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Chapter 996: Luo Yao's Suspicion

Yang Haoran was deeply puzzled as to why Luo Yao would appear here today. He truly found it hard to believe that Luo Yao had come specifically to confront him about the ghost, Xiujuan.

Before the world descended into chaos, such a possibility might not have been entirely out of the question, as Luo Yao would have had the time to concern himself with such matters. However, with the world now in turmoil and the Jingling Continent Underworld Office in utter disarray, Luo Yao, as a Guardian, was undoubtedly swamped with work. How could he possibly spare the time to personally seek him out for such a minor issue?

Upon hearing Luo Yao's words now, his doubts immediately dissipated. Luo Yao truly wasn't here because he was keeping a ghost; he had other matters to arrange for Yang Haoran to undertake.

"Guardian, please feel free to assign any task to your subordinate. I will certainly exert my utmost effort to complete the mission, even if it demands my life. However, this is not the place for such discussions. If it is convenient for the Guardian, please come inside and take a seat."

Yang Haoran outwardly expressed his unwavering loyalty to Luo Yao. He had harbored the idea of cultivating a good relationship with Luo Yao for a long time, knowing that only by doing so with his direct superior could he secure more benefits. Unfortunately, the opportunity had never arisen.

Now that Luo Yao had delivered himself to his doorstep, it was the perfect chance to bridge the gap between them, and Yang Haoran naturally had no desire to miss it. While proclaiming his loyalty might be a bit cliché, it wasn't entirely without effect.

Luo Yao nodded slightly, then spoke in a flat tone.

"Very well, lead the way."

A short while later, the two arrived in the living room. As for why he hadn't led Luo Yao directly to the study, Yang Haoran naturally had his reasons. There were certain items in the study he didn't want Luo Yao to see, such as talismans.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, he simply brought Luo Yao to the living room. Luo Yao didn't object, and under Yang Haoran's respectful invitation, he settled onto the sofa.

Xiujuan was no longer the pitiful woman she had been when she first came to Yang Haoran. In the years she had spent with him, she had become incredibly perceptive. The moment Luo Yao's backside touched the sofa, she had already presented him with the finest tea, then discreetly withdrew, maintaining an exceptionally respectful demeanor from beginning to end.

Though Luo Yao said nothing, he accepted the tea offered by Xiujuan. Yang Haoran could tell that Luo Yao bore no ill will towards Xiujuan. He didn't expect Luo Yao to develop affection for her; merely lacking malice was sufficient.

After Xiujuan withdrew, Yang Haoran set up a restrictive barrier in the living room, preventing any third party from overhearing his subsequent conversation with Luo Yao. He could trust those around him, but Luo Yao certainly wouldn't. Therefore, Yang Haoran knew what to do without needing a reminder from Luo Yao; waiting for Luo Yao to prompt him would have changed the entire dynamic.

After setting up the restrictive barrier, Yang Haoran did not sit down, but respectfully stood opposite Luo Yao, awaiting his instructions.

"The reason I've come to find you this time is because someone recommended you to me. They said you have good capabilities and decent strength, and despite only becoming an Undertaker a mere few years ago, your strength already surpasses that of many ordinary Undertakers. I find this somewhat perplexing."

Luo Yao was puzzled, but Yang Haoran was even more so. As for his capabilities, the outside world naturally had its appraisals, and his actions in Lecheng were no secret; they were visible to all. Some might consider him capable, others not, so mixed reviews were inevitable. It wasn't strange for Luo Yao to hear various opinions about Yang Haoran.

However, his true strength was a secret. What the outside world knew was that Yang Haoran was merely a junior Underworld official who had only been an Undertaker for a few years, and no matter how strong he was, he couldn't be exceptionally powerful. Yet, Luo Yao's words now made it clear: Luo Yao already knew that his strength was far greater than what he outwardly displayed, and he harbored suspicions about the source of that strength.

As for Yang Haoran, he was bewildered as to how Luo Yao knew this, or where he had obtained such information. Or, perhaps, Luo Yao knew nothing at all and was merely trying to test him?

Yang Haoran was highly wary, but he didn't let his caution show on his face, nor did he reveal his inner confusion. The moment Luo Yao's perplexed voice faded, he had already formulated his reply.

"The Guardian truly possesses vast supernatural powers; nothing can be concealed from your discerning eyes. Your subordinate's current strength is indeed somewhat greater than that of ordinary Undertakers."

Yang Haoran didn't deny it, answering with a respectful demeanor. Luo Yao, hearing Yang Haoran's words, showed little change in expression.

"Oh? How did you achieve this?"

Luo Yao spoke indifferently, as if the matter wasn't of much concern to him.

Although Luo Yao appeared unconcerned, Yang Haoran knew that many things couldn't be judged by appearances alone. Appearing indifferent didn't mean true indifference, so his answer was crucial. A wrong answer would undoubtedly lead to more trouble.

"Reporting to the Guardian, your subordinate's annual salary is not much. After deducting the expenses for my Night Watchers, the Soul Pills that reach my hands are naturally even fewer. Your subordinate did not wish to live on such a meager, fixed income, so I devised some other methods."

Yang Haoran answered respectfully, but he only told Luo Yao that he had devised "other methods," without specifying what those methods were.

He hadn't clarified, but Luo Yao intended to press for details.

"Continue."

Luo Yao said blandly. Yang Haoran wasn't surprised by this and immediately continued respectfully.

"The Guardian has also heard that the Spirit Mediums in Lecheng have almost been wiped out by me. I did this, on one hand, because Spirit Mediums are sworn enemies of our Underworld Office, and as an Underworld official, eliminating them is my duty. However, beyond that, I also had a selfish motive: the souls of Spirit Mediums can be exchanged for more Soul Pills in the Underworld."

"The souls of Spirit Mediums are just one channel for me to obtain Soul Pills, but not my primary source. My main source of Soul Pills comes from selling various medicines refined by Pharmacists. Although initially, I only sold medicines sporadically, the profits were quite substantial. Especially after the world fell into chaos, the price of medicines refined by Pharmacists skyrocketed, and I consequently gained even greater returns. While satisfying my own needs, I also accumulated some Soul Pills and successfully opened an apothecary in the Underworld."

As Yang Haoran spoke, his demeanor remained respectful, but his tone carried a subtle hint of pride that hadn't been there before.

Of course, this subtly revealed pride wasn't genuine; it was intentionally put on to mislead Luo Yao.

His words were half-truth, half-lie. If an investigation were conducted, it would reveal that he had indeed done both: exchanging Spirit Mediums' souls for Soul Pills and selling medicines. As for how much he had done and how many Soul Pills he had acquired, Luo Yao, with his abilities, could naturally investigate the former, as records of exchanging Spirit Mediums' souls for Soul Pills were kept in the Underworld. However, for the latter, even with Luo Yao's immense power, he would never be able to unearth an accurate result. Who knew with whom Yang Haoran had conducted transactions? It was simply impossible to trace.

Upon hearing Yang Haoran's words, Luo Yao, who had previously shown little change in expression, finally reacted, a look of surprise appearing on his face.

"You opened an apothecary in the Underworld?"

Not only did Luo Yao's face register surprise, but his voice also carried a trace of it. Yang Haoran, hearing this, smiled humbly and nodded affirmatively.

"Your subordinate's apothecary is named Stillness Apothecary. Due to my limited financial resources and lack of backing, opening this shop required a great deal of effort. In the end, I could only choose to open it on a remote street. Fortunately, your subordinate sells medicines, which are currently in high demand, so even with a somewhat remote location, business is still quite good."