"I wouldn’t dare. Do you know who I, Yang Xiao, am? Brother Zheng, feel free to inquire about in Jiangbei Province. Once I’ve agreed to sothing, I will always fulfill my promise," Yang Xiao said seriously, indeed not planning to back out on the deal.
His insistence on handling things personally was for two reasons: firstly, he had to capture the Five Guardians alive to use them to find the next Human Skin Map, and secondly, he hoped to extract information about the Great Protector or even the mysterious master from him.
Yang Xiao didn’t fear the strength of the Master of Bone Pavilion. With the support of the Patrol Defense Office behind him, not to ntion an ordinary rank Netherworld Envoy, even at a higher level, as long as they could pinpoint the opponent’s location, they could easily summon experts from the General Bureau to sweep them away.
Seeing Captain Zheng’s hesitation, who never acts without certainty, Yang Xiao decided to disclose the location but only provided a general area, not an exact spot. Yang Xiao promised Captain Zheng that, from the mont he left with his team, he would definitely return within half a month.
By then, Captain Zheng would arrange for people to guard nearby, and Yang Xiao would lead his team in to eliminate them, ensuring all the credit would go to Captain Zheng.
"Alright, it’s a deal!" Captain Zheng had heard of Yang Xiao’s reputation in Rongcheng, knowing him as a person of integrity and camaraderie, and he was willing to trust Yang Xiao this ti.
After their discussion, they decided that Captain Zheng would first handle the transfer procedures for Chen Nang, while Yang Xiao would attend etings during this ti. After he finished, he would co to pick up the person.
After completing these arrangents, Yang Xiao left. It was getting late, and by the ti he returned to the hotel, it was almost 3 a.m. After a simple wash, Yang Xiao went to sleep.
The next day, Yang Xiao led six others to the Nanzhe Province Public Office building for a eting. Attendees included not only the Jiangbei Public Office and the Nanze Public Office but also four other provincial offices from nearby regions. All attendees were from law enforcent teams across provinces, with nearly a hundred people present at the venue.
The eting was chaired by Chief Zhou from the Nanzhe Province Public Office, with other delegations led by deputy captains of the law enforcent teams from the other five provincial offices.
Yang Xiao noticed that the law enforcent team from the Nanze Province Public Office had two representatives, besides Chief Zhou, another was a deputy captain surnad Zhang, but Captain Zheng’s presence was nowhere to be seen.
It dawned on him why Captain Zheng was so eager for credit—likely marginalized within the law enforcent team of the provincial office. After all, the law enforcent team is a powerful departnt where solid achievents are paramount; without them, everything is just empty talk.
The eting began with introductions of all attendees, and when Yang Xiao’s na was called, the previously quiet venue suddenly filled with murmurs. Nearly a hundred pairs of eyes turned, focusing intently on the young face sitting in the front row.
Everyone in the system naturally knew about the recent promotion of a deputy captain in the Jiangbei Province Public Office, and Yang Xiao’s na had long been familiar to those present. In just a few short years, he had risen from an ordinary investigation team mber to the position of deputy captain of the provincial law enforcent team, a second-level full-ti director, a career that could only be described as legendary.
He was known as a destroyer of evil cultivators, with enough well-known fallen evil cultivators at his hand to form an enhanced platoon.
It’s said that the evil cultivators in Jiangbei Province feared his na more than ghosts and spirits. Among themselves, the worst curses were to say one would run into Yang Xiao upon stepping out at night or wake up to find Yang Xiao smiling at their bedside.
Yang Xiao had heard these stories and even thought they were a bit too vicious himself.
The law enforcent team truly lived up to being a powerful departnt; the eting was brief and efficient, lasting no more than an hour. Similar etings were scheduled for two days and four days later, focusing on sharing experiences on how to more effectively and forcefully combat evil cultivators.
As the eting adjourned, Yang Xiao was making his way out when suddenly, a staff mber hurried over to him and courteously said, "Captain Yang, please wait. Our Chief Zhou requests your presence."
Yang Xiao was then brought to another reception room. Before arriving, Wu Qingcang had reminded him that Chief Zhou held significant status within the Nanzhe Province Public Office and was well-connected, much like Wu Qingcang, as a rare chief of a special operations commissioner.
In the reception room, the graying-haired Chief Zhou was waiting for him. Upon seeing Yang Xiao enter, Chief Zhou stood up with a friendly smile, extending his hand in greeting, "I’ve heard about you, Captain Yang, for quite a while. It’s a pleasure to finally et you in person today."
Yang Xiao reached out with both hands to shake Chief Zhou’s hand, slightly bowing, "Not at all, Chief Zhou. Before coming, our Chief Wu specifically asked to convey his regards should I et you."
"Haha, how is old Wu? Still as hot-tempered as ever?" Chief Zhou laughed heartily, clearly having a good relationship with Wu Qingcang.
"Chief Wu is diligent in his work, leaving no stone unturned in eradicating evil cultivators. As his subordinates, we can only admire him." Yang Xiao could discern which were polite courtesies and which were jokes. So things could be said by the leaders, but as subordinates, they shouldn’t engage too much.
With Chief Zhou’s gesture, Yang Xiao took a seat at the side of Chief Zhou but didn’t fully settle in, sitting on just half of the chair, slightly slanting with his upper body facing Chief Zhou, maintaining a humble posture.
Chief Zhou took a sip of tea, gently placing the cup down, his tone nostalgic, "How is your Director Nalan now? Is he well?"
"He’s doing fine, just very busy. Director Nalan holds himself to very high standards." Yang Xiao didn’t expect Director Nalan’s network to be so extensive, knowing even this Chief Zhou.
"Thinking of it, your Director Nalan really had so unfortunate events. If not for that incident with the evil mage years ago, he wouldn’t be stuck in Rongcheng—given his capabilities, becoming a Provincial Bureau Chief would have been more than sufficient," Chief Zhou sighed. He and Nalan Shuo were of similar age, but the latter’s promotion to city-level director happened far earlier. In terms of experience alone, Nalan Shuo was the veteran.
Talking up to this point seed to pique Chief Zhou’s interest as he looked at Yang Xiao, "I heard you eliminated the evil mage Xiang Fengchen. Impressive indeed. I once encountered him, and he wasn’t easy to deal with. He was connected with many well-known evil cultivation forces and had many followers—it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he could summon them with a call. He was also very cautious and suspicious, always putting others in danger before himself. Back then, capturing him cost our patrol office quite a few people, including the investigation team personally trained by Nalan Shuo, which unfortunately t a tragic end."
"Just a stroke of luck," Yang Xiao said, unwilling to expand on this issue, as it involved the abilities of his Hundred Demons Coffin Clothes—the more he said, the more he risked exposure.
It’s known that the person in front of him wasn’t ordinary, as this Chief Zhou likely had half-step Nether Realm strength, his insight greatly surpassing the average person.
After so casual conversation, Chief Zhou got to the main topic and asked about Chen Nang, "You’ve t that kid, right?"
"Yes, I t him last night. It was Captain Zheng who attended to ," Yang Xiao replied honestly.
"Alright, I have no objections to you taking that kid away, but there is one thing—please don’t give him a hard ti. He isn’t a criminal. This matter, in the end, wasn’t entirely right of us. Confined for seven years, I feel guilty," Chief Zhou solemnly looked at Yang Xiao.
"Understood, I won’t give him a hard ti. We have an agreent—three years later, I will grant him freedom," Yang Xiao imdiately promised.
"Three years later, bring him to see . I have sothing to say to him," Chief Zhou said.
"Alright," Yang Xiao agreed, feeling a deep respect for this senior. These words clearly warned him not to harbor any ill intentions toward Chen Nang; otherwise, if Chief Zhou couldn’t see Chen Nang in three years, there would be trouble for Yang Xiao.
"I have a gift here for you to give him," Chief Zhou said, pulling a silver briefcase from under the table and handing it to Yang Xiao.
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