395: Secretary Li!

“What’s wrong with the main entrance today? Wasn’t it always open?”

“Who knows? Maybe some important figure is coming?”

“Hey, it’s not a big deal. Aren’t there other entrances nearby? If it’s too far, there are also Hope Merchant Guild hovercars for transport. Just call one, and you’ll be there in minutes. No need to cause such a fuss here.”

Most people had a relaxed expression, clearly not taking the argument seriously, and instead found the man’s overreaction a bit amusing.

The Staff member’s brows furrowed slightly at being yelled at, but he still maintained his composure.

“Sir, these are the regulations, and I’m just following orders. Other entrances also have dedicated guides, so it won’t delay you too much. What do you say…”

“Say what?! I’m going through the main entrance!”

The man became even more stubborn, standing with his hands on his hips, looking like a ruffled rooster, which drew a few low snickers from the onlookers.

“Yeah, he’s a Member.”

Someone in the crowd clicked his tongue, a hint of teasing in his voice.

“Otherwise, what? Look at what he’s wearing and carrying. He’s clearly well-off. It’s just that I don’t know why the Hope Merchant Guild is so rigid today…”

The person next to him chimed in, his gaze sweeping over the man before returning to the tightly shut main entrance.

“Hey, so what if he’s a Member?”

Another voice spoke with a hint of disdain.

“He still can’t enter through here, can he? I think the Hope Merchant Guild has gone crazy today, making so many rules for no reason.”

The surrounding whispers hit the man’s heart like small stones, each word making his face burn.

He was clearly a respectable Member, yet now he was being gawked at and pointed at like an ignorant child. His previous arrogance instantly deflated, leaving only a feeling of immense frustration.

“Go! Call your Person in Charge over here!”

The man desperately clung to his last shred of dignity, his voice somewhat shaky, but he still stiffened his neck, refusing to back down.

Seeing this, the Staff member knew that dragging it out further would be pointless, so he quickly walked towards the backstage.

Not long after, the Guild Master walked over. He was dressed in a crisp uniform, his face expressionless, and his tone was as flat as if he were reciting regulations.

“Sir, I apologize, but the main entrance is temporarily closed today due to special circumstances. Please use other entrances, and we ask for your understanding.”

He finished with a slight nod, his attitude polite but with an unyielding determination that brooked no argument.

“Why?!”

The man’s voice rose with anger, carrying the humiliation of being slighted.

“I am a Member of yours! Is this how you treat your Members? You must give me a reasonable explanation!”

The Guild Master remained as unperturbed as ever, merely glancing at him indifferently without any response.

This complete disregard ignited the man’s pent-up fury.

Combined with the faint whispers from all around, those gazes pierced him like needles, making his cheeks burn. He wished he could find a hole to crawl into—he, a dignified Member, was being treated with such disrespect in public. He had completely lost face.

Just as he was about to erupt, the sky suddenly vibrated with a “hum.” A dark blue spatial tunnel opened in the starry sky without warning, its energy ripples at the edges spreading out in rings of light, distorting the surrounding light by several degrees.

“Who is so bold? Don’t they know that using spatial jump devices is strictly prohibited within Hope Merchant Guild territory?”

Someone gasped, their voice filled with surprise.

“Look at the energy fluctuations of that tunnel! To open a spatial tunnel of this level, the starship configuration must be absolutely top-tier. It must be a very important figure!”

Another person stared at the gradually clearer starship silhouette within the tunnel, their eyes wide.

Before the whispers ceased, a fleet slowly emerged from the tunnel—the starships were as black as ink, their hulls gleaming with a cold light under the starlight, and several large insignia were emblazoned on their bodies.

But when everyone clearly saw the insignia on the starships, the entire scene instantly fell silent. Those who had been pointing and talking earlier all hushed, not even daring to breathe loudly. The previously arrogant man froze in place, his anger instantly replaced by terror, his mouth slightly agape, unable to utter a single word.

“Holy moly! Isn’t that a military starship? Look at the emblem on the hull, it’s the exclusive configuration of The Administrative Center Department of This Galaxy Cluster!”

Someone suddenly raised his voice, full of shock.

“This display, I’m afraid it’s some important figure from the department who has personally arrived, right?”

“No wonder the Hope Merchant Guild has been acting strangely today, stubbornly refusing entry through the main gate. After all this, they were waiting for this important figure…”

The person next to him suddenly understood, muttering softly, his gaze at the starship mixed with curiosity and awe.

As they spoke, the black military starship slowly docked at its exclusive berth.

The hatch slowly opened, and the first to descend were several Soldiers in Imperial military uniforms, their movements as sharp as unsheathed blades. They quickly formed straight lines on either side of the hatch, their gazes sharply scanning the surroundings, their intimidating aura making people afraid to speak.

Just then, two figures slowly emerged from inside the cabin—it was Li Yang and Pal.

Li Yang was in a well-fitting uniform, his expression calm, while Pal wore black casual clothes, his posture tall and straight, following closely behind.

As this scene unfolded, the Hope Merchant Guild Master, who had been so indifferent just moments ago, instantly lost his composure.

He was like a firework suddenly ignited, his eyes wide, every muscle on his face radiating “ecstatic joy.” He practically jogged to meet them, his excitement intentionally suppressed but impossible to hide.

His attitude was completely different from the coldness he had shown to the crowd earlier.

The surrounding people finally reacted, all looking on curiously, wanting to see which important figure had arrived to make the Guild Master lose his composure so much.

And the Member, at this moment, secretly congratulated himself for not speaking carelessly, only daring to peek timidly at the approaching figure out of the corner of his eye.

A flurry of whispers went through the crowd, and several gazes scrutinized Li Yang, with obvious confusion.

“Who is this? He looks very unfamiliar, I don’t recognize him at all.”

Someone scratched the back of his head, his voice full of bewilderment.

“Speaking of which, I’ve even seen Speaker Ou Ben from a distance before, but I’ve truly never seen this person.”

The person next to him nodded in agreement.

“Exactly, no impression at all…”

Before he finished speaking, someone in the back row of the crowd suddenly gasped, his voice trembling.

“Hiss—this, isn’t this Secretary Li?!”

“Secretary Li?”

“Could it be…”

The murmuring suddenly stopped, then, a few seconds later, it exploded like a lit fuse—

“Oh my! It’s Secretary Li Yang?!”

“Our Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Committee and supervision director of This Galaxy Cluster? No wonder the Hope Merchant Guild has been clearing out and waiting since morning. This display…”

“More than that! Have you forgotten the Empire’s three-year crackdown? I heard it was because of him that it was pushed through! How many corrupt officials and filthy individuals were executed, how many merchants were stripped bare! He’s known as a ‘ruthless man,’ someone who can’t tolerate even a speck of dust in his eyes!”