Chapter 541: Prozhou's Capital

Zhong Er ate very little during the hotpot meal, weighed down by a heavy heart.

Now, hearing Li Qi announce the war's end, Zhong Er felt hungry and wanted to treat Li Qi to a barbecue.

Yuezhou had many barbecue restaurants open until dawn. Zhong Er chose a familiar one, booked a private room, and once the dishes were served, he produced a spiritual artifact that blocked sound.

"Director Li, thank you for saving me," the foolish man finally remembered to say.

Li Qi, however, didn't mind. "I didn't come specifically to save you. You weren't the only one following this war."

Zhong Er was surprised. "Director Li, do you come to Ruirong Textile Factory every day too?"

Li Banfeng nodded.

Zhong Er sighed. "Director Li, do you think I'm particularly foolish?"

Li Banfeng shook his head. "You didn't do anything wrong; it's just that your actions didn't quite align with the Outer State's rules."

Zhong Er looked troubled. "I truly don't understand the rules here. Since we possess such formidable combat power, why are we still sent to fight every time there's a dark energy incident? Frankly, the Dark Star Bureau's combat effectiveness makes me uncomfortable. Their tactics are rigid, they lack practical experience, and their fighting capability is limited. If they can manage a war in mere minutes, why maintain such an awkward agency?"

Li Banfeng explained, "Different incidents require different levels of response; that's a fundamental rule of the Outer State. Addressing a war in minutes assumes accurate intelligence, significant investment of resources, meticulous battle plans, and thorough preparation for unexpected contingencies. If a silkworm emerged from the textile factory tomorrow and we had to prepare for war, the Outer State's economic foundation simply couldn't sustain such immense costs."

Zhong Er offered a wry smile. "Director Li, you know about the silkworm case at the textile factory too?"

Li Banfeng nodded. "I've reviewed the security files. That was your first case, and you handled it quite well, much better than Bulb's first."

Bulb's first assignment had been to tail Li Banfeng, and all his efforts had been wasted on two spicy strips.

Zhong Er lowered his head. "Actually, thinking back on it now, that case was quite embarrassing."

"It wasn't embarrassing. Perhaps Chen Changrui didn't rate you highly, but for the Outer State as a whole, your performance met their standards for handling such incidents because you resolved the problem with limited human and material resources."

Zhong Er shook his head. "I think our problem-solving ability isn't even as good as a drone's."

"That depends on the number of drones. The Ruirong Textile Factory exhibited certain physical properties that shouldn't exist in the Outer State; electromagnetic signals inside were severely disrupted. Accurately controlling drones would entail significant costs, and ensuring mission completion would require a substantial surplus of them. While indiscriminate strikes can be used against enemies, targeted rescue is necessary for hostages. These factors mean vastly higher investment, potentially orders of magnitude greater. You cannot use military tactics to address public safety issues, nor can you use high-level methods for low-level incidents. That is the rule of the Outer State."

Zhong Er was astonished. "Director Li, you're from Puluozhou, and you've only recently arrived, yet you understand the rules so profoundly."

Li Banfeng did not answer. Had he remained in Yuezhou, even for another two decades, he wouldn't have grasped the underlying dynamics of its rules. It was only after experiencing Puluozhou and comparing two entirely distinct rule systems that he could discern their fundamental differences.

Zhong Er looked a bit lost. "Under these rules, I seem to have become the problem."

Li Banfeng offered an analogy. "The Outer State is like a fortress: nearly impregnable when fighting on home ground and fully prepared. But if even one element is inadequately prepared, it can lead to a complete systemic collapse. This means the Outer State excels at planned engagements but struggles with unforeseen situations. You, however, possess the ability to respond to emergencies and to protect this world. That is something to be proud of."

Zhong Er smiled. "Director Li, you also know about those foolish things I said when I first started this job, don't you?"

Li Qi nodded. "Yes, the whole bureau knows. Those weren't foolish words; they were dreams and ambition."

As they finished eating, Zhong Er recalled something. "Director Li, you just mentioned that increasing the number of drones could compensate for signal transmission accuracy issues. But at Ruirong Textile Factory, gunpowder detonation was also limited. Was that earthquake-like explosion achieved by increasing the quantity of gunpowder to overcome the detonation probability restrictions?"

"I suppose so," Li Banfeng replied, uncertain.

The recent explosion had been so incredibly powerful and lasted so long that Li Banfeng even doubted it was caused by gunpowder. Was increasing the number of drones truly the way to improve operational margin? This was merely Li Banfeng's inference. Regardless of the method, the Outer State's technology had already surpassed the limitations at Ruirong Textile Factory. Would they next overcome the restrictions in Puluozhou? If they could break through electromagnetic and gunpowder limitations there, how would Puluozhou respond?

Zhong Er asked another question. "The Outer State is a fortress, strong in combat but weaker at handling sudden situations. What about Puluozhou?" He genuinely yearned for Puluozhou. However, Li Banfeng found this question unanswerable.

What was Puluozhou's situation? Puluozhou was a fragmented mess. Its people were excellent at handling sudden emergencies; a handful of sand thrown into an enemy's eyes could cause prolonged discomfort. But what if a fully prepared war broke out? The Inner State at least had an army. What did Puluozhou have?

The next morning, Shen Jingye summoned Zhong Er to his office for a severe reprimand.

Zhong Er's stakeout at Ruirong Textile Factory had been detected by the surrounding surveillance system. This required an explanation, and Shen Jingye, using stern words, demanded Zhong Er write a self-criticism report.

Ultimately, Zhong Er's punishment was merely to write a self-criticism report.

There were two reasons why the punishment was so light.

First, the war had been won.

Second, Shen Jingye was about to be promoted.

Of course, he wasn't the only one; Director Du and several other high-ranking officials were also receiving promotions.

However, this depended on one prerequisite: the war had to be quelled quickly.

Unlike other nations, the Inner State refused any communication with the Outer State, making it difficult to obtain clear answers to critical post-war questions or even to ascertain if the current period truly constituted the post-war phase.

"Director Li, we need you to put more effort into this. At the very least, we need a definitive statement from the Inner State. We believe this war should not continue."

When it came to critical issues like promotions, Shen Jingye's work ethic was impeccable.

Li Banfeng nodded. "I'll go to the Inner State and inquire about it."

Shen Jingye smiled. "Then I'll trouble you, Director Li."

"You're welcome!" Li Banfeng offered tea, signaling the end of the meeting, but Shen Jingye didn't seem in a hurry to leave.

"Director Li, when do you expect to depart? I need to coordinate with Envoy Liao."

"Depart?" Li Banfeng blinked. "Where to?"

Shen Jingye pursed his lips. "Didn't we just discuss this? You're to communicate with the Inner State and ascertain the next steps for both sides."

"This counts as agreed?" Li Banfeng was quite surprised. "Yesterday, you told Cone he had significant room for advancement. Does that count as agreed?"

Shen Jingye's cheek twitched. How did Li Qi know everything? Who had told him about his conversation with Cone?

"Cone's recent work performance has been outstanding. He'll certainly have opportunities for advancement in the near future." Li Banfeng nodded. "We've demonstrated formidable combat power to the Inner State. I believe they won't consider using force against us again in the short term."

Shen Jingye frowned. "'In the short term' is a bit too vague a concept."

Li Banfeng smiled. "Do you find 'in the near future' to be a clear concept?"

Shen Jingye stated, "My purpose in speaking to Cone was to boost the morale of our frontline personnel."

Li Banfeng nodded. "And the purpose of my words to you is to calm your mood before your promotion."

Shen Jingye looked embarrassed. "That's not what I meant..."

"Still want to keep talking nonsense, do you?" Li Banfeng chuckled. "Then let's take our time. I'm not in a hurry for a promotion."

Shen Jingye understood Li Banfeng's meaning: empty talk, ultimately, was just nonsense.

Identifying the enemy's point of engagement was Li Qi's credit.

Li Qi, who neither sought promotion nor had received any rewards yet, would certainly not cooperate if they discussed future work at this juncture.

"Then let's not beat around the bush," Shen Jingye said, ordering all surveillance and listening devices in the room to be turned off. "Director Li, just tell me what your conditions are."

"Xiao Shen, you need to adjust your attitude. It's not about my conditions; everything I do is to fulfill my duty as a balancer. All my efforts are for the development and stability of all parties. I've quietly endured much for my responsibilities, but some burdens I cannot bear alone. The Inner State has just suffered a defeat, and to compensate for their losses, they are highly likely to target Puluozhou. Before resuming negotiations with the Inner State, I must find a way to ensure Puluozhou's security."

Upon hearing this, Shen Jingye quickly contacted Du Wenming; he would absolutely not meddle rashly in matters concerning Puluozhou.

Du Wenming proactively arrived at the Dark Star Bureau, visibly more anxious than Shen Jingye.

From their previous interactions, Du Wenming generally understood Li Qi's approach: get straight to the point, without preamble. "Protecting Puluozhou's safety has always been our vital responsibility and the very purpose of establishing the Border Defense Office. We can indeed bolster the combat strength of various Border Defense Offices, but this would also escalate our financial strain. While we don't seek excessive profit in Puluozhou, our revenue there must at least cover our basic operational costs. Therefore, there would be a certain increase in shipping fees."

Li Qi interrupted Du Wenming. "Director Du, you've misunderstood me. I'm not asking you to protect Puluozhou; I intend to protect Puluozhou myself. I need my own technology and resources."

Du Wenming tried to elaborate on his point. "Our approaches and methods may differ, but our objective is fundamentally the same: the safety of Puluozhou. Engaging through the Border Defense Office is currently the most optimal solution for all existing issues."

"That's *your* optimal solution," Li Banfeng smiled. "You've gained such a significant advantage on the battlefield; don't expect to find more freebies in Puluozhou. Where in the world would there be so many advantages left for you? Now is the time for you to invest."

With Li Banfeng being so direct, Du Wenming had no choice but to change his strategy. "Then tell me your specific demands."

Li Banfeng became even more direct. "To maintain peace in Puluozhou, I need combat-capable personnel. I want to borrow twenty thousand people from San Tuchan to counter the Inner State."

"Are you talking about the Three-Headed People?" Du Wenming's expression turned grim.

"Precisely, the Three-Headed People from Sinner City," Li Banfeng continued. "To cover their expenses, I also require more financial support. From now on, my businesses will only pay basic transportation fees."

"Basic transportation fees" meant simply the cost of transport; in essence, Li Banfeng would only pay the Border Defense Office for renting trains.

Du Wenming's face grew even darker.

Li Banfeng continued, "Due to boundary restrictions, my actions in Puluozhou are severely limited, which is highly detrimental to maintaining peace there. I need access to technology that allows for some control over the boundary."

"That's impossible!" Du Wenming rose to his feet. "None of your three demands are acceptable to us. We are the victors of this war; *we* are the ones who should be making demands!"

Li Banfeng calmly pressed his palm downward. "Xiao Du, don't get so agitated. If the war is truly over, then everyone is a winner. But if the war isn't actually over, it's difficult to say who the victor will be."

Du Wenming angrily left the Dark Star Bureau. Li Banfeng pulled three silver coins from his pocket and twirled them twice between his fingers.

The Outer State's stance remained clear: they did not wish for the war to continue.

They won, so why didn't they want to fight again?

This was not a display of cowardice; they were buying time. The Outer State's rapid technological advancement filled Li Banfeng with dread.

The Outer State couldn't possibly agree to all three conditions. How many would they accept?

Two silver coins remained in Li Banfeng's hand, while a third fell onto the table, spinning continuously.

"Guess if this silver coin is heads or tails?"

Ma Wu placed a silver coin face down on the table, looking at Luo Lijun and Luo Yanjun.

Luo Lijun guessed heads, while Luo Yanjun guessed tails. Luo Lijun grew annoyed. "Why do you always guess differently from me?"

Luo Yanjun said, "If you guess wrong, there's a penalty. If I guess differently from you, one of us sisters can always escape it."

Luo Lijun fumed, "What good is one escaping? Doesn't Ma Junyang still benefit in the end?"

Ma Wu opened his palm, revealing the answer. "It's heads. Lijun was right."

Luo Lijun said spitefully, "You didn't listen to me. Now, open your shell yourself!"

Luo Yanjun smiled. "I'll honor the bet; I certainly won't cheat. Wu Lang, don't be too eager to grab your 'stuff' yet. I have something to show you."

"What's that?"

Luo Yanjun retreated into her shell and waited for about two minutes. When she emerged, her entire being had undergone a remarkable transformation. Her plump physique was gone, replaced by a lithe waist. Her sticky skin was gone, replaced by soft, delicate flesh. The enormous snail shell lay discarded nearby. What stepped out of it was a woman of exquisite beauty. She wore a sapphire-blue silk cheongsam, as smooth as water, meticulously tailored, with a perfectly draped collar that revealed her long, fair neck. The dark, jewel-studded frogging seemed to have come from the snail shell itself. Her waist was cinched incredibly thin, accentuating her graceful figure, and the cheongsam's hem just covered her ankles, subtly revealing her elegantly sculpted legs with each step.

Luo Yanjun approached Ma Wu, gently touching his face. "Wu Lang, do you like it?"

Luo Lijun was furious. "You little brat, what are you doing, transforming like this?"

Luo Yanjun sneered. "If you're unconvinced, try transforming yourself."

Luo Lijun retorted indignantly, "I don't possess your ability."

Ma Wu quietly gazed at Luo Yanjun's face, gently touching her hair.

Two strands of hair were peculiar. Luo Yanjun tried to hide them, but Feng Daiku revealed the truth. "Wu Lang, those two hairs are her antennae. She can't transform them perfectly, so she has to hide them in her hair."

Luo Yanjun sounded a bit wronged. "I can't transform them perfectly, but my sister is incredible; she can, and her antennae are completely undetectable."

Luo Lijun grew even more irritated. "Don't talk nonsense! I can't transform at all!"

"You don't need to hide your antennae; how uncomfortable that must be," Ma Wu said, gently bringing Luo Yanjun's antennae into view.

Luo Yanjun hugged Ma Wu. "Wu Lang, this is all for you."

"Mm," Ma Wu responded.

"Wu Lang, anything you like, I'm willing to do." Luo Yanjun was about to offer a kiss, but Ma Wu turned his head away.

"What's wrong, Wu Lang?" Luo Yanjun asked, surprised.

Ma Wu pondered for a moment. "Can you change back to your original form?"

"Huh?" Luo Lijun's mouth hung open, speechless for a moment.

Feng Daiku couldn't help but laugh.

Ma Wu didn't find it amusing.

If he desired breathtaking beauty, who could surpass Feng Daiku? The very reason he liked these sisters was for their original appearance!

"Wu Lang, this was all for you! How could you do this to me?" Luo Yanjun cried inconsolably, wishing she could crawl back into her shell. Just then, Li Banfeng arrived.

"Li Qi, you be the judge. Don't I look good like this?" Luo Yanjun walked up to Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng looked her up and down. "Miss, who are you?" he asked.

"I'm Luo Yanjun. I transformed like this for Wu Lang, but he's insisting I change back!"

Li Banfeng looked at the snail shell a few meters away, then back at Luo Yanjun, who bore no resemblance to a snail. After a long stare, he seriously asked, "How did you transform?"

"I can't tell you that!" Luo Yanjun wiped her tears and turned away.

Luo Lijun interjected, "That's just a petty trick of illusion."

Luo Yanjun retorted, somewhat defiant, "This may be a petty trick for me, but my sister possesses true skill."

Li Banfeng looked at Luo Lijun. "You can transform too?" he asked.

Luo Lijun swayed her antennae as she approached Li Banfeng. "Setting these trivial matters aside for a moment, Young Master Li, I, Luo, am immensely grateful for your full effort in saving me. Please accept this token of my appreciation."

Luo Lijun produced two sets of contract deeds, along with the land seals and maps, handing them all to Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng accepted the map and deeds, then calmly asked, "Miss Luo, it seems you've been reinstated to your official position."

Luo Lijun sighed deeply. "The rank of an official position isn't what matters. In the imperial court, a group of petty scoundrels are entrenched, constantly slandering and insisting on a decisive battle with the Outer State. Ultimately, they only seek to gain fame and profit from this conflict, without ever considering the strength of the two warring parties or the safety of the nation."

Li Banfeng listened, though his thoughts seemed somewhat unfocused.

Luo Lijun quickly got to the point. "The army's disastrous defeat has temporarily quieted that group of petty scoundrels. I implore Young Master Li to mediate and persuade the Outer State to prioritize the greater good, ending the war here."

Li Banfeng nodded slightly. "Alright."

Luo Lijun had also specifically prepared a deed. "Young Master Li once said that discussing matters factually is the clearest approach. While in prison, I repeatedly reflected on your words and found them profoundly true. Therefore, I shall follow your example and present a deed, so that we may address this matter factually, and this war may conclude here."

The deed was handed to Li Banfeng, and Luo Lijun and Luo Yanjun departed shortly after.

Li Banfeng walked out of the factory, holding the deed, his expression numb.

Upon reaching Feng Daiku's residence, they found a table laden with food and drink. The three shared a few small cups.

Ma Wu chuckled. "No more fighting this time, and we even gained two territories! Everyone's happy!"

Feng Daiku congratulated them both, but Li Banfeng remained expressionless.

"Old Qi, is something on your mind?" Ma Wu asked. "You seemed distracted earlier at the factory."

Li Banfeng asked, "Why did Luo Yanjun suddenly transform into a woman just now?"

Ma Wu explained, "I was just teasing the sisters, and Luo Yanjun transformed into a beautiful girl, claiming it was to please me. I know her intentions are genuine, but I really didn't like her transformed appearance."

Li Banfeng nodded. "Yes, she is sincere toward you; I don't doubt that. But Luo Yanjun never speaks directly, and I believe there was a deeper meaning to her words."

"Deeper meaning," Ma Wu mused for a moment. "I genuinely didn't like it, but how deep it goes, I can't say." He then added, "She could transform into a human, and I saw no flaws." Li Banfeng looked at Ma Wu very seriously. This was crucial for Li Banfeng because he had used his "Golden Eyes of Autumn" on Luo Yanjun and still couldn't detect any imperfections.

"'Pure-blooded Inner State inhabitants are forbidden from entering Puluozhou,' that's the rule set by the peddler," Li Banfeng stated, looking at Ma Junyang and Feng Daiku. "If Luo Yanjun were to simply enter Puluozhou in that form, would we be able to identify her?"

Ma Wu remained silent. He could distinguish her, but his method was too unique.

Feng Daiku shook his head slightly. "Had I not carefully examined her hair, I wouldn't have noticed those two antennae. If Luo Yanjun changed her attire and passed me by, I genuinely might not have recognized her as an Inner State native."

Based on the pure-blooded Inner State individuals Li Banfeng had encountered—one shaped like a clam, another like a factory, and a pair of sisters resembling snails—they were all very easy to identify by appearance.

Now, with the snail transformed into a human, Li Banfeng couldn't tell the difference.

This implied that the Inner State could infiltrate Puluozhou. Moreover, this wasn't Luo Yanjun's unique skill; she had made it clear that her sister could transform as well.

Out of gratitude to Li Qi and Ma Wu, Luo Yanjun had given them a hint: this was a technique the Inner State was in the process of mastering.

Li Banfeng pulled a document from his pocket and handed it to Ma Wu.

After reading it, Ma Wu was greatly excited. "The Outer State has waived all our shipping fees! Our business is going to be huge now!"

Li Banfeng had proposed three conditions, but Du Wenming ultimately agreed to only this one.

The Outer State would absolutely not budge on the boundary issue.

As for the Three-Headed People, the Outer State had no intention of releasing them either.

"Sometimes, those who advocate for peace are more terrifying than those who advocate for war," Li Banfeng murmured to himself.

Ma Wu asked, "Old Qi, what did you mean by 'those who advocate for peace are more terrifying'?"

Li Banfeng looked at Ma Wu. "Do you know what an arms race is?" he asked.

Ma Wu thought for a moment. "I think I've heard that somewhere. It must be an Outer State term, right?"

Li Banfeng said, "The Outer State and Inner State are engaged in an arms race. What about Puluozhou?"

Ma Wu didn't grasp Li Banfeng's meaning. Li Banfeng, looking worried, said, "The Outer State and Inner State each possess their own means. What does Puluozhou have?"

"Everything we should have is here, City Lord, please take a look!" Gui Jianchou placed the spoils of war one by one before Sun Tiecheng.

Sun Tiecheng picked up a handful of silver coins, remarking with approval, "Well done. That loan-sharking bird saved up so much, and in the end, it's all for me."

Gui Jianchou quickly reminded him, "Half of it was taken by Mu Yuejuan. I told A Xiong to deal with her, but he wasn't capable enough and couldn't manage it."

"No rush," Sun Tiecheng said, in high spirits. "Let her accumulate more for me for a couple of days; it won't be too late to deal with her later. A Gui, I am fair with rewards and punishments. You won't have worked in vain this time. Zhang Gunli's soul is yours."

Gui Jianchou said, "Thank you for the reward, City Lord, but his soul has many techniques applied to it; I can't move him just yet."

Sun Tiecheng nodded. "Zhang Gunli left himself a fallback. As long as his soul remains, he certainly has a means of resurrection. We just don't know if that method is connected to the Inner State. This isn't a problem; I'll handle it for you. From now on, he'll be your ghost servant. You can name him A Gun. And besides this ghost servant, I have more rewards!"

Gui Jianchou thanked him profusely. Sun Tiecheng opened a drawer and pulled out the Red Lotus.

As it neared Zhang Gunli's corpse, the Red Lotus paused to sense, then opened its petals and absorbed both the bones and flesh.

It absorbed them, but no halo appeared on its petals.

Sun Tiecheng frowned, picked up the Red Lotus, and asked, "What's wrong? Why aren't you refining the elixir yet?"

The Red Lotus waved its lotus leaves and whispered a few words into Sun Tiecheng's ear.

Sun Tiecheng blinked. "This requires auxiliary ingredients? And it has to be Golden Thorn Peaches? That's quite a rare request. Those are hard to find, A Gui. I recall Thorn Peaches only grow on Sage Peak, right? A Gui, where are you going? A Gui! Stand still!"

Gui Jianchou attempted to slip away unnoticed but was spotted by Sun Tiecheng.

"A Gui, why are you leaving? The Red Lotus told me that Zhang Gunli can be refined into three Profound Elixirs, which are priceless treasures! I was even planning to give you one! What, you don't want it?"

Gui Jianchou shook his head repeatedly. "City Lord, I dare not accept such a precious elixir, nor do I dare go to Sage Peak."

"What are you afraid of?! Didn't you just go there a few days ago?"

Gui Jianchou waved his hand. "It's not the same situation now. Sage Peak has become the territory of the Blade Demon. If you send me there, you're sending me to my death."

Sun Tiecheng clasped his hands and squatted on the ground. "What am I to do? Such a valuable elixir cannot be left unrefined, and such a good place cannot be left unvisited!"

Gui Jianchou said with a bitter expression, "Then you should find someone else suitable to go."

Sun Tiecheng picked up the egg-beater stick. "There's no one more suitable," he said.

Dear readers,