Chapter 38: The Wrath of the Bounty Hunters' Guild

Amidst the surging turmoil, there was also the Island Nation’s Bounty Hunter Guild. The president of its Kanto Branch, Takashi Aoki, pressed his throbbing temples, retrieved a pill, swallowed it, and only then barely managed to rein in his wildly beating heart.

“Useless, all of you are useless!” he roared, pounding the solid wood conference table, his furious voice echoing as he glared at his subordinates who hung their heads on either side. “Can anyone tell me what on earth is going on here?”

“President,” one subordinate stammered, his face ashen, “perhaps it was due to the cross-border nature of the matter… there was an error in the intelligence.”

“Nonsense! Is that your excuse to cover up your incompetence?” Takashi Aoki nearly jabbed a finger at the man’s nose. “Such a feeble excuse—I don’t want to hear it a second time.”

He paused, then swiveled his laptop around, the screen on full display for all to see. “Look at this. Open your eyes and really look! See how the internet is judging us. I’m ashamed for you all.”

“Look at this—‘The most incompetent Bounty Hunter Guild in history…’”

“And this—‘The F20200222 contract, Kanto’s Bounty Hunters’ nightmare…’”

“And here—‘The annihilation of Six Leaves: a failure of intelligence or the downfall of the bounty hunters?’”

“Tell me, does your face burn with shame? Does it hurt?” In his fury, Takashi Aoki spun around and nearly toppled from his chair. “The Martial Practitioners and the police must be laughing themselves awake in their dreams!”

No one dared speak. They exchanged uneasy glances, their heads bowed.

After venting, Takashi Aoki felt somewhat relieved. He picked up his teacup, moistening his parched throat. “Now, let’s hear it. How should we handle this?”

A painful silence followed, sending his blood pressure soaring once again.

“First of all…” someone finally realized silence was no longer an option and spoke up, voice trembling, “Six Leaves must be expelled. Regardless of whether it was a failure in handling the contract or some other cause, someone must bear the consequences for this outcome.”

“Even if Six Leaves isn’t expelled, it’s just an empty name now.” Another person found his voice, and someone else quickly echoed, “But suppression isn’t the answer. It’s not just about Six Leaves, it concerns the entire Guild. If we don’t give a proper explanation, the trust others have in bounty hunters will plummet.”

“Fukuyama, Higashikei is your territory,” Takashi Aoki’s voice was cold. “Over this matter, submit your resignation.”

“Yes…” The man called Fukuyama turned deathly pale and lowered his head.

“Furthermore, the party who posted the contract must also be held accountable. The Intelligence Department’s error is indisputable,” another added. “Firstly, the contract’s grade must be raised—at least to C-class. We’ll need to communicate this clearly to the client.”

“I also suggest the Guild dispatch a special commissioner to reinvestigate the matter.”

Takashi Aoki nodded. At last, their thinking aligned with his own, and the suggestions matched the current situation. He nodded with satisfaction. “Then go ahead and carry out what was just discussed.”

“In addition,” he tapped his fingers lightly on the tabletop, “as for the special commissioner… let Viper handle it.”

At this, everyone’s expression changed. They all rose and bowed deeply.

The maneuvers of the various factions and the fury of the Bounty Hunter Guild were entirely unknown to Xiao Kaitian. After he had “dealt with” Six Leaves, he sent a message to Jiang Churan and returned to his residence in Yokohama.

His actions would inevitably attract the attention of certain parties, but Xiao Kaitian cared little. His top priority was the safety of his loved ones—all threats had to be eliminated.

Jiang Churan would soon return to the country. The domestic situation was unclear to him, and he was still in debt. Apart from enhancing his own power, securing funds as quickly as possible was paramount. On this front, he was awaiting a reply from Rin Hagiwara. He believed it would not be long before the sale of the gloves could officially begin.

He could not continue with today’s method of plundering—after all, this world had martial practitioners and bounty hunters. In theory, martial artists held the highest authority, but the existence of the state meant there was a force capable of maintaining balance in all things.

At present, he was in no position to oppose the state’s power. Even if he could, he had no intention of doing so. Coming from the Central Axis Universe, his attitude toward this lower-dimensional world was to refrain from excessive or violent interference as much as possible.

To put it simply, it was like how people in this world, once fed and clothed, would discuss environmental protection and refrain from wanton slaughter of animals.

Moreover, there were people in this world to whom he was related by blood—an undeniable fact. He had to heed the voice of his true self.

In Xiao Kaitian’s view, none of this felt like forcing himself; rather, he found these emotional ties perfectly natural.

After bathing on his return, he took out two bottles of Power Water and a Meridian Pill, examining them carefully.

The Power Water could enhance his combat strength, though it contained some chemicals with side effects. However, he could expel them with his Divine Source, so it posed little problem. The Meridian Pill, as its name suggested, was for opening the body’s energy channels, but its heavy metal content was alarmingly high.

Such a pill was of little use to him. By circulating his Divine Source, he could naturally improve his body’s aptitude without relying on additional medicines. Still, considering he might eventually interact with martial practitioners, he decided it might come in handy and put the Meridian Pill away.

After consuming the two bottles of Power Water, he closed his eyes to absorb the medicinal effects. A small amount of four-dimensional energy was absorbed and consolidated by his body, raising his combat power to 197.

By the standards of this world’s martial practitioners, he had broken through one major boundary, advancing from the Yellow Realm to the early stage of the Profound Realm. With this breakthrough, three more lights in his Divine Source ignited.

This unexpected gain delighted him. Upon reaching the Profound Realm, he could distinctly feel a trace of four-dimensional energy within him, and the connection between his Divine Source and true self grew stronger, though he still could not fully wield it.

Rubbing his chin, he mused that if a more formidable organization provoked him next time, he could “pay a visit” with perfect justification—and might advance even faster.

Indeed, some things were addictive. He suppressed a smile.

With his affairs in order, he picked up his phone and first checked in with Sun Zhongyi regarding the group of Japanese-speaking international students he had requested. Sun Zhongyi replied that recruitment was nearly complete.

“Salary isn’t a problem,” Xiao Kaitian answered his query. “Standard hourly rates, but with commission—if they meet their targets, a two percent cut as incentive.”

On the other end, Sun Zhongyi was struck by a peculiar feeling, as if the mighty Lü Bu of the Three Kingdoms had picked up an abacus and pen to teach arithmetic.

Once all was settled with Sun Zhongyi, Xiao Kaitian messaged Rin Hagiwara to arrange a meeting soon. He was eager to expedite the sale of the gloves—he desperately needed legitimate income.