Chapter 136: Competition and Advancement

Lin Manzhi's eyes flickered slightly as she looked at Mo Lie sitting beside her.

She often hears him say that, and now his skin has been toughened; he no longer blushes and feels embarrassed at the slightest thing.

Between husband and wife it's already considered joint property, and Mo Lie saying that about himself has no problem.

It's just the tone that makes one imagine a Beast World version of a domineering CEO.

Lin Manzhi turned back, reached out and stacked the scattered thin parchment sheets one by one, tidied them neatly on the table, and asked, "Do you have a candidate for the second Deputy Escort Head of the Fierce Sand Escort Bureau?"

Mo Lie: "Come with me…"

He stood up, extended his hand, and pulled Lin Manzhi out of the Fierce Sand Escort Bureau, back to the house they now lived in.

In this cluster of buildings, Lin Manzhi lives here, and Mo Lie has placed the power center of Xicheng here; the strict guards are all meticulously trained Beastfolk warriors.

Lin Manzhi, led by him, arrived at a spacious conference hall near the street, where linen curtains hung from the top to the bottom between rows of stone columns in the corridor, blocking part of the scorching sunlight and leaving a pale daylight.

Beside the stone pillars at the hall entrance, four robust Beastfolk stood upright; upon seeing the newcomer, they bowed their heads slightly in salute.

Mo Lie gave the guards a slight nod and said, "Summon Xi Ze."

A few minutes later, Lin Manzhi sat inside the hall and saw the male beast named Xi Ze; Mo Lie had mentioned that Xi Ze's Beast Form is a sand lizard, and his martial strength in Xicheng Qu ranks just below the male beasts Xiang Sa and Xiang Zhuang.

"Leader." The gray‑brown‑haired Xi Ze entered, glanced up at Lin Manzhi in the room, then lowered his head and asked, "What do you want me to do?"

His eyes were pitch black, his clothes dusted with sand, his skin yellowish, and his resolute face bore a hint of nervousness.

Having endured many days of grueling hardship crawling through the scorching desert with the others, he had already suffered enough, and after countless suppressions of uprisings, he understood the new leader's abilities and had long accepted this leader deep in his heart.

Now, seeing Mo Lie single‑handedly summon him among so many people, Xi Ze felt a vague premonition.

He lifted his head, unable to contain his excitement, and said, "I am already prepared and ready to follow your orders at any time!"

Lin Manzhi watched his heartfelt sincerity and saw that he seemed eager to act immediately.

She turned her head toward Mo Lie beside her, and had to admit that Mo Lie's ability to win people's hearts in such a short time was quite impressive.

Regarding the Little Female's gaze on him, Mo Lie's mouth corner lifted slightly, he looked at Xi Ze, and said in a flat voice, "Do you know anything about the Fierce Sand Escort Bureau?"

"I am aware," Xi Ze nodded, his face showing some hesitation.

The Fierce Sand Escort Bureau has recently surged in Xicheng Qu like a tornado; the leader calling me over now must have grown tired of it and intends to send me to seize the Fierce Sand Escort Bureau, right?

Mo Lie abruptly said, "The Fierce Sand Escort Bureau needs to establish a second escort team."

Xi Ze was startled, unable to suppress the surprise on his face.

"You won't need to go to the battle team lately; you will take the role of second Deputy Escort Head at the Fierce Sand Escort Bureau, and I will assign three hundred escort masters to follow you." Mo Lie's blue eyes were a cold hue; he reached into his waist and took a shield-shaped medal and tossed it to Xi Ze, saying, "Just like Fierce Iron's position, manage the Fierce Sand Escort Bureau's affairs well for me."

Xi Ze caught it.

Staring at the black iron medal inlaid with pale blue crystal, he lifted his head, his eyes blazing with zeal, clenched the medal, and said, "Yes, I will definitely do a good job!"

Although he didn't yet know how to serve as the second Deputy Escort Head, he had three hundred escort masters under him, and the former leaders Xiang Sa and Xiang Zhuang were still miserably squatting in the desert.

Not only has he returned to the city, but he has also become the first person under Mo Lie's command to be entrusted with a major responsibility, which means—perhaps he can rise even higher in the future.

Ambition surged in Xi Ze's eyes; the former bandit demeanor resurfaced slightly, making him look quite unapproachable.

Lin Manzhi felt that relying on such a subordinate was a bit risky; employees who are too headstrong are always hard to manage. She turned to Mo Lie, leaned in and whispered, "Is he okay? Could he betray the escort midway and run off…"

Mo Lie chuckled softly, "Hmm, he wouldn't dare."

Lin Manzhi: "... Oh."

It's not that he can't, but that he won't.

Lin Manzhi thought Mo Lie's words still carried quite a deterrent.

Mo Lie turned his head, lifted his hand and gently brushed Lin Manzhi's head, his deep voice tinged with softness, "The Fierce Sand Escort Bureau is your heart's work; I will keep an eye on it."

He ordered someone to summon Fierce Iron, and his blue eyes casually swept over Xi Ze, seeming to hold an unfathomable meaning.

The combative nature of male beasts is etched into their bones; they crave to overwhelm others with force. So, channeling this competitive spirit into the prohibition against escort bureaus fighting each other, let them apply that vigor to the signing of escort protection talismans.

Watching the interaction between the two above, Xi Ze stood in the hall's center, glanced at the Little Female who was speaking ill of Mo Lie from his side, and was surprised that Mo Lie still had such an aspect.

The leader in the black robe was casual yet icy; when his subordinates rebelled, he employed terrifying and cold‑blooded killing methods. The blue eyes peeking from the black robe revealed no emotion, making it hard for anyone to meet his gaze.

Although the new leader never showed his Beast Form, he could step onto the old boss's body to coordinate in combat, under a siege of warriors.

Xi Ze had personally witnessed the most tragic battle, where thousands of Beastfolk tried to kill Mo Lie and seize the new leader's position; it was his first time seeing the new leader smile, and the bloodier it got, the happier he smiled.

Like a Beast God who governs death, his black robe, soaked in blood, turned dark red; his narrow blue pupils were icy, lacking any humanity, instinctively evoking extreme fear.

Just recalling it made his hair stand on end.

Xi Ze shivered, glancing furtively at the towering Mo Lie above, his face showing deep fear.

Mo Lie, seated above, observed Xi Ze's expression changes clearly.

He was indeed clever, fully aware of the consequences of betraying him; such fear in his heart would prevent him from...

When Fierce Iron arrived and heard that the Xi Ze beside him was coming to the escort bureau, he felt a huge regret, as if...

My position can be taken at any time now.

Compared to Xi Ze's fear of Mo Lie, Fierce Iron is even more afraid of Mo Lie, daring not to resent the leader's decisions, and can only...

However, with Mo Lie and Lin Manzhi above, he dares not damage the interests of the Fierce Sand Escort Bureau; he keeps a constant watch on Xi Ze, hoping to...