With his thin arms he supported the bottom of the basin, lifted up the entire thing which still contained a little antidote, and then staggered away.
"Have you divided everything?" A clear and pleasant voice sounded from the side, and Qi Ji came out from somewhere.
"Well," Lunxi nodded, "there's still a little left, so I'll give it all to the last person... that should be okay, right?"
"Whatever you want to do," Qi Ji smiled nonchalantly, "Let's go to the Lion Carpenter's Mansion now and talk business while we walk."
"Go to the Lion Craftsman's house?" Lunxi's expression changed slightly, "Xiao Qiji... you have gained something, right?"
She knew that the reason why Qi Ji suddenly left was to look for the medicine seller who ran away halfway.
Based on Lunxi's understanding of her, if Qi Ji takes action, her trip will not be in vain. She must have learned something useful from the medicine seller now that she has come back.
As a result, he asked to find the Lion Craftsman Family as soon as he opened his mouth... Considering that the Dusk Sea seabed sediment is also an exclusive product of the Lion Craftsman Family, I'm afraid this family really has some big problems.
"Let me get this straight," Qi Ji glanced at Lun Xi, "It is almost certain that the church's supplies more than a month ago included the antidote, but it was only recently that the antidote was sold on the market, and at such a high price... the matter is very clear."
"This..." Lunxi's eyes widened.
"I knew you wouldn't accept it so easily," Qi Ji shook his head, "That's why we went to the Lionsmith's Mansion."
She knew that it would be difficult to convince Lunxi with just a few words, so she simply took her to Baron Lionsmith to investigate and make a final confirmation.
Baron Lionsmith withheld supplies from the church, and picked out the antidotes that were supposed to be distributed for free and sold them at high prices, making huge profits without any investment... Qi Ji had made this guess when he first discovered the spiritual remnants of the antidote inside the church.
But I couldn't guarantee it at the time, and I wasn't sure it was the Lion Carpenter family's fault.
It was only after she interrogated the man who sold the medicine just now that she made her initial conclusion.
"The spiritual aura of the antidote in the church is incredibly strong. If the long-standing residue alone is so strong..." Qi Ji said coldly as he walked side by side with Lun Xi, "Then the amount of antidote in the supply will be extremely large, enough for most people in Stio."
"I really can't imagine that Baron Lionsmith would do such a thing..." Lun Xi had actually already half believed it. He rubbed his forehead with his hand and felt very sad. "It shouldn't be possible. Their family is already rich enough, and the family business is also very stable. There is no reason..."
"This is also what I am confused about," Qi Ji said, "Logically speaking, a family that is at the peak of its power does not need to take risks to engage in such petty intrigues."
"Yes, I don't understand." Lun Xi said with a bitter face, "My father is the same, and Baron Lionsmith is the same... Is power really that important? Not getting it is a mistake, not getting enough is also a mistake, and not being able to get more than everyone else is still a mistake..."
Qi Ji did not answer the question, which was not known to whom, but just looked straight ahead, as if thinking about something.
Lunci believed that Baron Lionsmith did this for more wealth and higher status, and that his driving force was the desire corrupted by power.
But Qi Ji felt that the truth might not be that simple, not that...
"Intuitive".
Chapter 67 Superman is the Beast
First update
=========================
One antidote sells for 3000 Ferums." The total number of antidotes is the same as the population of Stio - 4500 copies. With zero cost, the maximum profit can be million Ferums.
This is a terrifying number, a huge sum even for aristocrats.
However, as a new bourgeois aristocrat, Baron Lionsmith was not short of money, and he had countless ways to make big and stable money.
The dozen or so large workshops and dozens of private caravans alone could generate a net income of over a million aire for him every year.
For him, tens of millions of Ferum would not take much longer even if he used conventional means, so why should he earn it in such a dirty way?
This is corruption! It is deceiving and offending the Grace Church, which is the actual ruler of the country! If the higher church finds out, you will most likely lose your head.
His greed is so strong that he dares to do such a thing?
“I can’t understand…I can’t understand…”
Full of confusion, Lunxi brought Qi Ji to the Lion Craftsman's Mansion in the central aristocratic district.
"Xiao Qiji, what are you going to do?" Looking at the mansions that were gradually becoming clearer in the distance, her tone sounded a little uneasy.
"Just go in and ask, what else can you do?" Qi Ji said.
Lunxi was surprised: "Is this...convenient?"
Her idea was - we are here to investigate some secrets of the Lion Craftsman's family that cannot be revealed, so we must keep a low profile, at least so that they cannot discover our true intentions.
Otherwise, wouldn't it be telling them clearly: We suspect you are doing bad things in secret, so hurry up and seize the opportunity to destroy the evidence!
Isn't it a lost opportunity?
Besides, Lunxi also considered Qi Ji's feelings.
She knew that Lanchester had improper thoughts about Qi Ji. Even though Qi Ji had firmly rejected him last night, based on Lunxi's understanding of Lanchester, this man would not give up anytime soon.
If Qi Ji goes straight to their house now, what if she runs into Lanchester... Although Lunxi doesn't think this will cause any substantial trouble to Qi Ji, he still doesn't want her to suffer any injustice.
Just thinking about the possibility that Qi Ji might be repeatedly defiled in his heart by that lustful guy made Lunxi feel uncomfortable.
"Oh, you worry too much," Qi Ji guessed Lun Xi's thoughts to some extent, "Why do you think I should interfere in these matters?"
"you ask me?"
"Yes, you see, whether it's the ghost wolf or the fever, it actually has no effect on me, right?" Qi Ji said, "The world is so big, I can go to any city, any country, and stay away from the suffering and evil here, right?"
Lunxi didn't know how to answer.
In fact, she would occasionally have this question: Qi Ji seemed to be too concerned about what happened to Stio.
In fact, strictly speaking, whether it is the Ghost Wolf or the Fever, they are trivial matters to a strong man of this level, and there is no need to even pay attention to them.
But for some reason, Qi Ji seems to be very keen on getting involved in it, which is really puzzling.
Although Lunxi's own behavior is similar, their backgrounds are completely different. Lunxi is the daughter of a local noble in Stio, which is her hometown, her relatives, friends, power, and all interpersonal relationships are here.
It is impossible for her to give up all this, to stay out of it, and to feel that the sufferings in the world have nothing to do with herself.
In other words, although she has the ability to do so, she cannot do so because it goes against her moral values.
Qi Ji is different. She is not a Stio, not even a Templar. Everything that happens in Stio has nothing to do with her. If she wants to leave without any worries, she doesn't need to have any psychological burden at all.
"You said before that it is natural for people with strong abilities to be given higher expectations." Qi Ji looked at the magnificent Lion Artisan Mansions:
"I think this is right, so I demand the same of myself. When I encounter suffering and injustice, as a so-called 'strong person', I should force myself to improve and resolve it, even if it has nothing to do with me... Haha, is this considered the self-cultivation of a saint?"
"So you don't have to care about my feelings," she smiled calmly, "I'm already prepared to bear any unwarranted responsibility. Being pursued by a rich second-generation dude... To be honest, this so-called 'grievance' is too ridiculous. In the scenario I imagined, I can't even make it into the top 100."
"Isn't this... tiring?" Lunxi was somewhat shocked by Qi Ji's realization.
She had never seen such an idealistic and enthusiastic person. Even the sanctimonious clergy would refuse to do things beyond their duties.
But Qi Ji is not like that. Her "duty" seems to have no boundaries, and she rarely uses "it's none of my business" or "it's not my responsibility" to restrain her sense of justice.
Whenever she sees injustice, she will do her best to help as long as it is within her ability, rather than just trying to avoid getting into trouble.
"To be honest, it is indeed troublesome." Qi Ji suddenly said seriously, "But humans are social animals. If people are too 'detached' and think they can be detached from the 'world' and be high above, then over time... they will really become 'inhuman'."
"But surpassing humans, isn't this the ultimate wish of all extraordinary people?" Lunxi wondered.
Extraordinary people, the name alone can show the ambitions of these people.
Even the most vulgar, lowest, and most mercenary extraordinary person still has a trace of pride and a sense of arrogance that transcends ordinary people deep in his heart.
"Non-humans are beasts, no matter how noble and beautiful the names they use to label themselves, whether they are gods or saints, non-humans are beasts."
"This... Xiao Qiji, what you said is blasphemy to the gods!" Lun Xi covered her mouth with his hand, "There are some things that cannot be said carelessly, they... sometimes really can hear it!"
"If you want to punish me for cursing, then this god is too stupid." Qi Ji pulled Lunxi's hand away, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "In short, always stay angry, passionate, and sympathetic... I've gone off topic, so let's stop here."
She shook her head and gathered her overly divergent thoughts:
"Let's get back to the current issue. Currently, the only evidence of the Lionsmith family's corruption and reselling is the words of the medicine seller, which is not conclusive enough to be honest."
She could tell that the drug seller was not lying, but the truth does not mean the truth. After all, the witnesses themselves may be deceived, so the reliability of human evidence is far less than that of physical evidence.
Maybe someone was impersonating Baron Lionsmith and commissioned the medicine seller? It was not uncommon for the powerful to smear and slander each other. What if Baron Lionsmith's political enemies wanted to frame him?
This situation is not only possible, but also has a high probability, so it cannot be easily ruled out.
"So what does Xiao Qi Ji mean?" After she said this, Lun Xi also realized that he should not have preconceived ideas.
She had previously tacitly accepted that Baron Lionsmith was the criminal, so it was reasonable for them to sneak in and investigate secretly, but it would be absurd to visit him openly.
However, Lanchester is indeed an annoying person. Not only is he a playboy, but he is also arrogant. But one thing is for sure. Just because you hate him, it doesn't mean that his father is also a bad person.
We cannot conclude that Baron Lionsmith is guilty simply based on the testimony of an unknown person, and think that it is just and legitimate to break into his house without permission. This kind of thinking that you can deprive others of their rights... is very dangerous.
"It's very simple," Qi Ji said with a smile, "We will pretend to be guests and stay at his house for a while. During this time, I will take out something and you will know then... Haha, anyway, I have sufficient means of verification and I am not afraid of wrongly accusing the innocent."
=======================
It’s the start of the new school year. I wish all students academic progress!
Chapter 68: Lionsmith's Mansion
The two of them walked out from an inconspicuous corner and headed straight towards the Lion Craftsman's mansions.
Compared with the Iris Manor, the Lion Carpenter Family's residence has a very different style. The Iris Manor is a very typical Western European classical manor, with a vast flat lawn as the base, and the distance between the buildings is very far, with an extremely wide view.
The layout of the Lion Craftsman Mansion complex is closer to a modern high-end villa area: dozens of luxurious villas with uniform exterior and structure are neatly arranged, and the sizes of villas built on different plots of land are also different.
It was as if the residents of this place were divided into different levels invisibly.
The place the two of them were heading to was a western-style building located in the front row and the middle of the entire building complex. Its dark main color gave it a majestic and oppressive feeling.
Lunxi took off the shawl covering her face and said, "I should have worn something more formal. This outfit is a bit frivolous now."
"Really?" Qi Ji looked her up and down. "I think it's pretty cute. Isn't that what normal people wear?"
In order to facilitate movement, Lunxi did not wear a skirt, but a light chestnut long-sleeved shirt with dark cropped pants, and a brown shawl on her back. The tone was very harmonious with her soft and beautiful long chestnut hair.
Compared to luxurious court dresses, this simple dress is more suitable for her lively and agile temperament.
"Oh, the nobles are very particular about this kind of etiquette..." Rencilio shyly turned his eyes away, "Although it is indeed much more convenient to wear it this way, it is not... decent enough."
"Miss Iris, why are you here?" The gatekeeper obviously knew Lunxi and smiled respectfully. "Please follow me to the reception room and wait. We need to inform the master or the young master."
"Uh," he turned his gaze to Qi Ji who was hiding in the cloak, "Who is this...?"
"My friend, come and sit with us." Lunxi explained simply.
"Oh, okay, please follow me." The gatekeeper didn't ask any more questions and led the two of them around the entire villa and walked deep into the villa area.
The Lion Carpenter family didn't seem to be that particular. The three of them walked directly through the villa area and headed from the front to the main house located in the center, which was the largest and most luxurious. They didn't have to take a detour like the Iris family.
"What a grand gesture." Qi Ji looked around at the scene and couldn't help but sigh.
The smallest of these houses has an indoor area of more than 600 square meters, and the villas near the center start at 1,000 square meters. If they were on Earth, they would be luxury homes worth hundreds of millions of RMB.
Not to mention the various green spaces and gardens, the exquisite and sophisticated fountains, mini stone bridges, potted plants, and pavilions are everywhere in sight, making it a completely Western-style garden full of sense of design.
The total area of the Lion Craftsman Villa District is actually slightly smaller than that of the Iris Manor, but in terms of sensory impact, it is much stronger than the empty Iris Manor. Every inch of it reveals a strong smell of money.
"And... the security is also much more thorough."
From time to time, Qi Ji could see well-trained and formally dressed patrol teams trotting through the villa area in standard marching steps.
Moreover, even if she didn't scan deliberately, her inspiration could capture a large amount of spiritual fluctuations of a certain level.
"Five Righteous Warriors, three Righteous Magicians, and more than a dozen Skill-Tempering Warriors..."
Including nearly a hundred ordinary mortal soldiers, the security here is comparable to that of a church.
According to Runci, the main supernatural powers of the church are seven "Knights of the Church" and one "Church Priest".
Knights are all clergymen at the level of "Prayers for Mercy", corresponding to the warrior's righteous thoughts and the wizard's righteous magic; priests are "Explanators of the Way", corresponding to the psychic and magician.
Excluding all the weird things like magic arrays preset inside the church, the church does not have an overwhelming advantage in absolute power.
Of course, as a priest of the "Elucidator", he is a variable. He can be said to be the highest transcendent in the entire Stio realm, and the strongest person Qi Ji has ever seen.
Qi Ji had never seen him take action, but judging from the strength of his spiritual fluctuations, he estimated that there were only two or three bodyguards, Old Iron Whip, but estimating their fighting power could not be so simple and crude.
Because she had no idea how high-level clergymen fought, it was difficult to make an accurate judgment without actually fighting.
In short, the security force of the Lion Craftsman Villa District is extremely strong. In comparison, the Iris Manor is simply pitifully shabby.
At most, there are only five or six skilled warriors there, and with just this little protection...Polut can kill them all.
Qi Ji was also quite confused about this. After asking Lunxi, he found out that it was because their family...could not afford a more powerful extraordinary person.
This shows how bad the Iris family's financial situation is, to the point where they are so perfunctory about even issues concerning the safety of their lives and property.
"Father doesn't think it's necessary to spend money on this," Lun Xi explained helplessly in response to her complaints. "He thinks that with the church watching from a distance, there's no need to worry about security issues. It's better to spend more money... on carpets."
