Chapter 157

Chapter 157

"Wow."

After a hearty meal, Ji Xinghai, feeling refreshed and carrying the two children in one hand, ran and leaped across rooftops, covering dozens of meters in a single bound. He landed as gently as a feather, moving like a breeze.

Occasionally, someone getting up to work would catch a glimpse of a shadow flashing by, thinking they must be seeing things.

Ji Xinghai sped up, delivering the children to a platform in the slums before dawn. Then he turned around and went back to the prison, dragging out the drunken NPC by his neck.

The drunk was never really intoxicated; being carried for miles had completely sobered him up. Upon seeing the four missing children lying in the slums, he was fully awake.

"The city lord is dead. The city lord's wife was a giant squid, and after giving birth to some baby squids, she died too. These are the leftovers, probably from the orphanage. I think your organization should be able to take care of them. Goodbye."

With that, he started to leave.

"Hey, hey," the drunk grabbed him. Given Ji Xinghai's speed, once he left, there would be no stopping him. "Both the city lord and his wife are dead? How did they die? Did you do it? What about the fire seed?"

This person was so agitated that his voice trembled. His glowing eyes made Ji Xinghai feel like a mountain was about to crush him, so he refused.

"You can find out these details yourself. I'm just a passing merchant who will be leaving soon."

Without waiting for a response, he ran off, disappearing into the morning light in an instant.

No one could dump their responsibilities on him. Not a chance.

Although he had only been here for half a day, Ji Xinghai knew the city was about to descend into chaos.

The squid people, now controlling the upper echelons, would use the death of the city lord's family to target the hidden 'Fire Thieves.' Simultaneously, the 'Fire Thieves' would seek to establish a base.

Now was the perfect opportunity, with the city lord's death benefiting both sides.

Actually, based on the information from the city lord, calling them 'Fire Thieves' was inaccurate; they were more like 'Fire Protectors' or 'Revolutionaries.'

But currently, they were playing the antagonists, misunderstood by ordinary people.

However, none of this mattered to Ji Xinghai. He had no extra emotions to spare; he only wanted the fire seed.

There was another fragment in the city that strongly responded to the fire seed.

He went to the wealthy district, heading straight for the small mansion surrounded by the people's uproar. The city lord and others fabricated the theft of the fire seed to ensure the smooth birth of the squid people and to force the baroness to hand over her fire seed.

The city lord confirmed that the fire seed was undamaged and hidden in the baroness's mansion.

When Ji Xinghai arrived, the people surrounding the mansion had already engaged in a fight with the black-armored soldiers inside. One side had formidable military power, while the other had sheer numbers, leading to a mutual destruction scenario.

Some squid people hiding behind the black-armored soldiers looked worried, but their bright eyes betrayed their true intentions.

To say the least, despite humans being divided into several factions, these squid people were united in their survival.

He watched from the rooftop for a while. The black-armored soldiers, equipped with full military gear, easily overpowered the ordinary people, causing the civilians to retreat under the threat of death.

Ji Xinghai then took out the fire seed he had obtained earlier.

The large fire seed he had collected was stored in another dowry box, preventing it from merging with the other fragments.

The light from the fire seed pointed to several locations, but the signals were weak, unlike when it illuminated the sky upon finding the city lord's fire seed.

"No wonder the squid people couldn't find it; it must be hidden using special methods."

Ji Xinghai put away the fire seed and called out the werewolf, handing it the box containing the fire seed: "Smell this. Is there anything nearby with the same scent?"

Werewolf: ... You're really a dog.

Despite wanting to chop Ji Xinghai to pieces, the werewolf diligently found similar items and provided Ji Xinghai with a route map.

With the location of the fire seed confirmed, Ji Xinghai prepared to enter and search for treasure. However, an unexpected change occurred below.

It turned out that the woman in fine clothing gave an order, and several black-armored soldiers immediately restrained the squid people among the crowd. As the nobles began to panic and question the situation, a large basin of coarse salt was thrown at them, landing on their faces, hands, and necks.

"Aaaaaah—"

The squid people revealed their true forms under the coarse salt, causing those unaware to scream in terror.

"Do you see? Is this what you want to serve?"

The woman in fine clothing impaled a fleeing squid person with a trident and sprinkled more salt on its body when it tried to hypnotize her, disrupting its spell. She also stabbed it in a specific spot, preventing it from using its ultrasonic waves.

Though the squid person sprayed pheromones on the woman, she didn't care; today marked the beginning of their relentless battle.

"Do you still want to follow orders from such creatures?" she asked coldly, surveying the crowd. Some were terrified, some fearful, and some resentful.

She noted their reactions.

"So it can be done this way?" Ji Xinghai was surprised.

Indeed, if humans had no means to identify squid people, the squid people would have too much of an advantage. This kind of give-and-take made things interesting.

He didn't know whether the next move would be a call to clear the ranks or a declaration of revolution, but he had no curiosity; he only wanted the fire seed.

The commotion in the front yard drew most people's attention, allowing Ji Xinghai to sneak into the mansion smoothly. He walked all the way to... the master bedroom?

Impolite, impolite.

Ji Xinghai muttered to himself and took the fire seed and the box hidden in the wardrobe. This was another large fragment, similar in size to the one in the city lord's possession, but perfectly round instead of egg-shaped.

From the city lord's words, he had already learned that these fragments were originally angular when separated. However, the fire seeds could self-replicate, so the fragments grew larger and smoother over time.

This was also why the city lord was willing to let the aliens absorb the energy of the fire seeds for reproduction.

He did not genuinely want the city to enter a harsh winter.

Of course, it wasn't because he had a sense of responsibility or a conscience; rather, he couldn't bear to give up the power and status that came with being the city lord.

Just as he chose to collaborate with the squid people to leverage their influence in the kingdom's upper echelons, aiming to climb even higher. This country appeared to be a human nation, but in reality, it was on the verge of becoming a squid people's nation.

Perhaps, after the coronation of the king on the thirteenth day, the fire seeds would completely change color, turning into the squid people's color.

Since the world was already in winter, they temporarily didn't need the fire seeds for temperature regulation. Ji Xinghai took away the two largest fire seeds from the city without any burden.

If the students succeeded within thirteen days, they wouldn't need the fire seed fragments anymore.

And if the students failed, the fire seeds would no longer be needed either—since it would become a squid people's nation, how could human civilization continue?

As dawn broke, Ji Xinghai cracked his whip and rode off in a sled pulled by five sled dogs.

Due to being thrown around and unjustly imprisoned, his heart was deeply wounded, so he casually went to the city lord's mansion to seek compensation.

With no master at the city lord's mansion, he didn't bother them, taking what he needed himself.

Well, he left them with the load-bearing walls.

The outside world was covered in ice and snow, with intense ultraviolet rays reflecting off the snow into his eyes. He carved "snow goggles" out of bone, emulating ancient methods.

The glasses were tied to his head with strips of cloth, with narrow slits where the lenses should be.

This ancient wisdom effectively prevented snow blindness, though they were uncomfortable and limited vision, which he had to overcome.

"Let's go to the next city!"

Ji Xinghai no longer cared about small fire seeds; they were insignificant. So he headed towards the brightest light. Logic told him this was the direction of another city, and the fire seeds were calling to him.

Calculating, he determined that this fire seed had a connection with him.

Compared to previous instances, this simulation was large, but considering the duration, the distance was compressed. Thus, he left in the morning and entered the second city under the evening glow.

This city was more beautiful and prosperous than the previous one. As he walked through it, he saw two-story half-wood, half-stone houses on both sides, with shops below and residences above. The streets were filled with various goods, and merchants bustled about like fish.

However, they weren't happy; their faces lacked smiles, and even if there were any, they were forced. Everywhere, sighs and laments could be heard, and many were begging for loans.

Ji Xinghai, disguised as a small merchant, blended in perfectly, listening to conversations.

"The prices have risen again. After all the trouble coming here, I haven't earned anything and am still losing money. At this rate, we won't be able to afford black bread. White bread might as well be served on golden plates."

"We can't avoid buying, though. We can get wheat from other cities, but without salt, everyone will lack strength."

"It looks like we'll have to raise our prices too."

"It's already three hundred an ounce. If it keeps rising, salt will be more valuable than gold. Who can afford that? I don't have enough money to buy stock."

"Should we borrow some?"

The two merchants looked at each other and sighed.

Salt is that expensive?

Beside him, Ji Xinghai thought of the lady who used salt to expose the squid people. It seemed this method was unaffordable for most. That bowl of salt probably cost more than an ordinary person's lifetime earnings.

Among the crowd were students, possibly from the same academy, forming small groups. Though dressed like locals, their demeanor and behavior stood out, making them easily identifiable.

They noticed Ji Xinghai too, mostly because of his handsome appearance. He pretended not to notice, getting off his sled and browsing stalls, haggling while gathering information.

"This seems to be a commercial city. The city lord is like a mascot, but the chamber of commerce has some power. Now that the city lord's mansion can't find the fire seeds, I suspect they're hidden in the chamber of commerce."

The students whispered among themselves, having already scouted the area and not being first-timers.

Ji Xinghai perked up his ears. Their voices were low, but someone with keen hearing and focused attention could catch it.

"Let's investigate the chamber of commerce carefully. Be cautious, unlike those two before... The natives have peculiar abilities. They leave marks on targets, though we don't know what kind. Once marked, you become an enemy, facing constant restrictions and pursuit."

"Don't worry, I'll be careful."

Ji Xinghai naturally walked past the group of students, pulling the sled along the icy road.

Information from all directions entered his mind in a unique way.

This city, the largest outside the capital, had the largest fragment of fire seeds and possessed valuable salt and iron mines.

The former was essential for daily life, the latter for tools and weapons—all indispensable commodities.

Most importantly, this city rarely accepted refugees from nearby villages, so a few people controlled most resources, allowing them surplus for trade and improving their lives.

Over time, it became a second home for merchants, who couldn't stay long but could consolidate goods.

"If they don't accept refugees, what about non-refugees?" Ji Xinghai slipped a gold coin into the shopkeeper's hand, concealed by his long sleeves.

The short, plump shopkeeper's eyes lit up at the sight of gold. He glanced around: "If you're not a refugee, there are other ways to become one of us." He rubbed his fingers: "You need enough of this."

"A hundred gold coins?" Ji Xinghai deliberately mentioned a large sum for an ordinary person.

The shopkeeper rolled his eyes and withdrew his fingers: "A hundred gold coins? Dream on! At least ten thousand gold coins."

"Ten thousand gold coins for an identity, with no house, no land, and no mine?" Ji Xinghai drew in a breath, revealing a look of limited knowledge.

The shopkeeper shook his head smugly: "That’s right. Anyway, don’t even think about it. Buy more salt these days; it’s rumored that the price will go up."

"Why is the price going up? Is there less salt production?"

For the sake of that gold coin, the shopkeeper lowered his voice: "This isn’t something you should be concerned about. But remember one thing: if you don’t have enough money, buy less. Don’t borrow, especially not what you can’t pay back."

Ji Xinghai understood something and nodded obediently: "Alright, I won’t borrow."

If, due to some reason like ‘the debtor’s accidental death or the bond disappearing,’ the debt doesn’t need to be repaid, then it doesn’t count as borrowing, right?!