CHAPTER 311
Bandits
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Behind the Main Hall of the Heavenly Dao Pavilion, Cheng Liang had set aside a room specifically for the large fox he was sheltering.
The fox would occasionally rest there, and sometimes the sound of it chatting with friends could be heard, though Cheng Liang had never actually seen anyone.
"What exactly do you want?" Cheng Liang sat on the desk. Only he and the fox occupied the vast chamber.
"Watch Su Cheng pay for his mistakes. Make him pay for his foolishness."
"Then why not just kill him? You could do it, couldn't you?"
"He didn't kill you either."
Cheng Liang couldn't fathom why Su Cheng hadn't struck him down, choosing instead to let him go.
Could it truly be because of Shangguan Rou?
Was the so-called Mandate of Heaven truly within her? Was it a rule even Su Cheng feared?
"You clearly know about that black mist too. Why must I be the one to question him?"
"Laziness."
The cunning fox remained as aloof as ever, yet only Li Shiyao seemed capable of stirring the slightest ripple across her otherwise expressionless, peerless features.
"Aren't you afraid Su Cheng and I will team up against you?"
"Heh." The fox certainly hadn't laughed, yet the sound had undeniably come from her.
"You think the two of us together still aren't your match?"
Cheng Liang knew this fox was powerful, but he truly couldn't discern her cultivation level!
Was she truly at the level of an Immortal Sovereign?
"In my eyes, your partnership is like pairing a dumb pig with a clumsy donkey—one plus one equals less than two. Two monks, no water to drink."
"Then why do you want us to cooperate?"
"You don't seriously think I'm teaming up with you too, do you?"
The murderous aura radiated from his sides. To the great fox, he was merely a pawn—an easily replaceable one at that!
Countless others would kill to be such a pawn!
Cheng Liang studied the Great Fox for a moment before asking.
"What do you need me to do?"
"If I haven't specified, then do as you please."
As the fox spoke, she sensed the little cutie coming to play with her. She immediately called out coldly.
"We have a guest. You may step aside for now."
Her beautiful eyes flashed. In the direction of her gaze, a slender figure tore through space and crashed to the ground.
"General, Xiao Ai's here to play with you!"
Xiao Ai giggled as she nuzzled up beside the big fox, looking utterly adorable and clingy~
But the big fox clearly wasn't falling for that act anymore. She grabbed Little Ai's head and shoved her aside!
"Go away! Every time you come, you just eat and take things. I'm not playing with you anymore!"
"Hey hey hey, don't be like that, General! You make it sound like Xiao Ai is some kind of bandit!"
Xiao Ai looked a bit aggrieved, but she clung tightly to the big fox's waist, determined to stick around no matter what. What could he do about it?
"But you are a bandit! You always have been, and you still are!"
"Heh heh, Xiao Ai was just forced by circumstances! Scared of being poor!"
"My dear Gu Ai, could you please stop pinching my tail? It's really uncomfortable!"
"Waaah, but Sister is so beautiful! Xiao Ai loves Sister so much!"
"Alright, let's get down to business. What brings you here?"
"I heard Sister's Eternal Love Hall moved over here too?"
"That old lecher dragged my little treasure here and pestered me for ages." Though the big fox wore a poker face, her exasperation was plain to see.
"Oh! Is this the General's daughter?"
"Yep. You two probably haven't seen each other in ages."
"General, this has nothing to do with the Hall of Constant Love, right?"
"The initiative needs manpower. Besides, the Hall of Constant Love can't function without me, can it? The children cry for nourishment, the soldiers clamor for battle—it's all part of life."
"I see. Little Ai thought Sister wanted to launch a ruling scheme here~"
"Hehe, little sister, you're joking. Even if it were about ruling, isn't this place a bit too desolate?"
"True enough. There's nothing worthwhile here. But Xiao Ai found a great spot!"
"Where?"
"At coordinates A14, Xiao Ai discovered [Sprout]. No high-risk entities detected so far."
"As expected, Lady Gu Ai's Valkyrie is truly capable!"
At this remark, the sly fox, sensing an opportunity, instantly changed her tune. Her tail swished seductively against Xiao Ai's leg as she pulled her closer into her embrace.
"Hehe, Amber's always been like that. He's better at making money than Xiao Ai!"
"Then my thanks to Lord Gu Ai. I'll send someone to handle the handover with Amber later."
"No problem. But since it's still in its infancy, it might not be enough to cover the massive expenses of war."
"Hey hey hey, Lord Gu Ai, that's not quite right!"
The big fox clearly didn't like that!
We're all just doing our jobs here—can't you show a little compassion, Mr. Gu Ai?
Back when we were fighting, your master was the one shouting the loudest!
First she made us fight to seize the throne for her, then she made us fight to defend it!
Even the gods were barred from the front lines by her. Now you complain she's too costly in battle?
That's fucking kicking the fox after it's done its job!
"Lord Gu Ai, residing long in the inner city, may be unaware. The war is dire, and these drains are not my doing. The front lines must not be left unguarded; someone must repel the enemy."
"So we must fill the gaps with lives and pour money into it, is that it?"
Xiao Ai gave a bitter smile. She understood? She understood jack shit!
Everyone was reaching out to her for money and manpower—where was she supposed to find it?
"Your Excellency speaks with reason. Little Ai never meant to imply otherwise. Surely you are well aware that all your military and administrative funds have always been channeled through my personal accounts."
Business is business, and chit-chat is chit-chat. Xiao Ai never missed a beat and never wasted words.
What did that mean?
Your entire army feeds off Xiao Ai's grain! That ditch-filled land in Su City couldn't possibly sustain your million-strong force!
The inner city? What money does the inner city have?
This money was scraped together by Xiao Ai—intimidating this one, threatening that one, bit by bit!
And in the end, you still accuse Xiao Ai of eating and stealing!
If not this way, what would your army eat?
What would your man's army eat?
Without Xiao Ai, this household would fall apart!
"That's why I said I like Xiao Ai. But this budding thing—did Amber discover something?"
Emotions come and go quickly—it's all nonsense, really. Everyone knows what's going on; it's just playful banter.
"Hmm, Amber discovered that world has limited military resources, but it seems there are signs of mining activity. It's been going on for some time."
"What does that mean?" The big fox narrowed his eyes, deep in thought.
"It's likely that people from other dungeon worlds discovered the bud first, but abandoned it due to the extreme difficulty of extraction."
"That's certainly possible. Are you referring to those from the Immortal Realm?"
Xiao Ai nodded. In her eyes, the so-called Immortal Realm was just another instance world.
It was just that the environment there was better, the so-called spiritual energy more concentrated? Or perhaps the combatants were stronger?
But what good is strength?
Before authority, dragons must coil, tigers must lie low. Before Lord Gu Ai, there is no room for pride.
The so-called ascension to immortality, the soaring to the upper realms—it was nothing more than traveling to another instance world.
In Xiao Ai's eyes, they were nothing more than greenhorn recruits just starting out.
"But Xiao Ai didn't dwell on it. Xiao Ai has already sent He Guang to investigate."
"Need any help?"
"It's fine. Such a minor matter doesn't require the General's intervention."
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