Chapter 21 – Shi Zhanlong, Director of the Security Bureau

At the military encampment, Commander of the Southern Army Li Xiang, the company commander, and others were holding a meeting.

Li Xiang said to the company commander, “First, brief us on Su Ming’s situation.”

The company commander reported, “Sir, based on Su Ming’s domain talent and combat capability, we have already handed the ghost domain over to him. Currently, only a little over a hundred chef ghosts are stationed in the ghost domain.”

Li Xiang asked, “Is Su Ming reliable?”

The company commander replied, “Reliable. We’ve checked—his parents are both farmers with no criminal history.”

Li Xiang smiled slightly. In fact, from what he knew, neither of Su Ming’s parents was a normal person.

However, Li Xiang didn’t point this out. He himself had actually crossed blows with Su Lin before, which was how he recognized him, but he had no intention of exposing Su Lin either.

Li Xiang said, “So in a sense, Su Ming can already be considered an important force in our logistical support, right?”

The company commander answered crisply, “Yes.”

Li Xiang asked, “Anything else to report?”

The company commander said, “Su Ming has an Eighth Realm Sword Ghost under his command. It hasn’t clashed with any high-end combat power yet, so its actual explosive potential is unknown.”

Li Xiang said, “I’ve heard about that. I’ve also heard that it left with the Flood Dragon, and that the Vermilion Bird’s disappearance and the death of Young Master Zhao Bei of the Zhao Family are suspected to be connected.”

The company commander replied, “Yes, but no evidence has been found. However, Zhao Bei does bear traces of having been killed by a descent technique.”

Li Xiang asked, “What are everyone’s thoughts?”

The chief of staff said, “There’s one suspicious point. A descent technique consumes enormous resources. If the goal was merely to obtain the Vermilion Bird, wouldn’t it have been simpler to just kill the Flood Dragon directly? Why go through the trouble of a descent? With that person’s strength, they should have been able to perform a direct possession without leaving any traces.”

Li Xiang said, “Your thinking is that the person who used the descent technique had other motives.”

The chief of staff said, “I speculate that among the new students of Vermilion Bird Academy, there is an ally of that person. Because if it were a contract, one couldn’t possibly contract with a puppet. Since that person chose to use a descent technique, they must have handed the Vermilion Bird over to someone else.”

Li Xiang turned to the military strategist beside him and asked, “What do you think?”

The military strategist, Luo Zhen, answered tentatively, “That makes sense, but there’s another question—who would the Vermilion Bird end up with?”

Li Xiang looked into Luo Zhen’s eyes and said, “That’s hard to say. Do you think it might be in the hands of that person named Su Ming?”

Luo Zhen remained expressionless and replied, “We could search the ghost domain. Maybe it was placed in there?”

Li Xiang said, “Company commander, did you search?”

The company commander replied, “We did. Didn’t find anything.”

Li Xiang stared at Luo Zhen again and said, “Even the Special Operations Company commander couldn’t find it, so it must not be there.”

Luo Zhen kept his composure and said, “Then it must not be there.”

Li Xiang said, “Alright then. Withdraw the personnel protecting the Heavenly Saint Sect to the outer perimeter and let the Security Bureau handle their own mess.”

The chief of staff said, “Intelligence shows that our mole in the Security Bureau has already installed quite a few surveillance devices in the hotel under Shi Zhanlong’s name. We estimate that Shi Zhanlong will soon start making moves to protect his position.”

Li Xiang said, “Then let him make his moves.”

After the meeting adjourned, Luo Zhen still felt somewhat tense inside—after all, he was the mole arranged by Su Lin…

(At the Security Bureau’s station)

Shi Zhanlong slammed the documents in his hand to the ground in fury:

“Which bastard installed surveillance devices in my name?! Do you have any idea how much money this wastes? And how are we supposed to placate those people?!”

The subordinates dared not speak, because they had previously assumed the director was wise, having thought to install listening devices to find the agent, and then scrambled to install them…

Shi Zhen stood nearby. She had sustained some injuries during today’s match, and Shi Zhanlong had asked her to come here tonight to treat her wounds and, in the meantime, gather intelligence on tomorrow’s match participants.

The officials had not released any information about the competitors in this match, so all intelligence had to be obtained through one’s own means, and the principals of the Four Great Academies would not leak anything either.

Shi Zhanlong: “Let me ask you all—who exactly gave the order, how could you fools have believed it so easily, and where is that person now?”

A squad leader reported: “The person… it seems… was your secretary. He said at the time that you were busy accompanying your daughter… and then… we…”

Shi Zhanlong slammed the table in fury, making everyone present tremble:

“Have I not said that all orders must receive my final confirmation? Then let me ask you—if my daughter gave the order, would you carry it out!”

No one in the room answered. They knew that whoever answered would immediately be chewed out.

Shi Zhen quickly tried to mediate: “Dad, it’s getting late…”

Shi Zhanlong: “Go investigate the secretary’s true identity. If you can’t find out by tomorrow morning, you can all expect to be collectively dismissed.”

“Director, the secretary said he left you a letter, saying that once you read it, you’d know who he was.”

Shi Zhanlong looked at the desk—there was indeed a letter, but he had been too angry just now to notice it.

Shi Zhanlong opened the envelope. On it was only a seal—Li Xiang’s seal.

Shi Zhanlong was speechless: “Old bastard, it’s you again.”

The deputy director was also speechless: “It’s not the real seal, so there’s no way to identify him.”

Shi Zhanlong tore open the envelope. There was another message inside: I know about your daughter.

Shi Zhanlong’s heart trembled. He didn’t know whether “daughter” referred to Shi Zhen or Mo Shuang, but he was afraid nonetheless.

He had discovered that Mo Shuang’s mother was a member of the Mo Family. Not only had he used her to gather intelligence, causing the deaths of many hidden Mo Family members, but he had also secretly fathered Mo Shuang with her, and when she turned nine, he seized her natal ghost.

But to outsiders, Shi Zhanlong marrying into the Mo Family was tantamount to suspicion of treason. Although he was indeed devoted to his country, sometimes the opinions of others mattered greatly.

Afterward, he had crippled Mo Shuang’s mother. Mo Shuang had to struggle to make ends meet, but Mo Shuang’s mother still harbored a secret, and until he could obtain it, he could only keep her confined in the hospital.

He gave her the hope that her daughter was still alive, yet made it difficult for them to meet—he refused to believe he couldn’t pry that secret out of her.

But to outsiders, Shi Zhanlong still seemed to harbor old feelings, and thus remained under suspicion.

This was also why Shi Zhanlong only served as the director of the Security Bureau, when with his abilities he could have easily joined the military.

Shi Zhanlong quickly burned the letter, but Shi Zhen still caught a glimpse of it.

Shi Zhanlong gave orders without changing his expression: “Calm the public, preserve the evidence, and find an opportunity to settle accounts with the Southern Army.”

The subordinates left, leaving only the father and daughter in the office.

Shi Zhen was somewhat curious: “Dad, what was written on that just now…”

Shi Zhanlong interrupted: “Nothing, just some political threats. Those military types are always threatening people’s families—a bunch of uncultured brutes.”

Shi Zhen still refused to give up. Having been clever since childhood, she knew there had to be something more to this.

Shi Zhanlong: “How’s that frost ghost of yours doing?”

Shi Zhen sighed: “We only won today’s battle thanks to her. Relying on just that snow leopard alone would have made today very difficult.”

Shi Zhanlong said with concern: “Alright, how about Dad finds you another spirit beast another day?”

Shi Zhen: “Dad, spirit beasts are very hard to come by. Otherwise, the Four Great Academies wouldn’t have relaxed their admission requirements to just having a contracted ghost or beast.”

Shi Zhanlong: “Don’t worry, trust your dad. Your mother passed away early—if I don’t care for you, who will?”

With that, he took out a handwritten document and said: “Take a look. Maybe it can help you tomorrow.”

Shi Zhen hugged Shi Zhanlong. Though he was stern with outsiders, he still cared deeply for his daughter.