Chapter 54: The Act

Chapter 54: The Play

On the post road, the atmosphere was bizarrely sinister.

Qian Jindong and Fei Baiju exchanged an extremely subtle glance, yet the meanings in their eyes were vastly different.

The former was doubt; the latter, helplessness.

Qian Jindong swept his wide sleeve, clasping his hands behind his back, retreating a step without a trace, his lips unmoving yet a faint sound transmitting from his chest cavity.

"Supervisor Li, what is the meaning of this?"

Li Jun replied without a moment's hesitation, "Naturally, it is to pursue the victory while the going is good. You and I joining forces to kill this Fei Baiju—would that not be easy as pie?"

"Killing isn't my forte. I am merely a Sequence Nine." Qian Jindong's voice sounded somewhat flustered.

Li Jun's expression did not change. "Then I shall do it. You take men and wipe out the Annan Gang's people. Surely that is no problem?"

"That is not hard, but Fei Baiju's Second Division reinforcements will be here any moment!"

"What is there to fear? As long as they are not Sequence Eight, one comes, I kill one; a pair comes, I kill the pair."

"They have heavy firepower on them!"

"Do we not? Pull back and trade salvos. Let us see who blinks first."

A crude brute cannot be plotted with! How did Director Gu let a thing like this into the Security Department?

Watching Li Jun, unsure if he was truly stupid or feigning it, Qian Jindong suppressed his anger and said in a deep voice, "Supervisor Li, we cannot fight on."

"Why?" Li Jun's tone was heavy, but his speech was slow.

Qian Jindong spoke urgently, "Today we have already gained the upper hand. Fight on, and victory or defeat is uncertain. Knowing when to stop—that is maximizing profit!"

Li Jun enunciated each word, "But the Paoge Society lost a good many men today."

"I saw. So what? In corporate struggles, when do people not die?"

Qian Jindong grew somewhat frantic. "Supervisor Li, you had best understand: you are Security Department personnel now. You are no longer the muddleheaded Paoge boss grabbing turf and peddling contraband on Nine Dragons Street!"

"Director Gu recently led a team to eat up Tianfu Heavy Industry's Third and Fourth Divisions at Songpan Wei. It looks like we won a round, but I tell you the truth—Security lost plenty too!"

"Right now Security is hollowed out. If we truly expend our remaining elites here, even if we kill Fei Baiju, we shall reap no merit. Because the real place to wrestle with Tianfu Heavy Industry is not here!"

Qian Jindong's face was grave, his thin lips flying, spraying spittle as he spoke.

"And do not think Fei Baiju's Wind Earl Mechanism Heart is a waste. Do not forget what Tianfu Heavy Industry does? A military enterprise!"

"If he shoulders a few 'Fire Dragons Emerging from Water' and plays guerrilla with you, can you catch him? Even if you, Supervisor Li, do not fear death, what of your Paoge brothers?"

Qian Jindong's words were nothing if not earnest advice, yet Li Jun still paid him no heed, instead turning to look at that group of Security Department staff standing by the Heiyu off-roader.

In truth, the situation was simple: Li Jun handles Fei Baiju; the other Security staff clean up the Annan Gang thugs.

With their strength and equipment, it would not take a quarter-hour to exterminate the Annan Gang to the last man.

Clearly, at this moment, their side held absolute advantage, yet these men's eyes held zero fighting spirit; their gazes on Li Jun even carried a trace of resentment.

"This is the Corporation. This is business!"

Li Jun suddenly grinned, his voice thick with mockery.

Qian Jindong's face instantly turned iron-green. He could not help a cold snort, then suddenly felt a chill at his throat—a keen blade edge already pressed against his neck.

"Li Jun... what are you doing!"

This sudden upheaval came too fast; not only did the Shu Dao Logistics people fail to react, even Fei Baiju stood dazed in place.

Gene collapse? Or Qi deviation? How did he start hacking his own people?

Amidst rain mixed with faint wails, only Li Jun's clear shout rang out:

"Security Department Third Supervisor Qian Jindong colluded with Tianfu Heavy Industry's Fei Baiju, betrayed the Corporation. Executed on the spot."

Before the words fell, Qian Jindong roared, "Li Jun, you dare? Killing me violates Corporation regulations. Young Master Yong will never let you off!"

Fei Baiju likewise cursed, "I'll collude with your grandpa..."

"Qian Jindong, did you really think the Corporation did not know?"

"What?"

Li Jun flicked his wrist; the long blade lifted Qian Jindong's chin, forcing him to raise his eyes to the heavens.

Beneath the pitch-black canopy, a night owl circled on beating wings, its avian pupils crimson, overlooking the entire battlefield.

"Owl... Scout?!"

Qian Jindong murmured, a sudden chill at his neck, then his vision spun wildly.

The headless corpse crashed into the rain, stirring ripples. Those snow-white robes stained with mud, instantly filthy beyond recognition.

[Proficiency Points Gained: 50]

[Remaining Proficiency Points: 302]

"Only this little? Does killing a lower Sequence as a higher Sequence yield diminishing returns?"

Even as Li Jun pondered, he did not forget to raise his arm and blade once more, pointing at Fei Baiju.

"Motherfucker, this lunatic!"

Fei Baiju looked into Li Jun's indifferent eyes, and a shiver of dread rose unbidden in his heart.

In his eyes right now, Li Jun was a thoroughgoing madman.

Fighting to the death with this kind of person—simply not worth it!

"We move."

Decision made, Fei Baiju let out a low roar, leading the Annan Gang men to flee into the dense forests flanking the post road.

A standoff bristling with tension, yet ending in such a bizarre, abrupt farce.

Even more ludicrous: Qian Jindong's subordinates, seeing their supervisor killed, did not dare let out a peep.

Even when ordered by Li Jun to surrender the Heiyu, they complied meekly, every one of them docile as quail.

.......

Inside the cabin, Kuang Qingyun, who had sat in the passenger seat pondering for a long time, suddenly blurted, "This isn't like you."

Li Jun gripped the steering wheel, eyes on the road ahead. "Why do you say that?"

"Qian Jindong may fear death, but he hasn't the guts to collude with Tianfu Heavy Industry." Kuang Qingyun's tone was utterly certain. "And I know you are not some brainless brute."

"I'll take that as a compliment. But don't ask about the rest; ask all you want, I won't tell."

Li Jun spoke with a smile the very words Kuang Qingyun had said not long ago.

In truth, Kuang Qingyun harbored a vague guess, but in the end, he still did not voice it, merely lowering his eyes to gaze at his mutilated left arm, a bitter smile touching his lips.

"Rank Nine Mechanism Soldier... still too weak, after all."

Li Jun rolled down the window, letting the backflowing rain slap against his cheeks.

The freezing chill cleared his thoughts further.

In truth, Kuang Qingyun was right. Qian Jindong feared death, but he absolutely lacked the guts to betray Shu Dao Logistics.

His little scheme was merely to stop Li Jun from continuing to trade blows with Fei Baiju, lest the two kill each other in a frenzy and drag him down with them.

And Li Jun’s reason for killing him was nothing but a flimsy pretext, plucked at random.

This was a play staged for Gu Yong’s benefit, meant to set the Shu Dao Logistics proprietor’s mind at ease, convincing him that he could still control Li Jun even after his ascension to Martial Grade Eight.

What sort of subordinate puts a ruler’s mind at rest?

The answer is not loyalty, but only those the ruler can manipulate—only they are the ones he truly trusts.

Irritable, impulsive, belligerent, swimming in enemies.

Because he had killed Qian Jindong simply for obstructing his vengeance for the Pao Ge Association, Li Jun’s image was now firmly cemented as a brainless brute.

With so many weaknesses on display, Gu Yong would find him child’s play to handle.

And by doing this, he would also force those coveting the Pao Ge Association to pause and weigh the cost before striking—whether they could afford to provoke a deranged Martial Grade Eight.

As for whether Gu Yong would hold him accountable, Li Jun hadn’t worried for a second.

A Martial Grade Eight who was a capable commander versus a corrupt, good-for-nothing Grade Nine officer—with a recommendation imminent, the scales tipped obviously; there was nothing to consider.

"Old Kuang, do you prefer clever men as subordinates, or fools?" Li Jun asked suddenly.

Kuang Qingyun answered without a thought, "Clever men, of course."

That answer drew a wry laugh from Li Jun. "Then you’re different from them."

Kuang Qingyun froze. "Who are 'they'?"

Li Jun smiled without answering, stomping hard on the accelerator. The Black Yu engine roared, a thunderous snarl tearing through the night as they hurtled toward Chengdu Prefecture.

A red-eyed owl circling the roof beat its wings and soared upward, vanishing into the vast, dark night.