Demonstration?
Or rather... riot?
Everyone in the hall exchanged glances, their expressions changing, and then some seemed rather pleased with the chaos.
Lin Changle wiped a bead of sweat:
"A hundred thousand standing troops, and at least 20,000 have entered the city, staging large-scale demonstrations."
"All the cityâs transport hubs are in paralysis, and the demonstration seems to be evolving into a real riot!"
"Twelve aerospace ships have entered the city, hovering over the Governance Building."
"The eastern part of the city is already experiencing a massive power outage."
"The Governor requests that you see him immediately."
One urgent message after another spilled from her lips as Zhang Fusheng leaned comfortably in his chair, listening quietly.
Just as expected.
Chen Qiusheng was said to be the second commander of the Chongyang Military Department, but in reality, the true person in powerâthe first commander Zhang Erheâhad long since been sidelined.
If he gets arrested, he wonât leave quietly and will undoubtedly take the opportunity to launch a massive military uprising.
In general, this riot would end with a calming resolution, where Chen Qiusheng would be invited out to manage the situation and stabilize the chaos.
After that, as someone who was âwronged,â âsuffered grievances,â yet still prioritized the bigger picture and resolved a massive crisis, Chen Qiusheng would naturally be compensated.
It seems Chen Qiusheng is eyeing the seat of the Golden Legislator.
Who knows, if he ends this incident smoothly, he might just increase his chances of becoming a Golden Legislator by several folds.
Everything.
Seems to be progressing just as the Masterâs prediction.
Zhang Fusheng chuckled lightly.
"Director."
Lin Changle asked cautiously:
"Now... how should we handle this?"
Zhang Fusheng was reviewing the files of the Investigation Bureau personnel arriving in Chongyang City in three days to scrutinize him.
From Second Master.
He spoke calmly:
"No need to manage it, let them stir things up."
"Let the Governance Building become a chaotic pot of porridge, let it stir until Golden City calls to question it..."
Zhang Fusheng stood up, stretched his body, and yawned lazily:
"Go secretly meet Zhang Erhe, Old Mr. Zhang, and have him come see me."
Lin Changle nodded in a daze:
"Here to see you? And the Governor?"
"Have him meet me at Hu Zhongli, Elder Huâs place, as for the Governor?"
Zhang Fusheng walked briskly out of the hall:
"Ignore him."
Lin Changle swallowed, confused about what this gentleman... really intended to do?
What exactly was he planning?
She didnât understand; she only knew...
Change was upon them.
......
"Arresting Chen Qiusheng, military revolt, Director General... Zhang Fusheng??"
The old lady looked at report after report, visibly shaken, and handed the report to the drunken middle-aged man:
"How did this Zhang Fusheng become the Director General?"
"If I remember correctly, the Director General of the Public Security Headquarters... should require a Grandmaster, right?"
The middle-aged man still leaned on the windowsill, quietly listening to the noises from the city inside and out.
Some of the drunkenness on his face dissipated, and after pondering for a moment, he asked:
"Did you report to the Investigation Bureau?"
"Yes."
Granny Jin nodded gently:
"Through the Envoy who serves in the Headquarters, we have submitted Zhang Fushengâs information file."
"Someone who escaped from Jiangzhou City, yet altered their identity files..."
Listening to the old ladyâs words, the middle-aged man nodded thoughtfully:
"So, the Investigation Bureauâs inspector is coming to Chongyang City?"
"Correct."
Granny Jinâs face showed a grave and apprehensive look.
Inspector.
In the Investigation Bureau, these out-going inspectors may not have high cultivation, but they often have terrifyingly expansive temporary powers,
even able to report directly to Headquarters and mobilize Headquartersâ resources!
The three major power structures of the Golden Province: the Governor, Legislators, and Investigation Bureau.
This Investigation Bureau stands above the âMilitary Department,â and is an even larger true violent entity than the Military Department!
The Upper Envoy took a sip of his drink, exhaling:
"Strange, really strange."
"What exactly does Zhang Fusheng want? Has he already become a Grandmaster?"
"Impossible!" the old woman exclaimed without thinking, then turned her gaze to the silent Chen Nuanyu:
"Miss Chen, are you sure the last time you saw Zhang Fusheng, he was still just a Martial Artist?"
Chen Nuanyu pondered for a moment and nodded:
"Yes, a Martial Artist."
Granny Jin understood and looked at the Upper Envoy again:
"In just a month, this lad could at most enter the realm of a Martial Arts Master, a Grandmaster? Completely impossible."
"I suspect his ascent to the Directorship is likely related to those old friends of Hong Tianbao?"
The Upper Envoy rubbed his chin, nodded lightly:
"Perhaps, but thatâs not importantâthe news also says Jin Qiuyue was captured by him?"
"Yes." The old woman nodded.
"Tsk tsk."
The Upper Envoy shook his head:
"Thatâs quite interesting; our choice seems to be only Zhang Fusheng now... so do we have to protect him during this incident?"
Granny Jin froze, her pupils slightly contracting:
"It seems... indeed so?"
After a pause, she covered her forehead:
"Not just us; Envoy Mingyueâs faction and those who previously supported Jin Qiuyue, like Celestial Spring Envoyâs faction, probably all need to help protect this guy."
The Upper Envoyâs gaze deepened:
"Interesting, what exactly does he want to do?"
"Forget it, Miss Chen, you should go and approach this old acquaintance of yours."
Chen Nuanyu nodded gently.
The distant sound of the demonstration could be heard.
......
First District.
A specialized villa near the Governance Building.
Zhang Fusheng stood outside the villa, looked up at the twelve aerospace ships hovering over the Governance Building.
The main cannons of the aerospace ships were slightly glowing, indicating the weapons system was unlockedâone shot from the main cannon could flatten a range of hills.
Theoretically, even a Grandmaster standing in the line of fire from an aerospace shipâs main cannon would not be well off.
"Let them riot."
"The more tumultuous, the better."
Zhang Fusheng knocked on the villa door, then pushed it open and entered.
"Sir, please come with me."
Servants respectfully guided the young Director General upstairs.
In the reception hall, only a handful of people sat.
Hu Zhongli, Zhou Muniu, Elder Yu, and a middle-aged man frowning deeply.
Hearing footsteps, everyone turned their gaze to the young man, surprise showing on both Elder Yu and the middle-aged womanâs faces.
Elder Yu blinked:
"You are... young Zhang?"
She certainly remembered the young man who once saved her life, though she clearly did not know Zhang Fusheng was now the Director General.
Nor did she know that the cityâs riots were closely connected to this young individual.
The other middle-aged man also sized up Zhang Fusheng, suddenly slapping his forehead:
"Zhang Fusheng, is it?"
He nodded slightly and looked at Hu Zhongli:
"Old Hu, is this who youâve been waiting for? This youngster causing unrest across the city?"
Unlike Elder Yu, the middle-aged man seemed to know some specific details.
"Elder Yu, and...Legislator Li?"
Zhang Fusheng greeted with a smile and then slowly took a seat.
The middle-aged man was none other than the Golden Legislator of Chongyang City, Li Guoquan.
Li Guoquan glanced at him, then turned his gaze back to Hu Zhongli, somewhat bluntly:
"Old Hu, why have you called us here? What exactly is going on?"
After a pause, he said in a deep voice:
"There are a whole bunch of messes waiting for me to address, and if todayâs matter goes wrong, even I might lose my position!"
"Calm down, calm down,"
Hu Zhongli said leisurely.
Li Guoquan could no longer hold his temper:
"Old Hu, have you really gone senile? At a time like this, you want me to calm down?"
He stormed with anger:
"Iâm leaving; I need to go suppress this riot..."
The middle-aged man made a motion to leave.
However, just as he stood up and took two steps,
a great force descended.
He was forcefully pressed back onto the sofa.
Li Guoquanâs expression changed drastically, staring at Hu Zhongli in shock:
"You... have broken through to the Innate Realm?"
Elder Yu slightly raised an eyebrow, while Zhang Fusheng continued to smile.
Hu Zhongli nodded calmly:
"I just broke through."
Li Guoquanâs eyelid twitched:
"Old..."
"Elder Hu, did you consume a life-extending celestial medicine?"
"No."
Hu Zhongli stated calmly:
"Itâs only that the Celestial Venerateâs envoy granted me an extension of thirty years, adding fifteen years of contemplation training of the past, thatâs all."
Celestial Venerateâs envoy?
Elder Yu and Li Guoquan froze for a moment, who is this?
Celestial Venerate...
The first thing that came to mind for both was some Evil God.
Hu Zhongli gently tapped the table:
"Celestial Venerate, as one who sits atop the heavenly heights, is the Great Compassionate, the Great Majestic, the Great Ancient."
"The Celestial Venerateâs envoy, you two have already seen â he is the true self of the one who questioned the heavens that day."
"He is also called a True Man."
Elder Yuâs pupils contracted, and Li Guoquan straightened up suddenly, his breathing becoming rapid:
"High Heaven... Association?"
Recently, the name of High Heaven has been widely spread,
especially within Chongyang City, after rumors emerged of someone trading with High Heaven. Others might not know,
but as the Golden Legislator of Chongyang, Li Guoquan naturally knew that all those rumors were true!
Some lost disease, some shed the past cultivation, some inexplicably gained longevityâwithout having taken any life-extending medicine!
Ordinary citizens may not pay much attention.
But for those truly in power, the weight of the words High Heaven grows ever heavier.
The Governorâs Mansion even called to inquire.
Hu Zhongli picked up his teacup and gently sipped:
"Yes, High Heaven, the High Heaven Association."
His expression remained calm:
"I am a member of the High Heaven Associationânot only me, but this young friend Zhang is as well."
Li Guoquan suddenly turned his gaze to the smiling young man.
He licked his dry lips:
"Iâve received word that a senior examiner from the Investigation Bureau is coming, one to scrutinize this... Little Friend Zhang."
"The other reason is to investigate whether the High Heaven Association exists, whether those trades... are true!"
He exhaled,
Li Guoquan looked intently at Hu Zhongli, probing:
"Elder Hu, does your candidness mean...?"
"Yes."
Hu Zhongli nodded, speaking calmly:
"The esteemed envoy permits you two to join the High Heaven Association."
The elder woman looked around, and Li Guoquan breathed heavily:
"Where... is he?"
Hu Zhongli smilingly shook his head:
"Not yet arrived."
Li Guoquan again quickly turned to him:
"I heard that in the High Heaven Association, what is practiced is... [Heaven-Interchangeable Tao]?"
"Elder Hu, you gained longevity and what they call the past of contemplation."
"Then what did you lose?"
Elder Yu also turned his gaze to Hu Zhongli.
The latter lifted his eyelids, looking at the silent three-eyed boy, and replied quietly:
"I sold my position as Golden Legislator."
???
Elder Yu and Li Guoquan simultaneously turned their gaze to Zhou Muniu.
The latter opened his eyes at this moment.
Suddenly, beyond description high.
He was here.
And yet seemed above infinity.
Beyond thought, beyond imagination, beyond the limit of what the mind could touch!
The quietly listening Director Zhang, at some point, lowered his eyelids.
The three-eyed boy sighed lightly and snapped his fingers.
"Awaken."
The contract quivered.
A certain altered, obscured, and dust-swept sealed history.
The restrictions lifted for Li Guoquan and Elder Yu.
It was the time after Hu Zhongli had sold his power, the era that was changed.
The majestic sound resonated.
Li Guoquan and the elder woman, at some point, were already prostrated on the ground, worshiping the three-eyed boy, or rather...
Worshipping the colossal shadow reflected above him.
It was the elder who called himself the True Man.
Li Guoquanâs forehead flowed with sweat, the conflicting memories collided in his mind, the divergent histories unfolded in his cognition,
he raised his head, prying into the colossal shadow, prying into the envoy from above the High Heaven, like a soulful insight.
"High Heaven above... Celestial Venerate above!"
The Golden Legislator thus spoke.
The colossal shadow suddenly sighed in compassion and vanished; the Director Zhang, quietly sitting on the sofa, raised his eyelids, looked sideways out the window, calmly sensing the faraway.
Itâs the waiting area.
Outside the waiting area, the Plague Ghost was caught by a delicate hand.
It was a woman like one walking out of a painting, a point of vermillion between her brows.
Miss Mingyue.
"Searched all over, finding nowhere..."
Zhang Fusheng softly murmured.