"Greetings, Great Colony Lord."
Smir dropped to one knee, offering Shi Aotian the humblest salute.
Shi Aotian's eyes gleamed with an unusual light. With a hint of knowingly asking the obvious, he said:
"I remember lending you a powerful ultimate item just the day before yesterday. How is it that after only one day, you've come looking for me again?"
"Don't tell me the [Staff of Heavenly Punishment] wasn't useful."
"Useful—the Great Colony Lord's [Staff of Heavenly Punishment] was extremely useful!" Smir replied, lowering his head even further.
He presented a staff-like ultimate item with both hands and said respectfully:
"It still has three uses remaining."
"You used it twice." Shi Aotian raised a brow and calmly continued:
"So you came to tell me that you traded those two uses for something valuable?"
"The Great Colony Lord's foresight is unmatched. Smir is utterly impressed!"
The foxman directly reused the flattery the deputy had just used on him.
His shift in status from superior to subordinate was smooth and effortless.
"Shouldn't you be reporting directly to Bashi?" Shi Aotian leaned back in his chair, his tone languid.
"After all, nominally speaking, you're under my younger brother's command now."
Faced with such a minor but awkward difficulty, Smir's eyes shifted, and he quickly came up with a response:
"But you were the one who lent me the ultimate item, [Staff of Heavenly Punishment]."
"I have an obligation to let you know what effect it had."
"Hmm... whatever." Shi Aotian waved a hand as though he did not care.
"If you want to report, then hurry up. Once you're done, just remember to let Bashi know as well."
"Yes." Smir answered respectfully.
In just a few words, the two had made their sidelining of Shi Bashi painfully obvious.
Smir gave a detailed report