Chapter 267 - 264: Abandoning Post and Dereliction of Duty
Chapter 267: Chapter 264: Abandoning Post and Dereliction of Duty
By the time Wei Shang drove Lin Yi to the university, it was just a little past six in the morning.
"Aren’t you two heading back?"
Lin Yi asked after getting out of the car, seeing that neither Wei Shang nor Feng Lei had any intention of leaving.
Wei Shang shook his head. "We have to go back to the Department first to report something. You go on ahead."
Lin Yi nodded, understanding what they needed to report.
Wei Shang had only just recovered from his serious injuries a few days ago.
And then there was the matter Lin Yi had brought up today.
Someone was actually plotting against the Martial God? This was no small matter.
They naturally had to report this to Old He in person so they could come to the university and arrest the culprits.
"Drive slow. Be safe!"
After offering a few words of caution, Lin Yi headed toward Dormitory Zone 1.
Only after his figure disappeared into the dormitory building
did Wei Shang drive away from the university...
When Lin Yi got back to his dorm, Wei Nan was still asleep.
Sitting in the living room, he could hear the thunderous snores coming from Wei Nan’s room.
Lin Yi didn’t disturb him. He first took out Xiaoqi’s breakfast from his Storage Ring, placing the Demon Beast Meat into its food bowl.
The Xiaoqi of today was growing incredibly fast.
It could already spread its wings and soar through the sky.
Even its realm had broken through to Star Five.
Even Lin Yi was a bit envious of such a cultivation speed.
Mainly because it never seemed to do anything. Every day was just eating and sleeping, only appearing as a spiritual projection when Lin Yi entered the domain of the Star River Qi Transformation Technique.
’Perhaps that’s why its realm is advancing by leaps and bounds.’
After Xiaoqi finished eating, Lin Yi went straight to his room to rest.
He had spent the entire night killing in Jail City. Although breakfast had satisfied his rumbling stomach,
the deficit in his Qi and Blood hadn’t been fully replenished.
Therefore, he needed a good rest.
He would go to the mission hall to submit his quest after he woke up.
[Current Realm: Tier Two, Star Five]
[Qi and Blood: 81.55%]
Before preparing to rest, Lin Yi specifically checked his realm.
’It’s gone up a bit more, breaking through to Tier Two, Star Five. After I wake up, I should be able to reach Tier Three, Star Five, right? This damn talent... it’s enough to make anyone jealous...’
Lin Yi admired himself for a moment before sitting cross-legged on his bed.
Xiaoqi also jumped up from the floor, curled up in the crook of Lin Yi’s legs, and prepared to rest as well.
This past night, both Lin Yi and Xiaoqi had been incredibly busy.
Especially Xiaoqi, who not only had to participate in combat but also act as a scout.
It circled in the sky, searching for enemies and demon beasts for Lin Yi.
It was fair to say that without Xiaoqi, Lin Yi would have really struggled to find two 3-star Demon Beasts in that city.
Mainly because the demon beasts in that city environment were simply too few and far between.
High-realm demon beasts were even rarer.
Most of the demon beasts he encountered were Star One or Star Two.
Then, Lin Yi silently recited the Magic Formula and quickly entered the domain of the Star River Qi Transformation Technique.
The moment he opened his eyes, a white tiger rushed right at him, like it was greeting a long-lost master.
Meanwhile, Xiaoqi, who was circling mid-air, let out a sharp cry.
As if warning the white tiger, it dove down and pounced on it.
In an instant, the bird and the tiger were playfully fighting again.
Lin Yi smiled and glanced at the Daoist figure sitting in the distance.
Just like before, its silhouette was extremely blurry.
It sat there cross-legged in meditation, and waves of sermon-like sounds drifted into Lin Yi’s ears from time to time.
It was just that he couldn’t hear them clearly, or rather, he couldn’t understand what was being said at all.
However, this didn’t stop the Qi and Blood in his body from gradually beginning to boil.
It was as if he had answered some kind of summons.
Gradually, the Qi and Blood transformed into even purer Qi, which eventually disappeared into the acupoints within Lin Yi’s body.
Next, a golden light enveloped Lin Yi’s entire body.
One by one, runes that leaped about like little sprites
gathered from all around, dancing gracefully around Lin Yi before disappearing into his body one by one, transforming into source Qi...
The surrounding starlight also began to radiate a brilliant luster.
It centered on Lin Yi, shining down upon him.
At this moment, Lin Yi was like the sole deity in this vast universe.
Everything revolved around him.
All for the sole purpose of helping him advance his realm...
「Inside Old He’s office at the Town Martial Department.」
Besides Old He, Wei Shang, and Feng Lei, a man and a woman were sitting on the sofa.
Both of them were high-ranking members of the Town Martial Department.
Their realms had already solidified at Seven Stars, having reached the Star Tempering Realm.
"So, you’re saying those people, the one called Guo Hao and his group, hired someone to kill Lin Yi in Jail City?" Old He’s expression was calm, his tone even.
But a cold, murderous intent flashed in the depths of his eyes.
This killing intent startled both Wei Shang and Feng Lei, who hurriedly nodded.
"Yes, Lin Yi told us himself!"
Old He nodded. "Good. Excellent!"
"I assigned you to be Lin Yi’s personal bodyguards, and you’re telling me you found out he was in danger from his own mouth?"
"You’ve done a fine job on this mission..."
The more level Old He’s tone became, the angrier it meant he was.
Wei Shang and Feng Lei were both so terrified they didn’t dare to breathe too loudly.
"Starting today, you are relieved of your duty to protect Lin Yi. Prepare to report to the disciplinary division to receive your punishment!"
"Elder He..."
Wei Shang’s expression changed drastically, his eyes filled with terror.
Even the usually taciturn Feng Lei looked afraid.
But just then, the woman sitting there laughed.
"Old He, you can’t replace them right now."
"Why not?"
Old He’s face darkened as he whipped his head around to look at the woman.
She smiled. "It’s simple. Although the Martial God hasn’t returned to his position yet, his guard is anything but low."
"Perhaps it’s because he was born in the Old District that he developed such a reserved and unapproachable personality."
"If you relieve them of their duties now, wouldn’t that just make the Martial God suspicious? Who are you going to send to replace them? Or are you just... dropping the protection detail altogether?"
"You’re not going to send anyone to guard the Martial God from now on?"
After the woman finished speaking, Old He fell into deep thought.
After a long while, he finally nodded. "They committed such a blunder. Are you saying they shouldn’t be punished at all?"
"Punished? Of course they must be punished. They abandoned their post and put the Martial God in danger. It’s a good thing nothing happened, otherwise even their lives wouldn’t be enough to atone for it!"
"But there were extenuating circumstances, weren’t there? If their realms hadn’t been suppressed, Wei Shang wouldn’t have been injured, unable to even defeat a single 3-star Demon Beast!"
"I suggest we first lift the restrictions on them and let them recover their cultivation. Besides, the Martial God now knows their identities and hasn’t rejected them, which basically means he’s accepted them."
"As for how to punish them... how about we just dock a year’s worth of their salary!"
"Use that year’s salary to buy some compound potions for the Martial God."
"It might even help the Martial God raise his realm a little!"
When she finished, Old He glanced at the woman, almost breaking into a laugh.
"Meng Die, you’re the head of the Left Martial Department. Aren’t you just covering for them by saying that?" Old He said with a stern face.
Meng Die smiled. "Then you tell me, is there any better way?"
"Right now, the Martial God only trusts Wei Shang and Feng Lei.
Although they abandoned their post this time and nearly caused a disaster,"
"is there anyone else who can replace them?"
After Meng Die finished speaking with a light laugh,
Old He frowned and said no more.
Gaining Lin Yi’s trust was indeed very difficult.
Moreover, Old He didn’t want to use heavy-handed tactics to place guards around Lin Yi.
Doing so would seem too deliberate and would only make Lin Yi push them away.
He would feel like he was being watched.
Over time, it might even cause Lin Yi to develop a rebellious attitude toward the Town Martial Department.
That was not something Old He and the others wanted to see.
The reason they were doing all this was in the hope that one day, when Lin Yi returned to his position as the Martial God,
he would once again take command of the Town Martial Department and restore its former divine might.
Only with the Martial God’s return could the authority of the Town Martial Department be restored.
Otherwise, given the Town Martial Department’s current standing, it was already struggling to keep the Martial Arts Alliance and the Demon Hunting Bureau in check.
If it weren’t for a few Martial Arts experts holding down the fort in the Department, those two organizations would have long since stopped taking the Town Martial Department seriously.
After a long while, Old He finally nodded.
"Go and bring me the Captain of the Left Guard!"
"Yes, Elder He!"
Wei Shang nodded and hurried out.
In just a short while, he returned with a burly, bald-headed man.
The man was over 1.9 meters tall and rippling with muscle.
He exuded an indescribable sense of pressure.
As he entered, the man quickly said, "Shan Kui of the Left Martial Department. Greetings, Elder He. Greetings, Director of the Left Department, Director of the Right Department!"
Hearing this, Old He chuckled and nodded.
"Shan Kui, I have a mission for you. Go to Xingwu University and arrest a few students."
"Go to Xingwu University to arrest students?"
Shan Kui froze, his brow furrowing slightly.
’Sending the Left Martial Guard to arrest a few students? Isn’t that a bit of an overkill?’
Old He saw what he was thinking and said with a light laugh, "They hired assassins to kill the Martial God..."
"I accept the mission!"
The moment Shan Kui heard the words "Martial God,"
he nodded immediately, not even waiting for Old He to finish speaking.
"I’ll go arrest them right now. By the way, what are their names?"
So, Wei Shang provided two names.
"One is named Guo Hao, and the other is Wu Jie. But the Martial God said it wasn’t just them; a few others were involved. As for who they are, you’ll have to investigate that yourself."
Hearing this, Shan Kui grinned.
"Interrogation under torture is what we do best. Elder He, you two Directors, I’ll take my men to the university now and grab those little bastards!"
"Right, what should I do with them after I catch them?"
"Should I exile them directly to Jail City? Or bring them back here first?"
Shan Kui was just about to leave when he quickly turned back to ask.
Old He exchanged a look with Meng Die and Yang Biao.
"Bring them back here first."
"Alright!"
"Wei Shang, Feng Lei, you two not coming with me?"
The two of them shook their heads, gave Shan Kui a meaningful look, and then jutted their chins toward Old He.
Shan Kui understood immediately and said with a smile, "Alright, you two stay put. I’m off!"
After saying that, Shan Kui shut the door and left.
This made Wei Shang and Feng Lei furious.
They had originally planned to have Shan Kui put in a few good words for them.
Hoping the matter would just be dropped.
Who would have thought that Shan Kui wouldn’t even play along?
He just left on his own. If their three superiors weren’t present,
Wei Shang really would have started cursing...