Chapter 107: An Inexplicable Call

Hu Mo realized his mistake immediately. He grabbed Hu Yihu and said with a smile, "Grandfather, how could I ever mean that? Please, sit a while longer; let us have a proper chat."

Hu Yihu chuckled and leaned back comfortably in his animal-hide chair, sighing with emotion. "It’s truly impressive. My grandson is remarkable. To have developed the Divine Mechanism Hall to this extent in such a short time—by comparison, an old man like me is truly useless!"

"The Marshal was always preoccupied with military affairs in the past, so naturally, there was no time to attend to these trivial matters. We old fellows have been far too lazy. It is truly shameful," Elder Li sighed, shaking his head with a look of deep apology.

Hu Mo smiled faintly and shook his head as well. "I only accelerated the development because I had some leisure time. If not for the support of you grandfathers and uncles, I don't know how difficult it would have been to do it alone. Grandfather, this is not the time to discuss such things. Do you have any good ideas? Your grandson's head is about to explode with anxiety."

"Do not rush, do not rush. A calm mind is most important. This matter is indeed not simple, but it is not without a solution. Since ancient times, politics and struggle have been ruthless. Everything revolves around interests. The Hu family is not declining; we are merely restraining our momentum, which is why we cannot yet influence the interests of those other clans. If we demonstrate our true strength, those families will weigh the pros and cons and should make some wise choices. As for the Emperor, I will find a way to sound him out. With the help of a few of my old friends, it should have some effect. Now that all the factions have gathered in Flame City, it brings great pressure, but it is also an opportunity. If our Hu family wants to truly stand tall again, this is an excellent chance." Hu Yihu stroked his beard, looking every bit the reclusive master.

Hu Mo lowered his head in thought, ruminating on Hu Yihu’s words. Suddenly, he looked up and asked in a low voice, "Grandfather, can Father’s matter be resolved as well?"

Hu Yihu’s expression changed instantly. The teacup in his hand crumbled into powder. The matter of Hu Meng had always been his deepest sorrow. For so many years, whenever he thought of it, his emotions would fluctuate violently.

His mood shifted from anger to grief, then from grief back to anger. Finally, he let out a bitter, helpless laugh and shook his head. "My dear grandson, do not bring this up again. We cannot fight against them."

Hu Yihu offered a bitter smile, stood up, and walked toward the door in silence.

"I have given you all the warnings I can. You are free to act as you see fit. This old man is going to play chess and drink tea, to enjoy my life and live freely. Hahahaha!" Hu Yihu laughed heartily and soon vanished from everyone's sight.

Hu Mo frowned, filled with confusion. He had no idea what had happened; even the archives of the Divine Mechanism Hall contained no records on the subject.

Elder Li’s expression shifted, and with a soft sigh, he prepared to leave with the others. Hu Mo, as if suddenly remembering something, called out, "Elder Li, could I trouble you for a moment?"

Elder Li paused, but he did not turn around. He simply shook his head and said, "Young Master, forgive me, but I cannot speak of this. The Marshal not telling you is for your own good. We would not dare to overstep our bounds. Please, Young Master, take a moment to be quiet. We are going to the War Room to discuss a strategy and will report back to you once we have decided."

Without waiting for Hu Mo’s response, the group disappeared quickly, leaving him standing there alone with one arm outstretched.

He gave a wry smile and muttered to himself, "Good grief, a single question drove everyone away. It seems this matter is truly not simple. Could it be that the father of this current life offended someone incredibly powerful? Sigh, how annoying!"

Hu Mo’s head throbbed again. He walked directly toward the door; sitting there in silence was simply a form of torture for him.

***

Once out of the Divine Mechanism Hall, Hu Mo felt a little more relaxed. Every time he came here, he would work tirelessly for days on end; he was surprisingly fanatical about his work.

As he relaxed, a sense of emptiness suddenly filled his heart. Several figures flashed through his mind. When the image of Zhu Xinyue appeared, he couldn't help but freeze, muttering to himself, "Why did I suddenly feel a longing for her? I couldn't have actually fallen for that girl, could I?"

Come to think of it, since that last incident, Zhu Xinyue had not appeared. It was said that Zhu Yan had flown into a rage and placed a ban on all the princesses except for Zhu Xinluo and Zhu Xinshui. For a time, the entire Flame City was in a state of panic, and the original defensive forces had been raised by several levels.

Zhu Xinyue had naturally become a caged bird. Even though she begged Zhu Yan every day, he would not budge. Consequently, the young playboys in Flame City began to praise the Emperor’s wisdom, and they had become much more rampant than before.

Hu Mo shook his head with a bitter smile. "What am I thinking? Sigh, so many things remain unresolved; how can I have the heart to think of this?"

Walking down the street, Hu Mo’s soul power spread out quite naturally. The previous incident had left him with lingering fears. Although he was confident in his cultivation, caution was always the best policy, and his vigilance had naturally increased significantly.

"Come and see! Top-quality battle beasts, high quality and low price! Don't miss out as you pass by!"

"Battle beasts for cheap sale! A pity if you don't come!"

"Grand clearance sale! Buy three get one free, buy five get two free! A chance that will not come again!"

Before he knew it, Hu Mo had walked into the Flame City battle beast market. This was the largest exchange for battle beasts in the Skyfire Empire, with no fewer than ten thousand beasts traded daily. However, most were below the fifth rank; anything higher required going to the Ten Thousand Beast Pavilion, which was also the highest-spec venue for battle beast trading in the empire.

"Oh? Little Brother Hu, you finally have time to visit. You said you’d come to support my business a few days ago, but those few days turned into a few months! Hahaha..." A middle-aged man with a bloated, greasy face walked toward Hu Mo, clutching a pair of twin girls in his arms; they were young, budding, and stunningly beautiful.

Hu Mo hated seeing such scenes. He muttered inwardly, "It’s like a plant's reproductive organ stuck into the excrement of a horned ungulate!"

Despite this thought, he was well aware that in this world, if one possessed any of three things, they could live arrogantly for a lifetime: powerful martial prowess, extraordinary authority, or immense wealth.

The disgusting fat man before him was Wang Baiwan, the richest man in Flame City. His main source of wealth was the trade of battle beasts. He alone controlled nearly forty percent of the battle beast business in the entire Skyfire Empire, which was why he was known as the God of Wealth Wang.

He was wealthy, indeed, but it was common knowledge that this fellow was greedy and lecherous. Before Hu Mo had taken over this body, the original Hu Mo had been on excellent terms with Wang Baiwan, and the two had committed countless sordid acts together.

If Hu Mo hadn't been thinking about it, he wouldn't have remembered those past events at all, and he had even forgotten this fellow’s existence. But now, seeing Wang Baiwan and making the connection, he was suddenly overcome by a strong urge to vomit.

***

"What's wrong? Little Brother Hu, why is your complexion so poor? I heard you were possessed by evil spirits last time—don't tell me it's true. Sigh, heaven is truly jealous of talent! Why must men like us—talented, virtuous, and invincible in our handsomeness—suffer such jealousy from the heavens? Xiaorou, go comfort Young Master Hu later and help him ward off the evil spirits." Wang Baiwan said with a grin, pushing the girl on his left toward Hu Mo, then grabbing Hu Mo’s arm and pulling him closer.

Hu Mo was still stunned and about to push him away when his soul power suddenly fluctuated. A strange feeling washed over him, as if someone were calling to him.

"What is this feeling? Who is calling me?" Hu Mo thought to himself. As he turned his head, he saw Wang Baiwan’s massive, pancake-like face, grinning at him with yellow teeth.

"Little Brother Hu, see this? Both of these are virgins who volunteered to serve me. They are perfect for nourishing the yin and replenishing the yang—the best choice for driving away evil spirits. Hehe, don't thank me. We’re like brothers; helping each other is only natural." Wang Baiwan said happily, his breath so foul that it nearly knocked Hu Mo unconscious.

Hu Mo had intended to shake him off and leave, but he couldn't stop thinking about the calling he’d just felt. The strange sensation caused his curiosity to swell uncontrollably.

Hu Mo inadvertently pushed the delicate, cute twin girls back and said with a smile, "Brother Wang is too kind. However, I have just recovered from a serious illness and should not drain my yang. You are physically strong, brother; it is better for you to enjoy them together."

When Xiaorou heard Hu Mo say this, her heart turned cold. In truth, they had both been abducted from out of town by Wang Baiwan. To possess them, Wang Baiwan had captured their parents and brothers. Forced by his lewd power and the need to save their family, they had no choice but to submit.

Just a moment ago, when Xiaorou was pushed toward Hu Mo, she had felt a flicker of hope. Although she didn't know who Hu Mo was, his appearance and temperament were a thousand times better than Wang Baiwan’s. But now, being cast aside by Hu Mo, her heart felt as if it had fallen into a cold abyss, and her entire body began to tremble.

Wang Baiwan was stunned, his eyes fixed on Hu Mo. "I say, little brother, you haven't been sick into stupidity, have you? You can resist such beauty? Recovering from a serious illness is the perfect time to celebrate with some joy! Oh... I see. You think it's too few. Xiaolan, you go and keep Young Master Hu company too. Hehe, little brother, consider it a gift from your elder brother."

Wang Baiwan shoved hard, and both girls fell into Hu Mo’s arms. Hu Mo was about to refuse, but when he saw the pitiful expressions on the two girls' faces, he quickly understood the situation. He sighed inwardly, his heart softening, and he said with a laugh, "Brother Wang, you certainly know me well! Then I won't be overly modest. Hahaha..."

Wang Baiwan thumped Hu Mo heavily on the shoulder and roared with laughter. "Trying to hide things from your elder brother? You’re still too green! Why did you come to find me today? Are you looking to buy some battle beasts to play with? I have a new batch of goods here—very interesting, oh!"

Wang Baiwan said with a lewd glint in his eyes. Hu Mo was slightly taken aback, and remembering the calling he had felt earlier, he couldn't help but smile. "Good! Then I shall go take a look at Brother Wang’s new goods. I trust they will be very interesting."