Chapter 149 03-25 - 118: What Fault is the Common Folk's, No Shame in the Heart_2

Chapter 149: Chapter 118: What Fault is the Common Folk’s, No Shame in the Heart_2

His saber technique was of course far inferior to Hao Yi’s, but with the advantage of anticipating the enemy’s moves and Hao Yi deliberately suppressing his speed and strength, he was able to exchange blows with Hao Yi.

Furthermore, relying on the impressive defensive power of the “Overlord Body,” Li Fei could also predict Hao Yi’s attacks to mount defensive counterattacks, each strike hitting its mark.

As they fought, Li Fei suddenly sensed a large group of people appearing in the corridor outside, heading towards the practice room.

At the same time, Hao Yi also stopped attacking.

Li Fei then removed his eye mask, took the cotton out of his ears, and looked towards the practice room door.

By now, he could clearly hear a series of footsteps outside.

...

Soon, the people outside stopped at the door of the practice room, and then a knocking sound was heard.

“Mr. Hao, sorry to disturb you, Chief Gu has come to visit you.”

The voice of the new Hall Master of Martial Arts Hall came from outside.

After the former Hall Master, Li Shengjiang, was arrested, Gu Zhenhui quickly arranged for a new Hall Master; now it was finally the Chief’s faction’s turn to have a say in Martial Arts Hall.

“Gu Zhenhui is here?”

Li Fei, surprised by the voice, turned to look at Hao Yi.

With a calm expression, Hao Yi said, “Go open the door.”

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So Li Fei walked to the door and opened it.

Standing outside was a group of people, led by none other than Gu Zhenhui.

“Chief Gu.”

Li Fei saluted Gu Zhenhui.

“Haha, Xiao Fei, we meet again.”

Gu Zhenhui greeted Li Fei with a hearty laugh.

Then he stepped into the practice room and turned to the people outside, saying:

“You all can disperse.”

The people outside quickly scattered.

“Chief Gu, I should also…”

Li Fei was about to say he would also step aside to let Gu Zhenhui and Hao Yi talk privately, but Gu Zhenhui waved his hand:

“Xiao Fei, stay. No need to leave.”

“Yes.”

Li Fei nodded and then closed the door.

Gu Zhenhui then looked at Hao Yi and said sincerely:

“Mr. Hao, sorry to disturb, I hope you’ll forgive my intrusion.”

“Chief Gu need not be so formal, you can speak frankly.”

Even in the presence of a chief, Hao Yi remained incredibly calm, speaking very directly.

Such was the confidence of a Tao Foundation Stage powerhouse.

Gu Zhenhui didn’t mind this; he said solemnly:

“Recently, bandits on horseback have been harassing towns around Xing City. I’ve already sent out over thirty undercover agents from the Inspection Bureau to track the bandits, but not one has come back alive! I suspect there’s a skilled master behind these bandits with significant schemes!”

Hao Yi looked at Gu Zhenhui expressionlessly:

“So, Chief Gu wants me to leave the city to find this band of bandits’ trail?”

It was the only possibility; otherwise, why would the chief condescend to personally come to Martial Arts Hall to seek an audience with a special instructor?

Gu Zhenhui nodded:

“If we cannot find the trace of the bandits, I will have to send the City Guard Army out of the city to station forces in each town, but that would give the enemy a chance to pick us off one by one. Thus, I sincerely request Mr. Hao to take action and find the trace of these bandits for the sake of the people of Xing City!”

At this point, he actually bent down and bowed to Hao Yi!

“I know Mr. Hao dislikes power struggles and doesn’t want to get involved in the dispute between me and the Tiger Saber Gang, but each time the bandits raid a town, they take away a dozen lives and plunder the wealth of the common people. How pitiful are those people?”

Gu Zhenhui, maintaining his bowing posture, said somewhat excitedly:

“Mr. Hao, even if you have every reason to disdain both me and the Tiger Saber Gang, what have the innocent suffered? I beg you to help me eradicate this group of bandits!”

Standing by, Li Fei looked at this chief of Xing City who was humbling himself to ask for help and actually felt… somewhat disgusted.

“You can’t protect the people of Xing City because you’ve failed in your duties as chief, and now you come here to cry about the innocent suffering, isn’t that just deflecting responsibility? And isn’t it moral coercion?”

Li Fei really wanted to shout these words at Gu Zhenhui.

Unfortunately, given the situation, he could only remain silent.

Hao Yi watched Gu Zhenhui and, unswayed by the latter’s posture or words, coldly said:

“If you really felt the innocent shouldn’t suffer, you shouldn’t have let the City Guard Army fight the Tiger Saber Gang in a fierce battle inside the city.”

Gu Zhenhui’s face stiffened.

He had repeatedly shown goodwill to Li Fei before, all to win over Hao Yi through him, but he hadn’t expected Hao Yi to be so unsympathetic.

Fortunately, he was prepared for this.

He slowly stood up, looking at Hao Yi,

“Mr. Hao, you’ve misunderstood me. If I hadn’t done so, how else could I have eradicated the Tiger Saber Gang, a cancer deeply rooted within the body of Xing City? This cancer has been sucking the blood and flesh of Xing City every day. Without acute pain, how could it be removed?”

Hao Yi replied, “If the Tiger Saber Gang is a cancer, what about those under your command? Are they not also sucking the blood and flesh of Xing City? Otherwise, why would their heads be cut off and displayed at the Market Entrance?”

Upon hearing this, Gu Zhenhui did not get angry but instead bitterly smiled and shook his head,

“Forgive my bluntness, Mr. Hao, you know martial arts but you don’t understand how to be an official or governance. On the surface, I am the Chief, the leader of this city, seeming like everyone should listen to me, but in fact, the entire government of Xing City has already been corroded by the Tiger Saber Gang. If I want to get things done, I must have the support from those below me. What can I rely on to gain their support? The authority of the Chief? Or their inherent sense of justice?”

“Neither, Mr. Hao. If I want to get things done, I must first lure them with benefits, be it money or official positions, to borrow their strength. Only by relying on them to bring down the Tiger Saber Gang can I then turn back and clean up the bureaucratic mess of Xing City, returning it to its honest state!”

“Do you think I do not know that many officials under me are corrupt? But to achieve great things, these minor details must sometimes be overlooked. If not, what else can be done? Am I to let the Tiger Saber Gang completely control the government of Xing City with their methods?”

Gu Zhenhui looked at Hao Yi with the utmost sincerity,

“Mr. Hao, the words I speak today are truly from the bottom of my heart! I know you might not believe me, but I ask you to wait and see how I handle the Tiger Saber Gang. If I still cannot restore purity to Xing City, then let the Green-faced Ghost chop off my head!”

Hearing this, Hao Yi’s gaze finally fluctuated.

Beside him, Li Fei repeatedly wanted to speak but ultimately remained silent, waiting for Hao Yi to decide.

Hao Yi looked at Gu Zhenhui and said word by word,

“To achieve great things, minor details can be overlooked? The ‘minor details’ you’ve let go of involve lives and genuine human lives; they are not minor, so I do not accept your reasoning.”

Gu Zhenhui’s expression froze.

However, before he could speak, Hao Yi continued,

“But I will take action.”

“Hmm?”

Gu Zhenhui looked at Hao Yi, surprised, and then bowed again, saying solemnly,

“Thank you, Mr. Hao!”

A gentleman can be deceived by being straightforward.

This principle was very clear to the Tiger Saber Gang’s Zhang Mingze, so when he had previously forced to death a student of Hao Yi, he wasn’t worried about retaliation.

Gu Zhenhui was also very clear about this, so today he took the initiative to find Hao Yi and sincerely asked him to take action.

Although Hao Yi’s final attitude was not as Gu Zhenhui expected, as long as Hao Yi was willing to take action, that was enough.

“You may leave.”

Hao Yi said bluntly to Gu Zhenhui.

“Alright, I won’t disturb you further.”

Gu Zhenhui didn’t mind Hao Yi’s rudeness and turned to leave the training room.

After Gu Zhenhui left, Li Fei finally spoke,

“Teacher, about this…”

“If it were you, would you take action?”

Hao Yi turned to look at Li Fei, asking with interest.

Li Fei thought for a moment, looked into Hao Yi’s eyes, and slowly said,

“When the official from the Inspection Bureau, Chief Cheng, came to see me previously, you told me: ‘Don’t ask, do what you think is right.'”

“Now I also want to say to you, Teacher, don’t ask me—please do what you think is right!”

Hao Yi was taken aback, then burst into laughter,

“Ha ha, hahaha!”

The last time he laughed so heartily in front of Li Fei was when he heard Li Fei say ‘Seize every moment.’

He agreed to act, not for Gu Zhenhui, nor for the multitude he spoke of, but for his own sense of justice.

He didn’t care how others saw it, as long as his conscience was clear!

Still, Li Fei’s words were somewhat comforting to Hao Yi at this moment.

At least this student understood him.

“This matter is very suspicious, and it’s very likely that the Tiger Saber Gang is scheming behind the scenes. I just hope you take care and look out for yourself, Teacher!”

Li Fei said with concern.

“Rest assured.”

Hao Yi rarely showed such a spirited appearance in front of Li Fei,

“In this territory of Xing City, I walk freely, and no one can detain me!”

…

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