Chapter 394: This Is How Our River Office Operates

The spacious hall was eerily silent, the eaves casting long shadows that split the room into stark light and dark.

Liang Qu stood at the center, his shadow stretching long, yet even demanding rewards seemed utterly natural.

Zhang Zhang Wenhu flicked his bristly, needle-like whiskers, startled by Liang Qu's bluntness yet sensing the hidden meaning beneath.

"Does Liang Shui mean only you drove off the enemy?"

"Only I came to Zhangjiawu today—so naturally, only I drove off the enemy."

"That was a snake demon!"

"Precisely the snake demon I'm here to deal with!"

"A vast government river office, capable of wiping out remnants of the former dynasty's Grand Masters and controlling catastrophic floods—yet unable to spare even one Great Martial Artist against a single snake demon?"

"Why use an ox to kill a chicken? In Pingyang River Office, wolf smoke can extinguish water demons just as surely as it can slay tigers! One man is enough to handle a snake demon—why send a second?"

Zhang Zhang Wenhu, seeing Liang Qu still pushing his verbal advantage at this critical moment, lost all admiration, replaced by prejudice against aristocratic youths who knew nothing of reality.

The once-familiar atmosphere froze instantly.

"Then how does Liang Shui intend to drive off the enemy?"

In the silence, a man stepped from the shadows, standing opposite Liang Qu, bathed in sunlight.

Liang Qu turned his head to study him.

The newcomer was slightly taller and more robust than Zhang Zhang Wenhu, with a face bearing a faint resemblance; his aura was deep and heavy—undoubtedly a Wolf Smoke expert, perhaps even stronger, possibly at the Ground Bridge level.

"May I ask who you are?"

Zhang Zhang Wenbao bowed and introduced himself: "Zhang family, Zhang Zhang Wenbao."

Liang Qu's eyes lit with recognition; he bowed respectfully: "So it's the Blood Leopard himself—my apologies for the oversight."

In River Office records, the younger Zhangs were insignificant; only those with influence needed to be remembered.

"Empty reputation—if you truly had power, would a crawling beast force the Zhang family to such straits?"

Liang Shui, to be frank, that snake demon has plagued the Zhang family for months. Though it hasn't struck at our core, it's caused constant trouble.

My elder brother's words may have been hasty; seeing you so confident, we're naturally curious—how do you plan to deal with the snake demon?"

Liang Qu shook his head.

"Can't say."

"Can't say?"

Zhang Zhang Wenhu's eyebrows nearly shot upward; Zhang Zhang Wenbao stepped forward, blocking the way, silently signaling his brother to calm down and leave the negotiation to him.

Zhang Zhang Wenbao pondered for a moment.

"The snake demon is called a demon, so its strength equals a Great Martial Artist. Underwater is not our human domain—it imposes heavy constraints. To handle it, you need two Great Martial Artists of equal rank.

And to ensure no lingering threats, three working together would be best. I can't gauge your realm, but you're surely in Wolf Smoke—yet I've heard you were only a Galloping Horse Martial Artist last year. By now, you've hardly even established your Ground Bridge, have you?"

Liang Qu hadn't expected his water-control deeds to reach the Zhang family, so far north in Huaiyin Prefecture.

Silence.

Seeing Liang Qu give no reply, Zhang Zhang Wenbao continued.

"So it's not that you lack strength—entering Wolf Smoke at your age is rare indeed; not a single Zhang youth can match you.

Add to that the Emperor's personal decree—you have an illustrious future, nothing like some ignorant bumpkin from the backwoods who doesn't know heaven's height or earth's depth.

So if you fail and provoke the snake demon into a desperate frenzy, the consequences will be grave—you surely understand that."

Liang Qu's tone remained unchanged: "If the snake demon goes berserk and destroys the Zhang family's foundation, bringing disaster upon the people of Xiangyi, it affects me little.

Hence your concern that I'm acting recklessly is understandable, and I'm no petty-minded man.

To be frank… I came today to request these items precisely to ensure the snake's annihilation is flawless!"

Seeing Liang Qu speak earnestly, clearly aware of the stakes, and lacking the arrogance he'd expected,

Zhang Zhang Wenbao glanced at his brother.

Long pause.

Zhang Zhang Wenhu spoke: "What items exactly do you require?"

"Any water-affinity treasures—plants, fish—the higher the quality, the better. If quality is low, quantity may compensate."

Water-affinity treasure plants and fish?

The Zhang family's main assets lie on water—otherwise, the snake demon wouldn't have tormented them so long; they'd accumulated many over time.

"We do have what you ask for—but we must ask: how can you guarantee these treasures will be used to fight—and defeat—the snake demon, and not just deceive us?"

The two brothers, in their youth, had seen plenty of corrupt officials take bribes and do nothing.

"Because when I came to Xiangyi County to slay the demon, I signed a military guarantee! Surely that reassures you?"

Liang Qu wasn't afraid the Zhang family would grow complacent upon learning of the military guarantee.

Once signed, there's no retreat—you're barefoot, unafraid of those in shoes.

Besides, I never set a deadline—half a month or a month, it's all the same. As long as no major disaster occurs, all losses fall on you.

As head of the family, Zhang Zhang Wenhu couldn't fail to grasp this; his uncertainty began to ease.

In the military, words are binding.

Even if Liang Qu's background were immense, even if he were imperial kin, once the military guarantee is signed, there's no turning back.

That he signed it—and was sent here at all—implies the River Office's tacit endorsement.

After long deliberation, Zhang Zhang Wenhu finally agreed, calling servants to prepare rooms for Liang Qu to wait.

After Liang Qu left,

"What do you think, elder brother?"

"His speech, strength, official badge—all seem genuine."

"I agree. Before entering the hall, I saw the red steed he rode—scales on its forehead and chest, powerful aura—undoubtedly a fourth-grade Dragon Blood Horse!"

Zhang Zhang Wenhu nodded.

To impersonate a court official with a Wolf Smoke expert and a fourth-grade Dragon Blood Horse would cost far too much.

His identity is authentic; the River Office's endorsement is real, and they truly sent only one man.

If the snake demon goes berserk and causes chaos, the River Office will suffer too—they wouldn't be so foolish.

At this point, we have no choice but to let him try.

"Someone with the Emperor's decree must have something extraordinary?"

Afternoon.

Liang Qu successfully received his "down payment."

One You water flower, two Bi jade fruits, three lotus seeds.

He'd eaten one Bi jade fruit in Shahe Gang—by analogy…

"Not enough!"

A second time, they brought two Zhu fruits and one tide-birth fruit.

"Still not enough!"

A third time, Zhang Zhang Wenhu came in person.

Liang Qu immediately understood.

Too much is as bad as too little.

He shut the door, dismissed all visitors, sat cross-legged, gathered his spirit, and ingested the treasures one by one.

【Water Essence +3762】

【Water Essence +1762】

【Water Essence +1562】

【Water Essence +2867】

…

One after another, the treasures vanished into his belly; the empty Marsh Cauldron once again echoed with the sound of tides.

His accumulated Water Essence surged past ten thousand points, combining with the remaining three thousand, nearing twenty thousand!

The stronger his cultivation, the greater the events he could join, and the greater the rewards he could claim.

When he was merely a Galloping Horse, how could he have dared to involve himself in a water demon's affair, let alone extort a powerful family like the Zhangs, who had multiple Wolf Smoke experts?

Midnight.

A giant crocodile crawled ashore from the water.

Liang Qu didn't hesitate—he communicated with the Marsh Cauldron, flooding the "immobile" body with massive quantities of Water Essence.

Inside the Cauldron, as before, several beams of radiant light slowly rose.