Douluo Continent: On Becoming a God Through Science

Chapter 138 Dugu Bo bids farewell, Chamber of Commerce concept

"Isn't this Mr. Dugu? What brings you here today, so eager to see me?"

"Brother Xuexing, the way you're talking makes it sound like I only come to see you when there's nothing wrong."

"Haha, as a titled prince, Mr. Dugu naturally prioritizes cultivation. It is only natural that he would not come."

Regardless of what Prince Xuexing was thinking, his words were like a gentle breeze to Dugu Bo.

As Prince Xuexing spoke, he examined Dugu Bo's face and exclaimed in admiration, "I've already heard from my subordinates about Mr. Dugu regaining his youth, and now that I see him, it seems his skills have improved tremendously!"

"Brother Xuexing, you flatter me. Actually, I have important business to discuss with you today."

Upon hearing Dugu Bo's words, Prince Xuexing appeared outwardly calm, but inwardly his emotions were stirred.

"Oh? Could you tell me the details? If there's any trouble, I'll do my best to help Mr. Dugu resolve it!"

Upon hearing this, Dugu Bo shook his head and said, "Actually, my so-called regaining of youth is not due to any improvement in my skills, but rather... the work of a stronger person whose strength surpasses mine."

As Dugu Bo spoke, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he said in a deep voice, "He uses this favor to ask me to serve him."

Prince Xuexing frowned immediately and slammed his hand on the table: "Isn't this taking advantage of a favor? Mr. Dugu, there's no need for you to hold back! You have no reason to agree to something like this! If you want to refuse him, I will do everything in my power to help you!"

"No, Brother Xuexing, you misunderstand. I am not an enemy of that powerful figure. Although he made such a request, he did not insist after I explained that I was currently working for you. In return, he asked me to convey his conditions to you."

"To convey his conditions to me?"

Prince Xuexing was somewhat confused. Even if that mysterious expert was making demands, he should have made them to Dugu Bo. Why was he being dragged into it?

Dugu Bo gazed intently at Prince Xuexing for a moment, then said in a low voice, "He has already seen through Xue Beng's deliberate pretense of being a playboy."

Prince Xuexing's pupils contracted, and he appeared extremely shocked.

The political intrigue in Douluo Continent isn't particularly sophisticated.

This is because the existence of Soul Masters has led to a long-term stagnation in social development and an abnormally solidified class structure.

It is said that no dynasty in the world lasts more than three hundred years, but look at Douluo Continent. The Star Luo Empire lasted for tens of thousands of years. If the Heaven Dou Empire had not had problems with its royal family, it would probably have lasted for just as long.

The fact that the nobles and royalty of ten thousand years ago remained nobles and royalty ten thousand years later is enough to illustrate how severe their class stratification was.

Forget about solidification, it's completely diamond-like!

You see, Soul Masters, as the ruling class, don't need to learn management or political skills. As long as they can inherit a Martial Soul, they can occupy a high position. They spend most of their study time improving their Martial Soul.

If the common people were to spend ten thousand years farming, without ever experiencing compulsory education or enlightenment, they would remain commoners.

Ten thousand years have passed, and the power struggles still only occur within a few families that are related by marriage. There is neither the soil nor the need for any new power plays or schemes to develop.

So Prince Xuexing's practice of "supporting a puppet" may not seem like a big deal to modern people, but it was a groundbreaking new approach in the Douluo Continent. He never thought that his secret would be discovered so easily!

Prince Xuexing's hand trembled slightly.

He looked at Dugu Bo, a growing suspicion forming in his heart: 'I only told a very limited number of people about Xue Beng being my pawn, about him disguising himself as a playboy, and none of them would betray me. Only… Dugu Bo! He didn't serve me because I had leverage over him, but because of a debt of gratitude! Is it really as Dugu Bo said, that he was forcibly treated and then used it to blackmail me? Is it possible that he actually sought treatment voluntarily and then revealed the details about me afterwards? Did he say this specifically to warn me not to take advantage of his kindness? To warn me not to push my luck; he's already done enough for me!?'

"Brother Xuexing?" Dugu Bo asked in surprise.

"Huh? Ah."

Prince Xuexing snapped out of his daze, put his hands behind his back, silently wiped the sweat from his palms, and smiled, "I'm just a little surprised. Who is that mysterious expert? Since he's recognized by you, Mr. Dugu, he must be a titled prince. For a titled prince to pay attention to the affairs of a mere prince like myself is truly astonishing."

Dugu Bo replied, "Brother Xuexing, you must have heard of this person's name. He is—a Heavenly-level assassin!"

A top-tier assassin!

Prince Snowstar's hand trembled again!

Prince Xuexing could not possibly have been unaware of this assassin who struck fear into the hearts of countless nobles, who feared for their lives at any moment.

Rumors circulate that this Heavenly-level assassin actually only possesses the strength of a Soul Douluo, but has mastered some special techniques that allow him to roam freely among Soul Douluos.

But today, judging from Dugu Bo's words, he directly denied this rumor.

"That Heavenly-level assassin is actually a Title Douluo?! A Title Douluo assassin whose whereabouts are unknown even to the Spirit Hall... this... this!"

Prince Xuexing's expression froze instantly, especially when he thought of his earlier boastful words that he would do his best to help Dugu Bo deal with the other party, and cold sweat poured down his face.

He hurriedly asked, "So... what conditions did that Heavenly-level assassin propose?"

Prince Xuexing himself was unaware that his tone had become much more cautious, as if he were reporting to a top-tier assassin.

Dugu Bo then recounted what You Chen had said: that Xue Beng had most likely become a pig after pretending to be one, and the suggestion to educate and reform him.

"He wants to repay the kindness you showed me, Brother Xuexing, in exchange for your permission to use some of my resources. Of course, that Heavenly-level assassin also agrees that this matter involves your grand plan, Brother Xuexing, and it's understandable that he doesn't want you to get involved directly. If that's the case, he promises to provide some assistance in your future struggle against Xue Qinghe."

Upon hearing this, Prince Xuexing calmed down.

He initially thought these "conditions" were a threat, but now it seems quite the opposite—it's an indication of an alliance.

He finally broke free from the fear of "a titled Douluo assassin who could kill him at any moment lurking around him," recalled the past experience of the Heavenly-level assassin, and understood the meaning behind these sincere words.

However, after overcoming his fear, Prince Xuexing developed resentment towards the Heavenly-level assassin and Dugu Bo.

This seemingly friendly request for an alliance also implicitly contains a sense of threat.

"If a top-tier assassin could see through Avalanche's disguise, how could I not? As a player, I don't need him to succeed at all. In fact, I'd rather he be a useless pig!"

His gaze towards Dugu Bo also became subtly unsettling: 'That top-tier assassin... he's forcing me to make a choice! Either I relinquish Avalanche as a pawn and turn it into his own, or he backs down, but I'd have to relinquish Dugu Bo... And does Dugu Bo truly not know this?'

Both conditions appear to be helpful to him, but in reality, only the latter is a pure promise of help, while the former is an interference with his plans!

To directly interfere in modifying his most important puppet ruler is such an outrageous demand. After all this, they still want him to relinquish Dugu Bo? It's practically forcing him to turn against them!

In contrast, the second one was just a flimsy promise.

Therefore, it is only natural that there is something fishy hidden beneath the surface of these words.

The only person whose status is comparable to that of the puppet emperor is Dugu Bo, a titled Douluo and his guest advisor!

Therefore, it is clear that the former's so-called "permission" is most likely just empty talk.

On the surface, he had "partial permission to dispatch Dugu Bo," but the crucial "partial" part was determined by Xue Xing! Theoretically, he could have easily evaded the issue in various ways.

Unless a top-tier assassin truly intends to abandon Avalanche as a pawn, they won't turn against him. After all, the effectiveness of Avalanche largely depends on his network of connections within Xue Xing.

Conversely, if the avalanche didn't exist as a battlefield for both sides to continue their power struggle, and the Heavenly-level assassin had no scruples, would Xue Xing dare to arbitrarily block the other side's control over Dugu Bo? Wouldn't he be afraid of losing sleep at night?

What would happen if Prince Xuexing hadn't understood the hidden meaning? Would the alliance simply fall apart, or... would the other side come to assassinate him?

If Prince Xuexing put himself in his shoes, he would most likely continue with the next round of bargaining negotiations.

However, he wasn't sure how to handle this top-tier assassin.

Before Dugu Bo introduced himself as knowing the Heavenly-level assassin, Prince Xuexing thought that the Heavenly-level assassin was a completely reckless madman!

In retrospect, he was not as completely insane as he appeared, but rather a rational person with whom one could communicate.

But how exactly?

He has not met the person in question and cannot make a judgment.

Most importantly... he cherishes his life.

In a daze, Prince Xuexing seemed to hear a strange voice whispering in his ear.

"Choose one: either hand over the most important pawn you reached for the imperial power, or relinquish the power you cannot control and return it to someone who can manipulate it better."

The two options are obvious trade-offs of similar value.

Imperial power and strength.

He chose...

Prince Xuexing forced a smile at Dugu Bo: "It's not that I don't trust the education level of the Heavenly-level Assassin, but Mr. Dugu should also know that the Heavenly-level Assassin is currently wanted by the Spirit Hall and should not show his face in public, right? I think that a promise from the Heavenly-level Assassin is enough to make my heart surge and feel extremely excited. Mr. Dugu... let's drink to how we've been able to get along so well all these years."

He chose imperial power.

He felt that Dugu Bo's heart was no longer with him. Since that was the case, it would be better to part ways peacefully, maintain mutual dignity, and preserve the relationship so that there was a possibility of reconnection and cooperation in the future.

Dugu Bo also smiled.

Just as he was unwilling to betray Prince Xuexing, he also did not want to betray Youchen.

Now, he is finally free from the dilemma of being torn between the two sides.

What Dugu Bo didn't consider was that, in his eyes, the promise of a Title Douluo was of immense weight, and with You Chen's displayed strength and intelligence, he was already ashamed of his own inferiority. Such a promise from a powerful figure was absolutely invaluable.

But in the eyes of someone from an imperial family like Prince Xuexing, there is only self-interest. A promise is nothing but an empty check; how can it compare to a real Title Douluo?

His reply was entirely given under the guise of an assassin's reputation, and it was given reluctantly.

……

"Just as you said, Brother Xuexing thanked me very happily and then told me to follow you."

Back at the mansion, Dugu Bo said to Youxing with a cheerful expression.

"That would be a win-win situation for everyone."

You Xing patted Dugu Bo on the shoulder: "From now on, work hard for me, Brother Dugu."

Yusei had anticipated this development.

He wasn't a mind reader for Prince Xue Xing, but he knew that the emperors and nobles of Douluo Continent had a common problem: prioritizing interests over emotions.

Prince Xuexing would never place absolute trust in Dugu Bo.

However, if one approaches this problem by weighing the pros and cons, one cannot avoid a crucial issue—one's own life and property.

In particular, the fact that he had never directly communicated with a Heavenly-level assassin face-to-face amplified the mystery surrounding them and the resulting fear.

In a sense, this is also the effect of the reputation brought about by Yusei's previous series of assassinations, which could be described as terrorist attacks.

Given that their interests were aligned and the other party had shown a friendly attitude, Prince Xuexing felt there was no need to deliberately provoke them.

This kind of fear is something that Dugu Bo, who has only experienced the direct combat power of a Youxing and has never worried about being assassinated by a Soul Douluo assassin because he was confident in his title as a Douluo, could not understand.

"Brother Chen, I've already spoken to Yanyan about it. So, what's next..."

Dugu Bo finally voiced his doubts: "What exactly do you want me to do for you?"

Youxing glanced at Dugu Bo, then took out a map from his storage soul tool.

He reached out and swept down from Tiandou City, across the Cataclysmic Mountain Range of the Cataclysmic Mountain System, and straight into the territory of the Star Luo Empire.

He said, "I want to open up a trade route that leads directly to Tian Dou and Xing Luo, and you are... well, the backer of this trade guild."

Dugu Bo's lips twitched. My brother, you weren't thinking of calling them thugs, were you?

However, why would a chamber of commerce require a titled Douluo to act as guarantor?

Seeing Dugu Bo's doubts, You Xing continued, "The scale of the chamber of commerce I want to develop is destined to clash with the Seven Treasures Chamber of Commerce. In this situation, if there isn't even a single Title Douluo publicly supporting me, I'm afraid I'll be swallowed up by the Seven Treasures Chamber of Commerce very soon."

"Seven Treasures Merchant Guild, Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School!?"

Dugu Bo opened his mouth in astonishment and asked, "Brother Chen, at your level, compared to some wealth, encountering the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School is clearly not worth it."

Youxing glanced at Dugu Bo speechlessly: "Where do you think all my research results came from? They were all bought with money! Because spreading the rumors about Bibi Dong's romantic affairs cost too much, now forget about research, my organization is even running into a deficit. I can't afford to not raise money. Besides—"

Yu Xing grinned: "It's about making a fortune off the Soul Beasts, moving from the shadows to the light. Skynet is a thing of the past. With so many people around, I can't just let it rot away, can I? Without so many informants, I'm a bit clueless about the world now. Otherwise, why do you think I needed to ask you about the rumors surrounding Bibi Dong?"

"is that so?"

Dugu Bo felt that Youxing was hiding some details from him, but he couldn't figure out what was wrong with his words.

You Xing said, "Didn't I tell you that Prince Xue Xing and I are going to form an alliance? This is one of the steps. Doesn't Xue Qinghe have the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Seven Treasure Merchant Guild backing him? Now he has us. It's a completely mutually beneficial arrangement. I use his connections and reputation to make money and reopen my intelligence network, while he gains my support and priority access to my goods. Believe me, this is definitely a win-win situation for him. Besides, you can continue to stay in touch with your brother Xue Xing. Isn't that great?"

Dugu Bo could not find any fault with You Xing's words.

"but……"

Dugu Bo suddenly said with a hint of resentment, "The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School is one of the top three sects. Not to mention the sheer number of people and the strength of its core forces, just its elite combat power alone includes two Super Douluo and one of the continent's number one support Soul Saints. You want me to deal with them? Are you serious?"

Yu Xing waved his hand and said, "It's just a platform, it's not as scary as you say. We're all here to do business, not fallen soul masters. What kind of scene would this be? Wouldn't it scare away all the customers? Even if there is a conflict, at most they'll beat you up, it's no big deal."

Dugu Bo narrowed his eyes slightly: "But if I remember correctly, I'm the one who's supposed to get beaten up, right?"

You, Dugu Bo, can sneer at me with your squinting eyes, but I, You Xing, can't?

Yusei squinted and glared back: "If they really intend to beat you up, just say you have someone backing you. Once they do, I'll come straight to your door and beat them up for you. That should be fine, right?!"

Dugu Bo immediately smiled happily: "Well, then there's no problem."

Just kidding, getting beaten up is nothing! As the "weakest Douluo," it's not the first time he's been thrashed by other Title Douluos! The key is... someone can get revenge for him!

"Damn it, what's with this overwhelming sense of security?"

Dugu Bo suddenly had a question.

"How exactly to implement it will require careful consideration from you and my advisors. But before that..."

Yusei suddenly looked into the distance: "Shouldn't we bring your beloved granddaughter back first?"

(End of this chapter)