In the main hall of the Evil Suppression Department, the stench of blood had not yet faded.
Two Warriors were carrying buckets of water to wash the bloodstains from the floor, but the grim, murderous aura seemed to have seeped into the bluestone slabs, lingering indefinitely.
Zhang Cheng sat enthroned on the high platform, his gaze sweeping over the crowd below, their expressions a mix of emotions. He spoke with authority:
"In the case of Wang Sanshui, the witnesses and evidence were irrefutable, and the laws of the state have been upheld. This is the first strike in our campaign to restore discipline since the two departments of our Evil Suppression Department were merged!"
"But the reason this case was solved, and the lives of several of our comrades were saved, is entirely thanks to Patrol Banner Inspector Chu Bai’s sharp perception and lightning-fast strike."
At this, a gentle smile appeared on Zhang Cheng’s face as he looked toward Chu Bai, who was standing in the front row:
"By my authority as Director, I hereby decree: Chu Bai is recognized for his merit in solving this case. Not only did he slay a Demon Beast at the Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation, but he also purged a black sheep from our department. He is specially rewarded with one hundred taels of silver and will be credited with one Class B Merit!"
As soon as this was said, a series of soft gasps echoed through the hall.
While one hundred taels of silver was a considerable sum, for the Cultivators present, it was merely the price of a few bottles of Pills.
But this "Class B Merit" was a different matter entirely.
In the Great Zhou Bureaucracy, merits were the hard currency for promotion.
An ordinary Petty Official could work diligently for three to five years and still might not earn a single Third-class Merit.
And a Class B Merit was typically only awarded for solving a major case or slaying a Demon.
With this merit to his name, if Chu Bai sought promotion in the future, it would come naturally, with far fewer obstacles than others faced.
’This Banner Inspector Chu... He’s truly fortunate.’
Someone’s heart soured with envy as they sighed inwardly.
But as they looked at the massive wolf carcass that had yet to be carried away, and then at Chu Bai’s abyss-like calm, that jealousy could only transform into deep reverence and acceptance.
If it had been them, forget about earning merit by Demon Slaying. In the face of that Bloodthirsty Black Wolf at the Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation, they probably wouldn’t even have had the courage to draw their blades.
He had earned this credit, fair and square.
"Thank you for the reward, Director."
Chu Bai stepped forward, cupping his hands in thanks with a placid expression. He showed no sign of being overwhelmed by the favor, as if it were all to be expected.
This unflappable composure, unfazed by honor or disgrace, earned him silent nods of approval from many old officials who had weathered the ups and downs of the bureaucracy for years.
"Court is dismissed!"
As the gavel struck again, the thrilling morning assembly finally came to a close.
The crowd filed out one after another, but compared to their casual demeanor on arrival, everyone’s steps now seemed somewhat heavy.
Everyone knew that the winds of change had come to the Evil Suppression Department.
...
After the assembly was dismissed, Chu Bai didn’t hurry back to his quiet room. Instead, he turned and prepared to visit the records room again.
Although Wang Sanshui had been brought to justice, he was just a fool pushed to the forefront.
The Evil Suppression Department’s corruption ran deep; the filth hidden within was by no means limited to this one instance.
The high-ranking, powerful "big tigers" who kept their hands clean were the real tough nuts to crack.
’You have to eat a meal one bite at a time. I’ll have to go through these records slowly.’
Chu Bai thought to himself. With the enhancement from the Guardian Scripture’s Divine Thought, the complex accounts and records became as clear as day to him, like unraveling silk from a cocoon.
As long as he had time, he was confident he could expose the others.
As he was walking, a flurry of hurried footsteps suddenly sounded from behind.
"Lord... Lord Chu! Please wait!"
Chu Bai turned to see his former classmate, Hu Hao.
Hu Hao wore a peculiar expression, a mix of vindication and anxiety.
He quickly caught up to Chu Bai, glanced around, and seeing no one nearby, lowered his voice.
"Brother Chu, something strange just happened."
"Oh?" Chu Bai raised an eyebrow slightly. "What is it?"
Hu Hao pulled a heavy money pouch from his robes and said with a wry smile, "Just after the assembly, that Clerk Liu... you know, the guy who was giving me a hard time at the logistics office yesterday, he actually came to find me."
"His face was all smiles, and he was so incredibly polite. He insisted on returning the five taels of silver I gave him yesterday. Not only that, he tried to force another five taels on me, saying it was to calm my nerves and as an apology."
At this, Hu Hao shook his head and sighed, "Arrogant then, obsequious now. It’s laughable how fast his attitude changed."
Hearing this, the corners of Chu Bai’s mouth curved into a faint smile.
This Clerk Liu was a shrewd one.
Yesterday he was bullying Hu Hao, but today, seeing Wang Sanshui’s head roll and Chu Bai’s rise in power, he immediately panicked.
He was scared. Scared that this "Killing Star," Chu Bai, would follow the trail to him or use this as a pretext to cause him trouble.
So he rushed to return the hot silver, hoping to smooth things over and let the matter die.
"So did you take it?" Chu Bai asked.
"I only took back my own five taels," Hu Hao said seriously. "I didn’t take a penny more. We may be poor, but we have our dignity."
Chu Bai nodded in approval. "You did the right thing. Taking back what’s yours is reasonable. Taking more would give him leverage against you."
Hu Hao sighed, his expression turning grave. "But Brother Chu, this also put me on guard. By returning the silver, Clerk Liu is showing weakness, but it also means he’s drawing a clear line between us."
"He’s part of the Noble Faction. By doing this, he’s actually guarding against us, treating us as the opposition."
Chu Bai gave a noncommittal nod and said calmly, "The heat is on right now, so of course he wouldn’t dare give you any more trouble. As for drawing a line... hehe, we were never on the same path to begin with. Why force it?"
The two chatted as they walked, and before they knew it, they had arrived at a secluded garden corridor.
Hu Hao stopped, looked at Chu Bai, and suddenly took a deep breath as if he had made a decision.
"Brother Chu... No, Lord Chu."

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