At that moment, Gong Chao was in a complicated mood.
Like Cao Neng, when he had arrived, he had been in high spirits, eager to watch a grand spectacle.
Who could have guessed that all it took was Huang Kai's voice coming from Xu Yi's hall for Cao Neng to wish he could retreat three thousand miles?
Now Cao Neng was leaving. He had told Gong Chao not to act rashly, but simply to keep a firm hold on Xu Yi's mistakes and make a case file of them. He had also made it clear that some things did not need to be done personally.
Cao Neng's concern seemed considerate, but Gong Chao felt a chill in his heart.
He regretted that it had taken him longer than Cao Neng to see the truth.
By now, he understood why Cao Neng had decided to retreat.
A single Huang Kai was indeed a tremendous deterrent.
Cao Neng couldn't stand up to him. In truth, neither could Gong Chao. But Cao Neng had withdrawn and left him out front, with nowhere to retreat.
He admitted that Cao Neng had thoughtfully considered his position, telling him he needn't charge into battle and could leave things to certain others. But he had already come all this way. If Xu Yi really fell, could he honestly count on Huang Kai not to come after him?
Unfortunately, a higher-ranking official could crush a subordinate with a single finger. With things as they were, he could only tread carefully.
For now, Gong Chao had no choice but to lead Qi Huan and Long Yu back toward the Dongshan Prefecture office.
The three were about to land in the square when they saw that the entire place had been shattered. The cracks spread out like ripples across water.