Chapter 66 - 64: The Authorities’ Attitude Towards Jiang Chaosheng

Chapter 66: Chapter 64: The Authorities’ Attitude Towards Jiang Chaosheng

Cao Ye stretched and rolled his sore neck.

"If I authorized you to use the Human Skin Drum and told you to go fight that mysterious person to the death, would you go?

Don’t worry, even if you lost the Human Skin Drum, I’d still award you a first-class merit."

The old woman’s eyes widened.

"You want me to..."

Cao Ye’s gaze sharpened, and he said harshly,

"But if a single civilian in the South Sea had died, I would have skinned you alive with my own two hands!"

The old woman swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue.

The Shocking Court Wood Investigation Team did indeed lose the Five Emperors Poison Coin during this operation.

However, not a single civilian in the South Sea was harmed.

Director Zhao Pengcheng picked up the teacup in front of him and spoke leisurely,

"Alright, this is just a meeting. It’s normal to have disagreements. No need to be so aggressive."

Director Zhao glanced at Zhang Jiawei and said deliberately,

"We’ll do as Director Cao says.

The Shocking Court Wood Investigation Team performed exceptionally during the Yin Yang Master incident.

They protected the lives and property of the people in the South Sea, so they will be collectively awarded a first-class merit."

Only then did the old woman from the personnel department and the elderly head of the archives department accept the olive branch Director Zhao had extended, their glares at Cao Ye filled with resentment.

Cao Ye muttered to himself,

’Picking now to come out and smooth things over.

Why didn’t I see you step up when they were attacking Zhang Jiawei just now?

Is it because those two old cronies are your dogs?

The favoritism is a little too obvious.’

Cao Ye stood up, leaning his hands on the table as he scanned the leadership team.

"You’ve all been blathering on for ages and haven’t said a single useful thing.

One of my men is dead. Before he died, he traded his life for some information worthy of our attention.

That mysterious person, codenamed ’Dusk,’ said something before he left.

He said he’s willing to trade Taboo Items with us.

Who he is and what he’s after—that’s the truth we should be desperately seeking right now!"

The senior administrators, Senior Investigators, and Special-level Team Leaders present all fell silent.

They were thinking. Thinking about the mysterious person’s identity, about his purpose.

Ultimately, the Anomaly Administration Bureau’s entire reason for existing is to deal with Taboo Items and prevent the harm they could cause to the Xia Kingdom’s society.

Director Zhao put down his tea and said,

"I have two approaches when it comes to that mysterious person."

Everyone turned to look at Director Zhao.

Director Zhao said with a sigh,

"This mysterious person possesses a large number of Taboo Items and has immense Supernatural Power of his own.

This is exactly the kind of talent the Anomaly Administration Bureau needs!

If that mysterious person is willing to become an Investigator and work for the Anomaly Administration Bureau, nothing could be better."

Everyone was startled.

’Recruit Dusk as an Investigator?’

What a bold idea!

A faint smile appeared on Director Zhao’s lips.

"He must know the secrets of the Taboo Items.

And if we obtain those secrets, we’ll be able to perfectly control the Taboo Items. Have you considered what that would mean?"

Without giving them time to think, Director Zhao’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"We will change the balance of world power!"

Those words struck everyone like a clap of thunder.

The old woman from the personnel department exclaimed in admiration,

"The Director is truly farsighted!"

The head of the archives department’s eyes were filled with Greed and ambition.

"Indeed. Those Taboo Items are far more powerful than any of today’s conventional weapons.

If all of that strange and cunning power were to be wielded by the Anomaly Administration Bureau, the Bureau would become the most influential power in the Xia Kingdom!"

The senior administrators present fervently supported Director Zhao’s words.

There was no other reason than the potential for political achievement.

If that mysterious person were to defect to their side with his hoard of Taboo Items, they would be the ones to change the balance of world power!

The Senior Investigators and Special-level Team Leaders, however, looked thoughtful, wanting to speak but holding back.

They found it absurd.

After all, they were the ones who were actually responsible for fighting.

’Would Dusk really just obediently join the Anomaly Administration Bureau?

If he had any intention of doing so, wouldn’t he have become a member of the Bureau long ago?

Forcing him to submit would definitely lead to a fight, and there’s no telling how many people would have to be sacrificed.

The most unacceptable outcome would be a lot of people dying, but all for nothing.’

But this was Director Zhao’s opinion. Besides Cao Ye, who was qualified to object?

This was the Anomaly Administration Bureau’s biggest problem and its greatest tragedy at present.

The Investigators’ authority was too great, necessitating a group of senior administrators to suppress and manage them.

Li Mingyue raised her hand.

"Director, I have a different opinion."

The senior administrators turned their gazes to Li Mingyue, their eyes filled with disdain.

’A mere regular Investigator?

What’s her rank?

How dare she question all the senior administrators?’

The Senior Investigators watched Li Mingyue with suspicion.

’This girl has some nerve!’

Director Zhao said with a beaming smile,

"Good. Tell us your thoughts."

Li Mingyue stood up, paused in thought for a moment, and then said,

"Director, if that mysterious person is unwilling to join the Anomaly Administration Bureau, what should we do?"

Hearing this, Director Zhao’s smile slowly froze, and a murderous glint appeared in his eyes.

"That brings me to my second approach."

Director Zhao stood up and said in a heavy voice,

"I cannot allow a dangerous individual like Dusk to exist within the Xia Kingdom.

He is a ticking time bomb hidden in our country, one that could cause immense damage to the Xia Kingdom at any moment!

If he refuses the Anomaly Administration Bureau’s goodwill, then we’ll dispose of him."

Li Mingyue said in astonishment,

"But, Director, you may not understand Dusk... He’s... very strong."

Li Mingyue was being reserved in her speech.

She wanted to say: ’You have no idea what that man is capable of!’

Director Zhao’s sharp eyes fixed on Li Mingyue.

"What, are the Investigators of my Xia Kingdom... scared?"

All the Investigators kept their mouths shut tight.

No one wanted to be branded a coward.

Li Mingyue frowned.

"No one is scared!

If Dusk ever did anything to harm the Xia Kingdom, I would be the first to fight him to the death!

It wouldn’t even be my turn, because all the seniors present are true heroes forged in the crucible of battle.

But Dusk hasn’t harmed the Xia Kingdom, nor has he even broken any laws!

He has even helped the Public Security Bureau and the investigation teams handle anomalous incidents on multiple occasions.

I don’t think any Investigators need to sacrifice their lives to punish him!

And I certainly don’t think he needs to be punished at all!"

The Senior Investigators’ gazes toward Li Mingyue turned appreciative.

Every word this young woman said resonated with them.

A few of the Investigators looked at Li Mingyue with particularly gentle eyes.

Before Liu Wei died in battle, he had told them:

Li Mingyue is a talented person. If anything ever happened to him, they should take good care of her.

It was the dying wish of an old comrade.

Director Zhao retorted,

"He hasn’t broken any laws?"

Li Mingyue nodded firmly.

Director Zhao said coldly,

"Taking Taboo Items belonging to the Anomaly Administration Bureau on two separate occasions—that is a provocation!

Taboo Items belong to the Xia Kingdom’s Anomaly Administration Bureau!

My willingness to accept him as an Investigator is an act of my tolerance!"

The moment the head of the archives department heard the words ’Taboo Items,’ his eyes lit up and he said repeatedly,

"That’s right, I support this! Hoarding a large number of Taboo Items is a violation of the Anomaly Administration regulations in itself!"

The other senior administrators began to chime in with their agreement.

Li Mingyue stared at them in disbelief.

’They talk a big game about not tolerating Dusk, but reading between the lines, all I can hear is their craving for the Taboo Items.

Kill Dusk, and the Taboo Items in his hands will be yours, is that it?

You make it sound so noble, with every sentence about protecting the Xia Kingdom.

But you just want to get your hands on those Taboo Items and use them to further your own ambitions!

Or maybe...

Certain people here are craving the power of the Taboo Items for themselves!’

...