Banquet

"Oh... Ganwu." Ruoxi's voice paused, as if rapidly searching for the right words in her mind.

"That... that's good. Going... going home."

"Mm." Another simple syllable.

The conversation fell into deadlock again.

Ruoxi could feel her heartbeat slowly accelerating, a mix of disappointment, resentment, and faint grievance fermenting in her chest.

She wanted to ask, "Why the rush to break through?" but she couldn't get the words out.

Qin Ming's calm, unruffled demeanor was like a bucket of cold water, dousing every bit of courage she'd mustered to probe.

On the other end of the communication, Qin Ming listened to Ruoxi's voice, clearly stiff and distant, and a trace of faint complexity flickered in his eyes.

"If there's nothing else..." Qin Ming prepared to end this awkward conversation.

"No... nothing else." Ruoxi spoke first, a hint of haste in her voice.

"Then... I wish you all the best."

"Thank you. Take care too." Qin Ming said, then cut the communication.

The virtual connection severed.

Ruoxi stared at the darkened screen, unmoving for a long time. Finally, she let out a soft sigh and pressed the surging emotions deep inside her heart once more.

Time flew, and half a year passed.

Virtual Universe, Rain Phase Mountain, Primal District, Estate No. 111.

Qin Ming sat at his desk, looking at the official appointment email from Virtual Universe Company headquarters.

"Respected Lord Qin Ming, as of today, you are officially appointed as the 'Inspector Envoy' of the Virtual Universe Company's Ganwu Division!"

"This position grants you independent authority to investigate, monitor, and audit the Martial Department, Commerce Department, and Military Department under the division's jurisdiction..."

The appointment content was concise. Simply fulfilling the basic duties of the Inspector Envoy, upon Qin Ming's future promotion to Sector Lord and resignation from this post, would grant him a one-time reward of 100,000 points.

Additionally, the Virtual Universe Company would periodically issue special tasks, each completed yielding corresponding point rewards.

"Inspector Envoy... convenient enough." Qin Ming closed the email.

Real Universe.

The Ganwu Universe Kingdom spanned vast territories, extremely far from Virtual Universe Company headquarters.

Even with Qin Ming aboard a Virtual Universe Company starship, escorted by a guard force led by the Sealed King Undying Aisi, traveling through the Dark Universe, it took a full three years to reach the core star region of the Ganwu Universe Kingdom from the Primal Secret Realm.

Before the starship had even formally entered the core planet where the Ganwu Division was stationed, news that "the Inspector Envoy is about to assume office" had already swept like a storm through the highest echelons of the entire Ganwu Universe Kingdom.

The Virtual Universe Company's Ganwu Division, nominally subordinate to the Ganwu Universe Kingdom, in reality represented the Virtual Universe Company, overseeing and managing many areas within the Ganwu Universe Kingdom that involved the company's interests.

Its status was transcendent; even the Ganwu Kingdom Lord had to cooperate on certain matters.

This newly appointed Inspector Envoy held the power of life and death, able to investigate, monitor, and audit the Martial Department, Commerce Department, and Military Department!

Among the high-ranking officials of the Ganwu Division and even the Ganwu Universe Kingdom, how many dared claim their hands were completely clean?

If this Envoy took the investigation seriously, countless people would be in for a world of trouble!

For a time, undercurrents surged among the Ganwu Universe Kingdom's upper echelons, and hearts were uneasy.

Soon, formal invitations from the Virtual Universe Company's Ganwu Division were sent to the power-holders of major forces, families, and key departments across the Ganwu Universe Kingdom.

The invitation content was simple: To welcome the new Inspector Envoy, "Lord Qin Ming," a welcome banquet is being held. Your presence is cordially requested.

The signature was the Virtual Universe Company's Ganwu Division.

Those who received the invitations, no matter how noble their status, how formidable their strength, or how ancient their family lineage, all felt a chill and treated it with solemn gravity.

An invitation from the Virtual Universe Company's Ganwu Division?

Who dared not attend?

A grand banquet, unprecedented in scale, gathering nearly all the powerful figures of the Ganwu Universe Kingdom, was hastily prepared on the very day Qin Ming arrived at the Ganwu Division's main planet, "Qiongyu Planet."

Qin Ming had already received word of the welcome banquet. As soon as the starship landed on Qiongyu Planet, he headed straight for the banquet venue, surrounded by the guard leader Aisi and the entire guard force.

A short while later.

In the western city of Xiangshui City, a core plot spanning nearly a thousand kilometers in diameter.

This area had originally been a gathering zone for Virtual Universe Company members, but a month prior, the members were swiftly relocated elsewhere.

Then, in just three days, a magnificent, luxurious super-estate spanning nearly a thousand kilometers rose from the ground, named the Qin Family Manor!

This was standard practice for the Virtual Universe Company: whenever an Inspector Envoy assumed office, the company would build a residence befitting their status at their post.

As one of the Four Great Giants of the Ganwu Division, on Qiongyu Planet—a place where land was precious, and even a moderately large estate was worth as much as a galaxy—building an estate of this scale was the only way to match Qin Ming's status as a Lord of the Primal Secret Realm.

At that moment, inside and outside the Qin Family Manor, over a million carefully selected, well-trained servants stood in orderly ranks, awaiting the arrival of their new master.

Before the manor's main gate, three World Lords with extraordinary auras stood respectfully. Seeing Qin Ming arrive, they immediately stepped forward and bowed.

"Your Highness, I await your arrival on orders from Purple Lightning Marquis."

"Your Highness, I am here by Golden Feather Marquis's command..."

"Your Highness, Black Annihilation Marquis ordered me to welcome you here..."

The three had barely finished speaking!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three streaks of light instantly landed before the main gate, revealing their figures.

On the left was a young woman shrouded in black gauze, her aura mysterious and cold—none other than "Black Annihilation Marquis," one of the three department heads of the Ganwu Branch.

She spoke first, her voice clear and cold yet deliberately softened: "Your Highness Qin Ming, you have finally arrived."

Logically, these three department heads were all enfeoffed Immortals of noble status, and there was no need for them to be so courteous to a Domain Lord Level Inspector Envoy.

But Qin Ming was different. He was not only a member of the Primal Secret Realm but also a personal disciple of Chaos City Lord!

This background alone was enough to make any enfeoffed Immortal, enfeoffed King, or even Universe Kingdom Lord treat him with caution.

In the center stood a burly man with faint purple electric arcs crackling around him—Purple Lightning Marquis.

On the right was a man in golden robes, a gentle smile on his face—Golden Feather Marquis.

Both also smiled and nodded in greeting to Qin Ming.

Under the personal welcome of the three enfeoffed Immortals, Qin Ming stepped into this vast new manor, named after his own surname.

That evening, the welcome banquet was held in the manor's most magnificent main hall.

Those invited to attend were none other than the true power figures of the Ganwu Universe Kingdom.

The minimum threshold was an enfeoffed Immortal, or a special existence with enfeoffed-level strength, an ancient clan patriarch, or a representative of a superpower.

As for ordinary Immortals?

They didn't even have the qualifications to set foot in this banquet hall.