I Have a Dice Left by a God

Chapter 591 - 183: I’ve Lived My Life on Thin Ice

Li Xin had been pondering this as well. If Qi Badao disappears for too long, the Hundred Martial Hall will surely become suspicious. However, returning would be extremely risky for Qi Badao, and currently, the awkward part is that the Shadow Owl does not care about matters related to the Hundred Martial Hall; in that case, risking his life would be meaningless for Qi Badao.Ironically, the Church Court’s task for the Shadow Owl is to catch Justice’s Little Flayer, disregarding the Hundred Martial Hall’s numerous crimes. The intricacies here are plentiful. The Hundred Martial Hall has significant influence in the Li Long United Kingdom as a locally emergent force, the only gap being the absence of a significant figure like the Pope. In terms of power, they are not inferior, and the Shadow Owl would be crushed on impact.

To simply assume the Church Court will stand by them is naive. God knows what kind of interests and deals are involved here. The matter has dragged on for so long that those who should know do know, yet all pretend not to; this is a major issue.

Jiang Wu was not anxious; he quietly watched Li Xin deliberate, "Captain, I’d like to know Qi Badao’s thoughts. Additionally, is there any method to help Qi Badao control his bloodthirsty desire?"

The Church Court raises worms perhaps even more proficiently than the Hundred Martial Hall; if they say there is no method, he wouldn’t believe it.

"There is, but it’s only auxiliary; it fundamentally relies on himself," Jiang Wu smiled. "This is a secret amongst us. Here’s a bottle of magic potion which can be taken when control is impossible."

Seeing the black bottle Jiang Wu retrieved from the drawer, Li Xin gratefully accepted it, "Captain, I don’t know what to say, thank you."

"Among us Night Patrol, brotherly loyalty is paramount. You handle Qi Badao fully," Jiang Wu said. "The Little Flayer’s case is indeed troublesome. I plan to apply to the Metropolitan to let other Night Patrol handle it."

"Captain, I still want to continue handling this case. Since the Metropolitan handed it to us, the Shadow Owl should see it through to the end," Li Xin suddenly said.

Jiang Wu was taken aback, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Captain, I am sure. Of course, I won’t create additional issues; I’ll just focus on the culprit," Li Xin said.

Li Xin’s response somewhat surprised Jiang Wu, but he didn’t say much, only advising him either to not start or to do it well.

Leaving the captain’s room, Li Xin temporarily changed his mind about continuing the case partly because Qi Badao was involved, necessitating further investigation, and partly due to his desire to understand the "murderer’s" intent; during this process, he might discover the source of hidden power.

Regarding Jiang Wu, Li Xin found it hard to comprehend. He seemed to be excluding him during case investigations, yet in matters with Lu Shuai and others today, he was notably considerate. Li Xin decided to act according to his conscience, disliking half-efforts.

Returning to the underground room, only Old Tuo remained, quietly filing his nails as if crafting artworks, occasionally glancing at Qi Badao on the bed. Old Tuo is both a coroner and a renowned Funeral Master in Dragon Capital; it is said the deceased he sends off look alive during burial.

"Old Tuo, wake him up," Li Xin said.

Old Tuo pressed Qi Badao’s neck, causing him to awaken as if just rescued from water, gasping heavily; his emotions eased upon seeing Li Xin.

"Alright, we’ve checked you; let’s go," Li Xin said.

Qi Badao swiftly sat up from the bed, although aching all over, he dared not speak much or look around. He wished to leave as soon as possible as only Li Xin treated him as a human; the others’ glances were unsettling, especially this person, looking at him like a corpse, ghastly.

Leaving the Shadow Owl, Li Xin and Qi Badao visited a small tavern, ordering a large serving of dumplings and a bottle of wine. Qi Badao was famished, devouring them in large bites, having seemingly accepted the ghostly entity within him.

A mouthful of dumpling, a gulp of wine, devoured a large bowl happily, wiped his mouth, spat out a heavy breath, and asked manfully, "Brother Li, tell me, how long can I live?"

Li Xin deeply admired Qi Badao’s mentality, "How long you live depends on yourself; you might suddenly kick the bucket while walking. Any last words?"

Stunned for three seconds, Qi Badao deflated like a punctured balloon; his resolve to heroically sacrifice was instantly shattered.

"Last words, guess I should prepare carefully," Qi Badao reflected, "I’ve tread carefully my whole life; finally climbed from the Underground City to Dragon Capital, and just readied to make a big splash... sigh."

Li Xin couldn’t help laughing, hurriedly gesturing to stop, "Stop, save your lengthy sermon for your epitaph. That’s just one possibility. If you can control the worm, far from dying, you’ll gain the hidden power you’ve longed for."

"What? That’s possible?" Qi Badao exclaimed, mouth agape in disbelief.

Li Xin said, "The worm in your body is modified; once raised to a certain extent, it will metamorphose into an Original Embryo, the primitive form of a Divine Relic, enhancing power and lifespan, stepping onto the path of cultivation, becoming a true extraordinary being. Haven’t you always envied this?"

In a nondescript corner, they discussed astounding matters; Qi Badao’s eyes widened, erasing his earlier despair, "Brother Li, are you saying I’ve practically set foot on the doorstep of the hidden path?"

"You sure know a lot."

"Hehe, I also have dreams," Qi Badao was immediately enthused, speaking excitedly, gangsters licking blood off blades, aren’t afraid of death, but fear lost opportunities, "Looks like this worm is a treasure, dangerous and ugly is just right, I’m not good-looking anyway."

Qi Badao is sharp-minded; he instantly understood the crux. As he said, he worked diligently, and the Hundred Martial Hall had no reason to extinguish him without cause, even knowing his ties with the Night Patrol. Nowadays, who doesn’t have connections and backing?

"Good that you know. It’s a secret; if spread, you’ll be silenced. This matter is wide-reaching, currently unclear the Hundred Martial Hall’s true intent, so you must be careful," Li Xin added, dampening Qi Badao’s excitement.

"Hehe, I get it!" Qi Badao eagerly nodded, "The source of hidden power turns out to be the worm, does that mean our power fundamentally originates from the abyss?"

Li Xin knew Qi Badao was perceptive, not expecting him to reach this level, "I can’t answer that question, but being too smart isn’t good."

When first arriving in this world, Li Xin considered the abyss unforgivable, but as his understanding of hidden power grew, the Church Court also harnessed abyssal power. Of course, power is indifferent to righteousness; who it belongs to is key, yet such understanding here is heretical; best understood and kept private.

"That’s why I’m with you. Usually, I play dumb well," Qi Badao rubbed his hands, feeling a strange thrill, "This world is truly ridiculous."