Offending the Powerful

After the envoy from the Imperial City departed, Commander Feng patted Su Fei's shoulder and said with emotion.

"Good lad, you've soared to the heavens. From Hundred Households Officer to Vice Thousand Households Commander, and the Vice Thousand Households Commander of the Southern Commandery Investigation Department at that. Many people spend their entire lives without such an opportunity."

"It's just a shame you won't be able to take over my post."

Su Fei looked at the Imperial Decree in his hand.

The Southern Commandery Investigation Department of the Imperial City was the core of the Great Xuan's Imperial Guard.

The cases handled there were countless more than those at the Qingzhou Thousand Households Office.

Once he arrived there, his system would truly have a place to shine.

"Su Fei, you can go with peace of mind."

Commander Feng waved his hand.

"Be careful with everything once you reach the Imperial City."

"Handling cases in the Imperial City is different from Qingzhou. It's not a kind place. Although Commander Lei is a man of iron will, he might not be able to protect you in every situation. In a place like the Imperial City, if you encounter troublesome cases, you must always be vigilant and know when to compromise."

Su Fei understood Commander Feng's well-intentioned advice; it was a warning to not offend the powerful too much when solving cases.

It wasn't that he wanted to offend people, but if the mission required it, then he would offend the powerful.

The one-month deadline was still a ways off.

For the next few days, to celebrate Su Fei's promotion and to bid him farewell.

They went to a brothel to listen to music, with the only difference being that the influential Commander Feng was brought along.

White Lotus Sect Headquarters.

In a hidden valley deep within a range of continuous mountains.

Inside the main hall, the four walls were carved with layers of lotus patterns. Under the candlelight, the lotuses seemed to come alive.

At the head of the hall, a figure sat high on the throne, wearing a lotus mask that concealed their entire face.

A cultist dressed in gray robes knelt on the ground.

"Reporting to the Sect Master, the Qingzhou stronghold has been completely lost."

"Explain clearly."

The Sect Master's voice came through the mask, carrying a strange resonance that revealed neither joy nor anger, yet it lowered the temperature in the hall by three degrees.

The cultist swallowed and spoke with difficulty.

"The White Lotus Envoy is dead, the true disciple has been captured, the Lijia Village stronghold has been completely wiped out, over thirty brothers were executed at the Qingzhou execution ground, and even that group of officials led by Li Dingfan were beheaded. The foundation in Qingzhou... is all gone."

"Useless."

A furious roar suddenly erupted, and the table in front of the Sect Master instantly turned to dust.

A powerful aura erupted from him, and the candlelight in the hall was suddenly extinguished. Only the lotus carvings on the walls emitted a faint green light, resisting this might.

"Useless, all of you are useless! Just a small Qingzhou, you lost my envoy, crippled my disciple, and couldn't even hold a single stronghold."

The Sect Master's voice was filled with suppressed rage. The floor tiles beneath the Lotus Platform cracked under the force of this aura.

The cultist, terrified, kowtowed repeatedly.

"Sect Master, please calm your anger! Sect Master, please calm down!"

The Sect Master's anger subsided slightly.

"Who did this?"

"It was a Hundred Households Officer from the Qingzhou Imperial Guard named Su Fei."

The cultist quickly replied, their voice changing due to fear.

"I heard this person is young but already a Grandmaster Realm martial artist. Envoy Qin was killed by him, and he also captured the true disciple. He even received merit for this and was promoted to Vice Thousand Households Commander of the Southern Commandery Investigation Department. He will be heading to the Imperial City soon."

The hall fell into dead silence.

After a long while, the Sect Master suddenly let out a light laugh.

"Su Fei, Imperial Guard Southern Commandery Investigation Department. You think you can step on the White Lotus Sect to rise? It won't be that easy."

"The road from Qingzhou to the Imperial City is long, and it won't be a smooth one."

"Shadow."

A dark figure emerged silently from behind the hall and knelt on one knee.

"Your subordinate is here."

"Take fifty thousand taels of silver, and send this portrait of Su Fei to the Shadow Kill Tower. Tell them that fifty thousand taels is too much for killing a Grandmaster Realm expert, and make them do a good job for me."

"I want this person to die on the road to the Imperial City, and I want him to die miserably. Have them send more people."

"Your subordinate obeys!"

The dark shadow received the order and silently retreated.

Seeing this, the cultist who had delivered the message tentatively asked, "Sect Master, should we send more of our sect's experts to assist?"

"No need."

The Sect Master interrupted him.

"The assassins from the Shadow Kill Tower should have no problem killing a Grandmaster from a barren land like Qingzhou. Our sect's experts are all needed for crucial matters and cannot be wasted on such trivialities."

"Yes, the Sect Master is wise."

Silence returned to the great hall. The Sect Master sat on the main seat, his gaze from behind the mask fixed on the darkness outside the hall.

"Su Fei, a mere Hundred Households Officer of the Imperial Guard, you dare to lay hands on my White Lotus Sect's people. You should be prepared to die."

For the past few days, Su Fei had been either listening to music at brothels or selling things.

His land and gold were all converted into easily transportable silver notes.

The courtyard, where his father's memorial tablet was enshrined, could not be sold, so the courtyard remained.

That morning, Su Fei bid farewell to everyone at the Qingzhou Thousand Households Office.

He declined the well wishes of Wang Meng and other strongmen.

Even if they escorted him for a few stops, he would still have to walk the rest of the way himself.

Mounting the thousand-mile steed gifted by Commander Feng, dressed in a blue long gown, a long saber at his waist, he set off as if a noble young master were out for a stroll.

Upon reaching the outskirts of Qingzhou City, Su Fei glanced back at the Qingzhou city gate behind him.

Ding! Task triggered: Arrive at the Southern Commandery Investigation Department.

Task requirement: The host must avoid dangers along the way and successfully reach the Southern Commandery Investigation Department of the Great Xuan Imperial City.

Task reward: Iron Cloth Shirt, one hundred and twenty years of cultivation.

Hmm, this task requirement is interesting. It asks me to avoid dangers and successfully reach the Southern Commandery Investigation Department to complete the mission.

It also says I will encounter danger along the way.

Which faction will it be?

But do I need to avoid danger? If I encounter danger, I can just slash it away with one strike.

Having figured this out, Su Fei began to gallop his horse.

More than half a day passed, and he encountered no bandits or mountain thieves along the road.

As evening approached, his horse grew hungry.

He passed a fork in the road and saw a tea stall by the roadside.

A brand-new yellow flag was planted, bearing the words "Chen Family Tea Stall."

There was a cooking stall, seven or eight tables, a horse trough for feeding horses, and the stall owners were an elderly couple, the man cooking and the old woman chopping vegetables.

Su Fei dismounted and called out to the owner.

"Boss, please take good care of my mount and feed it some good soybeans. Money is not an issue."

As he spoke, he took out a small piece of silver from his waist and handed it over.

The old man took the silver, weighed it, and a smile spread across his face: "Guest, rest assured, I'll make sure your horse is fed to its fill."

He turned and shouted towards the back of the stove.

"Old woman, clean a table for this guest."

Su Fei glanced around the tea stall; only two tables were occupied.

One table had several rough-looking men, their clothes open, swords and sabers at their waists, playing a drinking game around a wine jar. Their voices were loud, and the smell of alcohol wafted from a distance.

At the other table sat a handsome young man in a white robe, holding a folding fan, with a young servant in green standing beside him.