Chapter 93: The Formidable Hu Liena

"Hu Liena... Lady Envoy?!"

Hearing Mu Yan's words, Austin's heart skipped a beat. A strong feeling of unease surged up, seizing him completely.

At that moment, accompanied by the crisp sound of footsteps, a graceful figure clad in gold entered from outside the doorway.

The girl appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen years old, with a tall, slender frame and a delicate face. Her short, golden hair framed her face, and she wore an ornate, white gown adorned with golden patterns, along with numerous gold accessories.

This young woman, known as Hu Liena, stepped gracefully into the office, her elegant movements radiating confidence.

Despite her youthful appearance, Hu Liena carried an aura of power and authority far beyond her years, intimidating anyone who dared to cross her.

Looking at Austin, Hu Liena's face remained calm, her crimson lips parting slightly as she spoke in a quiet tone. "Oh? As long as the Grand Hall hasn't officially removed you, you think you're forever the lord of the Wuhun sub-hall here in Eternal Night City? Free to do as you please, tarnishing the reputation that the Wuhun Hall has built over many years?"

Her tone was gentle, almost indifferent. Yet, beneath that composed demeanor, her cold accusation and contempt struck fear deep into Austin's heart, causing him to break out in a sweat.

"I…"

Austin opened his mouth, trying to explain himself.

But Hu Liena had clearly heard enough; she had no interest in any excuses he might offer.

"There's no need to explain. Eternal Night City is a large metropolis with a population in the hundreds of thousands. You detected signs of Evil Soul Masters nearby, yet not only did you fail to report it to the Grand Hall, you attempted to conceal it?"

"With conduct like that, I am officially removing you as the lord of the sub-hall, on behalf of the Grand Hall. Mu Yan will take your place. As for you, you'll remain under house arrest, going nowhere, until the Grand Hall sends someone to investigate the misdeeds committed under your tenure."

"Don't even think about running. Accept judgment willingly, and you might get away with minor punishment. But if you flee, the Grand Hall's Enforcer Corps will be hunting you down."

Hu Liena's beautiful face was like ice as she addressed Austin coldly.

"Yes…"

Austin had harbored a sliver of hope in his heart. But at the mention of the Enforcer Corps, that hope was doused as though with cold water, leaving him utterly defeated. Resigned, he nodded, despair evident on his face.

"Oh my, the Grand Hall actually sent someone here?"

"This is fantastic! That despicable Austin has finally been dethroned. I heard Mu Yan, the deputy lord, is quite capable. If he takes over as lord, it might be a good thing."

"What's there to discuss? With an envoy from the Grand Hall here, we can finally rest easy about the Evil Soul Master situation."

…

Around them, seeing Hu Liena directly reprimand Austin and strip him of his title, the nearby members of the Soul Hunting Group couldn't help but cheer quietly, voicing their satisfaction.

"Brother Shi Yue, the reward came from the nobility of Eternal Night City, right? Now that Austin's out of the picture, does that mean we won't get our payment?" Lin Ye whispered to Shi Yue as he observed the unfolding events.

"Don't worry! The Wuhun Hall, as the largest soul master faction in the Douluo Continent, is bound to be fair. You risked your life to gather intelligence on the Evil Soul Masters. Even if an envoy from the Grand Hall is here, they wouldn't simply ignore that," Shi Yue replied in a low voice, reassured.

After finishing with Austin, Hu Liena turned and motioned toward the door.

At her gesture, a group of middle-aged men in Wuhun Hall uniforms entered the office, their expressions cold and stern. They grabbed Austin by the arms, hauling him out.

Lin Ye observed these men closely. Though they wore the standard Wuhun Hall uniform, each bore a badge emblazoned with seven crossed swords, signifying their rank as Soul Emperors—the seventh stage of soul master cultivation.

"These must be the ones sent by the Grand Hall…" Lin Ye thought to himself.

In Eternal Night City, the most powerful soul masters were those of the Soul Saint level. Although Soul Emperors weren't the strongest here, they were certainly among the elite. If they were from the local Wuhun sub-hall, they'd hold prominent positions, not follow Hu Liena's orders so easily. Their deference made it clear—they were from the Grand Hall.

With Evil Soul Masters reported nearby, it made sense for the Grand Hall to dispatch not only a commanding envoy but also skilled fighters. These Soul Emperors had to be part of the task force.

Still, Lin Ye couldn't help but wonder. "Can this young Hu Liena, despite her youth, really handle the Evil Soul Masters lurking around Eternal Night City?"

While Lin Ye pondered silently, Hu Liena, now done with Austin, turned to the members of the Soul Hunting Group, her alluring face lighting up with a charming smile. She bowed slightly and addressed them.

"Greetings, everyone. I am Hu Liena, from the Wuhun Grand Hall, here on behalf of the Grand Hall to eradicate the Evil Soul Masters threatening Eternal Night City. You all risked your lives to investigate the Evil Soul Masters in the Evernight Forest. On behalf of the Wuhun Hall, I extend my heartfelt thanks!"

"Oh, it was nothing! No need to thank us!"

"Heh, yes, no need. We're part of this city, so contributing was only natural!"

"Exactly! We're proud to have had a role in ridding our city of those Evil Soul Masters!"

…

Seeing Hu Liena—a Wuhun envoy—bow and express her gratitude to them, the Soul Hunters beamed with pride. Her grace and beauty only heightened their spirits, and they quickly assured her they had acted out of duty.

The corruption between the Wuhun sub-hall and the nobility had left many feeling discontent, even fostering resentment toward the entire Wuhun Hall. Yet Hu Liena's actions were changing that, leaving a positive impression on them.

Most of the Soul Hunters were young men, and Hu Liena's striking beauty had them all feeling spirited. Some even regretted not having encountered Evil Soul Masters in the forest; they could have used it as an excuse to speak with Hu Liena further.

"No matter what, I still owe you all my thanks!" Hu Liena chuckled lightly. "From now on, the task of capturing and eliminating the Evil Soul Masters will be my responsibility. If anyone has information on them, please come forward and share it with me."

"Oh, certainly, of course!" The Soul Hunters eagerly responded, their faces bright with enthusiasm.

But as Hu Liena continued chatting with the group, a voice broke through the crowd: "Where do you think you're going?"

Hearing this, everyone turned toward the source of the voice.

The nobleman who had been with Austin earlier was attempting to slip out of the office unnoticed, but Mu Yan had spotted him.

"Ahem, well… Now that Lady Envoy is in charge of the Evil Soul Master issue, I thought I should be on my way," the nobleman muttered, forcing an awkward smile.

"Hmph! Who told you to leave? What about the payment you owe us?" shouted several disgruntled Soul Hunters who hadn't yet received their promised reward.

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