As soon as the driver's words were out, the car fell quiet, leaving only the sound of the wind whistling by.
Though the young girls were curious, they didn't speak up, as if this was a topic best left unspoken.
Li Ang appreciated their understanding, though he had long since come to terms with it. Even if he hadn't, the joy these four brought wouldn't let him dwell on the past.
"Heard of it, what's up?"
"After reaching number one, they started recruiting Great Knight-level support."
A Great Knight ranks between 100-2000 among Sky Knights, essentially the pinnacle of Nebis.
"Within this range, support is already hard to find," Li Ang said calmly.
"Indeed, you're well-informed, sir. I only heard about it two weeks ago," the driver chuckled. "Though I'm in the Holy City and have even driven top-tier Sky Knights, they don't say much to me, and I wouldn't understand it anyway."
"The matter must be well-known for it to reach you," Li Ang replied.
"Yes, they've been dissatisfied with their recruits and are trying to conquer the so-called Ya Civilization ruins but keep facing defeats."
Li Ang added, "Tiya Civilization."
"Yes, yes, that's it."
"Tiya Civilization?" Dorothy asked, surprised.
"What's the matter?" Li Ang inquired.
The Half Elf whispered, "Let's talk later."
Once they finished speaking, the driver continued, "Then their achievements didn't increase, so they had to scatter to take on tasks to maintain their ranking. However, they dropped to second place the day before yesterday, so now it's a hot topic."
"Ha," Li Ang chuckled.
The driver glanced at him with slight confusion and continued, "So, there's a rumor going around the Holy City."
"What is it?"
"They say their ascent to number one was entirely due to the earliest support, who isn't in the group anymore after reaching the top. So, they started recruiting, and there's a rumor that they kicked him out."
At this, Li Ang's team held their breath and perked up their ears.
"I think that's impossible," the driver replied firmly.
"Why not?" Zoe asked.
"If someone was that effective, who would kick them out? Are they out of their mind?" the driver shot back.
The young girls smiled wryly.
"So I believe either such a person doesn't exist, or he wasn't that great, deciding the whole team's level," the driver speculated.
The young girls frowned again.
"But there clearly are..." Zoe began to argue, but Li Ang stopped her.
"There's no one that powerful. If one person carried the whole team, that would mean the rest were worthless," Li Ang stated.
The driver took another look at him and then chatted aimlessly for over an hour before the car stopped at the edge of the Huadu District.
Upon hearing Li Ang's words earlier, the young girls hadn't thought much of it. But, up close, they immediately noticed that Huadu's architecture was markedly newer and more structurally consistent, with exquisite decorations.
The division between Huadu and the Adventure Area was a plaza. Numerous tourists and citizens gathered there, staying within boundaries, appraising the Sky Knights of the Adventure Area.
Upon closer inspection, one could see they were commenting on others' equipment, speculating about wealth, and estimating their ranking.
"Look, that Horned Race individual has a strong physique, but his equipment made of demon bone and leather looks quite shabby," someone remarked.
"I bet that Beast-Earkin has a high ranking. His equipment is flashy, probably high-end," another added.
Hearing these comments, Zoe looked at Li Ang with curiosity.
"It's all baseless assumptions," he explained to the little cat.
Li Ang paid for the ride.
"Take care, everyone," the young driver said, not bothering with any 'see you again.' After all, this was the Holy City, where people flocked from all over the world—he wouldn't be short of business.
Li Ang nodded at him. The driver met his gaze, hesitated to speak.
"Anything can happen within a group. After all, a high-end team isn't necessarily elite everywhere. Most organizations are makeshift at critical times," Li Ang remarked, patting the stunned driver on the shoulder before leading his team toward the Huadu District.
Dressed as adventurers, as soon as they stepped foot into the plaza, they were under scrutiny.
Unused to such an atmosphere, the three youngsters tensed up. Even Dorothy, used to attending grand occasions, clicked her tongue, quickening her pace.
"I understand why you don't like it here," the Half Elf sighed.
"Don't they have things of their own to do?" Zoe frowned, casting a glare at those idle onlookers.
"Ever since the Guild's status stabilized, the Holy City has turned into prime real estate—living here means no struggles," Li Ang explained. "They're either successful Sky Knights or merchants' families, or they made their fortune here, or they're making a living off of the entertainment money from Sky Knights who come here."
He elaborated that the mentality of people in Huadu was peculiar.
Their comfortable and safe life depended on the Sky Knights, and hence, their everyday life was overshadowed by Sky Knights. Yet, they wanted to prove that Sky Knights didn't greatly influence them, leading to a mindset where they revered elite Sky Knights but looked down upon ordinary adventurers.
Dorothy comprehended perfectly, but the other three found it perplexing.
"Why? I don't get it," Zoe furrowed her brow.
Li Ang tried to explain "the inevitable of big cities" and "social role division," but she didn't understand, so he resorted to a story analogy.
"It's like when a hero in a story sets out on an adventure and, before he sets sail, there are always some who laugh at him from the shore," he said.
Zoe, still puzzled, eventually nodded.
Of course, Li Ang thought, those setting sail aren't necessarily heroes—they could be people seeking profit or self-fulfillment.
With his team, he headed toward his apartment, meeting no familiar faces along the way.
The group stopped in front of an unremarkable small building.
"Is this it?" Zoe exclaimed disappointedly, "I thought Li Ang lived in some towering place in the city center."
"No one's qualified to treat that as a house," he replied.
Li Ang led them up to the fifth floor and stepped into the corridor facing the street.
As soon as he got upstairs, he bumped into a man leaning against the railing smoking.
"Yo." Seeing Li Ang, he was somewhat surprised.
This man was A Yang, Li Ang's neighbor.
"Haven't seen you for so many days, I thought you were dead."
"Why such harsh words?"
Li Ang was just an acquaintance with him, but this guy seemed to have a grudge against him.
"After all, with such a beautiful girlfriend running away, I'd have already committed suicide if I were you," A Yang said, cigarette in hand.
He lowered his head, and behind Li Ang on the stairs came four top-notch young girls.
Li Ang was unlocking the door when he heard a cry of pain from behind and saw A Yang had put the lit end of the cigarette in his mouth.
The furniture inside was familiar, but Li Ang felt a sense of unreality.
Everything seemed covered in a layer of dust, not actual dust, but a semi-transparent gray veil. As if it was from another world, another life experience.
The young girls passed by him, curiously beginning to look around the room.
Because they burst into the frame, color suddenly returned to the world.
Li Ang turned back and closed the door on a stunned A Yang.
Walking into the living room, the trouble-causing young girls were already in chaos.
"Wow, this chair can rock!"
Zoe sat on the swinging chair by the floor-to-ceiling window on the balcony, treating it like a swing, making the metal frame creak.
"Any hidden shameful things, let me see, any personal belongings of your ex-girlfriend..."
Dorothy was rummaging around, shaking things up.
"Clothes the master had worn."
The White Wolf stared thoughtfully at the basket of clothes Li Ang hadn't dealt with yet.
"Could you all calm down a bit!"
Li Ang was speechless: "The lease is almost up, when I return it, the condition of the furniture and the room's cleanliness will affect the deposit."
He rubbed his forehead: "Although I can afford it, I don't want to be looked at as a weirdo."
"Brother is using such a small kitchen...wrong, brother doesn't even cook himself, the utensils are all new."
ALulu stood at the simple stove at the entrance.
Li Ang was moved to tears; at this moment, only the pure and gentle Xiaoniu was lovable.
ALulu turned around, her pink pigtail swinging: "I want to cook a meal for brother here."
Her light purple eyes were full of anticipation.
"Great idea," Dorothy raised her head.
"Agree," Zoe raised her hand.
"I also approve," Andasu said.
Li Ang looked at them: "Weren't we supposed to just satisfy curiosity and then find a hotel?"
"I want to feel how you lived before,"
Zoe held a pillow in her arms.
Dorothy sneaked to the bedroom door, carefully twisted the handle, and then peeked inside through a cracked door.
"I just saw it, Huadu District is next to the market in the Adventure Area," ALulu said.
"Alright!" Zoe cheered with her hand raised.
"Why are you all deciding to cook at my place on your own?"
Li Ang thought about it and found no reason to refuse: "Then I'll take you to the market."
He led the four away from the apartment again.
Being able to cook at his place, they were inexplicably excited and discussed along the way with Xiaoniu what kind of meals to make and what ingredients to find.
Li Ang was walking, and Dorothy quietly slowed down to synchronize with him.
Her alluring face wore a knowing smile: "Can't understand why we're so excited?"
Seeing Li Ang nod, Dorothy poked his side chest with her finger, tickling him.
"The place where you lived is like a part of you, anyway, for me, thinking that you and the previous fox spirit considered that as a love nest, I feel the need to do something."
Although Li Ang wanted to retort why it was a fox spirit first, he somewhat understood her mindset, so he sensibly kept quiet.
"They might be similar to me, or have different reasons, but all want to leave a touch of our color in your house," Dorothy smiled.
After speaking, she joined the group of young girls again.
Li Ang let out a long breath and followed along.
He brought them to a market that was for local residents, not focused on monster materials, just selling food ingredients.
The Holy City originally planned to use the Old Town as a residential area, but after exaggerated development, residential facilities and housing are now intertwined in various areas.
After sending them into the market, Lian Ang agreed to meet there later. He didn't accompany them, instead used the Armor of Wind to create a propulsion whirlwind, speeding him off in another direction.
In this Adventure Area, the Holy Capital Bank still existed.
Since he came, he might as well settle previous matters specifically.
He entered the bank's lobby, queued up, but used Spiritual Driving to subtly cut in line to the front.
Assisting him was a male Horned Race teller with a small mustache, Li Ang took out a verification card with Magic Runes: "I need to retrieve something from my personal account."
The bank teller checked and said expressionlessly: "You're in a frozen state, next one."
"Wait a minute."
Li Ang pulled out the chair in front of the counter and sat down: "Let's talk this over slowly."

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