Chapter 344: Snowfall Like Storming a City

Chapter 344: The Snow Falls Like a Besieged City

"Without a doubt, they will soon act against the petty men."

Jiao Valley exhaled a cloud of foul air, his expression returning to calm as he spoke softly, "Therefore, sir, I hope you will permit me to dissolve the entire Angle Valley Group at once, and have all its key personnel imprisoned in the Shouwei Bureau's dungeons, lest they unknowingly become pawns of the Honghu."

The other party's intent, Xie Bisan understood perfectly.

Jiao Valley sought to fragment and temporarily disband the Angle Valley Group—to prevent any members from being ensnared by Honghu's machinations and turned into puppets, and to stop Honghu from leveraging the group's influence.

After all, with the backing of the Xijiao Police Station, the Angle Valley Group could be rebuilt at any time.

Yet such a measure was tantamount to tearing out flesh to heal a wound, or avoiding a disease out of shame.

After all, Xie Bisan's original purpose in leaving the Angle Valley Group intact was to compensate for the Jin Yi Wei's shortcomings in intelligence-gathering channels.

Mice have mouse holes, snakes have snake paths.

Some information they could not easily obtain, but these factions rooted in the slums could.

If now, merely fearing Honghu's "Bai He," they severed their own arm, would that not play directly into their hands?

Xie Bisan's cold voice cut through the air, "Jiao Valley, are you afraid?"

"The petty man fears not, but Honghu has already set its sights on the Angle Valley Group. Those below lack the ability to resist their enticement, and I cannot stop their infiltration."

Jiao Valley bowed again, pleading, "At this juncture, the Angle Valley Group no longer serves its purpose. Better to conceal its blade for future use than to leave it as a hidden danger."

"It takes a thousand days to raise an army, but only one day to use it!"

Xie Bisan's eyes flashed with icy light, "Now I need your Angle Valley Group to watch every corner of the Dog Mountain City. Yet you speak of concealing your blade. Jiao Valley, do you think that possible?"

"Sir."

"You need not speak further."

Xie Bisan coldly interrupted, "Since Song Mountain left those words, it proves he will seek you out in time. What you must do now is remain vigilant, and notify us immediately upon his reappearance."

"As for your subordinates, since you cannot stop Honghu's infiltration, why not open the doors and let them in! When the time comes, we shall close the doors and slaughter them all—clean and thorough!"

Jiao Valley's face tightened, his features rigid as the mechanisms within his facial bones clenched, nearly crushing his molars.

Xie Bisan discerned the unwillingness in his eyes, furrowing his brow in warning, "Jiao Valley, you had best think carefully. This time, regardless of how many in your Angle Valley Group perish or how grave the losses, as long as I remain, I can double your gains."

"But if you harbor thoughts you ought not..."

Xie Bisan tapped his fingers against the low table before him, "I can elevate you, and I can also ensure you die without a proper burial!"

"The petty man understands."

Jiao Valley, resigned, bowed his head once more, replying with due reverence.

"I know your character holds great importance in loyalty and righteousness. Were it not for this, I would not have kept you here. But this matter is of grave consequence, and you cannot afford hesitation."

Xie Bisan's tone softened, and he flung a intricately crafted, lifelike metal dragonfly toward Jiao Valley.

"This is a seventh-grade Xingling Long. Should anyone attempt to hypnotize you with 'Bai He,' it will grant you some time."

"Thank you, sir. I shall arrange for my men to search for suspicious individuals at once."

With Xie Bisan's permission, Jiao Valley cradled the Xingling Long in both hands, rose slowly, and turned toward the door.

"Ah, are you leaving now?"

The proprietor, who had been watching the compartment's movements, saw Jiao Valley emerge and a barely perceptible smile flickered at the corner of her eyes.

"The snow outside is heavy. The Consolation Office has issued a warning. Take this umbrella to shield yourself from the snow."

Jiao Valley did not refuse, reaching out to take the umbrella offered, giving the proprietor a long, searching look before pulling open the izakaya's lattice door.

On the street, the unending snow, compressed by the houses into a 'riverbed,' surged like waves.

The 'banks' on either side had their doors and windows tightly shut, leaving the world a blank expanse of white as if only he remained.

The Jiao Valley who had sweated profusely before Xie Bisan now bore no trace of warmth, his body radiating cold that merged with the howling wind.

He retained the sweat glands that would betray his thoughts—this was his tool for feigning weakness and submission.

Yet now, his clever schemes seemed nothing but a cruel joke.

Life and death, after all, were determined by the whims of those above.

Click... click...

Jiao Valley's heavy form trudged through the snow, the path behind him erased in an instant by the raging storm.

Suddenly, he halted.

A stranger appeared ahead.

Though he had never seen that face before, Jiao Valley recognized the identity in a heartbeat.

Honghu, Song Mountain.

"Jiao Valley, the time has come. Have you made your choice?"

The wavering voice was carried to his ears by the wind.

Jiao Valley smiled helplessly, this time hesitating not long before raising his hand in a dismissive gesture.

A small black shadow fell at the other's feet—it was the seventh-grade Xingling Long Xie Bisan had given him.

Pfft.

At the same time, Jiao Valley released the umbrella, which had remained unopened, letting it drop to the ground.

"Your choice is correct."

Jiao Valley's expression was cold as he asked, "You said you would send the entire Angle Valley Group's backbone out of the Toyama district."

"Rest assured, we will honor our promise."

The former Age Group Dog Mountain City branch, now bore a brand-new sign. Amidst the golden glow, four large regular script characters stood out: Xuanwei Company.

In the eastern master's office atop the building, Luo He, the deputy commissioner of the Dog Mountain Consolation Office, stood by the window with his hands clasped behind his back.

Yet no matter how he focused his gaze, he could not pierce the obstructing pale hues beyond the window.

"This year's snowfall is like a besieged city."

Luo He shivered violently, turning to face the bustling figures behind him, asking, "Any results yet?"

In the spacious room, some stood, some sat, each with piles of documents before them, all busy beyond measure.

These were now the management personnel of the Xuanwei Company, and the primary executors of the Dog Mountain City's Confucian Temple construction and labor export initiatives.

These two new policies had begun to show initial results. Following the instructions of the same official, Yang Bai Ze, an accurate cost assessment was needed to facilitate the large-scale rollout.

"Sir, we have results!"

A head emerged from the sea of documents, shouting loudly.

Luo He's spirit stirred, "Speak!"

"West Suburb Confucian Temple, currently enrolling 1,330 students, each receiving a one-time enrollment subsidy of five thousand taels of silver, total expenditure approximately 660,000 taels."

"Food and lodging subsidies, calculated at fifty taels per person per day, requiring nearly two million taels for a month."

"Distribution of enlightenment-level brain machines, priced at ten thousand taels per unit, including necessary surgical costs, total expenditure approaching 15 million taels of silver."

Including other miscellaneous expenses, establishing a Fuzi Temple of comparable scale requires an initial capital of thirty million taels of cash, with monthly maintenance costs not less than five million.

The tone of the person reporting the results gradually distorted, until at last it became almost a cry of alarm.

Though they had all participated in the process of opening the Fuzi Temple, now that the accounts were settled, the staggering cost still exceeded their imagination.

The crux was that this new policy had no profitable avenues whatsoever, at least none they could find.

"Mmm, I understand."

In contrast, Luohe remained remarkably composed, "What about the cost of labor export?"

Another individual, clutching an electronic tablet, stood up, "To date, we have exported three thousand five hundred young men to the imperial Chongqing Prefecture, each receiving a one-time travel subsidy of one thousand taels of cash, totaling three million five hundred twenty-five thousand taels."

"According to your instructions, we have also provided an additional month of work stability subsidy, at a standard of one thousand five taels per person, totaling five million two hundred twenty-five thousand taels."

This person spoke with a tremor in his voice, "In total, eight million seven hundred seventy-five thousand taels."

"Phew."

Luohe exhaled a breath, lifting his gaze to survey the room, and smiled, "Do you think the two policies implemented by Yang have costs too high? And there's no possibility of recouping the investment. If this continues, Xuanwei Company won't last long before collapsing."

Several people exchanged glances, though none dared to answer rashly, their expressions already betrayed their true thoughts.

"Your vision is still too shallow. As the initial staff of Xuanwei Company, you cannot only see that these few million taels have been spent without return."

"But should see that in Quanyuan City, with less than a million commoners, already one in every two hundred has begun to change their fate with your help!"

Luohe's tone was resonant and powerful, "That is the true crux! You have all done well this time. Here, I represent the Xuanwei Office to commend you!"

"Of course," Luohe's words shifted, "to quickly implement the new policies, cost control is also an extremely important aspect. Yang has instructed that the upcoming enlightened private schools need not follow the Fuzi Temple's standards; they should be appropriately compressed. But one principle must remain unchanged: it cannot affect the enthusiasm of the common people."

Thud... Thud... Thud...

Before Luohe could finish speaking, the sudden, hurried knocking interrupted.

"Who is it?"

Luohe's brow furrowed slightly, his face showing a hint of displeasure.

The door was pushed open, and a young man in the Fuzi Temple's blue robes stood outside, a bulging package slung over his back.

"Are you a student of the Fuzi Temple? What is your name? Why are you not studying in the temple at this hour, but here instead?" Luohe wore a puzzled expression, speaking in a low reprimand.

"My name is Shi Le. No, I am Siwei Ji."

The young man tilted his head, sparks crackling behind his head with a buzzing sound.

He reached into the package behind him, "Someone told me to deliver this to you."

"What is it?"

Luohe's eyes fell to his hand, and his face suddenly changed dramatically!

Boom!