Putting on an Act

"Do you really think they'd kill me over a subordinate who's only at the Star Ninth Rank?"

Bai Yuan asked again.

He couldn't take the man's words entirely at face value, but combined with the mission information the system had provided, they were at least worth considering.

"Of course they wouldn't make a huge fuss over a servant. They're afraid you know too much, afraid you'll expose the things they've done in the dark. That would be truly devastating to their reputation." The manager shook his head.

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

"Fool!" The manager couldn't help snapping.

"Going into Red Mountain World would be like handing them the perfect opportunity to strike! I chose to stay out of it before because you were just an outsider. But now you've taken this to the Consumer Association—that's as good as telling them outright!"

He took a deep breath and continued:

"Now you've dragged me into this, too. That's why I risked coming here to warn you. Don't walk straight into a dead end."

Seeing how anxious the man was, Bai Yuan was already eighty percent convinced.

With the man's Universe Realm strength, there was no need to waste his breath. If he'd wanted to kill Bai Yuan, he would have done it already.

"Don't worry. I value my life more than anyone. But things haven't reached the point of no return yet. In a moment... you and I can put on a little act."

"An act?" The manager was practically speechless.

The young man was far too bold.

In the villa district, two employees in matching uniforms came flying over at top speed. They had been sent by the Consumer Association.

The next moment, Bai Yuan and the manager returned as well.

Bai Yuan raised his voice and cursed, "Not a chance! Just because you're in the Universe Realm doesn't mean you can do whatever you want! I've got the Cloud Sea Association backing me. I'm not afraid of you!"

"Kid, don't push your luck!" The manager's face was livid, his patience clearly wearing thin. "This matter ends here! Keep pushing, and you might lose your head!"

Seeing this, the two employees hurried over to intervene:

"May we ask what happened here?"

Bai Yuan grabbed one of them and shouted, "The security around this dump is practically nonexistent! An assassin made it right to my doorstep, and they didn't notice a thing! I demand compensation, and instead they threaten me!"

"Hmph, what a load of nonsense! What assassin? I don't see anyone! All you're doing is trying to extort money!" the manager said coldly.

The two argued fiercely, leaving the employees with a headache. They could only do their best to calm them down.

When things had settled somewhat, one of them asked, "Where's the assailant?"

"Dead," Bai Yuan replied.

"Were there any witnesses?"

"You'll have to ask them."

The two looked toward the manager. He said firmly, "There were no witnesses. All thirty-eight surveillance cameras are working normally. This man's simply here to extort us."

The two employees immediately understood.

They had dealt with this kind of thing before.

Clearly, another powerful figure's subordinate had made a move in secret—only this time, the attempt had failed, and the attacker had been killed instead.

As for the surveillance... even if there had been a problem, the footage would have been cleaned up by now.

Once they'd figured it all out, their looks toward Bai Yuan turned hostile.

"Falsely reporting an incident and interfering with official business. Come with us."

Bai Yuan put on the airs of a spoiled young master and shouted from where he stood, "How did I falsely report anything? I'm telling you, I'm a member of the Cloud Sea Association!"

Just as the two were about to take him by force, the manager stepped forward again and stopped them.

"Please, do me a favor and let this go. If word gets out, it'll hurt my business."

The manager was in the Universe Realm, after all. They couldn't afford to refuse him.

The two exchanged a glance and backed down.

"Behave yourself from now on, or we'll be back."

After leaving him with that warning, they turned and walked away.

As soon as they were gone, the manager immediately sent a telepathic message. "Have you really made up your mind?"

"Yes," Bai Yuan replied briefly. "I'm taking the gamble."

As soon as he finished speaking, he blurred and shot off in another direction.

The manager watched him disappear into the distance and remained silent for a long while. At last, he sighed.

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

At the Consumer Association's office, two employees were reporting what had just happened to the Lord of Tiansha City.

The Lord of Tiansha City stood three meters tall and wore a battle suit of earthen-yellow Flowing Light. Even seated, he exuded an imposing aura.

He was a seventh-generation descendant of the Heavenly Fiend World Lord, exceptionally gifted and already at Universe Rank Six. He held a revered position within the family.

He was also one of the people in charge of the Consumer Association.

Domain Lords rarely stayed on Heavenly Fiend Planet, much less personally handled affairs like this.

Yet when the Lord of Tiansha City heard their report, he flew into a rage.

"You two idiots! The Cloud Sea Association is the client! Would they pay to have one of their own people assassinated? You've been played!"

He sprang to his feet, cold light flashing in his eyes.

"That man must have noticed something. Find him immediately and get rid of him!"

The two employees trembled with fear and hurriedly agreed.

But just a minute later, another message sent the Lord of Tiansha City into an even greater rage.

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

The Lord of Tiansha City slowly sat back down, forcing down his anger.

Once he had calmed down, a sense of unease suddenly crept over him.

"Something's wrong. He knows there's a tiger on the mountain, yet he's heading straight for it. Is he recklessly ignorant, or does he have some reason he absolutely has to enter Red Mountain World?"

At the thought, a cold sweat broke out across his back.

Though he wasn't privy to the heart of certain matters, he wasn't completely unaware, either.

If he had only strength and no brains, he would never have risen to his current position.

In the past, the Xuanming Domain Lord had personally checked on the Consumer Association's affairs at regular intervals. Sometimes a thousand or two thousand years passed between visits; other times, it was only twenty or thirty. He had never failed to show up.

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

Four thousand years ago, he had once requested an audience with the Xuanming Domain Lord.

At the time, the Domain Lord had behaved and spoken just as he always had, so he had set his doubts aside for the moment.

As time passed, he gradually forgot about the matter.

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

"No! I have to report this to the family head immediately!"

Daring not to delay, he quickly compiled the details into a secret message and sent it to the family head.

Only the family head could make the final decision. He couldn't take responsibility for this.

When Tian Xu, the family head, received the message, his expression darkened at once.

"He knows it's a dead end and still goes into Red Mountain World. Could the truth have already been exposed? No matter what, this man must not be allowed to live!"

On the surface, he was the head of the Heavenly Fiend World Lord's family. In reality, he was nothing more than a puppet put there for show.

The one who truly held the power to decide was his father, the Heavenly Fiend World Lord's own son.

As for Tian Xu himself, though he was the Heavenly Fiend World Lord's grandson, he had never received much attention.

His father had countless concubines and many children, and Tian Xu was nothing special among them.

He had become the family head for one simple reason: he was sufficiently "obedient."