CHAPTER 63: Emptying the Treasure Vault

Chapter 63 – Emptying the Treasure Vault

  "By the way, you'll be heading to the Hongchen family's treasure house later. If there's anything you need, just take it. I'll inform them," Jing Hongchen said as Xiao Qiang was about to leave.

  "The Hongchen family's treasure house? Teacher, how many soul tools can I take?"

  "How many?" Jing Hongchen raised an eyebrow. "Do my disciples need to count when they're at the Hongchen family's treasure house? Just take whatever you want."

  Xiao Qiang scratched his head with an awkward smile. "Well… Teacher, I might take a little too much."

  "No problem. The Hongchen family is wealthy and powerful. Take whatever you like."

  "Thank you, Teacher."

  Xiao Qiang bowed respectfully, then made his way to the Hongchen family's treasure house.

  Thanks to Jing Hongchen's instructions, Xiao Qiang didn't need to register his entry. The guards simply let him through. What lay before him was a sight to behold—rows upon rows of seventh, eighth, and even ninth-level soul tools, rare metals, and exotic materials lined the vast chamber.

  "As expected of the Hongchen family's treasure house. So many good things." Xiao Qiang's eyes gleamed. "Brother Tianmeng, take a look. See what might be useful soon and what we might need in the future."

  "I get what's useful now, but what does 'useful in the future' even mean?" Tianmeng muttered with a puzzled look. "Isn't everything potentially useful someday? There shouldn't be anything completely useless."

  Xiao Qiang nodded. "Exactly. So, we're taking everything."

  "Eh? Are you serious?"

  Xiao Qiang's expression turned uncharacteristically serious. "Brother Tianmeng, do you think I'm joking?"

  "No… But why?"

  "To increase sunk costs."

  Jing Hongchen already believed in Xiao Qiang's potential and talent. Now, Xiao Qiang intended to push that belief further. By tying up as many of the Hongchen family's resources as possible in himself, he would ensure that even if one day Jing Hongchen discovered that he was being protected by the Snow Empress—an action that could imply a connection to soul beasts—he would still stand by him.

  After all, combining the power of his second martial spirit and the Snow Empress's protection would cause anyone to suspect soul beast interference. Even if Xiao Qiang were purely human, who could say for sure that the soul beasts wouldn't try to take over? While others on the Douluo Continent might not think this far, Xiao Qiang had no intention of underestimating his enemies.

  Now that the picture of potential had been painted, it was time to raise the stakes—Jing Hongchen's sunk cost needed to be as high as possible, so that no matter what happened, he would be too invested to back out.

  Being prepared is always better than being caught off guard. Xiao Qiang firmly believed in that.

  "Sunk cost? Whatever that is doesn't matter," Tianmeng muttered. "What does matter is that if you take everything, are you sure Jing Hongchen won't make you return it?"

  "The teacher just told me to treat him as my father. The information I've shared makes the benefits I can bring him obvious. And now that I've officially become his disciple, I'm basically half a member of the Hongchen family. Technically, this is just reallocating family resources."

  Xiao Qiang's tone turned even calmer. "And worst case? If he asks for it back, I'll just return it. No harm done. Could he really expel me over that? If so, then all the effort I've put into building my image would've been for nothing."

  "But if I succeed, the benefits will be enormous. If I fail, the losses are negligible. This is a gamble worth taking."

  "…Alright, brother, I get it. In that case, leave it to me."

  Tianmeng didn't waste time. With the help of spiritual detection, he quickly categorized and packed every item worth taking—soul tools, rare metals, exotic materials—nothing was left behind. The Hongchen family's treasure house was thoroughly emptied.

  Later, the Soul Douluo guard in charge of the treasure house stood in stunned silence before the empty vault. He rubbed his eyes and reopened the door, thinking it must be an illusion. But no, the treasure house was still empty.

  He recalled Xiao Qiang's embarrassed expression as he claimed he couldn't help himself after seeing too many good things. Only now did he realize that Xiao Qiang had meant it literally—he had taken everything.

  After a long silence, the guard took out his soul guide communicator and contacted Jing Hongchen.

  "Master, Xiao Qiang came to the family treasury and… took everything."

  "Hmm? What did he take?" Jing Hongchen asked calmly as he sipped his tea.

  "He took… everything that was under protection."

  "I know. So what did he take?"

  "Master, I mean he literally took everything. The treasure house is completely empty. Not a single piece of rare metal is left."

  Jing Hongchen paused mid-sip. For a moment, he didn't quite register what his subordinate meant.

  Then, as the words sank in, he recalled Xiao Qiang's background. The data mentioned that Bai Qingshan, the man who once helped Xiao Qiang, had gone from a well-off fourth-level soul engineer to a bankrupt debtor in just eight years.

  Back then, Jing Hongchen didn't care about the resources Xiao Qiang had used. To the Hongchen family, those things were barely worth mentioning. But now, faced with an emptied treasure house, he fully realized just how much Xiao Qiang could burn through.

  "…Forget it. Let him take it. I'll just refill the stockpile myself over time."

  "Yes, Master."

  Jing Hongchen rubbed his forehead, sighing. "He took a lot, but fortunately, our Mingdetang family is prosperous. We won't go bankrupt over this—not like a fourth-level soul engineer…"

  ...

  Not long after the report, Xiao Hongchen arrived at the family's treasure house.

  "Old Ma, open the vault. I need to grab something."

  "Uh… Young Master, this…"

  "What? Is there a problem?"

  "No, no. It's just…"

  Old Ma hesitantly opened the vault. Xiao Hongchen looked inside—and froze.

  "…Was there a thief?"

  "No. Someone under the patriarch's orders came and took everything."

  Xiao Hongchen stood in stunned silence. But after a moment, something in his expression changed—he seemed to mature in that instant.

  "I understand. Don't let Meng enter here for now."

  "Huh? But Miss Meng—"

  "If she insists, send her to me."

  "…Yes, Young Master."

  Xiao Hongchen took one last look at the barren treasure house. Then, without another word, he turned and returned to his room. Facing the portrait of Jing Hongchen, he muttered solemnly:

  "Grandfather… You've protected me all these years. But I didn't even know the family was in such trouble that we had to clear out the entire treasury."

  "Don't worry. I swear to you and to the entire Hongchen family—no matter what it takes, I, Xiao Hongchen, will rebuild this family from the ground up!"