"I owe my position today to your patronage, Director. You treat like a brother, and I am forever a soldier under your command," Yang Xiao said as he took the tea offered by Nalan Shuo, holding it with both hands. Both his expression and tone were impeccably tactful.
"That’s what I like about you, kid. You’re dependable," Nalan Shuo chuckled, sipping his tea.
Yang Xiao also took a small sip, then set down the tea cup and tentatively asked, "Director, did you want to see for sothing?"
"It’s a small matter. I heard you’ve apprehended soone. If it’s nothing serious, let him go," Nalan Shuo said, looking at Yang Xiao.
Hearing this, Yang Xiao was sowhat surprised. He had reviewed the man’s file and calling him a petty thief would have been an overstatent; no criminal record, no factional backing, rely a nobody. Such an insignificant figure hardly seed worth Nalan Shuo’s intervention.
"Little Yang, you’re not an outsider, so I won’t hide it from you. This person isn’t soone I’m asking for personally; it’s soone else, and I’ve told you about them before," he said.
Aware of the subtle shifts in Nalan Shuo’s tone and micro-expressions, Yang Xiao imdiately realized who this person might be, or more precisely, which group. Nalan Shuo had ntioned them in the past: they clandestinely collect Resentful Eyes from Evil Cultivators to arm an assassination squad. Yang Xiao had even t one mber of this squad in Yun Qi City, who was sent to kill the murderer of Zhuge Zhijie. He had almost co to blows with that mber then.
Xi nxiu was Nalan Shuo’s exclusive contact with the leader of the assassination squad, and also a relative of that leader, which was precisely why Xi nxiu, who seed to fail at everything, found shelter in the investigative team.
As Yang Xiao’s expression shifted subtly, Nalan Shuo nodded in acknowledgnt of his speculation, "That person sent Xi nxiu to ask to ask you to release him. Of course, it’s not for nothing; she wants to et you, she has sothing in her hands that you might be interested in."
"When?" Yang Xiao inquired.
"At your convenience, though tonight would be preferable," Nalan Shuo suggested nonchalantly.
"That’s fine. Please let them know I’ll comply, and they can set the place; I will be there," Yang Xiao promptly rose to his feet.
"Xi nxiu will contact you when it’s ti and take you there himself," Nalan Shuo, having completed his task, did not stand on ceremony and allowed Yang Xiao to leave.
Back in his office, leaning back in his comfortable chair, Yang Xiao recalled the dirt Fu Qingzhu had once given him. Amongst this information was dirt on Xi nxiu, who, under the guise of ’health treatnts’, had been secretly eting with a mysterious woman late at night. All of these were secretly photographed by the forr head of the intelligence departnt of the United Federation, Wu Peide, and hidden in his own safe.
If things are as expected, this woman would be the leader of the assassination squad. Yang Xiao was curious to know who exactly this person was, along with her relationship to Xi nxiu.
Yang Xiao had his own opinion of Xi nxiu—he was no fool. Smooth and crafty, Xi nxiu was well-connected throughout Rongcheng, even excelling in intelligence gathering capabilities; Beibei and Big Bear had all sought his advice in difficult tis.
In Yang Xiao’s position, releasing soone who was less than a petty thief was not a big deal. According to the interrogation report, the man had not injured anyone or committed indecent acts; at most, he was a pervert with special secret vices, not deserving of death. And after their ’reeducation’, Yang Xiao believed he would improve and beco a good person contributing to society.
Moreover, judging by Nalan Shuo’s tone, the other party had sothing of interest to him, leading Yang Xiao to suspect it might be so sort of leverage.
But he had many vulnerabilities; most of what he had done to date were deeds best kept in the dark, leaving Yang Xiao completely clueless as to what information the other party might have.
However, fortunately, whether they could get along or not, with the face of Nalan Shuo and Xi nxiu involved, they probably wouldn’t make things too difficult for him.
By the ti he left work in the evening, Yang Xiao had not received any ssages. Everything was as usual; he ate dinner in the cafeteria and then took the elevator to the underground garage, where his governnt-funded SUV was already parked outside the elevator.
The car window rolled down, revealing Xi nxiu’s capricious face, wearing sunglasses and a strange smirk on his lips.
"Director, please get in!" Xi nxiu rested one hand on the car door, gently tapping it to produce a reassuring, muted sound.
After Yang Xiao got into the car, Xi nxiu started the engine, driving out of the underground parking lot and leaving the Patrol Defense Office through the back door. The car headed north, and had Yang Xiao not trusted him, he might have suspected Xi nxiu planned to kidnap and sell him off.
The trip was silent until Xi nxiu finally broke the ice with a wry smile, "Captain, don’t bla for keeping secrets from you. I’m just fulfilling my duty. If there’s a leak, not to ntion whether Director Nalan could spare , even my own wife wouldn’t let off the hook."
"Who is that woman to you?" Yang Xiao asked.
"You’ll know when we get there. Just around the corner," Xi nxiu replied as he turned left at the upcoming intersection into an area that seed like a rural-urban fringe, finding an inconspicuous courtyard and driving in.
"We’re here." Xi nxiu was the first to get out of the car, with Yang Xiao following him.
There were two other people in the courtyard, one male and one female; neither looked very old. They were both dressed in simple casual wear, their eyes filled with caution as they watched Yang Xiao.
Xi nxiu made his way familiarly into one of the central bungalows; Yang Xiao followed behind him, opening the inner room’s door to find a woman sitting calmly on a rosewood sofa, watching them approach with an even gaze.
"Auntie, I’ve brought the person you asked for. This is our Deputy Director," greeted Xi nxiu warmly as he ca forward.
"Auntie..." Yang Xiao frowned slightly, remaining calm as he locked eyes with the woman. She appeared to be in her forties, wearing a white T-shirt, with an ordinary face that lacked any distinctive features. Her skin was rather dark, her shoulders broad, her fra larger than that of an average woman. Her bronze arms were muscled, exuding an unusual sense of power. Just sitting there, she seed formidable, ready to explode into action at any mont.
As a guest, Yang Xiao did not have the custom of introducing himself first, and since the woman’s side was seeking his help, he faced her with a cold deanor and a frosty stare.
Eventually, the woman spoke first, standing up as she said in a flat, cold voice, "Director Yang, I have long heard of your reputation. Seeing you today, it’s just as Nalan Shuo has described; you indeed have the makings of a general."
Yang Xiao’s first impression of the woman was fairly average. He sat down and cut straight to the point, "Spare the pleasantries, what do you want to talk about?"
With a look from the woman, Xi nxiu, who was very perceptive, turned and left, shutting the door behind him, leaving only Yang Xiao and the woman in the room. "I want you to release the person you’ve captured. Find an excuse, without raising suspicion."
"Why?" asked Yang Xiao, his attitude strictly business.
"This person is linked to a case we’re investigating. By arresting him, you’ve cut off our lead. As for what the case is about, I hope you won’t pry. We have our disciplines too," the woman spoke frankly and straightforwardly.
"Does it involve ?" Yang Xiao pressed.
The woman looked at Yang Xiao with certainty, "No."
Yang Xiao believed this was most likely true, since if it involved himself, Nalan Shuo would have probably warned him in advance. The woman’s assassination team was essentially also a part of the Patrol Defense Office—though their line of work differed.
"I heard you have sothing that I might be interested in. Is that true?" Yang Xiao asked quietly, as he was here specifically for that purpose today.
"Correct. As long as you agree to release the prisoner, I can give you this piece of intelligence, which I believe you will find interesting," the woman said with conviction.
"What does the intelligence pertain to?" Yang Xiao wasn’t one to act without guarantees, and although he had ties with Nalan Shuo and Xi nxiu, he didn’t owe the woman any favors.
The woman smiled, revealing a smile that wasn’t particularly charming:
"Yu Yuan Sect."
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