The County Office.
After presenting his token, Chen Lin was granted the audience with Xu Qingyuan he had sought.
"Haha, so my savior has graced us with his presence! Forgive me for not coming out to welcome you!"
Xu Qingyuan was exceedingly courteous, which eased Chen Lin's taut nerves considerably. He had feared the man might have some ulterior motive and attack him the moment they met.
To guard against any surprises, he had asked Grass and He Chengfeng to leave the County Town and hide. If he failed to send a signal within two hours, they were to find a way to rescue him immediately.
"You jest, Magistrate. How could I dare call myself your savior? Without your guidance, I wouldn't have escaped those bandits' Domain Land either."
Chen Lin cupped his hands and replied modestly.
Xu Qingyuan waved a hand. "Please, benefactor, there's no need for modesty. At first, I thought you were a reckless greenhorn, killing those bandits three times within their own Domain Land. Only now do I realize you had the pearl of wisdom firmly in your grasp all along, with a means to destroy them completely. A mere Domain Land was nothing in your eyes. I must have made a fool of myself."
Without waiting for Chen Lin to respond, he continued.
"Have you come because you've decided to join the County Office? The Immortal Lord has issued an imperial edict ordering government offices at every level across the country to act together and encircle eighteen particularly notorious rebel bandits. Traces of rebel bandits have appeared in our area as well, so we're in need of capable people. If you're willing to join, I can first request an official position for you. As long as you earn merit during the campaign, your rewards will