We needed to know the whereabouts of the Nine Scholars, and we couldn't do that without help from Huang Jiu, so he slipped away midway through.
The Plague God wasn't one for crowds, but it's not like he needed to eat anyway.
I closed the shop's door, and he opened a black umbrella and just stood there at the entrance.
I called out once, but he didn't respond, so I didn't bother again. High-level people always act like they don't eat, drink, or even need to use the bathroom—otherwise, how could they be called masters?
Zhan Ling was a demon hunter—used to the harsh outdoors and not picky about food.
But since I'd promised her a decent meal, I found a proper restaurant, ordered four dishes, and had the kitchen prepare a half-raw hen to go.
Maybe out of habit, Zhan Ling ate quickly. Once done, she sat silently, sighing repeatedly.
I couldn't help but ask, "Why all the sighing? Is watching me eat that painful?"
Zhan Ling replied, "Not really. It's just that looking at you… it's like watching a dead man walking."
My brows furrowed. I was about to snap, but something occurred to me, so I asked, "Did you hear something?"
Zhan Ling nodded, but didn't elaborate.
I said, "Looking at your face, I feel like slapping two bills over your eyes. How much?"
"Two hundred thousand," she answered calmly. Before I could respond, she added, "It's to save your life."
Two hundred grand for a piece of intel—and she called it saving me?
I didn't even bother to laugh, just said darkly, "Forget it."
Zhan Ling looked surprised. "You don't even want to hear it?"
I said, "If it's free, I'll listen. If it costs money, forget it."
With a confident look, Zhan Ling said, "Once you hear it, you'll want to pay."
I chuckled inwardly. She thought I was some kind of sucker just because I once handed over a million to the curator?
She really underestimated me.
Zhan Ling said, "Word is, someone's boosting your luck. Once it peaks, you'll be able to pull off things that others can't."
"Hm?" I set my chopsticks down.
Hu Wenhui was already borrowing my luck—not only did he get new gigs, he also found that girl with the bound feet.
Same for my second uncle. I'd barely arrived in the city, and suddenly he was thriving.
With Hu Wenhui, maybe it was just his own strength. No one would dare tamper with someone like him.
But with my second uncle… that's harder to say.
Then again, based on what he'd told me before, maybe he'd already sensed something.
Still, my good luck wouldn't just wear off suddenly. And if someone was deliberately boosting it, it'd last even longer.
Zhan Ling leaned in and said softly, "There's a major figure in the Xuan World trying to use you to accomplish something."
I raised my hands as if to say, "These hands are mine—who could control them?"
But the words got stuck in my throat.
Everyone has things they must do, whether they want to or not.
Even cowards have moments where they fight like hell.
I took a deep breath and asked, "So does that mean people will be lining up to hand me money soon?"
Zhan Ling said, "That part I don't know—maybe you'll get lucky in love instead!"
"Yeah right, I'm a married man," I laughed, but a sense of unease crept over me.
If someone was truly manipulating events, then people like President Zhang and Wang Shukun were the perfect pawns.
And the shares they gave me…
I stood up. "No appetite anymore."
Zhan Ling reminded me, "When fortune is at its peak, it can also be transferred to others."
I paused and looked at her, torn inside.
But in the end, I didn't dare to gamble.
I sighed, "You win."
Zhan Ling beamed. "Thanks, boss!"
My mouth twitched.
We left the bank at dusk.
Outside, Zhan Ling was counting her money. I said, "I have a favor to ask."
"Anything for the boss!" She stood at attention.
I said, "Tang Quan's disciple, Xu Wanrong, should be arriving soon. Please pick her up from the airport and bring her to Tianbao Pavilion. If you've got time, stay and keep them company."
Anyone Hu Wenhui recommended must be formidable.
But Su Yimei was bringing Tingting, and Xiaocui's not the sharpest—having someone familiar around would help.
Zhan Ling paused. "You don't need my help anymore?"
I replied, "That Plague God gives me a stronger vibe than Master Jiang. Plus, he's outside of San Yin Sect's plans. He's enough."
Zhan Ling said, "Of course. Hu Wenyao is at the 'Harmony' realm—one level above Master Jiang."
"Harmony?" I asked. "There are levels in cultivation?"
Zhan Ling said, "There are. But since you're not part of the Xuan World, you won't have access to the power scale."
I always figured not entering the Xuan World just meant being out of the loop. Didn't expect to miss this much.
If Xiaocui were sane, the Ten Thousand Mountains should have that knowledge.
But right now…
I sighed. "When there's time, tell me more about it."
Without a measuring stick, I could only judge strength by someone's Dao energy. That worked for common cases—but for people I've never seen, I had no frame of reference.
Zhan Ling nodded, took Xu Wanrong's number, and left.
When I got back to the shop, the Plague God was still standing straight as a board.
Honestly, he shouldn't be called Hu Wenyao—Wen Dun would be more fitting. Like a tree stump.
Huang Jiu returned too, lurking in the shadows at the door.
He jumped to my shoulder and whispered, "They've found the Void House. It's in the southern outskirts. Dahei's brother is watching, but that's Cat Thief's turf. The Black Emperor's already staked it out."
I frowned. Everything seemed to be colliding at once.
After thinking it over, I said, "Once we're there, go help Black Emperor. We can't afford any mistakes tonight."
I was just about to hand him the hen, but Huang Jiu had already leapt down and sniffed the bag deeply. "Smells amazing. Definitely a young hen."
I rolled my eyes, set the bag down, and walked to the Plague God. "Senior, we need to head out. Do you need to prepare?"
"No need," he said coldly.
I didn't know what the Harmony realm entailed, but from the way he spoke, he clearly had confidence. So I didn't argue. We hailed a cab and headed for the southern outskirts.
On the way, it struck me—Southside wasn't simple. First a cat demon showed up, now a Void House. Even Tianbao Pavilion seemed to be in that direction.
But with all the skyscrapers, I couldn't see anything unusual.
We got off at the outskirts. Compared to the city, the buildings here were older, the streets less bustling, with hardly a soul in sight.
Huang Jiu stood on a trash bin and called out twice. Soon, Dahei appeared from behind a garbage heap.
Seeing the Plague God, he hesitated nervously. So Huang Jiu and I approached.
Dahei squeaked a bunch. Huang Jiu translated.
It was a long string of "turn left, turn right, turn left again." I followed at first, but soon I was completely lost.
If I was confused, Huang Jiu was even more so.
So, he called Little Green, who flew overhead, following Dahei. We followed them.
Hu Wenyao watched the whole thing. When I called him over, he snorted, "Tricks and side paths will only lead to ruin eventually."