160: Chapter 160 An Unexpected Encounter

The rain outside had long since stopped.

The street's underfloor heating and powerful drainage System began working rapidly, and it didn't take long for the streets to return to their originally dry and clean state.

Since it was a workday, there weren't too many pedestrians on the street.

A young girl wearing a mask and a baseball cap was walking slowly down the street. Behind her was a gentleman in a top hat, looking like a Young Miss from some Family out for a stroll with her butler.

Moss watched the young girl's back with a scrutinizing gaze, feeling an inexplicable sense of being manipulated.

He had originally intended to refuse Miss Xing Yan's somewhat rude request, but she had insisted on going under the pretext of "inspecting a partner's base to build trust."

Of course, after hearing those words, he had still righteously refused, as it was a major secret of the organization.

After all, finding a place in a city like the Capital that wasn't easily discovered was no simple task.

But... but she had actually taken out a hundred thousand spirit crystals and slapped them onto the table...

And so, while in principle he couldn't do it, after she produced those hundred thousand spirit crystals, the principle was now in her hands...

"You said you were picking someone up on the way... Is it a newcomer to your Bridge of Worlds?"

The young girl suddenly asked out of the blue.

"That's right. The plan was to finish the transaction with you quickly and then pick her up, but unfortunately, quite a bit of time was delayed. I hope she can understand. Oh~ after all, being late is quite rude, especially for an appointment with a beautiful young lady..."

"A beautiful young lady, huh..."

Xing Yaoyan shook her head, thinking to herself that it must be some naive girl who had been tricked into the organization by this old swindler.

"Is she a Star Beast?"

"No, she's human."

Xing Yaoyan's footsteps paused for a moment, but she quickly resumed walking forward as if nothing had happened.

During the Superpower Awakening ceremony in Youfeng City last time, the one who intercepted Senior Hu Wang's memory crystal was a human from the Bridge of Worlds.

"Since there are humans, surely there aren't demons too..."

"Of course, our organization is very diverse."

"But aren't you afraid of them betraying you? If they knew the organization's higher-ups were actually Star Beasts and secretly notified the official forces to wipe you all out, what then? After all, in their hearts, we are enemies."

Xing Yaoyan's tone was somewhat low. She was truly curious about how an organization that recruited various races managed to resolve the conflicts between its members.

"That really is a trade secret~ Unless you're a core member of the organization, you can't know. We've sworn oaths. Anyway, for you, it's enough to know that our organization is exceptionally inclusive."

Xing Yaoyan didn't speak again, only looking up at the sky still shrouded in dark clouds, feeling that Senior Hu Wang was quite pathetic in her heart.

She could feel how much Senior Hu Wang hated Star Beasts. Even though he always hid it well, she could sense the unintentional malice emanating from him during their chats.

She also knew that this malice wasn't directed at her, but simply at the Star Beasts of his era who had brought destruction to the world.

Now, the organization he had secretly founded had actually become the headquarters for Star Beasts hiding in the world.

But then again, since this organization could accommodate humans, demons, and Star Beasts, did it also, to some extent, achieve his original intention for founding the organization—world peace?

"Heh... I wonder what you'll think once you find out about this, Senior Hu Wang..."

Suddenly, Xing Yaoyan stopped and looked up at a massive building in front of her.

"Beastmaster Association Headquarters..."

The giant plaque in front of the building's entrance was very eye-catching. The calligraphy on it was bold and flowing, clearly the work of a highly accomplished master.

"I say... those who enter and leave such a place must be people of status, or at the very least, Beastmasters. Can we really go in like this?"

"Have you forgotten my old trade?"

Compared to the young girl's doubts, Moss was quite confident.

He stepped elegantly through the main entrance, and as expected, a young lady who seemed to be a receptionist approached them.

"Hello, sir and miss. How may I help you today?"

"To register as a Beastmaster, please go to the second floor. To watch matches, please wait on the first floor. The third floor is only accessible to Beastmasters registered with the association at the Silver Rank or above."

The parrot Spirit Beast perched on the receptionist's shoulder added at the right moment.

Xing Yaoyan's brow furrowed slightly.

She knew that the person they were picking up was on the third floor, a place where various Beastmasters interacted. She hadn't expected there to be a Beastmaster Rank restriction for entry.

Moss calmly took out a white metal token from his pocket.

The receptionist took only a brief look and immediately made a gesture of invitation with a smile.

"She's my friend, she's with me."

"No problem, sir. This way, please..."

Xing Yaoyan followed Moss onto the priority lane leading to the third floor, feeling somewhat dazed.

"Since when were you a Beastmaster?"

Xing Yaoyan had observed him; there were no spirit runes on his arms.

"This token belongs to another 'me,' but since it's all me anyway, it works."

Hearing this, Xing Yaoyan finally remembered Moss's code name, "Actor." It seemed his reputation was well-deserved.

Compared to believing he was one person playing multiple roles, she was more inclined to believe he was one soul possessing multiple bodies.

At the same time, she inexplicably thought of the Tushan secret technique she had learned about in the Kingdom of Myriad Demons—One Thought Becomes Three Thousand.

How could they be so similar...

"Moss!!!"

The sudden shout startled Xing Yaoyan and interrupted her scattered thoughts.

She looked up toward the source of the sound and saw a familiar white figure leaning over the railing, looking at the gentleman beside her with a face full of shock.

Beside him, a young girl wearing a mask had both hands on the railing. From her expression, she also seemed to have been startled by her own contracted beast.

As they drew closer, Xing Yaoyan finally saw the true forms of this person and beast.

Although the girl wore a mask, her very distinctive black ahoge gave away her identity.

As for this fox-shaped Spirit Beast with red stripes...

Hmph... Senior Hu Wang, don't think I won't recognize you just because you used Spirit Seals to draw a few red stripes on your body.

Xing Yaoyan sighed inwardly: Speak of the devil. She had just been gossiping about Senior Hu Wang in her heart, and now, in the blink of an eye, they had met.

That right, the person and beast before her were indeed the "disguised" Xiao Meng and Hu Wang.

Although to an old acquaintance like her, such a "disguise" was truly clumsy, as good as nothing...

"Hello, little fellow. Have we met before?"