My Professions Have Too Much Personality - Chapter 328 - 197: Human Trafficking (Part 2)
Under the circumstances, since the other party hadn’t said anything, he certainly wasn’t going to bring it up himself. If it had been that Ancient King, he might have just shot right over.
’But I still have to figure out a way to deal with this Royal Court business.’
With his mind racing, Su Chen glanced around before disappearing into the crowd.
…
As the sky gradually darkened, Lan Hao returned, dragging the Golden-Mane Giant Wolf behind him. Aside from some torn clothes, there were no visible injuries on his body.
The Foggy Robe was extremely resilient; it was difficult to damage unless subjected to a powerful external impact.
He casually tossed the Golden-Mane Giant Wolf into a designated area near the settlement. For the past few days, all the Mutant Species they brought back were processed by the settlement.
The nearby guards showered him with respectful flattery. When someone was doing their work for free, it was only natural to treat them well.
On previous occasions, Lan Hao might have offered a few insincere pleasantries in return, but today he was in a foul mood and couldn’t be bothered. He walked straight toward the nearby ship.
As he walked up the ramp and was about to enter the ship’s hull, he paused. His gaze turned back toward the metal corridor that spewed red flames, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes.
’That Deceitful God’s Follower was right. I can only swallow this,’ Lan Hao thought, his expression wavering. He grit his teeth and looked away.
He couldn’t figure out how to even begin to tell Qing Cang about this. ’Should I just say there’s a Deceitful God’s Follower roaming around outside?’
’That would only make Qing Cang forbid them from going out again.’
’The Nether Fog is vast and endless. Even if I don’t mention being forced to give up information about the Royal Court and the profession, just saying I was attacked is pointless.’
’Could I really expect Qing Cang to go out and search for that Deceitful God’s Follower, who has already disappeared, just for my sake?’
’And even if he did find him, what then?’
’Forget it…’ Lan Hao felt helpless. After stepping into the ship’s cabin and feeling the solid floor beneath his feet, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief, as if he had just survived a catastrophe.
But that feeling was immediately replaced by a deep sense of shame. Back in the Sect, he had often sparred with others, but he had never faced a true life-or-death crisis.
His encounter with the Deceitful God’s Follower, where he faced death, begged, and cried out in pain… he didn’t even want to think about what a pathetic display he had made.
Now that he was in a safe environment, Lan Hao couldn’t help but wonder, ’But why was that Deceitful God’s Follower here? Was he also after the Great Venerable Red Flame Thunder Resonator?’
’They say that when Professional Spirituality is immersed in the Nether Realm, it becomes corrupted. After corruption, it can either be devoured by other Deceitful Gods or give birth to a new one.’
’Deceitful Gods are indeed very eager to get their hands on professions that have developed Spirituality, as well as their chosen individuals.’
’But he asked me so many questions, and he didn’t seem particularly focused on the Great Venerable Red Flame Thunder Resonator. Instead, he was very interested in my family’s Holy Profession.’
The more he thought about it, the more something felt off. ’A Deceitful God’s Follower on this Desolate Planet logically shouldn’t know much about the outside world, yet he seemed to know everything about me.’
’Could it be… that group of natives has colluded with the Deceitful God’s Followers?’
Lan Hao’s mind grew increasingly active as various speculations surfaced. Just then, someone called out to him. “How did it go today?”
He stopped and looked up to see Wan Chen walking toward him.
Lan Hao’s expression shifted. “It was fine,” he said coldly.
He couldn’t be bothered to say more and walked away.
Wan Chen glanced at his retreating back and frowned. ’What’s his problem?’
He didn’t want to have a complete falling out with Lan Hao, but the guy seemed a little too stupid.
Seeing Wan Chen, however, reminded Lan Hao of something else.
’That Deceitful God’s Follower now knows about the Royal Court. I wonder if that will cause any complications.’
He was full of apprehension, but with the Stone of the Netherworld stolen, he had no way to contact Ni Chuan now.
In the end, he could only console himself. ’There’s no way that Deceitful God’s Follower will inform Qing Cang. As long as Ni Chuan sticks to the plan, there shouldn’t be a major issue.’
……
“That Lan Hao… he’s colluding with people from the Royal Court?”
In a room within the settlement, Xia Hanshi stared at Su Chen in astonishment as pale golden flames enveloped them both.
“I saw it with my own eyes,” Su Chen replied with a solemn nod.
’That’s right, this was the plan he’d come up with. First, tell Old Xia, figure out a way to keep myself out of it, and then inform Qing Cang.’
However, after a moment of contemplation, Old Xia asked pointedly, “Why were you following him? And at such a close distance, the person from the Royal Court didn’t notice you either?”
“Er, wasn’t it because you mentioned last time that something was off about this Lan Hao?” Su Chen said evasively. Based on his understanding of Old Xia, now that he’d said this much, the older man definitely wouldn’t press the issue.
Sure enough, Old Xia just shot him a look before moving on. His expression flickered. “It seems the internal struggles within the Cyan Sect are quite severe.”
“Yes,” Su Chen couldn’t help but lament. “Wherever you find people, you’ll find conflict.”
Xia Hanshi frowned slightly. “For us, it doesn’t really make a difference who gets this Morning Star Tier profession.”
Su Chen’s expression faltered as he suddenly realized something. For Chong Jingtian and his people, if they couldn’t resolve the matter of the Holy Banquet, they would likely die horrible deaths, their bodies not even left intact.
And Qing Cang hadn’t promised to help them with the Holy Banquet. In essence, Chong Jingtian and the others were still being coerced.
The visitor from the Royal Court might not be a bad second option.
’But for me,’ Su Chen thought, ’if the Royal Court takes away that complete Spirituality, am I supposed to just switch my allegiance to them? It’s not like they’d necessarily let me study it anyway.’
“But…” Xia Hanshi’s tone shifted. “Qing Cang is a decent fellow. Chong Jingtian has a very good impression of him, and they’ve already reached an agreement.”
’This Old Xia…’ Su Chen was speechless.
’The Royal Court isn’t full of saints, either. Qing Cang has been relatively reasonable so far. Red Thunder Star is caught in the middle and doesn’t have the leverage to play both sides. They can only stick with Qing Cang, who got here first.’
“I’ll go talk it over with Chong Jingtian and see how we should reveal this to Qing Cang,” Old Xia said, taking charge of the matter.
Su Chen asked curiously, “You mentioned the Chief reached an agreement with Qing Cang. What kind of agreement?”
“That agreement…” Xia Hanshi paused, and for a man of his disposition, he actually revealed a subtle, sly smile. “We actually have you to thank for it.”
“Me?” Su Chen was baffled. But as Xia Hanshi continued his explanation, the expression on his face grew progressively stranger.
In the end, all he could do was force out four words: “Putting it all to use.”
Xia Hanshi was already out of the room. As he left, he tossed a final remark over his shoulder, “Celestial Joy’s Deceitful God’s Power will arrive tomorrow. But since people from the Royal Court are watching us like hawks from the outside, we’d better have them bring it directly to us.”
Su Chen had no objection.
…
Early the next morning, in Chong Jingtian’s room, Zhou Yanwu stared at him, his face livid. “Some Chief of the Judicial Court you are,” he seethed through clenched teeth. “So far-sighted and unscrupulous!”
Chong Jingtian remained expressionless. Zhou Yanwu practically roared, “Do you not have the guts to admit what you’ve done?”
“There’s nothing I wouldn’t admit to,” Chong Jingtian said, shaking his head lightly. “Since you’ve all made up your minds to leave, you might as well make one final contribution to Red Thunder Star.”
“Contribution!” Veins pulsed on Zhou Yanwu’s forehead. “You’ve sold us out to the Bronze Sect! For the next hundred years, we’ll have to work for them unconditionally!”
“And what did we get in return? Just the qualification for those precious ’seeds’ of your Judicial Court to enter the Holy Hall?”
Zhou Yanwu truly never expected that, at the final hour, Chong Jingtian would pull a move like this.
It was true that they were unwilling to go down with Red Thunder Star, and they had long been prepared for their status to inevitably decline after entering the wider world.
But a drop in status was one thing; becoming someone’s slave was another matter entirely.
“Do you have to drag us down to be buried with this damn planet?” Zhou Yanwu, having just learned of the deal, was seething with uncontrollable rage, but he suppressed it and said in a low, heavy voice:
“Previously, when Yuan Capital proposed we seek a chance at survival through the chosen one, I cooperated with you all in supporting Su Chen.”
“Now that the people from the Bronze Sect have arrived, Su Chen is no longer a viable option. And you still won’t let us find our own way to survive?”
“Find your own way to survive…” Chong Jingtian shook his head, a hint of mockery in his voice. “If you can spit back out everything Ying Feng provided for you, then I might be able to discuss it with Lord Qing Cang.”
“You…” Zhou Yanwu was choked with anger. He said coldly, “Then why don’t you have those ’seeds’ of your Judicial Court spit out everything Ying Feng provided for them?”
“They’re different.” Chong Jingtian shook his head, paused, and then said, “They are the kindling.”
Zhou Yanwu was so furious he could have spit blood, wishing he could tear the man before him limb from limb. But in the end, all he could do was squeeze three words from his throat: “I don’t agree.”
