Chapter 239: Superstorm

"Brother Gu, I'll join you in wandering the martial world as a bounty hunter from now on!" Ye Jinglan exclaimed to Gu Mo as soon as he returned to the Ye family residence, uttering words that left Gu Mo looking bewildered.

"Brother Ye, have you been dealt a blow?" Gu Mo asked.

Ye Jinglan sighed and said, "Although I'd suspected it for a long time, the truth has left me utterly disheartened. Ever since I was a child, I've been taught that whether one is good or bad, the bottom line is always loyalty to the emperor and the nation!"

Ye Jinglan poured a cup of tea, then pointed a finger towards the ceiling and said, "When I roamed the martial world, I was arrogant, believing there was no place I couldn't go and no one I couldn't subdue. I always treated the government and the imperial court with disdain. Yet, no matter how arrogant I was, I always considered the one on the dragon throne sacred—a true Son of Heaven! Even if he did many things poorly, I always thought it was because he was misled by traitors, too far removed to see clearly, or unaware of the truth, leading him to make wrong decisions. Later, when I became an official and was granted an audience with him, I became even more convinced of this idea. But now, you tell me about the Ghost City beneath the capital, right under his very eyes. All the shattered families and innocent souls caused by Ghost City's actions—could he truly be unaware? I always thought it was impossible to deal with, but it turns out it was never about being unable to deal with it; it was about no one daring to!"

Gu Mo said gravely, "Have you confirmed this?"

Ye Jinglan nodded and replied, "During your seclusion, Assistant Judicial Commissioner Su Ziyou and I investigated the Four Seas Merchant Association thoroughly. We discovered that the Four Seas Merchant Association is a front for the Royal Private Treasury, and they are secretly controlling the Ghost City as their dark operation arm."

Many people mistakenly believe that the national treasury's funds belong solely