Acting

"Based on what you've seen, would they kill me for a Star Ninth Rank subordinate?"

Bai Yuan asked again.

The words of the man before him couldn't be fully trusted, but combined with the mission information released by the system, they could at least serve as a reference.

"Of course they wouldn't go to great lengths for a servant. They're afraid you know too much, afraid those shady dealings will be exposed. That would be truly fatal to their reputation." The supervisor shook his head.

"I understand. But I've already accepted the Apprentice Mercenary Assessment, so I have to stay and complete the mission before I leave."

"Foolish!" The supervisor couldn't help but scold in a low voice.

"If you enter Red Mountain World, aren't you just handing them an opportunity to make a move? I chose to stand by before because you were an outsider, but now that you've brought this to the Consumer Association, you've practically told them outright!"

He took a deep breath and continued.

"Now even I've been dragged into this mess. That's exactly why I'm taking the risk to warn you—don't walk straight into your own death."

Seeing the man's genuine anxiety, Bai Yuan was already eighty percent convinced.

With the supervisor's Universe Realm strength, there was no need for him to waste words. If he truly wanted to kill him, he would have done so long ago.

"Relax. No one values their life more than I do. But things haven't reached a dead end yet. In a moment... you and I will put on an act together."

"An act?" The supervisor was speechless.

This young man's audacity was a bit too much.

Inside the villa district, two staff members in uniform uniforms were flying over at top speed—people sent by the Consumer Association.

The next moment, Bai Yuan and the supervisor also returned there.

Bai Yuan started shouting at the top of his lungs, cursing and swearing: "No deal! Don't think just because you're Universe Realm you can do whatever you want! I've got the Cloud Sea Association behind me—I'm not afraid of you!"

"Kid, don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!" The supervisor's face was dark with impatience. "This ends here! Keep pestering me, and watch your head!"

Seeing this, the two staff members hurried forward to mediate.

"Excuse us, what's going on here?"

Bai Yuan grabbed one of them by the arm and shouted loudly: "The security in this dump is a complete joke! An assassin made it right to my door, and they didn't even notice a thing! I demand compensation, and instead they threaten me!"

"Hmph, pure nonsense! What assassin? I don't see one. If you ask me, you're just trying to extort money!" The supervisor said coldly.

The two argued fiercely, giving the staff members a headache as they tried their best to calm things down.

Once the situation had eased slightly, one of them asked, "Where's the perpetrator?"

"Dead," Bai Yuan replied.

"Any witnesses?"

"You'd have to ask them."

The two turned to the supervisor, who stated firmly, "No witnesses. All thirty-eight surveillance feeds are normal. This person is purely here to extort."

The two staff members immediately understood.

This wasn't the first time they'd dealt with something like this.

Clearly, some big shot's subordinate had made a move in secret, only this time they'd failed and been killed instead.

As for the surveillance... even if there had been an issue, it would have been cleaned up by now.

Having figured it all out, their gazes toward Bai Yuan turned hostile.

"Falsely reporting an incident and interfering with official duties. Please come with us."

Bai Yuan put on the airs of a spoiled rich kid, standing his ground and shouting, "How is that falsely reporting? I'm telling you, this young master is from the Cloud Sea Association!"

Just as the two were about to forcibly take him away, the supervisor stepped forward again and stopped them.

"Both of you, do me a small favor and let this go. If word gets out, it'll hurt my business here."

The supervisor was, after all, at the Universe Realm. They couldn't afford to refuse him that face.

The two exchanged a glance and chose to back off.

"Keep your nose clean from now on, or we'll be back."

With those words, they turned and left.

Once they were gone, the supervisor immediately sent a telepathic message: "Have you really made up your mind?"

"Mm," Bai Yuan replied briefly. "I'm betting on this one."

As his words fell, his figure flickered and he shot off rapidly in another direction.

Watching his retreating back, the supervisor was silent for a long time before finally letting out a soft sigh.

"I don't know what you're planning, but I hope you succeed."

--

Inside the Consumer Association office, the two staff members were reporting the incident to the Lord of Tiansha City.

The Lord of Tiansha City stood three meters tall, clad in a flowing earthen-yellow battle armor. Even seated, he exuded an imposing, commanding presence.

He was the seventh-generation descendant of the Heavenly Fiend World Lord, gifted with exceptional talent, his cultivation having reached Universe Rank Six, and he held a revered status within the family.

Within the Consumer Association, he was one of the key managers.

Domain Lord-level experts typically did not linger on Heavenly Fiend Planet, and they rarely involved themselves personally in such matters.

But upon hearing the report, the Lord of Tiansha City flew into a rage.

"Two idiots! The Cloud Sea Association is the employer! Would they spend money to assassinate their own people? You've been played!"

He shot to his feet, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes.

"That man must have sensed something. Find him immediately and clean this up!"

The two staff members trembled in fear, stammering their agreement.

Yet just a minute later, another message arrived, sending the Lord of Tiansha City's fury to a boiling point.

"What? He's already entered Red Mountain World? Send people in at once! Guard the exits! Kill him at all costs!"

The Lord of Tiansha City slowly sank back into his seat, forcing down the fire in his heart.

Once he calmed down, a strange feeling suddenly crept over him.

"Something's off. Knowing full well the tiger's den, he still walks straight in. Is this man recklessly arrogant, or does he have some reason he absolutely must enter Red Mountain World?"

At that thought, a cold sweat broke out on his back.

Though some matters were beyond his reach at the core, he wasn't entirely oblivious.

If he had only strength and no brains, he wouldn't have made it to this position.

In the past, the Xuanming Domain Lord would personally oversee Consumer Association affairs at intervals—sometimes a thousand or two thousand years, sometimes as short as twenty or thirty—never once skipping.

But now, a full ten thousand years had passed without the Xuanming Domain Lord showing up even once. How could that not raise suspicion?

Four thousand years ago, he had taken the initiative to seek an audience with the Xuanming Domain Lord.

At the time, the Domain Lord's words and demeanor were no different from before, so he set his doubts aside.

As time wore on, he gradually forgot about it.

Otherwise, even with ten times the courage, he wouldn't have dared to let his subordinates take on these shady private jobs.

"No! This must be reported to the clan leader immediately!"

He didn't dare delay, quickly compiling the situation into a secret message and sending it to the clan leader.

All decisions would have to be made by the clan leader; he couldn't bear that responsibility.

Upon receiving the news, the clan leader Tian Xu's face darkened instantly.

"Knowing it's a dead end, he still charges into Red Mountain World. Has the matter already been exposed? Regardless, this man cannot be left alive!"

On the surface, he was the clan leader of the Heavenly Fiend World Lord's family, but in reality, he was nothing more than a puppet put on display.

The true power of decision lay with his father, the Heavenly Fiend World Lord's own son.

As for Tian Xu himself, though he was the Heavenly Fiend World Lord's direct grandson, he received little regard.

His father had countless concubines and a multitude of offspring, and Tian Xu was nothing special among them.

The only reason he had become clan leader was purely because he was "obedient" enough.