"And..."
Xue Ye set down his teacup and lightly tapped the table with his fingers. The smile on his face gradually faded, replaced by a profound, scrutinizing look.
"This boy is not simple."
"Collecting Protection Fees is only the surface. What matters is what he said afterward, and the methods he used."
Xue Ye rose and walked to the window, looking in the direction of Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
"At such a young age, he already knows how to borrow influence and use a grand banner as a tiger's hide."
"He knows how to use Dugu Yan, Yu Tianheng, and Ye Lingling—three people with special identities—to endorse him and build his prestige."
"And that speech of his about slaves of a conquered nation and Eunuchs..."
Xue Ye narrowed his eyes. A trace of admiration flashed through them, along with even a hint of wariness.
"Not only did he snap that pack of bastards who spend their days drunk and dreaming out of their stupor, he also successfully turned the thuggish act of collecting Protection Fees into patriotic education about Knowing Shame and Being Brave."
"This ability to stir people's hearts, this grasp of human nature... can an eight- or nine-year-old child really comprehend it without anyone teaching him?"
At that, Xue Ye turned to Meng Shenji, his tone becoming meaningful.
"Meng Shenji, do you think this is a coincidence?"
"A child with monstrous talent, a top-tier Martial Soul, an unfathomable background, and a mind and methods like those of an old demon suddenly appears in Heaven Dou City and causes such a huge commotion..."
"Could this really be nothing more than a simple case of running away from home?"
Meng Shenji shuddered and cautiously asked, "Your Majesty means..."
"I suspect the Hidden Family behind him is sending a signal to