Chapter 108: Chapter 19: Review Notice
Ever since Shi Tianming arrived, Ma Liang’s daily work was reduced to just monitoring Li Xinyue.
He didn’t know what Shi Tianming was up to; that guy was mysterious all the time and never discussed his actions with him.
However, Ma Liang was happy to be free.
Three days after Shi Tianming arrived at Crimson No.2, he approached Ma Liang to assign him a task.
"You want me to contact the Guild Leader?"
Ma Liang looked at Shi Tianming as if he were looking at a madman.
He didn’t have a high status, just an ordinary loner Hunter, without a team, and had no say in the Hunter’s Guild.
Ma Liang was a Sequence 4 Hunter with three engravings, seemingly just one step away from Sequence Three, but he felt he would remain there for life.
His third engraving had failed several times before completion, and he couldn’t imagine how he would proceed with the fourth engraving.
With so many hunters like Ma Liang in Crimson No.2, how could he possibly contact the Guild Leader? On what grounds?
Shi Tianming adjusted his glasses and said plainly, "You can contact the Li Family and let them pass the message. You now count as a member of the Tianyi Wang Family, and the Li Family should give the Wang Family some face."
Ma Liang couldn’t help but retort, "Why don’t you do it yourself? Aren’t you more representative of the Wang Family than I am?"
"Precisely because I am more representative of the Wang Family, I cannot go," Shi Tianming calmly explained to Ma Liang, his eyes showing a hint of pity as if looking at a fool, "The Wang Family wants to merge with Bao Han Company, and such matters cannot be disclosed lightly, especially using a marriage alliance. Li Xinyue is the only direct heir of this generation of the Celestial Sea Li Family. If she dies, it won’t be a big issue for the Li Family; they can just let a collateral branch inherit the family business. But we can’t accept that result."
Although the Celestial Sea Li Family has other enterprises, Bao Han Company is their foundation and the pillar supporting their family’s strength. Ordinary means won’t easily let us merge Bao Han Company.
So, the Wang Family thought of a sinister plan—to form an in-law relationship with the Celestial Sea Li Family, then lay traps internally in the company and seize the chance to merge Bao Han Company.
"Can’t this be discussed directly online?" Ma Liang asked again.
Shi Tianming shook his head, "You don’t understand. This is the communication method between prominent families, and it is impolite not to inform them in advance."
Ma Liang clicked his tongue in displeasure.
Nevertheless, he went to the Li Family’s store set up in Crimson No.2 and approached the on-duty manager, presenting the credentials given by Shi Tianming.
Upon seeing the credentials, the on-duty manager took Ma Liang to a soundproof room and asked for his intentions.
"I am representing the Tianyi Wang Family to seek cooperation with your Li Family."
"Cooperation?" The on-duty manager remained expressionless, folding his arms and lightly tapping his elbow with his right index finger.
Ma Liang nodded, "Yes, cooperation."
A vast amount of information about the Tianyi Wang Family popped up in front of the on-duty manager, which he silently reviewed.
After a moment, the manager slowly said, "Your Tianyi Wang Family and our Li Family have no overlapping interests, so why seek cooperation with us?"
Ma Liang smirked slightly and messaged Shi Tianming to answer this question.
Soon, Shi Tianming replied, and Ma Liang recited it verbatim: "We intend to take action against a certain enterprise. Temporarily, we can’t tell you which company that is. After success, we can offer you 5% of the profits—hint: that enterprise is a large one, and even just 5% is a significant amount that will tempt you."
The on-duty manager looked at Ma Liang, understanding that this hunter, like himself, was merely a mouthpiece for their respective families. The Tianyi Wang Family and the Spiritual Spring Li Family were conversing through them.
After a moment of silence, the on-duty manager asked, "The Fields Clan? Celestial Sea Li Family?"
The mastermind of the Spiritual Spring Li Family had analyzed these in the shadows, and these were the only two possibilities.
If anything in Crimson No.2 could catch the Tianyi Wang Family’s eye and be a target, it would be either the Fields Clan or the Celestial Sea Li Family.
The Fields Clan may not have people in Celestial City, but they have a solid foundation controlled in Crimson No.1 and have significant influence in Phoenix City.
However, despite controlling Crimson No.2, the Spiritual Spring Li Family was still struggling to deal directly with the Fields Clan.
Thus, the Spiritual Spring Li Family’s mastermind tried to expand their thinking and discovered another target the Tianyi Wang Family might be eyeing in Crimson No.2.
The only heir of the Celestial Sea Li Family in this generation is now a Hunter—Li Xinyue!
Ma Liang sent the problem back as usual, and Shi Tianming instructed him to remain silent, saying nothing at all.
Ma Liang complied, quietly watching the on-duty manager without uttering a word.
The room fell into silence, and neither of them made a sound.
After a while, the on-duty manager suddenly extended his hand to Ma Liang and said, "The Li Family is willing to make a deal."
Ma Liang shook hands with the manager and nodded, "That’s good."
The subsequent matters no longer concerned Ma Liang; he came here only to confirm whether the Spiritual Spring Li Family was open to cooperation, even if this could be done online. He still had to make a trip in person.
This is how families communicate with each other, seemingly believing that only by doing so can they appear different from the common folk.
As Ma Liang left the Li Family’s store, he smirked as he exited the door.
......
"What? There’s a problem with my Hunter’s license?"
Li Xinyue suddenly received a notice from the Hunter’s Guild. The Guild informed her that there was an issue with her Hunter’s license, and she needed to meet with a Guild examiner for an explanation.
If, after the explanation, the examiner still believed there was an issue with her license, she would be suspended from entering the Abyss for a while until the issue was resolved.
But what was the problem?
Li Xinyue followed all the rules and regulations during the Hunter examination, with no cheating. She and Yan Luo were peers in the exam period. If her Hunter’s license had an issue, then what about Yan Luo’s?
With this in mind, Li Xinyue messaged Yan Luo to inquire whether he had received any notification.
Yan Luo replied that he hadn’t received any notification and offered to help if she was puzzled regarding this matter.
To become a Hunter, Yan Luo had deeply studied the rules and regulations of the Hunter’s Guild, perhaps even more thoroughly than the Guild examiners themselves.
Yan Luo’s words felt like a lifeline, and Li Xinyue hurriedly grasped it.
However, after expressing her desire for Yan Luo’s help, Li Xinyue hesitated, asking, "Is the review allowed to have someone accompany me?"
[I can be present as a witness.]
On the other end of the video call, Yan Luo was sweating profusely while exercising, yet his voice remained unwavering.
[As your peer candidate, I watched your entire practical test process with the examiner, and I was also present during your skills examination. Unless the Guild temporarily modifies the rules, I can participate in this review.]
Perhaps because Yan Luo’s voice and expression were calm, watching that face helped calm Li Xinyue’s restless mood.
[When is the review?]
Li Xinyue pursed her lips and said, "It hasn’t been decided yet; the Guild is waiting for my response."
[Let’s set it for tomorrow; three days later, I plan to go on an Abyss hunt. I don’t have time to play with them for long.]
Play...
Indeed, no matter when, Yan Luo always exuded such confidence.
As if infected by Yan Luo’s self-assurance, Li Xinyue seized the moment to reply to the Guild, setting the review date for tomorrow.
She believed she hadn’t done anything out of line, and with a clear conscience, she was not afraid of the shadow slanting; let the review happen, who was afraid of whom?