Chapter 506: The Task for He Caitou
Suddenly, a familiar voice came from the doorway: "He Caitou, I need you to do something for me."
He Caitou immediately sat up in bed he recognized Huo Yuhao's voice.
Looking toward the source of the voice, he saw Huo Yuhao leaning against the door, gazing at him.
Feeling a bit nervous, He Caitou lowered his voice and asked, "How did you get in? Did anyone see you? Did you set up a soundproof soul tool barrier?"
Although Shrek Academy was wealthy, and everyone had their own rooms, the soundproofing wasn't particularly strong for safety reasons. If anyone discovered that he was acting as Huo Yuhao's informant, the consequences would be dire.
More than anything, he worried about how his beloved mentor, Fan Yu, would see him if he ever found out. Fan Yu had rescued him when he was at his lowest, brought him to Shrek Academy, nurtured him, and even taken him as a disciple an immense kindness he could never forget.
If not for his deep seated desire for revenge against the Sun Moon royal family, especially Emperor Xu Tianran, he would never have agreed to spy for Huo Yuhao. He would much rather have spent his time researching soul tools.
Huo Yuhao sighed. "You don't need to worry about how I got in. Rest assured, no one else from Shrek saw me. And of course, I already set up a soundproof soul tool barrier you don't have to worry about our conversation being overheard."
As he spoke, he stepped closer to He Caitou.
Seeing this, He Caitou gradually relaxed, the tension leaving his body.
Still confused, he asked, "You want me to do something? What could I possibly do for you? We're in the Sun Moon Empire this should be your territory. I don't see how I can be of any help."
His mind raced with suspicions.
Huo Yuhao shook his head. "That's not entirely true. Even here, you can help me. I need you to lead the others in your team and escort the hostages from the three Douluo empires back home."
He Caitou was stunned.
The hostages were a valuable bargaining chip for the Sun Moon Empire, a means to keep the three Douluo empires in check. Yet Huo Yuhao wanted him to take them away? Wasn't this a betrayal of the Sun Moon Empire?
Wait a minute. First, he betrayed the Star Luo Empire. And now, he was about to sell out the Sun Moon Empire too?
With a hesitant expression, He Caitou cautiously asked, "Huo Yuhao, are you… defecting from the Sun Moon Empire and returning to Shrek Academy? If that's what you're planning, we can discuss this. With your talent, I'm sure we can work something out."
Huo Yuhao sat down on a nearby chair, looking exasperated. He found He Caitou's thought process amusing how had he come to that conclusion?
Technically, he wasn't betraying the Sun Moon Empire, just the Sun Moon royal family. The two weren't the same.
And calling Shrek Academy the "righteous" side?
With everything he had accomplished, he felt that abandoning the Sun Moon Empire to join Shrek would be a waste of time. After all, even Shrek's greatest treasure, the Golden Tree, was now under his control.
Slowly, he explained, "He Caitou, I will never join Shrek Academy. I will provide you with the location of the hostages and help them escape.
However, in the eyes of Shrek Academy and the Douluo empires, you must be the one who 'rescues' them. The credit has to go to you. This will elevate your reputation within Shrek and the Douluo empires, allowing you to better assist me in the future."
Since he intended to send the hostages back as his hidden agents within the Douluo empires, he needed a valid reason for their release. Having He Caitou take the credit was the perfect cover. Given their existing cooperation, letting He Caitou claim the glory would ultimately benefit him more in the long run.
At that moment, He Caitou studied Huo Yuhao, his expression shifting constantly.
He was trying to figure out whether he should agree. The plan was undoubtedly beneficial to him, but he couldn't understand Huo Yuhao's true motives. Was it really just to boost his standing?
No, that was impossible. Huo Yuhao definitely had another agenda.
After a brief moment of contemplation, He Caitou made up his mind. Regardless of Huo Yuhao's reasons, ensuring the safe return of the hostages would be beneficial to him, the three Douluo empires, and even Shrek Academy.
As for Huo Yuhao's deeper intentions this was not the time to dwell on them.
Nodding firmly, he said, "Alright, I'll do it."
Huo Yuhao replied, "Tomorrow afternoon, I'll inform you of the location. Until then, explore Sunrise City a bit don't make yourself look idle."
He Caitou understood. Huo Yuhao wanted him to appear as though he had 'accidentally' discovered the hostages' location during his investigations, ensuring that he would receive the credit for the rescue.
He quickly agreed, and after that, Huo Yuhao left He Caitou's room to begin searching for the hostages. For someone like Huo Yuhao, finding them wouldn't be difficult.
Sunrise City.
The Water Prison.
A group of people sat waist deep in ice cold water, their faces pale and their breathing weak. Their eyes reflected despair as they stared at the iron bars surrounding them.
Each of them had once been a prodigy, representing their academy or sect in the Sun Moon Empire's tournament. They had been celebrated and revered. Even if they had lost in the competition, they would have returned to their factions with honor and continued to enjoy high status.
But now, they were nothing more than prisoners on the brink of death. The stark contrast was unbearable.
On a stone platform between two rows of water cells, a group of black robed evil soul masters stood, their eyes filled with hunger and desire.
Most evil soul masters were bloodthirsty by nature. To them, these prisoners were nothing more than premium cultivation resources. If not for higher orders dictating that some of the hostages had value and needed to be preserved, they would have been slaughtered long ago.
Of course, some hostages had already been taken away by particularly sadistic or unstable evil soul masters some had been tortured, others killed.
At that moment, a tall black robed evil soul master flicked his wrist, sending a whip glowing with dark energy into one of the cells. The whip coiled around a young girl, yanking her out of the water.
Her face contorted with terror, and she immediately struggled. But the whip moved like a living serpent the more she resisted, the tighter it constricted.
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