When Xiao Cha arrived, her workplace had become a giant torch billowing with thick smoke.
There's no point in trying to save it; it's better to wait for it to die out on its own than to waste manpower and resources.
To be honest, Xiao Cha really didn't intend to make such a big deal out of it; she thought blowing up a conference room would be enough.
However, buildings from that era used a lot of wood, making them very difficult to extinguish once they caught fire.
Surrounded by colleagues with long faces, the girl looked around nervously before her eyes met Chen Zhizhong's.
The Chief Constable's expression was complex, his eyes showing regret, reproach, and surprise.
However, Xiao Cha suddenly looked at the other person's right thigh and saw a piece of steel deeply embedded there.
"That's not right, Uncle Chen ran away a long time ago... He did it on purpose!"
The girl immediately realized that Uncle Chen was present at the time, and it would be difficult to speak to him if she were unharmed, so she deliberately harmed herself.
As the top leader, the workplace where he had worked for decades burned down, and he even took matters into his own hands. It's just too tragic.
Xiao Cha clenched her fists and looked towards Uncle Chen's office.
"The purple clay teapot and inkstone on his table were his favorites, and I rushed in and snatched them away!"
The young woman was about to rush into the fire when, at that moment, the building's load-bearing structure melted under the high temperature, and the entire building slowly deformed and collapsed.
Amidst the rumbling noise, Mars flew everywhere, and the crowd gasped and retreated.
Xiao Cha scratched her head and glanced at Uncle Chen somewhat embarrassedly.
Chen Zhizhong didn't look at her, but instead called out to the crowd, "Alright, there's no point in standing here, everyone disperse, disperse."
That made sense, and the crowd gradually dispersed in twos and threes.
Xiao Cha then stepped forward, her face full of apology, and said, "Uncle Chen, I'm sorry."
Chen Zhizhong waved his hand dismissively, saying, "It's just an old building that burned down; perfect, we can take a couple of days off."
He spoke lightly, but the melancholy on his face was undeniable; after all, it was a place he had lived in for 40 years.
Xiao Cha felt increasingly ashamed, her head almost pounding into her chest.
"Xiao Cha, there's no need to feel ashamed. You killed Li Guanqi, which was definitely a great deed!"
Chen Zhizhong said solemnly, "The people of the Jiu Shan Sect have done so many despicable things over the years, it's not just about kidnapping pregnant women! They deserve to die!"
The middle-aged man, who had been a police officer for 40 years, became heavy-hearted as he thought about the various tragic events of the past.
He suppressed his unusual behavior and continued:
"Your father, and I, are both proud of you! The souls of those wronged spirits in heaven are comforted! Compared to all that, what does burning down a dilapidated building matter? Winning the battle is the most important thing!"
Xiao Cha nodded vigorously and said, "Uncle Chen... thank you. Oh, and thank you so much for telling me the information."
"No need to thank me. But the National Martial Arts Association taken responsibility for this."
Chen Zhizhong said, "The nun from before was named Xia Weiyin, and she's the new director of the National Martial Arts Association. She just showed up at the crime scene with the former president, muddying the waters."
Xiao Cha was somewhat surprised. "That lady... has been helping me the whole time."
"She's helping [the Four Spirits]," Chen Zhizhong analyzed.
"Her and the old chairman's goal was very clear: to protect you as you grew up. And they did it without expecting anything in return, nor did they intend to find you."
Xiao Cha asked in confusion, "Why are they being so kind?"
"Because they are members of the [Killing for Benevolence Society]." Chen Zhizhong looked around and explained in a low voice:
"Their motto is 'sacrifice oneself for righteousness,' which, to put it bluntly, means risking one's life to fight the People of Izumo. The [Four Spirits] are the embodiment of the collective subconscious of the people of the Divine Continent, and they certainly won't let the foreign invaders go unpunished. So you're on their side!"
Xiao Cha nodded, finally understanding. However, this was the first time she had ever heard of the [Killing for Benevolence Society].
"But then again..." Chen Zhizhong added:
"Outsiders are ultimately unreliable; you must remain hidden until you become truly powerful. In this world, nothing is useful—nothing is benevolence, righteousness, wealth, or power. Only your own cultivation is truly dependable!"
Xiao Cha said solemnly, "I understand, Uncle Chen."
"Alright, then you should go back and rest early."
Chen Zhizhong laughed and said, "This girl has been hiding her true strength quite well; even I couldn't tell your cultivation level."
"?"
Xiao Cha walked back, somewhat bewildered, the more she thought about it, the more something seemed off. "Uncle Chen thought... I was one of the [Four Spirits]?"
She was utterly bewildered. "I haven't even sensed anything in my [Sea of Consciousness]! What kind of Four Spirits am I, anyway!"
~~~~~~~~~~
After returning home, Xiao Cha told Lu Li what had happened.
"The Killing for Benevolence Society... The Four Spirits..."
Lu Li nodded and said, "Lord Chen is right. We can't expose ourselves before we've grown stronger. He's helped a lot, and we should thank him properly."
Xiao Cha laughed and said, "He probably thought I was one of the Four Spirits. I'm just a mere Strongman, what merit do I have?"
"Regarding this..." Lu Li looked at Wan Qing and said, "I think Wan Qing's cultivation speed is so fast, she must be the Vermilion Bird."
Xiao Cha, recalling the fire, hesitated. "Do I really have two people with me...?"
Wan Qing didn't expect the topic to shift to her, and quickly waved her hand:
"[The Four Spirits] are all chosen ones of heaven, geniuses of unparalleled talent. I only managed to sense my Sea of Consciousness with Young Master Lu's help, and I even went blind. It can't be him. I think Young Master Lu is the Azure Dragon."
Now it was Lu Li to smile and shake his head, "I'm just a person from another land..."
Hey~ why worry about so much!
Xiao Cha said cheerfully, "What do you mean by 'Four Spirits' Four Spirits? Let's just do our own thing! Isn't everything fine now?"
"That's well said!" Lu Li agreed wholeheartedly. "Regardless of whether they are among the [Four Spirits], as long as we walk the right path and do the right thing, that's enough!"
Wan Qing smiled as she got up, took out the iron can containing the Spirit Tea, pinched out a piece, and put it into the teapot.
As soon as hot water was poured in, the refreshing aroma of tea instantly filled the entire room.
Wan Qing poured Xiao Cha a cup first. "It's rare for you to be so eloquent just now, here's a cup of Spirit Tea as a reward~"
Xiao Cha exclaimed in surprise, "One leaf can brew a whole pot?"
"Spirit Tea is naturally different from ordinary tea."
Everyone sipped the Spirit Tea with smiles, enjoying the wonderful feeling of their bodies and minds being nourished by the spiritual substance.
Xiao Cha exclaimed, "This thing... is much more powerful than those insect eggs!"
"Spiritual objects are also graded. This Spirit Tea nourishes things subtly and quietly; it's probably only the Governor who can enjoy it."
Wan Qing took a small sip and said, "Moreover, this tea can neutralize the medicinal effects of the Spirit Devouring Ant eggs you ate, so it has many benefits."
"Then I'll have to drink more!" Xiao Cha downed her drink in one gulp and poured herself another cup.
However, at this moment, she suddenly remembered Uncle Chen's thigh that had been pierced by a steel shard, and looked at Lu Li as if to say something.
Lu Li happened to look over as well... and the two said in unison:
"Take some of this Spirit Tea to Lord Chen /Uncle."
The two exchanged a smile, Lu Li said:
"They helped us, and we burned down their building, so we should at least express our gratitude. Let's send half of it over."