Xia Yan had his own reasons for approaching Antelope.
Ultimately, his foundation in the Anbu was still far too weak.
Precisely because it was so weak, he had chosen such drastic measures, even disbanding an entire division to establish his authority.
Naturally, he could not remain so heavy-handed afterward. That really would do him no good.
Actively winning over people worth recruiting was therefore a good choice. In particular, he had yet to touch the First Division, which naturally made it his only target.
Actually, Xia Yan could have started with the First Division back then. With only two choices, neither selection would have been surprising.
In the end, however, Xia Yan had set his sights on the Second Division. The persona he had built for himself had led him to that choice.
After all, he was an Anbu who had come from the First Division, and quite a few of his former colleagues were still there.
If Xia Yan had moved against his former unit, he would naturally have been labeled "ruthless."
That label had its advantages and disadvantages. If someone could turn on his old unit and former comrades, how would he regard everyone else?
It would have helped tremendously with establishing his authority, but it would also have dealt a major blow to his public image going forward.
His goal had never been merely to become Anbu Director. His sights had always been set much higher.
"Get up." Xia Yan looked at Antelope, then smiled and shook his head. "You were my Squad Leader once, after all. Seeing you like this really makes me uncomfortable."
"Yes, Lord Director." Antelope nodded lightly, then slowly stood. "But things are different now. You are the Anbu Director, and I am your subordinate."
"Yes, I really have been lucky." A smile