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Reborn Into a Doomed Villain Clan, I Realized Too Late My System Was in English (Web Novel) - Chapter 687: On A Date
Chapter 687: On A Date
This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl
Bai Zihan had never expected that one day he would be forced to go on a stroll, especially not one like this.
He walked leisurely through one of the main streets within the Bai Territory.
Beside him was Chu Ziyan.
The two of them had been engaged for a few years already.
Yet because of various events, they had rarely spent much time together.
Well, considering cultivators could go into seclusion for several years, it wasn’t too uncommon.
Previously, the Chu Clan also hadn’t been too enthusiastic about the marriage and didn’t think much about it.
Now, however, things were different.
Bai Zihan’s status had changed dramatically after becoming the Clan Leader of the strongest clan in the Eastern Region, and his talent remained unmatched in history.
Naturally, the Chu Clan was becoming increasingly eager to finalize the marriage.
Chu Ziyan herself had also been repeatedly encouraged by her clan to spend more time with Bai Zihan.
Even Bai Tianheng and Mu Yuelan had expressed their support.
As a result, Bai Zihan had been forced into this stroll.
"Is this really necessary?"
Bai Zihan asked helplessly.
Chu Ziyan glanced at him.
"What? Are you that reluctant to walk with your fiancée?"
"Of course not." A faint, unhurried smile appeared on his face. "To be graced with the company of such a beauty, how could I possibly complain?"
He said it smoothly, without missing a beat. He had long since learned that arguing with women was a battle better avoided than won.
He had already mastered the "Dao of Courting Women," which the System sold for 100 points.
From this, he knew that arguing with women wasn’t a good way to go.
Chu Ziyan smiled.
"Good that you know."
A faint blush appeared on Chu Ziyan’s cheeks.
She quickly turned her head away, pretending to examine the bustling streets ahead.
The two continued walking side by side.
Their destination for today was simple.
They would spend the entire day strolling around the Bai Territory.
That was the agreement Bai Zihan had made with his mother.
Mu Yuelan had no problem with that, as she knew that Bai Zihan had many things to take care of.
The situation within the Desolate Heaven Empire was becoming increasingly complicated, even though things seemed calm on the surface.
However, Mu Yuelan had not forced him without reason.
For a good marriage, feelings needed to be cultivated as well.
After all, Bai Zihan and Chu Ziyan had already been engaged for a few years, and it was time to talk about marriage.
If they continued treating their marriage like a political arrangement without spending any time together, how could they possibly develop a proper relationship?
Therefore, Mu Yuelan had asked Bai Zihan to accompany Chu Ziyan for one day.
Just relax and spend some time with his fiancée.
Bai Zihan eventually agreed as well.
Well, looking around the Bai Territory was good as well.
The two continued walking through the bustling streets.
After several moments, Chu Ziyan looked around with some curiosity.
She had visited the Bai Territory before, but every time she came, she noticed something different.
The entire territory had undergone tremendous development over the past few years.
The streets were clean.
The buildings were orderly.
Merchants came and went constantly.
Cultivators could be seen everywhere.
Even ordinary mortals appeared energetic and prosperous.
Compared to many other territories within the Desolate Heaven Empire, the difference was obvious.
"This place has changed quite a lot."
Chu Ziyan remarked.
Bai Zihan nodded.
"Naturally. The Bai Clan has invested heavily in the development of its territory."
Chu Ziyan glanced at him.
"Wasn’t the Bai Clan originally more focused on cultivation and strengthening its forces?"
"That was before."
Bai Zihan looked ahead.
"Strength is important. But strength alone isn’t enough to build a prosperous territory. The people living under our protection also need to benefit."
As a modern person who had lived under capitalism, how could he not know that?
He was just a common man who had to suffer and endure a lot while those at the top took everything without even leaving a scrap behind.
Although high-level cultivators didn’t care about those below them or how they lived, Bai Zihan was different.
Although he couldn’t promise to treat everyone equally and give everyone an easy life, he could at least set aside some funds for the development of his territory which would make their life easier.
Things were much better in the Bai Clan’s territory.
Bai Zihan hated corruption and hated people abusing their authority.
After taking control of various aspects of the Bai Territory, he had made his position extremely clear.
No official was allowed to abuse their authority.
No powerful family was allowed to bully ordinary merchants.
No one was allowed to seize another person’s business through threats or underhanded methods.
If someone wanted to compete, they competed fairly.
If someone wanted to acquire a business, they negotiated fairly.
And if someone attempted to use their background to forcibly seize someone else’s property, the Bai Clan would intervene.
Bai Zihan had personally established extremely strict rules regarding such matters.
As a result, the Bai Territory gradually developed a reputation.
Business owners felt safe.
Merchants were willing to invest.
Talented individuals were willing to settle down.
Even ordinary people felt that their lives were protected.
Moreover, the crime rate within the Bai Territory was also among the lowest in the entire Desolate Heaven Empire.
After all, who would dare commit crimes within the Bai Territory?
The Bai Clan’s intelligence network was extremely efficient.
Once a crime occurred, the culprit could often be identified and captured within only a few hours.
Even if someone were to travel thousands of kilometers and try to hide, it would only be a matter of days before they were caught.
Even Great Ascension Realm cultivators couldn’t hide or escape.
Of course, living under the Bai Clan’s protection wasn’t free.
The taxes collected by the Bai Clan were relatively high.
Around twenty percent of a business’s profits had to be paid to the Bai Clan.
It was high compared to other territories managed by small and medium-sized clans, but compared to top clans, it wasn’t high.
Clans like the Li Clan and Zhao Clan charged forty to fifty percent for doing business within their territories.
Anyway, compared to them, the Bai Clan’s tax wasn’t high at all, and even if it were higher, there wouldn’t be much complaint.
The reason was simple.
They knew exactly what they were receiving in return.
Protection.
Security.
Fair competition.
Stable businesses.
Top infrastructure.
And countless other benefits.
For most merchants, paying twenty percent was far better than keeping one hundred percent of their profits only to have everything taken away by a powerful cultivator or influential clan.
Moreover, the Bai Clan wasn’t simply focused on increasing its own strength.
Under Bai Zihan’s direction, the clan had invested heavily in the development of the territory itself.
Roads were expanded.
Commercial districts were established.
Cultivation resources were properly managed.
Markets were organized.
Various industries were encouraged to develop.
Even ordinary people benefited from the changes.
So they didn’t feel like their tax money was being taken away for free without receiving any benefits.
Bai Zihan understood that a powerful clan could not rely solely on cultivation strength.
A truly powerful force required a stable foundation.
Resources.
Businesses.
Population.
Infrastructure.
Talents.
And above all, a territory capable of continuously generating wealth and cultivating new generations of experts.
Therefore, while Bai Zihan continued strengthening the Bai Clan’s cultivation forces, he also paid considerable attention to these other aspects.
Although he only did what was expected, the result was obvious.
The Bai Territory had gradually transformed into one of the most prosperous and stable regions within the Desolate Heaven Empire.
For the people living there, the Bai Clan’s existence was not merely a symbol of overwhelming strength.
It was also the reason they could live and conduct their businesses without constantly fearing that everything they possessed would disappear overnight.
Chu Ziyan continued walking beside Bai Zihan with a faint smile on her face.
The two of them didn’t talk much, yet somehow, she was quite satisfied.
She was able to spend an entire day walking beside Bai Zihan without worrying about clan affairs, cultivation, or the complicated matters of the Desolate Heaven Empire.
At the same time, she could experience the prosperity of the Bai Territory firsthand.
Everywhere she looked, there were people moving through the streets with smiles on their faces.
Merchants discussed their businesses.
Young cultivators talked excitedly about their cultivation goals.
Children ran through the streets.
Even ordinary mortals spoke about their plans for the future.
Some dreamed of opening their own businesses.
Others wanted their children to become cultivators.
Some were saving resources to purchase better cultivation techniques.
There was a sense of hope everywhere.
That was what impressed Chu Ziyan the most.
In many other territories, ordinary people lived completely different lives.
To powerful cultivators, mortals and low-level cultivators were often nothing more than laborers.
They worked.
They struggled.
They paid taxes.
And they continued living from one day to the next without ever knowing whether some powerful figure might suddenly take everything they possessed.
Their greatest aspiration was often nothing more than surviving.
But here, things were different.
The people living within the Bai Territory genuinely seemed to believe that their future could become better.
They weren’t merely struggling to survive.
They were thinking about tomorrow.
Chu Ziyan quietly observed everything around her.
Then her gaze gradually shifted toward the man walking beside her.
Bai Zihan!
The contrast was almost difficult to reconcile.
In front of his enemies, Bai Zihan could be absolutely ruthless.
Once he decided that someone was his enemy, he showed almost no mercy.
Even if hundreds of thousands of people stood before him, he could slaughter them without allowing his expression to change.
He was cold and decisive.
And sometimes, downright terrifying.
Yet toward his own people, he was completely different.
He meticulously considered the people under his protection.
He cared about the development of the Bai Territory.
He cared about the people who followed him.
He cared about his family.
And he was willing to spend considerable time and resources ensuring that the people under his protection could live better lives.
Chu Ziyan couldn’t help but smile.
Perhaps this was what made Bai Zihan different from many other powerful cultivators.
His ruthlessness was directed toward his enemies.
His kindness was reserved for the people he considered his own.
That distinction was extremely clear.
The two had also deliberately changed their clothing before leaving.
Neither wore the attire associated with their clans.
Therefore, unless someone knew them personally, it would be extremely difficult to recognize them.
And considering how crowded the streets were, it was perfectly normal for people to occasionally bump into one another.
Sure enough, an ordinary merchant hurried past while carrying several boxes and accidentally bumped into Bai Zihan’s shoulder.
The merchant immediately froze.
His face became pale.
"I’m sorry! I’m sorry!"
He hurriedly bowed several times.
However, Bai Zihan merely waved his hand.
"It’s fine. Be careful next time!"
The merchant immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
After apologizing once more, he quickly left.
Chu Ziyan quietly watched this scene.
If this had happened in the territory of some other powerful clan, the situation might have been completely different.
A young master being bumped into by an ordinary person could easily become a major incident.
The offender might even be beaten or imprisoned.
Yet Bai Zihan hadn’t even taken it seriously.
To him, it was nothing more than an accidental collision.
Chu Ziyan’s smile deepened.
No matter how powerful Bai Zihan became...
She didn’t think she would ever have to worry about being mistreated if she became his wife.
After all, she had even personally beaten him before.
And Bai Zihan had never held it against her.
Well, that incident had been his own fault anyway.
Remembering it, Chu Ziyan couldn’t help but smile.
The more she thought about it, the more she felt that Bai Zihan was actually quite the husband material.
Brutal toward enemies.
Gentle toward his own people.
Protective of his family.
For a woman who wanted a reliable husband, what more could she ask for?
Chu Ziyan’s cheeks became slightly warm.
She quickly looked away.
Bai Zihan, however, didn’t notice her expression.
He continued walking leisurely through the streets, thinking that the day was coming to an end.
Whoosh!
A figure suddenly hurried toward them from a distance.
The man wore the uniform of the Bai Clan.
His expression was extremely anxious.
As soon as he reached Bai Zihan, he immediately stopped and respectfully bowed.
"Clan Leader!"
He glanced briefly at Chu Ziyan before lowering his head again.
"Miss Chu!"
"Sorry for disturbing you."
Bai Zihan immediately sensed that something was wrong.
"Speak!"
The messenger swallowed nervously.
Then he delivered the news that instantly changed the atmosphere.
"Miss Bai Xueqing has been kidnapped!"
