Chapter 300: The Big Fish in Luoshui County and New Discoveries

Chapter 300: The Big Fish in Luoshui County and New Discoveries



October 30, 2024

Luoshui County.

The Inspection Office.

Amidst a heavy snowfall, Jiang Ning entered the gates of the Inspection Office, striding directly towards the conference hall.

Behind him, Xie Xiao Jiu followed closely.

"Sir, it's right here!" Xie Xiao Jiu gazed at the conference hall ahead, halting her steps and speaking up.

"Hmm," Jiang Ning nodded.

Then, he paused and glanced at Xie Xiao Jiu before saying, "It's cold outside, you don't need to wait for me here. Go inside and warm yourself by the fire."

"Yes, sir!" Xie Xiao Jiu replied with a slight smile.

After that, she watched as Jiang Ning braved the swirling snow and headed towards the conference hall.

The Conference Hall.

Jiang Ning arrived at the front of the building, shook his shoulders, and the snowflakes and melting snow on his body were flung away.

Not a single snowflake remained on his head.

Then, he pushed open the half-open door and stepped over the threshold.

"Lord Jiang!" Ye Qiu saw Jiang Ning and immediately stood up with a smile.

Yuan Hua and Tang Miaomiao, who had arrived earlier, also stopped their conversation and hurriedly stood up.

"Greetings, Lord Jiang!"

They both now knew that Jiang Ning had been promoted to the eighth rank.

His position was higher than theirs.

Now, they were just waiting for the transfer order from above, and Jiang Ning would no longer be a nominal position but a real one with actual power.

Seeing Jiang Ning at this moment, the two of them couldn't help but show complex expressions.

Although they knew that Jiang Ning's performance would surpass them sooner or later, they didn't expect this day to come so soon.

The Inspection Office had only been established for a few months, and Jiang Ning had not only surpassed them in strength but also in status.

After standing up, Yuan Hua hesitated for a moment and then took a step forward to greet Jiang Ning.

At this moment, Jiang Ning's punch still lingered in his mind.

Last year, he had learned that Jiang Ning had found the stronghold of the Worshipping God Sect.

With the mindset of sharing in the gains, he had taken people to get a piece of the action.

However, when Jiang Ning appeared, he was knocked down with just one punch, suffering internal injuries.

The injuries from that punch were so severe that it took him nearly a month to fully recover.

He was well aware that he couldn't withstand Jiang Ning's punch at the time.

Now, the gap between them was even greater.

Seeing Jiang Ning again, he also had the idea of lowering his head in submission.

After walking a few steps, Yuan Hua came to stand before Jiang Ning.

The next moment, he placed his hands together, palms covering the backs of his hands, and bowed with a bent waist.

"Lord Yuan, what are you doing?" Jiang Ning was taken aback and paused.

Yuan Hua slowly straightened his back, "Please forgive me for my previous offenses, Lord Jiang!"

As he finished speaking, Yuan Hua was about to bow again.

"Lord Yuan, what are you saying!" Jiang Ning took a step forward and held Yuan Hua's arms.

"Lord Jiang..." Yuan Hua felt the solidity of Jiang Ning's arms, like a mountain, leaving him completely unable to resist, and even the thought of resistance couldn't arise. He couldn't help but look up at Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning smiled, "We are all colleagues, sharing the same goal. It's normal to have some minor conflicts! If Lord Yuan doesn't bring up those small matters, I would have forgotten about them!"

Hearing this, Yuan Hua looked at Jiang Ning seriously and saw that Jiang Ning wasn't pretending, so he heaved a sigh of relief.

"Lord Jiang is so magnanimous!" Yuan Hua flattered.

Hearing this, Jiang Ning smiled and then released Yuan Hua's arms.

After that, he greeted the others in the room.

He also noticed two other commanders who he hadn't seen before.

They were a man and a woman. The man had a full beard, looking to be in his forties or fifties, while the woman had some crow's feet at the corners of her eyes, appearing to be around forty years old.

Jiang Ning couldn't help but take a second look.

These two commanders had not been seen by him since the establishment of the Inspection Office.

The two commanders smiled at Jiang Ning's gaze.

Jiang Ning returned the smile.

Then, he sat down next to Ye Qiu.

"Lord Jiang, please wait a moment. Commander Li will be here shortly," Hong Minghu said.

Hearing this, Jiang Ning became even more curious.

He had just received Hong Minghu's notification, knowing that the appointment he had made with Hong Minghu a few days ago had arrived. So, he hurriedly arrived at the Inspection Office.

As soon as he entered the Inspection Office and stepped into the conference hall, he witnessed this scene.

Except for Commander Li Changkong, who had not yet arrived, everyone else was already present.

In other words, he was the second to last to arrive, only before the yet-to-appear Li Changkong.

Today was also the day he saw the most senior members of the Inspection Office together.

"It seems like there's really a big matter at hand!" Jiang Ning thought to himself.

Thinking of this, he glanced at Ye Qiu beside him.

At this moment, Ye Qiu also looked at him, "Lord Jiang, are you curious about what happened?"

Jiang Ning, I can't tell you yet!" Ye Qiu said.

Jiang Ning: "..."

"Let's have some melon seeds and tea for now!" Ye Qiu suggested.

"Okay," Jiang Ning nodded again.

He wasn't in a hurry at the moment, so he chatted with Ye Qiu while enjoying the melon seeds and tea.

A short while later...

The sound of footsteps drew nearer.

A figure appeared at the entrance, then strode in.

"My apologies for my tardiness!" The man bowed, and everyone present returned the gesture.

This latecomer was none other than Li Changkong, the last of the four commanders.

Hong Minghu smiled, "You're not late!"

He then stood up, glancing around the room.

"Since everyone is here, I shall close the door."

As he spoke, Hong Minghu raised his sleeve, and a gust of wind materialized in the room.

The wind swept through, and the door instantly closed, the vertical bolt falling into place with a 'clack'.

From this moment, the room was completely sealed off from the outside.

"I'm sure you're all curious as to why I've gathered you here today," Hong Minghu said.

"We are indeed curious!" Li Changkong, who had arrived late, spoke up, "Lord, please just tell us what this is about!"

"See for yourselves!" Hong Minghu took out several sheets of white paper and flung them towards Jiang Ning and the others. The papers instantly fanned out, each landing precisely in front of each person.

Jiang Ning lifted a corner of the paper, marveling at Hong Minghu's control over his Inner Breath.

As far as he knew, Hong Minghu had achieved the Fifth Stage, relying on external objects to condense his Inner Breath into a tangible form.

But at this moment, Hong Minghu's command over his Inner Breath was exceptionally refined, showing no signs of relying on external objects to reach his current level.

"Impressive!" Jiang Ning thought to himself, then focused on the paper in his hand, swiftly scanning its contents.

A moment later, he understood why Hong Minghu had summoned them.

Just as he had suspected, Hong Minghu had indeed caught a big fish.

A fish big enough to bring him wealth and promotion.

Luo Shui County's County Lord, Li Hong, was a member of the Worshipping God Sect, and moreover, he was the sect's Deputy Leader.

At this revelation, Jiang Ning understood why the Worshipping God Sect's statue had been placed in the City God Temple to gather spiritual energy.

The reason for all this was that County Lord Li Hong was a member of the Worshipping God Sect, and not just any member, but the sect's Deputy Leader.

A little while later, Hong Minghu saw that everyone had finished reading.

"My fellow colleagues, this mission is straightforward. I need you to create a diversion while I capture County Lord Li Hong."

"If we can capture him alive, it will be a great achievement. Capturing Li Hong, the Deputy Leader of the Worshipping God Sect, will earn us all a promotion."

The next moment, Li Changkong slammed his palm on the table.

"Indeed, a big catch!"

"I have no interest in promotion, but the merit is very appealing!"

"The Martial Sage Mansion has many treasures!"

"I must master the 'Blade Swift as Thunder' to be eligible for the resources they offer!"

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.

Ye Qiu, however, turned to Jiang Ning.

"What my brother says is true, and it reminds me of you, Jiang!"

"You, Jiang, had already mastered the 'Blade Swift as Thunder' during your entry assessment at the Martial Sage Mansion. It's truly enviable!"

As he spoke, the atmosphere grew tense.

Li Changkong, as a direct descendant of the Li Clan, had achieved both internal and external cultivation. He was still seeking to master the 'Blade Swift as Thunder' to qualify for the Fourth Level of Martial Dao.

Meanwhile, in this remote county, Jiang Ning had already mastered one form of the 'Blade Swift as Thunder'.

This realization left Jiang Ning feeling somewhat deflated.

At that moment, Hong Minghu spoke again, "I believe you're all curious about the evidence that Commander Shang and Commander Fan have gathered over the past few months. Feel free to examine it."

With that, the two commanders, who had remained silent until now, stood up, ready to present the evidence they had prepared.

Just then, Li Changkong spoke up.

"There's no need for that!"

"Let's take action now!"

"If we make a mistake, we'll just apologize!"

"As the saying goes, 'Speed is of the essence in warfare.' If we delay and our plans leak, the consequences will be dire!"

Seeing this, Ye Qiu also stood up slowly.

"What Li says makes sense. Let's take action now to avoid any mishaps!"

Beside him, Jiang Ning remained silent, but his interest was piqued.

The Deputy Leader of the Worshipping God Sect.

If County Lord Li Hong truly held this position, then it would be like finding a needle in a haystack, only to discover it right under their noses.

He had been seeking other Worshipping God Sect hideouts to acquire Divine Essence Points and the power of the Blood and Flesh God.

And now, right here in Luo Shui County, a big fish was hidden.

If Hong Minghu's information was accurate, he might just have a big catch.

At the same time, Hong Minghu saw Li Changkong and Ye Qiu's determination and nodded.

"Alright, let's take action!"

"I'll bear all consequences!"

After a brief discussion and task allocation, the group quietly exited the hall, led by Hong Minghu.

The snowstorm outside was relentless, quickly covering the footprints of the few individuals.

Jiang Ning's assigned task was straightforward—to stand alone atop a tall building, using his archery skills to block off County Governor Li Hong's escape route.

The others were to flank from the sides, but the real executor was Hong Minghu.

A Fifth Stage practitioner was a rare existence in all of Luo Shui County.

Of course, this was without considering Jiang Ning's current strength, which was also at the Fifth Stage.

Jiang Ning had no intention of competing for this achievement.

He was still owed a debt for his contribution of defending the city against the Black Mountain Army's rebellion.

Additionally, there were one million Contribution Points yet to be awarded.

In a short time, he wouldn't lack achievements.

So, there was no need to fight for this; sharing the spoils was more than enough.

Sometimes, cooperation led to mutual success, and monopolizing wasn't a sustainable approach.

Moreover, being in the spotlight too often might not always be a good thing.

As the group walked through the snowy landscape, the heavy snowfall engulfed their movements.

Midway through their journey, Ye Qiu's figure flashed, and he appeared beside Jiang Ning.

"Brother Jiang, congratulations!"

"Big Brother Ye, what's there to be happy about?" Jiang Ning asked.

Ye Qiu explained, "Brother Jiang, with your promotion to the eighth rank, the appointment document from above will likely arrive soon. When that happens, you'll truly rise higher, and that's definitely a joyous occasion!"

Jiang Ning's figure moved gracefully, keeping a steady pace behind Hong Minghu in front while speaking.

"What kind of joy is this? Once the appointment document arrives, I might be transferred elsewhere. If I go to a new place, I'll be unfamiliar with the surroundings, and it won't be as comfortable as staying in Luo Shui County. If I had a choice, I'd rather stay here for now."

Upon hearing this, Ye Qiu understood Jiang Ning's thoughts and said, "There is a way!"

"What way?" Jiang Ning asked.

"Generally, promotions are prioritized for local officials, and only then for outsiders. As long as I or any of the four of us, including Li Changkong, are transferred, there will naturally be a vacancy for an eighth-rank official position, and you, Brother Jiang, will naturally fill that position."

At this moment, Ye Qiu noticed Jiang Ning's gaze and couldn't help but smile slightly.

"Brother Jiang, if I get promoted and transferred, would you be willing to take my place?"

"Thank you, Big Brother Ye!" Jiang Ning's eyes lit up.

Staying in Luo Shui County was undoubtedly the best option.

Luo Shui County was a small, remote county in Dong Ling Prefecture, and typically, the smaller the place, the less busy the Inspection Office of the Inspection Office.

Especially in the current Luo Shui County, the Worship God Sect had been suppressed.

Two of the three local great clans had been purged due to their association with the Worship God Sect, and the remaining Xie Clan was now reformed and engaged in charitable deeds.

It could be said that in the coming year, Luo Shui County was unlikely to face significant turmoil.

This was an ideal environment for him to practice and cultivate, without worrying about other matters.

Other places might not offer the same stability.

Being transferred elsewhere might bring a whole new set of troubles.

He already had enough achievements and only sought a stable environment to improve his skills and enhance his strength.

Therefore, staying in Luo Shui County was the best option.

At this moment, he sincerely thanked Ye Qiu.

If Ye Qiu were transferred, it would be as Ye Qiu described. With Ye Qiu's promotion and transfer, he could seamlessly step into Ye Qiu's position.

This way, he wouldn't have to worry about being transferred by an official document from above. This way, he could continue staying in Luo Shui County, cultivating in a stable environment and enhancing his strength.

They had now reached three li outside the county government office.

Seeing Hong Minghu stop, the others also halted.

Three li was not a long distance for them; at most, it was a matter of ten breaths.

The distance was not far, but it was safe enough.

It ensured they wouldn't be detected by County Governor Li Hong within the county government office.

For Jiang Ning, this distance was even less of a concern.

With his current strength, he could reach the county government office within two breaths.

"Later, I'll rely on all of you colleagues to assist me!" Hong Minghu said with a bow.

"Don't worry, Lord!" Li Changkong smiled. "Capturing County Governor Li Hong will also bring us credit, and we'll spare no effort."

Ye Qiu and the others also expressed their agreement.

Seeing this, Hong Minghu nodded in satisfaction.

Then, he turned to Jiang Ning.

"Lord Jiang, later I won't command you; just do as you see fit!"

"Understood!" Jiang Ning replied.

"Also!" Hong Minghu continued. "If the situation turns unfavorable, don't hold back. Execute on the spot if necessary, but don't let Li Hong escape."

"Li Hong is not to be underestimated. In his youth, he was a Wushuai, and every Wushuai is at least a Sixth Stage Proficiency. Most Wushuai are Sixth Stage Martial Practitioners."

"Now, over a decade has passed since Li Hong obtained the Wushuai title. He most likely has already entered the Sixth Stage Bone Forging."

"Understood!" Li Changkong smiled nonchalantly. "What kind of waves can a mere Sixth Stage cause? All the commanders here have long entered the Sixth Stage."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end