The Red Dragon Hall is the most magnificent building in all of Killing Star City, arguably representing the will of Killing Star City to a certain extent. Setting the Red Dragon Hall for a wedding is a feat not often accomplished by ordinary people, and it also demonstrates the special relationship between Madam Rose, the supreme leader of the Blood Rose Order, and Yu Quanzhen, the Lord of Killing Star City.
The entire Red Dragon Hall is adorned with a striking red, and carved throughout with massive reliefs of soaring red dragons. The sight of this vast, majestic aura evokes a sense of being transported to a distant, ancient era.
Ancient red dragons, considered superior life forms, hold extraordinary significance in the eyes of mortals, even those capable of flight and escaping the earth.
Ancient creatures, superior life forms, transcend humanity, a being whose existence is beyond comprehension.
As for why something related to the Ancient Red Dragon appeared in Killing Star City, this is deeply intertwined with the city's origins. People only vaguely know that, long ago, the founder of Killing Star City had some inexplicable contact with the mysterious Ancient Red Dragon.
The surrounding carved beams and painted buildings were magnificent, and walking among them felt like stepping into a painting.
After walking through the spotless corridors, four gorgeous women in gorgeous attire approached, smiling and welcoming them.
Those who had made it here naturally had received an invitation from Blood Rose, so no one would suspect anyone of sneaking in.
The four beautiful women in charge of reception and guidance respectfully welcomed Ming Qi and the others into the Red Dragon Hall, then went on to greet other guests.
Standing in the surprisingly spacious hall, Ming Qi noticed that quite a few people were already there. Most of them were handsome young men and women, gathered in a dozen or so different circles, chatting and laughing. They paid little attention to the people who occasionally wandered in. These men and women, presumably experienced in grand occasions, didn't stare around with curious eyes like those who had just come out.
"There are chairs over there. Let's go sit down."
Wei Silong surveyed the area and chose a less conspicuous spot with a table and four chairs, just enough space for the four of them.
Ming Qi nodded, and the others walked over and sat down. Fine wine had already been placed on the table. Seeing someone sit down, a nearby maid in a tuxedo immediately filled everyone's glass.
"This Red Devil Prince truly is a rich second-generation..."
Ming Qi thought to himself, holding a high-end wine glass filled with pale red wine.
With Blood Rose as his backer, the Red Devil Prince must be a powerful figure in Killing Star City. Unconsciously, Ming Qi categorized him as a second-generation rich playboy.
"Tell me about that deal."
Since it was still early for the banquet and the Red Devil Prince hadn't appeared yet, Ming Qi simply asked Wei Silong to explain the matter further. A deeper understanding would allow him to make a more accurate assessment.
Wei Silong nodded and said, "Although we don't know the employer's identity yet, we can be sure that he has deep roots in Xilan Province. Otherwise, he wouldn't have offered a city as a reward."
Not inquiring about the employer's identity is the first rule of the Immortal Mercenaries. They simply take the money and do the work, and they don't care about anything else.
Ming Qi pondered for a moment, then looked up and said, "So, there seems to be some questions here."
"Questions?"
Wei Silong was a little surprised. She had been considering this matter for several days and felt there were no other unforeseen factors. The only uncertainty was the level of the monsters in the Imperial Mountains.
"Yes."
Ming Qi nodded and said, "Since we have determined that the employer has a powerful background, we can easily go deep into the Imperial Mountains to search for the missing person ourselves. But why would they hire mercenaries at such a huge cost?"
"This..."
Wei Silong was speechless for a moment. She had truly overlooked this point. Perhaps her long career as a mercenary had accustomed her to the principle of getting things done for money, and she rarely considered anything else.
"Then, let's make a hypothesis."
Ming Qi began her signature logical deduction.
"The first possibility is that the employer is currently tied up and unable to spare personnel to search for the target in the monster-infested Emperor Mountains."
"Yes, that's possible."
Wei Silong nodded. That explanation made sense.
"The second possibility is that the Emperor Mountains harbor powerful monsters, and they don't want to risk it easily. So they're using mercenaries to scout the area, first testing the waters, and then taking action."
"That seems possible."
Wei Silong had to admit that it was within the realm of possibility.
"The third possibility is that the target and the employer are closely connected. The employer can't take direct action, so they must resort to the mercenaries."
...
Ming Qi listed three possibilities in a row, all of which seemed possible. This left Wei Silong unsure how to proceed. She had already made up her mind, but after hearing Ming Qi's analysis, she began to waver.
Ming Qi took a sip of his wine, then set his glass down and said, "But I think there's a possibility that's even greater than the three I listed earlier."
"What is that?"
At this point, Wei Silong wasn't the only one surprised. Mo Changli and Xiao Qi were also somewhat captivated, their eyes widening as they stared at Ming Qi.
"It's simple. This is a trap, a snare. There's no one the employers are looking for in the Imperial Mountains. Their goal is simply to lure the mercenaries there."
"But if that's the case, then what's their purpose?"
Wei Silong was even more puzzled. If that were the case, then what was the purpose of the person behind all this? What good would luring mercenaries to the desolate Imperial Mountains bring?
Murder and robbery?
That was obviously impossible. The person behind this wasn't foolish enough to try to make money from the mercenaries. Moreover, if it was for money, they wouldn't have gone to such great lengths to set up such a scheme.
Ming Qi sighed and said, "I've put this possibility aside because I can't figure out their exact intentions. Without a motive, we have no way to infer anything. However, it's easy to verify the extent of this possibility. You can try to find out if other mercenary groups in Star Killing City have received similar offers."
"Yes."
Wei Silong nodded. "I'll send someone to investigate later."
"So being a mercenary requires so much thought. It seems difficult..."
After listening to Ming Qi's analysis, Xiao Qi, though still feeling a bit confused, did understand something: being a mercenary isn't as carefree as he'd imagined, just traveling the world and having adventures.
"Being a mercenary is a dangerous business. A single careless mistake could cost you your life. Xiaoqi doesn't know much about the mercenary trade."
Mingqi smiled, sipping his wine. In his previous life, he had been a killer, essentially the equivalent of a mercenary. In comparison, Mingqi was like one of those lone mercenaries accustomed to working alone.
"Oh."
Xiaoqi nodded thoughtfully, reflecting on how true his grandfather's words were.
Mingqi felt it was necessary to investigate this matter. After all, the price of a city was quite tempting. If there wasn't some major conspiracy, it was well worth a try.
If they succeeded, Mingqi and his team would have their own city, giving them the capital to continue expanding their forces.
Wei Silong was also well aware of this. Her goal was ambitious, and if she limited herself to Killing Star City, she would never achieve it.
However, to reach a more detailed conclusion, he would have to wait until he had completed the research and collection of information on the other mercenaries. For now, he could only wait.
Time passed, and the spacious Red Dragon Hall began to gather more and more guests. Ming Qi estimated that there were at least two or three hundred people, many of whom were highly skilled cultivators, and among the young and handsome were many stunning figures.
It was only then that Ming Qi truly realized that Killing Star City was a place filled with talented and powerful individuals. Although he didn't know their names yet, he was certain that each of them held considerable reputation within Killing Star City. In comparison, his own group seemed rather shabby.
Ming Qi was just thinking about this when he heard a commotion from the depths of the hall, followed by a loud shout: "Young Master Gongsun is celebrating his big day today! We're so jealous!"
Ming Qi looked over and saw the speaker was a young man in rich attire, seemingly in his twenties. He had an imposing bearing and a reserved demeanor, clearly demonstrating considerable cultivation.
As he spoke, he saw the Red Devil Prince Gongsun Long, dressed in a brocade robe, emerge from the crowd.
Hearing the young man's words, Gongsun Long smiled and said to him, "Brother Xiaobai, that's not right. You can enjoy yourselves among the flowers, but I won't be able to do that from now on..."
The group chatted and laughed, creating a harmonious atmosphere.
After exchanging a few words with the young men and women around him, Gongsun Long walked to the center of the hall, glanced around, and said to the crowd, "Thank you all for coming to support me today. I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to a distinguished guest."
"A distinguished guest?"
The young men and women around him exclaimed in surprise. Anyone recognized as a distinguished guest by the Red Devil Prince Gongsun Long must be a renowned figure.
At once, many people began to speculate.
"Is it the beautiful swordsman from Xixian City?"
"Could it be Young Master Bai Bing from the Western Wasteland?"
...
Everyone speculated, but without exception, Gongsun Long smiled and shook his head. Following Gongsun Long's gaze and steps, everyone's eyes finally shifted to a few less conspicuous figures nearby.