Chapter 680: The Cruel Su Yang! The Southeast

Fang Jing led Su Yang into a slightly secluded alley.

As soon as they entered the alley, Su Yang smelled a tempting, distinctive seafood aroma.

Fang Jing had not lied to him.

This aroma was already no worse than the secret seafood of Mount Dajiao Restaurant.

Having stayed in the southwest for too long, Su Yang had never seen the sea or eaten seafood.

He had only eaten a little at Mount Dajiao Restaurant yesterday.

But back then, Su Yang certainly hadn't dared eat too much!

"Colonel, it's right here!"

This was what Su Yang had instructed beforehand.

Where possible, avoid using the title of city lord.

He feared scaring people.

A colonel's rank alone was enough to move freely throughout Mount Dajiao City.

"The seafood here is the finest in Mount Dajiao City!"

Liu Mengyun glanced at the sign of this small eatery—it looked old.

Inside the eatery, there were five tables total, and four were occupied.

By the standards of this world, the business was very good!

The four tables of customers noticed Su Yang and his two companions, and each lowered their voices.

The eatery was somewhat dirty; the benches and tables bore black stains.

No one knew if they could be cleaned.

Fang Jing enthusiastically pulled out a bench and swiftly wiped it clean with his sleeve.

"Sit!"

Su Yang sat down; Liu Mengyun followed suit.

"Boss Liu, bring the dishes quickly—I've brought you guests today!"

The busy chef turned around, saw Su Yang and his group, and shouted loudly: "Officer, wait a moment—I'll prepare the dishes right away!"

Su Yang pointed to the chair across the table and said: "Fang Jing, sit down too!"

"Is that allowed?"

"Why not? We're here to eat."

Seeing Fang Jing sit across from him, tense and serious, Su Yang couldn't help but smile.

Once upon a time, he had been just like that.

The lunch left Su Yang thoroughly satisfied.

Fang Jing brought them to a street on the edge of Mount Dajiao City.

In the blue sky, a few Bai Yun drifted lazily.

Su Yang leaned on the stone railing below which lay Mount Dajiao City's cliff.

Far away stretched an endless sea.

Su Yang's entire chest felt wide open!

He sat on the nearby bench, closed his eyes, and basked in the sun, feeling utterly languid.

"Colonel, there's something I don't know if I should ask."

"Ask."

Su Yang was in a good mood.

He hadn't felt this relaxed in a long time.

"Why did the Colonel save only one person?"

"Someone who gambles away his entire fortune and sells his daughter doesn't deserve saving!" Su Yang stretched lazily. "When his daughter was taken, he said nothing. The moment I appeared, he begged for help—he clearly wanted to take advantage. If I save his daughter this time, next time he might sell her again… The root is his gambling addiction. I have no time for such nonsense."

Fang Jing suddenly understood.

He also thought Su Yang's words made sense.

The city lord of Mount Dajiao should worry about the city's overall safety.

Not trivial matters like this.

In truth, the root problem was still Liu Zhang's gambling addiction.

Asking the Suchengzhu Gang to help him quit gambling was pure fantasy.

"If Liu Zhang's daughter had truly agreed to go with them, would the Colonel have let her be taken?"

"Yes! It was her own choice!" Su Yang whispered. "Same principle: with her father around, she'd still have no good fate… I respect her decision. I can help once, but not for her whole life. The path she walks—she must choose it herself."

Su Yang's words were unexpectedly cruel.

Yet Fang Jing felt Su Yang was truly a great person!

He seemed to understand Su Yang's meaning.

Though cold and cruel, it was the truth!

"Deputy Liu, arrange after we return—tomorrow, have someone take us out of the city!"

It was time to inspect the surroundings of Mount Dajiao City.

Su Yang hadn't killed any ferocious beasts in a long time.

"Yes, Colonel!"

In the afternoon, Su Yang saw the imposing building of Zhenbao Pavilion.

At the entrance of Zhenbao Pavilion, many Beast Tamer entered and exited, looking very lively.

"The Treasure Pavilion's business seems to be doing quite well!"

Fang Jing chuckled, "Colonel, the Treasure Pavilion is extremely powerful—it's the largest merchant guild in the southeastern region. I've heard their branches have spread throughout the entire south."

Su Yang knew all this information perfectly well.

"The current manager of the Treasure Pavilion is Director Liao Yuankai, a Sovereign-level powerhouse. I've heard he's incredibly strong and commands several elite Beast Tamer squads—every time they go to sea, they hunt down countless ferocious beasts... but he apparently had a feud with the former city lord, Du Yongtao, and their relationship is poor."

Su Yang asked curiously, "What kind of feud?"

"This subordinate doesn't know!"

"Hmm!"

Su Yang could tell that, due to his rank and status, Fang Jing had only superficial knowledge of the Treasure Pavilion's affairs.

Su Yang turned to Liu Mengyun: "By the way, Deputy Officer Liu, do you know anything about the Treasure Pavilion in the southeastern region?"

Su Yang remembered that the Treasure Pavilion had risen to prominence in the southeastern region, with its headquarters located in Zhanghai City in the southeast.

Liu Mengyun's father held a high position within the Treasure Pavilion.

"I know quite a bit," Liu Mengyun replied softly. "The Treasure Pavilion's influence in the southeastern region is very strong. Unlike the southwest, in the southeast, the Treasure Pavilion has grown so powerful that even the Southeast Military Department feels uneasy—but it always operates discreetly, occasionally cooperating with military operations, and maintains good relations with several high-ranking officers in the department."

Fang Jing kept his head bowed; he felt it was better he didn't know these things.

"Do you know Liao Yuankai?"

"My father mentioned him before—Liao Yuankai was a prodigy who rose to fame young, but he wasn't well-liked within the Treasure Pavilion, which is why he was pushed out to Mount Dajiao."

"Alright, I understand."

Su Yang didn't care what feud Liao Yuankai had with the former Mount Dajiao city lord, Du Yongtao.

He had no connection to Du Yongtao.

At the end of the day, Fang Jing left.

Su Yang had no intention of returning to the city lord's mansion—he went straight to his residence.

On the way, he asked casually, "What do you think of that kid Fang Jing?"