Chapter 0459 – The Greedy Giant

Slaughter came hand-in-hand with the arrival of the insect swarm.

Alien tribes, fierce beasts, ferocious birds, and even plants were completely shattered under the assault of the swarm. The scene was one of utter annihilation. Strangely, after the Goblins were wiped out, the bugs quickly carried their corpses toward the rear, transporting them at incredible speed to a bizarre mountain peak.

After advancing for several hundred miles, dragging with them the corpses of beasts and aliens, the swarm abruptly retreated, disappearing as mysteriously as they had arrived. They all returned to that mountain, which seemed like a bottomless pit that could accommodate endless Zerg. It was a true insect nest.

From beginning to end, within a few hundred miles, all life had been erased in an instant. Countless creatures perished. And now, everything was so eerily quiet that it invoked fear.

The devastation brought by the Zerg was simply too vast.

Their objective was clearly hunting—to slay all life and turn it into food and nutrients. Once enough prey had been harvested, the swarm immediately withdrew.

But it was obvious—if this was their first appearance, there would surely be a second. And the next time, it would be far more terrifying.

At this moment, several figures hovered in the sky, witnessing everything that had just occurred with their own eyes.

On closer inspection, these figures were not ordinary humans.

Behind each of them grew a pair of flesh-and-feather wings. With a flap, they moved through the air with agility surpassing even birds. Their attire radiated a primal wildness. The males wore beast-hide garments adorned with feathers—rugged yet elegant. The females revealed pale arms and long jade legs, exuding a captivating allure. The visual impact was intense.

These were none other than one of the major alien races—the Winged People (Yi People).

The Winged People were a unique race. Though outwardly indistinguishable from humans, they bore a pair of wings, grown from their ribcage. These wings could be retracted at will and allowed them to soar freely, at high speeds. It was said that powerful members of their kind had wings large enough to blot out the sky, able to traverse thousands of miles with a single flap.

Most astonishing of all, their wings could birth divine abilities (命窍神通). In fact, over half of their strength resided in these wings, making them both their most powerful and most vulnerable parts. Yet this didn't hinder their dominance.

They preferred dwelling in forests, where they ruled both land and sky as top-tier predators.

But now, each of their faces was pale, eyes filled with dread.

"We've confirmed it. The insects emerged from a nearby mountain. That mountain used to be unremarkable, but recently, it developed dense black holes. The insects came crawling out of those. That mountain is definitely their nest," one Winged Person reported urgently.

"Those bugs won't only show up once. They attack indiscriminately. Anything alive becomes their prey. If we don't handle this properly, it could lead to a cataclysmic insect disaster. Our tribe isn't far from here—we'll be the first to be hit if it breaks out."

"I can feel a strong aura of death from that mountain. There's definitely a terrifying creature hiding inside that hive."

"Let's go! Inform the chieftain and the elders immediately!"

After a brief exchange, the Winged People flapped their wings and vanished into the distance.

Meanwhile, in Xuanhuang City.

After the morning council session, Yi Tianxing and Jia Xu strolled the city streets dressed in civilian attire.

"Strategist, who are we going to visit today? For someone to catch your eye, they must be truly exceptional. Could you give me a hint? So I can prepare myself," Yi Tianxing asked with a smile.

Jia Xu replied with a chuckle, "My lord, today we're visiting a man named He. He runs a small general store here in the city. He collects materials, resells goods. For a shop like that to thrive in Xuanhuang City and yield great profits, that's no small feat. My curiosity piqued, I once visited his shop and had a chat with him."

Jia Xu continued, "During our conversation, I realized he's extremely eloquent—capable of turning black into white, speaking so persuasively that one can't help but trust him. That's how he gets goods from many shops, and how he acquires materials from hunters—only to resell them for profit. His skills are extraordinary. He's become one of the wealthiest men in the city."

Running a general store isn't streamlined work; each merchant relies on their own skills. No one would willingly sell their wares at a discount unless thoroughly convinced.

That alone proved the man's talent for persuasion and negotiation—truly astounding.

If he were as skilled as Jia Xu described, then he was clearly a genius in both diplomacy and commerce—a perfect fit for either foreign affairs or managing trade networks.

"Indeed," Yi Tianxing said with interest. "If such a man joins us, he could serve in diplomacy or oversee our trade sector—both key areas. It would be fascinating to meet him."

He nodded. "Now that Xuanhuang City is rising fast, we need to gather as many capable people as possible."

Still, Yi Tianxing knew: someone like that wouldn't be easy to recruit. Talented orators were always the hardest to convince.

Unknowingly, they had arrived in front of a general store.

The shop was tastefully decorated—neither tacky nor elegant, but exuding a solid, grounded aura.

"Jiale Hall," Yi Tianxing read the shop sign. "Not bad. Strong handwriting."

"By the way, strategist," Yi Tianxing asked casually, "what's the shopkeeper's name?"

"He Shen," Jia Xu replied with a faint smile.

"He... He Shen?!" Yi Tianxing was visibly stunned, his expression contorting with shock and disbelief. Looking at the shop, he felt almost ridiculous.

His mind had been struck by a thousand hammers.

He never imagined that the man Jia Xu called a genius would be... that He Shen.

Who was He Shen? In Chinese history, who didn't know of him? He was the legendary corrupt official.

He Shen, of the Niohulu Clan, originally named Shanbao, courtesy name Zhizhai, also known as the Master of Jiale Hall, among other titles. A Manchu of the Zhenghong Banner, He Shen was a mid-Qing statesman and businessman.

Early in his career, he was clever and competent, securing his position through the Li Shiyao case. The Qianlong Emperor favored him, even marrying his daughter, the Tenth Princess, to He Shen's son Fengshen Yinde, making He Shen both powerful and part of the imperial family.

As his power grew, so did his greed. He abused his position to accumulate wealth, form cliques, and suppress rivals. He dabbled in business, owned 75 pawnshops, over 300 banks, and even had trade ties with the British East India Company and Guangdong's Thirteen Factories.

He held and juggled dozens of central government positions, including Grand Secretary, Minister of the Army, Minister of Personnel, and head of the Imperial Household Department. Eventually, Emperor Jiaqing stripped him of his posts and imprisoned him. He Shen's hoarded fortune was estimated at 8–11 billion taels of silver, surpassing the Qing treasury's fifteen-year total revenue.

His greed was matched only by his talent.

He Shen's legacy redefined corruption.

Now, this legendary corrupt official was somehow reborn in Xuanhuang City, running a general store—and doing it exceedingly well.

Yi Tianxing felt his composure shatter. Recruiting someone like He Shen... was no simple matter.