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Chapter 219 45: I Became the Leader of Group Four
Chapter 219 45: I Became the Leader of Group Four
Guardian Martial Department's main hall, usually the office of Chief Officer Zheng Yuanqiu.
Chang Sui walked in with Shen Qing one after the other.
As Shen Qing stepped into the back hall of the Guardian Martial Department, the heavy wooden door slowly closed behind him.
Chang Sui stepped forward and said, "Shen Chasi, please. The master has been waiting in the inner room for some time."
"Thank you." Shen Qing cupped his hands.
He adjusted his tunic and strode toward the quiet room.
Upon entering the quiet room of the main hall, Shen Qing immediately saw the calm and dignified face of Zheng Yuanqiu.
At this moment, he was sitting upright at the desk, with sharp eyesight and furrowed brows, deep in thought.
Shen Qing stepped forward and said steadily, "Lord Chief Officer, Shen Qing of the Sixth Group reports as ordered."
Zheng Yuanqiu slightly raised his head, his gaze lingering on Shen Qing for a moment before he spoke: "Shen Qing, do you know why I summoned you urgently?"
Shen Qing met Zheng Yuanqiu's eyes without any hesitation, "I am not very clever, but I suspect it is related to the death of Xi Shaoqin, Xi Chasi."
"Yes, you are somewhat perceptive." Zheng Yuanqiu nodded lightly, his tone becoming more serious: "After all, Xi Chasi was one of our Guardian Martial Department's people, a legitimate official of the court. The Military Department has already taken over this matter."
"But I heard that Xi Chasi's death was related to a demon. If so, we can't remain uninvolved; we still need to investigate thoroughly. Exterminating demons is our Guardian Martial Department's duty."
"You are decisive and exceptional in your actions on ordinary days. I intend to entrust this heavy responsibility to you. How about the position of Chasi for the Fourth Group, are you interested?"
Making me the head of the Fourth Group?
Upon hearing this, waves of unrest surged in Shen Qing's heart.
His first reaction was not of fortune but of the suspicion that there was something dodgy in this matter.
Since his Sixth Group was depleted, Zheng Yuanqiu had never replenished the establishment and let him act as a "Lone Rider."
Coincidentally, now Xi Shaoqin of the Fourth Group died, leaving a Chasi position vacant, and he was to fill this gap.
Wouldn't that mean the establishment of the Sixth Group is just being removed?
Shen Qing remembered that the Chief Officer in front of him was a member of the Huang Tian Sect, and a few months ago, the Guardian Martial Department's people who went to Taiping County were betrayed and killed by him.
Now reducing the establishment felt like Zheng Yuanqiu was deliberately or unintentionally weakening the Guardian Martial Department, making it a feeble government office.
It was known that apart from exterminating demons, the newly established Guardian Martial Department was responsible for seeking out and destroying rebels like the Huang Tian Sect. Was the Huang Tian Sect planning new moves?
This is not ruled out.
Moreover, the Cat Demon had been hiding in the Inner City for some time. Xi Shaoqin and his Fourth Group investigated for so long without any clues. It was an extremely troublesome adversary.
He wasn't confident he could resolve this matter.
It was evidently a mess, and woe to whoever accepted it.
In an instant, Shen Qing thought of many things, yet his face remained as calm as water, showing no expression.
After a while, Shen Qing bent down, cupped his fists, looked at the ground, and said, neither humble nor overbearing: "Sir, I believe I am inadequate for this weighty task; I hope you can choose another talent."
"I think Dong Jing, Dong Chasi of the First Group, and Xie Zongyong, Xie Chasi of the Second Group, are quite impressive; they should be able to handle this..."
As Shen Qing spoke, he suddenly felt a shadow before him. He stopped talking and looked up.
Only to see Zheng Yuanqiu, at some point, stood up from the chair and walked in front of him.
"Do you refuse to accept?" Zheng Yuanqiu's eyes were like a cold pool, deep and icy, those four words squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying a trace of questioning.
Shen Qing looked up with unusually firm eyes; his Qi Sea within began to surge. The Six Paths Whale Swallowing Technique activated automatically, driving a vast amount of True Qi. He took a deep breath and continued: "Mr. Zheng, it is not that I refuse intentionally, but I truly have limited capability..."
Before the words were finished, there seemed to be a subtle fluctuation in the air.
An overwhelming pressure surged from Zheng Yuanqiu, enveloping Shen Qing.
Shen Qing only felt his whole body like trapped in a swamp, even his breath turning heavy.
"You had better think carefully before answering," Zheng Yuanqiu said with a faint smile.
Shen Qing squinted his eyes, itching to expose his secrets.
But seeing that Zheng Yuanqiu hadn't used his full strength, after a comprehensive consideration, he bowed his head and said: "Given your trust, sir, I ought to do my utmost to uncover the truth."
The pressure surrounding him suddenly disappeared.
Shen Qing immediately felt a lightness throughout his body.
Zheng Yuanqiu smiled as he patted Shen Qing's shoulder earnestly and said, "Good, I knew I hadn't misjudged. As of today, you are now the Chasi of the Fourth Group of our Guardian Martial Department, leading all officers of the Fourth Group, and tasked with thoroughly investigating Xi Shaoqin's related demon issues."
Shen Qing took the command with a blank expression.
"The rumor of the Cat Demon is increasingly rampant now. You have one month to clear up this demon, either slay it on the spot or capture it. Remember, no matter who is involved, investigate thoroughly without sparing. If you can't manage it, you should resign voluntarily. Now get out and get busy!"
Shen Qing opened his mouth, silently cupped his hands, and retreated.
Once outside the main hall, the usually composed Shen Qing couldn't help but show a trace of anger on his face.
Fine, fine, fine, thinking that I have no background and am easy to bully, huh.
Shen Qing took out from his pocket the incriminating letter Zheng Yuanqiu had written to the Huang Tian Sect, his face turning fierce.
Hope you don't blame me when the time comes.
He kept the letter close, putting away those thoughts.
...
In the courtyard of the Guardian Martial Department, Shen Qing sat at the main seat, summoning the former Fourth Group's officers over.
They had received the order and knew this young man before them was to be their next Chasi, whom they would work under.
Shen Qing looked at these people, they mostly had indifferent expressions, with eyes somewhat disdainful, which he had anticipated.
Although not from aristocratic families like the Thirteen Lines, they weren't purely from the lower class, so naturally, they wouldn't show any friendly faces to this outsider.
Shen Qing did not care about this; he had no expectations from them.
"Lord Chief Officer has ordered us to find the demon behind Xi Chasi's murder within a month. If we fail to do so, all of us shall be dismissed. Henceforth, you must be extremely diligent and strive to investigate. Do you understand?"
As these words fell, there was a slight reaction on everyone's face, and they responded sparsely.
"Haven't eaten?" Shen Qing shouted, True Qi surged through him, revealing a sharp momentum.
The Fourth Group officers in the room immediately felt a chill in their hearts.
This cultivation level was the Qi Hai Realm!!!
They suddenly realized that Shen Qing seemed different from the image of Chasi they had imagined.
Some quick-thinking officers immediately changed their attitude, responding repeatedly, "Understood!"
"Understood, now go investigate," Shen Qing said with a sharp gaze.
The group exchanged glances, then successively left to investigate the demons in the city.