NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 39: Insatiable Greed
"Yes."
On the way back to report, Shen Qing had already prepared his wording.
He pondered for a moment before speaking slowly, recounting the collusion between the Zhou Family in Changqiao Town and the demons.
During his narration, he conveniently placed the blame for the deaths of Guan Yunjian and others on the Wolf Demon, ensuring that the dead had no way to testify.
Shen Qing speculated in his mind that, as a dark agent of the Huang Tian Sect, Zheng Yuanqiu would likely be pleased if his subordinates were dead; in his eyes, the more chaos in Yongzhou, the better.
After all, officers were just ordinary martial artists from Jianghu, and to the Guardian Martial Department, the loss of a few officers was of little consequence.
Martial artists from Jianghu were plentiful outside.
As he had speculated, Zheng Yuanqiu showed no concern for the officers' deaths.
"Outrageous!" After Shen Qing finished his account, Zheng Yuanqiu slammed the table and stood up: "As a local village chief, to dare collude with demons and bring harm to one side, death is too lenient for him."
Seeing Zheng Yuanqiu's righteous demeanor, if one didn't know his identity in advance, they'd think he was a truly upright official.
But now, Shen Qing only felt that his acting was impressive.
He stepped forward and said, "My Lord, the village chief of Changqiao Town is rumored to be a branch of the Zhou Family, I wonder..."
Zheng Yuanqiu waved his hand and said, "The Zhou Family's enterprise is vast, with untold branches. The Changqiao Zhou Family left the main family many years ago. Our Great Zhou has its laws, and their collusion with demons is enough to conclude the case."
Shen Qing deliberately showed joy on his face and said, "With your words, my Lord, I am relieved."
Zheng Yuanqiu snorted coldly, "Don't be happy too early."
Hearing this, a trace of unnoticeable vigilance flashed in Shen Qing's eyebrows, quietly waiting for the next words.
"I said, according to reason... There are too many trivial matters in the government office, sometimes even the temperature of a bowl of tea can affect the progress of paperwork, let alone matters involving influential families like the Thirteen Lines."
Chief Officer Zheng Yuanqiu gently stroked the intricately carved Jade Pendant at his waist, his gaze meaningfully drifting over Shen Qing, "This matter can be big or small, depending entirely on whether the Zhou Family wants to escalate it or not. If the Zhou Family truly wants to pursue it, your life or death is uncertain."
Shen Qing vaguely guessed some of Zheng Yuanqiu's intentions and said with a solemn expression, "Then what does my lord think I should do?"
Zheng Yuanqiu was not very satisfied with Shen Qing's response, having spoken to this extent, and yet he still didn't understand.
"We have to prevent potential problems, and make arrangements with the Zhou Family in advance to establish good relations." He tapped the table, speaking with worldly wisdom and shrewdness, "Don't you know the rules of our government office?"
His gaze intentionally or unintentionally glanced over the money pouch at Shen Qing's waist, the meaning in his eyes could not be more obvious.
Shen Qing understood well, this was about money!
He had already heard from other colleagues that Zheng Yuanqiu was particularly fond of amassing wealth, as mentioned in the secret manual of the Huang Tian Sect's dark agents.
Today, he witnessed it directly, asking for it without any disguise.
Shen Qing carefully said, "Chief Officer, you speak reason."
With that, he pulled out a stack of silver notes from his pocket and offered them with both hands, "To you, my Lord, this is what I collected from the Zhou Family, I hope you accept it with a smile."
Zheng Yuanqiu's five fingers moved in a pseudo-grasping motion.
Shen Qing felt a suction force, and the silver notes in his hands rustled as they were taken by Zheng Yuanqiu.
"I recall you said you had also slain three Wolf Demons, right?" Zheng Yuanqiu asked with a hint of anger in his tone.
Shen Qing nodded, "To the Chief Officer, there were indeed three Wolf Demons. I skinned them, and their pelts are outside the door."
"What about the Demon Cores? You're not thinking of keeping them, are you?"
Zheng Yuanqiu's voice was not loud, but each word carried an undeniable authority.
As soon as he finished speaking, a vast aura erupted from Zheng Yuanqiu's body as if it took on physical form, silently filling the entire space.
More accurately, it fell directly onto Shen Qing.
Instantly, Shen Qing's face changed drastically.
He felt an indescribable pressure descend from above, as if thousands of mountains were pressing down on his shoulders, causing his spine to groan under the weight, gradually bending him down.
Shen Qing's feet sank deeply into the stone floor, the surrounding slabs unable to bear the force and producing distinct cracking sounds.
He gritted his teeth, clenching his fists tightly, his nails embedding into his palms, as his True Qi began to circulate involuntarily to resist this force.
The candle flame on the long table flickered violently, as if it might extinguish at any moment, and a tense atmosphere of bowstring tension permeated the room.
Shen Qing knew Zheng Yuanqiu's strength was formidable, having already reached the Dan Realm, with True Qi forming his body, and condensed True Elixir vastly beyond what he could handle at the moment.
He did not expect this man to turn hostile so quickly.
Shen Qing took a deep breath, looking solemnly at Zheng Yuanqiu. After some consideration, he trembled as he took out two Demon Cores, holding them in his palms, "To the Chief Officer, here are the Demon Cores."
As he said this, Shen Qing slowly opened his palm, where a faint glow gradually coalesced, it was indeed the Demon Cores from the two Wolf Demons he had slain.
Seeing this, Zheng Yuanqiu's eyes finally showed satisfaction.
He nodded slightly, and the aura covering Shen Qing vanished, as if it had never existed.
"Shen Chasi is indeed sensible." Zheng Yuanqiu's voice returned to its previous calm, "You are just an ordinary common folk, unlike those noble sons and daughters, with no one to rely on but me. In the future, learn to have a sense of self-awareness, understand the rules, don't make it so blatant between us. It's difficult for you, difficult for me."
"Yes, my Lord, your subordinate remembers."
Shen Qing slowly offered the Demon Cores with both hands, and Zheng Yuanqiu waved his sleeves, capturing them both.
"Rest assured, I won't take from you without reciprocating. In the future, when you face those high-ranking families, you don't need to be timid, I'll back you up."
And if you can't, you'll just let me die, right?
Shen Qing couldn't help but mentally retort, having no interest in the empty promises Zheng Yuanqiu offered.
But thoughts were just thoughts, he maintained the intuitive responses of a subordinate, showing "gratefulness" on his face, "Thank you, my Lord."
"It's getting late, is there anything else?"
"No more."
Zheng Yuanqiu said, "Then leave. As for your subordinate officers, I will make it up to you another day. Manage by yourself for the time being."
"Yes, thank you, my Lord, this subordinate takes his leave."
"Leave the Wolf Demon pelts outside."
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Shen Qing cupped his hands in response and exited the room with large strides.
"Truly ungrateful." Watching Shen Qing's departure, Zheng Yuanqiu snorted coldly, "Fortunately, he is without background and easy to manipulate. Otherwise, if it were those noble sons, I'd really have to spend some effort."
...
In the night, Shen Qing's expression gradually turned cold, silent.
"This Zheng Yuanqiu is truly insatiable, for others who are high-ranking disciples it's manageable with family support, but I am alone, with no one to rely on but myself. With such demands, I'm afraid I won't have peace under his command."
"Next, it's still necessary to vigorously advance in Martial Arts progress, having cultivation as a backing is more reliable."