After securing the Flying Centipede’s Inner Core, Lu Ding pulled out his phone. His notification panel was flooded with messages from Yan Feifan.

[Yan Feifan: Lu-ge, we just crashed into a Formal Investigator’s mission.]

[Yan Feifan: Lu-ge, where are you? Stop killing! Stop killing! This is their mission!]

The latest one had just come in.

[Yan Feifan: Lu-ge, we’re already outside the valley. Are you still in there? The three 749 investigators you met on the way said they want to come in and find you.]

Lu Ding replied:

[Lu Ding: Don’t come in. I’ll be out soon.]

[Yan Feifan: Lu-ge, did you find the Flying Centipede? I heard from Sister Shi that you went in looking for it.]

[Lu Ding: Already killed it. By the way, who’s Sister Shi?]

[Yan Feifan: The female investigator you just saved.]

Outside, Yan Feifan showed the chat logs to Wen Yuquan and the other two.

“The inner core is probably in Lu-ge’s hands. No need to go in. Let’s just wait for him here.”

The three exchanged glances, each lost in thought.

Shi Yinghe spoke first. “I overheard the Puppeteer earlier. They were raising Flying Centipedes to refine Dingfeng Pearls, which they planned to use in a deal with Treasure Hunters to catch Zhima Beasts on Dingfeng Mountain.”

“Our mission here is pretty much done. We’ve investigated Baiyao Ancient Town, and just now, Xue Ning, Meng Huaizhou, and You Yuan said in the group chat that their mission is also finished. They even saved a heavily injured enforcer, who’s now being rushed to the city hospital. They won’t meet up with us; we’ll just see them back at the Bureau.”

“They were also asking about the Flying Centipede and the ‘outside reinforcement.’”

“Now that the Flying Centipede is dead and its inner core is in Lu Ding’s hands… how do we write this report?”

The three of them sighed—this was a tricky one.

Yin Feng casually spun his Meteor Hammer and suggested, “Why don’t we just leave out the Dingfeng Pearl part? Lu Ding took down the centipede, and our mission was just to investigate and capture the Tianli Cult members in Baiyao Ancient Town. Sure, all our targets are dead, but the others still have some alive.”

“If we don’t mention it, things get simpler. The inner core wasn’t part of our mission anyway. Bureau rules have always been—whoever takes it keeps it.”

“I don’t have an issue with that,” Shi Yinghe agreed. “But Xue Ning and his team contributed to the mission too. By the rules, they should get a share of the loot. Now that the inner core is with Lu Ding and the centipede was killed by him, what do we say when they ask about the spoils?”

The three had no intention of fighting over the Flying Centipede’s Inner Core.

They had seen Lu Ding in action.

Whoever killed it owned it.

Sure, it was a valuable item, but there was no point in going up against Lu Ding over it.

That would just be asking for a beating.

But Xue Ning and his team didn’t know that.

Before the mission started, they had all agreed to split the contribution points evenly.

If there were any loot along the way, they would divide that too.

After all, no single person could have taken down all the Tianli Cult members alone.

Who would’ve thought Lu Ding would show up halfway through and ruin the balance?

Now, with word out that the Flying Centipede was dead, they couldn’t hide the fact that the inner core existed.

When the others asked about the loot, what were they supposed to say—“We don’t know?”

No way that would fly.

“Let’s just talk to Lu Ding directly,” Wen Yuquan suggested. “I don’t need a share, since I didn’t kill it. It’s up to him what to do about Xue Ning and his team.”

“That doesn’t seem fair,” Yin Feng muttered.

Wen Yuquan sighed in exasperation. “This isn’t okay, that isn’t okay—then what? I don’t know, I don’t care, and I don’t need it. As far as I’m concerned, the Flying Centipede’s Inner Core belongs to Lu Ding. He killed it, so it’s his. Xue Ning and the others can do whatever they want—it’s none of my business.”

“If they’re not happy, they can go fight him for it. That’s the rule, isn’t it? If words don’t work, then fists do.”

“I agree.”

A voice rang out from the forest.

Lu Ding landed steadily before them.

On his way back, he had already made up his mind—

To him, the Dingfeng Pearl was useless. He already had Wind-Fixing Art; why would he need another wind-based artifact?

But giving up something that was already in his bag?

Not happening.

Besides, he was strapped for cash. He might as well sell the pearl.

Yan Feifan’s car was wrecked because of him—he should at least help pay for repairs. Otherwise, wouldn’t that be bullying an honest guy?

And Lu Ding wasn’t that kind of person.

“Lu-ge!!” Yan Feifan called out.

Lu Ding nodded.

Yeah… I really gotta fix that car.

If he had money, he’d just buy a new one. That Jeep was practically cursed now.

Covered in blood, and with a Tianli Cult corpse still inside—disgusting.

“Lu Ding,” Wen Yuquan stepped forward. “Let’s introduce ourselves properly. I’m Wen Yuquan, a Formal Investigator at 749 Bureau.”

“Lu Ding, nice to meet you. I’m Yin Feng.”

“I’m Shi Yinghe….”

One by one, they introduced themselves.

Lu Ding didn’t put on any airs and quickly fell into conversation with them.

Then Wen Yuquan gave him a heads-up.

“Lu Ding, about the Flying Centipede’s Inner Core—most people won’t care, but there’s one person you should be wary of.”

Lu Ding raised an eyebrow. “Who?”

“Xue Ning. He’s known as the Little Tyrant. He’s different from the rest of us—he comes from a family of Cultivators of Qi. He started internal cultivation and external martial training at eight years old. His mastery of the Xue Family’s Tyrant Spear is practically godlike. In terms of combat strength, he’s the strongest among us.”

“He joined 749 Bureau late last year. He’s completed over twenty missions and has never failed once.”

“His personality is… erratic. He might not actually care about the Dingfeng Pearl, but he will

want to fight over his ‘face.’ Even if he wins, he’ll probably still give you the pearl—but he’ll want to prove a point first.”

Interesting.

He didn’t want the loot, just the pride?

Well, too bad.

Lu Ding wasn’t going to give him either.

If Xue Ning wanted to talk, fine.

If he wanted to fight, even better.

Lu Ding hadn’t gone up against someone from a Qi Cultivator family before.

It was about time he found out what made them so special.

—

Meanwhile, in Jing City, one of Yunhai’s prefectural-level cities—

Inside Longteng Tower, the headquarters of Longteng Group.

The top of the building featured a massive dragon statue, roaring toward the sky.

This was the Tianli Cult’s branch headquarters.

The group of Tianli Cultists from Baiyao Ancient Town had been sent from here.

A luxurious office, lavishly decorated.

A one-eyed man in a black suit stood by the window, swirling a glass of wine in his hand.

A subordinate reported, “Boss Liu, the Baiyao operation was exposed. 749 Bureau got involved. Most of our people are dead or injured. Even the Flying Centipede’s Inner Core has fallen into their hands.”

The man’s swirling motion slowed.

His raspy voice rang out:

“Flying Centipedes are easy to raise. But ones that can produce inner cores for Dingfeng Pearls are one in a hundred. They require perfect conditions. And this year, our Taishui Mine’s output didn’t increase—it decreased.”

“The Zhima Beasts were meant as a tribute and a bargaining chip. Without the Dingfeng Pearl, we can’t enter Dingfeng Mountain or capture them. If we fail, it’s not just me—our entire branch will be punished.”

His expression darkened.

“Send men to steal it. Before they return to 749, bring the Flying Centipede’s Inner Core back to me.”