Chapter 595: Not to Be Messed With

Chapter 595: Not to Be Trifled With

Cullen carried two bowls of noodles toward the entrance of the detention center, where several adjudicators from the security department stood guard.

As they watched Cullen approach, they cast hesitant glances at one another, clearly having received some sort of word or rumor; moreover, they were not fools—was Director Neo not currently locked inside undergoing investigation?

The original framework of the departments here at headquarters had always remained intact, and with the revival of the Order’s Whip functions in the local region—York City being in the very first wave—the number of newly transferred and recruited adjudicators had swelled, erasing the initial desolation.

In other words, Minister Bernie was no longer the solitary general he had been at the start, when he had to assemble a team from scratch; though quality was not yet easily raised, the quantity was now more than sufficient to fill the ranks.

The nature of internal struggle was largely ever thus: the department's upper echelon kept a profound silence regarding it, even actively denying its existence while deliberately projecting an aura of unity and harmony on the surface.

Yet it was the underlings below who, despite being scarcely affected by it all, constantly loved to crane their necks high like rows of giraffes, swaying with the slight breeze to conjure a fierce sense of participation as though they were at the center of the vortex.

Cullen halted his steps and said quite calmly:

"Open the door."

One could discern a trace of struggle among the guarding adjudicators, but the vast majority of that hesitation was merely a superficial prelude to their inevitable compliance.

The door was opened, and Cullen encountered no resistance.

Once Cullen stepped inside, they closed the door behind him.

"Shouldn't we have reported this to the minister's office? Those were the orders from above."

"Indeed, shouldn't we at least have notified the working group currently investigating Director Neo inside first?"

"I say, why didn't any of you bring that up just now? Personally, I wouldn't dare block that gentleman."

"Nor would I."

"Me neither."

"Then what the hell are you all prattling about now!"

...

Inside the interrogation room, Neo sat in his chair, legs crossed, letting out a yawn.

Across from him sat three individuals, actively conducting his inquiry and investigation.

The door opened, and Cullen appeared at the threshold.

Catching the aroma of the noodles, Neo did not even turn his head as he instantly grumbled:

"What took you so long? I've been starving."

"Director Cullen."

"Director Cullen."

The three investigators bowed in salute to Cullen.

Cullen tilted his head slightly toward the outside, signaling that they could leave.

One of the investigators spoke up: "Director Cullen, our first round of inquiry is not yet concluded. Could you perhaps wait until we finish before entering to visit?"

"The noodles will get cold."

The investigator pursed his lips and, forcing himself forward, continued: "But Director Cullen, this is our assignment. Please..."

A faint smile surfaced on Cullen’s face as he inquired, "What is your name?"

The investigator instantly lowered his head, leaving the question of his name unanswered;

In this setting and context, having the director opposite actively ask for one’s name... was in truth a glaringly obvious threat.

To have his name remembered—what would follow?

The investigator immediately spoke to his two companions beside him: "The first round of inquiry is concluded. Let us go."

The three investigators swiftly gathered their materials and departed the interrogation room, bowing in respect one after another as they passed Cullen.

Indeed, noticing the noodles Cullen held in his hands, they very considerately helped to close the interrogation room door behind them.

Cullen set the noodles upon the table, then turned with the intention of deactivating the surveillance array here.

"No need for such trouble." Neo drew out a blue gemstone and pressed his fingertip against it; soon, a blue light flashed around the interrogation room, signifying that the array here had been suspended.

"How convenient."

"Sigh, when I was modifying the defensive arrays here before, I left myself a few tricks. Anyone would make a few extra door keys for their own home, wouldn't they?"

Cullen nodded and remarked, "Seeing that you can break out of prison so easily sets my mind at ease."

"Here, have a key. It won't open everything, but it can control a small portion of the surrounding arrays. That's enough to get by."

Cullen caught the small blue gemstone Neo tossed over and slipped it into his pocket.

"It seems you have not only prepared for your own prison break, but have also laid the groundwork for a mass escape."

"Heh." Neo familiarly picked up his chopsticks, lowered his head to guide a large mouthful of noodles into his mouth, then raised his head to speak while chewing, "Those pups are quite terrified of you."

"It appears so." Cullen picked up a clove of garlic, snapped it in half, and began to peel it.

"Though you've only recently risen to director, your reputation is vast and your deeds are many. Not long ago, you single-handedly slew the assassins who dared attempt the life of the Chief Bishop's family. Those fellows felt guilty the moment they met your gaze."

Cullen dropped a peeled clove of garlic into Neo's noodle bowl;

Then, he picked up another clove and resumed peeling.

Neo picked up the garlic, took a bite, and followed it with a massive gulp of noodles, wearing an expression of satisfaction and enjoyment as he lamented:

"Truly, prison food really does taste better than a restaurant's."

"By the way, Bernie sought me out just now to admit defeat and lower his head. He claimed this matter arose because a grand figure from above wanted to fix me."

"Pff." Neo shook his head in disdain. "Anyone who dares try to fix you is certainly no true grand figure."

"Perhaps."

"But then it all makes sense. I was wondering why he would suddenly play this hand, as it is rather unprofitable. Looking at it now, a massive change must have occurred, forcing Bernie and his lot to choose to quiet the impact of the situation first."

"It's all thanks to you stepping up to flip the table. My thanks."

"If our positions were reversed and I were on stage, you would also flip the table without a moment's hesitation. So what is this 'thanks' nonsense? Tiresome."

"If I don't say it proactively, you'll proactively ask me: 'How do you have the cheek not to offer even a single word of thanks?'"

"Would I?"

"You would."

"Fair enough. So, are things moving in a better direction?"

"As it stands, they should be. So long as I agree to cooperate, you can come right out."

"What kind of condition is that? I'm doing quite well here. The cell is rather clean, fit for rest and contemplation; I actually quite fancy staying a bit longer."

"To do what?"

"Write books. Many famous works in history were completed by their authors while in a cell."

"I don't believe you possess such leisurely elegance."

"I have plenty of material in my head. Philias's memories contain quite a few works, all of them his original creations."

Cullen dropped the second peeled clove of garlic into Neo's bowl,

Said:

"Hmph. Stepping out from the deep, dark dungeons of Order, only to be holding a freshly penned book of Light in your hands. You aren’t being released from prison; you’ve simply been escorted straight from your cell to the execution ground."

"Heh. He must have dangled other conditions, didn't he?"

"Indeed. A promotion."

"For me?" Neo inquired.

"For me," Karen replied.

Neo tossed a whole clove of garlic into his mouth and crunched down with violent satisfaction.

"Fuck! Life really is unfair!"

"Yes, I think so too. It is probably because they need my cooperation, not yours."

"The thing I despise most in this life is you pampered sons of privilege, coasting on your family names to reap every harvest. Your very existence is a profound insult to self-made, hard-working talents like me!"

"Yes, I am terribly sorry."

"Fine, I accept your apology." Having emptied his first bowl of noodles, Neo dragged the second one toward him.

Karen did not contest it; instead, he swept the remaining cloves of garlic into Neo's bowl and brushed his palms together.

"A promotion to Department Chief?" Neo asked between mouthfuls.

"He said Deputy Chief."

"A Deputy Chief at your age. Do you have any idea that at my age, being a mere Director makes me a young radical?"

"Well, it is decent enough."

"Keep him sweating a little longer. Since he bowed his head to you so swiftly, it proves the people behind him are feeling immense pressure. Bleed him a little more, and you can squeeze out better terms. You might even strip away that word 'Deputy' entirely. These days, turning a temporary post into a permanent one is a tedious nightmare; we might as well leap right over that hurdle."

Karen shook his head and said, "I have no intention of agreeing."

"You aren't agreeing? Have you lost your mind?"

"He strikes my face with one hand, and offers a honeyed plum with the other, and I am expected to just take it?"

Neo licked the corner of his mouth, a smile creeping onto his lips as he asked, "What, are you angry?"

"Yes."

"Fair enough. Then we don't agree. We bleed them dry."

"Good."

"Not enough garlic. Peel a few more."

"Truly, watching a bloodthirsty aberration devour raw garlic at such close quarters is a jarring sight."

"And who taught me to eat it this way? Heh. When I discovered that you too eat raw garlic, and compared it to that impeccably proper persona you always maintain, I found it rather jarring myself."

"Actually, I rarely eat it under normal circumstances."

For breakfast, Karen usually preferred a simple bowl of plain noodles, which required no garlic at all.

"I suspect that letting this matter drag on might yield a similar result," Neo analyzed. "When the ceiling collapses, it is always the tallest who get crushed first."

"We will take it one step at a time. Who knows how things will unfold? It is simply that now we possess a modicum of status and a bit of savings, we are no longer like those low-ranking servants we once were, with a crisis of survival constantly looming over our heads. So, when people genuinely cross the line now, one grows too weary to calculate profits and losses. If a slap can be returned, let it be returned. It is best if vengeance does not keep overnight, so that one does not even have to suffer from insomnia."

"But I must still remind you, your trajectory is upward, and there is that two-year time limit hanging over us."

"It wasn't as if we actively provoked them. Weren't we thinking of working diligently for him, so that we might rise together when he was promoted? Now that he wishes to cast us down a well and seal the lid over our heads, we have no reason left for reservations or politeness. Certain grievances and insults must be endured, yes, but that is for the sake of survival. One cannot force oneself to swallow every single humiliation, or else there is no life left to speak of. When I left home, my grandfather gave me but one piece of advice: never allow yourself to be wronged."

"Have it your way, have it your way." Neo pushed the empty bowl aside, propped up his arms, and indulged in a massive stretch. "What do you intend to do with those bishops you apprehended?"

"First of all, they were apprehended by you."

"Fine, I apprehended them."

"Since you have already detained them, we shall proceed according to standard interrogation protocols. For the upcoming purge, whoever else needs to be arrested will be arrested. Since the circumstances permit it, everything shall be done by the book of the Regulations of Order."

"I can see that your mind is perfectly clear. Very well, I shall continue to rest here. Just remember to have my meals delivered."

"You know things are about to get rather hectic."

"Do you think I am blind to how busy you are!"

"We shall see. I will not disturb your rest any longer."

Karen stood up, gathered the empty bowl, walked out of the detention house, and returned to his own office.

The office was deserted, as was the corridor outside; even the two towering guards who usually sat there like gate-gods had been conscripted into the investigation efforts.

Karen yawned, stepped into the inner chamber, and began to wash up, preparing to get some sleep.

Choosing not to return home to rest was his final, token gesture of respect toward the gravity of his duties.

Yet the moment he lay down upon the bed, the office door was thrown open, and Richard came rushing in.

"Director, Alfred sent me to inform you that someone named Anita is waiting for you at the café across the street."

Anita, that woman from the grave-keeping clan. What could she possibly want with him?

Karen rose from the bed, changed into his clerical robes, and emerged from the inner room.

Richard was rubbing his hands together, his face alight with a gossiping grin as he asked, "Karen, who is this Anita? Don't worry, I won't breathe a word to your fiancée, heheh."

To be perfectly honest, if the fellow standing before him were not his cousin, he would likely be sprawling on the floor by now.

"An acquaintance."

"A woman, right?"

"Yes."

"What does her family do? If there's an opportunity, I could bring some people over to patronize their business."

"They tend graves."

Richard went entirely still.

"Is your workload not heavy enough? How do you still have the mental capacity to ponder such matters?"

"It's fine. I am only responsible for running errands and stamping documents. It is busy, but not particularly exhausting."

"What is Memphis occupied with?"

"He is organizing files."

"Then go and assist him more. Tell him it is my order. His mind is somewhat slow, so you are to lend him your aid."

"Alright, no problem!" Richard puffed out his chest with excitement. He had long since yearned to take on tasks with a bit of technical difficulty, even if it were only a fraction.

Karen stepped out of the headquarters building. This time, as he moved beyond the reach of the defensive array, he clearly perceived someone tailing him from behind.

The stalker's methods of concealment were clever, but Karen carried the blue gemstone Neo had just given him. Sensing that another person had exited the main gates of the headquarters alongside him within that brief span, yet seeing no second figure by his side, made everything unmistakably clear.

Karen stood his ground without moving, pulling a cigarette case from his pocket, drawing a single cigarette, and lighting it.

Nowadays, Karen rarely smoked, except for those specialized cigarettes from the Thunder Order; usually, lighting one meant taking a drag or two before tossing it away. But this time, he finished the cigarette slowly, letting a long column of ash fall by his side, before casting the butt to his feet and crushing it beneath his boot.

This was a warning—a warning for the shadow to stop following him, lest they suffer the consequences.

The Church was a place of rigid hierarchy. The most obvious testament to this was that even at a slight distance, if a superior was speaking, others nearby would not dare probe, even if no isolating barrier had been erected for privacy. Instead, they would deliberately turn away, fearing it might be perceived as an offense.

Now, that fellow's attempt to stalk him was a deeper transgression altogether. He had given him a warning; if the man did not know when to stop, then... consequences would follow.

Karen continued walking outward. Knowing he might be followed, he scattered a trail of spiritual power along the way, leaving traces lingering in the puddles on the ground, floating in the air, and permeating the surroundings he passed.

This was an exceptionally extravagant method of scouting, yet it remained the simplest and most efficient—provided, of course, that one's spiritual reserves were vast enough to sustain such waste.

After walking a certain distance, Karen sensed that the figure was still trailing him.

Karen closed his eyes, inhaled sharply, and slowly exhaled.

Not long ago, assassins had breached his home, costing him the life of a subordinate, so he was currently in his most sensitive state; moreover, today's commendation ceremony had brought a literal backstabbing by his superior, leaving his belly churning with suppressed fury.

Under such circumstances, deliberately reminding the other party not to cross the line was already an immense exercise in restraint. Since they refused the courtesy, he was truly past caring.

Even knowing the tail belonged to the Church of Order, that only meant they should have known better—either to ensure they had the skill to remain undetected, as he and Neo did, or, if caught, to be prepared to pay the price.

After all, that they were merely tracking and investigating him was only a guess; they could just as easily be here to assassinate him.

Passing the glass window of that coffee shop, Karen spotted Anita sitting inside, a cup of coffee set before her alongside a white puffball that resembled a glove.

Anita directed her gaze toward Karen. He raised a hand to touch his nose, and as he lowered it, he drew it lightly across his chin.

Then, rather than rushing into the cafe, Karen simply strolled right past its entrance.

He continued straight down the street before turning into an alley. Once Karen stepped clear of the alleyway, he halted and stood waiting.

Moments later, Anita emerged from the shadows of the alley, a man slung over her shoulder, clad not in clerical robes but a grey trench coat.

Karen glanced over and remarked, "Why did you go and kill him right away?"

Anita: "..."

The woman was furious, for she had truly never encountered anyone who could utter such shameless words with so calm and natural an expression.

"You gave me the gesture!" Anita snapped.

"Did I? My neck just itched."

Anita: "..."

Karen reached out to examine the stalker.

"He's dead, past saving. I struck heavily."

"I am merely checking if any residual spiritual power remains."

"I did not perform a purification, so you could conduct an awakening interrogation. Of course, if you do not intend to do one, give me a moment to dispose of the corpse. As you know, the environment here is unique."

"No need, just toss him directly into the trash bin."

"He will be discovered."

"I want them to discover him."

Karen pursed his lips and continued:

"Let them discover that I am not to be trifled with."

---

Still owing three chapters. Not in a good state today, so the update is slow. I have a checkup tomorrow morning and don't dare stay up late, fearing I'll break the sleep schedule I finally managed to restore. Rest assured, except for official leaves of absence, all missing chapters promised by Long will be compensated. But because there are still daily baseline updates, I can only wait for a day when I am in a good state with a clear mind to make it up with large chapters. Big hugs to everyone!