Chapter 148: Stirring Up Trouble
Chapter 148: Stirring Up Trouble
"Sir, sir?" Xiao Lian trailed behind Chen Mu, her face showing signs of fright.
Chen Mu had led her upstairs, and she was supposed to be guiding him. She had thought that the ransom money for her freedom was finally secured for the night, and she was curious about the face hidden under Chen Mu's black cloth hat. But suddenly, Chen Mu changed direction, taking the lead and snapping off several branches from the roadside with his fingers, throwing them out in rapid succession.
The slender branches in Chen Mu's hands released a piercing sound as if they were crossbow arrows, piercing through the air and directly hitting a room ahead. Xiao Lian, caught off guard, was startled and momentarily speechless. She watched as Chen Mu opened the door to the opposite room, revealing a chaotic scene inside. For a moment, she could barely speak, her voice trembling.
She had realized something.
She seemed to have stumbled upon something unimaginable.
"Chen Mu!" Yan Wan Si's face turned extremely ugly as he glared at Chen Mu.
Indeed, Chen Mu was a household guard cultivated by the He family. During a battle, he had been struck by a sword on his forehead, almost piercing his skull. Luckily, his brain was spared, and he survived. The He family arranged for him to fake his death and transition into the shadows, handling illicit matters for the family. Later, he left the city and took control of the entire Black Cloud Bandits, working for the He family.
Just over two months ago, a group of Heavenly Sword Sect disciples attacked the Black Cloud Bandits. Chen Mu and his men evaded and hid, but they still suffered heavy losses. The Heavenly Sword Sect continued their relentless pursuit, forcing Chen Mu to use a strategy of shedding his shell like a golden cicada, leading the sect members away while he secretly returned to Yu City.
Even the He family was unaware of this incident.
Chen Mu knew that the situation in Yu County had changed, and the He family could no longer act as recklessly as before. They had to be cautious and careful in their actions. Chen Mu had handled too many illicit matters for the He family, and contacting them now would be equally dangerous.
Having been used to pillaging and plundering outside, Chen Mu couldn't bear to stay idle in Yu City. He had been hiding in a corner for over a month, and as time passed without any trouble, his courage grew. He discovered that it was easy to conceal his identity in Yu City, especially in the red-light district, where no one asked questions or conducted investigations, making it an ideal place to hide.
But he hadn't expected it.
In the end, he had still attracted trouble.
And it was none other than Chen Mu, the Inspector General Director, a figure at odds with the He family!
"Chen... Mu?" Xiao Lian, who had remained in the corridor outside the room, heard Yan Wan Si's words. She was momentarily stunned and then widened her eyes slightly. This name had become well-known in the outer city over the past few months.
Was this Chen Mu? The Inspector General Director who rose from a humble background, swiftly climbing the ranks like a legend? For a small-time prostitute like her, even an ordinary clerk in the East District was someone to be revered. What kind of person was Chen Mu, who stood at the pinnacle of Yu County, a figure that everyone, including her, looked up to with awe?
She had just walked alongside such a prominent figure.
And even...
Accepted his reward...
Xiao Lian felt her head spin.
...
"Black Cloud Bandits, Yan Wan Si," Chen Mu said, standing with his hands behind his back. "Are you going to come with me willingly, or do you want to suffer a little before coming with me?"
Yan Wan Si's face turned ugly. He was well-informed about Chen Mu's capabilities, knowing that Chen Mu was a formidable figure unseen in Yu City for decades. Rising from humble beginnings, he became the Inspector General Director in just a few short years, a towering figure in Yu County, mastering two realms of intent. The mere snapping of branches had forced Yan Wan Si to retreat, toying with him as if he were a plaything, far beyond his ability to resist.
But following Chen Mu was also a path to certain death. With his past actions, there was no chance of survival.
At this moment, Yan Wan Si's eyes flashed with malice. He suddenly thrust his spear towards the center of the room, aiming at the girl whose clothes he had torn, exposing her back.
"Obstinate," Chen Mu said indifferently.
In an instant, Chen Mu disappeared from his original position. A faint arc of lightning flickered and vanished in the air, and he appeared next to the girl, his right hand reaching from her waist to grasp Yan Wan Si's short spear. With a swift sweep and shake, he disarmed Yan Wan Si.
Yan Wan Si felt an overwhelming force, causing his grip to break, and blood dripped from his hand. He staggered back several steps, his entire body trembling as his qi and blood surged chaotically, leaving him unable to move.
Chen Mu casually crumpled the spear into a ball of iron. Then, he approached Yan Wan Si, placing his hand on Yan Wan Si's shoulder. Yan Wan Si tried to struggle, but he was paralyzed, unable to resist.
It was only then that Chen Mu turned to look at the disheveled girl, his eyes showing no pity. Instead, he appraised her with a glance and said indifferently, "Harmony Sect?"
The girl, who had been curled up in a pitiful crying state, stopped upon hearing Chen Mu's words. She revealed a charming smile and giggled, "It seems I can't hide anything from Inspector Chen's eyes. Can I be considered as having helped capture the thief?"
Chen Mu's face darkened, and he said coldly, "Don't tell me that you sheltered this thief without the Harmony Sect's protection."
The girl laughed, "Everything has its use. This thief will eventually face the executioner's block, but his skills are not bad. We were just making use of him. Even if you hadn't come today, we would have sent him to you after using him."
"Well, compared to such a thief, we'd rather get close to a talented man like you. What type do you prefer? Our Harmony Sect has all kinds..."
"Enough," Chen Mu interrupted the girl's coquettish words, glancing at Xiao Lian, who was still sitting outside the door in a daze. "She's not from your Harmony Sect, right? I'll give her a way out, and I won't pursue other matters further."
As Chen Mu's words trailed off, he grabbed Yan Wan Si and swiftly moved past the broken window, disappearing from sight.
Hou Ling Ling was momentarily startled by Chen Mu's words and turned to look at Xiao Lian, who appeared slightly scared. She seemed to have discovered something intriguing, her expression filled with interest as she stroked her chin.
"This Chen gentleman truly treats everyone equally."
According to the intelligence on Chen Mu, during his time as a Clerk Administrator, he had provided relief to disaster victims, showing no discrimination and offering aid to those who had fled from other regions.
It seemed that in Chen Mu's eyes, not only ordinary citizens but even courtesans from brothels were treated equally. He did not disregard Xiao Lian because of her lowly status, and he even left a message for her before leaving.
...
Inspectorate General.
On the top floor, Yan Jingqing stood in his white robe, still reading a book.
Suddenly, someone appeared silently beside him and whispered a few words.
"You caught a big thief?"
"As expected, not only has the Harmony Sect infiltrated the inner city, but they've also spread their influence to the flower streets and entertainment districts outside the city walls..."
Yan Jingqing shook his head slightly and continued reading.
Whether it was Yan Wan Si of the Black Cloud Bandits or the Harmony Sect's infiltration of the red-light districts, neither was of significant importance to Yan Jingqing. Although the Harmony Sect, being a demonic sect, practiced the Way of Joyful Union by taking Vital Energy and Essence for their own use, they did not engage in killing and destruction. In fact, they caused the least disruption to order. It was the Blood Veil Tower and the Mystic Mechanism Pavilion that posed the greatest threat.
The former inherently disrupted order, while the latter, after establishing themselves in Yu City, had been secretly cultivating their influence, relying on the background of the Mystic Mechanism Pavilion to gradually infiltrate various government offices. However, they had only managed to place their people in lower-level positions so far.
...
Bringing back Yan Wan Si was just the first step.
The next step was the interrogation, where Yan Wan Si would be made to confess his numerous crimes and reveal his connections with the Hao family. This step was more challenging, as Yan Wan Si was not only a wanted criminal but also a minor Bone Forging Realm martial artist. It would not be easy to force him to confess using ordinary methods.
However, the Inspectorate General was different now, not only because of its power but also because it had some of Yan Jingqing's trusted personnel from the prefecture, including two other Inspector Generals who held the same position as Chen Mu.
After Chen Mu captured and detained Yan Wan Si in the Inspectorate General, he quickly sought out one of the Inspector Generals.
"Director Pang, I have captured Yan Wan Si, the leader of the Black Cloud Bandits. This man has committed many evil deeds, and the implications may be significant. I wonder if there is anyone skilled in interrogation within the Inspectorate General?"
"Yan Wan Si has indeed committed numerous crimes, and capturing him is a commendable achievement, Chen gentleman," Pang Xiang Yun replied with a smile. "Interrogation happens to be my specialty."
Yan Wan Si, being a cruel thief in the Bone Forging Realm and the leader of the Black Cloud Bandits, was a significant capture for the Inspectorate General. At the very least, it could be used to intimidate other criminals inside and outside Yu City, earning the Inspectorate General a notable achievement.
By asking Pang Xiang Yun to handle the interrogation, Chen Mu was essentially sharing the credit with him. Pang Xiang Yun was naturally delighted, especially since he had already wanted to establish a connection with Chen Mu. Being from the prefecture, there were not many people in Yu City whom he valued, but Chen Mu was undoubtedly one of them, possessing both talent and the recognition of Yan Jingqing.
"Then I'll trouble Director Pang."
Chen Mu bowed slightly to Pang Xiang Yun, who returned the gesture with a smile.
After handing over Yan Wan Si to Pang Xiang Yun, Chen Mu did not inquire further. Whether they could extract useful information or not, the main point was that even if Yan Wan Si confessed to numerous crimes, it was unlikely that they could take down the entire Hao family based on his testimony alone. Yan Jingqing would not do that either, as the Hao family was affiliated with the Seven Mysteries Sect, and Yu City was currently in a delicate balance. The Hao family's influence was widespread, and any significant disturbance would likely draw the attention of other sects.
A few days later, Chen Mu was still in his meditation room, contemplating the Departure Fire Diagram.
Unexpectedly, the aftermath of the Yan Wan Si incident caused a huge stir.
First, there was a decree from the Inspectorate General.
He Guang Xun, the Deputy Director of the Smelting Inspectorate, was suspected of conspiring with the Black Cloud Bandits to provide them with the salt transport routes and action intelligence of Yu City. As a result, the Black Cloud Bandits successfully robbed a batch of salt transport goods from the Salt Administration Bureau. He Guang Xun was stripped of his position as Deputy Director and replaced by Yu Zu Tian, a member of the Yu family, by the order of the County Governor!
This seemingly minor reassignment of a Deputy Director actually revealed Yan Jingqing's extreme dissatisfaction with the Hao family. It was common knowledge that the Smelting Inspectorate had always been under the control of the Hao family, with the family holding positions at all levels. Now, not only had He Guang Xun been removed from his position, but a member of the Yu family had been appointed in his place, effectively giving a portion of the Smelting Inspectorate to the Yu family!
Immediately after.
Another decree was issued by the Demon Slayer Bureau, removing a Deputy Director and seven White Robed Guards, all members of the Hao family, from their positions!
This move effectively eliminated the Hao family's most important personnel in the Demon Slayer Bureau, cutting off their access to the bureau's resources! By taking these two actions, Yan Jingqing imposed severe punishment on the Hao family, which even Chen Mu had not anticipated.
In Chen Mu's opinion, the Yan Wan Si incident would only cause Yan Jingqing to express his dissatisfaction with the Hao family, resulting in a mild rebuke or the removal of a few positions. He did not expect the Yu family to take over, especially during these turbulent times when no family was entirely clean, and everyone had some illicit matters to hide.
It was only after inquiring further that Chen Mu learned that the intelligence obtained from Yan Wan Si's interrogation had implicated the Sky Corpse Sect!
"This suggests a suspected connection between the Hao family and the remnants of the Sky Corpse Sect!" Chen Mu murmured upon hearing the news.
In these chaotic times, murder and arson might not be considered significant, but any involvement with the remnants of the Sky Corpse Sect was something the Seven Mysteries Sect could not tolerate, even if it was just a suspicion. Yan Jingqing's actions were merciless.
As Chen Mu pondered how the Hao family would respond to this situation, the events suddenly came to an abrupt halt.
Yan Jingqing stopped taking further action against the Hao family, and the situation mysteriously calmed down once again.
Chapter 3 will be available a few minutes later.
(End of Chapter)
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