The conference room at the East Asia Military Region headquarters was already filled with the majority of the generals, and General Li Mingzheng, who had vanished that afternoon, reappeared within its confines.

In the span of just one afternoon, people noticed that General Hanzhou, who had been full of vigor and spirit that morning, now had his temples streaked with white, his face etched with an indescribable weariness. Only his eyes remained sharp, within whose fierce gaze lurked a trace of sorrowful joy.

With Li Mingzheng’s entrance, the atmosphere in the assembly hall grew heavier. The general, a leading figure among the radical faction vying for power in Hanzhou, exuded a chilling aura.

His eyes were fixed intently on an empty chair in the room—the designated seat for the Serpent King, Du Hen, which remained unoccupied just as the meeting was about to commence.

Generals from the various provinces also stared curiously at Du Hen’s seat. Why was this general, who was always the first to arrive for meetings, suddenly late today? Had the recent events concerning that website also caused him trouble?

The neutral faction of generals exchanged glances. Why was the Serpent King, who usually offered his opinions last, in such a hurry this time? Didn't he realize that declaring one’s position too early often made it easy for adversaries to find weaknesses and launch relentless attacks?

More gazes shifted toward Li Mingzheng. Was the authority of the East Asia Military Region truly about to change hands? What was the Serpent King busy with?

“Father, everything has been handled.”

In the spacious and quiet office of the Serpent King, Du Yu stood respectfully beside the large desk, reporting on his actions with the caution of a newly deployed recruit.

Du Yu narrowed his eyes. Even without him reporting, the current trend on the internet already revealed the outcome of the matter.

Several reporters who had originally posted had now shifted their stance from the initial narrative, beginning to clarify that their previous reports were based on partial understanding and were inaccurate.

However, one reporter who had posted—one adhering to his “professional ethics”—had not issued any clarification since a certain point in time.

It was just that this reporter, held up by his “professional ethics,” had never published another post after that specific moment.

Du Hen sipped his delicate green tea, smiling. Perhaps that reporter had initially believed he lived in a completely reasonable, law-abiding society? He must have believed the power behind him could protect him from harm? He hadn't considered the possibility of disappearance or death.

Du Hen took another sip of the fragrant green tea. Choosing to ally with those who refuse to acknowledge enmity is foolish. When a major power initiates a hidden current, the small figures caught within it are easily torn to shreds by that undertow.

The voices of debate on the internet grew louder, no longer overwhelmingly directed toward Qin Fen. Although the supporters of Qin Fen were still clearly at a disadvantage, this was enough.

Du Yu knew that what his father truly desired was not for Qin Fen to gain the upper hand online; he simply wanted muddy waters.

Now, the waters were indeed muddied…

“Wait a little longer…” Du Hen leaned back languidly in his executive chair. “No need to rush to the conference hall yet. They can wait a while longer. I’m still expecting a phone call. The calls from those young men in Australia should be coming through soon. I don’t want to have to take a call halfway through the meeting.”

Du Yu remained silent beside him, knowing that the “young men” his father referred to were those freaks led by Squad Leader Hao.

Three minutes later, the phone rang.

Du Hen tapped lightly on his desk, and the holographic projections of Squad Leader Hao and the others sprang up from the surface.

“General!”

The freaks, usually lazy at the recruit camp in Australia, instantly resumed the proper bearing of soldiers. Their military boots struck the floor almost simultaneously with a sharp snap, completing their salute.

Du Hen sat, returning the salute: “This time, Qin Fen will likely have to make some sacrifices.”

The Brute, the Butcher, and the Sharpshooter all froze, none having expected the Serpent King to be so blunt. Expressions of displeasure immediately surfaced on their faces.

Squad Leader Hao raised a hand, signaling his companions behind him to wait, and spoke with reverence: “General Serpent King, I know you are in a high position and have always taken good care of us brothers; otherwise, we wouldn’t be as carefree as we are now. We brothers are truly grateful for this.”

A faint, apologetic smile touched the Serpent King’s usually cold features. Such care was insignificant compared to what happened back then.

“But!” Squad Leader Hao’s tone shifted, his expression frosting over: “If Qin Fen is truly crushed by this, then we brothers will have no choice but to apologize for your care. I imagine that if the few of us old-timers left the army and took our apprentices to work as mercenaries, we wouldn’t fare too badly either.”

The Serpent King’s two imposing eyebrows arched, adding a layer of sternness to his face, though a trace of that debt remained in the corners of his eyes. His voice deepened: “Are you threatening me?”

“No!” Squad Leader Hao straightened his spine further. “We are not threatening you; we are merely stating our position on this matter. We believe our sacrifice back then was worthwhile! That’s why we have always respected you. But that doesn't mean we can accept our apprentice, whom we jointly nurtured, walking down the same path we did.”

“The same path?” The Serpent King’s eyes held a trace of amusement. “Little Hao, you are the person I’ve ever met who reads hearts the best. Why are you so agitated this time? It seems ‘concern leads to rashness’ is always true. With you few, I don’t need to hide much. I am old, and the East Asia Military Region is old. Zhan Peng…”

The Serpent King sighed, a shadow of dejection crossing his face. “The East Asia Military Region needs fresh blood. There’s a promising young fellow; I plan to temper him and see what he’s made of.”

The Squad Leader fell silent. He gazed at the Serpent King’s sorrowful expression and naturally understood how heartbroken this Serpent King, whose hands were stained with the blood of enemies, must be after losing the successor he had cultivated with all his might.

“What about Du Peng…”

“Do not speak of him,” the Serpent King waved a hand, cutting off Squad Leader Hao. “My judgment is never wrong. He’s not capable. It doesn’t matter how much Zhan Peng defends him.”

The Squad Leader slowly closed his eyes, gently rubbing his temples. This required careful, serious consideration. They were risking everything this time just to secure Qin Fen’s future.

But no one had expected the Serpent King’s appetite to be so vast…

“The East Asia Military Region needs a major cleanup,” the Serpent King stated with surprising nonchalance. “We can’t leave a mess that will make the newcomers mock this old man for being ineffective, can we?”

The Squad Leader nodded slowly. He couldn't refuse this suggestion. If Qin Fen could become a leading figure in East Asia in the future, it would indeed be gratifying. Even Song Wendong couldn't argue that Qin Fen lacked the qualifications to marry his granddaughter anymore.

“Understood?” The Serpent King tapped his index finger several times. “This time, we indeed need to fight for Qin Fen, but public opinion must still be considered. Unless you plan to put everything about Qin Fen under a spotlight—that might reverse the entire online offensive, but it would also draw more attention to him from the Golden Triangle.”

The Squad Leader had to admit, nodding repeatedly, that keeping Qin Fen under intense public scrutiny right now would only make his path rougher and increase the likelihood of unexpected incidents.

“Let him go out and gain experience,” the Serpent King tapped his desk. “Retain his military status and rank. I’ll talk to those old guys in the police force; have him temporarily leave the military to spend a few days with the police to broaden his horizons. Didn’t he guest-star as an undercover agent once? He has ties with the police force. Let him go to Tianbei City. I hear they are short a Deputy Chief there.”

The Squad Leader started, and the other instructors let out wry, helpless smiles. The military interfering with the local police system was already a breach of protocol, but the Serpent King had the clout to leverage connections and means, so it wouldn't be a major issue; even if caught, it wouldn't matter, as the term ‘secondment’ would serve as a shield.

It was just that the secondment was quite significant.

“Tianbei City…” The Squad Leader’s eyes narrowed into slits. “That place…”

“Heh heh heh…” The Serpent King smiled more in this short span than he usually did in a year. He waved a hand: “Yes, Tianbei City. I imagine once I place him in the Tianbei City police department, someone will try to roast him over the coals, won’t they?”

The Squad Leader showed a look of sudden understanding. If he joined the Tianbei City police department, and someone manipulated things within it, they might very well place Qin Fen in a specialized position.

“That’s settled! Maintain his military status and rank, second him to the police force. After all, the military and police don’t truly separate,” Du Hen said, waving away concerns. “Since someone wants to cause trouble by suppressing Qin Fen, let Qin Fen go to this slightly specialized place and give them an opportunity. If Qin Fen proves truly worthy of cultivation, he will certainly fight his way back on the legitimate track. If he fails to achieve results, then, as I said, he has no value for cultivation.”

The Squad Leader turned back to his companions. They all shrugged, indicating no objection. For Lieutenant Colonel Qin Fen to take the position of Deputy Chief wasn't a disadvantage; gaining exposure to different environments would benefit his future development.

“Let’s go. Time to see what performance those people in the conference room put on,” Du Peng ended the call, placing his hands on the armrests and slowly rising. “Have someone bring Qin Fen over to the Military Region. What’s he doing staying at the police station?”

Du Yu nodded in response. “The people sent out should have arrived at the police station by now, right?”

As he spoke, a rare smile appeared on Du Yu’s face. Zhao Huzi was personally overseeing the transfer paperwork this time. He wondered if those officers would be shocked to see a Lieutenant General—no, now a Major General—leading a full Guard Company to handle the handover.

A Major General! A Guard Company!

The two officers who had personally arrested Qin Fen nearly popped their eyes out watching the military region vehicles filling the police station yard. This display of force was excessive! A Major General showing up in person?

The other officers were equally stunned; no one expected a Major General to arrive to process the transfer, let alone one accompanied by so many personnel.

The two chiefs who had been arguing instantly ceased their dispute, their faces blooming with smiles as they strode out of the office, enthusiastically extending both hands in welcome.

Zhao Huzi approached, his face openly furious, and quickly arrived before the two smiling chiefs. His expression remained stone-cold: “Gentlemen, I am busy with official duties; let’s skip the pleasantries. Where is the man?”

The Chief Inspector glared sharply at the Deputy Chief next to him, who had been trying to climb the ladder, and quickly said cautiously, “He’s inside.”

“Kid!” Zhao Huzi strode into the room with powerful steps and clapped his hands onto Qin Fen’s shoulders. “Did they give you any trouble?”

Qin Fen’s eyes flickered with surprise. He hadn't expected the personnel handling the transfer to be Major General Zhao Huzi. This General truly did whatever he intended, showing no concern for propriety at a time like this. No wonder the instructors said he was dependable.

“Not bad,” Qin Fen glanced at the universal electromagnetic cuffs on his wrist. “They didn’t make things difficult for me, and the dinner was even more refined than army rations.”

“Oh? Is that so?” Zhao Huzi’s thick eyebrows twitched; he looked overjoyed. “So, I arrived early?”

Qin Fen nodded seriously. “They were just discussing my lodging arrangements for the evening. A five-star hotel might be too extravagant; if possible, a four-star hotel…”

Zhao Huzi chuckled, surveying the people around him. He should have treated Qin Fen like a treasured ancestor; he should have let him enjoy himself more.

“Alright!” Zhao Huzi pulled Qin Fen’s shoulder. “Since I’m here, come back with me first…”

“Wait a moment…” One of the officers responsible for Qin Fen’s arrest nervously pulled a magnetic card from his breast pocket. “His handcuffs haven’t been removed…”

Zhao Huzi frowned in annoyance and waved his large hand again, dragging Qin Fen toward the exit. “Why bother with such formalities? Qin Fen, just take those cuffs off yourself.”

“Oh…”

Qin Fen agreed. The Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill surged into his arms. The electromagnetic cuffs sparked violently, then fell limply to the ground, reduced to two piles of scrap metal.

The officers stared blankly at the discarded handcuffs, especially the one who had arrested Qin Fen, who swallowed hard. If this kid had suddenly acted out in the police car… those were electromagnetic cuffs capable of firmly restraining a Nine-Star Martial Artist! How ferocious was this young man?

Into the car, take off, return to the army.

Qin Fen followed standard procedure and was temporarily housed in the military detention center.

Zhao Huzi didn't bother greeting anyone else and hurried toward the direction of the conference room.

The few young soldiers responsible for this area were momentarily unsure how to handle the young man, Qin Fen.

Under normal circumstances, any other individual entering this detention room would receive some minor punishment, but today…

This person looked under twenty, yet already sported the rank insignia of a Lieutenant Colonel on his shoulders. Who knew how high his future prospects would climb if he were released without issue?

A Lieutenant Colonel at this age implied an astonishing background… The guards decided to simply keep Qin Fen temporarily in the detention room and wait for instructions from higher-ups before questioning him.

Their job was to monitor the surveillance feed, ensuring Qin Fen didn't suffer any accidents or attempt an escape.

Ps: December 2009 was a peculiar month for Gao Lou. I wanted to conclude C9 with a perfect finish, so I initiated a battle that many considered overambitious. Thanks to everyone’s help, I have, for now, narrowly avoided defeat.

For me, this is a good thing.

But this is not the entirety of my C9 year-end. Since entering December, in just seven days, Gao Lou has encountered two other incidents, two separate matters that have made me extremely angry. Indeed, a few days ago, these issues even affected my mood for writing.

Today, just this morning, I encountered the second matter that angered me immensely, and it was in no way less significant than the previous one. Fortunately, I can adjust my writing mood; I can prevent too much external influence when I am typing.

I thank everyone here. Without your support, my growth would not have happened—not just the improvement in the quality of my writing compared to before, but also my internal growth.

Because of a sense of responsibility deep within me, I can quickly adjust my emotions. Thank you all.

Here, I pray that Jìmìe Tiānjiāo can achieve a good result in monthly votes this final month of C9. I pray that I won't encounter those infuriating situations again. I pray that every reader supporting Gao Lou enjoys good health, success in all their endeavors, and happiness with their families. For those who have exams, may you achieve excellent scores; for those working, may you receive higher salaries and bonuses; for those without partners, may you find your true love.

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