"Forget it. I just caused quite a stir in Starshine City, and now that I'm taking office in Lingxiao City, I should focus on stability as a newcomer."
Gu Jinlai dispelled the thoughts he shouldn't have had.
Although breaking the rules and doing as he pleased felt exhilarating, deep down, he was still a law-abiding citizen.
Judge a person by their deeds, not their thoughts; judge them by their thoughts, and no one is perfect.
As for Karma...
He would just treat it as a product of idealism.
It was fine to use it as a reference.
With that thought, Gu Jinlai clasped his hands. "For the next while, I'll have to trouble everyone to assist me. The three counties west of Lingxiao City will also need your careful attention. Don't let the local factions cause too much trouble."
"Of course, of course. We will naturally unite around Your Excellency the Guardian Envoy and contribute to the prosperity and stability of Lingxiao City and all its subordinate counties."
Wang Dongyu smiled and echoed him.
"That's good."
Gu Jinlai nodded with a smile. "Then let's consolidate the factions in the western part of the city and the three western counties, register them, and put them on record. That way, if friction arises between the local factions, we can step in and resolve it in time."
"At present, the order in Lingxiao City is already peaceful enough to be called an age of peace and prosperity compared with the other cities of Star Province. There hasn't been a single killing in the city over the past month, and the occasional disputes were settled quickly, so there's no need to mobilize a large force to register and investigate anything."
Wang Dongyu spoke.
"Register, not investigate."
Gu Jinlai waved his hand. "As one of Lingxiao City's Guardian Envoys, I should at least have a thorough understanding of the factional structure within my jurisdiction, shouldn't I?"
"Yes, yes, of course. Of course."
Wang Dongyu immediately said, "But such a minor matter can be left to our subordinates. Guardian Envoy Gu has come from afar, so you should rest for a while first."
"It's fine. I also brought a few people with me and intend to have them join the Meteor Guard."
Gu Jinlai said, "Did you bring the roster of the Meteor Guard's western city branch? Give it to me. I'll arrange their appointments first. Also, the expenditures and account books..."
At this point, he paused.
Every organization had corruption and embezzlement. That much was obvious without needing to guess.
The old expenditures and account books...
He would let bygones be bygones.
As he pondered this, he was about to speak again.
But at that moment, Wang Dongyu cupped his hands and said, "Guardian Envoy, there is something you may not know. To ensure that we can remain aware of every change in the cultivation world, our Meteor Guard rosters are usually divided into public and confidential versions. The public roster is easy enough, but the confidential roster requires the approval of Guardian Envoy Fang to access."
Then he added, "As for the expenditures and account books, they were lost when the previous Guardian Envoy left in such a hurry. Even if we wanted to hand them over, we couldn't."
Gu Jinlai was stunned.
It was one thing that they couldn't hand over the expenditures and account books.
But they didn't even have the roster?
Without the Meteor Guard roster, he didn't even know which people were his subordinates. Could he still be called a Guardian Envoy?
"Am I being too easygoing?"
Gu Jinlai was somewhat taken aback.
Wang Dongyu said with a smile, "We're doing this for Guardian Envoy's sake."
"You're making things difficult for me."
Gu Jinlai sighed.
He had been in the courtyard for so long, yet he didn't even have a place to sit.
Did no one have the sense to bring him a stool?
He was a Guardian Envoy, an official, after all.
Even if he was only a deputy.
"If Guardian Envoy Gu finds this difficult, you can simply leave all matters, large and small, to us. We guarantee that we'll handle everything properly for you, and you won't need to trouble yourself over trivial matters."
Wang Dongyu said.
The more Gu Jinlai looked at the bright-red-as-fire Karma surrounding Wang Dongyu, the kinder he found him.
"You truly are a subordinate who shows great consideration for his superior."
He marveled inwardly.
He wasn't some demon. He couldn't bring himself to kill someone for no reason.
He felt a pang of guilt.
Now, Wang Dongyu had even thought up the reason for him to make a move.
"Then let me ask again. You can't hand over the roster, account books, or expenditure records, correct?"
Gu Jinlai asked.
At that moment, a commotion came from outside.
Immediately afterward, two old men led a powerful force of more than twenty people, composed of Qi Refining and Gang Condensing cultivators, marching in with great strides.
Of the more than twenty people, the two leaders were even Core Forming cultivators. Their imposing auras seemed capable of filling the entire hall of the Meteor Guard.
When Wang Dongyu saw these people arrive, he let out a sigh of relief.
Even the few high-ranking Meteor Guard members at the Gang Condensing Realm gained a little more confidence.
"It's not that we don't want to hand them over. We truly can't. We hope Guardian Envoy Gu can understand our difficulties and give us a little more time."
Wang Dongyu said with a smile.
"So no one can hand them over?"
Gu Jinlai turned his gaze toward the other high-ranking Meteor Guard members.
Every one of them watched their noses and their hearts, remaining silent.
It was Zhao Fan, a Core Forming cultivator, who spoke instead. "Guardian Envoy, you've only just arrived in Lingxiao City. Without understanding the city, it really is difficult to hand them over in such a short time."
After all...
There were too many problems in the account books.
"That's right, Guardian Envoy. If you don't believe us, you can have the people around you investigate the situation carefully. The Meteor Guard has several hundred members, and we sometimes cooperate with local factions. It would be impossible to reorganize the accounts and expenditures without a year or two."
Another high-ranking Meteor Guard member at the Gang Condensing Realm chimed in.
"Oh."
Gu Jinlai glanced at the more than twenty newcomers and nodded understandingly. "You've found your backbone."
"All right, Guardian Envoy Gu. If there's nothing else, we'll take our leave first. We still have plenty of matters to attend to."
As Wang Dongyu spoke, he prepared to leave.
The moment he moved, several high-ranking Meteor Guard members, along with the mid- and low-ranking members, moved with him. The entire western city branch looked ready to empty out completely.
Gu Jinlai said nothing. He merely raised his hand and crooked a finger in Su Nanxing's direction.
Su Nanxing immediately turned back, circulated his true qi, and brought over a two-meter-long greatsword from the carriage.
In the battle at the Tianshu Pavilion several days ago, Gu Jinlai's battle armor had been damaged and had yet to be repaired, but his treasured sword remained intact.
Su Nanxing soon carried the thousand-jin battle sword over to Gu Jinlai.
Gu Jinlai lifted the battle sword with one hand and slammed it directly into the ground.
"Bang!"
A deep, muffled sound rang out.
Shards of stone flew up as the flagstones cracked.
"What does Guardian Envoy Gu mean by this? Could it be that you intend to use the same methods you used in the Purgatory Demon Sect on our Meteor Guard? The Meteor Guard has its own rules. Even if you're dissatisfied with me, at worst I'll wait for you to impeach me before Guardian Envoy Fang, or even file a complaint against me with the Starwarden Envoy. Trying to frighten people? It won't work!"
Wang Dongyu looked at Gu Jinlai and sneered.
They had only just arrived, and he already couldn't hold back?
As expected, people who had spent their lives among sects simply didn't understand the ways of officialdom.
As long as he made a mistake, dragging him down afterward would be easy.
"Since you can't even produce the roster or account books, I have every reason to suspect that Meteor Guard member Wang Dongyu is incompetent, has obeyed orders outwardly while opposing them inwardly, and has defied his superior's commands. He is to be detained for now. I'll notify the Inspection Department to come and investigate."
Gu Jinlai looked at the dozens of Qi Refining and Gang Condensing Meteor Guard members and Wang Family disciples present. The bright-red mass nearly made him unable to restrain the sword in his hand. He gave Su Nanxing a look. "Take them away."
"Yes, Master."
Su Nanxing said in a low voice.
"That's it?"
Wang Dongyu was somewhat disdainful. "Gu Jinlai, if you want to play tricks, at least make them more sophisticated."
As he spoke, he waved a hand at Su Nanxing, who had approached. "Forget it. I don't have that much time to waste with you..."
"Bang!"
Before he could finish speaking, Su Nanxing was sent flying backward.
"Ah! What powerful astral energy! I'm injured!"
Su Nanxing cried out.
While still in midair, he had already spat out a mouthful of blood and crashed through a wall with tremendous force.
"..."
Wang Dongyu's waving hand froze slightly.
"Impudent!"
Almost simultaneously, Gu Jinlai's aura surged. He shouted righteously and sternly, "Wang Dongyu, you have failed in your duties, embezzled public funds, violated the law, and disobeyed orders. In the face of an investigation, you even violently resisted and viciously attacked a fellow officer, seriously injuring him! The evidence is conclusive, and your crimes are unforgivable. Surrender at once and await punishment. Otherwise, you will be executed without mercy!"
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