187: question

Guo Huaian's lips curled in a sneer:

"So, the three thousand lives lost from the Guild, I should thank you for that?"

The middle-aged man's smile never faltered:

"No, that was Dan Master Feng Xibing of Black Wind Martial Hall. In the future, City Name will still rely on you, City Lord, to preside over everything.

Such a small matter, you need not worry about it."

After a brief silence, Guo Huaian made up his mind:

"You dared to come tonight, so it seems you're prepared.

For this matter, I can let you off.

However, if there is one person who knows, don't blame me for taking action."

The middle-aged man breathed a sigh of relief. Regardless of whether they agreed or not, they had already made the first move.

If Guo Huaian had been unyielding, there would have undoubtedly been a fierce struggle.

But clearly, everyone had an unspoken understanding and didn't want to waste energy on such trivial matters.

"Of course, all the evidence Yeming Division found is what we allowed them to find."

"Also." Guo Huaian paused, holding up three fingers:

"First, remove the eyes of the Xunwu Guard. I don't want to say it twice;

Second, I want twenty percent, both for this time and for the future.

Third, in exchange, I can temporarily provide you with information from Yeming Division."

"As you wish."

The old man showed a satisfied smile. After all, how much is a conscience worth?

As long as the money is sufficient and it doesn't affect governance, does it matter whether they are evil cultivators or not?

Human lives, ha ha, the most worthless things.

The collusion in the darkness was like mud surging at the bottom of a river, leaving no trace on the surface... Jiang Hanwen sat in the courtyard until dawn. Aside from the final explosion last night, nothing happened.

When the bookstore opened, a chilling aura swept across the street.

The Yeming Division, rarely seen on normal days, patrolled the streets on scaled horses, their tempered blades clanking against their armor with crisp sounds.

The Xunwu Guard followed closely, going door-to-door, instructing people not to leave their homes.

In the afternoon, the alert ended, and with the withdrawal, a wanted notice spread throughout City Name.

Yuan Qi, Vice President of the Zongheng Chamber of Commerce, reported that President Wang Ye and Dan Master Feng Xibing of Black Wind Martial Hall had colluded. For years, they had been secretly assassinating displaced people and refining them into blood pills.

The seemingly benevolent Wang Ye was, in fact, a Devil Head who killed without batting an eye.

He committed all manner of evil: defiling women, plundering wealth, and killing for pleasure.

The government even offered a reward of one hundred thousand taels to anyone who could provide information leading to the capture of Dan Master Feng Xibing and Wang Ye of Black Wind Martial Hall.

"Shopkeeper, Wang Ye is actually such a beast." Xun Wu, the newly hired errand boy, pouted, his face full of anger.

"You know a person's face but not their heart. Help me run an errand and deliver something to the tea house shopkeeper." Jiang Hanwen handed him two packets of medicine.

"Yes!"

Gazing at Xun Wu's retreating back, Jiang Hanwen shook his head.

Issuing a wanted notice in the name of the yamen to set the record straight.

He didn't know whether this was the wicked making the first accusation or a case of wolves colluding.

However, since they dared to utter the words "evil cultivator" despite the potential for unrest, it proved that the end of this unrest was not far off.

City Name was still safe; he didn't need to leave.

Now, it was just a matter of apprehending the culprits or presenting a result where the culprits had fled far away.

Lies, well, as long as someone believes them, how fake they are doesn't really matter.

Let them cause a ruckus, Jiang Hanwen turned around, even if they turned the world upside down, it had little to do with him.

Cultivate!

Barely half a month of peace passed before another deafening explosion shattered the night's silence.

The next day, gongs and drums sounded in the streets, and yamen officials posted celebratory notices everywhere.

Following the attack on the Li Family by evil cultivators, Dan Master Feng Xibing had actually been audacious enough to attack the Zhong Family.

Fortunately, the Zhong Family members were powerful and, with the cooperation of the Xunwu Guard who were on patrol, they managed to hold out.

Even so, they paid a heavy price of over twenty Qi Induction Realm cultivators and one Condensing Spring Realm cultivator.

Only then were they able to capture all thirty-odd evil cultivators led by Dan Master Feng Xibing!

...Jiang Hanwen sat on the second floor, and Xia Zhijie placed a piece opposite him. The rascal's face glowed with excitement, clearly in a good mood lately, and he tentatively asked:

"Wang Ye's injuries are mostly healed. I want to keep him to do things for me, shopkeeper, what do you think?"

"Do you have a way to make him obedient?" Jiang Hanwen asked.

"Yes!

Two days ago, some people were fighting in the South City, and my subordinates happened to pick up a Heart-Devouring Gu. With this, as long as we promise to help Wang Ye get revenge, making him obedient won't be difficult."

The situation was unclear. After a long silence, Jiang Hanwen put down his black piece.

"Revenge is possible, but with two conditions.

First, the time to investigate the truth must be five years from now; no investigation is allowed now;

Second, from today onwards, all his previous 'eyes' cannot be used. I trust him, but I don't trust others.

Heavenly Secret Pavilion cannot see the light of day yet; only you and I need to know."

"I'm confident I can make him agree!" Xia Zhijie replied readily.

Jiang Hanwen smiled mysteriously. He agreed so decisively. That rascal, did he really think he knew nothing?

"Alright then, I'm giving you your first task.

Find a way to give the location of the iron mine to the Bai Family in exchange for money.

Give the location that might contain Star Iron to the Zhuang Family to build goodwill."

Xia Zhijie excitedly puffed out his chest:

"Yes!"

This was his first task, and he had to handle it perfectly.

As for why he didn't let Xia Zhijie sell it to the Li Family, even though the Li Family had master craftsmen, it was simple.

Because the news Xia Zhijie brought today was—the Li Family was almost exterminated!

Except for some servants who were drugged, only a few family members who were away escaped the calamity.

Everyone else, whether high-Realm elders or valuable master craftsmen, was left behind; it was a veritable Shura Field.

He hadn't seen Li Minzhong in days, and Xia Zhijie said he had no news. He wondered how that boy was doing?

At the prime of his life, striving for success, yet he encountered such a great disaster.

Life's accidents are always too numerous. He hoped he could endure it.

"This is a second-grade sound transmission talisman I bought. It has a range of three thousand meters. Only use it for urgent matters." Jiang Hanwen took out a palm-sized bright yellow jade block and placed it on the table.

"Good!"

After receiving the sound transmission talisman, the two continued to play chess.

Half an hour later, unable to create a living eye on the chessboard and having two corners captured, Xia Zhijie looked up at Jiang Hanwen, hesitating to speak.

"Alright, ask. You've been distracted since just now.

You couldn't have come today just for Wang Ye."

Jiang Hanwen was curious what kind of question could make Xia Zhijie hesitate for so long, wanting to ask but not daring to.