In this moment, Liu Long seemed to grasp how Yuan Shuo had taught the youngster in front of him. The old man had led by word and example, treating Li Hao as his final disciple. Indeed, the young man subconsciously displayed a number of the professorâs own notions.
Yuan Shuo was the driving force behind Li Haoâs martial dao enlightenment, so the young man developed with significant influence from the elderly professor. Yuan Shuo was equally ruthless when he fought! He wouldnât have so many enemies otherwise.
âThatâs enough of that, letâs interrogate these two first. Stop their bleeding, Yun Yao, donât let them die. Though they might not know much since theyâre minions, we might come across unexpected information!â Liu Long called out. It was difficult to question the two before they were restored to some modicum of good health.
Li Hao picked up the silk banner thatâd fallen to the ground as they fought.
âWhat are you going to do with that?â Liu Yan asked.
âIâm going to hang it up!â Li Hao chuckled merrily. âSis, this holds a lot of meaning as itâs my first silk banner! Itâd be weird if I donât display it since they openly brought it to me. Iâll go hang it up and say they took the back door!â
An instant hush descended over the team. Busy stemming Zhou Heâs blood flow, the team doctor saw the manâs eyes widen. Yun Yao cursed inwardly when he almost choked on his next breath.
Animal! Li Haoâs a damned animal!
Hanging the silk banner at a time like this? Sheâd die from a fit of apoplexy if she was the man!
Li Hao neither knew nor cared to know. He scanned the banner with contentment, ever more satisfied the longer he looked at it.
âBenevolent and CompassionateâGifted to Inspector Li Hao of the Inspectorate.â The characters grew more beautiful the more he gazed upon them. Well written! Indeed, he was benevolent and compassionate!
âChief, Sis, Iâm going to take this to Classified Affairs. Iâll bring it back when the transfer goes through.ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
It was his first silk banner! How lovely it was, how could he bear to throw it away? He would hang it up in Classified Affairs first and then bring it to Law Enforcement!
âHave fun with the interrogation, Iâm leaving!â Li Hao hummed a tune as he left with the banner, appearing the very picture of a rookie inspector receiving his first commendation from the general public. He brimmed with pride and joy!
Those in the basement looked wordlessly at each other.
âEveryoneâ¦â Wu Chao said slowly after a long pause. âIs that guy⦠a bit⦠perverted?â
Do you know where that banner comes from?? Do you realize what happened to those who brought it to you? Are you actually so thick-skinned as to take it back with you and display it for everyone to see??
The fuck?!
The team was both speechless and in awe of Li Haoâs mettle. How could the young man not be reminded of the blood he spilled when he looked at the red banner?
Liu Long opened and closed his mouth, concluding with a muffled âwhatever!â after a while. What could he say? There was nothing to say!
After todayâs battle, the team captain could tell that the rest of the team finally truly accepted Li Hao. He was no longer just bait, a disposable tool, or deadweight. Liu Long himself had shared the same opinions before.
This battle made them realize that the little guy wasnât just a random bystander. If he survived the events to come, he would be more formidable than Liu Long in the future. Only now did the Demon Hunters treat him as one of them.
Of this, Li Hao most likely remained completely oblivious.
â¦â¦
Li Hao set foot into Classified Affairs with a light step. What a beautiful day! His mood lightened when he saw Wang Ming.
âGood morning, Little Ming!â
Wang Ming was making a record of files on hand and stiffened when he heard the nickname. However, he quickly recovered.
âHello Brother Hao, were you at the law enforcement team again?â
âYep.â Li Hao waved the silk banner around. This was the pride and joy of a new inspector! Although he normally kept a low profile, even he couldnât help but show off his mark of distinction. See! Look here! Someoneâs given me a silk banner!
As expected, Wang Mingâs attention was caught. âA silk banner? For Brother Hao?â
âYep, just a trifling matter. They were too polite and insisted on delivering a banner!â Li Hao answered casually and boomed heartily, âYouâll have your own one day, Little Ming!â
Their exchange caught other peopleâs attention and the rest of the department looked at Li Hao. Gossip ignited with a fury when they saw the banner; everyone wanted to know the particulars. The young man gave an honest recounting of doing nothing more than fixing a car for someone.
As for what happened to the people after they delivered the banner? Who cared?
â¦â¦
It was a lively time at Classified Affairs for a while.
âLittle Ming.â A thought occurred to Li Hao after he hung up the banner. âDidnât you say youâd be late today? Have your family elders arrived?â
The guy had mentioned visiting elders at dinner yesterday.
âThey have! I was late for an hour this morningâBrother Hao doesnât know about it because you werenât here.â
Li Hao nodded. Theyâre here! Night Watcher powerhouse or real elders?
âWhy donât we pay them a visit after work?â His lips stretched in a broad and simple smile. âWe can let your family elders know that it will be smooth sailing for you since weâre looking after you.â
âThatâs alright!â Wang Ming declined politely. âThat elder is a bit eccentric and doesnât like interacting with people.â
I see!
Definitely a Night Watcher, I can tell from his language too. Heâd say dad or mom, not just elder. Li Hao dropped the subject. Asking too much would raise suspicion. Wang Ming, however, drew closer and lowered his voice.
âBrother Hao, it looks like itâs going to rain over the next two days. We happen to be off thenâdo you have any plans?â
It was the 16th today. Rain was forecasted for the 18th. Li Hao and his coworkers were scheduled for vacation on the 18th and 19th.
âDo you have any plans?â Li Hao asked curiously. âDo you have places in mind even though youâre new in town? How about you name where you want to go and Iâll see if I can make it?â
âWhy donât we go hiking?â Wang Ming replied eagerly. âPeople say thereâs an impressive view at the top of Mt. Heavenly King on the city outskirts. Letâs go check it out!â
Hiking? The outskirts?
Li Hao thought for a bit while Chen Na scrunched her face up with disdain. âWhat fun is there in hiking? Youâre out in the wilderness without any place to hide from the rain. Letâs go karaoke and grab food!â
âSis Na, us guys donât like karaoke,â Wang Ming laughed drily. âHiking is training! Thereâs places to stay on the mountain so we can spend the night if we get tired. We can watch the sunrise. Maybe Mt. Heavenly King will be prettier in the rain!â
Chen Na very politely declined the offer. Forget it! She hated something as tiring and meaningless as hiking. Li Hao, on the other hand, made some swift judgment calls.
Did Wang Ming want him to go hiking to make it easier for the Night Watchers to find a suitable ambush spot? The mountain was sparsely occupied and there would be few visitors on a rainy day. It was an ideal spot for the Night Watchers to fight the scarlet shadow factionâthere would be negligible impact on Silver City.
They were a government organization, after all. As numerous as their problems were, it didnât change the fact that they were tasked to maintain order and were the greatest protective organization available to mundanes.
Therefore, both Night Watchers and Demon Hunters wished for the battle site to be in the outskirts, not inside the city. A fight between supernaturals could easily lead to widespread fatalities among mortals.
Mt. Heavenly Kingâ¦
Li Hao thought it over. The Demon Hunters had picked a different spot that was also in the outskirts. Since the team relied on hot weapons, they required flat ground more suited for burying explosives.
âWeâll see!â He didnât immediately turn the proposal downâhe would ask Liu Long and the others first.
Wang Ming wanted to continue pushing, but had to set the topic aside when Li Hao bent his head down to work. He inwardly raced with anxietyâLi Hao could not remain in the city the entire time! He was obviously the next target and the Night Watchers had sent a significant personage for this operation. They highly valued the eight families of Silver City.
Wang Ming didnât know much, just a few hints and shadows. Not many had cared about the eight families before, but recent happenings in the supernatural domain seemed to be linked with these unknown clans of Silver City.
Thus, important personnel from the Night Watchers had come to resolve the situation and to gain a better understanding of the sword of the Lis.
Wang Ming knew that Li Hao was working with the Demon Hunters. Perhaps he needs to follow their orders? In that case, it was up to that venerated one to decide on how to proceed.
â¦â¦
A quiet morning passed in Classified Affairs. Li Haoâs silk banner was the subject of discussion for a while before everyone returned to their usual pursuits. Some people fell back into their usual banter while others brewed tea and read the paper. No one paid attention to Zhou He and his companion.
In their eyes, the two naturally left after delivering the banner. What would they stay for? A meal at the Inspectorate?
â¦â¦
At the same time, outside the Inspectorate.
An old man casually plodded past the front gates. He shuffled toward a little black car parked on the street.
S 7219.
The old man carelessly glanced inside and shuffled away. There was no one inside and the car had been parked for a few hours!
He headed for a small alley. No one loitered in it since it was the middle of the work day. All was very quiet as the old man walked through it.
âTheyâre not there. Thereâs been no word from them after they went inside.â
An aloof male voice cracked through an earpiece hidden beneath white hair. âCome back to base first! Zhou He wouldnât enter rashly. Heâs gone missing after going inside and weâve received no word from the Inspectorate. Either theyâve both deserted or theyâve been secretly captured. Itâs very possible that the Demon Hunters are behind it if theyâre in custody!â
Not the law enforcement team, or theyâd receive some sort of notification.