Chapter Seventy-Four: A Bountiful Harvest

“Paradise Hall, you need to be cautious,” came the butler’s voice in Qin Yang’s mind just as he lay down to rest.

Startled, Qin Yang’s consciousness slipped into the realm of Hell, where the butler awaited him with a grave expression. “These people might not be as simple as they seem.”

“They’re just a group trafficking in cultural relics, stealing a few jewels along the way. What’s there to be wary of? There are countless gangs like this worldwide—think of all the tomb raiding rings back home. What’s so special about them?” Qin Yang asked in confusion.

The butler shook his head. “But have you considered that among the items they steal, there may be something you desire?”

“Hm?” Qin Yang was taken aback, but then realization dawned. “You mean spiritual energy?”

“Exactly. The older and more obscure the artifact or jewel, the more spiritual energy it contains,” the butler said solemnly. “Given that their targets are such objects, and considering the name of their organization, it’s not hard to imagine who founded it.”

“You mean the Emissary of Paradise?” Qin Yang asked quickly.

The butler shook his head again. “From what I sense, the Emissary of Paradise has been present in this world for far longer than ten years. The founder of Paradise Hall is likely another emissary from a different spirit world.”

“What? You mean there are other spirit worlds besides me and Paradise?” Qin Yang exclaimed in shock.

“Of course,” the butler replied impatiently, as though Qin Yang were an imbecile. “Heaven and Hell are the highest realms, but beyond them, there are several lesser spirit realms, though their presence is rare. Paradise Hall may well have been created by the Emissary of the Spirit Realm, collecting relics and jewels to absorb their spiritual energy. But all this is speculation. Still, it pays to be cautious—if you disrupt their plans, they may well mark you. Remember, if you’re killed by an emissary, there’s no hope of resurrection.”

“How much else are you hiding from me?” Qin Yang asked through gritted teeth.

The butler pondered for a moment. “Everything I can reveal in first-level Hell, I have. To know more, you’ll have to upgrade to second-level Hell.”

“So if you told me now, you’d die?” Qin Yang asked, disgruntled.

“I have no idea,” the butler admitted helplessly. “I’d tell you if I could, but I genuinely don’t know. Only after reaching second-level Hell will I understand.”

Seeing the butler’s genuine frustration, Qin Yang decided not to press further. He left the realm of Hell and promptly fell into a deep sleep. He had no idea how long he slept; only when the sunlight stung his eyes did he blearily blink at the covers. Squinting, he saw Qi Mengwei standing by the window, gazing at the scenery outside. He gave a wry smile. “What time is it?”

“It’s already half past eleven,” Qi Mengwei replied, resigned. “Get up—everyone’s waiting for you to eat lunch.”

“Alright.” Qin Yang stretched and yawned. He glanced at Qi Mengwei and gestured toward the door; she blushed and slipped out. He quickly got dressed and went to the kitchen, where Gao Xiaolan had already finished preparing lunch. Han Dongxue was sitting at the table, chopsticks in hand, drooling as she frequently swallowed her saliva. “Xiaolan, is it ready? I’m starving to death.”

“Hey, didn’t you go out with Old Man Han? Why are you back today?” Qin Yang asked, puzzled, taking a seat across from Han Dongxue.

Han Dongxue scoffed. “I can’t stand the food outside; it’s terrible, nothing like Xiaolan’s cooking.”

“Well, aren’t you the picky one,” Qin Yang teased.

“I’m not in the mood to bicker with you,” Han Dongxue shot back, rolling her eyes. “Also, shut that foul mouth of yours. Nobody will mistake you for a mute if you stay quiet.”

“If you cover your ears, no one will think you’re deaf,” Qin Yang countered.

While the two quarreled, Qi Mengwei and Gao Xiaolan brought out the food. Qi Mengwei was puzzled by the sheer quantity—enough to last ten days—but Gao Xiaolan could only give a shy, helpless smile. When they began to eat, Qi Mengwei’s confusion was resolved: it turned out Qin Yang had upgraded his appetite into that of a bottomless pit.

Watching him devour his meal like a starving ghost, Han Dongxue couldn’t help but remark, “You look like you’ve been reincarnated from the hungry dead.”

Qin Yang ignored her and continued eating. After polishing off most of the food, he stood up and said, “I have to head back to Jianghai City this afternoon. I’ll probably be there for a couple of days.”

After leaving home, Qin Yang first called Ji Liehu, then hurried to the Golden Pavilion.

“Old Qin, this time it’s really a win-win,” Ji Liehu said excitedly as soon as he saw Qin Yang. “Do you know how much we made last night?”

“How much?” Qin Yang asked, curious.

Cao Long lit a cigar and took a deep drag, his excitement barely contained. “Preliminary estimates put it at over fifty million. And that’s just from what we seized from Cao Xianhu’s side. I haven’t even factored in the drugs, but their value is definitely not less than fifty million. In fact, because of this uproar, the entire supply of drugs to the Southeast Province will be cut off. If we play our cards right, selling them for over sixty million won’t be a problem. It’s basically money for nothing.”

“What about Cao Xianhu?” Qin Yang asked.

Ji Liehu grinned. “I beat him half to death and Sun Qi’s people arrested him. That woman’s a real firecracker—if we hadn’t left in time, we’d have been in trouble too.”

“Did you leave any evidence behind?” Qin Yang pressed.

Cao Long shook his head. “Though it was rushed, we were well prepared. Cao Xianhu only knows some mysterious force robbed him—he has no idea who. The Colombian cartels will be furious, and every dealer in the Southeast Province involved in this deal will face brutal retaliation. We can seize this chance to play the role of the good guys and take control of the entire province. It’s just a pity that with Cao Xianhu’s arrest, last night was the perfect time to seize territory. I’m sure tonight will see all sorts of chaos begin.”

“With money, anything’s possible,” Qin Yang said with a laugh. “The police got who they wanted—now they should be satisfied. You guys can lay low for a while, then come back and enjoy yourselves.”

“We estimate we’ll need to wait until after the New Year,” Ji Liehu replied, calming down. “With such a big case, the holidays won’t be peaceful. Might as well keep our heads down and have a quiet New Year. We’ll prepare everything after that. But, Old Qin, there’s one thing we need to resolve.”

“What’s that?”

“Cao Xianhu only brought ten million in cash for the deal; the rest is all diamonds. We need a discreet, reasonable way to convert those diamonds into cash,” Ji Liehu said steadily.