Located on the bank of Lake Ashi that was in the suburb of Dongdu, Azure Pool was a medium-sized hot spring club. Its internal garden structure imitated the ancient architectures of Dongdu, which was very characteristic and full of lasting appeal.
This was one of the most famous hot spring sightseeing areas in the whole East Island. Untold hot spring clubs encircled Lake Ashi, large or small. As a latecomer to this area, coupled with a foreign boss from Gaoshan State, Azure Pool had been crowded out since its arrival. Over the past ten years, the club had been relocated three times in a row, becoming more and more remote each time. As a result, its reputation grew poorer. Its business was so bad every day that it could only manage to operate.
Such a remote location, however, had its own benefit. Although few honest businessmen wanted such benefit, it was real.
Backed by high mountains, steep terrain, and dense jungle, Azure Pool was located at the lake. This was a very difficult place to be surrounded, and it was very good for breaking out.
For some people with ulterior motives, this was simply the best place to hide, because it was desolate and inconspicuous. Even if they were exposed, relying on the terrain, there was a real possibility that they could escape unscathed.
This was the lodge of Li Tianlan and others. The fifty men were divided into five batches. It was nearly one o’clock at noon when all the people entered Azure Pool hot spring club safely.
Members from the East Emperor Palace, including Li Tianlan of course, was the last batch, which was led by Bai Youming. The East Emperor Palace now had seven members and six of them came to East Island on a mission. However, Ning Qiancheng was the only one who understood j.a.panese. What was worse, he was not so skilled in it. When he translated the name of the club with an odd expression, the b.u.mpkin Li Tianlan didn’t sense anything funny, but Li Baitian’s face turned red.
Azure Pool(similar to “b.i.t.c.h” in p.r.o.nunciation)…
How the h.e.l.l would a freak have the guts to come up with a name like that?
Li Baitian stifled his desire to ridicule and went into the club. The boss, who had already arranged for the others, came out smilingly, holding an umbrella in one hand, and met them face to face in the rainstorm.
The boss looked about fifty years old, balding and a little overweight. Dressed in a tracksuit, he wore a broad smile and looked every bit the epitome of a friendly businessman.
But Li Tianlan and others did not dare to look down on this somewhat fat middle-aged uncle.
The small amount of information that Tribulation had distributed to them on the plane made it clear who the owner of the hot spring club really was.
Han Shixun was a businessman from Gaoshan State. His ancestral home was in Zhongzhou State and he had a small fortune. Twenty years ago, He emigrated to Gaoshan State. He was easy-going and fond of leading a life of luxury. In other words, he was a prodigal who was good at dissipating his family fortune. He dissipated his family fortune in less than two years in Gaoshan State. After that, in order to make a living there, he opened restaurants, set up companies, ran bars, played e-sports and even once owned a very small entertainment company.
There were too many ways for the prodigal to make a fortune. He had taken them one by one, but in the end, it was amazing that there was no way for him to really make money. In a few years, he had travelled almost all the great cities of Gaoshan State, losing money in all the business he did. Eventually, he ran up huge debts in Gaoshan State a decade ago, and when he was about to be indicted, he stole into East Island and opened a hot spring club with the little money he had and his concealed ident.i.ty. With a few million dollars a year in net profit, he managed to settle down.
But all this was Han Shixun’s apparent ident.i.ty. In fact, if Li Tianlan hadn’t read the material in advance, he would never have believed that this seemingly ordinary greasy uncle was actually a genuine master of the Thunder-shocking Realm.
He now had the nationality of Gaoshan State, but his real ident.i.ty was a senior agent affiliated with the Second General Staff Headquarters of Zhongzhou State and also the deputy director general of the ninth bureau of the Second General Staff Headquarters. In terms of military rank, he was a real senior colonel.
The Second General Staff Headquarters was the famous Military Intelligence Department in Zhongzhou State. Its internal structure was extremely complex, and the functions of the 16 bureaus were intersected but each performed its own function. The ninth bureau was part of the External Action Bureau, which was responsible for collecting intelligence about countries in Asia. At certain times, it even performed a.s.sa.s.sination missions. Gaoshan State, East Island, Heng State and Annan State were within the range of activity of the ninth bureau. Han Shixun was one of the six deputy directors of the ninth bureau and he had the longest seniority. Now he lived in East Island, thus, any intelligence about Zhongzhou State in East Island would first be gathered by him, and then spread to Zhongzhou State.
To put it simply, Han Shixun was an intelligence leader of Zhongzhou State in East Island. Such a position may not be of great power, but it was extremely sensitive, because strong loyalties were required. Han Shixun could stay in East Island for ten years, which showed that Zhongzhou State attached great importance to and trusted him.
“h.e.l.lo, chief.”
Watching the boss coming over, Bai Youming held an umbrella in one hand and raised her arm to salute him directly with the other hand.
Han Shixun was a senior colonel. And the most important goal of Zhongzhou’s plot was to seek East Island. Thus, Han Shixun’s position was more important than ever and he would certainly be appointed as a major general recently. Bai Youming was a deputy brigade officer of the Border Control Corps before she came to the Sky Academy. Although the ranks of officers in the Border Control Corps were generally a level higher than those in the four theatres of operations, the rank of deputy brigade officer was only the colonel, which was even a level lower than Han Shixun’s current military rank. Therefore, she had every reason to salute.
Li Tianlan and his partners also instinctively raised their hands and saluted solemnly.
The chubby Han Shixun was startled, but he did not return the salute. Instead, he grabbed Bai Youming’s arm and pulled it down, saying helplessly, “Don’t devote particular care to this in East Island, because it does no good. You’re guests and I’m the boss. It’s that simple.”
Bai Youming nodded simply without saying much.
Han Shixun said suddenly, his eyes rolling, “Who is Li Tianlan?”
Li Tianlan was slightly stunned. He looked at Han Shixun and answered casually, “I am.”
Before Han Shixun fixed his eyes on Li Tianlan, Bai Youming had taken one step forward calmly and whispered, “Tianlan is my adopted brother. How do you know him, chief?”
Han Shixun was greatly surprised to see that Bai Youming was so nervous, but he did not think much. People like him who had been sent to another country by the Military Intelligence Department and stayed there for many years had no stance basically. The General Staff Headquarters of Zhongzhou State had long been considered a sphere of influence of the Southeast Group. The chief of the general staff and the minister of the Second General Staff Headquarters were arguably the right-hand men of the Southeast Group. But even so, the Southeast Group did not dare to say that it controlled the Military Intelligence Department. People like Han Shixun did not have the concept of the Six. Zhongzhou was their mission and honor, and even their soul.
“I spoke to Headmaster Zhuang on the phone before I came.”
Han Shixun added smilingly, “He told me about this young Heavenly Son who is rising to fame among the younger generation in Zhongzhou State. Now, there are two geniuses who possess the Wind and Thunder Veins and one who owns the Heavenly King Heart from Zhongzhou State in East Island. I have to protect them even without being ordered by the headmaster. In the future, it will be up to such talented figures as you to expand the territory of Zhongzhou State.”
This was a great compliment. Talented figures and young Heavenly Sons were previously the exclusive t.i.tles for w.a.n.g Shengxiao and Gu Hanshan—the young master of Kunlun City. Now Han Shixun added such t.i.tles to Li Tianlan, which showed how much the uncle who was devoted to his country looked forward to him.
“Chief, you are too serious.”
Li Tianlan took one step forward and said calmly.
Han Shixun took a deep look at Li Tianlan and smiled, but said nothing.
“Yes, Tianlan’s strength is still at a low level and he needs time to grow.”
Bai Youming said, echoing Li Tianlan’s words. Han Shixun’s words may not mean anything bad, but they may not have the same meaning to the outside world. Behind the act of causing someone to fail due to excessive praise were too many b.l.o.o.d.y tragedies. Bai Youming did not want Li Tianlan to be labelled as a young Heavenly Son when his strength was still at a low level.
“Zhongzhou State is the number one power in the world, and it can afford him some time.”
Han Shixun calmly patted Li Tianlan on the shoulder with his warm and powerful palm. “In East Island, if you need anything, just let me know. As long as I can offer, I will not hide.”
He paused for a while and then added softly but seriously, “If you won’t betray Zhongzhou State, Zhongzhou State will not betray you.”
“Don’t betray each other?”
Li Tianlan had some self-mockery in his heart for no reason. If so, what about the Li family and his father in those days?
He took a deep breath, his expression unchanged. “I understand.”
Han Shixun nodded and said with a smile, “No more chats. Some of your colleagues who have just arrived are now waiting for you in the conference room. Do you have anything to put in your room? If not, shall we go to the conference room?”
Bai Youming nodded her approval. Holding umbrellas and led by Han Shixun, this bunch of people went straight to the meeting room.
The meeting room mentioned by Han Shixun was, in fact, a small banquet hall which was at the top of the club. When Li Tianlan and others came to the banquet hall, Tribulation, who was responsible for the operation, had put on a black robe again. Furthermore, he had taken off the human skin mask on his face and put on the silver mask again.
He stood quietly at the French window with his back to everyone. Through the pouring rain outside the window, he was looking into the distance at the vague holy mountain of East Island.
The special warfare center of East Island, namely the Divine Wind Force, was located on the mountainside of the active, snow-covered volcano. That spot was, so to speak, the most important object of their trip.
Next to Tribulation was a screen showing the map of East Island. A myriad of obvious bright spots flashed across the map, and no one knew what they meant.
Li Tianlan and his partners went straight into the banquet hall.
While crossing the threshold, walking beside Li Tianlan, Bai Youming paused slightly, intentionally or unintentionally.
Unaware of the scene, Li Tianlan kept walking into the meeting room.
Bai Youming and others followed, crowding around him.
For a moment, almost everyone’s gaze fell on Li Tianlan’s face.
They were confused, surprised and thoughtful. Their eyes were full of mixed feelings.
Exotic and dangerous Bai Youming, tall and strong Xu Chu, silent and aloof Ning Qiancheng, pure and innocent Yu Qingyan, Li Baitian with vague and illusory sword intent, as well as Ye Huayu, who carried a long sword on her back.
All of them were following Li Tianlan. For a moment, Li Tianlan stood alone in front, almost glaring.
Bai Youming smiled gently. She did not want to let Han Shixun call Li Tianlan young Heavenly Son, but in her heart, her brother was no different from w.a.n.g Shengxiao and Gu Hanshan.
Since he was a young Heavenly Son, he should display the status of this t.i.tle.
Li Tianlan finally realized something, but he moved on with a calm look.
There was a huge table in the banquet hall, and apparently, it was moved here temporarily. Li Tianlan didn’t care about the position. He walked to the open seat and sat down.
His expression did not change a bit under the intense gaze of all. He looked back at them one by one with gentle and calm eyes, and his manner was not fierce. But there was no retreat or unease in his eyes.
Most people withdrew their gazes from him.
Only two people were still watching him.
They were both extremely young and had taken seats casually.
One was a fine, handsome man, who was slender, with an air of warmth and modesty about him. He was more sober than fierce and was not so much a young Heavenly Son as a young scholar.
The other one was also young, maybe 23 or 24 years old. He was an ordinary-looking man, dressed in the camouflage clothing without the military rank, like the most ordinary freshman in the Sky Academy. His eyes, however, were sharp. When his eyes sparkled, people could sense a feeling of sharpness and danger in them.
As the three’s eyes met, they slightly nodded to each other, but their eyes were full of indifference.
Han Shixun said just now that two geniuses who possessed the Wind and Thunder Veins and one who owned the Heavenly King Heart were all in East Island.
To be more precise, they were both in Dongdu and in this conference room.
w.a.n.g Shengxiao, the heir of the w.a.n.g family of Beihai.
Gu Hanshan, the young master of Kunlun City.
“Young Heavenly Sons?”
Li Tianlan reached out and touched his short, still silvery hair, the look in his eyes becoming gentler.