Can We Talk Properly Now?

"What happened!?"

Chu Sheng opened his eyes. At some point, Lu Huaimin had lit another cigarette, showing no intention of getting out to take a look.

A few people got out of the cars behind them instead, preparing to drive away the woman blocking the road.

"Not sure, but it looks like she has some grievance she wants addressed..."

"A grievance? Blocking the road to file a complaint? You're not handling it?"

"How could we? We're the Jingwu Bureau, not Wind Chasing Hall. She came to the wrong people."

The Jingwu Bureau only handled cases involving Martial Artists above the Qi Sea Realm. Ordinary people, as well as Body Tempering Realm and Meridian Opening Realm Martial Artists, were not under their jurisdiction.

Seeing the woman's hoarse, heart-rending appearance, and the helpless, even frightened expression on the girl beside her—

"Do you think they haven't already gone to Wind Chasing Hall?"

Lu Huaimin shook his head. "Doesn't look like it. But there's nothing we can do. The state has its laws. We can't interfere with this case. Otherwise, one report from someone else, and not only the inspectors handling the case—even I might be punished."

By then, the mother and daughter had already been driven to the roadside.

The woman still desperately lunged forward. As she struggled, her clothes rolled up to her lower abdomen, but she seemed utterly unaware of it.

The girl beside her, not even ten years old,

Could only stare blankly at the slowly lowering car window.

She saw the young man seated in the back.

The young man's eyes were as sharp as blades. The instant their gazes met, the girl felt a stabbing pain in her eyes.

For that very reason, she turned her head away and failed to see the young man's sigh.

"It shouldn't have been like this..."

"What? Young Master Chu wants to help them? Isn't that using a butcher's knife to kill a chicken?"

"To us, they may be chickens. But how do you know that, to them, they aren't oxen? Perhaps they're even elephants..."

This farce drew the attention of passersby.

They pointed at the mother and daughter, whispering among themselves.

Some said they were blindly seeking help in desperation and had gone to the wrong people. The Jingwu Bureau would never concern itself with ordinary people's cases.

Some said they were clever, deliberately trying to make a big fuss and get on the trending searches.

Others said the woman was their neighbor. Her son had committed suicide at school a month ago, supposedly because the pressure had been too much...

Hearing this, everyone was greatly surprised. They had not heard a single thing about it.

Amid the murmurs,

Lu Huaimin honked the horn.

"That's enough. If you have a grievance, go file a report. Go report it at the Jingwu Bureau!"

Then the cars slowly drove away.

The woman stopped struggling, her eyes filled with despair.

It was not as though she had never gone to the Jingwu Bureau. But the guard at the entrance had not even let her through the door.

After everyone from the Jingwu Bureau drove away,

A young girl helped the woman to her feet.

"Auntie, let's go home. I told you long ago that the Jingwu Bureau wouldn't care about common folk like us..."

Yesterday, after hearing that the entire Jingwu Bureau had mobilized and even the bureau chief had left the city,

The woman had come to wait on this road they had to pass through.

The young girl had tried to persuade her more than once, but the woman had always held onto a sliver of hope.

Now, even that final sliver of hope was on the verge of shattering.

"One last time. I'll try one last time. He just told me to go report it at the Jingwu Bureau. I've seen his photograph. He's the director of the Jingwu Bureau."

The young girl shook her head. "Auntie, he only said that because he wanted to leave this place as quickly as possible without giving anyone something to talk about..."

"When we get there, it'll definitely be just like before. We won't even be able to get inside."

"Just let me try one last time..." The woman's face was full of pleading.

She did not know whether she was begging the young girl, or the heavens.

"Then I'll go with you. If it still doesn't work, let's give up..."

Over half an hour later,

The three of them arrived at the Jingwu Bureau.

Looking at the guard at the entrance, the woman opened her mouth, only to freeze where she stood.

She was afraid of hearing words like "You're not allowed inside" from the guard.

She was even more afraid that her last shred of hope would be utterly destroyed.

Just as she gathered her courage and was about to speak,

The guard spoke before her. "Are you the ones who stopped our director's car and wanted to file a report?"

Seeing the three standing there in a daze, the guard asked again.

After receiving an affirmative answer, the guard continued, "Go on in."

The three of them instantly widened their eyes.

As they walked into the Jingwu Bureau's main hall, the person who had driven them away that morning was waiting there.

"Come with me. I'll take you to see Young Master Chu."

"Young Master Chu?"

The young girl suddenly froze, her face filled with terror.

"No, we won't see him. We're not filing a report anymore."

Then she grabbed the woman and the little girl, wanting to leave.

The woman did not understand. "Xiaoqiong, what's wrong?"

"Auntie, let's talk after we get home. I'm begging you, let's hurry back."

This left the man completely bewildered.

What was this? They were making Young Master Chu sound like some flood dragon or savage beast.

He stepped forward and grabbed the young girl.

"Too late. Since you've entered our Jingwu Bureau, whether you file a report or not isn't up to you anymore."

"Come on. Young Master Chu has been waiting for you for a long time..."

At those words, the young girl was scared half to death.

Her tears were practically about to spill.

"Tell Chu Yunfei that we won't ever file a report again. Isn't that enough?"

The man scratched his head.

"What the hell is this Chu Yunfei? Never heard of him. The Young Master Chu I'm taking you to see is Chu Sheng."

The three were then brought to a room.

Inside, there was only one young man sitting there.

The young man seemed somewhat listless, as though he had not rested well the previous night.

Yet his eyes were exceptionally sharp, like knife tips tempered in ice. As they swept across the three of them, they carried a cold, scrutinizing gaze.

"Young Master Chu, I've brought them."

The man then shut the door directly.

Seeing the three standing there in a daze, Chu Sheng lightly tapped the table, signaling for them to sit.

Once the three were seated,

Chu Sheng finally spoke.

"Tell me. What case do you want to report?"

The woman and the young girl exchanged a glance. They had not expected the person handling this case to be such a young man.

"Stop looking. If I can't handle this case, then in the entire Jingwu Bureau, not a single person will be able to help you."

"But before you speak, I need to remind you of something."

"The Jingwu Bureau only handles cases involving Martial Artists above the Qi Sea Realm. That is the rule. No one can break it, including me."

"So you'd better think carefully before you speak."

Hearing this, the two looked at each other again.

How could they not know that rule? But where was there a Martial Artist at the Qi Sea Realm involved in this case?

Seeing that Chu Sheng was merely a young man about her age, and that his tone was not particularly imposing,

The young girl's courage swelled considerably.

She puffed out her chest and said,

"You make it sound so lofty. If you truly wanted to help us, why would you care so much about rules or no rules?"

"I think you simply never intended to help—"

Before she could finish speaking, Chu Sheng sent her flying with a slap, smashing her heavily into the wall.

A dull bang rang out,

Prompting the person guarding outside to burst through the door at once.

When he saw the young girl curled up on the floor, coughing up blood,

He expressionlessly shut the door again.

Heh, you scared the hell out of me. I thought an assassin had come...

The young girl struggled to her feet, fear written across her face.

Chu Sheng slowly spoke, his voice calm. "Can we talk properly now?"