In the early morning, Li Banfeng got ready to head out with the Projector.
Standing beside the bed, the Projector dejectedly said, "Seventh Guide, pick someone else, please. My artistic spirit has withered."
In the battle with the Mountain-Uprooting Master, among the Magical Treasures, the Projector had played a leading role.
Relying on the Projector, Li Banfeng had transformed the cave’s layout, leading a host of Strange Monsters into the Portable Residence, resulting in a feast for the whole family.
But the Projector missed the feast. Li Banfeng had forgotten about it.
The Projector had kept guard in the cave the whole time and hadn’t gotten a taste of even a single piece of meat.
By the time they returned to the Portable Residence, Red Lotus had already cleaned everything up; not a drop of blood remained.
Since then, the Projector had become very despondent.
After Li Banfeng left, the Projector remained beside the bed, silently lost in thought.
The Gloves came over and comforted him, saying, "Little brother, don’t keep looking so down. It hurts me just to see you like this. Let’s find a place to talk."
The Projector spoke in a flat tone, "My art has turned to ashes. There’s nothing worth talking about with you."
"Look at you, where’s any manly spirit? Come with me. Let it all out, and you’ll feel better."
After much coaxing and cajoling, the Gloves finally persuaded the Projector to go to the Third Room.
Once the room door was closed, the Gloves lowered his voice and said, "Brother, don’t say I don’t look out for you."
After saying that, the Gloves spat out a piece of flesh. "This is flesh from the Local Deity, the Mountain-Uprooting Master. Have a bite and see its quality and taste."
The Projector trembled, its lens misting over. "Brother Tao, how can I ever thank you...?"
"Cut the pleasantries and just eat!" The Gloves said magnanimously.
The Projector summoned forth the image of a woman, then placed the flesh into its film compartment.
So many days had passed, yet the flesh remained fresh. It was a mystery what method the Gloves had used to preserve it.
The flesh of the Local Deity was indeed of a different caliber. The Projector, which had less than half of its spring-power remaining, now felt completely revitalized, its cultivation level rapidly advancing.
"Brother Tao, thank you so much."
"Don’t mention it," the Gloves waved a finger. "We all risk life and limb, and our days aren’t easy. The Master can’t always look after every detail, so we have to look out for each other."
"Brother Tao, this meat is so precious. How can I ever repay you?"
"Repay me?" the Gloves said. "No need. I just have a few heartfelt words I want to share with you. We live under the same roof and both work for the Master. I’m not a greedy person. What belongs to the Master, I give to him. Occasionally keeping a little for myself is just human nature. Sometimes, when I hide something, please don’t always record it. It makes the Master upset to see such things, and then I have a hard time explaining. These are matters the Master shouldn’t even know about."
...
At the Dongping Tea House, Li Banfeng found Qin Xiaopang and inquired about the Ling Family Film Industry.
Qin Xiaopang said, "The Ling Family Film Industry is indeed still open. The Silver Seal had people investigate it. Apart from ’Blood Blade Detective,’ they also have two other films in production, and everyone from top to bottom is very busy."
"With Ling Miaoying dead, who’s now in charge at the Ling Family Film Industry?"
"I’ve heard two pieces of news, and it’s hard to tell which one is true. The first is that Ling Miaoying is still alive. He supposedly faked his death earlier and put on a show with Lu Chunying."
This piece of news was obviously spread by Lu Maoxian, both to justify his actions against ’Blood Blade Detective’ and to tarnish Lu Chunying’s reputation.
"The second is that there’s a major figure behind the Ling Family, possibly the film star Tu Yinghong."
"Tu Yinghong..." Upon hearing this name, Li Banfeng recalled the assassination attempt he had experienced.
That day, he had first used Passing Glance to take down Ling Miaoying, then shot and injured Tu Yinghong. Without his Portable Residence, he had relied solely on his own initiative to seize the upper hand and save his life.
"Do you know Tu Yinghong’s background?"
Qin Xiaopang said, "The Silver Seal is still investigating. It was previously rumored that Tu Yinghong was originally an unlicensed prostitute in Greenwater City who became a film star after pleasing Ling Miaoying. But now it’s clear that this claim is pure bullshit. Tu Yinghong wasn’t from Greenwater City at all; she came from Black Stone Slope and is a Craftsman Cultivator. As for who was serving whom between her and Ling Miaoying, that’s still not clear."
"Brother, this needs to be clarified as soon as possible."
"Brother Seven, as soon as I have news, I’ll..." Qin Xiaopang ran out of breath. He was hungry again.
Li Banfeng glanced at Qin Xiaopang’s girth; he was almost rivaling Qiu Zhiheng in size.
"Didn’t I tell you? If you’re short of money, just ask me. Don’t skimp on food. That matter I asked you to inquire about last time—what did your Silver Seal contact say?"
"Brother Seven, our Silver Seal contact is a really upstanding person. He said I’m currently an ’empty-code’ Copper Seal, and it’s perfectly reasonable for me to be converted to an official Copper Seal. However, he mentioned he’d need to use some money to... smooth things over for me. It’s a considerable sum, so I was too embarrassed to tell you."
Li Banfeng put down his teacup. "Are you trying to delay things? How much money exactly?"
Qin Xiaopang held up a finger. "One thousand Ocean Dollars."
"I’ll cover it. This afternoon, go to Xiaoyao Lodge to get the money. Get one thousand five hundred Ocean Dollars, and use the extra to pick out a good territory."
Qin Xiaopang expressed his immense gratitude, and Li Banfeng returned to Xiaoyao Lodge.
Qiu Zhiheng had once said that the assailant was a high-level Craftsman Cultivator possessing an item that granted invisibility.
The Three Heroes Gang investigated Tu Yinghong’s background and found she is indeed a Craftsman Cultivator.
During his journey, Li Banfeng became fairly certain that the black-clothed person from that day was Tu Yinghong.
Li Banfeng entered the Portable Residence and used the Projector to summon the image of Ling Miaoying.
PHEW!
The Phonograph asked, "My dear husband, this person has already been refined into an Elixir. Why bring his image out again?"