Lv Cheng seemed to understand Qi Yuan's question, and he cleared his throat before continuing.
"My master said that, thanks to the extensive propaganda by the Dragon Country, people are aware that even creatures born recently in the Fusion Zone would prey on humans."
"Some try to cooperate with these creatures for power, while others attempt to tame them for their own use. But they all know that these creatures are deceitful."
"However, the breeders in Gebi City trust that their creatures have never preyed on humans. My master has encountered such situations before; he once saw underground organizations selling creatures in the black market. Those sellers claimed to have completely erased the creatures' minds, leaving only instinct. They assured buyers that these creatures were no different from mutated animals and could be purchased with confidence."
Pausing here, Lv Cheng gave Qi Yuan a chance to ask questions.
Qi Yuan indeed had some questions. Curiously, he asked, "Where is the black market?"
Lv Cheng was speechless; he had never asked his master about it, so he truly didn't know.
Seeing his reaction, Qi Yuan understood the answer and sighed regretfully.
Every time he read a novel, the protagonist could easily find the black market and make some gains there, which made Qi Yuan yearn for it too.
He also wanted to try his luck in the black market.
Seeing Lv Cheng eagerly waiting for him to ask questions, Qi Yuan thought for a moment and changed the subject.
"How do you erase the minds of these creatures?"
Lv Cheng: ...I have no idea about that.
How can you not know anything?
Qi Yuan's silence spoke louder than words, leaving Lv Cheng feeling helpless.
"I have no more questions; please continue."
Not only did he fail to impress, but he also seemed like a burden. Lv Cheng weakly supplemented the final information.
"Capturing these creatures is quite difficult, and the distance from Shen City to Qipan City is not short. We speculate that this underground organization behind it has considerable power. My master sent me, smart and clever as I am, to investigate the situation in Qipan City to prevent alerting the enemy."
Qi Yuan ignored Lv Cheng's personal digressions about erasing creature minds and his concern about Fu Rong noodles. Connecting the two, he quickly drew a conclusion.
"So you believe that Fu Rong noodles are related to them?"
Lv Cheng showed agreement, "Yes, if they capture beautiful people and erase their minds, then sell them to unsuspecting individuals who then develop Fu Rong noodles on this basis..."
He added afterward, "Of course, this is just speculation."
"Can minds really be erased?"
Qi Yuan doubted the reliability of this. It's not something easily exposed, but as a secret weapon used privately, it's not impossible.
In the end, the dead can never surpass the living.
And as a secret weapon, if it's sealed by the country, it's difficult to leak out.
"Of course not. My master specifically pulled up the Gebi City case files. The files showed that this creature, despite supposedly having its mind erased, preyed on humans while its breeder remained unaware. This proves that even if their minds are truly erased, creatures will gradually awaken."
As expected, Qi Yuan sighed with frustration, "I understand."
"So what's your next plan?"
Lv Cheng eagerly rubbed his hands together.
Knowing there might be a ticking time bomb under his feet, he couldn't just stand idly by.
Reporting the matter to the authorities didn't help much when reported again.
He knew his options were limited, so how to help was still a question?
He pondered for a moment, "I haven't decided yet, but I have a general direction in mind."
Lv Cheng felt relieved; he knew Qi Yuan wouldn't be without a plan. Fortunately, he arrived early.
...
On a night when the moon was dark and the stars were sparse,
The lively and bustling streets, adorned with colorful neon lights, captivated the eyes of passersby. The aroma of various snacks along the street tantalized people's taste buds, making this place a bustling commercial center.
Lv Cheng stood on the street, feeling somewhat dazed and unreal.
Two or three hours ago, Qi Yuan told him, "We can't delay any longer; I plan to take action directly."
So, he followed Qi Yuan all the way here.
As the sky grew dark, Lv Cheng speculated that Qi Yuan intended to take advantage of the night to infiltrate the Tiger Club and investigate the ins and outs.
He was stealthily concealing himself,
But unexpectedly, Qi Yuan walked straight through the bustling street to the front desk of the entertainment city.
He politely inquired, "Hello, can I schedule a meeting with Wu Xiong?"
Was this the approach he intended to take?
Lv Cheng was dumbfounded; he hadn't expected the so-called plan to involve a direct visit.
Ignoring Lv Cheng's thoughts, Qi Yuan found out from Wandu that the Tiger Club often frequented here at night, as it was one of their industries.
He had thought it through; sneaking into the Tiger Club with Lv Cheng was not only risky but also against the law.
However, if he directly requested to meet with the other party, their thoughts would be laid bare through mental connection.
Most importantly, he would be going there openly; if anything happened, the duty team could bail him out.
Apart from the possibility that the Tiger Club might refuse to see him, this plan was simple, efficient, and low-risk.
The receptionist was initially stunned by Qi Yuan's handsome appearance, but upon hearing his words, her cheeks blushed slightly as she asked in a gentle tone, "May I ask what business you have with General Manager Wu?"
More talk, more mistakes; he might as well listen to the other party's thoughts first and adjust accordingly.
With this in mind, Qi Yuan lied without batting an eyelid, "That's for him to answer."
The receptionist only pondered for a moment before immediately understanding.
"This person has extraordinary demeanor; General Manager Wu is probably preparing to develop a new client by meeting at the entertainment city."
"Are you a friend of General Manager Wu?"
The world of adults is indeed difficult to understand; are friends equivalent to clients now?
Qi Yuan quickly calculated in his mind; unsure if it was a secret code, he denied the possibility first.
After all, the instinctive reflex couldn't be sensed through mental connection; if he disrupted Wu Xiong's business, it wouldn't be so easy to leave unscathed.
"No."
"Not a friend?"
The receptionist was surprised by her own misjudgment and quickly apologized.
"Sorry, may I ask about your identity?"
Qi Yuan reached into his pocket and took out the Superpower License, just as he was about to hand it over,
Someone arrived at the front desk.
He knocked on the table with his knuckles, making a crisp sound, and looked inside the entertainment city, ignoring the receptionist.
"We'll have a guest later; take him to the private room where we'll be."
"Alright, Mr. Song. Is the guest you're referring to Mr. Qi Yuan?"
"So fast? Wait, Qi Yuan? How is he here?"
It was only then that Song Jing noticed Qi Yuan standing beside him.
If we talk about someone in Qipan City that the Fierce Tiger Association shouldn't mess with, Qi Yuan would definitely be one of them.
Not to mention the mysterious background of the Qi family, Qi Yuan's personal strength alone was enough to make the Fierce Tiger Association hesitate.
That lizard person, even if all three of them teamed up, couldn't guarantee a quick victory.
Amidst a thousand thoughts racing through his mind, Song Jing, while contemplating, managed to maintain a professional and pleasantly surprised smile.
"I've heard of Jin Tong's outstanding youth, exceptionally handsome. Seeing you today, your reputation is well-deserved."
Qi Yuan nodded, modestly saying, "You're too kind. May I take up a few minutes of your time?"
"No need to be so polite. As long as you're here, I, Song Jing, am at your service," Song Jing waved his hand. "Feel free to command."
"Then I'll be grateful."
Lv Cheng stared in disbelief as the two unfamiliar individuals exchanged pleasantries, once again leaving him in awe.
What exactly is the Qi family involved in?
How come they seem to know people everywhere?
Seeing Qi Yuan's composed demeanor, Song Jing temporarily pushed aside his suspicions and tapped the table again.
"Xiao Zhong, take care of our young friend here. Make sure he feels at home."
He gestured towards Lv Cheng.
After speaking, he graciously led the way, leaving Qi Yuan to follow with a charming smile.
Qi Yuan wanted to say a few words for Lv Cheng, but upon second thought, he felt it unnecessary. The top priority now was to unravel the truth behind Furong's face; getting tangled in such trivial matters seemed misplaced.
Lv Cheng watched the two leave, and only he knew the bitterness he felt.
How did I become the little brother?
I'm at least a student at Shen City University, a member of the Pillar Plan.
Although I can't compare to Brother Yuan, it shouldn't reduce me to a little brother, right?
Don't you guys have any friends?
【Prologue: The Beginning of It All – Use holy water to heal the saintess tainted by demonic energy, then converse with her.】 Shen Nian stared at his older sister sipping yogurt, lost in thought. So you’re telling me my sister is the saintess, and yogurt is the holy water? 【Main Quest 1: Brave Youth, Become an Adventurer! Reward: Rookie Adventurer Title.】 【Side Quest 1: Find the Adorable Kitty! Reward: 1000 Gold Coins.】 Shen Nian: "Wait, I’m a high school senior here—did some guy who got isekai’d accidentally bind his system to me?" Hold on, completing quests gives gold rewards? Titles even boost stats? Is this for real? (A lighthearted, absurd campus comedy—not a revenge power fantasy.)
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”
