Lu Wuji was a bit surprised to see Zhou Kai appear with a prevailing thirst for blood. âVice Director Zhou, what brings you here?â
Zhou Kai itched to slap Lu Wuji to death right now. He didnât even look at him as he roared, âAll of you, drop your weapons and kneel. Otherwise, youâll be treated as traitors of the Dragonteeth Guard!â
As one of the four directors of the Dragonteeth Guard, Zhou Kai was the first vice director, but he usually only handled financial matters and rarely inquired after affairs of the Dragonteeth Guard. As a result, he did not have too much influence within the Dragonteeth Guard.
Therefore, when this command was given, the team on Lu Wujiâs side all looked at each other with some embarrassment before they all looked unanimously at Lu Wuji.
Who knew that this gesture would thoroughly pierce Zhou Kaiâs self esteem as an elder of the Dragonteeth Guard. He was number two of the Guard, but no one moved to execute an order heâd given.
It looked like the tiger had been asleep for so long that not even this group of Dragonteeth Guard paid him proper respect, and instead treated him as a paper tiger!
Lu Wuji had a face full of shock as the vice director drew near, âVice Director Zhou, just what has happened for you to be so up in arms?â
Lu Wuji had been here all along toying with Jiang Chen and the others, and hadnât left the Black Dungeons for a good half day. How would he know what had transpired in the outside world?
Besides, although the Southern Palace, Myriad Treasures Palace, and Qingyang Valley were enraged, they only used their connections in private and didnât widely publicize their actions. Therefore, Lu Wuji hadnât received any word of this at all.
Lu Wuji would have been better off not asking. His actions became the greatest offense in Zhou Kaiâs eyes.
âThe Dragontooth emblem is here. Those who donât kneel will be executed with no exception!â
Zhou Kai had brought the Dragonteeth Guardâs true elites this time, and they were much stronger and more important than Lu Wujiâs men.
Everyone was dumbfounded when they saw the Dragontooth emblem, and Lu Wuji was instantly petrified. Clattering sounds rang out from the back as Lu Wujiâs team all threw down their armor and weapons and crouched on the ground.
Seeing the Dragontooth emblem was like seeing the general director himself arrive.
Within the Dragonteeth Guard, the general director was the supreme one! The general director held the lives of everyone in the Guard in his hands.
The Dragontooth emblem was the totem of the Dragonteeth Guard. It was as if a common mortal had seen a deity or Buddha. Their first thought was to submit, and their second thought was to submit!
âLu Wuji, how dare you refuse to kneel upon seeing the Dragontooth emblem? Do you really wish to mutiny?â
Zhou Kai turned around and gave a harsh yell. The sound of a sword being unsheathed rang out afterwards.
Lu Wuji was completely dumbfounded, but that remaining bit of reason and logic caused him to involuntarily bend both legs and kneel.
Submitting to the Dragoontooth emblem was the first rule that almost every Dragonteeth Guard had to learn before entering the Guard.
âWho is Tian Shao?â Zhou Kai asked.
Tian Shao stood up from the back. âYour subordinate Tian Shao greets Vice Director Zhou.â
Zhou Kai was quite gratified and nodded his approval. âTian Shao, the general director already knows of matters here. It is quite good, quite good that you can stay true to yourself and not bow in defeat to evil winds and noxious influences.â
Tian Shao had been completely bewildered in the beginning and hadnât comprehended just what was going on. He finally understood when he heard Zhou Kaiâs words and perceived that this matter had already disturbed the general director.
Vice Director Zhou had come ready to kill because he wanted to bring order out of chaos! He was here to provide backup for Jiang Chen and prevent Lu Wuji from pushing a perverse policy!
Tian Shaoâs heart felt bittersweet when he heard Zhou Kaiâs compliments. He felt that the humiliation heâd suffered through just now had been worth it.
âVice Director Zhou, your subordinate was incompetent. I could only complete the matters within my duties. If it wasnât for your timely arrival, the consequences wouldâve been dire without thinking!â
Zhou Kai nodded, âGo, open the door. I want to personally apologize to little brother Jiang Chen.â
Lu Wuji and his accomplicesâ hearts all chilled when they heard these words. Zhou Kai was calling Jiang Chen his little brother. What did this mean?
This meant that the winds had changed and that the general director wanted to personally protect Jiang Chen!
As great as Lu Wujiâs power was and as strong as his backer was, could they be more powerful than the general director?
âJiang Chen, we have caused you suffering. Any sort of apology would be empty talk. I only have one promise -- that our Dragonteeth Guard will give you a satisfactory explanation.â
Jiang Chen actually hadnât suffered at all, to be honest.
âVice Director Zhou, all sorts of birds can be found when the woods cover a vast expanse. The Dragonteeth Guard control an army a million strong so itâs inevitable that a few bad apples will appear. Since Commander Tian Shao tried his best to mediate, I didnât actually suffer that much in this matter.â
Zhou Kai was startled. Heâd thought that the young man would be unreasonable and make a scene after enduring such suffering. Who wouldâve thought Jiang Chen would easily gloss over this with a smile?
Zhou Kaiâs impression of Jiang Chen immediately increased to a very high level in the span of a moment.
âYouâre right, Tian Shao didnât throw away the moral integrity of a serviceman. I quite admire him. Little brother Jiang, if you donât mind, may we have a few words?â
Jiang Chen waved his hands slightly, âElder Zhou, Iâd like ask General Lu a few questions first.â
Zhou Kai nodded. His relationship with Lu Wujiâs backer, Vice Director Yang, had been mediocre to begin with. He naturally wouldnât object if Jiang Chen wanted to do so.
If they could make use of this opportunity to make this matter a bigger issue and suppress Vice Director Yangâs arrogance, Zhou Kai would be happy about this outcome as well.
âGeneral Lu, Iâm unsure how great your position is and how frightening your power is, I only ask you one question. What grudge do you have with me that you treat my justified self defense as a murder case?â
Lu Wuji was woodenly silent. History is written by victors. He was now kneeling on the floor, and a thousand, even ten thousand words would all be empty unconfident fluff.
Gritting his teeth with hatred from the bottom of his heart, his mind was also a chaotic mess. He too, didnât understand what was going on. Wasnât Jiang Chen a foreigner? He had some fame in the Eastern Kingdom, but what did that little bit of fame mean in the Skylaurel Kingdom?
Why would such a small matter disturb the general director?
Jiang Chen was just an ant from the Eastern Kingdom. Apart from the king, who else would merit personal inquiry from the general directorâs priceless self?
âThe fourth prince?â This notion flashed through Lu Wujiâs mind, but he immediately denied it. âThe fourth prince is second or third rate amongst all princes. Heâs not even fit to carry the first princeâs shoes. He should be in a rush to kiss up to the general director, how could he possibly affect the general directorâs decisions?â
Lu Wuji went over this hundreds of times but still couldnât come to an answer.
âYou want to kill me. I can understand that youâve taken benefits from the Northern Palace or received their threats. But, what mistake did my subordinates commit? You said that youâd sell them to the slave markets after killing me? Are you a Dragonteeth Guard or a robber?â
âTian Shao, heâs your colleague, but you keep thinking about his wife and daughter. Iâd like to ask, are you human or a beast in human skin?â
Tian Shao also clenched his hands into fists when he heard these words as boundless hatred shot out from his tiger eyes.
âYou said that nothing in the heavens or earth could save me, and said that there was no way I could make it out alive now that Iâve entered the Black Dungeons. I can leave immediately now, but you must continue to kneel here like a dog. You said heaven was number two, earth number three, and you were the boss here. Then Iâd like to ask you, whatâs your rank now?â
Lu Wuji had been cast into hell from heaven all of a sudden, and then been continuously scoffed at by Jiang Chen. The humiliation within his heart exploded all of a sudden.
âJiang Chen you village buffoon, you animal! What are you so proud of? This matter isnât over!â
Zhou Kai hectored, âLu Wuji, you have no respect for the law and abused your power. No one will save you this time, even if you have the greatest backer.â
Lu Wuji started laughing loudly. âVice Director Zhou, donât frighten me. There are still two possibilities to how this case will be decided.â
âTwo possibilities? Youâre too naive! The witness for this case is being protected by the general directorâs men. Add to that the eyewitness from the scene, and the outcome of this case is a quite clear.â
âSo what? At worst, this counts as mishandling a case. What can you do to me? Mishandling a case is at most, considered as a dereliction of duty. This kind of crime can be severe or light. A light punishment would be to demote me, a severe punishment would be to fire me.â
Zhou Kai was at a loss for words. If it was any other general who had done these things and committed this overwhelming disaster, they would possibly even lose their life.
However, Lu Wuji had absolute contempt for the law and consequences because he had a backer.
With the mighty being of Vice Director Yang there, it was very possible that he would only be charged with a dereliction of duty crime in the end and get off lightly.
This kid would surely make it back to the position of vice general after a short while.
After all, Vice Director Yang held certain powers of appointment and removal. This power was something that even the first directory, Zhou Kai, didnât possess.
Jiang Chen was rather supremely uninterested in how the Dragonteeth Guard would handle Lu Wuji.
Rather, he was more interested in how much he could gain from this matter.
To put it candidly, Lu Wuji was a a pawn. There would be another to replace him if this sort of minor character died. Their numbers wouldnât decrease by one if one was killed, and wouldnât increase if he remained.
Jiang Chen had hundreds of ways to kill minor characters like these.
Upon seeing Zhou Kai remain silent, Jiang Chen was a smart man and knew that although Zhou Kaiâs position was high, he likely couldnât make the decision either.
He spread out his hands, âElder Zhou, I donât want to inquire into the personal affairs of your Dragonteeth Guard. However, I wonât pretend that nothing has happened after this matter.â
Zhou Kai smiled ruefully. This young man didnât flaunt his light, but that didnât mean he didnât have any. He hadnât given him, Zhou Kai, a hard time because he had good breeding and self restraint.
However, this matter didnât mean it would be resolved just like this.
âTian Shao, the safety of little brother Jiang Chen in the capital will be temporarily handled by you. Remember, our Dragonteeth Guard was at fault first in this matter. You must serve little brother Jiang Chen well.â
âYour subordinate understands.â Tian Shao accepted his orders.
Zhou Kai had no other choice. He couldnât promise Jiang Chen anything. After all, it was up to the general director how this matter was handled.
What he could do was to humble himself as much as possible and give Jiang Chen a better impression.
Lu Wuji was a dumbfounded to see Jiang Chen leave like this, He hadnât left behind a single harsh word nor lodged a fierce protest to angrily demand that he, Lu Wuji, be punished.
He almost didnât believe his eyes. Jiang Chen was leaving like this?
So it turns out that this kid is a just a weakling who talks a big talk? He knows that he canât afford to enrage me, Lu Wuji, and doesnât even have the courage to pursue things further? Haha! A village buffoon whoâs never seen the world is just a buffoon who wonât amount to much after all!
Although Lu Wuji was kneeling on the ground, there was no longer any pressure in his heart. Since Jiang Chen wasnât pursuing this matter, this meant that the Dragonteeth Guard had even less of a reason to pursue it!