Chapter 983: Lu Yiye Hits Me!

Rise of the Nine Provinces

If today's incident wasn't Lu Yiye's doing, then so be it. The work of the Law Enforcement Office often involved offending people, and Squad A-5 had made many enemies over the years. It was inevitable that some would secretly harbor grudges, waiting for an opportunity to strike and vent their anger. But if it truly was Lu Yiye's doing, how would they explain it to the Commander?

Zhou Kui, a ninth-level True Lake realm body cultivator, had been beaten by a fifth-level soldier cultivator, and it happened right under the noses of the other members of Squad A-5. If this got out, it would sound bad, making Squad A-5 seem utterly incompetent. Captain Zhou Kui would also lose all face.

A single remark enlightened Zhou Kui. His expression flickered for a moment, then he decisively declared, "Return to Vast Sky City!"

As long as Lu Yiye could be severely punished, what did losing a bit of face matter?

In the main hall of the Law Enforcement Office, Qian Wudang looked at Lu Ye speechlessly. "Does this tea still have any flavor?"

Lu Ye had already had three cups.

He didn't stand on ceremony. After finishing, he refilled his cup again.

"It's alright."

Qian Wudang rubbed his forehead helplessly. "If you like this tea so much, just take some with you."

"Then I thank you, sir," Lu Ye quickly expressed his gratitude.

Heavy footsteps entered from outside. A moment later, a sturdy figure stepped in, wrapped in the scent of blood.

Qian Wudang looked up. Seeing Zhou Kui's miserable state, his face suddenly darkened. "What happened?"

Zhou Kui's appearance clearly showed he'd been beaten up. Furthermore, the assailant had used a spiritual artifact. The wound on his body, seemingly bleeding profusely, was clearly inflicted by a sharp weapon. Most conspicuously, there was a large shoe print on his face, looking utterly ridiculous, obviously from being kicked.

Zhou Kui possessed cultivation at the ninth level of the True Lake realm. For him to be beaten into such a state, it was highly probable that a Divine Sea realm cultivator had acted.

Qian Wudang subconsciously assumed that some Divine Sea realm cultivator from Vast Sky City had attacked Zhou Kui.

After all, Zhou Kui was a soldier under his command, and he had performed quite well over the past few years. Even if he had committed a mistake, it should be him, the Commander of the Law Enforcement Office, who meted out the punishment. He would not tolerate others overstepping their bounds.

"Please, sir, do justice for your subordinate!" Zhou Kui clasped his fists, cried out in a low, deep voice, tilting his head slightly, appearing utterly ashamed. "Two hundred miles outside the city, your subordinate was ambushed!"

"Who did it?" Qian Wudang asked coldly. Unnamed fury surged in his chest. Ambushing a soldier under his command—how outrageous! He secretly vowed that no matter which Divine Sea realm cultivator was involved, he would demand an explanation today! Attacking his subordinate was an attack on his, Qian Wudang's, face, and on the face of the Law Enforcement Office. Such an act could not be tolerated.

"Lu Yiye," Zhou Kui ground out a name through gritted teeth. The humiliation on his face intensified. After all, he, a ninth-level cultivator, had personally admitted to being beaten by a fifth-level cultivator like Lu Ye. He simply couldn't keep his composure.

But as long as Lu Yiye could be punished, a small sacrifice was ultimately worth it.

Qian Wudang froze. He looked up and saw, not far behind Zhou Kui, Lu Ye, sitting in a chair, legs crossed, holding a teacup.

Their eyes met. Lu Ye had a bewildered expression.

"Who did you say?" Qian Wudang frowned.

"It's Lu Yiye, the one I had a conflict with at Hundred Fragrance Tower a few days ago."

"When did this happen?" Qian Wudang asked again.

"About a quarter of an hour ago."

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Suddenly, a somewhat familiar voice came from behind. Immediately followed by footsteps, Zhou Kui whipped his head around and saw Lu Ye standing up with his teacup, walking towards him.

"Why are you here?" Zhou Kui's eyes blazed with fury. When he had just entered, he was solely focused on lodging his complaint and truly hadn't noticed anyone behind him.

"Why can't I be here?" Lu Ye snorted. He placed the teacup he was holding on the table in front of Qian Wudang. Then he clasped his fists and said, "Sir, Zhou Kui is slandering me, falsely accusing a colleague. I hope you will investigate thoroughly."

Zhou Kui raised a hand and grabbed Lu Ye's collar. He said fiercely, "It was you! Don't think I wouldn't realize it."

Lu Ye didn't resist. He just turned to look at Qian Wudang. "Sir, you see? He's still trying to assault me. How can he be so presumptuous in your presence? What kind of discipline is this? Please allow me, sir. Your subordinate is willing to teach him a lesson and show him the rules of our Law Enforcement Office."

"Let go!" Qian Wudang said with a stern face, letting out a sharp cry.

Zhou Kui dared not disobey, so he quickly released Lu Ye's collar. He apologized, "Please forgive me, sir. Your subordinate lost his composure. It's just that this scoundrel is truly too overbearing!" Lu Ye raised a hand to flick the wrinkles from his collar, then stood calmly in place.

Qian Wudang looked at Zhou Kui and said in a deep voice, "Are you saying Lu Yiye ambushed you a quarter of an hour ago?"

"Yes," Zhou Kui replied firmly. "Your subordinate had just accepted a mission from the Hunting Pavilion and led his squad out of Vast Sky City. Then, two hundred miles outside Vast Sky City, this scoundrel suddenly appeared and caught your subordinate off guard. Commander, please look at my injuries; they were all caused by this villain. This villain is so lawless, ambushing and assaulting a colleague in secret. It's simply outrageous! I ask for your thorough investigation!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Lu Ye scoffed.

"Do you dare say it wasn't you?" Zhou Kui turned his head and glared at him. "Don't think you can deceive the Commander by beating someone and then rushing here. The Commander's judgment is sharp as a torch; he will surely discern the truth."

"Of course, it wasn't me." Lu Ye looked at Zhou Kui as if he were an idiot. "I know you suffered a small loss at my hands a few days ago, and you resent it, waiting for an opportunity to retaliate. But there's no need to use such despicable tactics." He then looked at Qian Wudang. "Sir, this man is slandering me without reason, trying to tarnish my name. Please uphold justice for me!"

Annoyed by the two squabbling, Qian Wudang looked at Zhou Kui and said, "Did you personally see that he ambushed you?"

Zhou Kui said, "He was wearing a mask when he attacked, not revealing his true face. But his physique was identical, and his cultivation level was also the same. Your subordinate fought him at close quarters for a moment, which is enough to conclude that it was him."

"It couldn't have been him!" Qian Wudang declared.

Zhou Kui's angry expression turned into bewilderment. He looked at Qian Wudang, puzzled.

"He has been here with me for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, and he's had three cups of tea. If you were indeed ambushed a quarter of an hour ago, then it absolutely couldn't have been him." Zhou Kui was dumbfounded.

If anyone else had said it, he naturally wouldn't have believed it. But the one saying it was his own Commander; he couldn't help but believe.

"This is impossible!" Zhou Kui cried out.

It was clearly Lu Yiye who ambushed him. How could it not be him? If not him, then who could it be?

After such close-quarters combat, Zhou Kui was confident he wouldn't mistake the person. "Do you think I, the Commander, am lying to you?" Qian Wudang looked at Zhou Kui coldly.

Zhou Kui shuddered and quickly said, "Your subordinate wouldn't dare." Then, remembering something, he turned to Lu Ye. "If it really wasn't you who ambushed me just now, do you dare swear a Heavenly Secret Oath?"

Under a Heavenly Secret Oath, all falsehoods are exposed for judgment!

"Why should I?" Lu Ye scoffed. "With the Commander vouching for me, do I need to swear a Heavenly Secret Oath?"

"If you don't swear the oath, then it was you!"

"You've done too many deceitful things yourself. And you don't even know who taught you a lesson, yet you come here to slander me. It's truly laughable."

Seeing that Zhou Kui was about to speak again, Qian Wudang slammed the table. "Enough! What kind of behavior is this, squabbling like children?"

Zhou Kui and Lu Ye both fell silent.

"I, the Commander, said it wasn't him, Zhou Kui. Stop being so persistent." Zhou Kui opened his mouth but ultimately replied, "Yes, sir!"

Could it truly not have been him? But if it wasn't him, then who could it be? In that instant, Zhou Kui's certainty couldn't help but waver.

Thinking about it, did Lu Yiye, with his fifth-level cultivation, truly possess such formidable strength? In that brief exchange, he was beaten with almost no chance to retaliate. That was simply not something a fifth-level True Lake realm cultivator could do.

Could it be that some Divine Sea realm cultivator had concealed their cultivation to teach him a lesson? Zhou Kui's heart sank. He secretly pondered possible candidates but had no clue.

While he was lost in thought, Lu Ye seized the opportunity to press his attack. "Sir, Zhou Kui is retaliating out of resentment and slandering a colleague. If not for your testimony, your subordinate would not have been able to clear his name this time. If, in the future, people in our Law Enforcement Office act on baseless rumors, making wild accusations and fabricating slanders without any concrete evidence, how can we uphold justice? If this continues, the Law Enforcement Office will lose all credibility. I ask that you severely punish him to uphold the integrity of the Law Enforcement Office!"

"You!" Zhou Kui turned his head and glared at Lu Ye. He never expected that not only would his complaint fail, but Lu Yiye would also seize the opportunity to kick him while he was down. Moreover, this scoundrel was using the banner of the Law Enforcement Office to exert pressure. Zhou Kui immediately had a bad feeling.

Qian Wudang shot Lu Ye a glare. He hadn't wanted to escalate the matter. After all, Zhou Kui had been beaten this time, and Lu Ye hadn't suffered any loss. It would be best to resolve the major issue into a minor one, and the minor issue into nothing.

"Then what punishment do you think should be imposed?"

Lu Ye said solemnly, "You, sir, are the master of the Law Enforcement Office. Your subordinate merely follows orders."

Qian Wudang glared at him exasperatedly, secretly cursing him as a sly one. Then he turned to Zhou Kui. "Slandering a colleague and stirring up trouble without evidence, Zhou Kui, you are fined one month's salary and will receive ten lashes at the Hall of Punishments. Do you have any objections?"

How could Zhou Kui possibly object? He hung his head, like an eggplant struck by frost. He weakly clasped his fists and said, "Your subordinate accepts the punishment!"

"Go," Qian Wudang waved his hand.

Zhou Kui turned around, looking a bit dispirited. It wasn't because of the punishment he'd received, but because he was pondering something. If what happened earlier really wasn't Lu Yiye's doing, then which Divine Sea realm cultivator was teaching him a lesson?

The feeling of being secretly targeted was truly unbearable, especially when the one targeting him was a Divine Sea realm cultivator.

"Don't go out on missions for a while. Recovering from your injuries is the priority," Qian Wudang instructed him again.

"Yes, sir," Zhou Kui replied.

Watching Zhou Kui leave, Qian Wudang then looked at Lu Ye. "Satisfied?" Lu Ye clasped his fists and said, "Sir, you uphold justice impartially. Your subordinate will certainly emulate you and take you as a role model in the future. Now, sir, please attend to your duties. Your subordinate bids farewell."