Is this NPC even playable if it's not nerfed?

Chapter 34 The Powerful Clans of Jiangnan: Both Wicked and Foolish

“Master Liu, there is something I don’t understand.”

Officer Sun looked at Master Liu in the prison cart and asked the question that had been on his mind for a long time.

"It's Officer Sun. Go ahead and ask."

Master Liu looked at Constable Sun, nodded, and did not object.

Do you know about the Demon Yin Sect?

"The Demonic Yin Sect?"

Master Liu murmured to himself, then shook his head and nodded.

"what do you mean?"

Master Liu shook his head and nodded repeatedly, leaving Constable Sun even more unable to understand his meaning.

Do you even know anything about the Demon Yin Sect?

"At first, I didn't know anything about the Demon Yin Sect. After I came into contact with them, I learned about their situation, but it was too late. Once I got on the Demon Yin Sect's pirate ship, there was no getting off."

"I had no choice. The Demon Yin Sect wanted to wipe out my entire family, and the martial arts world and the imperial court also wanted to wipe out my entire family."

"I can only be a dog for the Demon Yin Sect and eke out a living."

Master Liu's eyes were red, filled with both grief and helplessness.

The Demon Yin Sect—that was thirty years ago.

He made his fortune in just over ten or twenty years, which is still ten years away from the time when the Demon Yin Sect disappeared.

Moreover, he was not a member of the martial arts world, and had never even heard of the Demon Yin Sect.

He first heard of the Demon Yin Sect after making a deal with Han Shan, and learned about the sect from Han Shan.

Afterwards, he had someone investigate and only then did he learn of the existence of the Demon Yin Sect.

It was too late then; he was already on the Demon Yin Sect's pirate ship, and he had no choice.

They will either have their entire family killed by the Demon Yin Sect, or their identities exposed and their entire family wiped out by the martial arts world and the imperial court.

Either way, they're doomed.

It's simply a matter of dying early or late.

He chose to die later.

If it weren't for his own greed, which led to him being tricked by those supernatural beings, he wouldn't have ended up in this situation.

Ultimately, it all came down to greed.

If it weren't for greed, he wouldn't have boarded the Demon Yin Sect's pirate ship; if it weren't for greed, he wouldn't have been exposed.

If it weren't for his greed, he would have already escaped and wouldn't have been caught.

A single thought can make or break a life.

This is life.

……

Lu Yuan remained silent, as if none of this concerned him.

Because it really has nothing to do with him.

Ultimately, this was Liu Yuanwai's own doing, it has nothing to do with him.

He has always respected other people's choices.

Let go of the need to help others and respect the fate of others.

"Besides you, is there anyone else?"

Suppressing his emotions, Constable Sun asked another question.

"Have."

“I am not the only businessman who provides funds to the Demon Yin Sect. There are nine others besides me.”

"I have never met them, nor do I know their specific identities. I only know that one of them is a very high-ranking person in Jiangnan. Even Hanshan himself treats him with utmost respect. He is a member of a powerful family in Jiangnan."

Liu Yuanwai vaguely remembered that one of them held an extremely high position, even higher than Hanshan himself.

They were very powerful in terms of both influence and financial resources, and provided most of the funding.

Han Shan's attitude towards that person was completely different from theirs.

Their status in Black Mountain Village was equal to, or slightly higher than, that of an ordinary leader.

The merchant's status was higher than all the heads of the household, and even higher than Hanshan himself.

All nine of them wanted to meet that master.

However, Han Shan remained wary of them, only mentioning that the expert came from a powerful family in Jiangnan.

Their identities were kept secret, because their identities could not be exposed, or they would die.

Only a few of the leaders who were in contact with them knew their true identities.

Of course, apart from the head of the sect, the other leaders were also unaware of the true identity of the Demon Yin Sect.

They mistakenly believed they were the big spenders and moneybags of the Black Mountain Village.

In reality, they were the money bag for the Demonic Yin Sect. ...

"The powerful clans of Jiangnan—that's too broad a scope."

"There are too many."

Officer Sun shook his head. Even with clear clues, he couldn't confirm the other party's identity.

Because of the powerful families of Jiangnan, this clue is too big.

Jiangnan has been a prosperous land since ancient times, giving rise to many powerful families throughout history.
There were numerous powerful clans, both large and small.

There are at least eight hundred, if not a thousand.

He only mentioned powerful clans, but didn't specify whether they were large or small clans, as there's a significant difference between the two.

"Small powerful families" refers to prominent families in a particular field, such as wealthy families that have been in business for generations, or powerful families in the martial arts world that have produced many masters.

The term "powerful clan" refers to a large, influential family that operates in multiple sectors. These are behemoths with money, connections, and a strong background, and they are truly local tyrants. Even the imperial court would have to think twice before taking action against them.

"I don't know, Hanshan has always been wary of us."

"We are just their money bags."

Master Liu lowered his head and sighed.

Do you know the location of the Demon Yin Sect?

"What do you think? How could I possibly know? I'm just a money bag, not someone who's actually joined the Demon Yin Sect."

"The only disciple of the Demon Yin Sect that I know of is Han Shan. I know nothing about the others and have never had any contact with them."

As Liu Yuanwai spoke, his tone inexplicably became aggrieved.

Because of the Demon Yin Sect, his family was almost wiped out.

However, he never joined them.

It's just a blood pack from the Demon Yin Sect.

It's very uncomfortable and frustrating.

This Demon Yin Sect is truly a heretical and evil sect, a trashy sect born evil.

They deserved to be besieged by three parties.

"Do you still have any questions?"

"How long have you been colluding with those remnants of the Demonic Yin Sect?"

"Almost ten years."

"I had already cooperated with Han Shan before he founded Black Mountain Village."

"My business in the northern desert was developed with his help."

"A few years ago, he suddenly left the northern desert and came to the vicinity of Black Mountain City, where he established Black Mountain Village."

"Northern Desert? Has he always been in the Northern Desert?"

"Yes, he spent the last few years in the northern desert. As you know, Officer Sun, the northern desert is notoriously remote, and it's very difficult for news from the outside world to reach that area."

"No wonder. I was wondering why. As a fifth-rank martial artist, he should have been wandering the martial world for many years. There's no way he hadn't heard of our chief constable's reputation."

"So he's from the northern desert."

"That's okay."

"The top five leaders are all from the northern desert and are his trusted confidants cultivated by Hanshan."

"Oh, they're all bumpkins."

"Then I understand."

"I don't have a problem anymore."

After organizing the information, Officer Sun's doubts from the past few days were resolved.

It's not that his understanding of the world is flawed.

Rather, it's that the people in Heishanzhai had a problem with their perception.

No wonder they would do something as foolish as attacking Wangyou County.

Those unaware of Lu Yuan's formidable reputation would be unaware of his terrifying power.

……

At noon, under the blazing sun, everyone was sweating profusely, and Liu, the wealthy man in the prison cart, was even more drowsy.

Lu Yuan turned around and looked at everyone.

"It's too hot. Let's find a place to rest up ahead."

"Let's wait until it gets a little cooler before we leave."

"You must be hungry too, let's find a place to eat."

……

(End of this chapter)