Chapter 710: Meddling Too Much Leads to an Early Death
The evening banquet was very lively. With the Duchess's endorsement, many nobles were willing to show Xu Huo, the new Baron, some respect, especially since he appeared to be quite wealthy.
Before the banquet even ended, several noble ladies came to chat with him. Out of observation of the newcomer and consideration for the old nobles' face, most of the elders engaged in polite small talk without showing excessive enthusiasm.
The banquet hall was filled with the aromas of food and wine. As the host, Xu Huo had drunk quite a bit and was feeling a little tipsy.
"Mr. Xu, do you have a faith?" Selin approached, holding a wine glass.
This was the eighth time that evening he had used that line as an opening.
Xu Huo looked at him with a half-smile. "You're not really here to preach in District 011, are you?"
Selin laughed heartily. "As a believer, shouldn't I remember the god I worship at all times? Besides, I am a man of noble character who never refuses to help others—that aligns with my doctrine."
With that, he turned the conversation back to the previous question. "Mr. Xu, are you really not considering joining a religion? Not just in District 011, but in other districts as well, it's a good way to connect with people. There are quite a few high-level players in the game who are religious."
"Then what do you think the purpose of religion is?" Xu Huo swirled his wine glass.
"To save all sentient beings, of course." Selin's moderately handsome face seemed to glow with a sacred light. "Most people in the world are ignorant and foolish. They spend their entire lives not knowing what they truly want or where their final destination lies. Without firm beliefs, without inner conviction, they do both good and evil throughout their lives. The world's injustices are often the result of this tug-of-war between good and evil."
"If everyone believed in a religion and moved toward the destination of their soul, wouldn't there be much less suffering in life?"
"What you're saying has nothing to do with religion," Xu Huo said. "Whether a person chooses good or evil comes from their own heart. Whether they join a religion or not, doing good or evil is still a personal choice."
"Do you think people are ignorant? You're wrong. Even a fool knows to avoid pain. A person's actions are always aligned with their own immediate interests, whether it's tangible benefits or psychological balance."
"Seeing a window, people naturally look for light; seeing light, people naturally look for a window. You think they're 'ignorant' only because you're standing outside the window. It's like a reference book—if you've read halfway and learned about twenty tools, why look down on someone who's only read a third and can't use the tools you know?"
Selin listened and then said, "But isn't it okay for someone to teach them about tools they haven't learned in advance? If that weren't the case, how would civilization be passed down from generation to generation?"
"You have two misunderstandings. First, passing down knowledge is also a human instinct. Second, why do you think religious people can save others?"
"What makes you different from ordinary people?" Xu Huo smiled. "Is it just having a catchphrase?"
Selin stopped drinking. "I didn't expect Mr. Xu to believe in letting things take their natural course."
Xu Huo patted him on the shoulder. "Do you know why cults are so easily dismantled?"
"Two reasons again. First, they meddle too much—not content with controlling themselves, they have to control others. Second, high returns come with high risks."
"District 001 recently introduced a new religion. If you're working alone, you'd be better off helping the Duchess pick out hats."
With that, he walked away. Selin remained where he was, the smile long gone from his face. But when he noticed the Duchess looking his way, he unconsciously smiled again.
Xu Huo went to the restroom to wash his face. Looking up, he saw the Painting Woman reflected in the mirror behind him. "Someone's using the restroom—you can't come in."
"I know," the Painting Woman typed mysteriously. "I came to ask you a secret question."
"Do you really hate that man just now?"
"Do you want me to kill him for you?"
Xu Huo turned around and stared at her for a few seconds. "If you have to kill everyone you hate, aren't you a bit tired?"
The Painting Woman's expression turned slightly troubled. "I do hate quite a few people, but I can't kill all of them. Characters in cartoons never die—even if their brains are blown out, they still don't die."
"But living people can."
"Alright, go play. Don't bother with him. If he knows what's good for him, he won't keep trying to force his way in." Xu Huo reached out and opened the door, stopping Angel, who had just turned around but hadn't yet left. "Wandering around someone else's house isn't a good habit. I hope you'll change that next time."
Angel quickly forced a smile. "I just wanted to see if Miss Xu needed any help."
The Painting Woman looked at her with confusion.
The banquet ended smoothly. Xu Huo saw off most of the guests, and Mr. Dong cleaned up the mess.
The Duchess, who had been resting after drinking too much, hadn't left yet, but Selin had already gone.
Xu Huo paused for a moment, then told the Painting Woman to help the Duchess to a guest room.
The slightly tipsy Duchess finally opened her eyes. She extended her fingers toward Xu Huo. "You help me."
Xu Huo took the Painting Woman's place, supporting her steadily up the stairs.
The Duchess, wearing lace gloves, patted his chest lightly. "Where's your room?"
Without a word, Xu Huo led her to the guest room. "Madam, please rest well."
The Duchess's face was slightly flushed. She kicked off her shoes and brushed against his pant leg. "This kind of thing—both men and women have needs. Neither of us loses out."
Xu Huo bent down, placed her on the bed, and pulled the covers over her. "A man getting to know a woman shouldn't start in bed."
The Duchess let out an ambiguous laugh.
Xu Huo turned off the light as he left the room. He returned to his own room, checked his emails, and then went to sleep.
The next morning, when he came downstairs, the Duchess was already having morning tea. She was browsing messages sent by her family assistant and casually waved him over. "The Black Epaulets just released the list for entering District 009. Quite a few people, but not many high-level players. If you're going to District 009 too, choosing an E-level Instance wouldn't be bad."
"E-level Instances generally don't have designated districts, but District 011 has channels to find out. E-level Instances are also relatively safe. You still have a quota for E-level Instances this year, right?"
"What good items can you get from an E-level Instance?" Xu Huo sat down at the dining table.
The Duchess smiled. "Nothing is absolute. A lucky person might stumble into a high-level item even in a random Instance, while an unlucky person could have a high-level item right in front of them and not see it."
"In terms of Instance difficulty, E-level is the most suitable for investment."
She rested her chin on her hand and looked at Xu Huo. "But if you really want to go to other level Instances, I can pull some strings to get you into a C-level Instance. You'll get at least some consideration."
Xu Huo took a sip of milk. "Is there such a thing as a free breakfast in this world?"
The Duchess tapped her teacup. "Isn't this one right here?"
Her smile was full of mature charm. "Don't worry about needing to pay any extra conditions. Just pay me a certain percentage of what you get from the Instance."