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After parting with Shiloh, I pondered for a very long time before summoning Evergreen.

Evergreen appeared much younger after shaving and changing into some neater clothes. But his fierce external appearance hadn’t changed and taking his unusual identity into account, I didn’t go to my City Lord’s mansion to meet him, but rather made an appointment with him in an unremarkable alleyway in the city.

Seeing Evergreen, I got straight to the point and asked:

“Shiloh’s origin, is there any way to look up?”

Evergreen put his hands together, his left thumb constantly stroking the frostbite on the back of his right hand, and whispered:

“Very difficult. We don’t have our own pawns in every territory, so we aren’t able to find out much information. All the clues come from Shiloh; we won’t be able to look up anything as long as she doesn’t say anything.”

Just as I thought.

Evergreen sighed and slowly said as he looked at me with a complicated expression:

“However, I thought about it in private. Only those apex territories are able to secretly raise a 12 or 13 year-old Level 7 at greater perfection realm. The former Overlord of Cangzhou’s eldest son was also an outstandingly talented young man. But apart from his talent and hard work, he used up countless heavenly treasures in the past decade that add up to more than 60,000 gold coins.”

I dumbfoundedly exclaimed:

“60,000? Gold coins?! This is a truly great sum.”

Evergreen said:

“You will gradually come to understand. For those higher up people, they wouldn’t be able to spend all their money in their lifetime even if they were to use it all playing around every day. Eating the best, wearing the most expensive, using the most luxurious, playing with the most beautiful, living a life in a drunken stupor every day, living a life indulging in sensual pleasures every day, yet not only will their money not decrease; no, it will still grow with each passing day. The riches of the world will always gather into the hands of those upper-class people at an extraordinary speed, so it’s impossible for those bottom feeders to ever imagine what kind of extravagant life they lead. When you reach that point, you will know that 60,000 gold coins truly isn’t regarded as much in their eyes. Furthermore, they’re using it on their own son, so it’s no big sum to them.”

“Afterwards?”

I asked.

Evergreen replied with a somewhat sorrowful tone:

“Afterwards? Sigh……the realm bubble from Level 7 to Level 8 caused his demise. Doesn’t everyone have to endure ordeals past Level 6? Level 6’s Heart Inquiry; Level 7’s Path Inquiry; Level 8’s Wandering The World, Experiencing Myriad Dangers; Level 9’s Talent Improvement and Rebirth; Level 10’s Myriad Injuries On Oneself, Resisting The Heavenly Tribulation Alone. The Overlord of Cangzhou’s son had a clear conscience, so he was able to pass Path Inquiry, but because he lived too smooth a life and hadn’t experienced any trials or tribulations, he wasn’t able to shoulder the ‘Wandering The World, Experiencing Myriad Dangers’ tribulation when ascending from Level 7 to Level 8. He walked the shortcut, so his realm was completely abolished and he died after spitting out blood. I was there on the scene that day and indeed couldn’t help but sigh with sorrow. It’s said that cultivating is like climbing a mountain; one step on an empty space will kill you and the reality is that it indeed is so.”

I thought about Aleya and felt that I didn’t need to particularly worry about her.

My plan for Aleya is that if she’s always thinking of becoming stronger, I will find my own way to make her scale to the summit and take the position as the human race’s strongest. Even though this will take a lot of time, it’s of no matter. If there’s a day when she wants to stop and rest, then wherever she stops is wherever she stops; I will never rush her.

Seeing Evergreen have something to say yet hesitating, I asked:

“What’s wrong? If you have something to say, then just say it.”

Evergreen said with a wry smile:

“With how much I’ve spoken, my meaning is that little miss Shiloh’s so young yet her realm is already Level 7 at greater perfection realm. And it just so happens that the requirement for going from Level 7 to Level 8 requires one to go out to travel……you should understand that she’s some big family’s child who’s merely come to West-Resisting City for a trip and isn’t a free person. Even if she was willing to come to West-Resisting City, the forces behind her wouldn’t let her go so easily. As for the people behind her, to be honest……we can’t afford to offend them.”

“In other words, the main point isn’t on Shiloh but rather the influence behind her?”

Seeing Evergreen nod, I smiled:

“This matter, I knew it from the beginning, alright?”

“Huh?”

“How do I explain it……it’s like you’re trying to poach another person’s foundation, yet are nevertheless being careful of that other person’s revenge. Since I planned on doing this, then I have a rough idea on what consequences I’ll have to bear. Look, if it were really something that I couldn’t handle, I would just give up. But……”

I narrowed my eyes and didn’t finish my words.

If Shiloh really was so important to them, would they let Shiloh die in West-Resisting City?

To speak frankly, Shiloh is just a tool in their eyes. Tools can be quantified and can be traded.

It’s nothing more than a matter of benefit.

Evergreen helplessly stated:

“With regards to the establishment of West-Resisting City’s Secret Division, it’s not something that can be done in one day. Even though I’ve made a plan for it, progress hasn’t been smooth.”

I inquired:

“Didn’t I write out a document for you? You can casually find anyone within West-Resisting City and I’ll coordinate with you.”

Evergreen explained:

“It’s not that. To be frank with you, there are still a lot of things I’m figuring out. While I did once work for a Secret Division and am familiar with the system within one, the position I once held was, after all, not an administrative position. Haah……otherwise, I wouldn’t be sent to this place. Now that I’ve suddenly transformed into a manager, there are many areas where I’m more than willing to fill for, but don’t have the ability to do so.”

I only reacted after being stunned for a short moment.

Speaking of which, West-Resisting City’s growth has always been relatively smooth.

Felita’s in charge of defending the city, Moon’s in charge of internal affairs, Fang Thirteen’s in charge of the military, and on top of that, Bai Huang’s in charge of patrolling the city and keeping public security. Everyone’s been doing what they excel in and have done quite the good job. Although there are all sorts of problems, there hasn’t been much influence overall since they’re able to solve it by themselves.

But not everyone is like the several of them.

Leaving the establishment of a Secret Division Organization to a hidden chess piece left over from Cangzhou Territory is actually a deeply frustrating matter to me because I really don’t have such talents by my side. Evergreen is a good person and has a mind to handle matters, but his capability is really limited and there are many things that can’t be solved by just working hard at it. Felita, Moon, Fang Thirteen, and even Bai Huang are all considered top-tier geniuses in their respective fields. When Felita was a child, she was able to understand the abstruse words inside grimoires on her own; Moon could read and understand the general situation of the world without taking part of any place’s internal affairs; Fang Thirteen was able to command three armies while being blind and lame.

In Evergreen’s case, he relies more on his hard work and experience.

If hard work was useful, then what use would there be for geniuses?

Seeing Evergreen’s frustrated and ashamed gaze, I laughed, patted his shoulder, and comforted:

“It’s a bit challenging, but……it can be done reluctantly. Later on, I will spare no effort to search for someone that can help you, but at this present stage, it’ll be fine as long as you’re able to establish the systematic framework. As for whether or not this system will work, there’s no need to worry about it. I agreed to help you redress your boss’ reputation while you agreed to help me do the things at present; as for what stage you’re able to achieve, it doesn’t matter. Just do whatever you can do and for the parts you’re unable to achieve, I’ll search for someone to help you make up for it.”

Evergreen breathed out a sigh of relief:

“Many thanks, sir City Lord.”

When Evergreen left, I rubbed the space between my eyebrows.

……Headache, what a ******* headache inducing situation.