Greed Is Human Nature

Meanwhile.

At the Ye Mansion.

Ye Lingling sat on her bed, swinging her long, fair legs, which gleamed softly in the moonlight.

When she saw that Li Yuan had actually replied to her private message and offered her a sincere blessing, her eyes curved with delight, and she couldn't stop smiling.

"Heehee! Group Leader Brother really did wish me well. Looks like my luck has finally turned around!"

For people who were naturally introverted, poor at socializing, and a little socially anxious,

a sincere, heartfelt blessing from someone else could bring an astonishing sense of comfort and encouragement.

At that moment, Ye Lingling felt warm inside and full of energy. She couldn't wait to try her "poisonous healing" Soul Bone Skill tomorrow.

Just then, a gentle voice came from outside the door. "Lingling, what are you laughing at? Mom thought she heard you laughing in your room."

"Huh?"

Ye Lingling jumped and hurriedly covered her mouth. Burying her flushed cheeks in the covers, she answered in a muffled voice, "Mom, I wasn't laughing at anything... Um, if there's nothing else, I'm going to sleep. Good night!"

Outside the door.

Ye Lingling's mother, Ye Xinlan, stood before her daughter's bedroom in a simple, elegant nightgown, worry plain on her face.

Her daughter had been introverted since childhood. She rarely spoke and had few friends. It had always weighed on Ye Xinlan's heart.

Over the past two days, she had heard her daughter burst into laughter alone in her room several times for no apparent reason. That only made her more worried.

She had heard that Soul Masters who spent too much time alone and had no friends could develop mental illnesses, even thoughts of taking their own lives...

Could Lingling...?

Ye Xinlan dared not think any further. The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became. She gritted her teeth and made up her mind.

She would have to keep a closer eye on her daughter, show her more care, and talk to her more. She couldn't let the girl do anything foolish!

"Haah..."

Ye Xinlan sighed softly. After lingering outside her daughter's door for a while, she turned and left.

Inside the room, Ye Lingling waited until her mother's footsteps faded before cautiously peeking out from under the covers and letting out a long breath.

"Phew... That was close. Mom almost caught me."

Ye Lingling patted her chest and calmed herself. Then she picked up the Brick again and looked at Li Yuan's blessing on the Screen: "May you have a Bright Future and Live Up to the Era." A sweet smile tugged at her lips once more.

"Group Leader Brother is so gentle... I wonder what he's like in real life. He must be handsome, right?"

She murmured to herself, then fell fast asleep, looking forward to tomorrow.

The next day.

At the Crown Prince's Mansion.

She Long knelt on one knee and reported the results of his overnight investigation to Qian Renxue, his face grim. "Young Mistress, we had no idea until we looked into it. Once we did... what we found was horrifying! These people are lawless, utterly deranged!"

"One lowly Red Cardinal on the outskirts of Heaven Dou City has been in office for just three years, yet the embezzlement we can prove already amounts to... a full two million Gold Soul Coins!"

She Long's voice trembled. That was only what they could see. Who knew how much more had changed hands in secret?

That one lowly Red Cardinal could pocket such a staggering sum was almost beyond belief!

Qian Renxue sat in the seat of honor, her expression frighteningly calm.

She waved a hand, her voice icy. "I understand. Leave me."

Thinking Qian Renxue might not grasp the stakes, She Long tried to warn her again. "Young Mistress, this is no small matter."

"I said, leave me!"

Qian Renxue cut him off sharply, her voice rising.

"...Yes!"

She Long's heart tightened. He dared say no more and quickly bowed himself out.

Once She Long was gone, Qian Renxue could no longer contain her fury. She slammed her palm onto the desk before her.

Boom!

The desk shattered on impact, sending splinters flying.

"Bastard! Salas! Is this what you solemnly promised me was 'absolutely no corruption'?"

She snatched up the financial report Salas had sent that morning and tore it to shreds in a few quick motions.

One lowly Red Cardinal had embezzled two million Gold Soul Coins.

That was enough to equip an elite army of several thousand soldiers!

If a branch at the level of the Heaven Dou Holy Temple was this rotten, then the halls beneath it, the branch halls, and even the entire middle and lower ranks of Spirit Hall... weren't they rotten to the core?!

The more she thought about it, the angrier she grew. Murderous intent surged in her eyes.

[Child Without Parents: @Yandere Mad Beauty of Martial Soul Hall, so this is what you meant when you said there was no corruption in Spirit Hall?]

[Child Without Parents: One lowly Red Cardinal embezzled a full two million Gold Soul Coins. That's enough to equip an elite army of several thousand!]

[Richest Little Heiress of Heaven Dou: Wowee, drama first thing in the morning?]

[Viper-Hearted Big Sister: Interesting. Daughter tearing into her own mother, is it?]

[Loves Eating Carrots: Hehehe, who was it that swore yesterday there couldn't possibly be any corruption? Who could it be? So hard to guess!]

[Single Academy-Running Housewife: Tsk. I take back what I said yesterday. Bibi Dong, you're awful. If there's corruption, there's corruption. If there isn't, there isn't. Why lie?]

[Yandere Mad Beauty of Martial Soul Hall: Bullshit! Would I lie?]

[Little Fox Who Loves Teacher Most: Um, Sister Xue'er, could you have made a mistake? The financial reports we receive from every region show increases every year.]

[Yandere Mad Beauty of Martial Soul Hall: Xue'er, could someone have deceived you? Spirit Hall is flourishing right now, growing stronger by the day.]

"Even with the evidence staring you in the face, you still won't admit it!"

Qian Renxue gritted her teeth in anger. She couldn't be bothered to argue with them any longer. She photographed the "ironclad evidence" she had uncovered and posted it straight to the group.

[Child Without Parents: An embezzlement account statement. (Image)]

[Child Without Parents: One lowly Red Cardinal has a full 2,000,000 Gold Soul Coins in his personal bank account. And that's only what we can see. Who knows how much more he's hidden?]

In the image, the long string of figures—2,000,000 Gold Soul Coins—struck Bibi Dong like a resounding slap across the face.

[Little Fox Who Loves Teacher Most: This...]

[Child Without Parents: Nothing to say now, huh?]

[Yandere Mad Beauty of Martial Soul Hall: Impossible. I pay these Red Cardinals at least ten thousand Gold Soul Coins a year. That's enough even if they spend every day indulging themselves. (In disbelief)]

[Li Yuan: Naive! You've been Pope for years. How are you still so foolish? Greed is human nature, don't you understand? It doesn't matter if you pay them ten thousand Gold Soul Coins. Pay them a hundred thousand, even a million, and they'll still think it isn't enough.]

[Yandere Mad Beauty of Martial Soul Hall: Fine! Fine! Fine! Xue'er, don't worry. I'll give you an explanation! (Through gritted teeth)]

[Child Without Parents: I hope so. (Rolls eyes)]

At the Pope Palace.

"Good... Very good!"

Bibi Dong stared at the glaring image in the group chat. Her face turned livid, and the murderous intent in her beautiful eyes was almost tangible.

What a load of crap about seeing the bigger picture!

She shot up from the papal throne. A terrifying pressure instantly filled the hall as nine Soul Rings descended with a thunderous crash, flashing with an eerie light.

Yue Guan pushed open the door and entered. "Your Holiness, you summoned me?"

"Send people to investigate. From top to bottom, investigate every last one of them! Dig until you've turned everything upside down. I want to see who else has been embezzling!"

Bibi Dong had been slapped in the face again and again today.

Only yesterday, she had sworn to her daughter Qian Renxue that corruption was impossible.

And today, she had been hit with this bombshell.

Worst of all, it had humiliated her in front of the daughter with whom she had only just begun to mend ties.