From the Abyss of Stars Part 2

102. The Banquet Begins

That night was sleepless for many, but Li Aozi had a comfortable rest, recharging and preparing thoroughly.

He had already made up his mind: if the plan failed, he would flip the table immediately. After all, he held leverage over Tianhuan, and as a Red Arrow citizen, he wasn't afraid to play hardball.

Xia Jianjing's reaction was rather surprising. Despite her straightforward and aggressive nature as a terrorist, she had not shown any signs of an attack so far, cautiously laying low, which saved Li Aozi a lot of trouble.

"Now, let's enjoy this celebration."

The Kowloon Gathering began, and the crowds in Joan Capital had doubled. Li Aozi, invited to the event, avoided the peak travel time and took a private vehicle to the main venue—the Kowloon Temple.

Passing through the torii gates and the mountain path filled with countless white lanterns, Li Aozi, guided by two monks, stepped into the square. It was rare to see such an ancient-style temple in this era. High-ranking officials from Tianhuan and the temple's head priest were giving speeches on stage, followed by the ceremonial rites led by shrine maidens and a grand onmyoji.

The whole process was overly mystical, and Li Aozi wasn't interested. He listened symbolically for a while, but his gaze scanned the crowd, quickly noticing several Frost-Plated Republic faces.

They appeared serious and rigid, all male, which ruled them out as Frost-Plated officials or wealthy individuals—they must be Law III agents.

With his 【Eye of Truth】, Li Aozi took a quick glance and confirmed that these Frost-Plated individuals were indeed 【Law III Unofficial Agents】.

"Looks like the Frost-Plated Republic is up to something."

Li Aozi noticed these men frequently conversing with some Tianhuan strongmen, occasionally casting glances in his direction. He couldn't help but sneer: at this point, they still wanted to use someone else to kill him?

The Frost-Plated Republic, facing setbacks on the Granter front and having suffered repeated humiliations from Li Aozi, must be eager to eliminate him. But to use such underhanded tactics, trying to provoke strongmen to deal with him? That was shortsighted.

Li Aozi didn't bother with these people, but on second thought, they might still have some use.

"Maybe... I can use them..."

He turned and stepped directly into the exhibition hall, admiring the weapons crafted by Tianhuan's artisans over the past year.

This was one of the ways the Kowloon Gathering increased foreign exchange revenue—Tianhuan's weapons were renowned worldwide, especially their cold weapons like swords. Whether for collection or practical use by powerful individuals, they were always top choices.

At such international events, not only were there weapon orders, but it was also a great opportunity for craftsmen to showcase their skills. Many obscure swordsmiths were noticed through their work and could become famous overnight, achieving a leap in status. Some were here simply to show off their craftsmanship, deliberately creating flashy but impractical weapons.

Of course, this wasn't a place for a flea market where people could casually play with the weapons. All items had complex genetic code locks, and if someone was interested, they had to discuss with the craftsmen to unlock and test them.

Naturally, such strict selection methods weren't always friendly to most buyers. There were also those who cut corners or passed off inferior goods, and no one wanted to spend a lot of effort only to end up with something flashy but worthless. As a result, the organizers of the Kowloon Gathering often assumed both parties had reached a mutual understanding, offering a relatively objective evaluation price.