Chapter 223 - 222: Road-blocking Little Monster, Professionally Matched

After listening to Jiu Li’s explanation through the voice call, Li Jing was somewhat taken aback.

A demon that can disguise itself from others is one thing, but one that can also alter its Demonic Qi into Spiritual Qi to deceive others?

That’s rather impressive.

It’s hard for monsters to make a lot of money in human society; at most, they do ordinary jobs to make ends meet. The main reason is that their Demonic Qi is revealed whenever they take action.

However, those who possess the ability to disguise their Demonic Qi as Spiritual Qi, like Jiu Li mentioned, don’t have this problem.

Moreover, as long as they’re willing, they can work as patrollers - a high-paying job that also offers the chance to kill those monsters who commit crimes.

It’s not difficult for those who have mastered both the offensive and defensive magic skills to bluff their way through the required training for patrollers.

Second Realm Magic is cast instantaneously with no need to formulate a Spell Formula. One only needs to imitate the gestures to pass the test.

As for controlling tools, there is no rule that patrollers must be able to control tools.

Being a monster capable of Sky Control is not slower than humans controlling the tools.

With some precautions, one can accomplish this flawlessly.

If they encountered such a demon, could he recognise it through the Health Bar?

Li Jing quietly pondered this before putting the question to the back of his mind.

He’d cross that bridge when he came to it.

"I understand. Thanks, Brother Jiu, for enlightening me," he stated calmly.

"The house I’m going to give you; I’ll arrange to buy it later on. Once you arrive tomorrow, you can move right in. The property will be registered under my name first. Once you get your identification, I can transfer it to your name," he continued.

Hearing Li Jing’s statement, Jiu Li laughed joyously.

"Alright, you go back to what you were doing, I won’t bother you anymore. My house has a lot of my precious belongings, not sure when I’ll be back to the Hua Country next time. I need to bring everything over," she said, finishing her statement off by disconnecting the call.

Seeing that the call had ended, Li Jing proceeded deeper into the Dark Alley, using his phone to access the sales website for Closed Moon Flower Garden.

The website revealed that all the units in the first phase of the development were already sold out.

This situation was not entirely unexpected.

When he had bought his unit, there had only been four apartments left in the first phase. Coincidentally, one of them was right next to Chen Yuran’s house, so he purchased it.

After such a long time, it stood to reason that the other three had also been sold.

Eyeing the vacant units for sale in the second phase of the Closed Moon Flower Garden, Li Jing randomly chose one in a decent location, submitted the application form to the sales office, and noted that he would like to view the property in the evening.

The second phase of Closed Moon Flower Garden just opened for sale last month, so there are plenty of available units.

It’s not far away from the first phase, just four blocks away, so he decided to buy there.

After submitting the application form, Li Jing quickly received a reply from the sales office, stating that a property consultant would be arranged for his visit.

Putting away his phone, Li Jing steadily walked forward, his gaze unintentionally falling upon a woman standing at the entrance of the alley ahead. She was dressed rather provocatively, baring both her chest and back and wearing hardly anything at all.

He wasn’t attracted to her because of her lascivious attire, but rather her Health Bar which was displayed above her head.

The woman’s Health Bar was short, indicating her vitality was only at 3166.

She was just breaking into the early stages of the Three Realm, barely managing to transform.

This monster woman was clearly prostituting herself to earn money.

Li Jing glanced over before deciding to avert his eyes.

However, the woman was rather sharp and noticed his gaze. She returned his look and coquettishly called out to him from a distance.

"Hey, handsome! Fancy coming inside to have some fun with me?"

Li Jing heard her but remained silent, ignoring her invitation.

He didn’t walk into this Dark Alley for the sake of aimlessly wandering around.

He definitely had to find a demon.

However, a minor demon at the beginning of the Three Realm didn’t count...

Just breaking into the Three Realm, she probably only managed to transform a few years ago.

As he was about to walk past, the demon woman, for whatever reason, sauntered over to block his path.

Confronted with this, he stopped in his tracks so he wouldn’t bump into her.

The demon woman saw his etiquette and began to smirk.

"Handsome, I’ve got all sorts of fun things in my room. Come in for a look, and I promise you won’t be disappointed," she flirted.

Li Jing said nothing. He glanced towards the alleyway where the woman came from, considered it for a moment, and finally replied.

"Alright, I’ll see what’s so interesting in your room."

He hadn’t intended to entertain this barely transformed female demon. But since she "presented" herself to him, wouldn’t it be rude of him to refuse?

The female demon was completely unaware of whom she stopped.

With Li Jing’s consent, the female demon’s face lightened with joy, giving a meaningful smile.

"Follow me, I’ll show you something fun."

With that said, she turned around to guide the way.

Seeing her move, Li Jing quietly followed.

...

Within moments, led by the female demon, Li Jing was following her into a narrow alley.

Not far into the alley, the female demon stopped in front of a low house and casually pushed the door open with her hand.

As the door opened, Li Jing was shocked.

The humble abode was not large and was about 20 to 30 square feet.

In the limited space was a bed, two cabinets, and a dressing table.

The cabinets, opened wide, resembled a display in a trade show.

One was filled with assorted clothes.

From sailor outfits to bikinis, from maid outfits to OL uniforms, everything you could think of was there.

The other was stored with various suspicious drugs, along with peculiar items such as small whips, shackles, and candles.

This "equipment" was undoubtedly comprehensive.

The one beside him, her "professionality" was unquestionable.

The female demon, seeing the shocked expression on his face, seemed somewhat pleased. She pulled him into the room and closed the door behind her, laughing in delight.

"How about that? I didn’t deceive you did I? I have lots of interesting things here!"

While speaking, she took a few steps back to the edge of the bed with a smile on her face, and tilted her head flirtatiously.

"Next, shall we talk about the price?"

"No rush for price negotiation, I have some interesting things that I want to show you as well."

Li Jing stepped forward, reaching out his hand in front of her.

"Here, let me show you something precious."

"Precious?"

The female demon leaned in curiously.

With a turn of his hand, Li Jing smoothly pulled out the patrol certificate that he just replaced this morning.

As the female demon saw the cover of the patrol certificate, her face tightened.

But when she saw inside it was written ’North City Patrol Bureau - Serious Case Six Group - Level Four Patrol’, she nearly fell to her knees.

Level Four Patrol...

Fifth Boundary!

Damn!

This...

She just ran into the king of hell!

The female demon began to shudder, but then she had a thought.

While others may not know, the demons who highly concern themselves with the Patrol Bureau structure are well aware.

Although the North City Patrol Bureau does have a terrifyingly powerful bureau chief of the Six Realm, it does not have a Fifth Boundary master.

Additionally, a Fifth Boundary in the Patrol Bureau should at least be a bureau chief level figure.

But Li Jing’s certificate only showed him as a member of Serious Case Six Group, not even a squad leader.

This certificate was most likely a fake!

Indeed, patrol certificates cannot be forged.

But to determine whether it is real or fake, it must be swiped through a corresponding machine, the high imitation fake certificates cannot be differentiated by the naked eye.

Thinking of this, the female demon immediately calmed down.

With narrowed eyes, she snorted coldly.

"I am sincerely hospitable, yet you scare me with a fake certificate, you’ve gone a bit too far."

?

Li Jing.

His certificate couldn’t be more genuine.

And this female demon actually said it was a fake?

But after thinking for a moment, he quickly understood.

His realm was severely inconsistent with his position.

For those who do not understand it wouldn’t matter, but those who did would likely think it’s fake.

Just as he began to understand, the female demon raised her hand and pointed to the door.

"I do not welcome you here. Please leave."

She finished speaking, and then continued coldly.

"Also, I advise you that there are rules even in dark alleys. Not everyone you encounter here will have as much patience as me. If you’re just here to fool around, that’s one thing. But if you’re trying to scam people with a fake Patrol Certificate, it might not be discovered on the spot, but afterwards, you might not be able to leave with all of your limbs intact."

Hearing the words of caution from the female demon, Li Jing looked at her in surprise.

Of course, there were rules in the dark alley. This didn’t need explaining.

Without rules, one cannot stand.

Even in a lawless area, the Dark Alley must have its own set of rules for its existence.

The female demon concluded that his certificate was fake but just verbally warned and didn’t yell or expose him, seemed quite decent?

Putting away his certificate, Li Jing asked,

"How much do you normally charge for a service?"

Upon hearing his question, the female demon’s brows furrowed.

"Did I not make myself clear? Please leave. I will not accept your business."

With that, she moved to open the door.

Seeing this, Li Jing said softly,

"It’s hard for demons to cultivate, I don’t want to harm you. Please cooperate."

Hearing these words, the female demon trembled and stopped in her tracks, turning her pale face back to look at him.

Seeing her look, Li Jing pointed to a nearby bed.

"Sit down. I’ll ask you a few questions, won’t take up much of your time. Once we’re done, I’ll give you double the commission of your normal rate. If you can provide me with some valuable information, I’ll give you even more."

The female demon remained silent, her expression full of disbelief.

Li Jing outright declared her a demon, leaving her both stunned and fearful.

They had only just met, how could he tell she was a demon?

She glanced at the door, then cautiously looked at Li Jing before returning to sit on the edge of the bed.

"First, let me make it clear. I am indeed a Patrol Officer, and I’m here to investigate a case,"

Li Jing spoke, taking a stool out of his storage space and sitting down.

"You just need to answer my questions honestly. As I said, I won’t hurt you."

The female demon nodded without uttering a word.

Despite him stating he was a Patrol officer, she still was not entirely convinced.

However, right now, she felt it was better to do as he said, otherwise her life might be in danger.

Anyone who could recognize her as a demon at first glance could not be simple.

Seeing she was sincerely sitting on the bed edge, Li Jing started asking,

"You’ve transformed for quite some years now. When exactly did you come to the dark alley?"

"I transformed three years ago. I had nowhere to go, so I came to the Dark Alley."

The female demon responded, adding,

"If you count the time, it should be about two and a half years."

Two and a half years?

Li Jing raised his eyebrows.

The Demon Alliance set up a base in the Dark Alley about two years ago.

This female demon has been here for two and a half years, so it’s highly unlikely she originated from the Demon Alliance, but she must have had contact with them.

A newly transformed female demon rooted in the Dark Alley would hardly be ignored by the Demon Alliance’s outreach and marketing efforts.

Even if the Demon Alliance didn’t try to recruit her, frequent encounters with the demons from the Alliance in the Dark Alley might provide some valuable info.

With this thought, Li Jing bluntly asked,

"Have you had contact with the Demon Alliance?"

"The Demon Alliance?"

The female demon’s expression changed slightly.

With Li Jing asking about the Demon Alliance, she finally believed he was a real Patrol Officer.

The national announcement to crack down on the Demon Alliance had made headlines. No demon would ignore that news.

If Li Jing is here asking about the Demon Alliance, he can only be a Patrol Officer.

Upon confirming Li Jing’s identity as a patrol officer, the female demon regretted deeply.

Given the current tight atmosphere, all demons would rather lay low.

But she just happened to bring home a patrol officer at a glance!

The worst part was not only was he a Patrol Officer, he could also see through her disguise as a demon...

With this kind of luck, you could probably win millions if you played the lottery!

After peering at Li Jing somewhat nervously, the female demon hesitated for a while before whispering.

"I did run into them a few months after I first came to the Dark Alley. They invited me to their ranks, praised the Demon Beast Union to the skies and promised me all sorts of benefits. But I didn’t believe them and turned them down flat."

As she spoke, she quickly added,

"Before coming to the Dark Alley, I was tricked into direct sales and went through countless training. I could spin a better tale with my eyes closed than the speeches they were feeding me. I wouldn’t be fooled that easily."

"..."

Li Jing remained silent. The corners of his mouth twitched imperceptibly.

The female demon had only transformed fully into her present form three years ago, and she arrived in the Dark Alley two and a half years ago.

Meaning she was already running direct sales barely half a year after her transformation.

Whoever tricked her into it must be a real player.

A demon, new to the human world, was swindled right off the bat. What a story.

The wildest thing was that the female demon’s experience oddly complemented the modus operandi of the Demon Beast Union.

Li Jing felt that she should be grateful to the individual who tricked her into direct sales.

Had she not first been scammed into direct sales, she might’ve been duped into joining the Demon Beast Union and playing a game of self-destruction.

Clearing his throat lightly, Li Jing inquired,

"When you were approached by the Demon Beast Union, there must’ve been quite a number of demons in the Dark Alley?"

"Yes, there were many."

The female demon nodded and replied,

"All of a sudden the number of monsters prowling the Dark Alley increased. Initially I only recognized about a dozen or so, but the number quickly shot up to three or four hundred. Roughly about two or three months later, they had all disappeared. It was only later that I found out they all belonged to the Demon Beast Union."

Three to four hundred?

Only a dozen or so weren’t part of the Demon Beast Union?

A brilliant spark shone in the depths of Li Jing’s eyes.

This Demon Alliance branch in Jianghai was undoubtedly bigger than the one in the capital by more than just a little bit.

Just how much experience and wealth did they possess?

But that made sense too.

Operating in a place as extraordinary as the capital could be incredibly challenging for an underground organization like them. Even with the backing of two of the Seven Great Families, they probably had to maintain a low profile and not get too big.

Taking a deep breath, Li Jing asked,

"Did you notice anything unusual while the Demon Beast Union was operating in large numbers in the Dark Alley?"

"I didn’t pay attention to that, and I wouldn’t dare to either."

The female demon responded, explaining,

"I had only just achieved my transformation. Most of the beasts prowling the Dark Alley at that time were much stronger than I was. There was even a Great Demon of the Fifth Boundary lurking around. I was already grateful they didn’t cause me any trouble after I rejected their invitation. I would always take a detour whenever I saw them."

"I see."

Li Jing frowned slightly and nodded in agreement. He then asked,

"One last question, I heard there’s a Great Demon residing in the Dark Alley who can hide its presence from other beasts. Do you know anything about it?"

Upon hearing this question, the female demon’s expression flickered slightly, and she said,

"I’ve heard rumors, but I don’t know if they’re true. Even if the Great Demon mentioned in the rumors exists and it can hide its presence, a new Three Realm being like me wouldn’t be able to detect it."

Now that he’s been a patrol officer for quite some time, Li Jing’s experience allows him to quickly spot the female demon’s subtle shift in demeanor.

It seems that the Great Demon from the rumors really does exist.

More than that, it seems like this female demon knows exactly who it is.

That’s quite something!

Thinking back to how he was initially reluctant to deal with her because he wanted to find a stronger demon, Li Jing couldn’t help but feel relieved.

He was lucky that she "offered" herself up willingly. Otherwise, he might’ve missed out.

Feigning deep thought and remaining silent for a moment, Li Jing looked up,

"Five million."

?

The female demon slowly typed a question mark and looked over at him, puzzled.

Seeing her reaction, Li Jing flashed her a toothy grin.

"You’re quite sharp, you should understand what I mean, right?"