Chapter 42 GO Chapter 42

Chapter 42: Liew Trading Company

Chen Ning had managed to shake off his pursuers—barely. 

However, he had to admit that the Liu family was truly filled with experts. Whether through negotiation or force, getting his younger daughter back would be extremely difficult.

Then, the voice of the Crimson Tyrant echoed lazily inside his mind, filled with temptation.

“Chen Ning, that guy just now was only a Level Six War Officer. In the past, such weaklings were like livestock in my eyes—I could slaughter them as I pleased… 

I hear you’re planning to storm the Liu family to take back your daughter. How about this, let me take control of your body one more time, and I’ll help you carve a path through them…”

Chen Ning snorted. “Would you ever let a venomous snake bite you a second time?”

The Crimson Tyrant paused for a second, then caught his meaning—and erupted in fury.

“You brat! What’s that supposed to mean? I helped you kill Xiao Zihao and the others! I even taught you the Devouring Art! You should at least treat me like half a master, and yet, you don’t even trust me?”

“I don’t,” Chen Ning said flatly, cutting him off.

The Crimson Tyrant fumed.

“Fine! If you don’t trust me, then I won’t help you! See how far you get on your own!”

Chen Ning ignored him. To him, this so-called tyrant—a murderous fiend, a scourge to both humans and undead—was cunning, vicious, and treacherous. There was no way a creature like that would willingly stay sealed inside his mind. The only thing the Tyrant desired was rebirth—and that meant taking over his body.

And since he’d already tried once before, Chen Ning had no intention of ever letting that happen again.

Rely on no one but yourself.

He might be weak now, but given time, he would grow stronger. Strong enough to walk into the Liu estate openly—and bring his daughter home.

He needed power.

The thought stirred something inside him. He suddenly recalled the Devouring Art the Crimson Tyrant had mentioned earlier. His eyes brightened.

Since joining the army, he had trained consistently, but progress had slowed. At this rate, it would take years before he could ignite the third node of his black-and-white martial veins.

In the Azurebird Base, blood was scarce. But here, in Vermilion Phoenix City, things were different.

Where could he find plenty of blood? Of course—the slaughterhouses.

Vermilion Phoenix City, one of the Empire’s Four Great Metropolises, had a population of over thirty million. Every single day, countless pigs, cows, and sheep were butchered. The city’s slaughterhouses overflowed with animal blood. If he went there, he could probably fill his spiritual lake in no time—and ignite his third node.

The thought had just surfaced in Chen Ning’s mind when the Crimson Tyrant’s voice drawled lazily. 

“At your current rank as a Level 2 War Soldier, it’s true you can use the blood of animals, combined with spiritual water, to attempt to ignite these lower-tier nodes. However, I wouldn’t recommend using the blood of pigs, dogs, sheep, or cattle from slaughterhouses. The gains are immediate, but I fear you may regret it later.”

Chen Ning frowned. “Why?”

The Tyrant explained, “Animals in slaughterhouses are raised on processed feed and pumped full of hormones. They lack the spiritual essence of higher-grade creatures. Ordinary people gain little nutrition from their meat, let alone how much benefit we cultivators can extract from their blood.”

The Tyrant paused, then continued.

“Of course, if you insist on using the tainted blood of these animals for your cultivation, igniting the third Meridian node should be easy enough. It’s not without its uses, but the drawbacks far outweigh the benefits. 

Think of it like an ordinary person eating the meat from animals raised on drugs and hormones—it fills the stomach, but over time, it may lead to illness. 

Cultivation works the same way. Using this impure blood may boost your strength in the short term, but your martial veins will become contaminated. As the quality of your meridians deteriorates, you might forever lose the chance to reach the pinnacle of power—levels beyond 10, for instance.

Chen Ning frowned deeper. “Didn’t you say I could use animal blood before?”

“The animals should be wild, preferably primates like monkeys—creatures that drink from mountain springs, eat wild fruits, and possess a certain level of intelligence. Their blood must be pure. 

To put it simply, it’s about bloodline quality. Just as vampires dislike feeding on the blood of the sick, we must be selective about the essence we absorb.”

Chen Ning groaned in frustration. “This Vermillion Phoenix City has strict procedures for everything, people coming in and out, and animals being transported. They’re terrified of wild animals carrying the zombie virus, so they’re banned from being brought inside. 

How in the world am I supposed to find enough wild animal blood—and not just any, but from intelligent creatures—to fill half of my spiritual lake?”

“That’s your problem,” the Tyrant said lazily.

Chen Ning muttered darkly, “Why are you suddenly being so generous and helpful, anyway?”

The Tyrant chuckled.

“This body of yours is a demigod vessel, blessed with twin martial veins. I can’t bear to watch such a fine form be ruined by your haphazard cultivation… Besides, this body might very well be mine one day. Why should I let you damage it?”

The first half almost sounded caring; the second made Chen Ning want to curse aloud.

This damned old corpse really never stops scheming.

Standing at the crosswalk, Chen Ning was utterly clueless about his next move. 

Just as he debated returning to the Bai residence, a massive poster on a street-side billboard caught his eye. It featured a beauty in a red embroidered cheongsam, beside bold text that declared: “Everything You Desire Is Here!”

Below that, four golden characters blazed: Liew Trading Company.

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TL Note : Liew Trading Company (柳家商行)

Liew (柳) is pronounced the same as Liu (刘), but its two different surname.

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Trading houses in this post-apocalyptic era were enormous marketplaces run by powerful households, often tied to the Empire’s military. They dealt not in common goods, but in rare and dangerous items—everything from exotic weapons to mutated materials.

Rumor had it you could even buy zombie brain cores or Hellhound fangs there.

Whatever you wanted—they had it. As long as you can pay the prices.

Chen Ning’s eyes lit up. If he couldn’t find wild beast blood anywhere else—perhaps the Liew Trading Company had it.

Without hesitation, he hailed a taxi. “To Liew Trading Company,” he said.

The Liew Trading Company was one of the largest and most renowned merchant houses in Vermilion Phoenix City. The taxi driver, likely noticing Chen Ning’s imperial military uniform, didn’t dare take him on any unnecessary detour. 

In just twenty minutes, they arrived in front of a towering skyscraper, its facade emblazoned with bold characters: Liew Trading Company.

The place ran twenty-four hours a day. It was a little past eight in the evening—prime time for the city’s nightlife. The main hall bustled with people, buyers and sellers flowing like tides.

As Chen Ning stepped in, his heavy military boots echoing across the marble floor, heads turned. His sleeve bore the insignia of the Phoenix Legion—one of the Empire’s most elite units. Wherever a Phoenix soldier went, eyes followed.

Almost immediately, a woman in an elegant cheongsam approached. She walked gracefully on high heels, her slender waist swaying subtly as she moved forward with a captivating demeanor. 

With a warm smile, she greeted him proactively: “Welcome, esteemed guest. I am Liew Ruyan, the general manager of the Liew Trading Company. How may I be of service to you today?”

Chen Ning was slightly surprised that General Manager Liew Ruyan herself had come to attend to him. 

What he didn’t know was that she feared a special forces soldier like him might cause trouble. Moreover, every special forces soldier was wealthy—they earned substantial rewards for hunting zombies and completing missions, and they never hesitated to spend generously when purchasing weapons.

“Of course,” Liu Ruyan replied with a practiced smile. 

“We have access to a wide variety of exotic creatures.” She then leaned closer, her voice dropping to a confidential whisper near his ear. “Even if you’re looking for something as rare as a hellhound zombie, I might just be able to secure it for you. However, the transaction would have to take place outside the city walls, and the price… would be exceptionally high.”

Chen Ning cast a sidelong glance at this bone-meltingly alluring woman, recognizing her as the cheongsam-clad model from the advertisement. 

A faint, ambiguous smile played on his lips as he remarked, “What if I said I wanted to buy you as a pet? Would your esteemed trading company be willing to sell?”

Liu Ruyan’s smiling face first registered shock, then flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and irritation. 

However, not yet understanding Chen Ning’s background or origins, she dared not voice her anger. 

Forcing a smile, she replied, “Sir, you certainly have a sense of humor.”