Investigator?

The bellboy led the way. Instead of entering the hotel lobby, he turned and headed around to the back of the building.

"Sir, the Fighting Tournament is indeed on the third underground floor, but it isn't beneath the hotel. It's under the parking lot out back."

Li Qingshan nodded and followed behind with Cao Shaoyu.

Behind the hotel building lay an open-air parking lot, dimly lit with only a few scattered streetlamps.

As the three approached, a gaunt middle-aged man with a sharp mouth and monkey-like cheeks brightened and came forward. "Boss, what do you usually like to play? I can show you the way."

The skinny middle-aged man bowed and scraped. The bellboy clearly knew him as well and introduced him to Li Qingshan, "Sir, his name is Cheng An. He can take you over."

Li Qingshan nodded knowingly, waved for the bellboy to leave, then turned to Cheng An.

"There's a casino down there too?"

Cheng An's ingratiating manner reminded him of a profession he had heard about in his previous life: Chip Runners.

"Boss, you didn't know?" Cheng An asked in surprise.

Cao Shaoyu grew impatient and urged, "We came to watch the Fighting Tournament. Hurry up and lead the way!"

"Understood, understood."

Cheng An nodded repeatedly and led them toward a small booth-like hut in the distance, his mouth never stopping as he walked.

"Boss, there are three underground levels beneath this parking lot. The first two are casinos, while the Fighting Tournament is on the third layer."

"Do you have any fighters in mind, Boss? I can help you place bets. If not, that's fine too. My information is the most comprehensive around—I can definitely pick you a 'good horse'!"

"Your information is that comprehensive?" Li Qingshan raised a brow and asked casually, "Then tell me, how many people on the third layer are above the Body Tempering fifth level?"

"Boss, are you joking?" Cheng An grinned exaggeratedly and looked back. "Luoying isn't a provincial capital like Wuyi. Other than third-year Martial Arts Class students, where would you find so many Body Tempering fifth level experts?"

"Besides, which of those who can remain in the Martial Arts Class until their third year isn't lofty and proud? Before they even graduate, they've signed contracts with major companies. Why would they come to a place like ours?"

"Huh?" Cao Shaoyu rubbed his hair in disappointment and muttered, "I thought the Fighting Tournament here would be exciting. Turns out it's just a bunch of weaklings pecking at each other!"

"Little friend, you can't say that!" Cheng An immediately grew anxious. "Even if their Body Forging Realm isn't high, their physical abilities still far surpass those of Ordinary People. This kind of battle where every punch lands on flesh is the most thrilling."

"If you switched them for true masters, their attacks would be faster than your eyes. What do you think you'd even be able to see?"

Li Qingshan laughed when he heard that.

"You know quite a bit, don't you?"

"Just a little, just a little!" Cheng An chuckled ingratiatingly, then lowered his voice. "Boss, Silver Radiance Arena actually has a trump card. They publicly list him as Body Tempering fourth level, but he has fought several Body Tempering fourth level opponents and never lost."

"Also, although he seems to win with difficulty every time, he has never actually suffered much injury! I'd guess he's very likely at the Body Tempering fifth level. If Boss places a heavy bet on him, you'll definitely make a sure profit!"

"Oh? Is that so?" Li Qingshan smiled but did not pursue the topic. Instead, he asked, "Tell me about the security measures below. A venue this large should have quite a few Laser Guns, right?"

Cheng An's expression stiffened. His gaze swept over the Chopping Knife in Li Qingshan's hand as he asked carefully, "Boss, why are you asking that?"

"Nothing. Just asking."

Li Qingshan's smile remained casual, and he did not press further.

Underground Boxing drifted beyond the rules, like a lawless land.

As a law-abiding good citizen, from the moment he stepped inside, everyone automatically became Li Qingshan's hypothetical enemy. Naturally, he needed to scout out the "enemy situation" in advance.

So far, it did not seem like much of a problem.

But after being questioned, Cheng An was clearly wary. He looked uneasy, and his mouth fell silent as well.

Li Qingshan's smile did not change as he took the initiative to speak.

"Don't overthink it. We mainly came here this time to watch a Beast Battle."

"A Beast Battle?" Cheng An froze, then hesitated. "Boss, the 'beast' you mean is..."

"Fierce Beasts!" Li Qingshan spat out the two words, his brows gradually knitting together.

As an outer-circle chip runner, Cheng An had no reason not to know about the Beast Battle, much less any reason to hide it from customers.

Unless...

"How could Silver Glow Hotel possibly have Fierce Beasts?" Cheng An's face was full of astonishment.

"Boss, where did you hear that? No, no..."

Cheng An's face grew increasingly uneasy as he paced back and forth.

Cheng An really didn't know about the Beast Battle.

The thought flashed through Li Qingshan's mind, and his frown deepened.

Was Silver Glow keeping the news under wraps too tightly, or was Little Fatty's "inside information" unreliable?

"What's wrong with it?"

Cao Shaoyu grew impatient and declared with conviction, "I went through a lot of trouble to get this information. There will definitely be a Beast Battle tonight!"

"What the hell do you know?" Cheng An blurted out a curse, no longer caring about his customer's status.

"Silver Glow is only a small venue. It has no channels to acquire Fierce Beasts at all, and Fierce Beasts would attract the Patrol Bureau..."

Cheng An looked deeply worried. He turned to Li Qingshan and said solemnly, "Boss, I'm not taking this job anymore. Listen to my advice: whether the information is true or not, don't join in this excitement tonight."

"If there really are Fierce Beasts and they bring the Patrol Bureau here, none of us will be able to escape."

The moment he finished speaking, Cheng An turned to run.

A cold blade rested on his shoulder, and Cheng An froze in place.

"Quite the clever one."

A light laugh sounded from behind him. Cheng An's legs trembled, cold sweat seeping down his back.

"Boss, wh... what does this mean?"

"Just helping you calm down."

Li Qingshan sheathed his blade and said meaningfully, "You know Fierce Beasts will attract the Patrol Bureau, but have you considered why I came here?"

Cheng An's eyes lit up, and his legs stopped shaking. He turned to look at the Chopping Knife in Li Qingshan's hand and asked in a trembling voice, "Could it be that Boss is..."

"Don't ask what you shouldn't ask!"

Though his question was cut off, Cheng An's eyes shone even brighter.

Everything matched. It all matched.

No wonder he had asked right away whether Silver Glow had any experts and what its security measures were like.

The young man before him had not come to gamble at all. He was an investigator sent by the Patrol Bureau.

"Rest assured, Boss! I'll do everything in my power to cooperate with the investigation!"

Cheng An straightened his back and slapped his chest until it thumped.

The Patrol Bureau presided over Old Continent with transcendent status. Even a lowest-ranking investigator was not someone Silver Glow Hotel could afford to offend.

"Enough nonsense. Hurry up and lead the way."

Li Qingshan lifted his chin slightly, his tone somewhat impatient.

Cheng An did not dare delay. He hurried toward the booth-like hut ahead and opened the door.

There was no furniture in the hut. A stairwell two meters square occupied the entire floor.

The stair passage extended downward, brightly lit.

"Boss, this is the Entrance."

Cheng An explained as he looked back, then walked ahead and descended the stairs.

"Coach, what did you mean just now? How did he suddenly decide to cooperate with the investigation?"

Cao Shaoyu rubbed his hair, unable to make sense of the conversation they had just had.

"Unseen mental elaboration is the deadliest!"

Li Qingshan curled his lips and patted Little Fatty's shoulder.

"When you fully comprehend that sentence, you'll understand."

The Patrol Bureau and any investigation had nothing to do with him. He had never admitted to any of it anyway.

Li Qingshan had come here for only one purpose: Fierce Beasts!

There was no longer any need to investigate where Cao Shaoyu's information had come from.

Whether Silver Glow had Fierce Beasts or not, they would know once they went down.

If there were none, he would treat it as a misunderstanding.

But if there really were Fierce Beasts, he would find a way to kill them first, then report the place afterward and collect a reward while he was at it.

What a delightful thought!