"Immortal master, I confess! I'll confess to everything!
Our lineage has indeed been in contact with Lian Li, but it wasn't by choice. We were forced into it!
It all began twenty years ago, when my second brother was caught in a storm, ended up in the pirates' lair, and was rescued by them..."
The head of the Ling Household dared not delay and hurriedly began his account.
Li Ling frowned deeply as he listened.
Pirates actually rescued people?
It sounded incredible at first, but people who made their living at sea, whether righteous or wicked, might well lend a hand when they encountered something like that.
There were indeed many utterly heartless people among those pirates, but assuming they were all impossible to communicate or reason with out of a black-and-white view of the world would be a grave mistake.
That attitude would do nothing to help anyone understand or eradicate pirates, either.
Sure enough, the Ling Household head's account soon confirmed his suspicions.
"Once Lian Li learned where my second brother came from, he didn't make trouble for him. Instead, he treated him to fine wine and meat, then sent him home with every courtesy.
Only afterward did we learn that, before Lian Li gained his opportunity to cultivate, he had benefited from our household's charity. Our public porridge distributions had saved his life.
With that connection between them, they gradually became friends through repeated dealings.
But later... later, Lian Li started making us fence stolen goods, move money around, and even manage properties he'd purchased on land!
After that, he forced us to provide intelligence from the mainland, and often shortchanged us on our share afterward. We repeatedly took on debts, but still couldn't satisfy his appetite."
"That's impossible," Li Ling said. "The two of you were