There's a Second Round! No One Goes Home Sober!

Director Wang suddenly remembered this man's background. He was Director Cao Bao, the foremost confidant under Marshal Zhao Gongming, the True Lord of the Mysterious Altar, and the man in charge of urban construction finances!

It could be said that the lifeline of the Infrastructure Office was entirely in this lord's hands!

Wasn't this big shot usually reclusive? Why had he suddenly come here?

Before he could think further, Cao Bao had already reached the podium.

Director Wang's back instantly bent, his face piling up with smiles as he hurried forward. He extended both hands from afar.

"Chief Cao, what an honor to have you here! This lowly official is the deputy director of the Infrastructure Office. I had no idea an immortal such as yourself would come to offer guidance..."

Yet Cao Bao did not even glance at him. His pace did not slow in the slightest as he walked straight past him and headed directly for Su Yuan.

With a flick of his finger, a gentle golden light sank into Su Yuan's brow, and the seal binding his immortal essence instantly dissipated.

"Ah, Little Su, Little Su."

Cao Bao's tone was familiar, even carrying a hint of teasing.

"Lord Zhao only remembered after he went back and sobered up a little. Everyone had gotten carried away during the banquet, so he placed restrictions on all of you to prevent you from using immortal essence to sober up. But you left early, and he forgot to remove yours. He was afraid you'd pass out on some cloudbank and delay important business, so he specifically sent me to find you."

As he spoke, he casually helped Su Yuan straighten his slightly rumpled collar.

For someone Zhao Gongming personally concerned himself with, Cao Bao would not have minded even putting on his boots himself.

Besides, Little Su had always been sensible.

Sure enough, the moment the seal was removed, Su Yuan sobered up instantly!

He gave a violent shudder, flipped over, and sprang from his chair.

Secretly circulating his cultivation method, he forcibly drove his blood to his face. His old face immediately flushed crimson, making him look utterly ashamed and mortified beyond measure.

He hurried over in small steps to Cao Bao's side and repeatedly cupped his hands in salute.

"What a disgrace! What a disgrace! Director, I... I truly..."

He stammered incoherently, looking incomparably embarrassed.

"Please forgive the spectacle. This junior's cultivation is shallow and my immortal body frail. After just a few cups of poor wine, I simply could not hold my liquor. I have made a fool of myself..."

Cao Bao was indeed pleased by his display.

He patted Su Yuan on the shoulder and smiled.

"No matter, no matter. True Man Zhao was even worse off than you just now. He's still lying in his residence groaning."

With that, Cao Bao said no more. Without sparing anyone present a glance, he leisurely mounted an auspicious cloud and drifted away.

The moment Cao Bao left, most of the embarrassment vanished from Su Yuan's face.

His mind raced as he immediately recalled Director Wang's aggressive, trap-filled questioning while he had been drunk. Cold sweat broke out across his back.

That damned skinflint Wang! Every word out of his mouth was a trap!

He turned and said blandly to Director Wang, who was still frozen in place.

"Director Wang, regarding my suspension pending investigation and the matter of transferring me to the Thunder Bureau... how about I report to the Thunder Bureau Inspection Group with you right now?"

Director Wang gritted his teeth, but unable to gauge Su Yuan's relationship with Cao Bao, he did not dare berate him loudly again.

He could only lower his voice through clenched teeth.

"Su Yuan! Don't get cocky too soon! It's a fact that you, as project manager, have been absent from your post for a long time! I still have ways to deal with you! The Thunder Bureau has people on my side too! Do you know where the former Director Zhang of the Infrastructure Office went? He's still locked up in a Thunder Bureau detention room!"

After delivering that threat, he finally felt that he had salvaged a little dignity and prepared to leave this miserable place as quickly as possible.

Bang!

The meeting room doors were violently shoved open once again!

Director Wang had a bellyful of pent-up fury with nowhere to vent it. He whirled around and cursed in exasperation.

"Who is it?! Do you take the meeting room for your own Southern Heavenly Gate? Coming and going whenever you please?!"

When he saw the newcomer's attire, his curses came to an abrupt halt.

The newcomer wore a purple immortal robe with thunder insignias embroidered upon the cuffs and sleeves—he was from the Thunder Bureau's Punishment Division!

And judging by the style of his immortal robe and the details of its patterns, his rank was definitely not low!

The people below, who had just begun to relax, now barely dared breathe. One by one, they sat properly in their seats without even daring to raise their heads.

When someone from the Punishment Division appeared without warning, there was usually only one purpose—to arrest someone!

And directly seizing a target at a meeting like this was their specialty. It not only prevented the target from escaping, but also effectively intimidated everyone else.

The purple-robed immortal official wore a cold expression, his gaze sharp as lightning. He swept his eyes across the room before walking step by step directly toward the podium.

Director Wang's heart immediately began pounding like a drum!

Is he here for Su Yuan? Or... for me? Did they find out about the materials I sold off back then? Or about that female records clerk...

In those brief twenty seconds, he mentally reviewed every gift he had received and every banquet he had attended since ascending to immortality. Cold sweat instantly soaked the immortal robes on his back.

The purple-robed official did not stop walking, but then... turned toward Su Yuan!

Director Wang immediately relaxed, nearly collapsing. Then an ecstatic joy at surviving the disaster surged through his heart.

He glared viciously at Su Yuan and muttered.

"Su Yuan, your retribution has come!"

Yet when the purple-robed official reached Su Yuan, he did not move to restrain him.

Instead, he flipped his wrist, and a communication talisman appeared in his palm.

He held it out to Su Yuan. A faint smile was forced onto his blade-like face, though it only made him look more frightening.

"Lord Su, you should be more careful when drinking next time. How did you even lose your communication talisman at the banquet?"

Without waiting for Su Yuan to answer, he cupped his hands toward the sky and continued.

"The lord above ordered me to deliver this to you and pass along a message: In two weeks, bring another two... ah, Benefit the Group cigarettes, and pay him a visit."

Su Yuan was first taken aback, then immediately accepted the talisman with both hands, answering repeatedly.

"Thank you, Immortal! Thank you, Immortal! Certainly! I will certainly bring them!"

Seeing this, the purple-robed official said nothing further. His body instantly transformed into a dazzling streak of purple lightning.

With a soft crackle, he vanished from where he stood.

Below the stage, an experienced old immortal official could not help crying out.

"The Violet Firmament Evasion Method! The unique divine art used by high-ranking immortal officials of the Thunder Bureau's Punishment Division when traveling! There is no second like it!"

"I told you Su Yuan's connections were anything but simple!"

"Cao Bao personally came to sober him up, and someone from the Thunder Bureau ran errands to deliver a message for him... Tsk, tsk!"

"Otherwise, how could he become the manager of a major project like the Southern Heavenly Gate in only three thousand years? Do you really think that can be accomplished just by camping out at construction sites every day?"

Director Wang clenched his back teeth and forced out a single sentence.

"Meeting adjourned!"

However, though he left, not a single person in the room moved.

Every gaze was fixed on Su Yuan.

Facing all his colleagues below, Su Yuan gave a broad wave of his hand.

"Brothers! We've worked on projects all over the world, and it's rare for us to gather so completely. Don't let this little interruption ruin everyone's mood!"

He called out to Liu Yaoqing.

"Little Liu! Stop standing there! Go tell the project cafeteria to prepare a feast at once! Bring out all the best stuff! I'm treating today—we won't go home until we're drunk!"

"Oh—!"

Thunderous cheers and applause instantly erupted from below.

Su Yuan smiled and pressed his hand down, and the room quieted once more.

A knowing smile curled at the corner of Su Yuan's lips.

"The usual rules! After the cafeteria banquet—there's a second round! Singing and dancing immortal maidens! I've arranged it all! Whoever doesn't end up sprawled on the floor today is disrespecting me, Su Yuan!"

"Boom—!!!"

Everyone grew excited, tossing the fear and awkwardness from before beyond the nine heavens.

Standing amid the cheers, Su Yuan suddenly threw back his head and laughed, his laughter utterly free and hearty.