Director Li Was Scared Witless

In Li Mubai's eyes,

the old man before him was one of countless self-employed merchants.

These people

played a vital role in promoting Spirit City's development.

Their relationship with Spirit City was like that of earthworms and soil.

Spirit City was like the soil,

while the independent merchants were like earthworms.

Given enough time, soil without earthworms would inevitably harden and become barren.

It was like a pool of stagnant water without oxygen, where fish could hardly survive.

That was why

even the most fertile soil needed the help of earthworms.

They were like a source of vitality, loosening the soil so it would not harden and become stiff and barren.

As for Spirit City's current situation,

it was as if a few chickens had appeared on this fertile land.

And these chickens

lived by eating the earthworms.

As a result, there were fewer and fewer independent merchants in Spirit City.

Perhaps one day,

all the independent merchants in Spirit City would be absorbed.

Even the sale of roasted sweet potatoes would be centrally controlled by wealthy merchants.

Under such a monopoly,

once war broke out,

some people would drive the prices of all supplies sky-high to reap greater profits.

And Spirit City's territory was too small.

It could not withstand such consumption at all.

However,

Spirit Hall's strength, it had to be said, was formidable.

If it could wage a lightning war, perhaps it really could swiftly annihilate one of the two empires.

But

the mistake was that

that stupid woman Bibi Dong had been arrogant enough to declare war on both empires at once.

That was simply a fatal mistake.

Even the mighty Qin of Li Mubai's memories had not been so conceited as to declare war on all six states at once!

They had been so powerful,

yet hadn't they still feared an alliance of the six states?

Strangely enough,

Li Mubai did not believe that Bibi Dong, who had managed to become Pope, was really so stupid

as to dare declare war on both empires at once.

Didn't she know the consequences?

Once it sank into the quagmire of war, Spirit Hall would find it hard to break free.

So

there must have been some necessary factor that had prompted Bibi Dong to make such a choice.

Li Mubai guessed

that perhaps the problem lay in the economic foundation.

It was precisely because of economic reasons that Bibi Dong dared not drag things out any longer.

She wanted to go straight for a decisive battle and unite the realm.

But the problem was that

Bibi Dong had been far too confident in her own side's strength.

At the same time, she had underestimated her opponents far too much.

In the City Guard Office hall,

Director Li was scared witless on the spot after hearing Xiao Li's account.

"What the fuck did you just say? What did you do to him?!"

Director Li, who was usually calm and rarely swore,

now roared at Xiao Li like a furious lion.

"Uh... I just locked him in the dungeon, didn't I? Why are you so worked up, Director?"

Xiao Li was utterly bewildered by the scolding.

He could not understand why the director was so angry.

Had he handled it the wrong way?

How could that be?

Wasn't this how they had always handled things?

Could it be that Li Mubai had some powerful backing?

Xiao Li turned it over in his mind several times, but could not recall any trace in his memory connected to the name Li Mubai.

The sweat on Director Li's forehead had yet to dry.

Now, upon hearing Xiao Li's words, his face turned as pale as candle wax.

"We're finished!"

The words slipped out of his mouth unconsciously.

Now,

Xiao Li was even more confused when he heard that.

The two Wild Wolf Gang members, who had not left, were just as bewildered.

"You're finished!"

Director Li came to his senses and looked at Xiao Li, his face full of frustration at his failure to measure up.

Then he hurried toward the dungeon.

The three people left standing there looked baffled.

But they immediately followed him.

Clatter...

The chains on the dungeon gate were pulled open.

Director Li was the first down the stairs and into the dungeon.

At this point,

he could no longer spare a thought for the stench of decay permeating the air.

How could those foul smells matter more than his official's hat?

He had originally hoped to stop Xiao Li at the last possible moment.

Now it was all over.

He had not expected Xiao Li to move so quickly and bring the man straight in here.

What sort of place was this dungeon?

No one knew better than he did.

After all, he himself had designed this place specifically to punish criminals.

It had started with good intentions, but had gradually taken on a different character.

Money, beautiful women, power...

What official could withstand such a test?

The conditions in here were utterly abysmal, and the air reeked terribly.

Combined with the stifling heat and damp,

it had become a paradise for small creatures.

As he ran along,

Director Li kept scanning the cells on both sides of the corridor, looking at the prisoners inside.

"Not him..."

"Not this one either..."

"Not that one..."

He kept bringing up a portrait in his mind and comparing it with the prisoners' faces.

His appearance soon attracted the attention of many other prisoners as well.

"I didn't expect these big rats to come. What's he doing here?"

"I reckon he's run out of money to play cards again and wants to squeeze a few more coins out of us."

"Look how panicked he is. Looks like he's searching for someone. Who would a grand director like him need to find?"

"Could he have offended someone? If that's true, this'll be fun."

"I've dreamed of seeing him get his comeuppance. Is it finally happening today?"

Before long,

Xiao Li and the two Wild Wolf Gang members also caught up and entered the dungeon.

Hearing the whispers all around him, Xiao Li shouted angrily:

"Shut the hell up, all of you! Keep yapping and I'll starve you unruly scum for three days and three nights starting tomorrow!"

Under such an open threat,

the prisoners in the cells on both sides immediately fell silent.

Squeak, squeak...

In the dungeon,

only the rats still made noises in the darkness.

The three hurried after him, deeper into the cell block.

"Found him!"

Looking at the young man in one of the cells,

Director Li could not help showing his excitement, but his expression immediately turned respectful.

He was just about to welcome Li Mubai out

when he realized he did not have the cell key.

He immediately turned back to look at the three running toward him and called out:

"Where's the key?"

At that moment,

when the old man locked in the neighboring cell saw Director Li, he immediately gritted his teeth.

Clearly,

he hated the fat man before him.

Li Mubai looked at Director Li, somewhat puzzled. He did not know the fat man before him.

But judging by the fat man's manner, he seemed to have come to release him.

In other words,

the man knew his identity.

Or Bibi Dong had sent him.

At that thought, Li Mubai felt somewhat displeased.

I've already put up with you planting a spy beside me, and when something happens, you send some nobody?

With that attitude, you still expect me to help you?

You sent a fat man to fob me off?