Grand Opening of the Hot Pot Restaurant

In the back chamber of the prefecture office, within a hidden room.

Compared to the clamor and liveliness of the front hall, this place was much quieter.

At the table sat a young man with a gloomy expression, dressed in white robes, drinking alone.

Had he stepped outside, he would have been instantly recognized.

Yin Huacheng.

Not long after.

The hidden room's door rumbled open. Prefecture Lord Cui circulated his energy slightly, and the scent of alcohol evaporated from his body. The drunkenness in his eyes seemed to be sucked into a vortex, vanishing without a trace.

In an instant, his thoroughly intoxicated demeanor sharpened into shrewdness.

"My apologies for the wait, True Disciple Yin Hua. Official duties kept me occupied—I deserve punishment."

Prefecture Lord Cui smiled as he took a seat opposite Yin Huacheng, pouring him a cup of tea.

Yin Huacheng narrowed his eyes, examining the teacup before downing it in one gulp. He chuckled lightly.

"With just the two of us here in private, why keep up the act? Or have you played the role of prefecture lord for so long that you’ve started believing it yourself?"

"Judge Cui?"

The smile on Prefecture Lord Cui’s face gradually faded.

He poured himself a cup of tea before responding.

"Li Mo and Ying Bing didn’t show up today. You waited in vain, Emissary Yin Hua."

"They didn’t come?"

Yin Huacheng tapped the table with his index finger.

"No matter. Just inform me the moment they’re spotted."

"But my visit today concerns another matter."

"The goods I, the Summoning Demon Sect, ordered—your people have been delaying with excuses of wind and rain. By my calculations, they should have arrived by now."

"This matter demands an explanation. I trust you won’t push the blame onto some lowly subordinates, claiming incompetence."

His tone carried a faint edge of accusation.

"With the current scrutiny, if even a whisper of our dealings leaks, my tenure as prefecture lord will end."

"The main branch will hold me accountable. I have no choice but to be cautious."

Prefecture Lord Cui narrowed his eyes, as if weary.

Yin Huacheng’s expression darkened.

The "business" they spoke of wasn’t a collaboration between the Fine Rain Tower and the Summoning Demon Sect.

It was a private arrangement between Prefecture Lord Cui and Yin Huacheng’s father.

Yet, Yin Huacheng pressed further.

"Haven’t you already detained members of all major and minor sects within the prefecture office? With them under your watch, what is there to fear?"

"They may be under my watch, but I’m also under theirs."

Prefecture Lord Cui set his teacdown on the table with a hollow smile.

"I’ll dispatch people to resolve the shipment. You’ll have your answer. I’ve already informed your father in advance."

"See that you do."

Yin Huacheng snorted coldly.

"If this delays the sect’s grand plans, the next person to negotiate with you won’t be me."

With that, he abruptly stood and left.

Prefecture Lord Cui watched his retreating figure and scoffed.

"What a fool Yin Huaxuan has raised."

He fell silent, idly toying with his teacup.

Time passed.

After an indeterminate period, the hidden room’s door suddenly rattled with a knock.

"Who is it?"

A voice, condensed into a thin thread, reached his ears—inaudible to anyone else.

"It’s me," the voice replied.

"Enter."

A shadow slithered in along the floor.

After a few twists, it coalesced into human form.

The figure wore loose monastic robes and a smiling Buddha mask.

"Judge, all the Swallow Tokens have been distributed."

The voice beneath the mask was unidentifiable as male or female.

"Good. There’s another private matter I’d like you to handle."

"If it’s private, perhaps you should post a bounty in the Shadow Tower."

The masked figure responded.

The Fine Rain Tower recognized money, not people. Apart from the Supreme Tower Master, no hierarchy existed among its members.

Even an assassin of the Heaven-Slaying rank couldn’t command an unranked killer.

"Even if I posted a bounty, who in this prefecture besides you, Smiling Arhat, could I trust?"

"Let’s skip the formalities, shall we?"

Prefecture Lord Cui retrieved a pouch from his robes.

Smiling Arhat flicked his wrist, drawing the pouch into his palm. After a brief inspection, he stored it away—apparently satisfied with the payment.

"Speak."

"The prefecture grows more chaotic by the day. When the time comes, I need you to take advantage of the confusion and abduct some parentless children. Deliver them to my private residence."

"A trivial task."

Smiling Arhat agreed.

With the deal struck, the two engaged in casual conversation.

"Any promising candidates in this trial?"

"The Three Evils of Huai Mountain—He Bin of the Flying Sand Blade, Chu He of the Thousand Hands, and Liu Heng the Night Ghost—all have a chance to survive till the end."

"Those Three Evils you mentioned? They died this afternoon. It seems they were no match for Zuo Qiuyang."

Seeing the disbelief, Prefecture Lord Cui produced a roster from his robes.

This was a special ledger issued by the main branch, capable of sensing the auras within the Swallow Tokens.

"See for yourself."

"......"

Smiling Arhat glanced at it, then looked up.

The smiling Buddha mask seemed to say, "Do you think I’m blind?"

Prefecture Lord Cui raised a brow and examined the ledger again.

To his surprise, the names of the Three Evils of Huai Mountain were still present.

He had clearly seen them vanish earlier.

Had the Swallow Tokens malfunctioned?

One error might be plausible, but three at once?

As an expert of the Observation Divine Realm, he couldn’t have misread it, could he?

......

At the courier station.

The station had been cleaned spotlessly.

[You have an unclaimed reward.]

[Claim successful.]

[Investment Feedback: Art of Adaptability]

[Art of Adaptability]: "Allows the alteration of physique, facial features, and even aura. Not even those in the Observation Divine Realm can detect discrepancies."

"With my Veil of Formless Radiance, I need not worry."

Li Mo glanced at the others.

Most who dared participate in the Endless Trial were seasoned veterans.

Without disguise, they’d be exposed in an instant.

"I have a martial art that alters appearance and aura—undetectable even by the Observation Divine Realm."

Li Mo produced a piece of parchment.

"Art of Adaptability?"

Xiao Qin studied the remarkable technique.

The Thousand Forms Martial Sage confirmed it was a rare treasure.

Ying Bing lowered her gaze and took it.

After a brief perusal, her aura began to fade.

Li Mo had wondered if this counted as an "investment."

Unfortunately, since it wasn’t something they actively sought, the system remained silent.

Thus.

The courier station gained a new waiter, chef, proprietor, and proprietress.

As for why a chef was necessary...

Li Mo had provided Xiao Qin with a hotpot base recipe.

His reasoning was simple.

Better business meant more customers.

The trial’s aspiring assassins would inevitably visit bustling places to gather intelligence.

So the courier station became a hotpot restaurant.

......

Days later.

"Huh? Wasn’t this a courier station before?"

A group of armed escorts halted outside the station—no, the hotpot restaurant.

"With tensions running high, we should head straight into the city."

"Precisely why we should gather intel before entering."

"Fair point."

"Then... are you sure this isn’t just because the smell is irresistible?"

The escort leader stared at the restaurant’s sign:

[Happy Lamb.]

After a moment, he nodded.

"We’ll stay here tonight."

As the escorts stepped inside, a wave of lively chatter engulfed them.

This newly opened hot pot restaurant is doing such booming business?