Wastes Never Meet a Good End

Wastes Never Meet a Good End

After changing into a Flying Fish Robe of the Brigade Leader rank, Bai Yan arrived at the Scripture Pavilion and went all the way up to the fifth floor.

With his current level of cultivation, the only things he needed to guard against were unorthodox methods such as poisoning and ambushes.

Thus, upon reaching the fifth floor, Bai Yan headed straight for the area where detoxifying pills were kept.

After searching the shelves for a long while, he finally found something that suited him.

The Hundred-Avoidance Pill, a fifth-grade detoxifying elixir.

"One bottle contains three pills, giving me three chances to detoxify myself. That's enough."

Bai Yan took the Hundred-Avoidance Pills to the Pavilion Guard Elder to register them.

He set down the approval slip and completed the entire registration process himself.

As soon as Bai Yan walked out of the Scripture Pavilion, he saw Ren Hong and Li Kaiyao hurrying over. Their faces were piled high with irrepressible joy as they clasped their fists and bowed to him:

"Greetings, Brigade Leader Bai!"

By now, everyone in the Pacification Bureau knew that the two of them were Bai Yan's trusted aides. Having followed Bai Yan in his work, they had long since become tied to him in shared glory and shared ruin.

"Congratulations on your promotion, sir!"

The two of them respectfully saluted Bai Yan again.

"Rise." Bai Yan nodded. "Have you already chosen your martial arts manuals?"

"Yes! We must also thank you for your promotion of us!"

Ren Hong and Li Kaiyao exchanged a smile and hurriedly replied.

Although they had not made great contributions this time when capturing the Flower Thief, they had still benefited from Bai Yan's success. Not only had each of them received fifty taels of silver as a reward, they had also been specially permitted to choose a third-grade martial arts manual. For Squad Leaders like them, this was an extremely generous reward.

"Sir, someone from the Night Manor has come to deliver a message."

Ren Hong restrained his smile and cupped his fists. "Ye Youcai said that he's hosting a banquet at Cloud Come Restaurant tonight and specifically invited you to attend."

Bai Yan gave a slight nod. "All right, I understand."

Bai Yan naturally wouldn't pass up a free meal.

Cloud Come Restaurant was one of the finest restaurants in Yongtang City. Its head chef was said to be a retired imperial chef from the palace.

Its best signature dishes were supplied in limited quantities every month. Even having money did not guarantee that one could eat them.

"Well, well, you're still on duty and already thinking about attending a banquet? Brigade Leader Bai has just been promoted and is already abandoning his post. I'm afraid that isn't quite in accordance with the rules, is it?"

A mocking, sarcastic voice suddenly rang out, interrupting Bai Yan and Ren Hong's conversation.

Bai Yan turned to look and saw a middle-aged man wearing a Brigade Leader's Flying Fish Robe walking toward them, with two Brigade Leaders following behind him.

That Brigade Leader held his head high, arrogance written across his face. His eyes held undisguised hostility as he looked at Bai Yan.

"Sir, he's Brigade Leader Zhao Gaozhong."

Ren Hong leaned close to Bai Yan's ear and reminded him in a lowered voice, obvious apprehension in his tone:

"It's rumored that he's Thousand Leader Wang Zheng's trusted aide. He's always tyrannized the Pacification Bureau and is very difficult to provoke."

Bai Yan had naturally heard of Thousand Leader Wang Zheng.

He was the eldest grandson of Wang Qingquan, the Grand Secretary of the current dynasty, and came from an illustrious family.

Relying on his family background, he had taken the position of Thousand Leader despite being only at the innate realm.

According to the rules of the Imperial Guard, one needed at least Grandmaster-level strength to serve as a Thousand Leader.

Even if the position was inherited from one's father, if the heir's cultivation had not reached the Grandmaster realm when a Thousand Leader died, he could only inherit the position of Brigade Leader.

Wang Zheng had been granted an exception solely because he was the Grand Secretary's grandson.

"Is there something you need?"

Bai Yan looked at Zhao Gaozhong, his face expressionless.

Seeing Bai Yan's cold attitude and complete lack of awe, Zhao Gaozhong's expression immediately darkened:

"I merely wanted to remind Brigade Leader Bai of one thing. It's still official hours, and as a member of the Imperial Guard, you'd better observe the rules."

"Don't think that just because you've barely climbed into the position of Brigade Leader, you can run wild in the Pacification Bureau. In terms of seniority and background, you're still far behind!"

"You came all the way here just to spout this nonsense?"

Bai Yan furrowed his brows, impatience filling his voice:

"If you're done, move aside. Don't block the road. You're an eyesore."

"And I'm a Brigade Leader now too, which puts us on the same level. If you want to lecture me, take a piss and look at your reflection first. See whether you even have the qualifications."

Regardless of his relationship with Wang Zheng, Bai Yan had no intention of indulging him. Others might fear Wang Zheng, but Bai Yan did not.

If Zhao Gaozhong wanted to cause him trouble, then they could settle it with hard strength.

"You...!"

Choked by Bai Yan's words, Zhao Gaozhong's face instantly flushed red.

"Bai Yan, you really are audacious beyond the heavens! You truly don't know how high the sky is or how deep the earth!"

He forcibly suppressed his anger and adopted the posture of an elder reprimanding a junior:

"I see that you're young and your official career has only just begun, so I intended to offer you a few words of guidance. What kind of attitude is this?"

Bai Yan let out a derisive laugh, the disdain in his eyes utterly undisguised:

"What attitude? Am I familiar with you? Do I need your guidance?"

"Besides, what are you supposed to be? You're a scallion stuck in a pig's nose, pretending to be an elephant in front of me."

Still trying to be sarcastic with me, you useless bastard. When it comes to cursing people, Bai Yan has never feared anyone!

"Come back and guide me when you become a Thousand Leader."

"A dog catching a mouse and meddling in other people's business. You're nothing but a lousy lackey, yet you really think you're some important figure?"

"Shameless, brazen, and utterly disgraceful."

Listening to Bai Yan's barrage of abuse, Ren Hong and Li Kaiyao could not hold back their laughter.

The onlookers also burst out laughing.

No one had expected that Bai Yan would not only be strong, but also possess such a sharp tongue. When it came to cursing people, he was truly vicious.

Anyone could tell that Zhao Gaozhong had come looking for trouble.

He had even claimed that, seeing Bai Yan was young, he had intended to offer him guidance. Now that Bai Yan had exposed him in front of everyone, he had thoroughly humiliated himself.

Zhao Gaozhong was so enraged by Bai Yan's retorts that he gnashed his teeth, his chest heaving violently.

The lackey behind him could not endure it any longer. He pointed at Bai Yan and angrily cursed:

"Bai Yan, you've only been in the Imperial Guard for a month. You merely got lucky and captured a Flower Thief, then used that to muddle your way into becoming a Brigade Leader. How dare you act presumptuously before Brigade Leader Zhao? What virtue or ability do you have to stand on equal terms with Brigade Leader Zhao?"

Bai Yan did not even raise his eyelids. He merely swept the lackey with a cold glance:

"At least I'm a Brigade Leader. You're merely a Brigade Leader's subordinate. How dare you yap and bark so wildly in front of me?"

He took half a step forward, and the aura around him suddenly surged:

"Could it be that you want to commit the crime of a subordinate offending his superior?"

Before his voice had even faded, a biting killing intent erupted from Bai Yan's body, and the murderous intent in his eyes began to boil.

Under that glare, the Brigade Leader felt as if he had fallen into an icy pit. His body shuddered, and he instinctively pulled back his pointing finger, lowering his head along with it. He did not dare say another word.

Zhao Gaozhong's face turned pitch-black, his expression so gloomy it seemed water might drip from it. He clenched his fists tightly and growled harshly:

"Bai Yan, I advise you to keep a lower profile!"

"Young people shouldn't be so hot-blooded. If you act too arrogantly, you'll meet no good end sooner or later!"

Bai Yan replied disdainfully:

"If I'm not hot-blooded, what kind of young person would I be?"

Bai Yan spoke the second half very softly. Only Zhao Gaozhong, who stood directly opposite him, could hear it.

"Only wastes meet a bad end—and you're just like that."

Those words were like oil poured onto a fire, instantly igniting the fury in Zhao Gaozhong's heart.

He felt a rush of blood shoot straight up his throat. His vision went black in waves, and he was so furious that he could not utter a single word.

At that moment, his face was flushed bright red, the veins on his forehead bulging. He stood there trembling from head to toe, looking exactly like a monkey whose backside had been set on fire.