"Before the end of the year, don't come back to annoy me, understand?"

Looking around, Zhu Haomiao smiled calmly and gently, yet his soft words felt like the cold wind of the Extreme North, causing everyone's hair to stand on end.

"Hea... heard..."

Then, ignoring the fearful and shocked gazes of the crowd, Zhu Haomiao stepped away, gradually disappearing at the end of the street.

It wasn't until the young man completely vanished that the frozen crowd looked at each other and spoke bitterly.

"What do we do?"

"What else can we do? Come back at the end of the year!"

"After all, he's a noble with a title, even if he killed us in broad daylight, he might get away with it!"

"That's right, we're just little nobodies helping to collect debts, it's not worth losing our lives..."

Saying this, they couldn't help but look at the man groaning in pain on the ground next to them, swallowing.

"That guy... no, Pingyang Earl... how did he suddenly become so powerful?"

"Yeah, he feels like a Martial Artist of grade!"

"Wasn't it said that he was uneducated and couldn't even truss a chicken?"

"Do you really believe the rumors on the street? He's from a Military Merit Family, how could he be powerless!"

...

On the other side, unaware that the debt collectors were discussing him, Zhu Haomiao walked the bustling and lively street, his consciousness reaching beyond the sky.

The tentative act just now didn't cause a significant fate disturbance.

It seems Li Lin naturally bullies the weak and fears the strong, with an internal cruelness and external endurance, and his actions haven't deviated from his logical path.

Right, I'm a noble with a title now, the vanguard of feudalism!

Maybe I can be a bit more arrogant.

Nodding thoughtfully, Zhu Haomiao snapped back to reality, suddenly noticing a magical creature walking slowly in front of him.

Centaurette?!!!

The girl had a prairie-style leather jacket on her upper body, yet her lower body was that of a strong horse, carrying a jumble of items, leisurely haggling with a vendor, while the surrounding passersby acted as if it was nothing unusual, not even bothering to glance her way.

After the brief shock, Zhu Haomiao retrieved blurred memory fragments, gradually acquiring some common sense of this world.

This is a world mixed with humans and demons, and Da Zhen is just one of the many countries in the East Territory.

Centuries ago, it was considered strong, but after several generations of rulers' 'dedication to development,' Da Zhen is now being continuously eaten away by external powers and plagued by internal strife, showing signs of a declining dynasty.

However, Da Zhen advocates an open economic policy, with a few elite regions still displaying a distorted prosperity.

This makes the secluded rulers believe the Empire remains as splendid as ever.

Meanwhile, outside Da Zhen, countries dominated by various Demon Races are gradually emerging, like the northern Nomadic Empire dominated by Centaurs.

Li Lin's father fell in battle against the Nomadic Empire...

Wait!

Then if other ethnic brothers descend into this world, isn't it likely they'll reincarnate as the Demon Race?!

Taking a cold breath, Zhu Haomiao pinched his brows, with fragmented and unorganized memories flashing in his mind, stealthily glancing around.

In just a few minutes, he saw a dozen or so pedestrians with Demon Race traits, recalling corresponding information in his mind.

Cat Demon Clan, excitedly meowing...

Snake Demon, can coil and break a person's waist...

Cow Demon, large chest...

Sheep Demon, very hot...

Damn it!

I've never played, yet he's playing so wildly!

No way!

Li Lin's idiotic memory is all about lustful junk, no useful information at all!

Gritting his teeth in frustration, Zhu Haomiao gave up digging into his memory and strode toward the nearby Imperial Palace.

Pingyang Marquis Mansion is located in the closest alley to the Imperial Palace, only a ten-minute walk to the Imperial City East Gate.

This area is worth its weight in gold, and anyone not of noble blood has no right to reside there, which is one reason Zhu Haomiao is unwilling to sell the mansion.

Once you sell such a prime location, buying it back is almost impossible.

Moreover, Zhu Haomiao has vaguely sensed that Li Lin was most likely set up, slaughtered like a pig!

If it were just about eating, drinking, and having fun, the mines, farmlands, and shops accumulated over generations of Pingyang Earls... all those quality assets would generate a massive cash flow every year, enough for Li Lin to squander ten lifetimes!

Only by making him addicted to gambling could these family assets be quickly emptied...

Now, his last and most valuable asset is the Pingyang Marquis Mansion.

As long as he insists on not selling, the mastermind behind the scenes will definitely make a move, and I'll make them vomit up everything they swallowed!

With a cold sneer on his lips, Zhu Haomiao arrived at the Imperial City East Gate and presented his token.

"Hey, Pingyang Earl, why do you always come past noon?"

The gate guard took the token, perfunctorily confirmed it, and teased wantonly.

Realizing that even a guard showed 'his' complete lack of respect, Zhu Haomiao sighed helplessly, didn't respond, offered a perfunctory smile and nod, retrieved his token, and entered the Imperial City.

"Huh? Why does it feel like Pingyang Earl is a bit different today?"

"Yeah, usually he's so sneaky, afraid to meet our eyes, like a thief, but today he's so open."

Watching the young man's back disappear into the Imperial City, the guards discussed briefly and quickly put the trivial matter out of their minds.

On the other side, Zhu Haomiao followed the route in his memory, arriving at an expansive complex.

From a distance, the loud and vigorous shouts could be heard.

This is the Royal Martial Academy of Da Zhen, exclusively for the Royal Family's training.

It also accepts Military Merit Official's Sons like Li Lin as 'companions,' serving as both atmosphere setters and providing a venue to nurture camaraderie among the Empire's future ruling classes from an early age.

However, in Li Lin's memory, this is not a friendly place.

On the contrary, his sinister, cowardly, and internal-cruelty-external-tolerance personality is largely due to being bullied here, ultimately leading to psychological distortion.

His retaliatory crazy expenditure outside was an outlet for the bullying he suffered here.

To know, in the eyes of civilians, the Earl's son, who seemed unattainable, is at the very bottom of the despised hierarchy at the Royal Martial Academy.

Marquis and Duke's sons and daughters, Princely Heirs and Commandery Princesses of Prince Families, and even Princes and Imperial Princesses are the real masters here!

Moreover, Li Lin's naturally unlikable, cowardly, and weak character, not daring to fight back when bullied, naturally developed into a scapegoat, and everyone liked to step on him.

Organizing his memories, Zhu Haomiao chuckled and shook his head, ignoring his body's natural rejection and fear, boldly stepping through the Martial Arts Academy's gate.