Chapter 154: The General Director’s Choice
The three directors had once again convened in the Dragonteeth Guard headquarters.
Shangguan Yi didn’t say anything, but Zhou Kai and Qi Tiannan’s words were almost entirely of the same line, the same version under different circ.u.mstances.
And the crux of the conflicted all pointed to one person in the Dragonteeth Guard -- Lu Wuji.
“General Director, Lu Wuji is the nephew of Vice Director Yang. His reputation has never been the greatest. Elder Ning and Vice Head s.h.i.+ are all enraged because of the same person. They say that he distorted the truth and twisted justified self defense into a crime. Not only that, he tore Elder Ning’s note up and almost beat the person Vice Head s.h.i.+ had sent. Wouldn’t you say that this Lu Wuji has utter contempt of all laws and regulation?”
At this moment, Shangguan Yi finally understood why Elder Fei was so angry. If it had been him, Shangguan Yi, who had been bafflingly arrested and clapped into the Black Dungeons, he would also be quite angry and likely even worse off than them.
“Do you know who Lu Wuji has arrested?” Shangguan Yi probed.
“I’m not sure, Elder Ning says he’s her friend.”
“s.h.i.+ Xiaoyao also said he’s his friend, but he didn’t say his name.”
Shangguan Yi sighed, “His name is Jiang Chen.”
“Jiang Chen?” The two vice directors looked at each other, at a loss of what to do. Their status was high and they rarely asked about common matters. They had never paid attention to Jiang Chen’s name either.
“Who’s this Jiang Chen? Why is it that three out of the four great sites are protecting him?” Qi Tiannan’s facial expression suddenly changed. “Can he be a disciple of the Precious Tree Sect?”
When Shangguan Yi heard the three words of “Precious Tree Sect”, his face abruptly drained of color. “If this is the case, then Lu Wuji has truly caused an overwhelming disaster!”
At this moment, one of his subordinates came to report, “Directors, the Dragonteeth Guard members who were first on the scene have arrived.”
“Send them in.” Shangguan Yi said hastily.
Tian Shao’s men, the ones who had been the first on the scene to handle Jiang Chen’s case, quaked in their shoes as they walked in. Facing three directors at the same time was something they had never experienced before. They almost couldn’t stand straight.
“You there, don’t worry. I have a few questions to ask you. I don’t care what pressure or threats you have faced before, none of that is relevant. I will be the judge for you. What you need to do is to completely recount this matter. Don’t color it with the slightest bit of your personal feelings, I want the truth!”
Shangguan Yi spoke with a few traces of pacification.
“Do you hear that? The general director wants the truth.”
The teeth of the Dragonteeth Guard clattered as they calmed themselves with effort. The captain finally opened his mouth. “The matter occurred on the streets where the Southern Palace was holding their grand exhibition. At that moment…”
The captain restored the events that had happened. However, they hadn’t seen the events that had happened before they arrived at the scene.
They could only retell what had happened after they’d arrived, including Lu Wuji’s flagrant interference, forceful cutting in, Commander Tian Shao’s strong argument on just grounds, etc. All of this was poured out like beans spilling out of a bamboo container.
When they heard that Jiang Chen had beaten a disciple of the Northern Palace up, the three directors looked at each other and they were all absorbed in their thoughts.
Now that the situation had developed to this point, semblance of some ideas had vaguely surfaced. A disciple of the Northern Palace, Lu Wuji, as well as Vice Director Yang behind Lu Wuji were all people on the same front line, and all people of the first prince.
In this way, a case that looked simple was something that actually had implications that led to the first prince?
“General director, this case seems to be too difficult to handle.” Qi Tiannan was a bit depressed.
“I don’t think there’s anything difficult about this, just handle it impartially.” Zhou Kai’s tone was firm.
They had all heard of the reputation of the Northern Palace. Killing, raiding and committing robbery on the road, these were all matters that the Northern Palace liked to do.
“Then, where are the witness and evidence now?” Shangguan Yi asked.
“The witness has been detained, while General Lu has taken all the evidence.”
Shangguan Yi’s face darkened and then asked the Dragonteeth Guards, “How is Jiang Chen now?”
“Commander Tian Shao arranged for him to be put into the single holding cell, but we’re afraid that General Lu has already received the order to remove Commander Tian Shao’s t.i.tle by now. We’re not too certain what the exact situation is.”
Of the three vice directors of the Dragonteeth Guard, Zhou Kai was in charge of financial affairs, Lu Wuji’s uncle, Yang Zhao, was in charge of human resources, and Qi Tiannan was in charge of all sorts of administrative affairs.
When it came to Yang Zhao, he grasped the power of appointment and removal for the level of commander and below, and he had a lot of power as well.
Apart from generals having to be personally appointed and removed by the general director Shangguan Yi, Yang Zhao did indeed have the power to remove a commander.
When Shangguan Yi’s thoughts arrived at this point, he hastily said, “Old Zhou, I need you to make a trip immediately to the Black Dungeons and take my Dragonteeth Guard emblem. Stop Lu Wuji and protect Jiang Chen at all costs. If Lu Wuji dares act out of line, arrest him forcefully. Ignore all who plead on his behalf!”
“Understood!” Zhou Kai accepted his orders.
“Old Qi, take people with you and bring the important witness. If anyone blocks you, suppress them. Don’t let anything happen to the witness.”
To think that a simple matter would have anything to do with the four great sites and drag all of them in to the extent that it even involved the open rivalry and veiled strife between the princes. Shangguan Yi didn’t dare lower his guard.
No matter which way he leaned, he was sure to offend one side. The only thing they could do now was to handle the matter impartially and return the original, naked truth.
This was the only way in which they would be on the side of reason and not be condemned by the public.
However, from the reactions on all sides, Shangguan Yi had also guessed that it was likely eighty percent true that the disciple of the Northern Palace had attempted robbery.
…
In the Black Dungeons.
Lu Wuji was sitting cross-legged with an extremely at ease expression, as if he was a hunter toying with his prey and enjoying the psychological thrill of this perverted mindset.
As for Tian Shao, he sat cross legged on the other side of the Black Dungeons.
As domineering as Lu Wuji was, he still knew that he could not use brute force before he received the removal order. If he used brute force to take Tian Shao down, then he really would be crossing the line.
Even if he had his uncle to wipe his b.u.t.t after him, this would be a tricky matter to address if it was reported upwards. After all, intervening in this case was a step out of bounds in itself.
He wasn’t in a rush at this moment either. On the contrary, he rather enjoyed this feeling. He was like someone who’d received a treasured sword and Tian Shao and Jiang Chen were yearlings waiting for the slaughter.
It was a pity that the two stubborn yearlings still refused to cry out in agony even at this moment. This made his spirits feel slightly dampened.
Therefore, he continuously used words to provoke Jiang Chen.
“Jiang Chen, I’ve heard you have a few beauties amongst your subordinates. I’ll take care of them for you after you die. It’s said that you also have a few men as well. Heh heh, our Skylaurel Kingdom also has slave markets. It will be like recycling trash when I sell them later.”
“And you, Tian Shao, I hear that you have an eight year old daughter? And a very beautiful wife? Is that so?”
Tian Shao’s tiger eyes glared as he snorted, “Shameless petty villain! The heavens watch over men’s actions. Lu Wuji, you take advantage of your power to bully others. You have absolutely no respect for the law, the heavens will take care of you sooner or later!”
“The heavens? Haha, I’m the heavens here, what do they matter? The heavens are number two and the earth is number three. I, Lu Wuji, am the boss!”
Jiang Chen had been sitting cross legged and saying not a word. When he heard these words, his eyes suddenly glared and shot out a frightening beam of cold light. “Lu Wuji, heaven’s vengeance is slow but sure. You defy heaven and have contempt for the law, the heavens will exact justice on you.”
As the son of the Celestial Emperor in his past life, the words that Jiang Chen could least bear to hear were stupid words blaspheming the heavens and earth.
“The heavens will exact justice on me?” Lu Wuji laughed heartily. “Even if there is such a day, I’m afraid that you won’t be able to see it. Let me tell you what the heavens are. Being alive is the heavens. Being dead is being a ghost. Jiang Chen, you’ll be a ghost very soon. The angels of death are coming for you soon.”
Jiang Chen smiled faintly, “The angels of death? Well said, when you are greeted by them one day, make sure to greet them for me.”
Killing intent exploded on Lu Wuji’s face. “Kid, you’re facing your death and are still being stubborn.”
Footsteps could be heard from outside at this moment. It was the person that Lu Wuji had sent to apply for the removal order earlier. He came in with hurried footsteps, and a removal order in his hand.
Lu Wuji was overjoyed and held it up in his hand. “Tian Shao, open your dog eyes and take a good look. The removal order is here. From now on, you are no longer a commander in the Dragonteeth Guard. Put your commander shoulder patch down, remove your Dragonteeth Guard uniform, and do not resist arrest!”
Tian Shan threw his head back and cried out, “Heavens, why are you so unjust to let such petty villains hold sway? I, Tian Shao, with a firm and unyielding character, am to be insulted by such a petty villain on this day!”
Jiang Chen on the other hand, spoke faintly, “Commander Tian, the natural laws are manifest and victory or loss isn’t decided at this moment. Come here and we’ll advance or retreat together.”
Actually, these Black Dungeons couldn’t trap Jiang Chen at all.
With Jiang Chen’s current level of training, he’d be able to fend for himself even if he met Liu Can of the first level of the spirit realm.
Although these Dragonteeth Guards were an army of wolves and tigers, they were only of the true qi realm in the end.
If he really wanted to turn hostile, he had an eighty percent chance of breaking free.
Lu Wuji coldly laughed continuously, “A caged animal making its death struggles? Jiang Chen, do you know what I enjoy the most is admiring the view of prey in its death struggles?”
Jiang Chen laughed heartily, “Lu Wuji, I don’t know if I’m making my death struggles. One thing I’m certain of is that I, Jiang Chen, will certainly not die before you.”
“Daydreams of an idiot.” Lu Wuji grimaced in laughter and abruptly yelled out, “Kill, with lawful authority, the repeat offender Jiang Chen in his attempted jailbreak!”
Lu Wuji was a ruthless person. He wanted Jiang Chen dead and he didn’t even wish to wait until the final judgement of the case. He wanted Jiang Chen dead now.
Therefore, a jailbreak was naturally the best excuse.
Striking a jailbreaker down was perfectly logical and reasonable, it could be done flawlessly. Lu Wuji was well versed in this matter and he didn’t have any psychological stress about it at all.
“Kill!”
The Dragonteeth Guard that Lu Wuji had brought charged in like wolves and tigers.
“Halt!”
An enraged and shocked roar sounded from the outskirts of the Black Dungeons in this critical moment. “Halt, all of you! You worthless trash, do you want to die!?”
This voice was like a thunderclap out of a blue sky as it echoed throughout the entire Black Dungeons, vibrating so that the eardrums of the Dragonteeth Guard buzzed. The heavens and earth trembled and they almost couldn’t keep their footing. They swayed and trembled, unable to hold the weapons in their hands firmly.
In the next moment, the number two personage of the Dragonteeth Guard, Vice General Zhou Kai, came rus.h.i.+ng in with great presence along with a pack of elites.
The heart that had leapt into Zhou Kai’s throat went back to his chest the instant he saw that there wasn’t a scene of flesh and blood flying everywhere.
Thankfully, disaster had been averted. There was still time to salvage everything!