Chapter 382 - 324: The Saint of the Triune Lord: Chu Bamboo

Huo Qiming lowered his head, saying nothing.

"...Ahem!" After waiting for several breaths, Chu Bamboo coughed a few times. At his signal, Hu Kaikang, following Chu Bamboo’s preset instructions, tossed something to Huo Qiming.

Huo Qiming frowned and caught it reflexively. When he saw what was in his hand, he froze—it was the very mask he wore when he played the hero in the redevelopment zone...

"So, not as ’Commander Huo,’ but simply as the ’Masked Hero’... would you be willing to help me?" Chu Bamboo’s voice was as calm as ever.

Huo Qiming’s pupils trembled violently. His lips moved, but in the end, he just squeezed his eyes shut in silence.

"Good." Chu Bamboo didn’t press him further. To be more precise, his goal was already achieved... Huo Qiming was now shaken and would certainly remain neutral for the time being.

’According to my earlier plan, if I keep pushing step by step... the chances of him defecting aren’t low!’

’This was never going to be something that could be settled in one go!’

As Chu Bamboo organized his thoughts, he shifted his focus. "Captain Yang!"

"Ah... I’m here!" Captain Yang silently wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. His thoughts were a mess. ’If Chu Bamboo tries to recruit me, what do I... But, but he’s guaranteed to lose...’

"Stop messing around with Daqian!" Chu Bamboo’s voice was devoid of emotion. "The Heavenly Monarch has already issued a decree. Soon, he will order the surrounding Donglin Corps to enter the redevelopment zone—and carry out a massacre!"

Captain Yang’s pupils contracted violently. He nearly cried out, "That’s impossible..."

"You can have Old Huo verify it!" Chu Bamboo was calm and composed. ’Of course, the order to "massacre the city" wasn’t explicitly given. But... sending the corps into the city is, in essence, carrying out that very order! I’m just tearing away the facade of unspoken rules and laying it all bare.’

Huo Qiming’s body trembled slightly. After taking several deep breaths, he opened his eyes and gave Chu Bamboo a profound look.

"Li Kang is dead!" Chu Bamboo spoke again. "Isn’t it strange why he died? Actually, there’s no real reason... Hmm, you should know... Hong Gan from the special prison in Zone Two, right?"

"...Yes." Captain Yang’s voice was hoarse. He actually knew that Captain Li had been thrown in prison—

After all, while the special prison’s situation was unique, it was ultimately connected to the Police Chief Bureau. Strictly speaking... as the Captain of Zone Two, he had jurisdiction there! Although, that was only in the strictest sense... Precisely because of this, when the Captain of Zone Three was brought into his jurisdiction, he was naturally entitled to know...

’But that was the extent of it! This is the first I’m hearing of it—Captain Li is already dead! Wasn’t he just supposed to be detained for a while?’

’It makes no sense... He was the captain of a major zone, theoretically at the same level as me! Even if Zone Three isn’t considered important, in terms of official rank... we’re on the same level!’

Chu Bamboo’s finger slid across a screen of light, directly controlling Nuwa No. 17. He played the audio he had obtained when he interrogated Hong Gan while rescuing Wall Announcements—with a few minor edits, of course...

"...So what if they haven’t committed a crime? Can’t we just arrest them anyway? I’ll arrest whoever I want!"

"These are the orders from a big shot..."

"He’ll definitely be thrown into the restricted zone eventually... but before that, I’ll get some of his blood, seize some Cultivation Resources... Everyone’s doing it..."

"..."

Captain Yang: "..."

"They did this to Captain Li... What about you?" Chu Bamboo asked in return. ’Instead of an open recruitment, forcing him to choose my side out of past friendship or for the sake of the redevelopment zone... it’s better to show him that he never had a choice to begin with!’

Chu Bamboo didn’t continue... but as long as Captain Yang wasn’t an idiot, he could figure it out...

’Yes, maybe Captain Li was captured because of Chu Bamboo... But what crime did Chu Bamboo commit? Just for foiling the Heavenly Monarch’s plot?’

’Alright... that is indeed an unforgivable crime! But didn’t I, Captain Yang, also take part in foiling the Heavenly Monarch’s plot...’

Li Kang was already dead, boiled like a frog in slowly heating water. So who would be next...?

Captain Yang remained silent, but he was drenched in sweat.

"...Enough!" Huo Qiming suddenly barked.

Chu Bamboo raised an eyebrow. He was a little surprised that Huo Qiming was the first to crack. He said leisurely, "Of course, no problem! Old Huo, I can even say a few things you want to hear..."

"For example, the Heavenly Monarch loves his people dearly. The Heavenly Monarch has never let down the common folk. The Heavenly Monarch cherishes his loyal subjects..."

"...I’m begging you." Huo Qiming’s face contorted, his voice tinged with hoarseness.

He hesitated for a moment, then, bit by bit, he put on the mask.

"..." Chu Bamboo sighed. "Good."

...

「Outside the Third District Police Chief Bureau.」

"Is he still not out yet?" Eunuch Huang felt a growing sense of irritation.

Vice President Xin’s hand was clenched around his sword hilt. His expression was calm and composed, and he said nothing.

Xu Sun’s expression was impassive, but his mind was in turmoil. The words the Eleventh Apostle had spoken to him before his urgent departure still seemed to ring in his ears—

"Mr. Zhu of the redevelopment zone is suspected to be the Saint, one of the three aspects of the Lord! However, after struggling in the Mortal World, his mind has become deluded. Even though he seems to have used the Power of Omniscience to learn a part of his mission, he stubbornly refuses to allow the Lord to return! He is sabotaging the Lord’s plan."

"You must do your best not to make contact with the Saint! However, if the Saint faces a life-threatening crisis... if possible, leave him a way out..."

Thinking about the inescapable net the Imperial Court had cast, Xu Sun felt cold sweat bead on his forehead... ’Lord Apostle, letting him go without openly betraying them... that’s really beyond my abilities...’

Suddenly, Eunuch Huang’s phone rang. He glanced at it, a flicker of guilt in his eyes. After hesitating for several breaths, he answered the call, a mocking expression on his face. His voice was full of self-assured composure. "Little grandson, what’s the occasion? Calling me out of the blue? Hmph, everything over here is going smoothly..."

"Shut up! Something’s happened! Something big!" Sun Jianjun’s voice was tinged with madness, and the sounds of gunfire and explosions could be heard intermittently. "Damn bastard... Why, why did he have to attack in public!"

"AHHH! I’m going crazy... Why couldn’t he just attack me alone somewhere secluded?! AHHH! Even when I’m running away, I can only use ’Kung Fu’ that doesn’t exceed what a normal person can imagine..."

"HAHAHA, almost there, almost there... Once I get out! And no one’s around... I’ll destroy... kill... and annihilate all of you!!!"

Eunuch Huang: "???"

His face stiff, he listened to the other man’s fragmented explanation... In fact, it was only half-explained before the line suddenly went BEEP BEEP BEEP... Ruling out the possibility that the other person hung up, the phone most likely exploded.

"...Impossible! Absolutely impossible... That, that Zhu! How could he..." Eunuch Huang stammered, unwilling to admit that person was the culprit... But the key was, Sun Jianjun had been absolutely certain.

"What should we do?" Xu Sun asked with a serious expression. As the point of contact with the All-Powerful, acting on the Emperor’s Decree... he was, in a sense, serving as an imperial envoy. Therefore, he was naturally the only one on the scene who could speak on equal terms with Eunuch Huang, who represented the Heavenly Monarch’s will!

’Of course, at this moment, Xu Sun felt a strange sense of pride—as expected of the Saint from our All-Powerful Lineage! He somehow managed to wipe out three whole corps...’

’Strong! So strong! Sigh, why can’t the Saint just cooperate with us completely... With the abilities he’s shown, combined with the resources of our All-Powerful Lineage... Jinghai, and even the entire Jiangnan region... wouldn’t we be able to easily conquer the mortal domain with this kind of worldly power?’ Xu Sun began to fantasize.

"...Charge in! Capture that bastard!" Eunuch Huang gritted his teeth. He had completely lost his composure... He and Sun Jianjun were, for all intents and purposes, two grasshoppers tied to the same string.

A major disaster had happened on Sun Jianjun’s end. If he couldn’t resolve things perfectly here... he would inevitably be dragged down with that bastard surnamed Sun! At that point...

Thinking of the possible consequences, Eunuch Huang shivered. He had worked so hard to climb to this position... If he were to be punished by the Heavenly Monarch, or even lose his favor—how would that be any different from being dead?!

...

Chu Bamboo held Little Mushroom Head and waited quietly... He watched as Eunuch Huang and the others charged over. Upon seeing Little Mushroom Head, they too revealed looks of terror, just like last time, leading to the misunderstanding that he was actually the Grand Ancestor... But even so, they were still stubbornly intent on capturing him...

In response to this...

"Make your move," Chu Bamboo said softly.

"?" Vice President Xin, who had walked up to Chu Bamboo, was stunned for a moment.

The next moment, his expression changed drastically as an infinite light shone upon them.

Almost reflexively, Vice President Xin spun around, drew his sword, and erupted in a terrifying divine radiance, forcibly blocking all the incoming Divine Light, not letting any of it get past him... completely shielding Chu Bamboo.

Chu Bamboo: "...?"

After realizing what had just happened, Chu Bamboo almost lost his composure.