Chapter 88 - Conversation with Lando

Chapter 88: Chapter 86 Conversation with Lando"Feeling better?" Lando had just woken up from meditation when Lu Hong’s concerned greeting rang in her ears, instantly warming her heart.

"Mm, much better." With a slight blush, Lando wrapped her arms around Lu Hong’s neck and breathed softly, "My little man, you’re really making me like you more and more."

"Stop." Seeing Lando about to kiss him, Lu Hong quickly turned his face away, "Now’s not the time for us to be romantic."

"But there’s no one around. Let’s kiss." Lu Hong couldn’t resist this sultry beauty, and the two immediately locked in a passionate embrace.

"Pah! Scumbag!" Before Lu Hong could savor the moment, he heard Lai Li’s disdainful voice—she must’ve been peeping.

"Why? I’m having fun with my man, what’s it to you?" Though these words were secretly communicated to Lu Hong by Lai Li using a special method, Lando’s exceptional abilities meant she wasn’t fooled by this little trick.

"Hmph!" Lai Li didn’t argue back. If it weren’t for this woman having an affair with Lu Hong, she would have killed her long ago.

"Alright, alright, let’s get down to business." Lu Hong lost interest after being interrupted by Lai Li and swiftly brought up official matters.

"What do you want to know?" Lando knew Lu Hong must have many questions and didn’t try to beat around the bush.

"Why did you come to catch Nono?" Lu Hong started with the most recent issue.

"That’s a long story," Lando began after pondering, "I can’t go into the details with you, but essentially, someone wanted the main line of the Xia family to end, so they hired our hell cult to act. However, Ze Xiu and I discussed it, and some people can’t be fully trusted, so we had to keep some leverage."

"So instead of killing Nono outright, you chose to capture her."

"You’re so clever, little man." Lando touched Lu Hong’s face with her lips.

"Yeah, yeah. So, tell me, how badly has your hell cult damaged the Xia family?"

"Well," Lando started, "it’s not much, really. We just singled out and eliminated members of the main line. The subsequent battles were all retaliation from the Xia family against us."

"It’s not that simple, is it? I’ve heard that most of the news from the north has been blocked. If your hell cult didn’t make a big fuss, why is information from the imperial northern defenses so scarce?" Upon hearing her, Lu Hong felt that Lando’s answer didn’t add up with the information he had previously encountered.

"Do you think I’d lie to you? That’s how it really is. As for the blockage of northern news that you mentioned, it wasn’t us. Our hell cult has only tens of millions of followers since its establishment. How could we have the power to block the entire imperial northern realm?"

"You call that just millions of followers?" Lu Hong retorted, irritated by the mentality.

"It’s not that many." Lando pouted, "Most of our followers aren’t in God’s Grace. Our ten million followers don’t even compare to a hair on the head of the Eight Great Families."

"Yes, yes, you’re right." Lu Hong found Lando’s answers frustrating, "So, how much longer do you plan to wreak havoc on the imperial north?"

"It’s already over. Our mission was just to assassinate the main lineage of the Xia family. As I just told you, the subsequent warfare was all about the Xia family retaliating against us. We were just defending ourselves. Don’t think our hell cult is that unreasonable; we wouldn’t dare touch the fierce Snowy forces in the northern region. Even without their main lineage, the Xia family isn’t wiped out and at present won’t affect the imperial border defense."

Lando continued, knowing what Lu Hong was concerned about: "And let me assure you, our hell cult leader Ze Xiu has already personally visited the Snowy Region and warned the Snow Master that if they dare to invade the empire now, our cult will fight them to the death."

After hearing Lando’s explanation, Lu Hong remarked, "I didn’t expect your cult to actually have such noble sentiments. But does Ze Xiu’s threat work?"

"It works. As a reactionary force within the empire, our hell cult doesn’t enjoy the empire’s divine protection, so the wars we engage in aren’t considered national wars. Think about it—Ze Xiu’s at the Third Transition Peak, and if he unleashed a Demon army to invade the Snowy Region, we may not be invincible, but hit and run attacks, who can afford that?"

"Why don’t you use that tactic in the empire then?" Lu Hong asked curiously.

Lando clenched her small, tender fist and smacked Lu Hong fiercely, saying indignantly, "Haven’t I told you? We simply have different ideals. The empire is our homeland too."

"Okay, I pretty much understand now." Lu Hong nodded. If the hell cult, as Lando claims, hasn’t done too much to damage the imperial northern territory, this was indeed great news. But on the other hand, just who had the power to seal off news from the entire northern frontier?

"Okay, my little man, it’s time to say goodbye." Lando left Lu Hong’s embrace with a hint of attachment.

"You’re leaving?"

"What else? Should I go back with you?" Lando laughed, "This mission wasn’t completed, so I need to report back immediately and discuss the next steps with Ze Xiu."

"Will you face severe punishment?" Lu Hong was actually quite worried about what might happen to Lando once she returned.

"You’re worried about me?" Lando blinked playfully at Lu Hong.

"Obviously."

"Don’t worry, I’m the Vice Sect Hierarch of the hell cult, who can punish me?" Saying this, Lando drew a sign on Lu Hong’s palm with a trail of blood from a ribbon on her dress: "Little man, if you miss me, draw this symbol with red paint next to the city’s potion shop; if my people get the message, I will come to see you within three days."

"Okay." Lu Hong closely observed the symbol on his hand, committing it to memory.

"Then goodbye." Lando hugged Lu Hong again and gave him a kiss before contentedly stepping into the air and vanishing into the vast forest.

"Don’t look anymore, your sweetheart has already left." Lai Li, with an unhappy expression, emerged from the woods dragging the still unconscious Nono.

"Ha ha, isn’t the term ’sweetheart’ a bit inappropriate?" Lu Hong chuckled sheepishly and said, "Sorry for making you wait so long."

"Are you blaming me for interrupting your tryst?" Lai Li teased while looking at Lu Hong, "I’m really curious about how you got tangled up with the Vice Sect Hierarch of the Hell Sect."

"It’s a long story when the child’s without a mother; just don’t ask," said Lu Hong, certainly not wanting to divulge the details of how he was caught.

"But she’s from the Hell Sect, and she’s the Vice Sect Hierarch. You’re not unaware that with such relationships, all that they can bring to each other is pain," Lai Li spoke with the air of someone who had been there, a loathsome smirk on her face.

"Let’s take it one step at a time and not worry about that for now. Let’s just take Nono back to town."

"Fine." Lai Li opened a Teleportation Scroll, and the three of them returned to Caesar’s basement.

"The familiar scene always gives one an extra sense of safety." Having returned successfully, Lu Hong finally showed a content smile.

"You’re familiar with nothing; this is my home." Lai Li handed Nono over to Lu Hong, "Follow me upstairs."

As the familiar launching door triggered, a painful howl echoed throughout the inn.

"Lock Fan?" Lai Li, of course, identified the source of the voice and quickly exited through the secret passage.

She searched around and finally found Lock Fan clutching his nose and rolling on Lai Li’s bed, clearly having had an intimate encounter with the ceiling courtesy of the launching bed.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch..." Lock Fan continued to roll in pain while Lai Li quickly pulled out a healing potion, ready to apply it.

"Wait, wait a minute." Lu Hong grabbed Lai Li, "He’s not even at Second Transition; using the potion too soon won’t be good for him."

"It’s just once; it won’t hurt." Lai Li still opened the potion.

"He’s already used one before." Lu Hong remembered that back in Tuzhui City, Lock Fan had drunk a healing potion.

"Well, then..." Having already used it once, Lai Li found no excuses this time and ultimately decided to put the potion away.

"Lock Fan, does it still hurt?" Lai Li sat beside him, asking in a gentle voice.

"Yeow, it hurts, hurts? Huh? Xiaoxiao? You’re back? I’m not dreaming, am I?" Originally writhing in pain, the moment Lock Fan heard Lai Li’s voice, he was filled with joy, completely ignoring the near break of his own nose.

"Yes, I’m back." Lai Li smiled looking at Lock Fan, who still looked as silly as ever.

"You’ve been gone these past few days, and I’ve learned a few new dishes. Are you tired from your journey? Was it hard? Next time, let me handle it. You shouldn’t run around; it’s not safe for a girl. Also, there’s more..."

Listening to Lock Fan’s ceaseless rambling, Lai Li found herself not the least bit irritated, peacefully listening by his side, occasionally nodding in agreement.

Great, another pair of lovebirds, tsk tsk, I’d better not watch anymore. Carrying Nono, Lu Hong exited through the side door just as Caesar was counting Gold Coins obsessively in the hall.

Sensing the commotion at the side door, Caesar knew Lai Li and Lu Hong had returned.

Although Caesar didn’t look up, he noticed the injury to Lai Li’s eyes, "Who hurt my daughter?" His tone was extremely grim, a murderous intent spreading that chilled Lu Hong to the bone.

"That, uh..." Lu Hong didn’t know how to explain, knowing he’d be blamed no matter what.

"Don’t blame him, it was my own impulsiveness," said Lai Li. Although she was in the room, like Caesar, a mere door could not block her senses.

"I’ve told you to not make trouble when you’re out, don’t make trouble," Caesar chided his daughter, though his method of expressing concern was still so rough.

"I don’t want you worrying about me!" Lai Li snorted and dragged Lock Fan to her feet, "Let’s go out for a walk."

"But, wasn’t it your eyes just now? Xiaoxiao, what happened to your eyes?" Lock Fan curiously stared at Lai Li, genuinely failing to notice anything wrong with her eyes.

Lai Li’s eyes looked no different after some basic treatment, but in reality, she was still blind, always using the Eyes of the Soul instead of her real eyes.

"Why do you care so much? Are you saying you don’t want to go on a date with me?" Lai Li deflected.

"Date, date, a date?" Lock Fan was suddenly overwhelmed by happiness, but no, calm down, Lock Fan! Don’t let her look down on you!

"Isn’t this too fast, Xiaoxiao?" Lock Fan said awkwardly.

"Hmph!" Lai Li, so angered she almost fainted, stamped her foot and stormed out of the inn.

"Don’t just stand there, go after her! If my daughter gets even slightly mistreated out there, boy, you’d better be ready to dive into a hot pot!" Caesar slammed his hand on the table fiercely, and Lock Fan, snapping back to reality, hurried after her, "Xiaoxiao, slow down, wait for me!"