Chapter 231: I Really Want to Give Ji Ming a Good Beating

I understand the reasoning, but…

As a guard of the Inner City, the tax collector clearly has exclusive benefits; aren't they supposed to go straight to your subordinate hospital for treatment?

Those who usually come to the Clinic for treatment are the ones living beyond their means, destitute and impoverished, who can only afford the first‑generation rejuvenation debt‑settling talents, right?

Forget it…

If you say so, then that's that—no rebuttal!

Ji Ming tightened his face and nodded seriously.

"Yes (immediately)."

But Ke Li Si Ting wasn't the type to read between the lines; she even thought Ji Ming was moved by her sincerity.

The horse hooves clattered on the ground several times, and the solemn official tone that had finally steadied turned back into a bandit leader's shout.

"In short, I hope everyone can still come to your Clinic for treatment in the future, obtain decent medicinal remedies, and also…"

"Eat well, drink well! Train the body! Fight bravely! And… ah, what?"

The Shuang Ju Ren beside him couldn't bear to watch any longer, so he whispered another cue.

"Oh, right, right! Acquire as many Rune Armors as possible to equip our combatants, preventing them from suffering strange injuries again!"

Ji Ming: "Um… yes."

He then babbled a chaotic stream of nonsense, yet Ke Li Si Ting still seemed somewhat unsatisfied.

But under the Shuang Ju Ren's urging, he forced himself to cut off his speech, rummaged through the many pockets on his body, and produced a sheet of paper.

The Shuang Ju Ren lowered his head slightly, and the eyes hidden beneath the frost flashed an odd hue.

He took a deep breath, but said nothing in the end.

"This is my contact information; I believe we can cooperate closely to contribute more to Sunlight City's peace and effort… no, peace and development!"

Ji Ming: "Hmm… yes."

Taking this business card as large as a medical diary cover, Ji Ming stared at the crooked handwritten address on it, unable to speak for a long while.

Ke Li Si Ting glanced at the Shuang Ju Ren, and after confirming there was nothing else to add, they both took their leave and turned away.

"You scared me; I thought you were going to steal my eggs…"

He patted his slightly dizzy head and sat back at the table.

Fortunately, the low pressure brought by the two giants' joint appearance lasted a long time, granting him a fairly long period of free time.

But the departing Ke Li Si Ting and Shuang Ju Ren were no longer leisurely; they gradually quickened their steps.

This banquet was of great significance; not a single mishap could be allowed.

Thus the two immediately left the banquet hall and inspected the surrounding security measures.

Finally, they arrived at the small garden behind the Lord's Residence.

The decadent sounds of the banquet could no longer reach here at all; only distant, delicate music floated in.

At a deserted corner, Ke Li Si Ting halted.

"We've been together so long; don't think I can't see it—are you trying to ask me something?"

The Shuang Ju Ren was silent for a moment.

"I don't understand why you are so courteous to that cowardly human—because he…"

"Shuang, you know how much I want to return to the Shen Lin Wang Guo!"

"What?"

She turned around, and Ke Li Si Ting suddenly pressed her shoulder.

"All citizens know I'm a fallen noble with a noble surname called 'Zhen Zhu', yet no one knows its true origin…"

The barren plains in Sunlight City's south host only a handful of centaur Tribes, mostly small horse breeds.

The northern Radiance is a feudal kingdom dominated by humans, who, indulging in pleasures, have long forgotten the value of force.

Thus the somewhat rough Ke Li Si Ting is naturally not a local; her childhood memories began with constant evasion and hiding.

That period, when recalled, is truly fragmented; the memory fragments contain only endless pursuers and escape killings.

As time passed, the vague fragments gradually clarified, and the once‑shattered memories began to piece together a complete picture.

Unfortunately, the formal start of this story is not clean; it is soaked in blood and death—that was Sunlight City decades ago.

My mother died, I was entrusted to the old Lord, but the old Lord also didn't live many years, dying suddenly in an extremely strange banquet.

After that came Sunlight City's chaotic era, with various forces fighting over the right to enter the Lord's Residence.

At that time, Sunlight City was still relatively prosperous, a golden city beneath dark clouds, exploiting its border advantage to reap commercial benefits.

Among traveling merchants and bards, a lyric even circulated.

—The kingdom's north is a capital brimming with art and incense; the south is Sunlight, overflowing with gold and jewels.

Yet over the long stretch, no victor emerged among the people; instead, the city's security gradually collapsed, and the stable commercial environment vanished.

Thus the former 'Sunlight' became a perfect irony; this place turned into a haven of crime and poverty, a thieves' den avoided by caravans.

Fortunately, at that time Ke Li Si Ting already possessed some combat ability, so she drifted among various factions serving, essentially safeguarding herself.

Eventually, she joined the Commercial Union, assisting the famous notorious merchant Suo La, becoming Sunlight City's nominal ruler.

And his first act upon taking the Lord's Residence was to finalize the regional plan separating the inner and outer cities.

Since then, Sunlight City transformed from the otherworldly Xiao Ge Tan into a magical cyber‑punk, its protective dome like a barrier between heaven and hell.

Unfortunately, the good times were short; Orc families from the south and mountain‑folk mercenaries from the west poured into Sunlight City, stirring the waters anew.

If the chaos didn't suit any side's interests, Sunlight City might not even retain this pitiful triangular balance.

And Ke Li Si Ting gradually became the top figure under Suo La, the arrogant Tax Minister of the Commercial Union.

Yet she still hasn't given up searching for her origins, clutching the surname 'Zhen Zhu' and seeking verification everywhere, until…

"Actually I've already investigated thoroughly; it's a noble surname originating from the Shen Lin Wang Guo."

"My ancestors were once a clan of the Beimosi Grassland, following the chief tribe to oppose that extremely formidable Lionfolk Khan."

"However, in a brutal battle we were utterly defeated and forced to join the Deep Forest Kingdom, which was already planning to lay claim to the grassland."

"But fate was truly unforgiving; because of treacherous men, our newly risen beastfolk families were branded as traitors and brutally exterminated."

"Even though the truth later came to light, all the involved parties had already been slaughtered, and in the eyes of the Deep Forest people, the dead are meaningless."

"Thus, under the burial and suppression of some great nobles, the matter eventually fell into oblivion, so few people even remember the utterly insignificant third‑rate noble surname 'Zhen Zhu'…"

"But I am still alive! I am the sole descendant of the Zhen Zhu family!"

Ke Li Si Ting grasped the Frost Giant's hands tighter; if she were an ordinary person, she might have been crushed on the spot!

"The Deep Forest people only believe in might and battle merit; as long as you have those, you can have everything!"

"I have might; I'm only thirty‑eight this year, the perfect time for my strength to rise, and level forty is by no means my limit."

"But what about battle merit? Frost, I'm so short of people; besides you… there are a few others, I have no trusted subordinates!"

"Also, my whole life has been spent in slaughter and blood; even the most basic… I don't understand those twists!"

"Therefore I need someone clever enough to handle noble socializing, as well as superb medical skills and equipment to maintain my army and attract talent, and also…"

"So you need Ji Ming!?"

The Frost Giant suddenly cut her off, uncharacteristically abandoning his usual calm and obedience, and asked hastily.

"Is this why you had me write those bragging texts and perform a farcical show in front of the public?"

"…Yes, don't you think he is a perfect choice for me?"

Ke Li Si Ting hesitated briefly, but still crossed her fingers.

"He excels at socializing, can navigate among a crowd of greedy scum without offending anyone."

"He excels at medicine; even with the most ordinary rejuvenation techniques, he can save many lives on the battlefield."

"He excels at forging armor; the biggest selling point of talismanic armor is indeed its resistance to the uncanny, but I've tried it, and its ability to withstand sword slashes is also strong."

The Frost Giant trembled his lips and asked in a low voice.

"But he is a divinely chosen saint of the Holy Light Church; he couldn't follow you back to the Deep Forest Kingdom."

"Then this is precisely my chance to demonstrate my ability and worth; if I could lure a holy son to betray his faith, I can't even imagine how the priests of the Deep Forest would extol me."

"But his personality is cowardly; he greets everyone with a smile and has no temper at all."

"That shows he's easy to control; I can effortlessly keep him by my side, making him renounce that damn Holy Light god and serve me."

"But he looks so frail; putting on a dress would make him practically a woman."

"Isn't that perfect? You might not know, but the Deep Forest nobles love to carry a petite female companion, and the younger, the better!"

"Since I want to become a female commander, I should also have a similar male by my side to truly blend into the noble circle."

At this point, Ke Li Si Ting even showed a hint of excitement.

"My god, even this place is perfect for him; I really want to crush him… thank goodness I didn't crush him to death; sigh, I should have been kinder to him back then!"

Listening to her praise, the resentful Frost Giant, who had been rummaging for flaws, suddenly widened his eyes.

"Wait, what do you mean? Are you planning… you've even already planned to be with him!"

"I…"

Ke Li Si Ting's excited expression froze instantly, fading away.

Yet in the Frost Giant's complex gaze, her smile did not vanish; it became even more complicated.

"Frost, in the world of nobles there is no such thing as love, after all it was the father who betrayed the mother."

"But… but…"

—What about me!?

The Frost Giant almost ground his teeth before he could swallow the words with difficulty.

Clearly I've been by your side the longest; why, for no reason, must a completely unknown person take my place?

"There is no but."

Ke Li Si Ting released her shoulder, awkwardly and gently rubbing it.

"For my mother, for my surname, for the hardships I've endured all these years, I must demand justice, even if it shatters me to pieces!"

She paused after each word, as if taking an oath, then her tone shifted.

"So, the premise of all this is that I must first find a way to take Ji Ming down."

"Frost, you'll help me, right?"

The Frost Giant remained silent for a long while, then raised his trembling arm and grasped Ke Li Si Ting's hand.

"…Yes."

"Sorry, excuse me, I have an urgent matter right now."

After a supply run in the Rest Room, Ji Ming finally revived at full health.

Fortunately, the senior and junior officials present were still relatively reasonable, not all as brutal as Minister Ke.

—Suddenly she ran out, babbling incomprehensible words to herself; no one knew what she intended.

But is the temperature really that low today? Why do I still feel a chill behind the chrysanthemum…?

Having snagged the last batch of Reno whiskey for tonight, Ji Ming waved his glass around the venue, only to unexpectedly run into a few acquaintances.

"Dr. Ji Ming, although my envoy already conveyed it when we discussed talismanic armor in the church last time, I'm truly glad you could become a divinely chosen…"

Although each of them seemed very enthusiastic, all proactively greeted and shook Ji Ming's hand, as if old friends long not seen.

But as the chieftains of the three beastfolk tribes—Bao Li Si, Mi Yang, and Jia Li Si— they can't be called united in spirit; they're more like a scattered heap.

Clearly it was a conversation among four, yet the atmosphere was stiff, like two socially anxious people on a blind date, and because of insufficient seats they had to share a table with another anxious pair.

Staring at their fake smiles and extremely lowbrow yin‑yang sarcasm, even a social bull like Ji Ming felt his scalp tingle.

It seems this so‑called Adventurers' Association is like a dilapidated house; give it a kick and I have no idea what will happen, but leaving it alone will surely cause it to collapse…

Ji Ming chatted a few more words with the sullen Bao Lis, presented a bottle of Rejuvenation Fourth Generation as a token of friendship, and then left.

When the wine in the cup was refilled three times, he suddenly noticed that the number of servers in the hall seemed to have unintentionally increased quite a bit.

— Heh, the big one is coming!

He secured a suitable spot in advance to watch the ceremony, awaiting the dazzling entrance of old thief Suo La.

But after only a few minutes of idling, he instead heard a familiar voice first.

"If I hadn't heard of your presence from other guests, I would have thought you didn't come to the banquet."

The one who found him was, naturally, Ai Li Nuo, who had also received an invitation.

Today she wore a purple long dress, which could be considered a wave of radiance inheriting the traditional aesthetic of the Holy Tree Kingdom.

Perhaps the design is somewhat old‑fashioned, which might earn the favor of the elves; this overall minimalist yet intricately detailed sheer skirt wouldn't be unsightly.

Unfortunately, though her appearance still carries a bit of combat value, her physique is far lacking compared to the elves'.

Thus, despite being a form‑fitting dress that clearly showcases a tall, curvy silhouette, she somehow turned it into a teen‑fashion runway vibe.

And it's an eco‑themed piece, made from discarded plastic bags and CDs for clothing…