Chapter 357: I Want Dignity

Xiao Zhenggong entered the ward, a white shirt draped over his left arm. He first glanced at He Jiaqing, who was lying on the bed.

“The Dark Star Bureau is investigating; get out!” Xiao Zhenggong turned to face He Haisheng, who was smoking.

He Haisheng exhaled a puff of smoke, which lingered around Xiao Zhenggong's face for a moment.

Xiao Zhenggong took a lighter from his pocket, lit a cigarette, and twirled the lighter twice between his fingers, as if ready to flick it at He Haisheng at any moment.

He Haisheng raised his hands. “Captain Xiao, don’t be impulsive. Be careful not to lose control. If you want to investigate, I’ll leave.”

With that, He Haisheng left the ward.

Xiao Zhenggong closed the ward door and looked at He Jiaqing on the bed.

“Do it, Senior Brother,” the shirt said.

“I’m not sure if this is He Jiaqing,” Xiao Zhenggong said, hesitating slightly.

“Regardless, it’s better to kill the wrong person than to let the right one go.”

Xiao Zhenggong remained on guard, keeping more than a meter’s distance from He Jiaqing on the bed.

If this person truly was He Jiaqing, he could jump up and fight Xiao Zhenggong to the death at any moment.

When a traveler cultivator fights a martial cultivator to the death, the outcome is unpredictable. If their cultivation levels are similar, the martial cultivator has an advantage, but what if He Jiaqing’s cultivation was higher than his?

After observing for a while, the person on the bed remained motionless, only sweat beads trickling down his cheeks one after another.

“Kill him, Senior Brother. Even if you kill the wrong person, you won’t suffer any loss.”

That’s impossible; there would certainly be a loss.

Although Xiao Zhenggong was a Balancer, some things couldn’t be taken too far. The Bureau highly valued He Jiaqing. Killing him couldn't be explained away with a simple report; it might even force Xiao Zhenggong to use the Balance Seal.

The Balance Seal came at a great cost. Unless absolutely necessary, Xiao Zhenggong didn’t want to go that far.

While hesitating, Xiao Zhenggong suddenly looked towards the door.

Even through the closed door, he felt a pair of eyes watching him.

Xiao Zhenggong walked to the door, opened it, and saw Captain Chen Changrui standing there with a smiling face, wearing a jacket and holding a cigarette in his mouth.

“Captain Chen, when did you arrive?”

“Just arrived,” Chen Changrui said with a chuckle, taking a puff from his cigarette. “I heard you were investigating, so I didn’t disturb you. Go ahead and do your investigation; we can talk after you’re done.”

Xiao Zhenggong watched Chen Changrui, his cheeks twitching.

Chen Changrui glanced at He Jiaqing on the bed and made a gesturing motion towards Xiao Zhenggong, inviting him to proceed.

It was as if he was telling Xiao Zhenggong, “You can kill He Jiaqing at any time.”

*That old man, you’re just hoping I’ll make a move!*

Xiao Zhenggong put the lighter into his pants pocket and left the ward.

Once in the car, the white clothes couldn’t help but ask, “Senior Brother, what exactly are you afraid of him for? That old man’s cultivation level should be lower than yours, shouldn’t it?”

“It’s not about cultivation level,” Xiao Zhenggong said as he started the car. “If I had laid a hand on He Jiaqing in front of Chen Changrui, I might have been transferred out of the Public Security Team.”

“Why do you insist on staying in the Public Security Team? Given your identity, there are plenty of better places you could choose.”

“You wouldn’t understand even if I told you,” Xiao Zhenggong said, pressing the accelerator and driving out of the parking lot. “The Public Security Team is the best place!”

“Senior Brother, if you’re so timid and hesitant, I’m afraid you won’t be able to complete the task Master assigned.”

Halfway there, Xiao Zhenggong suddenly slammed on the brakes, and the car behind him nearly rear-ended them.

The white clothes didn’t understand what Xiao Zhenggong meant, only hearing him murmur to himself, “No, something isn’t right about this.”

“What’s not right?”

“Why was he smoking just now?”

“Are you talking about Chen Changrui? I think you once said he’s a heavy smoker.”

“I just feel like something’s off…” Xiao Zhenggong rubbed his forehead, trying to recall Chen Changrui’s habits.

His phone suddenly buzzed; it was a message from the Bureau about a mission.

“A suspected mutated creature has appeared in Hui Chi Residential Complex on Baihe Road, Tulou Village. All team members, proceed to the scene immediately.”

*Chen Changrui’s voice?*

*Where exactly is Chen Changrui?*

Xiao Zhenggong started the car, wanting to return to the hospital.

The white clothes said from the back seat, “Senior Brother Xiao, you should have shown this decisiveness earlier!”

He turned the steering wheel halfway but didn't make a U-turn.

He had a feeling someone was setting a trap here.

“Chen Changrui wants to force me out. That old man is playing mind games with me. Well, I’d like to see who leaves today…” Xiao Zhenggong muttered to himself before driving to Tulou Village.

“Chen Changrui” stood at the ward door for a moment before turning and heading to the bathroom at the end of the corridor.

Shortly after, “He Haisheng” emerged from the bathroom, still wearing a suit.

The previous “Chen Changrui” and the current “He Haisheng” were both impersonated by He Jiaqing. Even their clothes were conjured using a performance cultivation technique.

He Jiaqing sat beside He Haisheng and wiped the sweat from his brow.

After a moment of thought, he made a snipping motion with two fingers on He Haisheng’s forehead, as if cutting a thread.

He Haisheng suddenly sat up in bed and grabbed He Jiaqing’s collar. “You beast!”

He Haisheng could move again; He Jiaqing had undone the binding cultivation technique on him.

“Third Uncle, please listen to me first…”

“Listen to what? I’ll freaking kill you…”

Suddenly, footsteps were heard outside the door; the rounds doctor had arrived.

He Haisheng pondered for a moment, then lay back down on the bed, continuing to impersonate He Jiaqing.

There were some things he didn’t want outsiders to know.

He Jiaqing tidied his clothes and watched the doctor enter the ward.

The doctor sniffed and frowned. “Are you smoking in the ward again? Don’t you know hospital regulations? Haven’t you considered the patients? Look at your conduct…”

This doctor was new and seemed unfamiliar with He Haisheng, as well as the He family’s identity and status.

After completing the routine inquiries and examinations, He Jiaqing, smiling apologetically, escorted the doctor out.

Once certain no one would disturb them for a while, He Haisheng sat up and again grabbed He Jiaqing’s collar. “You beast, what in the world is going on? Explain yourself clearly.”

He Jiaqing smiled. “Do I even need to explain this? I want to live a respectable life, but right now I’m not living respectably. You saw it yourself: that doctor just now was barking orders at me. Do you think I dared say another word?”

“That’s the hospital rule; smoking isn’t allowed here. I even went downstairs!”

“Xiao Zhenggong was just about to kill me, right here in this ward. Is that also a hospital rule?”

He Haisheng remained silent.

“When I disguised myself as Chen Changrui, Xiao Zhenggong didn’t dare to kill me. My life is in the hands of two people from outside our province; life and death are just a thought away for them.”

He Haisheng was silent for a moment before saying, “Xiao Zhenggong is from Luopro Province.”

“I know he’s from Luopro Province. He’s the leader of the Jiangxiang Gang. With just that identity in Luopro Province, would he dare to lay a hand on me? He dares to kill me now because he has another identity in an outside province: he’s the Deputy Captain of the Dark Star Bureau’s Public Security Brigade! As long as he has an identity in an outside province, he dares to kill me anywhere, anytime.”

“Since you’re willing to stay in an outside province, you have to abide by its rules.”

He Jiaqing laughed. “Third Uncle, you’ve been in an outside province for so long that you’ve started telling their cynical jokes.”

“This is no joke…”

“It is a joke. Ask the Border Commanders from the outside provinces: do they follow the rules in Luopro Province? Have they ever cared about Luopro Province’s rules?”

He Haisheng pursed his lips. “If you don’t want to stay in an outside province, then go back to Luopro Province. Once you’re back in Luopro Province, you’ll still be the He family’s young master and won’t have to suffer this indignity!”

“You say I won’t have to suffer indignity? Third Uncle, your jokes are getting more and more interesting. How did the head of the Chu family die?”

“He died while pioneering with the Lu family…” He Haisheng’s voice was faint.

“Third Uncle, you can lie to me all you want, but can you lie to yourself? The head of the Chu family died at the hands of a Border Commander, and you witnessed it yourself. Since then, you’ve never wanted to return to Luopro Province. Do you think I don’t know that?”

He Haisheng rubbed his forehead; he was recalling some events from those years, and his thoughts were terribly jumbled.

He Jiaqing sighed. “They talk about the Four Great Families, but in the eyes of the Border Commanders, they’re just four dogs. Alive, they act as dogs for the outside provinces; even if they reach the tenth level of cultivation, after death, they still act as dogs for the inner provinces. Are the lives of people from Luopro Province really that cheap?”

He Haisheng took the cigarette pack from He Jiaqing, pulled out a cigarette, and put it in his mouth.

After smoking a cigarette, He Haisheng calmed down slightly and asked, “What exactly do you want to do?”

He Jiaqing replied, “I just said, I want to live a more respectable life, and I want the people of Luopro Province to live more respectably.”

He Haisheng lit another cigarette. “Earlier, Elder Sister came to the hospital to see me…”

“Third Uncle, Elder Aunt came to see *me*.”

He Haisheng cuffed He Jiaqing on the head. “You still dare to bring that up? Do you think I *wanted* to lie here for you? Elder Sister said that Elder Brother suddenly passed away, and even the Nightmare Cultivators couldn't summon his soul back. Could he have reached the tenth level and gone to the inner provinces?”

He Jiaqing replied truthfully, “I sent my father so many elixirs; it must have been enough for him to reach the tenth level.”

“How dare you, you brat…”

“Third Uncle, this was my father’s wish. I was helping him. He didn’t want to be a dog for the outside provinces anymore either.”

He Haisheng, with the cigarette in his mouth, took a deep drag. “Our family business is entirely managed by Elder Sister now. She’s not good at business. Make some time to go back and see what’s going on at home.”

He Jiaqing shook his head. “I’m not going back. Things here aren’t finished yet.”

He Haisheng said angrily, “At least find someone to ask about it! That’s our family’s own business!”

He Jiaqing contacted Duan Shuqun, and indeed, something had gone wrong with the He family’s business.

He Yuxiu was drinking in the mansion when the accountant, Sheng Shanzhou, sighed, “Miss, that shipment from Black Ear Mountain still hasn’t been released by the outside provinces. You should have listened to me about this; we shouldn't have shortchanged the Border Commander’s bonus back then.”

He Yuxiu retorted angrily, “The business lost money, and we’re supposed to give him the full amount? Giving him half would be generous! He didn’t take a single cent less for such high shipping fees!”

“The shipping fees belong to the public coffers, but the bonus is his personal share. Regardless of profit or loss, we have to give him the full amount…”

“Nonsense! If he hadn’t interfered, this business wouldn’t have lost money. How do you account for that?” He Yuxiu smashed her wine glass to pieces.

Yan Yulin, He Haiqin’s legal wife, heard the commotion and came out of the bedroom. “Yuxiu, what are you doing? Why are you angry with your own family?”

Sheng Shanzhou also felt wronged and lowered his head without speaking. He Yuxiu sighed. “I’m not angry with you. I just genuinely can’t stand those damn outsiders from the other provinces. What do you suggest we do about this?”

Sheng Shanzhou, who had followed He Haiqin for many years and still held some influence with the Border Commander, said, “Miss, I’ll try to arrange a dinner with the Border Commander. We can make up the money, and you can apologize to him. Then this matter will be resolved.”

“*I* apologize to *him*?” He Yuxiu exclaimed, agitated.

Sheng Shanzhou also became agitated. “Miss, we’re in business. Who doesn’t suffer a bit of injustice? Master never told you, but he suffered much more! You can’t be so unyielding. It’s precisely because you were disrespectful to the Border Commander earlier that he’s been causing trouble for us everywhere!”

He Yuxiu stood up. “Go find whoever the hell you want to. I’m out!”

Yan Yulin quickly stepped forward and held He Yuxiu back. “Yuxiu, you can’t do this. The family is counting on you. You mustn’t say such angry words…”

Duan Shuqun conveyed the news to He Jiaqing, mentioning not only the business issues but also another matter.

The Jiangxiang Gang had run into trouble.

He Jiaqing looked at He Haisheng. “Third Uncle, two halls of the Jiangxiang Gang were wiped out.”

He Haisheng was startled. “You did this?”

He Jiaqing grew agitated. “How could it be me? I’ve been in Yue Province this whole time.”

He Haisheng was startled again. “You sent someone to do it?”

He Jiaqing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Third Uncle, why are you so convinced it was me?”

“If it wasn’t you, why would Xiao Zhenggong want to kill you?”

“What kind of logic is that…” He Jiaqing was at a loss for an explanation.

He and Xiao Zhenggong had many grievances, some of which he couldn’t tell He Haisheng about.

He Haisheng sat in silence for a moment before saying, “We can’t stay in the hospital anymore. You go first; I’ll find a way to get out.”