Chapter 331: People Like Me

Chapter 331: Those Who Are Like Me

"What a saintly heart you have!"

Li Jun arched an eyebrow. "You would even save a traitor who turned coat?"

"Merely settling a thread of karma," Ming Wang replied indifferently. "I have already taken a step back; I advise you not to let favor go to your head!"

"The Ministry of War's meeting has not yet concluded, which means I can still draw my blade."

Li Jun grinned, a faint stream of white mist exhaling from his nostrils.

"What benefit is there in continuing this chaos?" Ming Wang frowned deeply, his tone filled with incomprehension.

"Satisfaction."

Li Jun spat out the single word with clinical precision. The essence of liver-qi swirling near his nose instantly recoiled into his body, driving his physique to expand outward.

Simultaneously, the ethereal Buddhist chanting emanating from Ming Wang grew distinct, and a black line surfaced across his face, causing his cold, rigid features to appear as if sliding toward the sides.

*Crack!* A sudden sound of structural failure rang out.

The oval conference table exploded into a heap of decaying wooden wreckage.

The surrounding Centurions moved in unison, planting their feet and pushing themselves and their chairs backward in a single motion.

Amidst the scattering debris and dust, Qian Fengting, sitting motionless at the head of the table, spoke in a low, haunting voice.

"This table is worth thirty thousand banknotes. The Thousand-Household Commander intends to deduct its cost from the monthly stipends of you two."

The approaching long saber lost its momentum, and the wrathful Vajra lowered his eyes in submission.

Watching this scene, Yu Canghai clenched his fingers tightly within his sleeves.

The poised flying sword, 'Crimson Dragon,' sliced through the skin of his wrist, allowing droplets of crimson to soak into his azure robe.

"No more fighting? You two hold the rank of Centurion and govern entire households; is it not disgraceful to brandish weapons in front of so many Lieutenants?"

Qian Fengting swept a cold gaze over Li Jun and Ming Wang before surveying the entire room.

"Since you both agree to make today the settlement date for last year's merits, then it is settled! The results of the various household evaluations will be issued to you directly via official documents from the Thousand-Household Office later."

With a flick of his wide sleeves, he added, "Before the Commander concludes his meeting and finds the time to deal with you, get lost, every one of you."

No sooner had he spoken than the heavy, closed doors of the conference room burst open.

Seeing that the dust had settled, the Centurions rose in silence and departed.

Ming Wang glanced down at a reddish friction mark on his right palm, slowly closed his hand, and turned to walk out.

Ye Lao followed closely behind him, and the one performing the exact same movement was none other than Yu Canghai.

He took his place at Ming Wang's right side, walking abreast with Ye Lao, who had also stepped back slightly.

Jiao Mu Jiao, who had originally occupied that position, rose now with a lost soul, shuffling toward the door like a walking corpse.

"If there is an opportunity in the future, I'll give you the full Himeji experience!"

The refreshed Qilong offered a salute to Li Jun with a hearty laugh.

"The service in Inuyama City is also quite excellent!"

The two exchanged a glance, sharing a smile laden with profound meaning.

Standing to the side, Fan Wujiu's eyes widened. He lowered his voice and asked, "Heavy Armor, aren't you Centurions part of the Law Order? You actually play these games too?"

"We are Law Order, but if he doesn't pay up afterward, does it even count as playing?" Heavy Armor replied.

"Impressive. Truly worthy of the Law Order."

After struggling for a long moment, Fan Wujiu finally uttered six words with genuine admiration, "A true model for our generation!"

"Alright, Brother Fan, Brother Xie, I'll take my leave as well."

Heavy Armor nodded to the two of them, then turned to Li Jun, bowing deeply with a solemn salute. "Master Yan, thank you for speaking up so justly today."

"...Don't mention it."

The title used by the other man made Li Jun feel somewhat uneasy.

"Is that it? It's over?"

Fan Wujiu looked at the conference room, which had become empty in an instant, and smacked his lips with lingering excitement.

"What more do you want? Do you truly wish to engage in a real clash of steel with your own people?"

Xie Bi'an, bound like a rice dumpling, slowly stood up with the support of Hua Pi.

"There must be some intense collision and confrontation to make it interesting. The current result is like someone suddenly throwing a prize into your hands and saying they don't want it anymore."

Fan Wujiu knocked his fists together, producing a series of metallic clangs. "This feeling... it's unsettling."

"It is not only through the shedding of blood that a confrontation is defined. Some arrows are invisible to the eye, making them far more perilous than a spear thrust directly at your front!"

Xie Bi'an waved a weary hand. "Forget it, you wouldn't understand even if I explained. Just go back to being an illiterate."

"Who do you think you're looking down on? You're the clever one, yet you ended up looking like a wreck because of a single shot."

Xie Bi'an snapped, "Was that damn thing a shot? That was a Lieque weapon; you might as well call it a cannon!"

"Uncultured. Does 'getting shot' not sound better than 'getting cannoned'?"

Fan Wujiew snorted, then continued indignantly, "The settlement date is fixed, but at least they should announce the rankings. What kind of logic is it to hide half and reveal half? If we wait for the official documents and find our household isn't ranked first, won't this whole trip have been for nothing? Brother Jun, don't you agree?"

Li Jun, whose complexion was as sallow as fallen leaves, turned his gaze toward Xie Bi'an upon hearing this.

"Do you think everyone uses their eyes as vents for their frustration like you do?"

After insulting Fan Wujiu, Xie Bi'an explained to Li Jun, "Don't worry, Brother Jun. Everyone knows exactly which significant cases each city handled last year. Even if there are discrepancies, it won't affect the overall situation."

"As long as the settlement date is set for today, our household's position at the top is set in stone!"

Li Jun nodded. "That is well, then."

"Damn it, even though we've held our heads high, it's a real shame we didn't seize the top spot in public and flaunt it."

With a face full of regret, Fan Wujiu asked nonchalantly, "By the way, Little White, what exactly is the reward for the top ranking in the evaluation?"

"Two hundred million in banknotes, and the Ministry of Works' quota is typically allocated at one time the value of the funds."

Xie Bi'an smiled. "Of course, that is for normal use. If one uses the Ministry of Works' quota to acquire special equipment not found on the market for resale, the amount becomes difficult to calculate."

"Hiss... that's nearly ten times our previous budget, damn it."

Fan Wujiu sucked in a breath of cold air, and even Li Jun could not help but arch an eyebrow.

It was no wonder Ming Wang and the others had plotted so meticulously to set barriers and keep Inuyama City out.

One had to realize this sum was merely the reward for a single year's top ranking. If they could monopolize the top three, it would become an incredibly stable and lucrative path of wealth.

Unfortunately, forming cliques and establishing independent factions was a cardinal sin in officialdom.

That Ming Wang and his group could huddle together for several years already meant the Thousand-Household Office possessed considerable patience.

"Enough, let's go check on King Ma and Chen Qisheng. It wouldn't be good if the white-haired ones had to bury the black-haired ones."

Li Jun smiled easily, preparing to step out.

"Lord of the Underworld, stay your steps."

Qian Fengting’s voice drifted over from behind, "Lord Su wishes to see you."

"See me? Has the Ministry of War’s meeting concluded?"

"Stop playing dumb with me, you rascal."

Qian Fengting laughed and cursed in the same breath, "How did the Martial Order breed a freak like you—your mind runs so deep, and your hands strike so black. If I hadn't spoken up in time just now, you brat would have truly butchered Jiaomujiao, wouldn't you?"

"A man who sees the lives of his own comrades as nothing more than mere martial merits—wouldn't it be a public service to slaughter him?" Li Jun blinked, his face the very picture of solemn righteousness.

"Enough, don't play the innocent beneficiary now, just hurry up and come with me," Qian Fengting urged.

"Little Black, take Little White to get treated first. I'll come down and find you shortly."

Li Jun gave his instructions, then followed Qian Fengting's footsteps out through the back door of the meeting room, continuing upward along a flight of stairs.

"Elder Qian, what kind of person is this Thousand-Household Su of ours? Give me a bit of inside information so I might know how to comport myself."

Within the enclosed space, the sound of Li Jun’s inquiry bounced back and forth, echoing restlessly.

Departing from his usual manner, Qian Fengting remained completely deaf to Li Jun's words, merely burying his head as he led the way forward.

The staircase was not particularly long, and a brief moment later, the two reached its end.

This was a spacious corridor, terminating in a high-threshold, Ming-style general’s door.

Qian Fengting stopped before the door, stepping aside to clear the path for Li Jun.

"No need to knock, just go straight in."

"My thanks, Elder Qian."

Li Jun offered his gratitude, pressing his hand against the door.

The exact instant he pushed it open, Qian Fengting’s solemn voice rang out behind him.

"The Thousand-Household Lord is a person just like you."

A person just like me?

Thoughts spun furiously in Li Jun’s mind, yet his movements did not falter for a fraction of a second as he pushed the door and walked right in.

Inside the vast study, the lighting was dim and obscure.

A projection hovered in mid-air, the gurgling sound of flowing liquid drifting from within it.

Yet at this moment, Li Jun had absolutely no leisure to spare for inspecting his surroundings; his entire vision was locked tightly onto a figure standing with his back turned.

Shaped like a lean tiger, resembling a lone wolf.

A shudder spread through his whole body for no apparent reason, and wherever it passed, the blood rushing through his veins slowed its pace, while his internal energy and physical strength withdrew their sharp edges.

Li Jun’s fingers flexed repeatedly, only to realize with a shock that his clenched fists felt soft and powerless.

Only in the deepest recesses of his physical form did his genes dare to let out an uneasy, restless, and resentful hiss.

At this very instant, he finally understood the meaning behind Qian Fengting's words.

It turned out that Su Ce, the Jinyiwei Thousand-Household of the Yamato Sector, was also a member of the Martial Order!

A Sect Martial Order!