"Don’t fixate on it; if he’s not suitable, just switch to soone else. The end result is the sa anyway." The woman’s voice remained calm as ever, "They will take on your misfortune afterwards, which is the price they pay for being dominated by lust."
After a mont of silence, Chi Dan shook her head, then sat back down on the sofa and said in a low voice, "You don’t know, this man is different from those before him."
"Oh? How is he different?"
"He caught the interest of my brother, and also Mr. Mu." Chi Dan paused, a strange expression appearing on her face, "Mr. Mu says he slt a very peculiar scent on this man, but he couldn’t say exactly what it is."
"Mr. Mu is one of the top experts in my Chamber of Comrce, especially in the field of appraising treasures, ranking in the world’s top thirty. If even he can’t figure it out, it’s indeed unusual," the woman’s voice fluctuated for the first ti.
"Miss, shall I go investigate his background?" the woman suddenly asked.
"No, my brother has already said that we must not touch this person; he might potentially be a gem still in the rough. He wants to take this person under his wing and use him for his own ends." Chi Dan had always revered her brother’s words as gospel; after all, he was the only man who could move her heart.
"The young master has far-reaching vision; there is no need for you to worry, Miss. I’ll look for a new promising young talent for you right away."
"Wait," Chi Dan interrupted her, "I haven’t had that feeling lately; there’s no rush. Keep a low profile in the near future, there are a few in Rongcheng whose powers rival yours. Don’t let them detect your whereabouts."
"Especially Chi Zhongheng, the people of Rongcheng Chamber of Comrce cannot be fully trusted. Be cautious when you’re out; these people are exceedingly respectful to my brother and to our faces, but behind our backs, they are resentful of our illegitimate status. One day, when my brother ascends to the throne, he will surely settle accounts with these double-dealers."
On such a sensitive topic, the woman in the black robe did not respond; instead, she quietly stepped back and, within a few breaths, blended back into the darkness and disappeared from view.
Due to Chi Dan’s matter, Yang Xiao did not sleep well that night. He had a jumble of wild dreams; Chi Dan had tied him to the bed, gagged him, and straddled him, staring at him with those purple eyes filled with stark madness.
Yang Xiao awoke terrified, gasping heavily, his forehead and back drenched in cold sweat. He had the feeling that Chi Dan wasn’t just interested in sleeping with him, but in consuming him.
After quickly washing up, without even taking the ti to eat breakfast, Yang Xiao hurried off to the Patrol Defense Office. He was going to be late.
Normally it wouldn’t matter, but now he had just started in his new position; being late just after a promotion could seem presumptuous, and he didn’t want to give anyone grounds for gossip.
He had been working in his new office until after 10 am when Nalan Shuo called him over to give him an important piece of news. After consultations among the Patrol Defense Office, Chamber of Comrce, and Apostles Union, it was decided to expand the leadership of the Joint Action Bureau. The forr three-person decision-making committee will be increased by two new mbers, turning it into a five-person decision-making committee.
The list of new mbers had already been decided. One of them was Yang Xiao’s old acquaintance, Qu Muzhi, and the other was a woman whom Yang Xiao had never t; she was recomnded by the local forces of Rongcheng and occupied a seat as well.
"This Joint Action Bureau is our business; what does it have to do with local forces? Why should they get a say?" Yang Xiao complained dissatisfied.
"That’s true, but given your entanglent with the Chamber of Comrce, they are anxious. If they don’t get one of their own in there, how could they sleep at ease?" Nalan Shuo said with a smile, shaking his head and indicating Yang Xiao should not get hung up on this issue. The list of personnel had been released, and the Provincial Office had already given the nod. The matter was settled.
"Alright then." Yang Xiao nodded; his position as commissioner was, in plain terms, just a pawn from above. It was the final outco of a combined strategy among the various forces, and he had no authority to change it.
"Director, why can our Patrol Defense Office occupy two spots, especially when I have already beco a special agent?" Compared to previous issues, this question was the one that Yang Xiao was most puzzled about. The Action Bureau’s decision-making committee had a total of five mbers, and their Patrol Defense Office alone held two votes. Moreover, he was the primary special agent; this kind of speaking power was terrifyingly strong. Could it be that this was the official status?
"First of all, among the younger generation in Rongcheng, not counting you, Qu Muzhi is universally acknowledged as the most capable fighter. With him present, the Action Bureau’s plaque hangs steady. Seeing the moniker ’Demon Rakshasa,’ those Evil Cultivators would not dare to provoke hastily. Furthermore..."
Nalan Shuo paused, his tone becoming somber, "There’s sothing you might not be aware of. Qu Muzhi’s identity is special; he belongs to the ’martyr’ class—his father died in action during an operation by the Patrol Defense Office. Thus, the organization grants him special treatnt."
This statent instantly pulled Yang Xiao’s thoughts back to the Ru Lin Academy. The image of that silver-haired captain erged in his mind—not only was this man’s appearance similar to Qu Muzhi’s, but the air of valor between his eyebrows was strikingly identical, along with a resilience far beyond the ordinary.
"What was his father’s na, and what mission was he on?" inquired Yang Xiao curiously; that silver-haired captain had once saved his life.
Unfortunately, Nalan Shuo knew very little about Qu Muzhi’s father. He was only aware that the man’s level of confidentiality was extrely high, not even the Provincial Office had his records; he must have been under the direct jurisdiction of the headquarters.
"Could it be so kind of secret force?" Yang Xiao tentatively whispered.
Without suspicion, Nalan Shuo nodded slowly, "It’s possible. As far as I know, the headquarters oversees several secret teams specialized in handling tricky situations, accountable only to the headquarters for deploynt, with even Provincial Offices having no right to interfere."
"These teams have very few mbers, but the quality is extrely high. Each mber is a master, ticulously selected. Each team has its own Independent codena. Once they are dispatched, it signifies that the situation has beco critical to the point of being unavoidable. Those targeted by them can pretty much await their demise."
"That sounds really cool..." Yang Xiao’s mind automatically conjured up the face of the silver-haired captain, as well as the blue iris on his chest.
Without any surprise, the three-person team led by the silver-haired captain likely belonged to the secret forces under the jurisdiction of the Patrol Defense Office. The blue iris on his chest, which was unforgettable even when nas were forgotten, was the team’s codena or sothing akin to a symbol.
The formidable strength of these three had left a profound impact on Yang Xiao’s young mind; the carefree young subordinate and the girl in the Lolita style, both of whom were at least at the threshold of Ghost Level ability.
As for the silver-haired captain, his strength must at least be on the upper levels of Ghost Level, able to repel the Daoist robe old ghost with a silver spear. That scene made Yang Xiao feel incredibly cool; even now, the mory of it stirred his blood to boil.
"What’s the matter with you?" Nalan Shuo felt sothing was off; Yang Xiao’s deanor was a bit strange, his complexion inexplicably flushing.
"It’s nothing, I’m just..." Yang Xiao feigned a sigh, "I just never thought that Captain Qu had such a background. Had I known, I would have let him have the position of special agent."
Upon hearing this, Nalan Shuo furrowed his brows, "What nonsense are you talking about? You are you, and he is he. Why should you pay for his tragic backstory? You represent the face of my Lin’an Patrol Office. Are you thinking of defecting to Huang Guozhao?"
"No, no, Director, that’s not what I ant, I just..." Seeing the seriousness in Nalan Shuo’s eyes, Yang Xiao dared not speak any further, bowing his head, "Director, I was wrong. I won’t speak carelessly again."
"Little Yang, you are soone who is destined for great things; you must not possess the compassion of a woman," Nalan Shuo spoke gravely: "Cherishing loyalty is naturally a good thing, but one must know when and to what extent. Self-interest is paramount; excessive kindness will only harm you and, even worse, it may drag down your friends."
"The compassionate cannot command troops; the righteous do not hoard wealth; the sentintal cannot establish matters; the kind-hearted should not hold office. Resolve and decisiveness, the ability to make swift and definite judgnts, that is what makes a man."
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