https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-251-The-Prerequisite-for-Cooperation-is-Sincerity-/12850403/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-253-The-Strongest-Shadow-Practitioner-Heavenly-Peng-Is-No-More/12850409/
Chapter 252: Thunder Ape, Yellow Carp, and the Elder Dispute
Chapter 252: Thunder Ape, Yellow Carp, and the Elder Dispute
"Damn it, a mere Records Room Manager dares to demand the lives of a Captain and a Chief? Have you been kicked in the head by a donkey? How could you agree to this?" An old man was berating Chi Yuan with a torrent of scolding.
In his eyes, if everyone acted like this, who would still follow the rules?
If people started directly killing their political opponents in the future, the political climate of the Shadow Management Bureau would surely become corrupt.
"Senior Thunder Ape, but how do we explain this to Li Yan?" Chi Yuan asked helplessly.
Elders in the Shadow Management Bureau were advisors who assisted the Chief in decision-making and management, and generally handled most affairs.
The Chief usually did not involve himself in daily matters and mainly provided martial support.
"Explain? Why should we explain to him, he's just a Records Room Manager," Thunder Ape calmed down and continued, "Just give Guidi and Anshe a warning. The Zou family is not a small force in the Bureau. It's not worth offending them over such a trivial matter."
"But—"
"There's no 'but.' Li Yan is just an ordinary person, not from a prestigious family. What are you afraid of?" Thunder Ape said with a hint of disdain.
In Thunder Ape's view, Li Yan knew too much, which was why he was given special treatment to enter the Chief's office. Otherwise, he would have no qualifications to be here.
To enter the Chief's office, one must at least be from a prestigious family; otherwise, what qualifications do commoners have to enter?
As for strength? He sneered at the idea.
With the meager contributions and salary of a Records Room Manager, how could one possibly cultivate a Shadow? He probably wouldn't amount to anything in his lifetime.
Therefore, compared to killing Anshe and Guidi, he was more inclined to suppress Li Yan.
He also knew that Li Yan was valuable, but he had no backing.
This lone individual was conveniently under their control, and working for them could be considered an honor for being transferred to the Chief's office.
Chi Yuan wanted to say something but held back. After all, wanting the horse to run but not wanting it to eat grass—wasn't that a bit unreasonable?
"Alright, if there's nothing else, go about your business. I'll handle the ruins," Thunder Ape had calmed down, possibly because he was tired of scolding, and dismissed Chi Yuan.
"Yes, Elder." Chi Yuan left the office.
After leaving, his face was grim. He was the one who would bear the blame, while the benefits went to the other party. This way, he was in a bind with both sides.
And he was supposed to warn Guidi and Anshe? This was no warning; it was a setup for humiliation.
Especially for a Captain to warn a Chief—this was not a warning but a trap.
And after this, they still expected cooperation?
Thunder Ape thought Li Yan was aligning with their faction, but it was just a preliminary collaboration.
The result? No benefits, only punishment. Who would be willing?
'This old fool, hmpf.' Chi Yuan was considering whether to leave Thunder Ape's faction.
He knew that the higher-ups were all ruthless and ungrateful, employing every means to cultivate Shadows, but there were differences. Some were willing to win hearts, while others used only force to gather people.
Thunder Ape was once a heroic figure, and Chi Yuan joined his ranks for that reason. But as he grew older, his desire for power increased, and his personality became more peculiar. For the sake of his descendants, he now leaned more towards the prestigious families rather than the Bureau.
This made the power struggle even more intense.
Once Thunder Ape stepped down, he would be forgotten, so it was necessary to lay the groundwork in advance.
Otherwise, what would the future hold?
Therefore, Chi Yuan planned to defect.
However, he knew that leaving now was not appropriate. His ties with Thunder Ape's faction were deep, and it wouldn't be easy to break free.
Did he really think he could switch factions at will? Unless he was willing to pay a heavy price, it wouldn't be easy, and no one would take him in.
After some thought, he decided to wait and find a way to subtly warn Anshe and Guidi. As for Li Yan, he was powerless to help. His own boss had spoken, and this time, the long-term benefits were turned into a one-time deal, and he got nothing from it, even though he was the one who accomplished it.
He knew that the other party was just using this as an excuse to kick him out and get a smaller share.
This matter indeed was his own initiative, thinking that the benefits were substantial enough, but he didn't expect that Thunder Ape was even greedier.
Chi Yuan even suspected that Thunder Ape wanted to use this opportunity to court the Zou family, gaining their support by doing them a favor. This wasn't impossible, otherwise, he wouldn't have been tasked to deliver the warning. Clearly, this was a way to try to benefit both sides while also giving him a subtle warning.
"Ah~ What a headache." After leaving the office, he could only go about his business with a helpless sigh.
He wasn't going to warn them; he was just delivering a message.
On the other side, a middle-aged man holding a briefcase sat opposite Qin Muye.
"Professor Li, it's our first meeting. My code name is Flame Deer. A small token of my appreciation, please accept it," the man said, pushing the briefcase over.
Qin Muye's eyes narrowed. "I don't think you're from Chi Yuan's faction."
"It's Elder Yellow Carp's instructions," Flame Deer said calmly.
Qin Muye, of course, knew what was in the briefcase. The strong smell of blood indicated two human heads.
Opening it, he saw the heads of Dark Snake and his father, Ghost Butterfly, who had just left not long ago.
"It seems Chi Yuan didn't manage to get the job done. Ha, he probably didn't get the item either," Qin Muye thought, surprised at how quickly Elder Yellow Carp had acted.
"Elder Thunder Ape is preparing to curry favor with the Zou family through you, Professor Li," Flame Deer said.
Qin Muye didn't know Thunder Ape, but he knew that Thunder Ape was likely the leader of the faction behind Chi Yuan.
"The other party has some unique ideas. They are probably trying to recruit more supporters and win people over. So, are you interested in this ruin?" Qin Muye asked.
"Of course, but we want more. We want to deepen our cooperation with you, Professor Li. Rest assured, Elder Yellow Carp is not like Elder Thunder Ape," Flame Deer said.
"Just by your use of 'you,' we can have a good talk. This is an opportunity, isn't it?" Qin Muye said, writing down an address and pointing out the traps within.
Seeing the address and the traps on the paper, Flame Deer's eyes widened. This was a setup to send the Thunder Ape faction to their doom.
"Rest assured, Elder Thunder Ape won't make it out of the ruins," Flame Deer said respectfully.
He didn't expect Qin Muye to hold back; clearly, he wasn't someone to be underestimated.
"Good, take the briefcase. I have no use for it," Qin Muye said, glancing at the briefcase.
"Yes, Professor Li. If you don't mind, when we return, Elder Yellow Carp—"
"No need. I find the Records Room quite peaceful. We can deepen our cooperation, but I don't need a higher position. After all, there are many people watching. Elder Yellow Carp is not the Chief, is he?" Qin Muye said.
"I will convey your message," Flame Deer said and left.
He knew that Qin Muye was implying that their faction lacked the strength to act alone and couldn't monopolize the benefits.
Understanding this, Flame Deer left decisively. There was no point in staying any longer.
The terms had been clearly discussed, and there was no need to continue the conversation.
Qin Muye had shown his sincerity, and now it was their turn to demonstrate theirs.
As for Dark Snake and Ghost Butterfly? They were just the price of entry.
Chi Yuan had a connection, which counted as the entry fee. If others wanted to play, they had to pay as well.
So, Flame Deer had to thank these two fools for acting so arrogantly, thinking that the Zou family could protect them?
Thunder Ape might have reservations, but the Yellow Carp faction had none. They killed and that was that. What could anyone do without evidence?
Once their faction got the benefits, would the others still help the Zou family? Of course not. They would help whoever had the benefits. They couldn't possibly bring their own supplies and beg to help others.
"This day is so restless, and that Chi Yuan is a waste. He can't make decisions yet dares to agree," Qin Muye shook his head.
Friendship? What friendship did he have with Chi Yuan? He didn't get a share of the credit from Yin Mountain Lord, but Chi Yuan did. Was that called friendship?
He was just stirring up trouble for no reason. When he spoke, he sounded righteous, but when it came to action, he fell short.
Not only did he fail, but he also tried to set a trap for him. Since that was the case, he might as well send the other party on their way.
(End of Chapter)
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