Chapter 86

Chapter 1: Landinburg

Stepping forward, Ye Qi felt the intoxicating sea breeze as he walked down the main street of Landinburg after several days of travel. Even from a distance, he could still hear the faint sound of the waves—of course, Landinburg was not the largest port in the Bay Area; that honor belonged to Sarsport. However, Landinburg was the most prosperous place in the Bay Area.

For hundreds of years, Landinburg had served as a military fortress, overlooking the entire Bay Area. Even after several centuries, the main streets still retained the military structures of that time—stone fortresses and towering arrow towers were everywhere. However, these structures, having lost their original functions, had been repurposed by shrewd merchants and became must-visit spots for photos and unique shops in Landinburg.

The Bay Area Demon Hunters' Guild branch was located on a pedestrian street in Landinburg, not in the most bustling area, but in a section closer to the city center—a three-story building at the corner of the street. It was no different from the other two- or three-story buildings in the city, except that the specially decorated walls and facade retained a touch of ancient simplicity and unique elegance. The large floor-to-ceiling windows brought ample sunlight into the building, showing that the previous head had put considerable effort into the selection and arrangement.

Standing at the entrance, Ye Qi carefully examined the place and nodded in satisfaction—owning a three-story building in this area was quite unexpected. The building and location were far superior to any other Demon Hunters' Guild branch he had seen, even the Old Man's Bar run by the unscrupulous merchant couldn't compare.

"Hello, I am Theodore, the previous head of the Bay Area!" A pale-faced man walked out of the building, introducing himself with a stiff tone. Then, with a stern face, he extended his hand to Ye Qi: "Can I see your appointment letter?"

"Sure!"

Ye Qi casually handed over the appointment letter from headquarters but did not introduce his plans—although the other party did not say it outright, his pale expression and stiff tone clearly showed his reluctance. Anyone who was suddenly transferred from a position they had worked hard for would feel the same. Therefore, Ye Qi would not seek to ingratiate himself with the other party. As for feelings of guilt, Ye Qi had none; after all, he had come here against his will, hadn't he?

After exchanging the appointment letter back to Ye Qi, the other party left without even a word. Ye Qi, in turn, stepped into the building—the transition of the Bay Area head was thus completed in a swift and silent manner.

The clean and tidy first-floor hall, second-floor private rooms, and third-floor bedroom made Ye Qi frown as he inspected the entire building—everything was too clean and tidy, with not a single piece of furniture or decoration left behind. Even the electrical outlets on the walls were gone, leaving only two bare wires hanging limply.

Silent revenge? Or protest?

Standing in the empty first-floor hall, Ye Qi's lips curled into a mocking smile. He then took out his phone and called the stern-faced man—his new identity was now the head of the Bay Area Demon Hunters' Guild, representing the Demon Hunters' Guild. Some matters did not need to trouble him; he could report them to headquarters with justification, such as the lack of necessary startup funds.

"The place is great, but it's a bit empty! Apart from the necessary documents, there isn't even a single chair!" Ye Qi described the situation to the stern-faced man with a seemingly helpless tone: "Although I want to complete the tasks assigned by headquarters, the current situation makes it difficult..."

"How much do you need?" The stern-faced man cut off Ye Qi's feigned helplessness and got straight to the point: "As the head of the branch, you can allocate up to 3000 gold pence annually!"

"Send it all to me!"

Ye Qi was even more direct—since he was now the head of the Bay Area Demon Hunters' Guild, he would enjoy the benefits that came with the power while fulfilling his duties. Ye Qi was not the type to work diligently for the Demon Hunters' Guild at the expense of himself.

After hanging up with the stern-faced man, Ye Qi put up a "Closed for Business" sign on the door—without furniture or supplies, even the usually unparticular Demon Hunters would likely complain loudly.

"Knock, knock..."

"Sorry, we're closed today..." The knocking sound made Ye Qi, who was contemplating where to buy suitable furniture, look up. He was about to repeat the sign's message, but the other party had already walked in. Seeing the somewhat familiar face, Ye Qi frowned: "Who are you?"

"Oh, much better than I expected!" The blonde girl walked straight up to Ye Qi, looked him over, and made a playful comment. She then smiled at Ye Qi: "Have you already forgotten me, Ye Qi? If so, I would be very hurt! After all, I've been thinking about you nonstop for the past few months!"

"Should I say it's an honor? Miss Lilith, it's been a long time!"

Ye Qi shrugged and greeted her—after a brief recall, he remembered her identity: a Special Operations Unit member. However, he was curious as to why she was here—Ye Qi was not so narcissistic as to think she had followed him here. Besides, they had a history of enmity. Moreover, her smile, though still present, seemed forced, almost like she was gritting her teeth.

"Although I have nothing here, I don't think Miss Lilith would mind going out for a drink, right?" Facing her forced smile, Ye Qi, the gentleman, invited the blonde girl: "Of course, the location is up to you."

...

At an outdoor café in the center of Landinburg, the blonde girl picked up her cup and stirred it lightly, gesturing for Ye Qi to drink from his.

"Thank you." Ye Qi took a sip and then smiled, asking his question: "May I ask why Miss Lilith is in Landinburg?"

"Thanks to you!" The blonde girl propped her chin in her hand, half-closing her eyes as she looked at Ye Qi, her smile full of ambiguous meaning: "I've been promoted to the head of the Special Operations Unit in the Bay Area. I heard you are now the head of the Demon Hunters' Guild in the Bay Area? I think we will get along very well!"