Sending Out the Water Mountain Ghoul Soft Armor, Challenging the Arena

Su Yunong raised her delicate hand and returned the greeting: "Young Master Luo is truly punctual."

"My apologies for keeping Miss Su waiting."

"No matter. Ah Ping, go fetch Young Master Luo's items."

Su Yunong turned to address a plain-looking woman, who walked toward the inner room concealed by a cloth curtain at the back of the café. When she emerged, she carried a bundle wrapped in coarse fabric in her arms and set it down by the table.

Su Yunong tilted her chin slightly. "Inspect the goods. See how my master craftsman's work measures up..."

Luo Bin eagerly unwrapped the bundle, revealing two suits of scale inner armor—one slender and delicate, the other slightly larger. The grime on the Water Mountain Ghoul scales had been polished to a smooth, glossy sheen, and a cool sensation emanated from them as he touched them.

Soon after, the scales absorbed the heat from his palm and adjusted to body temperature, feeling smooth and comfortable under his fingers. Luo Bin rubbed them for a moment and found that after being processed by the artisans behind Su Yunong, the Water Mountain Ghoul armor, which should have originally been able to withstand the strength of an early to mid-stage Golden Skin martial artist, now seemed capable of slightly fending off attacks at the late Golden Skin level.

"Excellent armor!" Luo Bin exclaimed joyfully.

This armor was of little use to him, as he was now a Martial Master renowned for his Pure Yang Qi and Blood, with a thick health pool.

But for Chen Mansheng and Chen Jing, it was a different story. The specially crafted Ghoul armor retained the Water Mountain Ghoul scales' property of keeping warm in winter and cool in summer. Not only could it withstand attacks from low-tier martial artists, but it might also block some low-impact firearms...

Such as revolvers or Mauser pistols.

"Thank you for your generous help, Miss Su. And the information about that old Taoist from the Pei Family last time was a great aid to me..." Luo Bin had intended to prepare some gifts in return, but on second thought, aside from his martial prowess, he had nothing worthwhile to offer.

So he came empty-handed.

Now, his words of gratitude felt rather feeble.

Su Yunong noticed Luo Bin's slight embarrassment and let out a soft laugh. "Don't be nervous. A weak woman like me last time at the Moon Veil Nightclub—it was thanks to your help, Young Master Luo, that I walked out safely. Consider this my repayment, Yunong's way of showing gratitude..."

"Well... alright then."

After a few more pleasantries, Luo Bin called for Hu Junzhi to take the armor and drive away.

At the Chen Residence.

Chen Mansheng was lounging on the sofa, eating fruit. When she saw Luo Bin enter with something in hand, her heart jolted. She instantly shifted from her sprawled posture into a demure lady's pose and greeted him with a gentle smile: "Ah Bin, why the sudden visit? I heard from Zhang Huai and A Jing that you've been busy training these past two days..."

Luo Bin walked over to the sofa and sat beside Chen Mansheng. "What's up with A Jing? Still sulking in his room?"

"Pfft, sulking? He just thinks getting kidnapped last time was an accident and swears it won't happen again. So last night, he went to protest to Dad again, demanding to be let out... The result, well, goes without saying." Chen Mansheng recounted Chen Jing's impotent rage with particular glee. "He's probably fumed himself to sleep in his room by now..."

Luo Bin's mouth twitched. That kid Chen Jing was really a character—able to get so angry he passed out.

He opened the coarse cloth bundle, and the Water Mountain Ghoul Inner Armor, gleaming with a faint luster, came into Chen Mansheng's view.

"This is...?"

"Water Mountain Ghoul Inner Armor. From the River God Festival, I had that Water Mountain Ghoul dragged back and had its scales made into two sets of inner soft armor—for you and A Jing to protect yourselves." Luo Bin explained calmly.

Hearing this, Chen Mansheng suddenly thought of something. Her cheeks flushed, and her mind went blank. "Earlier, a maid asked me for my measurements, saying Aunt Ji wanted to tailor a dress for me... Later, I asked Aunt Ji, and there was no such thing. So, did you have her ask?"

"Yes."

Chen Mansheng turned her head sharply at that, lifting the sleeve of her loose housecoat to cover her face, her earlobes burning red.

"Then... just leave the soft armor here. I'll try it on in my room later."

Luo Bin smiled lightly. "Second Miss, there's no need to try it on to see if it fits. The armor's size perfectly matches your figure. It keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer, can block attacks from martial artists below Golden Skin perfection, and also..."

Chen Mansheng's heart pounded like a startled fawn crashing through a dense forest, racing wildly. She questioned him with a hint of feigned indignation: "And also what?!"

"And also, Second Miss has a very graceful figure—more slender and elegant than any other woman I've seen."

"You!... Well, that's good then!" Chen Mansheng pointed a finger as delicate as jade at Luo Bin, ready to flare up, but at the latter half of his words, the small resentment in her heart instantly dissipated.

Luo Bin stood and walked toward the main door. "If A Jing wakes up, please hand his soft armor to him as well."

"Oh, oh... alright."

Chen Mansheng watched Luo Bin's back—handsome in his sharp suit, valiant and confident—and fell into a pensive silence. A hint of joy tugged at the corner of her lips. "What he means is... my figure is better than every woman he's ever seen? Including Big Sister?"

After delivering the soft armor to Chen Mansheng, Luo Bin went alone to the street, hailed a rickshaw, and headed toward the Zhenyuan Escort Agency that Hu Junzhi had mentioned. The reason he hadn't taken a car this time was simply that he didn't want to draw too much attention.

The Zhenyuan Escort Agency was in North City, but unlike the New World Foreign Market near the Ping City Women's Normal School, where Lord Xu held sway, this area had rickshaw depots, taverns, and a few scattered theaters distinct from Qunyu Garden.

These theaters were generally used for watching movies, not the opera performances found in traditional playhouses.

Along the way, Luo Bin's mind was unusually calm.

"The rickshaw depots here are mostly backed by the Shuo Gang. This is a new gang formed by the Jiang Family after absorbing the Green Bamboo Gang and its subordinate forces—far more powerful than the Green Bamboo ever was."

"Back when I barely survived Luo Wendi, Feng Yi said the Green Bamboo Gang rose so fast because they dealt with demons, plus they held many heavy firearms. The city government, as a high-ranking official appointed by the Southern Democratic Alliance, actually did nothing to stop them."

"And from the scattered information I've gathered before, the Green Bamboo Gang seems like a force supported by families, yet forced by power to act as the city government's black glove..."

And this glove, it seemed, handled some "folk customs affairs."

Based on Luo Bin's investigations since crossing over, "folk affairs" were essentially equivalent to "monster troubles," so since the Green Bamboo Gang could handle such matters, they must have plenty of information on the subject.

"Find a way to get the Shuo Gang to figure out where monster troubles have been happening lately... go try it myself..."

After all, monsters were treasures from head to toe, perfect for boosting strength and growing power.

"Eat one bite at a time, walk one step at a time. Around Ping City, even the Southern Democratic Alliance finds some warlords troublesome, still putting on shows of land-grabbing and slaughtering civilians. Some young masters who 'don't eat beef' are even more deranged than monsters..."

"Improving strength and developing influence—both must be achieved. Relying on a shaky Chen Family alone is far too risky..."

And at the moment, being at the peak of the Golden Skin Realm wasn't enough to withstand many high-penetration bullets. He could only take it slow and develop gradually.

The Zhenyuan Escort Agency arrived quickly. A gilded plaque hung above, and the guests coming and going were all well-dressed with imposing auras.

A gate attendant spotted a noble young master approaching from afar and immediately bowed and scraped as he hurried over, saying:

"Sir, are you here to post a commission? Or to find a particular master?"

"Neither."

"Then what business does the young master have?"

Luo Bin flicked non-existent dust off both sides of his suit jacket, raised his elbow to check his watch, and gazed at the open ground inside the Zhenyuan Escort Agency. He said flatly:

"Challenging the school."