The four walked along a wide road as massive war chariots occasionally roared past.
"The situation is tricky right now. You can’t poach people from the other four Core Seeds. Those guys have been investing for a long ti, and their sunk costs prevent them from changing course." Gu Bing sighed. "And as for the newcors, Zhu Xuan has already beaten everyone to the punch."
"I’ll just take it one step at a ti," Su Chen replied, not seeming too concerned.
’Gathering followers isn’t just about being supported. Power and responsibility have always gone hand-in-hand. You can’t just reap the rewards without taking on any of the duties.’
Gu Bing pursed her lips. ’Su Chen probably still doesn’t understand just how fierce the competition is.’
’That was the position of Chief Judge, who commanded the formidable Judicial Court and was also a mber of the Elder Council. They were, without a doubt, among the most powerful people on the planet.’
’People would stop at nothing for that position and the power it represented.’
"What’s that...?" Su Chen stopped in his tracks, his gaze drawn to a massive statue in the distance. It stood in the center of a square, holding a sword, its presence solemn and grave.
Under the light of the setting sun, the black bronze statue seed to be draped in a thin golden veil.
"That’s our first Chief Judge—Wan Dingchen." Gu Bing looked over as well, her voice filled with reverence. "He was the one who established the Judicial Court’s special status."
"Ying Feng also has its own Supervision, City Patrol, and Exploration Departnts. The various institutions in the Subordinate Cities are essentially simplified versions of Ying Feng’s."
"These three departnts are all under the command of the Security Departnt. Combined, they can just barely go toe-to-toe with the Judicial Court. The Security Departnt’s director is also a mber of the Elder Council."
"The Security Departnt was created solely to protect Ying Feng, whereas the Judicial Court’s primary duty is to govern the one hundred and twenty-five Subordinate Cities. All the main leaders of those cities co from the Judicial Court."
"And to ensure their families maintain their status, they send their descendants to join the Judicial Court, creating a self-perpetuating cycle."
"The imnse power this represents, and the yearly funneling of profits, is nothing short of terrifying."
"Our Judicial Court is divided into several agencies. I won’t get into the Logistics, Internal Affairs, or Intelligence Departnts. The most important ones are the Punishnt Departnt and the Judgnt Departnt..." Gu Bing began to briefly explain the Judicial Court’s structure.
"The Punishnt Departnt is responsible for handling matters in the Subordinate Cities, as well as certain affairs within Yingfeng City itself..."
"We have jurisdiction inside Yingfeng City, too?" Su Chen asked, picking up on the key point.
Gu Bing’s tone was placid. "Instances of collusion between the Subordinate Cities and parties within Ying Feng, as well as corruption and exploitation, are far from rare. We have a duty to pass judgnt on the Subordinate Cities. If a case involves matters within Ying Feng, we naturally have the authority to rule on it as well."
’There must be a lot of friction with the other three departnts,’ Su Chen thought. He could already imagine the ensuing bloodbath.
As the group walked and talked, they eventually parted ways. Zhang Yunqing led Zhang Hengyu around a corner, heading toward the residences for ordinary mbers of the Inner Courtyard—a series of tall, apartnt-like buildings.
"As a Core Seed, you get to live in your own private villa." The mont Gu Bing ntioned one of the perks, Su Chen imdiately perked up.
But then Gu Bing seed to recall sothing, and her brows furrowed slightly. "However, it seems you’re pursuing two paths at once. That might be a problem."
"What’s wrong?" Su Chen asked.
"Normally, you have to choose between the Physical Side and the Spiritual Side. This determines whether we equip your residence with a Gravity Training Chamber or a Spirit Realm Instrunt..."
Before Gu Bing could finish, Su Chen cut in, "This Spirit Realm Instrunt... don’t tell it’s for enhancing spiritual ditation?"
Gu Bing paused, then rembered. "Right, you probably wouldn’t know. The Spirit Realm Instrunt was discovered in so ruins just a few years ago, and we only managed to replicate it six months ago. The current supply is limited."
"So there’s sothing that good," Su Chen couldn’t help but marvel. ’As expected of Ying Feng.’
"The best things always flow down from the top. Right now, only the Chief Judges and you Core Seeds get to use them." Gu Bing added, a troubled look appearing on her face.
"But the assistive training devices provided are top-of-the-line. Even a Core Seed only gets one. Your situation is special since your Physical Talent is also Red Gold. I don’t know how they’ll handle the arrangents."
"There’s also the matter of Potion distribution. The Judicial Court provides one vial of Assistive Exercise Potion and High-Level Nutrient Liquid per day, dispensed in a one-month supply. But for that, you also have to choose between the Physical Side and the Spiritual Side."
"The Judicial Court is that stingy, huh?" Su Chen couldn’t help but mutter.
Gu Bing sounded resigned. "We have a huge number of personnel, and the expenses are terrifying. These are the rules. It’s been this way for centuries."
As they continued on their way, Gu Bing pointed out the various buildings, from the intelligence tower to the war chariot factory...
...
Half a day had passed since the end of the Judicial Court’s assessnt. At Zhu Xuan’s celebratory banquet, a deeply anxious Pang Xingwen was dragged away by n sent from the Pang Family.
’How could he have a Mo Cui Talent...?’ Pang Xingwen thought back on his own petty sches, a faint sense of regret creeping in.
An ancestor of his Pang Family had, by a stroke of luck, beco a Chief Judge, though he hadn’t been particularly outstanding or prominent.
But that was still enough to establish the Pang Family as one of the many factions in Ying Feng’s intricate web of power.
Even though they had nearly fallen into decline since then, they had always managed to rise again.
But Su Chen... he was a Core Seed.
In the past, one of the four Core Seeds would be selected as the Chief Judge, while the other three would beco Chief Judges according to their ranking.
Generally, these top four Chief Judges are all exceptionally powerful. The nas of so are still renowned, even many years after their deaths.
But Su Chen was different. His Mo Cui Talent ant he was destined for a much higher ceiling. Once he was fully developed... he might beco a dominant Chief Judge like Xia Hanshi.
Pang Xingwen trembled at the thought.
"Young Master, we have arrived," the stooped old man beside him said in a low voice.
Pang Xingwen swallowed hard. He watched as the mahogany doors before him were slowly pushed open. He walked inside, filled with apprehension, his head bowed as he watched the black carpet seem to stretch endlessly before him.
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