75: Chapter 75 The Demon-Suppressing Commander, the Entire Building Falls Silent! (3.5k)

The lead constable was burly, his eyes sharp from years of scrambling through the streets and alleys.

His name was Xiao Wenruo, and he had been a constable in the Outer City of the capital for over a decade. Serving under the Six Doors, he was part of the City Patrol Division, responsible for maintaining security in the Outer City.

Having been around for so many years, he knew the rules of the various factions in the Outer City better than anyone.

He had been patrolling two streets over today when he heard from his subordinates that someone was causing trouble at the teahouse here and had even used weapons.

The main hall was a mess.

Xiao Wenruo swept his gaze across the room, his brow furrowing immediately.

"Constable Xiao! You've finally arrived!"

Xu Kui, who had been lying on the ground trembling in pain, looked like he had seen a relative the moment he saw that official uniform.

Ignoring the excruciating pain in his palm, which had been pierced by a teacup, he scrambled over.

He wailed, "Constable Xiao, someone is committing violence in the street! Look, look at what they've done to my hand. This is simply disregarding the laws of Great Wei and showing no respect for the officers of the City Patrol Division!"

Xu Kui was clever enough to pin a charge of defying the law on the other party in just a few words.

Xiao Wenruo recognized Xu Kui's face, and the corner of his eye twitched imperceptibly.

Of course, he knew this rascal.

He was the younger brother of a hall master of the Flying Bear Gang. Normally, relying on his brother's influence, he ran rampant in the Outer City, frequently collecting protection money and bullying people.

But there was nothing to be done; the guy had backing.

During festivals, the Flying Bear Gang never failed to send "filial piety" money to the City Patrol Division.

Taking people's money made one soft-handed, and eating their food made one soft-mouthed. Whenever Xiao Wenruo encountered Xu Kui causing trouble, he usually turned a blind eye and smoothed things over.

Given the situation today, Xiao Wenruo knew without asking that it was surely Xu Kui and his Gang extorting people again, only to kick an iron plate this time.

There were no fools among those who made a name for themselves in the Outer City.

Xiao Wenruo followed Xu Kui's gaze and looked up, immediately noticing the young man standing at the entrance to the second-floor stairs.

He was dressed in an exquisite moon-white casual outfit, spotless.

Facing the City Patrol Division officers, his expression was as calm as water.

"Trouble." Xiao Wenruo groaned inwardly.

If this young man wasn't incredibly wealthy or powerful, he was extremely confident in his own strength. If it were the former, it would be fine, but if it were the latter...

Xiao Wenruo glanced quietly at his subordinates behind him. They were just newly initiated Martial Artists; if a real fight broke out, they would likely lose their lives first.

Xiao Wenruo pondered for a moment before walking forward quickly.

...

In the private booth on the second floor, Su Qinghe watched the City Patrol Division constables rush in, her delicate brows knitting tightly together.

The thing she worried about most had happened.

The Great Wei Court had extremely strict controls on civilian Martial Artists. If a common martial warrior dared to seriously injure others under the Emperor's feet and was caught by the authorities, they would be thrown into prison at best, or directly into death row at worst.

The people from the City Patrol Division were already in cahoots with those Gangs. Now that Xu Kui was making false accusations, the situation was dire.

Young Master Chen had acted to protect her, so she absolutely could not watch him be taken away by the City Patrol Division.

Su Qinghe's mind raced as she calculated that she might have to reveal her identity as a member of Wenxin Hall to protect him first.

At worst, she would be scolded by her teacher when she returned and would have to spend some silver to grease the wheels at the Jingzhao Yin's office.

Just as Su Qinghe was about to speak, she noticed Chen Ran shaking his head at her.

"What is going on? Is he afraid of implicating me?"

She thought Chen Ran was afraid that her speaking up would further tarnish the reputation of Wenxin Hall.

Little did she know, Chen Ran just didn't want to expose the relationship between them.

If outsiders found out that he had a connection with the talented woman of Wenxin Hall, it would likely cause more trouble.

...

Just then, Xu Kui in the main hall saw Xiao Wenruo take action and immediately began shouting arrogantly again.

"Weren't you very good at fighting just now?" Xu Kui gritted his teeth, staring at the young man on the second floor with venomous eyes.

"What's the use of being good at fighting? In the capital, it's about influence and background!"

He turned to look at Xiao Wenruo and said viciously: "Constable Xiao, hurry up and throw him in jail!"

Chen Ran looked down at this scene from above and shook his head inwardly.

"Short-sighted. How has he even survived until now?"

He had just come out for tea on his day off and had to encounter such a mood-ruining event.

Chen Ran ignored Xu Kui's yapping like a beaten dog and turned his gaze to the constables downstairs.

"This brother, if you don't have a valid reason, I'm afraid you'll have to come with me to the yamen."

Xiao Wenruo weighed his words, his tone relatively polite.

Chen Ran's gaze fell calmly on him as he said faintly: "The Flying Bear Gang has quite the authority, hiding in the Outer City and yet turning black into white..."

Hearing this, Xiao Wenruo's expression changed slightly.

He vaguely sensed a special atmosphere; this sentence sounded a bit off.

As soon as he finished speaking, the young man casually unhooked a waist token from his belt and threw it down lightly.

"Clatter."

The token traced an arc in the air and landed precisely at Xiao Wenruo's feet.

Xiao Wenruo looked down subconsciously.

At just one glance, his entire body froze, as if struck by lightning.

It was a dark gold token made entirely of cold iron, with intricate and eerie patterns carved along its edges.

And right in the center of the token, there was a single, terrifying character radiating Killing Intent.

"Demon!"

Demon Suppression Division!

Xiao Wenruo felt a chill shoot from the soles of his feet straight to his crown, and his scalp felt like it was about to explode.

What did these three words represent in the Outer City?

Let alone a hall master of the Flying Bear Gang, even if their Gang leader came in person, they would have to kneel obediently to answer questions in front of someone from the Demon Suppression Division.

Their Outer City Patrol Division, while sounding nice, was ultimately just a small team under the Six Doors responsible for guarding remote areas.

In front of the Demon Suppression Division, they weren't even fit to carry their shoes!

Cold sweat instantly soaked Xiao Wenruo's back.

He no longer cared about any favors owed to the Flying Bear Gang. Xiao Wenruo's knees went soft, and the hem of his heavy official uniform hit the bloodstains as he trembled, raising the token above his head with both hands.

"This humble subordinate, Constable Xiao Wenruo of the City Patrol Division, did not know that an official was handling a case here. Please forgive me for the disturbance, my Lord!"

Xiao Wenruo's voice was hoarse, his attitude respectful to the extreme.

The team of constables behind him didn't understand what was happening, but seeing their boss kneeling, they dared not stand and immediately knelt down in unison amidst the clatter of armor.

The main hall fell into dead silence.

Xu Kui was completely stunned.

The arrogant and venomous expression on his face hadn't even fully faded before it froze there.

He looked at Xiao Wenruo, who was kneeling on the ground kowtowing like a pestle, and then at the young man on the second floor who remained calm and composed, and his brain simply crashed.

"Constable... Constable Xiao, what are you doing? He committed violence in the street, you..."

"Shut up!"

Before Xu Kui could finish, Xiao Wenruo lunged up from the ground and struck Xu Kui across the face with a powerful backhand slap.

"Smack!"

A few bloody teeth flew out.

Xu Kui, already seriously injured, was left seeing stars by the slap, his head buzzing.

"Are you blind? You dare to offend an official from the Demon Suppression Division? How many heads do you have to be chopped off?!"

Xiao Wenruo cursed, wishing he could draw his blade and hack this troublemaker to pieces.

Flying Bear Gang? To hell with the Flying Bear Gang!

Even if a Grand Unity Golden Immortal came today, they couldn't save this bastard!

"Come, take all these ruffians who offended the official and caused trouble! Put them in heavy shackles and drag them directly to the jail, guard them strictly!"

Following Xiao Wenruo's order, the constables who were still in a daze swarmed forward.

"Ah... My Lord, have mercy! Have mercy, my Lord!"

Only then did Xu Kui and the others finally realize what a terrifying iron plate they had kicked.

How could a member of the Demon Suppression Division appear here?

But the constables dared not hesitate for a moment, dragging and pulling the wailing rascals out of the teahouse like dead dogs.

Chen Ran watched this scene quietly, his tone devoid of waves.

"According to the laws of Great Wei, lock them in the heavenly prison."

Just a light sentence.

But to Xiao Wenruo, it sounded like an imperial decree.

"This subordinate obeys! Rest assured, my Lord, this subordinate will strictly guard these blind fools."

Xiao Wenruo said respectfully, raising the dark gold token above his head with both hands.

Chen Ran walked down slowly and took the waist token handed to him.

"You may withdraw."

"This subordinate takes his leave!" Xiao Wenruo, as if granted amnesty, waved his hand and led his men out of the teahouse with twice the speed they arrived, not daring to even look at the bloodstains on the floor.

A farce, ended just like that.

The main hall was left in shambles, with several shocking pools of blood.

At this moment, the tea drinkers who had been cowering in the corners finally came to their senses.

Someone lowered their voice, their tone full of unconcealable horror.

"Demon... Demon Suppression Division! That was actually an official from the Demon Suppression Division!"

"My dear mother, no wonder he hit so hard. Xu Kui even dared to scold him just now. It's a blessing from his ancestors that he kept his life and was just dragged to jail!"

"How could a member of the Demon Suppression Division appear in the Outer City?"

The surrounding diners lowered their heads, even consciously softening their breathing.

The name "Demon Suppression Division" had a much stronger reputation than these constables.

After all, the members of the Demon Suppression Division had bizarre styles of operation,

Controlling the heavenly prison, hunting Yao Beasts, judging the world...

With the slightest dissatisfaction, they could strike immediately, and their power was almost several times that of the Six Doors.

A few bold tea drinkers who had been pointing fingers just now were now so scared they wanted to bite off their own tongues, fearing they would be held a grudge by that official.

In the private booth on the second floor, Su Qinghe was completely stunned.

She stood there blankly, watching the moon-white figure who had hung the waist token back on his belt.

He was actually from the Demon Suppression Division?

In Su Qinghe's impression, the officials of the Demon Suppression Division were mostly terrifying yamen officials full of Evil Qi and overwhelming power. Connecting them with this refined, elegant, and composed young man before her...

This strong contrast shook her heart. She looked at that moon-white figure and forgot to look away for a moment.

Liu Zhong, standing at the top of the stairs, was even more pale-faced.

He had clearly seen the token, and recalling how he had been wary of Chen Ran downstairs, and even had some probing, hostile actions, he felt a chill down his back, and cold sweat instantly soaked his inner garments.

What did being a seventh-rank martial warrior matter?

In front of the Demon Suppression Division, a seventh-rank was nothing.

They only needed one word to frame him with colluding with demons.

Liu Zhong swallowed, walked down the stairs quickly, came to Chen Ran, and forced his usually straight back to stoop.

"My Lord." Liu Zhong's voice was dry, he took the initiative to cup his hands and bowed deeply.

"I was blind before and offended you. I hope you can be magnanimous, my Lord."

Chen Ran nodded casually without saying much. He never cared about such unimportant petty grievances.

He turned and walked towards the original private booth.

Jiang Mengli sat there quietly, her cold gaze fixed on Chen Ran.

As the Saintess of the Red Lotus Demonic Cult, having seen enough of the dangers of the Jianghu and the unpredictability of human hearts, she hated hypocrites who were indecisive and full of empty morals the most.

Chen Ran's style of using both strength and power to crush others instead made her feel quite favorable.

The prejudice she originally held against Chen Ran for being a government official also quietly faded away without her noticing.

The lights from outside the teahouse spilled through the carved window lattices, dappling across Chen Ran's profile, accompanied by the faint fragrance of freshly brewed tea in the pot.

Jiang Mengli looked at the man in front of her, and a thought passed silently through her heart.

"This jailer... doesn't seem that bad after all."