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Gao Fei shook his head, "Things aren't as simple as you imagine."

"Ah?"

"What's complicated about it?"

Chen San and Liu Qing were both stunned.

"Dongfang Jian is the son-in-law of the Human Emperor, and I have an irreconcilable feud with Dongfang Jian. Logically and emotionally, the Human Emperor shouldn't have promoted me," Gao Fei voiced his doubts, "If you were in their shoes, would you promote your son-in-law's enemy?"

"Now that you mention it, it does seem a bit off," Chen San frowned.

"Maybe... the Human Emperor acts with justice, not taking into account the grudge between you and Dongfang Jian..." Liu Qing spoke with uncertainty.

Gao Fei curled his lip, "That's highly unlikely, almost negligible." He had dealt with the Human Emperor before and knew he wasn't a just and unselfish man.

"So you're saying there's a conspiracy?"

"If the Human Emperor wanted to plot against me, he could have just done it openly, there's no need to go through so much trouble."

"There's definitely something fishy going on..."

"Regardless, once the Imperial Decree is issued, I must go to Heavenly Water City to take up my post," one of them said.

The three thought it over together for a long time but couldn't figure out the reason.

"Forget it, let's not think about it anymore," Gao Fei waved his hand, "One can't avoid misfortune if it's fated to come. Worrying is useless. Since the Human Emperor wants me to be the city lord, then I'll be it. Who am I afraid of! Chen San, Liu Qing, hurry up and investigate Heavenly Water City for me. Before nightfall, I want to know everything about it."

"Yes," Chen San and Liu Qing turned and left.

Gao Fei touched his bald chin and muttered to himself, "No matter what, getting promoted is a good thing, right?"

By evening.

Chen San and Liu Qing returned, both with ugly expressions on their faces.

"What's the situation? Did you find out everything?" Gao Fei asked.

"My lord! You've been set up!" Chen San said angrily.

"Huh?" Gao Fei was taken aback, "I've been set up? What do you mean? Speak clearly."

"Heavenly Water City is on the border, right next to the Demon Territory. The city's public safety is chaotic; armed fights break out every day. According to incomplete statistics, tens of millions of people have died in Heavenly Water City in the past ten years."

"What?" Gao Fei's eyes widened, "What are you talking about? Tens of millions of people have died in ten years? That's millions a year? Isn't that an exaggeration?"

"The city has been nicknamed 'Hell City' by some. The citizens live like they're in hell every day."

"If daily life is so harsh for the citizens, why don't they move away?"

"They would like to move, but the government of Heavenly Water City doesn't allow it. They've made rules that if anyone dares to leave Heavenly Water City, they are to be killed on the spot. In severe cases, their entire clan is exterminated."

"What? Exterminate the entire clan? The government of Heavenly Water City is too tyrannical!"

"My lord, you'd better not go to Heavenly Water City! Things there are too complicated! One misstep could lead to big trouble."

"Not go?" Gao Fei snorted, "Defying the Imperial Decree is a serious crime that might lead to decapitation." With that, Gao Fei sighed, "Life is never comfortable when it's in someone else's hands."

Three days later, Gao Fei set off for the Imperial Capital, according to the rules of Officialdom. After being promoted to city lord, one must go to the Imperial Capital to express gratitude in person to the Human Emperor.

...

The Imperial Palace.

Inside the grand hall.

Emperor Dugu Jingtian sat on the dragon throne, his eyes smiling as he looked at Gao Fei, "You should have inquired about the situation in Heavenly Water City by now, right?"

Gao Fei nodded, "I have."

"What have you found out?" Dugu Jingtian asked with interest.

Gao Fei hesitated for a moment before saying, "I found out... that the public order in Heavenly Water City is very chaotic..."

"Chaotic?" Dugu Jingtian's smile widened, "Exactly! Heavenly Water City is indeed in chaos! Let's put it this way, Heavenly Water City is the most chaotic city in the Human Territory."

"Your Majesty, why do you want me to go to Heavenly Water City to be the City Lord?" Gao Fei held back but eventually couldn't help asking, "If you find me disagreeable, you could simply act directly, there's no need to beat around the bush."

"Disagreeable? Beat around the bush?" Dugu Jingtian laughed, "You're thinking too much! I have no intention of harming you."

"Then why..."

"I've always had a concern about Heavenly Water City. The citizens there live like they're in hell, and many people die every year. I feel guilty towards them." As he spoke, Dugu Jingtian sighed deeply.

"Feel guilty?" Gao Fei frowned, "Your Majesty, if you feel guilty, why not intervene to save the people of Heavenly Water City?"

"I want to save them, but I can't."

"You can't? How can that be! You are the lofty Human Emperor, the ruler over Human Territory, all humans must obey your orders..."

"Heavenly Water City is a bit special..."

"Special?"

"Let me tell you a story."

"A story?"

"More than a hundred years ago," a nostalgic look appeared in Dugu Jingtian's eyes, "I sent my eldest son, Dugu Meng, to Heavenly Water City to be the City Lord. Dugu Meng was my most valued son. He was intelligent, prudent, and his only flaw was his stubbornness, unwilling to listen to others' advice... At first, Dugu Meng diligently governed Heavenly Water City, eradicated nearby bandits, and strived to make the citizens live and work in peace and happiness. If only it could have continued like that..."

Gao Fei listened quietly.

"Later, Dugu Meng fell in love with a woman from the Demon Race and had a child with her, keeping it a secret from me. When I found out, I was extremely angry, and despite Dugu Meng's desperate pleas, I killed that demon woman with a single slap. Initially, I wanted to kill the child as well, but in the end, I couldn't bring myself to do it... no matter what, the child had the blood of the Dugu Family flowing in him..."

"Ah?" Gao Fei exclaimed in shock.

"Ever since I killed that demon woman, Dugu Meng changed. He became silent and stopped speaking to me."

"What happened afterward?" Gao Fei's curiosity was piqued.

"Afterward..." A flicker of pain crossed Dugu Jingtian's eyes, "I thought that with time, Dugu Meng would forget that demon woman... What I never expected was... after raising the child, Dugu Meng... he... he took his own life..."

"Ah?" Gao Fei cried out again in shock: "He killed himself?"

"Yes, he killed himself." Dugu Jingtian slowly exhaled a heavy breath, his voice becoming hoarse, "Dugu Meng left behind a suicide note. Guess what was written in that note?"

Gao Fei shook his head, indicating he didn't know.

"The suicide note was comprised of three pages, and on those pages were filled with the character 'hate'. I counted them, there were a total of ten thousand 'hate' characters."

"All 'hate' characters?"

"That's right, all 'hate' characters! From the suicide note, one can tell how much Dugu Meng hated me! Ultimately, I underestimated his feelings for that demon woman."

"What about that child?" Gao Fei seized the crux of the matter: "He's still alive, isn't he?"

Dugu Jingtian nodded, "Alive! He is currently in Heavenly Water City."

"Heavenly Water City?" Gao Fei had a thought, "Is the current chaos in Heavenly Water City related to him?"