Chapter 98: The Provincial Government Is Asking for a Favor? We Need a Pass to Hong Kong Island

However, in the face of praise from the two esteemed figures, Gu Yuexi simply replied calmly, "It was just a transaction."

The implication was clear: she was paid to do a job, so there was no need for such pleasantries.

Qi Chongshan’s smile stiffened. He hadn’t expected this young woman to be so blunt, showing him no deference at all.

However, he hadn’t come today just to thank her.

He took a deep breath, his expression turning serious as he said in a solemn voice, "Gu, I know what I’m about to ask might be a bit much."

"But this matter concerns the livelihoods of tens of millions of people in Du Nan City. I had no choice but to come!"

"I would like... to ask you and your Contracted Beast to act once more and completely eradicate the Spirit-Devouring Insect Calamity in Du Nan City!"

The moment he spoke, the atmosphere froze.

The first thought that popped into Chu Sheng’s mosquito brain was—’Another job?’

’What about the pay?’

"BUZZ BUZZ?" Chu Sheng hurriedly transmitted his thoughts to Gu Yuexi. ’Quick, ask him! Is there any more King-level Essence Blood?!’

Gu Yuexi didn’t hesitate, asking directly, "What’s the payment? Is there any more King-level Essence Blood?"

’This is actually pretty ridiculous,’ she thought.

’The Spirit Medicine Base at Du Nan First Middle School is tiny. The total Spirit Medicine Production Area in all of Du Nan City is probably hundreds of times larger than the school’s base!’

’How many Spirit-Devouring Worms would that be? Tens of billions? Hundreds of billions?’

’Even if this mosquito’s abilities are insanely powerful, it would probably work itself to death if it had to kill them all one by one, right?’

’Without a tempting enough reward, she absolutely couldn’t accept this job.’

Hearing the words "King-level Essence Blood," Qi Chongshan’s expression immediately became troubled. "Well... to be perfectly honest, our Provincial Government’s strategic reserves are out of King-level Essence Blood..."

"Over the past two years, in order to curb the insect calamity, we’ve tried all sorts of methods. That includes setting up a city-wide Ninth-Grade Peak Array. Just to power those arrays, we exhausted the last three portions of King-level Essence Blood in our inventory."

"In the end... the results were minimal. Those damned insects can always find weak points in the Array to infiltrate."

"BUZZ BUZZ! ’What? They’re out of stock?!’"

Chu Sheng was immediately displeased.

’No pay? You expect me to work for free?’

’You wish!’

’Lord Mosquito is a very busy guy, okay?! Busy sucking blood! Busy evolving! Busy with my Cultivation!’

’Where would I find the time to play along with this thankless task?’

"BUZZ BUZZ! ’No way! Tell him it’s no deal! I’m busy!’"

Chu Sheng directly expressed his dissatisfaction, his wings beginning to beat impatiently.

Gu Yuexi also felt there was nothing left to discuss and was about to politely refuse.

But Qi Chongshan, as if seeing through their thoughts, hurriedly said, "Gu! I know this is an unreasonable request! But we aren’t asking you to kill every single insect in Du Nan City!"

"We just need... you to help us deal with the source of the calamity!"

The source?

Chu Sheng was confused. ’What source?’

But when Gu Yuexi heard those two words, she raised an eyebrow. She knew what he was talking about.

’In her past life, research on Spirit-Devouring Worms was already common knowledge.’

’These creatures weren’t native to this world at all, but a unique product from a certain Low Level Secret Realm!’

’In that kind of Secret Realm, a "Spirit-Devouring Mother Worm" would be born. Although its realm was only Second-Grade, it would continuously produce an endless supply of Spirit-Devouring Worms.’

’Then, they would infiltrate this world through spatial rifts... that is, the entrance to the Secret Realm.’

’The only way to completely eradicate the insect calamity was to enter the Secret Realm and kill that Mother Worm!’

’From the looks of it, the Provincial Government must have already found the entrance to that Secret Realm. But it was obvious they didn’t have the ability to go in and deal with the Mother Worm.’

’After all, it was a Low Level Secret Realm; beings of Third-Grade and above couldn’t enter.’

’And for Cultivators below Third-Grade... going into the Spirit-Devouring Worms’ lair was no different from suicide, was it?’

’But, with this mosquito’s abilities... going in to kill the Mother Worm shouldn’t be a big problem, right?’

At this thought, Gu Yuexi’s mind instantly started turning.

An excellent opportunity was laid out before her.

She lifted her gaze to meet Qi Chongshan’s expectant face and asked tentatively, "What if I wanted a special pass to Hong Kong Island?"

"BUZZ BUZZ? ’A pass to Hong Kong Island? I can get behind that!’"

Upon hearing this, Chu Sheng’s compound eyes instantly lit up.

’The Empress made a great demand!’

’He’d heard loud and clear just now that place was full of treasures for increasing one’s Mental Power!’

’When the time comes, Lord Mosquito can tag along and take a few sips... My dream of becoming a Beast Tamer might just come true!’

"Huh? A pass to Hong Kong Island?!"

When Qi Chongshan heard this request, his expression instantly became one of extreme conflict, even bordering on horror.

’Go to Hong Kong Island?’

’What kind of joke is this?!’

He knew better than anyone the weight of the designation "Top Secret of the Federation" on Gu Yuexi’s file!

’This was a peerless prodigy who could change the entire landscape of the Federation in the future! A national treasure!’

’And he was supposed to let such a treasure go to a place like Hong Kong Island—a veritable den of vipers, a city of sin fraught with hidden dangers?’

’If anything happened to her—if she were assassinated by enemy forces or kidnapped—even ten heads wouldn’t be enough to pay the price the Federation would demand of him!’

’He couldn’t bear that responsibility! He absolutely couldn’t!’

’But if he didn’t agree...’

Qi Chongshan glanced at the bustling city behind him, and it was as if he could already see the tragic scene: the Spirit Medicine industry collapsing, countless people losing their jobs, order crumbling, and all of Du Nan City sinking into a desolate depression.

’He couldn’t bear those consequences, either!’

’He’d probably end up in court for that, too!’

Watching his torn expression, Gu Yuexi already had a good idea of what he was thinking. She decided to add the final bit of pressure, speaking in an indifferent tone:

"Governor Qi, that is my only demand."

"If you can’t do it, then the deal is off."

"Then you can just... wait for Du Nan’s Spirit Medicine industry to completely collapse."

Qi Chongshan: "..."

’This girl... she was blatantly threatening him!’

Xiao Ran, standing to the side, was already dumbfounded.

’Holy shit?’

’Is... is she threatening the Governor?’

’Using the economic lifeline of all of Du Nan City to threaten the most powerful man in all of Sui Ming Province?’

’That was just too badass!’

’Such guts, such audacity... Xiao Ran knew he could never hope to match it!’

Just as the atmosphere grew unbearably tense,

Qi Chongshan suddenly raised his head. The troubled and conflicted expression on his face instantly vanished, replaced by an air of awe-inspiring righteousness and noble integrity!

He spoke with righteous conviction, his voice booming, "No! I absolutely will not agree!"

"Gu! You are a once-in-a-century Qilin-level talent of our Great Xia Federation! Your safety is our top priority!"

"As the Governor of Sui Ming Province, I have a duty, and I absolutely must, protect a pillar of the nation like you!"

"A place like Hong Kong Island is absolutely not somewhere you should be going right now! I cannot, under any circumstances, agree to this request!"

"Protecting you is my unshirkable responsibility as Governor! I absolutely cannot disregard the future of our Federation for the sake of the gains or losses of a single city like Du Nan!"

"This line of thinking is very dangerous! It must be corrected! You, come with me! I must teach you a proper lesson!"

Without waiting for Gu Yuexi to react,

Qi Chongshan simply raised a hand, and an invisible yet irresistible Power of Heaven and Earth instantly enveloped Gu Yuexi.

He carried her through the air to a secluded corner dozens of meters away.

Xiao Ran, Zhang Chengye, and the others were all stunned.

’As expected of the Lord Governor. His principles and perspective are truly on another level!’

...

「In the corner.」

Qi Chongshan’s incomparably majestic face instantly fell, like a mask being switched, replaced by a smile filled with apology and sycophancy.

"Oh! Gu! My apologies! My deepest apologies!"

"There were too many people out there just now, I had to put on a show! Please don’t take it to heart!"

"Your request, I can do it! I’ll definitely get it done for you!"

"But! We have to be clear! This has to be done quietly! I’ll get you the pass, but my name absolutely cannot be on it! It will have nothing to do with me, Qi Chongshan!"

"And to be on the safe side, we’ll have to sign a soul contract. You absolutely cannot let anyone know about this! Heaven knows, Earth knows, and you and I will be the only ones. Deal?"

Gu Yuexi: "..."

Chu Sheng: "..."