"Um... Miss Maid, do you mind if I ask a question?"

Yuan took a sip of the coffee under the snow cap and asked the maid sitting quietly beside her, hands neatly placed on her knees.

"Please go ahead, master."

"How do you manage to survive on this street?"

Yuan couldn't figure out how such terrible service could sustain a business here even if she dunked her head into the toilet. Though located in the Red Light District, the foot traffic here was huge, and the land prices definitely weren't cheap.

The maid hesitated for a moment and fell silent.

Just as Yuan was about to ask more, there suddenly came a commotion and loud noises from outside the shop.

"Huh? What's happening?"

...

"Silver War Maiden, have you really had your lunch?"

In a secluded snack shop, Xiang Ling looked at the princess sitting across from her with a satisfied expression after finishing the last sip of noodle soup and picking up a dish of pan-fried dumplings.

"Snacks, you know, girls have a separate stomach for food other than staple ones."

"Huh? I've never heard of that before..."

"You don't actually believe that, do you?" Tiran hesitated for a moment and asked with a face full of black lines.

Okay, judging from your expression, you do believe it.

"Well, considering this appetite is a bit..." Xiang Ling, being straightforward, admitted without hesitation, "Even the warriors in my army may not have such an appetite."

If he didn't know Xiang Ling's straightforward nature, Tiran would have thought she was teasing him. Is it wrong for girls to eat a bit more? Aya can eat even more! A mountain of food is no problem!

"Enough about my appetite. What about your plan, Your Highness? How's the intelligence you received earlier?"

"The situation in Luojing is even more tense than expected. The emperor's health seems to be deteriorating, and an assassination attempt took place in the court this morning. If my estimation is correct, there will be trouble in the coming days, likely a matter of who strikes first between my two royal brothers."

"By the way, the person you're looking for appeared in the palace because of the assassination, right?"

"Yes, that's why I must enter the palace," emphasized Tiran.

"Don't worry, that's a place I need to go as well..."

Boom!

The thunderous noise from outside the alley interrupted Xiang Ling. It sounded like an explosion, and not just one or two, at least three within a short minute.

"Could it be something serious happening?" Tiran clicked his tongue.

"Check, please!" Xiang Ling slapped a silver piece on the table, grabbed Tiran's hand, and rushed outside, "Let's go see!"

...

"Hahaha! Smash everything for me! Smash hard! Don't be polite!"

"Damn it, can't you throw the Fire Thunder Beads further away?! Almost bombed our own people! Throw them into the shops! The louder the noise, the better!"

At this moment, the busiest street in the Central District had descended into chaos. A rough group of armed men seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, wielding all sorts of weapons and attacking anyone they saw, looting and destroying almost every shop along the way.

Ordinary passersby and residents on the street screamed in terror as they tried to flee, but in such a crowded place, escaping easily was nearly impossible. The place where these violent thugs passed through was a scene of devastation, with numerous people suffering injuries from slashes, beatings, and explosions, lying on the street. Unlucky ones who were hit in vital areas died on the spot.

And this group showed no signs of stopping, continuing to randomly hack and kill unarmed ordinary people along the main street. There were also passing martial artists and knights who attempted to intervene altruistically, but the scene was too chaotic. First, they were trampled by the fleeing crowd in panic and then faced a large group of armed thugs, making it impossible for them to resist effectively.

"Listen up! Our target is not here! Just smash and bash, then follow me to the Bamboo Park!"

The burly man leading the group shouted loudly behind him while hoisting a big tiger-head machete, immediately receiving cheers in response, followed by the frequent explosions of thunderfire beads.

With a muscular build, several scars and bruises on his body and face, if Aya and Jojo were here, they would definitely recognize this guy—Aya might not, as there was no need to remember the small fry he could easily take out, but Jojo would certainly remember.

Miss Jojo's first righteous target, the leader of the Luo Jing slum area, Lao Lang.

As for why Lao Lang, who should have been locked up in the guard's dungeon, was here, it was naturally due to the favor of the person who had approached him.

Lao Lang's mood was completely lifted after being hit by Aya, leaving only eagerness and joy. Ever since learning about the identity of the person behind the one who claimed to be his servant, Lao Lang had made up his mind to follow this path to the end.

It was the prince, one of the most prestigious individuals in the country, perhaps even the emperor.

And he approached Lao Lang for the throne. Which means that as long as he worked hard today, once that person succeeded, he would no longer be the laughable "king of the slums," but a true "hero"!

The prince had only one command for him: cause a commotion, regardless of the consequences, no matter how many people died, as long as he stirred up trouble and turned Luo Jing upside down.

To achieve this, after escaping from the dungeon, Lao Lang immediately gathered all his core followers and then spread the news thoroughly in the slum area.

The slum area was the darkest part of every big city, where thieves, robbers, gamblers, and drunks gathered, alongside scholars who repeatedly failed exams, and women who sold their bodies to survive... But they all shared one thing in common: despair and dissatisfaction with their current situation.

Smartly, Lao Lang did not directly reveal his plans this time. Instead, he incited their emotions as the ruler of the slums, turning their discontent and despair into resentment towards those who lived in the normal city areas and under the sunlight.

The population of the slums accounted for nearly a third of Luo Jing's total population; even if only a small portion participated, it would become an undeniable force.

And as it appears now... quite successful.

As the rampage continued, the group grew stronger. A considerable number of slum residents who heard the commotion grabbed various crude weapons like sticks and hoes and joined in. Coupled with the thunderfire beads sent by the benefactor, this wave that began from the slums became even more intense.

But it was not enough! The central district housed mostly civilians and tourists, so to guide their anger, and also to stir up trouble without disturbing the nobility, he had to lead these people to the Bamboo Park!

The Bamboo Park was a general term for residential areas located between the central and upper districts. The residents here were mainly wealthy merchants and some minor nobles who had come from rural towns to Luo Jing in search of opportunities. There were generally no private armies protecting the nobility here, but they were extremely wealthy and definitely a good place for plunder.

"Keep charging! Don't stop!"

The thought of the wealth about to be seized and the future success ahead caused a warm sensation in Old Wolf's eyes. With a swift strike of his right hand, he knocked down a figure who looked like a righteous hero, someone he had singled out in his quest to capture the leader of the thieves first.

Advancing about a mile further, as he neared the end of the long street, Old Wolf's path suddenly cleared. The fleeing crowd dispersed gradually, and the obstacles in front of him became distinct.

Soldiers, guards from the garrison.

After all, Luojing was Luojing. Such a commotion could not go unnoticed, and the nearby garrison immediately sprang into action. Though they hesitated to directly enter the street for fear of being scattered by the crowd, they set up a blockade at the end of the street.

"Ha! It's you, huh!"

"Old Wolf?!"

The officer leading the group turned out to be the same garrison officer who had captured Old Wolf after Aya had beaten him. Seeing the fierce-looking Old Wolf wielding a knife, he was momentarily stunned. Wasn't this guy supposed to be locked up in the garrison dungeon?

But this was certainly not the moment to dwell on that. The officer shook his head, rallied his spirits, and shouted loudly, "All rioters, drop your weapons and surrender! Otherwise, you will be killed on sight!"

"Who do you think you're scaring!"

Old Wolf laughed wildly and raised his knife high, shouting to the mass of people trailing him, "Listen up, all of you following me! Every one of you has some blood on your hands for being with me. None of you are clean! All of you, just like me, are just bugs in this city! Surrender now, and you might just save your lives. What awaits you is exile to the farthest borders for the harshest labor! Stick with me! I can guarantee that each of you will at least live like a human after this is over! How about it!"

No one responded, but every person, whether holding a kitchen knife, a frying pan, or some other makeshift weapon, gripped them a little tighter.

With a satisfied smile, Old Wolf turned back to point his knife at the officer. "See that? Those who are sensible can crawl away!"

"...”

The officer's expression darkened. He had initially thought it was a simple riot, but never expected it to be an organized and coordinated operation under Old Wolf's leadership. This meant that the hundred or so men under his command were far from sufficient.

After all, the garrison was not a regular army but more akin to the police. Although they were of much higher quality compared to the mob, they were quickly overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

"Get reinforcements immediately, as many as possible."

The officer quietly instructed his subordinates, only to be met with a merciless sneer from Old Wolf. "Don't count on your meager reinforcements, officer! Do you think this city's riot is confined to this one location?"