Chapter 50: Mithril Church

"Ah!"

A sharp scream completely shattered the quiet atmosphere of the area. A Fussah attendant covered her mouth, her eyes filled with terror, while the antennae on top of her head quivered uncontrollably, looking incredibly cute.

Even though Tu Rui had rented out the entire floor, the staff naturally couldn't be chased away and were going about their regular duties.

Great Waves was not the only underground fighter here. At this moment, everyone was staring intently at Li Yu. The death of Great Waves meant little to them; after all, their relationships weren't all that close anyway.

However, Li Yu's casual attitude forced them to be cautious.

"Where did all this hostility come from..."

Tu Rui walked out of a room with a miniature Tu Rui clinging to his shoulder. Staring at the bloodstained walls and scattered body parts, the miniature Tu Rui showed no signs of fear, only intense curiosity.

"Who told him to lack so much civic decency? This is the Sacred Heart Hospital, not a place to spit wherever you please!" Li Yu walked straight past the blood-drenched wall and the scattered chunks of flesh.

He even flashed a smile at the young nurse nearby, asking, "Isn't that right?"

The Hunter deeply agreed, especially since Great Waves had spat on his shoes. While no one was looking, he stealthily wiped off that massive wad of phlegm, a look of utter disgust washing over his face.

"You got it on your hands," Mo Duo calmly pointed out, stepping slightly to the side.

"Ah?" The Hunter's eyes widened. Sure enough, he spotted a smear of pale blue liquid on his fingers, and his stomach immediately churned.

"Hello, big brother," the miniature Tu Rui greeted politely, which instantly darkened Li Yu's face.

"What big brother? Call me uncle!"

If the kid called him big brother, wouldn't that inexplicably drop him a generation lower than Tu Rui?

"Hello, uncle!" The Little Demon Giant's eyes were bright. He lacked Tu Rui's ferocious aura, radiating an adorable vibe instead.

Then, Li Yu watched as the Little Demon Giant reached out a hand.

He blinked, and the Little Demon Giant blinked back.

Li Yu extended his hand and shook the Little Demon Giant's hand. "Hello, hello."

The Little Demon Giant pouted, seemingly quite dissatisfied.

'Little punk, trying to play games with me,' Li Yu sneered inwardly.

Tu Rui simply watched on expressionlessly. Only when Li Yu pulled his hand back did he speak. "Great Waves was a decent fighter. Dying here was a waste."

"Heh." Li Yu scoffed disdainfully. "He was entirely useless. And these guys too, what do you expect them to accomplish?"

As soon as he said this, the other fighters immediately glared at him. Their expressions twisted savagely, creating a tense atmosphere on the brink of war, as if they were ready to swarm him at any second.

"Enough," Tu Rui frowned, shooting Li Yu a glance. "Come with me."

They walked into the room while the fighters remained outside. This difference in treatment was obvious at a single glance.

"What is your angle?" Tu Rui questioned Li Yu. After their previous encounters, he could confirm that Li Yu was not typically an arrogant and domineering person.

Yet, he had just acted completely dismissive of everyone. There was definitely an ulterior motive.

Li Yu did not hold back. "Is your brain short-circuiting? The entire city is under surveillance right now, yet you gather so many underground fighters. Are you afraid Dark Star won't notice you?"

Based on his deductions, Dark Star could not find that Imperial Noble either, so they had opted for a very simple method.

A free-for-all search. Whoever found him got to claim him, though whether they could successfully escort him out was a different story.

This was an overt strategy, because the Star Glory Empire could never just sit by and watch an Imperial Noble fall into the hands of a Marauder, even if he had already been exiled.

Tu Rui's face darkened. "Mind the way you speak to me!"

He was exceptionally displeased with Li Yu's attitude, which showed zero respect.

Li Yu waved his hand dismissively. "Alright, alright, just tell them to scram. They're getting in the way."

"Do you have a way to find the Imperial Noble?" Tu Rui shot back.

"No," Li Yu admitted honestly. There was no need to con Tu Rui at this point.

"I do." Tu Rui revealed a triumphant smile.

Li Yu was genuinely surprised. This meathead actually had a way to find the Imperial Noble.

"Do you know of the Ghost Squad?" Tu Rui asked as he placed the wide-eyed Little Demon Giant onto the bed.

Upon hearing this, it was as if a bolt of thunder exploded in Li Yu's mind. The Ghost Squad, deep cover, an important figure...

Did all of this somehow connect?

Rumor had it that the Ghost Squad went into hiding for the sake of an important figure. But... was it for the Imperial Noble?

Based on the vague rumors and their obsolete equipment, it really did not seem likely at all.

"Is it because of the Imperial Noble?" Li Yu asked directly.

"I... don't know," Tu Rui shook his head, rendering Li Yu utterly speechless. If he didn't know, why was he putting on such big airs?

"Not long ago, I looked into the people you used to threaten me. They moved fast. By the time I tracked them down, they had already left the Heavenly Desolation Star," Tu Rui smoothly transitioned to what seemed like an unrelated topic.

'Widow's people?' Li Yu's heart skipped a beat.

"However, following some clues, I found someone who completely surprised me—Sylvia." Tu Rui spat out an unfamiliar name. Li Yu did not recognize it, but the words that followed made his expression turn serious.

"Or, as you guys call her, Widow."

"She is the wife of the Former Magistrate, the one who stepped down due to the scandal of raising merfolk as pets."

Li Yu's pupils contracted. He remembered Widow mentioning that it was her husband who had personally helped the Ghost Squad go into hiding.

Why would her husband then turn around and hunt down the Ghost Squad?

Furthermore, since Sylvia had a background with the church, why would she stay in that Junkyard?

"To make a clean getaway?" Li Yu guessed the Former Magistrate's motive.

"Exactly," Tu Rui nodded. "I can no longer trace the Former Magistrate's whereabouts, and the Ghost Squad has truly become a squad of ghosts."

"Are you certain the Ghost Squad's objective is the Imperial Noble?" Li Yu questioned.

"I'm not certain, but it's highly likely!" Tu Rui couldn't guarantee it, but he quickly added,

"That brings us to the organization behind Sylvia..."

Tu Rui pulled out a cigar and prepared to light it, trying his best to look like a mob boss, but the Little Demon Giant slapped it away with one hand.

Pretending that nothing had happened, he continued, "The organization behind Sylvia isn't hard to look up—the Mithril Church."

"It is an organization that operates beyond just the borders of the Star Glory Empire, and they exclusively recruit female creatures."

"For the past few decades, the Mithril Church has harbored an open secret—they are searching for the Silverlight Scion."

Li Yu was slightly astonished. "Is this scion the exiled Imperial Noble?"

"No one knows," Tu Rui shook his head, but then added, "But it's very possible."

He speculated that the Former Magistrate and Sylvia had no idea about each other's motives at the very beginning. It was just a twist of fate that led to the current situation.

"Both sides want the Imperial Noble, but for entirely different purposes. How interesting..." Li Yu looked thoughtful.

"Do you know why that Imperial Noble was exiled in the first place?"

Under Li Yu's expectant gaze, Tu Rui shook his head.