"You... what did you say?!" Ye Ying’s expression was one of exaggerated shock. She clearly hadn’t expected Gao Neng to suddenly ask such a "blunt" question.

"Let me touch your butt. How about 100 Alliance Coins?" Gao Neng watched Ye Ying calmly, his face placid. He even pulled out 100 Alliance Coins and offered them to her.

’There was a time...’

’...when not even an iron spear could pierce this butt.’

He figured that if he could just touch her butt, he could probably confirm the woman’s identity. As for whether his words would damage his image, he didn’t give it much thought.

An old saying goes: Walk your own path and let others say what they will.

He was just that sort of person: arrogant and unrestrained, carefree and headstrong, completely unconcerned with what others thought of him.

As for the worst-case scenario...

He had considered it.

It would be nothing more than Ye Ying calling him a pervert and a hooligan before they started to scuffle. In the ensuing struggle, Gao Neng would forcibly touch Ye Ying’s butt, attract the attention of the people around them, and he would be "gloriously" escorted to the police station.

It would be a little awkward.

But he wasn’t too concerned about that outcome.

Compared to an unknown potential danger, this was a small price he was willing to pay.

"The Eastern Capital Military Academy is known as one of the four great military academies in the Alliance. Are all its students so depraved?" Ye Ying’s expression soured considerably. At the same time, she took an unconscious step back, her demeanor shifting to one of complete vigilance, a stark contrast to before.

’Her acting is superb!’

Gao Neng praised her silently. If it weren’t for the uncanny resemblance between Ye Ying and that Dark Night Elf, he probably would have given up after seeing this.

But now, he decided to press the issue.

"Well, you’re only seeing the surface. Students from the military academy are generally like this—decisive and direct. When we see something we like, we want it. For example, I happen to like your butt, so I’m willing to spend a little money to touch it. If you think it’s not enough, I can raise the offer. How about 200 Alliance Coins?"

"What kind of person do you take me for?!" Ye Ying’s reaction was relatively intense, but she didn’t immediately start shouting, nor did she show any sign of wanting to run away.

Her mind was racing as she tried to come up with a countermeasure. It was obvious Gao Neng was onto something, which didn’t come as a huge surprise.

It was only natural for him to be suspicious, given their identical appearances.

However, she was now a true "ordinary person," with no characteristics of a Dark Night Elf. Her body no longer contained any energy. Barring a blood test, it would be impossible for her to be exposed.

Of course, she didn’t want to attract too much attention. If she made too big a scene, a trip to the police station would be almost unavoidable.

"It’s just a touch on the butt, don’t be nervous. I’ll just touch it once. How about 300 Alliance Coins?" Gao Neng continued to press her. As long as she didn’t run, he wasn’t in a rush to act.

After all, who would really want to get slapped with an indecent assault charge unless they had no other choice?

More importantly, Ye Ying didn’t seem particularly panicked, nor did she scream, which gave off the impression she was playing hard to get.

If he could solve this with money...

...that would be the best-case scenario.

"300 Alliance Coins?" Ye Ying looked at the relentlessly approaching Gao Neng, her eyes narrowing slightly. Then, she laughed. The conflicted look on her face vanished, replaced by a sultry charm, her eyes full of allure. She gave her butt a slight wiggle. "If you really want it, handsome, it’ll be 5,000. Non-negotiable!"

"5,000 just to touch your butt?!"

"It’s for more than just touching my butt. I’ll be all yours for the night."

"So that’s what this is about..." Gao Neng understood. The Ye Ying before him hadn’t run or screamed. Instead, she had abruptly changed her tune and started negotiating a transaction of sex for money.

’Is this a coincidence?’

’To meet a woman who looked identical to a Dark Night Elf right at the gates of the Eastern Capital Military Academy, and for her to give in so easily after just a little pressure?’

A new suspicion began to stir in Gao Neng’s mind.

’Could they really be resurrected instantly?’

’If that’s the case, then why haven’t the other Strongest from the other races come back to life?’

Gao Neng couldn’t quite figure it out.

’But he knew that once this was confirmed, it would be a huge accomplishment. Reporting the discovery of the other races’ secret to resurrection... he’d probably get a ton of Merit Points, wouldn’t he?’

Of course, there was also the possibility that it was truly a coincidence.

’Ye Ying is just an ordinary human woman who’s actually a prostitute, and I’m about to spend 5,000 Alliance Coins just to touch her butt?’

He weighed the two options.

’Risking 5,000 on this gamble is worth it!’

Just as he was thinking about it...

Fang Tangtang’s voice drifted over from a distance.

"Gao Neng, why are you still standing there? Huh... you’re not hitting on girls behind Sister Ning’Er’s back, are you?! I’m going to tell Sister Ning’Er!"

"So your name is Gao Neng? Is the Sister Ning’Er this little loli is talking about your girlfriend? Looks like... you really are a scumbag." The woman glanced at Gao Neng again, then her gaze turned provocative. "That being the case, do you still dare to play? Student Gao Neng!"

"What’s there to be afraid of?" The corner of Gao Neng’s mouth curved up. He then shouted back to Fang Tangtang, "Hitting on girls my ass! This is an old client of mine. I’m heading to the workshop now. Anyway, I’ve been sleeping really well these past two days. Tell Ning’Er not to come to the workshop and bother me!"

After he spoke, without waiting for Fang Tangtang’s reply, Gao Neng grabbed Ye Ying and led her away.

Fang Tangtang’s eyes went wide.

’Old client?’

’Your damn workshop was just founded today, how could you have an "old client"? And what’s this about sleeping well these past two days? You haven’t slept at all, have you?’

’And most importantly, you actually told Sister Ning’Er not to bother you?’

’What makes you so confident...’

’Sister Ning’Er isn’t even at the Eastern Capital Military Academy right now; she’s at the Military Department. How could she possibly go to the workshop to bother you?’

"What a psycho!" Fang Tangtang cursed under her breath. She was about to ask another question, but Gao Neng had already vanished, leaving her feeling rather frustrated.

’He must be sneaking off to the workshop to build something, and using such a lame excuse. That guy is the worst. Does he really think I, Death God Fang Tangtang, am that gullible?’

She was just about to head back to the military academy.

But the phone in her pocket buzzed slightly.

She took it out and saw that Gao Neng was sharing his location in the Invincible Team’s group chat.

"???"

...

An old saying goes: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Gao Neng decided to walk into the tiger’s den. But to keep Ye Ying from getting suspicious, he naturally had to put on a show and make her think he was acting alone.

’Surely Fang Tangtang would understand such an obvious hint, right?’

"Are we going to a hotel?" Ye Ying spoke up.

"Hotels are a bit unsanitary..." Gao Neng shook his head.

"Heh, don’t tell me you want to go to my place?" Hearing this, a glint flashed in Ye Ying’s eyes, and a smile spread across her face.

"Is that inconvenient?" Gao Neng asked in return.

"Not at all. Since you want to go, then follow me." Ye Ying smiled and started to lead the way, but a faint, cold smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth.

’Since he’s serving himself up on a silver platter...’

’...then I certainly won’t be shy about accepting.’

The two of them walked one after the other, crossing several streets and then three small alleys before Ye Ying finally stopped in front of a small building.

"Are we here?" Gao Neng looked at the small building in front of him. It was five stories high and located right in the center of the Eastern District, but it seemed rather dark.

There weren’t many lights on inside.

’A patch of darkness in the heart of the city.’

Seeing this, Gao Neng grew even more certain.

’Something is wrong with Ye Ying.’

’He was at least seventy percent sure!’

"Yeah, it’s on the third floor. Come on up. There’s no one else home." Ye Ying nodded, opened the building’s main door, and then led the way inside.

Gao Neng hesitated for a moment.

But in the end, he followed her up.

The stairwell was very dark.

’I should be able to survive a jump from the third floor, but the floor itself is still dangerous.’ he thought, quickly calculating the building’s layout.

There were two floors above and two floors below.

’If I get surrounded... how would I get out?’

’And where is Fang Tangtang with backup? Normally, she should have arrived right after I did, right?’

’I hope nothing went wrong.’

"I was so obvious. Even if she’s a little slow, Student Fang Tangtang must have realized I’m deliberately walking into danger, right?" Gao Neng looked up, glancing outside through a window in the stairwell.

It was pitch black, with no sign of Fang Tangtang.

’Is she hiding somewhere?’

"Student Gao Neng, what are you looking at?" Just then, Ye Ying’s voice came from upstairs, followed by a bit of light illuminating the staircase.

"The ambiance here is nice. Very poetic." Gao Neng smiled and glanced toward the light, which seemed to be coming from an open doorway.

’Looks like Ye Ying really does live here.’

Gao Neng thought for a moment and used his Spiritual Power to probe the building.

He quickly sensed the building’s other residents.

Besides Ye Ying and himself, there were a total of eight other people in the building.

’There’s a small room on the first floor inhabited by an old man. I noticed it on my way up. If I had to guess, he’s probably the building’s security guard.’

’One person on the first floor, a man and a woman on the second, two men on the fourth, and on the fifth... two women and a man?’ Gao Neng was privately alarmed.

’What’s with the two-women-one-man setup?’

After getting a clear picture, Gao Neng finally continued up the stairs. He found Ye Ying standing in the doorway of a room, her eyes fixed on him.

"Want to try something special?" Ye Ying asked.

"Special?"

"Mhm, don’t all you men like it? Don’t worry... I have a thing for it too. It won’t cost you extra!" Ye Ying’s eyes narrowed, and her smile was full of insinuation.

"Sounds good to me."

"Come in. Do you want to shower first, or should I? Or we could shower together?" Ye Ying moved away from the door and pointed to the bathroom inside.