The cultivator Ding Ruoling's heart sank as he contemplated the implications of delaying the project. The new place they were constructing would have significantly denser Spiritual Qi, allowing them to cultivate twice as fast.
If they thought about how much it would impact the disciples as a whole, it was only right for the elder to sacrifice him.
The cultivator gulped down. Hao Yu didn't say anything, but it was clear that this was a stern warning.
'Take another step and I will crush you.' The cultivator could clearly sense that warning. Even if he killed him, the elder would get enraged.
So, the only way to solve this problem was to appease Hao Yu.
The cultivator tried his best to make a smile before saying, "What are you saying, Sir? There is no way I would trouble you. It's just… There are things that can't be said. I wonder if you have time to discuss the problem."
On the one hand, Hao Yu could simply reject him and everything would be done. On the other hand, he still felt something was amiss. So, the cultivator might not be cooperating with other brothels blindly.
Hao Yu thought for a moment before turning to Zhao Ru. "Miss Zhao, do you happen to have a room for our little discussion?"
"!!!" Zhao Ru was surprised that Hao Yu accepted the other party's suggestion. It meant that there was a chance that Hao Yu would be bought by him, which disappointed Hao Yu.
However, even if he didn't prepare for it, the two would definitely meet elsewhere. And Hao Yu's opinion would have gone down drastically. So, she had no choice.
"We definitely have a room. Please let me guide you." Zhao Ru forced a smile before leading Hao Yu and the cultivator to a separate room. This room was usually only for people who wanted to drink while having someone company.
It should be a perfect place to discuss this hidden matter. Hao Yu glanced at the cultivator, wondering how many people should hear it. If they talked about a very important matter, it would definitely be better to be left alone here.
Fortunately, the cultivator nodded his head as if he didn't mind.
Hao Yu then said, "Miss Zhao. If you don't mind, why don't you accompany us here and pour us wine?"
Zhao Ru's expression brightened as she immediately bowed her head. "Then, let me bring you some wine."
Zhao Ru rushed to the storage to bring their best wine since she could listen to their conversation.
Meanwhile, the cultivator cupped his hands and introduced himself. "Once again, let me introduce myself. Mystic Void Sect Disciple Ding Ruoling greets Sir Administrator."
Hao Yu cupped his hands. "I've heard that you are bothering this brothel. While this is just a business battle on the surface, judging from your action earlier, it's clear that everything is not as simple as it seems."
Ding Ruoling nodded. "Yes, Sir."
"Is it related to Elder Bing?"
"No. I'm actually not someone on a mission related to the mine. I come here for a separate mission."
"Hoh?" Hao Yu looked down as if he sensed something wrong. There were a few clues, but he was lacking the information that could link everything together. He suspected that Ding Ruoling had that piece.
Before they continued, Zhao Ru had returned to the room. Her breath was rapid, clearly because she ran to this room, but she still tried her best to maintain a graceful appearance.
"Thank you for choosing our brothel, good sir. Please allow this girl to pour you some wine." Zhao Ru smiled.
"So, what is your current mission?"
Ding Ruoling observed Zhao Ru first, confirming that she wasn't the target. He then replied, "My mission is to find the demons that are lurking in the town."
"Demons?!" Zhao Ru gasped as if she couldn't believe what she had just heard.
Meanwhile, Hao Yu's expression turned grim as he said, "Hoh? That's not a term I expect to hear in this place."
In Hao Yu's knowledge, there were two big races in this world. The first would be humans that occupied the west side of the map, while the second would be the demon race.
The humans had divided themselves into three dynasties and seven great sects, while the Demon Race had always been under one banner, the Demon Clan.
The conflict between the Demon Race and the Human Race had never ceased. Unlike humans, who had a lot of adaptability, the demons had a stronger physique.
However, most of their strength still came from cultivation.
The fact that the demons infiltrated the human race meant that they had to be executed no matter what.
Hao Yu tried to figure out the demons' objectives for infiltrating this city. At that time, he remembered the merchant association and their explosive powder.
'Does the merchant association work with the demons? Or do they smuggle those goods to the battlefield, so the demons are trying to destroy the supply route?' Hao Yu thought of a few possible reasons but still asked for confirmation. "What is their purpose?"
"We are not sure yet. According to our information, the demons are not strong, Qi Gathering Stage at most since stronger demons would cause a lot of commotion with their strength. And there should be a few demons in this city."
"If your purpose is to kill demons, why would you kill my people?!" Zhao Ru gritted her teeth, thinking that her people had died unjustly.
"Miss manager, I don't indiscriminately kill people. As soon as I suspect them to be demons, I have to kill them. If you don't believe me, among the people I've killed, there should be at least one demon among them."
"What? Are you saying that I'm hiding a demon?"
"No. But your place has been infiltrated. The reason why I take that agreement is to purge the demons within this place. And I have some suspicion about them as well, so after gaining their trust, I'm going to investigate them as well." Ding Ruoling shook his head.
It seemed that the matter was more complicated than Hao Yu originally thought. He asked, "The ones coming into the human's territory… is it the Fox Clan?"
"Yes, Sir. They are adept in illusion and can change their appearance to that of a human while using their strength to trap people in their illusion before killing them. The perfect place to hide is none other than the red light district." Ding Ruoling nodded.
"Are you here alone?" Hao Yu asked another question.
"No. I'm accompanied by another friend of mine, but he is going around the area to make sure the demons are not hiding in those areas."
"I see." Hao Yu closed his eyes for a moment, considering the situation and making his decision. Would he allow Ding Ruoling to investigate the entire brothel?