Handled

The flashing lights of fire trucks filled the area around Jing Lake.

Although Jing Lake was more than ten kilometers from the city center, the people who owned the nearby estates were either rich or powerful. The fire department still arrived at the scene in less than half an hour.

By now, the fire had mostly been put out.

Just then, Chang Hong arrived, his face dark with anger.

Besides Ba Si, director of the Public Security Department, the only other person there to greet him was Yan Zheng, a council member who had been vacationing nearby.

"The Jin Family! The Jin Family! It's always the Jin Family! A bunch of good-for-nothings who can't get anything done and only make things worse!"

Chang Hong stared at the Jin Family Manor, now reduced to ruins, anger in his eyes. "They clearly didn't have the strength to stand up to a top martial master. Instead of fleeing Guangzhou, they thought hiring a security company would let them stay and fight that thug. Do they have no brains!?"

What truly angered him wasn't that Li ChunJun had gone on a killing spree. It was that the Jin Family hadn't died somewhere outside Guangzhou.

If the Jin Family had been wiped out beyond the city limits, he wouldn't have bothered saying a word.

But they had died in Guangzhou, which made it the local authorities' responsibility!

This time, the Guangzhou City council was bound to be in for a storm.

To keep the auditors sent down from above quiet, he had no idea how much he'd have to give up.

The only good news was that it had happened outside Guangzhou City, and Profound Moon Security wasn't a Guangzhou company. On top of that, all the bodies had been burned in the fire...

He could keep the death toll down.

He'd just report eight.

Nine would look too deliberate.

Any more, and it would hit double digits. That wouldn't look good.

Eight casualties. Just right.

"Also, over at the Garrison Department... Huang Shang is dead too... This is outrageous!"

Anger flashed in Chang Hong's eyes.

He'd originally planned to have Jin Zhiya step in while he sat back and watched the two sides fight.

But Jin Zhiya hadn't shown up, and the situation had kept escalating until it could no longer be ignored.

"Send out a notice. Tomorrow... No, tomorrow's a holiday. Then the day after tomorrow. Hold a meeting that morning to discuss how to apprehend this thug without alerting the Military Department."

Chang Hong summoned his assistant and gave the order.

"Yes, sir."

His assistant quickly made a note of it.

But his personal guard, Wang Yan, stepped forward. "Profound Moon Security made a name for itself in Xuan Province. They're no weaklings. This time, to ensure Jin Guanghua and the others' safety, Minister Lu Jing led the team in person. They also had four or five Unity martial masters and twenty Internal Strengthening martial artists with them. That's an extremely powerful lineup."

He lowered his voice. "That thug managed to crush Xuan Moon Security and kill Jin Guanghua's group. Whatever methods he used, that alone proves how powerful he is. With only the local authorities' standard forces, it'll be very difficult to deal with this killer."

Chang Hong furrowed his brow.

"If you don't want the Military Department involved, perhaps you could seek help from the Garrison Residence," Wang Yan suggested.

"No!"

Chang Hong rejected the idea without hesitation.

The Garrison Residence was an estate established in every city with a population of a million or more, personally overseen by cultivators from the Red Sun Sword Sect.

They only handled the Spirit Root tests held once every three years, dealt with infiltration by other sects, and mediated conflicts involving cultivators.

Their status was exalted, placing them above even the local authorities.

"I don't mean the big shots at the Garrison Residence. I mean... their disciples."

Wang Yan said, "Their disciples might not mind helping apprehend the killer and earning a little extra on the side."

"Still no!"

Chang Hong waved a hand. "If their disciples were skilled enough, they'd have been sent to study at the Red Sun Sword Sect. How capable can the ones left at the Garrison Residence be? If anything goes wrong while they're trying to apprehend that thug, won't the responsibility fall on us?"

As he spoke, he turned his gaze toward Yan Zheng, who was walking over. "Besides... quite a few council members' personal guards are Unity martial masters."

Although even Sun Yongxing, at the peak of Internal Strengthening, had been given the title of one of the top ten martial artists in the civilian world, that was because martial artists who reached Unity were hardly ever found outside powerful circles.

Once someone achieved Internal-External Unity, powerful figures would immediately vie to hire them.

In many cases, the moment an Internal Strengthening martial artist showed potential for Internal-External Unity, some powerful figure would offer support.

After they broke through, they would naturally serve at that powerful figure's side.

Sun Yongxing had been much the same.

Unfortunately, he joined the Jin Family and grew complacent. Before he could reach Internal-External Unity, he had already died by Li ChunJun's sword.

"Speaker, that thug is far too brazen. We absolutely cannot let him keep killing at will!"

After approaching, Yan Zheng spoke with righteous indignation.

"We'll hold a meeting the day after tomorrow to discuss how to handle this," Chang Hong said.

"We?"

Yan Zheng paused, then said, "The Jin Family is about to be wiped out. Is that heavenly beauty really not planning to come and take a look?"

"Who knows?" Chang Hong replied without committing himself.

"All these years, we've helped the Jin Family handle no end of matters, big and small, all for her sake. But this Li ChunJun... Even top martial masters can't deal with him. He's vicious to the extreme. Is she expecting us to take care of this too?"

There was a hint of discontent in Yan Zheng's voice.

"So you're saying we shouldn't deal with it?"

Chang Hong looked at him, his words carrying an implication.

"Of course not, it's just..."

"Then we'll vote on it at the meeting the day after tomorrow: should we ask the Military Department to step in?"

Chang Hong cut him off. "So many people have died. Whatever happens, we have to do something."

"The Military Department..."

Yan Zheng, like everyone else on the local council, wanted nothing to do with the Military Department.

The Immortal Sect's stewards wouldn't give them the time of day.

"Surely there's no need to alert the Military Department?"

Yan Zheng said.

"Then at the meeting the day after tomorrow, you can think about how to apprehend this Century Thug—or how to answer for it when the auditors arrive."

As Chang Hong spoke, he gave Yan Zheng a meaningful look. "If I'm not mistaken, your people have been buying up a lot of assets under Jin Corporation at rock-bottom prices lately."

"It's just normal business," Yan Zheng said with a smile. "Isn't it the same with your proposal to appoint Director Luo as head of the Garrison Department, Speaker?"

"I'll have to prepare for the meeting the day after tomorrow, then. Speaker, if you'll excuse me."

Chang Hong watched him leave and gave a cold snort.

Wang Yan looked surprised. "That Mr. Yan..."

"He's just making a few little moves. But until word comes from Jin Zhiya, he'll keep paying lip service and doing the opposite."

Chang Hong spoke calmly.

Seeing that the Speaker knew perfectly well what the council members were like, yet was still going ahead with the meeting, Wang Yan couldn't help asking, "Then what's the point of your meeting...?"

"Holding a meeting is one thing. Whether we can pass a resolution is another."

Chang Hong spoke unhurriedly. "When no one is pushing a major issue forward, it's perfectly normal for discussions to drag on for two or three months... Two or three months... By then, the Immortal Sect should have reached a decision too."

Wang Yan understood the crux of the matter at once.

Someone had to push!

The key was whether anyone was pushing this from behind the scenes!

If someone did, then given what Li ChunJun had done, this would become a case that shook the heavens. Not just the Garrison Department, the Public Security Department, or the martial world—the Military Department and the Garrison Residence would all step in personally!

It could even reach the highest levels.

But if nobody pushed...

Li ChunJun had clearly taken revenge on the Jin Family, yet this Century Thug was so powerful that he had already exceeded what many Speakers and council members could handle.

As long as it didn't affect them personally, they weren't willing to invite trouble.

Or rather...

They didn't dare provoke Li ChunJun, this thug.

His revenge against the Sword Tasting Hall, Liu Zhengcun, Mo Lei, and the others had made it abundantly clear that this thug had gone completely berserk. He had no regard whatsoever for rules or the law.

Wang Yan could understand.

Who wouldn't feel a chill at the thought of facing a top martial master with no parents, no ties, no fear, and no bottom line?

They didn't mind chanting slogans and declaring their stance. But when it came to actually taking action...

Who would go?

There was nothing to gain from killing Li ChunJun.

But if they failed to kill him, they had to be ready to pay the price!

And the price could very well be their lives!

The gains and the risks were worlds apart.

At that moment, he finally understood what his Speaker really had in mind.

As long as the fire didn't reach them, they only needed to put on a show for the outside world.

Just like this meeting. They had to hold it, and put on a show of how closely Yan Zheng and the others were following the matter.

But without anyone truly pushing things forward, the meeting was bound to come to nothing.

Risk their lives to fight a desperado?

Why?

Because the Jin Family had powerful connections?

Unless Jin Zhiya really became a formal disciple, or Li ChunJun went completely mad and made every high-ranking official in Guangzhou feel personally threatened, this matter...

Would simply be left unresolved.

Rules!?

The greatest rule in this world was violence!

Once violence reached a certain level, even the rules had to make way!