338: Only by Standing on the Moral High Ground Can You Point Fingers

The Hunters are essentially a loose organization with no detailed management rules. Members resolve their conflicts by fighting it out themselves, rather than delaying everyone's journey to the battlefield to kill civilians.

In this environment, a vacuum of grassroots governance has actually formed among the hunters, and things like market transactions are basically left to their own discretion.

If you lose, admit it; if you're not convinced, fight. Why waste so much time talking?

Li Aoz seized on this point and immediately argued vehemently:

"Gentlemen, since this stall owner thinks I'm slandering him, and I'm not an unreasonable person, there might be some misunderstanding—but if there's no problem at all, why doesn't he speak up for himself?"

Harlowe immediately shouted, "I've been saying—"

Why are you being so fierce!

Before the other party could speak, Li Aoz glared at him with displeasure, then smiled frankly and said, "However, I'm not an unreasonable person—how about this, with so many of us here, we can act as a witness. Everyone can see for themselves where the items went. If there's any misunderstanding, I will definitely apologize, and please don't make things difficult for this Treant stall owner."

At least there was a slope down, but listening to the hustle and bustle of the people around him, Harlowe became increasingly uneasy. He vaguely saw several passing customers with suspicious expressions, seemingly discussing something.

Oh no... this kid really knows how to claim a moral high ground.

Harlowe's heart skipped a beat. If he were discovered to be involved with shady organizations, his network of interests would definitely be severed, and his image among the hunters would certainly be greatly damaged.

Now that things have come to this, we can only wait and see what this kid is up to—it shouldn't be like this, he's just trying to make some money, why would he be targeted by a Silver Hunter?

What do you want?

Harlowe said irritably.

"It's very simple—with so many people watching, we'll simply recreate the scene so everyone can see whether your goods will actually disappear without a trace."

Li Aoz said calmly, "This is also good for you. If I lose, I will compensate you with equivalent supplies. If you lose—well, I don't need to make things difficult for you. I'll just apologize to everyone and that'll be it."

"Good!"

Harlowe thought for a moment and said, "But there's one thing: if you dare to play any tricks, so many people are watching—you have to reveal your name and identity first!"

"No problem."

Without batting an eye, Li Aoz blurted out:

"My Du Zexin. I come from Frostplate Star and once carried out a large-scale hunt for Imitation Human in the [Imitation Society]. If I have misunderstood you, then I will accept your punishment."

[An act of 'lying' is underway...]

[Specialty: "Compulsive and Autocratic" activated!]

[Charm] Successfully detected; the other party believes your lie.

"... That's more like it."

Harlowe said vaguely:

"That's not enough—record it! You have to record the whole thing live."

Li Aoz smiled slightly.

"No problem."

[Silly sapling, I'm the streamer!]

Li Aoz had Harlowe randomly select a few hunters from the crowd, who then filmed the entire process with cameras, even projecting the screen into the air for onlookers to watch, which attracted a large crowd.

As more and more people gathered, Harlowe breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"That kid is really cunning and deceitful. He may have a decent appearance, but his behavior is utterly shameless. He's clearly trying to take this opportunity to steal some of my equipment. It's despicable..."

However, Harlowe wasn't worried about the outcome. "Hmph, the quality of the agency I set up myself is a bit inferior, but I didn't use any tricks. This kid wants to frame me? I'll see if four cameras can't find any footage of you tampering with things."

Aside from the [Plunderer], no other path possesses the ability to steal other people's things out of thin air. The fact that the two items just disappeared must mean he used some equipment or item.

But in his attempt to prove he couldn't cast spells, this kid inadvertently revealed the truth: he was a "Biochemist."

This served as a reminder to Harlowe.

"Hmph, a biochemist... then we just need to keep an eye on whether there are any changes in the bio-armor on his body."

Most biochemists possess the ability to transfer consciousness. Their actual age cannot be judged by their appearance. Don't be fooled by the fact that this kid looks to be in his early twenties; who knows if he's actually a centuries-old cured meat or an ice pop?

For highly skilled biochemists, achieving the effects of magical devices through bio-armor is not impossible.

Harlowe clasped his hands in a fist salute. The four cameras were in place, and he had personally checked them all; there were no problems.

After all, he himself is a mechanic, and he has that much confidence.

Li Aoz arrived at his stall, glanced down at the dazzling array of various organizations on display, and then looked up at Harlowe:

Are you sure everything is okay?

"I'm an honest businessman; I would never do such a dishonest deal." Harlowe chuckled. "But you, Mr. Du Zexin, are you mentally prepared?"

"What did you say?" Li Aoz smiled. "Do I need to make any preparations?"

"You have a good appearance, I must admit, you must be a top-notch elite. You stand out wherever you are. Maybe you think that someone like me who works hard to make a living is not worthy of being in the same space as you, so you do this - slander others and question others without any evidence, and even if I prove my innocence, I will be coldly criticized by you."

Harlowe said calmly, "I don't know why you would slander and spread rumors about a hardworking, low-level worker out of thin air? Is it just because of a sense of superiority? Or is it because my existence makes you uneasy? As a Silver Hunter, why are you so determined to pick a fight with a nobody like me?"

Li Aoz, still smiling, said righteously:

"I was just upholding justice."

"Hehe."

Harlowe scoffed, "What a pity, there's no evil here for you to defeat. Save your superfluous sense of justice for the battlefield!"

Li Aoz did not answer.

At least one thing Harlowe wasn't lying about: the quality of his products was poor, and they would break after a few uses, but that didn't mean he was lying.

But in fact, even in these piles of garbage, there can be shining gold.

That thing should be right here, but due to its special nature, the [Eye of Truth] can only see the junk information on it, thus ignoring the actual shock effect.

He raised his hand and casually picked up a paper umbrella-like device from the stall. Instead of activating the [Eye of Truth], he weighed and examined it for a while.

"How was that?" Harlowe crossed his arms, beaming with pride.

No matter how much Li Aoz tried to change things, the paper umbrella remained perfectly intact and never appeared.

Sweat beaded on Li Aoz's forehead, and Harlowe could faintly hear him muttering, "This shouldn't be happening," and "It wasn't like this just now."

"Heh, did your tricks fail you in front of the camera?"

Harlowe glanced at the other person with disdain and said sarcastically, "You can try on a few more, I don't mind."

The situation quickly reversed, and the onlookers were happy to watch the drama unfold.

Li Aoz's face was flushed, as if he was angry and embarrassed. He kept taking, manipulating, and putting down the group of institutions.

As the items were picked up one by one and put away, Li Aoz's expression seemed to grow increasingly strange.

"Haha, out of ideas now? You could be exposed at any moment on camera, let's see what you do then?"

Just as Harlowe was about to speak and advise Li Aoz not to waste his energy, Li Aoz picked up a landscape painting and had a sudden inspiration.

[It doesn't feel like an inanimate object; it spontaneously radiates warmth, and its edges have a texture somewhere between crystal and papyrus...]

That's it! Snap

Li Aoz blinked, then opened his empty hands to face the crowd.

"Everyone saw that the painting suddenly disappeared."

Li Aoz turned his head and pointed at Harlowe: "You swindler, do you still dare to argue?"