"Why bother fixing it? Just wear this set of Demon Armor I made. Although the eye part isn’t done yet, it’s definitely way better than your suit." Ximen Guan muttered as he tried to persuade.
Li Xiu pretended not to hear. He had sworn an oath, and he couldn’t easily break it.
"What are your plans?" Sha Chu approached Li Xiu, asking with a half-smile.
"Seems like you have some ideas?" Li Xiu asked back.
"Zhongshan City is surrounded by dense forests and is in a lawless area between Guyue City and Red Sand City, not too far from Tyrone City’s territory. If you can establish control here, it wouldn’t be a bad thing. The batch of Black Apatite you have will be most effective here." Sha Chu explained.
Li Xiu had the same thought. With a ready Trial Gate and Black Apatite here, there’s no need to search elsewhere. As long as he improves his physical condition here, he can head straight to the Sea Heaven Trial Ground or Gate of Purgatory.
"You’ve run family businesses before, so you should be good at managing internal affairs. Help me sort out the city’s relationships first." Li Xiu directly handed the most troublesome question to Sha Chu.
"As long as you can hold the ground, these aren’t issues." Sha Chu smiled.
Sha Chu had remarkable efficiency and quickly stabilized the situation, re-signing contracts with the city’s merchants.
As for residents of Zhongshan City, there aren’t actually any. The city was built by directly carving out the mountain, with no original inhabitants. The residents are mostly businessmen who signed contracts and came to open shops before the city was established.
As long as there’s money to be made, these businessmen don’t care who’s the City Lord, as long as they can profit.
Many people are secretly speculating how long this new Zhongshan City Lord can hold the position.
The previous City Lord of Zhongshan was the brother-in-law of the Red Sand City Lord, and most merchants followed him here because of his identity. Otherwise, who would come to such a remote place?
Fortunately, the Trial Gate attracts people from other regions, keeping their business decent.
Most are guessing how soon will the Red Sand City Lord send someone to take out the new City Lord.
The main problem is that the City Lord’s Mansion now doesn’t even have soldiers; the previous ones have long fled. Even if not all fled, few would be willing to stick with Li Xiu.
No matter how skilled Li Xiu is, he’s just one person. Can a Magic Armor Master, no matter how talented, stand against the Magic Armor Master army of Red Sand City?
Unexpectedly to Li Xiu, the Qing Shan Magic Armor Master he injured didn’t leave Zhongshan City but approached Li Xiu voluntarily.
"Why didn’t you leave?" Li Xiu looked at Qing Shan Magic Armor Master and asked.
Black Mist and two other A-level Magic Armor Masters were killed by Li Xiu in a single blow. Qing Shan wasn’t killed instantly but unexpectedly dared to return to see Li Xiu.
"Where can I go?" Qing Shan removed his Demon Armor, revealing a youthful, gentle-looking thirty-something man, now showing a bitter expression. "I was sent by the Red Sand City Lord to protect him. Now he’s dead, and the other three Magic Armor Masters are dead too. If I return alone, the Red Sand City Lord’s wife’s character won’t spare me."
"Do you want to stay?" Li Xiu looked at Qing Shan and asked.
"If you’re willing, I am ready to follow you." Qing Shan said.
"Aren’t you afraid of the Red Sand City Lord’s revenge?" Li Xiu asked curiously.
"I am, but I believe you can solve this problem. Among the Magic Armor Masters I know, aside from God, you’re probably the strongest. The Red Sand City Lord can’t disregard his main city’s safety to send a large number of Magic Armor Masters here. If only one or two come, even his world’s fourth-ranked Magic Armor Master, I don’t think he can win." Qing Shan analyzed.
"If you want to stay, then stay. I need manpower here anyway." Li Xiu didn’t refuse.
Even if he wants to be a spy, it doesn’t matter; a spy still works. Let him be the grunt first.
"Did you kill the Zhongshan City Lord and occupy Zhongshan City?" Chu Jun sent a message.
"Are you still a Magic Armor Master?"
"You don’t plan to escape?"
"Keep a spot for me at the City Lord’s Mansion; I’ll be there the night after tomorrow."
Li Xiu found some documents in the City Lord’s Mansion related to the Hero Trial Ground, many of which contained maze maps drawn by various Trial Takers.
However, many maps drawn by Trial Takers were incorrect; analyzing them would lead to more mistakes.
The more useful maps mostly came from the same person, evident by the drawing style.
"Li Xiu, the Trial Taker who tried to kill us in the maze wants to see you outside." A Fei came in, interrupting Li Xiu’s research.
"Let him in." Li Xiu roughly guessed Ye Yuzhen’s intentions.
"Cough, cough, City Lord, it was all my fault before. I couldn’t recognize true strength. Whether you punish or forgive is up to you." Upon entering, Ye Yuzhen immediately adopted a remorseful stance.
"Do you want to stay in Zhongshan City to continue exploring the Dark Maze?" Li Xiu said calmly.
"The City Lord is wise. My abilities suit the Dark Maze the best. Here, I still count as somebody. At other Trial Grounds, my abilities would be greatly diminished. If you’re not averse, I am willing to serve you loyally." Ye Yuzhen quickly promised.
"You can stay, but you must participate in the next trial." Li Xiu replied coolly.
"This..." Ye Yuzhen’s face changed, knowing the next trial might be S-level. Even he wasn’t confident he could survive.
"There’s no free lunch in this world. I won’t dwell on previous matters, but you must contribute if you want to stay and enjoy benefits. I’ll also enter the next trial; it’s your choice whether to join." Li Xiu said to Ye Yuzhen.
Ye Yuzhen’s expression fluctuated before he finally gritted his teeth and said, "Alright, I’ll go."