He remained silent, lost in deep contemplation. His eyes reflected the former employees being escorted away outside the window. Sitting quietly in the driver's seat, he waited for a call from the Quan State Governor's Residence.

"What, worried they'll get into trouble?" Wang Zhan laughed. "Those girls are good. They might not be as tough as men, but their patience and composure when handling matters are commendable. You have good judgment."

Of course, Wang Zhan showered such praise because the performance of the male employees, though not bad, wasn't praiseworthy compared to the girls. After all, they simply explained things once and then acted as if subsequent developments had nothing to do with them, completely unconcerned. They were probably all thinking, 'We're all from Quan State; these people wouldn't dare make things difficult for *us*, right?'

The problem was, Wang Zhan, who paid their salaries, was displeased. Consequently, Ku Zhu, who should have been content since no one was making things difficult for him and had initially seemed indifferent, could no longer remain aloof.

"Young Master, you flatter me," Ku Zhu said. "Actually, regardless of gender, I chose them because they came from the lower class. I thought only people like them would have the motivation to work. I never expected that in the end, only those few girls would continue to stand up for us."

Wang Zhan then laughed heartily. "That's why I say you can't judge a book by its cover. How do you know that the wealthy young masters from the upper-middle class aren't willing to work hard? Of course, I also come from the slums, and I don't mean to belittle the slums. I'm just saying that many men there, after being born, may have learned to resign themselves to their fate even before formally reaching adulthood. It's not the person's fault, but it's still a flaw."

Ku Zhu became pensive. Indeed, Wang Zhan was an exception even among those from the slums. He himself had made a fool of himself with his assumptions. He had thought all men born in the slums were as outstanding, ambitious, and energetic as Wang Zhan! Thinking about it now, there were exceptions everywhere…

Just then, the phone rang. RING, RING, RING… It rang three times. Ku Zhu leisurely answered, his voice deep, "Hello, this is Ku Zhu."

Instantly, a hearty laugh came from the other end. "Hello there, Lord Ku Zhu! I'm Jin Botao, the State Governor of Quan State. It's a pleasure to meet you. I heard you specifically called my office to make an appointment. What is it you require?"

Ku Zhu glanced at Wang Zhan. He saw Wang Zhan merely admiring the pedestrians outside, nodding slightly, seemingly unconcerned that the person on the phone was a State Governor. Ku Zhu then chuckled. "State Governor, you've been working hard. However, this time it's not I who wish to see you, but the person behind me. I wonder if the State Governor could spare some time?"

There was a short silence on Jin Botao's end. Of course, he knew who Martial King Ku Zhu was: a formidable figure from outside who, in just two or three days, had thrown the upper echelons of Quan State into turmoil. The issue was, now this powerful Martial King, revered as if his life itself were precious, was telling him that someone *behind* him wanted an audience, and that the Martial King was merely a messenger?

Ku Zhu didn't press him, simply waiting for Jin Botao's reply. Finally, Jin Botao laughed heartily again. "Since Lord Martial King extends such a gracious invitation, how could I possibly refuse? In that case, there's no time like the present. If it's convenient for you, sir, how about we meet today? I shall host you both at the Yue Sheng Tea House, one of the most renowned establishments in Quan State."

Ku Zhu laughed. "Of course, it's convenient. Then we'll trouble the State Governor. However, since we're currently at leisure, we'll head to the Yue Sheng Tea House first and await your esteemed arrival, State Governor! As for the formalities of hosting, there will be plenty of time for that later; there's no need to rush this moment!"

The call ended. Ku Zhu, acting as the driver, sat bolt upright and drove Wang Zhan to their destination. Their assertive demeanor made it seem as though the State Governor had become an on-call servant, a fact they didn't seem to mind in the slightest. If any outsider knew of this, they would realize just how ironic the situation was.

For ordinary people, the daily lives of Federation officials were typically bustling, with no spare time. Yet, for powerful Martial Artists and influential figures, even those in high and respected positions often had to greet such visitors with a semblance of flattery. And this wasn't just a story.

「Quan State Governor's Residence. Inside the State Governor's office.」

An old man, nearly sixty with temples already streaked with white, gently hung up the phone, his brow slightly furrowed. Beside him, a young male secretary stood perpetually on guard, ensuring the State Governor's directives could be disseminated throughout Quan State City at any moment. The issue was, the secretary could only speculate about the call, having witnessed firsthand the State Governor's gravity and deep contemplation.

After a moment, Jin Botao collected himself. He beckoned slightly to his secretary. "I'll be going out shortly. If there are any meetings, social engagements, or the like scheduled for today, cancel them all. I have a guest."

The secretary looked taken aback. "State Governor, then the meeting the Internal Affairs Department wishes to convene later regarding the unrest in the Underground City—will you not be attending, sir?"

Jin Botao gave a self-deprecating smile. "And what if I do attend? Although the Underground City's Internal Affairs Department and Quan State City's Internal Affairs Department belong to the same overarching department, they only take orders from the Federation and the Royal Family. Moreover, that damn fool is only concerned with his own skin; he wouldn't want to stir up all this trouble. Better to keep him out of sight, out of mind. So it's settled. I have other matters. If they ask, tell them to solve it themselves. If they can't, they can wait for the Federation to solve it. In any case, they're all feeding at the public trough; a little more or a little less, it's all the same..."

The secretary remained silent. It was one thing for him to be privy to the State Governor's complaints about the dissatisfaction between these departments, but he couldn't get involved. He wasn't qualified.

"Then, State Governor, do you need me to accompany you out?" His qualification, or rather, his opportunity, lay in accompanying the State Governor, using his own eyes to accumulate more capital for his future.

Little did the secretary know, the State Governor glanced at him and directly shook his head. "You are not qualified. Go and summon the Director of the Martial Management Bureau for me. Hmm, tell him to bring his weapon…"

The secretary was inwardly alarmed. Who on earth was the State Governor going to meet that he needed to bring along even the Director of the Martial Management Bureau, such a notoriously fierce martial practitioner? One should know that even during a typical Beast Nest attack, Jin Botao wouldn't necessarily keep the Martial Management Bureau Director by his side; instead, he would dispatch him to the battlefield. If asked, Jin Botao would always say, "What damn use is his talent protecting an old man like me who couldn't care less about dying? He'd be better off killing a few more beasts." Therefore, to say the State Governor feared death was impossible. But since the State Governor was going out and said it was a guest, surely it shouldn't be a hostile visitor, right?

However, as a secretary, while he could speculate wildly in his heart, he couldn't let it show on his face. He simply watched Jin Botao depart. Sigh, when will I ever reach that position! It was impossible for a young man willing to swallow his pride to serve as a secretary not to have some ambition. But clearly, he still had a very long way to go.

「Elsewhere. Yue Sheng Tea House.」

As its name suggested, it was a place for enjoying music, pleasure, and the fine art of tea tasting. While not entirely unknown in Quan State City, those of true status favored this place, where they could sit and observe the unfolding currents of the world. Don't be fooled by its outwardly unassuming, old-fashioned four or five-story structure; the tea ceremony art within was exceptional, passed down through family lineage since ancient times. Aided by its profound heritage, even Martial Artists could gain something from a visit here. It was akin to the remarkably mystical ancient tea tree leaves from the Federal Martial Arts Academy, obtained from Wei Daoming, many of which Wang Zhan had long since squandered. Naturally, even without widespread fame, it had become a benchmark in Quan State City, a distinguished locale visited by countless great personages passing through over the years.

And today, a young man, seemingly an ordinary person despite his bright, sunny smile, approached the entrance of Yue Sheng Tea House. He was accompanied by none other than Ku Zhu, a dignified Martial King, and they had booked the Xiu Yue private room on the fifth level in advance.

Consequently, some who saw their retreating figures found them enigmatic and immediately began to whisper, "Who are these people, able to book a room on the fifth level? Isn't that floor usually not available for booking by ordinary folk?"

One should know that the fifth level offered the best scenery. To maintain its prestige, the Yue Sheng Tea House would, of course, spare no effort in reinforcing its rules. Only an eternally supreme reputation and renown would increasingly draw people to covet access to the fifth level. Therefore, the days when the fifth level was open were few and far between; money alone couldn't grant access.

However, the expressions of those on the second and third floors, who were sipping tea and privately discussing matters, changed instantly upon seeing Ku Zhu's face. "Is that him?" someone exclaimed. Another even hastily pulled out a phone to compare Ku Zhu's profile. "That's right! It's him, Martial King Ku Zhu!" "Go, go, go! Stop drinking! Get the news out immediately! This time, we're destined to earn merit…"

In an instant, nearly a dozen people rose, paid their bills, and departed. This immediately caused a subtle, silent shift in the atmosphere of the Yue Sheng Tea House.

A lobby manager with an alluring figure saw this scene and her heart immediately trembled. Is trouble brewing, or is something about to happen? She was just an ordinary lobby manager with a relatively good figure; she couldn't possibly handle these rough brutes. So, she quickly hurried over, drew near to interject, and said fawningly, "Sirs, sirs! Why are you leaving in such a rush? Was today's tea not to your liking? Look, we have a new tea that just arrived today; how about I bring some up for you to try? We're a humble establishment; if there's any issue, we can always discuss it amicably…"

Unfortunately, she mostly earned herself scornful glares. "Get lost!" one barked. "Out of my way! I'm in a hurry! Believe it or not, if you delay me, I'll beat you to death!"

Fortunately, one man who seemed to have some acquaintance with the lobby manager didn't want to be too harsh and offered a warning, "Alright, alright, this doesn't concern you. It's that guest of yours on the fifth level—they're someone of note. We need to go back and handle things! That's all. Knowing more won't do you any good…"

The lobby manager was stunned. Someone of note? Just how notable could they be? Why does everyone look so peculiar…

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