110: I agree to your cooperation.

Upon seeing the person who had arrived, waves of emotion stirred in Lou Qi's heart.

He could never have imagined that at his most wretched moment, the one to show up at his door would be this fox.

"Is it you?"

Lou Qi's voice was hoarse from his serious injuries, and he still maintained his vigilance, his body shrinking back slightly.

Given his current condition, anyone could take his life, so he had no choice but to be on guard.

"What have you come here for? To watch a joke, or to take advantage of my predicament?"

Xing Che elegantly closed the door of the dilapidated warehouse behind him, shutting out the light and noise from outside.

He did not care about the harsh environment, casually finding a relatively clean wooden crate to sit on, bringing himself level with Lou Qi, who was curled up in the shadows.

A smile that seemed to see through everything curled at the corners of his lips.

"Rest assured, I have no interest in kicking someone while they are down."

Xing Che's crimson eyes shimmered in the dim light.

"I came here to discuss a cooperation with you."

"Cooperation?"

Lou Qi scoffed with undisguised mockery. He moved his body, which tugged at his wounds and made him frown slightly.

"High Priest Xing Che, look clearly. In my current state, with no abilities and practically a cripple, what capital do I have to cooperate with you?"

Xing Che's smile remained unchanged as he continued, "Naturally, there is something about you that I value, which is why I am here. Besides..."

He paused meaningfully, his gaze sweeping over Lou Qi's chest, which was deliberately covered but still showed signs of trouble, and that face that was clearly childish yet full of stubbornness.

"Your current situation requires help, doesn't it?"

Xing Che leaned forward slightly and said cruelly,

"City Lord, or do you think that in your current state, you can evade the heavy pursuit inside and outside the city and return to the City of Ten Thousand Evils alive?"

"Your former subordinates now wish they could drink your blood and eat your flesh. Who can you trust, and who can you find to meet you?"

Lou Qi remained silent. Xing Che's words were harsh but true, piercing through the composure he was forcing himself to maintain.

With the dragnet laid by traitors in front and the burden of his own serious injuries and form behind, his hope of returning to the City of Ten Thousand Evils alone was slim.

But he was even clearer that Xing Che was by no means a philanthropist.

This fox was adept at calculations and never did business at a loss.

For him to come to his door on his own, he must have some ulterior motive.

However, within the crisis lay a turning point.

Since Xing Che proposed cooperation, it meant that he still possessed value that the other wanted.

Thinking of this, Lou Qi forced himself to perk up. The cold dignity belonging to the City Lord of the City of Ten Thousand Evils returned to those Cub eyes, though it looked somewhat strange paired with his childish face.

"Speak plainly,"

Lou Qi's voice returned to its usual cold sternness. "How do you want to cooperate? What do you want?"

Xing Che knew that after weighing the pros and cons, Lou Qi was ready to enter negotiations.

He smiled with satisfaction and stopped beating around the bush:

"The City Lord of the City of Ten Thousand Evils has a fearsome reputation and unfathomable strength. I have no interest in that, nor do I have any intention of interfering in the internal affairs of the City of Ten Thousand Evils."

"But the current situation, where the powerful City Lord has inexplicably turned into a Cub and lost all strength, is a huge mystery in itself."

A gleam of thirst for knowledge flashed in his silver eyes; it was the pure curiosity of a top-tier intellectual towards an unknown domain:

"I am very interested in the 'secret' you carry. Why did you become like this? Why did your strength disappear? And how can it be restored?"

"In exchange, my Fox Clan will use its power to ensure you return to the City of Ten Thousand Evils safely and secretly."

He paused and said, "However, you must promise me a 'favor'. When I need it, as long as it does not violate your fundamental interests, you must agree to one request of mine."

A glint flashed in Lou Qi's eyes, but he immediately questioned, "Xing Che, are you underestimating those traitors in the City of Ten Thousand Evils, or overestimating the capabilities of the Fox Clan?"

"With the City of Ten Thousand Evils under strict guard both inside and out, how easy do you think it is to send me back without anyone noticing?"

Xing Che seemed to have anticipated he would say this and responded calmly:

"It is not an overestimation, but that the Fox Clan truly has this strength. Do you think that the Fox Clan can remain transcendently neutral in this chaotic Beast World and continue to this day by merely playing both sides?"

His tone carried a faint air of pride,

"We have our own methods and channels. As long as I, Xing Che, have made a promise, this matter will definitely be accomplished."

This was both confidence and a promise.

Seeing that Lou Qi was still weighing the options, Xing Che continued to apply pressure, but his tone remained steady:

"Great City Lord, I think you need to recognize reality. Returning now, the success rate is minimal."

"And once discovered, you won't even have a chance to take revenge. There is no one you can trust inside the city, and the outside is fraught with danger.

Oh, that's right..."

He seemed to have suddenly remembered something, his tone carrying a trace of imperceptible playfulness,

"Perhaps that Female Bai Yao of the Leopard Clan Tribe is trustworthy, but unfortunately... you blocked this path yourself."

These words accurately pierced a certain place in Lou Qi's heart. His gaze sharpened, and he glared coldly at Xing Che.

Xing Che did not care.

It was only after the market disturbance, combining intelligence from all sides—the appearance of Xuan Mo and Bai Yao, the disappearance of Lou Qi, the unusual movements in the City of Ten Thousand Evils...

—as well as his own divination regarding a vague revelation about the City Lord of the City of Ten Thousand Evils leaving the city and appearing in the direction of the Leopard Clan Tribe—

—that he was able to connect all the clues and finally lock onto Lou Qi's true identity and hiding place.

He was full of desire to investigate the mysteries surrounding Lou Qi; this concerned his understanding of the rules of the Beast World and the improvement of his own strength.

Helping Lou Qi return, while challenging for the Fox Clan, was not impossible to accomplish.

The current rebel army of the City of Ten Thousand Evils appeared united, but in reality, they were each harboring their own ulterior motives, and their cohesion was far inferior to when Lou Qi was in power.

"The wanted order of the City of Ten Thousand Evils must have been issued by now,"

Xing Che stood up, making a move to leave. His tone was understated, yet it carried an ultimatum,

"You know, the villains of your City of Ten Thousand Evils are pervasive; it is only a matter of time before they find this place. The rules of the Fox Clan Market cannot stop desperate outlaws."

"There is only one chance, City Lord... act wisely."

Just at the moment when Xing Che's hand was about to touch the door—

"Wait."

Lou Qi's low voice came from behind.

Xing Che stopped his movements, turned slowly, and looked at the small figure in the shadows.

Lou Qi raised his head. All hesitation and fragility in those eyes had disappeared, leaving only the decisiveness and coldness belonging to a superior.

"Fine,"

"I agree to your cooperation."