Douluo Continent: My Martial Soul is the Ten Ferocious Heavenly Horned Ant

His kneeling posture was not standard; it was obvious at a glance. He usually had a very stiff back and had never bowed his head to anyone. After half a lifetime, he was still just a low-ranking sheriff.

Logically speaking...

At An Xin's age, if he were even a little more tactful, he could at least be a squad leader, if not a commander of the city defense forces, instead of being a low-ranking security officer who isn't even a formal member of the city defense force.

To know.

The difference in status between a sheriff and a city garrison soldier was roughly equivalent to the difference between a temporary worker and a permanent employee.

It's really frustrating to think about. After working for decades, I'm still just a temporary worker.

"Don't try that. I'm not buying it. Just say what you have to say. You're trying to morally blackmail me. Do you know I have no morals?" Dong Qing said firmly.

“Your Highness Dongqing, you have kindness and justice in your heart, otherwise you would have kicked me out long ago,” Anxin said calmly.

"You're probably overthinking it. I only spared you from being kicked out because of the Hall Master of the Martial Soul Branch Hall in Hanhai City, who is also your uncle, An Changlin. To be honest, a stubborn fool like you would have been gone long ago without your uncle's protection," Dong Qing said nonchalantly.

There are proper ways to get things done. His kneeling and coercive approach shows he's narrow-minded and inflexible. Nobody likes being morally blackmailed.

"I am only alive now thanks to my uncle's help. Otherwise, I would probably have died at the hands of my own people, just like my close friend Li Xiang."

An Xin directly acknowledged Dong Qing's words; he did not deny them.

He is indeed able to live to this day thanks in no small part to the care of his uncle, An Changlin.

“Interesting. You’re just a low-ranking sheriff, so why are you working so hard to uphold justice? If you were to collude with them, and with your uncle’s help, it wouldn’t be impossible for you to become the commander of the city’s defense forces.”

Dong Qing admired honest people. An Xin didn't make any excuses and honestly admitted it, which was much better than the double standard Tang. Therefore, he decided to give him a few more chances to say a few more words.

“Though I am of humble status, I dare not forget my duty to the country. I may be as humble as dust, but I cannot be as twisted as a maggot. The five great soul master families of Hanhai City have been all-powerful and have committed too many evil deeds. Among them, the Xu family, the Zhao family, and the Wu family are the worst.” Anxin replied.

"Aren't you afraid of dying?" Dong Qing asked again.

“I’m not afraid. I may be insignificant, but as long as I’m alive, I won’t just stand by and watch them do evil. I won’t do anything about it. There are always things that need to be done.”

Anxin once again gave her answer.

At this time.

Dong Qing looked at An Xin's uncle, An Changlin, the hall master of the Martial Soul Branch Hall in Hanhai City, and asked, "With such an upright character, can you really protect him all by yourself?"

“Your Highness Dongqing, it’s like this. The Gao family, the head of the Gao family, Gao Qiqiang, was helped by An Xin several times when he was young, so he can be considered to have done An Xin a favor,” An Changlin explained.

"He's grateful... If I remember correctly, he just said that he has evidence of crimes committed by the five great soul master families... Wow, An Changlin, your nephew is quite the player."

Dong Qing felt that things were getting more and more interesting. The water in Hanhai City was truly unfathomable, and he had really broadened his horizons today.

“Your Highness Dongqing, Gao Qiqiang was just a fishmonger when he was young. Later, he was imprisoned for fighting. It was An Xin who found a way to get him out,” An Changlin said succinctly.

"How did he start his business?" Dongqing asked.

“Gao Qiqiang is very clever. I don’t know how he got involved with Niu Fengzi, who was known as the Bull Demon King back then, and became the Niu family’s representative in Hanhai City,” An Changlin replied.

"Anxin, you should know that the Gao family's backer is the Niu family. Do you know who's behind the Niu family?" Dong Qing looked at Anxin with a slightly amused expression.

“No matter who it is, I believe in Prince Dongqing,” An Xin said without hesitation.

“I am behind the Niu family, and Niu Xiaomei is one of my people,” Dong Qing said.

The voice just fell.

An Xin's face turned deathly pale, and she collapsed to the ground as if all her strength had been drained, as if something indestructible in her heart had cracked.

The heart of Tao is shattered, and faith collapses.

Dong Qing didn't care about his change. He turned to An Changlin and said, "Your nephew is too straightforward. His world is black and white, and he can't tolerate even a trace of gray. Little does he know that in addition to black and white, there is also gray that is everywhere in this world."

"Sigh, Anxin... he is indeed a bit too straightforward, and he just can't think straight," An Changlin sighed.

"Alright, take him downstairs. It is indeed a bit late today. Tomorrow, take him to see Prince Avalanche. Bring that rotten wooden box with you; the things inside are still somewhat useful."

Dong Qing clapped his hands, then stood up and left with Zhu Zhuyun.

"Yes, Your Highness Dongqing," An Changlin bowed respectfully.

It wasn't until Dongqing had walked a long way that...

An Changlin then helped An Xin, whose worldview was somewhat shattered, to her feet and said earnestly, "An Xin, do you feel that Prince Dongqing is not as righteous and just as you imagine?"

Hearing his uncle's words.

An Xin slowly raised her head and whispered, "Uncle, even he is a protector of the dark forces. Does the so-called light really exist in this world?"

"Anxin, is your understanding of light such that you can't tolerate even a trace of gray?" An Changlin asked.

"Black is black, and white is white." An Xin remained as straightforward as ever.

“But the reality is that there are gray areas, and just because you don’t acknowledge them doesn’t mean they don’t exist.” An Changlin shook his head.

"But...at least...he shouldn't. He should be a symbol of light and justice, the hope of hundreds of millions of ordinary people, not a protector of evil forces."

An Xin's tone was extremely unwilling; he refused to believe this fact.

Obviously.

His confession to Dong Qing, admitting that he was the protector of the Niu family behind the Gao family, was very painful.

“No one is perfect, and neither is Your Highness Dongqing. Don’t worry, are you aware that the Gao family’s powerful merchant guild and even the Niu family’s Tiandou Auction House have completely abandoned the highly profitable business of slave auctions?” An Changlin asked.

“But that doesn’t mean the past is the past, or that their collusion with those slave traders can be wiped clean,” Anxin replied.

“Okay, let’s not talk about that. Do you know how many people the newspaper industry alone supports? How many poor families’ children does it support?” An Changlin continued.

"Isn't all the money going to the Spirit Hall? Although newspapers are cheap, a single ad slot costs at least a million gold soul coins. I heard that this alone brings in hundreds of millions of gold soul coins every year," An Xin said with a puzzled expression.

He doesn't understand.

Newspapers may make money, but what does that have to do with supporting children from poor families?

"Haha, don't worry, you've been a sheriff for too long, always focusing on the five great soul master families, but you've forgotten about the lives of ordinary people at the bottom of society, haven't you?" An Changlin couldn't help but laugh heartily.

He laughed and laughed.

His aged body couldn't help but cough.

"Cough cough cough... Don't worry, you don't understand Prince Dongqing's true goodness. His goodness is bright and great. Because of him, at least several million children from poor families on Douluo Continent have been able to get basic food and clothing."

Upon hearing this...

An Xin said with dissatisfaction, "That's not right, Uncle. Don't try to glorify Prince Dongqing just because he is the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall. He just admitted that he is the protector of the Niu family."

An Changlin didn't rush to answer An Xin, but calmed his breathing first.

He spoke slowly and deliberately: "A year ago, His Highness Dongqing issued an order within the newspaper department that anyone who bought more than ten but less than fifty copies of newspapers from the Martial Soul Branch could settle the bill the next day. Of course, this could only be done once a day; the second time, it would have to be paid in cash."

"Uncle, but what does this have to do with supporting poor children? Also, this order is strange. Why can the bill be settled the next day for newspapers with a limit of ten to fifty copies?"

Anxin felt increasingly confused as she listened, unable to grasp the connection between the parts.

"Ten to fifty copies, limited to once a day, payment due the next day"—these three keywords, when put together, remind you of the children selling newspapers that you can see everywhere on the streets these days.

An Changlin offered a suggestion, hoping that An Xin could figure it out.

Tick, tick.

Time moves slowly.

A dozen minutes later.

An Xin finally understood. He was just straightforward, not stupid or foolish. At this point, it was impossible for him not to understand what was going on.

He couldn't help but mutter, "Newspapers, ten to fifty copies, limited to once a day, payment the next day. Individuals don't need to buy more than ten newspapers at once, and merchants can't possibly buy only fifty newspapers at a time. High-ranking Soul Masters would certainly not be interested in newspapers worth at most one hundred and fifty copper Soul Coins."

"And this gives children from poor families the opportunity to earn money."

"Compared to each time I went to the local Martial Soul Branch Hall and squeezed through crowds to buy the latest issue of the newspaper."

"Nowadays, you can buy the latest newspaper from a child selling newspapers on the street with just a wave of your hand or a shout, and it only costs one copper soul coin more. For many people, this time-saving and labor-saving thing is undoubtedly very cost-effective."

"Perhaps for those who are not short of money, a mere copper soul coin might only be enough to buy an ordinary steamed bun, but for those children, earning more than ten copper soul coins a day is enough to feed three families and keep them from starving."

That's all for now.

An Xin suddenly looked up and asked, "Uncle, what if someone just takes fifty copies of the newspaper and doesn't pay me back the next day?"

His concerns are not unfounded.

People can be good or bad, and hearts can be black or white.

Not everyone follows the rules; there are always some people in the world who are greedy for cheap deals.

"Ever since the divine punishment, the Spirit Hall has become a holy place in the eyes of mortals. No one dares to deceive the Spirit Hall, let alone swindle money from it."

"And even if there are such shameless people, those who make money will deal with them. In order to maintain this interest and ensure its continued existence, they themselves are more committed to maintaining this order than anyone else."

An Changlin spoke calmly, yet with great confidence.

"But if adults also come to compete for this opportunity to make money, how can children from poor families compete with them?"

Anxin then raised another question.

Even if a newspaper costs three copper soul coins, and you only earn one copper soul coin per newspaper, fifty newspapers can earn you a total of fifty copper soul coins.

An income of fifty copper soul coins per day is already considered quite good.

Regarding this issue...

An Changlin merely glanced at An Xin indifferently, then said, "His Highness Dongqing said that the final interpretation right lies with us. We can sell to whomever we want; how can they argue about it as they please?"

“Even if everything makes so much sense, do millions of children from poor families really benefit from this?” Anxin asked her last question.

"Rest assured, Prince Dongqing is neither the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall of the Heaven Dou Empire nor the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall of the Star Luo Empire. Prince Dongqing is the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall, as are the news reports. What you see is only Hanhai City, but what Prince Dongqing sees are the hundreds of millions of people across the entire Douluo Continent."

Done.

An Changlin patted An Xin's shoulder heavily, hoping that his nephew could get out of his rut ​​as soon as possible and stop being stuck in that dead end because of the opposition between black and white.

Because sometimes, gray can be beautiful too; it's a kind of hazy, ethereal beauty.

........

at the same time.

In a secluded corner of the Douluo Continent, in a blood-soaked arena.

"Tang Hao is now renowned throughout the continent. Do you regret it? You must regret it, why didn't you kill him sooner!"

"Regret is inevitable, but if I had to do it all over again, I think I still wouldn't kill him. Instead, I would try to win him over beforehand and not become his enemy. As for that bitch, I would just give her to him."