The Magistrate's Personal Bodyguard

"Let's make a bet, Rover. I know you've been searching for clues about your identity and your past. As for what I can tell you, it's this-"

Scar paused, the corners of his mouth suddenly curling upward. A red card bearing a sheep's head appeared in his hands, which were restrained behind his back.

Sanhua cried out, "Watch out-"

She shielded A Piao with her body.

With a light flick of Scar's fingers, the card flew toward A Piao's feet.

Lu Li was startled. Was Scar still trying to escape, even now?

But contrary to Lu Li's expectations, Scar didn't run. Instead, he simply continued speaking:

"You are a 'Black Sheep' who can stand beside us, someone entitled to enter this new world with us-and even change the world itself..."

"When the day comes that you discover the truth about yourself, you will join us without hesitation."

"The Fractsidus will always have a place for you."

"And I sincerely look forward to that day..."

"Hehehehehehe... Hahaha... Urk..."

Scar's laughter stopped because Lu Li had clamped a hand around his mouth.

Scar stared at Lu Li in confusion. Expressionless, Lu Li said:

"Did I give you permission to laugh?"

After asking, Lu Li grabbed Scar's head and shook it from side to side.

"Then why are you laughing?!"

Lu Li smacked Scar on the back of the head.

Scar looked utterly bewildered, then glared at Lu Li with wide, furious eyes. If looks could kill, Lu Li might have died a hundred times over.

Lu Li could finally understand how A Piao had felt when she beat Scar up. This felt so fucking good!

Lu Li shook out his wrist. All that hitting had tired him out a little.

"He'll behave once he's in prison. Take him away."

At Lu Li's command, two Midnight Rangers appeared and escorted Scar to the cells.

A Piao shrugged, paying no mind to Scar's final words. She turned to Jinhsi.

"What did Scar say to you?"

There was worry on Jinhsi's face. Scar's words had clearly affected her.

She said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Rover. What Scar said about Jué may concern Jinzhou's very survival. I can't reveal it to you just yet."

"Whether it was merely a deception meant to sow discord, or... whatever the truth, I must find Jué and confirm it in person first."

Lu Li thought for a moment, then asked, "How important is Jué to Jinzhou?"

Lu Li had no real concept of a "god." He might have heard plenty of myths and legends in his previous life, but he didn't put much faith in them.

From what he had seen over the past few days, the Sentinel Jué could be considered Jinzhou's "guardian deity."

The reason he had no real grasp of Jué either was that he didn't know how powerful Jué was.

Nor did he understand what Jué meant to the people of Jinzhou.

Jinhsi explained, "Jué is Jinzhou's guardian Sentinel and bears the responsibility of assisting the Magistrate in governing."

"Although the final authority still rests with the Magistrate, without Jué, if I were to make every decision alone, I couldn't guarantee that my decisions would always be sound."

Lu Li asked in puzzlement, "Are Jué's ideas necessarily right?"

No sooner had he spoken than he clapped his hands. "Did Scar just say Jué can foresee the future?"

Jinhsi nodded. "Yes. Thus far, everything has followed the course Jué foresaw."

"Jué's decisions may not necessarily be 'right,' but they are always the decisions that benefit Huanglong most."

Lu Li yawned. "Fine, fine. Since you all trust Jué, I won't say anything more. Where are we going next?"

Jinhsi said, "Jué once instructed me, 'When the rain flows upward, the awakened one must travel to the Norfall Barrens and seek out Jiyan, general of the Midnight Rangers.'"

Lu Li said worriedly, "Jiyan? That's the man I saw in that hallucination. The Norfall Barrens... isn't that even closer to the battlefield than the Fubo Front? Or rather, isn't it already the battlefield?"

Jinhsi said, "Yes. General Jiyan is leading his troops against the Tacet Discord tide in the Norfall Barrens. It is also the foremost front in our fight against the Threnodian."

"But that is precisely why the Norfall Barrens are far too dangerous."

"Since Jué specifically mentioned 'when the rain flows upward'... now, at least, is not the time to go to the Norfall Barrens."

She looked at A Piao. "I understand that finding clues about your identity is the main purpose of your journey, and I don't want you to leave empty-handed..."

Jinhsi asked, "Have either of you heard of an organization called the Black Shores?"

Lu Li raised his hand. "I have!"

Jinhsi turned an inquiring gaze toward him, and Lu Li continued:

"I met Aalto and Encore before. Encore even invited me to join the Black Shores."

At that, Jinhsi's brows knitted slightly. "She invited you to join the Black Shores?"

Lu Li said, "Is there a problem?"

Jinhsi said, "They are one of the most mysterious organizations in the world today, and they have an extremely unusual screening process for selecting members. Normally, they wouldn't reveal their identities to others so readily... did you do anything at the time?"

Lu Li thought back. "I don't think I did much. I just showed off a little, then swindled... earned two million from Aalto."

Jinhsi nodded. "Perhaps they had their own considerations. After all, the Black Shores don't select members solely on strength. Every member has something unique to offer."

"It isn't all that surprising that they invited you. After all, you are quite special to Jinzhou as well, Mr. Lu Li."

Lu Li tipped his head back and sighed. "Someone as outstanding as me should've lived a brilliant life, so why, after more than twenty years, am I still adrift in the sea of humanity~♫"

A Piao, who had an ear for music, remarked, "Your singing is awful."

Jinhsi covered her mouth and chuckled. She looked at A Piao. "On the day you awakened, members of the Black Shores secretly contacted me to ask for information about you."

"But you can rest assured. The Black Shores have a system capable of predicting the patterns of the Lament, and they have established important partnerships with various nations."

"Though they are mysterious, they are not an extremist organization like the Fractsidus..."

As Jinhsi spoke, she suddenly noticed the regretful expression on Lu Li's face.

"Is something wrong?"

Lu Li said, "There goes another way to make money."

Jinhsi was bewildered. "A way to... make money? What does that have to do with the Black Shores?"

Lu Li said, "I once considered taking over the Fractsidus and the Black Shores."

Jinhsi's delicate lips parted slightly as she stared at him in wide-eyed bewilderment. She hadn't expected Lu Li to have entertained such an idea.

"If you're really short on money, I can find you a job."

Lu Li said, "As your personal bodyguard?"

A smile touched Jinhsi's eyes. "Yes, though after giving it some thought, I suspect the job might not suit you."

Lu Li asked, "Why not?"

In truth, ever since meeting Jinhsi in person, Lu Li had stopped objecting to the job.

After all, who would turn down being a beautiful girl's personal bodyguard?