Chapter 55: Defying Orders Openly—What Is the Consequence

The Hanyue Mine, as Hanyue City's largest source of income, had been controlled by the local three major groups as early as thirty years ago, creating untold wealth for them.

The three major groups were: Jinghong Group, Sixue Group, and Hongyun Group.

The behind-the-scenes controllers were three major families: the Zhao Family, the Li Family, and the Lei Family.

Near noon, the heads of the three major groups gathered at a hotel under Hongyun Group's banner.

Because the Hanyue Town Spirit Bureau was about to parachute in a new Town Guardian Special Envoy.

If the Bureau Chief's duty was to oversee all affairs, then the Town Guardian Special Envoy was the martial force.

Hanyue City was unlike Heitu Cheng, with almost no Fierce Beast crises, so the Bureau Chief was only Linghai Chuji, but anyone who could become a Town Guardian Special Envoy had to be a Martial Artist skilled in killing, tasked with providing martial support.

This had more or less some impact on the three major groups.

A change of personnel also meant they would need to spend resources to win over this Special Envoy.

In the private room, a man sat in the main seat with his arms crossed.

Zhou Cang watched the three people walk into the private room and said with a squinting smile:

"Thank you all for giving me face, for being willing to honor me with your presence for a meal."

"Hmph!"

The burly man at the head snorted coldly, "Zhou Cang, you've already been dismissed from the Spirit Suppression Bureau. What did you call us here for? Surely you're not looking to squeeze out one last benefit before you leave?"

Hongyun Group's Chairman, Lei Zhongshan.

A man and a woman behind him also spoke up.

"Don't put it like that, Brother Lei. Since Brother Zhou called us all here, he must have something important. Right?"

"Zhou Cang, if you have any ideas, just say them straight."

The one who spoke first was a refined-looking middle-aged man from Jinghong Group's Zhao Family, Zhao Tianji.

The woman who spoke afterward had not a trace of politeness in her tone. Though she was much younger than the other two, her strength was the strongest present—even Zhou Cang, who was also at Spirit Sea Peak, was no match for her.

Once the three were seated, Zhou Cang restrained his smile and said calmly:

"The new Special Envoy is already on his way. I've already gathered intelligence on him. They say he's a young man from Zhenling Academy, who hates evil as his sworn enemy. Given his temperament, he's bound to end up on a collision course with the three of you. I imagine you wouldn't want to see that happen."

Hating evil as his sworn enemy…

This made the three, who had been thinking of spending resources to win him over, fall silent.

Li Ruyue said coldly, "So? What are you trying to say?"

"It's simple. I want you to help me." Zhou Cang spread his hands, a flash of vicious cunning in his eyes. "As long as you can find a way to force this new Special Envoy to leave Hanyue City, with all the connections I've built up in the Spirit Suppression Bureau over the years, I can quickly regain my Special Envoy status."

"When that time comes, we can go back to how things were before—you do your thing, I do mine. The best of both worlds."

They had to admit, hearing this, the three breathed a sigh of relief.

Although the three major groups were powerful, they didn't dare openly oppose the Spirit Suppression Bureau, especially since who among them didn't have some shady dealings that couldn't bear scrutiny.

This Zhou Cang, though a bit greedy, was the most suitable candidate.

As long as he was given resources, he wouldn't poke his nose into things, and could even help contain the Spirit Suppression Bureau's investigations into them.

"Good! I hope what you say is true."

"Having cooperated with Brother Zhou for so long, my Zhao Family will not shirk this small favor."

"Then let's discuss the specifics of how to act…"

…

At this moment.

In an office at the Hanyue Town Spirit Bureau Headquarters.

Bureau Chief Cao Hai was processing documents, worry creasing his brow.

His position as Bureau Chief looked glamorous, but in reality he was little more than a puppet on strings, because Zhou Cang was far too overbearing, checking him at every turn.

And many of the Investigators under him had also been bought out, becoming the three major groups' eyes and ears.

Now that the new Special Envoy was on his way, he didn't hold out much hope in his heart.

Given those three families' talent for corruption, it probably wouldn't take long before there was another 'Zhou Cang.' After all, the temptations of the secular world were simply too great—women, money, cultivation resources. Greed for any one of them would lead to corruption.

"Sigh… if another Zhou Cang comes."

Cao Hai took a letter from his drawer—a resignation letter he had written—and stared at it for a while before putting it back.

At that moment, a flurry of urgent footsteps came from outside the office.

The door was pushed open, and his trusted aide rushed in, speaking at top speed:

"Chief Cao! Chief Cao!"

"The Town Guardian Special Envoy coming to take over has arrived!"

"What!"

Cao Hai rose in surprise from behind his desk. The news he had received said the new Special Envoy had only departed from Modu a little over two hours ago—how could he possibly have reached Hanyue City so quickly?

His trusted aide hurriedly explained, "It's true! The new Special Envoy came by aircraft. He's already outside now."

Hearing this, Cao Hai dared not delay and hurried outside with quick steps.

At this moment, outside the Hanyue Town Spirit Bureau.

The Shenlan had already landed on an open plot of ground.

When Cao Hai ran out of the building.

He happened to see four people walking out of the aircraft, led by a young man in black.

The young man wore a frown, an indelible coldness in the depths of his eyes, radiating an intense self-confidence from within. Yet when one probed him closely, it was like gazing into the deep sea—impossible to fathom the depths.

"T-three Spirit Sea Realm cultivators…"

Cao Hai was greatly shocked. Although Zhenling Academy students participating in Town Guardian missions often brought helpers, they were at most Linghai Chuji. Yet behind this new Special Envoy were two Spirit Sea Realm Martial Artists, both at Spirit Sea Mid-stage.

As for the old man walking at the very back, he couldn't see through him at all.

Jiang Qin walked over and produced his token.

"Hello, Bureau Chief Cao. I'm the new Special Envoy here to take over the post — Jiang Qin."

"This is my report for duty."

After all, the Town Guardian Bureau Chief outranked the Town Guardian Special Envoy by a notch.

"Hello, Special Envoy Jiang. You must have had a tiring journey."

The two reached out and gave a brief handshake, counting as their greeting.

Jiang Qin's gaze swept the surroundings, and he asked, "Where is the previous Special Envoy, Zhou Cang?"

"He… went out."

"Went out?" Jiang Qin's brow furrowed at once, and a colder note entered his voice. "If I remember correctly, Zhou Cang violated the rules and was required to remain at the Town Guardian Bureau awaiting investigation before my arrival. Is that right?"

Cao Hai could only nod helplessly in confirmation.

Zhou Cang was at the peak of Spirit Sea Realm, and he normally pulled no punches when it came to breaking the rules — but with his strength laid out like that, who would dare actually enforce strict punishment on him?

Jiang Qin spoke, each word measured, his tone cold:

"Then may I understand that Zhou Cang has not only violated the rules, but also treated headquarters' orders as a breeze past his ear, openly defying his orders. How should such conduct be handled?"

Chen Xiaohu behind him said quietly, "It's tantamount to defying a military order, and he was already carrying a crime to begin with. He should be sentenced to… death."

Jiang Qin looked at Cao Hai. "Would it be convenient for Bureau Chief Cao to send someone to lead the way? I've just arrived in Hanyue City and I'm not yet very familiar with the situation here."

"…Zhou Cang should be meeting with people from the Zhao, Li, and Lei families right now. I'll drive you there personally."

Saying that, Cao Hai turned with some eagerness to go fetch the car keys.

Killing someone the moment he arrives.

Killing people — wonderful! This is exactly the kind of decisive, kill-or-be-killed partner he wanted!!

It wasn't wasted, all that Time he'd frittered away in Hanyue City — he'd finally found a kindred spirit!