Mist Continent, Divpo City, Lighthouse No. 108. Inside and outside the lighthouse were in disarray, with corpses of the Fallen everywhere. It was a fierce battle. The survival rates and times at the outer lighthouses are much lower than those on the inside due to the frequent large numbers of Fallen appearing, which a single Lightkeeper cannot withstand.

Batty was feeling a bit uneasy. He had attracted a certain number of Lickers and led them to the lighthouse to create a fierce battle. Although he eventually cleared the Lickers, the torch was damaged, and he was injured. The lighthouse’s glow had understandably weakened, leaving only the light from the top of the lighthouse. At this time, Divpo City would definitely notice and take action, but it was unknown how long it would take them to arrive.

Batty waited slowly, having already destroyed the wooden fish. If a new Lightkeeper arrived and saw him still alive, they would definitely investigate, as any odd items could arouse suspicion. Now, it depended on whether Mr. Cancer’s judgment was accurate and whether the Prime Deity would care about the Black Saber inside him.

He was prepared for a long battle or even being abandoned. However, Batty, who thought he would have to wait ten days or even longer, saw the distant snake-like firelight—a new Lightkeeper had arrived?

Before long, the Lightkeeper team from Divpo City had arrived. This was clearly not a regular Lightkeeper team, as there were more than fifty people, led by the Captain of the Attendants. There were also several Attendants in the team. This wasn’t a Lightkeeper squad; it was a Demon Squad. The captain was a tall Attendant, with brown skin, a shiny bald head, and sharp eyes. He ascended the lighthouse and saw the equally tall Batty.

Eagle-like eyes scanned the surroundings. Batty quickly knelt and bowed his head.

The captain glanced at Batty, then at the surrounding corpses, and gestured for a Roto to check his injuries.

“Sir, he has three broken ribs, a pierced waist, and left leg. Fortunately, they’re not critical; he should live,” the healer said respectfully.

The Captain of the Attendants looked at Batty, “You’re lucky to survive this. The torch is damaged; go back and await judgment. Take him away.”

Immediately, two strong and burly Roto escorted Batty down the lighthouse, while a new Lightkeeper stayed behind. The captain of the Demon Squad did not leave immediately but surveyed the surroundings. His eyes turned pale, and hazy ghostly images appeared, still visible were Batty being besieged by a significant number of the Fallen and Batty hammering a small round toy on the ground, hesitating…

The pale light retracted, and the Captain of the Attendants frowned, not knowing what that thing was. Most Lightkeepers would exhibit erratic behavior, obsessed with stones, pillars, lower-class people’s strange fetishes, but this order from above was peculiar. They had to bring someone back dead or alive, unless nothing was left.

Batty was taken down, roughly handled by the two Roto as if they wanted to break his arms. They looked at Batty with disdain and hostility—a Lightkeeper who couldn’t keep the lighthouse should just die. Why take him back when execution on the spot would suffice? But the orders from above had to be strictly followed.

Once they reached the bottom of the lighthouse, Batty was shackled and pushed into a caged cart.

Batty bowed his head, repressing his emotions. He was going back to the city. Awaiting him was either death or an opportunity, but he didn’t know. Regardless, he had to take this risk. As long as he could transmit the method of using the wooden fish, it would be worth it, even if he died.

Meanwhile, in Hedan City.

No need to investigate the culprit—Li Xin’s life wasn’t boring at all. Mornings were for writing; afternoons were for taking his cat to work. Of course, the cat worked; he collected the money. How could a cat collect money? Even if it were an awakened cat, a cat does cat things, a person does human things.

Dalivin looked at Li Xin’s money-collecting hand with a bit of resentment. Why did Li Xin have to come when it was his turn?

The cat also looked resentful. Why wasn’t the person doing human things?

The Painter was just the first, not the last. In the evenings when Old Fang set up his stall, Li Xin was there as well, acting as a ringer a few times. One must admit, a cat’s role is truly significant—in the beginning, it simply attracted attention and curiosity. But the moment this cat could do fortune-telling, everything changed. In one night, Old Fang earned what he usually made in a week, much easier than storytelling, as fortune-telling was his real trade.

In the following days, Li Xin changed roles to become Justin’s manager. Never would he have thought that the stray thief cat from Celestial Capital would be so popular in Hedan. Justin also adapted to local customs; wandering was due to circumstances, but elegance was the nature of a cat. With a feline stride, the wealthy ladies couldn’t contain their fiery hearts. In Li Xin’s eyes, it was just a long-haired, dark-patched thief cat, but in the ladies’ eyes, it was a high-breed cat, from its fur and facial shape to its paws—exceptionally rare and precious.

Whether magic tricks, paintings, or fortune-telling, people inquired about the cat’s price. As the settings improved, the price continued to soar, the highest reaching 1600 Lira. Not just Li Xin; even Justin was tempted.

Yet, in the end, both man and cat restrained their impulses. They were both employed currently, life was a bit strapped but habitual.

With some money earned, Li Xin also bought fresh fish at Justin’s request from the seafood market. Ma Liu was terrific at handling fish, descaling and gutting them, making Justin thoroughly enjoy it. From then on, Justin expected the fish to be sliced, preferably plated, elevating his feline life.

When going out for work, he threw fits occasionally, but Li Xin ignored them. After all, if ever short on cash, Justin was the most valuable thing by his side.

After enjoying a few days of peace, Christie had not shown up, leaving life slightly lacking. Li Xin felt that, as a diligent writer, he should submit his manuscript voluntarily, considering the word count taken last time wasn’t much. In the past couple of days, he had accumulated a bit, enough for this week’s weekly publication. Christie was obviously busy, being a formal employee of the Hex Bird Society. He hadn’t visited the boss in a while.

Li Xin’s visit surprised Ma Zhe. He knew what Li Xin had been up to lately. “Why are you here?”

Li Xin was speechless; he didn’t want to come, but Christie wasn’t home, nor in the Bird Society. Having come, Old Su said the boss was in, leaving him with no choice but to say hello.

“Boss, I’m here to submit the manuscript. Why isn’t Miss Christie here?” Li Xin asked.

Ma Zhe smiled ambiguously, sizing up Li Xin with an admiring look. Although he didn’t know what stage the two were at, when Christie said she wouldn’t have meetings at home anymore and that they’d change locations, he guessed they had moved forward.

“She’s on assignment,” Ma Zhe said, “Just give me the manuscript.”

“I just thought of a few more patches to add to the manuscript; I’ll hand it in once they’re done,” Li Xin said. If he handed it to Ma Zhe, what excuse would he have to find Christie? Writing it anew wouldn’t be timely; with Justin making money, his motivation to write had waned. There was a real possibility of random updates in the future.

“I’ll tell you some good news in advance: your Utopia Mountain Vendetta might be published in all Hex Bird Reports in Wattan; we’re about to have a grand literary master among Night Patrol,” Ma Zhe laughed.

“It’s all thanks to the boss for the opportunity.”

Having exchanged pleasantries, he left Ma Zhe’s office, looked at the carriage waiting at the door, and thought of the young master who was like an eagle. He wondered how the young master was doing without him around.

(The second volume is wrapping up, and the foreshadowing from August will be unveiled one by one.)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep