Chapter 494: Date

"Haha, I knew the young master of the Meraphis Family would be generous; this little bit of money..."

"Sweet talk won't work. Don't you know that the richer they are, the stingier they get?" Xilian didn't buy it at all. "Business is business."

One has to bow when under a low roof; student Li Hao has always been able to bend and stretch. "What is it? My shoulders are narrow; I can't carry anything too heavy."

Xilian couldn't help but laugh; it was truly rare to see someone so strong yet so shameless.

"Have you heard of Noah's Ark?"

The atmosphere in the room instantly froze. Clearly, Anlita and the others knew of it, and had even dealt with them. During the past five years, they had clashed and fought many times; it was a terrifying organization.

Li Hao sat up straight and looked at Xilian. "I've heard a little, but I'm not very clear on the details."

Xilian wasn't surprised. "Have you fought them?"

"I've heard of them; they're quite famous on the Dark Net." Li Hao waved his hand. "They are elusive and ruthless; they're not to be trifled with."

"Noah's Ark has a thousand-year history. It is one of the few major organizations that has grown alongside human civilization. However, this organization advocates for doomsday theories and constantly infiltrates through cults, war, drugs, seduction, and other means. Their shadows are present in humanity's development of the Moon, Mars, Titan, and even the Kepler Planet. They are also old rivals of our Meraphis Family. During the time I was in a coma, there were dozens of assassination attempts against me," Xilian said lightly, as if he weren't talking about himself.

"Tsk tsk, so rich people have their troubles too." Li Hao clicked his tongue.

Xilian smiled. "Actually, it's also a balance. Destruction and construction are one. But in the last ten years, the biggest conflict of interest between our family and Noah's Ark has been the excavation of the Nimeier Civilization ruins, which led to large-scale firefights. What I showed you last time was only a part of it. Let's put it this way: the Golden Zone, K23, new types of mecha, and some genetic technologies are all related to the reverse engineering of the Nimeier Civilization. We control a part, and Noah's Ark controls a part. Because of the existence of the K23 Element, this technology can be directly converted into combat power, forming a suppression of current human technology. The balance is broken, and ambition becomes hard to control."

Li Hao listened. The missions on Bleem were all targeting Noah's Ark, and Kevin was also tracking Noah's Ark on the Dark Net. They had dealt with them many times and had a deep impression of the other side's unscrupulousness and lack of humanity.

"With your family's power, you could completely cooperate with the Alliance, right?" Li Hao said.

Xilian shook his head. "What can be used will naturally be used, but only in certain local areas. After all, the family has its own interests involved. Noah's influence is no weaker than ours, and being in the shadows actually gives them an advantage. They have people everywhere in the Four Great Federations. I highly suspect that the Dream Weaver who attacked Zuo Xiaotang a while ago was sent by Noah's Ark. These people on the Dark Net all have connections with them, but I'm very curious: why would they attack Zuo Xiaotang?"

Li Hao was silent for a while. He and Kevin hadn't forgotten about this matter either. There were traces of Noah's Ark, but the strange thing was that the execution was a bit anticlimactic. If Noah's Ark had made a move, it wouldn't have been so easy; there was something fishy about it.

"I don't know. I suspect it might have involved gambling. Fortunately, nothing happened. Now we're world champions anyway, and the tournament is over, so they shouldn't come again."

"That's not necessarily true. You did, after all, cause them huge losses. The reason Noah's Ark has been able to develop to its current level is that the enemy is in the light while they are in the dark. I have received confirmed intelligence that they want to use Nimeier technology for a plan to completely subvert the existing human order. We must stop it!" Xilian said seriously.

He had ambition and goals, but he wasn't a madman; he had no interest in destroying the world.

Xilian paused. "My intelligence organization has captured some clues. Do you want to participate?"

Li Hao was silent for a while, then shook his head. "Forget it, I can't handle it. I'm just an ordinary person. Confronting such a behemoth that has existed for a thousand years is too stimulating; my heart can't take it..."

Anlita, standing to the side, gave a look of disdain.

"Are you sure? This involves the core of the Nimeier Civilization and the origin of humanity. Aren't you curious?" Xilian said.

"It would be a lie to say I'm not curious, but we were never the same kind of people. Birth determines that. I'm actually very satisfied with my current life; being safe and steady is quite good, really." Li Hao spread his hands and said, "Cough, you wouldn't refuse to help, would you?"

Xilian frowned. "This is the first time I've made a request of you and been rejected. This doesn't fit the principles of the Meraphis Family, and I'm in a difficult position too."

"For you, these are all small matters. If there's something less shocking, I can contribute."

"Sigh, Li Hao, to tell you the truth, the Meraphis Family has a lot of difficulties with this big mess, and I need others' help too." Xilian didn't budge; in a word, even a landlord's family has no surplus grain.

Li Hao didn't know whether to laugh or cry; Dita was better after all. "I finally understand why you're so rich."

Xilian smiled. "They put a lot of pressure on me. I participated in the S Tournament this time to cover my tracks, to make them think my attention wasn't on the Nimeier Civilization, but it seems the effect isn't very obvious."

Young, rich, and capable—wanting to show off is a normal persona.

Li Hao thought for a moment. "If it's just to draw them out, I do have a way to lure the snake out of its hole."

"What kind of way?"

"That matter?"

"I'll take the job."

"Interest?"

"Not a single cent less."

The day after Tianjing won the championship, Earth and the many fans of Tianjing were still in a frenzy. The joy had not diminished in the slightest, and various celebrations had just begun. Of course, the enthusiasm for the S Tournament on the Moon had already faded rapidly. They only wanted the championship; without the championship, it was no different from failure, and it was also the shattering of the dream of a three-peat. In fact, the Moon People didn't really care for Tianjing.

As a result, in the evening, big news broke out in the medical district of the Galaxy Center: Li Hao of Tianjing went to the medical district, seemingly to visit the comatose Hailong Team Team Leader Xilian with gifts, but because the fruit he brought was discounted, it was clearly a mockery. The members of Hailong were very angry, and both sides got into a big fight. At the same time, it was revealed that Team Leader Xilian's condition was very bad; Xilian had previously become a vegetable due to an accident, and having finally woken up, his old injuries had recurred. Many people at the scene witnessed it, and soon the Meraphis Family's private plane arrived to transfer Xilian to the best hospital on Heaven Island for treatment.

On one side was the new champion, and on the other was the heir to the Meraphis Family. The entertainment headlines had their story, but it was quickly suppressed; neither the Earth side nor the Moon side wanted this matter to escalate.

Li Hao, who returned to the dormitory, was also a bit disheveled. He didn't fight back when he was beaten. Zhou Naiyi and the others were all awake. They were originally happy, but then they encountered this kind of thing. Cheng Konghai immediately refused to let it go and wanted to find them to fight, but was stopped by Li Hao.

"Xilian is a bit miserable. Forget it, let's book tickets back to Tianjing as soon as possible," Li Hao said.

"Let's go. After all, we're on someone else's turf. We just shattered the Moon People's dream; they won't look at us kindly."

"The principal has already booked them for the day after tomorrow, first thing in the morning," Zhou Naiyi said. Li Hao was fine, but Xilian was truly miserable.

Soon this matter passed, and the feeling of winning the championship returned. Ma Long and Sheng Man were inseparable, ignoring everyone else; they finally didn't have to endure it. However, Ma Laoshi looked a bit wilted, while Sheng Man was radiant and full of indescribable energy.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go shopping!" Sheng Man suggested.

"I need to, I also need to buy some souvenirs," Zuo Xiaotang said happily. He had been praised by his mom and dad; he had brought honor to his ancestors.

"I have something to do tonight, you guys go ahead," Li Hao said.

Everyone was stunned for a moment, but soon reacted. This was the rhythm of a date.

Long-distance relationships are a bit difficult, so everyone didn't think about dragging the two of them along.

Back in his room, Li Hao changed his clothes. Was Klein doing this on purpose, insisting on tearing his clothes? It was a bit of a personal vendetta. It was a pity for this T-shirt; he had only worn it for two years.

In a private room at a seafood restaurant in the Galaxy Center, when Li Hao arrived fully disguised, A Youyou and Dita couldn't stop laughing.

"What kind of outfit is this? You just won a championship, and you already have the awareness of a celebrity?" Dita teased. It was fine now; these two were both focal points, and meeting up was like a spy operation. "Li Hao, you're done for. You snatched the most important championship for us Moon People, and you snatched the goddess in the hearts of all Moon men."

Li Hao and A Youyou looked at each other and smiled. A Youyou pulled Li Hao to sit down. "Sister Dita, you're wrong. It was I who conquered the War God of Earth!"

Li Hao nodded in strong agreement. "A Youyou is the one in charge in our house."

"Enough, you two, that's enough. We haven't even eaten yet; are you going to let me eat!" Dita was furious. "I have to go back and have a showdown with Su Yu. I can't do this job anymore; my spirit has been severely traumatized."

A Youyou quickly picked up a glass of fruit juice. "Sister Dita, drink some mango juice to cool off."

Su Yu now didn't allow A Youyou and Li Hao to go on dates alone. In such an exciting time, with dry wood and raging fire and gasoline on top, once they relaxed, the child would be born by this time next year. So she only gave A Youyou two choices: either she followed, or she let Dita follow.

"Li Hao, did you do it on purpose?" Dita asked gossipingly.

"What on purpose?"

"Xilian, of course. Did you hear some gossip and deliberately beat him half to death, and then carry discounted fruit to mock him? I didn't expect your jealousy to be so strong!" Dita looked at Li Hao. He seemed indifferent on the surface, but he was quite a man at heart, directly taking down a potential rival. If Xilian's health was poor, the family wouldn't be so firm.

"It's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. I thought he wouldn't miss this bite to eat, and since it would be thrown away if I didn't give it to him, I was acting entirely on the principle of not being wasteful," Li Hao said with a bitter smile.

A Youyou pulled Dita, "Eat. Even food can't plug your mouth; I never thought you were this gossipy before."

"Don't fail to appreciate someone's kindness; the eighty-one tribulations for you two have only just begun!" Dita said.

But A Youyou and Li Hao just looked at each other and smiled, their eyes full of sweetness; clearly, they didn't care at all. A Youyou certainly knew her family's intentions—it was the same old story. She also knew this wasn't a joke; even if the family couldn't do anything to her, they would indeed target Li Hao. However, neither she nor Li Hao were people who could be manipulated by others. It was just that, after all, they were family, so the approach needed to be more tactful. This time, Xilian's serious injury had actually made the family much less keen on this idea, and an S-Tournament Champion, along with the abilities displayed and the background of the Apocalypse, was indeed different.

"Ah, almost forgot, Dita, for you." As he spoke, Li Hao took a bag out of his pocket. The moment he brought it out, the dazzling blue light instantly attracted all of Dita's attention, and her face beamed with joy...

(End of this chapter)