides reason with her, coerce her, and bribe her? Can he really resort to violence?
Just as Gustav was anxiously scratching his head, he suddenly saw Jiang Bai standing calmly beside him. His expression changed instantly, a smile appeared on his lips, and a plan came to mind.
Chapter 927 Am I Easy to Bully?
He glanced at Jiang Bai, then at Emma. In fact, he had already sensed something was wrong.
Emma would glance at Jiang Bai intentionally or unintentionally when she spoke.
Although Jiang Bai didn't show any particular reaction to this, to stop Emma from agreeing to his request, it still made Gustav somewhat suspicious that the relationship between the two was a bit abnormal.
They were a bit too intimate.
He didn't really care about this matter. Jiang Bai was an outsider whose roots were in China, and he wouldn't stay here for long.
Besides, he has offended so many people here, and it's hard to say whether he can survive. As long as Emma agrees to his request and returns to the northern snowfield with him, the two of them will be separated forever.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, we will never have the chance to meet again.
So he didn't care, but now that his persuasion had failed, he saw Jiang Bai again, and a plan came to his mind.
He said to Emma, "Miss Emma, I hope you understand just how dangerous your environment is. Even if you don't think about yourself, shouldn't you think about Mr. Jiang?"
"I can tell you care a lot about Mr. Jiang. Mr. Jiang had a conflict with someone a while ago and I heard he almost lost his life. He probably hasn't recovered yet."
"The reason his enemies haven't come knocking is entirely because they don't know that Mr. Jiang is still alive."
"I was lucky to find out. One of Hammett's men saw Mr. Jiang and drew a portrait of him. I had to ask someone specifically to find out Mr. Jiang's identity."
"It's a secret. Nobody knows it now, but if you refuse to become a saintess and stay here, many people will definitely pay attention to you. At that time, Mr. Jiang won't be able to keep it a secret even if he wants to."
"Once his identity is exposed, the consequences will be very serious, and Mr. Jiang's life may be threatened!"
As expected, Emma's expression changed immediately upon hearing this, and she lost her previous resolve, a look of hesitation appearing on her face.
It was clear that Gustav's words touched a raw nerve in her.
But at this point, Jiang Bai objected, saying, "Why are you telling me what to do?"
Does this sound like a threat? Is he using himself to threaten Emma?
It would be a miracle if Jiang Bai could handle something like this!
Before Emma could speak, Jiang Bai, who was standing there, interrupted, coldly saying, "Mr. Gustav, what do you mean by that? Why Emma? Or are you threatening me?"
"Does it matter? In my opinion, they are all the same. I have no choice. The saintess is very important to us. Miss Emma is the most suitable candidate. She should return to Valhalla."
"Unfortunately, she refused to cooperate, and I couldn't use force against Miss Emma, so this is all I can say."
"In fact, if I were you, I would advise Miss Emma to return to Valhalla. Doing so would be beneficial to you, to me, and to her."
"What if I don't?" Jiang Bai thought to himself, "Damn it! This is a blatant threat from the other party."
This made Jiang Bai very unhappy.
In the past, both in China and elsewhere, it was always Jiang Bai who caused trouble for others, others who had to defer to Jiang Bai, and he who threatened others.
Now look what's happened. They came from China to the West, and ended up as losers?
Anyone can threaten Jiang Bai? The Holy See had already attacked him, and the Dark Council betrayed him without hesitation.
This is already annoying enough.
Now, this Hall of Heroes, which is in some godforsaken place, is acting like a big shot in front of him and threatening him. Jiang Baifei is furious.
These are all matters that Jiang Bai and his colleagues remember clearly. He is currently recovering from his injuries and cannot act recklessly, otherwise he would have already taken action against the Holy See and the Dark Council.
The real high-level people are hard to find and hard to deal with, but dealing with some ordinary people shouldn't be a problem, right?
Jiang Bai isn't afraid of the real high-level figures, even if they fight alone.
Everything was planned perfectly; he was to make his move as soon as his strength was restored, but now Gustav and the Hall of Heroes he represents have also suddenly appeared.
And they even brazenly threaten me?
This made Jiang Bai extremely angry.
Once his temper flares up, he becomes reckless and stands there as if Gustav is being unreasonable and he's about to take action.
"You don't? Mr. Jiang, there's a saying in the East: 'A wise man submits to circumstances.' I advise you to heed this ancient advice. You've been severely injured and your strength is far from what it used to be. You're no match for me at all."
"If you try to fight me head-on, I can kill you anytime! Of course... with Miss Emma here, I won't lay a hand on you, but if I want, your whereabouts will be known to everyone within a day!"
"Think about it. Think about all the trouble you've had with the Dark Council and the Holy See. If they find out and don't kill you, and you're still alive and well, lurking in Leba, waiting to recover and then seeking revenge, what do you think the outcome would be?"
What would be the result? Jiang Bai knew it even with his toes: those guys would be like mad dogs, charging at him relentlessly, trying to kill him.
According to them, he was too young and already so powerful, he would become a great threat sooner or later, so they might as well take action against him now.
If they hadn't acted before, they might have thought things through a bit, but now... they probably wouldn't even give themselves a chance to speak before attacking.
"I, Jiang Bai, have always been the one threatening others; no one has ever threatened me! This time in Europe, I met quite a few people and realized that in some people's eyes, my status is not high!"
"Do you really think you're anything special? Whether it's the Holy See, the Dark Council, or even your Hall of Heroes, I, Jiang Bai, don't take them seriously at all!"
"Gustav, you dare threaten me? Believe me, I'll kill you right here and now!" Jiang Bai said fiercely, his words full of anger.
How dare these people disregard Jiang Bai? They will definitely pay the price!
"Hehe, Mr. Jiang, you are no match for me now!" Gustav chuckled, somewhat disdainfully. If Jiang Bai were in his prime, he would be interested in a fight.
But now Jiang Bai has clearly been severely injured and his strength has dropped to a lower level. He is not on the same level as him at all. He naturally does not care about Jiang Bai's words. On the contrary, he thinks that Jiang Bai is overestimating himself.
"You're courting death!" Jiang Bai roared and was about to make a move. He was only at the level of a Great Star, but he had entered the Lesser Heaven level and had powerful special abilities, so he was naturally not afraid of Gustav!
Even if the opposing first-class heroic spirit might possess power comparable to that of a celestial being.
Chapter 928 Half-baked
"Mr. Jiang, please don't be angry. You are no match for me now, and I think you should understand that."
Gustav seemed unconcerned by Jiang Bai's anger, shaking his head and chuckling, thinking Jiang Bai was overestimating himself.
"That's hard to say. In my opinion, you can only know who will win after the fight. There's nothing in this world that's guaranteed to win."
"Even if my cultivation level is one level lower than yours, it doesn't necessarily mean I can't fight you. Besides, I'm only injured and my cultivation level has temporarily dropped. After all, I've reached the Lesser Celestial Realm, which is equivalent to your Holy Warrior. If I go all out, I might not lose to you!"
Gustav's words eased Jiang Bai's resentment slightly, and he narrowed his eyes and said coldly.
He was no match for Gustav, but Jiang Bai was the kind of person who would never admit defeat even if he lost the fight.
Besides, it's really hard to say who will win or lose; Jiang Bai is quite confident in himself.
"Kid, get him!" the system's voice rang out.
"Does he have prestige?"
"No."
"What the hell did you do?!"
Jiang Bai isn't stupid. He was just saying that. If this guy in front of him didn't push him to the brink, Jiang Bai would absolutely not go all out.
After all, the opponent's strength is now a realm higher than his own, and the gap between the Heavenly Realm and below is so vast that once the fight starts, it will be a fight to the death.
"Hehe, speak properly. I'm just telling Miss Emma the facts and hoping she can make a choice. Mr. Jiang, I hope you understand that I have no ill intentions."
Upon hearing Jiang Bai's words, Gustav, on the contrary, backed down. He chuckled, glanced at Jiang Bai, and said this without any threat, as if to say to Jiang Bai, "I was just saying, why are you so angry?"
"I don't understand!" Gustav backed down, and Jiang Bai became even more defiant.
"Mr. Jiang, let me reiterate, I have no ill intentions towards you, and the Hall of Heroes does not wish to be your enemy. Your enemies should be the despicable Dark Council and the hateful Holy See."
"I heard that the reason you were attacked by the Holy See, and even had a forbidden spell like the Judgment of the Lord used against you, was because the Dark Council's necromancer, Marcus, invited you to his place as a guest."
"In the end, at the most crucial moment, he betrayed you. If I were you, I wouldn't waste my time here with me, nor would I create another enemy like Valhalla out of nowhere. Instead, I would focus on dealing with that shameless traitor who betrayed his friend and those villains who attacked him!"
"On the contrary, I think we should become friends. After all, neither of your two groups of enemies is easy to deal with. If you have Valhalla as an ally, it will be much easier for you to deal with them."
Gustav ignored Jiang Bai's rudeness, chuckled, and actually began to persuade Jiang Bai.
He hoped that Jiang Bai would not be his enemy, but rather cooperate with him.
Jiang Bai snorted coldly at this: "It's as if I can't deal with those two bastards without your Hall of Heroes. The reason I'm staying here and not returning to China is to wait until I recover from my injuries before dealing with those bastards."
"As you can see, my body has an extraordinary ability to self-repair. In just a few days, I will be back to normal, and then they will be in for a surprise."
"I certainly don't want to offend your Hall of Heroes, but I'm not afraid of you either, so you'd better watch your words. Whether Emma wants to go or not, it should be according to her wishes. Don't let these trivial matters interfere with her judgment!"
Jiang Bai's words were still somewhat unpleasant, but Gustav laughed. He knew that Jiang Bai's words meant that if he stopped speaking so recklessly, the matter would be dropped, and Jiang Bai would not start a war with him.
To be honest, although he was a holy warrior and a first-class hero of the Hall of Heroes, he was still a little scared when facing Jiang Bai, a guy with a notorious reputation.
After all, not long ago, this guy had single-handedly taken on a vice-judge, a vice-commander of the Knights Templar, and two cardinals. If the other party hadn't used the forbidden spell "Judgment of the Lord," they might not have been able to defeat Jiang Bai back then.
This matter is now being widely discussed outside.
If it weren't for the Holy See's continued claims that Jiang Bai was dead, things would probably have gotten even more complicated by now.
But now Jiang Bai is obviously not dead, and is still standing alive in front of him. Although his cultivation level seems to have dropped, such a person was once far above the Holy Warrior level. If he really fought to the death, Gustav might not be confident of defeating such a fierce person.
That's why Gustav wisely stopped bothering Jiang Bai at this moment. If he really angered this impetuous half-baked guy, the consequences would be unbearable for him.
"Alright then, as you wish. I won't say anything more. I'll leave everything to Miss Emma to decide." Gustav didn't want to provoke Jiang Bai, so he handed the ball back to Emma.
He had already said everything he needed to say, and he couldn't think of anything else to say. If Emma insisted, he was at a loss for what to do.
Rather than doing that, it's better to just shut up, lest Jiang Bai provoke her and fight her to the death. Now it's up to Emma to decide what to do.
"If... I mean if, I went to Valhalla and became a saintess there, would it be of any help to Jiang?"
In the end, Gustav's words had an effect. Emma glanced at Jiang Bai, then at Gustav, gritted her teeth, and said in a deep voice, her voice somewhat timid but full of determination.
These words made Gustav laugh on the spot. The old man was shrewd and naturally understood the meaning behind Emma's words. He laughed heartily and nodded affirmatively: "Valhalla has always been an enemy of the Dark Council and the Holy See, an enemy for thousands of years!"
"The Holy Maiden is the second most important figure in Valhalla, and His Holiness the Pope often neglects all matters. Most of the major and minor affairs of Valhalla are decided by the Holy Maiden and the four Divine Envoys. You have absolute authority and ability to help anyone you want to help, as long as it does not violate the overall interests of Valhalla!"
That statement is flawed. What do you mean by "as long as it doesn't violate the overall interests of Valhalla"?
The statement "does not violate the overall interests" is too broad; there are simply too many options and ways to make it work.
Emma couldn't hear it, but Jiang Bai heard it clearly.
She simply disdained to expose him; going to Valhalla to be a high and mighty saintess was far better than toiling away here.
Moreover, Gustave was right about one thing: even if Emma refused, the other party might not let her off the hook.
Chapter 929 Infiltration
Jiang Bai couldn't stay here forever; he would eventually have to return to China. Although he could take Emma with him, she might not be willing to come. Besides, Jiang Bai wasn't leaving yet; there were still many things to take care of.
Marcus betrayed him, and those bastards from the Holy See murdered him. Jiang Bai would never let this go unpunished.
It's not safe for Emma to follow him now; on the contrary, Valhalla is a better place.
Being a saintess for now isn't a bad deal!
Once I've calmed down, I can just bring the person out of Valhalla myself.
As for whether he might offend the Hall of Heroes and have people fight him to the death, Jiang Bai didn't care at all.
Jiang Bai is confident that by then, he will be able to face any threat without fear, whether it takes a year and a half or two or three years.
Of course, these are Jiang Bai's personal thoughts. The final decision rests with Emma herself. If she doesn't want to go, Jiang Bai will not force her and will immediately arrange for someone to send her away to China.
That place is off-limits to these people; they dare not set foot there easily. It's their territory. While they may not have absolute control there, the few bastards close to them wield considerable power. If they unite, protecting some people won't be a problem. Let alone Emma, the saintess of Valhalla, they could protect even more people.
"If I can help Jiang, I am willing to go to the Hall of Heroes and become a saintess."
In the end, Emma made her decision, which warmed Jiang Bai's heart. He knew what Emma meant.
She herself might not have wanted to go to that freezing place to be some kind of saintess, but Gustav's words still moved her, leading her to choose to go there so that she could help Jiang Bai.
Jiang Bai could sense this sentiment, and that warmed his heart.
"You don't need to worry about me. I can handle my own affairs. Don't listen to his nonsense. Even without the Hall of Heroes, I can still manage everything!" Jiang Bai interjected, feeling touched but not wanting Emma to change her mind because of him.
"But it still helps, doesn't it?" Emma gave Jiang Bai a bright smile. It was rare for Emma to show such a bright smile in recent years. She seemed very happy to be able to help Jiang Bai.
This was the truth. Regardless of how much help the Hall of Heroes could provide Jiang Bai, the greatest help would be if they didn't cause him any trouble. So Jiang Bai opened his mouth, but was speechless.
Just as he was about to speak, Gustav spoke up, revealing a charming smile: "This is the wisest choice!"
In the end, Emma chose to follow the First Class Heroic Spirit Gustav back to Valhalla, hidden in the snow and ice in the north.
Jiang Bai, on the other hand, was quietly recuperating alone in Lebanon.
To be honest, Emma's choice is the best choice at present, but Jiang Bai still feels a little strange, especially when he recalls the reluctant look in Emma's eyes when she left, Jiang Bai feels a slight pain in his heart.
The matter is over, and Jiang Bai won't dwell on it. There will always be a chance to resolve this. Jiang Bai's main task now is to find those bastards from the Holy See and Marcus to cause trouble.
As for who to contact first, that depends on who's unlucky.
In any case, he can only choose one, because no matter who he chooses, the other party will immediately receive the news.
Europe is only so big, and two powerful forces have been deeply entrenched here for thousands of years, controlling this land.
They all think he's dead now, so they're not on guard. But if he makes a move, he'll be exposed immediately. At that point, Jiang Bai can't think of anything else he can do but flee in panic.
His power has been restored, but he can only deal with one person. If the opponent comes in a group like last time, he will still be doomed. This time, there is no Life Stone to revive him.
Jiang Bai didn't want to face "the Lord's Judgment" again.
So after a week of peace in Lebanon, Jiang Bai bid farewell to Du Tiangong and embarked on his journey to Rome alone.
The Dark Council is elusive, and Markuz has gone into hiding since the last attack, making him difficult to find. However, the Holy See members are much easier to locate.
They spread their faith openly; the dozen or so cardinals were all registered public figures, and apart from a few who remained hidden in the shadows, the rest were all genuine religious celebrities.
The Holy See, keeping up with the times, has a dedicated website with detailed information about the daily schedules of these cardinals. It would be incredibly easy for Jiang Bai to find them.
Therefore, Jiang Bai's primary target was this group of people.
Coincidentally, the two bastards who attacked him were among this group.
Soon, Jiang Bai selected one of them, intending to kill him and then return home. The grand event was about to end, and Jiang Bai would then enter the Lishan Mausoleum with the experts from Cheng Tiangang's side to retrieve the Twelve Golden Men to help suppress the universe.
After all these matters are settled, Jiang Bai will return and settle all these old scores one by one.
Jiang Bai pretended to be a tourist and took the train. In just one day, he arrived in a small town near Rome. He found a restaurant near a church with a very rich history and hid there.
Jiang Bai dared not go to Rome, as it was the core of the Holy See, where countless experts were stationed year-round. Not to mention the Swiss Guard, which had protected the Pope for hundreds of years, they were not to be trifled with.
Not to mention, the Inquisition and the Knights Templar are teeming with experts there, and Jiang Bai has no intention of courting death.
Setting up an ambush here would undoubtedly be the best option.
Sitting quietly outdoors in this café, savoring the local specialty coffee beans, Jiang Bai squinted at the church not far away.
According to the plan, Cardinal Andrei, who attacked him, will arrive tonight and will hold a blessing mass here tomorrow morning.
Tonight is the best time to take action.
As dusk approached, a grand procession sped in from afar. A bishop stood at the entrance to greet Andrei and his party. Soon, the group arrived at their destination and, led by the bishop, entered the church.
The entrance was guarded by four burly men, who were clearly no ordinary people.
Jiang Bai chuckled softly, then turned and left.
As the moon rose high in the sky, Jiang Bai returned once more, leaping inside and bypassing the guards at the entrance as if he were in an empty place.
Although these people were not ordinary people, but elites and experts, the gap between them and Jiang Bai was too great, making it difficult for them to detect Jiang Bai's whereabouts.
Therefore, Jiang Bai was allowed to sneak in openly and brazenly.