Chapter 117: The Fundraising Event

Ao Xi returned to the headquarters, brimming with excitement: "Another death? How many died? Where did it happen?"

Cecil wore an expression that asked what on earth he was talking about: "Can't you ever hope for something good?"

"Don't be ridiculous. What good could possibly happen in Los Angeles?"

"You have a point there." Cecil paused. "We’re going to help keep the peace this afternoon. The police department is hosting a neighborhood weekend and summer carnival at the plaza on the corner of Venice and Keystone Boulevards."

Fang Fei had not expected her plan, so meticulously crafted, to still have its traces discovered by Feng Qianzhan. He had actually been prepared. Still, she was no pushover; she had poured her heart and soul into staging this spectacular performance.

"No problem, no problem at all. I’ll arrange the transfer right now," the director said, heading off to handle the paperwork.

Apart from the floor numbers, the layout of every level was nearly identical, like watching a familiar video recording on repeat, leaving nothing but the mechanical, tedious task of searching.

With every step he took, the short, stout man had to gasp and gulp in a mouthful of fresh air.

The conversation during the meal also touched on wedding arrangements. Consequently, both Zhu Zhu and Lin Guozhi would need to find new people to serve as their maid of honor and best man.

Although she wasn't particularly famous, her acting skills were solid, and with her delicate features and stubborn personality, she bore a certain resemblance to the character Mu Wanqing in the play, making her performance meet his requirements quite well.

Although both sides were nearly exhausted, neither had the ability to deliver a fatal blow to the other.

"Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, check her face!" Feng Qianzhan’s face was as dark as coal now. If it was truly a fake, it seemed certain; he could only hope to find the whereabouts of Gong Moli through her.

After the two exchanged another blow, a narrow rift in space tore open beneath their feet, and they were blasted back hundreds of miles. Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, the fighting spirit in Yang Jie’s eyes burned even brighter. He slowly raised his right hand, which had recovered as if nothing had happened, and clenched it tightly, causing the very turbulence of time and space to show signs of collapsing.

The Crown Prince wanted to say more but hesitated. After a long moment, he couldn't hold it back and asked, "Have you thought this through?" Before his words had faded, his chest felt as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer; a wave of heat rose in his throat, and he nearly vomited blood—a backlash from the Heavenly Dao.

All seven billion humans on Earth had entered the trial space, and this shopkeeper was no exception. Naturally, he knew the value of the trial space copper coins, so he kept shaking his head, insisting it was impossible, simply impossible.

Immediately, the group set off together, putting aside their current tasks to rush to the Ministry of Justice to interrogate Chen Hongfan.

Upon hearing this, the Ghost Douluo nodded. As a Super Douluo, his speed was rarely matched by his peers; if he were determined to kill or flee, it would take at least two level-95 Super Douluos to hold him back.

Li Qinghou chuckled. He, too, was curious about what secrets the Seven Mansions of the Azure Dragon held, given the ethereal legend that "whoever obtains them shall rule the world." The key was that many warlords and powerhouses actually believed it to be true.

Two days later, Cao Bianjiao and his men arrived at Pingshan Hollow, less than twenty miles north of Gaizhou, to take cover. They had not been discovered throughout the journey, and they felt very fortunate; had the enemy scouts detected them beforehand, escaping would have been no easy feat.

The commander of the Deng-Lai Navy was Liu Wuyuan, a defector from the Ming Dynasty. Originally a guerrilla general of the Ming who had assisted Zu Dashou in defending Dalinghe, he surrendered alongside Zu Dashou after the Battle of Dalinghe. He was granted the rank of Canling and the hereditary title of Third-Class Light Chariot Captain. Because a suitable candidate for the Deng-Lai region could not be found at the time, he was made the interim garrison commander of Laizhou to lead the naval forces.

Just as some have joked: I thought you could shield me from the wind and rain, only to find that all the wind and rain came from you.

They did not stay in Yanting for long; it was not a place to settle. They had no choice but to escort Zhang Xianzhong’s remains back to Chengdu. There were still thirty thousand troops in Chengdu, along with sufficient supplies and weaponry, allowing them to hold the city and wait for the situation to change.