Chapter 24: May I Share Your Table?

"As long as you join our Bai family, we will immediately grant you a seaside villa worth over two hundred million, an annual salary of at least ten million, plus a private driver, a housekeeper, and the world’s top-tier medical support team."

Bai Jingjing stated her terms directly, every item representing a level of luxury unimaginable to an ordinary person.

Xia Tianqiong continued eating and drinking to himself. "Aren’t you saying that countless horrors are about to descend? When the world falls into chaos, these things will be worthless."

"Those are just worldly benefits. In addition, there is a monthly stipend of Underworld currency, ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands. This will be determined based on the practical value of the horrors you have contracted; we can discuss the details later. Besides the currency, the most precious asset our Bai family possesses is the information on horrors accumulated over a millennium—that is truly priceless. Some horrors kill countless people, but as long as you possess detailed information about them, you can kill them or contract them. You should understand this—once you join us, all information regarding horrors will be open to you."

Bai Jingjing was right; information on horrors was priceless. A single piece of information could often save countless lives. For example, once the characteristics of the Dream-Horror and Mirror-Horror clans were made public, human casualties when encountering these types dropped significantly, and many became horror hunters by contracting them instead.

Xia Tianqiong had no interest in joining the Bai family; the information he possessed was far greater than that of any organization.

"Enough, don’t disturb my meal. Go do whatever it is you do."

Bai Jingjing’s smile froze. She could not fathom why he refused so decisively without a moment's hesitation.

Bai Yichen’s face darkened. "Our Bai family has a thousand-year foundation. Not only do we hold vast amounts of information, but we also have many horror hunters who have contracted various levels of horrors. Our strength is beyond your imagination. You had best reconsider, lest you regret it later."

His words carried a clear tone of threat.

"What? Trying to scare me?" Xia Tianqiong glanced up at him and gave a disdainful smile. "The Beggar-Horror was sent by you to test me, right?"

As soon as these words were spoken, it was as if he had jabbed a finger into Bai Yichen’s wound; his face turned livid with rage.

"What are you so proud of? It was just a wild horror. My Bai family has plenty of much higher-level horrors. Would you like to try again?"

"Sure. Send as many as you want, and I'll kill them all." Xia Tianqiong took a sip of his drink, speaking with complete indifference.

Just then, a waiter approached with a plate of food. Seeing the two standing by the table, he asked, "Are you two looking to share the table?"

Bai Yichen’s expression grew unnatural, and he quickly shook his head. "We are not sharing."

Xia Tianqiong suddenly said to the waiter, "These two are annoying. Please help me chase them away."

The waiter’s expression shifted instantly; his friendly face turned terrifying and ferocious. "If you aren't sharing the table, return to your own seats. Do not disturb the honored guest’s meal."

Bai Jingjing had much more to say, but seeing this, she had no choice but to pull Bai Yichen back to their own table.

"This person is too arrogant; he completely disregards our Bai family." Bai Yichen slammed his fist on the table, his eyes full of anger. "We must have the family send experts to teach him a lesson. Only by letting him know our strength can we subdue him."

Bai Jingjing remained relatively calm. "He may not understand the Bai family’s influence in the country. If he knew, he would at least consider it seriously. I think we should find another opportunity to sit down and talk it over slowly."

While they were speaking, a new situation arose at Xia Tianqiong’s table.

The waiter set down a dish and turned to leave, and shortly after, a burly man walked up to the table.

"May I share this table?"

Xia Tianqiong looked up and appraised the man. "Sure!"

Upon receiving confirmation, the man couldn't help but curl his lips and take a seat opposite him.

Seeing this, Bai Yichen’s anger suddenly vanished, replaced by a gloating expression. "This idiot doesn't even know that sharing a table triggers a death rule. I want to see how he handles this horror."

"He cannot be allowed to have an accident. If the horror is too strong, I must intervene to save him, or we won't be able to answer to the family when we return." Bai Jingjing placed the scruffy little dog she was holding onto the table, focusing intently on Xia Tianqiong, ready to intervene at any moment.

***

The burly man looked at the table full of dishes and couldn't help but swallow, eyeing Xia Tianqiong with malicious intent. "Hand over all your gold, and I might let you die a bit more peacefully."

He had seen Xia Tianqiong give the waiter gold earlier and had specifically come to share the table for that reason.

The Wujian Restaurant had a rule: if you ask someone if you can share a table and they answer "yes," a death rule is triggered. Both parties must fight to the death, and only one is allowed to survive. This was the reason Bai Yichen had not dared to sit down earlier. This rule was like a life-or-death challenge; if one party issues an invitation and the other agrees, a battle to the death must ensue.

Xia Tianqiong was naturally aware of this rule. "Glutton-Horror, since I let you sit at this table, I never intended to let you leave."

Hearing this, the burly man’s eyes widened; he hadn't expected this human to recognize him. Suddenly struck by a sense of impending doom, he launched an attack immediately.

He opened his mouth, which instantly expanded to over two meters wide like a giant sack, looming over Xia Tianqiong’s head.

Xia Tianqiong quickly pulled out a mirror and pointed it at the Glutton-Horror. The creature felt a massive suction force and scrambled to retreat, his hands gripping the table tightly to prevent his body from being pulled inside. He regretted his actions—this human had already contracted a horror, and a powerful Mirror-Horror at that.

Suddenly, two more horrors emerged from the mirror. It was the Delivery-Horror and the Gambling-Horror. Both struck simultaneously, pinning the Glutton-Horror and dragging it into the mirror.

What followed was simple. The Mirror-Horror duplicated a dozen of Xia Tianqiong’s mirror clones, and they began to pummel the Glutton-Horror.

"Everyone, I was wrong! Spare me, I’m willing to be contracted!" Seeing the situation was dire, the Glutton-Horror knelt and begged for mercy, crying.

The attack ceased, and the Mirror-Horror asked Xia Tianqiong if he wanted to contract it.

Xia Tianqiong didn't even think about it, replying via telepathy, "Trash horrors like this are useless. Beat it to death and convert it into Underworld currency."

"You got it!" The Delivery-Horror agreed, rushing to grab paper ingots while the Mirror-Horror and Gambling-Horror continued the beating. To them, they were eager to kill even more horrors. After all, for every one they killed, they earned fifty taels in bounty. If they kept this up, it wouldn't be long before they leveled up.

Minutes later, the Glutton-Horror dissipated, and over five hundred taels of gold appeared in the mirror space. Xia Tianqiong watched the situation from within, unable to suppress a smile. He suddenly felt that the Wujian Restaurant was a great place to make money.

He looked around; there were still many horrors here, and this floor consisted entirely of wild-level horrors. To him, they posed almost no danger and were easy pickings. An audacious idea began to form.

A waiter had been watching from the side, and only after the Glutton-Horror’s aura had completely dissipated did he approach.

"Guest, you have broken dishes. According to the restaurant’s rules, you must provide ten times the compensation."

Although the battle was extremely short, several plates had been knocked over and shattered on the floor. This had, in fact, triggered the restaurant’s rules, but it didn't matter—as long as he paid, it would be fine.

Xia Tianqiong took the smallest gold ingot from his mirror space, worth about two taels, and tossed it to the waiter.

The waiter was overjoyed, catching it with both hands. "Thank you, guest!"

Even with ten times the compensation, the broken dishes would only cost a few hundred in Underworld currency, but the two taels of gold Xia Tianqiong gave were equivalent to twenty taels of silver, or twenty thousand in Underworld currency. The price was far higher than the compensation. The waiter thought the excess was a tip!

Little did he know, Xia Tianqiong added, "You thanked me too soon. The extra money isn't for you. I may break many more plates, tables, and chairs, and the compensation will be deducted from that money. If there is anything left over at the end, then it will be your tip."

"This..." The waiter’s mouth hung open, and he stood there stunned, seemingly realizing what was happening. He was disappointed, yet shocked.

Xia Tianqiong stood up, surveyed the room, and walked toward a certain table. A woman draped in red silk sat there. "Madam, may I share your table?"

Everyone and every horror in the vicinity watched this scene in astonishment. This human was actually taking the initiative to challenge other horrors!

Bai Yichen was left speechless; he had been like this ever since the Glutton-Horror was killed. He knew Xia Tianqiong had some ability, but he hadn't expected him to be this strong, or for him to handle the Glutton-Horror so easily. What shocked him most was how Xia Tianqiong produced gold so casually, as if he didn't care about it at all.

He knew that among the various horror-hunting families, Underworld currency consisted mainly of notes and silver; gold was extremely rare. It was a vital cultivation resource, and even if it existed, it was reserved for the most important horrors in the family. Bai Yichen had only seen it; he had never even touched it. No wonder he looked down on the terms offered by the Bai family. It turned out he was wealthy in his own right.

Bai Jingjing was equally surprised, though not by the gold, but by Xia Tianqiong’s horrors. "The Gambling-Horror, the Mirror-Horror, and the other one seems to be a Delivery-Horror. Besides these, he has also contracted a Horror-Mother or a Horror-Infant. That means he has contracted at least four horrors. This person’s value is too high; we must win him over."

Xia Tianqiong stood before the table of the woman in red, waiting for a reply. She was a "Beautiful Phantom-Horror," a type of horror that created illusions of beautiful women. It was somewhat similar to the "Spring Dream-Horror," but while the Spring Dream-Horror could only simulate intimacy in dreams, this one could do it in reality. Xia Tianqiong wanted to contract her.

The Beautiful Phantom-Horror glanced at him and said coldly, "I refuse."

"Consider it. Even if you can't beat me, just contract with me. I have plenty of gold." Xia Tianqiong took out a fist-sized gold ingot, weighing fifty or sixty taels.

The sight of the gold instantly drew envious and covetous gazes. Some horrors were itching to rush over and snatch it. Unfortunately, the rules restrained them; they dared only to think about it, for to act would be to invite certain death.

The Beautiful Phantom-Horror’s eyes also filled with greed, but in the end, she gritted her teeth and shook her head, refusing.

Xia Tianqiong didn't pester her and turned to find the next table. The reason he took out the gold was to lure other horrors. Otherwise, after seeing him easily finish off the Glutton-Horror, the other horrors knew he was powerful and would naturally be afraid to agree to share a table.

Now it was different—fifty or sixty taels of gold was equivalent to five or six hundred thousand in Underworld currency; any horror would be tempted. There would always be those willing to take the risk, allowing Xia Tianqiong to share the table and engage in a battle to the death.

He asked three tables in a row, and finally, at the fourth table, a horror agreed.