Chapter 147 - 102: The Mastermind Behind Jiang Mu

Chapter 147: Chapter 102: The Mastermind Behind Jiang Mu

To be honest, at this moment, Jiang Mu felt he was completely screwed.

Ran Qingshan had warned him time and time again to do his best to avoid this strict, old-fashioned Vice Director Tian.

And what happened?

Before they had even been formally introduced, he’d walked right into the line of fire on his very first day.

Not only that, he’d even kicked the man’s trusted subordinate into a swill bucket.

This feud was now a major one.

’And from his perspective, I must look like I’ve been engaging in public drunkenness, visiting brothels, hitting a woman in the street, and assaulting a superior...’

’It’s like I’ve stacked all the debuffs that guarantee a game over.’

But what could he do?

He couldn’t just stand there and let the man whip him, could he?

The guy had already shoved a whip in his face. If he didn’t fight back, he’d be nothing but a spineless coward.

’I’ll just have to look sharp and try not to lose any more face.’

"Ma Guocheng?"

Vice Director Tian narrowed his eyes, his sharp gaze sweeping over Jiang Mu. "Fourth Realm Cultivation Level," he said coolly. "According to regulations, that should make you an Iron Eagle Demon Slayer Envoy. Which hall are you from?"

He turned his head to look at Yan Fenghuo and Xu Fu, who were standing to the side.

"Whose man is he?"

Yan Fenghuo gave a dry cough, braced himself, and took a step forward. He said in a low voice,

"Lord Tian... this is Lord Jiang Mu, the Hall Master of the Eighth Hall of the Hu State Demon-slaying Bureau."

The moment he said this,

Tian Wenjing and the guards behind him were all stunned.

’A Hall Master?’

Their gazes once again focused on Jiang Mu, full of shock and suspicion.

Tian Wenjing’s brow furrowed, and his voice grew heavy. "A mere Fourth Realm practitioner... how could he become a Hall Master? This is utterly ridiculous!"

Before Jiang Mu could answer, he seemed to come to his own conclusion, the corner of his mouth curling into a cold, disdainful sneer.

"No wonder you’re so arrogant and insolent. Go on, tell me your parents’ names. Let’s see if they’re enough to intimidate me."

Since the feud was already set in stone and the other party was clearly biased against him, Jiang Mu couldn’t be bothered to offer any pointless explanations.

He dusted off his sleeves and said coolly,

"Perhaps we were inconsiderate tonight and caused some negative repercussions. But Lord Tian, you came in swinging your whip to ’teach someone a lesson’ without even asking what happened. Who, exactly, is the more arrogant one here?"

"If Vice Director Tian feels that I, Jiang Mu, am unworthy of this position as Hall Master and don’t deserve to be in the Demon-slaying Bureau, you are more than welcome to report me to the General Office and have me kicked out."

At this, Jiang Mu let out a sneer.

"However... I doubt you have the pull to do that."

Without sparing another glance at the livid Tian Wenjing, he turned to the still-dazed Zhang Daxie and his brother.

"Let’s go. What are you standing around for? Waiting for him to whip you?"

Zhang Daxie and his brother exchanged a look, gritted their teeth, and resolutely followed behind Jiang Mu.

They were men of the Eighth Hall. They recognized only one Hall Master: Jiang Mu.

Even if they were implicated and thrown out of the Demon-slaying Bureau because of this, they would have no regrets!

In all his years, Tian Wenjing had never met a subordinate so arrogant and defiant, one who would talk back to him so directly.

It was impossible for him not to be angry.

But at the same time, a trace of doubt and apprehension grew in his heart.

For the young man to act so brazenly meant his background was powerful enough to ignore a Deputy Director like him.

Jiang Mu took a few steps, then suddenly stopped and turned around. His gaze fell coldly on the woman slumped on the ground as he said icily,

"This is your last warning."

"Return all the gifts by tomorrow. If even a single coin is missing, I’ll strip you naked and hang you from the city walls for everyone to admire your ’elegance’."

The woman trembled all over, curling into a ball in fear. She didn’t even dare to breathe.

"Insolent whelp!"

Tian Wenjing finally snapped. "To dare threaten someone so openly in front of me... you are utterly lawless!"

His body blurred as he shot forward, his right hand forming a claw as he grabbed for Jiang Mu’s shoulder!

He didn’t intend to seriously injure him. After all, the man was a Hall Master, and if his background was truly as formidable as he acted, it would be difficult to answer for.

But there was no problem with grabbing him and knocking some sense into him, teaching him a thing or two about the rules.

In the Demon-slaying Bureau, there wasn’t a troublemaker that he, Tian Wenjing, couldn’t handle!

Even Ran Qingshan had to show him some deference!

’The old bastard is actually making a move.’

Jiang Mu’s heart went cold as he reacted instantly.

His thoughts raced. He threw out Demon Shadow One, preparing to use Instant Teleportation to move to a more crowded intersection nearby.

He hoped to force Tian Wenjing to hesitate for fear of harming bystanders.

At the same time, he secretly released Shadow Number Two, preparing to set off a ’bomb’ to give the old bastard a little shock.

Just as Jiang Mu was about to launch his counterattack—

CLANG!

The clear, cold ring of a sword suddenly echoed.

An ice sword, radiating a bone-chilling cold, pierced through the air and embedded itself in the ground like a nail, landing directly in front of Tian Wenjing.

Sword Qi surged from it, spreading a small patch of white frost.

It forced Tian Wenjing to halt his attack and take half a step back.

Jiang Mu froze and looked up.

A familiar, slender black figure descended from the sky, landing in front of him.

A tall, slender frame, a waterfall of ink-black hair, and a cold aura that seemed to cling to her...

’Watermelon!’

’My big watermelon!’

A warm feeling flooded Jiang Mu’s heart.

The newcomer was none other than Ling Ye, who had been gone for many days.

"Inspector Ling?"

Tian Wenjing’s expression changed slightly when he saw who it was, a flash of surprise and doubt in his eyes.

Ling Ye wrapped a slender hand around the hilt of her ice sword, pulled it from the ground, and shielded Jiang Mu behind her. Her icy eyes stared directly at Tian Wenjing.

"Lord Tian," she said, "what an impressive display of authority."

"A Deputy Director of the Bureau, attacking a fellow Hall Master on the street."

Tian Wenjing narrowed his eyes and chuckled.

"It seems this boy’s background truly isn’t small. Even Inspector Ling, who never involves herself in such matters, is willing to step forward and protect him."

Ling Ye gave a cold laugh and retorted mockingly,

"Vice Director Tian, you’ve gotten old. Not only have your eyes gone blurry, it seems your brain has gone rusty as well."